https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-01-06.pdf 8ef07cf3c74a1460a50beac732d0c909 PDF Text Text New retailer sets up shop in downtown Hastings Keep USA strong Engle leaves Ann Arbor as waterski national champ See Story on Page 3 See Story on Page 11 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 804879110187 1070490102590502031449058113421 H, Richard Herr>er'in9 N Taffs® Dr Hastings Ml 49u58-1 • 6/30/2022 9:47:00 AM VOLUME 168, No. 1 iANNER Thursday, January 6, 2022 PRICE $1.00-; Who will run? Search in city for new county, board candidate finds reluctance to enter politics Benjamin Simon A motorist receives a COVID-19 test outside the Barry Eaton District Health Department office last week on Wednesday as a long line of people waited in their vehicles to receive the test. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) COVID cases surge as Omicron numbers grow Taylor Owens Staff Writer Health officials say the current surge in COVID-19 cases in Michigan is being driven by the new Omicron variant, which appears to be more contagious, but less lethal, than previous strains. Since Christmas Eve, more than 1,400 COVID-19 cases have been reported to the Barry-Eaton District Health Department. The presence of Omicron has not been officially confirmed in Barry County, but it has been confirmed in neighboring counties. “Due to this surge in cases, you may not be contacted by the health department if you test positive for COVID-19,” the health depart­ ment advises on its Facebook page. This prioritization by the BEDHD is not unusual. Throughout the pandemic, the department has not had the resources to con­ tact every positive case, so it has been priori­ tizing those ages 65 and up, then ages 12-18 and then children up to 11. Department staff are advising people who test positive to stay home, monitor their symptoms, notify their close contacts along with school or workplace and contact their healthcare providers. Free rapid and PCR COVID testing is available at the BEDHD office on Woodlawn Street in Hastings from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Last week, while the tests were being administered outside the back door of the building, a long line of cars snaked around the parking lot and out into the street. Some people told The Banner they waited between two and three hours to receive tests that were administered as they sat in their cars. BEDHD reported 347 cases of COVID in Barry County on Tuesday. Two additional deaths due to the virus were reported since last week, for a total of 133 deaths caused by CO VID since the pan­ demic was declared in March 2020. No new cases have been reported at Barry County long-term care facilities in nearly a month. On Monday, Spectrum Health Pennock had seven people with the virus who had been admitted to the hospital, including two patients in the intensive care unit. The Omicron variant is most prevalent in metro Detroit, where 201 of the 289 Omicron cases have been found, according to Bridge Michigan. See CO VID, page 2 1. After receiving the applications, council will Staff Writer convene at its Jan. 24 meeting to discuss the The city of Hastings will start the process next steps, which would likely include an inter­ of appointing a new city council member view process. The appointed person would hold after 1st ward representative Theresa Maupinthe post until the general election in the fall of Moore announced her resignation in 2022 when they would have to run for office. December. “We’re trying to find someone in a reason­ City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said the able amount of time,” Moyer-Cale said. “But city will begin soliciting applications for the we’re not set on getting someone in that posi­ position this week. tion by Feb. 1. That might be biting off a bit Those interested must apply by Jan. 21. more than we can chew. Moyer-Cale said she expects to fill the vacan­ “We don’t want to rush it.” cy sometime in February. Many in City Hall were surprised by The post comes with few requirements, Maupin-Moore’s resignation. although the applicant must be a resident of “I’m flabbergasted, to be honest with you,” the 1st ward and a registered voter. Tossava said during the Dec. 28 meeting. Mayor David Tossava said he specifically Moyer-Cale said she first learned of the wants someone who is committed to the news when Maupin-Moore announced it to Hastings community. the city council. “I’m going to look for somebody that really Maupin-Moore had spent six years in the wants to do this,” he said. “I don’t want somerole. She is the current Eden Coordinator at body that just wants to be on the council as a Thomapple-Manor. notch in their belt. I want somebody that really A Hastings resident for nearly two decades, wants to represent the people in their ward.” she has previously held jobs with the Barry But Tossava expressed concern about how County Commission on Aging and Barry many will actually apply. He speaks from County Substance Abuse Services. experience: He has spent the last few weeks “I’ve had a few phone calls with people trying to find people who are interested in come up and ask me why I was resigning,” serving as- a new commissioner for Maupin-Moore said at last Tuesday’s meetHastings. Recent fediistricung at the'county Tthgr^tiftTIbt ready to extremely talk aboutit level allows the city to elect its own commis­ out in public. However, it has nothing to do sioner to fill a new seat after sharing one with with my health, my new job and/or any new the township for the past 11 years. health issues with my family. So thank you to The mayor said he has found that most peo­ those people who have called and asked. But ple he has spoken to are reluctant to run for the it is not family and/or work-related.” new commissioner position, and that makes In other news, city council: him wary of the city’s ability to find residents • Approved a new contract with Mercy who are interested in the council opening. Ambulance. The decision brought tears to the He’d be surprised, Tossava added, if the eyes of Mercy city receives more than three applications. Director/Treasurer Rodney Palmer as he “I don’t think we’re going to see people took the stand to thank city council. coming out of the woodwork to run for it,” he “This doesn’t happen without the city of said. “I think you’re gonna find one or two Hastings,” he said of the contract in an inter­ people that are really interested to do it and view with The Banner following the meeting. then we’ll have to pick between them.” “BIRCH fire is a great district and they have Tossava said he believes the current politi­ a lot of runs, but the city of Hastings is the cal climate has discouraged some people core that kind of keeps this together so that from serving in public office. we have enough to do so we can keep our “I think with the way the environment is doors open.” right now, people don't want to get involved The new five-year contract will come at no in politics,” he said. cost to the city of Hastings. There’s a difference at the city council • Awarded $94,993.00 to C&D Hughes to level, though. City council members are non­ construct sidewalk and drive approaches partisan - meaning they don’t have any party along M-43 west of the city. affiliation. Tossava said he’s looking for a • Accepted the audit of the city’s 2021 “free thinker.” finances. The city received the highest possi­ ble rating. “I think, still, you hear these people out there that are Democrats and Republicans. • Hired Prein&Newhof, a Grand RapidsThey believe in one way, they’ve been indoc­ based civil engineering company, to produce trinated that way, they’re taught their whole the city’s Capital Improvement Plan for an amount not to exceed $25,740. life to believe this way. And I think that’s a lot of the problems we have,” he said. The council must fill Maupin-Mole’s posi­ See WHO WILL RUN?, page 2 tion within 45 days of her resignation on Feb. CpI. Joshua Hoffman Paralyzed Marine ' from Middleville dies Greg Chandler - Staff Writer A U.S. Marine from the Middleville area, left paralyzed by a sniper’s bullet in Iraq nearly 15 years ago, has died.. . Cpl. Joshua Hoffman died Dec. “27 from complications relating to his war­ time injuries. He was 39. Hoffman’s injury occurred in combat. . He was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, on Jan. 6,2007, when he spotted a man witft a rocket-propelled grenade. The insur-; ’ gent ran off, and Hoffman and his unit 7 followed, eventually capturing the man, ; During that encounter, Hoffman was shot in the-back'of 'leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. After 14 months in a Veterans 7 Administration hospital, Hoffman | returned home to a specially-built resi- 1 dence in Irving Township. Hoffman’s sacrifice for his country was the focus when more than 200 peo- J pie gathered on that day, Jan. 31, 2009, to mark the moment when he moved in.. He lived in his fully adapted “Homes. for Our Troops” house in Middleville with his faithful companions, Motley and Maggy, his family said. 7 -“Though Josh left the war in Iraq, his battle as a warrior never stopped,” his. • family wrote in his obituary. “He faced each new challenge head-on, never» wavering in his inner strength, and always with a true warrior’s heart. “Josh’s courage and strength was atjinspiration to all who knew him.” . Funeral services will take place at It ' a.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, at the Lauer / Family Funeral Home’s Wren Chapel, 1401 N. Broadway, Hastings. The ser­ vice will be live-streamed on www. facebook.com/lauerfhhastings. Inurnment will follow with military hon­ ors at Riverside Cemetery in Hastings. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. bn Wednesday, Jan. 12, and on Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. ' Hastings students earn 'life-changing’ scholarship Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Before Hannah Vann even opened up the notification to her application portal, she started crying. “I was so nervous because I didn’t know what the outcome would be,” she remem­ bered. Vann, who is a senior at Hastings High School, had applied to QuestBridge, a national scholarship program that covers the cost of an entire college education for high achieving low-income students. These kids normally come from a typical family of four earning less than $65,000. And under QuestBridge, everything is paid for - from tuition to room and board to trav­ el reimbursement. “Essentially, anything they need to be successful, [QuestBridge] will make sure that that financial part is not averted,” said Cathy Longstreet, a Hastings High School school counselor and K-12 Counseling Department Chair. But the program is highly selective. In 2021, 16,500 students applied to the QuestBridge National College Match pro­ gram and only 6,312 students become final­ ists. Patrick Mallory Matt Pattok From there, the finalists rank their top 12 schools out of QuestBridge’s more than 40 partner colleges, some of the most selective in the country. Only 1,674 students matched with a school - just 10 percent of the origi­ nal number of applicants. On Dec. 1, Vann opened up her match decision to learn that she had matched. She had received an all-expenses-paid-for schol­ arship to Oberlin College. “Then I started crying more,” she said. Vann was one of three Hastings High School students to be accepted into the QuestBridge National College Match pro­ gram this year, including Matt Pattok, who will attend the University of Pennsylvania, and Patrick Mallory, who will attend Colby College. That is the largest number of students ever selected from Hastings. “Truly, I don’t feel like it’s exaggerating to say that this is really life-changing,” Longstreet said. For Vann, specifically, the total cost of an Oberlin College education can run up to $80,000 annually, she said. And although she has always performed highly in her See STUDENTS, page 2 Cathy Longstreet, a school counselor; speaks with the three QuestBridge schol­ arship recipients at Hastings High School. This is Longstreet's fourth year guiding students through the extensive. QuestBridge application process that takes months to complete. �Page 2 — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner COVID CASES, continued from page 1 --------------------; But health experts also say there are likely many more cases of Omicron, since the state only performs genetic sequencing of 400 cases of the virus each week. ' Michigan has reported more than 12,400 cases of the virus each day, which represents a 75-percent increase in the number of cases being confirmed compared to last week. The testing positivity rate has steadily increased over the past 15 days, according to numbers released by the state. About 33 percent of the 40,584 COVID tests conducted Sunday were positive. That’s the highest positivity rate since the tests became widely available. Barry County was slightly below that rate, at 31.4 percent. The^signs are posted for the COVID-19 test and the vaccine. (Photos by Rebecca Pierce) A long line of vehicles quickly queued up in the parking lot and out into Woodlawn Street in Hastings as people waited as long as three hours to get the COVID-19 test. STUDENTS, continued from page 1 classes, she “never imagined I could be able to?.gQ to a school like that, just because it’s like’So expensive. “It really allows kids who are from my economic background, but are academically capable, it opens a lot of doors for them to actually go to schools out of state, go to Ivy Leagues and go to better schools that cater to their needs more than maybe an in-state dr Community college school,” she said. Longstreet starts identifying students who qualify during the middle of their junior year. By the start of their senior year, the students worked countless hours to craft their applications, writing essays and col­ lecting recommendations. They stayed after school and spend full days huddled in the administrative office fine-tuning their appli­ cation. But it didn’t bother the three students, Longstreet said. “By and large, they love all of it, and they love learning and they’re so excited,” she explained. “I think that was the underlying driving force - they are just so interested in What could be possible in their future and where could they do it.” - Here is a snapshot of the three accepted students, their interests and what they hope t<y accomplish with the QuestBridge schol­ arship. Matt Pattok -» A few weeks ago, Matt Pattok learned it was possible to pinpoint someone’s birthday in nine or less guesses. So naturally, he decid­ ed to create a computer program that could guess someone’s birthday for him. ’ “4 was like, ‘Well, I don’t really want to have to doThat math on my own,’” Pattok said. This is just a normal day in the life of Matt Pattok. Sometimes he’ll play video games like Minecraft or a fan-made game based on a TV show called “Attack on Titan,” At Hastings High School, he has participated in the fall play, Science Olympiad, Youth In Government, math club and’quiz bowl. But nearly every day, he said, he makes a hew computer science program. They’re not big programs. They’re just small projects that push his thinking. He- often recreates computer programs that already exist - to see how they work from the inside out. The day before he designed the birthday guesser program, he made one from scratch that can find the square root of any number. The day before that, he made one that dopies files. ; “It’s kind ofjust what I do when I’m bored. I’m, like, ‘Well, what’s something I could make? What’s a little challenge?’ ” he said. ’ His hunt for a challenge has translated into the- Classroom as well. Pattok is taking proof-writing at Michigan State this semester, his third dual-enrollment college math course. While at Hastings, he completed the most Advanced Placement classes of any student Cathy Longstreet, a high school counselor, has ever seen - anything from computer sci­ ence to microeconomics. “A lot of kids will [take AP classes] because they want to do it, so things look good on paper when they apply to college, ” Longstreet said. “But that’s not why he does it. He goes because he enjoys the challenge.” Pattok will study computer science at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in the fall. But he said he’s most looking for­ ward to the experience of being at college. “I could say learning computer science because I do have a lot of fun with that,” he said. “But honestly, I mean, as you probably figured out, I can learn it on my own if I need to.” He already has a spreadsheet full of clubs on his computer. They range from Science Olympiad to the Computer Science Society to the Engineers Without Borders to theater clubs. “The main thing I’m interested in is things that I wouldn’t be able to figure out on my own and can’t do on my own,” he said. “And so most of that isn’t informational.” He’s interested in being somewhere new, meeting new people and trying new clubs. Coming from Hastings, he called moving to the fifth-largest city in the country, nearly 700 miles away from home, “a little scary.” But that’s OK with him. That’s what he wants. “I’m in a small town. There’s not a ton of people and most of the people are pretty sim­ ilar,” he said. “But in Philadelphia, there’s all sorts of crazy different people with ideas that I’ve never heard of and experiences that I don’t know at all.” Patrick Mallory In the fall of 2022, Patrick Mallory will arrive at Colby College with the majority of his math classes already completed. Calculus 3, differential equations, proof writing - Mallory has taken all of them. Most of the students in these classes are juniors in college. Mallory is a senior at Hastings High School. But this is nothing new for Mallory, who has taken math courses at Western Michigan University and Michigan State University. For his entire life, he has aced classes and tests above his grade level. As a freshman in high school, for example, Mallory signed up for the Advanced Placement calculus exam. The test is normal­ ly intended for high school seniors who have taken a year of calculus. But wanting to do something new outside of school, Mallory, who was enrolled in both algebra 2 and geometry at the time, taught himself calculus through YouTube and Kahn Academy videos. “I just started studying calculus for fun because I was like ‘Oh, this looks fun,’ because I was kind of bored,” he said. When Mallory mentioned his extracurricu­ lar activities to a math teacher at the high up school, Dan Hayward, he recommended Mallory take the AP calculus exam. Mallory got a 5, the highest possible score. “Looking back on when I took the calc board, at the time I didn’t think anything of it,” Mallory said. “But now imagining some of the freshmen that I know, if I was one of my senior friends in calculus, and I found out about some freshmen taking the calc board, I would probably lose my mind. Like, there’s no way.” Although Mallory has fulfilled a number of his college math requirements, he still wants to major in math when he arrives in Waterville, Maine, to attend Colby College. Malloy said he has only taken “a small dip into what actu­ al mathematics is about.” Mallory intends to pursue a Ph.D. in math, with the intention of becoming a college pro­ fessor. But he has other interests, too. He plays the clarinet in the symphonic band, marching band and orchestra pit. He plans to continue playing the clarinet in college. He dabbles with the alto saxophone in the jazz band as well. In recent years, he also has become enam­ ored by linguistics and hopes to double-major in a foreign language. Right now, he’s think­ ing German. “For years, Patrick^'as math, math, math, math, math,” said Gamy Longstreet, a high school guidance counselor. Then, as a result of a series of interests in his personal life, he started to have a love for linguistics about a year ago, Longstreet said. That’s part of the reason he chose Colby, a liberal arts school, where the college lowers the number of required courses and provides students with the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects. “You’re not confined by specific courses,” Mallory said. “Like, you don’t have to take all of these different numbers of courses. It’s more open.” Although Mallory has been accepted to college, he hasn’t stopped doing math. Take last week, for example. Mallory, like every high school student, had winter break. He spent the week pre-teaching himself linear algebra - even though he will learn about the topic in his class at Michigan State this semester. Hannah Vann As a kid, Hannah Vann grew up watching “Criminal Minds, ” “Grimm ” and “Law and Order.” Those TV shows made Vann want to become a lawyer. “I love those crime shows,” she said. She first thought about becoming a crimi­ nal lawyer. But, as the years progressed, her goal changed. “At the beginning of high school, I decided that’s not really what I wanted to do because I felt like, I don’t know, I’d have like a guilty conscience if I put an innocent man away or m fappe/tiwp i/i BARRY COUNTY Barry County 14983351 0032320200320102020131308902003101 From left, Patrick Mallory, Matt Pattok and Hannah Vann meet in the hallway at Hastings High School. These students were three of 1,674 students, or 10 percent of all applicants, who were awarded a prestigious QuestBridge scholarship that will cover all the costs of their college educations. let someone go free when I knew they were guilty,” she said. Now, she’ll attend Oberlin College where she will study an environment-related major with the intention of becoming an environ­ mental lawyer. “She really has a passion for activism and what can I do to help change things for the better in the future type of thing,” said Cathy Longstreet, a high school counselor. Vann shifted her interest in criminal law to environmental law during her early years at Hastings High School. They began learning about environmental science, watching a number of documentaries that Vann still remembers, like “Before the Flood” with Leonardo DiCaprio. “I noticed, like, wow, our planet is kind of starting to fall apart,” she remembered. “I want to be able to help prevent this oncoming destruction and I want to be able to impact this world in a positive way. Why not saving the future in such a small way that might be looked over?” When filling out her QuestBridge applica­ tion, Vann made it a priority to apply to smaller liberal arts schools rather than large research universities. Oberlin, for example, has just 2,785 students. “I feel like a liberal arts college will, one, give me some more personalization because I feel like research institutions tend to be big­ ger schools and they’re more math and STEM-focused in general,” she said. Not many people in Hastings know of Oberlin. But Vann had remembered reading about the college in her AP U.S. history class. Oberlin, she remembered, was one of the first schools to allow women and Black people. “I just thought the history behind it and the road that Oberlin is heading on is a school that I want to be a part of,” she said. Vann was accepted into QuestBridge; par­ ticipation in a number of extracurricular activities, including the National Honors Society, cross country, Science Olympiad, the musical, choir, Youth In Government and glee club, didn’t hinder her academic perfor­ mance. On top of that, she works as a server and host at Seasonal Grille. In the fall of 2022, Vann will move to Oberlin, Ohio, where she will be four hours away from home in a place she has never even visited. And she can’t help but express excitement. “I’m super excited actually,” she said. “Some people get homesick or scared going so far away from home. But honestly, I’m just excited to kind of be more independent and live my own life a bit.” WHO WILL RUN?, continued from page 1 ————— Veterans seek W serve commune# Barry County: □ 1 Year $52.00 Allegan, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo and Kent Counties: □ 1 Year $60.00 Outside of Above Counties for 5 Months or More □ 1 Year $65.00 □ $10.00 per month ■ I ■ ■ Business News ■ Church Announcements Local Columnists ■ Obituaries ■ Schools High School Sports ■ Legals Local Ads and much more HastingsBanner.com CALL 269-945-9554 OR 800-870-7085 “Project planning is one of the greatest needs that the City has as an organization,” Sarah Moyer-Cale wrote to city council. “The lack of comprehensive planning, especially in coordinating projects identified by existing plans in the Public Services department, can severely undercut the city’s ability to operate and perform in a way that best meets public expectations. Lack of planning can and has led to substantial rate and fee increases as well as increased project costs.” Prein &Newhof’s largest responsibility will include coordinating five- and 10-year capital improvement plans. Moyer-Cale noted a number of plans that have not been implemented, including ones regarding the results of “PASER rating, SAW study, Water Reliability Study, Water Asset Management Plan, Park & Recreation Master Plan.” “The primary objective of having an outside firm update our Capital Improvement Plan is to facilitate our strategy for getting these proj­ ects accomplished and to minimize emergency/unplanned spending,” Moyer-Cale wrote. “This will be accomplished in a manner that City staff can update on an annual basis with­ out the need for outside assistance. “Frankly, we are so far behind in compre­ hensive planning that staff does not have the time to update it ourselves in an effective way prior to the upcoming budget and construc­ tion season.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — Page 3 Health board gets two new members Greg Chandler Staff Writer Barry County’s representation on the Barry-Eaton District Health Department board will experience a bit of a shakeup this year. Two new county commissioners - Bruce Campbell and Catherine Getty - will join the board, replacing Dave Jackson and Jon Smelker, county board chairman Ben Geiger said after Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting at the county courthouse. “2021 was a trying year for public ser­ vants, especially those serving on the Board of Health,” said Geiger, who also is chairman of the BEDHD board. “Commissioners Getty and Campbell were willing to step up.” Jackson had served on the health board for more than six years, while Smelker joined the board last January, replacing the late Dan Parker. Both agreed to switch committee assignments, with Jackson replacing Campbell on the Solid Waste Committee and Smelker taking Getty’s place on the Community Mental Health Authority board. “It’s one of these boards that people always have questions about,” Jackson said. “I think it’s good for us to get new people on board. Different perspectives are helpftil.” The health board consists of three commis­ sioners from Barry County and three from Eaton County. Health board meetings were among some of the most contentious in the county last year, boiling over at a Sept. 22 BEDHD meet­ ing where there was an attempted citizen’s arrest of Health Officer Colette Scrimger, five days after she had issued orders mandat­ ing the wearing of masks among kindergarten through sixth-grade students throughout Barry and Eaton counties to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The order enraged some county residents who believe decisions on masking children in school should be left to parents. Both Campbell and Getty are in their first term as county commissioners. Campbell represents the southeast comer of Barry County - Assyria, Baltimore, Johnstown and Maple Grove townships. Getty represents the village of Middleville, the portion of Thomapple Township west of M-37 and the portion of Yankee Springs Township north of M-179. “I am looking forward to joining and learn­ ing more about the BEDHD board,” Getty said. The BEDHD board typically meets the fourth Thursday of every month at 9:30 a.m. Meetings in odd-numbered months take place in Barry County while meetings in even-num­ bered months occur in Eaton County. Barry County board picks leadership team Melissa Gillons, owner, poses on the stairs of her business, The Clothier. The new downtown store opened up Dec. 11 and sells a wide range of men's and women's clothing. ,, ? Greg Chandler Staff Writer The leadership team for the Barry County Board of Commissioners will remain the same this year as it was last year. At its organizational meeting on Monday, the board reappointed Commissioner Ben Geiger as board chairman for the second consecutive year, and retained Commissioner Vivian Conner as vice chairwoman. Geiger, whose district includes the villag­ es of Nashville and Woodland, Castleton and Woodland townships and portions of Carlton and Hastings Charter townships, is in his sixth two-year term on the county board. Conner, whose district includes Orangeville and Prairieville townships .as well as the portion of Yankee Springs Township soum' of M-179, is in meF fifth term. All seven current county commission seats are up for re-election this November, and there will be an eighth board position added to the ballot this year after the county apportionment commission last year approved a new districting map that gives the city of Hastings its own seat on the board. Commissioners also approved commit­ tee assignments for this year. Those assignments are, as follows: Area Community Services and Training Council (ACSET): Geiger. Airport Commission: Conner and Jon Smelker. Animal Shelter Advisory Board: Dave Jackson. Area Agency on Aging: Conner. Barry Community Resource Network: Howard Gibson Barry County Transit: Gibson and Smelker. Barry-Eaton District Health Department Board: Geiger, Catherine Getty and Bruce Campbell. (Getty and Campbell replaced Smelker and Jackson on this board.) Board of Public Works: Conner, Smelker and Campbell. Broadband Expansion Committee: Getty. Brownfield Redevelopment Authority: Jackson. Central Dispatch Administration: Smelker. Commission on Aging: Geiger. Community Action Agency: Campbell. Community Corrections Advisory Board: Gibson. Community Mental Health Authority: Smelker (replaced Getty). Conservation District: Conner. Conservation Easement Board: Campbell. The Clothier brings new ? touch to downtown Hastings Benjamin Simon Barry,,..County, commissioners met Monday morning in an organizational seS's'iW'fb start’Ttie" yfear by "selecting board1 leaders. Chairman Ben Geiger and Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner were returned to their leadership roles in unanimous votes by fellow commis­ sioners. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Department of Human Services: Campbell. Economic Development Alliance: Jackson. Grievance Board: Getty, Gibson and Jackson. Gun Lake Improvement Board: Conner. Hastings Local Development Finance Authority: Gibson. Joint Planning Alliance: Jackson. Jordan Lake Board: Geiger. Judicial Council/Security Committee: Geiger. Local Emergency Planning Committee: Geiger (chairman). Middleville Local Development Finance Authority: Getty. MSU Extension District 7 Advisory Council: Geiger. Parks and Recreation Commission: Getty. Solid Waste Oversight: Conner and Jackson (replaced Campbell). Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health Board: Geiger Tax Allocation Board: Jackson. West Michigan Regional Planning Commission: Getty. Board of Commissioners meetings are slated for the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 9 a.m., with committee of the whole meetings at 9 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Unless otherwise posted, the meetings take place in the commissioner chambers on the mez­ zanine level in the county courthouse, 220 W. State St. Staff Writer As a high schooler in central Illinois, Melissa Gillons worked in a clothing store. Ever since then, it has been her dream to start her own clothing store. And after decades of waiting, Gillons opened The Clothier, downtown Hastings’ newest business, this past month. The store features two storeys’ worth of men’s and women’s clothes, Girtons said - anything from denim to dress attire\to high-end brand­ name clothes. Before becoming a business owner, Gillons spent years in other professions. A large part of her career was spent as a surgical assistant. Then, in 2015, she moved to the city of Hastings and joined forces with her husband, building up their family company, Advantage Plumbing & Drain. Still, she didn’t lose hope of opening her own clothing business. And Gillons, who calls herself “a huge supporter of local,” couldn’t help but notice that Hastings was missing a clothing store. “Where does everyone go? They drive out of town. They need a pair of pants, they need a shirt, funeral, wedding, special occasion they have to drive out of town,” she said. “Well, when they drive out of town, they’re probably eating out of town and getting gas out of town and doing everything else at a town.” After her daughter graduated from Ferris State University, Gillons trained her to take over the office at their plumbing company and, in the spring of 2021, Gillons set her sights on securing a lease in Hastings. In August 2021, Gillons bought the lease at 117 S. Jefferson St. with the intention of turn­ ing it into a clothing store. Shortly after, she started traveling to shows all across the coun­ try, from Chicago to Las Vegas, where she walked through a thousand vendors in search of clothing lines to purchase. “That was probably the most difficult product is finding the quality lines that I wanted and name brands that people are going to recognize,” she said. Gillons aimed to open the store in late fall, but quickly learned that wasn’t possi­ ble. With the supply chain delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself waiting weeks to receive a shipment of clothes. But the clothes eventually arrived and, now, she estimates she has .thousands already in the store. Gillons held the store’s grand opening on Dec. 11, and she was surprised to find peo­ ple streaming through her doors during the first few weeks. So many people visited, they sold out of most of their men’s products before Christmas. ,-M She called it a “whirlwind.” -J “The business that we had and the suppoij from the community just far surpassed, any expectation I even had,” she said. Gillons has already begun thinking about the future. She has ordered all of their prpd? ucfs .fbr^&ll 2022 ayxj. itnlt(end^itO|)qQi]t®UP expanding the store, most notably the ipenjg Section. ■ “The more business we bring < to^downtown,” she said, “the more successful .w^-’JJ be as business owners.” tlj Melissa Gillons, owner, stands in front of The Clothier on South Jefferson Street. A lifelong dream, Gillons recently opened the business after working in the medical and plumbing fields. 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters County moves toward expanded sewer agreement to serve Thornapple Manor Greg Chandler Staff Writer Barry County commissioners Tuesday moved toward approving an update to a sewer agreement that serves the Thomapple Manor medical care facility. Acting as the committee of the whole, commissioners voted to recommend approv­ ing an amendment to the sewer agreement between the county, the city of Hastings and Hastings Charter Township. A final vote by the board is expected next Tuesday, County Administrator Michael Brown said. It’s the second amendment to a sewer agreement that dates back to 2006, in which the city of Hastings supplies sanitary sewer service to Thomapple Manor, Brown said. “It is a single-use line. There are no other individuals that are hooked up or allowed to hook up, in accordance with the agreement that was originally struck,” Brown said. The updated agreement will serve Thomapple Manor’s Harvest Pointe assisted living facility, which is under construction. The facility will have 50 assisted living units. The agreement boosts the daily capacity of the sewer line from 30,000 gallons to 40,000 gallons, Brown said. Currently, Thomapple Manor uses about 12,000 gallons per day. Brown told commis­ sioners that even if Thomapple Manor fol- See THORNAPPLE, page 5 Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim Hulst Dry Cleaners Pick-Up Station Sf Pray For Our Country QUESTIONS: ASK US... Fm 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 —SS?" OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; |jg| Saturday 9 am-3 pm Call lor Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-690-670-7085 Wish her a Happy ff 80th Birthday! ... hR ‘ ~ �Page 4 — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? GUEST EDITORIAL Raising the roof at Harvest Pointe Keep USA strong for the future Work is progressing on the $14 - million Harvest Pointe housing proj­ ect next to Thomapple Manor, Administrator Don Haney said. About Half of the new 50 units in the assist­ . ed living project are already spoken ; .for, Haney said, and they haven't ’ eyen begun to seek residents. The complex will help address some of the critical housing issues for senior Hying in Barry County for senior liv­ . irig, Haney said. Harvest Pointe will offer one-bedroom suites and studio . units, dining services, a spa, on-site ■ laundry, walking paths, transportation availability, hair/barber salon, activi- ties, housekeeping, mail service and bn-call nursing. More information at 269- 945-1326. Do you remember? Chamber recharge ■, . . - _ Banner Dec. 20, 1971 Happy over results - The 1972 Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce membership drive resulted in 40 new members, Manager Bob Johnson (third from left) announced at the windup meeting Friday at the Hotel Hastings. The amount pledged was $23,586, exceeding the $23,000 goal. The drive was organized as a “football theme” following the pro league structure. Here, Lynn Brown (right) from City Bank, the “league commis­ sioner,” presents a certificate of meritorious service to Bob Blough for his team’s winning effort in the campaign. Larry Kornstadt (left), from National Bank, served as league statis­ tician. “I’m very excited about this year’s drive results,” Johnson said. Blough’s team alone raised $2,316 by renewing 10 mem­ berships and obtaining seven new members. Have you met? Since Sarah Geukes was 9 years old, she has missed just one county fair. And that was only because of extenuating circum­ stances: Her son was bom that same week. Geukes grew up on a farm in Woodland, where her parents were closely involved with the fair. Her father, Ron Dingerson, an agricultural lender, served as the vice pres­ ident of the board. Her mother, Julie Dingerson, a nurse, volunteered as a 4-H club leader. As a kid, Geukes showed sheep, pigs and steers, and every year, her sole summer job included “raising the animals and getting ready for the fair and working in the bam.” She collected enough money from selling th.e animals to pay for a large portion of her first year at Hope College. She even met a boy at the fair, a boy named Jeff Geukes, whom she would later marry. After aging out of the showmanship competitions, Geukes continued attending the fair and, for about the last eight years, she has served as a 4-H leader. Her husband is the lamb superintendent. She lives on a farm in Middleville, where her family of four has raised lambs and pigs. Even her kids, Jack and Emma, have carried on the fair tradition, with Emma participating in competitions across the area, traveling as far as Ohio. “It’s in our DNA,” Geukes said of the county fair. But Geukes, 46, doesn’t spend all day thinking about the fair. She has a full-time job. She is the principal at Hastings Middle School - and an award-winning one. Geukes, a graduate of Lakewood High School, was attending college when she realized the profession she wanted to pursue - “I just knew I wanted to do something - that helped people,” she said. Her interest in education blossomed . while at Hope, where she studied special education and elementary education. She - solidified her career choice during a junior year school trip to South Dakota. For a - month, Geukes worked in a middle school special education classroom on a Native American reservation. After college, Geukes worked for Hamilton Community Schools for about 20 years. She taught special education for four years and second grade for 11 years. After receiving her master’s in Early Childhood/ Early Childhood Special Education and - doctorate degree in Educational Specialist in Leadership from Grand Valley State University, Geukes spent five years split­ ting time between being a principal and a ® teacher. When Geukes explains it, it sounds quite simple: “Being present.” But the way to accomplish that is some­ thing else: “You kind of have to, as a prin­ cipal, do whatever - they call it ‘duties as assigned,’ ” she said. “Whatever comes up, and it’s not even assigned, it’s whatever the building needs from you, you have to do it for your students and your staff. From safety to health stuff to leading [profes­ sional development] - all of it.” For this honor, for her role in the Hastings Area School System and her longtime sup­ port of the Barry County Fair, Sarah Geukes is this week’s Bright Light. If I could go anywhere in the world... Sarah Geukes But Geukes lives in Middleville and it took her 35 to 40 minutes “on good roads” to get to work. Once her kids reached their high school years, she decided to look for jobs closer to home. That’s when she took a job as the princi­ pal at Central Elementary in the Hastings Area School System. And, this year, she transitioned into a new role as the middle school principal. “As a principal, I can really impact stu­ dents by supporting the teachers and mak­ ing sure that they have what they need, and barriers are out of the way so that they can teach and students can learn,” she said. Geukes has now logged four years in the district. And one Friday morning, while answering phones on the front desk at the middle school, she received a text message from the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association Region 9 president, Dan Scoville. “Hey, congratulations,” Scoville wrote. “Guess why.” Geukes asked why. “Well, you’re the Region 9 Principal of the Year,” he responded. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?”’ Geukes thought. She didn’t even know she had been nominated for the award. But she was nominated - by Stephanie Wenger, a teacher at Central Elementary. “I was shocked. I mean, definitely hon­ ored,” she said. “But shocked.” In December, Geukes drove up to Traverse City with her family, where the organization recognized her. How does one wins a principal of the year award? I would say Hawaii. That’s the dream loca­ tion; I hope to get there maybe by the time I’m 50. When it’s quiet: Floating in the pool and reading a good book. What kind of books I read: My sum­ mer books are mostly like ones that I don’t have to think too hard about, like fiction. Not really like romance or any­ thing like that; I like mysteries or that kind of stuff. What motivates me: My kids and just helping them to be the best of whoever they are. Athletes or students or just people. If I won the lottery: I would donate to my favorite organizations that support families here in Barry County: Barry County Family Promise and then we have Hand2Hand, which is a backpack program we got started here in Hastings through some local churches. And then I would probably buy a vacation house up North with the rest of the money. If I could have any superpower, it would be... I think it would be able to trans­ port yourself places, not have to commute or you could be with family like in a second and then be back. I think that would be my thing. When are Americans, corporate America and the American government going to stop looking the other way while China chips away at our independence? Our country relies on China for every­ thing from personal health products to the computer chips used in everything from home security systems to our vehicles. We are making China - or at least the top officials of China - very wealthy and yet we let China walk all over us. Take COVID-19, for example. Why hasn’t our government made it clear that the reason for our two-year COVID pan­ demic - called by some the worst national health epidemic since the Spanish flu virus of 1918 - is China? Why not place that responsibility direct­ ly where it belongs? Now, with the newly discovered Omicron variant, Americans will have gone through at least three unique varia­ tions of the infection. The result, as we all know, has been difficult for our communities. Schools were forced to close and turn to long-dis­ tance teaching. Churches had to discontin­ ue traditional services. Many churches turned to Facebook and YouTube to livestream their Sunday ser­ vices from a sanctuary occupied by only the officiant, organist and a handful of necessary technical experts. All across our country, numerous busi­ nesses were forced to close and workers lost their jobs and income. Community events were canceled, and travel was restricted. Our nation and citizens suffered great emotional and financial loss. Still, there has not been even a sugges­ tion that the Chinese government be held accountable and asked to provide financial support to those who were harmed by the worldwide problem that originated in a lab in Wuhan, China, or was somehow spread from bats there to a cluster of patients. But, even if COVID is not a concern, consider the numerous challenges we now miiSt face as a'resUlt of relocating a major­ , ity of American’s.manufacturing, to China., The crisis, caused by that situation should be obvious in the current sup­ ply-chain problems we are experiencing. We wouldn’t have had to worry about • getting Christmas gifts our family - toys for the kids, appliances for Mom and a new computer for Dad - if we were still manufacturing those products here at home and not in a cheap labor nation across the sea. Even many of our medications, both over-the-counter and prescription - are now manufactured in China. As a heart patient taking many different pills every day, I worry what I’ll do if we get into some conflict with China and those medications are no longer available. (And I can’t help but wonder how we can be confident that those medications won’t be tampered with if our economic rela­ tionship with China takes a nosedive.) We have come to expect that our wash­ ing machines, freezers, , ranges^.and .other once American-made appliances will come from China because they can be made there more cheaply. The prices may be lower, but we are told to expect that these appliances will only last about 10 years. I have a GE refrigerator-freezer in my basement made in the USA that is at least 30 years old and still doing its job. A friend recently shared her concern about how much of what is sold in our stores is made in the China. She suggested I check everything from pillows to sofas to grocery items to see if it is marked “Made in China.” She then suggested I also look for “Made in the USA” products and see how little more I would have to pay to keep my dollars here in America. I also know that many of our famous buildings, such as the General Motors building in midtown Manhattan, and once American-owned businesses - including, ironically, the General Electric Appliance Division - are now actually majority owned by Chinese companies and investors. Is China winning a silent war with America and are we paying the price? Will we wake up one day and discover we live in the United States, but those states have become a branch of another nation - the United States of China? I understand why so many think they can’t do anything as individuals to stop what’s happening. But that isn’t so. The American consumer has the power to vote with their feet. Meanwhile, the leaders Of our major .corporations, government agencies and retail chains should be able to see where this China mentality is taking us. They need to take action: Bring manu­ facturing back, stop borrowing money from China and place a high priority on tapping the economic resources we have here at home. Let’s keep American strong for our chil­ dren and their children. This guest editorial is by Peter Wagner, publisher of the N’West Iowa Review. Know Your Legislators Michigan Legislature f Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat, P.O. Box 30013,"‘Lansing,10ficfi748§O§. Phone (517) 373-3400; 517-335-7858 (Constituent Services). State Representative Julie Calley, Republican, 87th District (All of Barry County), Michigan House of Representatives, N-1191 House Office Building, Lansing, Ml 48933. Phone (517) 373-0842. e-mail: JulieCalley@house.mi.gov State Senator Dr. John Bizon, Republican, 19th District State Senate, Phone 517­ 373-2426 or toll-free, 855-347-8019. Email: SenJBizon@Senate.Michigan.gov; U.S. mail: Sen. Dr. John Bizon, P.O. Box 30036, Lansing Ml 48909. U.S. House of Representatives Peter Meijer, Republican, 3rd District (All of Barry County), 1508 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-2203, phone (202) 225-3831, fax (202) 225­ 5144. District office: 110 Michigan Street NW, Suite 460, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503, phone (616) 451-8383. U.S. Senate Debbie Stabenow, Democrat, 702 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, phone (202) 224-4822. Gary Peters, Democrat, 2 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510­ 2202, phone (248) 799-0850. District office: Gerald R. Ford Federal Building, Room 720, 110 Michigan Street NW, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503-2313, phone (616) 233­ 9150. President’s comment line: 1-202-456-1111. Capitol Information line for Congress and the Senate: 1-202-224-3121. The Hastings BcHHICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Greatest thing about Barry County... is just the people here. I mean, my husband and I have chosen to stay here. I’ve lived in Barry County every year except for when I was in college. And then we both chose to come back here and stay here in the com­ munity and that’s mostly because of the people that are here. Favorite memory of Barry County Fair: Aw, so many. Probably, I don’t know, I think because my husband was from a different school and we’d ride rides together with friends. I’d met friends that he grew up with, his friends and it was just a lot of fun. I looked forward to fair every year. Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 6, 2022 —■ Page* 5 In this death, a little life lesson To the readers: Our family dog died three days before Christmas. I can hardly believe the words I just wrote. A month ago, she seemed fine - greeting family and friends at the door, begging for Cheerios and barking at UPS trucks. I She was only 7. No reason to expect any­ thing untoward would happen to her. She was just fine. Then, suddenly, a couple of weeks ago, she started losing weight - fast. We called a vet, fully expecting to find out she had picked something up and we’d have to give her some sort of pill to address the problem. But the news was far worse than we had expected. He said her kidneys were dam­ aged; he thought she had eaten something that had poisoned her. Her kidney function, in fact, was pretty much nil. And once the kidneys shut down, they don’t recover, he said. He gave her about a week to live. Shock, at first. Then denial. How could this have happened? The vet had mentioned antifreeze as one possible poison. But it couldn’t have been antifreeze. We already knew that was poisonous to dogs; we made very sure she was never near any antifreeze. So it couldn’t have been that. In my frantic research for possible sourc­ es of poisoning, we learned some things we didn’t know. Chocolate is dangerous for dogs to ingest, we already knew that, but we didn’t know that grapes and raisins can be toxic for them, too. Even so, the facts we found didn’t explain what was happening to our dog. Billie didn’t have access to any of these foods. Outdoors, a number of potential sources of poisoning exist - from vegetation in the woods to the infected leavings of raccoon or deer. We don’t believe that could have been the cause because we always kept a close eye on her activities when she was out. But we also learned that some dogs may have a genetic disposition for kidney dis­ ease and, in those cases, the age of 7 seems to be a tipping point of sorts for that ailment to make itself known. We hadn’t known that either. Perhaps this was the case with Billie. I had all kinds of wild hopes. What if the vet’s wrong? Could we do something to save her? We could see she was dying. Where to turn? These days, people des­ perately seeking answers typically go online. Here’s just one of many, many examples of how the internet performs a great disser­ vice: It actively preys on people in trouble who want someone to tell them that the truth they are facing is a lie. They search online and find all sorts of sources of junk information and quack sci­ ence. Thinly veiled come-ons are aimed at taking advantage of distraught people. I’m sure many poor victims spend a lot of money with online charlatans in a misbegot­ ten hope that it can change the inevitable outcome. We found nothing of any value online; nothing trustworthy or well-researched, nothing of substance. What a waste of time and effort. Finally, as our beloved pet began fading fast, we knew there was nothing we could do to save her. Perhaps it is just some last vestige of deni­ al, but I’m convinced, if we had known soon­ er, we might have been able to do something, at least, to extend her life. If only we had known. So here, at least, is my proof that what you don’t know can hurt you. We will never know what caused Billie’s death. But I wish someone had said to me three months ago to pay attention to a certain behavior or a specific symptom. And so I write this to our readers because it may help someone in a similar circum­ stance. If you notice some atypical behavior, don’t assume it’s nothing. Check it out and get answers from reliable local sources you know and can hold accountable - not some internet grifters. It’s a useful life lesson: Good information may protect you from premature loss. In the grand scheme of things, Billie’s lit­ tle life was hardly a speck in the firmament. Yet her devotion and love were such a blessing in the lives of her family and extended family and her absence such a pro­ found loss, we hurt with it. Rebecca Pierce, Editor Source of spill TK school board required precise member reacts to photo definition To the editor: To the editor: Your recent article on Page 2 in the Dec. 16 edition of The Banner about what officials called a “manure spill” on M-43/M-37 in Hastings could use clarification, especially if the public is being asked for help. Manure is the waste of domestic livestock. It would be very unusual for a farmer to be hauling manure through town. However, it would not be unusual for a septic truck to be hauling human waste close to the treatment plant. Please be aware that farmers are extremely sensitive about their reputation when it comes to manure manage­ ment. Probably 90 percent of the people who read your article think it was 6 inches of cows—. (I know, being scolded about the varying definitions of poop is a bit humorous, but precision in reporting is important.) Jeremy Boge, Hastings Welcome back, ball drop! • The photograph on the cover of last week’s Hastings Banner showed a file photo of a Middleville woman leading people in prayer at a public health board meeting. As a person of deep and abiding faith, I find nothing Christian about the actions of our most vocal, local opponents of vaccines and public health orders. People who use faith to fight measures that protect us have divided the community and prolonged a pandemic that could have been beaten back months ago. They have asked to be trusted to make decisions for their own families and then ignored facts in favor of folk lore, conspiracies, and false prophets. They have bullied and badgered public ser­ vants. They claim to want children in school, yet they refuse to do the things that would keep children and The New Year’s Eve ball drop returned to the Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro in down­ town Hastings this past weekend -- and the night “went well,” said Arts and Evfenjs Coordinator Maiya Merrick. The event, which took place from 5:30 p.m. To 12:30 ^.m., featured a DJ, dancing in the street, an ice sculpture of a wishing well and musicTfrom the band “Crooked Root.” As the evening progressed, more and more people arrived in anticipation of the ball drop, featured in the above photo. “It was nice to seeTiow many people really come out at 11:45 p.m.,” Merrick said. “The event always looRS do slow at first, but then a lot of people come out at the end.” (Photo provided) THE HOTTEST STARS teachers safely in school every day. They are so focused on their indi­ vidual rights that they have lost sight of the core of Jesus’ message - to love one another. They also have also ignored the clarity of mind Jesus called us to live with when he com­ manded those with eyes to see, those with ears to hear. Armed with this clarity, people of faith do not contort unpleasant facts. They face them with courage and optimism. They embrace science as a gift from God. They see public health as the clearest public, secular expression of reli­ gious teachings to love and care for one another. May we all move forward with clarity and courage and get vaccinated to put an end to this pandemic. THE DEARLY BELOVED TOUR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Dick Fox's GOLDEN BOYS Starring FRANKIE AVALON • FABIAN • BOBBY RYDELL FRIDAY, MARCH 25 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. PH fn? :I.W Anne Hamming, Middleville I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue | Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. Middleville mother seeks help to find missing daughter 174079 YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF TOWNSHIP OF YANKEE SPRINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on January 20, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.nT.jgt Greg Chandler Staff Writer A Middleville mother is asking for help from the public to find her missing teenage daughter. Fifteen-year-old Kiara Baker went missing from an inpatient care facility in Detroit Nov. 21 and is believed to be in the Grand Rapids area. Her mother, April Saladino, is worried that her daughter may be vulnerable to human trafficking. “We need to find her. She is not safe on the street. She is not safe from herself, she is not safe from whoever is hiding her,” Saladino said Wednesday. Kiara reportedly took a bus to Grand Rapids after leaving the Detroit Behavioral Institute. She was reportedly seen Dec. 27 in a red SUV at a stop sign next to Hall Street Party Store on the southeast side of Grand Rapids. “We’ve gotten several tips that she’s been panhandling with an older black male, around 40 years old,” Saladino said. “That was liter­ ally seven minutes from my work, so I booked it at lunch to see if I could recognize if it was her or not ... I did not see anybody with that description in that area.” Kiara has a history of mental health issues, Saladino said. “She’s a normal teenager when she’s on her meds,” she said. “When she’s off of them, it’s out of control.” In October 2021, Saladino requested a dependency hearing with the Department of Human Services. Kiara was made a tempo­ rary ward of the court and was sent to the Detroit Behavioral Institute. Since then, Kiara has gone absent without leave at least three times from that facility, her mother said. Kiara is apparently using the the social media messaging app Snapchat under an alias to communicate with people. “I believe she is in Grand Rapids,” she said. “We are trying to get a warrant for that Snapchat [account]. She messaged my sister the other day on Snapchat and said, ‘I don’t know where they have me. You’re not going to find me.’ ” Kiara is described as 5-foot-4, 176 pounds, with dark brown or reddish-brown hair. Any tips that may lead to Kiara’s where­ abouts may be sent to Grand Rapids Police at (616) 456-3400 or Detroit Police at (313) 569-5900. Information may also be sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800)-THE-LOST (843-5678). the Yankee Springs Township Hall, 284 N. Briggs Rd., Middleville, MI, within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. '"’O ■ 4.7 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, in addition to participation during public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission's consideration by emailing or mailing those comrqenjs to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrate, Eric Thompson (ethompson@,pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with)(tije Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 616-877-2000. , , t PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, ni the following: ‘ 1 1. PC 22-01-01 PARCEL ID #08-16-120-005-00. 11066 Hastings Point Rd. > Middleville, MI 49333 ■( A. A request by property owner Julie Fox for a Special Exception Use/Site Plan Review pursuant to section 12.7 Outbuildings "Special Exception Uses". ■ i. The subject site is ,204-acre vacant parcel. The property is currently zoned < Residential Lake Front (RSF) and the applicant is requesting a Special Exception Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the addition/alteration of an ■ accessory building on an otherwise vacant, nonconforming lot. 2. PC 22-01-01 PARCEL ID #08-16-145-048-00. 12235 Oakwood Shores Dr. Wayland, MI 49348 A. A request by property owner Claudette Lozano for a Special Exception Use/Site. z Plan Review pursuant to section 12.7 Outbuildings "Special Exception Uses". ^ i. The subject site is ,558-acre parcel. The property is currently zoned Residential Lake Front (RLF) and the applicant is requesting a Special Exception Use/sj{e Plan Review to allow for the construction of an accessory building with living space. vSuch other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. THORNAPPLE, continued from page 3 lows through on a possible future plan to build a 100-unit independent living facility on its campus in addition to Harvest Pointe, the expanded capacity will be more than ade­ quate to handle the need. The Hastings City Council previously approved the amendment, and the document will soon be presented to the township board for its approval, Brown said. In other business Tuesday, the commission­ ers ’ committee of the whole: • Recommended reappointing Dr. Joyce DeJong to be the county’s medical examiner for the next four years, and appointed Dr. Patrick Hansma and Dr. Jared Brooks as dep­ uty medical examiners. All three are affiliated with Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker School of Medicine. Previous deputy examiners Dr. Theodore Brown and Dr. Brandy Shattuck have taken positions in other states, Brown said. • Recommended the board acceptance of two grants totaling $25,000 to the county animal shelter from Two Seven Oh Inc. The shelter is receiving $15,000 toward the pur­ chase of office, kennel and cattery equip­ ment, along with purchasing dog beds, a vet­ erinarian scale, vacuum, cat enrichment equipment and dog water pails. Another $10,000 grant will be used for the county’s TNR [trap, neuter and return] pro­ gram, in which residents can trap feral and bam cats, and have them taken to the shelter to be spayed and neutered to control the cat population, shelter director Ken Kirsch Jr. said. • Recommended the full board approve reau­ thorizing funds of $41,500 toward a new truck for the emergency management department. The board had authorized the funding in the county’s capital budget last year but due to manufacturing delays, the department was not able to take delivery on the truck, Emergency Management Director Jim Yarger said. The Chevrolet Silverado will replace a 2008 Ford Expedition. The funding also includes outfitting the truck with mobile radio equipment and antennas, as well as a cargo box and cap. • Recommended approval of surveyor agreements with nine local companies for remonumentation work throughout the county. • Recommended approving the appoint­ ment of Steven Koerber, Michael Pratt, Cameron Lear, Randall Jonker, Rodney Bredeweg, Cynthia Koster and Ryan Miller to the Remonumentation Peer Review Board. Under a grant agreement with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the county is required to have a peer review panel to review remonumentation work performed by surveyors that are not part of the board. 3. The Yankee Springs Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make change's in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. -17 Anyone interested in reviewing the application may do so at the Township Hall. All interested personssire invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the.: electronic meeting. | I Yankee Springs Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary' aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days’ prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. ° -* YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION by: Shana Bush, Chairperson Yankee Springs Township Hall 284 N. Briggs Road, Middleville Michigan 49333 (269) 795-9091 �Page 6 — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Michael Thomas Loftus and Dawn Fay Loftus Michael Thomas Loftus, age 73, of Hastings, passed away Thursday, Dec. 30, 20215 Mike was born on June 27,1948, in Hastings, the son of Alfred and Claire (Billye) Loftus. Mike was united in marriage to the love of his life, Dawn Fay Buck, in 1971. Dawn Fay Loftus, age 73, of Hastings, passed away Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Dawn was born on August 1, 1948, in Hastings, the daughter of Neil Buck and Maxine (DePreister) Steeby. Mike and Dawn were married for over 50 years. Mike was a proud Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam. He was also an avid hunt­ er and enjoyed the annual trips north for deer camp. While the amount of hunting was sometimes in question, the good times with family and friends was never in doubt. A man of .the outdoors, Mike also enjoyed fishing and-golfing. Mike and Dawn both enjoyed spending time with their family gardening. Family and friends enjoyed the benefits of the Loftus Garden. ' Dawn retired from Hastings Manufacturing, working at the Piston Ring for over 40 years. Da,wn had a love for music and enjoyed listen­ ing, to 01’ Blue Eyes, as well as sharing her own musical talents with years of playing the saxo­ phone- in the Ionia and Nashville Community Bands.. In her early years she played softball. Though, no-one would deny, Dawns real call­ ing was that of being a mother and a grand­ mother. The role that fit her perfectly with her friendly, loving, and caring nature. Mike and Dawn are survived by their son, Chad Loftus of Freeport; two daughters, Kelli (Aaron, Dawnie’s Honey Boy) Shumway of Hastings and Katie (Sean Austin, Dawnie’s Sweetie Boy) Loftus of Hastings; five grand­ children, Aubree Shumway, BrookLyn Knowlton, Kaiden Shumway, Reese Loftus, and Elliott Austin. Mike is also survived by his two brothers, Patrick (Krista) Loftus and Timothy Loftus. Dawn is also survived by her brother, Jim Anderson; two sisters, Lynda Fisher and Bonnie Converse; along with sev­ eral nieces, nephews, cousins, and close fam­ ily friends. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Al and Billye Loftus. Dawn was preceded in death by • her husband, Mike; her mother, Maxine Steeby; her father, Neil Buck; her twin sister Dian Buck; her stepfather Robert Steeby; and her stepmother Donna Buck. The family will receive friends on Saturday, Jan. 15, from 10 a.m. until the time of ser­ vices at 11 a.m. at Lauer Family Funeral Home, 1401 N. Broadway in Hastings. Inurnment will follow in Riverside Cemetery. Please share condolences with the family at www.lauerfhhastings.com. ' .. -‘i.r hiViift!. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box "8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hasTingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant PaStor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our 'worship center is set up for ‘ social distancing. Aftermath ■ Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, ..(corner of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: s Rexfob Hm Fiberglass Products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings ; 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWKWIW 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Richard Lee Deming, Sr. Jill Pontious Zakett Richard “Dick” Lee Deming, Sr., age 88, of Hastings, MI, passed away December 28, 2021. Richard was bom September 28, 1933, the son of Eldred John and Doris (Eckert) Deming. Dick was a 1952 graduate of Hastings High School. Right out of high school, he worked at Fisher-Hengsbach Ford Dealer, doing bodywork at Baldwin Chevrolet, and opened his own Auto Collision Service/Body Shop in October 1957. Dick was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hastings. He received his private pilot’s license in 1961. He was a member of the Gordon Johncock Indy car team (1965­ 1971) and raced micro midgets locally. Dick volunteered at the Gilmore Car Museum for many years and traveled extensively in the classic car hobby. He was a member of the Grand Lodge of Michigan Masons, Saladin Shriners and the Scottish Rite, earning the 32nd Degree. Dick was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Audrey of 68 years; son, Richard Jr., son, Robert (Sue), daughter, Lori (Don) Russell; seven grand­ children, and 10 great-grandchildren, and former daughter-in-law, Ruth. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Dick can be made to the Shriners Children Hospital,. online https:// www.shrinerschildrens.org/giving, or Shriners Hospitals for Children, Attn: Processing Center, PO Box 947765, Atlanta, GA 30394 or Serenity Village of Barry County (Hospice House), online https:// serenitybc.org/donate/ or by mail PO Box 414, Hastings, MI 49058, or to the Gilmore Car Museum, online https://gilmorecarmuseum.org/support/donate, or 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Comers, MI 49060. The family would like to thank Spectrum Health Hospice for all of their care. Funeral service was held Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church, 405 North M-37, Hastings, MI 49058, and a lun­ cheon followed. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. Leave an online condolence at www.girrbachfuneralhome.com. Jill Pontious Zakett, 68, Hastings, passed away December 24, 2021, together with her son Tom in an auto accident near Hastings. Jill was bom June 18, 1953 in Midland to the late Jack E Pontious and Ellie Pontious Sutton. Those left behind to cherish her memory are her daughter, Amanda (Michael) Sweet; granddaughters, Riley and Maci Sweet; mother, Ellie Pontious Sutton; brother, Jerry (Becky) Pontious; nephew, Chad Pontious and nieces, Jeri Lynn Kimpel and Christina Pontious. She was predeceased by her father, Jack E. Pontious and her brother Jack R. Pontious. Jill will be remembered for her unique sense of humor. She graduated from Meridian High School and attended Kirtland College. She was very intelligent, gifted in all things computer and always ready to help. She most enjoyed spending time with friends and fam­ ily and will be greatly missed. Due to Covid a memorial will be held at a later date. Those planning an expression of sympathy may want to consider St Jude’s. O’Laughlin Funeral Home, Inc. is assisting the family with arrangements. Elaine Garlock Thomas Zakett, age 34, passed away December 24, 2021 as the result of a traffic accident. He was bom October 24, 1987 in Midland to Donald Zakett and the late Jill Pontious Zakett. Tom was a talented man who enjoyed camping, traveling, cooking, and writing. He graduated from Hastings High School and had an associates degree. Tom was a devout Christian and is now with his Lord and Savior. Left to cherish his memory is his father, Donald Zakett; sister, Amanda (Michael) Sweet; nieces, Riley and Maci Sweet; grand- . mother, Ellie Pontious Sutton; uncle, Jerry (Becky) Pontious and several uncles, aunts and cousins. Due to Covid, a memorial service will be held at a later date. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider St Jude’s. O’Laughlin Funeral Home Inc. is assisting the family with arrangements. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Jan 6 Baby Cafe - 10 a.m.; Movie Memories & Milestones watches a 1932 Buster Crabbe film about an actresses making choices in Hollywood - 5 - 8 p.m. Monday, Jan 10 Crafting Passions Craft Work Group 10 -1 p.m.; Calvin College’s January Series - Gravity of Joy with Sarah Williams Gorrell - 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 11 Mahjong - 2:30 p.m.; Chess - 5:30 p.m.; Calvin College’s January Series - fake Qd&Ma Before the garland was attached to the lampposts downtown, the banners had been changed from photos of veterans to the winter banners featuring the word “Welcome” and a stylized snowflake. The lampposts also have strings of white lights wrapped in a circular fashion, giving a fes­ tive look to downtown. Many guests were present at Central United Methodist Church on Christmas Eve, most with family members. The eve­ Thomas Zakett ning included a story “’Twas the Evening of Christmas,” read by a lay member, a vocal duet by brothers George and Sam McNeill, a duet by Tom Reiser and sister Lori McNeill, a timely message and com­ munion service. The congregation also sang carols and had a candle-lighting ritual. A new house is being built on Jordan Road west of Martin Road. The new home on East Tupper Lake Road, overlooking the lake, now has siding. The former Ackerson house now has panels of lattice Trusting Institutions: Rediscovering the Power of Christianity’s Surprise with Dr. Gregory Jones - 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 12 Itsy Bitsy Book Club on Zoom (pick up monthly Storytime bag with link & crafts) - 10:30 a.m.; Calvin College’s January Series Keeping It Nuanced: How to Have GraceFilled Political Conversations-12:30 p.m.; Acoustic Jam Session - 5 p.m. Please call the Hastings Public Library for more information about any of the above programs, (269) 945-4263 or check our Facebook events. skirting the wrap-around high deck. A new driveway has been installed using crushed limestone. Rev. Eric Beck, former pastor, filled the pulpit at Central United Methodist Church Jan. 2. The Rev. Craig Adams will be the guest speaker at Central Jan. 9. There were no Sunday school classes Jan. 2, but chil­ dren’s classes will resume Jan. 9. Adult classes will return the following Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Jan Stassek of Bloomingdale, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stassek of Marquette and Mrs. Larissa Honse of Seattle spent Sunday last with family members at Carlton Center. They had time to then to see their nieces and families from Grand Rapids, the McDonalds and Singhs. George and Judy Johnson hosted family members from Indiana over the weekend. Other family members were unable to join­ ing a family gathering due to CO VID. One local couple spent a few days over the weekend on a Caribbean cruise rather than hosting or visiting relatives. KCC Express Enrollment event in Hastings Jan. 11 Current and future Kellogg Community College students will have a chance to com­ plete all enrollment processes needed to start winter/spring classes during the College’s Express Enrollment Event in Hastings this month. KCC’s Express Enrollment Event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, on KCC’s Fehsenfeld Center campus, 2950 West M-179 Highway. The event will offer students and prospec­ tive students what they need to be prepared to start classes this winter and spring, including financial aid assistance, placement testing, academic advising and onsite registration. Express Enrollment Event attendees also will have opportunities to win gift cards and free KCC items, including T-shirts and book bags. Individuals who are new to the college and interested in attending the event to take advan­ tage of the fast-track services offered should bring the following information with them: • A photo ID • Transcripts from high school and all col­ leges attended • ACT, PSAT or SAT scores (which can be used in place of KCC’s placement test if these scores were received within the past five years) KCC’s Fehsenfeld Center campus opened in the fall of 1996 on a scenic, 95-acre cam­ pus. The center consists of a building with 12 classrooms, including eight standard class­ rooms, two computer lab classrooms, a sci­ ence lab and a CNA lab, as well as a student lounge with free Wi-Fi and open computer lab for students. For more information about the Express Enrollment Event or the Fehsenfeld Center, contact the center at 269-948-9500 or email fehsenfeld@kellogg.edu. The first classes of KCC’s winter/spring semester begin Jan. 18. Student registration information, including links to registration instructions, policies, tuition and fees and other information, is available online at kellogg.edu/registration. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — Page-7' Tyden supported piston ring business This column for the past several weeks has put the spotlight on Emil Tyden, a Swedishborn inventor and industrialist who contribut­ ed greatly to the economic health of Hastings and Barry County. He personally launched major factories here and was part of a consor­ tium of businessmen who fostered other indus­ tries. The piston ring division of Hastings Manufacturing Co. falls into the latter catego­ ry. Aben Johnson, as Marshall L. Cook wrote for the following March 13, 1941, Banner article, was the go-getter who built up the pis­ ton ring business, but Emil Tyden was readily available for advice or consultation. And Cook noted that Tyden’s Seal Co. financed Hastings Mfg. Co. as it grew and expanded. Aben Johnson had great opportunity to build up big piston ring business Manufacturing Co. made great strides in late 1930s M.L. Cook When his own judgment as to the advis­ ability of the Manufacturing Co. making pis­ ton rings was confirmed by that of Mr. Tyden, Aben Johnson, who had managed the busi­ ness of the Hastings Manufacturing Co. from the start, made plans to have the company embark in this new line manufacture. The local field was clear, because the two men who started the plant in the Goodyear Woods factory [likely not far from where Northeastern Elementary now sits] had aban­ doned it and given up the business. However, it was much more difficultforthe Manufacturing Co. to build up a trade in piston rings than it otherwise would have been, because of the imperfect rings made in the Goodyear Woods plant, which had been marketed by the Manufacturing Company and had created con­ siderable prejudice that was not easily over­ come. Therefore, great care was taken to have the piston rings made by the Manufacturing Co. meet the requirements of the trade. Mr. Johnson was fortunate in having avail­ able the excellent mechanical talent employed by the Seal Co., which was of much assis­ tance in the starting of this new line of manu­ facture in a satisfactory manner. Mr. Johnson soon perfected an organization to handle the mechanical end of the new business and began building up a selling organization also. The trade increased, and new machines had to be added to care for the growing business. It steadily increased and outgrew the space avail­ able tor it in the old Press and Tool Company plant. Mr. Johnson had before this purchased the writer’s interest in the Manufacturing Co. and thus owned the controlling interest in the business. The development of the piston ring is K*y fo tan 'nffg xnanufe pOSHMW ft? rk units maxing LksUH-s Maim iy growth. past TURNING BflGK THE PAGES business by the company required more and more of the time of its manager. It was now evident that there were splendid possibilities for growth of the Manufacturing Co. in this new field. It could not expand in Plant No. 2 for, in the meantime, the Viking Corporation had been located there, and the increasing demand for that company’s products called for more and more space in that building. Then something was done that meant much to the Manufacturing Co. as well as to Hastings. About nine years ago, $200,000 of a Class A or preferred stock in the Manufacturing Co. was sold to citizens of Hastings, of which about $150,000 was sub­ scribed by Mr. Johnson, Mr. Tyden and their associates in the Seal, Table and Viking com­ panies. This called for a new plant. The Commercial Club took action and gave a considerable aid to the Manufacturing Co. in the purchase of the site of its present fine factory. A large conventionally arranged brick plant was constructed just west of the Seal Company’s factory. The company was squared away for business in dead earnest under Mr. Johnson’s direction. With an ideal place in which to make pis­ ton rings, with an excellent equipment of new machinery for their manufacture, with key men who had a large experience in the mak­ ing of that product elsewhere, whom Mr. Johnson had brought into his organization, the Manufacturing Co. was able to make a It’s all in the name Dear Byron, It turns out a lot of kids around the world have been wondering about the answer to this very question; after all, you don’t hear the name “Dr. Universe” every day. Believe it or not, I wasn’t entirely sure about the origin of my name. But my friends at the Washington State University Libraries had the answer in their historical archives. Yes, the local library is a great place to visit when you have a big question. As 1 read through the archives, I learned that I wouldn’t have my name if it weren’t for two people who worked at the univer­ sity. One of these people was Tim Steury, who at the time was writer and editor of WSU’s research magazine, "Universe.” The other PopvlarHy isfes fl look back at the stories and columns on local his “A set of rings containing a Hastings steel-vent ring will last longer and do a good job of saving money for the car owner,” Marshall Cook wrote for the March 13, 1941, Banner. “This was thoroughly demonstrated before the Manufacturing Co. came onto the market in January 1939 with its new steel-vent ring.” Dear Dr. Universe: How did you get your name? Byron, 13, Pennsylvania HASTINGS CELEBRATES FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY WITH LARGEST SALES IN COMPANY’S HISTORY! < person was Bob Smith who served as dean of the WSU Graduate School. While most people call me Dr. Universe, my first name is Wendy, and my middle name is Sue. With the last name Universe, that makes my initials W.S.U. You couldn’t ask for a better set of initials, really. You know, our names are an important part of our identity. Identity means the qual­ ities, beliefs, personality and expressions that make up a person or a group of people. Maybe you even have a nickname that’s part of your identity. Sometimes my friends call me Dr. U for short. While I was thinking about your ques­ tion, it also reminded me how scientists often name things, too. For instance, when they discover a new planet, species or ele­ ment - or come up with a new theory - they have to think of something to call it. In biology, one of the terms for the sys­ tem of names we use to describe some­ new line of rings that could not be excelled. Special machines were devised for them and made in the Seal Company’s shop. These cut costs and improved the product. The next thing was to get a large volume of business - which means do a good job of advertising in a manner that helps the dealers as well as the factory; also, to build up a selling organization of real go-getters. Aben Johnson has the qualities such a job of business getting requires. He secured a trained specialist to aid in creating an efficient shop organization. He built up a strong, efficient selling organization, trained to secure new jobbers for the Manufacturing Co., and at the same time put on campaigns to aid the jobbers in selling the rings to their trade. More than that, he employed specialists to train the jobbers’ salesman in selling piston rings, explaining how to win and keep the friendship of the garage men in the territory where the jobber operated. The excellent product and the well-trained selling organization could not do all that needed to be done in one year, but the trade grew through the years of severe depression. However, the cost of selling prevented, for a considerable time, making a profit until a sufficient volume of trade could be acquired. The tide of good fortune turned strongly toward the Manufacturing Co. in 1937. The volume increased largely in 1938 when nice profits were earned; but in 1939 and in 1940, the results were most gratifying, and the Hastings Manufacturing Co. became the leader in the piston-ring field, and prospects look fine for further progress in 1941. Among those gathered into the company’s organization by Mr. Johnson was Harold Phillips. He had had fine training and had specialized for a considerable time on gaso­ line engines and their problems, especially how to keep the cylinders in condition for economical production of power by using the proper kind of piston rings. He believed the leakage of oil could and would be largely prevented if a steel piston ring became a part of the set of rings used in each cylinder of the engine that powered the automobile. He devised such a ring and assigned the patent to the Manufacturing Co. The new steel-vent ring was thoroughly tested in 1938 and proved that it would large­ ly prevent the leakage of oil from the cylin­ ders. Being harder than the cast iron rings, it would not wear down and let the oil pass by it. A set of rings containing a Hastings steel­ vent ring will last longer and do a good job of saving money for the car owner. This was thoroughly demonstrated before the Manufacturing Co. came onto the market in thing is called nomenclature. “Nomen” in Latin means “name.” The binominal, or two-term, naming system is what biolo­ gists around the world use to describe dif­ ferent animals, insects, bacteria and other living things. The naming system requires both a spe­ cies name and the genus name. For exam­ ple, if you have a pet cat; it is a feline, and its Latin name would be Felis catus. Some animals have a species name and genus that are the same. For instance, Pica pica is the magpie, a kind of bird. Mola mola is the ocean sunfish. Bison bison is, well, a bison. There’s even a name for these types of names: tautonyms. You are a Homo sapiens, or human. Individual humans have a variety of differ­ ent names. They come in all kinds of differ­ ent languages. All right, here’s a question for you: How did you get your name? Perhaps you can do an investigation of your own. Ask your family about the origin of your first and last name. Find out if it comes with an interesting story, holds a special meaning, was passed down from someone else or maybe even has a connection to the past. Ask your family and friends about the stories behind their names, too. When you ask a good question, you never know what you might discover. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse.com. Above EMIL TYDEN President Upper Left • A. E. JOHNSON Vke-Presicfeftf ond Gonerof Manager R - A. GROOS . • ‘ Upper Right Treasurer sad left ♦ C. W. DOLAN Secretary H. P. PHILLIPS • Right Chief- Engineer Official This image from a circa 1940 “Hastings Arrow” newsletter features the “official fafeily” - (clockwise from top, center) Emil Tyden, Richard A. Groos, Harold Phillips, Cliff Dolan and Aben Johnson. January 1939 with its new steel-vent ring. That new ring gave Aben Johnson the oppor­ tunity to exercise his business-getting facul­ ties to the limit. The Saturday Evening Post, The Country Gentleman, the automobile trade papers were all used by him as advertis­ ing mediums. He also produced attractive placards and posters and wrote personal let­ ters not only to jobbers but to garage owners. This campaign doubled the company’s busi­ ness in 1939 and increased it again, but not so largely, in 1940, and is giving the company a splendid start in 1941. The new business gained by the Manufacturing Co. required a lot of real cash. Hundreds more jobbing accounts had to be carried on the company’s books, which necessitated the largely increased investment in these accounts as well as in stock and materials on hand. More rings had to be made and kept on hand. Fortunately, Mr. Johnson didn’t have to worry about financing the growth of the Manufacturing Co.’s business. The large resources of the Seal Company were used to make the expansion and were of the greatest assistance to the Manufacturing Co. in taking care of this rapid growth of its business. The Seal Company’s mechanical as well as financial resources were valuable helps while the Manufacturing Co. was build­ ing up its business. These enabled the compa­ ny to expand far more rapidly than would otherwise have been possible. No one realized better than Mr. Johnson that these favorable conditions--made an exceptional opportunity to build quickly the volume of the Manufacturing Co.’s business. He set about it in dead earnest. He is a tireless worker and gave long hours each day to the development of the business and dreamed of it at night. He had this exceptional chance to build up the volume quickly and rose to it. He had splendid cooperation from his factory and selling organization. He and his associ­ ates can take a just pride in the success attained. Now the company is in such a strong position in the trade and has such large resources, it can easily meet all requirements for carrying on its business. It is working steadily toward a position of complete inde­ pendence, because of its large and well-de- . veloped volume of business. The Manufacturing Co. in the two years of • 1938 and 1939, by its persistent and progres­ sive campaign for new business, was ableftb secure a large volume and attain a lead iiVthe • ‘ piston ring field which ordinarily would take' many years. That phenomenal growth is’ a tribute to the ability of Mr. Johnson as a busi-n. ness-getter, backed as he was by the large Y resources of the Seal Company which wereY available to aid him in carrying out his plans for the development of the business ofYhe company under his leadership. ...M . In 1939, the Manufacturing Co. was able, atthe end of that year, to not only repay the Seal>? Company for all the credit it had extended,J fitft also to make it possible for the Manufacturing* Co. to pay a liberal price to any of its stock-"holders who wished to cash in on their invest-’ment in the company stock. All who did 'SO” realized a good profit on the stock they sold'.- ' The company was glad to buy this stock at the-1 very fair price it offered because members of -> its own organization were desirous of owning’stock in the company. It was worthwhile that' these men in the organization should have that* opportunity, for they will naturally feel a ■ greater interest in the company’s business" if they own some of its capital stock. So, the people of Hastings who are interested * ’ have had the opportunity to watch this compel:' ny grow from a very small and unpromising ■ beginning into a large and important industry,’’ • -employingat the present-time 320 in-the-factcY •' ry, 96 in the office and 78 salesmen in the field, a total of 494. Its annual payroll is over $800,000 and its business last year exceeded $3 ■ million. The people of Hastings congratulate • the company on what it has attained, and hope « that the best is yet to be. These good wishes are > not only for the management, but for the entire , organization and for the company itself. [Note: As part of this series, Cook also featured Hastings Table Company and the Royal Coach Company, both of which were republished in the Banner shortly after the building that housed the successive industries was destroyed by fire in October 2020.] ON SALE NOW! CHASING THE EVIDENCE OF A REMARKABLE MAN Emil Tyden made a mark in this world at the turn of the 20th Century, but it was the imprint of a selfless man whose incredible talents and care for his fellow man Should be admired by every succeeding generation.” The book, Tyden: An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary, was published by Fred Jacobs and J-Ad Graphics and is the most extensive biography to date of a man who arrived from Sweden at the age of 17 and whose inventive brilliance began with contributions to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and ended just before his death in 1951 with the invention of the dry sprinkler fire suppression system manufactured by The Viking Corporation. TYDEN WS'K™."... pvt' f“Wlf<rl8a In between, Tyden offered world-changing developments to the booming automotive industry in Detroit, to America’s military efforts in World War I, and to the transportation industry where the invention for which he became best known, the box car seal, established Hastings as a manufacturing capital. Over 4 million of Tyden’s boxcar seals, were manufactured from his plant in Hastings. “It’s a compelling read,” states author Doug VanderLaan, “and one I feel fortunate to be part of in its telling. - An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary... Available in Hastings for $24.99 at • Al Fresco • The General Store • Printing Plus • J-Ad Graphics office - - at 1351N. M-43 Highway, just north of the Hastings city limits. - - ■ ’ " » �ePage 8 — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner I I I NOTICE TO CREDITORS ! TRUST ESTATE [ QpO ALL CREDITORS: i * v^e Settlor, Claude R. Slack, (date of birth) 3^8/1942, who lived at 3711 England Dr., ; Shelbyville, Michigan, died Dec. 2nd, 2021. There is . no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to ' whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all | । claims against the Claude Slack Trust dated, 2-19­ ' 19, as amended, will be forever banned unless ‘ presented to Kevin D. Slack, Successor Trustee, ' within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter , ' be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled ; toff: I Date: December 28th, 2021 ; Successor Trustee Kevin D. Slack । 3711 England Dr. J Shelbyville, Mi 49344 I 269-672-7627 173836 • p- j i L r J » t ' ; i ' , ; . ‘ • 1 I ’ । ' ' • ’ « STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT „ BARRY COUNTY h NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate ,n CASE NO. and JUDGE 21-29029-DE Court address: 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1390 /Estate of Michael G. Cybulskis. Date of birth: March 16,1971 JO ALL CREDITORS ' NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael G. Cybulskis, died September 19, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the" estate will be forever barred unless presented to*-Christine Heeringa, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/06/2022 Paul L. Winter P44290 25‘0 Washington Avenue, Grand Haven, Ml 49417 (6l'$) 847-1000 . Christine Heeringa f TH 9 Evelyn NE, Grand Rapids, Ml 49505 J $16)516-7556 I 174078 ■ , NOTICE TO CREDITORS , --1 Trust 1 In the matter of James M. Alden, Trust dated June 1, t 2015. ‘ TO ALL CREDITORS: . NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, James M. 1 Alden, born 09/25/1927, who lived at 11382 East Point ! Drive, Delton, Michigan died November 22, 2021 leaving ; a certain trust under the name of the James M. Alden '- Trust, and dated June 1,2015, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Sherie P. Alden and Suzanne Rayome were named as the co-trustees serving at the time or or as a result of the decedents death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Sherie P. Alden or Suzanne Rayome, the name co-trustees at 91 Old Orchard Way, Ferrisburgh, VT 05456 or 5 County Route 75, Mechanicville, NY 12118 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: December 29, 2021 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Sherie P. Alden or Suzanne Rayome 91 Old Orchard Way/5 County Route 75 Ferrisburgh, VT 05456/Mechanicville, NY 12118 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE 2021-29030-DE - WILLIAM M. DOHERTY Court address: 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1390 Estate of Eugene Elton Sanderson. Date of birth: 04/22/1934. TO ALL CREDITORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Eugene Elton Sanderson, died 10/26/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Deborah Cole, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/04/2022 Nathan E. Tagg P68994 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Deborah Cole 9624 Big Cedar Lake Drive, Delton, Ml 49046 269-623-8699 174036 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The Settlor, John Charles Morrow of 11608 Spring Point Drive, Plainwell, Michigan 49080 was born on January 8, 1942 passed away on November 12, 2021 at his home. Sandra K. Rose is acting in a fiduciary capacity for the Estate. All creditors having claims against John C. Morrow are required to present them to the acting fiduciary within four months after the date of this notice or be forever banned. Dated: December 31, 2021 Sandra Kay Rose 67663 County Road 388, Lot 9, South Haven, Ml 49090 269-767-3430 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING December 8, 2021 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, James, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham Absent: Bellmore (excused), Watson (excused) Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda with additions Monthly Treasurer's Report Monthly Clerk's Voucher/Payroll Report Approved Township Website Provider Roll Call Vote - All Aye, two absent Approved Resolution 2021-276 Roll Call Vote All Aye, two absent Approved Resolution 2021-277 Roll Call Vote All Aye, two absent Approved Resolution 2021-275 Roll Call Vote All Aye, two absent Approved Resolution 2021-278 Roll Call Vote All Aye, two absent Approved Attorney of Record, Engineer of Record, and Planner or Record for 2022 Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, two absent Adjournment 8:05 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk 173957 NOTICE TO RESIDENTS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2461 HEATH ROAD, HASTINGS, Ml 49058 TOWNSHIP BOARD MEETING DATES FOR 2022 2ND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7:00 PM, UNLESS OTHERWISE POSTED JANUARY 17 APRIL 13 JULY 13 OCTOBER 12 FEBRUARY 09 MAY11 AUGUST 10 NOVEMBER 09 MARCH 09 JUNE 08 SEPTEMBER 14 DECEMBER 14 Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the township clerk at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. this notice posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a(2)(3) and with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).___________________________________________________ "V : 174116 Notice of Intent to Fill City Council Vacancy • ' 1IO ^Notice is hereby given of a vacancy effective February 1, 2022 on the Hastings > City Council representing the First Ward. The City Council will seek to fill this vacancy by appointment and is accepting ^applications from interested, qualified persons through January 21, 2022 at noon. The City Council will then select applicants to interview with the intention L pf making an appointment to fill the vacancy in accordance with Section 4.10 of ' the City Charter. The appointed person who is selected to fill the vacancy will „ $erve until the next General Election; the appointee must run in that election to continue serving on the City Council. The term for this vacancy expires on T December 31,2022. » ’ To be eligible to fill this position, a person must reside in the First Ward and be I a qualified elector of the City. No person who holds or has held an elective city ‘ office shall be eligible for appointment to any city office or employment for which -compensation is paid by the City, until two (2) years have elapsed following the term for which they were elected or appointed, unless their appointment thereto Is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Council. All City Council positions are nonpartisan. Interested and qualified persons should complete the “Application for membership on City Boards or Commissions” application form and submit it to Clerk/Treasurer Jane Saurman by January 21, 2022 at noon. Applications are available at City -Hall, 201 E. State St., Hastings, Ml 49058, or online at https://hastingsmi.org/ document-center/. Applications may be submitted by mail, personal delivery, or email to jsaurman@hastinqsmi.org. Shoplifter steals from TSC An employee of Tractor Supply Company in Hastings said a man walked out the front door with a cart loaded with more than $1,000 worth of tools and other merchandise at 7:45 p.m. Nov. 9. The man set off the security detectors as he walked out to a waiting car, where the driver helped him load up the merchandise before they left. Although the employee got the license plate number of the vehicle, that plate was actually registered to a Kalamazoo County vehicle which was in a collision and had been sitting in a lot near an auto body shop for the last month. The case is closed. Suspects get away in high-speed chase Police responded to a report of a larceny from a motor vehicle at 3:43 a.m. Dec. 12 in the 1000 block of East Shore Drive in Barry Township. Two officers arrived at the scene, coming from opposite directions. When a vehicle drove past, an officer shined a flashlight onto the driver, and the vehicle took off at a high rate of speed. Police chased the vehicle south on Sprague Road, then south on M-43 at speeds of up to 115 mph. The suspect vehicle eventually passed into Kalamazoo County, where no local vehicles were avail­ able and the pursuit was terminated. Police returned to the resi­ dence where the chase began, where the victim, a 29-year-old woman, said she saw two men on her doorbell camera getting into her vehicle. Another vehicle on nearby Sprague Road also was ransacked, although nothing was taken. The case remains under investigation. Items removed from vehicle A 50-year-old woman called 911 at 6:62 p.m. Dec. 12 to report a stereo and equalizer, as well as a trail camera, were taken out of her vehicle while it sat at her residence in the 7000 block of Wolf Road in Assyria Township. The woman said she suspects her neighbor, an 18-year-old male. The case remains under investigation. Boyfriend doesn’t take breakup well, wrecks trailer A 28-year-old woman in the 11000 block of Erica Lane in Orangeville Township called 911 just before midnight Dec. 15 to report that her ex-boyfriend, 37, had destroyed the inside of the trailer they had been living and had stolen several items after she broke up with him. The woman said they had been in a relationship for about three years, and had broken up the day before. She came home from work to discover two handguns, two computers, the wi-fi box and power cords to many of their home electronics had been stolen. The ex-boyfriend also set a folded T-shirt on the night­ stand in the bedroom with a Valentine’s Day card propped up, along with a picture of them ripped in half with a knife stabbed into it. The woman said they had argued the day before when he grabbed her phone and stabbed it with a knife, breaking the tip off into the phone. The case remains under investigation. Man to press charges against younger brother A 20-year-old Hastings man called police at 1 a.m. to report his 16-year-old brother had stolen his Jeep Grand Cherokee and was driving it around. Police tracked the brother and vehicle in ' Hastings, and he admitted he had taken it for a joyride. The man 1 said he wanted to press charges. Information was forwarded to the prosecuting attorney. Plastic bag hid license plate in getaway vehicle A 34-year-old woman called police to report her vehicle had been stolen from her residence in the 6000 block of Oakwood Drive in Hope Township at 10:03 p.m. The woman said she was • watching television when she saw a white or silver SUV stop in front of the residence and the interior lights turn on, before the vehicle sped off, and her vehicle, a 2017 Toyota Highland was stolen. Her husband chased after the SUV and tried to get the license plate number, but it was covered by a plastic grocery bag. The case remains under investigation. Truck stolen by man in ski mask A 38-year-old man called police at to report his Chevrolet Silverado had been stolen from his residence in the 11000 block of Prairie Ridge Drive in Thomapple Township at 11:28 a.m. Dec. 10. The man said the vehicle had been broken into and the keys had been taken about three weeks before. A 32-year-old year old Yankee Springs Meadow Mobile Home Park had called police at 8 a.m. to report a strange vehicle in his driveway that matched the description of the stolen truck. By the time police arrived at the man’s residence, he said a red car with two men stopped next to it and a man in a ski mask got in the truck and drove away. The case remains under investigation. Food and toy drive ransacked A 59-year-old employee of Creekside Growers in Middleville called police at 3:20 p.m. Dec. 12 to report the glass front door of the business had been smashed and several items for a Christmas drive had been stolen from inside. The woman estimated between $500 and $1,000 in toys and non-perishable food items had been stolen. The case remains under investigation. ' I | ■ i Bedford Township man to face charge i on Jan. 11 for citizen’s arrest attempt i Taylor Owens Staff Writer Adam Heikkila has been charged with dis­ turbance of a lawful meeting for his attempt to make a citizen’s arrest of Barry-Eaton District Health Officer Colette Scrimger during a board ofhealth meeting in September. Heikkila is scheduled to appear in Barry County District Court on the misdemeanor charge at 2 p.m. Jan. 11. The six-hour meeting in Leason Sharpe Hall was brought to an abrupt end that day. Of the hundreds of people who attended, many came to voice their opposition to a uni­ versal mask mandate at area schools that the health department had issued. That mandate was rescinded about two weeks later. During the second round of public com­ ment, Heikkila stepped up to the podium and, reading from his phone, cited several laws he said Scrimger had broken, read aloud her Miranda rights and asked if she understood them. Scrimger, who was sitting at a table at the front of the hall beside the members of the health board, did not speak. “Your silence will say that’s acceptance,” Heikkila replied. “Officer Miller, I’m handing over custody to you under Michigan law, for you to take her under custody. This is the law.” “Do your job!” Dustin Fritz shouted at Hastings City Police Sgt. Kris Miller from the audience. “Calm down,” Miller said. “We’re tired of being calm, Miller,” Fritz replied. “Thank you, Mr. Heikkila,” Barry County Commissioner and Board of Health Chairman Ben Geiger said. “Is there further public com­ ment?” Heikkila refused to leave the podium. “We’re going to wait until a superior offi­ cer gets here, and understands the law that has just been read,” he announced. When Geiger said he would end the meet­ ing, several members of the audience shouted at him. “If Mr. Miller is not going to uphold the law that has been required and requested of him at this time, to take Ms. Scrimger into custody, from my custody, then we will stay here,” Heikkila said, “and I will stay here until his superior comes in and informs him of the law that he needs to follow.” “The board will stand in recess at this time,” Geiger said, striking the gavel on the table, throwing up his hands and getting up. The commissioners, and Scrimger, remained at the front of the hall, talking to each other as they waited for more police officers to arrive. Over the county’s livestream of the meet­ ing, one of the commissioners could be heard saying they would need a police escort to leave the building. A member of the Barry County Posse walked over and stood between audience members and the table where Scrimger was sitting. Some people continued to call out that Scrimger was under arrest. “I don’t have handcuffs,” Geiger remarked. In the police report, a Hastings City Police officer said Heikkila “incited the audience to become disorderly and began chanting in a mob-like fashion and screaming profanities at Sgt. Miller and the Barry-Eaton Health Board officials.” Heikkila left the podium, and came back a few minutes later with an announcement. “At this time we do have some further information in what’s going to happen,” he said, “and there is an investigation that has been underway and so we are going to release her under her own free will at this time, barring this investigation.” “Why?” people shouted out. “I want to see it happen,” one man said. Heikkila turned to the officers. “So you guys, I am no longer requiring you... I am no longer going to arrest her at this time.” Heikkila said he had spoken to Sheriff Dar Leaf. When Scrimger walked out of the build­ ing, a member of the Barry County Posse accompanied her. Leaf, Hastings City Police Chief Dale Boulter and Julie Nakfoor Pratt arrived and spoke with the commissioners, as the crowd, including Heikkila, slowly left the building. The board did not complete the other items on its agenda, which included board comments. According to information in the Hastings City Police report, Charles Hertzler approached Miller during a break in the meeting and asked the officer about con­ MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License //SI 10376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 ducting a citizen’s arrest for impersonation of a public official. The officer told him it would not be legal under state law, because citizens’ arrests can only be conducted for felonies, and impersonation of a public offi­ cial is a misdemeanor. Then Hertzler showejd the officer the text of a state law on his phone that appeared to be from a text mes­ sage sent by Joel Ibbotson. Although he was not present at the meet­ ing, Ibbotson spoke to the board during public comment through Hertzler’s phone. A while after that, according to the report, the officer saw Hertzler and Heikkila walk out of the building. When they returned, Heikkila got in the line for public comment and, when he got to the podium, that’s when he attempt to make the citizen’s arrest. Police later obtained a search warrant |q look at Heikkila’s cell phones. While the officer confiscated Heikkila’s phones at his Hastings business, Heikkila spoke about the meeting and said, “I should have listened and arrested her at the time!” On his phone, police found a text message from Charles Hertzler which contained the script that Heikkila appeared to read from his phone at the meeting. “Colette Scrimger, under MCL 764.16,-1 am placing you under arrest as a private per­ son for a federal felony,” the message started, and it continued on to list the laws that were alleged to have been broken. The text also contained a photo of the Miranda Rights document that Heikkila had read. Police interviewed Scrimger, Geiger and other board members. Geiger described Heikkila’s behavior as “insulting, demoralizing, threatening and dangerous.” Board member Dave Jackson described Heikkila’s actions at the meeting as “aggres­ sive and threatening.” Fellow Barry County board member Jon Smelker told the officer he felt threatened by Heikkila’s actions, and added, “If I was Colette, I sure would have felt threatened.” The owner of iGeek Repair & Gaming in Hastings, Heikkila was township supervisor of Bedford Township for two years before he was recalled. According to the Battle Creek Enquirer, the recall petition, which was signed by more than 1,000 people, accused Heikkila of “failing to keep business hours at the township office, telling township employees to dismiss an ordinance violation case pend­ ing against him, being threatened with arrest for disorderly conduct toward township employees and establishing ‘a pattern of intimidating and threatening behaviour which has created a hostile environment for both township employees and residents.’ ”i The petition was filed by Kraig Dingman, a Hastings City police officer, who ran against him, and was later appointed to the board to fill the spot of the trustee who defeated Heikkila. ' 11 (.Hi* �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — Page'9 Lions learning how to take advantage of opportunities Brett Bremer Financial FOCUS Sports Editor There are things that with time will become simple on the basketball court for the Lions, but are still something of a struggle right now. A few little things going right here and there and the Lions would have been in a whole different ballgame Tuesday night. Bellevue scored a 41-29 win over the Maple Valley varsity girls’ basketball team dropping the Lions’ season record to 0-5. The : Broncos opened the ballgame on a 15-0 run, ; outscoring the Lions 13-0 in the first quarter ; and then getting the opening bucket of the ■ second quarter. । Maple Valley managed to fight back within • six points before the half, fell down again by : 16 late in the third and battled back to within ten points before the bailgame was over. ; Knocking down some wide open shots and • limiting turnovers even a little would have i helped the Lions be right there even with the Broncos. ; A former cross country state qualifier, Lion sophomore Lilly Faurot had a game-high 15 ■ points. Harnessing her long-distance speed I has been something she has been working on . since then assistant coach Timara Wehr lob­ ; bied for her to be on the varsity as a fresh■ man. ■ Wehr, now the Lions’ head coach, saw ■ Faurot pull down a defensive rebound and ' take it end to end for a lay-up two minutes [ into the fourth quarter as the Lions closed ; within ten points of the Broncos after having ■ been down 14 heading into the fourth. i Faurot had eight of her 15 points in the fourth quarter. ; “Lilly is very scrappy, which I like,” Wehr ; said. “She brings an intensity that a lot of people don’t carry. She might be in the wrong spot, but at least she is going to do something I right in the wrong spot. She is young. I vouched for her last year to be brought up. I saw something, and tonight she showed what I had seen. If there had been a little more than eight minutes in that fourth quarter, Lilly herself would have gotten us back in that game.” One of the big improvements coach Wehr has seen in Faurot so far is getting herself to calm down. When her speed and athleticism turn into a breakaway thanks to a steal or a defensive rebound, Faurot is much more like­ ly this season to take an extra dribble, calm Maple Valley sophomore Autumn Leo fires up a jump shot from the right corner -during the first half against Bellevue ^Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Maple Valley's Cassie McCool beats Bellevue's Morgan Keson to a loose ball during the first half of their non-conference bailgame at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ! i ’ i : ' ; ■ Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones o Staff Writer " Two businesses have received approval .’from the village of Middleville to establish -marijuana-based retail operations. .) DNVK LLC, based out of Southfield, and Mitten Meds LLC out of Middleville, were ^approved for retail licenses after their appli­ cations were reviewed by Village Manager -Patricia Rayl. They scored the highest among four applicants for the village’s two avail1 able retail licenses. DNVK received a score -of 92 out of a possible 100, while Mitten .[Meds scored an 87, according to a memo jfrom Rayl to the Village Council. Mitten Meds was approved as an adultjuse business and a medical marijuana proovisioning center, while DNVK received approval as an adult-use business. Mitten jMeds plans to locate its business in the TTS Fitness building at 640 Arlington Ct., while >DNVK proposes to set up its business in b Brett Bremer Sports Editor , Sophomore Brook Simpson set a Belding ^record with 48 points and powered the Black Knights to a 70-56 win over the Lakewood •varsity girls’ basketball team at Lakewood .High School Tuesday. s “You just can’t win games when you let .one player have a game like that, and not due p.to a lack of effort, she’s just that good,” -Lakewood head coach Kelly Meints said. ,< Simpson had her Knights up 33-19 at the Jialf after leading 19-10 at the end of one quarter. It didn’t help the Vikings having senior (center Maradith O’Gorman got into foul trou­ ble early. She had to sit most of the second quarter and then came out with some fire in "the second half. She scored 13 points in the cthird quarter. h “We pushed hard and offensively things were working for us, but we just couldn’t shut ust-W.* . A. Financial Advisor*.: 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 tic What should you know about X investment risk? Maple Valley sophomore guard Lilly Faurot fights her way past Bellevue freshman center Alexandria Mitchell with the basketball near mid-court during the second half of their bailgame at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. Faurot had a game-high 15 points in the loss to the Broncos. (Photo by Brett Bremer) herself down and calmly put the lay-up in at the other end. The Lions had a great chance to get within single digits in the fourth quarter. An inbound play soon after Faurot’s end to end charge had sophomore Autumn Leo wide open under the basket. Her shot missed its mark however, causing her to shout out as she threw her hands up to the side of her head. It was far from the first missed open look at the basket for the Lions. Nearly everyone took their turn. Bellevue was led by Morgan Keson on the scoreboard. She matched Faurot’s 15 points. The Broncos also got ten points from Marissa Powell, six from Alexandria Mitchell and five from Brooke Whitcomb. Broncos did a decent job jumping into passing lanes, but the Lions also needed to be better at making quick decisions with the basketball. Cassie McCool and Emma Pierce added five points apiece for the Lions. Pierce dealt with foul trouble all evening, and both Pierce and McCool fouled out before the night was up. Wehr was also pleased to see senior guard Karlie Dahms rebound from a tough start to the night. Bellevue’s Keson stripped Dahms of the basketball at. the top of the key and raced the other way for a lay-up to open the second quarter. “She was struggling, but she at least spoke up and said, ‘hey, I need help,”’ Wehr said. “She was a leader in that aspect tonight. Karlie usually doesn’t do that.” The Lions have a tough one ahead Friday, at home against Olivet in Greater Lansing Activities Conference action. The Eagles are 3-3 overall this season and 2-0 in the GLAC. The Lions are currently 0-2 in the GLAC. the Thornapple Floral building at 314 Arlington St. The Village Council voted Aug. 24 of last year to allow marijuana-based businesses in Middleville. The village’s planning commis­ sion in mid-November approved site plans and special land uses for five applicants for the two retail licenses, but one of the appli­ cants did not submit their paperwork to the village in time to be considered, Rayl said. Applications were scored on such criteria as background of the applicant, including past compliance with state business licens­ ing requirements; residency in the village or Barry County for at least one year; number of employees residing in the village; invest­ ment in the business; impact on the sur­ rounding area; having business, financing and marketing plans; design of the establish­ ment; energy efficiency; infrastructure impact; and having a security plan and a Good Neighbor plan that outlines communi­ ty or civic involvement, Rayl said. Licenses must go through an annual renewal process. “They have to prove how they’ve been a good neighbor. We’re going to hold them to what they promised to do,” Rayl said. The other two applicants - Rison BS, LLC of Wayland and Troy-based Lume can appeal their denial to the village. Today is the deadline for the applicants to submit their appeals. “It’s very likely that we might have an appeal come in by [today], in which case then we would give them 10 days notice to appear before council,” Rayl said. The ordinance language set a cap of five licenses, two of which were reserved for retail. While the retail licenses are spoken for the time being, other licenses are avail­ able for growing operations, secure transport or a safety testing facility, according to the ordinance language. Simpson sets Belding record as Knights defeat Lakewood girls .7 AAMS® Financial Advisor When you invest, you incur risk - there’s no avoiding it. But the concept of “risk” may be more expansive than you realized. And by understanding the different types of investment risk and how these risks can be addressed, you can improve your skills as an investor. The most common perception of investment risk is simply the risk of losing money. When you invest in stocks and stock-based vehicles, such as mutual funds, there are no guarantees that your principal your initial investment amount - will be preserved. Generally speaking, if you hold stocks or mutual funds over a period of years, and even decades, you can reduce the likelihood of sustaining losses that could send your investments’ value to zero. Hopefully, the value of your investments will rise over time. And it’s worth noting that, since the Great Depression, U.S. stocks have averaged 9.59% annual returns, according to Morningstar Direct, an investment research service. However, past performance can’t guarantee future results. In any case, this type of risk is real, and it’s a factor to consider when making your investment decisions. But you can’t avoid all risk by avoiding stocks and putting your money Simpson down,” Meints said. “A top-notch player and athlete.” O’Gorman finished the night with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Fellow center Cadence Poll, the Vikings’ own talented sophomore, had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Alli Pickard chipped in nine points, three steals and three assists. “My centers had good nights, both getting a double-double. My guards did a nice job of getting the ball into them in the second half,” Meints said. The Vikings outscored the Knights in the fourth quarter. Missing 12 free throws through­ out the game hurt the Vikings’ changes in the end, and Meints said her team missed a number of shots at close range early on as well. Lakewood is now 2-6 overall this season. The Vikings will look to improve on their 1-1 Greater Lansing Activities Conference record when they host Leslie Friday. Belding moves to 4-1 with the victory. Must be personable, very intelligent, play well with others. Send resume with references to: ........ Dental 4888 E. M-79 Hwy Nashville, MI 49073 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... 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Celebrating five generations of the Hayes family are Jessica, Taylor, Evelyn, Leroy and TJ. these types of risk, you’ll want to maintain an appropriate, allocation of international, holdings and diversify actorsregions. iA, Ultimately, your most bro^d^ based defense against all types of risk is to build a diversified portfolio containing U.S. stocks, international stocks, corporate bonds, mutual funds, government securities and other investments. Diversification works because, it helps reduce the impact th^r market volatility can have, on your portfolio if you ohly own one type of asset, such' as domestic stocks. (However, diversification can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses.) And you’ll also want your portfolio to reflect your individual tolerance for riskc . ♦ By being aware of the! different types of risk, and’ taking steps to mitigate therfi,you can create a strategy that offers the potential to help' you achieve your important, goals, such as a comfortable retirement. And by doing ;SQ,; you’ll avoid the greatest risk; of all: not investing for your future. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. 7. Edward Jones, Member SIPC - '• Will train the right person. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 Celebrating 5 generations of the Hayes family into other types of investments. Consider bonds, for example. When you purchase a bond, you typically receive regular interest payments and you get back your initial investment when the bond matures, provided the issuer doesn’t default. But if interest rates go up and you want to sell your bond before it matures, you’ll have to offer it at a “discount,” because no one will pay the full price for your bond when they can buy new ones at a higher rate. You can help manage this type of interest rate risk by owning a variety of bonds with different maturities. When interest rates are rising, you can reinvest your short-term bonds at the new, higher rates. And in a falling-rate environment, you can still benefit from your longer-term bonds, which typically pay higher interest rates. Foreign or international investments also contain specific risks. When you purchase foreign stocks, you’ll find that fluctuations in the value of currencies relative to the U.S. dollar can affect your returns. Also, international investments may carry political risk, since some foreign governments and political systems may change in ways that work against businesses in those countries. To contain Dental Receptionist Needed - Full lime Marijuana retail operations get OK from Middleville Greg Chandler Member SIPC Andrew Cove, AAMS® Pets FOR SALE- PUREBRED GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES- AKC registered. Very Cute. 1st shots and de­ wormed, ready to go! $600.00, 517-726-0706. FOR SALE- PUREBRED Bor­ der Collie Puppies. Friendly & playful. 1st shots & wormed, $450.00. 269-223-9194. ~ Vi ' 77' W- ' .7 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:.^ All real estate advertising in thi§newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act’ which collectively make it illegal to, advertise “any preference, limitation dr, discrimination based on race, color;* religion, sex, handicap, familial slatu^ national origin, age or martial status, dr an intention, to make any sucij. preference, limitation or discrimination.’’ Familial status includes children unde*, the age of 18 living with parents or'iegaU custodians, pregnant women and people*' securing custody of children under'18. " This newspaper will not knowjngly accept any advertising for real estatewhich is in violation of the law.t Ouft readers are hereby informed that aH» dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination cafl the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number fot the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.- EQUAL KOUSJNQ OPPORTUNITY Keep your friends and relatives informed ; and up to date with all the local news ■ ■_ from Barry County. Send them... X The Hastings BANNER To subscribe, call us at 269-945-9554 . �The Hastings AM1VFI? zAlAI 111 ILiX SPORTS SECTION Thursday, January 6,2022 Schools designate February for Statewide ‘Oxford Strong’ Support Schools across Michigan will be dedicat­ ing February to “Oxford Strong” in support of Oxford Community Schools as the district continues to mourn the deaths of four stu­ dents during a shooting at the high school Nov. 30. The Oakland Activities Association - of which Oxford is a member - as well as the Kensington Lakes Activities Association and Detroit Catholic High School League, with merchandise vendor E.A. Graphics, have been primary organizers of this effort. E.A. Graphics, based in Sterling Heights, will be printing T-shirts and sweatshirts sup­ porting “Oxford Strong” - with schools able to purchase those items and then provide them in their communities. E.A. Graphics will be donating the price of the apparel, after costs, directly to Oxford High School and its community. T-shirts, for example, cost $20, • 4 Lakewood 285-pounder Eastin Stank (left) works for an advantage during a consolation match against Niles Brandywine's Brad Huber Dec. 29, 2021 at Montague's Eric Scott Holiday Mat Cat Classic. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) Finally with all its weapons, Delton Kellogg topples Tigers Brett Bremer Krebs keeps record perfect winning at Montague LS*4 i ■ ■ Brett Bremer Sports Editor £■- The Lakewood varsity wrestling team placed fourth last Wednesday, Dec. 29, at the Eric Scott Holiday Mat Cat Classic Posted by Montague High School. I trio of Vikings took flight champion­ ships. Nathaniel Graham won the 189-pound {weight class, Joel Simon won at 215 pounds {and Jonathan Krebs took the 125-pound jdhumpionship. Daniel Krebs took a runner-up ifinish’lbrll iWpounfe. { Hudsonville won the day’s championship {with 219 points, ahead of Algonac 208.5, (Fremont 182.5, Lakewood 146.5, Gladstone »141, Brandywine 93.5, Orchard View 85.5, {Mona Shores 83, Montague 71.5, Muskegon {69^ Hopkins 68.5, Forest Hills Eastern 64, Spring Lake 62, Muskegon Catholic Central Rolland 39 and Holton 11. Viking sophomore Jonathan Krebs ran his record to 17-0 for the season with his four yiefories. He closed out his day by pinning Gladstone’s Michael Brazeau a minute and a hal^nto the second period of their 125-pound championship match. u] Jonathan pinned his first opponent of the day,’Forest Hills Eastern’s Nick Huffman, 43 seconds into their bout. He followed that up 'witfra 7-0 decision over Spring Lake’s Gabe Trask and a 17-0 technical fall against Fjeipont’s RJ Thorne in the semifinals. It was theffirst defeat of the season for Thorne. „■ Graham, a senior, and Simon, a freshman, d^pinned their finals foes. Graham won the 189-pound weight class with a pin of Hudsonville’s Devin Mervau 2:15 into their championship bout. Graham ginned Orchard View’s Treyshaun Day and *Jaxon Tuttle at the tournament, while scoring an 18-2 technical fall in ta match with {Muskegon’s Nathan Stockham in the quarter­ {finals. { Simon pinned Hunter Potier from Gladstone with 13 seconds remaining in the second period of their 215-pound champion­ ship match. Simon won opened the day with a pin of Holland’s Romeo Keels in the quarter finals and then bested Brandywine’s Philip McLaurin 10-4 in the semis. Junior Daniel Krebs reached the 140pound championship match for the Vikings by pinning Spring Lake’s Bryce Collins and scoring a 16-0 technical fall against Algonac’s Mark Romanowski. Hudsonville’s Tyler Amtz pinned Daniel a minute and a .half into lheir championship bout, handing the-Viking %0-poundWFWBat of the' sdfen after a 12-0 start. Brenden Straub added a fifth-place finish for Lakewood at 160 pounds with three pins in consolation matches. He stuck Muskegon’s Jakob Price 2:25 infq the match for fifth at their weight class. At 285 pounds, th.e Vikings’ Eastin Stank was fifth with three more pins in consolation. Stank stuck Fremont’s Colby Wright 31, seconds - into their fifth-place match. Arntz was one of champions for the Hudsonville Eagles .who also had Conor McAlary win at-103 pounds, Michael Biggar win at 130 pounds apd JphnJBushman take the 28.5-pound champjpnship. Other titles on the day went to AtgonaCs Lucky Gartjn (1,12 pounds), Jake Kasner (152) and. Joslp Kasnep (171); Fremont’s Tee Ward (119) and Trey Myers (145); Montague’s Cale Coppess (135); ^nd Mona Shores Jake Moll (160).. ,f : with $16.20 being donated from each sale. ; Schools taking part may ask their specta^ tors to then wear the apparel as part of an “Oxford Strong” sporting event at their schools during February. Organizers have designated Friday, Feb. 4, as a day for as many schools as possible to be “Oxford Strong” and contribute to a statewide out­ pouring of support for the Wildcats and their community. However, it’s expected many schools will sponsor “Oxford Strong” events throughout the month. “Every day since Nov. 30, schools have asked us what they can do, how can they help,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “While there is no way to take away thq pain from such a tragedy, our statewide com­ munity will be glad to provide any comfort possible to Oxford schools and their commu­ nity at this time of such great sorrow.” . Sports Editor If finally happened. The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ bas­ ketball team had its full compliment of ballplayers set to take the court Tuesday night at Allegan. Things went went well for the DK boys as they scored a 72-53 win over the Tigers to move their record to 3-3 on the season. The big addition Tuesday was big man Alex Whitmore, who was out with an inju­ ry for the first month of the season. He finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, knocking down three three-pointers. “He really impacts us,” DK head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “It’S gonna be nice to have him available.” Alden Whitmore and Austin Blocker tied for the team lead with 21 points each for the Panthers, and they both picked things up in the second half to help their team score 47 points over the final two quarters against the winless Tigers. Blocker scored 17 in the second half and Alden scored 15. Alden helped DK seal the win by going 7-of-8 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. “It was really nice to see our guys exe­ cute against their defense and press down the stretch,” Hogoboom said. The Panthers raced out to a 9-2 lead, but Hogoboom said his guys struggled with the ball for much of the first half. DK led 13-10 after one quarter and 25-19 at the half. It was just a seven point ballgame heading into the fourth quarter. A 10-0 run that included a pair of threes by Alex Whitmore gave them Panthers some breathing room in the end. Coach Hogoboom liked the improved ball security in the second half. He liked what he saw from Mason Nabozny being a ball handler - finding open guys and making good decisions. “We have to get better on the defensive end,” Hogoboom said, “too many seams and second chances for people this year, but we are getting better.” Delton Kellogg returns to action look­ ing to get over.500 at home Friday night against Fennville. The Eagles are 3-2 overall this season. That ballgame will be game two of a doubleheader with the girls’ teams Friday. DNR seeks input on shooting range environmental assessment Lakewood 140-pounder Daniel Krebs holds down Algonac's Mark Romanowski during their 140-pound semifinal match Dec. 29, 2021 at Montague's Eric Scott Holiday Mat Cat Classic. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) . Lakewood's Jonathan Krebs holds Fremont's RJ Thome on his back during their 125-pound semifinal match at the Eric Scott Holiday Mat Cat Classic hosted by Montague Dec. 29, 2021. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is seeking pub­ lic comment on a draft environmental assessment for the DNR’s proposed shoot­ ing range in Barry County. The draft environmental assessment evaluates the options considered for developing a shooting range and their effects on area natural resources at the parcel south of M-179 (Chief Noonday Road) and east of S. Peets Road. Public comments will be accepted for a 30-day period, ending Jan. 27. The DNR has asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue a modification to a statewide shooting range grant to approve the construction of an outdoor shooting range on the parcel in Barry County. The purpose of the proposed project is to develop a new, outdoor, public range on property within the DNR’s Barry State Game Area. The subject parcel is approxi­ mately 11.6 acres in size and is currently owned by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources The development of a new public range will enable the DNR to close a popular, unofficial target shooting location that is not suitable for public use. “Many individuals currently use this area as an informal shooting range; debris from used targets and bullet casings were observed throughout the site,” according to the environmental assessment prepared by GEI Consultants of Michigan, P.C. The range will meet or exceed Americans with Disabilities Act accessi­ bility requirements, provide hunters the opportunity to increase firearm proficien­ cy and safety, and allow recreational shooters to practice their sport in a safe, accommodating area that expands use potential beyond the summer months. According to the environmental assess­ ment draft, “in 2020, MDNR reported 540,174 hunters statewide, deer hunter numbers increased by five percent from 2019 (Frawley 2020). As hunter numbers increase, so increases MDNR commitment to providing safe/secure practice shooting ranges areas for public use. There are cur­ rently no safe/secure State-run shooting facilities within 30 miles of the subject property and proposed shooting range. The State of Michigan currently operates 12 shooting ranges throughout Michigan. One of which is within the Southwestern Lower Peninsula deer harvest area.” The proposed project will consist of creating an access drive, parking and accessible pathways that connect all range facilities. There will be new shooting structures for safety, sound abatement and weather protection will be built, as well as downrange berms (with ricochet baffles), side berms and surface water management through earthwork activity. Educational and interpretive signage will be included in the project. The purpose of the environmental assessment document is to look at the fea­ sibility and potential for environmental consequences associated with each alter­ native under consideration. The assess­ ment was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, which applies to the actions of all federal agen­ cies. The DNR proposed this project for funding through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The draft environmental assessment (dated Dec. 17,2021) is available online at Michigan.gov/ShootingRanges under “Important shooting range updates.” Additional information on funding for and design of the range is available from DNR shooting range specialist Lori Burford, at 989-600-9114. Written com­ ments or questions may be sent to Burford via email at BurfordL@Michigan.gov. Comments should be received no later than Jan. 27. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — Page 11 President Engle leads U of M to waterski title K Brett Bremer Sports Editor * Snow covered slopes of Jackson Hole, Wyo. were where Hastings High School alumnus and recent University of Michigan graduate Zoe Engle spent her Tuesday morn­ ing. • Having graduated from the University of Michigan a semester early in December, with a degree in organizational studies with a focus on leadership and management, and environmental studies as well, Engle is taking a breather before starting a job hunt in July. Her downhill skiing adventure is going to include stops in Colorado, California, Washington and there are plans for a stopover in Switzerland along the way. Engle had a water skiing adventure recent­ ly too, helping the University of Michigan Waterski team win the Division 2 National Championship at the Syndicate Waterskis 2021 NCWS A Collegiate Water Ski National Championships at Tri-Lakes in Zachary, La., near Baton Rouge, Oct. 21-23, 2021. “It was great,” Engle said of the champion­ ship she won with the Wolverines in October. “We have a huge banquet and there was champagne and a huge trophy. It was excit­ ing, really a team effort and kind of the best type of experience and memories you’d want to make with a team.” It was a team that was very different in the fall of 2021 than the one she joined in the fall of 2018 after graduating from Hastings High School. . “When I joined we had about a four-to-one jguy to girl ratio,” Engle said. “When I was an (underclassmen, I became one of the captains and really kind of built up the girls’ team and changed the culture a little bit. J “Throughout the next couple years we had a lot more girls and it ended up kind of being £ more one-to-one ratio on the team and the culture became a lot more fun. We got a lot more people to training camp and we focused one some female-only practices even to kind pf boost up our girls’ team, because in water Skiing the girls can kind of make or break a team in Division 2.” Michigan had the top women’s group in the competition at the D2 Nationals outscor­ ing runner-up Iowa State 4,975 to 4,645 in the 12-team field. The Wolverine women were first in the slalom competition, second in the trick ski competition and third in the ski jumping competition.’ The Michigan men were fourth overall and the Wolverine teams combined for the overall championship with 8,955 points. San Diego State was the overall runner-up with 8,455 points, ahead of Texas 7,845, Iowa State 7,785, Michigan State 7,435, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 7,365, Cincinnati 7,340, Wisconsin La Crosse 7,120, Arkansas 6,570, Auburn 5,540, UC Davis 2,410 and UCLA 2,110. Engle placed tenth in the women’s overall individual standings, two spots behind team­ mate Jordan Briney and one ahead of team­ mate Genevieve Kromm. Iowa State was the only other team to have three women among the top 20 overall. Engle was ninth in the Women A Team Slalom Results with a score of 500 points thanks to marks of 5.50 buoys, 15 OFF 18.25 at 30 miles per hour. That was good for a score of 59.50 and 500 team points. She was tied for 16th in the Women A Team Trick Results with a score of 200 that earned the Wolverines 405 points. She tied for 17th in the Women A Team Jump Results with a score of 39 feet that earned the team 355 points. “I competed in all three events, slalom, trick and jump,” Engle said. “It wasn’t my best standings because I was actually in the hospital most of the time. I was pretty sick down there, but I still competed and it was actually an after tournament where I had a bunch of [personal bests] after the season and was able to do really well. At Nationals, I just did main line for the team to kind of get good team points. I was basically leaving the hos­ pital to compete and then going back. “I have really bad asthma. It was really hot down there. I got a bronchitis flare up and I had to be on a breathing treatment. I just couldn’t really breathe that well. Thankfully, ! Zoe Engle (center) is joined by her parents Mike and Cathy Engle as the University 0f Michigan Waterski program celebrates its Division 2 National Championship. Engle graduated from U of M in December, a semester earlier than originally scheduled. Members of the University of Michigan Waterski team, including Hastings High School alumnus Zoe Engle (at right, secondjrbw from bottom), celebrates its Division 2 National Championship at Tri-Lakes in Zachary, La., at the conclusion of the 2021 Sydicate Collegiate Nationals Oct. 21-23. skiing is only 30 seconds of hard work and then you’re done. When I got done with my last slalom set I had teammates just carry me back to the car basically.” Creating a positive team culture was high on the list of priorities for Engle on the stu­ dent-run team. She went from being a team captain early in her time in Ann Arbor to being the organization president her senior year - the first female president in the history of the program. Engle was thrilled to grow the girls’ team while she was there and create what she felt was as better culture overall on the team. She said more time has been spent the past few seasons making sure everyone is included. More time has been spent helping ‘B’ team skiers improve with those skiers improving the ‘A’ team in the end. The Wolverines have made regular appear­ ances at Nationals. The Wolverines were seventh at the D2 Nationals in 2019. Nationals were canceled due to the Covid pandemic in 2020. Engle skied for the Wolverines at the 2019 Nationals and was joined by another Hastings alumnus, Scott Garber, on that squad. The University of Louisiana-Lafayette water ski team won the Division 1 National Championship in October, beating out Alabama, Florida Southern, the University of Louisiana-Monroe and Rollins College among others. The University of Michigan team is not an official school team or even club. It is entire­ ly student run according to Engle. Division 1 teams typically have school support and offer scholarships to bring in talented skiers and even some professional skiers. Engle enjoys the sport in part because it can welcome anyone. Few of the skiers in the organization had any competitive experience before joining the Michigan team. “Before my freshman year I grew up just kind of free skiing. I had never trick skied or ski jumped,” Engle said. “By my senior year, I was kind of one of the better trick skiers, jumpers and slalomers on the team. Really kind of, with the team, got a lot better.” She spent some time during her collegiate summers on a slalom course on Algonquin Zoe Engle competes in the ski jump competition for the University of Michigan^ Engle placed tenth individually in the overall scoring at the 2021 Sydicate Collegiate Nationals helping the Wolverines to a national championship. Lake. She’d recommend the sport to anyone. Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University all have teams that compete with the Wolverines. “We travel all over the midwest,” Engle said. “The first six weeks of school we have a tournament every single weekend. Tournaments are pretty fun.” She said the Michigan program did take some trips down to practice in Tennessee and Florida during the offseason. There are plenty of team bonding activities around campus during the offseason, but the only real train­ ing in Michigan to be done between Noverhbbr and April is snow skiing. “It is pretty similar,” Engle said of snovJ skiing and water skiing. “You’re on edge the whole time. It is pretty similar. You definitely use different muscles. With water skiing ybu use more of your upper body strength' and your core, but with snow skiing it is a lot of your legs.” « ’ “It is pretty fun. Everyone grows up skiing kind of in Michigan almost, at least once or twice or more times at friends’ or family’s' but not a lot of people know that collegiate skiing exists.” * j Bulldog advantage on boards allows them to beat Saxons Brett Bremer Sports Editor > The Saxons got a bit of a boost from Madison Pettengill’s first start of the season Tuesday night, but even her added presence |n the paint wasn’t enough for the Hastings yarsity girls’ basketball team to overcome difficulties against the bigger Ionia Bulldogs. ! Ionia scored a 44-35 non-conference win over the Saxons at Hastings High School, J Saxon sophomore Addie Nickels runs the weave at the top of the key during her team's loss to the visiting Ionia Bulldogs Tuesday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) dropping the Saxons’ record to 5-3 on the season overall. Ionia moves to 4-3 with the win. “We did not match their physicality on the boards in the first 12 minutes, which in all honesty was the biggest difference in the game,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said. The Saxons were within three points mid­ way through the fourth quarter, but couldn’t overcome the Bulldogs. Brynn Reams had a game-high 20 points to lead the Bulldogs and 15 rebounds. Coach Youngs figured 16 of Reams’ points came from within six feet of the basket. Coach Youngs was happy with a big block by Pettengill and some strong rebounding in the second half. He added that his girls all contributed a great physical effort throughout the game. He was pleased with how Bailey Lewis and Macy Winegar handled in-yourface pressure; great contributions off the bench from Carly Warner, Chelsea Ertner, Addey Nickels and Bailey Cook and solid effort at both ends by Allison Teed. Cook and Bri Barnes were especially strong on the defensive end. Picking up the defensive intensity allowed the Saxons to get within three points a couple times in the final three minutes. “We play tough defense, but our size hurts inside when we play bigger teams, and when we don’t search and find a body to box out we are not big enough to just get the board, and that hurt,” Youngs said. “We would play tough, get Ionia to take and miss a shot they did not want, but then give up an offensive Allegan hands DK ladies their sixth straight defeat Brett Bremer Sports Editor The year flipped, but the Delton Kellogg girls’ fortunes didn’t. The Panthers fell to 1-6 on the season with a 44-14 loss to the visiting Allegan varsity girls’ basketball team Tuesday at Delton Kellogg High school. “We still just struggle putting the ball in the basket consistently,” Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn said. “We are put­ ting ourselves in decent positions to score, but end up shooting less than 20 percent from the floor. “I thought that we made some strides in Hastings junior Bailey Cook (13) goes up strong in the paint against Ionia Bulldogs Melayna Braman (23) and Jessa Swinehart (20) during their non-confer­ ence ballgame at Hastings High School Tuesday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) rebound and bucket. It is hard to overcome. We shot ourselves in the foot multiple times with this last night.” Winegar led the Saxons in scoring with 13 points. Warner had eight points and Lewis five. In all, seven different Saxons scored. Hastings returns to action Friday night at Jackson Lumen Christi looking to improve its Interstate-8 Athletic Conference record. The Saxons are currently 1-1 in the conference. The Titans are 0-4 so far this winter. getting ourselves into our offensive set& a bit better last night and got ourselves to the”7 foul line 32 times. Unfortunately, we only made ten of them.” «■ 7;J The DK head coach was pleased withthe way his girls did a better job of taking, care of the basketball, especially in the first' half. Jordan Lyons had four points for Deltop and My a Brickley finished with three. -7'-' DK will be home again on Friday to take on 0-7 Fennville in the first varsity double­ header of the season. The DK girls will tip off at 6 p.m., followed by the boys around 7:30 p.m. Ionia downs Saxon guys in first ballgame of 2022 The hustle plays were there for the Saxons, but they still couldn’t keep pace with the Bulldogs Tuesday night. Ionia’s varsity boys’ basketball team improved to 5-1 overall this season with a 56-36 win over the Hastings boys in a non-conference bailgame. Hastings head coach Rich Long said his Saxons fought hard all evening - diving for loose balls and taking charges. Layton Eastman had a team-high 14 points for the Saxons. Owen Carroll chipped in eight points. Ionia got 13 points from Lance Atkinson: Lane Thomas, Trevor Tooker and Clay Currigan had eight points each for 'ihe Bulldogs. •*< Hastings is 1-5 overall this season.*Thq Saxons will shoot for their first Interstate^ Athletic Conference win of the season \£hdn they play host to Lumen Christi Friday.fthe Titans are also 1-5 overall this season and 0-2 in conference play. -; “ The Saxons will be at Harper Creek . Tuesday, Jan. 11. M<- �Page 12 — Thursday, January 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Howitt slam jersey gets spot in Saxon trophy case Brett Bremer Dann Howitt (left), a 1983 Hastings High School graduate, is joined by former Hastings High School varsity baseball coach Bernie Oom with the Seattle Mariners jersey Howitt wore when he knocked a grand slam off of Texas Rangers Hall of Famer JMolan Ryan in what would be Ryan's final MLB appearance in September of 1993. ■Howitt shared the jersey with Hastings High School in a ceremony prior to the Saxons' varsity girls' basketball game Dec. 21,2021, and it will reside in the high school trophy ■case along with a photo of the moment. Sports Editor The Seattle Mariners jersey that rounded the bases on the back of Hastings native Dann Howitt, following a first inning grand slam off of Texas Rangers’ Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, in the Seattle Kingdome Sept. 22, 1993, is finding a home at Hastings High School. Howitt hopes it will inspire other Saxons to great feats. The Hastings High School took the time to celebrate Howitt prior to the Saxon varsity girls’ basketball team’s victory over visiting Lakewood Dec. 21, 2021 in the final bail­ game before the holiday break. Howitt, a 1982 graduate of Hastings High School, played collegiately at Michigan State University and Cal State Fullerton before being drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 1986 MLB June Amateur Draft. Howitt spent parts of six seasons in the MLB from 1989-1994 playing for the A’s, Mariners and Chicago White Sox. Hastings High School athletic director Mike Goggins set the scene for Howitt to describe what was the defining moment of his MLB career to the crowd in Hastings - over 40,000 spectators in the Kingdome to see what was expected to be the final Seattle appearance by Ryan, MLB’s all-time strikeout leader. It was a short lived appearance for Ryan. Omar Vizquel singled off of Ryan to lead off the bottom of the first inning for the Mariners, then promptly stole second. Ryan then walked Rich Amaral and Ken Griffey Jr. to load the bases for Jay Buhner, who walked to force in the first run of the ballgame. That brought up the left-handed hitting Howitt with the bases loaded and nobody out. “I got to face Nolan Ryan quite a few times and it was usually because my teammates were sick that day,” Howitt told the crowd in Hastings. “It wasn’t necessarily a choice thing, but when you get to face somebody like that it is very exciting. I was just fortu­ nate enough to be in that spot that day. He was Nolan, throwing balls all over the place and hit a teammate or two of mine before I got up there.” Despite the wildness from the flame-throw­ ing righty, Ryan got ahead of Howitt 1 ball and 2 strikes. “I just got very fortunate. Luckily, I saw him enough to know where he as going to be throwing that last pitch. I guessed right, and if I had guessed wrong I wouldn’t be here today,” Howitt said. He belted the 1 -2 pitch over the left-field fence for his first career grand slam. The Mariners led 5-0 and would go on to a 7-4 victory. Dan Howitt as a member of the 1993 Seattle Mariners. Howitt’s grand slam was the final grand slam, the final home run and the final hit allowed by Ryan, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 with an MLB record 5,714 career strikeouts and a record seven career no-hitters. Ryan threw four pitches to the next batter, Seattle’s Dave Magadan. He felt a pop in his arm on the third pitch, and walked off the field after the fourth with Magadan sitting on a 3-1 count. According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, “if a pitcher began his career with 300 strikeouts in his rookie season and matched that for each of the next 18 seasons, he would still be 14 strikeouts short of Ryan’s all-time record.” Even in the current era of increased strike­ outs overall, the 300 strikeout milestone has only been reached six times since 1993 when Ryan retired - two times by Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (1993, 1999) and and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez (1999) and once each by current MLB pitchers Chris Sale (2017), Justin Verlander (2019) and Gerrit Cole (2019). Howitt also had an outfield assist in that ballgame against the Rangers, throwing out Julio Franco at second base from deep down the left-field line as he tried to stretch a single into a double in the top of the fourth inning. Over the years, Howitt fared pretty well against the ‘Ryan Express.’ He was also 3-for-4 with a run scored against the Rangers in a 3-2 Mariners’ loss in Arlington, Texas.; Sept. 27, 1992. He was 2-of-3 with a single,; a double and a stolen base with Ryan on the mound that day. I The two were face-to-face for the first timej when Howitt’s A’s visited Ryan’s Rangers Sept. 30, 1990, and Howitt went l-for-3 with a single, a run scored and two strikeouts against Ryan. Jose Canseco took over for Howitt in right field for Oakland after Ryaft left the mound in the top of the eighth. A photograph of Howitt’s grand slam, one of his five career home runs, has been a part of the trophy case at Hastings High School for years and the jersey will join it. “I thought about being from Hastings almost every time I came up to the plate. That just kept me solid. Anyone who goes any­ where, remember where you’re from. It is not that hard. It just takes a second,” Howitt said. Howitt played in 115 MLB games, compil­ ing 47 hits including 11 doubles, three triples and the five home runs. He had a.400 on-base percentage in 15 plate appearances in his final season which was spent with the Chicago White Sox. Ferris helps Chippewas to Sun Bowl title Hastings heavyweight Jackson Dubois closes in on a pin during the Saxons' victory over East Lansing at the Corunna Duals Dec. 30. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings wrestlers place second at Corunna Duals to close 2021 Valerie Slaughter The Central Michigan University football team's offensive line group, including Delton Kellogg alumnus Tyden Ferris (66) the team's starting left guard, celebrates on the field after scoring a 24-21 victory over the Washington State University Cougars in the Stfn Bowl in El Paso, Texas, Dec. 31,2021. The Chippewas completed a 9-4 season with the victory. CMU built a 21-0 lead in the first half and then held on with fourth quarter field goal in front of a national television audience on CBS. CMU was originally slated to face Boise State in the Arizona Bowl in Tucson, Ariz., on New Year's Eve day, but Covid issues in the Boise State program and the University of Miami program which was supposed to face Washington State in the Sun Bowl prompted the Chippewas to make the tour-hour trip from Tucson to El Paso last week. Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Hastings DANNER H Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: Cloverdale: Woodland: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Cloverdale General Woodland Express Superette Harding's Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Brown’s Cedar Creek Grocery Shelbyville: Nashville: Family Fare Middleville Johnny's Town & Country Trading Post Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: Delton: MV Pharmacy The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Family Fare Nashville C Store (M-43 North) Pelton Johnny's Marathon Mega Bev Pine Lake: Hastings Pharmacy Marathon Gas Station Doster Country Store (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station Prairieville: (M-37 South) Walgreens dual with Lake Fenton. Joe Goggins won on a 4-1 decision. Keegan Archer-Sutfin lost a close match in an overtime decision 9-7. Jackson Dubois took a forfeit win for the Saxons in the dual. The Saxons faced Corunna in the next round and earned a 49-25 win over the Cavaliers. The Hastings team got pins from Dubois, Archer-Sutfin, Zach Chipman, Warner and Friddle. Jordan Humphrey and Goggins won on forfeits. Mason Denton had a win on an 8-2 decision and Robby Slaughter won on a 16-5 major decision. In the final round of the day the Saxons had another big win over Airport High School 67-12. Dubois was the only Saxon wrestler to get five wins on the day. Humphrey, Archer-Sutfin, Goggins, Denton, Slaughter, Ramirez and Friddle all had four wins and Colton Smith and Warner had three wins each. The Saxons will host the annual LH Lamb Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Hastings High School gym. Nashville Johnny's Tom's Market Family Fare Gas Station i Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity wrestling team trav­ eled to Corunna High School over the holiday break to wrestle in the Corunna Duals, Dec. 30. The Saxon team finished the day with four dual wins and one team loss to finish in second place. Hastings head coach, Jason Slaughter noted, “Lake Fenton was a close one. We had some close matches in there that could have gone either way. Proud of the team as they went out and wrestled hard every match winning against some very good opponents. Every dual they are continuing to improve.” The Saxons started against Pinckney High School with a 60-17 win and scored a 76-6 win over East Lansing. The team faced even­ tual tournament champ Lake Fenton in its closest match of the day. The Saxons lost to the Blue Devils 39-27. Isaac Friddle, Tate Warner and Victor Ramirez all won on pins for the Saxons in the Prairieville Fast Stop Carl’s Lake Odessa: Banfield: Lake-O-Express Banfield General Store Lake-O-Mart Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Carl’s Goldsworthys Freeport: L& J’s Hastings' Mason Denton holds down Corunna's Caden Minton during their 145pound match, an 8-2 decision for Denton, at the Dec. 30 Corunna Duals. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-01-13.pdf 85c5c71be28dadcd8e35a5d52923ca98 PDF Text Text Local historical society votes to dissolve Where are our next leaders? Saxons win championship at LH Lamb tournament See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 Thursday, January 13, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 2 3G devices will start shutdown next month Taylor Owens Staff Writer Some phones, medical devices and other communications devices will stop working next month, as companies shut down down 3G communication networks to prepare for upgraded 5G technology. Most phones that have been made within the last 10 years have 4G LTE chips installed. But older phones and other communications devices still in use have the older 3G chips. “My concern is the elderly and vulnerable population we have in the county,” Barry County Central Dispatch Director Stephanie Lehman said. “That’s a concern for us in the industry, that those will no longer be able to connect with 911.” As some people upgraded their phones, they gave the old phones to their parents and children. Even though those phones were no longer on a mobile plan, as long as (hey could still hold a charge, they could still be used to call 911, Lehman said. That will no longer be the case. AT&T is scheduled to discontinue its 3G services next month, with Verizon following in December and T-Mobile in March 2023. Lehman said the Federal Communications Commission has required cellular companies to notify their customers of the change, but some people may have missed the memo. “We fxilly anticipate that this is going to slip through the cracks for some folks,” Leh­ man said. Some other devices, such as medical alert devices, also operate on the 3G network. Residents can check to see if their devices are compatible with the current 4G LTE network after the 3G shutdown by checking the interna­ tional mobile equipment identity number online. The IMEI number is available by checking the device’s information under its settings. Their number can be entered at imei.info, where the website will check whether it is LTE compatible. Omicron detected in Eaton County A case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant was found in an Eaton County resident tested Dec. 22, according to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The variant has been found in Kent, Allegan and Calhoun coun­ ties, among others. Barry-Eaton District Health Department officials said they believe there are many more cases here, since few cases are selected for genetic sequencing to look for vari­ ants, and the process takes weeks. The 506 active cases of COVID-19 reported in Barry County Tuesday is the highest number in sever­ al months. One death was reported this week. PRICE $1.00 Economy not going back to 'normal1 Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper sets Another hearing for Jan. 25. (Photos by Scott Harmsen) Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter answers a question from Judge Michael Schipper as the hearing begins. Defendant Adam Heikkila is approached by Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter before the hearing begins. Citizen’s arrest case making its way through district court Judge suggests defendant get an attorney Taylor Owens Staff Writer Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper gave Adam Heikkila an additional two weeks to file a motion to dismiss the case against him. Heikkila was charged with disturbing the peace for his attempt to make a citi­ zen’s arrest of Barry-Eaton District Health Officer Colette Scrimger at the Sept. 23, 2021, meeting of the board of health. When Heikkila refused to leave the podi­ um and allow the meeting to continue, the meeting was stopped and a recess was called. Ultimately, the meeting had to be adjourned before the health board’s busi­ ness could be completed. Heikkila represented himself in a court appearance Tuesday before Schipper, who walked him through the process and rec­ ommended that he get an attorney. See CITIZEN, page 2 Taylor Owens Staff Writer “I do want you to think of the pandem­ ic a little bit differently than you have in the past,” Brian Cal ley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, told a small group of com­ munity leaders and business people at a luncheon in Nashville on Tuesday. Calley said many of the pandemic’s effects on the economy were trends that were already in progress, such as remote work and telemedicine - and they won’t be going back to the way things were. “By thinking of the disruptions as an acceleration of things that were already happening, that our economy was already inclined to do, I think it relieves ourselves from the burden - or the pres­ sure - of waiting for things to return to normal, because they’re not going to,” said Calley, who is from Portland and served as Michigan’s lieutenant gover­ nor under Gov. Rick Snyder. Although labor participation took a hit during the pandemic, and some of those people returned to work, Calley said employment changes also are part of a long-term trend. “We’ve had a long-term decline in labor force participation rates, actually going back about 20 years,” he said. The issue is complex, with several sub­ groups of people leaving the labor force for unique reasons, meaning that solu­ tions won’t be simple. . “There’s no one silver bullet on how you get higher labor force participation rates,” Calley said. “There’s not one pol­ icy you could affect that would have a sweeping impact.” He pointed to two subgroups that vacated many Michigan jobs during the pandemic - young parents and people over the age of 55. Calley said the older group, who chose to retire early, would be difficult to get back. But many young parents can be brought back to the labor force, although it will be a challenge, Calley said. A large number left the labor force to stay home with their children, and many of them have another source of income through their spouse. Affordable child care is a major obsta­ cle to many middle-class families who are making $40,000 to $50,000, Calley said. “We have to have more people,” he said. “That’s the biggest challenge facing us today. It’s the biggest risk factor and its the biggest limiter.” He acknowledged inflation as another limiting factor in the growth of small business, adding that he believes this would end in a couple of financial quar- Brian Calley answers a question from a Barry County audience Tues’day. (Photo by Taylor Owens) 'We have to have more people. That’s the biggest challenge facing us today. It’s the biggest risk factor and it's the biggest limiter.1 - Brian Calley, president and CEO Small Business Association of Michigan ters if the federal government brings down its spending. Calley also said he has been following the federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration vac­ cine mandate for businesses, which is currently being looked at by the U.S. Supreme Court. Based on the proceedings he has lis­ tened to, Calley said he believes the courts will rule against the federal gov­ ernment and that mandate will be struck down. Who'll be running for Barry County board? April 19 is deadline to file to run for local office Rebecca Pierce Editor Public comment at Barry County Board of Commissioners meetings has followed a rou­ tine in recent months: Hastings residents Charles Hertzler and Eldon Shellenbarger, Gary White of Nash­ ville, and Adam Heikkila of Bedford Town­ ship in Calhoun County typically take turns verbally attacking commissioners on a vari­ ety of issues ranging from how the meetings are run to how funds are spent. Tuesday, White was not present, but Joel Ibbotson of Rutland Charter Township, who has not attended a county board meeting in weeks, made a return appearance and equated addressing the board chairman to “kicking a turd on a hot day.” Then he turned the wooden, waist-high podium around so his back was to Chairman Ben Geiger and the rest of the commissioners and directed his comments to the audience. “It’s their duty to listen to us," Ibottson said. “If they don’t want to listen to us, and fulfill their duty, it’s time to elect new people.” That raises an important point: All of the county commissioners are up for re-election in August. And, for those seeking a seat on the county board, April 19 is the deadline to file to run for office. While some of these constant critics may be angling to run for elective office, that opportunity is clearly less attractive to other citizens. Hastings Mayor Dave Tossava said in an interview last week he is running into reluc­ tance among citizens he has talked to during his efforts to recruit candidates to represent the city. Since the pandemic, the nature of public meetings has changed dramatically, swinging from remote sessions via Zoom to in-person meetings requiring social distancing and masks. Comportment during public meetings has changed, too. Now, even with the venue of the county board meetings returned to the commission chamber on the mezzanine of the historic courthouse, it isn’t unusual for comments to be shouted, rather than spoken. Tuesday, the first round of public com­ ments involved about eight minutes of loud harangues and disparaging remarks - along with Ibbotson presenting his back to the board. Of all the repeated criticisms, the one involving public accessibility to meetings for county residents who work during the day has prompted discussion - as it did Tuesday. So, the notion of night meetings is back on the table - but it’s complicated, commission­ ers agreed. Geiger led the discussion as he went around the table to elicit commissioners’ views and concerns. Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner provid­ ed, for comparison, a spreadsheet that showed meeting days and times for other counties in Michigan in 2020-21. That review showed that 56 of 83 counties in the state meet during the day. Conner pointed out that night meetings would result in additional costs to the county to cover overtime for employees and chal­ lenges for department heads - as well as for IT and administration - who must attend. It also would require the presence of security personnel as well as people on boards and commissions who provide annual reports and presentations. Commissioners attend the township meet­ ings in their districts, so night meetings could preclude their attendance at these sessions, she noted. Commissioner Howard Gibson expressed reservations about night meetings, which would hamper access to information the commissioners sometimes need and can eas­ ily obtain from departments during business hours. He also emphasized that these meetings would have to take place in a secure area. See APRIL 19, page 2 Barry County Board Chairman Ben Geiger listens to public comment Tuesday during the commissioners' meeting. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) �Page 2 — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Snyder resigns from TK board; Hinton possible replacement A teddy bear is part of the package. Courtesy of a $3,500 award from the Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant and donations from community members, the Hastings Elks Lodge and Barry County branch of the Department of Health and Human Services teamed up to fill suitcas­ es full of supplies for young people mov­ ing into the foster care system. Members of the child welfare team with the Barry County branch of the Department of Health and Human Services from left Brittany Crowe, Jessica Goodenough and Matt Salas, with Elk member Chase Coughlin and Elks CIP Grant Coordinator Melissa Short at the Barry County DHHS building. Hastings Elks receives grants, packs suitcases for kids entering foster care Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The Hastings Elks Lodge recently received a $3,500 award from the Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant. The money must go to an initiative called “Oper­ ation Suitcase” for the lodge to purchase goods and build out suitcases for youth transitioning to foster care via the State [Department] of Human Services, according to Elks CIP Grant Coordinator Melissa Short. The lodge also received additional dona­ tions from local community members and businesses, including Jennifer Benson with GoGo Auto Parts, Rigzee and Justine Hooper of Bellabay Realty and Tracey and Larry Bennett of Bennett Tree Removal. With the help of the Barry County branch of the Department of Health and Human Ser­ vices, kids will receive a suitcase full of items, including toiletries, blankets, gift cards, word searches, crossword puzzles, calendars, coloring books, journals, pillows and even a stuffed animal poking out from their suitcase. “I personally love including this communi­ ty in our projects such as this and so many of our other lodge fundraisers, as the kind and giving nature is abundant in our small town!” Short wrote. TK board to interview McCarthy for superintendent job Greg Chandler Staff Writer Craig McCarthy has functioned as superin­ tendent of Thomapple Kellogg Schools for more than four months - first as acting super­ intendent and, most recently, as interim superintendent. Now, he’ll get an opportunity to make his case why he should be named the permanent replacement for former TK Superintendent Dan Remenap. The TK Board of Education Monday voted to schedule an interview with McCarthy for the superintendent’s position pext Monday at 6 p.m. in Room 1616 of Thornapple Kellogg Middle School, 10375 Green Lake Road. McCarthy, who has been with the TK dis­ trict since 2018, became acting superinten­ dent in early September 2021 after! Remenap went on medical leave. He was then named interim superintendent in December 2021 after Remenap submitted his resignation. The board’s decision followed discussion on various options regarding the district’s direction in finding a replacement for Remenap. Those options included starting an immediate search for a new superintendent, board president Matt Powers said. Powers and fellow board member Jake Welch, who serve on the board’s personnel committee, met with McCarthy recently to ask if he would be interested in becoming superin­ tendent. McCarthy said yes, Powers said. Powers also noted that McCarthy has sup­ port within the district to be promoted. “We have received three or four emails advocating in his behalf,” Powers said. “If we were to go that route, I would reach out to the unions and [administration] team and also call references and do due diligence.” Ray Rickert, president of the Thomapple Kellogg Education Association and band teacher at Thomapple Kellogg High School, called for the board to name McCarthy super­ intendent during public comments prior to the board’s discussion. “1 urge you to take action ... to name Mr. McCarthy superintendent, so he may assemble the rest of his team and continue to move our district forward,” Rickert said. “He has the full support of our TKEA leadership team.” Trustee Anne Hamming said McCarthy’s performance over the past few months have served as his interview, praising his profes­ sionalism and communication skills. “He’s handled a difficult, difficult situa­ tion,” Hamming said. “He’s proved that he’s calm under fire. He can work with all constit­ uents within our community. I’m not quite sure what more we need to see ... other than giving the community an opportunity [to hear him].” Other board members felt having proceed­ ing with an interview was the wise move. “I would like to go through the process and hear some of your vision for TK schools,” board vice president Jeff Dickman said. “It would be good for us to have a conver­ sation ... just to hear from you,” Trustee David Smith added. As assistant superintendent, McCarthy has been the point person behind the various con­ struction projects made possible by voter approval of a $42.5 million bond issue in November 2020. Those projects have includ­ ed additions at all three elementary schools, as well as current construction of the district’s new learning center, which is expected to be complete in time for the 2022-23 school year. McCarthy has 29 years of experience in education. After working in the private sector as an accountant, he joined the Kent Career Technical Center as a business service tech­ nologies instructor in 1993, working at KCTC for 14 years. In 2007, McCarthy became assistant super­ intendent of Northview Public Schools in suburban Grand Rapids, and served in that role for nine years. He then was director of business operations at Cadillac Area Public Schools for two years before coming to TK as assistant superintendent in 2018, when Rob Blitchok was the superintendent. Greg Chandler Staff Writer For the third time in seven months, a mem­ ber of the Thomapple Kellogg Board of Edu­ cation has resigned. Alexis Snyder, who has served on the board since 2015, submitted her resignation letter to Interim Superintendent Craig McCa­ rthy and her board colleagues Jan. 4. Sny­ der’s resignation took effect Tuesday. “In the past six years, I have learned a lot about our awesome school district, school governance and school finance,” Snyder wrote in her letter. “I’ve learned about people and I’ve learned a lot about myself. I wish you the best and I thank you for your contin­ ued devotion to the district and to our com­ munity, and most importantly to the students and staff of this very special school system.” The letter did not go into the reason for Snyder’s resignation, and she declined to comment further after Monday’s board meeting. Snyder’s resignation comes on the heels of two other board members stepping down in 2021. First, Sarah Alden resigned in June after three years of service on the board. In September, then-board president Kristen Cove resigned after serving for six years on the board. The resignations have come amidst a turbulent time when the district has tried to negotiate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some parents have asked the district to leave decisions such as wearing masks to parents. Monday, the board decided to use a differ­ ent process for filling an opening than it did following the resignations of Alden and Cove. The board directed President Matt Powers to contact the runner-up candidate from the interview process in October 2021, when Jake Welch was appointed to replace Cove. Powers contacted Allison Hinton, who placed second in a poll of board members after the October interviews, Tuesday morn­ ing to see if she would be interested in serv­ ing. Hinton said yes. The board is expected Monday to appoint Hinton, who has been community outreach director for the YMCA of Barry County since 2017. The special meeting, which also will include the board’s interview of Craig McCarthy to be the next TK superintendent, will begin at 6 p.m. in Room 1616 of Thor­ napple Kellogg Middle School, 10375 Green Lake Road. Hinton’s expected appointment was made possible by a board decision in October to amend its policy on filling vacancies, allow­ ing the board to consider candidates who had interviewed for a previous opening if the new vacancy occurred within six months of the previous opening. Hinton said she was aware of the policy change when she was contacted by Powers to be offered the board seat. In her role with the YMCA, Hinton has worked closely with all four school dis­ tricts in Barry County to develop and bring to life the B. Bus Mobile Library, a school bus converted into a library on wheels. She also launched a program to provide 4,000 meals and 4,000 snacks to local schools after they were shut down in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an inter­ view Wednesday morning, Hinton reiterat­ ed earlier statements from her October interview about her concerns for the TK community. “I have been very concerned about the state of our community and feel that we need to find common ground,” Hinton said. “We all have different beliefs, different ways we raise our children, how we teach our children. We need to find a way to come together.” Hinton previously served four years on the school board of the Hunt Independent School District in Texas, about 80 miles northwest of San Antonio, from 2010 to 2014, resigning when she moved to Middleville. Hinton was the top choice of two of the six sitting board members during the October interviews. Snyder was one of the two who favored Hinton, while Trustee Anne Ham­ ming was the other. “She has a depth of experience that I think will serve us very well, to be able to hit the ground running,” Hamming said at that time. “I was particularly struck by her ease, how poised she was, how at ease she was interact­ ing with us. She did not seem nervous.” Snyder was appointed to the TK board in April 2015, then ran unopposed for election in November 2016. Hinton will fill the rest of Snyder’s six-year term, which comes up for election in November. Hamming praised Snyder’s service on the board in comments prior to the vote to accept the resignation. “She’s a very quiet presence in board meet­ ings, but when the seven of us as a board have to sit down to the table to hash things out, there is no one more active at the board table than Alexis,” Hamming said. “She keeps us focused, she gets us on point, she gets us on mission, and when Alexis speaks, we listen. I think we listen more intently to her.” Powers echoed Hamming’s sentiments. “Alexis is soft-spoken by nature and pro­ vides a calm presence .wherever she is,” he said. “I’ve known her for a good long time. I’ve truly enjoyed working with her on the board of education. She reads up on and researches the situations. She processes infor­ mation ... and develops an articulate response. The board will miss her demeanor and her experience as we move forward.” CORRECTION On the front page of the Jan. 6 Banner, the story headlined “Who will run? Search in city for new county board candidate finds reluctance to enter politics,” contained an error. The first name of 1st Ward council member Therese Maupin-Moore was misspelled. CITIZEN, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- — Dental Receptionist Needed - Full Time Will train the right person. Must be personable, very intelligent, play well with others. Send resume with references to: Dental 4888 E. M-79 Hwy Nashville, MI 49073 “I think it’s a wise thing to do in any criminal case,” Schipper said. Tuesday’s court date had been sched­ uled as a “settlement conference,” but that did not occur. Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter told the judge that, from his previous discus­ sions with Heikkila, he was expecting him to file a motion to dismiss the case. But Heikkila failed to do so. Heikkila said a motion hearing had been set, based on Carter’s recommenda­ tion to him during their discussion. “I believe he’s actually in violation in representing me,” Heikkila told the judge. “No, there’s no violation,” Schipper replied. “He didn’t represent you. That’s not how this operates.” The judge then asked Heikkila if he was planning to get an attorney or if he was going to continue to represent himself. “I’ve looked and thought about it, but you know this is a frivolous case, your honor ...,” Heikkila began. “I don’t want to hear anything about that at all,” Schipper said. “That’s your opinion.” Heikkila later told the judge that Tues­ day’s hearing had been requested by Carter. “I don’t know if he was setting me up for this,” Heikkila added. “I think he’s trying to help you —” Schipper began in response. But Heikkila interrupted him: “Exact­ ly, so like I said, he advised me.” To which the judge replied: “How about when I talk, you stop?” Then the judge explained to Heikkila how the case would proceed. Schipper scheduled a hearing for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 25, which is the deadline for Heik­ kila to file his motion to dismiss the case. Schipper will consider that motion and, if he decides not to dismiss the case, he would schedule dates for a pre-trial and trial. Heikkila also asked if his cell phones, which Hastings City Police seized as evidence in their investigation, could be returned to him soon. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt, who was present for the court proceeding, said she would speak to the police to find out if they were finished with the phones and if they could be returned to Heikkila. The penalty for disturbing the peace is up to 93 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $500. APRIL 19, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- —. That would require security personnel to staff the courthouse - or wherever the meeting takes place - at night. Gibson said that, years ago, commis­ sioners met at night and it had no impact on public engagement. Commissioner Bruce Campbell agreed the change to nights would create more challenges, but, ultimately, he said he would follow the will of the people he serves in the four townships he represents. Commissioner Dave Jackson agreed that logistics and security would be prob­ lematic. “But we need to look at how we Over 300 RV's - Motorhomes, 5th Tin Can Tourist Antique RV Display can make this board more accessible. It’s wheels, Travel Trailers, Toy Haulers, Fiee IvRVillg worth considering.” Ultralites Stamper Vans magazine subscription with ticket Commissioner Catherine Getty added, Over 50 booths of Campgrounds, purchase “This is a complicated issue. We’re not vacation destinations & RV Services Tickets should be purchased at going to satisfy everyone.” National Park Touring and GrandRapidsRVShow.com or Commissioner Jon Smelker said if the RV Solar seminars sponsored by QR Code below issue came to a vote, he would likely Renewal i CAMPSPOT vote no. ^Andersen KX'-aio ONLINE TICKET SPONSOR For some, the sentiment is that com­ DATES & TIMES https://www.eventspass.com/event/GRV22/#/buyTickets missioners understood, when they sought Thur, Jan 20,3-9 pm Sat, Jan 22,10 am-9 pm the job, that it would involve daytime Fri, Jan 21, noon-9 pm Sun, Jan 23,11 am-5 pm board meetings. Then night meetings about particular issues can be scheduled GrandRapidsRVShow.com as needed. Grand Rapids / CAMPER. TRAVEL A A RV SHOW JAN 20-23, 2022 DeVos Place Geiger emphasized that the issue isn’t about attendance, it’s about access. After everyone weighed in with their concerns, he summarized three options: • Start the process toward meeting at night. “It’s a monumental shift,” he noted. “All claims, bills agenda requests are all set up for Tuesday mornings.” There would be three keys to any night meeting structure, he said: A consistent time and place; a comparable level of security as they have during the day, and a minimum impact on commissioner atten­ dance at township or municipal meetings. • Don’t change the existing schedule, but add night meetings to it, such as using the fifth Tuesdays this year (there are five) to schedule night meetings. Rather than skipping those Tuesdays, they could schedule issues for those meetings, Geiger said. “We should have content [for those sessions] that people can engage with.” • Wait until a new commissioner is seated and let the board then decide when to hold meetings. (Redistricting in Barry County added an eighth district that will represent residents within the city of Hastings.) No decision was made and Geiger’s summary concluded the board discus­ sion, which he said would continue at a later date. But, before the meeting closed, commis­ sioners’ comments about the need for secu­ rity during its sessions prompted another flurry of criticism from the audience. Hertzler said the board’s emphasis on security for night meetings shows that com­ missioners are afraid of their constituents. And, if they are afraid of their constituents, they have no business representing them. Heikkila agreed. “It sounds like you guys are afraid,” he said during public comment. “No one’s coming here to harm you.” “The security downstairs isn’t to pro­ tect you all here,” he claimed. “It’s really because of the courthouse that’s here. ... It just so happens you all are having your meeting in this building.” Then Heikkila questioned a reference to “incidents from the past that happened.” “What incidents in the past would war­ rant the need for searches and metal detectors in order to attend a meeting to address you all? Are you that afraid of the constituents? That’s really mind-bog­ gling. ... I asked the sheriff over here as soon as that comment was made: Was there an incident in the past that would warrant this? If you are afraid sitting on a board here, you probably shouldn’t be sitting on the board. “Are you afraid of people to coming to say words to you? You think someone’s coming here to harm you? No one’s com­ ing here to harm you. People are coming here to tell you words.” The irony of Heikkila’s comments at the conclusion of Tuesday’s meeting wasn’t lost on the commissioners who were present during his attempt to make a citizen’s arrest amid a highly charged health board meeting in September 2021. Coincidentally, Heikkila appeared before Judge Michael Schipper Tuesday afternoon, facing a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace in that incident. Last year, Geiger, Jackson and Smelker represented the county on the health board. And in the police report about the inci­ dent that took place that day, each of them independently described Heikkila’s words and actions at that meeting as threatening. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — Page 3 Historical society votes to dissolve Members of the Barry County Historical Society recently voted to dissolve the current society due to falling numbers and participa­ tion. The decision was made at the annual meeting Sept. 15,2021, marking an end to 57 years of accomplishments. The society began in 1964 when a group of Barry County citizens met to discuss con­ cerns about many local historical sites that were falling into disrepair. Among their first concerns were McKeown Bridge over the Thomapple River on McKeown Road, the alarming condition of the Striker House at the comer of Jefferson and Green streets in Hast­ ings, and the disrepair of the Bull’s Prairie Historical Marker in Irving Township. Through their research and fundraising the organization not only preserved these sites for future generations, but it also obtained recognition of the Carlton Township Hall as a historical site in 1982, erected a historical marker at the site of Yankee Bill Lewis’ famous Stagecoach Inn in Yankee Springs in May 1966 and re-erected it in April 2018 after it disappeared in the 1990s. The Scales Prairie historical marker on Adams and Norris roads in Thomapple Town­ ship where the Middle Village Indian settle­ ment and an old hotel on the stagecoach route once stood was one of the group’s 1975 proj­ ects. The historical society also was instrumen­ tal in securing public support for Charlton Park and opening the museum to the public. The Bernard Museum in Delton received its support and in 1981 the group honored its creator, Dr. Prosper Bernard with its first Dis­ tinguished Service Award. The society was instrumental in fighting for the preservation of the CK&S Railroad Depot on Apple and Church streets in Hast­ ings and the brick pavement that runs by it. In 1997, the society raised the money to move the 1850 Upjohn house and bams from South Broadway in Hastings to its current home at Historic Charlton Park. In 1984, the organization presented its own historical marker to the Walldorffs for preserving the structure built by Archie McCoy in 1865 and known as the Empire Block. Over the course of its 57-year history, the society published the 1985 Barry County History book, created a set of historical plates featuring 10 local historical sites: the Barry County Courthouse, the Hastings Fire Bam and City Hall and the Soldiers Monument, the Michigan Mutual Tornado Cyclone and Windstorm Insurance Building, Woodland The Barry County Historical Society was responsible for installation of several new state historic markers. This photo from the May 25, 1967, Banner shows one of the group’s first projects: replacing the historical marker at Bull’s Landing on the Thomapple River in Irving Township. The site is thought to be the earliest evidence of European settlers in the county. Pictured at the May 21, 1967, dedication are (from left) Rev. Don M. Gury, Esther Walton and Juanita Slocum. (File photo) Township Hall, Brown School House (North Pine Lake), the Wishing Tree (Delton), T.D. French and Sons Flour Mill (Middleville), Hastings City Bank, the CK&S Depot (Hast­ ings), and Bowens Mill (Yankee Springs). The group also published a cookbook. Countless hours of labor and research went into creating the 18-volume set on the rural schools of Barry County which covered the history of the rural schools in the 16 town­ ships, Hastings Area Schools and Barry County Normal. They did an enormous amount of work tracing information on Barry County veterans from the Civil War through Desert Storm, intending to create a series of books about Barry County veterans. However, the group was only able to publish the volume on the veterans of World War II “This is only a short list of the many things they accomplished over the past 57 years,” Diane Hawkins said. “Their desire to learn about the men and women who built Barry County has left us with places we can visit and books we can read to leam about the rich history of the place we live.” The society currently has only a few items remaining from years past, a few plates and some publications. Anyone who is interested may send an email to dianehawkins41@ gmail.com or call 269-838-0987. This display for a recent event at Hastings Public Library shows items rep­ resenting some of the projects undertak­ en by the Barry County Historical Society. (Photo provided) City eyes sewer/water repair service ^' BenjaminSitndn - • Staff Writer r- Hastings City Council voted to continue discussing an agreement that would bring per­ sonal homeowner service line repairs to the city. If agreed upon, homeowners would have the choice to opt into the National League of Cities Service Line Warranty Program. Residents would pay $6.49 per month for water and $8.49 per month for sewer to cover th cost of repairs up to $8,500. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale initially recommended the program to the council during its Nov. 23,2021, meeting. She used the same program while serving as the village manager of Paw Paw. She said she never had any issues with the company or its services. The service line warranty program started about 10 years ago and now serves more than 1,000 municipalities across the country, includ­ ing 30 in Michigan. “The only intention in doing this is to make our customers and our residents more aware of their responsibilities for this underground infra­ structure,” Moyer-Cale said in an interview after the meeting, “and to provide them with an opportunity, if they want to accept it, to have this program to help them pay for it at a low cost.” Mike Chambers, regional account director for Home Serve, the company that runs the service line program, attended the meeting to give a presentation and answer questions. Many communities, he said, have aging water and sewer infrastructures that stretch below the city streets - infrastructure that is susceptible to breaking. “You have these miles and miles of lines that connect to that system that a lot of times don’t get any attention until there’s an issue,” he said. Most property owners, Moyer-Cale added, do not realize that they must cover the cost of water and sewer line repairs on their property. When the lines do break, it blindsides them. “They don’t have, maybe, adequate savings for that kind of a repair. Or they’re not aware that their homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover it. Or maybe the cost is below the deductible, so they have to pay for it out of pocket anyway,” she said. “Those kinds of things occur, and that can be a big headache for homeowners.” As part of the contract, the service line pro­ gram also runs an educational campaign to inform homeowners about their sewer and water responsibilities. The National League of Cities would mail an educational letter to homeowners with the City of Hastings’ logo pasted on the header. But the use of the city’s logo caused multiple council members to pause. “Why don’t you just do a flyer and keep the city out instead of putting our name on there?” Councilmember Al Jarvis asked. “That’s the only thing I have a problem with.” “If we were to mail has just the National League of Cities,” Chambers responded, “most of your residents have never even heard of the National League of Cities, so they’ll take that mailer and throw it straight in the garbage and never read it.” The use of the city’s logo wasn’t the only issue concerning council members. Coun­ cilmember Brenda McNabb-Stange said she had a list full of issues - ranging from the com­ pany having access to homeowner‘datd to/the exclusivity of the contract. Most notably, McNabb-Stange said she wor­ ried that the contract could open the city to a slew of legal problems. “I spent five years writing, reviewing, nego­ tiating exactly these types of contracts,” she said. “I worked for a company who did this for appliances in your house ... and this is an endorsement by the city of this company. I think it basically exposes us to liability. I don’t think this city should be involved in telemar­ keting.” Councilmember Don Smith said he agreed with McNabb-Stange, noting that the contract could use more fine-tuning. Specifically, he wants to make sure the company is bonded and if the company restructures, it must notify the city. During the meeting, Chambers responded by explaining that the city could alter the contract as needed. “If there are things in the contract that you don’t like, [we’re] happy to work with your city attorney - we can remove any language that you don’t want,” he said. “... We don’t want you to participate in any­ thing that you’re uncomfortable with.” Following Chambers’ presentation, Mayor David Tossava called for a motion to vote on the issue. With council members still seeming uneasy, the room fell silent for seven seconds. Then McNabb-Stange spoke up. “I’ll make a motion that we decline,” she said. “Why don’t we make a motion to approve it and then vote it?” Tossava replied. “OK, well, I can’t make a motion to approve it,” McNabb-Stange said. “Either we make a motion to approve it or let it die,” Tossava said. The room fell silent for another couple of seconds. Then Smith spoke up, suggesting the city send the contract back to staff with the changes discussed in the meeting. The council agreed to Smith’s motion in a 6-3 vote. Although the contract will need to be amend­ ed, Smith expressed hope that the city could find a way to make the program available to residents. He noted that the city has worked with private companies to offer services before, such as Mercy Ambulance and PCI for code inspection. “I do think it’s a great idea for citizens. I do. I do,” he said during the meeting. “If it was just our endorsement and that was it, I’d be OK with that. But I want to make sure that we’re covered, as well.” In other news, the council: • Voted against the recommended salaries for elected officials, including the mayor, mayor pro-tem, city council and board of review. The board had approved the elected officials’ salaries when it finalized its budget in July 2021. Tossava said the city normally reap­ proves the salaries in January. “It’s a formality and a way of being transpar­ ent,” he said. But the agenda item led to confusion among city officials and council members. It was defeated in a 3-6 vote after Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie said the salaries were inaccu­ rate. The mayor was set to receive $8,100 per year paid monthly; the mayor pro-tem $2,600 per year paid quartefly; council members $2,500 per year paid, quarterly; and board of review members $ 115' pCvmeeting. “I don’t think the numbers are quite correct,” Resseguie said during the meeting. “My under­ standing is that it was supposed to be a 3 per­ cent across-the-board raise. And these numbers aren’t 3 percent.” In a later interview, Smith said he voted against the motion because he did not under­ stand why the council was voting on the sala­ ries again after they were approved in July. He also said other board members might have misunderstood the agenda item - assuming it was intended for the 2022-23 fiscal budget. “We’re better off saying ‘no’ when the intent fully isn’t understood,” he said. Smith said he expected the council to contin­ ue the conversation after the vote. “I voted no so that we could have a discus­ sion about what [the salaries] should be and where we should go,” he said. But once the motion was denied, no one spoke for a few seconds and, in the midst of the confusion, the council moved on to the next agenda item without discussion. After the vote, Moyer-Cale said it is her understanding that elected officials are not being paid. Smith, on the other said, said he doesn’t know why elected officials wouldn’t continue receiving compensation. They had already approved the salaries in July, and for the past six months, they have received those salaries. “We didn’t un-approve the budget,” Smith said. “We didn’t vote to eliminate the salaries. We didn’t vote to change them.” The item of business read “Consider elected-official salaries as recommended by the Mayor:” Moyer-Cale said she expects it to be dis­ cussed again in an upcoming meeting. • Adopted Robert’s Rules of Order. • Approved a new city attorney, Jessica Wood of the law firm, Dickinson Wright. The previous city attorney, Stephanie Fekkes, said she did not put her name in the running. “After 30 years of doing this job, I felt like it was a good time for a change with the new city manager and a new team,” she said during the meeting. “Because I’m not going to be around forever, obviously. I’m getting older and I’m starting to wind things down - not wind things down in my practice, but also looking at time management in my personal life and my pro­ fessional life. I felt like with the new city man­ ager and a new team being formed, it was a good time for them to build their new team to move forward.” • Appointed Moyer-Cale as the city’s Title IV coordinator, which deals with discrimina­ tion complaints against the city. • Accepted annual board and commission appointments from Tossava. • Accepted annual staff appointments from Moyer-Cale. • Approved the MDOT Right of Way annual permit. • Had the first reading of a new ordinance that would bring accessory dwelling units to the city. The second reading will be at the city’s next meeting Jan. 24. • Set a special meeting for 6 p.m. Jan. 24 to discuss budget goals for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Staff shortage challenges Thornapple Manor project plans Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County’s $15 million assisted-living housing facility is on budget and on schedule to open in August, but there may be a big hitch: Not enough staff to fully operate it. When Thomapple Manor Administrator Don Haney offered an update on the Harvest Pointe project at Tuesday’s county board of commissioners meeting, he expressed concern about the need for more employees. “Right now, I’m hoping we get some staff so we can open at least half the building,” Haney said in response to Commissioner Catherine Getty’s question about employee shortages. Thomapple Manor is already down 60 peo­ ple in the main building, he said. “Whispering Way, a 27-bed neighborhood, is closed because I don’t have the staff to staff that.” It’s problematic for the community at large, he said. “Right now, when hospitals need us the most to take discharges, we’re hand­ cuffed” by the staffing shortage. The new assisted-living facility will require between 40 and 50 additional part-time and full-time employees, he said, responding to a question from Commissioner Jon Smelker. But Haney said he was hopeful about fill­ ing some of these openings. “In January' we saw more applications in that first 10 days than we saw in all of Decem­ ber,” he told the county board. “We’re seeing an uptick in folks applying for jobs, which is a good thing. I hope to see more.” People interested in more information about the job opportunities there, or who would like to apply, may call Thomapple Manor or go to the website thomapplemanor. com. An employment application is online, he said. Meanwhile, the project is proceeding as planned. “We began construction in May 2021,” Haney said. “We are on track to wrap up in August 2022, if not maybe a little bit earlier. We are on time, and we are on budget. That is always a good thing.” During this particular construction period, with the challenges of supply-chain delays and cost escalation for some products, they have not experienced these problems. They bought lumber early in anticipation of what later happened, thus avoiding those delays. The project involves 50 units, and Thomap­ ple Manor currently has 48 names on the list of possible tenants. “We don’t even have our marketing material finished,” Haney noted. “We’re looking pretty good,” he said, add­ ing, “If we build it, they will come.” One question from commissioners con­ cerned who would get places there. Haney said there is a clinical criteria that they must meet, and Barry County residents will be prioritized over those from outside the county. After that, it’s first-come, first-serve. Thornapple Manor Administrator Don Haney discusses the need for about 100 more employees. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) As far as cost, there will be a basic rate for room and board, then additional expenses determined by the level of caring needed. Those figures will be released with the mar­ keting materials. In other business, the board: • Re-authorized funds approved in the 2021 capital budget, to the 2022 capital budget, and authorized $41,500 to replace the emergency management department’s truck. • Approved a sewer agreement amendment between the county, City of Hastings and Hastings Charter Township. • Approved $10,000 from Two Seven Oh Inc. for the trap, neuter and release program at the animal shelter and accepted a $ 15,000 grant for shelter equipment from Two Seven Oh Inc. • Approved entering into 2022 monumentation surveyor agreements with Arrow Land Surveys Inc., Crane Land Surveying P.C., Enger Surveying & Engineering, Exxel Engi­ neering Inc., Jonker Land Surveys P.C., Land and Resource Engineering, Pathfinder Engi­ neering Inc., RD Miller Land Surveying and Wightman. • Approved appointing the following licensed surveyors to the Barry County Remonumentation Peer Review Board for 2022: Steven C. Koerber with Arrow Land Surveys Inc.; Michael P. Pratt with Crane Land Surveying P.C.; Cameron Reid Lear with Exxel Engineering Inc.; Randall J. Jonk­ er with Jonker Land Surveys P.C.; Rodney Lee Bredeweg with Land and Resource Engi­ neering; Cynthia M. Koster with Pathfinder Engineering Inc.; Ryan Miller with RD Miller Land Surveying. • Approved reappointing Joyce L. deJong, D.O., to serve as the medical examiner for Barry County for a four-year term that expires Dec. 31, 2025, and approved appointing Pat­ rick Hansma, D.O. and Jared Brooks, M.D., as deputy medical examiners for the county. • Approved prepaid invoices for $4.45 mil­ lion; claims for $125,049; and commissioner reimbursements for mileage totaling $624. • Approved county commissioner assign­ ments to boards and commissions for 2022. New four-way stop at Center/Charlton Park Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Hastings Charter Township has a new four­ way stop sign at the intersection of Center and Charlton Park roads. The signs were installed within the past two weeks, but the conversation started in earnest at the Hastings Charter Township board meet­ ing in November after another near-fatal crash occurred at the crossroads. “There’s been a lot of accidents out there -1 mean deadly ones,” Supervisor Jim Brown said after the Jan. 11 meeting. “... And we’ve had people over the years ask us about it. But it was one of these things that - it just took that last really, really bad accident, and said ‘OK, let’s do something.’” Since 2014, at least six accidents have occurred at the intersection. A fatal crash hap­ pened in June 2011, and two collisions with serious injury were reported in 2011 and 2014, according to Michigan Traffic Crash Facts. “That intersection scares me,” Trustee Scott Savage said. “Glad to see them do something.” Once approved by the board member, the township sent its request to the county road commission, which conducted a feasibility study before installing the stop signs. “Is somebody going to run that? Yes,” Brown said. “It’s not going to stop everything, but at least it will hopefully make a differ­ ence.” The township has also considered construct­ ing a streetlight to brighten the intersection. Brown expressed skepticism in the effective­ ness of a streetlight, since a large portion of the crashes have occurred during the day. He said the township will continue the conversation over the coming months. “We were going to get the stop sign in first and then we can talk about it,” he said. The Center and Charlton Park intersection is one of two intersections in the county that have been upgraded to four-way stops. New stop signs have also been installed on Eckert Road at Wood School Road in Irving Township. The decision to make the Eckert and Wood School intersection a four-way stop came more than two years after rumble strips were installed on the Wood School approach to Eckert to warn people of the approaching stop sign. The rumble strips, along with “stop ahead” signs, were installed following two fatal crashes one in July 2019 that killed a 53-year-old Free­ port woman and another in September 2019 that took the life of a 3-month-old girl. Seven accidents were reported at the Eckert/Wood School intersection between 2008 and 2019, with four of the crashes resulting from drivers failing to stop on Wood School Road, Barry County Road Commission Oper­ ations Director Jake Welch said in a Septem­ ber 2019 interview. While there had been no new accidents since the rumble strips were installed, Welch said numerous complaints had been received from nearby residents regarding vehicles still failing to stop on Wood School Road. In other business, the Hastings Charter Township board adopted a resolution to regu­ late public comment. The policy limits public comment to three minutes and requires people to identify themselves, providing their name, address and any group or organization with which they are affiliated, the resolution reads. The moderator also has the ability to “termi­ nate a speaker’s comments if they become offensive, inappropriate or threatening.” Staff writer Greg Chandler contributed to this story. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. New Collections from Moda® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim ft Pray For Our Country ft QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; VISA m Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hu1st Cleaners Pick-Up Station �Page 4. — Thursday, January 13, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Did you InMyOfiimon see? Where are our next leaders? Big chill There's a new sculpture at the comer of Jefferson and State streets in down­ town Hastings. It's made of ice and looks like a wishing well. That form of art­ work, made by the company Ice Cre­ ations, normally lasts for a week or two. Its life span, of course, is “weather-de­ pendent,” Hastings Arts and Events Coordinator Maiya Merrick says. And, thanks to frigid temps, nearly two weeks later that sculpture still stands. Do you remember? New district, new rep Banner Jan. 13, 1955 Old and new - Lloyd Hoffman (left) was photographed by Leo Barth Tuesday with Carroll C. Newton, whom he succeeded as supervisor from Barry Township. Newton yesterday took office as one of the two state rep­ resentatives from the new BarryEaton-Clinton district. Newton, who served as supervisor eight years, is a former county board chairman. Supervisors presented Rep. Newton with the new briefcase at a dinner in his honor. Have you met? Michele Peltier goes to as many meet­ ings as she can. Tuesday morning county board sessions. Jam-packed school board meetings. City council meetings. It doesn’t matter the size or the topic or the time. She is there, with a pen, printed-out agenda and sometimes a few comments to add, too. Most people probably wouldn’t recog­ nize her. She spent the past 40 years living in the Detroit area. But Peltier, 63, grew up in the area and recently moved back to Hastings. She was raised on a farm in Ionia near Clarksville and her dad, Glen Kime, worked at Bliss. When she was 16, her dad sold the farm and her family moved to Hastings. “Coming to Hastings was a culture shock because I went to elementary school in Lake Odessa and always rode the bus. And here, I’d walk to school and say, ‘Wow, this is a big town,”’ she said. She graduated from Hastings in 1976 and went to Albion College. She entered college with the intention of becoming a lawyer. But that changed after taking her first law class while abroad in Sussex, England. “I did not understand a word the profes­ sor was saying,” said Peltier, who finished with a double major in history and business. When Peltier graduated from Albion in 1980, she had hoped to work in a factory. During college, she had spent the summers at Hastings Aluminum. “I wanted to stay in manufacturing,” she said. “After I worked at Hastings Alumi­ num, I liked working in the factory. I liked seeing things made and produced.” She applied to General Motors, but couldn’t get a job. Struggling to make ends meet, she returned to Hastings and worked the midnight shift making doughnuts at the Burger Chef restaurant. Not long after, she moved to Grand Rapids and took a job at Wendy’s. Still, she continued to send out applica­ tion after application, and finally, General Motors offered her a job. That was in 1981, and Peltier spent the next part of her life at General Motors, logging 33 years and serving in a number of roles along the way. She began on the floor as a machining foreman, before spending the bulk of her career, 25 years, in purchasing. In 2013, she retired at the age of 55. Looking for something to do, she took up hobbies such as gardening, rollerblading and buying antiques. She volunteered as a poll worker and spent a large chunk of her time doing taxes for the elderly. Even though Peltier lived three hours away in the metropolitan Detroit area, she still had a life in Barry County. Her sister, nephew, nieces and cousins lived here, and Peltier owned property in Hastings. After her mother died nearly 20 years ago, she bought her childhood home from the estate and rented it out. Michele Peltier With housing prices soaring in the Detroit area, her husband, Ed Tillier, suggested they look at moving to Hastings. She had never thought about returning to Hastings. “No, not at all,” she said of mov­ ing back. “Not in any way, shape or form.” But, after thinking it over, she agreed to settle down in Hastings. Still, it took time to grow accustomed to the community she once had walked as a high school student in the 1970s. “At first, I was like, ‘Hmm, what are we doing here?”’ she remembered. But Peltier made a commitment to get out into the community. “I told my husband, ‘We got to get involved. We’re going to be here, we got to be involved,”’ she said. In her first eight months back in town, Peltier has made it a priority to volunteer. With tax season approaching, she intends to fill out taxes for elderly residents through the Barry County United Way. She also attends a couple of public meetings per week. When most people are eating dinner or getting ready for bed, she’s sitting in the city council chambers, listening to elected officials argue over the details of sewer contracts with developers. Her participation in public meetings has caught the attention of city officials, too. After seeing openings on various city boards, she sent in an application. Not long after, Mayor David Tossava reached out to gauge her interest in serving on the plan­ ning commission. Peltier accepted, swapping the plastic seats in the audience for one behind the wooden desk in the city council chambers. “I kind of think along those lines,” she said of the planning commission. “... It’s kind of like a jigsaw puzzle, putting it together and problem-solving, and try to anticipate the future.” But Peltier’s not finished attending meet­ ings as a member of the public. She still has other meetings to attend - like the health board, city council, county board and school board meetings. And Peltier would like to see more people join her in the audience. “I really believe people have to be involved if they’re going to live some­ place,” She said. “You can’t sit in isolation and do nothing or - I don’t know - things collapse. “So, you have to be aware of what’s going on.” For her recent involvement in the Hast­ ings community, Michele Peltier is this week’s Bright Light'. First job: Selling sweet com from our farm. We’d get on our bikes and we’d go to Morrison Lake out near Clarksville, and we’d sell our sweet com, my brother and I. Favorite book: I have three favorite books [and authors]. Well, four actually. Tom Clancy, “Without Remorse.” David Baldacci, “The Winner.” “Lord of the Rings.” Jim Butcher, he’s another sci-fi writer. And Dan Jones is an English histori­ an who writes about the Crusades and the Templars and the Plantagenets. Person I’d like to meet: I would like to meet Thurgood Marshall. He was a civil rights lawyer and a Supreme Court judge. I would like to meet Lyndon Johnson for some reason. Actually, I would like to meet Bernie Sanders and Al Franken. Favorite TV shows: “Corner Gas,” “Ted Lasso” and “Parks and Rec.” Oh, I love “The Office.” I also like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” And “Family Guy.” If I could go anywhere in the world: I’d go to the Galapagos Islands. I’ve got to do it before I get too old because there’s a lot of hiking, and it’s a pretty physical trip. But I want to go to the Galapagos, and I’m thinking this year. Biggest accomplishment: My two kids. My children are really good people. Well, they’re not children, they’re adults, but they’re really good people. So, I’m proud of them. If I won the lottery: Depends on how much money. I’ve thought about that. But I don’t ever buy lottery tickets, so it’s of no value. I would like to start - I think some­ body did this years ago - they won the lot­ tery and they started up a bunch of busi­ nesses so that they could employ people in the community. I remember hearing that. And I think that was the best thing I ever heard anybody do. What I like about retirement: I can do anything I want. Or nothing at all. There once was a time in America, and even in small communities like ours, when good people were inspired to lead. It also was a time when people recog­ nized that, individually, even outside of holding a formal political position, every citizen had an opportunity to make a pos­ itive difference in the place they called home. I remember that thought being so elo­ quently expressed by former President John F. Kennedy when he told America more than 60 years ago that, “One person can make a difference, and every person must try.” Not many of us consider the impact we can make in our community and in the lives of our neighbors, but what if each one of us really tried? What if each of us spontaneously decided that, one by one, we really can be the better world we wish for? For too long, we’ve had the good for­ tune to leave those efforts to our leaders, to people we knew had strong ethical backgrounds and a committed concern for the well-being of the people in their communities. But the time has come for us to step into those leadership positions and, as individual community members, to support those who accept the call to lead. In recent weeks, our papers have car­ ried not-often-seen articles and advertise­ ments seeking people to run for public office and to serve on numerous volun­ tary support committees. The headline on the front page of last week’s Banner ‘Who will run?’ indicates how urgent that need has become. The City of Hastings, for instance, is looking for a representative to fill two open seats. One is a new post on the Barry County board that opened up due to changes from recent redistricting and the other is a 1st ward seat on the council to be filled following the resignation of Therese Maupin-Moore. Plus, several school districts are seeking candidates for school board positions. All of these posts require people with a strong sense of obligation to citizens, to students, and to the future. The difficulty in encouraging candidates has become all too understandable, though. When asked if they’re interested in running or why they don’t run, people seem to have a disjointed view of public office. “H— no, I’m not interested” is a typi­ cal response. “It’s ugly out there and nothing will change anyway.” They feel that no self-respecting, nice person would want to subject themselves to the abuse of a campaign or the attacks that may come when they try to govern. Plus, more and more would-be candidates don’t want their family subjected to the ravages of an intolerant public. This is exactly why Kennedy’s quote should be echoing among all of us. One person can make a difference in the com­ munity by supporting those who are com­ mitted enough to step up to serve. It used to be that you could sit down with people to discuss the issues of the day knowing that it might turn into a debate, but not an all-out attack on everything in which a person believes. A recent Pew Report titled, “Ameri­ cans have lost trust in government and each other” reports that many Americans see declining levels of trust in the coun­ try, whether it is in their confidence in the federal government and elected officials or their trust in each other. Three-quarters of Americans say their fellow citizens’ trust in the federal government has been declining, and 64 percent believe that about the peoples’ trust in each other. These are alarming statistics that should trouble all of us because, once we lose trust in our government and our neighbors, how do we get it back? How can anyone govern when a larger percent­ age of the people they represent don’t believe in them? Thank God, the report went on to dis­ close that 86 percent of respondents The Hastings BcillllCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com •Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. believe it is possible to improve people’s confidence in each other. They say local communities can be turned into “trust-building laboratories,” relieving tensions and overcoming political divides. But we need individuals who are willing to leave their comfort zones and step up to become community leaders with com­ mitment to “be the change.” Hastings Mayor Dave Tossava offered me a book that talks about the responsi­ bility we have to step up and lead our communities. “13 Ways to Kill Your Community” is author Doug Griffiths’ off-handed and contrarian presentation of how community builders can work to make their communities stronger. “Passing on responsibility to others at every opportunity is such an exciting and powerful way to kill your community,” says Griffiths. “If you simply take no responsibility for your actions, you soon find others willing to do the same.” It’s important to note, too, that elected officials don’t have the luxury of shed­ ding their roles to become private citizens whenever it’s convenient. When leaders are elected and actively serve the commu­ nity on boards or councils, those posi­ tions and their significance attaches in all circumstances, as it must. Griffiths cautions leaders that “main­ taining an attitude that you bear no responsibility for any problems, or not to act with a solution, can turn your commu­ nity in the wrong direction where more people give up the fight and join the crowd that blames others for everything that’s wrong.” In the search to fill the Hastings City Council vacancy, Tossava says he is look­ ing for someone “who really wants to represent the people in their ward.” He’s not looking for someone that just wants to add the position to their resume. “Every community is made up of strengths and weaknesses, elements that draw people to want to call it home,” says Griffiths, who cautions leaders not to become blind to what makes their com­ munity great or weak - and not to be unwilling to tackle the issues that make a community stronger. Over the years, I’ve seen leaders who make things better and leaders who just continue to complain or aren’t willing to take the risks that change brings. I’ve also seen firsthand what a lack of leadership can do to a community. When leaders don’t replace themselves by preparing the next generation of leaders for the jobs at hand, communities suffer. “It’s worth repeating that governments at all levels need to help develop the foundations for communities to build upon,” says Griffiths. “Ultimately, the success of a community does not fall solely, or even primarily, to the responsi­ bility of government and those elected leaders. “The success of a community is the responsibility of every single member of that community and that success is depen­ dent on the attitudes that prevail.” . If Hastings and.Barry County, are going, to continue to grow and prosper in the years to come, then finding qualified leaders will make the difference. What we look like in the future will be determined by the caliber of the leaders serving on these boards and committees. Getting the right people to volunteer for public service is imperative for a positive outcome. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — Page 5 GUEST COMMENTARY 2022 offers opportunity to answer a key question Danny Quonstrom "How is it with your soul? ” This was the question John Wesley, 18th century pastor and theologian, would ask at the beginning of every small-group meeting. John, with his brother, Charles, would birth a movement called Methodism. This question was absolutely essential to his method of discipleship. This question was much more than a simple, “How are you doing today?” Wesley’s question required a deeper and more honest response. “How is it with your soul?” Or, to put it in today’s language, “If you were to be totally honest with yourself and with others, how would you label your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being?” Hastings, I want to ask you the same ques­ tion, “How is it with your soul?” Be honest now... Are you weary? Burdened? Exhaust­ ed? If so, I can promise you, you are not alone. And looking at many of the public posts on Facebook forums and seeing the masses at community meetings, it’s not hard to see that you’re tired, angry, overwhelmed, at your wit’s end. On March 27, 2020, my first child was bom. No one is ever ready to bring a child into this world. Literally, no one. And we were definitely not ready to bring our daughter into this world - right in the thick of #MeToo, #BLM, nationwide protests against police brutality with matching count­ er protests. We brought our daughter into the world of COVID. No grandparent visits for months. No church family babysitting. No nursery. No childcare. Our world was rocked. Up was down. Left was right. We were completely disoriented. Expectations were thrown out the window and we had to figure things out in the strange new world. Then there was the matter of lead­ ing a church through all of this change. With a newborn in tow, I had to lead an organiza­ tion through tough decisions: moving to online worship, deciding whether we ought to mandate masks during worship, managing children’s ministries, caring for the aged in the parish, etc., etc. I tell this brief story not for pity, but to say, “I know.” Each and every one of you reading this could tell a similar story, I am sure of it. We’re all tired. We’re all “feeling it.” Evi­ dence of this is the lack of availability for therapy in Hastings. Admittedly, I am no therapist, but I am a pastor and a theologian. One of my spiritual mentors says frequently, “Good theology is good therapy.” In this arti­ cle I want to provide some good theology. Maybe it will be a balm for your soul. And so I ask, Hastings, how is it with your soul? With all of the conversations swirling about freedoms, rights, privileges, and obli­ gations, it’s a good idea to look at what the Scriptures say about this. One verse that is often quoted in this conversation is Galatians 5:1, “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (All references come from the New Revised Standard Ver­ sion.) This is true! Christ has set us free. The problem is that we often stop reading at verse 1 when we need to keep reading. The Apostle Paul goes on to describe the nature of Christian freedom and summarizes it in verse 13-15, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-in­ dulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.” Did you catch that? If we are free in Christ, we do not use our freedom in order to serve ourselves. For the Christian, freedom is not the justification for getting our own way or defending our rights. In fact, as St; Paul says, for the Christian, freedom is exercised in ser­ vice, nay, slavery, to one another. We are not free to serve ourselves, but to love and serve our neighbor. Another passage relevant to this conversa­ tion is Philippians 2:3-5, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus...” (I would encourage the reader to keep reading all the way to verse 11.) In these verses, Paul is encouraging his readers to imitate Christ; to live as Christ lived. To live as Christ lived, though, may make us really really uncomfortable. The Christlike life does not permit us the right to ignore the well-being of others. Quite the contrary. If we are to live like Christ, we must consider oth­ ers as more important than ourselves, as bet­ ter than ourselves. The Christlike life is not self-serving but others-oriented. As St. Paul wrote, we see this most clearly in the life of Christ. If we are to live like Christ, we ought to look at his life. When preparing his disciples for his impending death, Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become hiy followers, 'let them deny them­ selves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) This was not merely a’met­ aphor or allegory for Jesus. This was going to happen to him! This is exactly what he did. Literally. He denied his own interests, his own rights, his very life and picked up his cross. There is a reason most of Jesus’ follow­ ers abandoned him. (See John 6:66.) They way of Christ is the way of the cross. The truth is, Hastings, it’s impossible to carry a sword when you’re already carrying a cross. We may very much like to defend our own rights, but we must not think that to do so is a Christian practice. The way of Christ is a surrendering of our own rights for the interests of others. At another time, Christ gave his most famous sermon. We call it “The Sermon on the Mount” and it takes up all of Matthew 5-7. At the end of Chapter 5 we read, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven...’ ” (Mat­ thew 5:43-45a) Surely, Jesus isn’t serious here, is he? Surely, we aren’t made children of God through enemy love. Sometimes, it’s easy, to love your enemy when they live halfway around the world; and I wonder if these are the folks we have in mind when we think about loving our ene­ mies. It’s easy to love the abstract (which also means it’s easy to hate the abstract: which is why it’s so easy to hate a computer screen). But Jesus is speaking concretely. He has in mind the very folk with whom his hearers live - their fellow villagers and townspeople and citizens. Jesus has in mind the people on the other side of the aisle. He has in mind the people on the other side of the room in the school board meeting or commissioners’ meeting. Jesus has in mind the people who live next to you and on the wrong side of the tracks (metaphorically speaking, since we don’t have tracks here anymore). You can only love Jesus as much as you love your enemy. You can only love Jesus as much as you love the person you love the least. Hastings, how is it with your soul? It’d be naive to assume every reader is a Christian, but for those of us who are, may we have ears to hear. They will know you are a follower of Jesus not because your Facebook post was shared so many times, not because you shouted louder than the person next to you, not even because you defended your rights. They will know you are a follow of Jesus if you have love for one another. (See John 13:35.) In the words oLcivil rights activist John Perkins, “Love is the filval fight.” World affairs talk to offer insight on global issues Anyone looking for something different to do indoors this winter is invited to join the Great Decisions world affairs discussion program. Great Decisions is America’s largest dis­ cussion program on world affairs. The pro­ gram model involves reading the Great Decisions Briefing Book, watching the doc­ umentary film series and meeting in a group to discuss the most critical global issues facing the U.S. today. The local group is just one of nearly 20 groups in Michigan and hundreds throughout the United States and across the world. The Tuesday classes will begin Feb. 1 and continue through March 22 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Hastings Public Library. Regular attendance is encouraged but not required. In the past, the group has varied in size from 12 to 20 attendees. Last year, 12 people participated in thought-provoking discussions via Zoom. Organizers plan to meet in person, while encouraging social distancing and masking. Attendees choose how much they want to participate, in terms of preparation and in-class dialogue. A soft-cover book, which provides back­ ground, relevant facts, present and future Student-decorated bags returning to Family Fare Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Shoppers at Hastings’ Family Fare Jan. 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, might notice something different about their bags at the checkout line. The paper sacks will have words and draw­ ings from students at Central and Southeast­ ern elementary schools. Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., Hast­ ings art teacher Natasha Offerman asks her students to write out what the world needs to become a better place. Some people dream of giving food to everyone in the world. Others dream of ending the act of worrying. And more recently, Offerman has seen students dreaming of the end of COVID-19. Offerman will drop off the nearly 600 bags at Family Fare in Hastings Monday. For the rest of the day, customers will have the option to collect their groceries in the student-made bags. Offerman encouraged community mem­ bers to visit Family Fare on Martin Luther Danny Quonstrom is the pastor of Hastings Church of the Nazarene. Banner felt it necessary to announce the letter as if being a school board member was a crit­ ical piece of information. Now, during TK school board meetings, Hamming and the board will have to deal with commentary provoked by The Banner’s decision, rather than use valuable time to attend to school business. More important here is your breach of con­ fidence with letter-writers, the readership and others who view journalists as keepers of the public trust. How dare The Banner violate journalistic standards and ethics to identify, Schoessel has unbreakable bond The question is in the answer To the editor: In 1954-1955,1 lined up three times to get the polio vaccine. After we got the shots, we got little tin buttons that said “Polio Pioneer.” Years later, my mom told me there were parents who asked how could she agree to have her only child vaccinated with an exper­ imental vaccine. She responded with a tear, “How could I not?!” I have known people who have been hand­ icapped by that terrible disease, which is now eradicated in this country. I was so lucky my mom and dad cared enough to get me vacci­ nated with a new but effective preventative - but then, how could they not? Fast forward to the present, we have another deadly disease, and many people are saying, “How could you take a chance on an experi­ mental vaccine.” I say, “How could you not?” At the moment I am writing this, a dear friend (an adamant anti-vaxxer) is being dis­ connected from her ventilator, feeding tube and all of the other life-maintaining machines she had been hooked up to for the past month. She has had four strokes and no hope of recovering. My three grandchildren and three great-grand­ children are going to lose their mother and grandmother. My heart breaks for them. Please get your vaccine. How could you not? Please don’t do this to your family. Anne Richards, Delton To the editor: In the new James Bond movie, “No Time to Die,” Bond comes out of retirement to save the world. Well, Barry County has its own hero, Carl Schoessel, again coming out of retirement to “save the day.” Having retired nearly 20 years ago from his position as superinten­ dent of Hastings Area Schools, he is now, Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber without permission, a letter-writer’s role in the community - whether public servant or business owner or any other identifier - espe­ cially with county, township and board meet­ ings devolving into acrimonious and threat­ ening rhetoric these past months? Have you no decency? Have you no shame? This is not freedom of the press, but abuse by it. You owe Anne Hamming and the TK school board an apology, a public one. Christina Bush, Nashville for a second time, taking up the reins of interim superintendent of Delton Kellogg schools. May we all recognize and express our appreciation for the magnitude of his gra­ cious undertaking. Paul DeWitt, Hastings New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation "License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY TO: COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on February 2, 2022 commenc­ ing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, mem­ bers of the public may also provide comments for the Zoning Board of Appeal's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Zoning Board of Appeal's for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompsonja)pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: Board member reference was unnecessary the Thomapple Kellogg School Board had The Banner simply published her letter without the headline preceding it that read “TK school board member reacts to photo.” It has been confirmed that Hamming did not send her letter as a school board mem­ ber. She chose to write a personal letter to the editor. Will you please explain to your readers why the staff at The Banner felt we should all know that Hamming was a school board member? If The Banner is aware somebody is an employee of Brad­ ford White, Hastings Mutual, Bob’s Gun & Tackle or any other area business, would you make sure all of your readers knew that if they sent a letter to the editor? If you knew their address, would you be certain it was published? I believe The Banner owes Hamming, the TK school board and the community as a whole an apology for your unprofessional decision. Your poor choice on the date that paper was printed will make it even more difficult for people to choose to step up to become public servants. Patricia B. Finnigan, Hastings #81J 0376 & Insured PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 1. To the editor: In recent months, we have watched as local elected officials all over the United States have chosen to resign from their posts. We also have learned that it has become increasingly more difficult to replace these elected city, township, county and school board representatives. Meetings have become virtual battle­ grounds, and our elected board members often feel that they are unable to perform the duties with which they have been tasked without facing an enormous amount of wrath from those people who do not share their ideas. Public self-restraint appears to have fallen by the wayside. The Jan. 6 Banner published a letter to the editor from a woman named Anne Ham­ ming. Her letter stated that she was from Middleville. She presented her perspective on an incident from a local public health board meeting. We often see letters to the editor that are similar to that of Hamming. Letters to the editor allow individuals to express their opinions regarding various community events. I do not know Anne Hamming, nor would I have known that she is a member of King Jr. Day and pick up a bag. “Stop in and support the kiddos,” she said. She facilitates the project after the new year to allow students to think back on their lives. “It’s also a great time for them to reflect,” she said. “A lot of them come back and say ‘I didn’t get this for Christmas’ and ‘I didn’t get that.’ But it’s also like, ‘But you do have a lot in comparison to other kids around the world.’ And it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah.’ You know, it’s kind of the reality check.” Offerman began the tradition nine years ago when she started working in the Hastings Area School System. Since then, she has had students decorate the grocery sacks as an annual project. “I feel like it’s important every year because [Martin Luther King Jr.] made the world a better place by speaking up and hav­ ing his voice heard,” she said. “I feel like they have a chance that they can speak up and have their voice heard, and maybe their dream can come true, as well.” MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Decision breaches readers’ confidence To the editor: In the Jan. 6 edition of The Banner, you printed a letter from Anne Hamming titled “TK school board member reacts to photo.” I read through that letter three times, looking for mention of the school board - not there. I looked at Hamming’s signature for her asso­ ciation with the school board - not there. I have subsequently learned that Hamming did not send that letter as a school board member, but as a concerned parent, taxpayer and citizen. I also have learned that she used her personal email to send the letter. Yet, The policy options, and impartial analysis writ­ ten by independent experts, is available for purchase. Attendees read the assigned arti­ cle prior to each meeting to gain background information and prepare for discussion. Along with taking part in discussions, par­ ticipants will watch a video sharing multiple viewpoints on the week’s topic. This year’s topics include outer space, climate change, Russia, Myanmar and ASEAN, the Quad Alliance, industrial poli­ cy, drug policy in Latin America, President Biden’s agenda, and, as a possible bonus topic, changing demographics. Additional information about each topic can be found on the Great Decisions tab on the Foreign Policy Association’s website, https://fpa. org/great_decisions/. Click the Great Deci­ sions 2022 Topics link in the Announcement section. Consensus is not an aim of the program; rather, the class is designed to help individ­ uals better understand complex issues. The meetings are free. The only cost is for the soft-bound book. More information about the local group or to order the book can be obtained by call­ ing Marge, 269-352-3602, or Carole, 616­ 450-3164, by Friday, Jan. 21. A request from contractor Dylan Steele for property owner Chris Slater, 11034 Woodward Ln, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for the construction of an addition to existing deck that fails to meet the waterside setback, pursuant to section 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 11034 Woodward Ln, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-470-001-30 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. 2. A request from property owner Marvin Shook, 11417 Lakeshore Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for creation of a parcel that will be nonconforming, pursuant to section 4.41 "Schedule of Lot Yard and Area Requirements" and section 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 11417 Lakeshore Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-320-033-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. 3. A request from property owner Marvin Shook, 11417 Lakeshore Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for creation of a parcel that will be nonconforming, pursuant to section 4.41 "Schedule of Lot Yard and Area Requirements" and section 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 11417 Lakeshore Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-320-033-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. 4. Such other business as may properly come before the Zoning Board of Appeals. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS By: Dale Grimes, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 (269) 623-2064 �Page 6 — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Mary Elizabeth Dawson, age 78, passed away on Jan. 8, 2022. She was bom on Sept. 30, 1943, to George William and Martha (Ladd) Kuhn in Bad Axe, MI. Mary’s father passed away when she was four, leaving Mary and her brother Fred to be cared for by their mother. They lived in Southeast Mich­ igan and moved to Hastings in 1955. Mary graduated from Hastings High School and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree from Western Michigan University, both summa cum laude. Mary and Ron Dawson celebrated 57 years of marriage but only celebrating their anniversary every four years, as they were married on February 29, 1964. Mary was employed by Western Michi­ gan University and was contracted to the Michigan Department of Education to be the State Director for Business Profession­ als of America. She served in many capaci­ ties on state and national committees and represented Michigan on the National BPA State Advisory Committee. She left WMU to become a business teacher at Hastings Area Schools in 1986. Mary received life­ time honorary memberships for her work in business education from the Michigan Busi­ ness Education Association and Michigan Business Professionals of America. After retirement from Hastings Schools in 2005, Mary, along with her husband, worked with the Commission on Aging “Meals on Wheels” program. Mary was a member of the Hastings Chapter of the Gen­ eral Federation of Women’s Clubs. She believed education was for all and promoted programs for retirees. She was the Barry County Representative on the Kellogg com­ munity College Institute for Learning in Retirement Board before it was dissolved. Mary was a member of the Michigan Asso­ ciation for Retired School Personnel. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church. She especially enjoyed the time with her grandchildren and documented their pre­ school times with her in photobooks of their various activities. Mary was predeceased by her parents and brother Fred and sister-in-law Helen. She is survived by her husband Ron and children Kathy (Jeff) Domenico of Hastings and Tom (Rebecca) Dawson of Byron Cen­ ter and grandchildren Matthew Domenico and Will and Henry Dawson. Visitation will be at noon with a service at 1 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 239 North Avenue, Hastings on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. A private committal service will be held at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flow­ ers, donation may be made to a charity of one’s choice to the ELCA World Hunger Program. Use the pre-addressed envelope for the donation along with the completed donation form inside the envelope. Arrange­ ments by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetze!. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: ^Flexfob Hw W Vf 1 vl V Fiberglass AWDfWOf product 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 1301 w. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Jennifer Lynn Casarez, age 46, of Hastings, Mich., passed away unexpectedly on Decem­ ber 28, 2021. Jennifer was bom on September 28, 1975, in Battle Creek, the daughter of Jef­ fery Van Aman and Melinda (Schultz) Shepler. Jennifer was a 1994 graduate of Hastings High School and received her Associates in Applied Science in Nursing from Kellogg Community College in 1998. On October 25, 1997, Jennifer married Wesley Casarez, and they shared 24 years together. Most recently Jennifer worked as a regis­ tered nurse with Barry Eaton District Health Department. To say she was dedicated to the care of others would be an understatement. Jennifer devoted the last two years helping the community fight the pandemic. Jennifer loved her family deeply. She spent every possible moment with her husband and children. Every part of Christmas made this her favorite time of the year. Preparing for Christ­ mas involved decorating the inside and out­ side of the house with special pieces and ornaments she’d collected over the years. They represented the various stages of her life from her childhood to the present. During the holidays she loved cooking food unique to the season and meaningful to her family. It was all about giving to her family. Jennifer poured her heart into fm,djpg;.the best gifts which might take from January through December. Jennifer also enjoyed craft shows and shopping. As with many parents, her interests became what her children were involved in. This included competitive dance, various sports, choir, and 4-H. Jennifer became a 4-H leader and served Barry County for well over a decade. Watching her children grow was the thing that made her happiest. Jennifer is preceded in death by her father, Jeffery Van Aman; grandparents, Cloyd and Jean Van Aman and John and Barb Schultz. She is survived by her husband, Wes Casa­ rez; children, Emily, Makayla, and Holly Casa­ rez; parents, Dan and Mindy Shepler; in-laws, Robert and Denise Casarez, and Paul and Sue Apodaca; sister, Stacy (Brian) Van Damm; brother, Steve (Kari) Shepler; sisters-in-law, Sara and Becky Casarez, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Memorial contributions in memory of Jen­ nifer can be made to the Jennifer Casarez Children’s Fund at Thornapple Credit Union, PO Box 289; Hastings, MI 49058. Visitation to be held at Girrbach Funeral Home at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 with a blessing and Rosary to follow at 6 p.m. Funeral services to be held at Green Street United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Satur­ day, Jan. 22, 2022, preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Retirement readiness Do you think you may be ready to retire and want to apply for Social Security bene­ fits? We’re here to help you make an informed decision about when to apply for benefits based on your individual and family circum­ stances. The answer is personal and depends on several factors, such as your current and anticipated cash needs, your health and your family history on longevity. Consider other sources of retirement income, including any plans you may have to work in retirement. Most importantly, you should study your future financial needs and obligations, and estimate your future Social Security benefit. The easiest way to estimate your future Social Security benefits is with a personal My Social Security account. You can create your free account at ssa.gov/myaccount. With your account, you can see how much you might receive each month based on the age at which you want to start receiving benefits. Whether you’re ready to learn about, apply for, or manage your retirement benefits, our retirement portal makes it easy for you to find the information you need. Flow easy? You can do it from your computer, tablet or smartphone. You and your loved ones can discover all of these resources at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement. Carlton E. Coats, age 89, of Anthem, AZ, Coats Grove (Hastings) MI, Bloomington and Burnsville, MN, Worthington, OH and Sun Lakes, AZ, passed away on Dec. 25, 2021 in Anthem, AZ due to natural causes. Carlton was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara and his parents, Kendall and Marga­ ret Coats. Carlton received a B.S. from Michigan State University in chemistry in 1954 and then served two years in the army at Fort Carson, CO. Carlton met the love of his life, Barbara, while working as ushers at the the­ atre at University of Minnesota. Together they raised two sons in Minnesota and Ohio and enjoyed many trips including collecting agates at the North Shore, memorable vaca­ tions to Leach Lake, Canada, Hawaii, and Europe. They also enjoyed socializing with friends in their neighborhood bridge groups, participated in a cotillion dance club in Sun Lakes, AZ and golf groups at Tanglewood (Columbus, OH), Ironwood and Oakwood (Sun Lakes, AZ) Golf Clubs. They were active members of their church­ es in Worthington, OH, and Sun Lakes, AZ. Carlton will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. He is survived by his sons, Ken (Dawn) Coats, and Brian (Vickie) Coats; grandchil­ dren, Stephanie Bohn (Alex),. Christopher Coats, and Katherine Coats. He will be buried next to Barbara in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona with a graveside service to be performed at a future date. Memorials can be made in his name to a charity of one’s choice. William Babbitt DELTON, MI - William Chester Babbitt, age 65, passed away in his Delton home on Dec. 17, 2021. He was bom to Glenn Babbitt and Pauline (Baldwin) Babbitt in Battle Creek on Jan. 30, 1956. He graduated from Harper Creek High School in 1974. He worked as a journeyman tool and die maker for almost 20 years before retiring. He was also an avid outdoorsman throughout his life. He loved fishing, hunting, turtle trapping, and playing with his rottweiler, Peachy Brat. He was a caring brother to Janelynn (Bab­ bitt) Speedy; a loving father to April (Babbitt) Hummel, Bill G. Babbitt and Cody Rob­ bins-Babbitt; an inspirational grandfather to Kayla (Stanard) Levey and Scott Stanard II; and an excited great-grandfather to Emmitt Levey. Services will be held for family and friends at his Delton home at a later date. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for William’s family. Charlene Louise Shumaker, age 89, of Orangeville, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022 at Plainwell Pines. She was born on August 30, 1932 in Oshtemo, Mich. Charlene was the daughter of Howard Sr. and Dorothy (Yerden) Bryant. Charlene grad­ uated from Otsego High School in 1950, where she was active in many different groups. Charlene\was the proud owner of the Gun River Inn, also known as the Orangeville Tavern for over 34 years. She was known for being the honorary “law and order keeper” at the tavern. Charlene will be most remem­ bered for her strong-willed attitude. She is survived by her daughters: Vicki (Craig Swanson) Shumaker, Kimberley Sulli- ! van, Sue (Mike) Ritchie; grandchildren, Liz i (Alex) Witt, Lauren Wandcll, Stephanie Sul- ’ livan-Patrick, Adriane Sullivan, and Lucas Sullivan; six great grandchildren; four great 1 great grandchildren; siblings, Rose Richards, i Ethel Sladak, and Bill Kovar. She was preceded in death by her parents; . daughter, Jacqueline Shumaker; son-in-law, Bruce Sullivan; grandson, Jason Sljumaker; and siblings, Howard Bryant, Jr., Fred Kovar, Steve Kovar, Edward Kovar, Robert Kovar, and Mary Kovar. ’ j Charlene’s family will receive irxnds on ? Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the ’ Williams-Gores Funeral Home. ) Memorial contributions to Barry' County Commission on Aging will be appreciated. A private burial will take place at Hillside Cemetery. ) Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or to leave a condo­ lence message for Charlene’s family. Teresa Antcliff On December 20, 2021, Teresa Antcliff, aged 60, passed away at her home in Hast­ ings, Mich, and made her journey to Heaven. Teresa is survived by her daughter Julie Bennink (Nick Kraiko); stepdaughter, Tara (Ben) Colter; sisters, Laura (Mike) Vizzard, Dawn (Denny) Steventon; brother, Tim (Mary Meyers) Taggart, and life partner Michael Baker. She was preceded in death by her parents, i George Taggart and Nella (Dee) Klooster; brother, Ted Taggart; sister, Brenda Johnson; husband, Chuck Antcliff and son, David Bennink. Teresa was a devoted mother, partner, sis­ ter, aunt and friend, with a heart as large as her laughter. Even in times of tragedy, Teresa I always put the concerns of her friends and i families before her own and shared her love and kindness. While Teresa was kind and loving, she was also quite straight forward, and occasionally ; made her point using the dreaded “Tiny Fin­ ger of Fury.” We will deeply miss Teresa for the rest of our days, but find joy knowing she is at peace reunited with family and friends. You’ll forever be in our hearts “Little Bit”. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider dona­ tions to ProMedica Hospice of Southwest Michigan. 1 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — Page 7 City plan board considers auto repair shops downtown Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Hastings Planning Commission agreed to revise its city ordinance and allow pre-existing automobile repair shops in the downtown zon­ ing district. Currently, three automobile repair shops are operating in the B-1, which refers to the down­ town business district. The businesses are considered non-conforming, restricting their abilities to make changes to their properties. “You had no problem with the three that were continuing to exist, except you didn’t want them to exist under the general status of non-conforming use because of the limitations that went along with that, which means they can’t expand, or they can’t rebuild if dam­ aged,” McKenna planning consultant Rebecca Harvey, who drafted the text, said at the Jan. 4 meeting In making these changes, previously exist­ ing automobile repair businesses in the B-l district would be considered conforming. “It’s not like we’re doing something new,” Community Development Director Dan King said in a later interview. “We’re just making it so that those three businesses, if they would ever need to expand within their own borders - whether it be adding on parking or some­ thing of that nature - that they would be allowed to do it without having to go through the zoning board of appeals.” The changes to the text refer specifically to minor automobile repair shops that provide “routine servicing of automobiles for a fee,” according to the text. This could include align­ ments, brake jobs and new tires, King said. The amendment, however, would not allow additional automobile repair shops to set up in the downtown district. “I believe your intention is to not allow for them to multiply in numbers, but rather to continue without the constraints of a non-con­ forming use,” Harvey said during the meeting. “Whether they predated the ordinance, pre­ dated the provision, it really doesn’t matter,” Harvey said. “They happen to exist right now as nonconforming uses.” For years, the planning commission has hoped to clean up outdated text in its ordi­ nance, King said. But the issue became more pressing after a local automobile repair shop owner approached the city with hopes of expanding a parking lot. The planning commission decided in recent months to finally tackle the issue. It also tweaked outdated and inconsistent text that shifts between the use of vehicle service sta­ tions, gasoline stations and gas stations. The planning commission initially reviewed the revised text in December but decided to revisit it at the January meeting. After agree­ ing to the changes, the commission will hold a public hearing at its next meeting, Feb. 7. But members of the commission went back and forth about the merits of allowing the repair shops to continue to exist in the B-l district. They discussed possibly moving the shops out of the district altogether. “I have mixed feelings about it because I don’t immediately see how auto repair facil­ ities fit with the purpose of the B-1 zoning districts, which is retail and office and insti­ tutional and some limited residential use,” City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said. “And this type of use doesn’t really fit in well with that.” Lynn Denton, planning commission mem­ ber and owner of an insurance agency, said he sees value in keeping the shops in the central corridor. “As a downtown business owner, I can’t tell you how many times somebody in my office leaves the car at Brian’s Tire and walks back to the office. Or the guys from Brian’s Tire walk to my office and pay their insurance papers. Or they go across the street and have lunch,” Denton said. “In a perfect world, yeah, they would be outside of town. But in our town of Hastings, those shops are valuable. We’re going to bring more and more people into the downtown.” Planning commission members and Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie agreed. “Years ago and even today, I can’t think of any small community that didn’t have a repair shop right downtown or near down­ town,” he said. Although the planning commission approved changes regarding minor automobile repair shops, it will continue to discuss the possibility of altering its downtown B-l dis­ trict boundaries, Chairman Dave Hatfield said. “We are going to, at some future point, take a look at the B-l district and decide howappropriate the B-l is as it currently is laid out, or if we need to make some changes with that,” he said. flake. (bfktoa Elaine Garlock The new year is upon us. The forecast at first was for about 2 inches of snow each day this week. We had the first days’ snow but almost none since. In midweek, we have bright sunshine, a nice perk after temperatures were near zero. The weather Jan. 2 affected attendance at Central United Methodist Church when Rev. Eric Beck came from Eaton Rapids to fill the pulpit. Von Goodemoot was worship leader with Dick Nelson and Brandon Freidhoff handling sou’id and text projections. On Jan. 9 me guest preacher was the Rev. Craig Adams of the Grand Rapidsarea. He has been a frequent guest in the past five years. The anticipated topic at First Congregational Church last week was “Three Old Wise Men.” This was a warm, welcoming congrega­ tion led by Rev. Marilyn Donald­ son. A few more local residents have fled Michigan in search of warmer climates in the southern states. Weather played a role in the funeral Monday for Lloyd Corston Jr. of Sunfield. He was a graduate of Lakewood High School during the years his parents owned and operated the Lake Odessa Wave newspaper. The military presence was from active National Guard members and also members of the Grand Ledge VFW, which did the customary memorial service, including the rifle salute, flag fold­ ing and taps. The flag ceremony was held inside Sunfield United Brethren Church. The other VFW participation was done outside the north windows, with an open door so the sound was easily heard inside. The squad members encountered several inches of new-fallen snow with their lowtop shoes. Likely this was minor considering the weather and sur­ face situations they encountered during their military training and actual overseas service. Roads were somewhat snow covered at the time people arrived at the church. But by the end of the fel­ lowship time in the adjacent space, the snow had mostly melted from M-43. Work continues on the former Ackerson house on Johnson Street. The work now is inside, safe from the weather. There were stacks of drywall material on the deck. So that is likely being used in replace­ ment of plastered walls which were common when the house was originally built. Schoolcraft man arrested for drunken driving A Barry County sheriff’s deputy made a traffic stop on a vehicle on M-43 Highway near Osborne Road in Barry Town­ ship at 10:50 p.m. Jan. 3. The vehicle was traveling 71 mph in a 55-mph zone and the driver failed to dim his lights. The driver, 47, of Schoolcraft, had a 0.159 blood alcohol content and was arrested. Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Member SIPC Financial Advisor Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 423 N. Main St. Hastings, Ml 49058 Nashville, Ml (269) 948-8265 (517)760-8113 Watch Out For Tax Scammers Sadly, identity theft hap­ pens throughout the year - but some identity thieves are particularly active during tax-filing season. How can you protect yourself? One of the most import­ ant moves you can make is to be suspicious of requests by people or entities claim­ ing to be from the Internal Revenue Service. You may receive phone calls, texts and emails, but these types of communication are often just “phishing” scams with one goal in mind: to capture your personal information. These phishers can be quite clever, sending emails that appear to contain the IRS logo or making calls that may even seem to be coming from the IRS. Don’t open any links or attachments to the emails and don’t answer the calls - and don’t be alarmed if the caller leaves a vaguely threatening voicemail, either asking for personal information, such as your Social Security num­ ber, or informing you of some debts you supposedly owe to the IRS that must be taken care of “immediately.” In reality, the IRS will not initiate contact with you by phone, email, text message or social media to request personal or financial informa­ tion, or to inquire about issues pertaining to your tax re­ turns. Instead, the agency will first send you a letter. And if you’re unsure of the legitima­ cy of such a letter, contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040. Of course, not all scam artists are fake IRS represen­ tatives - some will pass them­ selves off as tax preparers. Fortunately, most tax prepar­ ers are honest, but it’s not too hard to find the dishonest ones who might ask you to sign a blank return, promise you a big refund before looking at your records or try to charge a fee based on the percentage of your return. Legitimate tax preparers will make no grand promises’ and will explain their fees upfront. Before hir­ ing someone to do your taxes, find out their qualifications. The IRS provides some valu­ able tips for choosing a rep­ utable tax preparer, but you can also ask your friends and relatives for referrals. Another tax scam to watch out for is the fraudulent tax return - that is, someone fil­ ing a return in your name. To do so, a scammer would need your name, birthdate and Social Security number. If you’re already providing two of these pieces of information - your name and birthdate on A 27-year-old woman called police at 9 a.m. Dec. 28, 2021, to report that someone had stolen the wallet out of her car and used her credit card. The car had been parked at her residence in the 2000 block of South M-43- Highway in Rutland-Township at the time of the theft. The woman said the wallet contained $800 in cash and $600 in gift cards. An additional $200 was spent with her credit card to purchase gift cards at a Kentwood Speedway. Teen scammed out of PlayStation Michele Service An 18-year-old resident of Yankee Springs Meadows called police at 6:10 p.m. Dec. 24, 2021, to report he had been the vic­ tim of fraud. The teen said he sent $400 through the Cash App to a man on Facebook Marketplace to purchase a PlaySation 5. But as soon as he sent the money, the man blocked him and could not be contacted. Police could not locate any residents in the area with the name of the suspect that the teen had been given. CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 TRUCK DRIVER: CANDIDATES must have Business Services Help Wanted BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experi­ GENERAL LABORER- JOB includes lifting ence. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits- 401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental in­ surance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St, Sunfield, MI. Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. a CDL with a "T" endorsement, 3 years' experi­ ence, a good driving record and subject to DOT regulations. Duties include loading and hauling logs and lumber with double bottom trailers. Applicant must be able to operate a front-end loader, work off road, alone and manage their time. Hourly wage based on experience and includes a benefit package. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield. No phone calls please. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. HASTINGS, MI - Michele Rae Service, age 66, of Hastings, passed away peacefully at her home to join her husband in heaven on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, with her children by her side after a short battle with cancer. Michele was bom in Grand Rapids on Nov. 1, 1955, the daughter of Jay and Elaine (Wing) Barnaby. She was raised in the Cale­ donia area and attended Caledonia schools. Michele married the love of her life, Pete Service, in April of 1974. They lived in the Hastings area where they raised their three children. . Michele had a passion for caring for oth­ ers, and that led her to choose a career as a CNA. She worked at several nursing homes and then eventually at Pennock Hospital until a motorcycle accident in 2009 led her to stay at home to lovingly care for her hus­ band. Michele loved animals, collecting Celebrating five generations of the Hayes family are Jessica, Taylor, Evelyn, Leroy and T.J. The family of John and Marlene (Chall) Craven is requesting a card shower in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married on January 15,1972 and have resided in Hastings, Mich, for the majority of their lives. The highlight of their life is spending time with their children and grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 1440 McGlynn Road, Hastings, MI 49058. porcelain dolls, yard sales, flea markets and decorating her home and yard for the holi­ days. Michele and Pete loved U of M Foot­ ball and taking their family on vacations. In later years after the kids were grown, Michele enjoyed riding on the back of the motorcycle with her husband. They would take long rides with their close family friends Larry and Jenee Smith. Michele was preceded in death by her month-old daughter, Tonya; her beloved 4husband of 47 years, Pete Service (June 2021), and recently her father-in-law Don Service, mother-in-law Henrietta (Hank) Service; several brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Michele is survived by her son Jason (Zandra) Service; daughters, Carrie (Michael) Critzer and Bridget Service; par­ ents, Jay and Elaine Barnaby; brother, Jim Barnaby; sisters, Denise (Doug) Freeman, Stephanie Lester, Roxanne Barnaby and Carla Long; grandchildren, Austin (Ciara) Service, Erika Critzer, and step-granddaugh­ ter, Kinzie Pierce; special sister-in-law, Sheila (Richard) Bell; brothers-in-law, Perry Service and Paul (Kristy) Service; many nieces and nephews, and her special four­ legged friend Daisy who helped Michele through a lot. A special thank you goes to Kindred Hos­ pice. In lieu of flowers, memorial contribu­ tions can be made to the family to help cover medical costs. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022 at 6 p.m., with a one-hour visitation prior at 5 p.m., at Girr­ bach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girr­ bach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. • Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible • Serving All Faiths • Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted Cravens to celebrate 50th wedding anniversary Celebrating 5 generations of the Hayes family This article was written by Edward Jonesfor use by your local Edward Jones Finan­ cial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC. More than $1,500 stolen from vehicle Banner CLASSIFIEDS BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White social media, and you also include your birthplace - you could be making it easier for scam artists to somehow get the third. It’s a good idea to check your privacy settings and limit what you’re sharing publicly. You might also want to use a nickname and omit your last name, birthday and birthplace. Here’s one more defen­ sive measure: File your taxes as soon as you can. Identity thieves often strike early in the tax season, so they can file their bogus returns before their victims. To leam more about tax scams, visit the IRS website (irs.gov) and search for the “Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft.” This document de­ scribes some signs of identi­ ty theft and provides tips for what to do if you are victim­ ized. It’s unfortunate that identi­ ty theft exists, but by taking the proper precautions, you can help insulate yourself from this threat, even when tax season is over. 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Owner/Manager Family Owned and Operated o^er Emeritus Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years �Page 8 — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ‘Genius’ Tyden lauded in various publications Today marks 157& anniversary of his birth Kathy Maurer Copy Editor By early 1865, Hastings had been settled for nearly 30 years and had been a village, officially, for just a decade. The U.S. Civil War was nearing its end, and Abraham Lin­ coln was unknowingly serving his final months in office. This newspaper had only been in publication for eight years. On the other side of the Atlantic, over the North Sea, across Kattegat Bay and up onto the rocky soils of the southern Scandinavian Peninsula, August Emil was bom Jan. 13, 1865, in snowy Smaland, Flisby, Sweden, the first child of Johanna Maria Johansdotter and Sven Magnus Frid. The world would see many changes over the next 86 years, amid two world wars and a continuing industrial revolution. The Idaho potato, locking pedestal table mechanism, indoor automatic sprinklers, and improved worldwide shipping security all can be attributed to that blue-eyed Swedish infant who would become known as Emil Tyden. Why and when the family name changed from Frid to Tyden remains a mystery to Douglas VanderLaan, a former Banner editor who WTOte the book, “Emil Tyden, An Ordi­ nary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary.” Why the mechanically gifted Tyden would leave the rocky soils of his family’s tenant farm, however, is far easier to understand. “A Swedish heritage bom with the swash­ buckling reputation of the mighty but maraud­ ing Vikings had been reduced over the decades to one of poverty, hunger and loss of hope,” VanderLaan wrote in the 2017 book, adding that agriculture in Sweden was still medieval in technique and organization. “The change that came, however, brought even greater adversity to struggling farmers. The change that came also molded the constitu­ tion and character of one farmer’s son who went on the change the world.” As tenant farmers, the family’s hard labor did not move them any closer to prosperity, much less toward the chance of owning their own property, VanderLaan wrote. On the farm, young Emil had already demonstrated his gift for creativity and inno­ vation, finding ways to improve farm machin­ ery and harvesting procedures. His mechani­ cal aptitude led him into the carriage-building trade, a thriving business in Sweden at the time. So, with consent from his family, young Emil would venture to the U.S., pursue the “American dream,” and earn enough to allow his family to buy land of their own. (He ful­ filled that promise 10 years later.) Ready for change .Accompanied by his Aunt Ida and a young­ er cousin, Emil Tyden knew little, if any, English and had but a few dollars when the weary trio arrived in New York City in in 1882. Ida had recently lost her husband and three sons to dysentery, which had been in pandemic proportions in their homeland. So, the eagerness and resilience of the teenage Emil likely was matched by the hope for new beginnings sought by his aunt and her only remaining child, 7-year-old Johan. They made their way to western Illinois, to Moline, one of the Quad Cities along the Mississippi where another aunt lived. Moline also was the adopted home of a Vermont blacksmith by the name of John Deere, who had been building farm implements for sever­ al years. The city also overlooked the Rock Island Arsenal, where Tyden would later serve as a colonel distributing munitions for the U.S. during World War I. The son of a farmer later found work at a farm implement factory (McCormick Harvest­ er - not John Deere), as well as a pipe organ manufacturing company. Maybe heading out West had been woven into his American dream. For, a few years after immigrating, Tyden took a job with the Union Pacific Rail­ way. That’s where he came up with perhaps his greatest invention, the car seal. “Emil Tyden is Hastings’ leading indus­ trialist and one of its most respected citi­ zens,” reads the text accompanying this photo of Emil Tyden published in the June 30, 1940, Detroit News Pictorial. Attributes begin Emil Tyden’s name would be printed in newspapers across the country for the next several decades, often one of many people in a list of recently approved U.S. patents. Later, and even more frequently, the Tyden Lock for pedestal tables would be promoted in adver­ tisements for furniture stores in the nation’s newspapers. As his inventions accumulated, the name Emil Tyden could be found in paragraphs or full articles in various publications praising his mechanical ability and business acumen. One of the first such articles was in the March 29, 1907, Grand Rapids Evening Press after a staff correspondent visited the “little red factory” where Tyden manufac­ tured his car seal. The article bore the head­ line “Tyden is a Genius.” “Hastings owes more than the town can ever realize to the little car seal. [A]round this little device of sheet tin has been built a man­ ufacturing colony whose output has claimed country and worldwide fame. The very build­ ing of the machinery with which car seals are made led to another industry’: The Consolidat­ ed Press and Topl Co., and then .. . the need for an automatic dining table lock, and today the Hastings Table Company’s product is famed primarily because it carried the Tyden Lock. “Emil Tyden, still a young man, has proved himself a remarkable inventor. The car seal itself would be enough to win honor, fame and fortune. The simplicity of the thing is astounding. ... “In the early day, when there were doubt­ ers, a standing offer of $5,000 was hung up for anyone who could unlock the seal. That offer might have been a million dollars, for it is a mechanical impossibility. Puzzle experts and mechanical engineers figured on the little tin seal for months, some of them for years, and all gave it up, baffled ...” ON SALE NOW! CHASING THE EVIDENCE OF A REMARKABLE MAN Emil Tyden made a mark in this world at the turn of the 20th Century, but it was the imprint of a selfless man whose incredible talents and care for his fellow man Should be admired by every succeeding generation.” The book, Tyden: An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary, was published by Fred Jacobs and J-Ad Graphics and is the most extensive biography to date of a man who arrived from Sweden at the age of 17 and whose inventive brilliance began with contributions to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and ended just before his death in 1951 with the invention of the dry sprinkler fire suppression system manufactured by The Viking Corporation. tydeh Others F™« In between, Tyden offered world-changing developments to the booming automotive industry in Detroit, to America’s military efforts in World War I, and to the transportation industry where the invention for which he became best known, the box car seal, established Hastings as a manufacturing capital. Over 4 million of Tyden’s boxcar seals were manufactured from his plant in Hastings. “It’s a compelling read,” states author Doug VanderLaan, “and one I feel fortunate to be part of in its telling. An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary... Available in Hastings for $24.99 at • Al Fresco • The General Store • Printing Plus • J-Ad Graphics office at 1351N. M-43 Highway, just north of the Hastings city limits. Rising to challenges The article, like many featuring Emil Tyden, went on to tell how, in order to manufacture his car seals, Tyden needed machinery, so he start­ ed the Consolidated Tool and Press Company in Chicago. The precision work turned out by the shop drew attention - and business. The company was moved to Hastings, and was soon “besieged with orders.” “The Tyden table lock has a history, too,” the article continued. “Mr. Tyden had become interested in the Hastings Table Company, whose shop in in the little manufacturing colony made up of the furniture factory, press and tool shop and car seal works,” previously along East Mill Street near the pedestrian bridge that once served trains. Richard Messer, a friend and fellow busi­ nessman who is credited with the persistence that brought Tyden to this small town in Michigan, had recently told Tyden that the tables were not selling well because of a design flaw. “While in New York, [Tyden] called at Wanamaker’s store and looked at some highpriced tables,” the Press article continued. “He tried the opening and closing and found it did not lock tight. The clerk laughed at his criti­ cism and said it was impossible to make a table that would securely and automatically lock. “It was characteristic to Mr. Tyden that he thought differently. All the way back to Hast­ ings, he figured and drafted until when he arrived here, he had complete drawings of what was destined to be known throughout the furniture interests of the world as the Tyden table lock ...” Persistent, but modest “These are just a few of the things Emil Tyden has accomplished. He will not discuss himself nor his accomplishments. He dislikes notoriety and is modest to the extreme. What is not general information in Hastings cannot be gleaned from the manager of the town’s three important industries who finds time in addition to his managerial duties to evolve a never-ending line of improvements on the devices under his control that already seem the acme of perfection. The inventor is not alone ingenious; he has the determination and unswerving persistence that brooks no defeat. “When the Tyden seal factory first came to Hastings, one of the first results was a disas­ trous fire [in 1899, caused by a lightning strike]. The factory, machines, material and even the drawings and patterns were destroyed. It was a terrible blow. None took it so philosophically as Emil Tyden himself. With all the stoical indifference of his Viking ancestors, Tyden set to work on new draw­ ings while the ruins of his first effort were still hot and smoking. The result was almost enough better to have made the fire loss and worry warrantable.” A: ‘Bread and butter’ An undated circa-1930 clipping from the Grand Rapids Herald spotlighted local com­ munities as a regular feature called “So this is ...” The week Hastings was featured, Tyden was mentioned a few times. That article introduced the city by saying, “Looking over our notes, gathered from vari­ ous sources, we should say that the biggest burg in Barry County consists of Col. Emil Tyden and 5,999 other folks ...” The review mentioned the many lakes in the area, the Rotary Club, the popular Demo­ cratic mayor Charlie Leonard, The Banner, the country club, school system, and more. When the article touched on manufacturing in the city, Tyden was front and center. “Col. Emil Tyden is the man largely responsible for the industrial development of Hastings. It might be said he put the meat between Hastings’ bread and butter.” ‘Lucky Hastings’ An undated, unlabeled clipping in Tyden scrapbook had the simple, two-word head­ line: “Lucky Hastings.” fl look back at the stories and columns on local histc In the Hastings Banner TURNING BACK THE PAGES “The town of Hastings is surely lucky in having as a moving spirit a man like Emil Tyden. He recently returned from Europe greatly improved in health and is in the har­ ness once more keeping the Tyden Industries going at full blast and turning out a lot of things which they ship all over the world. A town with such a leader always has good busi­ ness because these industries bring in outside money which is spent in the town; conse­ quently, they don’t have to live off the com­ munity and each other. The wealth is brought into the community, not taken out of it. A March 5, 1939, Grand Rapids Press article referred to Tyden as “an enthusiastic inventor” and a “boon to Hastings.” “HASTINGS - To a chance meeting in Wyoming in 1897, this city today traces much of its present and recent past prosperity,” the Press article summarized in its introduction. “For, as an outgrowth of that meeting, four factories have been established here, and other local institutions have greatly benefited.” The modest Emil Tyden likely tried to brush off such attention. Still, newspapers and maga­ zines printed stories about him, each adding its own nugget of information, when possible. The Hastings Reminder was initially owned by Winn Green, who died while serv­ ing in World War II. (His parents took over the publication before selling it to Mel and Alice Jacobs.) The younger Green seems to have added to an article from the Kalamazoo Gazette Sunday paper when he printed a sim­ ilar article in the Jan. 17, 1941, Reminder shortly after Tyden’s birthday. Hastings’ tot citizen “Col. Emil Tyden, local inventor, manufac­ turer, banker, and Hastings’ No. 1 citizen, reached his 76th milestone in life Tuesday. A descendant of typical Viking stock, his erect posture as he strides down the street reflects his Scandinavian ancestry in his 6-foot-l figure ... Being a Barry County publication, The Reminder added this appropriate fact to the story about the Tyden seal: “One type is used by thousands of Michigan deer hunters each year to tag their bucks.” And regarding Tyden’s contributions to the table company, The Reminder article added: “He also invented the steel dowel pins, the concealed nut-and-bolt construction, and many other features that not only increased the popularity of the Hastings tables, but also increased their sales.” The article also noted that Tyden had served for a number of years as a director of the John Morton Memorial Museum in Phila­ delphia, the society composed of prominent Swedes formed to perpetuate the name of John Morton, one of the signers of the Decla­ ration of Independence. ^Doctor * Universe . ■ . ■ . ■ *■ . . • ’ Pets and the coronavirus Dear Dr. Universe: How does COVID-19 affect our house­ hold pets? Kolton, 11, Michigan Dear Kolton, A lot of researchers around the world are investigating this very question. While we don’t know everything about how the SARS-CoV-2 virus affects household pets, there are some things we do know. My friend Dr. Raelynn Farnsworth, a veterinarian at Washington State University, told me all about it. The risk of household pets spreading the virus to humans currently seems to be very low, she said. But a human who has the virus could potentially spread it to an ani­ mal, like a cat or dog, if they’ve been in close contact. At the beginning of the pandemic, scien­ tists at WSU and the University of Wash­ ington wanted to investigate a question similar to the one you’ve asked. They visit­ ed with pets that were living in households where the owners had COVID-19 They tested the cats and dogs for the virus by putting a little swab up the animals’ noses. Maybe you or someone you know has had a test like this, too. Farnsworth said it’s a bit harder to do a swab test in cats, just because they have such tiny nostrils. Veter­ inarians sometimes give the cats a little throat swab instead. In the communities they studied, none of the pets showed symptoms of COVID-19. Those symptoms often can include sneez­ ing, a runny nose, watery eyes or fever. Some cats and dogs didn’t show any symptoms, but they did have something else. Researchers found antibodies. Anti­ bodies are a substance the body makes when it responds to a foreign substance in the body, like the coronavirus. The antibod­ ies develop to help fight off any future dis­ ease. This caricature of Emil Tyden ran alongside a circa-1930 “So this is Hastings” feature in The Grand Rapids Herald. Below the illustration, Tyden was labeled as the person “who put the mtiat between Hastings’ bread and butter.” Honored by king * “On Dec. 7, last, Col. Tyden was sum­ moned to Chicago to receive the Medal of the Royal Order of Vasa, from the Swedish Con­ sul Gosta Oldenburg, in the name of King Gustav V of Sweden,” The Reminder noted. “In granting this high honor to Col. Tyden, it was stipulated that no other person should ever wear the medal and, on his death, it should be returned to the king of Sweden ... “Aside from his interests in Chicago, where he is practically as well known in busi­ ness circles as he is in Hastings, he also has a ranch in the Western states where he spends a portion of each year. Up until the outbreak of the present war, Mr. Tyden made yearly trips to his native country of Sweden. Hastings is indeed fortunate in having a citizen like Col. Tyden, and our nation today needs plenty of men of his character.” More about Tyden in Scandinavian-Ameri­ can publications will appear in The Banner next week. This was just one of many studies on pets and COVID-19. Scientists continue to look for cases of COVID-19 in animals. For example, in September 2021, the first U.S. case of a ferret with CO VID-19 was report­ ed in Florida. Farnsworth told me that. Ferrets are related to the mink. Early in the pandemic, Farnsworth said, researchers learned that humans can pass the virus on to mink and that mink can also pass it back to humans. Scientists have also found COVID-19 in animals, including tigers, lions, otters, non-human primates, hippos and white­ tailed deer. We are still learning exactly how transmission between humans and other animals happens. If you have more questions about COVID-19 in household pets or if you are curious about COVID-19 in other kinds of animals, you can visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its “Healthy Pets, Healthy People” website at cdc.gov/healthypets/covid-19. Thanks for your thoughtful question, Kolton. While there’s still a lot more research to do around COVID-19, including how it affects our pets, it’s great to know there are smart and caring researchers in our world who are helping us learn more about it. They work hard so people and their pets can be safe and healthy. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, January 13, 2022 Lakewood off to quick start in GLAC Brett Bremer Sports Editor Over the course of three days the Lakewood varsity wrestling team shot out to a 6-0 record in the new super sized Greater Lansing Activi­ ties Conference. The Vikings knocked off Olivet and Laings­ burg in conference duals in Olivet Thursday • evening and followed that up with a perfect 5-0 day at its own GLAC Round Robin Duals at Lakewood High School Saturday. Lakewood took four conference wins Satur­ day and also scored a victory over non-conference foe Delton Kellogg which joined GLAC ' foes Maple Valley, Bath, Dansville and Leslie on the three mats in the gym. Laingsburg, Dansville, Bath and Saranac have joined Lakewood, Maple Valley, Leslie, Olivet, Perry and Stockbridge in the GLAC wrestling competition this winter. ■ Delton Kellogg was 3-2 on the day in what were five non-conference duals for the Pan­ thers. Lakewood scored a 54-30 win over the . Panthers. Every bout in their dual was a forfeit or a pin. Lakewood got pins from Jonathan ;Krebs at 125 pounds, Zac Gibson at 135, Gavin Vaughn at 171 and Eastin Stank at 285 pounds. DK got pins from Gage Vincent at 119 pounds, Giovanni Stea at 145 and Caden Ferris at 215 pounds. Vincent’s was a big reversal on the mat against the Vikings Kade Boucher. Boucher scored a take down and three nearfall points in the opening period against Vincent. Vincent chose the top position to open the second peri­ od and turned Boucher and pinned him mid­ way through the period. Ashton Clark, Daniel Krebs, Tyson Raffler, ; Brenden Straub and Nathaniel Graham had forfeit wins for Lakewood in the dual with Delton Kellogg and DK got a forfeit win from Corban Antolovich at 103 pounds. ? Clark wrestled at 112 pounds throughout the barly season for the Vikings, so assistant coach Bubba Grove questioned him when he was raring to go before the start of Lakewood’s dual with Maple Valley, which was set to begin at 119 pounds. Clark had a void in the day’s .first two rounds, against Delton Kellogg and -Bath, and wa'sfanjdous to get on the mat. “Ashton, who is 13-0, asked to bump up and wrestle [Maple Valley state medalist Matthew Slaght at 119],” Lakewood head coach Tony Harmer said. “He put his undefeated record on ;the line to challenge himself. I love kids like this. Unfortunately, the match did not go his way. But the first thing I said to him when he got off the mat was, ‘I am proud of you, this is .what true champions do.’” , Clark had Slaght on his back early in the second period to take a 2-0 lead, but Slaght managed a reversal and then controlled the match from the top position in the third period for a 9-3 decision. “At the end of the day, I pulled all the kids in and highlighted what Ashton just did,” Harmer said. “I told them they will never get better if they don’t challenge themselves, and that goes for every level of kid. I reiterated, T do not care about winning and losing. It is about how you wrestle.’ Lakewood won the dual with the Lions by the score of 66-3. Maple Valley had just three guys competing Saturday. The Vikings’ Jona­ than Krebs pinned the Lions’ Robert Schilz in their 125-pound bout and Lakewood’s LJ Rog­ ers stuck Evan Fisher in the 130-pound match. The Vikings also defeated Dansville 58-18, Leslie 66-12 and Bath 72-12. The Lions were bested 48-6 by Delton Kel­ logg, 24-12 by Leslie, 51-6 by Dansville and 24-21 by Bath. Maple Valley wasn’t the only shorthanded team among the group and voids in the line-up were routine. Slaght wrestled three matches, pinning Bath’s Luke Eanes and suffering a 5-2 loss to Dansville’s Blake Baker. Slaght’s 125-pound teammate pinned Dans­ ville’s Allan Rutledge. He and teammate Evan Fisher each had one forfeit victory. Maple Valley's Matthew Slaght (back) works to turn Lakewood's Ashton Clark to his back during their 119-pound bout Saturday at the GLAC Duals hosted by Lakewood High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg's Corban Antolovich works to hold down Bath's Jordan Orvalle during the second period of their match Saturday at Lakewood High School's GLAC Round Robin Duals. (Photo by Brett Bremer) . LHS boys snap 13-game losing streak against the Blackhawks Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood won its first ever Greater Lansing Activities Conference bailgame with Leslie - starting the new year off right in January of 2015. The Blackhawks responded by win­ ning their next 13 contests with the Lake­ wood varsity boys’ basketball team, a streak which the Vikings finally snapped Friday night. Lakewood improved its season record to 6-1 overall by 47-40 over the the defending conference champions in Leslie Friday. The last time the Vikings bested the Blackhawks they went on to win their lone GLAC championship so far. The Blackhawks fall to 2-4 on the sea­ son with the loss. “As Leslie always does against us, they came out prepared and motivated,” Lake­ wood head coach Chris Duits said. “We unfortunately got off to a very slow start, and had turnovers on five of our first six possessions and were immediately behind 9-2. The game was very physical, but our team didn’t shy away from it and fought back to take the lead after the first quarter. From then on it was a possession by pos­ session grind, and a back and forth game. “We played very soft against Belding [Jan. 4], but after a tough film session on Wednesday our guys dug deep and were the tougher team. We had a look of deter­ mination the entire game, and didn’t let a bad call, bad turnover, missed shot, etc., “Matthew Slaght is wrestling real well,” Lion head coach Tony Wawiemia said. “He had a tough match against Blake Baker from Dansville which we knew was going to be a good match. He got a bit sloppy and gave up the five points that lost it for him. Of course we are looking at individual improvements in our team because we are so small, but the kids are keeping a positive attitude so that helps a lot. “Robert Schilz is wrestling better and better every week so that is reassuring. He had a cou­ ple close matches that could have went either way. Overall I am happy with the way the boys are wresting in practice as when we go live they are going hard against each other.” Delton Kellogg defeated Bath 36-18, Leslie 48-24 and suffered a 47-24 loss to Dansville. DK got pins from Gauge Stampfler and Marcus Momenee in the dual with Bath. Stampfler and Hunter Antolovich had pins in the dual with Dansville. Other highlights for the day for the Vikings included Graham’s lOO^1 varsity victory. Coach Tony Harmer said he was also pleased to see the continued improvement from Seth Cobb. bother us and just continued to play ball. That’s a sign that we’re maturing as a team in my opinion.” Lakewood went on an 8-0 run to close out the first quarter up 10-9 and pushed its advantage to 20-13 by the half. A 15-6 surge in the fourth quarter stretched the Vikings’ lead in the end. Lakewood was of-8 5from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Preston Makley had a team-high 14 points for the Vikings. Lakewood had six guys with five or more points. Jayce Cusack finished with eight points. Caden Cusack and Denny Sauers had seven points each. Nate Willette had six points and Caleb Hull five. “Everybody in our league is trying to stop Jayce,” coach Duits said. “After the game Leslie’s coach said that their entire plan was to double team or have a spy knowing where he was. That helps open up opportunities for other players to have some success on the offensive end and that’s what happened. We were very bal­ anced scoring again and can beat teams in a lot of different ways and it showed tonight.” Leslie got 17 points from Ethan Kaimon and 16 from Zack Marcimiak. Lakewood is now 2-0 in the GLAC. The Vikings will look to get to 3-0 against a winless Lansing Christian team Friday at Lakewood High School in the second game of a doubleheader with the girls. The Vikings are also home Tuesday, Jan. 18, to take on Perry. Delton Kellogg 130-pounder Marcus Momenee nears a pin against his opponent, Luke Skidmore, from Bath during the GLAC Round Robin Duals at Lakewood High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings wins championship at Lamb The Hastings varsity wrestling team celebrates the championship Saturday at the LH Lamb. Hastings had ten wrestlers in the championship finals at the tournament to best runner-up Caledonia. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings Saxons dominated their 59th annual LH Lamb Invitational Saturday at Hastings High School. The Saxon varsity wrestling team finished in first place with 230.5 points. Hastings had a total of 18 wrestlers in the championship round for the first and third place matches, with ten of those matches for first place in the finals. Hastings also had the tournament MVP wrestler, which is voted on by all the coaches at the tournament, in Robby Slaugh­ ter who finished in 1st place at 152 pounds. The Saxons’ invitational has been run as a fundraiser for the LH Lamb Scholarship that is given to one male and one female student athlete each year. The Saxons had two teams participate in the tournament, both their var­ sity and their B varsity team. Hastings head coach Jason Slaughter was proud of his team and their championship. “I am proud of the way we wrestled. We had a lot of success with six first place finishes and ten finalists. Four of our firsts were from our four captains: [Mason] Denton, Slaughter, [Victor] Ramirez and [Jackson] Dubois. All four were leaders this weekend. Slaughter, Ramirez and Dubois pinned their way through. “The other two firsts came from freshman, [Keegan] Sutfin and [Isaac] Friddle, and I’m proud of them for stepping up on a big stage in front of their home crowd and getting the job done. [Troy] Hokanson also stepped up as a freshman losing a tough match in the finals but going after it and out pacing his opponent though he came up short. Robby came home with the MVP trophy which is well deserved at 152 and pinning through the tournament. It is an awesome honor that few Saxon wres­ tlers can claim. “Overall, it was a great day, having 18 placers is a testament to how hard all of them are working and sticking through. This is just See HASTINGS, page 10 �Page 10 — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HHS loses close game to Lumen Christi Hastings junior 152-pounder Robby Slaughter celebrates his MVP award at the LH Lamb Tournament Saturday with Saxon head coach Jason Slaughter. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) - HASTINGS, continued from page 9 ------------------------a steppingstone though; we still plan on going up and continuing to improve.” Slaughter pinned his way through the day with a pin over Caledonia’s Brody Brockschmidt in 1:54 in the semi-final round, and then a pin against Logan Millard from East Lansing in 3:26 in the finals. Prior to Slaughter winning the MVP award, the last wrestler from Hastings to receive the tournament MVP was Andrew Miller back in 2019. Before that a Saxon had not received the award in over 20 years, going back to Slaughter’s uncle, Bill Blair, who was a 1999 graduate at Hastings, and received the award in 1998. The Saxons championship wins came from Keegan Sutfin at 112 pounds, Mason Denton at 145 pounds, Slaughter at 152 pounds, Victor Ramirez at 160 pounds, Isaac Friddle at 215 pounds and Jackson Dubois at 285 pounds. Saxon wrestlers that finished in 2nd place for the day were: Troy Hokanson at 103 pounds, Dillon Neal at 119 pounds, Colton Smith at 125 pounds, and Cohen Smith at 140 pounds. Finishing in third place for the day for the Saxons were Joe Goggins at 130, Haiden Simmet at 135, Blake Barnum at 171 and Nevin Cheeseman at 189. Saxons finishing in fourth place were: Zach Chipman at 119 pounds, Justus Forell 135, Preston Meece 145 and Tyler Oliver at 215 pounds. Caledonia finished with the runner-up tro­ phy with 147 points for the day. Caledonia had ten wrestlers in the final round with four championship wins from James Carrow at 119 pounds, Ethan Berends at 125, Ethan Knapp at 130, and Ethan Brown at 171. Other teams scoring points were Ionia with 116, Grand Ledge 109, Portage Central 85.5, Hastings ‘B’ 80 and East Lansing 52. The Saxons will be traveling to two tourna­ ments this weekend with the varsity going to Grand Ledge while the ‘B’ varsity travels to Ithaca. Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Saxon varsity boys’ basketball team lost a close game to the Jackson Lumen Christi Titans 49-48 n Interstate-8 Athletic Conference action Friday night at Hastings High School,. The Titans took an early 13-10 lead in the first quarter with seven of those points com­ ing from free throws. Lumen then started hitting three-point shots in the second to widen their lead to 29-23 at the half. Hastings head coach Rich Long noted, “[Lumen Christi’s Brendan] Stevens was hit­ ting threes off the bench, so we made some halftime adjustments and didn’t let him score again. Our defense was sparked by taking multiple charges and boxing out.” The Titans scored four three-point shots in the first half, three of those by Stevens. After the half, the Saxons played a tight third quarter to take the lead 36-33 at the start of the fourth. The last two and a half minutes the fans were on the edge of their seats as the Saxons and Titans went back and forth. Lumen took the lead, the Saxons then tied it up again 43-43 with just under two minutes on the clock. Lumen and Hastings exchanged three point-shots to tie it up again with just over a minute left at 46-46, but with 12 sec­ ond left Hastings could not score a final time and Lumen Christi finished with a 49-48 win over the Saxons. Myles Padilla and Joe McClean both had big three-point shots for the Saxons in the fourth quarter. Padilla led the team with a season high of 15 points. Layton Eastman scored 10 points, McLean and Owen Carrol added 8 points each. Hastings is now 1-7 overall this season. The Saxons fell 68-28 in another 1-8 match­ up at Harper Creek Tuesday. The Saxons will travel to Western High School on Friday night to take on Parma Western in 1-8 Conference action. The Saxons' Braden Vertalka goes over a Lumen Christi defender to get to a< rebound during their 1-8 match-up Friday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Dan: Goggins) Dillon Neal, wrestling for the Hastings 'B' team Saturday at the LH Lamb, holds down Caledonia's James Carrow during their 119-pound championship match. Carrow managed to pull out a 15-11 win to help the Scots' place second to the Hastings var­ sity at the tournament. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) INVITATION TO BID Project: Delton Kellogg Schools Bid Package #1 - DK Elementary New Addition and Remodeling Project Bid Date & Time: Project Location: Pre-Bid Meeting: Thursday, january 27th, 2022 @ 1:00pm 327 N. Grove St., Delton, Ml 49046 Wednesday, January 12th, 2022 at 10am at 327 N. Grove St., Delton, Ml 49046 Subcontractor: Contact/Email: Phone: Fax: To: The Christman Co. Todd Champion Phone: 269.903.7230 I Fax: 616.454.1 795 todd.champion@christmanco.com Description/Scope of Project: Sealed proposals for all work categories as described in the Project Manual for the above project will be received no later than Thursday, January 27th, 2022 @ 1:00pm. Proposals should be addressed to Todd Champion, Project Manager and delivered to Delton Kellogg Administrative Office, 327 N Grove Street, Delton, Ml 49046. Proposals will be opened and read aloud on Thursday, january 27th @ 1:00pm at the Delton Kellogg Administrative Office. There will be a pre-bid conference at DK Elementary School/Administrative Office, 327 N Grove Street, Delton Ml 49046 on Wednesday, january 12th, 2022 @ 10am conducted by the Construction Manager. It is strongly recommended that contractors attend the pre-bid conference. Bid Documents Availability: Contract documents may be obtained via Procore. A link to the Procore site will be sent upon request. Please email Todd Champion at Todd.Champion® christmanco.com to be granted permission to the documents. Builders Exchange - Public Plan Room @ www.grbx.com All questions are to be directed to the Construction Manager, Todd Champion @ Todd.Champion@christmanco.com or 269.903.7230. No direct contact with the owner or architect is requested. Please mark below and return via fax or email to 517-745-7903 or Todd. Champion@christmanco.com Thank you. Yes, we plan to bid: No, we are not bidding: Hastings' Layton Eastman puts a shot up during the Saxons' loss to visiting Jackson Lumen Christi Friday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxon sophomore guard Owen Carroll pushes the pace during his team's, loss to visiting Jackson Lumen Christi in Interstate-8 Athletic Conference, action Friday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Trojans knock off Yale in finals of Dick Welsh Memorial Duals Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thornapple Kellogg varsity wrestling team went 5-0 at the ten-team Dick Welsh Memorial Duals hosted by Algonac High School Saturday. The Trojans knocked off Yale 42-27 in the finals in what was their closest dual of the day. TK got pins from Jayden Garcia at 285 pounds, Matthew Middleton at 152, Zack Gibson at 140, and Ashton Corson at 125 in the dual with Yale, while adding forfeit wins from Lane Cross and Austin Chi vis. Kyron Zoet added a 12-8 win over Yale’s Seth Wool­ man at 130 pounds for TK and Hunter Pitsch scored a 4-0 win over Yale’s Logan Winters at 119 pounds. Corson moved to 11-0 with that last win Saturday. “It was good to get back on the mat after taking a few weeks off from competition,” TK head coach Dayne Fletke said. “I am very proud of how they wrestled as a team. We had many wrestlers step up and fill their roles. We worked on scoring bonus points and not giv­ ing up bonus points. As we work towards the. end of the year we are looking to continue to: work on the team. ♦ “It was good to travel across the state to. see some different competition and different styles of wrestling.” j TK was slated for an OK Gold/Silver Quad; at Sparta last night and will be back in actionSaturday at a tournament hosted by Rockford,> At Algonac, TK also scored a 69-6 win over Utica, a 55-6 win over Linden, a 56-19win over Rochester and a 51 -27 win over OA Carlson. Delton Kellogg cheer 11th at first competition of the new season The Delton Kellogg varsity competitive cheer team placed 11™ Saturday at the Por­ tage Central Mustang Invitational. Plainwell took the day’s championship, edging the runner-up Michigan Center team by less than four points. Michigan Center was hurt by a ten-point deduction in round two and then an eight-point deduction in round number three. Delton Kellogg’s girls have some work to do after they experienced a few deductions themselves in the first two rounds. Michigan Center had the tournament’s top score in round one at 220.80. Plainwell was in third place after round one with a score of 212.50, behind the host Mustangs who opened the competition with a score of 219.30 in round one. Plainwell went on to score a 200.86 in round two, which had it in second place behind Mich­ igan Center heading into round three. Plain­ well outscored Michigan Center 274.5 to 267.5 in the final round to move in front. Plainwell closed the competition with an overall score of 687.86, ahead of Michigan Center 684.22, Allegan 683.76, Hamilton 647.10, Portage Central 645.06, Otsego 586.70, Vicksburg 578.40, Wayland 576.80, Battle Creek Lakeview 557.48. White Pigeon 508.50, Delton Kellogg 436.64 and Pennfield 282.80. ‘ DK scored a 159.30 in round one, 122.64* in round two and 154.70 in round three. The DK girls are set to head to Gobles Jan.! 13 for the first Southern Michigan Competi-! tive Cheer Conference of the season. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 13, 2022 — Page 11 w Delton Kellogg forward Jason Lundquist gets a shot over Fennville's Isaiah Nyland in the paint during the Hawks' win over the host Panthers Monday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg guard Torren Mapes works to lose Fennville's Dylan Schut with the help of a screen from teammate Austin Blocker (24) during the second half Monday night in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DK boys struggle with Schoolcraft and Fennville during the first half Monday night at DKHS. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was a tough start to the week for the Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basketball team. The Panthers had their Southwestern Athlet­ ic Conference crossover with Fennville post­ poned due to weather Friday. That bailgame got moved to Monday and the Panthers learned soon before the ballgame that they’d be without brothers Alden and Alex Whitmore once again. The Blackhawks moved their record to 4-3 with a 60-38 win over the Panthers, and then DK had to go to Schoolcraft Tuesday for a SAC Valley Division bailgame where it was bested by the Eagles 92-13. “No excuses from DK. We will get back to work and try to find areas we can improve on,” Delton Kellogg head coach Jim Hogoboom said following Tuesday’s defeat. DK is now 3-5 overall this season. The Pan­ thers are at Hackett Catholic Prep in the SAC Valley Friday. Schoolcraft went on a 29-0 run in the first half to take complete control Tuesday. Tyler Degroete had 24 points for the Eagles, scoring 21 in the first half. Shane Ryske had 16 points, he first half. “We will watch this tape and try to see if we can learn from watching their execution and the way they play at both ends,” Hogoboom said. “Really have to just give them props for how they play the game.” Fennville wore down the short-handed DK team Monday in Delton. The two teams were tied at 12-12 after back-to-back buckets by DK’s Austin Blocker in the early minutes of the second quarter. Fennville put together an 11-0 run of its own from there and led 28-20 at the half. The Blackhawks slowly extended their lead from there throughout the second half. “Consistency, that’s a big struggle for us,” Hogoboom said. “Probably true of a lot of teams in sports across all levels, but really understanding different moments within a game, valuing the possession, understanding what’s happening with the flow of a game and then being consistent with your execution and your effort are keys if we’re going to be suc­ cessful.” The Blackhawks did their best to push the tempo throughout the evening. Delton Kellogg had its moments, but also had moments where it was too careless with the basketball, allowing defenders to surprise them from behind or try­ ing to thread passes through crowds. Fennville went on a 21-8 run in the third quarter. The Blackhawks had four guys in dou­ ble figures. Tyler Schut led Fennville with 15 points. Ben Peterson had 13 points, Dylan Schut 11 points and Izayah Strickfaden ten points. DK got 17 points from Blocker. Jason Lund­ quist had six points and Mason Nabozny four. “I thought Austin Hill was spectacular,” Hogoboom said. “The young man that doesn’t play much, but we needed him tonight and he had really nice moments of the kinds of effort and mentality that we’re talking about with our guys.” Hill had three points in the loss. AW TWW^TTWW^W^ d STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. 2021-28981-DE JUDGE: Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1390 Estate of Robert Nahum Long. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Robert Nahum Long, died August 27, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Michael Long, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 12/06/2021 Eldon J. Vincent (P65432) P.O. Box 469 Marshall, Ml 49068 269-789-0733 Michael Long, c/o Eldon J. Vincent Attorney P.O. Box 469 Marshall, Ml 49068 269-789-0733 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. 21-28999-DE JUDGE: William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court, Suite 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1390 Estate of Andrew Paul Matel. Date of birth: 8-19-57. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Andrew Paul Matel, died 9-30-2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Sharon Giffen, 117 W. Amy Street, Hastings, Ml 49058, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 1-10-22 David H. Tripp (P29290) 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Sharon Giffen 117 W. Amy Street Hastings, Ml 49058 269-838-6261 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. 22-29059-DE JUDGE: William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1390 Estate of Leona R. Lentz. Date of birth: 05/18/1931. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Leona R. Lentz, died 11/4/2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Thomas O. Lentz, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 1/6/2022 Robert L. Byington (P-27621) 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Thomas O. Lentz 15363 Lake Avenue Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 616-844-7260 STATE OF MICHIGAN 56B JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO. 21-2146-SC Court address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1404 Charles R. Dean 119 Bush St. Delton, Ml 49046 269-623-5784 v. Andria Rae Chase THE COURT FINDS: Service of process upon the defendant, Andria Rae Chase cannot reasonably be made as provided in MCR2.105 and service of process may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Service of the summons and complaint and a copy of this order shall be made by the following method: First-class mail to P.O. Box 642, Delton, Ml 49046. Publication in the Hastings Banner (one week). The Plaintiff and the Defendant must be in court on March 14, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. Date: 1-13-22 Judge William M. Doherty (P41960) 174322 Synopsis Hope Township Regular Board meeting January 10,2022 Meeting opened at 6:30pm Approved: Consent agenda . Williams & Works proposal Cemetery plots buy back .. Adjourned at 7:04 pm Submitted by: Deborah Jackson, Clerk Attested to by Doug Peck, Supervisor 174463 Times keep falling as Barracudas best Tigers Brett Bremer Sports Editor . Whether its someone like junior Devin Pacillo cutting fractions of a second off in the 100-yard freestyle or sophomore Mason Bailey cutting half a minute in the 500-yard freestyle, the Barry County Barracudas continued to cut their times while winning Tuesday night. The Barracudas’ varsity boys’ swimming and diving team improved to 3-0 in non-conference duals with a 107-74 win over Allegan in the Community Education and Recreation Center pool in Hastings. Barry County’s boys are set to open the Ok Rainbow Tier II Con­ ference season against Grand Rapids Union in Grand Rapids today (Jan. 13). Barry County assistant coach Mike Schip­ per nudged some of the Barracudas from the edge of lane one down to the end of lane seven where Bailey was fighting for points in the 500 freestyle. Whether Bailey heard his teammates or not, he went from a few feet behind Allegan’s Sawyer Childs, swimming in lane six, to even with him as they made their turn at the bulkhead with 100 yards go to. Childs slowly pulled ahead from there to place fifth overall in the race almost three seconds ahead of Childs. Bailey finished the race in 7 minutes 23.63 seconds, cutting 34.29 seconds from his pre­ vious best in the race this season. “We have been harping on them to just compete the whole time,” Barry County head coach Tyler Bultema said. “That showed. We had some late race heroics where people came in an outside lane and came and beat someone else in an outside lane. That is good.” All three Barracudas in the race had their best 500 time of the season. Senior Camden Reynolds was the runner-up in 6:29.22, cut­ ting. 19 seconds from his season best. Junior Evin Lamance was third in 7:12.56, cutting 13.51 seconds. “Still could be better, but that is some great improvement,” Bultema said. Allegan senior Conrad Eichbauer won the race in 5:16.66. Allegan won seven of the 12 events Tues­ day, but didn’t have the depth to keep pace overall. Eichbauer also won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:19.68. The Tigers’ Titus Smith, a junior, won the 50-yard free­ style in 23.25 seconds and the 100-yard but­ terfly in 56.98. Gabe Harlon, a junior, won the 200-yard freestyle for the Tigers in 2:00.81. The team of Harlan, Ian Hammer, Eich­ bauer and Smith took the 200-yard freestyle relay for Allegan in 1:34.99 and the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:37.20. Barry County won the first relay of the night, the 200-yard medley relay, with the team of junior Jack Kensington, sophomore Riley Shults, sophomore Jameson Riordan and freshman Donald Kuck finishing in 2:01.90. Barry County showed off its depth from the start with the team of freshman Hunter Tietz, junior Isaiah Randall, junior Mason Cross and freshman Nolan Send sec­ ond in that race with a time of 2:06.55. They beat out Allegan’s top medley relay team by.08 seconds for those second-place points. The Barry County team was happy to wel­ come back Kensington, who has been healing a football injury during the early portion of the swim season. Coach Bultema liked the way he competed. Kensington won the 100-yard freestyle in 53.39 and was second in the 200-yard indi­ vidual medley with a time of 2:05.32. Barry County had the meet’s top two div­ ers. Senior Blake Sheldon won with a score of 183.75 points. Freshman Eathan Kooistra was second with a score of 122.50. Barry County also won the final two indi­ vidual races of the night. Kuck took the 100yard backstroke in 1:08.42 with teammate Tietz second in 1:13.28 and senior teammate Jake Gheradi fourth. In the 100-yard breast­ stroke, Barry County’s Randall won with a time of 1:17.21 and sophomore teammate Heath Hays was second in 1:19.65. Freshman Michael Sager-Wissner was fourth in that 100 breaststroke for Barry County. While Harlan and Eichbauer won the first two individual races in the pool, the Barracu­ das performed well. Behind Kensington in the 200 freestyle, Pacillo was third in 2:05.44 and Reynolds fourth in 2:21.41. Int he 200 individual med­ ley, Barry County had Shults second, Send third and Tietz fourth. The Barry County Barracudas' Jameson Riordan works his way to a runner-up finish in the 100-yard butterfly during his team's victory over the Allegan Tigers at the CERC in Hastings Tuesday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Barry County Barracuda Donald Kuck races to a victory in the 100-yard backstroke during his team's win over visiting Allegan in the CERC pool at Hastings High School Tuesday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons manage a couple solid rounds at Cedar Springs Invite The Saxon varsity competitive cheer team placed sixth Saturday in the sev­ en-team Division 2 competition at Cedar Springs’ Red Hawk Invitational. The Hastings girls were competitive with the top teams despite finishing near the bottom of the standings. Hastings was just a tenth of a point behind the eventual champs from Byron Center after round one and the Saxons were less than a point from having the second best score overall in round three. A rough'round two, which included an eight point deduction, hurt the Saxon score overall. Byron Center took the day’s title with 736.42 points, ahead of Reeths Puffer 724.34, Cedar Springs 715.76, Mt. Pleasant 695.08, Dewitt 690.30, Hastings 685.22 and Forest Hills Central 627.38. Hastings earned a score of 220.50 in round one, 185.22 in round two and 279.50 in round three. Byron Center overtook Reeths Puffer, Cedar Springs and Dewitt in the final stand­ ings by scoring 311.80 points in round three, that after a 220.60 in round one and 204.02 in round two. Reeths Puffer had the top score in each of the first two rounds, a 227.30 in round one and 216.44 in round two to take the lead into round three. The Rockets finished the day with a round three score of 280.60. Hastings was set to visit Harper Creek last night, Jan. 12, for the opening Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference jamboree of the season. The Saxons return to action at the TK Invitational in Middleville Saturday. �Page 12 — Thursday, January 13, 2022 —The Hastings Banner , Defensive improvements help DK dominate ‘Hawks Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg’s varsity girls’ basketball team got its first victory since the opening night of the 2021-2022 season, back in November, when it knocked off Fennville 50-19 Monday evening. To this point in the season the Panthers have been in the Blackhawks’ situation more than the holding a big lead. Improved full­ court defense helped the Delton Kellogg girls keep extending their lead against their guests in the Southwestern Athletic Conference crossover. “We have been spending a lot of time on it in the last week, because I thought we would be a decent pressing team this year and we have been awful,” DK head coach Mike Mohn said. “Our rotation has been so awful. We spent a decent portion of the past week just working on the front rotation and then the back rotation, and really isolating it. Cadence Johnson did a fantastic job with it. “That made a big difference.” Johnson was at the top of the DK pressure, and made a regular habit of pulling the ball away from the Blackhawks. Defense turning to offense and what she thought was improved shot selection, helped Johnson finish with 11 points. “Our defense has been on and off,” John­ son said. “Our press, we haven’t pressed a lot. We have to work on the backside guard get­ ting across into the middle. We definitely did a lot better at that today - taking away that middle. We have been working a lot at prac­ tice on that. That was definitely a lot better.” The DK girls improved to 2-6 with the win. They are now 2-7 after a tough 68-17 SAC Valley Division loss to conference lead­ ing Schoolcraft in Delton Tuesday. In the win over Fennville, the DK girls 24-11 at the half and then started the second half on a 19-0 run. Josie Williams finished with a game-high 17 points for Delton Kellogg and Caitlin McManus had 12 points. Dk also got five Fennville's Madisynn Jefferson (3) tries to slow down Delton Kellogg guard Mya Brickley in transition during the first half of their SAC crossover ballgame at Delton Kellogg High School Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) points from Jordan Lyons. “It was nice to see today, Jordan Lyons attacking the hoop,” Mohn said. “We have been talking about that forever, and she final­ ly went up and you could see her smiling and kind of getting excited about that piece. Good for her.” She wasn’t the only Panther smiling. John­ son said it was a good time on the bench in Delton Kellogg's KayLeigh Buffum Fennville's Christina Mendoza on the wing second half of their SAC crossover contest Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Brett the second half cheering on teammates. “Good team win. You hear this all the time. Everybody contributed,” Mohn said. “They learned something today and that is all I real­ ly ask. We’re 2-6 and like I told them when the wins are few and far between you really have to kind of enjoy the fact that you put one together. “I’m real excited for the kids. Seeing them pressures during the Monday at Bremer) Delton Kellogg guard Jordan Lyons is hit by Fennville's Lila Rosema as she attacks the basket during the first half of their bailgame at DKHS Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) smile and seeing some reward for their effort. We have been drilled three different times by a lot, and I just thought they handled them­ selves well being up.” “It was just good to see them have some fun with it,” he added. “I am real happy for them. It is a great group of kids. It really is. They will do wonderful things in real life when they leave us just because they’re qual­ ity kids. It has been fun. It has been fun coaching. We got smoked last week and we’re coaching and they’re asking questions and we’re learning and we’re down 20.” ’ The Panthers will look to avoid more defL cits like that and keep having some fun when they visit Hackett Catholic Prep Friday. DK will be on the road Tuesday, Jan. 18, at Climax-Scotts. Saxons set for showdown with Parma Western Brett Bremer Sports Editor It’s a thing that builds on itself and Saxon senior Chelsea Ertner likes it. A decent sized student section dressed in some of their best beach ge;ji helped cheer the Hastings varsity girls’ basketball team to a 45-28 Interstate-8 Athletic Conference victory over visiting Harper Creek Tuesday at Hastings High School. Hastings moved to 7-3 overall this season and 3-1 in the conference with the win, set­ ting up a big showdown with undefeated Parma Western Friday in Hastings. “It’s amazing. I love it,” Ertner said of her team’s 7-3 start to the season. “Last year was kind of hard because of how our record was, but this year is a lot better.” Hastings was 2-14 a year ago, finishing with a 1-13 record. The Saxons’ last win­ ning season was 2015-2016 their last season in the OK Gold Conference in which they were 13-8 overall and 5-5 in confer­ ence play. The Saxon ladies went 9-13 overall and 5-9 in their first season in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference [2016­ 2017] and haven’t won more than two conference ballgames in a season since then. “I think it is our crowd,” Ertner said of the best changes brought on by some victories. “Our crowd is like oh, they’re winning so we have to go cheer them on. The support just helps us get hyped for the games.” New Hastings head coach Chase Youngs likes “I feel like they’re learning how to play,” Youngs said after besting the Beavers Tues­ day. “When you don’t win for five years it is about figuring out how to win. I feel like we took a step forward today. That is a down team, but I don’t care.” “This is a team that is learning how to win and a team that is hopefully setting an exam­ ple for the JV team,” he added. The Saxons will find out where they stand in the conference over the next two weeks. Of their next four conference foes three of them have winning records. The Saxons host 2 6Jackson Northwest Tuesday, Jan. 18, visit 4-5 Pennfield Jan. 21 and then host 5-3 Marshall Jan. 28. Northwest, Marshall and Hastings are all 3-1 in the conference head­ ing into this Friday’s action. Parma Western is 4-0 in conference play so far and 8-0 overall. “I don’t know the last time Hastings played for first place in the league, but we are on Friday,” Youngs said. “We have a monster coming in on Friday. They’re ranked, undefeated and were in the final four last year and they have got everybody back.” Hastings has won two in a row having also won a 41-36 win at Jackson Lumen Christi last Friday. The Saxons jumped out to an 11-3 lead against Harper Creek in Hastings Tuesday, led 29-8 at the half and went on a 14-2 run to start the second half. Hastings combined some full-court defense that bothered the Beavers with strong ball movement offen­ sively and some hot outside shooting. “I feel like our defense is pretty good, our offense is too, but our defense is more intense than our offense and I think that is what is shutting them down,” Ertner said. Macy Winegar led Hastings with 15 points. She hit four threes in the game. Brooklynn Youngs hit three threes and fin­ ished with nine points. The Saxons also got seven points from junior center Bailey Cook in the paint and four apiece from Brianna Barnes and Allison Teed. Coach Youngs was also pretty pleased with some of the passing he saw from lead­ ing-scorer Winegar as well as Carley War- ner. The Saxons did a solid job of working the ball inside and out to find open looks. Coach Youngs was happy to see his girls keep the pedal down during the second half against Harper Creek after allowing the Titans to hang around Friday. Hastings had an 11-4 lead at Lumen Christi, but the Titans pulled within 29-26 heading into the fourth quarter. The Saxons could have given themselves more of a cush­ ion in the end with a better performance at the free throw line. The Saxons were 5-of-11 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Winegar had 22 points in the win and was solid at the line going 6-of-6 for the night and 4-of-4 in the fourth quarter alone. Camy Crandall had 17 points to lead the Titans. Took who’s riding BARRY COUNTY TRANSJT Want to work for a great community with great people? Barry Coynty Transit is looking to adcj Awesome Drivers to the Transit Family. These are permanent 5 day positions. And we do the training!! The Saxons' Macy Winegar fights her way around Harper Creek defender Madison Berning from the wing during the sec­ ond half of their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference contest at Hastings High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “GREAT JOB WITH GREAT PEOPLE!” How about you? Call 269-948-8098 or stop in. Applications are available at the Transit office. Resumes also accepted by mail: Barry County Transit 1216 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-8098 Barry County Transit is an equal opportunity employer. Arrange Your Ride (269) 948-8098 Hastings senior center Madison Pettengill looks to thwart a shot attempt by Harper Creek freshman center Izzie Miller during their 1-8 ballgame at Hastings High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK dominates on Gull Lake mats for second cheer victory The Thomapple Kellogg varsity compet­ itive cheer team will finally get to be on its home mats Saturday as it hosts the Thor­ napple Kellogg Invitational, a month after having to cancel a CCCAM invitational in December when winter winds damaged the roof at the high school in Middleville. The main gym is still not ready for use at TKHS and Saturday’s invitational. The Tro­ jans and Hastings Saxons will both be a part of the day’s festivities beginning at 10 a.m. The Trojans will be cheering for their third victory in three meets when they take the mat Saturday. Thomapple Kellogg’s girls took the championship Saturday Jan. 8 at the Gull Lake Blue Devil Invitational, outscoring the runner-up Blue Devils by more than 40 points. The Trojans also won their sea­ son-opening meet at West Catholic last month. TK put together a three-round total score of 706.18, putting up the top score in each round. The Trojans were less than eight points ahead of Kalamazoo Central heading into round three and outscored the Maroons by more than 56 points in round three. The Trojans tallied a score of 214.70 in round one, 197.18 in round two and 294.30 in round three. Kalamazoo Central scored a 213.40 in round one, 190.50 in round two and 238.20 in round three. Gull Lake had a score of 206.90 in round one, 185.00 in round two and 274.00 in round three. Gull Lake had an overall score of 665.90, ahead of Kalamazoo Central 642.10, Por­ tage Northern 620.88, Buchanan 614.90 and Bloomingdale 485.40. The Trojans will head to Forest Hills Eastern to open the OK Gold Conference season Wednesday, Jan. 19. ! � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-01-20.pdf e418ee4d0e97a2b395d49a3d8117cb03 PDF Text Text Hastings schools pick May 3 for bond election Barracudas beat Wildcats by one point for invitational title See Story on Page 3 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 1070490102590502508149058113421 CAR-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemeriing 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2022 9:47:00 AM s Thursday, January 20, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 3 PRICE $1.00 County fixes on $6 million in federally funded projects Rebecca Pierce During Tuesday's meeting, Attorney Mark Nettleton shows Barry County commission­ ers the federal government's 400-plus page update on American Rescue Plan Act requirements. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Editor Seven high-priority initiatives, with a col­ lective price tag of more than $6 million, are likely to be funded in Barry County through the American Rescue Plan Act. “It’s the board’s intention to move for­ ward,” county board of commissioners Chairman Ben Geiger said Tuesday. The list of proposals took about four hours for commissioners to review Tuesday before they tentatively OK’d those that will qualify under specific criteria spelled out by the federal government. The allocations are expected to be approved by commissioners during their board meeting next Tuesday. Delton goes virtual during CO VID spike The projects range from water towers in Barry Township and the village of Freeport to an 800-megahertz tower for emergency communications in the county, enhance­ ments for the Paul B. Henry Thomapple Trail and the Activate Barry County Com­ munity Food Center Project in the City of Hastings. The wide-ranging slate was identified by a task force, led by Barry Community Foun­ dation CEO Bonnie Gettys. The emphasis for ARPA expenditures is on critical, identified needs or a long-term investment with impact that would extend beyond the bounds of the local unit. Also emphasized were funding needs beyond the ability of a local unit to fund solely through its own allocation of ARPA funds as well as other resources. Projects that were proposed needed to adhere to certain guidelines governing the use of ARPA funds. The intent for this money, under federal guidelines for the the funding, is to: - support public health expenditures, by funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, medical expenses, behavioral healthcare, and certain public health and safety staff; - address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harm to workers, house- See $6 MILLION, page 2 Interim gets top spot at Thornapple Kellogg Greg Chandler Taylor Owens Staff Writer Delton Kellogg Schools is spending three days this week in virtual learning mode due to a rise in cases of COVID-19 and close contacts among staff and students. Delton interim Superintendent Carl Schoessel told the board of education the district needed to move to virtual learning during a meeting Monday night, and the dis­ trict announced the decision Tuesday. “The number just keeps going up,” Schoes­ sel told The Banner. Since Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were already going to be half-days due to the end of the semester, and since Monday was a professional development day for staff only, Schoessel said it made sense to move those three days to virtual learning. Students will not be required to spend the entire school day on their computers. Schoessel said the district had a similar rise in cases in November, while Kyle Corlett was still the superintendent, and the district took a four-day break. During that break, the num­ ber of cases dropped. He said he’s hoping a similar drop will occur during the six-day break. The decision also was recommended by the school nurse, who district officials have been working with closely to navigate the pandemic. The rise in cases in Delton is reflected throughout the county, which reported 666 active cases Tuesday, the highest in several months. The county reported 506 cases the previous week. About a third of all CO VID tests conduct­ ed in Barry County in the past week have been positive, which health officials said indicates there are many more cases in the county that have not been confirmed. The Barry-Eaton District Health Department also reported three deaths due to COVID this week; a total of 137 deaths have been attributed to CO VID since the pandemic was declared. While the Omicron variant has not been con­ firmed in Barry County, it has been found in neighboring counties, and BEDHD officials say it is likely already in Barry County. Since only a few COVID positive tests are gene-sequenced to determine the strain of the virus, it is possible there are many cases of the Omicron virus in the county that have not been sequenced, they said. Health officials say the Omicron variant is not as lethal as previous variants, but it’s much more contagious. “We are urging everyone age 12 and older to get a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible when they are eligible, as people with boosters are better protected against the Omicron variant,” a health depart­ ment press release stated. “We also encourag­ ing folks to stay home when they are sick and to wear a mask in public to avoid spreading or catching the Omicron variant of COVID-19.” According to Bridge Michigan, the state’s daily case count has doubled since the variant was confirmed in the state. Last week had several days when more than 18,000 new cases were confirmed. The Michigan House canceled votes this week due to a widespread number of cases among lawmakers and staff. Marines honor fallen comrade About 100 U.S. Marines came to Hastings a week ago with one purpose: To honor fellow Marine CpI. Joshua Hoffman, shown at left, who died Dec. 27. They had served with Hoffman in Afghanistan and Iraq. “As long as we’re here on this earth, his memory will never die,” said Nathan Woellhof, his commanding officer. Hoffman was shot by a sniper in Fallujah, Iraq, in January 2007. The bullet left him paralyzed from the neck down. Several hundred people filled the Wren Chapel of the Lauer Funeral Home for the service last Thursday. Above, a Marine holds the American flag before it was presented to Hoffman's family during the military cere­ mony at Riverside Cemetery. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Staff Writer More than four months after taking over the position on ah acting basis and about a month after being given the title of interim superintendent, Craig McCarthy has been offered the job as superintendent of Thomap­ ple Kellogg Schools. After a 35-minute interview Monday night at Thornapple Kellogg Middle School, the district’s Board of Education voted unani­ mously to offer the job to McCarthy, who joined the district in 2018 as assistant super­ intendent. The board’s motion directed Presi­ dent Matt Powers to enter into contract nego­ tiations with McCarthy. “I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me,” McCarthy said shortly after the board vote. “My first job will be to replace myself, in the assistant superintendent’s role.” McCarthy, 57, became acting superinten­ dent at TK in September 2021 when former Superintendent Dan Remenap went on medi­ cal leave. He was then named interim super­ intendent last month after Remenap resigned. Trustee Anne Hamming, who made the motion to offer the position to McCarthy, praised the new superintendent’s collabora­ tive leadership skills and ability to build teams. “His persona, his approach to everything captures what we are about as a community, where we relate to one another. We meet each other where we are,” Hamming said. “He personifies the culture, the character, the leadership that is a hallmark of this district. I think we can fully entrust him with the lead­ ership of this district.” “He stepped in at a difficult time, and we didn’t miss a beat,” board Vice President Jeff Dickman added. “This is a testament to him.” Trustee Krissy Hooson cited McCarthy’s work ethic, accessibility and willingness to listen as key attributes in her support. “I’ve seen him listen to our community. I’ve seen him listen to us,” Hooson said. “I am 100 percent supportive of moving for­ ward with Craig.” Craig McCarthy, who took on the role of superintendent on an acting basis four months ago, was unanimously picked by the school board to fill the post. In his interview, McCarthy shared his approach to professional leadership, empha­ sizing the importance of working as a team. “We listen to one another’s opinions. We all come from a variety of backgrounds and we all have various experiences,” he said. “I’m coming in knowing that I don’t know everything. I always try to come into a room thinking I’m not the smartest person in the room and I can learn something from some­ body else. I think it’s beneficial for us to lis­ ten to all the various opinions.” McCarthy also spoke of the importance of community input in shaping the direction of the TK district. He said that one of the most important things the district can do is “inten­ tionally build relationships or rebuild rela­ tionships” that have fallen by the wayside during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I need to be able to meet with those stakeholders that really care and want to See INTERIM, page 2 Briel, Lehman named Athena award recipients In conjunction with the Barry County Cham­ ber and Economic Development Alliance’s annual awards banquet at Bay Pointe Woods Saturday, awards were presented to two women who embody the Athena Leadership Model. Lyn Briel received the 2021 Athena Leader Award, presented by 2019 recipient Carol Svihl; and Stephanie Lehman received the 2021 Athena Young Professional Honoree, given by 2019 recipient Emily Welker. The Athena Leadership Model, developed through a grant from the WK. Kellogg Foun­ dation, identifies eight attributes reflective of women’s contributions to leadership: living authentically, learning constantly, advocating fiercely, acting courageously, fostering col­ laboration, building relationships, giving back and celebrating. Briel has made an impact on many women in the community, especially in Freeport, where for many years, she served as a first responder and as a volunteer with the fire department. She has cooked for the fireman’s breakfast, helped organized auctions, and led the charge in fundraisers. Her greatest and most prideful accomplish­ ments, according to a press release from the chamber, include her husband, daughters, and grandchildren. She has served in several roles in the coun­ ty. While working as the manager of Fiberfest Magazine for more than five years, raising angora goats to produce mohair to show in the magazine, she developed an enterprise with the late Don and Sue Diummond to educate the public. Briel’s next career took her to the Thomapple Arts Council where she was instrumental in developing a scholarship fund for the council. She then moved on to the district director of the Red Cross. While there, she worked with to help start the Fresh Food Initiative which is still operating in Hastings. She has been Thomapple Manor’s director of support services for the past 15 years. “Lyn is humble and kind. She doesn’t want recognition, which is partially why I think it is important to give her this honor that she deserves,” said Morgan Johnson, the 2018 Athena Young Professional recipient. “She does everything in her life with passion and a true love for giving back to others. She never wants anything in return other than to see someone else happy. Lyn has been one of the biggest cheerleaders in my life.” In addition to being recognized by the Chamber, Briel was presented with a special tribute from the State of Michigan. State Rep. Julie Calley presented the special recognition to Briel for her “generosity, dedication, and selflessness” to service in Barry County. Stephanie Lehman started her career at Barry County Central Dispatch in 2008 as a telecommunicator in hopes to create a better life for her and her daughter. During her years as a telecommunicator, she also held the title of a certified training officer and union stew­ ard. Lehman was able to negotiate a contract that benefited the union and the employer. In 2013, she was promoted to supervisor and became heavily involved in the National Emergency Number Association and held the title of secretary from 2016 to 2018. Lehman graduated from Sienna Heights University in December 2013, receiving a bachelor of applied science degree with a minor in occupational studies, focusing on communication. In April 2017, she earned her Emergency Number Professional certification. Later that year, she was promoted to interim director, and in March 2018, she was named director of Barry County Central Dispatch. See ATHENA, page 2 . \ ’ ' . - �Page 2 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings High School students compete at regional business event Four Hastings High School business stu­ dents put their skills to the test at the Busi­ ness Professionals of American Region 1 Leadership Conference at Davenport Uni­ versity Friday, Jan. 14, Business Professionals of America is a youth organization that provides leadership and business opportunities for high school students to aid them in making decisions on their future careers. The skills students learn through participating in a variety of business experiences help prepare them for future careers. Students from Hastings and other area high schools competed in individual and team events ranging from administrative support concepts to website fundamentals. Students who place in the top five in indi­ vidual events, and top two in team events are eligible to attend the BPA state leadership conference. Hastings walked away with five awards. Two students qualified to attend the state conference: Abigail Barton (second in busi­ ness law and ethics, second in business meet­ ing management concepts and third place in financial math and analysis) and Abigail Owen (fourth in computer security, and third place in fundaments of web Design). The state leadership conference will be March 10-13 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. At this conference, students take part in similar business-related events and compete for the top spots, possi­ bly qualifying for the national competition in Dallas. Greg Chandler Abby Barton Abby Owen Business Professionals of America is full of bright, young people wishing to enter a business professional career, according to a press release from HHS teacher and BPA co-advisor. “This beneficial organization is helping our youth to have a brighter future through encouraging members to excel in tomor­ row’s business careers and to function in the community as responsible citizens,” the release read. “Development of occupa­ tional, leadership, teamwork, organization­ al and communication skills are all tested in the Workplace Assessment Skills Pro­ gram. The Hastings Chapter of Business Profes­ sionals of America has competed since 1986. Jeff Erb also is a BPA adviser for Hastings, and both are career and technical education teachers at Hastings High School. INTERIM, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------help the district move forward,” he said. “My intent is to meet with each of the board members individually to determine the direction that you each feel we need to move. I want to be able to meet with the administrators as well, to get their ideas. But most importantly, I think we need to reestab­ lish relationships with community groups. That might mean the parent advisory group or the PTOs, or meeting with Rotary and the Lions Club, the ministerial alliance - getting out there and getting the pulse of the com­ munity. “We need to rebuild the relationships and the trust that goes, along with that, so they’re confident the district is going in the direction that is desired.” McCarthy sees one of the challenges of his new role as addressing the learning loss that has occurred as a result of the pandemic. “We shut down in early [2020] in March, and we really didn’t come back to school until the following school year,” he said. “That’s an awful lot of time where students weren’t receiving instruction. We talk about a ‘summer slide’ when students lose some aca­ demic advancement, but we had almost half a year where they weren’t doing anything ... We weren’t given the time to prepare at that point and time to do the virtual instruction as well as it could be.” “We’re already focusing, doing more inter­ vention at the early [elementary] levels reading intervention, looking at math inter­ vention, trying to raise the abilities of our youngest students ... We need to get the kids up to [reading at] third grade level, so that they can use that skill to be able further their skills down the road,” he said. Staffing shortages are another concern for the new superintendent. “We need to try and develop relationships TK picks a new board member with schools of education, so that we can be the first, desired location for those students to come, either for student teaching or looking for an open position,” McCarthy said. McCarthy did not take the traditional path­ way to becoming a school superintendent. He began his professional career as an accoun­ tant, working first in the Detroit area, and later for Spartan Stores in West Michigan after passing his exam to become a certified public accountant. After seven years as an accountant, McCa­ rthy decided to switch professional direction in an effort to gain more time with his grow­ ing family. He went back to school, earning a teaching certificate in 13 months from Aqui­ nas College in Grand Rapids, and got hired as a business service technologies teacher at the Kent Career Technical Center, which is part of the Kent Intermediate School District. “I taught computerized accounting, Micro­ soft Office products, computerized banking and network administration while I was there,” McCarthy said. McCarthy taught 14 years at KCTC, and also taught accounting at Grand Rapids Com­ munity College. Then in 2007, McCarthy was hired as assistant superintendent for finance and oper­ ations at Northview Public Schools in subur­ ban Grand Rapids, and held that role for nine years. “I went from the classroom to being in charge of pretty much everything in the school district,” he said. “It was quite a chal­ lenge, but it was invigorating. I was learning something new. I learned a ton those first few years.” In 2016, McCarthy became director of finance and operations at Cadillac Area Pub­ lic Schools, a position he held for two years before he was recruited to TK by former Superintendent Rob Blitchok in 2018. Powers reached out to district administra­ tors and union leaders to gauge their support for elevating McCarthy to the superinten­ dent’s role, and also checked out job refer­ ences as well. He said administrators and union officials alike supported hiring him. He read some of the responses he received to his board colleagues. “He will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear,” Powers quoted one respondent. “He will do what he says he is going to do. He does not have an agenda.” Another respondent described McCarthy as “a great sounding board, team member confidant, experienced in all facets of the school, knowledgeable and able to speak to people at their Idvel.” As assistant superintendent, McCarthy was the point person behind the $42.5 million bond issue that TK voters approved in November 2020. The bond issue made possible additions at all three of the district’s elementary schools as well as current construction of the district’s new learning center, which is slated to open in time for the 2022-23 school year. McCarthy also has a track record of lead­ ing successful bond issues in his previous districts, including approval of a $31.6 mil­ lion proposal for additions and technology improvements at Northview in 2011 and a $65 million bond issue for school additions and renovations at Cadillac in May 2018, shortly before he moved to TK. McCarthy holds an associate’s degree in accounting from Grand Rapids Community College, a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University, a profes­ sional and vocational teaching certification from Aquinas College and a master’s in edu­ cation and professional development from Western Michigan University. Staff Writer Before the Thomapple Kellogg Board of Education began its interview with Craig McCarthy for its superintendent position Monday, the board appointed Allison Hinton to fill an opening created by the resignation last week of Alexis Snyder. Hinton, who has lived in the Mid­ dleville area since 2014, is the community outreach director for the YMCA of Barry County. She has held this position since 2017. She is also the mother of three stu­ dents in the TK district - a junior and sophomore at the high school and a third-grader at Lee Elementary School. “It’s exciting coming on with a new superintendent,” Hinton said after the meeting. “Hopefully, it’s time to move forward as a community.” Hinton is the third person appointed to the TK board in the last six months fol­ lowing a wave of resignations. Krissy Hooson was appointed last July followed the resignation of Sarah Alden, and Jake Welch was chosen in October to replace Kristen Cove. Snyder resigned after nearly seven years on the school board. Hinton had been the runner-up for an opening on the TK board when Welch was appointed. The new appointment was made possible by a board decision at that time to amend its policy on filling vacan­ cies, allowing the board to consider candi­ dates who had interviewed for a previous opening if the new vacancy took place within six months of the previous one. The board at its Jan. 10 meeting direct­ ed President Matt Powers to reach out to Hinton to see if she would be interested in serving. Hinton said yes. Allison Hinton Hinton has previous experience as a school board member. While living in Texas, she served on the school board for the Hunt Independent School District, about 80 miles northwest of San Antonio, from 2010 to 2014. In her role with the YMCA, Hinton has worked closely with all four school dis­ tricts within Barry County, including TK, to develop and bring to life the B. Bus Mobile Library, a library on wheels. She also started up a program to provide 4,000 meals and 4,000 snacks to local schools after they were shut down in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hinton will serve out the remainder of Snyder’s term, which expires at the end of this year. Her seat will come up for elec­ tion in November. $6 MILLION, continued from page 1 ----------------- — holds, small businesses, impacted indus­ tries and the public sector; - replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue experienced due to the pandemic; - provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have borne and will bear the greatest health risks because of their ser­ vice in critical infrastructure sectors, or - nvest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure, making necessary invest­ ments to improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and storm­ water infrastructure and to expand access to broadband internet. Mark Nettleton, a Grand Rapids attorney with Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones PLC, attended Tuesday’s committee meeting to answer questions. The federal government recently released modifications as far as use of ARPA funds, to the consternation of government officials. Nettleton brought the federal ARPA revi­ sions, more than 400 pages of them, and answered commissioners’ questions about whether modifications would have any impact on those local projects under con­ sideration. The specific projects that the board has recommended for approval are: • Up to $1.3 million to construct a 200,000-gallon water tower in the Delton area to increase the capability of the cur­ rent water delivery system. • Up to $839,000 for a Freeport water supply and tower to rehabilitate the current water tower and replace an undersized 1,560-foot water main. A replacement will improve water quality and reliability to residents to help the village prepare for additional industry and residents. • Up to $2.4 million for Barry County Central Dispatch/911 and Barry County Emergency Management to build one 800 Megahertz communications tower site to increase load capacity, coverage and pro­ vide increased interoperability and a safer communications platform in the county. • Up to $650,000.00 for a 4.5 mile pav­ ing project to enhance the Paul B. Henry Thomapple Trail. • Up to $100,000 for Activate Barry County for a Community Center Food Planning Project in the city of Hastings. • Up to $240,000 for the Barry County Road Commission for revenue replace­ ment. • Up to $14,000 for the Algonquin Lake Sewer and Broadband plan to reduce pollu­ tion and improve the quality of drinking water and provide a viable plan to move forward with broadband ATHENA AWARD, continued from page 1 -------------------------------- Pictured at the awards cei ^mony are (from left) 2021 recipient Lyn Briel, chamber president Jennifer Heinzman and presenter Carol Svihl. (I lannah Elizabeth Photography) Lehman wears many hats. At the county level, she is involved in the health care committee, the Sub­ stance Abuse Task Force and Sui­ cide Initiative, and she volunteers at Thomapple Kellogg, where her daughter attends school. In the 9-1-1 community, Leh­ man has been involved with the Michigan chapter of NENA since 2016, where she has served on the board as secretary, vice president, and currently is its president. She also holds a seat on the State 911 Committee, where she chairs two committees and participates in sev­ eral others. One of the best qualities Lehman has, according to the chamber release, is the ability to lead her team organically and authentically. Lehman is continuously encourag­ ing her team to be involved with her, not for her. She is said to be an effective communicator, has clear expectations, and is quick to defend her team. “On a personal level, Stephanie has been one I have turned to over and over again, when I needed advice or a sounding board,” Depu­ ty Director Katlin Hall said. “I have a hard time putting into words how valuable Stephanie’s guidance means to me. Stephanie took a young 20-year-old girl under her wing, willingly, and for that I will forever be grateful ... I have watched her take it upon herself at Stephanie Lehman (right) receives the Athena Young Professional Award from chamber president Jennifer Heinzman. (Hannah Elizabeth Photography) work to sit down and have person­ able conversations with others when she senses that they may be struggling with a problem that is not work related. Stephanie has the ability to recognize qualities that many do not see in themselves, and she uses that to uplift all women in her life.” The chamber launched the Athe­ na Leadership Program in Barry County in 2009 and has honored 11 Athena Leaders and nine Athena Young Professionals since. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — Page 3 Hastings School System inks May 3 as bond election date Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The Hastings Board of Education officially lapproved a bond election for May 3during its .monthly meeting Monday. [ The decision came after the state treasury [accepted the district’s 100-page preliminary qualification application for a bond request. .The process took about a month, with the .treasury needing to approve every single line [item incorporated in the bond request, Hast­ ings Area School System Superintendent [Matt Goebel explained. Funds can only go toward the upgrades 'proposed in the ballot language, he said. I The bond will cover the same scope as the [proposal that failed in August 2021 by 83 [votes. This year’s bond will focus on mainte­ nance needs across the district, Goebel said, i .including a new roof and new locker rooms at {the high school, a repaved parking lot at the [middle school, refurbished bathrooms, the addition of LED lights, upgraded security and improved air quality, among other enhance­ ments. The district would partner with BMA Architects and Wolgast Corporation. Many of the district’s facilities are decades old. The high school locker rooms, for exam­ ple, are more than 50 years old, having been installed in 1970 when the high school was built. Buses date to 1997 and portions of the high school roof were installed in 1997. “We’ve got a lot of very critical needs that this bond will help us take care of,” school board President Luke Haywood said, “that are not able to be taken care of out of the general fund.” If passed, the bond would raise the current tax rate from 6.0 mills to 6.8 mills, generating $23.9 million for the district. Normally, it would take 25 to 30 years to pay off the debt, Goebel said. But this time around, the district will make the commitment of paying off the debt in 14 years and nine months. “This was very intentional,” he said. “We have heard from the public also to reduce the life of the debt. So, we really wanted to make sure that we tried to get that as low as possi­ ble.” Although the district officially set a date for the bond election Monday, it has spent months preparing. It has already compiled a five-person steering committee and invited more than 70 people to its citizens’ commit­ tee meetings. The steering committee, which will help guide the bond campaign, consists of Danielle Storrs (chair), Justin Peck (trea­ surer), Jeff Domenico (secretary), Chris Cooley and Fred Jacobs. Haywood said representatives from the citizens committee will visit the school board meetings in February, March and April to provide updates. In other business, the board: • Approved four new gas buses for $395,315 from Midwest Transit. Haywood noted that for the past 20 to 30 years, the school district has bought diesel buses. But after learning more about issues caused by diesel buses, the district has decid­ ed to move towards gas buses. He said he has talked to seven to eight other districts that have done the same. “We’re spending a lot of repairs on the diesel exhaust systems, which are failing on on buses because of all the emission controls that are regulated,” Haywood explained during the meeting. • Assigned Assistant Superintendent of Achievement and Superintendent of Schools, Beth Stevens, as the compliance officers; Assistant Superintendent of Operations, Tim Berlin, as FOIA coordinator and will be in charge of “issuing and posting notices of all meetings pursuant to the provisions of the Michigan Open Meetings Act. • Accepted a $1,000 donation from Al & Pete’s Sport Shop. ROTH Award recipient Don Haney, administrator at Thornapple Manor, is pictured with Jennifer Heinzman, BCEDA president. The Community Impact Award was presented to Highpoint Community Bank and accepted by Rob Ranes (left) of HCB, who is pictured here with chamber Director Jennifer Heinzman and HCB President and CEO Mark Kolanowski. McKeown Kraii Professional CPAs received the Member Choice Award for Customer Service Excellence. The award was accepted by (from left) Ashley Lantinga, Derrick Brock, Michael McKeown and Thomas Hamilton. Barry County Commissioner Catherine Getty (right) received the Chamber Champion Award for her collaboration with many organizations in the county. She is pictured here Tuesday during a county board meeting with chamber Director Jennifer Heinzman. Businesses, individuals honored at chamber event The Barry County Chamber and Economic Development Alliance hosted its annual chamber Dinner and awardsxcelebration Sat­ urday at Bay Pointe Woods ii^Shelbyville. A celebration of all things ^arry County, the annual event recognizes the hard work and achievements of various members and individuals throughout the year. \ The awards are presented to help bring attention to the businesses, organizations and individuals who work tirelessly to make Barry County the community it is. The cele­ bration provides a chance to recognize and honor those who teach, lead, inspire and men­ tor others around them. Award recipients and honorees are nomi­ nated and voted on by the chamber member­ ship. Nominations for individual awards are accepted from mid-September until mid-October. Once all nominations have been received and compiled, chamber members then select the eventual recipients. Nichole Lyke, economic development coordinator for the chamber, said Saturday’s event especially, was a celebration of com­ munity and togetherness after an unprece­ dented and extraordinary year. “The Barry County business community persevered, and despite every bump in the road that 2021 brought, showed amazing suc­ cess and resilience,” she said, adding that the Barry County Chamber and EDA was proud and honored to recognize the local business­ es, organizations and individuals. The Brick Award Nominees for this award have made a com­ mitment to Barry County through capital investment in new or existing facilities and demonstrate vision, commitment, growth and stability for the community, workforce and future sustainability. Qualifying projects were completed in 2021. The 2021 nominees were the Barry Com­ munity Foundation Memorial Garden and Entryway, Spectrum Health Pennock’s expan­ sion of labs and office spaces, the Village of Middleville Eastbank Park renovations and updates; and, the YMCA of Barry County Camp Algonquin waterfront renovations. The honoree is the YMCA of Barry County, located in Hastings, for its investment of $1.3 million renovation to the waterfront at Camp Algonquin. This allows campers and families to enjoy the new program space, which also allows for a safer swimming area. The addi­ tion of the new trails, bathroom and showers near the lake it provide for a fun and more organized experience for the community. The Brick Award was presented by Emily Welker of Spectrum Health Pennock (2020 Brick Award recipient), and accepted on behalf by Jon Sporer, YMCA of Barry Coun­ ty director. Community Impact Award Johnny DeMaagd (center), owner of Left Field Cafe on Main, is joined by Amanda Rood (left) and Lindsey Grubb Saturday when he received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. (BCEDA photos) • Approved bids for drywall from D9 Sys­ tems Inc. for $77,670 and electrical from Buist Electric for $169,226 at Central Ele­ mentary. The money will go toward modify­ ing the existing ceilings in classrooms, turn­ ing them into drop ceilings. Haywood said that the final drop ceiling improvements will “clean up and finish up our 2016 bond. We’ve had a number of years to make use of those funds and so this, in addition to our sinking funds, will help accomplish this project.” • Appointed Janette Ansorge as the sev­ enth-grade A girls’ basketball coach; Kampbell Andrews as a lifeguard at the community center; Clay Coltson as the eighth grade B girls’ basketball coach; Terry Dull as a co-as­ sistant wrestling coach at the middle school; and Holly Rottman as a food service substi­ tute district-wide. • Received a resignation from Lisa Iberle, a food service cook in at the high school. This award recognizes individuals, service groups, businesses and nonprofit organiza­ tions that go above and beyond in their ser­ vice to the county. Nominees work to actively address needs within the community. They are passionate in their service, and as a result, the county is a stronger, healthier and happier place to live. The nominees are Barry County Blue Zones, Highpoint Community Bank, Elizabeth Lonegran and Spectrum Health Pennock. Highpoint Community Bank received the award for its continued dedication to the youth financial literacy. Programs range from the innovative Kickstart to Careers savings accounts and piggy banks for kindergartners, to providing hard-copy books with lesson plans to all first through fourth grade teachers in the county, to providing the space and sup­ port of the local backpack program. HCB has branches throughout the county. The award was presented by Lani Forbes, director of the Barry County United Way and Volunteer Center (2020 Community Impact Award recipient) and accepted by Rob Ranes, HCB’s vice president of commercial banking. Entrepreneur of the Year Award The Entrepreneur of the Year Award recog­ nizes individual business owners for their leadership, vision, community support and entrepreneurial spirit. These individuals have benefitted the county through job creation and their impact on the business community, as a whole. The 2021 nominees are David Solmes of Dewey’s Auto Body, Carlos Zink of Barlow Florist, and Johhny DeMaagd of Left Field Caf? on Main. Johnny DeMaagd of Left Field Caf? on Main, located in downtown Middleville, received the award. Launched in 2016 as a coffee roasting venture, Left Field expanded first to local markets and then online, before opening a permanent brick-and-mortar loca­ tion in November 2018. Since then, Left Field Caf? on Main has hosted several com­ munity events, added to the downtown retail landscape while supporting other entrepre­ neurs, expanded its product lines and in-store offerings, and created a sense of place that is unique, warm and welcoming. The award was presented to Johnny DeMaagd by Ashly Goldsworthy, daughter of Robert Goldswor­ thy (2020 Entrepreneur of the Year recipient). Member Choice Award for Customer Service Excellence This award is earned by members for their dedication to providing an excellent standard of customer service. These members offer con­ sistency and quality in all aspects of service. They are known for their honesty and integrity, they show exceptional initiative to create a customer-first environment which enhances their business or organization, they support their community, and they provide outstanding service that goes above and beyond the expect­ ed. Additionally, they demonstrate a willing­ ness to listen and learn from their customers, are accountable for actions made by entire staff, and they respond positively in difficult situations. The 2021 nominees are Barry Coun­ ty Lumber, Barry County Transit, Brian’s Tire and Service, Courtside of Hastings, Dewey’s Auto Body, First Rehab and Sport-Hastings, Highpoint Community Bank, Left Field Caf? on Main, MKP CPA, Razor’s Edge, Spectrum Health Pennock and Thornapple Credit Union-Hastings. The recipient Saturday was Member Choice Award for Customer Service Excellence is McKeown Kraii Professional CPAs, in Mid­ dleville. MKP CPA exemplifies service to customers throughout the area and leads its *?! yt>H. .ffiiU HW/ 12UOIfL89.OJ4. Iuni tJi'H industry with company culture initiatives and staff development programs. With more than 30 years of experience, MKP CPA has become a staple, hosting and supporting community events and programs throughout the year and across the county. The award for customer service excellence was presented by Nichole Smith, owner of Tom’s Market (2020 Member Choice Award recipient), and accepted by Michael McKeown. Chamber Champion Award This award, chosen by chamber staff, rec­ ognizes someone who goes above and beyond in support of the Barry County Chamber and EDA’s mission. The Chamber Champion is someone who actively advocates for the chamber and supports BCEDA programs and efforts by serving on committees, volunteer­ ing for events and serving on boards. The 2021 Chamber Champion award recipient is Catherine Getty, county commis­ sioner and Thomapple Township resident. From federal grant projects to parks and rec­ reation, trails, broadband, housing, site selec­ tion, working with townships and the county, Getty serves on several BCEDA committees, as well as other organizations with which the chamber collaborates throughout the county. “Catherine is always there to volunteer and isn’t afraid of getting her hands dirty,” Lyke said. “She truly goes above and beyond in her support of the BCEDA, and the county as a whole.” Chamber ROTH Award Established in 2015, the Chamber ROTH Award for Outstanding Business Profession­ als recognizes visionary business and com­ munity leaders are that responsive to the issues facing their communities and work actively to address and improve problems when they arise. The acronym stands for Responsive, Opportunity, Teacher, Herald. Recipients create opportunity for others in the county to succeed through job creation and community support. They teach, lead, inspire and mentor those around them. These indi­ viduals are beacons of business, touting the merit of doing business here. They work to actively create an open and welcoming busi­ ness environment in Barry County. This year’s recipient is Don Haney, adminis­ trator of Thomapple Manor. Haney, in his 20 years of service to Barry County exemplifies the ROTH traits through his service on the BCEDA board, TK school board and various state boards and commissions. His for­ ward-thinking, compassion-centered leadership has seen the implementation of several innova­ tive programs such as the on-site daycare pilot for staff and the newest expansion to meet local housing needs for elderly residents. The award was presented by Mark Kolanowski (2019 ROTH Award honoree). State Rep. Julie Calley also presented Haney with a special recognition from the State of Michigan for his years of ser­ vice and dedication to Barry County. The Athena Leadership and Young Profes­ sional awards were given to Lyn Briel and Stephanie Lehman, respectively. (See sepa­ rate story) More information about the Barry County Chamber and EDA can be provided by Jenni­ fer Heinzman via email to jennifer@mibarry. com or by calling 269-945-2454. �Page 4 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you Do you see If you see this truck around town, just know it isn’t your normal 2005 Chevy Silverado 1500. The owner, Dakota Innes, a 18-year-old Hastings Charter Township resident, has already put $15,000 into its repairs - replacing the motor, swapping out the transmission and hand washing the exterior nearly five days a week during the summer. “I'm gonna be honest,” Innes said, “I have one of the best trucks in Michigan.” But that’s not why it’s unique. The truck is TikTok-famous. Innes, whose story is highlighted, below, in the “Have You Met?” section, has gained nearly 20,000 followers on the popular social media app over the past half a year for videos showcasing his truck. For more information on Inness and his Chevy Sil­ verado, see below. remember? Eagle Scouts Banner Jan. 25, 1968 Eagle Scouts - Four members of Boy Scouts Troop 74 achieved the Eagle Scout ranking after appearing before the Eagle Scout board Thursday evening. The new Eagle Scouts are (from left) James Payne, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Payne, Route 2, Hastings; Robert Bruce, 15, and Jeffrey Bruce, 14, sons of Mr. and Mrs. [Marlene] William Bruce of Route 2, Hastings; and Mike Ward, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leon Ward of Route 2, Hastings. Seven boys started out in Troop 74 with William Bruce as the scoutmaster, and four achieved the highest ranking. Scoutmaster Bruce is a foreman for the Tyden Corporation. Jim, Mike and Robert are sophomores at Hastings High School, and Jeff is an eighth-grader at Central. Russell Belfield (center) who holds the Silver Beaver, and HHS Principal Donald Gill, Sheriff Merl H. Campbell, Dr. Jim Spindler, the Rev/ Willard H. durfis, and District Chairman James Wiswell were on the Eagle Scout board. Have you met? Dakota Innes already owned two trucks, but when he saw a 2005 Chevrolet Silvera­ do 1500 without a speck of rust selling for $10,000, he couldn’t pass up on the deal. He’d waited his whole life for. a truck like this, one he could fix up and people would nod their heads in appreciation when the saw it rolling down the street. But they don’t just recognize his truck in Hastings. They recognize it all around the country. Innes, an 18-year-old Hastings Charter Township resident, is a TikTok star with nearly 20,000 followers. And that’s thanks to his truck. After finding himself watching truck TikTok, the popular social media app where users post short videos, he noticed he could create his own content. So, in June 2021, he pulled the Chevy Silverado out of his pole bam and started making TikTok videos. And then he kept making TikTok videos. He made a commit­ ment to post every single day, usually around 10 a.m. After a few months, his page blew up. “I just like consistency,” he said. “I feel like if you’re gonna grow, you’re gonna have to post.” Most of Innes’ TikTok posts feature an inspirational quote paired with a short video of his truck. Sometimes he will walk around the truck parked in his garage. Other times he’ll drive it down a scenic gravel road near the water - the only time it ever goes near a dirt road. One of his most pop­ ular TikToks, with about 378,000 views, shows an up-close view of his engine. “I’m gonna be honest,” Innes said, “I have one of the best trucks in Michigan.” It’s a credit to how much time he spends upgrading his truck, he said. He bought a new motor. He moved the transmission from his old truck to the new one. He has gone through four different sets of rims and tires. He has already invested $15,000 in the truck and plans to invest another $10,000. During the summer, Innes, a self-de­ scribed “neat freak,” hand washes the vehi­ cle almost five days a week. He never drives it in the rain or snow and rarely near a dirt road - nothing to mess with the shiny black paint. He has a lifted Tahoe, or a “daily,” he calls it, which he primarily drives around town. “You can’t really find a truck clean like that because all of them up here in Michi­ gan are rusted,” he said. home with his family. He intends to move out soon, somewhere close by in Barry County, but he has one requirement for his new place. “It’s got to be a paved road,” he said. For his success on TikTok, Dakota Innes is this week’s Bright Light'. Favorite meal: I like a lot of things. Probably tacos. My mom makes the best tacos. I just eat meat and cheese. Some­ times I’ll put hot sauce on there. Mostly I’m just a simple guy. Favorite TV show: I watch a lot of YouTubers in the truck community. Like “Pop­ pin’ Clutches Productions” and “Custom Offsets.” Best advice I ever received: You just gotta keep doing you. You can’t let people hold you back, and you got to help people push forward. Something people don’t know about I don’t know, my life’s like an open book. I used to race dirt bikes, and I took first in state when I was 5. I’m most proud of: Everything I’ve accomplished on social media and with my truck and myself. I’ve grown as a person since I’ve started TikTok and I got my truck because it’s brought a lot of people to me and showed that there’s a lot more peo­ ple out there that are interested in this stuff. Something on my bucket list: I really want to go to Alaska. I don’t know why, I know it’s gonna be cold and I know it’s gonna be crappy in the summer. But my grandparents have been up there multiple times and there’s one road they haven’t been on that connects two roads....So I want to make sure I get up there sometime and just make that final road. Favorite board game: Monopoly. Greatest fear: Probably just not being successful. I don’t care about being rich or being famous, I just want to be successful in my life where I can live a comfortable life. What the world needs now: More trucks. me: Dakota Innes Innes said the truck community often judges another truck by its size or the bling of its rims - rather than the effort put into the vehicle. “People are selling their trucks left and right....It used to be, like, if you had a truck, we’re cool. But now everyone wants to act like, if you’re not the biggest and baddest, you’re nothing and that’s not right.” But the size of the rims or truck doesn’t make it special to Innes. “I don’t want to go out and buy a brand-new truck and be like, ‘Yo, look at this.’ I want to put in the work to build it,” he said. “It’s about how much you care for it, take care of it, how much work you’ve done to it.” As his TikTok videos kept gaining trac­ tion, Innes started monetizing them through TikTok. But his new videos quickly lost views - something many artists experience after turning on the monetization function. Shortly after, he dropped the money-mak­ ing option. “I don’t need to make money,” he said. “I just do it for fun.” Innes works his day-time job at C&N Heating and Cooling, which his stepdad, Mike Brownlee, owns. “It’s kind of like my passion now,” he said. “Because it’s always nice going into someone’s house and then leaving knowing that they’re going to have heat, especially in the winter.” Innes, who recently graduated from Barry County Christian School, still lives at Iti My Opinion Campfire still burns bright at Camp Algonquin A lakeside neighbor who hosts nearly 500 kids each summer might kill a Real­ tor’s sales pitch to a hopeful buyer. That never bothered Bernie Weller, though. “I now live three houses west of the camp,” said Weller for the just-released book celebrating the 75th anniversary of YMCA Camp Algonquin. “I can hear all the excitement during camp season and I never grow tired of hearing all the fun going on.” As a former camper and camp counsel­ or, Weller has come to learn and appreci­ ate “happy noise.” That’s one of several endearing appeals to the 41-acre pictur­ esque facility just west of Hastings that has made it such a distinctive asset to all of Barry County. I never realized how proud we all should be of Camp Algonquin and how deeply we should appreciate this commu­ nity asset until I was asked to author the new book, “And Then You Become a Camper...75 Years around the Campfire at Camp Algonquin.” As trust in once-revered institutions is declining all around us, Camp Algonquin remains a shining exception. The world may stomp and bluster against schools, health departments, and politicians, but institutions are made of people and, for 75 years, Camp Algonquin is an institu­ tion that has been led by - and supported by - the best. When institutions work, they offer new life and opportunity. That’s what Camp Algonquin is still delivering after 75 years. It builds trust - not just in the staff who presents the experience, but in the lasting and sometimes surprising friend­ ships formed by campers. The Camp Algonquin experience also offers the art of curiosity that leads to empathy and the wish to help a new friend. John Sackrider didn’t know a camper, a counselor, or a cook when he arrived at Camp Algonquin the 1940s. He lived in Chicago and, one summer while living with his grandparents, was sent to camp. “You’re a stranger for the first six hours you’re there,” he said, “and then you become a camper.” Sounds like one of the esteemed quali­ ties of Barry County. : Camp Algonquin also has thrived because the community made sure of its success. Throughout its timeline are countless examples of people who stood up in support of the camp and of their children. . One of my favorite conversations came with Barb Arnold who recalled how her single mother, Josephine Whitmore, drove a stick-shift Ford along the twotrack ruts to take her children camping on the site that later became Camp Algon­ quin. Mrs. Whitmore saw the possibilities of that site and made sure her kids were going to be a part of it. I chuckled, too, when viewing the vid­ eotape of Camp Algonquin’s founding director, Bob King, talking about how the community always answered his call when needs arose at the camp or for any of his community YMCA programs. King said when kids needed shoes he sent them directly to Smith’s Shoe Store. When King got the bill, he just passed it on to Al Silvers, a local egg processor, or local industrialist and camp developer Aben Johnson. King got money from the local ladies’ bridge club and from the square dance club, too, kicking off even more giving from major donors like the McMullen and Baum families and hundreds of communi­ ty members who never let a Camp Algon­ quin capital fund raising campaign fail. Supporting its children has been a Barry County trait, parents and grandpar­ ents and helpful supporters rooting for their children. That’s become the light on the Camp Algonquin hill that the commu­ nity can still shine in a distrustful and a darkening world. Doug VanderLaan, Guest Columnist The Hastings Bcllllldr Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. People in the community have long recognized that the Camp Algonquin experience is education being done the right way. There is no stress; no culture of rank, rating, and image. Lessons come through curiosity and entertainment among campers who see themselves as equals and living in a community where they contribute to and take from each other. Camp Algonquin allows campers to be themselves, to take life less serious­ ly, and to enjoy laughing at themselves. Sometimes campers are never aware, but the lessons they learn also build quiet confidence in new skills. Refreshing per­ spectives are offered and developed by encouraging counselors. At times, the lessons are taught by the quiet, inspiring nature that surrounds campers. Camp Algonquin lore is filled with the history and mystery of cultures who came before and how nature sustained other peoples. Campers are continually uncov­ ering buffalo herd bones, the bows and arrows of the Native American first set­ tlers - the origin of many of those arti­ facts artfully reported by counselors who knew the beauty of the suspension of disbelief. Some of the stories were truly incredi­ ble and especially after they were enhanced around the nighttime camp­ fires. There were the invented stories of the Swamp Creature, the Seaweed Mon­ ster, and old Chief Algonquin, who occa­ sionally appeared crossing the lake at night with flaming arrows in a canoe, a production of the artful camp director Dave Storms. The brilliance of camp leadership - in 75 years Camp Algonquin has been led by only five directors - is yet another affirmation of Barry County’s heritage of entrepreneurs seizing opportunity and sharing their success with the community. While worldwide innovation was occurring all around them - W.K. Kel­ logg in Battle Creek, William Upjohn and Homer Stryker in Kalamazoo, and the foresighted leaders who built 40 compa­ nies that turned Grand Rapids into the Furniture City - equally brilliant entre­ preneurs were seeing something excep­ tional for their children in Barry County.1 Aben Johnson, who led Hastings Man­ ufacturing Company to global promi­ nence, was as tenacious at building some­ thing for the children of his community as he was his business. Refusing to discount the possibilities of his useless, Depres­ sion-era lot on Lake Algonquin, Johnson convinced fellow neighboring landown­ ers to donate their useless lots to a dream: A summer camp for children. By 1946, Johnson had accumulated the land, the outbuildings and the services of Director Bob King to open Camp Algon­ quin. It was a dream - with lots of hard work and convincing others to join in his vision - come true. Johnson’s dream was no different than all those entrepreneurs around him. Those dreamers cast the model for what Barry County would become - a land of new life and opportunity. In a world today clouded by what educator and guest pre­ senter L. Gregory Jones at this year’s January Series at Calvin University called an Imagination Deficit Disorder, Camp Algonquin and its history stands as an inspiration. I never was a camper, I never heard the happy noise of a summer camp. The Camp Algonquin stories told to me over the past many months while researching the book, though, got me close to what I missed and reaffirmed for me why the Hastings area and Barry County contin­ ues to stand tall in a troublesome world. Thank you, Camp Algonquin for not letting me be a stranger. I have become a camper. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — Page 5 _______ GUEST COMMENTARY____ How the founders viewed a free press Dean Ridings Elaine Garlock Seldom in a national magazine does one see a familiar name or location. However, in the latest issue of Wood magazine, one can see an illustration of a comer table produced by Wade Nitz of Hastings, made of walnut burl and other woods. This magazine is avail­ able in some local libraries such as Woodland and Lake Odessa, and possibly others. Last week’s Lakewood News had a story of the village’s anticipation of a new firetruck. This has been on order for months with the chassis being prepared by one company and the upper structure by another company. Funds had been saved for years to pay for this major purchase. The old truck, a 1993 model, is expected to be sold. The township autho­ rized purchase of $25,000 of equipment. This includes protective garments, which have a much higher price tag than a set of Carhartts. They will protect the firefighters from water and also heat with insulation features. The township plan has been to replace three such outfits each year with likely improvements in each year’s model. The fire department is purchasing 18 new radios. Township board members plan to use funds from the federal American Rescue Relief Act’s Coronavirus Relief funds to cover costs of some of the new equipment. Some facebook pictures show some of our neighbors basking in the sun on a beach in Florida. However, they are wearing jackets. Some short-term visitors to Florida report they did not find the warmer temperatures they were hoping for. However, it was warm­ er than in Michigan. Members of the Reiser family were to have a family Christmas gathering in Hudsonville on a recent Sunday. CEO - America’s Newspapers America’s Founders regarded a free press as so vital to the new nation that they took care to include that right in the First Amend­ ment to the Constitution. Founders spoke glowingly about the press as a pillar of democracy and guarantor of liberty. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, famously wrote in 1787 that “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a govern­ ment without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” George Washington framed the issue of free expression in almost apocalyptic terms: “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” Yet discussing the free press of their day, the Founders also could often sound like those who decried “fake news” in 2020. Under a barrage of criticism from news­ papers published by his political opponents, Washington painted journalists as “infa­ mous scribblers.” Benjamin Franklin, him­ self a very successful newspaper publisher, described the press of his time as a resent­ ful, vicious institution comparable to the Spanish Inquisition. Jefferson frequently condemned the press as passionately as he had advanced their right to publish freely. “I deplore... the putrid state into which our newspapers have passed and the malig­ nity, the vulgarity, and mendacious spirit of those who write for them,” he wrote in 1814. “Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper,” he complained in a letter to another friend. For good measure, he wrote to his ally in Congress, the Massachusetts politician Barnabas Bidwell: “As for what is not true, you will always find abundance in the newspapers.” ...It’s worth reflecting on the lessons the Founders have for us as we assess the role and the practices of the news media today. The first lesson is that, while the nation’s leaders and institutions may chafe under the public criticism that accompanies reporting of their shortcomings, the role of the press in holding those leaders and institutions accountable is indispensable to the work­ ings of a democratic society. Most importantly, the proper role of the press must be recognized by the leaders and institutions being held accountable. As abused as he was by the partisan press, Jefferson nevertheless declared, “I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents.” Among those slinging partisan unjust criticisms was the newspaper co-founded by James Madison, who reasoned that “some degree of abuse is inseparable from the proper use of everything, and in no instance is this more true than in that of the press.” Yet, he went on to argue that trying to regulate the “abuse” of the press threatens to strangle its vitality and utility to a free peo­ ple: “To the press alone, checkered as it is with abuses, the world is indebted for all the triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression.” And therein lies the most fundamental lesson the Founders have for us now: The press and the government may often have an adversarial relationship - but the govern­ ment must not attempt to delegitimize the press and its work because they are essen­ tial to a free society. Would any of us want to live in a country where the news media isn’t freely allowed to report on the actions of its government? Any harm done by an overreaching press would be nothing compared to a govern­ ment left unchecked. As much as the news media may rub some the wrong way, it is frightening to think of a society with no free press. Tarred and slandered by the press of his time - often by newspapers owned or financed by fellow Founders - Thomas Jef­ ferson stayed true to that principle to the day he died on the Fourth of July, 1826. All Americans should renew our commit­ ment to Jefferson’s description of the Unit­ ed States as “a country which is afraid to read nothing, and which may be trusted with anything, so long as its reason remains unfettered by law.” On behalf of its approximately 1,500 newspaper and associate member compa­ nies, America’s Newspapers is committed to explaining, defending and advancing the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life. We put an emphasis on educating the public on all the ways newspapers contrib­ ute to building a community identity and supporting the success and health of local businesses. Dean Ridings is the CEO of America’s Newspapers, an organization that resulted from the combination of the Inland Press Association and the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association. Full-disclosure report Christianity isn’t founded on individual is long overdue rights or privileges ' To the editor: ; All citizens, including elected officials ; have a right to their own political and party preferences and to speak their mind about I them and act accordingly. Public officials, J however, are not supposed to use their public ; position or the power of their public office to ; further political or partisan purposes. I appre’ ciate that this pthjcaL breacft; is, qompion^ but I that doesn’t make it any pore acceptable.^ Barry Cpu(^y' Sheriff Dar tpaf initiate^ an 1 investigation into potential fraud in the 2020 election based on a complaint in April 2021 from a former sergeant in the sheriff’s office, Julie Jones. The complaint was based on a suit claiming there was election fraud in Ant­ rim County. The only so-called evidence that any fraud had been committed in Barry County was a set of graphs illustrating a sta­ tistical analysis of voter information. No actual physical or witness-based evidence from Barry County was presented in connec­ tion with the election. The Antrim County lawsuit was dismissed by the circuit judge in May 2021. All appeals have failed. Michigan election officials had already performed a statewide audit of the presidential election starting in January 2021 in which more than 18,000 randomly select­ ed ballots from more than 1,300 jurisdictions were reviewed by clerks. The Bureau of Elections found that the tabulators counted ballots properly and uncovered no evidence of widespread issues with the machines. This included a hand recount of Antrim County’s presidential election ballots by trained local volunteer election workers as counters and open to public viewing. The live-streamed recount found no fraud. A report released by the Republican-led Michigan Senate Oversight Committee found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, specifically citing attorney Matthew DePemo as pushing false election claims in the Antrim County suit. Remember, the com­ plaint to Sheriff Leaf originated with this Antrim County suit. When the investigations began in Barry County, there was still no actual evidence of a crime in Barry County. The Banner did a good job of covering the sheriff’s investigation into purported fraud in the 2020 election during the summer months when the matter surfaced. I say “surfaced” because the investigation was being conduct­ ed without notifying, let alone consulting, Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt. Leaf also had not notified the chief elections officer in Barry County - County Clerk Pamela Palmer. It seems that the sheriff shared this matter in public most fully in a political rally in Hillsdale, rather than with the other public officials with a stake in such an investigation. The Banner also printed a review of the issue Dec. 30, 2021, disclosing that the investigation was still open. When the matter attracted public attention in July 2021, Prosecutor Pratt asked the sheriff to put a halt to the investigation until they dis­ cussed it in her office. The county clerk stated that all of the county’s, and each township’s, vote tallies balanced; they were “dead-on.” Pam Palmer and many township clerks came forward to state that they felt like they were being treat­ ed like suspects. The township clerk interviews had been conducted on a surprise basis, and the clerks were concerned that the interviews were con­ ducted by an individual who was identified only by name, Michael Lynch, without revealing under what authority or in what capacity he was conducting the interviews, although a sheriff’s deputy was present, giv­ ing it the appearance of official county busi­ ness. I find these last two issues most disturb­ ing, Qpe o^th^^ponse^uertces of former Pre$ident . jrump’s persistent'claims that.he lost the 2020 election ,dqp ,£o, £raud is. th^t’ local election officials have been harassed by attorneys, media figures, Republican party officials and citizens at large. Our election officials have generally been real public servants, making sure our right as citizens to vote is conducted efficiently, accurately and fairly. In 2020, Barry County elections officials did an extraordinarily dili­ gent job of getting the election conducted, despite the extra difficulties presented by the coronavirus pandemic. These people should be recognized and praised for the great job they did - not harassed and vilified. Second, we still have not had any account­ ing of who Michael Lynch is, who was pay­ ing for his services, and whose interests was he representing. Why didn’t the sheriff even know these particulars when the investiga­ tion became public, let alone when he engaged his services? Why weren’t the clerks who were interviewed provided with Mr. Lynch’s credentials and an explanation of who he was? What has he done with the information generated? Did Mr. Lynch or his supporters provide any payments to the sher­ iff’s office? As a matter of fact, the citizens of Barry County haven’t been provided with a full accounting of this investigation. Why is it still going on? Every public official with the responsibility of conducting our elections or who has oversight over them - including the township clerks, the county clerk, the Michi­ gan Secretary of State, and the Republican led Michigan State Senate Oversight Com­ mittee - has established that the election in 2020 was conducted accurately. The election results giving Joe Biden the Electoral Col­ lege votes were certified by both houses of the Republican-led Michigan State Legisla­ ture. Sometimes law enforcement officers will state that they don’t want to reveal informa­ tion about ongoing investigations, although there is no law preventing this. It is well beyond time for the sheriff’s office to close this investigation and make a full report to the public , on the conduct and the results. This report should be freely and fully shared with the public, including all pertinent infor­ mation about Michael Lynch, his role in this investigation within sheriff’s office policies and the nature of his connections or financ­ ing to outside parties. And it should include recordings of the interviews with election officials - or at least transcriptions of these interviews. If we have learned anything from the 2020 election and its aftermath, with the exception of how individual voters cast their ballots, it is that there is no room for secrecy in how our elections are conducted. A genuine inter­ est in election integrity will result in full public disclosure of this investigation. Dr. Kenneth M. Komheiser, Prairieville Township To the editor: I stand with Pastor Danny Quanstrom and his words of truth in the Jan. 13 Guest Com­ mentary on Page 5. The pastor indicated “you can only love Jesus as much as you love your enemy.” Loving God, neighbor and enemy summa­ rize the Christian ethic. Faith is a trust that Qod’s desire will be fulfilled, our sacrifices for the Kingdom will be vindicated. Belief is that God’s desire accommodates our individual rights and political power ih fulfilling God’s promise. I read Quanstrom to say that faith in Jesus and our salvation comes through the cross of Christ, and we must embody that Jove which bears the cross for others. Love is submitting one’s individual rights and privileges on behalf of those whose access to resources and dignity are met with obstacles; obstacles often histori­ cally erected by Christians acting on belief rather than faith. Two years ago, I stood with neighbors gath­ ered for unity and justice during turbulence mentioned by Quanstrom. Some Barry County neighbors attempted to intimidate this collec­ tion of persons calling for love to be the ethic of our town. If there were any individuals in the small collection of us standing in unity owning pocket-knives, Jesus would have stood with us “to be numbered with the transgres­ sors” while publicly preaching something more akin to the unity march than the watch­ men of rage who held semi-automatic rifles and surrounded us. Each person present was standing against tyranny. “God hates tyrants.” That is fact. As for her­ itage, some flags I see in Hastings represent a heritage of slavery, violence and the manipula­ tion of poor whites. The heritage I receive is the Gospel of Christ, represented by love of neighbor and enemy. There are no individual rights delineqtedin th$. biblical text. There ate behaviors indicative pf a Christ-like,ethic. May we preaeftiJjatethiq from .pulp jts 6f Hastings churches and stand with Pastor Quanstrom. As he said, “Love is the final fight” if it is to be well with our souls. R. Scot Miller, Hastings Constructive criticism or verbal attack? To the editor: A local news media can be just as dangerous as the national news media has been in the past six years when it comes to elections. Look at our country’s direction in just the past year. In the Jan. 13 Banner, it was brought to my attention that I had made the front page in your article “April 19 is deadline to file to run for local office.” I read that a group of people were “typically taking turns verbally attacking the commissioners on a variety of issues.” Of course, the issues were not detailed and ques­ tions are never answered. A quality newspaper could follow up, should they choose to, but rarely does this happen. Is this paper a news organization or an opinion, propaganda paper? We both use the same Constitution of the United States. The press uses freedom of press, which allows them to print facts or opinions. Mine is freedom of speech. I also have the Open Meetings Act (public com­ ment) which is law. I am not part of any group taking turns. My words are mine, not those of a group. The press didn’t report in this smear job, that I, at one time, served as a village trustee and on the Nashville parks committee and helped develop the five-year parks plan which allowed us to receive recreational grants for the village and, in the past year, I sat on a steering commit­ tee to make recommendations to improve our community transfer recycle center. I have supported our school board in pub­ lic comment last year - even when the com­ missioners and health board refused to acknowledge their resolution to them. I don’t just pick on the county board, I try to be active in my community on all levels. The county has some serious issues ahead. Thomapple Manor is down 60 employees and it also needs to staff the new building. The commissioners have no plan for a jail. The health department is requesting 15 Silverados and five SUVs and is down seven staff posi­ tions as of the December health board meeting. My public comments questioning commis­ sioners’ plans for addressing these issues, as well as other issues, don’t constitute verbal attacks, but rather, hold commissioners accountable for how they use taxpayer money. This is a verbal attack, according to The Banner. “Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. ” - Thomas Jefferson to John Nor­ vell, June 11, 1807 Gary White, Nashville HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Jan. 20 - Baby Cafe, 10 a.m.; Novel Ideas Book Club discusses “Playing with Fire” by Tess Gerritsen, 12:30; Calvin Uni­ versity’s January Series: “Making Peace with Stories,” with Colum McCann, 12:30; Movie Memories and Milestones enjoys a Bob Hope film based on a mistaken Jesse James, 5-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 - Calvin University’s January Series: “Galatians in Three Dimensions,” with N.T. Wright, 12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24 - Crafting Passions craft work group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; Calvin University’s January Series: “Wrestling with the Word: Biblical Interpretation through Church History,” with G. Sujin Pak, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25 - Calvin University’s January Series: “Simply Three in Concert and Conversations,” 12:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club on Zoom (participants may pick up monthly story time bag with link and crafts), 10:30 a.m.; Calvin University’s January Series: “Harnessing Headwinds of Change,” with Col. Nicole Malachowski, 12:30 p.m. More information about any of the above can be obtained by call­ ing Hastings Public Library, 269-945-4263, or checking its Facebook events. SOCIAL SECURITY Hospitals can help with newborn’s new number Vonda VanTil Public Affairs Specialist Welcoming a baby to your family is an exciting time. Doing paperwork, even for something as important as a Social Security number for your newborn, is probably one of the last things you want to do. We’ve made it easy. If your child is bom in a hospital, the most convenient way to apply for a Social Security number is at that hospital before you leave. When you give information for your child’s birth certificate at the hospital, you’ll be asked whether you want to apply for a Social Secu­ rity number for your child. If you answer “yes,” you will be asked to provide both par­ ents’ Social Security numbers. Even if you don’t know both parents’ Social Security num­ bers, you can still apply for a number for your child. There are many reasons why your child should have a Social Security number. You will need this number to claim your child as a dependent on your income tax return. You also may need this number if you plan to do the following for your child: • Open a bank account. • Buy savings bonds. • Get medical coverage. • Apply for government services. You can find more information by reading “Social Security Numbers for Children” at ssa. gov/pubs/EN-05-10023 .pdf. Share this information with people who are having a baby. Applying for a Social Security number at the hospital will save them time and let them focus on their new bundle of joy. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. �Page 6 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner fl look back at the stories and columns on local history in the fiastln TURNING BflGK THE PAGES <2 THE HOUSE BEAUTII Hastings Tables (PEDESTAL DINING) are fitted with the Tyden extolled by Swedish-Americans Kathy Maurer Copy Editor This column for several weeks has high­ lighted just some of the accomplishments of Emil Tyden, a native of Sweden who immi­ grated here at age 17 and became an inventor, industrialist and philanthropist. Tyden brought one idea to Hastings in 1899, and ended up being singly or partly responsible for four major manufacturing businesses here over the next two decades. Because of his profound impact on the area, local newspapers, including those based in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, periodically gave favorable news and business reports on Tyden. Many such accolades were published in this column last week, including one that mentioned Tyden receiving a medal from the King of Sweden with the Royal Order of Vasa, or Knight of the First Class. Tyden had family in Sweden and returned there about once a year. He also was among several people who helped establish the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, and likely had special connec­ tions with immigrants sharing his Scandina­ vian descent. So, he was lauded in Swedish heritage publications, as well, including the 1964 “Yearbook of the American Swedish Historical Foundation;” the 1948 book, “The Will to Succeed: Stories of Swedish Pio­ neers;” the 1976 book “They Mae a differ­ ence: Highlights of the Swedish Influence on Detroit and Michigan;” the “Swedish Ameri­ can Genealogist” in 1983; and most recently in “Tyden: An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary,” printed by the same publishers of The Banner. Although Emil Tyden didn’t set foot on American soil until nearly 2 1/2 centuries after the first contingents of Swedes arrived here, he was included in a 1938 book on Swedish-Americans and their contributions to this country. The June 16, 1938, Banner shared the news with its readers: Historical book praises Tyden The House Beautiful magazine March 1906 included advertisements from manufac­ turers of various items, such as Old English Garden Seats, American Ideal Radiators and Boilers, “Four-Cylinder Perfection” Cadillacs, Tiffany & Co., and the Hastings Table Company, featuring the Tyden Lock. Emil Tyden’s invention could be found in magazine and newspaper advertisements across the country, (books.google.com) ON SALE NOW! CHASING THE EVIDENCE OF A REMARKABLE MAN Emil Tyden made a mark in this world at ury, but it was the I the turn of the 20th Century, imprint of a selfless man 1whose incredible | talents and care for his fellow man Should be admired by every succeeding generation.” The book, Tyden: An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary, was published by Fred Jacobs and J-Ad Graphics and is the most extensive biography to date of a man who arrived from Sweden at the age of 17 and whose inventive brilliance began with contributions to the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and ended just before his death in 1951 with the invention of the dry sprinkler fire suppression system manufactured by The Viking Corporation. In between, Tyden offered world-changing developments to the booming automotive industry in Detroit, to America’s military efforts in World War I, and to the transportation industry where the invention for which he became best known, the box car seal, established Hastings as a manufacturing capital. Over 4 million of Tyden’s boxcar seals were manufactured from his plant in Hastings. “It’s a compelling read,” states author Doug VanderLaan, “and one I feel fortunate to be part of in its telling. An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary... Available in Hastings for $24.99 at • Al Fresco • The General Store • Printing Plus • J-Ad Graphics office at 1351N. M-43 Highway, just north of the Hastings city limits. “Three hundred years ago, a shipload of Swedes settled on the Eastern coast of the United States, intending to establish a Swedish colony. The conditions made that impossible, and the territory settled by these Scandina­ vians became a colony of Great Britain. But the Swedish people remained, and there'were considerable additions to their number. ...” The area they settled was along the Dela­ ware River near what are now Wilmington, Del., and Philadelphia. “The Swedes have made a distinct contri­ bution to American civilization. They are industrious, thrifty, keen-minded, especially friendly to education, and stand for a high type of citizenship. “The Yale University Press has recently published a book of nearly 600 pages entitled "Swedes in America - 1638 to 19383 “It is quite remarkable that, although a compara­ tively small element of our population, yet the Swedes have contributed largely to prog­ ress in this country. This book tells of their geographical location, of the schools and colleges they established, their achievements in the field of journalism, as educators in schools and colleges, also in the professions. They have been very active in encouraging sports and sportsmanship in this country, and have been prominent among the business leaders in the United States. “The book lists many inventions that have been very helpful to this country that were made by our Swedish population. In the book is also given a number of outstanding Swed­ ish architects and builders, as well as com­ posers, singers and moving picture actors, including stage and radio performers. There are listed also painters and sculptors. There is a mention two of many ... who served in the United States Army and Navy as well as an aviation. “Swedes have been prominent as inventors and as manufacturers. Among these are men­ tioned in this history Francis J. Plym of Niles and Emil Tyden of this city.” The article tells how Richard Messer brought Emil Tyden to Hastings and how Tyden’s seal factory was the largest of its kind in the world, producing half a million car seals a day for use on 95 percent of the world’s railways to prevent tampering of shipping containers as well as entire railroad cars. It told, as have previous columns in recent weeks, how Tyden was compelled to develop factories here, how his locking device for dining tables “put the [Hastings Table Company] on a substantial financial basis” and “made the table company an out­ standing success in the furniture industry.” Likely the best-known image of Emil Tyden, this painting was featured in “An Exhibition of Portraits by F.R. Harper” in November 1940 hosted by the Chicago Galleries Association at 215 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. (File photo) “It was through Mr. Tyden’s inventive genius, sound business judgment, and back­ ing that the Viking Corporation and the Hast­ ings Manufacturing Company were estab­ lished in Hastings. Both of these have become prosperous institutions. During the years of the [Great] Depression, the Hastings Manu­ facturing Company became one of the five largest piston ring companies in the world, making the only complete line of replacement rings in the industry. Featured among these rings is one whose sensational performance has been given national publicity. By 1937 this new company had overcome all of the depression problems and "had developed a' worldwide business. . “Numerous other contributions to Ameri­ can industry, notably in automatically auto­ matic sprinkler known as the Viking, have been made by Mr. Tyden, who, with modest reserve, said to the writer, T have a splendid organization in the enterprises with which I am connected, and they deserve as much credit as I do for whatever success has been obtained.’” Dr. Amandus Johnson wrote a personal perspective on Tyden for the American Swed­ ish Monthly July 1946 issue. Johnson, a fel­ low Swedish immigrant, author, museum director and history professor in Pennsylva­ nia, knew Tyden and even had visited Hast­ ings. “For half a century, CoL Emil Tyden has been one of America’s most successful inven­ tors and industrialists. He is, as one of his friends once remarked of him, among those inventors whose work has received appropri­ ate recognition. Heating up in space Dr. Universe: Why do things like rockets catch fire as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere? Conner, 11, Dunn, N.C. Dear Conner, When objects like spacecraft pass through Earth’s atmosphere, things can really heat up. To investigate the answer to your ques­ tion, I talked to my friend Von Walden. He’s a professor and researcher with Wash­ ington State University’s Laboratory for Atmospheric Research. First, he said, it helps to know a bit about the differences between Earth’s atmo­ sphere and space. Our atmosphere is made up of gas. The gases that make up our air include oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other ele­ ments. But space is pretty empty. There isn’t much matter in between the planets and stars. That means when any object travels to Earth from space, it’s going to run into a lot of air molecules. This can create a lot of friction, which is the force of two surfaces sliding against each other. Maybe you can try to create some fric­ tion just by rubbing your hands together. You’ll notice how the motion produces heat, and you can feel some warmth. As the air molecules in Earth’s atmo­ sphere and the material that makes up the spacecraft push against each other, they also create a lot of friction. At the same time, the air molecules slow down the object, such as a returning spacecraft as it passes through the atmosphere at high speeds. In the process, it creates a lot of heat. There’s so much friction and heat that we can start to see a glow around the spacecraft. It isn’t exactly catching on fire, though. “It’s like when someone is cooking and i “Tyden is a good example of the character­ istics of industry, integrity, modesty and fru­ gality; to these may be added an aptitude for conceiving new ideas and a fair amount of stubbornness. All of these characteristics are commonly attributed to people from the Swedish province of Smaland, the native province of Tyden. “Modesty is, perhaps, his most pronounced characteristic. On one occasion when I expressed admiration for his many achieve­ ments and for his high standing in his com­ munity, he replied: “I do not claim any spe­ cial credit for all this. Almost anyone with some ability and the same opportunity I had could have done as well.” “I reminded him that, in 1898, there were probably half a million young men in Ameri­ ca who had the same opportunities as he had, but only one of them invented a freight car seal that became internationally important. “He answered: ‘Well, I had luck, and I was fortunate enough to have picked good men to work with me.’” “... Tyden has made important mechani­ cal contributions to many fields other than that of transportation ... His management of the Rock Island Arsenal during the first World War, his nine large experimental farms in Iowa, his famous feed mill in Dougherty, Iowa, his enterprising farm colo­ ny in Idaho, which has made the Idaho pota­ to celebrated, would all furnish material for interesting stories. “Perhaps Tyden’s greatest contributions to his adopted country, next to the car seal, have been in the field of fire prevention. There were several sprinkler systems on the market before Tyden entered it, but in a short time following his entry, Tyden’s com­ pany, the Viking Corporation of Hastings, Michigan, became a strong competitor of established manufacturers. It is in some respects, the foremost of kind in in the Unit­ ed States. ... “The proprietors of the various branch fac­ tories have an affectionate regard for Tyden. One of them, now half-owner of a plant in one of our Eastern cities, once said to me, ‘Col. Tyden set me up in business after I had failed during the depression and made me a success. Through him I have been able to give my children the best education that America provides. I own half of this concern, have bought my own home and have saved some money.’ “When I visited Hastings for the first time several years ago, 1 asked a passerby, as I walked through the town’s streets, if he could tell me where Emil Tyden lived. Indicating the esteem with which [Tyden] is looked upon among Hastings citizens, the man enthusiastically replied, ‘Oh yes, the man who once rescued our two banks and the sav­ ings of all us little fellows from ruin, lives over in Park Street, on the comer of the 300 black, I believe.’ “Tyden has not only saved banks and the earnings of small people in his hometown, he also has contributed large sums to hospitals, churches, schools and other institutions. The American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia has been one of his chief inter­ ests since its founding. He sponsored and financed the Pioneers Room, one of the most distinctive in the museum, and he has con­ tributed generously to the maintenance of the institution. A member of its board of direc­ tors since 1928, Tyden recently retired as president of the foundation that operates the museum, after holding this office for a year. “Today, at 81, Tyden is the grand old man of Hastings. By the establishment of Tyden Park, the city has erected a fitting monument to one of its foremost citizens whose contri­ butions to the life and advancement of Hast­ ings are worthy in every respect of such honor.” ■ the pan turns red or orange. The fire from the stove is heating up that pan, but the pan itself isn’t on fire. It’s the same type of thing,” Walden said. Astronauts have reported that upon re-entry the glow looks pink and orange from inside the spacecraft. The re-entry process only takes about 4 minutes. After re-entry, it’s about a 60-miIe journey back to the surface of Earth. Engineers and scientists at places like NASA have calculated just the right angle and speeds at which spacecraft need to enter the atmosphere to make it to space and return home safely. It’s also an import­ ant calculation for when we send experi­ ments up to the space station, too. As a student, Walden even had the chance to send up an experiment on NASA’s Space Shuttle to learn more about how different fluids behave in space. Whether we send astronauts, experi­ ments or even everyday citizens to space, the question of what happens to objects when they pass through the Earth’s atmo­ sphere is an important one to think about, especially as we set out to learn more about our solar system. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll be an engineer or scientist who helps us learn more about space travel. Or maybe you’ll even have a chance to travel to space or another planet as a citizen of Earth. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse. com. i �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — Page 7 Beverly Joyce Smith Jennifer Lynn Casarez Marjorie Lyndal McWilliams Brenda Ann Cross Clifford Carl Bustance Beverly Joyce Smith, age 88, of Hastings, MI, passed away suddenly on January 10, 2022, at The Town Village in Sterling Heights, MI. She was bom on February 8, 1933, in Min­ neapolis, MN. She was the daughter of Leland Johnson and Louise Femette-Johnson Tracy. She attended many different elementary and Junior High Schools around the United States living in a small trailer while her father built water towers from to wn to town. They ended up moving to Hastings where she graduated in 1951 from Hastings High School. On September 17, 1950, her Senior year of High School, she married the love of her life, Jack Smith before he was sent off to the army. God had blessed them with 66 wonderful lov­ ing years together, until Jack’s passing in April of 2017. Beverly was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where she also vol­ unteered and taught Sunday School. She was a member of the Hastings Woman’s Club for 50+ years. She was a member of the Hastings High School Alumni committee. She was a cub scout leader. She had worked in the lunchroom at the Hastings Junior High School for many years. She had enjoyed cooking and putting on delicious family dinners, gardening, golfing, fishing, hunting, and traveling. She was her grandchildren’s biggest fan at their sporting events. Sh'e enjoyed playing games and cards with family and friends. She also loved going to the casino. Once she entered a casino it was hard to get her to leave. Beverly was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Jack Smith; parents, Leland Johnson and Louise Tracy; in-laws, Edward and Bessie (Gower) Smith; younger sister, Leona Shriver; brothers-i n-law, Richard Shriver and Kenneth Smith and nephew, Rick Shriver. She is survived by her sons, Brian and Lorree Smith of Charlotte, Bruce Smith of Royal Oak; daughter, Brenda and Con Ahearn of Sterling Heights; grandchildren, Kara Smith and Keith Cork, Stephen and Chelsea Smith, Andrew and Amanda Smith, Jacquelyn Smith and Emily Feimster, Christina and Paul Coon­ rod, Bud and Tiffany Ahearn, Jonathan Ahearn, Jack and Caity Ahearn, Thomas and Chelsea Ahearn, Joseph Ahearn; eight great-grandchil­ dren with three more on the way; brother, Lee Tracy (Maureen); sister-in-law, Carol (Tracy) Rase and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial contributions may be made to the Green Street United Methodist Church in Hastings or the Hastings Alumni Association (Checks made out to: Hastings Alumni Asso­ ciation and mailed to 102 E Clinton, Hastings, MI 49058) A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit girrbachfuneralhome.net. Jennifer Lynn Casarez, age 46, of Hastings, Mich., passed away unexpectedly on Decem­ ber 28, 2021. Jennifer was bom on September 28, 1975, in Battle Creek, the daughter of Jef­ fery Van Aman and Melinda (Schultz) Shepler. Jennifer was a 1994 graduate of Hastings High School and received her Associates in Applied Science in Nursing from Kellogg Community College in 1998. On October 25, 1997, Jennifer married Wesley Casarez, and they shared 24 years together. Most recently Jennifer worked as a regis­ tered nurse with Barry Eaton District Health Department. To say she was dedicated to the care of others would be an understatement. Jennifer devoted the last two years helping the community fight the pandemic. Jennifer loved her family deeply. She spent every possible moment with her husband and children. Every part of Christmas made this her favor­ ite time of the year. Preparing for Christmas involved decorating the inside and outside of the house with special pieces and ornaments she’d collected over the years. They represent­ ed the various stages of her life from her child­ hood to the present. During the holidays she loved cooking food unique to the season and meaningful to her family. It was all about giv­ ing to her family. Jennifer poured her heart into finding the best gifts which might take from January through December. Jennifer also enjoyed craft shows and shop­ ping. As with many parents, her interests became what her children were involved in. This included competitive dance, various sports, choir, and 4-H. Jennifer became a 4-H leader and served Barry County for well over a decade. Watching her children grow was the thing that made her happiest. Jennifer is preceded in death by her father, Jeffery Van Aman; grandparents, Cloyd and Jean Van Aman and John and Barb Schultz. She is survived by her husband, Wes Casa­ rez; children, Emily, Makayla, and Holly Casa­ rez; parents, Dan and Mindy Shepler; in-laws, Robert and Denise Casarez, and Paul and Sue Apodaca; sister, Stacy (Brian) Van Damm; brother, Steve (Kari) Shepler; sisters-in-law, Sara and Becky Casarez, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Memorial contributions in memory of Jenni­ fer can be made to the Jennifer Casarez Chil­ dren’s Fund at Thomapple Credit Union, PO Box 289; Hastings, MI 49058. Visitation to be held at Girrbach Funeral Home at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 with a blessing and Rosary to follow at 6 p.m. Funeral services to be held at Green Street United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Satur­ day, Jan. 22, 2022, preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Marjorie Lyndal McWilliams, age 82, of Hastings, MI, passed away on January 13, 2022. She was bom on June 26, 1939, in Kalamazoo, the daughter of Luise and Ger­ trude Hamilton. On October 20, 1957, Marjorie married Joseph McWilliams, and they enjoyed 64 years together. Marjorie received her GED from Hastings High School in 1976 through the adult education program. She went on to work for Hastings Manufacturing for over 40 years before retiring in 2000. Marjorie loved spending time playing on the slot machines in Las Vegas in her younger days. After retiring, she enjoyed spending winters in Quartzsite, AZ with her husband and summers at their lake house, surrounded by family. Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Lyle, and sisters, Norma, Jerry, and Janice. She is survived by her husband, Joseph McWilliams; daughter, Teresa (Richard) Mee of Hastings; grandchildren, Jessie (Candy) Elliott, Stephanie (Joel) Norris of Hastings; great-grandchildren, Kinsey Elliott, Tracy (Duane) Huntley, Bailey (Jeff) Friend, Cole Arent, Ashley Norris, Addy Arent, Evona Norris Colin Norris, Quinton Elliot, all of Hastings, and great-great grandchildren Jef­ frey, Zila, Livia, Ryan,.with two more on the way, all of Hastings, anffher sister, Patricia Taylor. \ In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Marjorie can be made to the American Cancer Society, https ://donate3. cancer.org/, American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, or the Spectrum Health Foundation, Meijer Heart Center, 100 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or online at https://give. spectmmhealth.org/. A funeral service was held Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Brenda Ann Cross, age 72, of Hastings, MI, passed away on January 11, 2022. She was bom on January 29, 1949, in Matewan, WV, the daughter of Warren and Francis (Lee) Hatfield. Brenda was a 1967 graduate of Plainwell High School. She was a housewife, and worked for Plumb’s Market, retiring after 15 years. On March 4, 1967, Brenda married Charles “Jack” Cross, and they enjoyed 53 years together until his passing. Brenda enjoyed playing bingo. Brenda is preceded in death by her hus­ band Jack Cross, and parents Warren and Francis Hatfield. She is survived by her son, John (Holly) Cross of Woodland; daughter, Charlotte Cross of Hastings; grandchildren, Brandon Cross of Delton, Johnny Cross, of Bellview, Lynn Cross of Hastings, Tori of Hastings, Hannah of Grand Rapids, Micheal of Woodland, and great-grandchildren, Brealyn, Aiden, DJ, Brextyn, Nova, Luna, Anastasia, Connor, and A J. A memorial visitation was held Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. A celebra­ tion of Brenda’s life will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Clifford Carl Bustance, age 89 of Hastings, MI, passed away on January 14, 2022. Clif­ ford was bom on June 6,1932, in Freeport, the son of Carl and Dorothy (Buehler) Bustance. He was a 1951 graduate of Hastings High School. On August 16, 1958, Clifford married Karen Neil, and they enjoyed 63 yeas together. Clifford worked for Orchard Industry for 10 years, Viking Corporation in Hastings for 32 years as an electrician, machinist, and machine repairman. Clifford enjoyed woodworking, fishing, hunting, camping, playing music - especially Fred Wilson, electrical work, machining metal, and welding. Clifford is preceded in death by his par­ ents, Carl and Dorothy Bustance and brother, Ted Bustance. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Karen Bustance; sister, Frances Maichele; sons, Bob (Betty), Gary (Tracy), and Dave (Mary Anne) Bustance; four grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great­ grandchild. Visitation will be on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Funeral Service will be Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, at Hastings Free Methodist Church, 2635 N M-43, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Ronald William Dean Robert L. Varney Robert (Bob) L. Varney, age 93, of Nash­ ville, MI passed away on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 peacefully at home with family by his side. Bob was bom May 15, 1928, in Nashville, the son of the late Owen and Ruth (Cogswell) Varney. He was raised in Nashville and attend­ ed local schools graduating in 1947. On July 17, 1949, Bob married the love of his life, Ardeen Rose Decker. Bob served in the Army and spent time in Germany with the 101 st Airborne. After return­ ing home, Bob resumed his 36 year career at E.W. Bliss in Hastings. With his spare time he built Super Modified Stock Cars for local driv­ ers including Gordon Johncock and Sam Ses- sions. In 1956 Bob and his wife, Ardeen started Bob’s Service Shop, doing auto repairs. In 1970 they started selling and servicing snowmobiles. After retiring from the Bliss in 1983 they added Suzuki Motorcycles and ATVs. Bob was a loving husband, father, grandfa­ ther, brother and uncle. He enjoyed spending time with his family at their property in Bald­ win and working in his shop. Bob is survived by his children, Loma Dickin­ son (Tom Lodden) of Nashville, Russell (Sharon) Varney of Middleville; grandchildren, Brenda (Joe) Brown of Middleville, Kristen Dickinson (Sean Thurston) of Nashville, Brandon (Abbie) Warner of Middleville, Ryan Varney of Mid­ dleville and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ardeen; infant sons, Michael and David; his parents; brother, Lyle (Norma) Varney; father, and mother-in-law, Ard and Ina (Hamilton) Decker and several brothers-in-law. The family will receive visitors on Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022 from 3 to 5 p.m., and again on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022 from 11 a.m. to Noon, with the funeral service at Noon by Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. In lieu of flowers, the family requests dona­ tions to the local American Legion Post 45, PO Box 152, Hastings, MI 49058 or VFW 8260, 304 S State St, Nashville, MI 49073. To leave an online condolence please visit www.girrbachfiuneralhome.net. Ronald William Dean, age 87, of Wood­ land, MI passed away on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. Ronald was bom April 4, 1934 in Nash­ ville, to William and Evelyn (Wright) Dean. Ron worked various factory jobs in the area finally retiring from Lake Odessa Machine Products. He will dearly missed by his wife, Beth; children, Pam (David) Thomas, Karen (Mike) Snyder, Diane (Spark) Cousins and Ashley (Chris) Jimenez; several grandchil­ dren and great-grandchildren. Ron was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Robert Dean. According to his wishes cremation has taken place and he will be laid to rest in Lakeview Cemetery in Nashville at a later date. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass pr°ducts 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AtVOMWffiESlffPUEBOF 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 �Page 8 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Gilmore murder case bound over for trial Financial FOCUS Taylor Owens Stolen trailer found in Grand Rapids Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Should inflation affect your investment moves? As you know, inflation heated up in 2021, following years of pretty stable - and low - numbers. And now, early in 2022, we’re still seeing elevated prices. As a consumer, you may need to adjust your activities somewhat, but as an investor, how should you respond to inflation? First, it helps to know the causes of this recent inflationary spike. Essentially, it’s a case of basic economics - strong demand for goods meeting inadequate supply, caused by material and labor shortages, along with shipping and delivery logjams. In other words, too many dollars chasing too few goods. Once the supply chain issues begin to ease and consumer spending moves from goods to services as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, it’s likely that inflation will moderate, but it may still stay above pre-pandemic levels throughout 2022. Given this outlook, you may want to review your investment portfolio. First, consider stocks. Generally speaking, stocks can do well in inflationary periods because companies’ revenues and earnings may increase along with inflation. But some sectors of the stock market typically do better than others during inflationary times. Companies that can pass along higher costs to consumers due to strong demand fortheir goods - such as firms that produce building materials or supply steel or other commodities to other businesses - can do well. Conversely, companies that sell nonessential goods and services, such as appliances, athletic apparel and entertainment, may struggle more when prices are rising. Of course, it’s still a good idea to own a variety of stocks from various industries because it can help reduce the impact of market volatility on any one sector. And to help counteract the effects of rising prices, you might also consider investing in companies that have a long track record of paying and raising stock dividends. (Keep in mind, though, that these companies are not obligated to pay dividends and can reduce or discontinue them at any time.) Apart from stocks, how can inflation affect other types of investments? Think about bonds. When you invest in a bond, you receive regular interest payments until the bond matures. But these payments stay the same, so, over time, rising inflation can eat into your bond’s future income, which may also cause the price of your bond to drop a concern if you decide to sell the bond before it matures. The impact of inflation is especially sharp on the price of longerterm bonds because of the cumulative loss of purchasing power. However, Treasury InflationProtected Securities (TIPS) can provide some protection against inflation. The face value, or principal amount, of each TIPS is $1,000, but this principal is adjusted based on changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index. So, during periods of inflation, your principal will increase, also increasing your interest payments. When inflation drops, though, your principal and interest payments will decrease, but you’ll never receive less than the original principal value when the TIPS mature. Talk to your financial advisor to determine if TIPS may be appropriate for you. Ultimately, inflation may indeed be something to consider when managing your investments. But other factors - especially your risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term goals - should still be the driving force behind your investment decisions. A solid investment strategy can serve you well, regardless of whether prices move up or down. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Free AED and CPR training session Grace Lutheran Church in Hastings will host a free 90-minute information and train­ ing session on CPR and use of defibrillators. The session will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29, at the church 239 E. North St., Hastings This is not a full course. Anyone desiring American Red Cross certification may con­ tact the instructor, Kim Domke, by calling 269-908-0024. Registration can be completed by calling the church, 269-945-9414, or contacting Domke. A 65-year-old Middleville man called police Jan. 5 to report a trailer he loaned to a friend had been stolen. The man said the trailer was being stored in the 1000 block of Yankee Springs Road in Yankee Springs Township when it went missing. The man said he did not know when it was stolen. Grand Rapids City Police located the trailer in the city, but another man said he owned it. That man told police he had bought it from a man in Greenville, and that man said he had bought it from another man in Greenville. The victim said the Grand Rapids man could keep the trailer. The case is closed. Drunken driver flips truck in ditch Police were called out to Shaw Lake Road near Bender Road in Yankee Springs Township at 10:25 p.m. Jan. 7 for a crashed vehicle. A truck had rolled over and was upside down in the ditch. The driver, a 26-year-old Middleville man said he had three beers before driving, but was not drunk. He had a 0.152 blood alcohol content, was taken to the hospital for evaluation and then to jail. Man arrested for assault, drunken driving A 42-year-old woman called police to report that her boyfriend had assaulted her at her home in the 2000 block of Harwood Lake Road in Thomapple Township at 10:47 p.m. Dec. 24, 2021. The woman said the man, 44, of Middleville, forced open her door when she tried to close it, and then pushed her into the refrigerator before driving off. Police located the man on Cherry Valley Road near Adams Road. He denied assaulting the woman, but he had a 0.143 blood alcohol content and was arrested. Checks removed from of mailbox and cashed A 63-year-old resident of the 100 block of West Hickory Road in Johnstown Town­ ship called police Dec. 20, 2021, to report 13 checks had been stolen from her mailbox, and five of them were fraudulently signed and cashed. The woman said they were like­ ly stolen Dec. 15, when they were placed in the mailbox. On Dec. 19, she was contact­ ed by her credit union’s fraud department to notify her about the checks. The five checks, which were signed and cashed, totaled more than $1,000. A neighbor later found the envelopes that had been used to send the checks, along with other mail, thrown by the side of the road. The case remains under investigation. Handgun stolen from truck A 25-year-old Hastings man called police at 10 p.m. Dec. 24, 2021, to report that his Ruger 9mm handgun had been stolen from his truck. The man said the truck had been sitting in the parking lot of the Gun Lake Community Church in Yankee Springs while he was working on it. The front door of the truck was open and the light was on. The man said his gun was sitting under the radio in his truck, and someone may have seen it and stolen it. The case is inactive without any suspects. Stolen truck returned - quick A 57-year-old woman called police at 8:32 p.m. Dec. 25, 2021, to report her truck had been stolen out of her driveway in the 6000 block of South Marsh Road in Orangeville Township. The woman called back nine minutes later to report the truck was back in the driveway, with her purse still inside. The woman speculated the thief may have gotten scared and brought it back. She did not want to press charges. The case is closed. Camper taken from residence A 61-year-old woman called police at 10:43 p.m. Dec. 31, 2021, to report that her pop-up camper had been stolen from her residence in the 11000 block of Erica Lane in Orangeville Township. The woman said she bought thel998 Coachman Ultralight in August and had never received the title. The case remains under investigation. Staff Writer Patrick Gilmore, 17, of Hastings, was bound over for trial in the Barry County Circuit Court for the murder of Lane Roslund. Michigan State Police found Roslund, 17, of Hastings, buried in a shallow grave just north of Hastings Oct. 14, 2021. Roslund, who was last seen in Tyden Park on Sept. 11, 2021, was declared missing about two weeks later. The investigation showed Roslund had been shot in the chest with a crossbow. Gilmore appeared in court Wednesday via vid­ eoconference before Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper. During those proceed­ ings, he waived his right to a preliminary exam. His attorney, Carol Dwyer, said she had dis­ cussed the purpose of the exam, to find probable cause to go to trial, with Gilmore. “Mr. Gilmore,” Dwyer said to her client, “we have also discussed the evidence that the prosecu­ tor has presented to us so far, and the strength of that evidence, even, not including anything you may have said prior to your arrest, and we have discussed then the pros and cons of going through with a preliminary examination, is that correct?” “Yes,” Gilmore replied. She asked if he wanted to waive the examination and bind the case over to the circuit court for trial. “Yes, that’s what I want to do,” Gilmore said. He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 23. Middleville teen found safe Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 15-year-old Middlevilile girl who had gone missing from an inpatient care facility in Detroit in late November has been found safe. Kiara Baker was found in Ohio on Sunday, and was expected to be reunited with her family in West Michigan on Monday, according to her mother, April Saladino. Baker went missing from the Detroit Behav­ ioral Institute Nov. 28 and was reportedly seen in the Grand Rapids area in late December. At the time, Saladino expressed concern that her daugh­ ter might be vulnerable to human trafficking. Last week, the family received word that Kiara may have been in Mansfield or Colu mbus, Ohio. An updated flier was sent out to alert people in those communities to be on the lookout for her, according to a Facebook page dedicated to the search. In October 2021, Saladino requested a depen­ dency hearing with the Department of Human Services for her daughter. Kiara was made a temporary ward of the court and was sent to the Detroit Behavioral Institute. Since then, Kiara went absent without leave at least three times from that facility, her mother said. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Planning Commission meeting and public hearing regarding zoning ordinance text amendments creating an overlay district and rezoning certain properties to the overlay zoning district will be held on February 10, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Road, within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include the following: 1. Zoning Ordinance text amendments to create a new zoning district, "PC" Prairieville Creek Overlay District (new Section 6.7- 3 of Township Zoning Ordinance), which will be an overlay zoning district and will include additional regulations for development and use of property along Prairieville Creek including Mud Lake, in Sections 25, 26 and 36 of the Township. 2. Zoning of certain properties to the new proposed new Zoning District, "PC" Prairieville Creek Overlay District, which properties are described as certain parcels within Sections 25, 26 and 36 in the Township with frontage on Prairieville Creek (including Mud Lake). The properties proposed for inclusion in the proposed overlay district include the following tax parcels: Street Address 15437 S M-43 Hwy 15457 S M-43 Hwy 15434 S M-43 Hwy 15434 S M-43 Hwy S M-43 Hwy S M-43 Hwy S M-43 Hwy Bendere Rd 7480 Bendere Rd 12-025-001-00 12-025-002-00 12-025-002-10 12-025-002-15 12-025-003-40 12-025-007-00 12-025-013-00 12-026-006-00 12-036-010-00 Street Address W. Hickory Rd 7721 W Hickory Rd 7635 W Hickory Rd Bendere Road 7250 W Hickory Rd 7517 W Hickory Rd S M-43 Hwy W Hickory Road 7700 Bendere Rd Tax parcel number 12-036-040-00 12-036-041-00 12-036-074-01 12-036-074-02 12-036-079-00 12-036-079-10 12-036-079-20 12-036-080-01 12-036-080-20 12-Q36-Q12-QQ_____ 76.0Q.B.end£r.e.Rd__ 12-Q36-Q83-QQ_____ .7.4.02. Bendere Rd____ Tax parcel number 3. Such other and further business as may properly come before the planning Commission at said hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the proposed text amendments and a map of the proposed overlay zoning district can be reviewed at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business hours of regular business days and will also be available at the time and place of the hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that written comments will be taken from any interested person concerning the rezoning application at the email address of the Township Clerk below, at any time during regular business hours up to 4:00 p.m. on the date of the hearing and will further be received by the Planning Commission at the time of said hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the proposed text amendments and overlay zoning district map at or following the public hearing. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' notice to the Prairieville Township Clerk. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Rod Goebel, Township Clerk Prairieville Township Hall 10115 S Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-2726 RGoebel(5)prairievilletwp-mi.org Hastings Middle School announces honor roll Hastings Middle School has released its honor roll for the second quarter of the 2021­ 22 academic year. Students qualify by earning either all A’s, which is known as the principal’s list, or all A’s and B’s. Those named to the honor roll for the quar­ ter include: Sixth grade All A’s Jace Acker, Violet Bivens, Allison Brown, Kyanne Casey, Morgan Casselman, Parker Castaneda, Dakota Cole, Thomas Cook, Kimberlee Coolidge, Landon Currier, Parker Erb, Gavin Fields, Joseph Furrow, Ashlynn Goldsworthy, Carson Gole, Jonah Hamp, Ethan Hetrick, Graceyn Horrmann, Jason Jimenez, Alexis King, Cayden Kirby, Tanner Krzysik, Nolan Lucas, Weston Meinke, Jett Nofz, Sydney Patterson, Lilly Randall, Cora Shattuck, Grant Tossava, Aiden Vance and Avery Walsh. A’s and B’s Audrey Acker, Giovanny Arias, Colin Baker, Jax Balderson, Deagan Blough, Kylee Bosworth, Sophia Bucher, Olivia Buehler, Zoey Carter, Kade Case, Ryann-Lynn Cole, Graden Courtright, Carter Danks, Zachary Davis, Lillian Edger, Rene Espinal-Lopez, Tucker Fenstemaker, Alyssa Greene, Landon Griffin, Elsie Haight, William Hilbert, Kendyl Hinkle, Alyssa Hocsak, Cooper Hokanson, Blake Holtman, Kylie James, Reming­ ton Jerzy k, Drew Ji les, Evyn Kindel, Brax­ ton Kirby, Annabelle Kuck, Lena Kuestner, Sydney Lindsey, Mya Luna, Brennen Main, Kaden Main, Emma Martz, Jayce McCord, Ethan McCormick, Angelia McGregor, Josslynn Metzger, Gregory Neubauer, Jago O’Brien, Gary Ongley-Svenson, Kassidy Peake, Jazmin Porras-Griffin, Brenton Purdum, Addison Reaser, Kaylee Roe, Trevin Russell, Caiden Shull-Frye, Rebecca Snyder, Owen Spicer, Hunter Sutfin, Alexander Tim­ mers, Weston Troyer, Ryan VanHouten, War­ ren Williams, Samantha Wright and Reyd Zoerman. Seventh grade All A’s Meredith Ansorge, Jackson Busson, Morgan Cross, Alexa DeCamp, Petra Foster, Sadie Hanford, Ethan Hawthorne, Sophia Haywood, Brissa Hernandez-Hernandez, Cordelia Kniaz, Caroline Randall, Cade Roberts, Mallory Rohe and Annika Solmes. A’s and B’s Audrey Aicken, Olivia Allen, Adria Arent, Ashton Brubaker, Sydnie Diljak, Quintin Eber­ ly, Lilianna Enyart, Bella Friddle, Kennedy Hall, Misha Haskin, Colt Jousma, Gabryella Juskewicz, Caleb Kramer, Reese Loftus, Aaron Minogue, Tori Morgan, Lilyien Pelkey, Chloe Pirtle, Grady Reed, William Renner IV, Don­ ald Smith, Hannah Sorensen, Allison Tefft, Raegan Wattles and Marlayna Young. Eighth grade All A’s Annemarie Allerding, Kyla Brown, Shiloh Crandall, Matthew Domenico, Charlotte Drake, Madison Elzinga, Anderson Forell, Lauren Gee, Riley Herron, Ethan Holman, Daniel Jensen, Alexander Kohmescher, Carter Krzysik, Jadalie Miller, Ava Noteboom, Josalyn Russell, Kendell Shinault, Matthew Shults, Bayley Smith, Collin Tossava and Gracie Wilson. A’s and B’s Austin Abson, Chloe Aicken, Arika Alexan­ der, Aden Armstrong, Seth Arnold, Gavyn Avila, Ashlyn Bailey, Colton Baker, Olivia Bucher, Breanna Busboom, Aiden Byle, Cayden Cappon, Madison Chipman, Ricardo Contreras, Ellie Cousins, Spencer Crozier, Colten Denton, Kyle Echtinaw, Bronson Elliott, Lakaya Evans, Madison Fortier, Nathaniel Funke, Riley Gurtowsky, Reese Hammond, Tanner Hill, Natalee Klinge, Alyssa Main, Dezarae Mathis, Adriana Meyers, Claudia Minch, Aiden Oliver, Bennett Ozdych, Madilynn Peake, Fisher Rathbun, Trapper Reigler, Hayle Rivera, Elizabeth Rose, Shealagh Rose, Carisa Rosenberger, Deagan Sanders, Natalie Snyder, Isabelle Stanton, Park­ er Stephens, Brayden Thielen, Angelina Water­ man, Mazie Waterman, Lainey Westworth and Taylin Wierenga. �SPORTS SECTION Thursday, January 20, 2022 Barracudas battle to one-point win over Wayland at invitational Brett Bremer Sports Editor It came down to the final relay Saturday and the Barracudas had just enough. The Barry County Barracuda varsity boys’ swimming and diving team won its own Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings Invitational at the Community Educa­ tion and Recreation Center at Hastings High School by outscoring OK Rainbow Tier II Conference rival Wayland by a single point 247-246. 'Each heat at the invitational was important as'each team could include three participants in each individual event and two relay teams in each relay race - which meant the Barracu­ da team of Evin Lamance, Mason Bailey, Jake Gheradi and Hunter Tietz which won the ‘B’ heat of the 400-yard freestyle relay in 4 min­ utes 27.04 seconds to finish off the meet earned just as many points (18) as the Way­ land team of Dalton Montague, Henry Oudbier, Payton Williamson and Zachery Jenison which won the ‘A’ heat with a time of 3:34.42. Heading into that ‘A’ Final of the 400-yard freestyle relay to close the meet, Barry Coun­ ty had a 13-point lead on the Wayland boys. The Wildcats got 18 points for their victory while the Barracuda ‘A’ team of Camden Reynolds, Isaac Stanton, Donald Kuck and Nolan Send did just enough to capture the six team points tit needed with a sixth-place time of 4:11.04. Depth was key throughout the day. Results were similar in the opening meet of the day, the 200-yard medley relay. The Wayland team of Oudbier, Jenison, Williamson and Josh Rose won the ‘A’ Final in 1:45.58, with the Barry County ‘A’ team of Jack Kens­ ington, Randall, Jameson Riordan and Devin Pacillo fifth in 2:04.28, but in the ‘B’ Final the Barry County team of Kuck, Riley Shults, Mason Cross and Send took the win in 2:01.98 - with a Wayland team second in that heat. Other Barracuda wins in ‘B’ Finals came from Pacillo witli'a tiirib of‘2!08>.‘37!m;the;200-ii' . . . . . »* •J ? । i - <5 is J . The Barry County Barracudas varsity boys' swimming and diving team pulled out a one-point win over conference rival Wayland Saturday at its annual Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings Invitational, outscoring the Wildcats 247-246 in the pool at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings. yard freestyle and 55.41 seconds in the 100Heath Hays won the ‘C* Final of the 100-yard yard freestyle. Pacillo dominated the ‘B’ heats breaststroke in 1:19.92. of those races with Kensington taking on the top Barry County boosted its point total in the competitors from each school in the ‘A’ heats. 200-yard freestyle relay with the team of Cross won the ‘C’ Final of the 200-yard Kensington, Riordan, Shults and Pacillo win­ freestyle in 2:17.26, Send took the ‘C’ Final ning the ‘A’ Final in 1:38.60 and the team of of the1f100^rd bdWSfrdKd in I ;I2ig7r,r'dhdri ■’Crd^/'RdhdSH, Stanton khd Reynolds second ... . tj-. .• . in the ‘B’ Final with a time of 1:51.46 - less than half a second ahead of the Wayland team in that ‘B’ race. The Barracuda team also had the runner-up in each of the top two diving flights. Blake Sheldon was second in the ‘A’ Final with a score of 339.90 points and Ethan Kooistra was second in the ‘B’ Final with a point total of 230.75. Union’s Raphael Pruitt won the ‘A’ Final with a score of 342.70 and his team­ mate Ralph Pruitt won the ‘B’ Final with a score of 268.05. Wayland’s Williamson, Jenison and Otta­ wa Hills’ Jonathan Hoffman were the only guys to win multiple ‘A’ heats in individual events. Hoffman won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:52.12 and the 100-yard freestyle in 49.17. Williamson took the 100-yard butter­ fly in 58.17 and the 100-yard backstroke in 1:00.25. Jenison won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:04.79 and the 100-yard breast­ stroke in 1:01.33. Hoffman’s Ottawa Hills team was third in the day’s final standings with 225 points, ahead of Kalamazoo Central 160, Grand Rap­ ids Union 141, Mona Shores 112, Ionia 89 and Fremont 57. In a 106-73 conference win over Grand Rapids Union Thursday in downtown Grand Rapids, the Barracudas started strong. Kens­ ington, Randall, Riordan and Pacillo won the 200-yard medley relay in 2:01.40 and Kens­ ington, Pacillo and Mason Cross followed up with a 1-2-3 finish in the 200-yard freestyle. Kensington won that race in 2:02.86 and later won the 100-yard freestyle in 53.80. Shults took the 200-yard individual med­ ley in 2:27.19, Riordan the 50-yard freestyle in 25.90 and Reynolds the 500-yard freestyle in 6:21.44. Sheldon was once again the diving cham­ pion with a score of 210.80. The Barracuda team of Isaac Stanton, Cross, Send and Randall won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:55.41. The Read Hawks Caileb Austin, a sopho­ more, was a part of three wins. He took the 100-yard breaststroke in 58.50, the 100-yard backstroke in 1:03.74 and teamed with Isaid Lopez, Azael Gomez and Harrison Nee to win the 400-yard freestyle relay in 4:07.26. Lopez won the 100-yard breaststroke for Uhibn in 1:26.23. DK wins on the road as Whitmores return Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basket­ ball team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 68-53 victory at Climax-Scotts Tuesday evening. The DK Panthers were happy to have the gang back together again for the first time in more than a week, welcoming back cen­ ter Alex Whitmore who finished with 24 points and guard Aiden Whitmore who had nine points to go with ten assists in what coach Jim Hogoboom called a great floor game. Austin Blocker continued his stellar play for the Delton Kellogg too putting in 27 points. DK is now 4-6 overall this season and remains 1-4 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division. “Obviously, it helps when our big three all play,” Hogoboom said. I thought we moved the ball much better in the second half and found some easy buckets against their run and jump defense. [Defensively], we e struggled a bit getting out to shooters until we went man-to-man, which we hav­ en’t done much this year.” The DK coach said his team was never really comfortable until midway through the fourth quarter. DK led 14-10 after one quarter and 31-23 at the half. Climax-Scotts was still within 46-38 heading into the fourth quarter. Miles Shannon led Climax-Scotts with 19 points and Jackson Lawrence added 18 points. The loss dropped Climax-Scotts’ record to 3-3 overall this winter. The Delton Kellogg boys have a big chal­ lenge ahead facing undefeated Parchment on the road Friday. Parchment is 9-0 overall and 5-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Con­ ference Valley Division so far this season. “They’re top three in the state with really dynamic players,” Hogoboom said. “We’re gonna go and see if we can provide some resistance to what they do. It will take our best effort just to be in the game and com­ pete, and we think we can do that.” Competing was tough for a bit with the Whitmore brothers out of the line-up. Hack- scored a 65-39 win over the visiting Pan­ thers last Friday, Jan. 14, in Kalamazoo. Hackett hit seven three pointers early on, including one on each of its first five pos­ sessions of the bailgame, to start out with a 23-5 lead which the Irish pushed to 31-7 by the half. The Irish finished the night with 11 threes. “I thought we did a much better job in the second half. We extended our defense a bit which we have been reluctant to do with seven available bodies,” Hogoboom said. “We’ve been working on playing with a little more urgency and 1 liked what I saw in the second half.” Blocker led Delton Kellogg with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He added four blocked shots as well. Coach Hogoboom was also pleased with Mason Nabozny’s floor game. Nabozny had seven assists on the night. Hackett got 18 points from Gabe Gamsho, who returned from injury to play his first ballgame of the season. Logan St. Martin added 14 points for Hackett and Nicholas Johansen had ten. The Saxons' Carly Warner (left) works towards the hoop with the help of a screen from teammate Maddison Pettingill during their 1-8 bailgame against visiting Parma Western Friday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) 1-8 leading Parma Western girls score win over Saxons at HHS Valerie Slaughter lane over Hackett Catholic Prep’s Logan St. Martine tt Delton Kellogg Hayden Walker (35) lets a shot fly from beyond during their SAC Valley ballgame in Kalamazoo Friday, the three-point line over Hackett’s Andrew Rann Friday in (Photo by Perry Hardin) Kalamazoo. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Contributing Writer The Hastings girls’ basketball team dropped an Interstate 8 Conference game to the Panthers of Western High School on Fri­ day night at Hastings High School. The Panthers won the game with a final 68-36 over the Saxons. Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said his team “got in a hole in the beginning of the game. Parma is a strong team who has shoot­ ers all over the floor. They push the ball and can do a lot of things on the floor at a high and efficient level. I thought we competed at a high level for all 32 minutes. We never stopped working and competing. We have had a great start to the season and this is one game, and one that we will learn from head­ ing into the second half of the season. In a game like this, when Parma is pushing and playing the way they do, sometimes getting on the board is the hardest part.” While the Saxons struggled in the first quarter trailing 23-7, they were able to keep Parma to only 15 points in the second quarter, while adding 11 more points of their own to go into the half 38-18. The Saxons’ Macy Winegar came out after the half and hit two more three-point shots to make it four for the night. With six minutes to go in the game the Saxons were down 59-26 and were able to add another ten points before the buzzer went off. Winegar led the Hastings team with 15 points. Carly Warner added another five points, Madison Pettengill and Chelsea Ertner both added four points each for the team. The lady Saxons will travel to Pennfield High School on Friday night in additional 1-8 action. �Page 10 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Leroy Doxey Living Trust Dated May 21,2018 Leroy Doxey, deceased Date of Death: 12/17/2021 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TO: ALL CREDITORS: The decedent, Leroy Doxey, who lived at 12480 Saddler Road, Orangeville Twp., Plainwell, Michigan 49080, died on December 17, 2021. The creditors of the decedent are hereby notified that all claims against the Leroy Doxey Living Trust Dated May 21, 2018, will be forever barred unless presented to Pamela Brock, Successor Trustee, at 2745 DeHoop Avenue, S.W., Wyoming, Michigan 49509, within four months of the date of this publication. Dated: January 10, 2022 Dunn, Schouten & Snoap, PC By: Dana L. Snoap (P29044) Attorney for the LeRoy Doxey Living Trust Dated May 21, 2018 174476 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRYCOUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 21-29051-NC William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No.: (269) 945-1390 In the matter of Jennifer Sue Redumski. TO ALL PERSONS INCLUDING: whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 2/9/2022 @ 2:15 p.m. at 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of Jennifer Sue Redumski to Jennifer Sue Moore. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate 22-29067-DE Estate of William A. Carter. Date of birth: 07/30/1929. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, William A. Carter, died 11/20/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Nick Carter, personal representative, or to both the 1 probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Michigan 4^058, and. the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/12/2022 Shane A. Henry P82054 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 945-3512 Nick Carter 5400 Waldorf Road Delton, Michigan 49046 (269) 371-9651 174673 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on February 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Todd A. Pontius And Christina M. Pontius, Husband And Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for Exchange Financial Corporation, its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Midfirst Bank, a Federally Chartered Savings Association Date of Mortgage: July 13, 2001 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 19,2001 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $68,379.77 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 718 of the City, formerly Village, of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof. Common street address (if any): 419 W Court St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1622 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: January 20,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1451970 (01-20)(02-10) 174503 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting January 11,2022 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Four board members present, 3 absent Approved all consent agenda items Presentation by Barry Co. Rd Comm. Approved Resolution 2022-01 Approved Resolution 2022-02 Approved auditors for fiscal 2021 Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:18 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 174650 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 21-29025-NC William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No.: (269) 945-1390 In the matter of Paris Marie Cleo Hale. TO ALL PERSONS INCLUDING: whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 2/9/2022 @ 2:15 p.m. at 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of Parie Marie Cleo Hale to Paris Marie Cleo Viviano. 174487 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 21-29026-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Minnie J. Paige. Date of birth: 03/02/1929. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Minnie J. Paige, died 05/06/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Karen Belles, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/13/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Karen Belles 9382 Elderberry Lane Hastings, Michigan 49058 174675 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate 22-29068-DE Estate of Thomas A. Seim. Date of birth: 05/22/1942. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Thomas A. Seim, died 09/29/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Brian D. Shultz, personal representative, or to both the probate court at gj^eW^Court Street^ Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Sara B. Morey P83985 607 N. Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 945-3495 Brian D. Shultz 2105 Pifer Road Delton, Michigan 49046 (616) 633-4853 174673 Banner CLASSIFIEDS Hastings senior heavyweight Jackson Dubois works towards his 100th varsity vic­ tory against Haslett's Kyle Bonner Saturday at the Grand Ledge Duals. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings' Cohen Smith nears a pin against Jackson High School's Jacob Lusby during their 140-pound bout at Grand Ledge Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) HHS keeps record perfect in 1-8 Senior heavyweight, Dubois, reaches 1OO wins Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity wrestling team . improved its seasjm dual record to 1.9-4 after getting three Interstate. 8. Conference wins over the last week and finishing in second place at the Grand Ledge Duals. The Saxons are undefeated in the 1-8 Con­ ference with their wins at home last Wednes­ day over Lumen Christi and Harper Creek, and then on Monday the Saxons traveled to Jackson Northwest for a meet against the Mounties where the Hastings team picked up its fourth conference win. Last season, the Saxons shared the 1-8 Conference title with Harper Creek, Northwest and Parma Western in a four-way tie. 174651 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEV­ ILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: Business Services Help Wanted BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, TRUCK DRIVER: CANDI­ DATES must have a CDL with Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. a "T" endorsement, 3 years' experience, a good driving record and subject to DOT regulations. Duties include loading and hauling logs and lumber with double bottom trailers. Applicant must be able to operate a front-end loader, work off road, alone and manage their time. Hourly wage based on experience and includes a benefit package. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield. No phone calls please. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on February 10, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zon­ ing Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hear­ ing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thomp­ son (ethompsonfa)pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said pub­ lic hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from property owner, Phillip and Kimberly Behrens, 12630 Enzian Rd. Plainwell, Ml 49080, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the construction of an accessory building failing to meet the required setbacks pursuant to section 4.20 “Accessory Structures”. The subject site is located at 12630 Enzian Rd., Parcel # 08-12-016-006-60 and is currently zoned A - Agricultural. 2. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. GENERAL LABORER- JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits401 (k), 401 (k) matching, Den­ tal insurance, Health insur­ ance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, ML Keep your friends and relatives informed and up to date with all the local news from Barry County. Send them... The Hastings BANNER To subscribe, call us at 269-945-9554 The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or fol­ lowing the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and ser­ vices, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Myron Kox, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 Hastings head coach, Jason Slaughter said the win against Jackson Northwest “was a really great win against a good team. It is an ^mgytartLwinJorJfre 1-8 as well. Our team showed a lot of heart and just out worked Northwest. I think we had success because we had guys that were willing to wrestle hard nonstop for six minutes.” Against the Mounties, the Saxons lost the first match of the night, letting Jackson Northwest put the first team points on the board, but the Saxons quickly took the lead after a 8-5 decision at 215 pounds by Isaac Friddle and two pins by Jackson Dubois at heavyweight and Troy Hokanson at 103 pounds. The Saxons remained in the lead to finish the match with a 46-24 win over the Mounties. Joe Goggins won on a 5-3 over­ time decision, and Haiden Simmet, Robby Slaughter and Victor Ramirez also picked up pins for the team. Dillon Neal and Justus Forell both won on forfeits for the night. In action on Saturday, the Saxons sent their varsity squad to Grand Ledge for team duals, while their ‘B’ varsity traveled to Itha­ ca for an individual tournament. The varsity team went 3-1 for the day at Grand Ledge, losing their opening dual to Allendale 43-31. Hastings won the next three duals defeating Grand Ledge 70-9, Jackson 66-12 and Haslett 81-0. Senior captain, Jackson Dubois, finished the day with his 100th career win, which he earned with a pin over a foe from Haslett. “Getting 100 wins has been my goal since I was a freshman and I’ve worked very hard to stay on track even through the Covid sea­ son last year,” Dubois said. “It’s a huge accomplishment for me and the team since it hasn’t been done since 2018. There are a few others who are going to hit theirs as well this season. I’m happy to be on the board in the wrestling room for years to come with all of the people I look up to and those who have been mentors to me.” Hastings’s wrestlers that finished the day undefeated at Grand Ledge were Sutfm, Colton Smith, Cohen Smith, Slaughter and Friddle. Hokanson, Simmet, Denton, Ramirez and Dubois all finished the day with a 3-1 record. At Ithaca, the ‘B’ varsity team had eight wrestlers that placed in the top six out of 14 teams. Wrestlers placing for the team in third were Jordan Humphrey and Isaiah Wilson. Placing fourth were Tristian Smith, Zach Chipman, Draven Pennock and Justus Forell. Aiden Smith and Parker Roslund both fin­ ished in sixth place. Last week Wednesday, in further Inter­ state 8 Athletic Conference action, the Sax­ ons hosted their first home quad and topped Lumen Christi 66—15 and Harper Creek 60-16. Wrestlers picking up two wins at home were Mason Denton, Slaughter, Dubois, and Dillon Neal, Keegan Sutfin, and Friddle. The Saxons will travel to Fowlerville High School on Saturday and will be back at Hastings High School on Wednesday Jan. 26 hosting Parma Western in their last home dual of the season. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — Page 11 Offense improving for DK girls, but shots still missing the mark Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg’s varsity girls’ basket­ ball team had its record bumped to 2-8 overall this season in a 41-17 loss at Hackett Catholic Prep Friday. The Panthers shot just 16 percent from the floor for the night, a continuing strug­ gle this season. “I certainly am pleased with where are shots are coming from and the looks • that we are getting, but we just have not been able to put the ball in the basket with any consistency,” Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn said after the Southwestern Athletic Conference Val­ ley Division defeat. “Makes for some tough sledding.” While the shooting has been tough, the offense for the Panthers continues to get better as a whole. “We have improved greatly in the turn­ over department and that has been a big focus for us over the past month. We had 16 total with only six in the second half, so we are making some big strides there,” coach Mohn said. Jordan Lyons led Delton Kellogg with eight points on the night. She shot well, hitting four of six attempts from the field. She also had four rebounds. “Jordan is really starting to assert her­ self on both ends of the floor over the past few games and that is good to see,” coach Mohn said. DK also got seven points, four rebounds and two steals from Caitlin McManus. Cadence Johnson chipped in six rebounds and three steals while only turning the ball over twice. Delton Kellogg is now 1-7 in confer­ ence action. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber Hackett Catholic Prep is now 6-4 overall this season and currently 3-2 in SAC Valley play. Delton Kellogg will be back at it in the SAC Valley Friday when it travels to Parchment. The Parchment girls are 2-7 on the season and 1-6 in conference so far. The Hackett ballgame was the start of five in a row away from home for the DK girls. Delton will be at Coloma Tuesday, at Kalamazoo Christian Jan. 28 and then at Schoolcraft Feb. 1 in the weeks ahead. New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation I .i cense Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 //SI 10376 & Insured Township of Yankee Springs 284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333 269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-2388 YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE ARPA FUNDS SPENDING TOWNSHIP INPUT MEETING The Purpose of this meeting is to provide Township Residents with some information about the ARPA funds the Township is receiving and the opportunity to provide suggestions and comments on how the funds should be spent. No decisions will be made at this meeting. Additional meetings are likely in future months to provide the same opportunity. Residents are encouraged to also provide written suggestions and comments via let­ ter or email or verbally by calling or visit­ ing the Township office. Date of Meeting: Wednesday, February 2ncl, 2022 Delton Kellogg's Kasey Kapteyn (3) fires a shot from just inside the three-point line as the bench looks on Friday at Hackett Catholic Prep. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Delton Kellogg guard Allie Trantham (32) slashes to the basket during Friday night's contest with Hackett Catholic Prep in Kalamazoo. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Lakewood keeps GLAC record perfect at Saranac Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood ran its Greater Lansing Activities Conference record to 7-0 with a 72-12 win at Saranac Thursday, Jan. 13. Viking wrestlers scored nine pins in the dual, one each for Kade Boucher at 119 pounds, Christian Harton at 130, Daniel Krebs at 140, Calder Villanueva at 145, Tyson Raffler at 152, Brenden Straub at 160, Joel Simon at 215, Eastin Stank at 285 and Ashton Clark at 112 pounds. Lakewood also got forfeit wins by Jonathan Krebs, Gavin Vaughn and Nathaniel Graham. Saranac’s lone points came thanks to a pin by Evan Mouch at 135 pounds and a forfeit win for Nathan Prins at 103. Lakewood was also slated to wrestle Perry Thursday evening, but the Ram­ blers were unable to attend. The GLAC Championship Tourna­ ment is set for Feb. 5 at Olivet High School. Lakewood will host an invitational of its own Friday and then head to the Rich­ mond Invitational Jan. 29. Outside the conference, the Vikings placed fifth at Saturday’s Unity Christian Invitational. Gaylord took the day’s championship with a score of 249.5, ahead of Green­ ville 208, Paw Paw 147, Lowell 129, Lakewood 109, Lapeer 88, Jenison 52.5, Portage Northern 43, Godwin Heights 29, Holton 26, Ludington 25, Wyoming 22, Hudsonville 19, Grand Rapids Chris­ tian 14, Kelloggsville 12 and Unity Christian 12. The Krebs kept rolling, Jonathan won the 125-pound weight class with a perfect 3-0 day. He outscored Greenville’s Liam Dailey 4-1 in their championship match to move his season record to 25-0. Daniel improved to 23-1 with a 3-0 day of his own at 140 pounds. Daniel earned an 11-3 major decision in his championship round match against Gaylord’s Gus James. Lakewood also got a championship from 112-pounder Ashton Clark who ran his record to 21-1 for the season. Clark pinned Greenville’s Conner Peterman 30 seconds into the 112-pound champion­ ship bout. The Viking team also advanced Gra­ ham at 189 pounds and Simon at 215 to the championship round. Brayden Gautreau from Gaylord pulled out a 7-5 win over Graham in the first sudden vic­ tory period of their 189 pound champion­ ship match. Simon, who pulled out deci­ sions in each of his first two matches, was bested 6-0 by Gaylord’s Riley Hush in the 215-pound championship. Boucher placed third at 119 pounds by pinning Paw Paw’s Gavin Vyverman in the consolation final at their weight class. Teammate Vaughn was third at 171 pounds with a pin of Greenville’s Isaac Dailey in their consolation final. Villan­ ueva at 145 pounds placed fourth. Gaylord took the day’s championship with seven wrestlers in the finals and six others in consolation finals - meaning 13 top four finishes. Gaylord got individual titles from Brayden Gautreau at 189 pounds, Hush at 215, Gabe Thompson at 135 and Ty Bensinger at 160. Time of Meeting: 6:00 PM Place of Meeting: YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP HALL 284 N. Briggs Rd. Middleville, Ml 49333 This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA -41.72.S (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mike Cunningham, Yankee Springs Township Clerk Please call the Township Office at 269-795-9091, if you have any questions. Or email: mikecffiyankeespringstwp.org City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NO. 605 Lakewood 171-pounder Gavin Vaughn works to pin Greenville's Isaac Dailey during their consolation final Saturday at the Unity Christian Invitational. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) City of Hastings Full Time Administrative Specialist Position Available The City of Hastings is seeking a full time Administrative Specialist to serve the Community Development and Public Services Departments. The successful candidate will have experience in an office setting and proven communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. Grant writing experience is preferred. Please review the job description for all requirements and expectations. The Vikings' Ashton Clark rolls Lowell's Landon Foss towards his back during their semifinal match-up at 112 pounds Saturday during the Unity Christian Invitational. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) Salary range $16.75 - $22.50 per hour, DOQ with benefits. To apply, send completed employment application and resume to Community Development Director Dan King, by email at dking@hastingsmi.org or by mail or in person to 201 E. State St, Hastings, Ml 49058. Position open until filled, but applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by 4:00pm on January 31,2022. 174515 The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public concerning amending Chapter 90, Article 90-I, Section 90-1 regarding definitions of Automobile Repair Shop and adding Automobile Wash Establishments and amending Chapter 90, Article 90-VI District Regulations .Section 90-472 Permitted Uses, Section 90-473 Special Uses, Section 90­ 484 Special Uses, Section 90-531 Permitted Uses, Section 90-532 Special Uses, Section 90-552 Permitted Uses, Section 90-553 Special Uses, and Section 90-578 Special Uses, pertaining to Automobile Repair Shops and amending Chapter 90, Article 90-XIII Special Land Uses, Division 90XIII-2 Specific Standards, Section 90-1084 Gasoline Stations, and adding Section 90­ 1093 Automobile Wash Establishments to the City of Hastings Municipal Code. The public hearing will be held on Monday February 7, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Please contact Dan King, Community Development Director, at dkinq@hastinqsmi. orq or 269-945-2468 if you have questions or comments regarding this public hearing. A copy of this information is available for public inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1-800-649-3777. Jane M. Saurman, City Clerk �Page 12 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner TK ladies keep Red Hawks from the hoop Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg guard Peyton Pratt drives by Cedar Springs' Brooklyn Colclasure during the second half of their OK Gold bailgame in Middleville Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Township of Yankee Springs 284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333 269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-2388 err -r.,? HOtefiH Jjllii i j:>- YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE 2022 ANNUAL JOINT MEETING BOARD OF TRUSTEES PLANNING COMMISSION ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT Date of Meeting: Wednesday, January 26th, 2022 Time of Meeting: 6:00 PM Place of Meeting: YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP HALL 284 N. Briggs Rd. Middleville, Ml 49333 This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA 41.72.a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mike Cunningham, Yankee Springs Township Clerk Please call the Township Office at 269-795-9091, if you have any questions. Or email: mikec@yankeespringstwp.org New Collections from Moda® Beautiful Prints for Quilters Sports Editor The Trojans’ zone defense kept the Red Hawks working the ball around the three-point arc and the Trojans’ offense got the ball to the rim. The team getting its shots clos­ er to the basket had far more find the bottom of the net Tuesday as the Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ basketball team scored a 42-26 win over visiting Cedar Springs in the old gymnasium at TKHS. TK trailed the ballgame 15-12 midway through the second quar­ ter with junior center Alana Compton keeping her team afloat by scoring 11 of its first 12 points in the opening 12 minutes of play. She hit a free throw to get her team within 15-12, which turned out to be the start of an 11-2 run to close out the first half. A triple by TK senior point guard Kiah Nichols tied the game at 15-15 with 3:22 to go in the first half, and then Hailey Camp­ bell had back-to-back buckets for TK to force a Cedar Springs time out with 1:41 to play in the half. A big offensive rebound and assist from senior forward Keanna Dudik led to Campbell’s sec­ ond basket of the stretch. TK led 19-15 at that point and led for the rest of the ballgame. TK’s defense limited the Red Hawks to four points in the third quarter and just five in the fourth. “We knew that they had shoot­ ers, but our goal was to pack it in on defense, especially with the smaller court that we’re playing on,” TK head coach Brandi James said, later explaining that the court in the ‘new’ gymnasium at the high school is about ten feet longer than the one in the ‘old’ gym. “I like to keep the packed in to make them come to us. I know that they have a couple slashers there, so we were trying to push them to the outside and play those percentages instead.” Compton finished with a game-high 13 points. Seniors Campbell and Tristen Cross had ten points apiece for TK shoot­ ing a combined 6-of-6 at the free throw line between the two of them. Poet Scheuneman led Cedar Springs with six points and Dar­ rah Miller, who the Trojans were especially keen on keeping from getting shots off, finished with five. Offensively, Campbell still sees some work to do. “We have to finish around the basket,” James said. “We have had trouble finishing sometimes, but we’re getting the shots we want. That is a a positive spin on it, but we have to be able to fin­ ish those when the tough games come. They did well. They did better. Once they settle into the second half they did better with that, but we have to finish the bunnies.” Overall on the season, James likes the way her team has improved its teamwork which is leading to those close looks at the basket. “They look for each other on the inside. They understand a lit­ tle more of where they’re going to be in the offensive sets, so they can anticipate the cuts coming through and we get a lot better looks there once we settle into our offenses,” coach James said. The Trojans have one of those tough ones ahead. TK evened its OK Gold record at 2-2 with the win and its overall record at 5-5. TK will host Grand Rapids Catholic Central Friday. The Cougars are off to a 4-0 start in the OK Gold after a 25-point win over Wayland in Grand Rap­ ids Tuesday night. “We have a lot of work to do in the next two days to prep for them because they just handled South pretty well. They have dis­ ciplined basketball players under­ neath,” James said of the Cou­ gars. “They’re really tough to get inside on, which is going to be a struggle for us. But also, they don’t have a lot of bigs to match our bigs so we have to find ways to be creative to get it inside and not just let them anticipate and force in passes when they aren’t there. We have to work it around the perimeter to get it inside. “They’re tough. They run out. They have a really tough press that they run and they like to do a lot of fast-breaking. We’re going to have to get our squad a little healthier, because I only have nine healthy right now.” James likes the way her team has grown in its press break since having a little trouble against the pressure from Caledonia and Plainwell early in the season. Cedar Springs is now 3-6 over­ all this season and 1-2 in confer­ ence play. TK has now won two in a row. The Trojans earned a 38-27 con­ ference win at Kenowa Hills last Friday. “We got a lot of people good minutes. It was a good team bas­ ketball game. I think everybody scored for us that night, which is exciting. Our defense kind of puts us ahead and then our offense settles in once we get a lead,” James said of the win ovef the Knights. ■ Thornapple Kellogg senior guard Hailey Campbell fires up a three-pointer during her team's OK Gold Conference win over visiting Cedar Springs Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings girls sit .in secorid after first win over Northwest, Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Mounties had chances to keep their record perfect against the Hastings girls, but the Saxons kept thwarting them until the clock hit 0:00 Tuesday night at Hastings High School. The Hastings varsity girls’ basketball team improved to 8-4 overall this season and 4-2 in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference with a 47-46 win over visiting Jackson Northwest. Hastings joined the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference in the winter of 2016-17, and the Mounties both both match-ups between the two teams in each of the past five seasons since. The Mounties appeared on their way to an 1consecutive win over the Saxons, lead­ ing by seven points heading into the fourth quarter, but Hastings rallied. Brooklynn Youngs scored ten of her team-high 12 points in the fourth quarter. Macy Winegar sparked the Saxon offense with a three-pointer and Youngs hit a three that gave her team a twopoint lead with about a minute to play. Brianna Barnes added a free throw to stretch her team’s lead to three points. Hastings struggled at the line late, missing the front end of a pair of one-and-one oppor­ tunities, but Bailey Cook and Barnes fought for offensive rebounds on the missed free throws to keep their team in possession of the basketball. In the end, the Saxons chose to foul the Mounties with six seconds to play so as to not allow a game-tying three-pointer. Ashley Weller hit those two free throws and the Mounties managed to turn the Saxons over on the ensuing in-bound attempt to get the ball back. The Saxons survived with a one-point lead over the final few moments by forcing a jump ball with a second to play and then tipping away the Mounties’ inbounding attempt as the horn sounded. Weller finished with a game-high 19 points. She was 14-of-16 at the free throw line. Teja Kapp added nine points for the Mounties. Hastings had three girls in double figures. Barnes had ten points and Winegar finished with 11. Chelsea Ertner, Cook and Allison Teed added four points apiece for the Saxons. The Saxons performed well against the Mounties’ varied forms of pressure defense. “We moved the ball,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said. “We didn’t turn it over. I thought we handled their press. They run different presses. They run different defense. We handled it pretty well. We were prepared for their press.” “We just were smart,” coach Youngs added. “We got the shots we wanted, some­ times they fell sometimes they didn’t. We had three players in double digits for the second time this year.” Hastings led 15-11 after one quarter and the two teams went into the half tied at 24-24. Barnes scored the Saxons’ only five points in the third quarter as Northwest surged in front. “We talk about competing for 32 minutes,” coach Youngs said. “We came out with a renewed sense of confidence. This is a team we have not had success against and when we went into halftime tied I think they were believing more and more that this is where we should be. When we got down seven they didn’t stop playing.” First half seven turnovers about 18 or less, which I’ll take. We just were smart. We got the shots we wanted, sometimes they fell sometimes they didn’t we had three players in double digits for the second time this year. The Saxons are now tied for second place in the conference with the Mounties and the Marshall girls at 4-2. Parma Western, which bested the Saxons last Friday, is still a perfect 6-0 in 1-8 play. Hastings will face Pennfield in Battle Creek Friday, Jan. 21, and then have a week before a showdown with Marshall in Hast­ ings Jan. 28. The Marshall RedHawks hand­ ed Hastings one of its two conference defeats during the first swing through the schedule. Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim Hastings boys shoot for first 1-8 win at home Friday QUESTIONS: ASK US- Brett Bremer 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 !gBt—m OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; My tSaturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station KSZ NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY TO INCORPORATE AS A CHARTER TOWNSHIP AND RIGHT TO REFERENDUM Certification has been received from the Michigan Secretary of State that the Township of Prairieville has a population of 2,000 or more, making it eligible to incorporate as a charter township. The township board may choose to exercise options concerning incorporation as a charter township under the provisions of the Charter Township Act, Public Act 359 of 1947, MCL 42.1, et seq. (MCL 42.3a): On January 12, 2022 the Prairieville Township board passed by unanimous vote Resolution 2022-2: OPPOSITION TO INCORPORATION AS A CHARTER TOWNSHIP. 174652 Sports Editor Tough match-ups keep coming for the Hastings varsity boys’ basketball team in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. Hastings is still shooting for its first con­ ference victory after a 67-26 loss at Jackson Northwest Tuesday evening. The Saxons are now 1-9 overall on the season and 0-6 in con­ ference play. They close the first half of the conference schedule hosting Pennfield Jan. 21 and visiting Marshall Jan. 28. In between those two ballgames, the Sax­ ons will face a 2-6 Charlotte team in the dome in Charlotte Jan. 26. Layton Eastman had eight points and Myles Padilla seven in the loss to the Mount­ ies Tuesday night. Owen Carroll chipped in four points, six rebounds and three assists. The Mounties got 21 points from Duncan Moffitt and 22 from Ian Weller. The Pennfield team coming to Hastings Friday is off to a 7-2 start overall and has a 4-2 mark in the Intestate-8. That 4-2 mark is good for fourth in the conference standings at the moment behind Marshall, Coldwater and Harper Creek who are all 5-1 in conference play heading into the weekend. Parma Western scored a 51-42 win over the visiting Saxons last Friday in conference action. Western went on an 18-9 run in the third quarter to take control in the ballgame. It was a 20-17 lead for the Panthers at the half. Braden Vertalka hit three threes for the Saxons and finished with ten points. Eastman had 14 points to go with nine rebounds. Car­ roll chipped in eight points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal. Vertalka had three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Parma Western was led by 15 points from Kamerin Carter and ten from Cooper John­ ston. Hastings bowlers topple a few of their first Interstate-8 foes The Hastings varsity bowling teams are rolling through the Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference schedule this month as best they can. The Saxons have had a handful of compe­ titions postponed or canceled in recent weeks including Tuesday afternoon’s dual with Parma Western (Jan. 18). The Hastings boys had won two in a row heading into this week. After falling 16.5-13.5 to Marshall in the first 1-8 dual of the season, the Saxon boys outscored Coldwater 16-14 Jan. 6 and Lumen Christi 17-13 Jan. 11. The Hastings girls opened conference duals with a 19-11 win over Marshall, but then were bested by the score of 20-10 by both Lumen Christi and Coldwater. In the Jan. 11 dual with Lumen Christi the Hastings boys were powered in part by Cam­ eron Eaton and Miles Lipsey who won two match-points each. Eaton had individual scores of 159 and 199. Lipsey rolled a 172 and a 159. Hastings also got a point thanks to a 166 from Gage Richmond, one from a 152-game by Hunter Pennington and one from a 214game by Drew Rhodes. Rhodes at one point connected on seven consecutive strikes. Hastings took the ten points from winning both regular games, but the Titans took ten for winning both Bakers. Abby Barton won two team points in the girls’ loss to the Lumen Christi Titans with games of 135 and 160. Hastings also got a team point thanks to a 151 from Shyanna Baker and a 149 from Ally Herder. The Saxon girls were bested in both Baker games by the Titans, as well as the first regu­ lar game, but bounced back to win the second regular game as well as the total series points for the final two games. Hastings is slated for an 1-8 dual at Jackson Northwest today, Jan. 20, and will be at the Zeeland invitational Saturday. The Saxons are home Tuesday, Jan. 25, to take on Penn­ field. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — Page 13 Trojans make it three wins in three competitions Thornapple Kellogg's varsity competitive cheer team accepts the championship trophy after winning its own TK Invitational Saturday in Middleville. The Trpjans won their first three competitions of the season leading into their OK Gold Conference opener this week. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor One, two, three: another TK victory. Three, two, one: every time they’ve cheered they’ve won. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity competi­ tive cheer team made it three victories in three meets as it won its seven-team Thomapple Kellogg Invitational in the old gymnasium at the high school in Middleville Saturday. While working through the usual improve­ ments after winning an invitational hosted by West Catholic in December TK head coach Adrian Sinkler decided that her team could add a bit of a wow factor and score more points at the end of round three with some adjustments. They put those in place the week before winning the Gull Lake Invitational this month, and certainly put on a spectacular The Hastings varsity competitive cheer team performs back walkovers during round two round three Saturday. of the Thornapple Kellogg Invitational Saturday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “I just didn’t feel the fireworks show at the end, so we changed it,” Sinkler said of her Smith has learned to be trusting of the stunt like back tucks that mostly hit. team’s round three routine. “We drilled it and The Thomapple Kellogg girls put together group below her and said she really started to of course it paid off.” feel comfortable as a flyer after the TK team a round three that scored 306.80 points to “Just something wasn’t working for me,” finish with a three-round total score of742.42. got to perform an exhibition round for a she added. “You know when you’re a coach and you jusUo^k ^ gome^iQg^^yo^^^PlmnwdL^ame^^^nct^s^^q^^f like ‘eh, this isn’t it.?’ I just knew that wasn’t 288.90 tcf-finish seconcFWith 730.02 pfamtsv ■^ianglij’Midwevrtle b&cl^-m^ecember.^® » As she has worked into the role she has “They hit. That is what the goal is all season, it. So, we made it harder. We went from 42 found she gets good advice from both her to hit all the stunts,” Sinkler said. “For sure. points in a section to 100 points in a section, stunt group and her fellow flyers, although it so they are doing more than they need to and They did their job. At the end of the day. They did their job, 100 percent - all credit to them.” is fairly different. they’re hitting it.” Round three has been a work in progress “(Flyers share] small pointers all the time: The TK ladies were five and a half points for some time. Sophomore Kenady Smith roll the shoulders, drag up the leg for libs. All behind the Plainwell Trojans on the score said her coaches asked her if she’d like to be the positivity and encouragement is good,” sheet after the first two rounds. TK held a a flyer last summer, after spending middle Smith said. slim edge after round one, but Plainwell school and her first high school cheer seasons “With the flyers there are little tips. With edged in front with a round two performance the stunt group there is encouragement and that included some tough gymnastics skills as a backspot. Dominant second half stretch gets Pilgrim ladies a win at LHS Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood girls led throughout their bailgame with the Pilgrims Friday night at Lakewood High School, but turnovers and missed shots piled up in the secoiid half. Alli Pickard buried a three-pointer to put the Vikings in front 36-25 with 3:41 to play in the third quarter, but the Pilgrims outscored the Lakewood ladies 30-4 the rest of the ball­ game to score a 55-40 win. Pickard’s jumper accounted for the Vikings’ final points of the third quarter. Some nice inside-out offense found Pickard for an open jumper to open the fourth quarter that had her team still up 38-34 at that point. A flurry of offensive rebounds helped the Pilgrims keep the momentum in their favor. A couple offensive boards led to a free throw by Christian senior guard Mia Judd that got her team within 38-37 a minute and a half into the fourth quarter. An offensive rebound off a missed free throw led to a triple by Audra Usiak that gave her team its first lead of the second half at 40-38. Grace Sullivan quickly followed that with another three for the Pilgrims. Two free throws though accounted for the Vikings’ only points in the final seven minutes of the contest. Judd finished with a game-high 18 points. She was 11-of-18 at the free throw line. Lan­ sing Christian also got 14 points from Usiak and 11 from Lydia Brogan. The Vikings got 11 points from senior cen­ ter Maradith O’Gorman and nine from soph­ omore center Cadence Poll. Pickard finished with seven points and junior point guard Paige Wolverton had five. Lakewood was able to bounce back Tues­ day for a 44-31 win at Perry. The Vikings are now 3-8 overall this sea­ son and 2-3 in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference. The Vikings are home against Stockbridge Friday and then will be on the road at Olivet Tuesday. Lakewood point guard Paige Wolverton works the ball up court against pressure from Lansing Christian's Audra Usiak at Lakewood High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Saxon varsity competitive cheer team performs during round three of the Thornapple Kellogg Invitational in Middleville Saturday morning. things like, ‘make sure to drag up your leg. Don’t rotate this way. We can feel it, we can fix your foot.” Smith was excited for the alterations to round three in_recent weeks while helped_the team surpass that 300-ppint milestone in the final round. Reeths-Puffer was third with 718.74 points overall Saturday, ahead of Allegan 718.40, Hastings 689.08, Hopkins 634.48 and Gobles 588.16. TK led Plainwell 229.80 to 229 after round one. The TK girls followed up with a score of 205.82 in round two. Plainwell tallied 212.12 points in round three. “We knew that we had to be ready to roll, but we have been repping everything really hard. We made some changes from our first competition It was a new season-best score in each round for the TK girls Saturday. They were set to return to action at Forest Hills Eastern Wednesday, Jan. 19, for the first OK Gold Conference jamboree. Hastings was a bit shorthanded Saturday. The Saxons put together a score of 225.60 in round one, 192.78 in round three and 270.70 in round three. Hastings will be at the Maple Valley Invi­ tational Saturday, Jan. 22, and will host an Interstate-8 Athletic Conference jamboree Thursday, Jan. 27. Vikings run their GLAC record to 4-0, big one with Olivet Tuesday Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team keeps rolling in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference. The Vikings are now 4-0 in league play after a 59-38 win over visiting Lansing Christian Friday and a 57-36 win over vis­ iting Perry Tuesday. The Vikings are now 8- 1 overall. Lakewood has a trip to Stockbridge for a GLAC ballgame Friday night and then will have a big showdown at home against Olivet Tuesday. The Vikings and Eagles are both 4-0 in GLAC play heading into this weekend’s action and the Eagles are 9- 0 overall. A group of four Vikings finished in dou­ ble figures in the win over Lansing Chris­ tian last Friday, led by junior center Caleb Hull who had 12 points. Junior guard Nate Willette sparked the Lakewood offense early and finished with 11 points. Junior guard Jayce Cusack and junior guard Pres­ ton Makley had ten points apiece. Nine different Vikings scored in all. “We knew they were going to be playing zone tonight. We didn’t play Tuesday so we had all week to prepare. Especially in the first half, we did everything we wanted to do. Every time we skipped the ball we got a lay-up. We got good looks the entire first half,” Lakewood head coach Chris Duits said. “We had some pretty poor turnovers that led to lay-ups for them, or fast breaks for them, but when we ran our offense they really didn’t have a whole lot that could stop it.” Lansing Christian got 21 points from senior guard Benjamin Sullivan, who knocked down four three-pointers. Lake­ wood’s match-up zone limited Sullivan to just two points in the second half however. He had 11 in the game’s first five minutes and the Pilgrims built an early 14-10 lead. A triple and a nifty reverse lay-up by Makley nudged the Vikings in front and they led the rest of the bailgame, 19-14 after one quarter and 39-22 at the half. Lakewood junior guard Nate Willette works to get a shot over Lansing Christian's Phillip Curry during the first half of their GLAC bailgame at Lakewood High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “We just didn’t do a good job of staying with [Sullivan],” Duits said of the first half. “We would get beat off the dribble and then we went to help and left him and he was knocking some shots down.” “We just talked about that at halftime and said, ‘let’s make somebody else beat us and let’s know where he is all the time,’ and I think we did a better job on him,” he added. The Viking coach was happy his team was aggressive defensively and came close to its goal of holding the Pilgrims to 35 points or less. “It was a comfortable win. Everybody, but two guys scored. All in all, it was a good game,” Duits said. Cusack had 19 points in the win over Perry Tuesday. Hull added 16 points and Makley had 11 points. The Vikings out­ scored the Ramblers 36-19 in the second half to pull away for the win. DJ Jenks led the Ramblers with 11 points. �Page 14 — Thursday, January 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ~ -i '7 e: ' . I ... '. <. V • ■ . ■ . ; • . - ■ Ferris pins all five foes for flight title at Hopkins Invite Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg placed eighth at Satur­ day’s 15-team Hopkins Invitational, led by a championship performance from senior state champion Caden Ferris at 215 pounds. Ferris pinned all five of his foes. He stuck Wayland’s Bronson Huyck 56 seconds into their championship match. Only Fremont’s Aiden DeWeerdt lasted more than a minute before getting pinned by Ferris Saturday. Ferris earned the fall in just seven seconds in the semifinal match against Fremont’s Kyle Nagel. Ferris also pinned Fennville’s Kenneth Sisson and Shelby’s Alex Calixto. Huyck’s Wayland Wildcats still managed to capture the day’s team championship though. The Wildcats scored 277.5 points, which bested Fremont 271, Kalamazoo Central 183, Shelby 174, Hopkins 143, Watervliet 134, South Haven 130.5, Delton Kellogg 112, Hartford 95, Coloma 57, Hanover-Horton 46, Fennville 43.5, Berrien Springs 30, Constantine 22 and Brandy­ wine 16. Vinnie Quick and Joelle White were the other two Delton Kellogg wrestlers to finish in the top four in their weight class at the tournament. Quick was 2-1 in his pool matches, and fell to Fremont’s Trey Myers in the semifi­ nals. In the match for third, Quick scored an 8-5 win over Wayland’s Dustin Loomans. Joelle White was third in the girls’ 103/112-pound weight class. White was 2-2 in her four matches. Hunter Antolovich scored a fifth place finish for DK at 135 pounds and Giovan­ ni Stea at 145, Marcus Momenee at 130 and Luke Watson at 171 each placed sixth. Wayland got individual championships from Adam Ordway at 160 pounds, Luke DeWeerd at 130, Aadon Wagner at 140 and Emmet Manning at 145 pounds. The Panthers were slated to return to action last night at a quad hosted by Mar­ tin. DK will be at a tournament hosted by Comstock Friday evening and then back at Martin for another quad Jan. 26. The Delton Kellogg grapplers split a pair of duals at their own home tri Wednes­ day evening, Jan. 12. They scored a 63-3 win over Parchment and fell 65-18 in a dual with Martin/Climax-Scotts. Ferris scored a quick pin in his 215pound match against M/CS’s Sam Bleeker, and the Panthers got their other points in that loss from forfeit wins by Gauge Stampfler and Vinnie Quick. In the win over Parchment, Delton Kel­ logg got pins from Corban Antolovich at 103 pounds, Momenee at 130, Stea at 145 and Michael Bhola at 189 pounds. DK also got three points from Stampfler’s 6-3 win over Tucker Mclntyer at 125 pounds. Delton picked up 36 points thanks to six voids in the Parchment line-up. Delton Kellogg's Michael Bhola pins Parchment's Richard Dolink during the first period of their 189-pound match Wednesday, Jan. 12, at Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Perry Hardin) JOIN OUR TEA/VIJ | Now Hiring: Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters Delton Kellogg 171-pounder Luke Watson holds Martin/Climax-Scotts' Aden Chambers on his back during the first period of their .? match Wednesday, Jan. 12, at Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Perry Hardin) SWMSC season gets started at Timber Ridge Brett Bremer Sports Editor Mattawan/PawPaw hit its mark Wednes­ day on the hill at Timber Ridge. https://qrco.de/bcgX71 Caledonia’s boys started the 2021-22 varsity boys’ ski season off with a target on Apply at: caascm.org/careers their back after winning five consecutive •Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and Southwest Michigan Ski Conference Con­ state mandates including Covid-19 vaccination compliance. ♦ft L ference championships in a row. The Fight­ ing Scots were second to the Mattawan/PP team 40-75 at the top of the standings. “Our guys really did a nice job tonight and put down some great times, but I have to say Mattawan/Paw Paw was very impressive tonight,” Caledonia head coach Duane Petrosky said. “They did not make any mis­ takes and put down some impressive numbers. Project: Delton Kellogg Schools “ We have a team where everyone of my Bid Package #1 - DK Elementary New Addition and Remodeling Project top six could lead the way any race and tonight my juniors really stepped up and did Thursday, January 27th, 2022 @ 1:00pm Bid Date & Time: a nice job. Tyler Dean and Sean Rice skied Project Location: 327 N. Grove St., Delton, Ml 49046 great. They finished in the top ten in both Wednesday, January 12th, 2022 at 10am at Pre-Bid Meeting: events, which is a nice way to start the sea­ 327 N. Grove St., Delton, Ml 49046 son. Last year, we took second in the first meet and it was a real motivation for the Subcontractor: team to push their skiing and I believe that Contact/Email: our guys make a come back, there is a lot of Phone: skiing left this season.” Fax: In the girls’ meet, the defending confer­ ence champion Lucy VanDemark from the To: The Christman Co. Plainwell/Thomapple Kellogg Trojan Ski team won the giant slalom (GS) with runs of Todd Champion Phone: 269.903.7230 I Fax: 616.454.1795 INVITATION TO BID 19.90 seconds and 19.68, and had the fastest first run in the slalom at 21.78 seconds, but was DQ’d from her second slalom run. The Trojan Ski team also got a solid per­ formance from Madison Nagel who was 13^ in the GS and eighth in the slalom. Abigail Wamez was 18^ in slalom and 24^ in the GS for the Trojans and Ella Way 27^ in the GS. In the slalom, the Trojan team had Anna Davis 22nd and Whitney Johnson 25^. Tyler Dean led the way for the Caledonia boys, placing sixth in the slalom and eighth in the GS. Sean Rise was fifth in the GS and tenth in the slalom. Caledonia also had Tyler Roy tenth in the GS and 12^ in the slalom, Ben DeGood 11^ in the GS and Brayden Smith 13^ in the slalom. Portage was third in the boys’ standings with 111 points, ahead of the Plainwell/ Thomapple Kellogg Trojan Ski team which had 159 points, Hudsonville 174, Kalama­ zoo United 197, South Haven 221 and Hackett/Vicksburg 255. Dillon Vliestra and Liam Troutner were in the top ten in both events for the Trojan boys. Troutner was eighth in the slalom and ninth in the GS. Vliestra placed seventh in the GS and ninth in the slalom. Sam Bacon scored in both events, placing 35™ in the GS and 27^ in the slalom. The Trojan team also had Gavin Johnson 38^ in the GS and Matteo Garbarino 26^ in the slalom. Portage star Daniel Grile was the top guy in the slalom with times of 19.87 and 21.77. He placed second in the GS with runs of 18.62 and 19.97. Ian Bradley from Mattawan/PP was the GS champ on the day with runs of 18.96 and 18.96. Mattawan PP had three guys in the top six in the GS and four in the top seven in the slalom. Bradley was the slalom runner-up with runs of 21.24 and 21.18. Portage won the girls’ meet with 77 points, ahead of Mattawan/PP 102, Caledo­ nia 106, Kalamazoo United 114, Hackett/ Vicksburg 128, Trojan Ski 138, Hudsonville 256 and South Haven 306. Mattawan/PP’s Anna Roethlisberger won the girls’ slalom with runs of 21.89 and 21.50. That 21.50 was the only slalom run faster than VanDemarkYtime in her one trip down the hill. Roethlisberger was the run­ ner-up in the GS. Emma Grile from Portage was third in both the girls’ slalom and the girls’ GS, leading her team to the victory. Portage also had Abby Liddell fourth in the slalom and fifth in the GS; Avery Parlin 14^ in the slalom and the GS; and Raya Bastian 15^ in the slalom and 19^ in the GS. The conference was set to get together again back at Timber Ridge yesterday, Jan. 19. Bittersweet Ski Resort will host the con­ ference Jan. 26. todd.champion@christmanco.com Description/Scope of Project: Sealed proposals for all work categories as described in the Project Manual for the above project will be received no later than Thursday, January 27th, 2022 @ 1:00pm. Proposals should be addressed to Todd Champion, Project Manager and delivered to Delton Kellogg Administrative Office, 327 N Grove Street, Delton, Ml 49046. Proposals will be opened and read aloud on Thursday, January 27th @ 1:00pm at the Delton Kellogg Administrative Office. There will be a pre-bid conference at DK Elementary School/Administrative Office, 327 N Grove Street, Delton Ml 49046 on Wednesday, January 12th, 2022 @ 10am conducted by the Construction Manager. It is strongly recommended that contractors attend the pre-bid conference. ■ ■ ' Bid Documents Availability: Contract documents may be obtained via Procore. A link to the Procore site will be sent upon request. Please email Todd Champion at Todd.Champion@ christmanco.com to be granted permission to the documents. Builders Exchange - Public Plan Room @ www.grbx.com All questions are to be directed to the Construction Manager, Todd Champion @ Todd.Champion@christmanco.com or 269.903.7230. No direct contact with the owner or architect is requested. Please mark below and return via fax or email to 517-745-7903 or Todd. Champion@christmanco.com Thank you. Yes, we plan to bid: No, we are not bidding: Perennial champs from LHS start GLAC cheer season strong Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team opened its season by finishing well ahead of the field at the first Greater Lansing Activities Conference jamboree of the sea­ son, hosted by Perry Jan. 12. The Vikings led by nearly 16 points at the end of round one and upped their advantage to more than 33 points heading into round three. Lakewood finished the day with a total score of 698.84 points, ahead of Leslie 600.76, Perry 602.80, Stockbridge 541.86, Maple Valley 311.50 and Webberville 260.04. Neither Maple Valley or Webberville com­ peted in round three. Lakewood had the top score of each round. The Vikings opened the day with a score of 217.20 in round one and then fol­ lowed up with a 203.84 in round two. Lake­ wood closed the day with a 277.80 in round three. Perry surged past Leslie in the final stand­ ings with a round three score that was more than 30 points better than the Blackhawks once dedications were taken into account. Leslie put together scores of 201.40 in round one, 170.76 in round two and 228.60 in round three. Perry was at 181.10 in round one, 160.30 in round two and 261.40 in round three. Maple Valley’s girls had the fourth best round one score of the day at 175.30, then tallied a 136.20 in round two. Many of the GLAC squads will see each other again at the Maple Valley Cheerfest Saturday, Jan. 22. Lakewood will host the next GLAC jamboree Jan. 26. Trojan bowling teams add league wins over Ottawa Hills The Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ and girls’ bowling teams are both 5-1 in the OK Gold Conference after outscoring the Ottawa Hills Bengals Monday at Hastings Bowl. The TK boys dropped just one point in the head-to-head match-ups after taking the two Baker games 152-91 and 188-134. In the two regular games the Trojans outscored the Ben­ gal boys 924-661 and 808-638. Wyatt Jacobson had one of the highlights of the day when he rolled a 290 in the second game. He took two team points, also scoring a 224. Ethan Kriekaard took two team points for TK too with games of 176 and 160. Donnie Rosendall scored a team point fo TK with a 184. Z Moore won one with a 178. Connor Newland won a team point with a 162. Nolan Clous won one with a 147. Wyatt Barnes won one with a 115. Logan Kennedy added a 96 for the Tro­ jans. The TK girls won 30-0. TK rolled Baker games of 150 and 125. In the two regular games, TK scored a 662 and a 621. Paige Green had games of 193 and 146 for TK. Sara Wilshire scored a 149 and a 98. Faith Foster tallied games of 143 and 114. Emily Podbevsek scored a 130 and a 106. Allison Hess scored a 122 and Savannah Rehfeldt scored an 82. Both TK teams were 6-1 overall this sea­ son heading into a Jan. 19 dual with South Christian at Spectrum Lanes. TK will be at Rockford lanes to face Cedar Springs in an OK Gold dual Friday, Jan. 21, and then head to Fairlanes for the Zeeland Baker Invitation­ al Saturday, Jan. 22. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-01-27.pdf 1ecbf25ad3de3d71776bc23386360252 PDF Text Text Hastings Downtown streetscape back in motion - with a new plan Troubling times carry major life reminders Hastings girls all set for showdown with Marshall See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 1070490102590502746649058113421 *****«*»************C/\R-RT LOT’C005 C005 Richard Hemeriing 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Mi 49058-1134 6/30/2022 9:47:00 AM lino 1 111 VJO Thursday, January 27, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 4 PRICE $1.00 County gives go-ahead for ARPA Seven projects successfully make the case for $5.9Min federal funds Rep. Calley to visit Jan. 31 State Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, has scheduled her first office hours of 2022 to take place in Lake Odessa and Hastings Monday, Jan. 31. The informal meetings will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Page Memorial Building, 839 4th Ave., Lake Odessa; and?from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Tyden Cen­ ter, 121 S. Church St., Hastings. A legislative update will be provided, with an opportunity for individual meet­ ings following. Out of consideration for other attendees, one-on-one meetings will be kept to 10 minutes each. Individ­ uals who need additional time, are unable to attend the scheduled office hours, or who would like a Zoom meet­ ing, may email at Julie( alley@house. mi.gov or call 517-373-0842. Legal advice available to seniors Barry Community Foundation President and CEO Bonnie Gettys answers ques­ tions from the county commissioners during its committee of the whole meet­ ing last week. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Rebecca Pierce Editor The moment Tuesday when Barry County commissioners officially approved spending more than $5.9 million for seven American Rescue Plan Act projects marked a major milestone. Chairman Ben Geiger called it “a game-changer.” Never before has the county been able to invest so much money so broadly and sub­ stantively to support local needs within its borders, he said. The amount of federal funding is so signif­ icant, county officials saw this as an opportu­ nity to assist in projects that could be “trans­ formative in nature and may have impacts across municipal boundaries.” That’s the wording they used when they sought project applications last year. For Barry County, the total amount of ARPA money it’s receiving - in two pay­ ments - is a direct allocation of nearly $11.96 million, which represents about two-thirds of the county’s $19 million general fund budget. The first installment of almost $5.98 mil­ lion was received in May 2021, and county officials expect the second installment to be received this summer. Serenity Village officials will announce the Time to Build campaign, a fundraising effort in Barry County to construct an alternative homelike envi­ ronment for terminally ill hospice patients to live out their final days in peace and dignity. The announcement will be made at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Barry Community Foundation, 231 S. Broad­ way, Hastings. The news conference will provide information about the Time to Build campaign, give an overview of fundrais­ ing progress, and provide a summary of how the new facility is intended to serve local and regional families. Anyone wishing to attend is asked to respond to tomdevault@gmail.com. More information can be found at serenitybc.org. Internet affordability program available The Federal Communications Com­ mission has launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, a benefit pro­ gram now open for enrollment that helps households afford broadband. The ACP is the $14.2 billion succes­ sor program to the Emergency Broad­ band Benefit, a temporary program that helped almost 9 million people afford internet access during the pandemic. Eligible households may apply to receive up to a $30 per month discount off the price of their service and up to $75 per month for households on quali­ fying tribal lands. Eligibility informa­ tion can be found on the ACP’s enroll­ ment page, https://acpbenefit.org/ do-i-qualify/. These task force members reviewed 19 project applications that were submitted for consideration by the Sept. 17, 2021, deadline and, weighing them against the restrictions and requirements set by the federal govern­ ment, scored each one. The process also featured a community­ wide forum with input from citizens across the county and comments from some who questioned using the money at all. But, when it came time to put the matter to a vote, commissioners were unanimous in their agreement on this key issue: ARPA money would not be going back, it would be invested in projects in the county. As Moore expressed it early on in a 2021 meeting with commissioners: “We’re going to get one chance to do this and do it right... There are some wonderful opportunities in this county and examples of projects that may well have a chance to get done because of this money coming into the community. “Regardless of your view, whether it should or should not be coming, it is coming and it is going to be spent by someone somewhere. For those communities that are See ARPA, page 2 Teens trespass at TK high school, steal gun The Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Battle Creek office will con­ duct interviews to provide legal advice and possible representation, without charge, to interested seniors Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Barry County Commission on Aging, 320 W. Woodlawn Ave., Hastings. COVID-19 protocols will be in place. Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Battle Creek office is a non­ profit organization that offers legal assistance, representation and education to seniors in Barry Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph counties. The agency seeks, through its board, staff, volunteers and pro bono attorneys, to ensure that its clients are given equal access to the jus­ tice system. Officials to announce Serenity Village campaign ARPA was signed into law March 11, 2021, with the intent of providing support to state, territorial, local and tribal governments in responding to the economic and public health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan’s 83 counties are receiving a total of $1.93 billion in ARPA funds, which must be allocated by 2024 and spent by 2026. Tuesday, the county board committed the ARPA funds it has received thus far. The process commissioners used to reach this point was so unique it received praise from other counties that sought to emulate it, accord­ ing to Barry Community Foundation President and CEO Bonnie Gettys, who was invited to speak about the process at two Michigan Asso­ ciation of Counties conferences. Gettys led a specially appointed task force of sector experts who represented a swath of the community and industries: Lani Forbes, Barry County United Way; Jennifer Heinzman, Barry County Chamber and Eco­ nomic Development Alliance; Carla Wilson Neil, health care industry; Greg Moore, Con­ sumers Energy; Cindy Vujea, economic development industry; Robert Geyer of Gun Lake, business and industry; and Craig Jen­ kins Jr., Delton Kellogg Schools Board of Education. Robert Neil, the city's new superintendent of streets and construction, is shown here on State Street in downtown Hastings. (Photo by Benjamin Simon) Hastings ’street-wise superintendent Longtime DPS worker promoted to top spot Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Four years after graduating from high school, Robert Neil saw an opening with the city as a general laborer for Hastings’ Depart­ ment of Public Services. Neil said he didn’t think much of it. He just knew the city offered good benefits, and he decided to sub­ mit an application. Neil got the job and has continued to work for the city ever since. After 29 years with DPS, Neil was named the superintendent of streets and construction earlier this month. He takes over for Jim James, who resigned from the post last fall after six years to serve as the facility director at Thomapple Manor. Mayor David Tossava said Neil stood out because of his experience. Over the years, Neil has worked as a general laborer, equip­ ment operator and mechanic. “He can run any piece of equipment the city’s got over there,” Tossava said. The mayor, who served as the superinten­ dent of streets and construction for seven years, described a requirement of the job as See DPS WORKER, page 2 Taylor Owens and Greg Chandler Staff Writers The Barry County Prosecutor’s Office is considering charges against three teenage boys who trespassed at Thomapple Kellogg High School before leaving to steal a gun and a bottle of alcohol at a nearby residence. The teenagers were not students of the school, although one of them was a former student. According to a Barry County Sheriffs Office police report, the boys were spotted by a teacher when they were attempting to hide backpacks under a tree on the northeast side of the high school property. The teacher talk­ ed to them and asked them to stay outside while she retrieved the school resource offi­ cer, who called two deputies to assist. The teenagers, 14, of Grand Rapids, 16, of Wayland, and 14, of Hopkins, got on a school bus at Yankee Springs Meadows Mobile Home Park and rode it to the high school. The boys told police they went inside the building and talked to friends before the bell rang for first hour, when they left. The three boys then entered an unoccupied dwelling on Manor Road, about a quarter mile east of the school, where they stole a bottle of rum, a loaded Glock.45 caliber handgun, 200 rounds of 9mm ammunition and a black backpack. The teenagers then hid the items in a snow pile behind a house on Bender Road, across the street from the school. When the school resource officer ques­ tioned the boys, one of them left to retrieve the backpack and returned with it. A deputy searched the backpack and found the stolen items, including the gun. The boys said they did not know the gun was inside the backpack, although one of them had said it held a gun just before the deputy pulled it out of the bag. The teenagers were then searched, and found with nearly $1,000 in cash, which was later determined to have been stolen. The deputy noted in the report that the boys’ story “was not sensible and filled with holes.” School officials temporarily issued an order to shelter-in-place. The school was notified and the teens were turned over to their legal guardians. In another incident involving Thomapple Kellogg schools, a suspect connected to a social media threat that led to the cancellation of classes last Thursday at Thomapple Kel­ logg Schools was arrested on unrelated charges, according to a press release from the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. Thomapple Kellogg Superintendent Craig McCarthy wrote in an email that night that the suspect was arrested after an investigation by the sheriff’s office and Michigan State Police. “This is an ongoing investigation and will be forwarded to the Barry County Prosecu­ tor’s Office upon completion,” Sgt. Tim Ste­ vens, head of the Middleville unit with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, said. The suspect is not a student in the Thor­ napple Kellogg district. Classes across the district resumed Friday, McCarthy wrote. Classes in the district had been canceled that Thursday morning after administrators at the high school received an email at 6:45 a.m. regarding a threat to the high school, which a parent had found on social media, McCarthy wrote in an email that morning. “The threat was deemed to be credible and we needed to take action,” McCarthy wrote. Because the notice of the threat came so close to the start of the school day, district officials had to act quickly. See TEENS, page 2 Rutland closer to permitting marijuana businesses Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Business owners, real estate agents, law­ yers, former law enforcement officials and residents came to Rutland Charter Town­ ship’s special meeting Jan. 19 to voice opin­ ions on ordinances that would permit mari­ juana businesses in the township. After two years of hashing out legal details, the township heard from 14 members of the public Wednesday night. Joshua Smallwood, a marijuana retail busi­ ness owner and grower in Baltimore Town­ ship, stepped forward multiple times to speak from his experience. Smallwood said he grew 2,000 plants out­ side behind the Baltimore Township post office last year and never received a com­ plaint. “1 think that if you guys come out with this ordinance and you’re educated about it, and you provide the right service to the communi­ ty, I think that actually it’s going to improve everybody’s life,” Smallwood said. Larry Kerstetter, who identified himself as a Rutland Township resident and former member of law enforcement, said he worries about regulations and quality-of-life issues. “The restaurant, the bakery - what sort of impact do these businesses have on other businesses?” he asked the board. Before public comment began, township attorney Craig Rolfe provided background on the creation of the ordinances. The process started in 2018, he said, when medical and recreational-use marijuana facilities were enacted into law. But the Rutland board initially decided against allowing marijuana establishments in the township in April 2019, with the intention of waiting until the Legislature fully fleshed out the law. That didn’t stop the board, though, from continuing to eye the possibility of marijuana businesses in the township. And, over the past three years, township officials took time to research the topic. Zoning Administrator Les Raymond said he visited nearly 50 munici­ palities across the state to learn more about their marijuana businesses, application pro­ cess and how they created their laws. For 2? years, the behind-the-scenes work made trustees confident in drafting their own ordinances to allow marijuana businesses in the township. “This process was undertaken by this township in a very deliberate manner,” Rolfe See RUTLAND, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ARPA, continued from page 1 -------------------------------a little reluctant, that say ‘We don’t want to be a partner in this, we don’t want to use the money for these purposes, we’re going to send it back,’ I understand that feeling ... The question is whether you are in a better position to determine how this money should be spent ... Frankly, what I’ve seen over the years, the folks in Barry County are in a much better position to determine where this money should be spent than Washington, D.C.” During last week’s committee meeting, Gettys applauded the county government for its collaborative approach to the invest­ ment of these federal funds. “The process has really opened the eyes of many to the unfairness of federal funding to smaller units of government,” she said. During talks about ARPA, the notion of accepting federal funding was met with trep­ idation by some citizens and commissioners who asked what would happen in the case of “clawbacks,” if the county was required to refund the money, if something went wrong. The county is accustomed to working with funds from the state, but federal dollars - and the requirements attached to accepting those funds - will be a new experience. County Administrator Michael Brown brought in Attorney Mark Nettleton from the Grand Rapids firm of Mika Meyers Beckett & Jones PLC last Tuesday to advise the board on recent modifications to ARPA guidelines. This week, Brown mentioned likely resources the county could tap if needed, including a couple of advisers experienced in use of federal funds. The research and expert advice did not overcome all differences of opinion on the board. But commissioners agreed on this: They will accept ARPA funds and invest them in projects that contribute to the betterment of townships and municipalities. Even with that unanimity on accepting ARPA funds, Tuesday’s vote on individual projects was not a smooth affirmation. Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner sought to have five items from the consent agenda moved to items for consideration so they could be discussed. Two of the projects - the Paul B. Henry Thomapple Trail project and the Barry County Road Commission reve­ nue replacement - were already under the items for consideration, so they could be discussed. But the other projects were queued up for approval without discussion since the board had deliberated them and agreed t o act upon them at this week’s meeting. So, Commissioner Jon Smelker made a motion to approve the consent items, which are typically approved in one action in a roll-call vote. After he read the lengthy list, Conner requested what Geiger called, according to Robert’s Rules of Order, a “point of privi­ lege.” Since there was no objection to it, her point of privilege allowed the board to sus­ pend rules regarding immediate action on the consent agenda so they could discuss whether to allow Conner’s request - to move the five ARPA projects to items for consideration so they could be discussed again. “I’m doing this because I was asked how a person in the audience could get the agen­ da amended,” Conner explained. “The information I gave [that person] was incor­ rect. And I’m doing this to make it right.” But, when a roll-call vote was taken on her request to move the ARPA projects so they could continue to be discussed under items for consideration, it failed, 7-2. Con­ ner and Commissioner Bruce Campbell cast the votes supporting the agenda change. With that, the board returned to the origi­ nal motion, which had been made by Smelk­ er and supported by Commissioner Howard Gibson, to approve all the consent items, including the five ARPA projects. In that 6-1 action, Conner was the lone dissenter. As for the two ARPA projects under items for consideration, the vote on the road com­ mission revenue replacement request was unanimous. Conner cast the lone “no” vote to approve the Paul B. Henry Thomapple Trail project. After the meeting, Conner said she does not oppose the project, but she objected to the level of funding - $1 million - that was being recommended for it. The original amount for that project had been significant­ ly less, she said, and, if that had been the case, more projects in the county could have been considered for funding. After the projects were approved, com­ missioners took a moment to reflect on the process. Geiger said it will need some fine-tuning, particularly with regard to making sure all areas of the county are contacted so that they reach out to unsolicited or under-solic­ ited parts of the county. Transparency and potential conflicts of interest are other areas of concern, he said. “With leadership of this board, we can address” the weaknesses. The analysis and the diligence of Brown and Nettleton relieves some of their con­ cerns, Geiger noted. “This was something new to all of us,” Conner agreed. “I think they [the task force] did a good job. It was a lot of hard work and required a lot of time. I had great conversa­ tions with Bonnie [Gettys]. She answered a lot of questions.” Conner emphasized that, as they approach Round 2, the board needs to be prudent. “It’s not a race,” she said, adding that they need to consider if there will be any “carry­ over” from Round 1. Gettys made it clear last week that the task force provided commissioners with a recommendation only - nothing more. “A recommendation simply means it gave you a starting point,” she said. “That’s all it was. ... Now you have the opportunity to tweak the idea into something that makes sense. We’re not here to tell you what to do. We’re saying, ‘We reviewed this. This is our recommendation. Good luck with the final decisions.’” BARRY COUNTY, Ml qpFAMILY support center Announces its ANNUAL MEETING will be held Thursday, Feb. 17,2022 11:45 A.M. Leason Sharpe Hall Barry Community Enrichment Center 231 S. Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 - THE PUBLIC IS INVITED RSVP required by Feb. 10,2022 269445-5439 • • • • • • Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters Apply at: caascm.org/careers ♦Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and Rebecca Pierce Editor When Bonnie Gettys, president and CEO of the Barry Community Foundation, began researching projects in Barry County that were proposed for funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, one major issue was evident: Watershed and water quality. That was the common thread running through several projects pitched for ARPA funding, she said. And the top two projects approved for ARPA funding have that issue in common. Projects county commissioners approved Tuesday include: • Delton water tower, $1.33 million, was requested by Barry Township Supervisor Barry Bower to construct a 200,000-gallon water tower in the Delton area to increase the capa­ bility of the current water delivery system. • Freeport water supply and tower, $839,000 was requested by Irving Town­ ship Supervisor Jamie Knight, Treasurer Alesse Crosse and Clerk Sharon Olson, to rehabilitate the current water tower and replace an undersized 1,560-foot water main. A replacement will improve water quality and reliability to residents. • Barry County Central Dispatch/911 and Barry County Emergency Management, $2.4 million requested by Central Dispatch Director Stephanie Lehman and Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Yarger for the buildout of one 800 MHz communica­ tions tower site in the county to increase load capacity, coverage and provide increased interoperability and a safer com­ munications platform. • Activate Barry County, $100,000 for Community Food Center Planning Project in the city of Hastings, requested by Allison Troyer Wiswell. • Algonquin Lake Sewer and Broadband, $14,000, requested by James Blake, Sandra Drummond and Tom Mohler, for a sewer and broadband study to reduce pollution, improve quality of drinking water and pro­ vide a viable plan to move forward with broadband. • Barry County Parks & Recreation Com­ mission proposed the Paul Henry Trail 4.5­ mile paving project for $1 million, request­ ed by Dan Patton of the parks and recreation commission. • Barry County Road Commission requested $240,000 for revenue replace­ ment. Delton to hold vote on Headlee override Taylor Owens Staff Writer Delton Kellogg Schools will ask its voters to restore the millage rate during the May election. The board of education voted 5-0 to put the measure on the ballot, after a presentation by school finance director Andrew Nurenberg during a meeting last week. The district is able to levy a maximum of 18 mills from its taxpayers, but because of the rate of inflation this year, and the Headlee amend­ ment, the amount the district could levy in the next tax season dropped to 17.9281 mills. Nurenberg said the drop will result in the loss of $14,300, but since the millage rate was not scheduled to be reset for four years, that number would likely grow as the Headlee amendment dropped the millage rate lower each year. If the voters approve the measure, it would raise the levy rate by 1.89. Nurenberg said the district still couldn’t levy more than 18 mills from the taxpayers, but the extra rate increase would give the district a buffer against further cuts from the Headlee amendment over the next four years. In other business: - Board president Jessica Brandli said the district has received three proposals from com­ panies looking to conduct the search for a new superintendent. She said the district will likely vote on the proposals at the February meeting. - Brandli, vice president Kelli Martin, sec­ retary Craig Jenkins and treasurer Sarah Aus­ tin were re-elected to their officer positions in a 5-0 vote. There were no other nominations for the roles. - Trustees Brandy Shooks and Robert Houtrow were absent. - Principals of each of the three buildings pre­ sented the board with projects made for school board recognition month. High school students made gifts, middle school students made posters, middle school staff sent comments to be read by WBCH on air Tuesday morning and elementary school staff made a video. - During public comment, Robert Chase asked the board what the district is doing to keep students engaged while they are in quaran­ tine. He also encouraged the board to make special education a priority when selecting a new superintendent. TEENS, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------“Secondary students were already on buses and heading to the buildings. Due to the threat, we didn’t want high school students entering the building,” McCarthy wrote. “Closing the high school and transporting students home would disrupt our entire transportation pro­ cess. In addition, closing the high school will cause us to fall below the 75-percent atten­ dance percentage [required by the state], and we wouldn’t be able to count the day.” As a result, the decision was made to shut down classes across the district for the day while school officials and law enforcement investigated the threat, McCarthy wrote. It is not believed that there are any continued threats to the school or toYhe public, Stevens said. McCarthy also issued a statement in his email regarding a rumor that bullets were found in the high school earlier last week. “There was one bullet found on the floor of a classroom in the high school,” McCarthy wrote. “The high school administration and one of our school resource officers investigat­ ed the situation and determined how the object made it into the building. The individual responsible for bringing the item has met with building administrators; discipline will not be shared.” The report of the bullet was not connected to the social media threat, McCarthy wrote. He also outlined a number of new safety rules in response to these events. “They include having all students enter in the morning through the front main entrance and the athletic lobby doors and having staff at the entrances to monitor the start of the day,” he wrote. “Students are also encouraged to keep their student identifications with them throughout the day. “Our bus drivers will also be taking atten­ dance at stops where more than one household is boarding.” “I know these times can create stress and anxiety,” McCarthy added. “I encourage stu­ dents to talk with teachers or counsellors at school, and for parent? to notify us if they know their child may need additional sup­ port.” DPS WORKER, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------------------------the ability to run “everything that you see when you drive down the road.” “The curb and gutter. The sidewalk. Below ground - he’s in charge of the water, water distribution and sewer collection,” Tossava said. “He’s in charge of maintaining all streets.” Tossava called it a rewarding job, since the superintendent communicates directly with the public. If a sewer plugs, for example, the resi­ dent might call 911, and a dispatcher will direct the call to the superintendent of streets and construction. Once Neil receives the call, he’ll go to the site to deal with the issue. Neil said he hopes to prioritize communica­ tion with residents in his new role. “I like to try to resolve a problem before it becomes an issue,” he said. “I would much rather talk it out rather than scream it out because it’s not worth it to get everybody upset at each other because you don’t get anywhere. “So, if you can work it out and we can work with the community more - coming to a simple solution by talking it over - then that’s a much better outcome.” In the past, the department used to handle more water main and sewer construction, but stopped due to staffing shortages. Neil said he hopes to see the city return to that kind of con­ struction. “You would be updating your infrastructure and your underground utilities, which is import­ ant,” he said. “Some of it only has a certain amount of life expectancy. So, the longer that you leave stuff in the ground, the older it gets obviously and more susceptible to breaks.” The job has its challenges. In addition to managing an entire staff and millions of dol­ lars’ worth of maintenance equipment, the superintendent tends to log long hours. “It’s not an 8-to-5 job,” Tossava said. “It’s a job where you might be out in the middle of the night, you get home, get right back to bed, and the phone rings again, you’re gone. There are some times when you might work 12, 14 hours straight. It’s a big responsibility.” He will move from hourly pay of $21.61 to a salary of $66,500 a year, a pay increase. Even so, he doesn’t expect it’ll amount to much more since he’ll still be working long hours. But, as a salaried employee, he won’t be get­ ting the overtime. Neil said he’s used to being on call 24/7. He has served as a member of the Hastings Fire Department for the past 30 years. A 1989 graduate of Hastings High School, Neil, 51, is a resident of the city. He has a wife, Teresa, and a son, Jake. RUTLAND, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------said. “There were considerable efforts made by both the township board and the planning commission to consider various alternatives and options and approaches.” The process resulted in two ordinances, a regulatory and a zoning ordinance. The town­ ship held the special meeting Jan. 19 to solicit public perspective on the refined drafts. If approved, the legislation would bring six different types of medical and recreational marijuana businesses, limited by zoning dis­ tricts, to Rutland Charter Township: growers, processors, micro-businesses, safety compli­ ance facilities and retailers. To even open a marijuana establishment, a person would have to secure a property and receive approval from the state before submitting a separate applica­ tion to the township to gain licensing. Retailers could operate only in the mixeduse district, which stretches from Culver’s to Tractor Supply Company to Tires ‘N’ Such. In the months leading up to the special meeting, the board went back and forth over whether to restrict the number of marijuana businesses. The township does not limit other businesses, such as pharmacies or hardware stores, Rolfe said, and the board decided against restricting the marijuana industry. “The approach of not specifying a permis­ sible number is predicated on the idea that the free market can more efficiently decide how many of each allowed type of business may have an opportunity to succeed in Rutland Charter Township - not the township board,” Rolfe said. “The township board did not pre­ https://qrco.de/bcgX71 sume to be smart enough, capable enough, to know exactly how many of each type of busi­ ness was perfect for Rutland Charter Town­ ship.” But, without a limit, business owners are going to flock to the area, said Chris Gordon JOIN OUR TEAM/ Now Hiring: County ARPA projects at a glance of Great Lakes Realty, who advised the board to reconsider its decision. “There’s a ton of real estate here,” he said. “They’re going to eat it up.” Gordon said he has sold real estate for 37 retail businesses across the state. He warned the board it could have 10 stores stacked on top of each other. “I see that many times over that when you guys don’t put a buffer in between locations, it gets saturated. And, ultimately, it puts a mora­ torium on the process,” Gordon said, referenc­ ing Three Rivers as an example. Smallwood, the Baltimore Township mari­ juana business owner, agreed with Gordon. He expressed concern about having “10 corporate cannabis companies come in and buy all of your real estate and jack up all the prices of everybody’s taxes, and then, all of a sudden, five or six of those stores close in a year. “Now you have these huge, massive build­ ings. Who’s going to run it? What businesses are you going to put there?” Limited businesses or not - Kerstetter said he wanted to know who would monitor them. “I came out of law enforcement, I’m here to tell you that nobody’s going to oversee that stack of papers,” he said, nodding to Rolfe’s folder of regulations. “And if they do get around to it once every five years or so, it’ll be minimal coverage and minimal enforcement.” After Kerstetter left the podium, Small­ wood returned for a second time, seeking to ease Kerstetter’s worry about oversight. Smallwood said he receives inspections every six months from the state’s marijuana regula­ tory agency and the township’s fire depart­ ment. “The fire department even tells us, ‘We don’t even do hospitals but once a year. We don’t even do any facility out there but once a year. You guys are the most heavily regulated industry out there,”’ Smallwood said. These businesses are mandated to have cameras that cover every inch of the facility, attorney Steve Storrs said. Smallwood said his cameras are so advanced they can read license plates and the faces of visitors, telling him whether they are new cus­ tomers. “We have technology that none of these other places have,” he said. After hearing public comment, Trustee San­ dra James said she felt that the board needed more time to make a decision. She suggested waiting to see how Middleville handles its new marijuana businesses. Middleville approved licenses to its first two retailers within the past month. “I’d like to see where that goes,” she said. “That’s right next to us.” Toward the end of the hour-long meeting, trustees thanked the participants for their time - and vowed to continue working through the details of the text based on the public com­ ment. Then the board will have that discussion at its next meeting, Feb. 9, before scheduling its first two readings. Clerk Robin Hawthorne reiterated how much time township officials have spent crafting the ordinances. The trustees didn’t create it over­ night. It took more than two years, she said; two years of visiting communities across the state, researching other ordinances and weigh­ ing the benefits and consequences of allowing marijuana businesses in the township. “I honestly do believe that it’s not going to send Rutland to hell if we bring marijuana businesses in Rutland,” she said. “I do believe that we now have liquor stores; we have ciga­ rette stores; we have other things that have not taken us all the way down the crapper - and I don’t think that this will do that either.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — Page 3 DDA streetscape back in motion - with a new plan Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The Hastings Downtown Development Authority spent two years, $36,000 and count­ less hours in the city council chambers crafting a streetscape plan with McKenna, a planning company, and Wightman, an architectural firm. But Thursday, the DDA agreed to partner with MCSA Group, a landscaping architectural firm, $12,174 to devise a new streetscape plan for State Street. The DDA board decided to start fresh after it found the initial proposal did not fit what it had envisioned. A streetscape project focuses on a wide range of “building-face to building-face” improvements, City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said, including replanting trees, repair­ ing sidewalks, adding benches, and more. “We have to show that we’re invested in ourselves as a good place to be for other people to kind of capture that excitement as well and look around and say ‘This is a good place to be. People care about this area. I want to locate here too.’” Most notably, McKenna and Wightman’s 75-page plan, which encompassed most of downtown, overwhelmed the DDA board with an abundance of options and, in members’ eyes, not enough direction. In an interview with The Banner, Communi­ ty Development Director Dan King said the initial plan faltered due to miscommunication between the board and the companies, as COVID-19 altered everyone’s ability to meet in person and articulate concerns. The DDA and the planners held a public forum in Janu­ ary 2020, but didn’t reconvened until late summer due to the pandemic. In that time, King said, everyone lost focus and momentum. “I don’t fault McKenna-Wightman for the product that they delivered,” he said. “There were so many extenuating circumstances.” In a 6-2 vote at the DDA’s Jan. 20 meeting, the board shifted gears and chose MCSA Group to create a plan that will focus specifi­ cally on three blocks of State Street, from Broadway to Boltwood. DDA members Lynn Denton and Deb Hatfield cast the dissenting votes. The MCSA completed the city’s original plan in 1992 and has mapped out streetscapes for communities across the state, including East Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe and School­ craft. “This is much more focused than the broad­ er plan that McKenna-Wightman supplied, which was really a large scope of work, and pretty daunting,” King said during the meeting. But Denton didn’t understand why the DDA wouldn’t try to make the first plan work. “We already paid $36,000 for a company to show us all The options we have,” he said. “Why can’t we as a board form a subcommit­ tee that says, ‘Take the McKenna plan, it’s already been paid for - we want this this this,’ send it back to McKenna and say ‘OK, this is what we want.’” Although MCSA will produce a new plan, Moyer-Cale said the city won’t abandon the McKenna and Wightman plan altogether. MCSA will use the McKenna and Wightman plan, especially the community-engagement portion, to inform its design development. Moyer-Cale said she sees this “as the next step,” focusing on three streets in the down­ town area, rather than a large portion of the downtown area. “We’re building on [McKenna and Wight­ man’s] foundation to really dig deep into what it is that we want to see on these few blocks here on State Street,” she said. Still, DDA members had some concerns. The MCSA proposal was watered down from what the board expected and most notably did not include repairs of Jefferson Street. “Doesn’t it make sense to kind of do more than just the three blocks?” board member Deb Button asked. “I mean, the people on Jefferson aren’t going to be happy with that at all.” The additional streets would cost more than the DDA can commit, Moyer-Cale responded. With the three blocks on State Street, the city is looking at millions of dollars’ worth of con­ struction. But Denton said he thought money wasn’t a concern. “When we started this, it was, ‘It doesn’t matter what it cost, here’s our project,”’ he said. “If it’s $20 million, $20 million.” Moyer-Cale disagreed, saying the DDA did need to take money into account. It doesn’t make sense, she said, to plan a project they cannot finance. “If you can’t fund that, in a way where you can do that in the next 15 to 20 years, then what’s the point of doing that whole plan, when there’s going to be other boards and ideas?” she asked. In response, the DDA decided against including Jefferson Street in the new plan. Moyer-Cale said the city and MCSA will focus on the most pressing needs on State Street, where the sidewalks are deteriorating and the trees are diseased or have been removed. Once the architects create a plan for State Street, she said it would give them the ability to transfer the same strategy to Jeffer­ son because of the similar designs. County planners launch master plan process Greg Chandler Staff Writer For the first time in 17 years, Barry County planning commissioners are updating the county’s master plan. Commissioners kicked off the process Monday night by hearing a presentation from Rebecca Harvey of McKenna Associates, who will serve as the project manager for the plan update. The new plan will serve as a guide for zoning, future land use and public improve­ ment projects that will come before commis­ sioners. Commissioners voted to create a steering committee that will meet regularly with Har­ vey and other members of the project team to discuss what to put in the plan update and report back to the full.bqard.. ^o.rnpre.than three commissioners will serve on the steering committee, and residents who arc interested in the process will be added to the committee as well. “There’s going to be a lot of time invested, especially early on,” county Planning Director Jim McManus said. The last county master plan update was completed in 2005. Harvey outlined a project timeline that is expected to be completed with adoption by the county board in December. The process includes a public participation and community outreach segment. “We spend about two to three months doing homework on existing conditions, and then we go right from that and piggyback into the pub­ lic engagement,” said Harvey, who also is the planner of record for the City of Hastings. “We’d like to go into the outreach effort when we actually have an existing conditions prod­ uct-maps, things that we can get reaction to.” The community open houses are tentatively scheduled for April and May, according to a project document from Harvey. Several open houses are planned in geographically grouped areas, with a primary focus on those townships that rely on the county for planning and zoning services,, Eleven, of.the 16, townships in B^arry County do not have their own planning com­ missions, but rather rely on the county plan­ ning commission. Harvey described the format for the open houses. ■ ■ “They’re very active. We often will pick events already going on [in those communi­ ties] and land in them so that people are already there,” Harvey said. “It’s very visual, it’s very interactive.” Commissioners agreed to include a commu­ nity survey as part of the master plan process. McManus said a similar survey as part of the 2005 master plan accurately pinpointed the community’s desire for preserving farmland, which eventually led to voter approval of a millage for farmland preservation. “The survey results mimicked the vote on the millage for farmland preservation within 2 percent,” he said. “I thought that was extreme­ ly valuable that the survey information we got was pretty consistent with the [poll results].” Harvey also proposed a retail and industrial market study. “We would produce a retail gap analysis and an industrial-needs study,” Harvey said. “That would be part of the master plan. That would be additional.” Howevej, commissioners didn’t make, an immediate decision on. the study. They are expected to decide ne&t month whether to include the study in the process. The county hired, McKenna Associates, based in Northville, late last yedr at a base cost of $47,000. The contract includes additional charges - $3,000 per community .open house, $3,000 for an online survey, $5,000 for a retail market analysis and $5,000 for an industrial market analysis, according to county docu­ ments. For now, though, board members agreed, they just want to get the process started again. “We want an actionable plan at the end,” board member Tom Wiswell said. “We’ve got to get something moving,” Moyer-Cale said, “I agree.” In other business: • Hastings has a parking issue. And DDA members say it’s a result of business owners and employees taking up downtown parking spaces. “The issues regarding parking downtown have resurfaced,” King said during the meet­ ing. “It’s causing concern and issues that cus­ tomers and visitors to the city of Hastings don’t have access to the convenient parking that they deserve.” Due to recent changes in the state law, the parking enforcement officer can longer “mark tires” to determine how long someone has stayed in the same spot. City officials said there’s no way for the officer to determine how long a car has been parked without mark­ ing the tires. Business owners and employees have responded by parking in the downtown corri­ dor for hours on end. Members of the DDA agreed that the issue has existed for years. “This is the same problem of going back decades,” board member Lyndy Bolthouse said. “We don’t have a problem with custom­ ers sitting out there for six hours. We wouldn’t make that a problem, I hope. And until you can address that problem, it will never be solved.” Something has to change, members agreed. Deb Hatfield said she wants to see implemen­ tation of a new parking enforcement practice. “We don’t have a choice,” Hatfield said. “If we’re going to solve some parking issue, then a meter really makes sense.” • The Royal Coach housing project, which was set to bring 73 housing units to the city, is on hold while the city addresses questions about the location. Developers received $1.5 million in tax credits in July 2021, but the Michigan State Housing Development Author­ ity put the project on pause after a department head in its environmental section expressed concern over the site’s proximity to Hastings Manufacturing. King, Moyer-Cale and a number of other stakeholders in the project gave a virtual pre­ sentation to MSHDA in late December 2021 and answered their questions about why the project is safe. The city is waiting to hear back from MSHDA on its decision. King also provided an update on the Lofts at 128, the new 21-unit apartment building at 128 N. Michigan Ave., the former Moose Lodge. He said the project manager intends to start virtually pre-leasing by March 1. • Approved a request from the Thomapple Arts Council for programming support of $6,125. • Reimbursed Tom Kramer for $10,000 for facade improvements at 102 and HOW. State St., formerly Second Hand Comers and adjoining building, and $5,000 for facade improvements at 117 E. State Street, the site of the former Taunia’s Treasure Trunk. • Approved a $4,500 request from Seasonal Grille. The money will go toward the second phase of a facade project that will supply gas and electrical service to the restaurant’s sign. • Selected its officers for the year. Patty Woods will continue to serve as the chairper­ son, Denton as vice-chairman and Button as secretary. Hastings library seeking books for upcoming sale Accessory dwelling units approved in the city of Hastings Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The city council approved an ordinance that will allow accessory dwelling units in the city of Hastings. The new ordinance will permit residents to rent out additional, smaller property on their property, such as basements, carriage houses and attics. The ADU must be located on the same lot as a single-family dwelling unit, and must be a secondary dwelling unit to the prima­ ry unit. The ordinance will allow three different kinds of ADUs as acceptable use: Internal, attached and detached. Those interested would have to apply and receive approval from the city’s planning com­ mission for a special land use. By permitting these types of houses, the city hopes to alleviate a lack of available housing. “We feel that this one is important not only because it will at least make a small dent in the housing shortage,” planning commission chair Dave Hatfield told the council Monday night, “but we also realize that we’ve got quite a few of these units that exist within the community right now.” City officials hope to implement the new housing without changing the tenor of the neighborhoods. The ADU must look similar to the principal dwelling unit exterior, share utili­ ties and use the same driveway. It also cannot exceed the height of the principal dwelling unit. Many of these housing units already exist within the city, but they’re not being used. The city permitted them for a number of years, but ADUs were discontinued about 15 years ago. Currently, city ordinance does not allow for two dwelling units on one lot, making ADUs illegal. “They’re nonconforming uses,” Hatfield X "R /i a >. BpJf XIJ '-1 <11 X X^ said. “Since they’re nonconforming uses, it impacts the owners’ ability to sell those units, to mortgage those units and, in some cases, to insure those units. And those are all things that have a negative impact on the quality of those units.” The planning commission has spent nearly a year crafting the ordinance. It was initially drafted by a subcommittee of the planning com­ mission, which consisted of the city manager, Hatfield, McKenna planning consultant Rebec­ ca Harvey, Community Development Director Dan King, Mayor David Tossava and Mayor Pro Tern John Resseguie. The planning com­ mission held a special meeting with the city council Nov. 1, 2021, to discuss any initial concerns. After the city council completed two official readings this past month, it had little discussion and few concerns. The ordinance passed by unanimous approval and will now go into law. Council members also held a special meeting before the regularly scheduled meeting to dis­ cuss its budget goals for the 2022-023 fiscal year. The council identified six major goals in ranked order, including replacement of the fire station and its aging equipment, increasing parks and recreation funding, upgrading street infrastructure and road routes, creating a public relations program, developing a plan to attract and retain city workers and starting the capital improvement plans. In other news, the council: • Learned that one person, William Nesbitt, had applied for the vacant 1st Ward city council position. The seat opened after councilmember Therese Maupin-Moore resigned, effective Feb. 1. City Manager Moyer-Cale said the council will discuss the next steps in filling the position at its regular biweekly meeting Feb. 14. • Approved a request to host the Barry-Rou­ baix gravel road race March 26. This is the 13th annual race and the 10th in the city of Hastings. • Suspended the social district from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 26 for the Barry-Roubaix. Any time a special license is requested, such as a beverage tent, the city must end its social dis­ trict, according to state law. • Approved elected-official salaries. The item of business was denied last meeting after there was confusion over the motion. The mayor will receive $8,100 per year, paid monthly; the mayor pro-tem $2,600 per year, paid quarterly; council members $2,400 per year paid quarter­ ly; and board of review members $115 per meeting. • Approved two 800-multiband radios for $6,616. Moyer-Cale said the city is looking into relinquishing property and a house its owns east of Fish Hatchery Park. Part of the property still belongs to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in a deed restriction, and in order to sell the parcel, the DNR would have to take that portion out of the deed restriction. “It has subsequently been vacant for a num­ ber of years, it’s fallen into disrepair,” she said. “It’s frankly a nuisance. We’ve had people break into it before and cause damage. It’s not up to a standard where anybody could reside in it currently, there’s really no public use for it.” Family Owned and Operated OwLXnXmi.s Serving I Listings. Barn County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Jan. 27 - Calvin University’s January Series: “Amplify Good,” with Brad Mon­ tague, 12:30 p.m.; Movie Memories and Milestones finds John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara confronting Apaches at the Rio Grande in this 1950s film. Friday, Jan. 28 - Calvin University’s January Series: “In the Tangles of our Minds: Why Stories Move Us,” with Gary Schmidt, 12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31 - Crafting Passions work group, 10 a.m.-l p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1 - mahjong, 2:30 p.m.; chess, 5:30 p.m.; monthly board game group, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club on Zoom (participants may pick up monthly story time bag with link and crafts), 10:30 a.m. More information about any of the above can be obtained by calling Hastings Public Library, 269-945-4263, or checking its Facebook events. Michigan's Only Winter Auto Show! Put it in Drive! •• New Collections from Moda® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters ’ Traditional and Cremation Services * Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible • Serving All Faiths • Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Friends of the Hastings Public Library members Judy Kensington (left) and Patty Woods share a laugh while organizing a storage area in preparation of the anticipated donations for the upcoming Friends Book Sale. Book donations are being accepted now through Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the library during regular busi­ ness hours. The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 3-5, with a bag sale planned the final day. The library is at 227 E. State St., Hastings. (Photo provided) Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim PRESENTING SPONSOR GENTEX CORPORATION DeVos Place, Grand Rapids February 3-6,2022 QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings ■ 945-9673 -jiOPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; is®®®® Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station DATES & TIMES Thursday, February 3,11am-9:30pm Saturday, February 5,10am-9:30pm Friday, February 4,11 am-9:30pm Sunday, February 6,10am-5pm GRAutoShow.com �Page 4 — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you nfrMyOpiniow see? Troubling times carry life reminders Cannonballing down from the sky Last summer, visitors to one of the many lakes in the area might have seen this - or certainly something like it. Given this week’s deep-freeze, it seems like a good time to dig out a memory of an impressive cannonball dive into Jordan Lake. In the thick of winter, those halcyon summer days seem far away. But they will return - and here’s some photographic proof. Do you remember? Appreciate decorations Banner Jan. 31, 1974 Representing businesses and orga­ nizations that gave $100 or more for the Christmas decorations fund sup­ ported by the chamber of commerce are (from left) Bill Smith, Hastings Manufacturing; Al Signs, Kiwanis; Elaine Jasperse, Welcome Wagon; Inez Laubaugh, decorations commit­ tee; Gary Begg, Viking Corp.; Ralph Hodapp, J.C. Penney and committee chair; Irv Church, Lions; Don Sensiba, Tastee Freeze; Dick Beduhn, Hastings Savings and Loan Association; John Barnett, Hastings City Bank; Ken Radant, Rotary; Floyd Colvin, Felpausch; Franklin Beckwith, National Bank of Hastings; and John Kasinsky, local governor of the Moose Lodge. Other groups that contributed $100 or more who were not available for the photo were the Hastings High School Student Council, Key Club, Bosley Pharmacy, True Value Hardware, Flexfab and Hastings Mutual Insurance Company. Have you met? Don Haney knows the exact date and time he met Elaine. It was 3 p.m. Monday, July 23, 2001, and Haney’s first day as the chief financial officer at Pilgrim Manor, a senior living community. Elaine, a resident, poked het head thrdii'gh the door. “Hey, you’re new!” she said. “Yeah,” Haney responded, “I’m new.” Elaine asked Haney if he read the news­ paper. Haney said he did - every day after he arrived home. He would open to the sports page first and look for any Detroit Lions news. Elaine could relate - her husband used to read the sports page first, too. So Elaine handed Haney the sports page. And every day after that, she would hand him the sports pages - always at 3 p.m. The two would chat, and something about those seemingly small conversations ended up changing the trajectory of Haney’s life. Until then, he said, he had been worried about climbing the ladder. But, after meeting Elaine, his perspective changed and he real­ ized life was about more than churning out numbers on a piece of paper as an accoun­ tant. “I didn’t know it then, but when I look back on it, I went that day from going to work to having a calling,” Haney said. “I went from having a job to having a passion and realizing that we work in the homes of our seniors and our elders.” Sixteen years later, Haney has stayed in long-term care and carried the story with him to Thomapple Manor, where he is the administrator. During his childhood, Haney didn’t think he would go into healthcare. He thought he’d pursue politics. His father had served as a county commissioner and drain commis­ sioner in Kalamazoo. During his time at Loy Norrix High School and early years at West­ ern Michigan University, young Haney envi­ sioned running for public office. While in college, he helped establish the college Republicans club and even got himself elected as a precinct delegate. Then he attended the county convention for precinct delegates and his perspective changed. “The infighting and the things that went on in that county convention for the delegate votes was just an interesting process,” he said. “I thought, ‘Wow, you really got to have a passion for that internal stuff that nobody else sees.’ And I don’t have that passion for that internal stuff.” Instead, he became an accountant. And after working at Bronson Methodist Hospi­ tal in Kalamazoo during high school and college, he became an accountant in health­ care. “I knew I could make a contribution, and I wanted to care and give, but I wasn’t going to be able to draw blood and do the things at the bedside that a lot of these folks can do,” he said, gesturing outside of his Thomapple Manor office to his staff members. After graduating from WMU in 1987 with a degree in accounting, Haney continued working at Bronson for six months before taking a job developing a cost accounting Don Haney program for a hospital in suburban Chicago. But there was a problem. Right before he moved to Chicago, he met a woman named Sharon Sherwood. The two started dating, and Sharon still lived in West Michigan, meaning they had to spend every weekend commuting to see each other. “That got old,” he said, pausing for a sec­ ond, “real quick.” Haney left his job in Chicago after six months and found one as the chief accoun­ tant at White & White Pharmacy in Grand Rapids. Meanwhile, Sharon and Haney bought property just south of Middleville in 1991, where Sharon was raised. They built a house and moved there in 1997 before thenkids started school. Middleville offered a contrast from his upbringing. Haney was raised in a city and always envisioned living in a city with plen­ ty of people around. He grew up on Cork Street, a busy thoroughfare in the city of Kalamazoo. The eighth of nine kids, and a twin, Haney was used to lots of noise and energy. But maybe, he realized, there was always a little country in him, too. As Haney created a personal life in Mid­ dleville, he created a professional life in Grand Rapids. He spent 25 years in the city, moving between different accountant roles at pharmacies, hospitals and the durable medical equipment industry. In 2001, he became the chief financial officer at Pilgrim Manor, where he “found a love and passion,” he said, “for long-term care.” “You realize that [seniors] have so much life to offer, so much wisdom to share and so much personality to enjoy,” he said. “And we’re working in their home. We’re not in a corporate office, a [Certified Public Accoun­ tant] firm, or the corporate office at some big company. This is their home. ... You’re making a huge difference in the lives of these folks, when they need you the most.” He took the controller position at Thor­ napple Manor in 2006, hoping to cut down his commute and improve his work-life bal­ ance. It gave him more time to enjoy time with his wife and their three kids, Joshua, Ashley and Jessica. He became the administrator in 2012 and, although he normally leaves at 5 p.m., his job is 24/7. A few times a month, a buzzing phone will wake him out of his sleep 'with an emergency at the long-^grm care facility. When Haney started working in Barry County in 2006, he made it a priority to get involved in the community. When he first moved to Middleville, he and his wife owned Thornapple Kitchen for three years. In 2001, Haney joined the Thomapple Kel­ logg school board and served in that role for nearly 18 years. He is a member of Rotary and a member of the Middleville Hospital Purchasing Service board. He has held vari­ ous positions on the Spectrum Pennock Health board and he’s the former chairman of the economic development alliance board. “I guess I just, I’m terrible at saying no,” Haney said. Haney doesn’t plan to work anywhere but Thornapple Manor now. At 57, there’s only one more step, and it’s somewhere off in the future, a step called retirement. “You’re always supposed to retire to something, not from work, but to some­ thing,” he said. “[I’ve] got to figure out what that ‘to’ is.” For his role as administrator at Thomap­ ple Manor and his service to the community, Don Haney is this week’s Bright Light: First job: Working in the cornfields [at Portage Lake] and then working at Dairy Queen. Favorite TV program: Much to my wife’s frustration, it’s “Judge Judy.” I don’t know why, but I like that show. If I could go anywhere in the world: Ireland. Haney is an Irish name. We have some heritage there, so I’d love to go. That’s our dream. Book I’d recommend: It’s actually a manufacturing book but it’s called “The Goal” by Eliyahu Goldratt. Or “Good to Great” by Jim Collins, that’s also a good one. Favorite vacation destination: Cancun. We go as often as we possibly can. What I’d tell a high school graduate: Don’t give up. No matter what people say. No matter what challenges you face, or set­ backs you feel, don’t let it stop you. Because those challenges, you grow and learn from, and those are the things that make you better as you move forward. So always continue on, keep pushing. If you’ve got a vision for yourself, don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it, because you can. Best gift I ever received: My very first snare drum in middle school. A moment that changed my life: Meet­ ing Elaine at Pilgrim Manor. At some point in life, all of us are certain to face a week from hell, that time when everything around us is crumbling and we feel powerless to do anything about it. For some, those situ­ ations are truly dire, but, amid any personal crisis, circumstances can feel just as harrowing. My week from hell came last week and you may even have noticed it. The Banner was a day late and, in the world of journalism, there is no such thing as missing a deadline, there is no tomor­ row. The worst production experience in 50 years at J-Ad Graphics has taught me a lot about personal crisis and pro­ vided me some thoughts and reminders that might be helpful for anyone deal­ ing with anguish. It all started for me about two years ago when I was warned that the analog electrical system on our printing press would no longer be supported by Gen­ eral Electric - if the press went down there would be no available parts to fix it. The only solution was to install a new PC system. We contracted with GES Control Systems, a Canadian company that spe­ cializes in PC drives, which almost immediately had to stop work due to the Canadian government’s COVID-19 shutdown order. The nine-month shut­ down and resulting supply-chain issues delayed delivery until late last summer. Then we had to find a four-day peri­ od to shut down the press for installa­ tion. Because the new owners of the company we had purchased the press from more than 30 years ago had no electrical diagrams on file, a GES elec­ trical engineer was unable to guide us though the installation process until he had a complete electrical system map. Our engineers, Bruce and Dee McCormack from Frankfort, MI, spent hours onsite making notes on all the circuits and after weeks of preparing, a date was finally set to take out the ::J‘f miles-long system’of oid'wires to install a state-of-the-art system that should address the crisis for years to come. As anyone in crisis has learned, sometimes nothing seems to go as planned. Bruce and his wife, Dee, arrived Fri­ day, Jan. 14, to set up for an early Sat­ urday installation. When they arrived, they mentioned that GES was sending via FedEx a PC remote monitoring board scheduled for Saturday morning delivery that would enable GES to monitor the installation online. Our crew worked all day Saturday and into the late hours of Sunday but still hadn’t received the FedEx delivery. Repeated calls to FedEx eventually found that the part was held up in cus­ toms in Memphis, Tenn. The installation continued with the understanding that we would have the part by Monday afternoon, which came and went with no delivery. In fact, the part didn’t arrive until Wednesday morning when I drove to Middleville to meet the FedEx truck and get the part. It took another six hours to install the boards, but then the press wouldn’t run. We worked through the night and into the next day chasing down circuits when, finally, late in the afternoon on Thursday, the press began to run well enough to finally put ink on paper again. One of the worst things about my week from hell was the reminder that, when crisis comes, we’re often left with the feeling that you can’t do any­ The Hastings Bcllllldr Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, orfor any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. thing right, that you are powerless. It’s a horrible feeling. I’m not an electrician, but I stayed throughout the installation to keep our team focused, knowing there wasn’t anything I could do but support those who would eventually find the problem and get us running again. That was my next reminder lesson that, in times of dire straits, we can be encouragers. And sometimes we have to be the bulwarks of principle, too. When the engineer from GES, moni­ toring the operation remotely, and our local team wanted to get some rest and come back the next day to continue their troubleshooting, I had to remind them that, in the newspaper business, there is no tomorrow. In addition to our own papers, we print for publishers all across the region. They rely on us to get their papers printed. After more than 28 hours, the team was finally able to get the press running so we could limp through the rest of the week and get all the papers printed by Friday evening. As of Tuesday morning, we’re still running even though there are still some issues. Most importantly, we’re printing papers again. Looking back, I appreciate the reminder that we need to surround our­ selves with a capable and dedicated team when crisis befalls. My crisis could never have been resolved without Randy, the online electrical engineer at GES, Bruce and Dee, and the great staff in our office, the newsroom, the production people and carriers who stepped up to help us get through what I will remember for the rest of my life as the “week from hell.” They all remind me of that most basic of lessons to follow in times of crisis: Keep forging ahead. In my more than 50 years in this business, we’ve never missed a publi­ cation. Whether due to weather, electri­ cal shutdowns or press issues, we’ve always been able to keep printing; we’ve never been down for more than 24 hours like we were this time. Why is that important? Because we take our jobs seriously and we are all willing to do whatever is necessary to get the papers to our readers. One more empowering lesson in cri­ sis: Look to the helpers. We received support from another printing company in Big Rapids that was willing to print some of the papers so our other cus­ tomers could meet their deadlines. It was a professional courtesy, but it also was a mark of care for each other. Although we compete, we do what we can to help others; a beautiful lesson. I wish I could say that our problems are behind us. Like life itself, there are still issues that need to be fixed. I just hope not to have another week from hell - although I hope I will always remember this one for the reminder of the good things that a crisis can bring! • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — Page 5 Hake fideMa Elaine Garlock A local paper reported the death Jan. 20 of Rev. David B. Nelson, 87 of Alma. His fam­ ily was being served by an Ithaca funeral home. He formerly lived in Hastings served as a Methodist pastor there. At Central United Methodist Church Sun­ day, there was an innovation with prerecord­ ed organ accompaniment for congregational singing. For lack of an organist, some church groups rely heavily on this remote type of accompaniment. This was a first­ time occurrence for the congregation. Organist Marilyn Noffke was unable to attend. HHS adds lab equipment through BCF donation A photo of the new firetruck was seen on Facebook, so the anticipated arrival hap­ pened on schedule. Likely firemen will be eager for the next parade in which to show off this new equipment for the first time. The cold weather prevails, and we are promised several more days of low tempera­ tures with the highs predicted in the low 20s for several days to come. State Rep. Julie Calley announced she will be at the Page Memorial Building which houses Lake Odessa Village offices Monday, Jan. 31, from 10 to 11 a.m. to meet with constituents to discuss any matter whether governmental or otherwise. Staff shortage drains health department Taylor Owens Staff Writer A “startling” amount of staff turnover has drained efficiency and reduced the capacity for handling work at the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, the health officer report­ ed to the board of health during its meeting Friday. Health Officer Colette Scrimger compared the current staffing level to what it had been when the pandemic started two years ago. In March 2019, the department had 58 staff members, 23 of whom had more than 10 years of service with the health department, while seven had less than one year of service. “Fast-forward to this week, as of Jan. 19, we have 55 staff,” Scrimger told the board. “So, despite the fact that we are in a pandem­ ic, we are smaller than we were back then, and only 12 of those staff have greater than 10 years of service.” “What’s most startling is that 22 of our staff have less than one year of service,” she added. The department currently has vacancies for nine full-timers and one part-time post; and four of those roles are leadership positions. The vacancies include an epidemiologist, personal and community health director, ■ environmental health supervisor, the emer­ gency preparedness coordinator, which is currently filled by an interim, two nurse posi­ tions, a community health promotions spe­ cialist, and two disease investigators. “I can’t emphasize enough how challeng­ ing this is to have so much turnover happen­ ing,” Scrimger said. “The amount of time it takes to recruit and train and get people up to speed, and the fact that more of our staff right now have less than one year of service - it’s just very challenging. “There’s a lot of energy that we have to put into just getting them up to speed when we are so thinly staffed.” New staff members are less efficient, requiring more time to do the same amount of work as more experienced personnel, she pointed out. Scrimger said the biggest reason why staff members are leaving is that they are finding opportunities that pay higher salaries, often with the State of Michigan. Some of their more senior staff members have chosen to retire. And many are burnt out by the stress and overtime that’s required by the pandemic. The staff shortage also has compounded the overtime issue, by putting additional strain on supervisors and human resource staff. Eaton County Commissioner Blake Mulder encouraged Scrimger to do what she could to avoid staff burnout, and to ensure onboarding is effective so that new staff members will be properly trained. “Our staff have gone through a couple years of intense overtime, and it’s reached a point where they’ve just got to have some Payton Kaylee, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 19, 2021 to Alyvia Edwards of Hastings. Masen Nicholas Kooiman, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 23, 2021 to Mykenzie and Nicholas Kooiman of Clarksville. ***** The biggest reason why staff members are leaving is that they are finding opportunities that pay higher salaries, often with the State of Michigan. Some of their more senior staff members have chosen to retire. And many are burnt out by the stress and overtime that’s required by the pandemic. time off,” Mulder said. Meanwhile, the region is experiencing a spike in COVID cases, largely due to the Omicron variant. The county recently reported slightly over 1,000 cases of the virus, in a seven-day peri­ od, Scrimger told the board. “We’re pretty overwhelmed right now with COVID,” she said. More and more people are lining up to get COVID tests at the department’s Hastings location, with wait-times reaching three to four hours and cars stretching out onto Wood­ lawn Avenue, Scrimger said. The location ran out of rapid tests on Wednesday afternoon. Tests were restocked on Monday. About one in three COVID tests conducted in Barry County come back positive, health officials have reported. In other business: - Board of Health meetings have been moved to 9:30 a.m. on the third Friday of the month, although meeting times may change after March due to conflicts with Eaton County meetings. Meetings in odd-numbered months will occur at the department’s Hast­ ings office, while meetings during even-num­ bered months will take place at the Eaton Township Hall in Charlotte. - The board unanimously voted to allocate up to $30,000 for additional alterations to its Eaton County clinic. The board had already anticipated $200,000 in renovations for one section of the clinic, which Mulder said was run down after years of neglect. The addition­ al renovations are intended to make the clinic more HIPAA-compIiant by spacing out patients so they cannot overhear other patients’ discussions with staff. H1PAA which refers to the Health Insurance Portabil­ ity and Accountability Act of 1996 - is a federal law that protects against disclosure of sensitive patient health information without the patient’s consent or knowledge. ***** Walker Wesley Reedy, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 30, 2021 to Elizabeth and Chad Reedy of Delton. ***** Agnes Eleanor Matthai, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 31, 2021 to Eleanor and Jordan Matthai of Hastings. ***** Leo Michael Lester, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 27, 2021 to Holly Spencer and Nate Lester of Hastings. Declan Michael Farr, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 31, 2021 to Danielle Thompson and Devin Farr of Lake Odessa. ***** Emily Luna Tinkler, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 28. 2021 to Sarah McCord and Wayne Tinkler. Jof Hastings. ***** Ada Sue Zoet, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Dec. 30, 2021 to Tara and Ryan Zoet of Clarksville. Tobias Sheldon, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Jan. 1, 2022 to Chloe Collier and Gunner Sheldon of Plainwell. ***** Astrid Ann VanderKodde, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Jan. 6, 2022 to Alexis and Clay VanderKodde of Delton. Hannah Neal (left) and Coreena Marsiglia work together in the chemistry lab at Hastings High School. The equipment was recently purchased through a Wilson H. Craig grant from the Barry Community Foundation. (Photo provided) Justine Kramer, a science teacher at Hast­ ings High School, recently received a Wilson H. Craig Jr. grant from the Barry Community Foundation. The $3,000 grant allowed for the purchase of was six new hot plates and six new digital scales to outfit the chemistry lab stations for the high school’s science department. This has allowed the school to have two fully functional chemistry labs operational concur­ rently, said Kramer who is in her third year of full-time teacher at HHS. “The students are excited to have more labs available to them, and I am excited to have a little more flexibility in the scheduling of classroom learning experiences,” she said. The fund is in memory of Wilson H. Craig Jr. (1918-1998), who was bom in Colorado, grew up in Bedford and graduated from Bat­ tle Creek Central High School and Central Michigan University, according to informa­ tion provided by Jillian Foster at the Barry Community Foundation. Craig served in the U.S. Air Force for 28 years, working as a weather observer and forecaster, radar technician, electronics offi­ cer and instructor on the Minute Man Missile System. He also worked for the Kingman Museum of Natural History in Battle Creek. Grants in his memory are used to help spur innovation in the science, technology, engi­ neering and mathematics fields. Other orga­ nizations, including Pierce Cedar Creek Insti­ tute, public libraries, and after-school pro­ grams also have been recipients of the Wilson H. Craig Jr. Memorial Fund. Rutland Township continues work on blight ordinance Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Rutland Charter Township introduced the third draft of a blight ordinance at its monthly meeting last week, moving closer to finaliz­ ing the law. If passed, the ordinance would clarify the township’s definition of blight, giving it more ability to enforce cleanup of dilapidated houses, vehicles and property. The current draft of the ordinance describes blight as a structure “no longer habitable or otherwise usable for the purpose for which it was constructed or intended.” It also includes “any partially-completed structure that is not in the course of construction ,in accordance with a building permit issued by the Town­ ship that is in effect.” Clerk Robin Hawthorne said the township has worked on the ordinance for over a year. The first draft was written by the township’s attorney, Craig Rolfe before planning consul­ tant Rebecca Harvey, an employee of McK­ enna, crafted a revised write-up. After receiv­ ing Harvey’s work, the township combined the two ordinances to create a third draft. Upon seeing the most recent draft at the Jan. 12 meeting, board members discussed what they saw as missing from this version of the ordinance. They wanted to know, for example, what would happen to someone storing another person’s recreational vehicle on their vacant lot. That example represents a zoning ordi­ nance issue, Hawthorne explained. . “Like a 2021 boat and a 2021 trailer and a motorhome and all that stuff - that’s not blight. They’re not ugly,” she said. “... They’re stored on, like [Zoning Administra­ tor Les Raymond] said, vacant lots. It’s eye blight, maybe. But it’s not blight in our defi­ nition of blight, and that’s why Rebecca took it out there.” As the meeting progressed, the conversa­ tion shifted to the permissibility of someone storing property, such as excess vehicles, in an enclosed backyard. “Do we want to give the residents the abil­ ity to impose a backyard and to store back there, or is that not a good idea?” Trustee Gene Hall asked. In the end, the board decided against allowing people to hold property in their backyards. “I have a problem with people fencing in their backyard and storing their vehicles to be serviced there,” Hawthorne said. “I just feel from an environmental standpoint, I just don’t think it’s a good idea to allow that if they’re going to be draining fluids into the ground. “I think we shouldn’t have junk vehicles anywhere on somebody’s property ... unless it’s in a fully enclosed building.” The township must hold two formal read­ ings of the ordinance at separate monthly board meetings, likely in March and April, before the ordinance is finalized. If trustees are pleased with the text when it returns to the board in February, the law could go into effect by late spring or early summer, Haw­ thorne said. , The township board also discussed how it will use its American Rescue Plan Act funds. It has received more than $400,000 from the federal government, with a requirement to BUSINESS NEWS Van Alstine promoted at HCB Ashley E. Van Alstine has been promoted to vice president of retail banking and branch administration at Highpoint Community Bank. Van Alstine has held a variety of positions during her 20-plus years at Highpoint Com­ munity Bank, with experience in operations, mortgage/consumer lending, and branch management. Most recently, she held the position of assistant vice president. She is involved in numerous community enrichment activities, with strong involve­ ment supporting the programs of the Barry County United Way. “We are excited to promote Ashley and know her versatile banking background and passion for customer care will ensure her success in this role,” Mark Kolanowski, HCB president and CEO, said in a press release. Highpoint Community Bank is a full-ser­ vice community bank with branches in Bel­ levue, Caledonia, Hastings, Marshall, Mid­ dleville, Nashville and Wayland, as well as a drive-throug location in Delton. More infor­ mation is available at highpointcommunitybank.com. spend it by 2026. Some members of the board want township officials to remain patient. The township needs to report how it will use the funds by April, but Hawthorne said it could use the catch-all phrase “government services” to afford it more time to make a decision. Trustees expressed hope that the township would use its money to invest in fiber-optic broadband. They inquired about waiting for the.next round of ARPA funds, in. addition to the possibility of combining funds with near­ by municipalities to pay for an area-wide broadband project. The township will wait to hear the results of the county’s broadband feasibility study before making a decision. “None of us in the township areas have enough money to really have [broadband companies] pay attention us,” Hawthorne said. “But if we had a couple million dollars, for instance, you might get somebody that’s going to listen. With what we have, they’re really not going to go out of their way to come in and help us for no more than what we have, money-wise.” But it’s a challenge to bring various munic­ ipalities together, and Hawthorne questioned whether it could work. “I know how the wheels of government work, and I know the cooperation between townships and the county and the city, and I think it’s a pipe dream and I don’t think it’ll ever happen,” she said. Finally, the township approved a new con­ tract with Mercy Ambulance. The contract comes at no cost to the township since patients are charged directly for the service. CORRECTION Jane Arnold was misidentified on Page 4 Jan. 20 in the editorial on Camp Algonquin. She shared memories of her widowed mother, Josephine Whitmore who, Jane recalled, drove a stick-shift Ford along the two-track ruts to take her children camping on the site that later became Camp Algonquin. SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS read contribute advertise IXwTfd «c Ashley Van Alstine of Hany Co&itfy &'w ift$6 Banner Hastings �Page 6 — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Kody Lee Scobey soon reached their destination where some friends awaited. The duo remained on the West Coast for about one year before camping their way back to Michigan. Kody loved the outdoors. He would spend his time in the woods mushroom hunting. He also loved music, playing the guitar and, in doing so, he developed a special appreciation for older classic rock and roll. He was also a talented draw­ er and liked doing artistic craft projects. Playing video games was another activity he enjoyed. He enjoyed skateboarding and on warm sum­ mer days, “Earl” would be pulling Kody all around town on his “longboard” which Kody learned was a great way to meet girls! Kody tried several different careers, including working as a valet at the casino, assisting his grandparents in the operation of their Fowlerville weekly newspaper, and was currently employed as a welder at Bradford White Corporation in Middleville, Kody is survived by his beloved mother Kris Jacobs; sister Jordan Thompson; brother Sean Scobey; grandparents Kenneth and Patty Howe, Dawn and Steve Horton, Jim and Ellen “Trink” Scobey: his cousins Jaxson, Leighton, and Grayson Leslie, Andrew (Beckey) Matthews, Travis (Han­ nah) Matthews, Marissa (Zack Bowerman) Miller, and Mackenzie Horton; aunts and uncles Jennifer and Chad Miller, Jamie and Ryan Leslie, Brad and Lindsay Horton, and Jimmy and Brenda Sco­ bey; niece Eslynn; special friend Katie Bolthouse; and his beloved dog and travel companion “Earl”. He was preceded in death by his brother Josh­ ua Scobey, his father Michael Scobey, and cousin Nathan Scobey. The Funeral Service was held Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022 at Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville, MI with Norman Barlow officiating. Interment took place at Fuller Cemetery in Hastings. Memorial contributions can be made to Barry County Humane Society. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville, MI. For fur­ ther details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net There is no place like home, safe in the arms of love. Kody Lee Scobey is now home and reunited with his best friend/brother Josh. What a beautiful reunion it was when Kody entered into the gates on January 15, 2022 at the age of 27. Kody Lee Scobey was bom in Hastings, MI on November 3, 1994, the son of Kristine Marie (Howe) Jacobs and Michael Sean Scobey. He was raised in the Hastings area and attend­ ed local schools, graduating from Hastings High School in 2013. While in school, he was a member of the Bri­ dles & Bits 4-H Club, showing goats at the Barry County Fair. Kody was a “free spirit” with a true sense of adventure. This was typified a few years ago when he, his dog “Earl” and a few close friends set out on a journey across the United States, with the goal of eventually finishing their trek in Washington State. The trip turned out to be a never-ending spectacle that was full of adven­ tures and a few “misadventures.” While in Arizo­ na the travel companions parted ways, leaving Kody and “Earl” on their own, but together. They found refuge at a ranch where Kody worked to save money to complete the journey. After a short time, they were on their way and Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville Worship Together 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. 805 Jefferson. 269-945­ 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Philip. Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Mass 4:30 p.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ Youth hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Website: Sunday Worship HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. www, Lead Moser, Pastor. School 9:30 a.m. information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ Martha 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and available. Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery social are distancing. Aftermath Wednesday, Family Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children Night Pastor 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church School Group; Youth 6:30 (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: s flexlob Hm Fiberglass Products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Elaine Ann Brill, age 64, of Hastings, MI, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at Spectrum Butterworth Hospital. She was surrounded by her family. Elaine was bom in Hastings on October 3, 1957. She was preceded in death by her father, Charles Murray and mother, Joyce Murray. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her husband of 34 years, James Brill; children, Clinton Brill and Melissa Brill. Elaine loved to quilt, garden, and bake with her family. She joined the Commission on Aging in 2007 and later in 2013 she became the Nutrition Coordinator for Meals on Wheels of Barry Coun­ ty7. She felt honored and humbled to serve the needs of seniors in Barry County. Elaine was a loving and gentle soul who loved the Lord and dedicated her life to her family and making every­ one feel special. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058 with Pas­ tor Deano Lamphere officiating. Family will receive visitors one hour prior from Noon - 1 p.m. Memorial contributions in memory of Elaine can be made to the Barry County Commission on Aging Meals on Wheels Program, 320 W Wood­ lawn; Hastings, MI 49058 or online at https:// www.barrycounty.org/commission_on_aging_ new/donations.php. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Time 10:30 a.m. activities: call for Sunday Morning Worship: Director, Rev. David Brewster Nelson, Jr., age 87, of Alma, MI, passed away Thursday, Jan. 20,2022, at MyMichigan Medical Center, Alma, MI. A Memorial Service was held at Ithaca United Methodist Church on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, with Pastor Gary Simmons officiating. David was bom in Ypsilanti, on August 13, 1934, the son of David Brewster Sr. and Beatrice (Avery) Nelson. He graduated from Ypsilanti High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from CMU and a master of divinity from Garrett Theological Seminary. David proudly served his country in the United States Navy. On June 25, 1955, David married Karen Ann Stephens in Memphis, TN. They were blessed with 49 years of marriage prior to her death on December 31, 2004. After her death, David mar­ ried Emma Jean Freeland on February 28, 2006 in Hastings, ML David served in the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church for 39 years. He pastored churches in: Mt. Pleasant, Camden, Montgomery, Saugatuck, New Richmond, Coo­ persville, Nunica, Portage, Ithaca, Beebe, Lan­ sing, Hastings, and Plainwell. He retired in 1998 as the Conference Council Director. David enjoyed time with his family and following his grandchildren’s activities. He liked fishing, camping, and playing pinochle. He was faithful in taking quiet time for personal devotions. David is survived by his wife Emma Jean, and five children: David B. Ill (Debra) Nelson, Ste­ phens (Debby) Nelson, Faith (Richard) Coston, Sarah (Peter) Kettelhohn, and Sherah MacLaren. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, bfothers-in-law: Marlon (Virginia),St.ephens and'CJifiord^ilIiam (Kath­ ryn) Stephens; sisters-iri-law: Linda Stephens and Alice Brown; and many nieces and nephews. David was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Karen; granddaughter, Karla Coston; sister, Emmy Nelsdn, and brothers-in-law, Neil Ste­ phens and Joe Stephens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gratiot County Commission on Aging. Online condolences may be made at www.smithfamily­ funeralhomes . com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Ithaca, MI. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Elaine Ann Brill Marland Peter Christiansen ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". David Brewster Nelson Jr. 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Marland Peter Christiansen, age 76 of Plain­ well, MI passed away on January 23, 2022. Peter was bom on October 26, 1945 in Racine, WI to Harry and Eleanor (Getting) Christiansen. He very proudly served his country in the US Marine Corps, a Vietnam, Vet, where he received many commendations during his time there. In his later years he was a member of the VFW in Por­ tage. Peter enjoyed his career and worked as a medical engineer at Stryker Corporation, Autocam Medical, and other companies through his life. He loved to travel, listen to news talk radio and the Packers. Most of all he loved spending time with his family. He enjoyed hunting with his children and later grandchildren, camping, ball games and just hanging out. In his free time, Peter liked to stay busy by working on projects around the house, he had the knack for being able to build or fix anything. Peter will be dearly missed by his wife, Pame­ la (Staffers) Christiansen; children, Donna (Rick) Swinehart, Wende (Jim) Goble, Tim Christian­ sen, Dwayne Behrs, Harry (Elizabeth) Christian­ sen; 11 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and one on the way; siblings, Maureen Schauer, Marge (Chuck) Stubley, Ken Christiansen. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Joan Schoelzel, brothers-in-law, Jerry Schoelzel and Tony Schauer. Relatives and friends may meet with the fami­ ly on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home. A private burial will take place in Fort Custer National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the VFW Post #422 in Delton. Please visit www. williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Peter’s family. Mary (Betty) Elizabeth Graham, age 84, of Delton, MI went to be with the Lord on January 11,2022. Betty was bom on March 2, 1937 in Phone­ ton, OH, the daughter of Art and Beatrice (Freeman) Cain. Betty lived at Wall Lake her entire life where she helped her parents run Cain’s Resort as a young girl. Her love for work began at an early age. She enjoyed skiing, boating, swimming, and spending time with her grandchildren, many friends, and beloved dogs. When she wasn’t at the lake, she enjoyed bowl­ ing and dancing. Betty graduated from Delton Kellogg in 1955, then attended Ray Vogue in Chicago for interior design and modeling, and completed the Leila Hospital X-Ray Technology Program. She owned and operated Betty’s Grooming business since 1969 out of her home on Wall Lake, this was her life’s passion. She was a school bus driver for Delton Kellogg from 1986 to 2013. Betty was also a volunteer at Pennock Hospital for several years. Betty mar­ ried Dale Smith in 1958, they had a son togeth­ er. Betty later married Donald Graham on February 11, 1967. Betty continued to groom dogs right up until a few weeks before she passed away. She poured her heart and soul into the care of her clients’ dogs, as well as her own. She touched many lives, human and animal. Her love for dogs will be remembered by everyone that knew her. Betty is survived by her son, Ray Smith; grandchildren, Hunter Smith, Rachel (Tyler) Johnson, and Wyatt Smith; her first great grandchild, Forrest Johnson, was born in Sep­ tember 2021. Betty loved the time she spent with her newest great grandson, they made each other so happy. Betty was preceded in death by her parents and husbands, Dale Smith and Donald Graham. A memorial service will be conducted in the summer of 2022. Memorial contributions to the Barry County Humane Society will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Betty’s family. Jon H. Brownell Jon H. Brownell, age 87, formerly of Hast­ ings, MI passed away peacefully at home in Starke, FL on January 19, 2022. Bom July 3, 1934, he lived his first 20 years in a log cabin on Schultz Road in Hastings, with his folks, Robert and Irene (Dann) Brownell, and his grandfather, George Brownell. The oldest of nine children, he was soon joined by siblings Jim, Jane, Jerry, Jeff, Mary, Margaret, Tom and Ron, and attended the old, one-room Schultz Country School prior to graduating from Hastings High School in 1952. After graduation, Jon joined E.W. Bliss on June 3 in the drafting department and progressed over 30 years as product manager, sales engi­ neer, and mechanical engineering supervisor. Concurrent to his tenure at E.W. Bliss, he joined the Critical Skills Program as part of his 7 ’/2-year commitment to the Army Reserves (eight years of total military service). Jon became very knowledgeable of tool and die engineering skills and was the “go-to-guy” for sales and turnkey operations in many states during his can-making career. Jon was a hard worker throughout his entire life, from early years of farming to home con­ struction, but he also enjoyed dancing (espe­ cially polkas), deer hunting, fishing, grilling, winning chili cookoffs, playing cards and tell­ ing jokes, golfing, camping, hiking, boating, woodworking, competing with the Mid-Michigan 4-Runners off-road club, and even smoking the occasional cigar or pipe, back in the day! During his Bliss years, Jon met and married Brenda (Newton) in Oct. 1973, and they recent­ ly celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. After leaving Bliss, the family moved to San Antonio, TX to join Pearl Container from 1982 to 1987, then Metal Container in Fort Atkinson, WI until retirement in March of 1999. That is where a new career of ‘Life on the Road’ involved traveling for nearly 20 years by RV. Enjoying many of the National Parks around the country, time was also shared with friends along the way, as old friendships were renewed, or new ones began. The traveling continued until settling down in Starke, FL a few years ago, for a much slower paced retirement — one that involved more golfing or just sitting on the front porch or back deck chatting with others enjoying the Florida sunshine. Above all else, Jon cherished his family life, staying in touch by phone regarding events and activities. Family Reunions were the True Highlight in his Life! He always said: What A Wonderful World, and he was so pleased to have had a Wonderful Full Life! Jon was preceded in death by his parents, and brothers Jerry and Jeff, and will be dearly missed by his wife Brenda; children and (grand­ children) — Lynn and Lori Brownell (Tamara, Leanna, Lindsey, Rachel) of Fall City, WA, Lisa Pierce, Orange Park, FL (Adam of Dallas, TX and Jack of Montgomery, AL), and Lori and Jaimie Sloboden (Grace and Rhys) of Cypress, TX. He is also survived by Aunt Georgia Dann of Kalamazoo; sisters-in-law, Joan of Bellevue, Kathy of Freeport, and siblings — Jim Brownell of Delton, Jane Barlow, Margaret Wellman and Mary Cotant of Hastings, Tom Brownell of Kissimmee, FL, Ron and Muriel Brownell of Potterville, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life service will be held this summer in Hastings, ML In remembrance of Jon’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made in his name to St. Jude Chil­ dren’s Research Hospital. To leave a personal condolence or special memory for the family, please visit Ferreira Funeral Services in Macclenny, FL. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — Page 7 Emil Tyden described as modest, ‘most generous Was active board member, major donor of Swedish museum Kathy Maurer Copy Editor This column for several weeks has highlighted just some of the accomplishments of Emil Tyden, a Swedish immigrant who became an inventor, industrialist and philanthropist. Tyden brought one idea to Hastings in 1899 and ended up being singly or partly responsible for four major man­ ufacturing businesses here over the next two decades. So, he also was warmly received in Barry County and Hastings, where he was thought of as the city’s first citizen. Though he lived in the Midwest, Emil Tyden took part in two major celebrations in the Phila­ delphia area - one in 1938 and the other in 1942. Some 700 people from Sweden alone were expected at the 300th anniversary of the Swedish settlement in the U.S., according to a 1938 Ban­ ner. The Swedish Crown Prince and President Franklin D. Roosevelt were among the anticipat­ ed speakers at the anniversary celebration. “Two small boat loads of Swedish settlers landed on the banks of the Delaware River in 1638, coming to establish the first Swedish colo­ ny in America. The tercentenary of that event will be celebrated in Philadelphia and Wilming­ ton, Del., this month. Swedish-Americans from all parts of the United States will be gathered there for this celebration.” The article went on to give further details of the four-day event before making the local con­ nection. “Hastings is especially interested in these events because of the 50 sponsor-patrons who have put across the building of the monument at Wilmington, the construction of the museum at Philadelphia, as well as the big celebration, and who are now setting out to secure a million-dollar endowment for the museum, is our fellow citizen, Emil Tyden. He is one of the 50 Swed­ ish-Americans who have carried the burden of this large project for several years. “The committee has not only outlined what they wanted to have done, but they have gotten in contact with Swedish-Americans in all parts of our country to enlist their support in marking this great event in the history of the two coun­ tries. Swedish-Americans have contributed every dollar of the entire cost of the monument, the museum and the celebration. “The 50 sponsor-patrons will have an evening with the Crown Prince alone Thursday, June 30. There will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City a banquet in honor of the event ... Mr. Tyden plans to attend this gathering, as well as his daughter, Mrs. Richard Groos and his grandson, Richard Groos Jr. [departing] the fol­ lowing day for a visit to his homeland of Swe­ den. His two brothers, Oscar of Chicago and John E. Tyden of this city, are already over there. There will probably be a reunion of relatives while they are in Sweden. The Banner also referenced Tyden’s modes­ ty regarding his personal and financial contri­ butions. “You will not hear Mr. Tyden say anything about his connection with the celebration, but his associates in the 50 sponsor-patrons give him much credit for what has been accomplished.” Four years later, the Oct. 29, 1942, Banner reported that Emil Tyden had made a major con­ tribution to the Swedish heritage museum in Philadelphia: Pioneer room was Col. Tyden’s gift Dedicatory services held in Philadelphia Sunday A special ceremony will be held at the Amer­ ican Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia, Sunday, Nov. 1, to dedicate the Pioneers Room, which was the gift of Col. Emil Tyden, Hastings. A communication released by the museum has the following to say: “This room is the gift of Col. Emil Tyden of Hastings, Michigan. It was designed by Clayton E. Jenkins of Philadelphia and Linton Wilson of New York. The wood panel that adorns one of the walls, depicting the trades and occupations of the early settlers on the Delaware, was carved by Thorsten Sigstedt of Bryn Athyn, Pa. The panel was painted by Olle Nordmark, of New York, as was the very beautiful “Dalecarlia ceiling’ of the room. The bricks used in building the typically Swedish fireplace were excavated from the ruins of Printzhof on Tinicum which was the home of Gov. Johan Printz during his governorship of New Sweden in the 17th century ... “Col. Tyden is first vice-president of the board of governors of the American Swedish Historical Foundation, which owns the museum, and was one of its founders. His interest and faith in the future of the museum has continued unabated since its founding...” The Nov. 2, 1942, Philadelphia Record had a different take on the dedication, blending Tyden’s gift with current world events. “Neutral Sweden undoubtedly will play a sig­ nificant role in Europe’s post-war readjustment, William L. Batt, vice chairman of the War Pro­ duction Board, predicted yesterday. “Batt, vice president of the American Swedish Historical Foundation, spoke at the dedication ceremonies of the Pioneers Room at the Ameri­ can Swedish Historical Museum, at 19th Street and Pattison Avenue. “‘Sweden has contributed uniquely to the progress of the world by working out a social and economic way of life consistent with its ide­ als,’ he declared. ‘The strong bonds between Sweden and America, existing since our country was bom, are stronger than ever today because of our mutual responsibilities and aspirations for the new world to come.’ “The Pioneers’ Room was presented to the museum by Col. Emil Tyden, of Hastings, Mich., inventor and industrialist... “The panel on the south wall ... depicts the early tasks of the settlers in Pennsylvania and indicates the dates when various states were col­ onized by the Swedes.” This letter, from the Royal Consulate of Sweden in Chicago Sept. 17, 1940, reads, in part, “Dear Colonel Tyden, As I believe you have already been informed, His Majesty, the King of Sweden, has appointed you a Knight of the Royal Order of Vasa, first class. I wish to send you my sincere congratulations upon this distinction and to tell you that the cross has now arrived from Sweden.” An article in the Nov. 6, 1942, New York Sun further explained the interior artwork. The ceil­ ing, it said, was typical of those appearing in the farmhouses of Dalecarlia, a historic province of Sweden. (Dalecarliqn also can be interpreted as a landscape of dales). The carved panel also is in the style of a Dalecarlian wall painting or tapes­ try. This particular panel depicted the daily tasks of early Swedish settlers on the Delaware River. A Philadelphia Inquirer article the day after the dedication, noted that, “The room, described as ‘a translation, rather than an imitation or real­ ity,’ contains old Swedish cookbooks, kitchen implements and clocks. Some of these relics date back 200 years.” . Tyden and Albert Ivar Appleton were both were early members of the American Swedish Historical Association. Appleton was a business executive and manufacturer in the electrical field in Chicago and Wisconsin. The 1952 American Swedish Museum Yearbook began with a memo­ rial segment honoring the men, who had died the previous year. “... Both were philanthropists in the best sense; both centralized their activities in the Middle West; both had the welfare of the Foun- Rising droplets, falling hail Dr. Universe: How does hail form? Emilio, 11, San Diego, California Dear Emilio, During a thunderstorm, lots of tiny water droplets in the clouds form precipitation like water, snow or hail. But that precipitation doesn’t always fall right to the ground. Sometimes a falling raindrop will get swept back up in a current of air. The air current may carry the raindrop to higher parts of the thunderstorm cloud where tempera­ tures are below freezing. Under these super-cold temperatures, a rain­ drop will freeze. Then, other water droplets will start clinging to the frozen droplet. This is how hail, or a hailstone, begins to form. That’s what I learned from my friend Jon­ athan Contezac, a field meteorologist with AgWeatherNet at Washington State Universi­ ty. “As long as the updraft within the storm is strong enough to keep this hailstone suspend­ ed in the atmosphere, it’ll continue to grow. If it gets too heavy, it will fall to the earth, or if the updraft weakens, it will fall to the earth,” Contezac said. While it may not hail often in places like San Diego, some regions experience really intense hailstorms. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, Florida has the most thunderstorms, but Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming get the most hailstorms. In the summer, when humidity and warmth fuels thunderstorms, the region can experi­ ence anywhere from seven to nine days with hail. It’s no wonder this part of the country has even been given the name “hail alley.” Often hailstones are about the size of a This gold pin is attached to a Nov. 2, 1942, Philadelphia Inquirer clipping announcing the opening of the Pioneers Room at the Swedish American Historical Museum, made possible by a large dona­ tion from Emil Tyden. The pin, part of a Tyden scrapbook, is inscribed with the initials of King Gustav V and the year 1938. It likely is a souvenir from the cele­ bration four years earlier that marked the 300th anniversary of the first Swedes to arrive in America. dation at heart; both were members of its board of governors; both were natives of Sweden; both were men of vision, integrity, genius, industry and physical vitality; and their spans of life were both longer than those accorded most mortals.” A short biography followed on each of them. Tyden’s profile mentioned that he was the foun­ dation’s first benefactor,'and it shared the impact of the Pioneers Room, now called the Stuga or Stugan, according to current curator Christopher Malone. “The homelike, colorfill room in the museum dedicated to ‘All Pioneers of Swedish Lineage,’ which Col. Tyden conceived and gave to the foun­ dation in 1942, is perhaps the most popular with the public....” the yearbook noted. “Of all donors to the museum, he was the most generous.” Doug VanderLaan, in writing a 2017 book about Tyden, may have uncovered part of the reason why Tyden was so dedicated to helping share love for his homeland and the contribu­ tions of Swedish-Americans. His only grand­ child, Richard Groos, said his grandfather never intended to leave Sweden permanently. He was the eldest of eight children. His parents didn’t own the land they farmed, and the family barely got by. So, Emil made a plan, and received his parents’ blessing. “His whole idea in coming to America was to earn enough money to be able to buy farmland in Sweden,” Groos told VanderLaan. Ten years after arriving in the U.S., Tyden returned with the money needed to buy his own farm in Sweden and dramatically change life for his family. “He got back there, looked around and said, ‘Am I crazy?”’ Groos told VanderLaan, with a laugh. That realization launched a new plan, and soon Tyden found a way for all of his siblings to join him in America. After his father died in Sweden in 1908, Tyden’s widowed mother also pulled up stakes and made the trip to a new home in America, as well. Emil, his wife and daughters are buried at Riverside Cemetery in Hastings. Most of the rest of his family is buried in the Chicago area. Although this column has focused on Emil Tyden for nearly three months, much of the story of his many pursuits, accomplishments and con­ nections still remains untold. To learn more about this “first citizen of Hastings,” pick up a copy of the book “Tyden: An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary. ” A story on the development of Tyden Park will be published later. For now, readers can mull over the decision his family made to change the surname from Frid to Tyden and its impact on the city’s park and county building now honoring Emil Tyden. How would Frid Park or the Frid Center sound? pea, but sometimes they can grow to the size of grapefruit. Contezac said the size of a hail­ stone depends on how long it stays up in the storm. As the hailstone gets tossed around, new layers of ice can form around it. In fact, if we look at a hailstone cut in half, we might just be able to observe some icy rings. They would look sort of similar to the rings you might find if you sawed open a tree trunk. The way its icy rings look can tell us a bit about the hailstone’s journey through the storm. A white, cloudy ring of ice means the water droplets froze very quickly as they met the hailstone. The water froze so fast, some air bubbles were left in the water, which made it appear cloudy. When we see a ring of clear ice, it tells us that droplets were freezing more slowly onto the hailstone. There was enough time for the air bubbles to escape before the water froze, so the ice looks clear. While some hailstones make the journey to Earth’s surface, other hailstones simply melt away on their journey down from the atmosphere. Hail might make us run for cover, but it makes me curious, too. Who knows, maybe one day you will become a meteorologist and help us learn more about our planet’s incred­ ible weather. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. Send an email to Washington State Universi­ ty ’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse.com. fl look back at the stories and columns on local historu TURNING BflGK THE PAGES The passing of Mrs. Tyden Emil Tyden likely found support from his wife, the former Minnie Johnson, who was bom in Nebraska. They had been married nearly 40 years, when she died unexpectedly in the winter of 1934. The Banner published the following article: “This community was shocked to receive the news Thursday morning of the death, due to double pneumonia, of Mrs. Minnie H. Tyden, wife of Emil Tyden of this city. “She was born in Cambridge, Ill., Feb. 8, 1872. “On Feb. 20, 1895, she was married at her home in Cambridge to Emil Tyden. This proved a very happy union. One child, a daughter, Mrs. Florence Groos, blessed their home, and with her father, survives. There are also two brothers, Charles Johnson of this city and August Johnson of Chicago; and one sister, Mrs. Victor Forsburg of Laurel, Neb. “A private funeral, attended only by the family and close relatives, was held at the home at 2 p.m. Friday and was conducted by Rev. Kitching,. pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Interment was in Riverside Cemetery. “Those who knew Mrs. Tyden, especially those who knew her well, counted themselves fortunate. She had a most gracious, kindl} personality, a keen sympathy with a sympa­ thetic understanding of others, a deep love for her home, and sincere regard for all her friends. “The things of the spirit” interested and won her interest always. She loved the truth for its own sake. She sought for and loved the things that are right and lived for the good she could do. “For her, death is but an incident of life. She had a sublime faith in the goodness of God and sought always to be one of His faithful, loving, helpful children. In her quiet, unassuming way, she did a great deal of good. Her life was an example and will ever be an inspiration to all who knew her. The compass needle could not more unerringly point to the north than did her life to the good things she treasured in her heart, and sought to live, with simple faith and unquestioning trust in her Heavenly Father.” Minnie was just shy of her 62nd birthday when she died Jan. 11, 1934. She and Emil had a second daughter, Elea­ nor, who died of meningitis in 1902, at 2? months of age. Florence, their first-born daughter, died in 1995 at age 99. All are bur­ ied at Riverside Cemetery, Hastings. Emil Tyden designed and paid for the Pioneers Room, now called the Stuga, at the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia. This 1944 photo shows the room that was dedicated to “all pioneers of Swedish lineage.” Today, Tyden’s name can be found on a museum plaque, along with the names of the carver, painter and others. (Photo courtesy American Swedish Historical Museum) ON SALE NOW! CHASING THE EVIDENCE OF A REMARKABLE MAN Emil Tyden made a mark in this world at the turn of the 20th Century, but it was the imprint of a selfless man whose incredible talents and care for his fellow man Should be admired by every succeeding generation.” The book, Tyden: An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary, was published by Fred Jacobs and J-Ad Graphics and is the most extensive biography to date of a man who arrived from Sweden at the age of 17 and whose inventive brilliance began with contributions to the Chicago Worlds Fair in 1893 and ended just before his death in 1951 with the invention of the dry sprinkler fire suppression system manufactured by The Viking Corporation. tyden Man wT *" A" fwnted MJ .- W°»«9VahZrt3ai In between, Tyden offered world-changing developments to the booming automotive industry in Detroit, to America’s military efforts in World War I, and to the transportation industry where the invention for which he became best known, the box car seal, established Hastings as a manufacturing capital. Over 4 million of Tyden’s boxcar seals were manufactured from his plant in Hastings. “It’s a compelling read,” states author Doug VanderLaan, “and one I feel fortunate to be part of in its telling. An Ordinary Man Who Made Others Extraordinary... Available in Hastings for $24.99 at • Al Fresco • The General Store • Printing Plus • J-Ad Graphics office at 1351N. M-43 Highway, just north of the Hastings city limits. �Page 8 — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner COVID cases break county record Taylor Owens Staff Writer Barry County broke its records for the num­ ber of active CO VID-19 cases and the percent­ age of tests coming back positive this week. The Barry-Eaton District Health Depart­ ment reported 843 active cases of the virus on Tuesday. There were 704 new cases reported between Jan. 11 and Jan. 17, and 795 new cases reported between Jan. 18 and Jan. 24. The average positivity rate of COVID-19 tests was 38.7 percent this week. The highest single-day average was Saturday, Jan. 22, during which 51 percent of the 143 tests con­ ducted in the county came back positive. Eight additional deaths due to the virus were reported by BEDHD this week, for a total of 145 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. . BEDHD spokesperson Emily Smale said the numbers indicate community transmission is at an all-time high. In addition, the health department is dealing with a shortage of rapid tests at its Barry and Eaton county facilities. While PCR tests are still available, BEDHD Health Officer Colette Scrimger said those results currently take about eight days to get back. The Hastings location ran out of tests Jan. 19, and though they were restocked by Mon­ day, they were running low again by Wednes­ day. A BEDHD press release said rapid tests The highest single-day average was Saturday, Jan. 22, during which 51 percent of the 143 tests conduct­ ed in the county came back positive. Eight additional deaths due to the virus were reported by the BarryEaton District Health Department this week. would be administered on a first-come, firstserve basis. Scrimger said a shortage of COVID testing availability in Barry County has driven a high demand for tests at the Hastings location, caus­ ing wait-times of up to three to four hours and congestion on nearby Woodlawn Avenue. Every U.S. household is eligible to order four free, at-home CO VID tests at covidtests, gov. Thomapple Manor reported seven cases among its residents on Monday, and Hastings Rehab and Healthcare Center reported two. Spectrum Health Pennock had 10 patients in the hospital with COVID-19 this week, but none were in the intensive care unit. Delton Kellogg Schools returned to in-per­ son learning Tuesday after moving the final days of its semester to virtual learning last week. Superintendent Carl Schoessel said the sixday break from in-person learning appears to have had an positive impact on the district’s CO VID numbers, which had been on the rise. The district had seven positive cases among students, and an additional 22 students in quar­ antine on Wednesday, compared to about 100 students out of school due to positive tests or exposures before the break. But those numbers change by the day, and may go back up again, Schoessel noted. Union Bank announced in a press release Wednesday that it is closing its lobbies, except by appointment, due to the virus. “Out of an abundance of caution and for the safety and well-being of our customers and employees due to COVID-19,” the release stated, “all Union Bank Branch lobbies will be open by appointment only starting Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022 until further notice.” Motion to dismiss filed in citizen’s arrest case Katherine Arena Encinas, 56, of Hast­ ings, was found guilty of assault with a dan­ gerous weapon, a vehicle, and reckless driv­ ing March 7, 2021, in Rutland Township. She was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to 180 days in jail on the first conviction and 93 days in jail on the second conviction, to be served concurrently, and ordered to pay $1,108 in fines and costs. Encinas will be placed on probation for 24 months, with Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor­ ing (SCRAM) allowed for 12 months. A count of assault or assault and battery was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Court records showed a prior conviction Sept. 27, 2006, for attempting to resist/obstruct a police officer in Barry County. William Mlichael Waldon, 46, of Plain­ well, was found guilty of possession of less than 25 grams of the controlled substance Psilocyn, as well as being a felon in posses­ sion of a firearm July 22, 2020, in Oran­ geville Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 22 days in jail on each convic­ tion, with credit for one day served. Waldon was ordered to forfeit the weapon, pay $566 in fines and costs and was placed on proba­ tion for 24 months. A count of possession of methamphetamine and possessing ammuni­ tion as a felon were dismissed at the time of sentence. His court record showed prior con­ victions for operating or maintaining a meth lab Sept. 15, 2005. Colin Clifford Randall, 41, of Hastings, was found guilty of possessing or selling a taser, a portable device from which an electri­ cal current is designed to temporarily inca­ pacitate, injure or kill, Aug. 27, 2021, in Hastings. He was sentenced by Judge Schip­ per to two days in jail, with credit for two days served, ordered to forfeit the stun gun, pay $458 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 24 months. Jake Edward Dimatteo, 30, of Kent­ wood, was found guilty of possessing the controlled substance methamphetamine Oct. 22, 2021, in Hastings. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 62 days in jail, with credit for 62 days served, ordered to pay $398 in fine and costs and placed on probation for 36 months. Dimatteo was ordered to partici­ pate in the Adult Drug Court program and Barry County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Elsworth fills in for his colleague, Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter. (Photos by Scott Harmsen) Taylor Owens Staff Writer Bedford Township resident Adam Heikkila submitted a motion Tuesday to dismiss the case against him. Heikkila was charged with disturbing the peace for his attempt to conduct a citizen’s arrest of Barry-Eaton District Health Officer Colette Scrimger at the Sept. 23, 2021, meet- Adam Heikkila of Bedford Township in Calhoun County serves as his own defense on Tuesday. Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper is scheduled to review Heikkila's motion to dismiss on Feb. 15. ing of the BEDHD board of health in Hast­ ings. When Heikkila refused to leave the podi­ um and allow the meeting to continue, the meeting was called into recess and ultimately adjourned without finishing the health board’s business. Heikkila represented himself during a brief motion hearing Tuesday afternoon before Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper. Senior Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Elsworth said he received the motion and expected it would require a 30-minute hear­ ing. Elsworth was standing in for his colleague, Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter, who was out sick. He told the judge he expects the prosecutor’s office would need some time for Carter to return, review the motion and respond. Schipper set a Feb. 4 deadline for the pros­ ecution’s written response and a hearing on the motion is scheduled for 2 p.m. Feb. 15. Schipper asked Heikkila if he had any questions. “No, your honor,” Heikkila said. “I’ll do my best to file things in a timely manner from now on.” He told the judge he was still learning and would try to do better in the future. Schipper said Heikkila filed his motion within the window he had set, although he encouraged Heikkila to retain an attorney, as he had advised Heikkila several times at a hearing on the charge earlier this month. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 IJcense //SI 10376 & Insured CITY OF HASTINGS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Hastings City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, February 14, 2022 at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers at Hastings City Hall. The purpose of the Public Hearing is for City Coun­ cil to hear comments and make a determination on the establishment of a final assessment roll for the sidewalk improvement special assessment districts along West State St./M37/M43. A final assessment roll may be reviewed in the City Clerk’s office Mon­ day-Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. The City will provide necessary reasonable aid and services to disabled persons wishing to attend these hearings upon seven days notice to the Clerk of the City of Hastings, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. Telephone 269/945-2468 or TDD call relay services 800/649-3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk Kenneth Dee Brandenburg, 63, of Ver­ montville, was found guilty of possessing the controlled substance methamphetamine/ Ecstacy July 15, 2021, in Nashville. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 365 days in jail, with credit for two days served. Branden­ burg was ordered to pay $998 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. Court records show he had prior convictions for use of cocaine/narcotic March 9, 2016; possession of methamphetamine Dec. 19, 2013; use of a cocaine/narcotic Oct. 12, 1982; possession of marijuana Feb. 17, 1984; as well as larceny in a building April 7, 2016, in Eaton County; stealing/retaining a financial transaction device without consent Dec. 3, 2007, in Kalamazoo County; breaking and entering a building with intent Sept. 5, 2007, in Barry County; receiving and concealing stolen property worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 Aug. 26, 1999, in Barry County; absconding while on bond Aug. 7, 1997, in Eaton County; and larceny over $100 Sept. 4, 1997, in Barry County. Patrick Eugene Hard, 38, of Hastings, was found guilty of possessing the controlled substance methamphetamine Aug. 3, 2021, in Nashville. He was sentenced by Judge Schip­ per to serve 15 days in jail, with credit for 15 days served. Hard was ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs. Court records show prior convictions for use of the narcotic cocaine/ Ecstacy Oct. 21, 2020, and possession of methamphetamine April 21, 2021. Steven Tyler Pennington, 30, of Mid­ dleville, was found guilty of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, using force or coer­ cion to accomplish a sexual act, and aggra­ vated indecent exposure July 8, 2018, in Yankee Springs Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 90 days in jail on each count, with credit for one day served. Upon his release from jail, Pennington will serve 90 days in home detention with SCRAM and GPS compliance monitoring. He was ordered to pay $1,126 in fines and costs and serve 60 months of probation. A count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Guns stolen in home burglary A 61-year-old man called police at 6:40 p.m. Dec. 8, 2021, to report a burglary at his residence in the 10000 block of 108th Street in Irving Township. The man said a safe containing six guns had been stolen earlier that day. He had been gone since 12:30 a.m. and returned after 6 p.m. to find the power was out. He called the power company and was told there was no reason the residence should have an issue. The man soon found the electricity meter had been pulled off the side of the house. Inside, he discovered the safe and guns inside were missing. Snapchat scammer attempts extortion State police join forces to fight human trafficking During National Human Traf­ ficking Awareness Month, Michi­ gan State Police motor carrier officers are teaming up with offi­ cers from neighboring states to raise awareness of human traf­ ficking. From Jan. 24 - 28, MSP motor carrier officers will join with their colleagues in the Ohio State High­ way Patrol, Illinois State Police, Indiana State Police, and along with the organization Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) to edu­ cate motorists about the signs of human trafficking and to enforce laws that crack down on traffickers. The goal of this weeklong, multi-state human trafficking ini­ tiative is to raise awareness and pay all associated fees. Court records show he had prior convictions for meth possession Feb. 19, 2020, and Dec. 23, 2020. educate those individuals in posi­ tions to observe human traffick­ ing taking place, such as commer­ cial motor vehicle drivers, public transportation companies, rest area attendants, and truck stop employees. The MSP first partnered with TAT in 2015 and has since been recognized as a national leader in human trafficking awareness and education. For more information about TAT, visit truckersagainsttrafficking.org. To report suspected human traf­ ficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resources Center at 888-373-7888 or text BeFree to 233733. New internet affordability program available from FCC A 39-year-old Middleville man called police at 7:44 p.m. Jan. 10 to report that his 14-year-old son had been the victim of an online extortion attempt. The man said his son was communicating with an account on Snapchat that appeared to belong to a young woman. The woman sent flirtatious messages, then asked for a photo of the teenager which included his face and genitalia. After he sent the photo, the woman demanded $300 and said if he did not pay she would send the photo to all of his contacts and ruin his life. The teenager told his parents who called the police. The man said he believed the woman did not speak English as a first language, or that she may have been using translation software, and he did not believe she was in this country. Catalytic converter cut from RV A 59-year-old man called police Jan. 7 to report the catalytic converter had been cut out of his 2005 Winnebago while it was parked at his residence in the 7000 block of Whitneyville Road in Thomapple Township. The man said it occurred sometime since November. He said he could not think of any possible suspects. Man tries to blame sibling for car crash Police were called to a crash near the comer of Wertman Road and West Dowling Road in Hope Township at 5:59 p.m. Jan. 12. Witnesses said the driver, a 54-year-old Delton man, crashed a Jeep into a ditch and hit a tree before fleeing on foot. He was the only person in the vehicle at the time. The man had a suspended driver’s license and two warrants for his arrest for felony assault with a dangerous weapon and failure to appear in court. Witnesses said he tried to get his sister, 43, of Middleville, to say she had been driving the vehicle and, when she refused, he threw his wallet at her and pushed her. Then he struck her 45-year-old husband. Police found the man at his nearby residence on Bass Point Drive. The man told police his sister was the one driving. When police asked why his hand was cut and bleeding, he said he had been working on a house. The sister forwarded text messages she received from the man attempting to convince her to take the blame for insurance purposes. Charlotte woman arrested for OWI The Federal Communications Commission has launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, a benefit program now open for enrollment that helps households afford broadband. The ACP is the $14.2 billion successor program to the Emergen­ cy Broadband Benefit, a temporary program that helped almost 9 mil­ lion people afford internet access during the pandemic. “Access to affordable internet has become more important than ever before as we’ve adjusted to working and schooling from home,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a Jan. 24 press release. “I encourage all consumers who qualify to take advantage of programs like the ACP to help off­ set costs associated with connectiv­ ity.” Eligible households may now apply to receive up to a $30 per month discount off the price of their service and up to $75 per month for households on qualify­ ing Tribal lands. Eligibility infor­ mation can be found on the ACP’s enrollment page, https://acpbenefit. org/do-i-qualify/. Police were dispatched at 6:49 p.m. Jan. 11 to the intersection of M-179 and M-43 in Rutland Charter Township for a possible drunken driver. A witness reported follow­ ing a vehicle when it stopped in the triangle section of grass between the intersecting highways. The car had pulled onto the grass, stopped, started to back up and stopped again. When police arrived, the driver, a 48-year-old Charlotte woman, was slow to respond. A deputy knocked on the window several times before having to open the door himself. The woman had her pants around her knees, and was slurring her words. When he asked for her driver’s license, she gave him the license, followed by her credit cards. When he asked if she had been drinking, the woman grabbed a can of hard cider from a cup holder. But she insisted she had not been drinking anything else. When the woman got out of the vehicle, the deputy noticed she had urinated on herself. She refused to take a breath test and was arrested. After she was taken to the jail, she registered 0.18 percent blood alcohol content in a Breathalyzer test. She also had an expired license plate. �>The Hastings "/AlNlNllix SPORTS SECTION Thursday, January 27, 2022 Lowell/Cal/TK goalkeeper Finn White works to protect his net as a Grand Rapids Christian attacker closes in during their contest at Kentwood Ice Arena Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lowell/Cal/TK bested by Eagles for second time The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team performs its round one routine during the Maple Valley New Year Invitational Saturday. Vikings and Panthers cheer to titles at MVHS Brett Bremer Sports Editor Charlotte, Delton Kellogg and Lake­ wood won championships at the Maple Valley New Year Invitational Saturday as varsity cheer teams across the state really begin to settle into their 2021-22 season. Charlotte had the day’s top score. fim. _ ishing a -little over seven points better than the Lakewood ladies. The Orioles won a three-team Divi­ sion 2 competition. Lakewood won a three-team Division 3 competition. Delton Kellogg came out on top of Maple Valley and Pewamo-Westphalia in a three-team Division 4 contest. “Our division was Pennfield and Eaton Rapids, but we wanted to work to beat the Division 2 teams also which included Hastings, Charlotte and Stur­ gis,” Lakewood head coach Kim Martin said. The Vikings managed to score better than everyone but Charlotte. Martin said a few mistakes in rounds one and three kept her team behind the Orioles. Lake­ wood was.82 points ahead of Charlotte heading into round three thanks to a difficult and successful round two rou­ tine which earned the Vikings 208.22 points. Lakewood put together scores of 22.60 in round one and 281.20 in round three. Overall for the day, Charlotte finished with a score of 719.20, ahead of Lake­ wood 712.02, Sturgis 658.92, Hastings 656.78, Delton Kellogg 598.32, Maple Valley 579.00, Eaton Rapids 576.76, Pewamo-Westphalia 576.72 and Penn­ field 338.70. “If we would have had three rounds that the girls were capable of we certain­ ly could have beat Charlotte on Satur­ day,” Martin said. With just five returning cheerleaders out of 16 in round one, the young Viking team is still finding its way. Martin said her girls have managed to avoid Covid-19, but that The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team celebrates winning its division at the Maple Valley New Year Invitational Saturday at Maple Valley High School. other illnesses have limited the chance to all work together at times this season. Lakewood had four of its eight girls back in round two this year and just four out of 16 returning in round three. “The girls are working very hard,” Martin added. Charlotte worked its way to a score of 225.30 points in round one, 204.70 in round two and 289.20 in round three. Hastings, which was third in Division 2 and fourth overall on the day, put together scores of 215.00 in round one, 185.48 in round two and 256.30 in round three. Delton Kellogg won the Division 4 championship with scores of 184.80 in round one, 184.92 in round two and 228.60 in round three. Maple Valley’s girls kept on pace with the Panthers in the Division 4 competi­ tion with scores of 191.30 in round one, 157.20 in round two and 230.50 in round three. The Lions outscored both Delton Kel­ logg and the other D4 team, Pewa­ mo-Westphalia, in round three. Lion head coach Sarah Huissen said her team had its best performance of the season Saturday. “We are continuing to work on cleaning up problem areas in our round one and putting new visual effects into the round,” Huissen said. “We are also working on advanced gymnastic skills for our round two and adding more elite stunts into round three. With the changes we are hop­ ing to continue our climb upwards.” The Lions and Vikings were set to return to the mats at Lakewood High School yesterday, Jan. 26, for the second Greater Lansing Activities Conference jamboree of the season. Hastings is sched­ uled to host an Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference jamboree this evening, Jan. 27. Delton Kellogg will head to Blooming­ dale tonight, Jan. 27. Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lowell/Caledonia/Thornapple Kellogg (LCTK) had one answer, but that was all Fri­ day night at Kentwood Ice Arena. Still skating for their first victory of the season, the LCTK boys were bested 9-1 by visiting Grand Rapids Christian in an OK Conference Baum Division match-up, the second victory of the season for the Eagles over LCTK. LCTK forward Alex Skibinski flipped a shot over the left shoulder of Grand Rapids Christian goalkeeper Brayden Melinn 4:36 into the contest to tie the score at 1-1, and tried a second shot from the same place, at the top of the left circle, moments later. Melinn stopped the second try and every other one the LCTK boys threw at his net. The Eagles’ speed and passing in the offen­ sive end proved too much for LCTK to han­ dle. Ben Baysore fired a pass across the front of LCTK keeper Finn White in his net 8:50 into the game and his teammate Colton Laufer knocked it past the LCTK keeper to put their team back in front 2-1. The Eagles stretched their lead to 6-1 by the end of the opening period and then upped their lead to eight goals to start the clock run­ ning midway through the second period. Baysore, Hayden Zimmerman and Laufer had two goals apiece for the Eagles. Josh Trendt, Danny Groskiewicz and Isaiah Clark had one goal each. Clark and Matthew Ydenberg had three assists each. Zimmerman added two assists and Jake Eaton, Bryce Darrow, Baysore, VanSchepen, Colin Wildman and Groskiewicz each had an assist. Melinn, a freshman, made 20 saves in goal for the Eagles. Russell Langenburg assisted on LCTK’s lone goal. The Eagles got spurred early on by a pair of power play goals. Baysore smacked in the rebound of a shot from the point by teammate Ydenberg on the power play 10:41 into the opening period to put their team up 3-1. A minute later, LCTK got the puck in deep, but couldn’t keep it from the Eagles. Zimmer­ man took the puck with speed up the left side in front of the benches and beat the defense to the other end of the rink and slid a pas to Groskiewicz who finished it off. The score stood there at 4-1, and LCTK t went on thef^wer ptey^ith three minutes to ■ play in that opening period; That power play only lasted 49 seconds however before an LCTK penalty started some 4-on-4 hockey. The Eagles were back at full strength when Zimmerman scored off assists from Clark and VanSchepen on the power play with 23.1 seconds left on the clock. Zimmerman scored once more in the final half minute of the first period, with 3.7 sec­ onds to go with assists from Clark and Eaton. LCTK is now 0-15 overall this season. The team will visit Byron Center at Southside Arena Friday night, Jan. 28, and then play host to Grand Rapids Catholic Central at Kentwood Ice Arena Saturday, Jan. 29. Grand Rapids Christian moved its record to 7-7-1 overall this season with a the victory. Lowell/Caledonia/Thornapple Kellogg's Ryan Kieliszewski shoots the puck towards the Eagle net from along the right boards during his loss to the visiting Eagles at Kentwood Ice Arena Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings and Marshall girls battle for No. 2 spot in 1-8 Friday Brett Bremer Sports Editor Chasing down Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference leading Jackson Parma Western won’t be easy for anybody. The Panthers are 11-1 overall and 7-0 heading into this weekend’s action, but the ' number two spot in the 1-8 is still very much ! up for grabs. The Saxons can take a big step ’towards a top two finish in the conference ; with a win Friday. The Saxons host Marshall Friday night. . Both teams are 5-2 in the conference, current­ ; ly tied two games back of the Panthers. Hastings is 9-4 overall on the season and ! Marshall 7-5. The RedHawks took the open| ing match-up of the season between the two ' teams 44-29 back in December. ' The Saxons will try and combat Marshall’s experienced guards by getting the ball in the paint on offense, and work on changing things up a little bit on defense here and there to slow them down. “I’m excited for the girls to be able to play the game at home. That has a good feel to it. There are consequences to the game. This is why kids play,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said of the anticipation for Friday’s ballgame. The Saxons picked up their ninth win of the season last Friday, Jan. 21, at Pennfield High School in Battle Creek. Hastings out­ scored the Panthers 55-48 - rallying after a bit of a slow start which saw the Saxons down 11 -7 after one quarter. “That is a team that is at the bottom of the league right now, but they played us pretty tough,” coach Youngs said. “It is good to win on the road. 1 told the .girls afterwards, win­ ning on the road is never easy. Winning isn’t easy. It doesn’t matter what the score is, they fought through.” Hastings found its offense in the second quarter to pull in front 26-20 at the half. Pen­ nfield surged to within 35-33 heading into the fourth quarter as Hastings struggled a bit to extend its lead beyond six or eight points throughout the period. The Saxons closed the bailgame with a 20-13 run in the fourth quarter. Brooklynn Youngs had seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter for the Saxons. Hastings was 16-of-19 from the three throw line as a team in the bailgame and Youngs was 6-of-6 herself. Macy Winegar had a team-high 17 points for the Saxons. She hit three three-point­ ers and was 4-of-4 at the free throw line. The Saxons also got nine points from Brianna Barnes, seven from Madison Pettengill and six from Bailey Cook Coach Youngs was pretty pleased with the play of Cook and Pettengill on the inside. He guessed they had nearly 20 rebounds between the two of them. Brooklynn Youngs and Winegar shot well, and Barnes attacked the basket for the Sax­ ons. It was on Barnes and Allison Teed for most of the evening to try and slow down Pennfield star Kylee Glidden. Glidden fin­ ished the bailgame with 24 points. She hit a pair of three-pointers in the third quarter as her team powered into the lead and was 16-of-18 from the free throw line. Glidden was 12-of-16 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter alone. Coach Youngs was mostly pleased with the defensive effort on Glidden. One of her three-pointers was a 26-footer, which was one of the few times the Saxons really gave her any space according to their coach. He said the refs were calling things tightly, but didn’t have much argument against Glidden’s opportunities at the free throw line. On the offensive end, coach Youngs was basically happy about how his girls worked the ball and found good shots. Overall, he has liked the patience his girls have shown offensively in their past few games. “They’re starting to see what it should look like, when it’s a good take and when it is not,” coach Youngs said. Hastings will visit Coldwater Feb. 4 for another 1-8 contest. �Page 10 — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY CASE NO. 21-909-CH HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at CHARLES HANNAN and JANE HANNAN, Plaintiffs, v. ROSAMOND HERZBRUN, GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE, INC. aMa Green Tree Acceptance Co. Inc., a dissolved Delaware Corporation whose authority to transact business in Mich­ igan has been withdrawn. a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on February 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee for MASTR Asset Backed Securities Trust. 2003OPT1, Mortgage Pass Through Certificates, Series 2003OPT, and MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Defendants. register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Todd A. Pontius And Christina M. Pontius, Husband And Wife Original Electronic Mortgage Mortgagee: Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for Exchange Financial Corporation, its successors and assigns Joseph J. Bernardi (P43895) BERNARDI, RONAYNE & GLUSAC, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff 1058 Maple Street, Suite 100 Plymouth, Ml 48170 (734) 416-1780 joeb@brgpc.com Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Midfirst Bank, a Federally Chartered Savings Association Date of Mortgage: July 13, 2001 Date of Mortgage Recording:. July 19, 2001 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $68,379.77 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry' County, Michigan, and NOTICE OF ACTION described as: Lot 718 of the City, formerly Village, of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof. TO: GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE, INC., A/K/A GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE CO. INC., AND/OR INTEREST­ ED PARTIES HAVING AN INTEREST IN PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 6080 BOWENS MILL ROAD, HASTINGS, MICHIGAN 49058 Common street address (if any): 419 W Court St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1622 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real PLEASE BE ADVISED that Plaintiffs, Charles Hannan and Jane Hannan, filed a Complaint seeking to quiet title to property located in the Township of Rutland, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as: property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). . If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held BEGINNING AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SECTION 7, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN; THENCE NORTH 86 DEGREES 54 MINUTES 07 SECONDS WEST 953.98 FEET ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID SECTION 7; THENCE NORTH 02 DEGREES 23 MINUTES 02 SECONDS EAST, 662.30 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 86 DEGREES 55 MINUTES 38 SECONDS EAST, 956.87 FEET TO THE EAST LINE OF SAID SEC­ TION 7; THENCE SOUTH 02 DEGREES 28 MIN­ UTES 03 SECONDS WEST, 662.64 FEET ALONG SAID EAST LINE TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS FOR PUBLIC HIGH­ WAY PURPOSES OVER THE EASTERLY 33 FEET THEREOF FOR WHITMORE ROAD AND THE SOUTHERLY 33 FEET THEREOF FOR BOWENS MILL ROAD, AND ANY OTHER EASEMENTS OR RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: January 20, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 1451970 (01-20)(02-10) • ,>. ■? . Estate of Frank Schram. Date Of birth: March 24, ( STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS 174503 STATE OF MICHIGAN County of Barry Notice to Creditors Decedent’s Estate To respond to this Notice, you must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days and mail your an­ swer or response to: . STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate Decedent: Mary A. Johnson. Date of birth: 08/03/1945. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Mary A. Johnson, who lived at 6335 Woodstrail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046 died 08/18/2021. There is no probate estate. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Mary A. Johnson Revocable Trust dated November 22, 1995, as amended and restated in total on March 10, 2008 and December 1, 2016, will be forever barred unless presented to Sarah Lovell, the named successor trustee within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/25/2022 Charles S. Ofstein P76256 DeMent and Marquardt, PLC 211 E. Water Street, Suite 401 Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 (269) 343-2106 Sarah Lovell 59363 Ravenna Drive, Mattawan, Ml 49071 175077 (248) 642-2515 Parcel ID: 08-13-007-005-35 Property Address: 6080 Bowens Mill Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (hereinafter the “Property”). Clerk of the Court Barry County Circuit Court 220 W. State Street -Hastings, Ml 49058 -andBernardi, Ronayne & Glusac, P.C. Attention: Joseph J. Bernardi, Esq. 1058 Maple Street, Suite 100 Plymouth, Ml 48170 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29070-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. #302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Geneva Elaine Dodson. Date of birth: 01/28/1929. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Geneva Elaine Dodson, died 09/24/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Janet L. Lydy, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/20/2022 Nathan E. Tagg P68994 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Janet L. Lydy 216 Indian Hills Drive, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-953-7668 174883 1932. NOTICE TO GREDnaRS; The dece^^U,-Frank Schram died December 8, 2021. There is no Probate Estate. Creditors of the decedent are notified that a claim against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Margaret Schram within 4 months using the above-referenced Court caption. after the date of publication of this notice. If you fail to respond to this Notice or if you do not answer or take other action as permitted by law within 28 days, Judgment may be entered with the Court affecting the title to the Property. Respectfully submitted, BERNARDI, RONAYNE & GLUSAC, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiffs, Charles Hannan and Jane Hannan By: Joseph J. Bernardi (P43895) 1058 Maple Street, Suite 100 Plymouth, Ml 48170 (734) 416-1780 Dated: January 21,2022 174991 Margaret Scram Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE 22-29069-DE Court Address: 206 S. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Estate of Gary S. Vickery. Date of birth: 9/18/1944. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Gary S.J/ickerv died 1^20497 - ■ . . Creditors of the decedent are nbttfied that all claims against fhe/esitate will be forever barred unless presented to Coleeq Polley, personal representative, or to both,the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal* representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/24/2022 Coleen Polley 7896 S. Norris Road, Delton, Ml 49046 12831 Yost St. Wayland, Ml 49348 174884 269-623-3110 STATE OF MICHIGAN PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 21-29025-NC William M. Doherty P41960 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29058-DE Court Address: Barry County Courts & Law Building 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Kenneth Wayne Fowler, aka Kenneth W. Fowler, aka Kenneth Fowler. Date of birth: May 24,1925. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kenneth Wayne Fowler, died August 17,2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Charles W. Fowler, personal representative, or to both the probate court at Probate Court, Barry County Courts & Law Building, 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: January 19,2022 V. Lee INgram P39908 312 Hayward St., P.O. Box 789, Schoolcraft, Mi 49087-0789 (269) 679-5109 Charles W. Fowler 3088 W. Old Place Road, Moran, Ml 49760-8708 (906)643-6537 174797 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the matter of the J. Irvin Rodgers Trust. Date of birth: 09/17/1922. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joe Irvin Rodgers died 11/25/2021. There is no personal representative of the decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Trust will be forever barred unless presented to Marcia L. Collins and Lavonda B. Martin Co-Trustees of the J. Irvin Rodgers Trust, under a Trust Agreement dated June 27, 1968 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/20/2022 Mika Meyers Neil L. Kimball P36653 900 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-632-8000 • Marcia L. Collins I Lavonda B. Martin 7970 60th Street SE110900 76th Street SE Alto, Ml 49302 / Alto, Ml 49302 231-740-7083/616-318-0312 174990 174993 Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No.: (269) 945-1390 In the matter of Paris Marie Cleo Hale. TO ALL PERSONS INCLUDING: whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 2/9/2022 @ 2:15 p.m. at 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of Paris Marie Cleo All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaperwill not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Hale to Paris Marie Cleo Viviano. 174487 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services Help Wanted MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. GENERAL LABORER- JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits401 (k), 401(k) matching, Den­ tal insurance, Health insur­ ance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. Pets LAB PUPPIES, very cute & playful. 1st shots and de­ wormed. $400. 517-852-3007. TRUCK DRIVER: CANDI­ DATES must have a CDL with a "T" endorsement, 3 years' experience, a good driving re­ cord and subject to DOT regu­ lations. Duties include loading and hauling logs and lumber with double bottom trailers. Applicant must be able to op­ erate a front-end loader, work off road, alone and manage their time. Hourly wage based on experience and includes a benefit package. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield. No phone calls please. Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St, Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 Member SIPC Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Does your business have an exit strategy? If you’re a business owner, you’ve got so much to think about, and you work so hard, that it might be difficult to envision the day when you’re in a different place in life. However, that day will likely arrive, so you’ll want to be prepared for it, which means, you’ll need an exit strategy. But how do you create one? Here are some steps that can prove helpful: • Start planning early. Making a quick exit is probably not a viable strategy for most business owners. Instead, you’ll want to plan far ahead for when you want to leave your business behind. This will require some thinking about the big picture: What will the company look like when you’re gone? Are you essential to its survival? If not, do you want to sell it to a key employee or an outsider? Or would you prefer to keep it in the family? After you’ve answered these types of questions, you can then move on to consider specific solutions, such as creating a buy-sell agreement with an employee or gradually transferring the business to family members. • Determine how to fill a retirement income gap. You could spend two, or even three, decades in retirement - so you’ll want to be sure you’ll have an adequate income stream to cover all those years. You may be able to draw on Social Security and whatever retirement plan you might have established, such as an SEP-IRA or an owner-only 401(k), but these sources may still leave you short of what you’ll need to live on duringyour retirement. However, your business will probably be your biggest asset, especially if you own some real estate connected with your operations. So, if you’re planning to sell your business, how much will you need to get for it to fill any retirement income gap you may face? Of course, it can be somewhat tricky to place a valuation on a business that may not be sold for several years, but with some research and the right forecasting tools, you should be able to develop a pretty good estimate. • Get professional help. Creating and executing a business exit strategy takes time - and expertise. So, as you think about your own situation, you might want to assemble a team that includes your financial, tax and legal advisors and an expert in business valuation. This last position - business valuation professional - will obviously be particularly beneficial in estimating the value of your business for a future sale. • Include the next generation in your plans. If you’re planning on transferring your business to the next generation of your family, you’ll certainly need to involve them in every step of the process. But even if you’re going to sell the business to an outsider, or liquidate it entirely, you should keep your grown children informed of what you’re doing, since they may be affected by the outcome. You also may want to include them in any meetings you have with your financial, tax and legal advisors. Selling or transferring your business will be one of the most important financial moves you’ll make - so plan ahead, get the help you need and find the exit strategy that’s right for you. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Barracudas passed by Ottawa Hills guys in ■■■>«. = CERC JT gV . Brett Bremer Sports Editor Barry County had a two fioint lead heading into the final event of the evening against the Ottawa Hills Bengals Thursday at the Com­ munity Education and Recreation Center in Hastings, but couldn’t quite hold on for a second conference win. The Bengal foursome of Ryan Yon, Amado Huner, Ben Brinks and Jonathan Hoffman won the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3 minutes 55.95 seconds to secure a tie for their team and then the team of Elias Morgan, Reuben Oeverman, Miles Wilboum and Caleb Oeverman secured Ottawa Hills’ victory with a third-place time of 4:24.00. Barry County had the team of Mason Cross, Donald Kuck, Nolan Send and Jameson Rior­ dan place second in the race with a time of 4:08.10. The Barracuda team of of Isaac Stan­ ton, Camden Reynolds, Reagan Neuman and Jake Gheradi placed fourth in that final relay, about two and a half seconds behind that Bengal team which earned the two third place points. Jack Kensington was a part of all the Bar­ racuda wins in the pool in the dual. He took the 100-yard freestyle in 53.41 seconds, the 50-yard freestyle in 23.88 and teamed with Matt Smith, Shults and Pacillo to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:39.27. ■ Blake Sheldon won the diving competition ' for the Barracudas with a score of 197.50, finishing nearly 50 points ahead of the run­ ner-up. Hoffman and Zeke Deblaay teamed with Matis Rizkalla and Ehtan Shi to win the 200yard medley relay for the Bengals. Hoffman went on to win the 200-yard freestyle in 1:54.00 and the 100-yard backstroke in 57.79. Deblaay won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:17.63 and the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:08.93. , The Barry County boys were back in the, water for a non-conference tri with Coldwater and Marshall in Marshall Tuesday. The Barry County boys defeated Coldwa­ ter 134-43, but fell 102-83 to Marshall. Mar­ shall scored a 137-39 win over its Interstate-8 Athletic Conference foes from Coldwater. , Sheldon was the meet’s top diver putting up a score of 198.65. Teammate Ethan Kooistra was third overall with 131.20 points, which was good for second in the dual with Marshall. Barry County’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of Shults, Matt Smith, Kensington and Pacillo won in 1:41.22. Kensington earned a time of 52.44 to win the 100-yard freestyle for Barry County as well. Olivet boys win battle for GLAC lead at Lakewood High School Brett Bremer Sports Editor Olivet took the first big Greater Lansing Activities Conference showdown of the var­ sity boys’ basketball season Tuesday night at Lakewood High School. The Vikings will have to seek out their revenge Feb. 25 when they visit Olivet. Olivet upped its Greater Lansing Activities Conference record to 6-0 by handing the Lakewood boys their first defeat of the con­ ference season Tuesday by the score of 63-56. The Eagles trailed by 11 at the start of the fourth quarter, but closed out the ballgame on a 23-12 run over those final eight minutes. Olivet’s Bo Lincoln and Lakewood Pres­ ton Makley tied for game-high scoring hon­ ors with 21 points apiece. Lincoln scored 11 of his 21 in the fourth quarter and teammate Brayden Wine added eight fourth quarter points as the Eagles surged in front. Brayden Wine finished with 17 points. The Eagles also got 13 points from Tayven Feldpausch and six from Bryce Wine. The Eagles could have had a bigger lead at the end, but were just 12-of-21 at the free throw line. Makley did his best to help the Vikings fend off the late Eagle surge. He hit two three pointers in the fourth quarter and had ten points in the period. Lakewood got 16 points from Jayce Cusack and ten from Caleb Hull. The Eagles held Cusack without a field goal in the second half. A pair of free throws in the third quarter accounted for his only two points of the sec­ ond half. Olivet had two huge quarters Tuesday. Lakewood led 16-6 after the opening quarter, but the Eagles 21-11 run in the second to get back to even by halftime. Feldpausch and Lincoln had eight points apiece for the Eagles in that second quarter, with Feldpausch knocking down a pair of threes. The Eagles are now 11-0 overall this sea­ son. Lakewood is now 8-2 overall and 4-1 in the GLAC. The Vikings are off now until a Feb. 4 date at Perry. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, January 27, 2022 — Page 11 Hastings girls knock off Zeeland to win Baker invite Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was more than just a break from the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference duals for the Hastings varsity girls’ bowling team. It was a chance to win a championship. The Saxons rolled a score of 1,505 in ten Baker matches to place third in qualifying 'and then knocked off the top two teams, Thomapple Kellogg and Zeeland, to win the championship at the Zeeland Baker Invita­ tional at Fairlanes in Grandville Saturday. The Saxon team of Ally Herder, Abby Bar­ ton, Andrea Rhodes, Shyanna Baker and Jen Stoline outscored top seeded Zeeland 328­ 310 in their two-game Baker series for the championship. Zeeland won the opener 173­ 147, but the Saxons rallied to win the second 173-137 to take the overall pinfall. Hastings outscored Thomapple Kellogg •156-124 and 136-133 in two Baker games in the quarterfinals, then bested Coopersville 180-114 and 178-156 in two games in the semis. The Saxons opened match-play with wins by the scores of 130-129 and 143-131 against Coopersville. . The Saxons had a high Baker game of 200 during the qualifying rounds. The Hastings boys weren’t able to advance through match-play at the tournament. They put together a score of 1,643 during their ten Baker games in qualifying. The team of Deagon Wilkins, Miles Lipsey, Cam Eaton, Gage Richmond, Drew Rhodes and Hunter Pen­ nington had high games of 201 and 202 throughout qualifying. Thomapple Kellogg bested the Hastings boys in the opening round of match-play. TK took the opening Baker 189-153. Hastings managed to outscore the Trojans in the sec­ ond 156-152. Grand Rapids Christian bested the TK boys in the quarterfinals. Hastings was back in action Tuesday tak­ ing on Pennfield in Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference duals at Hastings Bowl. The Hastings boys scored a 24-6 win over the Panthers while the Hastings girls pulled out a 16-14 victory. Shyanna Baker won two team points for the Saxon girls on the afternoon, rolling Hastings boys bested by tough Pennfield squad The Hastings varsity girls' bowling team celebrates its championship Saturday at the Zeeland Baker Invitational at Fairlanes in Grandville. The Hastings girls closed out match-play with wins over Coopersville, Thornapple Kellogg and host Zeeland in the final three rounds of the tournament to win the title. Team members Saturday included Shyanna Baker, Jen Stoline, Ally Herder, Abby Barton, Andrea Rhodes and head coach Deanna Rhodes. games of 146 and 165. Amber Rabideau, Herder, Barton and Andrea Rhodes won one point each. Rabideau won hers with a 128. Barton rolled a 157, Rhodes had a 164 and Herder rolled a 136. In the boys’ victory, the Saxons took ten points for winning each of the two regular games and they took six points thanks to a win in one of the Bakers as well as the top overall pinfall in the Bakers. Richmond, Eaton and Lipsey won two team points each in the head-to-head match­ ups. Eaton had games of 182 and 166. Lipsey rolled a 148 and a 166. Richmond scored a 186 and a 213. The Saxons also got a team point thanks to a 209 from Drew Rhodes and a 144 from Wilkins. Last Thursday at Jax 60 in Jackson, the Hastings boys were bested 26-4 in an 1-8 dual with the Northwest Mounties while the Hast­ ings girls took a 24.5-5.5 win. Rabideau, Baker, Barton and Herder won two team points each for the Saxons. Baker had games of 124 and 165. Rabideau rolled a 143 and a 173. Herder scored a 139 and a 120. Barton added a 154 and a 156. Team­ mate Andrea Rhodes picked up half a team­ point with a 135. The two girls’ teams split the two Baker games with the Saxons winning the total pin­ count in those two contests. The Hastings boys got their four points against the Mounties by winning one of the two Baker games - that despite bowling real­ ly well overall against the talented Northwest team. Richmond rolled games of 176 and 179 for the Saxons. Drew Rhodes hit seven strikes in a row at one point in a 222 game. Hunter Pennington scored a 165 for the Sax­ ons, Eaton had a high-game of 155 and Lipsey rolled a 147. The Saxons' Joe McLean (right) fights to retain possession of the basketball as he's pressured by a Pennfield defender Friday night. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Wildcats keep TK boys winless in the Gold Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ bas­ ketball team will try and get its first win of the OK Gold Conference season as it travels to Grand Rapids Friday to take on Ottawa Hills. TK is nowl-8 ovenall’ThiW^ason*andTI-5 in the conference after a tough loss to visiting Wayland in Middleville Tuesday night. The Bengals are currently 2-3 in the conference and 2-7-1 overall. Wayland led from start to finish in the old gymnasium at Thomapple Kellogg High School Tuesday, but the lead was just 11-10 after a triple by Trojan senior Payton Wilkin­ son with a minute to play in the opening quarter? Wayland went on a 10-2 run from there to take control however. The Trojans were able to get by the Wild­ cats’ full-court pressure for the most part during the opening half of the contest, but struggled to find good shots offensively and at times junior guard Terrell Jefferson was forced to try and create some tough shots on his own. TK got decent contributions from a couple youngsters who are seeing roles expand, sophomore Jaxon Sias and junior guard Jakob Rodriguez. Rodriguez was able to penetrate against the Wildcat defense a bit. Wayland stretched its lead to double fig­ ures midway through the second quarter and led 29-18 at the half. The TK boys were bested 76-31 at Grand Rapids Catholic Central last Friday. The Cou­ gars are off to an 11-1 start this season and are currently 6-0 in the OK Gold Conference. Wayland improved to 3-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference with its win at TK Tuesday. Hastings Zander Forbes leans into a shot during his team's 1-8 loss to visit­ ing Pennfield Friday. Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Pennfield Panther varsity boys’ bas­ ketball team defeated the Saxons 73-38 in an Interstate-8 Athletic Conference game at Hastings High school Friday. At the half, the Saxons trailed 43-18. Joe McLean hit two three-point shots for the Saxons in the first half, but the Panthers shut down the Saxon offense in the third quarter only allowing two points. The Saxons tried to rally in the fourth by putting 18 points on the board and holding the Panthers to 13. Owen Carroll, who scored all seven of his points in the last quarter, led the rally along with Myles Padilla who added another six points. Lay­ ton Eastman led the Saxon team in scoring overall with eight points for the night. Pennfield got 17 points from Luke Davis who had a solid all-around game for the Panthers. Graham Boyd added 16 points and Aiden Bums had 12 in the win. Pennfield comes into this week as one of the handful of teams among the honorable mention ranks in the Division 2 AP State Rankings^ ‘ Hastings will travel to Marshall in Inter­ state-8 action on Friday. The RedHawks are currently ranked seventh in the state in Division 2. Marshall will head into Friday night’s ballgame with a 10-1 overall record. The RedHawks are currently tied atop the 1-8 standings with Coldwater. Both teams are 6-1 in the conference. Pennfield is tied with Harper Creek in third place in the league standings at 5-2. Pennfield improved to 8-2 overall with the win. The Saxons are now 0-7 in conference play and 1-10 overall. CITY OF HASTINGS PUBLIC NOTICE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 604 The undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Clerk of the City of Hastings, Michigan, does hereby certify that Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Jaxon Sias has a shot turned aside by Wayland senior Brady Dobry in the paint during the first half of their OK Gold Conference bail­ game in Middleville Tuesday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 90 OF THE HASTINGS CODE OF 1970, AS AMENDED, BY AMENDING THE FOLLOWING: ARTICLE 90-IX, BY ADDING DIVISION 90-IX-8, SECTION 90-914 AND SECTION 90-915 ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND RELATED AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE 90-VI, DISTRICT REGULATIONS. Coloma and Parchment take slim victories over Delton girls was adopted by the City Council of the City of Hastings at a regular meeting on the 24th of January 2022. “We just struggled a bit to reward ourselves on the offensive end after working so hard on D.” Caitlyn McManus hit three threes and fin­ ished with a team-high 15 points in the loss. Allie Trantham and Kasey Kapteyn played with a lot of heart and effort according to their coach. DK is now 2-10 overall on the season. Parchment bested the visiting DK ladies 28-25 last Friday. McManus and Cadence Johnson had six points each in the loss and Jordan Lyons chipped in five. Caitlyn McManus and Cadence Johnson led us with 6 points and Jordan Lyons added 5 to the cause. Coach Mohn said he sees the team contin­ A complete copy of this Ordinance is available for review at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg girls came up just shy in their last two ballgames. The Panther varsity girls’ basketball team was bested 34-29 at Coloma High School Tuesday after a three-point loss at Parchment last Friday. Turnovers proved problematic for the DK girls at Coloma. They turned the ball over on six of their first eight possessions and then turned it over a few times late as they tried to put together a fourth-quarter comeback. Delton Kellogg scored 14 of its 29 points in the fourth quarter to dig out of its hole. “Our defensive effort during that fourth quarter run was the best effort of the season thus far,” DK head coach Mike Mohn said. ually improving its ability to get good shots, even though it was another tough night shoot­ ing for his girls. They were just 10-of-42 from the field in the loss to Parchment. “I thought that Mya Brickley had proba­ bly the best half of basketball that I have seen her play,” coach Mohn said. “Her ener­ gy on D and on the glass, and her leadership, got us back in the ballgame late in the fourth quarter.” Brickley had three points, five rebounds and three assists in the second half. “Johnson hit some big shots for us down the stretch when we cut the lead to one with less than two minutes left,” Mohn said Johnson had six rebounds on the night too. Josie Williams had a team-high 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. Parchment drills 15 threes in win despite DK’s improvement Brett Bremer Sports Editor The scoreboard didn’t tell the tale of the effort the Delton Kellogg boys showed Friday. Parchment took an 83-55 win over the Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basketball team at Parchment High School in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division action. Despite an 18-point defeat, DK head coach Jim Hogoboom said, “I thought tonight was our best performance. There was great effort out of our kids. We just need to eliminate the multiple possessions that seems to stack up on us - sometimes I think impacted by fatigue not necessarily due to lack of effort or understanding. “We are growing and if we bring tonight’s effort every day we will get on a little roll at some point.” Parchment jumped out to a 23-7 lead in the ballgame and extended its advantage to 44-21 by the half. “Parchment is very difficult to guard and in some ways you have to pick your poison with them,” Hogoboom said. “We tried two differ­ ent zones, a gimmick triangle-and-2 as well as man-to-man and they have so many weap­ ons you just can’t afford any coverage or rotation errors.” Aaron Jasiak hit six threes and led Parch­ ment with 22 points. Parchment knocked down 15 three-pointers as a team. Tony Wil­ liams added 18 points for the winners and freshman Jalen Kampen chipped in nine points on three threes in the second half. Delton Kellogg has another tough one on the road Friday at Kalamazoo Christian and then will be home to face Schoolcraft Tues­ day. Jane M. Saurman 175020 City Clerk NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY TO INCORPORATE AS A CHARTER TOWNSHIP AND RIGHT TO REFERENDUM Certification has been received from the Michigan Secretary of State that the Township of Prairieville has a population of 2,000 or more, making it eligible to incorporate as a charter township. The township board may choose to exercise options concerning incorporation as a charter township under the provisions of the Charter Township Act, Public Act 359 of 1947, MCL 42.1, et seq. (MCL 42.3a): On January 12, 2022 the Prairieville Township board passed by unanimous vote Resolution 2022-2: OPPOSITION TO INCORPORATION AS A CHARTER TOWNSHIP. 174652 �Page 12 —Thursday, January 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Mattawan/PP boys, Portage girls add to ski leads The Saxons' Mason Denton works his way to an 11 -6 decision over Justin Respress of Lansing Waverly during the Fowlerville duals Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxons third at Fowlerville; keep rolling through 1-8 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity wrestling team was 4-1 on the day at the Fowlerville team duals tournament Saturday, finishing in third place and boosting its record to 25-5 overall this season. In their only loss of the day, the Saxons fell to Mason 53-21. The Saxons led to start the dual after a pin by Isaac Friddle and an 8-6 decision for Jackson Dubois, but then lost the next eight matches before picking up wins by Mason Denton with a pin, and Robby Slaugh­ ter with a forfeit. In the crossover match for third place, the Saxons topped Belding 54-26. The Saxons started off with a pin by Dubois in 35 sec­ onds, before picking up three forfeits for Troy Hokanson, Dillon Neal and Colton Smith. Zach Chipman, Joe Goggins, and Slaughter all won on pins for the Saxons and Denton and Ramirez also won on voids. In the pool round of duals, the Hastings team defeated Laingsburg 53-21, then almost shut out JW Sexton with a 79-3 win, before facing Lansing Waverly and topping them 55-20. The Hastings wrestling team traveled to Coldwater on Wednesday, Jan. 19, for a quad where it kept its Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence record perfect at 6-0 with wins over Coldwater and Marshall. In the first match, the Saxons defeated Coldwater 72-12 with pins from Hokanson, Neal, Colton Smith, Simmet, Cohen Smith, Slaughter, Blake Barnum and Friddle. Gog­ gins, Ramirez, Warner and Dubois all picked up forfeits for the team. In round two, the Saxons dominated Mar­ shall 75-6. Saxon wrestlers getting pins against Marshall were: Hokanson, Chipman, Goggins, Simmet, Cohen Smith, Slaughter, Friddle and Dubois. Tate Warner picked up a 6-5 decision, and Neal, Forell, Preson Meece and Ramirez each won on a forfeit. The Saxons were scheduled to host Parma Western, another team unde­ feated in 1-8 duals so far this winter, last night (Jan. 26) at Hastings High School. The Saxon JV team competed in an indi­ vidual tournament at Fowlerville Saturday, where they picked up four first place finishes from Jordan Humphrey, Justus Forell, Nevin Cheeseman and Parker Roslund. Tristian Smith, Draven Pennock, Bodey Jacobs and Isaiah Wilson all finished in second place for the day. On Friday night, the B Varsity team wres­ tled at Lakewood. The Saxons team took first place with Humphrey, Kyler Sherry, Aiden Smith, Wilson and Roslund. Tristian Smith and Jacobs both finished in second place. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The top of the standings looked very dif­ ferent at the second Southwest Michigan Ski Conference meet of the season at Timber Ridge Ski Area on a cold, snowy, windy Wednesday evening (Jan. 19). Somehow the top of the standings didn’t change a bit though. The five-time defending Caledonia varsi­ ty boys’ ski team finished second to Mattawan/Paw Paw and comfortably ahead bf third place Portage for the second time this season Wednesday, despite a much improved performance that saw the Fighting Scots shave 19 points off their point total from the opening meet a week prior. “I am not sure I have ever seen a team score 5, 6, 7, and 8 in GS and 4, 6, 7 and 11 in slalom and not win a meet, until tonight,” Caledonia head coach Duane Petrosky said. “My guys really turned it on tonight, but somehow Mattawan/Paw Paw scored 12 less points to beat us. “I am extremely proud of my guys, our season has gotten off to a slow start by the standards we set for ourselves in terms of conference wins, but these guys are skiing consistently and are fast.” Mattawan/PP won Wednesday’s meet with 42 points. The Scots finished with 54 points, ahead of Portage 126, Hudsonville 164, South Haven 175, Plainwell/Thomapple Kellogg Trojan Ski 190, Kalamazoo United 206 and Hackett/Vicksburg 252. Mattawan/PP outscored Caledonia 40-75 at the top of the standings at the season’s first SWMSC meet. The Fighting Scots are excited to get the chance to ski on their home hill at Bitter­ sweet at the next conference meet, Jan. 26. The top of the girls’ standings matched the first meet too, with Portage outscoring Mat­ tawan/PP at the top. The Caledonia girls were third once again and the Plainwell/ Thomapple Kellogg Trojan Ski team placed sixth again. While the Caledonia guys placed 5, 6, 7, 8 in the GS, Mattawan/PP had guys place 2, 3, 4, 9. Ian Bradley was the runner-up in the GS overall, leading Mattawan/PP with runs of 17.06 seconds and 17.19 seconds. Tyler Roy paced the Fighting Scots down the hill in the GS with runs of 17.93 and 17.85 which earned him fifth place. Ben DeGood was sixth in the GS for the Scots, Tyler Dean seventh and Brayden Smith eighth. The Caledonia varsity also had Sean Rice tenth and Mason Peters 11th, but only the top four of the six varsity skiers count towards the day’s final point total. The Plainwell/TK Trojan Ski team's Lucy VanDemark winds down the slalom course during the second SWMSC meet of the season Jan. 19 at Timber Ridge Ski Area. VanDemark placed fifth in the event while also adding a runner-up slalom finish on the day. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “Having five guys in the top ten in GS is a great sign especially at an away meet,” Petrosky said. Portage’s Daniel Grile won the boys’ GS with runs of 16.57 and 16.89. The Trojan ski team had Liam Troutner 12th in the GS, Dillon Vliestra 22nd, Colin Gritter 31st and Sam Bacon 35th. Troutner had runs of 18.61 and 18.67. Vliestra had a tough first run, but flew down the hill in 18.00 in his second GS run. Grile and Bradley went 1-2 in the slalom too. Grile won with runs of 20.82 and 20.78. Bradley turned in times of 20.95 and 20.93. Hastings 152-pounder Robby Slaughter gets a pin against Laingsburg's Kyle Boettcher at the Fowlerville Duals Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) look wko's riding Liam Troutner races down the hill for the Plainwell/TK Trojan Ski team during the second SWMSC meet of the season Jan. 19 at the Timber Ridge Ski Area. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Want to work for a great community with great people? TK opens Gold cheer season with win, hosts league tonight Barry County Transit is looking to add Awesome Drivers to the Transit Family. These are permanent 5 day positions. And we do the training!! How about you? Call 269-948-8098 or stop in. Applications are available at the Transit office. Resumes also accepted by mail: Barry County Transit 1216 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-8098 Barry County Transit is an equal opportunity employer. Bradley’s Mattawan/PP team went 2, 5, 8. 9 in the slalom. Dean led the Scots with runs of 23.03 and 22.92 to place fourth in the slalom. DeGood matched his sixth-place finish from the GS. Rice was seventh in the slalom and Roy 11th. The Trojan Ski team had Troutner place tenth in the slalom, Matteo Garbarino 25th, Gritter 27th and Bacon 28th. Portage won Wednesday’s girls’ meet with 73 points, ahead of Mattawan/PP 94, Caledo­ nia 111, Hackett/Vicksburg 118, Kalamazop^-^ United 144, Plainwell/TK 150.5, Hudson­ ville 243.5 and South Haven 272. Mattawan/PP’s Anna Roethlisberger won both events in the girls’ meet, staring with times of 21.79 and 22.03 in the slalom. She added runs of 17.44 and 17.46 in the GS. Lucy VanDemark from the Trojan Ski team was the runner-up in the GS with runs of 18.01 and 17.56. Barbie DeGood led the Caledonia girls to a fourth place GS finish as a team. She was tenth overall with runs of 19.07 and 19.0U Kyleigh Thompson was 11th in the GS, Mya Baldwin 17th and Leona Herdin 18th tq round out the scoring for the Scots. “Our conference has a lot of great skiers right now and our girls are doing an awe­ some job competing against them,” Petrosky said. “My underclassman are really starting to step up with some fast runs, which is part of our team’s plan to continue to improve.; We know we can count on Barbie to lead the way, but my sophomores, Kyleigh Thomp­ son and Mya Baldwin are both growing into the type of skier who will be ready to lead our girls team into the next couple years.” The Trojan Ski team also had Abigail Wamez 21st in the GS, Ella Way 27th and Whitney Johnson 30th. Aby Liddell and Emma Grile placed sec/ ond and third in the slalom for the Portage girls behind Mattawan/PP’s Roethlisberger. Barbie DeGood sped to a seventh place finish in the slalom with runs of 23.80 and 23.94. The Scots also had Thompson 12th in the GS, Herdin 14th and Erin Peckham 22nd. VanDemark led the Trojan Ski team with a fifth place slalom result. She had times of 23.45 and 22.99 in her two runs. Wamez was 15th in the slalom for Trojan Ski. Davis was 23rd and Way 27th. ’ Arrange Your Ride (269) 948-8098 The Thomapple Kellogg varsity competi­ tive cheer team opened the 2021-22 OK Gold Conference season by winning the confer­ ence jamboree at Forest Hills Eastern High School Wednesday. TK won the conference meet with a final score of 689.44, ahead of Cedar Springs 673.48, Forest Hills Eastern 635.56, Kenowa Hills 631.36, Wayland 563.60 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central 520.10. TK had the top score in round one at 218.70, but were passed in the overall point total in round two. Cedar Springs scored 210.80 points in round one and added 206.88 in round two. TK put up a score of 192.14 in round two. The Trojans trailed the Red Hawks by a little less than seven points heading into round three where they outscored the Cedar Springs girls 278.60 to 255.80. The second best round three score, of the evening came from the Forest Hills Eastern girls who tallied 268.30 points in the final round. The conference is set to get together again today, Jan. 27, at TKHS. That meet is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. A third OK Gold jamboree is planned for next Wednesday, Feb. 2, at Wayland Union High School. The Trojans will head to Byron Center Saturday for a LMCCOA Scholarship Invita­ tional. Last Saturday, the TK ladies cheered their way to a first place finish in their division at the Paw Paw Red Wolves Invitational. The Trojans won their division, but it was the first time this season that teams at the meet scored higher than them. TK won its division championship with a total score of 707.56 points, ahead of Hamil­ ton 632.80, Mattawan 620.94, Forest Hills Eastern 617.46 and Wayland 596.80. TK was one of three teams over 700 on the mats at Paw Paw Saturday. Paw Paw won its division with a total score of 772.80, ahead of runner-up Flat Rock which finished with 729.04 points. Lawton won the division of the smallest schools with a score of 704.24. The Trojans had the top score of each round in its contest with the biggest schools at the meet. The Trojans tallied 218.30 in round one and 198.06 in round two. TK finished off the day with a round three score of 291.20. . � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-02-03.pdf 76dfd5e5e8a03d027e812dd5d04dc103 PDF Text Text Hastings Public Library 227 E State Street * ETS From start to finish, art brings happy collaboration No-fault reform eliminates the care M IR srs go for r 1-8 title Saturday See Story on Page 12 See Story on Page 2 Devoted to the Interests of Barn) County Since 1856 1070490102590504340849058195427 H; y public Library Hastings Euo 097 E State Z2 \tfll 49058-A954 Hasting5 Ml ANNER Thursday, February 3, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 5 804879110187 PRICE $1.00 Spectrum takes lead in merger Taylor Owens Lofty work proceeds in Hastings The construction on 128 N. Michigan Avenue is under way and some workers are climbing high to make it happen. The new apartment building, known as the “Lofts @ 128,” will bring 21 market-rate hous­ ing units to downtown Hastings. City officials said they expect the new structure to be complete by this summer.(Photo by Benjamin Simon) Don Haney Thornapple Manor chief leaving soon Staff Writer Two of the largest healthcare systems in Michigan started the merger process on Wednesday. Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health will form a new network, temporarily known as BHSH, with more than 64,000 staff and 22 hospitals. Tina Freese Decker, CEO of the new sys­ tem, said the organizations supplied the Fed­ eral Trade Commission with all the informa­ tion it requested, and the window for the FTC to challenge the merger has closed. The process, which started in June, went forward as expected, Freese Decker said, and the boards of both Spectrum and Beaumont voted to reaffirm the merger last week. Both non-profit organizations were already two of the largest health systems in Michi­ gan. Spectrum Health reported nearly $8.2 billion in annual revenue for 2020 - the high­ est of any health care system in Michigan, while Beaumont Health has the most employ­ ees of any system in the state, at more than 33,000. ' The new network will employee more than 11,500 physicians and advanced care provid­ ers, and more than 15,000 nurses. The system will span more than 300 outpatient locations and post-acute facilities, and will include Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan with more than 1.2 million members across the State of Michigan. During a video press conference Monday, Freese Decker said both systems will contin­ ue to work as usual for the time being. “Right now, how you access care, physi­ cally or online, will remain he same,” Freese Decker said. She declined to speak on potential changes down the road, including possible layoffs occurring as a result of the consolidation pro­ cess. The system is currently focusing on recruiting employees in the midst of a labor shortage, she added. The organization will have dual headquar­ ters in Grand Rapids and Southfield. Pennock Hospital in Hastings merged with Spectrum to become the network’s 12th hos­ pital in 2015. “Spectrum Health Pennock and all of Spectrum Health continues to be committed to delivering care close to home,” Spectrum Health Pennock Regional Market Leader and President Angela Ditmar said in a statement to The Banner when the merger was announced in June. “We are proud to - and will continue to - partner with our local com­ munity to improve health, inspire hope and save lives.” “The Pennock Foundation will continue to support health care locally with a commit­ ment that funds raised in local communities will stay in those communities,” Ditmar added. “Most importantly, our hospital will retain local governance oversight and focus on the key areas unique to our local commu­ nities. “We want our hospitals to have local voic­ es that reflect the communities we serve.” “As we launch our new health system, we have a bold goal to transform health and are thrilled to unite our two great organizations,” Freese Decker said. “Together, we will lever­ age our complementary strengths to innovate and make a positive impact for our communi­ ties and their health. We look forward to working with our physicians, team members, patients, health plan members and partners across our state to provide health care and coverage that is accessible, affordable, equi­ table and exceptional.” An employee of Spectrum Health for near­ ly 20 years, Freese Decker has been president and CEO for 3? years. Beaumont Health CEO John Fox will leave the organization after the merger is complete. Beaumont Health board chairperson, and new BHSH board chairperson, Julie Fream declined to disclose the terms of Fox’s exit. “Our focus, as we launch our new health system, is to continue to provide excellent health care and coverage in our communi­ ties,” Fream said in a press release Monday. “We look forward to continuing to partner with our patients, team members and health plan members as we build a new organization designed to improve the health of the com­ munities we serve.” Tina Freese Decker will be the CEO of the largest health network in Michigan. (Photo provided) “I am very proud of our Beaumont team members for their many accomplishments, and I’m especially proud of the compassion­ ate, extraordinary care they have provided for our patients throughout this long pandemic,” Fox said. “I’m confident BHSH System will become one of the best health care systems in the nation.” New retail stores*coming to Save-A-L6t site Benjamin Simon Staff Writer There’s a pile of rubble on M-43, and peo­ ple want to know why. It’s the remnhnt of the Save-A-Lot building that was tom down last week, clearing the way for three new businesses to enter Rutland Charter Township, including a Starbucks. “It’s good for the residents to have options of places to go and places to shop,” township Clerk Robin Hawthorne said. The businesses will be in two separate buildings on the former Save-A-Lot proper­ ty at 1670 W. M-43 Highway near Heath Road/West Green Street. One building will have 3,200 square feet designed for a restau­ rant, and the other building will offer 4,812 square feet designed for a restaurant and a retail shop. The Detroit-based developer, Alrig USA, has yet to reveal plans for the businesses, with the exception of Starbucks. Both build­ ings will feature a drive-through portion and were approved by the township plan­ ning commission as a special land use Oct. 22, 2021. After the demolition of the Save-A-Lot building last week, people expressed con­ cern on social media about the empty prop­ erty.; It led Hawthorne to write a post, explaining what had happened to the grocery store, which had been constructed and opened in 2003. “People saw the building coming down and they were like, ‘Oh my God!”’ she said. “I think their main concern was they didn’t want to have a big vacant lot there. A lot of people didn’t realize or look to realize what was happening and so they were afraid that Save-A-Lot was going to tear that building down and just leave it a big old vacant lot. And that’s not the case.” Workers deal with the demolition of the former Save-A-Lot site on M-43 that took place last week. Three businesses, including Starbucks, will take its place. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) The process of razing the building began when Save-A-Lot shut its doors in 2019, stirring controversy in the township. According to managers at the company, corporate administrators informed high-ranking managers at the grocery store that it was closing months before it actually did. But managers claimed corporate offi­ cials had issued a gag order, making them unable to tell their employees. Those employees felt blindsided by the news of the store closing. Then the building sat empty for a few years before Alrig USA approached the township June 2, 2021, with its application for a special land-use permit. Alrig and its Grand Rapids-based engi­ neer, Fleis & Vandenbrink, will now move on to the construction phase of the project. They have a building permit that lasts six months. Campaign gears up for Hastings bond request Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Don Haney announced his retirement as administrator at Thomapple Manor Tues­ day. Haney, who spent nearly 17 years with the Hastings-based long-term care commu­ nity, said it is time for someone new to step into that lead role. “There’s a point at which you know in your heart that fresh leadership, fresh per­ spective, fresh energy is needed for an orga­ nization and I feel that that time is now for Thomapple Manor,” Haney said in an inter­ view with The Banner. See THORNAPPLE, page 2 Benjamin Simon Staff Writer After approving a May 3 election date, supporters of the Hastings Area School Sys­ tem bond request are ramping up their cam­ paign. A steering committee will drive this year’s campaign, consisting of Danielle Storrs, chairperson; Justin Peck, treasurer; Jeff Domenico, secretary; Chris Cooley and Fred Jacobs. They will develop a strategy to guide the citizens’ committee, which will then get out in the community and connect with residents. “It’s taking that citizens’ committee and saying, ‘OK, who do you know at your church that lives in the school district?” Peck said in an interview with the Banner. “‘Who do you know in your basketball league that lives in the school district? Who do you know within your circles of life?’ ” In the lead-up to the May 2022 bond elec­ tion, Superintendent Matt Goebel said the committees are focused on increasing voter engagement. They found that just 3,000 out of 15,000 registered voters cast their ballots during the August 2020 election. The bond request failed by 83 votes. By interacting with more community members, the members of these committees hope to encourage additional people to go to the polls in May. Along with the citizens’ committee, which is officially registered as the “Citizens for HASS,” they plan to speak to service clubs, attend township meetings, connect with the public through media outlets and social media, and distribute a brochure regarding the bond. “[They’re] really trying to get information out to people so that they fully understand and are transparent with what the needs are of the district,” Goebel said. While the steering committee involves five members, the citizens’ committee includes more than 70 people and has met three times thus far. “The citizens’ committee meetings are for people that are in support of Hastings Area School System, and in support of the bond proposal,” Goebel said. To attend a citizens’ committee meeting, Goebel suggested reaching out to the steering committee chairperson, Danielle Storrs, at daniellestorrs@gmail.com. If accepted, the May 2022 proposed bond would generate $23.9 million for the school district, raising the school tax rate from 6.0 to 6.8 mills. It will follow the same scope as the August 2021 election by prioritizing mainte­ nance needs across the district. The upgrades would include replacing sin­ gle-pane windows, renovating decades-old bathrooms, implementing LED lights, install­ ing a keying system and security cameras, improving air quality, removing asbestos, purchasing new buses and renovating the 20-year-old high school roof. �Page 2 — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Art of encouragement Rebecca Pierce Editor Colorful pictures displayed on the wall outside Barry County District Court are part of a special project aimed at engag­ ing the community. The goal is to encourage and even inspire the people who take part in it, while offering positive thoughts to those who view the artwork. Specialty Courts Manager/Administrator Tammi Price said Judge Michael Schipper created the “We Start, You Fin­ ish” project. “The project mimics, in some ways, the idea of a pen pal, but with pictures,” Price said. “Judge Schipper thought the residents at Thomapple Manor might enjoy finishing a picture that another person (a stranger) started coloring.” “Each of the coloring sheets depicts an inspirational saying; these specific color­ ing pages were chosen with the hope of inspiring someone - giving them a word of encouragement as they colored,” she said. “Coloring is also known to reduce stress for some folks and, during these very trying times, we thought coloring an inspirational coloring page might offer a bit of relief from the stress.” Judge Schipper said he was pleasantly surprised at how participants responded. “I wasn’t sure. They all were really excit­ ed to see what their mystery partner would add to the picture. And our partic­ ipants were excited to think that they might make someone smile. “It’s a great lesson about how easy it is to connect with and make someone else happy.” The art is on display in the hallway on Level 2 of the Barry County Courts and Law Building in Hastings. “Our residents really enjoyed finishing coloring the pictures,” Thomapple Manor Director of Life Enrichment Tara Beach said. “They liked the idea that they would be shared with the community down at the courthouse. “We had discussed us starting the col­ oring pages and sending them to the courthouse and then displaying them for our residents and their families to see when they were completed. Doing color­ ing and water color paintings has been something that everyone seems to really enjoy.” “It is our hope that patrons feel inspired when they view the ar(,” Price said. “Judge; Schipper . is always thinking of new ways to engage people in the pro­ gram, but this project also engaged folks in the community. “This is a project that we may continue at different times throughout the year.” Price added that if anyone is interested in partnering with them to complete the next round, they would be happy to hear from them. As for folks at Thomapple Manor, Beach said they’re looking forward to doing this again. This artwork project was done in coop- Taylor Owens Staff Writer Barry County reported 650 active cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, a drop from the record-breaking 843 cases reported last week. The percentage of COVID-19 tests that came back positive last week was 38.1 per­ cent. Barry-Eaton District Health Department spokesperson Emily Smale said these num­ bers indicate community transmission of the coronavirus is at an all-time high. Another death due to the virus was report­ ed in the county Tuesday, for a total of 146 Greg Chandler Staff Writer An 18-year-old suspect is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Barry County District Court on charges connected to a social media threat that led to a Jan. 20 shutdown of class­ es at Thomapple Kellogg Schools. The suspect, whose name has not been released pending that arraignment, has been charged with two counts of making a verbal threat to a school and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, Barry County Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter told The Banner Wednesday. All charges are misdemeanors and punish­ able by up to a year in jail, Carter said. School officials learned of a threat that Taylor Owens Staff Writer State Sen. John Bizon, R-Battle Creek, is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing before Calhoun County District Court Judge Michelle Richardson at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 17. According to a Marshall City Police Department report, Bizon, 70, grabbed a nurse practitioner around the waist while she was discussing medication with him during an examination he had sought at the Oaklawn After Hours Express in Marshall on Aug. 14. Bizon was arraigned on a misdemeanor assault charge on Jan. 14. The charge is punishable by up to 93 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $500. His attorney, Martin E. Crandell of Detroit, told The Banner they had no plans to issue statement on the case. After the, Calhoun .County prosecutor recused himself, Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt was assigned to prose­ cute the case. The “We Start, You Finish” project is the source of the artwork on display in the hallway on Level 2 of the Barry County Courts and Law Building. '(Photo by Rebecca Pierce) eration with the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (Price noted that the following disclaimer is required as a part of their fed- ‘ W Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L targeted the high school the morning of Jan. 20, Superintendent Craig McCarthy wrote in an email that day. McCarthy wrote that secondary students were already on buses and heading to the high school. He said closing only the high school and transporting students back home would have disrupted the district’s entire transportation process. As a result, classes across the district were shut down for the day. The suspect was initially arrested on charges unrelated to the social media threat. The arrest followed an investigation by the Barry County Sheriff’s Department and Michigan State Police. The suspect is not a student at Thomapple Kellogg Schools, authorities said. Bizon pre-trial set for Feb. 17 Jazz singer Edye Evans Hyde will entertain here as part of the third in a Hastings Performing Arts/Thornapple Arts Council performance series. (Photo provided.) SPRAY FOAM deaths directly attributed to COVID-19 since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. Spectrum Health Pennock had four resi­ dents with COVID-19 in the hospital Mon­ day, but none were in the intensive care unit. Thomapple Manor reported eight COVID cases among residents, while Hastings Rehab and Healthcare Center reported five. The BEDHD Hastings office was able to restock its COVID rapid tests at its Hastings facility week, after it had supply issues for the last two weeks. But testing on Wednes­ day and Thursday was canceled in advance, due to inclement weather. TK school shutdown suspect in court Tuesday eral grant: The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed here are not necessarily those of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning or the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety- Administration.) Jazz vocalist to perform with trio here on Feb. 18 |L CO VID case numbers still high in county Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J The third in the Hastings Performing Arts Center/Thomapple Arts Council performance series will happen Friday, Feb. 18, featuring Edye Evans Hyde and the Terry Lower Trio performing songs from the American Song­ book. , . Evans Hyde was named the 2011 West Michigan Jazz Society Musician of the Year. She entertained, singing jazz, blues and pop music for nearly 40 years, both across the U.S. and internationally. Lower Trio has been performing for more than 30 years, including at the Detroit Montreux International Jazz Festival. The concert will take place in the Hastings High School Performing Arts Center, 520 W. South Street, Hastings, Mich. The 2021/2022 HPAC/TAC series is spon­ sored by the Douglas A. and Margaret E. DeCamp Foundation and presented by the Friends of Hastings Performing Arts Center and the Thomapple Arts Council of Barry County. To purchase tickets, visit www.hasskl2. org/HPAC or call the Thomapple Arts Coun­ cil at 269-945-2002. For more information, call 269-945-2002 or visit thomapplearts.org. CORRECTION The Freeport water supply and tower project, for up to $839,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds from Barry County to rehabilitate the current water tower and replace an undersized 1,560-foot water main, was requested by the village of Free­ port, not Irving Township. The “County ARPA projects at a glance” on Page 2 in the Jan. 27 Banner incorrectly reported who made the request. Irving Township officials wrote a letter of support fpr the. proj­ ect, but they did not request it? HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Feb. 3 - book sale, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4 - book sale, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 - book sale, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. bag sale day. Monday, Feb. 7 - Crafting Passions Craft work group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; Great Decisions Foreign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; board meeting, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8 - Great Decisions Foreign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at library), 10:30 a.m.; acoustic jam session, 5 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945­ 4263 or checking its Facebook events. THORNAPPLE, continued from page 1 -----------------Haney said he had been considering retirement for several months, but held off. He didn’t want to leave during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and had hoped to stay through the construction of the new Harvest Pointe assisted living center that is expected to create 50 new living units this year. Haney, who expects to stay through the summer, will continue to serve as adminis­ trator until the board selects a successor. He decided to announce his retirement in Feb­ ruary to give the board enough time to fill his seat. “Thomapple Manor has been blessed to be represented by Don Haney over the past decade,” Director of Nursing Liz Bishop said in a press release. “He has not only advocated for our residents and staff, but has also been a trusted voice for the long­ term care community as a whole. “It has been my pleasure to call him my fearless leader, trusted adviser, and friend.” Haney joined Thomapple Manor as the controller in 2006 and moved into his cur­ rent role as the administrator in 2012. Outside of his work at Thomapple Manor, Haney has established himself as a regular presence in the community. He spent 18 years as a Thomapple Kellogg school board member and held the chaiman’s position with the Barry County Chamber & Eco­ nomic Development Alliance board. He is a current member of Rotary, the Middleville Hospital Purchasing Service board and the Spectrum Health West Michigan board. In 2021, he won the chamber’s ROTH award for outstanding business profession­ als who, throughout their careers, have proven to be responsive to the needs in their communities, create opportunity, teach and lead others, and are a herald of business in Barry County. Haney said he doesn’t know what will come next in his life, but he hopes to stay in the long-term care industry, whether that is acting as an adviser for Thomapple Manor or working on new reimbursement method­ ology projects at the state level. He does know, however, that he will take the newfound free time to travel and spend more time with his wife, Sharon, his three kids and his grandkids. “[Sharon’s] been retired for a couple of years, being grandma. And it’s time for me to join her and become grandpa and see the grandkids a little bit more when we’re babysitting or doing things with them,” Haney said. In parting, Haney expressed gratitude for his staff at Thomapple Manor - especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “[The Thomapple Manor staff has] impressed me and surprised me on so many different occasions with their approach to things and how they’ve all responded to the CO VID pandemic that dealt with it and the struggles that we’ve had,” Haney said. “It’s just been a privilege to work along­ side them and to be a part of their team.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — Page 3 Marijuana licensee seeks transfer to unnamed entity Greg Chandler Staff Writer About a month after the village of Mid­ dleville approved the awarding of marijuana retail licenses to two applicants, one of the two recipients is asking the village about transferring that license to another entity. Southfield-based DNVK, which had pro­ posed creating an adult use marijuana retail business at 314 Arlington St., the present location of Thomapple Floral, has approached the village about having its license trans­ ferred to another entity, but has not submitted a formal application, Village Manager Patri­ cia Rayl said. At Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, Rayl asked the council for direction on the DNVK request - whether to allow her to consider the transfer request administra­ tively or for the council to come up with an ordinance amendment to address such requests. Attorneys Brad Fowler and Mark Nettleton of the Grand Rapids firm Mika Meyers, which works with the village on legal mat­ ters, fielded questions from the council regarding the license transfer question and how the present ordinance, adopted by the council in August 2021, addresses it. “The only segment of the ordinance that talks about transfers says a permit issued under this article is not transferrable without the prior approval of the village manager, under the same terms and conditions required for the initial issuance of the permit under this article,” Fowler said. “That’s the only thing that the ordinance says. “To the extent that council wants to amend that ordinance to limit transfers further, or to further delineate the process by which the manager can approve a permit transfer, I think that’s a valid discussion to have. “In terms of deciding whether or not to approve or deny this specific transfer, I guess Mark and I would caution against the Village Council getting involved in that because it could arguably be against what the ordinance provides, which is that you’ve delegated that authority to Pattie as the manager.” Nettleton explained a similar scenario for how a license transfer could work. “In some circumstances in licensing, like ‘The license was granted to a specific entity, and I would personally be against this manager automatically approving a new license.’ -- Council Trustee Tom DeVries cable franchise [licensing] comes to mind sometimes, where you’ll have one entity that does all the pre-work and then gets the license, and they transfer it to an affiliated entity,” Nettleton said. “It’s just kind of how they arrange their business.” “Shouldn’t that have been in the original application?” Council Trustee Ed Schellinger asked in response. “Legally, I don’t think that’s necessary, and it’s certainly not in the ordinance that it would have to be specified - do you intend to transfer the license?” Nettleton said. DNVK and Mitten Meds LLC of Mid­ dleville were chosen by Rayl in early January to receive the retail business licenses after they had gone through a site plan and special land use process with the village. Mitten Meds was approved to offer both adult use and medical marijuana, while DNVK was approved for adult use only. They were selected from four applicants who sought the retail licenses. The ordinance only allows two marijuana retail businesses in the village. Under the ordinance, Rayl uses a scoring system for evaluating applicants for the licenses, taking into consideration such crite­ ria as background of the applicants, number of employees from within the village, having a business and financial plan, design of the business, security details, impact on infra­ structure and having a “good neighbor” plan to show support for the community. Fowler told the council that, as the ordi­ nance now stands, Rayl would gather the information on the new entity that would receive the transfer and review it to see if all the same terms and conditions are met that were met with the original applicant. “Our advice would be, look at it from an ordinance amendment perspective as to how you want to change the rules, as opposed to ruling on whether or not this specific applica­ tion should be denied or approved,” Fowler said. Council Trustee Tom DeVries spoke out in favor of reopening the process or considering other applicants who did not receive approval from the village. “The license was granted to a specific enti­ ty, and I would personally be against this manager automatically approving a new license,” DeVries said. The council will further discuss the trans­ fer question at its Feb. 22 meeting. Hope for healing is blooming for SCO clients Elaine Gilbert Contributing Writer Men, women and children have testified to the life changing healing they have received as clients of Hastings-based Spiritual Care Consultants of West Michigan. They were featured in video testimonies Tuesday at the organization’s 14th annual banquet, held at Grace Community Church in Nashville. The banquet theme was “Hope” and each testimony praised the inner-healing re­ ceived from troubles ranging from anxiety to depression and un-forgiveness and even the devastating news that a woman’s moth­ er had unsuccessfully tried to abort her five times. Their healings were made possible through God’s work at SCC where services are free to all because of the generous do­ nations from many people, businesses, churches and foundations. Adults seeking services increased by 39 percent last year with 796 adult clients, compared to 568 in 2020, said Gale Kragt, SCC executive director and co-founder with Hastings physician Dr. Troy Carlson. “I’m going to credit that [growth] to the cra­ ziness going on in the world right now - the pandemic and all. Families are in trouble, and they’re looking for help, Kfagt said. The number of children who received ser­ vices also grew from 718 in 2020 to 734 last year. Video testimonies of five adult clients and three children were shown during the ban­ quet. A tearful Babette, in her video, said she was adopted when she was three months old and had struggled throughout her life just deal­ ing with her identity, “lack of information and parental identity.” She was able to find and phone her birth mother when she was 26, but the mom Ba­ bette had yearned to know told her to never call again. After a number of years, she again called her birth mother who “ended up getting really angry and told me she had tried to abort me five times and it didn’t work. That was pretty devastating news. I knew about it [previously] because it was on my paper­ work of identifying information ... but to have the person who gave you life actual­ ly tell you that they wish that you had not made it was pretty devastating,” Babette said as she sobbed. “That was a big thing; it still hurts. It doesn’t just disappear.” “She [my birth mother] rejected me and didn’t give me any information about my father and things went quickly downhill from there, and that’s how I ended up get­ ting referred to Spiritual Care because I was pretty low.” At SCC, “they prayed over me, releasing me from a lot of injury ... They call them soul splinters that had been festering for a long time - most of my life,” Babette said. She previously had been told by well-mean­ ing people: ‘Just get up and get over it; you’ll be fine.’ “It helped to have people there [at SCC] that cared and were concerned, and they would bring you one-on-one in the same room with God in the way that they do their healing process. “God’s always been in my life,” Babette said of being active at various churches, “but there’s been a lot of distant feelings just because of the adoption scenario and the lack of being able to find out who my parents actually are.” At SCC, “it really helped me to know some­ body was praying, and they could bring me to a closer relationship with God in a deep­ er level than I had ever known and get me through these difficult times and learn how to deal with things on a deeper level,” she said. Even though it was traumatic knowing that her mother had tried to abort her, Bqbette said SCC healed her and she received peace about it. “I know that God has me here for a pur­ pose and there’s a reason. If I have breath he wants me here. He has a plan for me. I don’t always know what it might be ... You don’t know who might touch your life or how,” she said. “Anybody contemplating abortion or may­ be has had some and are feeling the severe guilt or pain that comes with that loss, I want you to understand that you are still loved by the Father and that there is still healing for you there [at SCC], acceptance and love as there is for me having been a survivor [of abortion] ... You don’t have to go through that devastating pain, that guilt and those feelings alone, there are people who can help you get past that and under­ stand you’re loved no matter what ... I don’t care what you’ve done wrong in your life, God doesn’t hold that against you if you go to Him and ask him for His forgive­ ness and love. “My life is different today because I have a better understanding of the Father’s love for me,” Babette said, noting that she has never been able to meet her earthly father and her adopted father died in 2012. How­ ever, “I know that I’m adopted in a different way by God the Father to His family and that helps me-,”-Babette said. ■••--- ■ , Troubled with depression, anxiety and a re­ lationship with his girlfriend, a man named Ryan said traditional counseling or therapy wasn’t working for him. “I was looking for a different avenue to take and Spiritual Care came across my ra­ dar,” he said. Ryan described his plight as one of the most difficult times of his life. “I didn’t have happiness or satisfaction in my life and my work ... I was carrying around some things for quite some time that I was struggling with. “The Spiritual Care Consultants really helped me in a lot of ways,” he said. “They were just very friendly, very open and per­ sonable right up front ... They were happy to have me there ... The process and the atmosphere really helped a lot. They want you to turn and face your problems instead of setting them to the back burner. They want you to get to the root of the problem, really dig deep and face that fear, anxiety, and sadness and maybe even anger you might have buried in there and they want you to pluck that out of yourself and place it on a higher power. Though Ryan attended church in his child­ hood, until he started going to SCC, he said, “I never took spirituality, Jesus or the Bi­ ble very seriously. It was never something I would pursue, but once I started attending, it really started to click for me. “I feel a lot lighter, in general, more pur­ poseful now in what’s going on in my life, and I’ve been attending church much more regularly ...” The healing received through SCC “really helped me grow, not only in a spiritual fash­ ion, but as a person,” Ryan said. In another video testimony, Mary said when she learned about SCC’s healing process, she was intrigued and impressed because of her years as a psycho-therapist and a so­ cial worker besides being a Christian. So, when she invited her elderly mother from Pennsylvania to live with her in Michi­ gan during the pandemic, she realized her mother needed some in-depth healing “for wounds inside herself.” As a daughter, Mary thought she should not try to delve into her mother’s private wounds, so she turned to SCC. “We were hooked up with a fabulous con­ sultant who met with my mother biweekly [on Skype] and addressed those pertinent end of life issues which were very import­ ant in her [mother’s life]. “That consultant worked with her for many months, bringing her through the status of not thinking well about herself to thinking what she was in Jesus,” Mary said. Her mother’s wounds stemmed from a very traumatic childhood, growing up in the 1930s and ‘40s during World War II and being a child of immigrants. Her mother’s parents were from Bosnia and Hungry. Because of “the brokenness she felt in her family of origin, the consultant showed her the mercy and compassion of Christ and used the Word of God, which invoked heal­ ing in her,” Mary said. Her mother told her it was a beautiful healing process. “The ability for her to be able to forgive those who harmed her was paramount,” Mary said. “My mother is now in a nursing home in Pittsburgh where she is very happy and content because that is her home.” A man named Jim, in another video, had always been quite healthy, but said he let anxiety get a grip on him. When he had an operation, he said he felt “the world was just all around me. I had so many things that were coming at me, it seemed like 100 miles an hour ... My anxi­ ety was off the charts ... I needed help and I chose Spiritual Care and Spiritual Care got me back on my feet. “I heard about Spiritual Care from an arti­ cle, and it got my interest. My doctor rec­ ommended it. They [SCC] helped me seek God and God was with me every step of the way ... I just had to open myself^p ” Jim said. “My faith is so muci\\tronger right now because of Spiritual Cafe. I have great con­ fidence now in God. God is very special in my life ... I chose to give n^yself to God, and I’m very happy that I did that because it changed my life. And I’m not turning back - no way. I’m very thankful for Spiritual Care to help me with that,” said Jim. “If you have any questions or doubts what­ soever of where you are in your life, Spir­ itual Care will help you and get you back to where you want to go. God will help big time. Don’t be afraid ... There is hope for you,” he said. Paula, in another video, said SCC changed her life. “I was raised in a cult with an alcoholic abu­ sive father ... The main thing we focused on was forgiving my father,” she said. “They [SCC] gave me the tools to do that and I was able to walk through forgiveness with Jesus and realize my father was just a hurt­ ing person, and he was probably abused himself,” she said with teary eyes during her testimony. “... Spiritual Care helped take the pain away and now when I think of my dad, I think of him as that abused lit­ tle child. It’s sad that he went through his entire life and didn’t understand what true love was and the freedom and the grace that comes from Jesus.” The tools she learned during her sessions with SCC are part of her life now, Paula said. “ I’ve realized my identity in Jesus; that’s who I am ... Any time I feel that I’m carry­ ing around some anger or bitterness, I can go back to those tools and pray and work through forgiveness with God, with Jesus,” she noted. The New Pathways Paula learned at SCC were very helpful to her because they en­ able her “to focus on things differently and helped me to realize that forgiveness is a process ... It’s not just a one-time prayer and you’re done because life comes along and people continue to hurt you,” she said. “It was actually hard for me to commit and show up to Spiritual Care because I knew it would mean delving into my soul sliv­ ers, and that’s a scary place to go. But, they helped me to have the tools to get to the other side,” said Paula as she encouraged “everyone” to go to SCC. “I feel like I’m a very different person. I view other people differently ... I used to hate myself and couldn’t hardly look in the mirror at myself. Now, I know who I am through Jesus,” she said. Three children, ranging in age from eight to eleven, told how they were helped by SCC. Kragt explained that they were part of an extended family of seven who were experiencing “difficulty that was causing much pain and heartache for the children and mom and dad.” SCC worked with the entire family when they came for help and Kragt said, “we just saw God work with them in an amazing way.” The 8-year-old girl said, “It really helped me through my hard times.” Help with having a difficult time because a grandfather was in jail, was the response from the 10-year-old. “It was really touching my heart that I’m God’s child,” said the 11-year-old. “... It helped me to not stay sad and mad at what things happened to me and helped me to place it on God’s hook”. One of the chil­ dren added, “It’s like drawing a big hook and you draw about your feelings and you give those feelings to God and then God will take care of them.” Dr. Carlson, who serves as chairman of the SCC Board, talked about the banquet theme of hope, based on Jeremiah 29:11, which says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” “Jesus is our anchonwhich givesius hope* each and every day,” he said. “Hope gets us through the.toughest of times. Our faith' in Him, our cornerstone, allows us to have hope. Hope is an encouragement to our will. It provokes our logical mind to find strength to be inspired with boldness and encourage.” Carlson developed an acronym as a remind­ er of what is hope: “H stands for Him [Je­ sus] . Everything we do in our life should be based on our faith in Him, our cornerstone. Without Him as our rock, our life would crumble as the foolishness of man building his life upon the sand. The “O” is the op­ portunity to serve him and fulfill the plans He has for us as said in Jeremiah 29:11. The “P” represents perseverance or persistence. Hope represents an attitude to never give up ... It encourages our will to get things done in our life, again based on our relationship to Him,” Carlson continued. “We can’t do it alone. The “E” stands for expectation to know what He plans to do for you - to pros­ per and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. “... Whatever this crazy world is saying or doing, and I think we can all agree, it’s as crazy and chaotic as it’s ever been. Right now, we have hope through Him and the opportunity to persevere and persist in His expectations for our life and our ministry no matter the circumstances,” Carlson said. He praised the leadership of Kragt and his passion and courage to follow Christ and thanked all the businesses and churches by name as well as others who sponsored the banquet. 1 Kragt called the banquet an inspiring time and said Carlson is a doctor with a pastor’s heart. SCC is all about “what God has accom­ plished ... I want to make sure I give Him all the glory,” he said. The tools SCC uses with clients have been made more accessible to clients and the general public with the start of a podcast channel registered with 20 different chan­ nels, he said. “Since April we’ve had 4,500 downloads ... in 450 different cities. The top cities are Delton, Hastings, Battle Creek and Nash­ ville in our area. Most of big downloads are coming out of Michigan.” Another new endeavor is having a Cowboy Camp with 25 children who have ‘been through horrendous times,” giving the kids a chance to ride horses and learn about God in partnership with the Cowboy Church and the Thank God First Ranch, Kragt said. Two of the camps were held last year and more are planned for this year. A video of the camp program was shown to the ban­ quet audience. To help the community, SCC has been peri­ odically placing half page ads with encour­ aging words in the Reminder, he noted and sending weekly emails to 300 every week. SCC also now has weekly radio programs, recorded from Kragt’s office and aired on WBCH, with a 60-mile radius from Hast­ ings, and WHTC in the Holland/Zeeland area. Both programs air at 1 a.m. Saturdays and feature stories of faith, hope and heal­ ing. Sarah Sixberry, hired last May to help with SCC’s children’s program, told the banquet audience that she has “a huge heart to see the youth truly come to know who they are in Christ...” and wants to help them focus on their true identity. “We truly want them to know they have people to talk to, people that they can trust. Alongside COVID comes loneliness, and we constantly see kids searching for a place to belong and purpose. And so, I’ve had kids come in and say I don’t know why I’m here.” She grew up in Hastings, graduated from Hastings High School and then earned a de­ gree from Spring Arbor University in 2019. Following God’s leading, Sarah moved to California where she went to a Youth with a Mission discipleship- training school and worked there two years. With SCC, Sixberry works alongside Vera Yenger, director of the children’s program. They spend three days a week at Maple Val­ ley Schools and Sarah also sees students at Delton Kellogg Middle School. “Since COVID, we’ve been seeing depres­ sion and anxiety rates increase. Our office hours are getting busier seeing kids in the office who want longer more in-depth ses­ sions,” Sixberry said, noting that hour-long sessions are held in the SCC office versus “20ish minutes” in school because students have to get back to their classes. The banquet audience also viewed a video of testimonies from some of the commu­ nity business leaders who are members of SCC’s Connecting Champions. Each had high praise as they discussed why they sup­ port SCC, calling it a valuable community resource. A faithful SCC volunteer Win Ludy died Dec. 26, 2021, and the SCC team wore green ribbons at the banquet to honor his memory because green was his favorite col­ or. Ludy and his wife, Barb, worked with students at Delton Kellogg Middle School. Kragt told the audience that when he went to pray for Ludy at his home on Christmas Eve, Win wasn’t talking a lot because of his illness, but when Kragt started singing “Si­ lent Night,” Win started singing, too. Kragt asked the banquet audience Tuesday to join him in singing “Silent Night” in remem­ brance of Win. Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, Mich. 49058 or by donating online at https://www.spiritualcareconsultants . com/pages/make-a-donation We THANK YOU for your generosity and support! �Page 4 — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? No-fault reform eliminates the care That’s snow way to travel better keep off the road Area residents are braced for more snow today as a winter storm warning remains in effect. This is part of a major cross-country storm system that’s unleashing heavy snow, ice and even some severe thunderstorms on different parts of the Midwest. In Michigan, total snow accumulations could add up to as much as 11 inches, when all is said and done, in parts of south central and southwestern Michigan. Hazardous travel condi­ tions were expected as temperatures drop and the rain that had been falling Tuesday transi­ tioned into snow Wednesday. Forecasts indicate that continuing rounds of snowfall will bury parts of the Midwest into Friday. OK, that’s enough about the weather. Scrabble anyone? Do you remember? Real diehards Undated Banner clipping, but definitely winter; possibly late 1970s or early 1980s It took real diehards to go ice fishing on a recent weekend. The rains came and melted much of the snow, made slush along the shoreline and poured several inches of water on the surface of the ice. However, quite a few participated in their favorite sport, including Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Bates who live at Leach Lake and enjoy fishing there. Mrs. Bates had a nice catch of perch (bottom right) along with a few dandy bluegills. Have you met? Two days after Tracy Baker graduated from Delton Kellogg High School, she moved to California. Her friend Beth Hamilton from Delton had been visiting her father, who lived close to Los Angeles, and she invited Baker to tag along. It sounded like a short; warm trip - a chance to take time off before Baker went to college and became a teacher. She could see parts of the country she had never seen. The daughter of a truck and bus driver, Baker, whose maiden name was Leinaar, grew up on a 40-acre pig farm. When she wasn’t helping care for pigs, she was work­ ing in the cornfields or canning beans, potatoes, tomatoes or cucumbers. She didn’t know anything other than farm life. She had never even left the state, except to go to the Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio. Then, after graduating from high school in 1982, she went to California and that short vacation stretched from being a few weeks to 10 years. She liked the 75-degree weather and the beaches just minutes away. She also liked experiencing a different kind of fast-paced lifestyle. Five weeks into her stay, she turned 18, had a resume printed, bought a bike and pedaled around the Los Angeles area sub­ mitting her application everywhere she could. Then a place called her back. It was Mat­ tel, the toy company that produced some of the most iconic toys around the world. They offered Baker a job in research and devel­ opment, and she took it. Over the next 10 years, she built a life for herself near Redondo Beach, just outside of Los Angeles. She worked long hours, often 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. She rarely had energy for anything outside of work and never did fulfill her goal of returning to school or becoming a teacher. But that was OK. She designed toys for a living. “You’re living the life. You’re in the mid­ dle of toys. Who wouldn’t like that?” she said. “So, I didn’t really have any extracur­ ricular activities. I just to work and I came home.” She held a number of roles in the compa­ ny. At one point, she flipped through maga­ zines and picked out Barbie’s fashion. She would later serve on a “Shark Tank”-type Tracy Baker board for the company, where people would pitch their toy ideas. There, she met celeb­ rities like Gene Simmons and Michael Jackson. In 1992, Baker decided to move. She had two kids, Paul and Brian, who were 1? years and 6 months old at the time. And she didn’t want them to grow up in the whirl­ wind of Los Angeles. “It’s fun, but they grow way too fast,” she said. “They see way too much. So, we came back here. Slow it down, let them grow up and be kids.” She returned to West Michigan, bought a rental home in Cloverdale and almost instantly missed the beaches, the weather and the vibe of California. “It was slow,” she remembered about returning to Barry County. “It was like, ‘What I do now?’ ” It took a couple of years to adjust, she said. She worked various, jobs, including Bradford White Corp, in Middleville, where she met her husband of 25 years, Tim. A childhood friend eventually encouraged her to try selling real estate. Now, 22 years later, she’s the owner and a broker with At-Home real estate in Hastings. “There are no two days alike,” she said of the profession. Since returning to Barry County, she has found herself slowly getting integrated into the community. It started with Rutland Charter Township, where she was asked serve on the joint planning commission and zoning boards. She agreed, and the list expanded after she moved to the city of Hastings in 2015. Now, she is part of the downtown business team, the Downtown Development Authority board and the zon­ ing board of appeals. She also has coordi­ nated the Jingle & Mingle December cele­ bration. Sometimes she still misses California, though. Sitting in her drafty office on State Street, she said she wasn’t built for the cold. She’s bundled up in multiple layers with a heater aimed at her feet and a radiator rus­ tling a few feet away She misses the toy industry, too. “I love that,” she said. “I’d go back there in a heartbeat.” But moving away also gave her a new respect for Barry County. “You didn’t realize what you had until you left,” Baker said. “And then you came back and you go, ‘This is pretty good. This is a good life.’ ” For her active role in the community, Tracy Baker is this week’s Bright Light-. Much vaunted efforts by our governor and state legislators to change Michi­ gan’s no-fault auto insurance laws, which they ballyhooed as historic reform, are nothing more than a thinly veiled politi­ cal pitch for votes. This is, after all, an election year. And everyone who had vehicles insured in Michigan as of Oct. 31, 2021, are being told that, later this year, they’ll get $400 per insured vehicle, thanks the members of our state Legislature, who rammed through a reform bill without even reading it. Before last summer, the state’s no-fault auto insurance law allowed people who had suffered serious injuries in vehicle accidents to receive 100-percent reim­ bursement for their medical costs. Mich­ igan had some of the highest auto insur­ ance rates in the nation. But that changed last July, when reforms took effect to lower car insurance rates for most people. The legislation also cut deeply into the profit margins for caregiving companies. The state slashed reimbursement rates by 45 percent, dialing it back to what care­ givers had received about 30 years ago. How many businesses can survive today on what they were making 30 years ago? The simple answer to that question is: They can’t. So the people who needed care for catastrophic injuries have lost that care - and those who provided that care can’t afford to operate, so many of those busi­ nesses no longer exist. It’s bad news if you were one of the catastrophically injured people who was promised this level of care for the remainder of your life. None of those cases was grandfathered in under the new reforms. Instead, like herding live­ stock, victims were moved to facilities where they live in groups and receive a lower level of care. It’s true that, to allow for any unfore­ seen needs and adjustments, state legisla­ tors had set aside $25 million to help those who had been receiving care through the system before the reforms had passed. Some industry experts appropriately called, it a Band-Aid - and it solved nothing. It involves a lengthy application process and those funds are capped at $500,000 per calendar year for each provider, which cannot sustain the costs of living for people who require 24/7 care. What drove up the cost of no-fault insurance in Michigan over the years? The biggest program was the Legisla­ ture’s creation in 1978 of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, a non­ profit, unincorporated entity formed to ensure that permanently-disabled victims of crashes and their families would be financially supported for the rest of the victims’ lives. But here’s where the wheels came off the wagon: The state didn’t provide over­ sight of the MCCA in an effort to control costs, rather than monitoring the amount that drivers were being charged for auto insurance. Prior to reform, the law also limited the ability of auto insurers to negotiate prices from health care providers. Plus, legislators failed to deal with some of the real issues that drove up the costs - such as drivers with bad driving records and out-of-control medical costs and rates determined based on where drivers live. That neglect made it nearly impossible for a number of state residents to even afford auto insurance. Michigan drivers have always been required by law to have a no-fault policy that includes a Personal Injury Protection benefit. Drivers had no choice on the level of that benefit - it was high due to the provision of unlimited coverage for catastrophically-injured drivers. Now, the law allows drivers to choose their level of PIP protection: no coverage and maximum limits of $50,000, if also enrolled in Medicaid, $250,000, and $500,000. Unlimited coverage is still available at the higher premiums. But, for those who choose to opt out of any PIP coverage or who choose a lower PIP, major problems will result if tragedy strikes and they are injured. Allowing drivers to opt out of any coverage is dan­ gerous because it threatens the financial stability of the victims and their families - unless they choose unlimited coverage. And here’s the ultimate irony in all of this: Choose unlimited coverage now and who will provide the care? The businesses that once existed in Michigan to provide the care aren’t there. It’s clear that, in implementing these reforms, our lawmakers capitulated to the insurance companies, who played them like chumps. A May 2019 report by Michigan Campaign Finance Report analyzed, over a five-year period, dona­ tions made from auto insurance interest groups to Michigan lawmakers. It found that the Michigan Legisla­ ture had received about $2.71 million from political action committees or organizations in favor of the auto insur­ ance reform, with multiple members, such as state Reps. Annette Glenn, R-Midland, and Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and state Sens. Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo, and Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, receiving more than $100,000. State Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, who chairs the Insurance and Banking Com­ mittee that oversees any changes to the current no-fault legislation, received nearly $80,000. So these reforms looked like a slam­ dunk for the governor and her cronies. Other than those catastrophically injured and their families, everybody else is happy: Drivers have lower premi­ ums to pay. Insurance companies are paying out less in benefits and settle­ ments. And legislators get the votes they seek. Just don’t look too deeply. A few lawmakers are beginning to realize what they’ve done and they’re concerned. State Rep. Phil Green, a Republican from Millington, recently introduced new legislation that would make further changes to the reforms as far as pay structures and family caretakers. That proposed bill is currently in the House Insurance Committee. State Rep. Julie Calley, a Republican from Portland, said the reforms have resulted in unintended consequences and is asking for a full report on the impact of the reforms before those $400 checks are sent out. What is clear to us is that legislators didn’t fix the system, they just reduced the protection and benefits by putting more of the risk right back on the drivers and their families. Under the reforms, yes, people can now choose. But what’s the choice? There’s no care. It’s nothing but smoke and mirrors. First job: Mattel Toys. Person I am glad to have met: Tim Baker. Favorite season and why: Summer. It’s hot. Favorite vacation destination: South­ ern Caribbean. Something most people don’t know about me: I have a soft side for animals. I worked for 10 years with the Kalama­ zoo Nature Center. Favorite board game: Monopoly. What the world needs now is: Love. The Hastings BcHindT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. When I was kid, I wanted to be: A teacher. Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — Page 5 Nashville plan board debates, OKs proposed housing project Bertolini said one of her first tasks after Staff Writer coming to Maple Valley was raising pay for Nashville's planning commission voted 6-0 teachers, but the district is still struggling to ; Tuesday to approve the first stage of a planned retain teachers because of the lack of housing unit development to convert the former Kel­ available for them. She said the district has logg School into an apartment building. teachers who commute for more than an hour ■ Dogwood Community Development, a or hour-and-a-half, each way, from places nonprofit company based in Hart, Mich., like Grand Rapids or East Lansing. showed a plan to create 20 units in the build­ “What I’ve heard consistently from the ing, including five two-bedroom, 13 one-bed­ community is a real grief that our teachers room and two studio apartments. are not residents of our community,” she Allan Martin, a consultant with Dogwood, added. “So when they do that commute for said market research indicates senior citi­ two to three years, eventually it wears on ; zens, young professionals and new families them, and they say, ‘You know, I can get an will be the primary tenants. equally or a better paying job elsewhere.’” The renovation is estimated to be a $6- to The district recently hired about a dozen $7-million project, Martin said. teachers to replace those it lost, largely The proposal will go to the Nashville Vil­ because of those issues. lage Council and, if it’s approved, it would “It’s a circular mill,” Bertolini said. “... go back to the planning commission for a It’s a huge cost to our taxpayers as well, second round of approval, before it would because we invest anywhere from $4,000 to come back to the council for a final decision. $6,000 in training our teachers.” Four council members were in the audi­ Bertolini added that she lived in low-in­ ence at Tuesday night’s meeting. come housing when she first became a The planning commission and village teacher. council had previously approved the first Gettys also spoke in favor of the apart­ round of a PUD for a different apartment ments. project at Kellogg under the current property “This is about vitality; this about the abil­ owner BDD LLC. ity of your village to grow in some capacity,” Barry Community Foundation President Gettys said. Bonnie Gettys said one of the key people The Barry Community Foundation loaned involved in the project with BDD recently the developers to create the application for died of cancer, and the project was canceled. tax credits from the State of Michigan, which Afterward, BDD entered into an agreement Gettys said is similar to the assistance the with Dogwood, which agreed to purchase the foundation gave to the Royal Coach apart­ property if the village approves the new ment project in Hastings. PUD. Nashville resident Kassandra Mudge told Dogwood had proposed picking up the the commission she attended Maple Valley, approval process from where BDD had left but she had to move outside of the district for off, but the village said they needed to start several years because she couldn’t find a . over from the beginning. place to live in Nashville after graduating. The building was sold by Maple Valley Robert Strotheide, who lives closest to the Schools about eight years ago and, while building, said he is mostly neutral on the there have been various proposals to reno­ project, but he’s concerned about the apart­ vate it, none have come to fruition. ment degrading over time if they cannot find The apartments would be low-income enough tenants. housing. The amount of annual income each “I want to believe in your project, but I ; tenant could earn if they lived in the building need confidence given to me,” Strotheide would be capped, with a different amount for said. each size of room. Several people expressed concern that the The income cap for a family of four would apartment would be subsidized and rented be $59,680 a year, and the rent for the out to drug users. | two-bedroom units would be $ 1,000 a month. Ivan Hannah said he grew up in a subsi­ The cap for a one-bedroom unit would be dized housing area, and it was a dangerous $47,760 a year, with a monthly rent of $850. environment. Dogwood Executive Director Kittie TuinHannah also said he did not believe the ' stra pointed out the village iS'fyiring.for a issue was the lack of affordable housing in i position atrthe 'department of public1 works, * Nashvihef -but* a lack of quality’ housing. He and the payifor the position is within the cap said there are foany cheap rental housing for a one-bedroom housing unit. options available in the village, but the land­ The building would have an alternative tax lords do not maintain them - a point several payment system, in which Dogwood would people agreed on. pay the village and Castleton Township a Joshua Guthrie spoke out against the proj­ total of about 4 percent of the tenants’ rent, in ect, and said a large majority of Nashville lieu of taxes. Martin said that amount would residents do not want growth. increase slightly each year, according to Barry County Commissioner Ben Geiger, inflation. who lives near the building, said he wants to To be financially feasible, the payment support the project, but he has concerns. pilot would need to run the same length as Geiger asked why the building didn’t have the income restrictions for tenants, which more two-bedroom apartments for families, would be 45 years, Martin said. That amount adding that he did not believe the apartment would be more than the village is currently building should still look like a school. receiving for the property. Sherry Hummel expressed skepticism that Dogwood also would be able to make the there would be enough people who could project financially viable through federal tax afford the rent, based on what Nashville credits, which puts the income cap on the businesses pay. She acknowledged that the building, but also adds an extra layer of over­ apartment may house teachers, but asked sight. where the rest of the tenants would come Michigan State Housing Development from. Authority would have oversight of the build­ Gail Chaffee said the apartment may ing for about 35 years, Tuinstra said. In addi­ attract people from the Grand Rapids area tion to credit and previous landlord and who are looking to move to a small town. eviction checks, tenants would need to pass “You can’t think negatively on it,” Chaffee criminal background checks, which would remarked. screen for criminal sexual conduct, along Nashville Village Council Trustee Mike with violent crimes and drug-related feloCallton said he is not confident about the I nies, she said. project. He lives across the street from the The planning commission meeting, which building, and was the only council member i lasted about 2? hours, involved more than an to vote against approving the previous apart­ hour of public comment, during which about ment project there. a dozen people voiced their opinions and At the time, Califon said he did not believe asked questions of the presenters from Dog­ the village should put an apartment building wood. in a residential area, and change the popula­ “I am a huge proponent of this project,” tion density, a concern that he repeated to the Maple Valley Schools Superintendent Kath­ Dogwood representatives. erine Bertolini said. “It’s something that I’ve Architect Kendra Thompson said the been striving for in the four years that I’ve apartment is within the village ordinance been here to give our teachers an affordable limit for density of housing population. If the ■ place to live so they can call Maple Valley property was changed to residential lots, it not only their workplace, but their home. would fit 12 houses, which could work out to “I want them to stay and I want them to about the same number of people living in raise their families here, because invested that area as an apartment building. teachers that live in the district tend to make When every apartment is occupied, it a much stronger district, and I think housing would hold between 20 and 50 occupants. is one of the critical missing components for Callton also expressed skepticism about our young teachers now.” the low-income housing nature of the buildTaylor Owens ‘I am a huge proponent of this project. It’s something that I’ve been striving for in the four years that I’ve been here to give our teachers an affordable place to live so they can call Maple Valley not only their workplace, but their home.” - Maple Valley Schools Superintendent Katherine Bertolini Nashville resident Mike Beachnau suggested these apartments could attract people who work in Hastings who would like to live in a smaller community. ‘We can’t keep saying no, no, no, to everything. We must at least open our minds to the possibilities. ... There’s something that we have to do with that building. I feel like we either have to develop it or bulldoze it - one of the two - because it’s just going to sit there and do nothing for the community, or for anybody else, except sit there and rot and fall over.’ ing, and voiced concern it would become subsidized housing. Dogwood representatives repeated sever­ al times, emphatically, that the project would not be subsidized, “section eight,” housing. A Nashville resident of more than 50 years, Mike Beachnau was one of the last people to speak. “We can’t keep saying no, no, no, to everything,” Beachnau said. “We must at least open our minds to the possibilities... Do we always want to be 1,700 people? Do we always want to have the same people that live here, and nobody ever leaves? Or do we want to attract somebody else?” He suggested that these apartments could attract people who work in Hastings who would like to live in a smaller community. “There’s something that we have to do with that building,” he added. “I feel like we either have to develop it or bulldoze it - one of the two - because it’s just going to sit there and do nothing for the community, or for anybody else, except sit there and rot and fall over.” After more than an hour of public com­ ment, the members of the planning commis­ sion voiced their opinions. “It looks like a good plan,” Ben Page said. While Page said he does not like tax arrangement, he liked the plan for criminal background checks, adding that something needs to be done with the building. Chairperson Patti Branham agreed. “We are all wanting something to happen to that building,” Branham said. “Not only is it starting to look trashy, but, once it gets to that spot where the windows are broken out, then it becomes a danger to the community.” Tom Taylor made the motion to approve the first step. “I was shocked by the negativity, but, really, I am appalled by the negativity,” Tay­ lor said of some of the responses from the public. HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System Community input provides guidance for federal funds As part of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, 6r ESSER, program, Hastings Area School System has received a portion of the funding being allocated to public school districts nation­ wide to address the impact of COVID-19 on elementary and secondary schools. In the near future, HASS expects to be awarded the remaining portion of these funds to assist our students with allowable expenses. Throughout the process of applying for the ESSER funding, HASS has been inten­ tional about gathering data from multiple community members via surveys and par­ ent and staff meetings, regarding the use of the funds. The data collected has provided considerable guidance for HASS adminis­ tration in terms of planning and budgeting for the best ways to use this funding. The priorities ESSER funds will address, as communicated through the data gath­ ered, include providing social emotional learning opportunities, such as counseling, mental health and wellness resources; extending instructional learning time by providing tutoring; adding instructional support for interventions before and after school; and implementing key components of reading, language arts and math. Further, the funds will help deliver ininter­ p ­ ventions for struggling students and pro vide small-group instruction; provide sum­ mer learning opportunities; engage families (attendance, support, classes, resources and other activities); offer technology (connec­ tivity, hardware and software); address facility improvements, such as air quality and safety; and provide activities to address the unique needs of low-income students, children with disabilities, English language learners and students who are homeless. ESSER funds are restricted by the feder­ al government, allowing local schools to spend this grant money specific to address­ ing the impact of COVID-19. Last year, Hastings Area School System was provided $278,922 in ESSER I funds. Of that funding, $124,141 was spent on virtual learning licenses, instructional devices and support workbooks; $109,208 was spent on hotspots to provide Wi-Fi services throughout the district; and $45,573 was spent on personal protective equipment such as wipes, pump sprayers, hand sanitizer, masks and partitions. HASS was then approved to budget just over $1,109,411 in ESSER II funds. Cur­ rently, we have received 90 percent of these funds, of which, $1,050,755 was spent on “What’s the alternative to this?” he asked. “I don’t think there is one. It’s just sit there and watch the building deteriorate like it is now.” The village cannot afford to demolish it, he said. Bud Elliston said the village has struggled to grow throughout its history, but this proj­ ect shows potential for the community. “What you folks are doing is probably the best thing that ever happened to Nashville,” Elliston said to the Dogwood representa­ tives. Trustee Jim Irwin was absent. The Nashville Village Council will take up the issue at a special meeting on Feb. 24. “I was pleased with the presentation,” Nashville Village Council President Mike Kenyon told the Maple Valley News on Wednesday. “I’ve been unsure with how I was feeling about it, but, after last night, I feel a lot better - and I think council will, too.” Chromebooks/laptops/iPads, interactive short throw projectors/newline interactive systems and an update to our high school television production computer; $31,922 was used to purchase a Screencastify sub­ scription for all teachers and Securly soft­ ware for all students K-12 to protect all of our users with the increase of technology use; and $26,734 was spent on leveled books to use with students K-12 to address learning loss. Finally, we have been approved to budget $2,493,353 in ESSER III funds, which we ’ are still waiting to receive. Of that funding, $1,402,706 will be allocated over a threeyear period to help bridge the gap for aca­ demic sustainability for HASS’ more than 2,600 students and district employees. Fur­ ther, those funds are budgeted to help main­ tain our current programming (including expanded virtual learning) through the uncertain times of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, $469,789 has been provided to all staff as hazard pay during the COVID-19 pandemic (full-time received $1,500, three-quarter time received $1,000 and half-time received $750). Also, $157,106 was committed for an elementa­ ry math coach and $134,764 for an addi­ tional kindergarten teacher to reduce class size over a three-year time span; $206,800 was budgeted for high school tutoring, summer school, credit recovery and after­ school programming over a three-year period; $22,188 was budgeted for technol­ ogy; $70,000 was budgeted for student safety; and $30,000 was budgeted for after­ school social-emotional programming. HASS administration feels extremely fortunate to receive these ESSER funds to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic. We also are grateful to be collaborating with the Hastings community to determine the best allocation of this funding to benefit our outstanding students, district and com­ munity. Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Hastings DANNER Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: One Stop Shop (Marathon) (M-43 North) Superette Family Fare Tom's Market Hastings Johnny's The General Store Marathon Mega Bev Hastings Pharmacy Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Middleville: Cloverdale: Speedway Harding's Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Middleville Johnny's Cloverdale General Woodland Express Brown’s Cedar Creek Grocery Shelbyville: Nashville: Town & Country Trading Post Nashville Johnny's Delton: MV Pharmacy Family Fare Nashville C Store Delton Johnny's Carl’s Lake Odessa: Lake-O-Express Banfield: Banfield General Store Lake-O-Mart Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Carl’s Goldsworthys Freeport: Orangeville: Orangeville Fast Stop Pine Lake: Doster Country Store Prairieville: Prairieville Fast Stop Woodland: L & J’s �Page 6 — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Jlake QdleAAa Trail which the Barry County segment has been completed and in full use for many months. The property for the new health facil­ ity is the former site of Lake Odessa Schools, which included East Elementary, the junior/ senior high school as well as shop and ag classes. The most visible demolition is remov­ al of all the windows. Plans are for the street lamp project to again feature photographs of veterans twice this year. For the Memorial Day project, the pictures of deceased veterans will be dis- Elaine Garlock The Tri-River Museum group will meet Tuesday, Feb. 15, at the Lake Odessa Muse­ um Complex on Emerson Street. Membership has expanded northwest as far as Sand Lake. Demolition has begun on the former East Elementary school building on Third Avenue in anticipation of new construction for a major project to benefit senior citizens in need of care. Publicity about the project came a few months ago. One part of it could be a walking trail to connect with the proposed Jordan Lake hearing Jan. 18. A charge of domestic vio­ lence as a second-time offender was dis­ missed at the time of sentencing. Douglas Jay Havens, 42, of Hastings, was found guilty of possession of a controlled sub­ stance, methamphetamine, July 23, 2021, in Thomapple Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 87 days in jail, with credit for 87 days served, and ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs. A charge of operating a vehicle on a suspended license was dismissed. In a separate case, Havens was found guilty of possession of a controlled sub­ stance, methamphetamine, July 25, 2021, in Middleville and was sentenced by Judge Schipper and sentenced to 46 days in jail, with credit for 46 days served. He was ordered to pay $413 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. Shannon Lee Pike, 36, of Hastings, was found guilty of possessing a taser, a weapon from which an electrical current is designed to temporarily incapacitate, injure or kill, as a habitual offender April 14, 2020, in Hastings. Pike was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 13 to 48 months in prison, with credit for 31 days served, and pay $398 in fines and costs. A second case - a conviction for pos­ session of a controlled substance, metham­ phetamine - received a concurrent sentence of 13 to 120 months in prison, with credit for 31 days served and fines and costs of $398. Court records show. Pike was previously con­ victed of aggravated driving under the influ­ ence in Cook County, Illinois, Jan. 29, 2013. Glenn Darrel Antisdel Jr., 49, of Kalam­ azoo, was found guilty of surveilling an unclothed person under circumstances where that individual had a reasonable expectation of privacy, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving force or coercion between September 2014 and June 2016 and between September 2018 and May 2021 in Barry Township. He was sentenced by Barry County Judge Michael Schipper to serve 34 days in jail on each count, with credit for four days, pay $1,194 in fines and costs, and was placed on probation for 60 months. Antisdel will be released from jail Feb. 18, after which he will serve six months of home detention with release for work, medical, probation and counseling reasons only. He was ordered to have no contact with a specific person and no contact with certain addresses in Delton and Battle Creek. Three charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, and installing eavesdrop­ ping devices were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Nicole Rae Foster, 26, of Delton, was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, March 18, 2020, in Barry Township. She was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 24 dftys in jail, with credit for 10 days served. She was ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs. Her probation and 7411 status, .which narrowly applies only to first-time drug possession or use, were revoked at a probation violation played. For Veterans Day in November, the images of living veterans will be used. Each will be for one-month. For hockey fans, an outdoor game will be played on a college football field Feb. 26. One of the teams will be Tampa Bay Lightning, which has won the Stanley Cup in the past two consecutive years. The cup is rotating among the 2021 winning team members and the staff and will be in Big Rapids, probably at Ferris State University. Big Rapids is the hometown of alumnus Brian Garlock. He was scheduled to have the cup in august 2021 but on the eve of its arrival, he had symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19 so all of the plans for its one-day appearance had to be canceled. The Big Rapids date is Feb. 19. The game on Feb. 26 will be in Nashville, Tenn. The Red Cross will be in Lake Odessa Monday, Feb. 7, at Fellowship Hall on Fourth Avenue from noon to 5:45 p.m. Donors are needed for normal blood donations and also double reds. Charles Lawrence Walker Jr., 54, of Hastings, was found guilty of assault and third-degree home invasion July 18, 2021, on Woodlawn Avenue in Hastings. He was sen­ tenced by Judge Schipper to six days in jail, with credit for six days served, ordered to pay $508 in fines and costs, and was placed on probation for 24 months. Walker was ordered to have no contact with the people or the res­ idence involved in the case. Benjamin Douglas Taylor, 37, of Delton, was found guilty of third-degree fleeing a police officer Aug. 4, 2021, in Prairieville Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schip­ per to serve 23 days in jail, with credit for two days served and ordered to pay $498 in fines and costs. Taylor was placed on probation for 12 months, and his driver’s license was sus­ pended for 365 days. Dreysean Trevion Sanders, 21, of Bellev­ ue, was found guilty of possessing the con­ trolled substance, methamphetamine, operat­ ing a vehicle while intoxicated, assaulting/ resisting a police officer, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle Oct. 5, 2021, in Johnstown Township. Sanders was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 79 days in jail on each count, with credit for 79 days served. He was ordered to pay $726 in fines and costs. His license was suspended for 90 days and restricted for 90 days. He was ordered to have no contact with a specific residence. Car crash takes out power pole A Prairieville Township officer on patrol around 12:45 a.m. Jan. 30 heard someone calling for help in the area of Parker Road and Oak Drive. The officer noticed a damaged guardrail near the intersection. A 36-year-old Kalamazoo woman with minor injuries was near a crashed vehicle on the other side of the railing. The woman had been northbound on Parker Road near Oak Drive when her vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a guy wire for a telephone pole, shearing off the pole. The vehicle continued across Oak Drive and crashed into a guardrail, going over the rail and coming to rest at the edge of Crooked Lake. The woman was arrested for operating a vehicle while she was intoxicated. Another catalytic converter stolen A 63-year-old Middleville man called police at 2:32 p.m. Jan. 15 to report the catalytic converter had been cut out of his vehicle as it sat in his driveway in the 5000 block of Crane Road in Thomapple Township. The man said he saw headlights through his garage window around 4 a.m., and looked outside to see what appeared to be a dark brown or gray older Ford Ranger backing out of his driveway. He thought the vehicle was just turning around, but when he started his Ford van that morning it was unusually loud, and he saw footprints and an imprint in the ground from where the suspect had laid down to take out the convert­ er. The man said the suspect might have thought no one was on the property. ! \ i i i 3 Greenhouse theft leads to chase Police were dispatched to the 9000 block of Norris Road in Orangeville Township at 11:10 a.m. Jan. 16 after a 62-year-old woman called to report to report a woman was tak­ ing property from her greenhouse. The caller said she saw the suspect leave the green­ house in a truck. She followed the vehicle, flashed her lights, and the driver stopped. Some aluminum racks the suspect had taken from the greenhouse were in the back of the truck, she told police. She confronted the suspect, who claimed to have permission from the owner to be in the greenhouse. When the woman told the suspect she was the owner, the suspect drove off. The woman followed the suspect at a high rate of speed, and the alumi­ num racks fell out of the back of the suspect’s truck. The woman was unable to stop in time, and ran over them. The suspect got away, and the case remains under investigation. Delivery mistake prompts confrontation Police were dispatched to the 11000 block of Lindsey Road in Prairieville Township at 2:12 p.m. Jan. 22 for a complaint of a 70-year-old Kalamazoo woman attempting to hit a 42-year-old male resident with her vehicle. The woman told police she was delivering food and her GPS led her to the driveway, which turned out to be the wrong residence. She honked for the resident to come outside and, when he did, he swore at her. She swore back, and said he then picked up a rock and threw it at her car, breaking her windshield. The man told police that, after a heated exchange, the woman attempted to run him over with her vehicle. He said he ran from her and fell down, hurting his back. When he fell, he saw the rock he uses to prop open his door, picked it and threw it at her vehicle as hard as he could. After that, she left. Then the man called 911. Information was forwarded to the prosecutor’s office. I i f t I ) 1 I 1 3 I / J t a j .i 1 i •I .1 1 j 1. i J i i Worship Together 1 3 S J ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, Email 945-9121. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. 805 Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan 4:30 Mass Philip. p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Website: 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall www, Pastor. Lead Moser, Wheel­ Bertrand. chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth hastingsfreemethodist.com. gmail.com. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Director, Martha 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery are available. Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children social distancing. Aftermath Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. School Youth Group; 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, church Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Jefferson 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Pr“ 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 ■IWfflII Hotlinelbols&Eqaipmait 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Henry Arvin Rozeboom, age 83, of Lowell, MI, went to be with the Lord on January 31, 2022, at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. Henry was bom on April 15,1938, in Sioux Center, IA, the son of Arthur and Johanna (Wolfswinkel) Rozeboom. He was raised on his parents’ farm and attended school in Sioux Center High School. On June 27, 1981, Henry married Margaret Rozeboom. He retired after working for the Amway Corporation. Henry was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Johanna Rozeboom; his wife, Mar­ garet (VanVleet) Rozeboom; stepdaughter, Sandy Huyck; stepson, Lee Mathews, and brothers, Bernard Rozeboom and Vernon Rozeboom. He is survived by his stepchildren, Louise Mathews of Portage, Andy (Linda) Taylor, Jr. of Delton, and Sue (Frank) McClelland of Lowell; grandchildren, Laura (Brad) Cosgrove, Dana Tyler, Jennifer Foss, George Huyck, Troy Huyck, Ben Taylor; great-grandchildren, Christina, Michael, Ethan, Elissa, and his sister Vema (Jim) Reeverts of Lakeland, FL. Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Funeral Service will be Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church of Lowell, 1151 W. Main Street, Lowell, MI 49331 with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Henry can be made to Calvary Christian Reformed Church of Lowell. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachftmeralhome.net. Helen “Janet” Reaser, age 86, of Hastings, MI passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of February 1, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. Janet was bom in Englewood, NJ on Feb­ ruary 5, 1935, to Frank L. and Jennie (Tay­ lor) Dawson. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1953. In 1955, she married Ralph Henry Reaser, and they enjoyed 53 years of marriage until his death in Decem­ ber of 2008. Janet worked at the Larke Buick car deal­ ership on co-op during high school, then upon graduation, went to work at the E.W. Bliss Company for a time. She eventually returned to the dealership where she became the office manager, a position she continued for close to 50 years and through three more owners of the business, finally retiring in 1997. She enjoyed nothing more than being with her family, gardening, reading, cook­ ing, watching the hummingbirds at the feed­ er, and going to the casino. She loved to be outside tending to her garden and potted flowers. In the summer, you could always find her sitting on the deck reading. She was also a very organized list maker! She had lists for everything - groceries, flowers, things to do... Janet will be lovingly remembered by her children, Susan (Bill) Bryans, Steven (Deb­ bie) Reaser, Stacey (Chuck) Ryder and Shani (Larry) Monroe. She dearly loved all her grandchildren, Broc (Sarah) Reaser, Jenna (Brian) Hurless, Sarah (Denny) Walden, Alli­ son (Brian) DeVries, Sy (Kate) Overmyer, Beau (Kayla) Reaser, Mackenzie Monroe (Daryn Armstrong), Chase Reaser (Daisy Hannan), Cassidy Monroe and thirteen great grandchildren. Also survived by brother Ronald Dawson and many special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ralph: and her brother, Herbert Dawson. Janet’s family will receive family and friends on Saturday, Febr. 12, 2022, at Girr­ bach Funeral Home beginning at 11 a.m. The service will begin at noon. A private burial will take place at the Dowling Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Janet’s honor may be made to the Barry County Commission on Aging, 320 W Wood­ lawn Ave, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. *3 1 1 J ) 1 I I I } I t 1 1 3 1 i 3 t Hastings man dies in North Broadway accident A 54-year-old Hastings man died in a single-vehicle accident near the intersec­ tion of North Broadway Avenue/M-43 and Indian Hills Drive on Tuesday eve­ ning. Hastings City Police were dispatched at 9:11 p.m., and found one man dead at the scene. There were no other occupants in the vehicle, police said. The accident remains under investiga­ tion, and Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter said Wednesday morning that no further information would be released at this time. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, one lane was closed while officers were assisted at the scene by the Michigan State Police, Barry County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Fire Department and Mercy Ambulance Service. 1 f i i i i g J 3 3 ( 3 3 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — Page 7 Real estate appraising authority had local roots fl look back at the stories md columns on local his In the Hastings Banner Kathy Maurer Copy Editor Banner co-editor Marshall Cook wrote several columns in the 1930s and 1940s look­ ing back on the history of Hastings and Barry County, at least from his earliest memories. Mostly, though, he and brother/co-owner William R. Cook, shared current local, state and national news - sometimes shared by other publications. One such reprint was from the Philadel­ phia Inquirer, featuring Philip Wheeler Kniskem. The son of Marshall Cook’s sister-in­ law, Kniskern and his brother Lewis had lived with the Cooks for a time. The Jan. 16, 1941, Banner introduced the article: Phil Kniskern subject of story Philadelphia Inquirer finds his life interesting A feature story that ran in the “Everybody’s. Weekly” section of the daily Philadelphia Inquirer recently is of particular interest to many Banner readers because it concerns Phil­ ip Wheeler Kniskern, who was bom in Hast­ ings, and is the son of Stella Wheeler Kniskern in the late Gen. Albert D. Kniskern. Phil is now a resident of Swarthmore, Pa., with offices in Philadelphia, and is a nationally known author­ ity along construction and real estate lines. Accompanying it are photos of Mr. Kniskem, his attractive home in Swarthmore, and views of extensive new building projects in the vicinity of Philadelphia that Mr. Kniskern points out will be an impetus to the building of better homes. The story ran under the head “The boy who longed for a home” and follows: “Some years ago, a boy named Philip Kni­ skern sat dreaming in a Japanese schoolroom. Through the windows, he could see whole forests of tombstones covering the nearby hills. Through the same windows, by turning his head sharply, he could see three large docks and patent slip of the Mitsu Bishi Com­ pany. Beyond that was the three-mile-long Inlet of Nagasaki, leading to the western world. Leading out especially to where his dream centered and where he someday hoped to have a permanent home. “Most of his past life had been spent jump­ ing from school to school, from house to house, none of which became homes. There had been large homes and small homes, flats with foreign servants, hotels and boarding houses and even barracks. All impersonal. All necessary only because the United States gov­ ernment shifted his father, Gen. Albert Deca­ tur Kniskern, to places where he was needed. “Philip accepted these shifts with the easy pliability of youth. But always he held to that ultimate dream. The dream he had when necessity made him the only boy in a Japa­ nese Missionary School for Girls at Nagasa­ ki. The dream of settling down and sinking roots deeply into the soil beneath the house that would be a home. “Such urgings led him naturally to Phila­ delphia, which he had read of as a city of homes. And, after a long period spent in civil engineering and construction work, led him almost as naturally to his present position, that of president-elect of the National Associ­ ation of Real Estate Boards. “Thus, Philip Kniskern changed from a boy with 100 different dwellings and no home, to a national figure with one home and an interest in thousands of other homes throughout the country. “But the man of today is only a development of the boy of yesterday. And the deep feeling he has - not only for his own home in Swarth­ more, Pa. - but also for the homes of the nation, is a product partly of the dreams he had when chance made him live briefly in 100 dif­ ferent dwellings spread over three continents. “Looking at Philip Kniskern today, you will see only a quietly prosperous Philadelphia businessman. But to know and understand him, you would have to go below that quiet exterior. There you would find the things that have made him spread his activities beyond a single job, beyond a single city. There you would find a wealth of technical knowledge tempered by the understanding of what homes really mean to Philadelphia and to America. There, in short, you would find why Philip Kniskern is slated to head an association that coordinates 500 other organizations with 15,000 members throughout the country. “First and foremost, he’s interested in homes. His early yearnings were set solidly on the foundation of civil engineering educa­ tion at the University of Michigan [where he The Swarthmore, Pa., home of Philip W. Kniskern provided the permanence he longed for as a child. The five-bath, five-bedroom 4,515-foot home, built in 1922, cur­ rently has an estimated value of more than $1.15 million, according to Zillow.com. (Brightmls.com image) was a reserve player on the 1909 U-M foot­ ball team]. From Michigan, he traveled as many young engineers do, to South America. There he lived in other strange, exotic but unsatisfactory places until his return to New York City where he helped with the founda­ tion work of a number of now-famous build­ ings: The Woolworth Building, the Equitable Life and other skyscrapers. “He saw steam shovels gnaw into deep clay hollows beneath sidewalks. Towers of steel and concrete rose from these excavations. The skyline was altered. The city was altered. And amid all this pushing growth, Philip Kniskern still yearned for permanence. He found it at last in Philadelphia after a term as appraisal advisor for the Federal Home Loan Board. He found it in a comfortable suburban stone home in Swarthmore, where his wife, a Mich­ igan girl [Karine Nessen of Manistee], and his son, Philip Jr., and daughter, Karen, now live. “Out there, Mr. Kniskern can dig in a gar­ den with the knowledge that he will be there to see next year’s blossoms. He can relax with his accordion, which he describes as an instrument that can be safely played only at home. He can sink his local roots while his national fame spreads like the foliage of a large tree. He can relax in the comforting realization that the tree he planted will grow under his observation; the four walls will make a permanent place for happiness. “The flowers he grows in his Swarthmore garden have won prizes, which is the real merit badge of a true suburbanite. But Mr. Kniskern has a far busier life from 9 to 5. Then he is president of the First Mortgage Company of Philadelphia and the director or trustee of a dozen other organizations. Then he is interest­ ed less in one home than in thousands of homes. His opinions, once given in Washing­ ton, are still remembered. His single book on appraisals [Real Estate Appraisal and Valua­ tion, published in 1933] is still recognized and used as the final word on that vast subject. “While he allows one part of his mind to think of homes just as pleasant places where people live, he must use the other part to ana­ lyze them. He must think of them in thousands, their structure, their cost and last of all, the thing he naturally would think of first: Their attraction for the people who live in them. “‘The modem appraiser,” Philip Kniskern says, “must be an economist, seer and sage. Price and value are not synonymous words when applied to property. They change so much that we never can put appraisals on a real scientific basis.” “In other words, that third ingredient - a pleasant tree in the backyard with a plant in a sunlit window, lamplight shining through the dusk, an attractive gable or a comfortable living room whose polished furniture reflects the intermittent glow of an open fire - is often more important to a house that is to be a home than is a foundation with a certain stress per square inch. “Luckily, Philip Kniskern understands and appreciates both the stress and strain factors and the unmeasurable ingredients that go into making a house a home. And his whole aim is to see America better housed. “Right now, his personal outlook is optimis­ tic. He sees Fort Dix and other army camps, making small real estate booms. He thinks the reopening of Cramp’s Shipyards in Philadel­ phia should introduce that section of his home­ town to a new prosperity. And in 100 other sections throughout the United States, he feels that the new industrial surge of defense work may be instrumental in cleaning out slum sec­ tions and giving America better homes. “In a more regretful mood, he looks back in the time when English people, boarded up their windows to escape the tax that would fall on every dwelling with six or more win­ dows. Returning to present times, he sees tall buildings being demolished to make parking lots in an effort to escape taxes, other struc­ tures being limited to one or two stories as part of the same effort. “... He went from Bronxville [N.Y.] to Washington. And from Washington to Phila­ delphia, where he gained not only a home, but a position, clearly deserved, as presi­ dent-elect of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. “Now a real authority on housing, he can well afford to smile at the memory of the boy who gazed wistfully through the window of a missionary school at the ships warping out for America. But more than that, he can appreci­ ate the place of homes in America. He can blend his vast technical knowledge with a real understanding of the yearning others feel for a place they can call home. A place where size is subjugated to sensible satisfaction and the people love because they live there happily.” Growing up in a military family, Philip Kniskern dreamed of a permanent home. He would eventually become a national authority on real estate appraisals. (University of Texas Arlington Libraries Digital Gallery, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, UTA.edu.) Although his family moved frequently, the Kniskems did have some roots in Barry County. Estelle, or Stella, was the daughter of Milo Wheeler, and her maternal uncles, Johnathan and Samuel Haight, were early settlers in Woodland Township. Like many of the coun­ ty’s earliest residents, Estelle was bom in New York State and moved to Michigan as a child. Her husband, however, was born in south­ ern Illinois. When he was young, his family moved to Michigan, living in Detroit and Middleville and eventually settling in Hast­ ings. The 1880 U.S. Census shows the family living on Thom Street. Albert was one of 11 TURNING BflGK THE PAGES students in the Hastings High School gradu­ ating class of 1882. Albert Kniskern went on to attend West Point, where he was a classmate of future Gen. John J. Pershing, graduating in 1886. He and Estelle Wheeler were married in Hastings soon after he returned from West Point. Their sons, Lewis Thayer and Philip Wheeler, were bom in Hastings in 1887 and 1889, respectively. Both sons earned civil engineering degrees from the University of Michigan and traveled to Chile early on. They returned to the U.S., lived and worked in Chicago for a time, and were part of the team that oversaw construction of the Equita­ ble Life Building in New York City. Eventu­ ally, both moved to the Philadelphia area. “Mr. Kniskern was literally brought up in the army,” reads a short biography on brother Lewis Kniskern in Story of Philadelphia, a 1919 book edited by John St. George Joyce, “and the discipline which obtains in it con­ tributed, in a large measure, toward the for­ mation of his character, the expansion of his views, and the handling of men and the exec­ utive ability for which he is so remarkable.” Lewis, at that time, was general manager of the Chester Shipbuilding Co. of Chester, Pa., which, along with the Philadelphia shipyard, played a role for the U.S. in World War I. Around the same time, his dad, Brig Gen. Kniskern, was appointed quartermaster of the supply depot in Chicago. So, while Lewis was helping oversee construction of ships that would be used by the U.S. Navy in World War I, his dad was coordi­ nating distribution of food, vehicles, uniforms and other supplies - $1 million worth every day. (More about Brig. Gen. Kniskern can be found in April 2017 Banner editions.) Philip served very briefly in the reserve corps, but-the upbringing he and his brother shared would prove most beneficial later. While Lewis continued to pursue engineer­ ing and construction after the first world war, Philip’s interest turned toward real estate, especially appraisals. The U.S. economy was finally recovering from the Great Depression when the Aug. 6, 1940, New York Times shared a prediction by Philip Kniskern: “ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - The United States should anticipate an industrial boom and a housing shortage, Philip W. Kniskern of Philadelphia, vice president of the National Association of Real Estate Boards, said today in an address at the 17th annual convention of the National Cinder Concrete Products Asso­ ciation in the Hotel Traymore.” World events would delay that boom. But Kniskem’s perspective was still valued. His knowledge of property values - along with his peripheral understanding of military bases and the many consequences a war can have on a specific geographic area or the broader econo­ my - provided him unique insight. As the U.S. drew closer to entering World War II, interest in the potential impact on real estate grew. The Ann Arbor News, in its April 16, 1941, edition, had a short piece titled, “Effect of U.S. Defense upon Real Estate to be Dis­ cussed.” Benefit statements for tax filing Vonda VanTil Public Affairs Specialist We’ve made getting your annual Benefit Statement even easier. The Benefit Statement, also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form we mail each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from us in the previous year. You can use this infor­ mation when you file your tax return, since it shows how much Social Security income to report to the Internal Revenue Service. If you live in the United States and you need a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, go online to get your instant, printable replacement form using your personal My Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. Look for your replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S for the previous tax year in your personal account after Feb. 1. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can save the document to your computer or email it to yourself. If you don’t have a My Social Security account, creating one is easy and usually takes less than 10 minutes. And that’s not all you can do with a per­ sonal account. If you receive benefits or have Medicare, your personal My Social Security account is also the best way to: • Request a replacement Social Security number card. • Get your benefit verification letter. • Check your benefit and payment infor­ mation. • Change your address and phone number. • Change your direct deposit information. • Request a replacement Medicare card. • Report your wages if you work and receive Social Security disability insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits. The forms SSA-1099 and SSA-1042S are not available for people who receive Supple­ mental Security Income benefits. If you don’t have a personal My Social Security account, you can create one today at ssa.gov/myaccount. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. Audible emotion Dr. Universe: Why do people like listening to music? Bruce, 10, Tacoma, Wash. Dear Bruce, Think of your favorite song. Maybe it brings you happiness or joy. Maybe it makes you want to start dancing. Or maybe it’s a sad, melancholy song, but you still really like it. From the radio to concerts to our mobile devices, music is all around us. To find out exactly why people like listening to music, I talked to my friend Sophia Tegart. Tegart is a flutist, musicologist and assis­ tant professor at Washington State Universi­ ty. She said one of the reasons many people like listening to music is because it can affect emotions. “Music is emotion you can hear,” she said. Humans have the ability experience doz­ ens of emotions, ranging from happiness to sadness to fear. Perhaps you can think about a few of the different emotions you’ve felt while listening to music. This idea that music can affect our emo­ tions has been around for thousands of years, Tegart said. The ancient Greeks would even prescribe certain types of music to help improve people’s well-being or mood. In modem times, research has shown us that the brain will release certain natural chemicals when listening to music. The body’s nervous system produces endor­ phins, which can help reduce pain and stress. They also are known as “feel-good” chemicals. When people feel sad, they may turn to music to help them feel better. Listening to music involves more than just the sounds that come into your ears. Tegart told me a bit about a percussionist named Evelyn Glennie who started to lose her sense of hearing when she was 12 years “Effects of the national defense program on real estate will be included in topics dis­ cussed at the Real Estate Educational Confer­ ence in the Rackham building Saturday. “The conference is sponsored jointly by the Michigan Real Estate Association and the uni­ versity School of Business Administration. Approximately 300 are expected to attend. “Philip W. Kniskern, Philadelphia, Pa., president of the National Association of Real Estate Boards, will speak on ‘Real Estate in the Defense Emergency and Afterward’ at the conference banquet at 6 o’clock at night in the Michigan League.” Other speakers w'ere listed, and details given about a luncheon and other activities during the day. (The article closed with this final para­ graph: “Motion pictures of the 1940 Michi­ gan-Ohio State football game will be shown at 5:30 in the Rackham amphitheater.”) The National Association of Real Estate Boards is better known today as the National Association of Realtors. The website nar. realtor has short biographies on its previous presidents, including Kniskern, who headed the association in 1941: Largest reappraisal job in country’s history “As head of the Home Owners Loan Cor­ poration for its first two years, Philip W. Kni­ skern undertook the largest reappraisal job in the country’s history at the time,” according to the website. “The residential appraisal stan­ dards employed were developed by the National Association of Real Estate Boards. As one of the founders of the American Insti­ tute of Real Estate Appraisers and its presi­ dent for the first years (July 1932 to Decem­ ber 1934), Mr. Kniskern had a memorable part in the development of those standards. Earlier, in 1929, he served the association as chairman of its mortgage division. “Under Mr. Kniskern’s presidency, the association poured its energy into mobilizing the country’s industrial, residential and other real estate resources in the program of nation­ al defense. Voluntary stabilization of rents in defense areas and guarding against disorgani­ zation in the post-defense period were other programs directed toward the war effort.” Kniskem’s book, “Real Estate Appraisal and Valuation,” which he wrote in 1933, is still available at dozens of libraries today, includ­ ing state, university and law collections. A shorter book, “What Constitutes Value in Real Estate - an address by Philip W. Kni­ skern, vice president and general manager, Continental Mortgage Guarantee Co.,” has seen many reprints. The 22-page book was published in 2018 by both Forgotten Books and Cambridge University Press and, most recently, by Hassell Street Press in 2021. Sources: Hastings Banner, findagrave. com, familysearch.org, Googlebooks.com, National Association of Realtors, chroniclin­ gamerica.com, Ann Arbor District Library and Hastings Public Library. old. But that didn’t stop Glennie from becoming an accomplished musician. “She plays barefoot and feels the vibra­ tions of the music through her feet,” Tegart said. Maybe you’ve also experienced music with more than just your ears. Maybe you felt the vibrations of the bass speaker or felt chills in your body. Maybe the music got your toes tapping. Tegart said another reason people like music is it has the ability to get us moving. Whether it’s clapping our hands or dancing, music can make us want to move. Movement can get our hearts beating and our blood flowing which is good for our health. Dancing also can help release some of those endorphins that make us feel good. The next time you turn on the tunes, or maybe even perform a song on stage your­ self, take a moment to be curious about the emotions you experience. “Music can change style depending on what’s popular or what’s being written,” Tegart said. “But I think the common thread is that it continues to speak to us emotionally.” If you’re up for a challenge, maybe you can even dig into the music and see if there’s something in the composer’s toolbox - a chord, a lyric, a key change - that helps make your favorite song such a good one. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �Page 8 — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner I FfrAl WflT'IF'F^b JMLw JHmv JL STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY CASE NO. 21-909-CH HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service mem­ ber on active duty, if your period of active duty has con­ cluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertise­ ment. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, March 3, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bld at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county regis­ ter of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Jay Dee Miller and Penny Jo Miller, husband and wife to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as a nominee for Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp., Mortgagee, dated January 26, 2009, and recorded on February 5, 2009, as Doc­ ument Number: 20090205-0001066, Barry County Re­ cords, said mortgage was assigned to Bankllnited N.A. by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submit­ ted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Two Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Two and 52/100 ($102,272.52) including inter­ est at the rate of 4.25000% per annum. Said premis­ es are situated in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: The part of the west fractional half of the northwest fractional quarter of section 19, town 2 north, range 10 west, Orangeville Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as com­ mencing at northwest corner of said section; thence south 00 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds east 330.00 feet along the west line of said section to place of begin­ ning; thence south 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds east 1165.13 feet parallel with the north line of said northwest quarter; thence south 00 degrees 26 minutes 06 seconds east 375.01 feet along the east line of said west half, northwest quarter, thence north 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds west 1166.22 feet; thence north 00 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds west 375.00 feet along the west line of said section to the place of be­ ginning. Commonly known as: 7077 BOYSEN ROAD, SHELBYVILLE, Ml 49344 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption peri­ od will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is pre­ sumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: February 3, 2022 . RandalL Si ■..Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for BankUnited N.A. 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 17MI00795-12 175335 (02-03)(02-24) NOTICE TO CREDITORS TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The JK. JBLJHLmv CHARLES HANNAN and JANE HANNAN, Plaintiffs, v. ROSAMOND HERZBRUN, GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE, INC. a/k/a Green Tree Acceptance Co. Inc., a dissolved Delaware Corporation whose authority to transact business in Mich­ igan has been withdrawn. WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee for MASTR Asset Backed Securities Trust 2003OPT1, Mortgage Pass Through Certificates, Series 2003OPT, and MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Defendants. Joseph J. Bernardi (P43895) BERNARDI, RONAYNE & GLUSAC, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff 1058 Maple Street, Suite 100 Plymouth, Ml 48170 (734) 416-1780 joeb@brgpc.com NOTICE OF ACTION TO: GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE, INC., A/K/A GREEN TREE ACCEPTANCE CO. INC., AND/OR INTEREST­ ED PARTIES HAVING AN INTEREST IN PROPERTY COMMONLY KNOWN AS 6080 BOWENS MILL ROAD, HASTINGS, MICHIGAN 49058 PLEASE BE ADVISED that Plaintiffs, Charles Hannan and Jane Hannan, filed a Complaint seeking to quiet title to property located in the Township of Rutland, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as: BEGINNING AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SECTION 7, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN; THENCE NORTH 86 DEGREES 54 MINUTES 07 SECONDS WEST 953.98 FEET ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID SECTION 7; THENCE NORTH 02 DEGREES 23 MINUTES 02 SECONDS EAST, 662.30 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 86 DEGREES 55 MINUTES 38 SECONDS EAST, 956.87 FEET TO THE EAST LINE OF SAID SEC­ TION 7; THENCE SOUTH 02 DEGREES 28 MIN­ UTES 03 SECONDS WEST, 662.64 FEET ALONG SAID EAST LINE TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS FOR PUBLIC HIGH­ WAY PURPOSES OVER THE EASTERLY 33 FEET THEREOF FOR WHITMORE ROAD AND THE SOUTHERLY 33 FEET THEREOF FOR BOWENS MILL ROAD, AND ANY OTHER EASEMENTS OR RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Parcel ID: 08-13-007-005-35 Property Address: 6080 Bowens Mill Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (hereinafter the "Property”). decedents, Grantor of the Charles D. Monica Trust dated October 27, 1995, who lived at 13550 Arbor Drive, Delton, Ml 49046 died December 6, 2021, and Donna J. Monica (date of birth January 28, 1927), Grantor of the Donna J. Monica Trust dated October 27, 1995, who lived at 13550 Arbor Drive, Delton, Ml 49046 died April 30, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against either trust will be forever barred Date of notice: February 3, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1453788 (02-03)(02-24) 175391 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Member SIPC Financial Advisor Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 (269) 945-3553 Watch for changes in RMDs If you’re a certain age, you’ll need to withdraw money from some of your retirement accounts each year. But in 2022, the amount you must take out may be changing more than in other years - and that could affect your retirement income strategy. Here’s some background: Once you turn 72, you generally must start taking withdrawals, called required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from some of your retirement accounts, such as your traditional IRA and your 401(k) or similar employersponsored plan. Each year, your RMDs are determined by your age and account balances. This year, the life expectancy tables used by the IRS are being updated to reflect longer lifespans. This may result in lower annual RMDs than you’d have to take if this adjustment hadn’t been made. If you’ve started taking RMDs, what does this change mean to you? It can be a positive development, for a few reasons: • Potentially lower taxes - Your RMDs are generally taxable at your personal income tax rate, so the lower your RMDs, the lower your tax bill might be. • Possibly longer “lifespan” for retirement accounts - Because your RMDs will be lower, the accounts from which they’re issued - including your traditional IRA and 401(k) - may be able to last longer without becoming depleted. The longer these accounts can stay intact and remain an asset, the better for you. • Moreflexibility in planning for retirement income The word “required” in the phrase “required minimum distributions” means exactly what it sounds like - you must take at least that amount. If you withdraw less than your RMD, the amount not withdrawn will be taxed at 50%. So, in one sense, your RMDs take away some of your freedom in managing your retirement income. But now, with the lower RMDs in place, you may regain some of this flexibility. (And keep in mind that you’re always free to withdraw more than the RMDs.) Of course, if you don’t really need all the money from RMDs, even the lower amount may be an issue for you - as mentioned above, RMDs are generally taxable. However, if you’re 7016 or older, you can transfer up to $100,000 per year from a traditional IRA directly to a qualified charitable organization, and some, or perhaps all, of this money may come from your RMDs. By making this move, you can exclude the RMDs from your taxable income. Before taking this action, though, you’ll want to consult with your tax advisor. Here are a couple of final points to keep in mind. First, not all your retirement accounts are subject to RMDs - you can generally keep your Roth IRA intact for as long as you want. However, your Roth 401 (k) is generally subject to RMDs. If you’re still working past 72, though, you may be able to avoid taking RMDs from your current employer’s 401(k) or similar plan, though you’ll still have to take them from your traditional IRA. Changes to the RMD rules don’t happen too often. By being aware of how these new, lower RMDs can benefit you, and becoming familiar with all aspects of RMDs, you may be able to strengthen your overall retirement income situation. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC • To respond to this Notice, you must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days and mail your an­ swer or response to: Clerk of the Court ;,__ __________ _ Barry County Circuit Court 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 -andBernardi, Ronayne & Glusac, P.C. Attention: Joseph J. Bernardi, Esq. 1058 Maple Street, Suite 100 Plymouth, Ml 48170 using the above-referenced Court caption. Charles D. Monica (date of birth July 17, 1925), Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 10, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Nicholas Haskins, single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Reg­ istration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Date of Mortgage: December 20, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 23,2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $144,899.60 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 330.00 feet of the East 1/2 of the East 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 14, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 3491 E M 43 Hwy, Hastings, Ml 49058-7723 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. If you fail to respond to this Notice or if you do not answer or take other action as permitted by law within 28 days, Judgment may be entered with the Court affecting the title to the Property. Respectfully submitted, BERNARDI, RONAYNE & GLUSAC, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiffs, Charles Hannan and Jane Hannan By: Joseph J. Bernardi (P43895) 1058 Maple Street, Suite 100 Plymouth, Ml 48170 (734) 416-1780 Dated: January 21,2022 174991 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Social Security Number of Decedent: XXX-XX-1098 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Your interest in the estate may be barred or affected by the following: . .-v-. The decedent, Barbara J. Clinton, date of birth January 24, 1928 whose last address was 205 Stadium Drive, Middleville, Ml 49333 died on January 11,2022. The decedent was the settlor of the Barbara Clinton Trust, February 10,1999. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to the current acting trustee (whose name and address appear below) of the Trust within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. The current acting trustee is: Annette M. Walters, 300 Kirby Rd., Battle Creek, Ml 49017. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: February 2,2022 Attorney for Trustee: David G. Ledbetter, P43671 Ledbetter. Law 1 Coldbrook Street NW, Suite 110, Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616)459-3333 175363 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of the Charles M. Ford Trust, dated 2 1994NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Charles M. Ford, died on 12/02/2021 who lived at 11215 Ford Road, Plainwell, Ml 49080, leaving a certain trust under the name of The Charles M. Ford Trust, dated December 2, 1994, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Randy Ford and Barbara Hysell were named as Successor trustees serving at the time of or as a result of the decedent’s deaths. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Randy Ford and Barbara Hysell, the named Successor Trustees, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Randy Ford 1605 Fox Moor Jefferson City, MO 65109 573-694-0084 Barbara Hysell 63381 41st Street, Lot 8 Paw Paw, Mi 49079 269-655-7462 175393 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29079-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. #302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Darlene Ruth Sisson. Date of birth: 07/09/1937. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Darlene Ruth Sisson, died 11/25/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Cheryl A. Reichard, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date:02/02/2022 Stephanie S. Fekkes P43549 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 Cheryl A. Reichard c/o Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-685-7450 175362 unless presented to the current Trustee, Mona J. Ellard, Whose address is 5506 S. Stine Rd., Olivet, Ml 49076, or to the attorney for the Trustee, Kathleen F. Cook, at 121 South Cochran Ave., STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT Charlotte, Ml 48813 within 4 months of the date of BARRY COUNTY publication of this notice. Date: January 26, 2022 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. 22-29064-DE Law Office of Kathleen F. Cook Kathleen F. Cook P31842 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. #302 121 S. Cochran Ave. Hastings, Michigan 49058 Charlotte, Ml 48813 (517)543-7643 175100 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of John Charles Morrow. Date of birth: 01/12/1942. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS Revocable Inter Vivos Trust Perry M. James and Fredericka M. James Living Trust Dated January 30, 2008, as amended and restated. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The Settlor of the trust, Perry M. James, who lived at c/o Woodlawn Meadows, 1821 N. East St., Hastings, Ml 49058 died December 15, 2021.. Creditors of the Settlor, Perry M. James, are notified that all claims against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Judith L. Welton, the trustee of the trust at 120 Coats Grove Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 01/28/2022 Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos, P.C. By: Kay E. Kossen P56627 One West Michigan Ave. Battle Creek, Ml 49017 269-966-3000 Judith L. Welton 120 Coats Grove Road Hastings, Ml 49058 269-838-9640 175331 NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, John C. Morrow died 11-12-2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Sandy Rose, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 2-1-2022 Sandy Rose 67663 CR388 Lot 9 South Haven, Ml 49090 175364 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 21-29036-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Lane Gary Floria. Date of birth: 04/23/1948. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Lane Gary Floria, died 05/04/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Norman G. Floria, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 1-26-2022 David H. Tripp P29290 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Norman G. Floria 13172 Canyoncrest Circle, Middlebury, IN 46540 574-370-0196 175146 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Rent BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, TRUCK DRIVER: CANDI­ DATES must have a CDL with 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. a "T" endorsement, 3 years' experience, a good driving record and subject to DOT regulations. Duties include loading and hauling logs and lumber with double bottom trailers. Applicant must be able to operate a front-end loader, work off road, alone and manage their time. Hourly wage based on experience and includes a benefit package. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield. No phone calls please. on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. Some furniture. No smoking. Includes internet. $1300/mo. (electric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). 269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. B usiness Services BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING January 12, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, James, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore Absent: Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Approved Ambulance Service Agreement Roll Call Vote - All Aye Approved Mileage Reimbursement for 2022 Roll Call Vote-All Aye STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE GENERAL LABORER- JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits401 (k), 401 (k) matching, Den­ tal insurance, Health insur­ ance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No.: (269) 945-1390 In the matter of Glenn Trenton Kohn. TO ALL PERSONS INCLUDING: whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on February @ 2:15 p.m. at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. 21-29023-NC William M. Doherty P41960 9, 2022 Adjournment 8:54 pm years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. Help Wanted M. Doherty to change the name of Glenn Trenton Keep your friends and relatives informed and up to date with all the local news from Barry County. Send them... Kohn to Gustav Leon Nelson. Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 175326 175325 The Hastings BANNER To subscribe, call us at 269-945-9554 �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, February 3, 2022 Trojan girls have best ski result yet at Bittersweet Brett Bremer ' Hastings senior Bailey Lewis works the offensive progressions ; from the top of the key during her team's 1-8 loss to visiting Marshall [ Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior center Madison Pettengill fires up a shot between Marshall defenders Mallory Tucker (right) and Kylie Brown during the first half Friday night at Hastings High School. ; Marshall ekes out win over Saxon girls I Brett Bremer Sports Editor I The Saxons had second place in their ] sights and now they’re looking up at the Red­ ; hawks. Marshall’s varsity girls’ basketball team went on a 10-0 run during a two-minute span early in the fourth quarter to wipe away an eight-point Saxon lead and went on to an eight-point win of its own, 49-41, at Hastings High School in Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence action Friday night. — Marshall the conferencewith its second victory Of the season over the Saxons, blastings is now in a three-way tie for third in the conference standings with North­ west and Coldwater at 5-3. Everyone is still chasing the Parma Western girls who are 8-0 in the conference and 12-1 overall. The lead swung back and forth Friday. The eRedhawks held a 13-7 advantage at the end of tthe first quarter. That was the biggest lead of The night for either team until the Saxons ^pushed in front 31 -23 in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter when Brianna Barnes attacked the basket for two of her five points. Barnes was one of five Saxons with five points or more. Junior guard Macy Winegar led her team with 16 points. She buried four three-pointers in the ballgame. Senior center Madison Pettengill came off the bench to -score nine points for the Saxons. Pettengill’s contributions in the paint were big for the Saxons against the guard-heavy rotation of the Redhawks and teammate Bai­ ley Cook’s foul trouble which lasted from the first minute of the ballgame until she picked up her fifth foul with a little over two minutes to play in the bailgame. Pettengill scored six points in the first two minutes of the second half as the Saxons pushed a 16-14 halftime lead to 22-17. Her presence forced Marshall to bring some size off the bench to try and slow her down. It was a great third quarter for the Saxons. ^Th&y ■ctesefr' the-pemd-em ar 6-(H*un ■ to gortntbthe fourth quarter up 29-23. A Winegar triple off an assist from Barnes sparked that surge. “We were prepared,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said of the defensive effort that held Marshall to 17 points in the first half. “We switched up and ran a match-up zone that they hadn’t seen. That was the first time we ran it. Our communication was better, and our movement was better, and just being aware of the moment and what they were trying to do.” After Barnes’ quick bucket to start the fourth quarter, the Marshall defense turned up the pressure. The Saxons had some struggles with the full-court press and found it hard to get in a flow offensively when they did get into the front court. Coach Youngs said his girls saw a little pressure from Marshall in their first meeting this season, and prepped for more in the prac­ tices leading up to the contest. He said he still felt like it caught his girls off guard a bit. Marshall had a huge night at the free throw line knocking down 21-of-27 attempts. The Redhawks began cutting into the Saxon eight­ point lead at the start of the fourth quarter by knocking down six straight foul shots. A steal and a bucket by senior guard Mallory Tucker finished completely wiping away the Saxon lead - tying the bailgame at 31-31. Moments later, a ,couple of offensive rebounds led to a put back bucket for the Redhawks’ Brooke Waito that put her team in front 35-33 and M^rshulHed throughout the entire final foiit arid a half minutes. Winegar tried'to play hero,while battling a calf cramp, knocking down a pair of contest­ ed three pointers in the final two minutes, but the Redhawks'kept knocking down foul shots to extend their lead. Brooke Waito led Marshall with 15 points in the end. She was 8-of-9 at the free throw line. Marshall also got 11 points from Addi­ son Waito and ten from Tucker. Brooklynn Youngs and Carly Warner fin­ ished with five points apiece for the Saxons. Coach Youngs noted that Brooklynn Youngs and Winegar appeared to be the focal points of the Redhawk defense, unsurprisingly, and made it difficult for them to get off many clean looks at the basket. Even Winegar’s triples were mostly deep, contested attempts. Hastings is back at it in the 1-8 Friday (Feb. 4) at Coldwater. Sports Editor Powered by a few blistering runs in the giant slalom, the Plainwell/Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ ski team had its bester ever finish at a Southwest Michigan Ski Conference race Wednesday at Bittersweet. The Trojan Ski girls were second to league leading Portage in the GS and a fourth-place point total in the slalom was good enough to get the Trojans into the run­ ner-up spot for the day. Lucy VanDemark and Madison Nagel led the way for the Trojans in the GS. VanDemark was the runner-up in the event with runs of 27.60 seconds and 27.71. Nagle flew down the hill with times of 29.31 and 28.49 to place seventh - her best GS performance yet. The Trojan Ski coaching staff, which includes head coach Stephanie Larson as well as assistants Douglas Nagel, Chris Geilinki and Keith Bacon, shared that they have been very impressed with the hard work in practice from both the boys’ and girls’ teams in recent weeks. The meet marked the first time the Tro­ jan Ski girls have finished better than Caledonia or the Mattawan/Paw Paw team at a conference meet. They didn’t best them by much. Portage won for the third time in three conference meets by finishing Wednesday with 71 points, ahead of Plainwell/TK 110, Caledonia 111, Mattawan/PP 113, Hackett/ Vicksburg 128, Kalamazoo United 131, Hudsonville 218 and South Haven 296. The conference was set to get together again last night, Feb. 2, at Timber Ridge Ski Area. In the GS at Bittersweet, the Trojan girls also had Ella Way 21st with runs of 33.85 and 33.30 and-Abigail Wamcz'vith-mnsof 33.49 and 33.86. In the slalom, the Plainwell/TK girls were fourth as a team. VanDemark was third with runs of 38.07 and 35.19 on the bitterly cold evening. Nagel was 11th with runs of 40.77 and 39.70. Wamez placed 21st in the slalom and Sarah Russell was 23 rd - just ahead of teammates Anna Davis and Way. Coach Nagel shared, “as the Trojan Ski team matures, there is more and more com­ petition for varsity spots on both the boys’ and girls squads. This continues to push our skiers and is making us more and more competitive as a team and most important­ ly, really excited about our future.” The Trojans were pleased with the boys’ performance too, especially considering the team was without one of its top racers Liam Troutner. While the Trojan girls were exceptionally strong in the GS Wednesday, Caledonia head coach Duane Petrosky was especially pleased with his girls’ performance in the slalom. The Scots were second to Portage in that event - with both Caledonia and Mat­ tawan/PP scoring 57 points in the slalom behind Portage’s 32. Barbie DeGood paced the Scots in the slalom with runs of 38.54 seconds and 38.83 which put her in eighth place indi­ vidually. “My girls really excelled in slalom tonight,” Petrosky said. “Barbie DeGood led the way for us, she has been Ms. Con­ sistent this season and she is a great exam­ ple for our younger skiers. She pushes her self in practice and also pushes her team mates to be their best too.” Caledonia also had Kyleigh Thompson 15th in the slalom, Mya Baldwin 16th and Evie Schlett 18th. In the GS, the Scots had Barbie DeGood 11 th, Schlett 12^, Baldwin 15“* and Thompson 16^. Mattawan/PP’s Anna Roethlisberger was the champion in both races. She had runs of 27.25 and 27.17 to win the GS and runs of 35.81 and 35.15 to win the slalom. “Kyleigh Thompson and Mya Baldwin both stepped up tonight, these two sopho­ mores have been increasing in speed every race and are a big key to our team’s suc­ cess,” Petrosky said. The Mattawan/Paw Paw boys won on Wednesday with 44.5 points, ahead of Caledonia 64.5, Portage 116, Hudsonville 135, Plainwell/TK 183, South Haven 219, Hackett/Vicksburg 223 and Kalamazoo United 226. Mattawan/PP, Caledonia and Portage have gone 1-2-3 at all three confer­ ence races so far this season. “We really skied well again tonight, but just could not get enough extra speed to get past Mattawan/Paw Paw,” Petrosky said. “Our guys really knocked down some great runs at this meet and I am proud of their efforts on an extremely cold night. Ben DeGood and Tyler Dean traded off leading the team in each event and the rest of our starters chipped in to help when a team mate had a rough run. Our team is 'Sb b^anced 'thatTf'Xve^dTop a'skierduelo a DQ or DNF our next guy is there with a very similar time - the Caledonia Clump as we call it pushes our opponents back in the overall helping keep our score low. “Our challenge is that Mattawan is grab­ bing enough of the top placements we are not blocking them out like in the past.” Ben DeGood tied for fourth in the GS and placed sixth in the slalom for the Scots. Tyler Dean was fourth in the slalom and ninth in the GS. The Scots also had Tyler Roy sixth in the GS, Mason Peters tenth in the GS, Brayden Smith 12^ in the slalom and Sean Rice 13^ in the slalom. Dillon Vliestra led the Trojan boys’ team with an eighth-place slalom finish and a 12th-place time in the GS. The Trojan team also had Travis Barton 25^ in the slalom and 23rd in the GS. Colin Gritter was 31st in the slalom and 27^ in the GS. Matteo Garbarino scored with a 22nd-place GS time and Elijah Korrek was 35^ in the slalom. Portage’s Daniel Grile was the individ­ ual champ in the GS with runs of 25.58 and 26.45 and Hudsonville’s Treyton Har­ rell scored the runner-up position with times of 26.51 and 26.43. Ian Bradley from Mattawan/PP took the slalom title for the day with runs of 34.73 and 35.01. Grile was the slalom runner-up. Cedar Springs cheers to pair of wins over Thornapple Kellogg Brett Bremer Hastings senior Carly Warner works against pressure from Marshall's Sydney Feasel just over halfcourt during the second half Friday night at Hastings High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor The Trojans have a challenger. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity competi­ tive cheer team was bested for the first time this season when it hosted the second OK Gold Conference jamboree of the season on the mats in Middleville Thursday. Cedar Springs was a little over eight points better than the TK ladies in round two and then edged the Trojans in round three to ulti­ mately finish a little over eight points ahead in first place. Cedar Springs also edged the Trojans for the top spot Saturday, by about a point and a half, at the LMCCOA Scholar­ ship Invitational hosted by Byron Center High School. The Red Hawks finished the day Thursday with 755.08 points, besting TK at 747.00, Forest Hills Eastern 658.30, Wayland 594.50, Catholic Central 571.70 and Kenowa Hills 380.36. The TK girls had the best round one score at 229.70, then added a 209.60 in round two and 307.70 in round three. Cedar Springs was a little more than a point behind the Trojans following round one after opening the day with a score of 228.40. The Red Hawks added 217.78 points in round two and 308.90 in round three. The Trojans and Red Hawks were both about 60 points ahead of the nearest compet­ itors heading into round three. TK and Cedar Springs are now tied atop the conference standings. The conference was set to get together again for its third and final jamboree Wednes­ day, Feb. 2, at Wayland Union High School. Cedar Springs won Saturday with a total of 723.64 points. TK put together a three-round score of 722.18 at Byron Center. Mason was third with 711.24 points, ahead of Byron Center 705.94 and Reeths-Puffer 702.14 in the top five. A ten-point deduction in round two hurt the Trojans’ final total. TK nearly passed the Red Hawks with their round three performance which scored 303.90 points. TK was the only one of the 16 Division 2 teams competing Saturday to score more than 300 points in round three. Cedar Springs put up a round three tally of 285.20. TK also had scores of 221.70 in round one and 196.58 in round two. Cedar Springs had a score of 224.00 in round one and 214.44 in round two. TK had the top round three score of the day; Cedar Springs had the top round two score; and Reeths-Puffer had the top round one score at 224.10. �Page 10 — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Delton much better Saxons on top at jamboree; in second go-round second to Lakewood at invite with Schoolcraft boys Valerie Slaughter Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg head coach Jim Hogoboom wasn’t sure the 78-48 on the score­ board at the end of his Panthers’ loss to the Schoolcraft varsity boys’ basketball team Tuesday night showed the kind of improve­ ments his guys have been making lately. When compared to the first meeting between the two teams this season in South­ western Athletic Conference Valley Division action, a 92-13 Eagle victory, it certainly does. The Eagles improved to 10-2 overall and kept a game back of conference leading Parchment with its win at Delton Kellogg High School. The Eagles are now 7-1 in the SAC Valley. DK falls to 4-9 overall and 1-7 in the conference with the loss. “I feel like we continue to get better,” Hogoboom said. “We just gotta eliminate those spurts where we have some breakdowns at both ends of the floor and it leads to runs from the opponent.” Delton Kellogg actually hit more field goals in the ballgame (18-13) than the Eagles, but 15 three-pointers added up for School­ craft. Tyler DeGroote had a team-high 28 points for the Eagles. He hit five threes. Shane Ryske hits six threes and finished with 23 points. He had 19 in the second half to help Schoolcraft fight off a little DK rally. “They have so many weapons, it is very difficult to guard them,” Hogoboom said. “They’re able to spread the floor a little bit and they just leave no room for error. If you’re late, they make shots. I thought out kids competed really hard, got a nice burst in Delton Kellogg varsity boys' basket­ ball head coach Jim Hogoboom tries to tweak his team's defense during a time­ out late in the contest against the Eagles of Schoolcraft Tuesday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) the third quarter from Torren Mapes.” The Panthers were within 12 points mid­ way through the third quarter before the Eagles hit threes on four consecutive posses­ sions, one by DeGroote and three from Ryske, which upped their team’s lead to 20. Alden Whitmore led Delton Kellogg with 18 points and Austin Blocker chipped in 12. Alex Whitmore scored nine points. Delton Kellogg will host Hackett Catholic Central on Hall of Fame Night at DKHS Fri­ day. The Panthers go on the road to face Martin Tuesday. A Saxon stunt group made up of flyer Grace Curtis and her teammates performs during round three of Tuesday evening's Saxon Cheerfest at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity competitive cheer team finished on top of the standings at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference jamboree it hosted Thursday night and. Both the Saxon varsity and middle school teams finished in first place. “We have met many challenges this sea­ son,” Hastings head coach Linsey Jacinto said. “This team continues to face every issue with grace, positivity and strength. All three rounds have changed with each prac­ tice. They continue to put out powerful, passionate rounds. I am proud of their per­ formance, but more so of their character.” The Saxon varsity team received 219.3 points in round one and 193.92 in round two to place them in the lead going into round three with a sub-total of 413.22. Parma Western had the next best point total after round two with 332.28. The Saxons finished with a strong third round scoring 274.4 points to finish the night in first place with 687.62 points, almost a hundred points higher than the next best team. Pennfield finished in second with 590 point ahead of Jackson Northwest with 587.44 points and Parma Western with 566.78 points. In the JV division Harper Creek finished with 544.60 points and Jackson Northwest ended with 525.5 points. In the middle school division, the Saxon middle school team finished the night in first place with 361.22 points. Hastings was back at it at home for its own Saxon Cheerfest Tuesday evening. The Saxon Cheer team hosted a home meet with Lakewood, Delton and Constan­ tine competing in the varsity division. Lakewood’s team pulled of a strong third round scoring 289 points to cap their win with a total of 718.38 points for the night. Hastings finished in second with 679.30, and Delton finished third with a total of 568.32 points. The Vikings from Lakewood came out strong with an opening round of 223 points, with Hastings trailing by less than 10 points with 220.1. After round two, Lakewood increased its lead with a subtotal of 429.38 points,’. Hastings remained in second with 407.8, and Delton in third with 322.12. Delton Kellogg center Alex Whitmore (54) makes a strong move to the rim over Schoolcraft’s Tyler DeGroote (24) during their SAC Valley bailgame at DKHS Tuesday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Vikings best Utica to close day in Richmond with third place finish Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity wrestling team placed third Saturday at the Richmond Alumni Duals besting Utica 43-34 in the match for third. Host Richmond defeated Stoney Creek 66-3 in the championship match, after Stoney Creek had edged the Vikings 36-33 in a tough dual. Lakewood began the day with a 66-18 win over Flint Kearsley and then knocked off L’Anse Cruse 52-25. The Vikings’ Zac Gibson and Daniel Krebs were both 4-0 for the day. Brenden Straub, Gavin Vaughn, Nathaniel Graham, Eastin Stank and Ashton Clark had three wins apiece. Stony Creek and Lakewood went back and forth in their round three dual. Vaughn got the team started off with a 7-2 win over Zach Hagar at 171 pounds. Stoney creek then got decisions from Adam Bazzi and Brett Moroschan at 189 and 215 to bump their team into a three-point lead. Stank scored the first pin of the dual in the heavyweight match, sticking Roman Lambert in 55 seconds to nudge Lakewood ahead 9-6. The Vikings though gave up those six points forfeiting the 103-pound weight class. Clark added a pin for the Vikings at 112. Stoney Creek took a major decision from Cade Odrobina at 119 and a pin from David Kearney at 125 to go up 20-15. Stoney Creek then got a big 11-9 sudden victory win from Collin Oliver in the 130-pound match against the Vikings’ Christian Harton. Lakewood took the lead again with Gibson winning by injury default at 135 and Krebs scoring a pin 52 seconds into his 140-pound match. A pin by Raffler at 152 pounds wasn’t enough to keep the Vikings in front in the end however, even with the help of a penalty point taken away from Stoney Creek. In the dual with Utica to close the day, the Vikings got pins from Graham at 189 pounds, Stank at 285, Clark at 112, Harton at 125 and Gibson at 135. Adrian DelCura took a forfeit win for Lakewood at 215 pounds. Krebs scored an 8-0 major decision against Utica’s Nathan Guty at 140 and Straub bested Thaddeus Kustarz 10-5 at 160 pounds. Lakewood will be at Olivet Saturday for the Greater Lansing Activities Conference Tournament. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Delton Kellogg's Lily Boze (front) and Emily Stoneburner perform during the Saxon Cheerfest Tuesday night at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) TKHS grapplers finish off 6-0 season of OK Gold mat duals Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg varsity wrestling team finished off its undefeated OK Gold Conference season of duals with wins over Grand Rapids Catholic Central Wednesday (Jan. 26) in Middleville and a victory over Forest Hills Eastern in Ada Tuesday. The Trojans scored a 66-15 conference win over visiting Grand Rapids Catholic Central while also tallying a 40-26 win in its crossover with OK Silver Conference mem­ ber Belding last week. Thomapple Kellogg got pins from Lane Cross at 189 pounds, Austin Chivis at 171, Matthew Middleton at 160, Jayce Curtis at 152, Zack Gibson at 140 and Ashton Corson at 130 pounds in the dual with the GRCC Cougars. TK picked up forfeit wins thanks to Chris­ tian Miller, Micah Bowerman, Hunter Pitsch, Kenny Simon and Blake Bush as well. The only six minute match of the dual was at 135 pounds where Catholic Central’s Lee Braun edged TK’s Andrew Middleton 7-2. The Cougars also got a pin from Will Smith in the heavyweight match. Belding and TK actually both had five wrestlers earn victories in contested matches in their dual Wednesday, but TK was boosted by forfeit wins by Miller at 103 and Bower­ man at 112. Neither team wrestled a 119-pounder. TK got pins from Pitsch at 125 pounds, Corson at 130 and Gibson at 140. Chivis opened the dual for TK with a 7-3 win over Belding’s Matthew Massman at 171 pounds. The Belding team then won the 189, 215 and 285-pound weight classes with pins from Jack Ward at 189 and Isaac Casey at 285. Ethan Schmid from Belding earned a 12-2 major decision. Andrew Middleton scored a 5-1 decision against Belding’s Blake Peasley in the 135pound bout and Matthew Middleton won-a 10-2 major decision in his 160-pound match with Gavin Craner. Belding got a pin from Anthony Szubinski at 145 pounds and Bretten Wilson scored a major decision for the Black Knights at 152. At Forest Hills Eastern High School Tues­ day night, TK scored a 57-15 victory over Forest Hills Eastern to finish off the OK Gold duals while also besting Godwin Heights in a Silver crossover 69-12. Jayden Garcia at 285 pounds and Gibson at 145 had pins for TK in the dual with FHE. TK benefitted from the Hawks having voids at seven weight classes. Hunter Pitsch got TK its first points of the dual with a 5-4 win over the Hawks’ Ethan Smith in the 125-pound match, TK picked up eight wins against voids in the Godwin line-up, while adding pins from Andrew Middleton, Curtis and Chivis. Cross scored a 6-5 decision for TK in his 215-pound bout wfith the Wolverines’ Rigo Contreras. . In between those two Gold/Silver quads; TK took the championship at the Saline Super Duals Saturday. TK bested Roosevelt 52-24, Saline 66-9, Romeo 37-26, Woodhav­ en 60-20 and Northville 51-19. , �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 3, 2022 — Page 11 ITK still in striking distance of repeat in Gold Brett Bremer Sports Editor J The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ bowling team hit double-digit victories in the OK Gold Conference once again with a 16-14 ivin over visiting Cedar Springs at Hastings Bowl Monday afternoon. , The TK ladies are now 10-1 in the confer­ ence and 11-1 overall on the season as they try to defend their conference crown from a year ago. The win Monday was the second of the season against the Red Hawks. Wayland }vas the only team to best the Trojans the first time through the conference schedule. The rematch with the Wildcats is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 7, at Hastings Bowl. ' The win Monday was every bit as close as the final score showed. The two team split the two regular games with the Red Hawks tak­ ing the overall pinfall by just eight pins 1,419 to 1,411. I TK managed just enough wins in head-tohead match-ups to secure the victory while faking the overall pinfall as the teams split the two Baker games as well. > Faith Foster picked up a big two points for ihe Trojans with games of 225 and 171. That 171 was just four pins better than Cedar springs Chloe Fisk in the second game. Savannah Rehfeldt also picked up a slim vic­ tory in the second game for TK with a 100 that bettered her Cedar Springs foe Lily Fish­ er by five pins. ■ Those were the only two head-to-head points the TK girls picked up in the second regular game. They had won four of the first five head-to-head points thanks to wins by Foster, Allison Hess, Emily Podbevsek and Paige Green. Hess rolled a 108 in the opener fo pick up a team point and combined with Podbevsek for a 112 in game two. Podbevsek had a winning score of 124 in the opener and Green won with a 163. » A solid 148 from Sara Willshire for TK in game one was bested by Cedar Springs’ Kayla Walters who rolled a 187. Kaisa Maki had the high individual total for the afternoon with a 206 in game two for the Red Hawks. • Green rolled a 140 in her second game. Willshire followed up her 148 with a 120 in game two. Thornapple Kellogg's Emily Podbevsek sends a shot towards the pins during the Trojans' win over visiting Cedar Springs at Hastings Bowl Monday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK won the opening Baker game 140-114. The Red Hawks took the second 105-97. The TK boys are now 7-4 in the conference and 8-4 overall this winter. Cedar Springs scored a 22-8 win over the TK boys Monday. Wyatt Jacobson tallied a pair of team points for TK with his games of 203 and 204. Ethan Kriekaard split his two head-to-head match-ups with the Red Hawks’ Cody Mar­ shall. Marshall outscored Kriekaard 205-203 in the opener, but Kriekaard rallied for a 225­ 200 win in game two. As a team, the Red Hawks won both reg­ ular games by the scores of 854-846 and 918-847. The two boys’ teams split the Bak­ ers with TK winning the opener 168-157. Cedar Springs took a 228-164 win in Baker number two. TK’s other individual point game from Donnie Rosendall who rolled a 173 in game one. He rolled a 137 in the second game. Nolan Clous scored a 162 for TK and teamed with Wyatt Barnes for a 146 in game two. Z Moore scored a 121 for the Trojans and Jacob Chapman tallied a 119 game. Against the Kenowa Hills Knights at West­ gate Lanes last Wednesday (Jan. 26), the Trojan girls won both Baker games with scores of 118 and 132 and both regular games with pin counts of 576 and 420 and took an overall victory by the score of 27-2. Willshire, Podbevsek and Rehfeldt won Thomapple Kellogg's Ethan Kriekaard fires a shot down the alley during the Trojans' OK Gold Conference dual with Cedar Springs at Hastings Bowl Monday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) two match points each. Rehfeldt had games of 103 and 88. Willshire rolled a 116 and a 136. Podbevsek scored a 121 and a 98. TK also got a point from Hess who rolled a 120 and Green who had solid efforts of 116 and 98. The TK boys were bested 28-2 by Kenowa Hills at Westgate Bowling Center Wednesday in what was the Knights’ second win over the TK boys this winter. Jacobson won half a team point for the TK boys in the loss, rolling games of 180 and 172. Kriekaard won one match point with a 169 and a 152. Rosendall took a half a point for TK too with games of 152 and 165. Moore rolled games of 145 and 140 for TK, Clous scored a 129 and Chapman and Barnes combined to score a 113. The Knights won the two Baker games 181-147 and 180-149. In the two regular games the Knights won 816-759 and 883-758. Hastings boys edge Cardinals for DK set to honor second straight 1-8 victory one of its top female athletes ever Friday Brett Bremer Sports Editor . The Hastings varsity boys’ bowling Team openea the week with back-to-back Interstate-8 Athletic Conference victories Monday and Tuesday at Hast­ ings Bowl. ‘ The Saxons pulled out a 16-14 win over the Coldwater Cardihals Tuesday afternoon despite dropping both of the Baker games to their guests. ; Hastings took the two regular games while adding the six head-to-head points they needed to take the team victory. Gage Richmond earned two of those individual points with games of 199 and 181 for the Saxons. ’ Deagan Wilkins, Miles Lipsey, Cam Eaton and Drew Rhodes each picked up one point for the team. Wilkins rolled a 189 to secure his point. Eaton did it with a 168 game. Lipsey won with a 153. Rhodes scored a 172 to pick up his point. The Saxon boys scored a 28-2 win over Parma Western Mon­ day. ; Richmond, Lipsey and Eaton won two points each. Lipsey had games of 181 and 161. Eaton rolled a 142 and a 179,.Richtnond scored a 154 and a 191. Hastings also got points thanks to a 185 from Jackson Byers and a 148 from Rhodes. The Saxons won the two reg­ ular games overall and took the two Bakers with games of 195 and 164. The Hastings girls also won Monday against Parma Western, 29-1. ’ The Saxons' Jackson Byers unleashes a throw during his 185-game at Hastings Bowl Tuesday. Byers and the Hastings boys scored a 28-2 win over the Parma Western boys. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Andrea Rhodes, Abby Barton, Amber Rabideau and Shyanna Baker won two team points each for the Hastings girls and Ally Herder took one. The high series of the day came thanks to a pair of 167s for Andrea Rhodes. Barton won her points with scores of 132 and 156. Baker won her games with scores of 130 and 146. Rabideau rolled a 146 and a 115 to win her two points. Herder’s winning game was a 148. The Saxons took the two The Saxons' Amber Rabideau lets a throw go down the late during her team's Interstate-8 Athletic Conference victory over visiting Parma Western at Hastings Bowl Monday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Baker games with scores of 167 and 160. Coldwater bested the Saxon girls 26-4 Tuesday. Baker, Rabideau and Herder won team points. Baker earned hers with a 156. Rabideau picked one up with a 126. Herder won a point with a 149 and also rolled a 162 in a losing effort. Last Thursday, Jan. 27, the Saxon teams were both bested by Marshall at Marshall Lanes on the road in the conference. The Redhawk boys won 22-8 and the Redhawk girls took al 7­ 13 victory. The Saxons rolled well despite the defeat. Eaton had a highgame of 189 and Lipsey 215 for the Hastings boys, while their team also got a 180 and a 168 from Byers, a 172 from Rich­ mond and a 170 from Rhodes. Andrea Rhodes rolled a 191 for the Hastings girls and Barton had games of 153 and 163.Baker scored a 148 and a 129, Rabide­ au rolled a 150 and Herder a 145. Barracudas win after long trip to Fremont pool Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Barry County Barracudas took a 63-30 varsity boys’ swimming and diving victory in a non-conference dual at Fremont Tuesday. Senior Matt Smith took a pair of individual victories for the Barry County team winning the 200-yard individual medley in 2 minutes 29.48 seconds and the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.89. Smith also teamed with Donald Kuck, Jack Kensington and Nolan Send to win the 200yard medley relay in 2:02.78. Barry County took two of the three relays, also winning the 400-yard freestyle relay as the team of Hunter Tietz, Jake Gheradi, Mason Bailey and Kensington finished in 4:15.89. Send added a winning time of 1:01.50 in the 100-yard freestyle, Kuck won the 50-yard free­ style in 27.00 seconds and teammate Mason Cross won the 100-yard butterfly in 1:19.05. Fremont was led by junior Owen Vanden­ berg who won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:06.80 and the 500-yard freestyle in 5:39.00. He also teamed with Parker Lammers, Gabe Jones and Noah Postema to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:49.14. Lammers added a winning time of 1:09.88 in the 100-yard backstroke for the hosts. In OK Rainbow Tier II Conference action last Thursday, Jan. 27, the Barracudas scored a 102-84 win over visiting Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Kensington, Devin Pacillo, Smith and Send capped off the victory with a winning time of 3:57.95 in the 400-yard freestyle. The Barracudas opened the dual with a 1 -2 finish in the 200-yard medley relay. Kuck, Riley Shults, Smith and Kensington won the race in 1:56.70 and the team of Pacillo, Isaiah Randall, Camden Reynolds and Jameson Riordan was second in 2:01.62 - a little over two seconds faster than the best Cougar four­ some in the race. Kensington went on to win the 200-yard individual medley in 2:26.68 and the 100yard butterfly in 1:04.90. Barry County added first place points thanks to Shults’ time of 54.41 in the 100yard freestyle and Pacillo’s time of 5:57.70 in the 500-yard freestyle. Catholic Central had three different guys win individual events. Charlie Lindemann took the 200-yard freestyle in 2:09.29. Sebas­ tian Deimel won the 50-yard freestyle in 25.06. Will Schwallier won the diving com­ petition with a score of 261.70 points. The Cougar team of Patrick Hart, Matthew Cowden, Lindemann and Deimel won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:43.18. Hall of Fames were made for performers like Adrianna (Culbert) Blackman. Blackman will be officially inducted into the Delton Kellogg High School Ath­ letics Hall of Fame Friday during a cere­ mony at halftime of the varsity boys’ bas­ ketball game against visiting Hackett Cath­ olic Central. It is a double header with the girls’ and guys’ teams both in action. Culbert was a Miss Volleyball Finalist in her senior year at DKHS. In four varsity volleyball seasons she helped guide the Panther program to a state runner-up finish in 2009 and a return trip to the state quar­ terfinals in Class B in 2011. “I am deeply honored by being nominat­ ed into the Delton Kellogg Athletic Hall of Fame. I cannot express how grateful I am for all the people who have helped shape my life in sports along the way. From for­ mer teammates, to my coaches, to my family,” Culbert said in a statement provid­ ed by DKHS. “I especially would like to thank coach [Rick] Williams, coach [Jack] Magelssen and coach Mike Mohn. Not only did they help make me into the best athlete I could be during my time at Delton Kellogg, but they also taught me life lessons I will always hold dear to my heart. Each one of you poured into so many athletes over the years but always find a way to have unique, impactful relationships with each player. It is because of you that I had aspirations to become a coach myself. “I would lastly like to thank the ones dearest to my heart, my family. My mom, Carla, for driving me to every practice and competition under the sun and always being there to cheer me on. Flying all over the country to watch me compete, my big­ gest supporter! To all my siblings for lov­ ing me and pushing me only the way 6 siblings can do.” Blackman is the daughter of Carla Poignard and Sam Culbert and a sibling to Kori, Amanda, Alex, Abby, Zac and Zeb. She was a three-sport athlete competing in volleyball, basketball and track at DKHS. She earned first team all-state honors in volleyball three times, among her many honors in the sports, and went on to earn the same type of accolades at Colorado State University where she was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2015. Blackman was four-time All-KVA in volleyball and basketball in high school, and twice earned first-team all-state hon­ ors. She is the only player in Delton Kel­ logg basketball history with more than 1,000 points and more than 1,000 rebounds in a varsity career. She was also a four-time All-KVA award winner in track and field. She earned 12 varsity letters at DKHS and was named the the top Female Athlete of the Class of 2011. She earned academic all-state honors in both volleyball and basketball. Blackman played four years of volley­ ball at Colorado State where she was three times a Mountain West all-conference ath­ lete. She was named AVCA third team All-American as a senior in 2015. After completing her undergraduate degree she went on to play a year of beach volleyball at the University of South Carolina. Blackman currently lives in Colorado with her husband Elijah Blackman and their amazing twins, Elianna an Israel. She is currently an assistant volleyball coach at Colorado State University where she has been named to the 40 Under 40 Hotshots in Volleyball Magazine and serves on the AVCA Assistant Coaches Committee as the Mountain West Representative. 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BARRY COUNTY, Ml (^FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER Announces its ANNUAL MEETING will be held Thursday, Feb. 17,2022 11:45 A.M. Leason Sharpe Hall Barry Community Enrichment Center 231 S. Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 - THE PUBLIC IS INVITED RSVP required by Feb. 10,2022 269-945-5439 �Page 12 —Thursday, February 3, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Viking cheer scores its second GLAC win of 2022 Brett Bremer Sports Editor It is a winter of growth for the two area varsity competitive cheerleading teams in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference. The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team is poised to take its 13tfl consecutive conference championship after scoring its second GLAC victory of the season at the jamboree it hosted Wednesday, Jan. 26, at Lakewood High School. While the Vikings are clearly the class of the conference once again, besting runner-up Leslie by over 100 points Wednesday, the Maple Valley girls who were fourth Wednes­ day are making strides as a program as well. Lakewood took the varsity victory with an overall score of 737.22. Leslie was second at 629.90, ahead of Perry 615.10, Maple Valley 572.30, Stockbridge 547.28 and Webberville 468.82. The Vikings have taken championships at all of their competitions so far this season: two GLAC jamborees, Friday night’s Lake­ wood Invitational and the Maple Valley New Year Invitational where they came out on top of their division but were a tiny bit disap­ pointed not to have outscored Charlotte from the group of larger schools at the meet. “We have got to be cleaner. This is a very young team. The bulk of this team is fresh­ men and sophomores,” Lakewood head coach Kim Martin said after Wednesday’s GLAC jamboree. “There are a lot who did not cheer in middle school. There are a lot of new cheerleaders on this team, a lot of brand, brand new cheerleaders.” The Vikings held off on competing early in the season just to have a little extra time to prepare. The Lakewood freshmen on the team didn’t get to cheer at all last winter because the programed canceled its season due to the pandemic. “We’ll get there. We improve every day. Every meet it gets a little better,” Martin said. “We had a cleaner round one and a little bit cleaner round three.” The Vikings had scores of 227.20 in round one, 212.32 in round two and 297.70 in round three. Martin highlighted round two as a spot that needs some work, but also said her girls’ Jessy Weber and the Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team perform a jump during round two of the GLAC jamboree at Lakewood High School Jan. 26. (Photo by Brett Bremer) round two skills looked outstanding during the round two warm-up so the potential is clearly there to keep improving scores. The Lions had the third-best round two score of the day and the program also got to celebrate a victory b^'the Maple Valley Mid­ dle School team Wednesday. The area youth program and middle school program is paying dividends for the high school program at this point at Maple Valley. Lion head coach Sarah Huissen guessed it had been five years or more since the varsity team was able to put three stunt groups on the mat in round three. There have been times when the Lions cheered with just one group over the past few seasons. “It has been pretty exciting. My team is all beginners. We have freshmen and sopho­ mores and exchange students,” Huissen said. “It is pretty exciting. They’re a good group. They work hard. They’re dedicated and they’re motivated. Every competition they’re pushing each other'and really just trying to get that next best thing with hitting it or put­ ting in a new stunt.” The ‘next big thing’ Wednesday for the Lions was starting to work in three twist cra­ dles to improve their scores through a round three choreography bonus. The Vikings are working to make sure their twist cradles are ready for the postseason too. “Tonight they had a little bobble with a cradle, but they kept going. I always tell them, ‘you can only do what you can do’ and you just have to pick up and keep going - and they did that,” Huissen said. “We made some changes Monday, quickly, and then yesterday so it was pretty quick. We’re hoping by next week we’ll be ready to go to push towards the end of the season.” Young student athletes who already have some gymnastics tumbling experience from earlier seasons of cheer at lower levels are especially key to the round two scores. Huis­ sen was happy to have most of her girls come into the season with solid cartwheels to show off in round two. Maple Valley scored a total of 166.40 points in round one, 163.50 in round two and 242.40 in round three. Huissen said her team was a little cleaner at its previous competition, last Saturday’s Maple Valley New Year Invitational. The second-place. team from Leslie had scores of 217.60 in round one, 183.40 in round two and 228.90 in round three Wednesday. Lakewood's stunt groups near the conclusion of their round three performance at the Greater Lansing Activities Conference jamboree at Lakewood High School Jan. 26. The Vikings took their second win in two conference events this season. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Maple Valley's Sophia Rose performs the splits with her teammates during round two of the GLAC jamboree at Lakewood High School Wednesday (Jan. 26). (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons look for third straight title in 1-8 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Saxon wrestlers continued their win­ ning streak in the Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence on Wednesday (Jan. 26) dominating Parma Western 46-19 on the mat at Hastings High School. Both teams were undefeated in conference duals heading into the evening. Hastings head coach Jason Slaughter said, “it’s always fun getting to wrestle under the lights in front of the home crowd. It makes it more exciting being that we were both 6-0 in the 1-8 going into the dual. We knew that they would be tough but the team did really well. We won ten out of 14 match ups. Winning sets us up nice for the 1-8, but we still have to get the job done Saturday.” The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Tour­ nament will be at Hastings High School this Saturday, with the Saxons pushing for their third consecutive conference title. They go into the tournament with the lead thanks to their 7-0 performance in conference duals. Hastings' Dillon Neal scores nearfall points during his win over Parma's Elijiah Crish. Neal went on to an 18-5 major decision. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) JOIN OUR TEAM* Now Hiring: • • • • • • The large crowd last Wednesday brought an extra layer of excitemppt. The dual started with a win for the Panthers at 189-pounds when Aiden Duncan had a 9-6 decision over Hast­ ings’ Blake Barnum. Freshman Isaac Friddle came out and put the Saxons back in the lead with a pin, but then Parma took the heavy­ weight match on a 8-0 major decision putting them back in the lead 7-6, before the Saxons started a run at 103-pounds. Saxons took the next four matches with a pin from freshman Troy Hokanson, a major decision by Dillon Neal (18-5), a 6-4 decision by Zach Chipman, and then a 2-1 decision by Colton Smith. Those wins moved the Saxons into a 22-7 lead. The Panthers pulled out a pin in the third period at both 130 and 145-pounds, but the Saxons had a 6-2 decision win at 135-pounds for Hayden Simmet and an 11-5 decision at 140-pounds for Cohen Smith for a 28-19 lead. The Saxons clinched their victory scoring pins in the next three matches from three of their captains Mason Denton at 152-pounds, Robby Slaughter at 160 and Victor Ramirez at 171 to end the dual 46-19. The win for Robby Slaughter marked his 100th varsity win for the Saxons. Coach Jason Slaughter said, “Robby had a good match. Proud of him for his 100th win. It’s a tough thing to do as a junior especially considering he had a shortened season last year as a sopho­ more.” The Hastings wrestlers traveled to Forest Hills Northern on Saturday. The Saxons wres­ tled their way to another team trophy after a 5-0 day. Hastings defeated Forest Hills Eastern in the first round, 60-12, and then made quick work of Ottawa Hills with an 81-0 shut out over the Bengals. Round three was the toughest match up of The Saxons' Troy Hokanson works to pin George Willmer of Forest Hills Northerri during the FHN Duals Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) the day with an exciting victory over home team Forest Hills Northern, who finished the day 4-1. Coach Slaughter said, “it was an excit­ ing match against Northern. It was exciting seeing how our guys got fired up for the middle of the day non-conference dual and showed how all competition is important to them.” The Huskies took the lead with a pin at 145-pounds to start the dual. The Saxons returned the pin with a fall by Robby Slaughter in the third period over Huskie, James Harvey, and then a forfeit at 160-pounds for Bodey Jacobs. The Saxons lost the next two matches and were down 18-12. Hastings then took the next three matches with a 13-11 overtime win for Friddle at 215-pounds, and two pins at heavyweight and 103-pounds by Jackson Dubois and Hokanson, to put the Saxons up 27-18. However, the Hus­ Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters Apply at: caascm.org/careers ♦Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and state mandates including Covid-19 vaccination compliance. https://qrco.de/bcgX71 Hastings' Isaac Friddle secures a pin over Parma's Braxton Nichols during the Saxons' 1-8 victory over the visiting Panthers Wednesday, Jan. 26. The Saxons improved to 7-0 in conference duals with the victory over the Parma Western team which also came into the evening with a perfect conference record. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) kies then took the next two matches to tie the dual up at 27-27. The Saxons and Huskies exchanged decisions at 119 and 125-pounds" with the Saxons getting a 10-6 decision frdnl Chipman, to bring the match to 30-30. • Simmet won a 6-4 overtime decision at 135-pounds to put the Saxons up 33-30, as the match came down to the 1401b match up with Denton and Noah Garces from Northern. Den­ ton had a huge comeback in the third period^ losing a decision would have tied the match? but Denton was able to catch Garces and get the pin with 20 seconds remaining on the clock. The Saxons won the dual 39-30. Coach Slaughter commented, “Denton showed a lot of heart getting the come from behind win to seal the deal on the dual.” Senior captain Denton said “I’m proud of our team for pulling out some wins on closd matches. I knew going into this match the team win was riding on the outcome. I felt I was in the match the whole time, pulling of scoring moves just outside the circle. My opponent was tired in the end and I was confident I could get him if he stayed in the circle. That’s some­ thing about our team that makes us stand out from the rest - we have the stamina to compete through the third period.” Coach Slaughter was proud of the team, “they did well, tied the record for most dual wins in a season. Robby and Jackson did well going 5-0 against solid competition. Isaac and Troy are doing very well as freshman and also went 5-0. They are fun to watch as they both go after it.” The Saxons went on to defeat East Kent­ wood 69-8 and then finish the day with a win against Parchment 78-3. The Saxon team has now tied the school record for most dual wins in a season with a record of 31 -6 going into the District tournament next week, where they will face Wayland in the first round of the Michigan High School Athletic Association team tournament. ‘ Hastings B varsity team also traveled tq Jonesville on Saturday. They had two wrestlers go 4-1 for the day - Jordan Humphrey and Isaiah Wilson; and two Saxons that had 3 wins for the day - Ben Furrow and Justus Forell. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-02-10.pdf 8257a0720e18c183d3f2d3b94f9898d9 PDF Text Text COVID case numbers show significant drop in county America is teetering on a debt of $30 trillion Saxons and Trojans win conference championships See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Stories on Page 12 804879110187 1070490102590502981849058113421 Richard Hemertins Xw^9058’1l3^0i2022 9:47 00W Thursday, February 10, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 6 PRICE $1.00 Township puts county facility on tax roll Hastings Township, Thornapple Manor debate triggered by new facility Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Harvest Pointe, the new 50-unit assisted living facility at Thomapple Manor, will be added to Hastings Charter Township’s tax roll, township Supervisor Jim Brown said during Tuesday’s township board meeting. Township officials may go ahead and do that, but Thomapple Manor Administrator Don Haney said they aren’t going to be pay­ ing any township tax bills. As a government-owned facility, Thomap­ ple Manor is tax-exempt, Haney said. “That’s clear. That’s black and white. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” he told township officials Tuesday. Thomapple Manor was asking township officials to sign a sewer agreement for its new assisted living facility, Harvest Pointe, a $14 million, 50-unit building expected to open this summer. Then the conversation turned to taxes. Although the issue, as it pertains to Thor­ napple Manor, has come up before, township officials had never moved to put the develop­ ment on the tax roll. That changed with Har­ vest Pointe. The township has two other assisted living facilities nearby, Cornerstone and Cedar Creek, Brown pointed out. The county-owned Thornapple Manor should not be receiving any special treatment, he said. “Unfortunately, we’re looking ment facility, meaning it is at that project out there as some­ exempt from paying taxes. thing that is basically n compe­ In Brown’s view, Harvest tition with every other assisted Pointe is going to put that facility living facility in Barry County,” in “direct competition with pri­ Brown said. vate enterprise.” In an interview with The Ban­ At the township meeting, ner, Haney said he doesn’t Wayne Pumford stood up to expect that Thomapple Manor agree. will have to pay taxes on its Pumford runs Cornerstone, an assisted living development; assisted living community just Harvest Pointe is not a separate one minute from Thomapple entity from Thomapple Manor. Manor. Township Supervisor “I don’t know what’s going to Jim Brown In an interview with The Ban­ happen when [the township] ner, Pumford said he is “supsends me a tax bill because we’re not going to portive” of Thomapple Manor and often pay it,” he said. refers people to the skilled nursing facility The issue ultimately will have to be when Cornerstone cannot meet their needs. appealed to the state. But, as an assisted living community, Har­ Haney said he’s not worried. vest Pointe will offer a kind of care that’s Thomapple Manor is a county and govemdifferent from Thomapple Manor. Because of Schools report enrollment’s initial count See TAX, page 3 Social media-threat suspect held on bond Taylor Owens Staff Writer ■- -* ■ Michigan^' spring count was 5^sterday, and some Barry County school district offi­ cials were able to announce their preliminary numbers. Hastings Area Schools reported an initial, unaudited count of 2,497.89. That number is slightly down from the fall count of 2,516.17. “We are very happy with the count num­ bers, based on everything that has been going on in the world the past two years,” Superin­ tendent Matt Goebel said. Lakewood Public Schools reported a student count of 1,648, which Superintendent Steve Skalka said was one lower than the fall count. Skalka said the spring count is usually lower, due to dropouts or early graduations. “If everything holds true, we’d be very pleased,” Skalka told The Banner. At Thomapple Kellogg Schools, the pre­ liminary spring count number is up by four students from the fall 2021 count. The num­ ber went from 3,158 to 3,162, Superintendent Craig McCarthy said. “We’re moving in the right direction,” McCarthy said. Maple Valley Schools reported a prelimi­ nary count of 900.81, compared to 933.28 in the fall. Delton Kellogg Schools did not have a number available on Wednesday afternoon. The numbers from the spring and fall counts are combined to form the school’s enrollment count, which determines how much per-pupil funding each district will receive from the State of Michigan. The spring count is weighed much less heavily than the fall count, however, repre­ senting just 10 percent of the total enroll­ ment, compared to the fall count which rep­ resents 90 percent. The counts also are subject to change over the next several weeks, as districts will update for absent students, those in COVID19 quarantine, or who attend school part­ time. That number will then be audited before it is used to determine state funding. Staff Writers Benjamin Simon and Greg Chandler contributed to this report. that, Pumford said he believes Harvest Pointe should pay taxes. “I think it’s going to have a direct impact, especially being right across the road with people driving in and, and the ‘wow’ factor that people want something new versus something that’s a little older,” he said. During the meeting, Haney said he did not understand why competition should sub­ ject Thomapple Manor to taxation. “Thomapple Manor is in direct competi­ tion with providers - for-profit and not-forprofit providers,” Haney pointed out. “That really has no bearing on the law.” Township officials are asking questions of the wrong people, he added. “Your argument is in Lansing,” he told them. “The state Legislature has made that Greg Chandler Connor Bauer, 18, of Grand Rapids, was arraigned on four charges in connection with the social media threat that closed Thomapple Kellogg schools on Jan. 20. His attorney, William Renner of Coldwater, on left, told the judge he had not read the full report and pleaded not guilty on behalf of his client Tuesday. (Photos by Benjamin Simon) Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt tells the judge that ‘red flags’ about this case prompted her request for the $25,000 bond. Judge Michael Schipper says he made his decision on the bond based on his belief that the defendant presents ‘a serious threat.’ Staff Writer An 18-year-bld Grand Rapids man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to four charges in connec­ tion with a social media threat to Thomapple Kellogg High School Jan. 20. Connor John Bauer is being held on a $25,000 cash bond after appearing before Barry County District Judge Michael Schip­ per on two counts of making a threat to a school and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime. “I think Mr. Bauer is a serious threat, and that’s how I’m going to look at Mr. Bauer until I learn differently,” Schipper said. Bauer was shackled for his arraignment after being brought in from the Kent County Jail, where he is being held on a probation violation. “I have to take the allegations as they stand, as far as setting bond,” the judge said. “He obviously doesn’t just threaten to do something, which we frequently get - (such as someone who will) write on the bathroom wall: ‘I’m going to blow up the school’ or ‘I’m gonna shoot up the school.’” In Bauer’s case, the judge said, “We have a picture of a gun [on social media], so there is a gun that exists ... that’s unusual. And then somebody who actually travels here, so taking steps to be present - that, to me, is very, very different than many of these [other] cases.” The judge concluded, “I think the irrespon­ sible thing to do would be to take this lightly, because what if we’re wrong? “What if he’s out on a [personal recogni­ zance] bond and he follows through with what he’s allegedly threatened to do? I think the far safer route is to set a cash bond in this case.” With most misdemeanor charges, a suspect is usually allowed to be released on a person­ al recognizance bond, but Prosecuting Attor­ ney Julie Nakfoor Pratt said there were “red flags’* in Bauer’s case that led her to request the $25,000 bond. “Not only was this a threat to the school system - the boys he was threatening to were from TK, one was a relative - he said he was going to shoot. He referenced his affiliation to a gang. Then he posted a picture of himself ‘I think Mr. Bauer is ' a serious threat; and that's how I'm going to look at Mr. Bauer until I learn differently,’ Barry County Judge Michael Schipper with some alcohol and a gun, and then he came to Middleville. “He’s innocent until proven guilty, and I understand that, but my concern is he really took some steps beyond what other people have that we’ve been getting in as school threats,” she added. William Renner of Coldwater, the public defense attorney representing Bauer in this case, challenged her request for the higher bond. “That bond is more attributable to some type of felony matter,” he argued. Renner proposed a personal recognizance bond or a low cash bond. “From what I understand, there’s no overt act that would lead anyone to believe that there was an attempt to commit any of these actions,” he said, suggesting that Bauer not be allowed to use or have access to social media while the case is pending. “I think that would address the issue and concern of the prosecuting attorney,” he said. But Schipper said the fact that the charges are misdemeanors did not weigh into his deci­ sion on setting the cash bond. Instead, he said, he considered Bauer’s record, his actions and the danger he presents to the community. “We have someone here who either has violence in their nature or has mental health issues, given his history,” Schipper said. “He’s already in the system. This isn’t the first time that we’ve had contact in the courts with somebody like this.” See THREAT, page 3 What the school bond request means to Hastings Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Sandy Greenfield graduated from the Hast­ ings Area School System. Her kids graduated from Hastings and her grandkids will gradu­ ate from Hastings. “We used to joke about bleeding blue and gold,” Greenfield said. Greenfield, the Rutland Charter Township treasurer, said she always votes yes on school bonds. She has spent nearly her entire life giving back to the district, she said, and, for 25 years, she has worked backstage at the musicals. She has seen firsthand why the school dis­ trict needs the upgrades. “I went to high school in the old middle school,” she said. “I did the tour. I saw what that gym looks like. I knew how terrible that was.” A few weekends ago, Greenfield moved, cleaned and tagged books in the library at Central Elementary, where her daughter works. They had to close all of the shades to insulate the building, Greenfield said, because the decades-old single-pane win­ dows let in so much air. Yet, as a township treasurer, people often stop in and talk about the bond. She said she hears murmurs of distrust, distaste for more taxes and feelings of disillusionment. “The general feeling from people that come in to pay their tax bill for me is that they don’t really have a lot of faith and trust in how their money is getting spent,” she said. The school district’s most recent bond request failed Aug. 3, 2021, marking the fifth time in four years voters rejected a bond pro­ posal. It has crystallized one of the most polarizing issues in the Hastings community - and that didn’t start after the last bond elec­ tion. Or the one before that. Or the one before that. It has existed for decades. School officials aren’t giving up. In three months, on May 3, they will ask for a bond that follows the same scope as the one voters denied in August. The May 3 bond request When Superintendent Matt Goebel talks about why this bond request is so important, he tells a story that dates back to May 2015. That’s when the district asked voters for a $55 million bond. It failed. So they returned to the voters six months later in November. This time, they pared the request down to $44.6 million. They asked for essential fixes, a new section of the mid­ dle school and a state-of-the-art performing arts center. It passed. That was the last bond that passed. Ever since then, school district officials have con­ tinued to ask voters for the rest of the funds they needed seven years ago, hoping to final­ ly complete the maintenance upgrades that were left out of that November 2015 request. Now, Goebel said, it’s “the fourth quarter.” “I would define this as finishing the job for the basic needs of the district,” he said. That’s part of the reason they decided to come back with the same request that failed in August 2021. Goebel, who took over as superintendent in March 2021, can’t emphasize it enough: The issues they face haven’t disappeared and the longer they wait, the more the district will falter. “These are our dire needs,” he said. “There was nothing to cut.” The proposed bond would generate $23.9 million in revenue with a focus on dis­ trictwide maintenance upgrades to its aging infrastructure. Single-pane windows at Star See SCHOOL, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner SCHOOL, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------and Northeastern elementary schools date back to 1954. Bathrooms at the elementary school date back to 1930. Locker rooms at the middle school date back to 1954. Locker rooms at the high school date back to 1970. Parts of the roof at the high school, the larg­ est price tag, date back to 1997. As a kid in late 1970s, Bob Gaskill remem­ bered walking on the benches in the middle school locker room and thinking “oh, man, this place is old.” Fifty years later, he said, “it’s the same thing. There hasn’t been a change since. ... The tile screams 1950.” The district has gotten the most out of these buildings, added Gaskill, a parent, vol­ unteer and lifelong resident of the district. But it’s time for a change, he said. “I think one of those things that we can show our community and our kids is, ‘if taken care of, things can last a long time.’ And I think that should be emphasized because we have taken care of it. But then there does come a time when they can give way to newer things that are more efficient and and built better, quite frankly, and safer.” The bond also would cover a number of upgrades, such as new security cameras across the district, playground equipment at Northeastern, a repaved parking lot at the middle school and the removal of asbestos and the installation of a PA system at the high school. The bond dollars can only go toward the proposed projects, which were approved by the state. In October, the district received a clean independent audit of its expenses from the 2015 bond, meaning it used all of its funds correctly. The bond would raise the Hastings Area School System tax rate from 6 mills to 6.8 mills - down from 6.9 mills in place during the 2015 bond. They are committed to paying off the debt in fewer than 15 years, even though most districts do so in 25 to 30 years, Goebel said. That 0.8 of a mill would equate to 80 cents per $1,000 of taxable value. The average homeowner in Rutland, for example, Sandy Greenfield said, has $119,872 in taxable value - meaning they would pay about an additional $100. Goebel said it was their priority to keep the tax rate low. “I don’t think it’s right to ask for more than what is needed,” he said. “I would say I’m pretty fiscally conservative when it comes to taxes and when it comes to what we need. Since my time here, I think I’ve shown that.” From a taxpayer standpoint, Gaskill said he feels like he’s saving money in the long run by voting for the bond, adding it is a “return in investment” for the people of the district. “It makes good business sense,” he said. “There’s a reason why, for the last 20 years, businesses have been changing over to LED lighting - it saves them money. There’s a reason why they went from sin­ gle-pane windows to double- and triple-pane windows - it saves them money. And if businesses are doing that to save money, why not do the same as good stewards?” And I wonder how you have been Whenever I think of you I start sighin The bond request strategy On a Monday morning in late January, 11 people sit around a table in the Baltimore Township Hall. Most of them said they will vote “no” when the bond goes to the polls May 3. They bristle at the thought that they’re anti-schools. Many attended the Hastings Area School System and have spent nearly half a century living in the district. “We don’t want to be considered just the constant bitchers and the constant no-peo­ ple,” said Dowling resident Linda Mellen. “But work with us. They aren’t willing to work with us.” “We’re the outsiders,” Jackie Whitmore, another Dowling resident, responded. “We don’t live in the city.” Fundamentally, it starts with money. And money is tight, they said, especially after the pandemic. Whitmore called the timing poor for a bond request. Jerry Greenfield, an outspoken member of the Hastings school district community, reviews information from past bond requests at his home in Hastings Charter Township. (Photo by Benjamin Simon) Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured THE HOTTEST STARS '■ . 4 • . ■ > A ’ A It’s that time of year again : *■ | I do this to keep from cryin For my love for you is you one more time Will you again this year be my Valentine? Xove - Honey Bear "’J DAUGHTRY THE DEARLY BELOVED TOUR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Dick Fox's GOLDEN BOYS Starring FRANKIE AVALON • FABIAN • BOBBY RYDELL FRIDAY, MARCH 25 KENNY LOGGINS • AT THE MOVIES TOUR THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR viSfiFON'” ■■ FIREKEEPERS CASI NO * HOTEL BATTLE CREEK I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. - Hastings Superintendent Matt Goebel “$100 to some people is probably noth­ ing,” she said. “But, to others, it means a whole lot - whether their bill gets paid for electricity this month or whether they’ve got food on their table. So pooh-poohing $100 is not a good thing.” If people give their money somewhere, even as much as $ 100, they said they want to trust that the people who handle their money will use it in their best interests and the inter­ ests of their kids. “You’re getting into people’s pockets and that upsets people,” Whitmore said. “When you start taking money out of people’s pock­ ets, they are not going to like it. “That’s the bottom line.” This is especially true in the rural town­ ships. Sixty-one percent of residents in the City of Hastings, for example, supported the August 2021 bond proposal. But, with the exception of Rutland, residents of the other townships voted largely against the proposal. Only 36 percent of residents in the townships of Assyria, Baltimore, Carlton, Castleton, Hastings, Hope, Irving and Johnstown voted for that bond request. For starters, the people at the Baltimore Township meeting said they feel like the school district doesn’t represent them, it looks down on people in the country and it doesn’t listen to their concerns. “I graduated in 1965 from Hastings High School and it was that way back then,” said Richard VanSyckle. “... If you didn’t go to this church and that type of thing, you weren’t in the clique.” The list of reasons for voting against the bond is long and personal. For some, it dates back to a slight that a previous superintendent made or a football coach who benched their kid. For others, it’s the decrease in vocational classes in the district. For many in Baltimore Township, it’s the closing of the Baltimore Township-based elementary school, Pleasantview, in 2008. Today, not a single school building lies in Baltimore Township. Residents can’t walk to their school or football games. They have to get on the bus at 6:30 a.m., Supervisor Chad VanSyckle said, to make it to school on time. That area worked hard ftx build up Pleasant­ view, VanSyckle said, and they felt aban­ doned when the district closed it. Due to poor financial straits then, district officials decided to close the school, which was running at half capacity, to save money. Fourteen years have passed. Superinten­ dents have changed and school board members have come and gone, but the memory of Pleas­ antview still looms large in that township. “As far as Pleasantview School out here, it just really irritates me,” Whitmore said. “That was a perfectly good school. No issues out there... “Now they want us tb pay for [the bond], but they took our school way out here. That was wrong. Just plain wrong.” The 11 people sitting in the Baltimore Town­ ship Hall might not all have the same issues with the district, but they do have the same desire: They want to be heard. Transparency, they said, is the most important issue for them. “We want to be taken seriously,” Mellen said. Voting is their form of defense, VanSyckle said. It’s a way to demand the attention of the district and “yes” voters. To him, voting “no” doesn’t mean he disapproves of schools, it’s a way to force district officials to hear their concerns and improve the schools. “At least this way, I’m frustrating them,” VanSyckle said. “... [Voting no] is not changing nothing, but at least it’s not throwing money at the problem. I work hard for my money.” Why people vote “no” MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING 'I would define this as finishing the job for the basic needs of the district.' SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS □ miwrtise Supporters of the bond acknowledge that the scope of the bond hasn’t changed since August, but their campaign strategy has. Goebel said he listened to the concerns of vot­ ers after their request failed in August and, this time, he plans to be “even more transparent.” “If you’re more and more open with peo­ ple, they can have an understanding of the overall strategic plan,” Goebel said. The district sent out a newsletter to every home in the district, detailing a timeline of how the district used its funds from the suc­ cessful 2015 sinking fund. Goebel started writing a column in The Banner, “Superin­ tendent’s Comer,” where he updates readers on the status of the school district. Last week’s column broke down how and where the district has used, and will be using, its COVID-19 relief funds. In coming weeks, supporters of the bond plan to advertise in local media outlets and post on social media. They will attend service club and township meetings, and send people out into the community to speak to voters face-to-face. This in-person interaction is important to the campaign, Steering Commit­ tee Treasurer Justin Peck said. “You put a face to someone, they’re more like to buy into it,” he explained. Part of the changes also feature the imple­ mentation of a steering committee, separate from the school district, comprised of five well-known community members, including Last July, the district's director of maintenance and grounds, Dale Krueger, checks out the problems on the high school roof, which represents the largest price tag for a project that's to be covered by the 2022 bond request. (Photo by Benjamin Simon) Danielle Storrs, chairwoman; Justin Peck, trea­ surer; Jeff Domenico, secretary; Chris Cooley and Fred Jacobs. The steering committee will help devise a strategy that will direct the 70-person citizens’ committee that will work on the ground and connect with residents. “[The steering committee] was created to have this bond come from the community,” Peck said. But successfully running a bond campaign is a challenge. In 2016, the Michigan-based Bridge Magazine looked at 1,600 bonds pro­ posed over a 20-year period. Of that total, 51 percent passed. Brett Geier, a Western Michigan Universi­ ty professor of Educational Leadership in K-12 Leadership who studies school bonds, called successful millage campaigns both a “science and an art.” Geier said he has found inequities between rural and suburban/urban districts when levy­ ing bonds. In Metro Detroit or Grand Rapids, for example, property values are higher, allowing the districts to generate more money from a lower millage rate. Rural communities, how­ ever, which often have less industry and lower home values, don’t have that same luxury. While, on average, urban and suburban districts levy the same millage rates, Geier said he has found that rural districts typically levy millage rates 1.5 times higher than their counterparts. In Hastings, the circumstances represent more of a challenge. The school district has to connect with a wide array of voters, stretching from the City of Hastings to the more rural Baltimore Township, where the economy, infrastructure and needs differ. The district covers a total of 173 square miles - over 50 square miles more than the neighboring districts of Thomapple Kellogg or Delton. Goebel said Hastings Area School System has made an effort to work in the townships. They run a recycling program with Hastings Charter Township, for example. They send kids to sing at Thomapple Manor and help rake leaves for the elderly. To educate people across the community, Peck and the steering committee are develop­ ing “an advocacy plan.” They are breaking down all of the minor details of the bond each dollar they will use and each upgrade they will make. In past elections, people have questioned why the district continues to ask for the same facility features. But with thorough, detailed and consistent transparency, the steering committee hopes to show voters that these are different roofs, different lights, different security upgrades than past successful bonds. They said they hope to show where, how and when the dis­ trict would use its bond funds. And, if the request is successful, they will update the taxpayers regularly on how those fimds are being spent. They also are focusing on increasing voter turnout. Only 3,000 of 15,000 registered vot­ ers went to the polls during the Aug. 2021 election. And this, supporters of the bond said, is an issue. “20 percent of the people are making the decisions in this community about something that everybody has a stake in,” said Gaskill, a citizens’ committee member. They have requested records from the Barry County clerk’s office for every regis­ tered voter in the Hastings Area School Sys­ tem. They can’t see how people voted, but they can see who voted in the August 2021 bond election. From there, the steering com­ mittee plans to work with the citizens’ com­ mittee to identify people who “advocate for the schools” but did not vote, Peck said. The citizens’ committee will then get out in the community and make an effort to engage with residents. “In any part of life, you talk to someone who plays in your basketball league and they’re chatting with you about a vote or any­ thing, you’re more likely to listen to them,” he said. With their emphasis on transparency, Peck intends to reach “no” voters naturally and quell some of their concerns. Goebel said he’s open to speaking with anyone - “yes” or “no” voters. “The hope is that we change the mind of ‘no’ voters with some of these things we’re doing,” Peck said. ‘You can never talk to people enough’ ’ Before Brett Geier became a professor at West Michigan, he served as the superinten­ dent with Bloomingdale Public School. With just 1,200 students, Bloomingdale is smaller than Hastings. But it’s also rural and features various “distinct” communities, Bloomingdale, Pullman and Grand Junction, folded into one district - which is 30 minutes west of Kalamazoo. Over a year before proposing a bond in 2007, Geier knew that he would have to earn the trust of his constituents, especially “no” voters. The district needed $5 million and a new turf football field - a tough sell in any community. “The actual work of having people includ­ ed takes the extra effort,” he said. “It takes effort to reach out to places that may not just be around the comer.” So Geier brought voters into the district’s buildings to see where their money would go. He held superintendent coffee sessions and visited the barbershop. He met people “on their turf,” as he called it. “Now that doesn’t necessarily mean send­ ing a newsletter,” he said, “but it means ensuring that activities are done in those com­ munities, that we intentionally target those communities. We don’t just assume that they feel a part of the school, but we have to make them a part of the school.” Geier didn’t want to make everything cen­ tered around Bloomingdale, where the high school is located. He wanted to make sure activities went on in the surrounding commu­ nities, asking the basketball coach to hold practices in Pullman, for example. He also identified one of the district’s major bloc of no-voters: Seniors. A year and a half before the vote, Geier began holding weekly senior lunches. But the lunches weren’t just bond-focused. Instead, they created an opportunity for people to socialize with each other. Still, he made it a point to always bring in something from the schools - like a class of kindergarteners to sing a song. And, by the time the bond came around, he had created relationships with the residents. When he finally did give a presentation about the bond, they listened, asked questions and understood more about the district and why it needed the money. “You can never talk to people enough,” he said. His efforts worked. The bond passed. It’s been 15 years - and the district hasn’t asked for another bond since. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — Page 3 Juveniles face charges in Jan. 13 larceny case Greg Chandler Staff Writer Three teenage boys have been charged in a Jan. 13 incident in which they are accused of trespassing at Thomapple Kellogg High School before leaving to steal a gun and a bottle of alcohol from a nearby residence. The suspects, whose names are not being released because they are juveniles, have been charged with first-degree home invasion, lar­ ceny of firearms, larceny in a building, receiv­ ing and concealing firearms and a weap­ on-free school-zone violation, Barry County Assistant Prosecutor David Banister said. The suspects, according to a Barry County Sheriff’s Department police report, are a 14-year-old from Grand Rapids, a 16-year-old from Wayland and a 14-year-old from Hopkins. According to the police, the suspects got on a school bus at the Yankee Springs Meadows mobile home park and rode it to the high school. They told police they went inside the school and talked to friends before the bell rang for first hour, when they left. After that, they then entered an unoccupied home on Manor Road, about a quarter-mile east of the school, where they stole a bottle of rum, a loaded Glock.45 caliber handgun, 200 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and a black backpack. Then they hid the items in a snow, pile behind a house on Bender Road, across the street from the school, police said. Later, when the school resource officer questioned them, one of them left to retrieve the backpack and returned with it. A deputy searched the backpack and found the stolen items, including the gun. They told police they did not know a gun was in the backpack, although one of them mentioned the gun in the backpack just before the deputy pulled it out of the bag. The teens were then searched and found with nearly $1,000 in cash, which was later deter­ mined to have been stolen, according to police. Thomapple Kellogg school officials .tem­ porarily issued an order to shelter-in-place during the incident. The teens were released into the custody of their legal guardians, police said. One of the suspects has been transferred to Allegan County Juvenile Court for resolution. The other two are currently in the Barry County Juvenile Court process, Banister said. “Discussions will be had with their lawyers to attempt resolution short of trial,” he said. COVID cases see significant drop in Barry County Taylor Owens Staff Writer Barry County reported 358 active cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, a major drop from 650 cases last week and 843 two weeks ago. The Omicron variant drove a surge in cases across Michigan starting late last year, but, much like with previous variants, cases peak­ ed and began to drop after a few weeks, health officials said. The percentage of COVID-19 tests that came back positive dropped to 17.69 percent on Sunday, the lowest percentage since Dec. 27. That also represents a significant drop from the peak of 51.05 percent on Jan. 22. Spectrum Health Pennock reported three patients with COVID-19 are currently hospi­ talized, and none of those cases are in the intensive care unit. / Health officials have said the Omicron vari­ ant was more contagious, but less lethal, which appears to have been borne out by those cases in Barry County. Although the case count increased in Barry County after Omicron was confirmed in the region, there were fewer deaths. According to the Barry-Eaton District Health Department, there were 1,294 cases of COVID in November, with 23 deaths. Those numbers were higher in January, at 1,951, with 12 deaths attributed to COVID that month. Several long-term care facilities did report a rise in COVID cases among residents on Feb. 2. According to the State of Michigan, Stone Ridge Assisted Living and Adult Foster Care reported 11 cases among its residents, Thor­ napple Manor reported four cases, Hastings Rehab and Healthcare Center had three, Carveth Village reported two and Woodlawn Meadows Supportive Care had one. According to the health department, Barry County has had 11,644 confirmed cases of the vims, and 2,267 probable cases since March 2020. At least 30,730 Barry County residents have received a COVID-199 vaccine, which is 52.8 percent of the population aged 5 and older. That number is still short of the health department’s goal of 70 percent. Broadway building under consideration for its next use Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County’s Friend of the Court offices, currently at 102 S. Broadway in Hastings, will be relocating to the Courts and Law Building, 206 W. Court, soon. And, when that happens, coun­ ty officials will start focusing on a future purpose for that historic building which, at one time, had been the Hastings City Hall. “We’re going to talk about it real soon,” county board Chair­ man Ben Geiger told The Ban­ ner. Geiger took a quick tour of the building after the county com­ missioners’ regular meeting Tuesday and spoke with Friend of the Court Office Manager Tonya Fox. “It’s not empty yet,” he said. “The week it becomes empty we’re going to have a discussion on what to do.” One idea mentioned in the past was the possibility of relo­ cating the county boardroom from the courthouse mezzanine to that building on Broadway, Geiger said. At one point, county officials had considered moving a portion of the health department into the FOC building, once it is vacant. But, since the building isn’t large enough to house the entire health department, County Administrator Michael Brown has said, it’s unlikely this idea would be feasible. Geiger indicated that the coun­ ty will consider a variety of uses for the space before coming to any decision on a specific plan. In other business during a brief meeting Tuesday, commis­ sioners: • approved pre-paid invoices for $4,762,747.38. • approved claims for $36,914.76. • approved commissioner reimbursements (mileage) for $263.48. • heard public comments. , ... ... ... Barry County Friend of the Court offices have not yet been moved out of the building at 102 S. Broadway in Hastings - but they will move soon ^officials say. (File photo) THREAT, continued from page 1 Wren Michael Miller, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock to Alysha Hoffman and Michael Miller of Hastings. ***** Atlas John Ogden, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on January 14,2022 to Bailey Dennis and RJ Ogden of Hastings. ***** Jordyn Hope Owen, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on January 13,2022 to Kendra Owen and Mitchell Owen of Hastings. Sebashtian River Ennes, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on January 14,2022 to Erika Rene Talley and Merle Alan Ennes Jr. of Dowling. TAX, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------decree and put that law on the books. And if you want a change, Lansing is the place to go. Until that changes in Lansing, my hands are tightening. This is what it is.” “That’s basically where we’re going to be going with this,” Brown replied. “That’s fine, “ Haney said, as their debate ended, “but just understand things in Lan­ sing don’t change overnight.” Harvest Pointe was approved by the county in February 2021, with the goal of providing housing for a housing-deprived area. The long-term care facility conducted a study to determine the need for senior living in Barry County. They found that the county needed 90 beds of assisted living, Haney told the township board. That research led them to the construction of Harvest Pointe. Already, Haney said, people are express­ ing interest in the Harvest Pointe units. They have placed 55 people on the call-back list, despite offering just 50 spots. “We’ve done zero marketing,” he said. “Other than what’s made the papers, we’ve done zero marketing and that’s the kind of demand that’s out there right now. It is des­ perately needed. Period.” But Pumford said Cornerstone, along with other assisted living facilities, hasn’t experienced the same demand. Cornerstone currently has two open beds, and Pumford points to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living as a reason for the shortage. Township officials expressed mixed feel­ ings about the situation. Trustee Scott Sav­ age said he is looking forward to learning more at future meetings, while Trustees Timothy McNally and Bill Wetzel expressed support for Thomapple Manor. “I think the community needs to have that,” McNally said. “I do not see private enterprise coming in here filling those gaps. They have not. “I don’t see anybody clamoring to come in here to fill those gaps.” NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Bauer has a history of offenses as a juve­ nile in Kent County dating back to 2017, Nakfoor Pratt said. The charge of making a threat to a school is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, while the charge of using a computer to commit a crime carries a sen­ tence of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000 and/or reimbursement of damages caused. Nakfoor Pratt said that the sentence on the computer crime charge can be assessed consecutively with the threat charge, making it possible that Bauer could serve up to two years in jail if he’s convicted. Classes in the TK district were canceled Jan. 20 after administrators received an email that morning regarding a threat to the high school that had been posted on social media. Students at the high school were already on buses headed to the building when the threat was reported. Superintendent Craig McCar­ thy wrote in an email that closing the high school and transporting students home would disrupt the district’s entire transportation sys­ tem, so the decision was made to cancel classes across the district that day. Bauer had been arrested on unrelated charges later that day, according to a news release from the Barry County Sheriff’s Department. Then the Kent County Probation Depart­ ment assisted the sheriff’s department in identifying him as the suspect in this case, Nakfoor Pratt told the court. “The person he made the threat to, and told he was going to do this, goes to [Thornapple Kellogg] High School. From all the facts and circumstances surrounding the case, we believe that he was threatening TK High School,” Nakfoor Pratt said in an interview after the arraignment. “That’s why they took action and we took action.” McCarthy said in an interview Wednesday that the cancellation of class that day put the district at seven class days lost for this school year because of weather, staff illnesses and other issues. Typically, the state allows only six days of lost class time in an academic year ta _ Ji Attention: Barry County Residents Are You Low-Income and Need Assistance Paying Your Rent? Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program administered by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) may be able to assist. The HCV program is a federally funded rental assistance program that assists low-income residents with paying their rent. Generally, eligible families must have income levels at or below the extremely low-income limit as established by HUD based on county and family size. J Cbtnual ^February Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc. org. 20% Off Fabrics New Roof on Salt Shed & Building 3 Excludes sale items * Sale ends February 28th* The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. T Pray For Our Country H QUESTIONS: ASK US... OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY 175610 David D. Solmes Frank M. Fiala D. David Dykstra Chairman Member Member KaiggMSHDA 1S1 MICHIGAN STATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 A.M. February 21, 2022 for the following items. BOARD OF COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONERS before it requires districts to make up those days, although the district can petition the Michigan Department of Education for an additional three days, he said. McCarthy said he has received a victim impact statement form from the prosecutor’s office and will fill that out to explain the impact of the threat on the district. The financial impact of the closing would have been minimal, since the bus drivers who returned high school students home would have been on the roads anyway to take ele­ mentary students to school. “The real impact is the loss of learning for students,” McCarthy said. “There’s also the emotional and social concern.” When classes resumed on Jan. 21, school officials said 82 percent of the district’s stu­ dents were in attendance since some parents chose to keep their children at home. “Typi­ cally, our attendance hovers around 92-94 percent on any given day,” he pointed out. Bauer is scheduled to appear in court for a pre-trial hearing at 9 a.m. March 1. 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; sefei Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station MSHDA’s HCV Program waiting list for Barry County will be open on 3/1/2022, at 9:00 a.m. EST and closed on 3/31/2022, at 3:00 p.m. EST. Applications are available on-line only; no paper applications will be available or accepted. NOTE: You may only apply to one county waiting list. During the time the waiting list is open, you must submit your application online at: https://mshda.myhousing.com/. Applications received through the website will be entered on the waiting list in the order received (date and time). Preference will be given to County residents (those living or working in the County of application). Additional preferences will be given to Michigan residents (those living or working in Michigan) and to a head of household, co-head, or spouse with a disability. Placement on the waiting list does not indicate you are eligible for rental assistance. A final determination of eligibility will be made when you are selected from the waiting list, including verifying household income and any preferences selected when applying to the list. If you selected a preference as part of your application and it cannot be verified once you are pulled from the waiting list, your application will be denied, and you will be required to reapply to the waiting list when it is open. Acceptable proof of preferences can be found on MSHDA’s HCV waiting list webpage at: www.michigan.gov/mshda/rental/housing-choice-voucher/ mshda-housing-choice-voucher-hcv-waiting-list-information. If you or a household member is disabled and requires a reasonable accommodation to apply for the MSHDA Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List, please tall (517) 241-8986 for assistance with your application. L Equal Opportunity Lender IssT �Page 4 — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? America teeters on $30-trillion debt Icy harbingers of roof repair or a headache Icicles sure are pretty in the sun­ shine, but they also are a pretty sign of impending trouble - either to the roof or to someone’s head. If a big one should come plummeting to the ground at the same time someone is walking below, watch out! Do you remember? Minutes from another century Banner Feb. 10, 1955 Century old - City Clerk Franklin Beckwith is holding the book of the minutes of the first election held in Hastings after its organization as a village. On Feb. 13, 1955, the Village of Hastings was incorporated by a legislative act. The first page pictured above records Alvin W. Bailey’s election as village pres­ ident May 7,1855. Bailey polled 88 votes, Henry Goodyear 45, and Luther Sage 1. Other docu­ ments pictured include the charter of 1871 under which Hastings became a city, the 1907 charter under which it is operating, and the proposed new charter to be voted on April 4. [This photo was taken when the city hall was at the north­ east corner of State and Broadway streets, six years before it moved to the south­ west corner of the same inter­ section.] Have you met? When the pandemic started in March 2020, Wendy Marble responded by taking walks. And on those walks, Marble would stop and pick up bottles. Suddenly, the bottles started to pile up in her garage in Freeport. “What can I do to do something good with these things?” she found herself think­ ing. She thought about cashing them in, making a few dollars and donating that to charity. So she took to Facebook: If you have cans, Wendy Marble would take them. That night, she turned her phone off. When she woke up in the morning, she found messages from 15 people. Almost instantly, streams of messages started to flood Marble’s phone. Countless people had cans and they wanted to give them to Marble. Her garage became so full, she had to move cans to the sides and back of her house. The response had her thinking something like “holy cow,” she remembered. But she couldn’t handle thousands of cans of alone. So she called up her closest friend, Tama Allerding, and asked if she would help out. Together, they collected cans and then cashed them in at nearby grocery stores. The operation has expanded past even their expectations, with half a dozen people regularly helping. They receive 10 cents per can and they estimate that they have col­ lected nearly half a million cans and donat­ ed $50,000. Her efforts earned her a selec­ tion as the FOX-17 Pay it Forward Person of the Month in November 2020. They began by handing money to places that support animals. (Marble owns four cats, one dog and even a rabbit.) “I’m an animal lover to the max,” she said. It led them to give $3,580 to Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary, $2,500 to the Barry County Animal Shelter and $1,600 to the Barry County Humane Society. Then they decided to shift objectives. “OK, we’ve done enough for animals,” Allerding said. “Let’s start doing something for humans.” The list continues to grow: They have donated to the Alpha Women’s Center of Barry County, Green Gables, Ronald McDonald House in Ann Arbor and Wings of Mercy. They contributed to buying shoes for foster kids and got a canine vest for a babM coukh ivans Wendy Marble dog at the sheriff’s office. They donated nearly $10,000 to support veterans and another $3,500 to the family of Lane Roslund to help pay for his funeral. Although they occasionally stretched out beyond the community, Marble said it was important to prioritize supporting local organizations. “My passion - I love helping Barry County,” said Marble, who moved to Free­ port from the Flint area after high school. Marble doesn’t currently have a job, but the can-collecting service project fills a large portion of her days. “It’s almost been almost a full-time job for her,” her husband, Gary, said. “There have been times, she’ll get up, she’ll shower, eat breakfast and then she’s gone all day long.” But she said she doesn’t see it as work. Marble, 58, serves as the point person for their operation. Multiple times a day, peo­ ple will reach out to her on Facebook, ask­ ing if she will pick up their cans. They will then leave their cans in a bag, on the side of the road, in front of their house, or under a porch. One person has even given Marble the key to her garage, where she can pick up the cans every week. Marble then transports the cans to her own garage. But the stack keeps growing and growing. At one point, Marble had as many as 50,000 cans in her house and she had to get a storage unit to stash them. During busy times, Marble will make up to nine trips in a day. And the trips send her all across the area. She has picked up cans from people in Hastings, Middleville, Plainwell, Dorr, Wayland, Nashville and even a factory in Grand Rapids. They trav­ eled so much that they had to fill up their gas tanks every other day. Sometimes she thinks about quitting. Then something always happens, like someone asking for them to take their gigantic load of cans - and she will feel the “fire” again. “If there comes a point, and I don’t see it happening, ... where I dread doing it, I think that I would know,” she said. “But I don’t see that happening because I see such a good that comes out of it.” So Marble and her team keep going. They don’t have any plans to stop. Of course, they like giving back and helping other people. But it’s also a shared experi­ ence, a chance to create memories with her best friend, Allerding. They spend the bulk of a two-hour inter­ view in Richie’s reminiscing. There’s that time Allerding took a bag of cans and a frog jumped out. Or the time Allerding went to a house to pick up and a chicken bit her. They howl in their chairs, reliving memories from the past two years. “It’s been a blast,” Marble said, recover­ ing from her laughter. In the midst of telling stories, Marble’s phone bings. It’s a Facebook message from someone who wants to donate their cans. For her role in the community, Wendy Marble is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite TV program: “This is Us.” People I admire most: Veterans. They’re willing to risk their lives for people they don’t even know. Person I’m glad to have met: Tama. If I could change one thing, it would be ... more givers, people thinking more about other people than themselves. Greatest thing about Barry County: How many givers there are in Barry Coun­ ty. If there’s a need, it’s met. That’s very touching. What am I most proud of: The fact that I’ve gotten into this. How much this has made me a better person. I’m humbled by how much the people are willing to trust us with their money, because they could take that $700 and do something with it. Hobbies: Camping, traveling. Many Americans may not have heard the news last week that our country’s national debt has topped $30 trillion for the first time in history. My bigger concern is how many Americans are unaware or don’t even care about what’s becoming a Code Red crisis for this country. In these credit card-surfing, frat-house party times, we’ve been lulled by politicians and sticky-fingered marketers into thinking it’s all someone else’s money, let’s keep this carnival rolling. “Hitting the $30 trillion mark is clearly an important milestone in our dangerous fiscal trajectory,” says Michael A. Peterson, chief executive officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which advocates for deficit reduction. “For many years before COVID, America had an unsustainable structural path because the programs we’ve designed are not sufficiently funded by the revenue we take in.” This is not just more political rhetoric, it’s a quiet businessman using simple words to scream that America faces disaster not from outside our borders, but from within. Our country spends about $900 million per day on just the interest payments to ser­ vice that $30 trillion debt. Where might we be if we were spending $900 million every day on education, infrastructure, and research and development - areas that are fraying in our society right now? Within 10 years, the interest rate payment on our debt will total more than we spend on all three of those areas, combined. Imagine what educa­ tion, infrastructure, and research and devel­ opment will look like then. Though it appears to be a federal govern­ ment problem, every American citizen is ultimately responsible for what this country owes. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, that would come down today to about $231,000 per household or $90,000 per person in the United States. Experts say that, if every household contributed $1,000 per month, it would take more than 19 years to pay off the debt. Politicians could help with that obliga­ tion. For years, U.S. presidents have prom­ ised to limit federal spending to bring down the national deficit. Only since Bill Clinton in 1998 and in 2001 has the country enjoyed a small budget surplus. But here we are again: We’ve just spent $5 trillion on expanded jobless benefits, financial support for small business, and stimulus payments - all needed in response to the COVID crisis. But from where did that assistance come? All, printed money. Now the Biden Administration wants to pile on another $2 trillion in spending and tax cuts, according to independent budget watchdog groups, for the “Build Back Bet­ ter” program. If all the programs in the “Build Back Better” initiative are made permanent, they could add another $5 tril­ lion to the national debt. For more than 100 years, administration after administration has continued to add to the deficit with little or no concern over the impact it would have on our economic sta­ bility, especially as we now spend trillions in months rather than in years. As America’s influence in the world con­ tinues to wane, we’re in the process of now also ceding our position as the once most-powerful economy in the world. The decline will hit close to home, too. If we continue to spend with little or no regard to our debt, programs such as Medicare and Social Security will all be at risk, programs that most Americans plan on, not to mention all the other programs that our government bankrolls. We also have a moral reckoning to consider, as well. Our freewheel spending and the debt hole we’re digging will become the repayment responsibility of our kids and grandchildren. What kind of a future are we promising them by living like there’s no tomorrow? There is no doubt that COVID exacerbat­ ed our problem. “We had an emergency situation that required trillions in spending,” says Peter­ son of the previously-mentioned deficit reduction foundation, “but the structural problems we face fiscally existed long before the pandemic. “Our current fiscal posture is a result of many years of fiscal irresponsibility from both parties. What’s required to get us out of this situation is honesty and leadership from our elected officials.” That’s an issue that doesn’t seem possi­ ble, given the current political climate. Why is it that presidential administrations rate themselves by the number of programs they can create and the tax cuts they can pass? Back in President Calvin Coolidge’s day, that was not the norm. His administration of 1923-29 was a time we might all do well to revisit and emulate. Coolidge, certainly not the flashiest of presidents, saw a future for America that tran­ scended the strutting narcissism we see today. “Americans are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling and prosper­ ing,” said Coolidge, who valued the work, thrift and self-sufficiency that come with a respect for business. Coolidge considered that business was the business of America. “One of the great mysteries of the world,” he added, “is the success that lies in consci­ entious work.” Coolidge’s No. 1 focus was the economy and his devotion to it sometimes led to small obsessions that defined his disciplined busi­ ness style. Coolidge once issued an order that every federal employee be issued a new pencil and limit the distribution of additional pencils only when the employee turned in the stub of their old pencil. Sounds a little severe, but accountants estimated that it saved the fed­ eral government $75,000 per year. To Coolidge, every dollar mattered. Tax­ ing a citizen one dollar more than needed to fund the government was considered by Coolidge to be legalized theft. Unlike today’s politicians, Coolidge focused on paying down the debt of that time, most of which had been accumulated from World War I. According to a recent national poll, 67 percent of Americans believe that gov­ ernment spending is a major problem for the nation’s economy. Yet there is a wide parti­ san gap on the issue, with 90 percent of Republicans calling government spending a major problem, compared to 70 percent of independents and 44 percent of Democrats. As we fight with each other about how to spend taxpayer money, we’ve lost sight of what we will all lose if we trip over the fis­ cal cliff. It’s past time that we heed the dire warnings of people who are seeing the big picture up close. “We’re on an unsustainable path,” says Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. “We have to address the problem, and we better do it soon.” It’s time that we stand up to our self-inter­ ested politicians building their personal gated and affluent futures with all their new programs, new spending and tax manipula­ tions. “Nothing is easier than spending the pub­ lic’s money,” said Coolidge. “It does not appear to belong to anybody. The tempta­ tion is overwhelming to bestow it on some­ body. We must keep the budget balanced each year. Any surplus can be applied to debt reduction, and debt reduction is tax reduction.” Washington needs to be reminded of those words. The Hastings BhIHIGI* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM • Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — Page 5 GUEST COMMENTARY Meijer backs House resolution to reduce dependence on foreign pharmaceuticals Turn swords into plowshares To the editor: Last week, I saw a sign at a local organization that advertised chicken dinners and a gun raffle. This place, that serves community and friendship, uses gun raffles to bring in money. I was appalled. Guns in America are more plentiful than in any other country, a third of the world’s are here. We give them out in raffles - and in aid to other countries. We help Saudi Arabia fight the Houthis in nearby Yemen with our guns and bombs. This causes land and ecosystem destruction that leads to famine. Yemen is currently in a humanitarian crisis. Weapons manufacturers are making money over this and they live on the same planet we are destroying. Conflict leads to climate change and cli­ mate change leads to conflict. We need to turn swords into plowshares. Carole G. Smith, Delton Diplomacy, not bloodshed, needed To the editor: It’s with increasing and renewed horror that I read of the Jan. 21st bombings in Yemen, killing well over 70 people (not all bodies have been recovered yet, so that num­ ber will increase as I write this). We don’t know yet if those bombs were American-made and supplied by the U.S. gov­ ernment, but we certainly know that American bombs are dropped in Yemen from planes and parts sold by the U.S. to Saudi Arabia. This is, truly, the definition of blood money. Mindful of my family’s history - I am a descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide - I despair that the U.S. will ever be anything but a destabilizing influence in the Middle East. Either we tend to “look the other way,” when atrocities are committed, or we actively engage in conflict. While we shouldn’t allow isolationism to prevent us from calling out crimes against humanity (and employing non-military solutions), nei­ ther should we enable conflict, even if no U.S. troops are on the ground. Let us stop fighting a war by proxy - it’s no less abhorrent than having boots on the ground. I implore my senators, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, and U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer to bring forward legislation to end the U.S. sale of military goods to Saudi Arabia, to end our involvement in another endless war, and to call for diplomacy, not bloodshed. Elspeth Inglis, Barry Township Sheriff needs to reimburse county To the editor: The Barry County sheriff stated, at one of the county board meetings, that he was going to reimburse the county for the charges that were paid for his trip to speak at the Freedom Festival in South Dakota, an engagement for which he stated he was to be paid $500. Checking on the status of this, I found out the sheriff has yet to reimburse the county. So, sadly, the taxpayers are being left to shoulder that cost. I hope you agree that, no matter what your feelings are about the sheriff’s politics, the county’s citizens deserve to have him be fis­ cally responsible with our tax dollars. And, in my opinion, using those dollars to travel out of state to a paid speaking engage­ ment, is not acting fiscally responsible. Larry Osborne, Delton Time to get busy on infrastructure upgrades To the editor: After the last administration promised “Infrastructure Week/’ the current Biden administration delivered - with bi-partisan support - legislation that brings real benefits to Michigan. Now, our state and local governments must work to approve projects in the following areas: - $7.3 billion for rebuilding Michigan’s roads and highways and $563 million for replacing bridges. - $1.3 billion to remove lead pipes and ensure clean drinking water, and address 11,000 PFAS-contaminated sites. -$1.3 billion for the Great Lakes over five years. - $110 million to build electric vehicle charging stations. - $110 million for expanded broadband internet access. We still have $6 billion at the state level and $4.4 billion for local governments to identify and spend on projects to improve our state. ■ Let’s not stand on partisan feelings and drag this out. We need to act - and att pru­ dently and expeditiously - to improve our state. Our state Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, and state Sen. John Bizon, R-Battle Creek, need to act to approve spending of the federal funds for our state. Barry County commissioners need to con­ tinue to help the community identify projects and get them approved via the ARPA adviso­ ry team, with a sense of urgency. Our congressional members in Michigan who did not vote to support this bill (U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer and Rashida Tlaib) need to stop getting in the way of progress due to petty partisanship and support their state. Michele Peltier, Hastings All health care workers should be vaccinated To the editor: Recently, on the news I listened to passion­ ate plea from a Spectrum Health doctor pleading with folks to get vaccinated. She talked of her patients who were unvaccinated and had died. There were dozens and dozens who died. But, of her patients who had been vaccinated, she has not lost one. She and her fellow health care workers were tired and worn out. “Please get vaccinated,” she said. I can understand her frustration. Recently, my doctor ordered a blood test during my annual physical exam. Being fully vaccinat­ ed, I headed for the Spectrum Health Center on State Street to get my blood drawn and tested. Donning my mask, I headed inside, I was immediately asked to put one of their masks on. OK, I thought, that’s easy, and they are worried about keeping everyone safe. Heading up to the receptionist, I handed my order sheet to her and, wanting to be safe, I asked her if the employees there were vac­ cinated. She replied, “Ahh, I think so.” That sounded a little suspicious, so when it was my turn to have my blood drawn, I asked the technician if she had been vaccinated. She replied “No.” I indicated I would not have her draw my blood then. She asked another technician in another room if he was vaccinated. He said, “I don’t have to answer that.” Well, that told me what his answer was. He was not vacci­ nated either. “Well, I guess I won’t get my blood drawn,” I said and walked out. Gosh, I thought these people were professionals. Here we have doctors working in the Spec­ trum Health Care system pleading for folks to get vaccinated. In the same system, we have health care providers who are not vaccinated drawing blood from lots of folks who are older and have compromised immune sys­ tems, and maybe spreading COVID to them. I understand that somewhere around 30 per­ cent of health care workers are not vaccinated. My question is: “Why would you enter the health care profession if you did not want to keep your patients safe?” A better question might be: “Why would management of Spec­ trum Health tolerate this unsafe practice?” I did my blood test done at a facility where the technician was vaccinated. Jim Bruce, Hastings Bowing to false political gods puts everyone at risk To the editor: I want to thank Anne Hamming for putting into words in her letter to the editor how dis­ turbing the Dec. 30, 2021, Banner’s picture of Keara Hilton was as she contorted religious faith with politics as a reason to be against a protective mask mandate. Hilton and the other anti-maskers argue that somehow a mask mandate for children at school would take away their freedom. What other mandates for children is she willing to argue against? Car seats? Alcohol consump­ tion? Child-proof caps on medicines and toxic cleaners? How about unfettered access to loaded firearms? Never in the history of our country have adults been so willing to sacrifice the health, safety and well-being of their children to self­ ishly make a political point. With that said, it’s no surprise that our Founding Fathers, in drafting the Declaration of Independence, put Life first in stating the unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness given to us by our Cre­ ator. For without Life, there can be no Liberty or Happiness. Instead of bowing to false political gods which puts you, your children, and the rest of us at risk - listen to the scientists: Get vacci­ nated and wear a mask. Chris Lukasiewicz, Hastings U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., introduced H.R. 6374, the House companion to the Strength­ ening Supply Chains for Servicemembers and Security Act. This is a bipartisan, bicameral response to the September Department of Defense Inspector General report recommending the U.S. government take several actions to strengthen our defense pharmaceutical sup­ ply chains and reduce dependence on for­ eign producers. Reps. Meijer and Houlahan joined Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Elizabeth War­ ren, D-Mass., who introduced this legisla­ tion in the Senate in November. “Our country’s significant supply chain vulnerabilities have been exposed during the COVID-19 crisis, and they continue to be problematic,” Meijer said. “The Depart­ ment of Defense Inspector General provid­ ed clear recommendations to combat the weaknesses specifically in our pharmaceu­ tical supply chain, and our bill will put these policies into action. “We cannot continue our foreign depen­ dence on critical, lifesaving drugs, and I am proud to help lead’ the effort to reduce this dependency.” “Our service members sacrifice so much for our country, and they deserve reliable access to pharmaceuticals like antibiotics and high blood pressure medicine,” Houla­ han said. “But that access is being threat­ ened by our supply chain vulnerabilities and overreliance on foreign manufacturers. I’m glad to join this bipartisan, bicameral effort to strengthen our national security and support our troops.” “The report from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General only confirms what was made glaringly obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic: the United States remains dangerously reliant on for­ eign nations for its pharmaceuticals,” Rubio said. “It is unacceptable that we do not cur­ rently have a plan in place to address these supply chain issues. I’m proud to introduce this legislation to ensure that the DoD is able to reduce its reliance on nations like China for its critical pharmaceutical needs.” “The COVID-19 pandemic has demon­ strated the vulnerability of our nation’s supply chains, including of pharmaceutical products,” Warren said. “This poses a risk not only to public health, but to our nation­ al security. I’m glad to lead this bicameral bill to ensure DoD takes steps to reduce its reliance on pharmaceuticals manufactured abroad and to strengthen its supply chains.” Existing policy ensures critical pharma­ ceuticals have backup sources in the event of emergencies and/or supply chain disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has highlighted additional vulnerabilities in our supply chain logistics. This bill would address those vulnerabilities to ensure DoD can deliver supplies, including antibiotics and high blood pressure medicine, to our servicemembers. It also requires additional stress testing to ensure those backup sources are ready to be called upon if needed. The Strengthening Supply Chains for Servicemembers and Security Act would codify the six recommendations included in the DoD OIG report to address supply chain weaknesses. The recommendation is that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment: • Develop and issue implementing guid­ ance for DoD supply chain risk manage­ ment for DoD material, which includes pharmaceuticals. • Pursue federal legislation requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to include APIs and final drug product country of ori­ gin information of the pharmaceuticals’ lot on the pharmaceuticals’ packaging. Specif­ ically, the legislation would require a fur­ ther review of information gaps to address reliance concerns. The recommendation for the Director of the Defense Health Agency is to: • Develop and publish implementing guidance for supply chain risk management specifically for pharmaceuticals. • Create a chartered work group to assess risks to the pharmaceutical supply chain, identify the pharmaceuticals most critical to beneficiary care at DoD MTFs, and establish policy for allocating scarce phar­ maceutical resources in case of a supply disruption. The recommendation is that the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency modify DLA Instructions 5025.03 and 3110.01 to: • Require DLA Troop Support to coordi­ nate annually with Military Service cus­ tomers to conduct responsiveness testing of the DLA’s contingency contracts for phar­ maceuticals. • Include the contract responsiveness testing results, as reported by the Military Service customers, in the Warstopper Pro­ gram annual reports. SOCIAL SECURITY Tools and resources help answer questions How do I report a lost Social Security ■card? •**—■ You do not have to report a lost Social Security card. In fact, reporting a lost or sto­ len card to Social Security will not prevent misuse of your Social Security number. You should let us know if someone is using your number to work. Call 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778). If you think someone is using your Social Security number, there are several other actions you should take: • Contact the Federal Trade Commission online at ftc.gov/bcdp/edu/microsites/idtheft or call 877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338). • File an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. • Contact the Internal Revenue Service Identity Protection Specialized Unit by call­ ing 800-908-4490, weekdays 8 a.m.-8 p.m. • Monitor your credit report. When a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, are benefits pay­ able on that person’s record? Social Security survivor benefits can be paid to: • A widow or widower - unreduced bene­ fits at full retirement age, or reduced benefits as early as age 60. • A disabled widow or widower - as early as age 50. • A widow or widower at any age if he or she takes care of the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled, and receiving Social Security benefits. • Unmarried children under 18 or up to 19 if they are attending high school full-time. Under certain circumstances, benefits may be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren or adopt­ ed children. • Children at any age who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled. • Dependent parents age 62 or older. Even if you are divorced, you still may qualify for survivor’s benefits. For more information, go to ssa.gov. How are my retirement benefits calculat­ ed? Your Social Security benefits are based on earnings averaged over your lifetime. Your actual earnings are first adjusted or “indexed” to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then we calculate your average monthly indexed earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. We apply a for­ mula to these earnings and arrive at your basic benefit. This is the amount you would receive at your full retirement age. You may be able to estimate your benefit by using our Retirement Estimator, which offers estimates based on your Social Security earnings. You can find the Retirement Estimator at ssa.gov/ estimator. I’ve decided I want to retire. Now what do Ido? The fastest and easiest way to apply for retirement benefits is to go to ssa.gov/retireonline. Use our online application to apply for Social Security retirement or spouse ben­ efits. To do so, you must: • Be at least 61 years and 9 months old. • Want to start your benefits in the next four months. • Live in the United States or one of its commonwealths or territories. I worked the first half of the year, but plan to retire this month. Will Social Security count the amount I earn for this year when I retire? Yes. If you retire mid-year, we count your earnings for the entire year. We have a special “earnings test” rule we apply to annual earn­ ings, usually in the first year of retirement. Under this rule, you get a full payment for any whole month we consider you retired regardless of your yearly earnings. We con­ sider you retired during any month your earn­ ings are below the monthly earnings limit, or if you have not performed substantial ser­ vices in self-employment. We do not consider income earned, beginning with the month you reach full retirement age. Learn more about the earnings test rule at ssa.gov/retire2/ rule.htm. I’m not sure when I’m going to retire so I want to estimate my retirement benefit at sev­ eral different ages. What’s the easiest way to do that? Using our Retirement Estimator is easy at ssa.gov/estimator, and it’s the best way for you to get a good idea of what your monthly benefit payment may be after you retire. The Estimator gives approximations based on your actual Social Security earnings record. Keep in mind, these are estimates and we can’t provide your actual benefit amount until you apply for benefits. You can use the Esti­ mator if you have enough work to qualify for benefits and aren’t currently receiving bene­ fits. If you are currently receiving only Medi­ care benefits, you can still get an estimate. Learn about this subject by reading our publi­ cation, “Retirement Information for Medicare Beneficiaries,” available at ssa.gov/pubs. Vbnda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Feb. 10 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1941 film in which a husband pretends to be insane to delay a divorce, 5-8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14 - Crafting Passions Craft work group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; Lego club, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15 - Great Decisions For­ eign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at library), 10:30 a.m.; Arm Chair Travel Group visits China, 6:30 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263 or checking its Facebook events. �Page 6 — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Kevin J. Munson always on the team message boards getting the latest news. Kevin, Ronda, and a group of cherished friends were avid tailgaters who spent over a decade cheering on the Hilliard Davidson Football team where his wife Ronda works. He was selfless in his ways and a handy­ man for all, always working on the next project. He loved to entertain friends and family at their lake house where many won­ derful memories have been made. Kevin earned his masters as an Electrical Engineer and worked at American Electric Power (AEP) for over 37 years as Director of Con­ struction. Survivors include his wife of over 40 years, Ronda (Bellis) Munson; daughters, Ashley Munson and Janelle (Bryan) Haupt; grandsons, Ean, Parker, Brayden, Colby and Dylan; father Gary Munson; brother, Dennis Munson; sister, Sherri Munson; father and mother-in -law, Robert and Yuvonne Bellis; sisters-in- law, Cheryl (Mike) Peterson, Bren­ da (Steve) Esman and Karen (Jeff) Koch and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother Anna. Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in The Crossroads Community Church, 2262 St. Rt. 56, London, Ohio, with Pastor Thad Gifford officiating. A visitation will be held from 4-6 PM Thursday with the funeral service to follow. The family is being served by the Eber­ le-Fisher Funeral Home and Crematory, 103 N. Main Street, London, where online condo­ lences for the family may be sent to www. eberlefisherfuneralhome.com. Kevin J. Munson, 61, of London, Ohio, died Friday, February 4, 2022. Born December 10, 1960, in Lansing, MI, he was a son of Gary L. and Anna M. (Eklund) Munson. Kevin was a loving family man who adored his wife, two girls, son-in-law, and his five grand boys. Being the true patriot that he was, he loved his God, his country, and his freedom. He loved attending the Crossroads Community Church along with his wife. He was a huge Michigan fan who was T? T? /t '■ Mb » .J • Traditional and Cremation Services * Pre'P^annin8 Services P^ktfig Lot ■ Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Dale Billingsley Owner/Manager „ i J . j Family Owned and Operated Kav Girrbach Owner Emeritus Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for SO years Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 P-m. . SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: -ad J Graphics 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 sFWob Him Fiberglass Product. 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 iWMPIW BrtlfoeftoisfcEqBipottt 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Mildred “Eileen” Pierson, age 99, of Hast­ ings, MI, went to be with the Lord on Febru­ ary 3, 2022. Eileen was bom on April 13, 1922, in Carl­ ton Township, the daughter of Lewis and Edna Daniels. She was their oldest child and last surviving sibling. Eileen was a 1940 graduate of Hastings High School. She worked for both Webber­ ville and Hastings School Districts as a bus driver; and then for Michigan Millers Insur­ ance Company, Lansing, and Hastings Mutual Insurance Company; as a receptionist for Dr. Castleman’s office; and also worked at Sister’s Fabrics in Hastings. On January 10, 1942, Eileen married Glendon Pierson, and they enjoyed 69 years together until his passing. Eileen attended Hope United Methodist Church. The most important event of Eileen’s life was the day she accepted Jesus as her Sav­ ior, as a young child. She grasped the meaning of Christianity that stayed with her all her life. She was concerned that her family would all know God’s saving grace. Always a witness, showing kindness and care, she would often stop and chat with strangers and leave them with a “God Bless You.” Her prayers were sweet and spirit-filled. She loved to read her Bible as it sustained her throughout her whole life. She also loved the word search books and that helped keep her mind sharp through her dementia. Eileen was a loyal Republican and loved to debate issues with anyone who would. Eileen was a dedicated wife and mother, always seeing to her household. She was an excellent cook. Some liked her oatmeal cookies; some liked her pies or coleslaw; or just to set down to one of her meals. One thing that mom loved was ice cream, and she would scoop out just a half cup and savor that before bedtime. Eileen was a talented artist of oils and enjoyed taking numerous oil painting classes or workshops through her adult life. In 2002, when she was 80 years old, she rode Amtrak with her paints and canvas, out to the Nebras­ ka State 4H Camp to an art conference. All of the family enjoys her pictures, painted just for them. Eileen was a football, wrestling, basketball, and track mother and grandmother, following where the events took place. She loved sports and often would watch events on TV. As her hearing worsened, she could watch and see what was going on without having to hear words. She even liked NASCAR! Eileen loved to sew all her life. In her younger days, she taught sewing in 4H. She sewed dresses for Marquita and many dress­ es for herself and her granddaughters. Eileen made and decorated beautiful birthday and wedding cakes throughout the years for her family. And, I guess, Eileen had to have one major flaw. She had absolutely no concept of time. She was always late! But on February 3, God’s timing gave her timing, a right on time, Heaven Bound trip. Quite often, she would quote this from 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 “9...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath pre­ pared for them that love him. 10...But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:...” Eileen was preceded in death by her par­ ents; husband, Glendon; brothers, Arnold (Beverly) Daniels, Galen (Wilma) Daniels; sisters, Kathleen (Miles) Waters, Maxine (Bill) Dipp; sisters-in-law, Lillian (George) Wilkinson, Laura (Frank) Nordman, and six great-grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter, Marquita (Ron) Landon of Freeport; sons, Marshall (Laura) Pierson of Hastings, Paul (Chris) Pier­ son of Freeport, Steve (Debbie) Pierson of Mar­ shall, Michael (Lois) Pierson of Hastings, Fred (Teri) Pierson of Hastings; 16 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grand­ children, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions in memory of Eileen can be made to the Samaritan’s Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, or Hope United Methodist Church, 2920 M-37, Hast­ ings, MI 49058. Due to CO VID-19, a private family service and burial is being held with a public service at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachftineralhome.net. Dorlene Elaine Johncock, age 85, of Shel­ byville, MI, passed away on February 7, 2022. Dorlene was bom on November 15, 1936 in Cadillac the daughter of Charles and Irene (Haines) Ramey. Dorlene was an active member of McCallum United Brethren Church for many years. She owned Grand­ mas Daycare for about 10 years in Grand Rapids where she loved working with kids. In her spare time, she enjoyed reading a good book. Dorlene will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother. Dorlene is survived by her husband of 68 years, Jerry Johncock; sons, Tom Johncock, Jim Johncock, Phil Johncock, Bill Johncock, and Mark Johncock; foster children, Ashley Calver, Randy Leasure, and Michelle Lea­ sure; many grandchildren and great grand­ children; brother-in-law, Lynden (Marilyn) Johncock; sister-in-law, Joy Duffy; several nieces and nephews. Dorlene was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, LaVem (Ann) Ramey, Neil (Cheryl) Ramey, and Dorlin (Geneva) Ramey; brothers-in-law, Bo Duffy and Jack Johncock. A memorial service will take place at McCallum United Brethren Church in the spring of 2022, with burial at Prairieville Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or to leave a condo­ lence message for Dorlene’s family. Beverly Rose Stutz Beverly Rose Stutz, age 85, of Battle Creek, MI, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022 at Majestic Care of Battle Creek. She was born on September 2, 1936, the daughter of Ward O. and Mary (Stutz) Weiler. Beverly is survived by her children, Lori Hartselle, Mary Coll, Michael Stutz; grand­ children, John (Teresa) Osten, Brian (Rosalee) Osten, Gerald Stutz, Salena Darling; 12 great grandchildren and former husband, Gerald D. Stutz. She was preceded in death by her parents and son, Jerry Stutz. At this time, cremation has taken place and a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements by the Baxter Funeral & Cremation Service. 269-788-9800. www.baxterfuneral.com Elaine Garlock The Tri-River Museum group will meet Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 10 a.m. at the museum complex on Emerson Street, hosted by the Lake Odessa Area Historical Society and the Ionia Free Fair Antique Village Committee. This will be the group’s first meeting since November 2021. Brochures are to be printed for the 2022 season. Last year’s booklets had very little use since the spring tour could not be held. The Stanley Cup will be at the ice arena of Ferris State University Feb. 19 in an event open to the public hosted by Brian Garlock, a former Ferris student and also an employee of the ice facility several years ago. He became acquainted with Jon Cooper, a hockey coach who had his Arkansas team at Big Rapids for summer training on ice which was not avail­ able in their southern location. Now the cup is to be at Ferris in the forenoon for the admi­ ration of the public. Garlock’s name is engraved on the cup twice, for the double win of the Tampa Bay Lightning team in both 2020 and 2021. He will be present to give autographs and to greet hockey fans. A differ­ ent format had been planned for the August appearance, but Garlock exhibited signs of COVID-19 just hours ahead of the cup’s arrival in Big Rapids. It had, at that time, been transported from Detroit, accompanied and protected by two guards who are ever-present with the cup. Garlock in his role as the team’s videographer has been an assis­ tant to Coach Cooper for the past 15 years. On February 6, 2022, at the age of 71, Stephen P. Alflen was welcomed to his for­ ever home with Jesus while many of his family were at his side. Bom in Plainwell, MI, to Vernon and Mary Lou (Walker) Alflen on August 24, 1950. Steve grew up in the Wayland area and lived out his high school years on Gun Lake, graduating from Wayland Union High School in 1968. Steve continued his educa­ tion at MSU and graduated the top of his class while earning an associate degree in agri-business. It was on campus that he met his wife, Jill (Vrogindewey) and the two were married with an outdoor ceremony on Gun Lake, June 6, 1970. Steve and Jill raised their three children in Wayland while being the part owner of Alflen Brothers Case and Massey Ferguson Farm Implement Dealer­ ship and at the same time serving his country as a soldier with the Michigan Army Nation­ al Guard. When they decided to close the business in 1986 Steve went to fulltime ser­ vice with the Guard while climbing the ranks to a CSM (Command Sergeant Major) and retiring from there in 2010 after 39 years of service. Steve was preceded in death by both of his parents and his brother, Greg Alflen; his in-iaws, Bruce and Beatrice Vrogindewey and sister-in Jaw, . Joy St J ohn. He is survived by his wife, Jill; children, Petra and John Hinkle of Hastings, Heath and Jenifer Alflen of Linden, MI, and Trevor Alflen of Avon Lake, Ohio. His 12 grand­ children each having their own special place in his heart and life are Shayli Hinkle, Juliette Alflen, John R. Hinkle, Madison Richardson, Jos Hinkle, Austin Alflen, Jil­ lian Alflen, Braydon Alflen, Kendyl Hinkle, Annaliese Alflen, Petlyn Hinkle and Brook­ lyn Alflen, and his “Dutch brother” Paul and Lenie Bouten of the Netherlands; sisters, Mary Jo Alflen and special friend John Amdor, Tracy and Ron Tanner; in-law sib­ lings, Joan and Jim Culp, Richard St. John, Jeannie and Rick Reniewicz; several close aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and neph­ ews whom he left with an everlasting foot­ print on each one. The family will welcome visitors on Fri­ day, Feb. 11, from 6-8 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058, and again on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Hastings Baptist Church, 309 E. Woodlawn Ave, Hastings, MI 49058 at 10 a.m., with the funeral service beginning at 11 a.m., with very special Pastors, Matt Moser and Dan Currie officiating. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Hastings Baptist Church where Steve and Jill have been members for many years. Arrangements made by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence or view the full obituary visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. The streets and lawns of Lake Odessa are still covered with a beautiful layer of pristine snow. As long as we need not shovel or dig our way out of a route across the snow, it is beautiful to behold unruffled by dog tracks or those of squirrel, rabbit and cat. Wind has blown snow from tree limbs, overnight in some cases. Neighbors have matching stands of tall grass that are now laid almost flat from the amount of snow that accumulated at the top of the tufts. One of our several utilities in late fall plant­ ed flags the length of our alley but never did any work there. So the little flags wave in the breeze just a few inches above the deep snow, waiting for spring or whenever the utility crews do whatever they had planned for fall. The multiplicity of garden catalogs in the mail these wintry days makes one long for spring. However, the ambition to plant and grow is much stronger now than it will be when the warm breezes blow and the time for planting and digging is actually here. It is much easier to be a gardener in an uphol­ stered chair than to be one in the actual soil for the garden. Some of us are limited to container gardening, which has its merits. A grow box with framework for tall plants is one way to grow flowers and vegetables with limited results. Local libraries seem to have a wealth of programs for young and old on their calen­ dars these days with book clubs, activities for children and speaker/author events on the calendars. �SPORTS SECTION Thursday, February 10, 2022 Vikings have no trouble adding GLAC win at Valley Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg head coach Brandi James instructs her team during its OK Gold Conference ballgame with South Christian in Middleville Friday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) South builds lead early against TK girls Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg senior Tristen Cross gets a shot up over South Christian's Lexi Burgess during the Sailors' OK Gold Conference win in Middleville Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor • Over the final 2Tminutes the Thornapple Kellogg varsity girls’ basketball team outscored South Christian on Senior Night in Middleville Friday. The hole the Trojans found themselves in after the open­ ing nine minutes was too much to climb out of in the end how­ ever. The Sailors opened the game on a a 13-2 run and went on to a 41 -31 win over the TK girls. “We have to hit our bunnies,” TK head coach Brandi James said. “We have to be able to finish around the rim. I can say it until my face is blue, but I can’t do it for them. It is the original ten points we went down by. We went down 11-2 [in the first quarter] because we showed up with senior night jitters. We won the second half, but we gave up the first ten and never recovered.” South Christian’s lead was actually as many as 18 points in the first half. The Sailors led 22-4 with just under three minutes to play in the first half. It was 22-9 at the break and TK managed to get within ten points early in the third quarter. A bucket by Alaina Compton and a three by Peyton Pratt came at the end of a TK surge which cut the Sailor lead down to 28-21 late in the third quar­ ter. That seven points was as close as TK would be able to get the rest of the way though. Senior-Tristen Cross-led TK with 12 points, in the loss. Pratt finished with six points. Point guard Kiah Nichols had four points. The Sailors were exception­ ally patient on offense when transition opportunities didn’t present themselves. Sophomore Ashley Thomasma led the Sail­ ors with 19 points and senior Sydney Vis had 13. Juniors Ashley Raredon and Megan DeVries had four points apiece. “Our defense is fantastic,” James said. “It gets us in and keeps us in games. The intensi­ ty of our defense is amazing. We just need to convert it on the other end. Plain and simple, those lay-ups down here make a big difference for us. Those fall and we’re right in it.” The TK ladies are no 6-9 overall this season and 3-6 in the OK Gold Conference. Points were tough to come by at times too on Tuesday as they fell 46-34 at Forest Hills East­ ern. South Christian is now 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the OK Gold Conference, a game back of 8-0 Catholic Central. The Hawks of FHE improved to 6-9 overall and 6-3 in the OK Gold with their win over TK Tuesday. The Trojans are home to take on Kenowa Hills Friday and then go on the road to face Cedar Springs Tuesday. Sports Editor In the first couple minutes a pair of buckets by junior forward Preston Makley and one by junior center Caleb Hull put the Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team up 6-0 at Maple Valley Tuesday night. It turned into a theme of the night. Makley put the ball in the bucket and Hull took advantage of his size in the paint at every opportunity. Lakewood led from start to fin­ ish as it scored a 52-35 Greater Lansing Activities Conference win over the Lions. Makley finished with a game-high 17 points and Hull had 14. Lakewood kept pace with the Olivet boys atop the GLAC standings with the win, improving to 7-1 in conference play and 11-2 overall. The Eagles are currently 7-1 in con­ ference and 13-1. The two teams will close the conference season facing off in Olivet Feb. 25. “We moved the ball around. We shared the ball. We ran our offense. We made good pass­ es and made good shots,” Lakewood head coach Chris Duits said of his team’s first half effort at Maple Valley. “We were pretty effi­ cient. I think everything went pretty well. That is two games in a row. Perry was the same way.” Lakewood took a 59-42 win at Perry last Friday, Feb. 4. Lakewood led Tuesday 26-15 after one quarter and 41-22 at the half. Each team man­ aged just one field goal in the third quarter to go into the fourth with the Vikings ahead 43-24. “When teams zone us up and we’re patient and we run our stuff around we get really good looks, and we have guys that are mak­ ing shots,” Duits said. “Preston is shooting the ball very-well: Everybody is tryingto take­ away Jayce (Cusack) and that just makes room for everybody else. We have some size with Caleb in there tonight. He got it inside and did a good job, and he got some pretty good looks - some decent looks inside.” Lakewood also got five points and six assists from point guard Denny Sauers and four points and five assists from Cusack in limited minutes as he nurses a bit of an injury. Maple Valley hung around a bit by taking advantage of Lakewood’s defense being packed into the paint. Maple Valley hit six three pointers in the first half. The Vikings had their lead as large as 14 points late in the first quarter, but Maple Valley was able to get within nine with two and a half minutes to go in the first half with the help of a triple by sophomore Ayden Wilkes. “They shot the ball well tonight, but they only had, I think, one bucket in the lane in the first half. That really is what our defense is,” Duits said, “ take away the lane, make them shoot from outside. After they made a couple, we didn’t do a good job of identifying where the shots were coming from and who the shooters were and stepping out on them. The second half we did a much better job against them.” The Lions made just one three in the sec­ ond half. Lakewood closed the first half on a 10-0 run with buckets by Sauers, Hull, a threepoint play by Blake Price and a three-pointer from Makley. “We played well, but the first quarter was a little discouraging defensively,” Lion head coach Ryan Nevins said. “We game-planned for two days to make sure we knew where [Makley] and [Cusack] were at and [Makley] and [Cusack] seemed to be open a lot. Don’t get me wrong. They’re really good and they made a lot of shots tonight. When you’ve got your role players are making shots it makes it a lot harder to focus on the two best players. “After the first quarter, we battled. I didn’t think our kids gave up. We hung in there.” Chanse Courtney had a big game for the Lions, finishing with 14 points. The Lions also got ten points from Wilkes and seven from Ben Schuch. The Lions are now 2-11 overall and 2-6 in the GLAC. They knocked off Lansing Chris­ tian 59-46 last Friday after a tough overtime defeat at Quincy Feb. 1. “We’re moving the ball a lot better. We’re playing a lot more unselfish basketball,” Nevins said of his guys’ improvements. “We’re looking for the open man. We’re start­ ing to make some shots. That helps. ^“We’re starting to execute. As a young team they want to play fast all the time. They want to run up and down the floor. We’re not a team that can do that. I would love to, but we’ve really been preaching to play at our pace. That means to walk it up the floor and get into a set. We’re getting better at it.” Nevins said he believes Lakewood is the best team in the conference - despite Olivet’s win at Lakewood High School back in December. The Lions host Olivet Friday. Lakewood’s three ballgames before its rematch with Olivet include home games against Leslie Feb. 10 and Stockbridge Feb. 15 and a trip to Lansing Christian Feb. 18. “We’ve got to take it one game a time. We control our destiny. If we win four more league games we’re league champs,” Duits said. TK ladies join Wayland atop OK Gold bowling standings Brett Bremer Sports Editor Wayland was the only team to best the defending OK Gold Conference Champion Thornapple Kellogg varsity girls’ bowling team the first swing through the conference schedule. The Trojans avenged that loss and pulled even with the Wildcats atop the 2021-22 con­ ference standings by scoring a 22-8 win at Hastings Bowl Monday afternoon. The Wayland girls won the second of the two Baker games, but TK took six points thanks to the overall pinfall in the Bakers and took all ten points by winning the two regular games 688-656 and 817-723. The Trojan girls added six points in the head-to-head match-play with Sara Willshire and Emily Podbevsek winning two points apiece and Paige Green and Allison Hess one each. Green had the high series for the TK ladies with games of 189 and 183. Willshire took her two points with games of 112 and 202. Faith Foster scored a 147 and a 159 for the Trojans and Podbevsek rolled games of 147 and 144. Hess won her point with a 129 and then teamed with Savannah Rehfeldt on a 93 to close the day. The TK ladies are now 10-1 in conference duals and 11-1 overall this season. They were scheduled to face Ottawa Hills at Eastbrook Lanes Wednesday, Feb. 9, and will visit Park Center Lanes for a non-conference dual with Potter’s House Christian this afternoon, Feb. 10. The conference duals conclude Feb. 15 when TK travels to Park Center Lanes to take on Grand Rapids Catholic Central and the OK Gold Conference is Feb. 19 at Spectrum Lanes - which will also host the Trojans’ Division 2 Regional Tournament the follow­ ing weekend. The TK boys improved to 8-4 in the con­ ference and 9-4 overall with a 26-3 win over Wayland Monday. The Trojans swept the 20 points from win­ ning the two Baker games and the two regular games. Ethan Kriekaard won two match points with games of 224 and 204 for TK. Wyatt Jacobson won a point and a half with scores of 215 and 173. Nolan Clous, Z Moore, Jacob Chapman and Wyatt Barnes took points in match-play for TK too, with Donnie Rosendall and Chap­ man teaming up for another one. Clous rolled a 204 to pick up his point. Moore tallied games of 157 and 166. Chap­ man rolled a 158 and a 128 in the team-up with Rosendall. Barnes scored a 138 in his game. The TK teams took part in the Hudsonville Tournament Saturday, with the boys placing ninth and the girls eighth. Kriekaard made the boys’ all-tournament team by placing fifth with a two-game series total of 443. Foster had the high series for the TK ladies at 286. Lakewood's Preston Makley rises to the rim in front of Maple Valley's Chanse Courtney for two points during the Vikings' GLAC win at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �Page 10 — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT 5442 Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on in the Community Room of the Tyden Center, located at 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The subject of the public hearing will be the consideration of the following amendment to the Barry County Zoning Ordinance of 2008, as amended: A-2-2022 Request to rezone property on South M-43 Highway, Delton, in Section 7 of Barry Township. (See attached map.) FROM LDR (Low Density Residential) overall and couldn’t help themselves at the free throw line where they were just 8-of-19. “I really thought wp were poised to take a step forward, but that did not happen,” Hogo­ boom said. Hackett Catholic Prep scored a 48-40 win over the DK boys on Hall of Fame Night at DKHS last Friday. Hogoboom said the Fighting Irish activity on the offensive glass allowed the Irish to come out on top with both teams struggling a bit on the offensive end of the floor. DK led 14-11 after one quarter, but didn’t get another field goal before the break. Four free throws accounted for the Panthers’ only points in the second quarter and the team went into the half down 21-18. Alden Whitmore had 19 points for Delton in the loss and Alex Whitmore chipped in nine points. Hackett got 17 points from Gabe Gamsho. DK tried to get some late heroics. A hard drive to the bucket by Mason Nabozny and a bucket from Alden Whitmore had their team within two late. Gamsho knocked down a pair of free throws to stretch his team’s lead back to Brett Bremer February 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM MAP CHANGE DK guys looking for more consistency on offense TO GC (General Commercial) Sports Editor The Panthers have to be better Friday. The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basketball team will host undefeated Parchment in the nightcap of the winter homecoming festivities at DKHS Friday. The Delton Kellogg boys are looking to snap a string of five consecutive defeats which includes Tuesday night’s 53-39 loss at Martin in a Southwestern Athletic Con­ ference crossover match. Parchment is currently 15-0 overall and 9-0 in SAC Valley Division play. The loss Tuesday dropped the Delton Kellogg boys to 4-11 over­ all and 1-8 in the conference. “[Martin] beat us in all of the areas that really matter - with effort plays and aware­ ness,” DK head coach Jim Hogoboom said after the loss Tuesday night. “We did not play well at either end. Credit to Martin, they made big plays at big moments to keep us at bay.” Martin got 27 points from Cole Altman who knocked down four three-pointers. Alden Whitmore led Delton Kellogg with 18 points and Austin Blocker had 14. The Panthers had a tough time offensively four, but Alden Whitmore answered with a three-pointer to get DK within 41-40 with 37 seconds to play. The Panthers managed to force a jump ball, but the arrow belonged to the Irish. DK had an Irish ball-handler trapped, but he man­ aged to get the ball away and then the Irish extended their lead with free throws and a lay-up in the end. “I love how my guys fought down the last five minutes, but we need that type of effort and urgency at the opening tip. We’re just not playing very physically at either end,” Hogoboom said. He’d like to see his offense get the ball inside to big center Alex Whitmore more often. Hogoboom feels like he has been domi­ nant in the paint when the Panthers get him the ball of late. “I felt like we rushed some things on offense throughout the game,” Hogoboom said. “We just aren’t finding a rhythm or flow on offense and we are struggling to find an answer for that.” DK will follow up the contest with Parch­ ment Friday by traveling to Constantine Tuesday. Cardinals blow past Saxons in third period of 1-8 game This map is a portion of the Official Zoning Map of Barry Township in Barry County, Michigan. All of the above mentioned property is located in Barry County, Michigan. Legal Description: BEG AT PT ON W R/W M-43 WHICH IS 1530.1 FT E AND 563.2 FT S OF N 1/4 POST SEC 7, TH SWLY ALONG CURVE OF HWY, TH CORD WHICH BEARS S 18 DEG 20’ W 100 FT, TH N 80 DEG 43’ W 132 FT, TH N 18 DEG 20’ E 100 FT, TH S 80 DEG 43’ E 132 FT TO BEG. PAR. AND BEGINNING AT A POINT FOUND BY COMMENCING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SECTION 7, TOWN 1 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, AND RUNNING THENCE NORTH 89° 15’06” WEST, ON SECTION LINE 998.86 FEET TO THE WESTERLY LINE OF HIGHWAY M-43; THENCE SOUTH 12° 18’40” WEST, ON SAME, 315.5 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING OF THIS DESCRIPTION; THENCE SOUTH 12° 18’40” WEST 95.53 FEET; THENCE AROUND A CURVE TO THE RIGHT, WITH A RADIUS OF 1476.34 FEET, TO THE FAR END OF A CHORD WHICH BEARS SOUTH 15° 36’52” WEST 174.28 FEET, THENCE NORTH 79° 23’15” WEST 132.0 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 14° 29’01” WEST 100 FEET. THENCE NORTH 79° 23’15” WEST 383.24 FEET TO THE EASTERLY LINE OF THE FORMER K.L&N RAILROAD LAND; THENCE NORTH 28° 32’29” EAST, ON SAME, 300.88 FEET, THENCE SOUTH 69° 15’06” EAST PARALLEL TO NORTH SECTION LINE 464.31 FEET TO BEGINNING. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon the proposed amendment, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to Planning & Zoning, 220 West State Street, Hastings Michigan 49058, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at imcmanus@barrycounty.org. The proposed amendment of the Barry County Zoning Ordinance is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning & Zoning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 during the business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding holidays.) Please call the Barry County Planning & Zoning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284, mbrown@barrycounty.orq. This notice is given pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act (Public Act 267 of 1976) as amended. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk Banner CLASSIFIEDS Brett Bremer Sports Editor “It was boys and girls back to back. They had a big crowd and a pep band. It was a fun atmosphere, and it was fun for us for about 16 minutes,” Hastings varsity girls’ basketball coach Chase Youngs said after Friday night’s loss at Coldwater. The Coldwater girls outscored the Saxons 21-3 in the third quarter of the Cardinals’ winterfest bailgame and went on to a 43-32 win over the visiting Saxons in Interstate-8 Athletic Conference action. Hastings had an 18-10 lead at the half before the Cardinals hit a couple quick threes in the third quarter and then turnovers started to pile up for the Saxons. Hastings took a seven-point win when the two teams met at Hastings High School back in December. “They came out and picked up their inten­ sity and physicality in the third quarter and we didn’t match it,” Youngs said. In the first half he was pleased with the way his girls communicated and moved the ball offensively. “We moved the ball. We played defense well. We didn’t turn it over,” coach Youngs said. “You can look at our success and fail­ ures and it is directly related to what our turnover count is and are we giving up second chances and playing defense.” The Cardinals limited the Saxons’ top scor­ ers Macy Winegar, Brooklynn Youngs and Bri Barnes, but others did step up. Madison Pettengill and Bailey Cook tied for the Saxon lead with six points apiece. Carly Warner and Chelsea Ertner had five points each. Hastings is now 9-6 overall and 5-4 in the Interstate-8. Coldwater is now 10-5 and 6-3 in the conference. The Saxons will be at home Friday taking on Jackson Lumen Christi and then go to Harper Creek Tuesday. Hastings will be look­ ing for its second win of the season over both the Titans and Beavers. Lakewood ladies knock off Valley girls in GLAC game Breit Bremer _ __ _ “Maple Valley played a 2-3 defense, and Sports Editor ' The Vikings were eager to play well on senior night and they certainly did that. The Lakewood vafsity girls’ basketball team improved to 4-10 overall and 3-4 in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference with a 65-7 win over visiting Maple Valley Tuesday. Lakewood head coach Kelly Meints said the team went into the bailgame looking to showcase its one senior: center Maradith O’Gorman. Maple Valley didn’t really want to let that happen though. really focused on trying to keep our bigs from getting the ball,” Meints said. “They did a decent job at that, but allowed up a lot of perimeter shots and we were hitting them pretty well.” Lakewood led the bailgame 22-0 after one quarter and 43-0 at halftime. O’Gorman and Alli Pickard were able to lead the way for the Vikings. Pickard hit four three pointers and Alivia Woodman drilled a couple as well for the Vikings. “In the second half we wanted to make sure we were-.-working, through offense and getting the best look before shooting, so the points slowed a bit, and Maple Valley finally got on the scoreboard with a couple players making a free throw each.” Pickard finished with a game-high 19 points. Ellie Possehn had 11 points while going 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Cadence Poll chipped in eight points for the Vikings while adding a few blocks some good rebounding. O’Gorman and Woodman had six points apiece. DK girls host Parchment for Winterfest ballgame Friday Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg’s varsity girls’ basketball team is still chasing its first Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division win of the season. The DK girls have as good a shot Friday night as they have all season when they host Parchment for Winterfest at Delton Kellogg High School. The Parchment Panthers scored a three-point win when the two teams met at Parchment High School last month. The DK girls were bested int their last two ballgames at home, falling 49-28 to Martin Tuesday after a 44-30 loss to Hackett Catho­ lic Prep last Friday. “We are really starting to improve in many areas on both ends of the floor. I am very pleased with our effort and how hard we fly around,” Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn said. . “But, the issue continues to remain the same. We just have not shot the ball con­ sistently enough to make a difference on the scoreboard. We are shooting about 16-17 percent from the floor over the past couple of weeks and that just makes it tough.” “Our turnovers have decreased and our decision making has really improved. Our shot selection has improved as well,” he added. Caitlyn McManus and Josie Williams both managed ten points in the bailgame with Martin Tuesday. Jordan Lyons improvements have contin­ ued as well. She had a team-high 13 points in the loss to Hackett last week. Delton heads into Friday’s action 2-14 overall and 0-9 in the SAC Valley. Parchment is currently 4-11 overall and 1-8 in the con­ ference. CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Saxons roll to wins outside of 1-8 For Rent Business Services 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. Some furniture. No smoking. Includes internet. $1275/mo. (electric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). Or purchase for $395,000.269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. Pets GOLDEN DOODLE PUP­ PIES- Fluffy, very playful!. 1st shots and wormed. $700.00. 269-223-9194. Keep your friends and relatives informed and up to date with all the local news from Barry County. Send them... The Hastings BANNER To subscribe, call us at 269-945-9554 The Hastings varsity boys’ and girls’ bowling teams opened the week with back-to-back non-conference wins over Wellspring Prep and Potter’s House Christian Monday and Tuesday at Hastings Bowl. The Hastings girls scored a 30-0 win over the Pottter’s House girls Tuesday. High games for the Saxons included a 181 from Shyanna Baker, a 157 from Abby Barton and a 200 from Andrea Rhodes. Hastings’ boys scored a 26-4 win over the Potter’s House boys. Jackson Byers and Miles Lipsey earned two points each for the Saxons during the head-to-head matches. Byers had scores of 178 and 157. Lipsey won with games of 140 and 212. Drew Rhodes and Came Eaton each won a team point as well. Rhodes did it with a 138. Eaton threw games of 137 and 138. Hastings returns to Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference action this afternoon, Feb. 10, against Parma Western at Jax 60 in Jackson. In the dual with Wellspring Prep Monday, the Saxon girls scored a 24-6 win. Baker, Amber Rabideau and Ally Herder each won two team points for the Saxon girls. Herder had games of 146 and 168. Rabideau rolled a 118 and a 140. Baker scored a 155 and a 129. The Saxons also got a point thanks to a 131 from Barton and Andrea Rhodes had a solid 156 game. The Saxon boys bested Wellspring Prep 21-9. Gage Richmond and Cam Eaton won two team points each. Eaton had games of 134 and 205. Richmond rolled a 167 and a 154. Drew Rhodes chipped in a point thanks to a 155. Hastings swept the two Baker games in the boys’ competition with scores of 182 and 179. Barracudas race to third at Ottawa Hills Invitational The Barry County Barracudas placed third Saturday at the Ottawa Hills Invitational Jack Kensington had the top finishes for the Barracudas, placing third in the 100-yard freestyle in 52.65 seconds and fourth in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.98. The team of Devin Pacillo, Isaiah Randall, Matthew Smith and Kensington was third in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1 minute 55.86 seconds and the team of Smith, Riley Shults, Pacillo and Kensington placed third in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:44.778. The Barracuda team also had the 200-yard freestyle relay of Nolan Send, Mason Cross, Donald Kuck and Jameson Riordan place sixth in 1:47.26 and the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Shults placed fourth in the 200-yard indi­ vidual medley in 2:22.33 and sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.11. Barry County diver Blake Sheldon had the second-best individual diving total of 307.50 points. Pacillo had a fifth-place e time of 1:04.05 in the 100-yard backstroke. Loy Norrix took the invitational champi­ onship with a score of 207 points, ahead of Ottawa Hills 159, Barry County 137, Manist­ ee 132, Mona Shores 50 and Fremont 44. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — Page 11 Trojans give Sailors a fight on Senior Night Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg seinor guard Jack Geukes collides with South Christian's Jack Schreur as he attacks the basket during the first half of the Sailors' OK Gold Conference win in Middleville Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor Kalvin Shuford returned just in time to give the Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ basketball team its full complement of seniors on Senior Night Friday in Middleville. The senior guard had four points in a loss at Ottawa Hills Jan. 28 and was closer to full strength Friday as the Trojans faced South Christian for the second time this season. The Sailors kept the Trojans winless in the OK Gold Conference with a 76-55 victory, but the whole experience was much more pleas­ ant for the TK seniors than the final score would indicate. South Christian won the first meeting between the two teams 66-26 at South Chris­ tian High School in the conference opener early last month. “It was great,” Shuford said after Friday’s ballgame. “It was great seeing everyone show out for the whole time. It was emotional too.” “The last minute of the game, I was on the bench and I was looking at more seniors com­ ing off to the bench and Terrell [Jefferson] and it was emotional just seeing their faces. It was a loss, but we still played our hearts out.” A three-pointer by Shuford had TK within 30-29 a minute and a half into the second half, and a bucket by senior center Quintin Carr two minutes later pulled the Trojans even at 31-31. A parade to the free throw line for the Sailors, a few missed three-point attempts by the Trojans and just a few slip-ups getting back in transition by the TK defense all com­ bined to allow the Sailors to pull away in the second half. Officials pulled South Christian sopho­ more Jake Vermaas from inbounding the ball, after some discussion following a TK foul, and put him at the line where he buried a pair of shots to snap the 31-31 tie. The Sailors would shoot 23 more free throws over the last quarter and a half. They were 28-of-40 from the free throw line as a team for the evening. Gibson and Krebs keep their records spotless at tourney Lake wood goes undefeated in GLAC — - - BrettBremcr>rJ^ Sports Editor Lakewood closed out an undefeated Greater Lansing Activities Conference sea­ son by outscoring runner-up Laingsburg by more than 50 points at the conference tour­ nament hosted by Leslie Saturday. Lakewood was 9-0 in conference duals and and its two undefeated wrestlers going into Saturday kept their records perfect as sophomore Jonathan Krebs and senior Zac Gibson were among the six Vikings to win individual conference titles. They were joined by teammates junior Ashton Clark, junior Daniel Krebs, freshman Joel Simon and senior Eastin Stank at the top of the medal stand Saturday. Gibson, the defending MHSAA Division 3 125-pound state champion, improved his senior season record to 23-0 with three pins Saturday. He stuck Laingsburg’s Aden Baynes 3 minutes and 30 seconds into their 130-pound championship match after pins of Stockbridge’s Kalytsta Connolly and Leslie’s Evin Yeomans to start the day. Jonathan Krebs ran his record to 26-0 by pinning Saranac’s Ryan Bollone 2:51 into their 125-pound final. Krebs opened the tournament with a pin of Leslie’s Kailyn Friese in the semifinals. Lakewood had 13 of its 14 wrestlers Sat­ urday finish among the top four at their weight class. The Vikings closed the day withy 233.5 points, ahead of Laingsburg 183, Perry 125, Dansville 118, Olivet 89.5, Saranac 68, Les­ lie 63, Bath 29, Stockbridge 24 and Maple Valley 0. Stank took the 285-pound championship with three consecutive pins. He finished his day by sticking Perry heavyweight Jesse McClure 1:35 into their championship match. Simon scored a quick pin in the semifi­ nals before working to an 11-2 major deci­ Sports Editor The chase for another state championship begins now. Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris capped off the 2021-2022 regular season by pinning both of his opponents in the 215-pound weight class at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship at Constantine High School Saturday. Ferris stuck Constantine’s Greg Reed 83 seconds into their 215-pound championship match to finish off a 37-0 regular season. He also pinned Cole Bailey from Schoolcraft in under a minute in the semifinal round. Ferris, the defending MHSAA Division 4 Individual State Champion at 215 pounds, was one of three Delton Kellogg wrestlers to reach the championship round at the confer­ ence tournament. Teammates Gauge Stampfler and Gage Vincent both placed second at their weight class. Vermaas was 14-of-16 at the line and fin­ ished with a team-high 19 points. South Christian also got 17 points from junior Jake DeHaan, who hit four three-pointers, and 12 points from freshman Carson Vis. Jefferson, a junior guard, led all scorers with 21 points. He was 6-of-6 at the free throw line and TK was 7-of-8 overall at the line. Shuford hit two threes and finished with ten points. TK also got five points apiece from senior guards Jack Geukes and Jaymes Thome. “Jack, he turned it up another notch tonight. He took it into his own hands, took it to the hole, drew the defense to him and got a few open looks,” Shuford said. “He got me a few good shots, and Terrell and Jaymes. It was awesome. Jaymes had some awesome pass­ ing, great shots, great looks and great defense. My man played the whole game. I don’t know how he did it. It was awesome.” Geukes was more aggressive offensively than he has been at many points this season and TK head coach Josh Thaler said his defensive effort stood out as well drawing raves from the Sailor coaching staff. Most importantly TK valued the basketball on offense, turning it over only 14 times, and hustled back on defense. “Before the game, we said we’re not going to beat any teams until we stop beating our­ selves and taking care of the basketball,” Thaler said. “They even said after the game, our communication on the floor and on the bench was the best it has been all season and in a fun environment. The student section was alive. The fourth quarter it was a 20-point -game-and we-scored a basketand it- was likewe had taken the lead back again and the crowd was going wild. They just love to see these guys working hard and playing hard. That was a fun night. You never want to turn a loss in to a win, but we had a lot of fun things happen especially with the second round of conference there what we want to do and what we want to accomplish.” Thome had his five points back-to-back early in the second quarter, turning a fourpoint South Christian advantage to an 18-17 TK lead. Thorne knocked down a three-point­ er and then attacked the basket for two points after a Sailor turnover. The series had Sailor head coach Jeff Meengs calling a time out to get his guys refocused. TK was within four points at 26-22 in the final 30 seconds of the first half, with the bas­ ketball, but kind of forced up a shot with some time on the clock allowing South Christian to go down for a bucket by DeHaan which pushed his team’s lead up to six at the half. The Sailors went on a 19-0 run after TK evened things up at 31 -31 in the third quarter. The Sailors improved to 8-4 overall and 5-2 in the OK Gold with the win. TK also put up a better fight in a rematch with Forest Hills Eastern Tuesday. The Tro­ jans were within two points in the fourth quarter before the Hawks surged to a 57-47 conference win. FHE took a 41-point win when the two teams met in Ada last month. The loss drops TK to 0-8 in the OK Gold Conference and 1-11 overall this season. Forest Hills Eastern is now 10-4 overall and 7-2 in the OK Gold, sitting in second place behind the Catholic Central Cougars who are 9-0 in conference action so far and 14-T overall.------ —------- —— ----------- —— TK is on the road to face Kenowa Hills Friday and then will host Cedar Springs Tues­ day, Feb. 15. NOTICE: SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS The Barry County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the following Boards: The Lakewood varsity wrestling team celebrates its Greater Lansing Activities Conference championship after adding a conference tournament championship to an undefeated winter of conference duals Saturday at Olivet High School. Lakewood was set to open the state tournament at the MHSAA Division 3 District Tournament hosted by Portland Wednesday, Feb. 9. sion over Laingsburg’s Sean Divine in the 215-pound championship bout. Daniel Krebs was the 140-pound champi­ on for Lakewood. He was another Vikings to record three pins. He got the last one midway through the third period of his championship bout against Perry’s Seth Grooms. Lakewood also had Bryan Aguilera sec­ ond at 189 pounds and Kade Boucher sec­ ond at 119. Boucher pinned Saranac’s Isaac Okamoto and then scored a technical fall against Laingsburg’s Dustin Winans in the semifinals before getting stuck by Dans­ ville’s Blake Baker in the 119-pound cham­ pionship. Aguilera worked for a third period pin of Leslie’s Garret Bedell in his 189pound semifinal then got pinned himself by Laingsburg’s Mikey Brooks in the 189pound championship. Tyson Raffler was third at 152 pounds and Christian Harton third at 135 pounds for the Vikings. Brant O’Heam at 171 pounds, Brenden Straub at 160 and Adrian Oaks at 103 all placed fourth. Raffler pinned Dansville’s Logan Storey in the 152-pound consolation final and Harton finished his day by pinning Dansville’s Josh Carpenter in the match for third at 135 pounds. Laingsburg got championships from Brooks at 189 pounds and Bryce Smith at 145. Lakewood was set to face Belding in a Division 3 District Semifinal match Wednes­ day, Feb. 9, at Portland High School. Portland and Central Montcalm were scheduled to meet in the district’s other semifinal match. Those four teams will all be a part of the 14-team MHSAA Division 3 Individual District Tour­ nament at Alma High School Saturday. Ferris wins SAC title; DK at individual districts Saturday Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg senior Payton Wilkinson (center) is all smiles with his parents Sam Wilkinson and Maggie Wilkinson during the Senior Night ceremony at Thornapple Kellogg High School Friday between the TK boys' and girls' varsity basketball games against South Christian. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Stampfler pinned Watervliet’s Kameron Smith 58 seconds into their 125-pound semi­ final match to earn a spot in the finals against Lawton’s Dustin Mallory. Mallory managed a 5-1 decision in the championship bout. Vincent, a state qualifier a year ago as a sophomore, closed his junior SAC season with a 5-0 loss to Martin’s Jayce Ritchie in the 119-pound championship match. Vincent reached the final with a pin of Watervliet’s Jimmy Kolosowsky early in the third period of their semifinal. Corban Antolovich at 103 pounds reached the consolation semifinals for Delton Kellogg Saturday with a pair of wins. This Saturday, Feb. 12, Delton Kellogg will travel to Union City for its MHSAA Division 4 Individual District Tournament, with the top four at each weight class earning spots in the regional round of the individual state tournament. The Panthers were set to travel to Martin yesterday, Feb. 9, for their Division 4 Team District Tournament with Martin/Climax/ Scotts, Maple Valley and Saranac. As a team, Delton Kellogg placed sixth at the SAC Championship. Martin/Climax/ Scotts took the tournament championship beating runner-up Constantine by half a point 178-177.5. Lawton was third with 168 points, ahead of Schoolcraft 141.5, Watervliet 110, Delton Kellogg 74.5, Coloma 60, Parchment 31, Galesburg-Augusta 22, Fennville 6 and Gobles 4. Martin/Climax-Scotts had four individual champions and 12 of its 14 wrestlers finished among the top four at their weight classes. Logan Gilbert at 103 pounds, Ritchie at 119, Drake Buell at 130 pounds and J.R. Hil­ debrand at 189 pounds won individual titles for Martin/Climax-Scotts. Constantine had seven wrestlers reach the championship finals with Brody Jones at 140 pounds and Troy Demas at 171 winning championships. Mental Health Authority Board: 5 positions, 3 must have lived experience in mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorder Parks and Recreation Commission: 1 position Planning Commission: 2 positions Tax Allocation Board: 1 position Zoning Board of Appeals: 1 position Applications may be obtained at the County Administration Office, 3rd floor of the Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings; or www.barrycounty.org under the tab: How do I apply for: An Advisory Board or Commission and click to display the application. Applications must be returned no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7, 2022. Contact 269-945-1284 for more information. ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING SCHEDULE THE ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF REVIEW will be held at the Orangeville Township Hall, 7350 Lindsey Rd. Plainwell Mi. 49080 on the following dates. Tuesday March 8, Organizational Meeting - 4:00 pm Monday, March 14, Appeal Hearing - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon & 1:00pm to 4:00 pm Tuesday March 15, Appeal Hearing - 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, & 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm The Board of Review will meet as many more days as deemed necessary to hear questions, protests and to equalize the 2022 assessments. By Board resolution, residents are able to protest by letter, provided protest letter is received by March 14 - 12:00 noon. Written protests should be mailed to; BOARD OF REVIEW 7350 LINDSEY RD. PLAINWELL Ml. 49080 The tentative ratios and the estimated multipliers for each class of real property and personal property are as follows; Agricultural 53.08% 0.94197 Commercial 50.23% 0.99542 Industrial 47.50% 1.05263 Residential 48.06% 1.04037 Personal 50.00 % 1.0000 (ADA) Americans with Disabilities Notice Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk at least seven (7) days in advance of hearing. This notice posted in Compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a (2)(3) and with the Americans with Disabilities Act Contacts - Clerk - Mel Risner: 269-664-4522 Supervisor- Thomas Rook: 616-299-6019 i75598 �Page 12 — Thursday, February 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings has 14 medalists as it wins 1-8 trophy again Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer Hastings wrestlers finished at the top of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference for the third consecutive season by winning the 1-8 Tournament Saturday at Hastings High School. The Saxon varsity team was 7-0 in duals during the 1-8 season and had wrestlers place in all 14 weight classes Saturday. The Saxons shared the conference title last year with Jackson Northwest and Parma Western in a three-way tie. Hastings head coach, Jason Slaughter praised the performance, “The team did real­ ly well. Winning the conference outright is a great accomplishment especially in a com­ petitive league. We won the tournament because all 14 of our guys placed, with some of our starters out and with some who hav­ en’t been in the lineup all year. Jackson and Parma had only ten each that placed. This goes to show we have a room of hard work­ ers and strong wrestlers, and that we are tough across the board.” The Saxons advanced all 14 weight class­ es into the championship or consolation finals with eight of those being in the cham­ pionship match and six of them going for third place. Only two Saxons brought home an individual conference title, both fresh­ man, Troy Hokanson at 103 pounds and Keegan Sutfin at 112 pounds. Coach Slaughter added, “Hokanson and Sutfin did a great job winning as freshman. Dubois did a nice job beating a tough oppo­ nent he lost to earlier in the season to make it to the finals.” Other Saxons placing second for the team were Haiden Simmet (140 pounds), Mason Denton (145 pounds), Robby Slaughter (152 pounds), Victor Ramirez (160 pounds), Tate Warner (189 pounds) and Jackson Dubois (285 pounds). Isaac Friddle finished in third place at 215 pounds, and Dillon Neal, Zach Chipman, Joe Goggins, Ben Furrow and Isaiah Wil­ son all finished in fourth place for the Sax­ ons. Hastings finished with 214 team points to cinch the league title. Jackson Northwest finished in second for the tournament with 187 points, and Parma Western finished with 166.5 points. Jackson Northwest and Parma Western ended up sharing the sec­ ond place league position after Parma had defeated Northwest in the regular duals. The Saxons will compete on Thursday night, Feb. 10, at Thomapple Kellogg in the Michigan High School Athletic Associ­ ation Division 2 team districts. Hastings will wrestle Wayland in one semifinal match, and TK will wrestle Allegan in the other. Winners of those duals will wrestle for the the district title. The Hastings varsity wrestling team celebrates its third consecutive Interstate-8 Athletic Conference title after winning the con­ ference tournamcent at Hastings High School Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) . The Saxons' Keegan Sutfin (top) pins Pennfield's Braylin Swank in the championship match at 112 pounds Saturday during the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Tournament at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings freshman Troy Hokanson battles with Pennfield's Nasko Cleland during their 103-pound championship match Saturday at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Tournament hosted by the Saxons at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) TK title streak reaches seven in Gold Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg's Austin Chivis lifts Kenowa Hills' Sam Johnston off the mat during the 160-pound semifinal match at the OK Gold Conference Tournament Saturday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) JOIN OUR TEAM/ Now Hiring: Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters Sports Editor The Trojans weren’t really behind, but they weren’t ahead yet at the start of the finals. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity wrestling team overtook Wayland in the day’s stand­ ings by winning 11 medal round matches Saturday at the OK Gold Conference Tourna­ ment in Middleville to clinch the program’s seventh consecutive conference champion­ ship. “It is a tradition, and as we keep building it we want to keep showing year after year that we can continue to do it,” TK head coach Dayne Fletke said of the conference title. “As a community, we come together and support these guys. If you look around in the stands there are old wrestlers all over the place that want to be a part of it, all the way from the high school down to the middle school there are people coming back and giving back to the program.” Senior Matthew Middleton finished off a perfect run in the OK Gold Conference win­ ning four championships with the team and four individual conference titles while bat­ tling injuries and illness throughout has final couple varsity seasons. He improved his senior season record to 32-6 with a pin of Forest Hills Eastern’s Emilio Jazwinski with ten seconds remaining in the second period of their 152-pound championship match. Mid­ dleton had a 5-0 lead on Jazwinski, who has 34 wins himself on the season, when he final­ ly got him on his back. “He just came out ready to wrestle and he took it to the guy,” Fletke said of Middleton. “He was focused and determined to get that fourth one.” Middleton opened his tournament with a 14-1 major decision over Cedar Springs’ Izak Welsheimer. . Middleton was one of six Trojans to win an individual conference title Saturday, follow­ ing up on their team’s 5-0 season of confer­ ence duals. Freshman Christian Miller (27-6) won the 103-pound weight class, senior Hunter Pitsch (33-5) took the 119-pound title, junior Kyron Zoet (27-5) took the 130-pound championship, 135-pound junior Zack Gib­ son (30-3) was a conference champion and TK also got a title from junior Austin Chivis (31-5) at 160 pounds. TK took the tournament championship with 209 points, ahead of Wayland 171.5, Cedar Springs 110, Forest Hills Eastern 100, Kenowa Hills 90 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central 55. Gibson opened the tournament by scoring his 100th varsity victory. The milestone came with a pin of Way land’s Aadon Wagner in the 135-pound semifinals. The Trojans’ medal round run started with senior Blake Bush placing third at 215 pounds by pinning Cedar Springs’ Sergie Byxbe 4:16 into their consolation final. Brenen Simon was fourth at 285 pounds for TK, Aiden Foy third at 112 pounds, Ashton Corson second at 125 pounds, Andrew Middleton third at 140 pounds, Jayce Curtis third at 145 pounds and Kenny Krul third at 171 pounds. “We were fortunate to get 11 of the 13 wins there for our finals matches and that was able to put us ahead,” Fletke said. “You have to keep that in the back pocket that there is always someone coming for you and you’ve got to be ready for it. That helps motivate us, and pushes us, and gives us something as opposed to hitting cruise control.” Matthew Middleton, Chivis and Miller scored pins in their championship bouts. Miller made quick work of Wayland’s Danny Keena in the 103-pound final pinning him in 44 seconds. It took a bit more work for Chivis to get Wayland’s Adam Ordway (34-9) on his shoulders in one of the best finals match-ups of the tournament, but he finally stuck his Wildcat foe in 5:51 - with just nine seconds remaining in the third period. The two were tied on the scoreboard at 2-2 when Chivis earned the pin. Chivis got a take down in the opening period. Ordway chose the bottom position to open the second period and worked a reversal to even the match. Chivis never got out from under Ordway until the final seconds. Things came down to the final seconds in the 130-pound championship too, where Zoet scored a 9-5 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Nahum Krussell (22-4). There were three reversals in the final 45 seconds of the bout. Zoet scored the first, for the first points of the third period, to pull ahead 4-3. Krussell scored a reversal himself moments later. The clock ticked under ten seconds before Zoet was finally moved back on top, putting Krussell on his back to add two nearfall points as well. Zoet worked hard to get the reversal rather than a one-point escape late in the period. “I knew if we went to our feet we’d proba­ bly go into overtime,” Zoet said. “I’d shoot in and he has good defense, so I was trying to get a reversal instead of an escape and then try to maintain position and stay in a good spot, because if we went to our feet we probably would have gone into overtime and that is just extra work.” Zoet is pleased to be adding 2021 to the list of conference championships on the banner in the TKHS gymnasium, which recently reopened after suffering roof damage in December 2021. “I’d like to leave our legacy, since our class has been really good,” Zoet said. “We have been wrestling ever since we were little kids. It just means a lot to me that we have all been continuing and wrestling for each other - not just for our own individual selves. That num­ ber means a lot.” Gibson followed up Zoet’s win by scoring a 12-0 major decision over GRCC’s Lee Braun (21-4) in the 135-pound final. Pitsch took his 119-pound title with a 7-1 win over Forest Hills Eastern’s Ethan Smith (34-7). For many, like Zoet, wrestling started about the same time school did - at the age of five or six. “I remember we were all wrestling togeth­ er (prior to middle school),” Zoet said. “It was fun and the practices were tough. We have been wrestling ever since we were five years old. I took a little bit of a break and came back for middle school to help the team out, and now everybody is wrestling for each other.” Not all of the talented Trojans have that kind of experience though. Corson started wrestling in middle school. His loss to Cath­ olic Central freshman Mikey Wilson was his first defeat of the season. Corson is now 33-1 on the season. Wilson moved to 22-1 with the win. Corson and Gibson are both two-time state medalists in their two varsity seasons. Zoet joined that duo on the medal stand at the state finals in 2021. Teammate Andrew Middleton also qualified for the state finals last season. They’re all hoping to get back to the MHSAA Individual State Finals this season, ideally with a handful of other teammates joining them. “If we keep working, some of these guys are going to reach their goals and make it through the postseason and hopefully the three months of hard work pays off,” coach Fletke said. The TK grapplers will be in Lowell for their MHSAA Division 2 Individual District Tournament Saturday. The team state tourna­ ment starts Thursday in Middleville for the Trojans. They take on Allegan in one district semifinal match while Hastings takes on Wayland in the other. Wayland had eight wrestlers in the champi­ onship finals Saturday and got conference championships from Emmet Manning at 145 pounds and Cainon Fenn at 189. FEB 16-20,2022 Apply at: caascm.org/careers ♦Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and state mandates including Covld-19 vaccination compliance. 400 Boats from • Docks & Lifts! • Antique & Classic Boats! https://qrco.de/bcgX71Over 30 dealers! . Lake Michigan Yachts, Beach & Boatware Sale! Fishing Boats! Ski & Cruisers, Center Consoles, * Tubers Sale! Skis, Wake Surfing Boats! Trawlers, Pontoons! Surf Boards and Vests! DATES Wed, February 16,2-9pm Sat, February 19,10am-9pm & TIMES Thu-Fri, February 17-18,12-9pm Sun, February 20,10-5pm GRBoatShow.com Thomapple Kellogg's Zack Gibson (top) tries to turn Catholic Central's Lee Braun to his back during the first period of their 135-pound champi­ onship match at Saturday's OK Gold Conference Tournament in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-02-17.pdf 91158764f31c50f70f807c294e9eb680 PDF Text Text Rutland Township opts for marijuana buffers See Story on Page 3 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 1070490102590503107649058113421 Thursday, February 17, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 7 804879110187 PRICE $1.00 Judge rules jurors can view homicide video Case against Nashville man set for trial in April Taylor Owens Hastings alumni planning for banquet The Hastings High School Alumni Association Board has begun making plans for the 2022 Alumni Banquet which will be Saturday Aug. 27, at the First Presbyterian Church of Hastings. The board is looking for class representa­ tives to help with the planning. Representa­ tives are needed for the honored classes of 1942, 1952, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017. Representa­ tives have already been identified for the classes of 1947,1957,1962,1967 and 1972. Anyone wishing to help with their indi­ vidual class gatherings is encouraged to attend the next alumni board meeting Sunday, Feb. 27, at the J-Ad meeting room or contact alumni board president Lois Bowers by calling 269-945-9657. Thornapple Players hosting auditions The Thomapple Players will be pre­ senting the comedy “Young Franken­ stein” in early May. To fill the roles for this Mel Brooks play, auditions are planned Monday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the Dennison Performing Arts Center, 231 S. Broadway, Hastings. The play has eight roles, plus the ensemble. Many ensemble members have lines, producer Norma Jean Acker said. Individuals auditioning for the ensemble/chorus must sing at auditions. Rehearsals will be 7-9:30 p.m. Mon­ days, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Tech rehearsal will be Sunday, May 1 (manda­ tory attendance). Show dates are May 5-8. Dress rehearsal Wednesday, May 4, will be open to the public. Doug Acker and Julian Kratochvil are directing. Amy Young and Angela Seeber will teach vocals. Carol Svihl is house manager. Anyone with questions may call Norma Jean Acker, 269-945-2332, or text 269-908-0870. Those interested in a part but who cannot audition March 1 is asked to make other arrangements with the director or producer. Women's club offering scholarships The GFWC Hastings Women’s Club is offering two $750 scholarships. The “Jump Start Your Future” scholarship is open to Hastings Senior High school girls of the class of 2022. The other is avail­ able to a female non-traditional student residing in Barry County and accepted into an accredited college/university for a degree in a health care-related field (with the exception of a CNA designation). The scholarships are administered by the Barry Community Foundation. Guidelines, requirements and forms for online submission can be found on the foundation’s website, barrycf.org. Applicants who have a connection to a member of the Hastings Women’s Club are encouraged to submit a letter of recommendation along with the other forms. Questions may be directed to Annie Halle at the foundation, by calling 269-945-0526. The deadline for the final submission of the application form and attachments is March 1. Staff Writer A video of Gracyn-Michael Brickley’s death can be shown to jurors, if the murder case against Andrew Lafey goes to trial. Lafey, 22, of Nashville is charged with open murder, torture, concealment of a body, and five firearms charges. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt alleges Lafey shot Brickley, 18, of Ionia, twice with a.22 rifle, in the chest and abdomen, behind a house on Guy Road in Maple Grove Township on Feb. 16. During a hearing Feb. 9, Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper denied a motion by Lafey’s attorneys to prevent the video from being shown on the grounds that it was “too prejudicial for a jury to review.” Detective Sgt. Janette Maki, of the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, previously testified that Lafey told her he recorded the video on his phone. Maki said it showed Lafey kicking and taunting Brickley as she died. Several people who were at the Guy Road house on the night Lafey is alleged to have shot and killed Brickley, testified that Lafey showed them the video. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt acknowledged the video is disturbing, but told Schipper two of the main charges she brought against Lafey, open murder and tor­ ture, were based on that video. Probate Judge William Doherty, who viewed the video in his chambers during the preliminary hearing in October, cited it when he bound the case against Lafey over for trial. “It is clear from the video that Mr. Lafey committed a brutal, heinous murder of Gracyn Brickley,” Doherty said. “... I don’t see any doubt that he committed those offenses.” “The video clearly shows torture and the intent to inflict extreme pain to the victim, and just a brutal attitude, numerous name callings, a lot of statements within that video, along with the comments to the witnesses, watching the moment her life left her eyes, the obvious pain that the victim was in,” he added. Schipper did not watch the video during the motion hearing last week, but he ruled it is “clearly admissible under case law.” The judge did watch a different video to allow him to rule on a second motion filed by Lafey’s attorneys, James Kinney and Jackie Baker. The motion asked the judge to rule as inad­ missible the statements Lafey had made in response to questions from police before he was read his Miranda rights, which advise suspects of their right to remain silent. Pratt argued the statements were admissi­ ble, since the questions were not an interroga­ tion at that point, but an attempt by the police to find Brickley and determine if she could still be helped. Kinney replied that police had already been told there was video footage of Brickley’s death, and it took’ officers about two hours from the time that her death was report­ ed on Feb. 17, to when police finally arrived at the house on Guy Road. He also pointed out that they did not use their emergency lights when they driveVe get there. Schipper said police may not have known Brickley was dead, but they had been told a crime was committed. However, he added, they may not have believed it. See JUDGE RULES, page 2 Andrew Lafey, 22, of Nashville, is escorted into the Barry County courtroom for a hearing on key evidence and whether it will be allowed in the homicide trial against him. (Photos by Scott Harmsen) Hastings picks new council member Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Bill Nesbitt will serve as Hastings’ newest 1st Ward city council representative, the council voted Monday night. Nesbitt, who applied for the position after Therese Maupin-Moore resigned on Feb. 1, will bring decades of experience to the post. He has volunteered across the community as a reserve police officer, a member of the Barry Area Silent Observer board, the Zoning Board of Appeals of Middleville and, most notably, the village council of Middleville. He served on the village council from 1996 to 2000 and later, from 2004 to 2005. As a part of that board, he played an integral role, he said, in the construction of the fire station in Middleville as the committee chairman. He helped negotiate the police contract between the Village of Middleville and the sheriff’s department, and worked extensively to devel­ op Paul Henry Trail. “Sometimes people can feel like it’s a very slow process and you just don’t seem like you’re getting anything done,” he said of government. “But, in the end, like with the Village of Middleville, I can walk into Mid­ dleville and see all kinds of projects that I worked on with other people. ... It’s just the part of giving that I enjoy the most.” Nesbitt’s experience stood out to Mayor David Tossava. “He’s already learned about a lot of the stuff,” he said. “He knows all about the Open Meetings Act. He knows how the meetings are That’s when he saw a recent article in The run. He’s been involved in budgeting before.” Banner, where Tossava commented on the Although he lived in the Middleville area difficulty in finding people to fill these board later in life, Nesbitt grew up in Hastings and positions. received his first experience in public service Nesbitt did some “soul searching,” he as a reserve officer for the Hastings Police said. He talked with friends and family and Department. attended city council meet­ During high school, he moved ings until he felt ready to to Middleville and then St. serve again. Petersburg, Fla., before return­ Then he put his name in ing to Barry County in 1985. the running - he was he He hasn’t left since. only person to do so. Over the last 37 years, Nes­ Following the board’s bitt has held a number of jobs in unanimous approval on private security, sales, manage­ Monday, he will begin on ment and law enforcement, Feb. 28 and hold the seat working as a part-time correc­ through the end of 2022. tions officer and civil process Nesbitt admits he’s a little court enforcement for the Barry rusty. It’s been nearly 16 County sheriff. For seven years, years since he last served in he also owned a store in Mid­ Bill Nesbitt a government role. dleville called Nesbitt’s Market. But Nesbitt said he will Although Nesbitt always visited the City of get up to speed. Hastings to hear music at the Thomapple “I do tend to do my homework and study Plaza, he didn’t move back to the City of up on issues before I start offering my opin­ Hastings until last year. ions,” he said. Retired at the age of 59, he found himself Last week, he spent hours talking with looking for something to fill his time. He Tossava. The mayor said he’s not worried had been out of public service for more than either. a decade. “Everybody says it’s like riding a bicy­ “You can only watch so many movies, walk cle,” he said of serving on boards. “He’s around the block so many times,” he said. “I been involved in city, village government needed something to focus on and make an before and I think he’s gonna be an asset to effort to make a difference for other people.” our board.” In other news, the council: • Entered an agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for surface transportation and road improvements on North Michigan Avenue and West Woodlawn Avenue. The city will pay $156,700, with federal funds covering an additional $375,700. • Set a public hearing for Feb. 28 to receive comments regarding the City of Hastings Five-Year Parks and Recreation Master Plan. • Approved the final special assessment roll for sidewalk construction on West State Street. • Approved a proposal from Aunalytics to complete an IT security assessment for $14,940. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said the city’s IT services are outdated and she hopes the assessment will inform the next fiscal year’s budget. But city council member Brenda McNabb-Stange expressed concern over the lack of clarity in the pro­ posal. She made a motion to approve the proposal, as long as the proposal includes or references another contract with a confiden­ tiality clause. • Approved the WBCH Radio St. Patrick’s Parade on March 17 at 4 p.m. • Increased the budgeted amount for many water main breaks from $10,000 to $20,000 due to the volume of breaks. In addition to the increase in budgeted amount, the council also approved $6,094 to A-l asphalt for pavement patching after a water main break. County board ponders public civility - and how to ensure it Rebecca Pierce Barry County Commissioner Vivian Conner Editor Can public civility and passionate expres­ sion of opinions co-exist peacefully at local government meetings during a pandemic? Some Barry County commissioners, who’ve encountered hysteria and hostility during public meetings in the past two years, talked Tuesday during their Committee of the Whole meeting about amending board rules to ensure that meetings run well. “It’s just good manners in a public meet­ ing,” Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner told fellow board members when she pitched five proposed amendments to the board’s current rules. “ The focus of the changes is to clarify acceptable behavior during the public com­ ment portion of the meetings. Commissioners allow people three minutes to comment and they don’t typically respond to those comments, which sometimes elicits criticism and frustration from citizens. The point, commissioners have said, is that public comment is time reserved especially for the public - not the board - to comment. The idea, to more clearly define these board rules, was first brought forward in Feb­ ruary 2020, Conner said, “This is the same agenda item,” she said. “Basically, we have to get our jobs done.” Behavior that disturbs the peace and good order should not be acceptable. “It’s just decorum.” “Is there anything in this that you don’t already have the power to do as chair?” Com­ missioner Jon Smelker asked Chairman Ben Geiger after Conner reviewed the five points in the proposed amendment. “Honestly,” Geiger replied, “it makes my job quite a bit harder under section (number) 2 (which states) that a person may address the board only on issues that are relevant and germane to county government. “That historically has been a very difficult thing to enforce and I don’t support putting that in there. But (as to)your question on does this provide any powers I don’t currently have, I think no, it doesn’t, but it does clarify, lay out, the powers I already have.” Smelker pointed out that, if he reads the rules right, the chairman should never use “Yes, the member is correct.” Geiger responded to laughter. “I don’t mind minor changes or updates,” Commissioner Dave Jackson remarked. “I don’t see this being anything major. ... Our chair and our board has been very flexible, allowing people leeway when needed. We haven’t been exactly hard on people...As See COUNTY, page 9 �Page 2 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner 'Murders are rare here. It’s even more rare that somebody admits it to somebody else, and it’s absolutely unique that anybody murders some­ one, tells somebody - and videotapes it.' - Barry County Judge Michael Schipper JUDGE RULES, continued from page 1 -------------------“Murders are rare here,” Schipper said. “It’s even more rare that somebody admits it to somebody else, and it’s absolutely unique that anybody murders someone, tells some­ body - and videotapes it.” “We don’t want to believe that stuff is true,” he added. “We want to believe [Lafey]’s puffing, he’s talking crap, it’s not real, and [the officers] probably thought the same thing.” Schipper noted that Barry County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Erb, who had questioned Lafey and was in the courtroom, was nodding in response to these comments. During the hearing, the judge watched body camera footage provided by Nashville Police Chief Chris Underhile showing the officers’ entry into the house, and part of the conversation between Barry County Sheriff’s deputies and Lafey. Underhile did not question Lafey directly while they were inside the house, and during much of the video he was checking the house for weapons. Most of the verbal exchange between Lafey and the deputies could not be heard on the video, but since deputies do not wear body cameras, it was the only footage available. Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt argues a point. The video started with Underhile and a deputy on the front lawn of the Guy Road house on Feb. 17. Underhile asked the deputy if he thought Underhile should go back to the cruiser to get his rifle, which he then did. Several officers stood in front of the home, and called out multiple times “Andrew” and “sheriff’s office,” but there was no reply. The officers went in the front door to find Lafey sitting on the couch, with at least one other man inside. Some of the deputies approached Lafey and asked him if he knew where Brickley was, and he told them she had left the previ­ ous night with another man. After a moment, Underhile and some of the other officers started searching the house for weapons. Underhile told one of the other officers that the owner of the house, Charlie James, had said there were between 10 and 20 guns inside the house. A dog could be heard walking around the house, and some of the officers pointed out how skinny it was. They asked one of the men in the house why they didn’t feed it more. “Dog needs a sandwich,” one of the offi­ cers said. After searching the house, Underhile came back and stood at the far side the room , where deputies-were talking to Lafey. “We’re getting information that you had an incident with Gracie,” one of them could be heard saying. “No, sir, I never had an incident with her,” Lafey replied. The deputies repeated different versions of the question, to which Lafey continued to answer “No, sir.” “I don’t think you’re being honest with us,” one deputy said. “Now’s the time to be honest, you’ve got how many cops standing here.” Erb told Lafey they heard he had a video of the incident. Lafey denied it, then Erb asked to look at his phone. Soon afterward, Erb found a still image of Brickley’s death on the phone; Lafey was patted down, handcuffed and read his rights. At that point in viewing the video, Schip­ per asked Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Elsworth to pause the recording. The judge noted that the tone of the discussion on the recording, and the feeling in that room, had changed between Underhile’s first entrance 'I think Mr. Lafey has a motion, your honor. I believe he wishes to fire me.' - Defense Attorney James Kinney TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046, to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 10:00 am Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022, 1:00 to 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 9:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 9:00 am to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 pm Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper responds during the proceedings. (Photos by Scott Harmsen) into the room, and his second. Schipper said he could not tell what caused that change, but the discussion had shifted from finding Brickley to questioning what Lafey had done that night. “It’s a close call,” the judge said. He ruled that statements Lafey made to police before Underhile returned to the room would be admissible, but the statements made between that point and when Lafey was read his Miranda rights would be inadmissible in court proceedings. Pratt did ask for an exception to be made for one statement. Deputy Rich Frazer briefly testified that, when he patted Lafey down, Lafey told Fraz­ er, “The shells I shot her with are in my pock­ et.” ' Frazer said he found two spent shell cas­ ings in Lafey’s pocket. Pratt argued that, since the statement was spontaneous, it was not a response to a ques­ tion by the police and should be admissible in court proceedings. Kinney did not dispute the point, and Schipper ruled the statement would be admit­ ted. _ Toward the end p£4he'hearing, which lastATOXffiSrWlS miniitej SSippef asked Kinney if there was anything else that needed to be addressed. “No, your honor,” Kinney said. But as he started to sit back down, Baker whispered to him and he stood back up. “Oh, yes, your honor,” Kinney said. “I think Mr. Lafey has a motion, your honor. I believe he wishes to. fire me.” Schipper asked Lafey if he wanted to fire just Kinney or Baker as well. “Umm, both,” Lafey replied. “Why?” Schipper asked. “Earlier, like a couple weeks ago or so,” Lafey answered, “I had a meeting with them and they said that they were coercing me, saying that if I didn’t take the first-degree deal that I would end up being in a Level Five [prison] for the rest of my life, or could be in a Level Five for the fest of my life, and that her family, or someone, could find out what prison I’m in and my life would be in danger. I’ve asked Mr. Kinney if he could file for a change of venue, he said no, I don’t have a good enough reason.” Pratt had offered Lafey a deal, that if he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder she would drop the other charges against him. The penalty would still be life in prison with­ out the possibility of parole, but the other Barry County Sheriff’s Sgt. Rich Frazer testifies about what he observed. 'We were worried about other inmates - if they learned about this video, if they would take it against him.' - Defense Attorney James Kinney charges of torture and concealment of a body would not be attached to his record. “Yes, we told him he could be in a Level Five for the rest of his life,” Kinney told Schipper, “in the context of his getting priv­ ileges in the prison, and this is the differ­ ence between one count first-degree murder versus all the other counts, including tor­ ture.” “We never said it was the family,” Kinney added. “We were worried about other inmates - if they learned about this video, if they would take it against him.” And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. APPOINTMENTS ARE SUGGESTED; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural 50.70% 0.9862 Commercial 50.31% 0.9938 Industrial 52.09% 0.9599 Residential 45.79% 1.0919 Personal Property 50.00% 1.0000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Jim Stoneburner, Supervisor Prairieville Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Prairieville Township Prairieville Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Prairieville Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Prairieville Township by writing or calling. Rod Goebel Prairieville Township Clerk 10115 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Ml 49046 269-623-2726 175924 Attorney James Kinney outlines his argument, with fellow defense attorney Jackie Baker and defendant Andrew Lafey seated beside him. “So you’re simply giving him information that you’ve learned to help him make a deci­ sion of a plea offer,” Schipper said. “Exactly, your honor,” Kinney said. “And we’ve told him repeatedly it’s up to him whether he takes it or not. I don’t care, one way or the other.” Kinney also said he told Lafey the proper time to ask for a change of venue is at jury selection, if they were unable to find a fair and impartial jury out of the pool of prospec­ tive jurors in Barry County. Schipper said at least half of the prospec­ tive jurors they would call will have never heard about the case before. Kinney said they wrote Lafey a three-page letter detailing their concerns so that he could make a decision. The judge told Lafey his attorneys were giving him this additional information to help him make a decision. “That’s their job, and I’m glad they did that,” he said. “Some attorneys don’t even do that... Very honestly, I think you should be thanking them. “They’re going above and beyond. They’re doing a really good job for you, from what I can see and what I just learned, so I’m not going to let you fire them right now.” But if Lafey decides in a couple of weeks that he is convinced his attorneys do not have his best interests at heart, the judge told him he would consider a motion to allow Lafey to replace them. But Schipper warned Lafey to think care­ fully about that decision, since the attorneys who replace them might not be as good. “I can tell you they are both very good attor­ neys,” he told Lafey. At the end of the hearing, Pratt said she would still offer Lafey the deal to plead guilty. Lafey claimed he has information on other cases, including homicide, she said, but that doesn’t change her mind about the deal she offered him. She told Schipper Lafey is not credible. A pre-trial and a trial is currently scheduled for April 11 to 27. Pratt later told The Banner that her office is “very satisfied” with the judge’s ruling on the motions. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 3 County plans major computer network upgrade Rebecca Pierce Editor It’s going to cost nearly a quarter of a million dollars to upgrade Barry County’s growing computer server and storage net­ work. David Shinavier, the county’s informa­ tion technology department coordinator, made the request at the county commission­ ers’ committee of the whole meeting Tues­ day. The demands on his department have grown, he said, and they will continue to grow. “Everybody knows the past couple of years have been totally unstable,” Shinavier said. “We’ve had to be very adaptable.” Shinavier’s department is responsible for planning, implementing and supporting all the county’s information technology resources. He also serves as the county’s land infor­ mation services coordinator and, in that role, his department is responsible for the retrieval and analysis of geographic infor­ mation for other county departments and the public. LIS provides up-to-date computer­ ized maps of the county. Shinavier’s department also has a number of agreements to provide IT expertise for auxiliary agencies in the county, such as the road commission and the Commission on Aging. He said he expects these agreements to continue to increase as needs for IT support grow across the county. His request for $213,576 to cover the cost of hardware and Microsoft licensing is a scheduled replacement of the county’s serv­ er and storage network. This is “the heartbeat of county comput­ ing,” he said. Of equal importance, Shinavier said, is network security. The IT department is working on several projects now. The upgrade at the county’s Courts and Law Building is a major initia­ tive, and a new emergency backup and retention system will be coming online in a couple of weeks. One of the most important initiatives he mentioned is “SEAM,” a project intended to provide secure transactions over networks. SEAM will record all incoming and outgo­ ing traffic, log it and put it in a massive database, he said. IK Hires a David Shinavier, Barry County’s infor­ mation technology coordinator, answers questions about a proposed $213,576 upgrade. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) “When there is an anomaly, it detects it, then you can do forensics on it,” Shinavier told commissioners. SEAM is designed to offer strong user authentication, as well as data integrity and data privacy. Authentication guarantees that the identities of both the sender and the recipient of a network transaction are true. This system “is extremely valuable if you do get hit,” he said, adding that the county computer network gets probed fre­ quently. And it’s not uncommon to experi­ ence multiple attacks, he said, noting that this is typical for any governmental com­ puter system. “Probably, on average, once a week we’ll have an end user download something - a totally innocent download,” Shinavier said. “It’ll be something on a website or through email, and it will try to scream out to its ‘mother ship.’ “We have good security software that then notifies Aaron [network administrator Aaron Staines] and myself and then we send somebody there as quickly as possible to plug it and bring it back to our shop and start all over again. “It happened just a couple of days ago. It’s just a reality of our business.” Commissioner Jon Smelker remarked on the number of email he receives that are “quarantined.” Shinavier said there are different catego­ ries of spam, and “quarantined” is just one of them. “Generally, what we’re seeing is about 85 percent of all the mail that comes into our server is junk; 85 percent is pretty standard.” “The bad guys need to get lucky and get through once,” he said. “We need to block 100 percent of the time.” The investment the county will be making in this network upgrade is expected to last five years, Shinavier added. They plan to retire the current equipment and have it pro­ vide a backup platform. “This is the backbone of our information technology system,” he said. “Five years from now, who knows?” One possibility they might consider in the future is SAS, which is the acronym for Software As a Service. “It sits up on the cloud,” Shinavier said. The county’s register of deeds office has switched over to that model, he added. “Five years from now, we may not need all this processing power; it may reside up in the cloud.” In other business commissioners: • Recommended approving a new ease­ ment agreement with Consumers Energy at the Thomapple Manor campus, which will add the Harvest Pointe assisted living facility this summer. The addition of that facility highlighted an easement from 1952 that encompassed more property than necessary and encroached on the new building con­ struction. The new easement is limited to the area of the property that contains the actual high-pressure gas line already in place. • Met Dayne Hofiman of Lowell, who is miming for state representative to represent the district currently served by Julie Calley, R-Portland. State Rep. Calley is serving her last term in District 87, which includes Barry County. • Heard public comment from Pat Jami­ son of Bowens Mills about the current state of COVID-19 in the county. “We’re still at a high level,” he said. “I’m wondering, by the numbers, it seems worse, but now no one up here is wearing a mask. Just wondering. Thank you.” X' new assistant superintendent Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Christopher LaHaie will take over as the assistant superintendent of finance at Thor­ napple Kellogg Schools, the board of educa­ tion approved Monday. LeHaie will join the district on Feb. 28 after serving as the deputy superintendent of finance and operations at Cedar Springs Pub­ lic Schools for two years. Superintendent Craig McCarthy, who pre­ viously held the assistant superintendent of finance position for 3 1/2 years, said he sought out LeHaie to fill his former post. Before working at Cedar Springs, LeHaie spent five years as a finance administrator in various districts, including two years at Com­ stock Park Public Schools, one at Portland Public Schools and one at Grand Rapids Pub­ lic Schools. He received his bachelor’s degree in chem­ istry and math from Michigan State Universi­ ty, his master’s in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University and his master’s in business administration from Davenport University. After graduating from MSU in 2005, he spent nearly 10 years as a math and chemistry teacher at Jenison High School. LeHaie’s teaching background stood out to McCarthy. McCarthy called it a “rare com­ modity” among assistant superintendents for finance. “When you’re the person that is trying to allocate multimillion-dollar budget, it’s good that you know what takes place in a class­ room,” McCarthy said in an interview with The Banner. “... And then he’s spent the last six years working in finance as an assistant superintendent. So that combination is really what I was looking for.” Although LeHaie worked at Cedar Springs, he lives in Caledonia, giving him an understanding of the Middleville area. “He knows the community living just a few miles outside of TK and knows what TK is like - the quality of the people here,” he said. McCarthy said he hopes LeHaie will bring youth, experience and new ideas to Thomap- ple Kellogg. “He’s definitely bringing in a different perspective from a different school district,” he said. “Oftentimes in positions we do things a certain way because we’ve always done things a certain way. He may bring to us some efficiencies that he’s learned in other school districts that would benefit TK.” In other news: • Approved the superintendent’s contract. McCarthy will receive $178,100 per year, and the agreement will last three years and four months. • Approved $62,500 for a new bus pur­ chase after a bus blew out its engine. • Added an agricultural biology course to the curriculum. • Approved $174,723 to redo PA and classroom audio system at the middle school and learning center. The money would come out of the capital projects fund and will standard­ ize the PA and audio systems throughout the district. McCarthy said the district will look at implementing the same systems in the high school next year. Hastings athletics boosted by nearly $45,000 in funds Benjamin Simon Staff Writer For the past 18 months, the Hastings Athletic Boosters have continued raising money and raising money. But with the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, they avoided spending much of the funds - until Monday. At the Feb. 14 board of education meet­ ing, the district approved $44,570 to fund six separate projects. The boosters will contribute $29,858, and the district will tack on an additional $14,712. “It’s kind of like Christmas for us all,” Athletic Director Michael Goggins said in an interview after the meeting. The money will go toward a new sound system in the high school gym for $21,870; 40 gym chairs and cart, $5,900; a softball batting cage, $5,000; team tent for track and cross country, $4,200; a diving board and swim equipment, $5,500; and baseball uniforms, $2,100. “Every time the boosters come through on stuff like this, it just eases the commit­ ments that the district has to come up with,” he said. The athletic department and boosters, Millage discussion restarts for Barry ISD Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Five months ago, the Barry Intermediate School District, Hastings Area Schools and Delton Kellogg Schools had a joint meeting to discuss a regional enhancement millage. But the discussion never materialized. Instead, the Sept. 7, 2021, special meeting shifted to the possibility of Hastings and Delton Kellogg breaking away from the BISD altogether. Both local school districts took about two months to weigh the pros and cons of leav­ ing their local intermediate school district for one in Kent or Allegan counties. But, in the end, they stuck with Barry ISD. The superintendents and board presidents of the three districts will meet again Feb. 18., with the hopes of restarting the same millage conversation they planned for last fall. They have not made any decisions, BISD Superintendent Rich Franklin said, and they will use the meeting to “find a consensus” regarding the date of the election, the desired amount and the needs of the districts. Franklin called it a “healthy discussion.” With just two school districts, resources are limited, Franklin said, and a regional enhancement millage would help BISD pro­ vide more opportunities to its students. “Nobody likes to hear about more taxes, and Lord knows we don’t like to ask for more taxes, but we didn’t create ourselves,” he said. “We are public entities funded by public funding. Although there are great things that happen through public and pri­ Rutland Township opts for marijuana-business buffer Benjamin Simon Staff Writer After receiving public feedback, Rut­ land Charter Township will make addi­ tional changes to its marijuana ordi­ nances, most notably implementing a 500-feet buffer in between marijuana businesses. Some expressed optimism that the board would approve the ordinances last Wednesday, Feb. 9, for a first offi­ cial reading. Any piece of legislation at Rutland must go through two readings at different meetings to be enacted into law. But the township board decided to revise the ordinances following last month’s public comment session. On Jan. 19, various people, including residents, a real estate agent, and law­ yers, visited the township hall for a special meeting to talk about the mari­ juana ordinances. Joshua Smallwood, a marijuana retail shop owner in Baltimore Township, argued it would bring new business to the township. Larry Kerstetter, a former member of law enforcement, said it would nega­ tively impact the quality of life. Many suggested the board mandate a buffer, or required distance of space, to separate marijuana businesses. “I see that many times over that when you guys don’t put a buffer in between locations, it gets saturated. And ulti­ mately, it puts a moratorium on the process,” said Chris Gordon of Great Lakes Realty, referencing the South­ west Michigan city of Three Rivers as an example. In the past, the township held similar discussions at length, but ultimately chose not to place distance restrictions on marijuana businesses. “I think that putting a bull’s-eye on a certain business and buffering them when you don’t buffer anything else is a problem,” Clerk Robin Hawthorne reminded the board at Wednesday’s meeting. But last month’s public comment fur­ ther solidified some trustees’ desire to see a buffer separating marijuana busi­ nesses in the mixed-use district, which spans from Culver’s to Tractor Supply to Tires ‘N’ Such. Trustee Gene Hall pointed to Cascade County, where they had three to four marijuana businesses side by side, he said. “That’s what I want to avoid. I’d like to see them spread out, not have them on top of each other,” he said. Trustee Stacey Graham agreed. “When you start to look at the amount of real estate that we potentially do have within our mixed-use corridor, it is a little bit concerning,” she said. Hawthorne continued to express con­ cern. The township’s attorney, Craig Rolfe, “felt a little queasy,” she said, about the legality of buffers. But Hall pushed back. Rolfe didn’t rule out the possibility of creating a buffer, Hall said, adding that the “Marihuana Regulation and Taxa­ tion Act” allows municipalities to regu­ late marijuana businesses. They risk legal problems in many of their regula­ tions, Hall noted, such as their blight ordinance, and he wondered how regu­ lating marijuana businesses would dif­ fer from other ordinances. “All due respect, I’ve heard the argu­ ment for a year that we don’t regulate the quantity of burger restaurants that we have in the township, and we don’t regulate how close the burger restau­ rants can be to each other,” Hall said. “But, to my knowledge, the burger restaurants don’t have a specific act for us to regulate them by as we do with the marijuana business. Therefore, we have the authority to do that.” Other trustees followed suit and, in a 4-2 vote, with Hawthorne and Trustee Brenda Bellmore dissenting, the board voted to require a 500-foot distance in between marijuana businesses. The township board also decided to permit micro-businesses in the mixeduse district. Microbusinesses allow peo­ which consists of 10 to 15 people, normal­ ly receive a list of requests from the respective coaches. From there, Goggins said, they review the list and “go shop­ ping.” “We just kind of look at those things,” he said, “and say, ‘What fits into the bud­ get with the amount of money we currently have on hand? Which purchases can we make? Time frame on how long it takes to get those things returned?’ And then we go from there.” They intended to fill a variety of needs with these purchases, he said, helping as many athletes as possible. “This [booster] group is constantly wanting to say ‘yes’ in the form of pur­ chases that would help the school district,” he said. “... They’re not afraid to take on [projects], whether it’s a small thing like buying a single set of uniforms or a large thing like the PA system.” In other news, the board: • Approved the upcoming travel study trip for the Hastings High School Band to perform at Universal Studios in Orlando. • Accepted $14,266 from the Friends of Hastings Performing Arts Center. ple to grow, process and sell up to 150 marijuana plants at the same site. If the township allowed microbusi­ nesses in the mixed-use district, attor­ ney Steven Storrs argued it should allow recreational class A grows as well. The smallest form of grow, recreational class A grows produce up to 100 plants at a site. But the board voted against the motion. Trustee Sandy Greenfield said the township should keep all of its grows in its agriculture zoning district. The changes to the ordinances will delay the process by another month and force the township to hold another pub­ lic hearing in March. Over the next month, the township will fix the accept­ ed amendments, including a typo that misstates the number of medical mari­ juana plants permitted per class size. And after four years of work, many on the board expressed a desire to move forward and finalize the ordinances. “Is it perfect? Probably not. Are we going to change it? Probably down on the road we’ll have to go and look at it,” Supervisor Larry Watson said. “But again, [the ordinances] belong to the township. They doesn’t belong to any­ one else.” In other news, the township approved its blight ordinance for a first reading at its March 9 meeting. vate grants and through very generous philanthropy in our community, that’s not necessarily the funding to make programs and operations and salaries for people to work with kids.” Last summer, the Barry Intermediate School District had proposed a regional enhancement millage that would have levied 2 mills over nine years, generating an annual amount of $1.5 million for Hastings, $750,000 for Delton Kellogg and $20,000 for the BISD. A regional enhancement mill­ age could range from 0 to 3 mills, going toward special education and/or career tech­ nical education funds. Followig^Frida> resentativ.es will return to their boards to hold a discussion„-Down ' ’ ■■ may take formal action to allow the BISD to pursue a millage - signaling the official go-ahead. But first, BISD, Hastings and Delton Kel­ logg officials will sit down at the same table again. “We did some good soul-searching ... and what we came out of all that with was: We do want to move forward together,” Franklin said. “We like being Barry County. We like being the core of Barry County together. In other news, the ISD board: • Hired Kayla Wills as a special education paraprofessional and Chloe Kampf as a speech language pathologist. • Approved first budget revisions that take into account grants and other expenses that were unexpected at beginning of the year. City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NO. 606 The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hear­ ing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public concerning amending Chapter 90, Article 90-VI District Regulations, Division 90-VI, R-2 One Family Residential Dis­ trict, Section 90-312 (h) and Section 90-314 (a) pertaining to two family dwelling units and also amending Division 90-VI-6, Section 90-339 (a), Di­ vision 90-VI-8, Section 90-394 (a), Division 90-VI, Section 90-424 (a), and Division 90-VI-10, Section 90-454 (a) pertaining to two family dwelling units. The public hearing will be held on Monday March 7, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hast­ ings, Michigan 49058. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Please contact Dan King, Community Development Director, at dking@hastingsmi.org or 269-945-2468 if you have questions or comments regarding this pub­ lic hearing. A copy of this information is available for public in­ spection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1 -800-649-3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk �Page 4 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Let’s keep taxes and government civilized Michigan’s penguin? Well, maybe not a penguin, but this little black and white bird with a pinkish beak is a winter resident. Dark-eyed juncos show up around early November and leave again in late April or early May. This one in Hastings Charter Township just happens to be black and white, but the cape on this sparrow species can be brown or gray or shades in between. Juncos frequent bird feeders and may be counted along with hundreds of other species this weekend during the Great Backyard Bird Count, a worldwide citi­ zen science project. More information on that project and how to take part can be found at birdcount.org. Do you remember? Do you remember? Banner Feb. 24, 1966 West Central Champions - Hastings High’s wrestling squad won its first West Central Conference cham­ pionship Saturday afternoon and evening, accumulating 100 points in the eight­ school tournament held here. Members of the cham­ pionship squad include (front row, from left) Mark Anderson, 145; Phil Arnold, 103; Rod Hall, 95; Dennis MacKenzie, 133; Terry Keller, 127; (back) Marv Howell, 154; Jim Andrews, 112; Tom Gibson, 180; co-captain Ken Cole, 120; Coach Robert Miller; co-captain Bob Gibson, heavyweight; and Charle?; Myers, 165. Have you met? All different kinds of animals roamed Nichole Lyke’s childhood home. Dogs, fer­ rets, flying birds, a 3-foot-long savannah lizard and a piranha that bit off a piece of her father’s hand. Lyke was drawn to animals, and she also was drawn to the water. As a kid in Barry County, she spent countless summer days canoeing in the Thomapple River and visit­ ing friends at the beach. “We grew up in the water. We learned how to swim before we knew how to walk,” she said. The animals and the water made Lyke dream of becoming a marine biologist. “I thought Jacques Cousteau was, like, the most amazing person ever,” the former Nichole Louden said of the famous ocean explorer. But as time passed and Lyke reached Hastings High School, that goal faded, especially after she learned that becoming a marine biologist would require her to dis­ sect animals in science class. “When you get into it, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not just getting to play with animals and looking at coral reefs,”’ she said. “There’s actual difficult things that would have to be done that I was not willing to do.’” So, she switched to business and now, at 34, she is the economic development coor­ dinator at the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development, a role she has held since February 2021. “I work with businesses and their employees and the state to connect the dots to create an ecosystem in Barry County that is conducive to business,” she said. “It’s about creating the things that we need in Barry County to attract talent, to attract business, and then providing the support tools that those businesses and industries and employees need to thrive and do well here.” After graduating from Hastings High School in 2006, Lyke took a job at Felpausch grocery store headquarters as a book­ keeper. While there, she also enrolled at Kellogg Community College, graduating in 2012 with a degree in business administra­ tion. That’s when she received an internship with the local chamber. “This is perfect,” she remembered think­ ing. “I get to do creative stuff. It’s so busi­ ness-oriented, it’s a good career.” If she received her bachelor’s degree, she was told, she could continue working there in a full-time capacity. She took the offer. Nichole Lyke But that meant having to juggle multiple responsibilities. She went to school, contin­ ued the internship with the chamber and picked up a part-time job at Holiday Inn in Hastings to help with its launch. The long days paid off. She graduated from Davenport University in 2015 and joined the chamber full-time as an adminis­ trative assistant. In 2017, she switched to office and special projects coordinator. She then did a short stint as the Mid­ dleville Downtown Development Authority director in 2019 before deciding she wanted to rejoin the chamber in her current role as the economic development coordinator. “This job really ticks all of the checkbox­ es in what you would want in a position,” she said. “It’s flexible, it’s got a great cul­ ture, the things that we do are impactful and meaningful. So, it’s like, ‘What else is there?”’ Lyke has never lived outside of Barry County, and she can’t imagine leaving the small-town atmosphere. There’s just some­ thing about the comfort and consistency that keeps her here, she said. And, too often, she finds people “overlooking” the county for the surrounding, more populated cities like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek and Lansing. Now it’s her job to bring people to Barry County and keep them here. “I don’t think people need to make that trade-off,” she said. “They can stay here and succeed, and we can have all of those things that make those other places so desirable we can do that here. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t have those things.” Every so often, though, Lyke still thinks about working with animals for a living. She lives in the city of Hastings with her husband, Rob, her ty/o kids, Jorden and Bobby, and their four cats. She never has worked directly with ani­ mals. But she doesn’t need to work directly with animals. As an employee of the cham­ ber, she can make an impact on animal businesses - and countless other businesses in the area. “As far as working directly with [ani­ mals], it didn’t work out that way,” she said. “So now I can help other people that want to launch those businesses and start up those businesses. I can help assist them. And then I don’t have to be sad about the animals if something happens to them.” For her role with the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development, Nichole Lyke is this week’s Bright Light: First job: Working lemonade conces­ sions with Playworld. A big accomplishment for me: Earning my bachelor’s degree. Favorite TV show: “The Office” Favorite teacher and why: Not a teach­ er, but a counselor at Hastings High School, Sheree Newell. She did so much to make sure I graduated, and I am forever grateful for that. The greatest president: Franklin D. Roosevelt. When it’s quiet I like to: Listen to music. Hobbies: Reading, crocheting, food. When I grow up... I want to be: A baker. Something on my bucket list: Visit the Great Barrier Reef. Favorite cartoon characters: Snoopy and Woodstock. If I could have any superpower, it would be: The ability to make temporary clones/duplicates to help with chores/mundane tasks. What motivates me: Being told what I am or am not capable of doing. Taxes may be the price we pay to live in a civilized society, but they’ve certainly led to some uncivilized behavior in our community of late. The ambush that took place at last week’s Hastings Charter Township board meeting was not only an example of bad board governance, it also was a situation of government leaders ignorantly and needlessly roiling community sentiment over their incorrect understanding of tax policy. Don Haney, administrator of the coun­ ty-owned Thomapple Manor, was the unfortunate target in the township’s cross­ hairs at last week’s meeting. Haney was in attendance to discuss a sewer agreement for Thomapple Manor’s new nearly $15 million, 50-unit assisted living facility that is expected to open this summer. Although the subject was not on the meeting agenda and no advance notice had been given, township Supervisor Jim Brown blindsided Haney by shifting the discussion then declaring that the new facility, called Harvest Pointe at Thomap­ ple Manor, will be placed on the town­ ship’s tax roll. It may be a fair conversation to have, but not when it involves a township offi­ cial catching someone by surprise during a public meeting and then summarily placing the property on the tax rolls. That’s not good government. Brown didn’t do his homework, either. To his credit, Haney held his stance well. Although he was there to discuss a sewer agreement, Haney provided a cogent defense to Brown’s unexpected tax attack. But how did Brown’s board col­ leagues feel about the issue? Were they also caught off guard by the unexpected agenda item? Board members were described in The Banner's account of the meeting as having “mixed feelings” about the issue. One said he looked forward to learning more and two others even expressed support for Thomapple Manor. Sounds like Brown didn’t even know where his own board stood before he wan­ dered into deep water. And what about the public? Was it aware that the tax discus­ sion was to take place? Would community members have wanted to' ' offer their - opin• r* ■' s*’ ions? Harvest Pointe is nearing completion. Why would the tax discussion be raised now and not when permit applications were made before the start of the multi­ million-dollar project? Brown and some related business own­ ers view Thomapple Manor’s Harvest Pointe expansion as a new business that should be taxed accordingly. Haney main­ tains that the new facility is part of the Manor’s “continuum of care,” the next stage for residents no longer able to live independently at the Manor. Because Thomapple Manor is owned by the coun­ ty, it is tax-exempt. Brown points out that there are other privately-owned care facilities nearby that are taxed and have to compete with the new facility, suggesting that “the coun­ ty-owned facility should not be getting special treatment.” “Thomapple Manor is a county-owned senior living facility offering assisted liv­ ing, long-term care, skilled nursing ser­ vices and rehabilitation,” Haney has said. But Brown may need to be reminded that, far from trying to out-compete pri­ vate care facilities, this facility is thank­ fully addressing an important need in the community. Harvest Pointe is the result of a coun­ ty-funded study to determine the need for additional senior living facilities. The survey confirmed that 90 additional assisted living beds are needed in the county. That helped Haney convince the county board to go forward with the new facility to keep up with the rising need even though Harvest Pointe will still be The Hastings BcHlUCI* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. 40 beds under the study’s recommenda­ tion. According to Haney, 34 of Michigan’s 83 counties offer medical care facilities like Thomapple Manor and, because they are owned by their respective counties, all are non-profit and tax-exempt. Thomapple Manor operates differently than local for-profit facilities, such as Cornerstone Assisted Living Center, which was mentioned by Brown at last week’s meeting. Several other senior liv­ ing facilities are scattered across the county, including Carveth Village in Mid­ dleville, The Flower House in Nashville, Tidd’s Foster Care Home in Delton, and Woodlawn Meadows, River Ridge Adult Foster Care, Oakview Assisted Living Services, and Hastings Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, all located in Hastings. Plus, there are a number of facilities that offer apartments and condos for seniors throughout Barry County. If any of these businesses have room, especially when the county study indicates we’re still 40 beds shy of the estimated need; it’s up to them to market their facilities just like any other business. They need to mar­ ket their benefits, such as personal service in a family-type environment. The market is there. According to Haney, more people have expressed inter­ est in Harvest Pointe than there is room available - and that’s before marketing and advertising has even begun. Harvest Pointe already looks like a successful project. That should be good news to every independently-owned senior care home in Barry County. Hastings Charter Township officials need to realize that Thomapple Manor and the county have been trying to respond to a growing need for high-quality care for our aging seniors. They also need to realize that, for the benefit of all the coun­ ty’s citizens, it is imperative that govern­ ment maintain a congenial relationship with local organizations, whether they are independent businesses or government institutions. Good government is one of the most important factors in economic growth and social well-being. Rather than blindside Haney publicly, Hastings Charter Town­ ship should have done its homework before that meeting to determine whether they had a case or not. The way it stands, Thomapple Manor and Harvest Pointe are simply treated the same as other non-profits, such as hospi­ tals like Spectrum Health Pennock. I understand the township’s eagerness to add this huge project to its tax rolls, which it has done, but the final decision on whether that should stand won’t be made locally. It will be left up to the State Tax Tribunal, not the Hastings Charter Township board. Haney stated that point clearly last week, as well as his conviction that the project is tax-exempt. “That’s clear, that’s black and white,” he told township offi­ cials. “There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it.” He might have been blindsided, but Haney sees the light. As for some Hastings Charter Town­ ship officials, they need to have their vision checked. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 5 Gear up for the enemy with inner armor To the editor: Under Armour apparel is very popular and has a “macho” name. Perhaps inner armor needs to be embraced. For all vaccine deniers who say “I trust my immune system,” let me offer this wartime analogy: An armory supplies soldiers with weapons and defense mechanisms. If you don’t get your protection from the armory, as a soldier you’ll have to survive the first wave of your enemy’s attack before you are then able to run back to the armory to get your weapons, your defense. During that first attack, you could be seriously injured or killed. Consider your immune system as your armory (in your body’s fight against infec­ tions for which there are immunizations). And your weapons of defense need to be specific for a given enemy. Trusting your immune system without vac­ cination equals a soldier facing an enemy without weapon or immediate defense at hand, and hoping to survive the initial assault, before having to run back to the armory for adequate protection. Vaccination enables your immune system (armory) to “gear up” with the best immedi­ ate and enemy specific protection, before the first wave of attack. Several protective anti­ bodies and immune activated B & T cell lymphocytes are produced by your armory (immune system) - your inner armor. Your survival and serious injury risks are much improved. Put your inner armor on. Paul DeWitt, Jr., M.D., Hastings Scammers get sneakier To the editor: A scam is a scam, and we all know to hang up on these calls offering us a “free” medical service or device from Medicare. “It won’t cost you a penny.” That’s usually when I hang up, but today was unusual. This time, my caller ID showed my doctor’s office and their correct phone number, so when a man on the line offered me a free service, I was surprised for a moment. Then I said I wasn’t interested and he asked why. Again, I said “not interested,” and he said “Why?” So I asked to talk to my nurse. He said she’s busy, so I asked to talk to the other nurse, and he said “f... you” and hung up. I called the number on my ID and it was my doctor’s office! I told them somehow scammers were able to use their name and number. Hours later, I got an automated call from my doctor’s office warning their patients about these scammers. Good for my doctor’s office. Judy Dickerson, Hastings HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent < Hastings Area School System Hastings alum brings plastics opportunities to CTE program Garrett MacKenzie, a 1984 Hastings graduate, lives in Georgia now and travels all over the country training people in plas­ tics injection equipment. He is now starting his own donation program to support schools in the plastics industry, and wanted to kick off his initiative at Hastings Area School System - the district that provided him the foundation for his career in plastics. The donation - consisting of equipment, labor and training - will total approximately $250,000 for HASS’ career and technical education engineering design program. The equipment, which includes three molds, a Thermolator temperature control unit, a plastic injection machine and an 80-ton press, is expected to be transported from Georgia to Michigan soon. Ed Domke, Hastings’ CTE director, said he sees this new plastics equipment as a perfect fit for the school’s engineering design program. “Employers love that students have the real-life career experience of using software to design, bringing it to full manufacturing and presenting on the project for career readiness,” Domke said. “It allows students to move from the drawing stage into the manufacturing stage, which increases the learning continuum. We are also excited to connect with Ferris State University in the future to provide continued education for our students.” Within the past five years, the CTE pro­ gram at HHS has boosted its offerings by providing culinary arts, insurance and cyber security. The school also has increased opportunities in the agriculture department by adding large animals, aquaponics, hydro­ ponics and a soon-to-be-completed bam. We have also increased the industry certi­ fication standard to three years, which pro­ vides our agriculture students increased ability to go directly into the trades or apply at the university level. “Our CTE teachers and staff are some of the best around and provide unique career opportunities for our students, and we are so grateful to alumni like Mr. MacKenzie for jumpstarting this opportunity for our students,” Domke said. “Additionally, we are thankful to a community that supports the CTE department and programming. Employers in Hastings and Barry County have always been there to support our pro­ grams and understand the variety of educa­ tion CTE provides through these experi­ ences.” Hastings High School students rehearse for the March 10-12 production of “Newsies.” Photo provided. Hastings students preparing for ‘Newsies’ After an abrupt end to the 2020 show and complete absence of a musical in 2021, Hast­ ings High School students are happy to again be practicing on stage, preparing for their upcoming production of “Newsies.” Show times will be 7 p.m. Thursday-Satur­ day, March 10-12, along with a 2 p.m. mati­ nee March 12 at the performing arts center at Hastings High School. “The music is so exciting,” director Andrew Moore said. “Even if you haven’t heard ‘Newsies’ music, you are going to walk out humming it as there are numerous mem­ orable songs.” Unlike most musicals, “Newsies” is a cre­ ative retelling of an actual event, the News­ boys Strike of 1899, when the newspaper deliverers and other working kids of New York came together to block the Brooklyn Bridge and demand fair'wages and'treatment at a time when working conditions for minors were grim. In this production, the newsies of New York band together after their profit is slashed by the powerful newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer (Brandon Darling). Led by the street­ smart Jack (Andre Perez), book-smart Davey (Connor Lindsey) and the brilliant and witty Katherine (Anna Haywood), the newsies will try to take on the behemoth Pulitzer. Rounding out the cast roles are Valentina Arias-Franco, Joy Aukerman, Hannah Ban­ croft, Zacharia Byle, Brandon Darling, Ian Dexter, Vai Eaton, Alex Forsberg, Amy Fors­ berg, Zara Franklin, Joe Goggins, Hailey Graham, Gabbie Horrmann, Micah Johnson, Noel Moreno, Evan Porter, Emily Simmons, Harrison Smalley, Ella Tellkamp, Mitchel Vann and Kyler VanZanten. Featured Dancers are Toby Comensoli, Natalie Minch, Raedyn Rathbun, Emma VanDenburg, Izze Wickham and Breanna Wil­ lard. Playing the roles of the Nuns and the Bow­ ery Beauties are Kassidy Bilger, Amy Fors­ berg, Emma VanDenburg and Hannah Vann. Making up the Newsies ensemble are Ariana Beard, Izzy Bergeron, Anika Bourassa, Zacharia Byle, Summer Caldwell, Paige Eagle, JoDee Gaskill, Joe Goggins, Sophia Haywood, Ally Herder, Marisa Hilton, Bella Kensington, Rachel King, Faith Kuck, Madi­ son McWhinney, Natalie Minch, Noel More­ no, Ashley Norris, Molly Patton, Amelia Price, Hayley Rasey, Raedyn Rathbun, Abbie Schoemer, Nevaeh Shull, James Stevens, Sophia Sunior, Mercedes Thiel and Quinn Waddell. “This show is very entertaining,” Moore said of his second production since becom­ ing the HHS choral director. “Thanks to our many hardworking contributors, our set, props and costumes look great. We are fea­ turing pieces created by our own students at HHS, as well as period antiques gener­ ously loaned to us by members of the com­ munity.” Adam Knapp and Whitney Pennington are assistant directors. Spencer White is the pit director. Daniel Hayward is stage director and financial director. Emily Hayward is the vocal coach, and Hannah LaJoye is the cho­ reographer. Jeff Buehl and Craig Holley are the stage technicians. J'eanAnn Wahl-Pi­ otrowski is the production coordinator. All tickets will be $10 and will soon be available on the Hastings Performing Arts Center website, hastings.ludus.com/index.php “Whether you are an avid theater buff or are looking to attend your first musical, don’t miss these performances,” Moore said. SOCIAL SECURITY MATTERS Making the most of America Saves Week Vonda VanTil and save automatically. We encourage you to pledge to save for America Saves Week at americasavesweek.org. Visit our website for more information on ways to help you plan for retirement at ssa.gov/retirement. You are never too young to begin sav­ ing. If you know a younger worker, help share our information with them. Younger workers may think they have time to put off saving for their future, but the sooner they begin, the more their money can Public Affairs Specialist America Saves Week is Feb. 21-25 this year, with the theme Building Financial Resilience. The week is an opportunity for organizations to promote good financial habits and for people to assess their own saving status. Planning and saving are key to a success­ ful retirement. The earlier you start saving for retirement, the better off you will be. People with a plan are twice as likely to save successfully. Set a goal, make a plan, grow. Visit and share our website for young workers at ssa.gov/people/earlycareer where you will find resources that can help you secure today and tomorrow We also have an infographic that pro­ vides helpful information about saving at ssa.gov/benefits/assets/materials/retirement/EN-05-10549.pdf. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs spe­ cialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email to vonda.vantil@ssa.gov. BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN February 9, 2022 Given under Public Act 165 of the Public Acts of Michigan, 1971 EQUALIZATION RATIOS AND MULTIPLIERS BY CLASSIFICATION Assessment Agricultural Commercial Industrial Residential Timber/Cutover Developmental Personal Jurisdiction TOWNSHIP HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Feb. 17 - Baby Cafe, 10 a.m.; Novel Ideas Book Club discusses “The Growing Season” by Sarah Frey, 1 p.m.; Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1943 film where, during a World War II housing shortage, housemates play Cupid and create romance, 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 - Dungeons and Dragons, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21 - Crafting Passions craft work group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; digital library drop­ in training 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22 - Great Decisions Foreign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at library), 10:30 a.m. More information on these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263, or checking its Facebook events. Ratio Mult Ratio Assyria 45.99% 1.0872 43.75% Baltimore Barry 41.50% 52.46% Carlton 46.60% 1.2048 50.70% 0.9531 47.05% 1.0730 41.71% Castleton 48.22% 49.63% 49.81% Mult Ratio 52.36% 0.9862 47.94% 1.0627 47.64% 1.1429 1.1988 37.68% Mult 0.9549 46.33% 1.0792 50.00% 1.0000 1.0430 49.57% 1.0087 50.00% 1.0495 1.3270 47.98% 1.0421 1.0018 50.00% 1.0000 1.0000 0.9623 46.13% 50.00% 0.9275 1.0138 49.07% 1.0839 1.0190 1.0079 1.0855 1.0827 50.00% Ratio 49.91% Mult Ratio Mult Ratio Mult Ratio 50.00% Mult 1.0000 1.0000 Hastings Hope Irving 48.13% 50.87% 1.0075 50.56% 1.0038 47.30% 1.0389 48.97% 46.61% 1.0727 48.14% 1.0386 46.11% 0.9948 1.0844 46.06% Johnstown Maple Grove Orangeville 45.78% 1.0922 53.43% 48.06% 1.0994 1.0404 Prairieville 0.9862 45.79% 1.0919 50.00% 1.0960 47.98% 0.9938 1.0421 0.9599 Rutland 50.70% 45.62% 50.23% 50.31% 0.9533 1.0526 50.00% 0.9420 0.9358 52.45% 0.9954 47.50% 45.48% 53.08% 0.9473 46.29% 1.0801 50.00% 1.0000 1.0000 Thomapple 47.97% 50.33% 52.16% 0.9934 0.9586 50.00% 1.0000 47.36% 46.47% 1.0760 50.26% 0.9948 0.9978 45.61% 1.0557 1.0963 50.00% 50.00% 1.0000 Yankee Springs 52.61% 50.11% 0.9696 0.9504 1.0743 47.38% 1.0423 1.0553 46.54% Woodland City of Hastings 48.65% 1.0277 46.80% 1.0684 50.66% 0.9870 46.43% 1.0769 50.00% 1.0000 1.0369 0.9829 51.96% 0.9889 53.91% 1.0571 49.32% 1.0210 50.26% 52.09% 52.78% 51.57% 49.61% 46.18% 50.00% 50.00% 50.00% 50.00% 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 1.0000 Pursuant to Section 211.34A of the Michigan General Property Tax Law, the following statement is published showing equalization ratios and multipliers necessary to compute individual state equalized valuation for real and personal property for 2022 assessments. Meshia R Rose, Equalization Director 175926 �Page 6 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Robert Edward White Robert Edward White passed away on Feb­ ruary 10, 2022, in Hastings, ML He was bom in Ionia, on November 24, 1942, the son of Lesley Edward and Thelma (Oglesbee) White. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1961. He served in the United States Army from 1968 - 1970 in Vietnam. In 1996 he retired from General Motors after 30 years. For 45 years Bob would take trips to Canada with his friends where they would hunt, fish, and camp. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and close uncle and aunt, David and Judi Oglesbee. Bob was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. He is survived by his wife, Avalee (Walk­ er) White; son, Chad White of Hastings; stepchildren, Keith (Sharon) Briggs of Lan­ sing, Kerry Briggs of Hopkins; grandchil­ dren, Drew White of Grand Rapids, Breanna White of Hastings, Amanda (Matt) Rodriguez of Grand Rapids, Nick (Patti) Briggs of Alle­ gan, Jenny Briggs of Grand Rapids, and Anthony Briggs of Lansing. Bob was a loving man with a very loving heart. He was helpful to anyone who needed help. He didn’t want a funeral and wished to be cremated. There will be a Celebration of Life Service at a later date. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave online condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Elmer Jay Winey, age 94, of Hastings, MI, entered into eternity on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022 at his home surrounded by his family. Elmer was bom January 3, 1928 to Roy and Edna Winey in Lake Odessa. He retired from E. W. Bliss in 1985 after 39 years of service, then continued to work as a security guard for Norton Security Service for 23 years. He also proudly served his country in Korea. Elmer will be dearly missed by his wife of 62 Delores J.; children, Karen (Cam) Crosby and Charlene (Mike) Hull; grandchildren, Tiffany (Andrew Wiley) Crosby, Anthony (Haley) Hull, Emily Hull, Anna (Christopher Jaroch) Crosby along with brother-in-law, Gary ( Sue) VandeCar. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Nancy Cunningham. Visitation is planned for Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 from 5 until 8 p.m. at Koops Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be held on Fri­ day Feb. 18, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Koops Funer­ al Chapel with burial taking place at Lakeside Cemetery in Lake Odessa, Ml. Memorials are suggested to the Lake Odes­ sa Historical Society in Elmer’s name. Fond memories and expressions of sympa­ thy may be shared at www.koopsfc.com for the Winey family. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, Email 945-9121. 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. p.m. 4:30 Mass Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ Website: gmail.com. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Moser, Pastor. Lead Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Director, Martha 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social distancing. Aftermath Wednesday, Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Family Night Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. School Youth Group; 6:30 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and N. Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328> night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Jefferson 10 a.m. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kids Kindergarten-5th SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Street. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Graphics A !■ Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s Laura Cleone Berry passed away peace­ fully in Tuscon, AZ on Feburary 9, 2022 at the age of 92. Laura was bom to Wilbur and Minnie (Hendershott) Schantz on March 22, 1929, in Hastings, MI. The youngest of three chil­ dren, she was raised on their farm in Balti­ more Township. After graduating from Hast­ ings High School, she married the love of her life, Donald E. Berry, on June 15, 1946. Together they had six children while work­ ing their farm in Bellevue, Michigan. They were married for 45 years until Donald passed in 1992. Laura couldn’t stand being idle and was always busy with garage sales, working in her flowerbeds, visiting with friends and family, baking cookies, and helping others. She loved arranging annual family get-to­ gethers and holiday celebrations. For many years she volunteered her time with church activities, Hospice, Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, and Siren Organization for abused women. She was recognized by the Ameri­ can Red Cross for having donated over 20 gallons of blood in her lifetime. She also spent countless hours crocheting afghans which she donated to provide comfort and warmth for many newborns and adults. Laura’s priorities were faith, family and friends. She was devoted to her family, espe­ cially her many nieces, nephews and their families as well as many friends she consid­ ered family. She took great pride in her grandchildren Jill (Alan) Austin, Kelly Dil­ ley-Anton, Chad (Andrew Skar) Anton, Ali­ son Ericson, Ethan Berry, Jonathan Berry, and Eren (Corey) Berry Smith and her great-grandchildren, Josef, Jacob, Jaden, Charlotte, and Evelyn. Preceding her in death were her parents, her beloved husband, two sons Donnie and Bert, and her sister Bemadine Van Syckle. She is survived by her brother Karl Schantz, children Edward (Loretta) Berry, Dale (Denise) Berry, Cleone Anton, and Yolanda Berry, her grandchildren, and great-grand children. Laura left us many fond memories, was loved by all, and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her. There will be no services at this time, but a memorial service will be held at a later date. Burial will be at the Dowling Cemetery near Dowling, Michigan. Memorial contributions can be made to Eaton Community Palliative Care, 267 South Cochran, Charlotte, MI, 48813. Early February 11, 2022, the world lost a devoted wife, a dedicated mom and an amazing woman when Claudia Yesh, age 78, of Hastings, MI passed away after succumb­ ing to cancer. Bom to Claude and Carrie Stinnett in Day­ ton, TN, she moved with her parents and sib­ lings to Michigan. After attending school in Battle Creek, she married Floyd Yesh in Sep­ tember 1961 and they spent 61 happy years together. She worked hard to earn her GED in 1986. Claudia is best known in the Hastings community for her and Floyd’s ownership of two restaurants and a donut shop in the 1970s. She was also employed for many local busi­ nesses throughout the years such as Flex-Fab, Dairy Queen, K-Mart and Big Wheel. For several summers, Claudia played the position of catcher on the Big Wheel softball team with two of her daughters. Claudia loved collecting angels, Christ­ mas Bears and beanie babies but her most beloved memories revolved around celebrat­ ing Christmas with her family. Her children remember fondly every Christmas as Clau­ dia endeavored to make each Christmas better than the last. Claudia loved family time and treasured the many vacations spent camping at Gun Lake and St. Ignace or biking around Macki­ nac Island. In their early years together, Floyd and Claudia loved dancing the night away at the Moose Lodge and later spent many hours celebrating their victories at the Casinos. Claudia was preceded in death by her par­ ents and nine of her 12 siblings. Claudia is survived by her loving hus­ band, Floyd Yesh of Hastings; her daughters, Laurie Quada of Hastings, Monica Yesh of Richland, Angela (Kristi) Orlik-Yesh of Mundelein, IL, Valerie (Jeff) Kares of Augusta, and son, Floyd Yesh of Grand Rap­ ids. She is also survived by her grandkids, Crystal, Cory, Nicole, Dominic, Evan, Gabe, Miles, Ophelia and Dorian as well as great-grandchildren Breanna, Keagan, Bryson, Madison and Cayden, and her best friends and sisters, Bobby, Kay and Daisy. A small family memorial is planned for a later date so there will be no service or visi­ tation. Donations can be made to St. Jude Chil­ dren’s Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/donate/) or Spectrum Hospice (https:// give.spectrumhealth.org) in lieu of flowers. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Roundtable Companions for Racial Equity (RCRE) and Courageous Conversations Continued BOOK DISCUSSIONS: • Monday, Feb. 21st "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi • Monday, March 21st "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas • Monday, April 18th "The Night Watchman" by Louise Erdrich Join us at Hastings Public Library at 6:00 p.m. — WORKSHOP — Effective Conversations Among Differing Viewpoints: How to talk so people will listen & listen so people will talk Saturday, March 19th • 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon CMU Professors: Dr. Laura Cochrane & Dr. Sara Moslener Barry Community Enrichment Center AWORUJWlOESWnlBlOF Botlioelools&Eqdpnient 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 1301 W. Green St. 945-4700 945-9541 Hastings RSVP: 269-945-0526 or jillian@barrycf.org It is with great sadness, but also rejoicing, that we say good bye to Daniel Owen Ferris, life-long resident of Caledonia, Ml. After many years battling cancer, covid over-took him on December 30, 2021. Daniel was a very talented self-taught wood turner who loved making things for friends. He is preceded in death by his father, Clair William Ferris of Dowling, and his mother Maxine Phyllis Brown Ferris of Dutton, as well as his sister Bonnie and niece Erin. Sis­ ter in law, Joyce Dent (Sam) McClintock He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 44 years, Colinda Dent Ferris and their very special exchange student, Rodger Smith and his family in Australia. Rodger became the son of Daniel’s heart and was much loved, as he is by his American Mom. Daniel will also be survived by his brother-in-law Dan and Phebe Dent, David and Carol Dent of Georgia and Sam McClintock of Missouri and Larry and Maxine Dent of Caledonia he will also be greatly missed by many nieces and nephews. The memorial service honoring Daniel will be held at First Baptist Church of Mid­ dleville on Feb. 28, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Lun­ cheon to follow. In lieu of flowers donations to the Kent County animal shelter are appreciated. Richard Chester Manni Richard “Dick” Chester Manni, age 70, passed away peacefully with his son Jon by his side, on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022 at Faith Hospice Trillium Woods, Grand Rapids, ML Dick was bom on August 7, 1951 to Irma (Visbeck) and Richard Manni in Hastings, MI. He resided in Middleville, and its sur­ rounding area his entire life. Richard was bom as Henry Louis Manni, but after his father’s unexpected and tragic death resulting from injuries in a car accident, his mother, Irma, renamed him Richard to honor her late husband. He was known as Dick from the time he was a young child until his passing. Dick dedicated his career of more than 30 years to Bradford White in Middleville. There he gained the respect of his peers and worked his way up to superintendent, a title in which he was very proud. Some would say that no one knew more about Bradford White water heaters than Dick. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, and sister, Gloria (Leigh). He is survived by a son, Jon Steven Manni and a daughter, Danyell Therese (Steve) Weesner, two grandsons, Cody Garvey, and Richard Manni, and three granddaughters, Gabryelle Weesner, Page Weesner and Amber Lambert. He is also survived by a special niece that he loved and treated as his own daughter, Emily (Todd) Lambert, along with their two daughters. Dick had a great love for the outdoors. He enjoyed golf, horseback riding, hunting, and camping. He was an avid NASCAR fan, and his favorite driver was #3 Dale Earnhardt. Dick enjoyed a good steak and a cold beer. He had many great friendships that lasted more than 50 years. Dick always had a good story to tell and was loved by many. He was the type of man that would give the last piece of bread to a stranger if they needed to eat and would go without himself. Many would say he lived life to the fullest. Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life service honoring Dick will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bradford White Union Hall, 200 Lafayette St., Middleville, Ml 49333. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 9 COVID numbers continue to drop Taylor Owens Staff Writer The number of COVID-19 cases in Barry County continued to drop this week, with 160 cases reported Tuesday. That’s less than half of the 358 cases reported last week —and a significant drop from the 843 cases reported on Jan. 25, health officials said. In Barry County, the percentage of CO VID tests that were positive was 16.9 percent on Tuesday, compared to 51.05 percent on Jan. 22. On Feb. 10, the positivity rate was 9.41 percent, the first time it has been below 10 percent since Dec. 23. Three cases of COVID were reported in the long-term care facilities in Barry County on Feb. 9, compared to 21 cases the previous week. The Barry-Eaton District Health Depart­ ment reported two additional deaths due to CO VID in the county since last week, for a total of 151 deaths since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. 7-day Rate per 100k, Confirmed Cases Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward J on es Member SIPC Jim Lundin Financial Advisor Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 How can gig workers fill the benefits gap? 2000 ———Barry ««*-*** Michigan Moderate Substantial ........... High This graph provided by the Barry-Eaton District Health Department shows the rise and subsequent drop in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant. Planning commission signs off on vehicle repair shop amendments Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The City of Hastings Planning Commis­ sion approved text amendments that would allow pre-existing vehicle repair shops to continue in the downtown business district. Three vehicle repair shops currently operate in the B-l, or downtown business, district. But the current ordinance, planning commission members learned in recent months, does not technically allow vehicle repair shops downtown. Following the text amendments, existing vehicle repair shops could stay in the B-l zoning district, but new ones may not enter. The vehicle-repair-.shop-issue came to the attention Of the planning commission in recent months. A shop owner had approached the city with hopes of expand­ ing a par-king lot. Officials revisited the city charter and discovered that vehicle repair shops were considered non-conforming in the B-l district. This meant they could operate but could not expand. “By definition, they were legal by the time of the adoption of the ordinance, but now they don’t conform, primarily by the definition of auto repair shops,” Commu­ nity Development Director Dan King told city council members a week after the planning commission meeting. “So, this text amendment change to the ordinance cleans up this language.” The ordinance, city officials found, also made no reference to-car washes and fea-, tured inconsistent, outdated text, switching between phrases like “filling stations” and “gasoline stations.” The new text amendments clearly define vehicle wash establishments, gasoline sta­ tions and the difference between major and minor vehicle repair shops. In addi­ tion, it will permit previously existing vehicle repair shops to make changes to their physical property. The planning commission forwarded the text amendments to city council, which held its first reading Feb. 14. It will have its second reading Feb. 28, when the council could choose to approve the ordinance into law or make additional changes. In other news, the planning commission set public hearings March 7 for: , • An ordinance that would permit fwo-family dwelling units in the R-2 dis-~' trict. • Meadowstone planned unit develop­ ment to construct a maintenance building. COUNTY, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------long as it doesn’t create an issue where we’re putting in more controversy between what Robert’s Rules of Order says and what the Open Meetings Act says is protected speech.” Commissioner Bruce Campbell said, “Anything would help the chair’s position in this, I would be in favor of it.” Commissioners walked through the five proposed amendments, agreeing that the sec­ ond and fifth items presented the greatest concerns. Geiger said he hoped the board would be open to removing the second item, which proposes that persons may address the board only on matters or issues which are relevant and germane to county government. “It’s the people that choose what issues are relevant and germane to the county govern­ ment,” Geiger said. “If the public is coming up here and wanting us to act, it’s their voice. And if we’re pursuing these changes just to provide clarity, I think this goes against that hope because it’s going to be up to me to determine if what they bring up is worthy of the board’s time.” The fifth proposed change is in reference to when a person is considered out of order: “If a person engaged in limited public com­ ment shall be ruled out of order, he or she shall not be permitted to speak further at the same meeting except upon special leave of the Board. If the person shall continue to be disorderly and to disrupt the meeting, the chairperson may order the sergeant at arms, who shall be the county sheriff or any of his deputies, to remove the person from the meeting. No person shall be removed from a public meeting except for an actual breach of the peace committed at the meeting.” Geiger told commissioners, “That one I caution putting in because I don’t want to go against the Open Meetings Act. Do they vacate their right to speak to the board? If someone has a slip of the tongue and they’re ruled out of order does that negate their right to speak?” Geiger noted that laws already are on the books regarding a breach of the peace. “An actual breach of the peace is a violation of state law so you can be removed for that.” “To summarize my concerns as chair,” he said, “I oppose No. 2. It would make this job extraordinarily difficult and eliminate a vital connection between us and the public.” “My next concern is No. 5.1 don’t know if that’s legal.” Commissioner Catherine Getty agreed with Geiger, saying, “We need to proceed carefully. I value hearing public opinion whether we agree with it or not. Sometimes people are not familiar with speaking in public and they get a little out of hand. It takes a lot for them to come to a meeting at 9 o’clock on Tuesday. Their adren­ alin is pumping. “I would not be in favor of one strike and not allowing them to speak.” Smelker remarked, “I definitely feel that way, too.” “There’s things in there that I’ve violated,” he said, prompting some laughter from his colleagues. Geiger pointed out that he, more than any other chair, has had to deal with this issue. “Usually, when I have ruled somebody out of order, they are standing at the podium and the gavel signals that they’re out of order and that brings the meeting to a standstill... .There’s a short discussion until we can get back in order. “It’s the refusal to sit down that’s the big­ ger thing. I don’t think they would sit down if we’re into these type of issues. I understand the reasoning for them but, in practicality, I don’t know if it would work. (But) I see where we’re coming from with these. It would probably good to provide clarity.” The commissioners sought input from the public and Larry Bass of Carlton Township offered to share his research on the issue. Jackson made a motion to postpone action on the proposed amendment until commis­ sioners could see the research that Bass was offering to share. “I don’t see this as a hot burner item that has to be decided today,” Jackson said. “ Give us a chance to go through this information.” The vote was unanimous to postpone the issue. It will be brought back before the next Committee of the Whole meeting in two weeks. Proposed revisions to rules for public comment The request to amend the Barry County Board of Commissioners Rules of Proce­ dure and Regulations for 2022 to more clearly establish and define the rules per­ taining to public comment at an open meet­ ing as permitted by the Open Meetings Act. The OMA provides that “A person shall be permitted to address a meeting of a pub­ lic body under rules established and record­ ed by the public body.” Upon consultation with the county’s attorney, this amendment establishes the following rules relating to public comment: Limited Public Comment 1. Anyone who desires to speak under ... Limited Public Comment shall be lim­ ited to no more than 3 minutes per indi­ vidual and at the times designated... except where extended privileges are granted by the chairperson. 2. Persons may address the board only on matters or issues which are relevant and germane to county government. 3. Each person who speaks shall direct his/her comments to the chairperson. 4. The chairperson shall call to order any person who is behaving in a disorderly man­ ner, such as, but not limited to, speaking or otherwise disrupting the proceedings, by failing to be germane, by speaking longer than the allotted time, speaking vulgarities, by making comments that are intimidating, threatening, harassing or disrespectful or by making comments directed at a member of the public, which conduct substantially interrupts, delays, or disturbs the peace and good order of the proceedings of the board. Such person shall thereupon be seated until the chairperson shall have determined whether the person is in order. 5. If a person engaged in limited public comment shall be ruled out of order, he or she shall not be permitted to speak further at the same meeting except upon special leave of the Board. If the person shall continue to be disorderly and to disrupt the meeting, the chairperson may order the sergeant at arms, who shall be the county sheriff or any of his deputies, to remove the person from the meeting. No person shall be removed from a public meeting except for an actual breach of the peace committed at the meeting. Are you a “gig” worker? If so, you’ve got a lot of company by some estimates, more than a third of U.S. workers participate in the gig economy as freelanc­ ers, independent contractors or moonlighters. And while gig work offers some attractive features, such as flexibility in setting your hours and no real limits on your income potential, it also comes with challenges. Specifically, you may miss out on the array of benefits available to full-time employees of many organizations. How can you fill this benefits gap? Let’s look at some of the stan­ dard employer-offered benefits and ways you can acquire them on your own: • Retirement plan - When you work as an employee, you may have access to an employ­ er-sponsored retirement plan. These types of plans allow you to save for retirement in a tax-ad­ vantaged way. As a gig worker, you may be able to get these same benefits through your own retirement plan. You can always contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA, but you can invest much more in other types of plans, such as a SEP IRA, a SIMPLE IRA and possibly even a “solo” 401(k). A financial professional can recommend the plan that’s suitable for your situation. • Life and disability insurance - Many employers offer life in­ surance as an employee benefit, and while this coverage may not be sufficient, depending on one’s family situation, it’s at least something. But as a gig work­ er, you’ll need to get your own life insurance, which is essential if you have anyone depending on you for financial support. You may also want to look for disability insurance to replace part of your income should you ever become temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury. It’s worth noting that some or­ ganizations for freelancers and self-employed individuals offer access to life and disability in­ surance, so you might want to do some research online to check out these groups. • Health insurance - As you know, health insurance is always a pretty big issue for just about everyone, regardless of their work status. Of course, many mid- to-large-size employers offer health insurance to thenemployees, but as a gig worker, you’ll need to find your own, unless you’re covered by your spouse’s plan. In looking for health insurance, you may want to contact a “navigator,” the po­ sition created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to help individ­ uals find coverage. You can find someone in your area by going to healthcare.gov and follow­ ing the prompts. Depending on your income, you may be able to receive subsidies through the ACA. Paid time off and unemploy­ ment insurance - Many full-time employees are given paid time off for sick leave and vacation. They may also receive unem­ ployment insurance if they lose their job. Since most gig work­ ers won’t have access to these benefits, it’s important to have an emergency fiind available for unexpected (or even expected) income dips. Ideally, you’d want three to six months’ worth of liv­ ing expenses in your emergency fund, but even a few hundred dollars can help create a lot more security to cover life’s unexpect­ ed events. Full-time employees receive something of great value in their benefits packages. As a gig worker, you’ll have to take the initiative to close this benefits gap - but the opportunities are there, so do what you can to find them. It will be worth the effort. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC M-179 interchange at U.S. 131 on track for completion this fall ig.b , - ‘ Greg Chandler Staff Writer Two years have passed since the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Gun Lake Tribe announced plans to rebuild the interchange at US-131 and M-179 near the Gun Lake Casino, and project officials say construction is on target and on budget. The first portion of a new bridge over US-131 was built last year, and the remainder of the bridge, as well as the ramps on the southern approach to M-179, are expected to be completed later this year, said Arthur Green, manager of MDOT’s Grand Region Transportation Services Center in Grand Rapids. Work is continuing on the project through the winter. “The contractor is out there working when they can, doing some underground work,” Green said. The $26 million project is expected to be complete this November, replacing the origi­ nal interchange that was built in 1959. The new interchange will be a single-point urban interchange that will allow opposing left-turn movements simultaneously from M-179 onto US-131. The design is similar to the interchanges on US-131 at 44th Street in Grand Rapids and Stadium Drive in Kalamazoo. The inter­ change also includes dedicated left-turn and right-turn ramps on to M-179. The Gun Lake Tribe has contributed $22 million in funding for the project, with MDOT making up the rest of the cost. “I think everything is going very well [on the project],” said John Shagonaby, the tribe’s senior director for governmental affairs. “Granted, it can be inconvenient sometimes for people. But at the end of the day, we’re going to get a state-of-the-art bridge that will handle a lot more traffic.” A ride-sharing lot, previously south of M-179 and west of the expressway, will be moved north of M-179, remaining west of the expressway. The former lot has been removed, and a temporary carpool area is available on the west end of the casino parking lot as con­ struction continues. Gun Lake Casino completed a $100 mil­ lion, 72,000-square-foot expansion last year that included the addition of two new restau­ rants, a sports bar and lounge, expansion of its Stage 131 entertainment center as well as an expanded gaming area. DNR, MUCC seeking volunteers this month Several state parks in southern Michigan will host volunteer stewardship workdays in February. Volunteers are needed to help with removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems in the parks. Registration is required for all volunteer workdays. Locally, a workday is planned from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, at the Yan­ kee Springs Recreation Area. More details about workdays and how to register can be found on the DNR volun­ teer events calendar, Michigan.gov/dnr. Nest box repair, replacement The DNR and Michigan United Conser­ vation Clubs will jointly host a wildlife habitat improvement program Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Maple River State Game Area in Gratiot County. Participants should meet at 9 a.m. at the DNR bams at 9858 Crapo Road, just south of Ranger Road in Ashley. Volunteers will help place new wood duck nest boxes and restore existing nest boxes. Learn more about On the Ground and see other upcoming volunteer opportuni­ ties at MUCC.org/On-The-Ground. Regis­ tration closes Feb. 17. For any such projects, volunteers are encouraged to dress for the weather (layers this time of year) and to wear insulated and waterproof boots. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 //SI 10376 & Insured �Page 10 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Delton student wins ‘motley’ spelling bee Students competing in the reginal spelling bee include (from left) Nick Muday, Delton Kellogg Middle School; DJ Johnson, DKMS; Eleanor Clark, St. Rose School; Jillian Brandli, DKMS; Maggie Martin, DKMS; Loree Westfall, Barry County Christian School; Emma Wilkinson, BCCS; and Alyssa MacLeod, St. Rose. Nick Muday, an eighth-grade student at Delton Kellogg Middle School, won the Barry Intermediate School District Regional Spelling Bee Tuesday. That win qualified him for the Greater Grand Rapids Spelling Bee March 22 at the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids. There, he will compete against students from all over West Michigan for the honor of competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May in Washington, D.C. Other words that challenged students included fractious, wretched, faltered, assas­ sinate, decimal, herbalist, coronation, phe­ nomenal, covenant, mousse, kimchi, conur­ bation, bivouac and whelp. The evening was a great success, Franklin said, and a chance for the students involved to show off a little of their academic prowess. “Each student up on that stage is supported by parents, grandparents, teachers and others in the audience who are so proud that they Muday bested eight other competitors from Delton Kellogg Middle, Barry County Christian and St. Rose of Lima schools, spelling “motley” and “Darwinism” to win the night. The run­ ner-up was Maggie Martin, also an eighth-grad­ er from Delton Kellogg Middle School. Martin went on in an extraordinary 28-round battle for second place to beat St. Rose fifth-grader Eleanor Clark by correctly spelling “dicey” and “trivia,” BISD Superin­ tendent Rich Franklin said. Winner Nick Muday (center) is pictured with Barry ISD Superintendent Rich Franklin and pronouncer Mary Collier. (Photos provided) made it this far, and so glad they’re not up here spelling, themselves,” Franklin said. Other competitors included Emma Wilkin­ son and Loree Westfall from Barry County Christian School; Jillian Brandli, DJ Johnson and Isabella Doubledee from Delton Kellogg Middle School; and Alyssa MacLeod from St. Rose. Qualifying but not competing were Robbie Bever, Trevin Ewing and Madison Gruber, all of Delton Kellogg Middle School. Mary Collier again was the pronouncer for the bee. Judges were Suzanne Shorey, Bob Becker and Kathy Forsyth. Deb Hatfield and Cloe Oliver were the registrars. The bee was held in the Barry County Christian School gymnasium. Brandon and Samantha Strong provided setup, clerical and tech support. More information on the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., can be found at http://spellingbee.com. State’s largest marijuana farm coming to small village in Southwest Michigan Bridge Michigan Come March, the tiny village of Lawrence in Southwest Michigan will not only be home to 300 families, a proud farming history and an annual ox roast festival- but also the state’s largest marijuana farm. The operation known as 305 Farms is The farm is stirring mixed feelings in the tight-knit Van Buren County community with six stores and one restaurant. But the $100 million facility from a Florida-based compa­ ny promises good-paying jobs, annual reve­ nue for the village and a viable plan for vacant land. licensed to grow up to 80,000 plants a year in a 350,000 square foot facility that will be more than double the average size of a Walmart. This comes at a time when the state’s saturated marijuana market is stabilizing, and many investors view small towns as the best way to grow the billion-dollar industry. 20% Off Fabrics Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass 1^^ Excludes sale items Sale ends February 28th* Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville QUESTIONS: ASK US... City of Hastings OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; ' NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN Notice is hereby given that the Hastings City Council will conduct a public hearing as part of the regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, February 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings. VISA Saturday 9 am-3 pm s - Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station ■THORFIflPPLE; ‘ P L R Y R E S - Al I I' 1 H I I /' • Al I i T I II )] I / ® AUDIGIDII / The Thomapple Players will be presenting the comedy The purpose of the public hearing is to hear comment and make a determination on the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Further information is available by contacting the Community Development Director at City Hall during normal business hours. Comments may be submitted in writing through February 25, 2022 at 5:00 PM or made in person at the public hearing. The City will provide necessary reasonable aid and services to disabled persons wishing to attend these hearings upon seven days notice to the Clerk of the City of Hastings, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. Telephone 269/945-2468 or TDD call relay ser­ vices 800/649-3777. 176007 Jane M. Saurman City Clerk By Mel Brooks There are 8 roles plus ensemble. Those auditioning for the ensemble/chorus must sing at auditions. Auditions will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at 7:00 PM in the Dennison Performing Arts Center located at 231 South Broadway in Hastings. Rehearsals are 7-9:30 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Tech Rehearsal is Sunday, May 1, 2022. Show dates are May 4-8. Questions? Call Norma Jean Acker at 269 945 2332 or text 269 908 0870. If you cannot audition on that date, please contact us in advance to make other arrangements. Members of the Community Theatre Association of Michigan D/A1\1\1 «<■«» BARRY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION The Thornapple Players is a non-profit organization providing theatrical opportunities to the Barry County area. For more information call 269-945-2332 At the town’s only gas station, Rachel Christie has talked to neighbors for 15 years as they buy snacks and fill up their tanks. A marijuana farm isn’t vital to Lawrence, Christie said, adding she’d rather see a gro­ cery store than another marijuana facility. Two dispensaries opened in Lawrence over the past five years. “These marijuana shops are popping up like lemonade stands,” Christie said. “It would be nice if the revenue from it helped open up something beneficial to Lawrence, like a grocery store. You have to go out of town to buy a head of lettuce.” Lawrence is one of 120 municipalities statewide to allow and create regulations for recreational marijuana after voters approved it in 2018. But nearly 80 percent of commu­ nities, 1,400 of 1,773, have opted out of law and prohibit the establishments, according to the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency. The Village of Lawrence had a population of 1,029 in 2019. The small town will be home to Michigan’s largest marijuana grow­ ing facility when it opens in March 2022. (Bridge photo by Zahra Ahmad) The state’s marijuana market has grown to $3 billion and the industry grossed $1.8 billion in sales in 2021, but “we’re reaching a period of more stability where we won’t see such an increase in growth,” said Andrew Brisbo, executive director of the state agency. Michigan is one of 18 states where mari­ juana is legal, and it’s attractive to out-of­ state investors because it’s regulated to allow a free market, Brisbo said. Prices are set by unrestricted competition between private business owners. “Michigan’s the land of opportunity for cannabis,” Brisbo said. Donald Hanson, a Van Buren County commissioner who represents Lawrence, said the 40-acre site for 305 Farms was intended for a large housing development that residents welcomed. Like many ven­ tures proposed in Lawrence, that fell through, Hanson said. “There wasn’t much of a choice,” Hanson said. “The big homes and the stores that they wanted didn’t come through. The marijuana people had the money and they needed that money. But at least this is some progress.” According to Hanson, the farm is giving Lawrence the money it needs to pay debts, like a bond it took out to build a new water tower. In a February statement, Lawrence Village President David Quick said revenue from the farm is funding much-needed pro­ grams and projects. Quick did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Bridge Michigan. So far, 305 Farms has paid Lawrence $141,000 in reservation and licenses fees, an amount that will increase to $200,000 annually when the facility is finished. That’s nearly double the amount of reve­ nue the village currently earns from taxes and licenses. Matt Peon, 305 Farms CEO, said he will hire 200 people locally over the next 36 months to work at the farm for $20 an hour with paid vacation andjgenefits. The state will earn $2 million in annual licensing fees for the campus and any of the company’s recreational products are subject to a 10 percent state excise tax. Peon said his company designed an ordi­ nance that allows an operator of their size to access a pool of licenses that lets them pro­ duce thousands of pounds of marijuana. “It speaks to the magnitude of what we are trying to create out here,” Peon said. “It was a real blessing that we found Lawrence.” The operation plans to cultivate and pro­ cess marijuana on a campus that Peon said will “revolutionize the industry in both size and technology.” The first phase includes a 44,000 square feet of cultivation rooms and a 16,000 square-foot operations center, with room for trimming, processing, commercial kitchens and a warehouse. Other plans call for more buildings. “In the end, the campus will comprise over 300,000 square feet of plant-canopy, completely lit by LEDs (lights),” said Mikkael Jettere the company’s vice president of horticulture. Peon, a Florida native from Miami, said executing a farm like his in Florida is nearly impossible because the state only issues seven licenses a year. Those licenses are typically sold to long-time Florida farmers. In Lawrence, his operation was able to stack 40 Class-C cultivation licenses and two cannabis processing licenses onto a single site. The project comes as people’s opinions on cannabis in Michigan are shifting faster than in other states. According to one study, one in nine Michiganders report using marijuana at least once a month, a percentage that grew 60 percent over a 14-year period. Peon said Lawrence residents had some reservations initially because the area is conservative. Residents shared concerns about whether the farm would increase crime or traffic, and whether the village’s aging water system could support it. The company responded by hiring around-the-clock security and offering to seclude the facility with a 40-foot tree for­ tress. Peon said the farm runs on a water treat­ ment system that recycles 95 percent of all its wastewater and its power plant of natural gas generators that supply almost half of its electricity needs. Nicole Hunt, who has lived in Lawrence for 15 years, is among the residents who were initially concerned about the marijua­ na farm. But she said she’s come to accept it after researching the proposal, she said. “That is one thing I am really for because Lawrence, being such a small village, needs all the help it can get with revenue,” Hunt said. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, February 17,2022 Lakewood ladies make it 13 conference titles in a row Brett Bremer Sports Editor The conference championship is secured once again. The Vikings are now spending this week making sure their ready for their MHSAA Division 2 District Tournament at Alma, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 19, at 10 a.m. The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team is striving to return to the state finals after coming up short of that ultimate goal a couple seasons and then not competing in the state postseason a year ago. The Vikings were dominant in the Greater Lansing Activ­ ities Conference once again this winter upping their string of conference championships to 13 overall by winning all three league jamborees. Head coach Kim Martin said she and her team have been installing some changes the past two weeks, but they’re done with that now. “We are done,” Martin said. “I really don’t like to change stuff this late in the season, but with what the judges have been writing on our comments we had to fix some stuff. This is a young team. I’m pretty much competing with a bunch of freshmen and sophomores and they’re stepping up. They’re going above and beyond where freshmen and sophomores should be.” In the last two weeks, the Vikings have redone beginning of round one, changed a stunt sequence in round three and reworked the team tumbling in round three too. The Lakewood girls tallied a score of 730.44 at the final GLAC jamboree of the season Wednesday at Leslie. Leslie finished in the runner-up spot with an overall score of 635.26 on the day, ahead of Perry 604.20, Maple Valley 562.70, Stockbridge 502.70 and Webberville 290.24. Lakewood put together scores of 223.60 in round one, 204.74 in round two and 3102.10 in round three. “The girls performed well,” Martin said. “13 conference titles in a row is nothing to comphiin about. We’re keeping the streak alive.” Leslie had the second best score in each of the first two rounds, a 205.70 in round one and 170.66 in round two, and the Blackhawks added a score of 258.90 in round three. Perry scored a 262.70 in round three after scores of 193.40 in round one and 148.10 in round two. The Maple Valley Lions put together scores of 185.80 in round one, 139.80 in round two and 237.10 in round three. Maple1 Valley will be a part of the MHSAA Division 4 District Tournament at Lawton Friday, Feb. 18. The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team celebrates its 13th consecutive conference championship after winning the final Greater Lansing Activities Conference jamboree of the season at Leslie Wednesday. (Photo by Chelsea Chase) Hastings gets eight grapplers through to D2 regional tourney Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity wrestling team man­ aged to get eight wrestlers through to regionals at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual District Tournament in Lowell Saturday. The Saxons had the third most qualifiers behind Lowell’s 14 and TK’s 10 qualifiers for the day. Lowell and Thomapple Kellogg were both set to wrestle for a team regional title last night, Feb. 16, in Middleville. Saxon head coach Jason Slaughter was proud of his wrestlers as well, “We had a great show­ ing with eight qualifiers. This is the most Hast­ ings has had in a while. We were also able to do this in a tough district too, with teams like Lowell and TK. We had the third most qualifi­ ers. It’s great to see that the work these guys have put in all year is starting to pay off.” Hastings had one individual champion for the day with Robby Slaughter at 160 pounds. Slaughter started the day with two pins in the quarter and semifinal rounds before meeting TK’s Austin Chivis in the finals. The Slaughter and Chivis match up is one that has been watched before, but similar to last year’s regional match, Slaughter ended with a onepoint victory over Chivis, a 9-8 decision for the championship title. “Robby did really well, winning his weight class and becoming district champion,” coach Slaughter said. “ Jackson (Dubois) and Isaac (Friddle) also both did well only losing to tough opponents in the finals.” Dubois and Friddle both wrestled in the championship match, but lost finishing in sec­ ond place for the day. Dubois, at 285 pounds, started the day with two pins, but he was unable to get the win over Greenville’s Zach McMillan in the finals. Friddle, a freshman, had a 5-1 decision in round one, and a 19-9 major deci­ sion in the semifinals before getting pinned in the finals by Lowell’s Carter Blough. The Saxons also had freshman Keegan Sutfin take third at 112 pounds. Dillon Neal (112 pounds), Colton Smith (119 pounds), Cohen Smith (140 pounds) and Mason Dmton (145 pounds) all finished in fourth place for the day. The individual regional tournament will be held at Allendale High School on Saturday, Feb. 19. The top four wrestlers at eash weight group from regionals will advance to the MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals on March 4-5 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Saxons' Robby Slaughter gets a takedown during his win over Thornapple Kellogg's Austin Chivis in the 160-pound cham­ pionship match at Saturday's MHSAA Division 2 Individual District Tournament at Lowell High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Cedar Springs edges past TK for Gold cheer championship Brett Bremer Sports Editor Heartbreaking was how Thomapple Kel­ logg varsity competitive cheer coach Adrian Sinkler described Wednesday evening. The Thomapple Kellogg competitive cheer team was edged by Cedar Springs in the final OK Gold Conference jamboree of the season at Wayland Union High School. The Trojans took the season’s opening conference jambo­ ree, but were bested the RedHawks in the final two conference competitions. . The Trojans finishing second in the con­ ference this season was as much about how good the RedHawks were as any Trojan bobbles. TK put up its highest round one and two scores of the season at Wayland Wednesday, and wasn’t too far off its round three best. TK led by a little over a point heading into round three where Cedar Springs out­ scored the Trojans 304.70 to 302.30. Cedar Springs finished with a total score of 750.78, ahead of TK 749.42, Kenowa Hills 680.84, Forest Hills Eastern 653.50, Wayland 629.20 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central 593.60. TK opened the day on the mats with an outstanding 231.30 score in round one and then added a 215.82 in round two. The Red­ Hawks earned 227.30 points in round one and then inched closer to TK with a score of 218.78 in round two. Sinkler was pleased with how her Trojans performed a new skill in round two. “They worked hard on performing and really focused on the energy they brought to every round,” coach Sinkler said of her girls’ performance. “Unfortunately, the little fluke mistakes cost us in the end. “Our sights are set on districts next week and advancing out of regionals.” TK will head to Mattawan next Saturday, Feb. 19, to compete in the MHSAA Divi­ sion 2 Cheer District where the top four teams earn a spot in the regional round of the state tournament. The Trojans have had a couple of district tune-ups, placing second at Friday’s Lake­ wood Cheerfest and they competed again Monday at the Charlotte Invitational. Hastings heavyweight Jackson Dubois nears a pin during his 285-pound quarterfi­ nal match against Sparta's Dustin Warner at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual District hosted by Lowell Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) �Page 12 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Vikes, Trojans and Saxons prep for cheer districts Brett Bremer The Saxon stunt group that includes Ericka Critzer, Makayla Pickett and Carly Frazer puts flyer Kierstyn Downs to the mat during their round three routine at Lakewood's Valentine's CheerFest Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 175922 NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Sealed proposals will bo received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 11:00 A.M. February 28, 2022 for the following items. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc.org. Culverts Bituminous Mixtures Asphalt Paving Crack Seal Blocks Scraper Blades Dust Control Pavement Markings The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. BOARDOFCOUNTYROADCOMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY David D. Solmes Chairman Frank M. Fiala Member D. David Dykstra Member RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 176060 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW The Board of Review will meet on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 1:00 pm in the office of the Assessor at Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058 to organize and review the Assessment Roll._______ NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING to hear Assessment APPEALS will be held at the RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP HALL, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan on: MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022 Sports Editor The local teams are down to their final moments to prep for the start of the state tour­ nament. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity competi­ tive cheer team finished second to the home team at each of its final two meets of the regular season, last Friday at Lakewood High School and Monday at Charlotte. The Trojans will head to Mattawan for their MHSAA Division 2 District Tourna­ ment Saturday at 10 a.m. along with the Hastings varsity team which also competed at Lakewood Friday. The top four teams at the district tournaments across the state this weekend advance to the following weekend’s regional round of the state tournament. Thomapple Kellogg cheer last qualified for the state finals in 2015, which was the program’s third appearance at the finals in four seasons at the time. TK placed seventh in 2012, sixth in 2014 and fifth in 2015. The Trojans saw a couple of their top post­ season competitors at the final two meets, Gull Lake and Hastings at Lakewood Friday and the host Orioles who they could meet up with in the regional round of the state tourna­ ment at Monday’s invitational. Lakewood is pushing to get back to the state finals too after making appearances in the Division 3 State Finals in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 and finishing as high as fifth in 2018. Lakewood will take part in the Division 3 District at Alma Saturday morning at 10 a.m. TK put together a total score of 746.06 at the four-team Oriole Sweetheart Invitational in Charlotte Monday, bested only by the Ori­ oles’ total of 755.12. Charlotte’s big edge was in round two where the Orioles outscored TK 215.92 to 209.36. It was the third consecutive runner-up fin­ ish for the TK ladies, who were second to Cedar Springs at the OK Gold Conference finale last Wednesday in Wayland. “I told them at this point conference is what it is,” TK head coach Adrian Sinkler said after Friday’s meet. “We’re looking at the bigger picture, getting to the DeltaPlex and going to the state finals.” “It has been a minute, and I was on the first team to go to the state finals so I’m like, ‘guys, we have to go again. We have to go. We can do it.’ They’re capable. They can do it. Lakewood is a great team. They’re Divi­ sion 3 and they’ve always been a great team. We knew that. I was coming in here for a mini district showdown.” The Trojans had a trio of alternates on the mat Friday and were tweaking things in the warm-up before the competition started. The Trojan coach was pleased with how that turned out, saying her team didn’t miss a beat. TK was second Friday with a total score of 746.00. Lakewood won the meet with 754.20 points. Gull Lake was right behind TK at 742.28. “We know that we’re running on all cylin­ ders right now, but we know that we can do better,” Sinkler said. “We know we did better on Wednesday [at the OK Gold finale] as far as the skills we put in the round. I always say, we have more bunnies in the hat, more tricks up the sleeve or whatever it is. We have more things to pull off.” TK and Lakewood are in very different positions throughout the regular season. TK was pushed by the top teams in the OK Gold Conference all year long while the Vikings cruised to another GLAC title. “It was nice to have that competition,” Lakewood head coach Kim Martin said after Friday’s meet. “I think it did motivate them a bit more. They knew it wasn’t going to be a cake walk. TK and Gull Lake gave us a run. We’re D3 and they’re D2, and it is always nice when a D3 team beats a bigger school. “The girls performed well today. There are still some little minor things we have to clean The Saxons' Maelynn Miller (right) and Natalee Sanders shout to the crowd during round one of the Lakewood Valentine's CheerFest Friday night at Lakewood High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thomapple Kellogg seniors Anna Benedict and Zoey Thomas wink to the crowd during TK's round two routine Friday at the Lakewood Valentine's CheerFest. (Photo by Brett Bremer) up, we still have some motion errors in the rounds.” Lakewood had the top score in each round Friday. The Vikings scored a 228.60 in round one, 216.60 in round two and 309.00 in round three. TK tallied a score of 229.20 in round one, 209.00 in round two and 307.80 in round three. 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm 9:00 am to NOON & 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Also, any other days deemed necessary to egualize the Assessment Roll. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT RATIOS & FACTORS FOR 2022 MULTIPLIER RATIO CLASS Agriculture Commercial Industrial Residential Developmental Personal 45.62 47.98 52.78 46.29 50.00 50.00 1.0960 1.0421 0.9473 1.0801 1.0000 1.0000 The above ratios and multipliers do not mean that every parcel will receive the same. If you have purchased property, it will be assessed at 50% of market value. If you have improved your property such as additions, new buildings, driveways, etc., this will also reflect in the value of your property. Upon reguest of any person who is assessed on said roll, or his agent, and upon sufficient cause being shown, the Board of Review will correct the assessment of such property and will, in their judgment, make the valuation thereof relatively just and egual. Dennis McKelvey, Assessor RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2461 Heath Rd Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2194 Individuals with disabilities reguiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Rutland Charter Township Clerk by writing or calling the Township. This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a (2)(3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Lakewood senior Jessy Weber gets a hug from head coach Kim Martin as her moth­ er Teresa Weber looks on during the Vikings' senior night ceremony at the end of the Valentine's CheerFest Friday at Lakewood High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Gull Lake was just behind TK in each round with a 226.90 in round one, 207.78 in round two and a 207.60 in round three. The Trojans were initially behind the Blue Devils on the score sheet due to an eight-point deduction in round three, which coach Sinkler worked through with the safe­ ty judges. She went looking for clarification and it turns out the Trojans performed appropriately. “It is a suspended roll, sideways. It is a really cool, flashy thing sideways. They have to maintain contact with their backspot, the flyer does, and they do, but traditionally judg­ es think it goes hand to hand instead of you can hold wrists. It can be hand to hand or hand to arm, and that is where the confusion was,” Sinkler said. “It is quite literally not a big point grab­ ber. It is not. It is probably only eight points. It’s not a big point grabber, but it is cool to look at. “I always want to know what [the judges] see. We respect them as officials. They’re just human too. They did really great. That is probably the best interaction I’ve had with safety officials ever in my coaching career. They were super like, ‘this is what happened. This is what we thought we saw.’ They were asking questions and I was getting feedback from them. It was really good. It was a good experience.” Hastings put up scores of 217.10 in round one, 198.72 in round two and 267.80 in round three to place fourth with an overall score of 683.62, ahead of Lowell 677.38 and Kelloggsville 499.30. “[It] was a good night. We have had a very challenging season, and the team continues to fight through,” Saxon head coach Linsey Jacinto said. “We received our best round two score of the season, so we were very excited about that. The intensity and performance the team showed was awesome. It was fun and exciting to watch them.” The Saxons’ district prep includes cleaning up back walkovers and back handsprings in round two, and cleaning everything up to improve confidence in round three as they prep to try and qualify for regionals. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 13 Wildcats six points better than Barracudas at CERC Brett Bremer Lakewood senior Zac Gibson holds down Portland's Caiden Pelc during their 130-pound match in the MHSAA Division 3 Team District Final hosted by the Raiders Wednesday. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) Raiders best rival Vikings in district final at Portland High Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood’s team season came to an end Wednesday, Feb. 9, at Portland High School as the host Raiders bested the Viking varsity wrestling team 40-30 in the MHSAA Divi­ sion 3 Team District Final. The Vikings knocked off Belding 42-36 in the semifinals to reach the championship match against Portland. Lakewood’s Zac Gibson and Jonathan Krebs both pulled out tough decisions in the dual with Portland. Krebs edged Ethan Webert 3-0 and Gibson scored a 2-1 win over Caiden Pelc - both keeping their unbeaten records intact. Lakewood also got pins from Ashton Clark at 112 pounds, Brenden Straub at 160, Nathaniel Graham at 171, and Eastin Stank at 285 pounds in the dual with the Raiders. Portland got pins from Colin Femholz at 103 pounds, Drew Miller at 135, John Dod­ son at 152 and Branson Goodman at 215 pounds. The Raiders’ Connor Cleason scored a 13-5 major decision in his bout with Lake­ wood’s Kade Boucher at 119 pounds. Port­ land’s Trenton Trierweiler scored an 11-7 win over the Vikings’ Daniel Krebs at 145 pounds. The Raiders also got a key win from Jackson Weygandt at 189 pounds where he pulled out a 13-11 win over the Vikings’ Bryan Aguil­ era. Portland reached the district final by scor­ ing a 78-6 win over Central Montcalm in its semifinal match. The Raiders were set to be in Alma Wednesday, Feb. 16, for its Division 3 Regional Tournament. The Raiders were scheduled to face Remus Chippewa Hills in one regional semifinal match with Alma and Corunna facing off in the other. The regional champion advances to the MHSAA Division 3 Team State Quarterfinals Feb. 25 at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. Sports Editor The Barry County Barracudas varsity boys’ swimming and diving team was back in action Thursday, Feb. 10, hosting Way­ land for an OK Rainbow Tier II Confer­ ence dual in Hastings in which the Wild­ cats edged their hosts 93-87. The Wildcats were powered to the win by a sweep of the three relay races. The team of Henry Oudbier, Travis Koon, Pay­ ton Williamson opened the night by win­ ning the 200-yard medley relay in 1:54.56 while finishing just over two seconds ahead of the runner-up Barry County four­ some of Hunter Tietz, Riley Shults, Matt Smith and Jack Kensington in the race. The Wayland team of Zachery Jenison, Dalton Montague, Josh Rose and Oudbier won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:37.82 and the team of Jenison, Williamson, Rose and Montague won the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:43.98. Barracuda teams were second and third in both the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay to help keep pace. There were outstanding finishes through­ out the night, including Kensington’s win in the 500-yard freestyle. He touched the wall a final time in 5:31.70 to beat out Oudbier by less than second (5:32.36). That was the only win in the water for the Barry County boys. Blake Sheldon won the diving competi­ tion for the Barracuda team though with a score of 197.40 and teammate Ethan Kooistra was second at 141.15. Wayland had Montague win the 200yard freestyle in 2:05.21 and the 100-yard backstroke in 1:01.58; Williamson the 200yard individual medley in 2:15.71 and the 100-yard butterfly in 58.09; Jenison the 50-yard freestyle in 21.92 and the 100-yard freestyle in 49.96; and Oudbier take the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:15.45. That breaststroke race was another of the closest of the night with the Barracu­ das’ Isaiah Randall second in 1:15.93. The butterfly was the only race won by the Wildcats in which the Barracudas didn’t place second. Devin Pacillo was second in the 200-yard freestyle, Shults second in the 200 individual medley, Kens­ ington second in the 50 freestyle, Shults second in the 100 freestyle and Donald Kuck second in the 100 backstroke. The Barracudas are off now until they host the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet Feb. 25-26 in Hastings. City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AMENDMENT OF MEADOWSTONE PUD PHASE IV The Planning Commission for the City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public concerning an amendment of the Meadowstone PUD Phase IV regarding a certain property known as Meadowstone Duplex Plat, Lot 3 parcel # 08-55-251-003-00. The Planning Commission will consider amending the Meadowstone PUD Phase IV to include a maintenance building as a use for the parcel. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday March 7, 2022 in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. A copy of the proposed changes and map are available for public inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the Community Development Director, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. Questions or comments can be directed to Dan King, Community Development Director, at 269.945.2468 or dking@hastingsmi.org The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Jane M. Saurman 175929 City Clerk Lakewood senior Nathaniel Graham works to turn Portland's Barrett Spitzley during their 171-pound match Wednesday (Feb. 9) at Portland High School during the MHSAA Division 3 Team District Final hosted by the Raiders. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) Trojans and Scots succeed on Bittersweet slopes Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Caledonia varsity boys’ ski team had its second-best scoring total of the Southwest Michigan Ski Conference season and its top finish Wednesday (Feb. 9) at Bittersweet as it beat out Mattawan/Paw Paw by 14 points for the top spot in the day’s standings. “This is one of the mentally toughest group of skiers I have coached,” Caledonia head coach Duane Petrosky said. “Nothing seems to change how they ski. Tonight, our speed and consistency helped us get past a very good Mattawan/Paw Paw team for our first conference victory of the season.” The Scots placed second to Mattawan/PP at each of the first three conference jambo­ rees, but won Wednesday by the score of 57-71. The Plainwell/Thornapple Kellogg Trojan Ski team had by far its best finish of the boys’ conference season too, placing third with 104 points ahead of Hudsonville 135.5, Portage 138.5, South Haven 207, Kalamazoo United 221 and Hackett/Vicksburg 244. “Tyler Dean and Ben BeGood have been trading off leading our team all season and their leadership on and off the slopes has helped these guys start to reach their potential as we are preparing for regionals,” Petrosky said. “Right now, we have eight guys that are skiing great and are going to get a chance to help the team at regionals, it is exciting to see these guys continue to push themselves to see how fast they can be.” Leading the way for Caledonia Wednesday was Dean who was fourth in the giant slalom (GS) and seventh in the slalom. DeGood tied Dean for fourth in the GS and placed eighth in the slalom. Caledonia also got a pair of top ten finishes from Tyler Roy who was sixth in the GS and ninth in the slalom. Caledonia added an eight-place finish from Brayden Smith in the slalom and an 11 th-place finish by Mason Peters in the GS. The Trojan Ski had two guys in the top ten in the slalom with Liam Troutner fifth and Dillon Vliestra sixth. Matteo Garbarino added a 15th-place finish in the event and Travis Barton was 22nd. All four of those guys were in the top 20 in the GS. Troutner led the way in tenth, Vliestra was 12th, Garbarino 16th and Travis Barton 18th. Portage’s Daniel Griel was the fastest guy in the slalom with runs of 35.67 and 36.04. Hudsonville’s Treyton Harrell flew to a run­ ner-up finish in the event with times of 37.83 and 37.55. The Scots bested Mattawan/PP despite the conference leaders having four guys in the top ten in the GS including Ian Bradley and Zach Sylvester who went 1-2. Bradley com­ bined runs of 28.76 and 29.61 while Sylvester had times of 29.15 and 29.48. Bradley was DQ’d from his second run at the slalom, a mishap that cost Mattawan/PP close to 20 points in the boys’ standings for the day. Caledonia’s girls were fourth on the day, but managed to move up in the overall con­ ference standings into second place. Portage took its fourth win in the SWMSC girls’ com­ petitions this winter with a score of 64 points which is a season-low total. Kalamazoo Unit­ ed was second with 97 points, ahead of Plainwell/TK 104, Caledonia 114, Hackett/Vicks­ burg 123, Mattawan/PP 143, Hudsonville 273 and South Haven 299. The defending individual conference champion Lucy VanDemark from the Trojan Ski team found her form Wednesday to win both the slalom and GS events. She had runs of 35.89 and 36.02 in the slalom. Only Mattawan/PP’s Anna Roethlisberger had runs under 37 seconds like VanDemark finishing second with times of 36.04 and 36.58 in the slalom. In the GS, VanDemark won with runs of 29.20 and 29.17, barely besting Roethlisberg­ er’s combined times of 29.16 and 29.36. Plainwell/TK also had Madison Nagel tenth in the slalom and 13th in the GS, Abi­ gail Wamez 20th in the slalom Sarah Russell 16th in the GS and Ella Way 20th in the GS and 23rd in the slalom. “I am really proud of our team. We are used to solid performances from Anna Davis and Emma Thompson, and on a night that was bumpy for them the others really stepped up,” Plainwell/TK coach Rhys VanDemark said. “All four of our ‘teams within the team,’ the boys and girls A and B teams, posted their lowest and best team scores of the season. The first place finish for the ‘B’ girls bodes well for our future.” The Fighting Scots saw things to be thrilled about in their future too. “If you have been watching the Olympics you have seen what an unpredictable sport ski racing can be, it is a sport of skill, mental toughness and a little luck at times. The SWMSC is a tough conference made up of some of the best skiers in south west Michi­ gan and tonight our girls skied great, finished fourth and also moved into second place in the standings for the conference,” Petrosky said. “We were very consistent in tonight’s race and our girls skied some great times, which we expected after racing up north for the past two races. “I am extremely excited to see Mya Bald­ win lead the way for the team in GS, not too many sophomores do what she did tonight. We are senior heavy team and having the sophomores starting to step up is a great sign for the future our girls team.” Baldwin was 11th in the GS and also placed 16th in the slalom. Barbie DeGood paced the Scots in the slalom with a ninth­ place finish. Caledonia also had Evie Schlett 13th in the slalom and 15th in the GS and Kyleigh Thompson 18th in the GS and 18th in the slalom. TOWNSHIP OF HOPE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 5463 M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 11:30 am Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. APPEALS ARE HEARD ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural 49.81% 1.0038 Commercial 47.30% 1.0571 Industrial 49.32% 1.0138 Residential 49.61% 1.0079 Personal Property 50.00% 1.0000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Doug Peck, Supervisor Hope Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Hope Township Hope Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Hope Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Hope Township by writing or calling. Hope Township Clerk 5463 M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-648-2464 179334 �Page 14 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Local youth soccer clubs merge into W.M. Galaxy RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: TO: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022-179 as appended hereto was introduced for first reading by the Rutland Charter Township Board at its February 9, 2022 meeting. This proposed ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township Board at a regular meeting on March 9, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Charter Township Hall. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BOARD Rutland Charter Township Hall 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2194 Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-179 (PROPOSED) RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP ANTI-BLIGHT ORDINANCE ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: An Ordinance to secure the public health, safety and welfare of the residents and property owners of Rutland Charter Township, Barry County, Michigan, by adding to the Rutland Charter Township Code as new Article II of existing Chapter 100 various provisions for the regulating, preventing, reducing or eliminating of blight, blighting conditions, and causes of blight within the Township; to provide civil sanctions and remedies for the violation thereof, and to preserve any Ordinance or parts thereof with additional regulations pertaining to the same subject matter. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP ■ : BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: --' Section I (§100-20) Title n This Ordinance shall be known and cited as the “Rutland Charter Township Anti-Blight Ordinance." Section II (§100-21) Purpose The purpose of this Ordinance is to promote and preserve the general health, safety and welfare of the residents and property owners of Rutland Charter Township, and to minimize the devaluation of property and the psychological Ill effects of the presence of blighting conditions upon adjoining residents and property owners, by preventing, reducing, or eliminating blight, or potential blight, in the Township through the prevention or elimination of certain causes of blight or blighting conditions and causes in the Township. Section III (§100-22) Definitions For the purpose of interpreting and enforcing the provisions of this ordinance the following words and terms used herein shall have the designated meanings: ' A. “blighted structure” means any principal or accessory building or any other structure or part of a structure which, because of fire, wind or other natural disaster or physical deterioration, is no longer habitable or otherwise usable for the purpose for which it was constructed or intended; and includes any partiallycompleted structure that is not in the course of construction in accordance with a building permit issued by the Township that is in effect. B. “building materials”means lumber, bricks, concrete or cinder blocks, plumbing materials, electrical wiring or equipment, heating ducts or equipment, shingles, mortar, concrete, or cement, nails, screws, and any other materials used in constructing any structure. C. ’’junk, trash, rubbish, litter or refuse of any kind” means all waste materials (including industrial and liquid waste), garbage, organic and food waste, offal, paper, boxes, wood, scrap lumber or building materials, rubber, plastics, glass, metal, fabric, motor vehicle/machinery parts, household appliances, furniture not designed for outdoor use, interior and exterior construction materials, trash, debris or other foreign substances detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of Township residents, and any other scrap or waste material of any kind, including parts of any of the above. D. “landscaping materials” means lumber, timbers, lattice, woodchips, bricks, mortar, rocks, pavers, sand, stones, plants, top soil, fertilizer, lawn or garden edging, or weed killing fabric used in landscaping. E. “inoperable vehicle” means-avy vehicle which does not mechanically operate, or which does not have sufficient body components to operate legally upon a public street. . F. “unlicensed vehicle” means any vehicle which is not currently and validly licensed for use upon a public street. Section IV (§100-23) A. B. B. C. £ 4. The storage or accumulation of landscaping materials outside of a fully enclosed building upon premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; unless the materials are for use in a landscaping project upon said property and the subject materials are intended for use only in connection with said landscaping project. 5. The presence of a blighted structure upon any premises. In the event the foregoing regulations create any special or particular hardship beyond the control of a particular violator thereof because of unforeseen circumstances, the Ordinance Enforcement Officer is given authority to grant permission to an applicant to operate, contrary to the provisions of the regulations, for a period not to exceed 14 days, provided no adjoining property owner or occupant is unreasonably and adversely affected thereby, and the spirit and purpose of the Ordinance are still observed. Section V (§100-24) A. Regulations It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or entity of any kind, either as the owner, lessee, renter, occupant or possessor of any property, to cause, permit, or allow any of the following conditions or activities which are hereby determined to be causes of blight or blighting conditions which, if allowed to exist, will adversely affect the public health, safety and welfare: . 1. The parking or storage of an inoperable vehicle or unlicensed vehicle outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities; except in the following circumstances: a. Licensed vehicles that are temporarily inoperable because of minor mechanical failure but which are not in any manner dismantled and have substantially all main component parts attached, may be parked or stored upon said premises outside of a fully enclosed building for no more than-30 days in any one calendar year, calculated on a cumulative basis for the same or different vehicles. b. One unlicensed vehicle that (1) is mechanically operable, (2) has substantially all main component parts attached, (3) is for sale by the owner or occupant of the premises, and (4) is posted ‘For Sale’, may be parked upon said premises outside of a fully enclosed building for not more than 30 days. Only one such vehicle per premises at any one time shall be permitted. 2. The storage or accumulation of junk, trash, rubbish, litter or refuse of any kind outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; provided this regulation does not apply to such materials that are neatly and properly stored between regular collections from the premises at intervals of not less than 30 days. 3. The storage or accumulation of building materials outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; unless the materials are for use in a construction project on said premises for which a building permit has been issued by the Township and is in effect. r . Violations and Enforcement Any person, firm, corporation, or entity of any kind who violates, disobeys, neglects or refuses to comply with any provision of this Ordinance, or any order/permit issued under the Ordinance, including any conditions imposed thereon, or who consents to, or aids or abets any of same, shall be deemed to be responsible for a violation of this Ordinance. Any person or entity responsible for a violation of this Ordinance shall be liable as a principal. A violation of this Ordinance is a municipal civil infraction as defined by Michigan statute and shall be subject to the Schedule of Fines specified in Section 45-6 and all other applicable parts of Chapter 45 of the Rutland Charter Township Code. Each day a violation continues to exist shall be deemed a separate offense. The imposition of a fine shall not exempt an offender from compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance. Any violation of this Ordinance is hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance, and shall constitute a basis for judgment, writ or order necessary to compel compliance with the Ordinance and/or to restrain and prohibit continuation of the violation, or other appropriate relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other relief or sanction herein set forth or allowed by law. D. This Ordinance shall be enforced by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer(s) of Rutland Charter Township, and by such other person or persons as the Township Board may designate. Section VI (§100-25) largest soccer clubs in west Michigan. Sports Editor “The unity of the three clubs is what soccer needs Local soccer clubs CATS FC (Caledonia Area Trav­ south of Grand Rapids,” Smith said in a statement el Soccer), TASC (Thomapple Area Soccer Club), and from the newly formed club. “We have each been Hastings FC have united to form West Michigan Gal­ operating well on our own, but being able to compete axy which will officially begin operating for the Fall with the offerings of the larger Grand Rapids clubs 2022 season. has been difficult. We are excited with the facil­ CATS FC was formed in 1999 while ities and training that we will be able to both TASC and Hastings were formed offer being a larger club that will put in 2007. All three organizations com­ Galaxy and it’s players on the map, pete in the Grand Valley Soccer Asso­ not to mention it will broaden the ciation which encompasses a large strength and skill level of the local number of youth teams from as far high school soccer players.” north as the Cadillac area to Hastings TASC president Dustin Ruth stated, bordering the southern point of the “we are looking forward to being able league, the lakeshore on the west and to create more competitive teams the Lowell area on the east. while still holding onto the communi­ The merger was officially ty feel. All three clubs are proud of announced Tuesday at 10 a.m. on the what we have built over many years club’s social media sites. of soccer in our respective towns, “The idea behind the merger is The logo for the new West but are really excited about what to create a stronger community, a Michigan Galaxy youth soccer club the future holds as we combine more competitive club in West was revealed Tuesday morning. together into one powerhouse on Michigan, but yet maintain the the south side of Grand Rapids.” local feel,” said current CATS FC president Sarah There will be opportunities for the club to host Smith, who is also the former Hastings varsity girls’ major tournaments combining the fields in Caledonia, soccer coach. “We’re trying to bring in all the surround­ Middleville and at the Barry County Fairgrounds ing communities. It is not just Middleville. It is not just where Hastings FC has made its home. Caledonia. Hopkins, Wayland, Byron Center, Kent­ The West Michigan Galaxy leadership team is com­ wood, Hastings, Lakewood and kind of the whole area.” mitted to growing soccer players on and off the field, The plan, at least through the winter months, is for teaching them valuable skills that translate to life the Galaxy to make Max Effort Fieldhouse in Caledo­ while keeping the unique community feeling. With nia its home base for training. The club is planning an the unity of the previous clubs, Galaxy will be able to open house at Max Effort for Saturday, Feb. 19, from offer an exceptional coaching staff, higher caliber 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Speed and conditioning training teams, a greater diversity of levels of play at each age is already happening there. group, local facilities in all three communities, and There will be club officials on hand to answer ques­ long term club sustainability. tions and players who attend will get the chance to In addition to soccer instruction at all levels, the compete at skill stations and earn prizes. There will club will also offer a TOPSoccer program for players also be the reveal of uniform kits for the club. with disabilities, juniors training for 3-6 year olds and The merger has been in the works since 2020 with community camps and outreach opportunities. a few setbacks due to the pandemic. The Galaxy is hosting tryouts beginning on June 11 TASC and CATS currently include 334 players on a for Fall 2022-Spring 2023 teams. More information total of 26 teams and are looking forward to adding will be available on the the internet at www.wmgalthe Hastings FC’s handful of teams as well. Smith said axy.com or on Facebook or Instagram @wmgalaxthe merger will make the WM Galaxy one of the ten ysoccer. DK girls score first SAC Valley win Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg girls got their first Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference Valley Division victory Fri­ day, over visiting Parchment, and nearly nabbed sec­ ond Tuesday over Constantine. The DK girls split their conference series with Parchment thanks to a 49-34 win over the visiting group of Panthers Friday. Cadence Johnson led Delton Kellogg with 13 points and Josie Williams and Allie., Trantham added, ten points apiece. Williams had a double-double, adding ten rebounds. “We hit eight three-pointers and ended up shooting over 34 percent for the game from the floor, which is one of our best shooting nights of the season. It was great to see,” DK head coach Mike Mohn said. Both DK and Parchment are now 1-10 in the SAC Valley this season. DK is now 3-15 overall. Constantine edged the DK girls at Delton Kellogg High School 50-48. “The toughest part was losing a 13-point lead to start the fourth quarter,” Mohn said. “I think we got a bit nervous with the lead and stopped doing the things that got us to that point in the first place. Constantine dropped 29 points in the fourth quarter.” Williams had another huge game to give her team a chance at a second victory in a row. She had 14 points and was,4-of-5 at the. free throw line. Caitlyn McMa­ nus had 12 points and Johnson added ten points for DK. Free throw shooting hurt the Panthers’ chances in the end. They were 4-of-9 from the line in the fourth quarter and just 13-of-25 for the ballgame. Delton Kellogg is back in action at home Friday against Galesburg-Augusta. Constantine overtakes DK boys in fourth Brett Bremer Sports Editor Constantine went on a 12-6 run in the fourth quarter to earn a 48-43 win over the visiting Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basketball team in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division action Tuesday. The Panthers held a 36-35 edge heading into the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on, falling for the seventh straight time. Alex Whitmore had 14 points for Delton Kellogg, with 11 of those coming in the first half. Alden Whit­ more hit three three-pointers and finished with 12 points for DK. “I thought we had a nice advantage inside with Whitmore and [Austin] Blocker, and yet we struggled to get the ball inside enough even when it was effec­ tive,” DK head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “We would go the next five possessions and force it on the first pass or take a quick perimeter shot and Constantine would close the gap. Down the stretch they made free throws and we did not when we had a chance to tie or take the lead.” Constantine made 6-of-7 free throws down the stretch when the Panthers were forced to foul in the end. “I really wish we could figure this out and all play on the same page, but that isn’t happening,” Hogo­ boom said. Luke Hagenbach led Constantine with 17 points and Dean Topelski added ten points. Delton Kellogg is now 1-10 in the SAC Valley and 4-13 overall this season. The Falcons moved to 1-9 in conference play with the win and 2-13 overall. DK took the first meeting between the two teams in Delton by double figures back in December. The Panthers will be at home against Gales­ burg-Augusta Friday. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Rent 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. Some furniture. No smoking. Includes internet. $1275/ mo. (electric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). Or purchase for $395,000.269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Business Services Pets MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. GOLDEN DOODLE PUPPIESFluffy, very playful!. 1st shots and wormed. $600.00. 269-223-9194. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, ML Validity Should any section, clause, or provision of this Ordinance be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such holding shall not affect the validity of this Ordinance as a whole or any part thereof, other than the part so declared to be invalid. Section VII (§100-26) Brett Bremer Additional Regulations This Ordinance shall not be construed to repeal by implication any other ordinance of Rutland Charter Township or parts thereof with additional regulations pertaining to the same subject matter. Section VIII (§100-27) Effective Date This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days after publication as required by law. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township Keep your friends and relatives informed and up to date with all the local news from Barry County. Send them... The Hastings BANNER To subscribe, call us at 269-945-9554 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 15 LUCiAL nOTlObS FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service mem­ ber on active duty, if your period of active duty has con­ cluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertise­ ment. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, March 3, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county regis­ ter of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Jay Dee Miller and Penny Jo Miller, husband and wife to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as a nominee for Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp., Mortgagee, dated January 26, 2009, and recorded on February 5, 2009, as Doc­ ument Number: 20090205-0001066, Barry County Re­ cords, said mortgage was assigned to BankUnited N.A. by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submit­ ted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Two Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Two and 52/100 ($102,272.52) including inter­ est at the rate of 4.25000% per annum. Said premis­ es are situated in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: The part of the west fractional half of the northwest fractional quarter of section 19, town 2 north, range 10 west, Orangeville Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as com­ mencing at northwest corner of said section; thence south 00 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds east 330.00 feet along the west line of said section to place of begin­ ning; thence south 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds east 1165.13 feet parallel with the north line of said northwest quarter; thence south 00 degrees 26 minutes 06 seconds east 375.01 feet along the east line of said west half, northwest quarter, thence north 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds west 1166.22 feet; thence north 00 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds west 375.00 feet along the west line of said section to the place of be­ ginning. Commonly known as: 7077 BOYSEN ROAD, SHELBYVILLE, Ml 49344 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption peri­ od will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is pre­ sumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: February 3, 2022 RarxfeH 'S'.1 Miller As'ddcfSfesV P.C Attorneys for BankUnited N.A/43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 17MI00795-12 (02-03)(02-24) 175335 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 10, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Nicholas Haskins, single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Reg­ istration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Date of Mortgage: December 20, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 23,2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $144,899.60 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 330.00 feet of the East 1/2 of the East 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 14, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 3491 E M 43 Hwy, Hastings, Ml 49058-7723 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 3, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1453788 (02-03) (02-24) 175391 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ dicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the con­ ditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Dale Desgranges II, whose address is 4046 Farrel Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, acting solely as a nominee for Car­ rington Mortgage Services, LLC., being a mortgage dated October 27, 2020, and recorded on Novem­ ber 16, 2020 in Document No. 2020-012711, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then as­ signed to BankUnited N.A., as assignee as docu­ mented by an assignment dated January 25, 2022 and recorded on January 31, 2022 in Document No. 2022-001330, Barry County Records, Michi­ gan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of THREE HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS AND 20/100 ($302,700.20). Said premises are sit­ uated in the County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Land Situated in the State of Michigan, County of Barry, Township of Carlton. That part of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 27, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of said Section; thence North 89 degrees 57 minqtes 59 seconds West 195.00 feet along the North line of said Northeast 1/4 to the place of beginning; thence North 89 degrees 57 min­ utes 59 seconds West 225.00 feet along said North line; thence South 00 degrees 02 minutes 01 sec­ onds West 384.00 feet; thence South 89 degrees 57 minutes 59 seconds East 225.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 02 minutes 01 seconds East 384.00 feet to the place of beginning.. Street Address: 4046 Far­ rel Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in ac­ cordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COL­ LECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWN­ ER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO AC­ TIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORT­ GAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE: Dated: February 10, 2022 For moire information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blum­ berg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4257 (02-10)(03-03) 175601 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. No­ tice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is giv­ en under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan starting promptly at 1:00 pm on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Justin Stuive and Amy Hawke, a single man and a single woman, as Mortgagors to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, dated May 29, 2009, and recorded on June 4, 2009, in Document No. 200906040005899, Barry County Records, Barry County, Michigan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $96,351.54 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mortgage, or any part of the Mortgage. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt secured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 5.0% per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mortgagee to pro­ tect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Barry County, Michigan described more fully as: LOT 13 OF PLEASANT VALLEY ESTATES, YAN­ KEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THERE­ OF RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 13 OF BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Tax ID No. 08-16-270-013-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12944 Valley Drive, Wayland, Ml, 49348 The redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(8), unless deemed abandoned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241a. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. February 8, 2022 UNITED BANK OF MICHIGAN, Mortgagee PLUNKETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175661 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting February 8, 2022 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Six board members present, 1 absent Approved all consent agenda items Sewer Agreement to Lawyer Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:10 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 175918 SYNOPSIS PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Regular Meeting February 9, 2022 Called to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Stoneburner, Goebel, Pence, Doster, Absent: DeVries Agenda amended and approved Consent agenda approved: January 12, 2022 Minutes, department reports, bills: $45,507.04 EMS proposal was received. Commissioner’s report Public comments, if any, were received. Approved: Resolution 2022-1: Meeting Policy Resolution 2022-3: Parks and Recreation five year plan Resolution2022-4:GullLakeSewer rates Adopted: Amendment of GLSWA Articles of Incorporation Accepted Kent Communications proposal Public and Board comments were received. Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. Submitted by: Rod Goebel, Clerk 175822 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-29083-DE Estate of Kirby L. Prelwitz Sr. Date of birth: 03/10/1953. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kirby L. Prelwitz Sr., died 12/05/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kirby L. Prelwitz Jr., personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W Court St. #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 02/08/2022 Neil L. Kimball (P36653) 900 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 616-632-8000 ' P ' Kirby L. Prelwitz Jr. 1047 Hidden Ponds Drive Martin, Michigan 49070 616-773-0461 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE 21-29050-DE HON. WILLIAM M. DOHERTY Court address: 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Eiko K. Tobias. Date of birth: 04/07/1935. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Eiko K. Tobias, died 11/09/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Linda L. Beyer, 6288 Dausman Park, Clarksville, Ml 48815, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 Court St. #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: February 14, 2022 Steven G. Storrs (P80557) 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-2242 Linda L. Beyer 6288 Dausman Park Clarksville, Ml 48815 616-340-3747 179335 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO.21-682-CH Court Address: 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No. (269) 948-4814 Plaintiff U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for Manufactured Housing Contract Senior/Subordinate Pass-Through Certificate Trust 2000-5, by its servicer New Rez, LLC Plaintiff's Attorney Trott Law, P.C. - Joshua Chomet (P81569) 31440 Northwestern Hwy., Ste. 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 248-341-4634 v Ronald Hermenitt, II 11224 Ronald Ln., Delton, Ml 49046 THE COURT FINDS: 1. Service of process upon the defendant, Ronald Hermenitt, II, can­ not reasonably be made as provided in MCR2.105 may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be herd. IT IS ORDERED: 2. Service of the summons and complaint and a copy of this order shall be made by the following method(s). d. Other. Publication in the Legal News for the County of Barry for three consecutive weeks. For each method used, proof of. service must be filed promptly with the court. Date: Feb. 1,2022 Judge Vicky L. Alspaugh P42872 PUBLICATION NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate State of Michigan, County of Barry In the Matter of the Maurice E. Hanford and Grace A. Hanford Trust dated March 26, 2002, as amended November 5, 2018. Decedent’s date of birth: May 25,1929 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Your interest in this matter may be barred or affected by the following: The decedent, Maurice E. Hanford, lived in Barry County, Hastings, Michigan, and died November 13, 2021. Creditors of the deceased are notified that all decedent’s assets were held by the Trustee at decedent’s death, and the decedent has no probate estate. Creditors of the deceased are further notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to: Norma K. Hanford, Trustee and/or the attorney’s office representing Norma K. Hanford as Trustee within 4 months of the publication of this notice. This notice is published pursuant to MCL 700.7608. If a probate estate is opened in the future for the decedent, this notice is intended to satisfy the requirements of MCL 700.3801. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the person(s) entitled to it. Date: 2-1-22 Longstreet Elder Law & Estate Planning, PC Sara B. Morey P83985 607 North Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3495 Norma K. Hanford 420 W. Madison Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-2035 175621 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY - 5th CIRCUIT COURT ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE LONNIE D. JEWELL and LORI A. JEWELL, and MICHAEL FINCH and DEBRA FINCH, Case No. 2021-478-CZ HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Plaintiffs v. BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION; TOWNSHIP OF BARRY; DIRECTOR OF DEPT OF ENERGY, LABOR & ECON GROWTH; BARRY COUNTY DRAIN COMM’R, HAROLDINE BARLEY, MICHELLE A DILJAK, MICHAEL J DOOLEY, MIKE DOOLEY, TRUDIE DOOLEY, GARY ENGLEHARDT, DEBORAH ENGLEHARDT, JACK GRIFFIN, CYNTHIA HAYWARD, CYNTHIA G HAYWARD TRUST, DANIEL JOHNSON, SARAH JOHNSON, JAMES MCBAIN, OVIE PINKS, MICHAEL RUDNICKI, CYNTHIA RUDNICKI, ROBERT SCHULTZ, KELLY SCHULTZ, THOMAS WALKER, and BRETT EWOUDENBERG, Defendants. Jason N. Machnik (P77704) Herbert Machnik Law Firm Attorney for Plaintiffs 6281 Stadium Drive .Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 (269) 459-1432 Allan C. Vander Laan (P33893) Kristen L. Rewa (P73403) Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho Attorneys for Barry County Drain Commissioner 2851 Charlevoix Dr., S.E. - Suite 327 Grand Rapids, Ml 49546 (616) 975-7470 ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE At a session of said Court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, on the 5th day of January, 2022. PRESENT: Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh After reviewing Defendants’ Motion for Alternate Service, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, The court finds, pursuant to MCR 2.105(1) that service of process by publication is the best available method of service of process reasonably calculated to give Defendants actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Plaintiffs may serve process on all Defendants by publishing the following notice in a Barry County newspaper, as defined by MCR 2.106(F), for three (3) consecutive weeks: “An action seeking to quiet title to a roadway dedicated as Portage Ave in Crooked Lake Summer Resort according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 52 in Plaintiffs Lonnie Jewell, Lori Jewell, Michael Finch and Debra Finch has been commenced against the Barry County Road Commission; Township of Barry; Director of Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth; Barry County Drain Commissioner; Haroldine Barley, Michelle A. Diljak, Michael J. Dooley, Mike Dooley, Trudie Dooley, Gary Englehardt, Deborah Englehardt, Jack Griffin, Cynthia Hayward, Cynthia G. Hayward Trust, Daniel Johnson, Sarah Johnson, James Mcbain, Ovie Pinks, Michael Rudnicki, Cynthia Rudnicki, Robert Schultz, Kelly Schultz, Thomas Walker, and Brett E. Woudenberg in Barry County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan. Defendants must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days after the last date of publication of this notice. If a Defendant does not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment affecting Defendants’ interests may be entered, as requested in the complaint.” Dated: January 5, 2022 Signed: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: November 30, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $172,839.14 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 17, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1454590 (02-17)(03-10) 175804 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Atten­ tion homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan start­ ing promptly at 1:00 pm on Thursday March 17,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insur­ ance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Sheryl Cook, an unmarried woman, as Mortgagor, to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, a Michigan corporation, with its address at 900 East Paris Avenue, SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, as Mortgagee, dated September 20, 2005 and recorded on September 29, 2005, Document No. 1153580, Barry County Records, Barry County, Mich­ igan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $69,051.05 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mort­ gage, or any part of the Mortgage. TAKE NOTICE that on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 1:00 p.m., local time, or any adjourned date thereafter, the Mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale at public auction to the highest bidder, at the Barry County Courthouse in Hastings, Michigan. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt se­ cured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 6.125% percent per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorneys fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mort­ gagee to protect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Yankee Springs Township, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: LOT 9 VALLEY PARK SHORES ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 4 OF PLATS, PAGE 24, YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. PP#: 08-16-225-020-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12925 Valley Dr., Wayland, Michigan 49348 The redemption period shall be one year from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(12), unless deemed aban­ doned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241 a. Mortgagors will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage fore­ closure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. February 7, 2022 UNITED BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION PLUN­ KETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175662 179336 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �Page 16 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner SAC rivals knock off Delton in district final Delton Kellogg's Giovanni Stea (top) scores nearfall points during the opening peri­ od of his 145-pound match against Climax-Scotts/Martin’s Joshua Walmann at the conclusion of their team's MHSAA Division 4 Team District Final at Martin High School Wednesday, Feb. 9. The CSM grapplers captured a district championship with their 61-16 win over the Panthers. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg's Joelle White receives congratulations along the edge of the mat from her teammates after pinning Saranac's Kenzie Stevens in the MHSAA Division 4 Team District Semifinals at 112 pounds Wednesday (Feb. 9) at Martin High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Delton Kellogg's Marcus Momenee pins Saranac's Preston Dean late in the first period of their 130-pound match in the MHSAA Division 4 Team District Semifinal at Martin High School Wednesday (Feb. 9). (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor The Climax-Scotts/Martin (CSM) varsity wrestling team took the Southwestern Athletic Conference' Tournament title Saturday and followed up by besting conference foe Delton Kellogg.in the MHSAA Division 4 Team Dis­ trict Final at Martin High School Wednesday. The Panthers opened the district tourna­ ment with a 59-24 win over Saranac in the semifinals, following an 84-0 victory by CSM over a shorthanded Maple Valley team. All the teams from the team district tourna­ ment went on top take part in the 15-team MHSAA Division 4 Individual District Tour­ nament at Union"City High School Saturday (Feb. 12). Vinnie Quick, a state qualifier in Division 4 for DK a year ago, opened the district final by pinning CSM’s Matt Nobel 47 seconds into the 152-pound bout, but Delton Kel­ logg’s only other points in the dual came from a forfeit win by Caden Ferris at 215 pounds and a 12-3 major decision by Gauge Stampfler over Matt Holmes at 130. Ferris, the defending Division 4 215-pound state champion, improved his record to 39-0 (at the time) Wednesday, but never got to wrestle with both CSM and Saranac forfeit­ ing his weight class to the Panthers. Delton Kellogg had its moments even in defeat. Giovanni Stea had CSM’s Josh Walman on his back in the opening period of their 145-pound match, but Walman even­ tually rallied for a second-period pin of his own. At 140 pounds, DK’s Hunter Antolovich showed he clearly had the ability to take down CSM’s Jackson Bagwell, but Bagwell had the advantage when the two were off their feet. Bagwell trailed Antolovich 7-6 until he scored a two-point reversal late in the second period. The two were tied 9-9 after Antolovich’s third take down of the bout early in the third period, but Bagwell fol­ lowed with his third reversal of the match and put Antolovich on his back a few times to eventually score an 18-9 victory. It was a late reversal by CSM’s Jayce Ritchie, with 25 seconds left in the third period of his 125-pound bout with Delton Kellogg’s Gage Vincent, that gave Ritchie a 6-4 win and clinched the district title for the CSM Hybrid team. At that point, CSM held an insurmount­ able 45-12 lead with four bouts to go. Frank Rosado got off to a good start for Delton Kellogg in the 189-pound bout as well, building a 6-3 lead in the third period before Sam Bleeker managed a reversal and then pinned Rosado with 1:03 left on the clock. Rosado had been up 4-1 going into that third period thanks to the only two take downs of the match. CSM also got pins from Aden Chambers at 160 pounds. J.R. Hidlebrand at 171, Max Bleeker at 285, Cole Reitz at 103, Trent Kim­ mel at 112 and Drake Buell at 135 pounds in the district final while adding a forfeit win by 119-pounder Logan Gilbert. In the win over Saranac, Delton Kellogg got pins from Quick, Gavin Poley, Joelle White and Marcus Momenee and forfeit wins from Seth Lebeck, Michael Bohla, Vincent and Ferris. Stampfler added a 15-0 technical fall in his 125-pound bout. District champion Ferris sitting on 149 varsity wrestling wins Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton KellOgg;senidr Caden Ferris already has more wins than he did a'yeaf ago when he Captured the MHSAA Division 4 Individual State Championship at 215 pounds. Ferris improved his senior season record to 42-0’ by pinning his way to an individual district championship at the MHSAA Divi­ sion 4 Individual District Tournament hosted by Union City High School Saturday. Ferris and a trio of Panthers who placed third at their respective weight classes Saturday move on to this Saturday’s (Feb. 19) Divi­ sion 4 Individual Regional Tournament at Lawton. Delton Kellogg 119-pounder Gage Vincent, T25-pounder Gauge Stampfler and 152-pounder Vincent Quick all'placed third at the district to advance in the state tournament. Ferris pinned Union City’s Grady Love 90 seconds into the 215-pound championship match in Union City for his 149^ varsity wrestling victory. It was his longest match of the day. He pinned Rally Shade from Saranac 79 seconds into their semifinal bout and scored a pin 33 seconds in against Zach Smith in the quarterfinals. It has been a tumultuous season for the couple Maple Valley wrestlers, but returning state medalist Matthew Slaght also won his way to a spot in the'regional round of the ’ state tournament ihUhfon City Saturday. He won a district championship at 119 pounds - advancing to the finals of his weight class with a pair of pins. Slaght ran his record to 19-1 on the sea­ son with a 10^3 decision over Perry Lake from Bronson, a wrestler with 40 wins under his belt already this season, in the 119-pound final. Slaght got to the final by pinning Camden-Frontier’s Bryan Linton and then Delton Kellogg’s Vincent in the semifinals. Vincent rebounded in the blood round, the consolation semifinals where winners move on to regionals and their opponents’ see their season end. He pinned Mendon’s Caleb King to advance to the match for third place and then earned a 9-2 win over Climax-Scotts/ Martin’s (CSM) Jayce Ritchie. Stampfler scored a 10-0 major decision over Bronson’s Landon Fletcher in the blood round at 125 pounds and then beat Reading’s Hunter Dewey by injury default in the match for third. Quick earned his regional spot by pinning Reading’s Levi Schultz 43 seconds into their blood round match. He went on to eke out art 8-6 win in a sudden victory overtime period to improve his’regional seeding and place third. Quick is now 27-9 on the season. Stampfler goes into regionals with a 32-5. record and Vincent is 28-9 on the season. All three Delton Kellogg wrestlers who reached the blood round won in the blood round. Slaght’s teammate Schilz was one victory away from qualifying for regionals, falling to Reading’s Hunter Dewey in the blood round at 125 pounds. HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 885 River Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 1:00 pm Organizational Meeting Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 9:00 am to Noon and 6:00 to 9:00 pm Thursday, March 17, 2022, 9:00 am to Noon and 1:00 to 4:00 pm And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. APPEALS ARE HEARD ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: 1.0075 Agricultural 49.63% 0.9889 Commercial 50.56% 0.9275 Industrial 53.91% 49.07% 1.0190 Residential 1.0000 Personal Property 50.00% Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Jim Brown, Supervisor Hastings Charter Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Hastings Charter Township Hastings Charter Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Hastings Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Castleton Township by writing or calling. Hastings Charter Township Clerk 885 River Rd. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-9690 v 175918 Lakewood 215-pounder Joel Simon holds down Chesaning's Kayden Witt during the match for third place at their Division 3 Individual District Tournament hosted by Alma Saturday. (Photo by Michael D. Graham) Group of seven Vikes on to regionals Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood got half a line-up through its district tournament Saturday. The Lakewood varsity wrestling team will have seven grapplers competing in the MHSAA Division 3 Individual Regional Tournament hosted by Howard City Tri-County Saturday after they placed in the top four in their respective weight classes at last Saturday’s (Feb. 9) district tournament hosted by Alma. Defending state champion Zac Gibson and teammate Ashton Clark won district championships for the Vikings. Gibson took the 130-pound championship to run his record to 32-0 on the season. Clark moved his record to 35-1 with a victory in the 112pound weight class. Lakewood had five guys reach the champi­ onship1 finals at their weight class. Eastin Stank was tile runner-up at 285 pounds, Dan­ iel Krebs the runner-up at 140 and Jonathan Krebs the runner-up at 125 pounds. Jonathan Krebs’ 1 l-21oss to Alma’s Fabian Facundo in the 125-pound championship was his first defeat of the season. Lakewood also had Joel Simon place third at 215 pounds and Nathaniel Graham place fourth at 171 pounds. Gibson kept his undefeated season going by pulling out his second tight victory over Portland’s Caiden Pelc of the week in the 130-pound final. Gibson got a one-point win at last Wednesday’s team district final and took the individual title Saturday with a 4-2 victory. Gibson stared his day with a 16-0 technical fall against Durand’s Tuff Slieff and then beat Clare’s Carter Smedley by pin 1:42 into their semifinal match. Clark won the 112-pound weight class by injury default in the final against Isaiah Mul­ lins from Alma. Clark only had to wrestle two matches. He also scored a 10-5 win over D’Angelo Campos from Corunna in the semi­ finals. All three of Stank’s matches ended in pins. He won the first two bouts, taking down Belding’s Drew Feuerstein in the quarterfi­ nals and Central Montcalm’s Wayion Lingeman in the semifinals. Chesaning’s Brenden Quackenbush w'on the 285-pound champion­ ship Saturday by pinning Stank 1:27 into their final match. Daniel Krebs pinned Corunna’s Dayne Zeeman to open the day in the 140-pound quarterfinals and then pulled out an 8-6 victo­ ry over Alma’s Josiah Baltierra in the semifi­ nals. Trent Trierweiler from Portland got his 30^ victory of the season by scoring a 7-5 win over Krebs in the championship match. Simon pinned Portland’s Branson Good­ man 4:09 into their blood round match, the consolation semifinals where the winner advances to the regional round and their opponent sees their season come to an end, and then clinched third place by pinning Chesaning’s Kayden Witt in the consolation final. Witt had pinned Simon in the quarterfi­ nal round of the tournament. Graham reached the semifinals at 171 pounds before falling 12-10 in a sudden vic­ tory overtime period against Reed City’s Bryson Hughes. He punched his regional ticket by scoring a 12-4 major decision against Chesaning’s Lane Miller in the blood round. Chippewa Hills’ Austin Humphrey pinned Graham in the match for third. Lakewood 160-pounder Brenden Straub and 119-pounder Kade Boucher both saw their season end in the blood round. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 17 Red Hawks snag second win over TK Brett Bremer Sports Editor After a one-point loss at Cedar Springs last month the Trojans had their eyes on taking down the Red Hawks Tuesday at Thomapple Kellogg High School. The Red Hawks had other ideas. Thomapple Kellogg’s varsity boys’ basketball team remains winless in the OK Gold Conference after a 54-45 loss to visiting Cedar Springs Tuesday. The Trojans are now 0-10 in conference play and 1-13 overall on the season. A 9-0 run over the course of a minute in the middle of the fourth quarter turned a two-point ballgame into a double digit lead for the Red Hawks who had a mas­ sive night at the free throw line. Cedar Springs shot 40 free throws in the ballgame, knocking down 22 of them. TK was just l-of-6 at the foul line. The Trojans struggled at times to put the ball in the basket wherever they were shooting it from throughout the night. Had a few more attempts in the paint fallen it could have been a different outcome for TK. The first eight three-point attempts of the night for TK missed the mark. A triple by junior guard Terrell Jefferson had TK within 21-17 with two minutes to play in the first half. It was the first three for TK of the bailgame. Cedar Springs went into the half up 23-17. A burst by senior guard Jaymes Thome for TK tied the bailgame up two and a half minutes into the second half. Thome nailed a three-pointer and then took advantage of a miscue by the Red Hawks to score a lay-up that tied the game at 26-26. The Red Hawks had the lead back at 30-28 after a bucket by Ryan West with 2:22 to go in the third quar­ ter, and led for the rest of the ballgame. Cedar Springs was 19-of-33 at the free throw line over the final 10:22 of the ballgame to seal the win. Ivan Winters led the Red Hawks with 13 points. He was 5-of-6 at the free throw line. Mitchell Metiva and Logan Williams had eight points each and Jerald Brownell had seven for the guests. TK was led by Jefferson’s 19-point effort. TK got ten points from sophomore center Jaxan Sias and nine from Thome. Sias, a sophomore from the JV who had seen limited minutes on the varsity throughout the season, started for the Trojans and they did their best to take advantage of his athleticism and size advan­ tage in the post throughout the evening. Cedar Springs moved to 3-7 in the conference with the win and 5-10 overall. TK was also bested 59-47 in the OK Gold Confer­ ence last Friday at Kenowa Hills. The Trojans have a tough task ahead hosting Grand Rapids Catholic Central Friday. The Cougars are 16-1 overall and a perfect 11-0 in the OK Gold. TK goes on the road to face Wayland Tuesday. EXHIBIT A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWNSHIP OF HOPE (Barry County, Michigan) Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Township Board of the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, has received petitions from property owners to make certain public improvements (the “Public Improvements”) consisting of: The repaving and improving of Oakwood and Elmwood Drive in the Township. The petitions have been received from record owners of land constituting more than fifty percent of the total frontage of the private road in the proposed special assessment district described below. The Township Board has resolved its intention to proceed on the petitions and pursuant to Act 188, Public Acts of Michigan, 1954, as amended, to make the Public Improvements in the Township. The Township Board has tentatively determined that some or all of the cost of the Public Improvements shall be specially assessed against each of the following described lots and parcels of land, which together comprise the proposed Special Assessment District: Property located in the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, and described by the following parcel numbers: Thomapple Kellogg's Jaymes Thome puts the ball up and in for two points after getting to the bucket before Cedar Springs' Cashius Heiss on a break during the first half of the Red Hawks' win in Middleville Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 07-160-020-00 07-160-024-00 07-160-029-00 07-160-032-00 07-160-037-00 07-160-041-00 07-160-045-00 07-160-049-00 07-160-054-00 07-160-059-00 07-160-064-00 07-160-068-00 07-160-072-00 07-160-076-00 07-160-082-00 07-160-140-00 07-160-155-00 07-160-026-00 07-160-021-00 07-160-025-00 07-160-030-00 07-160-033-00 07-160-038-00 07-160-042-00 07-160-046-00 07-160-051-00 07-160-056-00 07-160-060-00 07-160-065-00 07-160-069-00 07-160-073-00 07-160-078-00 07-160-085-00 07-160-141-00 07-160-156-00 07-160-022-00 07-160-027-00 07-160-031-00 07-160-034-00 07-160-039-00 07-160-043-00 07-160-047-00 07-160-052-00 07-160-057-00 07-160-061-00 07-160-066-00 07-160-070-00 07-160-074-00 07-160-080-00 07-160-108-00 07-160-142-00 07-160-157-00 .....07-160-023-00 07-160-028-00 ..... 07-160-031-40 07-160-035-00 07-160-040-00 07-160-044-00 07-160-048-00 07-160-053-00 ...... 07-160-058-00 07-160-062-00 07-160-067-00 07-160-071-00 07-160-075-00 07-160-081-00 07-160-125-00 07-160-153-00 07-160-830-00 A Map showing the boundaries of the proposed Special Assessment District is shown on Exhibit A. FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TAKE NOTICE that the Township Board ofthe Township ofHope will hold a public hearing on March 29,2022, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hope Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan, to hear and consider any objections to the petitions, the proposed Public Improvements, the proposed Special Assessment District, and all other matters relating to the Public Improvements. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the plans and estimates of cost for the Public Improvements are on file with the Township Clerk for public examination. PROPERTY SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ORIGINAL COST WILL NOT BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 10% WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND PUBLIC HEARING Thomapple Kellogg senior Kalvin Shuford puts the ball up in a crowd of Cedar Springs defenders in the paint during the first half at TKHS Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TAKE NOTICE that after the public hearing for which this Notice is given, there will be a second public hearing specifically regarding the assessment roll and the assessments against each parcel in the Special Assessment District and that an owner or other person having an interest in the real property must file an appearance and protest at the public hearing on the assessment roll in order to appeal the amount of their assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal Stockbridge upends Vikes in GLAC Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Greater Lansing Activities Conference stand­ ings have gotten a shake-up in recent weeks. The Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team suf­ fered its second defeat of the conference season Tuesday against visiting Stockbridge. The Panthers scored a 61-56 win to bump the Vikings off the top spot in the conference and put them a game behind Olivet. The Eagles are now 9-1 in the GLAC and 16-1 overall. The loss leaves Lakewood at 8-2 in the GLAC and 12-3 overall. Lakewood still controls its destiny in the confer­ ence. Wins at Lansing Christian Friday and Olivet next Friday, Feb. 25, would guarantee the Vikings at least a share of the conference title with the Eagles. In between, the Vikings play a non-conference ball­ game at Charlotte Tuesday, Feb. 22. Stockbridge evened its overall record at 9-9 and pulled into a 6-4 tie with Leslie, the only team to knock off Olivet so far in GLAC play, for third place in the conference behind the Eagles and Vikings. Kegan Collins scored 17 points in the fourth quarter for the Panthers and they outscored the Vikings 26-18 over the final eight minutes to take the victory. Collins finished with 33 points. He hit three three-pointers in the fourth quarter and six on the night while also going 9-of-12 at the free throw line. Drew Robinson finished with 13 points for Stock­ bridge. Lakewood trailed 17-11 after one quarter but clawed to a 23-22 lead by the half, then led 38-35 going into the final eight minutes. Preston Makley led the Vikings with 17 points. Denny Sauers had 13 points and Blake Price nine. Lakewood was without all-conference guard Jayce Cusack in the ballgame. Saxons send off seniors at Hastings Bowl Hastings celebrated seniors Zavion Twiss, Gage Richmond, Cameron Eaton and Shyanna Baker as it hosted its final varsity bowling contests of the regu­ lar season on its home lanes at Hastings Bowl Tues­ day. The Hastings girls powered themselves to a 29-1 win over the Jackson Northwest Mounties, but the Hastings boys were edged 17.5-12.5 in their Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference dual. Baker accomplished a personal goal of scoring a 200-game for the Saxons with a 221 in the first regular game of the afternoon. She followed it up with a 179 in the second game. Hastings also got high scores of 189 from Abby Barton and 184 and 176 from Ally Herder. The Hastings boys were bested despite taking both Baker games against the Mounties with totals of 177 and 224. Drew Rhodes took a point and a half for the Saxons with his games of 192 and 181. Richmond rolled a 182 to notch a point. Eaton had high games of 210 and 180. Miles Lipsey contributed a 179 and Jackson Byers a 170 for the Saxons. Both Hastings teams won last Thursday over Parma Western at JAX 60 in Jackson. The Saxon boys took a 19-11 win. Eaton took two points with games of 126 and 135. Richmond won a point with a 164 game. Lipsey won two points with scores of 187 and 133. The Hastings boys were pow­ ered in part by wins in the two Baker contests. The Hastings girls won 30-0 over the Panthers. Shyanna Baker had a high game of 194. Herder rolled a 158 and Barton a 157. The top score for the Saxons was a 217 from Andrea Rhodes. Kaylin Schild rolled for the Saxon varsity as well Thursday and tallied her two highest scores of the season at 144 and then 166. TAKE NOTICE that a property owner of record or a party having an interest in the property must appear and protest at the second public hearing in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk. This notice was authorized by the Township Board of the Township of Hope. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Township Supervisor Township of Hope 5463 S. M-43 Highway Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2464 Deborah Jackson, Clerk Township of Hope �Page 18 — Thursday, February 17. 2022 — The Hastings Banner Lady Saxons win two more conference basketball games Valerie Slaughter The Saxons' Isabelle Storm goes up for the lay-up during her team's win over Lumen Christi Friday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Contributing Writer The lady Saxon varsity girls’ bas­ ketball team continued their winning season by adding two more wins in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference after dropping two in a row. On Friday night, the Hastings Sax­ ons dominated the Jackson Lumen Christi Titans in a 49-17 victory. The Saxons had not beaten Lumen Christi twice in one season since joining the 1-8, but have now won over the Titans twice this season. Hastings took a five-point win when the two teams met in Jackson early last month. Saxon head coach, Chase Youngs, was impressed with his team. “After only winning by five points the first time we played Lumen and letting their press really bother us, we had less than 10 turnovers for the game and shot better and won by 32 points,” coach Youngs said. Youngs noted that the Saxons con­ tinue to play unselfish basketball with nine girls scoring for the team. “Bailey Lewis played great and really did a nice job breaking the press. Macy (Winegar) shot great. She hit six threes for the game and had 22 points total,” coach Youngs said. The Saxons were up 20-7 at the end of the first quarter and never let up. At halftime the Saxons were up by 16, and at the end of the third were up over 20 points at 35-13. Winegar went 6-for-7 on the three-point circle for the night, leading the team with 22 points. Brooklyn Youngs added five points and Allison Teed, Bailey Cook and Carly Warner all had four points each. On Tuesday night, the Saxons trav­ eled to Harper Creek to face the Bea­ vers where they won another domi­ nating game 52-29. Coach Youngs added that the team again had eight individuals score and had “key steals by Carly Warner, Isa­ belle Storm and Bri Barnes in the press in the second quarter, which helped extend our lead before the half. Storm played really well for the night.” The Saxons went into halftime with a 26-11 lead over the Beavers. The Saxons had a slow start in the third quarter, but pushed the lead to 20 with a 38-18 lead at the end of the third, and the Saxons again main­ tained that lead through the end of the game. Winegar led the Saxons in scoring with 23 points and seven three-point shots for the night. Brooklynn Youngs added another nine points with two three-pointers in the first half. The Saxons will travel to Parma Western on Friday and are now 11-6 overall with a 7-4 record in the 1-8. Saxon junior Bailey Cook gets a steal near mid-court during her team's win over Lumen Christi Friday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS AT MARCH 7, 2022 RESCHEDULED REGULAR MEETING (rescheduled from March 2, 2022) TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its rescheduled regular meeting on March 7, 2022 (rescheduled from March 2, 2022), which begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing include various proposed amendments of Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code associated with allowing certain types of marihuana business land uses in the Township as special land uses in designated zoning districts, as revised subsequent to the initial public hearing held at the January 5, 2022 meeting, as follows: _ ’ ■ ■ -'r bhj leerij eviiu ;:sibv pponakl nolieG 1. §220-2-2 (Definitions) is proposed to be amended to add definitions for the following new terms: Marihuana, Marihuana Business, Marihuana Grower, Marihuana Microbusiness, Marihuana Processor, Marihuana Retailer, Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility, Marihuana Secure Transporter, Medical Marihuana Grower, Medical Marihuana Processor, Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center, Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility, Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter, Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, and Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. 2. §220-4-3 pertaining to the enumerated special land uses in the AG/OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District is proposed to be amended to add the following new designated special land uses: Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C), Medical Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C), Marihuana Processor, Medical Marihuana Processor, Marihuana Microbusiness, Marihuana Secure Transporter, and Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. 3. §220-9-3 pertaining to the enumerated special land uses in the MU Mixed Use District is proposed to be amended to add the following new designated special land uses: Marihuana Processor, Medical Marihuana Processor, Marihuana Retailer, Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center, Marihuana Microbusiness, Marihuana Secure Transporter, Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter, Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility, and Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. 4. §220-12-3 pertaining to the enumerated special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is proposed to be amended to add the following new designated special land uses: Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C), Medical Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C), Marihuana Processor, Medical Marihuana Processor, Marihuana Secure Transporter, Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter, Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility, and Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. 5. §220-20-7 pertaining to specific approval standards required of particular special land uses is proposed to be amended to add to the Table at the beginning of that section the appropriate entries for each proposed new special land use specified in preceding numbered paragraphs 2-4 with a reference to Item No. 14 in the last column of that table, and to add the subsequent text for Item No. 14 specifying the locational standards and additional standards required for special land use approval of the marihuana business land uses in the zoning districts where such uses are allowable as proposed above, subject in each instance to issuance of a Municipal License for that Marihuana Business by the Rutland Charter Township Board pursuant to a Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance (which is pending before the Township Board), and also subject to issuance of a license to operate the business by the State of Michigan pursuant to the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act or the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Master Plan, and the tentative text of the above-referenced proposed zoning text amendment(s), may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. The Township Planning Commission reserves the right to modify any of the proposed amendments at or following the hearing/meeting and to make its recommendations accordingly to the Township Board. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 Hastings senior Braden Vertalka flips the ball up at the rim during his team's I-8 loss to visiting Harper Creek Tuesday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxons get first 1-8 victory Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity boys basketball team scored the final three points of the night to earn their its first victory of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season last Friday, Feb. 11, at Jackson Lumen Christi. The Hastings boys beat the Titans 40-38 after the Titans had taken an one-point win at Hastings High School last month. The Saxons thad an 8-5 lead early in the second quarter, but fell behind 18-15 at the half. The two teams went back and forth the rest of the night. Layton Eastman had a team-high 12 points for the Saxons to go with eight rebounds. Braden Vertalka had four points and nine rebounds. Hastings also got nine points from Joe McLean and seven from Myles Padil­ la. Owen Carroll added four points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Joe Lathers led the Titans with ten points, eight rebounds and two assists. The Saxons are now 2-14 overall this season and 1-10 in the 1-8. Hastings fell to visiting Harper Creek Tuesday night 56-44 in conference action. The Beavers came into the contest third in the lnterstate-8 Athletic Conference standings behind only Marshall and Coldwater. Eastman hit a three-point shot at the end of the sec­ ond quarter to close the Beaver lead at half-time to 28-22, but Harper Creek came back out after the half hitting 19 points in the third quarter to increase its lead, but not before Eastman hit another three-pointer that was closer to the half-court-line at the buzzer at the end of the third to try and close the Beaver lead. However, the Saxons could not get close enough in the fourth quarter to recover. Eastman led the team with 18 points. Hayden Long added seven points and Zander Forbes added another six points. Hastings head coach Rich Long acknowledged that his Saxons have struggled the first half of the season battling many setbacks and obstacles. However, with only a couple more injuries to heal up, he believes his Saxons are playing much better. “Coming off a win last Friday against Lumen Chris­ ti, we played much harder last night. Kids are playing through pain and battling every possession. Our defense is improving daily,” coach Long said. The Saxons will play at home on Friday night against Parma Western. REPORTERS wanted" J-Ad Graphics is seeking good writers and reporters to cover the community. We have a lot going on in Barry County - and our readers are hungry for more. If you write well with accuracy and brevity, and are familiar with government and how it operates, we're interested in you. Can you cover a night meeting or events on weekends? Now you've got our attention. If you can take good photos, that's a plus. 175932 Please email editor@j-adgraphics.com with your resume and a cover letter explaining what you have to offer. j The Saxons' Myles Padilla attacks the basket during his team's 1-8 bailgame with visiting Harper Creek at Hastings High School Tuesday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — Page 19 DK girls head to district with GL Open title Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg senior Kelsey Campbell, the lone senior on the Panther varsity compet­ itive cheer team this winter, hopped off the mat to collect her team’s first-place ribbons at Gull Lake High School Monday evening. The Panthers put up their best score of the season to best familiar foe Bloomingdale for the championship in the Division 4 competi­ tion at the Gull Lake Open. “She’s always a good quiet leader. She is not a vocal leader, but she is always willing to point out and help out at any moment,” DK head coach Zoe Reynolds said of her senior captain Campbell. “There is no nastiness with her. She’s always just open like, ‘you’re not doing that right, let me help you get it right.’ She is very giving in that sense.” A group of five different teams were crowned champions of their varsity division Monday. The Blue Devils hosted Southwest­ ern Michigan Athletic Conference Division 1 and 2 Finals Monday as well as Gull Lake Open Competitive Cheer Invitationals with titles going to Division 2, 3 and 4 competitors. Portage Central took the SMAC Division 1 title with a final score of 710.82 points. Gull Lake won the SMAC Division 2 championship with a score of 699.2. Vicksburg won the GL Open Division 2 title with a score of 634.52. Delton Kellogg won the GL Open Division 4 championship with a score of 616.56. DK’s Southwestern Athletic Conference rivals, who won the D3 title in the SAC this season, Parch­ ment won the GL Open Division 3 title while celebrating breaking the 700-point milestone for the first time this season at 705.30. Gull Lake celebrated’ its senior cheerleaders as all the teams awaited the final point tallies. The DK coach is hoping Campbell and her girls have at least a couple meets yet to come Delton Kellogg senior Kelsey Campbell is held aloft by her stunt group during round three of Monday's Gull Lake Open. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lily Boze and the Panthers try to get a leg up on the competition during round two of the Gull Lake Open Monday evening in Richland. (Photo by Brett Bremer) this season. DK will take part in the MHSAA Division 4 District Tournament at Lawton Friday evening, with the top four teams from that tournament advancing to next weekend’s regional round of the state tournament. Lawton, the D4 champions from the SAC, are likely the favorites for a district champi­ onship, but with the Panthers putting up their best score of the season Monday they are looking forward to the opportunity to advance to regionals. “There is still a lot of clean-up to do in the three days before districts. Wish me luck, but we’ll be fine,” Reynolds said. “The stuff we Jordan Lynch and the Delton Kellogg varsity competitive cheer team perform the splits during round two Monday evening at the Gull Lake Open. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Only Lowell gets more through to regional than TK Valerie Slaughter Thomapple Kellogg's Ashton Corson (front) works to stay in control during his 125pound championship match against Lowell's Owen Segorski at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual District Tournament hosted by the Red Arrows at Lowell High School Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Thornapple Kellogg senior 152-pounder Matthew Middleton works on top of Lowell's Tacho Gonzales during their championship match at the Division 2 Individual District Tournament hosted by the Red Arrows Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Contributing Writer Before having the chance to possibly square off at team regionals in Middleville Feb. 16, the Thomapple Kellogg and Lowell varsity wrestling teams battled it out in the MHSAA Individual District tournament in Lowell Saturday. The teams were both represented well with TK having ten individuals in the top four of their weight class, while Lowell had all 14 of its wrestlers place in the top four. The top four placers at each weight class move on to the MHSAA Division 2 Individual Regional Tournament that will be held at Allendale High School Saturday.. TK head coach Dayne Fletke was proud of his team. “We had ten guys qualify for regionals next weekend, which I’m really proud of,” Fletke said. “They all looked great and were ready to wrestle. We had many close matches, but we came away with the win. We have been training for the past few weeks to get ready and all of the boys look forward to next week to show off all their hard work.” TK ended the tournament with four indi­ vidual district champions. Hunter Pitsch at 119 pounds scored a pin in round one before getting a major decision 13-4 in the semifi­ nals. In the finals, Pitsch met Ethan Smith from Forest Hills Eastern where he earned the championship with a 12-5 decision. At 125 pounds, the Trojans’Ashton Corson also started the day with a pin in round one, before earning a technical fall 19-4 in the semifinals. Corson wrestled Owen Segorski from Lowell in the finals where he took a 6-1 decision. TK’s Jackson Curtis wrestled at 145 pounds to get the pin in round one, before meeting Hastings’ Mason Denton in the semi­ finals where he won on a 14-5 major deci­ sion. Curtis took a tight 10-8 decision over Nate Cleaver from Lowell in the finals. The final TK champion was Matthew Mid­ dleton who wrestled at 152 pounds. Middle­ ton also started the day off with a pin before getting a technical fall 16-1 over Way land’s Dustin Loomans in the semifinals. In the championship match, Middleton won a 8-1 decision over Lowell’s Tacho Gonzales. Other Trojans moving on to regionals are Kyron Zoet who finished in second place at 130 pounds, Zack Gibson finished in second place at 135 pounds and Austin Chivis also ended the day in second place at 160 pounds. TK’s Christian Miller placed third at 103 pounds; and Tyler Bushman (125 pounds) and Andrew Middleton (135 pounds) both finished in fourth place for the day. can really fix is moving in formation in rounds one and three, clean-up overall timing in round two and we just need to condition round three a little bit more. We have only had it at where it is right now for about six practices. So, just doing it the next three days I think will clean it up.” She was hoping for a little better from her girls Monday even with a season-best point total. DK was pleased with its basket tosses in round three, but it wasn’t the cleanest round three of the season for the team. Delton Kellogg tallied a score of 191.3 in round one, 179.46 in round two and 245.8 in round three Monday, handily besting Bloomingdale in each round. “From where we started, our first meet, we scored like 435 points, so I am proud of them in general,” Reynolds said of her young team. Bloomingdale finished with an overall score of 567.3, putting together a 185.6 in round one, 162.7 in round two and 219 in round three. “They were more confident today, in gen­ eral,” Reynolds said of her girls. “I think they knew though coming in they were only com­ peting against one team that we have been competing against all year. That also played into why maybe they didn’t push as hard. They knew they could beat the other team, so I don’t think they pushed as hard which frus­ trates me as a coach. “Just because we’re not in the same division, ..you still.w.antiO-scoreJhe.hestaiuLput the. best performance out there, so we’ll have that dis­ cussion. But, overall I am proud of them.” NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 A.M. February 21, 2022 for the following items. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc. org. New Roof on Salt Shed & Building 3 The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. BOARD OF COUNTY ROAD COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY 175738 David D. Solmes Frank M. Fiala D. David Dykstra Chairman Member Member ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING SCHEDULE THE ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF REVIEW will be held at the Orangeville Township Hall, 7350 Lindsey Rd. Plainwell Mi. 49080 on the following dates. Tuesday March 8, Organizational Meeting - 4:00 pm Monday, March 14, Appeal Hearing - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon & 1:00pm to 4:00 pm Tuesday March 15, Appeal Hearing - 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, & 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm The Board of Review will meet as many more days as deemed necessary to hear questions, protests and to equalize the 2022 assessments. By Board resolution, residents are able to protest by letter, provided protest letter is received by March 14 -12:00 noon. Written protests should be mailed to; BOARD OF REVIEW 7350 LINDSEY RD. PLAINWELL Ml. 49080 The tentative ratios and the estimated multipliers for each class of real property and personal property are as follows; Agricultural. 53.08 % 0.94197 Commercial 50.23 % 0.99542 Industrial 47.50 % 1.05263 Residential 48.06 % 1.04037 Personal 50.00 %. 1.0000 (ADA) Americans with Disabilities Notice Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk at least seven (7) days in advance of hearing. This notice posted in Compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a (2)(3) and with the Americans with Disabilities Act Contacts - Clerk - Mel Risner: 269-664-4522 Supervisor- Thomas Rook: 616-299-6019 i75598 �. Page 20 — Thursday, February 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner District championship trophy stays with TK Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg finished on top of its district for the third consecutive season with wins over Allegan and Wayland at the MHSAA Division 2 Team District Tourna­ ment in Middleville Thursday night. The last team to beat the Trojans in the district rounds of the state tournament was Hastings in 2019, which was the last time the Saxons won a district title. Wayland has been as big a district rival to the Saxons as then Trojans in the past three seasons. Hastings beat the Wildcats by one in the district semifinals in 2020 at Hastings High School, but the Wildcats bumped off the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champion Saxons for the second consecutive season when they scored a 35-30 win in the district semifinals Thursday. TK scored a 46-18 win over Wayland in the district final, following up on wins over the Wildcats this season in the teams’ OK Gold Conference dual and at last Saturday’s conference tournament. “I think you’re starting, really from the beginning of the year, to get to know their guys and who they have in their line-up,” TK head coach Dayne Fletke said of the district prep. “They’re doing the same. They’re try­ ing to figure out who is in our line-up and what we have. I think it starts from day one once everyone weighs in the first time you’re looking. You have to do a mix for both Hast­ ings and Wayland, because you know that is going to be a close one and you don’t know who is going to win so you’re kind of going back and forth on that one.” “It’s part of the fun,” he added. Hastings, TK, Wayland and Allegan were all a part of the MHSAA Division 2 Individ­ ual District Tournament at Lowell High School Saturday where the top four wrestlers in each weight class advance to the regional round of the individual state tournament which will be held this Saturday, Feb. 19, at Allendale High School TK was set to face Forest Hills Central in its Division 2 Team Regional Semifinal in Middleville last night, Feb. 16. Sparta was set to take on Lowell in the other regional semi­ final match at TKHS. Thomapple Kellogg junior Austin Chivis clinched the district championship for TK with his 6-1 decision in the 171-pound bout with Wayland’s Adam Ordway - a win which put the Trojan team in front 34-9 with four weight classes to go. It was a rematch of the 160-pound final at last Saturday’s OK Gold Conference Tournament which Chivis won by pin late in the third period. TK got to celebrate in the end with heavy­ weight Jaydon Garcia and 103-pounder Christian Miller earning pins in the final two bouts of the evening Thursday. “There were some line-up changes Way­ land made on us and then we got some differ­ ent match-ups and some different looks, which was fun to get to see some different guys wrestle,” Fletke said. Wayland’s CJ Karman edged TK’s Aiden Foy 4-2 with a reversal in the final seconds of the 112-pound match that opened the dual, but TK took control with Hunter Pitsch at 119 pounds, Tyler Bushman at 125 and Ashton Corson at 130 all scoring pins to move their team into an 18-3 lead. TK also got a pin from Zack Gibson at 145 pounds in the dual, while adding a winning decision by Andrew Middleton at 140 pounds and a major decision by Matthew Middleton at 160 pounds. Gibson stuck Ernest Tuttle in the first period of their match. Andrew Mid­ dleton pulled out a 6-1 win over Aadon Wag­ ner and Matthew Middleton scored a 12-3 major over Dustin Loomans. “There were some line-up changes Way­ land made on us and then we got some differ­ ent match-ups and some different looks, which was fun to get to see some different guys wrestle,” Fletke said. Wildcats won a few of the tightest battles of the evening. Wayland’s Lane Button pulled out a 12-8 win over TK’s Kyron Zoet at 135 pounds thanks to a big third period in which he tallied five nearfall points. Button’s team­ mate Emmet Manning managed a 9-4 over­ time win over TK’s Jackson Curtis in the 152-pound bout. The Wildcats also had Cainon Fenn fight off a late surge from the Trojans’ Lane Cross in the 189-pound match for a 12-8 win. TK was happy to welcome Curtis and Gar­ cia back to the varsity line-up Thursday. Both guys missed Saturday’s conference tourna­ ment. Garcia had an impressive heavyweight match, especially for a 215-pounder in his first season of varsity wrestling. He took a 15-point lead with a take down a minute and a half into the second period, but managed to get six team points for the Trojans by putting his opponent Nicholas Erlanger to his back and earning the pin. Garcia scored four take downs in the first 90 seconds of the second period after getting one in the first and turn­ ing Erlanger to his back on three separate occasions. “We were looking for the tech fall, and then he hit him with the headlock in the end,” Fletke said of Garcia’s win. The Wildcats’ other six points came thanks to a pin by Bronson Huyck in the 215-pound match. “Wayland is tough and some of the those matches came down to the wire,” Fletke said. TK earned its spot in the district final with a 77-4 win over Allegan in the district semi­ finals. Tyler Bushman at 125 pounds, Zoet at 135, Matthew Middleton at 160, Chivis at 171 and Lane Cross at 189 had pins for TK in the semifinal dual. Andrew Middleton scored a 17-0 technical fall in his 140-pound match. Miller, Foy, Pitsch, Corson, Gibson, Curtis and Garcia won by forfeit in the dual with the Tigers. Allegan’s four points came thanks to Jesse Cortez’s 11-3 win over TK’s Blake Bush at 215 pounds. The lone pin for the Saxons in their dual with the Wildcats Thursday came from returning state qualifier Robby Slaughter, who stuck Wayland’s Mason Hozeska in the 160-pound bout. Those six points kept the Saxons’ hopes alive pulling the team within 32-18 with four weight classes yet to wrestle. Wayland’s Ordway answered with a pin of his own in the 171-pound bout and then the Wildcats clinched the semifinal win with Cainon Fenn outscoring the Saxons’ Tate Warner 6-2 in the 189-pound bout. The Wild­ cats forfeited the final two weight classes to the Saxons to close out the dual. The Saxons got their first 12 points in the first four bouts of the dual. A total of six take­ downs and a three late nearfall points helped power Hastings’ 112-pounder Keegan Sutfin to a 17-6 major decision that put the Saxons in front 4-3 two matches in. Danny Keena from Wayland edged the Saxons’ Troy Hokanson 10-7 rallying from a 7-1 deficit in the 103-pound match that opened the dual. A three-point nearfall for Keena accounted for the only three points scored in the third period to nudge him into the lead. Colton Smith followed up Sutfin’s win for the Saxons by scoring 13 takedowns in the 119-pound match to win a 26-11 technical fall. Points came fast and furious in the 125pound match as well with the Saxons’ Zach Chipman besting Wayland’s Carter Nesbit 14-13. Chipman trailed 10-5 going into the third period, and rallied to even the bout at 10-10 in the third period. Nesbit took a 13-10 lead with 33 seconds to go, but Chipman managed a late reversal and two nearfall points to win the match. Lucas DeWeerd from Wayland halted the Saxons’ momentum though with a pin mid­ way through the 130-pound match. The Wild­ cats added wins in the 135, 140, 145 and 152-pound weight classes to move out to a 26-12 lead at that point. Thomapple Kellogg's Jayden Garcia nears a pin during the second period of his heavyweight bout with Wayland's Nathan Erlanger during their team's MHSAA Division 2 Team District Final in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Saxons' Tate Warner (front) works to break out of the hold of Wayland 189-pounder Cainon Fenn during their bout in the MHSAA Division 2 Team District Semifinal in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) JOIN OUR TEAM/ Now Hiring: • • • • • • The Thomapple Kellogg varsity wrestling team hoists its MHSAA Division 2 Team District Championship trophy for the third consecutive season on the mats in Middleville Thursday after scoring wins over Allegan and Wayland at the district tournament it hosted. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters Apply at: caascm.org/careers ♦Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and state mandates including Covid-19 vaccination compliance. Hastings 125-pounder Zach Chipman holds Wayland's Carter Nesbit on his back during their match in the MHSAA Division 2 Team District Semifinal at Thomapple Kellogg High School in Middleville Thursday, Feb. 10. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons rise above the rest of 1-8 at final conference jamboree The Hastings girls capped off a champion­ ship in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference by winning the final conference jamboree Wednesday, Feb. 9, at Jackson Northwest. The Hastings girls outscored runner-up Parma Western by nearly 55 points at the league’s final jamboree after winning on their home mats at Hastings High School last month. The Saxons put up a three-round point total of 680.10, to best Western’s 625.32, North­ west at 613.80, Lumen Christi 565.40 and Pennfield 509.80. Hastings had the top score in each of the first two rounds and was really powered to the win with its round one performance which out-shined the rest of the conference. The Saxon earned a score of 217.20 in round one. Lumen Christi had the second-best round one score at 185.90. The Saxons went on to tally a score of 188.10 in round two and 274.80 in round three. Hastings was the only team that did not receive a deduction in round two and a 162.62 by Western was the second-best score of that round. Hastings was outscored by Western and North­ west in round three. The Panthers and Mounties both put up a score of 278.60 in round three. The state postseason tournament starts this weekend. Hastings will head to Mattawan for its MHSAA Division 2 District Tournament Saturday at 10 a.m. Catholic Central girls get the better of TK at Park Center Lanes The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ bowl­ ing team was upended in the final conference dual of the season by Catholic Central on the Park Center Lanes Tuesday. Catholic Central scored a 28-2 win over the TK ladies, outscoring the Trojans in both reg­ ular games and both Baker games. https://qrco.de/bcgX71 Paige Green took a match-point for TK with her games of 168 and 115. Faith Foster also earned one with scores of 109 and 136. TK also got games of 116 and 110 from Sara Willshire, 96 and 110 from Emily Podbevsek, a 105 from Savannah Rehfeldt and a 101 from Allison Hess. The TK ladies closed out a 12-2 season of conference duals. They got their 12th win last Wednesday (Feb. 9), outscoring Ottawa Hills 28-2 at Eastbrook Lanes. The OK Gold Conference Championship is Saturday, Feb. 19, at Spectrum Lanes - which will also host the Trojans’ Division 2 Regional Tournament the following weekend. The TK boys improved to 10-4 in the con­ ference a 26-4 victory over Ottawa Hills last Wednesday (Feb. 9) and a 23-7 win over Cath­ olic Central Monday The TK boys won the opening Baker game 190-166 and the second 189-146. They added a 939-820 win in the first regular game before the Cougars took the second 953-10. Ethan Kriekaard won one match point for TK with games of 244 and 163. Z Moore took two match points with games of 162 and 236. Wyatt Jacobson, Donnie Rosendall, Wyatt Barnes and Nolan Clous won points for TK too. Jacobson had games of224 and 214, Rosendall a 166, Barnes a 153 and Clous a 145. Connor Newland chipped in a 143 game for TK. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-02-24.pdf 0ef409058f3fdf6a2f0285f7bce33078 PDF Text Text _ L'brar Zn" ’ Delton and Valley cneeP9(7 8 qualify for D4 regionals ..... 1........ " 'Rickety jail' at top of county's to-do list Opportunity awaits if wisdom prevails See Story on Page 2 See Editorial on Page 4 ^a^lnas See Story on Page 9 804879110187 1070490102590503218349058195427 ****»*******qAR-R । LOT**C 003 C003 Hastings Public Library 227 E State St Hastings Ml 49058-1954 lino i iiiVJO Thursday, February 24, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 8 PRICE $1.00 Bradford White $20.5-million expansion moves ahead Players hosting auditions Tuesday The Thomapple Players will be presenting the comedy “Young Fran­ kenstein” in early May. To fill the roles for this Mel Brooks play, auditions are planned Tuesday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the Dennison Performing Arts Center, 231 S. Broad­ way, Hastings. The play has eight roles, plus the ensemble. Many ensemble members have lines, producer Norma Jean Acker said. Individuals auditioning for the ensemble/chorus must sing at auditions. Rehearsals will be 7-9:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tech rehearsal will be Sunday, May 1 (mandatory attendance). Show dates are May 5-8. Dress rehearsal Wednes­ day, May 4, will be open to the public. Doug Acker and Julian Kratochvil are directing. Amy Young and Angela Seeber will teach vocals. Carol Svihl is house manager. Anyone with questions may call Norma Jean Acker. 269-945-2332, or text 269-908-0870. Anyone interested in a part but who cannot" audition March 1 is asked to make other arrangements with the director or pro­ ducer. Serenity Village officials to kick off campaign Serenity Village officials will announce the Time to Build cam­ paign, a fundraising effort in Barry County to construct an alternative homelike environment for terminally ill hospice patients to live out their final days in peace and dignity, sur­ rounded by those they love. The announcement will be made at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Barry Community Foundation, 231 S. Broadway, Hastings. The news conference will provide information about the Time to Build campaign, give an overview of fund­ raising progress, and provide a sum­ mary of how the new facility will serve local and regional families. Anyone wishing to attend is asked to RSVP to tomdevault@gmail.com. More information can be found at serenitybc.org. Pieces sought for mental health art display Barry County Community Mental Health Authority is announcing a community art project open to all indi­ viduals in Barry County. Organizers said the goal is to create a welcoming atmosphere that inspires recovery through art. Artists in the county are invited to show their creativity and passion for mental health awareness and recovery by submitting up to two pieces of art­ work for consideration for permanent display at BCCMHA. Artwork and entry form can be submitted April 25-29. Artwork selected for permanent display will be announced in The Reminder May 21. Submission forms are available at BCCMHA, 500 Barfield Drive, in Hastings. Tax abatement request wins village OK James Gemmell The Lofts@128 are beginning to take shape in Hastings. This talh the new apartment building will add 21 dwelling units and two lease spaces to the city. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Lofts rise above downtown Cfty, merchants, developer excited as new building, takes shape in Hastings Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The Lofts@128 are rising from a lot in downtown Hastings that had been vacant for nearly four years. The foundation is in place. Bricks and mortar are forming walls. And, with every day, the building seems to grow a little taller. Lynn Bolek, project manager for the Grand Rapids-based developer and general contrac­ tor, a.j. Veneklasen, estimates they will com­ plete the project by the fall - at the latest. The nearly $4.9-million apartment build­ ing on 128 N. Michigan Ave. will offer four stories of mixed-use space. Known as the Lofts@128, the development will include 21-market rate dwelling units, two lease spaces for office and retail use and its own on-site parking lot. Initially, the developer was hoping to fin­ ish The Lofts by the summer, but it was set back by six weeks because of the poor weather and a concrete mix design issue. Framing is expected to being in mid- to late March. “It will start progressing once we get the framing on it,” Bolek said. “You’ll start see­ ing the actual shell of the building and the structure. So, it’s a progress. We’re out of the major part of it.” Bolek has worked in construction for 29 years, including multifamily dwelling units, hospitals and warehouses. Often, she said, she receives strong community support from places like Grand Rapids. But that’s nothing compared to what she is seeing in Hastings. The mayor, the commu­ nity development director and law enforce­ ment officials - everyone, she said, has gone out of their way to introduce themselves. She called it a “good, warm, fuzzy” feel­ ing. “I can honestly say working in a smaller town like Hastings, they’re so welcome to you. We felt very welcomed to build there,” Bolek said. “Sometimes in the bigger cities, they’re excited, but sometimes you can’t have that personal one-on-one just because they’ve got tons of projects going.” Jody Peterson has served as the manager of the South Jefferson Street General Store for six years. She has lived in the Hastings area since she was in sixth grade. She inter­ acts with people every day at the store and attends downtown business team meetings. From business owners and residents, Peter­ son has heard constant support for the incom­ ing apartment buildings. “It’s been vacant for a long time,” she said of the property once occupied by the Hastings Moose Lodge. “I think people get tired looking at a vacant thing, a vacant piece of property. I think it’s exciting to see it go up, and I drive past it every day coming to work, and it’s fun to watch it as it devel­ ops and goes up all winter long in this frigid weather.” It’s no secret that the city needs more housing. Many in the area consider that the No. 1 issue in the city. The Lofts@128, city officials say, will help meet that need. It could provide apart­ ments for young professionals or offer seniors an opportunity to downsize from larger homes, further opening the housing market. But the Lofts@128 will go beyond filling a housing need. City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said she thinks it will further “acti­ vate the downtown.” Community Development Director Dan King said he suspects the market-rate status will attract people with disposable income. Peterson envisions it will create more foot traffic downtown, attract additional business to retail shops and draw more people to that side of the city. “I think it’s going to be a positive because people will be living right close to down­ town, and it will bring more people down­ town to shop and dine and enjoy all the con­ certs and things that Hastings has to offer,” Moyer-Cale said. “I think it’s a good thing. “The more people living downtown and businesses downtown, I think it’s a positive thing.” Contributing Writer Middleville’s largest employer is halfway home to a 12-year tax abatement on a $20.5 million expansion at its facility at 200 Lafayette St. The village council voted 6-0 Tuesday night following a public hearing to adopt a resolution authorizing signing an agreement with Bradford White Corp, for an industrial facilities tax (IFT) exemption certificate. The abatement, which falls under Public Act 198, will be for a 15,550-square-foot addition to its steel receiving and employee entrance. The project got underway a few months ago. The cost to improve the land and build the addition amounts to nearly $20.5 million, according to village documents. “We’ll sign an agreement between Brad­ ford White and village representatives,’’ Assistant Village Manager Brian Urquhart said. “It goes to the Michigan State Tax Commission, and they make a decision on that. Typically, that’s procedural and cere­ monial. And then, the next tax year, they can get up to 50 percent of their real property tax abated - provided those benchmarks are met that are in the IFT agreement.” Those benchmarks typically have to do with job production. John Heyboer, an engi­ neering manager at Bradford White, told village council members the company expects to add about 130 new jobs on an additional production shift. “That is to support increased production in our assembly facility,” Heyboer said. “There are some other things being expand­ ed in that, but that’s the main gist.” Bradford White designs and builds water and space heaters, among other items, for residential, commercial and industrial pur­ poses. Village Trustee Kevin Smith asked Hey­ boer how many of the new jobs will impact Middleville residents. “I would say that all of them would impact Middleville in that all of them have the potential to be customers to businesses in the area,” Heyboer responded. “Of the 130 jobs that you’re creating in that expansion, how many of them live in the village of Middleville, paying property taxes that would offset the request for a tax abatement for your project?” Smith asked. “All of those new jobs that we add have the potential to be residents of the village. I can’t really say exactly which ones will be from the village and which ones won’t. They haven’t been hired yet,” Heyboer replied. See BRADFORD, page 2 Senator pleads guilty to assault Taylor Owens State Sen. John Bizon (right) and his attorney Martin Crandall of Detroit. (Photo by Taylor Owens) Staff Writer Michigan State Sen. John Bizon, 70, R-Battle Creek, pleaded guilty last Thursday in a Calhoun County court to assault and bat­ tery of a female health care worker. The charge stemmed from an Aug. 14 inci­ dent involving a nurse practitioner who said Bizon reached his arm around her waist and cupped her hip while she was reviewing med­ ications with him in an exam room. The misdemeanor carries a maximum pen­ alty of up to 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. Sentencing in the case has not yet been scheduled. According to the court record, Bizon went to the Oaklawn After Hours Express in Mar­ shall Aug. 14, 2021. He was experiencing COVID-like symptoms, and went to the clin­ ic to get a COVID test. A staff member said Bizon had been sent to the clinic by Oaklawn President and. Chief Executive Officer Gregg Beeg. Marshall City Police reported that the nurse practitioner first saw Bizon sitting out­ side the health care facility at a picnic table designated for employees, which she thought was strange. He waved to her, but she said she did not wave back because she did not know him. Later, during his examination in the clinic, she recommended an over-the-counter medi­ cation for Bizon to take for his symptoms. When Bizon said he did not understand, she stood next to him and showed him the medi­ cation on her laptop. At that point, Bizon put his arm around her, “intentionally grabbed her with his right arm/ hand,” pulled her to him and “squeezed her waist with his right hand, in a cupping motion,” she told police. He then told her he was an otolaryngolo­ gist, which is an ear, nose and throat doctor. She told police she was so shocked by his actions, she did not say anything. According to the record, Bizon wanted her to order a different medication for him, but she refused. She told him that what he was request­ ing was not a medication for his diagnosis. The nurse said he questioned her, told her he was disappointed in her and became visi- See SENATOR, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ‘Rickety’ jail, ARPA projects at top of county’s to-do list Rebecca Pierce Editor The Barry County Jail, “a rickety old struc­ ture that is way past its prime,” will return to the public spotlight soon, Barry County Board of Commissioners Chairman Ben Gei­ ger promised. “We still have a county jail that is falling apart,” Geiger said during Tuesday’s board meeting. County commissioners are in the early stages of setting the groundwork for what he called “Round Two” in determining how to spend the next American Rescue Plan Act funds it will be receiving $5,977,683 in ARPA money this summer. “But ARPA’s not the only thing we need to be thinking about now,” Geiger said. Next week, he’s hoping to discuss how to proceed with ARPA funding, with the inten­ tion of implementing those plans later in the spring, he told fellow commissioners. While it doesn’t appear, under rules set forth by the federal government, that ARPA money could be used for the jail, Geiger said it’s time to address the jail issue. “I plan on having a discussion amongst the board of what we want to do this year if we want to go for a millage for a new jail ‘cause the jail’s not getting any better.” County voters decisively rejected a $25 million tax request for a new jail in the November 2020 election. “Even though we failed in our last millage attempt, we can learn from our mistakes in the last one and give the taxpayers a facility they expect from us,” Geiger said. “That’s just a sneak peek of what’s to come.” As for ARPA, Barry was among the state’s 83 counties that are receiving a total of $1.93 billion in ARPA funds, which must be allocat­ ed by 2024 and spent by 2026. Stephan Currie, executive director of the Michigan Association of Counties, offered an update on MAC activities at the commission­ ers’ meeting Tuesday and encouraged them to Stephan Currie, executive director of the Michigan Association of Counties, offers an update on MAC activities at the commissioners’ meeting Tuesday. act soon, especially if any ARPA projects involve infrastructure upgrades. “We in Barry County are ahead of the game,” Geiger replied, calling on Commis­ sioner Catherine Getty to explain the process that was used to pick the top seven projects. “We reached out to leaders in the commu­ nity to head a task force,” Getty told Currie. Metrics were developed, applications were sought, and a scoring process weighed wheth­ er the local projects met the requirements that were established by the federal government, she said. Community Foundation President and CEO Bonnie Gettys led the task force of sec­ tor experts who represented a swath of the community and industries: Lani Forbes, Barry County United Way; Jennifer Heinzman, Barry County Chamber and Eco­ nomic Development Alliance; Carla Wilson Neil, health care industry; Greg Moore, Con­ sumers Energy; Cindy Vujea, economic development industry; Robert Geyer of Gun Lake, business and industry; and Craig Jen­ kins Jr., Delton Kellogg Schools Board of Education. These task force members reviewed 19 project applications that were submitted for consideration by the Sept. 17, 2021, deadline and, weighing them against the restrictions and requirements set by the federal govern­ ment, scored each one. From that list, seven were chosen to receive funds. Currie said his organization is developing a “best practices” document and asked if the commissioners would share their process for inclusion on that list. The idea, he said, is for local governments to “match their way up,” pooling the money from townships to counties to the state so that “these dollars are transformational.” But several Barry County citizens have not viewed this process as a best practice; instead, they have decried the use of a task force not governed by the Open Meetings Act and whose discussions are not part of the public record. During public comment Tuesday, Larry Bass of Carlton Township pointed to this issue, saying the board has a communications problem - and this is an example of that prob­ lem. In other action, commissioners: • heard from Charles Hertzler of Hastings, who told them he is seeking election to the county’s District 8, a new seat that was added to the board to represent the City of Hastings. • heard an update from Commissioner Viv­ ian Conner on progress at the Courts and Law Building construction project after a walk­ through of the site. • discussed the Hastings Charter Township placing county-owned property at the Har­ vest Pointe at Thomapple Manor on township tax rolls. Commissioner Howard Gibson told the board that “this item was brought up (during a township board meeting) and it wasn’t on their agenda. (Thomapple Manor Administra­ tor) Don Haney ... was there, but he didn’t know they were going to be discussing that Charles Hertzler of Hastings plans to run in District 8, a new seat added to the Barry County Board of Commissioners to represent the city of Hastings. (File photo) issue.” “It’s county property. It’s not taxable,” Geiger remarked. Gibson replied that he doesn’t know what township officials intend to do. • approved the server infrastructure solu­ tion, as recommended by the county’s infor­ mation technology coordinator David Shinavier and presented in a quote from Dell, Inc., for $213,576.24 (including hardware, and software licensing). • approved a new easement agreement with Consumers Energy at the Thomapple Manor campus, which will add the Harvest Pointe assisted living facility this summer. The new easement is limited to the area of the property that contains the actual high pressure gas line already in place. • met Hastings native Angela Rigas of Alto, a Republican seeking election to the 79^ state House District, which includes Rutland, Thomapple and Irving townships in Barry County. • approved $140,073.11 in claims. BRADFORD, continued from page 1 ---------------Thomapple Township Assessor Dan Scheureman responded to a question from Trustee Tom DeVries about the economic impact of the project. “It goes not on a cost basis, but on val­ ue-added,” Scheureman said. “So, they’re going to have some retrofitting costs as any project would. If you add on to your house, it’s the same thing. It won’t be dollar for dol­ lar. We won’t know the total impact until the project is done, because it may stretch out over a year or two or three.” ■ One citizen, Jason Boersma, spoke during the public hearing portion of the meeting. He said one of the government’s goals in making tax abatements available was to retain manu­ facturing in the United States. “So, in all fairness, it’s give and take,” Boersma said. “If they don’t live up to their commitment, you take back ... if they want to expand, let them expand.” After the public hearing, Trustee Mike Cramer said he is “all for” the tax abatement. “They’re employing our residents, they’re building great products, and they’ve been excellent stewards of the community.” “They’re perfectly within their rights to request an IFT,” Village Manager Patricia Rayl said after the meeting. “And they’re committing to bring in new employees, and it’s up to council to evaluate that against the tax abatement.” On an unrelated matter, the village council voted 6-0 to approve a change to the marijuana business ordinance. It originally was designed to allow the village manager to authorize the transfer of a license. But the council recently decided to request a change to the ordinance to remove the option for license transfers. That came after a business licensee had contacted the village about doing a transfer. The change allows the license holder to return the license to the village at any time, rather than waiting for the annual renewal deadline to expire. “Council was very clear that they wanted to not allow transfers,” Rayl said. Middleville council puts off decision on residential development James Gemmell Contributing Writer The Middleville Village Council isn’t making any hasty decisions on the Flats at Mid-villa residential develop­ ment proposed for the site of the former Middle:-Villa Inn. The restaurant, bowling alley and banquet rooms com­ plex closed in 2014, and the land has been vacant since 2015. Property owner and developer Nate Heyboer with Grandville-based Dutch Developers LLC is proposing to build a 144-unit apartment development on the 22-acre s$e. The overall project cost has been estimated to be at least $20 million. Following a public hearing Tuesday night, the village council decided to hold off approval of a final developnient plan for the property at 4611 and 4691 N. M-37. Instead, the council voted 6-0 to send the project back to the site-plan committee for review, and to schedule a joint meeting between the village council and the planning commission to discuss potential amendments to the plan. ■ The planning commission had voted conditionally Jan. 4 jto approve the final planned unit development for the Flats at Mid-villa, but only after the site-plan committee got a chance to review the plans. The site-plan committee then made some adjustments to the proposal at its Jan. 26 meeting. The concept had been to build the development out in three phases, but one of the phases - senior assist­ ed-living - has since been removed from the project plan. It now calls for two residential phases only. The first and second phases each would entail construction of three apartment buildings. Each of the six buildings would con­ tain 24 apartment units. The three-story buildings would be set back at least 1,000 feet from the road. Three com­ mercial outlets and a private road on the site also are proposed. Chuck Hoyt is a project manager with the engineering- , firm that would be working on the development, Grand­ ville-based Nederveld Inc. He said, if a green common space in the middle of a parking area on the development were eliminated, it would provide room for at least 25 additional parking spaces. “That would change the total spaces, 234, which gets you a ratio of 1.6 parking spaces per unit. Right now, we’re at about 1.45,” Hoyt said, adding that the open park space nearby could lend itself to “unprogrammed” uses, such as a fitness or picnic area or kids’ games. He also noted the site is adjacent to Wildwood Trails Park, with trails that can be used for mountain biking. Hoyt acknowledged the proposed 8.6 apartment units per acre is more than the village master plan recommends for maximum density. But he asked the council to consid­ MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Cbtnual "Jefcruary Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber 20% Off Fabrics New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation I 11 )| I / * Al 1 1)1 * -\i :| )| I H 11 r * Sale ends February 28th* QUESTIONS: ASK US... THoanappLe PLAYERS -\l Excludes sale items I license //SI 10376 & Insured Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 er that the developer would have to foot the cost for a private on-site lift station to be built and to relocate a high-pressure gas line on the property. Nine people spoke during the public hearing. Andrew Beck, a Middleville DDA board member, talk­ ed about the potential impact the project would add to area traffic congestion. “I know that, if you try to go up Main Street during the school day, you’ll come to a complete stop .. .’’ Beck said, adding that the village’s water towers are at 80 percent capacity already, and 144 apartment units could burden the water system even more. Resident Jason Boersma, in addressing the council, asked, “What are we? Are we a rental community, or are we a community that is going to continue with people with ownership opportunity? This doesn’t fit what I have in mind.” Brian Nicholson said he would prefer to see homes being built in the village, as opposed to apartments. He also mentioned the open-space amenities Hoyt refer­ enced. “I’d hate to see anyone pull out a section of grass to put in more parking lot.” Barry County Commissioner Catherine Getty, who also is zoning administrator for Thomapple Township, addressed the village council. ~ I H )J I / If T 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 smw 9pEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station A, A ffSA The Thomapple Players will be presenting the comedy SEASONAL HELP 2022 By Mel Brooks There are 8 roles plus ensemble. Those auditioning for the ensemble/chorus must sing at auditions. Auditions will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at 7:00 PM in the Dennison Performing Arts Center located at 231 South Broadway in Hastings. Rehearsals are 7-9:30 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Tech Rehearsal is Sunday, May 1, 2022. Show dates are May 4-8. Questions? Call Norma Jean Acker at 269 945 2332 or text 269 908 0870. If you cannot audition on that date, please contact us in advance to make other arrangements. Members of the Community Theatre Association fjJw of Michigan BARR?dfe COMMUNITY ”."",'^■---11^ ’gjBF FOUNDATION The Thomapple Players is a non-profit organization providing theatrical opportunities to the Bany County area. For mon- information call 269-945-2332 The Barry County Road Commission is hiring for temporary seasonal general laborer positions. Starting hourly pay range will be $12-14 per hour, no benefits. Applicant must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid Driver’s License, and be able to pass a drug test. Start date negotiable, hours Monday-Friday 6 AM- 4 PM. Application & job description can be picked up at the B arry County Road Commission office located at 1725 West M-43 Highway, Hastings between 6 AM - 3:45 PM, or on our website at www.barrycrc.org. The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 176358 “Middleville has spent decades putting the right build­ ing blocks into place for a desirable community, where our residents want to live, work and play. I hope you read the Sun and News last week about what happened in Gaines Township. Township officials listened to their residents and denied a PUD rezoning request [for the Prairie Wolf Station development] that wasn’t consistent with the vision for their community.” Getty said local schools are not in a position to ask for another round of bond issuances to pay for more expan­ sion in order to accorpmodate more residential, growth in the community. She also noted the three-story buildings proposed for the development will be 44 feet tall at their peak. Local business owner and DDA board member Johnny DeMaagd said he supports the proposed apartments. “They are perfectly suited for new teachers just coming out of college ..., individuals who work at Bradford White, with 130 new jobs proposed, people looking to live close to a city while they remotely work, and so many others.” Middleville Planning Commission Chairman Jason Holzhausen said planning commission members feel the development is compatible with the “spirit and intent” of the master plan. SENATOR, continued from page 1 ---------------------------bly angry. He then got down from the table and left, all the while repeating that he was disap­ pointed in her. When she told the medical assistant what had happened, the assistant said Bizon also had touched her arm while she was taking his vital signs, and told her his blood pressure was high because she was in the room. The medical assistant later repeated that encounter to the police. The nurse practitioner reported the incident to the clinic’s human resources department, which recommended she contact police. She did so and told police she wanted to press charges. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt, whose office was assigned the case after the Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert recused himself, said they analyzed the inci­ dent before deciding on the appropriate charge. Bizon’s actions did not fit the definition of sexual assault, but based on where, physically, contact was made, it did meet the definition of assault and battery as “offensive touching,” she said. It was intentional and against the other per­ son’s will, Pratt added. During last week’s hearing, Bizon’s attor­ ney, Martin Crandall of Detroit, asked him about the incident to establish a factual basis for the plea. “While you were attended did you inappro­ priately touch any female medical attendant who was attending to you at that day?” Cran­ dall asked as Bizon stood beside him facing the judge. “I thought of it as more as a friendly gesture - depending on which lady you are talking about,” Bizon replied. “Are we talking about the apparent victim?” “Yes,” his attorney said. “Then I was reaching down to get her atten­ tion, yes, and I did touch her,” Bizon said. District Court Judge Michelle Richardson asked Barry County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Elsworth if the plea was satisfac­ tory. Elsworth pointed out that Bizon himself had not yet pleaded guilty, only Crandall had stated a plea. “Mr. Bizon, I do need to make clear, today, what is your plea?” the judge asked him. “I am guilty of the battery,” Bizon replied. In later questioning, Bizon said the nurse had done nothing at the time to indicate his action was offensive to her. She had stepped away and left the room to check on his test, he said. “Let me ask you this question, have you since found that this was considered to be an offensive touch?” Richardson asked. The judge told Crandall he could confer with his client. “Is it fair to say, Mr. Bizon,” Crandall asked. “Going though discovery, was it appar­ ent that she thought it was offensive at the time?” “Yeah, I found that out when the police arrived,” Bizon said. In a written statement released after his guilty plea, Bizon blamed COVID for his behavior. “Without question, this entire situation is regrettable,” Bizon said. “As a doctor who has spent decades caring for those in need, I am deeply distressed that I unintentionally caused someone to feel unsafe.” “I was very sick at the time of the incident and did not behave as I normally would have,” he added. “Nevertheless, I take this situation very seriously and have learned from it.” His statement did not contain an apology. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, RClark Lake, said Bizon will not face legislative discipline. “With this misdemeanor being addressed by the court and Sen. Bizon taking responsibility for his actions, I do not plan to take further action at this time,” Shirkey said in a written statement. Pratt said her office would have further comments at Bizon’s sentencing. Bizon was elected to the state senate in 2018, representing Barry, Calhoun and Ionia counties. According to his website, he has been practicing medicine for more than 40 years. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — Page 3 HHS hosting wind, percussion competition Saturday COVID case numbers continue to decline here Kathy Maurer ' Copy Editor Students from several schools will be in town this week for events at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. AS1 in the recent past, the Hastings Area Schools band program hosted the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association Dis­ trict ‘10 festival. That took place Wednesday, with -Students from Allegan, Delton Kellogg, Ferinville, Grand Rapids, Hopkins, Ionia and Lowell performing throughout the day. A new event, however, is the Michigan Alli­ ance for Performing Arts indoor winds and per­ cussion competition, which is open to the public Saturday evening, Feb. 26. Tickets are $10 per person age 6 and up; free for those 5 and under. Doors will open at 6, with performances begin­ ning at 6:15 and awards beginning at 8 p.m. Hastings is hosting one of four MAPA events in Michigan. Competing schools Sat­ urday will include Grandville, Kent City, Comstock Park, Hudsonville, Wayne West­ land and Lake Orion high schools, as well as the West Michigan-based Ascension Percus­ sion and Vortex Percussion groups. •’This is new for us this year,” said Jen Ewers, co-director of Hastings school band program. “These groups compete across the state and some nationally.” Spectators are welcome, and concessions will be available for purchase. “It’s like marching band, but indoors,” she said.!i ’ ■'--'i-'J* The MAPA circuit services competitive indoor percussion groups and indoor winds (woodwinds and brass) where ensembles compete state- and nationwide, Ewers said, Taylor Owens Hastings will host a Michigan Alliance for Performing Arts indoor winds Saturday evening at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 each for anyone age 6 and up, with proceeds going toward the purchase of new drumline equipment for the Hastings band program. (MAPA photo) adding that MAPA is the state arm of the national circuit, Winter Guard International. “Both MAPA and WG1 have been heavily impacted by the shutdowns of the pandemic,” she said, “and many ensembles are trying to regroup and come back competitively where they left off in 2019.” Other schools hosting competitions in Feb­ ruary and March include Comstock Park, Carlson and Lakeland, the latter two in south­ east Michigan. The Hastings Middle School drumline will play in exhibition at 7:45 p.m. just before the awards ceremony. The middle school drum­ line formed about four years ago, Ewers said, and includes seventh- and eighth-grade stu­ dents who practice Fridays after school. This will be the young drumline’s first public per­ formance this season. Proceeds from Saturday’s event will go toward the purchase of new drumline equip­ ment for the Hastings band program. ‘It can’t be moved by mere mortals’ Really, they said, whatever it takes. It’s a Benjamin Simon : safety hazard and it’s discouraging business. ■ Staff Writer ■ ■ Customers trip over the snow as they hurdle When it snows, it piles up in downtown Hastings. their way from their cars to the sidewalks. If These are not the piles of snow that kids they try to avoid the mounds of snow, they jump in or use to make snowmen. This is ' have to hazard out into the street and dodge dark, dirty, crusty snow that looks more like cars. ro'cfe'?’’0’; ' ?•-' L. ‘fAs a store owner,” Denton added, “I’ll Currently, the Department of Public Ser­ make more money by having the front of my vices clears the sidewalks and streets. But parking open where customers feel comfort­ when they do, it pushes together a mountain able about getting out of their car and getting of snow on the curb of sidewalk, creating a ' into my store. Short of that, we’re pushing barrier between parking spaces and'Sidewalk. ■ Them1 out to the plaza and other big-box Stores -Then The snowj sits' there; Then “it ;SnbWsi u ';T6VJSbPpping*bee'St!se it’s'jUst s&'much ’easier' again, piles mp more and sits sorrie more. • for them to acee^ the’building.” Once the snow freezes, members said, -‘Lasf^veek, you needed a snorkel to get to there’s nothing the business owners can do. yoiir cari” Downtown Development Authori­ “Believe me,” Button said, “I’ve tried to ty board member Terri Albrecht said. move it...” The DDA wants to remove the snow that “You can’t,” Albrecht and Button said, lilies the curbs. They want it gone, off their finishing the sentence at the same time. curbs and away from their customers. “It has nothing to do with being lazy and “It’s gotta be done,” board member Deb hot getting the front of your store done,” But­ Button 'said. ton continued. “It can’t be moved by mere Thursday, the board of downtown business mortals.” owners unanimously agreed to pay up to Mayor David Tossava, who worked in $10;000 in snow removal. If the Department Department of Public Services for years, said of Public Works cannot do it, they agreed, the city used to clear the curbside snow. They they will find a private company. would come in at 2 a.m., pull the snow into “What I’m proposing isn’t as needed,” board member Lynn Denton said. “This is: If the center of the road with a grader and plop it in a dump truck. we get 3 inches of snow, the downtown is “That’s what I’m saying. That’s what we clean, there’s no snow on the sidewalks what­ need,” Denton responded. soever. And it’s built-in and they have to pay DPS can take care of the piled snow in the overtime and that comes out of that - or they future, but it’s just a matter of scheduling hire another company.” with DPS. They’re already short-staffed and, on top of that, they’re dealing with an influx of water main breaks - over 10 this winter. “They don’t have the manpower to do it in one night like we used to,” Tossava said. “We’d go out there with four trucks, a couple pieces of equipment and be done with it. Now, they’ll have one piece of equipment and two trucks - it’s going to take them a lot longer to do it.” The job is not easy. On top of plowing all of the city streets, City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Gale explained that it would take DPS seven ‘hdurt’ 'to ‘tbfhbwthe piled snOW? “If they’re plowing alPday, and then have to remove the snow from the downtown at night, and then show up for work again the next morning - we don’t want to wear out our staff either,” Moyer-Cale said in an interview with The Banner. So it’s a balance.” But the weather saved the city this week. Temperatures reached the 50s, melting the snow. If snows again before the end of winter, the city will re-evaluate. Community Develop­ ment Director Dan King plans to bring up the topic again in the late spring/early summer to coordinate a process to remove the piles of snow. But for now, King explained, they’re “going to ride out the warm weather and the rain.” “We’re in a holding pattern,” he said, “until we see how much Mother Nature does the work for us.” Staff Writer Barry County saw another major drop in COVID-19 this week, with 89 cases reported by the Barry-Eaton District Board of Health on Tuesday. That’s almost a 50-percent drop from the 160 cases that were reported last week, which itself was a drop of more than 50 percent from the 358 reported the previous week. The percentage of COVID tests that were positive averaged 15 percent on Tuesday. On Feb. 17, the number was 7.69 percent, the lowest single-day per­ centage since Sept. 30. “That’s how fast the surge has been coming down,” BEDHD Health Offi­ cer Colette Scrimger said at the health board meeting in Charlotte on Friday. “It rose very quickly and now its been dropping very fast, so that’s good news.” • • • • Staff Writer The Delton Kellogg Schools Board of Edu­ cation is starting the process of finding its next superintendent. The board is partnering with the Michigan Association of School Boards to collect input from staff and community, create a candidate profile and conduct interviews to hire a new leader for the district. The super­ intendent is expected to start with the new school year on July 1. A community stakeholder input survey has been posted on the district’s website, dkschobls.org, and will be open until Mon­ day Community members also can voice their input during a Zoom session with an MASB consultant at 7 p.m. tonight (Feb. 24). A Zoom link will be posted on the Website. Board members will not attend the session so that attendees will feel more comfortable speaking freely. The position is planned to be posted this week, and the district will accept applications until March 22. During a special meeting Tuesday evening, the! board scheduled a workshop at 6:30 p.m. March 8, in which board members will use the input from community and staff to build a candidate profile to guide the selection pro­ cess. Another workshop, during which the board will review and select candidates for inter­ view, is planned for 6:30 p.m. April 11. Board president Jessica Brandli said she expects they will interview about six candi­ dates during the first round, which is sched­ uled for April 25 and 26. The second-round interview is planned for May 9. All in-person meetings will take place in the board’s regular meeting place, the multi­ media room of the elementary school. Inter­ views are planned for the high school cafe­ teria. The board is looking to hire a replacement for Kyle Corlett, who resigned after more than four years with the district to accept a position at Ludington Area Schools. Retired Hastings Area Schools Superinten­ dent Carl Schoessel is currently serving as the interim until a new superintendent is hired, a role he also held at Delton Kellogg before Corlett was hired. In other business: - During a regular meeting Monday, the board accepted a $15,000 grant from Blue Zones to improve the district’s garden. The grant money will go to the Delton Communi­ ty Garden Club, which manages the garden, and will be managed by the Delton Rotary Club. The funding will be used to purchase a compost bin, shed, weed trimmer, insect nets, water timer, push mower and more improve­ ments. - Paraprofessional Sharon Holroyd and media center specialist Kim Finup resigned. The board approved hiring media center spe­ cialist Delanie Aukerman, parapros Tracy Spaulding, Chuck Dumas, Jody Jones, Cathyrae Mishoe and food services staff Cassandra Jenkins. - The board voted 5-0 to table a decision on whether to grant Amber Barton an early graduation at the end of her first semester of her senior year. According to Schoessel, Bar­ ton applied for early graduation to enter a special program in the military. Board mem­ ber Kelli Martin expressed concerns that Barton meet all the district’s requirements for graduation according to the school handbook, and Craig Jenkins said Barton should attend the next meeting, possibly with her parents or military recruiter, to explain the situation. - Trustees Robert Houtrow and Rodney Dye were absent from Monday’s meeting. - The district’s unaudited spring enroll­ ment count was 1,147. - The board voted 5-0 to hang on to a 29-acre section of land it owns behind the Delton District Library, at least for the time being. Board members decided to turn down a proposal from the library to purchase part of the property, and a proposal from the Barry County Chamber of Commerce for the land to be the first parcel placed into a new land bank. The district also has received interest from the Barry Township Board regarding the possibility of turning the land into a public park. Sarah Austin said the building of a new water tower, which will encourage more eco­ nomic development in the area, also would have an influence on the board’s eventual decision. - Schoessel said the bid process for the district’s bond proposal projects has been successful, and more than 40 contractors vis­ ited the school to learn work being planned. Traditional and Cremation Services Pre-Planning Services Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Owner/Manager Family Owned and Operated owner "nu-rims Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 vears CITY OF HASTINGS 176274 REQUEST FOR BIDS 2022 TREE TRIMMING, REMOVAL, and STUMP GRINDING The City of Hastings, Michigan is soliciting bids for its annual tree trimming and removal. BTd proposaf forms and ’specifications are available at 201 E State Street. The City of Hastings reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any irregularities in the bid proposals, and to award the bid as deemed to be in the City’s best interest, price and other factors considered. . un­ sealed bids will be received at the Office of the City Clerk/ Treasurer, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at which time they will be opened and publicly read aloud. All bids will be clearly marked on the outside of the submittal package “Sealed Bid - 2022 Tree Trimming, Removal, and Stump Grinding. Travis J. Tate, RE. Director of Public Services Delton-Kellogg lays out superintendent search timeline Taylor Owens The region saw a steep rise in cases over the past several months due, in large part, to the Omicron variant, but as with previous surges from other vari­ ants, the decline in case numbers also has been steep. “We expect to continue to see that decline,” Scrimger said. “Our outbreak situation is improving as well in terms of fewer outbreaks at the schools, fewer outbreaks at our congregate care set­ tings. So that’s all good news.” None of the county’s long-term care facilities reported any positive tests among their residents on Feb. 16. Spectrum Heath Pennock had three patients with COVID in the hospital on Monday, one of whom was in the inten­ sive care unit. One death due to COVID was report­ ed in Barry County last week, for a total of 152 deaths since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. JOIN OUR TEAM/ Now Hiring: • • • • • • Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters https://qrco.de/bcgX71 Apply at: caascm.org/careers ♦Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and state mandates including Covid-19 vaccination compliance. Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-800-870-7085 �Page 4 — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Opportunity awaits in Nashville Extremes in weather can pack a wallop Extreme change in tem­ peratures can create danger­ ous conditions that require extra caution - and we're not just referring to slippery roads. Bella, a golden retriev­ er, shown here amid a snow­ fall in Vermontfille a couple of weeks ago, went through the ice on a lake last week­ end. Luckily, she was res­ cued by her owner. But it's a good reminder to the rest of us to watch out for ourselves, and our pets, as ice begins to melt and the season changes. Do you remember? Retailers refreshed Banner Feb. 21, 1963 Register for ‘School’ - Mrs. Donn [Alice] Clarke, manager of the Bonnet and Gown Shop, is photographed as she registers with E.L. [Ernest] Carpenter, of Carpenter Hardware and chair­ man of the retail division of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce, for the first session of the Retailers Refresher course at Hastings High School. Mrs. Richard [Donna] Slocum of Dale’s Bakery is waiting to sign the registration book. There were 122 at this first meeting, and the final session will be Tuesday, Feb. 26, in Room 182. Sales people from Freeport, 'Lake Odessa and Nashville, as ^A/ell as from Hastings'1 have been attending the course spon­ sored by the retail division. i ttave you | -J met? k . t. . Lily Kampf was diagnosed with cancer when she was 3 years old. . She survived neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that impacts the nervous system, but it left her with a number of lifelong compli­ cations. Most notably, it affected her ability to communicate. She missed essential stages of early development, making it hard to pronounce certain sounds. Years of chemo­ therapy and radiation took away her ability to hear, and she now uses hearing aids. Luckily, Lily has two sisters. And when Lily struggled to make a “ch” or “sh” Sqqnd, her sisters Chloe and Sadie would be right there, ready to tell people what Lily was saying. “We developed an understanding of her language, as we like to call it. So, we would be her translators to people who didn’t quite understand her,” Chloe said. Living with Lily has shaped Chloe’s life. Now, Chloe Kampf, 23, is the newest speech-language pathologist in the Barry Intermediate School District, where she is helping people like Lily. Growing up in Rockford, Chloe Kampf knew from a young age she wanted to work in healthcare. While at Rockford High School, she envisioned becoming a child life specialist, assisting with the social-emo­ tional support of childhood cancer patients. But when she arrived ait Grand Valley State University, she met with advisers and shifted to a different profession. “I mentioned my little sister and how I really loved communicating with her and I loved helping her communicate with other people,” she said. “And- if just kind of clicked.” They directed her to speech pathology, a wide-ranging field, where she could work anywhere from childcare to schools to hos­ pitals to private practice. She could help kids with autism or middle-aged adults who cannot speak or other adults who have experienced speech loss. Kampf, specifically, wanted to help kids. While earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Grand Valley State University, she logged months of internships at Grand Haven Public Schools, Kalamazoo Region­ al Educational Service Agency and Head Start for Kent County She graduated from Grand Valley in December 2021 with a master’s degree in Chloe Kampf speech and language pathology. That’s when a short-term speech pathologist job with Barry ISD in Hastings popped up. Although Kampf grew up on the north side of Grand Rapids, she knew Hastings well. Her grandparents live on Pine Lake near Prairieville, and as a kid, Kampf rode through Hastings, played in the Thornapple River and visited their nearby cottage. Now, she works with students who have speech and language impairments or disor­ ders at Southeastern Elementary, St. Rose Catholic School and Noah's Art Preschool. “In a school, you really get a lot of different speech and language impairments and disorders exposure,” she said. “So, as a newbie in the speech-language pathology industry, I was like, ‘OK, well, I really need to kind of be exposed to everything before I really figure out what I want to do right now. I need to cover all the bases.’” Kampf started the position in January, but it’s not a long-term gig. She’s filling in for a speech pathologist on maternity leave and she will only stay through the end of the current school year. The job will count toward nine months of required clinical fellowship hours that she must complete to receive full certification. Right now though, most of her life revolves around the 40-minute commute from Grand Rapids to Hastings. It cuts into her free time visiting Oval Beach on Lake Michigan or skiing at Caberfae. But she doesn’t mind the commute. It gives her the chance to be mindful, watch the sun rise, listen to her favorite podcast, “National Park After Dark,” and jam to her self-created music playlist of folk music (“I love making playlists,” she said. “I love making playlists for every occasion in my life, ever.”) The commute doesn't bother Kampf -­ not when she is carrying Lily in her heart every day to work. The job, she said, has only given her a new appreciation for Lily, now 20, and everything she has been through. “Her life will always be difficult in the way that she is disconnected from the world in that way, which is really sad to think about,” she said. “But she is one of the strongest people I’ve ever met in my life. She wakes up every day and does her best, and I just admire her so much.” For her temporary role as a speech pathologist with the Barry ISD, Chloe Kampf is this week’s Bright Light: I am most content when: I’m at my grandparents’ cottage on Pine Lake. A big accomplishment for me: Study­ ing abroad and completing a research proj­ ect in France. What I like about my job: I learn new things every day - whether a fun fact from a student or different ways to improve my speech and language therapy. Favorite board game: Telestrations. When I was a kid I wanted to be: A race car driver or a veterinarian. If I could have any super power: The I’m happy the people of his day allowed and even helped Henry Ford build his auto­ motive empire back in 1903. Ford’s dream not only put America on wheels, it built a community of jobs, stabili­ ty, and philanthropy that still thrives. Today, people in the village of Nashville are being presented with the same kind of opportunity. I hope they will be as welcom­ ing and helpful to a remarkable new initia­ tive as the people who recognized Henry Ford’s vision more than 100 years ago. With a 6-0 vote at their meeting on Feb. 1, Nashville planning commissioners approved the first stage of a planned unit development to convert the former Kellogg School into an apartment building. Dogwood Community Development, a nonprofit development company from Hart, has proposed turning the long vacant structure into “The Village Flats,” a 20-unit housing project consisting of 5 two-bedroom units; 13 one- bedroom units; and two studio units, all of which will be available to people making less than 80 percent of the area median income. The former school sits on nearly a block of land in downtown Nashville within walk­ ing distance of the business district, restau­ rants, banks, churches and other services that attract residents to the area. Dogwood consultant Allan Martin says research shows the estimated $6- to $7-million project will attract seniors, young professionals and new families as primary tenants. The building has been empty for years and was sold by the Maple Valley Schools about eight years ago. Various proposals for its use have been presented over the years, but none of them have come to fruition. This idea should be especially attractive, given a housing shortage crisis that is affect­ ing - and impairing - the future of Barry County, the entire state, and even most of the country. Our county has fallen behind in keep­ ing up with its housing needs - from apart­ ments to condos to single-family housing. Michigan, like many other states, experi­ enced a dramatic slowdown in residential construction due to the Great Recession of 2007-09. And even though Michigan’s hous­ ing market has improved from its low point a decade ago, according to a 2017 Census Bureau survey, Michigan has just short of the 4.96 million housing units it needs to keep up with demand. The problem has left Barry County falling even further behind, despite an increase in building permits. Those new projects are located in the far northeastern section of the county and reflect the growth of Kent Coun­ ty pushing down into Barry County. We’re tagging onto someone else’s suc­ cess and not planning for and guiding our own future. There is a reason for that. When projects are proposed in Barry County, local governments continue to put roadblocks in the way and make it harder to find developers interested in what is, virtual­ ly, a rural market. If Barry County expects to increase housing starts, then it must get its act together by making clear what it expects from developers and streamlining the pro­ cess. Otherwise, developers will go where it’s easier to get their projects approved. I drove around Nashville last weekend to look over the former school building and the surrounding neighborhood. My feeling is, if a developer is willing to plunk down mil­ lions to renovate the structure, it’s in the best interest of local leaders to do whatever pos­ sible to make this project a reality. Nashville business leaders recently heard Bruce Johnston from Revitalize, LLC. of Mason present information on grants and partnerships to aid in renovating unused buildings. The eyes of those local business people must have popped when Johnston stated that up to 50 percent of the cost of renovation is available through the Commu­ nity Revitalization Program administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. “There’s more money in the state of Michigan in 2022 than in any other time in history - I’ve never seen this kind of fund­ ing,” Johnston said. Johnston also alluded to General Motors’ plan to create 4,000 to 5,000 new jobs in Lansing and his knowledge of other projects that will create about another 10,000 new jobs in the area. That puts Nashville and Barry County in a great position to attract some of those workers to the area - if it has the necessary housing available. That’s why I’m non­ plussed by the public comments of residents who attended the Feb. 1 planning commis­ sion meeting, many whom voiced their con­ cerns with the project becoming subsidized housing for undesirable residents. Joshua Guthrie spoke out against the proj­ ect, suggesting that people don’t want to see growth in the village. County Commissioner Ben Geiger, who lives near the school build­ ing, asked why there weren’t more two-bed­ room apartments for families and voiced concerns that the project would look too much like a school. Nashville resident and former county commissioner and state representative Michael Callton expressed skepticism about the low-income housing nature of the build­ ing, expressing concerns it could turn into a subsidized housing project. Plus, he lives across the street from the building and said it’s not a good use in a neighborhood of sin­ gle-family homes. It all makes me wonder about people who profess love for their community but don’t seem willing to offer the qualities of true society: helping people succeed - even the least among us. Opportunity is never possi­ ble unless communities are dynamic and growing. Projects like The Village Flats are essen­ tial for a community’s success and increased housing plays an important role in the eco­ nomic opportunity for workers and their families. Economic opportunity improves physical and mental health. If Nashville and other communities throughout the county expect to grow and maintain any level of stability then they must be prepared for growth with strong and effective planning that is reasonable for developers and acceptable to residents. One resident of more than 50 years saw that wisdom and expressed it at the Feb. 1 planning commission meeting: “We can’t keep saying no to everything,” Mike Beachnau commented. “We must at least open our minds to the possibilities - do we want to attract more people to our com­ munity? There’s something that we have to do with that building - I feel we have to develop it or bulldoze it, one of the two.” Across the state, old buildings like the former Kellogg School are being rehabbed for housing and other purposes. This historic structure was built in 1935 as part of a grant project of the WK. Kellogg Foundation to build schools in communities across the area. It would be shameful to raze a building suitable for renovation, especially when an interested developer with the ability to trans­ form a building into a mixture of housing that is so badly needed in Nashville has expressed interest. There is excitement beginning to grow in the community. Thanks to grants and a gen­ erous donor, Nashville will soon be display­ ing a nine-piece art exhibit of playful fiber­ glass cows throughout town. It’s part of the ongoing effort to encourage more visitors and add some interest for travelers passing through the village. And who doesn’t appre­ ciate the Guinness Book World Record for the longest ice-cream dessert that put Nash­ ville on the map? The Nashville Route 66 Business District is working hard to bring attention to Bany County’s second largest downtown district. Towns don’t remain the same, they either move forward or backward. Let’s keep the new excitement growing by showing sup­ port for badly-needed housing and a great project right in the heart of the village. The initiative will be good for business, for the schools and the community as a whole. Change is necessary if the village expects to continue to prosper. It’s not likely the community will find another developer interested in the old school building. And, if it doesn’t, the village - and tax­ payers - could end up having to pay to have it tom down. Approve the project. It’s the push Nashville needs now. The Hastings BcUUld* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. ability to speak and understand all languag­ es. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 If I could build or make something, I’d like to try: Building an A-frame house. Person I most admire and why: My News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com little sister, Lily. She continues to amaze me with her capabilities as an individual who is hard of hearing and has speech and lan­ guage difficulties. Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 j 1 1 s t ) i 0 1 I I �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — Page 5 Sweeping tax cuts are irresponsible To the editor: Tax cuts are sexy - everyone’s ears perk up when they hear these words because, well, we all want more money in our pockets, right? Yet, time and again, we’ve seen unfair appli­ cation of sweeping tax cuts that befiefit large corporations, but not so much the small businesses and individuals. . Now.our Legislature is proposing tax. cuts that will give large corporations a tax cut six times greater than for individuals, who will get a pittance, and small businesses won’t get much more. Yes, Michigan has a grand budget surplus now, but our legislators are hyping tax cuts without responsible planning and application. Anyone who has attended our county’s meet­ ings about how to use ARPA funds knows that these federal dollars cannot be used to offset, budget shortfalls caused by tax cuts. I agree that the budget surplus we now enjoy should be returned to the people, but we need targeted application of tax cuts to help families with children and senior citi- zens whose pensions have been unfairly taxed. And what about all the infrastructure issues we have in Michigan? Can’t some of that budget surplus go to fix the roads, ensure everyone has clean water and shore up our school systems? “Extra” money sure seems to bum holes in our legislators’ pockets. Fast forward to 2022: The cunent Whitmer administration proposes rolling back the senior tax. The GOP Michigan Senate oppos­ es this, saying it would be rash and could hurt the coffers. Speed up to the week of Feb. 13: The same Michigan Senate wants to cut person­ al taxes from 4.2 percent to 3.95 percent, and business taxes from 6 percent to 3.9 percent. This flies in the face of caring about the coffers of the state, but also again favors business by 2 percent. The tax cut proposed hits the state coffers by $2.5 bil­ lion, with no information on to close that gapThis is a pure waste of time, absolute sales puffery with Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkery trying to save face. Enough of this. We need serious work to be done in the Legislature, not puffery and fool­ ishness before the GOP convention in April to bolster the party that does not trust its own ballot counting. Joyann Kime, Middleville Elaine Garlock Lawmakers waste time with sales puffery orfw •. j ■■ ,'>Aw. u.- ■; -IggOi To the editor: In 2012, the Michigan Legislature and administration increased taxes on seniors by taxing pensions, and decreased business taxes, under the guise of helping the econo­ my. This tax increase on seniors raised approximately $350 million to $500 million in revenue, to offset the $1 billion in business tax cuts implemented the same year. The argument was underpinned by the . idea that seniors with pensions were a diminishing demographic, but the revenue would help the state. Ed Tillier, Hastings fgru.i Ob • . : < fl •; ■ i| G'j .! ■'! WOflJC i ■ HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE i ■ ://'..iiffou’m tnsig ’ J !G'_ :> ! ■ L'._ ■ ■■■<;, ’ jl . . . _. ' . .. ...... >r.' 1 ■ »-!’i n O /vM- rl 1 -i • T , ■ I ; '• .r ‘ - the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. A steady crowd had attended the forenoon event at Ferris State University. The event which was open to the public to see the Stan­ ley Cup and greet Brian who had attended Ferris and worked at the arena. While the cup was displayed in front of a beautiful fireplace in a room filled with wild animal mounts (at a hunt club) one could read the engraved names. The name of Michael Booi, a Tromp grandson and son of Nancy and Jeff Booi of Bippley Road, was located from the year when the Washington Team for which he is an athletic trainer had won the Cup, beating the Lightning for the championship that year. The Lightning won the Cup in both 2020 and 2021. The two gentlemen who move the Cup from city to city and guard it constantly stated that the Cup would go next back to Toronto where it is on exhibit at a hockey museum all the months when it is not on the travel circuit following the most recent win. When Michael Booi hosted the Cup, he had it filled with ice cream at Dairy Queen so all of his guests at the Booi rural home could eat from the cup. We welcomed the balmy weather early in the week, but cold temps in the range of 28-30 were to follow along with much rain for the last half of this week. Last week on the first warm day, the snowbanks shrunk greatly and were lower in height. The community Fresh Food truck will be in the parking lot of Central United Methodist Church off Third Avenue Tuesday, March 1, at 2 p.m. Those who qualify for the free food are expected to bring their own baskets dr boxes. • ' q 2022 BOARD OF REVIEW NOTICE 176394 City of Hastings 201 E State St Hastings, Ml 49058 4 ' Thursday, Feb. 24 - Movie Memories'and Milestones enjoy an Academy Award-nominated 1945 film featuring a chance meeting at a train station, 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28 - Crafting Passions work group, 10 a.m.-l p.m. Tuesday, March 1 - Great Decisions Foreign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at library), 10:30 a.m. .j .. . More information about these and other events can be provided by calling the library, 269-945-4263 or checking its Facebook events. . Demolition of the former East Elementary school building on Third Street is complete. Only some scattered bricks show that there had ever been a building there. It had been built about 1952 to relieve crowding in the 1923 building which housed all grades in the Lake Odessa school system. Soon after the east building was done, the combination shop/ag building was built on the north edge of the school property. The east building had several classrooms and an all-purpose room with combined gym and auditorium. At one point when the building was crowded, the large room was divided into two classrooms. This arrangement was for a short time, possi­ bly a year or two. We will await the new construction, which is promised. The former Anway-Ackerson house on Johnson Street last week had rolls of carpet­ ing stacked on the wrap-around deck. This may indicate the interior restoration is well underway. Another house that is being slowly restored is a farmhouse on Vedder Road between Tasker and Bliss roads. This was probably a Jarstfer house in the early days of the community. It is opposite King Road. A Tuesday story of a young actor from the east side of the state has a paragraph focusing on his role in the upcoming film “Pulled From Darkness” which was produced by George Johnson Jr., son of George and Judy (Yonkers) Johnson of Lake Odessa. That film will be released in the spring. Saturday, several members of the Garlock family attended an event near Stanwood to honor Brian Garlock of Big Rapids and Tampa, Fla., who is on the coaching staff of 2022 BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING SCHEDULE 919V .''Hi&S The City of Hastings Board of Review for 2022 will be held at the City of Hastings 2nc* floor conference room, 201 E State St, on the following dates: —-- - >------------ -A.- ''ii --------- '—.—2 t-— . ' .. Tuesday, March 8, 2022 1:00 pm = Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022 3:00 pm-9:00 pm = Appeal Hearing Wednesday, March 16, 2022 11:30 am-5:30 pm = Appeal Hearing The Board of Review will meet to hear questions, protests and to equalize the 2022 assessments. By board resolution, residents are able to protest by letter, provided protest letter is received prior to March 10. Please mail to Assessor, 201 E State St, Hastings Ml 49058. The tentative ratios and the estimated multipliers for each class of real property and personal property for 2022 are as follows: ' . Agricultural................. 48.65................... 1.027 Commercial.................46.80................... 1.0683 Industrial......................50.66................... 0.9869 Residential.................. 46.43.................... 1.0768 Personal Property....... 50.00................... 1.0000 . " dr Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The City of Hastings will provide necessary reasonable services to individuals with dis­ abilities at the Board of Review meetings upon 4 days notice. Contact: Sarah Moyer-Cale 269-945-2468 ANALYTICAL TESTING & 176375 CONSULTING SERVICES, INC. 14625 Doster Road Plainwell, Ml 49080 Phone: (269) 664-6474 Fax: (269) 664-6406 E-mail: atcsinc@aol.com February 23, 2022 Dear Contractor: Delton - Kellogg Elementary School is soliciting bids for the removal of asbes­ tos containing materials. A walk-through survey of the removal area is March 3, 2022 at 2:00 PM. The walk- through is mandatory for contractors wishing to bid on the project. Contractors will receive specifications at the walk-through. Contractors will meet at Delton - Kellogg Elementary School located at 327 North Grove Street Delton, Michigan 49046. Margilene Lewis to celebrate 80th birthday Terrance and June Miles celebrated 50th anniversary Announcing the 80th Birthday of Margilene Lewis, aka Margie, Sarge, Honey, Mom, Grandma, Sister, Friend to All, Stranger to none by her Husband Alfie, children, Rob (in Heaven), Louise, Lorraine and Husband joe, Shari and Husband Dale and johnny; grandchil­ dren lohn Herrick and Wife Rachael, Tyson (Herrick (in Heaven) Lauren and Nick, Audrey and Tyler, Ashley and Nathen, Austin Lewis and Lizzy Lewis; great grandchildren, john Tyson, Brad, Rent­ on, Hendrix and Miss Willow, her siblings, and many, many friends. Cards and flowers (you know how much she loves flowers!) can be sent to 245 Old Mill Rd, Middleville, MI 49333. Any questions please call ..Louise @ 616-634-5618. - - • ■ —. !------ -....... — - - Mr. and Mrs. Terrance L. Miles of Hastings celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on February 18. They plan to celebrate with a barbecue this summer, date to be determined. The Miles's were married February 18, 1972, in the Assembly of God Church, Nashville, Michigan. The late Pastor Robert Taylor performed the ceremony for Terrance and lune Miles, formerly june Miller. The couple have two sons, Matthew Miles of Holt, Michigan, and Adam Miles of Hastings, Michigan; two daughters, Sarah Micklatcher of Hastings, Michigan, and Bethany Santos of White Lake, Michigan, and nine grandchildren. ■ • Th JTRHyGA4* : tc Bids will be due on March 13, 2022 at 2:00 PM. All bid packets will be opened at this time. Late bids will be returned unopened. When submitting your bid, please make sure all requested information is included. Failure to do so may result in the bid being rejected. The Bids are to be submitted to the following address: Attn: Jay Bourdo Delton - Kellogg Elementary School 327 North Grove Street Delton, Michigan 49008 Clearly mark envelopes: ASBESTOS ABATEMENT PROPOSAL-DO NOT OPEN Questions concerning this bid should be directed to: Douglas A. Haase, Project Designer Analytical Testing & Consulting Services Inc. 14625 Doster Rd. Plainwell, Ml 49080 (269) 664-6474 �Page 6 — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner I Jerry IV. Fager Clifford Lawrence “Skip” Kulikowski, age 81, of Dowling, MI, passed away on Febru­ ary 16, 2022. Skip was bom on September 30, 1940 in Bridgeport, CT the son of Joseph and Dortha (Bailey) Kulikowski. Skip proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps and was employed as a machinist for E.W. Bliss and D&S Machine Repair. In his free time, Skip enjoyed woodworking. Skip is survived by his father; wife, Kathy Kulikowski; children, Kimmie (Mike) Riv­ ers, Kirk (Deanna) Kulikowski, Amanda Herp, and Michael (Suzy Schmoder) Herp; seven grandchildren; seven (one on the way) great grandchildren; and brothers-in-law, William Aleshire and Larry Palmer. Skip was preceded in death by his mother; and sister, Doty Jo Aleshire. A memorial service will take place at a later date. A special thanks to Judy Pemberton and Andy Franks for all of their loving care and support. Please visit www.goresfuneralservice.com so share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Skip’s family. Jerry William Fager, age 66, of Delton, MI, passed away on February 16, 2022. Jerry was bom on April 27, 1955 in Mari­ on, IN to Jerry and Carylen (Petro) Fager. Jerry honorably served his country in the Air National Guard for 13 years as a member of the Special Forces and civil engineering group, and was proud to be deployed to Saudi Arabia. He worked at Bradford Whites for over 35 years as a supervisor before retiring. After retirement, Jerry worked at Home Depot and as a custodian at Delton-Kellogg Schools. He was an avid outdoorsman, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, metal detecting, and any­ thing birds. Jerry will be remembered for his martial arts skills and appreciation for collecting antiques. Jerry is survived by his daughters, Brandee (Jeremy) Kiewiet, Holli (James) Butler, Tonia (Brian) Lancaster; grandchildren, Zarek Kiewiet, Taylor Smith, Ezra Smith, Rachael Kingsbury, Mackenzie Lancaster; sisters, Karen (Curtis) Rainwater, Sherry Fager; sev­ eral nieces and nephews. Jerry was preceded in death by his loving wife of 40 years Mary on September 1, 2021, and his parents. Per Jerry’s wishes no services will be held at this time. Memorial contributions to Elara Caring Hospice will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Jerry’s family. Johnny Collier Johnny “Jake” Collier passed away at home on February 17, 2022, surrounded by family. Jake was a loving, kind man with a great sense of humor and strong work ethic. Those traits served him well as he fought Glioblastoma (brain cancer) heroically the last several months without complaint. He was bom on December 17, 1947, in Dayton, TN, to parents Clifford Collier and Mary (Jordan) Collier. He loved Tennessee’s mountains and rivers, and he quickly came to love Michigan’s plentiful lakes and forests when his family relocated here for work in the mid-1950s. Jake’s love of nature and adventuresome spirit drew him to visit Mich­ igan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula as a teenag­ er. That experience eventually led him to buy a cabin in Sidnaw where he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and sitting on the back porch drink­ ing coffee, taking in nature’s beauty. Jake graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1967 and went on to obtain an apprenticeship while working at Eaton Corp. When the local plant closed he transferred to Federal Mogul in Greenville, where he was a supervisor. He then worked as a talented machinist for 25 years at Kellogg, from which he retired from in 2010. While employed, he continued his hobby of work­ ing on old cars and was known for being a talented body repairman - from his teenage years at Bill’s Auto Body to after “retire­ ment,” when he worked at Donny’s Auto Body restoring award winning classic cars. To say Jake will be missed is an under­ statement. He was the rock of our family. He often showed his love by helping with home projects and auto repairs. He was a “Jake” of All Trades and has been described by his buddies as being a top-notch machinist, repairman, marksmen as well as a supportive friend that was always lending a helping hand to others. He was known for making every­ one laugh with his infectious sense of humor. Besides hunting, fishing, and working on cars (and going to car shows), Jake enjoyed gardening, bonfires, cooking (family cookouts on the “Lot” were a favorite), wood­ working, birdwatching (especially humming­ birds and thrashers at the cabin), looking for mushrooms, sitting on the porch visiting and watching it rain, trips to the casino, watching YouTube and sports, and, in his younger days, playing softball and racing motorcy­ cles. He never missed a track meet or a ball game that his children were a part of. Jake is survived by his beloved children, Carrie (Tim) Stevens and John (Erin Thorn­ ton) Collier from his first wife, the late Pau­ lette Vroman, and sons, Jamie (Mikie) Collier and Jacob (Meghan) Collier from his ex-wife and good friend, Mary (Richardson) Collier. He is also survived by his sisters, Brenda (Fred) Harris and Tracy (Dave) Hart - his best friend of 40+ years - his nephews, Fred (Emily Schimmel) Harris, Jordan “Jordy” Hart, and his great-nephews, Orion and Grayson, as well as several other extended family members in Michigan and Tennessee. Family went beyond blood ties for Jake. He loved his “adopted” children consisting of* Amber (Travis Bruce) Bomia, Glenda (Jack/ Robidoux and Christina (Matt Powell) Vai+ Natta. Jake was very proud of his grandchil-' dren and he loved them dearly. His legacy'' lives on through Drew, Hannah and Connor' Stevens, Shelby (Trent) Harper, Scottie Col-* lier, Lizzy Collier, Elyse Collier (the newgrandbaby that Jake was determined to meetand hold - and did!), Aubrey and Madison-' Van Natta and Benjamin Bomia. He was! preceded in death by his parents, his brothel Andrew “Rod” Green and his sister-in-law, Connie. A special thanks to Meal Train volunteers^ and donors that greatly helped during this' journey, his numerous special friends (both from childhood and adulthood,) and cousin^ that visited, called, texted and/or sent uplift-’ ing cards — thank you so much! We also> wish to thank nurse Kathie Vanwagner from Compassus Hospice and staff at Bronson Cancer Center. Jake wanted you to know that4 he valued all of you - you touched his life" and he, in turn, hoped he touched yours. Visitation and a celebration of life will be' held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 4,­ 2022, with a time of sharing beginning atP 5:30 pm at Bachman Hebble Funeral Service" at 223 Bedford Road N, Battle Creek, MI 49037. 3 In honor of Jake’s wishes, he will be cre­ mated and memorialized at special places' here at home and in the U.P. A charity iS+ being established by Jake’s family to provide1 Calhoun County youth access to fishing and wildlife activities in the local area. Dona-* tions can be provided to family members or directly to the Funeral Home. To view the online obituary, sign the guest? book, or leave messages for the family, go to https://www.bachmanhebble.com You can also help us celebrate Jake’s life by doing­ something kind for someone else, laughing: with loved ones and by getting outdoorsJ Please think of Jake when you do and smile/ •jri.'j t Arthur Ribble Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWOHTWIDESUPPIJEROF HotteWIWMii 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 TOWNSHIP OF BALTIMORE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW Arthur Ribble, age 70, of Orangeville, passed away at home on February 19, 2022. Art was bom on April 17, 1951 in Grand Rapids. Art worked at Hastings Manufactur­ ing for 22 years, retiring in 1993. He owned Gun Lake Saw & Equipment for many years while working full time at Hastings Manufac­ turing. He could fix any small engine and enjoyed tinkering with them. He enjoyed cutting wood for 44 years and heating his home with it. Art loved collecting vintage pedal tractors, cars, and other antique toys. He was a big supporter of the Orangeville Fire Department and the Orangeville Veterans Memorial which he proudly helped build from the ground up and helped organize the Orangeville Veterans Memorial service each year even though he was not a veteran, but felt this was a way to repay our local veterans both living and deceased which two of his brothers served in the armed forces. Art enjoyed nothing more than spending time with his grandchildren, he loved watch­ ing them grow up and head down their path in life supporting them the whole way. Each of them made him a very proud Grandpa. Art is survived by his wife of 50 years, Linda (Wiley) Ribble; sons, Shawn Ribble and Matt (Cassey) Ribble; grandchildren, Corey, Kyle, Keith, Kaden, Anthony, Karter, Hannah; great granddaughter due on March 11, Kambree; uncle, Denny (Betty) Chase; aunt, Mildred Chase; and several nieces and nephews. Art was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Shirley Ribble; brothers, Jack, Dennis, Frank (Jerry) Ribble, and sister, Pat. Art’s family will receive friends on Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, 2 to 3p.m. at the Pentecostal Church of Christ, 6153 Marsh Rd., where his memorial service will be conducted at 3 p.m. Private burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions to the Orangeville Firefighter’s Association will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Art’s family. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 3100 E. Dowling Rd. Hastings, Ml 49058, to examine and review the 2022 Assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classi­ fication appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 1:00 pm Organizational Meeting Hearings will be the week of March 13, 2022 Monday, March 14, 2022, 9:00 am to 12 noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 1 pm to 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm ’• CH’S*} b And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, cor­ rected and approved. . - Letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 9:00 pm March 16th, 2022. Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: 1.20481 41.50% Agricultural 0.98619 50.70% Commercial 1.04297 47.94% Industrial 1.00867 49.57% Residential 1.00000 50.00% Personal Property Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Chad VanSyckle, Supervisor Baltimore Township Scott Anderson, Assessor Baltimore Township Baltimore Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days notice to Baltimore Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or ser­ vices should contact Baltimore Township by writing or calling. Baltimore Township Clerk Penelope Ypma 3100 E Dowling Rd Hastings, Ml 49058 269.721.3502 176008 d �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — Page 7 1960s centenarians celebrated, repeatedly Kathy Maurer Copy Editor ’ The social news of births, weddings, anni­ versaries and milestone birthdays is part of the appeal of rural newspapers. Chances are better that the honored individuals are known by ihany readers, and the frequency of such events is perhaps more manageable than in larger metropolitan areas. The Banner of the 1960s highlighted age accomplishments of several residents, includ­ ing “Jennie” Conley, who was featured in this column last week. That same decade saw pho­ tos of centenarian Mary (DeMott) Waters as well as articles on Emma Grant of Vermont­ ville. The Banner published articles on Mrs. Grant four times in six years as she reached 100, 102, 105 and 106 years of age. The arti­ cles varied a bit, but repeated some details, such as how she sewed all of the clothing for the family, including “overalls for the men­ folk,” and that she still slept in an upstairs bedroom - by choice. Emma Grant was bom before Abraham Lin­ coln was elected president and outlived Presi­ dent Kennedy. Twenty-one U.S. presidents were elected or appointed during her lifetime. Mary Waters war bom when Ulysses Grant was president and would have been 7 when the U.S. celebrated its centennial. She died just days after the country marked its bicentennial. Mrs. Emma Grant of Vermontville observed her 102nd birthday anniversary Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Jan. 18, 1962, Banner reported. A resident of this area all her life, she was bom in Chester Township, a daughter of Mar­ cus and Lucy (Clark) Olin. As a child, she attended the Olin School, which later was renamed Ames. She was married to Hiram Grant in Charlotte Dec. 3, 1880. She recalls the day as “Beautiful. No snow, but plenty of mud.” The couple drove to Charlotte in a double buggy, taking with them their attendants, Miss Emma Crocker and the bride’s stepbrother, Dexter Clark. “Mrs. Grant, despite her years, seldom uses glasses, and enjoys fairly good health. “Although she enjoys reminiscing, she keeps up on current events, as well, and her keen sense of humor and alertness make her an inter­ esting person to visit with. “She will tell how, as a child of 4, she climbed up on a stool to learn the fine art of pie baking. And she still likes to bake pies best. Each year for the Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival, she bakes a couple which are taken to her church to be served at their big feeds. “Then there was the very mild Thanksgiving Day of her childhood when a young fawn, chased by dogs, crashed through the window, over the table which was set for the festive dinner, and finally made its way outside through the open door. “Another time she and a group-of children— came upon some 25 or 30 hogs in the woods .. which had huddled together to keep warm and had frozen to death. There were no fences in those days, all animals were free to roam as they wished.” After 32 years on the farm, the Grants moved into Vermontville at 354 E. Main St., where she has resided for 50 years. Mr. Grant continued to work their farm until he was well past 80. He died in 1940 at 88 years old. She shares her home with her daughter Mary (1903-1993) and son-in-law Jesse Baker. Although there is a downstairs bedroom for tier, Mrs. Grant prefers to climb the stairs to an upper bedroom. She said she wants to continue this as long as she is able. “And the exercise is good for me,” she qdded. ■ Her other daughter, Nora, (1890-1972) was the wife of Allison McNabb, who lived nearby on Grainger Highway. The paper noted that Mrs. Grant “helped celebrate the McNabb’s 30th anniversary a couple of years ago.” ; Two sons were still alive Lynn (Marie) of Newaygo, and Grover (Hilda) who lived on the old farm on Brown Road. Their second child, Leslie, died of scarlet fever in April 1885 when he was 1 1/2 years old. Two of her children and both daughters-inlaw died within six years of Emma, her chil­ dren Lynn and Nora, having reached 77 and 82, respectively. Son Grover and daughter Mary (bom when Emma was 43) seemed to have inherited a longevity gene from their mother, reaching 93 and 90, before their deaths in 1980 and 1993, respectively. “Eaton’s oldest resident gifted in many ways” a headline in the Jan. 21, 1965, Banner announced. ; “Eaton County’s oldest resident, Mrs. Emma Grant, 354 E. Main St., Vermontville, is 105 years young,” the paper announced. “Gifted with a keen sense of tiumor and sly wit, Mrs. Grant spends her days reading newspapers and magazines.” The article mentioned that her childhood school, “the little red brick building” which had been renamed Ames School, by then was being used as a tool shed on the Evert Steward farm. Reminiscing of earlier days, Mrs. Grant recalled her wedding day, 85 years earlier, when her betrothed and two attendants took a buggy to Charlotte that snowless day. ; “They called at three parsonages before finding a pastor at home to marry them,” the article noted. Afterward, the wedding party visited friends around Charlotte before starting back toward Vermontville. It started raining, qnd the roads were even more muddy. Still, she remembered the day as beautiful. • “The young couple started housekeeping on a farm and Brown Road where they both worked hard and raised a family of two daughters and tWo sons. As a farmer’s wife, Mrs. Grant made all the clothing for the family even the shirts, I fl looK back at the stories and columns on In the Hastings Banner H TURNING i BACK THE 1 PAGES SOCIAL SECURITY Defend against scammers who target benefits Vonda VanTil Another January-born centenarian was Mrs. Thomas Waters. She is pictured here celebrating her 100th birthday with her son and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Ray (Ida) Waters, and granddaughter, Mrs. Thomas (Marguerite) Taffee. “Mrs. Waters is at the Barry County Medical Facility and enjoyed the occasion very much,” the Jan. 9,1969, Banner reported. The former Mary DeMott actually reached 107 1/2 before her death in July 1976. Her photo was published a few times in the Banner, but little in the way of a story. The opposite was true for Emma Grant, of Vermontville, who was featured in articles, but without photos. “Michigan’s runner-up, age-wise, may be pants and overalls for the men. She baked her Mrs. Anna Miller of Hesperia, who was bom own bread and pastries, made butter, raised Aug. 29, 1860, and is just six months younger chickens, did fancy work and knit mittens. “‘Hiram would wear out a pair of mittens a than Mrs. Grant.” day working on logs in the woods until I started Emma Grant died at home Dec. 16, 1966, a covering the palms with pieces of green bags, few miles from her birthplace and a few w'eeks then they’d last a little longer,’ Mrs. Grant shy of turning 107. recalled. The Banner announced her death in the Dec. “She remembered the first sewing machine 22, 1966, edition: “State’s oldest resident dies she operated by turning the wheel using a little red handle. This was before the pedal machine at Vermontville.” The article recapped details from previous was invented. At 14, she carded and spun wool features, and like those earlier versions, did not for two blankets, one of which was still a fam­ include a photo. . ily treasure.” “This centenarian had the distinction of The Grants had a large sugar bush on their being Michigan’s oldest resident,” The Banner farm and each year made syrup and sugar. The reported, “and was honored last summer with a sugar was made in 4-pound blocks which were -loade^-erfra"and'taken to Nashville and - dongratulatory^mes«agfc-end reses-sent by Gov. Verrhontville and sold for 5 and 6 cents a pound. George Romney. “Mrs. Grant died Friday evening ... She had “Money was scarce in the olden days,” Mrs. been in failing health the past couple of years, Grant said, “but there was plenty of wild game, but prior to that time had been extremely active quail, squirrel, wild geese and turkey, and Mr. for one her age.” Grant shot them along with deer on many occa­ By then, more great-great-grandchildren had sions” to provide meat for the family. Not long after they were married, Hiram joined the family, bringing that number to 13, along with the 11 great-grandchildren. Grant built “a fine new house on the farm,” the article noted. A photo of Mary (DeMott) Waters was pub­ “Despite Mrs. Grant’s 105 years, she contin­ lished in the Jan. 9, 1964, Banner when she ues to use an upstairs bedroom. ‘I could sleep downstairs if I wanted,” she said, “but I simply turned 95; again in 1969 when she turned 100; prefer to climb the stairs, and shall just as long as well as in May 1963, when she joined her as I am able.’” son, his daughter and a new granddaughter for Mrs. Grant also has three grandchildren, 11 a five-generation photo. great-grandchildren and seven The 1964 article, celebrating her 95th birth­ great-great-grandchildren, one of whom was day, noted “Mrs. Waters has not been too well, but enjoyed the anniversary, nevertheless.” bom this past year. Mary was bom in Augusta, the daughter of In her final year of life, Emma Grant was in Theodore and Happy (Hawes) DeMott. She the running for an unusual title. The May 19, moved to Hastings as a child and attended 1966, Banner announced “Vermontville woman school here. She married Thomas Waters June 4, 1890, and they lived their entire married life in a may be our state’s oldest resident at 106.” “As a highlight of Michigan Week, a con­ home on Green Street until his death in 1932 at age 65. Mary was a life member of the First certed effort was made to determine Michi­ United Methodist Church and was involved in gan’s oldest resident,” the article noted. “Unless someone has been overlooked, it appears that its guild as well as Guild 19 at Pennock Hospital. Mrs. Emma Grant of 354 E. Main St., Ver­ Their son, Ray, was the only surviving child montville, has that distinction. Mrs. Grant at the time of her death July 12, 1976, and she observed her 106th birthday Jan. 9. also was survived by two grandchildren, seven “Although bedridden since a fall last July great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchil­ 27, she is ‘very comfortable,’ according to her dren. daughter, Mrs. Jesse Baker who looks after her, She also was survived by a sister, Hattie enjoys every card she receives, and occasional­ Prentice, who was 11 years younger. Hattie died April 24, 1980, exactly three months ly reads a newspaper. “Mrs. Grant has lived on East Main Street before she would have turned 100. Her hus­ 54 years, and was bom, as she puts it, ‘only a band, Fred Prentice, reached 98. One of Mary stone’s throw from Vermontville.’ and Hattie’s brothers, Edward DeMott, had “... Mrs. Grant has always taken an interest turned 93 before he died in 1967. in community affairs, especially the Vermont­ ville Maple Syrup Festival. And while she Sources: Hastings Banner, findagrave.com, always remained in the background, she assist­ familysearch, org, “The Farm Journal Illustrat­ ed with church suppers by baking. Pies were ed Rural Director of Eaton County, Michi­ her specialty, and she continued to do this until gan, ” 1916; Bentley Historical Library, Uni­ just four or five years ago. versity of Michigan. Emma Grant of Vermontville saw many advances in her lifetime from 1860 to 1966, including gasoline-powered tractors and electric sewing machines. After her marriage in 1880, while her husband did field work with a horse or ox and a plow, she made clothes using foot-powered or hand-turned sewing machine. (Photo from “The Farm Journal Illustrated Rural Director of Eaton County, Michigan,” 1916) Public Affairs Specialist Scammers are always finding new ways to steal your money and personal informa­ tion by exploiting your fears. The most effective way to defeat scammers is to know how to identify scams and to ignore suspicious calls and emails. One common tactic scammers use is posing as federal agents or other law enforcement. They may claim your Social Security number is linked to a crime. They may even threaten to arrest you if you do not comply with their instructions. Here are three things you should do: • Hang up right away or do not reply to the email. • Never give personal information or payment of any kind. • Report the scam at oig.ssa.gov to immediately notify the law enforcement team in our Office of the Inspector Gener­ al. You should continue to remain vigilant of phone calls when someone says there’s a problem with your Social Security num­ ber or your benefits. If you owe money to us, we will mail you a letter explaining your rights, payment options, and informa­ - lion about-appealing.----------—----- ■----- —«-■ There are a few ways you can identify a scam call or email. Remember that we will never: • Threaten you with benefit suspension, arrest or other legal action unless you pay a fine or fee. • Promise a benefit increase or other assistance in exchange for payment. • Require payment by retail gift card, cash, wire transfer, internet currency or prepaid debit card. • Demand secrecy from you in handling a Social Security-related problem. • Send official letters or reports contain­ ing personally identifiable information via email. If you do not have ongoing business with our agency, it is unlikely we will con­ tact you. Again, if you get a suspicious call claim­ ing to be from us or law enforcement about Social Security, you should hang up and report it right away at oig.ssa.gov. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs spe­ cialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email to vonda.vantil@ -SSOrg&V.------------------------------- --- — Doctor Universe Seeing in color Dr. Universe: How come some people can’t see color? Pearl, 8, South Dakota Dear Pearl, Our brains have the amazing ability to gather information and interpret it. This ability to gather and interpret - or perceive - is a big part of what helps humans see colors. Our eyes have tiny cones that receive light, turn it into chemical energy and acti­ vate nerves that can send information to the brain. You might see an apple and think to yourself, “That’s the color red.” My friend Rachna Narula, an optome­ trist at Washington State University, told me all about it. You may remember that the colors peo­ ple see correspond with different wave­ lengths of light. Part of the reason someone can see red is because they have a type of cone that picks up on certain long wave­ lengths of light. While red cones pick up on long wave­ lengths of light, blue cones pick up on short wavelengths. Green cones pick up on middle wavelengths. A person with full-color vision typically has three kinds of cones: red, blue and green. But sometimes a person’s cones might be a little different. They may not have some of those main three cones, which means they can’t pick up on certain wave­ lengths of light. Or the cones might not work very well. Narula told me the most common color deficiency is red/green. That means that the cones aren’t able to pick up on long wavelengths and middle wavelengths of light. People with this kind of color defi­ ciency may have trouble spotting the dif­ ferences between colors, the brightness of colors or the shades of colors. Narula also showed me a book that optometrists use to test how people see color. It’s called the “Ishihara Test for Color Blindness,” and it was designed by a pro­ fessor at the University of Tokyo in 1917. Each page features different colored dots that make up a background and a number. For instance, someone with full-color vision might see a background of green dots and the number “5” made up of red dots. But someone who has red-green color deficiency would see a completely differ­ ent number. If you’re like me, you might be curious to find out not only how people can per­ ceive different colors but why. Narula told me color vision deficiency is a kind of hereditary trait. This means it is something that can be passed from parents to their offspring. Most people who experi­ ence color vision deficiency were bom with it. It’s in their genes. She also said some people can see many more colors than most of the population. Narula said these people have a fourth cone. Some scientists are studying genetics to learn more about this kind of fourth cone and find out exactly how this kind of vision works. Like humans, most cats also have the three main kinds of cones: red, blue and green. Dogs have just two kinds of cones. You know, it sure is interesting to think about what it might be like to see the world through different types of cones than my own. I bet it would provide a whole new perspective. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �Page 8 — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Law officer sworn Barry County’s newest sheriff’s deputy, Steven Perkowski, 33, of Plainwell, took the oath of office Tuesday, administered by Sheriff Dar Leaf, during the county board of commissioners meeting. Perkowski grew up in Plainwell and worked as a patrol officer in Barry Township for five years before joining the sheriff’s office. “I’m excited to serve the members of the community,” he told The Hastings Banner. (Photo provided by Undersheriff Jason Sixberry.) Living with Anxiety We can’t accept living with anxiety because the world is full of it. It becomes a problem when we are full of anxiety and reacting and making decisions based on the anxiety we are feeling. I often say to people that anxiety is my friend. I get strange looks when I say that. When I allow anxiety to affect my decisions, it’s then that I realize that I am trying to do things in my own strength, and 1 need to stop and ask God for help. So, how can we deal with anxiety in an effective way? What can we do when we feel anxious? What does the Bible have to say? Floyd Adam Fender, 47, of Nashville, was found guilty of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim under the age of 13 in Assyria Township in January 2021. He was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to serve 90 days in jail, with credit for two days served. He was ordered to pay $1,058 in fines and costs and placed on pro­ bation for 60 months with the requirement that he be on compliance monitoring with home detention for a minimum of 12 months and may only leave for work, medical appointments or court, with prior approval. Fender was ordered to pay a supervision fee of $30 a month or $60 a month for electron­ ic monitoring supervision. He also was ordered to have no verbal, written, electron­ ic or physical contact with the victim nor any contact with anyone under the age of 18. Rene Munday Kilpatrick, 57, of Mid­ dleville, was found guilty of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, a knife, Sept. 19, 2021, in Yankee Springs Town­ ship. She was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve one day in jail, with credit for one day served. She was ordered to pay $558 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. Kilpatrick must pay a supervi­ sion fee of $30 a month for each month of regular supervision or $60 a month for each month of electronic monitoring supervision. A count of assault with a dangerous weapon was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Alonso Orante Sanchez, 40, of Lake Odessa, was found guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a third-time offender Sept. 3, 2021, on Coats Grove Road in Castleton Township. He was sen­ tenced by Judge Schipper to 20 days in jail, with credit for six days served. Sanchez’s driver’s license was revoked, and he was ordered to pay $1,058 in fines and costs. He also was ordered to pay a $400 fee to the Ionia County Sobriety Court and participate and successfully complete the Ionia County Sobriety Court program. Counts of operat­ ing a vehicle on a suspended license and reckless driving were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Court records show prior convictions for operating while impaired Jan. 27, 2009, in Centreville, and April 2, 2019, in Hastings. David Andrew Sheerer, 30, of Freeport, was found guilty of failing to pay child sup­ port and was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 33 days in jail, with credit for 33 days served. He was ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs and ordered to pay $10,765 to the Barry County Friend of the Court in restitution. He will make minimum pay­ ments of $598 each month toward his resti­ tution and continue to pay his ordered child support to the county Friend of the Court. Jordan Mark Willis, 27, of Plainwell, was found guilty of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder June 16, 2021, in Orangeville Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 180 days in jail, with credit for one day served. Willis was ordered to pay $3,155 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. He must pay a supervision fee of $30 a month for each month of regular supervision or $60 a month for each month of electronic monitoring supervision. 1 Peter 5:7-9 says,” Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. ” Give your anxiety to Jesus. Whatever you’re dealing with give it to the Lord and ask him for His help and guidance. This is not something that you do just once but it’s a daily thing or even every hour. This is because we are so used to dealing with things on our own and managing our own problems. If we don’t learn to give our anxiety to the Lord daily as a lifestyle, then our anxiety will devour us. It will devour our time and all our energy and wear us out. 2. Change what you’re thinking on. This is critical. Once you give a negative thought to the Lord, you must replace it or something worse will replace it. So, what are we to replace it with? Philippians 4:4-9, Says “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ” Just let this scripture guide you on what you are to change your thinking to. 3. Find out what the root cause of your anxiety is. Anxiety can be like the check engine light going on in your car. You don’t ignore it. You go to a specialist who can help you find out what is wrong with your engine. Maybe it’s time to call Spiritual Care Consultants and come in for an appointment to see what’s really going on so that anxiety doesn’t run your life. Our number is 269-929-9201. 4. Go to your doctor for a check up to see if there is something out of balance in your body. Sometimes a medication might be needed. We say that medications can be a bridge to a better place. I hope this has been helpful. Anxiety is a normal thing that everyone deals with. But it doesn’t have to run your life. Spiritual Care Consultants has a podcast channel called “Healing Begins.” There are many great tools there to help you like episode Number 21: Peace not Panic Meditation. Just look us up on Google, Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Music. Remember, give your anxiety to him because He cares for you. Sponsored by S familyAtree The Barry County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the following Boards: Mental Health Authority Board: 5 positions, 3 must have lived experience in mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorder Parks and Recreation Commission: 1 position Planning poix|mission: 2 positions Tax Allocation Board: 1 position Zoning Board of Appeals: 1 position Applications may be obtained at the County Administration Office, 3rd floor of the Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings; or www.barrycounty.org under the tab: How do I apply for: An Advisory Board or Commission and click to display the application. Applications must be returned no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7, 2022. Contact 269-945-1284 for more information. NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TO ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF GULL LAKE SEWER AND WATER AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO PUBLIC ACT 233 OF 1955, AS AMENDED, PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Gull Lake Sewer and Water Authority Articles of Incorporation have been amended as follows: 1. Article II of the Articles of Incorporation of Gull Lake Sewer and Water Authority is hereby amended to read as follows: ARTICLE II The names of the municipalities which are members and compromise this Authority are Richland Township, Ross Township, and the Charter Township of Cooper, all of the County of Kalamazoo, Michigan and Barry Township and Prairieville Township, both of the County of Barry, Michigan, all of which are hereby designated as the constituent municipalities. MEDICAL ASSOCIATES 2. Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children wlio are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, Mich. 49058 or by donating online at https://www.spiritualcareconsultants.com/pages/make-a-donation We THANK YOU for your generosity and support! Corrections officers at the Barry County Jail intercepted two post cards Feb. 4 mailed to a 32-year-old Hast­ ings inmate that contained strips of suspected suboxone underneath the stamps. The drug is used to treat opi­ oid addiction, but it also can be abused as well. Catalytic converter removed from Manor vans A Barry County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to Thomapple Manor at 3:13 p.m. Feb. 7 after an employee reported someone had cut a catalytic converter out of one of the facility’s vans. Outdoor equipment stolen during move A 38-year-old woman called police at 1:32 p.m. Feb. 11 to report that items had been stolen from her yard in the 4000 block of Circle Inn Drive in Orangeville Township. The woman said she was in the process of moving out and had placed the items near the residence. They included two push lawn mowers, a patio table, a car strut and a small black grill. Couple defrauded out of $27,500 NOTICE: SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS 4 Keys to Dealing with Anxiety 1. Jail finds drugs smuggled under stamps Article XVII of the Articles of Incorporation of Gull Lake Sewer and Water Authority is hereby amended to read as follows: ARTICLE XVII These Articles shall be published once each in the Hastings Banner, Hastings, Michigan and the Kalamazoo Gazette, Kalamazoo, Michigan, which newspapers have general circulation within the limits of the Authority. One (1) printed copy of such Articles of Incorporation, certified as a true copy thereof, with the dates and places of publication, shall be filed with the Michigan Secretary of State and the County Clerks of the Counties of Barry and Kalamazoo within thirty (30) days after the execution thereof has been completed. The Township Clerk of the Township of Ross, Michigan is hereby designated as the person to cause these Articles to be published, certified and filed as aforesaid. In the event she shall be unable to act or shall neglect to act, then the Clerk of the Township of Richland, Michigan, shall act in her stead. GULL LAKE SEWER AND WATER AUTHORITY 7722 N. 37th Street Richland, Michigan 49083 (269)731-2596 176326 An 84-year-old Shelbyville woman called Barry County Central Dispatch at 9:38 a.m. Feb. 2 to report she had been defrauded out of $27,500. The victim said a young woman who claimed to be her granddaughter, along with a man who said he was a court-appointed attorney, called Jan. 25 and said the granddaughter needed $12,500 for bail money. The woman got together the money in cash and her husband, 87, gave it to the man when he came to the house. Two days later, the woman received another call stating that her daughter had been in an accident with another woman, who was Muslim and had lost her baby in the accident. They said the baby need­ ed to be buried within 24 hours and if the Shelbyville woman sent $15,000 in cash to an address in Florida, they wouldn’t press any charges. She sent the money, and paid an additional $114.59 to have it sent overnight. The couple received a call Feb. 2 from a woman claiming to be a border patrol agent who said they had received a suspicious package and asked what was inside. The husband said it was cash and the woman hung up. The sheriff’s deputy looked up the num­ bers for both the supposed court-ap­ pointed attorney and the border patrol agent, and both were fake. Hastings man threatened with assassination A 30-year-old Hastings man con­ tacted police Feb. 7 saying a suspi­ cious man had called him and threat­ ened to kill him. The caller claimed the man had wasted a call girl’s time by messaging her, and he now would have to pay $2,000 or he would be assassinated. The man said he then received text messages with photos of heads and people with their limbs cut off, along with a picture of the man’s name and address. He blocked the caller, and the police were unable to reach anyone at the number. Burglary victim declines investigation A 72-year-old woman called police at 9:31 a.m. Feb. 1 to report that her neighbor’s house in Rutland Town­ ship appeared to have been broken into. The woman said her neighbor, also a 72-year-old woman, was in Florida, but her front door was open. Police found the door, which was dead-bolted, appeared to have been kicked open, and two sets of foot­ prints were inside. Deputies called the owner, who said it was not neces­ sary for deputies to inspect the resi­ dence for stolen items. The case was closed. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, February 24, 2022 Thomapple Kellogg's Austin Chivis (top) gets all tangled up with Lowell's Tacho Gonzales during the opening period of their 171pound bout in the MHSAA Division 2 Team Regional Final hosted by TKHS Feb. 16. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK narrows regional gap with state champs Brett Bremer Sports Editor Eight to six. Lights on the scoreboard in the Thomapple Kellogg High School gymnasium at the end of Wednesday night’s (Feb. 16) MHSAA Division 2 Regional Final didn’t quite indi­ cate a dual that close, but that was the differ­ ence in wins on the mat. Lowell, the top ranked team in the state in Division 2, won eight weight classes and Thomapple Kellogg’s varsity wrestling team, ranked eighth, won six. The Red Arrows continue on their path towards a ninth consecutive MHSAA Divi­ sion 2 Team State Championship thanks to a 43-24 victory over the Trojans in Middleville. It was the closest the two teams have been in a postseason match-up over the past three seasons. Lowell defeated the TK grapplers 50-22 in a 2021 regional final and 47-6 in the regional semifinals in 2020. “We’re within 20 points, 19 points, of the number one team in the whole state of Michi­ gan,” TK head coach Dayne Fletke said after the defeat, “and I thought we had some really back and forth matches. With both sides of the crowd, we had two sides cheering and I think the kids on both sides stayed engaged the entire match. You could feel the atmosphere. It was a good win for them. We were ready to wrestle and our kids were feeding off that, helping each other and pushing them through. It shows that they want to rise up and they’re okay wrestling that type of competition.” Lowell is a team with 14 individual region­ al qualifiers this season. TK has ten. Junior Zach Gibson, one of those ten TK regional qualifiers who was a district champi­ on at 135 pounds at the individual tournament held last Saturday in Lowell, bumped up to 140 to close out the match against the Red Arrows and managed a 6-3 victory over Landon Miller who was a district champion at 140 last weekend. Gibson fought from a 3-0 hole midway through the second period to score his win, getting a quick reversal at the start of the third period to go ahead 4-3 and then putting Mill­ er on his back for two more points before the match was up. “He just battled that one out to the very end,” Fletke said of Gibson. “It goes back and forth. He got hit in a lat drop and battles back from down three to nothing. “Chivis wins in overtime at 171. Matthew Middleton wins a good one. There were a lot of highlights. Jackson Curtis won a nice match. If you look up, even the kids that went out there and got pinned they didn’t give it up. They went out there and fought for its. Over­ all I think it was a good night for the program and I think we can continue to build on it.” Those were also among the highlights for teammate Ashton Corson, a 125-pound dis­ trict champion last weekend who took the mat at 135 Wednesday night against Lowell. He was also pleased to see freshman team­ mate Christien Miller fight off a pin at 103 pounds against an opponent who pinned him at individual districts. Corson, a senior, said he was hoping for another go-around with Lowell senior Ramsy Mutschler who he defeated in the match for third place in the 119-pound weight class at the 2021 MHSAA Division 2 Individual State Finals, but Lowell chose not to put anyone out on the mat to face him in the 135-pound bout Wednesday. “The team is definitely getting better, but we’re not where we want to be yet,” Corson said. “Beating Lowell is one of the goals, and just getting into the state tournament. “Just kids practicing hard and keep getting better. That is basically all we can do.” Pins accounted for the big difference on the scoreboard in the end. Lowell got pins from James Link at 145 pounds, Carson Crace at 189, Carter Blough at 215, Bryson Vandermeulen at 285, Landon Musgrave at 112 pounds and Jackson Blum at 119 pounds. The Red Arrows also got five points thanks to a 15-0 technical fall by Carter Cichocki in the 103-pound match against Christien Miller. Lowell’s only six-minute victory came from Chase Wilder at 130 pounds, who edged Tyler Bushman 9-7. TK had a 9-6 lead after the first four bouts of the regional final. Link opened the dual with his pin of Andrew Middleton at 145 pounds, but junior Jackson Curtis and senior Matthew Middleton got those points back for TK. Matthew Middleton, who earned his 100th varsity victory in the Trojans’ regional semifinal win over Forest Hills Central, got win 101 by besting Nate Cleaver 4-0 at 160 pounds. Curtis pulled out a 5-3 win over Jared Boone at 152 pounds, scoring all five of his points in the second period with an escape, a take down and a pair of nearfall points. The dual was tied 6-6 when TK’s Austin Chivis, who also earned his 100th varsity win in the regional semifinal, took the mat against Lowell’s Tacho Gonzales at 171 pounds. Chi­ vis earned a 6-4 win with a takedown 47 seconds into a one minute sudden victory overtime period. Gonzales had fought out of a 3-0 hole eventually tying the match at 4-4 and sending it to overtime with a take down with 21 seconds left in the third period. TK led 9-6 at that point before the Red Arrows scored pins in the three heaviest bouts. Lowell built its lead up to 41-9 heading into the 125-pound match - getting a regional championship clinching pin from Blum against TK’s Micah Bowerman at 119 pounds. TK got six points at 125 pounds and Low­ ell lost one. The Red Arrows’ Owen Segorski, the district runner-up to Corson at 125 pounds last weekend, built a 7-0 lead over TK’s Hunter Pitsch in the second period of their bout. Pitsch, who himself is a 119-pound dis­ trict champion in 2022, struggled a bit with the heavier Segorski and was fighting for an escape when the Red Arrow wrapped him up, lifted him off the mat and slammed him down on a shoulder - drawing a penalty. A Lowell coach drew a misconduct penal­ ty, to take a point off the Red Arrows’ team scoreboard, while discussing the moment with officials as trainers and coaches looked over the injured Trojan. Pitsch, a senior look­ ing towards possibly earning a spot in the individual state finals, was unable to continue and instead went for a further look at his shoulder and an ice bag to the jeers and boos of the Lowell supporters. Pitsch was able to wrestle along with team­ mates Christen Miller, Corson, Bushman, Kyron Zoet, Gibson, Andrew Middleton, Curtis, Matthew Middleton and Chivis at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual Regional Tournament hosted by Allendale Saturday, Feb. 19. Both TK and Lowell were dominant in their regional semifinal match-ups Wednes­ day (Feb. 16). TK defeated Forest Hills Cen­ tral 61-15. Lowell bested Sparta 56-16. In the dual with the Rangers, TK got pins from Gibson at 145 pounds, Curtis at 152, Chivis at 171, Brenen Simon at 285, Christien Miller at 103 and a win against a void by Aiden Foy at 112 pounds. Andrew Miller opened the match with an 8-0 major decision at 140 pounds for TK. TK would stretch its lead to 27-0 before the Rangers got on the scoreboard, adding a 16-1 technical fall by Matthew Middleton at 160 as well during fhk’se first five bouts. The Trojans tacked on a 10-2 major deci­ sion by J ay den Garcia at 215 pounds too. Thornapple Kellogg senior.Matthew Middleton lifts Lowell's. Nate Cleaver off the mat during their 160-pound bout early on in the MHSAA Division 2 Team Regional Final in Middleville Wednesday, Feb. 16. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thornapple Kellogg's Zach Gibson (top) works to try and turn Lowell's Landon Miller during the second period of their 140-pound match at the end of the MHSAA Division 2 Team Regional Final in Middleville Wednesday (Feb. 16). (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lions and Panthers on to regionals Brett Bremer Sports Editor For the first time in program history the Maple Valley varsity competitive cheer team has qualified for the regional round of the state tournament. The Lions finished fourth, a spot behind Delton Kellogg, to earn the fourth and final regional qualifying spot at the MHSAA Division 4 District Tournament hosted by Lawrence High School Saturday. The dis­ trict tournament scheduled was altered Fri­ day afternoon due to issues at Lawton High School which was supposed to host the tournament Friday evening. The Lawton girls still got to cheer Satur­ day, winning the district championship with an overall point total of 708.62. Buchanan was second with a score of 668.70, Delton Kellogg third at 655.38 and Maple Valley fourth at 608.90. The fifth-place White Pigeon team which saw its season end Sat­ urday was just 2.4 points back of the Lions with a total score of 606.50. Those top four teams will compete in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional hosted by Jenison High School Saturday morning beginning at 11 a.m. “We had our best day, by far,” Delton Kellogg head coach Zoe Reynolds said emphasizing the “by far.” The Panthers have been regular regional qualifiers over the past few years, but have yet to break through and earn a spot in the state finals with a top four regional finish. “They worked really hard the week lead­ ing up to districts and knew they needed to give a first place effort to move on,” Reyn­ olds said of her girls. “They impressed and surprised themselves and to be honest they impressed me.” Delton Kellogg put together a score of 211.10 in round one, 187.78 in round two and 256.50 in round three. Buchanan jumped ahead of the Panthers into the runner-up spot with a strong round three showing. The Delton Kellogg girls were a little over five points ahead of the Buchanan girls heading into round three. “We worked on our motions, jumps and staying tight in round one,” Reynolds said. “In round two, we cleaned up some timing issues. In round three, we gave our best effort, but it was still not as clean as it needs to be.” Lawton had the top score in each of the three rounds. The Blue Devils scored 217.70 points in round one, 200.52 in round two and 292.40 in round three. Maple Valley qualified for regionals with a 195.10 in round one and 161.80 in round two. The Lions closed out their day with a score of 252.00 in round three. The Lions outscored White Pigeon by half a point in round one and by a little over in six points in round two after White Pigeon was hit with a ten-point deduction. That deduction didn’t show up on the score sheet Lion head coach Sarah Huissen saw at the end of round three - so as scores were read she worried her team’s season had come to an end. When it came to announce the team with the fifth place score and White Pigeon was announced, the Lions went crazy. “We did it,” Huissen said. “I had this shock of, ‘oh my gosh, we’ve made it. We’ve qualified to go. I was looking at the girls, and seeing the girls and their excite­ ment it was definitely a special moment ten years in the making.” The Lions could have been happy in their performance anyway. It was the first time this season that the Lions surpassed the 600point total. While Huissen said her girls were a little flustered Friday afternoon by the late sched­ ule change, it might have helped in the end. “We ran through the rounds again and had a fun activity at the end,” Huissen said. “We call it ‘all good things.’ We did it at camp years ago, and just go around and tell each other the things that they are good at and what they appreciate about each other. It’s a fun group activity. I think they really enjoyed it. We had a great practice on Friday - short and sweet.” The Lions are working on their timing heading into regionals. The Delton Kellogg girls have plenty to focus on themselves. “For this week we will continue to clean up things in one and two,” coach Reynolds said. “We need to work on our voice and use more inflection. We have lots of foot work to clean up in round three. We know it will take a lot of work to move on from regionals to state, but we are up for the challenge and will give it our best effort.” �Page 10 — Thursday, February 24, 2022 —The Hastings Banner VanDemark finally breaks through to Finals Hastings junior Robby Slaughter works on top of Thomapple Kellogg's Austin Chivis during their 160-pound championship match at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual Regional hosted by Allendale High School Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Three Saxons grapplers punch ticket to State - In the consolation finals for third place, Dubois faced Bryson Vandermeulen from Lowell, and again managed a pin in the first period to cinch his third-place standing. Coach Slaughter added, “I’m really proud of Jackson getting a ticket to state as a senior. It has been his goal all year. This year he has been focused and committed to reach this point.” At 215 pounds, Friddle’s day started with a pin as well, but the Saxon wrestler was down Plainwell/TK Trojan Ski senior Lucy VanDemark races down the slalom course at Cannonsburg Tuesday during the MHSAA 14-7 at the end of the second period against Division 1 Regional meet. VanDemark qualified for the state finals for the first time with her slalom finish. Parker Williams from Zeeland East before Friddle grabbed a hold of the takedown and “I was kind of like whatever happens, hap­ ninth place as all three turned in times of Brett Bremer pens,” VanDemark said. “I think before I put scored the pin with 16 seconds left in the 30.22 on that first GS run. Sports Editor too much pressure on myself, and I always do match to earn the first-round win. In the “Which was pretty crazy, because that After a couple seasons on the edge of state semifinals, Friddle fell to Whitehall’s Shane better when I don’t have that pressure. I was doesn’t happen that often in skiing,” VanDe­ qualification, Plainwell/Thomapple Kellogg able to go into the meet with kind of like an Cook in the first period, but he came back in junior Lucy VanDemark is finally headed to mark said. “I was a little optimistic after that, open mind. Especially knowing I had been so the blood round to earn a pin in the second the state finals. but I was also a little nervous because I was close, I was like you know what I am just period against Ryan Morren of Allendale, VanDemark qualified for the MHSAA like, ‘I actually did pretty good on that run. going to go out there and ski my best and see earning his ticket to Ford Field and his spot in Division 1 Ski Finals with her tenth-place Now I have a little bit more pressure to do the consolation finals. slalom finish at the Division 1 Regional meet what happens. I think that was a mental shift well on the second run. that I had, giving myself a little bit more In the consolation finals match for third at Cannonsburg Ski Area Tuesday (Feb. 15). “I felt great on my second run in the GS. grace, which actually worked out.” That was the one on the ‘Face,’ so it was a lot place, Friddle was pinned by Hamilton’s The top three teams at the regional qualify With dominant teams from Traverse City steeper. On both runs I felt really strong on Isaac Sterenberg. for the state finals, as well as a minimum of West, Traverse City Central, Forest Hills my starts, and that is kind of crucial at Can­ Coach Slaughter noted that “Isaac did real­ four other individual qualifiers from both the Northem/Eastem and Marquette in the region, ly well too, it is quite an accomplishment to slalom and giant slalom races. Whatever else nonsburg. They have a really flat top and then be a state qualifier as a freshman.” getting through is never an easy task. it kind of drops off, so I got in some really happens, everyone on the top ten in each VanDemark flew down the hill in a time of good skates at the top in both of my GS runs, The remaining regional qualifiers for the event is guaranteed a spot in the state finals. VanDemark just missed out during her fresh­ 30.22 seconds in her first GS run, which was so I think that really helped me out a lot.” Saxons were unable to earn their ticket to man and sophomore seasons being fifth the ninth-best time of the opening run Tues­ State. Dillon Neal and Keegan Sutfm, both The MHSAA Division 1 State Finals will among the girls considered possible individuday. She had the 12th-best run two time af be held Monday, Feb. 28, at Boyne Mountain. wrestled at 112 pounds, and went 0-2 on the 27.07 seconds, which was good for tenth day. Cohen Smith at 140 pounds also finished. „al state qualifiersJn the GS, but not among VanDemark also placed 16th overall in the overall in the end. the top ten. 0-2. Saxon sophomore Colton Smith won one slalom with runs of 34.52 and 33.43. The “My first year, I didn’t really know what it match in the first round of the consolation “The first run, I didn’t feel like it was my! 33.42 time on her second run was the would take to go to state. I wasn’t quite sure with a 4-2 overtime win, before losing in the best run, but when I got down to the bottom I 12th-best second-run slalom time by any girl blood round. Mason Denton, a senior in his how likely it was, and there were actually a saw that I was in ninth place overall,” VanDe­ Tuesday. She was seventh in the list of possi­ lot of really talented skiers. I wasn’t quite mark said. “The times were all super-duper first regional showing, won a 8-1 decision in ble additional state qualifiers in that event. expecting to be there. It was a bit of a surprise the first round of consolation before falling in close, especially because that course was on a Qualifiers in one event get to compete in both my freshman year. After I saw all of the real­ lot flatter section of the hill. They have the a rematch against TK’s Jackson Curtis in the events, the slalom and GS, at the state finals. ly good skiers and I was so close I was kind ‘Face’ they call it that has the steeper GS The Traverse City West girls took the blood round. of really motivated and I thought it would be course and then along the side there is another regional championship with 69 points, ahead The MHSAA Individual State Finals will so cool to go to state.” of Traverse City Central 75 and Forest Hills take place on March 4-5 staring at 10 a.m. on not so steep course, and that was the one I was She thought having been at a regional race on so it was a lot less technical. It was easier Northem/Eastem 87 among the three state Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. Tickets can be at Cannonsburg before was a big plus for her for everyone to go faster on that course.” qualifying teams. Marquette placed fourth purchased at the door for $18 a session or $45 this time around. She also said she was better The competition was so tough that VanDe­ with 113 points, ahead of Grand Haven 164, for all three sessions, including the finals on set up mentally for last week’s regional. mark was actually tied with two other girls in Rockford 246.5, Portage Central 259.5, Loy Saturday evening. Norrix 312, Plainwell/TK 329, Okemos 343.5 and Hudsonville 435. Maddy Stem from Marquette was the indi­ vidual champion in the girls’ slalom with runs of 31.63 and 31.76. Forest Hills Northern/Eastem’s Katie Grzelak was the slalom champion with runs PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the of29.00 and 25.79. Those were the best times PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Township Hall, 885 River Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 to examine and of each run at the girls’ GS on the day. Lila Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046, to examine and review the Warren from Traverse City West was the run­ review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the ner-up in the girls’ GS with times of 29.77 following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, and 26.62. values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: The Plainwell/TK Trojan Ski team also had Madison Nagel 44th in the GS, Sarah Russell current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 10:00 am Organizational Meeting 46th and Abigail Wamez 52nd. Ella Way and Whitney Johnson also competed and weren’t Monday, March 14, 2022, 1:00 to 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 9:00 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 1:00 pm Organizational Meeting far behind their teammates. Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 9:00 am to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 pm Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 9:00 am to Noon and 6:00 to 9:00 pm In the slalom, Nagel was 42nd, Wamez Thursday, March 17, 2022, 9:00 am to Noon and 1:00 to 4:00 pm 49th and Way 60th. Anna Davis and Russell And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given made runs at the slalom hill for the Trojans. notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have VanDemark was happy to see Trojan team­ corrected and approved. given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been mates, even ones who weren’t skiing in the revised, corrected and approved. regional, cheering on the team and helping APPOINTMENTS ARE SUGGESTED; letter appeals will be accepted and run coats to the bottom of the hill and things. APPEALS ARE HEARD ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS; must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 She was also impressed with some teammates letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 who bounced back from falls and with her pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: teammate Nagel battling a bloody nose 50.70% 0.9862 Agricultural throughout her last three runs of the day. Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: 0.9938 Commercial 50.31% “She actually broke a gate when she was 1.0075 49.63% Agricultural 0.9599 52.09% Industrial going down, so she got a re-run, but she got 0.9889 50.56% Commercial 1.0919 Residential 45.79% to keep that broken [slalom] gate as a tro­ 0.9275 53.91% Industrial 1.0000 50.00% Personal Property phy, so that was really fun to see,” VanDe­ 1.0190 49.07% Residential mark said. 1.0000 50.00% Personal Property Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is Traverse City West took the boys’ regional expected after completion of Board of Review. championship with a final score of 34 points, Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is ahead of Traverse City Central 51, Forest expected after completion of Board of Review. Jim Stoneburner, Supervisor Prairieville Township Hills Northern/Eastem 144, Grand Haven Kevin Harris, Assessor Prairieville Township 161, Marquette 190, Rockford 240, Saginaw Jim Brown, Supervisor Hastings Charter Township Heritage 271, Mattawan 286, Okemos 318, Kevin Harris, Assessor Hastings Charter Township Prairieville Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, Hudsonville 381, Plainwell/TK 382, Portage color, national origin, sex or disability. Northern 432 and Loy Norrix 492. Hastings Charter Township Board Meetings are open to all without Charlie Licht from Traverse City West had regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. the two fastest boys’ slalom runs, notching American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice times of 31.52 and 29.02 and his teammate The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice Caleb Lewandowski had the two fastest GS to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days ’ The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and runs with times of 26.10 and 26.88. notice to Prairieville Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon The Plainwell/TK boys were led in the aids or services should contact Prairieville Township by writing or calling. seven (7) days’ notice to Hastings Charter Township. Individuals with slalom by Dillon Vlietstra who was 39th, Rod Goebel disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Castleton Liam Troutner who was 40th, Eli Korreck Prairieville Township Clerk Township by writing or calling. 49th and Robby Jones 57th. Vlietstra was 10115 S. Norris Rd. Hastings Charter Township Clerk 38th in the GS, Troutner 42nd, Korreck 52nd Delton, Ml 49046 885 River Rd. and Matteo Garbarino 65th. Sam Bacon and 269-623-2726 Hastings, Ml 49058 Colin Gritter also competed in both events for 175924 269-948-9690 175918 the Trojan team. Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer . A trio of Saxon wrestlers punched their - tickets to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Individual State Finals at Ford Field on March 4-5 at their Division 2 region­ al tournament Saturday at Allendale High School. Hastings senior Robby Slaughter will make his second state appearance after qualitying as a sophomore last year. Joining him this year will be senior Jackson Dubois and freshman Isaac Friddle from the Hastings varsity wrestling team. “Really excited how we did,” Hastings head coach Jason Slaughter said. “You always wish you could have gotten more out, but we are happy that we got those three through. Robby had a great day, winning regionals at a tough weight class. He has continued to improve and become more and more dominant each week. It shows the work he has put in this season.” Jason Slaughter was the only regional cham­ pion for the Saxons. Slaughter, at 160 pounds, *, made his run to the regional finals after pin­ ning Parker Lindstrom from Rceths Puffer in round one. Slaughter won a tight 6-5 decision . -1 over Greenville’s Nayte Dobson in the semifi­ nals. In the finals, Slaughter had a rematch from last weeks district final’s match with Thomapple Kellogg’s Austin Chivis. Slaughter was up 6-4 after the second period, choosing bottom for the third round, Slaughter managed • the escape, and then with just over a minute left in the match scored another takedown. Chivis scored an escape with 13 seconds left in the match to make the final score 9-5. Dubois, wrestling at 285 pounds, also start­ ed his final regional appearance off with a pin in 1:13 over Allendale’s Jarred Nyboer, before losing to eventual regional champion Ira Jenkins from Whitehall in the semifinals. Dubois came out strong in the blood round, the consolation semifinals, against Domineco Tejeda from Allendale winning on a pin in 21 seconds to earn his consolation finals spot . and to punch his first ticket to the state finals. HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — Page 11 . Vikings head to Rockford for regional cheer contest ATTENTION Johnstown Township 176141 The Johnstown Township Board of Review will be held on the following I Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Raiders are where the Vikings would like to be at some point, but they’ll both get to be in Rockford Saturday. The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team finished second to Portland at the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Dis­ trict at Alma High School Saturday. An experienced group of Raiders has their school’s top cheer team yet poised to make a run at the team’s first-ever state finals appear­ ance. Portland won the district title Saturday with an overall score of 764.40. Lakewood was second with a score of 757.50, ahead of Howard City Tri County 747.96 and Midland Bullock Creek 716.54 in the top four qualify­ ing for the regional round of the state tourna­ ment. Lakewood will be cheering for its sixth state finals appearance at the regional at Rockford High School Saturday evening. The first cheerleaders are scheduled to take the mats beginning at 6 p.m. “They did really well,” Lakewood head coach Kim Martin said of her young team’s district performance. “Every time they step out on the mat I’m a little more impressed with them.” “These girls are stepping up. These fresh­ men and sophomores,” she added. She said experience is really the big differ­ ence between the Portland team and hers. The Raiders were little better than the Vikings in each of the three rounds. Tri Coun­ ty tied the Raiders in round one. The two teams put up scores of 230.10. Lakewood was third after a round one score of 227.90. The Vikings were second between Portland and Tri County in the final two rounds, tally­ ing scores of 218.80 in round two and 310.80 in round three. Portland notched a score of 220.50 in round two and 313.80 in round three. Martin said having Portland in the district probably helped her girls up their intensity. Behind the top four, Gladstone was fifth with a score of 706.02, ahead of Sanford dates & times: Monday March 14, 2022 9AM to Noon and 2PM to 5PM Wednesday, March 16, 2022 9AM to Noon and Thursday March 17, 2022 6PM to 9PM If you wish an appointment call Barb at 269-721 -8443. The statutory requirements of dates and time have been fulfilled by publication in the Battle Creek Enquirer. TOWNSHIP OF HOPE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 5463 M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 11:30 am Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm Lakewood stunt groups fill the mat as the Vikings perform during round three of the MHSAA Division 3 Regional Tournament at Alma High School Saturday. (Photo by Chelsea Chase) Meridian 670.58, Ovid-Elsie 656.54, Lansing Catholic 650.00, Alma 643.22, Belding 609.00, Shepherd 584.80, Remus Chippewa Hills 574.30 and Big Rapids 556.86. Lakewood last won a district title in 2020 with seniors Hokulani Ka’alakea, Ellie Minard and Jessy Weber the three remaining cheerleaders from that squad. The Vikings didn’t take part in the 2021 state tournament. Coach Martin said if her team has a vocal leader it is Minard. Ka’alakea leads “by what she does on the mat. She doesn’t say a lot, but she goes out and does her job every time,” Martin added. Martin said Portland and likely Paw Paw will be the top contenders for a regional title Saturday, with her girls in the mix as well. TK behind only Blue Devils at cheer district in Richland Brett Bremer Sports Editor The three teams that surpassed the 200point mark in round two at the MHSAA Division 2 Competitive Cheer District at Gull Lake High School Saturday are mov­ ing on in the state tournament. Thornapple Kellogg was in that group, finishing second to the host Blue Devils Saturday to earn a spot in the Feb. 26 Divi­ sion 2 Regional hosted by Kenowa Hills High School. * Gull Lake took the championship Satur­ day with an overall score of 732.94, ahead of TK 729.70, Sturgis 719.28 and Plainwell 698.86. Mattawan was fifth with a final score of 690.18 and the Hastings varsity competitive cheer team paced sixth with a score of 678.36. “I will say, we are definitely grateful to be in the top 4 and moving on to regionals,” TK head coach Adrian Sinkler said, but the Trojans weren’t satisfied with a runner-up finish Saturday. “It is definitely a tough loss to move on from, especially a loss by such few points. But that happens all the time in this sport. Myself and my coaching staff always say to the girls you have to have a short memory and let things go. This time this won’t be let go, they’re going to use it as motivation and move forward.” The TK Trojans had to let their first dis­ appointment of the day go, at least the mem­ bers of the coaching staff who knew the score. TK put up a point total of 217.00 in round one, leading off the round. It left them 5.3 points back of the Blue Devils at the end of the round and just behind Sturgis and Plainwell as well. “I have always heard coaches talk about the disadvantages of going first in round one, but never experienced it first hand until I looked at our scoresheets Saturday. We went first in round one. No major errors, mistakes or catastrophic events happened. I knew the officials would be tough going into tournaments, but that felt like a gut punch.” Sinkler said her girls followed up with their best round two performance of the season, which she said was not reflected in the score either. “And that’s ok,” Sinkler said. “Round three continued to do its job. Not a single stunt came down or even bobbled. They were all solid.” TK earned a score of 205.30 in round two, bested only by a 207.36 by Plainwell, and then scored a 307.40 in round three. TK’s round three score of 307.40 was the highest of the tournament. The Trojans outscored Gull Lake in rounds two and three. Gull Lake had a score of 203.54 in round two and 307.10 in round three. Plainwell had been in second place behind the Blue Devils after the first two rounds, but managed just 273.50 points in round three after an eight-point deduction in that final round, and even those eight points would have left the Plainwell girls behind Gull Lake, TK and Sturgis in the end. “That’s the name of the game some­ times,” Sinkler said. “Sometimes you come up short and you can’t explain it. Going into Saturday, we are definitely not holding a single thing back. We won’t stop or let these ‘setbacks’ hold us back.” Hastings had its season end with scores of 209.50 in round one, 190.56 in round two and 278.30 in round three. Behind the top five teams, Hamilton placed sixth with a score of 666.70, ahead of Vicksburg 652.86, Edwardsburg 637.58, Wayland 625.70, Stevensville Lakeshore 606.40 and St. Joseph 563.10. And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. APPEALS ARE HEARD ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural 49.81% 1.0038 Commercial 47.30% 1.0571 Industrial 49.32% 1.0138 Residential 49.61% 1.0079 Personal Property 50.00% 1.0000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Doug Peck, Supervisor Hope Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Hope Township Hope Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Hope Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Hope Township by writing or calling. Hope Township Clerk 5463 M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-648-2464 179334 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW The Board of Review will meet on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 1:00 pm in the office of the Assessor at Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058 to organize and review the Assessment Roll. NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING to hear Assessment APPEALS will be held at the RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP HALL, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan on: MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022 TK earns 7 spots at the State Finals Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer Thomapple Kellogg sent ten wrestlers to the Michigan High School Athletic Associ­ ation Regional Tournament at Allendale Saturday and seven of those wrestlers earned spots in the Division 2 Individual State Finals at Ford Field. The Trojans had three individual cham­ pions for the day in seniors Hunter Pitsch (119 pounds), Ashton Corson (125 pounds) and Matthew Middleton (152 pounds) and Kyron Zoet, Jackson Curtis, Zach Gibson and Austin Chivis also qualified for the finals with top four finishes. Pitsch made his run for the regional finals with a 17-6 major decision over Jacob Chase from Hamilton, and then a pin at the end of the second period over Easton Lyons of Lowell. In the finals, Pitsch won on an injury default over Fruitport’s Roan Cooper. This will be PItsch’s second appearance at the state tournament. At 125 pounds, Corson who is a two­ time state placer, started his day with a first-period pin over Jake Wiersma from Coopersville, and then an 8-2 decision over Nolan Larson from Sparta. In the finals, Corson won a 5-1 decision over freshman Owen Segorski from Lowell. Matthew Middleton, 152 pounds, and another senior for TK, was the other Regional Champion for the Trojans. Mid­ dleton had a technical fall 16-0 over Jacob Kaylor from Hamilton in round one, before winning a 13-1 major decision over Kyan Larson of Sparta in the semi-finals. Middleton made light work out of his championship match with another major decision, 10-2, over Martin Landes of Zeeland East. Gibson, a junior at TK and a two-time state placer, ended the day with a second place finish at 135 pounds. Gibson started the day with a 6-0 decision of Jake Jonker from Kenowa Hills, before winning a close 4-2 decision in the semi-finals over Hilton Rood from Allendale. Gibson was up 2-1 after the second period, and the match was tied up after Rood scored a penalty point 50 seconds into the third period, but with 10 seconds remaining, Gibson scored a reversal to win the match and advance to the finals. In the finals, Gibson faced James Link from Lowell in another tight match. The score remained 0-0 after the second period, before Link scored and escape and a takedown to win a 3-0 deci­ sion over Gibson. The other Trojan wrestling in the finals at regionals and taking second place and earning his first ticket to state was Chivis. Chivis won a 13-0 major decision over Cristian Castro from Holland in round one, to move to the semi-finals where he had a 7-3 decision over Wyatt Jenkins from Whitehall to earn him a spot in the finals. Chivis would have a rematch of the district finals match against Robby Slaughter of Hastings, with Slaughter taking a 9-5 deci­ sion. Zoet placed third for the day at his weight class for TK. Zoet, at 130 pounds, is a returning state placer. Zoet won his first match of the day before dropping a 4-3 decision in the semi-finals against Har­ ris Meekhof of Allendale. Zoet then came back in the consolation blood round with a technical-fall 18-2 before winning the con­ solation finals for third place with a 7-2 decision over Riley Buys of Whitehall. Curtis a junior for TK at 145 pounds earned his first ticket to state with a fourth place finish. Curtis had a quick 32 second pin in the first round before losing in the semi-finals. In the blood round, Curtis pulled off a 14-2 major decision over Hast­ ings’ Mason Denton to move into the con­ solation finals, where Curtis had a close 4-2 loss against Lowell’s Nate Cleaver. Other regional qualifiers for TK, Chris­ tien Miller at 103 pounds and Andrew Middleton at 135 pounds, finished the day 0-2. Tyler Bushman at 125 pounds, had one win for the day, a 10-3 decision over Holly’s, Israel Castro. 176060 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm 9:00 am to NOON & 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Also, any other days deemed necessary to equalize the Assessment Roll. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT RATIOS & FACTORS FOR 2022 CLASS RATIO MULTIPLIER Agriculture 45.62 1.0960 Commercial 47.98 1.0421 Industrial 52.78 0.9473 Residential 46.29 1.0801 Developmental 50.00 1.0000 Personal 50.00 1.0000 The above ratios and multipliers do not mean that every parcel will receive the same. If you have purchased property, it will be assessed at 50% of market value. If you have improved your property such as additions, new buildings, driveways, etc., this will also reflect in the value of your property. Upon reguest of any person who is assessed on said roll, or his agent, and upon sufficient cause being shown, the Board of Review will correct the assessment of such property and will, in their judgment, make the valuation thereof relatively just and equal. Dennis McKelvey, Assessor RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2461 Heath Rd Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2194 Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the I i Rutland Charter Township Clerk by writing or calling the Township. This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41,72a (2)(3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). i �Page 12 —Thursday, February 24, 2022 —The Hastings Banner > E'/"' M I . . -* . ' ,- Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: November 30, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $172,839.14 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 17, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1454590 (02-17)(03-10) IV/'V'T'T Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given undr section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 24,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Amanda Doane and Michael Doane, Wife and Husband Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): MIDFIRST BANK Date of Mortgage: June 27, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 1, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $177,150.55 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 7, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, described as commencing at the point of intersection of the East boundary line of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 7, and the centerline of Sission Road, thence running Westerly along the centerline of Sission Road 304 feet to the point of beginning, thence Northerly at right angle to Sission Road 300 feet, thence Westerly at right angles 330 feet parallel with the centerline of Sission Road, thence Southerly 300 feet at the right angles to the centerline of Sission Road, thence Easterly along the centerline of Sission Road 330 feet to the point of beginning, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 850 W Sisson Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9772 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 24, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-25154 1455808 (02-24)(03-17) 175804 . ’ - NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Atten­ tion homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to -the-hkjhest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan start­ ing promptly at 1:00 pm on Thursday March 17,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insur­ ance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Sheryl Cook, an unmarried woman, as Mortgagor, to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, a Michigan corporation, with its address at 900 East Paris Avenue, SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, as Mortgagee, dated September 20, 2005 and recorded on September 29, 2005, Document No. 1153580, Barry County Records, Barry County, Mich­ igan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $69,051.05 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mort­ gage, or any part of the Mortgage. TAKE NOTICE that on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 1:00 p.m., local time, or any adjourned date thereafter, the Mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale at public auction to the highest bidder, at the Barry County Courthouse in Hastings, Michigan. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt se­ cured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 6.125% percent per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorneys fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mort­ gagee to protect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Yankee Springs Township, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: LOT 9 VALLEY PARK SHORES ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 4 OF PLATS, PAGE 24, YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. PP#: 08-16-225-020-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12925 Valley Dr., Wayland, Michigan 49348 The redemption period shall be one year from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(12), unless deemed aban­ doned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241 a. Mortgagors will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage fore­ closure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. February 7, 2022 UNITED BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION PLUN­ KETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175662 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO. 21-682-CH Court Address: 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No. (269) 948-4814 Plaintiff U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for Manufactured Housing Contract Senior/Subordinate Pass-Through Certificate Trust 2000-5, by its servicer New Rez, LLC Plaintiff's Attorney Trott Law, P.C. - Joshua Chomet (P81569) 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Ste. 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 248-341 -4634 v Ronald Hermenitt, II 11224 Ronald Ln, Delton, Ml 49046 THE COURT FINDS: 1. Service of process upon the defendant, Ronald Hermenitt, II, can­ not reasonably be made as provided in MCR2.105 may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be herd. IT IS ORDERED: 2. Service of the summons and complaint and a copy of this order shall be made by the following method(s). d. Other. Publication in the Legal News for the County of Barry for three consecutive weeks. For each method used, proof of service must be filed promptly with the court. Date: Feb. 1,2022 Judge Vicky L. Alspaugh P42872 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. No­ tice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is giv­ en under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan starting promptly at 1:00 pm on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Justin Stuive and Amy Hawke, a single man and a single woman, as Mortgagors to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, dated May 29, 2009, and recorded on June 4, 2009, in Document No. 200906040005899, Barry County Records, Barry County, Michigan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $96,351.54 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mortgage, or any part of the Mortgage. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt secured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 5.0% per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mortgagee to pro­ tect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Barry County, Michigan described more fully as: LOT 13 OF PLEASANT VALLEY ESTATES, YAN­ KEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THERE­ OF RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 13 OF BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Tax ID No. 08-16-270-013-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12944 Valley Drive, Wayland, Ml, 49348 The redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(8), unless deemed abandoned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241a. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. February 8, 2022 UNITED BANK OF MICHIGAN, Mortgagee PLUNKETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175661 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29097-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Joyce A. Dilworth. Date of birth: 3-11-1934. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joyce A. Dilworth, died 12-17-2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Johannah Hubbert, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 2-15-2022 Shane A. Henry P82054 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-3512 Johanna Hubbert 1111 E. M-79 Hwy.m Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-2955 176247 Financial FOCUS FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service mem­ ber on active duty, if your period of active duty has con­ cluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertise­ ment. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, March 3, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county regis­ ter of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Jay Dee Miller and Penny Jo Miller, husband and wife to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as a nominee for Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp., Mortgagee, dated January 26, 2009, and recorded on February 5, 2009, as Doc­ ument Number: 20090205-0001066, Barry County Re­ cords, said mortgage was assigned to BankUnited N.A. by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submit­ ted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Two Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Two and 52/100 ($102,272.52) including inter­ est at the rate of 4.25000% per annum. Said premis­ es are situated in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: The part of the west fractional half of the northwest fractional quarter of section 19, town 2 north, range 10 west, Orangeville Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as com­ mencing at northwest corner of said section; thence south 00 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds east 330.00 feet along the west line of said section to place of begin­ ning; thence south 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds east 1165.13 feet parallel with the north line of said northwest quarter; thence south 00 degrees 26 minutes 06 seconds east 375.01 feet along the east line of said west half, northwest quarter, thence north 89 degrees 54 minutes 25 seconds west 1166.22 feet; thence north 00 degrees 16 minutes 07 seconds west 375.00 feet along the west line of said section to the place of be­ ginning. Commonly known as: 7077 BOYSEN ROAD, SHELBYVILLE, Ml 49344 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241 a, the redemption peri­ od will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is pre­ sumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property-is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: February 3, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for BankUnited N.A. 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 483.®, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00$m. Case No. 17MI00795-12 (02-03)(02-24) 175335 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 10, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Nicholas Haskins, single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Reg­ istration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Date of Mortgage: December 20, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 23, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $144,899.60 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 330.00 feet of the East 1/2 of the East 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 14, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 3491 E M 43 Hwy, Hastings, Ml 49058-7723 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 3, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1453788 (02-03) (02-24) 175391 Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Estate plans let you control your legacy When you hear “estate planning,” what do you think of? For many people, these words evoke images of immense wealth. But estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy — it’s for everyone. And it’s about more than preserving wealth - it’s about putting you in control of your own legacy. But how can you achieve this worthy goal? You can start by identifying your estate planning objectives. Here are some of the most common ones: •Controlling movement of assets to beneficiaries - During and after your lifetime, you will want to ensure your loved ones receive what you want them to have, and when. Through documents such as a will and a living trust, and techniques involving life insurance and using proper beneficiary designations, you - not the courts - will control the movement of your assets to the desired recipients. • Naming someone to make decisions for you if you become incapacitated - Naturally, you hope to stay in good physical and mental shape throughout your life and remain capable of making your own financial and health care decisions. But the future is not ours to see, so, to protect your interests and those of your loved ones, you may want to consider creating arrangements such as a power of attorney, health care directive and a living will. In this way, you’ll still be able to control the key choices that may lie ahead. • Providing for minor children or dependents - If you have young children or other dependents, you’ll want to be sure they’ll be looked after if you aren’t around. In your estate plans, you can name a guardian for them. You can also use various estate planning tools, such as life insurance, beneficiary designations and the establishment of a trust to provide the necessary financial resources for your loved ones. •Supporting organizations something behind for your family is obviously an enormous part of your legacy - but it may also be important to you to provide support for charitable groups whose work you’ve admired. Of course, you can contribute to these organizations while you’re alive, but through strategies such as donor-advised funds and charitable remainder trusts, you can include these groups in your estate plans. • Managing taxes efficiently - If you’re likely to have a STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY - 5th CIRCUIT COURT ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE LONNIE D. JEWELL and LORI A. JEWELL, and MICHAEL FINCH and DEBRA FINCH, Case No. 2021-478-CZ HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Plaintiffs v. BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION; TOWNSHIP OF BARRY; DIRECTOR OF DEPT OF ENERGY, LABOR & ECON GROWTH; BARRY COUNTY DRAIN COMM’R, HAROLDINE BARLEY, MICHELLE A DILJAK, MICHAEL J DOOLEY, MIKE DOOLEY, TRUDIE DOOLEY, GARY ENGLEHARDT, DEBORAH ENGLEHARDT, JACK GRIFFIN, CYNTHIA HAYWARD, CYNTHIA G HAYWARD TRUST, DANIEL JOHNSON, SARAH JOHNSON, JAMES MCBAIN, OVIE PINKS, MICHAEL RUDNICKI, CYNTHIA RUDNICKI, ROBERT SCHULTZ, KELLY SCHULTZ, THOMAS WALKER, and BRETT E WOUDENBERG, . Defendants. Jason N. Machnik (P77704) Herbert Machnik Law Firm Attorney for Plaintiffs 6281 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 (269) 459-1432 Allan C. Vander Laan (P33893) Kristen L. Rewa (P73403) Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho Attorneys for Barry County Drain Commissioner 2851 Charlevoix Dr., S.E. - Suite 327 Grand Rapids, Ml 49546 (616) 975-7470 ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE At a session of said Court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, on the 5th day of January, 2022. PRESENT: Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh After reviewing Defendants’ Motion for Alternate Service, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, The court finds, pursuant to MCR 2.105(1) that service of process by publication is the best available method of service of process reasonably calculated to give Defendants actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Plaintiffs may serve process on all Defendants by publishing the following notice in a Barry County newspaper, as defined by MCR 2.106(F), for three (3) consecutive weeks: “An action seeking to quiet title to a roadway dedicated as Portage Ave in Crooked Lake Summer Resort according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 52 in Plaintiffs Lonnie Jewell, Lori Jewell, Michael Finch and Debra Finch has been commenced against the Barry County Road Commission; Township of Barry; Director of Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth; Barry County Drain Commissioner; Haroldine Barley, Michelle A. Diljak, Michael J. Dooley, Mike Dooley, Trudie Dooley, Gary Englehardt, Deborah Englehardt, Jack Griffin, Cynthia Hayward, Cynthia G. Hayward Trust, Daniel Johnson, Sarah Johnson, James Mcbain, Ovie Pinks, Michael Rudnicki, Cynthia Rudnicki, Robert Schultz, Kelly Schultz, Thomas Walker, and Brett E. Woudenberg in Barry County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan. Defendants must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days after the last date of publication of this notice. If a Defendant does not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment affecting Defendants’ interests may be entered, as requested in the complaint.” Dated: January 5, 2022 Signed: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh charitable - Leaving 179336 large estate, your heirs may need to be concerned with income and estate taxes. To help control these taxes, you can take a number of steps, such as making outright gifts to your family during your lifetime, establishing an irrevocable life insurance trust, creating a family limited partnership and making charitable donations. All the estate-planning strategies and techniques mentioned here can be complex - so, to implement them, you ’ll need to work with an estate planning attorney and a tax professional. You may also want to include your financial advisor, who can help ensure your estate planning objectives align with your important financial goals, such as living comfortably in retirement and providing for your children’s or grandchildren’s education. By identifying your objectives and working with your professional team, you can create an effective estate plan - and help yourself maintain control of your legacy. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ dicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a; sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of, them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder7, for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding; the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the con­ ditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Dale Desgranges II, whose address is 4046 Farrel Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, acting solely as a nominee for Car­ rington Mortgage Services, LLC., being a mortgage dated October 27, 2020, and recorded on Novem­ ber 16, 2020 in Document No. 2020-012711, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then as­ signed to BankUnited N.A., as assignee as docu­ mented by an assignment dated January 25, 2022 and recorded on January 31, 2022 in Document No. 2022-001330, Barry County Records, Michi­ gan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of THREE HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS AND 20/100 ($302,700.20). Said premises are sit­ uated in the County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Land Situated in the State of Michigan, County of Barry, Township of Carlton. That part of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 27, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of said Section; thence North 89 degrees 57 minutes 59 seconds West 195.00 feet along the North line of said Northeast 1/4 to the place of beginning; thence North 89 degrees 57 min­ utes 59 seconds West 225.00 feet along said North line; thence South 00 degrees 02 minutes 01 sec­ onds West 384.00 feet; thence South 89 degrees 57 minutes 59 seconds East 225.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 02 minutes 01 seconds East 384.00 feet to the place of beginning.. Street Address: 4046 Far­ rel Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in ac­ cordance with MCLA § 600.3241 a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COL­ LECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWN­ ER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO AC­ TIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORT­ GAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: February 10, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blum­ berg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4257 (02-10) (03-03) 175601 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — Page 13 Group of four Saxon girls on all-league bowling team Local trio returning to the State Finals in Division 4 The Hastings varsity boys’ and girls’ bowling teams competed at JAX 60 in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Tournament Saturday. Shyanna Baker, Abby Barton, Andrea Rhodes and Ally Herder from the Hastings varsity girls’ bowling team earned all-con­ ference honors for top ten finishes. Baker placed sixth, Barton eighth, Rhodes ninth and Herder tenth. Teammate Amber Rabideau was named honorable mention all-confer­ ence thanks to a 14th-place finish. Drew Rhodes from the Hastings boys’ team also earned an honorable mention all conference nod thanks to his 12th-place finish. The Hastings boys team also had Miles Lipsey 18th, Gage Richmond 23rd, Cam Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg’s Caden Ferris contin­ ues his quest for an undefeated season and a second straight state title at Ford Field the weekend of March 4-5. Maple Valley senior Matthew Slaght and Delton Kellogg junior Gage Vincent are going back to the state finals too. Ferris won the 215-pound weight class at the MHSAA Division 3 Individ­ ual Regional Tournament hosted by Schoolcraft High School Saturday. It’ll be Ferris’ first time back to Ford Field since his freshman year. He did not get to compete in the 2019 State Finals and in 2020 the event was moved to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Slaght and Vincent were also state qualifiers a year ago in Division 4. Slaght placed fourth at the finals as a junior. Slaght and Vincent met up in the 119pound regional semifinals Saturday, with Slaght scoring a 10-0 major decision. Vincent then had to score a win over Hart­ ford’s Alex Saldana in the blood round, which he did by pin 2:09 into their match, to secure his spot in the state finals. Vincent was bested by Bangor’s Jona­ than Nieva in the 119-pound consolation final. In the 119-pound championship final, Slaght scored a 6-3 win over Perry Lake from Bronson to win his title. Slaght started his regional run with a 13-1 quar­ terfinal win over Schoolcraft’s Calib Lipscomb. Delton Kellogg had three guys wres­ tling Saturday. Gauge Stampfler won his opening round match 11-1 over Eau Claire’s Angel Guzman-Valle, but then was bested 12-5 by Springport’s David Becker in the semifinals and suffered a tough 4-2 loss to Reading’s Hunter Dewey in the blood round, the consola­ tion semifinals. Ferris pinned all three of his regional opponents including Union City’s Grady Lobe 2:48 into their championship match. He opened the day by pinning Lawrence’s Conner Tangeman in 39 sec­ onds and then stuck White Pigeon’s Seth Miller 2:35 into their semifinal bout at 215 pounds. . >. ^q-raac Ferris is now 45-0 on the season. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-29001-DE Estate of Joyce M. Domire. Date of birth: 03/11/1951. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joyce M. Domire, died 01/17/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims ■against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Terri L. VanderKooi, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. ■ Date: 02/16/2022 Sara B. Morey P83985 607 N. Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 945-3495 Terri L. VanderKooi 1000 Arlington Court Middleville, Michigan 49333 (616)299-5307 NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number: SP-1-2022 - Michigan Materi­ als & Aggregate Co. (Property Owner) Location: Miller Road, Delton, in Section 25 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to op­ erate a mine for sand and gravel pursuant to Article 23, Section 2351 in the RR (Rural Residential) zon­ ing district. MEETING DATE:March 14, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM. PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at imcmanus@barrycounty.org. The special use application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS 176164 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL CUPOLA REPAIR Delton Kellogg's Josie Williams (20) makes a strong move in the paint over Ram senior Taylor Provost (44) during their SAC Valley bailgame in Delton Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Delton Kellogg's Jordan Lyons (21) breaks through the full-court press of the Ram defense in the third quarter of Friday’s contest. (Photo by Perry Hardin) DK girls shoot just 11 percent in loss The Panthers have had shooting woes throughout the season, but they were really rough Friday night. Delton Kellogg fell 28-16 to visiting Galesburg-Augusta while shooting just 11 percent from the floor. “We took some great shots, but they just didn’t fall,” Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ bas­ ketball coach Mike Mohn said. The Panthers were within nine points in the fourth quarter after a three-pointer, but missed four shots on its next four possessions from within six feet of the basket. Coach Mohn was once again pleased with his girls’ defensive effort. Jordan Lyons led DK with six points. Cait­ lin McManus added six rebounds. DK will host Fennville tonight, Feb. 24, for Senior Night. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accept­ ing bids on the repair of the cupola at the Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. Items to be included; • Repair and refurbish the existing cupola. • Reposition cupola on the roof (crane may be required). • Bid packets available at the Township Office. All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids sub­ mitted that do not meet the boards approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 NOTICE TO BIDDERS 176257 BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 11:00 A.M. February 28, 2022 for the following items. Banner CLASSIFIEDS Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc.org. CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 ' . • •: > ■ ' ■ ■ ■ • ' - - ' • ■ . • - ■ GENERAL LABORER: JOB LAB PUPPIES- VERY playful, on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. Some furniture. No smoking. Includes internet. $1275/mo. (electric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). Or purchase for $395,000.269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health in­ surance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vi­ sion insurance. Apply in per­ son to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. BAND SAW FILER: Duties include sharpening and re­ pairing band head rig saws, band resaws, carbide tipped circle saws, chipper knives and dressing guide blocks. This is a full time, permanent position. Benefits include health, dental, vision and life insurance, 401K with company match, vacation and holiday time along with a competitive wage. Please send resumes to info@qualityhardwoodsinc.com or apply in person at 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. 1st shots and wormed. $400.00, 517-852-4881. Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. Crack Seal Blocks Scraper Blades Dust Control Pavement Markings ' 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 176245 Eaton 34th and Jackson Byers 37th. The Saxons have one last conference dual this afternoon, Feb. 24, back at JAX 60 against Lumen Christi before taking part in a MHSAA Division 2 Regional at Spectrum Lanes Friday and Saturday. The Hastings bowlers took on Pennfield at M66 Bowl Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers took an 18-12 win in the boys’ dual and a 24-6 win over the Hastings girls. Eaton won a big team-point for the Hast­ ings boys with a 204. Richmond had games of 176 and 210 and Drew Rhodes took a point with a 196 game. High games for the Hastings girls includ­ ed a 185 from Andrea Rhodes, a 163 from Abby Barton, a 154 from Baker and a 132 from Heaven Simmet. Culverts Bituminous Mixtures Asphalt Paving Liquid Asphalt The Board reserves the rightto reject any or alLproposals or to waive irregularities., in the best interest of the Commission. BOARDOFCOUNTYROADCOMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY Chairman David D. Solmes Frank M. Fiala Member D. David Dykstra Member GOLDEN DOODLE PUP­ PIES- Fluffy, very playful!. 1st shots and wormed. $500.00. 269-223-9194. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Keep your friends and relatives informed and up to date with all the local news from Barry County. Send them... The Hastings BANNER NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS 176162 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY EXPANSION PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accepting bids on the expansion 2 14 acres of the Rutland Charter Township Cemetery on M-37 Hwy. Items to be included; • Cutting down and removal of trees, tree stumps, and brush • Excavating and blading down of the area • Approximately 2.5 acre parcel • Map of the area in question and bid packets available at the Township Office. All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids submitted that do not meet the boards approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 To subscribe, call us at 269-945-9554 NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS FOR 176166 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL LANDSCAPING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accept­ ing bids on landscaping, clean-up, and maintenance of the grounds at the Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. Items to be included; • Removal and replacing of existing landscaping and metal edging. • Approximately 800 sq. ft. of landscaping area. • Types of foliage and trees to be planted are included in the bid packet and need to be approved by the township. • Bid should also include a yearly maintenance contract for the land­ scaping. • Bid packets available at the Township Office. All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS 176168 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL ROOF REPAIR PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accept­ ing bids on roof repair of the Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. Items to be included; • • • • Removal and replacement of all drip edge, shingles (30 -50 year war­ ranty), and underlayment. Color to be selected by the Township. Collect, remove, and dispose of all old roofing material and debris. Remove existing cupola (crane may be required), patch and shingle cupola area. Bid packets available at the Township Office. All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids sub­ mitted that do not meet the board’s approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids sub­ mitted that do not meet the boards approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 14 — Thursday, February 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Saxons better in second go-round Brett Bremer Sports Editor Gaining a bit of varsity experience has helped Hastings out quite a bit on the score­ board this winter, even if it isn’t translating into a bunch of wins yet. Following a Feb. 11 win at Jackson Lumen Christi, the Saxons’ first Interstate-8 Athletic Conference victory of the season, the Hast­ ings varsity boys’ basketball team has dropped consecutive conference contests with Harper Creek, Parma Western and Jack­ son Northwest. Harper Creek stretched its lead a bit late to score a 12-point win over the Saxons Feb. 15, Parma Western took a 54-46 win over the Hastings boys last Friday (Feb. 18) and Jackson Northwest bested the Saxons 63-56 Tuesday night at Hastings High School. Harper Creek and Northwest beat the Hast­ ings boys by more than 40 points in their first match-ups this season. “We had some kids in the Lumen Christi game screaming at other players and demand­ ing of them, ‘this is what we do,” Hastings head coach Rich Long said after his team’s home loss to Parma Western Friday. “They’re friends. They’re a good group of kids. So, it went well. It was received. We all know about peer pressure. If it is from kids it goes better. If the coach is yelling, it is just the coach The Saxons' Braden Vertalka works to keep Cole Wilcox near mid-court during the Panthers' Interstate-8 Athletic Conference win at Hastings High School Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING SCHEDULE THE ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF REVIEW will be held at the Orangeville Township Hall, 7350 Lindsey Rd. Plainwell Mi. 49080 on the following dates. Tuesday March 8, Organizational Meeting - 4:00 pm Monday, March 14, Appeal Hearing - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon & 1:00pm to 4:00 pm Tuesday March 15, Appeal Hearing - 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, & 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm The Board of Review will meet as many more days as deemed necessary to hear questions, protests and to equalize the 2022 assessments. By Board resolution, residents are able to protest by letter, provided protest letter is received by March 14 - 12:00 noon. Written protests should be mailed to; BOARD OF REVIEW 7350 LINDSEY RD. PLAINWELL Ml. 49080 The tentative ratios and the estimated multipliers for each class of real property and personal property are as follows; 0.94197 Agricultural 53.08% 0.99542 Commercial 50.23% Industrial 1.05263 47.50% Residential 1.04037 48.06% Personal 1.0000 50.00 % (ADA) Americans with Disabilities Notice Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk at least seven (7) days in advance of hearing. This notice posted in Compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a (2)(3) and with the Americans with Disabilities Act Contacts - Clerk - Mel Risner: 269-664-4522 Supervisor- Thomas Rook: 616-299-6019 i75598 Hope Township Notice of Public Hearing and Planning Commission Meeting to Consider Adoption of an Amendment to the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance TO: THE RESIDENTSAND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Hope Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and meeting on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hope Township Hall, 5463 S M-43 Hwy, within the Township. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments from the public on the adop­ tion of an amendment to the zoning ordinance pertaining to temporary residential uses and recreational vehicles. If adopted, the amendment would enable the zoning administrator to issue zoning compliance permits for the temporary use of recreational vehicles and travel trailers for seasonal dwelling purposes if certain conditions are met. The amendment would expand Section 10.25 and create a new subsection pertaining to recreational vehicles or units and travel trailers. A copy of the zoning ordinance and the proposed amendment is available for review at the Hope Township Office during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through noon and 1:15 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. Written com­ ments will be received from any interested persons by the Hope Township Clerk at the Township Hall at any time during regular business hours up to the date of the hearing and may be further received by the Planning Commission at the hearing. Oral comments will be taken at the meeting. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place. This notice is posted in compliance with PA267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION 5463 S M-43 Hwy Hastings, Michigan 49058 176008 (269) 948-2464 yelling. A lot of things are improving for us. We are still young and we still have to work hard at getting wins, but it is more fun that getting beat by 40.” The Saxons and Parma Western Panthers had a competitive bailgame for the second time this season Friday. Hastings led 30-28 at the half after holding a lead of as many as eight points. Western went on a 13-3 run at the start of the fourth quarter which proved to be the difference in the end. “They upped the pressure,” coach Long said. “They made adjustments at the half on their trap. In the first half, our five, Hayden [Long], was distributing the ball. I think he had assists on our first ten buckets it seemed like. At the half they said, no more middle. Don’t let him throw the ball to the middle. They were making him catch it much higher, instead of at the free throw line.” Both teams struggled to score in the third quarter, with Parma Western outscoring the Saxons 8-6 to go into the fourth quarter tied 26-26. A Saxon turnover in the opening sec­ onds of the fourth led to a bucket by the Pan­ thers’ Cooper Johnston, which started the Panthers on their run. The surge was helped by a few missed threes by the Saxons - one that went in and out by Braden Vertalka and one that went in by Myles Padilla but was wiped away by a traveling call as he spotted up. Padilla, a junior guard, had a pretty solid night offensively, leading the Saxons with 18 points. He had 13 in the first half, and coach Long said he likes how Padilla is becoming stronger and more decisive with the basket­ ball around the basket. Hastings also got ten points from junior forward Layton Eastman and nine from soph­ omore point guard Owen Carroll who coach Long has seen tremendous growth from this season calling him one of the most intelligent players he has ever coached. Johnston led the Panthers with 20 points and teammate Cole Wilcox added 11 and Owen Fremeau nine. “It is a little more fun to come to practice [when games are competitive],” coach Long said Friday. “Kids were seeing the improve- Hastings junior guard Myles Padilla flips a shot up over Parma Western's Caden Oliver during the first half of their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference match-up at Hastings High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ment and seeing things getting done. Tonight, we had a couple steals where our defense worked, where we fired to a guy driving and they tried to pass it across and we got those steals. All of a sudden they start seeing prac­ tice equating to game speed. We’re playing at game speed. Our youth is growing and matur­ ing and I think that is where we are starting to look better.” In the loss to visiting Northwest Tues­ day, Hastings getting 12 points from senior guard Joey McLean and ten each from Hayden Long and Padilla. Hastings is now 2-16 overall this sea­ son. The Saxons close the regular season with ballgames at Pennfield Friday (Feb. 25) and at home against Wellspring Prep March 3. Delton Kellogg boys snap skid with win over Rams Brett Bremer Sports Editor Leads were hard to hold in the second half Friday night and that turned out okay for the Pan­ thers. Delton Kellogg’s varsity boys’ basketball team held visit­ ing Galesburg-Augusta score­ less over the final 2:54 of their Southwestern Athletic Confer­ ence Valley Division ballgame Feb. 18 and pulled out a 45-41 win. G-A took a 41-38 lead with just under three minutes to play, after Delton Kellogg had led by seven points late in the third quarter, and the Rams still held a 41-29 advantage with 67 sec­ onds to play when Panther guard Alden Whitmore buried a three-pointer to put his team in front. The Panthers made a few free throws down the stretch and got some good work on the boards by center Alex Whitmore to seal the win. Alex had a team-high 14 points on the night and Alden finished with ten. DK also got nine points from Austin Hill. “I can’t say enough about senior Austin Hill,” DK head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “He is a young man that doesn’t always play a lot. Tonight he had eight points int eh first half, all in the secnod quarter, includ­ ing two threes. He had some huge defensive pressure and came up with the steal late in the game and made a free throw to put us up four. It is no teasy to o, to keep that positive atti­ tude when you’re not playing a bunch. Dso happy for him. He was the absolute key to our victory. “I am proud of my guys who continue to work hard in prac­ tice in spite of the lengthy los­ ing sreak. We’re hoping to fin­ ish out the season strong.” DK had dropped its six previ­ ous ballgames. The win moves Delton Kellogg to 5-13 overall this season and 2-10 in the SAC Valley. Galesburg-Augusta is now 7-10 overall and 2-9 in the conference. Jalen Dolph led the Rams with 11 points in the loss. Hogoboom said there was lit­ tle offensive flow for either team all evening. Delton Kellogg goes to Sau­ gatuck Friday night and then will close the season March 1 at home against Maple Valley. Delton Kellogg guard Panther Alden Whitmore (23) pene­ trates past Galesburg-Augusta's Bo Brady (24) in the second half of Friday’s contest at Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority County of Barry, Michigan NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING on Proposed 2022 - 2023 Budget Public Notice is hereby given that the Commission of the Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority will conduct a public hearing on the Authority’s proposed budget for the Authority’s 2022 - 2023 fiscal year on March 15, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority Office, 11191 S. M-43 Hwy., Delton, Michigan 49046. A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at the office of the Authority located at 11191 South M-43 Highway, Delton, Michigan 49046 during regular authority business hours. In addition to other business which may properly come before the meeting, the Commission will consider any comments made by the public at the public hearing on the Authority’s budget and further, will consider whether to adopt, and may adopt, the annual Authority budget for the 2022 - 2023 fiscal year. If adopted, the budget may be adopted in the form in which originally presented, or in such amended form as the Commission in its discretion may determine. All interested persons may attend the public hearing. Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority Delton Kellogg's Jason Lundquist (32) shoots a free throw late in the game against Galesburg-Augusta Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-03-03.pdf c5edd2ec9447cdf2d06841b84a061795 PDF Text Text Hastings Public Library 227 E State Street Hastings Ml 49058 Daniels Funeral Home expands to Hastings The imperative is clear: Find wavs to prevent war Saxons and Trojans will fill lanes at D2 Bowling Finals See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 H 1070490102590503344449058195427 * „,.***«**********CAR-RT LOr*'C 003 c Hastings Public Library 227 E State St Hastings Wil 49058-1954 1____ Thursday, March 3, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 9 PRICE $1.00 Does it have a fence around it? NEWS BRIEFS Local businesses may apply for relief Owners of small businesses in Barry County that have been harmed by the pandemic may apply until March 31 for help through a statewide afflicted busi­ ness relief program. The state Legislature approved a bipartisan plan in December 2021 to create a $409 million relief program for businesses that have struggled the most because of the pandemic. A business’s property taxes, unemployment insur­ ance taxes, license and inspection fees, and decline in sales will factor into the grant amount. “Small businesses like gyms, hair salons and coffee shops have struggled since they were forced to shut down for months during the pandemic,” state Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, said. “We created this program to help local busi­ nesses get back on their feet and make up for some of the fees and taxes they still had to pay while they weren’t allowed to operate.” Go to michigan.gov/abr to learn more and apply. jMNMNMMi Host a mobile vaccine clinic The Barry-Eaton District Health Department is seeking organizations that would like to host a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Clinics can be set up during or after business hours and would be staffed by the health department. Health department officials say mobile clinics make it convenient for folks to decide to get vaccinated, talk to a nurse about vaccination, or make sure they are up to date on their booster dose. Anyone 12 and older is eligible for a booster dose (five months after initial series of Modema or Pfizer or two months after an initial dose of Johnson & Johnson). Kaylynne Miesen at kmiesen@ bedhd.org is the contact to get more information about hosting a mobile vaccination clinic. Free KN-95 masks available Free KN95 masks are still available for pick-up on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last at both Bar­ ry-Eaton District Health Department offices in Hastings and Charlotte during regular business hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Offices are closed from noon to 1 p.m.) One package of 10 masks per household, please. Check the health department website for details on how to wear and handle the Kn95 masks. Firefighters on a ladder at roof level of the Buskirk Lumber building examine the damage caused by the blaze. (Photo by James Gemmell.) Four departments fight Buskirk Lumber fire Quick response contains Eieeport blaze James Gemmell Contributing Writer A passer-by noticed flames and heavy smoke coming from the roof of Buskirk Lum­ ber in Freeport shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday and called 911. Quick response from firefighters kept the blaze from spreading at the lumber and saw­ mill company at 319 Oak St., said Freeport Rural Fire Association Chief Jim Yarger, who was at the scene that night. In fact, portions of Buskirk Lumber were back in operation Monday morning. Travis Kamps, a facility manager for the company, said they are still purchasing timber, actively logging and trucking logs. But it could take a month or more for the sawmill to be back at full capacity, Kamps said. No one was injured. Firefighters from Freeport, Clarksville, Hastings and Woodland Township all responded with automatic mutual aid, as well as Thomapple Township Emergency Services Ambulance. Yarger said the fire was knocked down within 30 to 40 minutes after the first fire­ fighters arrived at the scene. A Freeport Fire press release noted that the blaze may have been electrical in origin, but that an investiga­ tion was continuing through the week. Yarger said the fire may have started in the attic of the one-story machinery-storage building. “It appears that way. It was coming out of a ventilation unit when I got here.” See AROUND IT, page 2 Water main problems plague city Benjamin Simon Staff Writer A labyrinth of water main pipes lie under­ neath the city of Hastings. They stretch for miles and no one can see them. But this world, 5 feet beneath the streets, covered in sand and soil, transporting water from the city to home, is causing a slew of problems. The pipes are breaking at an abnormally high rate, threatening to flood streets and chewing a hole in the city budget. “It is unusual for a water system our size to have as many water breaks as we have. I can’t believe it, really,” City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said. GFWC-Hastings to meet Friday The GFWC-Hastings Women’s Club will meet Friday, March 4, at the Com­ mission on Aging, 320 W. Woodlawn Ave., Hastings. The featured speaker will be Allison Troyer Wiswell, Barry County Activate director, whose topic will be on Blue Zone communities. March also is Wom­ en’s History Month, and printed infor­ mation will be provided by Terry Trupiano Barry, club historian and Women’s History and Resource chairwoman. This meeting will begin earlier than normal, with arrival time at 11:30, and the meeting starting at 11:45 a.m. Club President Kathy LaVictor may be reached by calling 269-945-0745 for more information or reservations. Responding firefighters indicated that flames appeared to be coming from one of the DC motor drives, or power modules, he added. “There are two or three saws in that build­ ing. So, there’s some lumber on the chains, but all the lumber is stacked out back in another building,” he said, adding, “I just appreciate everybody that came and helped us.” Firefighters were still at the scene late in the night putting out hot spots. About 15,000 gallons of water were used to suppress the fire, according to a Freeport Fire news release. Yarger said Buskirk mills hardwood and makes veneer and cants for wooden pallets. Rebecca Pierce Editor In a rare executive session, the Barry County Board of Commissioners went behind closed doors during Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting “to consider the purchase of real property.” Commissioners returned to their cham­ bers on the mezzanine after about 30 min­ utes behind closed doors in the circuit court­ room and unanimously approved minutes taken by Clerk Pamela Palmer during the closed session. The contents of the minutes were not made public, nor had that executive session been on the agenda at the start of the session. It was added by a unanimous voice vote after Tues­ day’s meeting began. The last time commissioners met in exec­ utive session was Oct. 12, 2021, according to Clerk Pamela Palmer. The reason for that closed session was to review communica­ tions sent under attomey/client privilege regarding the county continuing as part of the Barry-Eaton District Health Depart­ ment. ----- . ■ a As far as property negotiations, the last time commissioners went behind closed doors was Sept. 15, 2020, “to consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to purchase or lease that prop­ erty is obtained.” The board returned after 29 minutes and unanimously approved minutes taken by Palmer during the closed session at the Barry Community’s Enrichment Center’s Leason Sharpe Hall. After that meeting, The Banner made an immediate verbal request to review the minutes under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act and followed up with a written letter asking that the minutes be made public. But the contents of those minutes were never made public - nor were they to be shared at any time in the future. They were to be sealed and destroyed one year and a day from that meeting in 2020 unless a for­ mal offer was made, County Administrator Michael Brown said then. Travis Tate, the director of the Department of Public Services, points to a wall-sized map illustrating all of the water mains in the City of Hastings. This winter, seven water mains, so far, have broken in Hastings. Last year, 17 broke. The problem has existed for decades. Mayor David Tossava started with the city’s Depart­ ment of Public Service nearly 40 years ago. Even then, he said, water main breaks plagued the city. Forty years later, they still do. DPS Director Travis Tate calls it the big­ gest issue facing the department. And the problem isn’t going anywhere, according to Ron Brenke, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan. . “You can’t stick your head in the sand and expect this problem to just go away. It’s not going to go away,” Brenke said. “They’re going to have more water breaks, if it doesn’t get fixed.” How they break When a water main pipe cracks, water comes streaming out, filling the trench, until the trench can hold no more. Then the water will start to trickle above ground. Sometimes it will come through cracks in pavement or the grass behind the curb. But there’s always water somewhere. “It’s like a stream going down a hill,” Tate said. Within a few hours of notification, the department will have people at the site of the water. Normally it takes four people - a dump truck, an excavator and a suction cup-like Vactor to fix a water main. It doesn’t matter what DPS staff is doing at the time. Water main breaks come first. “[The water main breaks] make operations less effective because they may plan their day one way and, when there’s water main break, you got to go take care of that,” Moyer-Cale said. If a water main isn’t treated right away, it could flood a road or a basement. In 2009, a water main break in Warren opened up a sink­ hole, ate a van and shut off the water to a shopping center. In Flint, it took a year to find a water main break, leading to more than $800,000 in lost water in 2012. Lansing this past year lost nearly 650 million gallons of water from breaks - nearly 10 percent of its water, Brenke said. To solve the problem, DPS workers start by digging out the trench to reach the water main. Then they will cover the crack with a stainless-steel repair clamp, halting the flow. The clamps save the city time and money. They use a clamp and keep the water running, which maintains positive pressure and keeps bacteria out of the pipes. But taking care of water main breaks still costs a substantial amount of time and money. From start to finish, the repair can take up to eight straight hours. Workers may grind through the early hours of a night, soaked in See WATER MAIN, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner AROUND IT, continued from page 1 --------------------------4ft’. Apparently, no formal offer was made and the Cminutes were never made public. 2 Commissioners acted in this same way this past -^Tuesday under the auspices of the state’s Open ^Meetings Act, Michigan Compiled Laws Act 267 of 4976, Section 15.268, which pertains to permissible ^purposes for closed sessions. X Under that act, closed sessions are allowed for a Tew specific reasons, such as contract or property negotiations. - In 2020, after the board returned from closed '‘session and concluded its open meeting, Geiger ’ said, “I hope to have some very exciting news about an important county facility very soon. By law, I can’t tell you what facility we discussed, but I can tell you it will have a fence about it.” Later that afternoon, Geiger released a written statement: “I am not allowed to disclose the issues brought up in closed session. But I can say it’s in the public’s best interest that the board begin discussing them immediately. I hope the county board is able to discuss more publicly very soon.” While he wouldn’t say what was delaying that discussion then, he remarked, “Maybe we have to talk with some other parties about it. We’re not wasting any time. ... We’re not trying to keep people in the dark.” In 2020, Geiger said it was “highly possible” they would have some action on the agenda the follow­ ing week. That didn’t happen. Now, 18 months later, commissioners are follow­ ing the same pattern, only this time Geiger isn’t talking. Michigan’s longest running Sport Show DEVOS PLACE S3 Outfitters Expo March 10-13,2022 • • Fishing Tackle, Fishing • Boats, Fishing Trips & Fishing Features! . See over 200 Mounts In the Michigan Taxidermists Competition! ■ DATES & TIMES Thursday, March 10,1pm-9pm Friday, March 11,11am-9pm Hunting and Archery gear, Food Plot equipment! Book fishlng 4 hunting trips! Meet the guides and lodge owners! Saturday, March 12, l0am-8pm Sunday, March 13,10am-5pm UltimateSportShow.com Emily Wilke of Prairieville is likely the newest member of the county’s conservation easement board. Her appointment to that board is expected at next week’s county board meeting. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Jon Smelker listens to fellow Commissioner Catherine Getty during a brief break during the committee meeting. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) County seeks ways to appeal to new talent Rebecca Pierce Editor Recruiting new employees to come work for local government is getting tougher, and competition for available talent is fierce. Barry County has several vacancies in the courts and sheriff’s department that it’s struggling to fill, County Administrator Michael Brown told commissioners Tues­ day. “There was a time when government was a place that folks wanted to go,” Brown said. “Now, we’re just not a destina­ tion, in and of itself.” So they’re struggling to attract seasoned workers, Brown added. “We’re seen as kind of inflexible. Flexibility is a thing people want right now.” To offer an incentive to those prospec­ tive employees, Brown asked commission­ ers to amend the county’s personnel policy with regard to immediate health insurance eligibility for new hires. The amendment, which the board rec­ ommended for approval at its meeting Tuesday, would eliminate the 60-day wait­ ing period for health insurance and the 75 percent/25 percent cost share during that time for general fund non-represented employees, including department heads and elected officials. “One of most important items as we recruit people, particularly looking for sea­ soned individuals, is that they might have a family that just can’t afford to go without health insurance,” Brown pointed out. “It’s expensive. “The cost of that 60-day waiting period, to purchase at their cost, is economically 2022 BOARD OF REVIEW NOTICE 76394 City of Hastings 201 E State St Hastings, Ml 49058 2022 BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING SCHEDULE The City of Hastings Board of Review for 2022 will be held at the City of Hastings 2ncJ floor conference room, 201 E State St, on the following dates: Tuesday, March 8, 2022 Chairman Ben Geiger manages a contentious exchange during the committee of the whole meet­ ing Tuesday. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) 1:00 pm = Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022 3:00 pm-9:00 pm = Appeal Hearing Wednesday, March 16, 2022 11:30 am-5:30 pm = Appeal Hearing The Board of Review will meet to hear questions, protests and to equalize the 2022 assessments. By board resolution, residents are able to protest by letter, provided protest letter is received prior to March 10. Please mail to Assessor, 201 E State St, Hastings Ml 49058. The tentative ratios and the estimated multipliers for each class of real property and personal property for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural................. 48.65................... 1.027 Commercial................ 46.80................... 1.0683 Industrial.......... ;.......... 50.66................... 0.9869 Residential.................. 46.43.................... 1.0768 Personal Property......50.00.....................1.0000 Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The City of Hastings will provide necessary reasonable services to individuals with dis­ abilities at the Board of Review meetings upon 4 days notice. Contact: Sarah Moyer-Cale 269-945-2468 ■ Pediatrics Bright Start Pediatrics is currently seeking a MEDICAL ASSISTANT, MA to join our enthusiastic team. Our child-centered, family-focused pediatric practice has an opening for a part time or full time certified or registered Medical Assistant. We’re seeking an individual who is compassionate, caring and enthusiastic to join our awesome team! If interested in joining our team, please inquire with Wendi at Bright Start Pediatrics 1375 W. Green St., Suite #3, Hastings, MI prohibitive at that time.” Brown’s research into the issue shows that this particular requirement is disap­ pearing. “With companies like Amazon, this is a big thing they’re touting now,” he pointed out. “It’s becoming more and more com­ mon.” The elimination of the wait for health insurance will make a difference, Brown said. Commissioner Dave Jackson asked if there would be a cost to the county if they implemented this change. “Yes, there is,” Brown replied. “We would be talking about $2,400 for a single person and, for a family, $6,600 for those 60 days. But the risk we have [in not offer­ ing some incentive] is not being able to hire people. This cost is with recruiting.” Brown noted that health insurance costs were capped a number of years ago. “Those capped amounts have gone up very modestly over the years. The employ­ ee will pick up more and more of that cost over the years. I don’t have a concern with the costs.” Commissioners Howard Gibson said he didn’t object to the proposal, and Catherine Getty called the change “an important tool to be able to recruit” new employees. Commission Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner confirmed that the change in the personnel policy would not require reopen­ ing the contracts. Brown said the amendment would be accomplished through a letter of under­ standing. Then cornrnSsioners unanimously rec­ ommended approving his request. The issue came up later in the meeting when, in the final public comment segment at the close of the meeting, Hastings busi­ ness owner Adam Heikkila told the board he had questions. “I asked Ben (Geiger) about the insur­ ance that you guys voted on,” he said, insisting that their amendment to eliminate the 60-day wait for health insurance would allow county employees to get 100 percent coverage. “That’s what I was told.” “So now I’m not sure how you guys get around Public Act 152, which doesn’t...” At that point, Smelker asked, “May I interrupt?” “No,” Chairman Ben Geiger cut in. “We’re going to allow him to finish. He’s offering his thoughts.” “I’m sorry,” Smelker told Heikkila, “but what you’re saying isn’t true. I’ll wait until you get done, then I’ll say something. Sorry for interrupting, but I feel we’re pay­ ing 100 percent of what the state allows us to.” Geiger chastised Smelker, saying, “I know you have strong feelings, but this isn’t the time to express them.” Then Heikkila continued his complaint to Geiger, saying he felt the action to change the health insurance eligibility requirement “was kind of ‘skirted in’ “ because of the way Geiger read the pro­ posed amendment prior to the vote. He claimed that this failure to disclose all the details was deliberate. Heikkila added that he was interrupted and disrespected when he was making this point. “I’m not sure why... [but] I don’t know of anyone in the private sector that gets those benefits ... So, what we have here is a board that says everyone who works for the government gets to work better than the private sector.” “Thank you,” Geiger replied. “Is there further public comment?” When no one in the public expressed a desire to speak, Geiger began to conclude the meeting. . “OK,” Smelker said. “I want to talk about this.” “Well, unfortunately,” Geiger replied, “there’s no place to talk about this on the agenda.” “Make one,” Smelker shot back. To which Geiger paused briefly then responded: “Commissioner Smelker has asked for the floor to speak on an issue. Is there any objection?” Hearing none, the chairman recognized Smelker, who called on Brown to clarify the details for Heikkila. “Michael, when we voted on that,” Smelker said, “we voted to pay the\ full amount of the state (cap) for the first 60 days, not 100 percent of the insurance,” Smelker said. Brown replied, “We are in full compli­ ance with Public Act 152. ... We do not pay more per individual employee than what the cap allows. We do not. We only pay what the state cap allows. “If there’s cost beyond that, the employ­ ee picks that up. Our policy here, what we just changed is that, previously, if you start­ ed employment with the county, and you wanted insurance the first day, you paid 75 percent of the cap amount and the county See COUNTY, page 3 WATER MAIN, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------water in freezing temperatures, to finish the job. It’s not easy, DPS Superintendent of Streets and Construction Rob Neil said. “Sometimes it’s midnight. Sometimes 2, 3, 4 o’clock in the morning,” Neil said. “And that’s taxing on our guys, because if it snows while we’re doing the water main, then we have to pull guys off the water main and start plowing.” After stopping the water, the crew refills the trench with sand and, a week or so later, when they receive asphalt, they’ll repair the road and pour asphalt. The process is not cheap. A repair clamp, new asphalt and overtime can cost the city between $5,000 and $10,000. But that’s pennies compared to the millions of dollars it will take to replace the cracking pipes. Why they break A number of factors normally contribute to a rash of water main breaks. Most water main breaks happen during the winter from temperature change and frigid temperatures, Brenke said. When the ground freezes, it expands, putting additional pres­ sure and weight on the pipes, causing them to move. “All the snow melts. And, once the frost starts giving way, that water seeps down into the ground and then we get these hard freezes again,” he said. “That’s when [the ground] expands and starts to move things.” Then the older pipes will crack. Many of the pipes in those clustered sec­ tions of Tate’s maps are older - some as much as 80 years or older. They are made of cast iron, making them less flexible and more susceptible to cracks. The breaks also have to do with the trench­ es. When the water mains were built, excava­ tors dug out a hole to hold the pipes. Tate said they normally fill the trenches with sand. But some of them hold clay-based soil. Sand lets the water easily flow through the ground around the pipe. Clay-based soil, on the other hand, holds the water, pressing down on the pipes and expanding when it freezes. Communities across Michigan are running into the same issue. Hastings, Brenke said, is a small sample “of what’s going on through­ out Michigan and, quite honestly, throughout the U.S.” In an assessment of the state’s drinking water system, the American Council of Engi­ neering Companies of Michigan, where Brenke works, gave the state a “D” grade. “It’s a big problem that is basically out of sight, because it’s below the ground,” Brenke said of water infrastructure. “It’s not like the roads or the bridges; when they start crum­ 'It’s a big problem that is basically out of sight, because it’s below the ground. It’s not like the roads or the bridg­ es; when they start crumbling, everybody sees them. But when a water main is leaking because it’s 100 years old, nobody pays attention to it until it breaks.' Ron Brenke, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan bling, everybody sees them. But when a water main is leaking because it’s 100 years old or 75 years old, nobody pays attention to it until it breaks.” Finding a solution So how do city officials plan to solve the water main issue? DPS Director Tate gestures across his office to a pile of table-sized post­ ers. “Well, I want to show you this map over here,” he said. It’s a map of the city. Almost every street is covered in colors and shapes - brown blocks, green dots and X’s. The map illustrates all of the issues DPS faces, and the X’s represent water main breaks from 2011 to 2022. There are about 80 X’s on the map. Many come in clusters. There’s a group along M-43 highway between Woodlawn Avenue and the city limits. There’s another near Hastings Mutual in the northeast part of the city. There’s a few more on West Clinton and Mar­ shall streets next to the high school, and another along East Clinton Street, stretching from South Hanover to East State streets. The special map, created by an engineer at Prein&Newhof, is part of the city’s capital improvement plan, which focuses on infra­ structure improvements that require a large sum of money. Brenke said asset manage­ ment projects like this are essential. They identify problems, helping city officials understand these infrastructure issues. It then allows the city to communicate the need for money to replace pipes the public cannot even see. “You have to educate the community mem­ bers,” he said. “Be transparent. Let them know the current situation that you’re in, and I think most people, if they understand what needs to be done and they have the data to back it up, I think they’d be more willing to pitch in and help.” There’s just one issue - the city does not have the funds to replace every water main in its geographical boundaries. But they can focus on the hot spots - the cluster of blocks with lots of water main breaks. As part of the capital improvement plan, Tate said he plans to spend the next five years replacing the pipes in those high-risk locations. In their place, the department will lay down new ductile iron pipes and fill the holes with sand. “If it broke in one place, it will break in another,” Moyer-Cale said. “We’re targeting areas that have repeated water main breaks that continue to cost us thousands of dollars every time something breaks there.” Still, Tate estimated the price tag for fixing the hot spots would amount to millions of dollars. And the city doesn’t have millions of dollars to put toward water main repairs. There are a few different ways Hastings could get funding for its water mains, Brenke said. It could raise residents’ water bills, for example, but this is often difficult in rural communities. “In cities, there are more people to pay for it because the cities are usually more densely populated,” he said. “In rural areas, there’s less population so the rates may seem higher because there are less people to pay for it.” Before making any decisions, city officials will wait to receive the finalized capital improvement plan, which Prein&Newhof will present at the city council’s March 28 meeting. By then, they will have a better idea of how much the project will cost and how they would be able to fund it. Currently, Moyer-Cale said they do not have any plans to raise the water bills for residents. Instead, they will most likely focus on applying for United States Department of Agriculture and Drinking Water State Revolv­ ing Fund loans - providing perhaps millions of dollars on a low-interest rate without a large burden on the public. Regardless, the city needs to find money somewhere and it needs to do something, officials said. Putting a clamp on leaking pipes might work for right now. But it won’t work forever. Pipes will continue age and they will continue to break. “You can’t keep putting a Band-Aid on it for the solution,” Tate said. “Eventually, you got to just rebuild.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — Page 3 Former Banner editor leaves writings for Hastings history Hastings native Larry Hamp, a former journalist and military historian, reflects on his life experiences two weeks before he died. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Rebecca Pierce Editor Larry Hamp loved ships, cats and a good newspaper. Two weeks before he died at age 83 on Feb. 15, he had all these around him: Paintings of ships on the walls of his home, cats seeking his fond attention and a reporter interviewing him about his life. It was a life filled with adventure - so much so that his work is being archived at Hastings Public Library in the local history room. “He gave us all his writings,” Diane Hawkins said. Hawkins, formerly the assistant direc­ tor of the library in charge of the Michi­ gan Room who retired and now volun­ teers there, marveled at the life Hamp led. “He had a portfolio of all the news articles he had written which covered a huge variety of topics,” she said. All that material from Hamp’s life on subjects ranging from his experiences as a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard to his life as a military historian and jour­ nalist - form an autobiography of sorts. “We have all those papers we have organized into topics,” Hawkins said. “There were too many to put in one bind­ er.” So several binders are “sort of like diaries,” she said. The collection provides an insightful view of the life of a Hastings native who pursued many interests and had a variety of ambitions. Born Sept. 19, 1938, to Leland and Maurene Hamp, Larry Hamp was a product of Hastings Public Schools, the Coast Guard, Grand Rapids Junior Col­ lege, Grand Valley State College, and Western Michigan University. He spent 10 years in banking and finance, working for Liberty Loan Co., Old Kent Bank, Michigan Fidelity Corp., and Massey-Ferguson Credit Corp, while he attended night classes at Grand Rap­ ids Junior College. At 31, he started attending Grand Val­ ley full-time and graduated in 1972. At WMU, graduate studies increased his interest in military history as he researched the naval/maritime holdings at Waldo Library. He moved to the Upper Peninsula in 1974 where his interest in journalism began with a radio gig in Houghton. Then he stumbled on a community newspaper opportunity at the Copper Island Sentinel in Calumet. As the only person on staff with a business back­ ground, he said he “fell” into the editor’s post. From there, he went on to the Mar­ quette Mining Journal, where he covered four large counties as the reporter/feature/sports writer. He was named editor of The Hastings Banner in 1982, and became the publisher/editor of the Hast­ ings Independent Reporter a year later. Then he moved to Nantucket Island, Digitizing The Banner Thanks to many generous donations, including one major underwriter, all Banners at the Hastings Public Library are being sent out to be digitized this month. When complete, all issues from 1856 to present day will be available in a PDF for­ mat, will be searchable and, in time, most will be available online. As a result, all Banners on microfilm, CD and printed copies will be unavailable from March 7 until July - or later. - Hastings Public Library Massachusetts, where he worked for the Inquirer & Mirror, followed by the Nan­ tucket Map & Legend. He lived on two boats there; both were lost to hurricanes. Hamp got into advertising after that, working as an ad copywriter for the American Historical Foundation in Rich­ mond, Va., and as publicist for the Rich­ mond-based Urban Artists Amalgamat­ ed. In sports, he spent 35 years coaching and managing men’s and women’s fast­ pitch softball teams, with nearly two dozen league, district and regional cham­ pionships to his credit. He served as a commissioner of the Michigan Amateur Softball Association and, in 2002 and 2003, he'managed the drive to get two Hastings players - Vem Allerding and Don Bowers - entered in the state Softball Hall of Fame. He loved the sports part of his life, where he made a lot of friends who kept in touch with him. And the teachers during his youth, most of whom fought in World War II, taught him to work hard through the tough times, he said. He leaves behind daughters Johanna Hoekstra and Maurene Drummond; sis­ ter Willo (Gordon) Fuhr; brothers Ken Hamp, and Leo (Charlene) Hamp; and some close friends, Mary Hinckley and her family, who helped him in his final years. His recommendation to a library intern, who asked him for advice, was: “If you want to write, write letters to the editor.” In Hamp’s case, that editor wrote right back, leaving behind words that shine a light on the past. Daniels Funeral Home expands to Hastings Taylor Owens Staff Writer Scott Daniels has come full circle in his career in the funeral home industry. He got his start at the recently built Wren Funeral Home on North Broadway in Hast­ ings in 1991, soon after he graduated high school. Daniels worked there during the sum­ mers, setting up chairs and washing cars, while he was going to school to become an accountant. “It was the perfect college job,” Daniels said. The owner, Dave Wren, became a mentor to Daniels, and set an example of the impact a funeral home director could have on a community. “He was so patient and so understanding of really just about everyone’s situation and really did business more on a handshake than a contract,” Daniels said. He saw that people appreciated Wren’s work, and had trust and faith in him, which Daniels wanted to emulate. “It was absolutely a great learning experi­ ence,” Daniels said. Even after he got his degree, Daniels still worked at the funeral home on the week­ ends. It was then that he realized what his true passion was. One day he was sitting in his office in downtown Grand Rapids, surrounded by concrete and office workers wearing suits and ties, when Wren called and asked him how the job was going. Daniels told him how much he hated it, and Wren suggested he go to mortuary school. Daniels graduated from mortuary school in 1998, and built Daniels Funeral Home in Nashville in 2000. By that time, Wren had sold the funeral home to a corporate owner, since his children did not want to take on the business. It changed hands several times, until Lauer Family Funeral Homes< a com­ pany based in Jackson, reached out to Dan­ iels about purchasing the facility last sum­ mer. The changeover was finalized in early February, and the facility became the Dan- Korrie Lee Dunleavey, Middleville and Frank Thomas Anthony Bruno, Vilas, North Carolina. Kristian Rose Dykstra, Middleville and Jason Edward Larson, Middleville. Brian Douglas Sutfin, Hastings and Ellen Avery McGlohon, Hastings. Ambrosia Shusha McManus, Delton and Tristen Miguel Arce, Battle Creek. New Collections from Moda® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim Scott Daniels with (from left) his wife Melissa Daniels, and daughters Erin and Karsyn Daniels. iels Funeral Home Hastings’ location. Daniels said he was disappointed that Wren, who passed away at age 80 in Octo­ ber of last year, wasn’t able to see the sale completed, but he did know that it was in the works. “To return this back to a family-owned funeral home was something I felt very proud of,” Daniels said. For Daniels, the expansion has been a way to serve more of the community, and he has been able to hand off some of the administrative work to his staff, and spend more time working directly with families. Both funeral homes in Nashville and Hastings will have continuity between them, and the existing arrangements for services previously made with Lauer will be main­ tained, Daniels said. • Discussed sub-recipient agreements for the first round of American Rescue Plan Act funding. Commissioners agreed that some modifications need to be made in contract language to build in time in case something goes wrong with a particular project. The board also agreed that, since they’re still working out details on the first round of ARPA funding, they would postpone any further discussion of the second round of funding. Middleville Village Manager Patricia Rayl, during public comment, said she was address­ ing them on behalf of the village which has chosen to apply to the county for the second round of ARPA funding. “We have a need that we identified for the replacement, repair of railroad bridges on the Thomapple Trail that crosses the Thornapple River. This would benefit the county as a whole. A lot of people come into county seeking to take advantage of recreation.” The board also held off on a proposal by Commissioner Conner to clarify the rules with regard to public conduct during meet­ ings - as well as any discussion of next steps as far as replacing the county jail. • Interviewed Emily Wilke of Prairieville for appointment to the county’s conservation easement board, which has eight members with three-year terms - except for the county commissioner, planning commission and township official/designee, which are annual 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm MsLJ Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station MICHIGAN CENTENNIAL BUSINESS, THIS PLAQUE IS ISSUE!) BY THE HISHiRjcAl. SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN IN RECOGNITION OF WREN FUNERAL HOME inUNDEO IN 1861 FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS OPERATION IN SERVICE yo THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN SI ATE A plaque recognizing the original Wren Funeral Home located on South Jefferson. COUNTY, continued from page 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- . paid 25 percent of the cap amount and the employee picked up then whatever was addi­ tional above the cap. “We will never pay more than what’s per­ mitted under the public act and those caps.” “Since Day 1, we have remained in com­ pliance,” Brown emphasized. “This policy does not change our compliance with Public Act 152.” The details were written on the agenda request form, which is provided to commis­ sioners and the public online in the meeting packet. “We are in full compliance and will remain in compliance with Public Act 152. This pol­ icy doesn’t change our compliance,” Brown pointed out, looking at Heikkila. “If you look at agenda request form, we did try to lay that out.” As Brown finished, Geiger looked at Smelker to see if he had anything else to say. “Jon?” he asked. Smelker turned to Heikkila. “Adam,” he said, addressing Heikkila directly, which is contrary to rules specifying that comments be addressed to the chairman. “No!” Geiger interjected forcefully. “I just want to apologize for interrupting,” Smelker told Geiger. “OK,’ Geiger replied. From the audience, Heikkila remarked, “No hard feelings.” In other business, commissioners: QUESTIONS: ASK US- appointments. Current members are Robert Vanderboegh of Hastings, planning commission; Joe Sancimino of Hastings, agriculture interests; Bruce Campbell of Hastings, commissioner; Heather Wing of Bellevue, agriculture inter­ ests; Joan Bosserd-Schroeder of Hickory Corners, conservation interest; Larry Neil of Hastings, real estate/development; Paul Wing of Bellevue, agriculture interest; and Alfred Gemrich of Dowling, township official/des­ ignee. The board has two vacancies: Neil and Paul Wing. Wing withdrew his application. Neil did not attend the meeting. Commissioners voted to recommend Wilke as a new member replacing Paul Wing, and return Neil to his post. If approved at the board meeting next Tuesday, their terms start Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2024. • Voted to re-appoint Cindy Vujea of Delton to the brownfield redevelopment authority board. In addition to Vujea, current members are County Planning and Zoning Director Jim McManus, President of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Devel­ opment Authority Jennifer Heinzman, City of Hastings Community Development Director Dan King, Middleville Planning and Zoning Administrator Brian Urquhart, Commercial Bank Community President Chelsey Foster, and County Commissioner Dave Jackson. SEASONAL HELP 2022 The Barry County Road Commission is hiring for temporary seasonal general laborer positions. Starting hourly pay range will be $12-14 per hour, no benefits. Applicant must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid Driver’s License, and be able to pass a drug test. Start date negotiable, hours Monday-Friday 6 AM- 4 PM. Application & job description can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office located at 1725 West M-43 Highway, Hastings between 6 AM - 3:45 PM, or on our website at www.barrycrc.org. The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. PASTY SALE! Grace Lutheran Church 239 E North St., Hastings MI 49058 PRE-ORDER ONLY by Thursday; March 17th for Pickup on Saturday, March 26th Tell us when you want to pick up between 11:00 am and. 2:00 pm Call 269.945.9414 to place your order Monday - Thursday 9 am - 1 pm $7.00 Unbaked • $8.00 Baked II I I I 1 I I I �Page 4 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Did you Hastings Banner lirMyopinioir see? The war to prevent war Snow, don't be a stranger This street scene from Nashville last week illumi­ nates a cold, snow-specked night last Thursday. Expect to see more scenes like this across the region. Weather forecasts are looking at two systems coming across the Plains states now heading our way that look to bring more snow and cold temperatures into the weekend. If the choice is between snow or flooding, we pick snow. Do you remember? Woodland FFA going to state finals Banner March 6, 1958 Woodland High’s FFA chapter split four first-place finishes with Marshall High’s chapter in the regional FFA leadership contest Wednesday of last week at Vicksburg. Freshman Hans Othmer won the public speaking contest with a 10-minute talk on soil conservation. His topic was “Gullies to Grass.” The Woodland parliamentary procedure team was one man short because of illness. Pictured (from left) are first-place team members David Chase, Bill Faul, Galen Kilmer, David Reigler, Peter Othmer and Steve DeGroote. George Figel, the missing member, will rejoin the team for the state contest at East Lansing. Roger D. Buxton, vocational agriculture teacher at Woodland, is their coach. A total of 108 boys representing eight Southwest Michigan counties competed in the regional contest. I Have you met? There aren’t many like Dave Navitskas left. Navitskas is a superintendent for a.j. Veneklasen, a Grand Rapids-based devel­ oper and general contractor. And he never went to college. These days, most construction site super­ intendents have a degree in construction management or something similar, he said. Of half a dozen superintendents at a.j. Veneklasen, Navitskas, 65, is the only one without a degree. He compares himself to a dinosaur. “I’m a dying breed.” But Navitskas doesn’t need a degree. He has spent 47 years in the building business. He has constructed market-rate apartments, office buildings and 80,000-square foot warehouses. He has worked in carpentry and construction. He has completed proj­ ects in Carona, Calif, and Columbus, Ohio. Now, he is currently overseeing con­ struction of the new four-story 21-unit apartment building in downtown Hastings. As a kid, Navitskas didn’t know he would work in construction. He was born on the northwest side of Grand Rapids near Richmond Park. His dad worked for a rail­ road company. His mom served as the sec­ retary of a small cabinet shop on the west side of Grand Rapids. Navitskas thought he would become a park ranger - that is, until his time at Union High School in Grand Rapids. There, he took a residential construction class. It gave him a foundation then, not much later, he hand-fixed the roof at his family home. After graduating in 1975, he spent a sum­ mer as a truck driver delivery man for the cabinet business where his mom worked, but he didn’t stay long. He knew that he wanted to go into the construction world and, months later, he got a job laying con­ crete for Visser Brothers, a general contrac­ tor in Grand Rapids. He didn’t want to spend his life laying concrete. He wanted to do finishing work. “I thought there’s more longevity. You don’t see any old concrete guys,” he said. For a few years, he served as a carpenter for a homebuilding company, hanging doors, trimming doors and putting in the kitchen cabinets - the finishing work. Then he bounced around for a few years. He worked for himself, went back into commercial carpentry and built big offices and warehouses. He eventually landed at Wolverine Building Group, a construction company, spent 13 years there Dave Navitskas and climbed the job ladder from foreman to superintendent. He lost his job after the 2008 recession. That’s when he found a.j. Veneklasen, which offered him a job as a superinten­ dent. For the last 13 years, he has stayed in that role. “I love being a superintendent,” he said, sitting in a red trailer on the site of the new Lofts@128 in downtown Hastings. “I love the big picture. I can walk on to a job site, even a site I’m familiar with, and pretty well figure it out relatively fast.” As the superintendent, Navitskas is in charge of all of the scheduling for the con­ struction of the apartments. Months ago, before the project even broke ground, he had charted each step of the process. He has mapped out every single day of the process - when they will finish the stairway, put in the first-floor interior walls and lay the con­ crete. He keeps a table-sized poster on his desk in the trailer that details when and who will complete each step. “I don’t get paid for what I do, I get paid for what I know,” he said. “See, I don’t go out there and pick up. I don’t pound nails anymore. I don’t pick up cement blocks. I’ll be here doing computer work. But I mostly get paid for what I know.” He’s also the a.j. Veneklasen representa­ tive on the ground. He’s there every day, working in the trailer, answering the door when people knock, making sure materials arrive on time, talking with people who pass by the site and shaking hands with city officials. “Everybody’s friendly,” he said of Hast­ ings. “I’ve been telling my boss that all of the time.” Navitskas normally wakes up at 5:20 a.m. and hits the road by 7 a.m. He starts his day by visiting two other project sites that he oversees in Grand Rapids. A few hours later, he’ll make the 45-minute drive down to Hastings and stay on site until 3:30 or 4:30 p.m. Then he’ll head back to his house on the northeast side of Grand Rapids. When Navitskas returns home, he doesn’t have many hobbies, he said. He watches TV - maybe the evening news or Ozark. Next weekend, he’ll look forward to seeing his two kids, who are visiting for their grand­ mother’s 90th birthday party. Both live out of state. Brian lives in Chicago and works in shipping for Bolthouse Farms. Kevin works in marketing for the Denver airport. But for the most part, Navitskas likes to work on his house in his free time. He plans to take down the wooden fence in his back­ yard, for example, re-purpose the wood and create a new fence. It doesn’t matter that he spends his whole day around construction. When he has some downtime, Dave Navitskas still builds. For his role as the superintendent of the new apartment building going up in down­ town Hastings, Dave Navitskas is this week’s Bright Light'. First job: Working at Dunkin Donuts, mopping floors for $1.10 an hour. Biggest accomplishment: Raising my two sons to be productive members of society. Person I’d most like to met, alive or dead: Abraham Lincoln. Favorite season: Summer. Living’s good. Everybody says fall, but summer’s my favorite. What motivates me: Just get up in the morning and go do it. That’s just the way I’ve been brought up. And, like I said, both my sons are the same way. They get up early and get to work. If I could have a superpower: Flying would be nice. Saw an eagle just a couple of days ago. So that’d be nice. Greatest songs ever written: I’m an Eagles fan. But my all-time favorite song would be Marshall Tucker, “Can’t you see.” What I’d tell a high school graduate: Get off your phone, I guess. Quit looking at your phone. Favorite board game: Chess. Something on my bucket list: I don’t know, maybe bungee jumping or some­ thing. Now those too young to remember an ugly history will know that evil lives in the hearts of men. And, when an evil man uses power to satisfy his greed by taking away the freedom, dreams and the lives of others, righteous people must stand against him. It has been heartbreaking to watch video images of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified assault on the people of neighboring Ukraine. Even harder to face is acknowledging that we as a nation and our partner nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization could have worked harder to prevent it. The Biden Administration and NATO failed for months in what history will likely show as a feckless attempt to convince Putin to stay out of Ukraine. Now we’re left to deal with the largest land war in Europe since World War II, Putin’s veiled threat of nuclear war, and the potentially dreadful ramifications that this invasion could have on the global economy. Oftentimes, it takes a life-threatening crisis to bring our fractious nation together. The attack on New York City and the Pen­ tagon in Washington, D.C., did that Sept. 11, 2001. This time, though, we need the whole world to feel united and committed to stopping what could be the greatest threat this world has ever known. That need probably could not have come at a more disconcerting time for America. When President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, he faced an American public that is largely dissatisfied with his presidency thus far. More than 56 percent of us feel that the administration has lost its way. An adminis­ tration that pledged to restore competence and normalcy appears, in just 13 months, to be overwhelmed with everything that has gone wrong. Today, Americans are dealing with high­ er fuel costs, inflation increasing at a level not seen in more than 40 years, supply-chain breakdowns, out-of-control crime in most major cities, and a porous southern border that has allowed more than 2 million migrants into our country with little or no regard to the impact it’s having during a pandemic. This all comes as the terrible withdrawal from the war in Afghanistan, with the loss of lives and Americans left behind, is still fresh in our minds. On top of it all, the his­ tory book now reopens to the 42-year peri­ od from 1947 to 1989, known as the Cold War. That was when the United States and the Soviet Union were, technically, at peace but actually in the midst of an aggressive arms race that created a constant fear of mutual nuclear destruction. The most outraged Americans among us may be our World War II veterans, those heroes who stand as living monuments without inscriptions. As a country, we’ve neglected our vets and we’ve glossed over the stories that they might tell us if they ever wanted to relive the tangled memories of war. More than 80 years ago, these men and women watched another madman invade Poland and, from there, march across Europe. Our soldiers and Allies stopped Adolf Hitler in his bid to conquer the world, but not before the devastating destruction of families, lives, property and the extermina­ tion of 6 million Jewish people. Today, we may be seeing a new kind of Hitler - or the old one revived. Evil never dies. Barely a week has passed and more than 350 civilians have died in Ukraine, at least 14 of them children. Nearly 2,000 have been wounded, and tens of thousands of Ukrainians are seeking the safety of neighboring countries while buildings smolder and air raid sirens sound. Our veterans must wonder - again - why we waited so long to respond. Biden threatened and eventually imposed economic sanctions on Russia that he then said could take a month or more to be effec­ tive. Our NATO allies were slow to respond as well. Germany, trying to keep a distance from the growing menace, offered to send helmets to Ukrainian soldiers. As the pummeling of the Ukrainian peo­ ple began, though, the world responded. An economic noose is tightening around Putin and Russia. Even Switzerland, a country that cherishes its tradition of neutrality, has joined European nations and other countries around the world in freezing Russian assets. The way to stop Putin is to cut Russia off from the world and from all banking and energy sales in an effort to kill his econom­ ic stability. But since America and several European nations continue to buy oil from Russia, they’re, in effect, bankrolling Putin’s war on Ukraine. It’s unfortunate that this is so political - in that many European countries and the United States now rely on Russian energy sources. They aren’t willing to use energy as a bargaining chip. Until the Biden Administration, America was energy independent. We need to attain that advantage again. It’s too late for this current conflict to revise our energy policies by re-establishing oil drilling and having enough to supply our European allies who buy oil from Russia. But, ultimately, the world must eliminate the financial benefits that Russia receives from its oil sales. This is what’s fueling Putin’s ability to wage war. “I know something about war, and I never want to see that history repeated,” said former general and President Dwight Eisenhower in a 1958 report to the Ameri­ can people regarding a tense situation in the Straits of Formosa. “But, my fellow Ameri­ cans, it certainly can be repeated if the peace-loving democratic nations again fear­ fully practice a policy of standing idly by while big aggressors use armed force to conquer the small and weak.” If the U.S. and its NATO allies do not remain strong in opposing Russian aggres­ sion, then we risk these same threats from other nations such as China, North Korea and Iran. Those nations are watching with interest, looking for a weakness that would allow them to pursue their own hostile aims. It’s time for us to set aside party politics and call on both sides to work together to stop Russia’s aggression. Can diplomacy lead to a way for Putin to save face and allow us to avoid the creation of yet another Cold War. Is it possible, at this point, to foster peace around the world? It will take some exceptional leadership and, right now, it doesn’t seem as if we have someone like Winston Churchill, who inspired the British during the World War II nightly air raids they endured by German pilots. But an extreme crisis like the one we face today often produces an unexpected, wel­ come and gifted leader such as Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of the Ukraine, who put his life on the line by standing alongside his people in the fight against the Russian invaders. “The power to inspire is rare,” the late Sen. Edward Kennedy once told former President Barack Obama. “Moments like this are rare, but you don’t choose the time, the time chooses you.” This time has chosen us. It is up to us as Americans and as citizens of the world to stand in opposition to people being done wrong. “The only way to win the ne^t war,” Eisenhower said, “is to prevent it.” We’re a little late in that regard now, but we must seek a way out of this one because, as the late British philosopher Bertrand Russell once observed, “War does not deter­ mine who is right, only who is left.” We must get serious. Time is of the essence. The Hastings HcHUIGT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — Page 5 Schools enter recovery phase for COVID-19 As we have entered the “recovery phase” of the pandemic for educational settings, Hast­ ings Area School System is implementing some exciting changes. As of Tuesday, March 1, all schools started welcoming guests to all of our buildings. Spring activities are in full swing, including field trips, dances, spring programs and other pre-COVID events. Also, masks will no longer be required on any school transportation vehicle. Close contacts to positive cases at school are no longer required, but are recommended, to quarantine at home. Hastings Area School System will contin­ ue to update its dashboard for positive cases on our website at hasskl2.org. Positive cases HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System will be reported to the Barry-Eaton District Health Department. I know this has been a long time coming, and we thank you for your patience and sup­ port as we continue to navigate changes to help provide a safe school environment for students and staff. This is a positive step in bringing back some normalcy to our school community. Hastings Middle School BPA members include (from left) Lillian Robinson, Jay Henney, Co-Adviser Jeff Erb, Owen Boge, Ben Carl, Dominic Fischer-Collins, Alex Timmers, Parker Erb, Annabelle Kuck and Co-Adviser Bob Carl. (Missing from photo are stu­ dent Maxwell Kensington and Carrie Carl, middle level BPA liaison.) HMS students qualify for national business competition Students from Hastings Middle School Business Professionals of America chapter attended the Michigan BPA State Leadership Conference Feb. 25. At this event - the seventh annual Middle Level State Leadership Conference at Daven­ port University - students participated in busi­ ness, finance, technology, marketing and health administration skills competitions. They also attended leadership and professional development workshops and received awards for community service3 activities."** Eight students' ‘from Hastings "competed in events. Three of them earned top spots and are eligible to attend the BPA National Leadership Conference in Dallas May 4-8. Those three were Owen Boge and Ben Carl, who placed second in website design team event, and Parker Erb, who took fourth place in business math concepts. Middle Level BPA does not have a districts or regional leadership conference, due to size, so these students immediately compete at state level, said Bob Carl, a Hastings career and technical education teacher and BPA advisor. At the state conference, the top two team events, top three individual events, and top five open events all qualify for nationals, he said. Scores or results are not released other than those who placed or qualified for nationals. Hastings Middle School had two other teams compete: Introduction to video production - Parker Erb, Lillian Robinson and Annabelle Kuck. Digital game design - Dominic Fisch­ er-Collins, James “Jay” Henney, Maxwell Kensington and Alex Timmers. The open events do not require previous Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Member SIPC Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Women may need financial ‘catch-up’ It’s unfortunate but true: If you’re a woman, you face more obstacles than men in achieving financial security. And that means you may well need to put in some extra ef­ fort. Just how serious is your challenge? For one thing, women still face a gender pay gap - based on median in­ comes, women earn about 82 cents for eveiy dollar a man makes, according to the Census Bureau. This pay gap amounts to a nearly $470,000 difference in lifetime earnings, according to an Edward Jones/Age Wave study. Furthermore, when fac­ toring in the career disruptions women face because of caring for children and elderly par­ ents, that $470,000 becomes a $1.1 million lifetime earnings gap, according to the study. Finally, women tend to live longer than men, meaning their lifetime earnings must last lon­ ger. Everyone’s situation is dif­ ferent, but these figures at least point to the challenges many women encounter. To help yourself, consider these moves: • Pay yourselffirst. You al­ ways have to pay your bills - but, at the same time, pay yourself by moving money au­ tomatically from your check­ ing account each month into a low-risk, liquid vehicle, such as a money market account or some type of cash manage­ ment account connected with your investment portfolio. This move can help give you a “bucket” of money to use for any reason, such as the need to step away from your job to care for children or aging par­ ents. • Increase your 401(k) con­ tributions each year. If you have a 401(k) or similar em­ ployer-sponsored retirement plan, take full advantage of it. At a minimum, contribute enough to earn your employ­ er’s match, if one is offered, and increase your contribu­ tions eveiy year, or every time your salary increases. • Fully fund your IRA. Even if you contribute to a 401(k), you may still be eligible to invest in an IRA - and you should. You can put in up to $6,000 per year to a tradition­ al or Roth IRA, or $7,000 if you’re 50 or older. (However, a Roth IRA does have income limitations that may prevent you from contributing the full amount.) • Learn about Social Secu­ rity options. Because Social Security provides a lifetime income stream that includes cost-of-living increases, it can help mitigate two key risks you face in retirement: longer life expectancies and inflation. You can start taking Social Securi­ ty as early as age 62, but your monthly checks will be signifi­ cantly larger if you wait until your “frill” retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. If you delay taking benefits beyond your full re­ tirement age, your payments will increase by 8% per year, until age 70, when your bene­ fits max out. You’ll also want to learn about spousal and sur­ vivor benefits, which can affect how much you’ll receive. • Get some help. You may be able to benefit from working with a financial professional, who can evaluate your situa­ tion, make investment recom­ mendations, and help answer questions you may have, such as, “What moves can I make so I can afford to become a care­ giver for an elderly parent?” Hopefully, there will be a day when women won’t have to play financial catch-up. For now, though, use all the means at your disposal to help your­ self. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS 176164 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL CUPOLA REPAIR Parker Erb placed fourth in business math concepts open event at the state BPA conference, qualifying for nationals. (Photo provided.) PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accept­ ing bids on the repair of the cupola at the Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. Items to be included; • Repair and refurbish the existing cupola. • Reposition cupola on the roof (crane may be required). • Bid packets available at the Township Office. Ben Carl (on left) and Owen Boge, both placed sec­ ond in the website design team event. (Photo provided.) qualification at state or national levels, giving students another opportunity to test their busi­ ness-related skills. Hastings students compet­ ing in open events Friday also included: Owen Boge - computer literacy concepts. Ben Carl - computer literacy concepts. Parker Erb - computer literacy concepts. Annabelle Kuck - digital citizenship, busi­ ness math concepts Parker Erb also competed in the graphic design promotion individual event. This was the second year Hastings partici­ pated in the middle level BPA state confer­ ence. “The skills that students learn through par­ ticipating in a variety of business experiences help prepare them for careers in a world-class workforce,” Bob Carl said. “The BPA organi­ zation encourages members to excel in tomor­ row’s business careers and to function in the community as responsible citizens.” The National Leadership Conference in Dallas will bring together an estimated 6,000 delegates from across the country to vie for top honors. Conference attendees also will have the option to complete software certifications from Certiport, a provider of certification exam development, delivery and program management services. While in Dallas, participants also will have opportunities to network with other BPA mem­ bers and industry representatives, visit attrac­ tions in the region and participate in a walk that raises money for Special Olympics, BPA’s national service project. More information can be found at bpa.org. Hastings Kiwanis honors HMS ‘Citizens of the Month’ Students in sixth through eighth grades at Hastings Middle School were selected by their teachers as the citizens of the month. Each honored student is given a certificate from the Hastings Kiwanis Club. Receiving the most recent citizen of the month honors at Hastings Middle School (with parents’ names in parentheses) were: December - Morgan Cross (Sarah Fisher and Jerry Cross), Madison Moore (Michelle and Justin Moore), Sydney Patterson (Laura Kota and Tom Patterson), Kassidy Peake (Ashley and Mark Peake), Caroline Randall (Teresa and Gregory Randall) and Eva Row­ ley (Keri and Matt Rowley). January - Violet Bivens (Chelsea and Gor­ don Bivens), Parker Erb (Kristi and Jeff Erb), Ethan Hawthorne (Kikki and Chris Haw­ thorne), Riley Herron (Sandra and Thomas Herron), Emma Warner (Rebecca and Luke Warner) and Gracie Wilson (Katie and Ron­ ald Gould). February - Ashlyn Bailey (Karen and James Bailey), Kelly Burhans (Sherry and Ronald Burhans), Landon Currier (Amanda and Brad Currier), Sophia Haywood (Jennifer and Matt Haywood), Alijah Mitchell (Rox­ anne Mitchell) and Bayley Smith (Amanda and James Smith). Financial FOCUS All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids sub­ mitted that do not meet the boards approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 885 River Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 1:00 pm Organizational Meeting Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 9:00 am to Noon and 6:00 to 9:00 pm Thursday, March 17, 2022, 9:00 am to Noon and 1:00 to 4:00 pm And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. December citizens of the month at Hastings Middle School include (from left) Eva Rowley, Sydney Patterson, Madison Moore, Kassidy Peake, Caroline Randall and Morgan Cross. APPEALS ARE HEARD ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: 49.63% 1.0075 Agricultural Commercial 50.56% 0.9889 Industrial 0.9275 53.91% 49.07% Residential 1.0190 50.00% Personal Property 1.0000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Honored as January citizens of the month are (from left) Riley Herron, Emma Warner, Violet Bivens, Gracie Wilson, Ethan Hawthorne and Parker Erb. February’s citizens of the month at Hastings Middle School are (from left) Bayley Smith, Kelly Burhans, Alijah Mitchell, Landon Currier, Sophia Haywood and Ashlyn Bailey. Jim Brown, Supervisor Hastings Charter Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Hastings Charter Township Hastings Charter Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Hastings Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Castleton Township by writing or calling. Hastings Charter Township Clerk 885 River Rd. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-9690 175918 �Page 6 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Lawrence Freeman Hamp Cheryl Campbell, age 62, of Dowling, MI, passed away peacefully on Feb. 26, 2022, surrounded by her loved ones. Cheryl was bom April 25, 1959, in Nuremberg, Germany, to Albert Reed Jr. and Darla (Hess) Phoenix. She leaves behind her loving family: her husband of 22 years, Robert Campbell; daugh­ ter Corrie (Josiah) Farrell, and granddaughter Frankie of Galesburg; stepson Zachary Camp­ bell of Holland; mother Darla Phoenix of Bat­ tle Creek; sister Caren (Larry) Ray of Ceresco; and a number of nieces and nephews. Cheryl graduated from Harper Creek High School in 1977. She was a postal delivery person for a number of years before working at TRMI for 20 years. After leaving TRMI, she became a self-described homemaker. Cheryl had a great love for all animals and enjoyed doing arts and crafts in her spare time. She treasured trips up north with close family and friends, and she made friends wherever she went: work, Weight Watchers, and even at the chemo treatment center. Cher­ yl was known for her not so quiet laugh and for openly wearing her heart on her sleeve; you always knew what she was thinking and she talked endlessly with love and affection about her granddaughter. The funeral for Cheryl will be 11 a.m. Thursday, March 3, 2022, at Our Lady of Great Oak Catholic Church. Her ashes will be interred at a local cemetery on a later date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to your local animal shel­ ter in honor of Cheryl Campbell. Shirley Jean Vreeland, age 85, of Sher­ wood Township, passed away on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 at home. In keeping with Shirley’s wishes, she will be cremated and no formal services will be held. The family is being served by Light­ house Funeral & Cremation in Union City. Shirley was bom January 9, 1937 in Hast­ ings, MI to Alleyne and Lillian (Allen) Warner. She attended Hastings High School with the Class of 1955 and later earned an associate degree from Davenport University at the age of 48. Shirley worked as a travel agent in Richland for six years and at the Ben Franklin dime store in Hasting for 20 years. On January 7,2000, she married Charles “Chuck” Vreeland in Las Vegas, NV. He survives. Shirley lived the majority of her life in Barry County, until mov­ ing to Branch County in 1994. She loved travel­ ing and going out to eat. In addition to her husband of 22 years, Chuck, Shirley is survived by her children, Jack Raymond, Jr. of Hastings and Patti (Doyle) Morgan of North Carolina; grandchildren, Drew Sifton, Lee Sifton, Ashley Raymond and Leslie Raymond; and several great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first hus­ band, Jack Raymond (1992) and a daughter, Sue Sifton (1999). Memorials contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society, 129 Jefferson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Please visit _ www.lighthousefuneral.com to share memories, pictures and videos with the family. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Shirley Ann Churchill, age 92, of Delton, MI, passed away on February 26, 2022. Shirley was bom on June 5, 1929 at home in Hickory Comers to Monroe Durkey and Mae Ettie Miller. In 1946, at the age of 16, she graduated from high school and moved to Kalamazoo to get work. She worked at KVP and the Upjohn Company prior to marriage. Shirley married Bob Churchill in Plainwell on May 27, 1950, and they were married for 64 years until his passing. They first lived in a little house on Sprinkle Road and Cork Street. After the birth of their second daughter, they bought land on Enzian Road. They built a home there in 1960 and lived there until recently. Shirley was a stay-at-home mom who contrib­ uted so much to their little farm. Raised on a farm herself, Shirley taught Bob how to grow the fruits and vegetables that she canned and to raise the animals Bob always dreamed of. As their daughters grew up on the farm, they worked together as a family to bale and store the hay they needed to feed the horses, cattle and pigs. Bob and Shirley renewed their vows on the farm on May 27, 2000. Seven years later, on their 57th wedding anniversary, Bob and Shirley, along with their daughter, Cheryl, and her two sons, were baptized at Hickory Comers Bible Church. To be baptized with their grandsons and daughter was a true blessing sent from God. Shirley was-aJareest cancer. survivor. She worked closely with the local breast cancer support group to help other women stand up to cancer and defeat it. She was always just a phone call away for any women facing this diagnosis. Shirley loved life. She was very social and loved being around people. In her spare time, she enjoyed bowling, camping and golf. Shir­ ley also liked to travel and was able to visit many places around the world. She was a very giving person and wanted to help in any way she could, including giving food she grew to the missions in the area. The most important thing to Shirley was her family. She loved her grandsons and did a lot of fun activities with them such as camp­ ing and sports. Shirley is survived by her daughters: Dawn (Tony) Powell, Cheryl (Allan) Lombard; grand­ children, Chris and Cory (Stephanie) Lombard; great-grandchildren, Abby Grace Lombard, Ashlynn Marie Lombard, Alayna Ann Lombard. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Robert Churchill; brothers, Claude Miller, Donald Miller, Leon Miller; sister, Doris Laverack. Relatives and friends may meet with Shir­ ley’s family on Friday, March 4, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Hickory Corners Bible Church where her funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Interment Cressey Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Hickory Comers Bible Church. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Shirley’s family. Robert Arlan Keller Robert Arlan Keller, age 87 of Hastings, Mil, passed away on March 2, 2022. Services will be on Monday, March 7, 2022, with visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral service to follow at 11 a.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058. Interment at Riverside Cemetery. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence and see the obituary in its entirety, visit www.girrbach.funeralhome.net. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWMEWW HotUneTooIs&Eqidpment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Donald Bruce Mohn, age 85, of Delton, MI, passed away on February 24, 2022. Don was bom on September 25, 1936 in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Ray and Helen (Hassinger) Mohn. Don was a 1954 graduate of Niles McKinley High School and earned his BA at Adrian College in 1959, where he excelled at basketball. He worked as a rewinder at Crown Vantage Paper mill for over 30 years. Sports were always a big part of Don’s life, whether playing or watching them he loved it all. He enjoyed playing basketball, softball, and golf throughout the years. He was an accomplished bowler in the Kalamazoo area. Don was the first person to bowl a 300 at Richland Lanes, and went on to bowl over five perfect games. He was an avid fan of many sports teams including the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, and the Ohio State Buckeyes, but his loyalty was with his beloved Delton-Kellogg Panthers. Don was a World War II history enthusiast, a member of the Kalamazoo Air Zoo, and after retirement worked at Gilmore Car Museum for some years. Faith was important to Don and he was a member of the Faith United Methodist Church in Delton. Don is survived by his wife, Dolores (Francisco) Mohn; children, Lynn (Eric) Greening and Mike (Jackie) Mohn; grand­ children, Dorian, Morgan (Lars-Eirik), Kris­ ten, and Samantha; sister, Janet Weller; broth­ ers-in-law, Jim (Lilah) Francisco and Jerry (Karen) Francisco; sister-in-law, Joan Brownell; and several nieces and nephews. Don was preceded in death by his parents and foster daughter, Ronda McPeters. Friends and relatives may meet with the fam­ ily on Saturday, March 5, 2022 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Faith United Methodist Church where a celebration of life service will take place at 12:30 p.m. Private burial will take place at Mt. Ever Rest Memorial Park. Memorial contributions to Delton-Kellogg Athletics will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Don’s family. Coast Guardsman Lawrence Freeman Hamp, age 83, casted off Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022 in the presence of several loved ones. A near professional student for many years, a student of life for many more, Larry delved deeply into military/naval history, coaching softball (you guys know who you are!), mov­ ing around, a free press (Independent Report-1 er!) and staying put. Larry moved to the U.P. in 1974 where he settled in Chassell. He opened a bookstore in Houghton, specializing in historical, military, and antique books in general. He worked part time at the Green Light Tavern, where he put together a softball team, with much success against other U.P. teams. His brother Ken joined him there for five years. Larry also lived on two different boats off Nantucket, both of which were lost to hurri­ canes. . a Larry had donated many of his military and historical writings to the Hastings Public Library, where they are being scanned and the originals archived. When assembled and pro­ cessed they will be shelved and put into the Michigan Room. Larry was preceded in death by parents, Leland and Maurene Hamp; his son, Lee, several remarkable aunts and uncles, and some cats. Larry is survived by daughters, Johanna Hoekstra and Maurene Drummond; sister, Willo (Gordon) Fuhr; brothers, Ken Hamp, and Leo (Charlene) Hamp; grandkids Nick Wylie, Darian Hoekstra, Julianna Hoekstra, Alyssa Hoekstra...and some cats. Particularly to be noted are Mary Hinckley and her family, true friends through thick and thin, who grew with Larry in his last several years. “Sail on, sail on, sailor.” A celebration of life will take place in the spring. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings Michigan. For further details please visit our website www. danielsfuneralhome.net SOCIAL SECURITY Questions can help when planning for retirement Vonda VanTil Public Affairs Specialist Social Security benefits are part of the retirement plan of almost every American worker. If you’re among the many people cov­ ered under Social Security, you should know what your future benefit may be. These month­ ly payments are likely to be an important part of your retirement income. We base your benefit payment on how much you earned during your working career. Higher lifetime earnings result in higher benefits. If there were some years you didn’t work or had low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than if you had worked steadily. Even if you never worked and did not pay Social Secu­ rity taxes, you may be eligible for spouse’s retirement benefits. You must be at least 62 years old, and your spouse must already be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Our online retirement portal at ssa.gov/retirement is a great place to start mapping out your retirement plan. For example, have you considered: • What is the right time for you to start receiving retirement benefits? • What documents you may need to provide SSA for your retirement application? • Which factors may affect your retirement benefits? • What you should remember to do after you apply for retirement benefits? You can use your personal My Social Secu­ rity account at ssa.gov/myaccount to get an instant estimate of your future retirement ben­ efits. You also can see the effects of starting your retirement benefits at different ages. You may also be wondering about: • Benefits for a spouse or children. • How work affects your benefits. • If you will have to pay taxes on your benz efits. • Medicare. You can learn more at ssa.gov/retirement. Share this information with family and friends to help them prepare for their retirement. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o : Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email to vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Ronald Ray Miller Ronald Ray Miller, age 77, passed away on March 2, 2022. He is survived by his wife Janet. Arrangements are pending. Service arrangements for Ron Miller are pending at this time. Please check the Girrbach Funeral Home website for a complete obituary and service information, or to leave an online condolence at www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Arrange­ ments by Girrbach Funeral Home. Due to the history preservation project, archived editions of The Banner will not be available beginning Monday, March 7, until July or later. Thursday, March 3 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1939 Oscar-nominated film starring Henry Fonda and Alice Brady following the early life of lawyer Abraham Lincoln, 5 p.m. Monday, March 7 - Crafting Passions group meets 10 a.m.-l p.m.; Oreo Cookie Taste Testing, 3-6 p.m.; board of directors meeting, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8 - Great Decisions For­ eign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at library), 10:30 a.m.; acoustic jam session, 5 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — Page 7 Storms, businesses, elections in March news of years past 1 Throughout its more than 160 years, The fanner has offered readers a look back on past local history. The “Do You Remember” photo and this “Turning Back the Pages” columns are the current formats. , Prior to that, local historian, the late Esther ^/alton and others (including Joyce Weinbrecht and Catherine Lucas) provided weekly submis­ sions for the column titled “From Time to Time.” i Harold Burpee researched and wrote the ‘•Fresh Out of the Attic” column during much of the 1960s. ; Marshall Cook, who shared Banner owner­ ship and editorial duties with his brother Wil­ liam, regularly penned memories of the people qnd events of his early years. ; Occasionally, Banner staff put together a column featuring snippets of news from decades past. In March 1966, that column was called ‘^Backward glances - ‘Bits of yesterday’ as gleaned from the Banner files.” ' While some of the news, such as a 10-cent fius fare to Grand Rapids, may now seem oth­ er-worldly, other bits, including local names and spring weather, can seem familiar. ; The following “Bits of Yesterday” were reprinted in the Banner in early to mid-March 966, making the look-back years 1956, 1946, 11936, 1926 and 1916: Banner March 3, 1966 10 years ago First Lt. Ernest Thome presented wings this week to the following members of the Freeport Ground Observers Corps in recognition of faith­ ful service: Harold Ford, supervisor; Robert Clinton, chief observer; and Larry Allen, Wil­ liam Browne, Alice Edwin Ford, JoAnn Ford, David Furrow, Charles Geiger, Elwood Yoder, Paul Kunde, James Gonzales, James Hedges, Allen King, Grace Neubecker and Gerald Thompson. <■ “Wind wrecks hangar, planes,” the March 15, 1956, Banner reported. “Saturday night’s high wind wrecked the ‘new’ eight-place hangar at the Hastings airfield and damaged three planes. Hastings had $5,256 invested in the hangar and Monday received a check from the Michigan Mutual Windstorm Insurance Company [now Hastings Mutual] for $5,000 - the amount of insurance on the structure. The city is expected to dispose of the scrap to more than cover its full cost, and Aiderman Gordon Sothard and his airport committee have been authorized to determine how large a new hangar can be purchased for the $5,000 received for the ruined building. (Photo by Richard Waite)” confirmation of their appointments as postmas­ ters in their respective villages. 40 years ago Announcement was made at the Presbyterian Church service Sunday that the Rev. Leason Sharpe, to whom a call had been extended, has accepted and will begin his pastoral duties here Easter Sunday, April 4. k'k'k *** Among the Hastingsites who celebrate their birthdays every four years on Feb. 29, were the mayor’s wife, Mrs. John Hewitt [Olive (Klein), 1'896-1984], Ernie Haves [1892-1960] and Vem McMillon [1924-2001], 20 years ago - Harold L. Johnson of Grand Rapids and his brother Reginald have been given permission by the city council to operate a bus service here on a 60-day trial basis. The line plans to operate on a 40-minute schedule with a 10-cent fare. The Rev. Leason Sharpe began his pastoral duties here Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926; The Banner had announced his forthcoming move a month earlier. kkk The Hastings High School student publica­ tion, “The Fortnight,” was awarded first place in the Class C school division at the fifth annual convention of the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association at Ann Arbor last week. Her­ old C. Hunt is the faculty advisor responsible for this publication. [Hunt went on to become superintendent of schools in Chicago, a profes­ sor at Harvard University and was appointed by President Eisenhower as undersecretary of Health, Education and Welfare. 50 years ago A letter from relatives in England to Mrs. George Johnson of this city states that the dark­ ness over England is depressing and that peo­ ple, especially in London, are in continual fear of Zeppelin raids. kkk kkk t The Hastings fire department about 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon answered a call to a fire in the bam at the Leona Walden farm home in ‘Tritchardville,” but neighbors using the tjme-honored bucket brigade system fortunately Had the blaze under control by the time the truck arrived. 30 years ago Woodland PTA is sponsoring a play, “Betty in Movieland,” Tobe-given- at the-township -school next week. In the cast will be Catherine Spindler, Richard Christian, Grant Osgood, Birdsall Holly, Rex Bradley, Walter Hershberg­ er, Mrs. Alice Bailey, Lucy Lind, Elsa Herman and Mr. and Mrs. Bom. V.R. Wotring will serve as master of ceremonies. A chorus of 20 high school girls will take part. Hastings had a remarkably small number of fires during the past year. Of the 22 alarms, including one false alarm, it was only necessary to throw water four times, and these four times included hose service totaling only 1 3/4 hours during the entire year, a remarkable record for a city of this size. March 10, 1966 —-—-1——1—10 years ago -•Emmanuel Episcopal Church will be the scene of re-dedication ceremonies Sunday to mark completion of remodeling and improve­ ments totaling more than $37,000. The Rt. Rev. Dudley B. McNeil, D.D., bishop of the Diocese of Western Michigan, will officiate, assisted by the Rev. Don M. Gury, rector. kkk kkk The citizens caucus of Middleville has nom­ inated the following slate of candidates for local office: John Dietrich, president; Dora L. White, clerk; Blanche Segerstrom, treasurer; Max E. Lynd, assessor; and Arthur Geukes, George Juppstrom and Henry Poulson, trustees. ; 40 years ago » Sunday the Presbyterian Church here, which Has been without a regular minister since the resignation of Rev. H.F. Kilmer, unanimously voted to extend a call to the Rev. Leason Sharpe of Richland, who has had a very successfill ministry there. Some 230 members of the 42 Barry County Home Demonstration groups visited the legisla­ ture in Lansing Wednesday and later were guests at the home of Gov. [G. Mennen “Soapy”] and Mrs. [Nancy] Williams at tea following their inspection of the capitol. 20 years ago Dr. J.K. Altland, director of the Barry County Health Department for the past five years, will leave here in April to become head of Michigan Local Health Services, a branch of the Michi­ gan Department of Health with headquarters in Lansing. kkk kkk The following committee has been appointed to take charge of the Memorial and Decoration Day exercises: From the American Legion Frank Annable, Harry Miller and Harold New­ ton; Spanish-American veterans - Hugh Riley, Albert H. Carveth and Frank Reynolds; repre­ senting the GAR - George Bradish, Francis Craig and T.O. Webber. [Webber, who ultimate­ ly was the longest-surviving Civil War veteran in the county, was featured in this column in April 2021.] c 50 years ago The installation of water meters has been a major factor in boosting profits of the local Waterworks plant to more than $5,000, according to city engineer Tobias. With at least 200 more patrons added to the service list, 46 million gal­ lons less were pumped than during 1910. The following FFA members received the degree of Future Farmers at the FFA meeting last week: Robert Brogan, John Cheeseman, John Cotant, Linden Cunningham, Russell Hammond, Pat Kelly, Nyle Knickerbocker, Edward Reed, Russell Stanton, James Wright and Ronald Wright. 30 years ago Montgomery Ward officials confirmed Mon­ day that the Chicago firm will open a retail outlet here early in April in the double front store on Jefferson Street [now The General Store], which has been leased through arrange­ ments completed shortly before the death of the late Dr. H.A. Adrounie. kkk Mrs. Gladys E. Gaskill of Delton and Clif­ ford Gardener of Middleville have received From the classifieds: “A conundrum - If I buy my groceries on time and sell them on time and my customers never pay me, how could I pay my bills? Someone who has tried it please answer. I need the money. Respectfully, W.A. Matthews.” March 17, 1966 10 years ago Saturday night’s high wind wrecked the new eight-place hangar at thcTIastings Airpark and damaged three planes kkk The area’s first flood disaster victims in a long time were assisted Thursday by the Barry County Red Cross chapter when their homes were flooded by the Thomapple River about 3 miles northwest of here. The nine people were housed at the Curtis-E House until the waters receded and were provided meals in the new Red Cross headquarters below Gardner’s Drug Store. The program was carried out under direc­ tion of Red Cross Executive Secretary Loretta Aldrich. 20 years ago Work of the special grand jury investigating graft and corruption in Michigan state govern­ ment, was apparently ended when Judge Coash, after suspending the investigation for a period of two weeks, dismissed Kim Sigler as special pros­ ecutor. Judge Coash recently replaced Judge Leland Carr after the latter had been appointed to a place on the Michigan Supreme Court. | TURNING | BACK THE I PAGES High schoolers can win cash prizes in local writing contest The Barry Community Foundation is accepting entries for the Write Away Com­ petition funded by a grant from Alice Jones and the late Kensinger Jones. This competition encourages high school students (Hastings, Delton Kellogg, Thor­ napple Kellogg and Maple Valley high schools and Barry Intermediate School District) who have writing aspirations or talents to submit entries. There are two contests: Freshmen and sophomores may submit a poem (prefera­ bly with rhyme and meter), and/or an essay. Juniors and seniors may submit a short story (not more than 1,500 words) on any subject, a poem, and a feature story based on some aspect of life in Barry County. Ken Jones enjoyed a 50-year career as a writer of radio dramas, creative director for international advertising agencies, author of numerous magazine articles and several motion picture scripts. In 1976, he retired । iiHrM-.Xijiiiiiiiij.' ' - to Barry County to raise cattle and embark on a 14-year professorship at Michigan State University. He and Alice collaborated on two pub­ lished books, and their work has appeared in local newspapers. They established the competition to encourage students to write creatively. Writers may submit only one entry in each category, but may enter all categories for their grade level. First-place finishers will receive cash prizes. Details, official rules and entry forms can be obtained from the Barry Communi­ ty Foundation. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. March 29. Winners will be announced in May. For more information, students also may check with their high school English departments; call Jillian Foster at the Barry Community Foundation, 269-945-0526; or email Jillian@barrycf.org. '___________ ■ ' ? /^DoctorUniverse Praying mantis dates back to Jurassic era kkk Inducted into the William T. Wallace Chapter of the National Honor Society in a colorful cer­ emony at Central Auditorium here last week were James Bums, Robert Casey, Alfred Cortright, Agnes Fuller, Anne Goodyear, Sally Goodyear, Pat Hodges, Norma Jaksec, Mary Lou Jenson, Colleen Jones, Donald Keech, Jean Kenyon, James Long, Fred McDonald, Robert Rogers, Mary Salton, Smith Sherman Jr. and Elaine Van Hom. 30 years ago V. Harry Adrounie, who has been enrolled this year at the University of Illinois, will be a member of a scientific expedition to Yucatan and other points of Central America. kkk Nashville voters rejected the proposition of amending the village charter so as to come under the 15-mill tax limitation by a 2-1 margin. 40 years ago Sheriff [Charles F.] Parker reports that there has been no prisoner in the county jail for two weeks, nor a single arrest made. Is this the beginning of a trend for the better, or merely the calm before the storm? kkk ■ “Red Cross Restaurant” is how the March 15, 1956, Banner labeled this photo, saying, “This area’s first flood ‘disaster’ cases in a long time were assisted last Thursday by the Barry County Red Cross chapter when their homes were flooded by the Thornapple about 3 1/2 miles northwest of here. A family of nine has been housed dt the Curtis-E-House until the waters receded, and here, Red Cross Executive Secretary Loretta Aldrich (standing) is helping with the serving of dinner Friday eve­ ning in the new Red Cross office below Gardner’s Drug store. Pictured (from left) are Mr. and Mrs. Earcil Lewis with Debra Kay, and Floria Jean and Mary Ann, children of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Lewis (right). They are holding their son, William James, 4 months. (Photo by Richard Waite)” / fl look DaGk at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastlnos Banner Featured at the Strand: Bebe Daniels in “Wild, Wild Susan,” also a Christie Comedy, “Call a Cop.” 50 years ago Sheriff Cornelius Manni was named com­ mander at the organization meeting of Span­ ish-American War veterans held in the GAR hall this week. Other officers elected were James R. Mason, senior vice commander; Eli Davis, junior vice commander; Edward Downs, officer of the day; and Hugh Riley, officer of the guard. Commander Manni appointed Henry Sheldon as adjutant and Albert Carveth as quar­ termaster. kkk Fifty patrons of the County Center telephone lines met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Pennock Thursday and elected the following officers: Arthur Phillips, president; Charles Tobias, vice president; and A.E. Phillips, secre­ tary-treasurer. A trouble man was elected for each line. To be continued Dr. Universe: What didpraying mantises evolvefront? Tara, 12 Dear Tara, When you think of the Jurassic Period, you might think of dinosaurs, but all kinds of insects, including praying mantises, roamed the Earth back then, too. Some of the mantises died and fossil­ ized into rock and amber, which helped to preserve them for hundreds of millions of years. As scientists uncover these fossils in modem times, they can learn more about the life histories of insects. That’s what I found out from my friend Elizabeth Murray, an entomologist at Washington State University, who is curi­ ous about the diversity of insects on our planet. In addition to fossils, she said, scientists will sometimes study insects’ DNA, or their genetic material, to learn how the insects evolved and any ancestors they might have in common. If you’re like me, you might be sur­ prised to learn that mantises share a com­ mon ancestor with another well-known insect. “We have pieces of evidence that come together and show that cockroaches and mantises are most closely related,” Mur­ ray said. “They had a common ancestor that maybe even looked like a mix of both insects.” Like a lot of insects, cockroaches and mantises both have six legs and three main body segments. They not only share a genetic history but also lay their eggs in a similar way. Both cockroaches and man­ tises make a special kind of case to protect their eggs. The ability to build a tough egg case, or what scientists call an ootheca, helps give the insects an advantage as they pro­ tect their tiny eggs from dangers like parasites, predators or weather. Over hundreds of millions of years, the traits and abilities that help different insects survive have been passed down from parents to their offspring. Murray reminded me that when we talk about how an insect evolves, we are talking about all of these changes that occur in a species through millions of gen­ erations. Scientists are still learning more about the history of praying mantises and even discovering species that lived in the past. Just last year, researchers reported their findings of a fossil that helped them iden­ tify a previously unknown species of praying mantis. This mantis lived about 100 million years ago in the Late Creta­ ceous period. Using modem imaging tools and com­ puter models, scientists can help pinpoint differences and similarities between spe­ cies that existed millions of years ago and the species that exist now. It helps put together a better picture of the insects’ family tree. It’s a pretty big tree, too. Murray said there are at least a couple million known insect species, but some estimates suggest there might be 10 million insect species on our planet. Maybe one day you can study to be an entomologist and help us learn more about different insect species. The next time you see a cockroach or a praying mantis, think about how they share a common ancestor - and as always, keep asking great ques­ tions. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her web­ site, askdruniverse.com. �Page 8 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Retired TK teacher sent to prison in murder-for-hire plot Greg Chandler Staff Writer A retired Thomapple Kellogg High School teacher has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison on charges he tried to hire a hitman, using the virtual currency Bitcoin as payment, in an attempted plot to kill his wife. Nelson Paul Replogle, 60, was sen­ tenced Feb. 24 to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release after his prison term ends by Senior U.S. District Judge Leon Jordan in Knoxville, Tenn. Replogle could have received up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Replogle pleaded guilty on Oct. 25, 2021 in U.S. District Court to one count of murder for hire in connection with the plot that targeted his wife, Ann, who is a former Hastings Area School System elementary teacher. Replogle retired from the Thomap­ ple Kellogg district in June 2018, where he had taught social studies. He had served as a class sponsor and was among those reading the list of names of high school graduates at commence­ ment exercises in 2018, according to the district’s website. Replogle was arrested in April 2021 in Knox County, Tennessee, after Federal Bureau of Investigation agents received a tip from representatives of the British Broadcasting Corp, about the murderfor-hire plot. According to documents filed in the case, Replogle admitted to using the Internet to contact a dark web entity that purported to arrange murders for hire. He provided the would-be killer the intended victim’s name and address, a description of her vehicle and a specific date, time and place where the victim could be found and murdered. In addition, Replo­ gle asked that the killing appear as “road rage or [a] carjacking gone wrong,” court spokeswoman Rachelle Barnes said. In exchange for the planned murder of his wife, Nelson Replogle used the inter­ net to transmit a payment of Bitcoin in Nelson Paul Replogle the value of $17,583 in U.S. currency, court documents show. In a five-page affidavit filed with the U.S. District Court, FBI Special Agent Clay Anderson said that he received information on April 20, 2021, about a possible murder-for-hire plot from the BBC representatives. They said the tar­ get of the plot was Ann Replogle, and provided her name and address. It’s not clear how the BBC got the information they provided to the FBI. “The Knoxville FBI contacted the Knox County Sheriff’s office and advised them of the threat. The Knox County Sheriff’s office sent deputies to the residence of the victim to verify her well-being. In addition, the Knoxville FBI sent special agents and task force offices to conduct an interview of the victim and any other residents at the location,” Anderson said in the affidavit. Both Nelson and Ann Replogle were at home when agents and task force offi­ cers arrived. They both said they could not think of anyone who would want to harm Ann. Then Nelson Replogle was interviewed alone; he told them he did not solicit his wife’s murder nor could he think of anyone who would, accord­ ing to the affidavit. Anderson then contacted the BBC representatives who had provided the tip, and was told they had information that a payment was made with the understand­ ing that an unknown person would kill Ann Replogle as she took her pet to a local veterinarian for an appointment. “The information provided was very specific about date, time, vehicle make, model and color,” Anderson said in the affidavit. “The payment for the murder of the victim was made using the virtual currency Bitcoin and the date and time of the transaction as well as the receiving Bitcoin wallet was provided.” The FBI provided a blockchain analysis of the Bitcoin transaction and was able to determine that the Bitcoin wallets used to pay were CoinBase wallets. Investigators then went to work, subpoenaing CoinBase for records pertaining to the transaction, citing a threat-to-life situation. “The information provided by Coin­ Base shows Replogle listed as the owner of the account and shows the transaction between Replogle and whomever is behind the murder-for-hire website. In addition, CoinBase provided the regis­ tration information to include photo identification and photos of the suspect,” Anderson said in the affidavit. , CoinBase provided connection logs that showed “multiple” internet protocol connections, the last one being on April 20. Further investigation revealed the IP address involved with the CoinBase wal­ let was associated with Replogle’s AT&T account at his home, court records show. The CoinBase subpoena further dis­ closed that Replogle paid for the Bitcoin out of a personal savings account at First Horizon Bank in Knoxville, and 4hat his wife did not have access to that account. Law enforcement contacted the bank seeking information, which “corroborated the information from CoinBase,” Ander­ son said in the affidavit. Shortly after that information was confirmed, Replogle was arrested. The Replogles moved from Michigan to Knoxville in 2018, after both retired from their teaching jobs. Nelson Replo­ gle was working part-time while drawing a pension from his teaching job and did not have any criminal history prior to his arrest, court records showed. Exhausted after fishing on Gull Lake A Hamilton man, 49, reported $2,000 in damages to his gray Chevrolet Silverado truck after 1 a.m. Feb. 12, on East Baseline Road and Williams Road in Hickory Comers. A Barry County sheriff’s deputy was called to the scene after the man, who had been fishing on Gull Lake, returned to his truck to find a piece of the exhaust pipe had been cut off. He checked underneath and found multiple holes and cuts in the exhaust system. He could offer no idea as to suspects, he told police; he had just been parking there along with about 20 other vehicles, where everyone else parks to go ice fishing. He was unsure of the cost to get the damage repaired, but gave an estimate of about $2,000. Unknown vehicle wipes out mailbox A mailbox on Charlton Park Road was damaged sometime after midnight Feb. 12. The property damage was reported to the county sheriff’s office by a 79-year-old Hastings woman, who told police the mailbox had been run over and that parts of the car were still at the scene. The deputy investigating the incident said it appeared something hit the mailbox, possibly a truck with a plow. A hub cover that was found in the ditch is believed to belong to the suspect vehicle, which is likely a Ford. At this time, the suspect vehicle has not been identified. < Man arrested for driving while intoxicated A red Volkswagen Rabbit driven by a 64-year-old Freeport man crashed on North Broadway near Free­ port Road around 3:57 a.m. Feb. 9. Police were notified of the one-car crash by a passing motorist and the responding officer found the vehicle partially in the northbound lane, with the front end off the right side of the road. It appeared to have struck a tree. Judging from marks in the snow, the officer determined the car was traveling north when it began to leave the road on the right side. Then the vehicle struck a tree, continued north and struck a second tree, then came to a stop. The driver, who was alone in the car, was complaining of minor pain and was checked by medical responders at the scene, but refused to be trans­ ported for treatment. He said he had been on his way home from Woodland when he started to have a coughing fit. In the past, he told the officer, he has had coughing fits followed by blackouts. He believes that was what happened. When the officer asked what he had been doing in Woodland, he said he had been drinking at a bar where he had consumed four or five beers. His words were slurred and a strong odor of intoxicants was coming from his person, the officer noted. When he stepped out of the vehicle he had been waiting in, he was swaying on his feet and the officer twice had to catch the man to prevent him from falling. A preliminary breath test sample at the scene showed 0.114 blood alcohol content. He told the officer that, about three years before, he had been arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He faces that charge again. He was arrested and transported to Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital to be med­ ically cleared, since he had been involved in a crash, before being lodged in the county jail. Tequila shots take Ram off the road Two sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to South M-37 and Butler Road in Dowling at 10:14 p.m. Feb. 14 after a Dodge Ram truck drove off the road into a snow bank. The driver, a 59-year-old Battle Creek man, said he had been heading home after drinking in Bedford, where he had consumed three shots of tequila. The officers noted the odor of intoxicants coming from the man, his bloodshot eyes, as well as his inability to stand for periods of time on his own. He agreed to take a preliminary breath test that showed a 0.227 blood alcohol content. He was placed under arrest, medically cleared at Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital, then lodged in the jail on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Catalytic converter cut off van in Nashville A Nashville couple called police to report that a catalytic converter valued at $1,000 had been cut off their 2004 Ford van sometime between Feb. 11 and Feb. 13 on Thomapple Lake Road. No evidence was left at the scene. With no suspects, the case is inactive. - - - « _ Yellow wire may lead police to culprit A larceny of tools, among other items, from a residence on Oak Street in Johnstown Township was reported to police Jan. 28. The 45-year-old Battle Creek man who reported the thefts is a truck driver who said some people who had been living in his house had moved out the night before the items were stolen. He was not there at the time. Two Milwaukee drills valued at $400, two DeWalt drills valued at $400, a worm-drive Skilsaw valued at $200 and a 250-foot spool of yellow 12-gauge Rollmex wire, valued at $175 were taken. The police interviewed several suspects, who denied they had been living in the house and denied taking the tools and other items. But one of the people interviewed by police said she saw a maroon Dodge Charger at the residence, and two women, who removed the items from the home, told her they were taking them to sell to a scrapyard in Battle Creek so they could get heroin. She then called the home­ owner to tell him about the thefts since he was not home at the time. Police called the scrapyard and confirmed that a woman with the same name that had been given to police had brought in some yellow wire to sell Jan. 27. The office manager at the scrapyard had a photo copy of the woman’s ID and the paperwork for the transaction, which he emailed to the police. The yellow wire was the only item she had brought in. Police investigation continued through Feb. 13, when all paperwork associated with this case was sent to the Barry County prosecutor’s office for review. Hearing adjourned for teen who threatened TK schools Opportunities Available Richland: (we offer a 50 cent shift differential) Assembly Test & Repair $18.41- $20.47/hour in 12 months (3rd shift) Cell Technician III $20.06-$23.00/hour in 12 months (2nd & 3rd shift) Greg Chandler Staff Writer A court hearing for an 18-yearold Grand Rapids man accused of making a threat to Thomapple Kellogg High School via social media Jan. 20 was adjourned Tuesday, with a new hearing slat­ ed for later this month. A settlement conference has been scheduled for 10 a.m. March 22 for Connor John Bauer, who is charged with two counts of mak­ ing a threat to a school and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, in connection with the incident that led to the closure of classes in Thomapple Kellogg Schools that day. Bauer has pleaded not guilty to the charges thus far. He was ordered held in jail on a $25,000 cash bond last month, even though the charges against him are misdemeanors. At the Feb. 8 arraignment before Barry County District Judge Michael Schipper, County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt pointed to “red flags” related to Registered Dental Hygienist Parker Pneumatic Division 8676 E M-89 | Richland, Ml 49083 Parker Family Dental Practice in Hastings looking for RDH to join our team 2-4 days a week. Please FAX resume to 269-948-8116 or you may call 269-838-2850 Bauer and the incident that led her to request the higher bond, including threatening students at TKHS and referring to a gang affiliation and posting a photo of himself with alcohol and a gun. Bauer has switched attorneys since his arraignment. While Wil­ liam Renner of Coldwater repre­ sented Bauer at the arraignment, he is now being represented by Deno Fotieo, a Grand Rapids-based defense attorney, accord­ ing to the county court website. Classes in the TK school district were canceled Jan. 20 after admin­ istrators received an email that morning regarding a threat to the high school that had been posted on social media. Students at the high school were already en route to the building when the threat was reported. District Superintendent Craig McCarthy wrote in an email that day that closing the high school and transporting students home would disrupt the district’s entire transportation system, so the decision was made to cancel class­ es for all TK students for the day. Bauer faces up to a year in jail on a fine of up to $1,000 if he is convicted of making a threat to a school, and up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000 if he’s con­ victed of the computer crime charges. �Hastings Public Library 227 E State Street Hastings Ml 49058 The Hastings ANNER SPORTS Isection Thur.criav March 3.2022 Thursday, March 3, 2022 B ■<. Hastings senior Brooklynn Youngs (left) and Macy Winegar (right) come off the bench fired up to celebrate with senior Bailey Cook (11) and the rest of their teammates as the buzzer sounds at the end of their win over the host Bulldogs in the opening game of the MHSAA Division 2 State Tournament at Ionia High School Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings girls knock host out of district tournament Saxon senior Brianna Barnes races to the hoop to get a lay-up over Ionia s Aubree White during the Hastings varsity girls' basketball team's win over the Bulldogs in their district ballgame Monday at Ionia High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity girls’ basketball team won a district bailgame for the first time since 2017 by knocking off host Ionia 52-36 in the opening round of the MHSAA Division 2 Girls’ Basketball Tournament Monday. “It is a big win,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said Monday. “The seniors get another night to play. I told them, we got the bean stalk, now we’ve got to hit the giant. That is what we’re doing.” Lakewood followed that up the Saxons’ win with a 68-20 win in its district opener against Lansing Eastern. The Division 2 District Tournament in Ionia this week features as pair of teams ranked in the top ten in the state in Division 2: Portland and Lansing Catholic. The 19-1 Portland Raiders are ranked fourth and the 18-2 Lansing Catholic Cougars eighth com­ ing into the state tournament. Those two teams split their two match-ups this winter in the Capital Area Activities Conference White Division. Ypsilanti Arbor Prep, the top ranked team in the state in Division 3, was the other team to best Lansing Catholic this season so far. With their wins in the opening round of the district tournament the Hastings girls are now 13-8 overall this season. Lakewood, which fell to Hastings in a late December match-up, is 6-14. The Saxons were set to face Portland in the first of two district semifinal match-ups back at Ionia High School Wednesday (March 2) with Lakewood taking on Lansing Catholic in district semifinal number two Wednesday. The district final is set for Friday night, March 4, at Ionia High School. The Saxons flew out to a 12-0 lead on the strength of two three-pointers by senior guard Brooklynn Youngs and one by junior guard Macy Winegar in its bailgame with Ionia Monday. On the defensive side, Hastings didn’t allow the Bulldogs a field goal until a minute remained in the opening quarter and only gave up three field goals the entire first half. The Saxons led 31-17 at the break and then started the second half with a 6-0 run to push their lead to 20 points. Hastings limited the Bulldogs to just four points in the third quaijer. “I felt like that was big. Usually we have not come out in the third quarter really well. We did that today,” coach Youngs said. “I felt like that was a really big one. We came out in a zone, because they were not shoot­ ing well and we were getting into foul trou­ ble. We came out in our match-up zone, the same thing we ran against Marshall success­ fully, and we haven’t run it in the last couple weeks though. Whatever film they’ve watched they wouldn’t have seen it. What did they have, four straight turnovers to start the third quarter. They didn’t even get a shot off. That was a big deal. “And then when your own shots fall it makes things a lot easier too.” Winegar had a game-high 16 points while knocking down four three-pointers. Brook­ lynn Youngs finished with 13 points. Hast­ ings had eight different girls score. Senior forward Carly Warner added six points and senior guard Brianna Barnes and junior guard Isabelle Storm had five each. Senior guard Jessa Swinehart had ten points to lead the Bulldogs and freshman guard Aubree White finished with nine points helped by a 6-for-6 performance at the free throw line. The Bulldogs were slowed this season in part by an injury to senior center Brynn Reams who will get the chance to play some more basketball at Aquinas College. Hastings junior Isabelle Storm fires a three-pointer over Ionia's Londyn Brown (left) and Josie Phelps (10) during the second half of her team's win over the Bulldogs Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Finals lanes will be full of Saxon and Trojan bowlers Brett Bremer Sports Editor Juniors Wyatt Jacobson from Thomapple Kellogg and Abby Barton and Amber Rabideau from Hastings earned two days of compe­ tition at the MHSAA Division 2 Bowling Finals with their finishes at the Division 2 Regional Tournament hosted by Spectrum Lanes Saturday. Jacobson and the Thomapple Kellogg var­ sity boys’ bowling team qualified for the state team competition with their third place finish at regionals last Friday (Feb. 25). Jacobson followed that up by placing fourth in the indi­ vidual competition Saturday (Feb. 26) to qualify for the individual state finals. Rabideau, Barton and the Hastings girls qualified for the state finals with a runner-up team finish Friday and then Barton placed seventh in the individual competition Satur­ day and Rabideau tenth. TK senior Paige Green also qualified for the state finals with her sixth-place finish at Spectrum Lanes Sat­ urday. Barton and Jacobson were both also indi­ vidual state qualifiers in 2021. This is the first time a Saxon team has ever qualified for the MHSAA Bowling Finals. The TK boys were last a part of the team state finals in 2020. The top three teams Friday at regionals qualified for the MHSAA Division 2 Bowling Team State Finals that will be held Friday, March 4, at Super Bowl in Canton. The top ten individuals from Saturday’s competition earned spots in the Division 2 Bowling Indi­ vidual State Finals which are set for Saturday, March 5, at Super Bowl. That made it something of a bittersweet victory for Rabideau. She edged a pair of teammates for that last individual state quali­ fying spot. She finished the six games Satur­ day with a total score of 917. Hastings junior Andrea Rhodes was a 11th with a score of 916 and sophomore Ally Herder 12th with a score of 905. Wayland and Allegan also had two individ­ ual state qualifiers. Wayland junior Kadence Bottrall won the girls’ title with an overall score of 1,204. She had high individual games of 221 and 227 to go along with a 208, a 202, a 187 and a 159. Her senior teammate Bella Hamish was third (1,082). Allegan had sophomore Leah Snyder second with an overall score of 1,110 and junior team­ mate Savannah Beilfuss ninth (936). Other members of the girls’ top ten Saturday included Niles Junior Chevelle Jaynes (1,054), Otsego sophomore Alicyn Klok (955) and Grand Rap­ ids Christian junior Catherine Meyer (938). Barton had a high game of 181 at the tour­ nament and Rabideau a high of 168. Rhodes’ top tally of the day was a 169 and Herder had a high-game of 178 to close out the six games. While those two missed out on the individual state competition they played a huge role in powering the Saxons in the team competition Friday. Rhodes had the top single game score for the Saxons in the team compe­ tition with a 237 and Herder was just behind her with a 230. Hastings had five girls that were in the top 17 scorers in the individual competition. Senior Shyanna Baker closed out her regional tournament with a 17th-place score of 876 that included a high single game of 180. See FINALS, page 10 The Hastings varsity girls' bowling team celebrates qualifying for the MHSAA Division 2 Team Bowling Finals with a runner-up finish at their regional tournament at Spectrum Lanes Friday, Feb. 25. Team members are Shyanna Baker, Andrea Rhodes, Abby Barton, Ally Herder, Kaylin Schild and Amber Rabideau. Barton and Rabideau also qualified for the individual state finals with their performance at Spectrum Saturday. �Page 10 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Riley Shults, swimming for the Barry County Barracudas, had a pair of top three finishes Saturday in individual races at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet. He was third in the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley while also competing on a pair of Barracuda relay teams. (Photo by Bob Gaskill) Barry County Barracuda teammates Jameson Riordan, Matthew Smith, Riley Shults, Devin Pacillo and Jack Kensington celebrate their all-conference honors at the conclusion of the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet at the CERC pool in Hastings. (Photo by Bob Gaskill) Barry County Barracuda junior Jack Kensington races through the water in a free­ style event during the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet in the CERC pool at Hastings High School Saturday. (Photo by Bob Gaskill) NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS 176168 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL ROOF REPAIR PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accept­ ing bids on roof repair of the Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. Items to be included; • • • • Removal and replacement of all drip edge, shingles (30 -50 year war­ ranty), and underlayment. Color to be selected by the Township. Collect, remove, and dispose of all old roofing material and debris. Remove existing cupola (crane may be required), patch and shingle cupola area. Bid packets available at the Township Office. All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids sub­ mitted that do not meet the boards approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority County of Barry, Michigan NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING on Proposed 2022 - 2023 Budget Public Notice is hereby given that the Commission of the Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority will conduct a public hearing on the Authority’s proposed budget for the Authority’s 2022 - 2023 fiscal year on March 15, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority Office, 11191 S. M-43 Hwy., Delton, Michigan 49046. A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at the office of the Authority located at 11191 South M-43 Highway, Delton, Michigan 49046 during regular authority business hours. In addition to other business which may properly come before the meeting, the Commission will consider any comments made by the public at the public hearing on the Authority’s budget and further, will consider whether to adopt, and may adopt, the annual Authority budget for the 2022 - 2023 fiscal year. If adopted, the budget may be adopted in the form in which originally presented, or in such amended form as the Commission in its discretion may determine. All interested persons may attend the public hearing. Southwest Barry County Sewer Authority Barracudas just ten points shy of champs Brett Bremer Sports Editor A victory by the team of junior Jack Kens­ ington, sophomore Jameson Riordan, junior Devin Pacillo and sophomore Riley Shults in the final event of the weekend, the 400-yard freestyle relay, pulled the Barry County Bar­ racuda varsity boys’ swimming and diving team to within ten points of the conference champions from Ottawa Hills. All four of those Barracudas earned all-conference honors and so did senior team­ mate Matt Smith at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet at the Community Educa­ tion and Recreation Center in Hastings Satur­ day. Preliminary races were held Friday and the championship finals were Saturday in Hastings. Swimming 100 yards in the freestyle was a good stroke at a good distance for the Barra­ cudas, whether it was four times in a row in a relay or just in an individual race. Kensington took the conference championship in the 100yard freestyle with a time of 50.05 seconds with Shults third in that race in 53.40. Kensington, Shults, Riordan and Pacillo had a time of 3 minutes 31.87 seconds in winning the 400-yard freestyle relay. They were more than five seconds ahead of the runner-up team from Wayland in that race. Ottawa Hills secured its championship with the team of Ryan Yon, Spencer McClure, Ben Brinks and Drew Portinga placing fourth in that final relay. The Bengals won the conference meet with 445 points, ahead of Barry County 435, Way­ land 400, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 338 and Grand Rapids Union 212. Ottawa Hills was powered by senior Jona­ than Hoffman who tied Wayland junior Zachery Jenison atop the all-conference points list at the end of the meet. Hoffman won the 200yard freestyle in 1:47.44 and the 100-yard butterfly in 53.35. Hoffman also teamed with Zeke Deblaay, Matias Rizkalla and Ethan Shi to place second in the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. Jenison and the Wildcats won both those 200-yard relays. He teamed with Josh Rose, Dalton Montague and Henry Oudbier to take the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:32.45. Pay­ ton Williamson, Jenison, Rose and Montague wont he 200-yard medley relay in 1:41.50. Jenison added a winning time of 21.66 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle and 58.22 in the 100-yard breaststroke setting a new con­ ference and pool record in both of the races. Kensington was second to Jenison in that 50-yard freestyle, toughing the wall in 22.76. Shults had a pair of third place finishes in individual races for the Barracudas. He placed third in that 100 freestyle and third in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:16.51. Ottawa Hills senior Deblaay won that race in 2:07.56, with Wayland’s William­ son second in 2:12.2. Smith was right behind Shults in the 200 IM with a time of 2:17.18 to boost his all-conference standings. Smith was also third in the 100-yard but­ terfly in 1:01.43. Pacillo contributed a third-place time of 1:57.61 in the 200-yard freestyle for the Bar­ racudas and junior teammate Mason Cross was sixth in that race in 2:03.57. Senior Blake Sheldon had his best confer­ ence diving finish ever Saturday, placing third with a score of 309.65 points. Grand Rapids Catholic Central sophomore Will Schwallier won the diving competition with a score of 441.60. Union senior Raphael Pruitt was a distant second at 337.00. Barry County also had freshman Ethan Kooistra ninth in the diving with a score of 207.15. The 100-yard backstroke was also a big race for the Barracudas. They had four guys among the eight swimmers in the A Final. Pacillo was third in 59.61, freshman Nolan Send fourth in 1:05.54, freshman Hunter Tietz fifth in 1:06.41 and freshman Donald Kick sixth in 1:07.63. Wayland had the top two guys in that back­ stroke final, with Oudbier winning in 57.47 and Montague second in 57.71. Barry County senior Camden Reynolds earned a spot in the 500-yard freestyle final and swam to a seventh-place finish in 5:51.36. Sophomore teammate Heath Hays placed sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:13.91. Other guys scoring for the Barry County team, made up of guys from Delton Kellogg, Hastings and Thornapple Kellogg, were junior Isaiah Randall, senior Jake Gheradi, junior Isaac Stanton, sophomore Mason Bai­ ley, freshman Michael Sager-Wissner and junior Evin Lamance. FINALS, continued from page 9------------------------------------------------------------------Saxon freshman Kaylin Schild placed 47th with an overall score of 685 and a high single game of 130. TK had a crowd near the top of the girls’ individual standings too. Sophomore Sara Willshire was 18th with an overall score of 873, senior Faith Foster 24th at 813 and Emily Podbevsek 25th at 808. Willshire had a high single game of 178. Foster’s top perfor­ mance was a 146 and Podbevsek rolled a 149. The Trojan girls’ team also had senior Allison Hess place 42nd with an overall score of 720 which included a high game of 160 and junior Savannah Rehfeldt place 54th with an overall score of 655 and a high single game of 134. The Hastings girls and Allegan girls were comfortably in second and third place behind the regional champions from Wayland in the team competition Friday. The Wildcats took the regional championship with six Baker games and three regular games totaling a score of 3,309. Hastings was second with 3,193 and Allegan third at 3,190. The Saxons scored a 181 in the second Baker game of the tournament to boost their state qualifying chances. It turned out to be the second highest Baker game of the whole tournament just behind a 184 from the Otsego girls who ultimately placed fourth. The Hast­ ings girls also scored an 836 in the second regular game which was the highest regular game score of the tournament. The TK girls placed sixth 461 pins behind the Allegan girls for the last state qualifying position. Otsego was fourth with a final score of 2,854, ahead of Grand Rapids Christian 2,825, Thomapple Kellogg 2,729, Niles 2,635, Edwardsburg 2,453, Kelloggsville 2,321, Paw Paw 2,294, Mattawan 2,107 and Gull Lake 1,921. TK’s Jacobson put up a six-game score of 1,115 in his individual competition. He had high single games of 203 and 207 from among the six. Mattawan junior Charlie Johnson rolled a 200 in his sixth and final game to clinch the individual regional championship Saturday in the boys’ individual competition with an Thomapple Kellogg's Wyatt Jacobson (left) and Paige Green show off their region­ al medals after qualifying for the MHSAA Division 2 Individual Bowling Finals with their performance at the regional hosted by Spectrum Lanes Saturday. The TK boys' team also qualified for the team state finals last Friday at Spectrum. overall pinfall of 1,140. He had a high game of 226 on the day, which was the second best individual game of the competition. Ethan Vanderslik, a senior from Paw Paw, closed out his day with a 230 which left him just shy of a finals spot. He placed 11th with an overall pinfall of 1,074. TK senior Donnie Rosendall wasn’t far behind him, placing 13th with an overall score of 1,063. Rosen­ dall had a high game of 198. Hastings senior Gage Richmond was just back of Rosendall placing 15th to lead the Saxon team. He rolled a pair of 199s and a 197 and finished with an overall total score of 1,038. His teammate Drew Rhodes, a junior, placed 17th with an overall pinfall of 1,018 that was boosted by a high game of 209. Grand Rapids Christian senior Levi Heerema was just three pins behind Johnson for the boys’ regional title with a final score of 1,137. Allegan senior Shane Wesche was third (1,131), Niles junior Trenton Phillips fifth (1,110), Otsego junior Gavin Merrill sixth (1,106) and Allegan senior Trenton MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 I .icense //«1 10376 & Insured Nagelkirk eighth (1,097). Heerema was one of four Grand Rapids Christian bowlers to finish in the top ten. Sophomore Ezekiel Heerema was seventh (1,100) and seniors Dream Kwon (1,096) and Jeremiah LaRue (1,085) placed ninth and tenth respecively. The Trojan team also had junior Z. Moore 28th with a score of 961, junior Ethan Kriekaard 31 st at 944 and senior Nolan Clous 37th at 928. Behind the top two Hastings guys, fresh­ man Miles Lipsey was 26th with a score of 973, senior Cameron Eaton 40th with a 907 and sophomore Cameron Humphrey 46th with an 876. Allegan, Grand Rapids Christian and Thor­ napple Kellogg placed 1-2-3 in the boys’ team competition Friday. Allegan earned a total score of 3,623 through six Baker games and three regular team games. Grand Rapids Christian had a score of 3,516 and TK 3,462. Hastings was fifth. Niles was the closest team to TK with an overall score of 3,416. Hastings had a pinfall of 3,382, ahead of Paw Paw 3,181, Wayland 3,075, Mattawan 3,042, Plainwell 3,036, Otsego 2,989, Kelloggsville 2,888, Edwardsburg 2,629, Gull Lake 2,625, Godwin Heights 2,509 and Ottawa Hills 2,334. A 212 by TK in the fifth Baker game was the highest score of the day in the boys’ Baker contests. Z Moore had a huge team performance for TK Friday. He rolled a 200 and had a threegame series score of 549. Kriekaard had a three-game series of 529, Rosendall a total of 506, Jacobson 458 and Newland 406. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — Page 11 DK big three in double figures against Valley boys Brett Bremer Sports Editor All the NBA teams want a “Big Three,” and it doesn’t hurt to have that on the high school level either. Delton Kellogg got 17 points from guard Alden Whitmore and 16 apiece from center Alex Whitmore and forward Austin Blocker as it scored a 63-52 win over visiting Maple Val­ ley in a non-conference ballgame Tuesday. Delton Kellogg finishes off the 2021-22 regular season with a 6-14 record thanks to the victory. “Really, that is the first time we have had our top three all produce on the same night,” Delton Kellogg head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “They did a little bit of tag-teaming. There were two big threes late from Blocker when they were making a little run. Alden had two driving lay-ups when we kind of spread the floor a little bit.” The Panthers’ big center Alex Whitmore did the work early, scoring ten points in the opening quarter as the Delton Kellogg boys moved out to a 22-6 lead in the first quarter. Maple Valley adjusted though and limited him to six points the rest of the way. The Panthers weren’t always at the top of their game trying to get him the ball the rest of the night either. “I felt like [Maple Valley] worked harder trying to front him and give help from the backside, then we have three possessions in a row where we stand on the first wing pass and like, ‘here it comes defense, can you get it,’ where the two times before that we swing it and make the defense go side to side and he has them sealed,” Hogoboom said. “Obviously, we had a tremendous size advantage, but we didn’t always take advan­ tage of it.” The defense Hogoboom described was what Lion head coach' Ryan Nevins had been hoping his guys would play from the start. “That is the story of our season right there, where we play really good for three quarters of the game,” Nevins said. “We can’t come out and not execute our game plan for a quar­ ter and expect to win. the Whitmore kid did a really good job in the post in the first quar­ ter, and the things we talked about doing we didn’t do. When you allow a big kid like that to get position against a bunch of small kids like us we’re going to struggle.” Delton Kellogg’s lead was as large as 21 points in the first half. The Lions cut that down to 37-24 at the half, and they got within six points early in third quarter and within four before the quarter was up. A 6-0 run by the Lions got started when Chanse Courtney came from the back side to steal a lob into the post for Alex Whitmore. Buckets by senior guard Ben Schuch, Court­ ney and sophomore shooting guard Ayden Wilkes over the course of a minute had the Lions within 43-39. An offensive put-back by Alden Whitmore clipped the run there. A pair of threes by Blocker in the first min­ ute and a half of the fourth quarter gave DK a bit of breathing room. Hogoboom was happy to see Blocker get those shots off with the defense focused on Alex in the post. A pair of threes by Courtney for the Lions kept the DK lead from stretching much over ten points. The Panthers also got seven points from Mason Nabozny and six from Jason Lund­ quist. Coach Hogoboom was pretty happy with a couple key defensive plays Nabozny made down the stretch too. “Obviously, winning is more fun than los­ ing. For sure,” Hogoboom said. “We’ve had five of our last six games that were very much like that where we didn’t finish. That part of it is a positive. Hopefully, we can carry that into districts and see what hap­ pens.” DK had a 14-0 lead last Friday in a SAC crossover at Saugatuck, but ultimately fell 50-43. Courtney had a game-high 20 points and Schuch, a foreign exchange student from Austria would be a sophomore this year, had 14 points. Wilkes finished with nine. “[Schuch] goes for 12 of his 14 in the first half and [Courtney] goes for 17 of his 20 in. the second half. Thank heavens they weren’t both producing at the same time,” Hogoboom said. “We did adjust a little bit and make sure that we pressed out on Schuch.” “He is clever with the ball and he is fun to; watch on tape, like that out of bounds play, I( just said you have to be aware of this kid because he is clever and he is gifted with the' basketball.” Schuch bounced an inbounds pass off a DK defender’s back and put it up and in for what, turned into a three-point play as the Lions fought to stay in the bailgame late in the first half. Maple Valley ends the regular season with a record of 3-17. The Lions and Panthers will both be a part of the MHSAA Division 3 District Tourna­ ment in Delton next week. Maple Valley faces Hackett Catholic Prep in a district open­ er at 5:30 p.m. Monday. That game will be followed by Delton Kellogg taking on Gales^ burg-Augusta. DK and Galesburg-Augusta split their two Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division ballgames this season. CITY OF HASTINGS PUBLIC NOTICE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 605 The undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Clerk of the City of Hastings, Michigan, does hereby certify that Delton Kellogg guard Alden Whitmore works against Maple Valley's Landon Wilkes at the top of the key during their non-conference bailgame at Delton Kellogg High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg center Alex Whitmore puts a shot up in the paint as Maple Valley's Chanse Courtney (21) and James Wiser (10) look on at Delton Kellogg High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Confidence grows for Vikings as shots fall in first district contest Brett Bremer Sports Editor The winners shot" the ball well Monday night. Hastings hit three three-pointers in the first two and a half minutes while building a 12-0 lead and going onto a 52-36 win over Ionia in the opening ballgame of the MHSAA Division 2 Girls’ Basketball Tournament Monday. The Lakewood varsity girls’ basketball team took on Lansing Eastern in game two Monday and got threes from junior Alli Pickard and sophomore Audrey Hillard in the opening minute and a half. A second triple by Pickard was the capper on an 18-2 run to open the game for the Vikings. Lakewood went on to a 68-20 win over the Lansing Eastern girls. “I think they get a sense of confidence when we have a team that is maybe not giving the pressure defense that some of the teams do in our league,” Lakewood head coach Kelly Meints said. “Once one goes in, then they’re feeling pretty good. “Audrey Hi 1 lard, we pulled her up and she was pretty solid from the floor. Alivia Wood­ man hit a'coupTe snots. It is good for their confidence to move on into the next game, but we’ll see. Wednesday is going to be very dif­ ferent, so I am hoping we can keep the momentum going.” The Vikings knocked down outside shots, scored in transition and worked hard on the offensive glass. The only real issue was that they had trouble finishing second and third chances in the paint once they had those rebounds. Hillard closed the night with a game-high 14 points. Lakewood got 12 points from freshman Abby Pickard, and eight apiece from Alli Pickard and junior guard Woodman who buried two threes. All nine girls in uniform scored at least four points for the Vikings. Sophomore center Cadence Poll had six points and so did senior center Maradith O’Gorman. Wolverton and junior Izzy Wheeler had five points apiece and junior forward Alivia Everitt finished with four. Playing without injured junior guard Ellie Possehn didn’t hurt the Vikings’ chances against Lansing Eastern Monday, but her absence will likely be felt against the Cougars Wednesday. Junior point guard Paige Wolverton did a good job of distributing the basketball when the Vikings did get into regular offensive sets Monday, something coach Meints said she has worked hard on after a bit of a tough start to the season. Lakewood earned a spot in the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals against 18-2 Lansing Catholic, a team ranked eighth in the state in Division 2, which were set to be held last night, March 2, back at Ionia High School. Hastings was scheduled to face fourth ranked Portland in the other district semifinal in Ionia Wednesday. The district final is planned for Friday, March 4, at 7 p.m. at Ionia High School. Gibson still undefeated; Vikes sending five to Finals Brett Bremer Sports Editor The two returning state qualifiers from the Lakewood varsity wrestling team this winter are returning to the state finals. Defending state champion Zac Gibson, a senior, moved his record to 35-0 by winning a regional title at the MHSAA Division 3 Regional Tournament hosted by Howard City Tri County Feb. 19. Viking heavyweight Eas­ tin Stank, who also qualified for the Individ­ ual State Finals a year ago, won a regional title there too in the 285-pound weight class. They’ll be joined at the MHSAA Division 3 Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit the weekend of March 4-5 by team­ mates Ashton Clark, Joel Simon and Nathan­ iel Graham. Lakewood had seven regional qualifiers in action at Tri County. Gibson took his regional title by scoring a 9-0 win over Caiden Pelc from Portland in the championship match at 130 pounds, that vic­ tory followed wins by Gibson over Comstock Park’s Caleb LaVallee and Alma’s Buddy Leonard. For Gibson and Pelc it was their third meeting in a little less than two weeks. It was the first time there was some breathing room on the scoreboard. Gibson bested Pelc by a point during their team’s district match­ up and then by two in the finals of their indi­ vidual district the previous Saturday. This time a coupler nearfall points late in the first period helped Gibson build a cush­ ion. Gibson had a take down early in both the first and second periods, and a he scored a quick escape and take down in the third while holding Pelc scoreless throughout. “I think he is 1,000 times better on his feet,” Lakewood head coach Tony Harmer said of Gibson’s improvements this season. “He was a little bit defensive last year and even prior years he was comfortable with a 1 lead or a 3-2 lead. He would still work, 2but he wasn’t working to completely domi­ nate kids. He knew he had the lead and kids couldn’t take it away from him.” Harmer said Gibson is going at opponents with more drive and more aggression for the most part this season. He credits Gibson’s practice partner for some of that - fellow regional qualifier Daniel Krebs. “Daniel, coming in with a jujitsu back­ ground, he has the same mindset as Gibson - they want to win. He wants to win at every­ thing even at practice,” Harmer said. Stank won his regional championship by pinning all three of his foes in the 285-pound weight class. He stuck Chesaning’s Brenden Quackenbush 1:03 into their championship match. Stank pinned Caden Adams at the end of the first period in the semifinals and need­ ed just 42 seconds to pin Comstock Park’s Caleb Schaafsma in their quarterfinal contest. Harmer said he thinks Stank is 1,000 times better this winter than he was a year ago too, and that his senior heavyweight has also helped him understand better to take different approaches to coaching with different wrestlers. “This year he has moves under his belt,” Harmer said. “He has strength and condition­ ing under his belt. This year, going in [to the state tournament] again he had a tough regu­ lar season where his record kind of reflects that. This postseason he is turning it on. He just wants it.” Clark, a junior, was the runner-up at 112 pounds. He pinned Orchard View’s Aquilla Payne and Corunna’s D’Angleo Campos to get to the 112-pound final. Alma’s Isaiah Mullins edged Clark 5-2 in that championship match. The senior Graham and freshman Simon both placed fourth in their weight classes. They’re typically practices parters as well, but of a different variety than Gibson and Daniel Krebs. Coach Harmer said they have a little more fun pushing each other. Graham edged Tri County’s Jake Nelson 1 in their quarterfinal match to start the 3tournament, but was then bumped to consola­ tion by Reed City’s Bryson Hughes. Hughes scored a 17-12 win in their semifinal match­ up. Graham survived the blood round, the consolation semifinals, by outscoring Com­ stock Park’s Drew Sikkema 8-1 to secure his spot in the state finals. Tri County’s Nelson battled all the way back after his opening round loss to Graham to meet him again in the consolation final and this time Nelson scored a 6-4 win to finish third. Simon was bested 9-1 by Hart’s Leo Gua­ darrama in their quarterfinal match and had to battle through consolation like Nelson. Simon pinned Kent City’s Joe Anderson and then Comstock Park’s James Pefley to reach the consolation finals where he was bested 5-1 by Belding’s Ethan Schmid. Lakewood also had Jonathan Krebs (125 pounds) and Daniel Krebs (140) competing Saturday. Daniel reached the blood round at his flight thanks to a quarterfinal victory, but was bested in the end by Belding’s Anthony Szubinski 4-2. Jonathan injured a knee in his opening round match and had to forfeit his two tournament matches - a disappointing end to a season in which he finished with a 34-3 overall record. Daniel closes the year at 33-5. AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 90 OF THE HASTINGS CODEOF1970,AS AMENDED, BYAMENDINGTHE FOLLOWING: CHAPTER 90, ARTICLE 90-I, SECTION 90-1 REGARDING DEFINITION OF AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP AND ADDING DEFINITION OF VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP (MAJOR) AND ADDING DEFINITION OF VEHICLE WASH ESTABLISHMENTS, AND AMENDING DEFINITION OF SERVICE STATION OR FILLING STATION AND ALSO AMENDING CHAPTER 90, ARTICLE 90-VI DISTRICT REGULATIONS, SECTION 90-472, SECTION 90-473, SECTION 90-484, SECTION 90-531, SECTION 90-532, SECTION 90-552, SECTION 90-553, AND SECTION 90-578 AND AMENDING CHAPTER 90, ARTICLE 90-XIII, DIVISION 90-XIII-2, SECTION 90-1084 GASOLINE STATIONS AND ADDING SECTION 90-1093 VEHICLE WASH ESTABLISHMENTS. was adopted by the City Council of the City of Hastings at a regular meeting on the 28th of February 2022. A complete copy of this Ordinance is available for review at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 176686 Jane M. Saurman City Clerk TOWNSHIP OF HOPE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 5463 M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 11:30 am Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. APPEALS ARE HEARD ON FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 I pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural 49.81% 1.0038 Commercial 47.30% 1.0571 Industrial 49.32% 1.0138 Residential 49.61% 1.0079 Personal Property 50.00% 1.0000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Doug Peck, Supervisor Hope Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Hope Township Hope Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and | services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon I seven (7) days’ notice to Hope Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Hope Township by writing or calling. Hope Township Clerk 5463 M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-648-2464 179334 �Page 12 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: November 30, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $172,839.14 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 17, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1454590 (02-17)(03-10) NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Atten­ tion homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan start­ ing promptly at 1:00 pm on Thursday March 17,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insur­ ance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage'') made by Sheryl Cook, an unmarried woman, as Mortgagor, to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, a Michigan corporation, with its address at 900 East Paris Avenue, SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, as Mortgagee, dated September 20, 2005 and recorded on September 29, 2005, Document No. 1153580, Barry County Records, Barry County, Mich­ igan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $69,051.05 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mort­ gage, or any part of the Mortgage. TAKE NOTICE that on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 1:00 p.m., local time, or any adjourned date thereafter, the Mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale at public auction to the highest bidder, at the Barry County Courthouse in Hastings, Michigan. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt se­ cured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 6.125% percent per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorneys fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mort­ gagee to protect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Yankee Springs Township, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: LOT 9 VALLEY PARK SHORES ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 4 OF PLATS, PAGE 24, YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. PP#: 08-16-225-020-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12925 Valley Dr., Wayland, Michigan 49348 The redemption period shall be one year from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(12), unless deemed aban­ doned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241 a. Mortgagors will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage fore­ closure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. February 7, 2022 UNITED BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION PLUN­ KETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175662 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. No­ tice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is giv­ en under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan starting promptly at 1:00 pm on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Justin Stuive and Amy Hawke, a single man and a single woman, as Mortgagors to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, dated May 29, 2009, and recorded on June 4, 2009, in Document No. 200906040005899, Barry County Records, Barry County, Michigan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $96,351.54 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mortgage, or any part of the Mortgage. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt secured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 5.0% per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mortgagee to pro­ tect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Barry County, Michigan described more fully as: LOT 13 OF PLEASANT VALLEY ESTATES, YAN­ KEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THERE­ OF RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 13 OF BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Tax ID No. 08-16-270-013-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12944 Valley Drive, Wayland, Ml, 49348 The redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(8), unless deemed abandoned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241a. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. February 8, 2022 UNITED BANK OF MICHIGAN, Mortgagee PLUNKETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175661 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 7, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Rodney Esseltine, whose address is 9349 Lost Trail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, being a mortgage dated January 31, 2008, and recorded on December 1, 2008 in Document No. 20081201-0011457, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated February 20, 2014 and recorded on July 3, 2014 in Document No. 2014-006334, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of SEVENTY-THREE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($73,140.27). Said premises are situated in the Township of Hope, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lots 9 and 10 of Leinaar Plat, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 4 of Plats on Page 39. Street Address: 9349 Lost Trail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046 The redemption period shall be b months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 3, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4285 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 31, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Charles Harvath, III aka Charles Harvath and Roberta Harvath, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Quicken Loans Inc., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rocket Mortgage, LLC f/k/a Quicken Loans, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 21, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 3, 2018 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $77,049.07 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Lot 13 of Loehr’s Landing, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats on Page 61. Commonly Known as: 2982 Loehrs Landing Dr., Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 3/03/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314873 (03-03) (03-24) 176720 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. (03-03) (03-24) 176721 175804 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29102-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Paul Reynolds Pierson. Date of birth: 01-161E7H fTO ALL CREDITORS: Notice is given undr section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at Reynolds Pierson, died 11/1/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Steven D. Pierson, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 9378 Moor Road, Delton, Ml 49046 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 2/25/2022 Steven G. Storrs P80557 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 Estate of Gary L. Kaiser. Date of birth: 09/18/1936. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Gary L. Kaiser, died on or after 11/12/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Steven Kaiser, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 2/23/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248, Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-2242 Steven D. Pierson 9378 Moor Road, Delton, Ml 49046 269-945-9557 Steven Kaiser 2681 W. Airport Rd., Hastings, Michigan 49058 NOTICE TO 269-720-0583 CREDITORS: The decedent, Paul 176583 269-760-4026 NOTICE TO BIDDERS 176612 176257 BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 11:00 A.M. February 28, 2022 for the following items. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc.org. Crack Seal Blocks Scraper Blades Dust Control Pavement Markings Culverts Bituminous Mixtures Asphalt Paving Liquid Asphalt The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. BOARDOFCOUNTYROADCOMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY David D. Solmes Chairman Frank M. Fiala Member D. David Dykstra Member NOTICE TO BIDDERS 176639 BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 A.M. Monday, March 21, 2022 for the sale of the following items. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc.org. (1) 1978 Ford F9000, W/Water Tanker, Miles: Unknown Minimum Bid $2,000 The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. BOARDOFCOUNTYROADCOMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY Chairman Frank M. Fiala Member David D. Solmes Member D. David Dykstra 1:00 PM, on March 24,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of jhe property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Amanda Doane and Michael Doane, Wife and Husband Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): MIDFIRST BANK Date of Mortgage: June 27, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 1,2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $177,150.55 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1 /4 of Section 7, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, described as commencing at the point of intersection of the East boundary line of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 7, and the centerline of Sission Road, thence running Westerly along the centerline of Sission Road 304 feet to the point of beginning, thence Northerly at right angle to Sission Road 300 feet, thence Westerly at right angles 330 feet parallel with the centerline of Sission Road, thence Southerly 300 feet at the right angles to the centerline of Sission Road, thence Easterly along the centerline of Sission Road 330 feet to the point of beginning, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 850 W Sisson Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9772 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 24,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-25154 1455808 (02-24)(03-17) STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO. 21-682-CH Court Address: 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court Telephone No. (269) 948-4814 Plaintiff U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for Manufactured Housing Contract Senior/Subordinate Pass-Through Certificate Trust 2000-5, by its servicer New Rez, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorney Trott Law, P.C. - Joshua Chomet (P81569) 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Ste. 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 248-341 -4634 v Ronald Hermenitt, II 11224 Ronald Ln., Delton, Ml 49046 THE COURT FINDS: 1. Service of process upon the defendant, Ronald Hermenitt, II, can­ not reasonably be made as provided in MCR2.105 may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be herd. IT IS ORDERED: 2. Service of the summons and complaint and a copy of this order shall be made by the following method(s). d. Other. Publication in the Legal News for the County of Barry for three consecutive weeks. For each method used, proof of service must be filed promptly with the court. Date: Feb. 1,2022 Judge Vicky L. Alspaugh P42872 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY - 5th CIRCUIT COURT ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE dicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder LONNIE D. JEWELL and LORI A. JEWELL, and MICHAEL FINCH and DEBRA FINCH, Case No. 2021-478-CZ HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the con­ ditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Dale Desgranges II, whose address is 4046 Farrel Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, acting solely as a nominee for Car­ rington Mortgage Services, LLC., being a mortgage dated October 27, 2020, and recorded on Novem­ v. BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION; TOWNSHIP OF BARRY; DIRECTOR OF DEPT OF ENERGY, LABOR & ECON GROWTH; BARRY COUNTY DRAIN COMM’R, HAROLDINE BARLEY, MICHELLE A DILJAK, MICHAEL J DOOLEY, MIKE DOOLEY, TRUDIE DOOLEY, GARY ENGLEHARDT, DEBORAH ENGLEHARDT, JACK GRIFFIN, CYNTHIA HAYWARD, CYNTHIA G HAYWARD TRUST, DANIEL JOHNSON, SARAH JOHNSON, JAMES MCBAIN, OVIE PINKS, MICHAEL RUDNICKI, CYNTHIA RUDNICKI, ROBERT SCHULTZ, KELLY SCHULTZ, THOMAS WALKER, and BRETT E WOUDENBERG, ber 16, 2020 in Document No. 2020-012711, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then as­ signed to BankUnited N.A., as assignee as docu­ mented by an assignment dated January 25, 2022 and recorded on January 31, 2022 in Document No. 2022-001330, Barry County Records, Michi­ gan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of THREE HUNDRED TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS AND 20/100 ($302,700.20). Said premises are sit­ uated in the County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Land Situated in the State of Michigan, County of Barry, Township of Carlton. That part of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 27, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of said Section; thence North 89 degrees 57 minutes 59 seconds West 195.00 feet along the North line of said Northeast 1/4 to the place of beginning; thence North 89 degrees 57 min­ utes 59 seconds West 225.00 feet along said North line; thence South 00 degrees 02 minutes 01 sec­ onds West 384.00 feet; thence South 89 degrees 57 minutes 59 seconds East 225.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 02 minutes 01 seconds East 384.00 feet to the place of beginning.. Street Address: 4046 Far­ rel Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in ac­ cordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COL­ LECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWN­ ER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO AC­ TIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORT­ GAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: February 10, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blum­ berg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541 -9710. File No.: MI 22 4257 . (02-10) (03-03) 175601 Plaintiffs Defendants. Jason N. Machnik (P77704) Herbert Machnik Law Firm Attorney for Plaintiffs 6281 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 (269) 459-1432 Allan C. Vander Laan (P33893) Kristen L. Rewa (P73403) Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho Attorneys for Barry County Drain Commissioner 2851 Charlevoix Dr., S.E. - Suite 327 Grand Rapids, Ml 49546 (616) 975-7470 ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE At a session of said Court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, on the 5th day of January, 2022. PRESENT: Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh After reviewing Defendants’ Motion for Alternate Service, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, The court finds, pursuant to MCR 2.105(1) that service of process by publication is the best available method of service of process reasonably calculated to give Defendants actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Plaintiffs may serve process on all Defendants by publishing the following notice in a Barry County newspaper, as defined by MCR 2.106(F), for three (3) consecutive weeks: “An action seeking to quiet title to a roadway dedicated as Portage Ave in Crooked Lake Summer Resort according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 52 in Plaintiffs Lonnie Jewell, Lori Jewell, Michael Finch and Debra Finch has been commenced against the Barry County Road Commission; Township of Barry; Director of Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth; Barry County Drain Commissioner; Haroldine Barley, Michelle A. Diljak, Michael J. Dooley, Mike Dooley, Trudie Dooley, Gary Englehardt, Deborah Englehardt, Jack Griffin, Cynthia Hayward, Cynthia G. Hayward Trust, Daniel Johnson, Sarah Johnson, James Mcbain, Ovie Pinks, Michael Rudnicki, Cynthia Rudnicki, Robert Schultz, Kelly Schultz, Thomas Walker, and Brett E. Woudenberg in Barry County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan. Defendants must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days after the last date of publication of this notice. If a Defendant does not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment affecting Defendants’ interests may be entered, as requested in the complaint.” Dated: January 5, 2022 Signed: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh 179336 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — Page 13 VanDemark 2nd team all-state in DI Brett Bremer Sports Editor Just 64 hundredths of a second. Totaling times from two runs down the hills at Boyne Mountain in the giant slalom that is how far Plainwell/Thomapple Kellogg senior Lucy VanDemark was from earning a spot in the top ten and a state medal Monday at the MHSAA Division 2 Ski Finals. VanDemark finished the GS in 14th place to earn second team all-state honors from the Michigan High School Ski Coaches Associa­ tion and she had a 21st place finish in the slalom event to go along with it. A group of about 70 girls qualified for the Division 1 State Finals, but VanDemark was the only skier from the Trojan Ski team to qualify for the finals. Her teammates sent along a mascot to help brighten her day ‘Lil’ Doug’ a blue rubber chicken. ‘Lil’ Doug’ got to get photos around the hill as VanDemark trained and competed in the event - helping make it feel a bit more as if her teammates were a part of the event. Once she shot out of the gate she was on her own though. VanDemark put together runs of 34.39 seconds and 34.88 seconds in the GS for an overall time of 1 minute 9.27 seconds. Marquette’s Maddy Stem flew down the hill in times of 33.27 and 33.28 to win the girls’ GS title, finishing 22 hundredths of a second better than Forest Hills Northem/Eastem’s Katie Grzelak who had runs of 33.50 and 33.27. Rochester Adams’ Katie Fodale was third with runs of 33.46 and 33.49. Fodale took the DI slalom title with the top time in each run of that event. She stopped the clock at 30.48 and 33.12 on her two runs. Grzelak was also the runner-up in the slalom with runs of 31.80 and 33.12. Nobody could match the depth of the Tra­ verse City teams though. Traverse City Cen­ tral outscored Traverse City West 77-84 at the top of the girls’ standings and Traverse City West took the boys’ state title by outscoring Traverse City Central 38.5-75. Forest Hills Northem/Eastem, which had both Grzelak and Jaycee O’Neill both medal in both events, was tied for third with Clark­ ston with 97 points in the girls’ team stand­ ings. Rochester Adams and Fodale placed fifth with 168 points, ahead of Brighton 198, Birmingham 214, Milford 253 and Walled Lake Northern 309. Maddy Cox had two state medal winning performances to lead the TC Central girls. She was fourth in the GS and sixth in the slalom. Her teammate Elie Craven added a fourth­ place finish in the GS. Rochester Adams was third in the boys’ team standings with 90 points, ahead of Brighton 153, Clarkston 199, Forest Hills Northem/Eastem 233.5, Milford 246, Bir­ mingham 251 and Detroit U-D Jesuit 270. Traverse City West dominated the boys’ GS with three guys medaling in the top ten and five guys placing in the top 14 overall. Caleb Lewandowski led the TC West boys in the GS with a runner-up finish. He had times of 30.13 and 32.60. Rochester Adams’ Nathan Dehart won the boys’ GS with the fastest run of each event. He had times of 29.70 and 32.48. Lewandowski and Dehart flopped spots in the slalom. Lewandowski won with runs of 29.15 and 31.03. Dehart had times of 29.24 and 31.07. VanDemark wasn’t the only skier from the Southwest Michigan Ski Conference to have a good day at Boyne Mountain. Portage skier Daniel Grile earned second team all-state honors in the boys’ slalom with runs of 31.70 and 33.23 that put him in 14th-place overall. JOIN OUR TEAM/ Now Hiring: • • • • • • https://qrco.de/bcgX71 Apply at: caascm.org/careers ♦Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and state mandates including Covid-19 vaccination compliance. Plainwell/Thornapple Kellogg junior Lucy VanDemark has a moment for some fun a the top of the hill with team mascot 'Lil' Doug' during the MHSAA Division 1 Ski Finals at Boyne Mountain Monday. VanDemark placed 14th in the giant sla­ lom and 21st in the slalom in her first appearance at the state finals, earning second team all-state honors with her GS performance. Trojans finish SWMSC strong on icy slope at Timber Ridge Brett Bremer Sports Editor Somehow the slopes at Timber Ridge sur­ vived. Despite warm temperatures, rain and then freezing temperatures threatening to turn the hill to an un-skiable ice sheet, there was enough snow for the Southwest Michigan Ski Conference to finish off its 2021-22 season Wednesday. It was still icy, but the skiers made do. Both Caledonia’s varsity boys’ and girls’ teams finished second in the conference over­ all. It as as great day for the Plainwell/Thomap­ ple Kellogg boys’ and girls’ teams too. The Trojan boys were third on the day and the girls second. Portage captured the girls’ conference title despite a third-place, finish Wednesday.^. “My skiers' did .a. great job.under very chal­ lenging conditions,” Caledonia head coach Duane Petrosky said. “It was pure ice! You will rarely hear any of my skiers using the work Icy, but that is the only way to describe the slope conditions at this race.” The Caledonia guys had their conference championship streak come to an end, finishing behind the Mattawan/Paw Paw boys who won Wednesday’s meet with just 42 points. The Caledonia boys were second with 83, ahead of Plainwell/TK 112.5, Portage 156.5, Kalama­ zoo United 207, Hackett/Vicksburg 233 and South Haven 248. Coach Petrosky said finish­ ing second will give his guys a little extra push to work hard in the offseason. The Trojan team was led by Dylan Vlietstra who was third in both the slalom and GS events Wednesday. He had runs of 21.38 sec­ onds and 20.62 in the slalom and 17.47 and 17.44 in the GS. Teammate Liam Troutner had a great day too, placing seventh in the slalom and eighth in the GS. The Trojan team also had Elijah Korrek and Travis Barton score in both events. Barton was 24th in tbe.slalorp and 35th in.the GS. Korrek. placed 16th in the GS: and 25th in the slalom. Daniel Grile from Portage won the boys’ GS with runs of 16.31 and 17.20 Wednesday and was the runner-up with runs of 20.06 and 20.06 in the slalom. The slalom win went to Ian Brad­ ley from Mattawan/Paw Paw who turned in times of 20.22 and 19.42. Mattawan/PP had four guys among the top nine finishers in the slalom and five in the top 12 in the GS with Bradley turning in sec­ ond-place GS runs of 16.85 and 17.18 seconds. Mattawan/PP’s Anna Roethlisberger won both girls’ events. She took the GS with runs of 17.25 and 17.45. She took the slalom with times of 20.33 and 20.45. Plainwell/TK’s Lucy VanDemark was the runner-up in both events, less than half a sec­ ond behind in the GS with runs of 17.68 and 17.50. She added times of 20.89 and 21.55 in the slalom. Madison Nagel and Abigail Wamez scored in both events for the Plainwell/TK girls. Nagel was 11th in the slalom and 13th in the GS. Wamez had a 15th-place time total in the sla­ lom and 17th in the GS. Ella Way scored in 20th in the GS and SarahJRussell in 14th in the slalom for. the Trojans. Hackett/Vicksburg won the girls’ race Wednesday, but no one was catching the league champs from Portage in the overall standings. Hackett/Vicksburg finished the day with 89.5 points, ahead of Plainwell/TK 94, Portage 98, Mattawan/PP 120, Caledonia 123, Kalamazoo United 169.5, Hudsonville 206 and South Haven 308. CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets PEMBROKE WELSH CORGIS Very nice, great colors, ready to go. $600 517-726-0706 MINI LABRADOODLE PUPPIES, super cute, 1st shots and wormed. $300. 269-223-9194.______________ LAB PUPPIES- VERY playful, 1st shots and wormed. $300.00, 517­ 852-4881. Help Wanted BAND SAW FILER: Duties include sharpening and repairing band head rig saws, band resaws, carbide tipped circle saws, chipper knives and dressing guide blocks. This is a full time, permanent position. Ben­ efits include health, dental, vision and life insurance, 401K with com­ pany match, vacation and holiday time along with a competitive wage. Please send resumes to info@qualityhardwoodsinc.com or apply in person at 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY NOTICE OF BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING The Prairieville Township Board will hold a Public Hearing on the pro­ posed township budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023 on March 9, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan. THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE PROPOSED TO BE LEVIED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE A SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING. A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at the Prairieville Township Hall. Prairieville Township will provide reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon seven days notice to the Prairieville Township Board. Virtual participation information will be published at prairievilletwp-mi. org. Contact the following: Rod Goebel, Clerk Prairieville Township Hall 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 176585 BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Baltimore Township Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed township budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 at the Baltimore Township Hall located at 3100 E. Dowling Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 6:30 pm. Banner CLASSIFIEDS Business Services Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE PROPOSED TO BE LEVIED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE HEARING. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate-advertising-in this, newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. A copy of the budget is available for public inspection by calling the Towship Supervisor, Chad VanSyckle, at 269-838-0536. This notice is posted in compliance with Public Act 267 of the 1976 amended MCL 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Baltimore Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and autotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon Ten (10) days notice to the Baltimore Township Board. NOTE: Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or service should contact the Baltimore Township Clerk, Penelope Ypma, 6200 Henry Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058, or phone 269-945-3228. Penelope Ypma, Baltimore Township Clerk 176469 176417 Barry Township 2022-2023 Budget Public Hearing LEGAL NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF HERBICIDE APPLICATION The Daltons Inc., its main office at 8857 N. Syracuse-Web­ ster Rd., Syracuse, IN 46567, has been contracted by Barry County Road Commission to perform custom chem­ ical vegetation control maintenance services at designat­ ed roadside guardrail locations throughout the county. In doing so, they will be broadcast applying the following EPA-registered materials: Bayer Esplanade 200SC (Indaziflam), Bayer Method 240SL (Aminocyclopyrachlor), Alligare Imazapyr 4SL. Do not enter or allow entry into treated areas until sprays have dried. This application will be completed by certified applicators employed by The Daltons Inc., during the months of April and/or May Additional information may be requested by contacting Lex Dalton or Brad Bolinger at 574-267-7511. SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING February 9, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore Absent: Sandy James-excused Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to allow micro growers in MUD Roll Call Vote - Motion Passes 5-1 Motion to add 500ft buffer between all marihuana businesses in MUD Roll Call Vote - Motion Passes 4-2 Motion to allow Class “A” Marihuana Growers in MUD Roll Call Vote-Motion fails 2-4 Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-179 for the first reading Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept prepayment plan for Algonquin Lake Weed Control Program Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to approve Siegfried Crandall as auditors for RCT 2022 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Adjournment 8:50 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 176640 NOTICE The Barry Township Board will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 at the Barry Township Hall on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 @ 6:30 p.m. NOTICE TO CREDITORS TO ALL CREDITORS: The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed Mary C. Ecker, born April 7, 1927, who lived at 6200 Riverside Lane, Middleville, Ml 49333, died December 7, 2021. There is no personal representative of the decedent’s probate estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against Mary C. Ecker or the Mary C. Ecker Trust, dated November 15, 2017, as amended, will be forever banned unless presented to Kristen M. Freds, as Trustee of the Mary C. Eckert Trust, dated November 15, 2017, within four months after the budget will be the subject of this hearing. A copy of the budget is available for public inspection at the Township office. The Barry Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon 7 days notice to the Barry Township Board. Note: Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should con­ tact the Barry Township Board by writing or calling the following: date of publication of this notice. Kristen M. Freds’ address is 8139 Byron Center Drive, Byron Center, Ml 49315. Date: February 24, 2022 Barry Township Board P.O Box # 705 Delton, MI 49046 Phone :269-623-5171 Fax: 269-623-8171 email @ barrytownship@mei.net barrytownshipmi.com Stephen L. Elkins, Attorney for Trustee Respectfully, Debra J. Knight, Clerk 2900 East Beltline Ave., NE Grand Rapids, Ml 49525 (616)364-2900 176613 �Page 14 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner TK ladies sixth at cheer regional Brett Bremer Sports Editor While some cheer teams across the state were just pleased to be competing in a regional Saturday, the Trojans were hoping for more. Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Ava Jahnke and the Trojans show off their TK spirit during round two of the MHSAA Division 2 Competitive Cheer Regional at Kenowa Hills High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Thomapple Kellogg varsity com­ petitive cheer team had its season end at the MHSAA Division 2 Competitive Cheer Regional at Kenowa Hills High School. The TK girls placed sixth at their 12-team regional, finishing about 22 points behind the last of the four state qualifying teams. DeWitt took the regional championship at Kenowa Hills with a team score of 765.86 points, ahead of the OK Gold Con­ ference champions from Cedar Springs who took the runner-up spot with a score of 753.58. Reeths-Puffer was third with a score of 750.64 and Forest Hills Northern qualified for the finals with a 744.56 point total. Charlotte took the fifth spot with a score of 744.36 ahead of TK’s total of 722.40. TK was in ninth place after a round one score of 219.00. A 205.90 in round two boosted the team up to sixth in the stand­ ings heading into round three, and the Trojans finished in sixth place with a round three score of 297.50. The regional champions from DeWitt had the top score of the day in every round. The Panthers scored 229.90 points in round one, 222.26 in round two and 313.70 in round three. Cedar Springs put up scores of 227.10 in round one, 220.38 in round two and 306.10 in round three. In the final standings behind TK, Byron Center finished with an overall score of 721.82, Gull Lake 705.42, Plainwell 700.40, Sturgis 698.42, Spring Lake 686.82 and Northview 666.82. The MHSAA Division 2 Competitive Cheer Finals will be held Saturday morn­ ing at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids. ANALYTICAL TESTING & 176375 CONSULTING SERVICES, INC. 14625 Doster Road Plainwell, Ml 49080 Phone: (269) 664-6474 Fax: (269) 664-6406 E-mail: atcsinc@aol.com LCTK goes from tough season to a tough out Brett Bremer Sports Editor Forged by a brutal regular season schedule, the Lowell/Caledonia/Thornapple Kellogg (LCTK) varsity hockey team is making the most of the strength it gained in this postsea­ son. LCTK was set to face the Capital City Cap­ itals in a MHSAA Division 1 Regional Final at Lawson Arena on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo Wednes­ day, March 2, after back-to-back wins to open the state tournament this week. LCTK got a hat-trick from sophomore Aidan Wilson, including the overtime game-winner, in a 4-3 victory over the Kalam­ azoo Eagles in the opening round of the state tournament at Lawson Tuesday and then scored three times in the third period for a 3-0 victory over the Eastside Stars, out of the Lan­ sing area, in the Division 1 Regional Semifi­ nals Thursday night. Capital City was certain to be the LCTK skaters’ toughest task of the postseason so far. The Capitals, a co-op with DeWitt, St. Johns, Lansing Catholic, Williamston, Mason and Laingsburg, defeated Kalamazoo United in the first regional semifinal Thursday in Kalama­ zoo 6-1. LCTK now has as many postseason wins as it had regular season wins this winter. The LCTK boys skated to a 2-21 record during the regular season going winless in the OK Con­ ference Baum Division. The attitude was ‘what is done is done’ heading into the postseason. “We had a gauntlet of a schedule this year,” LCTK first-year head coach Dan Swink said. “It helped us and it prepared us for this moment honestly, playing those tough teams. Even though we were getting our butt kicked, it prepares you for this when you’re going up against not that same caliber [of teams] in regionals. You already know, okay, you can compete there. The game plan was just out­ work, outwork, outwork and get as many shots and bodies to the net as we can and stay out of our zone. That was pretty much our game plan going into it, stay out of our zone as much as we can, have fun in the offensive zone and the rest will take care of itself.” LCTK certainly pulled that off in the first Lowell/Cal/TK sophomore forward Aidan Wilson, who scored a hat-trick in his team's postseason opener (Feb. 22), works across the blue line while the Eastside. Stars' Quinton Bell (9) gives chase during their MHSAA Division 1 Regional Semifinaj. at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) period Thursday, controlling draws and domi­ nating possession of the puck. Offensive touches were just a tick off though. Guys crashing towards the net had passes just slip wide of their sticks or didn’t get good wood on a few that did find the right spot. “It was a little stressful, but at the same time I told the boys just keep shooting,” Swink said. “At some point in time, the dominoes will fall. I said, ‘we’re taking it to them. We’re possessing the puck. We have this game. We just have to keep shooting, keep shooting, get bodies in front and keep traffic in front of him. If an opportunity presents itself, smash it home.’” The scoreboard didn’t start taking care of itself until the 8:14 mark of the third period when senior Drew Klomparens assisted on a short-handed goal by junior teammate Alex Skibinski. Coach Swink was in the middle of setting up a line change when the bench erupted. He didn’t see the puck finally find the net. “We were short-handed, and I saw the defenseman fall and I knew I had to capitalize February 23, 2022 Dear Contractor: Delton - Kellogg Elementary School is soliciting bids for the removal of asbes­ tos containing materials. A walk-through survey of the removal area is March 3, 2Q22 rt 2:QQ PM. The walk- through is mandatory for contractors wishing to bid I on the project. Contractors will receive specifications at the walk-through. Contractors will meet at Delton - Kellogg Elementary School located at 327 North Grove Street Delton, Michigan 49046. Bids will be due on March 15, 2022 at 2:00 PM. All bid packets will be opened at this time. Late bids will be returned unopened. When submitting your bid, please make sure all requested information is included. Failure to do so may result in the bid being rejected. The Bids are to be submitted to the following address: Attn: Jay Bourdo Delton - Kellogg Elementary School 327 North Grove Street Delton, Michigan 49008 Clearly mark envelopes: ASBESTOS ABATEMENT PROPOSAL-DO NOT OPEN Questions concerning this bid should be directed to: Douglas A. Haase, Project Designer Analytical Testing & Consulting Services Inc. 14625 Doster Rd. Plainwell, Ml 49080 (269) 664-6474 The Lowell/Caledonia/Thornapple Kellogg varsity hockey team swarms goalkeeper Finn White as it celebrates its 3-0 victory over the Eastside Stars in the MHSAA Division 1 Regional Semifinal at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo Thursday. The LCTK skaters will face the Capital City Capitals in the regional final Wednesday, March 2, back at Lawson Arena. (Photo by Brett Bremer) on that,” Klomparens said, “then I saw ‘Skibi’ and he just banked it in. It worked out perfect­ ly for us.” A Stars defender went down on his red linQ chasing a dump in by LCTK, just to the left of his net. Klomparens gathered the puck behind the net and slid it in front to Skibinski who had a fight on his hands to power it into the net. . Swink didn’t see the goal, but he believed that first goal would start the dominoes falling and eventually they did. Skibinski scored q second goal, an empty-netter, with 41.2 sec­ onds to play. Before his tally was even out of the arena speakers, Klomparens fired a second assist from behind the Eastside net in front to sophomore teammate Griffin Wolverton who banged it past Stars’ senior keeper Logan Sar7 razin with 29.9 seconds to go. “I’ve got to give credit to their goalie. He was a stud, but we were all over him. We knew we could build off [our first period] in the second period,” Klomparens said. , “We were playing together. That is probably the best team-win we have had all year. I love those guys.” , He described a team-win as game where the LCTK teammates are “moving the puck well, we’re talking and we’re having fun. That is the most important thing.” LCTK sophomore keeper Finn White was pretty studly at the other end himself stopping every shot that came his way. , Also key was the LCTK team limiting itself to two penalties. Eastside had four on the night, and LCTK put good pressure on during the first two power play chances early in the game, but, couldn’t create .much, of a threat op its final two chances with a man advantage. „ The Eastside Stars are a co-op team com­ bining players from Okemos, East Lansing,. Haslett and Bath. The LCTK team’s Tuesday opponent, the Kalamazoo Eagles, combined players from Gull Lake, Paw Paw, Vicksburg, Kalamazoo Christian, Comstock, Otsego, Parchment and Plainwell. There was a bit more back and forth Tues­ day, Feb. 22, in the regional opener. LCTKl and the Eagles were knotted 1-1 after two periods and then each scored twice in the third period to go to overtime knotted 3-3. Wolverton also scored for LCTK in the regional opener. Klomparens had two assists and Ryan Kieliszewski, Massimo Piccione and Russell Langenburg had one each. LCTK won back-to-back regional champi7 onships in 2017 and 2018 - falling to the even7 tual state champions from Brighton in the Division 1 State Quarterfinals following each of those regional titles. Galesburg-Augusta girls score third win of the year over DKHS ANNUAL CABIN FEVER PARTY BARRY EXPO CENTER 1350 AA-37, HASTINGS MARCH 12, 2022 5:OOPM-12:OOAM Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg and Maple Valley var­ sity girls’ basketball teams were both bested in the opening round of the MHSAA Division 3 Girls Basketball Tournament at Schoolcraft High School Monday. Delton Kellogg and Galesburg-Augusta were tied 11-11 at the half, but the Panthers couldn’t slow down the Rams in the second half as they NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS FOR 176166 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL LANDSCAPING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accept­ ing bids on landscaping, clean-up, and maintenance of the grounds at the Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. Items to be included; • Removal and replacing of existing landscaping and metal edging. • Approximately 800 sq. ft. of landscaping area. • Types of foliage and trees to be planted are included in the bid packet and need to be approved by the township. • Bid should also include a yearly maintenance contract for the land­ scaping. • Bid packets available at the Township Office. Sports * aP Meal catered t Kloostermans ($10.00 at the door) Brena will be playing and First Dance DJs filling in during breaks. Main Raffle: $300 Meat Bundle: Caledonia Meat Packing 4ncEDJs| FIRST All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. Two Kayaks 36" Flat Top Blackstone Grill PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS Bucket Drawings, 50/50 Drawings, and a Silent Auction will be taking place all evening. EVENT AND OUR VETERANSl www.hastingselks.com The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids sub­ mitted that do not meet the board’s approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 ran to a 41-24 win. G-A won the two South­ western Athletic Conference Valley Division match-ups between the two teams this season. “We ran into a bit of foul trouble which caused us to adjust our line-up a bit and G-A took advantage of our struggles with putting the ball in the basket,” Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn said. Senior Caitlin McManus led Delton Kel­ logg with seven points. Josie Williams chipped in six points. “Our kid’s effort continued to just be, something that makes a coach very proud, but we did talk in the locker room after the game that our offensive abilities, particularly in the shooting department, will have to improve over the summer as we prepare for next sea7 son,” Mohn said. “I have no doubt that this group of kids­ will commit to that and I am excited about what the future holds for DK girls hoop.” iMcManus was one of two seniors for the DK team this winter, joined by classmate; Kayleigh Buffrnan. “We certainly appreciate all that thejF brought to the team this season and wish them all the best in their future endeavors,” coach Mohn said. DK ends the season with a 4-17 overall record. Maple Valley was bested by Hackett Cath-; olic Prep 44-14 in the second district opener at Schoolcraft Monday. Galesburg-Augusta was set to face School­ craft in one district semifinal back at School­ craft last night, March 2. Hackett was slated to face Kalamazoo Christian in the second. The district final is planned for 7 p.m. Friday. The Maple Valley Lions end the seasop with a record of 1-19. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — Page 15 Vikings get back to D3 Cheer Finals Brett Bremer Sports Editor | The Montague and Whitehall girls had all the steps to accompany the song “Cotton Eye joe” as it blared from the loudspeakers between round three performances by Alle­ gan and Comstock Park at the MHSAA Divi­ sion 3 Competitive Cheer Regional in the Rockford High School gymnasium Saturday. r The Lakewood girls weren’t dancing. They A^ere just sitting quietly in between the two tyfuskegon area teams, looking out at the mat and waiting to learn if they’d done enough to qualify for the MHSAA Competitive Cheer Finals or if they’d missed their shot. * “Not fun,” was how Lakewood varsity Competitive cheer coach Kim Martin Qescribed the wait. ■' It was a long wait after being the fifth of 12 teams to compete in round three. The Vikings weren’t perfect Saturday, but they were good enough. Lakewood will compete in the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Finals for the first time since 2018 after plac­ ing fourth at Saturday’s regional. The current seniors were in eighth grade during those 2018 Finals. “It was really stressful, but in the end we got there,” Lakewood senior base Hokulani Ka’alakea said. “It has been four years I have been on this team and this feels good.” - A Viking base stumbled and fell to the mat during one of the final transition periods in round three, with only about 30 more seconds of performance in the round. It was a ten-point deduction that dropped the Vikings’ round three score below 300 points, but it didn’t drop their final overall score behind the Whitehall or Allegan teams that were chasing the Lake­ wood ladies for that fourth and final state Qualifying position at the regional. ‘ Paw Paw was the class of the regional, putting up the top score in each of the first two rounds and then finishing off the evening with an overall score of 774.62. Portland put tip the best round three score of the night at 3*14.3 points to finish with a total score of 762 and qualify for the state finals for the first time as a program. The Tri-County team, which the Lakewood girls bested at districts, was third with a score of 742.26 and Lakewood ended the day with a. score of 728.82 points. The Allegan Tigers and Whitehall Vikings were unable to catch the Lakewood girls in round three. Allegan was fifth overall with a score of 715.36 and Whitehall sixth at 703.44. - Lakewood put together scores of 223.8 in round one, 207.12 in round two and 297.9 in rbumd three. “You saw how young our team is today. You did,” Martin said. “You could tell the inexperience, the nervousness. What happened at the end there, I mean that has never happened.” x There are eight freshmen and seven sopho­ mores on the Lakewood cheer team this winter. 7 Lakewood had already dealt with freshman Hallie Schantz injuring an elbow on the sec­ ond skill of rotmd two Saturday. Coach Mar- Lakewood's Talia Bouwens and Natasia Whitaker share a hug as the scores are announced Saturday at the end of the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Regional at Rockford High School. The Vikings placed fourth at the regional to earn a spot in the March 5 State Finals at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids. (Photo by Brett Bremer) tin said she was shocked Schantz was able to finish that round. That is what her Vikings did at the regional to get to the state finals: they powered through. “That group at the end got back up,” Mar­ tin said. “They finished the round. They didn’t sit there. They didn’t get upset. They got up and finished it.” Paw Paw won the regional title by combin­ ing a round one score of 232.6 and round two score of 229.02 with a 313 in round three, which was the second-best score in the final round. Portland was in second place throughout the night with scores of 229.9 in round one and 217.8 in round two to add to its top round three total.? Tri County earned its state finals spot with scores of 217.3 in round one, 218.96 in round two and 306 in round three. “Honestly, It was very rough in the begin­ ning,” Ka’alakea said. “I didn’t know if we were actually going to make it to the state finals, but we did progress over the year. We worked pretty well together. I am glad to see us get there.” The MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Finals will be held Saturday, March 5, at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids beginning at 3 p.m. “I think we are going to go out this week and just try to have fun. It is about having fun. We made it,” Martin said. “We can beat Tri County. We beat them last week. This was not a good day for us. I don’t know what the teams from the east look like. It’ll be tough. With a team this young it’s a feat to get there.” “I think it is going to make them hungry [for the future] for sure.” The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team performs during round three of the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Regional at Rockford High School Saturday. The Vikings placed fourth to earn a spot in the March 5 State Finals at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids. (Photo by Brett Bremer) NOTICE TO ACCEPT BIDS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY EXPANSION Lakewood senior Hokulani Ka’alakea and the Vikings cheer during round two of the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Regional at Rockford High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings boys finish regular season at home Thursday night The Hastings varsity boys’ basketball team is set to close out the 2021-22 regular season with a non-conference bailgame against Well­ spring Prep at Hastings High School tonight, March 3. The Saxons finished off a 1-13 season in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Friday night when it fell 59-40 at Pennfield. Hastings heads into the regular season fina­ le with a 2-17 overall record. Pennfield was one of only two teams to best the Marshall boys this season. The other was Jackson Northwest which took a stunning 53-29 win over the visiting Marshall boys Friday night to give Coldwater a share of the conference title. Marshall and Coldwater both close the con­ ference season with 12-2 records. Marshall bested the Cardinals in both of their match-ups, but the Marshall boys were bested by Pennfield by four points in early January and then suf­ fered the 24-point loss to the Mounties last week. Northwest was 4-10 in conference play this winter. Coldwater meanwhile clinched its share of the conference championship by scor­ ing a 49-46 win at Harper Creek Friday night. The state postseason begins Monday. Hast­ ings will head to Wayland Union High School 176162 to take on Allegan in the second of two open­ ing round ballgames to be played in the MHSAA Division 2 District Tournament in Wayland. The host Wildcats take on Hopkins at 5:30 p.m. Monday with the Saxons and Allegan Tigers set to follow at about 7 p.m. Allegan is also 2-17 heading into its final ballgame of the regular season. The winner of the contest between the Saxons and Tigers will face 6-14 Hamilton in a district semifinal ball­ game back in Wayland Wednesday, March 9. The district’s top seed, Holland Christian, awaits the Hopkins/Wayland winner in the other district semifinal match-up. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: The Rutland Charter Township Board is now accepting bids on the expansion 2 1/z acres of the Rutland Charter Township Cemetery on M-37 Hwy. Items to be included; • Cutting down and removal of trees, tree stumps, and brush ——• Excavating andbladtngdewrv'eHhe^aree--------——------- — — ——• Approximately 2.5 acre parcel • Map of the area in question and bid packets available at the Township Office. All bidders must carry their own insurance and supply all their own equipment. Bids will be accepted by mail or at the Township Hall, located at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings. All bids must be submitted by April 5, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Rutland Charter Township Board reserves the right to reject any bids submitted that do not meet the boards approval. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Mi 49058 (269) 948-2194 TOWNSHIP OF BALTIMORE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 3100 E. Dowling Rd. Hastings, Ml 49058, to examine and review the 2022 Assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classi­ fication appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 1:00 pm Organizational Meeting Hearings will be the week of March 13, 2022 Monday, March 14, 2022, 9:00 am to 12 noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Wednesday, March 16, 2022, 1 pm to 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, cor­ rected and approved. Letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 9:00 pm March 16th, 2022. Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural 41.50% 1.20481 Commercial 50.70% 0.98619 Industrial 47.94% 1.04297 Residential 49.57% 1.00867 Personal Property 50.00% 1.00000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Chad VanSyckle, Supervisor Baltimore Township Scott Anderson, Assessor Baltimore Township Baltimore Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. Saxon guard Kearan Tolles (30) splits Panther defenders Adin • Hastings sophomore point guard Owen Carroll (10) gets Burns (10) and Landon Roach (2) in the first half of their contest tangled up on a drive in the paint by Pennfield Panther Graham Friday at Pennfield High School in Battle Creek. (Photo by Perry Boyd (3) Friday night in Battle Creek. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Hardin) American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days notice to Baltimore Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or ser­ vices should contact Baltimore Township by writing or calling. Baltimore Township Clerk Penelope Ypma 3100 E Dowling Rd Hastings, Ml 49058 269.721.3502 176008 �Page 16 — Thursday, March 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner DK and Valley girls finish cheer season at regionals Maple Valley flyer Emily Reitz is held up by her teammates Sophia Rose (back), Aubrie Leo (right) and Alyssa Harrington. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE 2022 NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Review will meet at the Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046, to examine and review the 2022 assessment roll. The board will convene on the following dates for the hearing of appeals of assessments or taxable values, poverty exemptions, parcel classification appeals and/or current year qualified agricultural denials: Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 10:00 am Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022, 1:00 to 4:00 pm and 6:00 to 9:00 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 9:00 am to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 pm And on such additional days as required to hear all persons who have given notice of the desire to be heard until assessment rolls have been revised, corrected and approved. APPOINTMENTS ARE SUGGESTED; letter appeals will be accepted and must be received no later than 5:00 pm March 11, 2022 Tentative ratios and estimated multipliers for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural 50.70% 0.9862 Commercial 50.31% 0.9938 Industrial 52.09% 0.9599 Residential 45.79% 1.0919 Personal Property 50.00% 1.0000 Tentative equalization factor of 1.0000 for all classes is expected after completion of Board of Review. Jim Stoneburner, Supervisor Prairieville Township Kevin Harris, Assessor Prairieville Township Prairieville Township Board Meetings are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, sex or disability. American with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Prairieville Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact Prairieville Township by writing or calling. Rod Goebel Prairieville Township Clerk 10115 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Ml 49046 Brett Bremer Sports Editor A “good luck” video from the Leslie varsity competitive cheer team arrived in Maple Val­ ley head coach Sarah Huissen’s messages before her Lion ladies took the mat at Jenison High School Saturday morning. Once the Lions were through competing in their first-ever MHSAA Division 4 Regional Tournament, they stepped off the side of the mat to gather as a team and pay it forward to another league-mate from the Greater Lansing Activities Conference. “Good luck Lakewood!” the Lions shouted towards the camera held by Huissen. They’d already responded with one to the Leslie girls who were competing in a D4 Regional at Michigan Center. The Lions’ GLAC partners, the Lakewood Vikings, are the last remaining varsity compet­ itive cheer team competing in the state tourna­ ment from the Barry County area. The Vikings placed fourth at their MHSAA Division 3 Regional hosted by Rockford High School Saturday to earn a spot in this Saturday’s State Finals at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids. Maple Valley and Delton Kellogg in Divi­ sion 4 and Thomapple Kellogg in Division 2 all bowed out of the state tournament Saturday morning. Lawton, the champions of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Division 4 competition this winter, took the Division 4 Regional Championship at Jenison High School with an overall score of 691.0 points. Beal City was second at 682.5, Pewamo-Westphalia third at 675.24 and Mason County fourth with a score of 671.4. Delton Kellogg placed ninth and Maple Valley 11th at the 12-team regional in Jenison. Behind those four state qualifying teams, Houghton Lake was fifth with a score of 659.88, ahead of NorthPointe Christian 647.82, Norway 640.90, Buchanan 637.80, Delton Kellogg 637.40, Iron Mountain 603.60, Maple Valley 585.40 and Oscoda 542.30. The Delton Kellogg Panthers capped off their day with an outstanding round three per­ formance - even if the scores didn’t quite reflect how strong it was. A 260.6 in round three was still the top round three score of the season for the DK girls. “I think that is our best this year,” Delton Kellogg head coach Zoe Reynolds said of the round three routine. “I thought today was for sure their best day in rounds two and three. In round one, they went a little fast so it wasn’t quite as clean as they should have had it. Round three was the most excited they’ve been. They hit just about everything. A couple tumbling passes were off and that kind of stuff, but overall I thought they did a really good job.” DK also put up scores of 197.50 in round one and 179.30 in round two. Round one didn’t go quite as weft tire Panthers-had-hoped. “I think they just got excited [in round one,” Reynolds said. “They were excited/nervous. We went over it really, really slowly about 15 times, but unfortunately when they get out there the speed just takes over. We went over the same parts where they speed up and they just had it in their mindset that was just the pace. “I think you just need to harness your excitement and put it into punching and stuff Delton Kellogg's Maysse Wiessner does the splits with her teammates during round three of the MHSAA Division 4 Regional at Jenison High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) rather than putting it into the speed of what you’re doing.” “A lot of them were disappointed in our place. They were hoping for a seventh or sixth, a little bit higher up,”: Reynolds said. She took a bit of extra time on the mat, as other teams began to clear out of the gym, to talk to her young team. “I just wanted to let them know that I was proud of them and I wanted them to know that today was their best day in my opinion,” Reynolds said. “Not that my opinion matters, but it does to them, so I am just proud of them. I told them to keep their heads up. It wasn’t like they had a bad performance today, it just wasn’t enough to move on.” Both the Delton Kellogg and Maple Valley teams are filled with young cheerleaders. The only senior on the Panther roster is Kelsey Campbell. The only seniors for the Lions are the exchange student trio of Ele’ Martin, Sabrina Taulo and Zina Jaberi. Delton Kellogg as a program has made a habit of advancing to the regional round of the state tournament. It is something all new for the Lions. “It was a great day,” Huissen said. “We enjoyed this experience so much. Just being here with these teams it has been nothing but a positive experience today. I hope this is lead­ ing up to a future of coming back here, know­ ing what this feels like now.” The Maple Valley girls tallied a score of 180.10 in round one, 157.70 in round two and 247.60 in round three. “Today, everybody just went out there and did their facials and yelled as loud as they could possibly yell,” Huissen said. “Those are all things that we talked about that we really wanted to work on improving. It was quite funny, when we got done, one of the girls was like ‘I walked onto the mat and I’m smiling. That is new.’ “Usually there are more nerves and stuff. It was exciting that they were excited to be here in front of everybody and it was just a great experience. They are excited to be here.” To go from just being at regionals to fight­ ing for a regional title will take some work for both Delton Kellogg and Maple Valley. Coach Huissen said the biggest things her program needs to improve are its gymnastics skills overall. “Right now, we’re so close,” Huissen said of having the round two skills she would like to add such as front and back walkovers. “We just need one or two people to have a better skill to go put it out on the mat. For round three it is the OLE’s and those big stunts to get the choreography points, the back tucks and all of that coming through those are choreog­ raphy points that we’re missing out on.” Reynolds expects to be back coaching the Panthers for at least one more season. “This coming summer we need to put in the extra work and go to the gym and do some camps and put in the extra time if this is their goal to make it to the state finals,” she said. “They’re not that far away from it. It is not ah unreachable goal for this group of girls. If that is what they want then they’re going to have to put in the time.” Reynolds said the biggest things her team needs to improve are jumps, tumbling, flexi­ bility and getting stronger as a whole. Lawton took the regional title with scores of 210.40 in round one, 193.50 in round two and 287.10 in round three. The Blue Devils were third behind Beal City and Pewamo-Westpha­ lia after round one, but nudged into the lead with their round two score - which was the highest of the meet. Lawton finished off its regional champion­ ship performance with a score of 287.10 in round three. Pewamo-Westphalia had the top round one score of the day at 212.20, two tenths of a point better than Beal City in the round. It was a tough fifth-place finish for the Houghton Lake girls who were hit with a tenpoint deduction in round two, but were still sit­ ting in fourth place heading into round three. Mason County Central was in fifth after two rounds but outscored the Houghton Lake girls by nearly 20 points in round three, 290 to 270.5, to vault in the final state qualifying position. . The MHSAA Division 4 Competitive Cheer Finals will be held Friday, March 4, at 2 p.m. The Division 1 Finals are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday. The Division 2 Finals will be Saturday at 10 a.m. Followed by the Division 3 Finals at 3 p.m. 269-623-2726 175924 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW The Board of Review will meet on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 1:00 pm in the office of the Assessor at Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058 to organize and review the Assessment Roll. NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING to hear Assessment APPEALS will be held at the RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP HALL, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan on: MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022 9:00 am to NOON & 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Also, any other days deemed necessary to equalize the Assessment Roll. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT RATIOS & FACTORS FOR 2022 MULTIPLIER CLASS RATIO 1.0960 Agriculture 45.62 47.98 1.0421 Commercial Industrial 52.78 0.9473 1.0801 Residential 46.29 50.00 1.0000 Developmental 1.0000 Personal 50.00 The above ratios and multipliers do not mean that every parcel will receive the same. If you have purchased property, it will be assessed at 50% of market value. If you have improved your property such as additions, new buildings, driveways, etc., this will also reflect in the value of your property. Upon request of any person who is assessed on said roll, or his agent, and upon sufficient cause being shown, the Board of Review will correct the assessment of such property and will, in their judgment, make the valuation thereof relatively just and equal. Dennis McKelvey, Assessor RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2461 Heath Rd Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2194 Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Rutland Charter Township Clerk by writing or calling the Township. This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41,72a (2)(3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Delton Kellogg flyers Maddy Waller (front) and Kelsey Campbell (back) are held up by their stunt groups during round three of the MHSAA Division 4 Regional at Jenison High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg's Emily Stoneburner (front) and Alli Brandli (back) shout out to the crowd during their team's round three performance at the MHSAA Division 4 Regional hosted by Jenison High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Olivet bests Lakewood boys a second time in final GLAC game Brett Bremer Sports Editor In the end, it wasn’t the showdown the Vikings were hoping for. Olivet finished off a Greater Lansing Activ­ ities Conference season with a 52-31 win over the visiting Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team Friday at Olivet High School. The Eagles ran their record to 11-1 in the GLAC with the win and finished off a 19-1 regular season by winning at Bath Tuesday. Lakewood is now 12-7 after a 67-50 loss to visiting Pennfield Tuesday night and the Vikings have dropped five consecutive ball­ games - while missing all-conference junior guard Jayce Cusack to injury. The Vikings were 8-4 in the GLAC this winter, but opened the conference season with an 8-1 record with that only defeat a single digit loss to the Olivet boys in late January. Lakewood had its sights set on revenge against the Eagles, while also always focusing on the task at hand, until the late losing streak. The Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team will close out the regular season at home against Thomapple Kellogg tonight, March 3, and then travel to Lansing Eastern to face the Quakers in the opening round of the MHSAA Division 2 Boys’ Basketball Districts Monday. Olivet outscored the Vikings 32-11 in the sec­ ond half to secure the victory. Bo Lincoln fin­ ished with a game-high 21 points for the Eagle's and Brayden Wine added 18 points. The two teams had been tied 20-20 at the half. Lincoln scored 16 points in the second half, including 11 in the third quarter as his team took control. Lakewood got 17 points from junior center Caleb Hull and 12 from junior forward Preston Makley. Nate Willette chipped in six points. Pennfield stretched its lead with 24 points in the fourth quarter against the Vikings Tuesday - hitting six three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone. The Panthers had nine on the night. Makley led Lakewood with 12 points, but Pennfield limited the rest of the Vikings to four points or less. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-03-10.pdf 786171f2b498961ce68b7c7bdd7c45b6 PDF Text Text Baltimore Township taps into cannabis business revenue Sunshine Week reminds us of need for open government Ferris and Gibson repeat as champions at State Finals See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 . CAR-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 H 6/30/2022 9:47:00 AM MO 11 iiv. Thursday, March 10, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 10 NEWS BRIEFS Move clocks ahead this weekend Some clocks - on smart watches, cell phones, computers and other devices will spring forward on their own in the wee hours of Sunday, March 13. Other, more traditional clocks and watches, will have to be manually moved forward an hour to mark the beginning of daylight saving time. Either way, the morning alarm will sound an hour early, but daylight will linger a bit longer in the evening. Daylight saving time will end Sun­ day, Nov. 6. Hastings library hosting ‘armchair travel’ events No-go letter halts housing project Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Hailed as the largest housing development in decades, the $1.5 million Royal Coach project has screeched to a standstill after the Michigan State Housing Development Authority issued a “no-go” letter in late November 2021. In the past three months, MSDHA offi­ cials have expressed concern about the hous­ ing project’s proximity to Hastings Manu­ facturing and, specifically, the factory’s stor­ age of hazardous chemicals, City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said. Many people involved with the project are outraged by the decision. Sig Strautmanis, a member of the devel­ opment team for General Capital, the Royal Coach project developer, wrote a letter to MSDHA March 4 asking the organization to reconsider its decision. “It’s really beyond unfair,” Moyer-Cale said. Eight months ago, on July 15, 2021, MSDHA had approved $1.5 million in The Arm Chair Travel Group has begun meeting at Hastings Public Library at 6 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month. Attendees escape into travel videos on a big screen and share books, tips, future trips and travel ideas. March 16, the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, the group will experience the fun, - conviviality, anS^ponfMnefty of f%s" Legal advice for seniors planned in Woodland Rep. Calley to be in Hastings next week State Rep. Julie Calley has scheduled local office hours this month in Hast­ ings. Calley will be available from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, March 18, at the Barry County Tyden Center, 121 S. Church St., Hastings. “Talking with people during office hours helps me gather valuable insight about the issues that matter most to people in our community,” Calley, R-Portland, said. “I look forward to hearing your thoughts and answering any questions you might have about state government.” A legislative update will be provided, with an opportunity for individual meetings following. The one-on-one meetings will be kept to 10 minutes each. Anyone who would need additional time, is unable to attend the scheduled office hours, or who would like a Zoom meeting may email JulieCalley@house. mi.gov or call 517-373-0842. low-income housing tax credits that would bring 73 housing units - 54 apartments and 19 townhouses - to the space left when the Royal Coach property burned down in Octo­ ber 2020. Those tax credits took years to secure and that included exploring the safety of placing a housing project next to a manufac­ turing warehouse. At the request of MSHDA, in April 2021, the Wisconsin-based developer General Capital hired an environmental consultant to conduct a walkthrough of the facility. The environmental consultant found no issues, Moyer-Cale said, outside of unla­ beled empty containers and an outdated fire hydrant. The chemicals, she added, pose a “very low flammability risk.” In April 2021, the developer sent the environmental information back to MSDHA, according to General Capital’s March 4 letter, before receiving the official See NO-GO, page 2 This is the site of the proposed Royal Coach housing project that would bring 73 housing units - 54 apartments and 19 townhouses - to the city of Hastings. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority, which previously had approved the project, is now raising concerns about its proximity to Hastings Manufacturing, shown in background here. (Photo by Scott Harmsen.) ‘A young man of great maturity’ travel guide Rick Steves in his living room as he shares stories of past Ireland trips and current travel standards. Martha Ports of Hastings will take the group to China April 20 with her personal experiences as an English teacher. The group will visit Antarctica May 18 by way of Chile and a special educa­ tional cruise through the eyes of Cynda and Mitch Poll. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. The Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Battle Creek office will con­ duct interviews for legal advice and possible representation, without charge, to interested seniors Wednesday, March 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Woodland Eagles Club, 125 N. Main St., Woodland. Facemasks should be worn. Legal Services of South Central Michigan-Battle Creek Office is a non­ profit organization that provides high-quality legal assistance, represen­ tation and education to seniors in Barry, Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph coun­ ties. The Agency seeks, through its board, staff, volunteers and pro bono attorneys, to ensure that its clients are given equal access to the justice system. PRICE $1.00 Andre Perez will take the stage tonight in the lead role of the high school musical 'Newsies' at Hastings Performing Arts Center. (Photo by Bob Gaskill.) Benjamin Simon Sta# Writer When the cast'll.^:was released, Andre Perez’s eyes stopped at the first line. Andre Perez. Jack. He didn’t need to read any further. He knew what it meant. He had a lead of the Hastings High School musical, a face of the show, a character in nearly every scene. Perez didn’t know what to say or what to do or how to react. Nearly 30 people flooded around the television screen outside of the choir room. They pushed to see the list, flung their arms in celebration and hollered con­ gratulations to one another. Director Andrew Moore sat in the choice office, a “pretty air tight room,” he said, detached from the hallway with the cast list. Still, though, he could hear students scream­ ing through the door. But Perez just stood there. His heart, he said, was “fluttering.” Three years ago, as a freshman, Perez didn’t even try out for the musical, “Beauty and the Beast.” Now, as a senior, he has a lead in “News­ ies” - a show about newsboys, led by the Lakewood staffer faces CSC charge involving student Rebecca Pierce Editor The criminal sexual conduct case against a Lakewood Public Schools administrative assis­ tant is being handled by the Kent County pros­ ecutor’s office after Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt recused herself. Michele Rae Erb, 45, of Lake Odessa, is facing two charges: third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a teenage male stu­ dent and using the computer/intemet to com­ municate with another to commit a crime. Both are felonies punishable by a maximum 15 years in prison. Nakfoor Pratt said Tuesday she recused herself from the case because she knows the defendant. Defense attorney Gordon Shane McNeill of Hastings Tuesday confirmed he is repre­ senting Erb. Michigan State Police Lakeview Post handled the investigation. Police are alleging that a sexual act involv­ ing penetration with a teen-age victim occurred Oct. 27, 2021. In addition, they accuse Erb of using a computer and/or the internet to communicate with another person to commit a crime. Superintendent Steve Skalka told The Ban­ ner he was made aware of the allegations against Erb in late October. “The District investigated reports that a staff member, who was not a teacher, alleged­ ly engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a 16-year-old high school student off school property and during school hours,” Skalka wrote in a March 4 statement to dis­ trict families and staff. “Upon learning of the allegations, District officials immediately contacted Michigan State Police and assisted them with their criminal investigation,” he wrote. “This past Friday, the former staff member was charged. “Any reports in the media regarding an incident involving a Lakewood staff member and student are referring to this incident that took place last fall.” Skalka commended employees for prompt­ ly reporting the incident to school administra­ tors. “All District employees are required to immediately report any allegations of mis­ conduct involving students to an administra­ tor,” he noted. “All members of the Lakewood communi­ ty, including students and parents, are encour­ aged to report any concerns regarding inap­ propriate behavior between adults and stu­ dents to an appropriate school administrator,” Skalka wrote. “Ensuring our students’ safety, security and well-being remains our top priority, and we will keep our school community informed about this investigation.” Erb was the administrative assistant to the director of curriculum, instruction and assess­ ment as well as the director of technology. She primarily worked out of the central office, Skalka said in other news media reports, but she had a desk at Lakewood High School, since that is the location for the dis­ trict’s director of technology. She is no longer working for the district. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 23. 17-year-old Jack Kelly, who went on strike against the powerful publisher, Joseph Pulitzer^m 1899. ~ “I was just, like - I was flabbergasted, man,” Perez remembered. A minute later, he snapped back into reality. He thanked other students for their sup­ port. He shook the hand of Anna Haywood, who will play Katherine, the love interest of Jack and the journalist who assists the “news­ ies” (portrayed in the HHS production by both boys and girls) in their strike. Then Perez escaped the scrum of people, ran out­ side and jumped up and down. “I had this adrenaline rush for at least seven hours,” he said. Then it hit him. “I was like, ‘OK, now I have to prepare and get myself ready for this and really sell this character because this is going to be my biggest performance,” he said, pausing. “Like, ever.” *** Beginning tonight through Saturday eve­ ning, Perez will take the stage in the Hastings Performing Arts Center as a central character in his high school musical. The lead role came as a surprise to Perez. He didn’t grow up in a theater world. His parents wererPt involved in drama. His-dad, Elliott, is a construction manager at Pioneer Construction in the Grand Rapids area and his mom, Jaquelin, works for the district, helping out with the Community Education and Recreation Center and daycare. And Andre, well, Andre played sports basketball, golf, tennis, track. “I thought sports was my niche,” he said. As an elementary student at St. Rose, he participated in drama productions, even as a lead in the Christmas musical. Then he stopped, instead focusing on sports. Although he continued to sing and participate in the choir, Perez didn’t do any­ thing drama-related during his freshman year at Hastings High School. Not the play, not the musical. When sophomore year came around, he didn’t have any plans to do anything dra­ ma-related. That is, until he injured himself playing tennis in the fall. Unable to compete, See YOUNG MAN, page 8 M-43 bike crash claims life of Hastings dentist Greg Chandler Staff Writer Dr. Paul Sweetland loved bicycling. Over the past 27 years, the longtime Hastings dentist rode more than 88,000 miles on his bike, keeping meticulous records of each trip, his son, Steve Sweet­ land of Grand Rapids, said. “I think he was just a very detailed kind of guy,” he said of his father. That attention to detail carried over into Dr. Sweetland’s professional work as well as his personal life. Dr. Sweetland died last Friday of inju­ ries suffered when his Trek pedal-assist bicycle ran into the rear of a van that was disabled on the shoulder of North M-43 near Mary Lou Drive, according to the Barry County Sheriff’s Department. He was 82. The accident occurred about 3:23 p.m. The sheriff’s department report said Sweet­ land was northbound on M-43 when he struck the rear of the van, which had run out of gas. The driver of the van, Sidney Rogers, told investigators he was getting gas from a can at the rear of the vehicle when he heard a vehicle go by and a loud crash. The vehicle was described as a large truck, gray in color with large mirrors. Rogers said the crash startled him, caus­ ing him to move away from his van toward the ditch. He then saw Dr. Sweet­ land and his bike on the ground behind the van, police said. “It is unclear why or what caused Paul to run into the rear of the van and not stop or safely negotiate around it,” Sheriff’s Depu­ ty Bill Romph wrote in the report. Dr. Paul “It is unclear if Paul Sweetland did not see the van, miscalculated how fast he was going as he was on a pedal-assist bicycle, or if the passing vehicle startled him prior to collid­ ing with the back of the van.” Sweetland was transported via AeroMed to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, where he died at about 4:45 p.m., according to the police report. The son of a minister, Dr. Sweetland didn’t initially set out to be a dentist. He served two stints in the U.S. Army, first from 1962 to 1966 and then again from 1973 to 1978. He was once a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, mak­ ing 39 jumps, Steve Sweetland said. After his first Army stint, Paul Sweet- See M-43, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Planning commission considers increasing two-family dwelling units in city A reliever for cabin fever Celebration Saturday will support veterans James Gemmell Contributing Writer People who have been cooped up all winter and want to celebrate the upcom­ ing arrival of spring can celebrate Satur­ day, March 12, at a fundraising Cabin Fever Party in Hastings. The annual benefit bash to support the Hastings Disabled American Veterans and Happiness for Veterans group is planned from 5 p.m. to midnight at the Barry Expo Center, 1350 N. M-37. There will be no cover charge, but cash donations will be accepted. And for those who would like a pulled-pork meal served by Kloosterman’s Sports Tap Bar & Grille, the charge will be $10 at the door. The event is being run by the Cabin Fever Reliever Committee, which was formed by Hastings Elks Lodge 1965. Rich Furlong and Don Converse are the committee co-chairs. More information can be found online at hastingselks.com, which includes a list of additional items that can be donated to veterans, such as gift cards to local restaurants, person­ al-care products and more. Furlong said Happiness for Veterans is a Hastings-area citizens group that helps veterans in need, whether they are elderly or disabled, or in financial need. This will the third Cabin Fever Party and the first time at the Barry Expo Cen­ ter. The band Brena will begin perform­ ing at 7 p.m. and will continue through­ out the night. The band plays a variety of music styles. And while Brena is on break between sets, Dwight Peebles from First Dance DJs will be playing music and getting people dancing. Winners from various raffles will be announced during intermission. Bucket drawings, 50/50 drawings and a silent auction will be taking place all evening. Prizes include a meat bundle, a pair of kayaks and a 36-inch flat-top Black­ stone grill. “We actually swung for the fences. We wanted to go big this year,” Furlong said. “We’ve had two years to sit around and think about it.” Posters have been put up in the area, and display advertisements are in this week’s newspapers. “We think it’s a great event for every­ one to have a good time,” Converse said. “But in the meantime, they’re support­ ing veterans by buying raffle tickets.” Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The City of Hastings Planning Commis­ sion will move forward with a proposed ordinance that would expand the permissi­ bility of two-family dwelling units in the city. The drafted text would specifically expand two-family dwelling units to the entire R-2 district. Currently, two-family dwelling units are only permitted in multifamily districts and along highways. During Monday night’s public hearing, planning commission Chair Dave Hatfield said the city has been “extraordinarily restrictive on two-family dwellings compared to most communities.” “But when we looked at the data that we had available on single-family, two-family, four and under multiple units, to determine how many of those existed in the communi­ ty - we have a lot of two-unit buildings,” he said. “But at this point, they’re generally nonconforming, which means they can’t be sold as a two-family dwelling because it’s a nonconforming use.” With the proposed ordinance, the city does not intend to change the nature of the neighborhood, City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said. “Two-family dwellings share the same characteristics as some of the other land uses that are allowed in those districts. That’s why they’re being opened up in those particular districts,” she explained. With the housing crunch in the city, the planning commission has spent the past few months brainstorming potential solutions to the problem. Just last month, the city coun­ cil approved legislation that would allow accessory dwelling units in the city. “We know there’s a lot of people who want to live in Hastings and can’t find a place to live,” she said. “And there are peo­ ple who are getting a little bit older and can no longer live in the home that they’ve lived in for a while and they want to be able to stay in Hastings but there’s no place for them to move to downsize. So by creating greater housing opportunities and housing choice for people, that will benefit the com­ munity in the long run.” Now, they hope to permit two-family dwelling units. “It increases housing opportunities and housing diversity in the city,” Moyer-Cale said. “What a healthy city has is a wide vari­ ety of housing styles. You have single-family dwellings, you have two- and three-family dwellings, you have some small apartment buildings, maybe you have a few larger ones. believe the violations show that the plant is monitored by regulatory agencies and these regulations and monitoring help protect the neighborhood from harm.” MSDHA’s recent skepticism of the proj­ ect has only made the situation more frus­ trating for supporters. “They really have never identified a single rule or regulation that prohibits construction near residential housing or manufacturing,” Moyer-Cale said. “They also have not identified anything specific that’s happening at Hastings Manufactur­ ing that could, in any way, impact the adjacent site. “So that is what is infuriating to us. It’d be one thing if they eould say, ‘Hey, there’s this chemical, it creates a risk of this, that, or the other thing and that’s why we don’t think that this should move forward.’ But it’s not. They have not released any kind of example. They’re just afraid of it.” But supporters haven’t given up hope. Now leaders of the project have turned to state representatives, state senators and the governor’s office to put pressure on MSHDA. They are asking community members to reach out to their political lead­ ers to reverse the course of the Royal Coach project. “This is not acceptable,” Moyer-Cale said. “You can’t just take tax credit funding away for no substantive reason. You know, the community is behind this project. We’ve invested a lot in it. And just because we’re a small community doesn’t mean that they can push us around.” A warehouse building is all that remains of the historic Royal Coach property at 400 E. Mill Street. 'We know there’s a lot of people who want to live in Hastings and can’t find a place to live. And there are people who are get­ ting a little bit older and can no longer live in the home that they’ve lived in for a while and they want to be able to stay in Hastings, but there’s no place for them to move to downsize. So by creating greater housing opportunities and housing choice for people, that will benefit the community in the long run.' - Hastings City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale There are a lot of different styles of housing, price ranges of housing. Housing diversity in general is what you’re looking for.” In addition to enlarging the area of two-family dwelling units, the planning commission also cleaned up and clarified the text of the ordinance. The planning commission did not approve anything at Monday night’s public hearing, but instead, discussed any questions or con­ cerns board members still held. “It was just a lot of explanation of things and making sure everyone was on the same page,” she said, “essentially because a lot of the work was done at the committee level. So just making sure that the planning com­ mission as a whole was understanding of what the changes were.” As the next step, planning commission members agreed to hold a workshop with the city council to get their input on the draft text. The date and time of the special meet­ ing has not been determined yet. NO-GO, continued from page 1 go-ahead from MSHDA in July 2021. General Capital quickly started moving on the project, spending more than $325,000. It aimed to finish it in the spring of 2022. This was lauded as possibly the largest housing development in decades for a com­ munity that desperately needs more hous­ ing. “Once those doors are open and it’s occupied, No. 1 — it will show other devel­ opers how vibrant the city of Hastings is,” Community Development Director Dan King said in a previous interview with The Banner. “... Those apartments will be leased out very quickly and will show other devel­ opers the severe need for housing in the city of Hastings and that will lurch other developments forward.” Then, inexplicably, MSHDA reversed its decision. It issued a no-go letter Nov. 30, 2021, and, despite recent efforts to change that decision, MSDHA has stood firm. “Had we understood that any live opera­ tion would be viewed as a ‘No Go,’ we would have never spent over $325,000 completing due diligence in expectation of a timely closing,” Strautmanis wrote, inten­ tionally italicizing and bolding the word “any.” In December, the two sides met to fur­ ther discuss MSDHA’s decision. During the conversation, General Capital offered a technical environmental assessment, technical administrative assessment, let­ ters of community support and an alterna­ tive site plan, where they “pulled the building 200 feet from the nearest point of the Hastings Manufacturing facility (now 650 feet from the chromium plating area), adding additional buffer between the facil­ ity and our proposed project,” according to the March 4 letter from General Capital to MSHDA. MSDHA said it would review the mate­ rial. And after a month of silence, in early February, MSHDA finally responded. It had not changed its stance. “They’re digging in,” Moyer-Cale said. “They’re doubling down and digging in. And they’re not really answering our ques­ tions. They’re not saying how Hastings Manufacturing could even potentially impact the neighboring property.” In response, MSHDA cited a lack of his­ torical precedence, Moyer-Cale said. They conducted research on other places from across the state where finishing facilities like Hastings Manufacturing are in close proximity to multifamily housing develop­ ments. They were unable to find any other examples of multifamily housing next to finishing facilities in Michigan. They also referenced Occupational Safe­ ty and Health Administration violations and complaints from 2010 involving Hast­ ings Manufacturing. “MSHDA presented health violations from 2010 as evidence of the clear and present danger this facility presents to the neighborhood and future residential devel­ opment,” Strautmanis wrote. “General Capital feels the opposite is true: We M-43, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------land enrolled at Western Michigan Universi­ ty, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, majoring in history and minoring in biology and physical education. He taught middle school in Kalamazoo Pub­ lic Schools for seven years. He then re-enlisted in the Army as a cap­ tain and changed career direction, deciding to become a dentist. The Army paid his way through the University of Detroit School of Dentistry, after which he served in the Army Dental Corps. Dr. Sweetland opened his first dental prac­ tice at in the Northland Professional Building at 1510 N. Broadway in 1978. Trudy Briggs of Hastings worked for Sweetland at that office as an assistant. “As my boss, I remember him as being so very kind and helpful. He was always inter­ ested in my life outside of working. Just a super nice guy,” Briggs wrote in a message to The Banner. Pam Adams of Lake Odessa served as Dr. Sweetland’s receptionist for 22 years. “He took absolute pride in his work and really cared for his patients,” Adams posted in a Facebook message. “He had a saying he always said to remain humble. ‘Some patients swear by me and some patients swear at me,”’ she added. Dr. James Peurach, a fellow dentist in the community, knew Sweetland from the time he opened his practice. “Paul was a great dentist and a great Saturday, March 26 • 1 to 4 p.m. Great time to visit the village - If you are looking for placement sooner, please schedule a tour afeyojur convenience. man,” Peurach said. “He was a very stand­ up person, a person of integrity, a man of his word. He would do what was right, even if it cost him something. He would do what was in the best interest of his patients.” In the early 2000s, Dr. Peurach helped establish the Barry Community Free Clin­ ic, which provided free health care services to county residents who might not other­ wise have been able to get medical ser­ vices. Dr. Sweetland became involved with the clinic, providing free dental care to those in need. “He did far more for the Free Clinic than anyone else,” Peurach said. Dr. Sweetland worked under Dr. Peurach the last couple of years of his dentistry career, retiring in 2017. In addition to his professional work, Dr. Sweetland supported several children’s camps, including leading a distance ride about 10 years ago to support Camp WahWah-Tay-See, a camp for children with spe­ cial needs near Greenville. He helped lead 10 biking trips to the Upper Peninsula and the Blue Ridge Parkway. “The Blue Ridge Parkway was his favorite place to ride. He loved the mountains,” Steve Sweetland said. Jim Sprague of Thornapple Township accompanied Dr. Sweetland on some of those biking trips. The two were friends for more than 20 years. “I would go out and ride with him for about 20 miles. We’d ride on his tandem sometimes,” Sprague said. “He was the type of guy who helped peo­ ple, but he didn’t look for any praise. He helped a lot of people.” Dr. Sweetland was also an active member at Hastings Baptist Church, where he was a deacon and often sang solos during services, his son said. “He was a very committed and devout fol­ lower of Jesus Christ,” Steve Sweetland said. “It was a guiding principle in his life.” Doug Wheeler, who runs a recycling busi­ ness in the area, recalled Dr. Sweetland as being conscious about the environment, to the point of asking Wheeler about recycling items from his dental practice. “He wanted me to pick his metals up and put them with mine to eventually turn them all in. He was again literally taking apart his whole office,” Wheeler wrote in a message to The Banner. “All the wiring, fixtures, imple­ ments he used in dental work all the way down to his foil wrappers from yogurt cups and every fitting and nut and bolt and screw. Now that is drive and being self-conscious of your surroundings, in my book.” Assisting the Sheriff’s Department at the accident scene Friday were Barry County Central Dispatch, Hastings Fire Department, Mercy EMS and AeroMed. Dr. Sweetland is survived by his wife of 57 years, Anne; son, Stephen (Bernie) Sweet­ land; daughters Sara (Bobby) Hile, and Mary (Jim) Powers; sister Lois (Joe) Williams; seven grandchildren; and two great-grand­ children. Funeral services are planned for 11 a.m. Friday at Hastings Baptist Church, 309 E. Woodlawn Ave., with the Rev. Bobby Hile officiating. Visitation is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight at the Daniels Funeral Home, 1401 N. Broadway. A graveside service will take place immediately after the funeral at Riverside Cemetery in Hastings, with full military honors provided by the United States Army and American Legion Post 45 of Hast­ ings. Memorial contributions may be made to Georgetown Harmony Homes (P.O. Box 845, Jenison, MI 49429) or Gitchee Gurnee Bible Camp (5189 Garden City Road, Eagle River, MI 49950.) MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING of Middl To arrange a visit, please give us a call today. (269) 795-4972 www.CarvethVillage.coin ‘Remember... ifyou cant live alone... live with 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 Full Spectrum of Independent and Assisted Living Opportunities • Trained, Caring, and Experienced Staff Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation I .iceuse Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured L Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — Page 3 Baltimore Township OKs cannabis revenue for fire protection Greg Chandler Staff Writer Nearly two years have passed since Balti­ more Township became the first governmen­ tal unit in Barry County to allow marijua­ na-based businesses. Now, the township will tap into revenues generated by its cannabis-based businesses to fully cover its expenses for fire protection both for the current fiscal year and the next. In separate 5-0 decisions Tuesday night, the township board voted to move a total of $108,000 - $54,000 in the current fiscal year and $54,000 for the new fiscal year that begins April 1 - out of its revenues generated from application fees and state sales taxes from marijuana-based businesses into the township’s general fund to be used to pay for fire service. The board also unanimously passed the new township budget for 2022-23, which calls for revenues of $305,477 and expendi­ tures of $280,700. The infusion of the canna­ bis revenues will allow the township to avoid having to dip into its general fund reserves for the new fiscal year. The board had consid­ ered using $31,000 of reserves in the new budget, but won’t have to now as a result of adding in the $54,000 of cannabis revenues. “That helps the budget a lot doing it that way,” Township Supervisor Chad VanSyckle said. During the budget meeting, VanSyckle said he spoke with an attorney about how revenue from cannabis can be spent. “She told me that if we talk to the fire department, and they said they use the money for that stuff, we could take some of that money and transfer it into our general fund and then pay the fire bill with it,” Van­ Syckle said. VanSyckle said that while the township could use those revenues to pay for fire ser­ vice, they cannot be used for road improve­ ments. Baltimore Township received more than $98,000 this fiscal year as a result of canna­ bis-based businesses - $70,000 in application fees from 14 different licensees who each paid a required $5,000 administration fee, and more than $28,000 from state sales taxes. The township spent $1,473 of that on legal and administrative costs tied to the licensing, township Treasurer Melissa VanSyckle said. The township is expected to receive anoth­ er $75,000 in cannabis-based revenues during the new fiscal year - about $50,000 in appli­ cation fees and $25,000 in sales tax revenue, Melissa VanSyckle said. The board Tuesday also voted to spend some of its allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act to boost funding for roads and provide a bonus for election workers for their work in elections since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The board voted unanimously to set aside $20,000 from each of the two ARPA funding allocations to go toward road improvements, boosting the overall township allocation for road work by the Barry County Road Com­ mission for the next two fiscal years from $60,000 to $80,000. “That kind of gets the ball rolling and gets [the road commission] to know that we’re willing to help out [with additional fund­ ing],” said Trustee Jake Ypma, who made the motion to use the ARPA funding for the road work. The township received $102,418 in ARPA funds this fiscal year and is expected to receive an identical amount in the near future. Citizen’s arrest case set for May 2 trial Rebecca Pierce Editor The misdemeanor case against the Bedford Township man, accused of disturbing a lawful meeting of the health department board last September, is set for trial May 2 in Barry County District Court. Adam Heikkila, who owns a business in Hastings, appeared in court on his own behalf last Thursday to argue for dismissal of the charge against him. Judge Michael Schipper, who had allowed Heikkila two opportunities to argue for dis­ missal of the case, gave him a third opportuni­ Defendant Adam Heikkila of Bedford ty Thursday to explain why the charge should Township is representing himself in the be dropped. misdemeanor case in which he's charged “Tell me why you believe this case should with disturbing a lawful meeting of the be dismissed,” the judge said. “Mr. (Joshua) Barry-Eaton District Health Department. Carter (the assistant prosecutor) will respond (Photos by Scott Harmsen) and then I’ll make a ruling.” Heikkila began by referring to his motion to change the venue of the case. But, at this point, there would be no reason “Motion denied,” Schipper immediately to change the venue, he said. replied. “It’s not timely.” Heikkila also had filed a motion that Schip­ The judge went on to explain to Heikkila per recuse himself from the case. when a change of venue motion might be “Recuse myself? Why?” The judge asked. appropriate, particularly later in a court pro­ Heikkila pointed to Schipper’s statements ceeding when developments in. a case might ■ -regarding his due process in a prior hearing when his motion to dismiss was denied. provide good reason to move to another loca­ “That’s rib basis for recusal/’ SchTppef said; tion. pointing out that he already has given Heikkila two opportunities to argue for dismissal of the charge against him. When Heikkila kept interrupting, the judge admonished him. “Mr. Heikkila, please let me speak. The fact that I made a ruling against you doesn’t make me biased.” The judge must base his rulings on the law, he said. But Heikkila objects to the Michigan Com­ piled Law upon which the charge against him is based; saying that he believes it to be uncon­ stitutional. The judge had considered his argument when Heikkila first raised his objection and found, in an appellate case, one word “conten­ tion” had been deemed unconstitutional. But the law itself, with that word excised, stands, Schipper said, so that is what he is basing his decisions on. When Heikkila wanted to argue the consti­ Barry County Assistant Prosecutor tutionality of the language, Schipper stopped him, saying they had covered that issue and Joshua Carter responds to a question needed to move on. from the judge. Barry County Judge Michael Schipper explains why a change of venue motion is not timely at this point. As far as recusal, “I generally only recuse myself if I know someone so well..., if I’ve had someone at my dinner table...if it’s some­ one I’ve coached.” Schipper does not know Heikkila, and the motion did not provide a proper basis for him to recuse himself, the judge said. “I will renew my recommendation to you that you have an attorney,” Schipper said, say­ ing that he would hold Heikkila to the same standard as other attorneys. Heikkila also has a right to either a bench trial, in which Schipper would consider the evidence, or a jury trial in which six jurors “would make a decision on your innocence or guilt, not me,” Schipper said. “I would merely be a referee.” Heikkila, who attempted to make a citizen’s arrest during a health board meeting in Hast­ ings in September, objects to the law that is the basis of the charge against him. In an interview with The Hastings Banner Thursday afternoon, Heikkila said Michigan Compiled Law 750.170, which pertains to dis­ turbance of lawful meetings, is unconstitutional. Heikkila has a couple of choices: He can proceed with the trial or he can request a stay, which - if the judge agrees to it - would stop the process in district court and allow him to file an appeal in a higher court. But, at this point, a pretrial hearing is sched­ uled for 8:30 a.m. April 20, with a trial to fol­ low at 9 a.m. May 2 in district court. Road projects planned this year in Balti­ more Township, according to the Barry County Road Commission’s four-year plan for the township, include: • South Charlton Park Road, a 1.7-mile section from Ickes Road to Sager Road, edge and full slag seal, estimated cost: $34,680. • South Charlton Park Road, a 1.5-mile section from Ickes Road to Maple Grove Road, edge and full slag seal, estimated cost: $30,396. • Cloverdale Road, a 1.4-mile section from M-37 to South Broadway, edge and full slag seal, estimated cost: $27,948. • Lawrence Road, a quarter-mile section from Ickes Road east to the township line, pavement overlay and slag seal, estimated cost: $24,664. • Maple Grove Road, a 1-mile section from Charlton Park Road to North Avenue, edge and full slag seal, estimated cost: $20,400. • Sager Road, a 0.9-mile section from Cook Road to South Broadway, slag seal, estimated cost: $6,450. • Clear Lake public access, west of M-37, slag seal, estimated cost: $4,909. The four-year improvement plan, which was approved by the board Tuesday, was developed after road commission representa­ tives met with the township board in January, Chad VanSyckle said. “It’s front-loaded so they can get a lot of work done cheaper,” he said. “We’ve done this in the past. It works out pretty good for us.” The board also approved a $13 per-hour bonus for township election inspectors for elections worked since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Nine workers would receive the bonus, for a cumulative amount of between $2,000 and $2,500, Township Clerk Penelope Ypma said. She said the turnout for the 2020 presiden­ tial election in the township was the highest in her 18 years with the township. “Those election workers came in and did their civic duty. They put their lives out there to be here,” Penelope Ypma said. “Two of my election workers contracted COVID right after the presidential election. One is very young, in her 20s. She was in the hospital for nine days and it just about took her life ... We were here, dressed in beehive suits.” County board hears more input on how to run meetings Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County Commissioners spent most of their regular board meeting Tuesday lis­ tening to public comments, ranging from how to use American Rescue Plan Act money, moving their meetings outside the courthouse and arranging for some night sessions so they people who work during the day could attend, and changing how they run their meetings so that they will respond to the public during their sessions. In actions taken Tuesday, the commis­ sioners: • approved amending the county person­ nel policies to reduce the health insurance waiting period for new hires from 60 days to zero days, effective Jan. 1, 2022, for general fund non-represented employees, including department heads and elected officials. • appointed Emily Wilke of Prairieville ‘to the county’s conservation'easement board, which has eight members with three-year terms - except for the county commissioner, planning commission and township official/designee, which are annual appointments. Current members are Robert Vanderboegh of Hastings, planning commission; Joe Sancimino of Hastings, agriculture interests; Bruce Campbell of Hastings, commissioner; Heather Wing of Bellevue, agriculture interests; Joan Bosserd-Schroeder of Hickory Comers, conservation interest; Larry Neil of Hastings, real estate/ development; Paul Wing of Bellevue, agri­ culture interest; and Alfred Gemrich of Dowling, township official/designee. Wing stepped down and Neil was returned to his post. Their terms started Jan. 1, 2022, and end Dec. 31, 2024. • re-appointed Cindy Vujea of Delton to the brownfield redevelopment authority board. In addition to Vujea, current members are County Planning and Zoning Director Jim McManus, President of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Eco­ nomic Development Authority Jennifer Heinzman, City of Hastings Community- Development Director Dan King, Middfevifre Planning and Zoning Admihlstra-"'' tor Brian Urquhart, Commercial'Bank1 ■’ Community President Chelsey Foster, and County Commissioner Dave Jackson. •Approved pre-paid invoices of $4,212,226; claims of $31,934; commis­ sioners’ reimbursement for mileage of $204. New Collections from Moda® and Maywood® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim ft Pray For Our World ft QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 Delton Kellogg lays groundwork for superintendent search anOPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm WOi Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station Leila Wood . Contributing Writer Delton Kellogg Schools are moving on to the next stage of the search for a new superinten­ dent. The need for a new superintendent arose in November when Kyle Corlett, who has served as superintendent at Delton Kellogg since 2017, accepted the superintendent’s post at Ludington Area Schools. Since then, Carl Schoessel, who previously served for more than 20 years as superintendent at Hastings Area Schools and three years at Delton Kellogg, has stepped back in as interim superintendent for the remainder of this school year. On Tuesday, the Board of Education held a candidate profile workshop, with the purpose of reviewing stakeholder input, developing final selection criteria, and discussing a variety of other logistical details pertaining to the next steps of their search. They received 80 responses to the stakehold­ er survey that was posted on their website. Charles Dumas, a consultant from the Mich­ igan Association of School Boards, who is working with Delton Kellogg Schools to find their next Superintendent, said he was surprised by the number of residents without children who responded to the survey: 19, which was 23.75 percent of the total responses. “That’s curious to me because that shows me community involvement,” he said. “I’m look­ ing for that because they are quite often not a part of the picture and feel shut out.” Respondents considered integrity and a strong sense of community to be important characteristics for their next superintendent. The majority expressed that they want some­ one who will fit into their community and uphold their values, not someone who will view them as a steppingstone or try to take the school in a radically different direction. They also considered it important to choose someone with a master’s degree and relevant previous experience. A candidate profile, based on the results of the survey, has been compiled and, according to Dumas, will be posted on the district’s website. “I think it’s super important for our staff to know that their opinions are being heard,” said Kim Nguyen, a teacher at Delton Kellogg, “because we don’t always feel that way... so the fact that this is being looked at, that it’s being considered, it’s very meaningful for peo­ ple who are here every day giving everything that we have.” The board also decided that they want who­ ever is hired to fill the post to live within 20 miles of the school district’s boundary, to ensure that he or she is able to be meaningfully involved in the local community. The comment was made that Delton is a geographically large school district, so requir­ ing that the next superintendent live within 20 miles of the boundary, or move to that area, should not limit their options too much. Another board workshop, geared toward interview preparation, is scheduled for Monday, April 11, at 6:30 p.m. Interviews for the vacancy are scheduled to take place April 25-26. A second round of inter­ views is scheduled for May 9. People who attend the interviews will have the opportunity to fill out a feedback form on the candidates. Board President Jessica Brandi assured par­ ticipants that all feedback forms will be read and taken into consideration by the board. On May 9, prior to the second round of inter­ views, the top two candidates will be given a tour of the schools and town, followed by a meet-and-greet where residents will have the opportunity to get acquainted in an informal setting. School board members are hoping to make their selection by the end of the day, May 9, and have the new superintendent ready to take over at the beginning of the upcoming school year. However, they indicated that they do not intend to make any premature decision and may extend their timetable, if necessary. According to Dumas, this is still early in the year, and there should be plenty of time. Dumas encouraged people to exercise due diligence and investigate the candidates by means of social media and personal contacts, once the list of names becomes public. He asked that anyone with questions or con­ cerns contact him at 517-526-0439 or cdumas@masb.org. He also asked that people refrain from contacting the board members or the individual in question regarding any con­ cerns. Delton Kellogg Schools will be accepting applications for the position until 4 p.m. March 29. Interested candidates should complete and submit an online application, which can be found at masb.myrevelus.com. Hard copy, fax, or email submissions will not be accepted. Prospective candidates are asked to refrain from directly contacting members of the board with questions. More information can be found at dkschools. org. Charles Dumas, a consultant from the Mich­ igan Association of School Boards, led the candidate profile workshop at Delton Kellogg Elementary School on Tuesday, March 8. . . ,\ZA.-VAAAAAAA/■'".A A.AAy A,.. JOIN OUR TEAM/ Now Hiring: • • • • • • Preschool Lead Teachers Preschool Assistant Teachers Paraprofessionals Senior Transportation Driver Subs Distribution Specialist Kitchen Assistant/Food Transporters https://qrco.de/bcgX71 Apply at: caascm.org/careers ‘Community Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer and follows all federal and state mandates including Covid-19 vaccination compliance. ® & �Page 4 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Let the ‘sun shine’ on open government Coming out of Left Field Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer paid a visit to Middleville on Monday and gave a shout-out to small businesses there. Shown here with the governor is Left Field CEO Johnny DeMaagd, on left. Here’s what was posted on the governor's Facebook page: “Check out Left Field Cafe in Middleville! They make a mean coffee that’s keeping me going during a busy afternoon in West Michigan! I’m committed to ensuring small businesses like this one can thrive.” Of course, responses to that post on Facebook ran the gamut. But we sure don’t object to the praise for Middleville. Do you remember? ‘Look to the Rainbow' Banner Feb. 16, 1972 The Necessity Girls - Girls are a necessity in “Finian’s Rainbow,” which will be present­ ed by the Hastings High School choir Feb. 24-26 in Central Auditorium, and here the girls sing “Necessity.” Pictured are (front, from left) Lori Cotant and Lori Wood; (back) Joyce Gilbert, Vicki Bruce, Evelyn Huber and Joan Hawkins. Hastings stu­ dents again are preparing for opening night, when they pres­ ent “Newsies” tonight at the per­ forming arts center. Shows con­ tinue through Saturday. Have you met? Whatever the conversation, Charles Yost always finds a way to connect it back to movies. At any given time, he can rattle off the names of movies, the year they premiered and the actors who starred in them. He has the memory of a “steel trap,” he said, espe­ cially when it comes to movies, and especial­ ly old movies. “Last night on TCM was the ‘King and I,’ 1956,” he said off the top of his head. “Yul Brynner, Deborah Kerr, Rita Moreno. Yul Brynner won the Oscar for Best Actor that year.” Wearing a black hat, gray flannel and navy blue Crocs, Yost, 74, sits down for an inter­ view in the TV room at Mallard Pond apart­ ments and places a plastic bag of DVDs and a binder in front of him. The DVDs are a keepsake from his time in Japan, where Yost lived at age 11. His family videotaped the experience and Yost recently had the footage transferred from VHS to disc. After the inter­ view, he was planning to watch the DVDs with a friend. The binder, on the other hand, is from Yost’s time as the founder and creator of the Movie Memories and Milestones club at the Hastings Public Library. He flips through it, reading old clippings from The Banner, The Reminder and self-made newsletters, pulling out photos of an exhibit dedicated to movie actor Stewart Granger. But as he flips to the back of the binder, Yost comes across a non-movie-related piece of paper: The obituary of his mother, Dora Yost. She died Nov. 8, 2021. Her memory brings Yost to tears. They lived together for nearly 30 years, ever since Yost moved from Florida to be closer to his mom. “My mother was the kindest person I’ve . ever known,” he said. “Everybody loved my mother. Everybody.” Dora was bom in Puerto Rico and, at 18, she packed her bags and headed to Washing­ ton, D.C. She didn’t know a soul in the area and she didn’t have a college degree. Still, she managed to pass a civil service test and get a job with the state department translating passport documents. “When I graduated from high school in 1966,1 took a civil service test,” Yost said. “... It’s grueling. I didn’t pass it. Mother passed it - from Puerto Rico. She came here all by herself. That’s an accomplishment. I don’t know if I could have ever done that at 18.” In Washington, D.C., Dora met Yost’s father, John, who was in the U.S. military. In 1948, shortly after they married, John was stationed in Puerto Rico. There, Charles was bom. The family lived in Puerto Rico for two years before hopping between West Palm Beach, Fla., Greenville, S.C., and Japan. At 8 years old, while living in West Palm Beach, Yost’s attachment to movies blos­ somed. With his father was out of town on a Charles Yost military obligation, the family decided to go to the theater. He never forgot the atmosphere. “They would have the red carpeting, those red-roped velvet turnstiles sectioned off, the concession stand - all of that,” he said. “Yeah, it was a different time.” Since then, movies have existed at the cen­ ter of Yost’s life. He grew up watching mov­ ies in the 1950s and never quite left the era. To this day, he will always prefer an old movie to a new one. “’30s, ’40s, ’50s and midway into the ’60s,” he said. “That’s my sweet spot.” In 1962, his dad retired, and the family settled down in Orlando. For nearly 24 years, Yost lived in Orlando, graduating from high school there and creating a life for himself. He worked in antique shops, spent time in home furnishing and was a window dresser. Shortly after his father died, in 1986, Yost moved to Atlanta, where he spent six years selling antiques. But he missed his family. His mother had moved to Hastings and, in the early 1990s, Yost moved in with her and, for the first time in his life, lived in a small town. At first, he regretted the decision. “Charles, you’ve made a big mistake,” he remembered telling himself. He struggled to adjust to the different life­ style. It took him three years, he estimated, to feel fully at home. Now, he said, he couldn’t imagine living in a city. “I could never go back to the big city, I could never go back to living in Atlanta. Oh, never. Oh, unh-uh,” he said. “It’s too fast­ paced. I’m old now. And that’s too fast-paced for me.” In Hastings, he created a community for himself. He logged 11 years in the activity department at Hastings Rehabilitative Center, previously TenderCare, and retired at age 55. In 2008, he started the Movie Memories and Milestones group, where, every Thurs­ day, members watch classic movies, talk about movies and give presentations about movies. But running the club" every week began to feel like a job, he said. After two years, he stepped away. These days, the movie group still meets at the library, but, for Yost, it lives in the mem­ ory of his binder. For a few years, he ran a movie group at Mallard Pond. But for the most part, he keeps things simple. He hangs out with four close friends. He does voice impersonations when telemarketers call, and he refuses to purchase Netflix or a cell phone. “I don’t tweet, twerk, BlackBerry, Face­ book, Skype. All I can do is talk on a landline phone,” he said. He doesn’t need Netflix or a cell phone, he said. He’s got the TCM movie channel and all the movies he needs. “I keep busy,” he said. “I’m glued to the TV with the old movies.” For his role with the Movie Memories and Milestones group, Charles Yost is this week’s Bright Light: Favorite movie: Well, growing up as a kid, I had two of them. It was 1959 “A Sum­ mer Place.” I saw it in Japan. It’s about young teenage love. My second favorite movie I think would be 1961 “Perish” with Troy Donahue - he was the heartthrob of young girls in the late ’50s, early ’60s. If I could go anywhere in the world: I would like to go back to Japan. We went over there when I was 11 years old until I was 14. However, 1 would like to go to Rome. I’d like to go walk on the Spanish Steps, go to the Trevi Fountain. I’d like to go to Paris, the Arc de Triomphe. Person I most admire and why: That would be my sweet, kind, precious mother, Dora Nelda Yost. I learned from her kindness and compassion for those less fortunate. And I learned it from my father, too. Big accomplishment for me: When I started the movie group here in Hastings. Favorite season and why: I love the cold. Matter of fact, I’ve had the air conditioning on today. I run it on and off, heat and air con­ ditioning, all day long. So, I guess it would be fall because I know that it’s going to start going into winter and it’s going to be cold. And I do like the snow, even though I’m from Florida. Favorite vacation destination: Weil, that would be Orlando, where I’m going the end of June, the first part of July. Best gift: When I was living in Japan, 11 years old, I got a magic set. Favorite dinner: Mother used to make, when we were growing up, homemade Span­ ish rice with chicken and beans. I’m guessing no Russian media outlets will be observing National Sunshine Week next week. Granted, the annual observance since 2005 by media outlets, civic groups, non-profits, schools, and libraries has been a uniquely American celebration of the impor­ tance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy. But what a contrast the sponsoring Amer­ ican Society of News Editors is providing to the world during this National Sunshine Week: A commitment to transparency framed against the backdrop of the Russian government’s brutal bulldozing of the inno­ cent people of Ukraine. The horrific attack is why National Sun­ shine Week, scheduled for March 13-19, is so important. Governments exist to serve their constitu­ ents - the people who live and work in the community. Each of us has the right to know what our elected officials are working on and their responsibility is to share that information with the people they serve. News organizations can help government build transparency and it can hold govern­ ment accountable when it isn’t transparent. Russian President Vladimir Putin elimi­ nated that obligation to his people on March 4 when he signed a law that makes publica­ tion of “false” or “mendacious” information punishable by up to 15 years in prison. This edict leaves little hope for the future of Russia’s remaining independent media outlets. Many leading foreign media - including the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg News, ABC News, CBS News and Canada’s CBC - have decided to temporarily suspend broadcasting or newsgathering in Russia. “Everybody knows that corruption thrives in secret places and avoids public places,” said former U.S. President Woodrow Wil­ son, “and we believe it a fair presumption that secrecy means impropriety.” A recent report from the non-partisan Pew Research Center indicates Americans are concerned about the moral health of soci­ ety and the honesty of elected officials. They believe distrust gets in the way of solving some pressing problems and that it flows from a broken political culture that is keep­ ing neighbors apart. Yet what can we do as common citizens to change the culture in government? Citizens participate by voting, but they also have the responsibility to be informed on the issues and, even though they don’t show up for meetings, they should read their local newspapers so they can keep up on what their elected officials are doing. That’s the crux of our current dilemma and the reason for the trust that readers, lis­ teners, and viewers must develop in their news sources. The news industry has come under assault in recent years - and much of the distrust citizens have developed for media has been deserved. Most of our large news outlets are owned by big corporations that don’t always focus on the responsibility to get it right - or to even be sure their reporting is correct, to the best of their knowledge, before they print or air it. The new paradigm of instant news also has brought about a growing number of fly­ by-night activist groups that write history the way they see it and from the perspective they’d like us to have. And, as local news sources are sold to big corporate giants, they tend to manage the news through carefully fabricated news releases and no personal interaction with clients, customers, or constituents. For that, I believe citizens need to hold the feet of all concerned to the fire of accountability. As traditional and trusted news outlets close or reduce staff, though, who’s going to be the watchdog keeping the public informed? Today, across the country, local newspa­ pers are printing fewer pages less frequently and sometimes closing altogether, creating “news deserts” where governments have lit­ tle or no oversight as they do the people’s business. A recent industry report indicates that 2,000 newspapers have shut down and more than 200 counties across the country have no The Hastings BhIUICIT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. newspaper at all to keep their communities informed. “I think the crisis in journalism in Ameri­ ca has become a real crisis for our democra­ cy,” says Charles Sennott, a veteran journal­ ist who founded and is CEO of The Ground Truth Project, a nonprofit media organiza­ tion that ftmded Report for America, a pro­ gram that helps train and place reporters in local newsrooms. “When we lose 30,000 reporting jobs, as we have in the last 10 years, what we lose is an ability for us to have a shared set of facts on a local level, and for us to have a civic debate on a local level. And I think we’re really seeing a fraying of communities as a result. So to con­ front the challenge, we need a movement to promote local reporting in America. “That’s why we started Report for Ameri­ ca, a call to serve for a new generation of journalists to come forward and serve local communities.” Report for America chose J-Ad Graphics as a host newsroom and we welcomed a young reporter, Ben Simon, to come to our community to cover important stories and develop the skills needed to cover the news that really matters. Report for America is putting boots on the ground, by preparing journalists in host newsrooms and filling the need for real reporting. If we expect government to be “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” it must be open to the people. These are the words that inspired Michi­ gan’s “sunshine laws,” to make governments accountable through the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act that have become the hallmark of our ability to force transparency on our elected officials. Still, across the state, government officials at all levels either don’t understand the laws or are making decisions with little or no regard for the people and the laws that govern them. That’s where the responsibility falls to citizens like all of us who need to read and subscribe to newspapers like The Banner and why they need to advertise and support those advertisers who provide a lifeline for publications to survive. “Freedom is never more than one genera­ tion away from extinction,” said former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. “It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” In today’s fast-paced corporate-dominat­ ed news organizations, the rules have changed from getting it right to selling a message, manufacturing an opinion and allowing special-interest groups to deter­ mine where the stories are going, no matter the outcome. That puts even more pressure on citizens to remain informed and to devel­ op the assurance that the information they’re reading, listening to, or viewing is fact­ based. That filtering process needs to begin with a mandate for free access to public records and follow-up reporting on the con­ duct of public officials. Each week, as a community newspaper publisher, I’m able to criticize and praise, to interpret and congratulate, to discuss the issues of the day and give an opinion from my personal perspective. The news reporters and the editor must strive for objectivity. But my role, as pub­ lisher of this newspaper, allows me to express the understanding and respect for the power I have to inform our readers while, at the same time, realizing that this newspaper exists as a community partner. Sunshine Week reminds all of us in the news business that we must be honest in our coverage if we expect to be a trusted source of information. Trusted news does not endanger freedom, it enables it. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — Page 5 Kiwanis honors elementary young citizens Over the past few months, Hastings ele­ mentary school teachers have selected stu­ dents to be honored as citizens of the month by the Kiwanis Club of Hastings. Students are selected by their teachers for reasons such as excellent citizenship, atti­ tude, conduct, academics, character, service, leadership and sportsmanship. The citizens of the month for December, January and February (with parents’ names in parentheses) include: Central - Riley Furrow (Tracy and Ben Furrow), Alexis Hendershot (Dawn and David Shaver) and Molly McFarlan (Sarah and Dustin McFarlan). Northeastern - Zoey Armour, (Jake and Heather Armour), Owen Elliot (Jake and Emily Elliott), Rylee Hanford, (Josh and Bobbi Hanford), and Haley Williamson (Alyssa and David Williamson). Southeastern - Andrew Bywater (Toscha and Gordon Tait), Sebastian Hernandez-Her­ nandez (Remigio and Laura Hernandez), Emerson Leary (Erin and Zachariah Leary), Rylee Long (Lindsey Wheeler), Anna Oliver (Shawnda Robinson and Justin Oliver), and Dominick Willett (Scott Willett). Star - Maci Bagley (Brad and Jessica Bag­ ley), Keagan Nichols (Garlan and Mickele Nichols), Chloe Rench (Josh and Stephanie Rench), Joey Renner (William and Marjorie Renner), Ella Saninocencio (Gary and Aman­ da Saninocencio), and Breeya Solmes (Isaac and Kiralee Solmes). St. Rose - Kellen Boge (Jeremy and Laura Boge), Miles Drake (Tricia and Bryce Drake), Isabella Perez (Elliot and Jackie Perez), and Liam Schaefer (Joe and Shana Schaefer). (From left) Miles Drake, Kellen Boge and Liam Schaefer are the recent citizens of the month, pictured here with teacher Katie Youngs. Isabella Perez is a recent citizen of the month at St. Rose School. She is pictured here with teacher Katie Youngs. Central Elementary citizens of the month include (from left) Alexis Hendershot, Riley Furrow and Molly McFarlan, joined here by Principal Amber Mitchell. (Photos provided) Star Elementary students named citizens of the month include (from left) Ella Saninocencio, Chloe Rench, Breeya Solmes, Maci Bagley, Keagan Nichols and Joey Renner. Teacher Debbie Wendt is pictured with the honored students. Recent citizens of the month at Southeastern Elementary School include (from left) Anna Oliver, Sebastian HernandezHernandez, Dominick Willett, teacher Maicee Harrington, Emerson Leary, Rylee Long and Andrew Bywater. Citizens of the month at Northeastern Elementary in Hastings include (from left) Rylee Hanford, Haley Williamson, Owen Elliot, and Zoey Armour. They are pictured here with principal Eric Heide. Delton Kellogg releases high school honor roll Delton Kellogg High School has announced its honor roll for the first semester of the 2021 -22 academic year. Students receiving highest honors earned grade point averages of 3.75 or higher for the semester. Students with high honors had GPAs of 3.25 to 3.749, and those receiving honors earned a grade point average of 3.0 to 3.249. An asterisk* next to a student’s name denotes a 4.0 or higher GPA for the semester. The most recent honor roll includes: Ninth grade Highest honors *Alison Adams, Emily Baker, Iris DeVries, Isaac Ferris, Myles Hatton, *Brooke Harsevoort, *Johannah Houtkooper, Kylee Kennedy, Jillian Leclercq, Lucy Lester, Madelynn Palmer, Elliott Rogers, Kelsey Seagle, *John Sinclair, Rachel White and Claire Wesolowski. High honors Corbin Antolovich, David Bak­ er-Helms, Abigail Bemus, Arianna Belen, Eric Belka, Landon Bolthouse, Tristin Boze, Madison Calgaro, Kaiden Dunkelberger, Domanyck Harmon, Landon Heney, Emma Jeanette, Alyssa Larson, Collin Lester, Kylee Lindsey, Katherine Lundquist, Kylee Main, Avery Perley, Paige Presley, Ethan Rimmer, Chase Spaulding, Grace Owen, Lillie Steele, Josephine Williams and Isabella White. Honors Cyrus Bain, Jamie Coburn, Trinitee Crowe, Dylan Fichtner, Zachery Gillaspie, Teagan Hamlin, Austyn Lipscomb, Ezra Smith, Gauge Stampfler, Logan Tackett and Luke Vanderwall. 10th grade Highest honors Cadence Artis, Rhys Bedford, Allison Brandli, *Breanna Chandler, *Lauren Childs, Alexis Delaphiano, Lillian Les­ ter, Maelea Martin, Isabella Morey, Tori Morris, *Samantha O’Meara, Payton Robinson and Madelyn Waller. High honors Avery Barker, Lily Bunday, Andrew Diamond, Josie Jones, Blake Lillibridge, Samantha Makowski, Tanner Mellen, Collin Muskovin, Summer Ritchie, Alys­ sa Smith, Emily Stoneburner and Sarabeth Wilhelms. Honors Austin Bagley, Shane Church, Joseph Johnson, Abigail Morrison, Gracie Ray­ mond and Melanie Smith. 11th grade Highest honors *Abigail Fichtner, Sydney Frie, Aiden Harig, Cadence Johnson, *Tru Johnson, *Jason Lundquist, *Natalie Muday, Car­ lie Ritchie, *Lilyana Sinclair, *Allie Trantham, *Carley Webb and *Salma Vardell. High honors Hunter Antolovich, Lily Boze, Mya Brickley, Kiersyn Cowles, Lillian Ferris, Brett Harsevoort, Jayden Higdon, Nicho­ las Jones, Kasey Kapteyn, Alexis Law­ head, Jordan Lyons, Mason Nabozny, Brooke Risner, Gage Vincent, Tucker Patrick-Swinehart, Vincent Quick, Mar­ shall Warner and Joelle White. Honors Katryna Barnes, Samantha Higgins, Grady Stidham and Alyson Tack. Aubrey Aukerman, *Karlee Aukerman, *Elijah Austin, Grace Budzinski, *Kelsey Campbell, *Lydia Chandler, Alyssa Dowdy, *Kayla Ferris, *Natalie Haight, *Owen Harig, *Ida Thilsing Hansen, *Hannah Matteson, *Caitlin McManus, Melanie Monroe, Maddie Pape, *Halena Phillips, Evan Smith, Glorianna Stanton, Giovanni Stea, *Morgan Stidham, *Emale Tack, Hope VanderWall, *Hayden Walker, Braeden Waller and Mary Whitmore. High honor April Barstow, Austin Blocker, Alexis Briggs, Kayleigh Buffum, Julia Hernan­ dez-Casas, Caden Ferris, Jacob Gherardi, Avery Howland, Max Hughes, Hunter Jones, Emma Jo Kokx, Marcus Mome­ nce, Corey Moore, Madison Norris, Alexandra Peterson, Payton Pummel, Rebecca VanDyk, Alekzander Waller, Alex Whitmore and Jadelyn Wofford. Honors Brooke Calgaro, Patricia Colwell, Madelyn Converse, Emily Dake, McK­ enzie Higdon, Austin Hill, Taylor Smith, Luke Tobias and Alden Whitmore. HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System Another program our district has taken advantage of is a Consumers Energy grant that converts existing fixtures to LED light­ ing for zero out-of-pocket costs. Not only do we get the new LED fixtures, but we can then take advantage of the energy savings. Fix­ tures that were retrofitted at Hastings Middle School last year are estimated to save $13,000 annually in energy costs. I feel very fortunate that we are able to participate in these grants and rebates and provide huge cost savings to our district. As we move into next week’s daylight saving time, I hope everyone enjoys the added hour of sunlight. Spring ahead! 176737 Notice of Budget Public Hearing The Hope Township Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed township budget for fiscal year 2022-23 on Monday March 21,2022 at 6:30 p.m., at the Hope Township Hall 5463 S M-43 Hwy Hastings Ml 49058, the Regular Board meeting to follow. THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE PROPOSED TO BE LEVIED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE A SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING. A copy of the budget is available for public inspection at the Township hall. This notice is posted in compliance with PA267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA) The Hope Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon seven days notice to the Hope Township Board. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Board by writing, calling or via email the following: 12th grade Highest honors Hastings Area School System saves thousands with Consumers rebates Over the past three years, Hastings Area School System has saved more than $300,000 on Consumers Energy rebates by meeting energy standards and reducing overall energy consumption. Passing the May 3 bond proposal would enable HASS to exponentially increase ener­ gy efficiency at each school building and help the district to continue qualifying for Con­ sumers rebates in the future. To date, our district has received rebates for boilers, HVAC pumps, variable frequency drives, roofing, lighting, building manage­ ment systems (HVAC controls), lighting sen­ sors, and more. Every year, Consumers Ener­ gy offers additional incentives, and the HASS maintenance department annually reviews all new incentives and applies for any rebates that meet the qualifications. TOWNSHIP OF HOPE Deborah Jackson Hope Township Clerk 5463 S M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2464 clerk© hopetownship,com ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP 2022 Budget Public Hearing Notice The Orangeville Township Board will hold a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 at the Orangeville Township Hall 7350 Lindsey Rd. Plainwell Mi. 49080: Tuesday March 22, 2022 at 7:00P.M. Copy of the proposed budget will be available for public inspection at the Township office. The Orangeville Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services as required by the Disabilities Act. Americans with Disabilities Act; stating that if those with disabilities notify the clerk within 10 days prior to the meeting, accommodations will be furnished to satisfy such disabilities and allow meaningful attendance. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk: Mel RisnerjHome -269-672-2324 office- 269-664-4522. Thomas Rook Supervisor Orangeville Township 616-299-6019 .. �Page 6 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner James David Francisco Dr. Paul Andrew Sweetland treasurer of the County View Senior Apart­ ments, a member of the USS Coral Sea CVA-43 Association, and a member of Faith United Methodist Church. In his free time, Jim enjoyed deer hunting and traveling throughout the country, especially the U.P. of Michigan. Jim had a love for animals from his time growing up on a farm. He was known as a skilled builder, and helped build many homes in the area including his own. Most important to Jim was his family, especially his grandchildren. Also surviving are his children, Jacqueline (Randy) Wahl, Gwendolyn (Ted) Boyle, Caro­ lyn (William) Shuler, Kenenneth (Mary) Fran­ cisco; grandchildren, Staci, William (Kather­ ine), Brendan (Chelsea), Wyatt, Jacob (Lau­ ren), Natalie, Caden (Brooke), Clayton, Nich­ olas; great granddaughter, Annaliese; siblings, Jerry (Karen) Francisco, Dolores “Dee” Mohn, Joan Brownell; many nieces, nephews, and loving extended family and friends. Jim is preceded in death by his parents; sister, Betty Francisco; brothers-in-law, Donald Mohn and Jerry Brownell. Friends and relatives may meet with the family on Saturday, March 19, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Faith United Methodist Church where a celebration of life service will take place at 11 a.m. Pastor Sam Gordy will officiate. Private burial will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery. Memorial contributions to Faith United Methodist Church will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfiineral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Jim’s family. James David Francisco, age 89 of Delton, MI, passed away on March 4, 2022. Jim was born on June 1, 1932 in Delton, the son of Frank and Ila (Munger) Francisco. Jim was a 1950 graduate of Delton-Kellogg schools. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1951-1955. Jim worked at James River Papermill for 37 years until his retirement in 1994. After retirement he worked for McClelland Bleacher Service, repairing bleachers in school gymnasiums for 10 years. On August 24, 1957, he married the former Lilah Shiffler, who survives. Jim spent 30 years as a volunteer at the Delton Fire Department. He was a lifelong member of the VFW Post 422, the original Traditional and Cremation Services Pre-Planning Services Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 14 *• * Dale Billings lev Owncr/Manager 328 s- Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net j j f . j Ray Girrbach Owner Emeritus Family Owned and Operated Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 269-945­ S. Jefferson. 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan 4:30 Mass Philip. p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, www. Stoetzel. Martha Lead Moser, Sunday Services: Pastor. 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children Night Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. activities: for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. Kindergarten-5th PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (corner of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church Group; Youth call 4 Truth Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. School Wheel­ Bertrand. chair accessible and elevator. Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Website: gmail.com. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Jefferson 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 MMWWIW 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Dr. Paul Andrew Sweetland, age 82 of Hastings, MI, passed away on March 04, 2022 at Spectrum Health Butterworth in Grand Rapids. Paul was born in Detroit on December 23, 1939, the son of the late Rev. Albert and Carrie (Ball) Sweetland. His family moved to Stanton where he attended elementary and middle school. When Paul was 15 years old the family relocated to Greenville where he graduated from Greenville High School in 1958. Following high school Paul contin­ ued his education attending Moody Bible Institute, and later Western Michigan Uni­ versity. In 1962 Paul joined the United States Army, serving in the 82nd Airborne Divi­ sion, stationed primarily at Fort Bragg, NC and receiving several military honors. When he had fulfilled his enlistment, he returned to Michigan where he attended Western Michigan University receiving his bache­ lor’s degree in secondary education (history major with emphasis on Soviet Union, minors in biology and physical education). Paul spent the next seven years as an educa­ tor in the Kalamazoo area, then attended dental school at the University of Detroit School of Dentistry, graduating in 1976. He re-entered the United States Army as a Cap­ tain where he served in the Army Dental Corps. He was honorably discharged in 1978. He had a career total of 39 jumps in the 82nd Airborne. . As a young boy Paul became active in his church and his faith. Shortly after complet­ ing high school, Paul was leading the song service at a Youth For Christ event in Stan­ ton when from across the room he saw the love of his life, Anne Comden, who was attending with her sister. The couple dated on and off for several years before being married on October 9, 1964 at Calvary Bap­ tist Church in Greenville with Paul’s father Rev. Albert Sweetland officiating. After completing his education and mili­ tary service, Paul and Anne settled in Hast­ ings, where he opened his dental practice in 1978. Paul had a passion for dentistry, and often took time to donate his services to those less fortunate. He served the Hastings community faithfully for over 38 years before retiring in 2017 at the age of 77. Paul was also an avid cyclist. He enjoyed riding on the local roads in Barry County and was easily identified by the multiple flashing red and white lights which could be seen for miles. He also loved to share his passion for riding with other cycling enthu­ siasts, and youth groups organizing 10 rides over the years in Michigan’s Upper Penin­ sula and his favorite destination, the Blue Ridge Parkway, including a recent family trip in 2021. Paul biked over 88,000 miles in the past 27 years. Paul is survived by his beloved wife Anne; his son, Stephen (Bernie) Sweetland; daughters, Sara (Bobby) Hile, amd Mary (Jim) Powers; his sister, Lois (Joe) Wil­ liams; seven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Warren and John Sweetland, and sisters, Thelma Iler and Gracie MacLean. Visitation will take place on Thursday, March 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. of Friday, March 11, 2022 at the Hastings Bap­ tist Church in Hastings, with Rev. Bobby Hile officiating. A graveside service will be held immedi­ ately after the funeral at Riverside Cemetery in Hastings with full military honors provid­ ed by the United States Army and The American Legion Post 45 of Hastings. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Georgetown Harmony Homes (P.O. Box 845, Jenison, MI 49429) or Gitchee Gurnee Bible Camp (5189 Gar­ den City Rd., Eagle River, MI 49950.) Funeral arrangements have been entrust­ ed to the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings, ML For further details please visit our web­ site at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. Mary Jo Dorsten Mary Jo Dorsten, age 79, of Caledonia, MI, was called to be with her Irish family in heaven on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Marvin; parents, Joe and Marga­ ret Corrigan; sister-in-law, Patricia (Virgil) Behr. She will be lovingly remembered by her children, Lori Dorsten, Thomas Dorsten; grandchildren, Keagen and Kennedy; brother, Michael (Carla) Corrigan; brother-in-law, James (Ruth) Dorsten; many nieces, neph­ ews, cousins and dear friends. Mary Jo was a devoted Catholic born with a servant’s heart. She and Marvin had a mar­ riage of love. She enjoyed helping others and would do almost anything for those in need. She volunteered to help special needs and physically challenged children and adults by taking them to church and fun events like the circus. She was the glue that held the family together. For Mary Jo, family, especially the grand­ children, were top priority. She enjoyed golf­ ing, painting landscapes and scenes, visiting Meijer Gardens and Siesta Keys, FL. Blessed with her Irish heritage, the family suggests a toast to Mary Jo on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2022. In accordance with Mary Jo’s wishes, cre­ mation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will be held 11 a.m. on Friday, May 20,'2022 at Holy Fafriily Church, 9669 Kraft SE, Caledonia with Rev. Michael Cilibraise. Those who wish may make memorial con­ tributions to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (her memorial ID is 22866364) or Flat River Outreach Ministry “FROM”. (Please consider helping FROM with a dona­ tion of clothing or non-perishable food items.) Condolences may be sent online at www. mkdfuneralhome.com. Elaine Garlock Saturday night is the advised time to set clocks ahead in preparation for daylight saving time. Just when we are becoming accustomed to the longer hours of daylight with sunset coming later, we have another rather drastic time change. The lampposts downtown last weekend were bare of any decoration. The winter banners were gone, and nothing had taken the space. The winter banners had a styl­ ized snowflake. What will be on the spring banners? The soup supper at the museum on Emerson Street drew a nice crowd Friday Kathleen Ione Sherman, the youngest daugh­ ter of Emmett and Mary (Bouck) Shellington, was bom February 26, 1931 near Hastings, MI and passed away peacefully on February 21, 2022. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1948 and married Smith “Junior’1 Sherman on October 14, 1949. After graduation Kate enjoyed working as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell and fol­ lowing the births of their three children was fortunate to be at home with their children for a few years. She then returned to the work force and held several positions at the Hastings Man­ ufacturing Company for 28 years. Although women were not allowed member­ ship, Kate was active in and supported her husband, Junior, as a member of the Hastings Chapters of the Elks and Moose Lodges. Kate and Junior loved traveling and RV-ing in their motorhome, boating, hunting for mushrooms and deer, snowmobiling, hiking and just being in the great out-of-doors. Kate retired in 1984 at the same time as Junior and together they began having more travel adventures in their motorhome throughout most of the U.S., including a cross-country trip to Alas­ ka and a barge cruise down the Mississippi River. They traveled through Mexico, Canada, and toured England and Scotland with friends. Kate always enjoyed telling the story of a surprising twist which allowed them to see Queen Elizabeth. Kate’s loving husband of ,64 years, Junior Sherman, passed away on October 31, 2013. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Emmett and Mary Shellington; sisters, Dorothy Barker, Ruth Kidder, Frances Shellington and Carolyn Robinson; and brothers, Howard Shell­ ington, William Shellington, Robert Shelling­ ton and Wallace Shellington. Kate is survived by her sons, Steven Sherman of Roscommon and Silver Springs, FL, Scott (Kathy) Sherman of Baldwin; and daughter, Susan Sherman (Dan Paulson) of Traverse City. She also leaves four grandchildren, Bradley, Dionna, Jennifer and Elizabeth, eight great-grand­ children and many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place and a celebration of life is being planned for this summer in Hast­ ings, ML * Contributions may be made to the Alzhei­ mer’s Association or the American Cancer Society. ■ night to enjoy a variety of hot soups with bread and desserts, plus tossed salad. It was a good chance to see people from whom we have been isolated for months. The Lake Odessa Area Historical Society has not yet resumed monthly meetings but instead has had a few events that attract the public as well as members. This was a welcome Fri­ day night event, a good time to see our fel­ low citizens and also some friends. Some of our short-term southern visitors have already returned home, just in time to see snow. They missed some of our worst winter weather but may yet get a taste of more Michigan white stuff. Ifs All a Part ofYour Local Newspaper! �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — Page 7 fl look back at the stories and columns on local in the Hastings Banner TURNING BACK THE PAGES Sand-covered timbers known as corduroy roads or plank roads were constructed in the 1850s across Michigan, but they required constant maintenance and were reportedly hazardous to horse and wagon traffic. The Banner of 1938 reported how that shorter route from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, introduced in the mid-1800s, “was a blow” to Yankee Springs through which most settlers had previously traveled. (Kalamazoo Public Library image) Plank roads legislated, blacksmith shops dwindling Kathy Maurer Copy Editor With more than 8,600 weekly editions in its nearly 166 years, The Banner holds a wealth of local history on yellowed clippings, in bound books, and, until this week, on microfilm at Hastings Public Library. The microfilm has been shipped out as part of a digitization project which will make the old editions of the newspaper accessible online. But that will be several months. The headlines can be captivating for any­ one scrolling through the microfilm reels of an old newspaper, and it takes a certain amount of self-restraint not to get pulled into the sometimes fuzzy or murky pages chock­ full of reports on people, events and business (and prices) of the day. That restraint leads to the use of newer technology and the ability to quickly capture an image of articles and ads across several issues - to be revisited later. Two such headlines from the 1938 Banner were given that very treatment: “Old Book Reports Legislative Acts” and “Blacksmith Shops Mark Trend of Times.” Other than being published in the warmer months of 1938, the articles wouldn’t seem to be relat­ ed. But the former told how the state once made decisions on personal estates, manufac­ turing companies and local roads or streets. The article was itself a retrospective of activ­ ities from 88 years earlier, and the blacksmith piece was more of a personal reflection on a once-common occupation and a local service akin to oil’ chang'es'tOday. Both articles'also dealt with horses and travel - and were com­ plemented by personal insight and reflection, likely from co-owner/editor Marshall L. Cook. How else would readers know today that the gypsum mine in Grand Rapids con­ tributed to the loss of travel on the old stage­ coach road that went north through Yankee Springs and Middleville? “Past 88 years have seen many changes in state affairs,” is how the May 26, 1938, Ban­ ner introduced the story on the old legislative acts. “Charles Beckwith of this city is the owner of an interesting old book that reveals the manner in which the State Legislature of Michigan did business in its annual session held in the year 1850. One would scarcely credit the idea that so many purely local affairs would be given serious consideration by the lawmakers of a state. “Barry County was then represented in the State Senate by John Bowne of Prairieville, father of the late Andrew J. Bowne, who was for many years a prominent citizen of this city and county. Barry County was then rep­ resented in the House of Representatives by Nathan Barlow Jr., whose father located near what is now Barlow Lake in Yankee Springs Township. The son later moved to this city and was for many years associated with Wil­ liam S. Goodyear in the dry goods and mer­ chandising business at the comer store where the A&P is now located and which included what was then known as “the little brick gro­ cery” now occupied by Banghart’s bakery. “At that time, John S. Barry was governor of this state. William M. Fenton was lieu­ tenant governor and, by virtue of that office, was president of the state senate. There were 346 enactments passed by the legislature at its 1850 session, and practically all concerned local matters that would now not be consid­ ered by our lawmaking body. For instance, a large number of its acts were for the purpose of granting permission to certain townships, villages and cities to extend the time for col­ lecting taxes. “A still larger number were to authorize the building of plank roads in this state. One of them, we noticed, concerned Barry County. The legislature approved the building of a plank road from Battle Creek to Hastings, provided of course, the projectors comply with the state law. At that time, a plank road was considered of as much importance to a community as a cement pavement would be at the present time. “There was a plank road leading for a con­ siderable part on the way from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, and it was much in use. At that time, the big gypsum mines near Grand Rap­ ids were run principally for the purpose of grinding the product into fine sand-like mate­ rial that farmers then spread upon lands they had seeded to clover. It was found that the use of ‘plaster,’ as it was called, aided in the grow­ ing of a clover crop. It was not then known as it is now that this lime sweetened acid soils, making it possible to grow a clover crop. “We now know that land became ‘sour’ and that even some newly cleared land is sour, and that’s why land will not raise clover. Hence the necessity for the plaster which was so freely used at that time. The plank road from Kalamazoo through western Allegan County shortened the distance to Grand Rap­ ids. Instead of going by way of Richland, Prairieville, Yankee Springs and Middleville to Grand Rapids, as had previously been true, the shorter and better road was used by those going northward to Grand Rapids. That was a severe’blow to Yankee Springs. “We would say that fully a fifth of the acts of the legislature of 1850 concerned the authorization of plank roads. “There were other purely local legislative acts. For instance, No. 18 was “an act to amend an act entitled an act to enable the executors or administrators of the estate of James B. Clarke, deceased, to sell certain lands.” And there were many similar acts. Others concern the vacating of highways; others the establishing of boundary lines between townships; others to authorize vil­ lages or cities to discontinue certain streets. “We would say 90 percent of the acts of that legislature were purely local matters, such as we have mentioned and including the incorporation of manufacturing and other companies. No one would think at the present time of asking the state legislature to extend the time for collecting taxes in townships or to vacate a road or to build a certain type of highway or to give a man the right to dispose of his own property or authorize his adminis­ trators or executors to do so. “For these reasons, this volume owned by Mr. Beckwith throws a good deal of light upon how the legislature was conducted in this state 88 years ago. Dobbin, the term for a farm horse or a quiet, plodding horse, was used in a Banner article Aug. 25, 1938. The headline read “Blacksmith shops mark trend of times” fol­ lowed by “Dobbin replaced by auto; ‘shoe shop’ by garage” Perhaps Mr. Cook had been ruminating on the change in the landscape as he traveled the city streets himself, where horses were once common, and the ping of the hammer or smell of the hot forge emanated from shops on nearly every block downtown. “An interesting fact indicating the change that has taken place in the past few years is the decrease in the number of blacksmith shops. “ft was not many years ago that the writer can remember seeing horses, unhitched from the wagons and buggies, lined up at hitching posts on both sides of the street for a block awaiting their turn to be fitted with new shoes. Today it is almost a curiosity to see a blacksmith shoeing a horse. “While there are some smithy shops in the rural communities, and even some portable shops on trucks, there are but three blacksmiths, and but two shops, in this city today, where there were more than a dozen a few years ago. “The oldest blacksmith in the city, both in point of years and in the time spent working at the trade, is P.S. Sparks. He began working with his father who was also a blacksmith and has worked at the trade for more than 50 years. He conducted a shop across from the passenger depojt for two years and in 1909 ceased the shoeing of horses and moved to the present location where he has conducted a general blacksmithing shop. “About 25 years ago, before the popularity of the automobile was so well established, it was a common thing to have his shop so full of buggy and wagon wheels to be reset or otherwise repaired, that there was hardly room to work. One year, he kept count of the number of bolts of a certain size he used on buggy wheels. This was the 1 3/4-inch three-sixteenths tire bolt, and it is surprising to know that in the 12-month period he used 16,000 of them, besides a larger number of larger bolts on heavier tires. He uses less than 100 of these bolts per year now. “About as much work is done on autos in the blacksmith shop today as there is on wag­ ons aricT buggies. Trailer, hitcfres, tfailerjparts?' etc., furnish a large part of the business of these shops today. “The other two blacksmiths in the city are Clyde Miller, who conducts a shop on South Dibble Street, and Samuel White, employed at his trade by the Piston Ring Factory. “As dobbin has been replaced by the passen­ ger car, truck and tractor, so has the old-time blacksmith shop been replaced by the modem garage and gas station. And no one can tell what changes the next 20 years will bring.” Phillip Sheridan Sparks, 1864-1942, according to the 1940 city directory, lived in a home on East High Street on property now occupied by the First Ward Park. The passen­ ger depot Cook mentioned, is on Apple Street, now housing Depot Law Offices. Sparks’ “present location” in 1938 was at 112 E. Court St., now Razor’s Edge Salon. When he registered for the draft during World War I, Daniel Clyde Miller (1876­ 1940), then 42, was listed as a “machinist” employed by the Consolidated Press and Tool Company. In the 1930 U.S. Census, his occu­ pation is a manager at a blacksmith shop. As of May 1, 1940, when a census-taker visited his home, Miller, 63, was listed as a privately employed blacksmith. He died on his 64th birthday, July 10, 1940, after being injured in a fall three days prior. The obituary for Samuel Albert White (1863-1952) noted that the Elkhart, Ind., native moved to Hastings in 1918 and worked as a blacksmith at the International Seal and Lock Co., retiring in 1946. He was 88 when he died 70 years ago today, March 10, 1952. The evolution of self-driving cars, vehi­ cle-charging stations and smartphone navi­ gation surely would astonish Mr. Cook were he alive today. One wonders, as he did in 1938, what advancements the next 20 years might bring. Sources: Hastings Banner, familysearch, com, findagrave.com, Hastings Public Library, City of Hastings, Michigan, 1871­ 1971; Kalamazoo Public Library. Feelings are way of communicating Dr. Universe: Why do people have feelings like bore­ dom, happiness, sadness and love? Sophia, 11, Utah Dear Sophia, You’re stuck inside on a rainy day when all of a sudden you start to feel a bit bored. Maybe you aren’t sure what to do with the feeling. Maybe you decide to read a book or bake some cookies and the feeling starts to fade. Perhaps you then start feeling happiness from doing an activity you love. Pretty much everyone experiences a variety of different feelings every day. My friend Elizabeth Weybright, an asso­ ciate professor of human development at Washington State University, is really curi­ ous about emotions, especially boredom. She said that while we may have all kinds of feelings, they serve a similar purpose. “Feelings are really there to help us “cbmmuhicate“tb~6urselves and IcTcommuriicate things to others,” she said. Some emotions, like fear, were really helpful back in the days when your human ancestors were faced with real danger like saber-tooth cats or other predators. This feeling of fear can help signal when we might be in danger. We might even be able to communicate that feeling to those around us, so they can stay safe, too. Weybright also said there aren’t exactly bad or good emotions. Even if something like fear or boredom might not feel very good, it can have some benefits. Boredom might inspire you to use creativity, for example. Meanwhile, love is an emotion that can help us feel connected to others. But even if you feel love, it can some­ times come with some sadness. Imagine you live very far from your grandparents or Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. ANNUAL CABIN FEVER PARTY A BENEFIT FOR HASTINGS bAV AND HAPPINESS FOR VETERANS BARRY EXPO CENTER 1350 M-37, HASTINGS MARCH 12, 2022 5:QOPM-12:QOAM 36" Flat Top Blackstone Grill PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS Reed Bros. Carriage and Shoeing Shop on the northwest corner of Apple and Jefferson streets, likely one of more than a dozen Marshall Cook recalled when he reflected on the loss of blacksmith shops in the city in 1938. (“City of Hastings, Michigan, 1871-1971”) other family members you love. You might miss them and feel sad if you don’t get to see them very often. While we might have different emo­ tions, you can see how they sometimes have strong connections to one another. It’s also a reminder you can have multiple feel­ ings at a time. Weybright also reminded me that some people might struggle with expressing feel­ ings. They might also need some help understanding other people’s feelings. After all, humans aren’t just bom knowing all these different emotions. They have to learn about these feelings as they grow up. She also said sometimes parents, care­ givers, teachers and coaches can work together with children to help them learn more about these big feelings. That way when a big feeling like boredom, sadness, love or happiness comes up, you can be prepared to observe it. It’s also great to know there are scien­ tists Tn bur world’who" are s’tuSylng'mbfe about how emotions work, which may also help people better understand their fellow human beings. Finally, just remember that feelings are a big part of what helps people communi­ cate. Feelings may come and go, but it’s OK to feel them all. Oh, and if you’re ever feeling bored, you might just investigate a good science ques­ tion. Chances are it will open up a whole new set of questions to explore. Bucket Drawings, 5O/5O Drawings, and a Silent Auction will be taking place all evening. EVENT AND OUR VETERANS! www.hastingselks.com �Page 8 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner YOUNG MAN, continued from page 1 --------------------Perez needed something to do, and a friend pushed him to try out for a play. The fall play was a “trial run,” he said. And he liked it. It felt more “poetic” than sports, he said. So, he took part in another play as Col. Mustard in “Clue.” He liked it again. So, he joined the musical, getting the role of King Triton in “The Little Mermaid.” “I basically went from zero to 100,” he said. In some ways, Perez said it came naturally. It was his inherent charisma on stage, Moore explained, that stood out to him. “[Acting] just something that comes easy to me, it doesn’t bother me to be on stage, putting myself out there,” Perez said. But Moore has always found himself impressed by Perez’s ability to take direction, calling him “a young man of great maturity.” “He’s a very teachable student, he has a willingness to learn,” Moore said. But Perez never did get to experience a full run of the musical during his sophomore year. Just as “The Little Mermaid” was scheduled to begin, COVID-19 struck. Around 6 p.m. the day of the final dress rehearsal, director Andrew Moore called upon the entire cast to meet in the Hastings Performing Arts Center. They gathered in the auditorium in various costumes, some of the mermaids with red lipstick and brightly col­ ored wigs. For the past few weeks, they had heard the murmurs about COVID-19. They knew it was only a matter of weeks, or even days, maybe even hours, before the musical might be canceled. But it still stung when Moore had to break the news that opening night also would be their closing night. The show would be cut short, he told them. The kids had put over 10 weeks into preparing for the musical. They had stayed after school at least two hours every day and lost hours of sleep rehearsing their lines. “I felt like I got gypped a little,” said Perez, who was a sophomore at the time. That night, they held a “panic” show, as Perez called it. They invited friends and fam­ ily and anyone they could call. An hour-anda-half after Moore told them the news, they put on a makeshift show in place of their dress rehearsal. Afterward, they went to Applebee’s - a tradition for the musical - and basked in the final moments before the musi­ cal disappeared. The following night they gave their first and last public performance of “The Little Mermaid” before the lights went off in the HPAC. The lights stayed off for more than a year. During the 2021-22 school year, Hastings, like most other districts, was unable to have a musical because of the pandemic. The musical’s budget, Moore said, was “decimated,” and the seniors never took the stage again. “For someone who’s been dedicated to the program since their freshman year, and some even before that - some of them were in shows in middle school - to not have that closure senior year was devastating,” Moore said. But by the time the 2021-22 school year rolled around, things had changed. They got the go-head for a musical. “Considering the last two years, I don’t think the term ‘comeback’ is an exaggera­ tion,” he said. *** When Moore announced that the 2022 musical would be “Newsies,” the students were confused. Many had not seen the show. “It came out of left field, I was very sur­ prised,” Perez confessed. “Because everyone thought we were going to do an old classic like ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ or ‘Oklahoma!’ or ‘The Music Man’ - one of those shows, and then we got ‘Newsies.’ “And we were like ‘Oh! Huh!”’ But Moore knew about “Newsies.” And he knew it would fit the cast well. “It’s not one that has the name recognition of‘The Little Mermaid.’ Because ‘The Little Mermaid’ has the really successful cartoon behind it,” Moore said. “But at the same time, 'Newsies' is one of those that you walk in not knowing the music, and you walk out singing it.” For many in the cast, “Newsies” feels dif­ ferent this year. In a normal year, they said, the lead actors score most of the singing and speaking lines. But “Newsies” features a large number of chorus numbers, with a sea of actors singing and dancing on the stage. For the cast of nearly 60 people, it has created “an enormous amount of camaraderie,” Moore said. “That’s a great opportunity for our cast to bond,” he said. “And there are some times when shows don’t allow for as much cast bonding, for as much camaraderie. And this show has allowed for a lot of fellowship.” The students have felt this, too, said Valen­ tina Arias-Franco, a junior who plays Race. “It’s not just leads,” she said. “Everyone’s in there. Everyone’s included, and the spot­ light’s still on everyone.” Part of this comes from Perez, Arias-Franco said. She described as Perez “very empathet­ ic.” The two cast members went to elementary school together, but didn’t speak much again until this year. Through his actions, she has found that Perez goes out of his way to support people when they’re struggling. As a leader of the show, Perez doesn’t yell, jump and down and rile people up, Moore said. He leads with a "consistent, quiet force.” (From left) Breanna Willard, Raedyn Rathbun, Andre Perez, Ian Dexter hold up their hands during a chorus number. “He includes everyone,” Arias-Franco explained. “If he sees someone standing out, even when he’s acting, he’ll come up in his character and tap him on the shoulder, punch him on the arm. He makes sure that every­ one’s included.” ’k'k’k In a little more than two months of having the role, Perez estimated he has watched “Newsies” musical nearly 15 to 20 times. With the cast, with his friends, with his par­ ents - with anyone, really, who will watch it. He’s not just trying to learn to portray the role of Jack, he said. He’s trying to be Jack. He’s trying to think like Jack, talk like Jack, laugh like Jack, walk like Jack. This doesn’t just come overnight. It comes from hours of perfection, hours of watching movies, hours of reading lines in the mirror, hours on Face­ Timing with fellow cast members and prac­ ticing lines. Perez doesn’t have a ton of free time, either. He participates the Youth in Govern­ ment club and student council, and wakes up early multiple times a week to attend the meetings. He is a member of the Varsity Sing­ ers, and he still plays tennis and golf. He likes to visit Grand Rapids, play “Call of Duty” and write fiction. For a while, he thought he might major in journalism or communications in college. But after directing a school play in the fall - a modern rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” - he realized he didn’t want theater to end after high school. “If this is what you love,” his parents told him, “go do it.” Now, he plans to major in theater in college - at a community college first, and then a four-year school. He wants to become an actor or a producer, or wherever the theater path takes him. “Very big ambitions,” he said. “Gotta dream big.” But first, Andre Perez has a Hastings musi­ cal to lead. What: The Hastings High School performance of “Newsies,” a 1992 musi­ cal based on the story about newsboys, led by the 17-year-old Jack Kelly, who went on strike against the powerful pub­ lisher Joseph Pulitzer in 1899. When: 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, March 10-12, as well as a matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday. Where: Hastings Performing Arts Center, 520 W. South St., Hastings. How much: $10 each. How to reserve tickets: hastings. ludus.com/index.php Cast members on a 17-foot-tall structure believed to be the heaviest set used in a HPAC performance. >’ ..5 J Newsies Hailey Graham and JoDee Gaskill jump during a chorus number. All photos by Bob Gaskill Andre Perez (Jack) and Connor Lindsey (Davey) share a scene together during a “Newsies” rehearsal. (From left) Dance captain Ella Tellkamp and featured dancers Natalie Minch and Breanna Willard share a pensive moment on the floor of the stage in the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Cast members hold up their fists during the end of the chorus song, “The World Will Know.” �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, March 10, 2022 Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris fights to try and pin New Lothrop junior Grayson Orr during the third period of their Division 3 215-pound championship final at the end of the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit Saturday evening. Orr fought off the pin, the only competitor not to be pinned by Ferris all season long. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Ferris undefeated in second state title run Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Panthers write goals and save them in the wrestling room at the start of a new sea­ son. Some tough goals, some small, some written in big bold letters others tucked away in comers. They’re touchstones for the Delton Kellogg varsity wrestling team members throughout the three and a half month season. “Undefeated,” was'the big word fjeTton Kel­ logg senior Caden Ferris put up in the room. 49-0. Goal accomplished. Ferris captured his second consecutive MHSAA Division 4 215-pound state champi­ onship and his third all-state medal by scor­ ing a 10-2 win over New Lothrop junior Grayson Orr in the championship match of their weight class at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in downtown Detroit Saturday. Ferris worked from the top position for nearly four of the six minutes getting a take down 21 seconds into the contest, one with 30 seconds remaining in the second period and a third take down nine seconds into the third period. Orr was never able escape until the last second of the match. “He was really long and strong,” Ferris said. “I was just trying to hold him down, and then I got his wrist. It’s called a hammer when you put it on the back and I had that a few times on him.” The DK seniorspent the closing moments of the third period securing three nearfall points and fighting to accomplish what had become a new goal: to pin every foe all sea­ son long. He was 48-0 on the season heading into the final with 35 pins and 13 forfeit vic­ tories. “I haven’t had any competition all year,” Ferris said after his victory. “I was kind of excited for this. That is the longest match I’ve had all year. It was the first time I ever went into the third. He is the only guy I haven’t pinned.” “I am sad I didn’t pin him.” “I was really hoping the ref would call it, but he didn’t.” “I thought he was pretty flat. I had his head up. He was just rolling back and forth.” Delton Kellogg head coach Dan Phillips said Ferris had only been extended to the second period in a match a handful of times this season. Orr managed to avoid the pin and earn an escape point. His only other point of the match had come from an illegal hold penalty against Ferris as he worked for a take down in the middle of the second period. Ferris finishes his four-year varsity career at Delton Kellogg with 156 victories. He hit the 150-win mark in the opening round of the individual regional tournament this season. He was eighth at his weight class at the Indi­ vidual State Finals as a freshman and then was unable to compete in the 2020 Individual State Finals. Ferris defeated Orr’s older brother, then senior Camden Orr, 13-11 in overtime in the Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris accepts his state championship medal from head coach Dan Phillips after winning the Division 4 215-pound state championship for the second year in a row at the MHSAA Individual State Finals that were held at Ford Field in Detroit Friday and Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Division 4 215-pound championship match at tnT202fTndividual State Finals at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. The state champion from Delton Kellogg will continue the Ferris train to Mount Pleas­ ant. He has already signed his National Letter of Intent to join the Central Michigan Univer­ sity Wrestling program. His father Rollie Ferris was a team MVP on the CMU football team and also wrestled at CMU, and Caden’s older brother Tyden Ferris just finished his third season on the offensive line for the CMU football team helping the Chippewas to a victory in the Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve. “It was a different season,” coach Phillips said. “This was a full season as opposed to an abridged season. With an abridged season you don’t have that time, those two or three weeks before the season starts to get in shape. You just have more time during the season to correct mistakes, little mistakes and things like that. It was a little more easy going and a little more relaxed. [Caden] was stronger this year and he had been working all offseason. He wrestles all the time. He wrestles all off­ season. He just naturally progressed into a more complete wrestler.” See FERRIS, page 10 Gibson first LHS grappler to win two state titles Brett Bremer Sports Editor Compared to his first state championship the second one was almost a breeze. Lakewood senior Zac Gibson became the first four-time state medalists in the history of the Viking varsity wrestling program and its first two-time state champion when he scored an 11-0 major decision over Portland senior Caiden Pelc in the championship match of Division 3’s 130-pound weight class at the MHSAA Individual State Finals Saturday at Ford Field in downtown Detroit. It was Gibson’s fourth win of the season over Pelc, and the difference between them slowly grew throughout the season with Gib­ son scoring a 2-1 win in a team district dual, a 4-2 win in the finals of their individual district tournament and then a 9-0 win in the finals of their individual regional tournament. “The energy just felt different,” Gibson said of his win in the finals. “I realized that after the first couple times wrestling him that if I keep on him the whole period, the whole match, if I keep pushing on him then he’ll eventually gas out and he did.” Gibson put a quick shot in on the whistle at the start of the championship match, then backed out and worked to set up something better. He got his fir take down 47 seconds in and put Pelc on his back for two quick near­ fall points. Gibson started in the bottom posi­ tion in the second period and scored a quick reversal and eventually put Pelc on his back for three more nearfall points. Gibson managed an early take down to start the third period and then rode out the victory. “Last night, we went though the whole break down of what I should do on my feet, on top, on bottom,” Gibson said. “It worked out on the bottom. I hit a quick switch and he was just going to put his boot in and I got a quick reversal. Watching film and my coach­ es’ help really helped secure that for me.” The victory concluded Gibson’s senior season with a record of 39-0. He was never taken down by an opponent this season. Lakewood head coach Tony Harmer, who told Gibson he had a chance to make Lake­ wood wrestling history when he showed up for his freshman season, said that it was a fairly relaxing Friday evening after Gibson’s semifinal victory - time by the pool, a little TV and then bed. Not only did Gibson have a foe he was confident in handling in the state champion­ ship match Saturday, he also didn’t have to deal with the host of off the mat issues that accompanied his trip to the 2021 Finals where he had to go to court in order to avoid a Covid close-contact quarantine that would have kept him from wrestling at those finals at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo. “It was so much easier. It was normal,” Gibson said. “Last year was so difficult trying to not only wrestle but also having to worry about even being able to. At that point, it is not whether I do good in matches it is about whether I get lucky and am able to. It was way different this year. I had a fairer chance.” His chance at a 2022 title was much differ­ ent than his chance at one in 2021. “ft is a lot bigger scale [being at Ford Field],” Gibson said. “There is a lot more family here. I have a cousin in D2 that is wrestling [Hastings heavyweight Jackson Dubois]. There is a lot more family here, ft just feels bigger. I made history at Lakewood too, so that is big.” Harmer said Gibson has to win at every­ thing. “When we weighed in he was getting on me because we weren’t there a half an hour early and Jackson [Dubois] was texting him, ‘it is a huge line. You’re 1,50.0 people behind.’ And Zac is like, I have to be the first to weigh in. I have to be first. “ft is not a weigh-in thing. He just has to be first at everything. So, he cuts to the front of the line. I am standing in the front of the gym, and he gets in front of 1,500 people and he is the first one to weigh in. I have never met some­ body with that competitive drive, that nature to that extent, to that level, in everything. When we’re standing here he has to be first out on to the mat before everyone else. He’s looking. Just first has to be first at everything.” Gibson’s first match of the finals was a pin of Kingsley’s Cameron Dundas 1 minute and 49 seconds into their Friday morning bout. He pinned Constantine’s Eric Demas 4:16 into their quarterfinal match, and then had one of his toughest contests of the season in the semifinals. Gibson scored a 6-2 win over Yale’s Seth Woolman in their semifinal contest Friday night. Gibson led 4-1 after a quick reversal to start the second period, then pushed his lead to 6-2 with a late take down in the second. Gibson worked on top for the entirety of the third period to secure his spot in the 130pound championship match. “He is a really good wrestler,” Gibson said of the Yale senior. “He is pretty good from the bottom and we got a little squirreley there for a second, but other than that I felt in control.” Pelc reached the final by pinning all three of his foes, Birch Run’s Aiden Tomberg, Algonac’s David Clemons and Dundee’s Kaden Chinavare who Gibson had been eye­ ing as a likely finals foe. Pelc stuck Chinava­ re in 2:51 in their semifinal match Friday night. Gibson had four Lakewood teammates wrestling at the Individual State Finals, but none of the other four made it beyond Friday afternoon. Freshman 215-pounder Joel Simon (31-11) and junior 112-pounder Ashton Clark See GIBSON, page 10 Lakewood senior Zac Gibson flexes his muscles as he celebrates his second con­ secutive state championship after scoring an 11-0 win over Portland's Caiden Pelc in the Division 3 130-pound championship final at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit Saturday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �Page 10 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 —The Hastings Banner HHS Saxons honor their senior scholar athletes at hoops game Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris has his arm raised in triumph as the Division 3 215-pound state champion for the second season in a row Saturday evening at Ford Field in Detroit. Ferris capped off a 49-0 senior season by scoring a 10-2 win over New Lothrop's Grayson Orr in the 215-pound championship match. (Photo by Brett Bremer) FERRIS, continued from page 9-------------------------Phillips said on top of that, the coaching staff pushed Caden a bit more this winter when competition days weren’t enough to do it. “When he didn’t get strong competition, we’d wrestle a dual and teams would avoid him, we would run sprints afterwards. We’d go in the hall, we’d find a spot and he’d run sprints so he could get a workout. When we had a tournament, he would go and work out if the tournament didn’t really test him. We would go run and run sprints and do the little things so that he was always getting that con­ sistent hard work so he could be more suc­ cessful I guess - I don’t know if you can be more successful than being a state champ.” Caden Ferris was one of two DK wrestlers competing in the state finals. Junior Gage Vincent was also as state qualifier for the second season in a row. One of his goals was to win as match at the state finals after falling in his two bouts at Van Andel Arena last year. He accomplished that goal scoring a 6-3 win over Pine River’s Jordan Nelson in the first round of consolation at the individual State Finals Friday in the Division 4 119pound weight class. Vincent closes the sea­ son with a 31-13 record. He was bested 11-3 by Hanover-Horton’s David Fielder in the opening round. Vincent’s tournament came to an end Fri­ day afternoon when he was bested 4-0 by Manchester’s Jared Bunn in the second round of consolation. Vincent was only down 1-0 heading into the third period of that match. Fielder went on to place fourth at their weight class and Bunn fifth. Bunn bested Maple Valley’s Matthew Slaght 4-2 in a sud­ den victory overtime in the match for fifth at the end of the tournament. “[Vincent] wrestled really hard. Both of them [Vincent and Ferris] were really good representatives of our school,” Phillips said. “They worked hard every match. They took every match seriously. They did everything right. Just like as a coach you want them to do. You teach them to do that, but you never know when you go there. They did every­ thing right. Everything right.” Vincent wasn’t the only lightweight from the Southwestern Athletic Conference to have some success at the state tournament. Martin/ Climax-Scotts freshman Logan Gilbert took the 103-pound championship with a 10-5 win over Union City freshman Logan Mears in the finals. Gilbert’s teammate, senior Trent Kimmel, was the Division 4 runner-up at 112 pounds. Caden Ferris was one of three guys to fin­ ish off an undefeated state championship season in Division 4, joined by Marlette junior Manus Bennen who was 43-0 in win­ ning the 140-pound title; Detroit Loyola senior Shenard Foster who won the 160pound title at 17-0; and Evart junior Cole Hopkins who was 54-0 in winning the 171pound championship. Caden Ferris did get pushed to the second round in his semifinal bout before pinning Hudson’s Logan Sallows in 3 minutes and 10 seconds. He opened his state finals run with a pin of East Jackson’s Dylan Osborne 50 sec­ onds into their bout and then stuck St. Louis’ Ben Dousuah 1:25 into their quarterfinal match. Hastings High School honored its Senior Scholar Athletes Friday during the Hastings varsity boys’ basketball team’s contest with Wellspring Prep. These Hastings seniors have a 3.5 GPA or higher and have earned at least one varsity letter prior to their senior season. The group includes (front from left) Harrison Smalley, Hannah Crozier, Brianna Barnes, Ruby Barber, (second row) Anna English, Hannah Vann, Arian Bond, Kali Grimes, Allison Teed, (third row) Andre Perez, Braden Vertalka, Joseph McLean, Patrick Gee and Carissa Strouse. Missing from photo are Madison Pettengill, Owen Winegar, Mason Denton, Hailey Graham and BreAnn Micklatcher. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Lakewood senior Zac Gibson works to stay in control of Portland senior Caiden Pelc during their Division 3 130-pound champi­ onship match Saturday evening at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit. Gibson ran his senior season record to a perfect 39-0 with his win over Pelc, becoming Lakewood's first two-time state champion and its first four-time state medalist. (Photo by Brett Bremer) GIBSON, continued from page 9------------- Delton Kellogg junior Gasge Vincent (right) goes head to head with LeRoy Pine River's Jordan Nelson during their match in the opening round of consolation in Division 4's 119-pound weight class Friday at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit. (Photo by Michael Graham) NOTICE 176799 BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is accepting sealed bids for the purchase of (1) Used Pneumatic Tired Roller. Full specifications can be obtained from the BCRC. Bids will be opened at 10:30 AM on March 21, 2022 at the offices of the BCRC. The BCRC reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to purchase comparable equipment at a lower price. Please clearly indicate on the outside of the envelope “Sealed bid enclosed - “Used Pneumatic Tired Roller”. Please direct all questions Rob Richardson, Equipment Superintendent. Barry County Road Commission 1725 W. M43 Hwy. P.O. Box 158 Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-3449 Lakewood junior Ashton Clark works to get out of the grasp of Yale's Easton Moran during their 112-pound quarterfinal match in Division 3 at the MHSAA Individual State Finals Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. (Photo by Michael Graham) (38-4) both won one match. Senior 285-pounder Eastin Stank (34-13) and senior 171-pounder Nathaniel Graham (37-10) were both 0-2. Coach Harmer said Simon and Clark are bound and determined to return to the Indi­ vidual State finals in 2023. Stank was the only one of the four who had wrestled in the Individual State Finals before, in 2021 which was his first varsity wrestling season. Simon scored a 5-0 win over Quincy’s Hamilton Spieth in the first round of consola­ tion Friday, but then lost out in a 5-4 match against Hillsdale’s Quade Mesarosh in the second round of consolation. Eddie Olson from Richmond who bested Simon in the opening round went on to place third at their weight class and Mesarosh placed eighth. Graham had two tough losses in the 171pound bracket, falling 9-7 to Constantine’s Troy Demas in the opening round and then 4-3 to Croswell-Lexington’s Joey Scaramuzzino in the first round of consolation. Clark started his tournament run with a 16-3 win over Gladstone’s Eli Terrien, but then got bested 7-0 by Yale’s Easton Moran. Jordan Simpson from Dowagiac pinned Clark 53 seconds into their match in the second round of consolation. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — Page 11 TK sets new team record for state medalists Thornapple Kellogg's Zack Gibson (front) fights to try and stay in control of Jackson Northwest's Gage Race during their third-place match in Division 2's 135-pound weight class at the MHSAA Individual State Finals in downtown Detroit Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thornapple Kellogg senior Matthew Middleton works to take down Adrian's Connor Krueger during their match for fifth place in Division 2's 152-pound weight class at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in downtown Detroit Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor Never before have so many Thomapple Kel­ logg wrestlers taken turns on the medal stand at the MHSAA Individual State Finals. TK sent eight wrestlers to Ford Field in downtown Detroit and six finished in the top eight in their weight class to earn all-state med­ als. TK tied a school-record with four state medalists in 2021 and upped that record by two over the weekend with seniors Matthew Mid­ dleton and Hunter Pitsch and junior Jackson Curtis each earning their first state medal. Junior Zack Gibson who placed fourth in Division 2’s 135-pound weight class and senior Ashton Corson who placed fifth at 125 pounds are now both three-time state medalists. Junior Kyron Zoet earned his second all­ state medal placing fifth at 130 pounds. Mid­ dleton was fifth at 152 pounds, Curtis sixth at 145 and Pitsch eighth at 119 pounds. TK also had junior Austin Chivis competing in the 160-pound weight class in Division 2 and freshman Kayleigh Brown competing in the girls’ 150-pound weight class. It wasn’t a wild leap into your coaches arms, do a little dance kind of conclusion to the Finals Saturday, but as time goes by the Tro­ jans will look back on what was an outstanding 2021-22 season. “That is an awesome milestone to reach,” TK head coach Dayne Fletke said of the six state medalists. “There were a lot of ups and downs during the day, but obviously in the end it turned in an upward position. The kids were really happy with their performance.” The TK grapplers were a combined 7-8 in their 15 matches Saturday after securing six state medals during Friday’s opening rounds. Gibson and teammate Hunter Pitsch both walked out of Ford Field Saturday with black eyes. Gibson took a knee to the face during an early match Friday and his right eye swelled up enough that he couldn’t see out of it Saturday. “It is a lot different. You can’t see out of your right. Your peripheral vision is complete­ ly blocked. You just have to use your left side the entire time,” Gibson said. “Your balance is very uncoordinated the entire time I feel like. I just had to be more aggressive.” Gibson had TK’s top finish, battling through consolation in the 135-pound bracket to place fourth after falling 4-2 to Trenton’s Brayion Hughes in the championship quarterfinals Fri­ day. He had opened his tournament run with an 8-0 win over Petoskey’s Brendan Swiss. Gibson rebounded from the loss to Hughes with a 12-0 win over Reeths-Puffer’s Kaden Malotke in the blood round, securing himself a spot among the top eight at the weight class. He returned to the mats Saturday to take a 4-0 win over Monroe Jefferson’s Caleb Smiley in the thtfd'fd'und of cdr&6Utiorf Tiepinned'Gaylord’s Gabe Thompson Tn the consolation semifinals to earn a spot in the medal round match for third place. Jackson Northwest’s Gage Race pinned Gibson in the closing seconds of their match for third. Gibson led that match 3-1 after an escape with 33 seconds remaining in the third period, but Race managed to turn a late Gibson shot into a take down of his own and then put him on his back. “I feel like I accomplished a little bit, but not anywhere where I wanted to be,” Gibson said. Thornapple Kellogg's Jackson Curtis (second from right) smiles from the medal stand after a sixth-place finish in Division 2's 145-pound weight class at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thornapple Kellogg's Kyron Zoet (right) fights for control with Mount Pleasant's Grant Stahl during their match in the 130-pound consolation semifinals Saturday. Zoet rebounded from a loss to Stahl to win his medal round match and place fifth at their weight class. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “My goal is to always be in the finals. I haven’t got there yet. Next year is my goal.” Corson and Middleton both wrestled their way to the championship semifinals, one win away from the finals, with two wins to open the tournament Friday. Corson was edged 6-5 by Linden’s Bryce Shingleton in their 125pound semifinal match. Middleton fell 7-1 to Stevensville Lakeshore’s Micah Hanau in their 152-pound-semifinal. ' “1 thought they both wrestled great. They worked for it and it just didn’t come out in their favor,” coach Fletke said. “It wasn’t for a lack of effort or talent. It is wrestling. It is hard, maybe you do it a different day and it is a dif­ ferent outcome. They were ready for those matches, “It put them in the top six and set them up great for the wrestle back.” Corson was bested by Mason’s Tayden Mill­ er in the consolation semifinals Saturday and then finished fifth with a 7-0 win over Sparta’s Nolan Larson in the medal round. Middleton lost a tough 3-2 decision to Jack­ son Northwest’s Zach Jacobs in the consola­ tion semifinals and then rallied for a 5-3 win over Adrian’s Connor Krueger in the match for fifth Saturday. Those were the only two TK guys who didn’t have to fight through a,win.or go hqme blood round match Friday. Pitsch won his by scoring an 8-6 victory over Lowell’s Eastern Lyons in the 119-pound weight class^ Zoet> won his blood round match 7-4 over Lansing Waverly’s Emmo Costilla at 130 pounds. Cur­ tis scored a pin of Lake Fenton’s Noah Hall 3:57 into their 145-pound blood round match. Austin Chivis was the only TK guy to fall in the blood round. He won a match in the first round of consolation, but then fell 6-5 in a heartbreaking tie-breaker with Gaylord’s Ty Bensinger in the 160-pound blood round. Brown was 0-2 in the first ever MHSAA Girls Individual State Finals. Lakewood bests TK in one final postseason tuneup Brett Bremer Sports Editor Connor Feighan, Gavin Willettte, Caden Cusack, Denny Sauers and Trevor Simon got their moment on senior night Thursday being honored with their parents before the contest and celebrating one last victory in the Lake­ wood High School gymnasium. Sauers scored the Vikings’ first bucket of the bailgame and they all got to contribute to the Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team’s 58-50 win over visiting Thornapple Kellogg. But, between the opening tip-off and the final buzzer the sophomores and juniors cer­ tainly put on a show. Lakewood welcomed back junior guard Jayce Cusack from a more than three-week absence due to a leg injury and he pumped in a team-high 20 points despite admittedly feel­ ing a bit gassed by the end. He was 8-of-l 0 at the free throw line. “I am glad to be back,” Jayce said. “I have just been shooting on the side and riding the stationary bike to try and stay in shape. You could probably tell I was a little tired out there, but I was just trying to stay in shape. I wasn’t supposed to run or jump on it. So, I was off it for a little over three weeks.” He saw his first limited action in practice Monday, watched his team play a game Tues­ day and then got a regular practice in Wednes­ day (March 2). “That was the first time I started moving, going full speed and started cutting on it,” he said of Wednesday’s practice. Thomapple Kellogg junior guard Terrell Jefferson finished with a game-high 36 points in his first full-game action in a bit. He missed a Feb. 26 ballgame against Kenowa Hills and then returned in a March 1 bailgame against Ottawa Hills in which his minutes were limited a tad. Their teams are certainly happy to have their top scorers back heading into the MHSAA Boys’ Basketball Tournament, but that wasn’t enough in the stale tournament. Lakewood fell 63-56 in its Di\ ision 2 district opener Monday against Lansing Eastern at Lansing Eastern High School. Thomapple Kellogg hosted East Grand Rapids Monday to start play in its Division 1 district tourna­ ment and fell 49-36 to the Pioneers in what head coach Josh Thaler called his team’s best defensive game of the season. “They just wanted to come in and get a win, because they were 1-18 or 1-19 now, and we just wanted to win for our seniors,” Jayce Cusack said of the Trojans last Wednesday. “Both teams wanted it, and we came out with a little more fight 1 thought.” “The effort from all the seniors, they all wanted it. It is a great group of kids. I’ve grown up with all them, my brother [Caden Cusack] is out there. Denny Sauers is like a brother to me. I am going to miss playing with those two for sure.” “I love all of them,” Jayce added. “It was a great effort from all of them. That is the group that they are. There is always great effort from all five of them and I am proud of them.” It wasn’t just Jayce and Jefferson who stood out from among the underclassmen. Junior center Caleb Hull had 11 points for the Vikings showing off some skill in the post while Trojan sophomore Jaxan Sias did his best to keep up with the Lakewood big man. Hull was his usual excellent self on the boards for the Vikings. “Caleb was a beast inside, and when that kid is focused he is a handful for a lot of teams and he was very focused tonight,” Lakewood head coach Chris Duits said. TK head coach Josh Thaler said Sias cer­ tainly learned a lot just from going up against Hull - a player whose combination of size and skill in the post is unlike anyone the Tro­ jans have faced all season. Thaler was happy to see his sophomore center flip in a couple of left-handed hook shots over the Viking big man, while also blocking a handful of shots on the defensive end. The threat the Trojans’ couldn’t match was Lakewood junior shooting guard Preston Makley who finished with 17 points. Makley hit a pair of three-pointers and also went 7-of8 at the free throw line. At the other end of the court, the Trojans never found that outside compliment. Jeffer­ son hit three three-pointers, but the rest of the team was 0-for-the night. Sias was TK’s num­ ber two scorer with four points. “It was a nice team win,” Duits said. “The seniors got to play. They all didn’t get to score, but we’re super happy. Everybody was focused to get that win for those guys. They have worked hard for four years and it was nice to send them off properly.” It was a ballgame both teams wanted to build some momentum heading into the state tournament. TK ends the regular season with a 1-19 record. Lakewood ends the regular season at 13-7, but had dropped six in a row without Jayce in the rotation while seeing hopes of a Greater Lansing Activities Confer­ ence championship dashed. “Every year at districts, I think the refs kind of let a little more go intensity wide and physicality wise and I thought that was a good way to get ready for East Grand Rapids next week. They’re going to come ready to play,” Thaler said. “I think our guys are ready. They wanted it. They played hard. We just have to make some shots.” “We got a lot of good shots up and they’re just not falling. It just needs to be that one game where they start falling and then the basket just gets bigger,” Thaler added about his team’s shooting woes from the outside. “That is what we’re waiting for.” TK led 9-4 as time wound down in the first quarter, but Hull scored over Sias in the post in the last minute of the period and then scored the first three field goals of the second quarter. Including that last bucket of the first quarter, the Vikings went on a 13-0 run to lead 17-9. The final bucket of that stretch was a short fadeaway jumper by Jayce Cusack with 3:35 to go in the first half - his first field goal of the night. A three and a couple of steals by Jefferson helped TK claw back to within 21-20 by half­ time and then Jefferson scored the first basket of the second half to put TK in front 22-21. Three three-pointers by the Vikings in the final five and a half minute of the third quar­ ter and a nearly three minute scoring drought for TK in the middle of the quarter, had the Vikings in front 36-27 heading into the fourth quarter. The Lakewood lead was as many as 13 points and as few as seven in the fourth quar­ ter. Things never got out of hand, but they did get a bit chippy in the fourth quarter. Each team was assessed two technical fouls in the fourth quarter during some post-play kerfuffles. Nothing ever got out of hand though. “After a five-game slide, we have played our butts off for the last five games, ail be it a little short-handed. That doesn’t matter,” Duits said. “We have been playing our butts off and it just comes down to execution. We are a better team when we have everybody, but it was just a matter of executing and we executed tonight. Everybody turns the ball over occasionally, but for the most part everybody played their role tonight. They took care of the ball and did what they were supposed to do. “They pressured us, and we handled their pressure pretty well, which is good because Lansing Eastern is going to be the same type of team and try to put a lot of pressure on us as well. So, this was a great tune-up to get ready for districts.” The underclassmen should get the chance to square off again. Lakewood athletic direc­ tor Mike Quinn said there are plans for the two teams to conclude the 2022-23 regular season in Middleville. BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Baltimore Township Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed township budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 at the Baltimore Township Hall located at 3100 E. Dowling Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 6:30 pm. THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE PROPOSED TO BE LEVIED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE HEARING. A copy of the budget is available for public inspection by calling the Towship Supervisor, Chad VanSyckle, at 269-838-0536. This notice is posted in compliance with Public Act 267 of the 1976 amended MCL 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Baltimore Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and autotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon Ten (10) days notice to the Baltimore Township Board. NOTE: Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or service should contact the Baltimore Township Clerk, Penelope Ypma, 6200 Henry Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058, or phone 269-945-3228. . Penelope Ypma, Baltimore Township Clerk 176469 �Page 12 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 7, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Rodney Esseltine, whose address is 9349 Lost Trail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, being a mortgage dated January 31,2008, and recorded on December 1, 2008 in Document No. 20081201-0011457, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated February 20, 2014 and recorded on July 3, 2014 in Document No. 2014-006334, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of SEVENTY-THREE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($73,140.27). Said premises are situated in the Township of Hope, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lots 9 and 10 of Leinaar Plat, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 4 of Plats on Page 39. Street Address: 9349 Lost Trail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046 The redemption period shall be b months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 3, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4285 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 31, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Charles Harvath, III aka Charles Harvath and Roberta Harvath, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Quicken Loans Inc., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rocket Mortgage, LLC f/k/a Quicken Loans, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 21, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 3, 2018 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $77,049.07 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Lot 13 of Loehr’s Landing, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats on Page 61. Commonly Known as: 2982 Loehrs Landing Dr., Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 3/03/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314873 (03-03)(03-24) 176720 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. No­ tice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is giv­ en under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan starting promptly at 1:00 pm on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Justin Stuive and Amy Hawke, a single man and a single woman, as Mortgagors to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, dated May 29, 2009, and recorded on June 4, 2009, in Document No. 200906040005899, Barry County Records, Barry County, Michigan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $96,351.54 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mortgage, or any part of the Mortgage. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt secured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 5.0% per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mortgagee to pro­ tect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Barry County, Michigan described more fully as: LOT 13 OF PLEASANT VALLEY ESTATES, YAN­ KEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THERE­ OF RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 13 OF BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Tax ID No. 08-16-270-013-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12944 Valley Drive, Wayland, Ml, 49348 The redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(8), unless deemed abandoned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241 a. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. February 8, 2022 UNITED BANK OF MICHIGAN, Mortgagee PLUNKETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175661 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given undr section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1.00 PM, on March 24,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Amanda Doane and Michael Doane, Wife and Husband Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): MIDFIRST BANK Date of Mortgage: June 27, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 1,2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $177,150.55 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 7, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, described as commencing at the point of intersection of the East boundary line of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 7, and the centerline of Sission Road, thence running Westerly along the centerline of Sission Road 304 feet to the point of beginning, thence Northerly at right angle to Sission Road 300 feet, thence Westerly at right angles 330 feet parallel with the centerline of Sission Road, thence Southerly 300 feet at the right angles to the centerline of Sission Road, thence Easterly along the centerline of Sission Road 330 feet to the point of beginning, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 850 W Sisson Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9772 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 24,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-25154 1455808 (02-24)(03-17) Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM. on March 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: November 30, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $172,839.14 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: February 17, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Atten­ tion homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961. 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, Michigan start­ ing promptly at 1:00 pm on Thursday March 17,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not auto­ matically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insur­ ance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Sheryl Cook, an unmarried woman, as Mortgagor, to United Bank Mortgage Corporation, a Michigan corporation, with its address at 900 East Paris Avenue, SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, as Mortgagee, dated September 20, 2005 and recorded on September 29, 2005, Document No. 1153580, Barry County Records, Barry County, Mich­ igan. The balance owing on the Mortgage is $69,051.05 at the time of this Notice. The Mortgage contains a power of sale and no suit or proceeding at law or in equity has been instituted to recover the debt secured by the Mort­ gage, or any part of the Mortgage. TAKE NOTICE that on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 1:00 p.m., local time, or any adjourned date thereafter, the Mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale at public auction to the highest bidder, at the Barry County Courthouse in Hastings, Michigan. The Mortgagee will apply the sale proceeds to the debt se­ cured by the Mortgage as stated above, plus interest on the amount due at the rate of 6.125% percent per annum; all legal costs and expenses, including attorneys fees allowed by law; and also any amount paid by the Mort­ gagee to protect its interest in the property. The property to be sold at foreclosure is all of that real estate situated in Yankee Springs Township, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: LOT 9 VALLEY PARK SHORES ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLATTHEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 4 OF PLATS, PAGE 24, YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. PP#: 08-16-225-020-00 Commonly known ad­ dress: 12925 Valley Dr., Wayland, Michigan 49348 The redemption period shall be one year from the date of sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3240(12), unless deemed aban­ doned and then pursuant to the time frames provided for in MCL 600.3241 a. Mortgagors will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage fore­ closure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. February 7, 2022 UNITED BANK MORTGAGE CORPORATION PLUN­ KETT COONEY KELLI L. BAKER (P49960) Attorney for Mortgagee 333 Bridge Street NW, Suite 530 Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49504 (616) 752-4624 (02-10)(03-10) 175662 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29103-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Kenneth R. Schultz, deceased. Date of birth: 12/14/1939. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kenneth R. Schultz, died November 25, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Keith Schultz, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: March 4,2022 J. Paul Janes Gruel Mills Nims & Pylman, PLLC P34798 99 Monroe Avenue, NW, Suite 800, Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-235-5500 Keith Schultz PC Box 352, Middleville, Ml 49333 (269)763-7100 176820 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29099-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Greg L. Peterson. Date of birth: January 27, 1961. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Greg L. Peterson, died January 26, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Cathy Moore, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 3/1/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Cathy Moore 155 E. Brogan Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-838-5347 176959 (03-03)(03-24) 176721 1454590 (02-17)(03-10) Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Financial advisors can help reduce anxiety The long-running coronavirus pandemic has fueled a lot of anxieties - including financial ones. But some people have had far fewer worries than others. Consider this: Among those investors who work with a financial advisor, 84% said that doing so gave them a greater sense of comfort about their finances during the pandemic, according to a survey from Age Wave and Edward Jones. Of course, many people experience investmentrelated fears even without a global health crisis, and that’s probably not surprising, given the periodic volatility of the financial markets. But financial guidance can come in handy during relatively normal times, too. A financial professional can help you... ... Look past the headlines - Inflation, interest rates, pandemics, elections - there’s always something in the news that could affect the investment world in the short term. But by helping you construct a portfolio that’s built for the long term and reflects your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, a financial advisor can enable you to look past the headlines. ... Avoid emotional decisions - Many people let their emotions drive their investment choices. When the market goes through a downturn and the value of their investments drops, they sell to “cut losses,” even though these same investments may still have good business fundamentals and promising futures. Conversely, when the market is on an uptick, some poeple chase after “hot” investments, even when they become overpriced and may have very little room to grow. But a financial advisor can help keep you from making these fear- and greed-based actions by only recommending moves that make sense for your situation. ... Work toward multiple goals - At various times in your life, you may have simultaneous financial goals. For example, you could be investing for a retirement that’s decades away, while also trying to save for a child’s college education. A financial professional can suggest ways you can keep working toward both objectives, in terms of how much money you can afford to invest and what types of savings and investment vehicles you should consider. ... Prepare for the unexpected - Most of us did not need a pandemic to remind us that Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 07, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Sonja Rounds, a single woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: December 12, 2003 Recorded on December 17, 2003, in Document No. 1119420, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Forty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Fifty­ Seven and 99/100 Dollars ($48,557.99) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner post of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 1 North, Range 7 West, thence South 670 feet, West 300 feet, North 670 feet, East 300 feet, back to the point of beginning. Commonly known as 11570 S Clark Rd, Bellevue, Ml 49021 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1457248 (03-10)(03-31) 177031 175804 Date: March 9, 2022 David L. Carrier P41531 4965 East Beltline Avenue NE Grand Rapids, Ml 49525 (616) 361-8400 John B. Groendyk 13623 Starflower Lane Cedar Springs, Ml 49319 (616)889-7350 177032 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: AH real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. unexpected events can happen in our lives - and some of these events can have serious financial impacts on us and our loved ones. Do you have adequate life insurance? How about disability insurance? And if you ever needed some type of long-term care, such as an extended stay in a nursing home, how would you pay for it? A financial advisor can evaluate your protection needs and recommend appropriate solutions that fit within your overall financial strategy. ... Adapt to changing circumstances - Over time, many things may change in your life - your job, your family situation, your retirement plans, and so on. A financial professional can help you adjust your financial strategy in response to these changes. Achieving your financial goals may present challenges, but it doesn’t have to cause you years of worry and distress - as long as you get the help you need. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. EdwardJones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Paul R. Pierson Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC Date of Mortgage: April 26, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 21, 2021 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $52,186.74 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: HOPE TOWNSHIP INCLUDING W 60 RDS OF E 1/2 OF THE NW 1/4 OF SECTION 31-2-9, LYING S OF HIGHWAY WHICH RUNS IN EASTERLY AND WESTERLY DIRECTION THROUGH SECTION 31.5 ACRES Common street address (if any): 6575 Stevens Rd, Delton, Ml 49046-8798 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 10, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1457239 (03-10)(03-31) NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Estate of Bernard L. Groendyk. Date of birth: May 22, 1941. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Bernard L. Groendyk, of 11994 Lakeridge Drive, Wayland, Michigan 49348, Barry County, Michigan died January 20, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to John B. Groendyk, Trustee of the Bernard Groendyk Trust No. 1 u/a/d August 24, 2020, care of Carrrier Law, P.C., 4965 East Beltline Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169 W. M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269)818-0423 • 177008 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — Page 13 Saxons end regular season start postseason with hoops victories Saxon sophomore gurard Owen Carroll (10) shoots a pull-up jumper in the lane over the Wellspring Prep Wolves' Nathan VanderMeer (12). (Phto by Perry Hardin) Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons picked a good time for their first back-to-back wins of the season. The Hastings varsity boys’ basketball team closed the 2021-22 regular season with a 64-43 win over Wellspring Prep at Hastings High School Thursday, March 3, and then knocked off Allegan 67-50 in the opening round of the MHSAA Division 2 District Tournament hosted by Wayland Union High School Monday. The Saxons were set to face Hamilton in the district semifinals back in Wayland last night, March 9. Hastings built confidence with solid out­ side shooting early on against the Tigers. Joey McLean has been shooting the lights out in practice lately according to head coach Rich Long, and he drilled a three-pointer early. “So many times players can come out tight in districts and his three let us relax,” coach Long said. Myles Padilla then hit a three for the Sax­ ons to keep the roll going. The team buried 12 triples in the bailgame. Braden Vertalka hit four of them and led the Saxons with 20 points. Padilla hit four and finished with 18 points. Hastings also got 14 points from Layton Eastman and nine from McLean. “[Sophomore point guard] Owen Carroll is one of the fiercest competitors we have,” coach Long said. “He is constantly building his teammates up and saying we can win dis­ tricts. He is playing extremely hard and the team is feeding off his energy.” “Along with shooting really well, we also came prepared to battle,” coach Long added. “It was a very physical game, and I thought we won the battle on the boards.” He said his guys have really benefitted from the year of varsity experience. “Our youth really showed early on as play­ ers were trying to figure out their roles. We were getting more and more competitive los­ ing by single digits to teams that had beat us handily earlier in the season. We were finally able to turn the comer against Wellspring academy and get a nice win.” Eastman, a three-year varsity senior and team captain, had to move from guard/forward to center for the ballgame due to some illness and Long said he “played his heart out.” “It was senior night and our last home game of the season,” coach Long said. “This is a very emotional night for athletes and they can respond in many different ways. We for­ tunately had some players step up and play their best games. The guys showed up ready to battle and decided they didn’t want the season to be over.” Eastman was able to knock down some early buckets on his way to 21 points. Hastings moved its record to 4-17 overall with the two wins. While Hastings was set to take on Hamilton in one semifinal in Wayland Wednesday the other pitted the district’s top seed Holland Christian and the district host Wayland. The district final between Wednesday’s two winners is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday back in Wayland. Hastings senior Patrick Gee (40) gets the ball on the baseline and looks to pass during the second half against Wellspring Prep Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Defending state champs knock Hastings girls out of tournament Saxon senior Carly Warner flips a shot over a pair of Portland defenders during their MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal at Ionia High School Wednesday (March 2). (Photo by Bob Gaskill) Brett Bremer Sports Editor Eventually the size and the talent won out. The Hastings varsity girls’ basketball team pushed state ranked Portland as long as it could in the MHSAA Divi­ sion 2 District Semifinal at Ionia High School Wednes­ day, March 2, but in the end the Raiders scored a 57-26 victory. It was just a four-point deficit for Hastings at the half. “We played really well,” Hastings first-year head coach Chase Youngs said. “We were up with like two minutes to go in the second quarter. We went into the half down four and we were rebounding well, we were patient, we didn’t turn the ball over.” “We don’t have a six-foot plus girl in our hallways I don’t think,” Youngs added. “They had six of them. They’re athletic. The second half they came out and they changed things up and into a 1-2-2 trapping zone and put their big up front. It caused us problems. Brook [Youngs] and Macy [Winegar] couldn’t see and they dared anybody other than Brook or Macy to shoot.” Portland won the 2021 Division 2 State Champion­ ship. Coach Youngs said his girls weren’t afraid or intimidated, and they worked hard and didn’t give up. Brooklynn Youngs finished with eight points for the Sax­ ons. Fellow senior Allison Teed had six and Bri Barnes finished with five. Hastings ends an outstand­ ing season with a record of 13-9. Lansing Catholic, another team like Portland ranked in the top ten in the state in Divi­ sion 2, showed why it deserved its ranking with a 54-22 win over the Lakewood girls in the other semifinal in Ionia March 2. The Lakewood ladies end the year with an overall record of 6-15. Portland bested the Lansing Catholic girls 45-30 in their showdown in the district final Friday in a battle between two teams from the Capital Area Activities Conference White Division that had split their two conference meetings this season. Saxons and Trojans perform well at MHSAA D2 Bowling Finals Brett Bremer Sports Editor Over the course of six games of bowling 35 or 40 pins isn’t a whole lot. That is how far Thomapple Kellogg junior Wyatt Jacobson and Hastings junior Abby Bar­ ton came from advancing to the 16-person match-play bracket in their competitions at the MHSAA Division 2 Individual Bowling Finals Saturday at Super Bowl in Canton. Barton, in her second state finals appearance, was 23rd in qualifying with an overall pinfall of 1,061. The last of the 16 match-play qualifiers in the girls’ competition was Bay City John Glenn junior Shay-Lynne Schultz who put up a score of 1,107 over the course of six games. Barton tallied scores of 150, 210, 138, 195, 201 and 167 in her six tries. Jacobson tied for 24th in qualifying with his overall pinfall of 1,209 which left him 35 pins back of Cadillac senior Dylan Vermilyea who was the last of the 16 match-play qualifiers on the boys’ side. Jacobson, bowling in the state singles competition for the second time, had scores of 162, 223, 208, 256, 216 and 144. Both Barton and Jacobson had also bowled with their teams Friday in the Team State Finals, and were not alone on the lanes at Super Bowl Saturday. Saxon junior Amber Rabideau was 55th in the girls’ qualifying with an overall score of 898 that included games of 110, 149, 170, 136, 177 and 156. TK senior Paige Green was also in the girls’ singles competition. She finished with a sixgame series of 901 thanks to games of 115, 173, 160, 138, 140 and 175. Tecumseh senior Abby Werden was the top bowler in qualifying with an overall pinfall of 1,299, but she was bumped off in the semifinals of match-play by Wayland senior Bella Hamish. It was Whitehall senior Karli Vanduinen who took the girls’ singles state title, besting Hamish in the match-play finals 460-381. Vanduinen put together games of235 and 225 in the champion­ ship while Hamish rolled a 191 and a 190. Northview junior Kyle Pranger was the top guy in the Division 2 qualifying rounds. He had a total score of 1,439, but he was bested in the match-play championship by Gibraltar Carlson junior Zack Sisk. Sisk and Pranger were tied 409-409 after their two games of the finals and had to compete in a 9-10 frame roll-off tiebreak­ er to decide the state championship. Sisk pulled out a 60-59 win to take the championship. Pranger had just helped the Northview boys to a team state title Friday. The Wildcats won the qualifying rounds, which include eight Baker games and six regular games, with an overall pinfall of 3,603 and then worked through the eight-team match-play bracket to defeat Tecum­ seh 1,287-1,229 in the finals which included two Baker games and one regular game. The TK boys were 17th in the 18-team qual­ ifying field with an overall pinfall of 3,072. They had high Baker games of 203 and 220 among the eight and a top regular game score of 895. The Hastings girls were 14th in their team qualifying rounds Friday totaling a score of 2,822. The Saxons had a high Baker game of 222 and top regular game of 784 with the team of Kaylin Schild, Ally Herder, Andrea Rhodes, Barton, Amber Rabideau and Shyanna Baker competing. The Saxons put together a string of seven consecutive strikes during that 222 Baker game. During the regular games the Saxons got high scores of 210 from Barton, 190 and 171 from Rhodes, 146 from Baker, 146 from Rabideau and 140 from Herder. Flint Kearsley was tops in the girls’ qualify­ ing with an overall pinfall of 3,282 and then worked through the match-play bracket to defeat Mason 1,178-1,143 in the championship final. Hastings senior guard Brooklynn Youngs looks to beat a Portland defender near center-court during their district semifinal bailgame at Ionia High School Wednesday, March 2. (Photo by Bob Gaskill) LEGAL NOTICES Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 A utomotive 2002 FORD THUNDER­ BIRD, convertible, red, premium interior package in chrome, $17,500. 269­ 965-4663 ext. 234, call 24/7 and leave a message. B u sin ess Services BELLS CONSTRUCTION18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, floor­ ing, trim, home improve­ ments, power washing. 269-320-3890. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy sin­ gle Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FAB­ RICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269­ 804-7506. Pets JACK RUSSELL PUPPIESSmall, cute and playful. 1st shots and wormed, $400.00. 269-223-9194. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insur­ ance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hard­ woods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, ML BAND SAW FILER: Duties include sharpening and repairing band head rig saws, band resaws, carbide tipped circle saws, chipper knives and dressing guide blocks. This is a full time, permanent position. Bene­ fits include health, dental, vision and life insurance, 401K with company match, vacation and holiday time along with a competitive wage. Please send resumes to info@qualityhardwoodsinc.com or apply in per­ son at 396 Main St., Sun­ field, ML NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number: SP-2-2022 - Allen & Esther Kempf (Property Owners) Location: 5882 Lawrence Road, Nashville, in Section 18 of Maple Grove Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to operate a convenience store per Article 23, Section 2321 in the RR (Rural Residential) zoning district. MEETING DATE: March 28, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at imcmanus@barrycounty.org. The special use application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 176780 �Page 14 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Vikings seventh in their return to D3 State Finals . .** The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team celebrates its first appearance in the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Finals sincel 2018 at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids Saturday. The Lakewood girls placed seventh at the eight-team meet. (Photo by Chelsea Chase) Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Vikings were a little bit wide-eyed this time according to their coach, but if all goes as planned most of the Lakewood cheerlead­ ers will get another turn or two or three on the mats at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids. The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team returned to the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Finals for the first time since 2018 and scored a seventh-place finish with their performance Saturday afternoon. “I definitely think it made them hungrier,” Lakewood head coach Kim Martin said of what her young cheerleaders took away from their first state finals appearance. “I think I have a lot of younger girls that are begging me about starting gymnastics up, and stunt­ ing, they want to do four-on-ones. The coach in me loves that, but they need a break. They need to rest their bodies for a while. “Maybe in May.” That is when the sideline cheer season first starts some workouts, and many members of the sideline cheer team are also members of the competitive cheer program. Martin is also excited to see that her girls are already trying to recruit new teammates for the future. Lakewood bested the Tri County team which bettered it at their Division 3 Regional meet the weekend before on Saturday in Grand Rapids. Richmond won its fourth consecutive Division 3 State Championship by finishing nine tenths of a point ahead of the runners-up from Paw Paw. It was the second year in a row the Spiders and Red Wolves went 1-2 at the finals, with Richmond just one point bet­ ter at the end of the 2021 Finals. During this four-year run by the Spi­ ders,the Paw Paw girls were also third in 2020 and fifth in 2019. The Lakewood girls were fifth in their last state finals appearance in 2018. “That was tough,” Martin said. “[Rich­ mond and Paw Paw] were both just phenom­ enal. Both of them have a very upperclass­ men filled teams. Richmond had nine or ten seniors and Paw Paw'was right up there too. They had upperclassmen and they cheered like that. Very clean. It could have gone either way.” Martin’s girls didn’t get to see much of the competition. They were the eighth team to cheer in round one, seventh in round two and seventh in round three. Martin said cheering last is better than cheering first in a round, but still not ideal. The Vikings were back in the warm-up area while most of the competition played out. The Vikings opened with what Martin saw as their best round one performance of the season which earned 'them a score of 227.70 ■ ■ $ The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team holds up its flyers during round three of the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Finals at the Delta Plex in Grand Rapids Saturday. (Photo by Chelsea Chase) and had them tied with Monroe Jefferson for sixth place after that first round. Lakewood had the lowest score of the competition in round two at 212.04, but still have a little over a one-point lead on Tri County for the seventh spot. The Vikings closed out the meet with a 305 in round three. “I think nerves played a part,” Martin said. “We went so late in every round. We were almost last in every round. I think by the end of the competition your girls start to get a little flat. I think that was the deal with our round three, it was just a little flat.” It was Paw Paw that had the top round one score of the competition, tallying 234.40 points. Richmond was right behind at 234.20. Richmond then added scores of 229.40 in round two and 317.40 in round three. Paw Paw scored 228.40 points in round two and 317.20 in round three. Paw Paw finished the day with an overall score of 781.00. Paw Paw was second at 780.00, ahead of Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 776.62, Croswell-Lexington 772.68, Monroe Jefferson 763.24, Portland 760.54, Lakewood 744.74 and Howard City Tri County 718/98. The Portland girls put up scores of 28.60 in round one, 218.24 in round two and 313.70 iri round three. The Vikings were appreciative of great community support in the lead-up to the Finals. “We had some great people in the commu­ nity who brought gifts for the girls the week of states,” Martin said. “The girls loved it from treats to little gift items. It was awe-j some. The parents too did stuff for the girls and our athletic association paid for a nice team dinner on Friday night.” “We had the fire truck escort and the police department escort [on the way to the Finals.] It meant a lot to them,” she added. Lowell/Cal/TK playoff run ends in regional final Lowell/CaledoniaTThomapple Kellogg senior Owen Carpenter (14) and junior Zach Schneider (23) look on as the Capital City Capitals accept their regional championship medals Wednesday (March 2) at the end of the MHSAA Division 1 Regional Final at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 2022 BOARD OF REVIEW NOTICE City of Hastings 201 E State St Hastings, Ml 49058 2022 BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING SCHEDULE The City of Hastings Board of Review for 2022 will be held at the City of Hastings 2nc^ floor conference room, 201 E State St, on the following dates: Tuesday, March 8, 2022 1:00 pm = Organizational Meeting Monday, March 14, 2022 3:00 pm-9:00 pm = Appeal Hearing Wednesday, March 16, 2022 11:30 am-5:30 pm = Appeal Hearing The Board of Review will meet to hear questions, protests and to equalize the 2022 assessments. By board resolution, residents are able to protest by letter, provided protest letter is received prior to March 10. Please mail to Assessor, 201 E State St, Hastings Ml 49058. The tentative ratios and the estimated multipliers for each class of real property and personal property for 2022 are as follows: Agricultural.............. ...48.65.......... ........ 1.027 Commercial............. ...46.80......... ........ 1.0683 Industrial.................. ....50.66......... ........ 0.9869 Residential.............. ....46.43......... ........ 1.0768 Personal Property.. .... 50.00........ ......... 1.0000 Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Notice The City of Hastings will provide necessary reasonable services to individuals with dis­ abilities at the Board of Review meetings upon 4 days notice. Contact: Sarah Moyer-Cale 269-945-2468 BretFairemer ; S^orTs Editor ...........’ He got one last shot off'somehow. Lowell/Caledonia/Thomapple Kellogg’s Alex Skibinski glided into the left circle, with his left-handed shot, Aid took a whack as the puck dropped on a face-off with four tenths of a second left in Wednesday’s (March 2) MHSAA Division 1 Hockey Regional Final at Lawson Ice Arena on the campus of West­ ern Michigan University in Kalamazoo. The Capital City Capitals had just iced the puck for the second time in the final ten sec­ onds while Lowell/Cal/TK played with an empty net at the far end. Skibinski’s shot skipped across the top of the crease and within another fraction of a second that spot was covered with the sticks, gloves and helmets of the celebrating Capital City Capitals. Capital City took a 3-2 victory over the Lowell/Cal/TK boys to earn a spot in Saturday’s state quarterfinals. Lowell/Caledonia/Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Griffin Wolverton fights through Lowell/Cal/TK won two games during a Capital City's Brody Olger (left) and Wayne Matthews (right) to try and get to the puck tough regular season schedule, but surged to in the offensive zone during the March 2 MHSAA Division 1 Regional Final at Lawson win two games to open the postseason in Ice Arena on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Kalamazoo before the one-goal loss Wednes­ day. circle as traffic made its There may have been less urgency in the way in front of White, and closing seconds if Lowell/Cal/TK captain then fired a shot that worked Owen Carpenter hadn’t ripped a shot from its way through the crowd just inside the blue line straight out in front of into the net. Duham earned the Capital City net that clanged off the cross an assist as his team went bar and down into the goal with 2:48 to play back up 2-1. in the third period Wednesday pulling his team within 3-2. Great scoring chances were few and far between Capital City, a co-op for players from for both sides for much of Laingsburg, Mason, Lansing Catholic, St. the contest, even as the two Johns, Williamston and DeWitt, played much teams traded a few penal­ of the contest with a two-goal lead after going ties the rest of the way. A ahead 3-1 with 10:17 remaining in the second period. few of Lowell/Cal/TK’s student supporters made Turnovers cost the Lowell/Cal/TK skaters their way to the yellow a couple of times. Capital City got its first seats behind the penalty goal when senior forward Gunner Stirrett box in Lawson to taunt Stir­ took the puck away at his own blue line and rett a bit after he received a raced to the other end to jam the puck past hooking penalty a minute Lowell/Cal/TK keeper Finn White. Senior defenseman Logan Dunham scored and a half into the second period. He nearly made his team’s third goal, in the second period, them pay for it rushing out when a LCTK clearing attempt didn’t clear. It of the box as his penalty slid slowly to the top of the Capitals’ offen­ expired to a pass through sive zone and Dunham had time to wind up a center ice for a breakaway big slap shot that found its way through in on White. White poked White. his stick out to his right and Lowell/Cal/TK had tied the contest at 1-1 turned the chance away to with 5:03 to go in the first period, but it was keep it a one-goal deficit at a tie that lasted all of 17 seconds. the time. Lowell/Cal/TK junior defenseman Zach White also thwarted a Schneider made a nice play on the blue line to Lowell/Caledonia/TK senior defenseman Massimo one-on-one chance by Cap­ keep the puck in his team’s offensive zone Piccione fires a shot from above the right circle against itals forward Leo Clement setting up his team’s first-period goal The the Capital City Capitals in the MHSAA Division 1'i late in the third period. puck found its way to senior forward Drew Regional Final at Lawson Ice Arena Wednesday, March Lowell/Cal/TK had a Klomparens who sent it down where sopho­ 2. (Photo by Brett Bremer) goal waved off with 27.2 more forward Griffin Wolverton scored. seconds to play in the second period as offi­ victory and earned the right to face Midland Klomparens was credited with the only assist in the MHSAA Division 1 State Quarterfinal cials ruled it was knocked into the net with a on the play. at Suburban Ice Center in East Lansing Satur-, hand pass. ........ ' After the ensuing face-off, Lowell/Cal/TK day (March 5). Keeper Zach Dys made 24 saves in net for gave the Capitals’ junior forward Bryan Lowell/Cal/TK closes the season with an the Capitals. Matko a little too much time and space. overall record of 4-22. . Capital City improved to 15-7-1 with the Matko floated from the center into the left �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — Page 15 Rams win district grudge match with DK Brett Bremer Sports Editor Unfortunately for the Panthers, it wasn’t a new phenomenon. They had a lead and then they didn’t. Delton Kellogg’s varsity boys’ basketball team built a double-digit lead in the opening quarter of its MHSAA Division 3 District opener against Southwestern Athletic Confer­ ence Valley Division rival Galesburg-Augus­ ta, at Delton Kellogg High School, Monday. In the end though, it was the Rams who had a double-figure advantage. The Rams ended the 2021-22 Delton Kel­ logg season with a 60-46 win over the district hosts in the second bailgame of the evening in Delton. Fellow SAC Valley foe Hackett Catholic Prep bested Maple Valley 57-38 in game number one. “I feel like we got out hustled and out worked by Galesburg-Augusta,” Delton Kel­ logg head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “At big moments we just didn’t secure the ball or make good decisions. It has been a bit of a struggle for us down the last six/eight games. That’s on me as coach - just could never figure out how to help my guys get comfortable with situations.” Just how and when to get big center Alex Whitmore the ball was an issue for Delton Kellogg at times. He dominated the game early, scoring his team’s first 12 points as it opened the game by taking a 16-4 lead. He had two buckets in the paint and then buried two three-pointers to have his team up 12-4 at the end of the first quarter. “They really didn’t have an answer for him, but they made a nice adjustment,” Hog­ oboom said. “We lost some patience to con­ tinue to look for him, but also at times forced the pass even though there were multiple bodies there defensively.” Delton Kellogg senior center Alex Whitmore fights to get around Galesburg-Augusta's John Klimp in the post during the first half of their Division 3 District opener Monday at Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Alex Whitrmore finished the night with 18 points. His brother Alden Whitmore had 16 and Austin Blocker chipped in nine points for DK. It was the Rams who mostly dominated from the start of the second quarter on. A steal and a bucket by the Rams’ Nick Mann and then a transition bucket by his teammate Gavin Mclunkin gave Galesburg-Augusta its first lead at 21-20 with 2:18 to play in the first half. A three by DK’s Austin Blocker put his team back in front 23-21 at the half, but the Panthers lost the lead for good midway through the third quarter. The Rams went on a 10-0 run over the course of two minutes and led 43-32 with 1:55 to go in the third quarter. DK cut the lead down to as little as four points on another three by Blocker two min­ utes into the fourth quarter, and had the ball looking to get within a single score, but things got away from the Panthers from there. Over the next few possessions DK was whistled for a five-second call trying to inbound the ball, gave up a flurry of offensive rebounds that led to a Ram bucket and saw guard Mason Nabozny foul out on a pair of violations 13 seconds apart which included a charge taken by the Rams’ Zach Eberstein and a touch foul near center court. The Ram lead swelled from 45-41 to 52-41. Jalen Dolph had a team-high 12 points for the Rams. Carter Boniface finished with 11 points and Eberstein had ten. The Rams improved to 10-10 with the vic­ tory and were set to face 14-6 Kalamazoo Christian in the MHSAA Division 3 District Semifinals back at Delton Kellogg last night (March 9). Hackett Catholic Prep was sched­ uled to take on Schoolcraft, the district’s top seeded team currently ranked sixth in the state in Division 3, in the other semifinal in Delton Kellogg guard Torren Mapes flies under the rim to attempt a reverse lay-up during the second half against Galesburg-Augusta in the Division 3 District opener at Delton Kellogg High School Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Wednesday. The district final is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Delton Kellogg High School. DK ends the season with a 6-15 overall record. Delton Kellogg and Galesburg-Au­ gusta had split their two SAC Valley meet­ ings this season, with the Panthers scoring a four-point win in Delton in mid-February and the Rams winning by one in Galesburg back in December. “I love my guys,” coach Hogoboom said. “They’ve been through quite a bit the last two years, short-handed much of the year with just eight guys on our roster. I appreciate them, how they continue to work hard in practice which is not easy with a bunch of four-on-four drills. “The seniors will be sorely missed: the Whitmore boys, Austin Blocker and Austin Hill have all been a joy to coach. They’re special young men.” Delton Kellogg senior guard Alden Whitmore sends GalesburgAugusta's Nick Mann sprawling to the floor as he attacks the basket during the second half of Monday's district ballgame in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Wiser leads Lion attack in district loss to the Irish Brett Bremer Sports Editor He couldn’t save the day on Monday night, but there might have been a few more suc­ cessful evenings for the Maple Valley varsity boys’ basketball team if senior James Wiser had gotten the chance to play more than a handful of ballgames. Wiser had a team-high 16 points, knocking down four three-pointers and going 4-of-4 at the free throw line, but the Lions were still bested 57-38 in the opening round of the MHSAA Division 3 District Tournament hosted by Delton Kellogg. “It was nice to have him put in some shots tonight,” Maple Valley head coach Ryan Nevins said. “He put a lot of work in the off­ season not to get to play. He didn’t play before Christmas, and then he came back and played the first four games after Christmas and injured his shoulder...” “Honestly, this summer [Wiser] was shoot­ ing the ball so well and we kind of talked about him stepping into the role that Lane [Brumm] had for us last season, that in-thegap shooter for us as we penetrate and kick,” Nevins added. “He had some really good times in the summer where he was just flat out making everything, and plus he is a really good leader. When you only have two seniors and you lose one, he was more of our vocal leader, it really hurt us this year.” The Lions were 3-18 overall this season. Carsen Musser was the other local senior on the Lion roster joined in playing his final Maple Valley varsity basketball game with foreign exchange students Ben Schuch, Mateo Fernandez and Daniel Gonzalez. The two teams were tied 10-10 with just under a minute to play in the first quarter, but the Fighting Irish went on a 10-1 run to take control of the ballgame. A three by Wiser with 2:20 to play in the first half was the only field goal by the Lions in the sec­ ond quarter and the Irish pulled to a 30-16 halftime lead. Maple Valley senior guard James Wiser runs the point for a bit during his team's MHSAA Division 3 District opener against Hackett Catholic Prep at Delton Kellogg High School Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Lions struggled to score against the Hackett Catholic Prep zone defense. “We didn’t have that guard that could pen­ etrate gaps and get into the lane this year,” Nevins said. “We had a lot of guys that were step-in shooters, and it really hurts especially against zones like that when you can’t pene­ trate and kick and get the zone out of sorts to find a lane to get the ball into the paint. Teams that played zone against us this year, we really struggled. Teams that played man against us, we could score a little bit.” The Irish lead hit 20 points for the first time about three minutes into the second half. The lead would grow to as many as 27 points. Hackett Catholic Prep got 18 points from junior forward Logan St. Martin and 15 from junior center Bennett Carpenter, a pair of play­ ers whose size the Lions could not match. Junior guard Gabriel Gamsho added 15 points. St. Martin and Carpenter dominated on the offensive glass at times. The Lions’ other struggled defensively was getting back in transition at times. “[St. Martin} and [Carpenter] were their two big kids,” Nevins said. “We had to do two things. One, we couldn’t let them catch it in the paint and two, once the shot went up we couldn’t allow them to get an offensive rebound. [Carpenter] did a nice job, the big kid, we didn’t get a body on him I don’t think the whole first half. He was in the high post and would come right down the lane and jump over the top of us and get a rebound. “I thought at times we did really well, but just not enough this year. We’re young. We learned a lot this year.” Sophomore guard Ayden Wilkes had ten points for the Lions. Fernandez and Musser had three points apiece for the Lions. The Lions would have a tough time beating anyone with Schuch finishing with two points and sophomore Chanse Courtney held score­ less, and that is how things played out Mon­ day. They were two of the team’s top offen­ sive threats much of the year. Hackett Catholic Prep improved to 12-8 overall this season. The Fighting Irish were set to take on the district tournament’s top seed, 18-2 Schoolcraft, in the district semifi­ nals back in Delton Wednesday (March 9). Schoolcraft won its two Southwestern Ath­ letic Conference Valley Division ballgames with Hackett handily this winter. The Eagles entered the postseason ranked sixth in the state in Division 3. Galesburg-Augusta and Kalamazoo Chris­ tian were slated to meet in the other semifinal in Delton Wednesday night. The two semifi­ nal winners will meet in the district final Friday at 7 p.m. in Delton. Maple Valley senior guard Ben Schuch rises above a crowd in the paint to get a shot off during his team's loss to Hackett Catholic Prep in the MHSAA Division 3 District opener at Delton Kellogg High School Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) NOTICE TO BIDDERS 176639 BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 A.M. Monday, March 21, 2022 for the sale of the following items. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above address or at our web site at www.barrycrc.org. (1) 1978 Ford F9000, W/Water Tanker, Miles: Unknown Minimum Bid $2,000 The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. BOARDOFCOUNTYROADCOMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF BARRY Frank M. Fiala David D. Solmes D. David Dykstra Chairman Member Member �Page 16 — Thursday, March 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Dubois sets Saxon pin record at State Finals place, but after one day at the finals he want­ ed more. “1 went to bed [Friday] night saying I want third. It’s calling my name,” Dubois said. “I woke up and came and got it.” Dubois scored a 10-5 win over Marquette’s Chris Ricker in his first match of the morning Saturday in the third round of consolation. He picked up pin number 42 by sticking McMil­ lan 41 seconds into their consolation semifi­ nal match and then he pinned DiGenova 1:42 into their medal round match for third place. It was a long slog through the consolation bracket for Dubois to place third after falling to DiGenova in the opening round of the tour­ nament Friday morning. DiGenova pinned Dubois 4:26 into that match. Dubois kept his season alive by pulling out an 8-7 win over Plainwell’s Adin Young in the opening round of consolation Friday and then secured his place on the state medal stand by pinning Allen Park’s Brendon Peters 4:01 into their blood round match. He was seconds from leaving Ford Field without a win. Young had a 7-6 lead on him before Dubois scored a reversal with three seconds remaining in the third period to pull ahead by one. Young had started the period on the bottom and earned a reversal 25 sec­ onds in to take his own one-point lead. “I go, I can not lose this right now. There is no way,” Dubois said of what was running through his head in those final moments of that consolation match. “I can not. I set it up and I got the roll, and the rest is history. My dad told me it took ten years off his life.” Dubois not only reversed the result in his second match with Kearsley’s DiGenova, he also reversed an earlier result against Green­ ville’s McMillan who had pinned him at Brett Bremer Sports Editor No Saxon has ever stuck more opponents in a season than senior heavyweight Jackson Dubois. Dubois set the Hastings varsity wrestling team’s single season pin record at 43 by put­ ting a pair of foes on their shoulders to close out his time at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in downtown Detroit Saturday. Dubois and junior teammate Robby Slaughter were tied, with Hastings head coach and Robby’s big brother Jason Slaugh­ ter, at the top of the Saxon pin leaderboard heading into the second day of the Finals with 41 pins each. The two Saxons both had earned one pin on Friday at the finals to match Jason’s single season record. Dubois finished off his time as a high school wrestler by pinning Greenville’s Zach McMillan and Flint Kearsley’s Dominik DiGenova in Divi­ sion 2’s 285-pound weight class Saturday to pull ahead of the two Slaughters. Hastings sent three wrestlers to the Indi­ vidual State Finals and all three earned all­ state medals for top eight finishes in their weight classes in Division 2. Dubois capped his senior season with a 48-8 record by plac­ ing third. Slaughter was eighth at 160 pounds in his second appearance at the state finals, and Hastings freshman Isaac Friddle placed eighth at 215 pounds. “It is cool having all three that we brought here place,” Hastings head coach Jason Slaughter said. “That is rare, getting every­ body you bring to place. It shows that their goal wasn’t just to make it here. They wanted to place.” Dubois said that was his original goal to Hastings senior Jackson Dubois (right) bridges out of trouble during his medal round match for third place against Flint Kearsley’s Dominik DiGenova in Division 2's 285pound weight class Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit. Dubois pinned DiGenova in 1:42 to place third in his first appearance at the MHSAA Individual State Finals. (Photo by Brett Bremer) I THF HOTTEST STARS Dick Fox’s GOLDEN BOYS Starring FRANKIE AVALON • FABIAN • BOBBY RYDELL FRIDAY, MARCH 25 KENNY LOGGINS • AT THE MOVIES TOUR THURSDAY, APRIL 21 PATTI LABELLE FRIDAY, MAY 20 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR VlSfiFoN- L™ I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Hastings junior Robby Slaughter (right) looks to throw Whitehall's Wyatt Jenkins to the mat during their match in the second round of consolation in Division 2's 160pound weight class Friday at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit. Slaughter pinned Jenkins and went on to place eighth. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings freshman Isaac Friddle nears a pin of New Boston Huron's Wyatt Marentette during their opening round match in Division 2's 215-pound weight class at the MHSAA Individual State Finals at Ford Field in Detroit Friday. Friddle went on to place eighth at their weight class. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Slaght ends senior season on medal stand at D4 State Finals Brett Bremer Sports Editor Dansville’s Blake Baker scored a 5-2 win over Maple Valley senior Matthew Slaght during a series of duals at Lakewood High School in early January. That first loss of the season is when Slaght realized he wasn’t quite working hard enough in his quest for a fourth appearance at the MHSAA Individual State Finals and a third all-state medal. It made it all the more fitting that Slaght opened his time at Ford Field in Division 4’s 119-pound weight class with another match-up against Baker. This time Slaght scored a 6-4 win and then worked his way through the rest of the com- Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. LSTOAm■fiii Grace Lutheran j Church 239 E North St., Hastings MI 49058 individual districts. “He was just loose and letting things fly. He was hitting his headlock and he just had confidence in it, so it was awesome,” coach Slaughter said of Dubois. “I think yesterday, once he made it through that blood round a weight lifted off of him and then he just wres­ tled the way he normally does.” “What I always try to tell them [about the state finals], is that it is not any different than any other wrestling match,” coach Slaughter said. “It is no different than if you’re wres­ tling a guy at conference or a guy on a Satur­ day. It is just another match. You get some of those good kids on a Saturday anyway. It is the same thing, just a different stadium, so I just try to tell them and wrestle the same. “Dubois is a great example of that.” Friddle ends his first varsity season with a record of 44-12. Robby Slaughter was 48-6 on the season. Robby and Friddle were both 2-3 on the weekend, winning an opening round match and then their first consolation bout after being knocked out of the championship bracket in the quarterfinals Friday. Robby Slaughter, who was the Saxons’ lone state qualifier a year ago, scored a 4-2 win over Jackson Northwest’s Braden Gari­ ety in an ultimate tiebreaker to start the tour­ nament, but then was pinned by Goodrich’s Easton Phipps late in the second period of their quarterfinal match. Robby secured his spot on the 160-pound medal stand with a pin of Whitehall’s Wyatt Jenkins 1:39 into their match in the second round of consolation. “Last year, he didn’t walk away with a medal,” coach Slaughter said of Robby. “It was a goal to get a medal today, but yeah he’s a little bummed he didn’t get higher I think. That is how it is, unless you’re the champion. You’re always trying to get a bit more. I think he wanted a little bit more, but I am still proud of him being an all-state athlete.” Saturday Robby was pinned by Gaylord’s Ty Bensinger and then lost out in a 7-2 deci­ sion to Greenville’s Nayte Dobson in the match for seventh place. “He got a lot better technically [this sea­ son],” coach Slaughter said of Robby’s junior season. “He developed some more shots on his feet, so he got a little more confidence on his feet. He goes after a lot more take downs and stuff now on his feet. I think his mindset is growing too. He is just going after it a lot more.” Friddle scored pins for his two wins. He opened by sticking New Boston Huron 215-pounder Wyatt Marentette 1:44 into their match Friday. In the quarterfinals, Friddle was bested 8-5 by Goodrich’s James Mahon. Friddle survived to Saturday by pinning DeWitt’s Dillon Babb 3:48 into their blood round match. On Saturday, Friddle was pinned by Lansing Eastern’s Harun Mkumbakwa and then bested 10-1 by Pontiac’s Teveion Ethchan in the match for seventh. “He is super excited,” coach Slaughter said of Friddle. “We haven’t had a freshman place in a long time. He is really excited about it. He is a guy who has a hard time losing too, but he was excited he is here and placing.” “I think it’ll be good for everybody’s con­ fidence, having [Friddle] and having Robby back next year, these guys that have been here now. Two placers coming back will be awesome for the team next year.” I ~ _ PRE-ORDER ONLY by Thursday, March 17th for Pickup on Saturday, March 26th Tell us when you want to pick up between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm Call 269.945.9414 to place your order Monday - Thursday 9 am - 1 pm $7.00 Unbaked • $8.00 Baked petition at the Finals to place sixth at his weight class. Slaght was sixth as a freshman at the state finals and then fourth as a junior. Injuries limited him in his sophomore season, but he was still a state qualifier that year. This season was very different. Teammate Jesse Brumm, who was a state champion in 2021, graduated from Maple Valley last spring and Slaght lost the guy who had really beat on him and pushed him in practice for his first three varsity campaigns. On top of that, Maple Valley only had four wrestlers out for the team at the start of the season and Slaght and freshman 125-pounder Robert Schilz were the only two still competing at by the end of the regular season. There were good and bad parts to having such a quiet wrestling room. “I can basically dictate practice,” Slaght said. “It goes how I want. Obviously, I have to do certain things like run and condition and those things, but really we could dictate it around what I had to do. I had two coaches. I never had to worry about sharing them. All the partners I had, and I had a lot of seniors from last year come and wrestle me, so it wasn’t like I didn’t have anyone to wrestle. I had Jesse [Brumm] come up and a couple other kids come up and wrestle me. “The biggest downside is that I don’t have them every today. I don’t have someone that is ready to go hard on me 110 percent every day with the same skill level and the same work ethic. It is harder to find competition, so getting here [to the state finals] was a little bit out of my comfort zone because I am not used to wrestling super hard this year, but I made it work.” He was certainly enjoying the moment at Ford Field, something he might not have done as much if it wasn’t for his teammate Schilz. “I learned to take a chill pill from Robert. Robert made me re-enjoy wrestling,” Slaght, who battled shoulder injuries throughout high school. “I came into the season angry. I was very determined to win, but not really deter­ Maple Valley senior Matthew Slaght captures the moment walking around the mats at Ford Field in Detroit during the Grand March before the championship finals of the MHSAA Individual State Finals Saturday. Slaght, a four-time state qualifier, earned his third state medal by placing six in Division 4's 119-pound weight class over the week­ end. (Photo by Brett Bremer) mined to have fun at all. I didn’t care. Robert showed me that you can do both and it makes it a lot more enjoyable when you’re winning and having fun. Without Robert, I don’t know if I’d be wrestling today to be honest. Hope­ fully, I gave him a little bit of insight into what you have to do to win. You have to work hard and you have to put in the effort.” Slaght had to work through the consolation bracket for his state medal. Iron Mountain’s Tyler Winch scored an 11-8 win over him in their quarterfinal match Friday. Slaght secured his state medal with a 10-2 win over Bangor’s Jonathan Nieva in their blood round match Friday and then moved on to Satur­ day’s consolation bracket matches. “I was nervous. I felt like I was going to strain something. I was a little bit upset. I was coming off a loss and there wasn’t much time in between,” Slaght said of that blood round contest. “I was a little bit fatigued still, but I was kind of in a good mindset. I had [coach­ es] Tony [Wawiernia] and Tim [Schilz] in my head, ‘you’re not hurt. You’re fine. You’re fine.’ and after the fifth or sixth time I thought, I guess I am fine.” Slaght stuck Brown City’s Wynn Blake 3:58 into their match in the third round of consolation to start the day Saturday. Slaght was then pinned by Hudson’s Cole Marry in the consolation semifinals. Slaght’s tourna­ ment ended in a 4-2 sudden victory loss to Jared Bunn from Manchester in the match for fifth-place at 119 pounds. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-03-17.pdf 28df8c76bc2cb204b3e2471d12d93137 PDF Text Text Gravel mine proposal tabled - for now The pain of watching others get hurt Hamilton defense wears out Saxons in district semis See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 1070490102590504481149058113421 *,******«*«*********CAR-RT LOT**C 005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1 9:47-00 AM Thursday, March 17, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 11 PRICE $1.00 Historic vote OKs $6M for local projects (From left) Eric Mulvaine, network and systems administrator for Barry County’s Central Dispatch/E-911; Ted DeVries, Prairieville Township trustee; Central Dispatch/E-911 Director Stephanie Lehman; and Bill Irwin, Motorola Solutions senior account sales manager, listen to deliberations during Tuesday’s county board meet­ ing. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Rebecca Pierce Editor Years from now, the acronym ARPA may mean nothing to the residents of Barry County. But the impact of nearly $6 million in Amer­ ican Rescue Plan Act funds, allocated by county commissioners Tuesday, will likely be felt for decades - addressing issues ranging from water quality to emergency communications capabili­ ty to accessibility of healthy food choices. Never before has the county been able to invest so much money so broadly and sub­ stantively to support local needs within its borders, county officials say. The nearly $12 million the county is receiving from the federal government - in two allotments of about $5.9 million each - is equivalent to about two-thirds of the county’s annual general fund budget. The amount is so significant, county offi­ cials saw the opportunity to assist in local projects that could be “transformative in nature and may have impacts across munici­ pal boundaries,” Chairman Ben Geiger said. So, last year, the board opened the door to requests from local governments within the county, created a task force that went through a painstaking process to weigh each proposed project based on scores determined by federal government guidelines, and hosted a town hall session to•iriMSfcpnHic input. Seven projects were finally selected to receive a portion of the county’s first round of ARPA money. Tuesday, commissioners were prepared to approve those projects. But, before they could do so, there was a hitch - a major one. They had to come up with another $380,000, but that first round of ARPA money was pretty much tapped out. “Due to economic challenges, construction and technology costs have risen by 30 percent for the proposed 800MHz tower site,” Cen­ tral Dispatch/E-911 Director Stephanie Leh­ man wrote. “Due to these increases, the approved budgetary pricing of $2.4 million will not cover the cost of the project.” Lehman described their efforts to research other options and negotiate for a lower cost, but the choices they considered were unac­ ceptable, and the needs for their emergency communications tower were exacting. The original plan had been for microwave loop instead of fiber connectivity. “Fiber, in general, is scarce in Barry Coun­ ty,” she said, “and creates concerns with regards to redundancy and sustainability. If fiber were used, when an additional tower site is added, the proposed site would ultimately need to be switched over to microwave.” Finally, Lehman said, they returned to Motorola for some “intense negotiations” and came up with a project cost of $2.78 million. It’s $380,714 more than they had budgeted for, but it’s better than what they would be facing in the near future. The cost of the proj­ ect is likely to double if they don’t lock in now, she said, pointing to “the reality of the financial climate.” Commissioners didn’t disagree with Leh­ man’s assessment of the situation, and Com­ missioner Dave Jackson remarked that he had been expecting something like this to happen. No one debated the importance of the proj­ ect, which isn’t focused so much on upgrades for the 911 office as it is intended to help emergency crews. See HISTORIC VOTE, page 3 Trash or treasure? Debate over anti-blight measure heats up in Rutland Township Benjamin Simon Staff Writer A buzz of unease and frustration rippled through Rutland Charter Township Hall as 40 people crammed into the building last week to discuss an anti-blight ordinance. For an hour, person after person took the podium March 9, and almost all of them expressed disapproval of the ordinance aimed at removing blight, or waste, within the township. Yet, as the public spoke, it was unclear where the board stood. And as board mem­ bers began to share their opinions, the audi­ ence stirred with uncertainty - like Bryan Wilder, who stood in the back of the room. “Hey!” he whispered to the people around him, directing their attention to the front of the room. Treasurer Sandy Greenfield had just started talking. Not wanting to miss Greenfield’s com­ ments, Wilder walked forward, past the last row of seats, allowing him to hear the board clearly. He crouched behind an empty seat like a catcher, zeroing his eyes on Greenfield, listening to every word. He didn’t move until Greenfield finished speaking. “Let’s go back to the drawing board,” she said. The room reverberated with applause. Sat­ isfied, Wilder hopped up from his crouch and returned to his post against the wall. A few minutes later, much to the satisfac­ tion of the crowd, the Rutland Charter Town­ ship board agreed to postpone approval of the anti-blight ordinance. The room again erupted in applause and cheers. “Thank you!” people yelled. Currently, the township has a blight text that is one paragraph long, which Clerk Robin Hawthorne referred to as more of a “blight definition” - but not a blight ordinance. It reads “No trash, litter or junk shall be accumulated, placed, stored or allowed on any premises in the township, except in a lawful sanitary landfill, a lawful junkyard, or not to exceed eight days’ storage in watertight/covered storage receptacles designed for the temporary accumulation of trash.” For more than a year, the board has worked to create a clearer and more in-depth anti­ blight policing ordinance - one that now stretches many paragraphs and three pages. See DEBATE, page 3 Among the Hastings High School academic top honors students from the class of 2022 who maintained a 4.0 or higher grade point average through the first seven semes­ ters of high school are (from left): Taylor Owen, daughter of Julie and Perry Owen; Hannah Vann, daughter of Holly Vann; Ruby Barber, daughter of Michelle and Paul Barber; Sage Winters, daughter of Craig and Shawn Winters; Emma VanDenburg, daughter of Derek and Sarah VanDenburg; and Carissa Strouse, daughter of Pamela and Jeremy Strouse. (Photo by Benjamin Simon.) Hastings’ top honors students share variety of interests Hastings High School has announced its academic top honors students from the class of 2022. Students who maintained a 4.0 or higher grade point average through the first seven semesters of high school are selected for the honor. Two boys and eight girls earned academ­ ic top honors this year. Along with academ­ ics, the students also have been involved in music, athletics, theater, school clubs and more. “Their dedication, perseverance and grit has driven them to the top of their class,” HHS Principal Teresa Heide said when introducing the students to the board of edu­ cation Monday evening. “Though we are honoring them based on academic achieve­ ment, it should not go unmentioned that these students are at the top of their class as young men and women of character, as well. They epitomize our core values of being Saxon strong. They’re supportive, trust­ worthy, respectful, open-minded, noble and gritty.” The 10 students had been asked about their activities and organizations throughout high school, what they are most proud of from the past four years, and their plans after high school. The honored students include: See HASTINGS, page 2 Royal Coach setback not sitting well Rebecca Pierce Editor The Barry County Board of Commis­ sioners and Hastings City Council expressed support for the Royal Coach project that has stalled in recent weeks. ' Hastings’ Royal Coach housing proj­ ect was stopped in its tracks by one per­ son with the Michigan State HousingDevelopment Authority, a Barry County commissioner said Tuesday, “It’s quite the issue going on there,”. Commissioner Dave Jackson told fellow ’ commissioners, “as one person at the state level who, after multiple approvals, viewed the map of Royal Coach and decided they didn’t like the proximity of' that building to the manufacturing. “Even though there’s other residential all around that, for whatever reason, they • didn’t like this project. So there is liter­ ally one person holding this up. “ . Jackson said this was a topic of dis­ cussion with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, \ when she was in town last week. And they’ve got state Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, involved as well, he said. = With more than half a milliondollars invested so far in this project, and MSHDA’s prior approvals in place, the people who’ve worked hard on this develop­ ment are not about to accept this setback, without a fight, Jackson noted. “It’s a travesty,” Chairman Ben Gei­ ger agreed. “... If there are no objections, I’d like to send a letter.” Prior to this setback, MSHDA had approved $1.5 million in low-income housing tax credits that would have brought 73 housing units - 54 apart­ ments and 19 townhouses - to the space left when the Royal Coach property was ’ destroyed by a fire in October 2020. It is considered the largest housing develop­ ment in Hastings in decades. Other elected officials, business peo­ ple and citizens have been urged to send letters to the state to express support for the project, including Hastings city, council, which unanimously passed the resolution in support without any dissent on Monday. The Wisconsin-based developer, Gen­ eral Capital, sent a letter to MSHDA March 4 outlining the history of the project, detailing their confidence in its safety and asking MSHDA to reconsider its concerns. That same day, the Barry Community Foundation, owner of the property and a major funder of the hous­ ing units, also wrote a letter in support of the Royal Coach development. “Our community needs this project to continue to grow and be successful,” Barry Community Foundation President/ CEO Bonnie Gettys wrote to MSHDA. “We cannot afford to squander this opportunity and lose sight of how inte­ gral this project is to Barry County.” In June 2021, the Michigan State Housing Department Authority granted a $1.5 million low-income housing tax credit to build the housing units on the former site of the Royal Coach building alongside the Thomapple River. It was hailed as Hastings’ largest housing development in decades. Five months later, MSHDA reversed its decision and issued a “no-go” letter Nov. 30, 2021. Despite efforts from the developer,' General Capital, and supporters in Hast­ ings thus far, members of MSHDA have yet to change their position. In early February, MSHDA reaffirmed its “no-go” letter, pointing to a lack of historical precedence. There are no fin­ ishing facilities like Hastings Manufac-. turing in close proximity to multi-family housing projects elsewhere in the state, they said. They also cited Occupational Safety and Health Administration viola­ tions and complaints at Hastings Manu­ facturing from 2010. See ROYAL, page 3 �- Page 2 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HASTINGS, continued from page 1 ^.JRuby Barber, daughter of Paul and Michelle Barber. Ruby has been a varsity cheerleader for S£ven seasons, along with participating in . ipnnis for two years. She has been a member ofrthe National Honor Society for two years £S„ well as the National Society of High School Scholars. She has taken part in orgariizations such as student council, the Impact Team and Key Club. After graduation, Ruby plans to attend -jAlma College to study pre-physical therapy through its Integrative Physiology and Health Science program. She was awarded Alma’s Distinguished Presidential Scholarship, which covers full tuition. <r$he said she is most proud of her personal .deyelopment while at Hastings. Throughout high school, she said she has grown in her •social skills and self-confidence. Brianna Barnes, daughter of Spencer and SCfinberly Barnes. Brianna has participated in sports yearround all four years. She played volleyball, basketball and soccer, serving as a captain in each sport. In soccer, she was named All-Dis­ trict Team and received a conference team honorable mention, along with being award­ ed Academic All-Conference each year she was on varsity. She also is a member of National Honor Society, was in Key Club for two years, and was in 4-H her freshman and sophomore years. In 2020, she received the Spanish Department Award. After graduation, Brianna plans to attend Kalamazoo College on a merit scholarship. Her major is currently undecided, although it likely will be within science, technology, engineering or math, and she intends to minor in Spanish. She is most proud of being on the first Hastings basketball team to have a winning 1-8 Conference record. Doing this after dedi­ cating much of her time to the sport, she said, also while completing arduous classes, was a major accomplishment for her. Hailey Graham, daughter of Dennis and Nina Graham. Hailey has been a member of the jazz, symphonic and marching bands, serving as trumpet section leader for two years in march­ ing band. She has been in the fall play and spring musical each year it was available, and is a member of the Varsity Singers. She has been in Key Club for four years and on the student council for two years, holding officer positions in both. Hailey won a couple of awards for Science Olympiad after three years, and this year she joined the Math Team and was inducted into National Honor Soci­ SPRAY FOAM B Closecl or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass ety. She also been on the track team all four years, earning Academic All-Conference honors, and hopes to achieve varsity for the third year in a row. After high school, Hailey plans to attend the Honors College at Purdue University, pursuing a degree in statistics and data ana­ lytics. She is most proud of stepping up during the play her freshman year. Along with hav­ ing learned the lines for her original role, she was cast in another part two days before opening night. Even though she was a fresh­ man and new to theater, she said she success­ fully learned the lines for the new character and put on a good performance. Hastings Area School System Superintendent Matt Goebel awards a certificate to senior Emma VanDenburg at Monday's Board of Education meeting in celebration of her selection as a top honors student. (Photo by Benjamin Simon.) Patrick Mallory, son of Daniel and Mar­ cella Mallory Patrick has participated in many music-oriented activities throughout high school. He plays clarinet in the symphonic and marching bands, serving as section leader in the latter. He also plays alto saxo­ phone in the jazz band and various percus­ sion instruments in steel drum band, as well as the clarinet in the pit orchestra for the spring musical. Outside of music, Patrick participates in Science Olympiad, Quiz Bowl and Math Team. He has placed in many Science Olympiad events, receiving several first- and second-place medals his freshman and sophomore year. He also was a member of student council for three years. Patrick received department awards in math and English. After graduation, he plans to attend Colby College in Maine to study mathematics, sta­ tistics and German. The one thing Patrick is most proud of while attending Hastings High School, he said, came about against all odds in the face of ceaseless jeering from his peers. With a little help from his friends, he said he was finally able to do the one thing no one ever thought he could fto: Jtyde.a bike for three feet. Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Taylor Owen, daughter of Perry and Julie Owen. Taylor has participated in a variety of clubs and activities throughout high school, including three years in student council, four years in Key Club and two years in National Honor Society, holding an officer role in all three organiza­ tions. She also was on the JV soccer team for two years and was in choir for four years. After graduation, Taylor plans to attend Aquinas College in Grand Rapids to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology and eventu­ ally become a social worker and work with children. The relationships she has formed at Hast­ ings High School bring her the most pride. She also is proud of herself for achieving her goals of being in the varsity choir and NHS, but also for letting herself get out of her com­ fort zone and try new things. Family of Robert Keller We would like to Thank everyone for all your prayers, cards, and gifts & flowers during the passing of Bob. Also, the wonderful food that was brought into our homes. We would like to thank Woodlawn Meadows these past 4 months and to Spectrum Hospice for the wonderful care. We Thank you for your generous donations to Bob’s memorial Barry County Humane Society and Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary. Thank you to Dale Billingsly and staff from Girrbach Funeral Home for all your help. Thank you to the American Legion Post 45 for the special military service at Riverside Cemetery. Thank you to Hastings Elks for the luncheon after the service. Our family appreciates all of you. Thank you so much, Kurt (Barb) Keller, Bart (Kathryn) Keller, Max Keller, Robin (Kyle) Chase, David (Christina) Keller Matthew Pattok, whose family includes the late Sandra and Gerald Pattok, and Emily Pattok. Matthew is actively involved in Science Olympiad and was able to compete with the team at the state tournament his freshman year. He also is part of the Math Team, Quiz Bowl, Youth in Government and has enjoyed partici­ pating in fall plays. Outside of school, he spends Saturday mornings working at Emman­ uel Church’s free community breakfast. He has earned 11 Advanced Placement scores so far, seven 5s and four 4s (a score of 5 being the highest possible), earning the AP Scholar Award with Distinction and AP Capstone Diplo­ ma. As a junior, he became a QuestBridge Prep Scholar and USC Bovard Scholar. He has been matched to a college with a full scholarship through QuestBridge, and was nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. After high school, Matthew plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania to major in computer science. The one thing he said he is most proud of is that, for one semester, he earned a GPA higher than Patrick Mallory’s. Carissa Strouse, daughter of Jeremy and Pamela Strouse. Carissa has been a varsity runner on the cross country team for four years, captain for three years, and was named Academic All­ State in 2019. She has been a varsity runner on the track team for three years, captain for two years, and is planning to run again this spring. Carissa participated in band for two years, was in the chorus of “Beauty and the Beast,” and is a leader in the Bible Club. After graduation, Carissa plans to major in primary education at Cedarville Universi­ ty in Ohio. The thing Carissa said she is most proud of while attending Hastings High School is earning academic top honors. Emma VanDenburg, daughter of Derek and Sarah VanDenburg. Throughout high school, Emma has been involved in SADD Club, Math Team, Science Olympiad, Quiz Bowl, National Honor Soci­ ety, student council, Link Crew, choir and the musical. Outside of school, she has been in 4-H for seven years, serving as president and secretary of her club, along with being a teen leader and teen superintendent in the rabbit program. She has had the opportunity to be in the Show of Champions four times and earned reserve champion her third year participating. After graduation, Emma plans to attend Central Michigan University to major in actu­ arial science and minor in Spanish. In high school, Emma said she is most proud of her consistent work ethic to achieve her academic goals and self-improvement. Hannah Vann, daughter of Holly Vann. Throughout high school, Hannah partici­ pated in cross country, track and field, choir, musical and Key Club for three years, as well as Youth in Government and Science Olympiad for two years. Hannah was also accepted into National Honor Society last fall. She has passed all six AP Boards she has taken so far, and is hoping to pass three more this year. Hannah plans to attend Oberlin College in Ohio through which she was matched as a QuestBridge Scholars finalist, receiving a full-ride scholarship. During high school, Hannah said she is most proud of co-leading a walkout in May 2021. She said it helped her feel as if she could help make a difference for the greater good in the world. Sage Winters, daughter of Craig and Shawn Winters. In high school, Sage has participated in soccer, Math Team and Science Olympiad, while also earning high academic honors all four years. Outside of HHS, she has participated in nearly 13 years of 4-H, two years of the Appalachian Service Project, and has been involved with her church’s youth groups and services for several years. After graduation, Sage plans to attend Calvin University to major in elementary education and minor in special education. When asked what she was most proud of in high school, Sage first thought of aca­ demics or athletics. However, she said she is much more proud of how she has over­ come academic anxiety and become a men­ tally healthier and happier human being. Following the academic top honors pre­ sentation, the board of education moved into regularly scheduled business. Board action included: • Accepting a $9,535 donation from the band boosters for instruments, $500 dona­ tion from Carrie Wilgus for Star Elementa­ ry School, and an anonymous donation of $500 for Northeastern Elementary School. • Approving virtual class offerings for the 2022-23 school year. • Entering a closed session to perform the annual evaluation of Superintendent Matt Goebel. • Appointing Samantha Louis as a health­ care 1 paraprofessional at Star Elementary, Christine Pruden as a substitute paraprofes­ sional district-wide, Alisha Storm as a sub­ stitute paraprofessional district-wide and Keshia Ward as an elementary lunch parapro at Central Elementary. • Appointing a number of coaches for the spring sports season. Spring coaching assignments at the high school include Mike Davis, varsity softball; Megan Deal, junior varsity girls’ soccer; Marshall Evans, freshman baseball; Andrew Haines, varsity girls’ tennis; Tyler Jiles, junior varsity soft­ ball; Anthony Knop, assistant girls’ track; Jason Long, junior varsity boys’ golf; James Murphy, assistant boys’ track; Melinda Nickels, varsity boys’ track; Tim Schoessel, varsity girls’ soccer; Ross Schueller, boys’ golf; Jason Sixberry, var­ sity baseball; Brian Teed, varsity girls’ track; and Chase Youngs, junior varsity girls’ tennis. Middle school coaches for spring sports include Steve Collins, boys’ track; Krista Schueller, tennis; Melinda Shults, assistant track; and Jason Slaughter, girls’ track coach. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — Page 3 DEBATE, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------The draft presented March 9, was the result. It would give the township the ability to clean up dilapidated structures, unsanitary property, leaking vehicles, unlicensed vehicles and more. “Eyesores,” board members called them. “If we find someone that is truly in viola­ tion of the ordinance that needs to be cited, we didn’t have the teeth to actually follow through with it,” Trustee Gene Hall explained during the meeting. “By developing a new ordinance that’s more in depth, has more defi­ nitions and actually lists the enforcement on it - that gives us the ability then to actually take the people that are truly offenders, and put some pressure on them to get it cleaned out.” Without much public pushback over the past few months, the township had moved toward finalizing the ordinance over the past weeks. Wednesday, it reached the final stage - the second and last reading - and the board seemed poised to pass the ordinance. Then it came to the attention of residents on Facebook, prompting the crowd to attend Wednesday’s meeting. They took issue with the ordinance’s description of blight, wonder­ ing whether things like compost, bum piles and cut-down tree limbs would count as blight. They worried the township would infringe on their property; point fingers at their possessions and accuse them of break­ ing the law. Multiple people called it “gov­ ernment overreach.” “One man’s lawn ornament is another man’s treasure,” said Tom Kramer, a local property owner, prompting shouts of “Amen” from attendees. Kramer has three tires outside his house, he said. If his neighbor complained, he wor­ ried that the proposed anti-blight policing ordinance would give the township the ability to say he had violated the ordinance. “What it does, it ends up putting neighbor against neighbor ... or it could put govern­ ment, township vs. residents,” he said. “It won’t happen over three tires,” Super­ visor Larry Watson jumped in. “I understand that, but who is the next supervisor? Who is the next enforcer?” Kram­ er asked.” It’s always down the line that things can get carried away. There’s nothing here to protect the residents. Nothing. I read it.” But under the current ordinance, technical­ ly a neighbor could call to complain now, Hawthorne said. The goal of the proposed ordinance, Wat­ son added, isn’t to pop more people for tires in their front yard. It is to provide more sub­ stance to the current ordinance. “We tried to break it down so it was more understandable for the residents and take the gray areas out,” Watson explained. Kramer continued to express concern that the new ordinance, with its additional detail, would only put the residents at risk for minor infractions.- He said he drove from Iroquois Road to State Road to Airport Road to M-37 to Heath Road. Under the proposed ordi­ nance, 23 houses on that route would be in violation, he said. Only two of them, Kramer argued, deserve it. Tom Kramer points to the Rutland Charter Township board during last Wednesday’s regularly scheduled meeting. Nearly 40 people attended the meeting, largely against an ordinance focused on ridding of blight in the township. Hawthorne pushed back, noting that they are focused on “waste” - not “trash.” “Waste material is different than lawn ornaments,” she explained. “In one person’s opinion,” Kramer responded. “Yeah, who decides that?” someone shout­ ed from the back. “And in my opinion, some people’s lawn ornaments are terrible,” Kramer continued. “But, to them, they’ve been collecting their lawn ornaments and beautifying their yards for years. To them, they love it.” “That’s not going to be an issue,” Watson fired back. “Today. How about tomorrow?” Kramer asked. “We can’t think about tomorrow, or ‘what if’ or ‘what about’,” Watson said. “If there already is an ordinance, and we already have people that blatantly violate it, why don’t we go after them, instead of creat­ ing new ordinances?” Kramer responded. Throughout the meetings, which lasted more than two hours, board members continued to emphasize that they would not go searching for minor infractions. They expressed more worry about yards or houses that affect the livelihood of others in the township. “If 1 look out my back door, there’s a pick­ up truck, shed, a pop-up camper, a snowmo­ bile and a trailer with a motorcycle on it,” Greenfield said. “I’m not complaining about that and not worried about that. That’s their home - that’s fine. “... That’s not what we’re going after. What we want to do is save the groundwater, save the guy who calls and says, ‘behind the guy’s garage are 20 bags of trash and animals are crawling in it and I’m worried for my kids.’ That’s what we are intending with this junk ordinance. The one that we have is not fleshed1 frftt enough <6 hold water in court.” Meeting attendees said they are worried that the ordinance would open residents up to “selective interpretation.” The assurances board members gave in the meeting - they wanted those words in the text. Not everyone stepped forward to disagree with the ordinances. Eugene Alber said his neighbor has insulation piled in his front yard and the neighbor will not speak to Alber about the issue. Multiple people, including Doug Lectka, said they see the value in an anti-blight ordi­ nance, but think the text needed further fine-tuning and detail. “Is this new version more or less likely to result in legal action?” Lectka asked. “Because I just want to make sure that less verbiage doesn’t create more arbitrary inter­ pretations that has to be adjudicated by a lawyer. “... I’m all for [an anti-blight ordinance.] A lot of people say that one person’s art is another person’s trash. Well, when you got a neighbor two doors down that’s got a blue toilet sitting on the road for 2 1/2 years. I’m sorry, that’s trash.” But by the time the discussion reached board members, the consensus in the room was clear: The residents in the room did not agree with the proposed ordinance. Some board members expressed frustra­ tion over the timing of the conversation. They had worked on the ordinance for a year and it seemed poised to pass the ordinance Wednes­ day, but this was the first they had heard from the public in large numbers at a meeting. Still, they agreed to revisit the ordinance. But revisiting the ordinance is no small undertaking. It means sending it back down to the planning commission level, where it will receive another read, before returning to the township’s attorney, Craig Rolfe, and planning consultant, Rebecca Harvey. In the end, it will set them back a few months - at the least. But board members said they’ll take the extra months to address concerns raised by the public. “I feel that listef’fiBg'Tfr people speak, that maybe we go back and look at this one more time,” Trustee Brenda Bellmore said. “Go back to the definitions that we have in the first ordinance and be more specific about how we want to approach this.” ROYAL COACH, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------------------------“They’re digging in,” City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said in an interview last week. “They’re doubling down and digging in. And. they’re not really answering our questions. They’re not saying how Hastings Manufac­ turing could even potentially impact the neighboring property.” Supporters have maintained that MSDHA’s arguments are without merit. Plenty of sin­ gle-family homes exist near Hastings Manu­ facturing, they said, and the violations and complaints date back more than a decade. Supporters also have expressed frustration over the lack of a formal appeal process through MSHDA. “This project,” Gettys wrote in the March 4 letter to MSHDA, “is a cornerstone of our community investment that came with an understanding that Hastings Manufacturing is a responsible and reputable neighbor and, in fact, a desirable contribution to the live/work nature of the community. In other words, the City of Hastings has always viewed the pres­ ence of Hastings Manufacturing as a positive contribution to the community, not an omi­ nous neighbor to be feared.” In other business Tuesday, the county com­ missioners: • met Kevin Miller of Augusta who is pur­ chasing property in Barry Township and hoping to rezone it to allow a commercial enterprise providing boat storage service and retail sales. • met Rachelle Smit, the clerk of Martin Township in Allegan County, who is announc­ ing her candidacy for the 80^ district in the state House of Representatives. • approved a request from Drain Commis­ sioner Jim Dull to delegate the authority for the maintenance of the level of Crystal Lake to the county drain commissioner. • heard the Blue Zones annual report from Sheryl Lewis-Blake. The Blue Zones project was launched in 2019, prior to the pandemic, with a goal to transform the community into one where behaviors are encouraged that help people live longer lives by making healthy choices. The county commissioners, who will be attending the 2022 Michigan Counties Legis­ lative Conference March 21-23 in Lansing, will not meet on the fourth Tuesday this month. Their next meeting will be a Commit­ tee of the Whole session at 9 a.m. April 5. The next full board meeting will be at 9 a.m. April 12 in the mezzanine of the county courthouse. The public is welcome to attend. Gravel mine proposal returns to Barry County,. Leila Wood Contributing Writer The Barry County Planning Commission held a special meeting and public hearing on Monday to discuss a proposed gravel mining operation on Miller Road in Orangeville Township. Eight members of the public spoke, and seven others submitted written comments against the mining operation. None spoke in favor of it. The Planning Commission then tabled the discussion to gather more information and possibly tour an existing site owned by the mining company, StoneCo. The company was represented at Mon­ day’s meeting by Operations Manager Tony Halloran, engineer Paul Veldhuizen and attor­ ney Ken Vermeulen. Another hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. April 25 and will be open for more comment, but only from those people who have not already commented. Many of the people who had spoken at Monday’s meeting were displeased to hear that they would not be allowed to comment further on the proposal. The most common concerns raised were the noise, the possible effects of silica dust on the health of people and animals, the effect on property values in the area, the risk of deplet­ ing nearby wells and wetlands, hazards posed by the volume of traffic and proposed loca­ tion of the driveway into the mine, and dam­ age to the beauty of the landscape, which residents consider to be one of their most valuable natural resources. “Gravel mines are dirty, they’re dusty, they’re not something you want in your back­ yard,” said Bill Krueger, who is the board president of the Healthy Waters Alliance. “I’m concerned about the rapid purchase of land in Barry County by gravel mining com­ panies over the past three years... This mine will cause very serious consequences to the property owners in the surrounding area. Gravel mines will negatively affect the appearance of the land forever.” Larry Heslinga, who has owned property on Wilkinson Lake for 14 years, said, “You have to allow mining to occur somewhere in the county ... but you don’t have to allow it everywhere. You don’t need a gravel pit on every comer, even though gravel is on almost every comer.” “What do you want Barry County to look like in the coming years?” he remarked’ encouraging the planning commissioners th ask themselves, “Do we want to be the gravel pit of Michigan...?” Kathy Slagter, who owns One Neigh At A Time, a horse farm that offers therapy to peo­ ple suffering from post-traumatic stress disor­ der and addictions, said she is very concerned about the effect the proposed gravel mine would have on her business. Her property is directly adjacent to the property that was purchased by the mining company. * She said the noise could be a problem for her clients and her horses. She also is concerned that the silica dust from the gravel crushing process could pose a serious health threat to her horses. “If dust gets into a horse’s stomach, dirt, sand, it lays in the intestines,” she said, “and that gives them colic, which is a very, very expensive surgery.... Colic kills more horses than anything out there that is taking horses’ lives.” ' 1' If the gravel mine is allowed, and she decides that her current location is no longer a healthy environment for her, her horses, and her clients, she is concerned that her property may be difficult to sell, given its proximity to the mine. “I wish I would have known this when I bought my property... I asked about that property, and I was told that it was agricultur­ al,” she said. *; Company representatives refuted many of the concerns that were raised Monday. » The machinery, they said would be down in the pit, which should help to dampen the sound. ; Silica particles produced in gravel mining are not fine enough to pose a serious health risk to humans, according to Vermeulep, although an ongoing investigation into tfidt issue in Jackson County was mentioned, iii Pangea Environmental LLC’s review of StpneCo’s application, which has been submitted to the commission. They were unaware of any possible health risks to horses, but they said their operation See GRAVEL, page 8 NOTICE BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is accepting sealed bids for the purchase of (1) Used Pneumatic Tired Roller. Full specifications can be obtained from the BCRC. Bids will be opened at 10:30 AM on March 21, 2022 at the offices of the BCRC. The BCRC reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to purchase comparable equipment at a lower price. Please clearly indicate on the outside of the envelope “Sealed bid enclosed - “Used Pneumatic Tired Roller”. Please direct all questions Rob Richardson, Equipment Superintendent. Barry County Road Commission 1725 W. M43 Hwy. P.O. Box 158 Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-3449 HISTORIC VOTE, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------As Commissioner Jon Smelker, who has experience as an emergency services worker with Thomapple Township, described, this cell tower upgrade is intended to benefit the work­ ers in the field - the police officers, firefighters and emergency services crews on the road. Right now, the coverage map for Barry County shows a lot of “holes” where emer­ gency communications are inadequate, Leh­ man said. The county has had “an identifiable need for at least the past 15 years,” she said, “... And COVID-19 wreaked havoc on it. We relied heavily on an already over-capacity system.” “We have a gaping hole that runs east and north of Middleville to north and east of Free­ port,” she said, mentioning communication gaps in the state game area, just outside the city of Hastings, Hope Township and the Delton area. The county actually needs six towers, she said, adding, “This one tower is not going to solve our specific problem, but it’s a move in the right direction.” As far as how to cover the increased cost, Smelker said he favors getting the money from the next ARPA allocation. But Geiger said he didn’t want to make Round 2 ARPA funds a stop-gap solution, since those funds are already shrinking, due to rising inflation. He said he favors finding the funds in the current county budget. One suggestion was to tap into the diverted felons fund, which has a balance of $669,577. The county receives this money from the state to incentivize keeping convicted felons in the county rather them sending them to state prisons. The county uses the funds for law enforcement special projects, so the emergency communications tower could be an appropriate use for that money. Commissioners discussed the idea of tak­ ing $100,000 from the diverted felons fund and another $100,000 from the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority state refund. Collectively, that $200,000, added to $180,714 taken from the next round of ARPA money coming to the county this summer, would cover the increased cost for the cell tower project. So Smelker pitched this as an amendment, supported by Commissioner Catherine Getty, and it was approved in a 6-1 vote, with Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner voting against it. Conner later explained that she wasn’t against the project - she supports it; her objection was where they’re getting the money to pay for it. She said she could not approve spending any funds - in this case, the ARPA money - which the county has not yet received. County commissioners expect to receive that second round of ARPA funds this summer. After commissioners agreed on the sources of funding for the project, they moved swiftly Barry County Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Yarger listens to the pro­ ceedings from the hallway outside the board chambers during Tuesday’s meet­ ing. through their agenda, approving agreements for the seven projects, totaling $6.3 million. All the projects were approved in unanimous roll-call votes. Lehman said the project still requires approval of the 911 board before they can enter into a contract with Motorola. That 911 board meeting is expected to take place March 28, she said. Motorola’s offer expires March 29. Hastings Performing Arts Center Free will offering supports scholarships for local students! Member: Barry Community Foundation https://www.barrycf.org/funds/ �Page 4 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ibid you Is ♦i see? ‘ Birthday wishes for county - and its clerk The pain of watching others hurt Barry uounty County was organized Marcn March 15, 1839, so l^the county turned 183 this week. Legislation to orga­ nize the county was enacted by the state Senate ;and House of Representatives “that the county of Barry be and the same is hereby organized and the ' inhabitants thereof entitled to all the rights and privi­ leges to which, by law, the inhabitants of the other . counties of this state are entitled.” That action was not to interfere with any lawsuits pending or taxes ‘toeing levied, and it allowed for the election of county ^officers. It seems appropriate that Barry County Clerk Pamela Palmer, shown here with County :j3oard of Commissioners Chairman Ben Geiger, cel­ ebrated her birthday Tuesday, too. So, happy birth­ day to Barry County - and its county clerk! k Do you . remember? Viking district . I I i Banner March 9, 1967 . District champions - Lakewood J High’s Vikings, who battled their ;way to three victories to win their • first Class B District crown, Tuesday • night defeated Rockford in Calvin ‘College gym, 83-71, in their first ‘regional appearance. This Friday, at 8:30, Coach Roger Eggers’ j champs are to play the tough South Christian eagers, who have a 15-4 • record. The Vikings include (kneel­ ing, from left) manager Larry Henney, Coach Eggers, manager Hein Heineman; (back) manager Frank Colon, Tom Hewitt, {Pat Loftus, Mike Jackson, Tom Barnum, Jeff Wells, Steve Schray, Dennis Richard, Bill Ribbons, Bob Wieland, Bill Bosworth, ■ Lloyd Cunningham, Gale Ziegler and Francisco Rodriguez. Lakewood began selling their 400 adult tickets and 600 student ♦tickets Wednesday noon to persons living in the Lakewood district first. [The “new” high school had opened in 1964, after local .schools had consolidated two years earlier. So, within a little more than five years, the newly formed school won its first district crown. The Vikings lost to South Christian 51-76. Sources: Lakewood yearbook and Lakewood Alumni Association.] I I Have you met? i When Emily Wilke was a middle school i student, developers built a subdivision next to her home. The thought of the subdivision made Wilke sick to her stomach. It meant they would tear down the wooded area near Tier house - especially her favorite tree, a big "oak. If they wanted to knock down the tree, "she told her parents would tie herself to it. ■’ “It was just devastating for me,” she ‘remembered. * Wilke never did tie herself to the oak f4ree. And she didn’t stop the subdivision .from being built. But the moment was fit­ ting for Wilke, now 41, who, until recently, .worked for the Southwest Michigan Land ‘Conservancy. “Now I look back and it all makes sense that I ended up spending my last 15 years of any career stopping developments and stop­ ping forests from getting cut down,” she *said with a chuckle. Wilke didn’t come from a science family, Though. She grew up on Grosse He, a Mich­ igan island of 10,000 people nestled between Detroit and the Canadian border. Her par­ ents owned a Big Boy restaurant - a family ^tradition started by her grandfather. Now, •there are close 10 in her extended family. < But, from a young age, Wilke knew she ^wanted to pursue science. In high school, for example, she had to memorize the ^majority of the trees in Michigan for an ^advanced biology class. “I just loved that,” -she said. i Despite her attraction to trees, she didn’t 3aiow what kind of science she wanted to ;.go into. She attended Calvin College in tprand Rapids and studied biology. k It took until her sophomore year to ’cement her interest in the environment. That’s when she took a trip to the Au Sable .Institute, a faith-based environmental edu­ cation organization in northern Michigan. • She spent a month-long term at Au Sable, ^and that prompted a desire to spend her life ^maintaining and preserving the Earth. “It’s all about teaching Christians that it’s jour duty to take care of the environment,” •she said. “And so that’s where it just made asense to me. It’s not only something I was interested in and passionate about, but it ;was a calling of sorts, too, where I just felt ’•like - I can do this for a living.” Wilke graduated from Calvin in 2003 ‘and that summer, she lived in the mountains of Colorado for four months, studying bear'.ing beetles at the Rocky Mountain Biologi­ cal Laboratory. There, she met her husband, Brook. After the short stint in the Rocky Moun­ tains, she moved to the San Luis Valley in Colorado through a Memionite volunteer service. She took a position at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, later, they hired mer as a full-time staffer. % A few years later, she returned to her *home state and enrolled at the University of .Michigan to eam a master’s degree in natu­ ral resource management. While at U-M, Emily Wilke she volunteered again with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this time at the Detroit River International River Refuge in Grosse He. They paid for her schooling, and Wilke lived at home. But while Wilke stayed in Grosse He, her husband started his Ph.D. at MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station near Hickory Comers. After Wilke graduated with a master’s in natural resource management in 2006, she took a job as a land protection specialist at the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. Since then, she has stayed at SWMLC (or, ‘ swim-lick,’ as they pronounce it) for 15 years, rising to director. Despite the different years and job titles, Wilke said her job essentially stayed the same: Being in charge of saving natural land and stop­ ping developments that tore down her favorite tree as a kid. At SWMLC, she often worked with families who wanted to preserve their farms from development. Sometimes they would want to pass the land to their kids through conservation easements - a 30-page legal document that details what can or cannot happen to the property. Other times, they would donate it to the conservancy to become a nature preserve. Whatever they wanted, Wilke would help them jump through the legal hoops to make sure their farm would never be touched by outside forces. In Barry County, this job is even more imperative and timely, Wilke said. Take Grosse He, for example. The 3-by-10-mile island is either developed or conserved. (Wilke even has a path in Grosse He con­ served in her name - “Emily’s Way.”) At a certain point, she said, Barry County could become like Grosse He - making it even more important to protect the land now. “You’ve got to imagine that someday parcels just keep getting smaller and small­ er and smaller and more things keep getting built,” she said. “At some point, the land that we have conserved is going to be the only wildlands left that are not built upon.” h), recent, yeai>, ;wW.P©e husband work­ ing full-time and three children at home, Wilke, who now lives in Prairieville Town­ ship, moved into a part-time role as the conservation projects manager. And after 15 years at the organization, she mulled over the possibility of something new. In September, she finally made a decision, and her last day is Friday. Wilke called it “bit­ tersweet.” Now, she will have the chance to focus on something else: Real estate. A self-de­ scribed HGTV fan, Wilke is working for Gull Lake Real Estate. “It’s a way for me to keep doing real estate projects,” she said. “I mean, I know it’s not conserving lands, but I’m still able to do real estate transactions.” It’s also a way for her to have more flex­ ibility in her day-to-day life, opening up more time to spend with their kids in eighth, sixth and third grades. They keep her busy. They’re a soccer family, Wilke said, and just last weekend she took one of her them to a tournament in Detroit. Wilke doesn’t plan to abandon conserva­ tion, though. As a real estate agent, she would like to continue helping people with large parcels of land, while also teaching classes to other real estate agents about conservation. She recently joined the Barry County Easement Board, where she will help the county conserve a piece of land every year. It’s a way to keep her foot in the field as she lets the next few years unfold. “I’ll just stick with the volunteer aspect for now and then we’ll see,” she said. For her work in conservation and preser­ vation, Emily Wilke is this week’s Bright Light: Book I’d recommend: I read a lot of historical fiction and there are so many good books, but “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah is a must-read. Person I’m glad to have met: My hubby, Brook. Favorite season: Spring because the weather warms up, the flowers bloom, and love is in the air. Favorite board games: “Rummikub,” “Carcassonne” and “Ticket to Ride.” Favorite vacation destination: The Leelanau Peninsula. If I could go anywhere in the world: Ireland. Favorite TV program: “Chuck.” Favorite movie: Harry Potter or Marvel Avengers movies - I have 11- and 13-yearold boys. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. I need a veteran, preferably one with combat experience, a soldier who understands survivor’s guilt. I suspect I’m not alone. We all need someone who can tell us how to deal with the horrific and heart-rending images com­ ing from Ukraine while we live our lives of privilege and comfort in the most favored nation on earth. Why is this sadness taking down my moments of happiness? Spring has finally come to Michigan. But, as my face warms in the sun, I think about how light probably doesn’t penetrate the mortar smoke and bombed-out rub­ ble in Ukraine. Even today’s return of the greatest little St. Patrick’s Day Parade down Jefferson Street in Hastings will proba­ bly feel a little hollow to me, especially when I think about how Ukrainians must be feeling in a bomb shelter or on some muddy road on the way from their former homes. Something is missing. This is a time when nature offers us the blessings of the earth, when we should be filling out our March Mad­ ness brackets, when we should be rock­ ing to the beat of conquering COVID19 and all its restrictions. For me, though, the constant news crawl at the bottom of my mental screen is “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” I know God’s grace may be hard to find in some lives, and history is full of many who protect the lives of others by risking their own. That’s why I value our veterans and wish I had one to talk to today, especially one who has seen the evil of war, who knows that wars are never won, but, in the face of des­ pots like Vladimir Putin, they must be fought. Veterans who’ve experienced war rarely talk about survivor’s guilt, understandably. Now, through a vast array of technological tools, many of us can see this war unfolding and, I sus­ pect, share similar feelings about what we’rq witnessing. So how do we deal with the some­ times overwhelming feeling of not deserving the grace that God has allowed us to be in this wonderful country? I would bet that many an old soldier might relate to the following: • Life is for living. Author and the­ ology professor Angela Williams Gor­ rell has written extensively on joy as a counteragent to despair and stated during a presentation earlier this year at Calvin University, “You do not betray grief by letting joy in.” Rather, Gorrell said, joy is a sign that we are deeply human, that our hearts are working. In fact, joy does not depend on good circumstances; we need to practice looking for joy because it is so vital to our well-being. Even in some of the video footage coming from the Ukrainian refugee treks, examples of children and families looking for joy can be seen: The gentle flute solo in an inoperative subway tunnel, crowded with Ukrainians seeking safety, and photos of family pets being carried as they seek safety. Joy is a part of life, and joy must be embraced - no matter our circumstances. • Keep remembering. Although joy is the counteragent to sadness, we must keep our Ukrainian brothers and sisters front and center in our minds - not just for ourselves, but to help others remem­ ber, too. Seeing a Ukrainian flag hang­ ing from a front porch brings me a shot of joy amid the sorrow. How touching it was two weeks ago when the popular Saturday Night Live comedy show began with a choir’s presentation of the Ukrainian national anthem. That should happen more at major public events. And we need to keep praying. An impa­ tient skeptic once said, “We need to do more than pray, we need to do some­ thing!” Praying is doing something. • Take pride in government unity. No matter where we stood before this tragedy, the impact and the influence of this major world power of which we are a part has been impressive. Eco­ nomic sanctions are sinking a sword into an evil heart. The teamwork of our freedom-loving allies has been a pow­ erful response and a strong show of resolve in the face of horrible violence. The touching welcome that neighbor­ ing countries are providing homeless and helpless Ukraine refugees is con­ firmation that our governments are standing for the protection of all. We can take pride in our countries being united. • Create and fight for a better world. Politicians declare wars, but they are fought by people - people who under any other likely circum­ stance would find delight in the people whom their governments set out to destroy. Whether it’s the arts or athlet­ ics, medicine or architecture, our cul­ tures cross barriers constantly. War robs us of all that would bring us together. Even in our own hometown, culture and shared experience unites us. Tell me you won’t see shared smiles at Saturday’s annual Mary Youngs Benefit Concert at the Hast­ ings Performance Arts Center. Watch all the new friendships being made the following Saturday at the 13th annual Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Bicycle Race among bicycling enthusiasts from all over the country. We all have gifts to give each other. Let’s drive goodwill across borders, not tanks. • Let’s appreciate and support our veterans. Those who have seen the worst of war surely know what remains after every conflict: Not the people who were right, just the people who are left. As we pray for the people who stayed behind in Ukraine to fight, we’re seeing a real-life example of how deep a love for country, home and family goes. Our veterans have that same depth and maybe it’s the horror of the images we see every day that will pro­ vide renewed appreciation and respect for the men and women who have acted on their love for us. Wars have always been with us, but if, like Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, our 34th U.S. president, we’re straight-up about who pays the damages, there will be fewer wars. “Every gun that is made,” Eisenhow­ er said in a 1953 address, “every war­ ship that is launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.” Ignoring our hungry, our poor, our children should be more worrisome than survivor’s guilt. And so our obser­ vations should only serve to strengthen our resolve. Slava Ukraini! Doug VanderLaan, Guest Columnist The Hastings BcHlUdT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM • Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — Page's^ Ukraine invasion reveals some truths about Putin - and those who praise him To the editor: We all have different understandings of which statements are important. We place our trust in different people for all varieties of reasons. We may act based on those state­ ments and the trust we place in the people who make them. While Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered nearly 200,000 troops and full bat­ tle-ready battalions, planes, missiles and ships to surround the independent and sover­ eign country of Ukraine on three sides, he repeatedly denied there would be invasion. He calls the government of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was democratically elected by a majority of 73 percent, “neo-Nazis” and “drug addicts” and claims he will “de-Nazify” Ukraine. I am incensed at this. Large numbers of my family were killed in Ukraine by Nazis during World War II. My father’s cousin Albert and his father managed to escape and joined the anti-Nazi partisans. The Nazi inva­ sion of Ukraine succeeded in part because Nazi soldiers had no compunction at all about destroying the lives or welfare of the country they invaded. And now we are witnessing an invasion of Ukraine by Putin’s Russian forces who also have no compunction about destroy­ ing the land and people in the country he is invading. When Donald Trump gave an interview on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton radio show the day the Russian invasion into Ukraine began, he said, “I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius.’ Putin declares a big portion of Ukraine, Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful. So, Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine. I said, ‘How smart is that?’ We could use that on our Southern border. That’s the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen.” The Nazis in World War II used lies to justify their misdeeds claiming they wanted lebensraum, or living space, they would take as they subjugated the Slavic people and eliminated the Jews. Putin attempts to justify his aggression by claiming Ukraine is not a sovereign country and the Ukrainians have no right to indepen­ dence as he uses military force to try to restore the Russian Empire. He will not allow the press in Russia to use the words “war” or “invasion” as he invades Ukraine and wages war on its people. Unfortunately, Trump is probably being honest when he heaps praise on Putin. Since his political career began, and all through his presidency, he openly courted and fawned over the Russian dictator who assassinated, imprisoned and outlawed his opponents, members of the press, protesters and anyone who would investigate, question or oppose his regime. There are still millions of people in the United States who place their trust in Donald Trump. Fortunately, many people who once supported him have reached a point where one more lie, one more malevolent statement or action is one too many, and they now real­ ize that all he cares about is himself. As you see stories and videos and hear statements from the citizens of Ukraine about the violence perpetrated on them and Putin’s attempt to subjugate them with mili­ tary might, remember what Trump’s reaction was. Dr. Kenneth M. Komheiser, Prairieville Township Voting against bond punishes children To the editor: Public school funding is extremely confus­ ing. I don’t understand it completely. What I do understand is that the Hastings Area Schools millage is comparable to - or lower than that of - most nearby comparable districts. School boards did not devise the system of funding. They are working within the system given to them. Schools need maintenance, and this is the way it gets done. Kicking the can down the road is the specialty of govern­ ment. As citizens, we can vote to do better than that - or we can complain and watch the problem get worse. It is likely that students also do not understand school finances. But they do understand what support is. They do see the facilities of other districts - so do prospec­ tive residents. But Hastings’ superb career and technical education program, perform­ ing arts and so many other programs will have a hard time attracting attention when roofs leak. A community that does not support its schools, at or above the level of neighboring districts, will lose residents. Property values follow real estate demand. There is a segment of voters in the Hast­ ings Area School District that have an ax to grind. They will never support the district due to one issue or another long in the past. Who are these voters punishing? When a voter thinks they are punishing a school district by their lack of support, they are punishing children for decisions made by adults 20 years ago. That is illogical and spiteful. Not investing in our school district is like cutting off our nose to spite our face. Jeremy Boge, Hastings Turn this experience into something useful To the editor: The Ukraine crisis Wd Putin’s 11061^58”'' saber-rattling brings us “boortiers” back to memories of the Cold War, air raid shelters and school-time memories. Some favorites of mine are “Don’t eat the snow” as well as “Get under your desk and cover your head.” Ah, the good old 1950s. Last night, I learned that some adults think it is helpful to inflict the same anxiety upon today’s young people - then they’d under­ stand how we had it tough, too. Isn’t it enough that they wonder about the threat of bullets flying down school hallways, classrooms or city streets? How about COVIDsiveness are used by volunteer and profes­ 19 and all its debates, afguntenfs and' atten­ ' sional provocateurs to' gather attention, gen­ tion-seeking? Last but not least, global warm­ erate money, social media “likes” and devel­ ing leaves some of them calling themselves op an audience. the “Last Generation.” Can you beat that? As face masks become less necessary, per­ Really, do we adults need to add more to their haps we can find some time to develop alter­ social smorgasbord? native products. How about filters for our The dark cloud that hangs over Ukraine eyes and ears to help us recognize when someone is feeding us baloney? We may need may have one silver lining: It’s amazing to see how much we can do when we cooperate filters for our mouths, too. That would be a with one another. When we realize how nice change of pace, anyway. quaint and strange the term “deplorable” has become, we can make a fresh start. Same Michael Jones, with “Liberal-Commie.” These terms of divi­ Hastings New jail proposal would be a waste To the editor: The Barry County board is again discuss­ ing adding a bond proposal to the ballot for building a new jail. Commissioners seem to be unaware that the citizens in three of the county’s townships - Barry, Prairieville and Hope - have already been heavily taxed because of the Watson Drain District assessments. Plus, those same townships are deciding how to pay their por­ tion of the assessment. (Barry Township’s, alone, is almost a million dollars.) The hope is that bonds won’t be required to do this, but time will tell. I doubt voters in these townships would be very receptive to any further tax increase at this time. As they say, timing is everything. And if the county board does Educating our own To the editor: Michigan’s workforce gets a boost from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emphasis on education by investing in ourselves. The Michigan Reconnect program grants reduced (if you are out of district), or free tuition for an associate degree, or skills certificate from community colleges (in district) and private training programs. Barry County has 186 applicants taking advantage of the program. We need a trained and educated work­ move ahead with a bond being put on the ballot and it gets voted down, it would be a waste of our tax dollars - just like last time. Please let your commissioner know your thoughts on the subject. Larry Osborne, Delton force to compete for jobs nationally and in the state to attract business. Now, we need to work on improving our pre-K to 12 program locally so they can lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. I hope we can all get behind educating our own. Michele Peltier, Hastings Write Us A Letter The Hastings Banner welcomes letters to the editor from readers, but there are a few conditions that must be met before they will be pub­ lished. j _ i The requirements are: ' j • All letters must be signed by the writer, with address and phone number provided for verification. All that will be printed is the writer’s name and community of residence. We do not publish anonymous J letters, and names will be withheld at the editor’s discretion for compelling reasons only. ; • Letters that contain statements that are libelous or slanderous will • not be published. • All letters are subject to editing for style, grammar and sense. • Letters that serve as testimonials for or criticisms of businesses will not be accepted. • Letters serving the function of “cards of thanks” will not be accepted unless there is a compelling public interest, which will be deter{ mined by the editor. ; • Letters that include attacks of a personal nature will not be pub­ lished or will be edited heavily. i • “Crossfire” letters between the same two people on one issue will be limited to one for each writer. ; • In an effort to keep opinions varied, there is a limit of one letter per person per month. • We prefer letters to be printed legibly or typed, double-spaced. ; .---------- _--------------------- ------- —:--------- .--------- --- ---------------------- ; ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP 2022 Budget Public Hearing Notice The Orangeville Township Board will hold a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget for fiscal year 2022-2023 at the Orangeville Township Hall 7350 Lindsey Rd. Plainwell Mi. 49080: Tuesday March 22, 2022 at 7:00P.M. Copy of the proposed budget will be available for public inspection at the Township office. The Orangeville Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services as required by the Disabilities Act. Americans with Disabilities Act; stating that if those with disabilities notify the clerk within 10 days prior to the meeting, accommodations will be furnished to satisfy such disabilities and allow meaningful attendance. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk: Mel RisnerjHome -269-672-2324 office- 269-664-4522. Thomas Rook Supervisor Orangeville Township 616-299-6019 ATTENTION BARRY TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS BARRY TOWNSHIP REGULAR MEETING DATES 7:00 P.M. SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH *** unless noted Barry Township Meeting Hall 155 E. Orchard St. Delton, Ml 49046 MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH Karl and Barbara Anders celebrating 70 years of marriage Henrys to celebrate 30 years of marriage The children, grandchildren, and family of Bob and Shelly Henry would like to wish their parents / grandparents I family, a happy 30th wedding anniversary on Monday, March 14, 2022. We love you. Karl and Barbara Anders were united in marriage March 22, 1952. Please join their family in celebrating this amazing milestone with a note or a card sent to them at 6984 Guernsey Lake Rd., Delton, MI 49046. ..7.;uT T ’ 08 12 10 14 12 09 13 11 01 13 10 14 14 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 , 2022 2022 1st Tuesday 2022 2023 2023 2023 PUBLIC HEARING @6:30 p.m All meetings are held at the Barry Township Meeting Hall at 7:00 p.m. unless noted otherwise. Barry Township will provide reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at any township meeting, to individuals with disabilities upon seven days notice to the clerk. 155 E. ORCHARD STREET (MEETING HALL) 11300 S. M-43 HWY, (TOWNSHIP OFFICE) P.O. Box 705 DELTON, Ml 49046 PH 269-623-5171 OR FAX 269-623-8171 EMAIL: barrytownship@mei.net Website: barrytownshipmi.com Respectfully, Debra J. Knight, Barry Township Clerk 177079 �Page 6 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Orie Carlton Perry of Hastings, MI, passed away on the evening of March 11, 2022, at the age of 77 after his strong fight with cancer. He was preceded in death by his father, Russell Perry, and his mother Hazel Perry. He was also preceded by his father and mother­ in-law, Allen and Leona McCafferty; and his siblings, Lawrence, Howard, Jack, Bob, Viv­ ian and Irene. Orie is survived by his wife, Linda Perry and his children, Rhonda and Larry Perry. He is also survived by grandchildren, Bran­ don, Dani, and Karlee Shapley; his great-granddaughter Ophelia Shapley, and extended family members, Jordan Danks, David Bautista and Edmund Rood; also sis­ ters, Linda (Geo) Palmer, Carylon Buskirk, Ruth Perry, and sister-in-law, Ruth Chap­ man; along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Orie enjoyed playing golf and watching sports, but nothing made him happier than watching his family perform in shows, play­ ing in sports or being together in his back­ yard. His family will carry on the same togetherness and love he displayed in his life. Arrangements are made by Girrbach Funeral Home with a special thanks to Pro­ medic Hospice. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.com. Orie’s goodwill and warm nature will live on through the hearts of everyone he met. Evon “Bonnie” Lake, age 89, of Hastings, MI, passed away on March 14, 2022. Bonnie was bom on September 3, 1932 in Battle Creek, the daughter of Charles and Mabie (Johns) Wilson. Bonnie attended Battle Creek Schools. On November 25, 1947, she married Buddy L. Lake, and they enjoyed 57 years together imtil his death in 2005. Bonnie worked at Action Flex for five years, and Viking for 26 years, retiring in 1994. She enjoyed knitting and sewing. ' Bonnie was preceded in death by her par­ ents; her husband, Buddy; brothers; one sis­ ter; one daughter-in-law, Pat Lake, and one granddaughter, Nicole Olvera. . She is survived by daughters, Diana Miller bf Hastings, Julie Smith of Hastings; son, William Lake of Lake Odessa; six grandchil­ dren, 14 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Bon­ nie Wilson; several nieces and nephews and two furbabies. ■ Memorial contributions in memory of Bonnie can be made to the American Cancer Society, https://donate3.cancer.org/, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. Funeral service will be held Thursday, March 17, 2022 at noon at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058 with a one hour visitation one hour prior at 11 a.m. Interment at Cedar Creek Cemetery. ■ Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.com. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An : Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. 4246 269-945­ Jefferson. Pastor Father Philip. Mass Stephan p.m. 4:30 WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. ; 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box ; 8, ’ 945-9121. ; gmail.com. ! hastingsfreemethodist.com. ■ Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 • Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt • Director, Sunday Hastings. Telephone 269­ Email Stoetzel. Martha 9:45 a.m. Nursery Kids are HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Church available. E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Moser, Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Time 10:30 a.m. Worship activities: Youth www. i Sunday Morning Worship: . Sunday. hastfmc@ Website: Wheel­ Bertrand. chair accessible and elevator. Pastor. Lead Services: 9:15 Sunday School for all a.m. ages; and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI Scott Price. 49058. Phone: Pastor 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Young Adults 6-9 p.m. ' worship center is set up for p.m.; ; social Aftermath Wednesday, Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., distancing. r Student Ministries: ■ p.m. I ; Family Wednesday (Children 4 Truth Kids Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. School Youth Group; PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Middle 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. 6:30 church (517) CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and N. ' Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 ! night Bible Worship study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Claypool, Group 6:30 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON Roger Life Night Jefferson 10 a.m. Street. Nursery MI 49058. . - ..................... ■ ■■ : ■: . rtiW Ronald Jay King, age 66, of Hastings, MI passed away on March 7, 2022. Ronald was bom on March 29, 1955, in Grand Rapids, the son of Carlysle and Louise (Acton) King. Ronald worked for General Motors in tool and die. He enjoyed working with his hands, erector sets, toys of all kinds, building just about anything, and fixing cars. Ron is preceded in death by his father, Carlysle King and brother Allen King. He is survived by his mother, Louise; his wife, Mary King, grandchildren; great-grand­ children; sister, Anita (Dan) Wood; brothers, Ron (Mary) King, Eric (Carla) King, Brian (Nancy) King and Jeff (Michelle) King. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.com. Phone 945-2654. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. Fiberglass Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 • .... Linden Jay Walton, age 78, of Hastings (formerly of Freeport), passed away peace­ fully March 8, 2022 at Butterworth Hospital with family by his side. He was bom October 9, 1944 to Ralph and Grace (Bryans) Walton of Freeport. Linden will be remembered for being a very hard working, caring and loving son, brother, father and grandfather. He was a good friend to many. Those who knew him thought highly of him. He was always willing to help anybody with anything he possibly could. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, carpentry, woodworking, heavy equipment, tractors, gardening, NASCAR, feeding birds, nature shows, history, auctions, and spending time with his grandsons. Linden’s employment included Buskirk Sawmill and the Barry County Road Commission. Linden enlisted in the Army in the early ‘60s and was stationed in both Korea and Germany. Survivors include his children, Diane Wal­ ton, Tom Walton, Sherry Wood, Susan Stark, John L. Walton and son, Mark Weichlein from Tennessee, who he hadn’t had the opportunity to meet yet. Siblings, Deloros (Howard) Ken­ yon, Bonnie Cronk, Betty Carr, Sheryl (Den­ nis) Allerding and Darla (Dan) Burghdoff, and many, many nieces and nephews. Linden was preceded in death by his par­ ents; brother, James Walton and stepson Randy VanWie. >'■ Linden was married to Ema Bowling from Freeport, which ended in divorce. He then married Sherry Gutheridge. Sherry passed away in 2016. According to his wishes, cremation has taken place and graveside services will be announced at a later date. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, HmsniiGS 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Otis “Sam” Marshall Ayers, age 77, of Hast­ ings, MI, passed away on March 4,2022. Otis was bom on April 25, 1944 in Campbell County, TN, the son of Coy E. and Nell Ayers. Sam proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He worked for Bradford White, retiring after 26 years. On May 6, 1971, Sam married Carol J. Park, and they enjoyed 50 years together. Sam liked golfing and bowling. He was a member of the Yankee Springs Golf Course for over 40 years. His hobbies included wood­ working and playing cards. He loved watching football and basketball, fishing, mowing his yard, and spending time with the grand kids. Sam was preceded in death by his parents, Coy and Nell (Brandenberg) Ayers. He is survived by wis wife, Carol, of Hast­ ings; son, Christopher of Battle Creek; daugh­ ter, Amanda (Jesse) Schmidt of Middleville; grandchildren, Emerson and Paisley of Mid­ dleville; sister, Joyce Cooper of LaFollette, TN, and sister-in-law, Judy (Jerry) Jackiewicz of Hastings, and several nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions in memory of Sam can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org, or P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516. A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: ( Bernard (Bud) Wayne Ommen passed away peacefully at the age of 88 with his children by his side on March 11, 2022. Bud was bom November 24, 1933, in Lansing, MI to Bernard (Ben) Ommen and Esther (Sommers) Ommen. He spent his childhood in Lansing, attending Lansing Schools until he moved to Vermontville where he graduated from Vermontville Rural Agricultural School in 1952. While still in school, he started working under the direction of his father for the Lansing Pub­ lic School District, Buildings and Grounds Department. Throughout his tenure, Bud worked his way up to supervisor of the department sitting at the same desk and in the same chair as his dad, retiring in 1986. After moving to Vermontville, Bud met the love of his life, Audrey Mae Lightner. On October 9, 1954, they were married and it was the beginning of a true love story that lasted for 64 years. Upon returning from their honeymoon Bud received his draft papers, and he spent the next two years serving in the United States Army. Audrey joined him in Germany while he was sta­ tioned there. Bud will be remembered as an ever-smil­ ing, kind, gentle, easy-going man who enjoyed family, friends, the outdoors and watching his granddaughters show horses. Spending time with his family, traditional camping trips to Interlochen, horses, snowmobiling with friends, and anything with an engine were among his favorite things. His service to the community included being a firefighter with the Vermontville Fire Department and serving on the Ver­ montville Fire and Ambulance Board. He also served on the Vermontville Township Board of Review, Cemetery Board and was a member of the First Congregational Church of Vermontville. After retiring he spent many hours transporting members of the Amish community. He gained many friendships and enjoyed time spent with his Amish friends. He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Karen (Steve) Newman, Scott (Cathy) Ommen; grandchildren, Alaina (Trent) Graham, Brielle Ommen, Kaitlin (Dylan) Haan, Kelsie Newman (Tyler Thering); great granddaughters, Eva Graham, Rylie Graham, Audrey Haan, and a fourth great-granddaughter coming soon; sister, Ann Samann; many nieces, nephews, and extended family members. He is also sur­ vived by his constant companion dog, Lexie. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Audrey; sisters and brothers-in-law, Bessie (Norman) LaCross, Laurene (Tyrus) Stine and brother-in-law Jim Samann. Friends are encouraged to support Bud’s family by attending services or sharing memories on his Tribute Page at www. prayfuneral.com. The funeral service was held at the First Congregational Church of Vermontville on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 with Pastor Andy Trowbridge officiating. Interment took place in Woodlawn Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to Maple Valley Memorial Scholarship Fund or Eaton Community Palliative Care. The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte. MWMMOf HotlheTtols&Eqiiipmeiit 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Give the gift of NEWS! Send friends and family a gift subscription to The Hastings BANNER! To subscribe, call us at... 269-945-9554 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — Page 7 Young woman made history here became known throughout state Flora Beadle was the first school commis­ sioner for Barry County, and only one of three in the state to hold that role when she was first elected in 1895. The odds were stacked against the young woman who was hot only running on the democratic ticket, but she was facing an incumbent Republican in a mostly Republican county. Single and 27 years old, however, she unseated the presiding commissioner in her first election. March is now Women’s History Month, but 127 years ago, when women were not allowed to vote and were limited in the jobs they could hold, this beloved teacher made history of her own. The late Joyce Weinbrecht provided the fol­ lowing article for the “Time to Time” column in the April 10, 2003, Banner. The information regarding Flora (Beadle) Renkes Blake was sub­ mitted by Mary Renkes Henrick, her great-niece, and likely was originally published after her death in February 1929 at nearly 61 years of age. Flora is said to be the second of seven chil­ dren. Six daughters can be found in genealogy records, including Lena who died in 1876 a few weeks before her first birthday, and Sabie (later Brown and Huffman), who died in 1975, about six weeks before she would have turned 103. Perhaps another child was bom into the family but died very young. However, no information can be found on a seventh child. A useful life ended “Flora J. Beadle was bom in Castleton Township Feb. 25, 1868, the second in a fami­ ly of seven children. “Later, her parents, Lewis and Mary (Davis) Beadle, moved to Alabama for a few years residence and then came to this city, where she attended school and graduated from Hastings High School in 1884. “Following this, she taught school for many years, in the rural school, the City Schools and in Grand Rapids. In 1894, she was elected school commissioner of Barry County. “In January 1898, she was married to Albert E. Renkes of Hastings. He died May 15, 1911. To this union, one child was bom, a daughter, Aimee, now Mrs. Clifford Brainerd of Battle Creek. “July 16, 1916, she married Edward F. Blake, of Middleville, where she since resided. She died Feb. 12, 1929, in Battle Creek, fol­ lowing a few weeks illness. “The funeral services, beautiful and fitting and character to her life, were held in the Methodist Episcopal Church [at the comer of Jefferson and -Green streets], where the casket rested in the midst of flowers that completely filled the chancel and pulpit. Rev. J.H. Westerbrook of Middleville and Rev. L. Dewey of the local church assisted in the services, which were conducted by Dr. W.M. Puffer of Kalam­ azoo, a dearly loved pastor of her young wom­ anhood, who came at her request to speak the closing rites. ^‘Surviving are her husband, her daughter, two grandchildren, Anne and Charles Brainerd, and four sisters, Mrs. William [Anna] Kronewitter, Middleville; Mrs. C.W. [Kittie] Clarke, Hastings; Mrs. A.C. [Sabie] Brown, Grand Rapids; and Mrs. Clare [Harriett] Fumiss, Nashville. ' “Such is the brief outline of her life but con­ veys little of the full active years between. “As an older child and a large family, she learned early to accept responsibility and acquired those characteristics of sound judg­ ment and reliability that followed her all through her life. “Her companions in high school recall her as a girl, serious and thoughtful beyond her years, with a marvelous memory, an alert “It was during this time she developed her outstanding ability as a platform speaker, which she retained all her life. She had natural ease and poise and was an earnest and convinc­ ing speaker, with the ability to hold the close attention of her hearers in whatever message she presented. She was in constant demand for years in this capacity, and there was no lessen­ ing of talent or of demands for her services to the very last months of her life. “At the death of her husband [first husband, Albert Renkes in 1911], she again entered Hastings High School and taught for five years. She was a singularly inspiring teacher, and her personal influence in the high school with its many growing problems was most valuable. People of that era are quick to attest to the value of their contact with her and her unvarying kindness and sympathy when they came with personal problems. She conceived and put through the first three high school ban­ Flora Beadle, who later added Renkes quets, now a fixed feature of the school’s year­ and then Blake to her name, was the first ly program, and unique in high school circles woman elected to the position of Barry throughout the state. County school commissioner in 1895. “She was a charter member of the Hastings Women’s Club, served it in many ways and mind, an unusual capacity for hard work, and during her two years as president, it enjoyed a little time for play. She was eager for an educa­ fine growth and did outstanding work - the tion and graduated when 16 years of age with county restroom for women in the courthouse a fine record for scholarship and dependability. being one of the many projects for civic better­ “Following her graduation, she taught a ment she put through. term in Maple Grove and Freeport, then in the “So, it was in all her life work. She was [Hastings] City Schools on the lower grade and never identified with failure and seemed pecu­ was soon advanced to the difficult eighth­ liarly fitted to revitalize faltering and losing grade room, where for some time discipline causes. The Hastings High School Alumni had become the paramount question, with Association, now on secure footing, probably teachers unequal to cope with the situation. owes more to her for its continued existence Here, she first had the opportunity to show her during critical years than to any other single exceptional qualities as a teacher and a disci­ person. plinarian. And friends have heard her speak “In Middleville, she has left the same record with reasonable pride, that in all her long years of service and usefulness identifying herself of teaching, the end of her first day in that with all matters of village life, and she made a room was the only time she ever resorted to strong, virile organization of their long-estab­ corporal punishment, which she used on the lished literary club, for which she served as ringleader, a boy as large as herself who had president up to the closing year of her life. been particularly obnoxious all day. She “During the [first world] war, she was accompanied it with a wholesome lecture, and actively identified with the Red Cross work in from that time on, grade eight was one of the Middleville and put life and vigor into the model rooms of the building. fourth Liberty Loan campaign as chairman of “At age 19, she was teaching in the high the Barry County Women’s Committee. school and remained there until she went to “Early identifying herself with the First Grand Rapids and taught in the west side Methodist Episcopal Church in Hastings, for schools, then in Central High School. years she gave it her best service, for the Chris­ “In 1894, the Barry County Democratic tian life and all it stood for was an important Party nominated her for school commissioner factor in her life. She taught in its Sunday to run against a strongly entrenched and wellschool and was its superintendent for years, known local educator in a county where gave valued service to the Epworth League and Republican majorities mounted high. This too, was a member of the official board of the -—= was 25 years ago, when women in polities^was-- ehureh------- . a new idea, and this job was considered a man­ “With all this capacity for leadership and her sized one, so there was naturally some preju­ talent for outside work, her tastes were strong­ dice to meet. She proved a splendid campaign­ ly domestic, and when the opportunity came er and went into office with a fine margin to her way to cultivate this side of her life, she spare, and two years later won by an over­ gladly laid aside increasing honors and oppor­ whelming majority. tunities and brought to her home the same fine “She threw herself into this new work with qualities of administration and accomplish­ ardor and enthusiasm. The horse and buggy of ment that had marked her public life. the new school commissioner became a famil­ “She was a natural homemaker. The hospi­ iar sight to the people of Barry County as she tality and good cheer, and cordial atmosphere drove, by day and by night over the then-atro­ of her home, are some of the happiest memo­ cious roads, visiting every school twice a year, ries friends will carry of her. Home, mother­ some more often, organizing, improving, sug­ hood and grandmother-hood were the great gesting, settling neighborhood disputes, speak­ factors of her life. ing before Granges, clubs and church societies. “All her life she was accustomed to minister. She created a new interest in rural school In the public interest or in helping those she matters, established higher standards and had loved or those who needed her, she never fal­ the loyal cooperation of her teachers and of tered. rural patrons during her four years of office. “Who can feel that with such a record of The Barry County Institutes of her day pulsat­ service and usefulness, this rich life ends ed with life. rather that she has been called to a larger life “She was soon pressed into service all and fresh opportunities in the Master’s work through the state to direct institutes to give and happy reunion with those dear ones ‘loved addresses and to act on important committees long since and last awhile’ who were waiting in state education circles. to welcome her.” Beadle-Renkes kept busy as guest teacher, speaker Kathy Maurer Copy Editor One of the duties of the county commis­ sioner of schools was training conferences known as Teachers’ Institutes. Even while she conducted such three-day sessions in Barry County as its school commissioner, Flora [Beadle) Renkes was a guest instructor at institutes across the state. She also was hailed as a public speaker and served in education-related offices. And those engagements were on top of her busy schedule as county school commissioner from 1895 to 1899. The True Northerner newspaper in Paw Paw listed her in its Oct. 20, 1897, edition as one of the “distinguished educators” who would be speaking at an inspirational institute in South Haven in early November. She was the only woman among the four guest speak­ ers. “To be allowed the privilege of hearing [them speak] is an opportunity we cannot well Afford to miss.” '■ The Yale Expositor in Jan. 7, 1898, announced that Miss Beadle had been elected secretary of the State Association of County Commissioners of Schools. She was still just 29 and would become Mrs. Renkes later that month. A convention in Grand Rapids in July 1898 brought together a “fusion” of free silver sup­ porters from the Democratic, Republican and Populist parties to nominate a ticket of repre­ sentatives from all three parties. The young bride likely was not in attendance, but her name became known to others who were. “The Republican silver men introduced an innovation and gave their male candidates the company of a lady,” The Clare Sentinel announced July 1, 1898. “Mrs. Flora B. Renk­ es, superintendent of schools of Barry County, was nominated for superintendent of public instruction, and she is probably the first woman who ever ran on a state ticket in Michigan.” But she did not run. Several newspapers, including The Owosso Times published that same day, reported that Renkes, “in a letter to a friend here [Grand Rapids] says she did not want the nomination and may not accept.” In each of the papers that published this bit of news, the heading was the same: “Woman Declines a Nomination.” News of her nomination was published in papers as far away as Indianapolis, New York City, Kansas and Washington, D.C. The Topeka State Journal in late June 1898 provided a little more explanation in a short piece entitled “Woman Nominee Wavers,” saying Renkes “has written the attorney gen­ eral for his opinion as to her constitutional eligibility and will not decide what to do until his ruling is received.” A few days later, July 2, 1898, the Wash­ ington, D.C.-based Evening Star reported she had been cleared to run. Renkes, it noted, “has received an opinion from the attorney general that she is constitutionally eligible to the office, but for personal reasons, she will decline the nomination.” Maybe she did not want to give up her dual roles of teaching teachers in her home county and across the state, traveling as far as the western Upper Peninsula. That fall, she was a guest instructor at the Teachers’ Institute in Baraga County, which the Oct. 22, 1898, L’Anse Sentinel deemed “one of the most interesting ever held in this county. “The session opened Monday morning with Hon. Henry R. Pattengill as conductor, and Mrs. Flora Beadle Renkes as instructor. ...“Mrs. Renkes said in her address Monday afternoon that elementary science teaches observation, the power to record and power to classify. It develops all the powers of the mind, and for this reason should be taught in every school in the state. “... Mrs. Renkes gave a talk on commercial geography that was not only interesting, but gave the teachers an insight into the teaching of geography that will tell in the schools this year. The three different points brought out in teach­ ing commercial geography were 1) “Man’s Struggle for Subsistence;” 2) “Man’s Struggle for Transportation;” and 3) “Man’s Rewards.” “In the afternoon, Mrs. Renkes discussed the ‘Course of Study.’... The new manual has the course nicely outlined so that the teachers in the district schools of Michigan may know what ought to be taught and directions for teaching it. Wednesday evening, “... the meeting was adjourned to the opera house in this city [Baraga], where several patriotic songs were sung. Mrs. Renkes talked to a large audience, followed by Mr. Pattengill on the subject of ‘Made in America.’ “Thursday morning, Mrs. Renkes gave a lesson in botany, showing how this branch may be properly taught. Each teacher was given a leaf, and questions were asked to bring out the idea the instructor thought should be brought about when dealing with the pupil in school. ... “Thursday afternoon Mrs. Renkes was compelled to leave the institute here to attend one at Houghton.” Friends from her own early school days remembered Flora Beadle having “an unusual capacity for hard work,” which was evident in the busy schedule she kept as an adult. Sources: chroniclingamerica.loc.gov, Hast­ ings Barmer. fl look back at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Role of county school commissioner not an easy one Winning election was first hurdle Kathy Maurer Copy Editor The late Esther Walton, in the March 24, 1988, Banner, wrote a lengthy article on Flora Beadle and the challenging circum­ stances surrounding her 1895 election. The odds certainly were stacked against the young teacher. As stated in the accompanying arti­ cle, she defeated a well-known educator, an entrenched Republican in a majority Republi­ can county when she ran on the Democratic ticket. Not only that, she was just 27 years old. And she was a woman. She couldn’t even vote for herself. But men in the county over­ whelmingly cast their ballots for her. The April 4, 1895, Banner reported on the election results: “The very large vote received by Miss Beadle would indicate that the voters of Barry County thought she was running on the Republican ticket, as her majority was about equal the combined majorities of Republicans supervisors - about 850.” The fairness, or lack thereof, with which the sitting school commissioner had treated Beadle prior to the election reportedly also contributed to his defeat. - -At-that-time;-the -spring ofr+8957-only-twrr~ women in the state were serving in the role of county school commissioner, Walton wrote. One county had just 21 school districts, and the other, a mere five. Barry County, on the other hand, had 148 districts and, (not includ­ ing schools within the city of Hastings), required 164 teachers to fill those rural teach­ ing positions. Each county elected a school commission­ er every two years, and the term of office began the first day of May following that election. The job of county commissioner of schools required a high level of organization and business competency, Walton wrote. By state law, the school commissioner was required to interview all prospective teachers, hold examinations, grant certificates in one of three levels (some as often as every si? months), and keep a record of all certificates granted or annulled. The commissioner, according to Walton’3 article, also had to visit every school in the county at least once each year to evaluate the instruction and students, counsel the teachers and the district boards, note the condition of the schoolhouse and accessories and suggest plans for new schoolhouses and for warming and ventilating the same, and keep track of general improvement of schoolhouses and; grounds. -> District and township libraries also were the responsibility of the county school com7 missioner who made similar visits to assess those facilities and ensure that money collect­ ed was devoted to the improvement of the library or its collection. He or she was in charge of public lectures and the Teachers Institutes held in the county and helped the teachers and school boards to “secure more general and regular attendance of children.” The commissioner received the annual reports of the township inspectors and filed copies with the county clerk and the commis■sicmcrTTf public tnstrnutfori"after each report ~ was judged correct, according to the 1988 column. “There were about 25 different forms to be filled out,” Walton wrote. “Some of these forms were multiplied by the number of teachers, school districts, school inspectors^ and the number of times money changed hands for school purposes.” The job was not an easy one, but Flora Beadle did it well, visiting most schools at least twice each year, double the requirement, and she was re-elected to the post in 1897. . Early in 1898, she became Mrs. Renkes, and did not seek re-election in 1899. By Feb­ ruary 1900, she had become a mother to her only child, and found other ways to educate, organize and inspire. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on April 6, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Zoning Board of Appeal’s consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Zoning Board of Appeal’s for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompson@pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from property owner Mark Mihelich, 11606 Alling Rd, Ml 49080, for a variance to allow for the creation of a new parcel that will be nonconforming, pursuant to section 4.41 “Schedule of lot, yard, and area requirements” of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located on Alling Rd, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-008-007-30 and is currently zoned R-1 Residential. 2. A request from contractor Dylan Steele for property owner Andrew and Jamie Hart, 10928 South Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for the construction of an addition to existing structure that fails to meet the waterside and roadside setbacks, pursuant to sections 4.24 “Waterfront Lots” and 4.41 “Schedule of lot, yard, and area requirements” of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 10928 South Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-180-002-00 and is currently zoned R-2 Residential. 3. A request from contractor Dylan Steele for property owner Chris Slater, 11034 Woodward Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for the construction of an addition to existing home that fails to meet the waterside setback, pursuant to section 4.24 “Waterfront Lots” of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 11034 Woodward Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-470-001-30 and is currently zoned R-2 Residential. 4. Such other business as may properly come before the Zoning Board of Appeals. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days’ prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS By: Dale Grimes, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 (269) 623-2064 177349 �Page 8 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 —The Hastings Banner . Jlaka (bdheAAa EXHIBIT A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWNSHIP OF HOPE , (Barry County, Michigan) Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Township Board of the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, has received petitions from property owners to make certain public improvements (the “Public Improvements”) consisting of: The repaving and improving of Oakwood and Elmwood Drive in the Township. The petitions have been received from record owners of land constituting more than fifty percent of the total frontage of the private road in the proposed special assessment district described below. The Township Board has resolved its intention to proceed on the petitions and pursuant to Act 188, Public Acts of Michigan, 1954, as amended, to make the Public Improvements in the Township. The Township Board has tentatively determined that some or all of the cost of the Public Improvements shall be specially assessed against each of the following described lots and parcels of land, which together comprise the proposed Special Assessment District: Property located in the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, and described by the following parcel numbers: 07-160-020-00 07-160-024-00 07-160-029-00 07-160-032-00 07-160-037-00 07-160-041-00 07-160-045-00 07-160-049-00 07-160-054-00 07-160-059-00 07-160-064-00 07-160-068-00 07-160-072-00 07-160-076-00 07-160-082-00 "07-160-140-00 07-160-155-00 07-160-026-00 07-160-021-00 07-160-025-00 07-160-030-00 07-160-033-00 07-160-038-00 07-160-042-00 07-160-046-00 07-160-051-00 07-160-056-00 07-160-060-00 07-160-065-00 07-160-069-00 07-160-073-00 07-160-078-00 07-160-085-00 07-160-141-00 07-160-156-00 07-160-022-00 07-160-027-00 07-160-031-00 07-160-034-00 07-160-039-00 07-160-043-00 07-160-047-00 07-160-052-00 07-160-057-00 07-160-061-00 07-160-066-00 07-160-070-00 07-160-074-00 07-160-080-00 07-160-108-00 07-160-142-00 07-160-157-00 07-160-023-00 07-160-028-00 07-160-031-40 07-160-035-00 07-160-040-00 07-160-044-00 07-160-048-00 07-160-053-00 07-160-058-00 07-160-062-00 07-160-067-00 07-160-071-00 07-160-075-00 07-160-081-00 07-160-125-00 07-160-153-00 07-160-830-00 A Map showing the boundaries of the proposed Special Assessment District is shown on Exhibit A. FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TAKE NOTICE that the Township Board of the Township ofHope will hold a public hearing on March 29, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hope Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan, to hear and consider any objections to the petitions, the proposed Public Improvements, the proposed Special Assessment District, and all other matters relating to the Public Improvements. TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the plans and estimates of cost for the Public Improvements are on file with the Township Clerk for public examination. PROPERTY SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ORIGINAL COST WILL NOT BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 10% WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING. / TAKE NOTICE that after the public hearing for which this Notice is given, there will be a second public hearing specifically regarding the assessment roll and the assessments against each parcel in the Special Assessment District and that an owner or other person having an interest in the ' real property must file an appearance and protest at the public hearing on the assessment roll in order to appeal the amount of their assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal TAKE NOTICE that a property owner of record or a party having an interest in the property must appear and protest at the second public hearing in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk. This notice was authorized by the Township Board of the Township of Hope. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: • mobiles with sleds attached. Maybe even a wheel­ barrow. In the report of recent meetings of the Odessa Township board was an item about the resignation of one of the trustees, Von Goodemoot, who had held his post for seven years. Because of his resignation, the board is now to receive applications for a person to fill that vacancy. According to Facebook, George and Judy Johnson were in Fort Wayne, Ind. last weekend to attend the premier of their son George’s newest movie, “Pulled From Darkness.” Ticket sales amounted to 1,800 for this showing. Later it will be available to local the­ aters. The Johnsons’ daughter Julie and husband, Dan, of Bailey also attended. Ever since Christmas or maybe a bit earlier, the seed catalogs have been filling the mailboxes of any­ one who has ever made a catalog purchase. One’s ambition to garden seems to be far more urgent while there is snow on the ground than it will be later when the balmy breezes blow. However, it is nice to dream while admiring the perfect flowers and vegetables shown in brilliant color on the catalog pages. Where Barry County’s first round of ARPA funds are going: 1. 2. 3. Barry Township — Delton Water Tower Project, $1,332,000, to construct a 200,000-gallon water tower in the Delton area to increase the capability of the current water delivery system. Village of Freeport - Freeport Water Supply and Tower Project, $839,000, to rehabilitate the current water tower and replace an undersized 1,560-foot water main to improve water quality and reliability to residents. Barry County Central Dispatch & Barry County Emergency Management - Public Safety 800 MHz Infrastructure — $2,780,714 for the build-out of one communications tower site in the county to increase load capacity, coverage and provide increased interoperability and a safer communications platform. ............................... . 4. 5. 6. 7. Barry Community Foundation - $100,000 for Activate Barry County’s Community Food Center Planning Project in the city of Hastings to support a multi-pronged effort to create a healthy food environment and enhance local hunger relief access with a focus on seniors and low-income rural residents. Rutland Charter Township - Algonquin Lake Sewer and Broadband Study, $14,000, for a sewer and broadband study to reduce pollution, improve quality of drinking water and provide a viable plan to move forward with broadband. Barry County Parks & Recreation Commission — Paul Henry Trail Project, 4.5-mile paving project for a cost of $1,000,000. Barry County Road Commission - Revenue Loss, $240,000 in revenue replacement. . .......................................................................................................................................................................... ■■■■■......................................... Give the gift of NEWS! Send friends and family a gift subscription to The Hastings BANNER! To subscribe, call us at... 269-945-9554 SECOND PUBLIC HEARING Township Supervisor Township of Hope 5463 S. M-43 Highway Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2464 Elaine Garlock Bring on the green today and salute St. Patrick and his followers, be they Irish or not. Doubtless towns like Conklin and Hubbardston are marking this a big day. At Hubbardston their perpetual calendar has a countdown. However, it counts the number of days until March 17 instead of Christmas or New Year’s Day. This is the establishment with the oldest bever­ age license of any site in Michigan. It goes back to one Terry Shiels who was a longtime businessman in this small town in the far northeast comer of Ionia County. His successors have retained the name. It was nice when Hastings finally had its own parade, but it was a bit disappointing to lose the extravagant excuses Dave Jasperse wrote in The Reminder regarding why the (fictitious) main attrac­ tion could not attend that particular year. The parade route in Hastings on St. Patrick’s Day will give exposure to any and all parade participants. By contrast, the parade at Hubbardston in years past went from the top of the hill to the bottom of the hill. This is about one or two blocks long One might see a riding lawnmower or in snowy years, a few snow­ . Deborah Jackson, Clerk Township of Hope GRAVEL, continued from page 3 ------------- ■----------------------------should not produce enough dust to collect in any sig­ nificant quantity, and therefore should not be a con­ cern. They disagreed with the Pangea Environmental review on the risks posed to nearby wells and wet­ lands and said that, while deeper mines can interfere with groundwater, this mine would not be deep enough to cause a problem. The only water they said that they would need to pump would be used to fill two ponds, which they would use to wash the gravel. They also said that no chemicals would be used in cleaning the gravel. The mining would be done in phases, with spent areas being reclaimed and turned into usable farm­ land, wetland, or property for development. Commission member Vivian Conner asked about the possibility of touring one of their other sites. The one significant concern they said that they could not offer a solution for as the volume of traffic that would be generated by the mine. In summer, when they expect to be at their busiest, they said it was likely for 150 to 175 trucks a day com­ ing and going from the site. That number is expected to be much lower in the spring, fall, and winter. The situation with the traffic is made worse by the fact that the spot approved by the Road Commission for the driveway to the mine is at a low spot in the road, which could make it difficult for drivers to see trucks pulling out. It was suggested that they could pave Hayward Road, widen it, and put their drive there. They said they had not considered that option. Many of the residents who spoke at the meeting expressed distrust of StoneCo’s claims. “You will hear probably the person that’s going to talk the most is going to claim to be an expert... Any­ thing will be said as an ‘expert’ to get you to say yes,” Don Sklenka said. It was suggested by Ellen Berens that more third-party studies should be conducted, at StoneCo’s expense, before a decision is made, and Heslinga took issue with the fact that the county does not have an attorney to speak on behalf of the people and is relying on StoneCo’s attorney for legal advice. Under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, mining for valuable natural resources cannot be prohibited unless very serious consequences would result. Many of the speakers who live near the proposed gravel mine said they believe it would cause very serious consequences and should not be allowed, but StoneCo and some members of the Planning Commis­ sion maintain that they are within their legal rights to mine there. StoneCo representatives are counting on their appli­ cation being granted; they said they do not have a Plan B. > Another nearby StoneCo mine is approaching the end of its service life so, they said, they are hoping to move their operation to the new Miller Road location soon. That mine could be operational within a year after the permit is granted. Another lot across the street in Hope Township this one owned by Smith and Sons - also is proposed for gravel mining, and that is being hotly contested. If both sites received approval for gravel mining, it may be possible to connect them via a tunnel under Miller Road, StoneCo representatives said. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE | Thursday, March 17 - Novel Ideas Book Club discusses “The Vanishing Half’ by Brit Bennett, 1 p.m.; Movie Memories and Milestones celebrates “Movie Buff Awards” followed by a 1935 Charlie Chan film starring War­ ner Oland and Pat Peterson, 5 p.m. Saturday, March 19-12 hours of gaming at the library 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday, March 21 - Crafting Passions group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; Lego club, 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 22 - Great Decisions Foreign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts are available at library), 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263, or checking its events on Facebook. I �SPORTS SECTION Thursday, March 17, 2022 Hawkeye defense wears down Saxons Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings junior guard Myles Padilla con­ verted on a nice little inbounds play with senior teammate Braden Vertalka to close the first quarter and opened the second by taking a charge on Hamilton senior Jacob Lange. Back on the offensive end Padilla quickly scored to put the Saxon varsity boys’ basket­ ball team in front 16-15 against the Hawkeyes in the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals at Wayland Union High School Wednesday, March 9. Soon after that Padilla picked up his sec­ ond foul though. Sophomore point guard Owen Carroll already had two. The Saxons already had a bit of a short bench with junior Hayden Long out of the line-up. Meanwhile, Hamilton kept rolling through a rotation of nine or ten guys. Eventually, the Saxons wore down. Hamilton earned a spot in the district finals, against Holland Christian, by scoring a 61-52 win over the Hastings boys. The Sax­ ons close a season of growing pains with a 4-18 record. They won their season opener against a short-handed Delton Kellogg team and then closed the year by going 3-5 in their final eight ballgames. “I felt bad for the guys,” Hastings head coach Rich Long said after the loss to Hamil­ ton. “We’re playing much better here at the last part of the season. Kids were really work­ ing hard and believing in themselves, but this time of year only one team ends on a win.” The Saxons’ last win came March 7 over Allegan in the opening round of the state tournament. The Saxons buried 12 three-point­ ers in that district win. “Against Allegan we were on fire,” Long said. “It was fun. It was fun for the kids. They just couldn’t miss. Every time they rotated a different kid hit a three. Hamilton was going to not let us do that.” Hastings hit just three ’’three-pointers against the Hawkeyes. The Saxons had to work the ball up the court against Hamilton’s full-court pressure defense, and then work to get the ball closer to the basket from there. “They were not going to let us run our sets,” Long said. “They wanted it to be just a helter-skelter game and I thought in the first half we handled it, and adjusted, and ran, and played basketball and ran our offense. We got tired. Their pressure wore us out. Owen Car­ roll getting into foul trouble really hurts us fast. We don’t have another point guard that is confident and came along.” Carroll, a sophomore in his first varsity season, picked up his third foul with 4:39 to play in the first half. He had just scored a moment earlier to end a 6-0 Hawkeye surge that wiped away that 16-15 Saxon lead which was their last lead of the bailgame. “Owen has really come a long ways,” coach Long said. “I just said in the locker room, thinking back to the TK game [a 60-31 loss in Middleville in December] their pres­ Hastings sophomore point guard Owen Carroll works the ball across the mid-court stripe while pressured by Hamilton’s Thano Klett during the first half of their district semifinal ballgame at Wayland Union High School March 9. (Photo by Brett Bremer) sure destroyed us by 30. This was way more intense pressure than that. I wouldn’t say we handled it, but I would say we competed with it.” A three by senior guard Joey McLean-was the only field goal the rest of the first half for the Saxons once their point guard picked up that third foul though. Hamilton led 35-22 at the break. The Hamilton lead stretched to as many as 19 points in the third quarter, but the Saxons rallied to get within ten before the period was up. Hastings was as close as nine points a couple times in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t cut into the Hawkeye lead any further. Both teams spread their scoring out. Ham­ ilton had six guys with at least seven points. Hastings had five. “Our shooters, the difference with Allegan was they could catch, breathe and shoot,” coach Long said. “They’re very good shoot­ ers when they can do that. When we’re sped up, the percentage goes down fast - which it does for anybody. But, we were able to cut backdoor, we were able to get those in the first half and we just ran out of steam.” Padilla led all scorers with 16 points. The Saxons also got ten from junior forward Lay­ ton Eastman and seven apiece form Carroll, Vertalka and junior center Zander Forbes. Hamilton was led by 13 points from junior Brant Goodpaster. Brady Tebo, Austin Osborne and Brayden Geurink had ten points each and Quentin Soerens and James Hoff­ man had seven apieet -­ The Hawkeyes close the season with a 7-16 record. Hamilton fell 65-47 to Holland Christian in the MHSAA Division 2 District Final back at Wayland Union High School Friday. It was the 15-8 Maroons’ third victory of the season over their OK Blue Conference rivals from Hamilton. Those two teams closed their conference season Feb. 24 with the Maroons scoring a 58-53 win in Hamilton. “That was a good basketball team,” Long said of Hamilton. “Defensively, I thought we could stop them more than what we did. They’re not a great offensive team, but they get after it defensively and don’t let you run what you want to run. Three games ago they just played Holland Christian. Holland Chris­ tian was up 13-1 or 15-1 in the first quarter and they came back and only lost by five. They just wear teams down. Holland Chris­ tian was good enough to withstand that.” The Maroons’ season ended with a 70-62 loss to Benton Harbor in the Regional Semi­ finals at Three Rivers Monday. Hastings junior center Zander Forbes puts a shot up over Hamilton's Brant Goodpaster during the first half of their district semifinal ballgame at Wayland Union High School March 9. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Downs will continue cheering with Davenport University team Hastings junior guard Myles Padilla fires a reverse lay-up up in the paint during the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal against Hamilton at Wayland Union High School March 9. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior guard Joey McLean is hit from all angles by Hamilton's Brady Tebo (2) and others as he tries to get a shot up during their district ballgame in Wayland March 9. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior Kierstyn Downs (seated center) shows off her Panther claws with (from left) Davenport University volunteer cheerleading coach Carter Kiogima, ’ DU assistant coach Char Walton, DU head coach Celia Kiogima, Hastings varsity ■’ competitive cheer coach Linsey Jacinto and Hastings coach Amanda Zalewski after signing her letter of intent to join the DU Cheerleading program next season. Downs earned honorable mention all-district honors this winter. �Page 10 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NOTICE 177287 BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Road Commission maintains a grandfathered governmental 401 (k) plan. The plan is exempt from the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act “of 1974 (“ERISA”) and subject to the Michigan Public Employee Retirement Investment System Act (“PERSIA”). The Road Commission is seeking an investment advisory firm to provide fiduciary investment advice services at the plan and participant levels, including fiduciary advice on selection of a vendor for recordkeeping and custodial services. The Road Commission has a strong preference for a candidate that has experience serving as, and who will contractually commit to being, an ERISA 3(38) fiduciary investment manager or the equivalent under PERSIA at the plan level. The Road Commission will not contract with any advisor that insists on dollar liability caps in the contract. Minimum candidate requirements include: Experience acting as, and contractually committing to being, a fiduciary investment adviser at the plan level within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(21) or the equivalent section of PERSIA; experience ■ providing fiduciary investment advice to a qualified retirement plan exempt from ERISA; willingness to contractually agree to a “prudent expert” standard of care within the meaning of PERSIA; and experience providing investment advice at the plan level to a qualified retirement plan with assets in excess of five million dollars. You may contact Chris BeBeau, Accounting Manager for the Barry County Road Commission, at (269) 945-3449 for more information. Proposals will be accepted through April 8, 2022. PUBLIC NOTICE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 2022 GRAND REGION HERBICIDE PROGRAM The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) hereby provides notice to the public, including property owners adjacent to state highways, of the 2022 Herbicide Application Program treatments for roadside rights of way within Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Newaygo, Mecosta, Muskegon, Montcalm, Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Allegan, and Barry counties. Applications will take place between April 4, 2022 and December 2, 2022. HERBICIDES/LOCATIONS: Non-Selective Applications: (guardrail, pavement/shoulder cracks and edges, barrier walls, concrete bridge slopes, invasive plants) ANY INDIVIDUAL OR COMBINATIONS OF THE HERBICIDES LISTED BELOW: Roundup Pro Concentrate (Glyphosate), Method 240SL (Aminocyclopyrachlor), Milestone (Aminopyralid), Escort XP (Metsulfuron Methyl), Arsenal Powerline (Imazapyr), Rodeo (Glyphosate), Esplanade 200 SC (Indaziflam), Polaris (Isopropylamine Salt of Imazapyr), Telar XP (Chlorsulfuron), Roundup Custom (Glyphosate). Selective Applications: (broadleaf weeds in turf areas, brush control, plant growth regulator, invasive plants) ANY INDIVIDUAL OR COMBINATIONS OF THE HERBICIDES LISTED BELOW: Weedestroy AM-40 (2, 4-Diclorophenoxyacetic Acid), Detail (Saflufenacil), Milestone (Aminopyralid), Escort XP (Metsulfuron Methyl), Telar XP (Chlorsulfuron), Vastlan (Triclopyr Choline, Acetic Acid, Choline Salt), Garlon 4 Ultra (Triclopyr-2-Butoxyethyl Ester), Vista XRT (Fluroxypyr), Plateau (Imazapic), Method 240SL (Aminocyclopyrachlor), Plateau (Imazapic), Method 240SL (Aminocyclopyrachlor). METHOD OF APPLICATION: All applications will be ground or foliar applied by vehicular-mounted fixed boom or hand spray gun equipment. The herbicides will be tank-mixed or injected for each application. RE-ENTRY RESTRICTIONS: Do not enter treated areas until the spray has dried. SCHEDULE OF REGULAR MEETINGS PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARDS APRIL 2022 to MARCH 2023 Prairieville Township Board: Regular scheduled meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. unless otherwise posted: • April 13 May 11 June 8 July 13 August 10 September 14 October 12 November 19 December 14 January 11 February 8 March 8 April 14 May 12 June 9 July 14 August 11 September 8 October 13 November 10 December 8 January 12 February 9 March 9 Park Commission: Regular scheduled meetings are held on the 4th Monday of each month at 6:30 P.M. unless otherwise posted: April 25 May 23 June 27 July 25 August 22 September 26 October 24 November 28 December 26 January 23 February 27 March 27 Zoning Board of Appeals: Meetings are held on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 7:00 P.M. when necessary: April 6 May 4 June 1 July 6 August 3 September 7 October 5 November 2 December 7 January 4 February 1 March 1 Library Board: Meets the first Tuesday of each month at 1:30 P.M. 177289 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AT APRIL 6, 2022 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF ZONING MAP (REZONING) TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on April 6, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland ^Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing include: * 1. The application of Marc Waller to rezone approximately 2.63 acres with parcel identification number 08-13-014-051-15 from the CR Country Residential District zoning classification to the Mixed Use District zoning classification. This proposed rezoning is consistent with the planning classification for the subject property according to the Future Land Use map of the Township Master Plan. The property proposed to be rezoned is a back-parcel located behind parcel no. 08-13-014-051-20 at 175 South M-37 Highway. 2. Such other and further matters as may properly come before the Planning Commission. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at any time prior to this public hearing/meeting, and may further be submitted to the Planning Commission at the public hearing/meeting. The Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance/Zoning Map/Master Plan, and the rezoning application and the legal description and a map of the subject property, may 'all be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. _______________ CONTACT; All applications will be made by certified pesticide applicators. For further information, contact: Tom Kitcey, Resource Specialist Michigan Department of Transportation 1420 Front Ave., N.W. Grand Rapids, MI 49504 616-558-8084 This notice is published per Regulation 637 Act No. 451, Public Acts of 1994, as amended._________________________________________ CITY OF HASTINGS Planning and Zoning Commission: Regular scheduled meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 P.M. unless otherwise posted. Robin Hawthorne Rutland Charter Township Clerk 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194_________________ 177024 Michigan DNR’s new fishing license season begins April 1 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing, Monday, March 28, 2022 at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers at City Hall. The purpose of the hearing is to accept written and/or oral comments from the public regarding the City’s application for a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant for the Fish Hatchery Park Restroom Renovation Project. The proposed project includes the demolition and reconstruction of the existing restroom building at Fish Hatchery Park located . at, 10Xl<W. Green StreetJn the City of Hastings. The new restroom will be universally accessible and contain four, uhisex/family restroom units as well as other related site improvements. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. A copy of the application is available for public inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. Questions and comments about the project may be directed to City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale by calling 269.945.2468 or by email at smoyer-cale@ hastingsmi.org. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk 177347 For anglers eager to hit the water, a reminder that Michigan’s new license season - the 2022 fishing license sea­ son - starts Friday, April 1. Licenses for the 2022 season are valid through March 31,2023, and can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. Anyone buying a fishing license online will have the opportuni­ ty to sign up for auto-renewal through the DNR eLicense system. Last month, the DNR announced upcoming regulation changes adopted by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. One notable change is the expansion of underwater spear­ fishing opportunities that will now include the chance to harvest addition­ al species. Starting April 1, underwater spear­ fishing for walleye, northern pike and lake trout has been added for Lake Michigan (waters south of the south­ ernmost pier at Grand Haven) and Lake Huron (waters south of the south­ ernmost pier of the Thunder Bay River, extending south to the mouth of the St. Clair River [Fort Gratiot Light]). This opportunity requires a new underwater spearfishing license along with monthly effort and harvest report­ ing requirements. The underwater spearfishing license is complimentary, unless a DNR Sportcard is needed, and will be available only online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses. See page 16 of the 2022 fishing guide (available on the DNR guides and digests page) for more on this spearfishing opportunity. Everyone planning to fish is encour­ aged to periodically review the digital version of the fishing guide for regula­ tion updates throughout the 2022 fish­ ing season. For tips on getting started, choosing locations, targeting different species and other “how to” informa­ tion, visit Michigan.gov/Fishing. Contact the DNR Fisheries Division main line with questions at 517-284­ 5830 and select option 4. Area clubs sending many youth to state MYWAY wrestling finals ley Carpenter, Corbin Mason, Joseph Brett Bremer Matonis and Kaydance Harvey. Sports Editor The top four or five wrestlers from Youth wrestling clubs from around each weight class, depending on the the area, and across the state, are near­ number of wrestlers at the regional, ing the end of their winter season. qualified for the MYWAY State Finals. For many the highlight is the At the Wings Event Center, Jordan MYWAY State Finals will will be held Humphrey, Jace Acker and Aden Arm­ March 25-27 at the Wings Event Cen­ strong from the Barry County Grap­ ter in Kalamazoo. plers Association earned regional The Maple Valley Youth Wrestling championships. They qualified for the Club had 32 wrestlers compete in the MYWAY State Finals along with team­ MYWAY Central Regional at Mason mates Patton Boomer, Ashton Braska, High School Sunday, March 13. Of that Colten Denton, Austin Friddle, Preston group 28 finished among the top six at. Meece, Daylen Sybesma, Karaline their weight class. The Barry County Case, Karter Case, Brennan Denton, Grapplers Association sent 30 wrestlers Maverik Peake, Bronspn Elliott, Pres­ to regionals and 21 qualified for the state ' ton’Humphrey, Kaiseh Senecal, Kenadi finals with another five placing fifth or Case, Cayden Fillingham, Brody Clark, sixth at their Southwest Regional at the Lucas Prowoznik and Karson Gray. Wings Event Center March 12. The TK The Barry County Grapplers also Wrestling Club had grapplers in action had Lawson Fillingham, Kasey Gray, March 13 at the West Regional hosted by Jax Balderson, Kade Case and Ashtyn Forest Hills Eastern High School. Denton earn regional medals. The Maple Valley program has 17 The TK Wrestling Club got regional wrestlers who plan to compete at the titles from Jackson Smith at the state finals after qualifying. That group MYWAY West Regional with other state includes Jackson Burpee, Dakota Osenqualifying performances from Ryker baugh, Joseph Long, Easton HansbargReurink, Colin Underhill, Mavin Case, er, Trapper Wawiemia, Brooklyn Sawyer Jones, Remington Reurink, Burpee, Roman Schilz, Robert Schilz, Gabby Wilson, Zander Holderman, Pey­ Jordan Boss, Zeke Brumm, Fisher Ash­ ton Shepherd, Asher Kiel, Daniel Shep­ craft, Zander Erb, Parker Henney, herd, Kenden Richter, Austin Quint, Addilyn Brumm, Dakota Richmond, Camden Peter, Abram Dutcher, Diego Hunter Dunlap and Noah Miller. Rodas and Blake Bossenberger. The program’s other placers at the Additional regional medalists from regional included Cal Beardslee, Cody the TKWC were Austin Underhill, Cams Jr, Lyle Wilks, Giovonna Grang­ Tristen Sleight, David Sheely and Breer, Mason Boss, Wayne Granger, Brad­ kin McWhinney. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 CITY OF HASTINGS PUBLIC NOTICE NOXIOUS WEEDS AND VEGETATION Notice is hereby given that noxious weeds and vegetation as defined by Section 38-100 to Section 38-106, Division 4, Article II, Chapter 38 of the City of Hastings Code of Ordinances, as amended, not cut during the growing season may be cut by the City of Hastings or its designated representative, and the owner of the property shall be charged with the cost thereof. Noxious weeds and grasses more than eight (8) inches in height, dead bushes, and bushes infested with dangerous insects and infectious diseases must be cut and removed from the property. Any owner who refuses to destroy and remove such material may be subject to a Civil Infraction and fine, and the City or its designated representative may enter upon the land as many times as necessary, and destroy and remove such material and charge the cost to the property owner. Any expense incurred by the City shall be reimbursed by the owner of the land. Unrecovered costs shall be levied as a lien on the property and shall be collected against the property in the same manner as general taxes. The City, through its Code Compliance Officer, shall have the right to enter upon such lands for the purpose of cutting down, destroying, or removing noxious weeds or vegetation and shall not be liable in any action of trespass. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk 177375 A utomotive 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD, convertible, red, premium interior package in chrome, $17,500. 269-965-4663 ext. 234, call 24/7 and leave a message. Bnsiness Services BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experi­ ence. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liabil­ ity & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets LAB PUPPIES FOR SALE- Very cute and play­ ful! 1st shots and de-wormed, $300; 12 week old Labs $200.00. 517-726-0706. Help Wanted BAND SAW FILER: Duties include sharp­ ening and repairing band head rig saws, band resaws, carbide tipped circle saws, chipper knives and dressing guide blocks. This is a full time, permanent position. Benefits include health, dental, vision and life insurance, 40IK with company match, vacation and holiday time along with a competitive wage. Please send resumes to info@qualityhardwoodsinc.com or apply in person at 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. �The Hastings Banner— Thursday, March 17, 2022 — Page jit. LEGAL NOTICES Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a or if you have been ordered to active duty, please the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder mortgage at the telephone number stated in this auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding notice. check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 7, 2022. at 1:00 PM, on March 31, 2022. The amount due Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office encouraged to contact the county register of deeds or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit or a title insurance company, either of which may charge office or a title insurance company, either of which court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: MAY 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may Default has been made in the conditions of a certain aka be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest mortgage made by Rodney Esseltine, whose address Charles Harvath and Roberta Harvath, Husband bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the is 9349 Lost Trail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046, as and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, being a mortgage dated January 31,2008, may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Charles Harvath, III as A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the nominee for Quicken Loans Inc., its successors county register of deeds office or a title insurance and recorded on December 1, 2008 in Document No. and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rocket company, either of which may charge a fee for this 20081201-0011457, Mortgage, LLC f/k/a Quicken Loans, LLC Date of information. Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne Systems, Registration Inc., as mortgagee, Default has been made in the conditions of a Mortgage: November 21, 2018 Date of Mortgage Barry County Records, State of LLC, assignments by Carrington Mortgage Services, surviving as assignee as documented by an assignment dated due on mortgage on the date of notice: $77,049.07 spouse, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, February 20, 2014 and recorded on July 3, 2014 in Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors Document No. 2014-006334, the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 4, 2006 Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be and are described as: Lot 13 of Loehr’s Landing, and recorded October 18, 2006 in Instrument Number due at the date hereof the sum of SEVENTY-THREE December 3, Recording: 2018 Amount claimed by Carol Jean made mortgage County Risner, Records, Said Barry County Records, THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS AND according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded 1171615, in Liber 3 of Plats on Page 61. Commonly Known mortgage is now held by Deutsche Bank National 27/100 ($73,140.27). Said premises are situated in the as: 2982 Loehrs Landing Dr., Hastings, Ml 49058 Trust Company, as Trustee, on behalf of the holders Township of Hope, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and The redemption period shall be 6 months from the of the J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust 2007- are described as: Lots 9 and 10 of Leinaar Plat, according date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in HE1 Asset Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 4 of accordance with MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the 2007-HE1, by assignment. There is claimed to be due Plats on Page 39. Street Address: 9349 Lost Trail Drive, redemption period shall be 30 days from the date at the date hereof the sum of Seventy-Six Thousand Delton, Michigan 49046 The redemption period shall be of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice Seven b months from the date of such sale, unless the property required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; ($76,763.50). Barry Hundred Sixty-Three and Michigan. Dollars 50/100 is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of and the statute in such case made and provided, 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the person who buys the property at the mortgage some part of them, at public vendue at the place of the borrower will be held responsible to the person who foreclosure sale or to the holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Said Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by are premises Orangeville, the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that of event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely described as: located County Barry the in Township Michigan, are and redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT ANY AND INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT LAPHAMS AIRPORT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE interest, and the purchaser shall have no further LOTS, BEING A PART OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus LOT 39 PARCEL 1: OF recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ACCORDING TO THE the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN you are a military service member on active duty, if REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR BARRY COUNTY. ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE your period of active duty has concluded less than PARCEL 2: LOT 57 AND THE NORTH 14 FEET 40 ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED OF please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing ACCORDING PLATS IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 3, 2022 For more the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this THEREOF, BEING PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF information, please contact the attorney for the party notice. This notice is from a debt collector. THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, AND PART foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, Date of notice: 3/03/2022 OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Potestivo & Associates, P.C. SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 ORANGEVILLE File No.: Ml 22 4285 248-853-4400 314873 MICHIGAN. (03-03) (03-24) 176720 OF LAPHAM’S 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, LOT THE TO AIRPORT RECORDED TOWNSHIP, LOTS, COUNTY, BARRY Financial FOCUS NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised (03-03)(03-24) 5797 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Michigan 49344 176721 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 Use your financial strategy like GPS When you’re driving these days, it’s pretty hard to get lost because your smartphone’s Global Positioning System (GPS) can get you just about anywhere. And as an investor, you can have a similar experience by employing another directional tool a personalized financial strategy. Let’s look at the parallels between your GPS and this type of strategy. To begin with, your GPS pinpoints your exact location at the start of your trip - in other words, it tells you where you are. And when you create a financial strategy, your first step is to evaluate your current situation by answering these types of questions: What are your assets? How much do you earn? How much do you owe? How much are you contributing to your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement accounts? Once you’ve got a clear picture of your finances, you’ll be ready to begin your journey toward your long-term goals. Once your GPS has identified your starting point, it will then show you where you want to go and the routes to help you get there. And it’s the same with your financial strategy - you want it to help lead you to a particular place in your life. In fact, a welldesigned strategy can show you the steps you need to take to help reach more than one destination - to a place where you can send your children to college, a place where you can retire comfortably, a place where you can leave the type of legacy you want, and so on. Here’s another element of your GPS that applies to your financial strategy - the warnings. You’re certainly familiar with those thick red lines your GPS shows to indicate traffic slowdowns ahead. And while they’re annoying, they’re also useful in cautioning you that you may arrive at your destination later than you had originally planned. Your financial strategy can also express “warnings” about events that could hinder you from reaching your goals. These obstacles might include an illness or disability that could keep you out of work for a while, or the need for some type of long-term care, such as a nursing home stay or the services of a home health aide. Your financial strategy can not only identify these threats, but with the guidance of a financial professional, suggest potential solutions. In addition to providing warnings about things such as heavy traffic and road construction, your GPS can change your route if you miss a turn or if you decide, for whatever reason, to go a slightly different way. Your financial strategy can also show you alternatives, if it’s comprehensive and overseen by a financial professional, who, using ’ specialized software, can create hypothetical - illustrations that provide alternative outcomes for different steps, such as retiring at various ages, investing different amounts each year or earning different rates of return. These hypothetical can be quite helpful to you as your chart your course toward your goals, especially if you need to change your plans along the way. Your GPS and your financial strategy are two great tools for helping get you where you want to go. • ,, , t !• .1 ■ ’ This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC . > \ ; ।* '■ ’■ ' . ’ , ; “ ' ' . i * ■ > r: < date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case Notice is given undr section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 24,2022. The amount due on the mortgage NOTICE TO CREDITORS If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Firm'Address: 1650 West Big' Beaver Road,fTroy Ml and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is 48084 encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (03-17)(04-07) 177346 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Electronic SuAnn -Shurlow, surviving Trustee, Kited ■ February S', '202-2, * leaving the above Trust in full force.and effect.,Creditors.; claims against the decedent or trust will be forever barred Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Amanda Doane and Michael Mortgage . of the decedent or against the Trust are notified that all for this information: Mortgagee: Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised Date of Birth: SuAnn Shurlow - 10/03/1939. unless presented to James R. Shurlow, Trustee, within 4 judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY ’ that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a NOTICE TO CREDITORS £ sale of the mortgaged premises,, or some, part of them, at a public auction sale to. the highest bidder ftfr cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding Hastings, Michigan 49058 at 1:00 PM, on April 7, 2022. The amount due on Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. months after the date of publication of this notice. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not Date: March 14, 2022 automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear Rhoades McKee PC ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is Stephanie S. Fekkes (P43549) encouraged to contact the county register of deeds Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A office or a title insurance company, either of which and/or assigns that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a Hastings, Ml 49058 may change a fee for this information: sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, (269) 945-1921 at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash James R. Shurlow Date of Mortgage Recording: July 1,2019 or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit c/o Rhoades McKee Amount claimed due on date of notice: $177,150.55 court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A on April 07, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage Hastings, Ml 49058 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 7, Town 4 highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle North, Range 8 West, described as commencing at the point the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the of intersection of the East boundary line of the West 1/2 of property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 7, and the centerline of contact the county register of deeds office or a title Sission Road, thence running Westerly along the centerline insurance company, either of which may charge a of Sission Road 304 feet to the point of beginning, thence Northerly at right angle to Sission Road 300 feet, thence Westerly at right angles 330 feet parallel with the centerline of Sission Road, thence Southerly 300 feet at the right angles to the centerline of Sission Road, thence Easterly along the centerline of Sission Road 330 feet to the point of beginning, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Sonja Rounds, a single woman Original Mortgagee: Freeport, Ml 49325-9772 Registration Systems, Inc. ry County (269) 945-1921 177294 Recorded on December 17, 2003, in Amount due claimed on of date the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, NOTICE TO CREDITORS Described As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Revocable Inter Vivos Trust Center according to the recorded plat thereof to­ The Joan F. Porter Living Trust dated February 7, 2014 gether with an easement for ingress, egress and TO ALL CREDITORS: utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Servicing Amount claimed to be due at the date to Harrison H. Porter, the Successor Trustee of the Trust The redemption period shall be six months from hereof: Forty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Fifty­ at 250 W. Dowling Road, Dowling, Ml 49050, within 4 the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ Seven and 99/100 Dollars ($48,557.99) Mortgaged months of the date of publication of this notice. doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a: or if the such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with premises: Situated in Barry County, and described Date: March 14,2022 subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for as: Commencing at the Northeast corner post of the Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins es as defined in MCL 600.3240(16). agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). Southeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 1 North, Range 7 & Borsos, P.C. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter West, thence South 670 feet, West 300 feet, North By: Vern J. Steffel, Jr., Attorney for Trustee (P25218) Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 670 feet, East 300 feet, back to the point of beginning. One West Michigan Ave. pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person Commonly known as 11570 S Clark Rd, Bellevue, Ml Battle Creek, Ml 49017 who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or 49021 The redemption period will be 6 months from 269-966-3000 to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL Joan F. Porter Trusted dated February 7, 2014 redemption period. 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. By: Harrison H. Porter, Trustee 250 W. Dowling Road Dowling, Ml 49050 (269) 579-6651 177291 sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to This notice is from a debt collector. the person who buys the property at the mortgage Date of notice: February 24,2022 foreclosure Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-25154 1455808 the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure (02-24)(03-17) sale or to the mortgage holder BARRY COUNTY Attention homeowner: If you are a military service NOTICE TO CREDITORS member on active duty, if your period of active duty Decedent’s Estate has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29098-DE been ordered to active duty, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Regular Meeting & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, March 8, 2022 177031 (03-10)(03-31) STATE OF MICHIGAN Six board members present, 1 absent 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION Approved all consent agenda items BARRY COUNTY Approved purchasing voting booths PUBLICATION OF HEARING Need Library Representative CASE NO. 22009519-NA May 3rd ballot applications mailed PETITION NO. 22010088 Approved payment of bills court on 03/25/2022 via Zoom meeting ID 3636746844 at Motion to adjourn 7:10 pm 1:45 p.m. in 3rd Floor Courts and Law Bldg., 206 W. Court Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk. Jim Brown - Supervisor 177348 This hearing may result in termination of your parental rights. 177295 »• Estate of Douglas Nye Mills. Date of birth: 07/02/1945.f TO ALL CREDITORS: M NOTICE TO CREDITORS: Thedecedent, Douglas-' Nye Mills, died 09/24/2021. . * Creditors of the decedent are notified Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4-; torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Date: 03/10/2022 Nathan E. Tagg P68994 Date of Notice: March 17, 2022 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) 269-948-2900 of Gee Law Firm PLLC Jason Mills In the Matter of Richard A. Beduhn and Kathleen S. Date of Birth: Kathleen S. Beduhn - 09/08/1928. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kathleen S. Beduhn, surviving Trustee, died January 9, 2021, leaving Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 the above Trust in full force and effect. Creditors of the months after the date of publication of this notice. decedent or against the Trust are notified that all claims Date: 3-9-2022 against the decedent or trust will be forever barred unless presented to Renee L. Collins and Sheree BeduhnNewell, co-Trustees, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: March 11, 2022 Rhoades McKee PC 106 Lentz, Apt. D Stephanie S. Fekkes (P43549) Nashville, Ml 49073 517-852-9073 177290 150 W. Court Street. Ste. A ■ Renee L. Collins and Sheree Beduhn-Newell c/o Rhoades McKee 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is I -800-927-9275. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-1921 / f r* 177102/- 269-331-1056 NOTICE TO CREDITORS the probate court at 206 West Court, Suite 302, Hastings, Sharon Holloway # . 9251 West Garbow Road, Middleville, Ml 49333 177297 to Sharon Holloway, personal representative, or to both 269-948-2900 alL months after the date of publication of this notice. Beduhn Trust dated 08/05/1997. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims that been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ (269)945-1921 court at the time and place stated above. * Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, ■ Otto. and Melissa Susan Morelli personally appear before the William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have Hastings, Ml 49058 by judge or jury. , IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Kirk Allen Truman Attested to by CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29085-DE presented to Jason Mills, personal representative, or to'’ Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 before Jan M. You have the right to an attorney and the right to a trial a Decedent’s Estate Decedent’s Trust Shawn Hastings, Ml 49058 A hearing regarding pretrial will be conducted by the j NOTICE TO CREDITORS COUNTY OF BARRY David H. Tripp (P29290) IN THE MATTER OF: Madason Aliena Gertnan Morelli Dept, reports received and put on file S BARRY COUNTY STATE OF MICHIGAN 202 South Broadway TO: Kirk Allen Truman and Melissa Susan Morelli. E STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT Attention homeowner: If you are a military service 269-945-3500 against the estate will be forever barred unless presented Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. , \ 4154 North Norway SE, Grand Rapids, Ml 49546 616-881-3284 ' 177473 claims against the estate will be forever barred unless, 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 David Sevy, died 2/1/2022. 1457248 2 616-235-6000 Dorothy Coblentz member on active duty, if your period of active duty Estate of Shawn David Sevy. Date of birth: 12-1-1967. 248.539.7400 ’. 25 Ionia Ave. SW, Suite 230, Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 Court Address: 206 West Court, Suite 302 LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Mortgagee/ Schneiderman ‘7. ■ii Jean M. Howard/Howard Law Group P58742 William M. Doherty please contact the the telephone number stated in this notice. NewRez Assignee Hastings Charter Township PROBATE COURT damaging the property during the redemption period. attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at SYNOPSIS STATE OF MICHIGAN for Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4.- Hastings, Ml 49058. The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member Randall* to Dorothy Coblentz, personal representative, or to both, Court, against the Trust will be forever barred unless presented on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded j * NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 Dowling, Ml 49050 died December 5, 2021. NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Foreclosing birth:"' recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds Creditors of the Settlor are notified that all claims 1119420, of Allen Coblentz, died 01/19/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims* bearing document number 2018-4166. Assignee No. Date Date: 03/15/2022 notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in Joan F. Porter, who lived at 250 W. Dowling Road, 2003 Coblentz. months after the date of publication of this notice. Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 successors and assigns Date of mortgage: December 12, Allen Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The Settlor of the Trust, Document Randall 10/21/1958. TO ALL CREDITORS: the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings;’ Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Bar­ (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's (if any): Common street address (if any): 850 W Sisson Rd, Electronic Mortgage Estate of ri against the estate will be forever barred unless presented' Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Mich­ igan Fund, Inc. Date of Mortgage: June 27,2019 5 . .Decedent’s Estate _ .. ..CASE NOLAND JUDGE: 22-029112-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly Registration Foreclosing Assignee (if any): MIDFIRST BANK V STATE OF MICHIGAN Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Trust dated 05/06/2008. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free Doane, Wife and Husband Decedent’s Trust In the Matter of Robert C. Shurlow and SuAnn Shurlow TO ALL CREDITORS: Dated: March 17, 2022 File No. 22-001946 Firm Name:'Orlans'PC' a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee COUNTY OF BARRY of such sale. may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at Original STATE OF MICHIGAN the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement 177293 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY �Page 12 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Teed will run, vault and throw for Spring Arbor University team and Field Finals for the first time in both the 100-meter hurdles and with the Saxon 4x200-meter relay team. She joined Madi­ son Nino, Addey Nickels and Isabelle Roosien in placing 11th in the relay at the finals and picked up her first state medal with a fifth-place time of 16.04 seconds in the 100 hurdles at the Finals. Teed has also been a member of the Hastings varsity girls’ cross country and varsity girls’ basketball teams at Hastings High School. She could officially start her senior sea­ son Monday with the first practices in track and field allowed by the MHSAA. Hastings will run twice before the calendar flips to April, at the Grand Valley State University indoor invitational March 24 and at a home quad March 28. Another Saxon, Allison Collins who was a member of the Saxon varsity girls’ track and field team with Teed in 2019, is on the Spring Arbor Women’s team roster as well as that of the Women’s Cross Country team. Brett Bremer * Sports Editor * Hastings senior Allison Teed won’t clear her final hurdles this spring while running 'for the Hastings varsity girls’ track and Tield team. .' Teed, a state medalist in the 100-meter 'hurdles a year ago, signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Spring Arbor >tJniversity Women’s Track and Field team an December, 2021, at Hastings High JSchool. * Teed won the Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference Championship in the 100-meter hurdles as a freshman in 2019, while also placing third in the conference in the 300-ipieter low hurdles and fifth in the pole )vault. As a junior she once again won the 1-8 title in the 100-meter hurdles while placing fourth in the conference in the 300 hurdles and second in the pole vault. ; Her sophomore campaign was canceled .due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but she Returned her junior year to qualify for the MHSAA Division 2 Lower Peninsula Track w Hastings senior Allison Teed signed her letter if intent to hurdle, vault and throw the javelin for the Spring Arbor University Women's Track and Field Team in December, 2021, at Hastings High Schoo. Joining the Saxon state medalist on her signing day were her father and Hastings varsity girls' track and field head coach Brian Teed (front left), mom Heather Teed (front right), Spring Arbor head coach Cameron Mills (back left) and Hastings track and field coach Lin Nickels. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL Marihuana Processor. be stored, grown, processed, or tested, in Medical Marihuana Processor. order to prevent the inadvertent and/or un­ Marihuana Secure Transporter. authorized removal of marihuana from the Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. facility. Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. D. Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. TO: to marihuana establishments. THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF Marihuana Secure Transporter shall comply with THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTEREST­ MEDICAL MARIHUANA GROWER — A location where ED PERSONS: a licensee under the MMLFA lawfully cultivates, dries, trims, or cures and packages marihuana for sale to a medical marihuana processor, medical marihuana pro­ PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022- visioning center, or another medical marihuana grow­ 179 appended hereto was introduced for first reading by the Rut­ er, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more land Charter Township Board at its March 9, 2022 meeting. than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each medical marihuana This proposed ordinance will be considered for adop­ grower license the medical marihuana grower holds in tion by the Township Board at its scheduled regular meeting on that class: April 13, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Charter Township Hall. - Class A— 500 marihuana plants. SECTION 5 the locational standards in preceding subsection AMENDMENT OF §220-20-7 (pertaining to specific approval A, and shall also comply with all of the following additional standards: standards required of particular special land use_sl 1. §220-20-7 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining closed building, except where such activities land uses is hereby amended to add to the Table at the are necessarily and lawfully conducted with­ beginning of that section the appropriate entries for each new in a motor vehicle. special land use specified in Sections 2-4 of this Ordinance 2. with a reference to Item Number 14 in the last column of that - Class C—1,500 marihuana plants. Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature marihuana plants are included in the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. plant count. processes All businesses, vehicles, and processes Each allowed type of Marihuana Business shall shall have security sufficient to prevent ac­ meet all of the following locational standards: cess to the marihuana by non-authorized personnel, including unauthorized removal. 1. A Marihuana Business shall not be located in any dwelling unit. MEDICAL MARIHUANA PROCESSOR — A location 4. where a licensee under the MMFLA lawfully purchases 2. marihuana from a grower and that extracts resin from CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND the marihuana or creates a marihuana-infused prod­ BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: A secure transporting vehicle shall not bear A Marihuana Business shall not be located any markings or identification that it is carry­ within 1000 feet of a pre-existing private or ing marihuana. public school providing education in kinder­ uct for sale and transfer in packaged form to a medical ORDINANCE NO. 2022-179 (PROPOSED) garten or any grades 1-12. This separation marihuana provisioning center or another medical mar­ distance shall be measured in a straight line ihuana processor. from the nearest property line of a protect­ E. Signs for any marihuana business shall comply with the Township sign ordinance. ed use to the nearest portion of the building An Ordinance to amend various sections of Chapter MEDICAL MARIHUANA PROVISIONING CENTER — 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining ........... purchases marihuana from a medical marihuana grow­ F. occupied by the Marihuana Business, and A location where a licensee under the MMFLA lawfully to allowing certain types of marihuana business land uses in the ■ nn»hn«? ■Tin? r- ed across the ■boundary line ofthe Township Rutland Charter Township Code shall be con­ ditioned on issuance of a Municipal License for ni Jvih'ftv with another municipal entity. that Marihuana Business by the Rutland Charter or provides marihuana to registered qualifying patients, directly or through the patients’ registered primary All Special Land Use Permits granted to a Mari­ huana Business pursuant to Chapter 220 of the shall apply even if the protected use is locat­ er or medical marihuana processor and sells, supplies, B. Township Clerk pursuant to Ordinance No. 2022­ A Marihuana Microbusiness, Marihuana Retailer, property and Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center shall 180, and on issuance of a license to operate the ORDAINS: where marihuana is lawfully sold at retail to registered business by the State of Michigan pursuant to SECTION 1 comply with the locational standards in preceding qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers. subsection A, and shall also comply with all of the MRTMA and/or MMFLA. caregivers, and includes any commercial AMENDMENT QF §220-2-2 (Definitions following additional standards: §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) MEDICAL MARIHUANA SAFETY COMPLIANCE FA­ is hereby amended to add several new defined terms reading CILITY —A location where a licensee under the MMF­ as follows: G. 1. LA lawfully takes marihuana from a medical marihuana ed to the property where the Special Land Use is closed building. approved, not to the entity or individual applying MARIHUANA — That term as defined in the Michigan ry caregiver, tests the marihuana for contaminants and Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA). for tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids, re­ a.m. local time and close no later than 9:00 turns the test results, and may return the marihuana to p.m. local time. MARIHUANA BUSINESS — Any of the following terms 2. marihuana microbusiness, marihuana retailer, mari­ huana secure transporter, medical marihuana grower, medical marihuana safety compliance facility, medical This term is synonymous with the term “marihua­ na establishment", except this term does not include any type of marihuana business under the MRTMA or 3. ministrative Code. Further, no provision of Chapter 220 pertaining to a “temporary event” (such as §220- MARIHUANA GROWER — A location where a licens­ na establishments, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each mar­ ihuana grower license the marihuana grower holds in that class: - Class A—100 marihuana plants. stores marihuana and transports marihuana between na Retailer, or Medical Marihuana Provision­ publication of a Notice of Adoption for this Ordinance or medical marihuana facilities for a fee. ing Center. This separation distance shall be such later date as may be required by law; or 30 days af­ - Class C—2,000 marihuana plants. measured in a straight line from the nearest ter publication of a Notice of Adoption for Ordinance No. MMFLA — The Medical Marihuana Facilities Licens­ property line of the proposed business to the 2022-180 (Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance) as including such nearest portion of the building occupied by required by law. amendments of same as may be made from time-to- the existing business, and shall apply even ing Act, MCL 333.26421-333.26430, if the existing business is located across the time. B. Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature marihuana plants are included in the plant count. MARIHUANA MICROBUSINESS — A location where a licensee under the MRTMA lawfully cultivates not more taking effect this Ordinance shall remain in effect there­ municipal entity. Note: for purposes of in- after, subject to the following events, any of which shall terpreting/administering this provision a cause this Ordinance to be automatically repealed in its Marihuana Act, MCL 333.27951-333.27967, including business shall be considered “existing” entirety and cease to be in effect upon the occurrence of such amendments of same as may be made from time- from the time of filing an application for such an event: to-time. special land use permit approval of that 1. business pursuant to Chapter 220 of the to individuals who are 21 years of age or older or to a marihuana safety compliance facility, but not to other licensee under the MRTMA lawfully obtains marihuana from marihuana establishments; processes and pack­ ages marihuana; and sells or otherwise transfers mari­ MARIHUANA RETAILER — A location where a licens­ and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana to marihuana establishments and to individuals who are 21 years of age or older. MARIHUANA SAFETY COMPLIANCE FACILITY — A the presence of contaminants. MARIHUANA SECURE TRANSPORTER — A location Planning Commission but such approval 125.3402). lapses pursuant to Section 220-20-5.B. of to land uses designated as special land uses in the AG/ the Rutland Charter Township Code, or OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District is hereby that business is otherwise not operation­ amended to include the following new designated special al within the term of approval of a Munic­ land uses: ipal License approved for that business uses) takes effect but is repealed by subsequent as specified in Section 105-7.C. of the ordinance adoption action of the Rutland Charter Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). Rutland Charter Township Code (Section Township Board. Medical Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). 7.C. of Ordinance No. 2022-180). 2. This huana establishments in order to transport marihuana Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land 3. Any provision of Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Marihua­ Processor, na Business Licensing Ordinance) is in any manner Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility, Medical amended, superseded, or otherwise invalidated in Marihuana Secure Transporter. Marihuana Grower, Medical Marihuana Proces­ whole or in any part by a petition-initiated ordinance Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. sor, and Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance approved by the electors pursuant to Section 6 of Facility shall comply with the locational standards the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana in preceding subsection A, and shall also comply Act (MCL 333.27956(1)). Medical Marihuana Processor. SECTION 3 AMENDMENT OF §220-9-3 (special land uses in MU Mixed Use District) C. A Marihuana Grower, Marihuana with all of the following additional standards: 4. 1. §220-9-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to censing Ordinance) takes effect but is repealed by closed building. subsequent ordinance adoption action of the Rut­ land Charter Township Board. land uses designated as special land uses in the MU Mixed Use District is hereby amended to include the following new Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Marihuana Business Li­ All activities shall be conducted within an en­ 2. The business shall be designed and operat­ SECH2N7. REPE.AU ed to prohibit any unlawful discharge of pes­ other potential contaminants into the public Marihuana Processor. wastewater and/or stormwater systems. Medical Marihuana Processor. Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center. 3. Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. SECTION 4 AMENDMENT OF §220-12-3 (special land uses in LI Light Industrial District) No marijuana shall be cultivated, grown, ihuana Business Licensing Ordinance), Ordinance No. 2019­ manufactured, processed, handled or test­ 167 completely prohibiting any marihuana establishment with­ ed in any manner that allows the emission in the boundaries of Rutland Charter Township is repealed, to of odors beyond the interior of the building the extent of any conflicts with this Ordinance No. 2022-179 or which is otherwise discernable to another and/or Ordinance No. 2022-180; but such repeal is hereby person outside of the building. expressly conditioned on this Ordinance No. 2022-179 and Such odor emissions shall be prevented by the instal­ Ordinance No. 2022-180 continuing in effect after the initial lation of operable filtration or ventilation and effective date of each as specified in Section 6 of this Ordi­ exhaust equipment. nance No. 2022-179 and Section 16 of Ordinance No. 2022­ 180. 4. §220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to land uses designated as special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is hereby amended to include the following new designated special land uses: No marijuana shall be cultivated, Ordinance No. 2022-180 or any part of same, ceases to be in manufactured, processed, handled or test­ effect subsequent to the initial effective date of each for any ed in any manner that allows the emission reason as specified in Section 6 of this Ordinance 2022-179 of noise beyond the interior of the build­ and Section 16 of Ordinance No. 2022-180, or otherwise, Or­ ing or which is otherwise discernable to dinance No. 2019-167 shall be deemed immediately reinstat­ person outside of the building. Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). 5. If this Ordinance No. 2022-179 or any part of same, or grown, another Medical Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). Upon the initial effective date of this Ordinance No. 2022-179 (zoning text amendments) and Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Mar­ Marihuana Retailer. of the primary place of business for a licensee under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain marihuana from mari­ of §220-4-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining location where a licensee under the MRTMA lawfully tests marihuana, including certification for potency and (amendments uses) is rejected by the electors pursuant to Sec­ Marihuana Secure Transporter. ee under the MRTMA lawfully obtains marihuana from 2022-179 tion 402 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL Marihuana Microbusiness. huana to marihuana establishments. No. ning Commission; or is approved by the ticides, fertilizers, nutrients, marijuana, and MARIHUANA PROCESSOR — A location where a Ordinance such application is denied by the Plan­ designated special land uses: marihuana establishments. This Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land Rutland Charter Township Code, unless SECTION 2 AMENDMENT,qf §22Q-4-3.1§p.ecial land uses in AQ/Q.S. Agricultural/Open $pac<?.PreservatiQn District) than 150 marihuana plants; processes and packages marihuana; and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana Causes of repeal after initial effective date. Upon initially boundary line of the Township with another MRTMA — The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Microbusiness. establishments effect on the latter of the following dates: the 8th day after Marihuana Processor. - Class B—500 marihuana plants. This Ordinance shall initially take existing Marihuana Microbusiness, Marihua­ ee under the MRTMA lawfully cultivates marihuana and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana to marihua­ Initial effective date. A location where a licensee under the MMFLA lawfully 17-3.E.) is intended to apply to any type of marihuana business/marihuana establishment or related event. A. ness shall not be located within 500’ of an tion; and is also not intended to include any land use by the State pursuant to R 420.21 of the Michigan Ad­ In the MU Mixed Use District, only, the busi­ MEDICAL MARIHUANA SECURE TRANSPORTER — MMFLA that is not specifically included in this defini­ or activity that is subject to a “special license” issued SECTION 6 EFFECTIVE DATE marihuana processor, medical marihuana provision­ ing center, and medical marihuana secure transport­ for the Special Land Use Permit. The business shall open no earlier than 9:00 the medical marihuana facility. as further defined herein: marihuana grower, marihua­ na safety compliance facility, marihuana processor, Consistent with the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Special Land Use Permits shall be designat­ All activities shall be conducted within an en­ facility or receives marihuana from a registered prima­ marihuana and with the odor emission requirements in pre­ Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. er. vehicles, reading as follows: 3. ing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being consid­ BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN businesses, shall be designed and operated to comply A. ered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/ THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND All Table; and to add the subsequent text for Item Number 14 Item 14—Marihuana Business sonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hear­ Township as special land uses in designated zoning districts. All activities shall be conducted within an en­ to specific approval standards required of particular special ceding subsection C.3. - Class B—1,000 marihuana plants. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary rea­ A Marihuana Secure Transporter and Medical The business shall maintain a secure, closed environment where marihuana is to ed in its entirety. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — Page 13 a non-prohibited type of Marihuana Business pursuant to Section 4.A. this RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL B. at a regular meeting or special meeting of the Township Board. The Clerk 1. The parcel/lot upon which the Marihuana Business will be conducted shall give to the Licensee and the public Notice of the date, time, and place (subject premises) is a lawful conforming lot or a lawful nonconform­ of the public hearing, and the asserted grounds for revocation, at least 21 ing lot pursuant to all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter days before the date of the public hearing. The Township Board shall have Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP TO: Township means Rutland Charter Township. OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022-180 appended hereto portunity at the public hearing to present evidence and call witnesses rele­ all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Or­ vant to the grounds for revocation stated in the Notice. The Township Board dinance. shall have the burden of proving any stated ground(s) for revocation by a TYPES OF MARIHUANA BUSINESSES SUBJECT TO MUNICIPAL LICENSE APPROVAL A. Non-prohibited types of Marihuana Business. The following types of Marihua­ na Business as defined in this Ordinance are not completely prohibited in this 2022 meeting. 3. All existing buildings and structures on the subject premises comply with preponderance of the evidence, and shall articulate in writing its findings of all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township State Con­ fact and conclusions of law with regard to each stated ground for revocation. struction Code Ordinance (Chapter 95 of the Rutland Charter Town­ The Clerk or the designee of the Clerk shall record these findings of fact and Township and may apply for and be issued a Municipal License pursuant to the This proposed ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township requirements of this Ordinance: Board at its scheduled regular meeting on April 13,2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at Township. - Marihuana Microbusiness Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary conclusions of law in the minutes of the public hearing/meeting. ship Code), and any applicable Fire Code in effect in Rutland Charter - Marihuana Retailer the Charter Township Hall. for revocation in the Notice. The licensee shall be afforded a full and fair op­ 2. All existing buildings and structures on the subject premises comply with PERSONS: was introduced for first reading by the Rutland Charter Township Board at its March 9, the burden of going forward with evidence supporting the asserted grounds Township Code). SECTION 4 C. Revocation effective date. A Township Board decision to revoke a Municipal License shall take effect immediately, unless a subsequent effective date for 4. Any new building or structure proposed to be erected on the subject - Marihuana Grower Revocation procedure. The Township Board shall hold a public hearing on any proposed revocation of the Municipal License for a Marihuana Business Ordinance upon determining all of the following: aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed - Class A (not more than 100 plants) materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meet- - Class B (not more than 500 plants) of the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance, Rutland Charter ing/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. Individuals with - Class C (not more than 2000 plants) Township Construction Code Ordinance, and any applicable Fire Code pursuant to this Section shall be subject to appeal to the Barry County Circuit in effect in Rutland Charter Township. Court or other Court with jurisdiction to hear such an appeal as may be disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. - Marihuana Processor - Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND 7. The Applicant is not a disqualified Applicant pursuant to Section 5.B. of - Class C (not more than 1500 plants) as new Chapter 105 various provisions pertaining to the licensing of certain types of or regular first class postal mailing to the designated address on the appli­ - Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility to the Township, personally and in connection with any business in cation form required by Section 5.A.1. of this Ordinance, or to such other up­ - Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter the Township in which they hold an ownership interest, including real dated address as an Applicant/Licensee may specify on a Municipal License property taxes, personal property taxes, ordinance violation fines, per­ renewal application form or may otherwise provide the Clerk in writing for eral authority of the Township under the Charter Township Act to enact ordinances Nothing in this Ordinance shall be construed to prohibit a MRTMA marihuana considered necessary to provide for the public peace and health and for the safety of grower, processor, or retailer from lawfully operating at a location shared with a persons and property in the Township, including prescribing the terms and conditions MMFLA marihuana grower, processor, or retailer, if a Municipal License has been upon which licenses may be granted or revoked (MCL 42.15), and to regulate the con­ issued pursuant to this Ordinance for each such type of Marihuana Business duct of business in the Township (MCL 42.17), and pursuant to the ordinance authority and an Operating License has been issued by the state for each such type of of the Township under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MCL Marihuana Business. B. Mandatory reports from Township officials. The Township Board shall re­ cial, and Fire Chief as may be necessary to make a determination pursuant first class postal mailing (2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058), or to such to Section 6.A. of this Ordinance. other updated address as the Clerk may specify to an Applicant/Licensee in ship Board shall deny an application for a Municipal License that does not land use or activity that is not explicitly specified in Section 4.A. of this Ordinance meet all of the standards for approval specified in Section 6.A. of this Ordi­ is completely prohibited within the boundaries of this Township and shall there­ BARRY COUNTY, STATE OF MICHIGAN fore not be eligible to apply for or be issued a Municipal License pursuant to this specified in Section 6.B. or their designees to inspect the subject premises ORDAINS: Ordinance or be eligible for an Operating License issued by the state under the sufficiently to make their required reports to the Township Board pursuant to MRTMA or MMFLA for any location in this Township. that provision shall also be grounds for denial of an application for a Munici­ SECTION 1 writing for such purposes. MUNICIPAL LICENSE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES A. Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance. SECTION 2 ship Board approval or denial of a Municipal License application within 7 ihuana Business that is not prohibited in this Township pursuant to Sec­ days after the Township Board action. A notice of denial of a Municipal Li­ tion 4.A. of this Ordinance shall file an application in the Township Clerk’s cense application shall specify the basis for the denial. office upon a form provided by the Township. The application shall in­ PURPOSE The following acts constitute a violation of this Ordinance: 1. Filing an application for a Municipal License pursuant to Section 5 of this Ordinancewithanymisrepresentationorfalsestatementthatisreasonably material to Township Board consideration of that application. D. Notification of Applicant. The Clerk shall notify an Applicant in writing of Town­ An Applicant for a Municipal License for a type of Mar­ Application form. SECTION 12 VIOLATIONS pal License pursuant to this Ordinance. SECTIONS TITLE Notice to Township. Any notice from an Applicant/Licensee to the Township shall be sent to the Clerk by email (clerk@rutlandtownship.org) or by regular nance. In addition, the failure or refusal of an Applicant to allow the officials 2. specified in Section 4.A. of this Ordinance in this Township without a valid Approval of Municipal License Application contingent on issuance of Operat­ in effect and in good standing, or without a valid Operating License issued ing License. Township Board approval of any Municipal License application by the state for that Marihuana Business being in effect and in good pursuant to Section 6A shall be contingent on issuance of an Operating ness establishments that are not prohibited from the Township, as further provided The Township finds the activities associated with the types of marihuana 1. If the Applicant is an individual: the Applicant’s name; date of birth; Social License by the state forthat Marihuana Business and issuance of a Municipal Security number; physical address, including residential and any business License by the Clerk for that Marihuana Business pursuant to Section 7 of postal mailing address; copy of government-issued photo identification; email this Ordinance. businesses allowed in the Township are significantly connected to the public health, safety, security, and welfare of its citizens and it is therefore necessary to prescribe not the intent of this Ordinance to diminish, abrogate, or restrict the protections for oth­ dresses, including residential and any business postal mailing address; copy erwise lawful personal marihuana use found in the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of government-issued photo identifications; email address; and one or more of Marihuana Act (“MRTMA”) or the Michigan Medical Marihuana Facility Licensing Act phone numbers of each Stakeholder of the Applicant (with an ownership (“MMFLA”). interest of 10% or greater), including designation of the highest ranking DEFINITIONS actions by the state relating to issuance or denial of an Operating License Township in violation of any statutory requirement or administrative rule applicable to that Marihuana Business. of that Operating License. B. Operating License by the state for a Marihuana Business for which a Munic­ the names and addresses of the beneficiaries; (if a corporation) or a copy of ipal License application was approved by the Township Board pursuant to the articles of incorporation, bylaws, and any shareholder agreement. Section 6 of this Ordinance the Clerk shall within 7 days thereafter issue the marihuana secure transporter under the MRTMA; and a medical marihuana grower, Township Planning Commission for the Marihuana Business for which a Mu­ approved by the Township Board within one year from the date of such Town­ nicipal License is requested, including Special Land Use Permit approval and ship Board approval. allows consumption of marihuana in a public place in this Township, ex­ cept in such location, if any, as may be designated by the Township for . OPERATING STANDARDS FOR APPROVEO AND LICENSED MARIHUANA BUSINESS the state under the MRTMA or MMFLA that is not specifically and explicitly included in 6. A location area map of the Marihuana Business and surrounding area this definition, and is also not intended to include any land use or activity that is subject that identifies the relative locations and the distances (closest prop­ A Operating standards for approved and licensed Marihuana Business. Each Mar­ to a “special license” issued by the state pursuant to R 420.21 of the Michigan Admin­ erty line to the subject Marihuana Business's building) reflecting the ihuana Business for which the Township has issued a Municipal License istrative Code. Further, no provision of Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Applicant's requirements pursuant to Section 7 of this Ordinance and for which the state has issued Code pertaining to a “temporary event" (such as §220-17-3.E.) is intended to apply to provided under Section 220-20-7, Item 14 of the Zoning Ordinance. an Operating License shall operate the Marihuana Business in accordance with the separation distance consumption pursuant to any applicable laws and ordinances, and only when not accessible to persons under 21 years of age. SECTION 8 Commission meeting® at which such approvals were granted). compliance Any activity on the premises of a Marihuana Business that causes or SECTION 13 site plan approval (which may be in the form of the minutes of the Planning . 8. licensee) does not file with the Clerk proof of issuance of a state Operating License for the Marihuana Business for which the Municipal License was huana safety compliance facility, and/or medical marihuana secure transporter under Any violation of the Operating Standards for a Marihuana Business in this Township as specified in Section 8 of this Ordinance. and shall be void and cease to be of any effect if the Applicant (contingent 5. Evidence of all applicable zoning-related approvals by the Rutland Charter medical marihuana processor, medical marihuana provisioning center, medical mari­ . 7. dinance shall be valid for one year from the date of Township Board approval, fication numbers). ihuana processor, marihuana retailer, marihuana safety compliance facility, and/or 10 of this Ordinance. application approval by the Township Board pursuant to Section 6 of this Or­ ness, including the postal mailing address, and the property tax parcel identi­ Marihuana Business includes a marihuana grower, marihuana microbusiness, mar­ Business for which a Municipal License was issued but revoked, subse­ C. Municipal License Application approval valid for one year. A Municipal License 4. The name and complete physical address of the proposed Marihuana Busi­ Marihuana means that term as defined in the MRTMA. Any operation or attempted operation in this Township of a Marihuana quent to the effective date of the license revocation pursuant to Section approved Municipal License. 3. The percentage ownership of each Stakeholder (with an ownership interest of its successor agency. 6. Clerk issuance of Municipal License. Upon receiving proof of issuance of an Service EIN confirmation letter, and copy of the operating agreement of the Applicant; (if a partnership) a copy of the partnership agreement; (if a Trust) 10% or greater). Any operation or attempted operation of a Marihuana Business in this approved, and all actions by the state relating to the suspension or revocation have the meanings stated herein: Department means the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs or 5. for the Marihuana Business for which the Municipal License application was As used in this Ordinance, including in this section, the following words and terms shall Ordinance. of an Operating License issued by the state for that Marihuana Business. to Section 6 of this Ordinance (the Licensee) shall inform the Clerk of all corporation or organization, assumed name registration, Internal Revenue Applicant means an entity or individual seeking a Municipal License pursuant to this the Township for that Marihuana Business, or in violation of any provision the Township Board has approved a Municipal License application pursuant emergency contact person; (if a limited liability company) its articles of in­ Any operation or attempted operation of a Marihuana Business in this Township in violation of any provision of a Municipal License issued by A. Information from Applicant on status of Operating License. An Applicant to whom representative as an emergency contact person; contact information for the SECTIONS 4. ISSUANCE OF MUNICIPAL LICENSE BY CLERK associated with the licensing and operation of such businesses in the Township. It is 2. If the Applicant is not an individual: the names; dates of birth; physical ad­ The operation or attempted operation of any marihuana-related business than a type of Marihuana Business specified in Section 4.A. SECTION? formation. also to provide a method to defray application, administrative and enforcement costs standing. 3. establishment, enterprise or activity of any kind in this Township other address; and one or more phone numbers, including emergency contact in­ the terms and conditions upon which licenses for such businesses may be issued; and The operation or attempted operation of any type of Marihuana Business Municipal License issued by the Clerk for that Marihuana Business being E. clude all of the following to be considered administratively complete: The purpose of this Ordinance is to license certain types of adult use marihuana busi­ the MMFLA. This term is synonymous with the term “marihuana establishment”; ex­ cept this Wm ddes^tmclu^e an^ie of iuafffiu'anaTusiriess'that may be licensed by B. quest and obtain such reports from the Zoning Administrator, Building Offi­ B. Prohibited types of Marihuana Business. Any type of marihuana establishment or CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND This Ordinance shall be known and may be cited as the Rutland Charter Township such purposes. mit fees, and any other lawful financial obligation to the Township. C. Grounds for Township Board denial of Municipal License Application. The Town­ 333.27951 et seq) and the Michigan Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MCL herein. of this Ordinance shall be sent by the Clerk or the Clerk’s designee by email 8. The Applicant and all Stakeholders are current in all financial obligations marihuana businesses that are not prohibited from the Township, pursuant to the gen­ 333.27101 etseq). Notice to Applicant/Licensee. Any notice from the Township to an Applicant or Licensee required by this Ordinance or otherwise relating to any provision this Ordinance. - Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center An ordinance to amend the Rutland Charter Township Code by adding NOTICES A - Medical Marihuana Processor MARIHUANA BUSINESS LICENSING ORDINANCE SECTION 11 information, or any misrepresentation of fact. - Class B (not more than 1000 plants) EFFECTIVE: specified in the Revised Judicature Act of the State of Michigan. 6. The application does not include any false or fraudulent statements or - Class A (not more than 500 plants) ADOPTED: Appeal of Revocation. A Township Board revocation of a Municipal License and codes administered by Rutland Charter Township. - Medical Marihuana Grower ORDINANCE NO. 2022-180 (proposed) D. 5. The subject premises fully comply with all other applicable ordinances - Marihuana Secure Transporter BARRY COUNTY, STATE OF MICHIGAN the revocation is specified in the Township Board decision. premises will upon completion comply with all applicable provisions ------------APPLICABILITY---------------------------------■ ■■■■: atnhtalh :,ninn-. L. described herein, including if the operations or activities associated with a Marihua­ na Business were established without authorization before the effective date of this Ordinance. with the following at all times: any type of marihuana business/marihuana establishment or related event. Marihuana grower means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully cultivate 7. A signed acknowledgment that the Applicant is aware of and understands marihuana and sell or otherwise transfer marihuana to marihuana establishments, that all matters related to marihuana growing, cultivation, possession, testing, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of mari­ safety compliance and transporting are currently subject to state and federal huana plants under the indicated license class for each marihuana grower license the laws, rules and regulations, and that the approval or granting of a license marihuana grower holds in that class: hereunder does not exonerate or exculpate the Applicant from abiding by 1. and forever releases any claim, demand, action, legal redress, or recourse - Class C—2,000 marihuana plants. against the Township, its elected and appointed officials, and its employees ENFORCEMENT AND SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS 2. All applicable Administrative Rules issued by the state, as may be 3. All applicable Township Ordinances/Codes, as may from time to time issued and/or amended from time to time. 4. B. Sanctions for violations. Any person who violates any provision of this Ordinance License. specified in §45-6 and all other applicable parts of Chapter 45 ofthe Rutland Charter ANNUAL LICENSE RENEWAL A. Marihuana microbusiness means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully or personal property in the Township; verifying that the Applicant and any whether as an Applicant, Licensee, agent, contractor, employee, or otherwise, shall be liable as a principle. Each day that a violation exists shall constitute a separate pursuant to Section 10 of this Ordinance. Township for any legal obligation, including property taxes on any real and/ Marihuana processor means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain C. Liability for violations. Any person responsible for a violation of this Ordinance, by the Clerk, unless revoked by the Township Board prior to that expiration date the Applicant and any associated Stakeholder® are not in default to the to a marihuana safety compliance facility, but not to other marihuana establishments. Township Code. Expiration of Municipal License. A Municipal License issued by the Clerk pursu­ ant to Section 7 of this Ordinance shall expire one year from the date of issuance 8. Signed acknowledgments in a form approved by the Township verifying that sell or otherwise transfer marihuana to individuals who are 21 years of age or older or is responsible for a municipal civil infraction and subject to the Schedule of Fines SECTION 9 cant, its Stakeholders and its agents of those laws, rules, and regulations. cultivate not more than 150 marihuana plants; process and package marihuana; and nance Enforcement Officer® of the Township and by such other person or persons All conditions and/or requirements imposed on the state Operating fees that the Applicant may incur as a result of any violation by the Appli­ huana plants are included in the plant count. Clerk and Township Board as specified herein, and shall be enforced by the Ordi­ as the Township Board may designate. and agents for any claims, damages, liabilities, causes of action or attorney Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature mar- A. Administration/enforcement. This Ordinance shall be administered by the Township be adopted/amended. with those laws, rules, and regulations; and further, that the Applicant waives - Class B—500 marihuana plants. SECTION 14 All applicable state laws, as may be enacted and/or amended from time to time. the provisions and requirements or being subject to the penalties associated - Class A—100 marihuana plants. - The provisions of this Ordinance shall be applicable to all persons and businesses offense. B. Application for renewal of Municipal License. A Municipal License licensee in­ tending to continue operating a licensed Marihuana Business beyond the Mu­ D. Public nuisance and remedies. Any violation of this Ordinance is hereby declared to marihuana from marihuana establishments; process and package marihuana; and sell associated Stakeholders are authorized to submit the application; and verify­ or otherwise transfer marihuana to marihuana establishments. ing whether the Applicant or operator has had a business license revoked or nicipal License expiration date shall apply for a renewal of the Municipal License constitute a public nuisance, and a basis for such judgment, writ or order necessary Marihuana retailer means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain mar­ suspended, and if revoked or suspended, the reason for such revocation or at least 30 days before the expiration date of the existing Municipal License. A to compel compliance with the Ordinance and/or to restrain and prohibit continuation Municipal License renewal application shall consist of both of the following to be of the violation, or other appropriate relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, in processed by the Clerk: addition to any other relief or sanction herein set forth or allowed by law. suspension. ihuana from marihuana establishments and to sell or otherwise transfer marihuana to marihuana establishments and to individuals who are 21 years of age or older. 9. A nonrefundable Municipal License application fee in the amount of $5,000.00 1. (check or cash) for each non-prohibited type of Marihuana Business for which Marihuana safety compliance facility means a person licensed under the MRTMA plicant for a Municipal License shall also be considered as the license fee for taminants. Marihuana secure transporter means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain marihuana from marihuana establishments in order to transport marihuana to marihuana establishments. Payment of a $5,000 annual license fee (check or cash), which shall be All words, phrases, provisions and sections of this Ordinance are hereby deemed to be the first year of an issued Municipal License for that Marihuana Business, if non-refundable upon receipt by the Clerk; provided the Township Board essential to fulfilling the intended purpose of this Ordinance. Accordingly, if any one an Operating License was issued by the state for that Marihuana Business. may in its discretion act by resolution to change the annual license fee to or more words, phrases, provisions or sections of this Ordinance are declared to be This Municipal License application fee is in addition to any other fees required another amount not exceeding $5,000. pursuant to any other applicable ordinance; such as a special land use permit Medical marihuana grower means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial application fee and other zoning-related fees as may be required pursuant to entity located in this state that lawfully cultivates, dries, trims, or cures and packages Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code. 2. C. marihuana for sale to a processor, provisioning center, or another grower, where the Clerk issuance of renewal of Municipal License. The Clerk shall issue a one year 10. Any other information the Township may reasonably require to enable the Township Board to evaluate the application pursuant to the standards spec­ grower holds in that class: SECTION 16 newal application form and payment of the annual license fee upon determining EFFECTIVE DATE 1. ified in this Ordinance for approval of a Municipal License. - Class A—500 marihuana plants. B. Disqualified Applicant. The following persons are disqualified as an Applicant for 1. Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature mari­ 2. Medical marihuana processor means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commer­ the Township, acts as a consultant for the Township, or acts as an advisor that extracts resin from the marihuana or creates a marihuana-infused product for sale to the Township, and is/was involved in the implementation, administra­ and transfer in packaged form to a provisioning center or another processor. tion or enforcement of this Ordinance. In addition, no such person shall Medical marihuana provisioning center means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity located in this state that lawfully purchases marihuana from a grower or processor and sells, supplies, or provides marihuana to registered qualifying C. or 30 days after publication of a Notice of Adoption for this Ordinance No. 2022-180 as required by law. B. tion 11 of this Ordinance. 4. Any person who is, or within the preceding 24 months was, employed by cial entity located in this state that lawfully purchases marihuana from a grower and (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses); cense. 3. There is no pending action for a violation of this Ordinance pursuant to Sec­ Any person who is not eligible to apply for an Operating License from the Initial effective date. This Ordinance shall initially take effect on the lat­ ter of the following dates: the effective date of Ordinance No. 2022-179 10 of this Ordinance. state under the MRTMA or the MMFLA huana plants are included in the plant count. A. No changes to the Marihuana Business have occurred in the preceding year that affect the prior Township Board approval of the Municipal Li­ 2. There is no pending revocation ofthe Municipal License pursuant to Section a Municipal License pursuant to this Ordinance: - Class C—1,500 marihuana plants. invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this Ordinance in its entirety shall cease to be in effect. renewal of a Municipal License within 21 days of receiving the completed re­ all of the following: licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each marihuana grower license the marihuana - Class B—1,000 marihuana plants. NON-SEVERABILITY ship for such matters. a Municipal License is requested. Note: the application fee paid by an Ap­ to lawfully test marihuana, including certification for potency and the presence of con­ SECTION 15 A completed renewal application using the form prescribed by the Town­ The State Operating License for the Marihuana Business is in effect, and there is no pending action by the state to revoke or suspend that Operat­ Causes of repeal after initial effective date. Upon initially taking effect this Ordinance shall remain in effect thereafter, subject to the following events, any of which shall cause this Ordinance to be automatically repealed in its entirety and cease to be in effect upon the occurrence of such an event: 1. 5. Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses) is rejected by the electors pursuant ing License. to Section 402 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3402). This Ordinance remains in effect, either as adopted or as may have been 2. Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to have a direct or indirect interest in a Marihuana Business for which a amended subsequent to adoption, and there is no pending event which Municipal License is applied for or issued under this Ordinance. would cause this Ordinance to be automatically repealed in its entirety Marihuana Business land uses) takes effect but is repealed by sub­ and cease to be in effect. sequent ordinance adoption action of the Rutland Charter Township Review of application submission for administrative completeness. Upon receipt D. Board. Non-renewal of Municipal License. The Clerk shall not issue a renewal of a Mu­ patients, directly or through the patients’ registered primary caregivers. Provisioning of an application including the application fee and other documents referenced center includes any commercial property where marihuana is lawfully sold at retail to herein, the Township Clerk or other authorized Township official shall review the nicipal License upon determining any of subsections 1-4 of preceding Section registered qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers. application within 14 days to determine whether the application is complete. 9. C. is not met. A Marihuana Business for which a renewal license cannot be is­ Contemporaneous with that determination the Clerk shall notify the Applicant of sued pursuant to this Ordinance shall cease al! operations no later than the date part by a petition-initiated ordinance approved by the electors pursu­ any deficiencies in the application submission, and the Applicant shall have 14 of expiration of the existing Municipal License, and shall not thereafter resume ant to Section 6 of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihua­ na Act (MCL 333.27956(1)). Medical marihuana safety compliance facility means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity that lawfully takes marihuana from a marihuana facility or receives marihuana from a registered primary caregiver, tests the marihuana for contaminants and for tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids, returns the test results, and may return the marihuana to the marihuana facility. Medical marihuana secure transporter means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity located in this state that lawfully stores marihuana and transports such operations unless/until a new Municipal License has been approved by the Township Board pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance and has been issued by day period of time shall be administratively denied by the Clerk. The Clerk shall the Clerk pursuant to Section 7 of this Ordinance. further process an administratively complete application as provided below. D. above the Clerk shall provide a copy ofthe complete application to each member MMFLA means the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MCL 333.27101 et seq). of the Township Board. E. each administratively complete application for a Municipal License at a public Municipal License means a license approved by the Rutland Charter Township Board meeting held no later than 42 days after the Clerk has distributed the admin­ and issued by the Township Clerk for a marihuana business pursuant to this Ordinance, istratively complete application to the members of the Township Board, unless contingent on issuance of an operating license by the State of Michigan for the mari­ the Applicant has consented in writing to a deferral of that review to a specified Grounds for Revocation. A Municipal License approved by the Township Board and/or issued by the Clerk pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance Applicant to be present at the meeting at which the application will be reviewed, Operating License means a license issued by the State of Michigan for the operation of a Marihuana Business pursuant to the MRTMA and/or MMFLA. Person means an individual, or an entity of any kind, as applicable in the context of the usage of the term in this Ordinance. A. 4. Ordinance No. 2022-180 takes effect but is repealed by subsequent ordinance adoption action ofthe Rutland Charter Township Board. SECTION 17 REPEAL Upon the initial effective date of this Ordinance No. 2022-180, Ordinance No. 2019­ 167 completely prohibiting any marihuana establishment within the boundaries of Rutland Charter Township is repealed, to the extent of any conflicts with this Ordi­ Ordinance. nance No. 2022-180 and/or Ordinance No. 2022-179; but such repeal is hereby ex­ 2. Any conviction of the Licensee or any officers or personnel of the pressly conditioned on this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and Ordinance No. 2022-179 licensed Marihuana Business for delivery of a controlled substance continuing in effect after the initial effective date of each as specified in Section to a minor. 3. Any revocation or suspension of the State Operating License for the and may decline to review the application if the Applicant or a reasonably suit­ Marihuana Business for which the Municipal License was approved/ issued. MUNICIPAL LICENSE APPROVAL/DENIAL BY TOWNSHIP BOARD Stakeholder means “Applicant” as defined under the administrative rules promulgated amended, superseded, or otherwise invalidated in whole or in any Any violation of this Ordinance, as specified in Section 12 of this able designee of the Applicant is not present as required. SECTIONS Any provision of this Ordinance No. 2022-180 is in any manner 1. subsequent Township Board meeting date. The Township Board may require the huana business under the MRTMA or the MMFLA. MA, and Executive Reorganization Order No. 2019-2, MCL 333.27001. REVOCATION OF MUNICIPAL LICENSE A. may be revoked by the Township Board on any of the following grounds: Review of application by Township Board. The Township Board shall review 333.27951 etseq). by the agency under the authority of the MMFLA, the Marihuana Tracking Act, the MRT­ SECTION 10 Submitting complete application to Township Board. Upon determining an ap­ plication for a Municipal License to be administratively complete as specified marihuana between marihuana facilities for a fee. MRTMA means the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MCL days from the date of such notification to correct the deficiencies. Any applica­ tion submission that continues to be administratively incomplete after that 14 3. 4. The Marihuana Business has become a public nuisance. 5. This Ordinance is repealed and ceases to be in effect pursuant to the Standards for Township Board approval of Municipal License Application. occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 16.B. of this The Township Board shall approve an application for a Municipal License for Ordinance. 16 of this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and Section 6 of Ordinance No. 2022-179. If this Ordinance No. 2022-180 or any part of same, or Ordinance No. 2022-179 or any part of same, ceases to be in effect subsequent to the initial effective date of each for any reason as specified in Section 16 of this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and Section 6 of Ordinance No. 2022-179, or otherwise, Ordinance No. 2019-167 shall be deemed immediately reinstated in its entirety. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland �Page 14 — Thursday, March 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings FFA member performs with band at state convention Hastings senior qualifies for national BPA web design contest Hastings High School senior Abby Owen took first place in the Business Profession­ als of America State Leadership Conference last week in Grand Rapids. She was the top finisher in the Michigan Fundamentals of Web Design event, and in doing so, qualified to attend the BPA National Conference May 4-8 in Dallas. “This event is the ultimate event for our student members,” co-adviser Bob Carl said of the national conference. Fundamentals of Web Design requires students to demonstrate knowledge of basic web design coding, or HTML, and lan­ guage. This particular event includes a sep­ arate certification component that will be offered in conjunction with the national conference, Carl said, adding that all BPA members passing this component will receive an industry certification regardless of their placement in the event. Those who pass the certification exam will be awarded 100 points to their final score at nationals. Additionally, the Hastings chapter of BPA was recognized at the state leadership conference for the greatest increase in mem­ bership this year, going from two members last year to 12 this year. Owen and junior Abby Barton represented HHS in accepting the award on stage at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. Hastings has had a BPA chapter since 1986. Carl and Jeff Erb are the current advi­ sors. The last time Hastings had national qualifiers was in 2019, Carl said. Corbin Hunter took first place in Fundamentals of Web Design, and he and Roger Roets placed first in the website design team event. Teight Tumes also took first place that year in C++ Programming as well as in Java Programming. Last month, three Hastings Middle School students also qualified for the national middle level event in Dallas. Along with being BPA advisers, Carl and Erb are part of the career and technology education program at Hastings High School, teaching computer science, cybersecurity, digital multimedia design and finance. Hastings FFA was represented by sophomore Kaylie Carl at the 94th FFA State Convention as a member of the state band. The convention March 9-11 was at Michigan State University. Band members were selected from all over the state to represent their chapters. "We are very proud of Kaylie representing Hastings FFA as she played outstanding alongside other Michigan members,” Advisory Andria Mayack said in a press release. (Photo provided) Hastings St. Patrick’s parade stepping off at 4 p.m. today The “Biggest Little St. Patrick’s Day Parade” will begin at 4 p.m. today, March 17. 'Anyone who wants to put on the green, brush up on their brogue, and join the blarney may gather in the alley behind WBCH radio sta­ tion prior to the parade - a wee bit between Apple and State streets in the 100 block. * - Longtime WBCH radio host Dave McIn­ tyre will serve as the grand marshal. The procession will go up South Jefferson Street, take a turn on to Center Street and curl back down Church Street toward the alley again. The little parade, now in its 16th run, is intended to be a lighthearted and fun celebra­ tion of spring. Friday, March 18 - 5:00 pm at Green Street Church FISH & CHIPS and CHICKEN! ~ Donations Accepted for Barry County Serenity Club ~ Located in the Heart of Hastings for a Purpose We Feed People! Green Street: Church is located at 209 W. Green St., Hastings For more info: wwwRgreenstreetumc.faith or 269-945-9574 I • 1 to 4 p.m. the village - If you are looking for placement sooner, ease schedule a tour at your convenience. Abby Owen, a Hastings High School senior, holds the plaque she received for taking first place in a computer coding contest at the Business Professionals of America state conference last week. (Photo provided) BPA, a national career and technical organization, helps students prepare for careers in business, such as management, information technology, finance, account­ ing, office administration and numerous other related career fields. BPA is designed to provide leadership and business oppor­ tunities for growth through education, competition, community service and per­ sonal development to help prepare stu­ dents for careers in a world-class work­ force. ‘The Beat Goes On’ Saturday at Mary Youngs scholarship concert Steve Youngs, organizer of the Mary Youngs Scholarship Benefit Concert in memory of his late wife, is using this year’s theme to convey the message of carrying on, even if something like a pandemic prevents an annual event. “The theme ‘The Beat Goes On’ refers to, ‘We’re going to continue going on. Life will come back. The beat goes on,”’ Youngs said. The concert funds scholarships for two Hastings High School graduating seniors who took part in music and athletics all four years of high school. Mary Youngs believed music helps athletes become well-rounded individuals, and the scholarships are based on that premise. Saturday’s concert featuring mostly local musicians and singers will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at the Hastings Perform­ ing Arts Center, 520 W. South St. The schedule for the concert, listed alpha­ betically by performer, will include: Colleen Acker: “We Got the Beat” Doug Acker: “American Pie” Tim Acker: “We Will Rock You” Tom Alderson: “Let There Be Drums” Lis Burton Haas: “Let it Go” and “Good­ bye Yellow Brick Road” Caleb Comps and Ellie Youngs: “Rockin’ Robin” Gene Greenfield: “Hotel California” and “Maggie May” Hastings High School students: “Pennies from Heaven,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Sweet Caroline” Anna and Sophia Haywood: “Easy on Me” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” Haywood and Youngs families: “Come Sail Away” Fred Jacobs: “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” and “Impossible Dream” Beth Lepak and Friends: “More” Kelly Maurer: “Would I Lie to You?” and “People Get Ready.” Erin Merritt: “Natural Woman” and “Take Me to the River” Angie Seeher: “Feeling Good” and “Good­ bye Yellow Brick Road” Chase Youngs: “Hot Rod Lincoln” Ellie Youngs: “Uptight (Everything is Alright)” and “X’s and O’s” Full group: “The Beat Goes On” and “Home Sweet Home” Accompanying the musicians throughout the evening will be Doug Acker, guitar; Tim Acker, guitar; Tom Alderson, drums; Mike Callton, harmonica; Beth Lepak, violin; Dante Urena, piano; and Terry Van Dien, bass guitar. “We didn’t have a program last year. We were lucky to still have enough money to give full scholarships last year,” Steve Youngs said. “So, we haven’t skipped a beat with giving scholarship money out, but we missed the show last year. So, this is ‘The beat goes on.’ We’re doing it again and continuing. “It’s going to be a very cool show.” Friends of HPAC seeking nominations for Wall of Fame at high school Benjamin Simon Staff Writer When Hastings Area Schools Superinten­ dent Matt Goebel met with members of the Friends of HPAC board last March, he asked for one thing: A “wall of fame” in the Hast­ ings Performing Arts Center. “I want you guys to be able to fill the build­ ing and bring in ‘X’ and I will not micromanage you on those things,” he remembered telling the Friends of HPAC board. “However, there is one thing that I want to see - that’s a wall of fame for our past and for our future people that have gone through our system so we could really recognize and showcase their talents.” Now, that wall of fame is coming to life, in the lobby of the performing arts center, and the Friends of HPAC board is seeking nomi­ nations from the community. “We really want to get a good gathering of - who does the community feel is eligible for this opportunity?” Friends of HPAC Trustee Bob Gaskill explained. “I think the more the merrier at this point because we want to hear those stories. It may give us an opportunity to recognize some folks that haven’t had any recognition.” Gaskill said they won’t just honor financial donors on the wall of fame. They’re also look­ ing for the ‘unsung heroes,’ he said, and everyone in between. Community members who have dedicated a lifetime to stitching clothes for the musical. Volunteers who have worked in the ticket booth for decades. Alum­ ni who have pursued a career in music. For­ mer directors, teachers, musicians - anyone. “We’ve got a lot of people who have spent a lifetime of volunteering and groups that have really been super supportive of the arts in general here in the Barry County area,” Gaskill said. They currently recognize people who have made contributions to the fine arts program with plaques in the band and choir room. But Goebel wanted to see something visible in the HPAC. “I feel like now we really have a facility that can really showcase those individuals, people that have been here - homegrown Hastings talent and skill level,” he said. “We should be able to highlight them, showcase them on a wall of fame within that performing arts center.” The deadline for submission is April 9. Gas­ kill said the board will create a subcommittee to review the nominations starting on April 12. The subcommittee will then collect nomina­ tions from board and community members, and present the selections to the board, who will narrow down the final choices. After the inaugural class is selected, a reception will be held to honor them. In its first year, Gaskill suspects the board will pick a larger number of nominees, some­ where between five and 10, before lowering the total in the future. To suggest someone for the wall of fame, organizers are asking people to send in the nominee’s name, a short story of their contribu­ tions and the submitter’s contact information. People may nominate someone by emailing HPAC@hasskl2.org with WOF in the subject line or writing a letter to Hastings Performing Arts Center WOF at 520 W. South St., Hast­ ings MI 49058. Pierce Cedar Creek hosting dinner and films event Friday To arrange a visit, please give us a call today. (* V % J ?\ < * \ / y ': (269) 795-4972 www.CarvethVillage.com — "Az “Remember... ifyou can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 Full Spectrum of Independent and Assisted Living Opportunities • Trained, Caring, and Experienced Staff Pierce Cedar Creek Institute near Dowling will host an environmentally educational ver­ sion of a dinner and movie date night from 6 to 8:45 p.m. Friday, March 18. Guests are invited “to discover a festival of films that could change the way you look at and use water forever,” according to a PCCI press release. Dinner will be prepared by the institute’s chef and kitchen staff. The five short films explore how water flows through all life and connects everyone and everything. “From furry bucktoothed engineers and innovative gardeners to hairdressers and creek walkers, these films share glimpses into the inspiring journeys of individuals and groups as they take very different approaches to using and protecting water. Be inspired by their stories and explore what it takes to make a difference. After the film screenings, we will discuss ways you can help conserve water and support the next generation to do so.” The films to be screened in this Water Docs series include “Keeper of the Creek,” “The Beaver Believers,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” “Alice’s Garden” and “Waterway Jay.” Participants can enjoy both dinner and a movie or just the movies. The cost for dinner and a movie is $25 for members; $30 for non-members. The movies-only cost is $5 for members; $10 for non-members. Registration is available at CedarCreeklnstitute.org. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-03-24.pdf a826d01e54e046f700f3da1a6cc99c89 PDF Text Text Hastings Public Library 227 E State Street Hastings Ml 49058 Hastings restaurant destroyed in fire Rebates a shameful legislative promotion First all-county teams of winter season revealed See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Stories on Pages 9-12 804879110187 1070490102590500711149058195427 E ™***CAR-RT LOT**C 003 C003 Hastings Public Library 227 E State St Hastings Ml 4905S-1954 VOLUME 168, No. 12 Thursday, March 24, 2022 PRICE $1.00 Court accepts guilty plea in TK social media threat Marking a milestone moment Contracts for seven projects in Barry County that will receive, collectively, more than $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds brought a group together at the historic courthouse for a ceremonial signature. Here, commissioners, members of the ARPA task force, and representatives of some of the projects gathered in the commissioners’ chambers on the mezzanine Monday. They are, from left: Commissioner David Jacksort^Commissioner Howard Gibson, county board Chairman Ben Geig^an^ Commissioner Catherine Getty; second row, Carla Wilson Neil, task force member representing the health care industry, Compiissioner Bruce Campbell, Larry Case of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, Jennifer Heinzman of the Barry County Economic Development Alliance who also served on the task force, Stephanie Lehman, director of Central Dispatch/E-911, Commissioner Jon Smelker; third row, Sarah Nelson, county Parks and Recreation Commission member, Daryl Cheeseman, chairman of the county Parks and Recreation Commission, Bill Andrews, Freeport village president, Lani Forbes, task force member, and Dan Patton, county Parks and Recreation Commission. The first round of ARPA funds will go to Barry Township for the Delton Water Tower Project; the Village of Freeport for the Freeport Water Supply and Tower Project; Barry County Central Dispatch & Barry County Emergency Management’s Public Safety 800 MHz Tower Project; Barry Community Foundation for Activate Barry County’s Community Food Center Planning Project; Rutland Charter Township’s Algonquin Lake Sewer and Broadband Study; Barry County Parks & Recreation Commission’s Paul Henry Trail 4.5-mile Paving Project; and revenue replacement for the Barry County Road Commission. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Hastings police car torched in broad daylight Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Jeremy Dunklee, a 30-year-old man from the Hastings area, was arrested shortly after a Hastings Police Department car was set on fire in the City Hall parking lot Monday around 5 p.m. Police Chief Dale Boulter said the depart­ ment does not have a motive for the incident at this time. Boulter called it a “very strange” situa­ tion. The department last dealt with Dunklee on Sept. 23, 2019, in a disorderly conduct case, the chief said. See POLICE CAR, page 8 Greg Chandler the school?’ And the defendant’s response was ‘Yup, with gang.” Then the defendant Staff Writer sent a photograph of him holding a handgun A Grand Rapids 18-year-old will be sen­ tenced next month in connection with a social in that group chat. There was a subsequent phone call made on that social media plat­ media threat he made to Thomapple Kellogg High School Jan. 20. form where he thoroughly said Connor John Bauer pleaded he was going to shoot up the guilty Tuesday to one count of school and shoot one of [the making a threat to a school, other student’s] sister.” school employee or student, a In response, Bauer denied misdemeanor offense punishable threatening the sister of the one by up to a year in jail and/or a of the other TK students. fine of up to $1,000. With mem­ Students at the high school bers of his family in attendance, were already en route to the Bauer entered the plea before building that morning when the Barry County Judge Michael threat was reported. TK Super­ Schipper in District Court 56B. intendent Craig McCarthy In exchange for the guilty wrote in an email later that day plea, a second count of making a that closing the high school and threat to a school and two counts Connor Bauer transporting students back of using a computer to commit a home would have disrupted the crime were dropped. Bauer is scheduled to be entire district transportation system, so the sentenced April 26. He remains in jail where district decided to cancel all TK classes for he is being held on a $25,000 bond. the day. Classes in the Thomapple Kellogg district Bauer is facing an unrelated criminal com­ were canceled Jan. 20 after administrators plaint in Kent County, but details of that received an email posted on social media that complaint are not being made public under morning regarding a threat to the high school. the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, Carter said. “Based on the report, there was a social HYTA is a deferral status under the law that media group chat including three other indi­ allows youthful offenders who plead guilty to viduals that go to TK schools,” Assistant a criminal offense to avoid having that con­ County Prosecutor Josh Carter told the court. viction entered on their record. “There were threats that were made. Bauer’s defense attorney, Deno Fotieo of “One of the other students specifically Grand Rapids, declined to comment on his asked the defendant, ‘Are you gonna shoot up client’s plea. Banner team wins state award for excellence in journalism The Hastings Banner has been chosen to receive a prestigious statewide journalism award for its continuing coverage of Michi­ gan’s no-fault auto insurance reform. The Banner is one of three news organiza­ tions in Michigan - and the only one outside Detroit - to win the 48^ annual Wade H. Security camera footage at Hastings City Hall shows the suspect running away from the police car after it was set on fire. Deputy Chief Juiissa Kelly can be seen in the left portion of the photo chasing him. She was getting out of an unmarked vehicle when she spotted the incident. (Footage provided by City of Hastings.) McCree Advancement of Justice Award, sponsored by the Michigan Press Association Foundation. The McCree awards are based on the sig­ nificance and informative level of the jour­ nalism, as well as the impact of the work on changing and improving the legal and law enforcement systems. The Banner will be honored at the 2022 Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame dinner on April 24 at the Kellogg Center in East Lan­ sing. The McCree award honored the work of Ban­ ner staff writers Benjamin Simon and Greg Chandler, photojoumalist Scott Harmsen and J-Ad Graphics Inc. CEO/Publisher Fred Jacobs. Simon profiled the story of Troy Hughes, a Middleville man who was catastrophically injured in a motorcycle crash. The comprehen­ sive care Hughes had been receiving was taken away because of changes in the state­ wide catastrophic care program resulting from passage of no-fault auto insurance reforms. Chandler wrote about efforts by Hastings resident George Hubka to convince the Mich­ igan Farm Bureau to persuade lawmakers to reverse the removal of long-term care provi­ sions in the law. See BANNER, page 8 Barry-Roubaix rolls into 13th year The Founders Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race will be held Saturday with starting and finishing events happening in downtown Hastings. The event registered 3,500 riders in 2019, but had its 2020 event can­ celed. The 2021 edition was moved from the spring to October last year. The first riders will begin taking off a 7:00 a.m. in the 100-mile category Saturday at the 13th annual event. There are 18-mile, 36-mile, 62-mile and 100-mile races that take riders across gravel roads, and some paved sections, throughout Barry County. The remainder of the categories begin taking off from downtown Hastings in waves beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday. (File photo) �Page 2 — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Concert benefits Hastings scholarship fund The concert finale featured the entire ensemble singing Motley Crue's “Home Sweet Home.” The Mary Youngs Benefit Concert brought music with a mission back to the Hastings Performing Arts Center March 19. Event coordinator Steve Youngs estimated that about 450 people attended the event, which has been raising money for the past 15 years for the Mary Youngs Scholarship Fund. Steve Youngs, a retired music teacher, started the benefit concert to honor his late wife. The fundraiser had to skip last year, how- ever, because of the pandemic, but the schol­ arship fund was still able to bestow $1,000 scholarships to two students, Youngs said. Qualified candidates, who must have four years of music in high school, as well as four years of athletics in a sport in high school, must submit an essay to be considered for one of two $1,000 that are conferred each year. In total, between $28,000 and $30,000 in scholarships has been awarded since the fund was created. Thus far this year, the event brought in about $3,500 but Young said he was confi­ dent the total for this year would ultimately hit about $4,000. All the costs to put on the concert are donated by the family. Donors may give to the scholarship, through the Barry Community Foundation, which administers the fund. “The memory of Mary lives on through this,” Youngs said. Tim Acker gets into the sound during the Mary Youngs Benefit Concert Saturday at Hastings Performing Arts Center. Central student wins prestigious art contest Central Elementary 4th grade student Shelby Malone poses with art instructor Natasha Offerman. Shelby is holding her chalk pastel drawing titled “Sea Floor” that made her top 15 finalist in a state-wide art competition. In Offerman's nine years of teaching in Hast­ ings, it is only the second time a student has placed as a state finalist. For more informa­ tion on Shelby and her impressive award, visit the “Have You Met?” section on page 4. Soloist Fred Jacobs serenades listeners with “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” Anna Haywood performs Adele's “Easy On Me.” (Photos by Rebecca Pierce.) The audience sings along - and one youngster cheered for his grandma, who was performing on stage. ......... . .... . ......... ta. rT^riNsuL4?z i SPRAY FOAM SATURDAY, APRIL Z"D, Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast * 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville BENEFIT BREflHmST sismuc miiir smi J -NOTICETo Members of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, Hastings, Michigan: Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company will be conducted on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, 404 E. Woodlawn Ave, Hastings, MI The annual meeting agenda includes a ballot for the election of the following Directors: Renee R. Beauford, Douglas J. Finn, Kellie M. Haines and Norice A. Thorlund Rasmussen. For more information contact Michael W. Puerner, Secretary, 269/948-1532. Bake Sale 8:00 am £ 10:00 am SETTINGS Also 7981 S.M-6G HWY, NASHVILLE All homemade from scratch: biscuits & gravy, fresh sausage patties, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, coffee & orange juice, fresh fruit, cinnamon rolls. Gluten free options also available Please call to make reservations 269-758-3845. Carry Out also available, please call ahead. Proceeds to benefit hospital bills for Junior Lambright’s 4 year old daughter. Steve Youngs sings with Lis Burton Haas, center, and Angie Seeber. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — Page 3 City approves vehicle repair shop ordinance; sells land for new manufacturing warehouse Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The Hastings City Council has unanimous­ ly approved an ordinance that will permit pre-existing vehicle repair shops in the cen­ tral business district. The council held its second reading of the ordinance during its Feb. 28 meeting. The Hastings planning commission, with the help of McKenna Planning Consultant Rebecca Harvey, had spent the past few months craft­ ing and preparing the new text. Now, the ordinance will go into law. “This is, for the most part, a cleanup of a very old set of ordinances,” planning com­ mission Chair Dave Hatfield said at Mon­ day’s meeting. For the past five years, city officials have intended to fix outdated language in the municipal code and zoning ordinance. Vehi­ cle repair shops were on that list. They didn’t get around to it until a few months ago, after a vehicle repair shop owner approached the city with hopes of expanding a parking lot. It was a catalyst, Community Development Director Dan King said. City officials went back and reviewed the city charter. They noticed that vehicle repair shops, which were previously allowed, were currently consid­ ered “non-conforming” in the downtown B-l district. In addition to cleaning up outdated and inconsistent language, the new ordinance will grandfather pre-existing vehicle repair shops into the district, allowing them to make phys­ ical upgrades to property. It will also more explicitly define gasoline stations, major and minor vehicle repair shops, and vehicle wash establishments, which were not mentioned in the previous ordinance. The ordinance will not allow new vehicle repair shops to enter the district. After two readings, city council members offered little dissent. Councilmember Brenda McNabb-Stange sought to clarify the possi­ bility of a shop providing multiple services. “This basically seems to separate out gaso­ line, auto repair and the car washes,” she said. “So, it doesn’t seem to take into account more than one of those functions are done in a sin­ gle location.” Hatfield explained that the businesses would have to take on the most restrictive business category. “If you had a business that was both a gas station as well as doing minor repair, major repair and car washes, you would look at the requirements for all four of those, take the most restrictive and apply that,” he said. He said he would talk to Harvey to deter­ mine if they needed to make this point clearer in the ordinance. In other action, council approved the sale of parcel 5 on Enterprise Drive near East State Road for $21,050. The buyers, Gary M. Menke II and Mark Kortman, plan to con­ struct an 8,000-square foot manufacturing building for their business, Menke Industries. The company currently works out of a pole bam in Wayland, producing defense and aerospace products. They wanted a larger space to operate their CNC equipment. Enterprise Drive was developed in the early 2000s “to encourage industrial develop­ ment capacity in that section of town,” King said. Initially, the city sold multiple lots on Enterprise Drive. But after the recession hit in 2008, it hasn’t been able to sell the proper­ ties. In response, the local development finance authority hired a real estate agent to jumpstart the process. That’s when Menke Industries came into the picture. In the coming weeks, the city and Menke Industries will move toward finalizing a clos­ ing agreement. They will then develop a site plan to present to the planning commission. Upon occupancy, Menke Industries will employ at least three people, and within five years, the owners plan to have at least 10 employees. In other business during its Feb. 28 and March 14 meetings, the council: • Approved paying $64,059 to Grand River Construction for waste treatment plants improvement; $7,470 to Aunalytics for pro­ fessional services; $5,322 to USALCO for liquid; and $10,628 to Prein&Newhof for services related to the city’s capital improve­ ment plan. • Tabled the adoption of its rules of proce­ dure. • Approved request from Hastings Rotary and Hastings Kiwanis clubs to host the plaza concession stand and sell beer and wine during 2022 Thomapple Plaza events. • Approved the St. Rose of Lima Annual 5K Fun Run at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7. • Approved the Very Barry event in Tyden Park from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, June 4. • Approved a request from Relay for Life to use Tyden Park Aug. 6. • Read a draft ordinance for the City of Hastings to regulate the dog park. • Adopted the 2019-2023 parks and recre­ ation master plan. The plan needs to be updat­ ed every five years to qualify for grants, City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said. The city is submitting a grant to upgrade the restrooms at Fish Hatchery Park. • Set a public hearing for 7 p.m. March 28 at on the city’s application for a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for the Fish Hatchery Park restroom renovation project. The grant would provide up to $300,000. • Adopted its rules of procedure. • Approved a $200 stipend for retirees who opt out of healthcare insurance. Medicare-el­ igible retirees are already receiving the $200 stipend, but not other retirees. • Appointed the emergency services build­ ing ad hoc committee, including Al Jarvis, Roger Caris, Bill Nesbitt, Dale Boulter, Dave Tossava, Jennifer Heinzman and Sarah Moy­ er-Cale. • Appointed the park committee, including Chuck Tefft, John Hook, Michele Peltier, Bill Nesbitt and Sarah Moyer-Cale. Planning Commission Chairman Hatfield also announced his candidacy for the new District 8 county board seat, which will encompass the city of Hastings. Hastings restaurant destroyed in fire Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Four months after reopening, Vinnies Woodfired Saloon was tom to the ground after a fire started in the downtown busi­ ness early Sunday morning. The cause of the fire was officially undetermined as of Wednesday after­ noon, Hastings Fire Chief Roger Caris said. The Michigan State Fire Marshal will move forward with investigating the incident. No one was injured. The Hastings Fire Department received a call around 3:30 a.m. from a police officer who observed flames and smoke coming from the chimney area. Firefighters arrived at 3:35 a.m. Getting into the building, Caris said, A police officer noticed flames and smoke coming from the chimney area of the business around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday and firefight­ ers stayed on the scene until noon. . ■ x r,- . •- ‘'■■■ ■ - ■ *'* ■ '-■'■■■ was “the biggest challenge.” An excava­ tor was brought in to provide firefighters access to the structure. “It made it a whole lot easier to extin­ guish versus leaving it standing,” he said. “So that tearing it down made a big plus.” Nearly 75 people helped to fight the fire, with mutual aid from 12 nearby fire departments, police departments and ambulance services. Hastings firefighters didn’t return to the station until noon Sunday, Caris said. Vinnies had been renovated and reopened in December 2021. Adjacent businesses, Under the Sun and Ortwein International, also sustained smoke and water damage. After a fire started at Vinnies Woodfired Saloon, firefighters had to tear down the structure. Adjacent buisnesses sustained smoke and water damage. The business isn't far from Hastings City Hall, which can be seen in the background in the next block. (Photo by Benjamin Simon.) — upply-chain issues claim Maebelles bakery Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Maebelles bakery in downtown Hast­ ings quietly closed its doors in mid-January. It shut down its social media page and taped a white piece of paper to the front door: “Maebelles is permanently closed.” Heather Jones, who ran the business with her partner, Thomas Pratt, confirmed the news: the business is no longer operat­ ing and it’s a result of the pandemic. The issues started eight months ago, when supply chain back-ups stunted the business. Butter, sugar, eggs - Jones said they couldn’t get their most basic ingredi­ ents. Some days, they needed as much as 30 pounds of butter and 15 dozen eggs, but when the truck arrived to deliver the ingredients, they wouldn’t have every­ thing the bakery needed. The supply issues caused prices to rise. Jones and Pratt paid 5 cents an egg when they opened in March 2020. This year, they found themselves paying 30 cents per egg. It set the business back and, as a result, they fell behind on expenses. It made it tough to meet the rent of $2,000 a month. Plus, they rented their equipment and, along with utilities, it pushed their monthly costs to $4,750. For bakers like Jones and Pratt, they needed specific ingredients. Both have spent decades in the pastry industry, trav­ eling from Hersey, Pa., to Maui, Hawaii, to Hastings. “It’s not something as simple as chang­ ing up the type of flour or the type of sugar. It does affect the product in the end,” she said. “We had attempted that and it just wasn’t the same. Our custom- ers, the loyal ones that were in quite often, they could tell a difference when we had to switch.” Problems continued to pile up. In early December, Jones and Pratt contracted COVID-19, which knocked them out for 10 days. Then came the winter lull. “In our industry, winter has always been slow,” she said. “You get through the holidays. But New Year through March is dead anyway. So that was the concern.” Jones said they had not paid themselves personally since October. She even had to cash in her Roth IRA from her grand­ mother to get them through the past cou­ ple of months. Business hours were 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. They woke up every morning at 4 a.m. and worked for at least 12 hours. During the Thanksgiving holidays, they worked 16- to 18-hour days. Jones said they couldn’t afford to pay another employee, either. They tried open­ ing up during the weekend, but it didn’t catch on. And if they did make extra prod­ uct, Jones explained, they didn’t always sell out and, instead, the food went to waste. “It’s always more, more, more, more, more, which you will have. But the scale of things that we were doing, we can only do so much,” she said. On Jan. 5, Pratt and Jones did not open up the store because of a lack of product. They went back to their investors and looked into securing additional state aid. But they couldn’t secure the money and, the week of Jan. 17, the two decided to close. They did this quietly, without explana­ tion. “It’s a pride thing and you don’t want to say, ‘Hey, we can’t afford to stay open. Sorry!’ and just go,” she said. “It was as unexpected for us as it was everyone else.” Community members have rallied around them, taking to social media to express sorrow for the loss. Maebelles opened up on March 27, 2020, less than two years after Jones and Pratt moved to the area. Pratt, a Hastings native, got his start in the pastry industry at Amway Grand in downtown Grand Rapids. He later got a job at The Hotel Hershey as a pastry chef, where he met Jones, who also was a baker and a Pennsylvania native. They started dating and moved to Maui in 2020 after Pratt received a job at Montage Kapalua Bay, a five-star resort. While in Maui, Pratt experienced health issues, forcing them to back to the Hastings area in December 2018. But they kept baking and in February 2019, they did special orders out of the residence of Pratt’s mother. The business expanded and they later moved to Sea­ sonal Grille, using the kitchen during after-hours to bake. After securing their own space in downtown Hastings in March 2020, Jones thought they would have some time to ease into the new job during the pandemic shutdowns. But almost instant­ ly, community members flooded to the business. “Our first year, we did amazing,” she said. “Even with [the pandemic], the sup­ port was there and that’s never been an issue. The community has always support- ed us. And we are very grateful for that.” The busy-ness didn’t come as a sur­ prise to people in the area. When the City of Hastings held public engagement sessions for its master plan and streetscape plan a few years ago, Hastings Community Development Director Dan King distinctly remem­ bered people saying that the city needed a bakery. “The fact that we don’t have did not have a local bakery right was highly noted in the community,” King said. Jones doesn’t know what is next for them. She said hopes to get back into the pastry business, “but on our terms, and when we have the funding to do it our­ selves.” Right now, she’s taking a break from baking. She’s sleeping in, waking up at 8:30 a.m. and serving as the assistant manager at The Clothier. Even so, it hasn’t been an easy transi­ tion, she said. “I miss seeing the daily customers because I did have a relationship with them. I knew their backgrounds and their families, even though I’m not from here,” she said. “I got close to a lot of people and met tons of people through that. So it’s hard.” Delton Kellogg celebrates March is Reading Month Leila Wood Contributing Writer “March is Reading Month.... While that is celebrated in every one of our buildings, it is really celebrated in our elementary school,” said Delton Kellogg Interim Superintendent Carl Schoessel told listeners at Monday’s monthly meeting of the Delton Kellogg School Board of Education. Reading Month was highlighted, along with a variety of recent and upcoming events. Delton Kellogg Elementary Principal Karmin Bourdo gave an overview of the ways the school is celebrating: Tuesday’s sports-themed Family Fun Night, their first one since 2019, included a book walk, a book fair, food, and prizes; Reading Month Spirit Days, when students dress up as characters from books; and an ongoing door-decorating contest that various classrooms have been participating in. The festivities also included a visit from state Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, who read to students from 11 classes on Monday, Bour­ do said. In other presentations, Schoessel offered an overview of the school’s competitive achievements, noting that they hope to have the students who earned the highest honors in sports and other activities recognized at the next board meeting. Schoessel also mentioned that the high school stadium field has received a Distin­ guished Single Field Facility award from the American Sports Builders Association. On the subject of facilities, he also made it clear that explosives will not be used to demolish the old portion of the Delton Kel­ logg Elementary building, which they are planning to have tom down shortly after the conclusion of this school year. “It’s not going to be a big fireworks show,” Schoessel said. “Apparently there are a num­ ber of rumors going around.” Other topics discussed during the meeting included the ongoing search for a new super­ intendent, state legislation that may affect the school’s budget, and a recent staff develop­ ment day that focused on training to deal with school threats. Schoessel said the school brought in sever­ al local law enforcement officials to help with the training. The morning was spent in dis­ cussions and, in the afternoon, they ran through active shooter drills. “Thank you to the local law enforcement officials that helped us with that,” he said. “It was one more step in our procedures to try and be prepared, should that kind of bad thing ever happen to us.” MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured New Collections from Moda® and Maywood® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim Linus Project Pickup Station 'O* Pray For Our World '0* QUESTIONS: ASK US... . 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; H vtSA « x Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station NOTICE BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Road Commission maintains a grandfathered governmental 401 (k) plan. The plan is exempt from the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and subject to the Michigan Public Employee Retirement Investment System Act (“PERSIA”). The Road Commission is seeking an investment advisory firm to provide fiduciary investment advice services at the plan and participant levels, including fiduciary advice on selection of a vendor for recordkeeping and custodial services. The Road Commission has a strong preference for a candidate that has experience serving as, and who will contractually commit to being, an ERISA 3(38) fiduciary investment manager or the equivalent under PERSIA at the plan level. The Road Commission will not contract with any advisor that insists on dollar liability caps in the contract. Minimum candidate requirements include: Experience acting as, and contractually committing to being, a fiduciary investment adviser at the plan level within the meaning of ERISA Section 3(21) or the equivalent section of PERSIA; experience providing fiduciary investment advice to a qualified retirement plan exempt from ERISA; willingness to contractually agree to a “prudent expert” standard of care within the meaning of PERSIA; and experience providing investment advice at the plan level to a qualified retirement plan with assets in excess of five million dollars. You may contact Chris BeBeau, Accounting Manager for the Barry County Road Commission, at (269) 945-3449 for more information. Proposals will be accepted through April 8, 2022. �Page 4 — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Rebates a shameful legislative promotion Reading the signs The sign's going up now - and the store's opening soon. Major retailer TJ Maxx is mov­ ing in next to the Family Farm and Home in the same business strip along West State Street in Hastings. City officials say it's a boon for eco­ nomic development local­ ly, promises to attract more shoppers and, pos­ sibly, more businesses to the area. Do you remember? Dairy royalty Banner March 14m 1957 Dairy Princess - Annetta Stamm (left), Hastings High School junior, Tuesday was selected as Barry County’s Dairy Princess to compete for state honors. Maxine Winters (center), 1956 Hastings graduate, won second place in the county contest, and Lois Tobias, a Hastings senior, took third place in the judging Tuesday during the annual meeting of the BarryHastings [Artificial Breeders Association] Annetta is sponsored by the North Hastings Farm Bureau, Maxine by the Culver Extension group, and Lois by the South Hastings Farm Bureau. [Miss Stamm went on to compete against young women from about 40 other counties and was named Michigan Dairy Princess. Gov. G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams crowned her.] (Photo by Richard Waite) Have you met? In her nine years as an art instructor in Hastings, Natasha Offerman has taught thousands of students. Of those thousands of students, only two have won the Michigan Art Education Association state competition. One of those two students is Shelby Malone, a fourth-grader at Central Elemen­ tary School, who recently finished top in the state for her artwork titled “Sea Floor.” The chalk pastel drawing details a big fish attempting to eat a little fish as they swim toward a jellyfish. “It took a while,” Shelby said in an inter­ view. “It was worth it.” When Offerman first assigned the project around December, she asked students to draw a picture of an aquatic animal. Shel­ by’s work quickly exceeded expectations. Most students drew a picture of one aquatic animal. Shelby drew three. It’s rare for a student her age to create a piece of art with a storyline and multiple subjects, Offerman said. It’s also rare for a fourth-grade student to use as many art techniques as Shelby, who blended, shaded and overlaid colors in a way that resulted in her being named a state finalist. “I’ll set the parameters for a lesson, and she’ll meet and usually exceed and add something else,” Offerman said. But that’s just a testament to Shelby’s talent, which Offerman said has stood out since the youngster was in kindergarten. “I call it the ‘magic eye’ where they can see more than everybody else,” Offerman said. When she began drawing “Sea World,” Shelby said she didn’t know what it would become. It evolved over time. “It became ... like the Mona Lisa,” she said, pausing, with a smile stretched across her face and a hint of humor. “It was special,” she continued. “... Because I put hard work into it and passion.” Shelby Malone Offerman teaches nearly 300 kids at Central Elementary School. Every year, she has to pick one piece of artwork to repre­ sent the school at the regional competition that incorporates Barry, Calhoun, Branch and Hillsdale counties. She chose Shelby’s picture. It became a finalist at the regional level, qualifying it to advance to the state compe­ tition with 100 other elementary school students from across the state. And at the state level, Shelby’s piece continued win­ ning, placing in the top 15 - the highest possible accomplishment it could receive. For the next year, it will move across the state in a circulating art exhibit. Offerman learned of the news via email in February. The day after, she brought in ice cream sandwiches and told the class about Shelby’s accomplishment. The room erupted in excitement, Offerman remem­ bered, but Shelby seemed in “shock” and “on cloud nine” from the news. Shelby celebrated by eating two ice cream sand­ wiches and later going to Taco Bell with her family. “I feel like art was just one view, but then this happened,” she said, “and now I see a whole new perspective of art.” Shelby doesn’t know what’s next in her future. “I’m not the kind of person who would plan their life out,” she explained. “... Because it comes from different forms, you can’t just plan on what you’re going to do next. It has to come to you.” But she does know one thing about her future. “I’ll see more art,” she said. Shelby Malone is this week’s Banner Bright Light. Favorite meal: Pizza rolls. Favorite show: “Amphibia.” Favorite book: “The Spiderwick Chron­ icles.” I’m on Book 5. Favorite game: I really like to play Roblox. . First job: Making art for other people in the classroom. And my job now is selling paper airplanes. Person I’d most like to have met: Leonardo da Vinci. What I would tell a high school gradu­ ate: Be more efficient! If I won the lottery, I would buy... Mount Everest. What I want for Christmas: A clown­ fish. Michigan drivers receiving their $400 auto insurance refund checks this month had better notice the blood that’s been spilled on their money. Not that we didn’t deserve a break from the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, but we all should know exactly who our legislators took that money away from to fatten our pock­ etbooks. Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Finan­ cial Services confirmed that the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association transferred $3 billion in surplus funds to Michigan auto insur­ ance companies to send refund checks to their customers. The money will go to eligible auto owners in refund checks or ACH bank deposits no later than May 9. The State Legislature created the MCCA in 1978 as a non-profit, unincorporated entity to ensure that permanently disabled auto accident victims and the families who depended on them would be financially supported for the remainder of the accident victims’ lives. We, as citizens of the only state in the coun­ try to have such a program, should be proud of the commitment we made - for the last 44 years, at least - to care for some of the least fortunate, most catastrophically injured, among us. That lifelong promise was tom to shreds by these state legislators 10 months ago when they reduced the lifelong care reimbursement for catastrophically injured accident victims by nearly half. It’s no surprise that it came amid the election-year campaign drumbeat of saving taxpayers money. “Our bipartisan auto insurance reforms have significantly lowered the cost of auto insurance for families,” crowed Whitmer. “And starting this week, thanks to the reform, Michiganders are getting $400 refund checks per vehicle for every insured driver, putting money in people’s pockets. We will continue working to save Michiganders money so they can pay their bills and put food on the table.” The deception of those words is apparent when viewing the other sources from which Whitmer and the Legislature could have got­ ten the money not only to provide tax relief, but also to fulfill the now-hollow lifelong promise made to catastrophic accident vic­ tims 44 years ago. Last week, the governor vetoed Senate Bill 768 that, among other tax changes, would have reduced the personal income tax rate back to 3.9 percent from 4.25 percent. The veto came after Whitmer outlined her “Mi Money Plan” which, if approved by the Republican Legisla­ ture, would suspend the 6 percent sales tax on fuel and the elimination of retirement taxes for some seniors and an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income earners. Easier to stick it to the small and desperate group of catastrophically injured victims who had believed they could depend on legislative leaders to honor that commitment to care for them. Whitmer and the Legislature have been battling over a $7 billion surplus in the upcoming 2022-23 fiscal year budget. They’re looking for how to best to maneuver that pot of money to give taxpayers more relief in an election year. The catastrophically injured apparently just don’t fit into their political plotting. We do have a problem with auto insurance in this state. In 2017, the average cost of a personal inju­ ry protection claim in Michigan was more than six times the national average, with costs increasing nearly twice as fast as other states, says the Insurance Research Council. “Bodily injury liability claims are becoming more frequent,” reports the IRC. And bodily injury liability claims also are becoming more frequent due to attorney involvement in auto injury claims that contribute to the costs. The increase in claims is partly due to a 2010 Mich­ igan Supreme Court decision lowering the threshold for determining when an individual can seek compensation for “pain and suffer­ ing,” caused by a crash. The IRC report also indicates that Michigan has a large amount of fraud in the no-fault system, with people declaring their medical issues were more serious than is reality - but why not when the MCCA had more than $20 billion in its coffers with no oversight from state legislators? The MCCA became the prime culprit in auto rates soaring out of control due to the fact that legislators failed to put any financial con­ trols on what providers charged for their ser­ vices when they created the association in 1978. So, rather than admitting to the problem and making some adjustments in provider payments, legislators let the program drive up The Hastings BdlUlCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. rates to the point that something had to be done. And now these same legislators say nothing can be done. That’s what State House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell, told family members of catastrophically injured victims and their fam­ ilies when they visited his office in March 16 in hopes of a meeting before he called Michi­ gan State Police to have them removed. Wentworth is one of a few key Republican leaders who have been blocking efforts to fix the law. The bills introduced by several legislators to prevent thousands of people from losing their care this year never got even a hearing. “(We) spent an entire year looking at every idea that was proposed and working with our committee on options,” Wentworth told The Detroit News. “They all either moved us backward toward the old status quo or put the savings and refund checks for Michigan driv­ ers at risk. “At this point, it’s time to move on.” Taxpayers look to their officials to solve problems, yet our state officials fail to deal with the real issues - then they walk away from the promise they made to these victims. And so the issue remains: Who is going to care for these patients? Due to this Lansing edict, long-term caregivers say hundreds of people could end up in hospitals, homeless shelters, or ill-equipped nursing homes - or lose their lives altogether. Recently, a coalition of faith groups held a special service at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church - less than seven miles from the state Capitol - for those car crash survivors who died since losing the care that had been keep­ ing them alive. “We pray for all of us gathered here - espe­ cially for die families and the loved ones of those that have departed this life,” said Rev. Timothy Flynn of St. Michael’s. “We pray that our legislators and our governor be blessed with courage and a thirst for justice.” It’s time for citizens to realize what’s hap­ pening to these victims and to demand action from our elected officials who have failed to fix a system that could be efficient, cheaper, yet still caring. Lawmakers were warned in 2019 that these no-fault changes would cause the collapse of the care industry that had exist­ ed to care for these crash survivors - and now that collapse is occurring. It’s also time for citizens to realize that this situation is yet another example of our state and nation being ruled by a troubling cartel of insurance companies, lobbyists, and legisla­ tors, all working to extort money from pro­ grams and people who protect us all - especial­ ly the least among us. The day after Speaker Wentworth closed the door on catastrophically injured families and on reform, one of Michigan’s largest remaining long-term care providers, 1st Call Home Healthcare, announced it would close by April 30, leaving several dozen more catastrophical­ ly injured patients without care. These victims have become political pawns while the rest of us need to realize that there will be little or no care provided if any of us ever become a victim. It’s a sad commentary on the inability of our state and our elected officials to come up with a reasonable solution to such a serious issue. The refunds literally are blood money. Our governor and state legislators broke faith with catastrophically injured crash victims who paid into a system that has now abandoned them. The rest of us better hope we don’t end up in any crashes that injure us to the point we desperately need specialized care since the industry will no longer exist to provide that level of care; ......... Oh, but we do have these checks - and blood on our hands. There’s only one way we know to wash our hands now and that’s to flush these legislators out of office. When the next election rolls around, remem­ ber how cheaply they valued our votes - and the lives of those who were promised coverage for catastrophic injury - and make it a clean sweep. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon Taylor Owens • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — Page 5 Some thoughts on water main breaks - and how to cover them To the editor: In regards to the Hastings Banner, Thurs­ day, March 3, article “Water main problems” on Page 1: Water main breaks. No one can see them because the pipes are underground. “It’s going to keep happening unless it gets fixed.” Seriously? The descrip­ tion of the break and how the water will eventually come to the surface if the leak is large enough is an insult to the intelligence of your readers and most anyone with a little common sense. The description of the repair work is not really necessary. In the article, it describes the unfavorable conditions the workers face when making repairs. People do like to see the water flow when a faucet is turned on, so their effort does not go unappreciated. But think of the police, firefighters and linemen restoring power lines in all kinds of unfavorable condi­ tions; quite often. Let us not forget our healthcare workers. Some have to work long hours, day after day, and deal with the deaths of their patients and the constant threat of COVID-19. The point is, a lot of people have tough jobs. If freezing temperatures contribute to breaks, could the pipes be installed one or two feet deeper? Here’s where engineers come in. Utilize an engineering company that is knowledgeable about such conditions and know how to deal with them. On the topic of roads and bridges everyone sees, but the water pipes are 75 to 100 years old, “no one pays attention to it.” Here’s how ridiculous that statement is: Customers pay for the water and we all pay taxes for all of the government entities. So the people who are paid to do their jobs are charged with the responsibility of knowing their jobs and car­ rying out their responsibilities. Any adult knows when a furnace or refrigerator dies, it needs to be replaced and, hopefully, they will have the funds to replace them. It’s called: Plan ahead. Sounds like the “can” has been kicked down the road for many years, with little foresight or action. How was the system paid for initially before there were any customers? Parade returns, along with warm spring weather When this project gets going, I’d suggest breaking it into four sections. No contractor is going to do this size of project in a few months. Have half of the project bid out and the work performed by the chosen contractor. So two contractors, each doing a quarter sec­ tion, would complete half of the project. If they do well at that point, let them bid on the rest and let the work continue. If the company fails to do acceptable work, go with a differ­ ent company. Just my thoughts on the subject. If there were fewer breaks to contend with, it would make for a smoother operation all around. When the “millions of dollars” are bor­ rowed, who has to pay it back? James Mero, Hastings What does it take to see our role in the world - and then change it? To the editor: I’d like to add to the sentiments expressed by guest columnist Doug VanderLaan in the March 17 Banner. My nephew is a veteran of the Iraq and Afghan wars. He doesn’t talk about those experiences. He’s busy raising his son and being a good husband, among other things. I suspect his war experience has given him a need to be a healer of sorts - just loving his family is paramount. He knows things I can’t imagine. He’s seen things I hope never to see, but must, nevertheless, acknowledge, particu­ larly where my government is involved. How utterly sad that it’s taken the invasion of Ukraine for us to pay attention to those i!h <•! <jiiA' Jiquiq unt> iif»ig whose plights are unimaginable to us. As Mr. VanderLaan said, we who “live our lives of comfort in the most favored nation on earth” need someone to help us know what to do, apparently. Why limit our anguish to Ukraine, though? How many of us here in Barry County are aware that every 75 seconds a child in Yemen dies of famine? That famine is the result of a war that the U.S. supports through sales of military goods and services to Saudi Arabia. We sit back and let it happen, I suspect, because “those” people are not like us, so we think. Yet they have the same desire to live with their families in peace and prosperity that all people seek. Elspeth Inglis, Barry Township IfO ZKl Oltl.-. JlltK>13q 0 ‘Jltj OIL- HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System Hastings Virtual Academy provides positive option Hastings Area School System provided an online option to families in the wake of COVID-19, and this option has proved to be beneficial to many. Hastings Virtual Academy has been in place for nearly two years and provides an alternative to tradi­ tional in-person learning. Students in kindergarten through 12th grades have attended HVA and have been engaged in a variety of classes. HVA uses the Imagine Edgenuity platform for classes and provides a local mentor teacher who connects with our “virtual” students. These students have had opportunities to take classes that are not offered in-person, such as middle school German and Spanish. Again, Mr. VanderLaan’s wise words: “War robs us of all that would bring us together.” So does indifference (not to men­ tion hostility) to people whose skin color, religion and culture differ from our own. Do we have what it takes to embrace and uphold all people - the starving children (hundreds of thousands of children have died in Yemen in the past seven years)? Can we tell our legislators to stop taking blood money from the sale of U.S. bombs that are dropped daily in Yemen? We can, but will we? Will you? Further, high school students have more than 100 courses to choose from to earn credit toward graduation. HVA also offers credit recovery, initial credit courses and honors courses. One positive outcome of COVID-19 was re-evaluating how we offer instruction based on students’ different needs. Students enrolled in HVA follow a rigor­ ous, researched-based curriculum that offers flexibility for each learner’s unique situation. For many of our students, having a virtu­ al option has helped them stay engaged in school and meet their personal academic goals. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, March 24 - Movie Memories and Milestones enjoy an Oscar-nominated 1946 film starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Berg­ man and Claude Rains, 5 p.m. Monday, March 28 - Crafting Passions work group meets, 10 a.m.-l p.m. Tuesday, March 29 - Great Decisions Foreign Policy Institute, 1:30-3:30; mah­ jong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March-30 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via on Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts available at library), 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263, or checking its Facebook events page. _ _____ Hastings Mayor David Tossava dazzles the crowd with his extravagant green outfit as he walks in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. People flooded downtown Hastings last week for the return of the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the first since the COVID-19 pan­ demic abruptly halted the 2020 event. The parade took off at 4 p.m. with its usual mix of informality and goofiness, fea­ turing people with dyed green beards, dogs jumping through hula hoops, trucks with honking horns and kids handing out candy. Dubbed the “biggest little parade in Michigan,” it stretched across three blocks of Jefferson Street and lasted less than 30 minutes, but the short duration didn’t stop people from rocking green short-sleeved shirts and celebrating the start of spring with 60-degree weather. CORRECTION The “Historic vote OKs $6M for local projects” story published in last Thursday’s Banner contained an error on Page 3 in referring to the communications tower project endorsed by Barry County commissioners: The tower, intended for police, fire and emergency services, will not be a cell tower and will not accommodate cellular connectivity. City of Hastings, Department of 177741 Public Services - Operator 2 - DPS Garage SUMMARY: Performs a variety of duties related to the operation, maintenance, and repair of the City of Hastings facilities. Responsibilities include the opera­ tion of trucks, tractors, front end loaders, and other mechanical and power-driv­ en equipment for the purpose of maintaining city streets, sidewalks, watermain, sewer main, storm sewer, trees, leaf and brush pick-up, compost facility, parks, trails, and other city facilities. Typical Work Schedule: 07:00 - 15:00, Monday through Friday, but is subject to change. Elaine Garlock With mild weather this week and for part of last week, we note a great increase in the number of walkers and joggers, out to enjoy the sunshine and higher temperatures. It has been safe to go outside without a hat and gloves. Even a jacket has been sufficient for body warmth rather than a heavy coat and gloves. With a full moon March 18, we have had some bright nights. One day last week saw the time of sunrise and sunset coming at the exact minute and hour of both morning and evening, twelve hours each. Now in the season of Lem in the Christian church, pastors are giving emphasis on the season in anticipation of Eas:er April 17. Daffodils growing in sheltered spots have already reached a height of six inches or more. A water barrel that has had most of its contents frozen solid began serious melting last week. By Monday it had lost most of its ice and had reverted to icy water. With the snow completely gone, we see the amount of leaves left unraked last fall. Time again for more yard cleanup. Passers-by can take not of the ever-chang­ ing wording on the prominent sign for First Congregational Church. Some messages are profound, and others are catchy or pithy. Village workers have installed the spring banners on lampposts in the business section of town. REQUIREMENTS: Minimum requirements include a high school coursework (diploma or GED preferred) and a Class B CDL with air brake endorsement is required within 6 months of hire. Candidate must pass a drug/alcohol screen, pre-employment physical, and background check. The successful candidate will have a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and desire to be part of an effec­ tive team. Construction skills are a plus. APPLY: Interested applicants may download appropriate application materials from; https://hastinqsmi.org/home/job-postinqs/, and return to: Hastings City Hall 201 E. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 WAGE RATE: The wage rate for this position is $15.37 per hour to $18.34 per hour, dependent upon experience. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Questions regarding this position should be directed to Travis Tate, Director of Public Services at 269-945-6006. DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted through April 8, 2022. �Page 6 — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Health department mulls providing employees with vehicles Sharon Ann Beebe Sharon Ann Beebe, age 83, of Hastings, MI, passed away on March 18, 2022. Sharon was born on January 21, 1939 in Saginaw, the daughter of Lawrence and Isabella (Sparks) Whelton. Sharon attended Christ the King School in Redford, graduating in 1957. She retired from working at Michigan Bell in Detroit. On June 11, 1988, Sharon married Keith Beebe, and they enjoyed almost 34 years together. Sharon was a member of Emmanuel Epis­ copal Church. She was always sewing, cro­ cheting or doing needlepoint to make gifts for all that she loved, especially at Christmas time. . Sharon so loved her church and all that are part of it. She let “COVID” rule her life for over two years, and she was and will be so dearly missed. Sharon was preceded in death by her par­ ents and brother, Larry Whelton. She is survived by her husband, Keith Edward Beebe of Hastings; daughters, Sherri (Mitch) Roberts and Dawn (Otis) Skinner; grandchildren, Justin and Garret Roberts, Leah, Kayleigh and Hailey Skinner; great-grandchildren, Jaxon Roberts; sisters, Kay Kijewski and Anita McTaggart; nieces and nephews, Scott, Kelly, and Debra, and her special friend, Patricia Rich. Memorial donations in memory of Sharon can be made to your local pet shelters. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 25, 2022 at 10 a.m., followed by the service at 11 a.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 315 W. Center Street, Hastings, MI 49058 with the Reverend Linnea R.P. Stiffer (Rec­ tor) presiding. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. • Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible • Serving All Faiths • Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Owner/Manager Family Owned and Operated ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass W/MMOf Products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Sheriff’s deputies were advised by a March 11 telephone call of a road rage inci­ dent in which a motorist’s father contacted police. Officers were told that the incident occurred on southbound M-37 when a motorist confronted his son at a gas station in Dowling for following him too closely before his son had pulled into the service station. The motorist told the man, if he had been rear-ended, he would have beaten his a-and that, if anything had happened, he would have brought out his “iron.” Later, the officer was able to observe the confron­ tation on security camera footage, but the license plate of the motorist’s car was obstructed by snow and there was no fur­ ther evidence to identify him. The case was closed. Facebook fraud Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of fraud/false pretenses on Feb. 24 pertaining . to the online theft .of $99.99. The victim was a 51-year-old Freeport woman, who told police she “fell for a scam on Face­ book.” She told police that she saw an ad for 80-percent off a shed advertised on Facebook. She thought it was a legitimate retailer; the price for the shed was $60 with a $30-$40 shipping fee. She provided debit Worship Together 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 So far, Scrimger said, the research has come back “very positive.” The board did not make a motion Friday. Rather, the idea was floated for informational purposes. Board chair and Barry County Commis­ sioner Ben Geiger said he still would like to see some details fleshed out before making a decision, including where the vehicles would be parked. “We don’t have a proposal to vote on today. That’s intentional,” he explained to the board. “Colette and I talked about what’s the best proposal, and I said, ‘I don’t know yet.’” Geiger suggested the board compose an ad hoc committee to make a recommendation. Board members Bruce Campbell and Joe Brehler volunteered for the positions. The news comes as the department contin­ ues to struggle with staffing shortages. Although the vacancies are shrinking, Scrimger said that they still have a number of openings, including a planning and health promotion director, environmental health supervisor, epi­ demiologist, clinic assistant, nurse and com­ munity health promotion specialist. Scrimger pointed to various reasons for the staffing troubles. “It’s a combination of compensation and the job market right now - there’s a lot of options out there. Our difficult positions, it’s challenging because they’re so specialized,” she said, citing the epidemiology and environ- 1 mental health supervisor roles as examples. According to an employee engagement survey conducted by Dominica Palacio, a human resources consultant with People Mat­ ters LLC., most Barry-Eaton District Health Department employees expressed positive experiences in the workplace. Palacio pre­ sented the findings at the beginning of Fri­ day’s meeting. Forty-three of 46 eligible staffers replied to the survey, with 30 of the respondents noting that they either love or enjoy working for the BEDHD. Employees listed their top five likes as co-workers, benefits, improving communi­ ty health, work-life balance and working with members of the public. They listed their top five areas for improvement as compensation, communication, appreciation/recognition, management and work-life balance. Gas station confrontation Owner’!mu-rims Serving Hastings, Barr) County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy, P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. Benjamin Simon Staff Writer In an effort to improve service delivery and staff retention, the Barry-Eaton District Board of Health will consider leasing cars for employees to use on the job. Currently, staffers, such as sanitarians, drive their personal vehicles and are reim­ bursed for mileage for work-related activi­ ties, Health Officer Colette Scrimger explained during the board’s monthly meet­ ing Friday afternoon. “For some of them, they’re driving daily on all different types of roads, driveways, and whatnot,” she said. “That creates problems for their own personal vehicles, and mileage reimbursement doesn’t typically cover that full expense of the wear and tear on their own vehicles.” Scrimger noted that the department is exploring the possibility of leasing 19 vehi­ cles through Enterprise Fleet Management for business purposes only. BEDHD officials have conducted research to learn how the leasing of company cars could impact employee retention and department finances. card information and received confirmation from what she believed was the store’s cus­ tomer service department. Days later, after she heard nothing and received no tracking number, she tried to send an email to the address she had, but received a message back saying the email address was not valid. Her bank advised her to file a police report, then provide them with the police report number. At this time, there are no known suspects. The case is inactive. Nashville, was unable to locate any wit­ nesses to corroborate the report. The officer remained in the area for 21 minutes until being dispatched on another case. No addi­ tional reports were received. The case was closed. Committing noise with intent to punish Police were dispatched to a Charlton Drive house on a noise ordinance violation at 1:11 p.m. March 5. The complainant said his neighbor was playing one tone from a speaker pointed at his residence. The officer A report of gunshots around 3:30 p.m. on heard the sound and observed the speaker March 5 in the Uldricks and Baseline roads pointed toward the man’s residence. When area involved a suspected weapons dis­ he approached the neighbor outside his res­ charge from a moving vehicle. A 32-yearidence to ask about it, the neighbor told him old Battle Creek woman told sheriff’s dep­ he was playing the single high-pitched note uties that a group of teens in a passenger 1 to *‘punish” his neighbor, who had played car was driving down the road, shooting music too loud in the past. The officer guns out of the vehicle. Children were ’ spoke with both men and advised them to walking in the area, so they returned home, play their music at a low volume that would during which about 10 minutes elapsed, not disturb the peace or antagonize each police estimated. Then their mother called other. Both were advised that subsequent the sheriff’s office to report it. The officer, complaints could result in citations or whose response time was 27 minutes from charges. The case is now inactive. Response time hinders investigation Lakewood staffer waives CSC charge hearing Rebecca Pierce Editor A pretrial conference in the criminal sexual conduct case against a Lakewood Public Schools administrative assistant is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 20 in Barry County Cir­ cuit Court. Michele Rae Erb, 45, of Lake Odessa, appeared before District Court Judge Michael Schipper Wednesday and waived a prelimi­ nary examination in district court on a charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a teenage male student. Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Travis Earley was appointed to handle the case in place of Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt, who recused herself because she knows the defendant. Earley, who appeared during the proceed­ ings via a Zoom connection, asked the judge if he felt there would be any conflict for him to preside in the matter. “Obviously, I know the defendant’s hus­ band, who is an officer here,” the judge replied, “but, heck, if I recused myself every time I knew somebody in Barry County I’d be off half the cases. I don’t feel any reason why I can’t be fair or impartial.” Defense attorney Gordon Shane McNeill of Hastings, who represents Erb, said, “We have no concerns whatsoever about the court’s impartiality.” During the proceedings, Earley said a charge of using the computer/intemet to com­ municate with another to commit a crime was being dismissed but they were reserving the right to present other charges as the case pro­ ceeds in circuit court. Michigan State Police at the Lakeview Post, who handled the investigation, allege that a sexual act involving penetration with a teen-age victim occurred on Oct. 27, 2021. Bizon receives probation for battery conviction Greg Chandler Staff Writer State Sen. John Bizon, R-Battle Creek, was sentenced Wednesday to a year of probation for inappropriately touching a female nurse practitioner during an examination. Calhoun County District Judge Michelle Richardson also ordered Bizon, 70, to pay $1,130 in fines and court costs, to have a man­ datory mental health assessment, and to have no contact with the victim. Bizon has represented Barry, Calhoun and Ionia counties in the state Senate since 2018. Prior to that, he served for four years in the state House. He has been an ear, nose and throat doctor for more than 40 years. Bizon pleaded guilty Feb. 17 to a misde­ meanor assault and battery charge in connec­ tion with an incident on Aug. 14, 2021. According to court records, Bizon reached his arm around the waist of the nurse practitioner and cupped her hip while she was reviewing medications with him in an exam room at Oaklawn After Hours Express in Marshall. Bizon had gone to the clinic to get a CO VID test after experiencing symptoms of the virus. During the examination, according to the report from Marshall police, the nurse practitioner recommended an over-the-count­ er medication for his symptoms. When Bizon said he did not understand, she stood next to him and showed him the medication on her laptop. At that point, Bizon put his arm around the woman, “intentionally grabbed her with his right arm/wrist,” pulled her to him and “squeezed her waist with his right hand, in a cupping motion,” she said to police. Later, Bizon asked the nurse practitioner to order a different medication for him, but she refused. She told him that what he was requesting was not a medication for his diag­ nosis. Bizon told the woman that he was dis­ appointed in her and became angry. In a written statement released after his guilty plea, Bizon blamed COVID for his behavior. “Without question, this entire situation is regrettable,” he said. “As a doctr whjo has spent decades caring for those in need, I am deeply distressed that I unintentionally caused someone to feel unsafe.” Bizon’s statement did not include an apol­ ogy- Concert Friday featuring cowboy tunes, quintet The Thornapple Wind Band’s final concert of the season will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25, at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. The program will include circus sounds in “American Big Top,” a visit to the wild west with “Saddle Up” - which includes “Red River Valley,” “Yellow Rose of Texas,” “Cot­ ton-Eyed Joe,” and “Whoopee-Ti-Yi-Yo.” Guests will also experience a visit to “The Hall of the Mountain King” and a trip “Across the Wide Missouri.” And no Thomapple Wind Band concert is complete without a march or two. A few surprises will be in store, too. Guest performers are The Blue Bridge Quintet, a newly formed group of area musi­ cians. This will be director Dave Macqueen’s ; final performance as conductor, since he has announced his retirement. A new conductor j has not yet been named. Concerts - which are designed to entertain people of all ages, including children - are free to attend; donations are appreciated. Hastings Performing Arts Center is at 520 ; W. South St., at Hastings High School. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — Page 7 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, TO: BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on April 14, 2022 commencing | at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the | Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning j- Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, mem- i bers of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompson(5)pcimi.com) or by leav­ ing a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson A committee formed in March 1926 over interest in a new firetruck. This vehicle was reported on order by the City of Hastings in July 1946, and how modern it must have seemed. The July 25, 1946, Banner reported that the new truck would be delivered within 280 working days and would “cost $12,500 less the usual discounts for cash.” at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing ■ include, in brief, the following: Changes, elections in March news of years past Throughout its more than 160 years, The Banner has offered headers a look back on past local history. The “Do You Remember” photo and this “Turning Back the Pages” col­ umns are the current formats. Prior to that, local historian, the late Esther Walton and others (including Joyce Weinbrecht and Catherine Lucas) provided weekly submissions for the column which was then titled “From Time to Time.” Harold Burpee researched and wrote the “Fresh Out of the Attic” column throughout much of the 1960s. Marshall Cook, who shared Banner owner­ ship and editorial duties with his brother, Wil­ liam, also regularly penned memories of the people and events of his early years. Much of Cook’s columns ran in the 1920s to the 1940s, with greater regularity in the latter years. Occasionally, Banner staff put together a column featuring snippets of news from decades past. In March 1966, that column was called “Backward glances - ‘Bits of yes­ terday’ as gleaned from the Banner files.” The first three weeks of those backward glances in March 1966 were published in the March 3 Banner. Here is the conclusion: March 24, 1966 10 years ago The Conservation Commission has approved the purchase of 41 acres of land in Irving Township belonging to Mrs. Ellen McDonald, which will be added to the Mid­ dleville State Game Area. fl look back at the stories and columns TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Gerald B. Stanton, Hastings, has accepted a position as assistant to Ezra Clark, vice president of the Clark Trucktractor Company of Battle Creek. 40 years ago The county road commission last week let the contract for resurfacing the road from Hastings to Freeport at a cost of $16,000. Specifications call for a cover of gravel to a depth of five inches and for a width of 16 feet. The contract also specifies that the grav­ el used is not to contain any stones more than an inch in diameter. 'k'k'k Dr. L.E. Holly is in receipt of a letter from Blodgett Hospital, Grand Rapids, notifying him that he has been elected by the board of trustees to a membership on the visiting staff of that hospital in the department of radiology and medicine. 50 years ago The board of education announces the fol­ lowing high school faculty for the coming school year: E.J. Lederle, superintendent; William T. Wallace, principal; Verne Rogers, history; Alexina Meter, German; Mrs. Flora Renkes and Miss Carolyn Andrus, English; Miss Bessie M. Deyo, mathematics; Bert Hartgerink and Miss Elsie Fitz, commercial; Miss Anne F. Thomas, Latin; Clayton G. Hin­ kley, science; R.N. Kebler, agriculture; Miss Clara G. Rogers, domestic science; William G. Boyd, manual training; Miss Gertrude A request from contractor Dylan Steele for property owner, Andrew and Jamie Hart, 10928 South Dr. Plainwell, Ml 49080, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the construction of an addition, of to a non-conforming accessory building that will become the principle dwelling pursuant to section 6.16 “Non-conforming Buildings/Structures”. The subject site is located at 10928 South Dr., Parcel # 08-12-180-002-00 and is currently zoned R-2 Residential. 2. A request from contractor Dylan Steele for property owner, Andrew and Jamie Hart, 10928 South Dr. Plainwell, Ml 49080, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the conversion of an existing cottage into a storagebuilding/ i guest house pursuant to section 6.1 “R-2 Low Density Residential District” subsection C.1 “Special Land Use”. The subject site is located at 10928 South Dr., Parcel # 08-12-180-002-00 and is currently zoned R-2 - Residential. 3. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to : make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. I All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an [• electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to I individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. [ Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk I at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Myron Kox, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. 177701 Delton, Michigan 49046 ■1^IT—-————Ma—rwiHiannBi BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ZONING ORDINANCE ADOPTION Norman T. Barry, a former farmer and oil station operator here for the past eight years, has purchased the B.L. Peck Allis-Chalmers Implement Company and took over opera­ tions there Saturday. 20 years ago The Middleville Cooperative Creamery will celebrate its 37th year of successful oper- m ation Saturday: During that time, its annual production of butter has increased from 200,000 pounds to 1.3 million pounds. Lt. Gov. Vernon Brown will be the guest speaker at a special program in the afternoon. Maple sugar production this year is likely to be cut considerably due to the unseason­ ably warm weather. The run practically stopped this week, and sugar bush operators believe that less than half the usual quantity of syrup will be marketed. 30 years ago Democrats at their city caucus Monday evening nominated the following slate of candidates for local offices: Charles H. Leon­ ard, mayor; Mrs. Emma Evans, treasurer; Walter Wallace, member of the board of review; L.R. Glasgow, supervisor of Second and Third wards; and Dr. John A. Wooton, aiderman from the Fourth Ward. 1. BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN HEREBY ORDAINS: Pursuant to the provisions of Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Barry County Board of Commissioners has adopted the following Ordinance which amends the Barry County Zoning Ordinance of 2008, as amended, in the following manner: | f ORDINANCE NO.: A-2-20^2 ------- Rezone property on South M-43 Highway, Delton, in Section 7 of Barry Township. (See attached map.) FROM Commercial) LDR (Low Density Residential) TO GC (General Lynn Brown (second from left) signed as pitcher with the Terre Haute, Ind., baseball team in 1916. He is pictured here with fellow Barry County veterans and teammates (from left) Morris Roush, Charles Leonard and Red Harrington. The four played on the Lake House team, which was sponsored by Thomapple Lake Resort owner Theodore “Tex” Reid and was comprised primarily of American Legion members. (Photo provid­ ed by Brian Shumway) Miller, County Normal, with Miss Jennie McBain as assistant. [The board of education for much of the 1920s was comprised of two women and three men - William Chase, Nora Heath, Emmy Keller, Frank Horton and Wil­ liam Shulters.] *** Fred Todd of this city mailed a letter in Mexico City in October 1914 to a man in Hastings regarding a mining property there in which they had mutual interest. The letter was finally delivered this week. March 31, 1966 Sportswomen meeting at their Podunk Lake headquarters [a revamped cottage] Tuesday evening elected the following offi­ cers for the coming year: Jessie Sanders, president; Elaine DeBroux, vice president; Ruby Henney, corresponding secretary; Lucille Willitts, recording secretary; and Doris Shawman, treasurer. 'k'k'k Arthur Steeby, Barry County Agricultural Agent since July 1949, has completed work at Michigan State University on his master’s degree in agricultural Extension and Monday returned to his post here after a six-month leave of absence. 20 years ago A sizzling race for the Republican nomina­ tion for governor seems likely to develop following the announcement of Kim Sigler, recently ousted as special prosecutor for the Ingham County grand jury, that he was enter­ ing the campaign. Also in the race will be Lt. Gov. Vernon Brown and Mayor Edward Jef­ feries of Detroit. •k'k’k County Clerk Allan C. Hyde, after nearly 12 years of service in office, tendered his resignation this week as county clerk and clerk of the circuit court, in order to devote full time to the management of the Hastings Lumber and Coal Company, which he now owns. 30 years ago About 100 men areriow working "at Yankee Springs on a project being done as part of the government relief program [Civilian Conser­ vation Corps]. It is hoped to have at least a portion of the new recreation area ready for public use by next summer. 'k'k'k Beta Sigma Phi, professional sorority for businesswomen, met at the home of Mary Royer Wednesday evening and elected the following officers for the coming year: Ethel Ragla, president; Theoline Rogers, vice pres­ ident; Hazel Hinkley, treasurer; Geraldine Williams, recording and corresponding secre­ tary; Helen Butolph, historian; and Mary Royer, reporter. 40 years ago In redistricting in the state, Barry County has been placed in the same state senatorial district as Allegan and Van Buren counties. For the past several years, Barry County has been part of a district that also included Clin­ ton and Eaton counties. Subscribers for the new farm firetruck incorporated at a meeting at the hall Saturday afternoon. Directors named were as follows: George Coats and Peter Kunz for three years, George Fingleton and Albert Brill for two years, and Clyde Stedge and John Usbome for one year. 50 years ago Lynn Brown has signed as pitcher with the Terre Haute, Ind., team, which is a member of the Central League. Last year, Lynn made a great record with the M.A.C. [now Michigan State University] nine and also a great record as a member of the pitching staff of the Hast­ ings nine. This map is a portion of the Official Zoning Map of Barry Township in Barry County, Michigan. All of the above mentioned property is located in Barry County, Michigan. Legal Description: BEG AT PT ON W R/W M-43 WHICH IS 1530.1 FT E AND 563.2 FT S OF N 1/4 POST SEC 7, TH SWLY ALONG CURVE OF HWY, TH CORD WHICH BEARS S 18 DEG 20’ W 100 FT, TH N 80 DEG 43’ W 132 FT, TH N 18 DEG 20’ E 100 FT, TH S 80 DEG 43’ E 132 FT TO BEG. PAR. AND BEGINNING AT A POINT FOUND BY COMMENCING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SECTION 7, TOWN 1 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, AND RUNNING THENCE NORTH 89° 15’06” WEST, ON SECTION LINE 998.86 FEET TO THE WESTERLY LINE OF HIGHWAY M-43; THENCE SOUTH 12° 18’40” WEST, ON SAME, 315.5 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING OF THIS DESCRIPTION; THENCE SOUTH 12° 18’40” WEST 95.53 FEET; THENCE AROUND A CURVE TO THE RIGHT, WITH A RADIUS OF 1476.34 FEET, TO THE FAR END OF A CHORD WHICH BEARS SOUTH 15° 36’52” WEST 174.28 FEET, THENCE NORTH 79° 23’15” WEST 132.0 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 14° 29’01” WEST 100 FEET. THENCE NORTH 79° 23’15” WEST 383.24 FEET TO THE EASTERLY LINE OF THE FORMER K.L&N RAILROAD LAND; THENCE NORTH 28° 32’29” EAST, ON SAME, 300.88 FEET, THENCE SOUTH 69° 15’06” EAST PARALLEL TO NORTH SECTION LINE 464.31 FEET TO BEGINNING. BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN Date: March 15,2022__________ Ben Geiger, Chairperson Barry County Board of Commissioners Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk Published Date: March 24, 2022 •k'k’k From the classifieds - “For sale: Good sixroom home, full-size lot, one block from Green Street, excellent furnace, bath, closet, sink, hard and soft water. Only $1,200. Easy payments. Phone 82.” The above named ordinance becomes effective April 01, 2022. A copy of this ordinance is available for purchase or inspection in the Barry County Planning Office, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 between the hours 8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please call (269) 945-1290 for further information. 1177478 �Page 8 — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner EXHIBIT A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWNSHIP OF HOPE (Barry County, Michigan) Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Township Board of the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, has received petitions from property owners to make certain public improvements (the “Public Improvements”) consisting of: The repaving and improving of Oakwood and Elmwood Drive in the Township. The petitions have been received from record owners of land constituting more than fifty percent of the total frontage of the private road in the proposed special assessment district described below. The Township Board has resolved its intention to proceed on the petitions and pursuant to Act 188, Public Acts of Michigan, 1954, as amended, to make the Public Improvements in the Township. The Township Board has tentatively determined that some or all of the cost of the Public Improvements shall be specially assessed against each of the following described lots and parcels of land, which together comprise the proposed Special Assessment District: Property located in the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, and described by the following parcel numbers: 07-160-020-00 07-160-024-00 07-160-029-00 07-160-032-00 07-160-037-00 07-160-041-00 07-160-045-00 —07-160-049-00 07-160-054-00 07-160-059-00 07-160-064-00 07-160-068-00 07-160-072-00 07-160-076-00 07-160-082-00 07-160-140-00 07-160-155-00 07-160-026-00 07-160-021-00 07-160-025-00 07-160-030-00 07-160-033-00 07-160-038-00 07-160-042-00 07-160-046-00 07-160-051-00 07-160-056-00 07-160-060-00 07-160-065-00 07-160-069-00 07-160-073-00 07-160-078-00 07-160-085-00 07-160-141-00 07-160-156-00 07-160-022-00 07-160-027-00 07-160-031-00 07-160-034-00 07-160-039-00 07-160-043-00 07-160-047-00 07-160-052-00 07-160-057-00 07-160-061-00 07-160-066-00 07-160-070-00 07-160-074-00 07-160-080-00 07-160-108-00 07-160-142-00 07-160-157-00 07-160-023-00 07-160-028-00 ....'07-160-031-40 ....... 07-160-035-00 07-160-040-00 07-160-044-00 07-160-048-00 07-160-053-00 07-160-058-00 07-160-062-00 07-160-067-00 07-160-071-00 07-160-075-00 07-160-081-00 07-160-125-00 07-160-153-00 07-160-830-00 Robert Ray Rasnake, 55, of Shelbyville, was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, May 29, 2021, in Orangeville Township and convicted as a second-time or subse­ quent offender. He was sentenced by Barry County Judge Michael Schipper to serve 66 days in jail, with credit for six days served, ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 24 months. Rasnake will be released from jail by April 16 and pay a fee of $30 for regular supervisor or a $60 fee for electronic monitoring. Court records show he has prior convictions for possession of marijuana July 1, 1997, and use of marijuana March 10, 2017. probation for 24 months. Gonzalez was instructed to pay a supervision fee of $30 a month or $60 a month for electronic monitoring. He was ordered to partici­ pate in Office of Community Corrections testing, successfully complete the Cog Group as well as Relapse Prevention and to participate in the Swift and Sure Sanctions Program if and when he’s eligible. His record shows he has felony convictions Jan. 30, 2013, for marijuana possession, and Sept. 28, 2020, for pos­ session of methamphetamine, both in Barry County. Paul John Dollaske, 48, of Nashville, was found guilty of assaulting/resisting/obstructing an emergen­ cy medical technician Nov. 7, 2021, in Nashville. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to two days in jail, with credit for two days served, ordered to pay $998 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 24 months. He was ordered to wear a Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor for six months, have no con­ tact with the victim, and pay $30 for regular supervi­ sion or $60 for electronic monitoring. A charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, which involves the use of force or coercion, was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Steve Benedict Aladics II, 21, of Freeland, was found guilty, as a habitual offender, of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under the age of 13. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 172 months to 384 months in prison. Aladics also was ordered to pay $1,236 in fines and costs. A charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a vic­ tim under the age of 13 was dismissed at the time of sentencing. In a second felony case against him, Aladics was convicted of entry without breaking as a habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper in that case to serve a concurrent term of 48 months to 384 months in prison and pay $1,198 in fines and costs. A second count of entry without breaking was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Christian Cossu Gonzalez, 42, a homeless man whose last known address was in Hastings, was found guilty of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a Nashville police officer and assault with a hatchet on a woman in Nashville Dec. 4, 2021, as a third-offense habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 75 days in jail, with credit for 75 days served, ordered to pay $548 in fines and costs, and placed on Jerry Duane Linderman, 47, of Freeport, was found guilty of failure to pay child support. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to one day in jail, with credit for one day served. Linderman was ordered to pay $458 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. He will must arrears totaling $5,386 to the Friend of the Court, along with a fee of $30 per month for regular supervision or $60 for electronic monitoring. Sheriff's Office seeks help to find missing woman A Map showing the boundaries of the proposed Special Assessment District is shown on Exhibit A. FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TAKE NOTICE that the Township Board of the Township ofHope will hold a public hearing on March 29,2022, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hope Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan, to hear and consider any objections to the petitions, the proposed Public Improvements, the proposed Special Assessment District, and all other matters relating to the Public Improvements. . TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the plans and estimates of cost for the Public Improvements are on file with the Township Clerk for public examination. PROPERTY SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING AND THE ORIGINAL COST WILL NOT BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 10% WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND PUBLIC HEARING TAKE NOTICE that after the public hearing for which this Notice is given, there will be a second public hearing specifically regarding the assessment roll and the assessments against each parcel in the Special Assessment District and that an owner or other person having an interest in the real property must file an appearance and protest at the public hearing on the assessment roll in order to appeal the amount of their assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Anyone with information on this missing per­ son case is asked to contact the Barry County Sheriff's Department or Barry County Central Dispatch. Barry County Sheriff's Office provided these two photos of Angela Mulder, who has been missing since 4 a.m. last Friday. The Barry County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help to locate a missing person. Angela Denise Mulder, 39, has not been seen since last Friday at about 4 a.m. She left her parents’ residence on West Hickory Road in Barry Township after a physical altercation. On Sunday, Mulder’s family contacted law enforcement to report that Angela had not yet returned home. She was last seen wearing a tank top and black stretchy pants with blue on the side. She was bare­ foot when she left the residence. Anyone with information on the case or who may have seen Mulder is asked to call the Barry County Sheriff’s Office at [269] 948-4801 or Barry County Central Dispatch at [269] 948-4800. Appeal to the Michigan Tax Tribunal TAKE NOTICE that a property owner of record or a party having an interest in the property must appear and protest at the second public hearing in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk. This notice was authorized by the Township Board of the Township of Hope. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: ) Township Supervisor Township of Hope 5463 S. M-43 Highway Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2464 Clerk Township of Hope Deborah Jackson, BANNER TEAM WINS, continued from page 1 ----------------------Harmsen captured photos of a meeting when state Rep. Julie Calley heard from people affected by the changes. Jacobs wrote several editorials educating the public about the changes and the consequences for Hughes and others who had been promised care under the law. “We discovered that these victims would not be grandfathered in under the reforms,” Michigan Press Association spokeswoman Diana Davis wrote in a news release that came out today. “These victims were going to be left without the care that they now needed to live. They had nowhere to turn and no one to speak out for them - until The Banner began reporting on the issue.” The McCree awards are named for Judge Wade H. McCree, one of the most distinguished lawyers and jurists in Michigan history and a staunch advocate for equal rights and open, accountable government. McCree served as a circuit, federal and U.S. Appeals court judge and, from 1977-81, as solicitor general of the United States. He died in 1987 at the age of 67. Other recipients of this year’s McCree awards are reporters Heather Catallo, Kimberly Craig, videogra­ pher Johnny N. Sartin Jr. and video editor Randy Lundquist of WXYZ-TV in Detroit, and reporters Elisha Anderson and John Wisely, and podcast co-pror ducers Cary Junior II, Darcie Moran and Tad Davis of the Detroit Free Press. The winners were determined by a panel of four judges, representing law and media, who independent­ ly reviewed nine entries from across Michigan. The Michigan Press Association Foundation was created in 1980 to further the interests ofjournalism in Michigan. The Foundation’s mission includes serving the pub­ lic interest by encouraging, fostering and aiding improvements in the quality, vigor and fairness of Michigan journalism and a free press in the State of Michigan. The foundation also sponsors the Michigan Journalist of the Year competition. POLICE CAR, continued from page 1 -----------------------“There were no recent interactions with him that would lead someone to say, ‘Oh, OK, well, I can understand why he did that,”’ Boulter said. “There was really nothing.” Around 5 p.m. Monday, City Hall security camera footage shows a man nonchalantly strolling into the City Hall parking lot with a red gas canister in his hand. The footage then shows him proceeding to dump the contents of that gas can on the cop car. As the car bursts into flames, the man sprints away. Just before the car bursts into a fiery blaze, Deputy Chief Julissa Kelly pulls into the parking lot in an unmarked car. She appears to notice something going on, gets out of her car and she chases the suspect as he sprints across the parking lot toward State Street. The man ran into the Ace Hardware parking lot, where people blocked him with their vehicles and police arrested him. The fire department extinguished the fire 10 minutes after it took place. “It was more of a shock of the time of day, the place where it happened,” Boulter said. “Typically, people are looking to do something and attempt to get away with the deed that they’ve done. This person just acted like he didn’t care about anything.” Dunklee is currently in custody at the Barry County Jail. He was charged with third-degree arson, mali­ cious destruction of police property, assaulting, resist­ ing and obstructing a police officer along with being charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. His bond was set at $200,000. Boulter noted that the fire destroyed the taillights and rear wiring on the car. He is not sure whether it can be fixed or not. No one was injured in the incident. �SPORTS SECTION Thursday, March 24, 2022 Barry-Roubaix returns to area roads Saturday morning Brett Bremer Sports Editor The eastern edge of Gun Lake along Hast­ ings Point Road is as close as many of the riders in the 13th Annual Founders Bar­ ry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race will come to Middleville on their bikes Saturday. The PANARACER Psycho Killer 100­ Mile Route will bring those that are really testing their limits right through downtown Middleville Saturday though. That longest ■event of four different distances will start out with the rest in downtown Hastings Saturday morning, but while the Chiller 18-mile Route, the Thriller 36-Mile Route and the Killer 62-Mile Route head west out of Hastings, the Psycho Killer Route rolls east past Charlton Park, winds north west towards Freeport and then southeast into Middleville taking advan­ tage of as many gravel roadways along the way as possible. From there, the Pyscho Killer riders head south into the Yankee Springs Recreation Area and all points south and east between Yankee Springs and Hastings before finishing up back in downtown Hastings at the end of the ride. Race organizers note on the Barry-Roubaix website when describing the Psycho Killer course, “this race course is designed to be • extremely difficult. There are sections where you will more than likely have to walk at one point or another. There are areas where you will be over 20 miles from the start/finish and 15 miles from an aid station. Spring in Mich­ igan can bring with it volatile weather from 80 degrees and sunny to 35 degrees and heavy rain, you will need to be prepared to handle the elements for the duration of the event. “Maintaining an average page of 10 mph, including breaks, course navigation and rest stops will not be easy. A high level of fitness and preparedness will be required to com­ plete this event, and preparation should not be taken lightly.” Connor Kamm, of team 3T Q+M, won the 2021 100-mile race last fall finishing in 5 hours, 9 minutes and 39 seconds. Danielle Larson from Arkansas won the women’s race in 6:03:08. There are many portions of the event designed to be more fun for all - most of which will take place right in downtown Hastings Saturday morning and afternoon. There will be a B4 Barry Bikes, Bonfire & Beverage course recon ride Friday (March 25) that includes a 10-mile ride led by Jill Martindale, the winner of the 2020 1,000­ Mile Iditarod Trail Invitational, to preview the beginning and ending of the course in Hastings. The 10-mile ride will end in the after-party zone near the comers of W Center Street and S Church Street in Hastings. The West Michigan Mountain Biking Alli­ ance will be serving beverages at the Found­ ers Finish Line beer truck from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday. Beer tickets are $5 apiece. There will also be a sponsors expo and food vendors near the awards area at that time. A blessing of the bikes will take place with the help of pastor Bryce Feighner form the Green Street United Methodist Church in Hastings at 9:30 a.m. for the 62-mile racers who begin taking off at 10 a.m.; the 36-mile racers at 10:18 and the 18-mile racers at 10:40. The 100-mile racers will be long gone by then. The Psycho Killer event starts in a sin­ gle wave at 7 a.m. The 100-mile riders are reminded that sunrise isn’t until about 7:30 a.m., so they will need front and rear lights. The first awards are scheduled to;be. hand­ ed about beginning at about 1:30 p.m. with the Psycho Killer awards, the last group for awards, slated for around 4:30 p.m. As many as 3,500 riders have registered for the event in a single year (2019). The 2021 race, held last October due to the Covid-19 pandemic, had 2,382 racers start and 2,257 finish. The race was canceled in 2020. The Founders Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race will take off in Hastings Saturday morning, March 26, with 100-mile Pyscho Killer Race riders rolling through downtown Middleville during a momentary stretch off the area's gravel roads Saturday. (File photo) Saxons led county with 13 wins this winter Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was as winter where a number of young varsity girls’ basketball players learned the ropes, seniors did what they could to lead the way and there were a number of highs and lows for the local teams. Hastings, led by new head coach Chase Youngs, put together one of its best seasons in a number of years by going 13-9 and finishing 8-6 in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. It is the first time the Saxons have finished over.500 in the conference. Hastings and Lakewood were the only two area teams to win a game in the state tournament this year, opening up districts with wins in their ' Division 2 tournament at Ionia High School, but both were bumped off in the district semifinals by teams ranked in the top ten in the state. The Saxons bested a couple of county rivals this season, but fell to the Thomapple Kellogg girls during their Battle of Barry County back in December. The TK girls were 7-14 overall this season. That was the second best mark in the county. The Lakewood girls had six wins, Delton Kellogg four and Maple Valley one. All of the county’s teams are represented on the two all-county teams with seniors fill­ ing more than half the spots this season. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Girls’ Basketball First and Second Teams. Peyton Pratt All-Barry County Girls’ Basketball 2021-22 First Team Hailey Campbell, Thornapple Kellogg: Campbell, a senior guard, closed the season as one of her team’s top scorers with 8.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. She shot 80-percent from the free throw line on the season. Maradith O’Gorman, Lakewood: O’Gorman, the Viking’s senior center, as named second team all-conference in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference this winter. O’Gorman averaged 9.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks'pergame this year. Alli Pickard, Lakewood: Pickard was named second team all-conference in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference from her guard spot for the Vikings. A junior, Pickard averaged 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals this sea­ son. She knocked down 29 three-pointers. Peyton Pratt, Thornapple Kellogg: A leader for the Trojans as a junior guard. She was named her team’s Most Valuable Player this season. Pratt had a team-high 103 steals on the season to go along with 7.6 points per game and 6.8 rebounds per game. Macy Winegar, Hastings: A junior guard who averaged nearly 11.9 points per game this winter. She knocked down 63 three-point­ ers on the year as the Saxons’ leading scorer. Head coach Chase Youngs said a big part of the team’s success was everyone buying in to the team philosophy, which allowed Winegar to boost her scoring average while also moving the basketball to create better scoring opportunities for herself and teammates. Winegar was named first team all-conference in the 1-8. Brooklynn Youngs, Hastings: A senior guard, Youngs was named second team all-conference in the 1-8 this winter after averaging a tick over seven points per game. She buried 24 three-pointers on the season and had 37 steals and 16 blocks while pulling down more than 60 rebounds. She also aver­ aged over an assist per game and led the Saxons in free throw percentage. All-Barry County Girls’ Basketball 2021-22 Second Team Bri Barnes, Hastings: A senior captain at a guard position for the Saxons this winter, Barnes was third on her team in scoring with 113 points and second in rebounds with 68 on the season while leading the team in steals with 57. Brooklynn Youngs “Defensively, she is a 5-6 girls who guard­ ed everyone from the No. 1 to the No. 5. Defensively, she was our stopper,” head coach Chase Youngs said. Alana Compton, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior center, Compton averaged 5.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. That rebounding mark led the Trojan team. She also added 2.1 blocked shots per game this season. Tristen Cross, Thornapple Kellogg: Cross was the focal point of the Trojan offense at times in the paint. She led TK with nine points per game. Cross, a senior, also averaged seven rebounds per game this winter. Lilly Faurot, Maple Valley: Faurot made big strides during the season to finish the year as the Lions’ top scorer. Her defense regularly turned into offense for the Lions, and some of her biggest strides were made in getting her speed under control on the court. Caitlin McManus, Delton Kellogg: A senior guard/forward, McManus averaged 5.5 points and 4.4 rebounds on the season. She had a high game of 15 points. See GIRLS, page 11 �Page 10 — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Carol Jean Risner, surviving spouse, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 4, 2006 and recorded October 18,2006 in Instrument Number 1171615, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee, on behalf of the holders of the J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust 2007HE1 Asset Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-HE1, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Seventy-Six Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Three and 50/100 Dollars ($76,763.50). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County Michigan, and are dpqcrihpd aq’ PARCEL 1: LOT 39 OF LAPHAMS AIRPORT LOTS, BEING A PART OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR BARRY COUNTY. PARCEL 2: LOT 57 AND THE NORTH 14 FEET OF LOT 40 OF LAPHAM’S AIRPORT LOTS, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLATS THEREOF, BEING PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, AND PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 5797 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Michigan 49344 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during-the redemption period. • Dated: March 17,2022. „ Fife No. 22-001946 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (03-17)(04-07) 177346 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature actof 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 21, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Mark Harden, a Married Man, whose address is 1262 N Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897, as original Mortgagor, tq Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting . sple^ as a nominee for Success Mortgage Partners, ‘ Inc., being a mortgage dated December 28, 2016, and recorded on January 13, 2017 in Document No. 2017- ■ 000403, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated February 22, 2021 and recorded on February 25, 2021 in Document No. 2021-002335, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS AND 03/100 ($113,221.03). Said premises are situated in the Township of Castleton, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: The West 600.00 feet of the following: Beginning at a point on the North and South Vi line of Section 4, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan, Distant South, 176.00 feet from the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1*/42 of 3 4the Southeast 1A of said section 4; thence North 440.00 feet, more or less, along said North and South 1/4 line to a point distant south, 1056.04 feet from the center post of said section 4; thence East, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the East and west % line of said Section 4; thence South, 440.00 feet, more or less, along the East 1/8 line of said Section 4; thence West, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the South 1/8 line of said Section 4 to the place of beginning. Street Address: 1262 North Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 24, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 21 4343 (03-241(04-14) 177795 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 07, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Sonja Rounds, a single woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: December 12, 2003 Recorded on December 17, 2003, in Document No. 1119420, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Forty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Fifty­ Seven and 99/100 Dollars ($48,557.99) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner post of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 1 North, Range 7 West, thence South 670 feet, West 300 feet, North 670 feet, East 300 feet, back to the point of beginning. Commonly known as 11570 S Clark Rd, Bellevue, Ml 49021 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service rpember on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you. have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1457248 (03-10)(03-31) 177031 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on March 31, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of _(her jportgago^s);. Charles Harvath^ III.. ?ka.. Charles Harvath and Roberta Harvath, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Quicken Loans Inc., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rocket Mortgage, LLC f/k/a Quicken Loans, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 21, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording; December 3, 2018 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $77,049.07 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Lot 13 of Loehr’s Landing, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats on Page 61. Commonly Known as: 2982 Loehrs Landing Dr., Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, jf any, shall be limited solely to the return bf the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 3/03/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314873 (03-03) (03-24) 176720 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust In the Matter of the Robert W. Churchill and Shirley A. Churchill Joint Living Revocable Trust Dated August 25, 2005, as amended. TO ALL CREDITORS: The Grantor/Decedent, Robert W. Churchill (date of birth: October 11,1927) died December 14, 2014. The Grantor/Decedent, Shirley A. Churchill (date of birth: June 5, 1929) died February 26, 2022. There are no personal representatives of the Grantors’ estates to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the Grantors/Decedents are notified that all claims against Robert W. Churchill, Shirley A. Churchill or The Robert W. Churchill and Shirley A. Churchill Joint Living Revocable Trust Dated August 25, 2005, As Amended, will be forever barred unless presented to Cheryl A. Lombard, named Trustee, within four (4) months after the date of publication of this notice. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: March 17, 2022 Attorney for Trustee: Brett A. Grossman (P63069) Grossman Horne & Cannizzaro, PC 610 N. Spruce Street, PO Box 59, Vicksburg, Ml 49097 (269) 649-3000 Trustee: Cheryl A. Lombard 5535 East S Avenue Vicksburg, Ml 49097 177521 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): William Fields, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: June 23, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 31, 2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $180,607.51 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7 and 8, Block 8, Kenfield’s Second Addition, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37, Barry County Records Common street address (if any): 811 E Marshall St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2449 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption, period. Attention.homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have beep ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 24, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1458195 (03-24) (04-14), / . 177522 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OFBARRY Case No. 21-682-CH , Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh U.S. BANK' NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING CONTRACT SENIOR/SUBORDINATE PASS­ THROUGH CERTIFICATE TRUST 2000-5, BY ITS SERVICER NEW REZ,. LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, Plaintiff, ' ‘ ■" v. ■! . . op ' j L ANYp AND,:-, AIX<-UNKNOWN... (CLAIMANTS, n OWNERS, HEIRS, DEVISEES OR ASSIGNEES,OF Ffo’lWD heMmeMitT;'' AWY AND ALL UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS, OWNERS, H&RS, DEVISEES OR ASSIGNEES!OF RUBY HERMENITT; RYAN HERMENITT; RANDY . HERMENITT; RONALD HERMENITT if and THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF STATE, j' ■ ' ’ ' Defendant.' i Jf, i I ' “ ______________________ ,,l . . TROTT LAW, P.C. By: Joshua Chomet (P81569) Attorneys for New Rez, LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing 31440 Northwestern Hwy Ste. 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334-5422 248.341.4634' ORDER FOR SERVICE BY PUBLICATION This matter having come before the Court on Plaintiff’s Ex Parte Motion for Service Pursuant to M.C.R. 2.201(D)(3) and M.C.R. 2.105(1); and the Court having reviewed the motion; and the Court finding that Plaintiff’s counsel demonstrated diligent efforts to ascertain the address and identity of Unknown Heirs, Devisees and Assigns of Ruby Hermenitt, deceased; and the Court being otherwise advised: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the following be published in a newspaper within Barry County: To the Unknown Heirs, Devisees and Assigns of Ruby Hermenitt: 1. You are being sued in this Court by the Plaintiff in an action to quiet title for the mobile home which is affixed to the property commonly known as 11224 Ronald Ln., Deitpn, Ml 49046-7764 and formerly owned by Ruby Herrrienitt deceased. 2. You must file your answer or take other action permitted by law in this Court at the Court’s address of 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml 49058or before the 28th day after publication of this order is completed. 3. If you fail to answer or take other action permitted by law in this Court on or before the 28th day after publication of this order is completed, a default judgment may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint filed in this case. ' . \ 4. A copy of this order shall be published once a week in a newspaper that publishes within Barry County for three consecutive weeks' and proof of publication shall be filed with the Court. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no mailing of this Order is required. IT IS SO ORDERED. This is not a final order. Date: January 13, 2022 Vicky L. Alspaugh, Circuit Court Judge 1777704 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029109-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Gerald B. McAllister. Date of birth: 3/30/1959. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Gerald B. McAllister, died 1/22/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Amanda Fox, personal,representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 3/22/2022 . Sheila R. Deming P30225 316 Taylor St., Grand Ledge, Ml 48837 517-627-2174 Amanda Fox 15300 S Airport Road, Lansing, Ml 48906 517-712-3883 177718 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 HSA: A healthy way to save for retirement Many expenses in life are unpredictable. But there are two things you know you’ll have to pay for: medical bills and retirement. You’ll probably need to take a variety of steps to meet these costs, but one financial instrument that can help is a health savings account (HSA). If you’re not familiar with an HSA, here are the basics: • Eligibility - If you are enrolled in a qualified high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you can generally contribute to an HSA. While HSAs are typically offered through employers, you can still open one if your employer doesn’t provide it, or if you’re self-employed, although you must have HDHP coverage. You also can’t be enrolled in another health insurance plan, other than those permitted, such as dental, vision, long­ term care and disability insurance, and you can’t be enrolled in Medicare. Also, you can’t be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. • Contribution limits - In 2022, you can put in up to $3,650 to an HSA if you have single coverage, or $7,300 for family coverage. And if you’re 55 or older, you can put in an extra $1,000 per year. • Tax benefits - An HSA has triple tax advantages: Your contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, so they can reduce your taxable income for the year; your earnings grow tax-free; and your withdrawals are tax-free, provided the money is used for qualified medical expenses. (Withdrawals taken before age 65 that aren’t used for qualified medical expenses are taxable and subject to a 20% penalty; once you reach 65, the penalty no longer applies, although withdrawals are still taxable.) In addition to its providing tax benefits, an HSA can help you in other ways. Perhaps most significantly, your HSA can be an additional financial resource for your retirement. That’s because the money in your HSA can be carried over from year to year - you aren’t obligated to “use it or lose it.” So, the money not spent on annual medical expenses can continue to grow tax-deferred. Plus, an HSA is “portable” it moves with you when you leave a job. Furthermore, unlike a 401(k) or a traditional IRA, an HSA does not require you to begin taking withdrawals once you reach 72 - you can leave your account untouched for essentially as long as you’d like. And while you may need Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April1?,- 2022.:The arhot/nt-dtie-bn^ the mortgage may be greater on the-day of saiq. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may change a fee for this information: Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Mich­ igan Fund, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Bar­ ry County Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, Described As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Center according to the recorded plat thereof to­ gether with an easement for ingress, egress and utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds bearing document number 2018-4166. PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Court, Hastings, Ml 49058. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a: or if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined in MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Date of Notice: March 17, 2022 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) of Gee Law Firm PLLC 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-3500 177297 NOTICE TO ALL CREDITORS: The Grantor, Barbara Maureen Bunker Swift, DOB June 4, 1934, who lived at 1720 Briar Hill, Hastings, Ml 49058, died 2-16-2022. There is no personal representative of the Grantor’s estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Barbara M. Swift Trust, dated December 18, 2007 as amended, will be forever banned unless presented to Trustee Sharon R. Bergwerff or Deborah Leah Wood, within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: March 21, 2022 ATTORNEY: TRUSTEES: Sharon R. Bergwerff Krystal Teeples 230 Fulton St. E 2345 Riley St \Suite J Hudsonville, Ml 49426 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-291-5053 616-776-7200 Deborah L. Wood Teeplesandteague.com 1490 Center Road Hastings, Ml 49058 269-838-1672 177742 to use your HSA funds to meet your medical expenses in retirement - which can be considerable, even with Medicare - you can use what you don’t spend on medical costs for your other needs without penalty, once you reach age 65. (As mentioned above, any HSA withdrawals not used for qualified medical costs are taxable.) Here’s one other . point to keep in mind: Your HSA likely contains investment options, along with a cash account. If you put all your funds in the cash account, as many people do, you might be depriving yourself of the growth opportunities provided by the investment options. On the other hand, of course, these investments generally carry more risk. One possible way to benefit from both parts of your HSA is to keep enough cash to cover your health insurance’s out-of-pocket maximum and invest the rest. As you can see, an HSA can help you in numerous ways. If you have access to one, consider taking advantage of it. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC I t NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that *! the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the n mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s i check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 7, 2022. The amount due- -on- the mortgage may be greater on< the day of the sale,.Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: , Default has been made in the conditions of a certain ‘ mortgage made by Rodney Esseltine, whose address is 9349 Lost Trail Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046, as-* original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration '. Systems, Inc, being a mortgage dated January 31,2008, and recorded on December 1, 2008 in Document No. I 20081201-0011457, Barry County Records, State of • Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne ’ assignments by Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, • as assignee as documented by an assignment dated ’ February 20, 2014 and recorded on July 3, 2014 in > Document No. 2014-006334, Barry County Records, ; Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be > due at the date hereof the sum of SEVENTY-THREE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($73,140.27). Said premises are situated in the * Township of Hope, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and i are described as: Lots 9 and 10 of Leinaar Plat, according ; to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 4 of • Plats on Page 39. Street Address: 9349 Lost Trail Drive, ; Delton, Michigan 49046 The redemption period shall be ■ b months from the date of such sale, unless the property > is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §. \ 600.3241 a in which case the redemption period shall be ■ 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold; I at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised | Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278,* the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to V the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the 1 redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR * ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY'* INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT’ -t PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE ! A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF * YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED ’ LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN-4 ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE':* ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE4 MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED? IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 3, 2022 For more* information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4285 (03-03)(03-24) 176721 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29119-DE * Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 \ Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 , Estate of Jerry Guess, Deceased. Date of birth: 9/23/1938. 5 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jerry Guess, ‘ died 2/7/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims* against the estate will be forever barred unless presented" to Kristine Sharp, personal representative, or to both the f probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after 1 the date of publication of this notice. . Date: 3/21/2022 Philip C. Johnson P69758 30665 Northwestern Highway, Suite 175 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 c 248-432-8000 Z Kristine Sharp 142 Gregg Dr., Battle Creek, Ml 49014 269-492-4154 „ 177679 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — Page 11 Boys battled tough competition this season Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team was the class of Barry County this win­ ter, but things didn’t turn out the way the Vikings had hoped for in the end. The Vikings scored non-conference wins over county foes Hastings and Thomapple Kellogg and bested Maple Valley twice during Greater Lansing Activities Conference play. The Vikings got off to a 12-2 start and were looking forward to a late-season showdown with Olivet for a possible conference title. It wasn’t meant to be. Injuries hampered the Vikings down the stretch and the win over Thomapple Kellogg was the lone victory in the final eight games for Lakewood’s boys. The Vikings closed the season with a 13-8 record which was the tops among the coun­ ty’s five teams. Delton Kellogg had six wins on the season, Hastings four, Maple Valle three and Thor­ napple Kellogg one. TK’s lone victory was over the Hastings boys during the Battle for Barry County in December. The Saxons’ got the county’s lone postsea­ son victory, knocking off Allegan in the open­ ing round of its Division 2 District tourna­ ment in Wayland at the end of the season. TK had just one win, but it was against a tough OK Gold Conference and non-conference schedule. TK followed up that win over Hast­ ings in December falling on the road at North­ view, a team set to play in a Division 1 State Semifinal contest Friday at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University and suffered a pair of losses to the Grand Rapids Catholic Central team that is playing in a Divi­ sion 2 State Semifinal Friday at MSU. Delton Kellogg’s conference, the Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference Valley Division, still has a team alive in the state tournament. The conference champions from Schoolcraft are playing in a Division 3 State Semifinal against Flint Beecher today (March 24) at noon. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Boys’’ Basketball FifsTand=Secbn‘drTeainTs: ' All-Barry County Boys’ Basketball 2021-22 First Team Jayce Cusa^k^Lakewood: Cusack com­ pleted his third season as a varsity starter and second as a Lakewood captain this winter averaging 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. A junior guard, Cuasck shot 55.9 percent from the floor, 38.9 percent from three and 65.6 percent at the free throw line. Coach Chris Duits has nothing but positive remarks about Cusack calling him a hard-working, team-oriented player who loves basketball, has a will to win, is solid defensively, a true leader and the kind of play­ er who makes everyone around him better. Layton Eastman, Hastings: A captain as a junior for the Saxons this winter, Layton led his team with 10 points and 5.5 rebounds per game from his guard/forward position. Getting over a football injury, Eastman’s numbers rose as the season wore on. “As Lay­ ton’s confidence in his body grows so does his confidence in his game,” coach Rich Long said. Terrell Jefferson, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior in his second varsity season, Jeffer­ son led TK with 21 points a game while add­ ing three rebounds, two assists and two steals as well. He was named all-conference in the OK Gold Conference. Jefferson excelled on both ends of the floor for TK, and coach Josh Thaler said he was able to score in all possible ways while regu­ larly attracting double teams. He shot 79 per­ cent from the free throw line, 45 percent from two-point range and 30 percent from three. Preston Makley, Lakewood: A junior guard, Makley was a varsity starter for the first time this winter and he averaged 12.8 points per game while adding 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He shot 80 percent from the free throw line, 53 percent from the line and 44.4 percent from behind the three-point line. One of the county’s top shooters, Coach Duits called Makley an excellent compliment to his classmate Jayce Cusack. His role expanded late in the season as Cusack dealt with an injury and Makley was tasked with learning to play multiple positions. Alden Whitmore, Delton Kellogg: The Panthers’ senior point guard averaged 14.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season while adding 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals as well. The Panthers relied on him heavily for both“ifisx~bait=hartdlin'g' and' his scoringT"Her' had a season-high of 32 points. Alex Whitmore, Delton Kellogg: Delton’s senior center was a load for opponents to handle in the paint. He averaged 13.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He shot 57 percent from two-point range and stepped out to knock down six three-point­ ers as well. Jayce Cusack All-Barry County Boys’ Basketball 2021-22 Second Team Austin Blocker, Delton Kellogg: A senior forward who coach Jim Hogoboom thought just might have been his team’s most consis­ tent performer this season. Blocker averaged 13.5 points and 8.75 rebounds per game. Blocker was a strong shot blocker for Delton Kellogg and also capable of stepping out’afrd'kfiocking dovtlT a three-pointer ofTensively. He hit 33 percent of his threes on the season. He shot 42 percent from the floor as a whole and 68 percent at the free throw line. Chanse Courtney, Maple Valley: Court­ ney, a sophomore in his second varsity sea­ son, he tallied 11.5 points, 6.1 rebounds. 1.7 assists and nearly one block per game for the Lions - leading his team in scoring, three-pointers made and finishing second in rebounding. Courtney was named honorable mention all-conference in the GLAC. He had a game high of 20 points, which he reached in three different ballgames. Caleb Hull, Lakewood: A junior center who was a transfer into the district from Charlotte he quickly became a key cog for the Vikings. He averaged 8.8 points per game as weft as’ 5.5 Tebourids and. 9" assisTs? He' sfioF 58.6 percent from the floor and even 50 per­ cent from behind the three-point line. Coach Duits called Hull, “a hard-working kid trying to fit in at a new school in a new program. Has never played back to the basket [before] and is light years ahead of where he was in Novem­ ber.” By the end of the season Hull was excel­ ling with a variety of moves in the post. Denny Sauers, Lakewood: A senior point guard, Sauers spent three and a half years on the Viking varsity, three years as a varsity starter and two years as a team captain. Sau­ ers averaged 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and three assists a game. He shot over 70 percent from the free throw line and 52.1 percent from the floor. Sauers was a part of the Viking program since fourth grade as a manager and then a player. Coach Duits called him a very good teammate and respectful competitor. Ben Schuch, Maple Valley: A 15-year-old foreign exchange student, Schuch took over point guard duties for the Lions and recorded 3 assists per game to go with 10.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. He led his team in blocks, assists and rebounds while finishing second in scoring. He was named second team all-conference in the GLAC this winter. Kalvin Shuford, Thornapple Kellogg: A senior guard, Shuford averaged five points a game for the Trojans while battling through a mid-season injury. “When on the floor, he was a difficult match up offensively and defensively,” coach Thaler said. “He’s strong enough to play as a big and guard team’s big, and quick enough to play as a guard and guard team’s wings.” Jaymes Thorne, Thornapple Kellogg: A senior guard, Thome became a large part of the Trojans’ defensive schemes as the season wore on allowing the team to turn up the pres­ sure on opponents’ guards. He averaged about four points per game with a season-high 17 in a December win over Hastings. “He didn’t always get credit for the steals and transition points that he helped create,” coach Thaler said. His defense helped give us an opportunity to win games. One of the clearest examples was at Cedar Springs where he helped hold Cedar’s all-conference guard to 13 points. Another was at Catholic Central where he held Jorden Brooks (anoth­ er All Conference shooting guard and Ferris State commn)'Td eight points/1 Braden Vertalka, Hastings: A senior cap­ tain in his third varsity season, Vertalka aver­ aged 6 points and 4 rebounds per game. “Braden has to do all the little things. Many times he is guarding the other team’s top scorer and has had to guard the post when we are short on personnel,” coach Long said. GIRLS, continued from page 9-------------------------McManus averaged two steals per game too. She led Delton Kellogg in three-point­ ers made in her final varsity season. Cadence Poll, Lakewood: A sopho­ more center, she had a team-high 10.2 points per game and added 8.2 rebounds per game. Poll was named honorable mention all-conference in the GLAC this winter. Ellie Possehn, Lakewood: A junior guard, Possehn averaged 7.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Vikings this winter. Possehn was also her team leader in assists per game at 3.2. Josie Williams, Delton Kellogg: A freshman forward for the Panthers, Wil­ liams led the Panthers in scoring at 5.52 points per game and also added 7.6 rebounds per game. She had highs of 17 points and 14 rebounds in a game. Williams also had a game with four blocked shots. She had 28 blocks on the season - the third best single-season total in the history of the program. Alden Whitmore Macy Winegar Terrell Jefferson LEGAL NOTICES A utonwtive Pets 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD, convertible, red, premium interior package in chrome, $17,500. 269-965-4663 ext. 234, call 24/7 and leave a message. MINI BERNEDOODLES, VERY cute, great colors and oh so fluffy. 1st shots and de­ wormed. $600. 517-852-3007._______________ Business Services BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experi­ ence. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. LAB PUPPIES- VERY playful, 1st shots and wormed. $300.00,517-852-4881. JACK RUSSELL PUPPIES- Small, cute and playful. 1st shots and wormed, $300.00. 269­ 223-9194. Help Hunted STABLE HAND POSITION Looking for someone with experience with horses, feed­ ing, stall cleaning. 269-207-4218 or zlpowell@ yahoo.com. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22029106-DE Estate of Charlene Louise Shumaker, Deceased. Date of birth: 08/30/1932. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Charlene Louise Shumaker, who lived at 11780 West 9 Mile Road, Shelbyville, Ml 49344, died 1/08/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Vicki Lynn Shumaker, named personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the named personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: March 18,2022 David F. Kiel (P43048) Orton, Tooman, Hale, McKown & Kiel, P.C. 314 Trowbridge Street, P.O. Box 239 Allegan, Ml 49010-0239 (269) 673-2136 Vicki Lynn Shumaker, Personal Representative 4417 Janis Street Hastings, Ml 49058 (269)838-2040 177680 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22029111-DE Estate of Vicki Joan Marsh. Date of birth: 03/17/1945. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Vicki Joan Marsh, died 12/23/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Betty J. Near, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, # 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the named personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 03/17/2022 Kris N. Johnson P83526 3140 Division Ave. SW Grandville, Ml 49418 (616) 965-2221 Betty J. Near 4303 Brookmere Dr. SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49512 (616)304-2216 177682 �Page 12 — Thursday, March 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner County had a dozen state mat medalists Brett Bremer Sports Editor Barry County wrestlers once again had an impressive season. Thomapple Kellogg won the OK Gold Conference while being ranked as one of the top teams in the state in Division 2 all season long. Hastings won the Intestate-8 Athletic Conference. Lakewood won the Greater Lan­ sing Athletic Conference. Thomapple Kellogg was the only local team to win a district championship, but then ran into the perennial state champions from Lowell in the Division 2 Regional Finals performing a bit better than it had in its regional meeting with Lowell the previous year. It wasn’t only teams repeating champion­ ships. The county’s two returning state cham­ pions, Lakewood senior Zac Gibson and Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris, both defended their 2021 state championships at the MHSAA Individual State Finals earlier this month. Those two state champions were two of 12 local wrestlers to finish their season on the medal stand at the Individual State Finals. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Wrestling First and Second Teams. All-Barry County Wrestling 2021-22 First Team 103 Christien Miller, Thornapple Kellogg: Miller had an outstanding freshman season compiling a record of 34-10. Miller was the OK Gold Conference cham­ pion at 103 pounds and was a regional quali­ fier in Division 2. 112 Ashton Clark, Lakewood: Clark was 38-4 as a junior this year and qualified for the Division 3 Individual State Finals for the first time. Clark was a conference champion in the GLAC this season as well. 119 Hunter Pitsch, Thornapple Kellogg: Pitsch compiled a 45-8 record in his seniors season and finished as a state qualifier for the second time as a varsity wrestler after win­ ning district and regional championships. Pitsch won the eighth-place medal in Divi­ sion 2’s 119-pound weight class at the Indi­ vidual State Finals. He was also an OK Gold Conference champion this winter. Matthew Slaght, Maple Valley: A four­ time state qualifier, Slaght capped his time as a varsity wrestler by placing sixth in Division 4’s 119-pound weight class at the Individual State Finals. Injuries limited his senior season a bit, but he wrestled his way to district and regional titles at the end of the year. He put together a record of 25-4 on the season and had over 100 wins in his varsity career. 125 Ashton Corson, Thornapple Kellogg: A senior this winter, Corson won district and regional championships on his way to earning a spot in the Individual State Finals for the third time. He capped his varsity wrestling time as a three-time state medalist by finishing fifth in Division 2’s 125-pound weight class at the Individual State Finals. Corson closed the season with a record of 46-3. 130 Zac Gibson, Lakewood: Spurred on by buddies, Gibson jumped onto his feet and shared a little dance after winning his second straight state championship at the Individual State Finals to close out his senior season. Gibson took the 130-pound weight class in Division 3 at Ford Field. He is the first two-time state champion in the history of the Lakewood wrestling pro­ gram and its first four-time state medalist. Gibson was 39-0 as a senior and was excited to make it through the season without ever having been taken down by an opponent. He was a four-time conference champion in high school. 135 Kyrou Zoet, Thornapple Kellogg: Zoet was 37-10 as a junior this season. He won an OK Gold Conference championship and qualified for the Individual State Finals for the third time. Zoet placed fifth in Division 2’s 130-pound weight class at the state finals to earn his second state medal. 140 Daniel Krebs, Lakewood: Krebs had an outstanding junior season compiling a record of 34-7 for the Vikings. Krebs was a conference champion and a regional qualifier this season. 145 Zack Gibson, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior, Gibson scored his third all-state medal by placing fourth in Division 2’s 135-pound weight class. Gibson placed seventh at the state finals as a freshman and a sophomore. Gibson also won a conference champion­ ship in the OK Gold this winter. Matthew Slaght 152 Matthew Middleton, Thornapple Kel­ logg: Middleton closed out his senior season by qualifying for the Individual State Finals for the first time. He scored a state medal by placing fifth in Division 2’s 152-pound weight class. Middleton won conference, district and regional titles on his way to the state finals. He surpassed 100-career victories during his senior season and closed the year with a record of 45-8. 160 Robby Slaughter, Hastings: A two-time state qualifier, Slaughter scored his first state medal as a junior this season. He had a record of 48-6 on the season. Slaughter was the runner-up in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference at 152 pounds and then won district and regional champion­ ships at 160 pounds in Division 2. He closed the season placing eighth at the Individual State Finals. 171 Austin Chivis, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior, Chivis surpassed 100 varsity victories late in the season and wrestling at 160 pounds qualified for the Individual State Finals for the first time. Chivis was an OK Gold Conference champion this season. He compiled a record of 40-9. 189 Nathaniel Graham, Lakewood: Graham capped off his senior season by earning a spot in the MHSAA Division 3 Individual State Finals at Ford Field. • Graham was a two-time conference cham­ pion in high school. He had a record of 39-10 this winter. 215 Caden Ferris, Delton Kellogg: Ferris came within fractions of an inch, or just one referee’s opinion, of pinning every single competitor he faced during his season season. New Lothrop’s Grayson Orr was the only wrestler to avoid being pinned by Ferris and he pulled it off in the 215-pound champion­ ship match at the Individual State Finals. Ferris still took a 10-2 major decision to win his second straight state championship. Ferris was a three-time state medalist in high school and has plans to continue wres­ tling at Central Michigan University. He sur­ passed 150-career wins as a senior and closed out his final campaign with a record of 49-0. Zac Gibson 285 Jackson Dubois, Hastings: Dubois quali­ fied for the state finals for the first time as a senior this winter and wrestled his way to a third place finish in Division 2’s 285-pound weight class at the Individual State Finals. Dubois was 48-8 on the season. He was the runner-up in the 1-8 at heavyweight this season, second at districts and third at regionals before placing third at the finals. All-Barry County Wrestling 2021-22 Second Team 103 Troy Hoakanson, Hastings: Hokanson had an outstanding freshman season wres­ tling his way to a record of 33-7. Hoakanson was the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champion at 103 pounds this year and came up -one victory shy of being a regional qualifier in Division 2. JH2 Keegan Archer-Sutfin, Hastings: Anoth­ er talented Saxon freshman, Archer-Sutfin wrestled his way to a record of 29-8 on the year often bumping up to wrestle at 119. He was the Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence champion at 112 pounds and an individ­ ual regional qualifier. Caden Ferris 119 Gage Vincent, Delton Kellogg: A two­ time state qualifier, Vincent competed in Division 3’s 119-pound weight class at the Individual State Finals to close out his junior season. Vincent put together a record of 31 -13 this season. 125 Jonathan Krebs, Lakewood: A sopho­ more, Krebs wrestled to a record of 35-3. He didn’t drop a match until the postseason, fin­ ishing second at districts to be a regional qualifier for the first time. Krebs won a conference championship for the Vikings this season. 130 Gauge Stampfler, Delton Kellogg: A freshman, Stampfler was one of four regional qualifiers from the Delton Kellogg program in Division 4 this winter. Jackson Dubois Zack Gibson Stampfler put together a season-long record of 33-7. 135 Andrew Middleton, Thornapple Kel­ logg: A state qualifier as a sophomore, he ended up just shy of that goal as a junior. He was a regional qualifier for the Trojans this winter. Middleton wrestled his way to a record of 26-18. 140 Cohen Smith, Hastings: A junior, Smith finished with a record of 26-18 this winter. Smith was a regional qualifier after placing, fourth at districts. 145 Mason Denton, Hastings: Denton fin­ ished his senior season' with a record of 36-12. Denton was the runner-up in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference at 145 pounds and was a regional qualifier at his weight class in Division 2 after placing fourth at districts. 152 Vincent Quick, Delton Kellogg: A junior, Quick was an individual regional qualifier in Division 4 at 152 pounds. Quick earned a record of 27-9 on the sear’ son. 160 Brendan Straub, Lakewood: Only regional qualifiers from the Viking roster had more wins than Straub’s 29 during his junior season. Straub just missed joining teammates at individual regionals at the end of the season, falling by two points in the blood round at districts. 171 Gavin Vaughn, Lakewood: The Viking junior Vaughn wrestled his way to a 26-6 record this season. Vaughn was a regional qualifier as a soph­ omore as well as an all-league wrestler, but was unable to compete in the postseason this year. 189 Victor Ramirez, Hastings: The Saxon senior scored a record of 33-13 this winter wrestling at 189 early in the season before working his way down to compete at 160 and 171 pounds. Ramirez was the runner-up in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference at 160 pounds and was nearly a regional qualifier at 171 pounds in Division 2 coming up one win shy at districts. 215 Isaac Friddle, Hastings: A state medalist as a freshman, Friddle was 44-12 during his first varsity season. Friddle placed third at his weight class in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference and then went on to place second at districts and fourth at regionals. He placed seventh in Division 2’s 215-pound weight class at the Individual State Finals. Joel Smith, Lakewood: An individual state qualifier in Division 3, Smith wrestled to a record of 31-13 as a freshman this sea­ son. Smith took the GLAC championship at 215 pounds and kept moving down the path to the state finals by pinning a former state medalist in blood round at districts. 285 Eastin Stank, Lakewood: A two-time state qualifier in two varsity seasons. Stank rolled to a record of 34-13 as a senior. Stank won regional and GLAC champion­ ships this season. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-03-31.pdf 2b3022797e0cafbcf12d561420f27c95 PDF Text Text Hastings Public Libi 227 E State Stree Hastings Ml 4905s. Sharing the spotlight with Terry Dennison Fighting for justice is an honor and privilege See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 804879110187 1070490102590500948049058195427 CAR-RT LOT“C Hastings Public Library 227 E State St Hastings Ml 49058-1954 Thursday, March 31, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 13 PRICE $1.00 State officials to review Royal Coach project Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Months after issuing a “no-go” letter on the 73-unit Royal Coach housing project, Michigan State Housing Department Author­ ity staff will visit Hastings April 5 to tour the site. The news comes as a positive development for supporters of the project, who have spent the past several weeks imploring MSHDA to reconsider its decision to back out of the proj­ ect because of the Royal Coach’s proximity to Hastings Manufacturing Co. “I am hopeful that, once they get here and actually see the site, they will reverse their decision and realize that their concerns are unwarranted,” City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said. The meeting will include MSHDA Acting Executive Director Gary Heidel, MSHDA Rental Development Director Chad Benson, Barry Community Foundation President/ CEO Bonnie Gettys and employees from the Wisconsin-based developer, Sig Strautmanis and Josh Hafron. The visit will allow MSHDA staffers to tour the site, get a feel for Hastings and explore the residential housing that already surrounds Hastings Manufacturing. “It’s hard to tell just by sitting in Lansing and looking at a site on a map, what’s really there,” Moyer-Cale said. “They can’t really understand the ease of access to downtown, the proximity to the riverwalk, and to Thor­ napple Plaza, and to all those kinds of things that make that area a great place to live, a very walkable place to live, an affordable place to live.” In July 2021, MSHDA awarded the devel­ oper with a $1.5 million low-income housing tax credit to construct 54 apartments and 19 townhouses. But, four months later, on Nov. 30, 2021, MSHDA issued a “no-go” letter, citing See ROYAL COACH, page 6 Cop car arson suspect to undergo competency exam ~ Patrick Gilmore, center, flanked by defense attorneys Shane Henry and Carol Dwyer, offers a guilty plea to Judge Michael Schipper. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Teen pleads to Ist-degree premeditated murder Patrick Hunter Gilmore, 18, of Hastings, pleaded guilty to first-degree, premeditated murder in the death of 17-year-old Lane Roslund of Hastings. The plea, offered Wednesday morning, was accepted by Barry County Judge Michael Schipper. “Is it true that you deliberately and with intent murdered Lane Roslund with a cross­ bow on your grandfather’s property?” the judge asked Gilmore, who affirmed this. The murder occurred on Sept. 10-11, 2021, according to the court record. Family members packed the courtroom and began to weep as the judge accepted Gilmore’s plea. During a court recess, Defense Attorney Carol Dwyer noted that Gilmore made a full confession to police that day. “What do you do when you do something awful and you can’t take it back?” Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt spoke with the victim’s family members in the hallway. “We’re going to ask for life in prison with­ out parole,” she said. “It’s justice for Lane,” she said. For continuing coverage, see The Banner online. Bliss Munitions Equipment moving to Kentwood Rebecca Pierce---------- -- Editor Security camera footage at Hastings City Hall shows a suspect running away from a police car after it was set on fire March 21. The suspect in that case, Jeremy Dunklee, 30, of Hastings, is being held in Barry Coun­ ty Jail on a $200,000 bond. Dunklee appeared in a video arraignment Wednesday before Barry County Judge Michael Schipper and maintained that he’s innocent until he’s proven guilty. Dunklee was charged with third-degree arson, malicious destruction of police proper­ ty, assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer along with being charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. His defense attorney, Shane Henry of Hast­ ings, requested a criminal responsibility and competency examination, which Schipper ordered. But Henry, saying Dunklee is not a flight risk, also asked for some reduction in the bond that might be more manageable for him to post. “Is this the case with the police car?” Schipper replied. “It is,” Henry said. “Well, he fled from the police officer,” the judge pointed out. “We’ve got him on TV.” “I understand you’re doing your job to request that,” Schipper told Henry. “But clearly he’s a flight risk. We’ve got that on TV. “Clearly, he’s a danger. He pours gasoline all over a police car and lights it on fire.” At that point, Dunklee said loudly, “Allegedly!” “I supposedly did these things,” he added. “I am not a guilty, your honor. That is your job to separate them things.” Jeremy Dunklee, a 30-year-old man from the Hastings area, appears before Barry County Judge Michael Schipper Wednesday. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) The judge replied, “You’re right. You’re innocent until proven guilty. “And it’s also my job to set bond. I find you’re a danger to the community and a flight risk. I think a bond of $200,000 is very appro­ priate.” . “It’s very unappropriate,” Dunklee said. “You’ve got people out there on bond murdering...” “Not in my court,” Schipper responded. Dunklee kept talking, saying he knows his rights and he’s going to keep asking for a reduction in his bond. See COP CAR, page 6 Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Bliss Munitions Equipment, a self-de­ scribed “global leader in ammo machines,” is relocating to Kentwood. According to its Linkedln page, Bliss Munitions Equipment is moving to 4304 40th St, SE, Kentwood, near the Grand Rapids airport. The new building holds office space and a shop. The company has been located in the man­ ufacturing space at 1004 E. State St. in Hast­ ings, where it shared the same address as BCN Technical Services. Employees have yet to start working in the Kentwood building, but the business has plans to move within the next few weeks. It is unclear what will take the place of Bliss Munitions Equipment at 1004 E. State St. See BLISS, page 6 Triumphant cyclists compete against conditions Christine Lundberg, Stephannie Gager and Amy Leclaire ride down Anders Road in Hope Township as they near the halfway point of the Founders Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race 18-miler. Despite 30-degree temperatures and 18 mph winds, they rode with the estimated 4,000 riders, a sold-out event, who took part in Hastings Saturday. To learn more about the event and the people who participated in the BarryRoubaix race, turn the page. The fire destroyed the taillights and rear wiring on the car. (Photo provided) �Page 2 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner At the Barry-Roubaix in Barry County... Cold, mud doesn't bog down these cyclists Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Shortly after finishing the 100-mile race, Nicholas Stanko found himself hunched over, holding a hose and spraying his bike at the cleaning station. Mud seemed to be stuck to every part of the bike and wouldn’t come off. “You’re gonna be there a while,” the per­ son next to him at the cleaning station said. “Yeah,” he agreed. Stanko, an Ann Arbor native, was one of 4,000 riders who took part in the Barry-Rou­ baix, considered the largest gravel bike race in the world. After taking off a year and a half due to COVID-19, the bike race returned in October 2021, but with reduced numbers at 3,200 riders. It returned to pre-COVID-19 numbers five months later on Saturday, with people com­ ing from across the country to ride in one of the four races, including the 18-miler, 36-miler, 64-miler and 100-miler. But unlike many previous years, when the sun has shone, this year was cold and dreary. Winds reached 18 mph, the temperature peaked in the mid-30 degrees and flurries fell on riders. Those conditions didn’t stop nearly 4,000 people from packing into downtown Hastings and tearing along the gravel roads of Barry County. But it also meant they finished the race with their clothing, glasses and bikes plastered in mud. “The 100-mile was pretty nasty,” Stanko said. After spending nearly five minutes spray­ ing and poking at the mud, he walked away from the cleaning station. “I think I’m going to find a car wash,” he said. First, he needed to eat. Stanko had just finished in fifth place of 192 bikers, riding at 16.98 mph for 5 hours, 53 minutes and 16 seconds. “Not bad,” said Stanko, who competes in races across the state. His next stop? Mexican Connexion, where he was planning to make good use of a gift card. For posterity, here’s a visual recap of the 2022 Barry-Roubaix: Participants in the Barry-Roubaix show off for the camera as'bey ride down Anders Road in Hope Township in the 18-mile race. These two bicyclists traveled to Hastings from Chicago to compete in the 62-mile race. Lisa Diephouse jumps up and down as she watches people cross the finish line at Saturday’s Barry-Roubaix. (Left) Nick Martinelli, splattered with mud, poses for a photo after finishing the 36-mile race. The night before, Martinelli drove from Grosse lie, near Detroit, in his minivan. He arrived in Hastings around 7:30 p.m., watched “The Batman” at the theater and parked his car around 11 in the Walmart parking lot, where he slept a solid six hours, he said. Martinelli is used to sleeping in his car. This winter, he drove to Florida to escape the Michigan cold, sleeping in his van along the way. After a night in the Walmart parking lot, Martinelli, who normally mountain bikes, raced the 36-mile gravel bike race in 2 hours, 32 minutes and 55 seconds. After finishing, he only had one question: “Is there some sort of party?” Nicholas Stanko of Ann Arbor tries to poke away at the mud on his bike after finish­ ing fifth in the 100-mile race, the longest of four Barry-Roubaix races. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation 1Jcense #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 LanS* 1NSU^r, 1 SPRAY FOAM W It’$ All a Part ofYour Local Newspaper! Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville to th* hrtfretti of&Wjf Cvanty Hastings J&W ANNER �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — Page 3 Homicide/torture case proceeds to trial Rebecca Pierce Editor The murder case against Andrew Lafey of Nashville will proceed to trial April 11 after pre-trial proceedings in Barry County Wednesday finalized the details. Lafey, 22, is charged with open murder, torture, concealment of a body and use of firearms in the commission of a felony. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt alleges that Lafey shot Gracyn Brickley, 18, of Ionia, twice with a.22 rifle, in the chest and abdomen, behind a house on Guy Road in Maple Grove Township on Feb. 16. During Wednesday’s hearing, Nakfoor Pratt asked Lafey if he wanted to plead guilty to first-degree murder and avoid the trial. This is a question the prosecutor says she has posed during every court proceeding in this case. Judge Michael Schipper turned to Lafey, who was masked and standing with defense attorney James Kinney at the podium. Schipper asked if this question had been conveyed to Lafey. Kinney confirmed that it had. Then the judge turned to Lafey. “That is an offer you are rejecting, correct? “Yes, your honor,” Lafey said in one of the few remarks he made during the proceedings. Family members, who have consistently filled the courtroom gallery during the Lafey proceedings, were in the court Wednesday. Some wore blue T-shirts that read: “Justice for Gracyn.” Nakfoor Pratt has expressed concern about family members and what they will have to witness in the upcoming trial. A video of Gracyn-Michael Brickley’s death is among the evidence that will be pre­ sented. In February, the judge ruled that it can be shown to jurors, if the Lafey case goes to trial. Lafey’s attorneys tried to prevent it from being shown on the grounds that it was “too prejudicial for a jury to review.” Detective Sgt. Janette Maki, of the Barry Andrew Lafey of Nashville, right, appeared in Barry County court Wednesday with his defense attorney, James Kinney. (Photo by Scott Harmsen.) County Sheriff’s Office, previously testified that Lafey told her he recorded the video on his phone. Maki said it showed Lafey kicking and taunting Brickley as she died. Several people who were at the Guy Road house on the night Lafey is alleged to have shot and killed Brickley, testified that Lafey showed them the video. Nakfoor Pratt acknowledged the video is disturbing, but told Schipper two of the main charges she brought against Lafey, open mur­ der and torture, were based on that video. Probate Judge William Doherty, who viewed the video in his chambers during the preliminary hearing in October, cited it when he bound the case against Lafey over for trial. “It is clear from the video that Mr. Lafey committed a brutal, heinous murder of Gra­ cyn Brickley,” Doherty said. “... I don’t see any doubt that he committed those offenses.” “The video clearly shows torture and the intent to inflict extreme pain to the victim, and just a brutal attitude, numerous name callings, a lot of statements within that video, along with the comments to the witnesses, watching the moment her life left her eyes, the obvious pain that the victim was in,” he added. Last month, Lafey to Schipper he wanted to fire his attorneys. “I had a meeting with them and they said that they were coercing me, saying that if I didn’t take the first-degree deal that I would end up being in a Level Five [prison] for the rest of my life, or could be in a Level Five for the rest of my life, and that her family, or someone, could find out what prison I’m in and my life would be in danger. I’ve asked Mr. Kinney if he could file for a change of venue, he said no, I don’t have a good enough reason.” Nakfoor Pratt had offered Lafey a deal, that if he pleaded guilty to first-degree mur­ der she would drop the other charges against him. The penalty would still be life in prison without the possibility of parole, but the other charges of torture and concealment of a body would not be attached to his record. “Yes, we told him he could be in a Level Five for the rest of his life,” Kinney told Schipper, “in the context of his getting privi­ leges in the prison, and this is the difference between one count first-degree murder versus all the other counts, including torture.” “We never said it was the family,” Kinney added. “We were worried about other inmates - if they learned about this video, if they would take it against him.” “So you’re simply giving him information that you’ve learned to help him make a deci­ sion of a plea offer,” Schipper said. “Exactly, your honor,” Kinney said. “And we’ve told him repeatedly it’s up to him whether he takes it or not. I don’t care, one way or the other.” Kinney also said he told Lafey the proper time to ask for a change of venue is at jury selection, if they were unable to find a fair and impartial jury out of the pool of prospec­ tive jurors in Barry County. Police seek more information in Vermontville hit-and-run GFWC-Hastings to meet Friday Local trails will be the featured topic at the next meeting of the GFWC-Hastings Women’s Club, beginning at noon April 1. Retired physician, Dr. Larry Haw­ kins, past president of the North Coun­ try Trail Association, will be the guest speaker, talking about “Barry County’s North Country Trails.” The General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Hastings meets the first Friday of each month at the Commission on Aging, 320 W. Woodlawn Ave., Hast­ ings. Meetings begin at noon, featuring speakers presenting local volunteer information and topics that impact the community, followed by luncheon and fellowship. GFWC is a women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Club President Kathy LaVictor may be reached by calling 269-945-0745 for more information or reservations. Sensory-friendly camp planned Saturday Hastings. More information can be pro­ vided via email to lebrandt@hotmail. com. Lakewood choral group beginning new season The Lakewood Area Choral Society is returning for a full season of concerts in 2022. While COVID-19 shuttered opera­ tions with only one concert in 2021 and none in 2020, the choir is back for a regular season of rehearsals and con­ certs. The choir, which was formed in 1986, was to have celebrated its 35th anniver­ sary in 2020. That celebration will occur this year with the theme being “35th In 37.” The choral society’s first performance will be a 3 p.m. concert of sacred music Sunday, June 5. In the fall, LACS will celebrate its “35th In 37 Gala Anniversary Concert” Saturday, Sept. 24. The third and final concert of 2022 will be the traditional Christmas concert Dec. 18. More details will be released at a later date. Since 1986, nearly 600 singers from mid- and West Michigan have been members of the choral society. Current­ ly, with more than 85 voices, the choir sings a full range of selections from sacred and secular to classical and contemporary. The choir is led by Dr. Robert C. Oster, with Niki Reitz serving as accompanist and Ronni O’Toole and Cindy Olson as assistant conductors. The Autism Alliance of Barry County is teaming up with the YMCA of Barry County/Camp Algonquin to provide a sensory-friendly outdoor camp experi­ ence for the whole family Saturday, April 2. The event will run in two sessions, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., with a light lunch from noon to 1 p.m. provided by AABC. The morning will focus on low-sensory activities, while the after­ noon session will focus more on high adventure. Classic camping activities offered during the day will include hikAfter meeting remotely, the Women’s ing, arts and crafts, tie-dying, story and Giving Circle of Barry County will gathsong time in cabins, and sensory bins er in person May 4 at the Barry Commuand beach exploration on the waterfront. nity Enrichment Center in Hastings. Camp Algonquin staff will provide The organization is open to any local the -scheduled activiTies-throughorrt-fhe---^ women who-’meet -quarteHy-fer a meal, day, including archery (9 a.m.-noon), listen to speakers arid'' wntribute $50 rock wall climbing, zip lining, (1-2:30) each (or $30 for those under age 30) to a and a high ropes course (2-4 p.m.) chosen local nonprofit. Participants should wear closed-toed Members voted via email for last shoes and should bring pastel or white month’s meeting to give their combined shirts if they would like to participate in donations to Cherry Health, Barry Coun­ the tie-dying activities. Families also are ty, a combined donation of $6,300. encouraged to bring towels and water More information is available from bottles. any of the organizing members: Caroline The event is free, and families may Dimmers, Stephanie Fekkes, Sue Kola­ register for one or both sessions online nowski, Debra McKeown, Kim Norris, through AABC at https ://autismbarryCarla Wilson-Neil, or from Nancy Goo­ countycamp.eventbrite.com. The rain din via email NanGoodin@aol.com. The date for this event is April 30. Camp Women’s Giving Circle of Bany County Algonquin is at 2055 Iroquois Trail, Michigan is on Facebook. Women’s Giving Circle to meet May 4 James Gemmell Contributing Writer Michigan State Police have a person of interest in connection with a possible hit-andrun crash in which a 60-year-old man was struck in the Village of Vermontville. MSP First District said in a March 23 Twit­ ter post that the victim remains in a hospital recovering from his injuries. It happened March . 1.2 around 10:17 p.m, on South Main Street near West First Street, — in front of the village hall. “When officers arrived on scene, there was a 60-year-old male found lying in the road­ way with serious injuries,” MSP said in a news release. The man was taken to Mary Free Bed at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, and placed in the Intensive Care Unit. Police said no witnesses have come for­ ward yet, but state troopers have a person o’f interest in mind. No details about that person have been released. However, a surveillance image of the suspect vehicle was posted on social media. The victim’s name has not been released by police. His daughter, Sarah Christine, said her father suffered a traumatic brain injury NEWS BRIEFS Michigan State Police released a surveillance-camera image of the vehicle believed to have been involved in the pedestrian traffic crash on March 12 in Vermontville. (MSP image/screengrab) from being hit by the vehicle. He sustained a fractured skull, a fractured eye socket “and still can’t walk by himself. And has short­ term memory loss. “Every day we pretty much have to explain to him why he’s there and has to stay for the rehab to get better because he can’t walk or do anything by himself. His anticipated dis­ charge date from the hospital is April 13. Then he has to go into another rehab facility. He may never be the same.” The vehicle sought by police is a tan SUV, possibly a 2000-2006 GMC Yukon or Chev­ rolet Tahoe. State police are asking anyone with information about the incident or the suspect vehicle to call their Lansing post at (517)-322-1907. Assisting troopers at the crash scene were the Eaton County Sheriff’s Department and the Vermontville Township Fire Department. City to seek grant for new bathrooms at Fish Hatchery Park Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Hastings City Council approved the sub­ mission of a grant application that would allow the city to construct new bathrooms for nearly $475,800 at Fish Hatchery Park. The grant through the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund is due April 1 and would require the city to fund 50 percent, or $237,900, of the project. To meet the requirements of the grant, the city will propose the creation of four enlarged universally accessible unisex bathrooms with solar-powered LED lighting and a pollinator garden. The project would relocate the bath­ rooms closer to the parking lot, while replac­ ing the current, decades-old bathroom site with a pollinator garden. The new building would feature a metal roof, block walls and “much more durable, high-quality and long-lasting material,” City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said Monday night during the city council meeting. “What we really want is for people to use the parks and to enjoy their time at the park,” Moyer-Cale said. “And if they’re afraid to use the bathroom or they just don’t like it, or they’d rather not do that, then they’re not going to stay [in the park] as long. They’re going to choose to go somewhere else rather than enjoying the parks. That kind of defeats the purpose of the park.” After reviewing results from the survey in the five-year parks and recreation master plan update, the city decided to specifically focus on Fish Hatchery Park. Of the 105 respondents, 38.1 percent, the second-highest mark, labeled cleanliness in park facilities as one of the three top items the city should invest in. When asked about which park facilities have maintenance issues, 55.3 percent of respondents pointed to restrooms - the highest selection. Within those responses, residents specifi­ cally noted the Fish Hatchery Park bathrooms. The current bathrooms at Fish Hatchery Park started as a shelter building before the city transformed the structure into bathrooms in 1985 through a Michigan Department of Nat­ ural Resources grant. Now, the bathrooms’ wooden doors are fading and one of the sinks is missing a knob. The paper towel dispensers and metal stall doors are rusting. The bath­ rooms only occasionally have soap. “The state of fish hatchery makes me sad,” one person wrote in the survey response. “I have a lot of great memories there as a child.” The city could spend $200,000, without a grant, to improve the restrooms. But the abil­ ity to receive matching funds from a grant would allow the city to achieve more, Moy­ er-Cale explained. “The way I look at this grant is, yes, we could probably take $237,000 and do some­ thing else in that park and do a lower-cost project and not do the grant,” she told council members. “But we would not be able to have the same quality of space as we would have with this grant. We probably wouldn’t go out and spend almost half a million dollars on a restroom building ourselves.” The length of the process also made the application a more immediate concern. If the city wins the grant, Moyer-Cale said she doesn’t expect to hear a final decision until December, with construction starting in the spring of 2023. If the city waits another year to submit the application, it would delay the upgrades by a total of two years. Moyer-Cale said she is unsure how the city will score. It is missing some priorities of the grant, such as access to natural features and connecting people to a lake. But they have fulfilled other parts of the application by pro­ posing 50 percent funding of the project, universal accessibility, solar LED lighting and a pollinator garden. If the city does not secure the grant, Moyer-Cale said they plan to re-evaluate the application and reapply in the next cycle. “We don’t want to have to do this again, in 30,40 years,” she said. “We want it to last 50, 60 years and be something that meets our residents’ needs for all of that time. You put a little bit more money in the beginning, then it lasts longer, and we get more use out of it.” In other business Monday evening, the city council: • Adopted the 2022 capital improvement plan presented by Prein&Newhof. The 156page document details a plan for water, sewer, storm and streets projects over the next 10 years and other city projects over the next five years, including landscaping, ser­ vice trucks, the Fish Hatchery Park softball field, screening of the compost facility and more. Each project comes with an estimated cost, finish year and funding source. Many of the projects have an attached application that details the reason and necessity behind them. Moyer-Cale said the capital improvement plan will allow the city to budget for funding sources and create a transparent document to share with the public. Since Moyer-Cale arrived in the city in September, she emphasized the importance of developing a more in-depth capital improve­ ment plan. “I felt like it was important to create a doc­ ument that we could share with the public, so they would understand what the city-identi­ fied priorities and goals are,” she said. “You can go in our capital improvement plan right now and look and see if your road on your street is set to be improved in the next five years, if your water main is set to be improved in the next five to 10 years.” • Approved invoices of $16,546 to Prein&Newhof for various professional services including capital improvement plan develop­ ment, pavement surface evaluation and rat­ ing, closed-circuit television review, asset management plan and meetings; and $5,169 to Grand Valley Automation for HVAC con­ trol upgrade at city hall and the city garage. • Approved $5,000 to Prein&Newhof for support in submitting an application for the Michigan Economic Development Corpora­ tion’s Community Development Block Grant program to upgrade and repair the sanitary sewers on Apple Street from Michigan Avenue to the wastewater treatment plant, and Mill Street from Michigan Avenue to Jefferson Street. If selected, the grant would provide $2 million, with $500,000 coming from the city. • Denied a bid of $123,375 to Affordable Tree Removal for tree removal, trimming and stump grinding. Members of the council expressed concern over the high price of the bid, requesting city officials to search for a lower price. • Approved Central Elementary Par­ ent-Teacher Organization’s STOMP for its reading fundraiser Friday, April 22, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will run along South Broadway from Walnut to Grand streets with a drive-through road closure. • Sold parcel No. 6 on Enterprise Drive to Foam Technology Pros LLC for $15,700. Partial owner Brian Hartman said the busi­ ness, which provides foam and cellulose insulation, currently operates out of multiple locations. Owners plan to consolidate the business into one location. They currently employ three people but plan to add another five to six employees in the coming years. • Approved $28,834 for an information technology infrastructure upgrade bid at the city hall, including demolition and installation of new cabling. The last upgrade was in 1989. • Approved $22,600 to ROWE Profession­ al Services for design services regarding the rehabilitation of Grand Street from Hanover to E State Street. The Small Urban Grand Street project will include a mill, replacement of three-foot hot mix asphalt pavement, side­ walk ramps, curb and gutter. • Approved a street closure request from Barry Community Foundation to hold a donor gathering July 28. • Approved YMCA summer activities in Fish Hatchery Park. • Entered into a closed session to discuss “strategy and negotiations connected with negotiations in the collective bargaining agreement.” No action was taken following the session. New Collections from Moda® and Maywood® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim Linus Project Pickup Station 't? Pray For Our World '1? QUESTIONS: ASK US- SiMenb 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 _OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; flyy) : Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hu/st Cleaners Pick-Up Station �Page 4 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Fighting for justice is an honor Weekend outlook A young Cooper’s hawk appears to be taking advantage of bits of remaining snow as camouflage as it perches in a tree Saturday morning in Hastings. Or perhaps it was noticing the number of bicyclists passing by during the Barry-Roubaix gravel road race, amid its pursuit of a meal. Do you remember? Ready for new facility Banner March 7, 1957 Happy occasion - Supervisor Earl McKibbin of Orangeville, (left) chairman of the county board’s welfare commit­ tee, is happily pointing that soon this old Thornapple Valley home - part of which was erected in 1878 - will be a thing of the past. The photograph was taken by Leo Barth just prior to the official ground­ breaking ceremony Friday which marked the start of construction of the $812,000, 104-bed new home and Medical Care Facility [now Thornapple Manor]. Others in the photo are (from left) Joseph Sage, Irving Township resi­ dent; George Clouse, welfare commis­ sion chairman; Supervisor Walter Hammond and Supervisor James J. Mead of the building committee; and John Gambotto, state welfare adminis­ trative assistant who gave the principal address during Friday’s ceremonies. Have you met? Jim James wakes up at 3:45 a.m. He doesn’t need an alarm. The gravity of the day pulls him out of his sleep. He spends the majority of his day socializ­ ing, smiling and moving as the facility ser­ vices director at Thomapple Manor. Howev­ er, in that short span between waking and starting work, he likes to be outside, on his 20-acre property near Algonquin Lake, lis­ tening to owls or briefly snowshoeing in fluffy snow before he arrives at his office at 5 a.m. He started his position at Thomapple Manor in December 2021 after nearly seven years as the superintendent of streets and construction for the City of Hastings. At the long-term care facility, he maintains the grounds and keeps the buildings running smoothly. But his largest responsibility, he says, has nothing to do with facilities - it is improving the lives of the residents. “We are here for the residents,” he said. “There’s not a product you can put your hand on. They’re human beings, and [Thor­ napple Manor’s] here to make their life awesome.” James, 53, preaches and lives by positivi­ ty. Every day, he writes a motivational mes­ sage to family members and close friends, ending with the same catchphrase - one he developed himself: “Get your horns on ... Live meaner than evil!” When James speaks, there’s a jump in his voice, and he never seems to stop smiling and he makes sure the smile’s wide enough that his scruffy beard can't hide it, and he wants his everlasting energy to seep into every comer of Thomapple Manor. “I just see all the good in people,” he said. “I’m not a person who sees much bad in people. I find the good, then I find the poten­ tial, and then I try to work with them to get where they’re going.” Visiting with residents isn’t in his job description, but it’s something he prioritizes - especially after a recent interaction with one particular resident, who, in the past, seemed closed off. But after not seeing James as expected, the resident later told James he was late. “What do you mean?” he asked. “I look forward to seeing you come by at 10 a.m. every day,” she said. “When she said that,” James later recalled, “I’m like, ‘How simple but, wow, I really am making a difference.’ Because all I’m giving her is a smile. And that’s when I realized that I’m home. I’m where I need to be.” Home also is Hastings. James was bom at Pennock Hospital. His late father, Larry, worked as an engineer for Bliss. His mother, Sandy Ashley James, worked as a homemak­ er, ran a catering company, served as a coun­ ty commissioner for more than a decade, and currently is a member of the Rutland Charter Township board. They raised James and his three siblings, Tim James, Kim Jachim, and Lin James-Nick­ els, in a house near the Thomapple River. “That was the playground,” he said. He lived outside, making dams out of rocks to catch crayfish. He rode his BMX bike and played in the woods and swamps. “I’ve never been a video-gamer, a tech guy,” he said. “Always hands-on. And so the outdoors, I just love it.” James never did stop working with his Jim James hands. He knew he wanted to go into a trade profession. After he graduated from Hastings High School in 1987, he entered the brick and stone industry. He stayed in the profes­ sion for 10 years before leaving to create his own business, Artisan Outdoors, with his wife Tammy James, an office manager at the Barry Community Foundation. By that point, James had developed an interest in the environment and more specif­ ically, conservation. He watched as the nature he grew up in disappeared to develop­ ment. So through his business, he focused on maintaining the environment with stone retaining walls and shoreline restoration. In 2015, he transitioned to the superinten­ dent of streets and construction position with the city before recently taking a position at Thomapple Manor. Within the past decade, James’ entire per­ spective has changed. He went through a “midlife crisis” in his 40s, he said. James’ dad, Larry, died in his 50s, and James real­ ized he was reaching his father’s age. A bell went off in his head, he said - and loudly. “If there’s anything I can do to help pre­ vent that, even though I can’t stop whatever my destiny is, I want to do what’s best for myself so I can be with my wife and kids for as many days as possible,” he said. So, he made a few changes, and now he treats “every day like my masterpiece.” “If I give 80 percent today, I don’t have the opportunity to give 120 percent tomor­ row,” he said. “What you put in today is what you’re going to get. But what you don’t put in, you can’t get back.” He also put more focus on his physical health. On a daily basis, he leaves work by 4:15 p.m. to attend a workout class. He also likes to mountain bike in his free time. In the evening, he might return to work. He might be enjoying the outdoors - hunting, ice fish­ ing or walking around the property with Tammy. He could be playing the piano or the guitar. He taught himself how to play as a kid on the family organ in his basement and learned how to play the guitar in his early 20s. Now, he describes music as one of his biggest hobbies. “I read no music. Zero,” he confessed. “I learned how to play everything by ear, all mechanically.” He could also be volunteering. Volunteering and giving back to Hastings specifically, is integral to James. He began volunteering in his early-20s and never really stopped.1 He has served on the board of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development for 14 years and is currently- ths executive - director on the YMCA board. A few years ago, he started at Thomapple Manor as a volunteer greeter. “This is my time to give to our community, it’s not to sit back and watch,” he said of vol­ unteering. “How can I be a part of the future?” As he gets older, James said he doesn’t want to stop giving back to the community. He said he only wants to ramp it up. In retire­ ment, he plans to volunteer full time and return to college so he can teach adjunct classes in leadership. “I know who I am. I know the direction I’m going, and I know ways that I can help other people with their goals and aspira­ tions,” he said. “... I’m moving forward, and I’m going to make a difference everywhere I am. I’m in the people business, and I’m going to do everything I can to give back to this commu­ nity ’til the day 1 die.” After each frill day, James finds himself in bed by 9:30 with one thought in his mind: “I can’t wait for the next day to start,” he said. For his new role at Thomapple Manor and volunteering in the community, Jim James is this week’s Bright Light: Favorite movie: “Field of Dreams,” Kevin Costner. First job: Lawn mowing, my own busi­ ness. I started before junior high, probably fifth grade. Favorite TV program: “Michigan Out of Doors.” If I could go anywhere in the world: Every comer of Barry County. Person I most admire and why: My mother. She is positive, kind and a true sur­ vivor. Some favorite teachers: Pudge King, fourth-grade teacher. Anne Price, sec­ ond-grade teacher. Person I’d most like to have met: Moth­ er Teresa or Gandhi. Favorite season: Deer season. I get to celebrate the outdoors with a lot of people I love and mentor at the same time. Something most people don’t know about me: As social as I am, I actually enjoy being alone in the woods. Favorite dinner: Swiss steak on my birth­ day from my mom. Favorite board game: None. I don’t play games. I think it’s too long to sit still. An accomplishment for me. Being mar­ ried to my wife Tammy and having our two amazing children, Sam and Lainey. Greatest thing about Barry County: I was bom here. I plan on dying here. I love living here, the people, the land. First thing I bought with my own money: Kimball Swinger 400 Organ. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. For a newspaper publisher, it’s not been easy to endure the beating that newspapers have been taking from the internet and other social media platforms, but occasionally a bright moment breaks through to affirm the place that local news publications hold in their communities. The Hastings Banner received one of those affirming accolades last week when it was named a winner of the 48th annual Wade H. McCree Advancement of Justice Award; an honor presented for our continuing cover­ age of the adverse effects of no-fault auto insurance reform on catastrophically injured automobile accident victims. The Banner was one of three news organi­ zations in Michigan - and the only one out­ side of Detroit - to win the prestigious McCree Award sponsored by the Michigan Press Association. The McCree Award is based on the significance and informative level of the journalism, as well as the impact of the work on changing and improving the legal and law enforcement systems. The award recognized our Banner staff writers Ben Simon and Greg Chandler, photojoumalist Scott Harmsen, and myself for our efforts in focusing on the changes made by our state Legislature and the impact those changes have had on automobile acci­ dent victims. Simon profiled the story of Troy Hughes, a Middleville man who was catastrophically injured in a motorcycle crash 14 years ago. The 24/7 comprehensive care that Hughes has needed to survive - and which he has been receiving as part of the “unlimited care” promised by the state under its lifetime insur­ ance commitment - was taken away because of changes legislators made in reimburse­ ment rates to care agencies under the new no-fault auto insurance reforms. Chandler wrote about efforts by Hastings resident George Hubka to convince the Michigan Farm Bureau to use its political influence to persuade lawmakers to reverse the removal of long-term care provisions in the new law’s revision. Harmsen captured photos of a meeting in which State Rep. Julie Calley heard from those people affected by the changes and I wrote several editorials focusing on the changes and the consequences for Hughes and others who had been promised lifetime care under the original law. This development and its impact on resi­ dents in our community defines why local newspapers are so important. Local newspapers keep stories of impor­ tance in front of their readers, accounts of concern that may not show up on television or in a big-city newspaper, or that may get lost in the overwhelming flood of data on the Internet and in social media. As local news­ papers, we are dedicated to keeping our readers informed about what’s going on in their communities, especially when laws and regulations impact daily lives - as they have the life of Troy Hughes. Newspapers build that sense of commu­ nity; they keep readers up to date on births, deaths, schools, community events, local work opportunities and so many other issues that are of local interest. In the reporting that earned us the McCree Award, it’s also apparent that newspapers elicit empathy and a collective call for justice when someone is wronged. Though the internet and social media have pillaged the traditional paradigm of news delivery, the revolution has actually been a good one for local newspapers - it has defined in the clearest of terms why local news and advertising delivered in a physical form still exists and why it continues to be the best source of information. Local news­ papers are published in an easy-to-follow format, they’re portable, inexpensive, and easily available to anyone who wants to keep up on what’s going on in their community. The Internet offers a staggering volume of information, much of it frivolous and ques­ tionable, and more than most people can absorb in a timely manner. A local newspa­ per, however, provides essential value in the information world: It’s staffed by local peo­ ple who put a significant effort in finding and presenting stories that they believe will be most important to their readers - and they’re accountable for it. The no-fault auto insurance reform and its calamitous effect on a local man like Troy Hughes brought a story of consider­ able importance for many into the heart of our community. Local connections make stories that we should all be concerned about more real. I convinced other local newspapers across the state to find their own personal connections to this vital story: The Fowlerville News and Views found Laszio Szalay in its own Liv­ ingston County home who also is in a contin­ uous struggle with his insurance company and now with the state’s Catastrophic Claims Fund to get coverage for motorcycle acci­ dent injuries suffered in May 2012. That local paper also has continued to cover the impact that the Auto Insurance Reform Law is having on the care and future of victims like Szalay and Hughes. The changes in the law left these victims without the level of care they need to sur­ vive. The situation has gotten even worse since last July when the original cuts in the fees paid to caregivers and other medical services were cut nearly in half. Now new qualifications for who administer the care giving have gone into effect, compounding the pressure not only on the victims but on the families and loved ones who stand at their bedsides. What should be especially galling to all of us is that elected officials never listened to the pleas from families before they passed this heartless legislation with the stated pur­ pose of reducing auto insurance premiums for all state drivers. Now, as the pain of these new regulations sinks in, legislators are still not listening. Why should they when the estimated 18,000 victims across the state don’t represent a large enough voting bloc to pose any political threat to them? We’re honored to be acknowledged for our coverage of this serious issue, especially with the realization that newspapers have always been a critical part of the American experience. We take pride in the level of coverage we’ve been able to give the com­ munities we serve during a time when so many communities have lost their local watchdogs and citizens have been left vul­ nerable without any local news source. The McCree Awards honor the late Judge Wade H. McCree, one of the most distin­ guished lawyers and jurists in Michigan his­ tory and a staunch advocate for equal right and open, accountable government. McCree served as a circuit, federal, and U.S. Appeals Court judge and, from 1977-81, as solicitor general of the United States. He died in 1987 at the age of 67. Other recipients of this year’s awards are reporters, videographers, and podcast pro­ ducers from WXYZ-TV in Detroit and from the Detroit Free Press. The awards are spon­ sored by the Michigan Press Association which serves the public interest by encour­ aging, fostering, and aiding improvements in the quality, vigor and fairness of Michi­ gan journalism and a free press in the State of Michigan. All winners will be honored at the 2022 Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame dinner on April 24 at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. We’re honored to have been chosen and will continue to do our best in the future to cover our communities with quality jour­ nalism. Our efforts to keep the auto insur­ ance reform issue top-of-mind for our read­ ers is one we take seriously, especially in a time when our industry has been forced to downsize and then restructure after dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years. A bit of acknowledgement and an occa­ sional bright moment go a long way. The Hastings BdlUlCl' Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com •Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Mi 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — Page 5 HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System Hastings High School students excel in Advanced Placement Terry Dennison is a Hastings native who has been sharing his cinema related artifacts with Hastings Public Library patrons this month. (Photo by Benjamin Simon) Sharing the spotlight Hastings native s collection brings Hollywood home Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Anyone visiting Hastings Public Library over the past few weeks probably noticed a number of unique collectibles in the display case near the north entrance. There’s Robert Mitchum’s Walk of Fame award, the script book from the movie “Stepping Out,” an outfit from Steve Urkel in “Family Matters,” signed photos from the stars in “Gone with the Wind” and even a dress worn by Phyllis McGuire. How did all of these artifacts, from some of the world’s most famous actors, land in Hastings? b The answer is simple: Terry Dennison. Dennison, a Hastings native, has spent the past few decades collecting clothing, plaques, photographs, clapper boards and autographs from acting stars in the mid1900s. For the past few years, he has shared his collection with the community through exhibits at the library. And throughout the month of March, Dennison packed the Hastings Public Library display case for a third time with cinema-related artifacts he had never dis­ played before. “I filled that three times, and I can fill it a fourth time and a fifth time and a sixth time probably because I’ve got so much stuff,” he said. Performing has always been a part of Dennison’s life. He first acted at the age of 3 and tap-danced at 7. When he arrived at the University of Michigan, he joined the choral union with 300 other voices. “I love the spotlight,” he said. “I love to be on stage.” After graduating from Michigan, he took a job as a seventh-grade geography teacher in Niles. Before he even purchased a car, he bought a subscription to Variety Magazine with his first paycheck. Through the magazine, Dennison later learned about MGM Studios’ plans to sell all of its keepsakes in 1970. He jumped at the opportunity and, since then, he has contin­ ued to add to his collection. Dennison retired in 1994 after decades of teaching in Niles. “I had taught long enough to get a pension and there were other things to do,” he said. “I loved teaching school, just loved it. But I didn’t want to stay so long that I didn’t like it anymore.” He moved back to Hastings and lived with his mother, fittingly, on Broadway. Dennison has stayed busy in retirement, dedicating himself fully to the world of performance. He’s line dancing and clog­ ging. He acted in a movie that won a Dove Award. He helped start the Thomapple Players in 2000 and the Movie Memories and Milestones club at the Hastings Public Library in 2008. He helped edit and critique a book about Vera-Ellen, his favorite actress. The Dennison Performing Arts Center, located within the Barry Communi­ ty Enrichment Center, is even named after him and his mother, Marleah Dennison, who died in 2019. The i'.vo donated funds in 2013 to create the Dennison Performing Arts Center. Dennison has continued to collect. Two to three times a year, he will call into auctions in Texas, California and across the world. He usually connects with an assistant at the event who will raise a hand and bid on items for him in live time. Over the years, the artifacts have turned his house into a mini-museum. But Denni­ son doesn’t want to be the only person who appreciates his keepsakes. “I like to have people see this stuff,” he said. “I’m very proud of it. I want people to see it.” HMS announces most recent honor roll Hastings Middle School has released its honor roll for the third quarter of the 2021-22 academic year. Students earn placement on the honor roll for earning all A and B grades for the quarter. Those who earn all A grades are named to the Principal’s List. Middle school students who qualified at the conclusion of the most recent marking period include: Sixth grade All A’s Violet Bivens, Deagan Blough, Kylee Bosworth, Allison Brown, Zachary Davis, Lillian Edger, Parker Erb, Gavin Fields, Joseph Furrow, Ashlynn Goldsworthy, Car­ son Gole, Ethan Hetrick, Graceyn Horrmann, Remington Jerzyk, Jason Jimenez, Evyn Kindel, Braxton Kirby, Cayden Kirby, Tanner Krzysik, Nolan Lucas, Jayce McCord, Weston Meinke, Jeff Nofz, Sydney Patterson, Lilly Randall, Alexander Timmers, Aiden Vance and Aaliyah Voss. A’s & B’s Audrey Acker, Jace Acker, Colin Baker, Jax Balderson, Sophia Bucher, Olivia Bue­ hler, Zoey Carter, Kade Case, Kyanne Casey, Morgan Casselman, Parker Castaneda, Dako­ ta Cole, Thomas Cook, Kimberlee Coolidge, Graden Courtright, Landon Currier, Carter Danks, Prestin Dinger, Rene Espinal-Lopez, Alyssa Greene, Brayden Greenfield, Landon Griffin, Elsie Haight, Jonah Hamp, William Hilbert, Kendyl Hinkle, Alyssa Hocsak, Drew Jiles, Maxwell Kensington, Alexis King, Annabelle Kuck, Lena Kuestner, Reece Laws, Sydney Lindsey, Mya Luna, Kaden Main, Olivia Malik, Ethan McCormick, Angelia McGregor, Gregory Neubauer, Gary Ongley-Svenson, Kassidy Peake, Amaya Per­ kins, Addison Reaser, Trevin Russell, Grego­ ry Rutkowski, Cora Shattuck, Rebecca Sny­ der, Hunter Sutfm, Grant Tossava, Weston Troyer, Ryan VanHouten, Avery Walsh and Samantha Wright. Seventh grade All A’s Meredith Ansorge, Ashton Brubaker, Alexa DeCamp, Petra Foster, Ethan Hawthorne, Sophia Haywood, Brissa Hernandez-Hernan­ dez, Cordelia Kniaz, Caroline Randall, Mallo­ ry Rohe, Annika Solmes and Kendra Taylor. A’s & B’s Olivia Allen, Adria Arent, Brennen Arm­ strong, Lily Bishop, Owen Boge, Jackson Busson, Morgan Cross, Quintin Eberly, Janessa Ellwood, Henry Elzinga, Lilianna Enyart, Bella Friddle, Sadie Hanford, Misha Haskin, Ava Herbert, Harlie James, Gabryella Juskewicz, Caleb Kramer, Reese Loftus, Aaron Minogue, Tori Morgan, Connor Munro, Ava Patterson, Berenice Perez-Her­ nandez, Grady Reed, William Renner IV, Lucy Shafer, Madison Stora, Riley Taylor, Allison Tefft, Raegan Wattles, Jack Webb, Melanie Westbrook, Spencer Wilkins, Madi­ son Wilson and Marlayna Young. Eighth grade All A’s Aden Armstrong, Matthew Domenico, Charlotte Drake, Olivia Friddle, Lauren Gee, Riley Herron, Ethan Holman, Daniel Jensen, Carter Krzysik, Shealagh Rose, Josalyn Rus­ sell, Matthew Shults, Mazie Waterman and Grade Wilson. A’s & B’s Chloe Aicken, Gavyn Avila, Ashlyn Bai­ ley, Colton Baker, Carter Bell, Kyla Brown, Olivia Bucher, Aiden Byle, Hope Carley, Madison Chipman, Ricardo Contreras, Ellie Cousins, Shiloh Crandall, Spencer Crozier, Colten Denton, Kyle Echtinaw, Bronson Elliott, Jayla Ellwood, Madison Elzinga, Anderson Forell, Madison Fortier, Riley Gurtowsky, Tanner Hill, Alexander Kohmescher, Dezarae Mathis, Rylee Meece, Adriana Mey­ ers, Jadalie Miller, Claudia Minch, Ava Note­ boom, Aiden Oliver, Aurora Pummill, Trap­ per Reigler, Carisa Rosenberger, Kendell Shinault, Bayley Smith, Isabelle Stanton, Parker Stephens, Brayden Thielen, Collin Tossava, Angelina Waterman and Lainey Westworth. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, 31 - Movie Memories & Milestones views a 1949 film that won an Oscar for best cinematography, 5 p.m. Monday, April 4 - Crafting Passions Group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; library board of directors meets, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 5 - spring break Lego event, 10:30 a.m.-noon; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30; monthly board game group, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club meets via Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at desk), 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263, or checking its Facebook events. Hastings Area School System prides itself on providing a wide variety of courses to its students, including a robust Advanced Place­ ment program. Hastings High School stu­ dents have a long history of scoring above the state and national average on AP exams while simultaneously earning college credits. For instance, 96 HHS students took 178 AP exams in 16 different content areas in 2021. Of those, 79 percent of students earned a passing score on the exams. In the past five years (even during the pan­ demic), 75-85 percent of all HHS students taking an AP exam earned a passing score. This is well above the state average of 60.3 percent. In 2021, 29 HHS students received the AP Scholars distinction, and nine students received an AP Capstone Diploma. In 2017, HHS was one of the first high schools in Michigan to offer the AP Cap­ stone courses. AP Capstone is a diploma program based on two year-long AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. These cours­ es, which are only offered by 28 other schools in Michigan, are designed to com­ plement other AP courses the AP Capstone student may take. Instead of teaching specific subjects, AP Seminar and AP Research use an interdisci­ plinary approach to develop the critical think­ ing, research, collaboration, time manage­ ment, and presentation skills students need for college-level work. Both courses guide students through completing a research proj­ ect, writing an academic paper, and making a presentation on their project. Over the course of the two-year program, students are required to: • Analyze topics through multiple lenses to construct meaning and gain understanding. • Plan and conduct a study or investigation. • Propose solutions to real-world problems. • Plan and produce communications in various forms. • Collaborate to solve a problem. • Integrate, synthesize, and make cross-cur­ ricular connections. Students who earn scores of 3 (out of a possible 5) or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research, and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing, receive the AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research, but not on four additional AP Exams, receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate. We are very proud of the significant accomplishments of our Advanced Placement program, and the hard work of our students and staff at HHS that contribute to this suc­ cess year after year. Organizations bringing preschool options to Hastings, Delton Calhoun Intermediate School District will award the current Hastings allocation of Great Start Readiness Program Preschool slots to Hastings Area Schools for the 2022­ 23 school year. Hastings schools will begin running the current Great Start Readiness Program classrooms in its elementary buildings start­ ing Aug. 1. This follows Community Action being awarded the preschool slots during the COVID-19 pandemic when Calhoun ISD took on the early childhood state-fund­ ed programming (GSRP Preschool and Great Start Collaborative) from Barry ISD in the fall of 2020. Great Start Readiness is a state-funded program for families who make up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level in terms of annual income. This program is generally a four-day per week classroom-based expe­ rience that helps to prepare children for kindergarten. According to a Calhoun ISD press release, GRSP also increases atten­ dance and reduces the number of children who repeat a grade by almost one-half. “Hastings Area School System is very fortunate that GSRP has been in such good hands and the change should be seamless,” Beth Stevens, assistant superintendent of achievement for HASS, said. “We are look­ ing forward to creating a consistent path from preschool to fifth grade in all elemen­ tary schools.” “This is a positive transition for the com;p2.unity,” Michelle WilHarnson, Community Action CEO, said. “Community Action yras there to transition and fill the need until the schools were ready to take it on.” Community Action will continue serving GSRP students and families in Hastings at its center, 220 S. Market St., Hastings. This center serves Head Start, Early Head Start, and GSRP blended classrooms. In addition, Community Action also will continue to serve children and families at Sue Drummond Head Start and the Delton sites with its current programs. “Barry County children being served by partners dedicated to providing high-quality early childhood experiences has always been our goal,” said Erika Burkhardt, assis­ tant superintendent of Early Childhood Ser­ vices at Calhoun ISD. “Community Action has and continues to be an essential partner in providing high-quality preschool experi­ ences in Barry County. We look forward to working with our new GSRP partner, Hast­ ings Area School System, next year.” This partnership and transition between Hastings Area School System and Commu­ nity Action have enabled preschool children and families to be served, throughout the pandemic and into the future, according to the press release. City of Hastings, Department of 177741 Public Services - Operator 2 - DPS Garage SUMMARY: Performs a variety of duties related to the operation, maintenance, and repair of the City of Hastings facilities. Responsibilities include the opera­ tion of trucks, tractors, front end loaders, and other mechanical and power-driv­ en equipment for the purpose of maintaining city streets, sidewalks, watermain, sewer main, storm sewer, trees, leaf and brush pick-up, compost facility, parks, trails, and other city facilities. Typical Work Schedule: 07:00 - 15:00, Monday through Friday, but is subject to change. REQUIREMENTS: Minimum requirements include a high school coursework (diploma or GED preferred) and a Class B CDL with air brake endorsement is required within 6 months of hire. Candidate must pass a drug/alcohol screen, pre-employment physical, and background check. The successful candidate will have a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and desire to be part of an effec­ tive team. Construction skills are a plus. APPLY: Interested applicants may download appropriate application materials from; https://hastinqsmi.org/home/iob-postings/, and return to: Hastings City Hall 201 E. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 WAGE RATE: The wage rate for this position is $15.37 per hour to $18.34 per hour, dependent upon experience. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Questions regarding this position should be directed to Travis Tate, Director of Public Services at 269-945-6006. DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted through April 8, 2022. �Page 6 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner to Utah. After Don’s death, she spent sever­ al winters with Stephen in Utah, Dennis in Howell, and visited step-son Ross in Florida. She endured a heartbreaking time, providing care for daughter Carol, who died of cancer. When she could not travel anymore, she moved into Cornerstone Living Center, where the staff took great care of her. Rosamary was a member of the Methodist Church, as a child in Woodland and as adult in Hastings. Two things you could count on at Rosam­ ary’s was being served one of her famous casseroles or a big batch of fried fish. Fish­ ing was a true passion with her. She was expert at fileting and cooking the fish she caught herself. She served up the best sun­ fish, bluegill, bass, and perch you ever had. Often, she would send you home with a cooler of more fish to have later. Rosamary’s other great passion was her flower gardens. On any warm day, you were likely to find her outside with her flower gardens. Even at age 89, she still could be found out on her garden tractor or pulling weeds in the flower beds. As a younger woman, she planted large vegetable gardens, canning or freezing much of the produce. She could tell you how the best rhubarb grew near the abandoned outhouse. She is survived by son Stephen (Marcia) Borton of Vernal, UT; son-in-law Dennis Stamm of Howell; step-son Ross (Lois) of Lakeland, FL; step-daughter Sharon (David) Slocum of Hastings; step-son Larry (Kathy) Burdick of Hickory Comers; loving sister, Ann Marie Bump of Woodland; nephew, Rick (Rosie) Bump of Woodland; niece, Annette (Leon) Weeks of Freeport; niece, Ann Hopkins; plus 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gertrude and Carl Reuther; husband, Don­ ald; daughter, Carol Stamm, and baby, Josh­ ua Stamm. A memorial service will be held at the Green Street Methodist Church on May 20, 2022, at 11 a.m. with a visitation one hour prior at 10 a.m., when the family and friends can be gathered from six different states. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Rosamary Ann Borton, age 91, passed away on March 25, 2022. Rosamary was bom October 8, 1930, the daughter of Carl Reuther and Gertrude Velte Reuther of Woodland, ML She grew up a farm girl and loved to brag that she could drive a tractor and toss a bale of hay just as good as any farm boy. As a 1948 graduate of Woodland High School, she first worked in the offices of E. W. Bliss, where she met Donald R. Borton. On June 27, 1951, she and Don were joined in a marriage that lasted 55 years. They purchased a farm west of Hastings on Biddle Rd., sharing the farming duties while Don worked full time at FlexFab. Two chil­ dren were bom, Stephen and Carol. Rosam­ ary earned income by crocheting and knit­ ting baby sweaters, hats, and booties, which she sold to department stores in Grand Rap­ ids. She also served as a Cub Scout Den Mother. In 1964, Rosamary and Don became the owners of Northview Grocery on Gun Lake Rd. Together they remodeled this old coun­ try store, turning it into a modem conve­ nience store/gas station. They ran the store successfully for 11 years, with Rosamary becoming famous for her flower arranging. After selling the business, Rosamary worked part-time, at C&B Discount for 13 years, then Felpausch Food Center for 11 years. Rosamary and Don did a great deal of traveling. They went to upper Michigan, Florida and Las Vegas many times, plus trips Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, Email 945-9121. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. 805 Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. p.m. 4:30 Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Wheel­ Bertrand. Randall Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Stoetze!. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Martha www. Lead Moser, Pastor. Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery are available. Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children social distancing. Aftermath LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH “I’m going to keep on doing it!” he told Schipper. “Mr. Dunklee, if you interrupt me again, I’ll mute you,” Schipper said. Then Dunklee was silent while the judge arranged for followup, then he asked Dunklee if he wanted to say anything. “I want to put a motion for a bond thing,” Dunklee replied. “That was already just done,” the judge pointed out. “I can do it again! I know my rights!” Dunklee declared. “OK,” Schipper said. “It’s denied.” “I can keep doing that every two weeks,” Dunklee repeated. ’’Probably not,” Schipper said, ending the proceedings. Dunklee was arrested shortly after the Hastings Police Department car was set on fire in the City Hall parking lot around 5 p.m. Monday, March 21. Police Chief Dale Boulter said the depart­ ment does not have a motive for the incident at this time, calling it a “very strange” situa­ tion. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5 th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. Youth Group; 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, church Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Jefferson 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhashngs Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Product8 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 environmental concerns regarding the housing project’s proximity to Hastings Manufacturing. Supporters have argued that Hastings Manufacturing has caused few problems over the years and the residential community has existed across the street from Hastings Manufacturing for decades. The two sides met in December to discuss MSHDA’s concerns. In early February, the state housing department doubled down on its decision. To some outside the community, the proj­ ect may have seemed dead in the water. But, in Hastings, supporters have refused to let the “no-go” letter discourage their efforts to develop that property. In recent weeks, they have rallied stakeholders, politicians and residents to lobby MSHDA. to reverse its decision. Barry County United Way Executive Director Lani Forbes and Moyer-Cale went door-to-door asking residents to reach out to MSHDA and share their experiences liv­ ing near Hastings Manufacturing. The Barry Community Foundation, the Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Econom­ ic Development and the Michigan Munici­ pal League all expressed support for the project. State Rep. Julie Calley and a staffer from State Rep. John Bizon’s office have met separately with people from MSHDA. Even the Barry County Board of Com­ missioners got involved. In a letter to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, commission Chairman Ben Geiger wrote to express the county government’s disappointment in decisions made by MSHDA, “which effectively pre­ vents redevelopment of the Royal Coach site in Hastings. Though I am told you were briefed on this situation at your recent visit to Middleville, I want you to know how important this project is to the entire county.” “Redevelopment of the Royal Coach site was slated to be Hastings’ largest and most significant housing project in decades. In working to transform a vacant factory into much needed housing, local leaders poured unprecedented resources, passion and opti­ mism into the project. So did your adminis­ tration. Through grant awards, it appeared MSHDA stood shoulder to shoulder with us in a desire to see this project succeed.” Even after an arson destroyed the building at that site, “we believed that our dreams for the project were not lost in the fire,” Geiger wrote. “However, based on new decisions made by MSHDA, it appears those dreams may well be ashes. “Governor, I ask you not to let this chapter of our history end in such despair. I ask that your administration lean on common sense and understanding, reconsider its decision to stop the Royal Coach project, and partner with us in building a better Barry County.” All of the appeals seem to have gotten the attention of MSHDA officials, who agreed to travel to Hastings and review the site in person. “It wasn’t just the developer pushing it or the city government pushing it, but it really is coming from the community that this is desirable, that this is something that we’ve wanted for a long time,” Moyer-Cale said. “It’s been included in our residential devel­ opment plan for more than 20 years, to have multifamily housing in that area because it really does mean a lot to the community, and they see value in it.” COP CAR, continued from page 1 --------------------------- information. Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School ROYAL COACH, continued from page 1 ------------------ Eileen Pierson for HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Website: Wilma J. Hamilton, age 80, of Wausau died on Sunday, March 28, 2022 at Pride TLC with her family by her side after a short battle with Leukemia. Wilma was bom on March 4, 1942 in Hastings, MI to the late Basil and Fem (Moore) Tobias. She graduated from Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music with a degree in music education. It was here that she met Duane Hamilton. The two chair accessible and elevator. hastingsfreemethodist.com. gmail.com. Mary Frances Buckland, age 83, of Dow­ ling, MI, passed away peacefully on March 29, 2022. Mary was bom on April 9, 1938 to Boyd and Loretta (Russell) Cantrell in Battle Creek. She was a graduate of Hastings High School. Mary first met her future husband Gary Buckland at the Barry County Fair when they were younger and continued attending the fair together for the last 70 years. She received her certificate as an Advanced Master Gardener from MSU extension. Mary used her skills in the gar­ dens at the Barry County Fair and around her home. She was a member of Our Lady of Great Oak Catholic Church in Lacey, serving on the Women’s Alter Society and as the church organist for many years. In her free time, Mary enjoyed sewing, crocheting, baking the best homemade breads, and canning. She loved to host dif­ ferent events for family and friends, includ­ ing dinner parties for the office or in the bam, and even the occasional backyard wedding. Mary’s family was very important to her, and she helped them and cared for them deeply. She could often be found at her grandchildren’s sporting events with a big bag of snacks, ready to cheer them on. Mary will be lovingly missed by her chil­ dren, Kathy (John) Pennington, Suzanne (Marlowe) Burns, Julie Stonebumer, Pat­ rick (Cindy) Buckland; eight grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jane (Mark) Herbert. She was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Gary, on December 1, 2021; parents; son, Michael Buckland; grandson, Matthew Pennington. Relatives and friends may meet with Mary’s family on Friday, April 1, 2022 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2022 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Delton. Burial will take place at Battle Creek Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contribu­ tions may be made to the Barry County 4-H Advisory Council or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or to leave a condo­ lence message for Mary’s family. were united in marriage on October 3, 1964 at Cedar Creek Bible Church in Delton. They would later move to Wausau where Wilma was employed at the Family Resource Center. Wilma enjoyed garden­ ing, camping and genealogy. Wilma is survived by her husband of 57 years, Duane Hamilton; children, Dan (Car­ rie) Hamilton and Dawn (Kurt) Engebrecht; grandchildren, Brendan, Jordyn and Kyra Hamilton and Ian (Brenda) Engebrecht, Feli­ cia Engebrecht and Josiah Engebrecht; great grandson, Peter James Engebrecht; siblings, Eugene (Linda) Tobias and Kendall (Joanne) Tobias; and many nieces and nephews. The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at Brain­ ard Funeral Home, 522 Adams St., Wausau. The Rev. Dave Mahler will officiate. The service will be livestreamed and can be accessed by visiting www.brainardfuneral. com and clicking on Wilma’s obituary. Vis­ itation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Highland Community Church, 1005 N 28th Ave., Wausau. AMMfffflOf MIMooWEwmI 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Memorial service for Eileen Pierson will be held on April 2, 2022 at 11 a.m., at the Hastings Free Methodist Church, 2635 M-43, Hastings, MI. Family and friends are invited to join us, as we celebrate her life. There will be a lun­ cheon to follow. The department last dealt with Dunklee on Sept. 23, 2019, in a disorderly conduct case, the chief said. Around 5 p.m. Monday, City Hall security camera footage shows a man nonchalantly strolling into the City Hall parking lot with a red gas canister in his hand. The footage then shows him proceeding to dump the contents of that gas can on the cop car. As the car bursts into flames, the man sprints away. Just before the car bursts into a fiery blaze, Deputy Chief Julissa Kelly pulls into the parking lot in an unmarked car. She appears to notice something going on, gets out of her car and she chases the suspect as he sprints across the parking lot toward State Street. The man ran into the Ace Hardware park­ ing lot, where people blocked him with their vehicles and police arrested him. The fire department extinguished the fire 10 minutes after it took place. Boulter noted that the fire destroyed the taillights and rear wiring on the car. He is not sure whether it can be fixed or not. No one was injured in the incident. BLISS, continued from page 1 -------------------------------According to its website, Bliss Munitions Equipment “creates cupping, draw, transfer, and bullet presses.” With more than 500 service technicians in 36 countries, it is described as the defense division of Schuler, a German com­ pany considered the largest manufacturer of presses in the world. Schuler’s North American headquarters are in Canton, west of Detroit. Bliss Munitions Equipment has not provid­ ed a comment at this time. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — Page 7 The confusion and misunderstanding of the two Calvin Hill families of Barry County fl look back at the stories and columns on lot Parti Anyone who takes a peek into local history or dabbles in genealogy soon finds errors, spelling variations, incorrect dates, miscon­ nected families and similar conflicting infor­ mation. Such discrepancies might lead some people to walk away and hope for clearer answers down the road. For others, such inconsistencies are a challenge, an entice­ ment to find the answers. Harold Burpee of Delton wrote history columns for The Banner throughout much of the 1960s. He didn’t have the many resources available today but had a curiosity that led him down long-forgotten tracks. Like others, he revered the work of Charles A. Weissert, an esteemed historian (as well as scholar, author, journalist and lawmaker), known throughout the state who, like Burpee, was a Barry County native. So, Burpee likely was a bit stunned when he discovered a mistake by Weissert regard­ ing Calvin Hill of Middleville. Burpee had read a biography written by a man named Watson that suggested two people in the Middleville/Yankee Springs area shared the name Calvin Hill. His curiosity piqued, Mr. Burpee did what anyone else might do: He hopped in his car and drove straight to the cemetery. That journey and his pursuit of information regarding the Calvin Hills led to a three-week series for his “Fresh Out of the Attic” column in The Banner. The first segment was pub­ lished Feb. 10, 1966: H.D. Burpee For a number of years, from time to time, I have read the history of Calvin Hill, the founder of Middleville. It was a very interest­ ing story; how he took out 400 acres on both sides of the Thomapple River at what is now the site of the village of Middleville. How he had hoped to build a dam there and build a mill but found it beyond his means and had to settle for a less-expensive location on a creek emptying into Duncan Lake. How, after sell­ ing off lots in what is now Middleville, he went out south of Middleville and Yankee Springs Township and bought a small acreage and built a frame house, which today still stands, and is considered the oldest frame house in Barry County. I could never figure out why a man who owned 400 acres where Middleville is now located would end up buying the small acreage in Yankee Springs Township and clearing it off and building a home there. Back of this home and to the right a few rods is the Hill family cemetery called “Locust Hill” [today known aTHilTFamily’Cenietery, on priVateproperty'] One historian said, “He actually cleared off the land where he now lies buried.” About a year ago, I was asked by descen­ dants of the Hill family to write up a sort of history of their family. In researching for information regarding the family, I discov­ ered some real discrepancies and found that some of Barry County’s leading historians were evidently as confused as I had been. Charles A. Weissert, in an article accompa­ nied with a picture of the old frame house in Yankee Springs Township, had this to say in a paragraph headed “Five Hills Come: “Hill and his father, Luther, and brother, Elias, came to Barry County from Gates, Monroe County, New York, in the fall of 1834, bringing considerable money to invest. Calvin was joined by his sons, Alpheus and Albert C., both young men.” In the last of this article, Weissert states as follows: “Although Hill, earlier in life was honored with political offices, he resided many years in Yankee Springs before he was again elect­ ed. In 1850 and 1856, he served as justice of the peace - a public service at that time invested with great importance. In 1863, he was elected supervisor. “Interested in education and religion, Hill was a steady, energetic citizen and a consci­ entious official. In 1854, he donated the site for Middleville’s Union School. Back in New York State, he and his friend Henry Leonard were members of the Congregation of the Disciples, or Campbellites, and in the wilds of Michigan, they met in each other’s houses to “keep the ordinances and for social worship.” Their congregation, the first reli­ gious organization in the township, grew, and Hill for several years, as moderator, officiat­ ed in “administration of these ordinances.” Calvin Hill, early residents said, was one of the county’s most highly respected residents. He died in 1867 and was buried in the family cemetery, within a few yards of his home, where rest his father, brother and several relatives.” Now please do not get me wrong, I do not wish to cast any reflection on Charles A. Weissert. He was one of Barry County’s lead­ ing historians. I met him personally at the Kalamazoo Gazette at the time of my father’s death in 1936. He was a wonderful man. He had probably obtained his information from TURNING BACK THE PAGES These images of Delia (Sweet) and Calvin Hill, provided by Middleville village office and available on the village website, are the same old photographs published along with Harold Burpee’s 1966 column. others. Even Calvin Hill’s descendants believed the same story. I believe that Charles A. Weissert and all the other historians who have written practically the same story would want me to straighten this out. I also found out that even the old neighbors around “Locust Hill” believe the Calvin Hill who was buried there was the Calvin Hill who founded Middleville. I will prove that the Calvin Hill in “Locust Hill” cemetery was a nephew to the Calvin Hill who founded Middleville. Here is another article in The Banner scrapbook. It doesn’t say who wrote it. It also has a picture of the frame house a few feet from the “Locust Hill” cemetery. This article was in the Grand Rapids Press, Feb. 4, 1930. “Middleville - One of the few original landmarks in Barry County is the weath­ er-beaten one-story dwelling erected in the late 1830s in Yankee Springs Township by Calvin S. Hill, an outstanding personage in the development of the northwestern part of Barry County and one of its leading political figures. “This house, screened from the Mid­ dleville-Prairieville highway [now Yankee Springs Road] by several large spruce trees, stands on an isolated side road [Bowens Mill Road] about 6 miles south of this village. One story high and naturally low, its pres­ ence is unguessed by the motorist who speeds by on the country road a few hundred yards eastward. "“Tins'was~6he of tKe^firsf frame buildings erected in the county. It contains the old brick fireplace and andirons, windows with small glass, broad brick chimney and a heavy, hand-wrought lock installed by the builder. In architecture, the house resembles the early type of New England homes. “Not far from the rear door is a deeply worn path leading to the spring, which has been in use since the early days. This house, considered pretentious in pioneer days, was a scene of many social gatherings, since Hill was noted for his hospitality. “Under the spruce lies buried Calvin S. Hill, who, according to custom a pioneer days, was laid to rest not in a public cemetery but on the land his strong arms had helped to convert from a wilderness tract into a fertile field. The grave is marked with a simple monument. “Calvin S. Hill, the founder of Middleville, was known the two generations as Squire Hill. He was a native of New York State and came to Michigan in 1834. He bought 400 acres of land on both sides of the Thomapple River in which is now Thomapple Township. This included the site of Middleville. Hill also took up other tracts of land. “Of the land at which the old homestead stands, Hill said when he first saw it: “It is the prettiest country I’ve ever seen, with oak tim­ ber, light and open, and wildflowers growing everywhere.” “Hill, with his father, Luther Hill, settled on the land in 1836. March 24, 1836, Barry County was set off as a separate [county]. During that year, Hill sold 1,000 acres of land in Prairieville Township to Leonard Slater, who removed to it his Baptist mission from Grand Rapids, bringing several hundred Indi­ ans who were lodged in a row of log cabins Slater built. “At Nicholas Campbell’s residence at Prai­ rieville, the few settlers in the county held the first town meeting in April 1836. Hill was elected the county’s first supervisor. There was only one supervisor to be chosen. Orville Barnes was elected clerk, Hill, like all the first settlers, lived in a log cabin after he arrived. In the late [ 18]30s, he built the frame house that still stands.” Now let me point out the discrepancies in this article “where it said Calvin S. Hill, the founder of Middleville, it should have been Calvin G. Hill. -NOTICETo Members of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, Hastings, Michigan: Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company will be conducted on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, 404 E. Woodlawn Ave, Hastings, MI The annual meeting agenda includes a ballot for the election of the following Directors: Renee R. Beauford, Douglas J. Finn, Kellie M. Haines and Norice A. Thorlund Rasmussen. For more information contact Michael W. Puemer, Secretary, 269/948-1532. The Hill who said, “It is the prettiest coun­ try I’ve ever seen,” etc. was not Calvin Hill who founded Middleville. Hill, with his father Luther, is right. Luther was a brother to the Calvin G. Hill who founded Middleville. Luther was seven years older than Calvin G., and Calvin G. was five years older than the other brother, Elias, who settled west of Middleville. I’m not sure which Calvin Hill owned the land sold to the Rev. Slater and where the Lockshore Farm is today. I would rather think it was the Calvin G. who founded Mid­ dleville. The man who really had the history of Cal­ vin G. Hill right was C.R. Watson of Irving when he wrote the article entitled “Biography of Calvin Hill, founder of Middleville.” In his last paragraph, he had this to say: “Such are a few of the incidents briefly told relating to the early settlement made up on the Thomapple by Calvin G. Hill who passed on to the Great Beyond in 1867. His remains are at rest in the cemetery just east of the village in which he had an important part in laying out as a townsite and while during his life he saw grow from a council grove used by the Indians from time imme­ morial to be a thriving and growing village. The pioneer’s life was indeed a remarkably changed one.” While I had had it in my mind after reading Mr. Watson’s biography that there were cer­ tainly two Calvin Hills, I had not really lobkedTntblt, blit afteFmeeting witffsdme of the descendants, I was telling you about and finding that they too thought that the Calvin in “Locust Hill” cemetery was the same Squire Hill who founded Middleville, I went to the Middleville cemetery the next day. About the first monument I saw, so as to read the inscription, was a large stone that had inscribed on the east side of it, “Lottie Hill Packard. “On the same lot were all of the following markers and inscriptions: C.G. Hill Died May 29, 1867 aged 81 Yrs. 6 Mos. Ellen E. Hill Died March 27, 1842 age 31 Yrs. Charlotte Castle wife of Calvin G. 1791-1869 Frances M. wife of A.M. Hill daughter of W.W. & A.V. Ralph Died May 25, 1855 aged 21 Yrs., 8 Mos. Our Little Frank R. son of A.M and F.M. Hill Died Feb. 8, 1856, aged 9 Mo. Mary Jane wife of Miner Mead Died July 3, 1864 age 23 Yrs. 4 Mos., 25 D’s. Alpheus M. Hill Died in Wash. D.C. June 16, 1864 3 Yrs. in Co. K 3 Reg. Mich. Vol. Age 44 Yrs. Charles son of C.V. & Ann Patrick Died Aug. 11, 1842 To be continued... Sources: Hastings Banner, findagrave. com, familysearch.org, Glorimar Ayala/Village of Middleville. -NOTICE­ Accepting bids for Barry Township Lawn Care. Information can be obtained at Barry Twp Office, 11300 S. M-43 Hwy, Delton, ML 49046. 269-623-8938 and @ barrytownshipmi.com JIake, Elaine Garlock The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in town Monday, April 4, for the bimonthly collection of blood at Fellowship Hall on Fourth Avenue from noon to 5:45 p.m. There will be a canteen for refreshment and to replenish fluids. The house on Johnson Street which has been totally refurbished in recent months has been listed for sale. A new addition has been added and it now has the addition of a “sold” sign. Jane Shoemaker is to be honored Sunday, April 3, at First Congregational Church in recognition of her 90th birthday. This is to be held at 11 a.m. The Lowell Ledger from two weeks ago had an interesting article in recognition of Dee Cowley. Dee spent much of her young life in Lake Odessa where her family lived on lower Sixth Avenue. Part of their years there her mother had an assisted-living home for elderly ladies. The family then lived at the very new Lake Manor where her parents were managers. Dee was in high school with an outstanding career on the basketball floor. She continued her sports interests in college followed by work in Hastings where she also was a basketball coach. With marriage and motherhood added to her credit, she and her family moved to Lowell where she was teaching and coaching. Somewhere along the line she became an athletic director. Now she has been honored as the Regional Athletic Director of the Year. She was to receive her award March 20. She went to Lowell in 1998 to teach business and coach varsity girls bas­ ketball. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Western Michigan University. She has spent 12 years as assis­ tant principal and nine years with dual responsibilities as athletic director for Low­ ell High School. She also coached girls’ basketball. Robert William Brummel, Hastings and Rebecca Lynn Rose, Hastings ^Doctor Universe Hiccups are sign of irritation Dear Dr. Universe: Why do we get hiccups? William, 9, Indiana Dear William, When you get hiccups, it might seem like they are coming out of nowhere - and before you know it, they’re gone. To find out exactly why hiccups happen, I talked to my friend Dr. Luisita Francis, a professor of medicine at Washington State University. She told me part of the reason humans get hiccups has to do with a very important muscle in the abdomen: the diaphragm. This dome-shaped muscle sits near the top of your stomach and intestines, but under­ neath your lungs. When you breathe in, it contracts and flattens. This motion of con­ traction helps pull air into the lungs. When you breathe out, the diaphragm returns to its usual shape and helps push air out of the lungs. This happens all day long and helps you keep breathing. But some­ times the diaphragm gets a little irritated. “When you have hiccups, what happens is you get some irritation of that dia­ phragm,” Francis said. “The muscle just contracts, and you end up taking in a whole bunch of air very quickly.” The body gets a signal that all this air is coming in quickly, and that it needs to keep even more air from coming in, so the vocal cords close up. “The vocal cords snap together really quickly and that makes the hiccup sound,” Francis said. I was curious to know what exactly can irritate the diaphragm and cause that squeaky hiccup sound. Francis said some­ times when a person eats or drinks too much, it can make the stomach extend, which can irritate the diaphragm. Sometimes when the body experiences stress, the diaphragm will get tight, and that can make it harder for someone to take a deep breath. Some people have noted that when they experience stress, along with irregular breathing that it can irritate the diagram, too. You know, humans have come up with a bunch of different remedies to try and stop hiccups. Maybe you’ve heard of trying things like holding your breath, counting to 10, having someone scare you, or other kinds of tricks. I was curious if any of them really work. Francis said there aren’t exactly any research-based cures for hiccups. But some patients have reported that blowing into a paper bag helps them control their breath and decreases irritation. Other patients have reported that drinking a cold glass of water helps. Hiccups can serve as a signal to be mindful of eating habits or to check in on our stress levels. While hiccups don’t tend to stick around very long, there are some exceptions. According to the Guinness World Records, the longest bout of hiccups on record lasted 68 years. If someone has hiccups for more than 48 hours, it’s best to talk to a doctor. But gen­ erally, hiccups are a normal part of life. The next time you get a bout of hiccups, see how many you can count - and remem­ ber you can always blame them on your diaphragm. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse.com. �Page 8 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner No checks, no proof Police find body of missing woman The body of Angela Denise Mulder, 39, was found last Thursday afternoon in a field in southeast Barry Township, according to the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. “On March 24, 2022, Angela Mulder was located, deceased, in a field near the area of Hickory Road and Mann Road in Barry Township by Barry Township Police Department,” the sheriff’s office reported. Michigan State Police canine and avi­ ation units assisted in the search. Police had sought the help of the pub­ lic in locating Mulder after her family reported she had not been seen since 4 a.m. Friday, March 18. Police said she had left her parents’ residence on West Hickory Road in Barry Township after a physical alterca­ tion. Last Thursday’s discovery of Mulder’s body was reported by Barry County Detective Sgt. Janette Maki, who did not disclose the cause of death. Anyone with information pertaining to this case is asked to call the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, 269-948-4801, or Barry County Central Dispatch, 269­ 948-4800. Catalytic converter theft attempt fails A sheriff’s deputy was called to a Ferris Road residence March 10 on a report of two subjects in a vehicle attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a truck parked out­ side the residence. The caller said he was keeping an eye on a neighbor’s residence across the street, and at about 8 p.m. March 4, he noticed a couple in a truck at that prop­ erty. One of the subjects had gotten out of the truck. As the neighbor walked over to approach them, the truck motor revved and the subjects took off, heading south on Ban­ field Road. Then at about 7:55 p.m. March 10, he saw the same truck at his neighbor’s residence and, when he stepped onto his porch, he could hear a saw. He told police he thought they were trying to remove the cat­ alytic converter from his neighbor’s truck. He called 911, but the call disconnected as he approached the subjects to confront them. When Barry County Central Dispatch called him back, apparently, the thieves heard his phone ring, because the truck backed out and almost hit him. At that point, he could see them through the front passen­ ger-side window; and the female passenger looked at him as they took off. The driver was male. Both were white and over the age of 30. They didn’t get the catalytic convert­ er, but it was partially cut off of the truck. Police have located what they believe to be the suspect vehicle. The case remains open. NOTICE OF REGISTRATION FOR THE ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022 BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN HASTINGS AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM - DELTON SCHOOLS - GULL LAKE SCHOOLS TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS: The Barry County Townships of Assyria, Baltimore, Barry, Carlton, Castleton, Hastings Charter, Hope, Irving, Johnstown, Maple Grove, Orangeville, Prairieville, Rutland, Woodland, and Yankee Springs. And Allegan County Gun Plain Township, and Kalamazoo County . COUNTY OF BARRY STATE OF MICHIGAN PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any qualified elector of the above named jurisdictions who is not already registered, may register to vote at the office of the Township or City Clerk; the Office of the appropriate County Clerk; a Secretary of State branch office, or other designated state agency. Registration forms can be obtained at www.mi.gov/vote and mailed to the Township or City Clerk. Voters who are already registered may update their registration at www.expressSOS.com. The last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk is Monday, April 18, 2022. After this date, anyone w ho qualifies as an elector may register to vote in person with proof of residency (MCL 168.492) eit the following: Municipality Addres s Regular Business Hours Hours on Saturday, April 30 Hours on Tuesday, May 3 City of Hastings Jane Saurman 201 E, State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm 7:00 am-3:00 pm 7:00-8:00 pm 8094 Tasker Road Bellevue, Ml 49021 By Appt. 10:00 am -6:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Deborah Knight Barry Township 11300 S. M-43 Hwy. Delton, Ml 49046 Wednesdays 9 -12 & 1 - 5 pm 8 am - 4 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Penny Ypma Baltimore Twp. 3100 E. Dowling Road Hastings, Ml 49058 By Appt. 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Amanda Brown Carlton Twp. 85 Welcome Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Wednesdays - 10 am - noon 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Marcia Scramlin Castleton Twp. 915 Reed Street PO Box 679, Nashville, Ml 49073 Wednesdays 1 pm - 4:30 pm 9:00 am-5:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Anita Mennell Hastings Charter 885 River Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Tuesdays 9 am - noon & 1-4 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Deborah Jackson Hope Twp. 5463 S. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 Wednesdays 9 am - noon & 1:15-3:00 pm; Thursday & Friday 1-3 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Sharon Olson Irving Twp. 3425 Wing Road Hastings, Ml 49058 By Appt. 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Sheri Babcock Johnstown Twp. 13641 S. M-37 Battle Creek, Ml 49017 Monday & Wednesday 8 am - 4 pm or by Appt. 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Holly Carpenter Maple Grove Twp. 721 Durkee Street Nashville, Ml 49073 By Appt.- Consolidated w/ Castleton Twp. for this election only. 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Melody Risner Orangeville Twp. 7350 Lindsey Road Plainwell, MJI 49080 Mon - Wed - Friday 9:30 am -1:30 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Rod Goebel Prairieville Twp. 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 Tuesday - Thursday 9-12 am and 1-5 pm 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Robin Hawthorne Rutland Twp. 2451 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday - Thursday 9 am-3 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Nancy Stanton Woodland Twp. 156 S. Main PO Box 98 Woodland, Ml 48897 Consolidated with Carlton Twp. for this election only. 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Mike Cunningham Yankee Springs Twp. 284 N. Briggs Road Middleville, Ml 49333 Consolidated with Orangeville Twp. for this election only. 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am -8:00 pm Joyce Feraco (Bedford Twp.) Calhoun Co. 115 S. Uldriks Drive Battle Creek, Ml 49037 Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 7:- am - 8:00 pm Marty Meert Gun Plain Twp. 381 8th Street Plainwell, Ml 49080 Consolidated with Orangeville Twp. for this election only 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm - -Annette Terry Assyria Twp. YOU MUST BE REGISTERED TO QUALIFY AS A VOTER! QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE Citizen of the United States At least 18 years of age on or before MAY 3,2022 Resident of Michigan and the township/city where you are applying to vote. ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ Assyria Township Annette Terry Township Clerk PAMELA A. PALMER, BARRY COUNTY CLERK on behalf of: Baltimore Township Barry Township Penny Ypma Deborah Knight Township Clerk Township Clerk PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following proposals will appear on the ballot: HASTINGS AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $23,900,000 Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Hastings Area School System, 232 West Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058-2298, telephone (269) 948-4400. Please take further notice that the bonds of the school District, if approved by a majority vote of the electors at this election, will be general obligation unlimited tax bonds payable from general ad valorem taxes. DELTON KELLOGG SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW 1.89 MILS FOR 4 YEARS TO RESTORE HEADLEE REDUCTION Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Delton Kellogg Schools, 327 North Grove Street, Delton, Michigan 49046-9701, telephone: (269) 623-1501. GULL LAKE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SINKING FUND MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL 0.6334 MILLS FOR 9 YEARS Full text of the ballot propositions may be obtained at the administrative offices of Gull Lake Community Schools, 10100 East D Avenue, Richland, Michigan 49083, telephone: (269) 548-3400. NOTICE OF PUBLIC ACCURACY TESTS Notice is hereby given that a Public Accuracy Test for the May 3,2022 election will be conducted by the clerks of the named townships on the voting equipment pursuant to MCL 168.798 at the addresses noted on the following dates: April 20,2022 at 10:00 am at CITY OF HASTINGS 201 E. State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Wards participating in the April 20,2022 date: City of Hastings Wards 1,2,3 & 4 April 15,2022 at 9:00 am at ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP HALL 8094 Tasker Road, Bellevue, Michigan 49021 Townships participating in the April 15,2022 date: Assyria Township April 21,2022 at 1:30 pm at BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP HALL 3100 E. Dowling Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April 21.2022 date: Baltimore Township April 26,2022 at 10:00 am at BARRY TOWNSHIP HALL 11300 S. M-43 Hwy., Delton, Michigan 49046 Townships participating in the April 26.2022 date: Baltimore Township April 23,2022 at 3:00 pm at CARLTON TOWNSHIP HALL 85 Welcome Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April 23,2022 date: Carlton & Woodland Townships consolidated April 13,2022 at 2:00 pm at CASTLETON TOWNSHIP HALL 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, Michigan 49073 Townships participating in the April 13,2022 date: Castleton Township & Maple Grove Twp. consolidated April 19,2022 at 10:00 am at HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP HALL 885 River Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April 19,2022 date: Hastings Charter Township April 21,2022 at 1:00 pm at HOPE TOWNSHIP HALL 5463 S. M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April21,2022 date: Hope Township April 11,2022 at 6 pm at IRVING TOWNSHIP HALL 3425 Wing Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April 11,2022 date: Irving Township April 4,2022 @ 9:00 am at JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP HALL 13641 S. M-37 Hwy., Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 Townships participating in the April 4,2022 date: Johnstown April 13,2022 at 10:00 am at ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL 7350 Lindsey Road, Plainwell, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April 13,2022 date: Orangeville Township, Yankee Springs Twp. & Gun Plain Twp. consolidated Carlton Township Amanda Brown Township Clerk Castleton Twp. Marcia Scramlin Township Clerk Hastings Charter Township Anita Mennell Township Clerk Hope Township Deborah Jackson Township Clerk Irving Township Sharon Olson Township Clerk Johnstown Township Sheri Babcock Township Clerk Maple Grove Township Holly Carpenter Township Clerk Orangeville Township Melody Risner Township Clerk Prairieville Township Rod Goebel Township Clerk Rutland Township Robin Hawthorne Township Clerk Woodland Township Nancy Stanton Township Clerk Yankee Springs Township Michael Cunningham Township Clerk The Public Accuracy Test is conducted to demonstrate that the program and the computer that will be used to tabulate the results for the election have been prepared in accordance with law. MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 LAST DAY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION OTHER THAN IN-PERSON City of Hastings Jane Saurman City Clerk Gun Plain Township (Allegan Co) Marty Meert Township Clerk Bedford Twp. Clerk (Calhoun) Joyce Feraco Township Clerk Persons with special needs, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, should contact the City or Township Clerk. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired may place a call through the Michigan Relay Center TDD#1 -800-649-3777. This notice is given as required by law (MCL 168.498(3). April 28,2022 © 11:00 am at PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL 10114 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan 49046 Townships participating in the April 28,2022 date: Prairieville Township April 13,2022 @ 10:30 am at RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the April 13,2022 date: Rutland Township Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address in Johnstown Township March 15 when a possible fraud was alleged by a 44-year-old Battle Creek man, who said his ex-wife was using his Social Security num­ ber to file taxes. He told police he believes she is obtaining stimulus checks that should be coming to him. When the man was asked what evidence he had that she was stealing his checks, he had none, other than to say that he hadn’t received any checks. He said he attempted to file his taxes and received a notice saying he could not file them. The officer told him that not every­ one received stimulus checks. He was advised to contact the IRS as to why his taxes were not being authorized and find out if any checks had been sent to him. The officer also recommended he check with the Federal Trade Commission and report identity theft if he believes someone is using his Social Security number. The case was closed. Bank employee spots scam When a local bank got a request from a customer, an 82-year-old Hastings woman, for a cashier’s check for $86,000, they sus­ pected a scam. The customer had received a call from an unknown man who said she should withdraw $86,000 from her account because there were federal charges against her for identity theft. After agreeing to talk to a police officer, she waited at the bank where she met with the officer, and all of her money was returned to her account after police con­ firmed that it was a scam. She told the officer later that she had provided the unknown call­ er with her Social Security number. The bank put a flag on her account to protect her. The officer advised her how to protect her identity after giving out her Social Security number. No money was stolen. Big win is big hoax A 76-year-old Plainwell woman was bilked out of more than $70,000 after receiv­ ing a call from someone who, falsely claim­ ing to represent Publishers Clearing House, told her she had won $3.5 million and a Mercedes Benz. Before she could claim these prizes, she was told she needed to pay registration and taxes. So, over the next sev­ eral months, she was advised by callers with different, fictitious names to purchase gift cards worth various amounts, then provide them with the codes. She also sent cash in packages, placed in books, and cashier’s checks through the mail to various locations in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Caroli­ na and Mississippi. Her son, who lives out of state, became aware of his mother’s plight when he tried to call her and learned that her phone had been disconnected. An officer was dispatched to the Prairieville Township resi­ dence and began investigating the case March 19. Banks are being contacted, and more documents pertaining to the financial transactions are being gathered. The report will remain open until all evidence is collect­ ed and the total dollar amount of the fraud is determined. Window-breaking charges filed A sheriff’s deputy was called to an Irving Township residence March 27 about a report of property damage. A 47-year-old man told the officer he was having an argument with his 34-year-old girlfriend about who could use the truck, which is registered in both of their names. His girlfriend, however, does not have a valid license so he told her she could not drive the truck. When they pulled into the driveway, he told police, she got out of the truck and grabbed a piece of wood. She said something to the effect that she had had enough and he said he was worried she would smash the truck with the wood, so he left her there. When he returned, she was gone and all the windows on the house were broken. He told police he did not actually see her break the windows, but they were not broken when he left her there. He told police he wanted to press charges. Repairing the 14 windows is estimated to cost about $3,000. The officer’s efforts to reach the woman for her account were unsuccessful. Vehicle abandoned after crash When a sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene of a vehicle in a ditch at 8:33 p.m. March 24 on the west side of Guy Road, south of East Cloverdale Road, no occupants were at the scene. The officer found a vehicle with extensive damage to the front and driv­ er’s side against a tree, and an open bottle of Smirnoff vodka in the center console. The driver of the dark blue Toyota 4-Runner was later identified as a 58-year-old Nashville man who was unable to perform standard­ ized field sobriety tests due to his inability to walk without falling down. His blood alcohol content was 0.295 percent. He was arrested on a charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, open intoxication and failing to report a crash. After being cleared at the hos­ pital, he was lodged in the county jail, and the case was forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review. �Hastings Public Library 227 E State Street Hastings Ml 49058 The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, March 31,2022 TK scores late to win rain-soaked match Brett Bremer Sports Editor A deluge of rain gave way to darkness, and after more than 88 minutes of soccer it was clear at least one team was going to walk out of Bob White Stadium in Middleville Wednesday thinking about its near misses. In the end, the Trojans got to focus on cel­ ebrating a victory in the first varsity girls’ soccer game of the season. Thomapple Kellogg junior Peyton Pratt pinned her defender on her back at the top of the 18, like a good post player in basketball, and spun to her left to run onto a pass inside the Grand Rapids Christian penalty box at the north end of the turf with about 90 sec­ onds to go. She hit the water-logged ball with her left foot and managed to skip a shot through the legs of Eagle keeper Olivia May that gave her team a 3-2 win over its former conference foes. Miscues in the back end played a big role in the opener. The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the first minutes of the contest on a misplay by TK in the defensive end. That 1-0 Eagle lead stood until Trojan attacker Kiah Nichols confidently booted in a PK 8 minutes and 13 seconds into the second half to even the score after a handball by an Eagle defender in her box. Nichols was the Trojans’ top scorer a year ago with 14 goals and nine assists. She notched the first goal of her senior campaign and then TK took a 2-1 lead about nine min­ utes later as freshman attacker Madilyn Chivis scored her first varsity goal. TK head coach Joel Strickland expects it to be the first of many for Chivis this year. “It was pretty exciting,” Strickland said of seeing his freshman forward score. “We have seen the talent she has from the very beginning.” “She said it felt really good, obviously to get her firs goal. What is so cool is just seeing how excited the rest of the team is forher. I feel like that is such a huge thing for our team.” Chivis finished off a ball that sophomore midfielder Emma Schut slid through the Eagle box, intended for a crashing Nichols above the penalty spot. The pass from Schut was just out of Nichols’ reach and the Eagle keeper slid out above her goalbox to collect the pass. The ball glanced off of her hands though and Chivis fought through the crowd Thomapple Kellogg junior Peyton Pratt shoots a pass across the Grand Rapids Christian penalty box during the first half of the Trojans' 3-2 win over the visiting Eagles March 23 in Middleville. Photo by Brett Bremer) Thomapple Kellogg junior Peyton Pratt and sophomore teammate Emma Schut celebrate after Pratt's go-ahead goal with just under a minute and a half to play in the second half Wednesday (March 23). TK took a 3-2 win over the visiting Grand Rapids Christian girls to start the 2022 varsity girls' soccer season in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) to rip a right footed shot into the open net before being bumped to the turf. That one-goal TK lead lasted nine minutes until the Trojans had some trouble clearing an Eagle comer kick and Christian junior attack­ er Emma VanGoor knocked the ball into the net to tie the game at 2-2 with 13:07 to play. “The heart and the battle,” where what coach Strickland liked most about his girls efforts he said. “It was one of those proud moments as a coach where you watch your team give everything they have. We played with basically two subs all night and for them to leave that field giving everything they have had a chance against a nearly wide open net with 12 minutes to go in the first half, but had her touch fly just wide. Kate Hildabrand stopped every shot but one on her net in goal during the first half for TK. The Trojans are now 2-0. They scored a 2-0 victory at Lowell Friday evening. TK had a Monday evening match with East Grand Rapids postponed due to the weather and was scheduled to be back in action at Northview last night (March 30). The Trojans begin the OK Gold Conferenc e season at South Christian April 13. was fun to watch.” Finishing touches were just off much of the rest of the night. The-4?s.g1es’ had two more' solid scoring opportunities in the next couple minutes, but Kailynn Grieve and Molly Hassenrik were just unable to get a good foot on nice feeds. Grieve did get a good shot off with three and a half minutes to go, but TK’s second half keeper Tristen Cross made what appeared to be an outstanding save diving to her right towards the post to tip the shot wide - even if the referee at midfield didn’t see it that way and awarded the Trojans a goal kick following the shot. Lions send pair to powerlifting state finals TK’s nearest misses came in the first half. Pratt started a Trojan counter attack with a throw-in up the left side to Nichols who raced into the Eagle end and then waited to find Schut making a run into the box. Schut’s shot from the top of the penalty box was deflected up to the crossbar by the Eagle keeper, and eventually cleared away by the Eagle defense. Pratt also had a nice charge around a defend­ er at the end line which opened things up for a pass to Nichols at the top of the box, but her shot was just a little too near to the Eagle keeper once again. Grand Rapids Christian’s Dani Barton also High school hoops teams may add extra games next season Brett Bremer Sports Editor Maple Valley sophomores Madison Koons and Nic Martin both competed in the Michi­ gan High School Powerlifting Association (MHSPA) JV State Finals at Henry Ford High School in Sterling Heights March 5. Both are a part of the BFS (bigger, faster, stronger) class taught by Jeff Seavolt, who also coaches the powerlifters, at Maple Val­ ley Jr/Sr High School. They were two of four Maple Valley High School students who competed in MHSPA events this winter. Martin started powerlifting as an eighth grader and won a JV State Title his freshman year. He placed seventh in his 132-pound weight class this year. Illness held him back a bit this year. The state meet was just his sec­ ond competition of the season. Martin put up lifts of295 pounds in the dead­ lift, 195 in the bench press and 255 in the squat. Martin also plays football at Maple Valley and is a member of the varsity boys’ track and field team. He has plans to participate in sprints, the pole vault and the discus with the track team this spring - all events where it helps to be bigger, faster and stronger. The bench press is his favorite of the three events at a powerlifting competition. “I love to do arms,” Martin said. This was Koons’ first powerlifting season. She placed in the JV girls’ 132-pound weight class. She wasn’t a powerlifter until she got into the BFS class. “Mr. Seavolt started pushing me more and more, and then he said you should try (power­ lifting). So, I was like, why not,” Koons said. “I had been wanting to take (the BFS class) but it never really fit in my schedule before. It is really firn. I’m getting stronger, and I can see the improvement when I am playing other sports and things like that.” Koons was also a member of the Maple Valley varsity volleyball team and the Maple Valley equestrian team last fall. Maple Valley sophomores Madison Koons and Nic Martin, members of the Maple Valley High School bigger, faster, stronger class, took part in the Michigan High School Powerlifting Association JV State Finals at Henry Ford High School in Sterling Heights the weekend of March 5. (Photo by Brett Bremer) She was a part of four powerlifting meets this season, also competing at Grandville, Mona Shores and Dexter. She won her weight class in Grandville and placed second at Mona Shores. At the state meet, Koons set a new total personal record by recording new personal record lifts in all three events. She did it in the squat with a lift of 175 pounds. She put up 85 pounds in the bench press and 200 in the deadlift. Those totals put her in 11th place in her division. She bested her previous total PR by about ten pounds. Koons said powerlifting has helped her form and image in the equestrian ring and she noticed strength helping her serves in volleyball. Seavolt has been been teaching powerlift­ ing at Maple Valley for about 20 years. “Their numbers have improved immensely since the start of the year,” Seavolt said of Martin and Koons, “and of course they have gotten awards. Their technique is getting bet­ ter. That is what it is all about - technique. We never sacrifice quality for weight, and if they do it right now it’ll be right later and then they get even stronger.” An increase in the number of regular-sea­ son games high school basketball teams are allowed to play may be the most visible action taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Asso­ ciation (MHSAA) during its annual Winter Meeting on March 25 in East Lansing. However, a change in classification proce­ dure expected to bring more equity to tour­ nament groupings should have the most far-reaching effects across all sports. The Winter Meeting frequently serves as an opportunity for the Council to discuss items expected to come up for action at its final meeting of the school year, scheduled for May 1-2. However, the Council took a number of actions at this meeting as they relate to scheduling currently underway for the 2022-23 school year, or Spring tourna­ ments this May; The Council approved a Basketball Committee proposal that will allow, begin­ ning with the 2022-23 season, high school basketball teams to play up to 22 regu­ lar-season games at every level (varsity, junior varsity and freshman). Teams previ­ ously played a maximum of 20 games during the regular season; this adjustment brings MHSAA school schedules in line with what is allowed in most other Midwest states. Additionally as part of that proposal, mandatory preseason practice was reduced by one week, allowing teams to begin play­ ing games after 14 days instead of 21. The Council also approved a proposal by the Classification Committee that will result in postseason divisions more reflective of the number of schools actively sponsoring teams for that season. Divisions are assigned by taking the number of teams playing a sport and dividing equally by the number of team championships awarded in that sport (for example, four in baseball and softball). Previously, by the time seasons started the smallest-school divisions in many sports ended up with fewer teams than larger-school divisions because several small schools would declare they would be spon­ soring a team during the classification pro­ cess in March but then be unable to do so because of lack of participation or other reasons. With this change, schools that have indi­ cated they will sponsor a sport but haven’t participated in that sport as a team or with individual qualifiers over the previous two years will be removed from the classifica­ tion process before divisions are deter­ mined. Those schools that have been removed must then notify the MHSAA they have an active team before being added back into the tournament. A number of other actions will affect competition as quickly as this spring’s MHSAA Tournaments, and into the 2022­ 23 school year. The Council approved a Cross Country/ Track & Field proposal to allow for more MHSAA Tournament opportunities for wheelchair athletes. Starting with this Spring 2022 season, Regional and Final meets will include four events for wheel­ chair participants - 100, 200 and 400-meter races and shot put. These events will be open to wheelchair track & field athletes at MHSAA member schools. Additionally, the Council approved the expansion of postsea­ son Paralympic opportunities in swimming, adding a 100-yard freestyle heat to the 50-yard freestyle heat that has been offered at Finals since 2020. In baseball and softball, the Council approved committee proposals in those sports to allow District first-round games to be played during the week before Memorial See COUNCIL, page 14 �Page 10 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner DK boys working to get back atop conference Brett Bremer The 2022 Delton Kellogg varsity softball team. Team members are (front from left) Karlee Aukerman, Cadence Johnson, Kasey Kapteyn, Abby Fichtner, Mya Brickley, Allie Trantham, Paige Davis, (back) head coach Jesse Lyons, coach Fred Brickley, Paige Thomas, Jordan Lyons, Aubrey Aukerman, Allison Brandli, Kayleigh Buffum and coach Terry Reynolds. DK softball looks to keep district win streak alive Brett Bremer Sports Editor Jesse Lyons is moving one field over this spring. Lyons stepped down from leading the Delton Kellogg varsity baseball program in the offseason and then answered the call when the Delton Kellogg varsity softball program had to being looking to replace head coach Duane Knight this winter. “It is just a little more compact, a little faster speed,” Lyons said of the change, “and really with these girls you have to make them go home. They want to stay and keep practicing, which is great. I think they’re excited and ready to get this season started for sure.” The Delton Kellogg girls are set to open their season with a doubleheader against Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division foe Galesburg-Augusta on the road April 12 and then they’ll be a part of the Barry County Invitational in Hastings April 16. The Panthers won district championships in each of their final three seasons under Knight’s guidance (2018, 2019 and 2021). Coach Lyons is happy to have a handful of girls capable of pitching and a bunch who can put the barrel on the ball and ones who can play multiple positions as he heads into his first season leading the program. That group of pitchers is led by juniors Abby Fichtner and Mya Brickley wh.o. spent much of the time in the circle a year ago. Junior Jordan Lyons, coach Lyons’ daughter, junior Paige Thomas and senior Kayleigh Buffum could all see time at pitcher as well. Jordan Lyons is one of those girls capable of playing in a number of spots and could see time in the infield and outfield just like Brickley and Fichtner. Senior Karlee Auker­ man returns to handle the hot comer and senior shortstop Aubrey Aukerman returns to anchor the line-up. Also back from a year ago are sophomore first baseman Allison Brandli and junior third baseman Allie Trantham who will share time at catcher. The team is happy to add Buffum as well as junior Cadence Johnson, junior Kasey Kapteyn and freshman Paige Davis who could all see time in the infield and outfield, with Kapteyn a catcher too. “Right now, out of the 12 girls I think eight of them spend the majority of the sum­ mer playing softball, so they get a lot of games in during the summer. They’re pretty dedicated to the sport for sure,” coach Lyons said. Coach Lyons has seen these girls grow on the field, when he got the chance, over the past few seasons. “The big thing, especially with that big group ofjuniors, is strength and speed - get­ ting stronger and faster,” coach Lyons said,. “That really carries over on to the field. Now you’re seeing the ball fly off the bat and hitting it to the fence or over the fence. “ He also likes his team’s speed overall. Kalamazoo Christian and Schoolcraft are likely to be the two toughest teams to beat in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division this season. DK also will face a tough district in Division 3 heading to Grand Rapids West Catholic at the end of the season. Sports Editor A handful of guys are eyeing spots in the state finals and the Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ track and field program is setting it sights on trying to get back on top of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division. Delton Kellogg finished fourth in the SAC Valley a year ago and tenth overall in the SAC. The SAC Valley season opens when the Panthers host a conference quad April 20. DK has a few meets prior to that. They ran at the Grand Valley State University Laker Indoor Invitational last week and will go to Marcel­ lus April 13 and Gull Lake April 15. Head coach Dale Grimes, who is entering his 18^ season leading the program, also expects a May 11 dual with Constantine to be a big one. The Falcons are perennial confer­ ence powers and coach Grimes sees them as the favorites in the conference this spring. There will be tough competition in the SAV Valley from last year’s top two teams Kalamazoo Christian and Parchment too. “The team this year is very well balanced in terms of the number of athletes per grade and each class is represented by several mem­ bers who will undoubtedly contribute to the scoring,” Grimes said of his team. “We will be relying heavily on our juniors and seniors who have that veteran experience. In addi­ tion, there is a significant number of rookies, both upperclassmen and lowerclassmen, who show great work ethic and potential to con­ tribute significantly to the team.” Torren Mapes was one of the team’s top contributors as a freshman, and he is back for his sophomore season after qualifying for the MHSAA Division 3 Lower Peninsula Track Caden Ferris THE HASTINGS BANNER Devoted to the interests of Barry County since TUJAX TAVERN 1856 1351 N. M-43 Hwy, Hastings 945-9554 BUCKLAND AGENCY CHAPPLE REALTY INC 11235 Sprague Rd, Delton 118 E Orchard St., Delton Mi 49046 269-623-4058 623-5115 103 S. Grove St. Delton (269) 623-8310 WILLIAMS-GORES FUNERAL HOME 133 Orchard, Delton HOW. Center, Suite B, Hastings 948-3720 and Field Finals in the 300-meter intermedi­ ate hurdles last season. Mapes placed II^1 at the finals where only seniors and juniors fin­ ished faster. Cole Pape won a state title in the discus that day and also earned a state medal in the shot put to close his high school track and field career. The Panthers should be good in the throws once again as senior Caden Ferris looks to add a state qualifying performance in the throws after back-to-back wrestling state championships. The team should also get a boost from the performance of senior Alex Whitmore who is participating in the throws for the first time this spring. “Despite his ‘rookie’ status, he is working extremely hard and performing very well already,” Grimes said of Whitmore. Ferris will also compete in relays and the high jump this season. Grimes is also looking for great things from freshman Wyatt Finney and junior Phil­ ip Halcomb in the sprints. The Panthers are also pleased to be wel­ coming back seniors Corey Moore in the hurdles, Eli Austin in the distance races, Cameron Spaulding in the pole vault, long jump and sprints and Peyton Pummel in the hurdles. Juniors Jason Lundquist in the throws and high jump, Isaac Shepard in the relays and hurdles, Gage Vincent in the pole vault and distance races, distance runners Brett Harsevoort, Hector Jimenez and Micah Martin, and sophomore sprinter Rhys Bedford will all look to score as well. Other key newcomers to the team are Giovanni Stea in the sprints and jumps and Owen Wolfe in the throws, junior Cam Wolthuis in the pole vault, sprints and hurdles and sophomore Tanner Mellen in the sprints. ' * WESTMICHIGANLAKES.COM 623-5461 0036 M-43, Delton, Michigan 269-623-3300 visit us at www.deKonoole.con Delton Moose Lodge 269^232112 5428 Moose Lodge Dr. (2 miles north ofDeltone on M43) highpoint COMMUNITY BANK 1 -888-422-2280 Delton Drive Thru: highpointcommunitybank.com 10199 S. M-43 Hwy. Member FDIC Delton, Ml 49046 NAPA NAPA of Delton *9939 M-43 Hwy LYONS SEPTIC TANK SERVICE 3840 Harrington Rd. Delton 623-4804 623-2089 • 945-5379 GROVE STREET CAFE DELTON FAMILY PHARMACY M-43 Hwy. across from Delton Schools Try Our Pizza Take & Bake, To Go, Ditte-in 623-3777 SIMPLY SWEETS, 623-8047 Fast Reliable Service For Over 50 Years 338 Grove St. (M-43)Delton 623-5250 SMITH & DOSTER SALES & SERVICE 114 Grove (M-43) Delton 623-5111 GO GO AUTO PARTS 7709 Kingsbury Rd. Delton (269) 623-2775 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — Page 11 DK golf has top five back Brett Bremer Sports Editor Numbers are up on the roster, now the Pan­ thers will work towards getting them down on the course. The Delton Kellogg/Martin varsity boys’ golf team has more than 20 members filling varsity and JV places this spring. The group is led by returnees Javier Guevera and Karter Ribble. Guevera, now a senior, and Ribble, a junior, were the team’s top two players a year ago. Guevera closed the season by leading the team at its Division 3 Regional by shooting a 94 which had him 23fd in a field of 81 golfers. Also back from a year ago are sophomores Zac Hale and Alyssa Smith and senior Mar­ cus Momenee who were all regional players for the team a year ago. Trent Stonebumer returns with varsity experience as well. While having every regional golfer from a year ago back, the program is still young overall. Head coach Jim Hogoboom said most of the newcomers are not just new to the program but new to the game of golf overall. “I love that we get the chance to introduce so many kids to this great game that they can play for decades,” Hogoboom said. “We love taking kids who on day one swing and miss and by the end of the year they can navigate a course and post a score that allows them to have fun and could play with family and friends or join a recreation league as a young adult.” The team has finished in the lower third in the Valley Division of the Southwestern Ath­ letic Conference, and moving up won’t be easy. With teams like Hackett Catholic Prep and Kalamazoo Christian leading the way and a tough Schoolcraft team on the course this spring. “We do return enough golfers with some experience that if they all play well on the Mason Nabozny Javier Guevara same day we can move up a bit in our divi­ sion,” Hogoboom said. Coach Hogoboom is also excited to have Wes Wandell back working with the JV players. “Coach Wes Wandell returns and brings 40 years of teaching experience as a Certified PGA Teaching Pro,” Hogoboom said. “Our kids get really good instruction from Wes and we usually show quick improvement once they start working with Coach Wandell.” Delton Kellogg will be a part of a compe­ tition hosted by Parchment at Eastern Hills April 12 and then will host its annual DK Coach Enyart Invitational at Mullenhurst April 14. Top regional performers back for DK Sports Editor New Delton Kellogg varsity baseball coach Mark Nabozny is excited to have six or dif­ ferent guys ready to pitch this spring as the Panthers work to rebound from a season in which they won two ball games. The question he needs answered in the ■Mitill li lib 11 can adapt to varsity baseball, we should be okay. We’ll take our bumps and bruises, but we should be okay for the next couple years down the road.” The group of new guys on the varsity includes freshman shortstop/pitcher Tristin Boze, sophomore Torren Mapes and junior Philip Halcomb. Mapes and Halcomb are both‘two-sport athletes thfs~sprfng;'also plan­ ning on running with the DK varsity boys’, track and field team when they’re not pitch­ ing or playing in the outfield for the Panther baseball team. Mapes was a state qualifier in the hurdles a year ago in track. Coach Nabozny is also pleased to have Luke Watson, Wyatt Caldwell, Blake Lillibridge, Adrian DeBoer and Cole Lane in the mix. Delton had its first ballgames of the season canceled due to weather. The team is nowscheduled to open Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division play April 12 at Galesburg-Augusta High School. The Pan­ thers will host the Rams April 14. Coach Nabozny said he expects Parchment and Hackett Catholic Prep to bring especially talented ball teams back to the SAC Valley diamonds this spring. DK will be a part of the Barry County Invi­ tational in Hastings April 16. nl III Hope Township Board Meeting Schedule for 2022-2023 Fiscal Year Caitlin McManus compete in the jumps. Ingle said she is looking for her team to improve at both conference and regionals this season. The DK girls were eighth at the SAC Championship last spring as a team. The Panthers were a part of the Grand Val­ ley State University Laker Indoor Invitational last week. They will be back in action after spring break, April 13, at Marcellus and then at Gull Lake April 15. The Panthers’ first home meet of the sea­ son is a SAC Quad April 20. DK girls look to grow on the pitch Brett Bremer Teagan Hamlin Brett Bremer the strike zone. He’s looking for his pitchers to limit walks while the defense behind them picks up the ball. Getting timely hits will be key too. If the Panthers can do that, coach Nabozny doesn’t see any reason they can’t greatly increase their win total from a year ago. Leading the list of returnees from that squad are junior Mason Nabozny, Mark’s son, a third baseman, pitcher and catcher, senior Seth Seth Lebeck who could see time at all three of those positions as well, senior second baseman Austin Hill and senior catcher/lB/OF Garrett Warren. Also back is junior outfielder Aiden Harig. “A couple of the boys can hit the ball rath­ er hard,” coach Nabozny said. “They look good in the batting cage. Hopefully that transfers over to the field, hitting the ball hard and finding the gaps.” “We have some young guys, and if they Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Panthers have a handful of strong seniors, a talented sophomore hurdler and a freshman class that Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ track and field coach Katie Ingle is looking forward to helping improve as it enters the 2022 season. The group of seniors returning includes regional medalists Halena Phillips, Caitlin McManus and Glorianna Stanton. McManus was the closest of the three to earning a spot in the MHSAA Division 3 Lower Peninsula Track and Field Finals in 2021. She placed third in the shot put at regionals finishing just 9.75 inches behind the second state qualifier from the region. Stanton was a regional medalist in both the throws with McManus. She placed fifth in the shot put. McManus and Stanton were fourth and fifth respectively in the discus. They were both also in the top ten in the throws at the Southwestern Athletic Conference Cham­ pionship at the end of the regular season. Phillips was in the top ten in both the 1600meter run and the 800-meter run and placed eighth in both of those races at regionals a year ago. Sophomore Breanna Chandler was fourth at regionals in the 300-meter hurdles after finish­ ing as the runner-up at the SAC Championship. Chandler will contribute in the sprints this spring as well. Ingle said the sprinting group is getting a boost from a couple of other youngsters this season in sophomore Summer Ritchie and freshman Josie Williams who will also DK hopes to improve by making routine plays on the diamond Sports Editor The Panthers are looking to build a foun­ dation for the future. There hasn’t been the chance to do a lot of building the past two seasons. Co vid and weather allowed the Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ soccer team to play just eight games last spring, that on the heels of the 2020 season being canceled. The returnees with the most varsity experience for the Panthers are junior defender Chloe Tarkkanen and sophomore midfielder Avery Barker. There are youngsters and newcomers that show a lot of promise though. The group is led by freshman midfielder Johannah Houtkooper who could also see time at goal. DK does bring back keeper Taylor Carter this spring too. Coach Alan Mabie is also looking for good contributions from freshman mid­ fielder Teagan Hamlin and exchange stu­ dent Ida Thilsing Hansen in the midfield. “The players are hard workers and have the desire to play to the best of their abili­ ty,” coach Mabie said. “Of the 19 players on the team six are freshman and six are sophomores, so we have a very young team. We have no players that have played more than two seasons of high school soc­ cer and eight players that have never played organized soccer so we are also very inex­ perienced.” So far it has just been workouts in the gym mostly for the Panthers who opened their season with a loss at Hastings Tues­ day. “A few of our freshman players have good soccer skills and some of the inexpe­ rienced players are athletic and willing to learn so even though we might struggle this year it will be a good foundation for the next few years,” Mabie said. DK was scheduled to face Lakewood last night for the home opener in Delton. The Panthers will start Southwestern Athletic Conference play at Hackett Catholic Prep April 13, after spring break. Coach Mabie expects Kalamazoo Chris­ tian and Schoolcraft to be the top teams in the SAC this spring. Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, April 11,2022 May 9, 2022 June 13, 2022 July 11,2022 August 8, 2022 September 12, 2022 October 10, 2022 November 14, 2022 December 12, 2022 January 9, 2023 February 13, 2023 March 20, 2023...Budget Hearing 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm 6:30 pm All meetings held at the Hope Township Hall, 5463 S M-43 Hwy, Hastings MI 49058. Office phone: 269-948-2464. Meeting minutes available at the Township office. This notice is posted in compliance with PA267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA). The Hope Township Board will provide neces­ sary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon 7 days notice to the Hope Township Board. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Board by writing or calling the following: Deborah Jackson Hope Township Clerk 269-948-2464 17780 �Page 12 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LECiAL flOTlCt/S Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Collin unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Regan, Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/ or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC Date of Mortgage: April 28, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 12, 2021 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $172,171.74 in Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: LOT 4 IN AMMON EATON'S ADDITION, CITY OF HASTINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 2 OF PLATS, PAGE 15, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. Common street address (if any): 604 E Hubble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2507 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 31,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1459324 (03-31)(04-21) 178015 Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Carol Jean Risner, surviving spouse, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 4, 2006 and recorded October 18,2006 in Instrument Number 1171615, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee, on behalf of the holders of the J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust 2007HE1 Asset Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-HE1, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Seventy-Six Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Three and 50/100 Dollars ($76,763.50). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: PARCEL 1: LOT 39 OF LAPHAMS AIRPORT LOTS, BEING A PART OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR BARRY COUNTY. PARCEL 2: LOT 57 AND THE NORTH 14 FEET OF LOT 40 OF LAPHAM’S AIRPORT LOTS, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLATS THEREOF, BEING PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, AND PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 5797 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Michigan 49344 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: March 17, 2022 File No. 22-001946 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (03-17)(04-07) 177346 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 21,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Mark Harden, a Married Man, whose address is 1262 N Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897, as original Mortgagor, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as a nominee for Success Mortgage Partners, Inc., being a mortgage dated December 28, 2016, and recorded on January 13, 2017 in Document No. 2017­ 000403, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated February 22, 2021 and recorded on February 25, 2021 in Document No. 2021-002335, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS AND 03/100 ($113,221.03). Said premises are situated in the Township of Castleton, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: The West 600.00 feet of the following: Beginning at a point on the North and South *1/42 3line 4 *of * *Section * * * * 124, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan, Distant South, 176.00 feet from the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1A of the Southeast 14 of said section 4; thence North 440.00 feet, more or less, along said North and South 14 line to a point distant south, 1056.04 feet from the center post of said section 4; thence East, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the East and west 14 line of said Section 4; thence South, 440.00 feet, more or less, along the East 1/8 line of said Section 4; thence West, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the South 1/8 line of said Section 4 to the place of beginning. Street Address: 1262 North Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 24, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 21 4343 (03-24X04-14) 177795 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Dean Arnold Mesecar and Misty Mesecar, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: March 2, 2007 Recorded on March 6, 2007, in Document No. 1177187, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Two Hundred TwentyOne Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-Three and 70/100 Dollars ($221,963.70) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Beginning at a pint on the West line of Section 27, Town 4 North, Range 7 West, distant South 1445.00 feet from the Northwest corner of said section 27; thence East perpendicular with said West line, 600.00 feet, thence south parallel with said West line 265.00 feet; thence West 300.00 feet; thence south parallel with said West line 260 feet, more or less, to the south line of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27; thence West along said South line 300 feet to said West line of Section 27; thence North along said West line to the point of beginning subject to a private easement for Ingress, Egress and Public utilities over the South 66 feet of the West 300 feet of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27. Subject to an easement for public highway purposes for Woodland Road as recorded in Liber 142 on Page 31. Commonly known as 3704 Woodland Rd, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1459523 (03-31)(04-21) 178108 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY Case No. 21-682-CH Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING CONTRACT SENIOR/SUBORDINATE PASS­ THROUGH CERTIFICATE TRUST 2000-5, BY ITS SERVICER NEW REZ, LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, Plaintiff, v. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS, OWNERS, HEIRS, DEVISEES OR ASSIGNEES OF RONALD HERMENITT; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS, OWNERS, HEIRS, DEVISEES OR ASSIGNEES OF RUBY HERMENITT; RYAN HERMENITT; RANDY HERMENITT; RONALD HERMENITT II and THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Defendant. TROTT LAW, P.C. By: Joshua Chomet (P81569) Attorneys for New Rez, LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing 31440 Northwestern Hwy Ste. 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334-5422 248.341.4634 ORDER FOR SERVICE BY PUBLICATION This matter having come before the Court on Plaintiff’s Ex Parte Motion for Service Pursuant to M.C.R. 2.201(D)(3) and M.C.R. 2.105(1); and the Court having reviewed the motion; and the Court finding that Plaintiff’s counsel demonstrated diligent efforts to ascertain the address and identity of Unknown Heirs, Devisees and Assigns of Ruby Hermenitt, deceased; and the Court being otherwise advised: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the following be published in a newspaper within Barry County: To the Unknown Heirs, Devisees and Assigns of Ruby Hermenitt: 1. You are being sued in this Court by the Plaintiff in an action to quiet title for the mobile home which is affixed to the property commonly known as 11224 Ronald Ln., Delton, Ml 49046-7764 and formerly owned by Ruby Hermenitt deceased. 2. You must file your answer or take other action permitted by law in this Court at the Court’s address of 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml 49058or before the 28th day after publication of this order is completed. 3. If you fail to answer or take other action permitted by law in this Court on or before the 28th day after publication of this order is completed, a default judgment may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint filed in this case. 4. A copy of this order shall be published once a week in a newspaper that publishes within Barry County for three consecutive weeks, and proof of publication shall be filed with the Court. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no mailing of this Order is required. IT IS SO ORDERED. This is not a final order. Date: January 13, 2022 Vicky L. Alspaugh, Circuit Court Judge 1777704 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 07, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Sonja Rounds, a single woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS"), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: December 12, 2003 Recorded on December 17, 2003, in Document No. 1119420, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Forty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Fifty­ Seven and 99/100 Dollars ($48,557.99) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner post of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 1 North, Range 7 West, thence South 670 feet, West 300 feet, North 670 feet, East 300 feet, back to the point of beginning. Commonly known as 11570 S Clark Rd, Bellevue, Ml 49021 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1457248 (03-10)(03-31) 177031 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29094-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Michael David Sams. Date of birth: 8-24­ 1946. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael David Sams, died 12-19-2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Michael Sams, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. David H. Tripp P29290 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 Michael Sams 426 W. South Street Hastings, Ml 49058 269-309-6372 178093 -I Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Don’t be surprised by Social Security Taxes When you reach the appro­ priate age, it’s easy to apply for Social Security retirement benefits - just go to Social Security’s website, fill out the online form and you’re essentially done. But many people overlook the next step - completing Form W-4V, which asks you how much federal income tax you want withheld from your benefits. And if you skip this step, you could face an unpleasant sur­ prise when it’s tax-filing time, because Social Security ben­ efits can indeed add to your taxable income. Here are the details: • \fyou’re a single filer... If your “combined” income is between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your Social Secu­ rity benefits. (“Combined” income includes your adjust­ ed gross income, non-taxable interest, and one-half of your annual Social Security ben­ efits.) If your combined in­ come is more than $34,000, up to 85 percent of your ben­ efits may be taxable. • If you ’re married and file jointly...If you and your spouse have a combined in­ come between $32,000 and $44,000, you may be taxed on up to 50 percent of your benefits. If your combined income is more than $44,000, up to 85 percent of your ben­ efits may be taxable. These numbers might seem high, but they don’t mean you’ll lose 50 percent, or 85 percent, of your benefits - they are just the percentages of benefits you may be taxed on, at your personal income tax rate. To help avoid a big tax bill or an underpayment penalty, you can file Form W-4V with the Social Security Adminis­ tration and request to have 7, 10, 12 or 22 percent of your monthly benefit withheld. Your tax advisor can help you choose the withholding percentage that’s appropriate for your situation. The amount of taxes you may need to pay will also depend on when you start taking Social Security. The earlier you take benefits, the smaller your monthly checks, and the smaller the taxes. But taxes should not be a key issue in deciding when you need to begin collecting your payments. Rather, you should consider other factors, such as your anticipated life expectancy, your employ­ ment situation, your spend­ ing needs and the benefits for your spouse. Here’s something else to keep in mind: Because Social Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): William Fields, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: June 23, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 31, 2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $180,607.51 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7 and 8, Block 8, Kenfield’s Second Addition, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37, Barry County Records Common street address (if any): 811 E Marshall St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2449 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 24, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1458195 (03-24)(04-14) 177522 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, # 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Jennifer M. McConnon. Date of birth: 10/11/1974. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jennifer M. McConnon, died 10/12/2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Joshua A. McConnon, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 3/16/2022 Rose A. Coonen P66156 5035 Plainfield Ave. NE, Suite A Grand Rapids, Ml 49525 616-951-1531 Joshua A. McConnon 5055 East Fighter Rd. Hastings, Ml 49058 178009 Security taxes are based on your overall income, as de­ scribed above, the amount of money you withdraw during retirement, and where that money comes from, can also affect your tax situation. For example, withdrawals from a traditional IRA are taxable and will increase your adjust­ ed gross income, but with­ drawals from a Roth IRA will be tax-free, provided you’ve had your account at least five years and you’re over 59 -1/2, so this money won’t enter into your taxable income calcula­ tions and it won’t increase the tax you owe on your Social Security benefits. Similarly, withdrawals from health sav­ ings accounts (HSAs) used for qualified health expenses also won’t count toward your taxable income. By knowing exactly what to expect from Social Secu­ rity, including the tax effects, you can more effectively incorporate your benefits into your overall retirement income planning - and the better your plans, the more you’ll be able to enjoy your life as a retiree. This article was written by Edward Jonesfor use by your local Edward Jones Finan­ cial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM; on April 7, 2022. Thfe' amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may change a fee for this information: Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Mich­ igan Fund, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Bar­ ry County Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, Described As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Center according to the recorded plat thereof to­ gether with an easement for ingress, egress and utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds bearing document number 2018-4166. PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Court, Hastings, Ml 49058. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a: or if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined in MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Date of Notice: March 17, 2022 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) of Gee Law Firm PLLC 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-3500 177297 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22029118-DE Estate of Kristie Anne Kelly. Date of birth: 10/20/1954. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kristie Anne Kelly, died 02/06/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Billie Jo Snyder, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: March 21, 2022 Patrick S. Hirzel P23884 835 Golden Avenue Battle Creek, Ml 49014 269-963-8484 Billie Jo Snyder 19277 Clear Lake Road Battle Creek, Ml 49014 269-578-6227 177804 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, March 31,2022 — Page 13 Cheer teams all had success this season Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was another outstanding season for the local varsity competitive cheer teams in the winter of 2021-22. The Lakewood varsity competitive cheer team once again dominated the Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference and then worked its way through the state postseason to earn a spot in the MHSAA Division 3 Competitive Cheer Finals for the first time since 2018. Barry County had three other varsity teams get within one step of the state finals. Thor­ napple Kellogg lost out in a tough battle with Cedar Springs in the OK Gold Conference, but then worked its way to the regional round of the Division 2 state tournament. Delton Kellogg and Maple Valley both reached the regional round of the state tourna­ ment in Division 4. For the Lions, it was the first time they had ever reached the regional round of the state tournament. Hastings meanwhile, saw its season end at the district round in Division 2, but had anoth­ er outstanding season finishing on top of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Competitive Cheer First and Second Teams. “She continues to push for new skills while improving the ones she already has,” coach Jacinto said. “She is a rock, and even though she is a sophomore, she is an absolute leader for her team.” Ruby Frei, Thornapple Kellogg: A senior base, Frei competed in all three rounds for TK this season. Frei was named an all-conference cheer­ leader and first team all-district at the end of the year. Hokulani Ka’alakea, Lakewood: A fouryear varsity cheerleader at Lakewood who helped the team back to the state finals this season. She was named first team all-state Division 3. Ka’alakea was also a three-time all-confer­ ence cheerleader in high school. She earned first team all-district and first team all-region honors this season. Aundria Robbe, Thornapple Kellogg: Mali Holland, Thornapple Kellogg: A sophomore base who participated in all three rounds for the Trojans. Holland was named second team all-district in Division 2 in her second varsity season. Zoey Thomas, Thornapple Kellogg: A Benedict complete her senior season as a base for TK competing in all three rounds. Benedict was an LMCCOA Scholarship Award Winner this winter and an academic all-state cheerleader. Benedict was also named all-conference and first team all-dis­ trict this season. Kelsey Campbell, Delton Kellogg: A Anna Benedict Ele’ Martin, Maple Valley: Senior Ele’ Martin performed in all three rounds this sea­ son for the Lions as an international student from France. She was named first team ^tonferenfigjn.the GLACLfirst team all-dis­ trict and first team all-region in Division 4. pr‘*‘Ele is a natural cheerleader with the help of her gymnastic training,” coach Sarah Huissen said. “She has excellent jumps, flexibility skills, basing, and of course gymnastic skills. On top of all that, I can always hear her out of the mat during our rounds cheering her heart out. She also showed initiative by helping her teammates advance their own gymnastic skills by spotting them on skills they are trying to learn and also giving them advice on how to improve the skill.” Elizabeth Minard, Lakewood: A threeyear varsity cheerleader for Lakewood, she was named second team all-state in Division All-Barry County Competitive Cheer 2021-22 Second Team Katelyn Baumgartner, Thornapple Kel­ logg: A senior base, Baumgartner competed in all three rounds for the Trojans. Baumgartner was named all-conference in the OK Gold and she was also named honor­ able mention all-district in Division 2. Lily.Boze,DeltoiJLKdlo^2:;AiuniQr:jnher first varsity cheerleading season, Boze dove right in according to her coach and earned a spot in all three rounds. “Lily had great confidence to start and worked on polishing her skills to be even bet­ ter,” coach Reynolds said. “She was a staple in round one and two. She had to work hard to get new skills for round three.” Lilly Burgess, Lakewood: In her second varsity season, Burgess was named first team all-district and second team all-region. Burgess was also a second team all-confer­ ence honoree in the GLAC this season. Ericka Critzer, Hastings: A junior in her third varsity season for the Saxons, who Saxon track teams set indoor records at Grand Valley meet Brett Bremer Sports Editor Saxon senior Allison Teed was a part of three top ten finishes and set a pair of indoor records for the Hastings varsity girls’ track and field team as her team opened the 2022 season at the Grand Valley State University Laker Challenge Thursday - competing against other Division 1 and 2 teams. Teed broke a nine-year old record previ­ ously held by Rachel Quillen in placing fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.91 seconds and also broke the indoor pole vault record held by current Saxon assistant coach Erin Slaughter by clearing the bar at 9 feet to place seventh in the event. The hurdle record was one of two team records Quillen set in 2013 to fall Thursday. Junior Madison Nino set a new Saxon indoor long jump record with a mark of 15 feet 10.5 inches which had her sixth in that event. Teed and Nino also teamed up with Addey Nickels and Isabelle Roosien, a pair of soph­ omores, to place ninth in the 4x300-meter relay with a time of 3 minutes 4.92 seconds. That also is a new Saxon record in that indoor event. The Thomapple Kellogg girls were also a part of the competition at GVSU Thursday. TK had a team of Emmerson DeVries, Lind­ sey Velting, Kenady Smith and Ainsley Oli­ ver just edge the Saxon foursome in that 4x300. The TK girls placed eighth with a time of 3:04.79. TK also got a top ten finish in the 4x600-meter relay from the team of Joselyn DeBoer, Brooklyn Harmon, Alize Raphael and Lydia Schilthroat that placed tenth in 8:04.89. The Trojan team also had senior Trysta Hilton ninth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 10.28 seconds. Hilton and Teed were both state medalists a year ago, Teed in the 100-meter hurdles and Hilton in the 300meter low hurdles. Hastings head coach Brian Teed was also happy to report that Saxon senior Kali Grimes worked hard the past few years to increase her role from her freshman year. “Ericka is a strong backspot and checks in with us at the end of every practice to see what she can improve on,” coach Jacinto said. Robbe is a senior back spot who competed in all three rounds for the Trojans this season. Robbe was named an all-conference athlete this winter, first team all district, second team all-region and was also an academic all-state honoree. Marissa Roberts, Hastings: Roberts was named second team all-district as a junior this winter while competing in all three rounds for the Saxons in what was her third varsity sea­ son. “She is driven, and can base, front spot and fly,” coach Jacinto said. “She really stepped up for her team this year even throwing new tumbling skills.” Emily Root, Lakewood: A two-year varsi­ ty cheerleader at Lakewood. Root was named first team all-conference, first team all-district and first team all-region this season. senior back spot for TK, Thomas competed in all three rounds this season. Thomas was honored as an all-conference cheerleader this winter, first team all-district, honorable mention all -region and honorable mention academic all-state. Jessy Weber, Lakewood: A senior, Weber was a four-year varsity cheerleader at Lake­ wood. She was named honorable mention all-state in Division 3. Weber was also a first team all-conference, first team all-district and first team all-region cheerleader this season. All-Barry County Competitive Cheer 2021-22 First Team Anna Benedict, Thornapple Kellogg: senior who was a member of the DK varsity competitive cheer team for four seasons, coach Zoe Reynolds said she was a huge part of the program from the start bringing a new level of gymnastics to the program. She handled every stunt her coach threw at her as a flyer in round three this season and continued to push her tumbling skills. She was named Delton Kellogg’s MVP this season while also eaming firsi team all-conference, first team all-district and honorable mention all-region honors in Division 3. Kierstyn Downs, Hastings: A senior in all three rounds for the Saxons, Downs was named honorable mention all-district in Divi­ sion 2 this season. Downs was as three-year member of the Hastings competitive cheer team. Head coach Linsey Jacinto said she constantly continued to push herself to improve her skills. Carly Frazer, Hastings: Frazer is a sopho­ more who has been a member of the Saxon var­ sity competitive cheer team in both of her high school years. She competed in all three rounds as one of her team’s top bases this season. 3 this season. Minard was a three-time first team all-con­ ference honoree in high school. She was named first team all-district and first team all-region this season. ran her fastest 200-meter dash ever to place 22nd in 29.51. The Division 1 and 2 boys competed in GVSU’s Kelly Family Sports Building last Wednesday. Hastings had ten different guys set per­ sonal records in different events. Daniel Weatherly, a junior, was the Saxons’ lone medalist. He placed eighth in the shot put with a personal record mark of 45-0. He is now 15th all-time among shot put athletes at Hastings High. The Saxon foursome of Caleb LaBoe, Jonah Teed, Charles Nickels and Kearan Tolles broke the school indoor record in the MMR 800-400-400-800 relay with a time of 6:21.97 which put it in 11th place overall. The top finish for the TK boys came in the high jump where sophomore Jaxan Sias tied Charles Nickels for 12th with a jump of 5-8. The Saxon team also had junior Robby Slaughter 12th in the pole vault with a height of 11-0. Ava Jahnke, Thornapple Kellogg: A sophomore flyer, Jahnke competed in all three rounds for TK. Jahnke was named honorable mention all-conference in the OK Gold this winter, second team all-district and academic all-state in Division 2 too. Madison Nino, Hastings: A junior in her first varsity season, coach Jacinto was happy to welcome Nino back to the program this winter. “Madison is a naturally gifted athlete, how­ ever, she has an amazing work ethic to back it up. She really pushed to improve all of her skills, she is one of our strongest back spots, and is a positive support for her team,” coach Jacinto said. Emily Pilar, Lakewood: Pilar was named first team all-conference in the GLAC in her second varsity season for the Vikings. Pilar also earned first team all-district and second-team all-region honors.s Alexa Reitz, Maple Valley: A sophomore in her second year as a varsity cheerleader. She performed in all three rounds this season and was named honorable mention all-confer­ ence and second team all-district. “She is one of front side centers for her performance capability in round one and round two,” coach Huissen said, “and has another one of our loudest voices out on the mat. Her jumps are also some of our best out on the mat and she also has advanced gym­ nastic skills ... her team looks up to her and views her as an example as to how a cheer­ leader should be.” Sophia Rose, Maple Valley: A freshman who performed in all three rounds this season for the Lions. She was named second team alkconference. inLlhe GLAC ^and First Jeam all-district in Division 4. , U1I! s . “Sophia is our most flexible cheerleader on the team. She is always helpful and has a del- CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 A uto motive 2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD, convertible, red, premium interior package in chrome, $17,500. 269-965-4663 ext. 234, call 24/7 and leave a message. Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experi­ ence. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. Pets LAB PUPPIES FOR SALE- Very cute and playful! 1st shots and de-wormed, $300; 517­ 726-0706._______________________________ MINI BERNEDOODLES, VERY cute, great colors and oh so fluffy. 1st shots and de­ wormed. $600. 517-852-3007. Help Wanted STABLE HAND POSITION Looking for someone with experience with horses, feed­ ing, stall cleaning. 269-207-4218 or zlpowell@ yahoo.com. GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental in­ surance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. icate way to help her teammates around her grow and excel,” coach Huissen said. “She is one of our strongest back spots and helped her group advance their skills throughout the sea­ son. She also has one of our loudest voices on the mat and gives our strongest performances as our back center in round one and our front center in round two.” Kenady Smith, Thornapple Kellogg: A sophomore flyer who competed in all three rounds for TK. Smith was named honorable mention all-conference in the OK Gold and second team all-district in Division 2. Adrianne VanDenburg, Hastings: A sophomore in all three rounds for the Saxons who rejoined the sport for her first varsity campaign this winter. “She pushed to clean all of her skills and even added her back tuck,” coach Jacinto said. “She competed in all three rounds all season and has an impeccable work ethic.” Maysse Weissner, Delton Kellogg: A sophomore in her first varsity season, Weiss­ ner worked her way to being a three round cheerleader for the Panthers. “In round two she was a solid competitor wilL.gr.eat skills^Jn round _thr.ee she .worked harddo get new tumbling skills,” coach Reyn­ olds said. “She has so much potential that we just tapped into this season.” Hope Township Notice of Adoption of Amendment to the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance TO: THE RESIDENTSAND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at its special meeting on Monday, March 21st, 2022 at 6:30PM at the Hope Township Hall, 5463 S M-43 Hwy, the Hope Township Board of Trustees adopted Ordinance #93, amendment to the Zoning Ordinance. The adopted amendment enables the zoning administrator to issue zoning com­ pliance permits for the temporary use of recreational vehicles and travel trailers for seasonal dwelling purposes in all districts if certain conditions are met. The amendment expands Section 10.25 and creates a new subsection pertaining to the seasonal or temporary use of recreational vehicles or units and travel trailers. These amendments to the Township Zoning Ordinance were adopted after the Planning Commission held a public hearing and recommended approval of the amendment to the Township Board on March 17th, 2022. A copy of the Zoning Ordinance and the adopted amendment is available for review at the Hope Township Office during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through noon and 1:15 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The amendment will become effective eight days after the date of this published notice pursuant to the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, as amended. HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION 5463 S M-43 Hwy Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2464 178021 > Banner CLASSIFIEDS Kelsey Campbell JMmwJHLmw /if JHkJHbMV i^j/^TrTZ‘^wyc JL SYNOPSIS ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC HEARING MEETING MINUTES March 22, 2022 Meeting called to order 7:01 pm All board members present, no guests Open Public Hearing Hear those present; none Motion approved to amend proposed budget amounts as presented Review budget Motion approved budget review dates Motion approved to close public hearing Public meeting opened Motion approved 2022-2023 budget Motion approved to adopt Resolution #0322 Public comment; none Motion approved to amend 2021-2022 budget Board comments Motion to adjourn, meeting adjourned 7:57 pm Submitted by: Mel Risner/Clerk Attested to by: Tom Rook/Supervisor 178016 JKL Jh. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �Page 14 — Thursday, March 31, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings senior center midfielder Bri Barnes pushes past Delton Kellogg's Johannah Houtkooper in the offensive end during the first half of the Saxons' win over the visiting Panthers Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons spend opening night on offense Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons come into the season expect­ ing to be strong up the middle. Right in the middle of the Delton Kellogg defense is where the Hastings varsity girls’ soccer team spent most of its season opener at Baum Stadium Tuesday. The Saxons got two goals each from Lauren Lamphere, Raegen Morrison and Bri Barnes as they tallied a 6-0 win over visiting Delton Kellogg. “We knew the game would be kind of rocky almost, because it is our first one,” Barnes, a senior captain in the center midfield for the Saxons. “We have new girls coming up from JV, but we knew that we could beat them and so it was an exciting game to put everyone in and know where we were going to be playing the rest of the year.” “It was really nice to see all the passing and the ball movement,” she added. “We have been working on it a lot in practice and it was just good to see it happening in the game too.” The Saxons controlled the play in the offen­ sive end for nearly all of the first half and most of the second half, doing a good job of making passes to feet to create space in the crowded space in front of the Delton Kellogg net. Hastings worked a bit more in the second half at turning the ball back and using its support to open things up. Lamphere and Morrison were a dynamic duo up top for the Saxons. Morrison scored the game’s first two goals in the first 15 min­ utes of action. Barnes added to the scoreboard for the Saxons by booting in a PK after a handball by the Panthers in their box with about 11 min­ utes left in the first half. It was 4-0 at the intermission. Lamphere notched her first goal of the season dribbling around a DK defender or two in the box for a shot that found the net five minutes after Barnes’ PK. Lamphere scored her second goal 2:45 into the second half, and then she assisted on a goal by Barnes to close out the scoring. Delton Kellogg goal keeper Taylor Carter dives back towards her line to save a ball from rolling into the net during the first half of her team's loss to the Saxons at Baum Stadium in Hastings Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Fellow center midfielder Bre Micklatcher helped power the offensive onslaught for the Saxons along with Barnes and the forwards. “It is a good first game for us,” Hastings head coach Tim Schoessel said. “Tomorrow there may be a little bit more pressure, but this was good because we threw a lot of freshmen out there tonight who had no idea what they were doing.” Hastings was scheduled to host Ionia last night, March 30. Delton Kellogg had a bail­ game planned for Wednesday at home against Lakewood. “It was nice when we got to move [junior sweeper] Molly [Patton] up from the defense and see if she could get a goal,” Barnes said. “She didn’t, but she got a good shot off. It was good to see the younger girls hustling and working hard and wanting to play.” Hastings had so many youngsters playing Tuesday because of some school conflicts that had coach Schoessel combining the JV and varsity rosters to take on the Panthers. While the defense wasn’t tested much, Schoessel was pleased to see new defenders Sage Winters and Kimber Fenstemaker solid on the outside. Winters is a senior new to the Saxon program and Fenstemaker is a junior new to the varsity. — On the flip side, Delton Kellogg head coach Alan Mabie was pleased with the play of Julian Peterson in the back of his defense. “We did a few things better than I thought we would considering how many new players we have many who are new to soccer, and we have a lot of things we have to work on obvi­ ously,” Mabie said. “One of the girls, Julian Peterson, she stepped up. She has never played before, but I put her on defense and she did well.” Delton had a young line-up Tuesday, but that is something the Panthers will be work­ ing with all season long. “We did better in the second half, and that was our goal to try to play a little better in the second half and calm down a little bit,” coach Mabie said. “We weren’t just panic-kicking the ball as much. In the first half, we were just kicking the ball to kick it. In the second half, we put a few runs together. We actually made it over to their side of the field a little bit. I’m not going to say we got a shot on goal. We organized a little better. That was Saxon forward Lauren Lamphere drives towards the Delton Kellogg goal during the second half of her team's 6-0 win over the visiting Panthers at Baum Stadium in Hastings Tuesday. Lamphere was one of three Saxons to score two goals in the sea­ son-opening victory. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg's Samantha O'Meara turns away from pressure put on by Hastings' Abby Gaskill during their match in Hastings Tuesday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) good considering some of them have no idea what being right mid means. ‘What does that mean? What do I do there?’ “I have had to spend so much time the last two weeks just learning how to pass the ball and shoot the ball that we haven’t had time really to talk about positioning and where you go. Some of them, once we talked about it at halftime, they came out and did it. They want to learn. It just takes time.” Returning keeper Taylor Carter was busy throughout the evening for the Panthers and made a handful of good saves to keep the score as close as it was. Hastings will return from spring break to host Lakewood April 16. Delton Kellogg will open the Southwestern Athletic Conference season at Hackett Catholic Prep April 13. DNR looking for volunteers to check water quality, fish habitats For those with summer plans that include time at a favorite lake, the Michigan Departs ment of Natural Resources says there is an easy and rewarding’ way to show your lake some love: help the MiCorps Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program gather valuable information about water quality and fish hab­ itat conditions. The program is seeking volunteers who enjoy and want to help protect Michigan’s 11,000 inland lakes. Though there is still a lot we don’t know about many of our lakes, vol­ unteering with MiCorps will connect you with a statewide network of people who are making a positive impact on these waters. A water monitor volunteer will choose which lake to sample and select which mea­ surements to take. Collectors can gather data on water quality (water clarity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and algae), invasive spe­ Runners and Walkers Welcome! Saturday, April 23 Fun Run, 5K, 10K, 15K For more information and to register, visit ttsYourRace.com Register by Friday, April 8 to receive a race t-shirt. Ail participants will receive a participation medal. In-person and virtual options are available. cies, native plants and shoreline conditions. Collectors will all get detailed instructions, training and equipment. There is a small fee to cover the costs of supplies and analyzing samples; volunteers often are able to collaborate with lake associ­ ations or other organizations to help pay for these costs. All volunteer-gathered information is added to the MiCorps Data Exchange, a public data­ base that includes Cooperative Lakes Monitor­ ing Program (CLMP) lake data back to 1974. This database is used by people, local commu­ nities and state agencies like the DNR to better protect and manage Michigan’s beautiful lakes and the fish and wildlife that live there. Those who want to help can visit the CLMP enrollment webpage or contact Erick Elgin with Michigan State University Exten­ sion for more information. The MiCorps Clean Lakes Monitoring Program is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and is administered in partnership with MSU Extension, the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association and the Huron River Watershed Council. Contact Joe Nohner (DNR), 517-599-6825 or Erick Elgin (MSU Extension), 231-928­ 1053 with any questions. COUNCIL, continued from page 9----------------------------------------------------------------Day. Baseball may play first-round games that previous Thursday, Friday or Saturday, and soft­ ball may play that previous Thursday and Friday, beginning this upcoming season. Previously, all first-round games were played the Tuesday after Memorial Day. This change is expected to alle­ viate pitch count concerns in baseball and pro­ vide scheduling flexibility for later District rounds that could allow athletes - especially at small schools where baseball and softball play­ ers frequently participate in track & field opportunities to compete in both sports during the week following Memorial Day. Another change proposed by the Classifica­ tion Committee and approved by the Council will raise the enrollment cap for cooperative hockey programs, potentially allowing for more opportunities for schools to contribute athletes who wish to play the sport. Nearly 50 percent of hockey teams playing in the MHSAA Tournament are cooperatives made up of students from multiple schools, and for hockey those schools’ enrollments now may total up to 5,500 students, an increase of 2,000 students for hockey only. Schools participat­ ing in a cooperative hockey program must continue to receive Executive Committee approval and show a demonstrated lack of participation in hockey. The Council also approved a Classification Committee proposal that will allow football teams to opt up in division after the annual release of classifications for the upcoming season in late March/early April. Football teams may opt up one division, with Executive Committee approval, and must show reason and rationale for their request. All football opt ups will be for a minimum of two years, and the Executive Committee will consider those opt-up requests at only its April and May meetings each year. The Council approved a number of increased benefits for MHSAA-registered game officials, including raises in postseason game fees paid to officials across all sports. Also moving for­ ward, MHSAA officials will be provided mem­ bership in the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), which will provide expand­ ed liability insurance plus additional resources and professional services for all MHSAA regis­ tered officials. The Council also approved a change to the registration process and fees that will automatically provide each official regis­ tration in two sports. All three changes were proposed by the Audit & Finance Committee. The Council also approved a rule change allowing the use of school transportation during summer, but it must be funded from school-approved activities of booster clubs, school teams, student groups and community, civic or service groups. This includes the use of busses, vans and other vehicles owned or leased by the school district or operated by any entity with which the district contracts to pro­ vide transportation services. The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate represen­ tation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-04-07.pdf d05d8a6210ce4ee12a21be7a6b50fb01 PDF Text Text Hastings' raeiio'Dbrarv r 227 E State Street Hastings Ml 49058 Hastings library digitizing history through Banner Latest mantra is to buy electric - and save? Hastings High School Spring Sports previews See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Stories on Pages 8-10 804879110187 1070490102590501074549058195427 Thursday, April 7, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 14 PRICE $1.00 New townhouses a possibility for downtown Hastings Rapids, where a 400-square-foot apartment is Benjamin Simon going for $2,500. Staff Writer “I don’t want that for Hastings,” he said. A new housing development may rise in Helder said he doesn’t know the exact downtown Hastings. The city’s planning price of the apartments yet, but estimated rent commission had an unofficial site plan review would be around $800, in addition to utilities. for the construction of nine townhouses near The planning commission did not approve the intersection of East Court Street and the project Monday. Rather, members lis­ South Michigan Avenue. tened to Helder, asked questions and looked The proposed development is at 134 E. over his design drawings. Although circum­ Court St., a former gas station property that stances could change, Community Develop­ has sat vacant for nearly 25 years. ment Director Dan King said he expects the If approved, property owner Marvin Hol­ planning commission would hold a public der, who rents numerous locations down­ hearing at its June 6 meeting to review an town, plans to have the apartments ready by official site plan. the fall. Some features of the plan still need “The time frame is, ‘Hurry up, Marv. Get it fine-tuning, such as building cost estimates done. We need housing yesterday,’” he told and compliance with zoning district stan­ members of the planning commission Mon­ dards. Helder is proposing nine townhouses, day night. but the district only allows a maximum of In the current proposal, the townhouses eight. Furthermore, the townhouses would would feature two stories, two bedrooms, 1 ? bathrooms, a kitchen and outdoor seating have an 8-foot setback from the curb, but the district does not allow for setbacks beyond 5 area. Helder said they intentionally planned for smaller apartments to appeal to younger feet. The planning commission has the ability to modify the standards, if it sees fit. populations. Almost all of his tenants in downtown Hastings are younger than 35. Helder became familiar with the lot as an “They want a nice bedroom, a nice bath­ adjacent property owner. He owns the building room, a kitchen big enough for a Pbp-Tart next door that houses Barry County Bicycles. “I was disgusted that the gas station didn’t toaster and a microwave oven,” he said. “And that’s about it because they just sleep there.” keep it clean after ... years of letting it sit With the smaller units, Helder said he ■ -‘empty,” he sai'd. Then the lot came up for auction in Decem­ hopes to keep construction costs low, at a ber 2021. He bid on the site - and was the only time when such costs are rising. This, in turn, person to bid, Helder said. His first goal was to would allow him to list the apartments at a clean up the land. After that, he figured he lower rate. He pointed to downtown Grand could turn it into a parking lot, at the very least. But housing is “still priority No. 1” for the city, King said. “I kind of nudged him in the direction of - well, we’ve got a bunch of parking in the city of Hastings,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of housing; we really need housing.” The city currently has only 10 available homes on the market, King said. Ideally, that number should be closer to 100. “We have an extremely thin housing stock in Hastings,” he said. “We have little, if any, rental units available. So, we need to get housing activated soon. The project has come along quite quickly. Within the past month, Helder received an environmental assessment of the property, giving him the go-ahead to build. A short time later, he commissioned an architectural drawing of the project to prepare for Mon­ day’s planning commission meeting. The day of the meeting, Helder picked up the drawing at 2 p.m. and arrived at the meeting at 7. The plan is just preliminary, Helder said, but he expressed confidence in the ability to move forward. “This should be pretty cookie-cutter,” he said. “This should be pretty simple. 1 think it’d be a great look and a great use for that... abandoned property.” In other busmess;Th j planning commission scheduled a workshop with the city council for 6 p.m. May 23 to review an ordinance that would expand the permissibility of two-fam­ ily dwelling units. No new jail in the works this year Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County needs a new jail, county commissioners agree. But, given the economic forecast, they’re not planning any action on it this year. On Tuesday, Chairman Ben Geiger set aside time on the board’s Committee of the Whole agenda to discuss the jail and what should be done about it. The general consensus was that a jail project that involves going to the voters for a tax levy just isn’t going to happen any time soon. “Time is working against Barry County,” Geiger said. “Our jail continues to crumble and our costs continue to rise. For years, we’ve said this is the No. 1 issue facing this county government. We did have a millage election that was unsuccessful a couple of years ago. So it’s important to us to reflect on it.” Geiger posed questions to his fellow com­ missioners. To the first question: What was learned from the last millage election, Commissioner Howard Gibson replied “People didn’t like not knowing where it was going to be built.” Commissioner Jon Smelker said, “I per­ sonally think we need a drawing of what we’re going to have, too. ...Boy, right now, the last millage we asked for, $25 million, with that figure, talking about today, you’re talking $30-35 million. “What did we learn from the last elec­ tion? We ain’t going to get that this year, either.” Commissioner Bruce Campbell said, “I agree with Jon and Hoot on this. Word on the street was that a lot of people didn’t know exactly what they were purchasing.” Commissioner Dave Jackson said any jail project needs a definitive plan: “Everything from site to drawing to execution,” he said. “There has to be community understanding and acceptance. “I don’t see it being a 2022 project.” Smelker added, “I was pretty set on the (current) location, but if there’s a better one out there, let’s find it.” “I can’t see that we can get a plan togeth­ er and be successful this year,” Vice Chair­ woman Vivian Conner said, noting that the current building has out-lived its usefulness. “It’s going to fail. It isn’t if, it’s when. We’ve had some citations because of some of the CO VID issues and some of the other things. We’ve had to combine minimum and medium security. ...We need to get a plan and move forward with it. “I hate to wait two years, but, really, I would not recommend it for a special elec­ tion. But, if it does fail, consider the addi­ tional costs, with transportation, having deputies not be on their regular duties, we would still have to house people in a differ­ ent jail. The constitution requires that the county house people in a jail.” Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act were mentioned as a possible source of funding, but Jackson and Geiger both indi­ cated that the amount ARPA could provide would not be enough to have a significant impact on a project this extensive. Bridge replacement prep is 'boring1 job Traffic on M-43 near Usborne Road is reduced to one lane through April 15. Crews are taking boring samples around the bridge over the Coldwater River near Carlton CenterurLpt^araiionJoLbridge replacement. The current struc­ ture was built in 1956 and is on the state’s list to be replaced in 2024, JUhn Richard, Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman for the Grand Region, said. (Photo by Kathy Maurer) Supreme Court ruling will impact Barry County case Barry County Board of Commissioners Chairman Ben Geiger leads a discussion Tuesday about a jail project. Rebecca Pierce Editor A landmark decision in 2012 by the U.S. Supreme Court will have a historic impact with the May 25 sentencing of Patrick Gilm­ ore, 18, of Hastings. It will be the first time in Barry County that a homicide case involving a juvenile, who faces the possibility of life in prison without parole, will be sentenced under this ruling. Because Gilmore was 17 when he killed Lane Roslund, 17, of Hastings, Gilmore will be sentenced as a juvenile. But the terms meted out by Judge Michael Schipper must be guided by specific parame­ ters laid out by the Supreme Court ruling in the Miller v. Alabama case. In that case, the court found that a sentence of mandatory life without parole for juveniles is unconstitutional if age and other mitigating factors are not considered prior to sentencing. “ARPA funds are a significant amount of money,” Geiger remarked, “but is it a signif­ icant enough amount to change the scope of the project?” Jackson pointed out that the 0.7 mill cur­ rently being levied in the county for Thor­ napple Manor will expire in 2024. He sug- See NO NEW JAIL, page 2 Middleville depot gains national historic status Greg Chandler Staff Writer The former Michigan Central Railroad depot in Middleville has been named a national historic site. Village Manager Patricia Rayl said Wednesday afternoon that the depot, which was built in 1906 on Railroad Street off High Street, was named to the National Park Ser­ vice’s National Register of Historic Places. The designation had been recommended by the Michigan State Historic Preservation Review Board in late January. The village had been pursuing the historic designation for the past year, retaining the consulting firm Mannik & Smith Group Inc. to research the history of the depot. At a Dec. 7, 2021, village council meeting, researcher Jim Miller reported that passenger train service to Middleville began in 1869. By 1902, five trains were traveling through the village daily. Besides the main depot building, a freight house had to be built to accommodate the freight traffic moving through the village. Construction of the depot began in 1906. But by 1935, only two trains were operating daily locally. In 1959, passenger service was discontinued, and freight service ended in 1972, Miller said. This will be the second national historic site in the village - the other being the John Carveth House - and the seventh in the coun­ ty, including the Barry County Courthouse. The village acquired the depot from Thor­ napple Township in May 2017. Patrick Gilmore, 18, of Hastings, waived his rights to a trial in Barry County court on March 30 after pleading guilty to first-degree homicide in the death of Lane Roslund, 17, of Hastings. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Patrick Gilmore’s guilty plea in Barry County Court may be viewed here: https://vimeo. com/695005427 First, within 21 days after the March 30 conviction, the prosecutor must file a motion requesting a sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt has already stated her intention to do that. “The motion must ‘specify the grounds on which the prosecuting attorney is requesting the court to impose a sentence of imprison­ ment for life without the possibility of parole,” according to Michigan Judicial Insti­ tute’s “Juvenile Justice Benchbook.” The defendant then must file a response to the prosecution’s motion within 14 days after receiving notice of it. Nakfoor Pratt called the homicide as “a particularly brutal offense,” saying that Gilm­ ore shot Roslund with a crossbow on Sept. 10-11,2021, then left his body concealed in a shallow grave in Hastings Township. Defense Attorney Carol Dwyer of Hast­ ings, contacted Wednesday by The Hastings Banner, said she was not prepared to com­ ment on the case. During a recess in court proceedings March 30, the day Gilmore pleaded guilty to killing Roslund, Dwyer said Gilmore had made a full confession to police. “What do you do when you do something awful and you can’t take it back?” Dwyer remarked. Roslund’s family was in the gallery to hear the guilty plea. Their grief was palpable as Gilmore told the judge that he killed Roslund and intended to do so. He showed no emotion as he raised his right hand, swore to tell the truth and then confirmed that he committed the homicide with a crossbow on Sept. 10-11, 2021, on his grandfather’s property in Hastings Township. A second count of concealing Roslund’s death was dismissed during the hearing. The prosecutor said life in prison without parole is the appropriate sentence for Gilm­ ore. But the Miller case lays out a process that, in Michigan, requires trial courts to consider See GILMORE, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Middleville considers riverfront economic development project James Gemmell Contributing Writer The Middleville Village Council’s Commit­ tee of the Whole discussed the feasibility Tues­ day of a multi-family, riverfront development being built on a village-owned parking lot. The meeting was held at village hall. The parking lot is at the bottom of State Street by the Thomapple River. The medium- to higher-density develop­ ment could be constructed on about four acres of prime real estate, with what village manager Patricia Rayl said would be an “amazing view” of the river, the Thomapple Trail and part of the Mill Pond. Assistant Village Manager Brian Urquhart said the site right now is just an under-used parking lot, but “an area where we want to see activation.” He said a development potentially could take the form of apartments or condominiums. But first, more remediation of potential con­ taminants might be required on the brownfield site. Rayl wrote in a letter to the council that the parking lot capped over some contaminated soil created by previous manufacturing and industrial businesses. A Gulf & Western Inc. plant once was locat­ ed there, next to the Metaldyne Corp, building at 39 E. State St. “A developer with experience in brownfield tax credits would be the ideal partner,” Rayl wrote. “Using a brownfield program would allow a developer to create market-rate hous­ ing and be able to get the value that a high-qual­ ity riverfront home would demand.” Middleville is certified as a Redevelopment Ready Community by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. The MEDC formally rec­ ognizes municipalities it deems to have a vision for the future. The RRC is a voluntary, no-cost program that helps communities come up with effective redevelopment strategies through a set of best practices. Rayl told the Committee of the Whole one benefit of the RRC designation is the ability to use the MEDC’s technical-assistance programs for projects like the State Street redevelop­ ment. The MEDC provides consultants who create materials to promote priority sites that are underutilized or blighted. “We could entice a developer to come in and turn that into something more productive than a parking lot,” Rayl said. “We’re trying to go for something that’s very pleasing to the eye; high density, very compact. But there are some site challenges.” The MEDC will provide a preliminary design concept in late April and, after a review, a revised design plan in June. Keep On Dreaming “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Proverbs 29:18 Don’t let what is happening in the world today cause you to give up on your dreams and vision for the future. Before the pandemic started, I was in the basement with the SCC team writing out the SCC vision on big pieces of white paper. We were doing a vision meeting and had everything written down where we could see it every day. Then the pandemic happened. I began to see how fear and anxiety began to affect every area of our lives. Businesses and churches began to shut down. People’s hope and dreams began to fade as darkness spread across our land. As I watched this unfold, SCC had a choice to make. We could just keep going or we could stop and let our vision fade away and come to a complete stop. I felt that 2020 was no time to stop or let our vison for the future be put on hold. We saw businesses in our community close and suffer great loss that was out of their control. Then, we all saw how isolation has affected our world and families have suffered from depression and anxiety. I say it’s time to ask God to stir up your vision and dreams. If you have given up on your dream, get it back out and ask God what he would have you to do. This is a time to adapt and restructure so we can go into the future and fulfill all God has for us. This may require us to change but remember Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Maybe it seems like your dreams are dead and done, but I say that the God we serve can bring dead things back to life. Don’t give up! With God’s help your dream can be a reality. When God gave you your dream, he already knew what would happen in the future, and he has a plan to see you through. In 20201 asked the Lord what He wanted SCC to do. He said to me “My words are what’s important and people need an encouraging word so they can keep believing and press on.” People need hope. This caused the ministry of SCC to change what we’re doing in the following ways: 1. Every Sunday morning for the past two years we have sent out an encouraging word that goes to over three hundred leaders in our area. 2. We started writing half page newspaper columns that have been running monthly in the Reminder and soon to be running in the Banner. 3. We engaged in even more virtual consulting sessions to accommodate people unable to come into the office. 4. We opened the SCC Healing Center in 2021, giving us the much needed, additional space. 5. The “Healing Begins” podcast channel started in 2021. 6. Helped to finish the Living Waters Healing Center in Costa Rica. The list goes on and on to the glory of God. God’s vision never stopped or slowed down, but we did have to take the time to ask the Lord what he wanted us to do and how we needed to change. I would like to end by saying, “Keep on dreaming and keep your vision alive. You may have suffered some setbacks, but I believe God has a set up for you. He wants to set you and I up to fulfill the dream and vision He has put in our hearts. Keep on dreaming, God has your future in His hands. Sponsored. THORNAPPLE FLOORING & FURNITURE Wwi Hewas Ityiit Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, Mich. 49058 or by donating online at https://www.spiritualcareconsultants.coin/pages/make-a-donation We THANK YOU for your generosity and support! _____ Besides the potential need for more remedi­ ation of contaminants, a portion of the site is in the river’s flood plain. “That is going to kind of limit where they can actually put things. So, we expect it would be condos, apartments or something like that that would be close together,” Rayl said. Brian Urquhart also addressed the Commit­ tee of the Whole. He is the village’s assistant manager and planning & zoning administrator. “Because we are RRC-certified, (the MEDC) is working with Williams & Works to do all of the survey work, all the work that could go into the architectural conceptual designs,” Urquhart said. “We already have a template for the RFQ (Request for Quote) lan­ guage ... So, we would be able to have that free of charge. And then, we could put that out if this is something that council’s willing to consider putting out through an (Request for Proposal) process.” An RFP is a document a governmental unit posts publicly to elicit a formal bid from poten­ tial developers. The project likely will not go out to bid for a few months, after final designs are drawn up and all the stakeholders give their input at a public meeting. “With a residential development, the reme­ diation would really just require either a barrier or removal of those soils. Plus ... there are flood-plain issues in the building envelope,” Urquhart said. The village adopted an ordinance in March that created two new zoning districts in accor­ dance with the village’s master plan. One is designated Transitional Industrial (Tl). Urqu­ hart is recommending to the village council the State Street property be rezoned to Tl, which allows that kind of residential development on a former industrial site. “So, if we want to move forward with this RFP process for creating this document to go out, then we would begin that process to have that as an allowable use,” Urquhart said. Trustee Mike Cramer recommended coun­ cilmembers first ask leaders of the Thomap­ ple Valley Church, 20 State Street, whether they would like to purchase a portion of the parking lot, “because they do use that parking lot on Sundays ... They don’t have to buy it right now, but if we do get a bid on it, we could go back and say ‘You can purchase this portion and the rest of it will go to the RFP.’ So, they would still have a parking lot for their patrons.” “I’m not against (making) the offer,” Urqu­ hart responded. “But I just wonder how that plays into our goal as to what we want to do with that property.” “I like where you’re going with this, but I don’t want to condemn one use to bring in a new one,” Cramer said. “If they lose their parking lot ... now we’ve got cars up and down the street.” The village council could give the church right of first refusal for a small section of the parking lot, but Cramer noted it also is the most buildable section of the lot for residential development. Rayl said the apartments or condominiums would be at market-rate prices for high-end development because of the view of the river. She said an upgrade to the State Street lift station would be needed to accommodate the project because, right now, it only services one house. “It would have to be enhanced for a condo development,” Rayl said. Urquhart said engineers took soil and groundwater samples, and found Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the most-build­ able areas on the south and west sections of the property, farthest away from the river and the flood plain. The Committee of the Whole agreed to send further discussion on the matter to the April 12 village council meeting. In other news, the village will have to replace some lead-service lines in compliance with the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act of 2018. The law was enacted after the Flint water crisis led to a federal State of Emergen­ cy being declared for Genesee County. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy toughened the state’s Lead and Copper Rule for drinking-water quality and mandated that communities with lead service lines replace them. Middleville Department of Public Works director Alec Belson said the village has 130 to 180 lead service lines “with the potential of 200 galvanized services that were previously connected to lead.” He said the cost to replace the lines will be between $1.8 million to $2.5 million. The DPW is considering doing an inventory to confirm the precise locations of the lead lines. “Replacement would be right around $2 million. We’re looking at a potential of 350 services or so to replace in residential units,” Belson said. In other action, the Committee of the Whole voted 5-0 to move discussion of a Request for Proposal concerning the sale of the old fire bam at 115 High Street to the April 12 village council meeting. Two council mem­ bers were absent Tuesday: Kevin Smith and Tom DeVries. Once the RFP is released to the public, potential bidders will be asked to supply infor­ mation such as what they plan to do with the property, their financial backing, and docu­ mentation on what they’ve done before as a property owner. Left Field Caf? owner Johnny DeMaagd previously has offered to buy the 6,075-foot building for $40,000. “We want what’s best for the village to go on that parcel. And if it’s our proposal, that’s great. But that’s what this process, hopefully, will uncover - what is the best use for it,” DeMaagd said in a post-meeting interview. Bliss Munitions Equipment moves to Kentwood Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Bliss Munitions Equipment, the former defense portion of BCN Technical Services in Hastings, will move to Kentwood after its parent company, Schuler Group GmbH, divested the business, according to a state­ ment provided by Schuler. “Following a comprehensive strategic review, it was determined that the defense business was a non-core part of Schuler’s portfolio,” Kevin McAllister, president of Schuler North. America, said in the statement. “The companies are fully committed to sup­ porting each other going forward.” Bliss Munitions Equipment employees have yet to start in the Kentwood building, but the business has plans to move within the next few weeks, according to its Linkedln profile It is still unclear what will take the place of Bliss Munitions Equipment in Hastings. With more than 500 service technicians in 36 countries, Bliss Munitions Equipment “creates cupping, draw, transfer and bullet presses,” according to its website. Founded in 1898, the company helped develop defense products, such as the first Whitehead-type torpedo and 20 mm aircraft machine guns, used in numerous conflicts, including the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War, according to its Linkedln profile. BCN Technical Services, owned by Schul­ er, is still working out of its offices in Hast­ ings. Schuler is a German company consid­ ered the largest manufacturer of presses in the world. “The decision allows us to focus on further expanding our local service offerings, includ­ ing modernizations, to our customers - which uniquely positions Schuler Group and BCN as reliable leaders within the metal working industry,” Vice President of BCN Technical Services Carlos Valdes said. Despite moving out of Hastings, Bliss Munitions Equipment President Tim Meador emphasized fixture synergy between the com­ panies. “It is important for us to work with BCN as a team and stand by our brands’ messaging,” Meador said. “Bliss Munitions Equipment anticipates a strong year ahead as we com­ bine our companies’ skills, products and resources.” GILMORE, continued from page 1 --------------------------specific factors before imposing that harshest possible sentence “to ensure that only those juveniles who are irreparably corrupt are sen­ tenced to life without parole,” the Juvenile Justice Benchbook states. The determination of irreparable corrup­ tion is not a factual finding, it notes. It’s “a moral judgment made after considering and weighing the Miller factors.” Specifically, the trial court must conduct a hearing as part of the sentencing process to consider the factors cited in the Miller case, said Barry County’s Chief Assistant Prose­ cuting Attorney David Banister, speaking to the process dictated by this law. The factors that must be considered include: The juvenile offender’s chronological age and its hallmark features - among them, immaturi­ ty, impetuosity, and failure to appreciate the risks and consequences, the offender’s family and home environment, the circumstances of the homicide offense, including the extent of the offender’s participation in the conduct and the way familial and peer pressures may have affected him; the incompetencies associated with youth in dealing with police officers, prosecutors and defense attorneys, and the possibility of rehabilitation. “The judge has to consider those factors and any other factors he wants to consider,” Banister said. Then, if Judge Schipper decides on a sen­ tence of life without parole, he will have to specify on the record the aggravating and mitigating circumstances. “He must give the reasons supporting the sentence imposed,” Banister said. All of these considerations rest with Judge Schipper, who may hand down a sentence of life without the possibility of parole or, instead, may opt for a term of imprisonment that would range from a minimum of 25 to 40 years to a maximum of no less than 60 years. Since the state statute pertaining to the Miller case does not allow for “good time” or other early release options, if he is sentenced to a term of years, Gilmore would likely get out of prison at the age of 43. Barry County Judge Michael Schipper accepts Patrick Gilmore's guilty plea on March 30. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) After accepting the guilty plea on March 30, as family members and observers wept in the back of the courtroom, Judge Schipper looked the defendant in the eye and conclud­ ed the hearing with this comment: “Mr. Gilmore, I can say, from my perspective, thank you for not putting the family through a trial.” NO NEW JAIL, continued from page 1 -------------------gested that the commissioners consider replacing that levy with one earmarked for the jail. Geiger said, “We need to be clear with the public about how much cash we have on hand and the reasons we need to have a financial cushion. When Michael Brown (the county administrator) was hired 25 years ago, we had less than $100,00 in the bank. We did not have a strong, stable finan­ cial government. “Since then, we have promoted fiscal discipline that ensures we don’t go back to those days where we don’t know if we’re going to make payroll.” Geiger said the board would continue the discussion at another time. In other business, the board: accepted the county’s 2022 Equalization Values report from the county’s new equal­ ization director, Meshia Rose. • postponed interview for Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board since the candidate for consideration,Staci Adams, could not attend • recommended amendments to 2022 board rules in a 4-2 vote - with Bruce Campbell, Vivian Conner, Dave Jackson and Ben Geiger supporting it and Howard Gibson and Jon Smelker opposing it because don’t believe it’s necessary. Catherine Getty was absent. Conner, who said unruly behav­ ior at public meetings is happening every­ where, pointed out that this amendment makes their rules more clear. • Approved a memorandum of under­ standing with Eaton County to allow for disposal of scrap tires in May. John Alvin Edward Anderson IV, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on March 13, 2022 to Kyana Sochor and John Alvin Edward Anderson III of Hastings. $$ $ * * Zoey Jo Watson, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on March 19, 2022 to Hannah Jo Watson and Derek James Watson of Woodland. ***** Jay den Thomas Bush, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on March 22, 2022 to Ashley Bush and Michael Bush of Hastings. ***** Darlene Hope Lynn Fisher, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on March 23, 2022 to Leighanne Fisher and Dylan Fisher of Nashville. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — Page 3 Banner digitizing project underway Library creates fundfor other preservation projects For many years, the Hastings Public Library has collected local history resources covering all of Barry County and makes the resources available to the general public. Among the most frequently requested are back issues of The Hastings Banner newspa­ per. Dating back to 1856, the paper is avail­ able in multiple forms, including microfilm, as PDF files on CDs, and as hardcopy papers. Needless to say, finding information in back issues can be challenging, especially on microfilm, which can be a slow and laborious research process. Recognizing the importance of easier access to past editions of The Banner, at the end of 2021 Hastings Public Library sought public assistance to fund a digitization proj­ ect. The goals were simple: Digitize all cop­ ies of the paper, save them in searchable PDF files, and ultimately make them available online for easy access. Public support was immediate and signifi­ cant - more than $18,000 was raised to sup­ port digitization. Then a single donor came forward and offered to underwrite the entire project, estimated at $14,400. So, the $18,000 will be used for additional digitizing and preservation work. Library Director Peggy Hemerling was overwhelmed with the generosity of library patrons and supporters. “I’m very grateful so many people are will­ ing to support the library in our efforts to preserve Barry County history, she said. After the library board considered multiple quotes, Smith Imaging Solutions of Rockford was chosen to complete the digitization proj­ ect. All copies of The Banner held by the library were given to Smith Imaging Solu­ tions March 14. Digitization is expected to take approximately four months. Until the original materials are returned, no back issues of The Banner prior to January 2022 are available at the library. Some older copies 1981 to present - are available at J-Ad Graphics, 1351 N. M-43 Highway. The original materials will be archived and preserved once returned to the library. PDF files will then be made available to the public to be accessed online from anywhere. Fred Jacobs, owner of J-Ad Graphics and publisher of The Banner, said he is excited to see back issues of the newspaper being fully digitized and is giving the library permission to publish PDFs of the paper online for the public to access. “It’s not only important to gather the information each wegk, but to make. for generations to come as people The witness list for the homicide/torture trial of Andrew Lafey, 22, of Nashville, includes the names of 150 people. Barry County court officials expect jury selection, planned to start Monday, will involve 120 prospective jurors. Lafey is charged with homicide and tor­ ture in the death of Gracyn-Michael Kay-Candace Brickley, 18, of Ionia. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt said Brickley was tortured while she was being killed. She was shot twice with a.22 rifle, in the chest and abdomen, behind a house on Guy Road in Maple Grove Township on Feb. 16, 2021. On the court calendar, the trial is sched­ uled through Friday, April 22. A major piece of evidence in the case is a video that Lafey told Barry County Detec­ tive Sgt. Janette Maki that he recorded on his phone. During her testimony in pre-trial hear­ ings, Maki said it showed Lafey kicking and taunting Brickley as she died. Several people who were at the Guy Road house on the night Lafey is alleged to have shot and killed Brickley, testified that Lafey showed them the video. It became a contentious issue between the prosecution and defense during the pre-trial proceedings. Lafey’s attorneys argued against it being shown on the grounds that it was “too prejudicial for a jury to review.” Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt agreed the video is disturbing, but told Judge Michael Schipper that two of the main charges brought against Lafey, open murder and torture, were based on that video. In February, the judge ruled that it can be shown to jurors. While current copies of The Banner have been available to Hastings Public Library patrons, old copies dating back to 1856, have only been accessible on microfilm. Now, through community donations, the microfilm reels will be digitized and eventually made available online. (Photo provided) information on a number of different circum­ stances. By digitizing our papers, the library will maintain the historic files forever.” After receiving so much more money than expected, library staff immediately began look­ ing at what other materials needed attention. “We are identifying more items to digitize, especially other local newspapers such as The Nashville News and The Hastings Herald •ofilm today,” „Assis-_ Iman said.„ Jacobs said. “If s a regular- occurrence that ; the ■microfilm as possible as well as other people come to our front counter looking for important paper documents for history and genealogy research. With so much Work still to be accom­ plished to preserve local history and make it more accessible, the library has established a permanent donation category to support its efforts. Donations to the Local History Pres­ ervation Project can be made at any time to support digitization and preservation, equip­ ment and supplies, material acquisition and maintenance of the Michigan Room at the library. Donations may be made online at TlaStirigsPublicLibrSf^rg, by r/rail a check, or visiting the library in person, 227 E. State St., Hastings. Wyoming man’s body, car found in Thornapple Township Greg Chandler Staff Writer The body of a 66-year-old Wyoming man who had been missing since December of last year was found Sunday in a rural area of Thomapple Township. The body of Darriol Stephens was found near the intersection of Finkbeiner Road and Ravine Drive, said Capt. Tim Pols of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety. Stephens had been reported missing by his family on Dec. 13, 2021, Pols said. Middleville physician Dr. Chris Noah found Stephens’ body in a creek bed near his house while he was out for a walk shortly Larry Dean Picklesimer, 56, Nashville, was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine/Ecstacy May 19, 2021, in Nash­ ville. He was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to serve 43 days in jail, with cred­ it for 43 days served. He was ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs, placed on probation for 24 months, and required to participate and successfully complete the Office of Community Corrections program, includ­ ing cognitive, relapse prevention, and drug testing programs. He must pay a monthly $30 supervision fee or $60 a month for electronic monitoring. Court records show prior convictions for possession of metham­ phetamine and use of narcotic/cocaine on or about May 11, 2011. Joy Lynne Erskine, 47, Delton, was found guilty of three counts of third-degree child abuse - physically harming three chil­ dren by repeatedly striking them with plas­ tic pan handles and similar items on their hands, buttocks, thighs or backs, digging her fingernail under their tongues or into their noses, and forcefully pinching their thighs and legs with her fingernails - from Nov. 9, 2015, to Sept. 23, 2021, in Barry Township. She was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve three concurrent sentenc­ es of 16 to 24 months in state prison, with credit for 44 days served. She also was ordered to pay $1,194 in fines and costs. Jury selection starts Monday in murder case after noon Sunday. “We collect boulders for around our house. This time is the only time of the year you can get back there,” Noah said in a phone inter­ view Tuesday. Noah called 911 to inform dispatchers of his discovery and, within 15 minutes, investi­ gators were at the scene. The Barry County Sheriff’s Department worked with Wyoming investigators to iden­ tify the remains. An expanded area search led to the location of a car about 300 yards from where Stephens’ body was found. The license plate and vehicle description matched that of the vehicle described in the missing persons Two other charges of three-degree child abuse were dismissed at the time of sen­ tencing. Jennifer Louise Hamel, 31, Woodland, pleaded no contest to larceny in a building, stealing coins and/or jewelry from a dwell­ ing Sept. 11, 2018, in Woodland Township. She was found guilty by Judge Schipper and sentenced to serve 16 days in jail, with credit for 16 days served. Hamel was ordered to pay $2,345 and, at a probation violation hearing Nov. 9, 2021, her proba­ tion 7411 status was revoked. Two other larceny charges were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Glenn Lawrence Tobias, 59, Delton, was found guilty of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and aggravated domestic violence Oct. 10, 2021, in Orangeville Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve two concurrent sentences of 90 days in jail on each count, with credit for one day served, and ordered to pay $1,108 in fines and costs. Tobias was placed on the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM) for six months following his release and probation for 24 months. Charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two other counts of aggravated domestic violence were dismissed at the time of sentencing. bulletin, Barry County Detective Jeremiah Kimbel said in a news release. “There were no obvious indications of foul play or self-harm, and it is believe that Mr. Stephens may have suffered a medical event prior to his death,” Pols said in a news release. An autopsy has been conducted by the Western Michigan University School of Med­ icine Pathology, and the results are pending, Pols said. Assisting agencies at the scene were Barry County Central Dispatch, Thomapple Town­ ship Emergency Services and Mercy Ambu­ lance. Juan Pedro Aguilar-Lopez, 25, of Mid­ dleville, was found guilty of assaulting another man with a glass bottle Jan. 1 in Middleville. He was sentenced by Judge Vicky Alspaugh to serve 60 days in jail, with credit for 60 days served, and ordered to pay $589 in fines and costs with restitu­ tion to be paid to the victim. Two other charges of felonious assault and domestic violence were dismissed at the time of sen­ tencing. Tyler Thad Roscoe, 28, of Hastings, was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine/Ecstacy April 30, 2020, in Hastings Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 60 days in jail, with cred­ it for 60 days served, ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 24 months. Roscoe must comply with drug testing, participate in and successfully com­ plete cognitive and relapse-prevention pro­ grams, and pay $30 a month for supervision or $60 a month for electronic monitoring. Court records show prior convictions for possession of marijuana Feb. 18, 2014. Jacob Daniel Nesbitt, 39, of Hastings, was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine/Ecstacy Sept. 17, 2021, in Hast­ ings. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve two days in jail, with credit for two days served, ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 36 months. He must participate in and success­ fully complete cognitive, relapse preven­ tion and Adult Drug Court programs, and pay the $40 monthly ADC program fee. Court records show two prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine Nov. 29, 2017, and Feb. 8, 2018. Family members of Gracyn Brickley were in court March 30 for the final pre-trial hearing in the Andrew Lafey case. (Photo by Scott Harmsen.) MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured -NOTICETo Members of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, Hastings, Michigan: Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company will be conducted on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, beginning at 9:00 a.m., at Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, 404 E. Woodlawn Ave, Hastings, MI The annual meeting agenda includes a ballot for the election of the following Directors: Renee R. Beauford, Douglas J. Finn, Kellie M. Haines and Norice A. Thorlund Rasmussen. For more information contact Michael W. Puemer, Secretary, 269/948-1532. ' THE HOTTEST STARS KENNY LOGGINS AT THE MOVIES TOUR THURSDAY, APRIL 21 PATTI LABELLE FRIDAY, MAY 20 DIERKS BENTLEY THURSDAY, JULY 7 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR V/STFoN- F ’AB S^OE ™S I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. New Collections from Moda® and Maywood® 108” Cotton - many colors Beautiful Prints for Quilters Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim Linus Project Pickup Station Pray For Our World 'T? QUESTIONS: ASK US- 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; sssesta Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station �Page 4 — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Barry County Friend of the Court moving Monday Buy electric - and save? Next Monday, Barry County Friend of the Court offices will begin a much-anticipated move from the old City Hall building at 102 S. Broadway to the first floor of the Courts and Law building in Hastings. The new space, with an open floor plan designed for teamwork, will be a major improvement for their staff, Court Administrator Ines Straube said. Here, Straube checks out the office receptionist setup. Because of the move, the Friend of the Court office will be closed to the public Monday. Normal busi­ ness operations will resume from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at the new office in Suite 101 of the Courts and Law Building, 206 W. Court. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce.) Do you remember? Milder breakup Banner April 7, 1971 Spring breakup - Hastings Director of Public Services Michael Klovanich reported Monday that the breakup of streets from the past winter’s snows and ice was less than usual, and we probably have not noticed the prob­ lem because the municipal crews have kept up with the patching requirements pretty well. The crews went out every time they got a break in the weather, Klovanich said. Here, Arthur Stauffer, 902 S. Hanover, (fore­ ground) and Bob Barnes, 1722 S. Jefferson, repair the damage at Green and Church. Have you met? When Teresa Heide opens a file cabinet, she pulls out a bag of candy, puts it off to the side and then pulls out a stack of bulg­ ing folders. . She happily keeps the candy for students who visit her office as the principal at Hast­ ings High School. She reluctantly keeps the folders that are bursting at the seams with contact tracing papers. She flashes the folders for a moment and quickly puts them back in the file cabinet. “It gives me hives thinking about it,” she said. In the midst of COVID-19, Heide has doubled as a principal and contact tracer the tedious, meticulous and almost impossi­ ble task of finding everyone who interacted with a person who tested positive. Last year, she found herself staying at the school until 8 or 9 p.m. This year, she has lowered it to 6 or 7 p.m., but, with cases spiking during the winter, forcing students and teachers out of school, it has been even harder, she said. When a COVID-19 case breaks, Heide has to drop everything she’s doing and immediately contact trace. “You still have the same school stuff that you had, it’s just COVID put that other layer on top,” she said. With more than 30 years of teaching, Heide, 57, could retire today. And how couldn’t she think about retiring after such an exhausting stretch riddled with so many interruptions and paperwork? But she won’t retire right now. Despite the struggles of the pandemic, Heide still bubbles with excitement over helping kids. She has dedicated her entire life to teach­ ing and, specifically, teaching in Hastings. Quite literally, she has never worked in a different field and, outside of her first two years at with Maple Valley Schools, she has never worked outside of the Hastings Area School System. During her 30 years as an educator, she has worked at every level in the district. After leaving Maple Valley, she spent 22 years at Hastings Middle School, nearly all of it a math teacher. Then she spent the next decade in administration: Two years as the assistant principal at the middle school, three as the principal at Southeastern Ele­ mentary and the past five at the high school. She doesn’t see much difference in the various levels. “Kids are kids are kids,” she said. Take high schoolers, for example. “Even though they’ve got the facial hair and the grown-up attitude, they are so little inside,” she said. “They still need you real­ ly, really badly. And they need you in a different way. So that’s what I love - being here for them.” When asked if she ever thought about leaving education, she replied instantly. “No. Gosh, no,” she said. “No, I love it. No. No.” The child of Sharon and Tom Maurer, Heide knew she wanted to go into educa­ tion or medicine. It started with Tom, a longtime math teacher at Hastings High School. “My dad always just spoke so highly of the influence educators can have on kids,” she said. “I like the word influence over power. That’s what I try to get across our teachers here, is the influence that we have, that we can just grab a hold of young minds and guide them, teach them, grow them and get them ready for that next part.” “Plus, I always looked up to my dad. So, I thought, ‘Well, if he’s doing it, I can do it.’” She came from a bigger family, too, and Heide was smack dab in the middle of seven kids. As the oldest daughter, she took on the role of looking after her younger siblings. They still affectionately call her a “mother hen.” “I always was teaching them, reading and asking questions and making up math problems,” she said. “... I’d hold them to doing stuff, and [later, education] just seemed like a natural fit.” Fiver of her siblings were boys. And everything the boys did, she did too. In the Maurer family, that meant lots of sports. They’d shoot hoops, pitch baseballs and play mush - a football game, where they would run with the football until the person was “smeared with people tackling” them. At Hastings High School, Heide was all­ league in softball, but basketball has always been her main sport. As a college student at Michigan State University, she would carry a basketball under her arm in search of pick-up games. “If there was a game going on, I’m going to go and I might miss my class,” she said with a chuckle. Even after graduating from Michigan State, basketball has been an integral part of her life. She went to Maple Valley, where she dated another teacher named Eric Heide, a former basketball standout at Lakewood, whom she would later marry. Their date nights were spent playing bas­ ketball at the Roll-A-Rama in Hastings. Still, she never lost sight of becoming an educator. “I would be getting my ankles taped before practice, sitting on the table with my ankles getting taped, doing math,” she said. Their three kids, Grant, Luke and Eliza­ beth, were involved with basketball, too. Heide calls them a “basketball family.” She was their middle school coach and during their high school practices, she would get a treadmill at the Community Education and Recreation Center, turn it around and watch practice from the balco­ ny. On the weekends, !She would rebound for them or put them through cone drills. “Gym rats,” she said. “We just live in the gym. ... We were up there all the time. We were doing basketball seven days a week.” All three kids turned out to be standout basketball players at Hastings High School. Grant and Luke even played some college basketball and Elizabeth was the top threepoint shooter in the state one year. Teresa Heide doesn’t have any more kids to train, but she still likes to joke with stu­ dents that she can beat them one-on-one. “Ms. Heide, I’ll crush you,” they tell it her. “Watch it, you might not,” she warns them. Heide doesn’t play much basketball any­ more. She lives near the Thomapple River with Eric, where they like to spend time outdoors, kayaking, hiking at Yankee Springs and biking. And, of course, she still has an entire school to be a principal of. “Look at all my folders,” she said point­ ing at her desk. “I’ve got all these plates in the air that are spinning and I’m keeping them all going. I have a lot of energy in that way.” With 30 years in the Hastings Area School System, Teresa Heide is this week’s Bright Light: Moments that changed my life: Meet­ ing the love of my life, Eric, and becoming a mother. What the world needs now: Empathy. Favorite childhood memory: The many Maurer family reunions where I learned to become friends with over 45 first cousins. If only I could: Play the piano and sing! Favorite dinner: My mom’s scalloped potatoes and ham. Person I would most like to have met: Mother Teresa, a person of love, hope, for­ giveness and grace. What motivates me: Being present for the people in my life: my ‘school kids,’ my husband, three adult children and their sig­ nificant others, my parents, siblings, but most importantly, my grandchildren, Loralye, Declan, and Keenan. The greatest president: Franklin Dela­ no Roosevelt because he had the vision and leadership to bring the nation out of the Great Depression. If I could have one superpower: I would wipe out poverty. Important lesson from childhood: Nothing’s free... you have to work hard for the things you want in life! Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. Maybe it’s human nature or maybe we should just call it American tradition, but finally embracing the Green Revolution and saving the planet is going to cost us a lot more money, frustration and confronta­ tion because we waited so long to address the issues. Take electric vehicles, for instance - the Biden Administration’s latest declaration of independence from reliance on carbon fuels. Have you noticed how many auto advertisements on television lately have been for EVs? Most car dealers don’t even have any EVs on their sales floors and have no idea when these vehicles will be available. The current pedal-to-the-floor push for EVs is a perfect example of the cost Amer­ ica - and the world - is paying for waiting to address global challenges until late in the game. Now, we finally face up to the pollution problems caused by gaso­ line-powered vehicles when our resources are under grave threat. Inflation is out of control, gasoline prices are surging, and a world confronting a brutal war is pushing costs higher and supplies lower. U.S. Transportation Secretary Peter Buttigieg became the latest politician to show his tone-deafness when he recently said “more Americans should buy electric vehicles so they would never have to worry about gas prices again.” What Buttigieg and his out-of-gas col­ leagues don’t realize is that there are few EVs available and their average price is $55,676. Compare that to the average price of a new compact car at $25,240, less than half the price of an electric car. Even if Uncle Sam offers a tax credit for an EV, it still leaves buyers paying a huge difference in price. Plus, AAA estimates EVs will cost an average of $600 more per year to maintain over gas-powered cars - even given the advantage of no fuel needed. Then add in the higher cost of insurance. A research study conducted by Comparethemarket. com found that some electric cars can cost as much as 45 percent more to insure because of the added maintenance costs of special parts and the service required for them. And who’s going to fix EVs? Most local service providers don’t have the spe­ cialized equipment and trained personnel to even work on EVs. Even the dealer­ ships themselves aren’t ready to work on EVs. I talked to a Ford dealer recently and he said he still doesn’t have any of the equipment and the charging stations nec­ essary to deal with EVs and he doesn’t have any idea when he will get the equip­ ment from Ford. In our conversation, he acknowledged there are some advantages to EVs, but he has concerns about such things as: The average EV gets 250 to 400 miles per charge, and it takes approxi­ mately eight hours to fully charge the batteries. Finding a charging station can be tough, too, he pointed out, and with increasing electrical rates, the savings will be reduced. On the positive side, it’s laudable that real efforts are being made to address the climate crisis and it will be satisfying to know that, as car users, we may someday be able to reduce our environmental impact. The difficulty for me now is that we’ve not yet built the needed infrastruc­ ture to support EV transportation and, in aggressively addressing the challenge, we may be doing more unintended harm to our increasingly fragile climate. EV car batteries must constantly be recharged and it takes power to recharge them. If the Green Revolution stays true to its ideals, that power would ideally come from solar, wind or nuclear generation. Until America has that power grid built, though, we will continue to draw our power from the burning of fossil fuels, primarily coal. As EVs become more pop­ ular, will we not be defeating our purpose by releasing even more carbon dioxide into the air from the burning of fossil fuels? Fortunately, fully electric vehicles - as opposed to hybrid vehicles which use both gasoline and battery power - represent less than 3 percent of overall new vehicle sales currently. A 2020 survey from Consumer Reports shows some interest in EVs, espe­ cially with younger buyers. The survey shows also, though, that automakers including Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Volvo have promised to build more EVs, but none have set any firm numbers. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, the elec­ tric-vehicle expert, maintains the adminis­ tration in the meantime should be con­ cerned with the economy and should return to the position of making the country energy independent as it was under the previous administration. “Tesla produced more than 300,000 electric vehicles in a recent quarter where GM produced 26.” says Musk. So, the industiy has a long way to go before Americans move en masse to EVs due to the high cost and lack of information and the hard data needed to substantiate the investment. But the Biden Administration stays laser-focused on pushing electric vehicles to the point it has issued strong regulations aimed at automakers, including an execu­ tive order that would set a target for 50 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2030 to be electric. Financial expert Larry Fink, CEO of money-management firm BlackRock, is another of those who cautions that the overnight transition to a green economy including this immediate embrace of EVs - will trigger more inflation even above the pace we’re seeing now. “It’s a massive tax on the working class who has to pay more to travel to work and eat given the costs associated with energy consumption,” Fink said. “Rising oil prices is the last thing we need right now.” Americans in large numbers accept the fact that we need to continue to focus on the environment, but the Green Revolution must be an evolution that will take time. Last week, the Biden Administration announced plans to release 1 million bar­ rels of oil each day for the next six months from the U.S. Petroleum Reserve in an effort to reduce gas prices. Yet experts warn that declining crude oil prices does not mean gasoline prices also will be lower. “Gas prices impact almost everything in our economy,” says Nancy Hubbard, dean of the College of Business and the Univer­ sity of Lynchburg. “It’s not just gas. Gas prices impact almost everything in our economy - it’s not just us going to the pump and filling up. It’s moving goods from one place to another.” The surge in prices has helped push inflation to its highest point in decades and most experts see little or no relief. I received a vision of the future last week when the driver of the truck delivering paper to our plant told me about his last visit to the gas depot. The driver filled his tank at a cost more than $1,000, some­ thing that’s never happened in his truck-driving career. That, I know, is going to translate into, a higher ..price for the. paper we buy. And it’s happening with every commodity that’s delivered to the stores from which we buy. The “Green Revolution” is a wise pur­ suit. Right now, though, we need to get inflation under control, and that will only happen through an immediate transition to energy independence for the good of our people and our place in the world market. The Hastings BeUHlCl" Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — Page 5 / | fl look DaGk at the stories and columns on local history y In the Hastings Banner // TURNING / BACK THE L PAGES O The confusion and misunderstanding of the two Calvin Hill families of Barry County Partii In March 1966, Harold L. Burpee shared the results of his research on Calvin Hill, who many thought had lived in both Middleville and Yankee Springs Township. Burpee learned that an uncle and nephew were both named Calvin Hill. Since one is thought to be the first resident of Middleville (Calvin G.) and the other builder of one of the first frame houses in Barry County (Calvin S.), Burpee sought to set the record straight. The following was published in the Feb. 17, 1966, Banner. Some information has been added to his work; those details are provided in brackets. Among his efforts to gather information on the Hill family, Burpee visited Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville to take notes: H.L. Burpee Among the Hill family markers is a headstone with this inscription: Mary Jane Wife of Miner Mead . Died July 3, 1864 Aged 23 yrs. 4 mo. 25 D’s This Mary Jane, I would say, was Albert Hill’s daughter, Mary Hill, age 10 in the 1850 U.S. Census. When I was registering the Civil War veter­ ans of Barry County for the Michigan Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, the town clerk sent me a list of the Civil War vet­ erans buried in the Barryville Cemetery. Among the names was a Miner Mead. I am sure this would have been Mary Jane’s hus­ band? Whether he had married again, I do not know. I have never visited his grave. [Mr. Mead (1842-1910) did remarry, a Quebec-bom woman by the name of Hortense (1849-1919).] In Mr. [Claire] Watson’s “Biography of Calvin Hill,” he speaks of the Misses Delia and Harriet Hill, daughters of Squire Hill. Mr. Watson also states: “In the early fifties, Charles V. Patrick built a village tavern [in Middleville], a framed building on the site Harold Burpee (1899-1979) holds up a certificate given to him by the Civil War Centennial Graves Registration Committee for completing a survey of Barry County cemeteries for the Civil War committee. The information he gath­ ered at the county’s nearly 50 cemeter­ ies also would benefit him while writing his “Fresh Out of the Attic” column for the Banner. This photo was published in the Oct. 7, 1965, Banner. where the present hotel now stands.” He never mentioned Calvin’s daughter, 'Ann Sabina. [Records show name variations including Ann, Sabina and Sabrina.] I got the information from a descendant of Charles V. Patrick that Charles V. married Ann Sabina Hill, and the inscription on the small marker in the Hill lot in Middleville cemetery, I would say, proves it: Charles Son of C. V. and Ann Patrick Died Aug. 11, 1842 In another paragraph, Mr. Watson states: “Philip Leonard, proprietor for some few years of Leonard Hotel on the west side, took for a wife Miss Delia Hill, daughter of Squire Hill, and whenever occasions of an important nature brought a bevy of guests to Landlord Leonard’s house of entertainment, then the unmarried daughters of Squire Hill were called upon to help their sister Delia with the culinary work, as well as acting in other capacities as waiters at table, and the thou­ sand and one things which needed doing at these times.” I had quite a time figuring out who Calvin’s daughter Harriet married. The first inkling I got of who she possibly married was from a letter in a tin box Bob Weaver let me take. This box was filled with old legal papers, let­ ters, etc. One letter spoke of Harriet and George Hoffman. Then in the 1860 census of Thomapple Township, it lists George Hoff­ man, age 31, farming and milling, and Harri­ et, age 27. There also was a Mary Jane Hill, age 20, school teacher. Mr. Watson has spo­ ken of her as a teacher, too. Who she was or where she came from is beyond my compre­ hension so far. Mr. Watson stated in his third paragraph that: “The first settlement made in the village of what is now Middleville was a log house built up on a hill on the west side of town and about up on the spot now occupied by the residence of Dr. Birge C. Swift. This was built in the year 1835. Soon after this was complet­ ed, Calvin G. Hill brought out his family, which consisted of his wife and two sons and three daughters, who were soon at home amid the wild but natural scenic beauties of the place. [Two sons, an infant bom in 1913, and Harvey (1822-1831) died before the family moved to Michigan]. Calvin’s brother Elias Hill and family came to this place with them and located here. Elias located west of Middleville and lying on the south side of the road - some land as good as any to be found in the county - owning lands now taken by the Van Every and Finkbeiner farms, west of Middleville.” [Likely the Van Allen and Finkbeiner farmland, part of which is now occupied by Thomapple Kellogg school buildings.] The three daughters, as I have stated, were Ann, Delia and Harriet. The boys were Albert and Alpheus. Albert and his family are undoubtedly buried in Middleville, although I have never seen their lot. Albert invented a mammoth plow for breaking up new land, and it was pulled by several ox teams. He went all over the country doing custom work with this plow. The record says here that “upwards of a dozen ox teams were used to pull this mam­ moth plow.” As stated before, Alpheus and his wife and “Our Little Frank, son of A.M. and F.M. Hill,” are buried on the lot with his folks. Now let me end up with the history of Squire Hill’s family by giving you the articles that were in The Banner at the time of his death and again the death of his wife Char­ lotte (Castle) Hill. “Hastings Banner June 5, 1867 - Another pioneer gone. Weare.pained to announce the death of the venerable^Calvin Hill of Mid­ dleville in this county; at the ripe age of 81. Mr. Hill was among the first settlers of Barry County, coming here when all was a dense wilderness. It must have been very gratifying to his ripe years to see the rapid strides the home of his adoption had made during the years of his residence here. “Mr. Hill was one of our best citizens, a man in every sense of the word. He filled some of the most important offices in the county, and with great acceptance to the peo­ ple. In his own immediate neighborhood, he was esteemed highly as a good citizen, a man of strict integrity, a friend to all philanthropic objects, a businessman of quick perception, sound judgment, and scrupulously honest in all his dealings.” I might tell you right now that while I thought I had been confused before on the Calvin Hill story, I didn’t know what confu­ sion was yet. Miss Geneva Kebler, reference archivist at Lansing, when I wrote and asked for the cen­ sus records on the Hill family, included a letter with the records and wrote: “You will note that in 1850 there were three people by the name of Mary, two by the name of Delia, two Charlottes, and at least two Elizabeth Hills. No wonder you were confused.” To be continued ... This image, from a Banner collection of photos and drawings, was published with C.R. Watson’s biography on Calvin G. Hill July 23, 1914. CITY OF HASTINGS 178350 PUBLIC NOTICE NOMINATING PETITIONS AVAILABLE Notice is hereby given that nominating petitions are available at the Office of the City Clerk at Hastings City Hall for election to the following positions: Four (4) Members of the Hastings City Council, reg­ ular four (4) year terms, January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2026: one from each ward, First, Second, Third, and Fourth. One (1) Members of the Board of Review elected from the City at-large, regular four (4) year term, January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2026. Completed petitions must be filed with the City Clerk not later than 4:00 PM on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Any registered voter residing within the City of Hastings who is interested in running for one of these elected positions should contact Lori Parmenter, Deputy City Clerk, at 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan, or by calling 269.945.2468 between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Jane Saurman City Clerk NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will.conducts public hearing on April 25, 2022 ai 7:00 P1W ■ ’ ■ fi* • t 1 j in the Community Room of the Tyden Center, located at 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The subject of the public hearing will be the consideration of the following amendment to the Barry County Zoning Ordinance of 2008, as amended: MAP CHANGE A-1-2022 Request a zoning map for the Village of Woodland. (See attached MAPS.) Best Hill family resource was unrelated merchant Kathy Maurer Copy Editor Harold D. Burpee probably would have been thrilled, and maybe a bit overwhelmed, to learn the extent of genealogy and fami­ ly history information that today is literally at the fingertips of any­ one with a computer and internet connection. Those internet resources can reveal connections that, back in the day, may have been obvious to Burpee, but lost over time. Burpee mentioned that his most accurate source when looking into the story of the two often-confused men named Calvin Hill - was a biogra­ phy written by C.R. Watson. So, who was C.R. Watson? A search in familyhistory.org leads to “The James Watson Family of Orange County, New York and Barry County, Michigan,” which includes a reference to Michigan Heritage magazine, which going full circle, had proved to be a golden discovery for Burpee when he wrote his column in 1966. And the interconnectedness continues to be revealed. Michigan Heritage, published in Kalamazoo, was edited Dr. Ethel Williams, a Yankee Springs native. Watson also was bom in Yankee Springs Township, which was home to Calvin S. Hill. Addi­ tionally, Williams’ mother was the former Alice “Allie” Burpee, a cousin to Harold Burpee. Back to Watson: The “Mr. Wat­ son” referenced by Burpee was Claire Richard Watson (1882­ 1954), who was bom in Yankee Springs Township and grew up in Thomapple Township. After he and Anna Luethe (1882-1955) married in 1902, they operated the Irving General Store. By 1918, the Watsons were living in Augusta, where he was salesman, according to his World War I draft registration card. Their final move was to Battle Creek, where they operated a jewelry store for nearly 30 years. The 1900 U.S. Census of Thomapple Township showed him living with his parents (he was the eldest of nine children), age 18, and work­ ing as a teacher. According to the above-men­ tioned Watson family book, Claire Watson was a contributing writer to The Banner in the early 1900s. He later wrote the biography of Calvin Hill, which Burpee refer­ enced. That was published in The Banner July 23, 1914. A year ear­ lier, Watson had written a similar compilation on Albert E. Bull, founder of Irving Township, which was printed July 10, 1913. Although Watson appears to have been related to the family of Wil­ liam “Yankee Bill” Lewis, one of the county’s best-known pioneers, he apparently didn’t write a Lewis biography. The 372-page book on the James Watson family, compiled by Ricky Lee Watson and com­ pleted in 2010, was dedicated to two people: Capt. Robert Cald­ well Watson of Eugene, Ore., who died while serving in the Philip­ pines during World War II; and to Claire Watson. Of the latter, Ricky Lee Watson said: “Claire Richard Watson wrote many short stories during the late 1940s and early 1950s about our ancestors, and he wrote about the early history of Barry County, Michigan. However, Claire never published his stories. Lyle Donald Holcomb Jr., Claire’s nephew, did a wonderful job of editing, orga­ nizing and presenting Claire’s short stories in ‘The Watson Fam­ ily of Barry County, Michigan,’ Michigan Heritage publication, 1966, pages 17-126.” The younger Watson also referred to Claire Watson as a “writer and historian,” adding that the Bull and Hill biographies were read to members of the Barry County Pioneer Society at their annual meetings in 1913 and 1914. So, even though Claire Watson had researched and written the biography decades before, the foremost resource on Calvin Hill ended up being a jeweler from Battle Creek. Celebration of Life for Linden J. Walton Oct. 9,1944 - March 8, 2022 For those wishing ' to pay their respects, graveside services will be pH held on JI. at the Freeport Cemetery Claire and Anna Watson operated the Irving General Store from 1904 to 1917. During that time, Claire also wrote items for The Banner, including a short biography on the local Hill fami­ lies. The Watsons later operated a jewelry store in Battle Creek for about 30 years. (Photo from “The James Watson Family of Orange County, New York and Barry County, Michigan,” by Ricky Lee Watson, 2010.) There will be a luncheon at the Freeport Community Bldg, immediately after These maps are portions of the Official Zoning Map of Woodland Township in Barry County, Michigan. All of the above shown properties are located in Barry County, Michigan. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon the proposed amendment, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to Barry County Planning & Zoning, 220 West State Street, Hastings Michigan 49058, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@barrycounty.org. The proposed amendment of the Barry County Zoning Ordinance is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning & Zoning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 during the business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday (excluding holidays). Please call the Barry County Planning & Zoning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing- impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284, mbrown@barrycounty.org. This notice is given pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act (Public Act 267 of 1976, as amended). Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 178143 �Page 6 — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Cleo Anthony Jacobs Beverly J. Emswiler, age 76 of Battle Creek, passed away on April 3, 2022. Beverly was bom on October 11, 1945 the daughter of Homer and Arabelle (Bivens) Erway. She married Jerry Emswiler on August 21, 1965 at Bedford Bible Church. Beverly was a faithful member of Cedar Creek Bible Church and served in Olympians and Gophers for many years. She was proud to run an in-home daycare service for over thirty years. Beverly enjoyed camping and gardening in her free time. She will be remembered as a loving mother and wonderful grandma. She loved the Lord and had a heart for others. Beverly is survived by her children, Brad­ ley (Trisha) Emswiler, Debra (Kevin) Swan­ son, Pamela (Jeremy) Strouse; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Allison, Caleb, Nathan, Nicole, Joshua, Carissa, Amelia; brothers, Parker (Chris) Erway, Chuck Erway; several nieces and nephews. Beverly was preceded in death by her par­ ents; husband, Jerry Emswiler on April 14, 2004; sisters, Nancy Smith, Barbara Root; sister-in-law, Linda Erway. Family and friends will be received on Saturday, April 9, 2022 with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. at Cedar Creek Bible Church followed by her funeral service at 11 a.m.. Officiating will be Pastors Bob Norton and Ethan Holmes. Private burial will take place at Union Cemetery. Memorial contributions to Cedar Creek Bible Church will be appreciated in lieu of flowers. Please visit www.williamsgores'funeral-.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Beverly’s family. Cleo “Jake” Anthony Jacobs was bom on January 6, 1921 in Hastings, MI and passed away on April 2, 2022, in Hastings, at age 101. Jake was a lifetime resident in the Hast­ ings area. He attended St. Rose school for 10 years and graduated from Hastings High School in 1940. He was a member of St. Rose of Lima Parish all his life. Jake enlist­ ed in the Navy in 1942. His time was spent in the south Pacific, and he carried the rank of Boatswain Mate First Class. Time spent was 39 months active service. He was employed at the EW Bliss Company in the A memorial service for Laura C. Berry will be held at the Country Chapel Method­ ist Church in Dowling, MI on Thursday, April 21, 2022. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. and funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Following the memorial service, there will be procession to the Dowling Cemetery for a brief graveside service. A luncheon will be provided at the Church after the graveside service. Contributions can be made in Laura’s memory to Eaton Community Palliative Care, 267 South Cochran, Charlotte, MI 48813. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhashngs Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 They were sent a huge amount of garden hoses instead. There was one big sale with special price on hoses the next week. The Rev. Marilyn Danielson led the service, which included remembrances from family members. He was remembered for his activ­ ity in the local veterans’ groups, first the American Legion and in later years the VFW. The Anway/Ackerson house on Johnson Street which was advertised for sale as soon as the interior was finished, had the sign only a few days until a “sold” sign was added. Now the entire sign is gone and the house is obviously occupied. Driving on gravel roads is a bit hazardous lately with big holes in the roads. There is no need for speed-limit signs. One travels at his own risk. Newspaper publicity for Ionia County indicates that several thousand dol­ lars will soon be spent on some of the gravel roads in the west half of this township. COA hosting fiddlers jamboree Saturday The Michigan Fiddlers Association will return to the Barry County Commission on Aging Saturday, April 9, for a day of music and dancing. The event is open to musicians and those who simply want to hear the music, which will be played by people from across Barry County and southern Michigan. Fiddlers will be playing from 1 to 5 p.m. Open mic will be from 4 to 5 p.m. Plenty of music and dancing are planned, including fiddles, guitars, mandolins, dulcimers, bass fiddles, piano and more. Admission to the jamboree is free of charge, but freewill offerings are appreciated. Proceeds at the door will be split between the MFA and the COA. The Commission on Aging is at 320 W. Woodlawn Ave., Hastings. More information is available by calling Bob Warner, 616-374-8205. Hastings alumni group accepting nominations The Hastings High School Alumni Associ­ ation Board is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. The award will be presented at the Aug. 27 banquet. Any classmate, friend, family mem­ ber or community member may submit a nomination. Nominations must be typed and must con­ tain biographical information and reasons why the individual is being nominated. Rea­ sons may include accomplishments, voca­ tional honors and awards received, communi­ ty service, organization memberships or any other helpful information. The nominee can be residing anywhere, not necessarily in w ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. Elaine Garlock The snowbirds are slowly returning. So far we have neighbors who spent a few months in Florida, Texas and Arizona. We welcome them home. It is nicer to see lights in their windows at night than to see dark homes. Last week’s column had an error. The Red Cross bloodmobile is to be here Monday, April 11, with hours noon to 5:45 p.m. The funeral for Frances (Goodemoot) Morris was held at Central UM Church March 30 with a full house. Burial was at Lakeside Cemetery with family only. A lunch was served in the Fellowship Hall of the church following the service in the sanctuary. Six grandsons were pallbearers. First Congregational Church was the set­ ting for the memorial service for Robert Shoemaker, retired business owner. He and his father had served the community many years with their auto parts business. Remem­ ber the time they had ordered radiator hoses. Laura C. Berry Worship Together HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.corn. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. shipping office, then the Viking Corporation where he retired after 38 years. He married Doris Ramsey in 1972. Jake was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the American Legion Post #0045, a lifetime member of EOE Elks #1965 lodge, a lifetime member of VFW of Charlotte, Michigan, and 4 States LST Association. He was an avid sportsman with golf and hunting first on the list. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Anna Jacobs; son, Michael Jacobs, and three brothers, Dick, Bob, and Harold Jacobs. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Doris; children, Julaine Eddy of Grand Ledge; stepchildren, Gary McVey of Char­ lotte, Deborah Kruger of Charlotte, Virginia Wager of Hastings; many grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Memorial Contributions in memory of Jake can be made to St. Rose of Lima Catho­ lic Church, 805 South Jefferson Avenue, Hastings, MI 49058. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. Interment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery - military honors provided by the American Legion Post #45 of Hastings. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.com. «|KWW at SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING March 9, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to postpone adoption of Ordinance 2022­ 179 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion Passes Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-180 for the first reading.Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-181 for the first reading Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept Algonquin Lake Fireworks Hold Harmless Agreement and Permit Voice Vote - All ayes, Motion passes Motion to accept Algonquin Lake Weed Control Program Petition Voice Vote - All ayes, motion passes Adjournment 9:12 pm NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of Edmond Hyatt, Trust dated October 23, 2017. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Edmond Hyatt, born Feb. 3,1927, who lived at 6451 Assyria Rd., Nashville, Michigan died March 22,2022 leaving a certain trust under the name of Edmond Hyatt Family Trust, and dated October 23, 2017, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Cindy Blankenship and Larry Hyatt were named as the trustees serving at the time of or as a result of the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Larry Hyatt and Cindy Blankenship, the named trustees within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29110-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Lynn R. Johnson, Deceased. Date of birth: July 21,1944. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Lynn R. Johnson, Deceased, died October 12, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Sandra J. Johnson, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 178409 SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS read O tontribute advertise hIstingsBaNNER Date: March 29, 2022 Cindy Blankenship 183 N. M-37 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 616-745-4261 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Larry Hyatt 2891 Loehrs Landing Dr. Hastings, Ml 49058 178145 Date: 3/31/2022 Charles S. Olstein P76256 211 E. Water Street, Ste. 401, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 (269) 343-2106 Sandra J. Johnson 7685 Pine Lake Road, Delton, Michigan 49046 (269)623-2389 178220 Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 BotUuelWs&Bpdpiiieiit 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Hastings, but must be an alum of Hastings High School. The alumni board is open to considering previously submitted nominees as well as new nominees. It encourages anyone who has sub­ mitted a nomination in the past to resubmit one again with updated information for the board’s consideration. The cutoff date for the letters of nomination is July 15. All letters of nomination received by that date will be con­ sidered in selecting the alumnus of the year. The nomination letters should be mailed to Lois Bowers, 102 E. Clinton St., Hastings, MI 49058, by the deadline. Questions may be direct­ ed to Lois Bowers by calling 269-945-9657. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Dean Arnold Mesecar and Misty Mesecar, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: March 2, 2007 Recorded on March 6, 2007, in Document No. 1177187, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Two Hundred TwentyOne Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-Three and 70/100 Dollars ($221,963.70) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Beginning at a pint on the West line of Section 27, Town 4 North, Range 7 West, distant South 1445.00 feet from the Northwest corner of said section 27; thence East perpendicular with said West line, 600.00 feet, thence south parallel with said West line 265.00 feet; thence West 300.00 feet; thence south parallel with said West line 260 feet, more or less, to the south line of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27; thence West along said South line 300 feet to said West line of Section 27; thence North along said West line to the point of beginning subject to a private easement for Ingress, Egress and Public utilities over the South 66 feet of the West 300 feet of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27. Subject to an easement for public highway purposes for Woodland Road as recorded in Uber 142 on Page 31. Commonly known as 3704 Woodland Rd, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman PC. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1459523 (03-31 )(04-21) 178108 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — Page 7 LEGAL NOTICES STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY Case No. 21-682-CH Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING CONTRACT SENIOR/SUBORDINATE PASS­ THROUGH CERTIFICATE TRUST 2000-5, BY ITS SERVICER MEW REZ, LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING, Plaintiff, v. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS, OWNERS, HEIRS, DEVISEES OR ASSIGNEES OF RONALD HERMENITT; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN CLAIMANTS, OWNERS, HEIRS, DEVISEES OR ASSIGNEES OF RUBY HERMENITT; RYAN HERMENITT; RANDY HERMENITT; RONALD HERMENITT II and THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OFSTATE, Deendant. TROTT LAW, PC. By: Joshua Chomet (P81569) Attorneys for New Rez, LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing 31440 Northwestern Hwy Ste. 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334-5422 248.341.4634 ORDER FOR SERVICE BY PUBLICATION This matter having come before the Court on Plaintiff’s Ex Parte Motion for Service Pursuant to M.C.R. 2.201(D)(3) and M.C.R. 2.105(1); and the Court having reviewed the motion; and the Court finding that Plaintiff’s counsel demonstrated diligent efforts to ascertain the address and identity of Unknown Heirs, Devisees and Assigns of Ruby Hermenitt, deceased; and the Court being otherwise advised: IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the following be published in a newspaper within Barry County: To the Unknown Heirs, Devisees and Assigns of Ruby Hermenitt: 1. You are being sued in this Court by the Plaintiff in an action to quiet title for the mobile home which is affixed to the property commonly known as 11224 Ronald Ln., Delton, Ml 49046-7764 and formerly owned by Ruby Hermenitt deceased. 2. You must file your answer or take other action permitted by law in this Court at the Court’s address of 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml 49058or before the 28th day after publication of this order is completed. 3. If you fail to answer or take other action permitted by law in this Court on or before the 28th day after publication of this order is completed, a default judgment may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint filed in this case. 4. A copy of this order shall be published once a week in a newspaper that publishes within Barry County for three consecutive weeks, and proof of publication shall be filed with the Court. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no mailing of this Order is required. IT IS SO ORDERED. This is not a final order. Date: January 13, 2022 Vicky L. Alspaugh, Circuit Court Judge 1777704 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Sarah Porter, A Single Woman to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as nominee for Centennial Mortgage and Funding, Inc., Mortgagee, dated February 19, 2008, and recorded on February 26, 2008, as Document Number: 20080226-0001749, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submitted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-Seven and 12/100 ($110,557.12) including interest at the rate of 3.00000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, distant South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West, 1680.0 feet from the North 1/4 post of said section; Thence North 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds East 675.00 feet; Thence South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West 340.29 feet; Thence South 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds West 675.00 feet to said North and South 1/4 line; Thence North 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds East along said North and South 1/4 line 340.29 feet to the point of beginning. Subject to an easement over the West 33.00 feet for public highway purposes. Commonly known as: 14289 JONES RD, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335­ 9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00177-1 178407 (04-07)(04-28) •> " ■' Attention homeowner: if you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Carol Jean Risner, surviving spouse, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 4, 2006 and recorded October 18,2006 in Instrument Number 1171615, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee, on behalf of the holders of the J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust 2007HE1 Asset Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-HE1, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Seventy-Six Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Three and 50/100 Dollars ($76,763.50). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on MAY 5, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: PARCEL 1: LOT 39 OF LAPHAMS AIRPORT LOTS, BEING A PART OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR BARRY COUNTY. PARCEL 2: LOT 57 AND THE NORTH 14 FEET OF LOT 40 OF LAPHAM’S AIRPORT LOTS, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLATS THEREOF, BEING PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, AND PART OF THE WEST 1/2 OF THE SOUTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 8, TOWN 2 NORTH, RANGE 10 WEST, ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN. 5797 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Michigan 49344 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: March 17, 2022 File No. 22-001946 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (03-17)(04-07) 177346 ’........ ' .J ■ k/ Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Registration as Regan, Electronic Mortgage Inc., Systems, mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/ or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC Date of Mortgage: April 28, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 12, 2021 Amount claimed $172,171.74 due on date of notice: Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: LOT 4 IN AMMON EATON’S ADDITION, CITY OF HASTINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 2 OF PLATS, PAGE 15, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. Common street address (if any): 604 E Hubble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2507 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 31, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 ' 1459324 (03-31 )(04-21) (04-07)(04-28) 178406 -s M-’Se Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Collin FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Richard D Barnum and Betty J Barnum, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated March 11, 2008, and recorded on March 18, 2008, as Document Number: 20080318­ 0003081, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association by an Assignment of Mortgage dated February 28, 2022 and recorded March 07, 2022 by Document Number: 2022-002533, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Five Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four and 33/100 ($105,684.33) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Commencing at a point 42 rods South of the center of said Section 28, thence West 202 feet; thence South 100 feet thence East 202 feet; thence North to the place of beginning. Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan. Commonly known as: 14742 S KELLOG SCHOOL RD, HICKORY CRNRS, Ml 49060 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/ or 600.3241 a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00093-1 178015 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 21,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Mark Harden, a Married Man, whose address is 1262 N Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897, as original Mortgagor, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as a nominee for Success Mortgage Partners, Inc., being a mortgage dated December 28, 2016, and recorded on January 13, 2017 in Document No. 2017­ 000403, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated February 22, 2021 and recorded on February 25, 2021 in Document No. 2021-002335, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS AND 03/100 ($113,221.03). Said premises are situated in the Township of Castleton, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: The West 600.00 feet of the following: Beginning at a point on the North and South *1A2 3 line 4 of Section 4, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan, Distant South, 176.00 feet from the Northwest corner of the Southwest % of the Southeast % of said section 4; thence North 440.00 feet, more or less, along said North and South 1/4 line to a point distant south, 1056.04 feet from the center post of said section 4; thence East, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the East and west % line of said Section 4; thence South, 440.00 feet, more or less, along the East 1/8 line of said Section 4; thence West, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the South 1/8 line of said Section 4 to the place of beginning. Street Address: 1262 North Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 24, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 21 4343 (03-24)(04-14) 177795 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jim Lundin Financial Advisor Member SIPC Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Match your financial goals with the right strategies To achieve most goals in life, you need some type of strategy. And that’s certainly true for your financial goals. Since you likely have multiple financial goals, you may need to pursue several different strategies - but they all should follow a similar process. What does this process entail? Here are the basic steps: • Fully define each goal. Like most people, you probably have a goal of someday enjoying a comfortable retirement. But have you defined what “com­ fortable retirement” means to you? Do you plan to spend your retirement years traveling the world, or would you rather stay close to home to be with fami­ ly members? Would you like to pursue your hobbies? Open a small business? Think carefully about what this goal looks like. • Identify the costs. Once you’ve identified a retirement vision, you need to put a price tag on it. How much income will you require? You don’t have to identify a figure down to the penny, but you should be able to come up with a pretty good estimate. A surprising number of people never reach this point - more than three-fourths of pre-retirees haven’t calculated how much they’ll need once they retire, according to Four Pillars of the New Retirement, a study by Age Wave and Edward Jones. • Invest appropriately for each goal. Your investment strategy should reflect your risk tolerance and your goals. So, for example, when you’re working toward a long-term goal, such as retirement, you’re essentially in­ vesting for growth, which means you’ll accept the level of risk that always accompanies a growth strategy. But when you’re in­ vesting for a shorter-temi goal, such as taking an international vacation in a few years, you may be somewhat less concerned with maximum growth and more focused on making sure that a certain amount of money is available when you need it. Consequently, you might follow an investment strategy with a lower degree of risk. • Understand the potential trade-offs ofyourfinancial strat­ egy. Each of your goals may have its own investment strate­ gy, but you still need to look at your goals holistically. So, for instance, if you decide you need to ramp up your investing for your child’s education, will that affect your ability to put away the amounts you’ve designat­ ed for retirement? If so, do you have the flexibility to change your retirement plans somewhat, perhaps by working an extra 1458195 (03-24)(04-14) This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear.ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): William Fields, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: June 23, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 31,2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $180,607.51 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7 and 8, Block 8, Kenfield’s Second Addition, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37, Barry County Records Common street address (if any): 811 E Marshall St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2449 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 24, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 year or so? Of course, this might not be necessary, but it does il­ lustrate the potential impact one choice can have on another. • Track your progress. It’s important to track the progress of your investments and invest­ ment strategies, but you’ll want to be careful about using market indexes as benchmarks. Your portfolio was designed for your risk tolerance and goals, so com­ paring it to an equity index (like the S&P 500) isn’t all that rele­ vant, or helpful. Instead, measure your progress at least annually to determine if you’re on track to achieve the goals your strategy was designed to meet. When you review your progress, you may also want to determine if any changes in your family situ­ ation or your employment might affect your investment strategies. A financial professional can help you in this area. Achieving your financial goals takes time, effort and com­ mitment. But by following the most appropriate strategies for your situation, you’ve got a path that can help lead you to success. Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number: SP-3-2022 - Chris­ tian & Lynnette Wingeier (Property Owners) Location: 3299 Wing Road, Hastings, in Sec­ tion 22 of Irving Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit, for an accessory dwelling pursuant to Article 23, SectidtT'23O5 in the-RR-fRUral ing district. . TABLED Case Number: SP-1-2022 - Michigan Materials & Aggregate Co. (Prop­ erty Owner) Location: Miller Road, Delton, in Section 25 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to operate a mine for sand and gravel pursuant to Article 23, Section 2351 in the RR (Rural Resi­ dential) zoning district. MEETIUGDATE: April 25, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center, Community Room 121, South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described properties will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at imcmanus@barrycountv.org. The special use applications are available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/ hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 178144 177522 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Sale MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom DEAD TREES FOR SALE- trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. $10.00 for truck load. You cut, easy access. 269-838-6371. Business Services BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $17.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health in­ surance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vi­ sion insurance. Apply in per­ son to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275 �gl jp The Hastings ANNER gi SECTION Thursday, April 7, 2022 Now senior Dillon Neal|, a sprint­ er and long jumper, is oof just two seniors on the Saxon roster this 'spring and the only one back from ithe class of 2022 who was a regular point scorer in the past. “If you don’t have eight senior boys on the team who are all almost HHS boys brings back two conference champs Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons are going to do it with depth this season. Junior pole vaulter Robby Slaugh­ ter is the lone returning state qualifi­ er for the Hastings varsity boys’ track and field team thiis spring. Slaughter was the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference champion in the pole vault and runner-up in the long jump. He is one of just two guys back who were regional m<edalists a year ago. The other is junior hurdhler Layton Eastman who was seventh in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles and eighth in the 110-meter high hurdles at his team’s Division 2 regional in 2021. Eastman was the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champion in the 300 hurdles and theer-up in the 110’s a year ago. Eastman and Slaughter were both aof the 4x200-meter relay team tljat placed second in the conference2021. The other regional points a year ago came from relay teams and a senior sprinter. 19 and thinking about growing beards, it can be tough,” said head coach Brian Teed said. l‘Even though we don’t have that, we have pretty good numbers for basically missing a whole grade and the rest of the team seems very passionate, ener­ getic, willing to work hard, and open to being uncomfortable. We will see if it translates into wins.” The Saxon team went 4-3 in Interstate-8 Athletic Conference duals a year ago and Robby Slaughter finished third overall in the conference. Depth will make a finish at least that good possible again. “We seem to have solid numbers and depth at all the different disciples,” Teed said. “We have very strong sophomore and junior class­ es that we will rely on a lot while our freshmen develop. Depth is going to be crucial for us especially in the relays. We don’t have a 50 [seconds] flat 400 guy, but we think we will have six guys who will all go under 55 by the midpoint of the season. We don’t have a 23 flat 200 guy, but we think we will have six guys who will all run 24 by the mid­ point of the season.” Eastman will look to score for the Saxons at the high jump pit and Slaughter will compete in sprints and the long jump as well. The big group of junior returnees also includes middle distance runner Kearan Tolles, thrower Daniel Weatherly, sprinter/hurdler Nate Kohmesher and sprinter/hurdler Caleb Waller. The sophomore class will provide the program once again with dis­ tance runners Jonah Teed, Riley Shults, Charles Nickles and Caleb LaBoe and sprinter Ruben Solmes. Those guys will contribute in a few other events as well. The Saxons will be without junior Bayne Signeski who is still recover­ ing from a soccer injury suffered last fall, but there are a few young­ sters to step up in the sprints includ­ ing sophomore Aiden SaintAmour, sophomore Gerald Miller and fresh­ man Jett Barnum. Underclassmen like freshman Isaac Friddle in the throws and Brandon Simmons in the distance runs will look to contribute to the scoring too. Parma Western and Harper Creek will make it hard for the Hastings boys, or anybody else, to break into the top two in the Interstate-8 this season. Hastings will host a meet with Potter’s House Christian and Wellspring Prep Tues­ day at Baum Stadium at Johnson Field and then Hastings its annual Hastings Invitational Friday, April 15. The conference season starts for the Hast­ ings boys when they host Lumen Christi and Coldwater April 25. Morgan Deal Saxons excited to start varsity softball season on Thursday Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity softball team will get a few days to settle back in after spring break before opening the 2022 season with an Interstate-8 Athletic Conference double­ header at Pennfield Thursday, April 14. The Saxons will be on their home dia­ mond after that hosting the annual Barry County Invitational Saturday, April 16, and then conference doubleheaders against Coldwater April 19 and Lumen Christi April 26. . “The team is eager and ready to play,” Hastings head coach Mike Davis, who is in his ninth season with the program, said. “They love hitting the ball after working on some techniques I learned from Mike Candrea, the Olympic team coach, at this year’s softball clinic.” Candrea, a former team USA head coach, retired from the University of Ari­ zona as the NCAA’s all-time winningest softball coach in 2021. The Saxon team will be looking to build on its six wins from last spring with a core led by senior shortstop/catcher Morgan Deal, junior pitcher Cassidy Easley and junior utility player Isabelle Storm. Coach Davis is also expecting solid con­ tributions from freshman outfielder Zoe Bennett on what will be a very young team overall. Deal is one of just two returning seniors on the roster with first baseman Phoebe Schantz back too. “Our goals are to build a better and stronger team that will play together,” coach Davis said. He’d like to see his girls lift each other up when needed and push for a 20-win season. “I just want the team to work hard and never give up 100 percent of their time on and off the field,” Davis added. Getting to 20 wins will be a challenge. The Interstate-8 will regularly throw tough competition at the Saxons. Davis expects Parma Western and Northwest to be the top two teams in the conference this spring. THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS Union Bank Wwr W bank, igOO) 974-3273 430 W. STATE ST, HASTINGS ubmich.com 269-948-8558 HASTINGS NAPA <NAPA? 122 N. Jefferson St. Hastings 269-948-9696 GAr 1111 W. Green, Hastings www.deweysautobody.com JNfcXREEKSIDE VISION Creekside Professional Center 1761 W. M-43 Hwy., Ste 1 • Hastings Ml 49058 (269) 945-3888 Associate Broker Office: 269-704-1000 Quality Aluminum Products 429 S Michigan Ave, Hastings, MI 49508 fflTTBl Hastings DEWEY’S AUTO BODY Jan Hawthorne, realtor* H PHARMACY 400 W. State St., Hastings Convenience Packaging and Free Local Delivery available www.baytobaybuildingconcepts.com Electric Motor Service Service & Sales Rick James, Owner 1569 S. M-37 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 Cell: 269-838-2145 100 S.Jefferson St. Hastings, MI 49058 SAXON * * * PRIDE * 1 Jaqua 1. Realtors Leaping Lizards Landscaping 269-945-3777 (269) 945-5113 or 908-9307 PRECISION AUTO BODY REPAIR LITTLE CAESAR’S Home of the Hot & Ready Pizza! BRIAN’S TIRE & SERVICE 819 E. Railroad St. Hastings 216 N. Broadway, Hastings 235 S. Jefferson, Hastings 269-948-9472 269-948-2824 nick@leapinglizardslandscaping.com 269-945-9549 �Saxon girls’ soccer team has already matched 2021 win total Brett Brem er Sports Editor The Saxons are off to a gireat start already. ■ The Hastings varsity g rls’ soccer team 1 improved to 2-0 with its sec z>nd shutout of the .season last Wednesday (M;arch 30), besting {visiting Ionia 4-0 inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. The Hastings girls opened the season with a 6-0 win over Delton Kellogg the night before. There are two more mate!hes on the schedule for the Saxons before they begin play in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. They will host Lakewood April 16 and then go on the road to take on Wellspring Prep April 18. The two victories matche;:s the Saxons’ win total from a year ago. Hastings head coach Tim Schoessel is entering his ninth season leading the program {and he is excited to have experience in the middle of his 11. It is a group led by senior center midfielders Bri Barnes and Bre Micklatcher, senior stopper Hann;lah Crozier, junior sweeper Molly Patton anc talented sopho­ more goalkeeper Dekota Blough. At the top of the returning group are junior Lauren Lamphere and sophomore Raegen Morrison. “We’re pretty solid through the middle. Our wings, we played a lot of different people there [in the opener], because we don’t have {a lot of returners. Sage Winters, she jumped in,” Schoessel said after hip team’s first win of the season. “She was at Barry County Christian last year. She jumped in and she did a really good job there.” Also back are senior defensive wing Lexi ;Gummo and outside wing Tina Arias and sophomore defensive wing Abby Byykkonen. • Coach Schoessel is still working to build the chemistry between the diffe'ent classes while Bre Micklatcher working in new players like the senior Winters and juniors Kimber Fenstemaker on defense and junior outside wing Gracyee MacCarty. The Saxons have their sights set on finish­ ing in the top half of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference this season. Schoessel said Mar­ shall remains the favorite in the conference. The Red Hawks will take on the Saxons in the final game of the conference regular season May 13 in Hastings. The Marshall girls reached the regional finals in Division 2 a year ago closing the season with a record of 16-3 -1. State runners ready to lead Saxon girls ■ .__ _ _ _ - BretTBlremer Sports Editor ' The Saxons have some girls who can score a lot of points with four girls who finished the 2021 season at the MHSAA Division 2 Lower Peninsula Track and 71-12 Field 71 Finals. __ 1„. The Hastings varsity girls’ track and field iteam will lean on the foursome of senior Allison Teed, junior Madison Nino, and .sophomores Isabelle Roosien and Addey Nickels. That foursome placed second in the {Interstate-8 Athletic Conference in the 4x200-meter relay a year ago and then ran Their best time of the season in the race to {place 1 l*h at the state finals. ' Teed was the conference ch ampion in the 100■meter hurdles and went on to win a state medal {in the event by placing fifth ;at the state finals. {Nickels and Teed placed 3-4 in the 300-meter low hurdles in the .. ..... 1-8. Teed ;also added a run­ ner-up finish in the pole vault in the conference. Nino was one of the conference’s best {sprinters and long jumpers a year ago as a {sophomore. The senior class also brijigs back distance {runner Carissa Strouse; thrower Maddie Mill­ er; and sprinter/vaulter/lomg jumper Kali {Grimes. Miller was seventh in the conference {in the shot put as a junior and third in the {discus. Strouse had top five finishes in the {conference in both the 1600-meter run and ’the 3200-meter run last seas<on. “Our team strength lies in our senior class {and their leadership,” Hastings head coach {Brian Teed said. Allison Teed “We have a great group of seniors, some of whom have been in our program for six sea­ sons [since middle school]. They are led by our captains this year Allison Teed, Maddie Miller, and Carissa Strouse.” PROGRESSIVE GRAPHICS 115 S Jefferson St, Hastings 269-945-9249 v, , , m,. t- • . .«.^‘^.^*4-. . -XU—__ 4-^ "Our team’s weakness is our depth. This is one of the smallest teams we have had in the past couple decades,” coach Teed added. “We are particularly thin in our distance group. We only have two girls running distance this year. We are going to ask Carissa and Lauren [Arnold] to do their best to just stop the bleeding when it comes to dual meet points in those areas.” The Saxon team ran to a third-place finish in the Interstate-8 a year ago going 5-2 in conference duals. The group of underclassmen looking to help keep the team on the heels of Parma Western and the 1-8 leaders will include soph­ omore sprinter My ah Vincent, freshman sprinter Abby Goodrich, junior thrower Grace Madden, freshman thrower Zoe Watson and freshman JoDee Gaskill in the sprints and hurdles. .......... Coach Teed said his girls outperformed expectations a year ago and knowing just exactly how they’ll fit into the conference this season is tough with rough weather before spring break keeping anyone from competing outdoors and girls still dealing with the missed 2020 season. Hastings will open its season at home against Wellspring Prep and Potter’s House Christian Tuesday, April 12, and then will host its Hastings Invitational Friday, April 15. The first Interstate-8 Athletic Competition of the season will be April 25 in Hastings as the Saxons take on Coldwater and Jackson Lumen Christi. Barry County Lumber Hastings, Michigan MHSAA announces its new classifications for 2022-23 year Classifications for Michigan High School Athletic Association elections and postsea­ son tournaments for the 2022-23 school year have been announced, with enrollment breaks for postseason tournaments posted to each sport’s page on the MHSAA Website. Classifications for the upcoming school year are based on a second semester count date, which for MHSAA purposes was Feb. 9. The enrollment figure Submitted for athlet­ ic classification purposes may be different from the count submitted for school aid pur­ poses, as it does not include students ineligi­ ble for athletic competition because they reached their 19th birthday prior to Septem­ ber 1 of the current school year and will not include alternative education students if none are allowed athletic eligibility by the local school district. All sports’ tournaments are conducted with schools assigned to equal or nearly equal divisions, with lines dependent on how many schools participate in those respective sports. For 2022-23, there are 750 tourna­ ment-qualified member schools. Schools recently were notified of their classification, and sport-by-sport divisions were posted to the MHSAA Website today (March 28). MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said schools may not subsequently lower their enrollment figure. However, if revised enroll­ ment figures are higher and indicate that a school should be playing in a higher division, that school would be moved up. Several MHSAA Finals champions award­ ed so far during the 2021-22 school year are assigned to different divisions for 2022-23. In 11-player football, Detroit Martin Luther King will move to Division 4 after winning Division 3 in the fall, with Hudson moving to Division 7 after winning Division 8 this past November. Muskegon Western Michigan Christian won the Lower Peninsula Division 4 girls cross country championship in the fall but will compete in LP Division 3 next sea­ son. Dearborn Divine Child’s girls golf team, winner of the LP Division 2 title in the fall, will move to LP Division 3 next season. The East Grand Rapids girls swimming & diving team will move back into LP Division 2 after winning LP Division 3 in the fall. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s baseball, the reigning Division 2 champion but playing in Division 1 this upcoming season, will move back into Division 2 for 2023. Richmond softball, which won Division 3 last season and remains in that division for this spring, will move to Division 2 for 2023. Visit the respective sport pages on the MHSAA Website to review the divisional alignments for all MHSAA-sponsored tour­ nament sports. Traditional classes (A, B, C, D) - formerly used to establish tournament classifications - are used only for MHSAA elections. To -determine .traditional.classifications, after all counts are submitted, tournament-qualified member schools are ranked according to enrollment and then split as closely into quar­ ters as possible. For 2022-23, there are 187 member schools in Class A and Class C and 188 member schools in Class B and Class D. Effective with the 2022-23 school year, schools with 814 or more students are in Class A. The enrollment limits for Class B are 388-813, Class C is 183-387, and schools with enrollments of 182 and fewer are Class D. The break between Classes A and B decreased 21 students from 2021-22, the break between Classes B and C decreased 11 269.838.1469 GREENRIDGE RE/^ LTY pdoezema@greenridge.com 2169 W. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, MI 49058 highpoint COMMUNITY BANK 1-88 8-422-2280 highpointcommunitybank.com Member FDIC GIRRBACH FUNERAL HOME TEL. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway, Hastings 269-945-3252 Watervliet Moving Up from Class D to Class C Bellevue Plymouth Christian Academy Eau Claire Fowler Indian River Inland Lakes Ironwood Jackson Prep Muskegon Heights Academy New Buffalo Ubly Moving Down from Class C to Class D Adrian Lenawee Christian Breckenridge Detroit Benjamin Carson Science & Med­ icine Grand Traverse Academy . Lawrence Rogers City Warren Michigan Math & Science New Postseason-Eligible Tournament Schools in 2022-23 Escanaba Holy Name Catholic Farmington Hills Huda School Center Line Prep Battle Creek Academy Enrollment Breaks by Classes - 2022-23 (Number of schools in parentheses) Class A: 814 and above (187 schools) Class B: 388- 813 (188) Class C: 183 -387 (187) Class D: 182 and below (188) 269-945-5352 120 E. Main St. Middleville, MI 49333 130 W. State, Hastings Dale Billingsley Director Ray Ginbach Director ■ — •* • — 401 N. Broadway, Hastings osTrusted Since 102 E. State Street • Downtown Hastings 269-945-9572 KING’S ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES 269-945-4284 ’ WELTON’S HEATING & COOLING Pat Doezema Managing Broker Realtor® students, and the break between Classes C and D is six students fewer than for the 2021­ 22 school year. The new classification breaks will see 32 schools move up in Class for 2022-23 while 24 schools will move down: Moving Up from Class B to Class A Battle Creek Harper Creek Cadillac Detroit Henry Ford New Boston Huron Owosso Plainwell Sault Ste. Marie Sparta Spring Lake Moving Down from Class A to Class B Dearborn Divine Child Detroit East English Detroit Martin Luther King Fowlerville Garden City Marysville Pinckney Moving Up from Class C to Class B Adrian Madison Blissfield Brooklyn Columbia Central Buchanan Canton Prep Clinton Township Clintondale Dearborn Heights Star International Detroit Voyageur College Prep Elk Rapids Grayling Hart Quincy Sanford Meridian Moving Down from Class B to Class C Benzie Central Coloma Comstock Detroit Communication Media Arts Ecorse Jonesville Michigan Center Otisville LakeVille Memorial 269-241-1050 Southern BBQ & Catering brokensmoker.com RNTMi FARM BUREAU HB. INSURANCE' 139 W. State Street, Hastings 269-945-4520 www.theljTindentonagency.com Lynn Denton ■k GENERAL STORE ’ Jl 269-945-1848 David was Joy. 117 N. Main St. Nashville, Mi 517.852.9207 122 W. Mill St. Hastings, Ml 269.948.2811 �Page 10 — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Saxon baseball has long­ time coach up to varsity Brett Bremer Sports Editor Jason Sixberry has been coaching baseball in Hastings at the JV and freshmen level for over 25 years and he’ll make the move to the varsity this spring. “Coaching is a great passion of mine where one can pass on knowledge in the sport as well as life in general,” Sixberry said. “I have five different assistants helping out this year. I have had the pleasure in coaching each one, who were former Saxon baseball play­ ers. We are concentrating on imple­ menting some new ideas, along with some traditional team-building skills. Practicing different styles, trying to improve every day.” The returning senior ballplayers for the Saxons are led by Mason Denton and Matt Thompson who will both be leaders in the outfield for the team and key parts of the pitching staff. Denton could also see some time at second base. Aiden Benson, a junior who was moved up to the varsity mid-season as a sophomore, will spend time on the mid­ dle infield for the Saxons as well. Junior Tyler Morris, another mid-season varsi­ ty call-up last year, could see time at pitcher, catcher, first base and in the outfield. “We have several seniors coming back, however not a lot of experience in varsity game situations,” Sixberry said. The Saxon coach said his team is working on how to increase effective communications with team-building and learning differences between grade lev­ els and age groups. So far, he likes his team’s “continuity as a family, disci­ pline, determination and strength in character building.” Mason Denton “We are continuing to improve indi­ vidually and as a team every day,” he added. Some of those newcomers working their way into the Saxon varsity family this spring are senior Carter Reil, who transferred into the district from Portage Central, and could see time at third, pitcher, catcher and in the outfield. Coach Sixberry called him a nice addi­ tion to the pitching staff. The varsity is also adding sophomores Landon Stew­ ard and Lars Somsen. Somsen and Steward were two of the Saxon JV team’s top players as freshman last spring. Sornsen could see time at a comer infield spot, in the outfield and at pitcher. He hit.407 a year ago with 11 steals in 11 games. Steward will likely play at first, pitcher or catcher. The southpaw Steward struck out one of every four batters he faced last season and was one of the JV’s RBI leaders. Coach Sixberry said one of the big goals is having his players become the best they can be both on and off the field. “We want our players to become effective leaders and have a positive influence to everyone they come in con­ tact with now and in the fiiture,” he said. “Key to our success is having everyone improve overall to become a better play­ er and inspire others.” The Saxons get their first chance to succeed on the field Tuesday when they host Plainwell for a doubleheader. The Hastings guys start the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference season with a double­ header at Pennfield Thursday, April 14. Hastings will be on its home field Saturday, April 16, too hosting the annu­ al Barry County Invitational with Delton Kellogg, Lakewood and Thomapple Kellogg. Bailey Cook • HHS tennis team looks to inch > near top of standings in the 1-8 Brett Bremer Sports Editor There aren’t a lot of vacancies in the line-up for the Hastings varsity girls’ tennis team to fill this spring and that has the Saxons expecting good things. The Saxons will be looking to improve on a solid 7-5 season a year ago and in which they tied for fourth in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. Hastings brings back its top two singles players from that team in senior first singles player Brooklynn Youngs and sophomore second singles player Abby Beemer. Youngs has been in the top singles spot since her freshman season in the spring of 2019, then missed the 2020 season with the rest of the high school athletes in the state due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Juniors Erin Daniels and Bailey Cook are back at first doubles and the duo of juniors Calin Redman and Megan Rowley played doubles tother a year ago. The team also returns the junior doubles duo of Brinna Cobb and Sophia Ahearn as well as junior Julia McLean and sophomores Lilian Pepper and Makayla Birman. There are opportunities at third and fourth singles and fourth doubles for those girls and a few youngsters to fill spots. Hastings head coach Andrew Haines is happy to add freshmen MJ Deal, Jalyn Grimes, Addi­ son Henney, sophomore Audrey Vertalka and junior­ Grace Curtis to the program this spring. This is Haines’ third year leading the Saxon pro-' gram. “I’m excited for the season and for the players,’” Haines said. “I fully expect this team to compete at thetop of the 1-8. It helps that we return so many of our top players and have young additions with experience com-' ing from our growing middle school program.” “This group is fun and competitive,” Haines added. “One of the best teams I’ve had the pleasure of working with. If they can keep their emotions in check and their nose to the grindstone, they should all find measurable success this season.” Parma Western and Lumen Christi are perennial' powers both in the 1-8 conference and in the state over­ all. Western was 12^ at the MHSAA Division 3 Lower Peninsula Girls’ Tennis Finals a year ago and Lumen Christi placed sixth at the Division 4 Finals. The Sax-' ons hope to continuing working towards that class this1 spring. Hastings has a tough non-conference dual on the schedule for April 14 against Otsego and then will be a­ part of the Lakewood Invitational April 16. The 1-8 season begins when the Saxons host Pennfield April 18.* <*<t Greens filled with returning players for Hastings boys’ team Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons’ lone state qualifier from 2021 graduated last spring, but the Hastings varsity boys’ golf team brings back four of its five regional golfers from last year for new head coach Ross Schueller. Collin Fouty, now a junior, was honorable mention all-conference in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference as a sophomore last spring and freshman teammate Owen Carroll was the conference’s 19^ best golfer over the Joey McLean course of the season - missing honorable mention all-conference by one spot despite outscoring five such honorees at the season ending conference tournament. Carroll returns for his sophomore season along with classmate Blake Bamham. Carroll is the team’s top returnee from regionals a year ago at Yankee Springs Golf Course where he shot an 86. Joey McLean, now a senior, was right behind Carroll at regionals with an 87 a year ago. Also back from that squad is junior Jackson Kensington. Junior Reed Balderson is back for his junior season too after taking swings for the Saxon varsity at times in 2021. THE HASTINGS BANNER Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 1351 N. M-43 Hwy., Hastings 269-945-9554 Dr. Scott Bloom OJ). 1510 N. Broadway (M-43 Hwy.) Hastings 269-945-3906 EDWARD JONES Andrew R. Cove, AAMS Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn, Hastings 269-945-3553 “The team has a number of new additions and first year players joining the JV team [which will be coached by Jason Long],” Schueller said. “ The varsity team will be primarily composed of returning players. “This is a young team, with only one senior, which means there’s plenty of time to develop as a team in future years. This year, though, the team will rely heavily on leadership from senior captain Joey McLean, and on their pas­ sion for practice. This is a team that simply loves their sport, loves to play, loves to drill, and loves to practice. It’ll be the work they do early this season that will allow them to show their strengths at the end of the season.” The season stats when the Saxons head to Shadow Ridge Golf Club to take on Ionia April 12. The Saxons then go to Mullenhurst for Delton Kellogg’s Coach Enyart Invita­ tional April 14. The Saxons’ first home match at The Legacy will be against West Michigan Aviation Academy April 21. The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference begins play at Riverside Golf Club April 19. “The season looks promising and the play­ ers have said that their goal this season is to improve on last year’s performance,” Schuel­ BROWN’S CARPET ONE & CUSTOM INTERIORS 300 Meadow Run Dr., Hastings South, of Hastings on M-37 www.southside4kjds.cpm 221 N. Industrial Park, Hastings 269-945-2479 269-818-1020 HODGES JEWELRY & GIFTS MacLEOD CHIROPRACTIC 122 W. State St, Hastings 327 W. Apple St. Hastings 269-945-2963 269-948-3170 MILLER REAL ESTATE 149 W. State St, Hastings 269-945-5182 FARMERS INSURANCE TROY DALMAN AGENCY 128 W. Mill St., Hastings ♦ 269-945-3423 ler said. “We’re looking to finish in the top half of the 1-8 conference, and would like to be in contention at the regional tournament’ with a chance to qualify for the state tourna­ ment.” ’■ Marshall had the conference’s top twoJ players in Collin McLane and Chapman Har­ ris, both juniors a year ago. The Redhawks were a close second to the Jackson Northwest’ team which took the conference title with* with just two seniors in the regular confer­ ence six throughout 2021. Coach Schueller is still learning the confer-' ence, but he expects Harper Creek, Lumen' Christi and Parma Western to put together' solid teams this spring too. Coach Schueller has been assisting with the varsity boys’ tennis team for the past five’ years. ■ “Personally, I’m really excited to be' involved with the golf team this year,” he1 said. “Both myself and Jason Long have his-> tory coaching other sports at Hastings, but' golf, in particular, is my wheelhouse. I’m1 looking forward to taking my long experience in the golf industry and applying it to the* Hastings boys’ golf team.” JP k FIRST REHAB AND SPORT PHYSICAL THERAPY 2169 W. M-43, Hastings 269-309-1090 across from Bob’s Gun & Tackle ^ADVANTAGE PLUMBING & DRAIN 269-945-0300 Thanks to Brett Bremer for his areas sports coverage. ( i I �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 7, 2022 — Page 11 Trio of state singles bowlers among county’s best Brett Bremer Sports Edit or Thomapple Kellogg and Hastings both sent girls to the MHSAA Division 2 Singles State Finals this season, and the Saxons qualified for the state finals as a tearp too. The Saxons earned their state finals spot by placing second to Wayland at their MHSAA Team Regional Toumarrent at Spectrum Lanes in Wyoming the last weekend in February. The Hastings girls placed 14th at the State Finals at Super Bowl in Canton to finish off the season. The Saxon rolled a high Baker game of 222 at the finals. The Saxons had four girls earn all-confer­ ence honors for top ten finishes in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference and added a fifth girl who earned honorable mention all confer­ ence honors. The TK ladies placed th: rd in the OK Gold Conference and then closed the season with a sixth-place regional finish. Lakewood once again welcomed girls to compete with the varsity boys’ club, and the Vikings fought to a runner-up finish behind Olivet in the Greater Lansjing Activities Conference. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Girls’ Bowling First and Second Teams. All-Barry County 2021-22 Girls’ Bov Kling First Team Abby Barton, Hastings: Barton was one of two singles state qualifyers for the Saxons this winter, rolling her way to a 148 average overall this season. She had a high two game series of 368. Barton placed eighth at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference tournament, and fol­ lowed that up by qualifyingg for the MHSAA Division 2 Singles State IFinals by placing seventh at regionals. A junior, Barton placed 23rd in the qualifying rounds at the state finals. Brenna Klaver, Lakewood: A senior on the Viking team, Klaver placed 66th at her team’s- MHSAA“Division 3 Regional in the singles competition competing with the guys, She had a high game at regionals of 163. Klaver had a 155 average on the season with a high single game of 208. Paige Green, Thornapple Kellogg: Green capped off her senior season by rolling in the MHSAA Division 2 Singles Finals where she was 54th in qualifying with high games of 173 and 175. She qualified for the finals with a sixth-place regional finish. Green had a 154 average, the fifth highest in the OK Gold, and she placed third at the conference tournament at the end of the sea­ son. Andrea Rhodes, Hastings: Rhodes was one of four Hastings girls to finish in the top ten at the 1-8 tournament. Rhodes was ninth on the day. A junior, she just missed qualify­ ing for the state finals-in-the-siTiglcs-competr- tion as she placed 11th at regionals. Shyanna Baker Andrea Rhodes Paige Green Rhodes led the Saxons with a 153 average on the season. She had a high game of 237 and a high two-game series of 380. Shyanna Baker, Hastings: Baker had a team-high two-game series of 400 this season and rolled her way to a 148 average overall on the season. Baker, a senior, placed 17th at regionals with high games of 180 and 161 to close out the tournament. She also led her team with a sixth place finish at the 1-8 tournament. Faith Foster, Thornapple Kellogg: One of two TK girls to be named first team all-conference in the OK Gold, Foster had the ninth best scoring average in the conference at 147. Foster had a high single game of 225, the bestbymny TK girl this-season.All-Barry County 2021-22 Girls’ Bowling als where she had high games of 145 and 149. Second Team Amber Rabideau, Hastings: A state qual­ Ally Herder, Hastings: Herder placed ifier in Division 2 this season as a junior. She tenth at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference placed tenth at her team’s MHSAA Division 2 tournament at the end of the season and near­ Regional in the singles competition. She had ly qualified for the state finals as a sopho­ high games of 168 and 165 at the regional tourney. more. She placed 12th at regionals with a high game of 178 to close out her regional run. Rabideau was 14th at the Interstate-8 Ath­ Herder had a 142 average on the season and letic Conference tournament this season. She had a high single game of 230 on the season. had a 134 average on the season with a 228 Allison Hess, Thornapple Kellogg: Hess single game high. had an average of 117 on the season with a Sara Willshire Thornapple Kellogg: high single game of 150. Willshire had a 122 average on the season Hess, a senior, placed 42nd at regionals with a high single game of 202 and a high with a high game of 160. two-game series of 399. Emily Podbevsek, Thornapple Kellogg: A sophomore, Willshire had the second Podbevsek had a high single game of 197 this best day by a Trojan at regionals this season season-with 12fraverage; —'* -------witlrHTgh ganiesTrfiJ7o^nd'161 which helped— Podbevsek, a junior, placed 25th at regionher to an 18th-place finish. State finalists among county’s best bowlers Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was another fine winter on the lanes for the three local varsity boys’ bowling teams. The Lakewood varsity t oys’ bowling team scored a runner-up finish behind Olivet in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference. The Thomapple Kellogg boy? rolled to a run­ ner-up finish at the post tseason conference tournament in the OK Giold. Hastings had another solid season in the tough Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. Lakewood and Thomapple Kellogg both sent guys to the MHSAA State Finals at the conclusion of the season and all three local teams had a few guys just miss out on spots in the state singles finals. The Thomapple Kellogg guys, led by head coach Cheryl Cooper, got to the MHSAA Division 2 State Finals as a team too thanks to a third-place regional finish at the end of the season. The TK boys were 17^ in the Butler led the Vikings with an average of 183 this season. He had a high single game on the season of 225. He qualified for the state finals with a fourth place finish at regionals. Wyatt Jacobson, Thornapple Kellogg: Jacobson rolled to a fourth place finish at his team’s MHSAA Division 2 Regional to earn a spot in the Division 2 State Finals at the end of the season. Jacobson led the county and the OK Gold Conference with a season aver­ age of 201. At the D2 Finals, the junior Jacobson placed 24^ with high games of 256 qualifying rounds at the state finals in the competition made up of six Baker games and two regular games. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Boys’ Bowling First and S<econd Teams. All-Barry County 2021-22 Boys’ Bow ling First Teaim Philip Butler, Lakewoiod: Just a sophomore, Butler qualified for the singles competi­ tion of the MHSAA Division 3 State Finals for the second time this winte^. He placed 54*“ at and 223 among his six games in qualifying. Jacobson had a high game of 290 during the OK Gold Conference season. He was the runner-up at the OK Gold Post Conference Tournament this season. Ethan Kriekaard, Thornapple Kellogg: Kriekaard helped the TK boys’ bowling team to a spot in the MHSAA Division 2 Team State Finals at the end of the season and earned a spot on the OK Gold all-conference team along with Jacobson. Kriekaard, a junior, had the fifth-best aver­ age in the OK Gold this winter at 189. Drew Marquoit, Lakewood: Marquoit put together a high game of 269 and a high twogame series of 394 as a junior this winter for the Vikings. He had a season average of 173. Marquoit bumped his average up about ten pins from his sophomore season this winter. Gage Richmond, Hastings: A senior, Richmond was the Saxons’ top bowler this season. He placed 15^ at regionals, less than the finals, rolling a high game of 194 at JAX60 in Jackson the first weekend of March. 50 pins behind the last of the state qualifiers over the course of six games. He had high games of 199, 199 and 197 at regionals. Richmond had a 163 average over the course of the season. He had a high two-game series of 399 this season. Donnie Rosendall, Thornapple Kellogg: Rosendall was honorable mention in the OK Gold Conference this winter and came up just 22 pins shy of qualifying for the Division 2 State Finals. He placed 13^ at regionals. Rosendall, a senior, had a season-long average of 164 in the OK Gold Conference this season. All-Barry County 2021-22 Boys’ Bowling Second Team Nolan Clous, Thornapple Kellogg: Clous had a season long average of 159 for the Tro­ jans. A senior, Clous rolled high games of 173 and 170 during the singles competition at regionals at the end of the year. He had a high game of 212 during the conference season. Avery Davis, Lakewood: A key member of the Viking line-up, Davis upped his aver­ age by about ten pins during his junior season this winter. Davis had a high game of 227 on the sea­ son and a high two-game series of 369. Miles Lipsey, Hastings: Lipsey placed 26^ at his team’s MHSAA Division 2 Regional at the end o the season with high games of 177, 170 and 171 among his six. Lipsey had a 157 average on the season and had a high single game of 215. Z Moore, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior for the TK team this winter. Moore had high games of 177, 173 and 172 among his six at regionals. Moore had an average of 159 on the season with a high game overall of 236. He had a high of 179 at regionals. Conor Newland, Thornapple Kellogg: Newland had a 164 average on the season in OK Gold Conference action and a high single game of 226 for the Trojan team. A junior, he rolled a high game of 179 during the regional singles tournament. Drew Rhodes, Hastings: Rhodes had a big junior season culminating in a 17th-place regional finish thanks to high games of 209, 188 and 171 at regionals. Rhodes had a season-long average of 158 and had a high single game of 222. He was honorable mention all-conference in the Interstate-8 with a 12th-place finish at the conference tournament. Stacey Welch, Mortgage Banker NMLS #2310027 Highpoint Community Bank is pleased to introduce Stacey Welch, Mortgage Banker. Stacey is a graduate of Western Michigan University with bachelor's degrees in both Applied Mathematics and Applied Economics, and has over 21 years' experience in customer service and employee management. "I am so excited to have joined the Highpoint Community Bank family in January 2022.1 look forward to meeting you and your families, while assisting you with your residential mortgage needs. I am committed to providing the highest level of customer service throughout your loan process and after your loan closes. Our working relationship does not end on closing day!" -Stacey Welch Whatever your real estate financial needs may be, Stacey is here to help you and your family reach your homeownership goals! Contact Stacey today at (269) 945-2401 or swelch@hcb.us highpomt COMMUNITY BANK Ethan Kriekaard Wyatt Jacobson S FDK f ¥ highpointcommunitybank.com | 1-888-422-2280 �Page 12 —Thursday, April 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Barracudas gather from across county for another strong year Brett Brtemer Sports Editor A fairly young team powered by what was a group of five all-conference athletes in the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference, the Barry County Barracudas had another fine season in the return of head coach Tyler Bultema. The Barracudas swari to a runner-up fin­ ish at the conference meet in their home pool at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings at the conclusion of the season and set two divers to the Division 1 Regional Meet. The second place fini sh at the conference meet left the Barracuc as in second place overall in the final conference standings. They avenged a loss tc Wayland in a tight conference dual at the c onference meet, finishing behind only the conference champions from Ottawa Hills. edged Wayland The Barracuda team also ; by a point in January to capture the championship at their own Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings Invitational. Here are the 2021-22 All-Barry County Boys’ Swimming and E'iving First and Sec­ ond Teams. All-Barry County 2021-22 Boys’ Swimming & Diving First Tsam Mason Cross, Barracudas: A junior, Cross raced to a sixth-p lace finish at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2 minutes 3.57 seconds. Cross also placed tenth in the 100-yard butterfly at the conference meet while also contributing in the relays. Jack Kensington, Barracudas: Kensing­ ton was one of the top performers in the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference this winter earning all-conference honors. He was third in points at the conference meet at the end of the season. Kensington was the conference champion in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.05 seconds and the conference runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle in 22.77. He also helped the Barracuda 400-yard freestyle relay team to a conference title. Donald Kuck, Barracudas: One of four Barracudas to earn a conference medal in the backstroke, he placed sixth in the event in 1:07.63. Kuck was also 12th in the 100-yard free­ style at the conference meet and contributed to the Trojans’ top team in the 200-yard medley relay that placed fifth. Devin Pacillo, Barracudas: A junior, Pacillo was an all-conference swimmer for the Barracudas this winter placing third at the OK Rainbow Tier II Meet in the 100yard backstroke in 59.61 seconds and third in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:57.71. Pacillo was a big relay contributor as well, helping the Barracudas to a victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay at the conference meet and a third place finish in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Isaiah Randall, Barracudas: Randall’s top performance this season came in the 100-yard breaststroke where he was the fast­ est Barracuda at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet. He placed fourth in the race in 1:12.94 and was even a second faster than that in the prelims. Randall, a junior, also placed tenth in the 200-yard individual medley at the confer­ ence meet and was a contributor in relays including the fifth-place 200-yard medley relay team. Camden Reynolds, Barracudas: A senior who was one of the top distance swimmers in the program this season. His top finish at the conference meet was a sev­ enth place time of 5:51.36 in the 500-yard freestyle. Reynolds also placed tenth in the confer­ ence in the 200-yard freestyle and was a relay contributor. Jameson Riordan, Barracudas: Riordan capped his sophomore season by winning all-conference honors in the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference. He was a part of the con­ ference winning 400-yard freestyle relay team for the Barracudas. Riordan also placed 11th at the conference meet in the 50-yard freestyle and 12th in the 100-yard butterfly. Blake Sheldon, Barracudas: Sheldon capped his senior year by placing third at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet in the diving competition after his leading his team in the event all season long. Sheldon made the cut through the first Jack Kensington Devin Pacillo round of regionals and placed 17th overall there. Nolan Send, Barracudas: A fast fresh­ man for the Barracudas, he was a part of a four Barracuda pack in the fastest heat of the 100-yard backstroke at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet at the end of the Isaiah Randall WE DO CHURCH VgT A DIFFERENT THURSDAY APRIL 14TH @ 6:30PM SUNDAY APRIL 17TH @ 9:30 & 11:00AM MIDDLEVILLE CAMPUS 20 state st. Middleville 49333 SUNDAY APRIL 17TH @ 9:00 & 11:00AM DELTON CAMPUS 12081 s. M-43 hwy Pelton 49046 SUNDAY APRIL 17TH @ 10:00AM ©church https://qrco.de/bcqTqa season. He placed fourth overall, and second amongst his teammates, with a time of 1: 05.54. He was even about a second faster than that in the prelims. Send also placed ninth at the conference meet in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2: 08.47 and was a relay contributor. Riley Shults, Barracudas: A sophomore* Shults was a conference champion this win­ ter along with his 400-yard freestyle team­ mates helping him earn all-conference hon­ ors in the OK Rainbow Tier II. Shults also placed third in the conference in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:16.51 and third in the 100-yard freestyle in 53.40 seconds. Shults scored with a pair of relay teams at the conference meet also swimming on the fifth place 200-yard medley relay team. Matt Smith, Barracudas: Smith capped his senior season with a strong conference meet where he placed third in the 100-yani— butterfly with a time of 1:01.43 and fourth in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:17.18. Smith was a part of two scoring relay teams at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet as well, swimming on the third place 200-yard freestyle relay team and the fifth place 200-yard medley relay team. X Hunter Tietz, Barracudas: Tietz, a freshman, swam his way to a fifth place fin­ ish in the 100-yard backstroke at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet with a time of 1:06.41. That skill also helped him to a 12th-place time of 2:31.64 in the 200-yard individual medley. Tietz was a relay contributor for the Bar-. racudas this season as well. J All-Barry County 2021-22 Boys’ Swimming & Diving Second Team Mason Bailey, Barracudas: A sopho* more, Bailey had a pair of scoring perfor­ mances for the Barracudas at the OK Rain­ bow Tier II Conference Meet. His top per­ formance came in the 500-yard freestyle where he placed 14th in 6:29.29. Bailey also had a 16th place time in the prelims of the 200-yard freestyle at the con} ference meet. 7 Jake Gheradi, Barracudas: A scorer in two individual races for the Barracudas as a senior at the conference meet this winter, Gheradi had a top finish of tenth in the 500yard freestyle with a time of 5:53.63. He also placed 11th at the conference meet in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:06.16. He was also a relay contributor at the con} ference meet, swimming on 200-yard med­ ley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay teams: Heath Hays, Barracudas: Hays, a soph­ omore, was one of the fastest guys in the breaststroke at the OK Rainbow Tier II Con­ ference Meet this winter placing sixth iij 1:13.91. Hays was 18th at the conference meet in the prelims of the 50-yard freestyle and also a relay contributor for the Barracudas. Ethan Kooistra, Barracudas: A fresh­ man, Kooistra was one of the Barracudas’ top divers. He placed ninth at the conference meet in the diving with a score of 207.15. Kooistra closed out his first varsity season with a 21st place finish at regionals. Michael Sager-Wissner, Barracudas: Stanton contributed as a freshman at the conference meet for his team placing 13th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:22.15. Sager-Wissner also competed in the 50-yard freestyle at the conference meet. ' Isaac Stanton, Barracudas: Stanton, a junior, competed in four events at the confer­ ence meet with a top finish of 11th in the 100-yard breaststroke in which he had a time of 1:18.21. Stanton also placed 13th in the confer­ ence in the 100-yard freestyle in 59.88 sec­ onds and was a relay contributor for the Barracudas. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-04-14.pdf be738632174b2fa917b6454d88b14124 PDF Text Text Hastings Public Library 997 P Qtcrta Qtrnnt The revela Hastings baseball rebounds from rough inning to get split See Story on Page 14 See Editorial on Page 4 804879110187 1070490102590501200549058195427 Thursday, April 14, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 15 NEWS BRIEFS Garden Club to reconvene tonight It’s spring and time to get gardens into shape for the season. But gardeners need ways to avoid soreness while tackling those projects, too. Amy Pohja will discuss the importance of flexibility at the Thomapple Garden Club’s meeting Thursday, April 14. Pohja will share some easy stretches to help gardeners be ready and less sore as they tackle spring cleanup. Pohja teaches yoga at the high school Tues­ day nights and has practiced yoga for 16 years. She also is a middle school science teacher; Membership information for the club can be obtained through Mary Alber by calling 269-355-9895. Community Cross Walk on Good Friday Grace Lutheran Church of Hastings is again inviting the community to participate in its 50th Community Good Friday Cross Walk April 15. The procession will begin at 9:30 a.m. from the church parking lot at 239 E. North St., Hastings. The circular route is approximately 2 1/4 miles long and takes about an hour and a half to complete. Six devotional stations provide brief stops in the procession to lis­ ten to passages read from the Passion Story and a brief prayer. People of all ages are invited to partici­ pate. Restroom facilities are available at the church. Some bottled water will be providecTfe participants. If for some reason a walkpr feels unable to complete the walk, a safety vehicle will be following the group to offer a ride back to the church. Light refreshments will be available at the church at the conclusion of the walk. Participants are encouraged to dress for whatever weather conditions are forecast for Friday morning. Royal Coach a no-go; but resolve to replace it prevails Benjamin Simon Staff Writer It rained nearly every day last week - near­ ly every day except Tuesday, April 5. That day, the sky opened up. The sun beamed down on Hastings and the thermometer reached the mid-50s - one of the warmest days in months. The weather was fitting for the day when the Michigan State Housing Development Authority was visiting the site of the pro­ posed Royal Coach Apartments. It seemed like a good sign. “I said, ‘I got this weather for you all so we could have a positive outcome toward our conversation,”’ Barry Community Founda­ tion CEO/President Bonnie Gettys told MSHDA representatives at the meeting. In April 2021, MSHDA officially issued a conditional “go” letter for $1.5 million in low-income tax credits to support construc­ tion of 73 housing units in downtown Hast­ ings. For a town of about 7,000, where hous­ ing is the top priority for city officials, the project was considered monumental. “Trans­ formational,” state Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, called it. The largest in decades. The biggest ever, possibly, in downtown Hastings. “This is the linchpin to open the dam to let us be able to do more,” Gettys said. Then, four months after conditionally approving the tax credits, MSHDA reversed its decision and issued a “no-go” letter Nov. 30, 2021, citing concerns about the housing proj­ ect’s proximity to Hastings Manufacturing Co. In the ensuing five months, MSHDA offi­ cials have refused to reverse that decision. Supporters said they hoped their perspec­ tive would change when representatives from MSHDA toured the Royal Coach site in per­ son April 5. Gettys arrived with a folder of notes and a determination to convince MSHDA it had made a mistake. But as everyone stood on the Royal Coach site, it became clear that it didn’t matter what supporters would say. It was apparent MSHDA’s concerns about Hastings Manufacturing weren’t likely to change in the future. “Listen, we can’t go down that road because of culpability,” Gettys remembered them saying. “And honestly, we’re worried about the residents. We just want a safe place for 100 years. - as safe as possible.” “So, we’re like, ‘OK, what’s the solution then?’ ” Gettys said. There’s still a slim chance the project will go forward on the Royal Coach site. See ROYAL COACH, page 8 Deadine to file to run for office is Tuesday There’s still time to file to run for elected office locally. Any candidate for partisan and nonparti­ san offices (other than judicial candidates) may file a nominating petition and Affidavit of Identity with the Barry County Clerk’s office to run in the Aug. 2 primary election. The deadline to file is 4 p.m. April 19. The Royal Coach location had been viewed as ideal for a housing project with its proximity to downtown Hastings. But the Michigan State Housing Development Authority has concerns about the site, so other locations are being considered. (File photo) Judge will decide verdict in murder/torture case 100+ prospective jurors dismissed when defendant suddenly opts for bench trial Rebecca Pierce Editor Hunter McLaren J-Ad Graphics seeks events information Representative from local organizations, clubs, businesses, municipalities or other groups planning summer events are invited to contact J-Ad Graphics for inclusion in the upcoming summer fun guide. The special publication will list activities throughout the area, including concerts, pre­ sentations, festivals, races, tours, hikes, art shows, theatrical performances and more. The booklet will be delivered with local papers, and also will be distributed at Mich­ igan Department of Transportation informa­ tion centers throughout the state. Organizers of special events are asked to contact J-Ad Graphics to share information and arrange for advertising. Advertisers also may consider coupons and promotions in this far-reaching publication. For more information, call 269-945-9554 or email news@j-adgraphics.com. PRICE $1.00 Defense Attorney James Kinney of Hastings objects to a problem with chain of evidence. Staff Writer A murder/torture trial got underway Mon­ day in Barry County, with roughly 120 pro­ spective jurors reporting for duty, when something unusual happened. Defendant Andrew Lafey of Nashville waived his right to a jury trial. “There is good news, bad news, I guess, depending on your perspective,” Judge Michael Schipper told the citizens gathered in his courtroom Monday morning. “This is the first time this has ever hap­ pened,” Schipper said. “The defendant has decided to waive his right to a jury trial and proceed with just a bench trial. “That’s his constitutional right. So I will be the one making the decision of guilt or not guilty in this case. So, for you all, this counts as your jury duty for the year.” Before dismissing prospective jurors Mon­ day, Schipper told them they would be wel­ come in the court during trial proceedings, which are open to the public. The judge also shared this parting thought, “Just so you know, from my perspective, it’s almost an answer to a prayer ... I’m thankful that 18 of you don’t have to watch the video in this case.” The video, police said, was taken by the 22-year-old Lafey when he killed 18-year-old Gracyn-Michael Kay-Candace Brickley of Ionia, whose battered body was found dumped in a wooded area of Maple Grove Township. See JUDGE, page 2 Delton Kellogg narrows superintendent search to five Delton Kellogg Schools named five candi­ dates for first-round interviews as it continues its search for a new superintendent. The following candidates will interview Monday, April 25: • Stephen Patchin, superintendent of Han­ cock Public Schools, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. • Jeremy Wright, Plainwell Community Schools high school principal, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. • Herman Lartique, Jr., assistant elementa­ ry principal at Klein Independent School District in Texas, from 8 to 9 p.m. The following candidates are scheduled for interviews on Tuesday, April 26: • Melissa Remillard, early elementary school principal for Paw Paw Public Schools, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. • Karmin Bourdo, elementary school prin­ cipal for Delton Kellogg Schools, from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Interviews will take place in the Delton Kellogg High School Cafeteria, 10425 Pan­ ther Pride Drive, in Delton. Community members, district staff and the public are welcome to attend these interviews. People who attend the interviews will have the opportunity to fill out a feedback form on the candidates. Board President Jessica Bran­ di has assured participants that all feedback forms will be read and taken into consider­ ation by the board. On May 9, prior to the second round of interviews at 6:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria, the top two candidates will be given a tour of the schools and town. Informal “meet and greet” gatherings for the community, district staff and others to meet the final two candidates are planned from 4 to 5 p.m. May 9 in the high school cafeteria and library. School board members are hoping to make their selection by the end of the day, May 9, and have the new superintendent ready to take over at the beginning of the upcoming school year. Any questions or comments may be direected to Charles Dumas, executive search specialist for the Michigan Association of School Boards, at cdumas@masb.org or at 517-526-0439. The need for a new superintendent arose in November when Kyle Corlett, who had served as superintendent at Delton Kellogg since 2017, accepted the superintendent’s post at Ludington Area Schools. Since then, Carl Schoessel, who previously served for more than 20 years as superinten­ dent at Hastings Area Schools and three years at Delton Kellogg, stepped back in as interim superintendent for the remainder of this school year. Next up for $26 million project: Finish the bridge Greg Chandler Staff Writer Construction is progressing on the inter­ change at U.S. 131 and M-179 near the Gun Lake Casino. Next up for $26 million project is the sec­ ond portion of the new bridge over U.S. 131. When the project is complete, it will be a single-point urban interchange that will allow opposing left-turn movements simultaneously from M-179 onto U.S. 131. The design is similar to the interchanges on U.S. 131 at 44th Street in Grand Rapids and Stadium Drive in Kalamazoo. The interchange also includes dedicated left­ turn and right-turn ramps onto M-179. The project is expected to be complete this November, replacing the original interchange that was built in 1959, said John Richard, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Grand Region office in Grand Rapids. The Match-E-Be-Nash-SheWish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, which owns and operates the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, contributed $22 million toward the project cost, with MDOT making up the rest of the cost. For the time being, 129th Avenue is closed on the west side of U.S. 131 and the center left-turn lane is closed on 129th and M-179 on the east side of the expressway. The ramp onto southbound U.S. 131 also is closed at this time with a detour that directs motorists along a service drive parallel to the highway to the next ramp in Shelbyville, Richard said. The multimillion-dollar interchange at M-179 and U.S. 131 is taking shape. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) �Page 2 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner JUDGE, continued from page 1 ---------------She had been shot twice with a.22 rifle in the chest and abdomen, according to the police report. The murder occurred behind the house owned by Charles James, where Lafey had been living with James and two other men, Dustin Stephens and Harold “Danny” Butcher Jr. Jacob Roys, a digital crimes analyst with the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, testified Tuesday that he extracted a call log and a video from a cell phone police said belonged to Lafey. The video showed “a woman laying on the ground and it appeared she was being beat­ en,” Roys told Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt. In pre-trial proceedings, defense attorney James Kinney of Hastings had argued that the video was “too prejudicial for a jury to review.” Nakfoor Pratt agreed the video is disturb­ ing, but told Schipper that two of the main charges brought against Lafey - open murder and torture - were based on that video. In February, Schipper ruled it could be admitted as evidence. That video was shown in court Tuesday afternoon. Before it was shown, Schipper warned people in the courtroom about the nature of the recording and the need for silence and emotional restraint. I need to see and hear everything,” he said, instructing them to leave the courtroom if they felt overcome by what they were viewing. The video was shown on a large screen affixed at an angle to one long, side wall of the courtroom. The first image is a small, clothed figure lying at an odd angle on the ground, her face partially covered in snow. As the video pro­ ceeds, an assailant - whose voice can be heard - mocks the severely injured woman, curses her and tells her to die as he beats her to death. Testimony confirmed the identity of the figure as Brickley. In her opening statement Monday, Nakfoor Pratt said Lafey literally stomped on Brickley 50 times. Charles James of Maple Grove Township identifies the boundaries of his property on Guy Road, where the murder occurred. During the video, which lasted about 12 minutes, two people who had initially cho­ sen to stay rushed from the courtroom, clear­ ly overcome by what they were witnessing. Of those who remained, many put their hands up to their faces as tears streamed from their eyes. Lafey did not look at the screen. According to testimony thus far, after Brickley was killed, Lafey showed several people the videotape of Brickley lying help­ less on the ground as she was beaten to death. While her assailant does not appear on camera, his voice can be heard and, at times, his legs are visible as he kicks and stomps on her body. Lafey’s parents testified Monday. Joseph Ketola of Nashville, Lafey’s father, said his son called him and told him he had killed Brickley. “I didn’t believe him,” Ketola said. “‘It was like...Yeah, right. You’re lying.’” Ketola said he tried to question Lafey about it and when he learned that Lafey needed help hiding the body, he told him, “‘You’re not going to drag a body down the street with no one seeing.’... I went back to watching TV.” Then, Ketola continued, “Charlie (James) showed up to the house and said he had seen a film.” The two men agreed to seek out Nashville Police Chief Chris Underhile and tell him what they knew. “I don’t want to be charged with conspira­ cy after the fact,” Ketola said. James testified that Lafey had told him he was going to kill Brickley. “I told him he wasn’t going to do that on my property nowhere around my property,” James said. James also identified the rifle that he said Lafey used to shoot Brickley. It was admitted as evidence during his testimony Monday. That rifle belongs to him, he said. On the night of the murder, James testified that he left his house between 7 and 9 p.m. to go to Charlotte. !' Lafey and Brickley were sitting on his couch in the living room side by side, “and everything looked fine,” he said. When James returned after 10 p.m., he walked in the house and he recalled that Lafey was eating a sandwich. Lafey told him, “I got something to show you.” Then he brought up a video on his cellphone screen “and handed me the phone,” James testified. “I seen a girl dying, her teeth missing. It was Grace. At first, I thought it was a joke.” But then he could see it was real, James continued. “She was trying to get up and when she tried to get up, he kicked her,” he said. “I gave him the phone and said, ‘Get out of my room.’” James said he left the house then and went to his girlfriend’s place where he “stared at the wall all night.” He didn’t speak to his girlfriend about it. “I guess I just couldn’t believe it,” he said. The next morning, he went to Ketola’s house. Joe Ketola seemed “shocked like he couldn’t believe she died neither,” James recalled. That’s when the two men sought out Chief Underhile. “I still have nightmares about it some­ times,” James said. “And yet you waited until the following day to take any action to assist Grace,” Nak­ foor Pratt pointed out during his testimony. “That’s correct,” James replied. Dustin Stephens, 36, testified Tuesday morning that he had lived in the James house with Lafey and he was there with him the night Brickley was killed. Stephens said he was at the residence with Brickley, Lafey and Butcher at the time of the murder. He recalled that Lafey took Brickley outside with him, telling her that he had stashed heroin outside. He took the.22 caliber rifle with him, say­ ing it was to protect him from coyotes, Ste­ phens said. After some time had passed, Stephens and Butcher became concerned when the two hadn’t returned. Stephens said he tried to message Grace, but got no response. Then Lafey returned to the house alone and showed Stephens a video of him killing Brickley, Stephens said. Lafey asked for help hiding the body. Stephens testified that he never wanted to help Lafey hide Brickley’s body, but he agreed to do so to keep him calm and he took Brickley’s phone and backpack “as an act of good faith.” Stephens said he called his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Rice, to come to the house so he and Butcher left with her. They told Lafey they needed to clean out Rice’s car to make room for the body, then Stephens, Rice and Butcher left with­ out assisting him in hiding the body, he said. At some point, Stephens said, Rice noticed the shirt he was wearing appeared to have a bloodstain on it. He said he wasn’t sure what the stain was, but he decided to bum the shirt as a precaution against being implicated in the crime. Stephens said none of them called the police. He was dropped off at his uncle’s house and stayed there, he said. When Chief Underhile took the stand, his testimony detailed police arrival at the James’ residence where they found Lafey. Underhile said he, Sgt. Richard Frazer and Deputy Kevin Erb followed a trail in the snow on the Guy Road property where Since the defendant chose to have a bench trial, Barry County Judge Michael Schipper will make the determination of guilty or not guilty. Brickley’s body had been dragged into a wooded area. The police body camera documents their search through the cold and snow and the conversation about where the trail might lead them until one of the officers stops. “You find her?” another says. Then there is a long silence followed by the words “son of a gun” as the officer real­ izes it’s Brickley’s body. Frazer testified as to what he observed about the body and that he had “no doubt” she was dead. When the officers took Lafey into custody, they found two spent shell casings in a small pocket. He volunteered to police that those were the two shells he had shot Brickley with, Frazer said. The trial was to resume at 8:30 a.m. today in Judge Schipper’s courtroom on the second floor of the Courts and Law Building in Hastings. Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt poses questions to Charles James as the trial begins Monday. . f Happy Easter! We hope your day is filled with joy, 1 love, and faith । * in celebration of this day with family and friends. 0 * arveth V’H ) j (269) 795-4972 ’Z www.CarvethVillage.com Check us out at www.facebook.com/carveth “Remember... ifyou cant live alone.,, live with 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 Andrew Lafey, 22, of Nashville, opted for a bench trial at the last minute Monday, after 120 potential jurors had been summoned to serve in the first-degree murder/torture case against him. Sgt. Richard Frazer of the Barry County Sheriff’s Office testifies about finding the body of Gracyn-Michael Kay-Candace Brickley. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — Page 3 Barry County commissioners opt for rules to encourage civility during public meetings Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County Board of Commissioners OK’d a rules change Tuesday that they’ve been considering for months. Their action amends the county board’s procedure and regulation and places some new The proposal, which has been in the works for two years, was approved in a 5-2 vote with Jon Smelker and Howard Gibson voting against it. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Gibson said. Smelker pointed out that the rules are already in place and no additions or revi­ sions are required. The proposal, which had come before the board several times, was updated after discussion at meetings on Feb. 15, March 1 and April 5. The intent of it is to more clearly estab­ lish and define the rules pertaining to pub­ lic comments at an open meeting as permit­ ted by the Open Meetings Act. The OMA provides that “a person shall be permitted to address a meting of a pub­ lic body under rules established and record­ ed by the public body.” Upon consultation with the county’s attorney, the amendment established some rules relating to public comment, including the following: • Limited Public Comment, shall be lim­ ited to no more than 3 minutes per individ­ ual and at times designated..., except where extended privileges are granted by the chairperson. • Each person who speaks shall direct his/her comments to the chairperson. • The chairperson shall call to order any Barry County Service Awards were awarded Tuesday to Deputy Marti Horrman for 25 years with the Barry County Sheriff's Office; Shannon Pinkster for 10 years with Historic Charlton Park where she is curator; and Tammy Pennington for 35 years with the Commission on Aging, where she is the executive director. In congratulating Pennington, Chairman Ben Geiger noted that Pennington is planning to retire this year. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) person who is behaving in a disorderly manner, such as, but not limited to, speak­ ing or otherwise disrupting the proceeding, by speaking longer than the allotted time, by speaking vulgarities, by making com­ ments that are intimidating, threatening or harassing or by making comments directed at a member of the public, which conduct substantially interrupts, delays or disturbs See RULES, page 8 Gilmore Piano Fest artist to join HHS Senior Spotlight concert and performances across the globe, Hong earned a reputation for opening the ears, eyes and imaginations of hundreds of thousands of Americans, his combination of stunning technique, emotional range, and rare humor continues to bring audi­ ences young and old to their feet, accord­ ing to a press release. In July 2005, Gramophone magazine declared Hong’s first CD “a debut that enhances this young pianist’s reputation,” praising his “strong finger-work and keen ear for voice-leading.” The release of his second album in January 2007 sold out of its first run within weeks and garnered critical acclaim. The New York Times called Hong “a pianistic firebrand” in a review of his standing-room only New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall, the result of his winning first prize in the 2001 Concert Artists Guild International Com­ petition. Hong’s ability to connect to people of all ages, experiences and backgrounds distinguishes him and shapes his evolving performance style, according to the press Gilmore Piano Festival press release. His extensive classical training - matched with his background in skateboarding, snowboarding, martial arts and videog­ ames - forms a creative force unmatched in its youthful vivacity and boundless energy. After the 9-foot Steinway grand piano was delivered to the Hastings Performing Arts Center in October 2019, Patti LaJoye contacted the Gilmore Piano Festival hop­ ing organizers would consider adding Hastings as a partner. A representative from the festival toured the auditorium with LaJoye, a retired Hastings teacher and musical director, and was impressed with the space and the spe­ cial care set up for the grand piano. Approval was sought and granted. Then the pandemic hit, and the festival had to be postponed. Now after two years, the festival is back. Hastings and the Steinway piano donated by the Baum Family Foundation will be featured beginning at 7 p.m. Tues­ day, April 19, at the performing arts cen­ ter, which was provided by the Hastings community. The concert is free. “We are thrilled to have a Gilmore Art­ ist in Hastings,” LaJoye said, extending special thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest for its finan­ cial support of this program. The Gilmore Artist is American pianist, Alpin Hong, who made his orchestral debut with the Kalamazoo Symphony at just 10 years old. He moved to Los Ange­ les soon after and garnered competition victories at a young age with wins at the 1989 Stravinsky Piano Competition. He completed his master’s degree at The Juilliard School. During two whirlwind American tours See PIANO FEST, page 8 Thornapple Township to seek tax increase for fire, ambulance service Greg Chandler Staff Writer Rising costs for both equipment and labor for Thomapple Township Emergency Ser­ vices have led township officials to ask voters to raise taxes to support the service. The township board Monday night voted unanimously to place on the August ballot a request to levy 2.25 mills for a period of four years to support TTES. Township voters in August 2020 approved a renewal of a 1.75-mill levy to support TTES through 2023, but that amount has been rolled back to 1.6969 mills because of the Headlee amendment. The new levy would replace the current tax, Township Supervisor Eric Schaefer said. “After reviewing the rising costs of supplies, insurance, salaries, utilities at the sta­ tion, the increased number of calls, the expanded number of households being served, the need for an additional firefighter/paramedic and the spreadsheet of equipment aging out, it has become more than obvious that additional funding is needed in order to prop­ erly run the TTES department,” Schaefer said. “Due to the Headlee rollback of the current millage, the funding is lacking. The [emer- gency services] committee reviewed costs and weighed this with the additional tax this would impose upon its residents, and felt that 2.25 mills would be appropriate at this time.” The tax levy supports equipment and per­ sonnel for TTES, which serves both Thomap­ ple Township and the village of Middleville. TTES also contracts with neighboring Irving Township for ambulance service. TTES Chief Randy Eaton told the board his department is facing the prospect of having to make several large apparatus purchases in the near future, the result of a past pattern of pur­ chases under a previous chief. It started with the purchase of a fire engine in 1998, Eaton said. “A couple of years later, we bought a tank­ er, and a couple of years after that, we bought a big rescue truck,” Eaton said. “We spent a lot of money in six years, seven years, and that isn’t how you want to operate a fire department. You need to spread those pur­ chases out so that they’re every eight to 10 years ... so that you’re not [paying for] two major purchases in a row. “What we’re up against now is we have two aging pieces of equipment that we need to replace, sooner rather than later, and Engine 56 would be the first.” The original purchase price of Engine 56 in 1998 was $460,000. Replacing that unit in 2023 would cost an estimated $588,000, and holding off on the purchase would bring on additional costs of roughly 6 to 8 percent a year, Eaton said. “If we put it off until 2030, it’s going to be just a Tittle-under $40*^000 more [than if we buy in 2023],” he said. Eaton spoke to representatives from Spar­ tan, a firetruck manufacturer based in Char­ lotte, on the rising prices for new firetrucks. Spartan recently built a new truck for Caledonia Fire Rescue, which will soon be delivered. “Right now, their prices are 20-25 percent higher than they were 18 months ago - partly due to the pandemic, I’m sure,” Eaton said. “They’re also charging now a $6,000 surcharge just to put you in line to get it built.” Eaton said tht if TTES were to place an order for a new engine now, it would be about 18 months before the truck would be avail­ able for service. The current Engine 56 has a 35-foot-high ladder to handle taller structure fires, but TTES has no other trucks with a ladder that tall. “The new truck would need to be outfitted so that 35-foot ladder could go on that truck,” Eaton said. “That still only gives us one 35-foot ladder on one piece of equipment, so that next vehicle that’s purchased, if it were a tanker, would probably get a 35-foot ladder because tankers are typically a water supply unit and not a unit that arrives with a two- or three-ply ladder.” The issue of ladder height was a subject of concem during the Village of Middleville’s recent discussion on the proposed Flats at Mid-Villa mixed-use development along M-37, which would have included 144 apart­ ments in six buildings roughly 35 feet in height. The developer has since withdrawn his request for a planned unit development rezoning for the site, although he may come back with another plan in the future. In addition to the rising costs for equipment, the township has raised wages for TTES employees in order to remain compet­ itive with other departments. The board unan­ imously approved a $3-per-hour wage increase in August 2021. The increase boost­ ed the pay for full-time staff members to roughly $21 to $24 per hour, while the top pay level for medics increased to $22 per hour, and top pay for emergency medical technicians rose to about $20 per hour, according to township documents. TTES employees, as well as all other township employees, received a 5.9 percent cost-of-living increase at the start of the new fiscal year April 1, Eaton said. At its current level, the EMS levy gener­ ates about $635,000 for TTES, Township Treasurer Deb Buckowing-sauL Township voters overwhelmingly approved the last TTES millage renewal in August 2020, with 1,151 yes votes compared to 469 no votes. A 2016 renewal election was much closer, passing by a margin of 648-501, according to county election records. If the levy does not pass in August, Schae­ fer recommended the proposal be put back on the ballot in the November election. Bicyclist struck by pickup Greg Chandler City approves $70,480 bid for tree care Staff Writer A 30-year-old Hastings woman suf­ fered minor injuries Friday when she was struck by a pickup truck while rid­ ing her bicycle in the downtown area. The accident occurred shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of North Mich­ igan Street and Apple Street. The victim was crossing the intersec­ tion on her bicycle, headed south on Michigan, when she collided with the pickup, driven by a 51-year-old Hast­ ings woman, which was turning north onto Michigan, Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter said in a news release. The victim, whose name was not released, was taken to Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital with minor injuries. The accident remains under investiga­ tion at this time, Boulter said. Assisting Hastings Police at the scene were the Hastings Fire Department and Mercy Ambulance. Council finalizes date for cutting retiree healthcare Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings City Council members Monday unanimously approved a proposal for tree trimming, removal and stump grinding with an estimated price of $70,480. This bid came after an estimated $123,375 proposal for tree trimming was rejected at the March 28 meeting. Council members said they were concerned with the high price of the bid and asked city officials to find a lower option. Along with the approved bid from Front­ line Maintenance & Service LLC for an esti­ mated $70,480, the city received a bid from Highpoint Tree Service for an estimated $74,550. Both bids cover 47 tree removals, 107 stump grindings and 23 tree trimmings. Director of Public Services Travis Tate rec­ ommended the approved bid because it offered stump grindings at a significantly reduced cost. “I’m very happy that we looked at other places to get a better price,” council member Don Bowers said. While the city did receive the two lower bids Tate said DPS could potentially find even lower bids if the city desired. It was just a matter of how much money the city wanted to budget and how many trees it wanted to cut or trim. “I just need direction on how much you want to spend,” Tate said. “Is the limit $40,000? What is the limit?” Council member Brenda McNabb-Stange said it was hard to pick a budgeted amount of city funds for tree removal services when the city council didn’t know for sure how many trees could cause potential problems. She expressed worry about trees with falling limbs she had seen that could cause injuries or damage to property, she said. “Whatever the number of trees that need to be cut down need to be budgeted for,” McNabb-Stange said. “1 don’t know how many trees we have out there that are a dan­ ger to the public.” Tate recommended having an arborist added to the budget. The arborist would be able to better assess if trees are in need of immediate attention or if they could be dealt with at a later time, which could help the city council make a more informed decision regarding the budget allocated toward tree care. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said city officials had found that Hastings was remov­ ing many more trees than other communities, and for that reason it was worth looking into the city’s tree care budget. The city is inter­ nally discussing adding an arborist to the budget, she said. “It could very well be the case that we’re cutting down trees that might be unneces­ sary,” Moyer-Cale said. “If we had an arbor­ ist review it, they might feel that the trees don’t need to be removed, or we could have a tree disease or something else that’s affecting our trees to a greater extent than some other places.” The city also approved changes to its per­ sonnel policy. The changes involved modify­ ing the policy to reflect changes made to the corrective action plan for the city’s pension liability. The plan involved the removal of post-employment healthcare coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees, as well as spouse and dependent health care coverage for retir­ ees effective July 1. The city had previously approved the plan in order to fix a deficit after discovering the city’s contributions to the Michigan Employment Retirement service were not making their esti­ mated return on investment. The city’s pension was only 44 percent funded, down from 68 percent in 2006. The state requires municipali­ ties that drop below 60 percent binding to submit a corrective action plan or risk the state taking over the city’s finances. The city estimates the cuts will save an estimated $423,000 per year that can be put back into the city’s pension fund, potentially fully funding it in 10 years if nothing goes wrong. Other changes to the personnel policy included updated information technology policies regarding passwords and the creation of a safety committee for employees to sub­ mit and review reports regarding concerns. The personnel appeals board, which exists to process city employee complaints regard­ ing the personnel policy, was struck from the policy since the board had never been formed despite existing in the policy for more than a year, Moyer-Cale said. The policy now advis­ es employees to file complaints to the city manager. In other business, the city council: • Purchased two-heavy pickup trucks from the Todd Wenzel dealership through MIDeal for $98,004. They are replacing the current vehicles, which the department of public ser­ vices intends to sell. • Set a workshop for 6 p.m. Monday, April 25, to review the 2022-23 budget. • Approved sidewalk closure from A.J. Veneklasen on Michigan Avenue and Apple Street at the site of the construction of the Lofts @ 128. The closure is expected to con­ tinue until construction is complete. • Approved a public utility easement from Ravenna Holdings. The easement is being granted to allow the city to access the water main for repairs and maintenance at 600 E. Woodlawn Ave, where a townhouse is going to be constructed. • Pushed back a vote approving events at Hammond Hills Disc Golf Course. Council members expressed a desire to receive more information on the course. 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The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. r* ► • Make your Grad a Quilt W* 108” Cotton - many colors || Beautiful Prints for Quilters J* Zippers, Thread, Buttons, Trim . J Linus Project Pickup Station < Pray For Our World QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 jmsh । yr OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; MtOj Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station < �Page 4 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you InMyOpinion see Easter as a way of life Here's the hearing room Over the past 18 months, space within the Barry County Courts and Law Building, 206 W. Court, has been upgraded to better accommodate court services. As a part of that project, a new magistrate's hearing room has been added. Here's what that new space looks like. Do you remember? Scrambled Easter egg hunt Banner April 5, 1972 No Easter Egg Hunt - The Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for Johnson Field Saturday morning was canceled after a heavy April snowfall spread a 4-inch blanket over the community. However, some 1,000 eggs had been colored by Earl Cooklin and the staff of the Hastings school hot lunch program, candies had been obtained, and Key Club members were set to distribute the eggs. So, the Key Club students took about 40 dozen of the hardboiled colored eggs to the Provincial House, the Barry Medical Facility and Pennock Hospital, and then at 11 a.m., they sacked ^O^dozen more eggs and 150 pounds of candy to hand out to youngsters. Here, Rick Rohde (left) and Dan Buerge are giv­ ing Jack Thomas and Barbie Colvin their sacks. The first Easter egg hunt was in 1971 atTyden Park, and more than 1,000 enjoyed the event. Have you met? As he was about to be interviewed, Phil­ lip Englerth asked a question of his own. Can he record the interview? “This is a year of firsts,” he explained. To start, he competed in the 2022 Bar­ ry-Roubaix bike race - the Hastings-based gravel bike race, considered the largest of its kind in the world. And now, he’s being interviewed. To commemorate the bike race, his first-ever, he just looks at his phone lock screen - a selfie of him and other organizers of the Barry-Roubaix at Kloosterman’s Sports Tap hours after the race. To commemorate this interview, he wants a recording. Englerth, 45, doesn’t always get the opportunity to do things for himself. He prides himself on doing things for others. He says that he has a servant’s heart. “It basically means that I really love to help people,” he said. “Any place in town that needs help with something, I’m always open to trying to be helpful to them. “... I just go around and say, ‘Is there something I can help you guys with?’” Englerth, the son of Ed and Pamela Englerth, was bom and raised in Hastings. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1996. After high school, he completed a month-long vocational assessment at what is now called the Michigan Career and Techni­ cal Institute, where he discovered his strength. “I found out that I’m really good at cleaning,” he said. Now, he finds employment by cleaning for people - snow shoveling for neighbors and cutting flowers at Barlow Florist. He has worked at Mexican Connexion for nearly four years, where he cleans, sweeps and mops. Englerth also spends a fair amount of his free time volunteering. He works at a local soup kitchen, fundraises for an epilepsy foundation and has served as a board mem­ ber at the Lighthouse on the Lake Center. One of the highlights of his year is setting up the Big Ticket Festival, a Christian music event in Gaylord. Volunteering is how Englerth first became familiar with the Barry-Roubaix. He saw it around town and thought it would be fun to help out. Phillip Englerth Over the years, he became one of the longest-tenured volunteers with the event, working mostly at the registration desk. But after the race in October 2021, some of the race organizers planted an idea in his head: Englerth shouldn’t just volunteer. He should ride. Englerth had never participated in a bike race before. He spent most of his free time playing the acoustic guitar and listening to Christian rock. His favorite TV show is “The Chosen” and he is creating a song to go with the show, with hopes of performing it live at Green Street United Methodist Church. But he thought about the possibility of riding and agreed. He wanted to try some­ thing new. He started training just a few weeks before the race March 26. Fie rode the course a few times and biked around town when he could. Englerth finished his first Barry-Rou­ baix. He called it “exhausting” and “major­ ly cold,” but “kind of fun in a different way.” He volunteered, too, but the highlight was riding in the race. He crossed the finish line in 2 1/2 hours. “For being that cold, that wasn’t bad!” he exclaimed. Englerth sits in a recliner in his living room during the interview. A bicycle rests in front of him, next to stacks of CDs. There’s another bicycle behind the reclin­ er and one in the shed behind the apart­ ments. He wants to get a stand to prop up his bikes and practice inside when it gets cold outside. When asked if he plans to ride again next year, he doesn’t hesitate. “Oh, absolutely,” he said. With one caveat: He wants to start train­ ing for next year as soon as possible. And just two weeks after the event, he’s seen in downtown Hastings, riding his bike. For his many ways of volunteering, Phil Englerth is this week’s Bright Light: Person I’m glad to have met: There have been a few through the Big Ticket Festival. I’ve got a chance to meet TobyMac and his buddy, Michael Tait. Most everybody from the Christian rock group called Shiny Penny. I’ve become close friends with them. Best gift ever received: The passion for music, which I guess would come from both God and my dad, because my dad’s a singer/songwriter. Favorite dinner: Sweet and sour pork or chicken. And usually at Thanksgiving, I don’t really like green bean casserole so Mom came up with the concept of carrot casserole, which is even better. It’s got car­ rots, syrup and fried onions, and sometimes I’ve made a variation of that. If I could change one thing: I really would like to be able to have more confi­ dence sometimes. Because sometimes I get fairly easily discouraged. God’s kinda working on me with that. In these most difficult of times in a jaded and materialistic world, the Eas­ ter story may be too much for some. The celebration of the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus has been the Holy Week narrative for more than 2,000 years, but our modem cul­ ture of false narrative and alternative facts seems to be slipping away from its faith in that timeless story. If ever we needed faith in an unseen Savior though, this is the time. Even for those who doubt, the Chris­ tian celebration of Easter is a message from which the whole world can benefit. Easter is a time of renewal, hope and joy. Easter is a chance for new begin­ nings, for a fresh start - especially when we’ve faced lockdowns, sickness and death, economic hardships and now a war in a far-off land. Easter carries a message for every­ one all over the world. Although people view Jesus’ life dif­ ferently, people of all religions across the globe observe this special holiday. Jews will be celebrating Passover, and Muslims hold a special place in their faith for Jesus as a prophet. As a nation, we’d all do well to take heed of that worldwide call, to see it as a promise upon which some wonderful things have happened and to recognize some of the wonderful people who brought us great things. Our 16^ U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln, was one of our leaders who understood what religious faith meant to us as individuals and families, as a country and a world. “Having no common values, heri­ tage, commitment, or hope, then we are a nation in serious trouble,” Lincoln said. “This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.” There has been a great deal of debate over the years about whether Lincoln was a Christian because he never joined a specific church; although he attended church services regularly while he served as president. “That I am not a member of any Christian church is true,” he said, “but I never denied the truth of the Scrip­ tures, and I have never spoken with intentional disrespect of religion in general, or of any denomination of Christians in particular. “I do not think I could myself be brought to support a man for office whom I knew to be an open enemy of, or scoffed at, religion.” According to David Williams, a med­ ical professor at the University of Michigan, “regular religious attendance leads to much less psychological dis­ tress.” In other words, Williams says, “It appears the practice of religion has a significant effect on happiness and an overall sense of personal well-being.” Religious affiliation and regular church attendance are near the top of the list for most people in explaining their own happiness. It serves as a good predictor of those most likely to have a strong sense of well-being, as Abraham Lincoln once proclaimed. Maybe that is what’s missing in the lives of a growing number of people. I grew up in a family where religion played an important role in our lives. We attended Mass weekly, enjoyed every religious holiday and cherished the role that believing in God played in our lives. What has soured us as a people today, when we are so quick to judge one another, condemning those who don’t think like we do? The phrase “history repeats itself’ often reminds me of our times, espe­ cially during this upcoming Holy Week. Are we unlike those people of Jesus’ day who, thousands of years ago and disregarding all the evidence, con­ demned and crucified a man who spoke peace, love, and hope? The Hastings published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. Banner Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 If I could build or make something: Making something for the bike. To be able to make things so that I could train with that bike instead of having to buy something to set it up on. That’s why Christians take such joy in the story of his resurrection. A new Pew Research Report sug­ gests that many Americans still listen to that wondrous story. Confidence is returning in the feeling of safely attend­ ing church once again - even though the percentage that says they actually will attend is down from prior years. Just four in 10, or 39 percent of Christians, say they plan to attend in-person church services on Easter Sunday, which is lower than the 62 per­ cent who say they typically go to church on Easter. The lack of participation of recent churchgoers also says something about our respect for tradition. It’s an acknowledgment - even if it’s for one hour on one Holy Day - that Easter is more than just bunnies, bas­ kets and dinner with family and friends. “A house divided against itself can­ not stand,” Lincoln said. “This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.” Our Founding Fathers made a special effort to promote the freedom of all Americans to practice their faith, yet, in recent years, political leaders seem hes­ itant to speak of that freedom due to the constitutional separation of church and state. As a rule, though, most politicians never give a speech without referring to religion in some way. Throughout history, the influence that religion has had on our lives and the family stability it provides is indis­ putable, so it makes sense to me that Congress take the lead in a national debate on the important role religion plays in our lives. That just might be the only way to reduce the huge divide that plagues our nation. Easter is one of the most important celebrations for Christians who cele­ brate the anniversary of Jesus’ resurrec­ tion and ascension to heaven. As the lyric from the song “Eagle’s Wings” reminds, Easter tells us that God holds us in the “palm of his hands and will make us shine like the sun,” a gift promised to us if we simply believe in Him. Even for those who exercise their free will to not believe, the Easter story has some practical meaning. Easter is a reminder that God and the gift of His son are bigger than our problems. If nothing else, this fantastic story takes our minds off ourselves, our stresses, and our relentless rush to achieve and have more. The Easter story gives us confidence to pursue what is right and to care for others. We can assess growing threats to humanity and be equipped with a proper response. In the words of Jesus we are invited to “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened for you.” So I invite you to attend an Easter ... Sunday service this weekend, open the door for someone you may not know and enrich your life with the message. It is the answer to the troubles of our world - just as it has always been. Happy Easter! • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — Page 5 ‘Blood-money refunds’ are truly overpayment for us HASS Headlines To the editor: Thank you, Fred Jacobs, for the “In My Opinion” piece in the March 24 Banner. That editorial does a good job of explaining the history of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association and how recent changes by the Legislature and governor have caused 16,000 - or more - accident victims to lose “promised coverage and care” under their so-called reforms. Better yet, Jacobs shines a light on several callous responses and lies that have been put forth by State House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Wentworth’s screed about spending “an entire year looking at every idea” may have been as he stated, “...with our committee.” But, I believe if the truth be told, the ink wasn’t even dry on the paper and members had little, if any, chance to read the bills in the dark of the night when they voted on and passed the bills. Whitmer’s crowing, “Our ... reforms have significantly lowered the cost of auto insurance for families,” if not an outright lie, is a gross distortion of the facts. She fails to mention that, in order to have any reduction of the cost of a family’s insur­ ance, they would most likely have to elect to have greatly reduced Personal Injury Protec­ tion benefits. When you pay less, but get less coverage in case of an accident, is it really fair to call that a “reduction of cost?” That would be like comparing the cost of collision on your vehi­ Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System cle with a $100 deductible and the cost with a $500 deductible, you may be saving on what you pay the insurance company, but, if you have a loss, who is paying the extra $400 cost of repair for your car? Another consideration not touted by either of the above two hucksters in bragging about the reforms they hoisted upon Michigan driv­ ers is the fact that drivers can now be sued because of a vehicle accident. Most responsi­ ble agents, if they are looking out for the best interests of their insured customers, are sug­ gesting an increase in the Bodily Injury Lia­ bility and property damage liability limits and an umbrella liability policy to protect them in case of being sued because of an accident. A person keeping the same level of Person­ al Injury Protection (medical) coverage they had before and following the advice to increase the liability limits to protect them­ selves in case of a lawsuit will most likely see an increase of $150 to $200 per year in insur­ ance costs. That is far from being significantly lowered as Whitmer has misrepresented to all. Another concern that Mr. Jacobs is wise to point out is that “the rest of us need to realize that there will be little or no care provided if any of us ever become a victim.” By passing the reforms that they tout, the Legislature and governor now have us paying premiums for long-term specialized care that we might someday need. But that care will not be there since those businesses in that industry will no longer exist in Michigan. The next time you see your legislator or the governor, before you consider shaking hands with them, look to see if they have washed the blood off their hands. I personally do not think there is enough soap, detergent, bleach or hand sanitizer in Michigan to ever accom­ plish that task. George Hubka, Dowling War in Ukraine: Motivation to find freedom To the editor: My wife and I have been married for 51 years. (It’s surprising how fast time flies.) Her niece did an genealogy search and dis­ covered a story about one of Jackie’s distant relatives, Jacob Brake. He was bom in Vir­ ginia in 1747; he was an only child. Jacob’s mother was killed in an Indian raid where Jacob with kidnapped in 1758 and, at age 11, he was adopted by the tribe. He remained captive with this Indian tribe for roughly 11 years, and then escaped. He searched for, and found, his father. Later, he joined George Washington’s Army and fought in the Revolutionary War. He was a lieutenant in Capt. George Jackson’s company of spies or rangers in 1778. He later married, and died in 1831 at age 84. I mention this because I think this true story demonstrates the power of our desire for freedom. Jacob was, at first, motivated to live (the strongest motivation we have), when he was captured. Then, he wanted freedom to live the way he was accustomed to living, when he escaped from the tribe and found his father (birth family). Then, he put his life on the line when he fought in the Revolutionary War, so that we Americans can live free of British rule. The Ukrainians have had the taste of free­ dom and democracy for a little more than 30 years; and they liked it! When Putin’s Rus­ sian Army, unprovoked, attacked them with bombs, tanks and bullets, everyday citizens rose and took up arms against them. President Zelensky and Ukrainians found that they could put up a strong fight to save their homeland from Putin, a dictator. The famous psychologist Abraham Maslow developed the theory of the “Hierarchy of Needs,” which included: Need for self-actualization (to be all you can be); self-esteem needs; love and belonging/acceptance needs; safety and security/safety needs; food, cloth­ ing and shelter/physical needs. According to Maslow, we humans need to satisfy the needs at the bottom, first, those physical and safety needs, before we can move up the hierarchy to love, belonging and acceptance. Ukrainians are motivated to have food, clothing and shelter, and safety and security, for themselves and their families, before they reach love and belonging and acceptance. It’s the strongest motivation we have to live and survive. That’s what Putin is up against. No wonder he has been losing this fight. — Household workers and Social Security taxes Vonda VanTil • Deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes from those wages. • Pay these taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. • Report the wages to Social Security. Accurate reporting is important since employ­ ees earn credit toward Social Security benefits and Medicare coverage. You currently earn Social Security or Medicare credit for every $1,510 in wages that are reported. Generally, people need 10 years of work to qualify for: • Retirement benefits (as early as age 62). • Disability benefits for the worker and the worker’s dependents. • Survivors benefits for the worker’s family. • Medicare benefits. You can learn more about reporting house­ hold worker income by reading “Household Workers” ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10021 .pdf. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. J^vuiveKfaru C/ _ Bernard and Elenora Tobias, Sr. to celebrate 65th wedding anniversary Luella Hamblin will celebrate 100th birthday Luella Hamblin will be celebrating her 100th birthday on April 20, 2022. She will be delighted to receive your cards c/o Jim Dick­ inson, 819 N. Taffee Dr., Hastings, MI 49058 Bernard and Elenora Tobias, Sr. will be cel­ ebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on April 20, 2022. Bernie Tobias and the former Ellie Anderson were united in marriage at the Orangeville Baptist Church on April 20, 1957. Their children and spouses are Bernard Jr. (Debbie), Dave (Becky), Rod (Nancy), Tracy (Julie) and John Tobias, all of Delton. They have 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Bernard retired from James River after 37 years. Ellie worked in this area and owned Ellie's Place Restaurant in Delton. They have always lived in the Delton area and wintered in Sebring, Fla. for 23 years. If you would like to send your congratula­ tions, please mail cards to them at 11474 Hwy. M-43, Delton, MI 49046. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Hailey Nicole Burns, Hastings and Gavin Paul Van Oosterhout, Hastings Buildings open for tours Saturday One of the facets of my position as super­ intendent of Hastings Area School System that I frequently am asked about is facility maintenance. Taking measures to promote efficiency and keep our facilities running smoothly is one of the most important aspects of my job, and something I dedicate time to each day. Operations and facility management is one of the key pillars of our strategic plan. Within that plan, our primary tool is the preventative maintenance schedule, which enables the HASS administrative team to monitor and assess multiple systems within each of our buildings. The schedule has been in place for quite some time and pro­ vides us guidance and direction digitally to properly maintain building infrastructure, HVAC systems and security, just to name a few. Each week, we meet with the director of maintenance to assess completed projects and prioritize the needs of the district’s facilities. In an effort to maintain transpar- ency and fiscal responsibility, I then make recommendations to the finance committee and the board of education to approve nec­ essary funds for district improvement proj­ ects. Many of these projects are smaller in scale and can be addressed through our annual operating budget. However, larger, more expensive projects - such as finishing the replacement of roofs, refurbishing bathrooms/Iocker rooms, and installing new, energy-efficient windows - require the school district to seek a bond proposal from the voting public. In order for the community to get a first­ hand look at our facilities and some of the proposed improvement projects throughout our school buildings, we are conducting tours at Central Elementary, Hastings Middie School and Hastings High School Saturday, April 16, from noon to 2:30 p.m. Hope you can come take a closer look at our facilities to see what we are hoping to achieve with the May 3 bond proposal. Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville Dave Schmitz, Middleville SOCIAL SECURITY Public Affairs Specialist Do you plan to pay a cleaning person, cook, gardener, babysitter or other household worker at least $2,400 in 2022? If you will pay at least $2,400 to one person during the year, which may include transportation, meals and housing, you have additional financial responsibilities to consider. When you pay at least $2,400 in wages to a household worker, you must do all of the fol­ lowing: HASS continues preventative building maintenance Thursday, April 14 - Movie Memories watches “Papa’s Delicate Condition,” a 1963 film based on a book by Corinne Griffith, 5-8 p.m. Saturday, April 16 - Dungeons and Dragons, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, April 18 - Crafting Passions Group, 10 a.m.-l; Lego club, 4-5 p.m. (adults must be accompanied by a child) Tuesday, April 19 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945­ 4263, or checking its Facebook events. ■; IftejftjSMhyn HAS in Hastings; Located in the maltfrext ld Hastings Walmart (next door to T-Mobile) • All dog breeds and sizes welcome! • Services include bathing, haircut or de-shedding, nail trims & ear cleaning. • Care, compassion and safety are top priorities. • Groomer has completed a 600 hour grooming school program that includes pet first aid and CPR. • Offering a $10 shuttle service to and from appointments for dogs 25 lbs or less Call or Text 269-264-2361 today for an appointment. HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO CONSIDER A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION FOR A MINING OPERATION LOCATED AT 8409 MILLER ROAD. TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: Notice is hereby given that the Hope Township Planning Commission will hold a meeting and Public Hearing on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 6:30pm at the Hope Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Hwy Hastings, Michigan 49058 within the Township. The purpose of the meeting is to receive comments from the public regarding an amended application by R. Smith & Sons Inc. for a mining operation (sand and gravel) on parcel (07-030-003-01) located at 8409 Miller Road, Delton, Ml 49046. The property is within the AR Agriculture Residential zoning district. Mining oper­ ations are permitted in this district only with Special Exception Use approval by the Planning Commission and as allowed by Section 4.2 (F) of the Hope Town­ ship Zoning Ordinance. A copy of the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance and the application is available for review at the Hope Township Hall, 5463 S. M-43 Hwy, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through noon and 1:15 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The Hope Township Zoning Ordinance is also accessible at www.hopetwp.com. Written comments will be received from any interested persons by the Hope Township Clerk at the Hope Township Hall during regular business hours up to the time of the hearing and may be further received by the Planning Commission at the hearing. Oral comments will be taken at the meeting. This notice is posted in compliance with PA267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material be­ ing considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Hope Township Hall 5463 S. M-43 Hwy Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2464 178791 �Page 6 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Elaine Garlock Good Friday services for the community are to be held at 1 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church on Fourth Avenue with several ministers taking part. A combined choir will include singers from the Congrega­ tional Church, Zion Lutheran and Central United Methodist churches. The local pastors will share the service. The offering will go to LAMA, the benevolent arm of the ministerial association which provides utility and rental assistance to local residents throughout the year. Before this service began, people went from church to church seeking help. Now all such requests are channeled to one pastoral member. The early spring flowers are showing their colors. Daffodils are among the earliest, but tiny purple flowers are showing here and there on lawns. According to a Facebook posting, blue­ birds are back and have started their egg-lay­ ing after ignoring their newly built nests. Reportedly, once bluebird nests were installed along the Jordan Lake Trail, which runs from David Harold Otto, age 94 of Middleville, passed away peacefully on April 4, 2022. Dave was bom on April 10, 1927 in Mid­ dleville, the son of Harold and Neva (Sherk) Otto. Dave was a 1945 graduate of Thomapple-Kellogg High School. On May 1, 1948 Dave married Lorraine Wheeler at Mid­ dleville United Methodist Church, and together they shared 73 years. Dave was a fourth generation and lifelong fanner on the family’s 175-year-old farm. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and Mid­ dleville Lions Club. Dave was also a member of the Barry County Steam & Gas Engine Club and attended many shows around Barry County with his tractor. Dave and Lorraine enjoyed spending win­ ters in Lake Como, FL for many years. Surviving is his wife, Lorraine Otto; children, Ken (Mary Laura) Otto, Marty (Mary) Otto, Tom (Jeri) Otto, Chris (Jan) Otto; close family friend and former exchange student Rainer (Birgit) Lehfeldt; nine grandchildren; 16 great grandchil­ dren; several nieces and nephews. Dave was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Roger Otto; brother, Robert (Rose Marie) Otto; sister Joann (Roger) Whittemore. Dave’s family will receive friends on Sun­ day, May 1, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Otto’s Turkey Farm (7640 W. State Rd., Middleville, MI 49333). Private burial will take place in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Memorial contributions to Middleville Rotary-Polio Plus Program to eradicate polio will be appreciated. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for David’s family. Doris B. Hendrian, age 97, of Hastings, MI, passed away on April 6, 2022. Doris was bom on March 31, 1925, in Detroit, the daughter of George and Esther (Fierk) Hen­ drian. Doris was a 1981 graduate of Oakland Community College. For over 40 years, she was employed by General Motors, Wixom Tool & Die, and Manix Construction as an office manager. After retiring, she moved to Hastings to be near her sister. Doris enjoyed researching genealogy, fam­ ily history and spending time with her family. Doris was preceded in death by her par­ ents; brother; sister-in-law; brother-in-law; niece, and nephew. She is survived by her sister of 93 years, Audrey Ruth Renner; eight nieces and neph­ ews; 25 great-nieces and nephews, and many great-great nieces and nephews. Respecting Doris’ wishes, there will be no service. Interment will be at Ottawa Park Cemetery in Clarkston, MI. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhashngs Fiberglass Products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWMOWW Botlinelbols&E^i^fflaH 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Eaton Highway (Barry County line) to the campus of Lakewood Middle School and the high school, the bluebirds moved in and have come back each year. The Red Cross has new rules that require would-be donors to pre-register. It no longer encourages walk-in donors. On Palm Sunday, Central United Method­ ist Church urged its members to wear a cloak to the morning service. There were some unusual cloaks since that is no longer a com­ mon piece of attire. All manner of fabrics were used as wrapped coverings. Special music was provided by sisters Lori McNeil and her mother, Carol Reiser, of Hastings with accompaniment by Marilyn Noffke on piano. They sang “The Palms” by Faure, a French composer. By last weekend, the soil in cemetery urns was thawed enough one could remove artifi­ cial flowers that were supposed to be out by the end of March, according to cemetery rules. Happy Easter! Flap over Harvest Pointe tax-exempt status erupts at township meeting Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer Thomapple Manor’s new 50-unit assisted living facility, Harvest Pointe, hasn’t opened yet, but it’s the center of disagreement over whether it should be tax-exempt. During the regular Hastings Charter Town­ ship meeting Tuesday night, the issue came up under the agenda item “Sewer Extension Agreement.” Some board members didn’t see the tax-ex­ empt disagreement as relevant to the discus­ sion, but it became so when the question was raised about tying the county-owned facility into an existing sewer line for the project, This agreement involves Thornapple Manor tying into an existing sewer line for the project. However, what started as three words on the agenda soon became a much larger discussion among board members. Mike Smith, who serves on the township board of review, started the conversation with a summary of what took place at the most recent review board meeting. “I don’t believe it was just me - I think everyone was pretty much in agreement. They were rather demanding and a little bit demeaning,” Smith said. “They were defen­ sive when we asked questions, and we felt like we were being bullied a little bit. “In the end, the board of review felt there were some mitigating circumstances that per­ haps the new facility might be able to be taxed - or be put on the tax roll - so we declined to give them tax-exempt status.” Don Haney, the Thomapple Manor admin­ istrator, has made it clear that Harvest Pointe will not be paying taxes. “One of the final departing comments from Don Haney, or the lady who was with him, was ‘Just go ahead and do this. We don’t want to have to make the next step to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. If the township board of review decided to deny them, we would be forcing them to waste taxpayer dollars.’ “And that’s not really up to them to deter­ mine how the township wants to spend its funds,” Smith added. As far as whether to deny their request, Trustee James Partridge spoke up. “We have to make sure we are doing the legal thing,” he said, “that we are not allow­ ing a tax exemption that’s not allowed. We had that in the past in the township, and it’s really not our decision. It has to be based on the laws of the state whether they qualify or not.” Smith agreed and added that, with the information they were presented, the board of review members did not feel Thomapple Manor should be approved for tax exemption. Clerk Anita Mennell added that if the deci­ sion to deny tax exemption was wrong, the State of Michigan will tell them. Supervisor Jim Brown gave the board some information to compare Thomapple Manor with other facilities in the area. “If you look at Carveth Village over in Middleville, it is an identical situation. Car­ veth Village is paying $101,101.88 a year in taxes to the township of Thomapple and Mid­ dleville Village,” he said. “If you look at Woodlawn Meadows out there in Hastings, they are paying in total $59,999.72,” he said. “So, if you want to compare apples to apples, here is Thomapple Manor opening up a facility that’s going to be in direct competition with those two, plus there’s almost 20 other smaller facilities in the county.” Trustee Bill Wetzel questioned how this tax issue with the Thornapple Manor was related to the agenda item involving the sewer extension agreement for Thomapple Manor. “I’m not the brightest bulb on the tree, but I see two different issues here,” Wetzel said. “Are we going to approve them to extend this sewage or not? Then we can address the financial situation because, to me, it almost sounds like blackmail to say, ‘Well, we are going to charge you or we are not going to approve it.’ And, to me, those are two differ­ ent issues.” “Well, we have to bring the first issue up because that was the first legal thing we did,” Brown said. “We turned it down. And what­ ever we do after that, that’s something that we are going to have to talk about.” “But, basically, we are looking at a con­ struction issue and a tax liability issue,” Par­ Thornapple Manor s 50-unit assisted livingfacility known as Harvest Pointe has sparked discussion in the Hastings area lately. Thornapple Manor has requested tax-exemption status due to its facility being government-owned. However, there has been some disagreement on whether the facility should be tax-exempt. tridge said. “Those are two different animals to me,” Trustee Tim McNally agreed. Wetzel proposed dealing with the sewer extension first. Mennell then joined the con­ versation, recommending that they sign the sewer extension agreement. “It almost looks like, if we don’t sign this, we are going to come in the back door to do something else,” she said. “So I’m recom­ mending we sign this agreement and that this other part is coming through as something else. This is something entirely different, and we shouldn’t be holding them hostage.” “I mean they aren’t going to be in business without the sewer, so there are no taxes avail­ able if they are not in business,” Partridge said. Although multiple board members were in favor of approving the sewer extension agree­ ment, Brown’s recommendation was to sit down with county representatives and talk about this issue before they move any further with the sewer agreement. “My point is, if Thomapple Manor wants to get into that particular business and be in competition with everybody, they should pay their fair share,” Brown said. Smith asked when the sewer agreement came to the township. Mennell said the request was made Nov. 17, 2021. “You would think that would be something that’s, first and foremost, before they even started the project,” Smith said. “It’s the tim­ ing then that almost makes the township look like we are trying to blackmail, where I don’t see it that way at all. “They should have had this done long before they even started the flipping project.” Brown said Thomapple Manor officials started the project before they had signatures allowing them to do so. “They basically went to the city to find out if the city had capacity to take care of that,” he said. “The city took a couple months to figure it out and they said, ‘Yes, we do’ and, at that point, the county started building, but the city hadn’t signed the agreement that they would take it, they just said, ‘Yes, we have capacity to.’ So, the county started building way before they had all their T’s crossed and their I’s dotted.” Partridge tried to keep the conversation in line with the agenda item. “I don’t see the sewer agreement as some­ thing we should hold off as a bargaining chip, so to speak, for the tax issue,” he said. “I can’t see us rushing to do anything until we sit down with the county and discuss this for the long-haul situation,” Brown said. “Especially since we have two of our own people who are literally across the street who would be competing with them.” “I don’t disagree that it’s probably a tax­ able situation,” Partridge added. “I just don’t see the value of holding up the sewer line unless you don’t want them there at all?” “No, we can have them there, it’s just that they would pay their fair share for that use,” Brown replied. “And I see that as a different day,” Wetzel said. “I want to see us approve the sewer extension and then we can hash out the tax deal.” “It’s not a hostage thing,” Brown said. “‘Unless you pay us the fee, then we are not going to extend the sewage,”’ Wetzel said. “No, we didn’t say that,” Brown coun­ tered. If Brown is planning to talk with county representatives, Mennell said someone should go with him. “Well, you need at least one person to go with you,” she said. “You can’t go by yourself. I just don’t feel comfortable with that.” Partridge and Trustee Scott Savage volun­ teered to accompany Brown when he meets with county officials. Treasurer Jenee Phil­ lips commented in favor of Thomapple Manor, but reminded board members that they are responsible for township taxpayer dollars. “I do think it is important to say that what­ ever your personal feelings are on this, we had taxpayers come in that live in this town­ ship and had issues with this, so it’s our job to at least look at all sides of it and put it out there for those who decide in the state of Michigan where we stand on this,” Phillips said. “As a treasurer, if we are losing money, then we shouldn’t be losing money for our taxpayers, it is our job to look at that and see what’s right. “I want to see this facility go through,” she added. “God, we need this kind of care.” In the end, McNally made the motion to accept the sewer extension and Wetzel sec­ onded it. Brown and Savage were the only two to vote against the motion. “So, what do we want to do?” Brown asked when the vote was over. “Five yes’s and two no’s, so the motion passes,” Mennell said. During the supervisor’s report, Brown shared the possibility of repaving Indian Hills Drive. About 30 percent of the main road going into Indian Hills is in the city. He said he plans to get together with the city and dis­ cuss repaving the whole thing. “We are going to sit down and go through all the details and see what it will take to do the entire road,” Brown said. “At the very least, if we can’t get together and see about doing the whole thing, we can just do about half of it.” Mennell reminded Brown that someone who lives on the road would have to send in a signed petition for the road to be repaved. “It can’t be the township doing it,” she said. “Someone that is out there has to pick up the petition and submit it to the township.” “Well, I live there,” Brown said. “OK,” she said, “Just know you guys have to do it first before it comes to us.” “Oh yeah, I know,” Brown replied. “We; have a lot of homework to do.” In other business, the board: • Heard during the first public comment portion of the meeting that Bob Teunessem will be running for District 1 County Com-' missioner. Later, when board comments took , place, Savage announced he also will be run­ ning for the District 1 County Commissioner seat. Commissioner Howard Gibson is the! incumbent in District 1. • Approved Brown’s request to attend the; Michigan Recycling Coalition Conference in; Lansing May 11-13. The total cost for atten­ dance will be $375, if paid by April 20/ including any of the board members who wish to attend - not just Brown. “I move we send him,” Wetzel said to laughter from around the room. • Heard the clerk’s report from Mennell,; who notified the board she has sent out 276 \ absentee voter ballots thus far. She also said; she will be sending out new voter ID cards. ; “With all the redrawing of district lines, I will have to resend out new voter ID cards to everyone that we have,” Mennell said. “I will! be using people that craft our ballots and stuff; to do this, so I will be sending out 2,400 voter1 ID cards. I am going to be using this service because they will do them for about 60 cents each and it includes the postage and printing and all that. So, it’s probably going to cost us about $1,500 to send out, but we have to do this every 10 years.” The next township board meeting is sched­ uled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, in the township hall. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — Page 7 The confusion and misunderstanding of the two Calvin Hill families of Barry County fl look back at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner PartHI Kathy Maurer Copy Editor Harold Burpee, in pursuit of information on the Calvin Hill families of Middleville and Yankee Springs, had about given up on learning more about their extended fami­ lies. Until, that is, he found an article writ­ ten by Dr. Ethel W. Williams of Kalamazoo, editor of Michigan Heritage magazine. He doesn’t say he knew her personally, but Williams’ mother was Alice “Allie” Burpee, and likely was a second cousin to Harold Burpee. Ethel Williams, an osteopathic sur­ geon-turned genealogist was featured in the March 26 Reminder as one of Barry Coun­ ty’s historic women. When she was a girl in the late 1800s and early 1900s, her parents owned the Yankee Springs store, which stood just north of the original Yankee Springs Inn, a well-known stagecoach stop in the mid-1800s. The Williamses lived about 3 miles south of Calvin S. Hill and about 8 miles south of Middleville, home of Calvin G. Hill. So, the local and family history of the area cer­ tainly would have been within Ethel Wil­ liams’ area of knowledge and interest. Her family sold the store in 1906, and it report­ edly burned down in 1919. All of the information Burpee gathered on the two Calvin Hill families was pub­ lished in three installments of The Banner in February 1966. Information available in 2022 has been added to his original work [appearing in brackets], extending it to four weeks. H.L. Burpee In the Michigan Room of the Grand Rap­ ids City Library, I was looking at a micro­ film of the 1850 census of Thomapple Township. The following is what they had on the Hill family: Calvin Hill, 62 Charlotte Hill, 59 A.M. Hill, 28 Delia Hill, 19 Harriet Hill, 18 Albert Hill, 35 Mary Hill, 10 Angeline Hill, 8 Charlotte Hill, 6 Arthur Hill, 4 Delia M. Hill, 2 S.S. Packard, physician, 26 Now let’s go back to the big monument in the middle of the Hill family’s cemetery plot with the inscription: Lottie Hill wife of Silas Sadler Packard 1844-1903 “Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her ” Obviously, she was Albert Hill’s daugh­ ter, the Charlotte Hill, 6, in the 1850 cen­ sus. Albert had evidently lost his wife before this, at least she was not listed on the census [Albert’s wife, Ellen E. Naylor, had died in 1849. Albert remarried; he and Mary Elizabeth Beach had four or five chil­ dren together]. Now the “S.S. Packard, physician, 26,” who evidently made his home with the Albert Hills, is really a puzzle. It doesn’t seem like this physician, 26 years old in 1850, would have been the Silas Sadler Packard who married the little Charlotte Hill, 6 years old in 1850. Funnier things than that have happened in this world, though. Now we still haven’t got to the real con­ fusion. Ten years later, the 1860 census does not list S.S. Packard, physician. How­ ever, Middleville has a physician in 1860, S.S. Parkhurst. S.S. Parkhurst was 10 years older in the 1860 than S.S. Packard was in the 1850 census. Furthermore, S.S. Parkhurst was Silas Sherman Parkhurst, TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Hill family members answered call to serve ton, D.C., and later reinterred at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Middleville. Grand Army of the Republic Post 159 in Middleville was known as the Hill post, per­ haps in honor of Alpheus Hill. It was char­ tered July 11, 1883, and dissolved in 1912. Alpheus was not the only member of Cal­ vin G. Hill’s family who fought for the Union. To Raise a Company Grandson Eugene A. Beach, served in Co. E of the reorganized Michigan 3r^ “Alpheus M. Hill of Middleville is com­ missioned as captain, to raise a company for Infantry. Son of Martha Jane (Hill) and Sid­ the Seventh Cavalry. His field of operation is ney Beach, he enlisted at age 18 in the fall of to be in this county. 1864, and reached the rank “Mr. Hill is well known of captain before muster­ to the citizens of our coun­ ing out May 25, 1866. His ty as a thorough, earnest, post-war service likely capable, generous and took him west, where he humane man, and none would later relocate. Beach who know him doubt his worked as a railroad con­ fitness for the responsible ductor, moving first to position, which, if success­ Nebraska then to Califor­ ful in his endeavors, he is nia. He died in 1910, in his to assume. early 60s, and is buried at “Mr. Hill’s patriotism the Los Angeles National early induced him to leave Cemetery. a good business and enlist Grandson Leslie T. as a private in the ranks of Moseley. At 20, he enlisted in Co. C of the 21st Infantry the Michigan Third Regi­ ment, where he has since Aug. 9, 1862, and mustered faithfully served his coun­ Sept. 3, 1862. Mosely was try for his country’s sake reported as missing in action alone. after the Battle of Stones “His health became River, Tenn., Dec. 31, 1862. impaired in the service, He returned to regiment and a few weeks since, he June 1, 1863, and served was detailed for recruiting two more years. He mus­ service, his office being in tered out from Washington, Grand Rapids. His health D.C., June 8, 1865. Hejwas Alpheus M. Hillservedin is'rapidly recovering, and the'son of William aricT Michigan’s 3rd Infantry and his friends desire to aid even tried to raise a compa­ Angeline (Hill) Moseley. him in attaining a position Incidentally, Moseley ny for the 7th Cavalry, before better fitting his deserts served in the same company returning to the 3rd Infantry. and qualifications. as Capt. Leonard O. Fitzger­ He died of disease in “We hazard nothing in ald, who died of wounds Washington, D.C. saying that Mr. Hill will be received Dec. 31, 1862, at an energetic, thoroughly practical and the battle of Stones River. Fitzgerald was the humane officer. Having seen much service, namesake of the Hastings GAR post.] he is fully fitted to carry his men to an early Step-grandson Edward Bugbee, 23, may proficiency in drill, which will enable his have made the trip to Grand Rapids with company to obtain the position of honor in Alpheus Hill, since both served in Co. K of the 3fd Michigan Infantry, enlisting in Grand the regiment. We bespeak for him the hearty and earnest cooperation of our citizens wher­ Rapids May 13, 1861, for three years. Both ever he may go on his mission of obtaining departed June 10, 1861, but neither returned. volunteers.” Bugbee, who was the stepson of Mary Ann The results of his effort to raise a compa­ (Hill), died of disease at Yorktown, Va., May ny for the 7th Cavalry are unknown. What is 3, 1862. Michigan’s 3rd Infantry had a casu­ known is that Alpheus Hill returned to the alty rate of more than 47 percent, including 3rd Regiment for two more years before 99 men, who like Alpheus Hill and Edward dying of “typhoid pneumonia” at a hospital Bugbee, died of disease. in Washington, D.C., in June 1864. Additionally, Miner Mead, of Castleton He had enlisted in Co. K, of the 3rd Mich­ Township, married Calvin Hill’s grand­ igan Infantry May 13, 1861, just a month daughter Mary Ann Hill (daughter of Albert after the war broke out. By mid-June, Hill, Hill). Mead enlisted in Co. B of the 10th 41, and more than 1,040 other men were Cavalry, Feb. 24, 1865, for one year. He was headed to Virginia to join the Army of the 25 years old, and his young wife had died the Potomac. previous summer. He was discharged at Alpheus had held elected office, serving at Chattanooga, Tenn., Oct. 28, 1865. He and the county surveyor in the mid-1850s. About his second wife, Hortense Cook, are buried that same time, he married Frances Ralph at Barryville Cemetery. Mead’s younger and they had a child the following year. brother Melvin enlisted and mustered the However, his wife died during or shortly same day as Miner Mead and with the same after the birth of their son. Less than 9 cavalry unit in late February 1865. However, months later, his son died. “Our little Frank” Melvin, 18, died of disease in Knoxville, marks his headstone, indicating that other Tenn., less than two months after leaving family members likely had helped Alpheus Michigan. care for his infant son. At nearly 43 years old when he worked to Sources: Record of Service of Michigan raise a cavalry company, perhaps the widower Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865; Alpheus Hill thought he had less to lose, or Michigan in the Civil War 1861-1865, creat­ more to give, than did other men with families. ed by Lois and Don Harvey; 1880 History of He may have initially been buried at Sol­ Allegan and Barry Counties Michigan; find­ diers Home National Cemetery in Washing­ agrave. com; familysearch, org. Kathy Maurer While some family plots have one large marker with similar smaller headstones, the Hill family plot is a mix of mismatched markers. The largest is a sizable marker for Charlotte “Lottie” (Hill) Packard, granddaughter of Calvin G. Hill, who died in Massachusetts. Others in the plot include Calvin and Charlotte (Castle) Hill, their granddaughter Martha Jane Mead, son Alpheus, daughters-in-law Ellen E. Naylor and Frances Hill, and grandsons Frank and Charles Patrick. and if Lottie Hill did marry the physician Packard, his name was Silas Sadler Pack­ ard. [Confusion here lies within similar names. The 1850 census shows S.S. Parkhurst in the home of Albert Hill. Lottie Hill married Silas S. Packard in Manhattan, N.Y, in 1884, when Silas was 58 and Char­ lotte was 40. No records show Mr. Packard ever living in Middleville. Silas S. Parkhurst was a local physician, but Lottie Hill evi­ dently moved east where she met and mar­ ried S.S. Packard.] Lottie Hill Packard did not die in Mid­ dleville. I have not been able to find any­ thing on her death in the 1903 Middleville papers or The Hastings Banner of 1903. Now I wouldn’t say there was nothing on this burial. 1 could have easily missed it when [looking] through a whole year’s weekly papers. I have talked with Mr. McLevit and different old-timers around Middleville, and no one seems to know anything about this burial. Where did Lottie Hill live and die? Does anyone know? Silas Sadler Packard evidently was not buried with her. [Lottie, who was bom in Grand Rapids, died of stomach cancer at age 57 in Great Barrington, Mass. Her death certificate list­ ed her burial site as Grand Rapids. Her husband, who preceded her in death, is buried in Brooklyn, N.Y.] Thus, one by one, these old links that connect us with the past are being broken - benisons upon their heroic lives and the peace of the pure in heart to their ashes. Banner Jan. 27, 1862: “HILL - In Middleville, Mich., in the 9th inst. [this month], Charlotte, wife of Calvin G. Hill, in the 79th year of her age. “Mrs. Hill was born in Scipio, Cayuga County, N.Y, in the year 1790, and with her husband, removed to Rochester, N.Y, in the year 1819 and came to this township in 1835. She was the first white woman in this vicinity, and her husband was the first white settler in what is now the village of Mid­ dleville. “Mrs. Hill performed the two-fold duty of physician and nurse for the early settlers, and to aid and comfort the afflicted, would traverse miles on the back of an Indian pony through the woods with no thorough­ fare except Indian trails. At an early age, she was converted to a religious faith and joined the Disciple Church of this place. After the dissolution of that organization in this village, she became a member of the First Congregational Church to which she belonged at the time of her death. The A park in Middleville is named in honor of the village’s first white settler, Calvin G. Hill. The plaque reads: Calvin G. “Squire” Hill, founder of the village of Middleville, came from New York state to Michigan in the autumn of 1834. He purchased 400 acres on both banks of the Thomapple River where the village now stands. In 1854, he donated this land for a school. The Union School was built here and served the area until 1932. The village council designated this site Calvin G. Hill Park during the bicentennial year 1976. Dedicated 1977, Thomapple Heritage Association. funeral obsequies were attended by many of our citizens on the 11th inst. And the body consigned to its long home. “Among the elderly part of the congre­ gation but few dry eyes were seen, and all seemed to feel they had lost a friend whose spirit had flown to that ‘undiscovered country from whose bom no traveler returns.’” I have tried to ascertain who the parents of Luther, Calvin G. and Elias were. They had come from Gates, Monroe County, New York, to Michigan. I even borrowed a microfilm with a census of Monroe County of 1830 from the state library to see if I could find out who the parents were. I found Luther and his family listed, and that was about all. Then lo and behold [I found answers in] the spring 1965 issue of “Michigan Heri­ tage.” Dr. Ethel W. Williams of Kalamazoo, editor, had the following article. I not only found out who the father was but who their grandfather was, too. HILL FAMILY RECORDS Jabez Hill immigrated from England, settled in Massachusetts, and was taken from his family during the French and Indi­ an War by the Indians and carried as a pris­ oner to Otsego County, New York, where it is thought he died of fatigue. [No additional information on his death could be found, but Jabez Hill was not bom in England. In fact, he was the fifth generation of his fam­ ily to live in what became the U.S. His fourth great-grandfather William Hill sailed from England in 1629.] Shadrack Hill, son of Jabez, was bom in 1743, resided in Southborough, Mass., and moved to Grafton County, New Hampshire, in 1784. He died in Cayuga County, New York, Feb. 15, 1812. His wife, Ruth [Graves], was bom in 1745 and died in Monroe County, New York, February 1830. Children (probably others): Calvin G. Hill, bom Hanover, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Nov. 23, 1786; died in Mid­ dleville, Mich., May 29, 1867. He married Charlotte Castle, daughter of Asa and Eliz­ abeth Castle, bom in Washington County, New York, Feb. 5, 1791; died Middleville, Mich., January 1869. [Other children of Shadrack and Ruth (Graves) Hill included another Calvin, Enoch (both of whom like­ ly died young), Martin Luther (who moved to Michigan and was known by his middle name), Enoch Harvey and Mary.] Children of Calvin and Charlotte: 1) Angeline Hill, b. Cayuga Co., N.Y, April 1,1811; d. Shiawassee County, Mich., April 1848 [m. William Mosely]. 2) Infant son, b. March 29, 1813; d. April 10, 1813. 3) Albert C. Hill, b. June 7, 1814, in Monroe Co., N.Y; d. Nov. 6, 1896. 4) Sabrina Ann Hill, b. June 26, 1816 [m. Charles Patrick; d. Feb. 20, 1869; Wiscon­ sin]. * 5) Alpheus M. Hill b. Jan. 1, 1820; d. June 17, 1864, of fever in the Civil War. He enlisted in a Michigan regiment at Mid­ dleville [m. Frances Ralph]. 6) Harvey Hill, b. March 4, 1822; d. Sept. 17, 1831 [likely in New York]. 7) Mary Ann Hill, b. May 11, 1824; d. March 12, 1879; m. [Denison S.] Bugbee. 8) Martha Jane Hill, b. March 2, 1826; [m. Sydney Beach; d. 1858; likely buried in Middleville]. 9) Frances Charlotte Hill, b. May 21, 1828; d. [1883] at Bennington [Township, Shiawassee County], Mich. 10) Delia E. Hill, b. May 4, 1830; d. Lodi, Calif., Jan 24, 1897; [m. Marshall Wilcox, Clark Castle]. 11) Harriet Hope Hill, b. October 1832; d. June 1898 [m. George Hoffman]. The above records are in possession of Harriet E. Castle, Orion, Michigan. To be continued ... Copy Editor The Banner Dec. 17, 1862, helped spread the word that Calvin G. Hill’s son Alpheus was working to recruit 150 men to serve in the U.S. Cavalry during the second year of the Civil War: Looking to fill multiple positions including: Housekeeping, Dietary Servers, and Nurse Aides for the Elderly Flexible hours and competitive wages available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 or online at www.carvethvillage.com Qarveth ViIlase of Middleville Sources: Hastings Banner, findagrave. com, familysearch.org, MyHeritage.com, Hastings Public Library, Lori Silsbee, myheritage. com. www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 8 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ROYAL COACH, continued from page 1 “I don’t think that’s off the table,” Rental Development Director Chad Benson said in a later Banner interview. However, for the most part, the two sides have turned to another possibility: Finding a new location for those 73 housing units. One option is trading the Royal Coach site, owned by the Barry Community Foun­ dation, for another property owned by the city or county. The foundation could use the tax credits on a new site and the city or coun­ ty could repurpose the Royal Coach land for public use. “There’s still a lot of steps that need to be taken to make all of these pieces fit togeth­ er,” Hastings City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said. “I definitely think it could be a good thing for the city and our residents, but there’s a lot of work left to do and a lot of unanswered questions at this point.” Gettys admitted that MSHDA officials did not give the response she initially hoped for. But two days after the site visit, as rain fell outside, she expressed optimism. “Back 26 years ago, when I first started working [at the foundation], my mentor Dick Groos said to me: ‘The most important lesson in life is to listen long enough to understand somebody’s problem, and then help them solve it,’ ” Gettys said. “And I feel like that’s what MSHDA did for us. I really do. It’s not what we wanted. But, when you look at it now, it potentially could be much better.” For Barry Community Foundation, Gen­ eral Capital, MSHDA and the City of Hast­ ings, the news may represent a light at the end of a windy, frustrating, uncertain and three-year whirlwind. The story of the Royal Coach apartments started in 2018, when the Barry Community Foundation bought the site of the former Royal Coach building from the Baum Fami­ ly Foundation. Shortly after, General Capi­ tal, a Wisconsin-based developer, jumped on board, and the two parties focused their attentions on obtaining low-income housing tax credits from MSHDA. The tax credit provides affordable workforce housing for people of various income brackets. The resi­ dents must have a steady income. “At a minimum, either 20 percent of the RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT AT MAY 4, 2022 MEETING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on May 4, 2022, which begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The item to be considered at this public hearing is the proposed amendment of §220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Zoning) so as to allow as a special land use in the LI Light Industrial District retail sales of building materials and/or light industrial related products contained in an enclosed building, or screened from view from public streets, and where all loading/unloading areas are located at or near the rear of the building (proposed to be added as new subsection L, with the content of existing subsection L re-lettered as subsection M). The Rutland Charter Township Code, Master Plan, and the tentative text of the above-referenced proposed zoning text amendment(s), may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. The Township Planning Commission reserves the right to modify any of the proposed amendments at or following the hearing/meeting and to make its recommendations accordingly to the Township Board. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 78712 (269) 948-2194 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING HEARING SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Commission of the Charter Township of Rutland will hold a public hearing/rescheduled regular meeting on Wednesday, May 4,2022, at the Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan, commencing at 7:00 p.nr as required under the provisions of the Township Zoning Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the proposed item to be considered at this public hearing include the following, in summary: 1. Special Exception/Land Use Permit Application to allow for Outdoor Sales/Open Air Business. Parcel # 08-13-014-009-00, located at 2033 W M-43 Hwy is zoned MU-Mixed Use. Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance Article 220-9-3 requires a Special Exception/Land Use Permit for this request. Property is described as RUTLAND TWP COM 50FT S OF THE NE CORNER OF THE NE 1/4 OF THE SE 1/4 OF SECTION 14, TOWN 3 N, RANGE 9 W; THENCE S 26.5 RODS; THENCE W 13 RODS; THENCE N 26.5 RODS; THENCE E 13 RODS TO THE BEGINNING. 2. Such and further matters as may properly come before the Planning Commission. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Application for Special Use along with the Zoning Ordinance, Zoning Map, Land Use Plan, and Land Use Plan Map of the Township may be examined at the Township Hall at any time during regular business hours on any day except public and legal holidays from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of this public hearing, and may further be examined at the public hearing to determine the exact nature of the aforementioned matters. You are invited to attend this hearing. If you are unable to attend, written comments may be submitted in lieu of a personal appearance by writing to the Township Clerk at the Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058, at any time up to the date of the hearing and may be further received by the Planning Commission at said public hearing. units must be for residents whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of area median income or 40 percent of the units must be for residents whose incomes do not exceed 60 percent of the area median income,” the MSHDA website explains. Their initial application was denied, fail­ ing to score high enough on the point scale MSHDA uses to choose developers. The Royal Coach team reapplied in April 2020, but failed again. They planned to take another shot at the tax credits in October 2020. Then arsonists set fire to the massive brick building where once Hastings tables and, later, Royal Coach travel trailers had been manufactured. It burned to the ground in a matter of hours. In the process, the project lost key historical points, and the application looked like a wash. “We thought, ‘Oh my gosh, now there’s no way we’re going to get it,’ ” Gettys remembered. But they kept trying. That’s when they brought in the Gun Lake Tribe, earning points for Native American housing. The warehouse building still standing on that property was registered as a historic site, regaining the points lost in the Royal Coach fire. In February 2021, they tried again and, in April 2021, received the word: The project was conditionally approved. Supporters rejoiced and called it a town-changing proj­ ect. But “conditional” proved to be the key word. In the conditional “go” letter, MSHDA requested additional information related to Hastings Manufacturing Co., less than 200 yards from the proposed housing develop­ ment. MSHDA had not previously dealt with a chrome plating site in such close proximity to a proposed housing development. Offi­ cials wanted to learn more about Hastings Manufacturing’s operations, MSHDA Envi­ ronmental Manager Daniel Lince said. “The purpose of our additional inquiries: Well, what do they do there? What sort of chemicals do they use there? What is the process?” Lince said. “We didn’t know that - not in a really verified way.” It’s normal for MSHDA to give the go-ahead with conditional approval, repre­ sentatives said. Still, projects often pass through without issue, and, despite the con­ cerns, they didn’t see any reason to hold up the Royal Coach development. “We didn’t have enough information at that point in time to be able to say housing can work here or housing can’t work here,” Benson said. “It was just questions at that point in time.” For all intents and purposes, the develop­ ment was “full steam ahead,” Benson said, and from July to November, 2021, develop­ ers spent more than $325,000 in preparation. MSHDA received the results of an envi­ ronmental report in November that caused them to pause. MSHDA found that the man­ ufacturing facility held nearly 50,000 gal­ lons of oils and hazards, and possibly flam­ mable chemicals. “To chrome a piece of metal, you have to clean it with strong acids and bases; they have to react with a chromic acid solution,” Lince explained. Looking at the potential repercussions worried Lince and the environmental review team. “We’ve got to remember that we have to evaluate this over the attempted lifespan of our development that would be 45 years,” Lince said. “So, over 45 years, we’re obliged to consider all sorts of scenarios, and we rules, 'Let’s say you have a housing project in the mid­ dle of a beautiful residential area, and every­ thing seems perfect. You could play the what-if game: What if an airplane falls out of the sky? What if one of the houses becomes a meth lab and it explodes? To what extent are we going to allow the what-ifs to play out and impact proj­ ects when you have a community-based busi­ ness who has successfully operated for over a century, safely?' - State Rep. Julie Galley, R-Portland would look at things like fire or a [chemical] release. These things do happen, especially when you’re talking decades. “We would look at this and say: What if the worst-case happened with this collection of chemicals and the wind happened to be blowing [just] right? So, it’s this unlikely series of events that we’re nonetheless obliged to consider because this wouldn’t be true at a site that wasn’t near [Hastings Man­ ufacturing].” Still, though, Lince wondered if they were being too conservative. They searched for other plating companies statewide. They found 71 such facilities. Only one, a smaller operation, featured a multi-family housing development nearby. Benson clarified that MSHDA does not have any issues with Hastings Manufactur­ ing. Rather, it is more concerned with the industry of chrome plating. After looking through the material, Lince, along with the environmental team, made a recommendation to management that MSHDA halt the project. And less than two weeks after receiving the environmental review, management signed off and MSHDA issued that “no-go” letter Nov. 30, 2021. “You have to appreciate how conservative and prudent MSHDA has to be,” Lince said. “What we do in Hastings, we would have to do everywhere.” In Hastings, supporters were blindsided by the news. They didn’t understand it, either. Hastings Manufacturing, for more than 100 years, has been surrounded by a residential community with few issues. What was different about this housing? Why was MSHDA balking over what seemed like a minor concern? Didn’t MSHDA know how much this project could help the community? Calley, who was first informed of these issues in the fall, confessed she was “really surprised” to learn about MSHDA holding the tax credits. “I completely understand their focus on safety, and I respect that,” she said. “But let’s say you have a housing project in the middle of a beautiful residential area, and everything seems perfect. You could play the what-if game - what if an airplane falls out of the sky? What if one of the houses becomes a meth lab and it explodes? To what extent are we going to allow the whatifs to play out and impact projects when you have a community-based business who has successfully operated for over a century, safely?” As the months wore on, the two sides went back and forth. Supporters pointed to emergency-response protocols in place, offered to move back the housing develop­ ment and brought in two consultants to com­ continued from page 3--------------------------------------------------------- the peace and good order of the proceed­ ings of the board. Such person shall there­ upon be seated until the chairperson shall have determined whether the person is in order. • If a person shall continue to be disor­ derly and to disrupt the meeting, the chair­ person may order the sergeant at arms, who shall be the county sheriff or any of his deputies, to remove the person from the meeting. No person shall be removed from a public meeting except for an actual breach of the peace committed at the meet­ ing. • For parliamentary authority and proce­ dure, the document refers to the most cur­ rent version of Robert’s Rules of Order. Some Barry County commissioners, who’ve encountered hysteria and hostility during their meetings in the past two years, favored mending their board rules to encourage courtesy. “It’s just good manners in a public meet­ ing,” Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner told fellow board members when she pitched five proposed amendments to the board’s current rules. The focus of the changes is to clarify acceptable behavior during the public com­ ment portion of the meetings. Commissioners allow people three min­ utes to comment and they don’t typically respond to those comments, which some­ times elicits criticism and frustration from citizens who would like them to respond. But the point, according to commission­ ers, is that public comment is time for the public - not the board - to comment. In other business, the board: • approved appointing Nichole Lyke to fill a citizen at large position on the Parks and Recreation Board for a three-year term that began on Jan. 1 and ends Dec. 31, 2024. * approved re-appointing Don Bowers, Theresa Moody and Ruth Perino to serve on the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board for three-year This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA 41,72a(2)(3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). PIANO FEST, continued from page 3 Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon reasonable notice to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Rutland Charter Township Clerk by writing or calling the Township. Tuesday’s concert also will spotlight some of Hastings’ youth, including the high school’s symphonic band as well as four seniors. The symphonic band will open the concert by performing “Within the Castle Walls.” The first senior spotlight will feature Zach Franklin, playing an original piano composi­ tion based on “Chester,” an old hymn/Revolutionary War song. Franklin was a recent winner of Michigan Music Educators Asso­ ciation Composition Contest and presented his piece at the Michigan Music Conference All interested persons are invited to be present for comments and suggestions at this public hearing. Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2194 178591 plete their own technical assessment of the manufacturing facility. They found that it “did not present a threat to the health, safety and general welfare of potential future resi­ dents,” according to a letter written by Gen­ eral Capital employee Sig Strautmanis. But MSHDA didn’t change its response. The frustration only grew. “This is not acceptable,” Moyer-Cale said at the time. “You can’t just take tax credit funding away for no substantive reason. You know, the community is behind this project. We’ve invested a lot in it. And just because we’re a small community doesn’t mean that they can push us around.” In early February, MSHDA responded with a formal letter, further cementing its decision to withhold the tax credits. The letter seemed like a death blow to the proj­ ect. But in Hastings, the community only ramped up its campaign. Over the ensuing weeks, stakeholders turned to the community, asking people to write to their legislators and MSHDA in support of the project. Moyer-Cale and Barry County United Way Executive Direc­ tor Lani Forbes went door-to-door asking residents to join in. Local organizations like the Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Alliance spoke in the project’s favor. They reached state Rep. Julie Calley, representatives from the office of Sen. John Bizon, R-Battle Creek, and even Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who all met with MSHDA about the housing develop­ ment. “This was a project that we all thought was going to be a model for the rest of the state in terms of the public-private partner­ ship,” Calley said, “and how a community really came together and used all possible resources to create much-needed housing.” The pressure led to MSHDA officials vis­ iting Hastings April 5. And although they didn’t approve the site, both parties said they felt energized by the visit. Both expressed confidence in finding a solution - even if that means a different location for the proj­ ect. “It was a very good meeting, and every­ body walked away feeling that this is a good positive; it’s the best outcome that we could have had,” Gettys said. It won’t happen overnight. Even if they do find a solution, both sides are facing more months of waiting and planning and discus­ sion. But plans are moving forward. And, after months of a standstill, that’s something Get­ tys wanted to hear. “This is what I love,” she said. “I love when people say, ‘Then solve it.’ Not a no. “There’s always a way.” in January. Franklin will then be joined by the HHS Symphonic Band for “Dream Song.” Hastings pianist Mark Ramsey will be featured playing Jelly Roll Morton’s “The Crave” and a new original composition, “Pogrom and Prayer.” Ramsey is a local artist who has shared his talents with the Hastings school music department for many years. After the solo, Ramsey will join the sym­ phonic band for “Pride and Prejudice.” Hong will then be seated at the Steinway terms that began on April 1, and expire on March 31, 2025. • approved re-appointing John Laforge and Jack Nadwomik to serve on the Barry County Planning Commission for threeyear terms that begin on May 1 and expire on April 30, 2025. • approved re-appointing Stacey Graham to serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals for a three-year term that began on April 1 and expires on March 31, 2025. • approved re-appointing Craig Stolsonburg to serve in the position of Citizen at Large, on the Barry County Tax Allocation Board for a one- year term that began on April 1 and expires on March 31, 2023. • approved a Memorandum of Under­ standing with Eaton County for an agree­ ment to dispose of scrap tires. • approved invoices totaling $3,435,349, claims totaling $29,775, and commission­ ers mileage for $291. • adopted a rResolution to accept 2022 Equalization Values as presented. for solos before being joined by two more students for senior spotlights: Harrison Smalley and Connor Lindsey. Then in a special “six-hand piano” perfor­ mance, Hong, Ramsey and Franklin will play side by side. The final number will be “Fortress Varia­ tions” performed by Hong and the symphon­ ic band. This program will be conducted by HHS band directors Spencer White and Jen Ewers. The free concert is expected to last 1 1/2 hours. �J The Hastings >ANNER JBL <BL JL SPORTS SECTION Thursday, April 14,2022 Pitching staff to lead Eagles’ chase for another title Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Eagles are 2-0. The Barry County Christian varsity base­ ball team scored 16-1 and 10-4 victories at Heritage Christian Tuesday. The Eagles were second in the Great Lakes Six Conference a year ago and had the pro­ gram’s second-best winning percentage ever with a 25-9 overall record which included a shared championship at the Barry County Christian/Hastings tournament. The top returnees from that squad are seniors Chris Lantzer, Aspen Neymeiyer and Brody Grihorash and sophomore pitcher Isa­ iah Birmingham. All four of those guys will pitch at times. Birmingham and Lantzer will split time between first base and third base defensively too. Neymeiyer could see time in right field and at first base. Grihorash will be at Centerfield or in the middle infield when he is not on the mound. Head coach Brandon Strong said Birming­ ham and Lantzer are both firing pitches in at over 80 miles per hour this spring. Coach Strong said Birmingham is the best high school pitcher in Barry County and he has a chance to break numerous Eagle records during his varsity career. “Isaiah has worked very hard to become a better mechanics-driven pitcher,” coach Strong said. “He improved his velocity over last season from 80-81 to 85-87 by the end of his summer season/'in Idfge'- part We to refo­ cusing his arm slot and repeating his delivery. As a young kid, we are focusing on the man­ agement of Isaiah and allowing him to see a variety of difficult situations in 2022, while not overusing his still developing right shoul­ der. We want him to want to be in tough situ­ ations or big game situations.” Lantzer improved last summer too, espe­ cially making his change-up and curveball better weapons according to his coach. “The good news is that Chris is stronger than ever, just finished a deep basketball campaign, and is entering this season in tre­ mendous shape,” coach Strong said. Neymeiyer doesn’t have the velocity of those two guys, but coach strong calls him a “crafty lefty” “Aspen has been working on his mental approach to the game. Last season he was our number 1 relief pitcher, this season he will slot in somewhere as our number two or num­ ber three pitcher. He does everything well and makes minor adjustments on the fly. He is also a calm and direct leader in the dugout. It’s going to be a great pleasure coaching him in his final season.” Grihorash is working on throwing more strikes and being eager to attack the strike zone. “He developed a tremendous changeup last season that’s going to be an out pitch this season,” coach Strong said. “Brody is a very smart player who looks to capitalize on react­ ing in the game to situations that he has men­ tally worked through.” The team had five all-conference players a year ago and a couple of guys who graduated are on to college ball. There are some big cleats to fill. “Our young guys haven’t done anything yet,” coach Strong said. “They ultimately have the burden of learning our system, keep­ ing our traditions alive, and becoming good men and great ballplayers. I am sure I will be commenting on multiple underclassmen as the season progresses. Certainly, as a team that has to carry numerous underclassmen, their learning curve and desire must meet our expectations.” The pitchers should get solid performance behind the plate from second-year catcher Joe Wise, but there will be newcomers across the diamond especially in the outfield. Coach Strong said despite having some inexperience, his guys are pushing to repeat as conference champions while playing ball “the right way” and representing BCCS in a positive light. The Eagle coach won’t let his guys take anything for granted this spring. While the Eagles mostly dominated their conference competition they couldn’t carry it through the entirety of the conference tournament. He is exited to get to see his guys test themselves this spring at NorthPointe Chris­ tian’s invitational at Cornerstone University April 30. In the game one 16-1 win Tuesday the Eagles scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back. They scored eight in the third to end the game early. Brandt Noe, a senior, was 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs for the Eagles. Another senior, James Staff, was 2-for-2 with three RBI. Neymeiyer got the start and struck out three in his one inning of work. Lantzer struck out five over the final two innings. In game two, the Eagles started four fresh­ men. Nathan Loerep went l-for-2 with a tri­ ple and Dustin Lampart 2-for-3 with a dou­ ble. Wise was 2-for-2 at the plate. Noe struck out four in his two innings. Neymeiyer and Wyatt Smit each pitched an inning of relief. —./. . “We struggled early, getting only four runs over the first three innings, before catching on and working Heritage Christian pitching for walks and also hitting three doubles in a row seemed to seal the momentum,” Strong said. “Overall this was a good way to start the sea­ son. Lots of inexperience on the field on our end. Lots of teaching is to happen this year. For not having any practices outside we responded well and forced Heritage Christian to commit mental mistakes while limiting our own.” Chris Lantzer, Isaiah Birmingham and Aspen Neymeiyer are ready to go for the start of the 2022 Barry County Christian School varsity baseball team. (Photo supplied) Barry County Christian girls look for improved record in 2022 Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Barry County Christian School var­ sity girls’ soccer team is looking to finish the season with a winning record this spring after winning three matches a year ago. The Eagles half a solid defense returning with junior sweeper Ana VanderHart back. Freshman Baylie Guernsey will be a solid performer at fullback. The Eagles are also excited to bring back sophomore Kathryn Koetje who could split time between for­ ward and halfback this spring. Head coach Justin Schultz is back to lead the Eagles. He has been the program’s head for six seasons. Lakewood sophomore Allison Slater rounds third and heads for home to score a run during game two of her team's doubleheader sweep of visiting Maple Valley Tuesday. While there are a number of new play­ ers on the varsity roster which will be a challenge at times, coach Schultz said “all of our new players this year are key addi­ tions as each one brings something valu­ able to the team.” So far in the early spring he likes the communication and teamwork from his girls, and it is especially strong on the offensive end of the field; Coach Schultz said he expects Algoma Christian, Heritage Christian Academy and Creative Technologies Academy to all have The Eagles are scheduled to host Fel­ lowship Baptist Thursday afternoon and again on Tuesday against Calhoun Chris­ tian. Emma Pierce pitches for Maple Valley during her team's season-opening doubleheader at Lakewood High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lakewood girls get pair of wins over Maple Valley to open 2022 Brett Bremer Sports Editor A “new” pitcher means different things in different varsity softball programs. At Lakewood, this spring its Cora Giffin a varsity returnee who has thrown during sum­ mer ball while playing behind an all-state performer until it was her turn to get into the circle for the Vikings. At Maple Valley, the pitching rotation is a group of girls that started learning to pitch a few days before spring break. It showed on the scoreboard as the Lions and Vikings opened the 2022 season with a Greater Lansing Activities Conference double­ header at Lakewood High School Tuesday. Lakewood took game one 18-0 and fol­ lowed up with a 20-0 win in game two. “Even though she didn’t pitch for us last season she was the main pitcher on her travel team this past summer,” Lakewood head coach Brent Hilley said in the preseason. “Audrey Hillard moves from her 2021 starting spot in left field to shortstop, so we are new there as well. Liv Woodman will move from second base to fill the spot at first vacated by Giffin. So, we have three key spots with new players.” See SOFTBALL, page 10 The Barry County Christian School varsity girls* soccer team returns keeper Megan Bakerfor (front), Ana VanderHart, Mikaila Thompson, Kathryn Koetje and others for the 2022 spring season. (Photo supplied) �Page 10 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Raff Ser sets his pole vault PR as Lakewood boys win first contest Raffler cleared the bar at 9-6 as a freshman then had his sophomore varsity vaulting sea­ son canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He returned last spring to up his personal record to 11-3 as a junior, but that mark came early in the season. A10-6 height was his best in the final few meets of his junior campaign. “I got a new pole. It is really bendy and that helped me out. It is a great start, so that is awe­ some,” Raffler said. “It was a really good day out, super nice and sunny and not too much wind. It’s a pretty nice start for the first meet.” Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood senior Tyson Raffler got his hands on a new pole Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon used it to go higher in the pole vault than he ever has before. Raffler set a new personal record at 11 feet 6 inches in the pole vault during the Viking varsity boys’ track and field team’s 105-31 victory over visiting Stockbridge in a Greater Lansing Activities Conference dual to start the season at Unity Field. Lakewood freshman Kora Boucher puts the baton in the hand of freshman team­ mate Taylor Russell for the final leg of the 4x100-meter relay Tuesday during their team's GLAC dual with visiting Stockbridge at Unity Field. (Photo by Brett Bremer) PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE 1/o/o> He said the pole he’d been using the first couple weeks of practice was too stiff. He practiced with the new one Monday. He got a couple run throughs to get the feel of it. He was hoping to clear at least 10 feet Tuesday. Raffler also won the 110-meter hurdles in 18.11 seconds and the 300-meter intermedi­ ate hurdles in 44.16 Tuesday. “I think things are looking really good for the guys’ team,” Raffler said, “especially with Denny [Sauers] and Ethan [Weller] out there. In the long jump Ethan got 19 feet. That’s really good - almost qualifying for state. I think that’ll really help our team. I wish I would have seen it.” Weller is a junior who is new to track and field. Sauers, now a senior, ran track as a freshman and played baseball last spring as a junior. Well flew 19-5 to win the long jump. The Lakewood boys swept the field events. Senior Connor Feighan took the shot put with a personal record mark of 40-7.5 and won the discus at 108-9. Senior Jacob Merryfield took the high jump for the Lakewood boys by clearing the bar at 5-10. The Viking boys won the three sprint relays. Weller teamed with Alexander Rus­ sell, Justin Warner and Benjamin Scobey to win the 4xl00-meter relay in 47.14. Ethan Goodemoot, Colt Endsley, Elijah Jablonski and Jackson Mackenzie won the 4x200-meter relay in 1:46.71. It was Jablonski, Good­ emoot, Lydon Rogers and Russell winning the 4x400-meter relay in 4:10.00. Feighan added a 400-meter dash win with a personal record time of 52.54. Viking fresh­ man Donald Wells was right behind him in second place with a time of 54.16. Russell, a junior, won the 100-meter dash in 12.48 seconds and the 200-meter dash in 25.50. Weller was second in both of those races and Sauers third in the 200. Freshman Kade Boucher won the 800meter run for the Vikings in 2:46.83. Lakewood's Tyson Raffler gets started on his way to a victory in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles during his team's victory over visiting Stockbridge at Unity Field to start the season Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Stockbridge junior Micah Bolton took the two distance races. He won the 1600-meter run in 5:19.00 and the 3200-meter run in 11:28.04. Stockbridge took the girls’ meet by the score of 79-53. “I only have four girls that have ever run high school track before, so they’re learning,” Lakewood head coach Jim Hassett said. The Vikings had their top finishes in the sprints. Senior Hokulani Ka’alakea won the 100-meter dash in 13.94 seconds and fresh­ man Taylor Russell was the 200-meter dash champion in 28.78. Ka’alakea also wont he 100-meter hurdles in 17.75. Ka’alakea, Hayley Merry field, Kora Boucher and Taylor Russell took the 4x 100-meter relay for the Lakewood girls in 54.59 seconds. Lakewood got three wins in the field. Soph­ omore Annabelle Stank won the discus with a mark of 92-5 while also placing second in the shot put at 27-1.5. Junior Reagan Lab took the high jump for the Vikings at 4-2 and junior Madison Bierens won the pole vault at 7-0. Senior Rylee Tolson led the Stockbrige girls to the win with a personal record time of 1:02.61 in the 400-meter dash among her four wins. She took the 800-meter run in 2:28.31 and the 3200-meter run in 12:33.15. Tolson also teamed with Eliana Johnson, Kaitelyn Walker and Anna Ransom to win the 4x400-meter relay in 4:51.84. THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY TO: COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: Rams take two from DK in first SAC Valley doubleheader of year PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on May 4, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, mem­ bers of the public may also provide comments for the Zoning Board of Appeal's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Zoning Board of Appeal's for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompson@pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from contractor Leading Construction for property owner Melissa and Shawn Holtz, 11058 Horton Ct, Delton, Ml 49046 for a variance to allow for the construction of a roof over existing deck that fails to meet the waterside setback, pursuant to section 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 11058 Horton Ct, Delton, Ml 49046. Parcel #08-12-250-004-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. 2. runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and three in the bottom of the fifth. Tristin Boze walked with one out in the top of the sixth and then came home on a two-out dou­ ble by Mason Nabozny. Adrian Deboer followed Nabozny’s double with an RBI double of his own, and Delton had two on with two out after a single by Cole Lane that moved Deboer to third. The Rams ended the bailgame with their pitchers’ 1l^1 strikeout though. The only other hits in the game two loss for DK were singles by Seth Lebeck and Wyatt Colwell. The Rams scored two runs in the first and second innings of game one, then put six on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth in what turned into a 10-0, five-inning win. Singles by Nabozny and Philip Halcomb were the two DK hits in game one. Galesburg-Augusta had five hits in game one, including four off of Lebeck who started and went three innings for DK. Delton Kellogg is scheduled to host Gales­ burg-Augusta for a ballgame Thursday, April 14, and then be in Hastings Saturday for the annual Barry County Invitational. Talented Viking golf team starts spring with win over Charlotte for a variance to allow for creation of a parcel that will be nonconforming, pursuant to Brett Bremer section 4.41 "Schedule of Lot Yard and Area Requirements" of the Prairieville Township Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team had no trouble outscoring Charlotte on the first afternoon of the varsity boys’ golf season. The Lakewood boys outscored the Orioles 157-185 at Morrison Lake Country Club Tues­ day. The senior trio of Trevor Simon, Liam Cavanaugh and Brody Jackson led the way for the Vikings. Simon shot a 37, Vacanaugh a 39 and Jackson a 40. Lakewood also got a pair of 41 s from junior Drew Marquoit and senior Logan Kenyon. Parcel #08-12-320-033-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. A request from property owner Marvin Shook, 1024 107^ Ave, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for creation of a parcel that will be nonconforming, pursuant to section 4.41 "Schedule of Lot Yard and Area Requirements" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located on Lakeshore Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-320-033-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. 4. Sports Editor Galesburg-Augusta took two from the visiting Delton Kellogg varsity baseball team to open the 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division season Tuesday. The Panthers got their lone runs of the afternoon/evening in their final at-bat, bringing home two in the top of the sixth inning of an 8-2 loss in game two of the doubleheader. DK outhit the Rams 6-1 in that second game, but the Rams took advantage of eight walks. Galesburg-Augusta boosted a 1-0 lead with four A request from property owner Marvin Shook, 1024 107^ Ave, Plainwell, Ml 49080 Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located on Lakeshore Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. 3. Brett Bremer A request from contractor Dylan Steele for property owner Andrew and Jamie Hart, 10928 South Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for the construction of a dwelling addition to existing accessory structure that fails to meet the setback require­ ments, pursuant to sections 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" and 4.41"Schedule of Lot, Yard Charlotte’s leader was freshman Reid Bla­ sius with a 44. The orioles also got a 45 from junior Aiden Cheyne, a 46 from senior Carson Kohler and a 50 from junior Justin Beck. Lakewood is scheduled to be a part of today’s, April 14, Coach Enyart Invitational hosted by Delton Kellogg at Mullenhurst Golf Course and then swing at the Ionia County Shoot Out Saturday. The Vikings host Thor­ napple Kellogg for a non-conference dual April 18 at Centennial Acres. The Vikings’ sights are set on repeating the success of the 2021 season in 2022 with a group of guys back nearly intact from the team that won Greater Lansing Activities Confer­ ence and Division 3 Regional championships last spring. Lakewood set its record for a low nine-hole score a year ago and qualified for the MHSAA Division 3 Lower Peninsula Boys’ Golf Finals with their regional championship. The team went on to place 13^ at the Finals. Simon won an individual regional champi­ onship last spring as a junior and his back for his senior season along with three other guys from the team’s state finals line-up in Mar­ quoit, Cavanaugh and junior Owen Rich­ mond. and Area Requirements" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 10928 South Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-180-002-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single and Two Family, Medium Residential. 5. SOFTBALL, continued from page 9-------------------------------------------------------------- Such other business as may properly come before the Zoning Board of Appeals. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS By: Dale Grimes, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 (269) 623-2064 They all looked comfortable Tuesday as the Vikings begin the chase for a conference championship. Leslie took the 2021 title with a team of mostly underclassmen - a group which included pitcher Ava Bradford who was all-state as a freshman. Coach Hilley noted that Stockbridge returns an all-con­ ference pitcher as well, which should make the Panthers tough. “Most of the girls we play against play travel ball. Not one of my girls plays travel ball,” Maple Valley head coach Mary Lesage said. “It is hard. I am very pleased with our Looking to renew your faith? I Presbyterian P A Church Mita 405 N. M-37 Highway Hastings, MI 49058 (269) 945-5463 Come experience Easter Joy at 1st Presbyterian as we journey into HOLY WEEK HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE Find us on: B facebook» Maundy Thursday except for the pitching.” She said it’s like a football team without a quarterback. Giffin meanwhile struck out 12 in the two games, throwing a total of six innings. Lily Federau, Audrey Hillard, McKenzie Richards, Kendyl Steward, Ally Slater and Maryssa Goble all had singles for the Vikings. The Lions and Vikings are set to play one more bailgame in Nashville this afternoon, April 14. Lakewood will be at the Barry County Invitational in Hastings Saturday, weather-permitting. Frequently Asked Questions May 3rd, 2022 Hastings Bond Proposal 1780! A 4 page FAQ handout with 49 questions and answers is being handed out by the Bond Committee. Question #47 What are the lengths of the bonds? Since this is similar to our house mortgage, for how many years will it be? www.firstchurchhastings.org ALL SERVICES IN-PERSON & ONLINE ability on the infield, and our ability in the outfield, which is better than what I had last year, we just need pitching.” Emma Pierce spent most of the time in the circle for the Lions Tuesday. “It was a couple innings of struggle, then she started to find that spot, but then she was like, ‘I am tired,’ and then she lost the spot,” Lesage said. Elaina Cantuna and Ali Mater both took turns in the circle in relief of Pierce. “They had just three weeks of instruc­ tions,” Lesage said. “I feel like we’re solid, MAUNDY THURSDAY WORSHIP SERVICE With Communion • 7 PM Series One (2021) will be paid off in 18 years, 6 months Series Two (2023) will be paid off in 16 years, 6 months Total 35 years Question #49 Good Friday GOOD FRIDAY - OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE: Labyrinth Walk Open sunrise to sunset for prayer and reflection. (In courtyard behind the building.) When will this bond proposal be paid off? We have been very intentional with paying this particular bond off. This bond will be paid off in 14 years, 6 months. Most bond proposals carry a debt of 25 to 30 years, but shortening the life of the debt will assist our taxpayers. Question #2 Will this bond take care of our needs? EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE • 10 AM AU are welcome to come and share in the triumphant celebration of Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ NO. The $23.9 million will NOT take care of our needs If you are confused by these questions and conflicting answers, please call Hastings Area Schools Superintendent Matt Goebel @ 269-945-6130 PAID FOR BY TERRY GREENFIELD, 1901 S. BROADWAY, HASTINGS, MI �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — Page 11 Trojan track and field teams both score wins over South Christian Brett Bremer Sports Editor The last relay was the only one the Thornapple Kellogg boys didn’t win Tuesday afternoon in their season-opening OK Gold Conference varsity track and field dual with visiting South Christian in Middleville. They didn’t need to. The TK boys edged the visit­ ing Sailors 67.5 to 65.5. Even when the Sailors had the fastest guy in a race, the Trojans did a good job of tallying second and third place points. They scored all the second and third place points behind the Sailors’ senior sprinter Caden Oetman in the 100-meter dash and the 200meter dash and did the same In the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter low hurdles behind the Sailor senior Drew Quakkelaar. The TK girls won too on Tues­ day, 99-38. Sophomore Jaxan Sias had a big day for the TK boys. He upped his personal record in the high jump to 6 feet to win that event. He was also the runner-up in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.68 seconds. He also teamed with seniors Jonah Schilthroat and Alex Harrington and junior Gabe Lajoye to win the 4x200-meter relay in 1 minute 36.96 sec­ onds. Schilthroat and Harrington were joined by seniors Mason Hulbert and Gilberto Tejada in winning the 4x 100-meter relay in 47.25 seconds. Despite the Sailors taking the individual distance races, the TK boys won the the 4x800-meter relay team with the team of soph­ omore Lucas Van Meter, Lajoye, senior Cody Mascorro and junior Tyler Busman winning in 9:32.95 which was more than 40 seconds faster than the Sailor foursome in the race. Despite not winning the 4x400-meter relay, the 400-meter dash was one of the best running events for the TK boys. Lajoye won it in 56.51 and senior Mat­ thew Smith was second in 57.21 seconds which is a new PR for him. in that race. Smith: also won the pole vault by clgaring the bar at 10-0 in what was a great day in the jumps for the TK boys. Senior Hayden Oly won the long jump at 17-11 with teammate Trenton Farrow second at 17-10.5. The TK boys had a runner-up in each of the throws. Senior Christopher Sharrar was second in the shot put at 39-5.5 and senior Quintin Carr second in the discus at 113-8. In the hurdles, TK had Dylan LeClaire as the runner-up in the 110-meter race and senior Jacob Pykosz the runner-up in the 300meter race. Busman was the run­ ner-up in the 800-meter run and Schilthroat the runner-up in the 100-meter dash with a personal record time of 12.03 seconds. The TK ladies dominated, especially in the field events where they outscored the Sailors 41-4. That was powered by sweeps of the two throwing events and the high jump. Junior Alana Compton, a state qualifier in the discus a year ago, won the two throws for TK. She set a new personal record in winning the sho put at 33-9.5 and got a mark of 108-0 in the discus. New track athlete Tristen Cross, a senior, was second in both throws for TK with a mark of 33-3 in the shot put and 85-5 in the discus. “This was a great opening meet for the girls,” TK girls’ coach Maggie Wilkinson said. “We have a lot of new runners this year. We lost eight seniors last year, but gained ten freshmen, four sopho­ mores, five juniors, four seniors, and three girls came back to track after taking a year off. Lots and lots of personal bests on Tuesday. It was a great day to run.” Seniors Ainsley Oliver and Trysta Hilton both cleared the bar at 5-0 to tie for first in the high jump for TK, while sophomore Kenady Smith was third at 4-10. It was a new PR for all three girls in the event. TK had sophomore TJ Myers win the high jump by clearing 7-0 and freshman Brooklyn Harmon win the long jump at 15-7. Each is a new personal varsity record. Hilton, a state medalist in the 300-meter low hurdles as a junior, won the two hurdles races Tues­ day. She took the 100-meter hur­ dles in 17.48 and the 300-meter low hurdles in 49.13. She was challenged by South Christian sophomore Mallory Huttenga in both races. Huttenga turned in times of 17.64 in the 100 hurdles and 49.23 in the 300 hurdles. Senior Jessica Durkee also won two individual races for the TK ladies. She finished the 800-meter run in 2:49.84 and the 1600-meter run in 6:08.17. TK freshman Ava Crews won the 3200-meter run in 12:58.69. South Christian senior Abby Winkle won the three sprints, tak­ ing the 100-meter dash in 13.48, the 200 in 27.11 and the 400 in 1:02.32. She couldn’t help the Sailor 4x400-meter relay team to a win though. TK’s team of Smith, Emma Dykhouse, Lindsey Veil­ ing and Oliver won that race in 4:26.59. TK also had the team of Durkee, Crews, Alize Raphael and Lydia Schilthroat win the 4x800-meter relay in 11:04.51. Oliver, Emmerson DeVries, Joselyn DeBoer and Velting won the 4x 100-meter relay in 54.23 and the team of Brooklyn Harmon, Dykhouse, Hilton and Smith won the 4x200-meter relay in 1:54.68. State champs host, win, first OK Gold golf jamboree of the spring Brett Bremer Sports Editor Grand Rapids Catholic Central dominated and the Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ golf team was right in the middle of the pack as the Cougars hosted the first OK Gold Conference jam­ boree of the season Tuesday at Quail Ridge Golf Course. Catholic Central scored a 155and had five of the day’s seven best individual scores to secure the victory. The only golfer not from Cath­ olic Central among the top four at the jamboree was TK junior Austin Pitsch who tied the Cou­ gars’ senior Andrew Wermuth for third overall with a 41. Catholic Central sophomore Matthew Sokorai was the day’s medalist with a one-under-par 35. His sophomore teammate Will Preston shot a 37. Catholic Central also got a 42 from senior Luke Preston and a 44 from senior Carl Shadowens. Forest Hills Eastern freshman James Seymour tied Preston for fifth individually with a 42. Wayland freshman Theo Oddy tied Shadowens for seventh with a 44. Catholic Central’s sixth scorer was senior John Harmon who shot a 46 which had him in a tie for 13^ individually. South Christian was second in the team standings with a score of 184, ahead of Forest Hills Eastern 189, Thomapple Kel­ logg 192, Wayland 192, Kenowa Hills 205 and Cedar Springs 209. Tk beat out Wayland on a fifth-score tiebreaker thanks to 53s from seniors Drew Nathan and Christian DeBruin. Junior Connor Newland was TK’s number two on the day with a 59. Senior Trevor Hum­ mer shot a 50 for TK and senior Hunter Pitsch a 52. Catholic Central didn’t have a state medalist a year ago, but that didn’t stop the Cougars from winning the championship at the MHSAA Division 3 Lower Pen­ insula Boys’ Golf Finals. The team was led at the finals by freshmen Preston and Sokorai who tied for 12th with 36-hoIe scores of 155 at the finals. Cath- olic Central had the two fresh­ men and two juniors shooting at the finals. The TK boys were scheduled go to Centennial Acres to face Lakewood in a dual Wednesday April 13, and Friday host their own TK Invitational at Yankee Springs Golf Course. TK will have two in a row at home as it will host an OK Gold jamboree April 19. The TK boys were fifth in the conference a year ago and bring back a solid group looking to move up a bit in the standings. The team had just one senior among its five regional golfers last spring. “We really like our team’s potential,” TK head coach Bob Kaminski said in the preseason. “We return most of our roster from last season so we should have an experienced team. “ “Our goal this year is to be competitive within the confer­ ence and get better throughout the season. We are looking for­ ward to competing in our confer­ ence and hopefully being in con­ tention by the end of the season.” DK scores 39 runs in first two softball games to sweep Rams Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity softball team dominated Gales­ burg-Augusta in a pair of South­ western Athletic Conference Val­ ley Division ballgames to start the season 2-0 Tuesday after­ noon. The Panthers took 20-0 and 19-1 wins in the two ballgames totaling 25 hits total. “They really were taking good swings,” new Delton Kellogg varsity softball coach Jesse Lyons said. “They had to wait for a strike, but when they did they hit it hard. We had a couple of the girls that hit it really well, and then the wind was coming from right center and absolutely crush­ ing the ball down. They hit good, hard line drives. I was pleased with that.” Mya Brickley pitched the opener for the Panthers and need­ ed to throw just 39 pitches in the three-inning victory. She allowed two hits. At the plate, Brickley was 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBI and two runs scored in game one. Allison Brandli and Paige Thomas each doubled once for DK in game one. Thomas was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a team-high four RBI. Bran­ dli was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two RBI. Abby Fichtner, Karlee Aukerman, Paige Davis and Kasey Kapteyn had the other DK hits in game one. DK scored its 19 runs in the first inning of game two. Brickley was 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI and three runs. She belted two doubles. Aubrey Aukerman, Jordan Lyons, and Fichtner also doubled in game two. Aubrey Aukerman and Karlee Aukerman had two hits each. Aubrey scored three runs and drove in one. Karlee had one run and one RBI. Brandli, Paige Thomas, Lyons, Cadence Johnson and Kayleigh Buffum had one hit each. Ficht­ ner added three RBI and Thomas, Lyons, Johnson and Buffum had two RBI each. Buffum got the win in the cir­ cle. She gave up two hits in three innings and one unearned run. “Galesburg has some younger kids and it’s a new coach and he kind of walked into a situation where they either had a lot of kids quit or didn’t go out this year. He is trying to rebuild,” coach Lyons said. The Panthers did their best not to pile on while still getting their work in. DK will be back on the field Saturday at the Barry County Invitational in Hastings. yy EXHIBIT A TOWNSHIP OF HOPE Barry County, Michigan NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Township Board of the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, has resolved its intention to make certain public improvements (the “Public Improvements”) consisting of the following: The repaving and improving of Oakwood and Elmwood Drives in the Township. The Public Improvements shall be located in the Township, as follows: Elmwood Drive and Oakwood Drive within or adjacent to the Special Assessment District. The Township has made its final determination of the Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District (the “Special Assessment District”) to con­ sist of the following described lots and parcels of land and against which a portion of the cost of the Improvements shall be specially assessed: Property located in the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, and described by the following parcel numbers: 07-160-020-00 . 07-160-021-00 07-160-022-00 07-160-023-00 07-160-024-00 07-160-029-00 „ 07-160-025-00 07-160-027-00 07-160-028-00 07-160-030-00 07-160-031-00 07-160-031-40 07-160-032-00 07-160-033-00 07-160-034-00 07-160-035-00 07-160-037-00 07-160-038-00 07-160-039-00 07-160-040-00 07-160-041-00 07-160-042-00 07-160-043-00 07-160-044-00 07-160-045-00 07-160-046-00 07-160-047-00 07-160-048-00 07-160-049-00 07-160-051-00 07-160-052-00 07-160-053-00 07-160-054-00 07-160-056-00 07-160-057-00 07-160-058-00 07-160-059-00 07-160-060-00 07-160-061-00 07-160-062-00 07-160-064-00 07-160-065-00 07-160-066-00 07-160-067-00 07-160-068-00 07-160-069-00 07-160-070-00 07-160-071-00 07-160-072-00 07-160-073-00 07-160-074-00 07-160-075-00 07-160-076-00 07-160-078-00 07-160-080-00 07-160-081-00 07-160-082-00 07-160-085-00 07-160-108-00 07-160-125-00 07-160-140-00 07-160-141-00 07-160-142-00 07-160-153-00 07-160-155-00 07-160-156-00 07-160-157-00 07-160-830-00 07-160-026-00 NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Supervisor of the Township of Hope has made and certified a special assessment roll for the Special Assessment District, which roll sets forth the relative portion of the cost of the Public Improvements that is to be levied in the form of special assessments against each benefit lot and parcel of land in the special assessment district HEARING TAKE NOTICE that the Township Board of the Township of Hope will hold a public hearing on April 26, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. at the Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan, to review the special assessment roll and to hear and consider any objections thereto. TAKE NOTICE that appearance and protest at the public hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the state tax tribunal. TAKE NOTICE that an owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment, or may file his or her appearance or protest by letter, on or before the close of the hearing. TAKE NOTICE that any person objecting to the assessment roll is requested to file written objections thereto with the Township Clerk before the close of the hearing, or within such further time as the Township Board may grant. TAKE NOTICE that an owner or any person having an interest in the real property may file a written appeal of the special assessment with the State tax tribunal within thirty (30) days after the confirmation of the special assessment roll, if the owner or person having an interest in the real property protested the special assessment at the hearing held for the purpose of confirming the roll. Michigan Tax Tribunal 1033 S. Washington Avenue P.O. Box 30232 Lansing, Michigan 48909 TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special assessment roll as prepared has been reported to the Township Board and is on file with the Township Clerk for public examination. Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk. This notice was authorized by the Township Board of the Township of Hope. For further information, please contact: Supervisor, Township of Hope; 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan 49058; Telephone: (269) 948-2464 Deborah Jackson, Clerk Township of Hope �Page 12 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on April 21,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Mark Harden, a Married Man, whose address is 1262 N Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897, as original Mortgagor, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as a nominee for Success Mortgage Partners, Inc., being a mortgage dated December 28, 2016, and recorded on January 13, 2017 in Document No. 2017­ 000403, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated February 22, 2021 and recorded on February 25, 2021 in Document No. 2021-002335, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE DOLLARS AND 03/100 ($113,221.03). Said premises are situated in the Township of Castleton, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: The West 600.00 feet of the following: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 4, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan, Distant South, 176.00 feet from the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1A of the Southeast 1A of said section 4; thence North 440.00 feet, more or less, along said North and South 1A line to a point distant south, 1056.04 feet from the center post of said section 4; thence East, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the East and west 14 line of said Section 4; thence South, 440.00 feet, more or less, along the East 1/8 line of said Section 4; thence West, 1320.00 feet, more or less, parallel with the South 1/8 line of said Section 4 to the place of beginning. Street Address: 1262 North Coville Road, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: March 24, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 21 4343 (03-24)(04-14) 177795 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagors): Dean Arnold Mesecar and Misty Mesecar, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender s successors and assigns Date of mortgage: March 2, 2007 Recorded on March 6, 2007, in Document No. 1177187, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Two Hundred TwentyOne Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-Three and 70/100 Dollars ($221,963.70) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Beginning at a pint on the West line of Section 27, Town 4 North, Range 7 West, distant South 1445.00 feet from the Northwest corner of said section 27; thence East perpendicular with said West line, 600.00 feet, thence south parallel with said West line 265.00 feet; thence West 300.00 feet; thence south parallel with said West line 260 feet, more or less, to the south line of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27; thence West along said South line 300 feet to said West line of Section 27; thence North along said West line to the point of beginning subject to a private easement for Ingress, Egress and Public utilities over the South 66 feet of the West 300 feet of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27. Subject to an easement for public highway purposes for Woodland Road as recorded in Liber 142 on Page 31. Commonly known as 3704 Woodland Rd, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman PC. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that tte .following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sate^fMhe mortgaged premises, or some part of Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a. sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): William Fields, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: June 23, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 31, 2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $180,607.51 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7 and 8, Block 8, Kenfield’s Second Addition, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37, Barry County Records Common street address (if any): 811 E Marshall St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2449 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 24, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1458195 (03-24)(04-14) 177522 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 22-29126-NC William M. Doherty, P41960 Court Address 206 W Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no. 269-945-1390 In the matter of Scott Russell Richardson. TO ALL PERSONS, including: whose address is unknown is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 5/11/2022 @ 2:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court Street, Sute 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of Scott Russell Richardson to Scott James Highsmith. 178718 Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1459523 (03-31 )(04-21) Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a of them, at a public auction sale to the highest sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 5, 2022. The amount the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership encouraged to contact the county register of deeds of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged office or a title insurance company, either of which to contact the county register of deeds office or a may charge a fee for this information: title insurance company, either of which may charge Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Collin Regan, Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): David A. McCau- unmarried man Original Mortgage Mortgagee: Registration Inc., Systems, Electronic mortgagee, as as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/ Assignee Foreclosing (if any): AmeriHome Date of Mortgage Recording: August 11,2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 12, 2021 on due claimed Amount SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY,FSB, AS TRUSTEE OF Date of Mortgage: August 4, 2006 Date of Mortgage: April 28, 2021 date of notice: Amount claimed due on date of notice: $120,957.39 $172,171.74 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated Barry Hastings, of County, Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated Michigan, in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and and described as: LOT 4 IN AMMON EATON’S described as: The West 48 feet of Lot 961 of the ADDITION, CITY OF HASTINGS, BARRY COUNTY, City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT recorded Plat thereof. AS THEREOF, RECORDED IN LIBER 2 OF PLATS, PAGE 15, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. Common street address (if any): 604 E Hubble Common street address (if any): 126 W Walnut St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2261 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2507 months doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the from the date of such sale, unless determined subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). The redemption period be shall 6 if the subject real property is used for agricultural If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, responsible to the person who buys the property at pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage held responsible to the person who buys the holder for damaging the property during the re­ property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the demption period. mortgage holder for damaging the property during Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have member on active duty, if your period of active duty been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the been ordered to active duty, please contact the telephone number stated in this notice. attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at This notice is from a debt collector. the telephone number stated in this notice. Date of notice: April 14, 2022 This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 31,2022 Trott Law, P.C. Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 (248) 642-2515 1460473 (04-14)(05-05) 1459324 178108 Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. STANWICH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST I Mortgage Company, LLC City sey and Wendi L. McCausey, husband and wife Foreclosing Assignee (if any): WILMINGTON or assigns in a fee for this information: 178615 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing 1 the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or ' some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Sarah Porter, A Single Woman to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as nominee for Centennial Mortgage and Funding, Inc., Mortgagee, dated February 19, 2008, and recorded on February 26, 2008, as Document Number: 20080226-0001749, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submitted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-Seven and 12/100 ($110,557.12) including interest at the rate of 3.00000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, distant South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West, 1680.0 feet from the North 1/4 post of said section; Thence North 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds East 675.00 feet; Thence South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West 340.29 feet; Thence South 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds West 675.00 feet to said North and South 1/4 line; Thence North 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds East along said North and South 1/4 line 340.29 feet to the point of beginning. Subject to an easement over the West 33.00 feet for public highway purposes. Commonly known as: 14289 JONES RD, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS TRUST In the matter of: Arthur J. Raffler and Marcia A. Raffler Living Trust, dated September 15, 2010. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedents, Arthur J. Raffler, died on April 29,2015 and Marcia A. Raffler, died on December 3, 2021, who lived at 638 Bauer Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, leaving a certain trust under the name of Arthur J. Raffler and Marcia A. Raffler Living Trust, dated September 15,2010, wherein the decedents were the Settlors and Frederick A. Raffler was named as Successor Trustee serving at the time or or as a result of the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Frederick A. Raffler, the named Successor Trustee, at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: April 6, 2022 Nathan E. Tagg (P68994) 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2900 Frederick A. Raffler 638 Bauer Road Hastings, Ml 49058 517-819-2429 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRYCOUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent's Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29134-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Larry Dale Guess, Deceased. Date of birth: November 23,1944. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Larry Dale Guess, Deceased, died October 30,2018. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Myrtle Guess, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: April 6,2022 Howard T. Linden, P.C. Howard T. Linden P25438 29100 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 370, Southfield, Ml 48034 (248)358-4545 Myrtle Guess 12720 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 (269)672-4173 178550 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29046-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Kayla Martin-Burd, Deceased. Date of birth: March 17,1984. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kayla Martin-Burd, died March 17,2019. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Phillip Beerbower, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: April 7,2022 Howard T. Linden, P.C. Howard T. Unden P25438 29100 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 370, Southfield, Ml 48034 (248)358-4545 Phillip Beerbower 5165 Brown Road, Parma, Ml 49269 (517)764-4427 178577 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Estate of Thomas D. Haner. Date of birth: April 29, 1936. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE D. TO CREDITORS: Haner of 7695 The decedent, Bouman Drive, Middleville, Ml 49333, Barry County, Michigan died January 28, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Carol Haner, Trustee of the Haner Family Trust, u/a/d April 22, 2022, care of Carrier Law, P.C., 4965 East Beltline Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525 within 4 months Date: April 12, 2022 David L. Carrier P41531 Grand Rapids, Ml 49525 (616) 361-8400 Carol Haner 7695 Bouman Drive Middleville, Ml 49333 (269)375-5229 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF KENT 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION ORDER FOR PUBLICATION ON HEARING STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF KENT 17TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION TO: Ashlee Heilman Child’s Name: Ryan Slater Case No.: 22-50649-NA-104728501 Hearing: May 10, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Judge Gottlieb, 6th Floor, Courtroom 6-C Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, this hearing may be conducted via Zoom. Please contact tiffany. simpson@kentcountymi.gov to participate remotely. An initial and/or supplemental child protective petition has been filed in the above matter. A hearing on the petition, including a permanency planning hearing, will be conducted by the Court on the date and time stated above in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court, Family Division, Kent County Courthouse, 180 Ottawa NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The permanency planning hearing will result in the child(ren) being returned home, continued in foster care, or the court may order proceedings to terminate parental rights. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that you personally appear before the court at the time and place stated above and exercise your right to participate in the proceedings. This hearing may result in a temporary or permanent loss of your right to the child(ren). Dated: April 13, 2022 Deborah L. McNabb Circuit Court Judge 178907 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29017-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Hans Frederick Meulenberg. Date of birth: July 15, 1954. TO ALL CREDITORS: STATE OF MICHIGAN BARRY COUNTY PROBATE COURT NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Decedent Estate File No. 22-29017-DE Estate of HANS FREDERICK MEULENBERG, died 07/09/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kristyn T. Meulenberg, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Attorney: Jeriamiah Joseph (P76780), 215 E. Michigan Ave., Marshall, Ml 49068, Ph: 269.558.8135. Personal Representative: Kristyn T. Meulenberg, PO Box 162, Litchfield Park, Arizona 85340; Ph: 623.255.5136. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Hans Frederick Meulenberg, died 07/09/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kristyn T. Meulenberg, PO Box 162, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 4/7/22 Jeriamiah L. Joseph P76780 215 E. Michigan Avenue, Marshall, Ml 49068 269.558.8135 Kristyn T. Meulenberg PO Box 162, Litchfield Park, Arizona 85340 623.255.5136 after the date of publication of this notice. 4965 East Beltline Avenue NE 178551 ' r . , 1 , 1 ’ ' ■ - ' . , . 178015 (03-31 )(04-21) Thomas , . ■ 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for ; Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335­ 9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00177-1 ; (04-07X04-28) cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the coun­ ty register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may change a fee for this information: Name Of Mortgagor: Danielle Marie Milligan Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Michigan Fund, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Barry County Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, De­ scribed As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Center according to the recorded plat thereof together with an easement for ingress, egress and utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds bearing document number 2018-4166. PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Court, Hast­ ings, Ml 49058. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a: or if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined in MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Date of Notice: April 14, 2022 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) of Gee Law Firm PLLC 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 brad @ atto rneygee .com 269-945-3500 178714 ■ ' 178830 178582 178407 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active.duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Richard D Barnum and Betty J Barnum, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated March 11, 2008, and recorded on March 18, 2008, as Document Number: 20080318­ 0003081, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association by an Assignment of Mortgage dated February 28, 2022 and recorded March 07, 2022 by Document Number: 2022-002533, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Five Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four and 33/100 ($105,684.33) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Commencing at a point 42 rods South of the center of said Section 28, thence West 202 feet; thence South 100 feet thence East 202 feet; thence North to the place of beginning. Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan. Commonly known as: 14742 S KELLOG SCHOOL RD, HICKORY CRNRS, Ml 49060 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/ or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. -' 22MI00093-1 (04-07X04-28) 178406 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — Page 13 Vikings sweep doubleheader with visiting Maple Valley boys Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood and Maple Valley, a pair of young varsity baseball teams, played mostly even for ten and a half innings Tuesday before the Lakewood offense blew up to score eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The eight runs snapped a 7-7 tie and the Vikings went on to a 15-7 win over the visiting Lions in that second game of their season-open­ ing Greater Lansing Activities Conference doubleheader Tuesday at Lakewood High School. Lakewood won the opener 4-3. Both teams had the chance to get a bunch of their ballplayers down south during their spring break weeks, but there is still plenty to work on. “It was great just being outside and getting on the field. We went south and we had a week where the weather didn’t do it and we’re just getting back into it. We’re so young. We’re so inexperienced. We just have to play to get bet­ ter,” Lion head coach Bryan Carpenter said. “That is the positive. We have a lot of work on. We have a lot of things to shore up, but we were down 7-0 in the start of this game and then come back and tied it at seven. A young team down early coming back, that’s a posi­ tive.” A three-run home run by senior second baseman Nathaniel Graham over the left field wall was the highlight of the eight-run surge for the Vikings. It was Graham’s second hit of the inning. He led off the inning with a single and went to third on a single by Walker Klifinan. Graham was 3-for-4 in the game-two win with five RBI. Klifinan was 3-for-3 with a run scored. Blake Price and Ashton Pfeifer had two hits apiece. Gavin Willette, Price, Landon Makley, Nathan Willette and Asher Teigeler had two RBI each and Ashton Pfeifer drove in two runs. “We had kind of a fall-apart inning there in the second game. We got up big, seven runs, and then we came out and gave up seven runs and made some mental errors, some physical errors and it just added up,” Lakewood head coach Brad Tacey said. “Then we just held serve until that last inning and we just started hitting the ball again like we did in the first inning. “That is how it is going to be with a young group until they get it figured out. I am really impressed with the way that they played now. That is a good [Maple Valley] baseball team. They’re going to win some games. They’re really young too, but that is a good ball team.” Makley got the win in relief. He as charged with four unearned runs over the course of the final four innings. He struck out eight and walked two. Gavin Willette started the game and struck out one in an inning of work after coming on in relief in game one. Camden Carpenter took the loss in relief for the Lions. Chanse Courtney was 2-for-3 with two dou­ bles. He scored a run and drove in three runs to lead the Lion offense. Carpenter, Jessey Deppe, Jakeb McDonald, Christian Huissen and Cal­ lan Hoefler had one hit each. Huissen had two RBI and McDonald drove in a run. The Lions were down 7-0 in that second ballgame after one inning, but then scored seven times themselves in the top of the second inning. “We put the ball in play, and I think one of the biggest things was just putting pressure on them on the base-paths moving and making them aware that we’re there. That is something that we’ve worked on,” coach Carpenter said. “It seemed to get in the pitcher’s head a little bit when we had guys wiggling and moving.” The two teams were back and forth in game one. Lakewood led 2-0 after three innings. The Lions took the lead with a run in the fourth inning and two more in the top of the fifth, but the Vikings answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Graham got the win on the mound. He threw five innings, giving up three unearned runs. He struck out seven, walked five and allowed two hits. Gavin Willette threw two scoreless innings of relief with one hit allowed and three strike outs. Graham and Acker had two hits apiece in game one for the Vikings. Acker had a double and an RBI. He scored two runs. The only other hits for the Vikings were a double off the bat of Makley and singles by Tyler Storm and Blake Price. Coach Tacey was especially excited to see the performance from the freshman Acker. Courtney went the distance on the mound for the Lions. He struck out ten and walked three while giving up seven hits and the four earned runs. “He threw a great game,” coach Carpenter said. “He threw 100 and some pitches in his outing. He is strong and he is ready to go. I was pleased with that outing. He got ahead in the count and he threw strikes. He went to the Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St, Suite B Hastings, Mi 49058 (269) 945-4702 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Will your money last as long as you do? Gavin Willette pitches for Lakewood late in game one of the Vikings' double­ header sweep of visiting Maple Valley Tuesday afternoon at Lakewood High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) fastball and Callan [Hoefler] called a great game. Callan is really good back there [at catcher] and he knows the situations.” Courtney and Hoefler are both sophomores, but coach Carpenter said they have played a lot together during the summer over the years. “[Hoefler] knows how to talk to Chanse and get Chanse to do what he needs to do and keep him in the moment.” The Lion offense had singles by Hoefler, Ayden Wilkes and Courtney. McDonald had an RBI. Hoefler, Wilkes and James Wiser scored the three Lion runs. Lakewood got the lead back in the bottom of the fifth of game one with Garrett Feighan and Acker hitting back-to-back singles to open the inning. Feighan stole second and third and came home on Acker’s single. Courtney got a line out and a strike out, but couldn’t quite get out of the inning without that go-ahead run scoring. We all hope for long, healthy lives. But there’s a serious “side effect” of longevity - the possibility of outliving our money. How can you help prevent this? It’s usefiil to know the seriousness of the threat. Consider this: About 41% of all U.S. homes in which the head of the household is between 35 and 64 are projected to run short of money in retirement, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. While this statistic indicates a cause for concern, it certainly doesn’t mean that you are necessarily headed for trouble - because there’s a lot you can do to help build and manage enough resources to last a lifetime. Here are a few suggestions: • Consider your estimated longevity. On average, a 65-year-old man can expect to live another 17 years, while a 65-year-old woman can anticipate about 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Of course, you’ll want to take into account your health and family history of longevity to arrive at a reasonable estimate. You can then use this figure to help determine how much money you’ll eventually need. To play it safe, you might even want to try to build an income stream that can last beyond your estimated lifespan, possibly up to age 90. • Don’t overlook health care costs. When budgeting for retirement, allow enough for your health care expenses, which can be considerable. Even with Medicare, you can expect to spend anywhere from $4,500 to $6,500 per year, per person, for traditional medical costs. Also, you may want to prepare for two to three years of long-term care expenses, which currently range from about $50,000 per year for home health care to over $100,000 per year for a private room in a nursing home. • Keep building assets for retirement. While you’re working, constantly try to put away as much money as possible for your retirement years. Each year your salary goes up, increase your contributions to your 401 (k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan. You may also want to contribute to an IRA, depending on your goals. And within your retirement savings, make sure you devote a reasonable percentage of your investment dollars to growth-oriented vehicles that align with your goals and risk tolerance. • Seek out sources of guaranteed income. As a retiree, you will receive Social Security benefits - and the longer you wait before claiming them, the bigger your monthly checks will be. But you might also consider investments that can provide a source of income you can’t outlive, such as annuities. • Revisit your strategy before you retire. As you near retirement, you may want to review your investment strategy, possibly adjusting your risk level so that your portfolio would be somewhat less susceptible to market volatility. This is also a good time to review your spending needs in retirement. • Maintain a reasonable withdrawal rate. Once you are retired, you’ll likely need to start withdrawing from your 401(k), IRA and other investment accounts. To avoid taking out too much money too early in your retirement, you’ll need to set a reasonable, sustainable withdrawal rate based on your assets, age and retirement lifestyle. A financial advisor can help you determine an appropriate rate. It will take dedication and determination to help ensure your money doesn’t run out during your lifetime. But you’d probably agree that it’s well worth the effort. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC CORRECTION The last name of Hastings' Lars Sorensen was misspelled in last week's edition of the Hastings Banner in the preview of the Hastings varsity baseball team. d instnon MICHAEL KENNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 &. Insured LtSCiAL/ DIO I STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Decedent, Eileen T. Graham. Date of birth: 09/01/1936. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Eileen T. Graham, who lived at 7468 N. Crooked Lake Road, Delton, Michigan 49046, died 02/12/2022. There is no probate estate. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against Eileen T. Graham or The Graham Family Trust dated June 6, 2016. as amended on April 12, 2019, will be forever barred unless presented to Darcy Hall, the named successor trustee within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 4/5/2022 DeMent and Marquardt, P.L.C. Charles S. Ofstein P76256 211 E. Water Street, Ste. 401, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 (269) 343-2106 Darcy Hall 234 S. Snow Prairie Road Coldwater, Ml 49036 (269)906-0259 178490 NOTICE TO CREDITORS - TRUST In the matter of the Declaration of Trust dated January 9th, 1976 of Doris B. Hendrian. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Doris B. Hendrian, born March 31,1925, who lived at 611 East Woodlawn Avenue, Apartment 117, Hastings, Michigan 49058 died April 6, 2022 leaving a certain trust under the name of the Declaration of Trust dated January 9th, 1976 of Doris B. Hendrian, and dated January 9, 1976, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Trustee and William D. Renner, II was named as successor trustee pursuant to an amendment to the trust dated January 12, 1990, and began serving as trustee upon and as a result of the death of decedent/settlor/trustee’s death. Creditors of the decedent and the trust are hereby notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever Barred unless presented to William D. Renner, II, the named Trustee with four (4) months of the date of this publication of this notice. Date: April 11, 2012 William D. Renner, II (P29832) 3000 Beatrice Avenue Middleville, Ml 49333 517-227-9984 178786 B ns in ess Services Pets Help Wanted BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. LAB PUPPIES, VERY cute & play­ GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ ful, 1st shots & dewormed. $300. 517-726-0706. cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. & fluffy, 1st shots & dewormed. $500. 517-852-3007. GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES For Sale- Friendly and playful. 1st shots and wormed, $800. 517-852­ 4881. Assembly Test & Repair CNC Machine Operator $18.41- $20.47/hour in 12 months (3rd shift) $20.06-$23.00/hour in 12 months (2nd & 3rd shift) CNC Machinist www.parker.com/careers CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 POMERANIAN PUPS, VERY cute (we offer a 50 cent shift differential) $20.06-$28.68/hour (2nd shift) Banner CLASSIFIEDS MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION Opportunities Available Richland & Otsego: Fann FOR SALE GOATS- Pygmy and Nigerian, Pet/ Show/ Breeding/ 4-H, 269-731-4259. JOB FAIR WILL BE HELD AT: Parker Pneumatic Division 8676 E M-89 I Richland, Ml 49083 F——"jtnf IfWi f1 v^dilKCl �Page 14 — Thursday, April 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Saxons ease into season with wins over Wellspring Prep Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer Hastings’ boys and girls varsity track and field teams competed at home Tuesday night against Wellspring Prep in their first outdoor meet of the season. The Saxon girls outran Wellspring Prep 106-3, while the Saxon boys outscored Well­ spring 141-15. Saxon head coach, Brian Teed noted it was “an easy early season win, but that was okay, because we desperately needed to just get in a meet where everybody could compete to be able to see what we were all working with. We were not disappointed as many athletes competed well. There were 26 different boys and 16 different girls who hit a new personal best. Just looking at the 13 individual events, there were nine different boys and nine differ­ ent girls who won an event. That shows a team balance. “Both the boys and girls rearranged the depth chart on many events and now we will be tasked with putting together some new sprint relays before our big meet on Friday.” Saxon girls placing first for the team were: Allison Teed in the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles; Addey Nickels in the 100-meter dash; Carissa Strouse in the 1600meter run and the 800-meter run; Isabelle Roosien in the 200-meter dash. In the field events the Hastings girls got wins from Kali Grimes in pole vault, Grace Madden in shot put, My ah Vincent in high jump, Madison Nino in long jump, and Maddie Miller in discuss. The Saxon 4x200-meter relay team of Nino, Nickels, Roosien and Teed and the 400-meter relay team of Nino, Roosien, Abby Goodrich and Grimes both finished in first place. For the Saxon boys first place performanc­ es were achieved by: Layton Eastman in the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter inter­ mediate hurdles; Reuben Solmes in the 100meter and 200-meter runs; Brandon Simmons in the 1600-meter run; Charles Nickels in the high jump and 400-meter run; Kearan Tolles in the 800-meter run; Riley Shults in the 3200-meter run; Robby Slaughter in pole vault; Daniel Weatherly in shot put and dis­ cuss; and Caleb Waller in long jump. Solmes ran his two fastest sprints ever to win the 100 in 12.25 seconds and the 200 in 24.69. Every Hastings guy to win an individ­ ual running event, other than the hurdles, set new personal records. Tolles finished the 800 in 2 minutes 12.71 seconds. Shults won the 32200 in 11:09.19. Charles Nickels took his 400 win in.55.09. Simmons, a freshman, won the 1600 in 5:05.51. Waller bested his previous long jump PR by more than a foot flying 19 feet three inch­ es. The Saxon boys’ 4x800-meter relay team of Caleb LaBoe, Charles Nickels, Jonah Teed and Tolles, finished in first place as did the 4x 100-meter relay team of Slaughter, Aiden SaintAmour, Dillon Neal and Nate Kohmesher. The Saxon 4x400-meter relay team of Jett Barnum, Charles Nickels, Jonah Teed and Tolles also finished in first. The Saxons will compete at home on Fri­ day night at the Hastings Team Invitational, one of the largest invitationals in the area. Saxon senior pitcher Carter Reil hurls the ball towards the plate during game one against Plainwell Tuesday afternoon at Johnson Field in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) -. Saxons bounce back from tough inning Hastings junior Layton Eastman runs to a victory in the 110-meter high hurdles during his team's dual with Wellspring Prep Tuesday afternoon in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) The Saxons' Madison Nino flies over the sand in the long jump during her team's season-opening contest Tuesday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons learned to bounce back on day one of the 2022 varsity baseball season. Plainwell took a 19-1 victory in the open­ ing game of a non-conference doubleheader Hastings shortstop Aiden Benson moves into position near the bag at sec­ ond during his team's opening bailgame against visiting Plainwell Tuesday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Good Friday April 15 - In Person and OnLine > Worship 7:00 pm “The Passion of Christ” Easter Sunday April 17 - In Person and OnLine r Worship 8:30 am “Resurrection Testimonies” > Easter Breakfast 9:00 am > Easter Egg Hunt 9:30 am > Worship 10:00 am “Not Enough Words” Located in the Heart of Hastings for a Purpose! We Feed People! 209 West Green Street For more information: wyrngreenstreetumc.r or call 269-945-9574 in Hastings plating 15 runs in the top of the fifth inning Tuesday. The Saxons answered with an 11-2 victory in game two. “We talked about things [between games] and said, ‘hey, there are some really good things that happened and there are some things that can’t happen again,”’ Hastings head coach Jason Sixberry said. He talked with his team about staying positive and making sure guys had each oth­ ers backs when things didn’t go right. They didn’t go right in that fifth inning of game one. “It was a decent game until the wheels fell off in the fifth inning with some unfor­ tunate errors and hits batsmen and walks,” Sixberry said. An RBI single off the bat of Lars Sorensen plated the Saxons only run in game one. Har­ rison Smalley doubled to center to lead off the bottom of the second inning and then scored with one out on Sorensen’s single. The run pulled Hastings within 2-1 at the time. That was where the score stayed until the Plainwell Trojans added two runs in the top of the fourth and then piled on in the fifth. Carter Reil threw the first three innings of the season from the mound for the saxons. He struck out four and didn’t allow an earned run. Hastings led the second game 11-0 scor-’ ing three runs in the bottom of the first and then eight in the second. . The Saxons had five hits in game two and Sixberry was pleased to see his guys extremely patient at the plate working walks and taking advantage of a couple of hit bat­ ters as well. Matt Thompson singled twice for the Sax­ ons and had an RBI. Patrick Gee had an RBI double. Reil belted an RBI triple. Smalley had an RBI single and finished the game with two RBI. “Obviously, there was more consistent pitching in the first game than the second game for Plainwell, but our guys I think got some of the jitters out of them and were starting to be more patient at the plate,” Six­ berry said. Plainwell managed just one hit and one earned run in game two. Mason Denton started and held the Tro­ jans scoreless for two innings from the mound. Landon Steward took over from there and struck out four Trojans in his two innings of work. Hastings is set to open the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference season at Pennfield this afternoon, April 14, and will be home for its annual Barry County Invitational Saturday. Guevara leads DK golf team at Eastern Hills Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ golf team got to play its first holes of the season Tuesday finishing ahead of Constantine at the jamboree hosted by Parchment at Eastern f Hills. Hackett Catholic Prep won the day’s meet, ahead of Parchment, Delton Kellogg and Constantine. Javier Guevara led the Delton Kellogg/ Martin Co-op team with a 47. Head coach Jim Hogoboom said Guevara struck the ball well, but as is typical early in the season there is still some work to do around the greens. Karter Ribble added a 50 to lead the Pan­ thers. DK is slated to host its own Coach Enyart Invitational at Mullenhurst today, April 14. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-04-21.pdf 52f3069c50636076f05a6a3bac71dbcc PDF Text Text Delton Kellogg announces its top 10 high school seniors Now's the time for citizens to practice good stewardship Smalley hurls one*hitter in Saxon win at Pennfield See Story on Page 2 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 11 804879110187 1070490102590501450549058113421 Richard HemerlinqMf<RT L°T**C 005 C0°5 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 WW HAS 1 iimvjo 6/30/2022 9:47:00 AM Thursday, April 21, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 16 NEWS M-43 bridge topic of MDOT meeting tonight Michigan Department of Transportation staff will host a public meeting to provide details of a planned project to replace the M-43 bridge near Carlton Center. The meeting, which is open to the pub­ lic, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the Carlton Township Hall, 85 Wel­ come Road, Hastings. The current M-43 bridge was built in 1956 and is one of the earliest prestressed concrete bridges built by MDOT. Because of this history, it is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The use of prestressed concrete beams for building bridges was a major technological advance­ ment nationwide, and MDOT began using this new type of beam in the mid-1950s a few years after they were developed. The meeting is will provide a chance for the public to review and comment on the adverse effect of replacing a National Reg­ ister-eligible bridge, as part of the Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act processes. Public input is being sought to help MDOT recognize and address any con­ cerns that may result from the replacement of this National Register-eligible bridge. Public comment should be submitted by May 6. Concerns or comments discussed at the meeting regarding the project may be shared using the online comment form via email to Monica Monsma, MonsmaM@ Michigan.gov; by calling 517-335-4381; or by mail, Michigan Department of Trans­ portation, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909. Earth Day film Friday at Hastings library A screening of the film “Youth v Gov” will be shown on Earth Day, Friday April 22, at 3:30 p.m. in the Community Room at Hastings Public Library. “Youth v Gov” is a documentary about a lawsuit by youth against the federal gov­ ernment to address the threat to their con­ stitutional right to life, liberty, and property caused by climate change. In 2015, 21 children and adolescents between 8 and 19 years old, including Kelsey Juliana from Oregon, filed a suit called “Juliana v„ United States.” The chil­ dren allege that the federal government, through its actions in creating a national energy system that causes climate change, is depriving the youth of their constitution­ al right to life, liberty and property. The suit asks the court to exert its remedial powers to ensure a comprehensive scheme to reduce fossil fuel emissions, combat climate change, and protect their right to a habitable planet. The film “Youth v. Gov” documents this lawsuit. “Juliana v U.S.” also was featured on the CBS show “60 Minutes” in 2019. Following the film, attorney Robert Byington will be present to address the legal questions arising from the decision of the 9th Circuit Court. Robert Schirmer, M.D. will be present to describe the harm­ ful effects of climate change, particularly on fetuses, infants, children and adoles­ cents. Emmanuel Episcopal Church is spon­ soring the screening. Adopt-A-Highway pickup starts Saturday The first Adopt-A-Highway pickup across the Lower Peninsula will be April 23 to May 1. Volunteers pick up litter three times each year. Statewide, there will be a summer pickup July 16-24 and a fall pickup Sept. 24-Oct. 2. Adopt-A-Highway groups wear high-visibility, yellow-green safety vests See BRIEFS, page 5 PRICE $1.00 They wept for Grace Lafey conviction is not the end of Maple Grove murder case Rebecca Pierce Editor Accused murderer Andrew Lafey was convicted Friday. After four days of testimony, Barry Coun­ ty Judge Michael Schipper heard closing arguments, recessed for 30 minutes, then handed down a verdict: Guilty on all six counts in the first-degree premeditated mur­ der and torture of 18-year-old Gracyn-Michael Kay-Candace Brickley of Ionia. Defendant Andrew Lafey, 22, of Nashville, stands to hear the verdict Friday. He is facing mandatory life in pris­ on without parole when he's sentenced June 9. Lafey, 22, is scheduled for a 9 a.m. June 9 sentencing. His trial for the brutal murder he commit­ ted and videotaped on I eb. 16,2021, is done. But the case is far from over. Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt said at least four more suspects are under investigation and may be charged for crimes relating to Brickley’s death in Maple Grove Township. Dustin Stephens and Harold “Danny” Butcher Jr., who were living in the house at 7519 Guy Road where the murder occurred, and Sherlyn Randolf and Colleen Rice were all called to testify during the Lafey trial. And each of these witnesses was advised by the judge prior to their testimony that they had the right to remain silent and that any­ thing they said under oath could be used against them. A defense attorney was provided for them and present in court while they were on the stand. Nakfoor Pratt declined to name any sus­ pects, but she did say that charges such as aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit murder, accessory after the fact, tampering with evidence and using a computer to com­ mit a crime are pessu .-Hues; All these charges will be considered as their investigation continues, she said. During the trial last week, Stephens and Butcher testified that they were in the Guy Road house with Lafey and Brickley on the night of the murder. Several key pieces of evidence, such as Brickley’s cellphone and backpack, disap­ peared that night and have never been recov­ ered. According to testimony, a stained shirt worn by Stephens was burned; Randolf swal­ lowed the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card from his phone; and the phone destroyed. In his closing argument, Defense Attorney James Kinney of Hastings pointed to these facts. Police found the 18-year-old's broken body covered with snow in a wooded area behind the house where Andrew Lafey had been living in Maple Grove Township. This aerial view of the scene was provided by police as an exhibit during the trial. “It’s entirely possible that Dustin shot Grace,” Kinney said. “Our contention is that there is some reasonable doubt as to Mr. Laffey’s guilt.” , Nakfoor Pratt responded to Kinney’s con­ tention: “Dustin is not a good guy. Dustin will be dealt with. This is about Andy.” Ultimately, the 12-minute video that Lafey recorded of the murder and his admission to Barry County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Janette Maki that he killed Brickley are irre­ futable proof of his guilt, she said. Initially, the case had been scheduled for a trial by jury, as that is Lafey’s constitutional right. But, at the last minute, Lafey chose a bench trial. That meant Judge Schipper became the trier of fact and the determiner of whether Lafey is guilty or not guilty. As Schipper said Friday when he handed down the verdict, the evidence presented during the trial clearly proved Lafey’s guilt. Testimony from several witnesses indicat­ ed that Lafey had talked openly and frequent­ ly about killing Brickley in the days leading up to her death. The motivation to kill her, Lafey told wit­ nesses, was his claim that she had given him a sexually transmitted disease. Later, he showed witnesses the video. Some said he even seemed proud of it. Testimony from police experts, who extracted the information from Lafey’s cell­ phone, indicated that Google searches made four days before the murder looked for best methods to torture and kill a victim. “That’s premeditation,” the judge said. See GRACE, page 5 Clerks get 2020 election FOIA from sheriff Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Rebecca Pierce Editor Seventeen clerks in Barry County received Freedom of Information requests from the Barry County Sheriff’s Office seeking histor­ ical data files contained on the electronic pollbook flash drive for all voting precincts in the Nov. 3, 2020, general election, county Clerk Pamela Palmer said. Those FOIA letters cover all the townships in the county and the city of Hastings, Palmer said, noting that she also has received a request from the sheriff’s office signed by Mark Noteboom. Sheriff Dar Leaf confirmed Tuesday that he hired Noteboom about a month ago and assigned him to renew efforts to investigate fall 2020 election activity. “We’re not after the clerks,” Leaf told The Banner. “We don’t think they’ve done any­ thing wrong... but they have information I need. That’s all you need to know. Later on, when the report’s done, we’ll be able to let people know.” City of Hastings Clerk Jane Saurman said she received two FOIA letters from Note­ boom requesting “a copy of the historical data files contained on the election pollbook flash drive.” The flash drive information holds qualified voter information, Saurman said. “It doesn’t even have any voter data on it, like the results. It just has who asked for a ballot. That’s all,” Saurman said. But Saurman said the city does not have the requested information. According to state law, local municipalities must clear the flash drive data within seven days of the election. The only entity that holds that data is the state, Saurman said. “We have no idea, like honestly, what they’re looking for,” she said. “We don’t have a clue. But all of this information that they’re asking for is housed at the state. So they’re FOIA-ing the wrong people.” At last week’s Hastings Charter Township meeting, Clerk Anita Mennell expressed con­ cern to the township board about the request. “You’ll notice in the first paragraph, it says, ‘This is a criminal investigation,’ ” Mennell said. “We talked it over with the county clerk and some of the other clerks, and we have been recommended to all contact our lawyer. They are asking for information we don’t have - we don’t even know what they are asking for. “Normally, I handle all this stuff, but when they start throwing in things like ‘criminal investigation,’ I just don’t feel comfortable doing this on my own.” “When they say ‘criminal investigation,’ they don’t say whose name is behind this investigation,” Mennell added, saying the township’s lawyer will be contacted to draft a response to send to the sheriff’s department. Palmer said the wording is different in some of the letters that clerks received. Some of the letters, for example, make no reference to any criminal investigation. Leaf said the variations were probably because Noteboom was getting better at writ­ ing the FOIA letters. The first FOIA letter addressed to Saurman on April 2 incorrectly asked for information in Leoni Township, near Jackson. When Saurman said the city cannot fulfill the request, Nobeboom sent another letter cor­ recting the error and referencing the City of Hastings. “My problem with this is that taxpayer dollars are being used to foment something that is illegitimate. And I don’t know that the taxpayers know that this is what the county is spending their money on,” Saurman said. Rutland Charter Township Clerk Robin Hawthorne received a similar FOIA request on March 30. Her letter asked for information specifically related to the electronic poll book, Qualified Voter File reports and a “CVR,” although Hawthorne said they don’t use anything with the acronym CVR at the township. In both letters, Noteboom asked for the information free of charge. “In the event that a fee shall be incurred for either searching or the copying of these doc­ uments or records, please inform me of the cost,” Notboom wrote to Saurman. “Howev­ er, if the cost exceeds $0.00,1 would also like to request a waiver of all fees as the disclo­ sure of the requested information is for my own personal use and knowledge and/or in the public interest and will contribute signifi­ cantly to the awareness and/or understanding of the information contained within the afore­ mentioned document(s) and/or files. This information is not being requested or sought after for any commercial purposes.” Hawthorne’s letter also mentioned a crimi­ nal investigation. See FOIA, page 5 Rutland says 'yes1 to marijuana Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Marijuana businesses are coming to Rut­ land Charter Township. After nearly four years of preparation, the township board passed two ordinances that will permit various kinds of marijuana estab­ lishments in the township. The ordinance, which will go into effect in mid-May, will allow six different types of medical and recreational marijuana busi­ nesses, limited by zoning districts, including growers, processors, micro businesses, safe­ ty compliance facilities and retailers. To open a marijuana establishment, a property owner must receive approval from the state before submitting a separate licens­ ing application to the township. Both ordinances, one for zoning and one for licensing, passed in a narrow 4-3 deci­ sion at last Wednesday’s regularly scheduled meeting. Supervisor Lany Watson, Clerk Robin Hawthorne, Trustee Brenda Bellmore and Trustee Stacey Graham voted for the ordi­ nances, while Treasurer Sandy Greenfield, Trustee Gene Hall and Trustee Sandy James voted against. Board members were split over whether to move forward with the ordinances now or wait a few months for possible additional state and federal regulations. The board first started discussing a mari­ juana ordinance in 2018. Since then, they have flip-flopped over whether to mandate distance between marijuana retail business­ es. Initially, the board decided against it, cit­ ing legal concerns. But after a special public comment meeting on Jan. 19, where some people argued in favor of a buffer, the board decided to institute a 500-foot buffer between marijuana businesses. Because the district is permitting unlimited businesses, the board implemented the buffer to keep marijuana See MARIJUANA, page 5 �Page 2 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Delton Kellogg announces its top 10 seniors Delton Kellogg High School has released the names of the 10 students with the highest grade point average in the class of 2022. Three young men and seven young women comprise the top 10. While many of them have shared common interests in high school activities, such as sports, band, theater and service clubs, their future plans are varied. Students have set their sights on careers in health, music, astrophysics, archival studies, actuarial science, education and more. This year’s top 10 include: ety and a member of the Rotary Interact Club, she also has been an active player in Quiz Bowl team. Her plan for the future includes attending either Michigan Technological University or Western Michigan University to major in mechanical engineering. Natalie Ann Marie Haight GPA-3.9 She is planning to attend KCC to become a registered nurse. Alekzander Clinton Waller GPA-3.852 Kelsey Ann Campbell GPA-4.005 Halena Gail Phillips GPA-4.124 Halena’s parents are Dan and Michelle Phillips. She has been a captain, most valuable play­ er, All-Country and All-Conference first team during her four years in cross country. For track and field, she has been a captain, MVP, All-Conference and All-Country. Halena has been involved with the indoor track for three years and the equestrian team for four years. Co-president of the National Honor Soci- Halena Gail Phillips Natalie Ann Marie Haight The Father Knows Every spring my father would take us all hunting for morel mushrooms. We would prepare by putting on “off’ mosquito repellent because we were going to spend the day deep in the forest. My father would give us each two plastic bags to put the mushrooms in, hoping we could fill them all. There was a specific spot where my father liked to hunt in, it had acres and acres of woods. It was easy to get lost if you didn’t know what you were doing. You also needed to know what you were looking for, because many mushrooms were poisonous and very hard to see. When we entered the woods, we would fan out, but not so far that our father could not see us. As we went deeper and deeper into the woods we came to the point where we couldn’t hear any sounds of civilization. I loved it when some of the birds were not afraid of us, like the little black caped chickadee. I still to this day love the sound of the chickadee. The forest was very quiet, but you could really see God in nature. Sometimes I would just stand still and listen to the wind blowing through the leaves of the trees. The terrain was never just flat, we would walk over hills and go into valleys the deeper we got into the woods. It seemed like my father was always the first one to find a morel mushroom. He would yell out, “I found one!” and we would all run over, he waited to pick it until we all saw what it looked like in the ground. Then we would kneel and look around because he taught us where there is one, there are many more to find that would be close by. As we continued to look for mushrooms there were times where we were not paying attention to where we were in the woods and found ourselves walking in circles. Getting lost or loosing sight of my father was easy but all I had to do was yell, “Where are you guys” and they would yell back. So, we were never ever really lost. The sound of my father’s voice would always guide me back to where I needed to be. When it came time to leave my dad would say to me “Do you know the direction where we parked our car?” That was a wrong question to ask me because I am directionally challenged, and I would almost always point in the wrong direction. Then my father would tell me that our car was in this direction. He knew exactly where we were at all times, and he was aware of the time and when we needed to be back. We were never in the woods after dark. Hunting for morel mushrooms was one of our favorite things to do along with eating them. My mom knew how to fix them, and I loved the smell of them cooking as the aroma filled the house. To this day I still love hunting for morel mushrooms when I have the chance. Kelsey Ann Campbell Kelsey’s parents are Bruce and Sandra Campbell. School activities include sideline and com­ petitive cheer. In competitive cheer, she was awarded first team All-Conference, All-Dis­ trict, second team All-Regional, and the team was awarded Academic All-State. She is also a member of the equestrian team. Academic achievements include being a member of the National Honor Society as well as numerous academic awards. Kelsey plans to major in actuarial science and data analytics at Central Michigan Uni­ versity or Michigan State University. Morgan Elizabeth Stidham GPA-3.9 Alekzander Clinton Waller Alek’s parents are Clinton and Shasta Waller. He is involved in marching band, DKTAC and the DK Follies. He also has been vice president of the National Honor Society, executive treasurer of the student council, member of the Green Team, and sergeant of arms for the Youth Advisory Council. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in piano performance at a college that will be determined later. Braeden Gene Waller GPA-3.809 Lydia Kay Chandler GPA-3.99 Morgan Elizabeth Stidham Seven observations from the story about our Heavenly Father: 1. He knows how to find what you’re looking for. Matthew 7:7 2. He wants to spend time with you, and He is with you. Revelation 3:20, Matthew 28:20 3. Be quick to ask the Father for directions before you find yourself walking in circles. Proverbs 3:5-6 4. He knows what direction to go when you’re lost. We are never lost to Him. Luke 15:4 5. Going through valleys are a natural part of the journey. Psalms 23:1-6 6. Stillness and quietness are good. Psalms 46:10 7. He always keeps his eye on you, you’re never out of His sight. Matthew 10:29 8. Call on His name and listen for His voice and He will guide you back to where you need to be. John 10:27-28 Natalie’s parents are Stacy and Jeff Haight. Natalie played volleyball her freshman and sophomore year. She was a member of the Miss Delton Court. Academically, she is a member of the National Honor Society and has made the highest honor roll. She was dual-enrolled her junior and senior years at Kellogg Community College where she earned 22 college credits. She plans to attend Kellogg Community College’s radiology program to become a radiologic technician. Lydia Kay Chandler Her parents are Derek and Rachel Chandler. Lydia’s school activities in high school included volleyball, track, National Honor Society, band, Miss Delton Court, yearbook staff and DK Follies. She was awarded Aca­ demic All-State in volleyball. Lydia plans to attend Cornerstone Univer­ sity in the fall, and she is undecided on her major at this time. Morgan’s parent is Blaine Stidham. In high school, Morgan has participated in the band, Delton Kellogg Theater Arts Com­ pany, and the DK Follies, specifically drum­ line and kickline. Academically, she has been involved in the National Honor Society, has received recognition numerous times for honor roll and has completed 28 college cred­ it hours at Kellogg Community College. After high school, she plans to continue emergency medical care studies at KCC and then pursue a nursing degree, as well as studying psychology or performance. Caitlin Noelle McManus Braeden Gene Waller Braedon’s parents are Clinton and Shasta Waller. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Youth Advisory Council, and a Delton Kellogg Education Foundation YAC representative. He has been involved in the marching band, DKTAC (lights and sound), DK Follies, Green Team and participated in track and field. Braedon is planning to attend the Universi­ ty of Michigan to major in astrophysics. GPA-3.877 Owen Michael Harig GPA - 3.805 I pray that this devotional has been a blessing to you. You’re not alone in what you’re going through. Be encouraged today. Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Caitlin Noelle McManus Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, Mich. 49058 or by donating online at https://www.spiritualcareconsultants.com/pages/make-a-donatioii We THANK YOU for your generosity and support! Kayla’s parents are Kevin and Angela Ferris. She has participated in DK Follies and band all four years of high school. She is the main editor of the yearbook for 2021-22. She has received highest honors all four years and is a member of the National Honor Society. She also is a member of the Miss Delton Court and the secretary of the school’s Interact Club. Kayla’s plan for after high school include attending Kellogg Community College and then transferring to another college to earn a degree in elementary education. Caitlin’s parents are Jim and Jodie McMa­ nus. Caitlin has been involved in student council for four years, serving as executive board president her senior year. In the National Honor Society, she was co-presi­ dent. She has been involved in the Green Team, was drum major in the band, emcee for DK Follies her senior year, homecom­ ing queen, and performed with the band at the 80th anniversary Pearl Harbor Wreath Ceremony. Caitlin received varsity letters for basket­ ball, volleyball, soccer and track and also was the varsity basketball captain. f Owen Michael Harig Owen’s parents are Christina and Michael Harig. Owen is the historian of the National Honor Society and a member of the Rotary Interact Club. A team member of the DK Quiz Bowl, he has been on the honor roll all four years. He was dual-enrolled at KCC, earning 12 credits, and completed seven AP classes at DKHS. He plans on a career as an archivist, but is undecided on what school to attend, with U-M, CMU and Wayne State University among his choices. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 21,2022 — Page 3 Goebel rated ‘effective;’ board amends budget Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Area School System Board of Education unanimously approved the eval­ uation of Superintendent Matt Goebel, with the evaluation granting him an “effective” rating. Following the Michigan Association of School Boards rubric, board members gave Goebel a score of 3.346 out of a possible 4, granting him an 84 percent rating. Board member Daniel Patton was not pres­ ent at the meeting and did not vote. The eval­ uation was completed in a closed session during the March 14 school board meeting. “We are pleased with the performance of Superintendent Goebel and feel very fortu­ nate that we have been able to keep things running as smoothly as possible during the pandemic,” board President Luke Haywood said. “We feel very blessed to have Matt lead­ ing our district and look forward to sharing many new successes in the future.” The board also approved an amendment to the budget passed in June 2021, reflecting changes that have been made since the last amendment took place in November 2021. Michigan law requires that once a district knows how much it has deviated from the original plan, the budget must be amended to reflect those changes. The amendments reflect changes to the district’s finances in the second quarter of the fiscal year, Goebel said. The biggest changes to the budget came to the district’s general fund. The district received an additional $1.81 million in reve­ nue to the general fund overall, for a total of $29.83 million in revenue. Local revenue went down slightly by $38,992 to $3.88 mil­ lion, with funding from the state going up by $347,926 to $22.48 million and federal fund­ ing increasing by $1.5 million to nearly $3.2 million. Tim Berlin, assistant superintendent of operations for the district, said the big jump in federal funds was mostly due to the way Elementary and Secondary School Emergen­ cy Relief, or ESSER, federal funds are released to schools. ESSER funds were created by the federal government to provide financial relief for schools under strain caused by the COVID19 pandemic. The funds are released as a reimbursement once expenditures have already been made, Berlin said. The jump in federal funds was mostly from the district being reimbursed for expenditures in the last quarter, he said. Under the general fund, support services received a $1.12 million increase and instruc­ tional services received a $589,739 budget increase when compared to the budget as it was amended in November. Under the general fund support services expenditures budget, pupil services received an additional $513,114, instructional staff services received an additional $44,935, gen­ eral administration received an additional $20,593, school administration received an additional $58,467, business services received an additional $45,177, technology received an additional $72,330, operation and mainte­ nance received an additional $141,985, trans­ portation received an additional $71,759, athletics received an additional $150,480 and community services received an additional $6,729. Debt services expenditures decreased by $16. In total, general fund appropriations went up from $27.9 million to $29.6 million, a $1.7 million increase. There is $202,710 in excess revenue, up from $106,946, that is projected to be added to the general fund at the end of the year. Changes also came to the food service fund, which received an additional $322,871 in total revenue for a total of $1.5 million. Local funding decreased by $67,265 to $81,135; state funding was reduced $3,068 to $43,932; and federal funding increased by $393,204 to nearly $1.32 million. In total, food service fund appropriations went up from $1.05 million to $1.09 million. A $345,231 in excess revenue, up from $67,920, is projected to be added to the food service fund at the end of the year. The Community Education and Recreation Center and childcare fund also saw minor changes. Total revenue went up $82,100 to a total of $690,350. An additional $15,947 was budgeted for community education and the CERC, for a total of $217,025. An additional $66,153 was budgeted for childcare, up to a total of $473,325. The entire HASS budget is available to the public on the HASS website. The board accepted a personnel report with six retirements, eight new appointments, two leaves of absences, and one contract non-renewal. The new appointments include Heather Coipel, CERC lifeguard; Abe DeVries, mid­ dle school healthcare paraprofessional; Lisa Iberle, district-wide substitute food service; Ein O’Brian, middle school track co-coach; Andre Perez, CERC cardio and weight room attendant; Megan Bruggink, middle school track co-coach; Bryce Davis, middle school assistant tennis coach; and Pierson Tinkler, high school junior varsity baseball coach. Third grade teacher Carlton Brynlee and fifth grade teacher Abigail Nichols at Star Elementary were granted leaves of absence. Fifth grade teacher Katie Sanchez at South­ eastern Elementary received a contract non-renewal. Resignations were received from Tiffany Hendershot, Northeastern Elementary para­ professional; Laurin Johnson, Central Ele­ mentary Young 5s teacher; Tiffany Moore, Northeastern Elementary paraprofessional; and Chloe Palo, Southeastern Elementary kindergarten teacher. In other business, the board: • Accepted a $3,115 donation from the Hastings Education Enrichment Foundation. The funds will go toward student transporta­ tion for field trips and activities. • Accepted a $5,658 donation from the Hastings Athletic Boosters to the district’s athletics department. • Accepted donation of a 2022 Kawasaki Mule 4010 with a value of $12,806 from the Hastings Band Boosters. The vehicle will be used alongside a 2000 Kawasaki Mule the band already has to tow equipment to and from band rehearsals and performances. • Accepted a donation of lighting fixtures from the Friends of the Hastings Performing Arts Center with a value of $43,094. The lights will be installed at the Hastings Per­ forming Arts Center in two stages due to supply-chain issues, with the first set of lights being installed in the summer and the second set of lights installed in January 2023. Delton Kellogg honors students, volunteers Leila Wood Hastings Career and Technical Education Director Ed Domke gives a presentation titled “Preparing Students for Fourth Industrial Revolution: Industry 4.0" during the annual CTE luncheon at Hastings High School Friday. Future of CTE education at center of annual luncheon Benjamin Simon Staff Writer To have a lawn mowed, the process is fairly simple: A person sits on a lawn mower and cuts the grass. . But, in the future, Hastings Career and Tech­ nical Education Director Fd Doftifce said, that may not be the case. . In the future, that lawn mower might be a person tucked away in a remote office sur­ rounded by 100 monitors, “watching the robots Cut your lawn,” Domke explained. If something goes wrong, the person in the office might fix the issues through an online cloud or replace the robot with a new, re-programmed version. “Times are really changing,” Domke said, “and they’re changing quick.” This is the reality of 2022. Or as Domke called it at the Hastings High School annual CTE luncheon: The fourth industrial revolution. This year’s speech, “Preparing Students for 4th Industrial Revolution: Industry 4.0,” was presented by Domke, who filled in for Jenny Geno, executive director at Saginaw 1SD, and Matt Shoffner, assistant director at the Michi­ gan Manufacturing Technology Center. Both Geno and Shoffner were scheduled to speak at the luncheon, but were unable to make it at the last moment. The presentation focused on the next step of CTE - and what the Hastings High School pro­ gram can do to prepare for it. Industry 4.0, a German term, refers to the “technology and process that are helping man­ ufacturers understand their operations better and leverage that information to increase pro­ ductivity and efficiency,” Domke said. “These technologies are key to increasing revenue, speed, innovation - using data to make real time decisions.” He pointed to six areas of focus within Industry 4.0, including digitization of manufac­ turing processes, the connected factory, data analytics, 3D printing, advanced robotics and cyber security. According to Michigan-based data where corporations could give one or more reasons why they are shifting to Industry 4.0, 69 per­ cent of companies cited cost reduction, 64 per­ cent because of workforce shortage, 49 percent because of competitive forces and 48 percent because of lead-time reduction. But at the*same time, 57 percent of employ­ ers -said “a lack of training is a major barrier to implementing Industry 4.0.” “I know people say, ‘Robots and technology are eliminating jobs,”’ Domke said. “Well, they’re eliminating maybe one type of job, but they’re creating jobs in a different arena. And those jobs are what kind ofjobs? Those are jobs that require some additional schooling. So that schooling has to happen someplace. And that needs to start at our level - the K-12 level.” CTE education must evolve to incorporate the technology, Domke said. The presentation listed multiple suggestions for schools, such as finding a way to “provide funding to grow robotics and automation training/education, fund pilot programs for on-site and online foundational skills training, analyze personnel gaps in Industry 4.0 education and create a statewide Industry 4.0 resource center.” In Hastings, specifically, Domke would like to see trade skills education within the district begin earlier. “There are many opportunities for students, but if we don’t start them in a unified manner, in our school system, those programs don’t really do well,” he said. “The kids don’t know about them. They are not necessarily as inter­ ested in them. They just don’t have that knowl­ edge base to work with.” But the preparation doesn’t lie solely on the schools, Domke said. It relies on everyone in The community. “It involves all of our stakeholders, so that we’re working in a common direction, to give our youth what they need to be successful out there,” Domke said. “Not only that, but to be able to keep our business and industries viable in our community. We don’t want people leav­ ing this community.” Leadership Barry County class supporting animal shelter The Leadership Barry County 2022 cohort has selected supporting the Barry County Ani­ mal Shelter as its “class project.” LBC will be accepting donations and volunteer signups at the upcoming Business and Community Expo Saturday, April 23, at Thomapple Kellogg High School in Middleville. In addition, LBC is accepting sponsorships for pet adoptions. Sponsorships go to families who wish to adopt a pet, but might not be able to afford the up-front costs for the shots and spaying/neutering. Adoption sponsorships help pets to be taken in to homes. “The 2022 LBC cohort chose a project that could be sustainable and long lasting. We decided to focus on our furry friends this year and partnered with the Barry County Animal Shelter,” said Abby Reigler. ~homapple Manor human resource assistant. The cost of a sponsorship is $35 for a kitten and $70 for a cat. The cost for a puppy is $35 and $90 for a dog. The LBC class also volunteered and partici­ pated in a day of cleaning and organizing stor­ age and training space at the animal shelter. “Kenneth Kirsch assisted the LBC group in identifying a project that would help make a short stay at the shelter welcoming to all ani­ mals, and provide the avenue for long-term solutions for the animals in our community,” Reigler said. “The love Mr. Kirsch has for the animals is unmatched, and our goal is to support these animals in finding their forever family.” Pet adoption sponsorships can be donated in person at the April 23 Expo, and at the Barry Community Foundation at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings MI 49058. Checks (made out to Leadership Barry County) may be mailed to the BCF, as well. Online donations can be made at the LBC website, barrycf.org/funds/ leadership-barry-county-fund/. More information can be provided by Jillian Foster, director of community engagement, by calling 269-945-0526. Contributing Writer Delton Kellogg High School’s Academ­ ic Top 10 Seniors received recognition at the April 18 board of education meeting. The top 10 (featured on Page 2 of today’s Banner) are: Halena Phillips, Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chandler, Kayla Ferris, Morgan Stidham, Natalie Haight, Caitlin McManus, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller and Owen Harig. Only seven were able to make it to the meeting, but written statements from the students who could not attend were read by their peers. The students introduced themselves and gave a brief overview of the projects and activities they have been involved with during high school - sports, NHS, band, theater and more - as well as their plans after high school. Principal Lucas Trierweiler said these are the first Delton Kellogg students to participate in Early Middle College, a five-year program that allows students to begin-collegb-wKJe^ftli in high schooU“They’re doing a great job with it,” Trierweiler said. “They’re great ambassa­ dors for Delton.” The students intend to pursue a variety of career paths. “We’ve got three going into medical, one’s going into education, one undecid­ ed, two are doing numbers...,” said Trier­ weiler, “got an engineer, we’ve got music, we’ve got a historian.” “That’s kind of where we’re at now with education,” he said. “It used to be doctor, doctor, lawyer, doctor ... but it’s such an open field to what these kids can do, and I’ll bet you half of them don’t go into what they say ... two or three of them would be my guess, will not graduate col­ lege because they’re going to start their own business. They’re going to be a Markus [Zuckerberg] or something like that because these are some really talented kids.” “Congratulations to our top 10 academ­ ic students and the parents, and again, thanks to everyone who helped them along the way,” Interim Superintendent Carl Schoessel said. In honor of National Volunteer Week, Schoessel also took a moment to thank everyone who volunteers with the school “All of us in schools probably couldn’t do nearly what we do without volunteers ...” he said, “so a big thank you for all of our volunteers.” Another development at the school is the ongoing cleanout of the old elementa­ ry building. Elementary staff have been allowed to take some items from the upper floor, Schoessel said. Soon, they plan to open that up to staff members in the other buildings, and then to historians and the public. While in the building, people will be supervised, in part, to minimize the risk posed by asbestos. Schoessel said they will be finalizing and publicizing the schedule soon. Demo­ lition of the old elementary building is expected to begin shortly after the last day of school, which is June 9. In other action, the board approved the acceptance and disposal of a donated school bus from Barry Intermediate School District. The bus was in an acci­ dent some time ago and is no longer used. However, its engine is still good and is the right engine for one of Delton Kel­ logg’s buses in need of a new engine. The engine has been salvaged, and the district plans to sell the bus for the scrap value of $1,200. A millage election is planned May 3. A general informational meeting regarding the millage will be at 6:30 p.m. on April 27 in the Elementary Media Center. The district is able to levy a maximum of 18 mills from its taxpayers, but because of the rate of inflation this year, and the Headlee amendment, the amount the dis­ trict could levy in the next tax season dropped to 17.9281 mills. That drop will result in the loss of $14,300, but since the millage rate was not scheduled to be reset f *. sst 1NSUMrz 1 SPRAY FOAM MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation J Looking to fill multiple positions including: Housekeeping, Dietary Servers, and Nurse Aides for the Elderly Flexible hours and competitive wages available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 or online at www.carvethvillage.com .arvetli Villas© of Middleville Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 //SI 10376 &. Insured NOTICE PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSNIP NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Public Accuracy Test for the May 3, 2022 Special Election, is scheduled for April 28, 2022 @ 11:00 a.m. in the Township Hall Meeting Room, 10115 South Norris Road. The Public Accuracy Test is conducted to demonstrate that the program and computer that will be used to tabulate the results of the election counts the votes in the manner prescribed by law. www.CarvethVillage.com “Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 for four years, that number would likely grow as the Headlee amendment dropped the millage rate lower each year. If voters OK the request in May, it would raise the levy rate by 1.89. The district still couldn’t levy more than 18 mills from the taxpayers, but the extra rate increase would give the district a buffer against further cuts from the Headlee amendment over the next four years. School officials noted that five superin­ tendent candidates have been selected and will be interviewed next week, April 25 and 26, in the high school cafeteria. Also, the board learned of various activities in the near future, including: • The spring play “The Iliad, The Odys­ sey And All of Greek Mythology In 99 Minutes or Less” which will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. • A construction trades program open house from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, on Osborne Road. • The awards ceremony and last day^ofy ( school for seniors will be Friday, May 20. The last day of school for the rest of iOjHfy district will be June 9. ■ • OP. Summer school will be at the middle school this year, June 21-Aug. 3. In other business, the board: • Learned that nine grants, totaling $15,053, have been approved by the Delton Kellogg Education Foundation. The DKEF is preparing to evaluate schol­ arship applications. • Accepted personnel changes. Tiffany Bever has resigned but will continue working until the end of the school year. Sharon Boyle will be retiring June 3, and Sandra Otis will be retiring June 9. • Approved purchase of property for a construction trades program house at a cost of $26,000, which is comparable to the price of lots in previous years. • Approved funding not to exceed $1,125 for Mackinac trip chaperones, to cover higher costs this year due to a change of ownership of the hotel where they will stay and the trip being scheduled later in the season than normal. 179174 Rod Goebel, Clerk Prairieville Township �Page 4 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? A time for stewardship Stepping up to serve in the clerk's office Barry County Clerk Pamela Palmer promoted Senior Circuit Court Deputy Clerk Sarah VanDenburg to the role of first deputy clerk, filling the vacan­ cy left by Karen Barnes, who recently retired. As of May 15, VanDenburg will mark a 14-year milestone with the clerk's office where she got her start as a vital records, elections and gun board clerk and jury coordinator. In November 2021, VanDenburg became the senior deputy clerk. This most recent promotion makes her Palmer's chief lieutenant in the clerk's office. Do you remember? Bowling champions Banner April 19, 1962 The Champions - This is the Hastings Radio and TV bowling quin­ tet, which won team honors during the 1962 Hastings Women’s Bowling tournament at the Hastings Bowl. John Wills (left), owner of Hastings Radio and TV, sponsors the team, which includes (kneeling, from left) Sharon Connor, Peg Keeler; (back) June McKelvey, captain; Shirley VanDenburg; and Pat Grabau. The lassies won the handicap honors with 2,958. Shirley also accumulated 1,612 to win the actual All-Events championship, and Shirley and June were third in the doubles division. (Photo by Barth) Have you met? Hastings High School senior Amy Fors­ berg, 18, is irked by classmates saying they’re tired. “Why would you say you’re tired?” Forsberg said. “You have all of your life to be tired, you’re only 18.” Forsberg tries to give everything she’s passionate about her full attention, she said. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic derailed many after-school activities, she said she tries to be grateful for the opportu­ nity to participate in them at all. She dedicates a lot of her time to music. She’s played the drums since she was in sixth grade and plays in the symphonic, concert, marching, jazz, and steel bands and is in the drumline. She’s been the drum captain this year. “Band’s my life,” Forsberg said. “I love band, and everybody knows I love band. A lot.” She also loves to sing in the choir. During her final semester at HHS, she is taking three sections of choir, and a section of band alongside her math class. She even took some of her required classes over the summer just to make sure she was able to take as many sections of choir as she could. Even though she’s known now for her extensive involvement with music, she wasn’t always that way. When her mom enrolled Forsberg and her brother in piano lessons when they were younger, she wasn’t a fan. “I was like, ‘My mom wants me to do music. She thinks I’m some sort of musi­ cian, but I’m not. I hate this. I hate piano practice. I hate singing. I hate all of it,’ ” she said. But that changed when she started high school and realized she had a talent for music, she said. “Then it became more fun,” she said. “I stopped playing piano and started drum­ ming, and now I live to drum. I love drums.” Forsberg said she thinks that being left-handed and right-brained, along with dyslexia, have all contributed to her love of music. She has lots of ideas and thoughts she can’t always express in other ways, she said. “When it comes to physical art I have to make with my hands, I can’t make it hap­ pen,” she said. “But if it’s music, it trans­ lates perfectly.” As Forsberg approaches graduation, she’s preparing to head for new horizons. It Amy Forsberg will be difficult to leave the community where she discovered her love of the arts. Even though she grew up in Hastings, she never felt that growing up in a small town has ever held her back. She’s grateful for the community’s support for the arts and the leadership opportunities she’s received through her various interests, she said. Soon, Forsberg will be heading to another small town: Gunnison, Colo., to attend Western Colorado University. There, she will study outdoor recreation and education. “I always tell people I just want to play outside when I grow up,” she said. “I just want to teach people how to play outside, and I want people to keep playing outside for the rest of forever.” Her love of the outdoors, she said, stems from her mother, Denise Lowell, owning a campground next to the house where she grew up. She also attributes her outgoing personality to being able to meet and talk to lots of people who stayed at the camp­ ground at various times in her life. For Forsberg, Gunnison is a town that seems to cater to all of her interests. Its proximity to the Rocky Mountains makes it a great place to go hiking, trail running, and fishing. Forsberg, who’s been a ski instruc­ tor since she was 16, can’t wait to hit the slopes. She knew Gunnison was right for her when she learned it offers lots of music opportunities as well, she said. She’d leave her phone and computer behind if it was up to her, but she said her mom got her a phone to keep in touch and a computer to help with school assign­ ments. “The mountains are right there,” she said. “The mountains are calling me. I don’t need a phone to hear them.” Her plans don’t stop there. After college, Forsberg wants to head to Mongolia as a Peace Corps member volunteering in edu­ cation or agriculture. When she returns to the States, she plans on working seasonal jobs outdoors, like being a ski instructor or teaching whitewater rafting. “I’m expecting to work seasonal jobs for the rest of my life,” Forsberg said. “I’m OK with being a tramp and a hippie dirtbag that lives out of my car.” For her enthusiasm for the arts and the outdoors, Forsberg is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite music to listen to: No. 1 top artist of all time: Frank Sinatra. Live, breathe, die, I love Frank Sinatra. A boy even asked me to a dance by singing Frank Sinatra to me. Everyone knows I love Frank Sinatra. I really love jazz, and I’m excited for jazz fest coming up. If you were to be able to walk into my ear and up to my brain and knock on the door, it’s like a jazz fest in there every single day, all day. Favorite historic period: I’m a cowboy. I know I like jazz and stuff, but I am a cowboy. I want to be in honky-tonks, line dancing. When I look at taxes as investments, they’re a little easier for me to accept. There probably has never been a tax bill I enjoyed paying but, just like buying stock in a company whose sales and mar­ ket price keeping going up, well-managed public projects bring a return on invest­ ment, too. Look at the return this nation received from the tax investments Americans have made over the years. In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower proposed and built the greatest interstate highway system known to modern civili­ zation. Twelve years later, man walked on the moon, thanks to the taxes that funded the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis­ tration. American taxes have built the strongest, most admired nation on earth. Naturally, not all investments are good ones and they have to be monitored, but every community in this country can take pride in how local taxes have defined their cities, towns, and villages. That’s why I’m so invested in our upcoming vote on May 3 to ensure the future of our Hastings Area School Sys­ tem. Last year, voters turned down a request for funds to do some needed upgrades and maintenance. Without that assistance, the district limped through completing some projects with money from past bonds and sinking funds that had been previously approved. But now we have to finish fixing roofs that leak, replacing windows that don’t seal, and renovating bathrooms and lock­ ers rooms - along with a number of other items on a list of projects that, with time, continues to grow. We’re not alone in struggling to keep up our investment in our children: In 1996, the U.S. General Accounting Office reported that almost three-fourths of exist­ ing schools were constructed before 1970. About one-third had need of extensive repair or replacement and almost twothirds had substandard plumbing, roofing or electrical systems. Moreover, 58 percent had harmful envi­ ronmental conditions, such as inadequate ventilation, acoustics, or physical security. Recently, I agreed to join a small group of local citizens in the “Finish What We Started” campaign, an effort to convince voters that the district can’t complete its list of badly-needed projects without tax­ payer investment. We took on the chal­ lenge, knowing that voters in previous elections have had concerns over past grievances and misunderstood what our educational leaders could accomplish with their requests. I know voters realize that, from their own experiences maintaining household and families, everything has a life expec­ tancy. Some of our school buildings are well beyond the life expectancy for any type of building. Central Elementary was built in 1930, North and Southeastern were built in 1954 and the high school was built in 1970. The newest building, Star Elementary, was completed in 1997. That was 25 years ago and, like the others, it now has some needs that can’t be met by our normal maintenance budget. The State of Michigan has made school financing very confusing. All public schools receive taxpayer funds for the education of their community students based on a per-student formula determined by a school district’s size and other fac­ tors. Those dollars, however, are restricted to just the education that takes place in the buildings - teacher salaries, curriculum, and programming. When a boiler breaks or a roof leaks, financial responsibility falls to the local community. That puts school administra­ tors in the difficult position of having to divert money away from education - or ask their community for bond support to meet maintenance needs. If the May 3 bond request is approved, it will not only sustain our declining build­ ings, it will allow our educators to more easily focus on the futures of our children. That’s an investment in which our com­ munity can take pride. With our tax investment, the district will be able to replace all the outdated windows at North and Southeastern schools, do needed bathroom upgrades, install security cameras and card key sys­ tems, and do some energy upgrades in an effort to reduce gas and electric costs. The district also plans to replace old lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting. The list is a long one, but becomes even more daunting when realizing how quick­ ly even more deterioration will occur without immediate attention. At the high school, 180,000 square feet of roofing needs to be replaced - along with 128 windows. At the middle school, there is 34,450 square feet of roof that still hasn’t been replaced. Central has 36,450 square feet of roof, and 137 windows that need replacement. The bell tower on the front of the building is rotten and needs immediate attention. Star Elementary has 11,950 square feet of roofing to be replaced or recoated. All the elementary schools need replace­ ment or upgrading of playground equip­ ment. At Southeastern, local groups took it upon themselves to replace one piece of equipment but the rest needs attention. And many of the locker rooms used by athletic teams and every day by hundreds of physical education students need com­ plete renovation. We also need to consider the transporta­ tion of our students. The district currently has 19 buses - but four stay mothballed in the garage because of their high mileage and/or mechanical problems. A detailed list of all projects and needs has been published in recent issues of the Reminder and the district has posted the list on its website. No one likes taxes and I know that, as a businessman and a homeowner, I will have to pay more. But I can see the need. The Hastings school millage rate of 6 mills is lower than most area districts. The May 3 proposal asks for 6.8 mills, an increase that will cost most voters $50 per year or less. Do the math: The market value of a $100,000 house has a taxable value of $50,000. So, 0.8 mills equates to $40 per year or $0.8 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation. My advice for voters is to do their due diligence. Decide what is important and then become active. Have a voice and be engaged in the process. And make it a priority to attend future school board meetings to listen to issues and question board members. How can we expect school leaders to deal with crucial issues if they can’t deter­ mine where the community stands? That’s why our current citizens’ group took on the responsibility of getting the message out to district voters about this alarming need to upgrade our facilities. These issues are important and they call us to stewardship. Continuing to put them off will only increase the burden for coming genera­ tions. These are our schools; they represent our community and the importance we place on education. I’m supporting the bond and suggest that other voters in the district take a serious look at these needs and support it as well. In high school, I’m most proud of: Being drum captain. My No. 1 goal in high school was always to be drum captain someday. Favorite book: I used to hate reading because I’m dyslexic, so words don’t always make sense. But then my junior year I said, ‘I can be smarter and cooler.’ My goal was to be able to talk to anyone about anything. So, I said, ‘You’ve got to read books, bro. There is no other way.’ 1 started reading classics. “Pride and Prejudice” was the first book I really fell in love with, but “The Catcher in the Rye” is my No. 1. I love “The Great Gatsby,” too. The Hastings BcHIHOT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 21,2022 — Page 5 They wept for Grace GRACE, continued from page 1 -------------------------------“The felony murder (conviction) connected to Count 3 is torture. Very little needs to be said. There is clearly torture in this case and not just the number of times he hit and stomped on her. The threats and the taunts. ... It’s not even a close call.” A stipulation for a guilty verdict on Count 5 is that Lafey had a prior felony, the judge noted. The record shows that Lafey, in fact, is a habitual offender with convictions for third-degree home invasion, witness intimi­ dation, and assault with intent to rob while unarmed, all in Kent County, on Dec. 2, 2019. Lafey told Detective Sgt. Maki he had been released from the Kent County jail, where he had been serving time on a proba­ tion violation, before he came to live in the house on Guy Road. Charles James, who is in the process of buying the house on land contract, said Lafey had been sleeping on his living room couch. As a convicted felon, Lafey was prohibit­ ed from having a gun. “He was certainly in possession of a fire­ arm,” Schipper said. “And that is, in part, the way he committed the murder because he admitted to it and he shot her twice ...” “I can say, for the record, the cause of the death here was listed by the medical examin­ er, as a combination of things.” Dr. Joseph Prahlow, the medical examiner and a forensic pathologist from Kalamazoo, testified that Brickley was shot twice. He described the trajectory of the bullets and how one severed an artery. According to Prahlow, “there was about 850 milliliters of blood - a third of her total (blood) volume - that was already lost,” the judge said. That, alone, could be a cause of death but, “additionally to that, Brickley was stomped on the face, neck, head, chest.” The butt of the rifle was used to break her jaw. The tissue around her heart was bruised. The totality of all these blunt-force injuries “maybe on their own would have caused death as well,” Schipper said, reviewing the medical examiner’s findings. In the jailhouse interview with Detective Sgt. Maki, Lafey claimed that he had acted in self-defense. He and Brickley had gone out­ side the house that night to hunt rabbit, he said. Suddenly, Brickley came at him from behind with a knife, so he shot her. When she kept coming, he shot her again. Then, when she lay on the ground, he stomped on her to stop her from “twitching,” he said. Lafey also told the detective that the.22 rifle he used to shoot Brickley had been destroyed, rridlted down by a man named “Jake.” But one of the bullets was found in Brick­ ley’s body during the autopsy and, through ballistics tests, police experts confirmed that bullet came from the.22 rifle they found in the house. During his testimony, James angrily con­ firmed that the gun belongs to him. Parts of Lafey’s story “were preposterous,” Nakfoor Pratt told The Banner Tuesday, add­ ing that, in 34 years as a prosecutor, she has never had a case where someone videotaped a murder as they were committing it. Judge Michael Schipper addresses the family of Gracyn-Michael Kay-Candace Brickley of Ionia after finding Andrew Lafey guilty on all counts. “This guy does something so evil, so bad, the only way the world is going to know is if we tell them,” she said. “You just don’t want to ever believe a human being can do that to another human being.” During her closing arguments, Nakfoor Pratt told the judge that Lafey “said he was going to do it. He bragged about it. He admit­ ted it. ... No way ... can this be construed as self-defense.” “The Feb. 12 searches happened four days before the murder: ‘Electrocution.’ ‘Paralyze and still be awake.’ ‘How do you kill some­ one and make it look like a suicide?’ ” “He got that poor girl where she was help­ less and then he decided to carry out the other gruesome half of this, which was stomping her.” In viewing the video of the murder, “I counted upwards of 50 blows,” said Nakfoor Pratt, striking the podium before her. “Fifty stomps on that girl. “There is no way a human can endure (that) ... and think there is any justification. There are only two words I have: The video. “The self-defense theme again is ridicu­ lous. ... There is no justification. He stomped the life out of her. “He watched the light go out of her eyes.” Nakfoor Pratt then proceeded to quote Lafey’s own words from the video. This, she told the judge, was “the most hid­ eous, heinous part” of the crime - and part of the best evidence against Lafey: His own words. She apologized to Brickley’s weeping family in the audience as she spoke. Brick­ ley’s parents held on to each other; her father staring up at the ceiling, his face etched in grief. “My job is to seek justice and the justice in this case would be a guilty verdict on all counts,” Nakfoor Pratt said as she rested the prosecution’s case. A few minutes later, Defense Attorneys Kinney and Jackie Baker of Hastings rested their case, then the judge called a recess. When he returned about 30 minutes later, the judge told Lafey to stand and found him guilty on all counts. Then he scheduled a date A video recording of Andrew Lafey’s jailhouse interview, shown last week in Barry County Judge Michael Schipper’s court, pro­ vided key evidence during the trial. (Photo by Scott Harmsen.) for sentencing. Before adjourning.^chipper briefly addressed Brickley’s family, who has been present in the court for all the proceedings. “It’s not lost on me entirely that this is Good Friday and I don’t think that’s entirely a coincidence,” he said, struggling for a moment to speak. “I don’t know if you have a faith or not. I do. “ “I hope, I hope, somehow in this holiest of weekends that your family can find some peace and some healing. OK. Court’s adjourned.” From the back of the courtroom a soft voice replied: “Thank you, your honor.” The six convictions in the Lafey case Count 1: First-degree murder, both pre­ meditated and felony murder, carries a max­ imum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Count 2: Felony firearm carries a twoyear mandatory sentence and must be served consecutive to the sentence for first-degree murder. Count 3: Torture carries a maximum sen­ tence of life or any term of years. Count 4: Felony firearm carries a twoyear mandatory sentence and must be served consecutive to the sentence for torture. Count 5: Possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum of five years in prison and/or a fine of $5,000. Count 6: Felony firearm carries a twoyear mandatory sentence and must be served consecutive to the felon in possession of a firearm conviction. FOIA, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Haulhome said she is not aware of a crim­ inal investigation and has not been provided any additional information. “I don’t have any kind of warrant or any­ thing telling me that there’s anything criminal that happened in my precinct at all,” Haw­ thorne said. “So I’m like, what criminal investigation? This is from November 2020.1 mean, what did you hope to gain from this?” Hawthorne directed the FOIA request to the township attorney, Craig Rolfe, who respond­ ed, barring any additional clarification, that they did not have any information to provide. They have not received a reply since. “This is crazy. It’s ridiculous,” Hawthorne said. “And there’s absolutely no foundation for it whatsoever. I don’t understand what he’s fishing for.” Leaf said this is not a new investigation; it is merely picking up from where they left off five months ago. The complainant is the same, he said: Julie Jones, a former sergeant with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. Last year, Jones told The Banner she sub­ mitted the original complaint that started the investigation into voter fraud in Barry County. Jones, who retired in 2019, said her com­ plaint was based on a court document that came from a lawsuit filed by William Bailey in Antrim County. She obtained it from the website of Bailey’s lawyer, Matthew DePer­ no of Portage. MARIJUANA , continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------businesses from stacking on top of one another. Between its March and April meet­ ings, the board shared the ordinance with the township lawyer, Craig Rolfe, who advised them against the 500-foot distance. Hall told the board that Rolfe worried they may face a constitutional issue of due process because of the buf­ fers. Hall presented three options to the board on Wednesday night: They could approve the zoning ordinance with the buffer, they could approve the zoning ordinance without the buffer, or they could wait 60 to 90 days, just in case, for further state and federal regulations. After hearing from Rolfe, Hall, who has continuously voiced support for a buffer, said his opinion had changed. If it moved forward, he would like to see it without a buffer. “I think our attorney has made a good case,” Hall said. “I don’t think I would go in deference to our attorney’s opin­ ion. I know that he says we’re going to get our pants sued off if we put buffers between them. So why would we go ahead and do it?” But he said he didn’t see a reason to approve the legislation now. There is no rush or deadline that they must follow, he argued. “I mean, we may have an ordinance out there that we may have to scrap in six or eight months because the federal government says, ‘All right, this is what we want,’ ” Hall said. Treasurer Sandy Greenfield agreed with Hall. Waiting would not create extra work for the township, she argued, rather, it would allow them to “err on the side of caution.” If they held the ordi­ nances for two months and nothing hap­ pened, they could pass it then. “We’re pretty well prepared. We’ve got it written. We pretty much like what we got,” she said. In the end, though, the board voted to approve the legislation. Clerk Robin Hawthorne argued strongly in favor of moving forward. At some point, she said, the township has to pull the trigger. “We can battle this thing and throw it against the wall until the cows come home, but it’s not going to change,” Hawthorne said. “... I mean, nothing’s going to ever be exactly perfect.” Township returns with updated anti-blight ordinance One month after 50 people packed the Rutland Charter Township Hall, a majority of whom expressed displea­ sure with a proposed anti-blight ordi­ nance, the board returned with a revised anti-blight ordinance this past Wednes­ day, featuring new and more in-depth definitions. The updated ordinance included defi­ nitions, such as building materials, inoperable vehicles and “implement of husbandry,” relating to agricultural vehicles. It also allows the township to grant a waiver, or an extension, not to exceed 90 days, to homeowners who need wiggle room to clear their proper­ ty if needed. “If you’re showing that you’re work­ ing on it, we’ll work with you,” Supervi­ sor Larry Watson said. With little public pushback Wednes­ day, trustees unanimously approved the ordinance in its first reading. The ordinance is designed to clear excessive junk on people’s properties, such as leaking, inoperable cars. The township already has a blight definition, but it is only one paragraph long. If the township needed to enforce the current law, it wouldn’t have the ability to enforce the law in court, the board had argued. “It makes it easier for our code enforcement officer, a little bit easier for the residents to understand,” Clerk Robin Hawthorne said. “But we’re not going to go out and ticket anything that we didn’t ticket yesterday or the day before or the day before that. It’s really not changing anything.” But at last month’s meeting, members of the public didn’t see the proposed ordinance in the same way. They argued that the ordinance infringed upon their freedom and opened up the possibility of “selective enforcement.” They expressed concern that the township could penalize them for what they considered minor infractions, such as a sentimental, unli­ censed vehicle or a pair of tires on their lawns. In response to the public, the town­ ship board returned in April with a revised ordinance that further clarified some of their concerns. Some on the board, however, wanted to see even more depth in the ordinance. After reading the most recent draft, Hall suggested the township make it even more “finite.” He pointed to the mention of “electric wiring and equipment” as an example. “Therefore, if it’s defined in here, it’s blight. If it’s not defined, it’s not,” Hall said. “There’s no question about it. There are no hypotheticals.” ■ But Hawthorne said being more pre­ cise could create more problems for the township. She advised the board against implementing additional detail. “How far down do you want to go?” she asked. “I mean, garbage is garbage. You want to go all the way down to the meat scraps and egg shells and banana peels? You can’t get too particular in an ordinance like this because, like you said, if it’s not there, then it’s not blight.” Trustees, including Hall, followed suit and approved the more recent draft. After making substantial changes to the draft following last month’s public comment, the township restarted the approval process, which requires two readings at separate meetings. If all goes according to plan, the ordinance will return to the board for a second official reading at its monthly board meeting May 11. “It all came from the information, Barry County-specific information, from Matt DePemo’s case brief,” Jones said at the time. “My report pretty much mimicked what was in the case brief.” She filed her complaint in April 2021; the lawsuit it was based on was dismissed by a judge early last May. BRIEFS, continued from page 1 required by federal regulations when working within a highway right of way. The Adopt-A-Highway program began in Michigan in 1990. Today, around 2,900 groups have adopted more than 6,000 miles of state highway. In a typical year, these volunteers collect 60,000 to 70,000 bags of trash annually, an estimated $5 million value for the state. MDOT provides free vests and trash bags, and arranges to haul away the trash. Volunteers include members of various civic groups, businesses and families. Crew members have to be at least 12 years old, and each group must number at least three people. Sections of highway are still available for adoption. Groups are asked to adopt a section for at least two years. Signs bearing a group’s name are posted along the stretch of adopted highway. There is no fee to participate. WWW ;• Make your Grad a Quilt • 108” Cotton - many colors > Beautiful Prints for Quilters ;• Zippers, Thread, Buttons, ■ Trim > Linus Project Pickup Station . 'i? Pray For Our World T* QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm: Saturday 9 am-3 pm SiSzl Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station �Page 6 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner James Breitner, 93 years old, of Hastings, MI, passed away on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at home surrounded by his loving family. James was bom to Richard Breitner and Ruth (Burrows) Breitner on November 9, 1928, in Toledo, Ohio. He worked in the sawmill at the family busi­ ness as a young man. Then James joined the US Navy. Later he worked for the railroad, moving on to Consumer’s Power as a lineman or troubleshooter for 32 years, retiring in 1991. James married the love of his life, Sandra (Tuttle) Breitner June 18, 1977, and they enjoyed 44 years together. James’ hobbies were reading, hunting, and spending time with family, loved ones and friends. James is survived by his wife Sandral chil­ dren, Vicki (Frank Vining) Breitner, Janice (Ron) Parsons, Allan Lynd, Warren (Christi­ na) Smith, Brian (Rose) Smith, Brenda Smith, adopted children Sophia Smith, Brenda Hoff­ man, Tim Roscoe and Lisa Morales; 18 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren, and brother, Frank Breitner. James was preceded in death by his par­ ents; daughters, Maryann Forester, Susan Gentry, and Vicky Root; son, Martin Breitner, granddaughter, Sandra Smith, and a brother, Robert Breitner. Visitation will be held Friday, April 22, 2022, at Noon with a service to follow at 1 p.m. Interment at Hastings Township Ceme­ tery followed by a luncheon at American Legion Post 45, 2160 S. M-37, Hastings, MI 49058, who will be providing military honors. • Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Jay William Porteous was bom on June 28, 1968, in Santa Clara County, CA. He was raised in Michigan and eventually established his family in Lakeport, CA. Jay graduated from Thomapple-Kellogg High School in 1986, prior to attending Michigan State Uni­ versity. Jay would go on to begin his career as a merchant mariner, a job he enjoyed for over three decades. Although he cheated death on numerous occasions, Jay ultimately passed away on February 25,2022, in Woodland, CA. Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Patricia (Stager) Porteous and William Porte­ ous; and sister, Lisa Porteous. He leaves behind sisters, Lori (Crews) and Jennifer (Reynolds); fiance, Julianna; and daughter, Annabelle. Jay lived a blessed life with many great adventures, and in turn many great stories. He had a brilliant, contagious smile which bright­ ened the world. He often shared the warmest all-encompassing hugs. Jay was generous with his time and energy. Jay touched count­ less lives all over the world. There is an empty space where his smile and voice once were. Jay was loved and leaves behind memories of a too-short life well-led. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, April 23, 2022, at Beeler-Gores Funeral Home in Middleville. A Celebration of Life will follow at 12:30 p.m. at Caledonia in Family Tavern. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the TK Alumni Association. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory’ or to leave a condolence message for Jay’s family. Howard LeRoy Eichenauer, age 83 of Mid­ dleville, MI, passed away on April 16, 2022. Howard was born on July 24, 1938 in Prai­ rieville, the son of Ernest and Virginia (Hay­ ward) Eichenauer. Howard worked at Viking Corporation for many years. His faith played an important role in his life. Howard was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Middleville, and also attended Peace Church. He was active in the men’s prayer group and went on many retreats. Howard was proud to own a 1952 Chevy pickup and a Farmall tractor. Surviving is his daughter, Debbra (Kent) Finkbeiner; five grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; siblings, Marilyn (Nick) Pestun, John (Sandra) Eichenauer, Jerry Eichenauer, Joanne DeRuyscher, Elayne Not­ tingham; several nieces and nephews. Howard was preceded in death by his wife, Delores Eichenauer; son, Rusty Eichenauer; and his parents. Howard’s family will receive friends on Friday, April 22, 2022 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Beeler-Gores Funeral Home. A graveside ser­ vice will follow the visitation at 3:15 p.m. at Mt. Hope Cemetery. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Howard’s family. Roy Allen Stadel, age 61, of Hastings, MI passed away on April 18, 2022. Roy was bom on April 29, 1960, in Hastings, MI, the son of Charles and Betty (Rule) Stadel. Roy grew up on a farm in Carolton Town­ ship. He graduated from Lakewood High School. Roy enjoyed building things with Legos and was a member of Thomapple Val­ ley Church. Roy was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Pat Stadel. He is survived by his brothers Robert, Richard and Norman Stadel. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058, Rev. Peter Adams of Christ the King Church officiating. Interment at Fuller Cemetery. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Wanda Marie Golden Elaine Garlock Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry'. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWMPIW HotiineTQols&Equipment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Merle G. Barton, age 84, of Newport, TN, a former Nashville and Hastings resident,' passed away Tuesday, March 22, 2022. He was bom on November 7, 1937 in Hastings, MI, the son of Robert C. and Donna M. (Hammond) Barton. He was raised in the Hastings and Nashville area. He graduated from Nashville High School in 1955. >•: A memorial service was held in Newport/ TN. A celebration of life is being planned for June 4, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. at Hidden Valley Community Building on Woodlawn Ave., Hastings. i' Survivors are Vernard and Sue McClefr land; stepdaughter, Shirley; granddaughter/ Leslie and family; brother, Robert (Rachel)) Barton; sister, Charlene Service (Harold Puffpafl); several nieces, nephews, cousins and grandchildren. Wanda Marie (Cappon) Golden, passed away on April 14,2022, at Meijer Heart Center in Grand Rapids, MI. Wanda was bom on February 3, 1935 in Cas­ tleton Township, MI, the daughter of Cornelius and Nora (Adrainson) Cappon. Wanda was raised by her stepmother Viola (Kingsbury) Cappon. She was a 1953 graduate of Woodland High School. Wanda married Russel Golden on July 24, 1954, at her family home in Woodland. Together they have enjoyed the past 67 years. In her early years, Wanda worked in both the office and factory at the Hastings Piston Ring and The Windstorm Company (now Hasting Mutual) where she taught key punch operators. Wanda worked the majority of her career (35 years) at Hastings Mutual Insurance in both the Data Processing Department and Filing Department. Wanda enjoyed painting, sewing, cooking, baking, gardening and yard work. She loved the outdoors. Wanda also enjoyed clothes shopping, going to auctions and garage sales and loved walking her beloved dog, Tommy. Wanda’s greatest joy was her children and grandchildren and was closely involved in their lives. Wanda was preceded in death by her par­ ents, Cornelius and Nora Cappon; stepmother, Viola Cappon; siblings, Winnie Conrad, Wilma Spaeth, William Cappon, Robert Cappon, and Arlita Travis. She is survived by her husband, Russel Golden; daughters, Deb (Ray) Girrbach, Linda (Jim) Hathaway; brother Marshall, also known as Dutch (Vonda) Cappon; six grandchildren, Heather (Matt) Schultz, Chad (Courtney) Girr­ bach, Haley Girrbach, Chris Hathaway (Mat­ thew Russ), Nick Hathaway (Matt Halber­ stadt), Katie (Scott) Howard; 10 great-grand­ children as well as many nieces and nephews. Funeral services for Wanda were held on Tuesday, April 19, at Girrbach Funeral Home in Flastings. Pastor Carla Smith, officiating. Burial took place at Cedar Creek Cemetery immediately following the funeral service, followed by a light luncheon at Hope Town­ ship Hall. Memorial contributions may be made to the Barry County Humane Society or a Charity of One’s Choice. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence or memory for the family, visit www.girrbachftmeralhome.net Good Friday services were held April 15 at Central United Methodist Church with pastors from local churches partic­ ipating. The Rev. Paul Reissmann was the host pastor who gave a welcome to the congregants. Marilyn Noffke was the organist. Pastor Rebecca Ebb-Seese gave the invocation. She is pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Woodland Township. Rev. Marilyn Danielson of First Congregational Church gave the offertory prayer and spoke briefly about the work of an organization that pro­ vides assistance to needy families in the form of rent and utilities assistance throughout the year. Each of the three scripture readings was followed by a homily from pastors Kathy Smith of Woodland United Methodist Church, the host pastor, and Rev. Laurie Koivula of Sunfield United Methodist Church. The choir anthem directed by Jackie Spagnuola was sung by members of the Lutheran Congrega­ tion and Methodist churches, singing “Were You There?” A large wooden cross draped with black fabric was in the background of the choir loft. A sin­ gle candle was lit by an acolyte at the start of the service. Last week’s daily papers carried the news that death had come to at least two former residents. One reported the death of 88-year-old James Mulvaney of Mason who was the agricultural teacher at Lake Odessa High School for two years in the late 1950s. Another daily had the obituary of Jean Leasure who lived on Johnson Street for the six years her husband, Rev. James Leasure, was pastor of Lakewood Baptist Church on M-50 across the highway from the new high school. Easter services at Central United Methodist Church were in a beautiful setting with clusters of lily plants on either side of the altar rail. A large wooden cross that had been in the sanc­ tuary during Lent had been moved from one side to the alcove behind the choir loft and was draped in white sheer fabric. The altar arrangement was of small rocks, and the cross was sur­ rounded by many candles of varied heights and colors to represent the array of mankind. The Rev. Paul Reiss­ mann presided at the service. Monday evening, he officiated at the baptism of two children and renewal of vows by their mother. First Congregational Church has had unique messages in its large bulletin board which stands at the front edge of the parking lot. Village trucks will soon again be making the rounds to pick up branches and other yard debris from streetside, using a chipper attachment on the truck. Meantime residents’ lawns have been accumulating a lot of branches knocked down by strong winds in recent weeks. A few garage sales have already taken place. ' .< '•> -*i ' jj »* HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE id £2. Thursday, April 21 - Novel Ideas Book Club discusses “Golden Girl” by Elin Hilderbrand^ 1 p.m.; Movie Memories group watches 1939 film based on the book “Beau Geste” by Percival1 Christopher Wren, 5 p.m. -'I Friday, April 22 - Earth Day movie “Youth v Gov” follows 21 young Americans suing theworld’s most powerful government to protect their Constitutional rights to a stable climate. If they win, they will change the future, 3:30-5:30 p.m. TSaturday, April 23 - book launch, Maggie Murphy launches “Sara Dippity” 10:30 a.m., book' talk at 11. -tq Monday, April 25 - Crafting Passions group meets, 10 a.m.-l p.m. rq Tuesday, April 26 - chess club, 5:30-8; mahjong, 5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 27 - book launch, Samantha Abbott launches “The Last of the Moon Light Pack,” 5 p.m. Io More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945^ 4263, or checking its Facebook events. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — Page 7 The confusion and misunderstanding of the two Calvin Hill families, conclusion At the request of a descendent, Harold Burpee in the mid-1960s began researching the Calvin Hill family. In the process, he learned - contrary to what others had written many decades earlier - that two men named Calvin Hill were among the early pioneers in (he northwest part of Barry County. Calvin G. Hill was the first white settler in Middleville, £nd his nephew, Calvin S. Hill was one of the early white inhabitants of Yankee Springs Township. . After extensive research, interviews, library trips, and viewing of microfilm reels, Burpee’s Articles on the Hill families were published in his “Fresh Out of the Attic” column in The Banner over three weeks in February 1966. Online resources today provide answers to some of his lingering questions. New informa­ tion has been added to his columns, extending it into this fourth and final week, [with new information in brackets]. H.L. Burpee . And now let’s get out a few miles south of Middleville in Yankee Springs Township and see what we can find out about Luther Hill’s family, which will include the other Calvin Hill. In the summer 1961 issue of Michigan Her­ itage, they published this following record of inscriptions from the “Locust Hill Cemetery” which I had sent to them. HILL FAMILY CEMETERY , This cemetery is on the old Calvin Hill farm upon which stands the oldest frame house in Barry County. The cemetery is in Section 11 of Yankee Springs Township on the west side of Highway 611 [now Yankee Springs Road]. Delia Sweet Hill I >’ 1836-1898 [died of cancer Oct. 14, 1898, age 62 years, 5 months, 28 days; widow] Daughter [Evangeline] Eva Hill Weaver d. Feb. 12, 1943, Kalamazoo age 74, married I Calvin Hill b. Oct. 13, 1809 died Sept. 18, 1884 “At Rest” Co. B, 13 th Michigan Infantry I In memory of Luther Hill born~Aug. 24, A:D., 1779 died May 1 A.D., 1862 aged 83 years s In memory of Abigail [Bartlett] Hill b. Dec. 22, 1784 died May 27, 1870 age 86 years ! At rest Lyman Hill b. Aug. 25, 1818 Died Nov. 5, 1886 “May he rest in peace ” A.E. Hill wife of Lyman Hill died April, 2, 1864 Lived 36 years “And when we sit by sculptured stone, and mourn for the loved one fled, she speaks to us from her angel’s home: ‘Weep not, I am not dead. ’” Orange Son of C. and S. Hill died Jan. 10, 1844 age 8 yrs., 10 mos., 26 days “Sleep on, sweet child, and take thy rest. God . called thee home. He saw it best. ” My old 1860 atlas of Yankee Springs Town­ ship shows L. and S. Hill owning property in sections 11, 12 and 14, on the comer of the three sections where the old home and ceme­ tery is located on Section 11. The 1873 atlas shows an L. Hill, and just north of L. Hill is an N. Sweet, and where the home and cemetery is, it shows Calvin Hill owning it. He also owned the land in Section 14 that was marked L. Hill on the 1860 atlas. The N. Sweet undoubtedly was Noah Sweet, Delia Sweet Hill’s father who, before that, according to records I have here, lived some­ where in Orangeville Township. • In a paragraph under the heading of “set­ tlers and anecdotes” in the 1880 “History of Allegan and Barry Counties,” Yankee Springs Township, it has this to say: “The settlement of the township was carried forward in the autumn of 1836 by Luther Hill, who then located on Section 12 and following him by his son Calvin [S.] Hill, who in the same file made a settlement on Section 11, he having lived for a year previous in Prairieville. Calvin Hill, still living on Section 11, remem­ bers that when he came to the town first, the country struck him as one of the prettiest he had ever seen. The oak timber was light and open while the ground was profusely decked With wildflowers, and although there was a prospect of tough pioneer work and perhaps of privations, nature seemed to offer a beautiful consolation for anticipated hardships.” '.f Anyway, the history of the “Locust Hill,” or of “Crystal Fount” as Calvin Hill called it in ah old letter I have here, is rather vague. Who Calvin’s first wife was, I have never been able to find out. Calvin had a brother Lyman, and I have not been able to find out much about his family. Whether they had chil­ dren or not, I do not know. [Even today, these questions remain mostly unanswered. Calvin’s first wife was named Sarah, surname unknown. His brother Lyman married Abigail E. Hutch­ ings (perhaps aka Eliza) in Jackson in 1846 and was living in Yankee Springs Township at the time of the 1860 census. She died four years later. 1880, Lyman had moved to the Lake Odessa area and had not remarried. Cal­ vin and Lyman also had two sisters: Amanda, who married Henry White, and Abigail who married a Pritchard.] You will note one of the inscriptions in Locust Hill: “Orange, son of C&S Hill, died Jan. 10, 1844, age 8 years, 10 months, and 26 days.” Now how many, if any more children he had by this first wife “S,” I do not know, nor does she seem to be buried there in Locust Hill. I believe there were other children, since in one of his letters to Delia Sweet, he spoke of being tied up that week at home since the housekeeper was gone for a few days. [The 1850 U.S. Census lists an Albert Hill, age 10, and a Fanny Freeman, also 10, living in the home of Calvin and Sarah Hill.] I have a copy of the marriage certificate of Calvin Hill and Adelia Sweet. It states that Calvin Hill of Yankee Springs Township and Adelia Sweet of Orangeville Township were united in marriage in Hastings the 8th of March 1854, in the presence of W.J. Dunning and Mary Ellis, and signed by T.B. Grainger, minister of the gospel. Calvin was 54 years old, and Adelia was 27. [That document appears to be a rare find. It also raises some questions. If the date of 1854 is correct, Hill’s first wife, Sarah, was still alive. An April 14, 1859, document shows a transfer of property from Calvin’s brother and sister-in-law, Lyman and Eliza, to Sarah. Calvin is not men­ tioned, although Calvin G. Hill of Middleville was the justice of the peace who filed the document. Additionally, the 1860 census shows Delia, 23, living with her parents in Orangeville. Sarah Hill is listed as the home­ owner in Yankee Springs, along with three hired helpers, but not Calvin nor the Hill’s son Albert, who would have been about 20 years old. Calvin had returned by late the following year when he joined the Union effort, enlist­ ing in Yankee Springs Township. [Calvin’s second marriage probably was in 1864, not 1854, especially since the children he had with Delia Sweet - Calvin L., Delia (later Sensiba), Evangeline (later Weaver) and Orange “Ott,” - were bom between late 1864 and 1874.] According to old letters I have here in Bob Weaver’s tin box, letters of proposal, beautiful poems written to her, [Calvin Hill] had quite a time selling her on the idea of getting married. However, he evidently finally won out. [Weav­ er likely was a son or grandson of Calvin and Delia’s daughter Eva Hill Weaver] A letter here written by Calvin to his in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Noah Sweet, soon after the birth of their son, Orange, obviously the second son Orange for Calvin, gives one an idea of the sentimental, lovable and kind-heart­ ed man Calvin Hill must have been: Crystal Fount Jan. 22 Grandpa [and Grandpa] Sweet: Perhaps you don’t know who 1 am so I will just tell you. I am a little tiny stranger, just come to live with my pa and ma, who seem to think a great deal of me, whether they do or not can only be determined by the manner of their treatment, but you know I am bound to accept their provisions as sincere which as a dutiful son, I certainly do. Pa calls me Orange, which I suppose is to be my name and I am very well pleased with it. Ma gives me plenty ofdinner only it comes too fast sometimes and chokes me, which some­ times irritates and vexes me. Ma is very careful to keep me clean and dry, for she and Pa both think that little folks like me should have the strictest attention paid them in such matters. Why Grandma you would be surprised to see the changes that I have in one night. Pa sleeps on the lounge and keeps thefire burning all night, and warms my changes and brings them to the bedfor Ma to put on me. I would like to see you and Grandma at our house, where you must know that Pa and I have entered into partnership in all our affairs and taken Ma into the firm as a confidential assistant. I think that a firm of such material ought to have its affairs managed very nicely. I wish Grandma couldjust look in and see Pa and I sitting up by the fire every night talking over our affairs. You may guess we have a real love feast all to ourselves. Ma told me she thought you and Grandpa would come and see me today but I have wait­ ed all day with my clean clothes and to see you, but it is so late that I think you won’t come now. So I thought 1 wouldjust write you a little letter just to let you know that I am around. I hope you will come and see me as soon as you can, and when I get large enough I will come down to Orangeville and make you a visit. Your dutiful Grandson Orange Hill [Perhaps this letter was written after the birth of Delia and Calvin’s first child, Calvin Lyman Hill, who was bom Dec. 31, 1864, aligning better with the date of the Jan. 22 letter and a newborn. Records of births, deaths and marriages were not filed immedi­ ately at the time, so maybe they initially ./ ? f fl look back at the stories and columns on local history Io the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES referred to him as “Orange” but later decided the name him Calvin L. Orange was a repeat­ ed name in the Hill family. Along with his first son, Calvin also had a brother named Orange. Just a year older than Calvin, his brother Orange died in 1822 at age 14. Cal­ vin’s son Orange, whose headstone gives him the nickname of “Ott,” never married. The youngest of Calvin and Delia’s children, he reached 68 years of age before his death in 1943. Regardless, Noah Sweet, Calvin’s father-in-law, was only about seven years older than Calvin.] Now there are several letters in this box from George E. Sweet to his folks here in the “West.” He generally writes on one sheet of the paper to his father (Noah Sweet) and on the other side to his sister, Delia before she became Delia Hill. He lived in Malone, which I believe was Malone, N.Y. This one in particular gives one the condi­ tions of 1856: Malone, N.Y, 1856 “Dear father, it’s with some hesitation that I attempt to write this evening for the reason that I do not really know what to write, but this much I can say that I am well and hope these few lines willfind you the same. Yesterday was Election Day and it went close in this county’ but the little town of Constable rolled out 126 for Fillmore, 95 for Buchanan, 36 for the Frenchman [John C. Fremont]. The other towns, I have not heardfrom, but probably the state will go for Buchanan. I do not know what to say about going “West” this fall, for the reason there is no cash price for anything that 1 have got except my rye that is worth 5 cents per bushel. Corn I can’t give away now, but if it is a possible thing for me to get the money for my stuff before navigation closes, 1 will be with you, but ifnot, I shall be'abligatrrbto stay here tmti! spring unless I sell my colfand go in the win­ ter. Newell Spencer has offered to furnish hay for my colt ifI would stay there and do chores this winter, and if I cannot go ‘west, ’ I shall stay with him. I do not think of anymore to write. “So, goodbye “This from your son, George E. Sweet to Noah Sweet. ” In the Orangeville Township section of the [1880] “History of Barry and Allegan Coun­ ties,” it states that George Sweet and Truman Clark went through the ice in Gun Lake in 1858 and were the first burials in the Oran­ geville Cemetery. They are buried side by side on the same lot just south and west of the water tower. I believe George Sweet did make it west and came to this unhappy ending soon after he arrived here. I have never been able to figure out yet where Noah Sweet lived in Orangeville. The following article from The Banner appeared at the time of Calvin S. Hill’s death: Banner Sept. 19, 1884, “Uncle Calvin Hill, one of the earliest set­ tlers of Barry County, died at his home in Yankee Springs Monday Sept. 15, age 76 years. The remains were interred in the family burying place. “Mr. Hill was well known in Barry County as a citizen, as a neighbor, as a man. He was respected and beloved by all who knew him. In the family circle, he was the true husband, the true father. In politics, he was an ardent Republican. He served through the War of the Rebellion, though when he was enlisted he had passed the year when such service could be required. “He moved to Barry County from Genesee County, New York, in 1836, and was, we believe, the fourth settler to brave the hard­ ships of pioneering in this county [this illus­ trates the confusion of the two Calvin Hills. Calvin G. Hill of Middleville was considered the fourth white settler in the county, moving here in 1835]. By his death, a good man and good citizen are lost to Barry County, while his family will mourn departure of a loving husband and father.” Well, I hope this sort of straightens out the history of the Hill family. Once well-known in both Thomapple and Yankee Springs town­ ships, today, as far as I know, there are just a few descendants left. A Patrick near Lake Odessa and a Rev. Patrick from out West who called on me a year ago who go back to C.V. Patrick and Sabina Hill, and a few descendants of Calvin and Delia Sweet Hill reside around Delton and Kalamazoo. I hope this paper is accepted in the sense in which it was intended. I have no wish to criti­ cize anyone. I solely wished to rectify a few discrepancies regarding the two Calvin Hills. Sources: Hastings Banner; findagrave.com; familysearch.org; Hastings Public Library; History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Mich­ igan; Bentley Historic Library/University of Michigan. The state historic marker in Yankee Springs Township has a storied history that includes relocation, theft, reconciliation and three dedications. The name of the township itself also has a history of change and contention. Had Calvin S. Hill had his way, it would be known as Gates Township. Some of the people pictured here in 1966 when the marker was moved from Gun Lake to the actual site of the Yankee Springs Inn are (from left) Ron Nagel, Orville Hammond, David Walton, Martha Walton and Esther Walton. (File photo) Early settlers disagreed on township name Calvin G. Hill is tied to the history of Middleville. William “Yankee Bill” Bill name is inexorably linked to the history of Yankee Springs Township. In between the two lived Calvin’s nephew of the same name, who apparently had a disagreement with Lewis. The entire population of Yankee Springs Township in the 1850 U.S. Census takes up only seven pages, with 42 lines per page; so fewer than 300 people lived with­ in the 36 square miles. Page 6 includes the families of Calvin S. Hill and William Lewis, their occupations listed as farmer and innkeeper, respectively. Lewis was known for his hospitality and his wife Mary for the good food provided in their wilderness “hotel” situated near springs along the Kalamazoo-to-Grand Rapids stagecoach line. Those springs, combined with his nickname of “Yankee Bill,” gave the township its name. However, that name didn’t seem to sit well with Hill, a fellow Yankee. -MarshnH-U^i7okyinthc-fufy-^-l7-1^4l, Banner, (and reprinted Sept. 30, 2021) compiled information on how Barry Coun­ ty’s townships were named, revealing that the process could be contentious and that some had been known by other names. Yankee Springs’ name seems to fall into both categories, according to Cook: “YANKEE SPRINGS - This township received its name in a peculiar manner. Henry Leonard and family, and with them a young man named Charles Paul, were driving toward [what is now] Thomapple Township. When they reached the springs that gave the name to Yankee Springs, they stopped to eat their dinner and quench their thirst with the fine spring water. Later a stranger joined them. Their talk revealed the fact that all of them had come from New England and were therefore entitled to be called Yankees. Someone in the party suggested they ought to give the name Yankee Springs to this place where they had been refreshed. “Accordingly, young Paul stripped the bark from one of the large trees near the springs and carved the name “Yankee Springs” upon that tree. The name seemed to stick. William Lewis, who established his hotel that made the name famous as Yankee Springs, was very proud of the name. It was believed that his influence resulted in first naming the township Yan­ kee Springs. “But Calvin Hill, a prominent pioneer living in the northern part of the township, did not like that name. His neighbor and friend Nathan Barlow was then a member of the legislature. Through Barlow, Hill had the legislature change the name of the York town from which Mr. Hill came. Yankee Bill Lewis was wrathy when he found the name had been altered. He stirred up enough opposition so that the following legislature restored the name of Yankee Springs, which it has ever since retained.” In his 1912 “History of Barry County, Michigan,” Hon. W.W. Potter wrote that he was unable to determine when the name was changed to Gates, but did verify that the state legislature in 1848 “passed an act changing the name of the township again from Gates to Yankee Springs ...” which it has ever since retained. Civil War veterans in the Hill family Kathy Maurer Copy Editor Last week’s column included an accom­ panying story on family members of Calvin G. Hill who served in the U.S. Civil War. His nephew, Calvin S. Hill, of Yankee Springs, joined the Union, as did at least two members of his extended family. Calvin S. Hill was just days shy of his 52nd birthday when he enlisted. His where­ abouts the previous few years is unknown (see main story). His first wife, Sarah, was still alive, and their son Albert, if still liv­ ing, would have been about 21 years old. The elder Hill enlisted in Co. B of the 13th Michigan Infantry Oct. 2, 1861, regis­ tering in Yankee Springs. He signed on for a three-year commitment, and was listed as being 45 years old. First Sgt. Hill mustered Jan. 17, 1862; and was discharged in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 8, 1862. He married Delia Sweet in 1864 and had four more children. Departing that same day in mid-January 1862 was Sanford Sweet, who would become Hill’s brother-in-law. Sweet enlisted in Co. H of the 13th Mich­ igan Infantry Dec. 20, 1861, in Orangeville. He was 26 and was to serve three years. The first major encounter for the 13th Infantry was the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee in early April. Sweet was discharged about a month later in Detroit May 9, 1862. After X? T? /i \ X Wte* ..o# w' "'■'Idl A A Owner/Manage'r returning to Michigan, he and his wife, Calfernia Youngs, whom he’d married in 1859, moved to Antrim County. Kyler Sweet, uncle to both Sanford Sweet and Calvin Hill’s second wife, Delia, was already in uniform and out of state. He had been living in Orangeville with Noah Sweet’s family when he enlisted in Co. I of Michigan’s 7th Infantry Aug. 11, 1861. He was 41, and unlike Hill and his nephew Sanford, Kyler Sweet would not return home. He died at David’s Island Hospital in New York. He died in the fall of 1862; dates of his death range from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29 to Oct. 31, depending on the source. He is buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn, N.Y. The 1880 “History ofAllegan and Barry Counties, Michigan ” includes histories and rosters of Civil War units and men from the two counties. Generally, the military infor­ mation within the 500-plus-page book closely matches other resources available today. Unfortunately for the Sweet family, Kyler (also spelled Cyler and Kylar) is list­ ed in that 1880 volume as having been dis­ charged Nov. 15, 1862. Sources: Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865, Brig. Gen. Geo. H. Brown, adjutant gener­ al, 1903; findagrave.com., familysearch, org; Michigan in the War 1861-1865, com­ piled by Don and Lois Harvey. • Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 s* Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated owXr imcouis Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years �Page 8 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 179 BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: driven upon the public streets pursuant to the Michigan Vehicle Code, being 1949 Public Act 300. Man steals liquor and sodas after break-in , Section IV (6100-23) Regulations PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022182 as appended hereto was introduced for first reading by the Rutland Charter Township Board at its April 13, 2022 meeting. A. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or entity of any kind, either as the owner, lessee, renter, occupant or possessor of any property, to cause, permit, or allow any of the following conditions or activities which This proposed ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township Board at a regular meeting on May 11,2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Charter Township Hall. are hereby determined to be causes of blight or blighting conditions which, if allowed to exist, will adversely affect the public health, safety and welfare: Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. 1. The parking or storage of an inoperable vehicle or unlicensed vehicle outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities; except in the following circumstances: a. Licensed vehicles that are temporarily inoperable because of minor mechanical failure but which are not in any manner dismantled and have substantially all main component parts attached, may be parked or stored RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township Hall 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2194 upon the premises outside of a fully enclosed building for no more than 30 days in any one calendar year, calculated on a cumulative basis for the same or different vehicles. b. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP One unlicensed vehicle that (1) is mechanically operable, (2) has substantially all main component parts attached, (3) or is posted for BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN sale by the owner or occupant may be parked upon the premises outside of a fully enclosed ORDINANCE NO. 2022-182 (PROPOSED) building. Only one such vehicle per premises at any one time shall be permitted. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP ANTI-BLIGHT c. ORDINANCE Such vehicle is an "implement of husbandry" as defined in this ordinance and is used or usable for the agricultural purposes for which ADOPTED: it was manufactured. EFFECTIVE: ■ 2. The storage or accumulation of junk, trash, rubbish, litter or refuse of any kind outside of a fully enclosed An Ordinance to secure the public health, safety and welfare building upon any premises not zoned or approved of the residents and property owners of Rutland Charter Township, for such activities for a period in excess of 30 Barry County, Michigan, by adding to the Rutland Charter Township consecutive days; provided this regulation does Code as new Article II of existing Chapter 100 various provisions for not apply to such materials that are neatly and the regulating, preventing, reducing or eliminating of blight, blighting conditions, and causes of blight within the Township; to provide civil properly stored between regular collections from the premises at intervals of not less than 30 days. sanctions and remedies for the violation thereof, and to preserve any Ordinance or parts thereof with additional regulations pertaining to 3. the same subject matter. The storage or accumulation of building materials outside of a fully enclosed building upon any RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; unless BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN the materials are for use in a construction project on the premises for which a building permit has been issued by the Township and is in effect. ORDAINS: 4. The storage or accumulation of landscaping materials Section I (6100-20)_______ Title outside of a fully enclosed building upon premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a This Ordinance shall be known and cited as the "Rutland Charter period in excess of 30 consecutive days; unless the materials are for use in a landscaping project upon the property and the subject materials are intended Township Anti-Blight Ordinance." . a 1 • >- Police responded to a burglar alarm at the Oran­ geville Fast Stop at 1:38 a.m. April 16. Upon arriving, officers saw that the front glass door had been smashed and a rock was lying nearby. Surveillance video showed a man walking up to the locked door and pulling on it. The man then walked around the comer of the business and returned to the front door, smashing it with a rock at 1:28 a.m., police said. Once inside, the man stole a bottle of 99 Apples liquor and two sodas, a total estimated value of $20.77. At 6 p.m. the next day, an Orangeville resident contacted police to turn himself in for the incident. Police interviewed the man and took him to the Barry County Jail. Section II (6100-21) Purpose Gun, safe, video game console stolen Police responded to a report from a 61-year-old Lake Odessa woman April 18 of a break-in at a Woodland Road residence. The woman said the residence was her grand­ parents’ house and no one had lived at the home for at least four years. Her sister had checked on the property a few days earlier and noticed that the back-door jamb was broken. The woman said a safe belonging to her late husband containing cash and paperwork, her grandfather’s gun and a Nin­ tendo 64 video game console were missing. Police ran a check for guns registered to her grandfather and couldn’t find anything. Police said there are no known suspects at this time. Police respond to woman being followed by ex-boyfriend A 22-year-old Delton woman called 911 on April 12 to report being followed by her ex-boy­ friend, who, she said, was driving recklessly, swerving at her vehicle, cutting in front of her, and slowing down and flashing his high-beam lights. The woman stayed on the line until police were able to respond and pull over the ex-boyfriend near Marsh and Lewis roads. The woman said this was not the first time he had followed her, and she wanted an incident report so she could obtain a personal protection order. The first incident had occurred in Kalamazoo County in February. The woman didn’t report it because the man was a firefighter in Otsego, she said, and police had been dismissive of other reports she had made in the past. The woman also said the ex-boyfriend had her phone since they had broken up in February. She said he was holding it out his window and pointing at it while following her. Police searched the man’s vehicle and found only the woman’s phone case, which they returned. The man said he was trying to flag the woman down so they could look for the woman’s phone, which he said she lost in Kalamazoo. The man denied driving recklessly and said he would never put anyone’s life in danger. Police released the man from the scene after speaking to him. Truck causes damage to church parking lot A woman living on Vedder Road reported dam­ age to the Grace Church parking lot from a truck doing “doughnuts” April 9. The woman said she saw a white four-door pickup spinning in circles in the parking lot around 7 a.m. Police reviewed the video and found tire marks and tom-up asphalt at the scene. The minister of the church does not want to press charges, but would like to speak to the per­ son involved, police said. Delton man accidentally shoots self Police responded to a call April 15 around 11 p.m. of a 77-year-old Delton man who accidental­ ly shot himself in the buttocks. The man said he was taking off his pants and gun belt when the safety strap on his gun holster failed, causing the gun to fall out of the holster and onto the floor of his living room. The gun went off and the bullet penetrated his buttocks, exited through the other side and lodged in the ceiling. His wife, also 77, said she was sitting nearby and saw the gun fall to the floor and make a loud bang, after which her husband told her he had been hit. The responding officer said he advised the man to purchase a newer holster to replace the older leather one he had been using. Medical first responders treated the man, and he was up and able to walk outside when an ambulance arrived to transport him to a hospital. for use only in connection with the landscaping The purpose of this Ordinance is to promote and preserve the general project. health, safety and welfare of the residents and property owners of Rutland Charter Township, and to minimize the devaluation of 5. property and the psychological ill effects of the presence of blighting conditions upon adjoining residents and property owners, The presence of a blighted structure upon any premises. by preventing, reducing, or eliminating blight, or potential blight, in the Police report 16 car-deer crashes thus far in April B. In the event the foregoing regulations create any special Township through the prevention or elimination of certain causes of or particular hardship beyond the control of a particular blight or blighting conditions and causes in the Township. violator thereof because of unforeseen circumstances, upon written application, the Township Board shall have the authority to grant an extension or waiver for the applicant Section III (6100-22) Definitions to operate contrary to these regulations for a period of time to be determined by the Township Board, not to exceed For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Ordinance certain terms and words used herein shall have the 90 days. If the Township Board determines (a) special or following meaning: A. "implement of husbandry" means a farm peculiar circumstances exist; (b) no adjoining property owner is adversely affected hereby; and (c) the spirit and tractor, a vehicle designed to be drawn or pulled by a farm tractor or animal, a vehicle that the special permit may renewed for an additional 30 day directly harvests farm products, or a vehicle period. All extensions and waivers must be in writing. purpose of these regulations are still being observed, Barry County sheriff’s deputies responded to 16 car-deer crashes in the first 18 days of April. All of the incidents, which happened between 7:30 p.m. and 8 a.m., were reported on the following dates, loca­ tions and times: April 1 - M-66 and Dowling Road at 7:13 a.m. April 4 - M-66 and Davenport Road at 6:15 a.m. April 5 - State and Charlton Park roads at 6:30 a.m.; and another at Cassidy and West Lake roads at 9 p.m. April 6 - Barber Road and M43 at 6:45 a.m.; and Cloverdale and Curtis roads at 7:58 a.m. that directly applies fertilizer, spray, or seeds to a farm field. Implement of husbandry does not include a motor vehicle licensed for use on the B. C. public roads are highways of this state. "building materials" means lumber, bricks, violates, disobeys, neglects or refuses to comply with any provision of this Ordinance, or any order/permit issued electrical wiring or equipment, heating ducts under the Ordinance, including any conditions imposed or equipment, shingles, mortar, concrete or cement, nails, screws, or any other materials thereon, or who consents to, or aids or abets any of same, used in constructing any structure. Ordinance. Any person or entity responsible for a violation "inoperable" motor vehicle means any motor vehicle which is being dismantled for the of this Ordinance shall be liable as a principal. shall be deemed to be responsible for a violation of this B. Schedule of Fines specified in Section 45-6 and all other applicable parts of Chapter 45 of the Rutland Charter incapable of being driven under its own power, lawfully, upon the public streets as a result of D. Township Code. Each day a violation continues to exist shall be deemed a separate offense. The imposition of a fine shall not exempt an offender from compliance with the any other or additional conditions. "junk, trash, rubbish or refuse of any kind" TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on May 12, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompsonffipcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948­ 4088. provisions of this Ordinance. means unmotorized vehicles or conveyances not usable for the purposes for which they were manufactured, or parts or components thereof, or scrap or waste metal, iron, steel, A violation of this Ordinance is a municipal civil infraction as defined by Michigan statute and shall be subject to the thereof, or which does not have all of its main component parts properly attached, or which is PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE Any person, firm, corporation, or entity of any kind who concrete, cinder blocks, plumbing materials, sale, salvage, repair or reclamation of parts PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Section V (6100-24) Violations and Enforcement A. April 7 - Campground Road and M-37 at 6:30 a.m.; and M-79 and Barryville Road at 9 p.m. April 10 - Enzian and Gilkey roads at 1:35 a.m.; Brown and Usbome roads at 7:30 p.m.; and Cedar Creek and Cloverdale roads at 11:16 p.m. April 12 - M-37 and Fawn Drive at 7:30 p.m. April 13 - Gilkey Lake Road and Scott Park Road at 8 a.m.; near Broadway and Sisson Road at 7:10 a.m. April 15 - Coats Grove and Wellman roads at 8:52 p.m. April 18 - Barber and Welcome roads at 6:23 a.m. C. Any violation of this Ordinance is hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance, and shall constitute a basis for PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: clothing, wood, plastic, paper, glass or garbage, judgment, writ or order necessary to compel compliance with the Ordinance and/or to restrain and prohibit 1. A request from property owner Rachel Pallett, 12496 Merlau Ave. Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the proposed construction of an accessory or appliances, televisions or furniture, or mobile continuation of the violation, or other appropriate relief structure that fails to meet the setback and total combined floor space of accessory buildings homes not meeting the minimum standards for in any court of competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other relief or sanction herein set forth or allowed by law. requirements, pursuant to section 4.20 "Residential Accessory Buildings" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 12496 Merlau Ave, Plainwell, Ml copper, brass, zinc, tin, lead, rope, rubber, rags, inhabitation by humans, or trailers or watercraft 49080. Parcel #08-12-320-008-00 and is currently zoned R2- Single & Two Family, Medium not usable for the purposes for which they were manufactured, or concrete, brick or other materials from demolished structures, or any other scrap or waste material of any kind, including parts of any of the above. "Junk, trash, D. This Ordinance shall be enforced by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer(s) of Rutland Charter Township, and by such other person or persons as the Township Board may designate. requesting to re-zone the parcel to C-l Rural Area Convenience Commercial District. 3. A request from property owner, David Woodhouse, 415 W Hickory Rd., Battle Creek, Ml 49017, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 "Amendments". The subject site is located at 12100 rubbish or refuse of any kind" shall not include firewood stored in an orderly manner, and shall Section VI (6100-25) Validity also not include domestic refuse stored for fourteen (14) or fewer days in such a manner as not to become offensive by reason of odors, Density Residential. . 2. A request from property owner, Jon Petro, 10220 N. 24th St. Plainwell, Ml 49080, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 "Amendments". The subject site is located at 12209 M-89., Plainwell, Ml 49080 parcel #08-12-031-013-10 and is currently zoned A-Agricultural, the applicant is Should any section, clause, or provision of this Ordinance be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such holding shall insects, rodents, pollution, litter, inadequate or not affect the validity of this Ordinance as a whole or any part thereof, improperly covered containers for the same, other than the part so declared to be invalid. the lack of such containers, or the improper depositing of such material into or around such Section VII (6100-26) Additional Regulations M-89., Plainwell, Ml 49080 parcel #08-12-031-002-50 and is currently zoned A-Agricultural, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to C-l Rural Area Convenience Commercial District. 4. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. containers, or in such a manner as to otherwise E. create a nuisance. "junk vehicle" means any motor vehicle which is This Ordinance shall not be construed to repeal by implication any other ordinance of Rutland Charter Township or parts thereof with not currently and validly licensed for use upon additional regulations pertaining to the same subject matter. the public streets and highways of the State of Michigan, and any motor vehicle, whether Section VIII (6100-27) Effective Date Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals licensed or not, which is inoperable or does not F. have all its main component parts attached. This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days after publication as "main component parts" means fenders, required by law. hood, wheels, radiator, motor, windows, doors, muffler, body or essential parts of the engine, and all such other parts or equipment as are necessary for a vehicle to be lawfully All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charpter Township with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Fritz Bork, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 179177 �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, April 21,2022 Saxons win handful of events at 82nd invite Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity boys’ and girls’ track and field teams hosted the Annual Hastings Invitational with a group of over 600 athletes from ten schools, the event carried on for the 82nd year in the wind, rain and cold on a blustery April Day. Hastings head coach Brian Teed said he was “proud of all the athletes from all the schools after competing in the weather that we had. They all remained respectful and helpful to one another and the officials. The boys ended up with several placing in the top three, which is a big deal for such a large meet.” The Hastings boys placed third in the team standings and the girls fifth. The Saxon boys’ team had two athletes that finished in first place for their events. Layton Eastman won both the 110-meter high hurdles (16.90 seconds) and the 300-meter intermedi­ ate hurdles (43.43), and Daniel Weatherly finished first in the shot put (41 feet 9 inches). Saxon senior Allison Teed races to a victory in the 100-meter hurdles during Friday afternoon's Hastings Invitational. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) The Saxons’ Robby Slaughter was second in the pole vault by clearing 12-0, and the Hastings boys’ 4xl00-meter relay team of of Slaughter, Aiden SaintAmour, Zane Warner and Reuben Solmes also finished second in 47.17 seconds behind only the team from Mona Shores. Hastings’ Charles Nickels finished third in the high jump clearing 5-6 and the Saxon 4x800-meter relay team of Caleb LaBoe, Nickels, Jonah Teed and Kearen Tolles fin­ ished third in 9 minutes 6.10 seconds. Finishing in fourth place for their events for the Saxons were Slaughter in the long jump, and the 4x400-meter relay team of Nate Kohmescher, Nickels, Teed and Tolles. Winning the boys’ competition was Vicks­ burg with 940.5 points and Hillsdale finished with 936.5 points for second place Hastings had 934 points in third place ahead of Char­ lotte 932.5, Grand Ledge 856.5, Belding 763.5, Mona Shores 617.5, Grand Rapids Track Club 466, Perry 296 and Maple Valley 218. Every athlete who finished in an event scored for their team. Teams could enter three athletes into each individual event and one team into each relay. Saxon coach Brian Teed said, “we had two mental mistakes that cost us a bunch of points. If we could have those back, we would have won the meet easily, but then again probably other teams could say the same thing. We are very young, so we will learn from them and be better at the next meet. After seeing our guys battle through the elements, I’m excited to see what hap­ pens when spring actually shows up.” The Saxon girls had only one individual finishing first in her event. Allison Teed won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.36 seconds. Teammate and fellow hurdler, Addey Nickels finished second in the 300-meter low hurdles in 52.18. The Saxon 4x200-meter relay team Hastings' Reuben Solmes (center right) and Maple Valley's Evan Brandenburg take off at the start of the 100-meter dash during the Hastings Invitational Friday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter. Saxon soccer team shuts out its first four opponents Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons didn’t allow a single goal against in the lead-up to the start of the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference girls’ soccer sea­ son. Hastings was scheduled to visit Pennfield Wednesday, April 20, to open conference play. The Saxons were 4-0 on the season heading into that game. Hastings bested Wellspring Prep in Grand Rapids 7-0 Monday after a 2-0 win over vis­ iting Lakewood Saturday morning in Hast­ ings. The Saxons scored shutout victories over Delton Kellogg and Ionia prior to spring break. Hastings head coach Tim Schoessel said Saturday’s contest was a really good, back and forth ballgame with both the Saxons and Vikings getting a few solid chances on goal. Saxon goalkeeper Dekota Blough saved all five shots on her net. The contest was deep into the second half when the Saxons’ Lauren Lamphere finally broke the scoreless deadlock with a goal. Not long after, the Saxons Reagen Morrison was able to get a touch on a breakaway and with the Viking keeper down and out of the goal which gave the ball the chance to roll across the line. The Saxons’ match Monday against Well­ spring Prep was back and forth for about the first ten minutes and then Hastings started to take control of the game. Morrison scored first for the Saxons and then would go on to finish the match with four goals. Lamphere scored three times. Lamphere had two assists as well, and Bri Barnes, Sage Winters and Lexi Gummo each added an assist. Coach Schoessel started to shuffle his line­ up near the midpoint of the match, getting defenders some chances on offense and mov­ ing attackers back. Blough had five saves once again. Hastings is slated to host Coldwater for an Interstate-8 match Friday evening and then be at home against Kelloggsville for a non-conference contest Tuesday, April 26. Pilgrims edge Vikings at first conference golf outing Lansing Christian took advantage of its home course advantage to win the first Greater Lansing Activities Conference jam­ boree of the season Tuesday afternoon at College Fields. The Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team, the defending conference champions, were three shots back of the host Pilgrims. Lan­ sing Christian won with a score of 161, ahead of Lakewood 164, Perry 196, Olivet 197, Maple Valley 210 and Leslie 228. Viking senior Trevor Simon was the day’s individual medalist scoring a 38. Lansing Christian seniors William Combs and Davis Garrett tied for second with 39s and Pilgrim junior Baylor Brogan tied Maple Valley senior Owen Bailey for fourth at 40. Lansing Christian had five guys among the top ten scorers for the day and Lake­ wood had four. Rounding out the top five for the Lake­ wood team were junior Drew Marquoit with a 41, senior Brody Jackson with a 42, senior Logan Kenyon with a 43 and senior Liam Cavanaugh with a 44. Lansing Christian senior Isaac Haley tied Kenyon for eighth with a 43 of his own and Christian senior Caden Kinnas tied Cavana­ ugh for tenth with a 44. Maple Valley got a 52 from senior Ken­ neth Curtis, a 56 from freshman Chris Mock and a 62 from sophomore Diesel Curtis. Olivet junior Dawson Redfield and Perry senior Caleb Woemer tied for 12^ individ­ ual at 47. Maple Valle is scheduled to host the sec­ ond GLAC jamboree of the season this afternoon, April 21, at Centennial Acres in Sunfield. The Lakewood team will head to the Lakeview Invitational Saturday and then host a GLAC jamboree Tuesday, April 26. The Saxons' Addy Nickels looks to get the baton from teammate Madison Nino during the 4x200-meter relay Friday at the Hastings Invitational. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) of Madison Nino, Addey Nickels, Isabelle Roosien, and Allison Teed also finished in second place with a time of 1:55.34 behind only Vicksburg. Nickels followed that up by placing fourth in the 200-meter dash in 28.42. Nino also finished in third place in the long jump with a mark of 15-8.5. Coach Teed was happy with the girls’ team. “The team meet is designed to award deep teams. We had eight individual slots open and two relays. It shows, finishing in the top half despite those openings, that we have some quality athletes,” coach Teed said. Winning the girls meet was Grand Ledge with 939 points, followed by Vicksburg with 910.5, Belding with 852, Charlotte with 764.5 points and Hastings with 732.5 points. The Mona Shores girls were just two points back in sixth place with a total of 730.5 points, ahead of Hillsdale 456.5, Grand Rap­ ids Track Club 441, Perry 272 and Maple Valley 127.5. As a combined team the Saxon boys and girls were fourth on the day. The Saxons' Robby Slaughter (right) works to get the baton to teammate Aiden SaintAmour in the 4x100-meter relay Friday at the Hastings Invitational. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Trojan girls sweep singles flights in win over Scots The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ ten­ nis team swept the four singles flights and took a win in a super tiebreak at second dou­ bles to secure a 5-3 win over the Caledonia varsity girls’ tennis team on a blustery after­ noon at Caledonia High School Thursday, April 14. First singles player Charlotte Nelson led the singles sweep for TK taking a 6-2, 6-0 win over the Scots’ Payton Lee. Sophia Beckering bested Caledonia’s Lydia Sowerby 6-2, 6-2 in the second singles match. At third singles, TK’s Hailey Dudik scored a 6-1, 6-0 victory over the Scots’ Erin Zielke. Holly Carpenter took the fourth singles win for TK by outscoring the Scots’ Lydia Hess 6-1, 6-2. The Trojans’ doubles victory came at num­ ber two where the duo of Cailin Wodrich and Tyne Bufka edged the Scots’ Josie Zomer and Kiley Bommarito 6-2, 3-6, (10-5). There was also a super tiebreaker at the end of the third doubles match. The Caledonia duo of Allison Weibel and Zoe Fleming took that one over TK’s Jamie DeVries and Trinity Simon. The Caledonia pair won by the scores of 6-3,2-6, (10-6). Caledonia’s Allyson Abraham and Grace Geer scored a 6-3, 6-3 win over TK’s Rachel MacKellar and Heidi Church at first doubles and the Caledonia team of Abby Duong and Hailey Markwat bested TK’s Emma Thomp­ son and Kendall Snyder 6-3, 6-4 at fourth doubles. The Trojans were back at it Friday, falling 8-0 to South Christian in an OK Gold Confer­ ence dual. The Sailors won in straight sets at all eight flights. The tightest matches were on the dou­ bles side where the Sailor team oafAva Gabrielse and Chloe Dekam took a 6-4, 6-4 win over TK’s Wodrich and Bufka at number two and the South Christian duo of Anjali Diekevers and Dayna Seif scored a 6-3, 6-4 win over the TK team of Thompson and Snyder at number four. Dudik at third singles also battled through two tough sets for TK, falling 6-4, 6-3 to the Sailors’ Natalie Northouse. Olivia Koeman from South Christian took a 6-2, 6-2 win over Nelson in the first singles match. The Trojans were scheduled to visit Kenowa Hills for an OK Gold Conference match yes­ terday, April 20, and will be back in action at Plainwell for a non-conference dual this after­ noon. TK is slated to see the Fighting Scots again Saturday at the Caledonia Invitational. The Trojans will play four duals in four days in the week ahead, hosting conference matches with Cedar Springs Monday, Forest Hills East­ ern Tuesday, Grand Rapids Catholic Central Wednesday and then traveling to Lowell for a non-conference match Thursday, April 28. �Page 10 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Catholic Central comes back to pack on Gold greens Brett Bremer Lakewood freshman Ellie Benham works to get the ball off the feet of Leslie's Reece DeRose in the Vikings' defensive end during the first half of their GLAC match at Unity Field Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Vikings score three times, not enough against Blackhawks The Vikings found themselves chasing Leslie all afternoon as the two met for a Greater Lansing Activities Conference match on Unity Field Tuesday. The visiting Blackhawks scored a 6-3 win, pulling away after the two teams were tied 1-1 at the half. Senior Emma Smieska scored four goals to lead her team to the win, including a pair of penalty kicks in the second half. Lauren Upright, Autumn Williams and Cadence Poll scored the three Lakewood goals. Upright evened the score at 1-1 late in the first half, after an opening goal by Smieska. Rebekah Storm fired a shot from the top of the box that Leslie keeper Ashley Tow knocked down, but Upright was there to bury the rebound. Leslie scored the first two goals of the sec­ ond half on a PK by Emma Smieska and a shot by freshman Lily Smieska. Those goals had the Blackhawks up 3-1. The Vikings pulled within a score on a goal by Williams who found a surge of energy to finish off an assist from teammate Haydin Hawkins. A second PK by Emma Smieska, again knocked into the lower left comer of the net, increased her team’s lead to 4-2. The Black­ hawks’ Lily Smieska scored her second goal to push the lead to 5-2. Emma Smieska increased her team’s lead to four goals at 6-2 racing in after the restart following Lily’s second goal. It was Poll who scored the Vikings’ final goal, pushing up from her spot in the middle of the Viking defense to try and help the Vikings’ rally. The three goals was more than the Lake­ wood ladies had scored in their first four matches combined. The Lakewood girls are now 0-3-2 overall this season and 0-2 in the GLAC. The Vikings are scheduled to visit Perry this afternoon, April 21. They will be home to take on Portland Friday and again on Monday against Pennfield. Sports Editor Grand Rapids Catholic Central won’t run away with the OK Gold Conference this spring. The Cougars were dominant at the first conference jamboree of the season on their home course at Quail Ridge last week where they scored a 155 to win by 29 strokes, but South Christian edged the Cougars by three strokes Tuesday afternoon at Yankee Springs Golf Course for the win at the second confer­ ence jamboree. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ golf team was fourth for the second time in two tries in the conference. South Christian won with a score of 167 ahead of Catholic Central 170, Forest Hills Eastern 179, Thomapple Kellogg 181, Kenowa Hills 185, Wayland 198 and Cedar Springs 200. “I thought we played better today,” TK head coach Bob Kaminski said. “I was pretty happy with our play.” Junior Austin Pitsch led the TK boys on their home course with a 42 and senior Trevor Hummer fired a 45. “I thought Austin played really well. I thought the conditions were rough, cold and windy, and he played pretty well.” Pitsch had four pars on the day including one on both of the par-3s on the Gold nine. The TK coach was also pleased with Hum­ mer’s improvements on the day. “He had better ball contact. He was just hitting it better,” coach Kaminski said. “On Friday, when we played he was kind of just chunking everything - not hitting it real well. Today, he just hit it better.” TK also got a 46 from senior Massimo Piccione and 48s from seniors Mitchell Cor­ ner and Drew Nathan. “We have a lot we can improve on,” coach Kaminski said. “I feel like there is potential Thomapple Kellogg's Trevor Hummer hits his tee shot on the par-3 number seven on the Gold nine at Yankee Springs Golf Course during the second OK Gold Conference jamboree of the season Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) there for us to cut down a few more strokes than some other teams. We just have to be more consistent hitting the golf ball and put­ ting better, and have the weather improve so we’re not in 14 layers of clothes. We just have to be more consistent, and we have to get out and practice.” With the recent weather, the Trojans have only had a handful of practices out on the course this spring. Vikes sweep Valley girls, but drop one at Perry Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity softball team fin­ ished up a three-game sweep of its Greater Lansing Activities Conference series with Maple Valley by scoring a 23-0 win over the Lions at Maple Valley High School Thursday afternoon. Lakewood pitcher Cora Giffin no-hit the Lions while striking out seven and walking none. She had a double offensively. Lily Federau, Audrey Hillard and Claire Behnam led the Viking offense with three hits each. Federau had two triples and a double. Hillard belted a single, a double and a home run. Behnam had two singles and a double. Liv Woodman singled twice and Ally Slat­ er had a single for the Vikings too. The Vikings are now 3-1 in the GLAC this season. They suffered their first conference defeat Tuesday at Perry. Lakewood led 3-0, but Perry scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth and then fin­ ished off a 7-3 victory in the seventh. Lakewood was scheduled to host a double­ header with the Ramblers yesterday, April 20. The Vikings are scheduled to go on the road for two GLAC games at Leslie Monday and then host the Blackhawks Thursday, April 28, in the week ahead. Thornapple Kellogg's Austin Pitsch taps a putt towards the hole on Gold number six during the OK Gold Conference jamboree at Yankee Springs Golf Course Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “I thought Catholic struggled a little bit, but maybe South is better than we thought too,” Kaminski said. “They’re pretty good. They finished second in our tournament Friday. I think they’re pretty good. This is a tough conference.” Kenowa Hills senior Zach Basiaga was the day’s medalist with a one-under-par 35. Catholic Central sophomore Will Preston was second with a 39 and South Christian senior Dillon DeSmit shot a 40. Forest Hills Eastern junior James Sey­ mour and South Christian junior Tanner Buwalda tied for fourth with 41s. The Sailors also got a 43 from Jaxson Rynbrandt and a 43 from Bryce Permoda. Catholic Central got a 42 from sopho­ more Matthew Sokorai, a 44 from John Harmon and a 45 from Carl Shadowens. Thomapple Kellogg hosted its own TK Invitational last Friday. The Trojans were 17^ in a field of 24 teams with a handful of schools bringing more than one squad. Grand Rapids Chris­ tian had teams finish first with a 320 and fourth with a 340. South Christian was second with a 337 and Grandville third with a 338. Byron Cen­ ter placed fifth at 341 and Caledonia sixth with a 346 ahead of Lowell 348, Forest Hills Eastern 354, Allendale 355 and Zeeland East 358. TK’s top team had a score of 385. Pitsch shot an 87, Christian DeBruin and Hummer both shot 98 and Piccione and Hunter Pitsch each scored a 102. TK’s number two team was led by seniors Daniel Beyer and Comer who each scored a 98. Grad Rapids Christian’s number two team that placed fourth had the day’s medalist, sophomore Nicholas Sherman who scored a 73. Lowell junior Patrick de Voest was the runner-up with a 75. TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: Smalley hurls one-hitter in Saxon victory Brett Bremer PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following is a summary of Ordinance No. 175 which was adopted by the Prairieville Township Board at a regular meeting on April 13, 2022. ORDINANCE NO. 175 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PARKS AND RECREATION ORDINANCE SECTION I TITLE, This Ordinance shall be known as the Prairieville Township Parks and Recreation Ordinance. SECTION II DEFINITIONS. This section includes applicable definitions. SECTION III REGULATIONS. This section includes regulations for use of Township Parks, including site entry fees and general regulations regarding hours of operation, parking, motor vehicle, boats/trailers and fuel powered engines regulations, regulations regarding fires, use of weapons and animals at Township Parks, and regulations for special events. SECTION IV LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK. This section includes assumption of risk for using Township Parks. SECTION V PENALTY. Violation of this Ordinance is a municipal civil infraction. SECTION VI SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Ordinance are severable. SECTION VII REPEAL. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict are repealed. SECTION VIII EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance is effective thirty (30) days following publication, after adoption. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the full text of the above Ordinance is posted in the Office of the Prairieville Township Clerk at the address below and that a copy of the Ordinance may be purchased or inspected at the Township Clerk’s office during regular business hours of regular working days following the date of this publication. Sports Editor The Saxons nearly came up with two vic­ tories at Pennfield Thursday, but game two was called due to darkness with the Saxons holding a good-sized lead. Saxon senior pitcher Harrison Smalley started things off well for Hastings in game one by holding the Panthers to one hit in a 6-2 Saxon victory. Smalley went the full seven innings to get the win striking out seven and walking four. He limited the Panthers to one earned run on one hit. “He had some great defense behind him and he threw strikes,” Hastings head coach Jason Sixberry said. “He had the location going for his ball and that is one of the big­ gest aspects of pitching: location, location, location. When you’re throwing strikes con­ sistently and hitting the target your pitcher is giving you it gives you a better chance to make outs.” Hastings took a 3-1 lead in game one with three runs in the top of the fourth inning and CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 B iisiness Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experi­ 179143 darkness. Coach Sixberry is unsure of plans to finish the ballgame at this point. Hastings smacked eight singles so far in that game two, including two teach by Thompson and Denton at the top of the line­ up. Sorensen, Steward, Eastin Tibble and Aiden Benson had the other four hits. Sorensen had two RBI and Thompson, Denton, Carter Reil, Morton, Tibble and Tyler Morris had one RBI each. Smalley walked twice and scored a run. Thompson, Reil and Aiden Benson scored twice each. The Saxons scored four times in the top of the first, but Pennfield rallied to get three back in the home half of the inning. Hastings held that one-run lead until the fourth when it added a run and then the Saxons piled on five runs in the top of the fifth. Hastings had its Barry County Invitational canceled due to the weather last Saturday and had its Tuesday doubleheader with Coldwater postponed. Next up on the schedule for the Saxons is a doubleheader against visiting Jackson Lumen Christi Tuesday, April 26. Banner CLASSIFIEDS custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506.____________________________ PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Rod Goebel, Clerk 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Michigan 49046 (269) 623-2664 then added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Hastings managed six hits including a double by Smalley and singles from Mason Denton, Landon Steward, Lars Sorensen, Aiden Morton and Aiden Benson. Smalley drove in the first of those two runs in the top of the seventh inning with his dou­ ble, scoring Denton from third after Denton led off the inning with a single. Denton also led off the top of the fifth by reaching on an error. He stole second and third and then scored on a ground out by Smalley. Steward and Benson also had RBI for the Saxons. Sixberry was really pleased with his team’s overall defense in the two games. He said Sorensen made all his plays at second, Ash­ ton Benson had a few nice plays at third and Steward scooped the ball well at first. A single by Graham Boyd was the lone hit for the Panthers. The Saxons took a 10-3 lead in game two and had runners on first and third in the top of the fifth when the game was called due to ence. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES For Sale­ Friendly and playful. 1st shots and wormed, $700. 517-852-4881. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental in­ surance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, ML �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — Page 11 Lakewood wins Delton’s coach Enyart Invitational Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team defended its title from a year ago by winning the Delton Kellogg Coach Kent Enyart Invitational at a cold and windy Mullenhurst Golf Course Thursday. Lakewood shot a score of 332 at the 11-team tournament. Saugatuck was well back in second place with a 370. Hastings was third with a score of 376, ahead of Hopkins 416, South Haven 423, Delton Kellogg 425, Lawton 441, Buchanan 442, Parch­ ment 458 and Constantine 482. Com­ stock did not tally a team score. Lakewood had four golfers among the top six individuals, led by senior Trevor Simon who was the day’s individual champion with a score of 76. Logan Kenyon shot a 79 to place second and Liam Cavanaugh was fourth with an 87. Viking teammates Brody Jackson and Caden Cusack tied for sixth with 90s. Hastings and Saugatuck each had three guys in the top ten. The Saxons were led by an 89 from Joey McLean. Owen Carroll and Damion Gibson tied for tenth with 93s for Hastings. The Saxons’ fourth score was a 101 from Jack Kensington. Saugatuck got a 91 from Eli Janowiak which had him in eighth place. Teammate Russell Vande Poel was ninth with a 92 and Ian Marzolf was among those tied for tenth with a 93. The Delton Kellogg/Martin team was led by Javier Guevara’s 99. Karter Riddle added a 108 for the Panthers and Zac Hale and Cole Alt­ man each shot a 109. Hastings had its opening Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference jamboree, scheduled for Tuesday at Riverside Golf Club in Battle Creek, moved to this afternoon, April 21. Hastings is scheduled to be a part of the Hamilton Invitational at Diamond Springs Sat­ urday. Marshall Country Club will host an Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ encejamboree next Tuesday, April 26. The Delton Kellogg Martin team is scheduled to visit Old Mill Golf Course Friday for a meet hosted by Southwestern Athletic Conference foe Schoolcraft and then visit Kalam­ azoo Country Club for an event host­ ed by Kalamazoo Christian Monday. The Lakewood varsity boys' golf team celebrates its championship Thursday at the Delton Kellogg Coach Enyart Invitational at Mullenhurst Golf Course. The Vikings outscored runner-up Saugatuck by 38 strokes. Team members include (from left) Logan Kenyon, Liam Cavanaugh, Trevor Simon, JD Collar, Caden Cusak, Brody Jackson and head coach Carl Kutch. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 179140 BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 220 (ZONING) OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CODE C. marihuana processor. THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: TO: MEDICAL MARIHUANA PROVISIONING CENTER - A location where a licensee underthe MMFLA lawfully purchases marihuana from a medical marihuana grower or medical marihuana processor and sells, supplies, or provides marihuana to registered qualifying patients, directly or through the patients' registered primary caregivers, and includes any commercial property where marihuana is lawfully sold at retail to registered qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the April 13, 2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter Township Board the following Ordinance No. 2022-179 was adopted. This ordinance in its entirety has been posted in the office of the Township Clerk and on the Township website (www.rutlandtownship.org ). The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058-9725, (269) 948­ 2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such other times as may be arranged. MEDICAL MARIHUANASAFETY COMPLIANCE FACILITY — A location where a licensee under the MMFLA lawfully takes marihuana from a medical marihuana facility or receives marihuana from a registered primary caregiver, tests the marihuana for contaminants and for tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids, returns the test results, and may return the marihuana to the medical marihuana facility. A Marihuana Grower, Marihuana Processor, Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility, Medical Marihuana Grower, Medical Marihuana Processor, and Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility shall comply with the locational standards in preceding subsection A) and shall also comply with all of the foll'owing additional standards: A 1. All activities shall be conducted within an enclosed building. 2. The business shall be designed and operated to prohibit any unlawful discharge of pesticides, fertilizers, nutrients, marijuana, and other potential contaminants into the public wastewater and/ or stormwater systems. 3. No marijuana shall be cultivated, grown, manufactured, processed, handled or tested in any manner that allows the emission of odors beyond the interior of the building or which is otherwise discernable to another person outside of the building. Such odor emissions shall be prevented by the installation of operable filtration or ventilation and exhaust equipment. 4. No marijuana shall be cultivated, grown, manufactured, processed, handled or tested in any manner that allows the emission of noise beyond the interior of the building or which is otherwise discernable to another person outside of the building. 5. The business shall maintain a secure, closed environment where marihuana is to be stored, grown, processed, or tested, in order to prevent the inadvertent and/or unauthorized removal of marihuana from the facility. CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND MEDICAL MARIHUANA SECURE TRANSPORTER - A location where a licensee underthe MMFLA lawfully stores marihuana and transports marihuana between medical marihuana facilities for a fee. BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-179 MMFLA — The Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act, MCL 333.26421­ 333.26430, including such amendments of same as may be made from time-totime. ADOPTED: APRIL 13, 2022 MRTMA — The Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act, MCL 333.27951-333.27967, including such amendments of same as may be made from time-to-time. EFFECTIVE: (SEE SECTION 6) An Ordinance to amend various sections of Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to allowing certain types of marihuana business land uses in the Township as special land uses in designated zoning districts. THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: . . . . SECTION 2 AMENDMENT OF §220-4-3 (special land uses in AG/OS Agricultural/ Open Space Preservation District) §220-4-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to land uses designated as special land uses in the AG/OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District is hereby amended to include the following new designated special land uses: SECTION 1 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to add several new defined terms reading as follows: MARIHUANA — That term as defined in the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MRTMA). MARIHUANA BUSINESS — Any of the following terms as further defined herein: marihuana grower, marihuana safety compliance facility, marihuana processor, marihuana microbusiness, marihuana retailer, marihuana secure transporter, medical marihuana grower, medical marihuana safety compliance facility, medical marihuana processor, medical marihuana provisioning center, and medical marihuana secure transporter. This term is synonymous with the term "marihuana establishment", except this term does not include any type of marihuana business underthe MRTMA or MMFLAthat is not specifically included in this definition; and is also not intended to include any land use or activity that is subject to a "special license" issued by the State pursuant to R 420.21 of the Michigan Administrative Code. Further, no provision of Chapter 220 pertaining to a "temporary event" (such as §220-17-3.E.) is intended to apply to any type of marihuana business/ marihuana establishment or related event. MARIHUANA GROWER — A location where a licensee underthe MRTMA lawfully cultivates marihuana and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana to marihuana establishments, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each marihuana grower license the marihuana grower holds in that class: - Class A—100 marihuana plants. - Class B—500 marihuana plants. - Class C—2,000 marihuana plants. Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature marihuana plants are included in the plant count. MARIHUANA MICROBUSINESS — A location where a licensee under the MRTMA lawfully cultivates not more than 150 marihuana plants; processes and packages marihuana; and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana to individuals who are 21 years of age or older or to a marihuana safety compliance facility, but not to other marihuana establishments. MARIHUANA PROCESSOR — A location where a licensee under the MRTMA lawfully obtains marihuana from marihuana establishments; processes and packages marihuana; and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana to marihuana establishments. MARIHUANA RETAILER — A location where a licensee under the MRTMA lawfully obtains marihuana from marihuana establishments and sells or otherwise transfers marihuana to marihuana establishments and to individuals who are 21 years of age or older. MARIHUANA SAFETY COMPLIANCE FACILITY — A location where a licensee under the MRTMA lawfully tests marihuana, including certification for potency and the presence of contaminants. ’ ■ "■ * \ ’1 is ■ *-• ■ ' Marihuana Microbusiness. Marihuana Secure Transporter. Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. MEDICAL MARIHUANA PROCESSOR — A location where a licensee under the MMFLA lawfully purchases marihuana from a grower and that extracts resin from the marihuana or creates a marihuana-infused product for sale and transfer in packaged form to a medical marihuana provisioning center or another medical • . • n . : ‘ 'I <. 1. All activities shall be conducted within an enclosed building-, except where such activities are necessarily and lawfully conducted within a motor vehicle. 2. All businesses, vehicles, and processes shall be designed and ,he 3. All businesses, vehicles, and processes shall have security sufficient to prevent access to the marihuana by non-authorized personnel, including unauthorized removal. 4. A secure transporting vehicle shall not bear any markings or identification that it is carrying marihuana. SECTION 3 AMENDMENT OF §220-9-3 (special land uses in MU Mixed Use District) §220-9-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to land uses designated as special land uses in the MU Mixed Use District is hereby amended to include the following new designated special land uses: Marihuana Processor. Medical Marihuana Processor. Marihuana Retailer. Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center. Marihuana Microbusiness. Marihuana Secure Transporter. Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. E. Signs for any marihuana business shall comply with the Township sign ordinance. F. All Special Land Use Permits granted to a Marihuana Business pursuant to Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code shall be conditioned on issuance of a Municipal License forthat Marihuana Business by the Rutland Charter Township Clerk pursuant to Ordinance No. 2022-180, and on issuance of a license to operate the business by the State of Michigan pursuant to MRTMA and/or MMFLA. G. Consistent with the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, Special Land Use Permits shall be designated to the property where the Special Land Use is approved, not to the entity or individual applying for the Special Land Use Permit. SECTION 4 SECTION 6 AMENDMENT OF §220-12-3 (special land uses in LI Light Industrial District) §220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to land uses designated as special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is hereby amended to include the following new designated special land uses: Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). Medical Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). Marihuana Processor. Medical Marihuana Processor. Marihuana Secure Transporter. Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter. Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility. EFFECTIVE DATE A. Initial effective date. This Ordinance shall initially take effect on the latter of the following dates: the 8th day after publication of a Notice of Adoption for this Ordinance or such later date as may be required by law; or 30 days after publication of a Notice of Adoption for Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance) as required by law. B. Causes of repeal after initial effective date. Upon initially taking effect this Ordinance shall remain in effect thereafter, subject to the following events, any of which shall cause this Ordinance to be automatically repealed in its entirety and cease to be in effect upon the occurrence of such an event: 1. This Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses) is rejected by the electors pursuant to Section 402 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3402). 2. This Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses) takes effect but is repealed by subsequent ordinance adoption action of the Rutland Charter Township Board. 3. Any provision of Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance) is in any manner amended, superseded, or otherwise invalidated in whole or in any part by a petition-initiated ordinance approved by the electors pursuant to Section 6 of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MCL 333.27956(1)). 4. Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance) takes effect but is repealed by subsequent ordinance adoption action of the Rutland Charter Township Board. SECTION 5 AMENDMENT OF §220-20-7 (pertaining to specific approval standards reguired of particular special land uses) §220-20-7 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to specific approval standards required of particular special land uses is hereby amended to add to the Table at the beginning of that section the appropriate entries for each new special land use specified in Sections 2-4 of this Ordinance with a reference to Item Number 14 in the last column of that Table; and to add the subsequent text for Item Number 14 reading as follows: Item 14—Marihuana Business A. Each allowed type of Marihuana Business shall meet all of the following locational standards: 1. A Marihuana Business shall not be located in any dwelling unit. 2. A Marihuana Business shall not be located within 1000 feet of a pre-existing private or public school providing education in kindergarten or any grades 1-12. This separation distance shall be measured in a straight line from the nearest property line of a protected use to the nearest portion of the building occupied by the Marihuana Business, and shall apply even if the protected use is located across the boundary line of the Township with another municipal entity. SECTION 7 MEDICAL MARIHUANA GROWER — A location where a licensee underthe MMLFA lawfully cultivates, dries, trims, or cures and packages marihuana for sale to a medical marihuana processor, medical marihuana provisioning center, or another medical marihuana grower, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each medical marihuana grower license the medical marihuana grower holds in that class: Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature marihuana plants are included in the plant count. A Marihuana Secure Transporter and Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter shall comply with the locational standards in preceding subsection A, and shall also comply with all of the following additional standards: ■ • Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, orC). Medical Marihuana Grower (Class A, B, or C). Marihuana Processor. _ Medical Marihuana Processor. "\ MARIHUANA SECURE TRANSPORTER — A location of the primary place of business for a licensee under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain marihuana from marihuana establishments in order to transport marihuana to marihuana establishments. - Class A— 500 marihuana plants. - Class B—1,000 marihuana plants. - Class C—1,500 marihuana plants. D. B. A Marihuana Microbusiness, Marihuana Retailer, and Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center shall comply with the locational standards in preceding subsection A, and shall also comply with all of the following additional standards: 1. All activities shall be conducted within an enclosed building. 2. The business shall open no earlier than 9:00 a.m. local time and close no later than 9:00 p.m. local time. REPEAL Upon the initial effective date of this Ordinance No. 2022-179 (zoning text amendments) and Ordinance No. 2022-180 (Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance), Ordinance No. 2019-167 completely prohibiting any marihuana establishment within the boundaries of Rutland Charter Township is repealed, to the extent of any conflicts with this Ordinance No. 2022-179 and/or Ordinance No. 2022-180; but such repeal is hereby expressly conditioned on this Ordinance No. 2022-179 and Ordinance No. 2022-180 continuing in effect after the initial effective date of each as specified in Section 6 of this Ordinance No. 2022-179 and Section 16 of Ordinance No. 2022-180. If this Ordinance No. 2022­ 179 or any part of same, or Ordinance No. 2022-180 or any part of same, ceases to be in effect subsequent to the initial effective date of each for any reason as specified in Section 6 of this Ordinance 2022-179 and Section 16 of Ordinance No. 2022-180, or otherwise, Ordinance No. 2019-167 shall be deemed immediately reinstated in its entirety. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland �Page 12 — Thursday, April 21,2022 — The Hastings Banner LeajAL fiOTlCES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): David A. McCausey and Wendi L. McCausey, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY,FSB, AS TRUSTEE OF STANWICH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST I Date of Mortgage: August 4, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 11,2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $120,957.39 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The West 48 feet of Lot 961 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the recorded Plat thereof. Common street address (if any): 126 W Walnut St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2261 i The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 14, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1460473 (04-14)(05-05) 178615 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Sarah Porter, A Single Woman to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as nominee for Centennial Mortgage and Funding, Inc., Mortgagee, dated February 19, 2008, and recorded on February 26, 2008, as Document Number: 20080226-0001749, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submitted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-Seven and 12/100 ($110,557.12) including interest at the rate of 3.00000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, distant South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West, 1680.0 feet from the North 1/4 post of said section; Thence North 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds East 675.00 feet; Thence South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West 340.29 feet; Thence South 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds West 675.00 feet to said North and South 1/4 line; Thence North 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds East along said North and South 1/4 line 340.29 feet to the point of beginning. Subject to an easement over the West 33.00 feet for public highway purposes. Commonly known as: 14289 JONES RD, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335­ 9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00177-1 (04-07)(04-28) Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 19, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Glenn E. Converse and Marsha L. Converse, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust 2020-GS4 Date of Mortgage: October 18, 2005 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 15,2005 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $86,212.08 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Beginning at a point on the North line of Section 15, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Distant South 89 Degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 1984.03 feet from the Northwest cor­ ner of said Section 15; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 330.69 feet along said North Section line; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds West 659.56 feet; thence North 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds West 330.39 feet to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 15; thence North 00 degrees 36 minutes 09 seconds East 659.56 feet along said West line to the point of beginning. To­ gether with and subject to a private easement for ingress, egress and public utilities purposes in com­ mon with others over the Easterly 33 feet thereof. Common street address (if any): 2400 E State Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8452 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 21, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1461706 (04-21 )(05-12) 179226 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Rosamary Borton. Date of birth: October 8, 1930. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Rosamary Borton, died March 25th, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Stephen Borton, personal representative address 644 E 3050 South, Vernal, UT 84078, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: April 20, 2022 Personal representative: Stephen Borton 644 E 3050 South, Vernal, UT 84078 Telephone: 435-828-4229 179172 178407 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Richard D Barnum and Betty J Barnum, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated March 11, 2008, and recorded on March 18, 2008, as Document Number: 20080318­ 0003081, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association by an Assignment of Mortgage dated February 28, 2022 and recorded March 07, 2022 by Document Number: 2022-002533, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Five Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four and 33/100 ($105,684.33) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Commencing at a point 42 rods South of the center of said Section 28, thence West 202 feet; thence South 100 feet thence East 202 feet; thence North to the place of beginning. Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan. Commonly known as: 14742 S KELLOG SCHOOL RD, HICKORY CRNRS, Ml 49060 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/ or 600.3241 a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22M100093-1 (04-07)(04-28) Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Collin Regan, unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/ or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC Date of Mortgage: April 28, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 12, 2021 . Amount claimed $172,171.74 due on date of notice: Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: LOT 4 IN AMMON EATON’S ADDITION, CITY OF HASTINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF, AS RECORDED IN LIBER 2 OF PLATS, PAGE 15, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. Common street address (if any): 604 E Hubble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2507 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: March 31,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1459324 (03-31 )(04-21) 178015 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised * judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder '' * for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on April 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Dean Arnold Mesecar and Misty Mesecar, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: March 2, 2007 Recorded on March 6, 2007, in Document No. 1177187, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mill City • ’ " - * ' .' “ i ‘ j. ? ‘ Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Amount claimed to ■ be due at the date hereof: Two Hundred TwentyOne Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-Three and • 70/100 Dollars ($221,963.70) Mortgaged premises: £ Situated in Barry County, and described as: Beginning at a pint on the West line of Section 27f Town 4 North, Range 7 West, distant South 1445.00 feet from the Northwest corner of said section 27; thence East perpendicular with said West line, 600.00 feet, thence south parallel with said West line 265.00 feet; thence West 300.00 feet; thence south parallel with said West line 260 feet, more or less, to the south line of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27; thence West along said South line 300 feet to said West line of Section 27; thence North along said West line to the point of beginning subject to a private easement for Ingress, Egress and Public utilities over the South 66 feet of the West 300 feet of the North 60 acres of the West 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 27. Subject to an easement for public highway purposes for Woodland Road as recorded in Liber 142 on Page 31. Commonly known as 3704 Woodland Rd, Woodland, Ml 48897 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Mill City Mortgage Loan Trust 2019-GS1 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1459523 (03-31 )(04-21) 178108 ’ , < • ; ; ' C r ' . • 1 '• ’ . " ' ■ “ , , 178406 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township - Regular Meeting April 12,2022 !ilt STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29138-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Claude Charles McClurg, deceased. Date of birth: March 11,1972. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Claude Charles McClurg, died October 19, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Patricia D. Winfield, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date :4-13-22 Douglas A. Boodt P81343 137 N. Park Street, Suite 204, Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 269.929.7206 Patricia D= Winfield - -------------- -------------- .-...... - . 6550 Fountain Street, Mesa, AZ 85205 480.241.7149 178923 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO^REDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 21-29031-DE Estate of Jeffery W. Little. Date of birth: 01/12/1961. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jeffery W. Little, died 06/06/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Laurie Jo Little, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 720 N. Church St., Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/14/2022 Timothy L. Tromp (P41571) 501 W. State St. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-9400 Laurie Jo little 720 N. Church St. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 838-6309 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the coun­ ty register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may change a fee for this information: Name Of Mortgagor: Danielle Marie Milligan Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Michigan Fund, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Barry County Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, De­ scribed As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Center according to the recorded plat thereof together with an easement for ingress, egress and utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds bearing document number 2018-4166. PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Court, Hast­ ings, Ml 49058. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a: or if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined in MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Date of Notice: April 14, 2022 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) of Gee Law Firm PLLC 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 brad@attorneygee.com 269-945-3500 178714 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY 5th CIRCUIT COURT Case No. 2022-170-CZ HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH LONNIE D. JEWELL and LORI A. JEWELL, and MICHAEL FINCH and DEBRA FINCH, Plaintiffs v. JAMES MCBAIN, and BRETT E WOUDENBERG, Defendants Justin A. Breithaupt (P81259) Herbert Machnik Law Firm Attorney for Plaintiffs 6281 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 (269) 459-1432 Justin@hmlf.law ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE At a session of said Court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, on the 4th day of April, 2022 PRESENT: Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh After reviewing Plaintiffs’ Motion for Alternate Service, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, The court finds, pursuant to MCR 2.105(1) that service of process by publication is the best available method of service of process reasonably calculated to give Defendants actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Plaintiffs may serve process on all Defendants by publishing the following notice in a Barry County newspaper, as defined by MCR 2.106(F), for three (3) consecutive weeks: “An action seeking to quiet title to a roadway dedicated as Portage Ave in Crooked Lake Summer Resort according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 52 in Plaintiffs Lonnie Jewell, Lori Jewell, Michael Finch and Debra Finch has been commenced against James McBain and Brett E. Woudenberg in Barry County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan. Defendants must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days after the last date of publication of this notice. If a Defendant does not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment affecting Defendants’ interests may be entered, as requested in the complaint.” Dated: April 4, 2022 Signed: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh (P42573) TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor, Ronald J. King, born on 3-29-1955, who lived at 3502 E. State Road, Hastings, Ml 49058, died on March 7, 2022. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom Letter of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against Ronald J. King personally and/or the Ronald J. King and Mary B. King Trust dated 3-7­ 2021 as amended, will forever be banned unless presented to Mary King, Successor Trustee, within four (4) months after the date of publication. Notices is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Dated: 4-19-22 By: Mary B. King Signed: Mary B. King, Trustee 179129 179169 179138 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. All board members present Approved all consent agenda items Approved renewing Great Lakes Energy Approved signing the Sewer Services agreement Approved Investment policy Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:50 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 179173 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of Revocable Living Trust Agreement of Elizabeth A. Myers, dated July 12, 1994, as Amended TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Elizabeth Ann Myers, who lived at 6245 Thornapple Lake Road, Nashville, Ml 49073 died March 24, 2022 leaving a certain trust under the name of Revocable Living Trust Agreement of Elizabeth A. Myers, dated July 12, 1994, as Amended, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Thomas Myers and Margaret E. Nordman were named as the co­ trustees serving at the time of or after the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Thomas Myers and Margaret E. Nordman the named co-trustee at 17394 11-1/2 Mile Road, Battle Creek, Ml 49014 & 4136 Bedeki Road, Lowell, Ml 49331, Respectively within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 4-15-2022 David H. Tripp 202 S. Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2900 Thomas Myers 17394 11-1/2 Mile Road Battle Creek, Ml 49014 and Margaret E. Nordman 4136 Bedeki Road Lowell, Ml 49331 179130 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Ronald J. King and Mary B. King Trust 371-62-9916 STATE OF MICHIGAN ’ PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY . NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29114-DE * Judge William M. Doherty Court address: 206 West Court Street, #302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Richard William Myers. Date of birth: 7/13/1951. J TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, . Richard William Myers, died 10/26/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against ‘ the estate will be forever barred unless presented i to Tina Myers, personal representative, or to ‘ both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, i #302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of . publication of this notice. Date: 4/14/2022 Andrew J. Moore (P84599) .. 239 South Main Street Eaton Rapids, Michigan 48827 (517)663-3306 . Tina Myers 319 West Henry Street Charlotte, Michigan 48813 517-648-7253 179137 ,J j STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29114-DE • Judge William M. Doherty Court address: 206 West Court Street, #302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Richard William Myers. Date of birth: * 7/13/1951. TO ALL CREDITORS: , NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Richard William Myers, died 10/26/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Tina Myers, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, #302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 4/14/2022 Nolan Thomasen & Villas, P.C. Andrew J. Moore (P84599) 239 South Main Street Eaton Rapids, Michigan 48827 (517) 663-3306 Tina Myers 319 West Henry Street Charlotte, Michigan 48813 517-648-7253 179137 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — Page 13 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF MARIHUANA BUSINESS LICENSING ORDINANCE TO: If the Applicant is an individual: the Applicant's name; date of birth; Social Security number, physical address, including residential and any business postal mailing address; copy of government-issued photo identification; email address; and one or more phone numbers, including emergency contact information. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the April 13,2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter Township Board the following Ordinance No. 2022-180 was adopted. This ordinance in its entirety has been posted in the office of the Township Clerk and on the Township website (www. rutlandtownship.org). 1. The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058-9725, (269) 948-2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such other times as may be arranged. ■ 2. If the Applicant is not an individual: the names; dates of birth; physical addresses, including residential and any business postal mailing address; copy of government-issued photo identifications; email address; and one or more phone numbers of each Stakeholder of the Applicant (with an ownership interest of 10% or greater), including designation of the highest ranking representative as an emergency contact person; contact information for the emergency contact person; (if a limited liability company) its articles of incorporation or organization, assumed name registration, Internal Revenue Service EIN confirmation letter, and copy of the operating agreement of the Applicant; (if a partnership) a copy of the partnership agreement; (if a Trust) the names and addresses of the beneficiaries; (if a corporation) or a copy of the articles of incorporation, bylaws, and any shareholder agreement CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, STATE OF MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-180 ADOPTED: APRIL 13,2022 EFFECTIVE: (SEE SECTION 16) MARIHUANA BUSINESS LICENSING ORDINANCE An ordinance to amend the Rutland Charter Township Code by adding as new Chapter 105 various provisions pertaining to the licensing of certain types of marihuana businesses that are not prohibited from the Township, pursuant to the general authority of the Township under the Charter Township Act to enact ordinances considered necessary to provide for the public peace and health and for the safety of persons and property in the Township, including prescribing the terms and conditions upon which licenses may be granted or revoked (MCL 42.15), and to regulate the conduct of business in the Township (MCL 42.17), and pursuant to the ordinance authority of the Township under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MCL 333.27951 et seq) and the Michigan Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MCL 333.27101 etseq). . CC CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, STATE OF MICHIGAN ORDAINS: . . . ■ SECTION 1 TITLE 5. Evidence of all applicable zoning-related approvals by the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission for the Marihuana Business for which a Municipal License is requested, including Special Land Use Permit approval and site plan approval (which may be in the form of the minutes of the Planning Commission meeting(s) at which such approvals were granted). 8. 9. DEMONS. As used in this Ordinance, including in this section, the following words and terms shall have the meanings stated herein: Applicant means an entity or individual seeking a Municipal License pursuant to this Ordinance. Department means the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs or its successor agency. 10. Marihuana means that term as defined in the MRTMA. Marihuana microbusiness means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully cultivate not more than 150 marihuana plants; process and package marihuana; and sell or otherwise transfer marihuana to individuals who are 21 years of age or older or to a marihuana safety compliance facility, but not to other marihuana establishments. B. C. A nonrefundable Municipal License application fee in the amount of $5,000.00 (check or cash) for each non-prohibited type of Marihuana Business for which a Municipal License is requested. Note: the application fee paid by an Applicant for a Municipal License shall also be considered as the license fee for the first year of an issued Municipal License for that Marihuana Business, if an Operating License was issued by the state for that Marihuana Business. This Municipal License application fee is in addition to any other fees required pursuant to any other applicable ordinance; such as a special land use permit application fee and other zoning-related fees as may be required pursuant to Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code. 1. Any person who is not eligible to apply for an Operating License from the state under the MRTMA or the MMFLA. 2. Any person who is, or within the preceding 24 months was, employed by the Township, acts as a consultant for the Township, or acts as an advisor to the Township, and is/was involved in the implementation, administration or enforcement of this Ordinance. In addition, no such person shall have a direct or indirect interest in a Marihuana Business for which a Municipal License is applied for or issued under this Ordinance. Submitting complete application to Township Board. Upon determining an application for a Municipal License to be administratively complete as specified above the Clerk shall provide a copy of the complete application to each member of the Township Board. E. Review of application by Township Board. The Township Board shall review each administratively complete application for a Municipal License at a public meeting held no later than 42 days after the Clerk has distributed the administratively complete application to the members of the Township Board, unless the Applicant has consented in writing to a deferral of that review to a specified subsequent Township Board meeting date. The Township Board may require the Applicant to be present at the meeting at which the application will be reviewed, and may decline to review the application if the Applicant or a reasonably suitable designee of the Applicant is not present as required. sic™?--'; ,,A MUNICIPAL LICENSE APPROVAL/DENIAL BY TOWNSHIP BOARD A. Marihuana secure transporter means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain marihuana from marihuana establishments in order to transport marihuana to marihuana establishments. - Class A—500 marihuana plants. - Class B—1,000 marihuana plants. - Class C—1,500 marihuana plants. Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature marihuana plants are included in the plant count. 4. The Marihuana Business has become a public nuisance. Revocation effective date. A Township Board decision to revoke a Municipal License shall take effect immediately, unless a subsequent effective date for the revocation is specified in the Township Board decision. D. Appeal of Revocation. A Township Board revocation of a Municipal License pursuant to this Section shall be subject to appeal to the Barry County Circuit Court or other Court with jurisdiction to hear such an appeal as may be specified in the Revised Judicature Act of the State of Michigan. A. Notice to Applicant/Licensee. Any notice from the Township to an Applicant or Licensee required by this Ordinance or otherwise relating to any provision of this Ordinance shall be sent by the Clerk or the Clerk's designee by email or regular first class postal mailing to the designated address on the application form required by Section 5.A.1. of this Ordinance, or to such other updated address as an Applicant/Licensee may specify on a Municipal License renewal application form or may otherwise provide the Clerk in writing for such purposes. Notice Io Township. Any notice from an Applicant/Licensee to the Township shall be sent to the Clerk by email (clerk@rutlandtown$hip. orq) or by regular first class postal mailing (2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058), or to such other updated address as the Clerk may specify to an Applicant/Licensee in writing for such purposes. . ■■J ■■ ■" Tnernsair eattokl , ; SfiCIlQO. •■Ho. . . si w >L VIOLATIONS. ./ . : . . . ... jaiaruruqjaMrv zit. staxm**_ _ ■_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a u adLH The. following acts constitute a violation of this Ordinance: . .. ,«u-. .-.u B. 1. Filing an application for a Municipal License pursuant to Section 5 of this Ordinance with any misrepresentation or false statement that is reasonably material to Township Board consideration of that application. 2. The operation or attempted operation of any type of Marihuana Business specified in Section 4.A. of this Ordinance in this Township without a valid Municipal License issued by the Clerk for that Marihuana Business being in effect and in good standing, or without a valid Operating License issued by the state for that Marihuana Business being in effect and in good standing. 4. 3. All existing buildings and structures on the subject premises comply with all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township State Construction Code Ordinance (Chapter 95 of the Rutland Charter Township Code), and any applicable Fire Code in effect in Rutland Charter Township. Any operation or attempted operation of a Marihuana Business in this Township in violation of any provision of a Municipal License issued by the Township for that Marihuana Business, or in violation of any provision of an Operating License issued by the state forthat Marihuana Business. 5. Any operation or attempted operation of a Marihuana Business in this Township in violation of any statutory requirement or administrative rule applicable to that Marihuana Business. 6. Any operation or attempted operation in this Township of a Marihuana Business for which a Municipal License was issued but revoked, subsequent to the effective date of the license revocation pursuant to Section 10 of this Ordinance. 7. Any violation of the Operating Standards for a Marihuana Business in this Township as specified in Section 8 of this Ordinance. Mandatory reports from Township officials. The Township Board shall request and obtain such reports from the Zoning Administrator, Building Official, and Fire Chief as may be necessary to make a determination pursuant to Section 6.A. of this Ordinance. MMFLA means the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MCL 333.27101 et seq). D. Notification of Applicant. The Clerk shall notify an Applicant in writing of Township Board approval or denial of a Municipal License application within 7 days after the Township Board action. A notice of denial of a Municipal License application shall specify the basis for the denial. Approval of Municipal License Application contingent on issuance of Operating License. Township Board approval of any Municipal License application pursuant to Section 6A. shall be contingent on issuance of an Operating License by the state forthat Marihuana Business and issuance of a Municipal License by the Clerk for that Marihuana Business pursuant to Section 7 of this Ordinance. Stakeholder means ‘Applicant” as defined under the administrative rules promulgated by the agency under the authority of the MMFLA, the Marihuana Tracking Act, the MRTMA, and Executive Reorganization Order No. 2019-2, MCL 333.27001. • Marihuana Retailer - Marihuana Microbusiness - Marihuana Grower - Class A (not more than 100 plants) • Class B (not more than 500 plants) - Class C (not more than 2000 plants) - Marihuana Processor - Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility - Marihuana Secure Transporter - Medical Marihuana Grower - Class A (not more than 500 plants) - Class B (not more than 1000 plants) - Class C (not more than 1500 plants) - Medical Marihuana Processor ■ Medical Marihuana Provisioning Center - Medical Marihuana Safety Compliance Facility - Medical Marihuana Secure Transporter Any revocation or suspension of the State Operating License for the Marihuana Business for which the Municipal License was approved/issued. 2. All existing buildings and structures on the subject premises comply with all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance. C. Grounds for Township Board denial of Municipal License Application. The Township Board shall deny an application for a Municipal License that does not meet all of the standards for approval specified in Section 6.A. of this Ordinance. In addition, the failure or refusal of an Applicant to allow the officials specified in Section 6.B. or their designees to inspect the subject premises sufficiently to make their required reports to the Township Board pursuant to that provision shall also be grounds for denial of an application for a Municipal License pursuant to this Ordinance. Non-prohibited types of Marihuana Business. The following types of Marihuana Business as defined in this Ordinance are not completely prohibited in this Township and may apply for and be issued a Municipal License pursuant to the requirements of this Ordinance: 3. The operation or attempted operation of any marihuana-related business establishment, enterprise or activity of any kind in this Township other than a type of Marihuana Business specified in Section 4.A. B. A. Any conviction of the Licensee or any officers or personnel of the licensed Marihuana Business for delivery of a controlled substance to a minor. 3. Medical marihuana secure transporter means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity located in this state that lawfully stores marihuana and transports marihuana between marihuana facilities for a fee. TYPES OF MARIHUANA BUSINESSEsSttT TO MUNICIPAL LICENSE APPROVAL 2. C. Standards for Township Board approval of Municipal License Application The Township Board shall approve an application for a Municipal License for a non-prohibited type of Marihuana Business pursuant to Section 4.A. this Ordinance upon determining all of the following: 8. The Applicant and all Stakeholders are current in all financial obligations to the Township, personally and in connection with any business in the Township in which they hold an ownership interest, including real property taxes, personal property taxes, ordinance violation fines, permit fees, and any other lawful financial obligation to the Township. E. Any violation of this Ordinance, as specified in Section 12 of this Ordinance. Revocation procedure. The Township Board shall hold a public hearing on any proposed revocation of the Municipal License for a Marihuana Business at a regular meeting or special meeting of the Township Board. The Clerk shall give to the Licensee and the public Notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing, and the asserted grounds for revocation, at least 21 days before the date of the public hearing. The Township Board shall have the burden of going forward with evidence supporting the asserted grounds for revocation in the Notice. The licensee shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity at the public hearing to present evidence and call witnesses relevant to the grounds for revocation stated in the Notice. The Township Board shall have the burden of proving any stated ground(s) for revocation by a preponderance of the evidence, and shall articulate in writing its findings of fact and conclusions of law with regard to each stated ground for revocation. The Clerk or the designee of the Clerk shall record these findings of fact and conclusions of law in the minutes of the public hearing/meeting. Any activity on the premises of a Marihuana Business that causes or allows consumption of marihuana in a public place in this Township, except in such location, if any, as may be designated by the Township for consumption pursuant to any applicable laws Wordinances.andonlyT&hen not accessible to persons under 21 years of age? 8. 7. The Applicant is not a disqualified Applicant pursuant to Section 5.B. of this Ordinance. Person means an individual, or an entity of any kind, as applicable in the context of the usage of the term in this Ordinance. 1. B. 6. The application does not include any false or fraudulent statements or information, or any misrepresentation of fact. Medical marihuana safety compliance facility means a licensee underthe MMFLA that is a commercial entity that lawfully takes marihuana from a marihuana facility or receives marihuana from a registered primary caregiver, tests the marihuana for contaminants and for tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids, returns the test results, and may return the marihuana to the marihuana facility. Township means Rutland Charter Township. This Ordinance remains in effect, either as adopted or as may have been amended subsequent to adoption, and there is no pending event which would cause this Ordinance to be automatically repealed in its entirety and cease to be in effect 5. This Ordinance is repealed and ceases to be in effect pursuant to the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 16.B. of this Ordinance. 5. The subject premises fully comply with all other applicable ordinances and codes administered by Rutland Charter Township. Medical marihuana provisioning center means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity located in this state that lawfully purchases marihuana from a grower or processor and sells, supplies, or provides marihuana to registered qualifying patients, directly or through the patients’ registered primary caregivers: Provisioning center includes any commercial-property where-marihuana is lawfully sold at retail to- ■ registered qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers. Operating License means a license issued by the State of Michigan for the operation of a Marihuana Business pursuant to the MRTMA and/ or MMFLA. 5. Grounds for Revocation. A Municipal License approved by the Township Board and/or issued by the Clerk pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance may be revoked by the Township Board on any of the following grounds: A. 4. Any new building or structure proposed to be erected on the subject premises will upon completion comply with all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance, Rutland Charter Township Construction Code Ordinance, and any applicable Fire Code in effect in Rutland Charter Township. Medical marihuana processor means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity located in this state that lawfully purchases marihuana from a grower and that extracts resin from the marihuana or creates a marihuana-infused product for sale and transfer in packaged form to a provisioning center or another processor. Municipal License means a license approved by the Rutland Charter Township Board and issued by the Township Clerk for a marihuana business pursuant to this Ordinance, contingent on issuance of an operating license by the State of Michigan for the marihuana business under the MRTMA or the MMFLA. The State Operating License for the Marihuana Business is in effect, and there is no pending action by the state to revoke or suspend that Operating License. SECTION 19. REVOCATION OF MUNICIPAL LICENSE 1. The parcel/lot upon which the Marihuana Business will be conducted (subject premises) is a lawful conforming lot or a lawful nonconforming lot pursuant to all applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code). Medical marihuana grower means a licensee under the MMFLA that is a commercial entity located in this state that lawfully cultivates, dries, trims, or cures and packages marihuana for sale to a processor, provisioning center, or another grower, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each marihuana grower license the marihuana grower holds in that class: MRTMA means the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MCL 333.27951 et seq). 4. Non-renewal of Municipal License. The Clerk shall not issue a renewal of a Municipal License upon determining any of subsections 1-4 of preceding Section 9.C. is not met. A Marihuana Business for which a renewal license cannot be issued pursuant to this Ordinance shall cease all operations no later than the date of expiration of the existing Municipal License, and shall not thereafter resume such operations unless/until a new Municipal License has been approved by the Township Board pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance and has been issued by the Clerk pursuant to Section 7 of this Ordinance. D. Any other information the Township may reasonably require to enable the Township Board to evaluate the application pursuant to the standards specified in this Ordinance for approval of a Municipal License. Review of application submission for administrative completeness. Upon receipt of an application including the application fee and other documents referenced herein, the Township Clerk or other authorized Township official shall review the application within 14 days to determine whether the application is complete. Contemporaneous with that determination the Clerk shall notify the Applicant of any deficiencies in the application submission, and the Applicant shall have 14 days from the date of such notification to correct the deficiencies. Any application submission that continues to be administratively incomplete after that 14 day period of time shall be administratively denied by the Clerk. The Clerk shall further process an administratively complete application as provided below. uJ ’ Marihuana safety compliance facility means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully test marihuana, including certification for potency and the presence of contaminants. §£CI!Q1111 APPLICABILITY The provisions of this Ordinance shall be applicable to all persons and businesses described herein, including if the operations or activities associated with a Marihuana Business were established without authorization before the effective date of this Ordinance. SECTION 14 ENFORCEMENT AND SANCTIONS fQR VIOLATIONS. A. Administration/enforcement . This Ordinance shall be administered by the Township Clerk and Township Board as specified herein, and shall be enforced by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer(s) of the Township and by such other person or persons as the Township Board may designate. B. Sanctions for violations. Any person who.violates any provision of this Ordinance is responsible for a municipal civil infraction and subject to the Schedule of Fines specified in §45-6 and all other applicable parts of Chapter 45 of the Rutland Charter Township Code. C. Liability for violations. Any person responsible for a violation of this Ordinance, whether as an Applicant, Licensee, agent, contractor, employee, or otherwise, shall be liable as a principle. Each day that a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense. D. Public nuisance and remedies. Any violation of this Ordinance is hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance, and a basis for such judgment, writ or order necessary to compel compliance with the Ordinance and/or to restrain and prohibit continuation of the violation, or other appropriate relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other relief or sanction herein set forth or allowed by law. SECTION 15 NON-SEVERABILITY ISSUANCE OF MUnSlICENSE BY CLERK A. Information from Applicant on status of Operating License. An Applicant to whom the Township Board has approved a Municipal License application pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance (the Licensee) shall inform the Clerk of all actions by the state relating to issuance or denial of an Operating License for the Marihuana Business for which the Municipal License application was approved, and all actions by the state relating to the suspension or revocation of that Operating License. B. Clerk issuance of Municipal License. Upon receiving proof of issuance of an Operating License by the state for a Marihuana Business for which a Municipal License application was approved by the Township Board pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance the Clerk shall within 7 days thereafter issue the approved Municipal License. C. Municipal License Application approval valid for one year. A Municipal License application approval by the Township Board pursuant to Section 6 of this Ordinance shall be valid for one year from the date of Township Board approval, and shall be void and cease to be of any effect if the Applicant (contingent licensee) does not file with the Clerk proof of issuance of a state Operating License for the Marihuana Business for which the Municipal License was approved by the Township Board within one year from the date of such Township Board approval. All words, phrases, provisions and sections of this Ordinance are hereby deemed to be essential to fulfilling the intended purpose of this Ordinance. Accordingly, if any one or more words, phrases, provisions or sections of this Ordinance are declared to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, this Ordinance in its entirety shall cease to be in effect. SECTION U EFFECTIVE DATE A. Initial effective date. This Ordinance shall initially take effect on the latter of the following dates: the effective date of Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses); or 30 days after publication of a Notice of Adoption for this Ordinance No. 2022-180 as required by law. B. Causes of repeal after initial effective dale. Upon initially taking effect this Ordinance shall remain in effect thereafter, subject to the following events, any of which shall cause this Ordinance to be automatically repealed in its entirety and cease to be in effect upon the occurrence of such an event: OPERATING STANDARDS FOR APPROVED AND LICENSED MARIHUANA BUSINESS A. Operating standards lor approved and licensed Marihuana Business. Each Marihuana Business for which the Township has issued a Municipal License pursuant to Section 7 of this Ordinance and for which the state has issued an Operating License shall operate the Marihuana Business in accordance with the following at all times: 1. Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses) is rejected by the electors pursuant to Section 402 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3402). 2. Ordinance No. 2022-179 (amendments of Chapter 220 pertinent to Marihuana Business land uses) takes effect but is repealed by subsequent ordinance adoption action of the Rutland Charter Township Board. 3. Any provision of this Ordinance No. 2022-180 is in any manner amended, superseded, or otherwise invalidated in whole or in any part by a petition-initiated ordinance approved by the electors pursuant to Section 6 of the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (MCL 333.27956(1)). 4. Ordinance No. 2022-180 takes effect but is repeated by subsequent ordinance adoption action of the Rutland Charter Township Board. . : Nothing in this Ordinance shall be construed to prohibit a MRTMA marihuana grower, processor, or retailer from lawfully operating at a location shared with a MMFLA marihuana grower, processor, or retailer, if a Municipal License has been issued pursuant to this Ordinance for each such type of Marihuana Business and an Operating License has been issued by the state for each such type of Marihuana Business. B. Prohibited types of Marihuana Business. Any type of marihuana establishment or land use or activity that is not explicitly specified in Section 4A. of this Ordinance is completely prohibited within the boundaries of this Township and shall therefore not be eligible to apply for or be issued a Municipal License pursuant to this Ordinance or be eligible for an Operating License issued by the state under the MRTMA or MMFLA for any location in this Township. No changes to the Marihuana Business have occurred in the preceding year that affect the prior Township Board approval of the Municipal License. 2. There is no pending revocation of the Municipal License pursuant to Section 10 of this Ordinance. Disqualified Applicant The following persons are disqualified as an Applicant for a Municipal License pursuant to this Ordinance: Marihuana retailer means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain marihuana from marihuana establishments and to sell or otherwise transfer riMudnS to“rrianhu§ha'establishmehfs' and to individuals who are 21 years of age or older. c 1. Signed acknowledgments in a form approved by the Township verifying that the Applicant and any associated Stakeholder(s) are not in default to the Township for any legal obligation, including property taxes on any real and/or personal property in the Township; verifying that the Applicant and any associated Stakeholders are authorized to submit the application; and verifying whether the Applicant or operator has had a business license revoked or suspended, and if revoked or suspended, the reason for such revocation or suspension. D. Marihuana processor means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully obtain marihuana from marihuana establishments; process and package marihuana; and sell or otherwise transfer marihuana to marihuana establishments. .. i.tj L Clerk issuance of renewal of Municipal License. The Clerk shall issue a one year renewal of a Municipal License within 21 days of receiving the completed renewal application form and payment of the annual license fee upon determining all of the following: C. 6. A location area map of the Marihuana Business and surrounding area that identifies the relative locations and the distances (closest property, line, to the subject Marihuana.Business's building) jeflecting.the Applicant’s .compliance with the.separation (jjstapce. requirements provided under Section 220-20-7, Item 14 of the Zoning Ordinance. 7. A signed acknowledgment that the Applicant is aware of and understands that all matters related to marihuana growing, cultivation, possession, testing, safety compliance and transporting are currently subject to state and federal laws, rules and regulations, and that the approval or granting of a license hereunder does not exonerate or exculpate the Applicant from abiding by the provisions and requirements or being subject to the penalties associated with those laws, rules, and regulations; and further, that the Applicant waives and forever releases any claim, demand, action, legal redress, or recourse against the Township, its elected and appointed officials, and its employees and agents for any claims, damages, liabilities, causes of action or attorney fees that the Applicant may incur as a result of any violation by the Applicant, its Stakeholders and its agents of those laws, rules, and regulations. The purpose of this Ordinance is to license certain types of adult use marihuana business establishments that are not prohibited from the Township, as further provided herein. The Township finds the activities associated with the types of marihuana businesses allowed in the Township are significantly connected to the public health, safety, security, and welfare of its citizens and it is therefore necessary to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which licenses for such businesses may be issued; and also to provide a method to defray application, administrative and enforcement costs associated with the licensing and operation of such businesses in the Township. It is not the intent of this Ordinance to diminish, abrogate, or restrict the protections for otherwise lawfill personal marihuana use found in the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act (‘MRTMA”) or the Michigan Medical Marihuana Facility Licensing Act (‘ MMFLA”). Note: for the purpose of this definition only mature marihuana plants are included in the plant count. Payment of a $5,000 annual license fee (check or cash), which shall be non-refundable upon receipt by the Clerk; provided the Township Board may in its discretion act by resolution to change the annual license fee to another amount not exceeding $5,000. 4. The name and complete physical address of the proposed Marihuana Business, including the postal mailing address, and the property tax parcel identification number(s). SECTION 2 PURPOSE Marihuana grower means a person licensed under the MRTMA to lawfully cultivate marihuana and sell or otherwise transfer marihuana to' marihuana establishments, where the licensee is authorized to grow not more than the following number of marihuana plants under the indicated license class for each marihuana grower license the marihuana grower holds in that class: - Class A—100 marihuana plants. - Class B—500 marihuana plants. - Class C—2,000 marihuana plants. A completed renewal application using the form prescribed by the Township for such matters. 3. There is no pending action for a violation of this Ordinance pursuant to Section 11 of this Ordinance. nance shall be known and may be cited as the Rutland Charter Township Marihuana Business Licensing Ordinance. Marihuana Business includes a marihuana grower, marihuana microbusiness, marihuana processor, marihuana retailer, marihuana safety compliance facility, and/or marihuana secure transporter under the MRTMA; and a medical marihuana grower, medical marihuana processor, medical marihuana provisioning center, medical marihuana safety compliance facility, and/or medical marihuana secure transporter under the MMFLA. This term is synonymous with the term ‘marihuana establishment”; except this term does not include any type of marihuana business that may be licensed by the state under the MRTMA or MMFLA that is not specifically and explicitly included in this definition, and is also not intended to include any land use or activity that is subject to a "special license” issued by the state pursuant to R 420.21 of the Michigan Administrative Code. Further, no provision of Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to a "temporary event’ (such as §220-17-3. E.) is intended to apply to any type of marihuana business/marihuana establishment or related event. 1. 2. 3. The percentage ownership of each Stakeholder (with an ownership interest of 10% or greater). .. ...... -. •. ■. . of the existing Municipal License. A Municipal License renewal application shall consist of both of the following to be processed by the Clerk: Section 4.A. of this Ordinance shall file an application in the Township Clerk’s office upon a form provided by the Township. The application shall include all of the following to be considered administratively complete: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: 1. All applicable state laws, as may be enacted and/or amended from time to time. 2. All applicable Administrative Rules issued by the state, as may be issued and/or amended from time to time. 3. All applicable Township Ordinances/Codes, as may from time to time be adopted/amended. 4. All conditions and/or requirements imposed on the state Operating License. ANNUAL LICENSE RENEWAL A. Expiration of Municipal License. A Municipal License issued by the Clerk pursuant to Section 7 of this Ordinance shall expire one year from the date of issuance by the Clerk, unless revoked by the Township Board prior to that expiration date pursuant to Section 10 of this Ordinance. B. Application for renewal of Municipal License. A Municipal License licensee intending to continue operating a licensed Marihuana Business beyond the Municipal License expiration date shall apply for a renewal of the Municipal License at least 30 days before the expiration date SECTIONS. ■ SECTION 17 REPEAL Upon the initial effective date of this Ordinance No. 2022-180, Ordinance No. 2019-167 completely prohibiting any marihuana establishment within the boundaries of Rutland Charter Township is repealed, to the extent of any conflicts with this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and/or Ordinance No. 2022-179; but such repeal is hereby expressly conditioned on this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and Ordinance No. 2022-179 continuing in effect after the initial effective date of each as specified in Section 16 of this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and Section 6 of Ordinance No. 2022-179. If this Ordinance No. 2022-180 or any part of same, or Ordinance No. 2022-179 or any part of same, ceases to be in effect subsequent to the initial effective date of each for any reason as specified in Section 16 of this Ordinance No. 2022-180 and Section 6 of Ordinance No. 2022-179, or otherwise, Ordinance No. 2019-167 shall be deemed immediately reinstated in its entirety. MUNICIPAL LICENSE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES A. Application form. An Applicant for a Municipal License for a type of Marihuana Business that is not prohibited in this Township pursuant to Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland . �Page 14 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner DK girls score first three goals, hold on for 3-2 win Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Financial Advisor Brett Bremer 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 (269) 948-8265 Financial issues facing women business owners As a business owner, you’re always busy, so it’s understandable if you’ve put off thinking about events that won’t occur until far in the fu­ ture - such as your retirement, the sale or transfer of your business and the settling of your estate. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to start planning now, while also recognizing the special challenges that women business owners face in these areas. Essentially, you’ll have four key issues to consider: • Building assets — While you’re working, you’ll want to build as many financial as­ sets as possible. This is espe• • cially important in case your ij career is interrupted by the need to provide care for chil­ dren or parents. And there’s also the matter of longevity: On average, a 65-year-old woman can anticipate living about 20 more years - al­ most three years longer than a 65-year-old man, according to the Centers for Disease Con­ trol and Prevention. Further­ more, the average age of wid­ owhood is just 59, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Given these concerns, you’ll want to contribute as much as , you can afford to a retirement account, such as an “own­ er-only” 401(k), a SEP-IRA cial power of attorney, a legal document that gives you the authority to make financial decisions on behalf of some­ one who may be incapable of making them on their own. You’ll want to address the possible need for this docu­ ment well before it needs to be activated. • Creating estate-planning documents - You will need to work with a legal professional to create estate-planning ar­ rangements such as a will and a living trust, relevant busi­ ness-planning documents, powers of attorney and health care directives. If your situa­ tion is complex enough, you also may need to bring in a trust company to manage the assets placed in a trust and oversee the eventual transfer of these assets to beneficiaries. A lot goes into preparing for retirement, developing es­ tate plans and keeping them current. So, start early and get the help you need from ex­ perienced professionals. The more thorough your planning, the more control you’ll have over your future. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC or a SIMPLE IRA. A finan­ cial professional can help you choose an appropriate plan. • Planning an exit strategy - How you transition from your business can affect your estate plans, in terms of the assets you leave behind and which family members are connected to your exit strat­ egy. To illustrate: You could choose to pass your business to an adult child or other close relative, but if you have no family members willing to take on this responsibility, you could transfer ownership through an employee buyout, if you have employees, or you could sell the business out­ right to a third party. Which­ ever route you choose will need to be integrated into your overall retirement and estate plans. • Caregiving — As men­ tioned above, you might take some time off work to care for your children or aging parents. In fact, two of every three caregivers in the United States are women, according to the CDC. Being a caregiv­ er can incur emotional and financial costs. To help avoid entangling your finances with those of the family members to whom you’re providing care, you may want to con­ sider creating a durable finan­ Delton on a comer kick, and then she assisted teammate Elyese Blackburn with a comer for their team’s final goal. Avery Barker scored the second goal of the contest for Delton with an assist from Kayleigh Belen. The win moves the Panthers to 1 -2-2 overall this season and 1-1 in the conference. Delton Kellogg hadn’t scored a goal before Monday evening. The Panthers finished in a 0-0 tie with visiting Calhoun Christian last; Friday. The SAC season started for DK with am 8-0 loss at Hackett Catholic Prep last Wednes-t day, April 13. The Delton Kellogg girls were scheduled’ to go on the road to face Schoolcraft in a SAC; ballgame Wednesday, April 20. The Panthers; will be at Black River Friday and then home; Monday for a SAC contest against Coloma. » Delton Kellogg's Chloe Tarkkansen (5) steps in front of a pass intended for Calhoun Christian’s Alex Kersten (13) during their match Friday in Delton. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Delton Kellogg’s Graveila Romero (2); fires a throw-in up the left side during the; first half of her team's win over visiting^ Calhoun Christian Friday. (Photo by Perry! Hardin) - Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ soccer team notched its first victory of the season Monday as it knocked off Watervliet 3-2 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference contest in Delton. The Panthers scored the games’ first three goals with a pair coming on comer kicks. Ida Thilsing Hansen scored the opening goal for Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor i 1 )<1 SPECIAL ELECTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A SPECIAL ELECTION ) WILL BE HELD IN THE: Thm .. COUNTY OF BARRY TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022 FOR SPECIAL ELECTION ... — " ----- —..... . ~......... i— THE PLACES HOLDING THE ELECTION IN SAID MUNICIPALITIES ARE INDICATED BELOW:. ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP BARRY TOWNSHIP CARLTON TOWNSHIP CASTLETON TOWNSHIP HASTINGS CHARTER TWP. HOPE TOWNSHIP IRVING TOWNSHIP JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP MAPLE GROVE TWP. ORANGEVILLE TWP. PRAIRIEVILLE TWP. RUTLAND TOWNSHIP WOODLAND TOWNSHIP YANKEE SPRINGS TWP. CITY OF HASTINGS Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 • Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 & 2 Precinct 1 Precinct 21 Ward 1,2, 3 &4 r; 8094 Tasker Road, Bellevue, Ml 49021 3100 East Dowling Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 r 155 E. Orchard Street, PO Box 705, Delton, Ml 49046 85 Welcome Road, Hastings, Ml 49058.(hosting Woodland Twp.) 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, Ml 49073 (hosting Maple Grove Twp.) 885 River Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 5463 S. M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 ,. Y 3425 Wing Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 13641 S. M-37, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 721 Durkee Street, Nashville, Ml 49073 - voting at Castleton Twp. 7350 Lindsey Rd., Plainwell, Ml 49080 (hosting Yankee Springs Twp.) 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Ml 49046 * 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 156 S. Main PO Box 98, Woodland, Ml 48897 - Voting at Carlton Twp. 425 S. Payne Lake Road, Wayland, Ml 49348 - Voting in Orangeville Twp. Hastings Baptist Church, 309 East Woodlawn, Hastings, Ml 49058 TO VOTE ON THE FOLLOWING PROPOSITIONS LISTED BELOW: AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW 1.89 MILLS FOR 4 YEARS TO RESTORE HEADLEE REDUCTION HASTINGS AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $23,900,000 Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the adminis­ trative offices of Delton Kellogg Schools, 327 North Grove Street, Delton, Michigan 49046-9701, telephone (269) 623-1501. . Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the ad­ ministrative offices of Hastings Area School System, 232 West Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058-2298, telephone (269) 948-4400. Please take further notice that the bonds of the school District, if approved by a majority vote of the electors at this election, will be general obligation unlimited tax bonds payable from general ad valorem taxes. GULL LAKE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SINKING FUND MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSAL 0.6334 MILLS FOR 9 YEARS , Full text of the ballot propositions may be obtained at the admin­ istrative offices of Gull Lake Community Schools, 10100 East D Avenue, Richland, Michigan 49083, telephone: (269) 548-3400. Sample ballots may be viewed at www.mi.gov/vote. THE POLLS OF SAID ELECTION WILL BE OPEN AT 7 O’CLOCK A.M. AND WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 8 O’CLOCK P.M. ON THE DAY OF ELECTION. DELTON KELLOGG SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE Absent voter ballots must be mailed to voters no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29, 2022. Registered voters may contact their local Clerk to obtain an application for an absent voter ballot. For any other questions relating to the elec­ tion process, please contact your local Clerk: ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP Annette Terry 269-968-3329 BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP Penelope Ypma 269-721-3502 BARRY TOWNSHIP Debra Knight 269-623-5171 CARLTON TOWNSHIP Amanda Brown 269-945-5990 CASTLETON TOWNSHIP Marcia Scramlin 517-852-9429 HASTINGS CHARTER TWP. Anita Mennell 269-948-9690 HOPE TOWNSHIP Deborah Jackson 269-948-2464 IRVING TOWNSHIP Sharon Olson 231-373-4784 JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP Sheri Babcock 269-721-3710 MAPLE GROVE TOWNSHIP Holly Carpenter 517-490-9510 ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP Melody Risner 269-664-4522 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Rod Goebel 269-623-2664 RUTLAND 1 & 2 TOWNSHIP Robin Hawthorne 269-948-2194 WOODLAND TOWNSHIP Nancy Stanton YANKEE SPRINGS TWP. 2 Mike Cunningham 269-367-4915 269-795-9091 CITY OF HASTINGS Jane Saurman 269-945-2468 PAMELA A. PALMER, COUNTY CLERK I । . i ' Big inning by Rams finishes > off SAC Valley sweep at DK Galesburg-Augusta finished off a sweep of its three-game Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division series with the Delton Kellogg boys Thurs­ day in Delton. The Rams put together a huge fourth inning scoring 13 runs to pull away for an 18-3 win in four. Luke Watson doubled for Delton Kellogg, and Tris­ tin Boze, Seth Lebeck, Cole Lane and Aiden Harig each had a single for Delton Kellogg in the defeat. Galesburg-Augusta scored five runs in the top of the first inning. Delton Kellogg clawed back into the bailgame with runs in the second and third before the V big Ram outburst. Garrett Warren and Lebeck had the Panthers’ two RBI. Mason Nabozny walked,three times in the num­ ber three spot in the line-up for DK. Nabozny also took the loss on the mound. He gave up six runs, but only one earned, through three, innings. He struck out seven, but walked six and gavje, up two hits. Delton Kellogg is scheduled to host Constantine fqr another conference contest this afternoon, April 2^ and then get back to it in the conference Tuesday qt home against Kalamazoo Christian. Valley jumpers have their ; best leaps yet in first meet Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Maple Valley varsity track and field teams got their season underway at Olivet High School Tuesday, April 12, taking on perennial Greater Lansing Activi­ ties Conference powerhouse Olivet as well as non­ league foe Quincy. The Lion boys’ and girls’ teams were both 0-2 for the day. The host Eagles took a 120-9 win over the Lion ladies and a 117-14 win over the Maple Valley boys. While some Quincy athletes went higher, the Lions had their most success at the high jump pit where sophomores Evan Brandenburg and Lilly Faurot scored victories in their conference dual with the Eagles. Brandenburg won the boys’ high jump by clearing 5 feet 2 inches setting a new personal record. Faurot won the girls’ high jump by clearing the bar at 4-£; which matches her best jump ever which she set at regionals last spring. (y Faurot also ran to a runner-up time of 2 minutes51.87 seconds in the 800-meter run, finishing behind Olivet sophomore Olivea Gessner who hit the finish, line in 2:45.90. .J Maple Valley got a third-place point from sophor, more Alexa Reitz in the dual with the Eagles with her time of 23.06 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. Brandenburg added a second-place time of 25.1 jl. and a third-place time of 12.22 in the 200-meter dash and the 100-meter dash respectively against the. Eagles. Olivet junior Hito Gallimore won both those sprints taking the 100 in 11.94 and the 200 in 24.66. Daniel Perez scored in a pair of races for the Lions, against the Eagles. He was second in the 400-meter. dash in 59.97 seconds and third in the 800 in 2:37.88,' 3.1 ■ Valley girls control opener, but can’t get one in net Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lions are still shooting for their first goal of the season, but they did manage lots of shots at it last Tuesday (April 12). The Maple Valley varsity girls’ soccer team battled to a 0-0 draw with Stockbridge in the first ballgame of the season at Fuller Street Field in Nashville Tuesday. It was the Greater Lansing Activities Conference opener for both teams. The Lions outshot the visiting Panthers 12-1, but just couldn’t sneak one by the keeper. “Usually that is a team that is a little bit better than us, and we’ve grown a lot,” Lion head coach Richard Seume said. “To be able to hold them to one shot is pretty good.” Junior center midfielder Lydia Schilz and freshman forward Julia Mater had three shots each. Senior goal keeper Cassidy Simpson saved the only shot that came towards her net for the Lions. Maple Valley held Stockbridge without a shot on goal throughout the whole first half. “In the first half, we took seven shots. We domi­ nated possession at least 75 percent of the time and ii I don’t believe they took a shot in the first half,” Seume said. “In the second half they came out little stronger and they held the ball for a little bit, the first 10-15 minutes and then we made some1 adjustments and started attacking again.” 12 shots on goal and they ended up with one. I was disap?> pointedin. v The Lion coach said Schilz and fellow junior mid­ fielder Melaina Granger controlled the game for his, team. Maple Valley is now 0-2-1 on the season after two GLAC matches last week and one Tuesday. Laings­ burg scored an 8-0 win over the Lions at Fuller Street Field Thursday. The Lions struggled to get out of thefr end in the first half with the wind in their face. *• “It was a complete battle against mother nature and a really good team,” Seume said. “They’re fast and really fast off the ball, with the ball hanging up they, just kept pressuring us and pressuring us.” Perry scored a 1-0 win over the visiting Lions Tues.-( day, April 19. The Lions go on the road to face Leslie today, Aprjl 21, and then visit Carson City-Crystal for a non-con-( ference match Friday, April 22. -J �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — Page 15 178919 EXHIBIT A TOWNSHIP OF HOPE Barry County, Michigan NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Township Board of the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, has resolved its intention to make certain public improvements (the “Public Improvements”) consisting of the following: The repaving and improving of Oakwood and Elmwood Drives in the Township. The Public Improvements shall be located in the Township, as follows: Elmwood Drive and Oakwood Drive within or adjacent to the Special Assessment District. The Township has made its final determination of the Oakwood and Elmwood Drive Street Paving Special Assessment District (the “Special Assessment District”) to con­ sist of the following described lots and parcels of land and against which a portion of the cost of the Improvements shall be specially assessed: Property located in the Township of Hope, Barry County, Michigan, and described by the following parcel numbers: Shelby Robinett pitches for the Trojans during their game two victory over Portland Thursday after­ noon in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK takes pair of lopsided wins over Raiders 07-160-022-00 07-160-023-00 07-160-024-00 07-160-029-00 07-160-025-00 07-160-027-00 07-160-028-00 07-160-030-00 07-160-031-00 07-160-031-40 07-160-032-00 07-160-033-00 07-160-034-00 07-160-035-00 07-160-037-00 07-160-038-00 07-160-039-00 07-160-040-00 07-160-041-00 07-160-042-00 07-160-043-00 07-160-044-00 07-160-045-00 07-160-046-00 07-160-047-00 07-160-048-00 07-160-049-00 07-160-051-00 07-160-052-00 07-160-053-00 07-160-054-00 07-160-056-00 07-160-057-00 07-160-058-00 07-160-059-00 07-160-060-00 07-160-061-00 07-160-062-00 07-160-064-00 07-160-065-00 07-160-066-00 07-160-067-00 07-160-068-00 07-160-069-00 07-160-070-00 07-160-071-00 07-160-072-00 07-160-073-00 07-160-074-00 07-160-075-00 07-160-076-00 07-160-078-00 07-160-080-00 07-160-081-00 07-160-082-00 07-160-085-00 07-160-108-00 07-160-125-00 07-160-140-00 07-160-141-00 07-160-142-00 07-160-153-00 07-160-155-00 07-160-156-00 07-160-157-00 07-160-830-00 ZV7 1 ZA AAZ AA NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Supervisor of the Township of Hope has made and certified a special assessment roll for the Special Assessment District, which roll sets forth the relative portion of the cost of the Public Improvements that is to be levied in the form of special assessments against each benefit lot and parcel of land in the special assessment district HEARING TAKE NOTICE that the Township Board of the Township of Hope will hold a public hearing on April 26, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. at the Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan, to review the special assessment roll and to hear and consider any objections thereto. TAKE NOTICE that appearance and protest at the public hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the state tax tribunal. TAKE NOTICE that an owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment, or may file his or her appearance or protest by letter, on or before the close of the hearing. TAKE NOTICE that any person objecting to the assessment roll is requested to file written objections thereto with the Township Clerk before the close of the hearing, or within such further time as the Township Board may grant. TAKE NOTICE that an owner or any person having an interest in the real property may file a written appeal of the special assessment with the State tax tribunal within thirty (30) days after the confirmation of the special assessment roll, if the owner or person having an interest in the real property protested the special assessment at the hearing held for the purpose of confirming the roll. Thomapple Kellogg's Ella Palazzolo gets the sign from her third base coach during an at-bat late in the Trojans' game two win over Portland Thursday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Gold Conference doubleheader yesterday, April 20, and will be at home for a non-conference doubleheader with Coldwater this afternoon (April 21). TK is set to be a part of the Grand Ledge Invitational Saturday and then will host Caledonia for a single game Monday. The OK Gold Conference season resumes Tuesday when TK goes to Kenowa Hills for a doubleheader Tuesday. Saxon girls bested by Pennfield twice ' Pennfield swept its Interstate-8 Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting Hastings Thursday. The Panthers took a 19-0 win in game one and then took game two 18-3. The top four batters in the Saxon line-up had one hit each in the opener - singles for Isabelle Storm, Zoe Bennett, Carly Frazier and Morgan Deal. Cassidee Easey added a single as well. Pennfield managed 15 hits off of Easey. Of the 19 runs against her seven were earned. She struck 07-160-021-00 V /• 1 vv“vZv“vV Brett Bremer Sports Editor ' The Trojans had a stiff wind at their backs blowing them home from third base Thursday afternoon. They didn’t really need the help. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity softball team opened the 2022 season with a sweep of a non-confer­ ence doubleheader against visiting Portland in Mid­ dleville. TK took an 11-1 win in the opener and then followed up with a 16-0 victory in game two. TK opened the season with pitcher Kylee Hoebeke striking out three Portland batters in the top of the first and then the offense knocked across three runs after two were out in the home half of the first inning. Rachel Shoemaker powered that first scoring surge for TK with a double into right field. TK finished game one with 11 hits, and the Trojan offense was helped by five Portland errors, four walks ahd a hit batsman. Grace Zube was 2-for-4 out of the lead-off spot for TK with a run and two RBI. She tripled and singled. The other extra base hits for TK were doubles from Hoebeke and Shoemaker. Hoebeke was 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and three runs scored. Ella Palazzo­ lo and Sophie Haveman both singled twice. Ellie Vandefifer singled and drove in two runs. Shelby Robinett walked twice and scored a run for TK. Brittney Roodvoets walked once, drove in a run ahd scored once. Hoebeke got the win in the circle. She finished the ffrst bailgame with 14 strikeouts in six innings. She walked three and allowed one earned run on two hits. Game two was done after four winnings with TK scoring four runs in the first, five in the second, three ih the third and four more in the fourth. The Trojans had just four hits in game two, with Portland commit­ ting five errors and TK taking advantage of 15 walks and five hit batters. Haveman doubled and drove in two runs for TK. She scored three times. Palazzolo had two more hits, both singles, and scored twice. Robinett walked four times. Hoebeke walked three times and scored four runs. Peyton Stahl scored four times too. Stahl and Shoemaker matched Haveman’s two RBI, ahd Robinett, Vandefifer, Makenzie England and Brit­ tney Roodvoets were also credited with driving in runs for TK. Robinett pitched game two, striking out three in four innings. She walked one and allowed two hits while shutting out the Raiders. It has been rough getting games in as winter contin­ ues to transition into spring. TK had plans to face Forest Hills Eastern and OK 07-160-020-00 out five and walked one in her two innings in the circle. Deal had two hits and two RBI in game two for the Saxons. Storm, Bennett and Lucy Barnard scored the three Saxon runs. Storm, Bennett and Frazier each singled once. Hastings is currently scheduled to host Lumen Christi for another Interstate-8 Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday, April 26. They will be at Ionia for a non-conference doubleheader April 28. Michigan Tax Tribunal : 1033 S. Washington Avenue P.O. Box 30232 Lansing, Michigan 48909 TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special assessment roll as prepared has been reported to the Township Board and is on file with the Township Clerk for public examination. Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk. This notice was authorized by the Township Board of the Township of Hope. For further information, please contact: Supervisor, Township of Hope; 5463 S. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan 49058; Telephone: (269) 948-2464 Deborah Jackson, Clerk Township of Hope �Page 16 — Thursday, April 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Loss and a draw for TK girls in first Gold contests Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg goalkeeper Tristen Cross clears the ball off of her line during the second half of her team's 2-0 loss at South Christian Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP ™<■ BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022-181 as appended hereto was introduced for first reading by the Rutland Charter Township Board at its April 13, 2022 meeting. This proposed ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township Board at a regular meeting on May 11, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Charter Township Hall. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township Hall 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2194 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE # 2022-181 (proposed) ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: An Ordinance to amend the Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township as incorporated into Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code by the rezoning of property in land Section 14 of the Township from the “CR” Country Residential District zoning classification to the “MU” Mixed Use District zoning classification; and to repeal all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION I REZONING OF PROPERTY IN LAND SECTION 14 The Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township as incorporated into Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to rezone from the “CR” Country Residential District zoning classification to the “MU" Mixed Use District zoning classification the following described property in land Section 14: A vacant 2.63 acre parcel (parcel no. 08-13­ 014-051-15) located behind parcel no. 08-13­ 014-051-20 commonly known as 175 South M-37 Hwy, more fully described as follows: COMMENCING AT THE NORTH 1/4 POST OF SECTION 14, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE SOO 18’47nE, 395.50 FEET ALONG THE NORTH - SOUTH 1/4 LINE OF SAID SECTION 14 TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE PLAT OF MEADOW ACRES; THENCE N89°27’33W, 2.57 FEET ALONG SAID NORTH LINE; THENCE S00°09’32”E, 111.53 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID PLAT TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING (SAID POINT LYING 507 FEET SOUTH OF SAID NORTH 1/4 POST); THENCE S00°03’32’E, 245.00 FEET ALONG SAID WEST LINE OF MEADOW ACRES; THENCE N89°11’57”W, 410.00 FEET; THENCE N65°07’48’W; 121.20 FEET TO A POINT ON THE CENTER LINE OF A TWO TRACK DRIVE, SAID POINT LYING NORTHEASTERLY 220.00 FEET FROM THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE;THENCE NORTHEASTERLY 122.89 FEET ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE AND THE ARC OF A CURVE TO THE LEFT, THE RADIUS OF WHICH IS 924.56 FEET, AND THE CHORD OF WHICH BEARS N 33a09’58”E, 122.80 FEET; THENCE N29°21’30”E, 103.85 FEET ALONG SAID CENTERLINE; THENCE S89° 17’05”e,401.18 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING COMMENCING AT THE NORTH 1/4 POST OF SECTION 14, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE SOO 18’47”E, 395.50 FEET ALONG THE NORTH SOUTH % LINE OF SAID SECTION 14 TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE PLAT OF MEADOW ACRES; THENCE N89°27’33W, 2.57 FEET ALONG SAID NORTH LINE; THENCE S00°09’32”E, 111.53 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID PLAT TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING (SAID POINT LYING 507 FEET SOUTH OF SAID NORTH % POST); THENCE S00°03’32’E, 245.00 FEET ALONG SAID WEST LINE OF MEADOW ACRES;THENCE N89°11’57”W, 410.00 FEET; THENCE N65°07’48’W; 121.20 FEET TO A POINT ON THE CENTER LINE OF A TWO TRACK DRIVE, SAID POINT LYING NORTHEASTERLY 220.00 FEET FROM THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE;THENCE NORTHEASTERLY 122.89 FEET ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE AND THE ARC OF A CURVE TO THE LEFT, THE RADIUS OF WHICH IS 924.56 FEET, AND THE CHORD OF WHICH BEARS N 33°09’58”E, 122.80 FEET; THENCE N29°21’30”E, 103.85 FEET ALONG SAID CENTERLINE; THENCE S89°17’05”e,401.18 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING COMMENCING AT THE NORTH 1/4 POST OF SECTION 14, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE SOO 18’47”E, 395.50 FEET ALONG THE NORTH - SOUTH % LINE OF SAID SECTION 14 TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE PLAT OF MEADOW ACRES; THENCE N89°27’33W, 2.57 FEET ALONG SAID NORTH LINE; THENCE S00°09’32"E, 111.53 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID PLAT TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING (SAID POINT LYING 507 FEET SOUTH OF SAID NORTH % POST); THENCE S00°03’32’E, 245.00 FEET ALONG SAID WEST LINE OF MEADOW ACRESjTHENCE N89O11’57"W, 410.00 FEET; THENCE N65°07’48'W; 121.20 FEET TO A POINT ON THE CENTER LINE OF A TWO TRACK DRIVE, SAID POINT LYING NORTHEASTERLY 220.00 FEET FROM THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE;THENCE NORTHEASTERLY 122.89 FEET ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE AND THE ARC OF A CURVE TO THE LEFT, THE RADIUS OF WHICH IS 924.56 FEET.ANDTHE CHORD OF WHICH BEARS N 33°09’58”E, 122.80 FEET; THENCE N29°2T30”E, 103.85 FEET ALONG SAID CENTERLINE; THENCE S89°17’05”e,401.18 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. Sports Editor After a 3-0 non-conference start, the Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ soccer team went into a Wednesday evening match at Kenowa Hills still looking for its first OK Gold Confer­ ence win of the season. The Trojans were bested 2-0 at South Christian Thursday in their conference opener and then finished in a 1-1 draw with visiting Forest Hills Eastern Monday evening. It was a cold and windy evening Thursday and Monday’s contest fea­ tured a mix of snow, rain and sleet. “I think both goals were scored in the first four minutes of the game. I felt like we played pretty well overall as a team,” TK head coach Joel Strickland said of Monday’s draw. We had one early defensive break­ down which left a girls alone in the front of the net for kind of a break­ away with our goalie at the time and she put it in. Emma Schut answered for TK moments later, getting a pass form Kiah Nichols, beating a defender and firing a shot from 18 yards out that glanced off the Hawks keeper’s hands and into the net. Both teams were strong defensive­ ly the rest of the way, but while the Trojans did put a bit more pressure on the Hawks’ defense throughout the night scoring chances were few and far between. “They played really well defen­ sively against us,” Strickland said. “They packed the box and eliminated a lot of our good opportunities. We possessed the ball really well, but at the end of the game it was 1-1.” Strickland would have liked to see his girls test the Hawk net with a few more shots from outside rather than try so often to work through a crowd­ ed box for a perfect shot. It is some­ thing he plans to work on with the team as the season progresses. Defensively, there was a lot to be pleased with for the Trojans. “In the back, Grace McNabany and Keanna Dudik both had a phe­ nomenal games overall,” Strickland said. “They did a really good job at our centerback positions of really dictating defensively where to be.” The Trojans were hampered a bit by injuries and a couple girls had to play most of the contest.... TK went into its match with Kenowa Hills Wednesday with a 3-1-1 overall record. Reagan Francisco scored about 13 Thomapple Kellogg's Holly Veiling (22) battles South Christian's Lexi Burgess to get to the ball in the Trojans' defensive end during the sec­ ond half of their match at South Christian High School Thursday eve­ ning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) minutes into the first half to put the South Christian Sailors up 1-0 on their home grass Thursday, and then she hit a ball that was deflected by TK keeper Tristen Cross off of one of her defenders and into the net about 13 minutes into the second half. “Credit to South, they played really well,” Strickland said. “They are obviously a very good team and it is always a good rivalry we have with them. I felt like they came out much stronger than we did. I probably have to do a better job of getting our girls ready for that kind of a match up. I felt we played a little hesitant in the beginning.” Strickland said some early scoring opportunities by .the Sailors put his girls in a more defensive mindset than he would have liked. He said his girls were able to snap out of that and cre­ ate a couple strong scoring chances in each half, but South Christian keepers Erika DeWeerd and Olivia Int’Hout were up to the task in their net. Both Sailors goals came thanks to rebound opportunities. Francisco scored her first goal from a scrum in front of the TK net after Kate Hildabrand, the Trojans’ first half goalkeep­ er, made an outstanding diving save. TK couldn’t clear the ball from the crowd in front and Francisco was able to get a foot on it. While the South Christian goal­ keeping duo earned the shutout, Strickland was also pleased with each of his keepers. South Christian had an early chance to score on a PK, but had the shot fly wide of its mark. “I think it is one of those things wfyere we’re going to learn from it,” Strickland said. “There is still a lot of time left in the OK Gold Conference season. We’ll bounce back.” Thornapple Kellogg leadoff man Ethan Bonnema gets a jump off first after a walk in the opening inning of his team's bailgame against South Christian Thursday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) SECTION II REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES/EFFECTIVE DATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the later of the following dates: (1) eight (8) days after publication or on such later date as may be required by law; or (2) after the owner of the subject parcel no. 08-13-014-051-15 and parcel no. 08-13­ 014-051-20 has completed the process to officially combine the two parcels pursuant to applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Land Division, Combination, and Boundary Adjustment Ordinance (Ord. No. 2016-159, as amended; § 200-1 et. seq. of Rutland Charter Township Code) so as to create a single parcel with an area of 5.63 acres fully conforming with all applicable minimum lot requirements imposed by the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code) within 90 days after the adoption of this ordinance. If this required land combination action is not completed so as to enable this ordinance to become effective as specified above, this ordinance shall not take effect and shall be considered a nullity. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township South Christian takes three from TK Brett Bremer Sports Editor A talented South Christian varsity baseball team finished off a sweep of its OK Gold Conference series with Thomapple Kellogg by scoring a 15-2 win in Middleville on a cold, windy Wednesday afternoon. TK managed just three hits against Sailor starter Aidan Fennema who threw the first four innings and got the win, but managed to push across its two runs with the help of four walks. A bases loaded walk in the fourth scored Jonah Summerhays, who had started the TK rally in the inning with a double. Logan Snelling started on the mound and allowed two earned runs in three innings. He struck out two and gave up five hits while not walk­ ing a batter. A triple by Snelling and a single off the bat of Tyler Gavette were the other two TK hits in the loss. The Sailors led 5-1 after three innings and then exploded for nine runs in the top of the fourth inning. They had 14 hits overall for the after­ noon and were helped by three Trojan errors. Drew Burgess and Davis Kemper had three hits and three RBI apiece for the Sailors. They both scored twice. Josh Vander Weide, Jace DeMann and Seth Ritsema had two hits each for South Christian. The only extra-base hits with a stiff wind blowing out to right field were doubles from Ritse­ ma, DeMann and Burgess. Fennema struck out nine and walked four in his four innings. Reed Grinstem pitched a scoreless inning of relief for South Christian. Gavin Snelling and Logan Snelling each had an RBI for the Trojans. Ethan Bonnema walked twice out of the lead-off spot for TK and scored one of the Trojans’ runs. Summerhays scored a run as well. The Sailors took 11-1 and 11-3 wins at South Christian High School to open the conference season earlier last week. The Trojans are scheduled to host Forest Hills Eastern for a conference doubleheader this afternoon, April 21, and then will at at Allendale for a doubleheader Saturday. The Trojans will host Caledonia Monday after­ noon and then return to conference play Tuesday, April 26, with a double­ header at Kenowa Hills. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-04-28.pdf 657dddb8d306d5de72e68d30d2277ad1 PDF Text Text Delton Kellogg narrows superintendent search Is the needle in the haystack? Hastings tennis undefeated through first three 1-8 duals See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 The Hastings Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Thursday, April 28, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 17 804879110187 PRICE $1.00 No-fault reform battle reaches court Benjamin Simon Dar Leaf Vote probe renewal riles some Rebecca Pierce Editor A surge in violent crime in Barry County spurred law enforcement offi­ cials to appeal to county commissioners on Nov. 2, 2021, for another detective. The request was urgent, they said, and it was immediately approved by the county commissioners. An investigator, hired by Sheriff Dar Leaf, is now asking 18 clerks in the coun­ ty for November 2020 voting records. “I got a deputy,” Leaf said, confirming his full-time hire is Mark Noteboom. “He’s an experienced investigator. He was brought on board about a month ago.” Is this the detective he was authorized to hire last November? “No, not really,” Leaf said after a long silence, adding, “Gee, everyone wants to crawl into this!” As far as the detective vacancy, he is considering two potential hires, he said, but that opening is not yet filled. Meanwhile, this voting records issue that Noteboom is handling is something Leaf wants done now. He declined to elaborate on the pur­ pose of the Freedom of Information Act requests Noteboom is making. The FOIA form letters sent to the county clerk, as well as the city of Hast­ ings clerk and all township clerks in the county, are signed “Barry County Sher­ iff’s Office/Mark Noteboom.” Although that indicates Noteboom is attached in some way to the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, no title indicates a rank or role with the office. His signature also does not include the fact that he’s a junior, which led to some confusion. Airport Director Mark Noteboom confirmed that Noteboom is his son. Leaf said Noteboom is from Spartan­ burg County, South Carolina, where he had put in close to 20 years. His probe is picking up where private investigator Michael Lynch left off five months before. Leaf first told The Barmer his office had opened a voter fraud investigation into the 2020 election in July 2021, but said he could not share any more infor­ mation because the investigation was ongoing. He only said the probe was based on a complaint by a sheriff’s office employee in Barry County. At that time, several township clerks and Barry County Clerk Pamela Palmer said they had been questioned and expressed concerns that the person who appeared to be leading that inquiry was not a Barry County sheriff’s deputy, but a private investigator who was working for an unknown employer. Lynch was later identified as a former chief security officer for DTE in Detroit who retired in 2019, but the county was not paying him. “He’s privately funded somewhere,” Leaf had said. “I don’t know. I don’t know if he’s a private investigator or what.” Unlike that situation in 2021, Note­ boom is on the county payroll. See VOTE, page 2 Staff Writer As the no-fault auto insurance reform nears a year old, survivors of catastrophic auto accidents are turning to the courts. Last Thursday, Washtenaw County Judge Archie Brown ruled in favor of Stephen Gedda, a survivor who requires 24/7 care after a 2011 crash left him on a ventilator and paralyzed. State Farm cut Gedda’s medical payment in September as a result of legislated chang­ es to no-fault auto insurance coverage in Michigan. As a part of that reform to lower car insur­ ance rates, the Michigan State Legislature enacted a law in July 2021 that slashed the pay of medical providers by 45 percent. In his ruling, Judge Brown said that law is “unconstitutional” and required State Farm to pay the market rate for Gedda’s at-home med­ ical aid. A State Farm source told FOX-2 of Detroit that it is reviewing its appeal options. A dozen similar cases across the state have challenged the retroactivity of the no-fault reform, Attorney Wayne Miller of Miller & Tischler, P.C. said. Miller has rep­ resented two clients himself in Genesee and Kent counties. He argued that people who were receiving full care before July 2021 should continue receiving full care. Miller estimated that 60 percent of judges have ruled in favor of the auto accident sur­ vivors. But the decisions, such as the one in Washtenaw County, have taken place at the 'The court ruling from Judge Brown is insightful and it’s great to hear a judge being so forthright about the impact of the law.' - Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council President Tom Judd trial court level, meaning they are not binding in other courts; they set no precedent. Only one lawsuit, the Andary case, has reached the Michigan Court of Appeals. “The court ruling from Judge Brown is insightful and it’s great to hear a judge being so forthright about the impact of the law,” Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council President Tom Judd said. “...The problem is, it’s at a trial level, which means that that judge’s ruling really only applies to that one case. So it can’t be applied all across the place.” Lawmakers argued the no-fault reform would lower car insurance rates - the highest in the country - and provide people in Mich­ igan with more insurance options. Before the reform, residents were automatically regis­ tered into a lifetime unlimited coverage plan. Lawmakers also have touted the $400 refund checks provided to auto insurance owners as a result of the reform. The money was taken from the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association multibillion-dollar fund that had been used to care for auto accident survivors. I < But, as a result of the reform, since July nearly 100 medical care companies have gone out of business, forcing 1,568 people to lose their full care, according to the Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council. Many have had to be moved into large nurs­ ing homes, where individual caregivers must work with nearly 10 to 12 people, Judd said. Miller called it, quite simply, “a catastro­ phe.” “Who on this planet could afford a 45-percent discount or decrease in their pay?” Mill­ er asked. “... Unless they’re somebody like Dan Gilbert or Elon Musk, it’s devastating. It’s obviously devastating. “It’s ridiculous public policy, “ In September, The Reminder highlighted the story of the Hastings Charter Township resident in need of 24/7 at-home medical attention, Jesus Arias, whose family wrestled with the nightmare of losing his caregivers. In October and November, The Banner tracked the journey of Troy Hughes, a Mid­ dleville resident injured in a motorcycle acci­ dent, who was forced to move into a nursing center after his home of 13 years, Spectrum Neuro Rehabilitation, designed specifically for people with brain injuries, shut down. “I just, I don’t understand why it’s so easy to take it away, but nobody can make it the other way - nobody can fix it,” said Teresa Hughes, the mother of Troy. But recent court cases have offered a pos­ sible solution - and a way for people to fight. Some decisions in these proceedings allow survivors to receive their full care again and, in the future, these rulings could lead to changes .in the law. “There’s going to be more of [the court cases] and (that stream will be) steady,” Mill­ er said. “People need to do something because we’re desperate. People need their care. And we rely on our courts to protect the rights of catastrophically injured people from the dev­ astation of this new law.” This may be their only hope. On March 16, Republican State House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Clare, squashed some hope when he said he did not foresee the law changing. “I’ve spent an entire year looking at every idea that was proposed and working with our committee on options,” he said in a state­ ment. “They all either move us back toward the old status quo or put the savings and refund checks for Michigan drivers at risk. At this point, it’s time to move on.” Even with the hope offered by these cases, there are still drawbacks with the courts, See NO-FAULT, page 2 Bond request goes to voters Tuesday Hunter McLaren Recipients of this year’s McCree Advancement of Justice Award in writing and photography for The Banner are (from left) Greg Chandler, Scott Harmsen, Fred Jacobs and Benjamin Simon. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Banner coverage of no-fault reform wins McCree Award Rebecca Pierce Editor The Banner team that won the 48th annual Wade H. McCree Jr. Advancement of Justice Award received the honor Sun­ day in Lansing. Banner staff writers Benjamin Simon and Greg Chandler, photojoumalist Scott Harmsen, and publisher Fred Jacobs accepted the honor for their work to inform readers about no-fault automobile insur­ ance reform by the state Legislature and the impact of those changes on automobile accident victims. The Banner was one of three news orga­ nizations in Michigan - and the only one outside of Detroit - to receive the award, which is sponsored by the Michigan Press Association Foundation. The McCree Award is intended to spotlight the vital role of journalists in a free society and the impact of that work to change and improve the law and legal system. Simon profiled the story of Troy Hughes, a former Middleville resident who was cat­ astrophically injured in a motorcycle crash in 2007, and the plight of Jesus Arias and his family of Hastings Charter Township. The 24/7 comprehensive care both needed to survive - and which they had been receiving as part of the “unlimited care” promised by the state under its lifetime insurance commitment - was taken away because of changes legislators made in reimbursement rates to care agencies under the new no-fault auto insurance reforms. Chandler wrote about efforts by Hast­ ings resident George Hubka to convince the Michigan Farm Bureau to use its polit­ ical influence to persuade lawmakers to reverse the removal of long-term care pro­ visions in the new law’s revision. Harmsen captured photos of the families as they struggled to provide the life-sus­ taining support that was needed and docu­ mented the Arias family when they approached state Rep. Julie Calley, R-Portland, during a public meeting in Hastings. Jacobs wrote editorials about how the changes in the law left these victims with­ out the level of care they had been prom­ ised under the original law. The issue continues to unfold in Michi­ gan courts and The Banner continues to report on these developments. (See “No-fault reform battle reaches court,” this page.) The McCree Awards honor the late Judge Wade H. McCree, one of the most distinguished lawyers and jurists in Mich­ igan history and a staunch advocate for equal rights and open, accountable gov­ ernment. The two other recipients of this year’s awards are WXYZ-TV in Detroit and the Detroit Free Press. The awards are sponsored by the Michigan Press Asso­ ciation which serves the public interest by encouraging, fostering, and aiding improvements in the quality, vigor and fairness of journalism and a free press in Michigan. Staff Writer The message for this year’s bond proposal is “let’s finish what we started,” Hastings Area School System Superintendent Matt Goebel said. On May 3, Hastings schools will bring the $23.9 million bond request to a vote. In November 2015, voters approved a $44.6 million bond. The bond paid for essen­ tial fixes to the district’s buildings, a new section of the middle school and the construc­ tion of a performing arts center. The request was a cut-down version of a $55 million bond that failed to pass six months earlier, in May 2015. Since the Nov. 2015 election, there have been five different bond proposals. All have failed. The scope of changes outlined in this year’s bond proposal remain largely unchanged from the proposal voted down in Aug. 2021. With May’s $23.9 million bond proposal, the district hopes to fund essential fixes that were cut from the 2015 proposal. For exam­ ple in 2015, the district replaced single-pane windows on the front of the high school building with more efficient models. There weren’t enough funds in the 2015 proposal to replace single-pane windows on the back of the building. The school hopes to use funds from the new proposal to finish the job. Many of the Hastings High School reno­ vations require updating elements that go as far back as 1970 - 52 years ago. These include the media center, kitchen, athletic lobby as well as bathrooms, classrooms and locker rooms. The proposal also calls for other essential fixes, such as the comple­ tion of asbestos removal throughout the building. The bond isn’t just a big band-aid to exist­ ing issues, supporters argue. It’s also aiming to future-proof some of the building’s fea­ tures to increase their longevity by upgrading inefficient HVAC systems and switching to LED lighting. “We feel like we’ve gotten a lot of life out of those facilities because of our stewardship and making sure that we’re maintaining those facilities,” Goebel said. “But at some point in time we do need to remodel some things with­ in the school facilities, just as in a person’s home. This is a very lean bond proposal.” See BOND, page 6 Bauer sentenced in TK threat Greg Chandler Staff Writer Connor John Bauer was sentenced Tues­ day in a Barry County courtroom to 120 days in jail for making a social media threat to Thomapple Kellogg High School in January of this year. The 19-year-old Grand Rapids man was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper in Dis­ trict Court 56B on a single count of making a threat to a school, school employee or student in connection with the Jan. 20 incident that led to the cancellation of classes throughout the Thomapple Kellogg district that day. Bauer had pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge last month. A second count of making a threat to a school and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime were dropped in exchange for the guilty plea. Bauer could have been sentenced to up to a year in jail and/or been fined up to $1,000 on the charge. He received credit for 96 days already served and must pay $240 in fines and court costs, Schipper said. The charges against Bauer stemmed from a SnapChat conversation in the early-morning hours of Jan. 20 involving Bauer and several TK students. Bauer, responding to a question from one of the students, said he would “shoot up the school,” then sent to the group a photo of himself holding a gun. In a brief statement before sentencing, Bauer said that, if he could, he would apolo­ gize to those he had threatened. Students at the high school were already en route to the building that morning when the threat was reported. TK Superintendent Craig McCarthy wrote in an email later that day that closing the high school and transporting students back home would have disrupted the entire district transportation system, so the district decided to cancel all TK classes for the day. No one from the TK district attended Bau­ er’s sentencing Tuesday, but McCarthy sub­ See BAUER, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Reality fair gives sophomores sneak peek into adulthood Benjamin Simon A speaker talks to a crowd of nearly 60 people at the Rotary fundrasier for Ukraine on Saturday. Rotary event raises thousands for Ukraine Benjamin Simon Staff Writer As unrest unfolded in Ukraine, Jillian Fos­ ter kept thinking: “What can I do?” Foster, the Hastings Rotary Club presi­ dent-elect, lives in Barry County, nearly 5,000 miles from Ukraine, where Russian forces invaded Feb. 24 and haven’t left. Still, she said she thought about Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has stayed in Ukraine despite the threats to his life. She thought about the Ukrainian citizens who could not leave the country despite the bombing, shooting and war in their own com­ munities. Foster said she felt the pull to do something, anything, to help the people in Ukraine. “These are real people, and just knowing that they’re having to try and live their full lives while having all of this happening,” Foster said. “And so I said, what can we do?” She came up with a fundraiser. And this past Saturday, the Hastings, Delton and Middleville Rotary clubs hosted the Ukraine fundraiser in the Barry Commu­ nity Enrichment Center. With the help of Foster’s fellow Rotary president-elects in Delton, Tess Zettelmaier Knobloch, and Middleville, Matt Richmond, the three clubs have raised over $7,000, Fos­ ter said. The money will go toward the Rota­ ry Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund. Although the fundraiser event concluded Saturday evening, people may still donate at rotary.org. The event featured speakers, food and live music - all with Michigan and Ukraine con­ nections. Each of the five speakers had ties to Ukraine through adopted children, mission trips or their own experiences in the country. The night featured Ukrainian food, such as pierogies, chicken Kyiv and borscht, a beet soup, all made by Hastings High School culi­ nary arts students. The band Hastings Heart­ beats specifically learned a few Ukrainian songs the night before to perform for the crowd. “We wanted this to be a celebration of Ukraine and Ukrainian people, but not feel like a party -feeling like it does have some levity,” Foster said. “It’s a somber event, but we’re also celebrating this great heritage.” The goal wasn’t just to raise money, but to “humanize” the experience of Ukrainian citi­ zens right now, she said. “It’s not just the people that are fighting in these wars, it’s the other people that have to live there,” Foster said. “Like the kids who are being exposed to this or being killed or injured themselves. And people who have disabilities or elderly who can’t go anywhere or have nowhere to go. “So, I think for everybody, we should know, to be good world citizens, it’s import­ ant to think about that. And it could be us. But it’s not. It’s them.” Staff Writer The Hastings High School gym was over­ run with 10th graders Monday. But for an hour and a half, they weren’t 10th graders. They were adults with jobs and mountains of expenses. Some introduced themselves as architec­ tural designers. Others said they were medi­ cal assistants, with a part-time job on the side. All of the students, regardless of their jobs, held colorful worksheets that helped them balance their budgets. The goal, said Ashley Fueri, manager of marketing and education at Thomapple Cred­ it Union, was to expose the 10th graders to the world of adulthood - and more specifical­ ly, money management. “Budgeting is the number one issue that adults have when it comes to money,” Fueri said. “So, anything that we can do to teach the kids how to budget.” A few weeks before the simulation, stu­ dents were asked to choose a career and a make-believe life. They were provided with a personalized packet that included their salary, taking into account deductions for federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, health care premiums and a 3 percent deduction for retirement. Then came the simulation Monday. In two separate morning and afternoon shifts, the lOth-grade class attended the reali­ ty fair. They strolled throughout the high school gym, where booths were set up along the out-of-bounds lines of the basketball court. A different community organization ran each booth: United Way had the charity booth,-Northside Pizza had the food booth and MichiganWorks Association had a part­ time job booth, for example. Going station to station, students filled out the budget worksheet, trying to calculate what they could afford on their given salaries. They focused on the nitty-gritty details: What cars they could own, what food they could buy and what haircut they could afford. “If they can do this now, and have it in the back of their head, like, ‘That may not be the smartest choice for me,’ when they are mak­ ing the real choices in adulthood, then this will be super helpful to them,” Fueri said. TCU started the fair in 2018. The Michigan Credit Union League runs reality fairs for schools, but Fueri wanted something more tailored for the rural school district. The event was canceled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Monday marked the third annual fair. Although TCU also runs a “reality watch” event for seventh graders, Fueri said organiz­ ers decided to focus the reality fair simulation on 10th graders. The hope is to get them thinking about their careers and budgeting as soon as possible. . “It’s just like sports,” Fueri said. “You don’t go out on the field and be the best foot­ ball player without ever practicing. Money is the same way - they’ve got to learn to prac­ tice how to use it. And the earlier we can start them doing that, the more financially respon­ sible they can be in adulthood.” County board zips through Tuesday session Barry County commissioners, minus Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner, who was absent, moved swiftly through action items Tuesday to complete their business in 20 minutes. They unanimously approved: • The appointment of Staci Adams of Prai­ rieville to serve on the county Community Mental Health Authority to fill the remain­ der of a three-year term that began April 1 and expires March 31, 2024. • Farmland and Open Space Preservation applications under Public Act 116 for Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Chase in Section 1 of Carlton Township, Section 12 of Hastings Township and Section 30 of Woodland Township. lowest paid clerk. That amount came to $255.60, Palm­ er said. Although Leaf wouldn’t provide any specifics about this continuing probe, he said he’s looking into allegations from across the state and nation, men­ tioning that he “was given permission” to release some information from Pat Colbeck, who unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for gover­ nor in Michigan in 2018. “I’m also looking into some cases that just popped up in Colorado that might be significant here because it’s similar to what we’re doing,” Leaf said. “When word got out that we were doing an investigation, people started contacting us.” NO-FAULT, continued from page 1 Judd said. For starters, it costs money to bring a lawsuit. With lengthy appeals, it also takes time. “We’re talking about years before any legal decision is final,” Judd said. Despite Wentworth’s comments, Judd said he still believes the most direct route to action will happen through the Legislature. He called it a “legisla­ tive-caused problem” and one that “requires legislative action.” Hastings sophomores fill out their budget worksheets at the Hastings High School reality fair on Monday Local volunteer wins state’s ‘Inspire Award’ VOTE, continued from page 1 In his FOIA requests, he’s asking all the clerks to waive any fees they incur. Yet some are still asking for him to reimburse them for these costs, and others are saying they will seek legal advice, at additional expense. Palmer said Wednesday that she pro­ vided the sheriff with a list of the peo­ ple who voted in Barry County and a balance summary sheet; how many ballots they started the day with and how many ballots they ended with; and the balance out for every precinct. She said she was able to keep the cost down by scanning the material and putting it in a zip file, instead of mak­ ing paper copies, so the only cost to the sheriff’s office was for 10 hours of labor, based on the rate of pay for the • Claims totaling $126,279. • The adoption of resolutions authorizing the county’s Homeland Security Grant Pro­ gram Intergovernmental Funding Agree­ ments with St. Joseph County. The next meeting of the county board will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the mezzanine of the historic courthouse inJHastings. “We know that there are members within his caucus, the Republican Cau­ cus, we know there are members with­ in the Legislature that are not moving on, that are going to continue to fight and advocate for this,” Judd said. “But what we need is our legislators to stand up to their leadership and say, ‘No, it is not time to move on. We need to fix this - and we need to fix it quick­ ly.’ ” Board members and staff from the Family Support Center of Barry County attending Tuesday’s rally included (front row, from left) Sharon Barry, Linda Maupin; (back) Tim McMahon, Bill Mattson, Jennifer Eastman, Colleen Barry and Sheryl Overmire. Blue and silver pinwheels spun in the breeze outside the State Capitol Tuesday as more than 200 advocates for children and families spread their message about preventing child abuse and neglect. Attendees of the 14th annual Children’s Trust Fund Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day Rally planted pinwheels in the ground following the event. The pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention. “At MDHHS, we continue to find and act on meaningful opportunities to invest in Michigan families and children,” said MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel, one of several speakers at the rally. “We do this by working alongside not just parents and caregivers, but also other adults, com­ munities and partners. We provide information, encourage conversations, promote positive and nurturing relationships between children and adults, and strengthen home- and communi­ ty-based supports that will keep kids safe where they live, visit, play and go to school.” One of those partners is a Delton resident who received the Children’s Trust Fund’s first state­ wide “Inspire Award.” Several staff and board members of the Family Support Center of Barry County attending the rally watched as Sharon Barry, 30-year treasurer for the FSC, was given the award. Barry’s unwavering commitment to the organi­ zation began in 1992, when she was recruited by Tim McMahon, who is the current family educator/Kinship Services coordinator. Since then, FSC Executive Director Linda Maupin said, Barry has managed all accounting, financial and audit prepa­ ration functions for the organization. She is a Certified Public Accountant and the owner of Barry & Associates in Richland. Maupin said Barry is an active board member, volunteer and fundraiser for the Family Support Center, helping it focus on building safe and nur­ turing family environments, FSC. “Providing support to parents is critically important in ensuring that Michigan’s children grow up safe and healthy,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said at the rally. “I am proud to work with the Children’s Trust Fund to help families in local communities around the state and prevent child abuse and neglect.” More than 16,000 child abuse and neglect cases were confirmed in Michigan last year. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Children’s Trust Fund, housed within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Ser­ vices, was established by the Michigan Legislature in 1982. It serves as a voice for Michigan’s chil­ dren and families and promotes their health, safety and welfare by funding effective local programs and services that prevent child abuse and neglect. Tuesday’s rally is one of two major Children’s Trust Fund events this spring. The annual Pam Posthumus Signature Auction Event will begin at 5 p.m. May 17 at the Breslin Center on Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing to raise money to support child abuse prevention program­ ming. More information on events or how to make a tax-deductible donation to support the Children’s Trust Fund is available at michigan.gov/ctf. Information on the local organization can be found at familysupportbarry.com. BAUER, continued, from page 1 Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L BpL Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . --..Ipr MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 //8110376 & Insured mitted a victim impact statement, from which Assistant County Prosecutor Josh Carter read: “There were over 3,000 stu­ dents at TK schools that were impacted by this. They missed a day of school. The attendance the following day was signifi­ cantly reduced because of [students] still having fears of attending school because of the death threat that was made. There was a significant impact on staff mem­ bers at school - everyone in the commu­ nity, essentially, because of the threat that this defendant made to their safety.” Michigan Superintendent for Public Instruction Michael Rice authorized an additional makeup day for TK schools because of the cancellation related to the threat, otherwise the district would have sought “very significant” restitution from Bauer, Carter said. “Safety is paramount at school ... it needs to be. This defendant took that away from everyone at TK for that day and the following days,” Carter said. “I believe that a significant sentence should be imposed by this court.” On Jan. 15, a few days before the threat was made, Bauer’s mother took him to Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Ser­ vices in Gaines Township because he had stopped taking his medication. He was at Pine Rest through Jan. 17, defense attor­ ney Deno Fotieo of Grand Rapids said. On Jan. 19, Bauer was contacted by a cousin who lives in Barry County and was invited to hang out for the day. During that time, Fotieo said his client was teased, and then was not given a ride back to Grand Rapids. “He was dropped off in a field,” Fotieo said. Bauer’s mother came down to Barry County to pick him up and take him back to Grand Rapids, arriving about 1 a.m. It was shortly after that when Bauer got into a SnapChat conversation with some of the people he had been with earlier. One of the individuals asked if Bauer would threaten to shoot up the high school. Bauer said yes, Fotieo said. “One of the individuals said that Con­ nor was always running his mouth ... another individual stated Connor was making threats all the time,” Fotieo said. Fotieo said that, after going back to Grand Rapids, Bauer never returned to Barry County. He also said the gun pic­ tured in the photo Bauer had posted on SnapChat was a fake. Bauer told Schipper that he dropped out of school after the eighth grade. Fotieo said his client has “significant mental health difficulties,” adding that Bauer graded at “the lowest possible percentile at that time” in terms of intellectual function­ ing in an evaluation taken in eighth grade. Bauer told the judge he has been tak­ ing classes toward a GED certificate while in jail, and even expressed interest in learning to be an electrician. In issuing his sentence, Schipper encouraged Bauer to continue his education. “Continue to use your jail time wisely. Learn as much as you can,” the judge said. Bauer now awaits a hearing in Kent County on a probation violation because of the conviction in the TK school threat. He was on probation for a church break­ in that occurred in 2020, Fotieo said. Up until now, details of that complaint had not being made public under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. HYTA is a deferral status under the law that allows youthful offenders who plead guilty to a criminal offense to avoid having that conviction entered on their record. Bauer’s mother attended the sentenc­ ing hearing but declined to comment. Fotieo declined further comment. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — Page 3 Public input sought on Assyria Township natural area SWMLC, Barry County Parks shaping Metcalf Lake property Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and the Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission are asking for the community’s help in developing a park vision for the Future Metcalf Lake Natural Area and Park. The two groups are inviting the community to come to the Metcalf Lake property from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 1, to take a walk, learn more about the property, and provide input on the kinds of activities and amenities people would like to see at this future natural area and park. This community day is part of developing a master plan for the property - which lies just north of Baseline Road near North Ave­ nue - and learning how to create a natural area and park that best serves the region. “We want to better understand the needs of the local community, and what amenities will be most appreciated and utilized by visitors to the future Metcalf Lake Natural Area and Park,” SWMLC Executive Director Pete Ter Louw said. “So, we hope that people will join us for our Metcalf Lake Community Day on May 1 or take the community survey to let us know what they would like to see at this nat­ ural area and park.” SWMLC is working with Barry County Parks and the City of Battle Creek to perma­ nently conserve the 160-acre Metcalf Lake property, which is in Assyria Township, seven miles north of downtown Battle Creek. David and Eleanor Bailey envisioned a beautiful natural space for the public to enjoy when they donated their land for the Metcalf Lake Natural Area and Park more than 20 years ago. (Photo courtesy of Zero Day) The land includes 35-acre Metcalf Lake, and was donated by David and Eleanor Bai­ ley in 1999 to the City of Battle Creek to serve the community as a public natural area and park. The Metcalf Lake property includes wood­ ed ridges and wide ravines that lend them­ selves well to potential future trail systems. The Metcalf Lake property includes wooded ridges and wide ravines that lend themselves well to potential future trail systems. Woodland Hike at Metcalf Lake. (SWMLC photo) Groves of white cedar, Eastern hemlock and tamarack surround Metcalf Lake, giving parts of the future natural area and park an “up north” feel. The property also is a vital headwater source for Waubascon Creek and a chain of downstream lakes (including Waubascon and Foster lakes), all the way down to the Kalamazoo River. David and Eleanor Bailey envisioned a beautiful natural space for the public to enjoy when they donated their land for the Metcalf Lake Natural Area and Park more than 20 years ago. Now, with the support of the Bai­ ley’s children, SWMLC and the Barry Coun­ ty Parks and Recreation Commission are exploring future designs that will enhance the natural area while providing safe public access. “We are so excited to partner with SWMLC to permanently conserve this beautiful prop­ erty and to add public amenities that will make the Metcalf Lake Natural Area and Park a local and regional destination for nature enthusiasts, hikers, birders and kayak­ ers,” Barry County Commissioner Catherine Getty said. Individuals who are unable to attend the Metcalf Lake Community Day May 1 may take a two-minute survey to provide feed­ back. The community’s input is important, Ter Louw said, since the goals and actions identified in the design will reflect the com­ munity’s needs and desires. Everyone is welcome to attend the Com­ munity Day and take the survey. SWMLC and Barry County Parks will be collecting survey responses through May 14. The sur­ vey can be found at surveymonkey/com/r/ MetcalfLake or on SWMLC’s website at https://swmlc.org/metcalf-lake-natural-area-park. MDOT unveils plans for M-43 bridge replacement in Carlton Township Greg Chandler Staff Writer A small group of Carlton Township resi­ dents turned out at the township hall April 21 for an open house on plans by the Michigan Department of Transportation to replace the M-43 bridge over the Coldwater River. But it’s not the usual bridge replacement project, said Sigrid Bergland, a historian with MDOT’s environmental services section. The bridge, built in 1956 at a cost of $115,715, was made with prestressed con­ crete beams instead of the usual structural steel used for most bridges of that era. “It was one of the first examples of this type of construction in the state,” Bergland said. Prestressed concrete emerged as an alter­ native to structural steel because of its reduced cost and delays in getting structural steel for construction, Bergland said. Because of its distinction as one of the first prestressed concrete bridges in the state, the M-43 bridge is eligible for the National Regis­ ter of Historic Places. Because of that eligibil­ ity for the historic registry, the open house served as a chance for the public to review and comment on the adverse effect of replacing a registry-eligible structure as part of the Nation­ al Historic Preservation Act and Section 4(f) if the Department of Transportation Act. The bridge is about 130 feet long, with 11-foot-wide travel lanes and 4-foot-wide shoulders, said Melissa Donoso-Vidales, an NEWS BRIEFS Classic favorites by Supper Club Legal services in Delton May 4 The Hastings healthy Living Supper Club will host a plant-based cooking class at 3 p.m. Sun­ day, May 1. Classic dinner favorites made with healthy budget-friendly recipes will be the focus. Refreshments and samples of herbal and iced tea, chopped salad with lemon-herb dressing, mini-walnut veggie meat loaves, garlic green beans, roasted vegetables and apple crisp will be provided while attendees watch plant-based cooking and meal prepara­ tion demonstrations. Recipe handouts will be provided, as will time for questions and a The Legal Services of South Central Michigan Battle Creek office will conduct interviews for legal advice and possible rep­ resentation, without charge, to interested seniors Wednesday, May 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Faith United Methodist Church, 503 S. Grove St., Delton. . Legal Services of South Central Michi­ gan-Battle Creek office is a nonprofit orga­ nization that provides legal assistance, rep­ resentation and education-to seniors- in Barry, Branch, Calhoun and St. Joseph counties/ Through its board, staff, volunteers and pro bono attorneys, the agency seeks to ensure that its clients are given equal access to the justice system. The advice and coun­ sel at the senior sites is funded primarily the CareWell Services Southwest through the Michigan Bureau of Aging, Community Living and Supports. special drawing. The free program will be at the Hastings Seventh-day Adventist Elementaiy School Commu­ nity Hall, 888 Terry Lane, Hastings, off of Star School Road. Donations will be accepted. More information can be provided and registrations made by calling Janice Cleary, 269-804-9959, or emailing Hhealthylivingsupperclub@gmail.com. Rayl out as Middleville village manager Greg Chandler Staff Writer Less than two years after she was hired for the position, Patricia Rayl is out as Middleville’s village manager. After a nearly 20-minute closed-door session Tuesday night, the village council voted 6-1 to accept Rayl’s resignation from the position for which she was hired in June 2020. The resignation took effect Wednesday. No discussion in open ses­ sion took place prior to the vote. Council Trustee Mike Cramer was the lone no vote. “I signed a separation agreement, and I cannot comment further,” Rayl said after the meeting. She sat in the audience for the entire council meeting rather than her typical place with other village staff members to the right of the dais where the council sits. Most council members were equally tight-lipped about what led to Rayl’s departure. “We appreciate her service. She resigned and we accepted,” Village Pres­ ident Sherry Ronning said, refusing to comment further beyond that statement despite being asked to explain why Rayl was leaving. In a text message Wednesday, Cramer offered his reason for voting against the resignation agreement. “I voted no on accepting her resigna- Patricia Rayl tion because I haven’t been informed of any reason why we’d ask for it,” he said. Brian Urquhart, who has been the vil­ lage’s assistant manager and planning and zoning administrator, was named acting village manager until a permanent replacement can be found. Rayl was one of three finalists who interviewed for the village manager posi­ tion June 6, 2020. The council was seek­ ing a replacement for Duane Weeks, who retired that summer. Initially, the council was just divided; three of the seven coun­ cil members supported Rayl,m and three others supported Aerie Ripley, who at the time was assistant city manager and downtown development authority direc­ tor for the City of Alma. However, council members later moved toward offering Ripley the village manager position, which he turned down. The late village president Charlie Pullen then called Rayl and offered her the job, which she accepted. Among Rayl’s recent accomplish­ ments was the approval of the old Michi­ gan Central Railroad depot to the Nation­ al Register of Historic Places. Rayl had worked closely with a consulting firm and the State Historic Preservation Office on the nomination, which makes the depot eligible for various grants and tax credits to restore the 115-year-old station. Rayl also successfully lobbied the Michigan Strategic Fund board in March 2021 to approve a $990,000 Michigan Community Revitalization Program low-interest loan toward construction of a $2.84 million mixed-use development at 112 E. Main St., just east of the village hall. However, that project fell through earlier this year when developer A.J. Veneklasen couldn’t get the financing to work against rising construction costs. During a village council evaluation in July 2021, Rayl was rated on nine criteria by each council member. She scored highest in quality of work and attendance/availability, where she received an “excellent” rating from five of the seven council members and “good” ratings from the other two. She received “excel­ lent” ratings from four of the seven coun­ cil members in interpersonal relations work attitude/ethic. Rayl initially earned $69,000 for her duties when she began. In 2021, she received a 2 percent cost-of-living increase in January, followed by a 3 per­ cent raise that was approved by the coun­ cil after the July evaluation, boosting her salary to close to $72,500. A former journalist, Rayl served as village manager in Colon, a small town in St. Joseph County near the Indiana border, from December 2018 to Decem­ ber 2019. Prior to taking the Middleville job, she had been a self-employed con­ sultant and grant writer. Rayl also was downtown development authority director in the Lenawee County community of Blissfield from October 2012 to September 2015. From there, she moved to Auburn, a small community near Bay City, where she was city man­ ager from September 2015 to November 2016. No discussions on finding a new vil­ lage manager took place Tuesday, but it’s likely to be a subject of discussion when the village council holds its committee of the whole meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3. Delton Kellogg narrows search for superintendent Second round of interviews set for May 9 Leila Wood Contributing Writer Delton Kellogg Schools have selected their top two superintendent candidates. Dr. Herman Lartigue, the assistant principal at Brill Elementary, Klein Independent School District in Texas, and Jeremy Wright, Plainwell Commu­ nity Schools high school principal, are the top picks. Out of the 13 applications the district received, school board members selected five who were interviewed on Monday, April 25, and Tuesday, April 26. The candidates were asked a set list of 24 questions, which were selected by board members at the interview prep workshop on Monday, April 11. More than 30 people from the commu­ nity attended the interviews. Everyone in attendance was given the opportunity to fill out a feedback form on each candi­ date. At the end of the night on Tuesday, the Delton Kellogg Board of Education reviewed the feedback forms and unani­ mously selected Lartigue and Wright. Lartigue is originally from Michigan and worked for Delton Kellogg school district before moving to Texas. . He said he would welcome the oppor­ tunity for his wife and two children to “come home to Delton Kellogg as the superintendent of schools.” “Somehow this little town of Delton got some hooks in me and my family,” he said in his interview, “My daughters have said plenty of times ‘Why did we leave?’...” MDOT bridge design supervisor. “MDOT looked at all options to rehabili­ tate or fix the existing bridge, but unfortu­ nately, rehabilitation will not address the deterioration,” Donoso-Vidales said. The new structure will be 161 feet, 5 inch­ es long, with 12-foot-wide travel lanes and 10-foot-wide shoulders, Donoso-Vidales said. . Replacing the M-43 bridge had been iden­ tified as an MDOT project in 2019, said David Kent, a project and contracts engineer with MDOT’s Grand Rapids transportation service center. The project isn’t slated to take place until 2024, but because of the bridge’s historic nature, MDOT decided to get started on the public input process. Dan Patton, director of the nearby Historic Charlton Park, suggested MDOT donate the plaque marking the bridge’s construction from 1956 to the historic park, as a way of recognizing the bridge’s history. A detour route hasn’t been decided for the project, but will likely involve Broadway, M-50 and M-66, according to a map that was on display at the open house. MDOT is continuing to accept comments and concerns on the bridge replacement proj­ ect through May 6. Comments may be made by mail, email or phone to Monica Monsma, MDOT public involvement specialist and hearings officer, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909 or via email to MonsmaM@Michigan.gov. Jeremy Wright is currently the high school principal at Plainwell Community Schools. “I have been at Plainwell High School for 12 years,” Wright said, “I started my career in Florida at Sebastian River High School as a French teacher and computer repair teacher. After 6 years, I was named assistant principal.” Wright also emphasized the impor­ tance of trust and relationships. Both candidates will return to Delton for a second round of interviews on May 9. City of Hastings 4 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED 2022/2023 FISCAL • YEAR BUDGET The City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing writ­ ten and/or oral comments from the pub­ lic concerning the annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 09, 2022 in City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City Council will consider the budget as proposed by the City Manager and presented to City Council on May 09, 2022. The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. A copy of this information, the entire pro­ posed budget, and additional background materials are available for public inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. - The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk �Page 4 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you liTwpopinum see? Is that needle in the haystack? On the trail of turkey tales Hastings needs a turkey tracker. We've got Fred, shown here, wistfully checking out a Florida license plate for Pine Island. (Now that's a place he'd like to fly right now, instead of dodging cars in the Barry County Sheriff's Office parking lot.) Recently, a turkey was spotted in the middle of the street near the Commission on Aging building where a police officer was trying to get that bird to behave. Was that Fred? You just can't keep a good turkey down. But it may be that there's more than one of these birds hanging out around Hastings. On a Facebook page called “Hastings Town Turkey - Runaround Sue,” , Do you remember? Fine soil conservation Banner April 19, 1972 Floyd Miller, (left) chairman of the Barry County Soil and Water Conservation District, presents the Kalamazoo Gazette’s trophy to Eugene Haywood, of Solomon Road, for the Haywoods’ outstanding farming practices. The award was presented during the 27th annual Soil and Water Conservation District meeting at the ,. Middleville United Methodist Church Thursday, April 13. Pictured (from left) are Miller, U.S. Soil Technician Dan Feather, Mr. and Mrs. [Joyce] Haywood, and Mr. and Mrs. Larry F. Haywood, Airport Road. Larry is a partner with his father. Ted Knopf, retired Hastings agriculture teacher, was re-elected a director of the soil district. Have you met? After 33 years, Pamela Sanders is retir­ ing from her position as a senior branch office administrator at the Hastings Edward Jones Investments branch office. “I never thought about changing careers, ever,” Sanders said, “because I always loved what I did.” Sanders, 65, has lived in the Hastings area for most of her life. She grew up in Rutland Township, the daughter of Barbara and Marshall Greenleaf. Her mom worked at Hastings Manufacturing and her dad was a postal worker. After graduating from high school, she studied business and sociology at Alma College. She graduated in 1979. After college, she thought about going into social work but couldn’t see herself being able to handle tough cases and then not bring those issues home with her. She was fascinated with marketing, but didn’t want to attend another four years of school for a master’s degree, which many of those positions required, she said. “I just decided to go into the business field,” she said. “I’ve always liked numbers, so this was a natural place for me to land.” During those 33 years, she never thought about changing her career or even what else she might have liked to do instead. The job has always felt like a blessing from God, she said. It especially felt like a blessing when she and her husband got divorced, since it pro­ vided for her two kids and had a flexible schedule that allowed her to be there for their sports and after-school activities. Sanders describes herself as “an organi­ zation freak,” something she said has helped her in both her career and home life. She remembers divvying up ingredients and leaving recipes in neat little folders for her kids before she left for work, so they could start cooking dinner after they got home from school. It hasn’t been easy, but being a single mom for 30 years “teaches you a lot about yourself,” Sanders said. “I think you figure out really quickly what your weaknesses and strengths are, Pamela Sanders and you have to be humble enough to ask for help when you need it,” she said. “Because you do need it.” She hasn’t dated anyone since her divorce, in an effort to put her kids first. If she were to date now, her partner would have to put God first and like to travel, she said. But she’s not really looking. “I just say, ‘Well, Lord, if You want me to get remarried, you’re going to have to bring the person to me, because I’m not out there looking.’” Her son Josh Sanders, 37, lives in Florida and works in wealth management. Her daughter Katie Johnson, 31, lives in Lan­ sing and works as a social worker. They each have two daughters. Sanders said she thinks it’s kind of funny that her kids both took after her in their own way, with her son working in finance and her daughter taking an interest in sociology and social work. She’s looking forward to spending more time with family once she retires. She plans to split her time between her father, who still lives in Hastings, and her two kids. During the summer, she plans to stay in Hastings, but she hopes to avoid the cold Michigan winters by spending time with her son in Florida. Sanders also plans to keep busy with her own greeting card business, Pam’s Paper Hugs, which she sells at Barlow Florist. She has home improvement projects she’d like to start, and she can’t wait to do more traveling. In particular, she’d love to revisit Northern Ireland and visit Scotland. For her dedication to her family and her career, Pamela Sanders is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite vacation destination: Florida, because my son lives there. Best gift I’ve ever received: A ring from my children shortly after I was divorced. After being married and then not wearing a wedding ring, it was kind of weird. So, they bought me this ring and it was their [March] birthstone. It was like a mother’s ring for me. It wasn’t expensive, but it just touched my heart so much that Josh would have my par­ ents take him to get it and that he used his and his sister’s allowance money to buy this ring. Here we go again in Barry County with another needle-in-the-haystack election fraud investigation by Sheriff Dar Leaf. Never mind that state and federal courts - and the U.S. Supreme Court - dismissed more than 50 lawsuits alleging voter fraud brought by former President Donald Trump and his allies following the 2020 election. Or that William Barr, Trump’s own attorney general, said his Justice Department found no evidence of irregu­ larities. Michigan’s own Republican-led Senate Oversight Committee issued a report in June that “found no evidence of wide­ spread or systematic fraud in the state’s election.” In Barry County, which cast 65 percent of its votes for Trump, not one township or village clerk reported irregularities or a discrepancy in voting results that “bal­ anced to the button.” But, recently, 18 Barry County clerks received Freedom of Information Act requests from the sher­ iff’s office seeking historical data files from the Nov. 3, 2020, election for all voting precincts. Many of the clerks received unan­ nounced visits last summer by a “private investigator” acting under the auspices of the sheriff’s office. They were incensed at being “targeted” by the probe Leaf had initiated then. Now, for some inexplicable reason, Leaf has revived that harebrained investigation. When Leaf started his probe after the 2020 election, local officials called him out, stating that the investigation was “absolutely ridiculous and ludicrous.” Yet Leaf apparently isn’t giving it up - even after the county prosecutor called it to a temporary halt last summer. The needle Leaf is looking for is not in the haystack - it’s popping a hole in our county taxpayer bucket and it’s sticking in the eye of every honorable citizen who has exercised this country’s two-century-old privilege to vote. According to a recent NPR poll, “A majority of Americans trust that elections were fair, and are confident in their state and local governments’ ability to adminis­ ter elections, and will trust the results in 2022 and in 2024, regardless of whether their preferred candidate wins.” I think those majority numbers would be even higher in places like Barry County where many of the poll workers know the people and take election security serious­ ly. I’ve been voting for more than 50 years and know many of the polling place work­ ers, yet I’m still required to show identifi­ cation and sign the proper paperwork prior to getting my ballot. Local citizens place a great deal of trust in these local officials. There are places that election fraud has been an issue for years, which could be corrected by cleaning up voting records and requiring identification and a signa­ ture at the voting precinct. It’s a national talking point that deserves some attention, but it certainly is not - and has never been - a big issue in Barry County. “We’re not after the clerks,” Leaf told the Banner last week, “We don’t think they’ve done anything wrong - but...,” It’s the “but” in that quote that concerns local officials. What is that “but” all about? What necessitates Leaf putting another investigator on the job and harass­ ing local officials about an election that is over and done with? What could he be looking for? Most people just figure it’s Leaf and his obsession with election fraud, but it’s something greater than that and it’s some­ thing that should concern taxpayers throughout the county. While the sheriff is spending taxpayer funds on this investigation, the county is reeling from some of the most heinous crimes in our history. I would think the county and the sheriff would be better served if he spent his time digging into what’s behind the disturbing level of crim­ inal activity we’ve seen in recent months. The sheriff is responsible for the county jail, enforcing ordinances and state laws, monitoring and investigating criminal activity and adequately policing the coun­ ty. He’s also responsible for security at the courthouse and keeping records on jail usage and overall criminal activity. All those responsibilities are funded by local taxes raised by county commissioners who should be concerned now, in light if these obsessive investigations, about how the sheriff is allocating taxpayer funds. In some of the letters sent to local clerks by Mark Noteboom, the “special investi­ gator” hired by Leaf for the latest election fraud go-round, the inquiry is referred to as a “criminal investigation.” Noteboom is continuing the probe that was prompted by complainant Julie Jones, the now-retired Barry County Sheriff’s Office sergeant who filed an election fraud complaint based on a court document from a lawsuit filed by William Bailey of Antrim County. Jones filed her complaint in 2021; that lawsuit was subsequently dismissed by a judge early last May. So, does it make any sense for Leaf to pick up an investigation that essentially has been dismissed in an effort to prove fraud in an election that is over and done with? I think there are many more serious issues facing the taxpayers in the county than election fraud. It’s the responsibility of the sheriff to investigate criminal activ­ ity and, from the increasing severity of crime we’ve seen recently in Barry Coun­ ty, it would be in the best interests of all that he turn his attention to this troubling trend. Where are our county commissioners on this issue? Why are they sitting back watching an overzealous sheriff harass local officials for information - especially when they’re not even sure what he is looking for? Leaf and his investigator want clerks to spend hours trying to fulfill his requests for something that will most likely end up on someone’s desk with little or no resolution. Even more aggravating: Noteboom has asked clerks to provide this information free of charge and, if there is a charge, he said he needs to know what the fees will be before they begin their research and copying numerous documents. It’s time for county commissioners to call the question. . Leaf considers himself a “constitutional sheriff,” part of a nationwide movement that claims sheriffs have the highest authority within a local government. So he thinks he holds all the cards, but he doesn’t hold the pursestrings. It’s time for the county commissioners, who control the sheriff’s budget, to take Leaf aside and insist that he focus his attention on the issues that are most mean­ ingful to residents - and stop harassing local officials with tasks that end up cost­ ing taxpayers money in extra employee time, needless research and copying, and potential legal costs. The idea that the 2020 election was “rigged” or “stolen” has been litigated and discredited, so to continue a county inves­ tigation is nothing but a waste of time and an affront to our citizens and the taxes they pay to ensure a quality community. The sheriff’s department doesn’t have time to be looking for a needle in a hay­ stack - it’s not there. Let’s move on and get down to some important local issues that need to be addressed immediately. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a: Bank teller. I would take the dining room chairs and put them backwards so that the chair was like my window. The seat of the chair was my place where my money and stuff was and then I would hand it out the “window.” I used to play a bank teller all the time. I had a little play cash register. First thing I bought with my own money: When I graduated from college, I bought a new car. My parents gave me the downpayment as a graduation gift. It was a Chevy Citation and it was the first year the car had been made. My dad thought it was going to be a great car. It wasn’t really that great, but it was nice to have a dependable car when I first got out of college. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. The Hastings BcIllllCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — Page 5 Sheriff owes the people some answers To the editor: The article in last week’s Banner about Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf’s investiga­ tion of “voter fraud” is much appreciated and is a testimony to the value of local news sources. I applaud this investigation of the actions of our elected officials, which wouldn’t happen if we were relying only on Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo reporters. Our sheriff has taken it upon himself to waste more of our tax dollars chasing con­ spiracy theories. The list of overthrown law­ suits and audits regarding the 2020 election is getting too long to write in a letter like this, yet he thinks he must investigate. It also appears that the “investigator” (Mark Noteboom) hired by Sheriff Leaf is unquali­ fied for the job. Based on quotes in The Ban­ ner from several local township clerks and the Hastings City Clerk, Noteboom didn’t even know who had possession of the information he was seeking. Instead of spending money looking for a problem that has already been proven nonexistent, perhaps the inquiry should be of the sheriff’s office itself. Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System Do investigations into elections even fall under the normal purview of the county sher­ iff? How about a detailed accounting of the financial aspects of this investigation? Where does it fit inside the budget of the sheriff’s department? What process did the sheriff use to select an investigator? How many other investigators did he interview before select­ ing Noteboom? Is Noteboom credentialed in some way to investigate election issues, or is he a political hack? As an elected official, Sheriff Leaf owes this transparency to the residents who pay his salary. I sincerely hope the reporters at The Banner continue to search for answers to these questions. We deserve to have confidence in our elected officials. I want to be proud to say I am from Barry County - not embarrassed by the actions of some of our county representa­ tives. Ed Szumowski, Hastings Gravel pits, mining issues being overlooked To the editor: I took it upon myself to visit a local shop in the Delton area to hand out flyers and information on the proposed gravel mining in the area of our community. I found it a con­ cern how many people told me they were not interested, or it was of no concern. Obviously, they have not been informed enough of the effects mining or gravel pits have on us, what it does to the natural habitat, area residents’ home values, and basically noise pollution and air pollution in our future. I suggest to those individuals they Google and learn about the dangers that are coming to your backyard. On the other hand, I am thinking, “Why would the zoning board even consider putting these pits on our wetlands (legally protected, correct?) and even consider putting it across from a school.” Seriously, a “special permit” would be amended for this? It is a state-level decision, and for Barry and Hope townships thinking this is going to be controlled, they are mistaking why they were voted into office. They, as a committee, and Jim McManus, as a zoning commission­ er, should be aware of the ordinance stating, “If it is a nuisance to the community and public, it will be banned.” . Seriously, this is nuisance and opened my eyes to all who allow this to happen in our community of Delton. I say, “Shame on you for not stepping up to the plate, doing your job to the satisfaction of your community and protecting our health and well-being.” It also states that in the ordinance, even with a so-called special permit. I have lived here most of my life and never have been so heartbroken and disappointed in a government as I am feeling in Barry and Hope townships. This doesn’t resolve any­ thing, it just makes me consider who I will elect the next time I vote. A lot of people have put time and effort in defending their rights, residences, values and peace of mind. For those who want to lead with a blind eye, shame on them, as well. When you breathe in the air, if this is passed, and you end up having health issues, don’t think you were not warned, as I am doing so now. Maybe my opinion means little, but my intentions to stand up for what I feel is right, my heart tells me so. For the big dogs, thinking this is the right place you have chosen, it’s the wrong place to make your money. Lisa Warner, Barry Township Punishment for drug use has failed To the editor: This year, in our Great Decisions class in Hastings, we learned that the punitive mea­ sures of our 50-year War on Drugs have actu­ ally made the problem worse. Mandatory prison sentences for drug offenses have destabilized families in the U.S. and caused many children to grow up without a parent. We then needed more cells to hold prison­ ers, and private prisons emerged to meet the need. These businesses are now invested in keeping them full. We talked about why ille­ gal drugs are so appealing here, from family breakdown to low pain tolerance, and the boredom and peer pressure of youth. The breakup of big drug cartels in Latin America has acted like Whack-a-Mole, creat­ ing many smaller, more competitive, and violent cartels. The enormous profits of drug dealing are hard for some to resist. The vio­ lence in Latin America has increased dramat­ ically, causing people to leave their homes and walk thousands of miles to seek refuge in America. Punishment of drug use has failed, and we need a more humane response. Harm reduction, by legalizing some drugs and administering limited drugs to people who struggle to beat addiction, lowers crime and violence. And businesses that hire recover­ ing addicts do a big,^service to our commu­ nity. Addiction is a disease. Carole G. Smith, Delton Understanding what Yes means May 3 To the editor: Your ‘Yes’ vote matters and it is import­ ant to understand why: Please understand that this ‘Yes’ vote will complete projects to keep our students safe by finishing monitoring and communica­ tion upgrades in older parts of the schools and by improving drop-off locations. Again, ‘Yes’ for student safety and a priority for voting ‘Yes’ May 3. It is to understand we will improve school structures by improving their energy efficiency and extending their longevity and, by doing so, please understand this, they will last longer and we will send less of our property tax money to big energy companies (that no one wants to send money to). And, yes, this ‘Yes’ vote will replace 70-year-old repatched and leaky roofs, inef­ ficient lighting, single-pane windows, 25year-old buses (three of them) and upgrade 50-year -Id bathrooms that have become an embarrassment to our community. Well, maybe not to those ‘no’ voters who find it a source of their pride and purpose. Voting ‘Yes’ on May 3 is to understand that we will still pay a lower property tax millage rate than we did prior to the 2021 summer taxes. Yes, really. And if you do not own property, maybe no additional tax at all. Please understand we all benefit by a ‘Yes’ vote. Even if you do not have children in school, you are likely benefitting from one of the many community programs that utilize its space, equipment or volunteers. Your ‘Yes’ vote matters. Please vote ‘Yes’ May 3. School of Choice: If you have chosen to send your student to another school district because of your dissatisfaction with Hastings Area Schools, why would you vote to pass a millage to raise taxes for yourself and your extended family? Don’t support a school system that you don’t use. Vote on May 3. Your vote does count and more bonds will be needed to finish some projects. Linda Mellen, Dowling Jazz music filling area this weekend The Thomapple Arts Council will host its 18th annual jazz festival throughout downtown Hastings Thursday, April 28, through Saturday, April 30. “This year’s jazz festival is bigger than ever,” said Joe LaJoye, founder and chair­ man of the Thomapple Arts Council Jazz Festival. “We are back to full swing after the changes made during COVID, and we are excited to have MSU Gold Company join us again this year.” LaJoye said the jazz festival continues to be a high-quality music and educational experience for the many Michigan middle and high school bands that participate in the festival. New to the festival will be two presen­ tations by Dr. Jim Sawyer. In “Jazz and Diversity,” Sawyer will explore the history of jazz music from its beginnings in Afri­ can slave songs to its evolution into the jazz of the early 1900s and beyond. The presentations are free and open to festival participants and the public. The first pre­ sentation will begin at 11:45 a.m. today, April 28, in the Barry Community Enrich­ ment Center, 231 S. Broadway, Hastings; the second will begin at 11:15 a.m. Friday, in the lower level community room of Highpoint Community Bank 150 W. Court St., Hastings. Students from many local schools, including Hastings, Lakewood, Caledonia, Thomapple Kellogg, Wayland, Lowell, Portland, Plainwell, Battle Creek and Galesburg-Augusta, will take part, as will bands from across the state. The jazz festival planning committee, in the past few years, has added an emphasis on post-high school performing arts. The Thomapple Arts Council Jazz Fes­ tival is the largest non-competitive educa­ tional jazz festival in the state, LaJoye said. Each school group attending the fes­ tival will perform in front of a professional musician, who will evaluate their perfor­ mance. Each group will go home with a recording of its performance, as well as May 3 bond proposal gives voters opportunity to complete district projects Next Tuesday, May 3, Hastings Area School System will be bringing a bond pro­ posal before the voters of the school dis­ trict. We are asking for a 6.8 mills invest­ ment to finish what was started in 2015. Last year’s tax rate was 6.9 mills. The cur­ rent bond proposal would be an increase of 0.8 mills from the current tax rate of 6.0, and would not impact taxpayers until winter of 2022. For a market value house of $100,000 (which would have a taxable value of $50,000), the 0.8 mills equates to $40 per year (or $3.33 per month). For a market value house of $200,000 with a taxable value of $100,000, the investment equals $80 per year (or $6.66 per month). With the passing of this bond, schools throughout the district would receive upgrad­ ed security cameras, keying systems, replace­ ment of all single-paned windows, energy upgrades, playground equipment, new buses and upgraded air quality systems. Bond funds would also provide roof replacement at Hasting High School, Hast­ ings Middle School (1997 portion), Star Ele­ mentary (flat portion) and portions of Central Elementary. In addition to these roofing projects, pass­ ing the bond would enable the transition to all-LED lighting districtwide for energy effi­ ciencies and cost savings. Bond funds also would provide remodeled locker rooms at the middle school and high school. The bond also would provide funding for the following at HHS: a remodeled media center, kitchen, athletic lobby, bathroom and classrooms, as well as the installation of a new public address system. Further, all four elementary schools would receive playground equipment. A complete list of proposed projects is available at hasskl2.org. Bond proceeds cannot be used for staff salaries and wages, general operating expens­ es and maintenance or repairs, textbooks or educational materials, or administration costs. Bond proceeds must be used to replace, refurbish or remodel on projects stated in the ballot language. Please exercise your right to vote Tuesday, May 3. Barry Conservation District celebrating National Stewardship Week Sarah Nelson Barry Conservation District Since 1955, conservation districts across the country have joined the National Associ­ ation of Conservation Districts in celebrating stewardship week from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in May. This year’s festivities are centered around the theme “Healthy Soil: Healthy Life,” emphasizing the importance of soil health, water quality and conservation. Starting April 24 and continuing through May 1, Barry Conservation District is joining the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to observe the occasion and commemorate 78 years of conservation efforts in Barry County. “Through our partnership with the state’s 75 conservation districts, we celebrate the vital work these programs play in protecting our natural resources and recognize the importance of soil health, which gives us bountiful crops and forests, clean air and water, and recreational spaces,” Gary McDowell, MDARD director, said. To celebrate, Barry Conservation District is sharing information, fun facts and a special “Fresh from the Field” podcast with soil sci­ entist Karl Hausler. To join in the fun, follow Barry Conservation District on Facebook by searching for @barrycd. The district also will have its annual spring tree sale April 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 30 9 a.m.-noon at Historic Charlton Park southeast of Hastings. Although most tree species sold out during pre-order sales, a limited number of extra broadleaf native tree and shrub seedlings will be available for pur­ chase, including shagbark hickory, coralberry and mapleleaf viburnum. For additional National Stewardship Week information and resources from the National Association of Conservation Districts, visit nacdnet.org/stewardship-week Barry Conservation District was formed in 1944 to work with local farmers and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Ser­ vice (formerly the Soil Conservation Ser­ vice) to address catastrophic soil erosion issues. Over the years, the district has expanded its mission to a wider variety of conservation, education and outreach initia­ tives to address natural resource concerns related to forestry, agriculture, invasive spe­ cies, water quality, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and more. The one thing that has not changed, however, is Barry Conserva­ tion District’s steadfast commitment to com­ munity assistance and responsible natural resources management. More about Barry Conservation District and how its programs serve the community can be found at barrycd.org, or by calling 269-908-4139, or emailing barryconservation@gmail.com. Bob Gaskill, Hastings Vote ‘No’ May 3 To the editor: HASS Headlines the clinician’s notes to help them improve. The jazz festival receives financial sup­ port from a number of local sponsors and grant support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. The Thursday night feature performance will be the Thomapple Jazz Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Hastings. A free-will offering to benefit the Thornapple Jazz Orchestra scholarship fund will be taken. The Friday evening headline perfor­ mance will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Hastings Performing Arts Center, 520 W. South St. That performance will open with the Jazz Festival All-Star Band and conclude with Western Michigan University’s Gold Company. Tickets are $10 each for this performance. More information about the festival, including a full schedule, can be found online at thomapplearts.org or by calling 269-945-2002. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Monday, May 2 - Crafting Passions Group, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; board of directors meeting, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 3 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club on Zoom (monthly story time bag with link and crafts may be picked up at library), 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945­ 4263, or checking its Facebook events. Looking to fill multiple positions including: Housekeeping, Dietary Servers, and Nurse Aides for the Elderly Flexible hours and competitive wages available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 or online at www. carvethvillage. com of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 6 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Dannel Lynn Carpenter Emma Jean Freeland Jerry D. Bennett, age 85, of Lake Odessa, MI, passed away on Sunday, April 24, 2022. Jerry was born March 12, 1937 to Maxell and Carlotta Bennett. He served in the Unit­ ed States Air Force during the Korean War. He worked for Bradford White in Middleville and then worked for 20 years at Lakewood Schools as head of maintenance retiring in 1999. With his wife Betty he spent winters in Texas and enjoyed classic cars. He will be missed by his wife, Bett; chil­ dren, Julie Zink, John Bennett and Barb Ben­ nett; 12 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchil­ dren; siblings, Vai (Rosie) Bennett, Joanne (Tom) Schrenk, Nancy McBrian, Max (Sandy) Bennett; brother-in-law, Lee Ritter, along with many nieces and nephews. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; first wif, Wilma Bennett; sisters, Linda Ritter and Nina Liknes, and grandson ,Tarin Butler. Visitation is planned for Thursday, April 28, 2022 at Lakewood United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m. Burial will take place in Woodland Memorial Park in Woodland Township. Memorials can be given to Manna’s Mar­ ket or UMCOR in Jerry’s name. Fond memories and expressions of sympa­ thy may be shared at www.koopsfc.com for the Bennett family. Dannel Lynn Carpenter, age 72, passed away April 9, 2022 at home near Mt. Pleas­ ant, after a long illness. . Dan was born May 16, 1949 in Hastings, MI to Duane and Mary Carpenter. He was raised on the farm on Ragla Rd. and attended Woodland and Lakewood schools. Dan was a builder and worked construc­ tion. He became a talented glass blower. He was very mechanical, a jack-of-all trades. He loved flowers and houseplants. Dan enjoyed his grandchildren, long con­ versations, laughter and great storytelling. He is survived by his mother, Mary Hesterly; son, Aaron (Stephony) Carpenter of Beld­ ing; three daughters, Tiffmy and Christiana of Greenville and Heather of Hawaii; nine grandchildren; five great grandchildren; three brothers and two sisters. He was preceded in death by his father and infant sister. Respecting Dan’s wishes, he has been cre­ mated and laid to rest at Fuller Cemetery. A graveside service will be held April 30. Pas­ tor Lester DeGroot officiating. Uiip .; , ■ iijlM :j’ j Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Emai 1 gmail.com. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. p.m. 4:30 Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. . Sunday. Randall HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH hastingsfreemethodist.com . Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Lead Moser, Pastor. Wheel­ Bertrand. chair accessible and elevator. Sunday Youth www. School 9:30 a.m. Time 10:30 a.m. activities: for call information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Director, Martha are available. Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery social distancing. Aftermath Family Night Wednesday, Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Kids Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church School Group; Youth 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Jefferson 10 a.m. Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Freeland; grandchildren, Lauren (Jeff) Magnatta, Courtney (Erin) Freeland, Kristen Freeland (Chris Hutchison), Jonathan Free­ land and Jacob Freeland; five great grandchil­ dren; sister-in-law, Shirley Davenport and 13 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edward J. Freeland in 1999, Rev. David Nelson in 2022; son, David in 1996; brother, Robert G. Moore and his wife, Rose; sister, Joan Moore; sister-in-law and brother­ in-law, Beverly and John (Jack) MacLeod; and brother-in-law, Donald L. Davenport. The family will receive visitors on Satur­ day, April 30, 2022 from 9:30 - 11 a.m. prior to the funeral service. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Green Street United Methodist Church, 209 West Green Street, Hastings, MI with Pastor Bryce Feighner officiating. There will be a time of fellowship and lun­ cheon immediately following the funeral service at Green Street United Methodist Church. Interment will follow the luncheon at Riverside Cemetery in Hastings In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Green Street First United Methodist Church, or Phoenix Society for Bum Survivors, in Grand Rapids, MI www. phoenix-society.org Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings, MI. For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net DDA approves bid for light pole stress tests, discusses potential housing developments Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The City of Hastings Downtown Develop­ ment Authority board voted April 21 to approve a $19,800 bid from SME to test the structural integrity of streetlight poles around the city. Travis Tate, director of the department of public services, secured the bid after a light pole fell several weeks ago near Barlow Florist on West State Street because of strong winds. Board members expressed concern that more light poles might be structurally weak and could fall, causing injuries or damage to property. The tests would cover 83 light poles through­ out the city, which would include all 53 “tall” light poles, 25 “short” poles and five city hall light poles. The 25 shorter light poles tested would be chosen from several different areas to provide an idea of the .overall condition of all 125 short light poles. The testing was done this way to help provide accurate results while also keeping the cost of the structural testing low, Hastings City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said. Board members discussed if it was worth spending the money to do the tests and poten­ tially have to spend more money to replace the poles. Moyer-Cale said it would likely be signifi­ cantly more expensive to replace the light poles, but it could potentially be done over a long-term period to help alleviate costs if tests showed they needed to be replaced. Light poles in bad condition could be replaced sooner, and those in better condition could potentially have a few more years before they need to be replaced, she said. Sampling light poles from different areas around the city also could help identify poles in some that endure more wear and tear, said Dan King, the city’s community development director. King said past tests have found light poles on West State Street near Family Fare Supermarket are often in worse shape because fast-traveling plows throw salt farther to the sides of the road, which contributes to wear and tear. During time allotted for DDA board member comments, King said he wanted to clear up some misconceptions he had heard regarding developments on the former Royal Coach site. Although the Michigan State Housing Development Authority officially issued a “no­ go” letter for MSHDA tax credits to be used for any residential developments on the site, King said he wanted it to known that nothing is pre­ venting a residential development to go on the site for market rate or through other state or federal grants. “I do want to dispel those fears,” King said. “There is still a possibility. There’s no prohibi­ tion against residential development on that site.” King also provided a brief update on the vacant lot at 134 E. Court St. The lot was acquired in December 2021 by local developer Marvin Helder, who is working on a plan to develop housing on the lot, King said. Helder presented an unofficial plan to the city at the April 4 planning commission meeting and will present an official plan at the June 6 meeting, King said. !;i ( .. ; (1 The site could accommodate up to nine townhouses, he said. “The ability to put housing on that site is wonderful, especially a site that’s been basical­ ly unsightly and blighted for 30 .years,” King said. “To have a beautiful new housing project on that site with adequate parking is beneficial to the downtown areas.” In other business, the DDA board: • Approved $1,780 in funds for the Down­ town Business Team. Another $1,000 was allo­ cated toward street banners matching the DDA billboard, $180 for window posters and $600 for advertising. • Discussed city parking Lot 8, which will be repaved using $80,000 set aside in the city bud­ get for paving and restriping parking lots. The work is expected to be done after the Lofts@128 construction is complete sometime in June. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Worship hastfmc@ Website: WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Emma Jean Freeland, age 89, of Alma, MI (formerly of Hastings, MI) passed away on April 21, 2022 at Arbor Grove Assisted Liv­ ing in Alma, MI. Emma (known to friends and family as Jean) was bom in Hastings on September 9, 1932, the daughter of Tean (Faulkner) and Robert B. Moore. She was bom and raised in Hastings, Ml and graduated from Hastings High School in 1950. After completing high school, Jean married Edward Joseph Freeland on May 26, 1951. The couple made their home together in Hastings where they raised their three sons during their 48 years of marriage. Throughout their lives together Jean and Ed gave generously of their time not only to their beloved church, but also to the Barry County Historical Society and the Barry Community Foundation. After Ed passed away in 1999 she married Rev. David Nelson on February 28, 2006 in Hastings. Once her children had grown, Jean contin­ ued her education completing her business degree at Davenport College in Grand Rapids. She was employed at the National Bank of Hastings for over 18 years retiring as assistant vice president and was highly regarded as a valuable employee and community member. Jean was known for her sense of humor and love of family, hosting many immediate and extended family gatherings. Jean loved nature, gardening and thoroughly enjoyed watching the birds and other wild animals that she would nurture in the backyard of her home. As a lifelong resident of Hastings, Jean was a mainstay of her graduating class and helped keep her classmates united in friend­ ship, organizing reunions and staying abreast of the needs of her fellow classmates. Jean was a lifetime member of the United Methodist Church of Hastings. She loved her church family and served in many different ministerial capacities including president of the United Methodist Women, chairperson of the Finance and Worship Committees, Bible Study teacher, member of the Endowment Committee and Church Council as well as Lay Member to the Annual Conference. It was well known throughout the church that if help was needed, she would be there. She is survived by her children, Edward M. (Gloria) Freeland and Douglas (Amy) AIAWMDESUFPUEROF HoUjneTools&Eqiripment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 i BOND, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------Challenges to overcome Wayne “Rusty” Stitt has a doctorate in edu­ cation administration from Western Michigan University and formerly served as the School­ craft Community Schools superintendent in Kalamazoo County for more than 10 years. During his time at Schoolcraft, a $39.9 million bond proposal that had previously failed was brought back later and successfully passed. It wasn’t easy, Stitt said. In rural communities like Schoolcraft or Hastings, he said, voters can be more fiscally conservative and concerned about where their tax dollars are going. Stitt said their concerns are valid - because rural communities often have lower property taxes than more populated urban areas, more mills must be passed to gen­ erate the same amount of money. “People want to take control of their money and truly want to make sure that their future is right,” Stitt said. “If you don’t have a good tax base, you’ve got to pull more mills out to get bigger projects within an already struggling community and oh my goodness - good luck.” After the bond originally failed, the district made major changes to their outreach strategy and used a “boots on the ground” approach, he said. The Schoolcraft school district dedicated manpower to reaching out to community mem­ bers, both those who were supportive of the bond and those who opposed it. Stitt said edu­ cators and administrators even participated in classes that taught them how to effectively campaign for a school bond. What’s changed HASS is doing things differently this time around too, Goebel said. The members of the school board’s citizens committee and steering committee have been visiting school events throughout the district to try and inform as many residents about the bond as possible. The district has also made efforts to put out information about the school bond through a variety of different channels, Goebel said. Information about the bond has gone out through local radio station WBCH, the school’s social media pages and a weekly column in The Hastings Banner. “I think we’ve done a very good job of pro­ viding the facts,” Goebel said. “I think if you are in the Hastings Area School System, you’re fully aware of the bond and how much it’s going to cost you and the specific projects that are related to this bond.” Goebel said he’s personally reached out to the township supervisors, treasurers and clerks of both Hastings and Rutland townships to open a dialogue about the bond. Chad VanSyckle, Baltimore Township super­ visor, said he hasn’t noticed anything different when it comes to the district’s communications when compared to their Nov. 2021 bond pro­ posal campaign. He feels that the district isn’t taking the necessary steps to reach communi­ ties around Hastings like Baltimore, he said. “They’ve not come to any Baltimore Town­ ship meetings or made any contact with any­ body that I’ve seen,” VanSyckle said. VanSyckle said if the issues being fixed by the proposal were urgent, they should have been fixed by the bond that passed in 2015 using funds that went toward building the Hast­ ings Performing Arts Center. The Baltimore residents that VanSyckle has talked to all feel the same way he does. The district will have a hard time reaching Balti­ more voters who still feel the district failed them by closing the Pleasantview Elementary School in 2008, he said. The timing of the request is bad too, VanSy­ ckle said, because residents of smaller, mid­ dle-class communities like Baltimore are feel­ ing the pressure of high inflation rates and higher gas prices brought about by changes in the economy. “It’s going to take a lot to change some of these people’s minds,” VanSyckle said. “I truly believe in good education and I’d like to see everything succeed, but you have to be respon­ sible and accountable.” What happens next Goebel is feeling positive about the upcom­ ing election. People in the district recognize the school is asking for funds for necessary items and not just things they’d like to have, he said. “If it passes, 1 can celebrate with the commu­ nity and then get right to work,” Goebel said. “Because we have a lot of projects that need to be addressed.” If the proposal doesn’t pass, the school will need to reevaluate its finances and priorities to find a way forward, he said. In Stitt’s experience, schools that can’t pass a bond proposal for essential fixes are often faced with tough choices on where that money is going to come from. The way school funding works is a broken system because of the way it relies on taxpayers, and it’s a challenge that schools in small communities all across the state must overcome, Stitt said. Schools are essentially forced to ask their local taxpayers for a loan in the form of a bond proposal, because their general funds are most­ ly used for personnel and education costs. Sinking funds can be used to help cover some of the cost of essential fixes, but it’s a challenge to fund large projects. Schools are left with a big dilemma: Either make taxpayers foot the bill for fixes or go without and risk losing stu­ dents to other districts as infrastructure crum­ bles, he said. Regardless of whether a proposal passes or fails, the results can often prove to be a sore spot for the community. While the winners celebrate, they should still hear what the other side has to say, Stitt said. “There has to be some healing in the com­ munity. You need to start that healing process after the celebration,” he said. “As a school community, you need to thank everyone and let people adjust.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — Page 7 1940s headlines reveal license City council holds plate codes, need for trailer titles budget workshop, discusses changes The Nov. 27, 1941, Banner included a list of the “code letters” assigned to coun­ ties for the upcoming distribution of state license plates. Similar county designation letters have been used by the state off and on over the decades. Although the headline read “License plate letters explained,” no explanation was given for how the code letters were assigned. They may have been loosely based on population or by the number of licensed drivers in each county. Barry County, which had a population of 22,613 in the 1940 U.S. Census, is sandwiched between Chippewa County, with 27,807, and Menominee County, 24,803. License plate letters explained Clip this list and save it for future reference Many people, especially motorists who do more or less driving, are constantly won­ dering where the car they meet or the one just ahead of them is from. Familiarity with the letters used on the license plates to des­ ignate the counties would be very helpful. Therefore, we are printing herewith the list as they are used on the 1942 and 1943 plates and suggest that the list be cut out and kept in the car for handy reference. These letters identify passenger cars only and are not used on commercial vehicles or trailers. — MICHIGAN -* H IF* Mb dMb M fl n it nn Rr'booO The State of Michigan over the years intermittently assigned letters to the counties from which license plates were issued. The Banner in late November 1941, printed the list of counties and letter designations for license plates for the next two years. The U.S. entered World War II just after the list was printed. Most owner of 1942 plates were given a small metal “43” tab to attach to their existing plates as a way to con­ serve metal during the war. (Wikimedia Commons photo) MV through MW - Branch X' MX through MY - Delta NA through NB - Grand Traverse NE through NF - Gogebic NG through NH - Dickinson NJ through NK - Cass NL through NM - Clinton NN through NP - Isabella NR through NS - Newaygo NT through NU - Chippewa PE through PF - Wexford EA through EN - Oakland PG through PH - Manistee FA through FK - Kent GA through GK - Genesee TURNING BACK THE PAGES NV through NW - Barry PC through PD - Alpena AA through DZ - Wayne f NC through NC - Livingston NX through NY - Menominee PA through PB - Mason Code Letters - County z fl look Da6k at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner PJ through PK - Iron This could be treated as a sidebar, with the trailer photo The Sept. 6, 1945, Banner let readers know that proof of title was already a requirement for travel trailers after a recent state ruling: PL through PM - Mecosta HA through HH - Ingham PN through PR - Emmet HJ through HH - Macomb HS through HX - Saginaw JA through JF - Calhoun PS through PT - Oceana PU through PV - Osceola JG through JM - Kalamazoo JN through JT - Berrien PW through PX - Charlevoix JU through JZ - Washtenaw KA through KE - Jackson RA through RB - Cheboygan PY through PZ - Clare RC through RD - Presque Isle RE through RF - Arenac KF through KK - Muskegon KL through KR - St. Clair RG through RH - Ogemaw KS Jhrough KV - Ottawa KW through KZ - Bay LA through LD - Lenawee RJ through RK - Schoolcraft RL througTTRM'-GTadwih LE through LH - Monroe LJ through LL - Shiawassee LM through LN - St. Joseph LP through LR - Marquette LS through LT - Tuscola RR through RS - Iosco LU through LV - Van Buren LW through LX - Ionia SD through SE - Missaukee LY through LZ - Allegan MA through MB - Montcalm SH through SJ - Otsego MC through MD - Lapeer SM through SN - Kalkaska ME through MF - Huron SP through SR - Alcona MG through MH - Gratiot SS through ST - Mackinac MJ through MK - Hillsdale ME through MF - Houghton SW through SX - Lake RN through RP - Ontonagon RT through RU - Alger RV through RW - Benzie RX through RY - Baraga SA through SC - Antrim SF through SG - Luce SK through SL - Leelanau SU through SV - Roscommon MN through MP - Eaton SY through SZ - Montmorency MR through MS - Midland TC through TD - Oscoda MT through MU - Sanilac TED through TF - Keweenaw Titles now required for trailers Licenses cannot be issued now without a certificate of title All house car owners must be governed by the new law, passed this year by the leg­ islature and now in effect, which requires a certificate of title in the same form as car owners.------------- —-—All branch offices, which issue licenses, have been notified that “all house trailers shall, after Sept. 1, 1945, be titled the same as passenger cars and commercial motor vehicles before being operated on Michigan highways.” The law defines a house trailer as “every vehicle designed or used for dwelling purposes and drawn behind a motor vehicle.” The title fee is $1, and the transfer fee is $1. On new trailers, dealers must furnish a bill of sale, which shall be submitted to the branch office in applying for a title. Titles to present owners may be issued by presenta­ tion of a bill of sale or previous registration or receipt. No house trailer can be on the road legal­ ly after Sept. 1 without the owner having a certificate of title. Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings City Council held a bud­ get workshop April 25 before its regular meeting to review the city’s budget at the end of the third fiscal quarter. Council members discussed what expenses required major changes to the budget passed last year. General fund expenses for this year’s revised budget were up to $6.1 million this year, com­ pared to last year’s $5.9 million. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale listed expenses and reallocations that were reflected in the revised budget draft: $15,000 for a reconstruction of the city website, $30,000 for updated policy pro­ cedures and cloud technology access for the police department; $67,000 for radio and SCUBA breathing equipment for the fire department; $40,000 for parking lot maintenance for lots not in the special assessment district; $50,000 for parking lot maintenance in the special assessment district; $20,000 for compost screening services;* $75,000 MSHDA grant being received and distributed to low- to moder­ ate-income homeowners who do exterior improvements to their homes; $20,000 for improvements at Sweezy’s Pond; $20,000 for Hastings Dog Park amenities and Fish Hatchery Park bathroom improvements, which will be partially grant-funded; $10,000 for upgraded equipment for the cable access committee; $20,250 for a wage and compensation study. Other significant changes in the budget came to the city’s water and sewer fund. Budgeted expenses for the fund went up to $3.2 million up from last year’s $2.8 million. The city has been repairing more water main breaks, which the revised budget reflects in increased road and pavement contracting repair costs, Moyer-Cale said. A budgeted $55,000 toward sewer and storm system repairs likely won’t cover all of the repairs that need to be done, but will be a good start, she said. The state required two full-time per­ sonnel be hired at the wastewater treat­ ment facility, which was also reflected in the budget. Funds for repairs and replacements to water service lines also were increased from $35,000 up to $120,000. This was due to the Michigan Department of Envi­ ronment, Great Lakes, and Energy requir­ ing municipalities to start replacing 5 percent of any identified lead water ser­ vice lines, starting this year. The $120,000 budgeted will cover the replacement of 15 lines, out of 300 the city has identified Elaine Garlock THE NEW ROYAL COMMANDER The prominent position Royal has attained in the trailer field has been greatly facilitated by an abundance of manufacturing equipment, a large factory, ample finance, and highly skilled labor. Royal coaches are noted for their exceptional value, quality construction, improved design and beauty. See a Royal Com­ mander before you purchase a new frailer. You will be glad you did. Royal always leads with the latest in features. ROYAL COACH CO. Hastings, Mich. The “New Royal Commander” manufactured in Hastings by Royal Coach was advertised in this 1945 Barry County plat book the same year the state passed legislation requiring certificate of title for travel trailers, (barry.migenweb.org image) Theo Joseph, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock on April 11, 2022 to Bailey Elliott and Jef­ frey Friend of Hastings. ***** Truett Allen Adrianson, Arbor Day is to be observed here Friday, April 29 at 10 a.m. at the Village Park where the annual proclamation will be read and a tree will be planted. Long ago, the day was marked by a big event with children from West Elementary walking to the depot on Emerson Street. There, the fascinating machine with big scoops that telescope made a circular excavation much to the amazement of the children and adults alike. Then at a signal, came a village tractor bearing a new tree which was then planted in the hole in the ground that was exactly the right size to accommodate the root ball of the new maple tree. It was then planted amid cheers from the crowd which included a great number of adults, also. Village offi­ cials were on hand to take part. In many other years, the event was very low-key with only a handful of citizens present. Last week, Marjorie Barcroft of Carlton Center advanced a year on the anniversary of her birth date. She turned 97. She now has four adult grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The road on the west side of Lakeside Cemetery is stacked with neatly piled green pipes intended for a utility project that has been in the works for months. At times there were traffic lights at either end of the curved section of Cemetery Road during as containing lead so far. Library Director Peggy Hemerling gave a report on the status of the Hastings Public Library fundraising project to pay for replacing the library’s windows. The library has raised about $690,000 toward the project, with an estimated $1.2 mil­ lion required to complete the project. In other business, the city council: Approved a request from Northside Pizza at 829 N. Michigan Ave. to allow placement of tables and chairs in the city sidewalk. • Approved a request from Spectrum Health Pennock to use the Fish Hatchery Park Pavilion May 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for hands-on training to inform the public of how to treat bleeding. • Approved a request from the Hastings Band Boosters to use Thomapple Plaza May 24, from 2 to 10 p.m. for Band-aPalooza concert and fundraiser. • Approved a proposal for the truck bay door and opener at the wastewater treat­ ment plant from West Michigan Door Co. for $7,400 as recommended by Director of Public Services Travis Tate. • Approved a request from the Down­ town Business Team to hold the Spring Girls Night Out and Sidewalk Sales 5-8 p.m. Thursday, May 5. The council also approved street closure for a dance con­ test from 6:55 to 7:30 p.m. as part of the event. • Approved a request from the Ameri­ can Legion to hold the annual Memorial Day Parade at 9:30 a.m. May 30. • Approved a proposal from Municipal Consulting Services to conduct a classifi­ cation and compensation study in an amount not to exceed $20,250, as recom­ mended by Moyer-Cale. • Approved a proposal for survey ser­ vices from Exxel Engineering Inc. for $7,850, as recommended by Tate. The surveying is being completed to allow plans to be drafted for fencing around both water towers and improvements being made to parking Lot 8. • Set a public hearing for May 9 to hear oral and written comments from the pub­ lic on the annual city budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. • Approved 2022 events for the Ham­ mond Hills Disc Golf Course, starting in May and ending in October. • Received a report from Hastings Chief of Police Dale Boulter. According to the report, city police responded to 414 calls for service, with a total of 13 arrests and 11 traffic accidents. Officers issued 21 citations, eight being moving viola­ tions, 13 being non-moving violations. when only one lane was open to traffic. The Tri-River Museum group is observ­ ing its annual “Spring Into the Past” event this weekend, April 30 and May 1, at its many museums in several counties. This year the Lake Odessa Museum will not be participating. However there are exhibits at museums in Bowne Center, possibly Charl­ ton Park and many points north and west, ranging from Byron Center to Cedar Springs, Rockford, Lakeview, Vestaburg, Edmore and points in between such as Greenville and Belding. Each participating museum will have maps and listings of other museums. All museums are free at this one event, even though many have small fees or donation baskets at other times in the year when they are open. Another museum item of interest is a log cabin built according to original specs by local men a few years ago, within the con­ fines of the Main Street location. Retired teacher Doug Schmuck is a key member of the Sunfield group. Forsythia is in frill bloom. Daffodils, hya­ cinths, tulips and other spring flowers are making a great showing this week. One ambitious neighbor already has his garden rototilled. He has many plants already growing in large containers. He will be ready to plant when the first frost-free date arrives. bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on April 12, 2022 to Brittany Nicole Adrianson and Grant James Adrianson of Hastings. Aaron Eldon Huggett, bom at Spectrum Willow Jean Boze, bom at Spectrum Health Health Pennock on March 31, 2022 to Caitlin Pennock on March 31, 2022 to Gracie Boze of Huggett and Scott Huggett of Bellevue. ***** Caledonia. Izais Dakota John Sierra, bom at Spectrum * * sfc * sfe Dixie Mae Wilson, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on April 13,2022 to Natalie Mae Harville ***** Mateo Alexander Lynn Hall, bom at Spec­ Health Pennock on April 2, 2022 to Teresa Sierra trum Health Pennock on April 9, 2022 to Saman­ and Jesus Sierra of Vermontville. ***** tha Serbantez and Jamie Hall of Hastings. and Damon Eugene Wilson of Allegan. ***** Ramona Rhee Allerding, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on February 25, 2022 to Clarissa Allerding and Alex Allerding of Hastings. Joshua Vincent Palazzolo, Hastings and Britany Marie Bauman, Hastings Thomas Anthony Sajtar, Hickory Comers and Lena Marie Hall-Gregg, Hickory Comers Amber Elizabeth Schwartz, Middleville and Andrew Ryan Stambolija, Middleville �Page 8 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HCDC divers earn medals at Region 5 Championship meet Dakota Joe Cranson, 27, of Nashville, was found guilty of possession of a controlled sub­ stance, methamphetamine. He was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to 38 days in jail, with credit for 38 days served, ordered to pay $268 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 12 months. Cranson violated the terms of his probation, resulting in the termination of his 7411 Holmes Youthful Trainee status, which was revoked at a hearing March 29. Charles Allen Ellis, 54, of Hastings, was found guilty of possession of a controlled sub­ stance, methamphetamine, as a second-time or subsequent offender. He sentenced by Judge Schipper to two days in jail, with credit for two days served, $458 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 12 months. Ellis was ordered to participate in and successfully complete the Office of Community Corrections Cog­ nitive and Relapse Prevention programs, pay a $40 monthly supervision fee or the $60 month­ ly fee for electronic monitoring. Two other charges of possession of the controlled substance meth­ amphetamine as a second-time or subsequent offender and operat­ ing a vehicle on a suspended license were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Nicholas Joy Grinage, 48, of Nashville, was found guilty of malicious destruction of personal property valued at more than $1,000. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 270 days in jail, with credit for 179 days served, and ordered to pay $2,998 in fines and costs. Grinage was placed on probation for 24 months, with a $40 per month supervision fee or $60 per month fee for electronic monitoring. Toni Lynn Watts, 34, of Mid­ dleville, was found guilty of oper­ ating a vehicle while intoxicated as a third-time offender. She was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve nine days in jail, with credit for nine days served, pay fines and costs of $858, and placed on probation for 36 months. Watts was ordered to participate in and successfully complete adult drug court and pay a monitoring fee of $40 a month or a $60 monthly fee for electronic monitoring. A charge of operating a vehicle while her license was suspended was dismissed at the time of sen­ tencing. Nicholas Eldonlee Wyatt, 42, of Plainwell, was found guilty of third-degree fleeing a police offi­ cer as a habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 365 days in jail, with credit for 64 days served; ordered to pay $7,660 in fines and costs; and placed on probation for 24 months. He was ordered to partic­ ipate in and successfully com­ plete the Office of Community Corrections, Cognitive and Relapse Prevention programs. He must pay a $40 supervision fee each month or a $60 monthly fee for electronic monitoring. A charge of operating a vehicle on a suspended license was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Hastings Community Diving Club National team divers Abigail Dumond and Aubrey Yarger celebrate winning two medals each, in two events each, at the USA Diving Region 5 Championships in Akron, Ohio, April 22-24, with HCDC coach Todd Bates. Both girls have already qualified for the AAU Spring Nationals, which will be held in West Virginia over the Memorial Day weekend. Both girls competed in the 1-meter and 3-meter competitions in Akron and qualified for the USA Diving Zone C meet which will be held in June. The two divers are pictured with HCDC coach Todd Bates. “Our athletes having been putting in the time with extra practices during spring break and they have come up against some tough competition from Atlanta, Indiana and New York,” Bates said. Dumond was sixth in the 14-15 Girls 1-meter Junior Olympic competition in Akron and seventh in the 3-meter event. Yarger placed ninth in the 12-13 Girls 1-meter Junior Olympic competition and ninth in the 3-meter event too. Delivery driver run off road by tractor Police responded to a report from a FedEx driv­ er who said he had been run off the road on April 18 by a man on a tractor near Walters and West Cloverdale roads. The FedEx driver, a Battle Creek man, said he had delivered packages to a residence on Walters Road earlier in the month when a man ran out of his house and began yelling at him after he had delivered a package. The driver believes it was the same man he encountered April 18; he told police that’s when he saw the man driving toward him on a tractor in the wrong lane. The driver said he had to swerve off the road to avoid hitting the man’s tractor. The driver told police he could provide dash camera footage and agreed to do so. 18TH ------ Annua Man lured, but offer was fishy Thomapple Arts Council Jazz and Diversity with Dr. Jim Sawyer Thursday, April 28th 11:45 AM Leason Sharpe Hall Barry Community Enrichment Center Friday, April 29th 11:15 AM Lower Level Community Room Highpoint Community Bank Thornapple Jazz Orchestra TJO Thursday, April 28th 7:30 PM First Presbyterian Church of Hastings Admission: free Jazz Fest sARTS ans.gov THQRNAPPLE ^S^COUNOL Police responded to an Irving Road residence at noon April 7 after receiving a report from a woman that an emu was loose in their yard. While police were talking to the woman, they saw the emu run through the backyard, across the road and into the woods. Sometime later, police received a report that the emu had been seen near the intersection of Gun Police responded to a report of an overturned pickup truck on Ragla Road near Bowler Road around 3 p.m. April 20. Barry County Central Dis­ patch received a call from a Hastings man request­ ing a tow after getting in an accident. When the vehicle was flipped upright to be towed, a pistol and holster fell out of the truck and onto the road. Police kept the gun to return it to its owner. Police made contact with the man the next day, who said he had fallen asleep while turning on Ragla Road from Bowler Road because he had been awake since the day before the acci­ dent, April 19. After crashing, the man said he crawled out of the vehicle and got a ride from someone passing by. He had been headed to his girlfriend’s house, where he went to sleep. The man was issued a citation for failure to report an accident. Woodchuck bites boy Police responded April 20 to a Quimby Road residence after receiving a report of a groundhog biting a 9-year-old boy. Police received the report from Spectrum Health Pennock in Hastings and talked to the boy’s mother. She said her son was playing in the yard when he approached the groundhog. As he got closer, the woodchuck ran at the boy and bit him, she said. The boy was treated at Spectrum Health and a rabies treatment was begun. Prairieville Police close two CSC investigations Friday, April 29th Tickets https://qrco.de/bcONnP 7:30 PM Hastings Performing Arts Center Admission: $10 iteli Arts Emu on the loose Gun falls out of overturned truck IVZ/IIRIIIISilU Gold Company NATIONAL ENDOWMENT Police responded to a report April 20 from a Hastings man who said he paid $250 for fishing lures online and didn’t receive them. The man said he agreed to buy the lures from a man on Face­ book who he thought lived in Battle Creek. After sending the money and waiting for a week, the Hastings man inquired about the whereabouts of the lures. The seller did not respond and even deleted his Facebook messag­ es. After hearing similar accounts from friends of the seller, the man decided to call the police and press charges. Police said they are trying to make contact with the seller and will submit charges to the Barry County Prosecutor’s Office. Lake and Irving roads but could not locate the bird. Police determined that a Cedar Creek Road man had reported a missing emu April 3. The bird had reportedly scaled the fence and escaped the property. Police let the owner know the emu had been recently seen. The owner told police the bird might be hostile if cornered and would be hard to catch, giving them permission to kill the bird if needed. Police told the owner it was his responsibility to catch or kill the bird, and he would be held accountable if the bird injured someone, was hit by a car, or if police were required to kill the bird. The man told police he understood and would tryto take care of the situation. Downtown DOUGLAS a. & MARGARET E, Hastings highpomt Decamp S’ < ro“™TION Prairieville Police released a statement Monday announcing the closure of two investigations and issued warrants for two suspects on charges of criminal sexual con­ duct. The two cases were unrelated, but both investigations started in November 2021 and ended this month, Prairieville Police Chief Kevin Callahan said. The first case involved a 48-year-old Delton area woman who police allege had sexual con­ tact with a male minor who lived in the same household. Police interviewed the victim and several other people. The information was corroborated, and police aid they conducted a search of thousands of digital photos, text messages, videos and social media posts, Callahan said. A four-count warrant for first-degree criminal sexual con­ duct was issued for the woman, and the case was sent to the Barry County Prosecutor’s Office for review. The second case involved a 50-year-old Barry County man who allegedly had sexual contact with a minor female family mem­ ber several years ago. After con­ ducting an interview with the vic­ tim and several other people, police issued a seven-count war­ rant involving first-degree crimi­ nal sexual conduct. The case was sent to the prosecutor for review. Both suspects have been pro­ cessed at the Barry County Jail, he said. The investigations were long because of the large volume of information and data that had to be collected and authenticated, Calla­ han said. “It was an extensive amount of data and a lot of documents we had to go through,” he said. “To be able to see something through for the victims so they feel some type of closure is really important to us.” �The Hastings ANNER S -P O RT g SE (3 TTIOTSf Thursday, April 28, 2022 TK girls walk off in game one against FHE Brett Bremer Hastings first singles player Brooklynn Youngs goes down to get a backhand shot during her team's dual with visiting Coldwater Thursday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Undefeated start for Saxon girls in 1-8 Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons suffered the first blemish on their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference record Monday afternoon, but they're still undefeated. The Hastings- varsity' girls' tennis team moved its conference record to 2-1-1 with a 4-4 tie against visiting Jackson Lumen Chris­ ti in Hastings. Megan Deal had the lone singles victory for the Saxons Monday taking a 6-0, 6-0 win over Maggie Lefere from Lumen Christi in the fourth singles match. Both teams pulled out one three-set victory on the day to stay even. The Saxon third dou­ bles team of Megan Rowley and Calin Red­ man scored a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 win over the Titans' Lucy Martin and Lexie Thornhill. Lumen Christi got its three-set win at number two singles where Olivia Eaker edged the Saxons' Abby Beemer 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. The Saxons' other wins came from the first doubles team of Bailey Cook and Erin Dan­ iels which knocked off Lauren Craft and Alexa Thompson 6-3, 6-4, and the second doubles team of Brinna Cobb and Sophia Ahearns that scored a 7-6, 6-2 win over Lily Melnick and Ella Melatich. Lumen Christi got 6-0, 6-0 wins from Michaela Hauer at third singles and from the fourth doubles team of Maddison Arcaro and Kate Ganton. Maggie Page took the first singles match for the Titans by outscoring the Saxons' Brooklynn Youngs 6-2, 6-3. Hastings started the 1-8 season with wins over Pennfield and Coldwater last week, and followed up the draw with Lumen Christi by scoring a 5-3 win over non-conference foe Plainwell Tuesday. Overall the Saxons are 4-1-1 on the season. Their only loss was in a non-conference dual with Otsego to open the spring. Youngs and Beemer both scored victories at the top two flights in those duals with Pen­ nfield, Coldwater and Plainwell for the Saxon team that has ten players back from last year's line-up. Coach Andrew Haines said Julia McLean and Deal, in the third and fourth singles spots, are adjusting to playing singles and continue to improve every match they play. McLean fell to the Titans' Michaela Hauer 6-0, 6-0. . Haines said he knew the dual with Lumen Christi would be a good test for all his girls. The Titans edged Hastings 5-3 in their 1-8 dual last spring and the Saxons were hoping to flip those numbers. “Harper Creek and Parma will also present challenges [in the conference],” Haines said. “This is a competitive team. They hate losing - really really hate losing. They have a desire to compete at the top of the 1-8. Their focus and ability to grind out tough wins will pay a huge part in how successful our season is.” Not much has changed in the Saxon doubles line-up this season. Juniors Cook and Daniels at first doubles are together again and are 5-0 so far after helping the team to the 5-3 non-con­ ference win over Plainwell Tuesday afternoon. Youngs and Beemer won the top two sin­ gles matches against Plainwell's Trojans. Cobb and Ahearns at second doubles and Rowley and Redman at third doubles earned the other Saxon team points with wins. Sports Editor There were highs and lows for the Trojans Wednesday evening (April 20) and not just high winds and low temperatures. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity softball team split its OK Gold Conference double­ header with visiting Forest Hills Eastern. The Trojans rallied for an 8-7 walk-off win in game one but were bested 17-2 in three innings in game two. “The first game was great,” TK head coach Ashleigh Garrett said. “We battled. They jumped out to a lead and we just kept chip­ ping away. The Hawks took a 5-0 lead with three runs in the top of the third inning. TK fought back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and then six in the sixth. Forest Hills Eastern erased that three-run TK lead with three runs in the top of the seventh inning which tied the game at 8-8. The seventh inning surge for the TK ladies to take the win was especially impressive as it was the 7-8-9 hitters getting the job done. Rachel Shoemaker led off the inning with a single, went to third on a hard-hit double into Centerfield by teammate Ellie Vandefifer and then scored on a wild pitch with team­ mate Paris Viviano at the plate. “The bottom of our line-up stepped up and scored the winning run. It was awesome,” Garrett said. Kylee Hoebeke had a big game for TK at the plate going 3-for-3 and scoring two runs. Sophie Haveman, Peyton Stahl and Grace Zube each doubled for TK in the win. Stahl was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Other TK hits came from Shelby Robinett and Ella Palazzolo. had two RBI and Robinett, Palazzolo and Haveman had one RBI apiece. Hoebeke went the distance in the circle for TK. She struck out seven and walked one in seven innings while allowing nine hits. Of the eight mns against her only two were earned as TK made six errors. “She belongs here,” Garrett said of her Thornapple Kellogg shortstop Kylee Hoebeke spins to put a tag on Forest Hills Eastern's Avery Schestag as she slides safely into third during the Hawks' game two victory over the Trojans in Middleville Wednesday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) freshman pitcher Hoebeke, who played short­ stop in game two. “She came in ready to go. It was great. I can’t wait to see what she does the next three years. Kylee works the zone, she throws hard, and she is a smart pitcher. She knows how to work the count and when to throw what. She has a lot of different pitch­ es. She just has command of everything.” It was a rough defensive game in the night­ cap too with TK committing another seven errors. The Hawks also outhit TK 11-1 in that bailgame after the Trojans had a dozen hits of their own in game one. Forest Hills Eastern and TK were tied 2-2 after one inning, but the Hawks struck for ten runs in the second and then finished the game early with five runs in the bottom of the third inning. TK’s lone hit was an RBI single by Hoe­ beke in the first that plated Robinett who reached base when she was hit by a pitch. Hoebeke eventually came around to score Hastings fourth doubles player Audrey Vertalka hits a serve during her team's win over visiting Coldwater in an Interstate-8 Athletic Conference dual Thursday in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings outscored Coldwater 6-2 last Thursday. Youngs took a 6-1, 6-1 win over the Cardinals' top player Emma Madden. Beemer won 6-2, 6-4 over Jillian Hawver at second singles. On the doubles' side the Saxons took a sweep. Cook and Daniels won 6-3, 6-0 over Ashley Drzewicki and Mimi Nguyen. At number two, Cobb and Ahearns won 7-5, 6-1. Rowley and Redman took a 6-2, 6-4 win at third doubles and Jalyn Grimes teamed with Audrey Vertalka for a 6-2, 6-1 win at number four. The Saxons opened the conference season with a 7-1 win over Pennfield Wednesday, April 20. Youngs defeated Pennfield's number one, Olivia Jenney, 6-0, 6-3. Beemer took a 6-1, 6-2 win over Aubriana Farrow at number two. Pennfield forfeited the fourth singles point to Deal. Rowley and Redman at number three dou­ bles and Grimes and Vertalka at number four both scored double bagel, 6-0, 6-0, wins. Cook and Daniels bested Anna Keown and Emily O'Neil 6-3, 6-0. At second doubles, Cobb and Ahearns scored a 6-2, 6-1 win over Madison Collins and Victoria Johnson. Hastings is scheduled to visit Jackson Northwest for a conference dual this after­ noon, April 28, and then host Ottawa Hills and Loy Norrix for a Saxon Invitational Sat­ urday, April 20. The Saxons will be home for a conference dual Monday against Harper Creek and then go to Lakewood for a non-conference dual Tuesday. Hastings will visit Parma Western Thursday, May 5. Thomapple Kellogg's Rachel Shoemaker hustles for third on a double by teammate Ellie Vandefifer before eventually scoring the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one of the Trojans' doubleheader with visiting Forest Hills Eastern Wednesday, April 20. (Photo by Brett Bremer) thanks to the one Hawk error in the ballgame. Robinett was tagged with the loss in the circle, but only three of the 17 runs against her were earned. She struck out two and walked four in 2.2 innings. “It is hard. We have only played four games,” Garrett said after the split. “This team is definitely better than the [Portland] team that we played last Thursday, but hope­ fully it gets better from here.” Things proved tough Thursday as TK fell 18-0 and 8-1 in the two games of a non-con­ ference doubleheader against-Coldwater. The three hits in the 18-0 game one loss for TK were a triple by Zube, a double by Hoe­ beke and a single from Viviano. TK gave up another four unearned runs in that defeat, with Payton Stahl and Robinett sharing pitching duties. Coldwater benefitted from five unearned runs in game two. Hoebeke threw that con­ test, allowing three earned runs in six innings. She struck out nine, walked three and allowed nine hits. TK had five hits, all singles. Zube was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Hoebeke had TK’s lone RBI with a single. Sophie Haveman and Shoemaker each singled once. Caledonia took an 8-5 win over the Trojans in Middleville in a non-conference bailgame Monday afternoon. The Fighting Scots smacked 11 hits as they scored the game’s final four runs to pull in front. The Scots led 4-1 after three innings. TK moved in front 5-4 with four runs in the bottom of the fourth and then the Scots took the lead right back at 7-5 with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Kala Bisterfeldt with 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI for the Scots. Carleigh Tanner had three singles in four at-bats. She scored three times. Kathleen Clarey also had two singles for the Scots. Kylee Hoebeke led the TK attack with two singles and two RBI. Palazzolo, Stahl and Elaina O’Riley each singled once for TK. o”Riley, Zube and Viviano had RBI. TK goes to Byron Center for a non-confer­ ence doubleheader this afternoon. The Tro­ jans’ OK Gold Conference doubleheader with Kenowa Hills on the schedule for Tuesday, April 26, was postponed. No trouble for Vikings in wins at Ionia and Eastern Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity girls’ tennis team opened the season with a pair of non-conference wins over Ionia and Lansing Eastern last week. The Vikings knocked off Ionia 6-2 Thurs­ day, April 21, at Ionia High School powered by a sweep of the four doubles flights. While the four singles matches were all highly competitive contests, the Lakewood girls won all four doubles flights in straight sets led by the number one team of Alli Pick­ ard and Abby Pickard that scored a 6-1, 6-1 win over the Bulldog team of Riley Browne and Caitlin McGuire. Emmi Chase and Ellie Haddix scored a 6-2, 6-0 win for the Vikings at second dou­ bles. Gabby Hansen and Abby Gibson won 6- 0, 6-2 at third doubles. At fourth doubles, the Viking team of Liv Everitt and Paige Wolverton won 6-1, 6-0. The top two singles matches both went to a super tiebreaker. Lakewood number one Kristen Finsaas bested the Bulldogs Jessa Swinehart 6-3, 4-6, (10-3). At number two, the Bulldogs’ Kate Brown edged Lakewood’s Izzy Wheeler in an extended super tiebreaker 2-6, 6-2,(15-13). Lakewood’s Jasmine Stewart earned the fourth singles point for her team with a 7- 6(3), 6-4 win over Ionia’s Jewels Conn. At third singles, Ionia’s Isabella Reisbig scored a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kylee Goble. Lakewood took a 7-1 win at Lansing East­ ern Tuesday, April 19. It was another doubles sweep for the Vikings. Everitt and Wolverton were teamed up at first doubles to score a 6-0, 6-1 over the Quakers’ Alina Phan and Andrea Aguilar. Chase and Haddix scored a 6-0, 6-0 win at number two doubles. The Pickard sisters, Alli and Abby, earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at third doubles. Hansen and Gibson earned a forfeit win at fourth doubles. Finsaas was the only Viking bested Tues­ day. She was downed 6-2, 6-0 by Eastern’s Rhionnon Lucas. Wheeler won 6-0, 6-3 at second singles over MiKayLee Fedele. Goble took the third singles flight with a 6-1, 3-6, (10-5) win in a super tiebreaker against Alina Levandowski at third singles. Stewart won a 6-3, 6-0 win over Jovanna Gallegos in the fourth singles match. �Page 10 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner BCCS splits doubleheader at Stockbridge with game two rally Saxon boys make it two wins by taking final relay Valerie Slaughter The Barry County Christian School var­ sity baseball team got out of the Great Lakes 6 Conference momentarily to face Stockbridge from the Greater Lansing Activities Conference in a doubleheader on the road Thursday. The Eagles split a pair of five-inning games with the Panthers falling 2-1 in the opener before the bats came to life for an 11-7 win in game two. Stockbridge scored single runs in the first and third innings of the opener to take a 2-0 lead while starting pitcher Collin Cook held the Eagles hitless through four innings. The Eagles cut their deficit in half in the top of the fifth Walks by W Saint and Aspen Neimeyer sandwiched around a Brody Grihorash single loaded the bases for the Eagles before Collins was able to strike out two batters. Saint scored on a wild pitch, and everyone else moved up a base, but Col­ lins got a third strike out in the inning to stymie the rally. Neimeyer took the loss on the mound. He allowed just there hits and both Stock­ bridge runs against him were unearned. He struck out one. “Aspen had a good outing,” Barry County Christian head coach Brandon Strong said. He didn’t issue any walks, but two errors proved costly. Aspen threw a total of 40 pitches. With that kind of out­ ing we expect to win.” Game two was back and forth with Stockbridge taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Grihorash, who was mak­ ing his first start of the season. Wyatt Smit came on in relief and threw the next 3.3 innings and struck out four. Brandt Noe closed out the game for the Eagles on the mound by striking out the final two batters. The Eagles clawed out of the 4-0 hole to lead 5-4 after their half of the third inning. The Panthers took the lead back at 6-5 at the end of three, then the Eagles took the lead for good with four runs in the top of the fourth that had them up 9-6 at the time. Stockbridge got back to within 9-7 with a run in the bottom of the fourth before the Eagles sealed things with two runs in the top of the fifth. Joe Wise doubled during the Eagles’ fourth-inning surge, a rally which included a couple walks, RBI singles by Isaiah Bir­ mingham and Noe and freshman Dustin Lampart getting hit by a pitch, and a key Stockbridge error in the end. Coach Strong said his guys were excep­ tionally disciplined at the plate in game two. Wise had a big game walking twice and scoring three times. Pair of wins for DK boys on first afternoon of SAC Valley track Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ track and field team got off to a 2-0 start in Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division duals with wins over Hackett Catholic Prep and Schoolcraft in Delton Wednesday, April 20. The DK boys bested Schoolcraft 101.5­ 34.5 and Hackett 85-43. The DK girls split their duals with a 77-46 win over Hackett and an 86-49 loss to the Schoolcraft girls. The Schoolcraft girls were 2-0 on the day, also scoring an 83-53 win over Parch­ ment. Schoolcraft’s boys fell 87.66-49.33 to the Parchment boys. Sophomore hurdlers Torren Mapes and Breanna Chandler had a few of the top performances for the Delton Kellogg teams. Mapes won the 110-meter high hurdles in 18.02 seconds and the 300meter intermediate hurdles in 46.12 for the DK boys’ team. Chandler scored a winning time of 54.90 seconds for the DK girls in the 300-meter low hurdles while also helping the 4x400-meter relay team to a winning time of 4:54.17. Senior Hope Vanderwall, junior Joelle White and fresh­ man Summer Ritchie were the other three quarters of the winning 4x400 relay team for the DK girls at the end of the day. DK boys also won three field events. Senior Alex Whitmore took the shot put at 44 feet. 5 inches, with senior teammate Caden Ferris second at 38-9.5. Ferris won the discus at 134-4. Both guys set a new personal record in their winning perfor­ mances. DK also had freshman Wyatt Finney win the long jump by flying 18-9. Delton Kellogg had runner-up finishes in both the boys’ and girls’ pole vault. Cameron Spaulding cleared 9-6 to place second in the boys’ pole vault. Joelle White went over the bar at 6-6 to place second in the girls’ meet. DK senior Caitlin McManus had run­ ner-up finishes in the two throws for the DK girls earning a mark of 30-7 in the shot put and 78-3 in the discus. The DK girls had two runner-up finish­ es on the track. Ritchie was second in the 400-meter dash in 1:08.48. Senior team­ mate Halena Phillips was second in the 3200-meter run in 14:39.15. Barry County Parks & Recreation Commission Hiring for Seasonal & Part-Time Positions Maintenance Workers and Custodial Staff All positions must be able to work with public and provide excellent customer service. General duties could include: mowing, trash pickup, general landscaping, restroom cleaning, special events set­ up, sweeping, mopping and dusting, and other duties as assigned. Applicant must pass criminal background check, driver’s license check, and pre-employment physical as required. • Work schedule varied (20 hrs.-40hrs. per week) and may be required to work weekends, evenings, and holidays. Hours could be starting as early as 7:00 AM and ending as late as 9:00 PM. • Starting May or June 2022. • $10.00 per hour • Must be at least 18 years of age for maintenance and custodial positions. Can be 16-18 years of age for certain positions with proper work permit. • Please indicate position interest. Resume or Application can be sent to: Contributing Writer The Saxon teams ran away with two wins each as they competed in the first Interstate-8 Athletic Conference meet of the season Mon­ day night at Johnson Field and Baum Stadi­ um in Hastings against Coldwater and Jack­ son Lumen Christi. The Saxon varsity boys’ track and field team defeated Lumen Christi 116-40, but then saw the dual with Coldwater come down to the last event, the 1600-meter relay, where the Saxons won, taking the meet by one point 81.5-80.5. Hastings Head Coach, Brian Teed wasn’t sure what they would face with Coldwater, “Coldwater had not run a full meet yet this year. They surprised us a little in the sprints. Our boys had a 13-point lead coming out of the field events, but Coldwater came back and took the lead after the 200-meter and extended it to four points after the 3200meter. After having lost the first three relays on the day our boys stepped up and won the 1600-meter relay and the meet by one point. We really challenged Nate Kohmescher to set the tone on the leadoff leg. He came out strong, attacked the leg, and set our team up for the win.” The 1600-meter winning relay team includ­ ed Kohmescher, Charlie Nickels, Jonah Teed and Kearen Tolles and they finished with a time of 3 minutes 46.68 seconds. The Saxon boys almost swept the field events, taking first in everything except the discuss. Robby Slaughter took first in the long jump with a new personal record of 19 feet 6.5 inches. Slaughter also took first in the pole vault. Daniel Weatherly took first in the shot put with a throw of 42-11.5, and Charlie Nickels cleared the bar at high jump with a jump of 5-6 over Coldwater for a first place but was second to Lumen Christi. Adam Jacobs took second in the discus behind both teams with a throw of 97-2. Layton Eastman won both hurdle events running a 16.62 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles and a 45.02 in the 300-meter hurdles. Hastings Kali Grimes gets over the bar in the pole vault during her team's Interstate-8 Athletic Conference tri with Lumen Christi and Coldwater Monday in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Reuben Solmes won the 100-meter (12.25 seconds) and 200-meter (25.06) against Lumen Christi and took second place against Coldwater. Kearen Tolles finished first in the 400-meter run (55.10). Riley Shults took first over Lumen Christi and second to Coldwater in the 3200-meter run (11:00.06). Hastings’ 400-meter, 800-meter and 3200meter relay teams all finished first against Lumen Christi, but second to Coldwater. The 400-meter relay team of Slaughter, Aiden SaintAmour, Zane Warner and Solmes ran a 46.92, the 800-meter relay team of Slaugh­ ter, Gerard Miller, Jett Barnum and Eastman ran a 1:39.36, and the 3200-meter relay of Caleb Laboe, Nickels, Teed and Tolles ran a 9:36.42. Finishing in second place in both duals were Jonah Teed in the 800-meter run (2:18.88), Riley Shults in the 1600-meter run (5:03.56). The Saxon girls defeated Lumen Christi 101-52 and then defeated Coldwater 76-70. The girls’ team was down in points after the field events and were able to secure the win The Saxons' Danny Weatherly takes a turn at the shot put pit during his team's 1-8 wins over visiting Lumen Christi and Coldwater Monday. He won the event with a top mark of 42 feet 11.5 inches. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter over Coldwater after a comeback run in the 3200-meter. Coach Teed was proud of the girls’ team, “Myah Vincent continues to get better every week. She set two new PR’s (personal records) today and is running well in relays. Madison Nino won all four events she was in. Coldwater had a 17-point lead coming out of the field events, but we were able to claw our way back into the meet and put it away during the 3200-meter run with Carissa Strouse.” Strouse finished second to Jackson Lumen Christi, but bested Coldwater with a time of 13:45.81. Nino won the 100-meter dash (13.69 sec­ onds) and the long jump (15-6.5). Nino was on both winning relay teams of the 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay. Allison Teed won the 100-meter hurdles (17.05) and was also on the 800-meter winning relay. Teed fin­ ished second in the 300-meter hurdles to teammate Addey Nickels. Nickels, a sopho­ more for the Saxons, ran a 52.51 in the 300meter hurdles to finish in first, and placed first in the 200-meter dash (28.94) and was also on the 800-meter relay team. Nickels also placed second in the 100-meter dash. Lauren Arnold took first against Coldwater in the 800-meter run (2:55.66) but did not place against Lumen Christi’s field of 800meter runners. Strouse also won the 1600meter against Coldwater (6:29.67) but Lumen Christi’s 1600-meter runners swept the first four placings. The winning relay combination for the 400-meter relay was Nino, Isabelle Roosien, Vincent and Kali Grimes (54:62 seconds), and the winning lineup for the 800-meter relay was Nino, Nickels, Roosien and Teed with a time of 1:55.70. Vincent had her PR in the high jump, tak­ ing first against both teams, with a jump of 4-8, and she also took 2nd in the long jump (14-8). In the pole vault, against Lumen Christi Teed placed first, Grimes placed 2nd, and JoDee Gaskill finished in third. Teed finished third against Coldwater. In the throws, Grace Madden finished in first over Lumen Christi, with a shot-put throw of 29-9.5 and a discus throw of 71-11 inches. Maddie Miller was in second place against Lumen Christi in both events. Coldwater swept the discus and Madden took third in the scoring against Coldwater. The Saxons’ boys and girl’s teams will compete at Baum Stadium at Johnson Field on Friday night in a Co-ed Relay event against Hamilton, Delton, Hopkins and Pennfield. Constantine sweeps two games with Panthers on DKHS diamond Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity baseball team fell to 0-5 in the Southwestern Athletic Con­ ference Valley Division with a pair of losses to visiting Constantine in a conference dou­ bleheader Thursday in Delton. The Panthers were bested 13-0 and 13-1 in the two ballgames. DK got its lone run in the bottom of the third inning of game two when Austin Hill was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a single by teammate Tristin Boze. DK had just two hits in that second game. Philip Halcomb also singled. Constantine pitcher Caleb Hall struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter in his five innings on the mound. It was the second best pitching performance of the day for the Falcons. Starter Brody Kniffen no-hit the Panthers in game one. In the five inning win, Kniffen struck out 14 and walked two. The Delton Kellogg boys were set to play their conference series with Kalamazoo Chris­ tian this week. The Panthers were set to host the Comets Wednesday, April 27, and will be at Kalamazoo Christian this afternoon. DK will go to Middleville Saturday to take part in the Thomapple Kellogg Wooden Bat Invitational. Barry County Parks 2545 S. Charlton Park Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 dpatton@barrycounty.org APPLICATION DEADLINE MAY 13, 2022 _____ NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received at the office of Barry County Parks Historic Charlton Park, 2545 S. Charlton Park Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058 until 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, 2022, for the following items. Please mark on the outside of the envelope what number you are bidding. #1 2020 John Deere ZTrak Z930R w/60” deck, 475 Hrs. - Minimum Bid $9,500 #2 2020 John Deere XUV825M Gator, 4WD, 52HP, power dump, roof, turn signals, windshield, 435 Hrs. - Minimum Bid $15,500 All above items may be viewed at the Charlton Park Maintenance Shop on Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. NOTE: All items are sold as is. The Barry County Parks Commission reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to waive irregularities in the best interest of Barry County Parks. Delton Kellogg pitcher Wyatt Colwell fires a strike to the plate in the first game of the doubleheader with Constantine Thursday in Delton. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Delton Kellogg's Adrian Deboer (22) puts a tag on a Constantine player attempting to take home on a passed ball during their doubleheader in Delton Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Perry Hardin) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — Page 11 Titans take advantage of one big inning twice at HHS Brett Bremer Sports Editor Jackson Lumen Christi evened the Hast­ ings varsity baseball team’s Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference record at 2-2 with a pair of wins over the Saxons in Hastings. It was a pair of rough innings that did in the Saxons. Lumen Christi won both games by the score of 7-3. The Titans scored seven runs in the top of the second inning in game one and five in the top of the second inning of game two. “We talked about it and we just have to make sure that we don’t compound our mis­ takes and allow them to build on it and have it snowball,” Hastings head coach Jason Sixberry said. “We talked about that in between innings. We came back and we played solid baseball after those one bad innings in each game. I am proud of them for doing that,” he added. The Titans had a 7-0 lead in both ball­ games. They built the edge with a run in the first, five in the second and one in the third against Saxon senior starter Harrison Smalley. Smalley though pitched well. Only two of those runs were earned. He struck out three, walked four and allowed seven hits through five innings. Coach Sixberry was pleased with both of his relievers Tuesday, Mason Denton in game two and Tyler Morris in game one. They both threw two scoreless innings of relief. The Saxons got their first run in game two Hastings second baseman John Tellkamp tags out would-be Lumen Christi base stealer Cooper Keene during the top of the seventh inning of game two of their dou­ bleheader in Hastings Tuesday. Hastings catcher Tyler Morris threw out four Titans trying to steal second in the ballgame. (Photo by Brett Bremer) in the bottom of the fourth inning. Denton led off the inning with a single and Lars Sorenen reached on an error behind him. Denton stole third, one of four stolen bases for him on the night, and he came into to score when the Titans threw the ball down the left field line. Hastings senior Harrison Smalley pitches against Jackson Lumen Christi during game two of their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference doubleheader at Johnson Field in Hastings Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) In the bottom of the fifth Hastings added another run by putting together a double by Aiden Benson, a single by John Tellkamp and an RBI single on the infield by Matt Thompson. The Hastings boys had some strong blasts in the ballgame, including a triple by Carter Reil and a big double by Landon Steward, as well as doubles from Denton and Benson, but it was still work to scratch out runs. Reil drove in a run with his triple in the bottom of the six. Steward walked with two out and trotted home on Reil’s three-bagger into deep right Centerfield. Denton was 2-for-4 at the plate in game one. All eight Saxon hits in the opener were singles. Thompson, Smalley, Sorensen, Mor­ ris, Benson and Patrick Gee had one each. Thomson and Gee had the Saxons’ two RBI. Lumen Christi scored its seven runs, only three of which were earned, in the second and held that 7-0 lead until the Saxons scored a run in the sixth and then two in the seventh. Reil started and took the loss for the Sax­ ons on the mound. He struck out five and walked two in five innings. Morris struck out two and gave up two hits in his two innings of relief. Morris was behind the plate throughout game two and cut down four Titans trying to steal second base to heha keep his team in the ballgame. Sixberry likes the improvements he has seen from his pitchers so far this spring. The Saxons are scheduled to visit Ionia for a non-conference doubleheader today and go to the Zeeland West Wooden Bat tournament Saturday. Hastings returns to 1-8 action with doubleheaders at Northwest Tuesday and at home against Coldwater Wednesday in the week ahead. The Saxons' Lucy Barnard tries to avoid being tagged out between home and third by the Lumen Christi catcher during game one of their doubleheader in Hasting^ Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ; I Saxon girls can’t ; quite match offensive output of the Titans Brett Bremer Sports Editor A four-run top of the fifth helped the Titans pull away in game one and the Saxon offense never got going in game two Tuesday. Jackson Lumen Christi scored 13-7 and 16-1 wins over the Hastings varsity softball team in an Interstate-8 Athletic Conference doubleheader at Hastings High School. Lumen Christi extended a 5-4 lead to 9-4 with four runs in the top of the fifth inning of game one and then pushed their lead to 11-4 going into the sixth before the Saxons started surging. Emily Simmons got the Saxons’ late rally going in game one as she led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single into left field. She stole second and then scored~when Isa­ , belle Storm blast,ed a dqul^e down:th,e; right field line. Storm would eventually come in to score on an RBI single into left by Phoebe Schantz with two out. Schantz’s single and a pair of walks had the bases loaded, but the Titans were able to get out of the jam only allowing the two runs. Storm added an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh to plate the Saxons’ final run of game one. Storm was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored in that opener. Zoey Bennett had a hot bat too going 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Schantz drove in two runs. Sophia Sunior was 3-for-4 for the Saxons with an RBI. Sim­ mons had two hits and Cassidee Easey was l-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Carly Frazier also drove in a run for the Saxons. Easey took the loss in the circle for Hast­ ings. She went the full seven innings. She struck out 11 and walked one. Maria King and Zoe Toler had three hits each for the Titans and Riley Okoniewski had five RBI. Caroline Hilderley got her first win of the season in the circle for Lumen Christi. The Titans took game two 16-1 jumping on the. Saxons right away, with nine runs in the first inning. „ ..., Ava Cumberworthpitchedtbe Titap^tQjth^ win. Hilderley had three hits and four RBI. Hastings is now 0-4 in the 1-8 this spring. The Saxons are in Ionia this afternoon for a non-conference doubleheader and will host Colon for two Friday. The Saxons visit Loy Norrix for a doubleheader Monday. 1-8 play resumes for the Hastings girls when they visit Jackson Northwest Tuesday for a doubleheader. The Saxons then host an 1-8 doubleheader with Coldwater Wednesday. Simon and Bailey share medalist honors at Centennial Brett Bremer Sports Editor Maple Valley senior Owen Bailey and Lakewood senior Trevor Simon tied for the individual medalist honors and the defend­ ing conference champions from Lakewood pulled even with Lansing Christian Thurs­ day. Lansing Christian won the season’s first Greater Lansing Activities Conference jam­ boree on its home course April 19, but the Lakewood boys moved up from second to first Thursday as Maple Valley hosted the GLAC on the Sunrise nine at Centennial Acres which is the Vikings’ regular home course. It was a short-lived tie as Lansing Lakewood senior Trevor Simon hits his first tee shot on number eight on the Sunrise nine at Centennial Acres during the GLAC jamboree hosted by Maple Valley Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Christian moved back in front by winning the conference jamboree hosted by the Vikings back at Centennial Tuesday, April 26. Lakewood shot a 174 as a team to best Lansing Christian’s 178 last Thursday. Olivet was third with a score of 195, ahead of Perry 210, Maple Valley 209 and Leslie 221. Simon and Bailey each scored a 38 to lead their teams. Simon scored a birdie on the 400-yard, par-4 number eight in the middle of his round. Bailey birdied the 375-yard, par-4 number four in the middle of his round. While the temperatures and sunshine were improved from Tuesday’s outing the wind didn’t let up at all at Centennial Acres Thursday. Lakewood had four guys in the top ten at the jamboree. Senior Logan Kenyon shot a 43, junior Drew Marquoit scored a 46 and senior Liam Cavanaugh a 47. Lansing Christian was led by seniors Davis Garrett and William Combs who each shot a 44. The Pilgrims also got 45s from seniors Isaac Haley and Caden Kinnas. The only other guy in the top ten was Oliv­ et sophomore Tyler Norton who scored a 47. Senior Kenneth Curtis was the Vikings’ number two. He scored a 54. Senior Carsen Musser shot a 57 for the Lions and sopho­ more Diesel Curtis scored a 60. Lansign Christian won Tuesday’s jambo­ ree back at Centennial on the Sunset nine with a score of 165. Lakewood was second with a 174, ahead of Olivet 188, Perry 190, Maple Valley 217 and Leslie 218. Lansing Christian’s Combs, Kinnas and Haley all shot 40 to share the day’s medalist honors. Simon led Lakewood with a 42. The Vikings also got a pair of 43s from Brody Jackson and Marquoit and 46s from Kenyon, Owen Richmond and Cavanaugh. Maple Valley got a 46 from Bailey. Caden Faurot and Chris Mock each shot 56 for the Lions. Diesel Curtis and Kenneth Curtis each tallied a 59. Hastings' Isabelle Storm watches a double fly to right field during the bottom of the sixth inning of game one against visiting Lumen Christi Tuesday afternoon at Hastings High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) NOTICE Regular scheduled meetings of the PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BOARD will now be held on the 3rd Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. unless otherwise posted: April 13 October 19 May 18 November 9 June 15 December 21 July 20 January 18 August 17 February 15 September 21 March 15 �Page 12 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES ."described as: Commencing at a point 42 rods South •of the center of said Section 28, thence West 202 feet; •thence South 100 feet thence East 202 feet; thence -North to the place of beginning. Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan. Commonly known as: 14742 S KELLOG SCHOOL RD, HICKORY CRNRS, Ml 49060 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used Tor agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/ or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person •who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00093-1 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Sarah Porter, A Single Woman to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. acting solely as nominee for Centennial Mortgage and Funding, Inc., Mortgagee, dated February 19, 2008, and recorded on February 26, 2008, as Document Number: 20080226-0001749, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC by an Assignment of Mortgage which has been submitted to the Barry County Register of Deeds, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Five Hundred Fifty-Seven and 12/100 ($110,557.12) including interest at the rate of 3.00000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, distant South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West, 1680.0 feet from the North 1/4 post of said section; Thence North 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds East 675.00 feet; Thence South 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West 340.29 feet; Thence South 86 degrees 52 minutes 47 seconds West 675.00 feet to said North and South 1/4 line; Thence North 00 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds East along said North and South 1/4 line 340.29 feet to the point of beginning. Subject to an easement over the West 33.00 feet for public highway purposes. Commonly known as: 14289 JONES RD, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: April 7, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335­ 9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00177-1 704-07)(04-28) (04-071(04-28) FORECLOSURE NOTICE •Attention homeowner: If you are a military service Jmember on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been .ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by 'advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 'of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, -MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, May 5, 2022. The amount klue on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not .automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is .encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which ’may charge a fee for this information. Default has •been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage "made by Richard D Barnum and Betty J Barnum, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated March 11, 2008, and recorded on ■March 18, 2008, as Document Number: 20080318*$003081, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association ;by an Assignment of Mortgage dated February 28, ”2022 and recorded March 07, 2022 by Document plumber: 2022-002533, on which mortgage there is ’claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Five Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four and -33/100 ($105,684.33) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in She Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest *1/4 of Section 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, 178406 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised .judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale 'of'tfie mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the coun­ ty register of deeds office or a title insurance company, •either of which may change a fee for this information: , Name Of Mortgagor: Danielle Marie Milligan Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Michigan .Fund, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Barry County Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 . Amount claimed due on date of notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, De­ scribed As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Center according to the recorded plat thereof together with an easement for ingress, egress and utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds bearing document number •2018-4166. ' PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 - Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Court, Hast­ ings, Ml 49058. ,. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a: or if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined in >1CL 600.3240(16). . If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, .pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder ■for damaging the property during the redemption ^period. * Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the •telephone number stated in this notice. ” Date of Notice: April 14, 2022 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) of Gee taw Firm PLLC 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 brad @ attorneygee.com 269-945-3500 178714 f STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-029131-DE Estate of Albert J. Beebe. Date of birth: 435/22/1943. „ TO ALL CREDITORS: • NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Albert J. Beebe, died 02/06/2022. . Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred ^unless presented to Arlene Hanson, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 y\i. Court Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the ■personal representative within 4 months after the 2date of publication of this notice. •Robert J. Longstreet (P53546) £07 N. Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 <269) 963-4581 ’Arlene Hanson •351 Ave A Battle Creek, Ml 49037 <269) 963-4581 ' ' 179523 178407 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY 5th CIRCUIT COURT Case No. 2022-170-CZ HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH LONNIE D. JEWELL and LORI A. JEWELL, and MICHAEL FINCH and DEBRA FINCH, Plaintiffs v. JAMES MCBAIN, and BRETT E WOUDENBERG, Defendants Justin A. Breithaupt (P81259) Herbert Machnik Law Firm Attorney for Plaintiffs 6281 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 (269) 459-1432 Justin@hmlf.law ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE At a session of said Court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, on the 4th day of April, 2022 PRESENT: Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh After reviewing Plaintiffs’ Motion for Alternate Service, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, The court finds, pursuant to MCR 2.105(1) that service of process by publication is the best available method of service of process reasonably calculated to give Defendants actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Plaintiffs may serve process on all Defendants by publishing the following notice in a Barry County newspaper, as defined by MCR 2.106(F), for three (3) consecutive weeks: “An action seeking to quiet title to a roadway dedicated as Portage Ave in Crooked Lake Summer Resort according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 52 in Plaintiffs Lonnie Jewell, Lori Jewell, Michael Finch and Debra Finch has been commenced against James McBain and Brett E. Woudenberg in Barry County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan. Defendants must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days after the last date of publication of this notice. If a Defendant does not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment affecting Defendants’ interests may be entered, as requested in the complaint.” Dated: April 4, 2022 Signed: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh (P42573) 179129 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s trust FILE NO. NONE Estate of Ronald C. Smith - Deceased. Date of birth: September 7,1942. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Ronald C. Smith, who lived at 2889 Patterson Road, Wayland, Michigan died on March 1, 2022. There is no personal representative of the decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Smith Family Trust u/a/d June 5, 2019, will be forever barred unless presented to Randall J. Smith, Trustee, 4353 17th Street, Dorr, Ml 49323, within 4 months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: April 27, 2022 McShane & Bowie, P.L.C. Todd M. Neckers P71296 99 Monroe Avenue, NW, Suite 1100 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 732-5000 Randall J. Smith, trustee, Smith Family Trust, u/a/d June 5, 2019 4353 17th Street Dorr, Ml 49323 . 179649 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicatureactof 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 19, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Glenn E. Converse and Marsha L. Converse, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust 2020-GS4 Date of Mortgage: October 18, 2005 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 15,2005 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $86,212.08 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Beginning at a point on the North line of Section 15, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Distant South 89 Degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 1984.03 feet from the Northwest cor­ ner of said Section 15; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 330.69 feet along said North Section line; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds West 659.56 feet; thence North 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds West 330.39 feet to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 15; thence North 00 degrees 36 minutes 09 seconds East 659.56 feet along said West line to the point of beginning. To­ gether with and subject to a private easement for ingress, egress and public utilities purposes in com­ mon with others over the Easterly 33 feet thereof. Common street address (if any): 2400 E State Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8452 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 21, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1461706 (04-21 )(05-12) 179226 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169W. M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 How to be a good money manager in retirement If you reach retirement with a significant amount of assets, you’ve done a great job of saving and investing. But now comes another challenge - making that money last. You might think that this task, as important as it is, won’t be as hard as accumulating the money in the first place. Yet, a sizable number of people have reached a different conclusion. In fact, 36% ofretirees say managing money in retirement is more confusing than saving for retirement, and 56% say they wish they had budgeted for more unexpected expenses in retirement, according to the Edward Jones/Age Wave Four Pillars of the New Retirement study. What steps can you take to help you become an effective money manager during your retirement years? Here are a few to consider: • Set your goals. Your money management needs will certainly depend, to some extent, on what your goals are for the coming years. Will you travel extensively? Stay close to home and pursue your hobbies? Or maybe even open a small business? Once you identify your vision for retirement, you can estimate how much it will cost, which will then dictate much of your spending and saving needs. • Stick to a budget. If you’ve followed a budget throughout your working years, there’s no reason to stop now - in fact, budgeting may be even more essential when you retire. Of course, you don’t necessarily want to force yourself to be as frugal as possible - after all, you worked hard, saved and invested so you can enjoy a comfortable retirement lifestyle. Look for reasonable cost-cutting opportunities, such as eating out less often or eliminating streaming services you don’t use. • Don’t underestimate health care costs. Even when you’re on Medicare and pay for supplemental insurance, health care costs could still be one of your biggest expenses during retirement. Initially, budgeting for $4,500 to $6,500 per person annually may be a good starting point for traditional health care expenses in retirement. However, depending on your health, prescription drug usage and other factors, your costs could be higher or lower. And you may also want to estimate long-term care expenses as part ofyour plan. • Look for senior discounts. Once you’re a senior, you may be able to find discounts on a wide range of items and activities, such as movies, transportation, groceries, gym memberships and more. By taking advantage of these discounts, you can save a surprising amount of money and ease pressure on your cash flow. • Establish a sustainable -withdrawal strategy. For decades, you’ve been putting money into your IRA and 401(k). But once you’re retired, you will likely need to start taking withdrawals from these accounts. It’s essential that you don’t withdraw so much early in your retirement that you eventually run the risk of outliving your money. You may want to work with a financial professional, who can analyze your entire situation - assets, expenses, lifestyle, expected longevity, etc. - and recommend a sustainable withdrawal rate. Keep in mind that once you turn 72, you may be required to take out a certain amount each year from your 401 (k) and your traditional IRA, so you’ll want to incorporate these withdrawals into your overall income strategy. Do whatever it takes to become a good money manager during retirement. You’ll find that it’s well worth the effort. This article was -written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given 32.12 of. the re­ vised judicature apt of'^961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the high­ est bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Ed­ wards, a married man and Leah Edwards Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lend­ er and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Date of Mortgage: January 26, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 1, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $111,688.06 Description of the mortgaged premises: Sit­ uated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7, Prairieville Heights, according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 34, Barry County Re­ cords Common street address (if any): 8300 Delton Rd, Delton, Ml 49046-7716 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the proper­ ty during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 28, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): David A. McCausey and Wendi L. McCausey, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY,FSB, AS TRUSTEE OF STANWICH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST I Date of Mortgage: August 4, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 11, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $120,957.39 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The West 48 feet of Lot 961 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the recorded Plat thereof. Common street address (if any): 126 W Walnut St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2261 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 14, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 1461781 (04-28)(05-19) 179319 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1460473 (04-14)(05-05) 178615 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judica­ ture act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mort­ gaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance com­ pany, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Elizabeth Lonergan, an un­ married woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 23,2013 Recorded on August 27,2013, in Document No. 2013-010429, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Sixty-Four Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Seven and 75/100 Dollars ($64,697.75) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence North 1473.70 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds West, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Sec­ tion; thence North 171.72 feet parallel with the said East line; thence North 89 degrees 00 minutes East, 200.03 feet to the East line; thence South 174.81 feet along the said East line to place of beginning. Also commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence North 1409.78 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 30 minutes West, 200.01 feet; thence North 65.26 feet parallel with said East line; thence North 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds East, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Section; thence South 63.92 feet along the East line of said Section to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 718 Powell Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned un­ der MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a mili­ tary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1462409 (04-281(05-19) 179721 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — Page 13 Sweep of Cedar Springs moves TK tennis record to 2-1 in Gold Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ ten­ nis team improved to 2-1 in the OK Gold Conference with an 8-0 win over visiting Cedar Springs Monday in Middleville. The Trojans only dropped one set all after­ noon. It was the first one at first doubles, but TK’s Rachel MacKellar and Heidi Church responded to help the Trojans secure their sweep. They were bested 8-6 in a tiebreaker by Forest Hills Eastern’s Hannah Cox and Lindsey Washington in the opening set. Church and MacKellar rallied to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2. Charlotte Nelson took the first singles match for TK with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Morgan French. Sophia Beckering got the second singles win by outscoring Kaitlyn Miller 6-2, 6-1. Hailey Dudik scored the third singles win for TK by besting Laura Serek 6-0, 6-4. Holly Carpenter at fourth singles took a 6-2,6-1 win for TK over Carley Dreyer. The other three TK doubles teams handled Thomapple Kellogg's Emma Thompson hits a serve during her win over Caledonia”s Lilly Hess in a fourth singles match at the Caledonia Invitational at Caledonia High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) their foes without too much trouble. Cailin Wodrich and Tyne Bufka won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles. Jamie DeVries and Trinity Simon won 6-0, 6-0 at third doubles. Emma Thompson and Kendall Snyder took a 6-2, 6-1 win at number four. Nelson and a few others were out of the line-up as the Trojans took part in the Caledo­ nia Invitational Saturday. Byron Center took the championship on the first hot, sunny day of the spring season by scoring 22 points. Hamilton was second with 12 points ahead of Caledonia 7 and TK 7. Beckering bumped up to first singles and went 2-1 on the day with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Hamilton’s Sommer Lappinga and a 6-2, 6-0 win over Caledonia’s Payton Lee. Byron Center’s number one Liz Vincent was the first singles champ with a perfect 3-0 record, Beckering pushed her though. Vin­ cent took the opening set of their match 6-3, but Beckering surged for a 7-5 win in set two. In the end, Vincent won a super tiebreaker 10-6 to get the win. Dudik was 2-1 at second singles with wins over Hamilton and Caledonia - both of them coming in super tiebreakers after split sets. Carpenter was 2-1 at third singles for TK and Thompson bumped into the fourth sin­ gles spot to go 1-2 at the tournament with a win over Caledonia’s number four. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ ten­ nis team improved its overall record in duals to 4-1 on the season with the win over Cedar Springs Monday. They took wins over Kenowa Hills in conference action and non-conference foe Plainwell last week. The Trojans bested Kenowa Hills on the road 8-0 Wednesday, April 20, to score their first OK Gold Conference win of the season. The TK ladies gave up just one game on the singles side. Nelson scored a 6-0, 6-0 win over the Knights’ Madison Mersman in the first singles match. TK also had Beckering at number two and Dudik at number three score double-bagel victories. Carpenter took a 6-0, 6-1 win for TK at fourth singles. MacKellar and Church won the first dou­ bles match for TK by the scores of 6-4, 6-0 over the Knight duo of Ella Eitniear and Abi­ gail Dyke. TK’s team of Wodrich and Bufka took a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles. DeVries and Thornapple Kellogg's Sophia Beckering hits a backhand return during her win over Caledonia first singles player Payton Lee at the Caledonia Invitational Saturday morn­ ing. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Simon at third doubles went three sets for their win pulling out a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over the Knights’ Sophia Marvin and Emily Hall. Thompson and Snyder scored a 6-0, 6-0 win for TK at fourth doubles. TK took a 5-3 win over the Plainwell Tro­ jans on the road Thursday afternoon. Dudik scored the Trojans’ lone singles win by knocking off Ashlyn Thom 6-3, 4-6, (10­ 8) in a super tiebreaker. Loghan Scheonrock, Plainwell’s top play­ er, scored a 6-0, 6-0 win over Nelson at first singles, but the other singles matches were tighter on the scorecards. Leticia Piacenti pulled away for a 7-5, 6-0 win over TK’s Beckering at second singles. At number four, Maggie Zhu edged TK’s Carpenter 6-3, 6-4. TK swept the four doubles flights. MacK­ ellar and Church won 6-4, 6-0 at number one. Wodrich and Bufka scored a 6-2, 6-3 win at number two. DeVries and Simon scored a 6-2, 6-0 win at third doubles. Thompson and Snyder won 6-3, 6-1 at fourth doubles. Hawks take last race for narrow win over TK ladies Brett Bremer Adelee Kaiton that won the 4x400-meter relay in 4 minutes 30.08 seconds. TK’s team Sports Editor of Emma Dykhouse, Lindsey Velting, Kenady Forest Hills Eastern edged the Thomapple Smith and Ainsley Oliver was right behind in Kellogg varsity girls’ track and field team by thrce^points'- 'in—Ada'* Wednesday; *ApriF' 20, —4^2.67:-'^" “Wow,” was TK girls’ coach Maggie Wilkin­ during an OK Gold Conference tr-i, which also son’s response to her team giving the talented had the Wayland girls in the mix. FHE team such a challenge in the dual. The TK ladies were 1-1 for the day. They “This is a very talented team,” Wilkinson bested the Wildcats from Wayland 109-28, said. “Our field events are really excelling and but fell 70-67 to the Hawks. The TK girls our running events are getting better. We are have since improved to 3-2 in the confernece trying athletes in different events to see what fater falling 73-64 to Ottawa Hills and besting is going to be best for them and help them to Cedar Springs 84-53 at Houseman Field in be the most successful as we get closer to the Grand Rapids Tuesday, April 26. conference meet and regionals in Mason. The TK boys were 0-2 for the day in Ada, That last race wasn’t the only great battle falling 102-35 to Forest Hills Eastern and between the Trojans and Hawks. Velting won 101-36 to Wayland. The TK boys did get their the 200-meter dash in a personal record time first conference win tuesday besting Ottawa of 28.83 seconds, finishing seven hundredths Hills 84-52 while also falling 81-56 to the of a second ahead of FHE freshman Elena Cedar Springs boys. TK’s boys are now 1-4 in Jacobsen. Jacobson had edged Velting by the conference. seven hundredths of a second to win the 100Forest Hills Eastern overtook the TK girls meter dash at the opening of the meet. in the final race of the day last Wednesday, That final winning relay team for the FHE getting five points from the team of Kate girls powered the Hawks throughout the meet. Laidlaw, Sarah Dixon, Emma Donovan and Smith, Laidlaw and Dixon were 1-2-3 in the scoring in the 800-meter run and Dixon and Laidlaw placed 1-2 in the 400-meter run ahead of TK’s Smith who was third. Smith worr the' 1600-mCterTun too,*wftfr teammate Ellory Clason, the 3200-meter champ, second in that 1600. TK girls went 2-3 in the 3200 with Ava Crews the runner-up in 12:45.80 and Jessica Durkee third in 13:13.34. It was Crews’ best varsity two-mile yet. Laidlaw, Smith, Dixon and Clason won the 4x800-meter relay in 11:03.64 for the Hawks and the team of Emma Koster, Kianna Clark, Brooke Toigo and Emma Donovan won the 4xl00-meter relay in 54.18. TK senior Trysta Hilton won the 300-meter low hurdles in 49.96 seconds and was the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.67 behind Wayland junior Breanna Hyde who won in 17.61. Hilton won the high jump by clearing 5-0 and also joined Smith, Brooklyn Harmon and Emma Dykhouse to win the 4x200-meter relay in 1:55.95. Smith was the high jump runner-up at 5-10. FHE senior Sophie Parker won both the throwing events in the field and TK junior Alana Compton was second in both the shot '*putimd**dNcu?/'TK‘ gdt*th7J‘tlTird*pta'ce*po'iTitlTr both with senior Cassidy Dole third in the shot put and junior Preslee Hall third in the discus. The Wayland boys bested Forest Hills East­ ern 75-62 while the FHE girls earned a 105­ 31 win over Wayland. TK sophomore Jaxan Sias won the 400meter dash for TK in 54.39 seconds, the high jump at 5-10 and also teamed with senior Jonah Schilthroat, senior Alex Harrington and junior Gabe Lajoye to win the 4x200-meter relay in 1:37.25. TK senior Matthew Smith upped his per­ sonal record to 11-6 in the pole vault to win that event. Schilthroat set a new personal record in the 200-meter dash to place fourth with a time of 24.51. Wayland was powered in part by senior sprinter Ian Thompson who won the 200 in 23.37 and the 100-meter dash in 11.21, while adding a winning jump of 19-6.5 in the long jump and anchoring the Wildcats’ 4xl00-meter relay team to a victory. In the three-team competition Tuesday, TK g“t>t^pFT§75h7LJTeJ:3fd7‘i7ne Trom S'chilthToarin winning the 200-meter dash in 24.36 with Harrington second in a PR of 24.45. Sias took the 400 for TK in 54.64 and won the high jumnp by clearing 5-8. Sias teamed with Matthew Smith, Gabe Lajoye and Tyler Bushman to win the 4x400-meter relay in 3:49.60. In the TK girls’ meet with the Bengals and Red Hawks in Grand Rapids, Compton won the discus at 90-65 and the shot put at 30-6, with Hall second in both events. The TK team of Kenaday Smith, Anna Benedict, Velting and Hilton won the 4x200-meter relay in 1:56.29. Hilton swept the hurdles winning the 100meter hurdles in 17.00 and the 300-meter low hurdles in 51.20. Harmon set a personal record with her runner-up time in each of those hurdles races. She finished the 300 hur­ dles in 51.26 and the 100 in 17.51. VW vVWV WVVW VWVWWiV Banner CLASSIFIEDS 108” Cotton Prints CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 43” Cotton Solids & Prints Garage Sale Business Services Pets Help Wanted CRAFTERS DREAM GARAGE SALE. Card stock, dies, embossing, stamping, Cricut accessories, and die cut machines. Lots of items, new. Lots of household items for sale. Kitchen ware. DVD's, electronics, vintage and antiques. Thurs-Sat, May 5th, 6th, 7th, 2022. 9:00am-4:00pm. 2228 Wasabinang St, Hastings (Algonquin Lake). MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and re­ pair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BORDER COLLIE PUPPIES for sale. Very cute & playful. 1st shots and wormed. $350. 517-852-4881._________________________ BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years ex­ perience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. FIB MINI GOLDEN DOODLES- Very cute and small. 1st shots & de-wormed. $800.00 517-726-0706.__________________ GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lift­ ing and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at$18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401(k) match­ ing, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St, Sunfield, MI. Sporting Goods PARA USA 1911 Expert 45 ACP Stainless, 5" bbl with case, $600.00. 616-485-7692. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. BEAGLE PUPPIES- Very cute and great colors. 1st shots and de-wormed. $400.00 517-852-3007. Gift Certificates for Mom Pray For Our World QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 -f—— OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm ISk3 Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station LLliAL I iO II STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-9173-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, # 302 Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Jack Edward Herbstreith. Date of birth: *MC97. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jack Edward Herbstreith, died 07/14/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Thomas Andrew Herbstreith, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/20/2022 James L. Corbett P59312 901 N. Washington Avenue, Lansing, Ml 48906 517-481-3300 Thomas Andrew Herbstreith 5007 S. 42nd Street, Climax, Ml 49034 517-599-9211 179323 Zippers, Threads, Trims STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 21-29031-DE Estate of Jeffery W. Little. Date of birth: 01/12/1961. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jeffery W. Little, died 06/06/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Laurie Jo Little, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/26/2022 Timothy L. Tromp (P41571) 501 W. State St. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-9400 Laurie Jo Little 720 N. Church St. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 838-6309 179619 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029142-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Colleen Diane Walker, deceased. Date of birth: 10/06/1951. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Colleen Diane Walker, died March 7, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Brady Walker, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/21/2022 Alycia Pallach Wesley P66059 40701 Woodward Ave., Suite 50, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48304 248-645-9300 Brady Walker 39330 Anne Jeanette St., Caliente, CA 93518 310-980-7129 179368 ' PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation.or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. FLEXIBLE ' Position Opening Seeking perceptive and pro-active Data Entry Clerk to join the Barry County Equalization team! Position is part-time (Avg. 20hrs/week) with flexible scheduling options. Responsible for data entry of property sale transactions and miscellaneous clerical tasks. High School graduate or equivalent with coursework in math, data processing and spreadsheets. Must have excellent attention to detail. Must be a proficient, accurate typist. Possible career training and development within the department. Send resume, cover letter and application to: Meshia Rose, Barry County Equalization Director, 220 W State St, Hastings Ml 49058 or e-mail mrose@barrycounty, org. Open until filled. Barry County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers and comply with the American’s with Disabilities Act. www.barrycounty.org formore info. �Page 14 — Thursday, April 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Vikes take last two with Perry after extra-inning loss The Saxons' Bri Barnes (3) works to get the ball off the feet of a Coldwater player during their I-8 match Friday on Pierce Field in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Coldwater puts first mark in loss column of Saxon soccer squad Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings girls’ soccer team faced Interstate-8 Athletic Conference rival Cold­ water at home Friday night where they suf­ fered their first loss of the season, losing to the Cardinals 4-3. The Saxons were 5-0 going into the game against the Cardinals and had yet to be scored on. The Cardinals’ offense was able to put two goals on the scoreboard in the first half of the game. Saxon forward, Lauren Lamphere scored an early goal in the first half, and Bri Barnes put two more goals on the board with just a few minutes left in the half, leaving the Saxons ahead 3-2 going into the second half. Saxon head coach Tim Schoessel thought the game was “a tale of two halves. We had a really good first half, played well and moved the ball well. The second half was a different story. We were not loose, went back on our heels and struggled to move the ball. We played lots of defense and not much offense giving them lots of opportunity to steal this one away. Hopefully we can eliminate the weather concerns and get the girls some nice days to play soccer. We have some tough opponents coming up but we should be right there in every game.” Barnes led the team with the two goals and one assist, and Lamphere added a goal and another assist. Saxon goalkeeper Dakota Blough faced 10 shots on goal and was able to stop six of those. Hastings bounced back with a 13-0 non-conference win over visiting Kelloggsville on Pierce Field Tuesday afternoon. Lamphere had five goals. Barnes and Bre Micklatcher both scored twice and Reagen Morrison, Graycee McCarty, Sage Winters and Molly Patton added goals. Barnes and Micklatcher had two assists each. The Rockets didn’t manage a shot on goal in the game which was halted at the half due to the Saxons’ lead. The Lakewood varsity baseball team bounced back from an extra-innings loss at Perry last Tuesday (April 19) to score two wins over the Ramblers Wednesday (April 20) at Lakewood High School. After two one-run ballgames, the Vikings closed out the three-game Greater Lansing Activities Conference series by besting the Ramblers 10-2 in the finale. A double by Nathaniel Graham and nine singles drove the Viking offense in that last .victory. Graham was 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs and an RBI. Walker Kliftnan singled twice and drove in three runs. Ashton Pfeifer singled twice too for the Vikings. The other Lakewood hits were singles by Blake Price, who had an RBI, Troy Acker, Landon Makley and Brennen Lehman. Makley started on the mound and went three innings, striking out four and walking two while giving up two hit and two runs. Nathan Willette threw a scoreless inning of relief striking out two. Perry was the “home” team in game one at Lakewood Wednesday because the Ram­ blers were originally scheduled to host the doubleheader this season between the two teams. Despite outhitting the Vikings 9-6, Lakewood took an 8-7 win. Lakewood led 6-5 after five innings and added a run in the top of the sixth. The Ram­ blers evened the game at 7-7 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Lakewood nudged back in front with a run in the top of the seventh. Kliftnan singled to lead off the top of the seventh and Garrett Feighan walked to put runners on first and second. There were still Vikings at first and second with two out when Feighan, who’d moved up to second base, stole third with Asher Teigeler at the plate. He came home to score on an error by the Rambler catcher. Brenden Straub homered with one out to start the Vikings’ five-run surge in the top of the fifth inning that put them up 6-2. The other five Lakewood hits were singles by Price, Pfeifer, Gavin Willette and Teigel­ er. Gavin Willette had an RBI. Feighan, DK wins by double figures twice in doubleheader with Falcons Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity softball team ran its Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division record to 4-0 by scoring its third and fourth double-digit wins of the season over visiting Constantine Thursday. The Panthers drilled the Falcons 10-0 and 11-1 in the two games of their conference doubleheader. Paige Thomas drilled a three-run home run to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning of game one to push her team’s lead to 10-0. Thomas homered again in game two, with teammates Allison Brandli and Mya Brickley also belting home runs in the nightcap. The Saxons' Lauren Lamphere looks to wind her way around a Coldwater attacker during the Cardinals' one-goal win on Pierce Field in Hastings Friday evening. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) iininnnii ninirr1 THORnnppLE; P L H Y E B S ■ PROUDLY PRESENT: Gavin Willette pitches for the Lakewood varsity baseball team during its GLAC ballgame against visiting Leslie Monday afternoon. (Photo by Michael Graham) Price and Straub each scored two times. The Vikings benefited from eight walks includ­ ing two to Straub. Gavin Willette threw the first 5.1 innings for the Vikings, striking out three and walk­ ing two. Of the seven runs charged to him five were earned. He allowed five hits. Makley threw 1.2 innings of relief striking out one, walking one and giving up one hit. Perry took the series opener at Perry High School 4-3 in nine innings Tuesday. The Vikings are now 5-2 overall this sea­ son with all seven ballgames having been Greater Lansing Activities Conference con­ tests. Leslie scored a 5-2 win over the visiting Vikings Monday afternoon, April 25, scor­ ing two runs in the sixth and seventh innings to pull away. The Vikings had six hits. Gavin Willette and Graham were both 2-for-3 at the plate. Graham scored two runs. Willette had an RBI. Pfeifer and Makley had the other two Lakewood hits. Makley had an RBI. Leslie starting pitcher Ethan Kaimon struck out 13 and walked one in his 6.2 innings on the mound in eanring the win. Gavin Willette started on the mound and threw 4.2 innings in which he allowed two hits and one unearned run. He struck out four and walked one. Graham and Makley both gave up one hit and two runs in relief and combined to walk five over the final 2.1 innings. The Vikings and Blackhawks are slated to meet for the last two games of .their GLAC series at Leslie this afternoon, April 28. The Vikings are scheduled to host Bath for two Friday afternoon and will return to confer­ ence action next week with two at home against Stockbridge Monday and one on the road at Stockbridge Wednesday, May 4. Delton Kellogg's Allison Brandli rips a home run to deep center field during her team's doubleheader sweep of visiting Constantine Thursday afternoon. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Brickley was 3-for-3 in game two with three RBI and two runs scored. Aubrey Aukerman doubled, singled, drove in two runs and scored twice for DK. Jordan Lyons doubled and drove in two runs. Brandli had two RBI and two runs scored. Karlee Auker­ man and Kayleigh Buffum also scored runs for DK in game two. Abby Fichtner and Buffum shared the time in the circle in game two. Fichtner struck out five and walked four while giving up one hit in three innings. Buffum threw the first two innings allowing one unearned run on five hits. Brickley threw game one shutting out the Falcons on three hits and three walks. She struck out four. Aukerman, Paige Davis and Brandli each had a double in game one. Davis was 2-for2 with a run scored and two RBI. Thomas had three RBI and Brandli two. Brandli and Aukerman both doubled. Kasey Kapteyn was l-for-2 with a run and an RBI. Lyons singled and scored a run. Brickley and Fichtner both scored once. Fichtner, in the lead-off spot, walked twice and singled once. The Panthers were back in action Satur­ day and suffered two one-run losses at the Gull Lake Invitational falling 9-8 to Mendon and 15-14 to Watervliet in eight innings. Aukerman and Fichtner homered in the loss to Watervliet. Thomas was 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Allie Trantham, Davis, Brickley and Fichtner had two hits each. Fichtner had two RBI and two runs scored. Brickley scored three times. Auker­ man finished the game with three RBI. Thomas drove in two runs. One of Tran­ tham’s two hits was a double. She had one RBI. Davis drove in one run as well. Aukerman and Fichtner also had home runs in the loss to Mendon. Aukerman was 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. She also doubled. Fichtner had two runs scored and two RBI. Brandli had a pair of singles. Lyons, Delton Kellogg pitcher Abby Fichtner fires a strike to the plate in the second game of the doubleheader between the Panthers and Constantine Falcons in Delton Thursday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Brickley, Trantham and Davis also had hits for DK in the loss. Delton Kellogg was scheduled to host Kalamazoo Christian Wednesday and will be back at it at K-Christian this afternoon. The Panthers go away from the conference Sat­ urday for the annual Don Knight Invitational hosted by Otsego. Schoolcraft will visit Delton Kellogg Tuesday, May 3. Hastings boys eighth at first two conference golf competitions Joey McLean shot a 42 to lead the Hastings varsity boys’ golf team at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference jamboree hosted by Marshall at Marshall Country Club Tuesday. That score put McLean in a tie for 11th individually on the day. Marshall senior Harrison Chapman was the day’s top scorer with a one-under-35 on his team’s home course. His teammate, senior Collin McLane, was the runner-up with a 37. Harper Creek freshman Joey Mario and Pennfield senior Luke Davis tied for third with 40s. Led by the day’s top two individual scor­ ers, the Marshall boys won the jamboree with a score of 160 ahead of Lumen Christi 168, Pennfield 173, Harper Creek 174, Jackson Northwest 175, Coldwater 177, Parma West­ ern 182 and Hastings 195. Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTl). A« authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTl www.mtishows.com May 4th 7:00 pm All seats $7 May 5th, 6th, & 7th, 7:00 PM May 8th, 2:00 pm Adults $10 Senior/Students $8 Dennison Performing Arts Center 231 South Broadway in Hastings. (Use door on Center Street) Advance tickets can be purchased at Progressive Graphics or by calling the Thornapple Arts Council of Barry County at 269-945-2002 Questions? Call Norma Jean Acker 269-945-2332 Arts Council BARR? iTSc-rn^ The Thocnopple Mayen a o non-profit organaction providing theatrical opportunities to the Barry County area. For more information, coil (269] 945-2332 T Sophomore Owen Carroll was the Saxons’ number two scorer with a 45. Hastings also got a 53 from junior Damien Gibson and a 55 from sophomore Blake Barnum. The conference got together for the first time this spring at Riverside Golf Club last Thursday, April 21, for the jamboree hosted by Pennfield. Lumen Christi took that outing by besting Marshall on a tiebreaker for the win. Both teams’ top four put together scores of 166. Jackson Northwest was third with a score of 175, ahead of Coldwater 177, Pennfield 196, Parma Western 198, Harper Creek 199 and Hastings 202. Lumen Christi junior Brendan Stevens as the day’s individual medalist with a 37. Chap­ man shot a 38 to lead Marshall. Lumen Chris­ ti junior Joshua Baker was third with a 39. The Saxons’ Carroll tied for seventh with a 42. Hastings also got a 46 from McLean, a 56 from Barnum and a 58 from junior Reed Balderson. In between the two conference outings the Saxons placed 18th at the 19-team Hamilton Invitational at Diamond Springs. Grand Rapids Christian had two teams finish in the top ten with its number one team shooting a 314 for the day’s championship. Byron Center was second with a 326 and Hamilton third at 328. The Saxon team shot a 410. McLean led the way with a 93 and Canoil scored a 95. Jack Kensington and Barnum each shot a 111 to close out the Saxons’ top four. Grand Rapids Christian sophomore Dylan Clark and Hamilton junior Eli Timmerman each shot a 73 to lead all the individual scorers. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-05-05.pdf ddc8beafb1355631080f3d678d0700ec PDF Text Text No remorse for brutal beating, kidnap, torture Mothers play special role in our lives Teed becomes top-scoring track athlete for Saxons See Story on Page 2 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 14 804879110187 1070490102590501812849058113421 Thursday, May 5, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 18 PRICE $1.00 Hastings proposal rejected; Delton request approved Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Leila Wood Contributing Writer The bond proposal asking for $23.9 mil­ lion to fund fixes for buildings in the Hast­ ings school district was voted down Tuesday. Of 3,669 total votes cast in the district in Barry County, 1,761 voted yes and 1,908 voted no - a margin of 147 votes. The ballot language and scope of the pro­ posal were both similar to the one that was rejected on Aug. 3. Of 3,302 total votes cast in that election last summer, the proposal received 1,609 yes votes and 1,693 no votes - a margin of 84 votes. Matt Goebel, Hastings Area School Sys­ tem superintendent, said he was disappointed to see the Hastings schools’ bond proposal voted down. “Obviously, the results weren’t the ones that we were expecting,” he said. “But we need to get back, regroup and move forward. That’s what we’ll be doing.” The school board, school administration and community members will all need to reconvene and figure out how they are going to fund the projects that were covered in the bond proposal. The fixes included updates to infrastructure and classrooms, including roof repairs, upgraded security measures and the replacement of single-pane windows in some parts of Hastings High School. “These needs aren’t going away,” Goebel said. “We’re certainly going to try our best to maintain our facilities to the best of our abil­ ity, but at the same time these are large enough needs that we’re going to have to think creatively on how to address some of them.” Goebel thanked the members of the Steer­ ing Committee and Citizens Committee for their work campaigning for the proposal. Requests by other school districts in the county fared better - but those proposals asked for renewals or rollbacks - and the margin of approval was small. In the Delton Kellogg school district, for example, a proposal to approve an override of the Headlee Amendment rollback passed 716 to 638 out of 1,354 total votes, a 78-vote margin. Headlee requires a local unit of govern­ ment to reduce its millage when annual growth on existing property is greater than the rate of inflation. Tuesday’s approval of the override allows the Delton Kellogg dis­ trict to return to its levy of 18 mills, prevent­ ing expected loss of about $102,000 in prop­ erty tax revenue in the coming school year. The millage rate had been previously reduced and had been expected to drop fur­ ther, as a result of the state equalized value for existing property growing disproportion­ ately to the rate of inflation. School officials described this request as a “hedge” intended to fill that void and give the school a cushion against millage rate roll­ backs until their next operating millage renewal in 2025. This millage will cost taxpayers an addi­ tional $1.89 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. Principal residence and qualified agricultural properties are not affected by this millage. In another school district request affecting parts of Barry County, residents in Barry, Johnstown and Prairieville townships were asked to renew millage for the Gull Lake Schools sinking fund. It passed in Barry County by four votes 136 to 132 - and passed in Kalamazoo Coun­ ty by 1,605 to 1,110. Because this millage is being renewed and a new millage wasn’t being proposed, the rate for Gull Lake Com­ munity Schools will remain at $6.30 per $1,000 of taxable valuation. As for Hastings schools, Justin Peck, trea­ surer of the Steering Committee, said he was disappointed to see the results but they found some takeaways. The campaign strategy for the school bond has involved getting as many “yes voters” out to the polls as possible, Peck said. He was disappointed to see the yes vote for the bond had about the same turnout as the vote in Aug. 2021, and thought it could be due to anything from bad weather to high rates of inflation that have been felt nationwide in recent weeks. “The type of campaign we were running was, ‘Hey, let’s find the “yes” vote,’ ” Peck said. “You know, I think it’s out there. We just have to find a way to get them to the polls.” Peck said parts of the campaign have been frustrating or befuddling. While committee members can’t see how individuals vote, it is a matter of public record who voted in a local election. Committee members often found individuals who said they were a “resounding yes” for the bond proposal didn’t end up cast­ ing a vote at all. “The same 2,100 or so no votes are always going to be there. You look back [at previous See HASTINGS, page 2 Irving Township Hall raided as part of statewide probe Greg Chandler Staff Writer Michigan State Police Friday seized a vot­ ing tabulator from the Irving Township Hall in connection with an ongoing investigation by the state Attorney General’s office into possible breaches of election security mea­ sures. Township Clerk Sharon Olson said that investigators from the State Police post in Gaylord came to her home Friday morning, wanting her “to open up the township hall so that they could retrieve one of our tabula­ tors.” Olson told The Banner that she believes they’re looking to see if it had been tampered with. “They want to check it to see if it had been compromised in any way.” The warrant for State Police to contact Olson was signed by Chief 87-A District Judge Michael Cooper, who is based in Gay­ lord, based on information provided by two agents from Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office, Olson said. Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson, shown in the township hall Tuesday, said Michigan State Police investigators con­ fiscated a voting tabulator last Friday. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson said^he thinks there have been “numerous clerks" across the state that have had similar experiences, but said she did not know who they are or where they are. The seizure of the tabulator did not affect Tuesday's election, where voters in the Hastings Area School System were asked to approve a bond issue. “They were trying to be intimidating and hostile and threatened to break [down] the door if I didn’t open it, that kind of thing,” Olson said. Olson called Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who then contacted State Police from the Hastings detachment. “They didn’t let anybody locally even know they were coming,” Olson said. Barry County Clerk Pamela Palmer said, “I’m aware of the situation but I’m not at liberty to say anything.” The seizure of the Irving Township tabula­ tor, which was manufactured by Dominion Voting Systems, comes as Leaf has been conducting a voter fraud investigation stem­ ming from the November 2020 general elec­ tion. An investigator hired by Leaf, Mark Noteboom, has submitted Freedom of Infor­ mation Act letters to 18 clerks in Barry Coun­ ty, asking for voting records from that elec­ tion. Leaf said this investigation by the state Attorney General’s office has nothing to do with the voter fraud probe he has been con­ ducting here for months and he didn’t believe it would have any impact on his investiga­ tion. “We’re chasing different rabbits,” Leaf said. Olson said she thinks state investigators wanted to make sure that the probe going on here won’t compromise that machine, “so they took it.” Representatives from the Attorney Gener­ al’s office and Secretary of State’s office would not comment on the seizure. Tracy Wimmer, spokeswoman for Secre­ tary of State Jocelyn Benson, pointed to a news release sent in February by her office where Benson requested the attorney general and State Police investigate allegations that an unnamed third party was allowed to access vote tabulator components and tech­ nology in Roscommon County in northern lower Michigan. “Unauthorized access to machines is a breach of election security protocols and may have exposed the machines to vulnerabilities that render them unusable in future elec­ tions,” Wimmer wrote in the news release dated Feb. 10. Benson alleged that at least one unnamed third party “gained inappropriate access to tabulation machines and data drives used in Richfield Township and Roscommon County, which could require the equipment to be replace at taxpayer expense.” Under MCL 168.932(b) of Michigan elec­ tion law, a law passed in 1954, “a person not duly authorized by law shall not, during the progress of any election or after the closing of the polls and before the final results of the election have been ascertained, break open or violate the seals or locks of any ballot box or voting machine used or in use at that election. A person shall not willfully damage or destroy any ballot box or voting machine. A person shall not obtain undue possession of that bal­ lot box or voting machine.” In the February release, Benson called pro­ tecting the integrity and security of elections “a critical component of defending democra­ cy in this moment.” “Michigan law is clear about the security threats that emerge when anyone gains unau­ thorized access to our election machines or technology, and I will have no tolerance for those who seek to illegally tamper with our voting equipment,” Benson said in the release. Lt. Derrick Carroll, public information officer for the State Police’s Seventh District office in Gaylord, did not confirm Friday’s seizure, but did speak in general terms about the State Police investigation, saying it did start in Roscommon County. “Our investigation led us to check some other areas [of the state] as well,” Carroll said, without being specific as to where. Olson said she thinks there have been “numerous clerks” across the state that have had similar experiences, but said she did not know who they are or where they are. The seizure of the tabulator did not affect Tuesday’s election, where voters in the Hast­ ings Area School System were asked to approve a bond issue, she noted. “The one that was here for the public accu­ racy test for the school millage election was set up and ready to go with the software cards sealed up inside of it,” she said. “They did not bother that, they left that [alone]. They only took one.” Olson was asked if she was possibly under criminal investigation, to which she replied, “I don’t know.” She said she asked for business cards from the investigators, saying she received six dif­ ferent cards. What she experienced last Fri­ day was “stressful,” Olson added. “It’s still stressful. “I went home and told my husband, ‘I don’t want my life to be stressful.’ That’s not what I did this for. I didn’t do this to live in this kind of stress.” On left, Adam Heikkila, acting in his own defense, and Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Carter, on right, confer with Judge Michael Schipper about a question for a witness from the jury. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Jury finds citizen guilty of disturbing the peace Rebecca Pierce Editor A Barry County jury found Adam Heikkila guilty Monday of disturbing the peace on during a Sept. 23, 2021, health board meeting in Hastings. The six-person jury, seated in Judge Michael Schipper’s court, deliberated for about 45 minutes before returning a verdict on the misdemeanor charge, which states that Heikkila “did make or excite a disturbance at a public meeting were citizens were peace­ ably and lawfully assembled.” Schipper polled the jurors, five women and one man, to confirm their verdict was unani­ mous and then handed down a sentence of $240 in fines and costs. Heikkila, a resident of Bedford Township in Calhoun County, owns iGeek Repair & Gaming in downtown Hastings. He attended the Barry-Eaton District Health Department meeting at Leason Sharpe Hall last Septem­ ber, the day after a statewide emergency mask mandate was issued. He was among hundreds of citizens who lined up to speak in opposition to the mask mandate during two public comment portions of the meeting; some in the crowd were shouting and unruly. During the second round of public com­ ment, Heikkila stepped up to the podium and, reading from his phone, cited several laws he See JURY, page 8 Freeport native is Thornapple Manor’s next administrator Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer Upon hearing retirement intentions from the current administrator of Thomapple Manor, Don Haney, the Barry County Depart­ ment of Health and Human Services was tasked with finding Haney’s successor. “I advised the board of my intention to retire at the end of the summer in January to provide plenty of time to allow for a search, selection and transition,” Haney said. “This industry is very complex and specialized, especially during and after the pandemic. Notice was sent out to the trade organizations within the state for candidates to apply.” Although a statewide search was conduct­ ed by the board, someone who is already invested in the Barry County area was select- See FREEPORT, page 2 Rebecca DeHaan will become Thornapple Manor administrator at the end of August. �Page 2 — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner No remorse for brutal beatings, kidnap, torture Habitual offender, gets 50 years in prison, 'is going to go exactly where he should be' Rebecca Pierce Editor Out of the streak of extremely violent crimes being handled by the Barry County prosecutor’s office in the past year, it is one of the worst. “We are talking about one of the most vio­ lent people that has ever come through,” Pros­ ecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt said. “He is a menace.” Allen Michael McClure, 45, of Middleville, was in a rage on July 19, 2021, when he assaulted a woman, held a loaded crossbow to her face, kicked her and forced her and her 7-year-old son to accompany him in a car from Thomapple Township to Menominee County. Assistant Prosecutor Jessica Payne said the assaults continued for days as he held the woman and the boy hostage throughout this trip to the Upper Peninsula. “I haven’t had many cases that I’ve seen in my career that have been this bad,” Payne told Judge Michael Schipper last Thursday during McClure’s sentencing hearing. “He didn’t just assault her, he tortured her. ... The amount of terror that was inflicted on her was absolutely horrendous.” As the situation unfolded that week, law enforcement agencies worked collaboratively to track the vehicle and, Nakfoor Pratt said, “I have no doubt that they saved her life.” The prosecution asked the judge to hand down a prison sentence of 50 years’ minimum - and that’s what they got. The sentence of 50 to 75 years in prison on charges of torture, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and assault with bodily harm less than murder, and 10 to 15 years for assault with a dangerous weapon, a crossbow, with credit for 279 days served in jail, and fines and costs of $1,270, “was extremely just,” she said. McClure, who was sentenced as a fourth­ time habitual offender, will spend the rest of his life in prison, Nakfoor Pratt said. Court records show he has prior convic­ tions for attempted home invasion, sec­ Allen McClure ond-degree, in Ionia County on March 6, 1995; third-degree child abuse on Jan. 4, 1999, also in Ionia County; the manufacture, sale, dispensing or distribution of drugs on June 9, 2004, in Whitfield County in Georgia, second-degree criminal sexual conduct on Sept. 13, 2006, in Kent County; and third-de­ gree criminal sexual conduct on July 13, 2016, also in Kent County. During the sentencing, McClure kept inter­ rupting the proceedings. Finally, the judge lost his temper. “Shut your mouth,’ he said, shouting to be heard over McClure. “You’ll have your opportunity to talk. Right now, your mouth is shut. Payne reviewed the events of July 19, 2021, when the victims’ nightmare began. HASTINGS, continued from page 1 ------------------------bond proposals] over the past 15-20 years, and there is always a no vote,” Peck said. “There aren’t a lot of fence-sitters or folks you need to sway.” Both committees did their best to use a “boots on the ground” approach that involved personally reaching out to voters in an attempt fo increase turnout, Peck said. But with only 50 or so committee members, their efforts were stretched thin throughout the county, Peck said. As for what the next steps are for the school district to secure funds for fixes, Peck isn’t sure what school administration will decide. He wouldn’t be surprised if there is another bond proposal in the coming years. “These problems aren’t gonna go away,” he said. “No matter how much they buckle down on their maintenance staff and meet mainte­ nance needs. These are kind of big ticket items that have been patched too many times. I wouldn’t be surprised to be potentially going out again for another bond proposal.” Robin Hawthorne, township clerk of Rut­ land Charter Township, said the election went smoothly for township employees working the election. She was glad to see voters turn out to vote but would have liked to see if more came out, with 6b i votes being cast in a township with around 1600 eligible voters, she said. Hawthorne doesn’t talk to voters and has to stay neutral on any election as a township clerk, but she said she did hear comments that voters would make to her when she was pick­ ing up their absentee ballots. The things she heard involved concerns with rising prices of gas and other goods due to inflation as well as rising property taxes, she said. “I think coming out of COVID everybody is still a little bit gun shy on money,” Haw­ thorne said. Looking to fill multiple positions including: Housekeeping, Dietary Servers, and Nurse Aides for the Elderly Flexible hours and competitive wages available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 or online at www.carvethvillage.com Qarveth Village of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 < EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR > BARRY COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING The Commission on Aging (COA) for Barry County is looking for an Executive Director. The purpose of this position is to direct and supervise all employees, programs and services involved in meeting the needs of the senior population in Barry County. This includes oversight of administration, budgeting, programs and nutrition, foster collaborative partnership with other agencies in the state and county, marketing the COA through media presentations, publications and brochures to help promote the needs of seniors. For a complete job description, please visit the COA website (https://www.barrycounty.org.commission_on_aging_new/ indexpnp). Use the COA Employment Application and return completed application with your cover letter and resume by mail to: banu Counlu Cofrimi55ion on fiQing Executive Director Search Committee c/o Barry County COA 320 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 The woman “was given no mercy by Mr. McClure,” Payne said. “He held up a loaded crossbow to her face. He kicked her from head to toe... Her dragged her by the hair; she suf­ fered a concussion. He coerced her into the car where he had her child. “His own family members reached out to law enforcement because they knew his vio­ lent tendencies. And a be-on-the-lookout went out statewide.” McClure was texting people, saying her wanted her killed, Payne said. He wrote: “A nice, brutal gang rape would be cool, too,” she added. “He didn’t just beat her, he tortured her. She thought she was going to die. It’s amazing she didn’t die. “His history shows he needs to be locked up forever.” Payne said that McClure has admitted to having a problem. Even so, “look at his histo­ ry. He has continued to harm people and he harms people that are most vulnerable. He victimizes young children. He victimizes women. “Society needs to be protected from him.” When it came time during the proceedings for him to speak, McClure did not express any regret for his actions. “I will continue to say what I think. I’ve admitted ... I have an anger problem. I’m going to say want I want, that’s my right as a human.” “I agreed to take the punishment,” he told Schipper. “I’m not admitting guilt to anything that I didn’t do.” He was scornful of the judge. “You sit here in your (expletive) dress and sentence people to prison. It don’t matter. You sit there in a dress and judge people. Yeah, you can call it a robe if you want; it’s a dress.” Schipper didn’t react to these remarks. “The first time you came in here,” the judge recalled, “ ... 33 times you used the ‘f’ bomb. When you swear like that - you don’t need to do that - it shows a lack of intelligence.” “Sure it does,” McClure said, interrupting “... I’ll beat you any day of the week. ... It’s my God-given right to say what I want. You sit up there judging me, thinking you’re better The bond passed in all four voting pre­ cincts in the city of Hastings with a total of 741 yes votes and 462 no votes; Rutland Township with 389 yes votes and 292 no votes; and Carlton Township with 131 yes votes and 129 no votes. In the areas surrounding the city of Hast­ ings, the bond was voted down. Precincts where the bond did not pass include Assyria’ Township with 19 yesj^tes and 48 no votes; Baltimore Township wiih 79 yes votes and 229 no votes; Castleton Township with 21 yes votes and 65 no votes; Hastings Town­ ship with 272 yes votes and 344 no votes; Hope Township with 43 yes votes and 109 no votes; Irving Township with 16 yes votes and 53 no votes; Johnstown Township with 46 yes votes and 155 no votes; and Bedford Township with four yes votes and 22 no votes. Chad VanSyckle, Baltimore Township supervisor, said he wasn’t surprised the pro­ posal didn’t pass in Baltimore but was sur­ prised that there weren’t enough yes votes than me. I don’t care about you.... Never touched a man? Look at my record, I have plenty of male adult victims.” The judge pointed out, “In the jail, ...most of the time when you get into it with a guy, you lose.” “Yeah,” McClure confirmed, talking over the judge, “I got assaulted in jail, whoo-hoo!” Schipper replied, “...A real man protects women and children.” “Whatever,” McClure said. “And you do the opposite,” Schipper con­ tinued. “You victimize them. ...And you want to know the most amazing thing about all of this?” “Is that you guys think you’ll be safe with me in prison?” McClure cut in. “No,” the judge replied. “...You still have a chance. It’s amazing to me that somebody who has done what you have done still if, in prison, you decide, you have an opportunity for God to come into your life and change you.” “I’m saved,” McClure declared. “I’ll still go to heaven when I die. I could care less what happens on this Earth. ...I know where I’m going. You guys put so much value on this Earth.” The judge asked him: “You really think this is what Jesus would do and treat people like this? “The Jesus that is going to come back and destroy this planet?” McClure replied, “... He’s not only a loving God, he’s going to destroy this planet, you’re forgetting that part, and kill millions of people, the evil. ...Every one of us is guilty.” At that point, Schipper stopped trying to reach McClure. In a monotone voice, he handed down the sentence that will place McClure in prison for the rest of his life. Then he said to the people in the courtroom: “Mr. McClure is going to go exactly where he should be, where he should have gone long before this. He should have lost his ability to be free in our society.” “I’m not angry at Mr. McClure,” the judge concluded. “He’s just pathetic.” overall to pass the proposal. “I hate to see it for the school system because they need the money,” VanSyckle said. “They just need to change their ways a bit.” One of the messages for the bond proposal that appeared on campaign materials was “let’s finish what we started,” referencing a $44.5 million bond that passed in 2015 and paid for some projects and funded the con­ struction of the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Campaign materials for the $23.9 million bond proposal that failed Tuesday had posi­ tioned the proposal as a way to address those items that didn’t fit under the 2015 bond proposal. VanSyckle said the Hastings school district should have asked for the money it needed for projects all at once, and shouldn’t keep coming back to taxpayers and asking for more money. It’s also a bad time to ask com­ munities to take on more taxes because infla­ tion rates have risen significantly and are causing financial hardship, he said. FREEPORT, continued from page 1 ---------------ed. In fact, someone already heavily invested in Thomapple Manor as well: Rebecca DeHaan. DeHaan has been working at Thomap­ ple Manor since 2012 when she was hired as the director of human resources. She was then promoted to director of human resources and non-clinical opera­ tions in 2019. Her selection was a unanimous decision by the board, Brad Johnson, chairman of the Barry County DHHS Board, said. “We are excited to see her take the helm of the organization and to keep Thornapple Manor moving forward and serving the Barry County community,” he said. “I am a strong believer in hiring and promoting from within,” Haney said. “A good organization should have strong succession plans, as well develop people that may eventually continue their growth outside of the organization.” Haney’s got plans for retirement. “My wife has been retired for a couple of years. We have four grandkids with one on the way, and we are looking to spend more time with them, as well as travel. I do plan to stay a bit active within the industry to help with the transition to a new statewide reimbursement system and perhaps some consulting within the industry.” And he said he has high hopes the new administrator. “Becky [DeHaan] is well positioned to lead Thomapple Manor into the future,” he said. “Staffing is our biggest concern right now, and her background in human resources will be critical moving for­ ward. Her leadership and vision for Thor­ napple Manor will guide the organization forward. I am confident that Thomapple Manor will continue to serve the Barry County community, meeting its needs now and well into the future.” Haney said the administrator is the equivalent of the chief executive officer of a corporation or the superintendent of a school district. An administrator is hired by the board and is the board’s only employee, he added. The administrator is responsible for the entire organization, starting with the leadership team or department directors. “Selecting the right person for this position goes beyond skills and talents to a commitment in and for Barry County,” Haney said. “I very pleased the board recognized Becky’s passion for Thomap­ ple Manor and Barry County.” Haney mentioned that there were some other great interviews, but DeHaan’s knowledge, experience and passion came through. “She has very good instincts and has a complete understanding of not only Thornapple Manor, but the industry in our state,” he added. The former Becky Reigler grew up on a farm near Freeport, along with four older brothers. Her connections to the area were strengthened through her par­ ticipation in the 4-H club as a youth. “I showed at the Barry County Fair starting at age 9 until I went to college,” she said. “I was introduced to so many Barry County business owners and fami­ lies through 4-H. I learned how to com­ municate and market my steers. I learned how to work hard for what I wanted; I would devote many hours every year to prepare for show.” DeHaan attended Thomapple Kellogg High School and graduated in 1992. She married her high school sweetheart, Dave DeHaan, in 1997. They still reside in Freeport with their three young adult children, Haley, Hunter and Hudson. “My family is my everything,” DeHaan said. “They are the reason I strive to be my best.” She actually began her career her junior year of college in 2000, when she was offered a summer job at the former Butterworth Hospital in the human resources department. That is where her passion for helping others started to rise. After the summer job, she returned to college with a new focus in human resources, she said. She graduated from Spring Arbor University in 1999 and then worked for Butterworth, later Spectrum St. Rose hosting ‘Run for the Roses' 5K Saturday St. Rose School in Hastings will host a “Run for the Roses” 5K and fun run beginning at 10 a.m. Satur­ day, May 7. The school previously organized a St. Patrick’s Day run, which, because of the pandemic, was post­ poned until April last year. School officials decided mid-spring worked well. This year’s event will coincide with the Kentucky Derby, the offi­ cial Run for the Roses, which works well with the school name. The race will begin and end at Thornapple Plaza in downtown Hastings, near the comer or Bolt­ wood and East State streets. The Hastings Middle School drumline will bring energy to the event, as will disc jockey Jon Ander­ son. The 5K is an officially timed race, and the fun run is open to adults who prefer to walk the route, which will be along the Hastings Riverwalk. The 5K and fun run are offered as a community event “because we love being a part of the Hastings community,” Kelly Maurer said, calling it a family event. “People to get together [and] enjoy the Thor­ napple River.” Registration can be made online at stroseschoolhastings.com or itsyourrace.com. The registration fee is $30 for the 5K or $10 for the fun run. T-shirts will be available to purchase for $10 at the race, while supplies last. Late/day of registration will be $40 for the 5K and $15 for the fun run. “If you’ve never done a 5K or fun run, this is a great one to do,” she said. At Baltimore Township meetings, VanSy­ ckle said he only hears the perspective of no voters. “The ‘yes’ people don’t come to the meetings or promote as well, so ‘no’ is the only side I get,” he said. VanSyckle said many Baltimore voters still remember in 2009 when Pleasantview Ele­ mentary School was shut down by the Hast­ ings Board of Education. The board decided to shut down the school to save money, as it had been running at half capacity for some time. The shutdown came nine months after taxpayers successfully paid off a bond pro­ posal on the school through a passed millage rate increase. “They put a lot of money into that school, ran it for nine months and closed it,” he said. “People out here supported that millage wholeheartedly. After they did that, people said, ‘You’ll never get us to vote for another millage if you close that school.’ It’s been around 15 years since then and they haven’t passed another millage. You can take that for what it’s worth.” Health, for several years. She was a stay­ at-home mom for seven years while her children were young. “I loved my time home raising my babies, but I knew I wanted to have a career, too,” she said. She started working for a professional employment organization in Caledonia to stay close to her kids. “I enjoyed getting back into the workforce as a human resources generalist, providing my exper­ tise to many clients,” she added. DeHaan’s career with Thornapple Manor began in 2012, when she was approached with the opportunity for a human resources position. “I had a grandmother who was a resi­ dent at Thomapple Manor for 10 years, and I knew the positive impact Thomap­ ple Manor made for our elderly commu­ nity,” DeHaan said. “I immediately knew that I had found my calling in human resources coupled with making a differ­ ence in someone’s life.” Her connections to the Hastings com­ munity and Barry County area found her there. “I coached freshman volleyball for two years for Hastings High School,” she said. “I knew how to play volleyball; however, my real goal was to make a difference in the young ladies’ lives. I wanted to be there to guide them through high school and be a mentor. “My first day at Thomapple Manor, I was reacquainted with one of my players,” she added. “It was so rewarding to see her and have her tell everyone that I was her ‘favorite’ coach she had ever had.” DeHaan’s impact on others did not stop there. She has been working at Thor­ napple Manor since then, and making a difference in people’s lives daily. “If you were to ask me why I chose Thomapple Manor to be my forever career, that is easy,” she said. “During my first month of employment, I had the honor to meet a new resident that had just moved to Thomapple Manor form up north. He had suffered a life-changing medical condition that made speech a barrier. He and I developed a relationship that consisted of him visiting my office daily, sometimes multiple times a day. He became part of my team. He taught me that I could be a human resources director anywhere; however, at Thomapple Manor, I could make a difference every day. The differences could be small or grand, it did not matter as long as your heart was there for them. Thomapple Manor residents have taught me more that I could learn outside these brick walls. “In addition, from an early age, I was taught to lead by example,” she added. “I remember my minister sharing with me that his daughter looked up to me. He asked me to always remember to be a light for her and to be a good example. That resonated with me from that day forward.” DeHaan will be passing the torch for her current human resources position, she said. However, the human interactions she obtained while she was the director of human resources will show in her leadership style as the new administrator. She spoke about her goals for the facil­ ity, including her first task. “My first order of business is to direct our culture into a more positive light,” she said. “COVID has been a dark cloud over the last few years. The staff at Thor­ napple Manor are amazing with hearts that overflow for the residents. I want to make sure that we are the best place to work in the area. I wanted to develop a team that looks for rainbows in the clouds, instead of expecting a storm. “In addition, I would like to continue to expand Harvest Pointe campus of con­ tinuum care for our community,” she said. “I have a vision to grow our campus to accommodate every stage of housing for our elders.” DeHaan will begin her role as the new Thomapple Manor administrator at the end of August. “I am honored that the board of direc­ tors has chosen me to continue to lead Thomapple Manor,” she said. “I know that I have some large shoes to fill; how­ ever, I am eager to accept the challenge, build my business acumen and to contin­ ue to lead Thomapple Manor for future years to come.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — Page 3 Rayl’s separation agreement document released Greg Chandler Staff Writer Former Middleville Village Manager Patri­ cia Rayl received a severance package and agreed to work with the village as it searches for a new manager, as part of a separation agreement she signed last month in which she agreed to step down from the position. Rayl, who had been the village manager in Middleville since June 2020, resigned from her position effective April 27, one day after the village council voted to accept her decision. The Banner was able to obtain a copy of Rayl’s separation agreement through a Free­ dom of Information Act request submitted to the village. The agreement was signed April 26 by Rayl and Village President Sherry Ronning. As part of the four-page agreement, Rayl will be paid “an amount equal to six months of Employee’s salary aggregated compensa­ tion” on the first village payday after her resignation date. She also will be paid for all earned vacation, personal days and other accrued benefits. She will continue to receive health and dental coverage through the vil­ lage’s insurance provider for the six-month severance period, starting from the date of her resignation, according to the separation agreement document. Rayl was earning a salary of about $76,000 at the time of her resignation. Monday was the first village payday after her resignation, Village Clerk Glorimar Ayala said. Also under the separation agreement, Rayl will cooperate with the village during “the selection, hiring and training of a new Village Manager, including an interim Village Man­ ager if deemed necessary by the Village.” She will consult with village officials and the new village manager or interim manager “to pro­ vide needed information and explanations regarding Village matters.” That agreement will be in effect for the six-month severance period, according to documents. The agree­ ment also allows Rayl and the village to enter into a written agreement after the severance period where she could provide further con­ sulting services. Rayl agreed to not pursue any legal action against the village with regard to employment discrimination or civil rights law, and agreed not to seek further employment with the vil­ lage, according to the separation document. Rayl’s resignation was accepted after a 15-minute closed session at the April 26 vil­ lage council meeting. The closed session was “to consider an attorney-client privileged communication regarding employment mat­ ters, which communication is exempt from disclosure” under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. No discussion took place on the motion to accept Rayl’s resignation before the vote. Rayl said after the meeting she could not comment on the resignation. Ronning declined to comment, as well. No one on the Village Council spoke about Rayl during Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting. Someone asked if there was consideration yet for searching for Rayl’s permanent successor. “We haven’t even gone down that road yet,” Ronning said. Brian Urquhart is currently serving as act­ ing village manager while the village search­ es for Rayl’s replacement. At Tuesday’s meeting, the committee of the whole voted 6-0 to approve a contract with Urquhart and pay him the same rate as Rayl, retroactive to April 27. County Trustee Kevin Smith was absent for the vote. “That was for transparency to ensure that the extra work that’s being done by me during this transition period allows for compensa­ tion,” Urquhart said, calling the MCOW action a “kind of formality.” Contributing Writer James Gemmell con­ tributed to this story. 'Young Frankenstein1 opens tonight Thornapple Players presenting musical comedy The Thomapple Players will present Mel Brooks’ musical “Young Frankenstein” next week at the Dennison Performing Arts Cen­ ter. Shows will begirt at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, May 5, 6, and 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 8. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors or students. The line, “So, now we hurl the gauntlet of science into the frightful face of death itself,” written by Mel Brooks, “is the perfect quote to encapsulate this production,” director Julian Kratochvil said. He’s thrilled about the upcoming show. “ft isn’t to be missed and will be the talk of the town,” he said. Thomapple Players President Norma Jean Acker said many of the cast members are long-time fans of the local theater group. They, too, are excited to present this show, especially now. “We think it is definitely the right show for this time when we can all use a good laugh and a break from the harsh realities of day-today life in our world today,” she said, sug­ gesting people “bring your sense of humor and a friend.” The cast includes Lily Burton-Haas as Elizabeth Benning, Julie Coon as Ziggy, Shirlee Holston as The Hermit, Julian Krato­ chvil as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, Amber Miller as Inspector Hans Kemp, Michael Moray as Igor, Charlie Saulino as The Mon­ ster, Angela Seeber as Ms. Bl?cher-Stem, Amy Young as Inga, and Steve Youngs as Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein. Making up the ensemble are Kimmy Beck, Dan Braker, Sophie Braker, Dan Burton, Jen­ nifer Craven, Terry Dennison, Jordan Dimock, Cloe Oliver, Terri Schray, Kayla Wills and Jennifer Zech. The crew also includes music director Doug Acker; producer Norma Jean Acker; house manager Carol Svihl; choreographer Kimberly Rodriguez; set construction Doug Acker, Julian Kratochvil and Dale Svihl; stage managers Terri Schray and Jennifer Zech; costumes Julie Coon, Jennifer Craven and Shirlee Holston; sound, Rick Hemerling and intern Aidan Oliver; lights, Sam Pattok; hair and makeup, Jordan Dimock and the cast. Comprising the pit orchestra will be Doug Acker, bass; Rosemary Anger, bass clarinet; Jordan Brehm, French horn; Rob Deming, drums; Mark Hurless, trombone; Beth Lepak, violin; Cindy Olson, flute; Mark Ramsey, piano; Harry Smit, clarinet; and Jennifer Wells, trumpet. The Dennison Performing Arts Center is at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings (entrance is through door on Center Street). Advance tickets may be purchased at Pro­ gressive Graphics or by calling the Thomap­ ple Arts Council of Barry County, 269-945­ 2002. Students from the Oxford High School Jazz Band play in the Thomapple Arts Council Jazz Festival on April 29 at Waldorff Brew Pub & Bistro. The festival took place April 28-30 at several locations throughout downtown Hastings including Bunker’s Smokehouse, Spray Park Band Shell and Thomapple Plaza. Jazz Fest A member of the Saint Louis High School Jazz Band plays the steel drums April 29 at the Thomapple Plaza band shell downtown. The group played jazz covers of songs from Nirvana, Stevie Wonder and other contemporary groups. HHS senior girls treated to luncheon The Hastings General Federation of Women’s Clubs President Kathy LaVictor (left) stands with Hastings High School senior Sage Winters (center) and GFWC Scholarship Committee Chair Deborah Wilke. The Hastings General Federation of Women’s Clubs held its 75th annual luncheon recognizing HHS senior girls. The group awarded its $750 “Jumpstart Your Future” schol­ arship to Winters, who won the scholarship for her essay on why body image and mental health issues caused by social media are some of the biggest issues young women are facing today. The luncheon was catered by Justin Straube, owner of Seasonal Grille, and HHS culinary arts students and included a presentation about women inventors. Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 The jgsB ANNER Hasto g Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! A student from the Saint Louis High School Jazz Band plays steel drums April 29 at the Thornapple Plaza band shell downtown. The event provides free jazz performanc­ es for the public from student jazz bands across the state as well as professional musicians, and gives students a chance to work together with professional musicians. Hastings: Middleville: Cloverdale: Woodland: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Cloverdale General Woodland Express (M-43 North) Harding's Superette Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Shelbyville: Nashville: Family Fare Middleville Johnny's Town & Country Trading Post The Dock Nashville Johnny's Tom's Market Rotary honors young men Hastings High School senior boys recent­ ly attended the Hastings Rotary Club meet­ ing for the annual senior boys’ luncheon. One by one, the students spoke from the podium and introduced themselves to Rotary Club members. They then heard from found­ er and CEO of Left Field Coffee Johnny DeMaagd, who discussed how he started his own coffee shop in Middleville while still a student at Hope College. Senior boys attend­ ing the luncheon included: Owen Wilson, DeMaagd, Dakota Roll, Zander Botimer, Jackson DuBois, Dillon Neal, Daniel Harp, Nathan Smith, Harrison Smalley, Glen McFarlan, Mason Denton, Andre Perez, Joey McLean, John Tellkamp, Patrick Mal­ lory, Connor Lindsey, Zachary Franklin, Wyatt Holman, Jacob Fish, Ian Dexter, Matt Pattok, Mitchell Vann, Daniel VanHouten, Hastings High School Assistant Principal Adam Case and Hastings Rotary Club Pres­ ident Michell Skedgell. Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Marathon Mega Bev Pine Lake: Hastings Pharmacy Doster Country Store Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Prairieville: MV Pharmacy Delton: Nashville C Store Family Fare Carl’s Delton Johnny’s Lake Odessa: Lake-O-Express Banfield: Lake-O-Mart Banfield General Store Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L& J’s Prairieville Fast Stop Carl’s �Page 4 — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you ntt^Opinion' see? Moms play special role Wild and wonderful So why do we restrict Mother’s Day to just a one-day celebration? I know, I know ... every major holiday we celebrate in America, from Independence Day to Thanksgiving Day, from Christmas to Yom Kippur, is a one-day observance. And I’m well aware that the people we honor on those days are not forgotten during the rest of the year. But a mother lives in our hearts every moment of every day. No matter where she may be, she’s still watching, caring for, and loving us. It just feels like a one-day Mother’s Day this Sunday does not honor a mother enough. “When you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know,” author Mitch Albom reminds. “The truth is, when our mothers held us, rocked us, stroked our heads - none of us ever got enough of that. We all yearn in some way to return to those days when we were completely taken care of - unconditional love, uncondi­ tional attention. Most of us didn’t get enough.” Mother’s Day in America dates back to 1908 when Anna Jarvis organized a memorial for her mother, Anne Davis, a peace activist who cared for soldiers wounded from the American Civil War. The event was held at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, W. Va., which is the home of the International Mother’s Day Shrine. Anna Jarvis began the task of getting sup­ port for the celebration of Mother’s Day in the United States in 1905 after her mother died that same year. She wanted to honor all the mothers of the world who have done so much for their families and society in general. Due to her special efforts, most states started to acknowledge Mother’s Day by 1911 and, in 1914, it was proclaimed a national holiday by President Woodrow Wilson. Today, it’s a com­ memorative day observed in different forms throughout the world. In the United States, we carry on the tradi­ tion by celebrating Mother’s Day the second Sunday of each May. It’s a great day to acknowledge our moms, grandmothers, aunts, and special friends. Especially important to me is that this spe­ cial day has not yet been run over - like many of our other holidays and observances - by crass commercial efforts to play on emotions and increase sales of material items. This day still holds its original intent. Anna Jarvis felt that love for her mother in 1908 and more than 100 years later we, too, connect with each other in our shared love for our mothers and acknowledging the impact they’ve had on ... how yejnteractwith each other.and.how.we see the world. . V1T Children who ; are loved, ..nurtured,, and encouraged in their formative lives generally grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted and con­ fident adults. Yet, in today’s high-tech society, there’s a great deal of pressure on young mothers in raising their children, more than at any other time in recent memory. Scientists realized long ago that a mother’s emotional state helps to determine her child’s base personalities as well. Mothers who exer­ cise calm, restful pregnancies tend to have calmer babies. Those exposed to elevated levels of stress hormones during their preg­ Spring has finally arrived and the sun­ flowers are already blooming in down­ town Hastings. They’re big and they’re built to last - that’s because they’re metal. During the past few weeks, the City of Hastings has installed its newest sculp­ tures around town, including a steel turtle and “The Music Box.” These metal sun­ flowers are one of those installations. Check them out at the comer of State and Jefferson streets. Do you remember? Honoring a legend Banner May 2, 1958 HERB IS HONORED - Herbert Moyer (center), vocal music instruc­ tor in the Hastings public schools since the fall of 1949, was honored at a surprise stag banquet Friday night at the Hastings Country Club. Some 130 men attended the tribute to his work with the youth of the communi­ ty and for achievements in pioducing 15 wonderful operettas: Leaders from Eastern Michigan University (Michi­ gan State Normal at Ypsilanti, where Moyer attended) were present. Dr. Robert Huebner was emcee, and Moyer was presented a scrapbook of past events and numerous letters from former students. He also received an engraved watch. Here, he receives congratulations from two former operetta leads, Edward Morr, (left) 520 W. Center St., Hastings, and Robert Klevom, who flew here from Coming, N.Y., for the event. nancies have babies who are more anxious. So it is from the beginning that mothers play a key role in determining who their chil­ dren will become in life. Whether they are still living or have passed away, mothers, for many of us, will forever be our most trusted confi­ dantes, best friends and supporters, no matter what we’ve done or accomplished. As I sat down this week to write these thoughts I, like so many of us, continue to feel the ever-present negative pressure in society - from inflation and increasing prices to crime in our cities and the war in Ukraine. It makes me wonder, are we still listening to that whis­ per in our hearts from our mothers? If we truly are, the pressures might not go away, but we’d certainly meet them with the assurance and encouragement from our mothers that every­ thing will be better one day. “A mother is clothed with strength and dig­ nity, laughs without fear of the future,” notes the book of Proverbs. “When she speaks, her words are wise and she gives instructions with kindness.” Mothers also are credited with being the glue that holds a family together - and that speaks to a mother’s ability to not only nurture the family around her, but lead in the larger world as well. Mother’s Day means that we also can acknowledge what the women in our lives have accomplished for the larger human family in business, public office, music and other fields. It all comes from a mother’s moti­ vation to give to and provide for others. Mother’s Day is a time to show some appreciation to the people who love us uncon­ ditionally and who are responsible for the kind of start we get in life. After all, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our mothers. And whatev­ er might be good about our lives came from our mothers. So whether you’re planning to take mom out to dinner, buy a card, or send some flow­ ers, it’s especially important that you find a gift of appreciation to properly acknowledge your mom. Perhaps it’s just the gift of time to sit with them, to tell them the depth of your appreciation. For those whose mothers are no longer with them, Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all mothers. Our world owes everything to all of them. San Francisco writer and childhood literacy pioneer Diane W. Frankenstein is a mother and grandmother who may have expressed it best for all of us when she said, “Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I miss you and jwil] love you.forever.. ... Know Your Legislators: Have you met? As Barry County Commissioner Ben Geiger walked through the Barry County Information Technology department, he saw Geographic Information Systems tech­ nician Ivan Christopher being interviewed. Geiger stopped and jumped into the conver­ sation. “This guy,” Geiger said, referencing Christopher, “we are so excited to have in Barry County.” Christopher, who joined the county in July 2021, beamed and giggled as Geiger spoke. “He is the leader in bringing technology to every parcel in Barry County,” Geiger continued, “making land features and land information accessible and also doing data. Presenting the data of the county govern­ ment to new audiences in new and exciting ways.” As the GIS technician, Christopher is in charge of managing the county’s interac­ tive, online mapping service. The applica­ tion, located under the county’s land infor­ mation services page, allows visitors to explore the entirety of Barry County through the scroll of a mouse and the click of a few buttons. Through the digitized maps, people can see nearly every paved roadway, gravel road, sidewalk, house, farm, stream and wetland in the county. When visitors click on the parcels, they can view the owner, tax history and sale history. They can even fil­ ter the map to show bodies of water, county commissioner districts, school districts and county drains. “It’s something that people really find useful and we’re glad to work on,” Christo­ pher said. “A lot of it is essentially just public service - just things that people are interested in and they need information about.” Bom in Greenville, S.C., Christopher moved to Ottawa County in his early teens. As a kid, he remembers finding a fascina- ) Michigan Legislature Ivan Christopher tion in highway maps, atlases and online maps. “I always thought it was interesting you use Google Maps, like, how does that work?” he wondered. At Grand Valley State University, Chris­ topher majored in general business before realizing he wanted to work with maps and data. He chose geospatial technology, com­ pleting internships with the Holland Board of Public Works and the County of Ottawa along the way. He graduated from Grand Valley in May 2021 and, like many GIS majors, he began searching for governmental GIS positions. “That’s kind of a double-edged sword of government jobs is, they’re good once you get them, but they don’t come up terribly often,” he said. It didn’t take long for him to find the Barry County position, though. Christopher had never visited the county, but he applied and received the job. “I was really lucky that this opened up at a perfect time,” he said. In doing so, he joined a department that has at least two decades of GIS mapping history. It was initially started to help Barry County Central Dispatch 911. Today, it’s still a small operation. Ottawa County, in contrast, had four staffers dedi­ cated to GIS mapping, he said. In Barry County, they have just two - Christopher and GISPIT/GIS Coordinator David Shinavier. In his first year on the job, Christopher has jumpstarted a number of projects, such as mapping the county’s parks and trails though it hasn’t been published just yet. The maps will be a way to attract people to the area, he said. For people who are famil­ iar with the county, they will be a helpful wayfinding tool. Since joining, Christopher has made a point to meet people in the community and learn how mapping can help them. “[I’m] connecting with people and just learning about what they do and how we can help them,” he said, “what’s in Barry County and finding ways we can help people through mapping.” Christopher currently drives an hour to and from his home in Ottawa County. He said he might move a little closer to Barry County, but he doesn’t foresee any changes in the immediate future. “I’m really happy here,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of really exciting stuff ahead of us. We’re working a lot more with the local units and other county departments, so there’s really a lot of exciting stuff ahead.” For his role in designing maps for Barry County, Ivan Christopher is this week’s Bright Light: Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, Mich. 48909. Phone (517) 373-3400; 517-335-7858 (Constituent Services). State Representative Julie Calley, Republican, 87th District (All of Barry County), Michigan House of Representatives, N-1191 House Office Building, Lansing, Ml 48933. Phone (517) 373-0842. e-mail: JulieCalley@house.mi.gov State Senator Dr. John Bizon, Republican, 19th District State Senate, Phone 517­ 373-2426 or toll-free, 855-347-8019. Email: SenJBizon@Senate.Michigan.gov; U.S. mail: Sen. Dr. John Bizon, P.O. Box 30036, Lansing Ml 48909. U.S. House of Representatives Peter Meijer, Republican, 3rd District (All of Barry County), 1508 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-2203, phone (202) 225-3831, fax (202) 225­ 5144. District office: 110 Michigan Street NW, Suite 460, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503, phone (616) 451-8383. U.S. Senate Debbie Stabenow, Democrat, 702 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, phone (202) 224-4822. Gary Peters, Democrat, 2 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510­ 2202, phone (248) 799-0850. District office: Gerald R. Ford Federal Building, Room 720, 110 Michigan Street NW, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503-2313, phone (616) 233­ 9150. President’s comment line: 1-202-456-1111. Capitol Information line for Congress and the Senate: 1-202-224-3121. The Hastings BcUHICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO What do you do on your drive home: Listen to podcasts. What kind of podcasts: Technology or interview people in the business profession­ al. Cultural stuff. Favorite podcast: “Decoder.” Do you map when you go home: No, I try not to. I try to give it a rest - so I’m not too worn-out by the next day. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — Page 5 What’s wrong with the 'Let Ml Kids learn’ petition To the editor: Don’t be fooled by the allure of tax credits for private and religious education. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The “Let MI Kids Learn” petition would, if it gets enough signatures, bypass the usual legislative process and majority public will. We won’t get to vote on this as we’ve done before when Michiganders overwhelmingly voted this scheme down. Big money is pay­ ing for this failed scheme to resurface, in effect allowing wealthy businesses and indi­ viduals to buy legislation. They’re paying petition circulators, many of whom aren’t even from Michigan and who often lie about the content of the proposed legislation (they get paid per signature collected). I encountered one such lying petitioner in Kalamazoo, who claimed this would help all kids, even special ed students. There is no provision in this initiative for helping special education students. Cat burglar accused of trapping neighbors’ pets One problem with using taxpayer money for private, religious and for-profit schools is that they don’t have to admit my kid or your kid, or any kid they deem “unsuitable,” nor do they have to meet any particular standards of education, special ed or otherwise. So, if this initiative becomes law, your tax money would be diverted from public schools (to the tune of $1 billion over five years, esti­ mated) to for-profit schools that might, or might not, have the best intentions for educat­ ing the next generation of Americans. And if you don’t live near a private institu­ tion that aligns with your educational goals for your child, your only reasonable choice is a public school, which will surely be grossly underfunded as a result of this tax diversion scheme. Don’t fall for it. Elspeth Inglis, Delton Proposal would do away with state’s abortion regulations To the editor: It’s d?j? vu all over again: Deceit, deceit, deceit - a strategy used by abortion propo­ nents in order to win. They don’t tell the truth. The entire abortion movement was built upon lies and deceit and nothing has changed in more than 50 years. The co-founder of National Abortion Rights Federation and crusader for legalizing abortion, Dr. Bernard Nathanson, told Amer­ icans before Roe that women were dying in back allies from coat hanger abortions by the tens of thousands. He later admitted he made up the numbers. It came as a surprise to many when Dr. Nathanson ended up becoming anti-abortion before his death. He became a powerful pro-life activist. He wrote about his story in his book, “Aborting America.” He embraced the truth at the end, but I’ll never forget the coat hangers that are still being held up to this day. Another lie told by abortion supporters was the woman Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff called “Roe” in the infamous court case that legalized abortion in all 50 states, who never had an abortion. She was used by lead attor­ ney Fay Wadleman in the case. McCorvey later said she regretted being involved. Now abortion advocates are attempting to do away with all of Michigan’s abortion reg­ ulations. Right now, a coalition of abortion advo­ cates called Reproductive Freedom for All is collecting signatures for a petition drive to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. Are you wondering why we need this law when we already have a “right” to reproduc­ tive freedom? You would be right to wonder. This amendment is not about reproductive freedom; it is about a new unlimited right to abortion for any reason, up through birth. The amendment is poorly worded and so broad that it would harm every state law on abortion and everything else related to preg­ nancy. Here is a short list, not all, of the laws that would be overturned: tax-funded abortion ban, partial-birth abortion ban, parental con­ sent requirement for children seeking abor­ tion, and informed consent requirement for women seeking abortion. This amendment also would get rid of safe­ ty regulations for abortion facilities, remove conscience protection for doctors and nurses who object to performing abortions, do away with screening for women being coerced into having abortions, remove the ban on school­ based abortion clinics, and allow people who are not doctors to perform abortions. As I mentioned, this is a partial list. The Reproductive Freedom for All amendment will significantly harm women and the unborn here in Michigan, as well as profoundly change the relationship between parents and children as well as women and their doctors. Michiganders, decline to sign the Repro­ ductive Freedom for All petition. Parents, don’t sign away your parental control of your children’s education. Women, don’t sign away your safety or that of your daughter, granddaughter, niece or neighbor. Please, Michigan, say ‘No’ to this amend­ ment. For more information, or to join the fight against RFFA Amendment, visit the Citizens to Support Mi women and children website at supportMiwomenandchildren.org. Joan Jacobson, Lake Odessa Don’t like the reform? Don’t take the refund To the editor: Michigan has one of the highest, if not the highest, auto insurance rates in the nation. . Much of that high cost is Attributed to Michi­ : gan’s requirerrient for drivers to carry person­ al injury insurance, otherwise known as PIP. Over the past several months, Fred Jacobs’ editorials have railed against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s efforts to cut our car insurance costs by allowing Michiganders the right to opt out of PIP. Now, Farm Bureau Insurance mouthpiece George Hubka also has weighed in against the governor’s effort. What Jacobs and Hubka fail to mention is that PIP did not go away completely. Michi­ gan drivers must still carry PIP - unless they 'fi’Sve'Wha't the Michigan Department of Insur­ ance calls qualified health coverage. Having QHC, a driver can then opt out of PIP, saving literally hundreds of dollars per year on car insurance. Opting out is not automatic or for­ ever. The option to opt out must be renewed every year with your insurance carrier. Since so many of us have QHC - call it socialistic Obama Care if you like - it makes little sense as a consumer to needlessly spend hundreds of dollars a year supporting an industry often talked about with con­ tempt. Jacobs and HuBka^Bm to be shills for the industry. If they want\d financially support others who fail to protect themselves, have at it. I’ll provide for myself, thank you. And, by the way, when you get your “blood money” refunded to you, please don’t accept it, that way the blood isn’t on your hands. If not, then stop complaining. Chris Lukasiewicz, Hastings Party still being swayed, despite baseless claims To the editor: In Michigan, the Republican party has nom­ inated people for the positions of secretary of state and attorney general who tout the lie that the election was stolen from Donald Trump. These two official positions have the most influence over conducting elections and enforc­ ing laws that ensure our elections are fair. It is pure partisanship to select people to run for positions that require impartiality, but are more interested in the welfare of a politi­ cal party - especially when that party is under the sway of a vindictive, dishonest, self-serv­ ing man like Donald Trump. In Barry County, Sheriff Dar Leaf is still pursuing the fantasy that the election was stolen and that it will only take more investi­ gation to prove that his chosen candidate was the real victor. Leaf’s investigation was initi­ ated not by any evidence of election viola­ tions in Barry County, but by claims arising in Antrim County almost 200 miles away. Those claims were explained as human error by a local Republican election employ­ ee without evidence of fraud the day after the election and have been disproven by an offi­ cial audit, an investigation of the Republi­ can-led Michigan Senate and the fact that all suits claiming fraud have been thrown out by the courts. Most recently, a three-judge Michigan Appeals Court panel unanimously ruled that the lawsuit was baseless and contained no allegations of irregularities that “might have affected the outcome of the presidential elec­ tion.” And this lawsuit was filed by Matt DePemo who was just endorsed by the Mich­ igan Republicans as the nominee for attorney general. I repeat, his lawsuit was judged to be baseless. Meanwhile, the House Jan. 6 Committee continues to find more and more evidence of the attempt by Donald Trump and his sup­ porters to subvert the election and interfere with the Constitutionally mandated certifica­ tion of that election result. Dr. Kenneth M. Komheiser, Prairieville Township A police officer responded to a report April 20 at noon that a Bellevue woman’s neigh­ bor was stealing her cats. The woman said her neighbor, a 76-year-old man, had made unsettling comments about killing and trapping bam cats on her property. The woman said she is missing three cats, two of which were bam cats. The third was her indoor cat. The police officer left a card with contact information at the neighbor’s house and requested he call them back so they could ask about the cats. The officer didn’t see any cats in the man’s garage, but he did find an empty cage. Man tired of dog-and-pony show Police responded to a call from a Nashville man at 8:30 a.m. April 22 that his neigh­ bor’s dogs were loose and on his property. The man reported that his neighbor’s three dogs had gotten in to an enclosure in his yard where he keeps his ponies. This was not the first time, the man said. Two weeks earlier, he had seen two of his neighbor’s dogs in the enclosure with his ponies. Officers had received three other previous reports of these dogs being on the loose, according to the report. Police talked to the neighbor and told him to keep an eye on his dogs and make sure they weren’t escaping from the fenced area of his property. When police left the neighbor’s house, the man who had reported the loose dogs was upset that police hadn’t taken the dogs and said he’d shoot them if they were on his property again. Stray dogs seen attacking deer Police responded to a report of two stray Great Dane dogs in Middleville at 9 a.m. April 26. The man told police that, in the past, he had seen the dogs in photos taken by trail cameras on his property. Some of the photos showed the two dogs attacking and taking down a deer, he said. The man was able to read a phone number on one of the dogs’ collars, which the responding police officer called. A woman came and picked up one of the dogs, and the other ran off toward her house. She said the dogs jumped out of a window that morning and had gotten loose because she needed to install a new fence, which she said she was planning to do after the ground has thawed. Dog kills family of rabbits Police responded on April 27 at 9 a.m. to an anonymous report in Delton of a loose dog on the run that had killed a nest of rabbits. The caller reported the address of the owner, and police visited him later in the day. They told the man about the report they had received, and he told police it must have been his dog, an Australian shepherd mix. He told police he’d keep an eye on the dog when it was out from now on. Troy Dwayne Burks, 56, Hickory Cor­ ners, was found guilty of third-time domestic violence and sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to 10 days in jail, with credit for 10 days served, ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. He must pay a $30 monthly supervision fee or a $60 monthly electronic monitoring fee. He will be on GPS tether for at least 90 days and must comply with all the terms listed in his presentencing investigation report. Keith Allen Huggins, 54, Nashville, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms, a loaded rifle, and operating a vehi­ cle on Reed Street in Nashville Jan. 14, 2022, while he was intoxicated as well as being a habitual four-time offender. He was sen­ tenced by Judge Schipper to concurrent terms of 120 to 360 months in prison, with credit for 96 days served. He was ordered to pay $1,526 in fines and costs. Charges of felony firearm, possessing a rifle when he was com­ mitting, or attempting to commit, a felony; and possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle, were dismissed at the time of sentencing. His record showed prior convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol Sept. 15, 1994, in Randolph County, and Aug. 18, 2010, in Perry County, both in Illinois; and aggravated criminal sexual abuse April 6, 1987, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon March 16, 2007, and aggravated driving under the influ­ ence third offense Aug. 18, 2010, all in Perry County. Kyle Ross Kelley, 28, Richland, was found guilty of larceny from a motor vehicle and sentenced by Judge Schipper to four days in jail, with credit for four days served, ordered to pay $498 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. He must pay a $30 monthly supervision fee or a $60 monthly electronic monitoring fee. Another charge of larceny from a motor vehicle and a charge of Don’t be duped by 'Let Kids Learn’ petitions To the editor: After failed legislation (House Bill 5404/5 and Senate Bill 687/8), the wealthy are again trying to railroad people into signing petitions that allow tax credits for private-school vouchers. This means taxes would be reduced, dollar for dollar, for the people who can afford the vouchers. It reeks of elitism. A second peti­ tion sets up a scholarship fund for K-12, again diverting money from the state via tax dollars. These petitions will affect money for roads, public schools, natural resources, businesses and public safety, such as police, fire and health. I pay taxes for public education, to support all children - not just to fund the private schools that can refuse students with disabil­ ities or individual educational plans. Everyone has freedom of choice to spend money on private education, but not with public tax money that will divert funds from all aspects of our lives, especially our chil­ dren. Do not be fooled by subversive play to get around paying taxes by those wealthy enough to do so. Michele Peltier, Hastings receiving and concealing stolen property were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Alexis Rose Schmitt, 20, Allegan, was found guilty of aggravated indecent exposure Oct. 16, 2020, in Orangeville Township. She was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 14 days in ,Wed, ordered to pay $558 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for months. She is not allowed to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 without a counselor’s OK and must be supervised whenever she has contact with family members under the age of 18. She must pay a $30 monthly supervision fee or a $60 monthly electronic monitoring fee. Charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with an person under the age of 13 and accosting children for immoral purposes were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Toni Lynn Watts, 34, Middleville, was found guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a third-time offender. She was sentenced by Judge Schipper to nine days in jail, with credit for nine, days served, ordered to pay $858 in fines and costs, and placed on probation for 36 months. Her driver’s license was revoked and she must participate in and successfully complete the Adult Drug Court program, pay a $40 monthly supervision fee or a $60 monthly electronic monitoring fee. A charge of operating a vehicle on a sus­ pended license was dismissed at the time of sentencing. Justin Clark VanMiddlesworth, 42, Plainwell, was found guilty of two counts of assaulting/resisting a police officer as a thirdtime habitual offender and sentenced by Judge Schipper to concurrent prison terms of 32 to 48 months on each count, with credit for 452 days served. He was ordered to pay $1,197.60 in fines and costs. Three additional charges of assaulting/resisting a police officer were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Rylee Ann Nicholson, Freeport and Ty Allen Sinclair, Freeport Anna Marie Simmons, Nashville and Alex Scott Allerding, Nashville Joel Jeffrey Lakatos, Wayland and Allison Lynn Dittmer, Wayland Micheal Damien Bender, Middleville and Trishawn Elizabeth Carpenter, Middleville Memorial Service for Mary Ann Wilcox CORRECTION We were in such a hurry to get you the edition, last Thursday’s Did You See didn’t let you finish. Our apologies. Here’s the rest of that (turkey) tale: On the trail of turkey tales Hastings needs a turkey tracker. We’ve got Fred, shown here, wistfully checking out a Flor­ ida license plate for Pine Island. (Now that’s a place he’d like to fly right now, instead of dodg­ ing cars in the Barry County Sheriff’s Office parking lot.) Recently, a turkey was spotted in the middle of the street near the Commission on Aging building where a police officer was try­ ing to get that bird to behave. Was that Fred? You just can’t keep a good turkey down. But it may be that there’s more than one of these birds hanging out around Hastings. On a Facebook page called “Hastings Town Turkey - Run­ around Sue,” someone said that turkey blew the coop. But if you spot her, let us know. < Mary Ann Wilcox, age 93, j born September 27, 1930 to Ray I Hermenitt and Vera Earle. I She is survived by her brother, I Artthur Hermenitt; children, Carol g (Maynard) Nicholson; Sandra 7 (Gary) Nicholson, Susan Wilcox, Brenda Callihan; grandchildren, I great grandchildren and great great I grandchildren. j Service will be at Hastings Free / Methodist Church May 7 at 1 \ p.m. I Interment will be at Fort Custer later date^______ _ �Page 6 — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Ivan Junior King Rick M. Pennington, age 74, of Hastings, MI, passed away May 1, 2022, in Hastings. Rick was bom on April 18, 1948, in Hast­ ings to Ken and Barbara (Newton) Penning­ ton. He graduated from Hastings High School. He worked for HEL, LTD as a machine repair supervisor. On January 26, 1990, he married Karen Ann Thompson. Rick had a deep love for his family and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Rick was preceded in death by his father, Ken Pennington; mother, Barb Estep; brother, Ron Pennington, and sister, Reathea Penning­ ton. He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Karen Pennington; son, Wayne (Rober­ ta) Pennington; daughters, Jodi Pennington, April (Steve) Kornoelje, Sarah Flanagan, Elizabeth (Mike) Van Dorp; nine grandchil­ dren; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Becky Bass, Robyn (Gary) Snow, several cousins, nieces, and nephews. Visitation will be on Monday, May 9, 2022, 11 a.m. with a Celebration of Life Ser­ vice at Noon at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Memorial Contributions in honor of Rick can be made to the American Legion Post 45, 2160 M-37, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Alyssa Jean Mennell, age 34 of Hastings, MI passed away on Thursday, April 28,2022, at her home surrounded by her family. She was bom in Hastings on September 23, 1987, the daughter of Loni Bennett and Chris Mennell. She lived in Hastings and graduated from Hastings High School in 2005. She enjoyed reading, music, garden­ ing, animals and spending time with family and friends. Alyssa is survived by her daughter, Marley Cook; husband, Jerry Samis and his children; mother, Loni (Brad) Bennett; father, Chris (Symone) Mennell; siblings, Lexi (Kyle) Snider, Chris Mennell, Jr., Brooklyn Drake, Kate Juneau, Will Fields, Robert Fields, Marcus Fields, Channon Conrad; numerous nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cous­ ins; grandmothers, Sally Mennell, Anita Mennell, Sally Jewett and Kathy Spencer, and lifelong friend, Caitlyn Newell. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Fri­ day, May 6,2022, at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway Street, Hastings, MI 49058. There will be a Celebration of Life Service at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Life­ gate Community Church, 301 State Road, Hastings, MI 49058 with luncheon to follow. Memorial contributions may be made in care of her daughter Marley Cook at High Point Bank in Hastings. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave online condolences, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. fl* ■ — Worship Together Joshua David Holdaway, age 33, of Hast­ ings, MI, passed away on April 30, 2022 at Spectrum Health Blodgett in East Grand Rapids after a long battle with a severe immune condition. Joshua was bom on January 22, 1989, the son of David Holdaway and Holly (Gibson) Kendall. Joshua was a 2009 graduate of Hastings High School. He worked at the Hastings Public Library and the Magness Community House and Library. Joshua was a really chillaxed guy who loved his family and chose to live an uncom­ plicated life. He was a natural bom genius with a sharp wit and a unique sense of humor. He was a visionary who saw poten­ tial in everyone. He enjoyed being a stay-athome father who prided himself on taking care of his children. Joshua was preceded in death by his father, David Wayne Holdaway, and they now are playing ball in heaven since Joshua could not play on earth due to his health. Joshua is survived by the love of his life for the past 17 years, Stephanie Darice Wymer; and their children, so, Isaac Joshua Wymer and daughter, Hazel Elise Wymer; grandmother, Carmen (Gibson) Kidder; mother, Holly (Gibson) Kendall; stepfather, Charles Kendall; stepmother, Cheryl (Faulk­ ner) Holdaway; sisters, Helen (Holdaway) Bashaw, Elizabeth Holdaway, Rebekah Holdaway, and niece, Vanessa Bashaw. A memorial visitation was held on Tues­ day, May 3, 2022, at Girrbach Funeral Home, 32§ S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Memorial contributions may be made to the family to help with expenses at https:// gofund.me/326b704a. Arrangements by Gir­ rbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Website: 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall www, Lead Moser, Pastor. Wheel­ Bertrand. chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social Wednesday, Director, Nursery Martha are available. distancing. Aftermath Family Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Kids Night Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church School Group; Youth 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Jefferson 10 a.m. Signup open for Hastings Memorial Day Parade The Hastings Memorial Day Parade, hosted by the Lawrence J. Bauer American Legion Post 45, will step off at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 30. Participants will begin gathering at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of Bolt­ wood and State streets in Hastings. Registration is open for anyone wishing to take part. The parade will be led by the Legion’s color guard, followed by the honor guard, Legion members and other veterans, National Guard and Reservists, Legion Auxiliary, Legion Riders, the local Disabled American Veterans chapter members, Sons of the American Legion, Scouts, Hastings Area Schools Marching Band and other participants. The parade route will be west to Broad­ way, then north to the Veterans Memorial in Tyden Park where two wreaths will be placed, one honoring all veterans and one honoring prisoners of war and those still missing in action. A rifle salute, playing of taps and a short ceremony will follow. The parade will continue to the bridge where a wreath will be placed in the river, accompanied with a rifle salute and playing of taps to honor those who served, and are serving, at sea. Riverside Cemetery on State Road will be the final stop, first at the GAR Monu­ ment at the end of the Avenue of Flags. Another ceremony will be conducted, including placement of a wreath, a speech, rifle salute and playing of taps. Honors will then be given and the final wreath placed on the grave of the most recently buried veteran. As in previous years, no political signs, banners, posters, sirens or horns will be allowed in the parade. “This is a solemn occasion to honor all present and past military personnel who have sacrificed to uphold freedom and he ideals of America,” parade organizer Jim Atkinson said. Anyone wishing to register to take part in the parade may call Atkinson, 269-948­ 8219. Planning commission reviews maintenance building, residential site plans Hunter McLaren This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass Produc’s Hastings 945-9554 Ivan Junior King, age 93, of Hastings, MI, passed away on April 26, 2022, in Hast­ ings. Ivan was bom in Charlotte on July 2, 1928, the son of Harvey and Winifred (San­ ford) King. He was a 1945 graduate of Charlotte High School and attended Michi­ gan Tech University, Michigan State Uni­ versity, and Texas A&M studying Civil Engineering. Ivan proudly served his coun­ try during World War II in the US Army. In 1947 he married Melody Hussey, and they enjoyed 65 years together until her passing in 2012. Ivan was an entrepreneur, working as a receiver for a number of businesses. He is one of the founding owners of Flexfab, and he owned and operated King’s Appliance. He was previously a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Elks. Ivan enjoyed his farm, gardening, travel­ ing with his wife, and spending time in his home in Florida. He liked carving and enjoyed spending time with his family. Ivan was preceded in death by his wife, Melody King; his son, Curtis King, and brothers, Richard and Robert King. He is survived by his sons, Tim (Jackie) King, Mike (Jeanne) King, Dan (Tammi) King, Brad King; grandchildren, Beau King, Jennifer (King) Barrett, Jessica (King) Mur­ phy, Brenda (Vrooman) Hubbell, Elizabeth (King) Whittle, Curtis King, Jr., Ashtin, Bradan and Carson King, Danielle (King) Nurenberg; 19 great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; brothers, Vincent and Tom King; and several nieces and neph­ ews. A private family memorial service has been planned. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Lorraine Otto, age 93, of Middleville, MI, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2022. Lorraine was bom on September 9, 1928 in Woodland, the daughter of Carl and Doris (Carter) Wheeler. Lorraine was a 1946 grad­ uate of Thomapple-Kellogg High School. On May 1, 1948 Lorraine married Dave Otto at Middleville United Methodist Church, and together they shared 73 years on this earth. This past Sunday, May 1, Dave and Lorraine were able to celebrate their 74th wedding anniversary together in Heaven. Lorraine and Dave made a great team especially on the family farm. She worked inside while Dave worked outside and togeth­ er they raised four boys and built a fresh tur­ key business. They were active members of the Middleville United Methodist Church for many years. Lorraine was known for her beautiful hand-stitched quilts and handmade baskets. She attended many basket conventions, wrote a book entitled “Parables of a Basket" com­ bining her love for baskets with her love for Jesus, and taught hundreds of people the skill of basket weaving. Lorraine and Dave enjoyed spending win­ ters in Lake Como, Florida for many years. Lorraine is survived by her children, Ken (Mary Laura) Otto, Marty (Mary) Otto, Tom (Jeri) Otto, Chris (Jan) Otto; close family friend and former exchange student, Rainer (Birgit) Lehfeldt; nine grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; brother, Laverne (Babs) Wheeler; several nieces and nephews. Lorraine was preceded in death by her par­ ents; husband, Dave Otto; infant son, Roger Otto; brother, Leroy (Helen) Wheeler; broth­ er- in-law, Robert (Rose Marie) Otto; sister­ in-law, Joann (Roger) Whittemore. A joint memorial service for Lorraine and Dave took place last Sunday on their family farm. Private burial will take place in Mt. Hope Cemetery. Memorial contributions to Middleville United Methodist Church building fund will be appreciated. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Lorraine’s family. 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 MffiM Mtel0O[s&EqiIipmt 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Staff Writer The Hastings City Planning Commission reviewed site plans for a maintenance build­ ing and six-family residential building at its May 2 meeting. The first site plan detailed proposed con­ struction of a maintenance building at the MeadowStone community, 1812 Lavender Drive. The purpose of the structure is to provide a place for maintenance crews and groundskeepers to store vehicles and tools, developer Cathy Klotz said. The site plan went to the planning com­ mission for approval because a maintenance building was not in the original planned unit development plan approved by the city in 2001, which only allows for the construc­ tion of two-family dwellings with an attached garage. The planning commission approved the development as long as some conditions were met and reflected in the plan. The site plan lacked details on trash disposal plans, landscaping that would be done around the building, outdoor lighting and street lighting plans, as well as a detailed parking layout, city planning consultant Rebecca Harvey said. Commission members approved the site plan with reassurances from Klotz that the plans would be amended to address their concerns. The commission also reviewed a site plan for a six-unit apartment building at 321 N. Michigan Ave. from developer Robin Thomas. The plan outlines where the six-unit apartment building would go on the lot, as well as 12 parking spaces and a driveway to access the lot. Commission members said that while the plan is still in its early stages, they would like to continue working with Thomas to get the residential building on the site. The planning commission also set a joint meeting with the city council for 6 p.m. June 13 to discuss developer Marvin Helder’s site plan for nine townhouses to be built at 134 E. Court St. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — Page 7 Z , / fl look DaGk at the stories and columns on local history in the Hastings Banner 1 TURNING / BflGK THE L PAGES A z f y Banner begins another year of continuous publication Spoiler alert: Papers contained little in the way of local news The May 1, 1856, centennial edition of The Banner described how the paper was laid out in the first years of production: “No copies of the first three issues of The Banner were saved. The old file of “Volume I” that has been preserved care­ fully through the years, begins with issue No. 4, published May 22, 1856. “Makeup on the first issue of The Ban­ ner corresponded with a pattern typical of most local journals then published. Page 1 contained a few columns of advertising, fiction, (often a continued story) and short features of no particular news value. Page 1 was the ‘literary’ page. “Page 2 contained the editorial barbs, along with state news, political articles, Kathy Maurer Copy Editor Hastings was a remote, rustic village of 400 residents when the Hastings Banner was first published on a Thursday in early May 1856. Now, 166 years later, the little village is a small city, and The Banner is still published each Thursday. . The Barry County Pioneer was the first newspaper in the county, hitting the presses in 1851. The Barry County Review soon fol­ lowed. The Hastings Home Journal was established in the late 1860s. Other newspa­ pers based in Hastings included The Herald, The Journal, The Herald-Journal and the Barry County Democrat. The May 3, 1956, centennial edition of The Banner, in an article entitled “A Brief History of The Banner’s First 10 Decades” noted that “Newspapers followed the pioneers into the new villages and settlements of Michigan ...” Early publications emerged and faded, according to the centennial edition, and The Banner was not immune to the struggles of the day. “Several changes in ownership and man­ agement occurred during the first two years of publication. This may have been because the businessmen backing the publication found more profitable investment opportuni­ ties for their limited capital and were willing for others to take their turn in sharing the burden. Since subscriptions were often paid for in produce, and money was scarce, these local journals had a difficult struggle to keep them in the ‘red.’” In fact, during the first 14 months of publi­ cation, the article noted, The Banner under­ went three major changes in ownership and four changes in management. Vermont native John M. Nevins was 36 years old when he took over The Banner May 7, 1862. Days before, his older brother had died of gangrene, having suffered a knee inju­ ry the Battle of Lee’s Mills, near Yorktown, Va., a month earlier. Heartache and loss were not the only fallouts of the U.S, Civil War. Those years were trying, economically, for everyone. The centennial article illustrated as much with..a.remark.gleaned from the yel­ lowed pages: “In one issue during the war years,. EditovNeVins-cdiYimented happily that he had just received several baskets of turnips and potatoes ‘on account’ and concluded with the remark, ‘Now I can start living again!’ It was an era of rough going for small village newspapers.” George M. Dewey sat at the helm of the paper, sometimes sharing it with other own­ ers or managers, for 14 years beginning in 1866. Incidentally, one of the nation’s most famous headlines “Dewey Defeats Truman” involved former Banner editor George Dew­ ey’s grandson Thomas E. Dewey. The Chica­ go Daily Tribune prematurely and ultimately erroneously announced Dewey’s victory in the Nov. 3, 1948, presidential election. A pho­ tograph of a smiling Truman holding up The Tribune with that bold three-word headline became famous. Before coming to Hastings, George Dewey had edited and published a newspaper in Niles and after leaving Hastings, was owner and editor of a newspaper in Owosso, where Thomas Dewey was born about five years after his grandfather’s death. A man of many talents, George Dewey also was a teacher, school superintendent, state senator and also worked in the postal service. Dewey wasn’t the only notable owner of The Banner. By 1880, the ever-changing ownership found a steady base after Marshall L. Cook, 23, and an associate purchased The Banner. That partner happened to be army veteran Albert Decatur Kniskem. As reported in this column in April 2017, Brig. Gen. Kniskem was responsible for furnishing the entire U.S. Army with food and supplies in World War I. He had sold his share in the newspaper in Centennial issue described first editions Feb. 2, 1961, GENERAL EXCELLENCE - The Hastings Banner was honored Friday when publisher Richard M. Cook was presented this Award of Excellence in Class D - weekly newspapers with circulations of more than 4,000. Judging for the award in the 1960 competition was done by members of the Georgia State Press Association. The judges declared The Banner is a “Good, all around, well-balanced newspaper.” In the photo above are Dr. Fred S. Siebert (left), dean of the College of Communication Arts and head of the School of Journalism at Michigan State University, who presented the honor at the noon luncheon during the Michigan Press Association convention at MSU. Others in the photo are (from left) publisher Cook, advertising manager Hal Buerge and news editor George B. Youngs. Washington items and news of the national and territorial governments. Page 2 was the editorial feature page. “Page 3 contained a few items of local news sandwiched in between columns of advertising and news of Great Britain and Europe. Page 3 was the local and foreign page - a quaint combination. “Page 4 was usually fairly solid with advertising, and as such, [was] the editor’s ‘bread and butter page.’ This general style was followed in most village weekly publi­ cations for several decades. Locally, it was the pattern until the early 1880s.” That May 22, 1856, paper that was “care­ fully preserved through the years” likely is now at the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan, along with several other files, documents and likely photo­ graphs donated by the Cook family. lake, Elaine Garlock Pleasant Valley United Brethren Church was the setting Sunday for yet another con­ cert by two musical groups. The “Joy Bells” and the “Coldwater Brass” alternated with two numbers each five times for a delightful afternoon of music. Visual projection enhanc­ es the music with words for hymns and other illustrations. Two of the musical numbers were written in Africa. The illustrations for them was a series of wildlife, African animals in their natural habitat. At the close of the afternoon performance, church members pro­ vided ice cream treats along with baked goodies. The ensuing conversation was another pleasure for those who attended. Work has begun on yet another building project to the south of a short section of Sec­ ond Street which becomes Tupper Lake Road east of Jordan Lake Highway. There are mounds of sand and gravel plus several piec­ es of equipment. A workman was moving sand Sunday for the very early stages of the project. Whatever the building, it will be behind the houses south of the gas station/ convenience store at the corner of Jordan Lake Avenue and Second/Tupper Lake Street. More of our southern sojourners are back on their home turf. It is good to see them after they have been gone for several months. In a recent survey by U.S. News and World Report ranking Michigan high schools, Lake­ wood was 244th of the 660 schools in the state, but a close second among area schools. Belding, Ionia, Saranac and Portland followed in that order. Pewamo-Westphalia Middle/ High School was ranked 19th in the state. The study was based on college readiness, mathe­ matics proficiency and reading proficiency. Lakewood’s best rating was in college curric­ ulum breadth and college readiness. We can be proud of our school’s ranking. March 21, 1963, SUPERVISORS VISIT - Russell Kimmel (center), superintendent of The Banner Press, is shown explaining to Supervisor Claud Willson of Yankee Springs Township (left) and Supervisor Harold Stanton of Baltimore Township, how one of The Banner’s offset printing presses operates. Supervisor Stanton this month is completing his term as chairman of the Barry County Board. His is the fourth Stanton in three generations to serve on the county board. His grandfather, Russell, served in 1873, and Russell’s two sons, Frank and Bert, were both on the board. Harold is Bert’s son and is serving his ninth year and completing his fourth term. Willson is completing his 20th year on the board and was re-nominated unanimously at the Yankee Springs GOP caucus for re-election. 1889 after deciding to return to the Army. The purchaser was M.L. Cook’s younger brother William R., and for the next 56 years, the Cook brothers operated the business. Marshall was the editor and manager, while William was in charge of the news depart­ ment. Kniskern’s father, Philip, and the Cooks’ father, David, also had both been partial owners of the paper previously. The Cook brothers announced the new arrangement in the Nov. 6, 1889, edition. “Deeply mindful of the obligations and responsibilities resting upon the publishers of a newspaper, and with the inflexible pur­ pose of discharging the duties of the position with fairness to all, justice and impartiality, we acknowledge ourselves. Yours truly, Cook Bros.” Two more generations of the Cook family operated the paper from 1945 to about 1975, when Hugh Fullerton bought it, publishing it semi-weekly until the fall of 1981. Mel and Alice Jacobs, who took over pub­ lishing The Reminder in the 1940s and founded J-Ad Graphics, purchased The Ban­ ner in 1981. JifMie 6,1963, VISIT THE BANNER - Members of Mrs. Roblyer’s and Mrs. Thayer’s fourth-grade classes from Delton visited The Banner Friday afternoon, learning first hand how a newspaper is printed. Here, Warren “Freddie” Kidder, Ludlow operator, is show­ ing Chuck Miknis, Carol Dykstra and Delbert Minshall how the machine works. Rickie Hyde is in the background. Despite its many changes early on, The Banner has been owned by a member of the Cook or Jacobs families for about 136 of its 166 years. Accompanying this brief history are mis­ cellaneous photos from around the time The Banner marked a century of publication. Note: Some astute readers may have noticed that the volume number of The Banner does not align with the number of years it has been published. The reason is unclear, but may have been due to one or more individuals somewhere along the 166-year production line changing the vol­ ume number at the start of a calendar year, rather than the actual anniversary of its publication. To be continued ... Sources: Hastings Banner; ChroniclingAmerica.com; Library of Michigan/MSU libraries, Bentley Historical Library, Uni­ versity of Michigan, Hastings Long Ago, by Suzanne Flessner/Hastings Area Schools; City ofHastings Michigan, 1871-1971; fam­ ilysearch.org, Wikipedia.com, mdoe.state, mi.us. April 25, 1963, TONS OF PAPERS - The Hastings Banner’s printers, linotype operators and everyone in the shop, was espe­ cially busy last week as The Banner published a special 40-page edition that honored the many 4-H club members and their vol­ unteer leaders. This edition of The Banner required about 8,000 pounds or four tons of paper. The five sections of eight pages each required the handling of 64,000 separate newspapers, plus addressing many of the copies. About 115 postal mail sacks were used in sending out the papers, plus numerous indi­ vidually wrapped bundles that were printed during 22 hours of press time. The Banner printed and distributed 12,800 copies of last week’s “Salute to 4-H.” Here, Warren Kidder and Mrs. Mabel Murphy are inserting one section into another, supervised by foreman Ernest “Red” Wilkins. Butterfly wings are scaly and tough Dr. Universe: What are butterfly wings made of? Serenity, 12 Dear Serenity, Butterfly wings may be quite thin, but they are also durable and strong. This strength comes from the material that makes up the wings: chitin (pronounced like kite-in). Chitin is a kind of building material we find in nature. It makes up not only the wings of butterflies but also the outer skel­ etons - or exoskeletons - of crabs, shrimp and lots of other insects. My friend David James, an entomologist at Washington State University, told me all about it. He said chitin is a bit like the strong keratin material that makes up your hair and fingernails. Of course, butterfly wings are much thinner than a fingernail. These thin, light wings help the butterflies float and fly through the air. “They’re wafer-thin, and there’s not much to them, but they allow the butterfly to migrate sometimes thousands of miles,” James said. A butterfly’s wings also are covered in lots of tiny scales. You read that right. But­ terflies have scaly wings. “The scales are overlapping like the tiles on a roof,” James said. “They can come in many colors.” These scales also are made of chitin. In fact, the butterfly’s head and abdomen are made of chitin, too. It’s one of the basic materials in the outer parts of most insect bodies. James added that one misconception some people have about butterflies is that they can’t fly when the scales come off their wings. Of course, butterflies are deli­ cate and should be treated gently, but they also can be pretty tough. “Sometimes you see butterflies that are completely beat up, tattered and the colors have gone, but they’re still flying and able to move around,” James said. The colorful scales don’t really help with flight, but they can help butterflies survive in the wild in other ways. Some wing colors help butterflies blend into their environments and hide from predators. Bright colors on the wings can send a sig­ nal to predators that a butterfly is poison­ ous and should not be eaten. The different colors and patterns also may help a butter­ fly attract a mate. When a butterfly is forming in a chrysa­ lis, its wings are usually one of the last things to develop. As a butterfly comes out of a chrysalis, its wings are wrinkly and wet. James said this is the most vulnerable time for the butterfly because its wings are not hardened yet. Usually, butterflies will emerge early in the morning to hopefully avoid any birds that might be looking for their next meal. It takes a few hours for the wings to dry and for the hemolymph - the insect’s blood - to pump through its veins. The veins help give the wings some shape and structure. Then, when the time is right, the wings expand, and the butterfly is ready to take flight. The next time you see a butterfly flutter­ ing past you, see if you can catch a glimpse of its wings. Who knows, maybe you will become a scientist one day and help us learn more about the amazing world of insects. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her web­ site, askdruniverse.com. �Page 8 — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Chairman Ben Geiger testified about calling the health board meeting to a halt after Adam Heikkila tried to arrest the BEDHD health officer. Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Carter, on left, reviews his case against Heikkila while Hastings City Police Chief Dale Boulter and Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt look on. (Photos by Scott Harmsen) JURY, continued from page 1 accused BEDHD Health Officer Colette Scrimger of breaking, read Miranda rights and asked her if she understood them. Scrimger, who was sitting masked at the end of a long table at the front of the hall beside health board members, did not respond. “Your silence will say that’s acceptance,” Heikkila said. “Officer Miller, I’m handing over custody to you under Michigan law, for you to take her under custody. This is the law.” “Do your job!” a man in the audience who was later identified as Dustin Fritz shouted at Hastings City Police Sgt. Kris Miller from the audience. “Calm down,” Miller said. “We’re tired of being calm, Miller,” Fritz replied. “Thank you, Mr. Heikkila,” Barry County Commissioner and Board of Health Chair­ man Ben Geiger said. “Is there further public comment?” Heikkila refused to leave the podium. “We’re going to wait until a superior officer gets here, and understands the law that has just been read,” he announced. When Geiger said he would end the meet­ ing, several members of the audience shouted at him. Heikkila had videotaped the proceedings and those recordings were entered into evi­ dence and played for the jury. Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Carter, in his opening arguments, described how Heikkila had ranted in his public comments. “He did make or excite a disturbance,” Carter told the jury. “The crowd was getting involved and excited.” A portion of the agenda remained when the meeting was interrupted by Heikkila when he tried to make a citizen’s arrest. “People were deprived of the opportunity” to hear comment from health board members in response to the concerns they had expressed, Carter pointed out. Because of Heikkila’s actions, “the meet­ ing was forced to end,” he said. Heikkila countered that he spoke passion- MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED 2022/2023 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET The City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing writ­ ten and/or oral comments from the pub­ lic concerning the annual budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 09, 2022 in City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City Council will consider the budget as proposed by the City Manager and presented to City Council on May 09, 2022. ately at the podium “and that was really all.” He was not the only one who spoke pas­ sionately about his beliefs, he noted. Many others spoke, too. Heikkila said he was exercising his right to free speech during a public meeting. “Many of us do not know how our local governing bodies function,” he pointed out during his opening remarks. “To recess, to adjourn, that’s up to the board chairman.” Miller, who was providing security at Leason Sharpe Hall during that meeting, also testified during the trial, recalling the mood in the room and his concern about how easily the situation could have gotten out of hand. “I was trying to calm everybody down,” he added, saying that he'was concerned about keeping the crowd under control after Heikki­ la read the Miranda rights. People in the crowd “wanted something to happen,” he testified. When Heikkila said he was releasing Scrimger, the crowd got pretty upset at that point, Miller said. County Commission Chairman Ben Gei­ ger, who also is chairman of the health board, testified during the trial, as did Commission­ ers David Jackson and .'ion Smelker who also serve on the health board. At the start of that health board meeting, Jackson had implored the audience for civility. He and Smelker described Heikkila’s behavior as disturbing, belligerent and threat­ ening. On Tuesday evening, Geiger had this com­ ment to offer about the jury verdict: “I don’t care what you’ve read on Facebook, there is no law allowing people to overtake a public meeting, threaten citizen’s arrest and deny people the freedom to leave the room. “I’m pleased the jury saw the difference between heartfelt public comment and reck­ less public disruption. The guilty verdict they delivered is a victory for common sense and common decency.” Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt said, “1 believe justice was served with the Heikkila verdict. “Mr. Heikkila’s conduct displayed at the health board meeting was unacceptable and disrespectful and will not be tolerated in our community.” Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has been in contact with Heikkila both before and after the inci­ dent and was subpoenaed, but didn’t end up testifying during the trial, said he was not surprised at the outcome. “I think the judge made the right call. He made it sound like Adam drew the short straw, which is kind of what happened.” Heikkila said he plans to appeal. One of Heikkila’s objections was jury instructions that stated he had no lawful right to make a citizen’s arrest. This automatically put him in the wrong, casting a negative light on his actions, he said. Judge Michael Schipper poses a question for a witness during the trial. Chuck Hertzler Mt8flI®0I : P'Ot Ditsxcnspuing to deprive someone of their constitutionally protects n-hn W.C5’ prUnfots opposing the Constitution or disobeying the legal command of the Oath of Office to unWd’tv Xe USC 5 371 Pr°hlbils offenses against the US by violating the constitu^ w You have violated the 14th amendment, equal protection under the law, Michigan Constitution Xitkfe t % Section 23. 9/23/20. Text of the Miranda Rights warning that Adam Heikkila read was entered as evi­ dence during Monday’s trial. “You allowed them (the prosecution) to say that I did something wrong,” he told the judge. “You disagree with some rulings I made,” Schipper said to Heikkila, indicating that dis­ agreements occur during trials. But it’s the judge’s job to instruct the jury as to the law and that’s what he did. “...I’m comfortable with the decision that was made (by the jury). I’m glad we had a jury, six people, paying attention.” In Heikkila’s view, the case “was about free speech, 100 percent.” “Free speech doesn’t mean you can say anything you want or do anything you want,” the judge replied. “There’s threatening speech, which is an assault. There’s speech that can incite a riot. You can’t just say any­ thing you want. There are limits to (free) speech.” In handing down the sentence, the judge noted that disturbing the peace is punishable by a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/ or a $500 fine and/or probation and/or com­ munity service. But, for first-time offenders, Schipper said he typically gives them a warning. “The job is simply to decide the appropri­ ate punishment,” he continued. “This behav­ ior, it crossed the line. How far I don’t know. I think you were misguided on the citizen’s arrest. Your being vocal and passionate was not the problem, other people were as well.” But restraining someone by ordering them not to leave was a problem, the judge added. “I’m not going to place you on probation because I don’t think this is going to happen again. And, if it does, there will be an entirely different outcome. The first time is a kind of a warning to you about how things are. I’m going to assess $240 fines and costs.” Schipper concluded the trial with this com­ ment to Heikkila: “I think you know now, like it or not, ... the jury says there is a line. I assume you’ll continue to be vocal and strong in your opin­ ions and I encourage you to do that. “Just don’t cross the line, OK?” The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. A copy of this information, the entire pro­ posed budget, and additional background materials are available for public inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk Adam Heikkila addresses the Barry County District Court jury Monday. Kris Miller, a former sergeant with the Hastings City Police, was in charge of security during the Sept. 23 meeting at Leason Sharpe Hall. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, May 5,2022 New varsity Vikings helping team to 4-0 start Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lakewood varsity girls’ tennis coach Karrie Carter wasn’t surprised to see varsi­ ty volleyball players Liv Everitt and Page Wolverton able to take some good swings in their first varsity tennis season. Jasmine Stewart has been a little more of a surprise. Stewart ran her record to 3-0 at fourth singles for the Vikings as the Lakewood team improved to 3-0 with an 8-0 win over visiting Lansing Christian Thursday after­ noon at Lakewood High School. Both numbers jumped to 4-0 Monday as the Vikings took a win over Charlotte. “[Stewart] has never played before and she has really earned her spot at fourth sin­ gles,” Carter said Thursday. “She has done challenge matches and she has won every match so far. We’re going to be playing some harder teams. I don’t want them to think the whole season is going to go like this.” “She showed up. I handed her my racket and she really wants to learn,” Carter added. “She is just really grasping how everything works, the low to high and all of that.” Coach Carter handed her racket to Stew­ art on the first day of practice and she has yet to be bested with it. “I’m afraid to take it away from her. It has been lucky,” coach Carter said. Stewart was as JV volleyball player as a sophomore last fall. She almost was a part of the Lakewood girls’ soccer program this spnri^b^fofe^OTfirhg'fo the decfsfon late to move over a few yards onto the tennis courts. Her buddy Everitt helped draw her over to the tennis courts. Everitt and Wolverton didn’t get a match Thursday as Lansing Christian forfeited the third and fourth dou­ bles flights. Viking teammates Abby Gib­ son and Gabby Hansen were credited with the third doubles win. None of the Lakewood doubles teams have been beaten yet. Alli Pickard and Abby Pickard, coach Carter’s ‘A-Team’ took a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles and Ellie Haddix and Emmi Chase at second doubles won 6-0, 6-0 too. Stewart bested her Lansing Christian foe 6- 2, 6-3. Kylee Goble at third singles scored a 7- 5, 6-0 win for the Vikings. Coach Carter said that Goble found her focus in the sec­ ond set and her serves really started finding their mark. At the top of the singles line-up Lake­ wood got a 6-1, 6-2 win from Kristen Finsaas at number one and a 6-0, 6-0 win from Izzy Wheeler at number two. “Everybody is doing really well. I am just so excited about the team this year,” coach Carter said. Finsaas led the singles sweep Monday at Charlotte with a 6-1, 6-1 win over the Ori­ oles’ Madi Olson. Wheeler won 6-4, 6-2 at number two for the Vikings over Sora Lin. Goble scored a 6-0, 7-5 win over Holly Martin at number three. Stewart scored a 6-0, 6-0 win over Genevieve Rudy at fourth singles. Lakewood got a 6-0, 6-1 win from Abby and Alli Pickard at first doubles. Haddix and Chase won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles. Gibson and Hansen scored a 6-1, 6-0 win at third doubles. Everitt and Wolverton Lakewood will be at home against Low­ ell Thursday and then head to the Coldwa­ ter Quad Saturday, May 7. The Vikings were supposed to make-up a dual with Hastings yesterday, May 4, at Lakewood High School. Lakewood fourth doubles partners Paige Wolverton (left) and Alivia Everitt head off the court happy after an exhibition match during their team's 8-0 win over visit­ ing Lansing Christian Thursday. The Viking team is 4-0 and none of the Lakewood doubles teams have been beaten yet this spring. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Alivia Raak fires a shot toward the Catholic Central net during the 1-1 draw between the Trojans and Cougars April 27 in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Cougars get a late PK to secure draw with TK girls Brett Bremer Sports Editor Kiah Nichols fired a free kick from about 25 yards out’'into (fie toper 90 of tfie net to put the Thomapple Kellbgg varsity girls’ soc­ cer team up 1-0 over visiting Grand Rapids Catholic Central in the opening minutes of the second half. The lead held up until the final moments when the Catholic Central put a hard charge on the Trojan goal box. TK goalkeeper Tristen Cross charged off her line to disrupt the Cougars’ shot, but the official deemed that the deflection touched the arm of a TK defender and awarded Catholic Central a pen­ alty kick with 2:42 to play. Catholic Central’s Maris Klein slid the PK into the lower right hand comer of the net and the two teams finished in a 1-1 draw in the OK Gold Conference match inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Wednesday, April 27. The draw left Trojans tied with Forest Hills Eastern in QK Gold Conference play this spring in second place behind 6-0 South Christian which has already defeated the Tro­ jans and Hawks. TK and FHE are both now 3-1-2 in conference play after getting wins to open this week. Catholic Central is currently 1 -2-3 in the conference. Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings scored eight goals in the first half to score an 8-0 win over Potterville in a non-conference match. The Saxons moved to 8-2 overall this sea­ son with the shut out win on Pierce Field in Hastings. Good passing helped the Saxons notch their first goal in the opening minute of the game. “We wanted to concentrate a good portion of this game on passing and swinging the ball from side to side which we were able to do,” Hastings head coach Tim Schoessel said. “With the girls being able to get their passing down it opened up lots of scoring opportunities. Lauren Lamphere had five goals for Hast­ ings and Raegen Morrison had three. Bri Barnes had three assists, Lamphere had two, and Morrison and Lexi Gummo each added one assist each. “The defense had a very good game as well, only allowing Potterville to penetrate or one shot on Dekota [Blough] in goal,” Schoessel said. The Saxons suffered their second defeat of the season last Thursday against visiting Jackson Lumen Christi in an Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference match. Lumen Christi scored the final three goals of the game to pull away for a 5-2 win. Morrison and Barnes scored the Saxons’ two goals. Blough made seven saves in goal. Schoessel said his team had a really good first half. “We scored first and had nice runs and looks at the goal consistently,” Schoessel said. “Lumen tied it up and had good pressure as well throughout the half.” The Titans took a 2-1 lead in the second half and then the Saxons responded this time to even the score. Hastings is scheduled to host Harper Creek on Pierce Field Friday and then travel to Jackson Northwest for a match Monday, May 9. Teams face off with each conference foe once during the regular season in the . OK Gold Conference, and their record seeds them for an end of season conference Tournament. The regular season and conference tourna­ ment finishes are weighted equally in the run for an overall conference title. The Trojans would really like to secure that number two seed. They were scheduled to finish off the conference regular season at home against Ottawa Hills Wednesday. The Trojans were pushing for their third shut out of the season when the Cougars evened things up. “I felt like, overall defensively we played really well,” TK head coach Joel Strickland said last Wednesday. “We have been defend­ ing really well. Our keepers have been play­ ing really well. Our back line has been play­ ing really solid and not really giving them great opportunities. That really helps.” He would like to see his defenders do a better job of using their midfielders to transi­ tion the team to offense. He said a few too many times Wednesday the back line skipped the midfielders and tried to boot the ball up to the forwards to get the attack going. Everybody in black and orange played better in the second half against the Cougars. “The first half we did not play well,” Strickland said.,“I,just didn’t think we pos­ sessed the ball well and we weren’t playing Together as'a team* mThe second half, 1 Tell like we played a really good second half. We had a couple opportunities that I feel like most of the time would fall for us and they just didn’t.” “1 really think a lot in the first half we were just trying to do too much on our own. Cath­ olic is a great team. They’re very physical. It was a very physical game, which we knew coming in it was going to be that way. I think we were letting some of that get to us a little bit instead of just playing together.” He said his girls were closer in the second half to how they played against visiting Cedar Springs in a conference match April 25. The TK ladies bested the Red Hawks 6-0. TK followed up the draw with the Cougars by scoring a 3-0 non-conference win over Kalamazoo Christian in Kalamazoo Saturday and then knocked off Wayland on the road in the OK Gold Conference 5-1 Monday evening. The Trojans have a non-conference contest on the schedule for Friday, May 6, at home against Hopkins and then will host Zeeland East Monday May 9 and visit East Grand Rapids Wednesday, May 11. Saxons score a second tie in 1-8 tennis action, now 3-0-2 Brett Bremer HHS soccer works on moving ball while beating Potterville Thornapple Kellogg's Peyton Pratt beats Catholic Central's Meara Schneider up the sideline during the second half of their OK Gold Conference match inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Wednesday, April 27. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor Brinna Cobb and Sophia Ahearns pulled out a third-set tiebreaker to help the Hastings varsity girls’ tennis team secure a 4-4 tie and keep the team’s undefeated record intact in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Monday. Hastings moved its record to 3-0-2 in the conference with the draw against a team Saxon head coach Andrew Haines called the “pesky” Harper Creek Beavers. Abby Beemer got the lone singles win for the Saxons, at number two, outscoring Syd­ ney Hooker 6-1,6-1. Cobb and Ahearns were bested 6-3 in the opening of the second doubles match against Harper Creek’s Ella Chantrenne and Addi­ son Woodruff, but battled back to take the second set 6-3. Knotted at 6-games apiece in the third set the two teams went to a tie­ breaker with Ahearns and Cobb finally pre­ vailing 8-6. Hastings got a 6-3, 6-0 win from the first doubles team of Bailey Cook and Erin Dan­ iels over Harper Creek’s Rory Randels and Cassidy Pratley. The Saxon fourth doubles team of Jalyn Grimes and Audrey Vertalka won a first set tiebreaker and then finished off Erica Coll ver and Adriana Ham by the scores of 7-6(5), 6-2. Harper Creek got a 6-2, 6-3 win from the third doubles team of Elena Sandel and Cal­ lahan Gothberg over the Saxons’ Megan Rowley and Calin Redman. The Beavers won the other three singles flights in straight sets with Greta Goldstein besting the Saxons’ Brooklynn Youngs 6-0, 6-0 at number one, Rachel Osterhard scoring a 6-0, 6-1 win over Julia McLean at number three and Lauren Willerick outscoring Madi­ son Deal 6-0, 6-3 at number four. The Saxons were supposed to face Lake­ wood in a non-conference dual Tuesday, but that match was moved to Wednesday after­ noon because of the weather. Hastings got its third 1-8 win last Thursday at Jackson Northwest by the score of 5-3. Again, the doubles side powered the Sax­ ons with three of the five wins coming in the doubles flights. The only one that went against the Saxons was as hard-fought first singles match in which Cook and Daniels played to two tiebreakers in the first two sets against Mackenzie Rowley and Hailey Row­ ley before falling 10-4 in a super tiebreaker to decide the match. The Northwest duo took the opening set 7-6(2) and the Saxon pair rallied for a 7-6(4) win in the second set. The Saxons’ doubles victories came from a 6-3, 6-0 victory by Cobb and Ahearns at number two, a 7-6(5), 6-2 win by Rowley and Redman at number three, and a 6-4, 6-2 win by Grimes and Vertalka at number four. Youngs and Beemer won singles matches for the Saxons. Youngs scored a 6-1, 6-0 win over Lio Werner at number one and Beemer bested Kaitlyn Fairley 6-0, 6-1 at number two. Deal was edged in a super tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets with Dusti Morris from Northwest. Each player won a set 7-5 before Morris pulled out a 10-8 win in the super tiebreaker. In between those conference duals, the Saxons outscored visiting Loy Norrix 7-1 and Ottawa Hills 8-0 Saturday. Youngs, Beemer, McLean and the four doubles teams were all 2-0 for the day for the Saxons. Deal bested her fourth singles oppo­ nent from Ottawa Hills and battled to the end of a 4-6, 6-4, (10-7) loss in a super tiebreaker to the fourth singles player from Loy Norrix, Arlo Getachew. The Saxons won a non-conference dual at Plainwell 6-2 last Wednesday on an afternoon in which eight-game pro sets were played at each flight. Youngs and Beemer scored wins at first and second singles and the Saxons swept the four doubles flights. Grimes and Vertalka were up at third doubles and Makayla Birman and Grace Curtis scored the fourth doubles win for Hastings. The Saxons return to interstate-8 Athletic Conference action with a tough dual at Parma Western this afternoon, May 5, and will go to Marshall Monday. �Page 10 —Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Rain brings early end to Delton day at TK Wooden Bat tourney Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity baseball team swatted seven hits with wooden bats at the Thomapple Kellogg Wooden Bat Invitational in Middleville Saturday, but it wasn’t enough to get the Panthers past Fremont in their only game of the rain-shortened tournament. Cole Lane sprints to first amid the rain drops on his way to an RBI double in the top of the sixth inning against Fremont Saturday at the Thomapple Kellogg Wooden Bat Invitational in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Fremont took a 7-2 win over the Delton Kellogg boys. Fremont snapped a 1-1 tie with a run in the bottom of the third inning and then an error and some wildness by Delton Kellogg pitch­ er Austin Hill helped the Pioneers push across five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to break the game open. Cole Lane led the Delton Kellogg offense going 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Tristin Boze and Adrian Deboer both had doubles for DK as well. Boze drove in the Panthers’ first run of the bailgame. Philip Halcomb, Luke Watson and Seth Lebeck had the other Delton hits in the loss. Austin Hill went the distance on the mound for the Panthers. He struck out eight and walked ten in five innings. All seven runs against him were earned. Thomapple Kellogg was waiting to finish of the day against the Delton Kellogg boys, but the rain that didn’t let up through the morning forced the cancellation of the tour­ nament’s final bailgame. Fremont opened the tournament with a 6-0 win over the host Trojans. A single by Tyler Gavette in the opening inning was a bright spot for the TK team. Gavin Snelling took the loss on the mound. The lefty surrendered four runs on 11 hits in his six innings. He struck out seven and walked one. Jonah Summerhays and Snelling had mul­ tiple hits for TK in the loss. Delton Kellogg will return to Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference Valley Division play this afternoon at Schoolcraft. This Saturday the Panthers will be a part of the Wayland Invitational. DK goes on the road in the SAC Valley Tuesday, May 10, to face Hackett Catholic Prep. Lakewood just over .500 against league foes so far this season Leslie swept its three-game Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference series with the Lakewood varsity baseball team last week The Blackhawks took game one 5-2 Mon­ day, April 25, at Lakewood High School and then swept the doubleheader Thursday at Leslie High School by the scores of 2-0 and 5-2. Leslie scored single runs in the bottom of the third and the bottom of the sixth to score the 2-0 win in game one. Lakewood had just three hits, with Nathaniel Graham going 2-for-3 with a sin­ gle and a double. Blake Price singled out of the leadoff spot once in three at-bats. Leslie pitcher Hunter Doyle shut out the Vikings through seven innings. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. In game two, Leslie jumped on the Vikings with four runs in the bottom of the first inning off of Lakewood starter Nathan Wil­ lette. He gave up four runs on four hits and two walks. He managed strike outs for all three outs. Landon Makley took over from there and struck out three and walked three through three scoreless innings of relief. Graham followed Makley on the mound striking out two and walking three over two innings while allowing just one unearned run. Lakewood got its two runs in the top of the sixth, pulling within 5-2. Walker Klifman was 2-for-3 to lead the Vikings offense with a double and an RBI. Ashton Pfeifer drove in the Vikings’ other run. Graham, Gavin Willette and Troy Acker each singled once for Lakewood. Lakewood is now 6-5 in the GLAC this season after splitting a doubleheader with visiting Stockbridge Monday, May 2. Stockbridge took game one 6-2, but the Vikings rallied for art 11-1 win in game two to earn the split. Lakewood jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second inning of game two and led through­ out. Graham took the mound and got the win, throwing all five innings allowing one run on two hits and two walks. He struck out nine. Makley led the offensive attack going 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Troy Acker went 2-for-2 with and RBI and two runs scored. Gavin Willette was 2-for-3 with a double, twi RBI and a run scored. Garrett Feighan, Blake Price, Graham and Pfeifer all singled in the game. “Man, I would’ve loved to see that energy in game one that we had in game two,” Lake­ wood head coach Brad Tacey said. “We just came out flat, neVeF’Tound our stride offen­ sively and let them have some cheap runs there in the second inning. We pressed way Lakewood's Brandon Makley pitches in relief during game one of the Vikings' GLAC doubleheader against visiting Stockbridge Monday. (Photo by Michael Graham) too much at the plate instead of just letting the game come to us and it cost us. “Game two was a different story, offen­ sively and defensively. Guys were squaring up pitches they were, popping up in game one. Landon (Makley) had a heck of a game at the plate, as did Troy (Acker) and Gavin (Willette). We’re getting there as a team, we’ve just got to get our motors going at 4 p.m. instead of waiting until game two. We’re getting there though.” Gavin Willette went five innings on the mound in game one for the Vikings. He struck out four, walked five and allowed three hits. Only four of the five runs against him were earned. Makley tossed two innings of relief allowing one run on two hits and a walk. Makley struck out three. At the plate, Graham was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI. The only other hit for the Vikings was a single by Austin Straub. Price and Gabe Porter scored the two Viking runs. Lakewood is nov^8-5 overall on the sea­ son. The Vikings played their first non-con­ ference ballgames of the season against vis­ iting Bath Friday. The Vikings took an 11-1 win while no-hitting the Bees in game one and then won game two 1-0 by forfeit. “We pitched, hit and fielded well. Both Price and [Brermen] Lehman were dealing and the few balls that got put into play were handled just fine,” Tacey said. “And it feels good to come out and hit the ball around some after a frustrating two games yesterday [against Leslie]. Guys stayed patient and took good cuts when they got pitches to hit. Now we need to carry that over into next week when we start to grind out this season.” Graham and Klifman were both 2-for-2 at the plate in the win. Graham doubled and hit his third home run of the season while driv­ ing in three runs. Klifman had a single, a double and two RBI. He stole three bases as well. Garrett Feighan was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Acker singled and drove in two runs. Price singled, drove in a run and scored three times. The Vikings stole 16 bases in the ball­ game. Price svvf^ed~fdi>, Fefghah three and Acker three. Graham, Makley and Gavin Willette had one steal each. Austin Hill pitches for Delton Kellogg during its contest with Fremont at the Thomapple Kellogg Wooden Bat Invitational in Middleville Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) A1 ' A-AJ'.A L-1' Gift Certficates 108” Cotton Prints & Solids 43" Cotton Solids & Prints Linus Project Pickup Station 'U> Pray For Each Other "ft* QUESTIONS: ASK US... ~ I® ' 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 ussssee UJsifea OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm ska] Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station CITY OF HASTINGS Notice of Public Hearing for Michigan Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding for the Apple Street Sanitary Ttunk Sewer Replacement Project The City of Hastings will conduct a public hearing on Wednesday, May 11,2022 at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 201 E. State St in Hastings for the purpose of affording citizens an opportunity to examine and submit comments on the proposed application for a CDBG grant. The City of Hastings proposes to request $2,000,000 in CDBG funds to replace and upsize sanitary sewers on Apple Street and portions of State Street, Michigan Avenue, and Mill Street and replace storm sewer in a portion of State Street and abandon water main in a portion of Apple Street. The project will also verify and replace water service lines as required by the State of Michigan. This project will benefit at least 51 % low to moderate income persons. Zero persons will be displaced as a result of the proposed activities. Further information, including a copy of the City of Hastings’ Community Development Plan and CDBG application is available for review. To inspect the documents, please contact Sandy Ponsetto, sponsetto@hastinqsmi.org, 269­ 945-2468 or review at City Hall, 201 E. State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. Comments may be submitted in writing through May 11, 2022 at 4:00pm or made in person at the public hearing. The City has successfully used CDBG funding in the past for Rental Rehabilitation. A monitoring review of that project found two areas of concern and three findings of deficiency which have since been addressed by the City. A letter of Findings Resolved has not yet been received by the City. Citizen views and comments on the proposed application are welcome. City of Hastings Sarah Moyer-Cale, City Manager 269-945-2468 180010 Lakewood's Blake Price slaps a tag on Stockbridge's Dalton Satkowiak as he tries to steal second base during game one of their doubleheader at Lakewood High School Monday. (Photo by Michael Graham) Eagles sweep two from Heritage Christian in first games at BCCS Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Barry County Christian School varsity baseball team finally got to play its home opener Tuesday and took 9-1 and 10-2 wins over Heritage Christian in Great Lakes Six Conference play. The Eagles knocked in six runs in the fourth inning of game one to break open that contest. Wyatt Smit, Aspen Neymeiyer, Isa­ iah Birmingham and Brody Grihorash all drove in runs in that first big inning. Grihorash led the Eagle offense going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. He scored a run. Shortstop Dustin Lampart and catcher Joe Wise in the top two spots in the order both scored two runs. Lampart singled once and walked once in two at-bats. The Eagles also got hits from James Stagg and Smit in the win. Grihorash threw the first 4.2 innings for the Eagles, striking out seven and walking three. He gave up one run on two hits. Smit took over the mound to get the final out, strik­ ing out the only batter he faced. The Eagles put together a couple big innings in game two too. They pushed their lead to 10-2 with five runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the bottom of the fourth in what was a five-inning contest. The four Eagle hits were all singles, two by Grihorash and one each for Wise and Stagg. Grihorash drove in three runs and scored twice. Lampart drove in one run. Lampart, Isaiah Birmingham and Aspen Neymeiyer each walked twice to keep the base paths busy. A group of five guys shared the pitching duties. Neymeiyer started and shut out Heri­ tage Christian for two innings. He struck out two and allowed one hit. Stagg got the win pitching the third inning. He gave up one run on two walks. He struck out one. Nathan Loerop and Wise each pitched an inning of relief in which they didn’t give up an eame3d run. Wise struck out all three bat­ ters he faced. The Eagles came into the doubleheader off a tough day at the NorthPointe Christian Invi­ tational at Cornerstone University. A big shorthanded, Eagle, head coach Bran­ don Strong said he had as many as three freshmen on the turf at times. “Hats off to Lansing and North Pointe, they played a lot better baseball than we did,” Strong said. He was happy to see some of those young guys bounce back on Tuesday. The Eagles were bested 5-2 by Lansing Christian and 13-3 by NorthPointe Saturday. Chris Lantzer started on the mound in the loss to the Pilgrims from Lansing. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter through five innings. He allowed five runs (three earned) and eight hits. Smith threw a scoreless inning of relief to finish the bailgame. The only hits for the Lions were singles by Neymeiyer and Grihorash. Stagg and Ney­ meiyer had RBI. Birmingham and Grihorash scored the two Eagle runs. Lansing Christian led 2-0 after three innings. The Eagles pulled within one in the top of the fourth, but the Pilgrims answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and then tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Eagles tacked on a run in the seventh, but string enough offense together to pull even. The Eagles found a bit more offense in the loss to NorthPointe Christian. Smith was 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Gri­ horash and Birmingham were both 2-for-3 with a run scored. Lampart and Jonathan Hawkes both singled once. Lampart had his team’s only RBI. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — Page 11 BARRY TOWNSHIP AND PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN BCCS clay shoot and gun raffle Saturday at Sportsman Club NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS UPPER CROOKED LAKE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL ro: Barry County Christian School is hosting its 2n^ Annual Sporting Clay Shoot Fundraiser Saturday at the Caledonia Sportsman Club in Alto. The cost to participate in the shooting event is $100. Tickets to the event for non-shooters are $25. All tickets include a conti­ nental breakfast and BBQ lunch at the event. Participants must bring their own shotgun and provide their own ammunition. Limited quanti­ ties of ammunition will be avail­ able to purchase at the Sportsman Club on the day of the event. There are plans for a com hole tournament at the event as well as a number of other games and raffles. There are plans for a 50/50 raffle, a silent auction and a number of firearms will be raf­ fled off. Gun raffle tickets will be available for purchase at a cost of $10 for one, three for $20 or eight for $50. The com hole tournament will be open to all non-shooting atten­ dants. Other games include a BLINKO game, a punch a cup game, higher/lower game, there will be bucket raffles, a lottery tree. The event will also feature a professional DJ. For those that are unable to make it to the event who would still like to support the school’s fundraising efforts, BCCS is also offering the option of purchasing raffle tickets for some of the fire­ arms and the crossbow being raf­ fled at the event - the winner does not have to be present to win. All proceeds will benefit Barry Coun­ ty Christian School. Those include a Glock 43x - 9 mm, a Kimber Micro 380, a TenPoint M3 70 Acudraw Crossbow, a Winchester 350 Legend with scope, a Tristar Over/Under - 12. gauge and a Winchester XPR Hunter 6.5 CM 22” W/3-9x40 FDE/TT-STRATA. The drawing will happen between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. A Smith & Wesson Shield EZ380 Birch Bronze Cerakote Finish and a Henry Lever Action.22 cal will be raffled off as well, but tickets for those raf­ fles must be purchased at the event. . Raffle winners must be 21+ and pass state and federal back­ ground check to claim prize. If reserve is not met, raffle will be drawn as a 50/50. The organiza­ tion’s raffle license number is R58173. Those interested in participat­ ing, or for more for more infor­ mation, may contact Amanda Wilkinson by phone at 269-207­ 7029 or by email at sportingclay@bccskl 2.com. Saxon baseball wins second of two at Wooden Bat Tournament Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity baseball team split its two games at the Zeeland Wooden Bat Tournament Saturday, finishing off the day with a 10-7 win over Allegan. The Saxons rallied to score seven runs in the fifth inning to seal the win, after a weather delay, against the Tigers. Mason Denton got the win on the mound, giving up two runs (one earned) on a hit and a walk in the final two innings. He struck out two. Carter Reil started for the Sax­ ons. He allowed two earned runs in four innings while striking out three and walking four, lie allowed four hits and five runs total. Matt Thompson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored out of the leadoff spot for the Saxons. He also walked once. Hastings had eight different guys with hits. Pat­ rick Gee and Landon Steward both doubled. Denton, Reil, Lars Sorensen, Aiden Morton and Har­ rison Smalley had singles. Steward drove in two runs and Denton, Ashton Benson, Gee, Morton and Smalley had one RBI each. Allendale bested the Saxons 7-1 in their first game of the day. Morton and Reil had hits for the Saxons and Sorensen drove in their team’s lone run. “Our pitching overall did well again,” Hastings head coach Jason Sixberry said. We’re giving up two earned runs here and there.” The defense struggled a bit though. The Saxons committed seven errors in the win over Alle­ gan after just making one in the loss to Allendale. The Saxons were swept in the two games of a non-conference doubleheader at Ionia last Thurs­ day, April 28. The Bulldogs took 10-0 and 8-1 wins. Thompson had two singles and Denton had a single and an RBI in the bailgame. Reil, Tyler Morris and Steward each had one hit for the Saxons in the two games. The Saxon pitchers allowed just two earned runs in each game. Hastings will be at the Lakev­ iew Invitational Saturday and then returns to Interstate-8 Athlet­ ic Conference action with a dou­ bleheader against visiting Harper Creek Tuesday. The Saxons go to Northwest for an 1-8 doublehead­ er Wednesday, May 11. TKHS has four und^r OO at Tom Collins Memorial tournament The Thomapple Kellogg var­ sity boys’ golf team placed 13^* in a field of 21 teams Thursday at Gull Lake’s Tom Collins Memo­ rial tournament at Bedford Val­ ley. Austin Pitsch led the Trojan team with an 83 that had him in a tie for 16th place individually. Christian DeBruin shot a 93, Payton Wilkinson a 94 and Con­ nor Newland added a 99. Gull Lake senior Bryce Wheeler was the day’s individual champion with a two-under-par 70. Byron Center senior Jack Marzolino shot a 73 and Portage Central junior Ethan Tiller was third with a 74. Tiller’s Mustang team took the day’s championship with a 318. Gull Lake was second with a 323, ahead of Byron Center 325, Marshall 332, Vicksburg 342, Stevensville Lakeshore 346, Chelsea 346, Plainwell 352, Zee­ land West 353 and Mattawan 358 in the top ten. TK had an overall score of 369. Portage Central had five guys at 85 or better. Sophomore Will Thomas shot a 78. Garrett Trumblee, a senior, shot an 82 and his senior teammate Anthony Lalomia scored an 84. Jake Long­ man, a sophomore, was fifth for the Mustangs with an 85. TK is scheduled to return to OK Gold Conference action this afternoon at the conference jam­ boree hosted by Ottawa Hills at Indian Trails Golf Course in Grand Rapids. Wayland will host the conference at Orchard Hills Tuesday, May 10. TK girls even OK Gold tennis mark at 3-3 with win in Wayland Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg var­ sity girls’ tennis team evened its OK Gold Conference record at 3-3 with a 6-2 win on the courts at Wayland Union High School Monday. The TK ladies swept the four singles matches in straight sets and took a couple three-set victo­ ries in the doubles flights. The Trojan second doubles team of Cailin Wodrich and Tyne Bufka and the Trojan third dou­ bles team of Jamie DeVries and Trinity Simon both took three-set wins. Charlotte Nelson won the first singles match for TK outscoring the Wildcats’ Presley Oatmen 6-2, 7-5. TK’s Sophia Beckering scored a 6-2, 6-3 win over Way­ land’s Reese Coughlin at second singles. Hailey Dudik scored the third singles win for TK by besting Margaret Burchardt 6-0, 6-1. At fourth singles, Holly Carpenter beat Wayland’s Amaya Truong 6-1, 6-1. Wayland got wins form the first doubles team of Rylee Hus­ ton and Shae Cummiford and the fourth doubles team of Katie Harter and Nikol Yanakieva. TK is now 5-4 overall in duals this season. Catholic Central scored a 7-1 OK Gold Confer­ ence win over the TK ladies in Middleville last Wednesday, April 27. Nelson had the lone victory for the TK ladies in the dual with the Cougars topping their best player, Kathryn Stenger, 6-0, 6-0 in the first singles match. The Trojans put up a good fight with Catholic Central. Dudik was edged in two close sets 6-3, 6-4 by GRCC’s Lily David in the third singles match. The TK first doubles team of Rachel MacKellar and Heidi Church were bested by GRCC’s Amelia Verbrugge and Isabelle Bocian by a 6-4, 6-3 tally. The TK team took one set, at third doubles, where the team of DeVries and Simon were bested in the end 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 by the Cougar duo of Ella Mondroski and Mallory Lindemann. Lowell scored a 7-1 non-con­ ference win over the visiting TK ladies Thursday. DeVries and Simon got TK’s win in that dual by the score of 6-4, 6-2 over Sedona Bonter and Olivia Berg. TK pushed the Red Arrows to a super tiebreaker at fourth sin­ gles and fourth doubles. In the fourth singles match Lowell’s Ella Baker pulled out a 6-2, 4-6, (10-3) win over TK’s Thea Zellmer. At fourth doubles the Low­ ell team of Emma Boston and Amelia Wells took a 0-6, 6-0, (10-4) win over Emma Thomp­ son and Libby Hess. The TK girls were scheduled to host Ottawa Hills May 4 and will be at the Zeeland East dou­ ble duals this afternoon, May 5. Tk has a non-conference dual at Hamilton Monday, May 9. Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-899-879-7085 ^021 THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIPS OF BARRY AND PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that upon motion of the Township Boards of Barry and Prairieville Townships, as authorized by PA 188 of 1954, as amended, the Township Boards each propose to undertake an aquatic plant control project (with associated activities) in Upper brooked Lake in Barry and Prairieville Townships as more particularly described below and to each create a separate special assessment iistrict for the recovery of the costs thereof by special assessment against the properties benefited. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special assessment districts within which the foregoing improvements are proposed to )e made and within which the costs thereof are to be specially assessed is more particularly described as follows: 3ARRY TOWNSHIP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated by parcel numbers: ElKElIiI®HHBlH' ■•KBUlEBUlKEW ■ticBUlKSlIll.-filK BlKBlIUsBlIlKftll ■iKEUUiBiIiKScli ■•KSUUsBiIiMEH ■iKBUlIiBUlKSdl ■lKBiIU;EiIlKS& ■iKBUildEiliKSdi ■'iKBiTiTiBlTlKSsfc ■•KBiM®HMWi ■iKElIlKBURBcIl ■•KBiniaruEBiK ■iKBUlKBlIEBIl ■iKEHUiElIEB* ■iKBHHSElIEEIl ■lKBUlI®IES.ll ■iKBlIiliBlHAII ■•KBUUlElIEBiIi ■iKElUKElSkElK ■iKElIllJElWlElU ■iKBUlIsBlKlElIl ■■■ J , ~~ __ ■ikbuiisbiW'Biii■■ ■iKBHlKElWcElIl ■iKBlIUSBlKEEUl ■iKB«IH«lW.BlII ■iKBUlBBlWKStll ■iKBtllBBlKrAIl ■iKBiniaiyj:BiK ■iKBlIHiBlMiEUl ■iKBUlMKiEBUl ■•KBUlI®WcBlH ■iKBUiyBlKKBUl ■ ■iKBUUlBlItlBUl ■iKBUffiBlMEUl ■iKBUdlBlIRBlIi ■iKBUdlBlIKBlII ■iKBlIdiBHEEUi ■iKBlIUlBUkBUl ■lKBlIUlBlII.-S.il ■IKBIHIBIHSBIII ■iKBUUlBlIMUl ■ikliHiIOTEIi 1H ■iKBlIdiBlI S EbS ■lkBlId.-BlKiElII ■ \ •- ? . ■ ■•KEiIiMSiW'giH ■•KBUsKSiWcBiH ■lKBUd.-BiyZBlIi ■iKBlKKSlKEBIl 'SS ■lKBUd.-2lW.-EUl ■iKEiraSlWiEUl ■ik8i!&£ikhEi!i — ■IKBIKIIBIKKBIII ■lKBHd.-BlW;BHl ■iKBiKIiBlKEBUl ■iKBU&SlWiSIl' ■iKBlftllBlWJfilil ■iKBlId^iKIlBUi ■iKBlKIlBiWiBUl ■IKBU«BIKKMI ■iKEiRIiBlWiBUi ■•KBlItKSlKKSill' ■•KBUiKEiKyfllll MMMMB ■•KBiftHBiWiBUi ■iKailKBlIlKBUi ■IKBU^BIKKBIII ■TaYaWaTaI^SaT. raVaTa' ■IKBIIKBUIKBUI ■IKBIKmIIE ilHHI ■IKSIIKBUIKBCII ■iKBUdiBlEiBlIi ■iKSUKfilllKSUi ■iKBU&SlXMUl ■iKBIlKSUlIiBlIi ■iKBiIsKBliKBlIl ■lKfini.-fiiIiyBlIl ■iKBUsKBlEEBlIi ■IKSIIKSIIIKBUI ■iKBU&SiE Mill! ■iKS IiKBlIiftHUi ■iKBlISKEiEftBUl ■iKBdKfillllBlIl ■lKBlId.-Bljy£Hi ■iKBIlKElIfiEiIl ■iKBlRIlBlMEUl ■iKBUKStfMlIl ■IKBIKIIBIIIKBUI ■iKSUKSlIfcBUl ■iKBiKIlBUiyElIl ■iKSFiKSlIEBUi ■IKBIKIIHIIII.BIII ■iKSIlKfillkfllll ■iKBlKIiBUlBBlIl ■iKBiriKBlHAUl ■iKBlKlBlIlItSIl ■iKSFiKSlIMlI ■iKBlKIlBliriBUl ■iKSriKSUMlK ■iKBlKIlBlfiBlII ■iKSFlKBlIIiBUl ■iKBlMlBUkElII ■iKBUiyBlEKBUl MW ikbuuibumui ■iKBUlMiEKBUl WM—! ■iKBlIdlBliRBlIl ■iKBlIlMKtKKBlIl MM ■iKBUUlBiWlBlfl ■iKBUikfliKfsBlIi MBM ■iKBUdlBlWlBlH KIWfflTSfiMIfeE Bill ■iKEUiyfilI«EBlIl ■iKBlIdiSHUElI ■iKBlIiyEWCllBUl ■•KBUsKBlIlIBlK ■iKEUiyAttEBFl ■iKBiId^iIlIEiK ■iKBUiy&KEBdl ■iKBlKKBlIilBU ■iKBUiyAKEBill mcnTAEiTiiKri ■iKBiiiyATcy&n ■iKBHl/fWcKBHl ■IKfillWfilllWSIJII ■iKBlIsKSUlEBUi ■iKEiIiK&KKEUi ' i ■•KBiISKSIIIKSIII ■lKBUiy0tEfiKi ■lKBlId.-ElIH«lIl ■iKBUiyZMeliHUi ■ifcElI&SlIiyAIl ■lKBlIiy£H2BiH ■•KBlRKSHlRBlIl ■iKHiMlBHliElII ■lKBlI«KBH[lBlK ■iKBUUiBlIlKBUl ■iKBlI&SlHEUl ■iKBelUiBiUKBiIi ■iKBllsfiBiIlZ Bill ran ■iKEiKKEff KBHl ■iKBlHlBUiKBUl ■iKBlIdiSU EB.li ■iKBiMlBUlIsBUl ■iKBlKKBH (SBIK ■iKBlMlHUiyBlIl ■iKBHUiSlI Mill ■IKBiIsfiBUiKBiIi ■iKBlIdiSlI l:BiTi ■iKBlHlBUlftBlIl ■IKBIKIIBIIKBIII ■IKBIKIIBIIEBUI ■iKBlKIlBlIkfilll ■•KBiftllBli (.Bill ■iKBiKIiBUMUl ■IKBIKIIBIIKBIII -' ■iKBlKIiBlfkBUl ■IKBIKIIBIWIBIII ■lKBU!HBl»ElIl ■IKSMKSIIBBUI ■iKSUKBlWlBUi ■iKSIiKSiKMUi ■iKSEKSUiKBUl W.y.W E ■ aTaT. MaTa ■IKS i BUI hBIHZ: ■•KSSMUHEBUI ■IKSKIIBIIIIBUI ■iKSfcIlBUlWIlIl ■IKSKIIBIIIKBUI ■IKBIKIIBIKMIII u — “j PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated by parcel numbers: ■1KEiIiIEiIHElIlBHaHH ■kBiytlBlIlKBlUBBMBI■WftEHBlIEBlIlMB^MI■ESKIiBUlBBlIl^HHMI■HKERBlKKBUiMM^M ■EBCKIlBlHlBlIl—i—■!■kEEfiBiIIlBlUBi ■1kBlIlIElIlKBlIlBHBMI ■MiyiiBiIlKBUllMMI■ESeEIlBlIEBlIM IkBEIlBlEiBHl— ■ElyElIlIEUlKSIllHBHM ■kBiy/lElKlBlIU^HHII■E&£{iBliEB[lM^M+ ■E&KIlBlIEBUM KBilllEiIiKSWiBHBMI ■kBiy/lBlIiBUlM— ■EBeEHBlII.-SiIiMB^MI■ESCKIlBlIEBlIlMB|^MI■KKEIiBiEKBlIlHI KBiIiIElIlWMHBBHBH ■Miy/lBiIkBHlMMI■RBEIlBlHiBlIlMBMH■EScKIiBlIKBUi^^MMI■kEEIiBiEEBUi|^HBBBaBH ■P2EE!lBiE!dllIlMH|MM| ■WKfiliBUKBIlBi kBiIiIBlIlK56WBMBM ■MiyABlIEBiIQMM ■WWEIlBlIMUlB— --- 7KElIlIEHlWScIlBBHBBI ■MBiyZiBlH&UiWH ■EKEIlBUEBlIlHiMM ■EgtKIiBllEBUl—■ ■WEEftBlEMUl—B^—l ■KSEDBlEyflUiM : ■EBcKIlBlIEfi[llB KBlIlIElIlKKIlMMi ■Miy/iBiHsEUl^MM ■E&ZtlElIUEm fHg K f:W|T|Wi EaWaYa'E SEaTaXa ■k liaik kb k ■1 ■MEEBBiKflBlIl B — l ■EBcKIlBiirfllllMB^M ■WWtlBlWlBU l — ■Eaiy/iBiKiEiiiViMa ■1kBlIlIElIlKBUlSBiiMB ■EffiEftBlMBlIiM—— ■1MlIlIElMlWaB^^H ■EEiy/lBlKSBllM■MkEflBlKiBUl—■■ ■EBcfsIlBlIlIElIl^H —; MHiIElHlBtfiMHMI ■kEiy/lBlKWKUi^^M ■EBC^IlBlIiKBiIiBHMBB ■kEEfiBlKWIlIi—l1 ■MEEIiBiKKBiIiMBBBM— ■W5«!llBlIlKBlIlBM| ■EBeEIiBiWcBUM kBiIllElIEElKaHBMH ■KBiy/lBiZl!BlI« ■HeBEfiBiMBUi—■ kSlIlIBlIESdEHMM ■MlKIlBiIiIBlIS—i" ■EB2!lBiyZBiI»^^H ■kSftliBlIlIBUiBB kBUlIElIESkflHHBH KRBiKHBlIlIEMHMH ■ESeEIiBiyZBiI^M|M ■EBtftliBUlKElIf^—■ ■REEHBlKKfilliM ■RE&flBlKKSIl^MBH^H ■kBcKIlBUlIdllllM kBlIiIElIEBUiBHMHI BikBlKIlBlIlIElKMi^H ■EB'ZfiBiW^lIiM ■1kBlIlfElIEEWd^MM ■RgiKIiBUllEW— ■EStEIlBiyj«lIlMBM|■iHKKIlBlIiyeill^^HM '2^z Q-Q57zQQ------------------■EBcKIlBlIiyBriHH^M '^lk)58=QQ___________ ■ElkBlIiKBUlWHlSHMHI ■EBiniiBiTiIEIdl^M ■ESAIiBiIiKBiIlMH^M '■^Q-Q6Q-QQ___________ ■RBlKIlBlIlKBlIlMMi ■ESZriBlW:BlI« -- 7kBlIlMBlIlEEHH^^HI ■EB<ZfiBiW!BiIiMMM ■EEEflBlIlKEtllSH '■2=^0-060-10___________ kBlIfiElTlKBiIlBMHH ■kBlWiEiIiKBlIiBB '2^ ^0-061-00 ■EBZhBlKIlBlIlM^M ■EEEriBUiKBiIiBH kBliiElTlKBlKMSHHi ■kEHHlBHiKBIiBM —; kBHiEiIlKEiKflBMIH ■MEEBBlIlEEUlM ■EgEflBlIdglli—■! ■E&Z!lBiKMiT« —; Ml»ElIlKBlKHiMM ■WSKL-BlIlW!iTi^^— ■EKEriBlKKBlIl^HMH ■EEEnBlIlKBUil^MHH ■KEEriBiIdeBriB^HBSi — EBlIiEUlKSIlMH^H■RBKKBlTlKBlIlW^W ■EggftBlKEBlIl— ■EE&EriBlIlKSIiMHHM ' 2^ z Q-Q63-Qfl___________ ■WWIlBlKWWl—■— ■EKEriBlIlKBlIiMMM ■ 2=^ .10-Q63-iQ^«^fc^^ leBiIiElIiKSMHHHi ■jkgEtlBlIiyglll— -2^/n=Q65z£Q___________ MiHEUiKBmHHHH ■PBfcKBlIlKBtTlM + + ■ESeHiBiKKScIiBB ~ ■EBZhBiKKEIlS^^M ■EEEflBlIlKBUlMT tSPBKKSlItftBlIiM — kBiIMiIiKBUlSHHBBH kBlIEBlIlKBlIUMHai KkBKKBlIiyAIlBMBB ■E»EnBiKKS.llMMH ■EKEfiBlIlKBlII^^MHI ' 2^ k O6Z+Q___________ —; kBlIKBUiKSn^HHMi ■EBKKfilllKBlIlMMi ■EPgllBlKKEUl— ■HEEIlBlinBlIlBH ' 2=^z Q-Q67-' 2___________ ■EREflBlKKMl^MM ■EBEftBlIiElIi— EBUkglliKBtflW ■kBfcKEiIiKBUlM K riETlfctjSTlTfiWDT ■HE^IlBlIEBlIll^MHMi bjriXMraTi^lfiTiWM ‘ ....... me bK b> — kBlIkBlTlKBlIHSH^ ■nS^riBlEMUHB^M ■EEEriBlIEBlIi^MHM 2^+0-067-21------------------■MEEriBlIEBlIl—B^M -------------------------WOTRBlIH.-Bl«—i ■EBKKBlIkBlIlW^M ■EWEIlHUEElIlM : ' 2=^ Q-Q67.-2Z___________ kBlIkBiIlKBlKViMHI ■EBEKElIKElIlM— ■ESgriBiZ'EStiaBMH ■EEEIlBlIkBlIlM — kBlIkBUlKEl^aBHMB ■iHHWlBlTlIKTlBr - 5-z .z 0-O§7-b4 ■kStEIlBlEEBCIiaMHH ■EEBEIlBlIEBlIiBi __ kEAkBlIlKBlh^^HH 12-22Q-0Q2-QQ______ KE&EhBiIKSlIlBraBBM HEKEriBlIFiBlIiiaBHMi 12440-067-57___________ X Kg YA?---------------- ^- 55-0 LOO-------- ■HEEflBlfRBUlMH^M ■RgEflBlIMifi— |■kBlIkBlIlKBlKfll ■HEWlBUlKBlIlM ■ 2-2^ 0-0<: 6-00 ■PjEEHBiWiBUlHM^M ■HEEfiHUMdcBB ■MlEkElIlKflfcMBBM ■EBeWlBUiEElIlM ■ikEEniilMddBBMBMi KEBEIiBiMiSIiM^ kElIEBiIlKSriHHHH ■EStMlBlIlKBlIiBi ■ESEfiBlKiElIlBHI ' 2-2^ 0-0^ 6-03 MlIkEHlKSEBMaM ■k&WlBHH^illM '2^^0=061=67___________ BWyWlBHlI^Wl— ■F&EfiBlMiBiKMIMHI ■EBEriBiyjeBUlW '2=^^0-067-69___________ ■EfiEflBlWCBlIllSB^HH • 2-zz O-068-Oo___________ MnikMiiriBiTi^HBaB ■E»KIIBIIIIBIII1^M ■kEEfiBiWcStiBI ■iEBeKIiBiIlKBlIi^Mi ■EEEflBlKEElII^^MI ■kgKUBiiixaiii— ■PJSeKIiBiIiWSriMBIM ■kg ^IIBUIKSIII—— ■HEEfiBiy4.-BUlKi ■ERKIlBUlKBlIl—1 ' 2-2/ I)-(IZ ,H-I H 1 ■EEEriBiyjaiUMHM ■kBKIiBiIiZBiIi——i kBlffeBlIHBUlMHaH ■EKKIlBlIlI^Ul^MH ■kgKlBiIlKBiIi — ■E&EflBiyMlIlMBI^M RBlIkBlIKBlIlM BiWWeliBiIiyfliliB— ■MEE»BI»:BIIIMH^M ■MEBIlBtftiarillBMMBBBB MiIMiIEBlimai ■WWtllBlUKBlIlM^M ' 2-z^ u-0^ 9-4U ■kgEIiBlIiygili BMMBSMMi HiM£E[lBlW!BiIlMHMM ■MWfllBiiEglliMMB a; leKHkBiKUliIiBMMi ■E9£KIiBiIEBiIiBMM KES^lTlIiEBiTiMBHBMIWWE'EfiBiKTiBeliB^HHH BikEUIlBUiKBiIlWSlMMSSi iHEfE&UEWMfiiliaBBMMi KESeEIiBlIUElIlBBaMI ~ -------- --' _____ -_______ MlSKBlWcBllDSMSm ■EatEriBiiiygini^BMKEIW.liBiIiKBiIe^^^M 12-44Q-Q31-JQ_________ * 2-490-011-10 ■WEEftBHlKBUi—— ■ik&MlBHlKSn^BMH 12-440-051-2o 12-012-023-01 15-012-023-1 o ■iEggllBlIlEBlIl—— ■MW.1IBIIIKBIIIMM— ■EKEKBlKfEcIi^^^M ■kEKIlBlikam^MI HEBeMlBlIiKSlKfl^^M ■ESEtlBlKiEflMBMM ■kgWlBlIKBUl^— o Miy/lBilllElinHBMi ■EKIlBlIlKElIlM ‘‘ ' ■E®E[lBUlI®IlBB«BiKEgWUlBlIlKSIl— ■FtEEriEiKMlinM^HiIBikBftllBrtEBlIlM “ kBiy/lBUiKBlIUHSSSSl — kBiy/lBUlKBlKHi ■Eft7.1lBlIlKS^ll^MH|HikEEhBlKKBlIlMHBHB ■kECHBa!.-«lIiBMBBMM BKM'ZfiEiIlftSDBBI kBiy/lBUlKBlIlMHBai ■kagtiHlIiyEHi—HiE&cKIiBiIiIElIlMH^M«WEEHBlKEBiUHHHM| ■kgt!liEiil;BiIi—— Miy/iBUlKSftMHH ■iWEZIlBlIlKBlIl— ■WKKtlBlIiyBlII—lIRgEDBlKKEUl——— ■MBMlBlIMlIi— KMiyziBiiirBiiiBam^ ■E»ZriBiIiKBiIiBBaM ■EaKKIlBlTlKBUlKBHBM ■kE^!lElKI^lIlBBBBHH ■kgf!llElIBBlIlBBBBIBBBa 12-070-004-10 12-070-005-00 12-070-006-00 12-240-010-00 12-240-011-01 12-240-012-00 12-380-004-00 12-380-005-00 12-380-006-00 12-Q7Qr.QQ.7zQQ_______ 12-240-0.1,3=00______ 12-38Q-Q08-0Q________ 12-440-038-00___________ 12-440-038-10 12-440-039-00__________ 12-440-039-10__________ See also the accompanying map identifying both proposed special assessment districts. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have received plans showing the proposed aquatic plant control project, associated activities, any proposed improvements and locations thereof, together with an estimate of the cost of the project in the amount of 445,120 (of which $273,437 will be Prairieville Township's allocated share of the total project cost and $171,683 will be Barry Township’s allocated share of the total project cost). The cost of the project is proposed to be raised by each Township by special assessment, less any costs that will be off-set by the carryover of any surplus funds in each special assessment district. Each Township Board has passed a resolution tentatively declaring its intention to undertake such project and to create the afore-described special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have placed the project plans and costs estimates on file with the Township Clerks and said plans, cost estimates and special assessment districts may be examined at each Clerk’s office from the date of this Notice to the date of the public hearing and may further be examined at such public hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards propose to make a per-parcel special assessment each year for a ' period of seven years (2023 -2029 inclusive) of an amount to be determined periodically, which amount will be based on the scope of work planned for that year. The annual assessment in Prairieville Township is proposed to be $222 per year for front lots and $111 per year for back lots. The annual assessment in Barry Township is proposed to be $170 per year for front lots and $85.50 per year for back lots. These amounts may be adjusted if there is the carryover of surplus funds in either Township special assessment district. Additionally, the Township Board reserves the right to levy a lesser assessment amount in any year that there are more funds in the special assessment district fund than the amount needed for that year’s aquatic plant control work and associated activities. The Township Boards propose to annually assess benefited properties (periodic redetermination) for the costs of the aquatic plant control project (with associated activities), with only published notice each year, unless the amount to be specially assessed increases by more than 10% in any one year. If the amount to be specially assessed increases by more than 10% in any one year, then mailed notices of the public hearing on the reassessment will be provided to owners of record of property to be specially assessed. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a public hearing on the plans, district, cost estimates and the carryover of surplus funds from the Upper Crooked Lake Aquatic Plant Control Special Assessment District No. 09-11 will be held at the Prairieville Township Hall at 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan, commencing at 7 p.m. on May 16, 2022. At the hearing, the Boards will consider any written objections and comments to any of the foregoing matters which are filed with the clerks at or before the hearing, and any objections or comments raised at the hearing; and at the hearing (or any adjournment of the hearing which may be made without further notice), the township boards may revise, correct, amend, or change the plans, cost estimates or special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if written objections to the project are filed with the Township Boards at or before the hearing, signed by the record owners of land constituting more than 20% of the area within the proposed special assessment district, then the township boards may not proceed unless petitions in support of the project, signed by record owners of more than 50% of the area to be made into a special assessment district, are filed with the township. Written comments or objections may be filed with the clerks at the address set out below. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that appearance and protest at the public hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the State Tax Tribunal within 30 days after the special assessment roll is confirmed. An owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment, or shall be permitted to file at or before the hearing his or her appearance or protest by letter and his or her personal appearance shall not be required. All interested persons are invited to be present in person or by representative and to submit comments concerning the establishment of the special assessment district, the plans, cost estimates and/or the carryover of surplus funds from the expiring Special Assessment Districts. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if the Township Boards determine to proceed with the special assessments, the Boards will each cause a special assessment roll to be prepared and another hearing will be held, after notice to record owners of property proposed to be specially assessed, to hear public comments concerning the proposed special assessments. Barry Township and Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days notice to each Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact each Township Clerk. Rod Goebel, Clerk Prairieville Township 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-2664 Deb Knight, Clerk Barry Township 11300 S. M-43 Hwy. Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-5171 �Page 12 — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner 1 ff'f5 AT JHLv JMm* ....... . .... JBLJBmv ............... . ............ Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 19, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Glenn E. Converse and Marsha L. Converse, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust 2020-GS4 Date of Mortgage: October 18, 2005 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 15,2005 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $86,212.08 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Beginning at a point on the North line of Section 15, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Distant South 89 Degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 1984.03 feet from the Northwest cor­ ner of said Section 15; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 330.69 feet along said North Section line; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds West 659.56 feet; thence North 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds West 330.39 feet to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 15; thence North 00 degrees 36 minutes 09 seconds East 659.56 feet along said West line to the point of beginning. To­ gether with and subject to a private easement for ingress, egress and public utilities purposes in com­ mon with others over the Easterly 33 feet thereof. Common street address (if any): 2400 E State Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8452 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. TV^YTW’'MF'Ck Jl Bha<^ JBL JBL Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the high­ est bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Ed­ wards, a married man and Leah Edwards Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lend­ er and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Date of Mortgage: January 26, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 1, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $111,688.06 Description of the mortgaged premises: Sit­ uated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7, Prairieville Heights, according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 34, Barry County Re­ cords Common street address (if any): 8300 Delton Rd, Delton, Ml 49046-7716 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the proper­ ty during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): David A. McCausey and Wendi L. McCausey, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY,FSB, AS TRUSTEE OF STANWICH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST I Date of Mortgage: August 4, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 11, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $120,957.39 I ■ . . 179319 L____Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisementi Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, ' that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 12, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the time of sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the coun­ ty register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may change a fee for this information: Name Of Mortgagor: Danielle Marie Milligan Original Mortgagee: Habitat For Humanity Michigan Fund, Inc. Foreclosing Assignee: Habitat For Humanity Barry County Date of Mortgage: March 26, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 23, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $114,778.62 Description of mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township Of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, De­ scribed As Follows: Lot 16 of Smith’s Lakeview Center according to the recorded plat thereof together with an easement for ingress, egress and utilities as described in exhibit A to the mortgage recorded with the Barry County Register of Deeds bearing document number 2018-4166. ' PARCEL ID NO 08-13-235-016-00 Common Street Address: 2811 Onyx Court, Hast­ ings, Ml 49058. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a: or if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined in MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Date of Notice: April 14, 2022 This notice is from Brad A. Gee (P69239) of Gee Law Firm PLLC 109 South Church Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 brad@attorneygee.com 269-945-3500 178714 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TRUST In the matter of John William Postema & Helen M. Postema Living Trust, dated July 31, 2019. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Helen M. Postema, who lived at 12646 Park Drive, Wayland, Michigan 49348 died leaving a certain trust under the name of John William Postema & Helen M. Postema Living Trust, dated July 31, 2019, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Lisa Freeman was named as the trustee serving at the time of or after the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Lisa Freeman, the named trustee at PO Box 130, Saugatuck, Michigan 49453, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 4-21-2022 David H. Tripp 202 S. Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269/948-2900 Lisa Freeman PO Box 130 Saugatuck, Ml 49453 616-366-6958 180003 want you provide to for opportunities your children or grandchildren, you want may to registered the with U.S. Department of Labor, and • Student loans 25 FAFSA, so any withdrawals taken in 2022, and also going ($10,000 consider lifetime limit for student loan forward, won’t need to be reported as student income. investing in a 529 plan. In recent repayments per each 529 plan With this change, families will years, this plan has gotten more beneficiary and another $10,000 now have more options on using flexible, and potentially more for each of the beneficiary’s 529 plans without jeopardizing powerful, than ever. siblings.) financial aid. You can generally A key benefit of a 529 plan And soon, a major change will withdraw any amount from the is that earnings are generally affect the relationship between aggregate of all 529 plans for tax free, provided the money is grandparent-owned plans higher education costs, but only used for qualified educational and the financial aid packages the qualified withdrawals - the 529 ones used for typical education- related expenses - will be tax­ described as: The West 48 feet of Lot 961 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the want, and you’re free to change grandparent-owned 529 account non-qualified the assets on the Free Application for taxable and could also incur a 10% penalty. recorded Plat thereof. Common street address (if any): 126 W Walnut St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2261 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. expenses. name As any owner the beneficiary beneficiary as you needed. are not been required to report free. The earnings portion of withdrawals are quite Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). so you can put away However, under previous rules, considerable sums in a 529 plan you had to report withdrawals a - and you may want to, because from plan, you should consult with Contribution high, limits the grandparent-owned Given the new rules affecting grandparent-owned 529 college costs have risen steadily plans as untaxed student income, a over the years. In fact, for the which could reduce aid eligibility determine how this plan can by up to 50% of the amount of work with other strategies to help cash received. meet educational expenses while, 2021-22 academic year, the College Board reports that the financial professional to average cost (tuition, fees, room But that’s changing for the at the same time, not detracting and board) of a public, four-year 2024-25 FAFSA, which won’t from the progress you’d like to college or university is more than require students to report cash make on other important goals, $27,000 for in-state students and support, including money taken such as a comfortable retirement. nearly $56,000 for students at from a grandparent-owned 529 In any case, consider looking private schools. plan. Instead, a student’s total into a 529 plan - it was already a income amount will be reported great tool for education funding, just for higher education. Over directly and it can now offer your family the past few years, the rules tax returns. This means that a governing grandparent-owned But 529 plans are no longer 529 plans have changed, so they can now be used for: • K-12 tuition expenses (up to $10,000 per student, per year), • 1460473 (04-14)(05-05) 178615 . STATEOFMlCWGAhk := _ COUNTY OF BARRY 5™ CIRCUIT COURT Case No. 2022-170-CZ HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH LONNIE D. JEWELL and LORI A. JEWELL, and MICHAEL FINCH and DEBRA FINCH, Plaintiffs v. JAMES MCBAIN, and BRETT E WOUDENBERG, Defendants Justin A. Breithaupt (P81259) Herbert Machnik Law Firm Attorney for Plaintiffs 6281 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 (269) 459-1432 Justin@hmlf.law ORDER FOR ALTERNATE SERVICE At a session of said Court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, on the 4th day of April, 2022 PRESENT: Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh After reviewing Plaintiffs’ Motion for Alternate Service, and the Court being fully advised in the premises, The court finds, pursuant to MCR 2.105(1) that service of process by publication is the best available method of service of process reasonably calculated to give Defendants actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: Plaintiffs may serve process on all Defendants by publishing the following notice in a Barry County newspaper, as defined by MCR 2.106(F), for three (3) consecutive weeks: “An action seeking to quiet title to a roadway dedicated as Portage Ave in Crooked Lake Summer Resort according to the recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 52 in Plaintiffs Lonnie Jewell, Lori Jewell, Michael Finch and Debra Finch has been commenced against James McBain and Brett E. Woudenberg in Barry County Circuit Court for the State of Michigan. Defendants must answer or take other action permitted by law within 28 days after the last date of publication of this notice. If a Defendant does not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment affecting Defendants’ interests may be entered, as requested in the complaint.” Dated: April 4, 2022 Signed: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh (P42573) , . •SJGMOE.SLS _ RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING April 13, 2022-7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Al­ legiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-179 for second reading and adoption Roll Call Vote - 4 - 3, motion Passes Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-180 for the sec­ ond reading and adoption Roll Call Vote - 4 - 3, motion passes Motion to accept the bid for expansion of the ceme­ tery Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept the bid for new roof on the Hall Roll Call Vote - 5 - 2, motion passes Motion to accept the bid for landscaping of the Hall Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Motion to accept the bid to replace the eves on the Hall Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-181 for the first reading Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to agree with hearing officer’s decision on the Dangerous Building and scheduled a hearing with the owners Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Motion to remove the word broadband from the Al­ gonquin Lake Sewer Study Roll Call Vote - All ayes, Motion passes Motion to accept hold harmless agreement for sale of fireworks. Voice Vote - All ayes, motion passes Adjournment 9:24 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 180037 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 22-29124-NC - William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 179129 In the matter of Cody Jay Hayes. TO ALL PERSONS, including: whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on May 25, 2022 @ 2:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Cody Jay Hayes to Olivia Jane Bennett. 180007 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Estate of Katherine Keiser-Neeley. Date of birth: 01/28/1959. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent,Katherine Keiser-Neeley, died 12/09/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to David Neeley, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/25/22 David Neeley 11112 Jackson Rd. Middleville, Ml 49333 If educational Families applying for aid have 179226 • New opportunities for 529 plan owners the plan, you can essentially (248) 642-2515 1461706 (04-21 )(05-12) 400 W. State St, Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 Apprenticeship programs from federal income 529 even more options. plan This article -was written by won’t have any effect on need­ Edward Jones for use by your based financial aid eligibility. local Edward Jones Financial This benefit to families is already Advisor. here, because 2022 will be used Edward Jones, Member SIPC as the base year for the 2024- (248) 642-2515 1461781 (04-28)(05-19) Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Date of notice: April 21,2022 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor awarded to their grandchildren. Date of notice: April 14, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones of Date of notice: April 28, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. Financial FOCUS ........................ —............ ..................... 179812 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-029146-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Darlena Faye Lamb. Date of birth: 12/12/1946. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Darlena Faye Lamb, died 04/04/2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Sadie McKinstry, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/28/22 Jean M. Howard/Howard Law Group P58742 25 Ionia Ave., SW, Suite 230, Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-235-6000 Sadie McKinstry 2692 Patterson Road, Wayland, Ml 49348 269-804-8604 179848 NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number: SP-4-2022 - William & Gretchen O’Deli (Property Owners) 4*- Location: 4585 Fruin Road, Bellevue, in Sec­ tion 13 of Johnstown Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to operate a Junkyard/Salvage Operation pursuant to Article 23, Section 2342 in the RR (Rural Resi­ dential) zoning district. Case Number: SP-5-2022 - Clayton & Colette Smith (Applicants); Jeff & Denise Smith (Property Owners) Location: Corner of Sunset Drive/Hutchinson Road/Lacey Road, Dowling, in Section 3 of John­ stown Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit for an Eating and Drinking Establishment pursuant to Article 23, Section 2328 in the RR (Rural Resi­ dential) zoning district. MEETING DATE: May 23, 2022. HME: 7:00 PM. PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described properties will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@b9rrycQunty.org. The special use applications are available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 179760 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29150-DE Court Address: Ste. 302,206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945*1390 Estate of Jill Pontious Zakett, deceased. Date of birth: 6/18/1953. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jill Pontious Zakett, died 12/24/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims againstthe estate will be forever barred unless presented to Ella M. Sutton, personal representative, or to both the probate court at Ste. 302, 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/28/22 Jaynie Smith Hoerauf P47885 601 Beech Street, Box 67, Clare, Ml 48617 989-386-3434 Ella M. Sutton 1595 Track Iron Trail, Gladwin, Ml 48624 352-287-3997 179850 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mort­ gaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the Starting promptly at 1:00 PM? on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day ofihe-sater Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance com­ pany, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Elizabeth Lonergan, an un­ married woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 23,2013 Recorded on August 27,2013, in Document No. 2013-010429, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Sixty-Four Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Seven and 75/100 Dollars ($64,697.75) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence North 1473.70 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds West, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Sec- • tion; thence North 171.72 feet parallel with the said East line; thence North 89 degrees 00 minutes East, 200.03 < feet to the East line; thence South 174.81 feet along the ; said East line to place of beginning. Also commencing at < the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range . 8 West; thence North 1409.78 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 30 minutes West, 200.01 ■ feet; thence North 65.26 feet parallel with said East line; thence North 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds East,, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Section; thence South 63.92 feet along the East line of said Section ! to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 718 Powell ■ Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 J months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned un- > der MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period ' will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days < from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later;' or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the ! above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, ' the borrower will be held responsible to the person who . buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a mili­ tary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1462409 (04-281(05-19) 179721 STATE OF MICHIGAN > PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 21 -29046-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302 Hastings, Michigan 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Kayla Martin-Burd, Deceased. Date of birth: March 17,1984. TO ALL CREDITORS: , NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kayla Martin-Burd, died March 17,2019. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Phillip Beerbower, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: April 28,2022 J Howard T. Linden, P.C. Howard T. Linden P25438 29100 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 370, Southfield, Ml 48034 (248)358-4545 Phillip Beerbower 5165 Brown Road, Parma, Ml 49269 (517)764-4427 178577 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — Page 13 Delton Kellogg hammers last two foes at Don Knight tourney Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity softball team went 2-1 Saturday at Otsego’s Don Knight Memorial Tournament. The host Bulldogs beat the Panthers 13-6 in the day’s opener. Delton Kellogg respond­ ed to thump Gobles 17-1 and Godwin 18-0 to close out the day. Abby Fichtner and Jordan Lyons belted home runs in the finale against Godwin Heights. Fichtner, Mya Brickley, Allison Brandli and Davis had two hits each in that that bailgame with the Wolverines. Davis was 2-for-2 with a double, a triple and three RBI. Brandli doubled and drove in four runs. Aubrey Aukerman doubled as well for DK. Kayleigh Buffum got the win in the cir­ cle. She struck out two and walked two in three scoreless innings. In the 17-1 win over Gobles, Brickley hit a grand slam in the bottom of the second inning, pushing her team’s lead to 15-0 at the time. She was 3-for-3 in the game with five RBI and three runs scored. DK also got two hits each from Brandli, Paige Thomas and Jordan Lyons. Lyons hd three RBI and Fichtner and Allie Trantham had two RBI each. Fichtner had a double. Aukerman, Brandli, Thomas and Kasey Kapteyn had one RBI each. Jordan Lyons pitched for DK and got the win. She struck out one and walked one in two innings while giving up four hits. Otsego jumped in front 6-0 with three runs in the first inning and three more in the second in the opener with the DK girls. Brickley homered and had two RBI. Fichtner was 2-for-4 in the loss with a dou­ ble and a run scored. Thomas was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Lyons had two RBI and Aukerman and Trantham both drove in a run. DK was outhit 11-9 in the loss. Abby Lucas homered for the Bulldogs and drove in five runs. Delton Kellogg went into the tournament having split two with Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division foe Kalamazoo Christian Thursday in Delton. Delton Kellogg took a 13-9 win and the Comets scored a 7-6 walk-off win in the two games. The Panthers had seven hits and took advantage of nine walks in its 13-9 win. Thomas blasted a home run and drove in three runs. She scored twice and walked twice too. Aukerman had three hits, includ­ ing a double, and scored four times. A dou­ ble by Fichtner and singles from Brandli and Trantham were Delton’s other hits. Fichtner had two RBI and so did Jordan Lyons. Aukerman and Brandli had one RBI apiece. Delton Kellogg led the second game 5-0 until the Comets rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. TK got the lead back with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Comets pushed across two runs in their half of the inning to secure the victory. Thomas, Lyons and Brickley doubled for DK in the loss. Brickley was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Brandli had a pair of sin­ gles and scored a run. Cadence Johnson also singled. Fichtner, Aukerman, Thomas and Lyons had one RBI each. The Delton Kellogg girls were scheduled to visit Wyoming Wednesday. The Panthers go to Hackett Catholic Central Tuesday, May 10. Saxon softball falls to Knights in pair of ballgames in Kalamazoo The Hastings varsity softball team dropped two tough games with Loy Norris in Kalam­ azoo Monday in a non-conference double­ header. The Saxons were also swept in a pair of non-conference doubleheaders to close out last week. Colon scored 12-1 and 11-1 wins over the Saxons in Hastings Friday after Ionia took 16-0 and 15-0 wins over Hastings Thursday in Ionia. In the opener at Loy Norrix Monday the Saxons scored two runs in the top of the third inning to tie the game at 2-2, and things stayed that way until Loy Norrix struck for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. Back-to-back singles by Zocy Bennett and Morgan Deal got the Saxon rally started in the third inning. Carly Frazier followed with a dou­ ble to drive in Bennett. Deal then scored on a ground out by Isabelle Storm. Cassidee Easey was hit by a pitch to put runners at the comers with two out for the Saxons, but the Knights were able to get a ground ball to get out of the jam without the Saxons moving in front. Bennett and Deal had two hits each for the Saxons. Bennett, Frazier and Sophia Sunior each walked once. Easey took the loss in the circle for Hast­ ings. She gave up five earned runs on 11 hits and three walks. She struck out five. Loy Norrix jumped right on the Saxons in game two scoring ten runs in the top of the first inning. Hastings had just three hits, all singles, by Lucy Barnard, Storm and Sunior. Barnard and Storm both had an RBI. Barnard and Frazier scored the two Saxon runs. Easey and Victoria Jerzyk shared the pitch­ ing duties for the Saxons. Easey went the first 2.2 innings. She allowed four runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk. Jerzyk had four strike outs and two walks in her 2.1 innings. She allowed four earned runs, ten total, on seven hits. Jayden Karsen was 2-for-2 for the Saxons in the 11-1 game two loss to Colon Friday. Deal, Bennett, Barnard and Storm had the other four Hastings hits. Barnard had her team’s lone RBI. Colon won game one 12-1. Jerzy k singled and drove in a run. Barnard and Karsen had two hits each for the Scots. Hastings also got hits from Emily Simmons and Phoebe Schantz. Lakewood shortstop Audrey Hillard chases a Leslie baserunner back towards the bag at second during their GLAC doubleheader in Leslie Thursday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Leslie adds to GLAC lead with three wins over softball Vikings Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity softball team was bested three times by the defending Greater Lansing Activities Conference champions from Leslie last week in conference action. The Blackhawks took the series opener at Lakewood High School 11-2 Monday after­ noon and then won both games of the double­ header Thursday, April 28. Leslie took the first of two games 10-1 Thursday afternoon. The Vikings once again played solid for the first quarter of the game, before the Leslie pressure got to them. Offensively, the Vikings left the bases loaded twice. Lily Federau was 4-for-4 to lead the Viking attack with a double. Liv Woodman doubled and Claire Benham singled for the Vikings. Ally Slater drove in a run for Lakewood with a sacrifice bunt. The Vikings committed another five errors and struck out 13 times against Bradford. Leslie managed 12 hits while pitcher Cora Giffm struck out two. The Blackhawks took game two Thurs­ day 10-0 in five innings. A single by Goble was the lone Lakewood hit. “We put the ball in play much better with only five strike outs, but could only muster one hit,” Lakewood head coach Brent Hilley said. Leslie had nine hits while Giffm struck out one. Stockbridge took two from the Vikings in conference play at Lakewood High School Monday, May 2. The Panthers took the open­ er 8-1 and then won game two 10-3. Maryssa Goble and Slater had two singles each for the Viking. Brooklyn Hoppes singled and drove in the Vikings’ lone run. Federau, Audrey Hillard and Benham had hits for Lakewood. Federau powered the Viking attack in game two going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Hoppes singled twice. Mackenzie Richards, Benham and Slater had their team’s other three hits. Hoppes had an RBI. The Vikings are now 6-7 overall this year. In between the conference doubleheaders, the Vikings took a pair of non-conference wins against Bath Friday. Indianapolis Colts select Raimann in 2022 NFL Draft Pilgrims lake another GLAC jamboree, best Vikings by nine The Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team finds itself in a hole after finishing second to Lansing Christian at the Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference jamboree host­ ed by Olivet at The Medalist Tuesday afternoon. The Pilgrims took their third conference win in four jamborees by outscoring the Vikings’ 173-182 in the rain. Olivet was third on its home course with a score of 197, ahead of Perry 205, Maple Valley 209 and Leslie 219. The Lakewood boys have been second to the Pilgrims in the three jamborees which they did not win themselves. Lakewood got a 43 from senior Trevor Simon, a 44 from senior Liam Cavanaugh, a 47 from senior Brody Jackson and a 48 from junior Owen Richmond Tuesday. Lansing Christian was led by junior Bay­ lor Brogan’s 41. Isaac Haley, a senior, scored a 43 for the Pilgrims. Lansing Chris­ tian also got a 44 from senior Davis Garrett and a 45 from senior William Combs. Brogan was the day’s medalist. Olivet sophomore Tyler norton matched Haley and Simon in second with a 43. Maple Valley senior Owen Bailey tied Olivet junior Dawson Redfield for eighth place individually with 46s. The Lion team also got a 48 from senior Kenneth Curtis, a 55 from sophomore Die­ sel Curtis and 60s from freshman Chris Mock and senior Caden Faurot. The GLAc gets together again Tuesday at Hankard Hills Golf Course. Lions put together a couple three-run innings at home Brett Bremer Sports Editor After a tough Monday (April 25) dou­ bleheader at Stockbridge, the Maple Val­ ley varsity softball team found some offense on its home diamond last Thurs­ day. Stockbridge still finished off a sweep of the teams’ three-game Greater Lansing Activities Conference set with a 23-7 win over the Lions in Nashville Thursday. Stockbridge took an 8-0 lead in the first two innings with seven runs in the top of the seventh. Bri Short powered the Lions to their first run of the series, after two shut out losses Monday at Stockbridge. She drilled a double in the bottom of the second inning, stole third and then came home on an error by the Stockbridge catcher. While Stockbridge added at least one run in each of the six innings Thursday, the Lions tacked on three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and three in the bottom of the fifth. Hartwell walked and Short singled to open the bottom of the fourth. Karli Dahms sacrificed them ahead a base and then Short and Hartwell both scored on a single by Holly Rosin. Rosin stole second and then scored the final run of the inning on a single by teammate Maria Garcia. The Lions’ three-run fifth started with Emma Pierce reaching base on an error. Hartwell walked, and Short got her third hit of the night to score Pierce. Dahms plated Hartwell and Short with a line drive double into the outfield. Ali Mater had three strike outs at pitcher for the Lions, coming on in relief of team­ mate Emma Pierce in the second inning. Lion head coach Mary Lesage said she saw some good defense from her girls on a few plays in the bailgame, with Pierce leading the way at third base. She had four assists and three put outs at the hot comer. Stockbridge last week Monday’s dou­ bleheader 15-0 and 17-0. The Lions have another tough series this week taking on the defending conference champions from Leslie. Former Delton Kellogg foreign exchange student and Central Michigan Chippewa Bernhard Raimann was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft Friday, with the 77th overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts. Raimann came to Delton Kellogg as a wide receiver from Austria, looking forward to playing football in America. He became a tight end in Delton Kellogg's Wing-T attack in 2015 and spent two years at tight end at Central Michigan before moving to tackle. He was named the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year at the end of the 2021 season. (Photo cour­ tesy Central Michigan University Athletics) CITY OF HASTINGS DK soccer girls shut out by Lawton and Parchment The Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ soccer team is now 2-3 in the Southwestern Athlet­ ic Conference after a couple of tough defeats. Lawton scored a 4-0 win over the DK girls Monday and Parchment scored a 6-0 win over the DK girls last Wednesday, April 27. Taylor Carter recorded 17 saves in net for the Panthers in the loss at Parchment. DK is now 2-5-2 overall on the season. The Panthers were scheduled to host Con­ stantine last night, May 4, and will be on the road at Olivet Monday DK returns to conference play Wednesday, May 11, against Fennville in Delton. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experience. Dry wall, paint­ ing, tile, flooring, trim, home im­ provements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793.____________ PACILLO LAWNCARE Taking new clients in Hastings. Phone (269)838-6025. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. EQUAL HOUSMQ OPPORTUNITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY FOR SALE AND DEVELOPMENT The City of Hastings, Michigan is accepting proposals for the sale and development of an approximately 14.42 acre parcel of land zoned D-2 industrial at 1500 Star School Rd in the City of Hastings. The City wishes to sell the property to promote the construction and operation of a high-quality business or industry that will contribute to the vitality and economic growth of the community, while conforming to the building standards of the zone and advancing the goals of the City’s Master Plan. The complete RFP may be found on the city’s website www.hastingsmi.org or by contacting City Hall. Proposals will be received at the Office of the City Clerk/Treasurer, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at which time they will be opened. All bids will be clearly marked on the outside of the submittal package “Star School Rd”. Questions about the site or the RFP should be directed to Community Development Director, Dan King, at dking@hastingsmi.org. 180009 �Page 14 — Thursday, May 5, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Lions’ Brandenburg leaps over 20 feet at Perkins Invite Brett Bremer Sports Editor Maple Valley sophomore Evan Brandenburg boosted his personal record in the long jump by flying 20 feet 7 inches to win the event Friday at Webberville’s Auburn C. Perkins Memorial/Spartan Invite. That mark was nearly three feet longer than his last competitive jump at the Hastings Invitational April 15. Brandenburg had three top eight finishes at the meet. He was eighth in the 100-meter dash in 12.32 seconds, eighth in the 200-meter dash in 25.05 and also seventh in the high jump by clearing the bar at 5-4. Another Lion sophomore, Nic Martin, placed fourth in the pole vault by clearing 9-6. Freshman Robert Shilz had a pair of top ten finishes for the Lions. He dropped his personal record in the 3200-meter run to 11 minutes 43.41 seconds to place eighth in that race. Schilz was tenth in the 1600-meter run in a personal record time of 5:35.24. Hunter Redmond, Jeremiah Penny, Daniel Perez, Ash­ ton Ripley and Robert Laws all set new person records on the track for the Lions as well. The Maple Valley boys finished 12^ and the girls tied for 15^. There were 18 boys’ teams and 16 girls’ teams competing at the invitational. Lilly Faurot, a sophomore, led the Maple Valley girls. She was fifth in the high jump at 4-8, sixth in the 200meter dash in 31.25 and seventh in the 800-meter run in 2:53.24. Mackenzie Decker, a sophomore, had a ninth-place finish in the high jump clearing 4-2. Grass Lake took the boys’ championship with 87 points, ahead of Morrice 78, Hamady 76, Potterville 72.5, St. Charles 60, Dansville 54.5, New Lothrop 32, Vestaburg 27, Webberville 26 and Detroit Loyola 26 in the top ten. Potterville senior Carson Brunk and Grass Lake senior Jack Easterday both won three individual events in the boys’ competition. Easterday took the 110-meter high hurdles in 16.22, the 300-meter intermediate hur­ dles in 42.55 and he won the high jump by clearing 6-2. Brunk won the three distance races taking the 800-meter run in 2:04.48, the 1600 in 4:45.26 and the 3200-meter run in 10:02.41, a new personal record in that race. The top ten in the girls’ final standings were led by St. Charles with 96 points, ahead of Portland St. Patrick 75, New Lothrop 65, Grass Lake 62, Rochester Hills Luther­ an NW 60, Vestaburg 58, Fulton 48, Potterville 33, Springport 31 and Webberville 28. A trio of girls won two events each. Potterville senior Lexis Wheeler won the 100-meter run in 13.24 and the 200 in 27.42. Senior Allison Wichert from Vestaburg won the 100-meter hurdles in 17.15 and the 300-meter low hurdles in 50.38. St. Charles junior Mary Norris swept the throws with marks of 34-4 in the shot put and 101-3, a new PR, in the discus. Morris Nanasy matched that sweep of the throws in the boys’ meet with a mark of 141-3 in the discus and 45-4.75 in the shot put. Saxon teams move to 3-1 in the 1-8; Teed breaks points record Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Saxon boys’ and girls’ varsity track and field teams team both lost to host Parma Western, while defeating Pertnfield, in Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference duals at Western High School Monday night. The split moves the 1-8 Conference record for both Saxon teams to 3-1 for the season. Hastings senior Allison Teed broke the school record for career points with 590 points, passing the former record set by 2011 graduate Brittany Morgan, who had 566 points. Hastings head coach Brian Teed, Alli­ son’s father, Teed “this is particularly impressive considering she lost a full season to the pandemic and has only completed in two and a half seasons so far.” In the three-team standings of the dou­ ble dual Teed won the 100-meter hurdles in 16.63 seconds and the pole vault with a vault of 8 feet 6 inches. The Hastings girls defeated Pennfield by the score of 77-46 while falling 96-41 to the girls from Parma Western. Saxon senior Carissa Strouse was the runner-up in the 1600-meter run (6 min­ utes 25.53 seconds) and she won the 3200-meter run (13:35.04. Hastings also had Addey Nickels second overall in the 100-meter dash (13.75), Maddie Miller first in the shot put (28-03.5), Grace Madden second in discus with a personal record of 82-01 and Madison Nino first in long jump (14-07). The Saxon 4x200-meter relay team of Nino, Nickels, Izzie Roosien and Teed finished with a second-place with a time of 1:53.94, as did the 4x 100-meter relay of Nino, Roosien, Teed and Nickels (52.64). The Parma Western girls had the fast­ est foursome in all four of the relay races. Final scores for the Saxon boys’ team weren’t official as of Wednesday morn­ ing yet, but it is expected that the Western boys took a slim win over the Saxons and the Hastings boys beat Pennfield. THE HOTTEST STARS — 45 YEARS OF ROCK — GEORGE THOROG00D «r-AND THE-»-- i DESTROYERS SATURDAY, JUNE 18 DIERKS BENTLEY THURSDAY, JULY 7 KENNY LOGGINS AT THE MOVIES TOUR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR VHfflFoN- iWl ‘ ■» it BATTLE CREEK l-94to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. THORRRPPLC The Saxons1 Kearen Tolles rounds a turn in the 4x800-meter relay during Monday's Interstate-8 double duals hosted by Parma Western. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) The Saxons' Caleb Waller gets over a hurdle during the shuttle hurdle relay at the Hastings Co-Ed Relays Friday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Coach Teed said, “I had us down by one point with three events to go, the 200-meter results are in dispute. I was proud of the way the boys battled through the meet. It’s a long trip on a Monday evening. We knew we had to make up about 12 points going into the meet and the guys were attacking all the events. We got some big points we didn’t expect in the high jump, 100-meter, 800-meter and shot put, but we couldn’t quite close it out.” The Saxon boys went all out for per­ sonal records for the night, with eight athletes obtaining a PR for the season and taking first place in their event. Layton Eastman had a PR of 16.53 in the 1 IO­ meter hurdles, Robby Slaughter with a PR of 13-01 in the pole vault, Reuben Solmes with a PR of 12.05 in the 100meter, Charlie Nickels with a PR of 54.93 in the 400-meter, Kearen Tolles with a PR of 2:07.06 in the 800-meter, Brandon Simmons with a PR of 4:59.55 in the 1600-meter, Tanner Rairigh with a PR in discus with a throw of 113-02, and Jett Barnum with a PR of 5-10 in high jump. Hastings’ athletes that also finished in first place for the night in the overall three-team standings were Slaughter in the long jump (19-02.50) and Daniel Weatherly in shot put (45-07). The Saxon 4x200-meter relay team of Slaughter, Solmes, Barnum and Eastman Won its race in 1:36.57. The Saxons were second to Parma Western teams in the other three relays. The Saxon 4x800-meter relay team of Caleb LaBoe, Nickels, Jonah Teed and Tolles finished its race in 9:01.34. The Hastings 4xl00-meter relay of Slaughter, Aiden SaintAmour, Zane Warner and Solmes finished in 47.51. The Saxon 4x400-meter relay team of Tolles, Nate Kohmesher, Nickels and Eastman was second in 3:43.10. Hastings hosted their first ever Hast­ ings Co-ed Relays Invitational on Friday night at Johnson Field and Baum Stadi­ um. The Saxons combined team finished second on the night with 86 points, behind Hamilton who won the invitation­ al with 99 points. Hopkins finished in third place with 55 points, Delton in fourth place with 44 points, and Penn­ field finished with 30 points for the night. The Saxon’s relay teams taking first place for the night were the 4x200-meter relay team of Addey Nickels, Allison Teed, Robby Slaughter and Layton East­ man; the Sprint Medley Relay team of Hastings senir Allision Teed is joined by coaches Brian Teed and Lin JamesNickels after breaking the school record for points by a varsity girls' track and field athlete during Monday's double duals against Parma WesterrT'ancT Pennfield at Parma Western High School. Reuben Solmes, Isabelle Roosien, Kear­ en Tolles and Madison Nino; the High Jump relay team of Jett Barnum, Charlie Nickels, Eastman, Myah Vincent, Skylar Fenstemaker and Nino, and the Pole Vault relay of Slaughter, Tate Warner, Draven Pennock, Teed, Kali Grimes and Jodee Gaskill. Although the event was a relay event, athletes scoring personal records for the night were many. For the Saxons’ Maddie Miller, threw 86-04 in the discus. Teed had a PR vault of 9-06 in the pole vault, Daniel Weatherly had a throw of 45-08.5 in the shot put, and Slaughter had a jump of 20-01.5 in the long jump. Delton-Kellogg’s 4x200-meter relay team finished in second place, and the Panthers also saw athletes hit PR’s for the season. The freshman duo in the long jump, Wyatt Finney jumped 19-10.5 and Josey Williams marked 15-03.5, and Torren Mapes jumped 5-06 in the high jump. The Saxon track team will travel to Goodrich on Friday night, and will be back at home on Monday night in Inter­ state 8 competition against Jackson Northwest. Hastings senior Carissa Strouse races along a couple steps ahead of Parma Western senior Kaelyn Pluta during the 3200-meter run at Western High School Monday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) P L fl ¥ E H S PROUDLY PRESENT: Delton boys run SAC Valley record to 5-0 with two wins The Mel Brooks Musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MR). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MR. www.mtishows.com May 4th 7:00 pm All seats $7 May 5th, 6th, & 7th, 7:00 PM May 8th, 2:00 pm Adults $10 Senior/Students $8 Dennison Performing Arts Center 231 South Broadway in Hastings. (Use door on Center Street) Advance tickets can be purchased at Progressive Graphics or by calling the Thomapple Arts Council of Barry County at 269-945*2002 Questions? Call Norma Jean Acker 269-945-2332 Members of the Community Theatre Association of Michigan |kw*rts r> A D/\1\1\1 community The Thomapple Players is a non-profit organization providing theatrical opportunities to the Barry County area. For more information call 269-945-2332 Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg boys outper­ formed Parchment, Kalamazoo Christian and Galesburg-Augusta at a Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference Valley Division Quad hosted by Parchment Monday. The DK boys faced off against Parch­ ment and Kalamazoo Christian, the reigning SAC Champions, in duals and took identical 73-64 wins over the host Panthers and the Comets. Delton Kel­ logg’s boys moved to 5-0 in SAC Valley duals with the two wins Monday and will square off against the SAC Valley’s other undefeated team, Constantine, for one last conference dual May 11 in Constan­ tine. The DK boys dominated the hurdle event to pile up points Monday. Sopho­ more Torren Mapes won both the 1 IO­ meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. He ran his fastest time of the season in the 300 hurdles to win in 44.12 seconds. He won the 1 IO­ meter hurdles in 17.37. DK had a sweep of the top three places in the 110-meter hurdles. Senior Corey Moore was second in 18.17 and senior Peyton Pummel third in 19.22. Moore was also fourth in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal record time of 49.10 sec­ onds. Mapes also added a third-place jump of 5-5 in the high jump at the meet. The Delton boys got wins in both of the throws. Senior Caden Ferris took the discus with a personal record throw of 136 feet 3 inches while also placing third in the shot put with a mark of 40-2.5. Senior Alex Whitmore won the shot put with a mark of 43-5. Ferris tacked on a fourth-place 400-meter dash time of 58.52 seconds. DK senior Cameron Spaulding was the runner-up in the pole vault by clearing 9-0 and junior teammate Isaac Shepard placed fourth in the event by upping his personal record to 8-6. Hector Jimenez, a junior, had a run­ ner-up time of 11 minutes 42.97 seconds in the 3200-meter run, a runner-up time of 2:18.62 in the 800-meter run and also placed fourth in the 1600-meter run in 5:18.30. His junior teammate Micah Martin was third in the 3200 in 11:48.24. Parchment senior Garrett Winter swept the three distance races. He took the 1600-meter run in 4:32.55, the 800 in 2:16.51 and the 3200 in 10:37.52. Delton Kellogg junior sprinter Philip Halcomb was second in the 100-meter dash in 12.21 seconds and second in the 200-meter dash in 24.36. Kalamazoo Christian senior Tucker Seelbinder was the only sprinter faster than Halcomb. Seelbinder won the 100 in 11.94 and the 200 in 24.29. Seelbinder also helped the Kalamazoo Christian 4x 100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams to victories. Delton Kellogg teams were second to the Comets in those two sprint relays and second to Parch­ ment in the 4x400-meter relay. DK finished the day with a score of 92.5 points ahead of Parchment 77, Kalamazoo Christian 74.5 and Gales­ burg-Augusta 11. Kalamazoo Christian was atop the day’s girls’ standings with 76 points. Parchment was second with 70.5 points ahead of Galesburg-Augusta 60.5 and Delton Kellogg 42. Sophomore Breanna Chandler won the 300-meter low hurdles for the DK girls in 54.04 seconds and teamed with Carley Webb, Josie Williams and Summer Ritchie to win the 4x 100-meter relay in 57.52 seconds and with Joelle White, Halena Phillips and Ritchie to win the 4x400-meter relay in 4:40.38. Ritchie, a freshman, ran her fastest 100-meter dash yet to place fifth in that race. She hit the finish line in 14.92. She also placed sixth in the 200-meter dash in 30.44. Phillips was fourth in the 800-meter run in 2:53.57 and fifth in the 1600-meter run in 6:21.12. Delton Kellogg senior Caitlin McMa­ nus had two of four runner-up finishes irt the field for her team. McManus had her best throws of the season getting marks of 81-11 in the discus and 30-10 in the shot put. . Delton’s Maddy Waller was the high jump runner-up by getting over the bar at 4-3. White placed second in the pole vault by clearing 6-6. Parchment sophomore Angel Millet matched Winters’ sweep of the boys’ dis­ tance races. She won the 1600-meter run in 5:56.90, the 800-meter run in 2:37.69 and the 3200 in 13:01.07. Galesburg-Augusta freshman Jaidyn Klimp won the 200-meter dash in 28.55 and the 400-meter dash in 1:07.41 while also taking the long jump with a mark of 14-10. Kalamazoo Christian senior Tess VanDyk was the only girl to throw further than McManus. She won the discus with a personal record throw of 119-9. She took the shot put at 41-.5. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-05-12.pdf e3396029619224ed19fbca0965becbcd PDF Text Text ■■■■■■■ COVID outbreak closes local play production Now where do we go when the aisswcT is no? Vikings1 Feighan at his best in throws at Valiev See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 14 804879110187 1070490102590501938149058113421 Richard Hemertng H Thursday, May 12, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 19 PRICE $1.00 State’s ban on bird shows will affect county fair Kathy Maurer Copy Editor A statewide ban on bird exhibitions and shows will keep youngsters from showing chickens and other poultry at the 2022 Barry County Fair. The state announced Tuesday an immedi­ ate halt to poultry and waterfowl exhibitions until the state goes 30 days without a new detection of highly pathogenic avian influen­ za in domestic poultry. As of Tuesday, the state had responded to 12 cases of HPAI in backyard flocks from nine different counties across both the Upper and Lower peninsulas. The first confirmed report was in Kalamazoo County February. However, since April 12, HPAI cases have been confirmed in Menominee, Livingston, Washtenaw, Saginaw, Wexford, Branch and Oakland counties. Most of the cases involved backyard flocks, which had to be destroyed. The Washt­ enaw County cases involved pet parrots that had died from the disease. Numerous wild birds also have been infected. Wednesday morning, Michigan Depart­ ment of Agriculture and Rural Development announced its first case of HPAI in a com­ mercial flock in Muskegon. That flock, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture information, included 35,100 turkeys. Com­ mercial flocks impacted in other states, including Wisconsin, Iowa and Pennsylvania, numbered into the millions. The decision to halt bird shows immediate­ ly was made by MDARD’s State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland and Director Gary McDowell as a way “to further protect against the spread of HPAI, helping to keep Michi­ gan’s domestic poultry flocks safe.” More than 37.5 million birds in the U.S. had been affected as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Department of Agricul­ ture - impacting the cost of both eggs and poultry for consumers. HPAI is a highly contagious virus that can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers, according to a MDARD press release. As new cases of HPAI continue to be identified across the nation and in Michigan, bringing in poultry from different flocks to a central location with judges and share their knowledge as they would have done with a real bird. “We have been here before, and we will make it fun and inclusive while keeping our flocks safe,” Pennington said. MDARD officials said they will continue to monitor the situation and work with the Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibi­ tions, Michigan State University Extension, 4-H programs, and other partners to notify and advise exhibitors about when these activ­ ities can resume and how to conduct them safely. “Our 4-H families are often on the lead­ ing edge of biosecurity,” Jake DeDecker, See STATE, page 2 Delton Kellogg picks new superintendent Gravel mine request heats up in Hope Township Savanah Kaechele Leila Wood Contributing Writer Hdpe' Township PlanningCommission tabled a decision on a potential gravel pit last Thursday after the excavating company failed to provide information about its potential impact on wildlife and the nearby lake. Representatives from the Allegan-based excavating company R. Smith & Sons said they hope to have that information by the commission’s next meeting June 16. But that meeting may be postponed if the company does not provide the requested information by that date, commissioners indicated. The Planning Commission initially had requested that information in March. Several people, including the township’s attorney, Catherine Kaufman, argued last Thursday that it seems unlikely R. Smith & Sons would be able to demonstrate their need for gravel. The company is technically no longer in the gravel business, they point­ ed out. R. Smith & Sons is selling a large portion of its gravel assets to Stoneco, another mining company that owns a lot in Orangeville Town­ ship across the street from the Hope Township property owned by R. Smith & Sons. But for Stoneco to proceed with its inten­ tion to buy the Hope Township parcel, the R. See GRAVEL, page 2 creates a significant risk. “While we are all very sad about not hav­ ing birds at [the] fair, we will be making plans for creative ways our 4-H poultry mem­ bers can participate,” Barry County 4-H Pro­ gram Coordinator Kathy Pennington said Tuesday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Pen­ nington’s office had already sent email mes­ sages to families within the poultry project area letting them know of the ban. This is not the first time the local poultry show has been canceled. A similar bird exhi­ bition ban was implemented by the state in 2015, and local 4-H staff and leaders encour­ aged members to create educational displays that were set up in the poultry bam at the Barry Expo Center. Using fake or stuffed birds, youngsters were allowed to interact John Austin (left) and John Schumacher, who live on Wilkinson Lake, protest along M-43 in front of the Hope Township Hall last Thursday. They were responding to motorists who were passing by and honking their horns. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Contributing Writer A former Delton Kellogg Schools teacher who left the district 16 years ago is coming back at its new superintendent. After nearly four hours of interviews and discussion Monday night, the board of educa­ tion voted to offer the post to Dr. Herman Lartigue, assistant principal at Brill Elementa­ ry School, which is part of the Klein Indepen­ dent School District in Texas. The board must still work out contract details with Lartigue. “I’ve been trying 16 years to get back to this place,” Lartigue said during his inter­ view. “And I say that because every place that I’ve worked at I’ve been trying to find the people and community that I worked with [here] and who accepted me for who I was and embraced me and then taught me how to be a teacher and that it was OK to love kids and do your best for them. “My thing is my wife and my family have been trying to get back here because in Texas they have little communities inside Houston, but they are still so huge that the intimacy is gone. I have so many friendships and people that I call family members, that my kids call ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle,’ here. I was told a long time ago that your family is probably here, you just don’t know it yet.” Lartigue will replace Kyle Corlett, who resigned in November 2021 after more than four years with the district. While some board members expressed concern about Lartigue’s lack of experience in finance and budgeting, they cited as strengths his connections to the Delton com- Dr. Herman Lartigue munity and commitment to improving educa­ tion. “I feel that he has strong connections here and the thing he repeated in both interviews was that the kids are at the heart of it all,” Trustee Dr. Brandy Shooks said. “The whole reason why we have a school is to help kids, and I think that’s the biggest factor for me.” See DELTON, page 8 Barricaded gunman trial underway Rebecca Pierce Editor The story of Timothy Riddle and what trig­ gered his perilous high-speed flight up M-43 one fateful evening last August began to unfold in a Barry County courtroom Monday. Riddle, 48, of Hastings, is standing trial on charges of assault with intent to murder as a sresult of that high-speed flight from police, a burglary of shotguns and a standoff with police at a gas station in Woodland. On Monday, Riddle pleaded guilty to a variety of lesser crimes connected to that Aug. 4, 2021, incident, but some of the charges he’s standing trial for this week are punishable by up to life in prison. He has opted for a bench trial instead of a jury trial, so Barry County Judge Michael Schipper is the trier of fact. Since the process of seating a jury was no longer necessary, testimony began promptly and proceeded through the day Tuesday. After a break Wednesday, the trial is expected to continue Thursday morning. The key to this case is Riddle’s intent, Pros­ ecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt told Schipper in her opening statement. She maintains that, during the melee, Riddle pointed a loaded shotgun at officers, clearly showing his intent to kill. One officer testified having that shotgun pointed at him was “frightening.” Seven charges are in contention, Chief Public Defender Kerri Selleck told the judge in her brief opening argument. “For the most part, those charges do involve intent,” Selleck agreed. “...The issue is Mr. Riddle’s intent. I think the evidence will be clear that he never intended to hurt any other human being. He has been consistent. That has never wavered. That has never changed.” Selleck maintained that, during the hours in which Riddle fled from police then barri­ caded himself in a service station in Wood­ land, “he never fired a weapon at any other human being.” The point at which police officers got involved on Aug. 4 was when they were advised to be on the lookout for Riddle after the theft of two shotguns was reported at a house in the 1000 block of North Coville Road. Riddle had been living in a trailer on that property, but the owner had kicked him. The owner said he had hidden his guns, but when he got home on Aug. 4, he saw lights turned on that should not have been, and two of his shotguns were missing. A neighbor told police they had seen Rid­ dle’s vehicle in the driveway, and another per­ son said they saw Riddle go into the house. The Michigan State Police said Riddle later confessed to breaking into the house and steal­ ing the guns. Riddle had one of the shotguns during the Aug. 4 chase and standoff, but the other he had given to Hastings resident. Once Riddle was known as a suspect, offi­ cers in the area were notified to look for him. Hastings police spotted Riddle’s matte black Chevy HHR at the Marathon gas sta­ tion on M-43 in Hastings at 6:48 p.m. on Aug. 4. After Riddle left the station and turned north onto M-43, Hastings Police Officer Leonel Rangel said he initiated a traffic stop. The officer told Riddle he was not under arrest, but Barry County Sheriff’s deputies wanted to talk to him. He asked Riddle to step out of the car and wait for the deputies. While Riddle appeared agitated at first, he seemed to calm down after Rangel explained the situation to him. But Riddle would not step out of the vehicle. He started talking about his ex-girlfriend, a 40-year-old Hast­ ings woman, and insisted to Rangel that he had not gone near her. “I did not do nothing to her, man,” Riddle said. The officer told Riddle he was not being pulled over because of his ex-girlfriend, but Riddle kept talking about her and, as he did, he grew more agitated. Rangel asked him again to step out of the vehicle or hand over the key. Riddle held the key out the window, as if to hand it over, but pulled it back inside and took off. Rangel chased after Riddle, driving north on M-43. Other officers from the sheriff’s office soon joined the pursuit. According to police, Riddle drove at more than 115 miles per hour in an attempt to elude the police. More than once, he pointed a shot­ gun at the Hastings City Police cruiser behind Timothy Riddle is shown here when Hastings Police Officer Leonel Rangel stopped him on Aug. 4, 2021, just before he led police on a chase reaching speeds of more than 110 mph north on M-43. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) him, which led Rangel to back off and increase the distance between them. The chase ended at the parking lot of the Mobil gas station on M-43, east of Woodland. After Riddle got out of the car, police said he pointed Sgt. Scott Ware pf the sheriff’s office and Ware fired through his cruiser windshield. Riddle ran inside the station, and told the customers to leave. Two employees, a 22-year-old Woodland woman and 74-year-old Nashville woman, heard the shots, saw customers running outside, and locked themselves in a back room. They did not believe Riddle knew they were there. The 22-year-old woman immediately called 911, and remained on the phone with a dispatcher until they got outside. They heard Riddle using the gas station phone to talk to his girlfriend, 40, of Gobles. He seemed to be blaming her for causing the situation, because she hd broken up with him. The woman later told police she broke up with him because of his drug use, and the stress that he caused. According to the police report, the employ­ ees heard Riddle say “he had just been in the ‘coolest high-speed chase of my life’ and that he was not going back to prison.” He said he would either shoot himself, or have the police shoot him. His girlfriend told police he had often spoken of “suicide by cop.” The employees heard Riddle claim the See RIDDLE, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 —The Hastings Banner RIDDLE, continued from page 1 -------- STATE, continued from page 1 MSU Extension state 4-H leader, said. “We will work closely with MDARD and MAFE (Michigan Association of Fairs and Exhibi­ tions) to make sure that we address this issue head-on.” The preventative measures needed to pro­ tect flocks should not stop at the fairgrounds, MDARD officials wrote. Whether it’s a few backyard birds or a large commercial flock, following a few key steps is fundamental to protecting the health and vitality of Michi­ gan’s domestic birds: • Prevent contact between domestic and wild birds by bringing domestic birds indoors or ensuring their outdoor area is fully enclosed. • Wash hands before and after handling birds as well as when moving between differ­ ent coops. • Disinfect boots and other gear when moving between coops. • Do not share equipment or other supplies between coops or other farms. • Clean and disinfect equipment and other supplies between uses. If it cannot be disin­ fected, discard it. • Use well or municipal water as drinking water for birds. • Keep poultry feed secure to ensure there is no contact between the feed/feed ingredi­ ents and wild birds or rodents. In an April 20 press release, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources recom­ mended residents remove bird feeders. “One easy way the public can help reduce the potential spread of HPAI is to remove outdoor bird feeders,” DNR offi­ cials said. "... temporary removal of these food sources could be helpful, especially for anyone who has highly susceptible spe­ cies - domestic poultry, raptors or water­ fowl - living nearby. Similarly, removal could be a wise choice for those who observe high-risk species like blue jays, crows or ravens hanging around backyard bird feeders.” According to the U.S. Centers for Dis­ ease Control and Prevention, the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections remains low. No birds or bird products infected with HPAI will enter the commercial food chain. As a reminder, people are encouraged to proper­ ly handle and cook all poultry and eggs. Domestic bird owners and caretakers should watch for unusual deaths, a drop in egg production, a significant decrease in water consumption, or an increase in sick birds. If avian influenza is suspected in domestic birds, owners should call MDARD immediately at 800-292-3939 (daytime) or 517-373-0440 (after hours). If anyone notices what appears to be unusual or unexplained deaths among wild bird populations, they are asked to report those cases to the state DNR by using their Eyes in the Field app (choosing the “Dis­ eased Wildlife” option among the selections for “Observation Forms”) or by calling the DNR Wildlife Disease Laboratory, 517­ 336-5030. More information on the current ban can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions section available at Michigan.gov/BirdFlu. More information on avian influenza and how to protect flocks through biosecurity measures can be found on the U.S. Depart­ ment of Agriculture’s website, usda.gov. police shot at him 17 times, and he had been hit four times. He said one bullet hit his head, but the bullet had bounced off. They also heard Riddle breaking liquor bottles and throwing the cash register around. Eventually he started going through the building, and stopped at the locked door. He called out and asked if anyone was inside. When the employees remained silent, he asked again, and threat­ ened to shoot the door open. The 74-year-old woman called out to say they were inside. Riddle said he would not hurt them, put down the gun, and asked them to open the door and get out. Timothy As soon as they opened the door, both women immediately left the building. They saw Riddle only briefly, and said he had what appeared to be a scrape on his head with some blood running down his nose. At some point, the Michigan State Police Emergency Support Team soon arrived at the scene and started negotiations with Riddle. At 1:30 a.m., after nearly seven hours of standoff and negotiations, he surrendered. Riddle was taken to Spectrum Health Pen­ nock for evaluation and then to jail. He sustained minor injuries, and no police or bystanders reported any injuries. Riddle has spent most of his life behind bars. He was 15 when he was convicted in 1988 of breaking and entering and felony murder. According to the Detroit Free Press article from the time, Riddle broke into the home of 80-yearold Renate Henie and crushed her skull with a beer bottle. Her body was found two weeks later. He was sentenced to prison for life, but later released on parole in Riddle November 2019, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. The Hastings City Police said they had contact with Riddle in 23 separate incidents since August 2020. In most of those inci­ dents, Riddle was either a suspect or was arrested. g A Life Changed A aan aa 15-y 1 ■vnnfh came rump to tn Spiritual ^nirit A few years ago, ear-old youth Care Consultants. Her parents did not know what to do. Their daughter had struggled for years. She had been in and out of In-patient behavioral health facilities four times, was on four different psychiatric medications, and she had self-destructive behaviors. She had been in counseling for years and was not getting any better. Her father said that before Spiritual Care Consultants, he had spent enough money on counseling to buy a new car. Concerned residents crowded into Hope Township Hall for the public hearing Thursday. (Photo by Leila Wood) GRAVEL, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------The journey with Spiritual Care Consultants was not easy. She was not willing to come in but came because of her parents. As you know it can take a village to help one person. Within three months we had a major breakthrough with the destructive behaviors. The end results were that she reported a 50% improvement in her anger, 90% improvement in her anxiety and ability to function and 100% improyement in her depression. She is now 26 years old, married with two children, and is off all psychiatric medications. At SCC we give all the glory to God for helping us bring healing to this young lady’s life. There is nothing like seeing a mom and dad get their child back and in their right mind after struggling for years and feeling helpless to be able to help their child. Spiritual Care Consultants is a healing ministry that believes that God created us Spirit, Soul, and Body. It says in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” According to the Bible the mind is in the soul. So, if we treat the mind, the body but not the soul we have an incomplete treatment. Most problems have their roots in the soul. Spiritual Care Consultants has a special healing process that was developed in 2007 and has an 89% satisfaction rate. Please keep SCC in your prayers as we reach out to help more and more people in a hurting world. Smith & Sons application to mine there must be granted, township officials said. The mining companies’ attorney, Ken Ver­ meulen, suggested amending the application to include Stoneco, since they are the ones who will be mining there, if the application is approved. “We can submit an amendment and start this all over from Ground Zero,” Vermeulen said, “I just don’t think that’s a (good), use. of anybody’s time... “The whole discussjdp p.f very serious con­ sequences only gets started once we’ve agreed that there is a need for the product,” Chairman Bob Norton said. The commission received more than 30 comments, including written messages and statements from members of the public who were present at the hearing. Concerns were expressed about potential pollution, erosion, increase in traffic, noise City of Hastings and impact on wildlife and the lake commu­ nity. They also expressed concern about the possibility of decreasing property values in the vicinity of the mine and, as a result, a decrease in tax revenue for the township and school district. Bill Krueger, who is board president of the Healthy Waters Alliance, quoted from the Hope Township Land Use Plan: “The lakes located in Hope Township are substantial recreational amenities and enhance the appeal of the community as a prime residential area within Barry County. Additionally, the water bodies and the surrounding land are valued for ecological significance and treasured for aesthetic and recreational value. As such, Lake Residential areas will warrant special planning attention...” “What am I fighting for? I’m fighting to preserve something that is precious,” Krueger said. 180452 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES The City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public concerning a pro­ posed increase of 0.5360 mills in the operating tax millage rate to be levied to support the adopted budget for the fiscal year ending June 30,2023. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 23, 2022 in City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. Sponsored Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. If adopted, the proposed additional millage will increase operating revenues from ad valorem property taxes 3.30% over such revenues generat­ ed by levies permitted without holding a hearing. If the proposed additional millage rate is not approved, the operating revenue will increase by 3.53% over the preceding year's operating reve­ nue. The taxing unit publishing this notice, and identi­ fied below, has complete authority to establish the number of mills to be levied from within its authorized millage rate. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to I Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, Mich. 49058 or by donating online at https://www.spiritualcareconsultants.com/pages/make-a-donation H We THANK YOU for your generosity and support! Ellen Berens talked about a similar applica­ tion by Stoneco that was recently denied in Washtenaw County, pointing out that local planning commissions can reject these requests. A petition to stop the proposed gravel mine was submitted by Dana Hawk. A letter from the Barry County Road Com­ mission, which was read at the meeting by Planning Commissioner Roger Pashby, said the Road Commission does not believe increased traffic at the proposed gravel mine would have a negative impact of any signifi­ cance on that area. “Any time additional traffic is being direct­ ed onto a county road there is obviously going to be additional impact,” Pashby read. “However, there are probably few roads that are more prepared for this operation than Miller Road, as it was recently paved and has minimal traffic. “We have no issues with this operation.” A copy of this information, and additional back­ ground materials are available for public inspec­ tion from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk Delton alumni banquet May 21 Pennock fundraiser Saturday Spectrum Health Pennock in Hastings is holding its 10th annual Julep Gala Saturday, May 14, at Sesquicentennial Park in Mid­ dleville to raise funds to bring two hyperbaric chambers to its facilities. Cindy Bigler, nurse practitioner at Pennock, said the hyperbaric chambers are pieces of medical equipment that allow patients to be enclosed in a sealed chamber, where they are immersed in 100 percent oxygen at higher-than-normal levels of pressure. This allows the treatment to penetrate deeper than it would at normal pressure levels and is an effective way to treat wounds, she said. The chambers can be used to treat diabetic wounds, radiation damage, chronic bone infections, bums and other injuries, she said. Because hyperbaric treatments are typically done five days a week for two hours a day, many patients don’t have time to make the commute to and from these areas as well as receive treatment, Bernie Jore, Pennock’s chief oper­ ating officer, said. Pennock is receiving the two chambers from Spectrum Health Butterworth in Grand Rapids because Butterworth is installing a new, larger hyperbaric chamber, Jore said. Funds raised from the Julep Gala will be put toward renovating a space at the Hastings hospital to accommodate the two chambers. An area of the building will need to be reworked to facilitate the usage of the two chambers, Jore said. Information and tickets are available by calling Tami Elhart, 616-267-2986, or emailing tamara. elhart@spectrumhealth.org. Students who graduated from or attended Delton Kellogg High School are invited to the DKHS Alumni Banquet Saturday, May 21. Social hour will be from 5 to 6 p.m. at Faith United Methodist Church, 503 M-43, Delton. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the program. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass and their own table service. Freewill donations for the alum­ ni fund will be accepted. Anyone wanting more infor­ mation may email dan.jeska@ gmail.com. Garden club meeting tonight Members of the Thomapple Garden Club will learn about the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary at their next meeting Thursday, May 12, from sanctuary manager Lisa Duke. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be at Green Street Unit­ ed Methodist Church, starting with fellowship and refreshments at 6:30 and the speaker at 7 p.m. (Entrance is from the back parking lot.) The sanctuary was created in 1927 by Will K. Kellogg as a ref­ uge for the Canada goose and other migratory birds. It also was an important part of trumpeter swan restoration efforts in Michi­ gan in the 1980s. The area remains an important stopover location for migrating and waterfowl and other birds. The sanctuary offers 180 acres of diverse wildlife habitats situated around 40-acre Winter­ green Lake. Today, it continues a commit­ ment to conservation through citi­ zen-science projects, internship opportunities, research, and edu­ cation for families, schools and organized groups as a primary outreach arm of Michigan State University’s W.K. Kellogg Bio­ logical Station. Membership information for the club can be obtained from Mary Alber by calling 269-355-9895. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — Page 3 COVID cancels local theater production Greg Chandler Staff Writer A community theater production was post­ poned last weekend after at least six people were exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The Barry-Eaton District Health Depart­ ment issued an advisory Friday, alerting the community about the COVID exposure that was tied to the Thomapple Players’ production of “Young Frankenstein” at the Barry Com­ munity Enrichment Center. The exposures occurred May 4, during a dress rehearsal for the production, and May 5, the opening night of the show. About 70 peo­ ple attended the dress rehearsal and about 115 people attended the Friday performance and an after-performance gathering, BEDHD com­ munications specialist Emily Smale said in a news release. Two individuals tested positive for COVID while four others were symptomatic. “All six of the individuals attended all three events,” Smale said in an interview Tuesday. The Thomapple Players postponed their remaining performances of “Young Franken­ stein” in light of the positive CO VID cases. “They worked with us to let us know [what happened] and to figure out what to do,” Smale said. Everyone who attended the events is con­ sidered to have been exposed to COVID-19. “These events are an example of how quickly COVID-19 can spread through a com­ munity via large gatherings or events,” Smale said in the news release. Thomapple Players President Norma Jean Acker said they contacted the health department as soon as they learned of the positive cases. “Our main mission was to stop the spread and to protect our cast, crew, patrons and their families,” Acker said Wednesday afternoon. It was the latest of many challenges for the local community theater group and this partic­ ular production. “This is a difficult show, but a really fun show,” she said. “This cast, crew and production team went all-out under very stressful circumstances [to put it on]. “There is still some question as to whether or not we will cancel this show and move on or reapply for royalties and present it as our fall show,” she added. “We have been trying to do this since March of 2019. There are many factors involved, and no decision can be made until we have all of the facts, costs, etc.” Health department staff is encouraging any­ one who attended any of the events and who is either unvaccinated or at high risk of severe illness to: • Get tested at least five days after exposure. • Watch for symptoms until 10 days after exposure. • If symptoms develop, isolate immediately and get tested. • Wear a well-fitting mask in public. • Avoid being around people who are more likely to become very sick from COVID-19. In addition, BEDHD staff is encouraging people to stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, to get tested before and after large events, maintain social distance when appro­ Help Wanted: Barry County seeks to hire more employees Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County government and small busi­ nesses have the same problem right now: Hiring. “That’s one of the challenges I’m dealing with right now,” County Administrator Michael Brown. “We’re just struggling to hire - and even retain - staff,” Brown said. “We’re all trying to figure that out. “What is the magic formula?” Sometimes, the problem is the pay; other times, the job itself is not highly desirable, he noted. But the number of vacancies creates anoth­ er concern for them, and that’s making sure that the employees they have aren’t getting burnt out because they’re so short-staffed. As part of its classification and compensa­ tion study process, tiie county looked inter­ nally at its positions to make sure that compa­ rable positions across departments were being compensated at comparable levels. “Then we looked at our external environ­ ment to see how we compensate employees compared to the labor market,” Brown said. “Historically, we had looked at comparables as far as similar population and similar tax­ able value. The reason we used that is partic­ ularly the taxable value - that presumes our revenue, or what we can afford. The problem with that look is that we don’t have many counties in our labor market that meet that comparison.” Brown said, in the past, that study had ended up looking to counties up north, not necessarily where Barry County employees were either leaving to go work or where the county was trying to draw from. So they decided to look to the counties in geographic proximity. That places them in an entirely different territory that is “a bit uncharted,” Brown said. “The first thing that then comes to mind though - and we always had argued we can’t compete with - Kent County. We just don’t have the resources. But what we ultimately did was look at it.” In doing so, they struck a process where they aim to be at 90 percent of the market comparables, Brown said. “We can’t compete, dollar for dollar, but we’re going to be within 10 percent.” That may give the county some chance when it comes to vying for qualified job seekers. “Now,” he added, “the challenge is to make sure we stay there and don’t, what you call, creep one way or the other. My concern right now is that their labor market may be moving up faster than ours ... and (how to) keep pace with that. “That being said, we’re also looking at a market - is it transitory? Is it just short term? “We don’t want to move up too fast.” Last Tuesday, at their Committee of the Whole meeting, commissioners discussed the difficulty in filling vacant animal shelter employee posts. The kennel has four part-time positions and two are vacant. After hearing a request from Animal Shel­ ter Director Ken Kirsch, commissioners rec­ ommended combining the two part-time vacancies into one full-time position that would pay $30,140 annually plus benefits. That recommendation was approved at Tues­ day’s board meeting. Commissioners also approved increasing the pay rate for the two remaining part-time priate, and wear a mask if they believe they might be at higher risk of severe illness. COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide rose to 876 Monday, up from 774 Friday and 729 a week ago, according to newly released Michi­ gan numbers. Most of the increase is in hospitals in six counties in Southeast Michigan. The COVID19 patient census in those counties - Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Monroe - increased from 490 to 557 between Friday and Monday. The increase in hospitalizations has been slow but steady for about a month after hit­ ting 470 April 6 at the end of the initial omicron surge. New variants of omicron have driven the latest increase, but the overall impact has been muted in terms of hospitalizations. During the delta surge last fall, hospitalizations rose quickly, an indication that omicron, though worrisome for those with health conditions, has led to less severe illnesses. The risk levels suggest masking recommen­ dations; healthy people in counties at medium or low risk can remain safe without wearing masks in most settings. But the “high” risk category includes a rec­ ommendation for everyone, regardless of vac­ cination status, to wear a well-fitting mask in most indoor settings. More information can be found at barryeatonhealth.org/covid-19-center or michigan. gov/coronavirus. Bridge Michigan contributed to this story. animal shelter employees from the current $9.87 an hour to the Barry County Court­ house Employees Association salary sched­ ule. The recommended rate for these part-time jobs will be Classification Grade 1, which starts at $12.70 and tops out at $15.14 at four years. The annual cost will be $15,581. In other business Tuesday, the commis­ sioners heard the 2021 annual reports from Drain Commissioner Jim Dull and Erin Moore, director of District 7 Michigan State University Extension. During her presentation, Moore noted the overwhelming support at last year’s Barry County Fair resulted in a total of $755,885 from the livestock sales with 700 young peo­ ple participating in 4-H in the county. In other action, commissioners: • approved spending up to $60,589 for a contract with Graphic Sciences to digitally image court files in circuit, district, and Friend of the Court offices, with funds to be paid from CESF Supplemental Grant that was designated for this project on Jan. 25, 2022. and Data Processing. New Deputy Court Administrator Dave Felon made the request. • approved the OfficeXpf Community Cor­ rections grant application - totaling $154,831 in expected grant funds - for'fiscal year 2023. Community Corrections Administrator and Specialty Courts Manager Tammi Price made the request. • approved amending the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System Health Care Savings Program participation agreement and contribution addendum for county Central Dispatch employees, effective March 1,2022. • approved setting the county’s budget cal­ endar for 2023. • approved pre-paid invoices totaling $5,907,718.36, claims of $109,776.51, and commissioner reimbursement for mileage of $341.53. Vice Chairman Vivian Conner ran the meetings last week and this week in the absence of Chairman Ben Geiger. City council approves new budget, continues improvements Hunter McLaren “Why would I use excessive force Staff Writer against anybody, whether they were a The Hastings City Council Monday civil rights demonstrator or not?” Boulter approved the 2022-23 fiscal year budget. asked. “Seems a little ridiculous to me. The budget passed was the same as dis­ But again, that’s not to say anything cussed at the council’s budget workshop against Sarah. It’s MEDC that wants this April 25. stuff. It’s kind of crazy. Force is used. Budgeted general fund expenses for Excessive force should not be used. It’s this year’s budget were up to $6.57 mil­ pretty obvious, in my opinion.” lion this year as compared to last year’s Council member Don Smith said he $6.24 million. wanted Boulter and the city police to Budgeted general fund revenue went know that the council wasn’t implying up to $6.41 million compared to last that the department has been using - or year’s $5.7 million. Increased revenue would ever use - excessive force, and came from a small increase in population that the resolution was passed only to fit in the 2020 U.S. Census, which increased grant funding requirements. shared revenue from the state. The budget “I know the police officers in Hastings also reflected $700,000 in federal Ameri­ have acted admirably for years,” Smith can Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 relief said. “It’s silly when the state requires us funds to be received over 2022 and 2023. to have additional requirements that are City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale listed already within the law that we already some significant expenses as the reason follow just to fit requirements for grant for the jump in expenditures, including funding.” $35,000 for landscaping and screening In other business, the city council: around generators at the city hall; $20,000 • Issued a proclamation declaring May for new street lights; $20,000 for a wage 20-21 as Poppy Days in remembrance of and compensation study of city employ­ members of the U.S. Armed Forces who ees; $15,000 for reconstruction of the city have died in the line of duty. website; $30,000 for cloud access tech­ • Approved the $26,265 purchase of a nology and procedures for the police 2022 Ford Escape for the police depart­ department; $67,650 for new air packs, ment from Signature Ford Lincoln in breathing apparatuses and radio equip­ Owosso. ment for the fire department; $35,000 for • Approved an invoice for $25,596 surveying and architecture services for a from Grand River Construction for preliminary design of a new emergency improvements to the wastewater treat­ services building; $90,000 for parking lot ment plant. improvements; $20,000 for compost • Approved an invoice for $9,141 from screening; $20,000 for improvements to Dickinson Wright for city attorney pro­ Sweezy’s Pond; and $20,000 for ameni­ fessional services. ties at the dog park. • Approved an invoice for $7,764 for Additionally, the expenditures includ­ repairs to department of public service ed $500,000 allocated to reconstructing trucks from West Michigan International. the bathrooms at Fish Hatchery Park, • Approved an invoice for $5,956 from with half of those funds expected to be Ferguson Waterworks for the purchase of grant-funded. A Michigan State Housing new water meters. Development Authority grant for $75,000 • Approved an invoice for $114,660 received by the city to redistribute to low­ from Fedewa Inc. for improvements to er moderate-income, single-family home­ water towers. owners for improvements to housing • Approved a request for $22,310 to exteriors also was included in revenue replace a pump at the water treatment plant. and expenditures. • Set a joint workshop with the city The council also passed a resolution council and planning commission at 6 affirming that the use of excessive force p.m. June 13 to discuss the potential against nonviolent civil-rights protesters development of nine townhouses at 134 is prohibited. Moyer-Cale said although E. Court St. by developer Marvin Helder. -sthe city police’ already have in place a ' -1 • Approved the'placdrtfentbfa^ffal^ .a ;. policy prohibiting the use of excessive Plant, Leave a Plant” stand near the “little library” in Thomapple Plaza,from C<|^Q a?tpforce, approval of the resolution yyas a formality required by tfie Michigan Eco­ munity member Melissa Starrett from nomic Development Corporation to qual­ May 10 to Oct. 15. The stand allows for ify for federal funding through the Com­ local residents to take and leave small munity Development Block Grant. plants they may be growing, Starrett said. Dale Boulter, Hastings chief of police, • Authorized the mayor to sign an said he understood the resolution was application for a grant request in the passed as a formality, but thought the amount of $30,000 from the Michigan requirement from MEDC was redundant. Arts and Culture Council. Hastings Legion Memorial Day events set This year’s 2022 Memorial Day Parade, hosted by the Lawrence J. Bauer American Legion Post 45 in Hastings, will step off at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 30. Participants will begin gathering at 8:30 a.m. at the comer of Boltwood and State streets. The parade will be led by the Legion’s Color Guard, followed by the Honor Guard, Legion members and other veterans, National Guard and Reservists, Legion Auxiliary, Legion Riders, the DAV chapter, Sons of the American Legion, Scouts, the Hastings Area Schools Marching Band, and other partici­ pants. The parade route will proceed west to Broadway, then north to the Veterans Memo­ rial where two wreaths will be placed: one honoring all veterans and one honoring the POW-MIA soldiers. A rifle salute, taps, and a short ceremony will follow. The parade will continue to the bridge Congratulations to the Grads of 2022 Barry County United Way at its celebration event May 5 recognized corporate and individual donors who gave more than $10,000. The Alexis deTocqueville Award was presented to representatives of local companies and individuals, including (from left) Stacy Steward representing Viking Corporation; Julie Palmatier, representing Highpoint Community Bank; Gloria Brushwyler, accepting on behalf of herself and husband, Kevin Brushwyler; Bill Rohr, representing FlexFab, and also accepting on behalf of Doug and Margaret DeCamp; and Traci Downs, representing Hastings Mutual Insurance Company. 108" Wide Cotton Good Selection of Cotton United Way celebrates most successful campaign yet Prints Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Corporate and individual donors helped Barry County United Way raise $707,062 in its 2021-22 fundraising campaign. Lani Forbes, executive director of Barry County United Way, said it’s the highest amount the local agency has ever raised. The fundrais­ ing goal had been $675,000. Donors were recognized at the “Hope Happened” event held May 5 at the Barry Community Enrichment Center. Forbes said the funds raised will go toward various community programs, including Barry County mental health services substance abuse prevention program, providing daily meals to 350 senior citi­ zens, Green Gables Haven shelter for women and children, services for veterans, youth sports, 4-H programming and more. “We spoke at the kickoff event of spreading the seeds of hope across our community,” Forbes said. “Thank you all for choosing to plant those seeds. Because of you, hope happened.” where a wreath will be placed in the river with a rifle salute, and taps will be played to honor those who served, and are serving, at sea. Riverside Cemetery on State Road will be the final stop at the GAR Monument at the end of the Avenue of Flags. Another ceremo­ ny will be conducted, including placement of a wreath, a speech, and a rifle salute, and taps. Honors will be given and the final wreath placed on the grave of the most recently bur­ ied veteran. “As in previous years, no political signs, banners, posters, sirens or horns will be allowed in the parade,” Jim Atkinson noted. “This is a solemn occasion to honor all pres­ ent and past military personnel who have sacrificed to uphold freedom and the ideals of America.” Anyone wishing to register to participate may call Atkinson at 269-948-8219. ft Pray For Our World ft QUESTIONS: ASK US... MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Stites 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 mh OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; aC3 QSm Saturday 9 am-3 pm SES Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-600-870-7065 �Page 4 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opin ion see? Where do we go from here? This drain project's a statewide winner The 2022 Innovation & Excellence Award from the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners went to Barry County's own Drain Commissioner Jim Dull. The rea­ son? The Cloverdale Drain project was judged the best drain project in the state. Every year, the MACDC reviews and evalu­ ates dozens of drain projects across the state. Cost effectiveness, innovation, use of new materials or new and evolving technolo­ gies, environmental and water quality bene­ fits, and public education are considered. This is the first time the county has received such an honor, Dull said. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy told Dull it was one of the most complex and challenging projects to get permitted environmentally that they've ever seen. It was designed to install an outlet drain to improve flows from Cloverdale Lake to Long Lake, with a new lake level control structure installed to control upstream water levels in Cloverdale, Wilkinson, Jones and Mud lakes. Do you remember? . u_ , Top scholars honored Banner May 17, 1962 - Honor top scholars - Members of the Hastings Rotary Club, at their second annual honors program, paid tribute to the scholastic achievements made by outstanding scholars in the Hastings High School Class of 1962. The program was held at the Rotary’s Monday noon luncheon at the Hotel Hastings, and this photo was taken following the meeting. Pictured (seated, from left) are salutatorian Judith Bowman, valedictorian Janice Davis, Freddy Hauser, Jennette Barry, Carolyn Skidmore, Alexandra Hoffman; (standing) Principal Don Gill, University of Michigan Vice President Roger W. Heyns, Professor Alfred Sussman, who gave the main address, and the other scholars honored: Ronald Keithley, John von Reis and Dean Dingman. (Photo by Leo Barth) Have you met? Heidi Gartley is no stranger to living in a small town. “One of my favorite childhood memories is during the summers down in Indiana, we would go down to the creek to go swim­ ming and catch crawdads," Gartley, 25, said. “It’s probably one of the ‘most small­ town things’ ever.” Originally from Andrews, Ind., Gartley split her time between her mom’s home in Indiana and her dad’s place in Union City. Gartley moved in with her dad in Union City when she was 15 because she liked the smaller class sizes at Union City High School. “My dad was my best friend and my big­ gest cheerleader,” she said. “He was just there for people, but always in the simplest and most meaningful of ways. He reached out, listened and cared.” Her father, Tim Gartley, was a mainte­ nance supervisor for the Marshall Excelsior Company. He was very involved in the community, always volunteering or helping a neighbor. In the last years of his life, he worked in state correctional facilities, and donated some of his time teaching inmates maintenance skills they could use once they were back in society. After her dad died in December 2020, Gartley needed a job with benefits. She applied for two in Hastings; one was at Hastings Public Library and the other was a part-time position as an assessor for the city. Those job interviews were what brought her to Hastings the first time, she said. She got a call back for the assistant city assessor position, where she helps the city with var­ ious property-related issues such as deter­ mining property values of various areas through the city. “I ended up in Hastings in one of the darkest points in my life,” she said. “But it’s been good. I’ve loved building a little home here.” When she first started working for the city, she sat at a cubicle that was tucked away near the front desk. Although she how to live a life integrating a lot of what he taught into a new life and giving that to the people and community around me.” For her resilience in the face of grief and her love of the community, Heidi Gartley is this week’s Bright Light. First job: Com de-tasseling. That was a fun job when I was still in high school. Basi­ cally, we all wake up early in the morning, get on school buses and go to the cornfield that we’re going to be de-tasseling for the day. You could never dress for the job because you’d get soaked from the morning dew. Then the heat of the sun comes in the middle of the day, but you don’t want your skin exposed because then you’ll get com rash. Favorite TV show: “Gilmore Girls,” “Twin Peaks” and “Derry Girls.” wasn’t facing people who came in with questions or in need of assistance, she still could hear them. “In that cubicle, I could hear people com­ ing in every day and having conversations,” she said. “I knew a lot of people’s voices months before I saw their faces.” Gartley moved to a full-time position with the city in July 2021, continuing her work with the assessor and helping at city hall’s front desk, greeting the public and helping answer questions about city-related issues. “That’s when I really got to start to meet people in the community and actually feel like I was becoming a part of Hastings,” she said. Gartley went to school at Kellogg Com­ munity College studying education before switching courses and attending Western Michigan University, where she studied anthropology. Although she didn’t plan on being a city assessor, she sees herself stay­ ing in the role for .quite some time. Her dedicated coworkers at the city are a big reason why she loves her job, she said. “I’ve been creating a new life and family for myself in Hastings,” she said. “Even though I’ve been learning how to live a life without my dad, I’ve also been learning Something most people don’t know about me: I was a student with the Fort St. Joseph Archaeological Project. I excavated at the site of a 17th century fort in Niles. It was a French fort, then it was taken over by the British, and then it was taken over by the Spanish. That’s why Niles is called ‘The City of Four Flags,’ because then there was the American flag over the fort at the end. It was a small fort on the St. Joseph River used for mission work, fur trading and also a military post. What it’s like to be a young person in Hastings: I see it as hopeful. Being young­ er, even if I don’t see as many people my age involved in some things, it’s cool to see what older generations are still doing right now. I see it as a responsibility. You look around and see things they are doing and think, “Oh, that’s going to fall on me or my peers someday.” If voting with the pocketbook is Election Rule No. 1, Hastings school millage voters confirmed it last week - as did school mill­ age voters across the state. Those election defeats mean school leaders like Hastings Superintendent Matt Goebel and our local school board have to do their “Where Do We Go from Here?” sessions all over again. The $23.9 million bond proposal for Hastings schools lost by a margin of 147 votes. What’s frustrating for proponents was that a similar proposal on Aug. 3 lost by only 84 votes. So, what was different this time, why so many more ‘No’ votes? What’s dangerous for the community no matter the vote cast - is that our prob­ lems will continue to get worse. There is still a lot of unfinished work that needs urgent attention, like the remaining roofs that still need to be replaced or patched. Building security, bathroom updates, lock­ er room renovations, window replacement and upgrades to high-efficiency LED light­ ing and others were part of the proposal. We cannot neglect an investment that will cost us even more in the future. There’s no question that rising inflation caused gas, food and energy prices to increase to a point not seen in nearly 40 years and made a difference to voters. The citizens’ group that I joined to help pro­ mote the millage never figured that gas would be more than $4 per gallon by the time of the vote. Nor did it anticipate the impact energy prices would have on the economic conditions of voters. But those constrictions only distract from the responsibilities we have to our community - and to the children we’ve pledged to protect and nurture. It just hurts so badly to see the same callous neglect for the least among us reflected in so many other school districts: • Greenville’s millage loss by only two votes had school Superintendent Linda VanHouten confounded. “I’m speechless and disappointed,” said VanHouten. “There’s a lot of reasons to vote ‘no,’ but there’s only one reason to vote ‘yes,’ and that’s the kids.” • In the East China School District, northeast of Detroit, a sinking fund propos­ al to fix roofs, HVAC units, boiler replace­ ments and renovations to early childhood centers along with catch-basin repairs lost by 55 percent. • In Ionia, the failure of a proposal to restore the district to full per-pupil funding will necessitate serious budget cuts. • Voters in Bangor turned down a $41 million bond proposal for building and site improvements. • A $53 million bond to modernize the high school and enhance its learning envi­ ronment for students, along with other building maintenance issues, was nixed in Coldwater. • And in Grant, voters turned down a $15 million bond proposal for improvements to buildings, playgrounds and athletic fields, among other projects. None of these proposals were glamor­ ous; they were for projects to protect investments. Yet voters sent a strong mes­ sage, “We’re not interested in more taxes.” School administrators are surely think­ ing about how to move forward after these losses. For us in Hastings, I hope adminis­ trators see our own best interests as using whatever funds we have left to put a patch on the roofs and hope we don’t experience any major projects until we can regroup and convince voters to pass a millage in the future. But if we ever to expect to pass a millage - which is needed more with every passing day - we have to grapple with reducing the number of ‘No’ voters. Other than the general economy and its impact on pocketbook voting, what can our school leaders do? I have some thoughts, but every one of them will take time and a changed approach to even be considered viable: The Hastings Banner Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Barmer profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. • Remember that parents are customers, too. Some of our problems date back to 2008 when the Hastings board decided to close Pleasantview School and combine it with Southeastern Elementary. The board made the decision after just two public meetings to solicit comment. Several par­ ents and teachers spoke about the lack of communication over the closing of Pleas­ antview and the impact it would have on the community. I was one who reminded the board during one comment session that “in indus­ try, it’s much easier to keep a customer than it is to find a new one. That’s true in business, and it’s also true when you con­ sider the potential loss of students by clos­ ing Pleasantview.” School administrators don’t like to think of students and families as customers. Yet, the way schools are financed, these num­ bers are important to the overall financial stability of the district. Maybe last week’s voters in the Pleasantview district voted ‘No’ because of that decision made 14 years ago. • Let’s listen to, and work with, parents who send their children to other districts via schools of choice. How many schoolsof-choice children are there and how many more are being home-schooled in the Hast­ ings district? Are those parents likely to vote for more taxes for a school their kids don’t attend? These are all new circum­ stances that public school boards across the state must consider. • It’s time for more careful planning when it comes to our school boards. Pres­ ently, a school board term is six years way too long to get most people interested in serving on a board. Let’s return to twoyear terms with the hope that a strong board member might be convinced to run for a second term. And let’s find someone to serve on the board who represents ‘No’ voters. Diversi­ ty on any board is important. We need someone with the guts to ask difficult questions. • Encourage ‘Learning Tours’ for the superintendent. Like a meet-and-greet event, leaders like our Matt Goebel should visit with voters on their turf in Baltimore Township, at the libraries in Hastings and Dowling and elsewhere, to discuss whatev­ er issues they’d like to discuss and bring them up to speed on the needs of the dis­ trict. This will all take some time, so there’s no way the board should consider another millage until some of the groundwork is done and, hopefully, economic conditions improve in our world. While we wait for a favorable ‘pocketbook vote’ environment, let’s get started on what is certain to be a grueling homework assignment. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything,” playwright George Bernard Shaw said. The answers to our progress will come in the votes. We need to take the time to ask voters what needs to be done to con­ vince them that our community is on the right path. The requests are serious; they need our attention to keep our schools in good shape and to be able to attract stu­ dents in what has become a competitive environment brought on by schools of choice. That means “Yes” and “No” voters work­ ing together. It’s something we can do. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — Page 5 Delton man dies in Rutland Township crash Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 76-year-old Delton man is dead after his pickup truck struck a Michigan Department of Transportation truck from behind and then hit several trees. Roland Ferris Sr. was killed in the crash that occurred about 3:40 p.m. Thursday after­ noon, May 5, on M-43, south of Quimby Road in Rutland Charter Township. According to Barry County Sheriff’s Department investigators, Ferris was driving a Ford F-150 pickup northbound on M-43 when it struck an MDOT truck and trailer in the rear. The pickup then continued north on M-43 as the MDOT truck and trailer turned into a parking area. Fems’ pickup then failed to negotiate a curve north of Tillotson Lake Road, leaving the roadway to the right. The truck traveled several hundred feet until it struck several trees, investigators said. Witnesses and passing motorists pulled Ferris from his truck and initiated CPR. Lifesaving efforts were continued by medi­ cal first responders and ambulance person­ nel. Ferris was taken to Spectrum Health Pennock in Hastings, where he was pro­ nounced dead. The crash remains under investigation. Officers were assisted at the scene by Hastings/BIRCH medical first responders, Mercy Ambulance, Freeport Area Volunteer Fire Department, Barry County Sheriff’s Office Victim Services Unit and Barry County Cen­ tral Dispatch. Local news reporting matters for many reasons Police responded April 27 to a report from a Delton-area woman that her vehicle had been stolen. The woman, who lives on M-43, said she had walked out of her house that morning to go to work only to realize that her car was missing. She told police she had seen it the day before around 6 p.m. when she stepped outside to smoke. The woman said she hadn’t missed any of her loan payments, and she wasn’t sure who might have taken the vehicle. The car keys were in the vehicle along with her wallet, credit cards and driver’s license, she said. Police told the woman to contact her bank and place a hold on her credit cards. Stolen car located near Bellevue ciated by many. Without it, how would the citizens of our county be made aware of such irresponsible behavior by one of our elected officials? So thank you, Hastings Banner, for what you do. And I hope you’re around to do it for many years to come! Larry Osborne, Delton Fair is fair and a tax exemption in this case is not To the editor: The decision of the Hastings Charter Township Board of Review to put the coun>ty’s Harvest Pointe Senior Living Facility on the tax rolls was not a hard decision to make. The new county facility is in direct compe­ tition with every taxable privately owned facility of this type in Barry County. This tax exemption gives the county an unfair and unjust advantage to pay their share of expense that all others have to pay. Private facilities have to pay to finance their tax-ex­ empt government to be their competition. The tax millage paid to subsidize Thornap­ ple Manor to manage to stay in business just adds insult to injury. The county should pay their fair share. It’s that simple. Jim Brown, Hastings Charter Township Saxon football players assist Rutland Township woman Betty Short, a Rutland Township resident, was in need of some yardwork assistance. She recently called Hastings High School to see if anyone could help her. Cheryl Northrop, athletic office administrative assistant, con­ tacted Coach Jamie Murphy, and he immedi­ ately formed a plan to help Betty. Coach Murphy visited Betty and assessed what needed to be done. Murphy then assem­ bled a small ‘grbiftp of his varsity football »players,' >and Saturday: May: 7-, t-hey worked on | Betty’s yard for two hours. Seven Saxon foot­ ball players volunteered their time to clear brush, clean her garden, cut down trees and plant some shrubs. They laid down mulch and prepared the landscape to be mowed. Betty also needed help with moving some furniture, so the students spent time helping her out inside the house, as well. Police responded April 29 to a report of a vehicle that had been sitting in a ditch on Huff Road, west of M-66, near Bellevue for several days. The vehicle was placed on a jack, had a flat front passenger tire, and the rear passenger tire was loose and missing its lug-nuts. The vehicle had an Indiana plate, which police were able to connect to a vehi­ cle that had been reported stolen by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. The owner was contacted, and the vehicle was towed to his address in Coldwater. While police were investigating, a man who lived nearby approached them and said he had seen another man jog by his house around 10:30 p.m. April 26, which he thought was suspicious. The man said he then drove down the road and saw the unoccupied vehicle in the ditch, but did not report the situation to police at that time. Suspicious man with fireplace poker stopped at gunpoint Police responded April 30 to a report from a Bellevue-area woman of a suspicious man carrying a large hook and staggering up and down North Avenue near Lacey Road. The responding officer parked behind the man, who had a black pointed object in his hand. The man started walking around the front of the cruiser to approach the officer, who said he told the man repeatedly to put his hands up, to no effect. When reaching the rear tail light of his vehicle, the officer drew his gun on the man who then stopped and put his hands up. The officer then lowered his weapon and asked the man to drop what he was holding. The man shook a fireplace poker out of the sleeve of his jacket. The man told the officer he had experienced situations where he had felt unsafe while walking, and carried the poker for protection. The officer observed that the man was unsteady and appeared to be intoxicated. The officer offered to give the man a ride, but a friend arrived and agreed to take the man home. HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System UWWH B to 'ftUliiJl Old • fti * ! Showing their dedication, four of the seven students got back at 10:30 p.m. Friday night from a track meet in Flint. One of the students got up at 5 a.m. to help lay concrete, and then proceeded to meet his teammates at Betty’s house to help them out. As Murphy was leaving, Betty had tears in Ben Carl (left) and Owen Boge placed fourth in the national Website Design Team event. her eyes and was so grateful for the boys’ time and selflessness. Our students provide so many acts of kind­ ness to our community, and this leadership by Coach Murphy just goes to show how our Saxons go above and beyond to positively impact our community. Hastings High School senior Abigail Owen competed in a web design and coding national contest. Parker Erb placed sixth in com­ puter literacy concepts last week in Dallas. (Photos provided) Hastings business students compete in Dallas Students from Hastings High and Middle schools attended the Business Professionals of America 2022 National Leadership Con­ ference in Dallas May 4-8. Hastings High School chapter member Abigail Owen, along with Hastings Middle School chapter members Owen Boge, Ben Carl and Parker Erb, joined nearly 6,000 conference delegates from across the nation to compete in national-level business skills competitions and attend leadership develop­ ment, workshops, general sessions and national officer candidate campaigns and elections. In addition to having the opportunity to compete on the national stage and learn from leading business professionals, students had the opportunity to experience Dallas and the surrounding areas. “Each year, the National Leadership Con­ A Middleville woman reported April 21 she had been scammed out of $180. The woman told police she had met a man on a dating app who told her he wanted to be her “sugar daddy,” and that if she sent him $180 through CashApp and PayPal he would send her $6,000 in return. The woman said he never responded once she sent the money. She told police she had only talked to the man via Snapchat, where his profile stated he lived in Bloomfield. Police advised the woman to seek reimbursement through CashApp and PayPal. The woman told police she wanted it documented that she knew it was a scam when she sent the money to the man and he stopped responding. Vehicle, keys, purse stolen from Delton home To the editor: I recently read an article titled “The demise of the small-town newspaper.” I certainly hope our small-town newspa­ per, The Hastings Banner, does not follow in that path. Not only does their staff cover county activities we all like to read about, they also do a great job of investigative report­ ing. I hope people realize how gutsy they are to provide us with articles, such as the sherifTs election fraud investigation. It’s a very emotional subject for many - and I can tell you from experience that it brings the worst out in some people. But such reporting is necessary and appre­ ‘Sugar daddy’s’ offer is not so sweet ference offers our students the opportunity to showcase their skills and compete against other students from across the country and be recognized for their dedication and hard work they have put forth through the year,” said Hastings chapter Co-Advisor Bob Carl, who teaches, computer science, cybersecuri­ ty, digital multi-media design and finance. “This year, we had four students who excelled throughout the year and represented our local chapters.” Abigail Owen, who had placed first in Fundamentals of Web Design at the state leadership conference, qualified to compete at the national level. For the Fundamentals of Web Design event, students must demon­ strate knowledge of fundamental web design HTML5 coding and syntax to include CSS3. Owen Boge and Ben Carl placed fourth in Website Design Team. For this event, the Ashley Marie Slater, Middleville and Jayson Anthony Street, Middleville Edward J. Detweiler, Hastings and Christina P. Wengerd, Hastings Holly Jean Veldhuis, Delton and Jon Christopher Holthof, Byron Center Mauricio Antonio Diaz, Hastings and Barbara Renee Leatherman, Hastings team worked together to create a website based on the topic of how to become a BPA officer, such as qualities, characteristics, scholarship, networking, leadership and Torch Awards. Parker Erb placed sixth in computer liter­ acy concepts, in which students must demon­ strate a basic understanding of computer terminology related to operating systems, hardware components, software applications and digital citizenship. Ben Carl also competed in computer liter­ acy concepts, and Parker Erb also competed in business fundamentals concepts and busi­ ness math concepts. Business Professionals of America is the premier career and technical student organi­ zation for high school, college and middle school students preparing for careers in business, finance and management informa­ tion system and other related fields. The organization’s activities and programs com­ plement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through appli­ cation of the skills learned at school. BPA also enhances student participation in pro­ fessional, civic, service and social endeav­ ors. High school career and technical educa­ tion business teachers and co-advisors for BPA, Bob Carl and Jeff Erb assisted students in preparation for their events. Carrie Carl, middle school science teacher and BPA liai­ son also assisted the students. Tina Maria Nelson, 38, of Clarksville, was found guilty of using a controlled sub­ stance, cocaine, heroin or other narcotic, as a subsequent offender Dec. 30, 2019, in Hast­ ings. She was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to 52 days in jail, with credit for 52 days served, ordered to pay $485 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. Nelson must pay a fee of $30 a month for regular supervision or $60 a month for elec­ tronic monitoring. A count of possessing less than 25 grams of a controlled substance, cocaine, heroin or other narcotic, was dis­ missed at the time of sentencing. Court records show she was previously convicted of possession of less than 25 grams of cocaine, heroin or a narcotic March 4, 2020, and use of methamphetamine Feb. 24, 2020. James John Kerr, 45, Dowling, was found guilty of domestic violence Nov. 3, 2021, in Johnstown Township as a third-time habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 60 to 90 months in prison, with credit for 141 days served. He was order to pay $998 in fines and costs. The court record shows prior convictions for domestic assault in 1994,2001,2016 and 2018, as well as convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a third offense Oct. 15, 2004, and first-degree retail fraud March 23, 1995, all in Barry County. Devan Joseph Swanson, 21, of Mid­ dleville, was found guilty of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 13 months in prison, with credit for 99 days served. Swanson was ordered to pay $1,058 in fines and costs. Two other counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct were dismissed at the time of sentencing. In a separate case, Swanson was found guilty of embezzlement as an agent, employ­ ee or trustee of $1,000 or more, but less than $20,000 of Michigan lottery cards, tickets, cash, food and drink items and other personal property of his employer Aug. 17-23, 2020, in Middleville, and sentenced to 99 days in jail, with credit for 99 days served. He was ordered to pay $3,356 in fines and costs. Pro­ bation and his Holmes Youthful Trainee Act status were revoked at a probation violation hearing April 20. Chris Edward Hayes, 48, of Hastings, was found guilty of possession of the con­ trolled substance methamphetamine/Ecstacy Nov. 14, 2021, in Barry Township as a three­ time habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 180 days in jail, pay $1,498 in fines and costs and was placed on probation for 36 months. Hayes is to be released early to Alternative Directions as soon as possible and pay a monthly supervi­ sion fee of $30 or a fee of $60 a month for electronic monitoring. Counts of failing to stop after a collision on M-43 and operating a vehicle with a forged/altered/false ID which he provided to police while being detained were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Court records show prior convictions for fail­ ing to stop at the scene of an accident result­ ing in serious impairment or death Nov. 28, 2012, possession of analogues April 10, 2013, operating/maintaining a laboratory March 2, 2017, and use of methamphet­ amines May 28, 2019, all in Barry County. In a separate case, Hayes was found guilty of assaulting a police officer Sept. 1, 2021, in Carlton Township as a habitual offender. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to a concur­ rent term of 180 days in jail, with credit for 180 days served. Hayes was ordered to pay $998 in fines and costs and placed on proba­ tion for 36 months. Joey James Kidder, 46, of Delton, was found guilty of capturing/distributing an image of an unclothed person Sept. 12, 2021, in Barry Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve 31 days in jail, with credit for one day served. Kidder was ordered to pay $1,058 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 60 months, with a $30 monthly supervision fee or a $60 electronic monitor­ ing fee. Other counts of using a computer to commit the crime of capturing/distributing the image of an unclothed person, using a computer for eavesdropping, installing or using a device to do so, and surveilling an unclothed person were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Miquan Gerard Mills, 33, of Battle Creek, was found guilty of possessing a Taser, and an open container of alcohol in a vehicle Dec. 26, 2020, in Hastings. He was sentenced by Judge Schipper to concurrent sentences of two days in jail, with credit for two days served, on each count, ordered to pay $548 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 12 months. He must pay $30 a month for supervision or $60 a month for electronic monitoring. Michael Scott Pennington, 33, of Delton, was found guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon, a shotgun, April 22, 2021, in Hope Township. He was sentenced by Judge Schip­ per to serve 24 to 48 months in prison, with credit for 365 days served. Pennington was ordered to pay $1,198 in fines and costs and placed in boot camp as soon as he is eligible. Counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felony firearm, having a shotgun in his possession at the time he was committing or attempting to commit a felony and domes­ tic violence were dismissed at the time of sentencing. The court record shows prior convictions for possession of methamphet­ amine April 27, 2017, in Barry County, and attempted fourth-degree criminal sexual con­ duct on an incapacitated victim Oct. 18, 2017, in Kent County. �Page 6 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Lois Ann Von Seggern She and Myron moved to Hastings in 2004 to be closer to family. She and Myron traveled all over the U.S. in retirement, and she enjoyed keeping logs and scrapbooks of their trips. At home she loved to garden, and especially loved her flowers. She was an accomplished quilter and made personalized quilts for all her grandchildren. She enjoyed playing the piano. She was an excellent cook and baker, and she got great pleasure in providing fab­ ulous meals for her family and friends. She made friends at all the different plac­ es she lived, and she enjoyed actively keep­ ing up with those relationships over the years. She is survived by son, Dr. Randal Von Seggern of Greensboro, NC; son, Dr. Wes­ ley Von Seggern (Lori) of Plainwell, MI; daughter, Ruth (Rod) Halcomb, CPA of Scotts, MI; son, Dr. Jeffrey Von Seggern of Middleville, MI; daughter in law, Jan Von Seggern of Greensboro, NC; seven grand­ children and four great-grandchildren; sis­ ter Maxine Pfeiffer of Omaha, NE; and extended family, Hanna Martin of Lincoln, NE. She was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Myron Von Seggern; her siblings, Warren Von Essen, Marjorie Novak, and Lloyd Von Essen; and daughter-in-law, Suzanne Gauthier. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at 12 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church 239 E North St, Hastings, MI 49058 with Pastor Ken Scheck officiating. The service will be recorded and available for viewing on the Church website https:// grace-hastings.org/. For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church in Lois’ name. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Lois Ann Von Seggern, age 94, of Hast­ ings, MI, died Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Kalamazoo. Lois was bom April 24, 1927, in Oak­ land, NE to Walter and Bertha (nee Schro­ eder) Von Essen, and baptized at St. Paul’s Lutheran church near Hooper, Nebraska. She attended West Point High School. She graduated and earned a normal training cer­ tificate in teaching, and she was a teacher in a one room school for four years. On May 2, 1948, Lois married Myron Von Seggern at St. Paul’s. They were suc­ cessful farmers in Uehling, NE for 10 years. They felt a calling to go into the ministry, and after Myron earned his divinity degree, they moved to Fenton, and served at Trans­ figuration Lutheran Church for 10 years. Lois was a stay-at-home mom during this time (raising four children), as well as a supportive wife in the work of the church. In 1975, they moved to Gaylord and started a Lutheran Mission church (Peace Lutheran Church). In Gaylord, Lois went back to her teaching roots, and got a job as a student reading aide at South Maple Ele­ mentary. She retired from there in 1989. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. p.m. 4:30 Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt www. Lead Moser, Pastor. Wheel­ Bertrand. Randall Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Time 10:30 a.m. activities: call LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social Wednesday, Nursery are available. distancing. Aftermath Family Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Kids Night Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. Group; Youth PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church MI 49050. Pastor, 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Jefferson 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Thomas Everett Havens passed away peacefully at home December 23, 2020. There will be a celebration of his life Saturady, May 28, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Eagles Banquet Room, 20724 Honor High­ way (US-31) in Interlochen, MI. Steve Service: 10 a.m. 9390. Sunday Worship Service Thomas Everett Havens Ruth "Irene" Cole 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ Roland Lee Ferris Sr., age 75, of Hastings, MI, passed away unexpectedly on May 5, 2022. Roland was bom on September 5, 1946 in Hastings to Earl and Katherine (Ritchie) Fer­ ris. Roland worked as a lifelong farmer and in cabinet manufacturing. He was a longtime firefighter for Johnstown Township Fire Department. Roland attended Faith United Methodist Church in Delton and was a member of the Delton TOPS. He was an avid fisherman and occasionally hunted a muskrat or two. Roland loved to attend his children and grandchildren’s sporting events. He will be remembered for his great conversations and willingness to help others. Roland will be dearly missed by his loving wife of almost 50 years, Linda (Trick) Ferris; children, Austin (Lorraine) Ferris, Rollie (Marie) Ferris Jr., Travis (Rachel) Ferris, Toby (Amy) Ferris, Bill (Nicki) Ferris; grand­ children, Justin, Faith, Tyden, Caden, Deon, Jacob, Ellie, Lillie, Sophie, Lilah, Annalore, Raylene, Abigail, Lillian, Jacob, Mason, Olivia; great grandchildren, Calvin, Annie, Charlotte; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant daughter, Angela Ferris; siblings, Bill Ferris, Bob Ferris, and Arloa Ferris. A funeral service will be conducted on Thursday, May 12, 2022 11 a.m. at Faith United Methodist Church. Pastor Sam Gordy will officiate. Burial will take place in Ban­ field Cemetery. ... _ Memorial contributions to Johnstown Township Fire Department or Faith United Methodist church will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Roland’s family. Arrangements made by Williams-Gores Funeral Home. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Beverly Ann (Belson) Brooks passed away at the age of 88 on Saturday, May 7, 2022, after a valiant fight against kidney disease. She was born on April 15,1934 in Nash­ ville, MI. She was the only daughter of Roy and Theresa Belson and graduated from Nashville High School. On September 6, 1953, she married the love of her life, Robert H. Brooks at the Methodist Church in Nash­ ville. Their marriage was a 68-year example of love and dedication to each other and their family. He survives her. They have three daughters, Brenda (Rick) Rizor, Sandra (Thom) VanHattum and Linda (Matt) Howell. They have nine grandchil­ dren, 23 great-grandchildren, with one on the way. Their great-grandson Stafford VanHat­ tum welcomed her to heaven. Bev held many jobs, including soda foun­ tain “girl”, office person at EW Bliss (where she met her husband), and church treasurer at Hope United Methodist Church, where she was a long-standing member. She worked at Mode O Day, Local Finance, the National Bank, and for the Zoning and Planning Com­ mission all in Hastings. She wrote poetry and was also a caregiver. She was the Vermont­ ville Maple Syrup Festival Queen. Her great­ est accomplishment and what she took the most pride in was her life as a homemaker, wife, mother and grandmother and great-grandmother. The family wishes to thank the following who took such great care of her when they could not any longer: Hastings Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Thomapple Manor, and especially the staff of Sugar Bush Lane, Fresenius Kidney Care of Hastings, Dr. Neeta Karani of Bronson Methodist Hospital, and Elara Caring Hospice Thank you also to the members of Hope United Methodist Church who sent many cards, prayers, and visits. A special thank you to the best neighbors in the world, Gary and Sue Thayer and Paula and Jeff Cooper. A family graveside service will be held this week at Brush Ridge Cemetery in Hastings. A celebration of her life will be July 17, 2022 at 3 p.m. at Hope United Methodist Church with a luncheon after. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Beverly can be made to the National Kidney Foundation (https://www. kidney.org), 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY 10016, the American Diabetes Association (https://www.diabetes.org/donate), PO Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023 or Elara Caring Hospice Foundation, PO Box 58, Jackson, MI 49204. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home of Hastings. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. information. Stoetzel. Martha Sandra Ruth Drummond passed away in the comfort of her home surrounded by loved ones on May 9, 2022. Sandra (Sandi) was a builder; she built her community and people around her with a passion and perseverance rarely encountered. She was well educated, earning a master’s degree from Central Michigan and her Post Master’s from Wayne State University. She found her calling in Barry County, contributing to the development of many organizations including the Barry County Futuring, Barry County Women’s Festival, Hastings Public Library, Leadership Barry County, Barry Community Foundation, the Pennock Foundation, First Presbyterian Church, Barry County Parkinson’s Support Group, Barry County Juvenile Drug Court, and co-founding Green Gables Haven. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Donald Drummond; her parents, Grace McKinnon and Charles Ross Jr., and her brother, Charles Ross III. She is survived by her children, Erin Welk­ er (Matthew), Dana Yarger (Jim), David Drummond (Annie), and Dike Drummond (Sherri). She loved her nine grandchildren, great-grand daughter, siblings, and nieces and nephews dearly. She will be missed greatly by her family, friends and community. There will be a Celebration of Life Service at First Presbyterian Church 405 N. M-37, Hastings, Michigan 49058, on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior. Memorial contributions in memory of Sandi can be made to the Barry County Par­ kinson’s Support Group, c/o Barry County Commission on Aging, 320 W. Woodlawn, Hastings MI 49058 or the Leadership Barry County Fund at the Barry Community Foun­ dation (https://www.barrycf.org/funds/leadership-barry-county-fund/), 231 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave online condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. for Sunday Morning Worship: Director, Beverly Ann Brooks chair accessible and elevator. Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Website: 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Worship hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. gmail.com. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Sandra Ruth Drummond sFlexfob Hmm 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Fiberglass AWMWftW Producs Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-800-879-7085 Cynthia (Cindi) LaDere, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, went to be with her Lord on April 18 due to an acciden­ tal fall. She was bom July 24, 1958 to Michael and Eleanor Hulbert. She graduated from Maple Valley School. Cindi spent her life in service to others, including many years as a teacher for Head Start in Barry County. She loved flowers and cultivated gardens wher­ ever she lived. She was an amazing woman who, despite many adversities, never gave up and held to her faith in God. She could drive a dump truck, yet give a perfect tea for her grand­ daughters. Her smile lit up the room and her laughter was music to the ears. She encour­ aged others to be their best self. Cindi was married to Jerry LaDere for 34 years. She was preceded in death by her son. Woody LaDere. Cindi is survived by her son, Jerry (Aman­ da) LaDere; her daughter, Debbie (Gary) Zanstra; her sister, Sandy (Michael) Duer; and her mother. Cindi’s grandchildren are Shealynne, Lynleigh, Kierstyn, and Kayley, Kenzie, Sara, and Cody and as well as many nieces and nephews. As per her wishes, she will be cremated. A celebration of her life will be held in the summer. Ruth “Irene” Cole, age 93, of Hastings, MI, passed away on May 6, 2022. Irene was bom on June 22, 1928, the daughter of How­ ard and Ruth (Beach) Springer. Irene married Dale Cole on January 6, 1945, and they began their married life on Dale’s family farm on Dowling Road. Once retired, Dale and Irene bought a home on Gilkey Lake and shortly after Dale’s death, she moved to Hastings. Irene had the ability to reach people in a deep and positive way. For many years Irene ran a daycare in her home and was known as Grandma Irene to the children whose lives she touched. She enjoyed gardening, baking (espe­ cially monster cookies), holidays with her family, spending winters in Florida and making “up north” memories with her grandchildren. Four children, Diana (Richard) Hamm, Joan (Dave) Solmes, Terry (Deb) Cole and Randy Cole, survive Irene. She is also sur­ vived by a brother, Raymond Wilson; 12 grandchildren, Holly (Greg) Bishop, Brad (Heather) Cole, Josh Cole, Darren Hamm, Derrick (Kelly) Hamm, Kim (Ryan) Ivens, Sarah (Scott) Lanting, LeeAnn Phillips, Teresta (Jeff) Pratt, David (Tracy) Solmes, Stacey (Bob) Vandenberg and Chris (Wade) Woytal; 21 great-grandchildren, Hunter and Cameron Bishop, Alexis, Madison and Brynn Bolo, Gaven, Greyson, Kellan and Sammi Cole, Dawson Hamm, Kyra and Allie Lanting, Joseph, Ashton and Trenton Phillips, Madeline, Katie and John Solmes, Laura and Vanessa Vandenberg and Ashley Woytal; one great great-grandchild, Sky Rogers. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dale; brother, David Bar­ tholomew; twin sisters, Beatrice Murphy and Bernice Roberts; son, Jerry Cole; and grand­ son, Jeb Cole. A graveside service will be held Saturday, May 28, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Union Cemetery, 9975 North Avenue, Dowling, Michigan, 49050. A luncheon will be held afterwards at Country Chapel, 9275 M-37, Dowling, MI 49050. Donations may be made in Irene’s name to Elara Caring Foundation, PO BOX 58, Jack­ son MI 49204-0058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — Page 7 x- / f fl look back at the stories and columns on local history y tn the Hastings Banner // Banner begins another year of continuous publication Conclusion TURNING I BflGK THE L PAGES A This newspaper first hit the “streets” of a small wooded town May 1, 1856. For the next 165 years, it has been printed every week, without exception, and sometimes more fre­ quently. For a month in the late summer of 1871, The Banner was printed daily, in the evening, covering a murder trial involving two men from Manistee. And for a while in the 1970s, the paper was printed twice each week. Otherwise, it has been a Thursday staple, delivering the news of Hastings and Barry County since before the U.S. Civil War. Last week’s column provided a brief histo­ ry of The Banner, along with various photos from the 1960s. Those photos continue here, focusing more on the acquisition of a new press. Whether that event warranted its own article is unknown (microfilmed copies of the paper are currently unavailable as the publi­ cation is being digitized). However, the seem­ ingly simple addition of a new mail slot at the newspaper office was the subject of a humor­ ous article in 1908 (see separate article). Paper pokes fun at its progress Owner-editors Marshall and William Cook would have been in their late and early 70s, respectively, when the June 9, 1938, Banner was published. Whether they were the writers of the self-deprecating humor behind an article about a new mail slot at The Banner office is not clear. The newspaper and printing office at the time - and for much of The Banner’s histo­ ry - was on the southeast comer of State and Church streets in downtown Hastings, now occupied by the Seasonal Grille restaurant. This was along with main corri­ dor of business, across from the court­ house, and not far from city hall/fire department building at State and Broad­ way. Likely others in this busy area were evolving, adapting to new ways of doing business or connecting with people. So, The Banner in early summer 1938 announced its own forward progress: Ring out the old; ring in the new Dec. 29, 1960, VISITOR INSPECTS NEW PRESS - Theodore Ntoampe (left), a University of Michigan student from South Africa, was a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shannon over Christmas and visited The Banner Saturday. Here publishers Richard M. Cook and Harry Foster (right) are showing him the new Copilith Standard Offset press recently installed in The Banner shop. The new offset press is ideal for producing first-class commercial half-tone and color work. The new press has a top speed of 7,000 impressions an hour. Theodore is a newspaper editor, poet and politician in his own country. After many a decade, The Banner has succumbed to the lure of a “modem” invention. The front door has been pierced, and a mail slot inserted for copy, letters of protest or other material that may be ready for delivery during the hours when the office is closed. The Civil War came and went; Louis Napoleon bowed to Bismarck at Sedan: Yan­ kee troops [aided] Cuba and the Philippines; Elaine Garlock A new printing press is delivered to The Banner in the 1960s, along South Church Street, about where the outdoor dining tables are currently set up for the current occu­ pant, Seasonal Grille. Looking at this and two accompanying photos (not published), current Banner owner Fred Jacobs said the new Miehle press was a sheet-fed, multicolored* commercial machine. It likely was -shipped from-Mew York, and rigging crews from Emerson Machinery Moving Co. in Kalamazoo delivered the press in piec­ es. Another crew would then come in and set up the press. \ Aug. 22, 1963, SELF-SERVICE BANNERS - Starting next Wednesday, The Hastings Banner for the first time in over a century will be made available to Hastings area readers Wednesday after­ noon on newsstands and from self-ser­ vice racks such as this. These automatic dispensers will be located at the Banner office, Felpausch Food Center, Kroger and A&P. The Banner also will be avail­ able at newsstands in Hastings at the Superette, Lapo (Taffee) Pharmacy, City Food & Beverage, Barn Market, Gardner’s Pharmacy, Goodner’s Grocery, Jacobs Pharmacy, Northview Grocery, Ockerman’s Service, Reynolds’ News Service, Riverview Grocery, Southview Grocery, Tinkler’s Grocery and The Willows at Algonquin Lake. It is planned to extend this service throughout the county in the near future. The Ionia County Genealogy Society will meet at the museum on Emerson Street in Lake Odessa at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14. Sunday’s Grand Rapids Press had a story of the city’s observance of Cinco de Mayo event, this event has grown in size over the years as people meet to celebrate the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the second Franco-Mexican War. Chairman of the event was Lupe Ramos-Montigny, who years ago was a Lake Odessa resident and a teacher at West Elementary School. Sheis currently a mem’-ber -of the Michigan Board’ of Education. During her years here, she resided at the Ydn- 4 kers home. an Austrian archduke was murdered at Sara­ jevo, precipitating a war of world propor­ tions; the New Deal came and is still going All of these events and more flashed across the current stage and pass on into history while the old brass handle on the front door served as a recipient for stray Copy, and the crevice between the two doors - which grew in erratic wideness through the weathering of the years formed a useful slit into which envelopes and other bits of material could be jammed. It was a pleasant sight at morning and noon to see the old brass handle abloom with rolled-up bits of stationery, and the crevice bright with envelopes of different hue. But the old order passeth. An age-worn (some say worm-eaten) custom has been brought to an end. “Modem” invention treads the world with relentless step. With misty eye, we bow to the inevitable, yet, with the addition of our mail slot, look forward with optimism to a new era of service. Seriously, however, a mail box slit has been placed in the front door of the Banner Office for those who care to use it. We trust that it will be found convenient. If, on the contrary, you still prefer to use the old brass handle or the slit between the doors, please feel at liberty to do so. The downtown streets are lined with trees bearing beautiful white blossoms. Many such trees also grace the lawns of some residences. The forsythia bushes have been beautiful this year. Flowering quince bushes are just com­ ing into bloom with their red petals ready to have their run of the few weeks of beauty. Tulips are blooming. Daffodils are a bit past their peak. Traffic at Lakeside Cemetery is increasing as people prepare urns for the summer. The greenhouse is a busy place, now open seven days each week. At Central United Methodist Church, the vis&ing^pastor will be Rev. Cfhi^Adams who has' often filled the pulpit here. Pastor Paul Wissman IV will be on vacation. ^Doctor * Universe For more than a century, The Banner was compiled and printed in tight quarters at the corner of South Church and West State streets in downtown Hastings. The upper floor also was often used as a community meeting room. After the Cooks sold the paper, the family still devoted a portion of the building to printing, and also sold office supplies and German wine. The corner property is currently occupied by the Seasonal Grille restaurant. Just the right line-up in space Dear Dr. Universe: How do scientists know how to predict a solar eclipse? Beau, 11. Ready to be assembled, parts of a Miehle press crated and stacked on a trailer are delivered to The Banner’s downtown Hastings office in the 1960s. Stopping for a photo as the rigging crews from Emerson Machinery in Kalamazoo begin unloading the crates are Banner owner Dick Cook (far right), press superintendent Russell Kimmell (second from right), and perhaps a sales­ man. The Hastings Hotel can be seen in the background. That property is now occupied by the movie theater and the spray plaza. Dear Beau, Before humans even knew how to pre­ dict solar eclipses, they were fascinated with the phenomenon. To figure out how to predict an eclipse, astronomers asked lots of questions and made observations about the motion of our moon, sun and Earth. My friend Jose Vazquez, an astronomer at Washington State University, told me all about it. “It took centuries to figure it out,” he said. “It was a journey.” A total solar eclipse happens when the sun, moon and Earth are lined up just right, and for a few minutes, the moon blocks the Earth’s view of the sun. During a total solar eclipse, the moon casts its shadow down to some places on Earth. Vazquez also mentioned about the Greek astronomer Hipparchus who was really curious about the moon. Using knowledge from early astronomers, he studied lunar eclipses - that is, when the moon passes into the Earth’s shadow. He watched the night sky and recorded his observations about the moon. Maybe you can try this, too. Every day for a week, stand in the same spot outside your house at the same time each night. You may notice that the moon seems to move across the sky west to east. When Hipparchus was studying the moon, his models were based on an idea .that the moon orbited Earth in a circle. About 400 years later, Claudius Ptolemy would use mathematics to show many objects in our solar system orbit in a circle. But today, we know that isn’t the case. The astronomer Johannes Keppler creat­ ed a more accurate model and showed us that the moon orbits Earth in a shape called an ellipse. You can imagine this shape by taking a hula hoop circle and squashing it on one side so it forms more of an oval. Also, the moon doesn’t move in a per­ fectly straight path in its orbit. It sort of goes up and down as it moves along its path. Through watching the sky and observing the patterns and orbits that the moon, sun and Earth follow, astronomers can help determine when the three objects will line up. They can make an educated guess about when the eclipse will happen. While many people, including in the ancient Mayan, Babylonian and Chinese civilizations, have observed solar eclipses and recorded their observations, astrono­ mer Edmond Halley used mathematics to get some of the most accurate predictions in 1715. These days, we also use comput­ ers that make calculations to help predict eclipses. Believe it or not, scientists at NASA are now able to predict eclipses for the next 1,000 years. If you’re curious about upcoming solar eclipses, you can also visit NASA’s data­ base. They make it easy for anyone around the world to know when they can catch the next solar eclipse. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �Page 8 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — The Hastings Banner New grant lets HMS students create instructional videos Students in the elective Innovation and Design class at Hastings Middle School have the opportunity to learn about creating, designing, programming, sampling, reverse-engineering and more. Along with teaching more than 100 stu­ dents in the semester-long class, instructor William Renner III is always looking for ways to update and expand the class offerings. Students have access to all sorts of projects and lessons. The program, Renner said, is based on students making choices about their own learning. The latest addition to the class included microphones, green screens and a new iPad, all of which are being used to create instruc­ tional videos. Hastings Middle School received a $1,000 grant from the Guido A. and Elizabeth H. Binda Foundation through the Calhoun Inter­ mediate School District Mini Grant program. The grant proposal was titled ‘‘Videos for Learning, and I Don’t Mean Watching.” The new technology is allowing students to record and edit videos showing what they have created in the Innovation and Design Program. “The regular microphone in an iPad is designed to pick up all the sounds around it when you press the record button,” Renner said. “With the use of [the new] microphone, you can eliminate most, if not all, the back­ ground sounds, so you only hear the voice of the student who is doing the recording. The recording accessories are not limited to audio improvements. “With the green screens, we have been able to record without the distractions of the room...” Renner said. “After students have done their recording, they are able to add an appropriate backdrop for their videos. If they do not like the backdrop, they can change it without having to redo their recording.” When she was considering making a video, eighth-grader Breanna Busboom recalled a favorite activity in elementary science class: Making simple “volcanoes” and combining baking soda and vinegar to make them erupt. So, when she had a chance to learn how to use a green screen, Breanna revisited that memorable project. She gathered the materi­ als, including craft sticks, foil, hot glue, paint and red food coloring, and created a baking soda island volcano. She then used the green screen to make the volcano appear to be in the ocean, erupting. Shiloh Crandall and Claudia Minch used the microphones to create how-to videos for using the programmable sewing and embroi­ dery machines in the classroom. When asked about the new equipment, Claudia said iMovie makes it is easy to edit the video clips. Shiloh added that the micro­ phone make the speakers voice much clearer on the video. Video creation is just one of many handson lessons Hastings Middle School students can choose for themselves. Renner will be making the videos available, so the students can become teachers, too. DeCamps bring symphony, youngsters together Hastings and Delton Kellogg early elementary students were treated to a concert by the Grand Rapids Symphony Friday as part of the GRS Lollipop concert series. The DeCamp Family Foundation covered the cost of the symphony to play at the Hastings Performing Arts Center, as well as transportation for around 900 students in pre-kindergarten through second grade in the two districts. The interactive performance was designed to teach and entertain the youngsters. The visiting musicians gave two perfor­ mances, each with a classical selection, “Overture to II re Pastore” by Mozart, and a musical rendition of “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev. Students had learned about the story in their classes. Edie Evans-Hyde, who performed at the HPAC in February with the Terry Lower orchestra, narrated the story as the instruments played the parts of the characters in the play. Avery Wilson, a Star Elementary second-grader, was one of the hundreds of students who enjoyed the show. It was fun to hear all of the different instru­ ments and how they represented each character,” she said. “I really liked the bird, which was played by the flute, and the wolf, that was played by the French horns.” (Photo by Bob Gaskill) Name approved for new TK childhood school Programmable embroidery machines were a big hit with Hastings Middle School students when they were purchased last year for the innovation and design class. Now, with the addition of more equipment, students, like Shiloh Crandall can create videos to show how to use the machines, or make specific items. (Photo provided) Greg ^handler Staff Writer The newest building in the Thomapple Kellogg school district now has a name. The district’s board of education Monday on a voice vote approved naming the 33,000-square-foot, $11.5 million facility on Bender Road the Thornapple Kellogg Early Childhood Center. The new school is expect­ ed to open in time for the 2022-23 school year. It will replace the district’s learning center, which is the district’s oldest building. TK Superintendent Craig McCarthy pro­ posed the name for the building, which will be home to the district’s preschool programs, early childhood special education, Great Start Readiness Preschool and child care. “I proposed a name, and asked for any names you might think of for the new build­ ing,” McCarthy told board members. No objections were raised to McCarthy’s proposal. Construction of the school was made pos­ sible by voter approval of a $42.5 million bond issue in November 2019. The school will have 10 classrooms, a sensory room and a multi-purpose gymnasium that also will serve as the cafeteria. The building also will have a board room for school board meetings, as well as offices and rooms for training and professional development. McCarthy told the board Monday that con­ struction on the early childhood center is on track. “They’re working on interior finishes right now,” he said. “The roof was supposed to be completed at the end of last week. Hoping that ... I’m sure the weather this week will permit that to be completed. The playground work is actually being started. The site work behind the building [is] getting things ready for playground equipment, and all the furni­ ture for the learning center has been ordered. We’re sitting pretty well there.” The board approved spending $66,576 for the purchase of audio-visual equipment for the board room in the early childhood center and awarded the contract to Moss Communi­ cations of Grand Rapids. Assistant Superintendent Chris LaHaie said the district received two proposals for the contract that were less than $10,000 apart in price, but Moss offered more in its pack­ age, including a state-of-the-art camera, an advanced broadcast-level recording system and digital hardware as opposed to analog hardware. “It’s a better proposal and a better system for our needs,” LaHaie said. “It provides for future growth and better meets our current needs, as well.” The current learning center was built in as part of what was then the high school. That building will be tom down to make way for more parking and better traffic flow around McFall Elementary School. DELTON, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lartigue’s selection came after the second round of interviews with the board. The inter­ views took place over the course of three hours - an hour-and-a-half for each candi­ date. Lartigue and Plainwell High School Principal Jeremy Wright, the other finalist, were each asked more than two dozen ques­ tions by the board. Members from the audi­ ence also were able to submit questions, as well as feedback forms for the board. During the interview, Shooks asked Lar­ tigue how he plans to improve the district. “My dad always told me to just sit back and listen for a while,” Lartigue said. “1 think the older you get, the more you realize that. If I say, ‘The first thing, I’m going to come in here and change everything overnight,’ well, No. 1, it’s not my job, it’s actually a collective job and every voice needs to be heard. But there are things we need to improve on, like with storage, security, having a good rotation for the buses, and actually having the timeline for when stuff is supposed to be put out, like with the bonds.” “Also, a lot of our students, they need a little fire behind them,” he added. “A lot of them seem a little lost. They seem like they are just here. And I get that. But we have to do something about lighting that fire so edu­ cation is exciting and fun for them again. I’ve seen it all over the United States, and I’ve talked to colleagues all over the place. “But the nice thing is we are starting to bounce back after all of this COVID stuff because it’s all over the U.S., it’s not just here. But it’s our job to take care of them babies; it’s our job to take care of them kids. And we are it.” Board Treasurer Sarah Austin asked how Lartigue will connect the three buildings. “1 plan on being in every one of them every day,” he said. “I’m always in classrooms. There is something about it: Having someone come in and say ‘Hi’ to you. [As a kid] I don’t think I saw my first superintendent for quite some time, and he walked in, and one of the kids said, ‘You should knock.’ “I plan to be as visible as possible. Poking in and seeing if the folks need anything. That’s one way to have those conversations to see what the teachers actually need - and it only takes a couple minutes.” After the interviews, board members went into closed session for about an hour to dis­ cuss the public feedback forms and the inter­ views. At approximately 10:30 p.m., the board returned to open session and conducted a straw poll to see where members stood on the candidates. Six of the seven board mem­ bers favored Lartigue. Concerns were raised about both candi­ dates in that straw poll. Those who were in favor of Wright were concerned with Lar­ tigue’s lack of experience in finance and budgeting. On the other side, those who were in favor with Lartigue were concerned with the challenges that might rise with the “bag­ gage” Wright could bring regarding the law­ suit at his current post at Plainwell High School. Wright is named in a lawsuit filed in feder­ al court by a Plainwell student who alleged he was suspended for expressing his beliefs as a Christian about LGBTQ people in private text messages and in the school hallway. Board President Jessica Brandli and Vice President Kelli Martin struggled with the weight of this decision. “I was impressed with Herman,” Brandli said. “But I’m very concerned about the lack of budget and finance experience. That is a huge concern.” “This is not a decision that is taken light­ ly,” Martin said. “I’ve read all your feedback forms; I’ve heard from many people. I just don’t want to mess this up.” Secretary Craig Jenkins said he favored Wright because of Lartigue’s lack of finance experience. “I don’t think that the outside is always quite aware of how hard it is to run such a small district with the staff that we have - that I feel is generous and charitable by staying here - to stretch that further is just going to complicate us,” he said. “I do love Herman; I would love to hang out with that guy. He seems like a great person, and I really think people would rally around him for sure, but unfortunately, we can’t just hire based on that.” Charles Dumas of the Michigan Association of School Boards acted as the board’s consul­ tant for guidance on making its decision. “I would offer, from my professional expe­ rience as a superintendent, that those things can be learned,” Dumas said in response to Jenkins’ concern. “It’s been my experience That the most important thing is personality and attitude and drive because the personal traits you can’t teach, but the practicality aspects of the job, you can teach.” During public comment and before the board conducted the straw poll, two people from the audience spoke - Jill Steele and Nick Baker of Delton. Steele’s main point was how Lartigue is already such a huge part of the community. “I graduated from Delton, my husband did, our four kids did, and we have grandkids here; so, I’ve been in this community for a long time,” she said. “It is a very unique com­ munity and, in past years, we’ve had a couple superintendents that just didn’t seem to mesh with the community. And so I think that - while we’ve got two very good candidates here - I think that half the battle is already won by Dr. Lartigue. He has been in this community, he worked here, he was well received by the community, and so I think that’s half the battle.” Baker’s concern was with Wright’s law­ suit. “My kids actually go to Gull Lake right now, but I will be sending them to Delton next year to come into district,” he said. “We had a lot of lawsuits last year with Gull Lake. To me, that just seems like a lot of baggage for a small town. I don’t think we want our community to be linked to that - especially in the news arti­ cles that will show up afterwards.” Board members said they rank the commu­ nity’s perspective highly when making their decisions. Many of the feedback cards from the audience Monday night expressed con­ cern with the Plainwell lawsuit. “In the overall, my vote is with Herman,” Trustee Rodney Dye said. “A lot of that is based on just reading, for the last couple of sessions, the responses back with concerns of the lawsuit. These are your voices that he is bringing baggage, and this community has dealt with that in the past. We know what that brings with it. “Because we have two good candidates and with what we have staff and the people that we currently have in our administration, where Herman lacks in some of the things that Jeremy could bring to the table, 1 think there is enough of a support system here for him to grow into that position and I think that he would do well here, and that reflects spe­ cifically what you guys are telling me.” Brandli called Lartigue a lifelong learner and said she believes “he will throw himself into this district.” “It is a big curve, but I will support this board. We all know the gravity of this deci­ sion. We all know,” she said. “This is nothing that we take lightly. Each of us has done our due diligence in researching both of these candidates. We’ve got members up here that are, well, shaking and in tears. We want what’s best for this district. My children go to this district; I hope my grandkids will go to this district. I love this place, and I’m not even from here. I want what’s best for these kids and what’s best for this faculty. I just want you to know that none of this is easy for us, and we want what’s best for these four buildings - three schools and our bus garage.” Finally, at around 10:50 p.m., the board voted to enter into contract negotiations with Lartigue. Dye expressed his appreciation for the community’s feedback on the candidates. “It’s one thing for us to govern and tell you where the school is going to go, but, ulti­ mately, it’s nice to know and see the honest input of where you guys want the schools to go,” he said. When asked what the first thing Lartigue will do as superintendent is, he replied, “Pack!” to laughs from the audience. “But no, actually, I would like to try and contact some of my old students and see if we can have a little party right out here at the park - a little homecoming party,” he said. “I want to get all of my kids and all the commu­ nity members to come in and have a barbecue and sit down and talk about all the things we used to do, have done, and plan to do.” “I’m not trying to toot my own horn, but I have a way of bringing people together so they can fight for the same cause,” Lartigue said. “They can find a little something inside of them that will push them towards that cause and work together.” �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, May 12, 2022 Saxons finish off 1-8 soccer regular season home Friday Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity girls’ soccer team will finish off the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference regular season with a tough match-up on the turf inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday in Hastings taking on the Mar­ shall Redhawks. Hastings visited Parma West­ ern Wednesday looking to improve on its 1-3-1 conference record. The Saxons finished in a draw for the first time this season Monday at Jackson Northwest, tying the Mounties 2-2. A 2-0 lead got away from the Saxon in Jackson. Hastings scored on a penalty kick midway through the first half and then tallied a second goal midway through the second half. Bri Barnes and Raegen Morrison had the two Hastings goals with Lau­ ren Lamphere earning an assist. Flastings head coach Tim Schoessel said his girls played a solid first half, but after the Sax­ ons scored that second goal they struggled to push the Northwest offensive attack out of its end of the field. Northwest got its first goal on a direct kick from just outside of the 18 with a little less than 15 minutes to play. The shot just found its way by the reach of Saxon goalkeeper Dekota Blough. The second Northwest goal came following a corner kick. The Mounties knocked the ball out of a scrum and into the comer of the net. Blough made ten saves in the match. The Hastings girls were 8-3-1 overall heading into the Wednes­ day match at Western. The Saxons were bested 1-0 by visiting Harper Creek inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field last Friday. The Beavers scored in the eighth minute of play and then held on for the one-goal win. Harper Creek’s Mallory Flan­ ders bounded a pass ahead softly to the top of the box where teammate Alyssa Smith got a tough on it before Blough could get out to it. Smith chased it down from there and tapped it into the open net. While the Beavers put a bit more pressure forward than the Saxons were able to the remain­ der of the evening, Hastings still had its chances. Barnes had a free kick snagged by the Beaver keeper and had a long pass into the Harper Creek box in the sec­ ond halfjust miss finding the feet of Lamphere who was squeezed out by the Beaver defenders. Blough did a good job of cleaning things up around her Hastings defender Molly Patton clears the ball away from her net during the second half against Harper Creek in Hastings Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Saxons' Morgan Deal slides safely into third base during her team's 1-8 double­ header with visiting Harper Creek Tuesday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxon softball drops two against Harper Creek Valerie Slaughter Hastings goalkeeper Dekotah Blough scoops up the ball as it bounds in towards her net during her team's Interstate-8 match against visiting Harper Creek inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) box and was saved from having to make too many great saves by the defense of Hannah Crozier, Abby Gaskill, Abigail Byykkonen, Kimber Fenstemaker and Molly Patton which was solid around her. Morrison did a good job hustling back to assist on the defensive end throughout the game as well. The Saxons' BreAnn Micklatcher fights her way past Harper Creek's Alyssa Smith in the midfield during the first half of their 1-8 contest inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Contributing Writer The lady Saxon’s softball team faced Inter­ state 8 opponent, Harper Creek, at home on Tuesday night. Hastings was unable to keep up with the Beavers’ strong offense and hit­ ting game. The Saxons lost the first game 17-2 and the second game 16-1. Early in the first game, Morgan Deal hit a double that pushed one run through, but the Beaver’s continued to outscore the Saxons. Saxon sophomore Victoria Jerzyk started in the pitcher’s circle for the night, pitching three innings and allowing 14 runs. Junior make up the runs, giving up 16 runs. Easey pitched game two for the Saxons and had one strike out. Deal and Zoey Bennett had two hits a piece for the night and Phoebe Schantz had one hit. Carly Frazer and Deal both had one RBI for the night. The Saxons will play again Thurs­ day night at Jackson Northwest. Hastings faced off against Hopkins in a pair of non-conference ball games last Thurs­ day, May 5, falling 16-1 and 17-0. Isabelle Storm was 2-for-2 in the leadoff spot and scored a run for the Saxons in the 16-1 defeat. Sophia Sunior knocked her in Cossidee Easey came in for the final inning. with an RBI single. In the second game of the double header, the Saxon’s fell behind early and couldn’t A single by Bennett was the only hit for the Saxons in the shut out loss against the Vikings. Cassidee Easey pitches for the Hastings varsity softball team during its' Interstate-8 Athletic Conference doubleheader against Harper Creek Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) GIM girls show off skills at Xcel Regional meet Brett Bremer Gymnastics In Motion gymnasts (front from left) Addi Miller, Abby Ainsworth, Grace Kotrba, Bristal Schnell, (back) Jasmine Devries, Lily Devries, Annalyse Rock, Maisie Klingensmith and Alleeah Kruisenga all performed so well at their state meets that they earned the right to compete in last weekend's Region 5 Xcel Regional Championships at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek. Rock qualified for the regional meet with her performance at the Xcel Platinum/Diamond Michigan State March 25-2^ while the rest of the group earned their state spots for their performance at the Xcel Bronze, Silver and Gold Michigan State Championship April 22-24. Sports Editor A group of nine young gymnasts from GIM Athletics in Middleville qualified for the Region 5 Xcel Regional Championships that were held at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek last weekend. That group included Abby Ainsworth, Jasmine Devries, Lily Devries, Maisie Klingensmith, Grace Kotrba, Alleeah Kruisenga, Addi Miller and Bristal Schnell who qualified for the regional by putting together strong scores at the Xcel Bronze, Silver and Gold Michigan State Champion­ ship April 22-24, as well as Annalyse Rock who earned her regional spot for her perfor­ mance at the March 25-27 Xcel Platinum/ Diamond Michigan State Championship. All-around scores of 36.00 points in the Silver competitions and 35.50 in the Gold, Platinum and Diamond competitions need­ ed to be achieved at the state meets to earn spots in the regional contests. Bristal Schnell placed third in her Silver Junior A Division at the regional in Battle Creek with an all-around score of 37.550. Schnell had her best scores yet on the vault, the bars and the beam, and was just a tenth of a point off her top score on the floor, just a tenth of a point off the state meet where she set her personal best in that event. She had a great score of 9.675 on the bars which was good for fourth in her division and a score of 9.525 on the beam which was third best in her division. Ainsworth and Lily Devries competed in the Xcel Gold competitions over the week­ end, with Ainsworth in the Child C Division and Lily in the Senior A Division. Ainsworth was as high as seventh in an event, the floor exercise where she put up a score of 9.500. She also tied for tenth in the vault with a score of 8.925. Both those those scores are new personal bests in com­ petition and she also improved her personal best on the beam up to 9.250. She moved her personal best score in the all-around up to 36.500. Lily Devries had one of her best days yet since moving up to the Gold level. She matched her best all-around score at 36.650 and on the beam at 8.900, and she had her best score on the floor yet at 9.550. Jasmine Devries, Klingensmith, Kotrba, Kruisenga and Miller competed on the Xcel Silver level at the regional. Kruisenga put together her best allaround score yet at 36.550 in her Junior C Division, and had her best score ever on the bars at 9.400 which was fifth-best in her division. Miller competed in the Child A Division and earned her best scores ever on the vault at 8.950 and and the bars at 9.350. Kotrba was in the Junior F Division and she set a new personal record with her floor routine that earned her 9.275 points and was the fourth best of anyone in her division. Also competing in the Junior F Division, Klingensmith was right near her best on the vault, bars and beam just missing personal records in those by hundredths of a point. Jasmine Devries was in the Silver Junior A Division with Schnell. She improved her personal best score in the vault to 9.000 as a highlight of the weekend. Rock was injured into the lead-up to regionals and didn’t get to compete. She earned her chance to compete in regionals by tallying her best Platinum Level allaround score ever at the Diamond/Platinum State Championships. She tallied 35.525 points in the all-around at the state champi­ onships in March in the Child B division. That performance included a new floor routine best of 9.200 and a new top plati­ num score on the beam of 8.725. �Page 10 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HHS track teams have no trouble toppling Mounties Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer Hastings’ boys and girls track teams each gained another Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence win by defeating Jackson Northwest at home Monday night. The lady Saxons defeat­ ed Northwest 83-53, and the boys’ team ran away with 132-30 conference win. Both Saxon teams advance their record to 4-1 in the 1-8 conference this season. The Saxon girls’ team saw multiple first place results from Madison Nino in the long jump with a personal record of 17 feet 5.5 inches, which puts her second on the all-time leader board for the Saxons. Nino also placed first in the 100-meter run (13.77 seconds). Allison Teed placed first in the 100-meter hurdles (16.85) and the pole vault (9-0), Carissa Strouse ran first place times in the 3200-meter (14 minutes 59.49 seconds) and the 1600-meter run (6:26.68). Other Saxon girls taking a first place for the night were: Lauren Arnold 800-meter run (3:01.04), Addey Nickels 200-meter run (27.76), and Grace Madden in the shot put (27­ 11.50). The Saxon 4x200-meter relay team of Myah Vincent, Nickels, Isabelle Roosien and Teed finished first (1:55.66), and the 4x 100-meter relay team of Nino, Roosien, Teed and Nickels finished first with a time of 52.32. The Saxon boys’ team had multiple first place finishes by Reuben Solmes who won the 100-meter dash (12.04) and the 200-meter (24.56). Layton Eastman won the 110-meter high hurdles (17.01) and the 300-meter inter­ mediate hurdles (44.05). Kearen Tolles took the 1600-meter run with a PR of 4:54.30 and he won the 800-meter (2:12.84). Robby Slaughter won the long jump (19-11) and the pole vault (12-6). The Saxons also had first place results from Riley Shults in the 3200-meter run (11:00.41), Jett Barnum in high jump (5-08.00), Daniel Weatherly in the shop put with a PR of 48-04.50 and Tanner Rairigh in discus (99-03). Hastings’ relay teams swept all the relay events for the night with the 4x100-meter team of Slaughter, Aiden SaintAmour, Zane Warner and Solmes; the 4x200-meter team of Slaughter, Solmes, Barnum and Eastman; the 1600-meter relay team of Jonah Teed, Nate Kohmesher, Dillon Neal and Tolles; and the 4x800-meter relay team of Brandon Sim­ mons, Shults, Teed and Tolles earning the five-point victories. The Saxons will compete in further Inter­ state 8 action on Monday night, May 16, at Harper Creek against Harper Creek and Marshall. Maple Valley's Olivia Williams clears the ball out of her end with a goal kick during her team's GLAC match-up with visiting Bath at Fuller Street Field Monday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lions score late against Bees The Saxons' Isabelle Roosien (left) gets the baton from teammate Madison Nino during the first exchange in the 4x100-meter relay Monday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings' Kearen Tolles works his way to a victory the 1600-meter run for the Saxons Monday during their I-8 dual with Jackson Northwest in Hastings. Tolles , a junior, was running the race for the first time on the varsity team and had the Saxons' best time of the season in the -race at 4 minutes 54.30 seconds. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) The Saxons' Dillon Neal flies to a run­ ner-up finish in the long jump during the Saxons' dual with Northwest inside Baum Stadium at Johnson. Field in Hastings Monday. (Photd by Valerie Slaughter) Brickley no-hits Irish in DK’s softball sweep in Kalamazoo Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity softball team hammered out 10-0 and 17-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division wins at Hackett Catholic Prep Tuesday. Mya Brickley no-hit the Irish in the Pan­ thers’ five-inning win in game one. She struck out six and walked two. Allie Trantham belted a home run to cen­ ter field that put her team up 7-0 with two out in the top of the third inning. Brickley also had a pair of singles in the ballgame. She was 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. Aubrey Aukerman tripled, drove in two runs and scored twice. Allison Brandli dou­ bled, drove in a run and scored three times for DK. Paige Thomas and Jordan Lyons also drove in runs for DK in the win. Abby Fichtner walked twice out of the leadoff spot and scored a run too. Brickley was big with the bat again in game two going 2-for-3 with a home run and a double. She drove in three runs and scored three times. Aukerman, Fichtner and Trantham each also blasted a double in game two. Tran­ tham was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Paige Thomas singled, drove in a run and scored once for the Panthers. Delton Kellogg took advantage of 12 walks in game two. Kasey Kapteyn walked twice and scored twice. Lyons walked once and scored twice. Aukerman and Brandli both walked twice. Lyons, Thomas and Kayleigh Buffum shared time pitching. None of the three runs against them were earned. Buffum threw three scoreless innings in the five-in­ ning ballgame striking out two and allow­ ing one hit. The DK girls split a non-conference dou­ bleheader at Wyoming last Wednesday, May 4, falling 9-7 to the Wolves in game one and then bouncing back for a 9-6 win in game two. Trantham was 2-for-4 at the plate with a home run and two RBI in the game two win for DK. Thomas was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Brandli was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBL Aukerman also doubled and drove in two runs. Ficht­ ner was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Aukerman’s at-bats were the highlight of the game one loss for DK. She was 4-.for-4 with three doubles. She scored three runs and drove in two. The Delton Kellogg girls were scheduled to host Schoolcraft Wednesday, May 11, and will be on the road at Watervliet this afternoon (May 12). The Panthers will be a part of the Lakewood Invitational Saturday and then will visit South Christian Monday. Brett Bremer out why we’re coming out [in the second half] a little flat, but then we seem to dig our Sports Editor It wasn’t the result the Lions wanted after heels back in. It was a pretty close first half.” a scoreless first half, but after learning a little Senior Eli Martin scored the Lions’ goal more about their opponents the Lions were with 3 minutes and 55 seconds to go in the pleased. game. It pulled her team within 3-1 at the The Maple Valley varsity girls’ soccer time. The score came on a counter attack with team fell to Greater Lansing Activities Con­ freshman teammate Isabel Emerick firing a ference foe Bath 4-1 on Fuller Street Field in pass ahead across the box for Martin who beat Nashville Monday evening. All five goals in the Bath goalie to it and fired it into the net. the game were scored with the wind at the Senior Megan Cook scored two goals for the Bees’ backs in the second half. Bees and freshman teammate Aubri Torok had The Maple Valley girls learned after the a goal and an assist - proving adept at setting contest that the Bees had recently defeated up her teammates all afternoon. Sophomore fellow GLAC rival Lakewood 4-2. Lakewood Kylie Grennell also scored for Bath, putting a is a team that scored an 8-0 win over the Maple free kick from about 25 yards out over the Valley girls just last week - so to hang with the Maple Valley keeper Cassidy Simpson. . Bees was something to be happy about. Coach Seume was pretty happy with Simp­ “We’re still staying positive, because they’re son’s performance in goal. doing a lot of good things, but we have to fin­ The Lions were a part of the Quincy Invi­ ish in that final third,” Lion head coach Rich­ tational Saturday. Comstock scored a 6-2 win ard Seume said. “Until we can do that a few over the Lions, but the Maple Valley girls times, maybe not against this team, but against rebounded for a 2-1 win in a shootout against a few of the other teams we’re playing.” Bronson to close the day. Bath did put constant pressure on the Lions’ “We’re playing better together,” Seume back line throughout the second half, mostly said. “We have come a long way playing as1 a working outside-in in their attacking third. team. We have got four exchange students, “That is about how our games have been three freshmen. It is a brand new team com­ going,” Seume said. “We have been playing pared to last year. It took a long time to gel, pretty tight in the first half and then there is a and we’re still gelling.” little bit of give and take from the other team The Lions were scheduled to host Olivet early in the.sqcopd half/Iffras happened t<p us; - Wednesday.. irhey!’ty;^et|tirfit)4^? action at Carl­ several times this year. F am trying to figure houn Christian Tuesday, May 17. Guevera has best 18-hole round of spring at M-89 event Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg/Martin senior Javier Guevera played his best round of the spring to score an 84 Saturday at the M-89 Challenge at the Lynx Friday, May 6. Guevara scored an 84 to place 14^ in a field of 69 golfers. It was just one rough hole, a nine on a par-5, that kept him from breaking into the 70s for the first time. The DK/Martin senior boosted his score with birdies on the par-3 number nine and the par-5 number 18. “He kept it in play off the tee,” Delton Kel­ logg/Martin head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “His short game is getting much more consis­ tent - making some 10-15 footers to save pars and bogies and making his birdie opportunities inside 10-feet when he gets the chance, not allowing himself to get rattled when he has a bad hole. The mental approach has been strong lately.Like many golfers he is his own worst enemy when things get off track a bit, but he has stayed in the moment and is seeing better results.” Mattawan won the day’s championship with four of the day’s top five individual scores. Wild­ cat sophomore Matthew Novak was the day’s individual champion with a score of 71. Mat­ tawan also got a 74 from junior Will Kuiper, a 78 from junior Blake Welch and a 78 from sopho­ more Cameron Graver. Watervliet senior Parker Lanning also shot a 78. Mattawan also had senior Logan McClish right behind with an 82. The Mattawan team finished with a score of 301 ahead of Kalamazoo Christian 333, Sau­ gatuck 346, Cassopolis 347, Niles 355, Water­ vliet 371, Bridgman 378, White Pigeon 407, Lawton 418, Delton Kellogg 423 and Marcellus 475. On a wet and chilly day, the other Panthers had a tougher time than Guevera. DK got a 107 from sophomore Zachary Hall, a 110 from senior Cole Altman and a 122 from junior Brett Harsevoort. CORRECTION | Pair of birdies help Carroll tie for second at Titans’ jamboree Brett Bremer Hastings boys’ varsity track and field athlete Charlie Nick­ els was incorrectly identified as Kearan Tolles in a photo on page 14 of the May 5, 2022 edition of the Hastings Banner. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BARRY COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING The Commission on Aging (COA) for Barry County is looking for an Executive Director. The purpose of this position is to direct and supervise all employees, programs and services involved in meeting the needs of the senior population in Barry County. This includes oversight of administration, budgeting, programs and nutrition, foster collaborative partnership with other agencies in the state and county, marketing the COA through media presentations, publications and brochures to help promote the needs of seniors. For a complete job description, please visit the COA website (https://www.barrycounty.org.commission_on_aging_new/ indexpnp). Use the COA Employment Application and return completed application with your cover letter and resume by mail to: tany County Cpmmi55ion on flQifiQ Executive Director Search Committee c/o Barry County COA 320 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 Sports Editor The Hastings varsity boys’ golf team scored a seventh-place finish at the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference boys’ golf jam­ boree at the Cascades Golf Course Tuesday. Lumen Christi, the day’s host, won the varsity boys’ golf competition with a score of 168. Harper Creek beat out Mar­ shall on a fifth-score tiebreaker as both teams put up a score of 171. Jackson Northwest was fourth with a 172, ahead of Parma Western 192, Coldwater 196, Hastings 199 and Pennfield 216. Sophomore Owen Carroll led the Sax­ ons with a 39. Carroll fired a pair of bird­ ies, one on the 381-yard par-4 number four and another on the 174-yard, par-3 number nine. His 39 tied Marshall senior Collin McLane for second on the day. Hastings also got a 49 from Joey McLean, a 55 from Hunter Cook and 56s from Blake Barnum and Reed Balderson. Marshall senior Harrison Chapman was the day’s medalist with a 38. Harper Creek got 40s from freshman Spencer Denney and senior Ty Peet. Lumen Christi was led by 41s from freshmen Charlie Saunders and Adam Fuller. Lumen Christi also got 43s from juniors Nash Hanchett and Joshua Baker which had them tied in tenth place individually. The conference was also together last Wednesday, May 4, for a jamboree host­ ed by Coldwater at Coldwater Golf Course. Lumen Christi won there too with a score of 161 ahead of Marshall 164, Northwest 175, Harper Creek 183, Pennfield 183, Parma Western 184, Cold­ water 186 and Hastings 217. Carroll once again led the Saxons with a 42. The Saxons also got a 57 from Joe Goggins and 59s from Lang Haines and Heath Hays. Saxons and Panthers battle atop 1-8 tennis table today Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity girls’ tennis team will try and finish off an undefeated sea­ son of Interstate-8 Athletic Conference duals when it travels to face league-lead­ ing Parma Western this afternoon. Hastings moved its 1-8 record to 6-0-2 with a victory over the Marshall Redhawks Monday in Marshall. The Hastings girls are now 9-1-2 overall on the season. The Saxons took an 8-0 non-confer­ ence win at Ionia Tuesday. The Hastings singles players didn’t drop more than two games in any one set. Brooklynn Youngs took a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles over the Bulldogs’ Jessa Swinehart and Kate Brown. Abby Beemer won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles for the Saxons, Julia McLean won 6-1, 6-2 at number three and MJ Deal won 6-0, 6-0 at number four in a match that coach Andrew Haines said lasted only 15 minutes. The Saxon head coach was also happy to see Bailey Cook and Erin Daniels, his first doubles duo, find its mojo in a 6-0, 6-2 win over Riley Browne and Caitlin McGuire. Hastings also got quick 6-0, 6-0 wins from the second doubles team of Brinna Cobb and Sophia Ahearns and the fourth doubles team of Audrey Vertalka and Jayln Grimes. Calin Redman and Megan Rowley at third doubles took a 6-2, 6-2 win. Youngs got the only singles victory for the Saxons in their big dual at Marshall Monday. She knocked off the Redhawks’ Lindsay Malone 6-1, 6-2. There were a couple tough losses for the Saxons on the singles side. Addison Powers from Marshall fought off Beemer for a 6-4, 5-7, (11-9) win in a super tie­ breaker. Lucy Gensch at fourth singles scored a 6-4, 6-3 win over Deal. That one singles victory was enough for the Saxons with a sweep of the doubles matches. Cook and Daniels won 6-3, 6-3 at number one. Cobb and Ahearns won 6-4, 6-2 at number two. In the third dou­ bles match Rowley and Redman scored a 6-4, 6-2 win. Grimes and Vertalka notched a 6-22, 6-2 win at fourth doubles. The Saxon team also scored a 6-2 win over Lakewood in a non-conference dual last Wednesday. Youngs, Beemer and Deal took wins on the singles side for the Saxons, with Deal fighting off Lakewood’s Jasrhme Stewart for the victory at fourth singles by the score of 3-6, 6-4, (11-9). Kylee Goble took the third singles flight for Lakewood with a 6-2, 7-5 win over McLean. The Hastings teams of Cook and Dan­ iels, Cobb and Ahearns and Rowley and Redman won the top three doubles flights. Cook and Daniels were pushed by Lakewood Alli Pickard and Abby Pickard in a 7-5, 6-4, (10-8) win at num­ ber one. Liv Everitt and Paige Wolverton won for the Vikings at fourth doubles. �coming into practices and games even though our record was not where we thought it should be. The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — Page 11 TK baseball gets its first two wins Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg varsi­ ty baseball team got its first two wins of the season in splitting OK Gold Conference doubleheaders with Cedar Springs May 5 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central May 10. The Trojans took game two at Cedar Springs last Thursday 1-0 behind a complete game shut out from pitcher Carsen Burbridge. He struck out eight and allowed just one hit while walking four. His defense didn’t make an error behind him. run of the ballgame on an RBI hit from Snelling in the bottom of the fourth inning. Gavin Snelling and Jakob Rodriguez also had hits for TK in the win. Gavin Devore walked twice and stole a base. Rodriguez and Gavin Snelling also had steals. Cedar Springs shut out TK 3-0 in the opener. Logan Snelling took the loss on the mound. He struck out three, walked one and allowed eight hits over his six innings,. Gavin Snelling singled for TK in the game two loss - his team’s only hit off of Red Hawk starter Clay Oosting. Oosting struck out 11 and walked one in the sev­ en-inning shut out. The Trojans were back in action at home in Middleville Tuesday splitting a conference doubleheader with Grand Rapids Catholic Central, TK took game one 7-5. A Cougar error helped the TK boys score two runs in the bottom of the sixth snapping a 4-4 tie at the time. A sacrifice fly by Gavin Snel­ ling brought home the Trojans’ first run of the game in the bot­ tom of the first inning, and TK pushed its lead to 4-0 with three more runs in the bottom of the third inning. A two-run double by Logan Snelling and an RBI dou­ ble from Jonah Summerhays were the big blows of that surge with the bases loaded and two Sports Editor out in the bottom of the fourth to The Saxons and Beavers ran push across a run. An inside the out of daylight Tuesday while park home run by Matt Thomp­ trying to finish their Interstate-8 son added some insurance for Athletic Conference doublehead­ the Saxons in the bottom of the er, but the Hastings varsity base­ sixth. ball team got one victory in Thompson, Denton, Lars before the action was ceased. Sorensen, Harrision Smalley and Hastings took game one 5-3 Landon Steward had two hits behind six strong innings of each for the Saxons. Each of the pitching by Carter Reil who came top five hitters in the Saxon line­ on in relief of Mason Denton up had an RBI, Thompson, Den­ early in the second inning. Reil ton, Reil, Smalley and Patrick scattered seven hits over the six Gee. Gee and Aiden Benson had innings while striking out eight the Saxons’ other two hits. and walking three. Game two got pushed into the An inherited runner came in to darkness when the Beavers broke score in the" sV C Oft d‘lfggiW: Reft'’ ' thmti^h fbr for the Beavers to put them the fifth inning to go ahead 12-11. momentarily in front 3-2. Both Hastings split its two games at "teams had scored twice in the the Lakeview Invitational Satur­ first~4nning. Hastings tied the day closing out the day with a ballgame right back up in the 19-5 win over the Lakeview bottom of the second and then Wildcats following a tough 7-6 took the lead with runs in the loss to Comstock Park in the fourth and sixth. opener. Hastings smackecb a dozen Thompson was l-for-2 with a hits. Reil also got the game win­ home run, three RBI and two runs ning RBI as he was hit by a pitch scored in the Saxons’ win over 180021 NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS UPPER CROOKED LAKE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL for the Trojans. TK had seven hits in all in the win. Gavin Snelling was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBL TK also got singles from Kyron Zoet, Devore and Tyler Gavettte. Bur­ bridge had an RBI too. Logan Snelling got the victory on the mound. He struck out seven and allowed seven hits in six innings. Jakob Rodriguez came on to finish off the Cougars and earn the save in the seventh. Catholic Central rebounded for lO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIPS OF BARRY AND PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that upon motion of the Township Boards of Barry and Prairieville Townships, as authorized by PA 188 of 1954, as amended, the Township Boards each propose to undertake an aquatic plant control project (with associated activities) in Upper Qrooked Lake in Barry and Prairieville Townships as more particularly described below and to each create a separate special assessment iistrict for the recovery of the costs thereof by special assessment against the properties benefited. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special assessment districts within which the foregoing improvements are proposed to je made and within which the costs thereof are to be specially assessed is more particularly described as follows: 3ARRY TOWNSHIP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated by parcel numbers: ■iKBellliBlIiIlBiIll ■IKBIIIISBIIIKBIN a 9-2 win in game two. Tyler Gavette led the Trojans at ■ifcBlIlIiBlIlI'-Ero ■ticBiIffiBUfliSttl l■ticBlIly£l^fcBlI«] HlKBU^BiIlsBiIi] IKaBBtlekfialsKSlIaJ l■lIcB•I^M•I•EE»H] imicBiM»B«ME»H] IK»KBeleY0!«£SI«] H«KBiT»SiKl.-B:I«l ■ticBttllBlXKBU' ■»I«BlftHBiXtB»I» ■iKBtl!llBiy4.-fiiI ■ticBlfillBWiBiIl ■lKBlf!llBiyi;B«Ii ■•ICBlWlBiMJBlH l■lfcBlI&SlMlBtIl] IBmcB»I»MWcEB:ffl HtitBIlbBUlIsBffl ■•IcBiIlftBlHWMl] ■flcBlIflsBrtEElM l■lKBlIlMyZiKl] ■ttBUflsBtfERW ■ticB'IlHEKEBlIil ZlflcBlIillBiItfBlIl] ■ticBlIitiBUiyStli] ■•fcB««IlBiIEB.1fl ■ticBtlilsBfffcBiTi] ■KBiIiIsB'IlsBiM ■ticBlTlIiBlHlBlIll l■•)cBtI«BlIlI!BlIl] Hll&lIftBllI'ElM IftBlI&EtffcBlIll ■•ItBiIiftBWeEiIil ■iKBlIlIiBlPZBHi] HlKBiI^lBlIIlBlIll MftBIlKBtllKBill WiKBiIiI.-B«Iil!B»Ii l■KBI«KB'iI<XlIl HlKBiBL-BlItiElIl HiKBlf!llBlTll.-BlIt] l■^ItB•RI•B•IlI:B»Il] imicBlWlBlIlEBWl] l■lIcB»I•I•B^I^I^E•I•] l■lkBlI;IlElIMnIl] HlKB'TffiEfflKBffl] ■«icbihi®em5»i»i HiKBIiKSHEBili Hlkaril.-BilEBiIl WUcBlftllBiIiftaW (■ticaDI.-BlHifiiy -TlK3W.-BrtBB»H ■iKau^-BiikBiii l■ftBlI&S'HlBlIl] l■lIcBlMlB•IEB•I•] HtICBlISitBlIKBlII] HlKBlf!llBa[fllIi] ■lK5Kk5lIl?EiIi UiKail.-SlIilEiI HikaHlEUllEiIi HKBItliBlIlHhl' imKafcllBtllfcBtli ■UcB»IlRB»M:B«Hl WUaMHiSIEBflll ■•kfiflllsBcWcBUfl l■lkBlI»BlIkS.Ttl l■lKB«IABtI^®Il] [■ttBUsI.-EiyMSlH] U«)cBil!liBiIf:BlIt] HtBBtlsliBlIRBlIi] l■^KBlIsI•B^W«B^Il] 03-007-035-00 I 03-060-017-40 I 03-065-027-00 03-090-022-00. HtKBtl^BiyZBlIi] PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated by parcel numbers: lEBiMiBUilJBlIi iEBlY/iBiUBBUi iEBiMiBHIiBffl iEBlHlBlHEHl iEBMiBiIEBlIl ■EBtlllElIiEBlIil 1 ■EElIiiEUlHHl] ■EllIlIEiUW ■EBHlIEUlHEM —J J ■EBUlIElIlHKfll ■EBlIliEUlKBlI'i I■EB*HIBI»®II “iEBlMlBtHlBlH iEBMlBikSEHl ------------------iiii lEBlhflBlEMElIi iEB«WBlE!SBlIl iEBiTiliBiIiIEiI iEEiI:IiBUtIE«Y iEBlMBUEBiM Beaver rally, darkness prevent Saxon sweep Brett Bremer BARRY TOWNSHIP AND PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN Lakeview. Easton Tibble was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with three runs and three RBI. He had one of three Saxon doubles, with Aiden and Ashton Benson both belting one double. Steward, Aiden Benson and Denton had two hits each. Sorensen, Steward and Aiden Benson had two RBI apiece. Ash­ ton Benson drove in three runs. Smalley got the win on the mound striking out three in four innings. He allowed five runs on 11 hits. He did not walk a batter. Comstock Park won a back and forth game to start the day. Hast­ ings led 1-0 after one inning. The •teams1 ifrere-tfed 4-4' aflenwo.' Hastings was back up 5-4 at the end of three. It was 6-6 after four and the Panthers took the lead for good with a run in the top of the fifth of what was a six-inning bailgame. Denton, Smalley and Tibble had two hits each for the Saxons in the loss. Smalley had t2wo RBI and Denton and Aiden Ben­ son each drove in one run. iEBUlIElIEWl] iEElIrtBUE»M iEHfliEBfllEJWil iEBlIiEBUlEBlir iEBUiBiHIcBlIll iEBlIfiEilifcBiM iEBUiBiIiKBlM iEBlMElIticBlM iEBtfiEiIlHHl] lEEffEBUlfcElIll iEEifiEZflllkBiII iEBlIEEHlKBIIl iEBHEElIlMHll iEErtEBiIlEBUll iEElIEBlTlKBlII iEBiSEEiHI®H iEBlIEBUlMftlcl iEBHEBUlKBiE! iEB»IEg»HI»-BlYJ —j [■iEBlWlBlME!; HEBlIiHBlIilEr: “iEBlM»B»I»EB»I« iEB»HlB«I»kBfll iEE'HlBlIlHHll iEEEI.-»IlIElIl] iEBEUBiIiEBlUl iEEEL-BlIlkBlIll iEEKWSlIlEElIll ESkWEiHIiBiHl lEEEL-BlIlIiBlIll iE3fcL-BlHY£lHl iEEKMEiHIxBlIll iEHfclsBlIlIsBlM iEEKL-BlIUHlUl iEEkL-BlIEBlUl iESEMEtfEBill] iERWlBlUIBCIll iE»k»BinygiH] 12-240-0T4-T)0' fill E»EIiBlIEEiI EBcEfiBiIEBU ■EB'ZUBGkfilll ■E2H!iIrt[«iH EBZIlBlIEfilll EBeEftBUBBiIi iMl] iB»l EWZUBlWlHlH EBeEhBlEiEHi EWZ!lB»EMB»Il EREflBlEkBlf ■ESeEfiBiyZEHi ESZIlBiyZBH erehbiwjbui EBZIlB'ESBlIt E»ZriB«H£[iIl )>« IB»1 M- MEB!EIlBlIcMEIi] —E»ZHB«CWWI] iESiliHlkliBiIil . ~E»W1B»MBIII] iEElfiEBlI&-fifi[ iE£iIEBlIlI;BlIll iEZlIEBlMlElIll HE»EliBlI«I»»] HEStEhBlEraiKl lE9»IiBlIlEBlIl] ~iE4EEftB«EI»Iil iEZHnBlEMUt] iE»EHl»Ef:BiH] iEBtEIlBiERBflf! iE»E!«BlE!!KIll —iEWZUBlEUEffl WEZHfiBlEkB.'M :Z3E»MiHI«EB»Ifl iaiEB4.1lBiIiyElIi] HEBeEIiBiElsBA! : WaTaVJraTal iEBiIEBlIEElIll -|ES«IiBlfEBlIi] iEBtlEBtir^iIU .-iEBiIEBiIYElIil KEBlIEBiyjcBill] aEZftEZIij'SEra BESZTiBillEBlItl —EWMiBlUMfUU iEWWiBtloMlM MEZlY/tKlIlIiElII] ■EBlMiBiUkBiHl iEBlY/lB»HWE«M iESZ4lB<I*I«BHi] iEB'ZhBlIlI^ril iEBMlBUlkail] »E2H[iBiIil:BiIll l■E&W^H^T^ZB^H] 12-070.-0.04=10. 12-Q7fl.rQQ5--.QQ. 12-070-006=00. 12-Q7Q-.QQZ=0Q. 12-240-Q.lQ.rQQ. 12-240-011-01 12-240-012-00 12-240-013=00. 12-380-004=00. 12-380-005-00 12-380-006-00 12-380-008-00 : VaVZaVaTaXaWaTal ■ESKIlBlIlEBili] Ea&ItSIllCB'T'] EBcftllBfliEBUH ■E®ftHB«IlW5lHl ■iE®feHB«HI®I»l ERftUBfllYBlIll EB&IiBHlYfilll EEEHB*I»HftIfl l■EEEI•BlTlEB♦Ill —iEEEHBfl«.-Bflfl iEEEIlHlIlliSni iEEEIlBiIlIsEflil iEEEUBlIlYBlIil ._iEEEIiBiI«:BiIil HEEEhBlIlIsBiIlJ l■EEEIlBlHlBlIl] ■ —r. w. r: Fawax e WaTaT EEEHBH EEEIlBU EEEIlBil EEEIlBil iHEEIiBiEEBiIil I■EB«iEBUlI.-Bi»] “iEBrtEBlUUSW “iEZWtHBlUIfflilfl ■EBcWlBlUIsBlIlJ ■EBcWlBlHlBUH EBcKIlBlHSIU ■EScKIlBUEBlIl] E®I:IlBifI®IU EBcKIlBlIEBHil ■EBHlEffKBiIi] EBCWlBHEBlII] EBcKIiBlIESIil HEEEflBlIkEHl] ~iEEEIlB«yj«B»Hl iEEEIiBiyiiBW .—iEEEUBlHBtll] HESEIlBiXMaill] iEEEIlBiEUB«IH iEEEUB8EfB«I«l iEEEII»EEB»Ifl iEEEHB«EEB»I»] _iEEEHBiEUBtlll ■EEEUB«EI8B»I»] ■EEEIiBiEkfliKl —EEEUBlEIiBflfl -iWEEIlBlKHBiIi] ■EEEIlB'MEUt] ■EEEHBll«HMll ■EEEIlBlMcBUll —EEEUBtWEflil KkEEItBl^BUt] »HEEIiBlI^«BtI«] «EEEIiBiI^iKD] —EEEI------------EEE! EEE! EEE! HEE! HEE! HEE! HEE! HEE! HEE! EEE! HEE! HEE! EEE! EEE! EEE! iEEEI iEEEI iEEEI iEEEI iEEEI iEEEI iEEEI__ l■EEE!lBlHElIl] —EEEIlBlEI®!*] iEEE!«B«H£iIH IBiEEkliBiliEBiIi] l■iEEftI•B•I»I^BlI•] KEEEnBl^ElIll I■EEEIIH«CIB^I•1 :Z3EEE!«BlkIBIiJ IBEEEEftBfirtPeW “iEEEIiBiMBcH] ------------- iEr Hill fcBfl EBll Wil l■EE!^HBtI•I:B•I•l I IM 1 >i nEE»I*BitEBiIll :ijEERHB»JESlH HEEKIlBlIEBlIl (■EEkllBai.-SlIl —EE!SHBUI®I« iEEEIiBlIhEtll iEE!eliBi«:B»H 12-440-038-00. 12-440-038-1Q. 12-440-039-00 12-440-039-10 See also the accompanying map identifying both proposed special assessment districts. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have received plans showing the proposed aquatic plant control project, associated activities, any proposed improvements and locations thereof, together with an estimate of the cost of the project in the amount of 445,120 (of which $273,437 will be Prairieville Township’s allocated share of the total project cost and $171,683 will be Barry Township’s allocated share of the total project cost). The cost of the project is proposed to be raised by each Township by special assessment, less any costs that will be off-set by the carryover of any surplus funds in each special assessment district. Each Township Board has passed a resolution tentatively declaring its intention to undertake such project and to create the afore-described special assessment district. DK boys share victories across win over Fennville Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ track and field team domi­ nated a Southwestern Athletic Conference crossover meet with Fennville from the SAC Lakeshore Division last Wednesday, May 4. The Delton Kellogg boys took a 109-23 win while the Fennville girls pulled out a 66-48 victory on the day. Delton had seven different guys score victories in the eight individual events on the track and the Panthers swept the four relays with that depth. Delton Kellogg sophomore Torren Mapes and junior Gage Vincent won two individual events each - one race and one field event. Mapes took the long jump with a personal record mark of 18 feet 4.5 inches while also winning the 200-meter dash in a personal record time of 25.46 seconds. Vincent ran his fastest 800 of the season to win that race in 2 minutes 20.99 seconds and he also won the pole vault by clearing the bar at 8-6. Senior Giovanni SStea set his personal record at 12.77 to win the 100-meter dash. DK senior Cameron Spaulding ran his fast­ est 400-meter dash of the season to win that race in 58.71. Junior Hector Jimenez dropped his PR in the 1600-meter run to 5:11.05 in winning that race. Junior Micah Martin won the 3200meter run for DK in 12:03.61. DK also had junior Isaac Shep­ ard win the 300-meter intermedi­ ate hurdles in a personal record time of 48.69. Fennville’s only win on the track in the boys’ meet came from senior Carter Mokema who won the 110-meter high hurdles in 17.80. Philip Halcomb, Stea, Tanner Mellen and Corey Moore won the 4x100-meter relay for DK in 50.65. Halcomb, Spaulding, Mitchell Buckner and Moore won the 4x200-meter relay in 1:44.37. Eli Austin, Caden Ferris, Mapes and Peyton Pummel took the 4x400-meter relay in 4:01.78. The DK team of Taylor Smith, Mitchell Buckner, Martin and Austin won the 4x800-meter relay in 12:04.78. Ferris also won the discus with a throw of 125-8. Alex Whitmore took the shot put for DK with a mark of 42-8. Caitlin McManus, a senior, swept the throws for DK in the girls’ meet. She won the discus with a season-best throw of 86-7 and won the shot put with a mark of 29-5. The DK girls took one of the three relays. Neither girls’ team had a 4x200 team at the meet. The Panther foursome of Brenna Chandler, Rebecca VanDyke, Josie Williams and Summer Ritchie won the 4x100-meter relay for Delton in 57.61. Chandler also won the 300meter low hurdles in 56.09. Wil­ liams was second in both hurdles races. She set her PR at 21.82 in the 100-meter hurdles and at 59.95 in the 300s. Halena Phillips ran her fastest 1600 of the season to win that race in 6:16.23 for DK. Ritchie was the runner-up in the 100-meter dash and the 200meter dash behind Fennville senior Carmen Tencate. Both girls ran their PR in the 100 with Tencate hitting the line in 13.27 and Ritchie in 13.90. Tencate also won the 400meter dash and helped the Black­ hawks to a win in the 4x400-meter relay. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have placed the project plans and costs estimates on file with the Township Clerks and said plans, cost estimates and special assessment districts may be examined at each Clerk’s office from the date of this Notice to the date of the public hearing and may further be examined at such public hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards propose to make a oer-oarcel special assessment each year for a period of seven years (2023 -2029 inclusive) of an amount to be determined periodically, which amount will be based on the scope of work planned for that year. The annual assessment in Prairieville Township is proposed to be $222 per year for front lots and $111 per year for back lots. The annual assessment in Barry Township is proposed to be $170 per year for front lots and $85.50 per year for back lots. These amounts may be adjusted if there is the carryover of surplus funds in either Township special assessment district. Additionally, the Township Board reserves the right to levy a lesser assessment amount in any year that there are more funds in the special assessment district fund than the amount needed for that year’s aquatic plant control work and associated activities. The Township Boards propose to annually assess benefited properties (periodic redetermination) for the costs of the aquatic plant control project (with associated activities), with only published notice each year, unless the amount to be specially assessed increases by more than 10% in any one year. If the amount to be specially assessed increases by more than 10% in any one year, then mailed notices of the public hearing on the reassessment will be provided to owners of record of property to be specially assessed. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a public hearing on the plans, district, cost estimates and the carryover of surplus funds from the Upper Crooked Lake Aquatic Plant Control Special Assessment District No. 09-11 will be held at the Prairieville Township Hall at 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan, commencing at 7 p.m. on May 16, 2022. At the hearing, the Boards will consider any written objections and comments to any of the foregoing matters which are filed with the clerks at or before the hearing, and any objections or comments raised at the hearing; and at the hearing (or any adjournment of the hearing which may be made without further notice), the township boards may revise, correct, amend, or change the plans, cost estimates or special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if written objections to the project are filed with the Township Boards at or before the hearing, signed by the record owners of land constituting more than 20% of the area within the proposed special assessment district, then the township boards may not proceed unless petitions in support of the project, signed by record owners of more than 50% of the area to be made into a special assessment district, are filed with the township. Written comments or objections may be filed with the clerks at the address set out below. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that appearance and protest at the public hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the State Tax Tribunal within 30 days after the special assessment roll is confirmed. An owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment, or shall be permitted to file at or before the hearing his or her appearance or protest by letter and his or her personal appearance shall not be required. All interested persons are invited to be present in person or by representative and to submit comments concerning the establishment of the special assessment district, the plans, cost estimates and/or the carryover of surplus funds from the expiring Special Assessment Districts. PINE LAKE KIT] Upper Crooked Lake Aquatic Plant Control Project Special Assessment Districts •• ■ DELTON RD 8g Second half goal gets DKHS girls non-league win at Olivet The Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ soccer team knocked off Olivet 2-1 Monday in a non-con­ ference match at Olivet High School. Ida Thilsing Hansen scored the game-winner on a long free kick just beyond the reach of the Olivet goalkeeper in the second half. Teagan Hamlin scored off an assist from Avery Barker to put Delton Kellogg in front in the first half, before the Eagles got the game-tying goal in the second half. The DK girls were scheduled to return to Southwestern Athletic Conference action at home against Fennville last night, May 11. The Panthers go to Wyoming Lee for a non-conference match Friday and then return to SAC play at home against Kalamazoo Christian Monday. DK took a 2-0 win over visiting Constantine in its last SAC contest last Wednesday, May 4. Avery Barker scored off an assist from Johannah Houtkooper for the Panthers and Houtkooper also had the last DK touch before the team’s first goal. She fired a ball in front of the Falcon net that a Constantine defender put back for an own goal. DK moved to 3-4 in conference play with that win over Constantine. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if the Township Boards determine to proceed with the special assessments, the Boards will each cause a special assessment roll to be prepared and another hearing will be held, after notice to record owners of property proposed to be specially assessed, to hear public comments concerning the proposed special assessments. Barry Township and Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days notice to each Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact each Township Clerk. UPPER CROOKED - LAKE Scale V * 1400' Barry County Land Information Service March 2015 Rod Goebel, Clerk Prairieville Township 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-2664 Deb Knight, Clerk Barry Township 11300 S. M-43 Hwy. Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-5171 �Page 12 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 —The Hastings Banner >LfcviAL <7#^ M W NIfVTT/TO £? HOI ICES MIKA MEYERS PLC 900 MONROE AVENUE, N.W. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 49503 (616) 632-8000 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Mika Meyers plc is attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the cir­ cuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge for a fee for this information. Attention homeowner: If you are a military ser­ vice member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mort­ gage made by Samantha Vandenbosch, of 19 Mar­ ket Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333, mortgagor, to United Bank of Michigan, a Michigan banking corporation, of 900 East Paris Ave SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, mortgagee, dated Novem­ ber 13, 2001, recorded in the Office of Register of Deeds for Barry County, on November 21, 2001, in Instrument No. 1070113. Because of said de­ fault, the mortgagee has declared the entire unpaid amount secured by said mortgage due and payable forthwith. As of the date of this notice, there is claimed to be due for principal, all interest accruing thereafter and expenses on said mortgage the sum of $46,370.66. No suit or proceeding in law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest, as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law, and all taxes and in­ surance premiums paid by the undersigned before sale, said mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the mortgaged premises at public sale to the highest bidder at the West door of the Barry County Court­ house, Hastings, Michigan 49058, on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. The premises covered by said mortgage are sit­ uated in the Village of Middleville, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as follows: Commencing at the West 1/4 Post of Section 26, Town 4 North, Range 10 West, Thence South 89 degrees 18’ 55” East, along the Last and West 1/4 line of said Section 26, a distance of 693.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 57’ 03” l ast, parallel, with the West line of said Section 26, a distance of 759 feet to the true point of beginning, said point of be­ ginning being on the East line of Market Street plat as recorded in the Office of the Ltegister of Deeds in Uber 5 of Plats, on Page 89; and running thence North 00 degrees 57’ 03” East, along said East line of Market Street plat, 242.52 feet irtenoe South 89 degrees 02’ 27” East 164.61 feet; thence South 01 degrees 02’ 07” West 241.73 feet; thence North 89 degrees 18’ 55” West, parallel with said East and West 1/4 line, 164.33 feet to the place of beginning. Together with and subject to an easement for ingress and egress to be used jointly with others over a strip of land 33 feet in width East and West, and lying 16.5 feet either side of a line described as: Beginning at the Southeast corner of the above de­ scribed parcel and running thence North 01 degrees 02’ 07” East along the East line of said parcel and the Northerly extension thereof, 483.46 feet to the South line of Market Street and the point of ending. The property is commonly known as 19 Market Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333. Notice is hereby given that the length of the re­ demption period will be one (1) year from the date of sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of sale. Notice is further given that if the property is sold at foreclosure sale, in accordance with MCL 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. Dated: May 3, 2022 United Bank of Michigan, a Michigan banking corporation By: Mika Meyers PLC Attorneys for Mortgagee By: Daniel R. Kubiak 900 Monroe Avenue, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 632-8000 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 19, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Plac­ ing the highest bid at the sale does not automatical­ ly entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Glenn E. Converse and Marsha L. Converse, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust 2020-GS4 Date of Mortgage: October 18, 2005 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 15,2005 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $86,212.08 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Beginning at a point on the North line of Section 15, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Distant South 89 Degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 1984.03 feet from the Northwest cor­ ner of said Section 15; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds East 330.69 feet along said North Section line; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 43 seconds West 659.56 feet; thence North 89 degrees 54 minutes 04 seconds West 330.39 feet to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said section 15; thence North 00 degrees 36 minutes 09 seconds East 659.56 feet along said West line to the point of beginning. To­ gether with and subject to a private easement for ingress, egress and public utilities purposes in com­ mon with others over the Easterly 33 feet thereof. Common street address (if any): 2400 E State Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8452 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purpos­ es as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the re­ demption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. PUBLICATION NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate STATE OF MICHIGAN, COUNTY OF BARRY In the Matter of the Joyce M. Domire Trust dated January 17, 2000, as amended January 6, 2021. Decedent’s date of birth: 03-11-1951. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Your interest in this matter may be barred or affected by the following: The decedent, Joyce M. Domire, lived in Barry County, Middleville, Michigan, and died January 17, 2021. Creditors of the deceased are notified that all decedent’s assets were held by the Trustee at decedent’s death, and the decedent has no probate estate. Creditors of the deceased are further notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to: Terri VanderKooi, Trustee and/or the attorney’s office representing Terri VanderKooi as Trustee within 4 months of the publication of this notice. This notice is published pursuant to MCL 700.7608. If a probate estate is opened in the future for the decedent, this notice is intended to satisfy the requirements of MCL 700.3801. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the person(s) entitled to it. Date: May 3,2022 Longstreet Elder Law & Estate Planning, PC Sara B. Morey P83985 607 North Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3495 Terri VanderKooi 1000 Arlington, Middleville, Ml 49333 180324 616-299-5307 Date of notice: April 28, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 179319 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 179226 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-9137-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Jack Edward Herbstreith. Date of birth: MC97. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jack Edward Herbstreith, died 07/14/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified Shat all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Thomas Andrew Herbstreith, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. James L. Corbett P59312 901 N. Washington Avenue Lansing, Ml 48906 517-481-3300 Thomas Andrew Herbstreith 5007 S. 42nd Street Climax, Ml 49034 517-599-9211 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029162-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058-1857 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Gary Lee Jones. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Gary Lee Jones, died March 20, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Christopher L. Jones, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058-1857 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: May 4, 2022 Law Office of Kathleen F. Cook Kathleen F. Cook P31842 121 S. Cochran Ave., Charlotte, Ml 48813 (517)543-7643 Christopher L. Jones 220 W. VanBuren Street, Bellevue, Ml 49021 (269)763-7166 180161 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 20-28672-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Shirley Stalcup. Date of birth: 06/27/1933. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Shirley Stalcup, died October 18, 2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Robert L. Byington, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 4/28/2022 Robert L. Byington 222 West Apple Street, RO. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 180159 269-945-9557 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029160-DE Court Address: 206 West Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Albert Daniel Genther. Date of birth: May 12, 1949. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Albert Daniel Genther, died April 04, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Amy L. Genther, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 5/04/2022 Paul L. Winter P44290 250 Washington Avenue Grand Haven, Michigan 49417 (616) 847-1000 Amy L. Genther 10868 Shaw Lake Road Middleville, Ml 49333 (269) 838-8759 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29133-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Kody L. Scobey. Date of birth: November 3, 1994 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kody L. Scobey, died January 15,2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kristine M. Jacobs, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: April 22, 2022 Tina S. Gray, P.C., Bradley L. Horton P80138 102 W. Middle Street, Williamston, Ml 48895 517.655.6380 Kristine M. Jacobs 704 N. Michigan Avenue, Hastings, Ml 49058 269.316.1123 180216 FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor wemoerai v 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® FinancialAdvisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 Retiring early? Know your health care choices Life doesn’t always go as planned. For example, you might think you’ll retire at 65 or later, when you’ll be eligible for Medicare. But if you retire before then, how will you pay for your health care? Without insurance, you risk incurring thousands of dollars of expenses if you are injured or become seriously ill. And if you must pay for these costs out of pocket, you might have to dip into your IRA, 401 (k) or other retirement accounts earlier than you had planned - which could result in a less desirable retirement lifestyle than you had envisioned. What, then, are your options? It depends on your situation, but here are four possibilities: • Employer retiree health benefits - If your former employer offers health coverage to retirees, it could well be your best choice, especially if the employer continues to pay a share of the premiums. However, fewer employers are offering continuing health coverage to former employees, and among those who do, they may use certain criteria - such as length of service and position within the company - to limit eligibility. • Spouse’s plan - If you’re married and your spouse still has employer-provided insurance, you may be able to get coverage under this plan or continue this coverage if you have it already. If the employer subsidizes premiums for spouses, this plan could be an affordable choice if not, though, it might be more expensive than other options. • COBRA - The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) allows you to maintain your existing coverage with the same benefits and provider network. However, COBRA is typically only available for a specific time - usually 18 months - after you leave your employer, and coverage can be expensive. Your previous employer subsidized a portion of the premium as a benefit, but once you’ve retired, you’ll likely have to pay the entire premium, plus an additional charge. • ACA Marketplace plan Through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace, you can find a variety of plans from which to choose, possibly including ones that include your existing network. If you qualify for subsidies, the premiums for your coverage may be similar to employer-sponsored coverage; if not, though, they can be more expensive. For information on ACA Marketplace plans, visit www.healthcare.gov. If you have options for Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. 1461781 (04-28)(05-19) 180389 180158 Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the high­ est bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Ed­ wards, a married man and Leah Edwards Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lend­ er and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Date of Mortgage: January 26, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 1, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $111,688.06 Description of the mortgaged premises: Sit­ uated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7, Prairieville Heights, according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 34, Barry County Re­ cords Common street address (if any): 8300 Delton Rd, Delton, Ml 49046-7716 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the proper­ ty during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 21, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 1461706 (04-21 )(05-12) Financial Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 09, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be great­ er on the day of the sale. Placing the highest .bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagors): Harry D. Kidder and Lorraine M. Kidder, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. ("MERS"), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: April 6, 2007 Recorded on April 12, 2007, in Document No. 1179110, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSO­ CIATION, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS SUCCESSOR TO LASALLE BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE, FOR MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFI­ CATES, SERIES 2007-3 Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-Four Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty-Seven and 41/100 Dollars ($84,867.41) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 16 of Ammon Eaton's Addition to the City of Hastings also the North 1/2 of Eaton Street vacated East of Dibble Street adjacent to the Lot 16 according to the recorded plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats Page 15 Barry County Records. Commonly known as 1229 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichev­ er is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to ac­ tive duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. U.S. Bank, National Associa­ tion, Successor Trustee to Bank of America, N.A. as successor to LaSalle Bank, N.A. as trustee, for Merrill Lynch First Franklin Mortgage Loan Trust, Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Se­ ries 2007-3 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farm­ ington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1463875 180472 (05-12)(06-02) health insurance, you’ll want to take into account differences in coverage and cost. Check whether your desired health care providers are in-network and try to determine if your current medications and the benefits you rely on are covered. You may also want to consider a plan that allows you to open a health savings account (HSA), which offers potential tax benefits. To contribute to an HSA, you must be covered by a high deductible health plan (HDHP), so there’s that cost to consider, but if you’re in generally good health and you don’t expect to depend heavily on your health insurance until you’re eligible for Medicare, you might want to consider an HDHP. One final note: Even when you do enroll in Medicare, you will still incur expenses for premiums, deductibles and co­ pays, so you’ll want to budget for these costs in your overall financial strategy. In the meantime, explore your health insurance options. The future is not ours to see so you’ll want to be prepared for anything. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judica­ ture act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mort­ gaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid1 at the sale dbesiiot automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance com­ pany, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Elizabeth Lonergan, an un­ married woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as-nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 23,2013 Recorded on August 27,2013, in Document No. 2013-010429, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Sixty-Four Thousand Six Hundred. Ninety-Seven and 75/100 Dollars ($64,697.75) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence North 1473.70 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds West, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Sec­ tion; thence North 171.72 feet parallel with the said East line; thence North 89 degrees 00 minutes East, 200.03 feet to the East line; thence South 174.81 feet along the said East line to place of beginning. Also commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence North 1409.78 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 30 minutes West, 200.01 feet; thence North 65.26 feet parallel with said East line; thence North 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds East, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Section; thence South 63.92 feet along the East line of said Section to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 718 Powell Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned un­ der MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: if you are a mili­ tary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1462409 (04-281(05-19) 179721 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 B usin ess Services PACILLO LAWNCARE Taking new clients in Hastings. Phone (269)838-6025. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experience. Dry wall, paint­ ing, tile, flooring, trim, home im­ provements, power washing. 269­ 320-3890. Pets BORDER COLLIE PUPPIES For sale. Very cute & playful. 1st shots and wormed. $300. 517-852-4881. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401(k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. EQUAL HOUS&IQ OPPORTUNITY �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 12, 2022 — Page 13 Feighan at his best in throws during Viking wins at Valley Brett Bremer Sports Editor It comes down to the last dual and the con­ ference meet. The perennial conference champions from Olivet will certainly be the favorite, but both Olivet and Lakewood’s varsity boys’ track and field teams will go into their conference dual Monday at Lakewood High School with 5-0 records in GLAC duals. The Lakewood boys improved to 5-0 in the conference with wins over outnumbered Lan­ sing Christian and Maple Valley Tuesday at Maple Valley High School. The Vikings best­ ed the Pilgrims 122-9 and the Lions 107-29. The Lakewood girls also picked up two wins in conference Tuesday, moving to 4-1. They outscored the Lansing Christian girls 96-17 and the Maple Valley girls 94-20. For being one of the first warm, sunny days of the season there weren’t a lot of personal records set on the track, but Lakewood senior Connor Feighan was able to push himself in the throws. He improved his personal record in the shot put to 41 feet 7.25 inches in win­ ning that event in the three-team standings and he pushed his discus personal record to 120­ 6.5 in a winning effort. “I am throwing good this year,” Feighan said. “ I got the spin down and I am trying to use more of my speed to get it across. Some of the guys are bigger, but coach and I have been working on getting through the circle quick to get it further. Just have to spin quick. When I Lakewood's Connor Feighan takes off with the baton after getting a hand-off from teammate Donald Wells for the final leg of the 4x400-meter relay Tuesday at Maple Valley High School. Feighan fin­ ished off a Lakewood win in the race, won the 400-meter dash, and set new personal records in winning the shot put and discus Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Viking boys win four events, take title at Portland Invite Brett Bremer Maple Valley sophomore Lilly Faurot pulls away from teammate Mackenzie Decker and the rest of the field to win the 100-meter dash during the GLAC meet featuring the Lions, Lakewood Vikings and Lansing Christian Pilgrims Tuesday at Maple Valley High School. Faurot won the 100, the 800-meter run and the high jump at the meet. (Photo by Brett Bremer) glide, I really try to explode. It is really more about explosiveness than sheer power.” The top three guys in the shot put all improved their PRs Tuesday. Lansing Chris­ tian sophomore Nathan Dery was second at 37-6 and Lakewood senior Denny Sauers third at 32-5.5. In the discus, Feighan’s soph­ omore teammate Benjamin Scobey was sec­ ond at 102-7 and Lion sophomore Nic Martin improved his PR to 92-3.5 in a third-place finish. Leslie has the only guys to beat Feighan in one of the throwing events so far this season in the conference and he remains undefeated on the season overall in the 400-meter dash after winning Tuesday’s race with a time of 52.91 seconds. Lion junior Ashton Ripley was a dis­ tant second in the 400-meter dash in 56.42. “I’m definitely better at the 400, but throwing is definitely easier on your body,” Feighan said. Feighan also anchored the 4x400-meter relay team to a win for the Vikings. He joined senior Tyson Raffler, senior Jacob Merryfield and freshman Donald Wells in winning that race in 3:49.09. Feighan ran the 3200 as a freshman, while also competing in the throws. He made the switch from the 3200 to the 400 as a junior last ‘spring.'*’"*...... ..................... '“ ‘‘ " “Coach [Jim] Hassett needed somebody to [run the 400] and I said I’m your guy. I tried it and did pretty good so we just stuck with it ever since. And I didn’t like the two-mile very much to begin with. It worked out in both our favors.” He set his PR in the first race of the season at 52.54, but hasn’t really been challenged much this season. The Vikings have only faced conference foes and competed in just two invi­ tational due to the weather this spring. Lakewood’s boys won every race on the track but one. Tuesday Maple Valley sopho­ more Evan Brandenburg took the 200-meter dash in 25.13. He just beat out Weller who was second in 25.81. Weller won the 100-meter dash in 12.25, besting Brandenburg’s time of 12.31 in that race. Lakewood had Levi Carter win the 800meter run in 2:36.74 and junior Ryan Alford take the 1600-meter run in 5:30.29 and the 3200-meter run in 12:04.63. Raffler won the two hurdles races for the Vikings finishing the 110-meter high hurdles in a season best 17.10 and the 300-meter inter­ mediate hurdles in 45.09 seconds. Raffler also won the pole vault by clearing 10-6. The 4x400-meter relay was the only one of the four relays in which the Vikings had com­ petition from either the Pilgrims or Lions. Merryfield won the high jump for the Vikings by clearing 5-6 with Sauers in second place at 5-2 which is a new PR for him. Weller set his PR in the long jump at 19-5.5 to win that event, once again going head to head with Brandenburg who was second at 18-5. Lakewood girls won very event in their meet except for the three that Maple Valley sophomore Lilly Faurot competed in. Faurot took the 100-meter dash in 14.76, the 800meter run in 2:45.78 and she won the high jump by clearing the bar at 4-6. Lakewood freshman Kara Fedewa matched Feighan’s two PRs in the throws. She won the shot put at 24-11.5 and the discus at 74-7.5 Lion sophomore Mackenzie Decker was sec­ ond in the discus with a new PR throw of 70-3.5. Lansing Christian sophomore Paige Meyer improved her PR in the shot put to 20-4.75 ion a runner-up effort in that event. Both Lakew6b’(Flo^j7hnpefs~set hew per" sonal records to place T-2. Hayley Merryfield won it by flying 15-.5 and sophomore Lilly Burgess was second at 12-9. Reagan Lab won the two distance races as the only competitor in either race. She won the 1600 in 6:21.40 and the 3200 in 14:51.22. Viking senior Hokulani Ka’alakea won the 100-meter hurdles in 18.88 and freshman teammate Kora Boucher took the 300-meter low hurdles in 1:01.52. Another Lakewood freshman, Taylor Russell, won the 200-meter dash in 31.96. Sophomore Kylie Walkington lowered her PR in the 400-meter dash to 1:21.17 to win that race’ for the Vikings. Lakewood also had junior Madison Bierens take the pole vault at 7-0. Lakewood swept the four relays with the only competition coming from Lansing Chris­ tian in the 4x400-meter relay. The Lakewood team of Bailey Fifelski, Boucher, Walkington and Mia Bouwens won that race in 5:16.03. Sports Editor Lakewood outscored the Portland boys by 17 points to take the championship at Saturday’s Portland Invitational. Depth was key for the Vikings, but also big days from seniors Tyson Raffler and Connor Feighan. Raffler won three individual events and helped the Lake­ wood 4x400-meter relay team to a run­ ner-up finish. Feighan was on that relay team too, after winning the 400-meter dash in 52.96 seconds, and he had a pair of top five finishes in the throws. The Lakewood boys finished off their victory with the team of Raffler, Feighan, Elijah Jablonski and Donald Wells plac­ ing second in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3 minutes 45.36 seconds. They trailed only the Calvin Christian team that finished in 3:37.32. The Lakewood boys closed the day with 139 points, ahead of Portland 122, Calvin Christian 113, West Michigan Aviation 97, Maple Valley 21, Calvary Christian 16 and Grand River Prep 5. Portland won the girls’ championship with 163 points, ahead of Portland St. Patrick 107, Lakewood 74, West Michi­ gan Aviation 60, Calvin Christian 44, Grand River Prep 38, Maple Valley 19 and Calvary Christian 1. Raffler led a sweep of the top three spots in the 110-meter high hurdles for the Lakewood boys, winning that race in 17.54. Jacob Merryfield was second in 17.58 and Shane Raffler third in 18.50. Later, Tyson won the 300-meter interme­ diate hurdles in 43.62 with Merryfield third in 46.02 and Shane fourth in 48.81. Tyson Raffler also won the pole vault by clearing 10 feet 6 inches. Feighan was the runner-up in the dis­ cus with a mark of 115-2 and set his personal record in the shot put at 40-9.5 to place fourth in that event. Portland won the two throws as junior Evan Bower scored a mark of 116-4.5 in the discus and junior Noah Simpson fired the shot 43-3.5. Portland had the three lon­ gest marks in the shot put ahead of Feighan. Lakewood sophomore Benja­ min Scobey also improved his personal record in the shot put with a mark of ~T4-'6.5 ffiat put film in”seventff place Merry field set his personal record in the high jump by clearing 6-0 to place second while teammate Elijah Jablonski was third at 5-8. Lakewood’s boys had three runner-up relay finishes. The team of Alexander Russell, Justin Warner, Benjamin Scobey and Ethan Weller placed second in the 4x100-meter relay in 48.11. Russell, Colt Endsley, Warner and Denny Sauers were second in the 4x200-meter relay in 1:40.88. Lakewood junior Ryan Alford ran a personal record time of 5:14.61 to place seventh in the 1600-meter run and also placed third in the 3200. Maple Valley had sophomore Evan Brandenburg place fourth in the 100meter dash in 12.41 seconds and fifth in the 200-meter dash in 25.09. Teammate Ashton Ripley was eighth in the 200 and he also set a new personal record of 55.50 in the 400-meter dash to place fourth. Teammates Jeremiah Penny and Robert Laws also both ran their fastest 400s yet. Lion senior Daniel Perez improved his personal record in the 800-meter run to 2:20.14 to place fifth. Maple Valley freshman Robert Schilz was fourth in the 3200-meter run in 12:51.88 and he improved his PR in the 1600 to 5:31.38 to place ninth in that race. Junior teammate Adam Blakely was fifth in the 3200 with a personal record time of 13:28.48. The Lions had a pair of personal records in the field. Sophomore James Penny set his PR in the shot put at 31-1.25 in an llth-place finish. Fellow sophomore Nic Martin was tenth in the discus with a personal record throw of 82-9.5. The Maple Valley girls’ team got a victory from sophomore Lily Faurot in the high jump by clearing the bar at 4-8 and her sophomore teammate Mackenzie Decker was fifth in the event with a sea­ son best leap of 4-4. Faurot also ran her fastest 800-meter run of the spring to place fourth in 2:48.86. Decker was fifth in two field events, also placing there in the discus with a mark of 59-11. The Lakewood girls got one victory too with the team of Hokulani Ka’alakea, Hayley Merryfield, Kylie Walkington and Taylor Russell winning the 4x100-meter relay in 56.29. The team of Hayley Merryfield, Bailey Fifelski, Walkington and Russell was second in the 4x200-meter relay in 2:04.18. Junior Madison Bierens had the top individual finish for Lakewood in an event by placing second in the pole vault by clearing 6-0. Junior Reagan Lab had a trio of third place finishes. She was third in the high jump at 4-4, third in the 1600-meter run in 6:16.87 and third in the 3200-meter run in 13:53.46. fta^fakea fiaS^a pair oFtfurcf place finishes. She was third in the 100-meter dash in 14.16 and in the 100-meter hur­ dles in 18.21. Lakewood freshman Kora Boucher was sixth in that 100 hurdles race in 21.15, which is a new PR for her, and she placed fifth in the 300-meter low hurdles in 1:00.10. Another Lakewood freshman, Taylor Russell, was fourth in the 100-meter dash in 14.49 and fourth in the 200 in 30.44. Viking freshman Kara Fedewa set her PR in the shot put at 23-5 to place fifth while also placing sixth in the discus. Lakewood junior Bailey Fifelski low­ ered her personal record in the 800-meter run to 2:51.35 in a fifth place finish. NOTICE TO BIDDERS Lakewood track teams score GLAC victories against Perry Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ and girls’ track and field teams both scored Greater Lansing Activities Conference wins over the Ramblers at Perry High School Thursday. The Lakewood boys won 87-38 and the girls took a 114-22 win. The Lakewood boys and girls set a number of personal records at the meet. The only one in the girls’ meet that came in a winning perfor­ mance was from junior Bailey Fifelski who won the 400-meter dash in 1 minute 15.14 seconds. Fifelski also won the 800-meter run in 3:03.87. Fifelski also teamed with Kylie Walkington, Lilly Burgess and Mia Bouwens to win the 4x400-meter relay in 5:32.58. Lakewood had four different girls win field events. Hokulani Ka’al­ akea won the long jump at 14 feet.5 inches; Madison Bierens won the pole vault by clearing 7-0; Reagan Lab won the high jump at 4-4; and Annabelle Stank took the discus with a throw of 102-6. The Lakewood girls won two relays. Hayley Merryfield, Burgess, Walkington and Taylor Russell won the 4x200-meter relay in 2:14.15. Neither team had a 4x800-meter relay team compete. Ka’alakea added a winning time of 18.18 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and a winning time of 13.67 in the 100-meter dash. Russell was the runner-up in the 100 and she won the 200-meter dash in 31.15. Tyson Raffler, Ethan Weller and Connor Feighan won three individ­ ual events each for the Viking boys. Feighan took the discus at 116-8, the shot put at 40-4 and he took the 400-meter dash in 58.60. Weller won the 100 in 12.51, the 200 in 25.68 and he also won the long jump at 17-6.5. Raffler won the pole vault by clearing 11-0 and he took the two hurdles races too. He won the 110-meter high hurdles in 17.24 and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 43.60. Junior distance runner Ryan Alford hit the track for the Vikings and won the 1600-meter run in 5:22.23 and the 3200-meter run in 11:46.68. Jacob Merryfield won the high jump by clearing 5-8. Lakewood won three of the guys’ relays. Jackson MacKenzie, Justin Warner, Ethan Goodemoot and Weller took the 4x100-meter relay in 49.88. Goodemoot, Colt Endsley, Warner and Denny Sauers won the 4x200-meter relay in 2:02.49. Raffler, Merryfield, Jablonski and Don­ ald Wells won the 4x400-meter relay in 4:06.26. Levi Carter won the 800-meter run for Lakewood in 2:48.45. The 4x800-meter relay was the lone race the Perry boys won. The Perry girls took the 4x100-meter relay. Jaidyn Sadler won the 300-meter hurdles for the Rambler girls in 58.40 after being the run­ ner-up to Ka’alakea in the 100 hurdles. She was also a part of that winning Rambler relay team. Senior Grace O’Neill won the distance races for the Ramblers taking the 1600-meter run in 6:02.73 and the 3200-meter run in 13:04.07. With O’Neill to chase, Lakewood junior Reagan Lab set a new person­ al record in both races while finishing second. She hit the finish line in 6:09.23 in the 1600 and 14:08.54 in the 3200. BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale six pickups: (5) 2021 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLE pickups (1) 2021 GMC 1 Ton Crew Cab SLE pickup w/plow. Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 AM, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 for the following items. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck number i.e #210010. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website www.barrycrc.org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is. 1 Looking to fill multiple positions including: Housekeeping, Dietary Servers, and Nurse Aides for the Elderly Flexible hours and “ competitive wages available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 or online at www.carvethvillage.com ,___ Qarveth Village of Middleville » Jj ?Yj A/* IA www.CarvethVillage.com “Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 1 1 1 (5) 2021 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLE Pickups 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors - Summit White #210010 - Green Title - Approximately 27,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 1 - Summit White- #210040 - Orange Title (MUNICIAPL Title - NOT SALVAGE) Approximately 12,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 - Summit Black #210100 - Green Title - Approximately 11,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 - Summit White #210120 - Green Title - Approximately 17,500 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 - Summit Black #210140 - Green Title - Approximately 18,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 (1) 2021 GMC Dually 3500 Crew Cab SLE Pickup Truck w/plow 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors, BOSS Plow, 8-10’ EXT 1-White Truck #210370 - Orange Title (MUNICIAPL Title - NOT SALVAGE) Approximately 14,500 Miles - Minimum Bid $60,000 NOTE: All mileages are approximate - trucks are being driven until they are sold. The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. 180325 �Page 14 — Thursday, May 12, 2022 —The Hastings Banner PRs lead to pair of Gold victories for TK girls Brett Bremer Sports Editor A couple of senior/freshman duos helped power the Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ track and field team to two more OK Gold Conference victories Thursday in Middleville. The TK ladies capped off a 5-2 season of conference duals by outscoring Kenowa Hills 91-46 and Grand Rapids Catholic Central 107-30. Senior Trysta Hilton and freshman Brooklyn Harmon placed first and third respectively in the 100-meter hurdles and the 300-meter low hurdles for the Trojan team, while both girls won a leaping event in the field. The other outstanding pair was senior Jessica Durkee and freshman Ava Crews in the distance running events. Hilton was a state medalist a year ago, plac­ ing fifth in the 300-meter hurdles at the MHSAA Division 2 Lower Peninsula Track and Field Finals. She set her personal record in the race at the finals finishing in 47.82 seconds. She bettered that mark in winning the race Thursday with a new personal record time of 47.66. She also lowered her personal record in the 100-meter hurdles to 16.56 seconds and set her personal record in the high jump by clear­ ing the bar at 5 feet 1 inch for the first time. Hilton matched her former personal record Thomapple Kellogg senior Trysta Hilton takes off win the baton for her leg of the 4x100-meter relay during the Trojans’ OK Gold double dual with Catholic Central and Kenowa Hills Thursday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) of 5-0 in the high jump and then finally improved her PR on the third attempt at 5-1. She nearly cleared 5-2 on the second of three attempts, but couldn’t quite reach the new height she has her sights set on. “It felt really good,” Hilton said of the high jump improvement. “I have been working to get past 5 foot because that is kind of where you have that mental breakdown. Five foot is kind of the extreme.” Previously, her attempts over 5-0 had been at 5-2. Being the only competitor left Thursday gave her the chance to move the bar up one inch instead of two. Harmon had her own hurdle in a jumping event to get over Thursday. She set her person­ al record in the long jump at 15-7 in the first outdoor meet of the season and hadn’t jumped beyond 15 feet again until flying 15-.25 to win the event Thursday. She said she lost her steps, and spent the past couple weeks trying to get them back. “I look down at my feet, then I take my first step, and then once I take my first step I look up in the distance and see anything but the board,” Harmon said. . She was happy to have coach Maggie Wilkinson staying late with her after practice time and again trying to get her steps down. As far as the hurdles, Wilkinson said the 300 hur­ dles is pretty much a race that is all about guts. The Trojans don’t practice the race all-out very often, if at all. Most of the time when it is time to work on hurdles, Hilton is the one offering instruction to the younger girls. Harmon was third in the 100-meter hurdles Thursday with a time of 17.57 seconds, about a half a second slower than her personal record time in the race. She dropped her PR in the 300 hurdles to 50.56 Thursday. “She is a beast,” Hilton said of Harmon. “She is only a freshman and she is crazy. She is super humble, but I have to remind her that she is a beast. She’s like, ‘I’ll follow you, I’ll fol­ low you.’ I am like you’re acting like there is this huge space, but there is really not.” Less than two weeks ago on a chilly after­ noon at Houseman Field, Hilton who has yet to be beaten in the 300 hurdles this season fin­ ished just six hundredths of a second ahead of Harmon. “I love Brooklyn. It is nice having someone on your team who you are friends with and you respect and you love, but also you positively push each other,” Hilton said. BRAPFORP WHITE WATER HEATERS 200 Lafayette St., Middleville Ml 49333 NOW HIRING: 2nd & 3rd Shift General Labor Come Tour Our Plant During Our On-Site Hiring Event! “I always try to keep up with her,” Harmon said of Hilton, “because I know that if I keep up with her I am definitely going to PR because she is ahead. I never knew Trysta before this season and now we’re pretty close and I wish she wasn’t leaving.” TK also had sophomore Joselyn Deboer set personal records in the hurdles races. She was fifth in the 100 hurdles in 18.59 and fourth in the 300 hurdles in 53.34. TK freshman Emma Dykhouse set her 300 hurdle PR at 57.01 in a sixth-place finish. “This team, in general, is one of the most helpful, the most giving one of the most caring what can I do for you and how can I help you teams, and that is how they are in the hurdles too,” Wilkinson said. Coach Wilkinson said the big focus for Hil­ ton is staying focused through the length of the 300 hurdles race. Hilton said she pushes herself as hard as she can for the first 200 meters and tries to survive the final 100. Wilkinson said the big thing leading to Harmon’s improve­ ments in the race is growing experience and confidence. “You have to know every race you’re just going to get better and better because you learn the race a little bit more, and you just have to attack the hurdles,” Wilkinson said. “No matter where you are you’re going to jump and you’re going to trust that you’re going to be fine get­ ting over it.” Wilkinson expecting a stiff challenge from Kenowa Hills on the evening pushed Durkee and Crews, a pair of cross country state quali­ fiers last fall, to the limit. Both girls were a part of the 4x800-meter relay team to open the meet, and then both ran in the 1600-meter run, the 800-meter run and the 3200-meter run. Catholic Central sophomore Emily Tomes won those three individual distance races, with Durkee and Crews placing second and third behind her. Durkee finished the 1600 in 5:52.33 and Crews in 5:52.23. In the 800, Durkee was second in 2:35.90 and Crews set her PR in the race with a time of 2:27.32. Crews was the runner-up in the 3200 with a new PR of 12:18.96 while Durkee finished just behind her in a season-best time of 12:55.35. Durkee and Crews teamed with sophomore Alize Raphael and Lydia Schilthroat were sec­ ond to the Kenowa Hills team in the 4x800-meter relay with a time of 11:17.61. TK junior Alana Compton, a state qualifier in the discus last spring, improved her personal record in that event to 116-1 in a victory. She also placed third in the shot put with a mark of 31- 1.5. Senior teammate Tristen Cross, who is also a goalkeeper on the TK varsity girls’ soc­ cer team, won the shot put with a mark of 32- 10.5. The Trojans were also thrilled to have soph­ omore TJ Myers win the pole vault by upping her PR to 8-0 Thursday. In an effort to prevent Kenowa Hills from sweeping the four relay races she moved her regular 4x200-meter relay team into the 4x100-meter relay and the team of Hilton, senior Anna Benedict, junior Lindsey Velting and senior Ainsley Oliver won that race in 52.54 seconds, less than half a second better than the Kenowa Hills foursome in the race. Wilkinson also mixed things up putting both Oliver and Velting in the 100-meter dash, hop­ ing for a 1-2 finish, and they accomplished their goal. Oliver won in 13.61 and Velting was second in 13.73. Velting later added a thirdplace personal record time of 28.20 in the 200meter dash. There were personal records set all over on one of the nicest afternoons of the spring sea­ son so far. TK sophomore Kenady Smith was the runner-up in the 400 with a personal record time of 1:04.74. In the boys’ meet, the Trojans scored a 78-59 win over Catholic Central, but fell 70-67 to Kenowa Hills. The TK boys had most of their scoring suc­ cess in the sprints. Sophomore Jaxan Sias dropped his personal record in the 400-meter TK junior Alana Compton fires off one of her final attempts in the shot put during her team's double dual with Catholic Central and Kenowa Hills Thursday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) dash to 52.32 to win that race. Senior Alex Harrington set his PR at 24.00 in winning the 200-meter dash with teammate Jonah Schil­ throat the runner-up in 24.08. Schilthroat, a senior, won the 100-meter dash in 11.96. Har­ rington set his PR with a third-place time of 12.11 in that 100. TK junior Tyler Bushman set his personal record in the 800 at 2:09.09 to place third. He was ahead of every Kenowa Hills runner in the race. The TK girls weren’t the only ones to have a good day in the hurdles. TK senior Jacob Pykosz was the runner-up to Kenowa Hills junior Andrew Bradley in both the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hur­ dles. Pykosz lowered his PR in the 300 hurdles with a time of 45.66 and his time of 18.41 in the 110s was his fastest of the spring. The TK boys took two relay wins. The Team of Sias, Schilthroat, Harrington and Gabe Lajoye won the 4x200-meter relay in 1:34.86 and the team of Sias, Matthew Smith, Lajoye and Bushman won the 4x400-meter relay in 3:40.76. Kenowa Hills won every field event in the head-to-head match-up with the TK boys. Tro­ jan senior Quintin Carr set his personal record in the discus at 114-4 which wa& good for sec­ ond behind Kenowa~Hills sophomore Ansh Verma’s personal record of 116-4. Sias cleared 5-8 in the high jump to place third. Smith placed third in the pole vault clearing 10-6 and senior Hayden Oly was the runner-up in the; long jump with a personal record leap of 19-5: Kenowa Hills sophomore Alex Andino set his own PR to win the boys’ long jump at 20-.5.< Catholic Central’s boys controlled the dis­ tance events with senior Brian Langlois win-* ning the 3200 in 10:30.10; freshman Jeb HiL lary wining the 1600 in 4:48.89 and senior Erickson Kunzler winning the 800 in 2:08.14. The Cougar teammate Tomes in the girls’ meet won the 800 in 2:32.87, the 1600 in 5:47.83 and the 3200 in 11:42.29. The TK boys close the OK Gold duals with a record of 3-4. The Trojans, Knights Cougars and the rest of the OK Gold Conference will gather at House­ man Field in Grand Rapids Friday, May 13, for the OK Gold Conference Championship. Tuesday, May 17, 2022 5 PM to 7 PM Interviews for interested candidates will be held during the event. Excellent Pay and benefits: Starting wage is $18.25 per hour; $0.75 raise every 6 months until you reach top rate. An excellent health plan for you & your eligible family members including Medical, Rx and Dental with ZERO dollars employee contribution. 200 Lafayette St., Middleville Ml 49333 RSVP by emailing your name to laustin(5>bradfordwhite.com to reserve your spot and receive additional information. Must be 18 years of age or older. Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Jaxan Sias gets the baton from senior teammate Matt Smith during the 4x400-meter relay in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-05-19.pdf 9e5341acbfffe3b4ab939da06a28c7bf PDF Text Text Township officials silent on tabulator seizure Where police and public support should intersect LHS goalie fifth of five seniors to score in win See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 1070490102590502174749058113421 *****<.*********«****CAR-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2022 9:4 / :00 AM MX Ik/ 1 11H VlO Thursday, May 19, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 20 PRICE $1.00 Casino breaks ground on $300M ‘entertainment destination’ Greg Chandler Staff Writer Gun Lake Casino is expected to break ground today on a $300 million expansion that will include construction of a new 15-story, 252-room hotel and a 32,000-square-foot glass “Aquadome.” An 11 a.m. ceremony was set for today at the casino in Wayland Township, operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, called the Gun Lake Tribe. It’s the fifth phase of development for the casino, spokesman Zach Harig said in a media advisory. The advisory bills the expansion as some­ thing “that will transform the property into the entertainment destination of the Midwest.” Architecture renderings of what the hotel and pool will look like will be on display at the ceremony. More information about the development and its estimated economic impact on the region is expected to be shared at the groundbreaking. The casino announced the expansion, which will add about 250,000 square feet to the entertainment complex, in April 2021. In addition to the hotel, the project includes construction of the Aquadome, a 32,000-square-foot glass-domed pool that will have hot tubs and private cabanas. Additional restaurants and a full-service spa also are part of the project. The new expansion will follow the recent $100 million, 72,000-square-foot addition of slot machines, gaming tables, dining areas and entertainment space at the casino. “We are proud of the continued growth of Gun Lake Casino which is directly connect­ ed to the outstanding effort of our team members,” Tribal Chairman Bob Peters said after last year’s announcement. “The Tribe remains steadfastly committed to reinvest in our collective future - for the benefit of tribal citizens, team members and the local community. “This will provide even more employ­ ment opportunities and enhance Gun Lake Casino’s position as a tourism driver for western Michigan.” The expansion begins as work on the $26 million interchange replacement project at US-131 and M-179 is nearing completion. The single-point urban interchange, which will allow opposing left-turn move­ ments, is expected to be finished this November. The Gun Lake Tribe contribut­ ed $22 million toward the cost of that project. This artwork shows what the 15-story hotel and other attractions under an “Aquadome” will look like when it's finished just west of the current casino. Wild chase, police standoff ' ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ends in guilty verdicts - . ? F*: • * Township, Thornapple Manor continue taxing spat f ’ Rebecca Pierce Editor Timothy Riddle wanted police to kill him because he couldn’t kill himself. Testimony during the three-day bench trial last week before Barry County Judge Michael Schipper described how the 48-year-old con­ victed felon, distraught after breaking up with his girlfriend, stole a couple of shotguns and ran from police. In a high-speed chase Aug. 4, 2021, at speeds exceeding 110 mph, Riddle raced north on M-43 from Hastings to Woodland where he barricaded himself in a gas station. Seven hours later, he surrendered to police. Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt charged Riddle with 24 criminal counts. He ended up with convictions on 20 counts and a convic­ tion on a lesser included offense in another count. In handing down the verdict Thursday, Schipper reviewed the incidents as they had transpired that day, describing Riddle dodg­ ing bullets as he ran into the gas station and behavior akin to the wild West - all it To view Barry County Judge Michael Schipper hands down the verdict at the conclusion of the Timothy Riddle trial: https://vimeo.eom/710523 821 required to complete the scene were horses and handguns. Remarkably, the judge pointed out, no one was hurt. Yet some innocent people were terrified and thought they were going to die, Schipper emphasized. During the trial, the county’s Chief Public Defender Kerri Selleck, argued that Riddle, who has been incarcerated since the age of 15, wanted to die rather than return to prison. Since August, he has been held in jail on a $500,000 bond and he’s now facing a charge that he attempted to escape from the jail last fall. He’s scheduled for trial on that charge in June. Riddle wept as he heard some of the testi­ mony last week and he was admonished for speaking to one of the witnesses, a gas station employee, when he said, “I’m sorry” to her as she left the courtroom. Nakfoor Pratt hammered that point in her closing arguments: Apologies won’t erase Riddle’s actions, she said. The incident left scars on people who just happened to be in the gas station that day. To address the anxiety some witnesses experienced just being in the same room with Riddle, the defendant’s table was switched with the prosecutor’s table to place him as far from the witnesses as possible in the courtroom. In a recording from that night that was entered into evidence, Riddle told police, Timothy Riddle was convicted after a three-day bench trial in Barry County court last Thursday. Here, he listens as one of the gas station employees told how she was afraid she would die that day. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I just want to die.” Police negotiators spent hours trying to convince him to surrender. Finally, they brought in an armored vehicle equipped with a ram to break down locked doors and began See WILD CHASE, page 2 Benjamin Simon Staff Writer The decision to tax - or not to tax Thornapple Manor’s new assisted living facility now rests with the state tax tribunal. After the Hastings Charter Township Board of Review declined tax-exempt sta­ tus to Thomapple Manor, the skilled nurs­ ing facility appealed the decision to the state tax tribunal. The skilled nursing facility has submit­ ted its defense and the township will respond within the next few weeks. They will then bring the argument in front of the tax tribunal. “Basically, at this point, decided to let nature take its course legally through the tax tribunal,” Hastings Charter Township Supervisor Jim Brown said at the town­ ship’s monthly meeting May 10. Thornapple Manor is currently on sched­ ule to complete its new facility, Harvest Pointe, by August, Administrator Don Haney said. The $14 million project will bring 50 units to the skilled nursing facility. Thornapple Manor is considered . a non-profit, government entity. But Brown said, since Harvest Pointe competes with private providers that are taxed, it should pay taxes as well. “I think it’s only fair,” he said. The disagreement over Harvest Pointe surfaced when the township put the incom­ ing facility on its tax roll in early 2022. Since then, a tug-of-war ensued between the two sides. After the county commissioners’ meet­ ing last week, various stakeholders held a meeting, including Hastings Charter Town­ ship Supervisor Jim Brown, Thomapple Manor Administrator Don Haney, Director of Fluman Resources and Haney’s succes­ sor Rebecca DeHaan and Barry County Administrator Michael Brown. At the meeting, Jim Brown discussed the possibility of a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, requesting that Thomap­ ple Manor provide the township with a voluntary sum of money. Haney said the Thomapple Manor will not provide a PILOT. He argued that pay­ ment or taxation would force Thomapple Manor to raise the rent charged its resi­ dents. “At the end of the day, if we were to pay property tax or pay a PLIOT, the impact of that is, we have to balance our books,” Haney said. “And so it’s going to cost the folks that we’re serving.” As Thornapple Manor builds its new facility, Brown questions who will pay for the miscellaneous costs that come with supporting the building. See TOWNSHIP, page 2 It's time to take off! Graduating Hastings High School seniors jump in front of Star Elementary School on May 13, the day they call “Decision Day.” That's the traditional day for seniors to return to their elementary schools holding signs with their names and post-secondary plans. For more D-Day coverage, turn to Page 3. (Photo provided by the Hastings Area School System) �Page 2 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt demonstrates how Timothy Riddle aimed the shotgun. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) WILD CHASE, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------to use it to gain access to the building. That is when Riddle gave up, Nakfoor Pratt said. Selleck stressed that Riddle had let people leave the building without harming them. And, when he discovered two employees were hiding in a locked room, he allowed them to leave, too. Riddle pointed the shotgun at Barry County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Ware because he wanted the officer to shoot him, she said. The count involving Ware was one of three not-guilty verdicts - and the most significant - since the prosecution was alleging assault with intent to murder, which would have been punishable by up to life in prison. “I can’t find beyond a reasonable doubt that he intended to kill Sgt. Ware,” the judge said in handing down the verdicts. “I can’t find that. I can’t find that beyond a reason­ able doubt. City plans public hearing Monday to decrease millage rate Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The City of Hastings will host a public hearing May 23 during the 7 p.m. city council meeting in city hall to request a lower millage rate for the city budget. Jane Saurman, city treasurer, said the public hearing is a formality required by law. Municipalities in Michigan are required to lower millage rates each year when the Vallie of property grows faster than the rate of inflation by the Truth in Taxation Act and the Headlee Amendment to the Michigan state constitution. The city approved its new budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year May 9 based on the millage rate from last year with the knowledge that this year’s millage rate would be slightly lower, Saurman said. The city did this because it had not received the 2022 millage reduction frac­ tion, which dictates how much the millage will decrease for a fiscal year, at the time the budget was passed by city council. Because of this, the city is holding the public hearing Monday to comply with state law. The millage reduction fraction provided by the Barry County Equalization Office for the 2022-23 fiscal year is 0.988, which is multiplied by the 2021 millage rate to find the 2022 millage rate. The 2021 oper­ ating millage rate for 2021 was set at 15.9661, and will be decreased to 15.7745. The cemetery millage rate for 2021 was set at 0.9968 and will be reduced to 0.9848. Saurman said the city’s budgeted reve­ nue will be affected by less than 1 percent because of the change. A decrease of around $40,000 in total revenue will be reflected in the local development finance authority, downtown development author­ ity and the city’s general bind, Suarman said, with the general fund revenue decreasing by about $25,000. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said the city is usually not required to hold a public hearing on the millage reduction because it normally is the same time as the public hearing for approving the city bud­ get if they already have the millage reduc­ tion fraction from the county. Although the required public notice in the May 12 Banner, indicated a “public hearing on increasing property taxes,” Moyer-Cale said the millage rate is decreasing. “Even though the notice has to say property taxes are increasing, because that’s the language required by law, the millage rate itself is actually decreasing,” Moyer-Cale said. Congratulations to the Grads of 2022 108” Wide Cotton • Good Selection of Cotton Prints "11* Pray For Our World ‘0‘ QUESTIONS: ASK US- 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 asausjss OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm SoS Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station Do You Have a Dull Utensil? The Rotary Club will make it + Kitchen Knives + Hunting Knives + Scissors + Lopping Shears + Pruning Shears SHARP for you! + Chain Saw Blades + Axes I Hatchets + Shovels I Hoes + Lawn Mower Blades (Sorry, No Circle Saws or Saw Blades) Bring them to the “Middleville Farmer’s Market” at the pavilion, 1 to 7 PM Friday, June 10, 2022 Items will be sharpened while you shop! (We work for donations) This is a ONE TIME event! Don’t miss it! Rotary of Middleville PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an' equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. “I think he wanted to die. I think he was afraid to kill himself.” A verdict of not guilty also was found on the related felony firearm charge, which was attached to the assault with intent to murder count. But the judge did find Riddle guilty of the lesser included offense of assault and bat­ tery, a misdemeanor, for pointing the shot­ gun at Ware. Schipper also found Riddle not guilty on one of the armed robbery charges stemming from his encounter with two employees at the gas station as well as not guilty on the attached felony firearm count. After the trial concluded, Nakfoor Pratt said she was disappointed that they didn’t get guilty verdicts on all the charges, but just one of these convictions requires a man­ datory minimum sentence of 25 years, and at least one other sentence on the conviction for home invasion can be consecutive to it. In addition, there’s still the jail escape charge pending against Riddle “and I’m not dismissing it,” she said. The key to this case was Riddle’s intent, Nakfoor Pratt and Selleck agreed in their opening statements. The prosecutor maintained that, during the melee, when Riddle pointed a loaded shotgun at officers, it clearly showed his intent to kill them. Hastings Police Officer Leonel Rangel testified that he was frightened during the chase when he saw what appeared to be the barrel of a shotgun sticking out of the driv­ er’s side window of Riddle’s vehicle. It was pointing at him, so he backed off, Rangel said. When Riddle pointed his shotgun at him at the gas station in Woodland, Ware testi­ fied, he believed that Riddle intended to kill him. But Selleck argued that the evidence was clear that Riddle “never intended to hurt any other human being. He has been consistent. That has never wavered. That has never changed.” She maintained that, during the hours in which Riddle fled from police, then barri­ caded himself in a service station in Wood­ land, “he never fired a weapon at any other human being.” Nakfoor Pratt charged Riddle with 24 criminal counts in three separate cases start­ ing when area police were advised to be on the lookout for Riddle, who was suspected of stealing two shotguns from a house in the 1000 block of North Coville Road. The crimes committed in that initial encounter with police in Hastings were the focus of one case in which, before his trial began, Riddle pleaded guilty to first-degree home invasion, two counts of larceny of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, four counts of committing a felony with a firearm and being a fourth-degree habitual offender. Officer Rangel said he recognized Riddle on that August day, when he stopped him and asked him to wait to talk to sheriff’s deputies. Just as two deputies pulled up, Riddle sped away. That encounter with Rangel was the focus of the second case. He was convicted of all four counts in this case: He was found guilty MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-899-870-7985 Barry County Judge Michael Schipper listens to testimony. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Chief Public Defender Kerri Selleck cross-examines a witness during the trial. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) during the trial of felonious assault and resisting/obstructing Officer Rangel. Before the trial, he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree fleeing and eluding, and being a fourth-de­ gree habitual offender. The third case, with 20 counts leveled against him, dealt with his arrival at the gas station and his encounters there with Sgt. Scott Ware and two female employees. The first count alleged assault with intent to murder Sgt. Ware, an accompanying charge of committing a felony with a firearm; counts 3 and 5 involved two armed robbery charges, each having an accompanying felo­ ny firearm count. Before the trial began, Riddle pleaded guilty to counts 7 through 14: Discharging a firearm in a building, being a felon in pos­ session of a firearm and a felon in posses­ sion of ammunition, malicious destruction of a building resulting in damages of between $1,000 to $20,000, and tampering with an electronic monitoring device, along with four charges of committing a felony with a firearm that accompanied each of these counts. He was found guilty of two counts of felonious assault and committing a felony with a firearm on each of those two counts. Riddle will be sentenced as a four-time habitual offender in this case, which calls for a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, according to Nakfoor Pratt. The other convictions, which may be served consecutively to the mandatory min­ imum sentence, carry the following sentenc­ ing guidelines: • The felony firearm convictions - 11 of them - require two-year terms that are to be served consecutively and preceding any term of imprisonment imposed for the accompanying felonies. • The armed robbery conviction is punish­ able by up to life in prison or any number of years. • Discharging a firearm in a building is punishable by up to 10 years and/or $10,000. • Convictions of being a felon in posses­ sion of a firearm and ammunition are each punishable by five years and/or $5,000. • The malicious destruction of a building is punishable by five years and/or $10,000 or three times the amount of destruction or injury - whichever is greater. • Felonious assault is punishable by four years and/or $2,000. • Tampering with an electronic device - a tether he was wearing because he was on probation at the time of the incident - is pun­ ishable by two years in prison and/or $4,000. • In the home invasion case, that convic­ tion is punishable by 20 years in prison and/ or $5,000. • Each larceny of firearms - the theft of the two shotguns - is punishable by five years in prison and/or $2,500. TOWNSHIP, continued from page 1 --------------------------------- -—. “We as a township, we’re going to have to supply emergency ser­ vices to them,” Jim Brown said. “We’re going to pave the roads going out there. We’re going to do everything like that. Who’s going to help pay for it?” Brown has argued that Harvest Pointe will compete with sur­ rounding assisted living facilities, such as Woodlawn Meadows and Carveth Village, Woodlawn Meadows pays $59,999.72 in taxes and Carveth Village pays $101,101.88, Brown said at the township’s April meeting. “If you want to compare apples to apples, here is Thomapple Manor opening up a facility that’s going to be in direct competition with those two, plus there’s almost 20 other smaller facilities in the county,” he said then. But Haney said competition is nothing new. “For-profit business­ es that have been competing with government entities for forever.” Haney has maintained that Thor­ napple Manor is a government building and, therefore, tax-ex­ empt. He expressed confidence that the state tax tribunal will side with the skilled nursing facility. The argument over Harvest Pointe has stretched out longer than Haney initially had anticipated. “The fact that I have to go to the tax tribunal does surprise me and, quite frankly, I find it very frus­ trating,” he said. “ I think it’s a waste of our dollars and the town­ ship dollars.” He called the township’s argu­ ment a “slippery slope.” “So, OK, does that mean that the county building downtown would need to pay property taxes?” Haney asked. “Does Hastings Township hall have to pay property taxes to itself? I mean, if you really want to start that slope of saying, ‘Well, gov­ ernment buildings are no longer exempt,’ where does it end?” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — Page 3 County favors lake level project for Mud and Pleasant lakes Rebecca Pierce Editor A lake level project for Pleasant and Mud lakes received the Barry County Board of Commissioners’ initial blessing Tuesday during its committee of the whole meeting. Once the board officially acts on his rec­ ommendation next week, Drain Commis­ sioner Jim Dull said he plans to petition the court and begin the process to establish a lake level. The district involves 123 residents around the two contiguous lakes in Barry Township. The establishment of a normal lake level would primarily be for the benefit of water­ front residential properties on Pleasant Lake, Dull said. But maintaining a normal lake level on Mud and Pleasant lakes is only feasible if downstream water levels on Upper and Lower Crooked lakes can be managed. A petition was submitted in March 2018 to the Barry County Drain Commissioner to extend Watson Drain to create an outlet for Upper Crooked Lake. That project is cur­ rently in progress. Once the flood conditions on Upper and Lower Crooked Lakes have been mitigated, it is feasible to establish and maintain a normal level on Pleasant and Mud lakes as the Watson Drain would provide a route for efficient surface water drainage, according to Dull. Pleasant and Mud lakes are part of a sin­ gle hydrologic system that includes multi­ ple large wetland complexes adjacent to both lakes. The approximately 750-acre system spans from Pleasant Lake Road and Floria Road west to Kingsbury Road and is bounded by Osborne Road and Orchard Road on the south and north ends, respectively. The United States Geological Survey includes the Pleasant Lake and Mud Lake system in the Kalamazoo River watershed. Mud Lake is nearly entirely undeveloped while Pleasant Lake is partially developed with residential waterfront lots on the north and west edges of the lake. Household Hazardous Waste, Tire Col­ lection is Saturday In other business, Barry County commis­ sioners got a crash course in recycling pro­ tocol from Rachel Frantz, the county’s recy­ cling coordinator, who offered an annual Rutland Charter Township passes anti-blight ordinance At Tuesday's meeting, Pleasant Lake resident Al Graves commended the Drain Commissioner Jim Dull for his work and then went on to praise all the county commis­ sioners for their efforts on behalf of their constituents during turbulent times. Then, to their surprise, he went around the table and personally thanked each one of them. Here, Graves thanks Commissioner Jon Smelker. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) report during the Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday. Her presentation was well timed, since the Barry County Spring Household Haz­ ardous Waste and Tire Collection is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Barry County Expo Center. Hundreds of tires will be disposed of properly, thanks to that collection event. And, or the first time, this year’s event will include electronics recycling. Many household electronics contain valuable materials such as copper, silver and gold, but they also may contain toxic chemicals such as cadmium, mercury and lead, accord­ ing to Frantz. “When buried in a landfill, these chemi­ cals can leach into the soil and groundwater and negatively impact the environment, wildlife and people. For that reason, elec­ tronics waste is not accepted in household recycling and should not be thrown away in household trash. Most items that are in working order can be donated locally, while remaining items that are either broken or not accepted for donations, can be recycled.” Most “e-waste” items will be accepted for free, she said. Exceptions are CRT and LCD monitors and TVs under 20 inches, which will be accepted for a $5 charge, while those over 20 inches will be accepted for a $10 charge. Items accepted free of charge will include: Computers, laptops and laptop batteries; circuit boards, hard drives and servers; USB drives, RAM, memory, computer chips, pro­ cessor power supply, power cords, cables and wires; printers, scanners, fax machines, keyboards, fax machines, mice and audio equipment; ink jet toner cartridges, desk/ office phones; AC adapters with wires; gaming systems; GPS units; iPads and tab­ lets; cell phones and cell phone batteries; small household appliances, such as toast­ ers, toaster ovens and hair dryers; holiday/ Christmas lights and tires - a maximum of 10 per vehicle. Decision Day honors Hastings High School seniors Benjamin Simon .StaffWriter As the school year comes to a close, Hast­ ings High School seniors are enjoying a final Celebration tour. On Friday, May 13, graduating seniors participated in “Decision Day,” a day dedi­ cated to their post-secondary plans. The event began in the performing arts center, where students and their future plans were announced. Friday’s event highlighted the wide array of upcoming plans for the Hastings High School students, featuring schools such as Alma College, Michigan State University, Aquinas College, Michigan Career and Tech­ nical Institute, Purdue University, Grand Rapids Community College, University of Pennsylvania, Wayne State University, Cedarville University and more. Forty-eight students also are planning to enter the world of work. Some will move across the country for college, including two students, Amy Fors­ berg and Grace Kurr, who will attend Western Colorado University. Others will stay close home, with eight planning to attend Grand Valley State University, including Elisabeth Arnold, Ty Burfield, Mason Denton, Katlyn Forte, Kali Grimes, Faith Johnson, Carter Rosenberger and Harrison Smalley. Some will take a more specialized path. Kiley Miles and Azaleigha Wemigwans plan to attend Paul Mitchell The School Grand . “Overreaching,” Ted Robbins said. Ron Holley said he has lived in the township for 75 years. He admitted that “our place doesn’t always look the best.” Despite their efforts, he said, they have materials on their property that are hard to clean. He worried that, if the ordinance passed, “they’re going to be out there dealing with this every week.” Pat Walton stood up in favor of the ordinance. A resident of Barry County for 83 years, she bought her current home 32 years ago as a single woman. She said she prioritizes keeping her property neat and tidy, but noted that she hasn’t seen the same from some of her neighbors. Some houses are “very much in disar­ ray,” she said. Linda Watson wondered if there might be some sort of “balancing” the board could do, noting that the ordinance abrupt­ ly ballooned from one paragraph to three pages. But Watson said she thinks the town­ ship needs an anti-blight ordinance. “I know where I live, I have to look at four nasty, rusty 5 5-gallon drums and all the debris,” Watson said. “... I don’t like looking at that. It shouldn’t be that way. Yes, we live in a free country. But we shouldn’t be doing anything that’s going to deter the value of your property or my property. If people had common sense but I don’t think there’s much of that anymore - we wouldn’t have this issue.” Residents spoke for about 20 minutes. When they finished, board members did not hold any discussion. After the ordi­ nance was approved, the crowd left, mur­ muring as they cleared out. Ten minutes later, the once-packed meeting hall was empty and the meeting drew to a close. Before it ended, Joel Ibbotson visited the stand in the final public comment seg­ ment. Over the course of the past few months, Ibbotson has attended multiple township meetings, offering feedback on the proposed ordinance. And, every time, the township has listened to him and made adjustments, he said. “I just want to reiterate, and everyone, unfortunately, left already,” he said, “but if there’s a problem with the ordinance, come here and tell it to the board.” In other news, the township board approved: • The ARPA-funded sewer study at Algonquin Lake. • Spending up to $5,000 for new Dell computers. The township would receive four new computers and three new moni­ tors. • The sale of a vacant property on Heath Road near Tanner Lake Road to Coughlin Home Improvement for $33,350. SPRAY FOAM Hastings senior BreAnn Micklatcher, who will attend Grand Rapids Community College, walks through the hallways of her old elementary school, Star, as students cheer her on. (Photo provided the Hastings Area School System) Rapids, a beauty school. Daniel Harp and Dillon Neal will join the U.S. Army. Following the recognition ceremony, seniors, dressed in caps and gowns, visited their respective elementary schools, where students cheered them on as they paraded down the halls carrying signs showcasing their next steps. Students finished the day by returning to the high school, where they enjoyed food from the Lazy Man BBQ food truck, Oily’s Donuts, and Ice Box Brand Gourmet Ice Cream Bars. Irving officials offer no update on tabulator seizure Greg Chandler Staff Writer Investigators continue to remain tight­ lipped about a probe by the Michigan Attor­ ney General’s office into a possible breach of election security measures that led to the recent seizure of a voting tabulator from Irving Township Hall. Now Irving Township officials say they will have no further comment about the probe, even as it draws media attention from beyond Barry County. At Tuesday night’s township board meet­ ing, Supervisor Jamie Knight read a statement that was emailed from township Attorney Jef­ frey Sluggett in regard to the investigation that led to the April 29 seizure of the tabulator. “We were in touch with the township attor­ ney’s office at the end of last week and were advised that while there have been minimal communications between their office and Barry County officials, they have not had any follow-up or recent communications with the Michigan Attorney General’s office or the Michigan State Police,” Knight said, reading the statement. “It is the township attorney’s recommendation that, until further notice, requests for information about the status of any investigations should be directed to those agencies.” No other board members con-mented about Benjamin Simon Staff Writer Amid a packed crowd, the Rutland Charter Township board May 11 passed an anti-blight ordinance that has been at the center of disagreement over the past few months. Board members approved the ordi­ nance, 5-1, with Trustee Brenda Bellmore dissenting. The ordinance will go into effect by the week of June 12. The township, which currently has a one-paragraph description of blight, start­ ed developing a new three-page ordi­ nance a year ago to create a clearer defi­ nition of blight. Board members said they also hope the policing ordinance docu­ ment will allow the township to follow through in court. “It’s not going to be any more of a hardship on our residents than the other one is,” Treasurer Sandy Greenfield said in an interview after the meeting. In the past six to eight months, she estimated, three properties have been ticketed. Board members said their goal is not to hunt for messy yards. They are “complaint-driven,” trustees said multiple times, so they will only issue citations if people file a formal, written complaint. Under the new ordinance, after receiv­ ing the complaint, the code enforcer will visit the property, speak with the residents and give them a deadline for cleaning up their property. After an initial visit and two tickets, the township will send the issue to a magis­ trate, and residents can plead their case. “We just want to try and clean up the messes,” Greenfield said. "... A cement block laying in your front yard will not get you a ticket.” The township sought to implement a similar ordinance nearly five years ago, but dropped it after residents flooded the township hall. They started the process again over the past year and received pushback similar to the last time. About 50 people attended Wednesday’s monthly meeting, with nearly every seat taken and some people standing against the wall. The majority of those who spoke shared their disapproval of the ordinance. They expressed concern over the number of items listed as blight in the ordinance - wondering if the township could spin the law to fine them for. minor offenses. They wondered who would serve on the next township board and how future members would interpret the ordinance. Their property is their property, they said, and they can do whatever they want on their property. “I thought this was a free country,” Jim Fields said. “This is too much,” Rod Ritsema said. the situation at the meeting. Investigators from the State Police post in Gaylord went to the home of Township Clerk Sharon Olson on the morning of April 29, wanting her to open the township hall so that the tabulator could be retrieved. Investigators presented a warrant that was signed by a judge in Gaylord, based on information pro­ vided by two agents from Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office. “They want to check to see if it had been compromised in any way,” Olson said in an April 30 Banner interview. The seizure of the Irving Township tabula­ tor, which was manufactured by Dominion Voting Systems, came as Barry County Sher­ iff Dar Leaf was conducting a voter fraud investigation stemming from the November 2020 general election. An investigator hired by Leaf, Mark Noteboom Jr., submitted Free­ dom of Information Act letters to 18 clerks in Barry County, asking for their voting records from that election. After the seizure of the tabulator in Irving Township, Leaf said the investigation by the state attorney general’s office had nothing to do with the voter fraud probe he has been conduct­ ing here for months. The coverage of these developments attracted the attention of the British-based news service Reuters, which sent a reporter who attended Tuesday’s township board meeting. In February, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson asked Nessel and the state police to investigate allegations that an unnamed third party had been allowed to access vote tabulator components and tech­ nology in Roscomman County in northern lower Michigan. Under Michigan Compiled Laws 168.932(b) of Michigan election law, passed in 1954, “a person not duly authorized by law shall not, during the ?rogress of any election or after the closing of the polls and before the final results of the qbction have been ascer­ tained, break open or violate the seals or locks of any ballot box or voting machine used or in use at thalelection. A person shall not willfully damage or destroy any ballot box or voting machne. A person shall not obtain undue possesion of that ballot box or voting machine.” i Lt. Derrick Canell, public information officer for the state]police Seventh District office in Gaylord, s4d earlier this month that the investigation has led to “some other areas” of the state, bit did not specify Barry County or any other counties. A spokeswoman from the attorney general’s office has twice decfined to comment on the case, citing that it ism ongoing investigation. Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J CITY OF HASTINGS 180783 REQUEST FOR BIDS Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus The City of Hastings is requesting sealed bids for the replacement of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. The Fire Department is located at 110 E. Mill St., Hastings, Ml 49058. Bid proposal forms and specifications are available at the address listed below. The City of Hastings reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any irregularities in the bid proposals, and to award the bid as deemed to be in the City's best interest, price and other factors considered. Sealed bids will be received at the Office of the City Clerk/Treasurer, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 9:00 AM on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at which time they will be opened and publicly read aloud. All bids must be clearly marked on the outside of the submittal package "Sealed Bid - Fire Department Self­ Contained Breathing Apparatus. Roger Caris Fire Chief �Page 4 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Did you rx inion see? Where police and public support should intersect Election inspectors go to school Barry County Clerk Pamela Palmer pro­ vides training for citizens who are interested in becoming election inspectors. Election inspectors are the people who assist voters at the polls on Election Day. Registered voters who are interested in learning more should contact Palmer's office. Here is one of the sessions that recently took place in the Tyden Center. Palmer, shown here taking questions from the class, is responsible fortraining elec­ tion inspectors - and that needs to happen long before an election even takes place. Do you remember? Outstanding group Banner May 18, 1961 Outstanding group - These are members of the Modern Homemakers Extension group of Hastings, which won first place for their goal sheet achievements at the annual Barry County Achievement Day program. The members include (front row, from left) Mrs. Jack [Hilda] Osgood, Mrs. Jerry Hogan, Mrs. B.H. [Mildred] Sullivan, Mrs. Gordon Carrothers, Mrs. George [Anne] Hamaty; (middle) Mrs. Jack [Katie] Wood, Mrs. James [June] Morgan, Mrs. Frank [Constance] McCloskey, Mrs. Harold [Gladys] Bolo; (back) Mrs. John [Mary] Leary, Mrs. John [Jeanne] Meisenbach, Mrs. Tony [Peg] Hein, Mrs. Lyle [Eileen] Gillespie, Mrs. Leslie [Mary] Cook and Mrs. Alfred [Bernice] Lowe. Mrs. James [Anna] Radford Jr., also a member, was not present when the photo was taken by Leo Barth. Have you met? George Holzworth came to Hastings in 2013 because the wastewater treatment plant needed some serious help to start run­ ning smoothly. “This place has changed, night and day, from what it was,” Holzworth said. “Now it’s a dream to operate, fully compliant, and life is good.” Holzworth, bom in Jackson and raised in Rapid River, is a contractor for Operations Services, and currently oversees operations at the Hastings wastewater plant. When he first began working at the facility, the plant was struggling to keep up with the city’s demands. Parts of the facility were aging and outdated, and he faced many staffing issues. Since then, Holzworth was able to over­ see new construction, renovations and updates to the facility that brought it up to speed. New pumps helped the treatment plant meet demand, renovations to older parts of the facility made it a much safer work environment, and an updated comput­ er system is in place now to alert staff of any issues, even if no workers are present at the facility. He’s no stranger to operating facilities that are under duress. As a contractor, he’s hired by municipalities seeking outside help for a variety of reasons. He has worked at about 30 other sites across the country and internationally. “I’m kind of a stress junkie,” he said. “I’m used to going into projects that have either bad staffing or operational issues and turning them around.” One project took him to Egypt, where he said the rain would usually evaporate before it hit the ground because of the heat. Anoth­ er project took him to Virginia Beach, Va., where he was tasked with pumping water from a reservoir through 76 miles of pipe to the city. rx George Holzworth As the situation has stabilized at the Hastings wastewater treatment plant, Holzworth said he’s able to look back on the project with a sense of pride. Normally when his job sites start running smoothly, it’s time for him to move on. Now, Holzworth isn’t so sure that’s the case. “In our industry, everyone’s retiring. I’m an old dog now,” he said. “I have to remind myself I’ve been doing this for 30 years. There’s no one coming to replace us.” Right now, Holzworth said, not enough workers are coming into the field. He encourages any young people interested in the field to come and tour his facility. Many fields of study and trade practices are utilized there every day, he said, with staff members studying everything from physics and biology to pipefitting and electrical work. Holzworth goes into projects knowing that, as a contractor, he’ll only be asked to stay until he’s no longer needed by the city. That being said, he likes living in a small community in Michigan. He might be get­ ting a bit attached to his projects, too. “I always told the city1 and my company, ‘This is my baby. You know you’re going to have to pry me out of here,’ ” he said. “This has been all absorbing for the last nine years. I’m very proud of what I’ve accom­ plished, and 1 think it will maintain if I’m here or not.” For his upgrades to Hastings’ infrastruc­ ture and his role in keeping drinking water clean, George Holzworth is this week’s Bright Light. People I most admire and why: My parents. Their lifetime of faith and service to others exemplify what we should all hope to achieve. Something that changed my life: Liv­ ing in Egypt. People here don’t know how good we have it. A big accomplishment for me: Helping to land this upgrade at the wastewater treat­ ment plant. Favorite saying: “Holzworth’s Law states that Murphy was an optimist.” The greatest president: Ronald Reagan. Greatest song ever written: Beetho­ ven’s “Symphony No. 9.? What I’d tell a high school graduate: Forget college - go into the trades! Hobbies: Reading, hunting, wood­ working. Best invention ever: The printing press. People in Barry County should be thank­ ing Judge Michael Schipper for service beyond the call of duty. In the past several months, the efforts of Schipper and his staff have been remarkable. Some of the criminal cases being tried in his court go beyond what one would typi­ cally expect of serious crime in this com­ munity. It is the stuff of nightmares. And, lately, defendants in these high-pro­ file criminal cases are opting not to have jury trials. So Judge Schipper has been the jury, the trier of fact, sparing those people who would have been empaneled on juries from having to hear and see some horrific evi­ dence. That was a blessing. Or was it? Some have said that a jury trial for Andrew Lafey, who videotaped a homicide as he committed it, would have made a powerful impression - perhaps a realiza­ tion of the depth of a deeper problem - and possibly sparked a sense of outrage in the community. Instead, the general view regarding this murder case seems rather complacent: Just leave it to law enforcement and the judge. They’ll take care of it. Once the defendant is found guilty and sent to prison for life, that makes every­ body feel like justice is served, right? But it’s not that simple. The victim in the Lafey case was a vic­ tim long before she was killed. If the place where she was murdered is where people go to indulge in hard-core drugs and indiscriminate sex, where teen­ age girls become addicted and then become prey, perhaps justice in this case requires further action. If the place where that murder occurred can clearly be shown as the site for ongo­ ing possession and consumption of con­ trolled substances, that property might be subject to seizure and forfeiture laws. Seizure of that property could make quite a statement about the community’s tolerance for such activities. It would cer­ tainly be a strong show of public support for law enforcement in the county. Why not go in there, raze the existing structure and create a place of beauty named for the victim who lost her young life amid pain and suffering while others sat by and did nothing? Will the community sit by and do noth­ ing as well? The police provide us with some solace amid these grievous incidents. Rebecca Pierce, Editor ( Know Your Legislators: Michigan Legislature Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, Mich. 48909. Phone (517) 373-3400; 517-335-7858 (Constituent Services). State Representative Julie Calley, Republican, 87th District (All of Barry County), Michigan House of Representatives, N-1191 House Office Building, Lansing, Ml 48933. Phone (517) 373-0842. e-mail: JulieCalley@house.mi.gov State Senator Dr. John Bizon, Republican, 19th District State Senate, Phone 517­ 373-2426 or toll-free, 855-347-8019. Email: SenJBizon@Senate.Michigan.gov; U.S. mail: Sen. Dr. John Bizon, P.O. Box 30036, Lansing Ml 48909. U.S. House of Representatives Peter Meyer, Republican, 3rd District (All of Barry County), 1508 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-2203, phone (202) 225-3831, fax (202) 225­ 5144. District office: 110 Michigan Street NW, Suite 460, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503, phone (616) 451-8383. U.S. Senate Debbie Stabenow, Democrat, 702 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, phone (202) 224-4822. Gary Peters, Democrat, 2 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510­ 2202, phone (248) 799-0850. District office: Gerald R. Ford Federal Building, Room 720, 110 Michigan Street NW, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503-2313, phone (616) 233­ 9150. President’s comment line: 1-202-456-1111. Capitol Information line for Congress and the Senate: 1-202-224-3121. The Hastings Banner Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, blastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. They don’t sit by while crimes are being committed. And their response here in recent cases certainly merits praise. Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt said she had no doubt that the actions of police in the apprehension of 45-year-old Allen McClure of Middleville saved the victim’s life. McClure was convicted of torture, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and assault with intent to do great bodily harm and recently sentenced to 50 to 75 years in prison. Meanwhile, the national media seems transfixed by the wrongdoings of a few that tends to demonize all. But the hard, cold truth is, when police are successful in their work, it’s rare that the public or the press even hear about the good ones. That’s because the satisfactory outcome of police work is public safety and preservation of the peace. It’s to be expected. Do people really notice what they expect to see? Besides, most police officers don’t go around bragging about their successes. Occasionally, though, there are a lot of witnesses - and word travels fast. The Timothy Riddle case was one of those. Last August, Riddle, 48, of Hastings, who was a suspect in a home invasion and the theft of two shotguns, disobeyed a police officer and took off heading north on M-43, traveling at speeds in excess of 110 mph. Then he barricaded himself in a gas station in Woodland. Anyone driving on M-43 at that time on that 12-mile stretch from Hastings to Woodland knew about that chase. Amaz­ ingly, no one got hurt. Judge Schipper marveled at it, saying a car traveling that fast would be “like a bul­ let,” and getting hit by a car traveling that fast would almost certainly result in death to all involved. The fact that the entire epi­ sode did not end in someone’s tragic death was miraculous. Schipper attributes that miracle to the police officers, who showed great restraint throughout the chase and standoff, , which ended in Riddle’s arrest seven hours later. It’s long past time to offer some praise for the judge on the bench and the cops on the street. They’ve done well under great duress. The question that remains is whether the community will see the need, then find a way, to root out those places that would harbor a killer like Lafey. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren Benjamin Simon POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — Page 5 Repeated 'no1 vote hurts school district To the editor: The next time “no” voters experience diffi­ culty in finding professional services from physicians and medical professionals, attor­ neys, teachers and educational staff and many other professional services in the Hastings community, take into consideration the effect of your vote in the recent school millage pro­ posal and other related elections. Continued negative voting (including those “yes” voters who neglect to exert the effort to even vote to support the proposal) erodes the potential to support the basic tenet of quality community values founded upon a sound educational base. The Hastings community has been blessed with the generosity of a few families provid­ ing needed resources for extraordinary facili­ ties, such as the performing arts center and many others. Basic voter support for the community school system millages must complement these efforts. Hastings is so fortunate to have dedicated teachers who spend their own financial resources to provide educational materials for their students in a community that will not support their millages. This will not last, and educators continually leave to move to pro­ Stolen gun found two days later gressive communities that support their school system’s needs. State of Michigan funding of school sys­ tems by voter-supported millages is ludicrous and an exemplary byproduct of a full-time overcompensated Michigan legislature that barely works part-time and should be totally overhauled or abolished. Imagine the United States Defense Department having to hold bake sales and millage campaigns to afford funding the purchase of a new bomber, battleship or other new armament. Continued negative support of the Hast­ ings school millage proposals will result in the lack of even basic community services and graduates who consider entertainment as setting fire to a police car, a historic building site and their highest educational achieve­ ment of release from jail for the weekend. The opposing result will be additional fund­ ing for larger jails and police staff. Hastings and all Michigan citizens must take responsibility for support of school millages to provide for quality community life for their children and all others rather than awaiting the next free handout for minimal existence. There will always be naysayers - that can be overcome by positive action to support quality education for our children and future of our community. Wade W. Nitz, Hastings Symbolism behind that little red flower To the editor: It occurred to me while researching infor­ mation about Poppy Days, May 20-21, that I did not really know that much about it. I came across this poem and wanted to share it: “In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row. That marks our place; and in the sky the larks still bravely singing, fly scarce hearing amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago, We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved, and now we lie here in Flanders Field. Take up our quarrel with the foe. To you, we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high. If you break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders Fields.” - Lt. Col. John McCrae December 8, 1915 For more than 100 years, the poppy has served as an international symbol of the sac­ rifices of lives in war with the hope and prayer that none have died in vain. American Legion Auxiliary membership of three-quarter-million men and women directly related to a veteran who served our country, both past and present members of our armed services proudly support them, their families, and current service members of our armed services. We sincerely hope that everyone who sees veterans handing out poppies will make a donation. Darlene Hopkins, Hastings American Legion Auxiliary Post 45 Chairman Poppy Committee Saxon CTE trades program celebrates another year of projects in the community The Hastings High School Career and Technical Education Trades program finished two large projects again this year. Each year, these offrsite..prajects give. 18 students hands-on job experience, starting from planning stages and ending with a pro­ fessional final product. Teachers Jason Hoe­ fler and Mike Schneiderhan lead students and solicit projects from sponsors. This year, the two projects included a shed at the McLean residence and a pole bam at the Birman home. The sponsors, or property owners requesting the projects, are responsible for providing the location and the cost of all materials for the build. The school provides educational support for the program and ensures the experience is as comparable to real life as possible for stu­ dents. Hoefler and Schneiderhan focus on assist­ ing students through planning, soft skills, HASS Headlines Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System safety and problem-solving as situations arise on the job site. This partnership between the school and the sponsor provides a win-win for our students and the community. These projects start at the beginning of the school year, and typically finish in mid-May. Some of the projects can be completed at the school and then transported to the site, where the students finish the floors, walls or other por­ tions of the project. Our CTE Trades program has some amaz­ ing students who are learning real-life, handson skills, which they will take with them for a lifetime, or possibly into a career path. We are very proud of them and are lucky to con­ tinue this program for future years. If you have an idea for a project, live with­ in eight miles of the high school, and would like to become a sponsor for future projects, email jason.hoefler@hasskl2.org. Police recovered a firearm May 9 that was stolen from Bob’s Gun and Tackle. Officers were responding to a domestic disturbance at a residence on the 1200 block of Boltwood Street involving a 34 year-old Hastings man and his mother when the man informed police he had stolen the gun from the store on May 7. The man told police he went to the store to buy a pistol to defend himself and his home “as the country would be going to war soon over food shortages.” Two associates at the store had placed several pistols on top of the display case to show the man, who tucked one of the guns into the back of his waistband when one associate walked away and the other was turned around. The man’s mother said he told her the same story after returning to the house Saturday and showing her the pistol. The woman did not decide to report the stolen gun until her son began to make threats toward her. Police confirmed that the weapon had been stolen and returned it to the store. Scrapped vehicle in hit-and-run A 40-year-old Bellevue man called police May 11 to report that he had bought a vehi­ cle for scrap that he believed may have been involved in a hit-and-run crash in Delton. The man said he bought a blue Dodge Durango with a red bumper from a woman who said she had hit a tree with the vehicle. The responding officer was familiar with the hitand-run in Delton and reported that the vehicle matched the description of the one in the incident. The officer informed the Barry Township Police Department, who impounded the vehicle and contacted the man for more information. Handgun falls out of backpack A 62-year-old Hickory Comers man called police May 12 to report that he lost his handgun. The man told police he placed the bolstered pistol in a backpack, which he then placed on top of a trailer his vehicle was towing. After driving south on M-43 for some time, the man realized that he had left the bag on the trailer and pulled over to check it. He found the bag hanging on the trailer with a hole in it from dragging across the road, and the handgun was missing. He went back the way he came and found the gun’s hol­ ster, but failed to find the pistol. Troopers arrest barricaded gunman at local campground Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 24-year-old Battle Creek man is facing felonious assault charges after he allegedly threatened campers at the Welcome Woods Campground in Carlton Township Monday. Trevor Dean Leiter has been charged with three counts of felonious assault in connec­ tion with the incident that occurred about 4 p.m. at the campground on Welcome Road, north of the city of Hastings, Lt. DuWayne Robinson of the Michigan State Police Fifth District office said. State Police had received a report of a domestic altercation involving the suspect and his girlfriend. Prior to troopers arriving, Leiter allegedly threatened to kill people at the campground and fired one shot from a handgun, Robinson said in a news release. The suspect’s girlfriend managed to walk away to a safe place, and the suspect retreated inside their recreational vehicle. When troop­ ers arrived, the suspect initially refused to exit the RV, and officers surrounded the vehi­ cle. Additional units from the Barry County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to assist, Robinson said. A short time later, Leiter complied with police negotiators and surrendered without fur­ ther incident. He was taken to the Barry County Jail, where is being held on a $10,000 bond. ‘ No one was injured in the incident, which remains open pending further investigation by State Police and court proceedings, Robin­ son said. Leiter is scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 10 a.m. on May 25 in District Court 56B. Lauren Nicole Moore, Goshen, KY and Vibhav Pratap Singh, Minneapolis, MN Todd Allen Bouwman, Middleville and Angela Lee Rohraff, Middleville Shelby Marie Byrne, Dowling and Luke Alan Froncheck, Dowling Jarod Michael Glawe, Frankfort, IL and Sarah Ann Buffa, Manhattan, IL Nicole Allyse Strouse, Hastings and Colten Slade Farnsley, Shelbyville, IN ' EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BARRY COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING The Commission on Aging (COA) for Barry County is looking for an Executive Director. The purpose of this position is to direct and supervise all employees, programs and services involved in meeting the needs of the senior population in Barry County. This includes oversight of administration, budgeting, programs and nutrition, foster collaborative partnership with other agencies in the state and county, marketing the COA through media presentations, publications and brochures to help promote the needs of seniors. For a complete job description, please visit the COA website (https://www.barrycounty.org.commission_on_aging_new/ indexpnp). Use the COA Employment Application and return completed application with your cover letter and resume by mail to: bariu Counlu Comionon Hqioq Executive Director Search Committee c/o Barry County COA 320 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 Looking to fill multiple positions including: Standing near one of the finished building trades projects this year are (foreground, front to back): Parker Roslund, Gage Richmond, Eddy Contreras, Reese Landes, Lucas Greenfield, Joey McLean; (back, from left) Collin Fouty, Robby Slaughter, Caleb Teunessen, Zane Warner, Jonny Schantz, Lanny Teunessen, Dan Harp, Drew Gleeson, Ethan Malik, Brendan Warner, Jackson Dubois and Zander Botimer Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-806-870-7085 Housekeeping, Dietary Servers, and Nurse Aides for the Elderly Flexible hours and competitive wages available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 or online at www.carvethvillage.com Oarveth Village of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com "Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 6 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner helped take care of Tammy further cementing a great relationship. By Christmas of that year, (1996) Bill proposed and Tammy said yes. They got married on June 21, 1997, on Frank and Peg’s 50th anniversary. The happy couple moved to Okemos, then Bath, had a wonderful son Thomas, and then finally to Middleville. Tammy became a great housewife and mother, taking pride in her baking abilities, and her motherhood. She started up a cake and cookie baking and dec­ orating business and shared her skills with many friends and family. As time moved on Tom showed talent in the theater and Bill and Tammy nurtured that and soon all became participants with the Thornapple Players. Tammy eventually became the chief costumer for the group and made many great friends while always mak­ ing sure the players looked their best on stage. She even got to costume Bill (Lurch) and Tommy (Pugsley) together in The Addams Family. She and her father had great times hunting through the years. She eventually got a bear hunting license a few years back. One of her proudest moments was when she got her bear, with an absolutely perfect shot. She also would use the venison meat in her famous mincemeat recipe that she could turn into awesome cookies or spectacular pies. Tammy continued supporting her husband and son in their artistic and scholarly endeav­ ors. The past couple years were spent more at home as many of us did. Further adventures were had when they could. Of course, the most important part of the year was Christmas. Tammy loved Christmas and looked forward to decorating the house, partici­ pating in Christmas shows, and sharing her baking with friends and neighbors. Creating Marzipan was an all-time favorite, a family tradition she learned from her mother as a child. Tammy was preceded in death by her mother and father, and her brother, Jeff (Car­ ole) Keller. She is survived by her husband, William; son, Thomas, and her sister, Vickie (Dan) Griggs and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at Beeler-Gores Funeral Home in Middleville, where her memorial service will be conducted on Fri­ day, May 20, 2022 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contributions may be made in memory of Tammy Johnson to the Thornap­ ple Players P.O Box 514, Hastings, MI 49058. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Tammy’s family. Tammy Lynn (Keller) Johnson was bom on August 12, 1967, in Manistique, MI, to Frank (Tom, Bud) and Phyllis (Peggy) (Irwin) Keller. She grew up in Gould City, MI, and attended Engadine Consolidated Schools, a member of the class of 1985 with an astounding class size of 26. Tammy was also a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of the Chippewa Indians. Tammy spent wonderful summers with her mom camping at the beach at Simmons Woods (the Steak Fry). They spent many an afternoon playing games, doing puzzles, crafts, and generally enjoying themselves. Tammy loved playing word games and was more comfortable doing it with the board showing the words upside down after years of playing with her mom. Frank was working but came on down to spend time with them when he was home. The years went by, and Tammy went out to California to make her way into the world after graduation. She survived the San Francisco earthquake of 1989, though the bottle of Mar­ garita Mix over the dryer did not. Tammy being Tammy, she set about taking the dryer apart and cleaning it out before putting it back together. After a few years and many great friend­ ships, she decided it was time Io move back to Michigan. She lived in Sault Ste. Marie for about two years and survived a truly epic snowfall and then moved down to Lansing. She joined the Jaycees and through that group met this guy from Ionia. Bill Johnson was his name, and they hit it off. He was from Ionia, but that was okay. They went out on a couple of dates and then she decided to defend the plate as catch­ er of the Jaycee Softball Team. The dude who tried to take her out, was called out, but her ankle was a victim. So Bill came on over and Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Wheel­ Bertrand. Randall chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for hastingsfreemethodist.com. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Website: gmail.com. Nursery Martha are available. www. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Lead Moser, Pastor. Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Family Wednesday, Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Kids Night information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church School Group; Youth 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery Ml 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Jefferson 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hw Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 WWPIW HotlineTods&Mjmait 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Candice Jean Dreger Roeder passed away peacefully on May 11, 2022, following a tragically short battle with ALS. She was the youngest of three daughters, bom to Nila Irene (Bluemly) Dreger and Richard Wayne Dreger on December 26, 1954, in East Grand Rapids, ML Candice fell in love with Jerry (Gerald) DeRuiter and they married in 1975. Follow­ ing Jeremy’s birth in 1979, she decided to stay at home and make being a mom her full­ time job. Jonathan followed in 1982. She loved her boys her whole life, though the marriage with Jerry lasted until 1987. In the wake of the divorce, Candice found herself, her strength (in part due to a success­ ful career at Olsten), and ultimately, the love of her life, Ron Roeder. They were married in 1990 in the house, on Wall Lake in Delton that Ron had bought, as it happened, on the opposite side of a cove where her sister Gretchen (GiGi or Kelly, depending on your acquaintance with her) lived with her hus­ band and son. After the move, what began as a hob­ by-taking classes in pottery at the Kalama­ zoo Institute of Art—became a career. Can­ dice’s love of learning led her to master multiple different specialized techniques, contributing to her success in building sales of Shallow Cove Pottery across multiple gal­ leries all over Michigan as well as becoming an instructor at the KTA. Ron, a salesman by trade, found it easy to pitch her work. Can­ dice gave up pottery in the wake of Ron’s death in 2012. Despite the grief of Ron’s passing, she relished in her self-sufficiency, tackling proj­ ect after project around the house, which led to volunteering for Habit for Humanity. Can­ dice also reinvested in different forms of art with special attention to photography and graphic design, both of which she lent through continued volunteerism to the Thornapple Art Council and the Kellogg Manor House. She is preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Gretchen (Keith) Carmen, and her hus­ band, Ron Roeder. She is survived by her sister, Diane (Greg­ ory) Penix and sons, Jeremy (Megan) DeRuit­ er and Jonathan (Melissa) DeRuiter. A celebration of Candice’s life will be held at Girrbach Funeral Home at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 with a visitation one hour prior. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to organizations to which Candice donated her time: the Kalamazoo Institute of Art (https://kiarts.org/join-give/give/annual-fund/), Kalamazoo Habitat for Humanity (https://give.habitatkalamazoo.org/checkout/14532), or the Kellogg Manor House (https://givingto.msu.edu/gift/index . cfm?SID=586). Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave online condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Betty J. Storm, age 88, of Dowling, MI, passed away on May 13, 2022. Betty was bom on June 3, 1933 in Barry County, the daughter of Hale and Anna (Hiher) Herbstreith. On November 22, 1952, Betty married William J. Storm and together they shared 68 wonderful years until his pass­ ing on September 15, 2021. Betty worked as a nurse at Pennock Hospi­ tal for over 20 years and also spent time at Barry County Hospice for five years. In her free time Betty enjoyed sewing, tending to her flower gardens, mushrooming, and was an accomplished painter and artist. She also liked to spend time traveling with her family up north in Dublin. Betty played the hammered dulcimer and was involved with the Thomapple Valley Dulcimer Society for many years. Faith was very important to Betty and she was an active member at Cedar Creek Bible Church. Betty will be remembered by her loving family, including her children, William (Marilyn) Storm, Valerie Staton, and Gary “Buzz” (Jennifer) Storm; nine grandchil­ dren, Josh, Ben, Amy, Luke, Jessica, Jacob, Sarah, David, and Emma; 15, great grand­ children; siblings, Harry Herbstreith, Gale Wallace, Richard (Nancy) Herbstreith, Dor­ othy (John) Service; sisters-in-law, Ruth Jones, Geraldine Storm, Phyllis Herbstreith; and several nieces and nephews. Betty was also preceded in death by'her parents; son-in-law, Fred Staton; siblings, Marie Henge, Leon Herbstreith, Robert Herb­ streith, Jack (Jean) Herbstreith. Betty’s family received friends on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at the Cedar Creek Bible Church where her funeral ser­ vice will be conducted on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 11 a.m. Burial will take place at Dowling Cemetery. Memorial contributions to Kindred Hos­ pice will be appreciated. Please visit www. williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memo­ ry or to leave a condolence message for Betty’s family. Helen Louise Brown, age 85, of Woodland, passed away peacefully surrounded by her children on May 15, 2022, and is now in heaven with her husband, whom she missed so much. Helen was born on September 24, 1936, in Lansing, the daughter of Howard and Geor­ gia (Wolfe) Davis. Helen was a 1955 gradu­ ate of Lake Odessa High School. On August 14, 1955, she married Gordon Brown, and they enjoyed 44 years together until his pass­ ing. Helen was a homemaker and liked to cro­ chet, knit, and sew. She attended Woodland United Methodist Church. Helen was preceded in death by her par­ ents, Howard and Georgia Davis; her hus­ band, Gordon Brown; brothers, Lavern, Arnold, and George Davis, and sister, Win­ ifred Jones. She is survived by her children, Debbie (Gary) Hieftje, Diane (Doug) Neeb, Denise (Carl) Timmer, and Darrell Brown; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and sisters-in-law, Rose Davis and Marian (Al) VanMeter. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Helen to Centrica Care Naviga­ tors Hospice https://centricacare.org/giving/, 7100 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, MI 49009 or the Barry, County Commission on Aging, https://www.barrycf.org/funds/barry-county-commission-on-aging-fund/, 320 W. Woodlawn Ave., Hastings, MI 49058. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058, with a visitation one hour prior at Noon, Rev. Kenneth Scheck II officiating. Interment at Woodland Memorial Park, luncheon to fol­ low at Grace Lutheran Church of Hastings. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Delton Kellogg school board recognizes student achievement Leila Wood Contributing Writer The Delton Kellogg Schools Board of Education recognized various students during its May 16 meeting. From the elementary school, third-grad­ ers Jaelynn Flawkins, Karma Branch and Riegann McIntyre and fourth-graders Susie Bever, Bella Brown, Skyler Thompson and Hayleigh Brunner won Battle of the Books, and Braxton Bellis, Maren Widerberg and Aubree Clark achieved 4,000-plus minutes in their reading challenge. STEM project awards were given to third-graders Kolten Boone, Daisy Hay­ wood and Trip Ross and fourth -graders Addisyn Boniface, Dooley Haywood and Brayden Reynolds. From the middle school, Maggie Martin received an award for excellence in fine arts, Jillian Brandi was recognized for being the first-place spelling bee winner for the middle school, and Nick Muday was recognized for his accomplishment as the first-place regional spelling bee winner. From the high school, Caden Ferris was recognized as a two-time state champion in wrestling, Halena Phillips received recog­ nition as the Battle Creek Chapter Winner of the Daughters of the American Revolu­ tion, Owen Harig received recognition for his accomplishments in Interact, student council, National Honor Society and as a leader in the school, and Caitlin McManus was recognized for her accomplishments in NHS and student council and as band drum major and a leader in the school. “Congratulations to all of the students and the parents and to the teachers who helped them and others who helped them along the way to attain all of these out­ standing accomplishments,” Interim Super­ intendent Carl Schoessel said. The board also recognized two staff members: Rhonda Lundquist was recog­ nized for her work as a nurse at the school, in honor of National Nurses Week, and Brian Gordon was recognized for his work keeping the elementary school grounds tidy. The students received certificates. Lund­ quist and Gordon also received mugs, and Lundquist received flowers. About 60 people attended the recogni­ tion ceremony. Another highlight of the meeting was a presentation from the Community School Garden team. Rhonda Lundquist, Brad Knobloch, Tess Knobloch and Allison Troyer Wiswell said the program is going well. According to Lundquist, more than 100 students are involved in their six-week “Grow it, Try it, Like it” program, which is being orchestrated with the help of MSU Extension. “The teachers, the students and the par­ ents are all very impressed with the pro­ gram,” Lundquist said, “and the kids are eating raw spinach ...” She said they have been starting a vari­ ety of seeds in the school, which will be planted outdoors in the near future. They requested permission to relocate a planned hoop house nearer to the high school. “We just think it would be much more accessible to kids ...” Tess Knobloch said, adding that they would like to develop an outdoor teaching space behind the high school. They also presented a survey they have created and for which they will seek approval. “We’d like to develop a committee of people that would be interested in partici­ pating, maybe have experience in garden­ ing or in horticulture - different things that they could bring to the table...” Wiswell said. “Additionally, I think goal-wise, long-term, is to think about sustainability, think about fundraising. How do you keep it going, and what grades we’re going to focus on based on the skill sets that exist?” They would like to have up to 10 people on the committee, she said. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — Page 7 ’ ■ | fl loofc DaGk at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner [turning BflGK THE [PAGES Starting in 1948, Marshall Cook wrote a series of historic articles in the Banner. In November of that year, Cook (1858-1955) told his own story of how he became editor in 1880 - 68 years earlier - and what was news in that time. He had purchased the local newspaper in 1880, fresh out of Albion College. He was single, as was his business partner, and though Cook’s father, David, had worked in the news­ paper office, Marshall said he and his partner knew little about the business. In a later review of the Banner of 1880, copies of which were rare anyway, he men­ tions the names of some of his relatives. After a few years of being single and co-owning the newspaper, Cook married Rosella Belle (Wheeler) Youngs in May 1884. She was a young widower, her first husband Charles L. Youngs having died of “quick con­ sumption” in 1879 at age 24. “Belle,” as she was known, was the daugh­ ter of Woodland-area pioneers Amanda Haight and Milo T. Wheeler. Along with a son who died young, the Wheelers had three daughters. Frances, the eldest, married Clement Smith, a lawyer at the time; Belle married Marshall Cook; and the youngest, Estella Antoinette, who went by “Stella,” married A.D. Kniskem, then a military cadet. The husbands of the Wheeler girls became well known: Clement Smith was a judge for the Michigan Fifth Circuit, which included Barry, Calhoun and Eaton counties; Cook was an esteemed newspaper editor for more than 60 years; and Kniskem became a two-star general in the U.S. Army. (Smith even had been offered a Supreme Court appointment for the Territory of New Mexico by President William McKinley, but turned it down.) So, the Wheeler family gatherings must have been interesting. Cook, who was bom in Prairieville Town­ ship and moved to Hastings as a young boy, never lost interest in the local community. His recollections of much earlier days, which he began writing on a regular basis when he was about 90, substantiate that interest. For the Nov. 4, 1948, Banner, he wrote: My associate in the Banner [George E. Bowers] and myself had never had any news­ paper experience. In 1882, Mr. Bowers had a better business opportunity in North Dakota offered him, so I purchased his interest, and carried on the business alone for a time. A little later, Albert D. Kniskem, my broth­ er-in-law, became a partner, but soon after sold his interest to my brother, William. Mr. Kni­ skem was a graduate of West Point and Old Banner editor tells his story returned to the Army. He became a major general. In World War I, he earned a great reputation for himself as a purchasing agent for the government, with headquarters in Chi­ cago. At one time, he had 6,000 men under him, storing and shipping hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of army rations and supplies. My brother and I were together in the Ban­ ner for half a century. We did not always see things alike, but in that 50 years, we never had a quarrel, never a hard word. We found it pos­ sible to talk things over and decided what to do without ill feelings. The years swept swiftly by, and we found happiness in working together. Here, Cook writes in third person, telling about his history column, with most of the dates at the end of the entry: This series of articles has so far been based on the files of the Hastings Banner for its first issue in May 1856 to Jan. 1, 1880. The files from the beginning, up to 1866 when George M. Dewey bought the Banner, were kept by John M. Nevins, the first regular editor, also an owner. Mr. Dewey kept the files from the date of his purchase to July 15, 1880, when he sold the Banner to M.L. Cook and his Albion Col­ lege friend, George E. Bowers. only ones in existence for any part of the cal­ endar year 1880. My brother, W.R. Cook, became an equal partner with me in the Banner in 1887 and that joint ownership continued for 50 years until he disposed of his share to his son Richard M. Cook. A few years after that, I sold my half interest to my nephew [the same Richard “Dick” Cook], who has since been sole owner. He is making this paper one of the outstanding country weeklies of Michigan and of this county. For more than 60 years, I was the sole owner or half owner of the Banner. Since I sold to Richard, I have been contributing spe­ cial articles mostly concerned with the earlier days of the city and county. The present series of articles I based on the files of the Banner. I do not always use the exact words of those old Banners. I mention such items as will give some idea of what folks did and said, the social and economic life of the people, and what they were interested in. With the above explanation in mind, let us now turn to the available copies of the Banner for the year 1880, and see what we will find: High Bank Creek went on a spree Sunday, reported the Banner of Jan. 7, 1880. The fresh­ In his carriage shop on North Jefferson Street, J.L. Reed made use of a treadmill operated by a horse to furnish power for a few small machines in his shop. The May 1880 Banner reported that the horse “has earned a vacation for the rest of its days. [Reed] will see that the faithful animal has an easy time from now on.” (City of Hastings, Michigan, 1871-1971) Fire destroyed the first Barry County Courthouse less than five years after its con­ struction. This wooden structure, the county’s second courthouse, was erected on the same courthouse square in 1849. But by 1880, concern over potential fire was strong enough that local businessmen petitioned the board of supervisors to build a brick courthouse. The board made no movement toward a brick building - but did vote 15-3 to prohibit smoking in the room while board meetings were in session. The current brick courthouse was completed in 1893. et broke over and emptied two dams, destroy­ ing some highway bridges in Castleton Town­ ship, also damaging the roads. At Morgan, water swept away part of the railroad bridge over that stream, delaying trains for several hours. A surprise party was given to the Rev. and Mrs. Levi Master at the Methodist parsonage New Year’s night to help them celebrate their china wedding [20th anniversary. Levi Master and Maria Fried were’married Jan. 1, 1861, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada]. In well-chosen words, Clement Smith presented them a beau­ tiful set of French china, also many other appropriate gifts and a sum of money. The large crowd present had a very delightful time. Mr. and Mrs. Master were not only surprised, but also much pleased with the friendship evi­ denced by this visit. At the session of the board of supervisors, a petition signed by A. J. Bowne, D.R. Cook and many others, called attention to the serious need of a new courthouse to protect the coun­ ty’s priceless records from destruction by fire. Nothing was done about it. Jan. 14, 1880, The paper recorded the fact that the supervi­ sors, by a vote of 15-3, passed a resolution prohibiting smoking in the room while they were in session. The same issue announced the dedication of the Methodist Protestant Church at Barryville the next Sunday. This sage advice we find in the Banner local of Jan. 21,1880. It said: “It’s better to buy your rye by the loaf than by the pint.” The Michigan Central Railroad received at Hastings during the year 1879 for freight $44,607, and for passenger tickets $10,691, or total earnings from Hastings of $55,298. Jan. 28, 1880. “For the past few days, we have had every­ thing that goes with winter, except snow.” Feb. 4, 1880. That same paper noted that “Andrew Bell, purveyor of liquid damnation at his hell-hole on the north side of State Street, was convicted in Justice M.H. Wing’s court of selling liquor on a Sunday. He was ordered to spend 10 days in jail, also pay a fine of $25. If the fine is not paid within 10 days, 60 days will be added to his jail sentence.” using Zoom technology. Officer John Pierce presided. The speaker was from the Grand Rap­ ids Genealogy Society talking about some of the less-used publications that are available, such as annual reports of governmental departments and groups whose topics pertain to genealogy. This meeting had been publicized only on Facebook, so many members were likely unaware of this event happening. Lilacs are at their best. Forsythia has had its day. Beauty surrounds at this time of year. Flow­ ering quince bushes are at their peak. Fruit trees are very showy. Now I wonder why I did not replace fruit trees that had to be removed in order to get an important drain many years ago. Did anyone see the lunar eclipse Monday night? Afternoon and evening of Monday were very cloudy with no sunlight visible. Did the clouds move away or did they prevent viewers in Michigan from seeing any of the rare phenome­ non of a “blood moon” which would result from a lunar eclipse? Tri-River museum group met Tuesday in Belding. Future meetings will be at Cedar Springs in June, Rockford, Outreach Christian Church north of Lake Odessa near the freeway, and at Lowell on the showboat. Gradually events scheduled by the Ionia Commission on Aging are coming back. Con­ gregate meals have resumed in most places, although one is still using the pick-up method. A tai chai exercise class is returning with a first session at the Lake Odessa Community Library this past Tuesday. The Jordan Lake Trail is soon to have some repairs on the trail with replacement of the equiv­ alent of travia on the trail. So it will need time to harden before it is to be used by walkers and bikers. The trail allows students in some sports to have a safe place to run, walk or jog away from traffic. Birds’ nests are placed along the trail so people using the trail can get a close look at some nature events, such as hatchlirgs and first flights. Fortunately, Mr. Nevins kept his files in his home here, and Mr. Dewey took his with him to Owosso, when he located there. Cook and Bowers also kept files of the Banner, as did M.L. Cook when he became sole owner in 1882. But these files were kept in the Banner office. The building containing that office and all of its contents were destroyed by fire one night early in the winter of 1883-84, so no Banner files exist for the latter half of 1880 and all of 1881, 1882 and 1883. The children of Mr. Nevins, also of Mr. Dewey, gave to Cook Bros, the old files cover­ ing the time from May 1, 1856, to July 17, 1880. So, copies of the Banner preserved by Mr. Dewey for the first few weeks of 1880 are the The Hastings Reform Club, by unanimous vote, commended Justice Wing for his good work in upholding the state laws regulating the liquor traffic. “The ice men are gathering a fine crop of that product for next summer’s use.” Feb. 11, 1880. “Official reports form Lansing say Barry County now has 8,057 persons of school age - 5 to 20 years. That number will be used in computing the amount of primary school money to be given by the state to this county for next year.” “Lots of wood brought to Hastings this days.” Feb. 11, 1880. The students of the high school have been holding series of socials and have accumulated a snug sum. They voted to use some of it to carpet the platform in the high school room, and to place a nice motto on the wall above the platform. [M.L. Cook was in the first class and one ofjust five students - to graduate from Hastings High School in 1877. After declining to just three graduates in 1879, it was up to six seniors in the winter of 1880. Kniskem was one of 11 graduates in the class of 1882, and Cook’s brother, William, was a 1883 Hastings graduate.] “The pay car visited Hastings today and made all the railroad employees here very happy.” Feb. 18, 1880. The same issue reported, “James Burchett, a well-known Prairieville farmer, recently butchered a sow and her litter of 10 pigs, bom last April. When dressed, the sow weighed 616 pounds, and the 10 pigs dressed, averaged 305 pounds each, a total of 3,666 pounds. That is probably a record for this county this year.” “James Johnson was convicted of sec­ ond-degree murder in circuit court for slaying Marshall Gibbs of Middleville. He was given 15 years at Jackson by Judge Hooker.” Feb. 28, 1880. “Datus Jones of Rutland was a member of a party of coon hunters Wednesday night of last week. They chased a coon into a big tree, which they decided to cut down. In doing so, a large dead limb fell from the tree, striking Mr. Jones on the head and causing his death the following day.” “The hardware firm of Greble and Russell of this city has been dissolved. Mr. Greble is retiring because of failing health. William F. Powers has purchased Mr. Greble’s interest. The new firm will be Russell and Powers.” March 10, 1880. [A widower, John Greble’s health apparently improved. He married a sec­ ond time in February 1888, but eventually died of heart failure in 1891.] ... The city marshal’s report for the year ending April 1, 1880, revealed he had made 25 arrests during the year. Of those,' ISAv^fe'for drunkenness. A new post office has been established in the western part of Johnstown. It is to be called Banfield. Harvey Bellinger is the postmaster. May 12, 1880. In his carriage shop here, J.L. Reed makes use of a treadmill operated by a horse to fur­ nish the power he needs to drive the few small machines he uses in his shop. His faithful horse had been used to operate that treadmill for 2,147,000 million complete circuits of apparatus, and has earned a vacation for the rest of its days. He will see that the faithful animal has an easy time from now on. Sells Brothers [circus] appeared here Satur­ day. But that was not a valid reason or a suffi­ cient excuse for so many intoxicated persons as were allowed on our street that day. Why do we have a marshal? The same paper estimated the show drew 5,000 to 6,000 outsiders to Hastings. May 26, 1880. “R.L. Underhill delighted to do things for the children. He brought a good rope and fixed a nice swing in the park, near the school house. It was used and enjoyed by the youngsters. On a recent night, some miscreant cut that rope into small pieces, so that it could never be repaired. We wish the guilty person could be tied to a tree and horsewhipped. That would be a fitting punishment for such a crime... June 2, 1880. The same paper mentions the 60th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bunnell of Barry Township at their home the previous week. Mr. and Mrs. Bunnell came to this coun­ ty from New York State and settled on their farm in 1846. They have 10 children now liv­ ing and widely scattered over this country. In his 90th year, Marshall Cook began writing columns on the early days of Barry County and the Banner, which was established a little more than two years before he was born. His recollections and research continue to be a source for local history. Eight of them were able to attend this gather­ ing. “They and their children are fine folks. ...” [John J. Bunnell Jr. and Sally Sawyer even surpassed the 65-anniversary mark. Both were 20 when they were married in 1819. He died in 1885 and she in 1894, at about 95.] June 9, 1880: A team of horses belonging to Moses Shultz of Hope [Township] made a spectacular runaway here the other day. They were attached to a buggy and hitched near the depot in the second ward [east of Green Street where it joins State Street]. They became frightened, broke loose and started on a dead run down the railroad track toward the busi­ ness district. They kept to the railroad track until they were stopped were the present site of the Bookcase Co. plant is [now occupied by Wendy’s, Commercial Bank and other busi­ nesses near Market Street north of West State Street.] At that time, there was no stone culvert under the tracks where they cross Fall Creek [near the present pedestrian bridge and Thor­ napple Plaza]. Instead, there was an ordinary railroad bridge above the stream, with the usual timbers and wooden ties for the steel rails. That team crossed the bridge without either horse pushing its feet between the ties and breaking its legs. They made it without harm to themselves. It seems incredible, but it actually happened. That bridge was short, of course, but you would not believe a runaway team could cross it without killing or badly injuring both horses. Strawberries are so plentiful, they are a drag on the market. Some are plowing up their strawberry beds and will quit raising them. In Benton Harbor, it is said, growers will no lon­ ger pick the crop. Those who want berries pay the grower 1 cent per quart and do the picking themselves. June 18, 1880. H.D. Merrill of Johnstown recently plowed up an Indian arrow of pure copper. It is about six inches long and three inches wide at the base. June 30, 1880. The heavy soil of Woodland farms is so water-soaked from our excessive rains that reapers cannot be used. Wheat will have to be cut with the old-fashioned grain cradles. The complete government census of Barry County shows the population in 1880 was 25,320. The city’s population then was 2,540. The July 17, 1880, paper contains the vale­ dictory of George M. Dewey. He had owned and edited the Banner for 14 years. Now he announced he has sold the publication and business to two young men, George E. Bowers and Marshall L. Cook, and he expresses good wishes for the new owners, the Banner, and the city. Mr. Dewey moved to Owosso, where he published a weekly paper, which was contin­ ued by his sons. There, to his son George was bom a son, Thomas. Thomas Dewey gained world fame for his prosecution of New York grafters and gangsters. He was the Republican candidate for U.S. president in 1944 and 1948. The news from 1880 ended with that issue, the July 17, 1880, copy of the Banner being the last one salvaged that year. Sources: Hastings Banner, findagrave. com, familysearch.org, History of Barry County by Hon. WW Potter, 1912. Poppy sales help local veterans Elaine Garlock The weather last week with temperatures above 80 degrees some days was a real taste of summer, a bit early. Some were caught with only winter weather wear in closets and nothing sum­ mery. This also assured everyone they were no longer in danger of frost for plants set out early. One day a deer was seen dashing across the cemetery toward the north end with its older evergreen trees which are likeb about 125 years old. Was it looking for cool shade or was it there to eat some newly planted flowers in an um? The Ionia County Genealogical Society met Saturday at the museum for 'he first time in many months except there ha - e been meetings For 102 years, residents of Hastings have purchased “Remembrance Poppies” in mid-May to wear at Memorial Day cer­ emonies. American Legion veterans and Auxiliary members have stood shifts in front of Hastings businesses offering the bright red artificial Papaver rhoes, along with a warm smile. Those iconic poppies will be available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 20 and 21 out­ side of Family Fare and Walmart in Hast­ ings Though a long tradition here and in other communities across the nation, the symbol­ ic poppy is linked to a Belgian battlefield and a Canadian physician, soldier and poet. Lt. Col. John McCrae wrote the short som­ ber poem “In Flanders Fields” in 1915 after watching as red poppies swayed in the early May breeze amid stationary white crosses dotting the former battlefield near Flanders, Belgium, during World War I. The poem, published later that year, drew immediate popularity, according to Wikipedia.com, and soon, portions of the poem were even used to recruit new troops. Although the verses may not be as well known today, the red paper flower is still a familiar symbol. The poppies often have been put togeth­ er by rehabilitating veterans in VA hospi­ tals. Locally, volunteers have stepped up to help the effort. Funds generated from the Poppy Days Drive are used to provide assistance to active-duty military and their families, to rehabilitating veterans and to local veter­ ans in need and their families. In many years, $4,000 to $5,000 is generated by American Legion Post 45 in Hastings, and the bulk of that expended to assist local veterans. Representatives of Post 45 and associat­ ed organizations - the Sons of the Ameri­ can Legion, the Auxiliary as well as the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 139 - will stand two-hour watches at those stores, offering Remembrance Poppies this weekend. Citizens purchasing poppies are encour­ aged to wear them to Memorial Day cere­ monies, wherever they may be. �Page 8 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Varsity Singers and Sonos choir members are happy to be invited to perform for the state festival at Alma College. (Photo by Bob Gaskill) HHS Varsity Singers, Sonos receive top ratings at state festival Every year, several of the Hastings Choirs attend the Michigan School Vocal Music Association District Choral festivals hosted around the district. High ratings at the district level is required to advance to the state level Hastings hosted a district festival site at the Hastings Performing Arts Center Feb. 24. Sonos, the advanced treble ensemble, and the Varsity Singers, the advanced mixed ensemble, each performed two songs each at district, received a clinic on their performance, and were adjudicated for their sight reading. The Varsity Singers and Sonos both received high ratings, and were given the option of attending MSVMA State Festival. Members of Sonos and Varsity Singers both elected to attend, despite busy schedules at the beginning of May with sports, concerts and Advanced Placement testing, Hastings Vocal Music Director Andrew Moore said. The adjudication at the state level is more rigorous, he said. Although there is no sight reading, qualifying choirs are required to bring three musical selections, and at least one selection must be unaccompanied (no piano or other pitched instrument). Pianist Mark Ramsey has been the choirs’ accompa­ nist. The two Hastings vocal groups traveled to Alma College May 10 to sing at the state festi­ val. Unfortunately, Moore said, Ramsey was unable to attend due to illness, so Robert Edwards of Grand Rapids stepped in with 24 hours’ notice to accompany Sonos. The Varsity Singers did not require an accompanist because all of its repertoire was unaccompanied. Sonos performed “Buttermilk Hill” by James C. Myers, “Barter” by Rene Clausen, and “Jesu Rex Admirabilis” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina at 3 p.m. At 4 p.m., the'Varsity Singers sang “Alma Redemptoris Mater" also by Giovanni Pierlu­ igi da Palestrina, “Sing Me to Heaven” by Daniel Gawthrop, and “Daemon Irrepit Callidus" by Gyorgy Orban. After their allotted 15-minute performance slots, each choir received feedback from a clinician. The ensembles were given insight on taking their music and their musicianship to the next level and were highly receptive to the feedback. The judges, apparently, were receptive to the Hastings choral performances. “State festival ratings are based on scores out of 30, and choirs must average 24 out of 30 in order to receive a first division,” Moore said. “Varsity and Sonos averaged over 27 out of 30 from each judge, and summarily received a first division - excellent for their performances. ‘Neither choir has been able to attend state festival in years for a variety of reasons, including scheduling complications and COVID, so it is highly rewarding for these choirs to return to this prestigious event and achieve at a high level.” . The Treble Chorale also attended district and received a high second division rating, and the eighth-grade choir from Hastings Middle School attended the Middle School Choral Festival and received a first division rating. Bands to perform at Plaza Palooza fundraiser Tuesday Event replaces Concert in the Hayfield The Hastings High School band will be performing alongside community mem­ bers in the Thornapple Jazz Orchestra at Thornapple Plaza in downtown Hastings as part of the Plaza Palooza event from 5 to 7 p.m. May 24. Jen Ewers, co-band director for Hast­ ings Area Schools, said Plaza Palooza is replacing the “Concert in the Hayfield” event taking place in years past due to logistical issues. The Thornapple Jazz Orchestra will start playing at 5 p.m., with the Hastings High School Band playing at 6 p.m. The latter group will include current eighth­ grade student musicians A silent auction fundraiser for the school band will be taking place during the event, as well. “It’s a big fundraiser for us,” Ewers said. “It’s a chance for our younger players to play with our high schoolers, and it rais­ es funds.” Rehearsal for the event will be taking place May 23, 7 p.m. in the Hastings Fligh School band room. Community members interested in performing at the event may email Ewers at jennifer. e wers@hassk 12. org. “It’s a really cool event. It’s just a wide variety of people playing in a really big group. I mean we’re going to have over 200 people playing on the stage. We’re not sure how that’s going to fit yet.” NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale six pickups: (5) 2021 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLE pickups (1) 2021 GMC 1 Ton Crew Cab SLE pickup w/plow. Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 AM, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 for the following items. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck Hastings High School students, teachers and advisory committee members stand in front of the completed pole barn project, along with sponsors John Birman (front, left) and Karleen Birman (front, right). number i.e #210010. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website www.barrycrc.org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is. (5) 2021 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLE Pickups 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Hastings CTE class reveals completed barn build Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors 1 - Summit White #210010 - Green Title - Approximately 27,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 1 - Summit White- #210040 - Orange Title (MUNICIAPL Title - NOT SALVAGE) Approximately 12,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 1 - Summit Black #210100 - Green Title - Approximately 11,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 1 - Summit White #210120 - Green Title - Approximately 17,500 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 1 - Summit Black #210140 - Green Title - Approximately 18,000 Miles - Minimum Bid $50,000 (1) 2021 GMC Dually 3500 Crew Cab SLE Pickup Truck w/plow 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors, BOSS Plow, 8-10’ EXT 1-White Truck #210370 - Orange Title (MUNICIAPL Title - NOT SALVAGE) Approximately 14,500 Miles - Minimum Bid $60,000 NOTE: All mileages are approximate - trucks are being driven until they are sold. The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. 180325 Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings High School career and technical education students revealed the results of their barn building project May 18. Nineteen students involved in construction programs at the school built a pole barn for Hastings residents John and Karleen Birman, who sponsored this year’s program and pro­ vided the space for the barn to be built. “The kids have been great,” Karleen said. “They’ve been super respectful and very accommodating. It’s been a super cool expe­ rience to be able to turn your property into a classroom for the kids so they can learn.” Jason Hoefler, Hastings construction trades teacher, said students built the barn from the ground up, gathering supplies and building materials themselves from Barry County Lumber. They also worked on other projects throughout the year, including a shed and several projects through the Michigan Indus­ trial Technology Education Society. Hoefler expressed his thanks for the sup­ port from school administrators as well as sponsors, present and past, who have provid­ ed students with a place to learn. “I’d like to thank our administration for being supportive of the program and being at events like this to show the kids they know they’re doing good work,” Hoefler said. “And I’d like to thank the sponsors, again, if they don’t stick their neck out and say, ‘Yeah, I want kids to build a barn for me,’ then we don’t have a place to do this.” The class is assisted by an advisory com­ mittee made up of local professionals who help guide the program by offering sugges­ tions for what skills they would like to see in the workforce. Committee members include Cheyanne Roush from Barry County Lumber; Nick Larabee from Leaping Lizards Land­ scaping; Chris Morgan from Morgan Electric; Devin Dilno From Thomapple Concrete; Cole Hansbarger from 517 Heating Co.; Ben Fer­ rell from Advantage Plumbing; Andy Foy from JMJ, Inc.; Rob Pohl from Pohl Resto­ ration; Ken Lambeth from Kenny Lee Build­ ers; and Zane Belson from Hickey Electric. “They help us keep abreast of what’s going on out there in the industry and what they need and employees,” Hoefler said of the local professionals. “They are our consultants for the program.” Ed Domke, CTE director for the district, said the barn-building experience is one of a kind and can help students learn in a way that more traditional classes cannot. “We always have great students in our career tech education programs,” Domke said. “Some of them may struggle in some other class areas, but in career and technical educa­ tion, these students really shine. Sometimes it’s the first time in their life where they’ve found a ‘home,’ and it’s where they can be a produc­ tive citizen in a well-paying job.” Brendon Morrow, a Hastings senior, said building the bam was a great experience that taught him a lot about teamwork and con­ struction. “It was a really cool learning experience because it teaches you the basic basics of building any kind of structure,” Morrow said. “It’s just really neat to learn how to do all that stuff on your own.” �SPORTS STFL ITIOINf Thursday, May 19, 2022 Goalkeeper last of five Viking seniors to score ankle out, coaching other people even though they’re not on my team.” Hicks was solid in goal though for the onslaught she faced. Minard had a shot deflect wide, one float just past the upper right comer, she had a PK which Hicks scooped up (one of two PKs the Lakewood ladies failed to convert on in the second half), a shot fly just wide of the far left post, a couple more roll into the arms of Hicks, etc. With 6:28 to play, Lake wood sophomore defender Cadence Poll carried the ball through the center of the attacking third, looking and looking to feed Minard. Fler first attempt was denied by the defense and even­ tually she had to just rip a shot into the lower right side of the net from the top of the 18 herself to put her team up 7-0. Finally, with about 40 seconds to play Minard took a pass from Upright on the right side of the Potterville box, took a touch for­ ward and fired a shot that glanced over Hicks’ right shoulder and into the goal to end the game. “It was a lucky goal, I am not going to lie,” Minard said. “She got a hand on it, but it went through.” It is Minard’s third goal of the season. She also spent some time as a field player in ball­ games with Portland and Stockbridge scoring both of her other goals this season in the win over the Stockbridge girls. “She is one of those girls where I love her in goal, but I also love her in the field because Lakewood senior Ellie Minard (right), Potterville goalkeeper Faith Hicks (center) and Potterville defender Shayla Rose (left) she is very effective, especially on defense,” chase after the ball as it gets between them and the Potterville goal during the second half of their match at Unity Field Tuesday. Barbour said. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Minard was a field player much of the sea­ Rebekah Storm got her goal in the 26^* son as a freshman on the Lakewood varsity playing defense and serving as the back-up minute, snagging a clearing attempt by the goalkeeper, and has been pulled out of goal Potterville defense that found her right in the from time to time over the past three varsity middle of the field at the top of Potterville’s seasons - either for fun like on Tuesday or to ' penalty box. She fifM rt^:into the open net to try and help spark the attack when a goal was up the Lake wood team’s lead to 2-0. Lakewood junior Elaina 'Haring put the really needed. “What I thought was cool was the team pressure on the Potterville defense that led to work, everyone working together to get me a Storm’s goal. She had already scored the goal, but also all the other seniors. Each of Vikings’ first goal in the 22n<^ minute of play. our five seniors got a goal. That was pretty Haring assisted on Hawkins’ goal in the fun on senior night,” Minard said. opening moments of the second half, in the 42nd minute, and then Upright scored two goals to put Lakewood up 5-0. Lakewood scored three times in the first six and a half minutes of the second half. Those were Upright’s eighth and ninth goals of the season. That left Wemette and Minard as the only seniors, who were honored at halftime with their parents, yet to score. Wernette’s goal was her first of the season. “To get a win and to get all five seniors to score and we had seven different girls score today. That shows the depth of the team,” Barbour said, “and the depth of the girls that we have on the field. We’re pulling our goal­ ie, we’re pulling our center back and they’re able to score. They were able to participate in Lakewood sophomore Cadence Poll (23) deflects a corner kick towards the the play and look like a normal field player Potterville goal in front of teammate Elaina Haring (10, left) and Potterville defenders out there.” Carla Gonzalez (10, right) and Paige Monroe (12). (Photo by Brett Bremer) Minard said her team is certainly ready for the upcoming Division 3 state tournament. time around. The winner of that match will was a game in which the Pilgrims led just 1-0 The Vikings face Olivet in an opening round face Otsego in the MHSAA Division 3 Dis­ at the half. match next Wednesday, May 25, at Lake­ trict Semifinals at Otsego High School May Lakewood has one more district tune-up, wood High School. The two teams tied in 31 with that winner moving on to the district against Lakeview Monday at Lakewood High Lakewood junior Sadie Brearley fires a shot at the Potterville net as Potterville's their Greater Lansing Activities Conference final hosted by Delton Kellogg. School. Emily Cates (1) chases after her during the first half of their non-conference match at match earlier this season, but the Vikings are Lakewood closed out its GLAC season The win over Potterville moves the Lake­ Lakewood High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) looking forward to being at full strength this with a 4-0 loss to Lansing Christian Friday. It wood record to 4-9-3 on the season. Brett Bremer Sports Editor It took most of the final 30 minutes of the senior night match on Unity Field Tuesday, but Lakewood goalkeeper Ellie Minard final­ ly became the last of the five Lakewood seniors to score in an 8-0 win over visiting Potterville. The Lakewood offense was funneled to Minard, pulled from the goal up to forward for most of the second half, once her fellow seniors Rebekah Storm, Lauren Upright, Haydin Hawkins and Marissa Wemette had scored goals. Minard assisted on Wernette’s goal with 22:10 to play in the second half, centering a pass to the top of the Potterville box that got by Wernette. Wemette secured the ball, turned and ripped a shot with her right foot that found the net behind Potterville goalkeeper Faith Hicks. The Lakewood sideline had already gotten on Minard for passing up shots to feed team­ mates, and moved her to the middle of the attack where she peppered Hicks and the space just wide and high of the Potterville net with shots for more than 20 minutes. A Pot­ terville red card with 20:15 to play only increased the offensive output for the Lake­ wood girls - now playing 11 -v-10. “She is a 100 percent a team player. The team always comes first,” Lakewood head coach Kate Barbour said of Minard. “She is probably one of the most selfless players that I have coached. I would she is in my top five of most selfless players I have coached. She is always, after practice, working with the underclassmen or girls who have never played before. She is the one sending out texts.” Minard was happy trying to set up team­ mates, not to push through the crowd of defenders in the box and to even give the Potterville-goalkeepera few pointers to help her better clear the ball out of her box. “I was just trying to help her with her kicks, because they weren’t going so well,” Minard said of her advice to her adversary in the net. “As an experienced goalkeeper myself and the kicker for the football team, I figured I’d give her a little advice, locking her DK girls hosting D3 district tourney beginning next week Delton Kellogg's Maelea Martin (12) works to get the ball away from Fennville's Valeria Ramirez during their SAC Valley contest on the turf in Delton May 11. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Panthers were set to close out the Southwestern Ath­ letic Conference varsity girls’ soccer season at Saugatuck last night, May 18. The DK girls sported a 4-8-2 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the SAC heading into the match at Saugatuck. Kalamazoo Christian ran its SAC record to 9-0 with an 8-0 win over the Delton Kellogg girls in Delton Monday afternoon. Goals have been tough to come by recently for the DK girls. Wyoming Lee scored a 2-0 win over the visiting DK girls last Friday in a non-conference match. Fennville took a a 4-0 win over the DK girls last Wednesday, May 11, in a SAC match in Delton. The Panthers were within 1-0 at the half of the Fennville girls, but the Blackhawks struck for three goals in the first half of the second half to take control of the ballgame. Thte state postseason begins next week. Delton Kellogg is hosting its MHSAA Division 3 District Tournament. The Panthers will host Portland in a district opener May 25 at 6 p.m. The winner of that match will face either Comstock or Parchment in the district semifinals May 31. The semifinal round will be at home sites, depending on the competitors with the district championship match back at DKHS. Lakewood and Olivet will meet in another district opener May 25 with the winner of that match facing Otsego in the district semifinals May 31. Otsego is the district’s top seed currently sporting an 11-3-1 record. Delton Kellogg's Avery Barker (3) battles with Fennville's Valeria Ramirez while Ramirez gets help from teammates Christina Mendoza (12) and Celeste Hernandez (12) to try and keep the ball in the offensive end during their Southwestern Athletic Conference match in Delton May 11. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �Page 10 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Marshall manages only goal in 1-8 win over Hastings girls Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity girls’ soccer team lost 1-0 in a close defensive game against Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference opponent, Mar­ shall, at Johnson Field on Friday night in the final game of the conference regular season.. The Saxons faced off against Marshall’s strong offensive players throughout the eve­ ning. Saxon head coach Tim Schoessel said, “We spent the majority of the game fighting out of our defensive end. Marshall had some very strong players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball which made it a match up nightmare for us. We were able to hold strong on the defensive side of the ball for the first half. The second half they were able to score on a comer kick.” The Saxons defense defended against Mar­ shall and was able to finish the first half in a 0-0 tie. Marshall was able to score on a corner kick ten minutes into the second half, and the Saxon defense held strong through the remain­ der of the second half ending in a 1-0 loss. Dakota Blough remained busy in the goal box, successfully saving 17 out of 18 shots on her net. The Saxons will play in the Interstate 8 Conference tournament game tonight at John­ son Field against Jackson Northwest. Hastings won its conference tournament opener Tuesday 2-0 over visiting Coldwater. Bri Barnes scored off an assist from team- Hastings goalkeeper Dakota Blough saves a shot coming her way against Marshall during the RedHawks' 1-0 win in Hastings Friday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) mate Raegen Morrison, and then Morrison picked up a second assist on a late goal by Lauren Lamphere to seal the victory. The Saxon defense was strong throughout in helping Blough earn the shutout in goal. Blough made 11 saves in the contest. blastings is scheduled to visit Dansville Monday for a non-conference match. Plans are currently for the Saxons to travel to Bat­ tle Creek Central Tuesday to face the Bear­ cats in the opening round of the MHSAA Division 2 state tournament. Saxon defenders Kalli Koning (6), Alexis Gummo (10) and Abby Gaskill smother a Marshall attacker in their end during their I-8 contest inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Vikings win, Saxons’ Carroll in top ten at Hastings Invite Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team came out on top in a field of ten teams at The Legacy Friday during the Hastings Blue/Gold Invitational. The Vikings bested runner-up Loy Norrix 330-346 at the top of the standings. The Hast­ ings boys were fifth on the day. Otsego finished in third place with a score of 355 ahead of Ionia 394, Hastings 397, Comstock Park 408, Plainwell 424, West Michigan Aviation 424, Newaygo 426 and South Haven 431. The Saxon team was led by an 86 from sophomore Owen Carroll and a 91 from sophomore Hunter Cook. The top four Saxon scores all came from sophomores with Blake Barnum and Heath Hays each scoring a 110. Lakewood was led to its victory by senior Trevor Simon who scored a 75. Junior Drew Marquoit scored an 81 for the Vikings and senior Liam Cavanaugh and junior Owen Richards each shot an 87. Senior teammate Brody Jackson was right behind the top four Lakewood scorers with an 88. Newaygo senior Alejandro Rubio was the day’s individual champion with a score of 70. Simon was the runner-up and Marquoit tied for third with Otsego freshman Spencer Shearer who also shot an 81. Simon powered the Vikings with three birdies on the front nine, on number two three and number nine Friday. He scored a two-un­ der 34 on the front nine alone. Rubio had four of his six birdies on the front, on number two, four, six and seven. He also had a 34 on the front nine, but was a hand­ ful of strokes better than Simon on the back nine thanks in part to birdies on 11 and 17. Carroll’s 86 had him in a tie for sixth place individually. The Saxons are back in action today, May 19, at Bedford Valley for the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference Championship 18-hole tour­ nament. Hastings will be a part of the Otsego Invi­ tational at Lake Doster Golf Club May 25 and then return to Lake Doster for its Division 2 Regional Tournament June 1. Lakewood first doubles player Alli Pickard knocks down a forehand volley during her win with teammate Abby Pickard against Pennfield Friday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) LHS tennis girls at regionals today, home invite Saturday The Lakewood varsity boys' golf team celebrates its championship Friday at The Legacy at the conclusion of the Hastings Blue/ Gold Invitational. Olivet track teams get to 7-0 in GLAC with wins over Vikes Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood boys got over the bar better than the Eagles Tuesday, but couldn’t get over the hump. Olivet’s varsity boys’ and girls’ track and field teams improved to 6-0 in Greater Lansing Activities Conference duals, with the Lakewood boys suffering their only defeat in a conference dual this season, with the Eagles scoring wins at Lakewood High School. The Olivet boys scored a 97-40 victory. Lakewood senior Tyson Raffler in the pole vault and senior Jacob Merryfield in the high jump took victories in the field. Raffler cleared 10-6 to win the pole vault with sophomore Shane Raffler in second behind him at 9-6. Merryfield cleared 5-8 to win the high jump. The Vikings were at their best at times, and it still wasn’t quite enough. Viking senior Connor Feighan improved his per­ sonal records in the shot put and the discus, but placed second in the discus and third in the shot put with marks of 126-10 and 42-7.5 respectively. Olivet senior Blake Lincoln thew a personal record mark of 133-0 to win the discus and was second in the shot put at 42-11. His teammate, junior Drew Priddy, won the shot put with a per­ sonal record mark of 45-2.75 while also placing third in the discus with a new PR of 117-4.5. Feighan got the Lakewood boys’ lone win on the track with a time of 52.81 in the 400-meter dash. He had to fight off Olivet sophomore Lucas Hopkins who lowered his PR to 52.86 to place second in the race. Olivet senior Mason Molek won both the boys’ hurdle races. Tyson Raffler was second in the 300-meter low hurdles and third in the 110-meter high hurdles behind Merryfield who was the runner-up with a personal record time of 16.54 seconds.. The Olivet girls scored a 107-21 win. The Lake wood ladies took a pair of wins in distance races. Junior Regan Lab won the 1600-meter run in 6 minutes 31.90 sec­ onds and junior Bailey Fifelski won the 800-meter run in a personal record time of 2:47.13. Lakewood sophomore Annabelle Stank improved her discus personal record to 113-0 in a runner-up finish. Olivet junior Payton Otto swept the throws with a PR of 132-1 in the discus and a winning mark of 34-6.5 in the shot put. Hito Gallimore, a junior won the 100meter dash and the 200-meter dash for the Olivet boys and senior Kennedi Hewitt matched that double for the Olivet girls’ team. The Olivet boys and girls swept the four relay races in both competitions. Lakewood heads to Mason Friday, May 20, for its MHSAA Division 2 Regional. Stockbridge will host the GLAC Champi­ onship Wednesday, May 25. Brett Bremer Sports Editor No matter the outcome of today’s MHSAA Division 4 Regional Tournament hosted by Portland, there is more tennis ahead for the Lakewood varsity girls’ ten­ nis team (weather permitting). The Vikings will host their annual Lake­ wood Invitational Saturday making up for the early season event that was postponed due to the weather. Lakewood heads into its regional action after an 11-3 season of duals. Lakewood closed out the regular season with a 7-1 win over Bronson Monday and a 5-3 win over Pennfield Friday afternoon. Lakewood picked up three points thanks to forfeit wins at third doubles, fourth dou­ bles and fourth singles in the dual with Bronson. The Vikings’ top two doubles teams didn’t drop a single game. Alli Pick­ ard and Abby Pickard at number one and Emi Chase and Ellie Haddix at number two both scored 6-0, 6-0 victories. The Pickard sisters, who head coach Karrie Carter have dubbed the A-Team, were 8-1 playing together during the regu­ lar season with their lone loss coming in a third set super tiebreaker against the top doubles team from Hastings. Chase and Haddix ran their record to 11-2 together this spring with their win. Lakewood also got a 6-1, 6-1 win from Kyle Goble at third singles and a 6-2, 6-1 win from Izzy Wheeler at second singles during the dual with Bronson. Viking first singles player Kristen Finsaas was edged 6-3, 6-4 by Kay den Alli in their first singles match. Lakewood fourth singles player Jasmine Stewart is 12-4 on the season. She didn’t get to play in the team’s final two duals, also taking a forfeit win in the dual with Penn­ field last Friday. That was the only singles win for the Vikings in the 5-3 victory. The Vikings swept the four doubles flights in straight sets against Pennfield though. Alli and Abby Pickard earned a 6-0, 6-0 win against Anna Keown and Emily O’Neil. Chase and Haddix scored a Lakewood first singles player Kristen Finsaas hits a forehand return back at her opponent from Pennfield during the Vikings' win over the visiting Panthers at Lakewood High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 6-4, 6-0 win over Madison Collins and Victoria Johnson. At third doubles, Lakewood’s Gabby Hansen and Abby Gibon bested Sarah Grettenberger and Allison Miller 6-1, 6-0-. The Viking duo of Liv Everitt and Paige Wolverton won 6-1, 6-1 over Stephanie Orr and Alyssa Brandt at fourth doubles. Wheeler came the closest of any of the Viking singles players to getting a win against Pennfield. She took the first set against Aubriana Farrow in a tiebreaker, but then fell 6-3 in the second set. Farrow finished off her win with a 10-1 victory in a super tiebreaker. Pennfield also had Olivia Jenney score a 6-0, 6-3 win over the Vikings’ Finsaas at first singles and Vivian Bums score a 6-0, 6-1 win over Goble at number three. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — Page 11 Falcons end DK boys’ perfect run in SAC Valley contests Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ track and field team got the first blemish on its Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Divi­ sion record Wednesday as it was bested 77-60 by Constantine in the final SAC Valley dual of the sea­ son. Junior sprinter Dean Topolski powered the Falcons to the win by taking the 100-meter dash in 11.63 seconds, the 200-meter dash in 23.25 seconds and the 400-meter dash in 52.47. That win in the 400 led a sweep of the top three scor­ ing places for the Constantine boys in that race. Delton Kellogg was on Topols­ ki ’s heels in the 100 and 200, forcing him to new personal records to get the wins. DK junior Philip Halcomb was second in both those races with personal record times of his own. He fin­ ished the 100 in 11.68 and the 200 in 23.25. Junior Ethan Glick took the two distance races for the Falcons. He won the 1600 in 4 minutes 58.37 seconds and the 3200 in 11:03.81. Torren Mapes and Corey Moore were strong on the track for DK. Mapes wont he 110-meter high hurdles in a personal record time of 16.73 with Moore lowering his PR to 17.71 in a runner-up finish in that race. Mapes took the 300 -meter intermediate hurdles in 45.53 with Moore second in 46.75. Moore was also a part of the Panthers’ two relay wins. The two teams each won two relays. Moore, Peyton Pummel, Wyatt Finney and Halcomb took the 4x 100-meter relay in 46.30 and the team of Moore, Giovanni Stea, Cameron Spaulding and 1 lalcomb won the 4x200-meter relay in 2:03.59. Delton Kellogg’s top perfor­ mance came in the shot put where senior Alex Whitmore won with a personal record mark of 45 feet 10 inches. Junior teammate Jason Lundquist improved his PR to 39-5 to place second and senior teammate Caden Ferris was third at 38-10. . Ferris improved his PR in the discus to 140-5 to win that event. The Constantine boys swept the three scoring sports in the high jump and pole vault and placed second and third in the long jump behind the DK freshman Finney who won with a leap of 19-11. The DK girls finished in a 67-67 tie with the Falcons. Joelle White wont he 400-meter dash for the DK girls in a personal record time of 1:14.67 with team­ mate Carley Webb setting her PR with a second-place time of 1: 16.16. Senior Halena Phillips won the 1600 for DK in 6:29.16 and the 3200 in 15:34.43. DK sophomore Breanna Chan­ dler and Constantine freshman Abigail Flores had good battles in the hurdles. Flores won the 100meter hurdles in 18.82 with Chan­ dler lowering her PR to 19.48 to place second. Chandler won the 300-meter low hurdles in 52.39 with Flores second in 53.24. Both teams won two relays. DK took the 4x200-meter relay with the team of Maddy Waller, Rebec­ ca VanDyke, Hope Vanderwall and Carley Webb finishing in 2: 26.09. The DK 4x400-meter relay team of Chandler, Josie Wil­ liams, White and Phillips secured the tie with a winning time of 4:52.69 in their race. The field events were the oppo­ site of the boys’, with the Con­ stantine girls tops in the throws and the DK girls best in the jumps. Falcon junior Caterina Thelen won the shot put and discus. DK had Waller set her PR at 4-6 to win the high jump, White put up a sea­ son best height of 7-0 to win the pole vault, and Williams win the long jump at 13-3.5. DK will be at its MHSAA Divi~sion3 Regional hosted by Mon­ tague Saturday and then will go to Constantine Tuesday for the SAC Championship. Delton Kellogg second baseman Jordan Lyons secures a ground ball for an out during game two of her team's SAC Valley doubleheader against visiting Schoolcraft May 11 in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg's Abby Fichtner gets a jump off first base after sin­ gle during game two of her team's SAC Valley doubleheader against visiting Schoolcraft May 11. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DKHS girls win big twice for title at Lakewood Invitational A pair of double digit victories earned the Delton Kellogg the championship Saturday at the Lakewood Invitational. The Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ softball team opened its day with a 13-0 win over the host Vikings and then knocked off Central Montcalm 16-6 to close the day. DK pitchers Mya Brickley and Kayleigh Buffum teamed up to shut out the Vikings in the open­ er. Brickley went the first four innings not allow­ ing a hit. She struck out three and walked two. Buffum allowed the only Lakewood hit in her one inning of relief. Aubrey Aukerman powered the Panther offense going 3-for-4 with a double. She scored two runs and batted in two. Allison Brandli and Brickley had two singles each. Brandli had two RBI. Brick­ ley also walked once and scored three runs. In the lead-off spot, DK’s Abby Fichtner was l-for-2 with an RBI and three runs scored. That one Lakewood hit was a single off the bat of Brooklyn Hoppes. Fichtner was 3-for-4 in game two with a single, a double and a triple. She scored three runs and batted in two while walking once as well. Brandli had four hits including a double. She had one RBI and scored three times. Aukerman, Brickley, Jor­ dan Lyons, Paige Thomas and Allie Trantham had two hits each for DK in the win. Central Montcalm led the ballgame 5-0 after two innings. DK struck for four runs in the bottom of the third inning and then took control with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth that put the Panthers ahead 12-6 at the time. They added four runs in the bottom of the sixth to walkoff with the ten-run win. DK followed up those two wins by splitting a doubleheader at South Christian High School Monday, falling 9-8 to the Sailors in game one and then scoring a 10-3 victory in the non-conference twin bill. South Christian evened game one at 8-8 with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and then walked off with the win in the seventh. DK had six hits in the game one defeat. Lyons doubled twice, drove in a run and scored a run. She walked once in the game too. Aukerman and Brickley both doubled once in two at bats and had one RBI and one run scored each. The South Christian pitchers stayed away from them walking them both twice. Paige Thomas walked twice and scored two runs too. Delton had 12 hits in scoring its ten runs to win game two. Thomas had another big game going 3-for-4 with a single, a double, a triple, a RBI and a run scored. Aukerman and Lyons were both 2-for-4. Kasey Kapteyn was 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Lyons, Brickley and Fichtner scored two run each. Brickley drove in three and Brandli had two RBI. Thomas pitched the first five innings. She allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits and four walks while striking out two. Buffum threw two scoreless, hitless innings of relief. The Delton Kellogg girls were swept in theif two game Southwestern Athfetic Conference Val­ ley Division doubleheader with visiting School­ craft last Wednesday, May 11, in Delton. The Eagles improved to 8-0 in conference play with the two wins. BARRY COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE, Mounties and Panthers tough on HHS varsity baseball team ..... Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity baseball team will look to bounce back against Coldwater this afternoon in an Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence doubleheader after being swept in conference twin bills by Parma Western and Jackson Northwest. The Western Panthers took 15-12 and 8-2 wins over the Saxons Tues­ day at Western High School. Western took a 9-0 lead through two innings and then held on in a wild one that included 28 total hits and 11 errors. Lars Sorensen and Harrison Smalley were both 3-for-4 at the plate for the Saxons. Smalley had five RBI and Sorensen scored three runs and drove in one. Mason Den­ ton and T Morris had two hits each for the Saxons. Only seven of the 15 runs against Saxon pitchers were earned. Western took the early lead again in game two. The Panthers led 8-0 before the Saxons tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth. Matt Thompson had two of the five Saxon hits, both singles. Smalley was 2-for-2 with a single and a triple. Hastings also got a single from Sorensen. Thompson and Smalley both had a RBI. The Saxons fell in two at Jack­ son Northwest last Wednesday, May 11, 15-0 and 10-0. The Saxons were held to one hit in the 15-0 loss in the opener, a single by Aiden Benson. They managed five in the game two defeat including a pair of singles by Denton. Thompson, Carter Reil and Lanny Steward had the other three hits in game two for the Sax­ ons. The Saxons are scheduled to face Pennfield at Delton Kellogg High School Saturday morning and then host doubleheaders with Lake­ wood and then Marshall Monday and Tuesday. MEDICATION COLLECTION, AND *FREE TIRE DROP-OFF Saturday, May 21,2022 from 9:00a.m. - 1:00p.m. Barry County Fairgrounds, 1350 N. M-37 Hwy. Household Hazardous Waste Including aqueous acids and bases; oil-based paints; reactives; solvents; aerosol cans; automotive liquids; pesticides (liquids and solids); automotive batteries; alkaline, nickel-cadmium and/or silver oxide batteries; liquid cleaners; heavy metal solutions; mercury-containing articles; motor oil. — Electronics I including computers, cell phones, laptops, gaming systems, tablets, and more will be collected for no charge. QtaS There will be a small fee to collect CRT and LCD TVs and monitors; $5 (under 20 inches), $10 (over 20 inches), cash only. FREON CONTAINING DEVICES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Limit of 10 gallons per vehicle See www.barrycountyrecycles.org for details. We Cannot Accept: asbestos; latex paint (when dry it can go to the landfill); propane tanks; commercially generated waste; radioactive material; explosives; unknown wastes; speakers in wooden cases; tires heavily caked with dirt. Medications need to be in their original containers with the name of the drug clearly labeled. Cross out any personal information on the containers. Help keep your home, environment and community safe HHS girls bested in 1-8 sets by Northwest and Western The Hastings varsity softball team was swept in a pair of tough Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference double­ headers in the past week. Jackson Northwest took 15-0 and 16-0 wins over the Saxons last week Wednesday, May 11, in Jackson. Parma Western took 15-0 and 14-1 wins over the Saxons at Western High School Tuesday. The Saxons scored their one run in the top of the fifth inning Tuesday night on an RBI single from Isabelle Storm that brought Jay den Jerzyk home from third with two out. Jerzyk singled into left field with one out in the inning, and stole second and third. A single by Carly Frazier was the only other Saxon hit in the bailgame. In the opener against Western, the Saxons were no-hit in the three-in­ ning contest. Hastings returns to action this afternoon with two against Coldwa­ ter. The Saxons host Lakewood for a non-conference doubleheader Mon­ day and then will host Marshall for two ballgames to close out the regu­ lar season Tuesday, May 24. DISPOSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS SAFELY Don’t pour paint, solvent, medicine, automotive oil, or chemicals down the drain or dump them in the trash where they may end up in our drinking water and lakes! Tire Drop-Off V* FREE thanks to a grant from i JF5 This is a ONE TIME ONLY free tire-drop off event LIMIT OF 10 TIRES PER CAR HOUSEHOLD TIRES ONLY (NO BUSINESS TIRES) First come, first serve until all trailers are full Questions? Please Call (269) 798-4107 Sponsored by the Barry County Solid Waste Oversight Committee with thanks to the Barry County Fair Board, Waste Management, Barry-Eaton District Health Dept., Barry County Substance Abuse Task Force, Sheriff’s Dept., City of Hastings Police Dept., Hastings Padnos and Local Pharmacies. �Page 12 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES MIKA MEYERS PLC 900 MONROE AVENUE, N.W. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 49503 (616) 632-8000 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Mika Meyers plc is attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the cir­ cuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge for a fee for this information. Attention homeowner: If you are a military ser­ vice member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mort­ gage made by Samantha Vandenbosch, of 19 Mar­ ket Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333, mortgagor, to United Bank of Michigan, a Michigan banking corporation, of 900 East Paris Ave SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, mortgagee, dated Novem­ ber 13, 2001, recorded in the Office of Register of Deeds for Barry County, on November 21, 2001, in Instrument No. 1070113. Because of said de­ fault, the mortgagee has declared the entire unpaid amount secured by said mortgage due and payable forthwith. As of the date of this notice, there is claimed to be due for principal, all interest accruing thereafter and expenses on said mortgage the sum of $46,370.66. No suit or proceeding in law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest, as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law, and all taxes and in­ surance premiums paid by the undersigned before sale, said mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the mortgaged premises at public sale to the highest bidder at the West door of the Barry County Court­ house, Hastings, Michigan 49058, on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. The premises covered by said mortgage are sit­ uated in the Village of Middleville, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as follows: Commencing at the West 1/4 Post of Section 26, Town 4 North, Range 10 West, Thence South 89 degrees 18’ 55” East, along the East and West 1/4 line of said Section 26, a distance of 693.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 57’ 03” East, parallel, with the West line of said Section 26, a distance of 759 feet to the true point of beginning, said point of be­ ginning being on the East line of Market Street plat as recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds in Liber yof“Ptats, on Page 89; and running thence North 00 degrees 57' 03” East, along said East line of Market Street plat, 242.52 feet; thence South 89 degrees 02’ 27” East 164.61 feet; thence South 01 degrees 02’ 07” West 241.73 feet; thence North 89 degrees 18’ 55” West, parallel with said East and West 1/4 line, 164.33 feet to the place of beginning. Together with and subject to an easement for ingress and egress to be used jointly with others over a strip of land 33 feet in width East and West, and lying 16.5 feet either side of a line described as: Beginning at the Southeast corner of the above de­ scribed parcel and running thence North 01 degrees 02’ 07” East along the East line of said parcel and the Northerly extension thereof, 483.46 feet to the South line of Market Street and the point of ending. The property is commonly known as 19 Market Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333. Notice is hereby given that the length of the re­ demption period will be one (1) year from the date of sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of sale. Notice is further given that if the property is sold at foreclosure sale, in accordance with MCL 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. Dated: May 3, 2022 United Bank of Michigan, a Michigan banking corporation By: Mika Meyers PLC Attorneys for Mortgagee By: Daniel R. Kubiak 900 Monroe Avenue, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616)632-8000 180158 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029163-DE Court Address: Barry County Courts & Law Building, 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Virginia Ann Eltzroth. Date of birth: June q 1 QQR TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Virginia Ann Eltzroth, died February 4, 2019. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jed Byerly, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 05.17.2022 Michael Stroup P83794 161 Ottawa Ave. NW, Suite 111 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616.274.3002 Jed Byerly PO Box 1748 Modesto, CA 95353 800.370.9413 180771 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust Estate of Living Trust of Mary F. Buckland. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Mary F. Buckland died March 29, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the decedent, trust and trustee will be forever barred unless presented to the Trustees of the Living Trust of Mary F. Buckland within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice David P. Lucas P34466 70 West Michigan Ave., Suite 450 Battle Creek, Ml 49017 269-965-7000 Trustee: Julie Stoneburner 225 East Pifer Road Dowling, Ml 49050 180774 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice under MCL 600.3212: Pursuant to MCL 600.3212, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under MCL 600.3201 et. seq., the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION POTENTIAL PURCHASERS AT FORECLOSURE SALE: In the case of resolution prior to or simultaneously with the aforementioned foreclosure sale, Highpoint Community Bank, successor by merger to Hastings City Bank, may rescind this sale at any time prior to the end of the redemption period. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited to the return of your bid amount tendered at the sale, plus interest. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in County of Barry in the State of Michigan, starting promptly at 1 :OO p.m., on June 23, 2022 at on the East steps of the Circuit Court Building in Hastings, Michigan. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. This notice relates to a Mortgage in the amount of $61,000.00 made by June M. Bolton, not personally but as surviving Trustee on behalf of the Lewis O Bolton and June M Bolton Trust dated October 21, 2003 and amended on April 14, 2004; AND June M. Bolton, a single woman, (“Mortgagor”), to Hastings City Bank, dated September 28, 2015, and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for the County of Barry in the State of Michigan on October 2, 2015, in Document No. 2015-009729, on which Mortgage there is claimed to be due as of the date of this Notice the sum of $56,027.59, together with interest at 4.5 percent per annum. NOW THEREFORE, there will be offered at public sale, the premises, or some part thereof, described in said Mortgage as follows, to-wit: Platted Lot(s), situated in the Township of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: Lot 12 Melody Acres, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the Recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Said premises are commonly known as 2141 Robinwood Drive, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The redemption period shall be six (6) months unless the property is established to be abandoned pursuant to MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be the later of thirty (30) days from the date of sale or fifteen (15) days from the date the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(b) was posted and mailed, or unless under MCL 600.3240(16), prior to the foreclosure sale the borrower follows the procedure set forth in that section to establish the presumption that the property is used for Agricultural purposes, in which case the redemption period shall be one (1) year from the date of the sale. Dated: May 3, 2022 By: NICOLE R. GRAF (P55474) ALWARD FISHER RICE ROWE & GRAF, PLC Attorneys for Highpoint 202 E. State Street, Suite 100 Traverse City, Michigan 49684 (231)346-5400 File No.: 19279.0001 180782 (Highpoint I Bolton) STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29145-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Tiffany Marie Tietz. Date of birth: 06/17/1987. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Tiffany Marie Tietz, died 03/26/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Gary Tietz, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 5-12-2022 Steven G. Storrs P80557 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-2242 Gary Tietz 9120 W. M-179 Hwy. Middleville, Ml 49333 616-437-4864 180775 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29128-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Michael W. Johnson. Date of birth: 01/25/1944. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael W. Johnson, died 12/05/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jacki Wilkins and Robert Johnson, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 05/09/2022 Robert L. Byington P27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Jacki Wilkins and Robert Johnson 73 Avenue A and 13510 Old 14 Mile Road, NE, Apt. 2 Springfield, Ml 49037/Greenville, Ml 48838 180512 Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 23, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchas­ er to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagors): DALE D BURSLEY, A MARRIED MAN AND KAY K. BURSLEY, HIS WIFE Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Reg­ istration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for RCF 2 Acquisition Trust c/o U.S. Bank Trust National Association Date of Mortgage: August 21, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 29, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $85,401.69 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Township of Woodland, Barry County, Mich­ igan, and described as: Lot 11 and the West 3 Feet of Lot 10, Block 2 of the Plat of The Village of Woodland, According to the Recorded Plat There­ of, as Recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 21. Common street address (if any): 153 Thatcher St, Woodland, Ml 48897-9784 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military ser­ vice member on active duty, if your period of ac­ tive duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: May 19, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1464126 (05-19)(06-69) . J Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the high­ est bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Ed­ wards, a married man and Leah Edwards Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lend­ er and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing Date of Mortgage: January 26, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 1, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $111,688.06 Description of the mortgaged premises: Sit­ uated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 7, Prairieville Heights, according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 34, Barry County Re­ cords Common street address (if any): 8300 Delton Rd, Delton, Ml 49046-7716 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the proper­ ty during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party fore­ closing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: April 28, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1461781 (04-28)(05-19) 179319 <~ 180781 THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR AT­ TEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. NOTICE OF FORE­ CLOSURE BY ADVERTISMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1pm, on Thursday, June 16, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the prop­ erty. A potential purchaser is encouraged to con­ tact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The foreclosure sale is pur­ suant to the terms and conditions of a Mortgage made by CHRISTOPHER B. WALKER and SHAN­ NON J. WALKER, Mortgagors, to First National Bank of America, Mortgagee, dated November 9, 2004, and recorded November 17, 2004, in Instru­ ment Number 1137316, of Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due as of the date of this notice $76,444.06, including interest at 9.95% per annum. Said prem­ ises are situated in Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at the NW corner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec­ tion 9, T4N, R9W; thence 26 2/3 rods East; thence South 12 rods; thence West 26 2/3 rods; thence North approximately 12 rods to the place of be­ ginning. Together with rights of ingress and egress over the currently established road, except that part deeded to the State of Michigan in Liber 246 on Page 589; c/k/a 6153 Cain Creek, Freeport, Ml 49325. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of the sale, unless the premises are determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be one month, or until the time to provide the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c) expires, whichever is later. The redemption period further may be shortened pursuant to MCL 600.3238(10) if the property is not adequately maintained, or if the purchaser is denied the opportunity to inspect the property. Please be advised that if the mort­ gaged property is sold at a foreclosure sale by ad­ vertisement, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the bor­ rower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale, or to the mortgage holder, for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dat­ ed: May 19, 2022 Randall T. LeVasseur P41712 LeVasseur Dyer & Associates, PC Attorneys for Mortgagee 3233 Coolidge Hwy Berkley, Ml 48072 (248)236-1765 (05-19)(06-09) 180777 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judica­ ture act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 16,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is en­ couraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Stanley W. Beer, Single Man Original Mortgagee: Mort­ gage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mort­ gagee, as nominee for Union Home Mortgage Corp., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rushmore Loan Management Services, LLC Date of Mortgage: October 20, 2014 Date of Mortgage Record­ ing: October 27,2014 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $121,742.20 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Bar­ ry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Com­ mencing at a point on the West line of Section 18, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan, distant North 00 degrees 06 minutes West, 989.15 feet from the Southwest corner of said section; thence continuing North 00 degrees 06 minutes West along said West section line, 165.00 feet; thence South 88 degrees 28 minutes East, 264.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 06 minutes East 165.00 feet; thence North 88 degrees 28 minutes West, 264.00 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly Known as: 12793 South M 43 Hwy., Delton, Ml 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless deter­ mined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the bor­ rower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any rea­ son. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the tele­ phone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 5/19/2022 Potestivo & As­ sociates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 315374 (05-19)(06-09) 180952 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 09, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be great­ er on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Harry D. Kidder and Lorraine M. Kidder, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. ("MERS"), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: April 6, 2007 Recorded on April 12, 2007, in Document No. 1179110, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSO­ CIATION, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS SUCCESSOR TO LASALLE BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE, FOR MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFI­ CATES, SERIES 2007-3 Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-Four Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty-Seven and 41/100 Dollars ($84,867.41) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 16 of Ammon Eaton's Addition to the City of Hastings also the North 1/2 of Eaton Street vacated East of Dibble Street adjacent to the Lot 16 according to the recorded plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats Page 15 Barry County Records. Commonly known as 1229 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichev­ er is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to ac­ tive duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. U.S. Bank, National Associa­ tion, Successor Trustee to Bank of America, N.A. as successor to LaSalle Bank, N.A. as trustee, for Merrill Lynch First Franklin Mortgage Loan Trust, Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Se­ ries 2007-3 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farm­ ington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1463875 (05-12)(06-02) 180472 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29172-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate df Diane Arlene Slone. Date of birth: April 1 1953 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Diane Arlene Slone, died February 14, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Charles A. Slone, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 5/13/2022 Elizabeth V. Bauer P26187 128 East Bridge Street Plainwell, Michigan 49080 (269) 685-6883 Charles A. Slone 12166 Saddler Road Plainwell, Michigan 49080 (269)760-9339 180801 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 21-29028-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Carol Anne Perez. Date of birth: 04/13/1969. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Carol Anne Perez, died 11/22/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jaime Perez, 11110 Lindsey Road, Plainwell, Ml 49080, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 04/20/2022 Rex Brueggemann P41864 4021 W. Main Street, Suite 400 Kalamazoo, Michigan 49006 269-349-4404 Jaime Perez 11110 Lindsey Road Plainwell, Michigan 49080 269-254-0496 180867 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — Page 13 TKHS boys beat Wayland on tiebreaker to finish top four Brett Bremer Sports Editor The middle of the OK Gold Conference varsity boys’ golf pack continues to be con­ gested. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ golf team won a fifth-score tiebreaker to finish ahead of Wayland in fourth place at the jam­ boree hosted by Cedar Springs at Cedar Chase Golf Course Tuesday. Seniors Massimo Piccione and Trevor Hummer each shot a 48 to finish as the fourth and fifth scorers for TK, besting the Wildcats’ fifth score of 53. Austin Pitsch, a junior, led TK with a 43 Tuesday and fellow junior Connor Newland shot a 44. TK also got a 47 from senior Drew Nathan on the day. Grand Rapids Catholic Central added to its conference lead by winning with an overall score of 162. South Christian kept its grip on second place in the conference with a 168, finishing ahead of Forest Hills Eastern 175, TK 182, Wayland 182, Cedar Springs 196 and Kenowa Hills 196. Sophomore Matthew Sokorai led Catholic Central with a 38 and fellow Cougar sopho­ more Will Preston shot a 39. Catholic Central also got a 42 from senior Carl Shadowens and a 43 from junior Andrew Wermuth. Team­ mates Luke Preston and John Harmon each scored a 44. Behind Sokorai, Forest Hills Eastern fresh­ man James Seymour and South Christian senior Dillon DeSmit tied for second with 39s along with the Cougars’ Will Preston. The OK Gold will meet at L.E. Kauffman Golf Course for its 18-hole championship match Monday, May 23. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: TO: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022-183 as appended hereto was introduced for first reading by the Rutland Charter Township Board at its May 11, 2022 meeting. This proposed ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township Board at a regular meeting on June 8, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Charter Township Hall. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP Robin J. Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township Hall 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 Telephone: (269) 948-2194 CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N.M-37 Hwy.Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Harness the power of budgeting When you hear the word “budgeting,” your first thought might be that it’s mostly for young people starting out in their careers and adult lives. Yet, budgeting can be import­ ant for everyone, no matter their age. And even if you feel that you’re in pretty good financial shape, with a reason­ able amount of savings and investments, you can still ben­ efit by establishing a budget or improving your current one. Here’s what budgeting can do for you: • Give you feelings of con­ trol - Not knowing where your money is going can be bewildering. But when you follow a budget, you’ll get a clear picture of your money movements. Consequently, you’ll feel more in control of your finances - and possibly your life, too. • Help you identify your priorities - A budget is, first of all, a practical tool that can help you manage your financ­ es by showing what you must spend on your needs - mort­ gage, utilities, car payment and so on. But a good budget should also have space for your wants - which can range from mundane things, such as new clothes and entertain­ ment, to more aspirational items, such as gifts to charita­ ble organizations you strongly support. By having your needs and your wants in front of you, on a piece of paper or a computer screen, you can de­ termine if you’re spending too much on things that aren’t im­ portant to you and not enough on those that are. Consequent­ ly, you may be able to adjust your budget in a way that al­ lows you to put more financial weight behind your priorities. • Save for emergencies You never know when you’ll need a major car repair or a new furnace or face a large medical bill - all of which can be true budget busters. That’s why, within your monthly budget, you should designate a certain amount to an emer­ gency fund, with the money held in a liquid, accessible account. To make it easier to contribute to this fund, you can set up automatic transfers from your checking or savings account into a separate, liquid, low-risk account. It’s a good idea to keep at least three to six months’ worth of living expenses in your emergency fund. • Help you pay down debt - By sticking to a budget, you can determine how much money you can devote to pay­ ing down your debts. And if you find opportunities within your budget to cut back on your spending, you can use the savings to reduce your debts further. • Save for your future — Here’s another important cate­ gory for your monthly budget: the future. You should always try to put away some money, even if it’s only a relatively small amount, to a retirement account such as an IRA. As your salary goes up, you can increase these amounts. Of course, you may already be contributing to a 401(k) or similar account where you work, but you could spend de­ cades in retirement, so you’ll want to accumulate as many resources as you can for those years. A budget is a humble-appearing document. But, as we’ve seen, it can play a far more meaningful role in your life than you might have thought - so use it wisely. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC ORDINANCE NO. 2022-183 (PROPOSED) ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: •JUr t.UOv.OHi GUUOfr t»w'i .ojh: » vx-&n; An Ordinance to amend § 220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code of ordinances pertaining to special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District. MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE NOTICE THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION 1 AMENDMENT OF §220-12-3 (SPECIAL LAND USES IN LI LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT) §220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the uses designated as special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is proposed to be amended so as to add the following new special land use in that District as subsection U. “U. Retail sales of building materials and/or light industrial related products contained in an enclosed building, or screened from view from public streets, and where all loading/unloading areas are located at or near the rear or the building.” SECTION 2 REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; EFFECTIVE DATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the eighth day after publication or on such later date as may be required by law. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland . . . . . • . . . Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 \Antiqnes & Collectibles\ Business Services BARRY COUNTY ANTIQUE SHOW: Saturday, May 21st, 2022, 9am-4pm, and Sunday, May 22nd 10am-3pm at the Barry County Expo Center, 1350 N. M37 Hastings. 60 exhibitors, great selection of antiques. $4 Admission, Free Parking. Buying military items. BELLS CONSTRUCTION-18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, flooring, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. For Rent AVAILABLE NOW! 2 Bed­ room trailer just outside Hast­ ings city limits. Washer and dryer hookup. Enclosed porch. Includes heating and garbage pickup. No smoking, no pets. No exceptions. $950/month rent + $1,200.00 deposit. 269­ 908-1100. PACILLO LAWNCARE Tak­ ing new clients in Hastings. Phone (269)838-6025. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets FIB MINI GOLDEN DOO­ DLES Very cute and small. 1st shots & de-wormed. $700.00 517-726-0706. BOSTON TERRIER PUP­ PIES Very cute, 1st shots & de-wormed. $625.00, 517-852­ 3007. Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health in­ surance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vi­ sion insurance. Apply in per­ son to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. Farm LAND FOR LEASE for horse pasturing, approx. 45 acres. Well water & separate meter already installed. Would need to put up fence or outbuilding or barn if needed. 616-293­ 8267 ........ Nt . ................................. ..........................m ........................... ........... STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate Estate of Geoffrey John Shepherd. Date of birth: June 12, 1953. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Geoffrey John Shepherd, who lived at 874 East Hobbs Road, Delton, Ml 49046, died on March 18, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Peter Dunn, personal representative of the Estate of Geoffrey John Shepherd, Barry County Probate Court File #: 22029147DE, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Personal Representative: Peter Dunn Address: 15300 Hutchinson Road Battle Creek, Ml 49017 Attorney: Sydney E. Parfet (P64741) Address: Howell Parfet Schau 350 East Michigan Ave., Ste. 500 Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 www.kzoolawfirm.com Telephone: (269) 382-5300 Court Address: Barry County Probate Court 206 W. Court Street, #302 Hastings, Ml 49058 180551 Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judica­ ture Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, start­ ing promptly at 1:00 P.M., on June 23, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchas­ er to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Attention homeowner: If you are a mil­ itary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclos­ ing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Robert Fruin, an unmarried person, (“Mortgagor”), gave a mortgage to Advia Credit Union, (“Mortgagee”), dated March 22, 2019, and recorded on April 3, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-002650, Barry County Records, Michigan. On the date of this notice, there is claimed to be due the principal of Twenty Thousand Five Hun­ dred-Fourteen and 49/100 Dollars ($20,514.49) plus accrued interest at 2.75% per annum. Un­ der the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at the place of holding in the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan @ 1:00 P.M. on Thursday, June 23, 2022. Said premises are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry Coun­ ty, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at a point 23 Rods South of the center of Sec­ tion 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence West 10 Rods; thence South 4 Rods; thence East 10 Rods; thence North 4 Rods to the place of begin­ ning Commonly: 14644 S. Kellogg School Road Hickory Corners, Ml 49060—Tax ld#08-03-028057-00 The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, under Section 600.3278 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Dated: May 19, 2022 Ad­ via Credit Union, Mortgagee Holzman Law, PLLC By: Charles J. Holzman Attorney for Mortgagee 28366 Franklin Road Southfield, Michigan 48034 (248)352-4340 (05-19)(06-16) 180778 » n lim n m i Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judica­ ture act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mort­ gaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on May 26, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance com­ pany, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Elizabeth Lonergan, an un­ married woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 23,2013 Recorded on August 27, 2013, in Document No. 2013-010429, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Sixty-Four Thousand Six Hundred Ninety-Seven and 75/100 Dollars ($64,697.75) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence North 1473.70 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds West, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Sec­ tion; thence North 171.72 feet parallel with the said East line; thence North 89 degrees 00 minutes East, 200.03 feet to the East line; thence South 174.81 feet along the said East line to place of beginning. Also commencing at the Southeast corner of Section 16, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence North 1409.78 feet along the East line of the Southeast 1/4 of said Section to the place of begin­ ning; thence South 89 degrees 30 minutes West, 200.01 feet; thence North 65.26 feet parallel with said East line; thence North 89 degrees 53 minutes 05 seconds East, 200.00 feet parallel with the South line of said Section; thence South 63.92 feet along the East line of said Section to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 718 Powell Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned un­ der MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a mili­ tary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1462409 (04-281(05-19) 179721 Call 269-945-9554 for Hastings Banner classified ads �Page 14 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Changes coming to hockey divisions, wrestling weights The selection of a restructured classifica­ tion procedure for ice hockey and the approval of new boys’ wrestling weight classes were among the most notable actions taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) during its annual Spring Meet­ ing, May 1-2 in Gaylord. The Council approved an Ice Hockey Committee proposal to continue classifying teams by enrollment, but with consideration to whether those teams are standalone (one school) or cooperative (multi-school) pro­ grams. Approximately half of MHSAA member hockey programs are cooperatives. Beginning with the 2022-23 season, stand­ alone and cooperative programs will be ranked by enrollment but on separate lists, with the top one-third from each list put into Division 1, the second thirds into Division 2 and the lowest thirds into Division 3. This change is expected to rebalance the divisions; in the recent past, Division 1 has been made up mostly of cooperative pro­ grams because the combined enrollments of schools involved in co-ops pushed them to the top of the overall classification list for the sport. However, cooperatives generally have not derived an advantage by having more schools involved; instead, coopera­ tives primarily have allowed schools to continue providing opportunities to athletes who wanted to play hockey when a school doesn’t have enough for a full team. The Council also approved a switch from current boys wrestling weight classes to those determined by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS): 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215 and 285 pounds. The NFHS will begin use of those weights nationally in 2023-24, but MHSAA member schools will make the switch beginning with 2022-23. The Council also approved a change to one girls weight, from 255 pounds to 235, aligning all MHSAA girls weight classes with those determined by the NFHS. The Spring Meeting of the 19-member legislative body of the Association’s more than 1,500 member schools is generally the busiest of its sessions each year. The Coun­ cil considered 33 committee proposals and dealt with a variety of eligibility rule, post­ season tournament and operational issues. A pair of new opportunities to utilize video replay beginning with the 2022-23 school year will provide further support for game officials as they make split-second calls during competition, while assuring the cor­ rect outcome of some of the most controver­ sial plays. The Council approved an Officials Review Committee recommendation to pro­ vide MHSAA staff the ability to review video of an ejection and modify subsequent penalties in three instances - when there is a clear misidentification and the incorrect ath­ lete is ejected, when that participant is eject­ ed as the direct result of a rules misapplica­ tion, or when incontrovertible video evidence shows an ejection or suspension for flagrant contact with an opponent or official was in error. Officials have continued to support the use of replay at MHSAA events where possi­ ble, and game officials make up more than half of the Officials Review Committee. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING MAP TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the May 11, 2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter Township Board the following Ordinance No. 2022-181 was adopted. The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058-9725, (269) 948­ 2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such other times as may be arranged. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE # 2022-181 ADOPTED: MAY 11, 2022 EFFECTIVE: MAY 27, 2022 ro ?tisc An Ordinance to amend the Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township as incorporated into Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code by the rezoning of property in land Section 14 of the Township from the “CR” Country Residential District zoning classification to the “MU” Mixed Use District zoning classification; ancfrto repeal all Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith. J;}’ .jfc \ RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION I REZONING OF PROPERTY IN LAND SECTION 14 The Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township as incorporated into Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to rezone from the “CR” Country Residential District zoning classification to the “MU” Mixed Use District zoning classification the following described property in land Section 14: A vacant 2.63 acre parcel (parcel no. 08-13-014-051 -15) located behind parcel no. 08-13-014-051-20 commonly known as 175 South M-37 Hwy, more fully described as follows: COMMENCING AT THE NORTH 1/4 POST OF SECTION 14, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE SOO 18’47”E, 395.50 FEET ALONG THE NORTH SOUTH 1/4 LINE OF SAID SECTION 14 TO THE NORTH LINE OF THE PLAT OF MEADOW ACRES; THENCE N89 27’33W, 2.57 FEET ALONG SAID NORTH LINE; THENCE SOO 09’32”E, 111.53 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID PLAT TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING (SAID POINT LYING 507 FEET SOUTH OF SAID NORTH 1/4 POST); THENCE SOO 03’32’E, 245.00 FEET ALONG SAID WEST LINE OF MEADOW ACRES;THENCE N89 11 ’57”W, 410.00 FEET; THENCE N65 07’48’W; 121.20 FEET TO A POINT ON THE CENTER LINE OF A TWO TRACK DRIVE, SAID POINT LYING NORTHEASTERLY 220.00 FEET FROM THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE;THENCE NORTHEASTERLY 122.89 FEET ALONG THE CENTERLINE OF SAID DRIVE AND THE ARC OF A CURVE TO THE LEFT, THE RADIUS OF WHICH IS 924.56 FEET, AND THE CHORD OF WHICH BEARS N 33 09’58”E, 122.80 FEET; THENCE N29 21’30”E, 103.85 FEET ALONG SAID CENTERLINE; THENCE S89 17’05”e,401.18 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SECTION II REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES/EFFECTIVE DATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the later of the following dates: (1) eight (8) days after publication or on such later date as may be required by law; or (2) after the owner of the subject parcel no. 08-13-014-051-15 and parcel no. 08-13-014-051-20 has completed the process to officially combine the two parcels pursuant to applicable provisions of the Rutland Charter Township Land Division, Combination, and Boundary Adjustment Ordinance (Ord. No. 2016-159, as amended; § 200-1 et. seq. of Rutland Charter Township Code) so as to create a single parcel with an area of 5.63 acres fully conforming with all applicable minimum lot requirements imposed by the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code) within 90 days after the adoption of this ordinance. If this required land combination action is not completed so as to enable this ordinance to become effective as specified above, this ordinance shall not take effect and shall be considered a nullity. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township Also concerning video review, replay will be expanded at the 11-Player Football Finals to allow head coaches one challenge during the game. The challenge will cost that team a timeout if the original outcome is confirmed. Coaches will be allowed to challenge the following: complete/incomplete passes, if a runner/receiver was in/out of bounds, a runner who is ruled not down, the forward progress spot as it relates to the yard to gain, which player first touched a kick, the recovery of a ball in/out of bounds, if a pass was forward or backward, and penalties for illegal forward pass, tar­ geting or illegal helmet contact, and pass interference only as it relates to the pass being previously tipped. All potential scores and turnovers will remain automati­ cally reviewed by replay booth officials. This was a proposal by the MHSAA Foot­ ball Committee. The Council took multiple actions con­ cerning the “fifth quarter” regulation that allows athletes to play both at the sub-varsi­ ty and varsity levels on the same day (or same competition week for football) to help programs that are otherwise lacking enough participants to field teams at both levels. The Council approved a Soccer Committee recommendation to allow athletes to play in no more than three halves on a day not fol­ lowed by a school day. The Council also approved an enhanced penalty stating that violators of the fifth quarter rule must forfeit the contest during which the violation took place (either varsity of sub-varsity), and that head coach in violation will be ineligible for the next day of competition. Additionally, the Council approved a Junior High/Middle School Committee recommendation allow­ ing leagues and conferences to request from the MHSAA staff the opportunity to use the fifth quarter rule for basketball. Here is a summary of other notable actions taken by the Representative Council at the Spring Meeting, which will take effect during the 2022-23 school year unless noted: Regulations • Minnesota has been added as a “border state” for all out-of-state competition pur­ poses. MHSAA member schools will be allowed to play opponents from anywhere in Minnesota regardless of the 300-mile travel limit rule, as is also allowed for oppo­ nents in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario and Wisconsin. Sport Matters • For baseball and softball, the Council approved the creation of separate site selec­ tion committees to determine where District and Regional rounds of those tournaments will be played. • In bowling, the Council approved a Bowling Committee proposal to make the Team Regional qualifying block format the same as the Team Final format. Teams will play eight Baker games and two regular games at both levels of the MHSAA Tourna­ ment beginning with the 2022-23 season. Previously, teams bowled six Baker games and three regular games at Regionals. • In competitive cheer, the Council approved a Girls Competitive Cheer Com­ mittee recommendation to, beginning with the 2023-24 season, adopt a new choreog­ raphy chart that awards points based on tumbling, one-leg extensions, vertical twists/360s and release skills which cannot supersede a 10-point maximum of points earned. • Also in cheer, the Council approved a Committee recommendation adjusting the penalty for going over the time limit in each round to one penalty point for every second over the time limit, not to exceed 15 points. • In football, the Council approved a Football Committee recommendation to allow players to wear shoulder pads at col­ lege camps sponsored and conducted direct­ ly by NCAA or NAIA institutions. • In golf, the Council approved a pair of Golf Committee recommendations concern­ ing MHSAA Tournament play. Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, teams will be allowed two “school-approved” coaches to be present and actively coaching during postseason competition. Also, the Council approved a reduction in the maximum num­ ber of strokes allowed per hole during MHSAA Tournament play from 12 to 10. • Two more Council actions on Hockey Committee recommendations will affect MHSAA Tournament play in that sport. Beginning with the 2022-23 season, Michi­ gan Power Ratings (MPR) will be used to seed the entire Regional round (which is the first round of postseason play in hockey; there is no District round). Also, teams will be reseeded prior to the start of the Semifi­ nals by a seeding committee, with the top seed in each division then facing the No. 4 seed, and the No. 2 seed facing No. 3 in the other Semifinal. • In soccer, the Council approved a Soc­ cer Committee recommendation allowing the two seeded teams at the District level to host their games if they are not to be played at a prearranged host site. For these Dis­ tricts, the No. 1 seed gets hosting priority, followed by the No. 2 seed, followed by the team on the top line of the bracket. • For diving, the Council approved a Swimming & Diving Committee proposal reorganizing how many Finals qualifiers will advance from each Diving Regional. In each of the three divisions, each Region-^ al will be guaranteed 10 qualifiers for the Finals; the remaining six qualifying spots per division will be distributed to the Regionals that have one of the previous year’s top six returning Finals divers in their fields. • In tennis, the Council approved a Tennis Committee recommendation allowing for seeding at No. 1 singles of up to seven play­ ers if there are between 21-23 in the field, and seeding of up to eight players if the field includes 24 or more. No. 1 singles is the only flight where participants may qualify for the Finals separately from their full team. Junior High/Middle School • In track & field, the Council approved a Junior High/Middle School Committee rec­ ommendation to begin conducting Region­ als beginning with the 2022-23 school year. • In wrestling, the Council approved a Junior High/Middle School Committee rec­ ommendation to add weights of 215 pounds, 245 pounds and heavyweight, with the heavyweight class not to exceed 285 pounds. • In competitive cheer, the Council approved a Girls Competitive Cheer Com­ mittee recommendation allowing junior high/middle school teams to perform a oneleg extension as part of a pyramid with one bracer. A liberty flair is the only flair allowed, and this pyramid requires two points of contact from the bracer. Calendar • The Council approved the seven-year calendar of MHSAA Tournament events, with notable basketball changes for two years. For the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, the Boys Basketball Tournament will be completed first, followed by the Girls Basketball Tournament - a switch from the traditional order of the girls tournament Finals followed by the boys Finals. This will allow for flexibility in the event Michigan State University is selected to host NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament first and second-round games at the Breslin Center. The Council also reviewed reports on membership, with 750 senior high schools and 759 junior high/middle schools in 2021­ 22 plus 62 elementary schools with 6th-grader participation; cooperative programs, with 378 high school programs for 699 teams during 2021-22; eligibility advancement applications, which totaled zero for the sec­ ond-straight school year; the use of Educa­ tional Transfer Forms, of which there were 142; school violations, attendance at athletic director in-service workshops and Coaches Advancement Program sessions; officials’ registrations, rules meetings attendance and officials reports submitted for the past three sports seasons. The Association’s $12.8 mil­ lion budget for the 2022-23 school year also was approved. The Representative Council is the 19-member legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee. Youngs gets lone win in 1-8 dual versus 2021 champions Brett Bremer Sports Editor Saxon senior Brooklynn Youngs prevented the shut out and improved her record to 10-3 this season Thursday at Parma Western. The Hastings varsity girls’ tennis team suf­ fered just its second defeat of the season, and first in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference, as it fell 7-1 to the defending conference champion Panthers Thursday, May 12. Youngs, the Saxons’ first singles player and lone senior, clawed back after falling 6-2 to the Panthers’ Faith Holton in the opening set of their match. She took the second set 6-2 and then pulled out a 10-7 win in a super tiebreaker to move her own 1-8 record to 5-2. The Saxons are off now until a trip to Alle­ gan Friday for their MHSAA Division 3 Regional Tournament. Pennfield and Harper Creek will host the Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference Tournament Monday. There were two super tiebreakers needed Thursday. The Saxon third doubles team of Megan Rowley and Calin Redman won the opening set of their match with Western’s Teegan Robertson and Alena Engle, but saw the Panthers rally for a 6-0 win in set two. Robertson and Engle pulled out a 10-7 win in their super tiebreaker to complete the doubles sweep for their team. Bailey Cook and Erin Daniels pushed for q super tiebreaker at first doubles for the Saxons,; but they were thwarted 6-0, 7-5 by the Western team of Kenzie Hiler and Maria Macchia. Abby Beemer, the Saxons’ second singles player, also put up a pretty good fight. She; was edged 7-6(4), 6-4) by Western’s Renee Marston. Parma Western closed out the conference duals Friday in a 4-4 tie with Jackson Lumen Christi. Western will head into the conference: tournament with a 6-0-1 mark. Lumen Chris-; ti was 5-0-2 in conference duals and Hastings was 4-1-2 this spring. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — Page 15 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ANTI-BLIGHT ORDINANCE THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: TO: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the May 11, 2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter Township Board the following Ordinance No. 2022­ 182 was adopted. This ordinance in its entirety has been posted in the office of the Township Clerk and on the Township website (www. rutlandtownship.org). The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058-9725, (269) 948-2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such other times as may be arranged. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-182 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP ANTI-BLIGHT ORDINANCE ADOPTED: MAY 11,2022 EFFECTIVE: JUNE 18,2022 An Ordinance to secure the public health, safety and welfare of the residents and property owners of Rutland Charter Township, Barry County, Michigan, by adding to the Rutland Charter Township Code as new Article II of existing Chapter 100 various provisions for the regulating, preventing, reducing or eliminating of blight, blighting conditions, and causes of blight within the Township; to provide civil sanctions and remedies for the violation thereof, and to preserve any Ordinance or parts thereof with additional regulations pertaining to the same subject matter. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: Section I (§100-20) Title This Ordinance shall be known and cited as the “Rutland Charter Township Anti-Blight Ordinance.” Section II (§100-21) Purpose Barry County Christian School's Isaiah Birmingham drives a RBI single into Centerfield during his team's doubleheader sweep of the visiting Kalamazoo Cougars Saturday in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The purpose of this Ordinance is to promote and preserve the general health, safety and welfare of the residents and property owners of Rutland Charter Township, and to minimize the devaluation of property and the psychological ill effects of the presence of blighting conditions upon adjoining residents and property owners, by preventing, reducing, or eliminating blight, or potential blight, in the Township through the prevention or elimination of certain causes of blight or blighting conditions and causes in the Township. Section III (§100-22)Definitions For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Ordinance certain terms and words used herein shall have the following meaning: BCCS slam finishes sweep of Cougars Grihorash both singled twice. Wise, Birmingham and Brett Bremer Nathan Loerop had their team’s other three hits. Sports Editor Lantzer had two RBI and Birmingham and Noe both The Cougars hit the first grand slam, but the Eagles blasted the last one for a walkoff win and a sweep of drove in a run. Birmingham, recovering from a recent injury, start­ their doubleheader at Barry County Christian School ed game one and worked two quick innings. He in Hastings Saturday afternoon. walked two but didn’t allow a hit or a run. The Barry County Christian varsity baseball team The two Cougar runs were both unearned against responded to a 12-8 early-season loss to the Kalama­ Neymeiyer who did the bulk of the work on the zoo Home School Cougars with 5-2 and 16-15 wins mound for the Eagles. He struck out five and allowed over the weekend. four hits in his four innings while throwing 42 of his Chris Lantzer belted a grand slam to center field for 64 pitches for strikes. Noe got the save with a perfect BCCS with one out in the bottom of the seventh in seventh in which he struck out one. game two to give his team the walk-off win. Wyatt The Eagles are looking forward to playing well Smit led off the inning, with his team down 15-11, against West Michigan Aviation this afternoon and at with a double. A trio of walks pushed him to the plate Maple Valley’s Ken Beardslee Wooden Bat Invitation­ and pulled his team within three with one out - setting al Saturday in Vermontville. the stage for Lantzer’s heroics. BCCS followed up its two with the Kalamazoo The Cougars scored their first four runs of the game Cougars by scoring 6-2 and 5-2 wins at Black River on a grand slam in the top of the first inning. It was Tuesday. back and forth from there with the Cougars scoring in The Eagles hit the ball consistently in game one and five of the seven innings and the Eagles scoring in six forced the Black River guys into a couple of mistakes. of the seven innings. The Cougars had a 10-9 lead Birmingham got another short start before getting after five innings and then added five insurance runs stretched out again. He went two innings allowing one in the top of the sixth. The Eagles got two back in the home half of |hq sixth. .and ;then Bpn^t.Noe took the.... unearned nm. He walked three and struck out five, but mound for the Eagles to shut down the, Cougars in the didn’t allow a hit. Smit was strong in relief, pounding the strike zone top of the seventh. <! Brody Grihorash answered the Cougar grand slam for two innings. He gave up one run on three hits and wJtlTa three-run home run of his own for BCCS in the a walk while striking out two. Noe closed things out bottom of the first inning. in the fifth." • Noe was 2-for-3 at the plate with a single and a “After that it was just a matter of who could score the most runs before the outs ran out,” BCCS head triple. He drove in a run and scored one. Smit was coach Brandon Strong said. “We were fairly confident 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. He as we kept our emotional game in check all game and also walked once. Hawkes doubled and scored a run. we seemed to have a much better plate approach in the BCCS had eight different players record hits. Wise, sixth and seventh innings. All of this was evident in Birmingham, Grihorash, Neymeiyer and James Stagg our plate discipline and drawing 13 walks in the game. had one each. [Starting pitcher] Chris Lantzer had an untypical out­ In game two, the Eagles’ senior pitcher Grihorash ing and we didn’t help him much defensively, but as allowed five hits in five innings while striking out things go, you usually get a chance to redeem yourself eight and not walking a batter. He threw 52 of his 69 pitchers for strikes, doing what coach Strong expects in this game. Chris’ slam in the bottom of the seventh a senior to do. was really more about having the right guy up at the Grihorash didn’t get shaken by the three errors right time. For us, we are fairly confident with our made by the Eagles while he was on the mound. batting order, so any guy in that area could have gotten Offensively, he didn’t get a hit but he was busy on the the job done.” bases. He walked once, scored two runs and drove in Grihorash walked three times while going l-for-3 one run. He also stole a base. with three runs scored and five RBI. Lantzer was “Brody has matured as a base runner and is frankly 2-for-3 with a run and seven RBI. Lantzer, Isaiah Bir­ running at the most opportune time,” coach Strong mingham, Joe Wise and Aspen Neymeiyer each said. “He is presently supporting a.593 OBP. He is walked twice. Birmingham had one hit, scored four having a very special season.” runs and had an RBI. Smith finished 2-for-3 at the The four Eagle hits in game two were doubles by plate with a run and two RBI. Noe and Wise and singles from Lantzer and Wise. Noe The Eagles had nine hits in game two. Jonathan had two RBI and Lantzer and Grihorash had one each. Hawkes doubled twice and drove in a run. Lantzer and A. “implement of husbandry” means a farm tractor, a vehicle designed to be drawn or pulled by a farm tractor or animal, a ve­ hicle that directly harvests farm products, or a vehicle that directly applies fertilizer, spray, or seeds to a farm field. Implement of husbandry does not include a motor vehicle licensed for use on the public roads or highways of this state. B. “building materials” means lumber, bricks, concrete, cinder blocks, plumbing materials, electrical wiring or equipment, heating ducts or equipment, shingles, mortar, concrete or cement, nails, screws, or any other materials used in constructing any structure. C. “inoperable” motor vehicle means any motor vehicle which is being dismantled for the sale, salvage, repair or reclamation of parts thereof, or which does not have all of its main component parts properly attached, or which is incapable of being driven under its own power, lawfully, upon the public streets as a result of any other or additional conditions. D. “junk, trash, rubbish or refuse of any kind” means unmotorized vehicles or conveyances not usable for the purposes for which they were manufactured, or parts or components thereof, or scrap or waste metal, iron, steel, copper, brass, zinc, tin, lead, rope, rubber, rags, clothing, wood, plastic, paper, glass or garbage, or appliances, televisions or furniture, or mobile homes not meeting the minimum standards for inhabitation by humans, or trailers or watercraft not usable for the purposes for which they were manufactured, or concrete, brick or other materials from demolished structures, or any other scrap or waste material of any kind, including parts of any of the above. “Junk, trash, rubbish or refuse of any kind” shall not include firewood stored in an orderly manner, and shall also not include domestic refuse stored for fourteen (14) or fewer days in such a manner as not to become offensive by reason of odors, insects, rodents, pollution, litter, inadequate or improperly covered containers for the same, the lack of such containers, or the improper depositing of such material into or around such containers, or in such a manner as to otherwise create a nuisance. E. “junk vehicle” means any motor vehicle which is not currently and validly licensed for use upon the public streets and high­ ways of the State of Michigan, and any motor vehicle, whether licensed or not, which is inoperable or does not have all its main component parts attached. F. “main component parts” means fenders, hood, wheels, radiator, motor, windows, doors, muffler, body or essential parts of the engine, and all such other parts or equipment as are necessaryfor a vehicle to be lawfully driven upon.the jublifi streets ‘ pursuant to the Michigan Vehicle Code, being 1949 Public Act 300. . ’ . I Section IV (§100-23)Regulations A. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or entity of any kind, either as the owner, lessee, renter, occupant or possessor of any property, to cause, permit, or allow any of the following conditions or activities which are hereby determined to be causes of blight or blighting conditions which, if allowed to exist, will adversely affect the public health, safety and welfare: 1. The parking or storage of an inoperable vehicle or unlicensed vehicle outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities; except in the following circumstances: a. Licensed vehicles that are temporarily inoperable because of minor mechanical failure but which are not in any manner dismantled and have substantially all main component parts attached, may be parked or stored upon the premises outside of a fully enclosed building for no more than 30 days in any one calendar year, calculated on a cumulative basis for the same or different vehicles. b. One unlicensed vehicle that (1) is mechanically operable, (2) has substantially all main component parts attached, (3) or is posted for sale by the owner or occupant may be parked upon the premises outside of a fully enclosed building. Only one such vehicle per premises at any one time shall be permitted. c. Such vehicle is an “implement of husbandry” as defined in this ordinance and is used or usable for the agricultural purposes for which it was manufactured. 2. The storage or accumulation of junk, trash, rubbish, litter or refuse of any kind outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; provided this regulation does not apply to such materials that are neatly and properly stored between regular collections from the premises at intervals of not less than 30 days. 3. The storage or accumulation of building materials outside of a fully enclosed building upon any premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; unless the materials are for use in a construction project on the premises for which a building permit has been issued by the Township and is in effect. 4. The storage or accumulation of landscaping materials outside of a fully enclosed building upon premises not zoned or approved for such activities for a period in excess of 30 consecutive days; unless the materials are for use in a landscaping project upon the property and the subject materials are intended for use only in connection with the landscaping project. 5. B. The presence of a blighted structure upon any premises. In the event the foregoing regulations create any special or particular hardship beyond the control of a particular violator thereof because of unforeseen circumstances, upon written application, the Township Board shall have the authority to grant an extension or waiver for the applicant to operate contrary to these regulations for a period of time to be determined by the Township Board, not to exceed 90 days. If the Township Board determines (a) special or peculiar circumstances exist; (b) no adjoining property owner is adversely affected hereby; and (c) the spirit and purpose of these regulations are still being observed, the special permit may renewed for an additional 30 day period. All extensions and waivers must be in writing. Section V (§100-24) Violations and Enforcement A. Any person, firm, corporation, or entity of any kind who violates, disobeys, neglects or refuses to comply with any provision of this Ordinance, or any order/permit issued under the Ordinance, including any conditions imposed thereon, or who consents to, or aids or abets any of same, shall be deemed to be responsible for a violation of this Ordinance. Any person or entity responsible for a violation of this Ordinance shall be liable as a principal. B. A violation of this Ordinance is a municipal civil infraction as defined by Michigan statute and shall be subject to the Schedule of Fines specified in Section 45-6 and all other applicable parts of Chapter 45 of the Rutland Charter Township Code. Each day a violation continues to exist shall be deemed a separate offense. The imposition of a fine shall not exempt an offender from compliance with the provisions of this Ordinance. C. Any violation of this Ordinance is hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance, and shall constitute a basis for judgment, writ or order necessary to compel compliance with the Ordinance and/or to restrain and prohibit continuation of the violation, or other appropriate relief in any court of competent jurisdiction, in addition to any other relief or sanction herein set forth or allowed by law. D. This Ordinance shall be enforced by the Ordinance Enforcement Officer(s) of Rutland Charter Township, and by such other person or persons as the Township Board may designate. Section VI (§100-25)Validity Should any section, clause, or provision of this Ordinance be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such holding shall not affect the validity of this Ordinance as a whole or any part thereof, other than the part so declared to be invalid. Section VII (§100-26) Additional Regulations This Ordinance shall not be construed to repeal by implication any other ordinance of Rutland Charter Township or parts thereof with additional regulations pertaining to the same subject matter. Section VIII (§100-27) Effective Date This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days after publication as required by law. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Aspen Neymeiyer pitches for the Eagles during the top of the fourth inning of their 5-2 win over the Kalamazoo Cougars Saturday at Barry County Christian School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Rutland Charter Township I �Page 16 — Thursday, May 19, 2022 — The Hastings Banner The Saxons' Addey Nickels and Madison Nino hit the finish line together at the end of the 100-meter dash during their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference double dual with Marshall and Harper Creek hosted by the Beavers in Battle Creek Monday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) The Saxons' (from left) Layton Eastman, Nate Kohmescher and Caleb Waller get up to speed in the 11O­ meter high hurdles during their double dual with Harper Creek and Marshall in Battle Creek Monday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxons teams close out conference duals at 5-2 The Saxons' Robby Slaughter flies to victory in the long jump during his team's 1-8 competition hosted by Harper Creek Monday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity girls’ and boys’ track and field teams both fell to Harper Creek, but picked up wins over Marshall to finish their regular Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference seasons at 5-2 overall in double duals at Harper Creek Monday. The Saxon boys’ team won 100-63 over Marshall and lost 109-53 to Harper Creek. Hastings’ girls defeated Marshall 78-65 and fell to Harper Creek 86-77. Hastings head coach, Brian Teed noted that Harper Creek is “undefeat­ ed in the conference and very senior heavy with 20 seniors on their team. Their middle distance guys were too much for us to handle. Coming into the meet, Marshall was going to beat us on paper, but our team stepped up on the road and picked up the win. Our throwers and hurdlers came through big. We went 42-2 in those four events. We swept the throws and took 1; 2, and 3 in the two hurdle events.” Saxon’s placing first in two events for the night were: Reuben Solmes with a PR in the 100-meter of 11.79 seconds and a PR in the 200-meter of 24.20; Layton Eastman with a PR in the 110-meter high hurdles (16.20) and the 300-meter intermediate hur­ dles (42.61), Daniel Weatherly in shot put (47 feet 8.50 inches) and discuss (117-06), and Robby Slaughter in pole vault with a PR of 13-2 and long jump (19-05.50). Dillon Neal finished first for the Saxons in the 400-meter (56.65). The Saxon 4x200-meter relay team of Slaughter, Solmes, Aiden SaintAmour and Eastman finished in first place against Marshall, as well as the Saxon 4x 100-meter relay team of Slaughter, SaintAmour, Zane Warner and Solmes. Hastings also had Caleb Waller fin­ ish in second place in the long jump with a PR of 19-03.75. Tanner Rairigh finished in second place in discus with a throw of 106-08, and Lanny Teunes­ sen threw a PR of 94-03 for third place, while Isaac Friddle finished the thrower sweep against Marshall with a throw of 91-06 for fourth place. In the shot put sweep against Marshall, Adam Jacob took second with a throw of 39-06, Friddle threw a PR of 39-05 for third place and Teunessen threw 34-06 for fourth place. Finishing in the top three in hurdles against Marshall, Waller finished sec­ ond in the 110-meter hurdles with a PR of 17.29, and the 300-meter hur­ dles with a PR of 43.54. Nate Kohmescher took third in both the 110-meter hurdles (17.31) and the 300-meter hurdles (45.05). The Saxon girls also had an upset over Marshall for the night, Coach Teed noted that the “Field events were again the story for the girls as they only had a 1 point lead in the 12 run­ ning events, but they went 31-17 in the five field events. Field events are sneaky. If you don’t play close atten­ tion to them, they can quietly get away from you and turn a meet, and that’s what the girls did tonight by winning all five.” Placing first for the Saxon girls in two events were: Addey Nickels with a PR of 13.49 in the 100-meter and in the 200-meter (28.10), Carissa Strou­ se in the 1600-meter (6:32.26) and the 3200-meter (13:34.19), Allison Teed in the 110-meter hurdles (16.45) and the pole vault (9-06), and Maddie Miller in shot-put (30-00) and discus (83-07). Madison Nino took first in the long jump (16-02) and Myah Vincent took first in the high jump (4-08). The girl’s 4x 100-meter relay team of Nino, Isa­ belle Roosien, Teed and Nickels fin­ ished first, as did the 4x200-meter relay team of Nino, Nickels, Roosien and Teed. Nino came in a hundredth of a sec­ ond behind Nickels to finish second in the 100-meter dash, and Vincent ran a PR of 28.72 in the 200-meter for sec­ ond place against Marshall. In the throws, Grace Madden finished with a second place against Harper Creek with throws of 29-03 in shot-put and a throw of 76-02 in the discus. The Saxons head into tournament competition, as they travel to Mason on Friday to compete in the Division 2 Michigan High School Athletic Asso­ ciation Regional tournament. The top two athletes in each event, or those scoring a qualifying mark will qualify for the Division 2 MHSAA Lower Peninsula Track and Field that will be held June 4. The Saxons will compete in the Interstate-8 Conference Finals at Parma Western Tuesday, May 24. The Saxons' Myah Vincent works to get over the bar at 4 feet 8 inches, a height which earned her first place in the 1-8 competition at Harper Creek Monday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR 134 E. COURT STREET The Planning Commission for the City of Hastings will hold a Pub­ lic Hearing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public regarding the request for the Special Use Permit and Site Plan Review for construction of a Multi-Family Building at 134 E. Court Street. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday June 6, 2022 in the Council Chambers, second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. Please check the City of Hastings website at www.hastinqsmi.org or contact City Hall at 269-945-2468 for details. Delton Kellogg first baseman Cole Lane slaps a tag on Schoolcraft's Beau Onken during a pick-off attempt at first during game two of their SAC Valley Division double­ header in Delton May 11. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DK baseball has pair of good battles with Schoolcraft All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. A copy of the plans and additional background materials are available for pub­ lic inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the Community Development Director, 201 E. State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. Questions or comments can be directed to Dan King, Community Development Director at 269-945-2468 or dking@hastingsmi.org. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days no­ tice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. 180784 Jane M. Saurman City Clerk Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hackett Catholic Prep and Schoolcraft knocked off the Delton Kellogg varsity base­ ball team in Southwestern Athletic Confer­ ence Valley Division action last week. The Irish from Hackett took a 15-1 win over the Panthers Thursday in Delton. The Panthers got their lone run in the bot­ tom of the fifth inning when Luke Watson worked a lead-off walk. He went to second on a ground ball by Cole Lane and eventually scored on an Irish error. Lane was l-for-2 with a double in the ball­ game. That was one of three DK hits against Irish pitchers Brooks Basler and Chris Bull­ ard. Basler started and got the win, shutting out DK for four innings. He struck out three, walked one and gave up one hit. Singles by Mason Nabozny and Seth LeBeck were the other two DK hits. Nabozny started on the mound and took the loss. Schoolcraft edged the DK boys 8-2 and 6-4 in the two games of a doubleheader in Delton Wednesday. DK got its two runs early in the opener, tying the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. The Eagles kept scoring through adding two in the second and three in the third on their way to the win. The Panthers six hits were all singles in the loss. Wyatt Colwell was 2-for-3 with an RBI for DK and Adrian Deboer was 2-for-4. Seth Lebeck and Tristin Boze were the two other DK guys with hits. Boze started on the mound and took the loss, going four innings. Colwell threw three innings of relief in which he allowed one unearned run on three hits while walking four. Only three of the seven runs against Boze were earned. Boze struck out four, walked three and allowed four hits. Beau Onken led the Schoolcraft attack going 2-for-4 with a double, a RBI and a run scored. Tyler DeGroote tripled and drove in three runs. Schoolcraft snapped a 4-4 tie with a run in the bottom of the third inning and then added a run in the fourth for a 6-4 five-inning win in game two. Wyatt Colwell pitches for the Delton Kellogg varsity baseball team during game one of its Southwestern Athletic Conference doubleheader against visit­ ing Schoolcraft Wednesday, May 11. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DK scored a run in the top of the first inning only to the have the Eagles respond with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Eagles then added two runs in the bottom of the second to go up 4-1. DK answered with three runs in the top of the third to even things momentarily. A three-run double by Lebeck in the top of the third was the big blast for DK. That double was one of four DK hits. Leb­ eck was 2-for-3. Deboer and Boze had DK’s other two hits. The Eagles had just five hits of Deboer who went the distance on the mound for DK. He struck out three and walked three. One of the six runs against him was unearned. The Panthers were bested 10-0 at Lakewood High School Saturday morning with a single by Deboer DK’s lone hit off of Lakewood pitcher Blake Price who struck out ten and walked four over his five innings on the mound. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-06-02.pdf ec61a276c539c8378febf736f82f9506 PDF Text Text 8906k IN sBuijseh J89JIS QlBlS 3 ZZZ Congratulations, Hastings High School Class of 2022 Rise to the occasion, leaders, it's past time See Special Section Inside See Editorial on Page 4 80487911018 1070490102590504595449058195427 ,*,**«******CAR-RT L<3' H Hastings Public libran/ 227 E State St Hastings Ml 49058-1954 VOLUME 168, No. 22 Thursday, June 2, 2022 PRICE $1.00 ---- .............................. -............. -7-..................... -...... building’s not for sale NEWS TheBoard consensus indicates county favors BRIEFS other uses for former Friend of the Court building City Band to entertain Hastings City Band will present “An Evening with John Williams,” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at Thornapple Plaza in downtown Hastings. The band, comprised of local musi­ cians ranging in age from eighth grade to 80 and beyond, has been a tradition since the 1850s. Williams is known for composting award-winning scores for films such as “Star Wars,” “Jaws,” “Superman” and many others, as well as theme music for the Olympics, Sunday Night Football, news programs and more. The concerts are free. Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets for seating. The venu is within short walking distance of several restau­ rants and stores. The rain venue will be the Barry Community Enrichment Center, 231 S. Broadway, Hastings. Rebecca Pierce An aerial view of the site plan for Tyden Lofts shows how the existing former Friend of the Court building, at the top right, would be incorporated into the 60-unit housing development on the left. (Design provided.) Editor . The future of a vacant historic building in Hastings isn’t likely to be part of a proposed housing development, a con­ sensus of the Barry County board indicated Tuesday. A week ago, commissioners were surprised by the purchase pitch from a Wisconsin-based developer. General Capital asked to buy the building at 102 S. Broad­ way Ave. so it could be incorporated into a 60-unit affordable housing project called Tyden Lofts. That May 24 presentation prompted Chairman Ben Geiger to call a special workshop for Tuesday to discuss what uses would be best for that building. It had recently housed the Friend of the Court. All of the commissioners, with the exception of Dave Jack­ son, were present. The workshop was not live-streamed. Geiger said the board does not livestream its workshops and that has been their practice for some time. See THE BUILDING, page 3 State honors sheriff's sergeant for Heroism No Family Left Indoors begins No Family Left Indoors, a local pro­ gram designed to get children and fami­ lies outdoors in the summer, will begin a new season next week. Volunteers from Barry County Parks and Recreation have organized Birding Bingo, a self-guided activity. From June 6 to 10, participants can visit sites along the Thomapple Birding Trail, trying to see or collect enough items to fill a row in the four-by-four-square bingo card. Birding maps and bingo cards are available at BCPR office at Historic Charlton Park in the Upjohn House (2545 S. Charlton Park Road, Hastings). The cards also can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/BirdingBingo2022. Each year, local groups - such as the Chief Noonday Chapter of the North Country National Trail Association, YMCA of Barry County, Thornapple Arts Council, W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanc­ tuary, Hastings Public Library and more - coordinate programs with Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Activities range from family camp night to pond exploration to hikes, nature art, storybook walks and more. Some programs are in person, with a set start time, while others are open to exploring over a few days. In addition, participants can complete a digital or paper passport. Code words will be provided with each activity to be recorded in the passport. A small prize is awarded to those who complete three or more activities, and their names will be entered into a drawing for larger prizes. Passports and full details can be found at http://bit.ly/NFLI2022. Hastings alums accept nominations The Hastings High School Alumni Association Board is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. The award will be presented at the Aug. 27 banquet. Any classmate, friend, family member or community member may submit a nom­ ination. Nominations must be typed and must contain biographical information and reasons why the individual is being nominated. Reasons may include accom­ plishments, vocational honors and awards received, community service, organization memberships or any other helpful information. The nominee can be residing anywhere, not necessarily in Hastings, but must be an alum of Hast­ ings High School. The alumni board is open to considering previously submitted nominees as well as new nominees. It encourages anyone who See BRIEFS, page 2 Barry County Chairman Ben Geiger, on left, tells Hastings Mayor Dave Tossava that the county is happy to collaborate with the city after Tuesday's workshop in the commissioners' mezzanine at the historic court­ house. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) _ __ _ Hunter McLaren Jumping for Joy It was a day unlike any other for many area families: Graduation! Celebrate some of those special moments in our special edition today. Here, after the May 26 com­ mencement exercises at Delton Kellogg High School, Francisco Rosado IV holds his diploma as his mother, Christina Rosado, and sister, Jane Rosado, cheer him on. Turn to Pages 10-11 for more about Delton Kellogg's commencemen: exercises and see this Saturday's Delton Pages in The Reminder. See the Hastings High School Class of 2022 inside. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) ■ v' 6:48 p.m. that night. Riddle was stopped by Staff Writer L police as he was leaving the station. When Sgt. Scott Ware with the Barry County police started to question Riddle, he grew Sheriff’s Department received the 2022 agitated and sped off, heading north on M-43. Police Officer of the Year Award for his Police reports and testimony in court said actions during an Aug. 4, 2021, ear chase and Riddle reached speeds as high as 115 mph. shootout in Woodland. Officers from the city police Ware was recognized by the and the sheriff’s department, Police Officers Association of including Ware, joined the Michigan at its annual conven­ chase. Police reported that Rid­ tion in Grand Rapids. dle pointed a shotgun out the “For bravely putting the window at pursuing officers lives of others before his own throughout the chase. by stopping an armed shooter The chase ended at the Mobil before he could do any real gas station parking lot on M-43, harm, Sgt. Scott Ware is one of east of Woodland. Police the Police Officer of the Year reported that Riddle leveled a award recipients,” a press shotgun at officers after exiting release reads. “The teamwork his vehicle and began approach­ of all officers on the scene and ing them. the courageous, tactical deciSgt Scott Ware Ware, who was still inside sions of Sgt. Ware allowed the his police cruiser, readied a whole incident to end without any civilian or rifle and fired several shots through the wind­ police officer casualties.” shield of his vehicle. Those actions are cred­ Undersheriff Jason Sixberry said the ited with causing Riddle to stop shooting and department is lucky to have Ware. retreat into the gas station. One customer “Scott’s done a great job here and with escaped and two employees hid inside the everything he’s done to keep the community store. They later were able to leave the station safe,” Sixberry said. “We’re proud of him and unharmed, police report. his accomplishments and him receiving the Riddle barricaded himself inside the sta-. award. It’s a pleasure of ours to have him go tion for seven hours while police negotiated from a deputy up to a sergeant position, being with him. The standoff ended at 1:30 a.m. able to instill his good values and hard work when Riddle surrendered himself to police. ethic in the department.” He was later convicted of 21 criminal counts. The encounter started when police were During Riddle’s trial, Barry County Judge alerted that Timothy Riddle was suspected of Michael Schipper reviewed the incidents aS stealing two shotguns from a Hastings resi­ they had occurred that day. Remarkably, the dent on the 1000 block of North Coville judge pointed out, no one was hurt. That was Road. Police in the area were notified to keep because of the police officers who responded a lookout for Riddle. to the scene, he said. A Hastings City Police officer saw Riddle’s And Ware was a key reason for that, vehicle at a gas station on M-43 in Hastings at according to the police officers association. Crowds reminded of Memorial Day’s significance Benjamin Simon Sons of the American Legion, (from left) Jamie, Mike and Chad Murphy, and local Scouts walk through downtown Hastings at the start of Monday’s Memorial Day parade. (Photo by Benjamin Simon) Staff Writer Despite a near 90-degree forecast, a strong breeze from the south kept participants and spectators comfortable as the annual Memo­ rial Day parade wound through Hastings Monday morning. The event, hosted by Lawrence J. Bauer American Legion Post 45, made its tradition­ al stops, pausing at Tyden Park and the bridge over the Thomapple River before ending at Riverside Cemetery. The parade stepped off at 9:30 a.m. from the intersection of Boltwood and State streets, with the Legion’s color guard, followed by the honor guard, Legion members and other veterans, National Guard and Reservists, Legion Auxiliary, Legion Riders, the local Disabled American Veterans chapter mem­ bers, Sons of the American Legion, Scouts, Hastings Area Schools Marching Band and other participants. They walked through downtown, making their way to the Veterans Memorial at Tyden Park, where attendees heard a speech from Steve Carr, an Air Force veteran. Carr served as the commander of Post 45 for three years before taking over as the current Michigan District 4 forward commander. See CROWDS , page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — The Hastings Banner CROWDS, continued from page 1 ---------------He began his speech by honoring the final 13 U.S. service members who lost their lives in Afghanistan. He shared a little bit about each person - their names, where they came from and details about their lives. “Not only are these diverse men and women forever in our hearts, but for those who knew him, they are forever young,” he said. “They came from every background, yet they shared a common goal: To serve Ameri­ ca and make life better for others.” Carr went on to highlight the importance of Memorial Day. “Memorial is not about picnics and parades, though there is nothing wrong with enjoying and celebrating our American way of life,” he said. “Memorial Day is about gratitude and remembrance. It is about honoring the men and women who made it possible for us to gather here today in peace. But the reason there is a Memorial Day, the reason we gather here, is to remember who made our way of life possible. They truly are the guardians of our freedom.” Following Carr’s speech, two wreaths were placed at the memorial. One wreath honored all veterans and the other honored prisoners of war and those still missing in action. The group then made its way to the bridge on Broadway, where a wreath was tossed in Thornapple River to honor those who have served or are serving at sea. Both stops included a rifle salute by the Post 45 honor guard, followed by playing of taps by two Hastings High School band mem­ bers. The parade then moved to Riverside Cem­ etery where a brief ceremony took place, as it has for many years, near the Grand Army of the Republic marker, beyond the Avenue of Flags. Those 43 flags, Jim Atkinson pointed out, were donated by the families of 43 veterans, who were presented the flags at the time of the veteran’s death. Throughout the large cemetery, Atkinson said, another 500 or so small U.S. flags mark the graves of veterans buried at Riverside. As in the past, local Scout groups helped place the flags in recent weeks. Youngsters and adult volunteers finished the work in about an hour and a half, a grateful Atkinson said. Unlike in years past, a wreath was not placed on the grave of the most recently deceased veteran at Riverside. Dr. Paul Sweetland, who served in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne during the Vietnam War, died in early March. Atkinson said frill military honors were conducted during Sweetland’s burial just a few weeks ago. So, the wreath placed at the GAR marker was the final wreath placed Monday. Barry Wood, recent commander of the state American Legion and a Hastings resi­ The American Legion Post 45 color guard and honor guard lead the Memorial Day parade, which started at 9:30 a.m. The color guard is holding the flags, while the honor guard walks around them. . dent, spoke for a few minutes. Like Carr, Wood reminded people of the purpose of Memorial Day. “This is the day we pay homage to all those who served in the military and did not come home. This is not Veterans Day. This is not a day for celebration. It’s a day for solemn con­ templation over the cost for our freedom. “Memorial Day was bom of necessity. After the American Civil War, a battered United States was faced with the task of bury­ ing and honoring the 600,000 to 800,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who had died in the single bloodiest military conflict in American history. “The first national commemoration of Memorial Day was held at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, where both Union and Confederate soldiers are buried. “Every veteran takes this oath,” Wood con­ tinued. “The ones we honor here today make the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out this oath. “Veterans, you will remember this, and I quote: ‘I do solemnly swear that I will sup­ port and defend the Constitution of ihp.United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and alle­ giance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, so help me, God.’ “We here today thank and honor those vet­ erans who took this oath and cannot be here. Each veteran here, and those across this nation, understand what taking this oath means. It is a gift, or a pledge, of their lives to you and to all in the United States of Amer­ ica. That oath is a major part of who we are in the military. It forms the bedrock of what we stand for and ... are willing to fight for. “Some of you may know a soldier, airman, sailor or marine who did not come home: “I am an airman. I do not choose the time or place. Convenience is not in my vocabu­ lary. “I’m a soldier. I stand at the ready. When my orders come, I go. “I’m a sailor. The job I’m given to do, I do. Even if it costs me my life, I will do it. “I am a marine. Yes, take me home, but only when the job is done, only when the job is done. . "1 pray for eachfaiftily that has lost a vet­ eran, never having a chance to say ‘good­ bye. ’ “Let us never forget,” Wood concluded. Kenneth Kirsch Jr. rides a motorcycle during the Hastings Memorial Day parade Monday. (Photos by Benjamin Simon) Barry Wood, a member of the honor guard, holds a rifle during the Hastings Memorial Day ceremonies. Wood also spoke at the cemetery The 13 Hastings Banner Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: Cloverdale; Woodland: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Cloverdale General Woodland Express (M-43 North) BRIEFS, continued from page 1 ---------------------------- Harding's Superette Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Shelbyville: Nashville: Family Fare Middleville Johnny's Town & Country Trading Post The Dock Nashville Johnny's Tom's Market Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Marathon Mega Bev Pine Lake: Hastings Pharmacy Doster Country Store Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Prairieville: Barry County Commissioner Jon Smelker, who represents District 4, salutes as the parade stops at the bridge on Broadway, where a wreath is placed in the Thornapple River to honor people who have served at sea. MV Pharmacy Delton: Nashville C Store Family Fare Carl’s Delton Johnny's Lake Odessa: Lake-O-Express Banfield: Lake-O-Mart Banfield General Store Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L& J’s Carl’s Prairieville Fast Stop has submitted a nomination in the past to resub­ mit one again with updated information for the board’s consideration. The cutoff date for the letters of nomination is July 15. All letters of nomination received by that date will be consid­ ered in selecting the alumnus of the year. The nomination letters should be mailed to Lois Bowers, 102 E. Clinton St., Hastings, MI 49058, by the deadline. Questions may be directed to Lois Bowers, 269-945-9657. Rep. Calley to visit Hastings Friday State Rep. Julie Calley is inviting residents of Barry and Ionia counties to attend her June office hours in Hastings and Pewamo. “Local office hours give me the opportuni­ ty to meet with constituents face-to-face and hear what is important to them,” said Calley, of Portland. The informal meetings will take place Fri­ day, June 3, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Barry County Tyden Center, 121 S. Church St. Hastings; and Monday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to noon at Blossom Time Park, 278 W. Lin­ coln St. in Pewamo. No appointment is necessary to attend. Calley also is planning a virtual option for residents who are unable to attend in person, who may email JulieCalley@house.mi.gov or call 517-373-0842 to schedule a Zoom meeting. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — Page 3 Choral Society to open 37th season Sunday in Hastings The Lakewood Area Choral Society, under the direction of founding artistic director and conductor Robert C. Oster, will begin its 37th season at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 5, at the First Presbyterian Church, 405 N. M-37, Hastings. The choir will perform a concert of sacred choral music accompanied by pianist Nicole Reitz. The choral society was supposed to have celebrated its 35th anniversary season in 2020. Highlights of that season were to include numerous concerts featuring choral repertoire performed in past years, as well as the Gala Anniversary Concert featuring the world pre­ miere of a work commissioned especially for that occasion by nationally acclaimed com­ poser Jill Gallina. The pandemic essentially shuttered the choir in 2020 and 2021. The 2022 season will feature three con­ certs;-the June 5 sacred music concert, the I—2------------------------------------------------------ rescheduled Gala Anniversary Concert Sept. 24 at the Hastings Performing Arts Center, and a Christmas Concert at Lakewood High School’s Fine Arts Auditorium in December. Sacred repertoire for the June 5 concert will incorporate old standards and audience favorites, including “How Great Thou Art” arranged by Dan Forrest; “Cornerstone” arranged by David T. Clydesdale; “An Old English Prayer,” setting by James Gossler and edited by Robert C. Oster; and “It is Well with My Soul” by Robert Sterling. Other songs to be performed will be “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need” by Craig Courtney and “One World” by Mark Hayes. LACS Assistant Conductor Ronni O’Toole will lead the choir in “The Music of Your Love” by Joel Raney and “Change the World with Love” by Joseph M. Martin. LACS also will perform the piece com­ missioned expressly for the choral society’s 25th anniversary, “Sea and Shore” by Mich­ igan composer, Frank De Wald. Additional­ ly, the choir will perform “Gloria In Excelsis” by Mozart from his 12th Mass, featur­ ing solo quartet members Cindy Olson, Mary Kuhlman, Jon Cleveland and Paul Kuhlman. Two congregational, hymns also will be included. As a special feature, tenor Connor Lindsey, a recent Hastings High School graduate and this year’s recipient of the Lakewood Area Choral Society Scholarship, will sing Charles Gounod’s “O Divine Redeemer.” Lindsey will be attending Michigan State University in the fall to study voice performance and choral music education. The concert is open to the public. Sanctu­ ary doors will open = at 2:30, and in lieu of tickets, a freewill offering will be taken. New court hearing set in barricaded gunman incident at campground Greg Chandler Staff Writer A new court date has been set for a 24-year-old Battle Creek man accused of threatening campers at the Welcome Woods campground in Carlton Township last month. Trevor Dean Leiter is scheduled to appear for a probable-cause conference June 15 in District Court 56B. A conference had been scheduled for last week but was adjourned, court officials said. Leiter is charged with three counts of felonious assault and one count of reckless use of a weapon in connection with the May 16 incident at the campground on Welcome Road, north of the city of Hastings. Michigan State Police received a report of a domestic dispute involving the suspect and his girlfriend. Prior to troopers arriving, Leiter threatened people at the campground and started “shooting rounds into the air from a handgun he had pulled out of a back­ pack,” the Barry County Sheriff’s Depart­ ment reported. When troopers arrived, Leiter initially refused to exit the RV, and officers sur­ rounded the vehicle. The Barry County Sheriff’s Department Special Response Team was called to assist. “Members of the SRT were able to quick­ ly control of Leiter and handcuff him to the rear [of the RV],” the sheriff’s department report said. “After standing him up and try­ ing to escort him to a patrol vehicle, he began resisting. Leiter had to be pushed towards the patrol vehicles. Leiter became more resistant and had to be brought down to the ground and held down.” Once in the patrol vehicle, Leiter kicked at the windows in the vehicle. Then at the jail, Leiter continued to resist corrections officers and had to be placed in a restraint chair, according to the sheriff’s department report. The girlfriend escaped without injury, and no one else was hurt in the incident. Leiter is being held on a $10,000 bond in the Barry County Jail. Very Barry Family Event offers free food, fun, ideas Tyden Park in Hastings will be the venue for the 12th annual Very Barry Family Event 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 4. A free simple breakfast will be provided. The event is designed to celebrate chil­ dren and get families ready for the summer. More than 35 booths from area agencies and businesses will offer fun opportunities and share information and activities parents can duplicate at home. Creekside Vision and Hearing will have a trailer set up to provide vision screening for children. Safety personnel will be at the park for kids to meet. Youngsters can explore the YMCA B. Bus and the Barry County Transit bus, as well as meet Deputy Travis Moore and K-9 Officer Grizzly. A goodie bag with community informa­ tion, fun summer activities and a free book will be provided to the first 250 families. They can use the bag to collect information from each booth using their “passports” to collect stamps. At the conclusion, families can register to win one of the many free summer fun gift baskets. Several giveaways are planned, includ­ ing bicycles donated by the Hastings Rota­ ry Club and other donors. In addition, Rotary members will be giving out free bicycle helmets, and helping make sure youngsters get a proper fit. Parking will be available at city lots, and the Barry County Transit trolley will take families to and from Tyden Park. More information is available, by calling 269-243-0306. Lakewood school employee pleads guilty to CSC involving student Greg Chandler Staff Writer A former Lakewood Public Schools admin­ istrative assistant pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a teenage male student. Michele Rae Erb of Lake Odessa entered the plea May 18 before District Court Judge Michael Schipper. Conviction on the charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Erb is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 11. Erb, 45, had served as the administrative assistant to the director of curriculum, instruc­ tion and assessment for Lakewood schools, as well as director of technology for the district. Police alleged that Erb was involved in a sexual act with a teenage victim on Oct. 27, 2021. Superintendent Steve Skalka wrote in'a March 4 statement to district families and staff that the incident involved a 16-year-old high school student “off school property and during school hours.” District officials contacted Michigan State Police immediately after learning of the inci­ dent, Skalka said at the time that charges were filed against Erb. The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office han­ dled the case after Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt recused herself because she knows the defendant. Two other charges - a count of third-de­ gree criminal sexual conduct and a count of using a computer to commit a crime - will be dismissed in exchange for Erb’s guilty plea. those functions less streamlined. Brown said such a move could work, but agreed that having everyone in one space would be optimal. “Do I want to be out of this building?” he asked. “Not necessarily. ...But 1 think it’s absolutely doable.” “In my experience, proximity is every­ thing,” Getty replied. “ ...This is the first time I’ve had a comprehensive look at all the buildings. The space where the annex sits is very useful. But the building is functionally obsolete. “You start building silos and you lose a lot in that migration,’!.----- — _s_____ ,_____ Another concern about locating county offices in the former FOC building is that the pedestrian crossing at Broadway is problem­ atic because of the heavy traffic, she added. “I know I’m in the minority here,” Getty said, “but I have concerns about future space being across the street and that far away.” Conner said she agreed that the annex needs to be tom down, but the jail is a higher priority that the county needs to address. Although no action was taken as the meet­ ing concluded, Geiger called the outcome of the workshop “an agreement.” “We’re going to continue through the pro­ cess,” he said. “...There’s push and pull on both sides. So we’re going to share our con­ cerns. • . —21 want- to_see -the project succeed, but J. don’t want to handcuff the county for their future needs. I want to find a win-win deci­ sion.” THE BUILDING, continued from page 1 Hastings Mayor Dave Tossava attended the workshop, but offered no comment during the meeting. Tossava had made it clear a week ago, during a city council meeting, that this hous­ ing development was a critical step in their effort to bring more affordable housing to the Hastings area. “We’re not asking for a lot of money for property, we’re giving it to these developers to come into Hastings,” Tossava told city council members. “I just hope that we can influence the county to follow suit with what the city’s doing.” - The development would leave the historic building intact and renovate it for use as an office and public space that would be acces­ sible to the adjacent housing via an enclosed walkway. The residential units would be developed using the affordable housing tax credits the Michigan State Housing Development Authority had held over from the denied Royal Coach site project. The rare transference of those MSHDA tax credits created hope for expeditious action by the county so they could proceed with the plan, project developers told commissioners during their presentation last week. Geiger started off Tuesday’s workshop with the following question: “If that building wasn’t sold, what would we use it for in the next five years?” At the conclusion of the workshop, Geiger summed up the discussion: “I think we have determined the consensus of the board is we are going to need the space in that building, our preference is to own it and we’re going to need some parking if we’re going to use (that building) in future.” “Unless the city wants to give us a new building, which we would gratefully accept, this is our future space,” he added. If the commissioners decide not to sell the property, it wouldn’t kill the Tyden Lofts project, but it would have a significant impact, Tossava said. Without the historic building as part of the plan, the MSHDA credits would be signifi­ cantly reduced, Tossava told The Banner after Tuesday’s session. “We never had a thought of leaving that building vacant,” Commissioner Jon Smelker pointed out at the beginning of the workshop. The problem is, they’ve never quite fig­ ured out what function of county government would suit that space. And it hasn’t been a top priority. It was only a couple of months ago that the Friend of the Court moved out of that building to its new space in the Courts and Law building. “My thought was moving the board of commissioners over there,” Geiger said, pointing to the benefits of dedicated parking for people who want to attend a board meet­ ing. Vice Chairwoman Vivian Conner said Drain Commissioner Jim Dull, who is run­ ning out of office space, would like to hire another employee. The administration department needs a human resources director, she said, adding that she would like the county’s administra­ tion department to move into that building. “In less than five years, I would like to see the administrator over there and you’d have three people in administration, plus Michael (Brown).” Smelker said some other offices, such as Accounts Payable, could move there as well. And the idea of county commissioners working over there, instead of in the mezza­ nine of the historic courthouse, would be “fine,” especially with the parking right out­ side the door. “There’s also some storage issues,” Conner said, adding that the basement of the former Friend of the Court building could be used for storage. As they took stock of the storage and office capacity of the county’s buildings, Brown told commissioners that the Courts and Law Building, “for all intents and purposes, is full. Any storage space or expansion space was used for public defender and a couple of con­ ference rooins” in the basement of that build­ ing. One way that they were able to use the available sfwee to-niWlmurn efficiency^.^sto use modular furniture, instead of individu­ al offices, in an open space, he explained. As they look to future growth, the county could eliminate traditional office suites and install modular furniture to accommodate needs for increased capacity, Brown said. The Tyden Center also is occupied, Brown noted, with the county’s IT and GIS depart­ ments, along with Michigan State University Extension and the community room with the remainder of the lower level used for storage. The historic courthouse is a challenge as far as efficient use of space, but its historic nature requires that some exceptions be made. “The courthouse should be considered a little unique ... because of its historical char­ acter,” he said. “The last significant move (in that building) was when we repurposed the entrance for security.” That building has been pushed to its limit­ ed capacity, he said. But the commission chambers in the mez­ zanine the top of the building is a unique space that could be used for an office area, Conner said. “We could put cubicles on each side” of the available space in the room, she said. Brown also mentioned the annex - that’s the building where the sheriff’s residence and jail used to be located until the early 1990s. The county’s maintenance department occupies that building now, with storage for equipment and supplies that the county orders in bulk. “So, save for the former FOC building, all spaces are currently used and any storage space that we have isn’t really conducive to office space,” Geiger remarked. Commissioner Catherine Getty pointed out that the Tyden Lofts Incorporated county office space within that public building space, along with a community room as an added amenity. “The value in sharing a space like that is we dftn’t have ,tp rpaintain-.-thaibuildiiig,” she said. .■ \ “I’m from the old school,” Smelker replied. e in that building, [want to own it.”' . Commissioner Bruce Campbell said he agreed with Smelker.’ “I’m not sure partnershipsgin buildings are all that beneficial. I thinkfrt adds complications to ownership.1” Cqmpbell said he’s keeping an open mind about the project, but added, “I’m not here for Bruce Campbell. I’m here for my four town­ ships.” As far as space for future growth, “it’s not a question of if we’re going to need space, it’s a question of when. Eventually, we will need space, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. Getty questioned the notion of moving individual departments to the former FOC building, pointing to the loss of proximity with other departments that would make BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ZONING ORDINANCE ADOPTION BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN HEREBY ORDAINS: Pursuant to the provisions of Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended, notice is hereby^ given that the Barry County Board of Commissioners has adopted the following" Ordinance which amends the Barry County Zoning Ordinance of 2008, as amended, in the following manner: ORDINANCE NO.: A-1-2022 Zoning map for the Village of Woodland. (See attached maps.) These maps are portions of the Official Zoning Map of Woodland Township in Barry County, Michigan. All of the above shown properties are located in Barry County, Michigan. BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN Date: May 24, 2022________ Ben Geiger, Chairperson Barry County Board of Commissioners Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk Published Date: June 02, 2022 The above named ordinance becomes effective June 10, 2022. A copy of this ordinance is available for purchase or inspection in the Barry County Planning Office, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 between the hours 8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please call (269) 945-1290 for further information. 181514 �Page 4 — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Lofty goal Times determine quality of leaders • Construction is continuing on the Lofts@128 mixed-use development at 128 N. Michigan Ave. When completed, the four-story, 24,000-square-foot building will have 21 oneand two-bedroom apartments available to rent downtown. Additionally, the building will have office space on the first floor. Developer Veneklasen Construction estimates the $4.9 million project will be completed sometime by the end of this month. Do you remember? Anti-litter messages Banner June 4, 1959 Anti-Litterbum experts - Students in Barry County schools participated in the Anti-Litterbum Poster contest sponsored by the Barry County Sportswomen’s Club, with more than 15g>pa|ticipants ink.the.bjQh school andiuo.jpc^wi^Qn§^£F</a;i$^y^oeQ((l.pft)., of Hastings won first place in the junior division, and Dean Miller of Hastings (standing behind her) took,second place., Donald Zimmerman (right) of Woodland won first place in the high school division, and Chuck Teunnessen of Hastings (standing behind Donald) won second in the senior division. First-prize winners receive $5, and second prize winners, $3. On the right,is Mrs. Hazel Roush, chairman of the local contest and a member of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ Roadside Beauty Committee. Have you . ■ ■ , A ■■ . . ■ . , «' . . ■ met? Meshia Rose could talk about her career all day. But when it comes to her personal life, she said she often doesn’t know what to say. Rose moved to Hastings and started her new role as the equalization director at the Barry County Equalization Office in April. She works with city and township assessors to set tax rates across the county, ensuring they are fair and accurate. Although the general public can some­ times feel like tax administrators are work­ ing against them, Rose said she hopes to accomplish the opposite. “I grew up very poor, and I really want to make sure things are fair,” Rose said. “That’s an important passion of mine: To make sure things are being done correctly and fairly. I enjoy being able to offer that reassurance to our taxpayers.” Growing up in St. Louis, Gratiot County, Rose said her mom did what she could to provide for Rose and her two sisters. “She tried to give us opportunities,” Rose said. “I was involved in sports and dance, but at one point I had to stop dancing because we couldn’t afford it.” After graduating from St. Louis High School, she attended Saginaw Valley State University to study nursing, before switching to a business administration program. After graduating from SVSU, Rose moved to Alma, close to her sisters in St. Louis. Her career in local government started there, where she worked as a city assessor. She stayed in Alma until one of her sis­ ters died by suicide. “That was a huge, life-changing experience for me, and that’s kind of what moti­ vated me to get out of the area,” she said. “1 needed a fresh start.” Rose and her husband moved to Kalam­ azoo, where she worked a city assessor in Portage. There, she worked with her team to build a relationship with the public. “I have a lot of pride in the work I did in Portage,” Rose said. “We really worked on making sure everything was very transpar­ ent because I believe that anything with taxes should be.” While working in Portage, Rose was taking classes to get her Michigan Master Assessing Officer certification. When COVID-19 became widespread, the city placed all non-essential employees on leave. As the head of her department, Rose was deemed essential. She took on all the work in her department, along with the remaining courses for her certification. Her schedule was already busy, but taking on the rest of her department’s work made for a lot of late nights at the office. “That pushed me over the top. 1 decided I needed to make a change for my family. It was a lot of Jimmy John’s and Red Bulls,” Rose said. “I don’t even know if I can have another Red Bull.” After receiving her certification, she and her husband, Glenn Rose, started looking for somewhere to live closer to Grand Rap­ ids, where he works as a charter jet pilot. Rose started in the Barry County Equaliza­ tion office, and the two bought a home in Hastings. The new role has made balancing her life and her work much easier. Her husband is closer to work, and Rose spends less time in the office. They both get to spend more time with their two kids -3-year-old son Jameson and 9-year-old daughter Reese. She’s noticed the move to Hastings and her new role has been beneficial not only for her own well-being, but for her chil­ dren, too. Her daughter especially was struggling with being home after COVID19 made schools go online. “She basically learned to be a self-suffi­ cient kid at the age of 7,” Rose said. “She was making her own lunch because I had a job to do. But I saw it and I ended up get­ ting her into counseling for a little bit because she was just so isolated.” For Rose, mental health is something that can’t be prioritized enough. She’s open about her sister Shay’s death and hopes to do more work to raise awareness about mental health issues. “My sister, she was amazing. She had a huge work ethic just like 1 did. I mean, she was the homecoming q.ueen. - she was very well-loved,” she said. “It was shocking. But you never know what somebody’s going through.” For, her efforts in making the taxation process transparent and raising public awareness about mental health issues, Meshia Rose is this week’s Bright Light. If I won the lottery: I would pay off my student loans and mortgage, take my family on a long vacation, and donate whatever amount the schools need to complete their upgrades so that families will continue to settle here and, in turn, help the community thrive. Greatest thing about Barry County: I love how much it has to offer while main­ taining a supportive community vibe that allows you to truly connect with each other. I am very hopeful that the community will continue to grow and be a wonderful place for families to raise their kids. I also love how beautiful and peaceful the rural areas of the county are. Favorite part of my job: 1 love that I get to be a part of a team that genuinely cares about the community and works to make it better. Favorite dinner: Pulled barbecued pork and mac and cheese. Favorite board game: Settlers of Catan - although nothing beats a good game of euchre. First thing I ever bought with my own money: 1997 Chevy Cavalier for $600 after yy,diking all summer j.n high school. The heater did not always, wp.rk, and there would often be smoke coming from the engine, but she was a good car. A leader doesn’t get to pick the times in which he or she is called upon to lead. Instead, the times pick the leader and, unfor­ tunately for Barry County, our troubled times are churning up some feckless leaders. On Tuesday, Barry County Commissioners discussed becoming the latest government group to drive opportunity over the guardrail. Although the workshop meeting led to no final decision, the tenor of the debate leaned toward the rejection of a proposal from Wis­ consin developer General Capital to purchase the recently vacated Friend of the Court building and adjacent property in downtown Hastings and turn it into a three-story, 60-unit apartment community. Somehow, commissioners must have missed all the reports in the past many months about a housing crisis that is relentlessly pushing up the cost of new construction and chewing up the rural character of our small towns and villages. That predicament of not enough local housing is driving desperate would-be home owners to the beautiful spac­ es of our county to find space to build. This is not just a Barry County challenge. Prospective homebuyers and renters across the country have seen price surges and sup­ ply plummet during the coronavirus pan­ demic. According to a recent Pew Report, about half of Americans say the availability of affordable housing in their community is a major problem, an issue that is seen over all income and age brackets because desir­ able housing is everyone’s issue. Some experts estimate that the U.S. is more than 3 million homes short of the demand from would-be homebuyers. Plus, pandemic supply chain issues have added to the prob­ lem, which is adding thousands to the cost of a typical house. The issue actually dates back to the housing market crash in 2008 when many homebuilders went out of business and forced many tradespeople to find other work, which fueled the shortages we face today. For Barry County and other small towns and villages, the problem is even more acute. Unless and until we solve the chal­ lenge of housing supply, we will continue to lose the valuable assets of younger workers and needed professionals who form the base of a strong economy. General Capital offered the county com­ missioners a chance to be the type of bril­ liant, forward-thinking, problem-solving leaders that our times need. A project like this one would give our downtown, a boost and send a message to outsiders that things are happening in Hastings. Instead, at Tuesday’s meeting, commis­ sioners gave General Capital’s proposal short shrift and stated that the county might need additional room at the vacant Friend of the Court building sometime in the future for storage or additional office space. Why this fixation on government expan­ sion into that now-vacant space? That par­ ticular building has been under-utilized for years. Part of the reason for this is the space there isn’t a good fit for what local govern­ ment offices need. Plus, government operations have changed dramatically over the past several years. Are county commissioners aware of how business is getting done in the world of technology today? Workplaces are shrink­ ing, thanks to the use of remote communica­ tion; the pandemic taught the business world that work can be done from home or other off-site locations. Shouldn’t government be responsive to the preference of their constit­ uents that government strive to downsize rather than expand? Today, and now likely into the future, that site will remain government property and off the tax rolls. With General Capital’s pro­ posal for what was to be called Tyden Lofts, that property could be providing critical­ ly-needed tax dollars for years to come. In addition, the site of an impressive three-story housing structure at downtown’s main four comers on the most-traveled state highway through Hastings would be a visual proof to travelers that this community is thinking of its residents’ needs with fore­ sight and insightful planning. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds, The Hastings BclllllCir Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. ;UOO£ cannot change anything,” said playwright George Bernard Shaw, who cofounded the London School of Economics. Resisting changing times is not just a Hastings malady. Village officials in Middleville allowed personal views to cloud their thinking and made a dynamic housing plan so financially unacceptable that a Grandville-based devel­ oper pulled his application for a Planned Unit Development. The proposed project on the 22-acre for­ mer Mid-Villa site would have included six 24-unit apartment buildings. Of the total 144 apartments units, 120 were planned to be two bedrooms and 24 were to be one-bed­ room units. In addition to the apartment complex, the project proposed three com­ mercial out-lots along M-37 at the northwest comer of Towne Center Drive. “It’s disappointing,” said former Acting Village Manager and Planning/Zoning Administrator Brian Urquhart. Yes, it was - especially after the develop­ er spent added time and money trying to make the project acceptable to local author­ ities. But that’s not the only project in the county that has faced entrenched resistance. In Nashville, a developer with plans to renovate the former Kellogg Elementary building into an apartment project was near­ ly quashed because local officials didn’t feel it was in the best interest of the neighbor­ hood. Never mind that the building had stood empty for years and that vandals were at work making it nearly impossible to get anyone interested in the building. But, in an all-out effort to persuade officials it was in the best interest of the community, the proj­ ect was finally approved and now will add some badly-needed housing and will trans­ form an eyesore in the neighborhood. The times are demanding new thinking, new creativity and new leadership. “Restrictive zoning is a big problem nationally,” says Robert Dietz, chief eco­ nomic director with the National Associa­ tion of Home Builders. “In many neighbor­ hoods, you simply cannot build townhouses. You have to build single-family units on lots that are bigger than the market demands. “This is not a market choice, it’s govern­ ment-imposed rules, which keeps higher density developments from being built. It’s that ‘not-in-my-backyard’ mentality that is making it difficult for developers from find­ ing tire land they need to build the housing people can afford.” Our way of life and the tight-knit connec­ tions we’ve come to cherish do not have to be threatened by development or new growth. Progress can be managed well if we have leaders with insight. I’ve suggested for years that the City of Hastings should allow water and sewer ser­ vices to extend into bordering townships. That would attract more development around the city - rather than forcing housing developments out into the county on large open spaces that could be used for farmland and protecting the environment. Instead, city leaders have protected city boundary lines by withholding sewer and water expansion hampering growth around the county’s largest city. Making sewer and water available, changing density rules and even working on implementation and identi­ fying financial resources for residents is where dynamic leadership is needed today. Let’s continue to identify policies and best practices in other communities that can be replicated in all of our communities. That’s how you solve a housing crisis and shape future leaders who must step up to the times. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — Page 5 Cook wrote about trip to England after coronation FOIA circus just keeps going ‘round and ‘round To the editor: After following the articles in The Hast­ ings Banner over the past several months regarding Freedom of Information Act requests submitted to various local govern­ mental bodies - along with some of their responses -1, as well as many others, have to be asking: When will reality settle in and some common sense prevail? The investigator for Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf needs to study the Michigan FOIA for some details before submitting any more requests. His use of a “shotgun” approach is very hard to understand and tough for the clerks to properly answer. A date range for specific requested documents should be the first improvement. Also, one would assume Mr. Mark Noteboom Jr. must have thought the “This is a criminal investigation...” tag was to carry some extra weight for what he might be supplied in response to his request. But then, in an apparent bid to get the information for free, he goes on with something about “... requested information is for my own personal use...” That doesn’t make sense; how can he expect to have it both ways? Also, his statement in the letters giving the clerks “20 days to respond” seems contrary to the FOIA that states the response must be within five business days, or extended by the clerks for an additional 10 days. The FOIA law provides that only one 10-day extension can be used for a specific request. Finding out the proper names of any documents/ records desired would possibly make the request much better for the clerks to properly respond to. Those issues aside, proper, timely response "by the clerks - such as that exhibited by Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer - in search­ ing out and supplying (at little or no cost) the information, can help to calm things and possibly slow down the merry-go-round. Compare Palmer’s response with that of the'township that chooses to run to an attor­ ney and incur a $1,309 bill for its residents. If I understood it correctly, the attorney was contacted as a CYA move because the request mentioned a “criminal investigation.” If that is the case, why then did the attorney render an opinion about the request: “Per our lawyer, this request should never have been submitted,” as stated by Hastings Charter Township Supervisor Jim Brown in the May 26 Banner? I would challenge Mr. Brown, or the town­ ship’s attorney, to show me and the public where in the FOIA it says any attorney has the power to say what may be requested under the FOIA. I believe there are no limits listed in the act that tells what may or may not be properly requested in a FOIA, only what the governmental body is required to do as a proper response to such a request. That would be determined by a court if such a case ever came before it. It appears Hastings Township elected to spend money so their taxpayers paid for a worthless legal opinion on the FOIA request. For the township to attempt to extort the $1,309 legal bill amount from Barry County Sheriff’s Office (and, in effect, all Barry County taxpayers) is obscene. Conversely, i f the lawyer was truly called as a CYA move for the township officials because of the “criminal investigation” they feared, then they or the township should stand the cost. I have never heard of a case where any law enforcement official or office was required to pay attorney fees for a person or govern­ mental body that was under investigation. Many government officials look down on FOIA requests and, rather than do the proper response as Clerk Pam Palmer did, which was to provide the requested item/s, docu­ ments, they simply state “no such item exists.” They don’t hide behind an expensive lawyer’s opinion. George Hubka, Dowling "• * Ferris 50th wedding anniversary Larry and Karen Ferris of Dowling will cele­ brate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 3. The were married on June 3,1972 at Saint Phil­ ip Catholic Church in Battle Creek. They have five children and 15 enthusiastic grandchildren. Clara McKelvey will celebrate 90th birthday Shaffers to celebrate 70th wedding anniversary Clara McKelvey turns 90 on June 9. Robert and Rosemary (Murphy) Shaffer Friends and family who want to wish will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary- her a happy birth­ on June 8,1952. They were high school sweet­ hearts and they were married in the Sev- day can send cards to her c/o Wood­ enth-day Adventist Church in Detroit, Mich. lawn They will celebrate their anniversary with Meadows Assisted Living, N. East St., family from Three Rivers, and Charleston, 1821 South Carolina. Hastings, MI 49058. Devan James Dowding, Battle Creek and Brittany Marie Thorp, Burlington Alexis Ivory Bolo, Nashville and Paul James Neal, Nashville Travis James Hoffman, Hastings and Kathleen McKenzie Littlejohn, Hastings Delanie Grace Aukerman, Dowling and Ryan Ronald Watson, Dowling After George VI, king of England and father of the current queen, took the throne in May 1937, the Banner published an insider’s perspec­ tive on life “across the pond.” No photos accompanied the article in the Oct. 20, 1938, Banner. The headline was only one column wide, and the name of the author didn’t appear until the very end: W.R. Cook. William Randolph Cook (1866-1946) was the younger brother of Marshall L. Cook. As noted in this column recently, the brothers co-owned the Banner for more than 50 years. W.R. Cook - eight years younger than his brother - doesn’t seem to have written as prolifically as did Mar­ shall Cook in his later years. But this appears to be part of a series the younger Cook wrote as he traveled across the Atlantic. Since the Queen Elizabeth II is currently marking her 70th year as head of the common­ wealth, it seems fitting to reprint this now. A view from Victoria Tower depicts the position of London on both sides of the Thames River. W.R. Cook, former Banner co-owner and editor, wrote about the many sites in the city during a trip in 1938. (Wikimedia commons) King’s coronation a great event Brings thousands to London from around the world We arrived in London more than a month after the coronation. Though many workmen were employed in taking down stands that were erect­ ed along the line of the coronation march, yet many of them were still standing. They were of immense size, too, and every seat was in demand at a good price, which only gives an idea of what an important event it was considered to be. So, great was the crowd that it is said even those who had reserved seats had to start out early in the morning to get to their places, though the parade didn’t start until late in the forenoon. In connection with the ceremony of crown­ ing the King of England, there was one very interesting relic that goes back centuries and centuries, it being uncertain just how far. That is the “Stone of Destiny” which helps to form the seat of the huge oak coronation chair. There is a legend that this stone once formed the cor­ onation seat on which the ancient kings of Ire­ land were crowned on the famed Hill of Tara, which we visited, and which is around 30 miles’ distance distant from the city of Dublin; that it was later taken to Scotland where it served a similar purpose. It is known that King Edward I brought this stone to Westminster Abbey from Scotland in 1297. He ordered a great coronation chair of oak to be made and that this stone be encased in the seat. For more than 600 years, the kings of England have been crowned in Westminster Abbey as they sat upon the stone, and the custom will doubtless be followed as long as England has kings or queens to be crowned. Another tradition concerning the Stone of Destiny is that it is the one on which Jacob laid his head when he had that celestial vision of the ladder. It would sCSSr as tthougfr anyone using a stone like that for a pillow Would be entitled to have a celestial dream of some kind. For the first few days in London, we stopped at the Grosvenor Hotel, which is but a few blocks from Buckingham Palace. It has not the historical renown of some of the other palaces in England, but it is the center of modem interest because it is the London home of the king. Often, we strolled up to this palace and invariably found a large crowd peering through the tall iron fence, seeking to get a view of their king and queen, or of notables who have occasion to visit there. To all residents of London, Buckingham Palace is the emotional center of the metropolis; it’s the London home of the man about whose person the whole body of English social and constitutional usage revolves; the man whose features are on their postage stamps and their coins. Lord Beaconsfield once said there are two ways of governing mankind: One is by force, the other by tradition. It is government by a tradition that centers in Buckingham Palace. Every great national occasion, and many occasions of purely ceremonial interest, are sure to bring the crowds. When the band plays and when the guard is changed, you can be sure of a surging crowd at the palace. The old-timers of London will be on hand, and so will the children with their nurse­ maids. They always seem to be thrilled at the rare sights and go wild with joy if they can see the royal coach, with “their king” inside of it. In a way, Buckingham Palace is one of the strangest buildings in London, because it really is not a palace. It’s more like a glorified country home, preserving by a curious bit of political history the name of an extinct dukedom, which had a small townhouse on this site 150 years ago. Buckingham Palace takes its name from the old townhouse of the Duke of Buckingham, which King George III purchased in 1761. The old townhouse of the Duke was pulled down in 1825 to make room for the present building, which was enlarged by Queen Victoria, and also by King Edward VII. Since there isn’t much probability of its being further enlarged, the pres­ ent building may be considered finished. Buck­ ingham Palace is only a short distance from St. James Palace, the official seat of “Our court of St. James,” to which ambassadors are accredited. The ancient Hall of Winchester, which is now the vestibule to the House of Parliament, must be given the honor of being the oldest royal palace in London that still remains. It was built way back in 1097 and is very large, as well as very beautiful. It also has been the scene of momen­ tous and exciting events. Early parliaments were held here, and for several centuries, the corona­ tion festivals. It was in this hall that Charles I was con­ demned to death and Cromwell made Lord Pro­ tector. It was here, too, where William Wallace, the defender of Scottish liberty, was condemned to die on the scaffold. Next in point of age is Whitehall, once the home of Cardinal Wolsey. At his fall, it passed to the crown. This palace, too, has seen its tragedy. It was here at a banquet given in his honor that Henry VIII met and became enamored of Anne Boleyn, whom he later caused to be beheaded - a merry little prank he played on another one of his wives. Henry was funny about that. He I ft look back at The swrles and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES would never let relationship interfere with one of his jokes. Henry VIII died in Whitehall, and from here, his daughter Elizabeth was taken to be impris­ oned in the Tower of London, only to become queen of England later. The mother of Queen Elizabeth, by the way, was Anne Boleyn, whom her father caused to be beheaded. How much respect could Elizabeth have for her father, who caused her mother to be beheaded, I wonder. Charles I walked to his execution from this palace, and Oliver Cromwell once occupied the palace for a while, having as his secretary a young man by the name of John Milton, who later won immortal fame as a poet. So, Whitehall Palace is quite closely associat­ ed with many noted events in English history. But fire badly damaged the building in the latter part of the 17th century and only the great Ban­ quet Hall was saved. During the reign of Queen Victoria, it was turned into the Royal United Service Museum and filled with national tro­ phies, mementoes and relics, many of them associated with England’s great heroes - Drake, Raleigh, Wellington and Nelson. We visited- the- Housesof- 1 14 0.1 A. A- called for a solid stone as a foundation for the huge dome, but the contractors built the outsides of the foundation of stone and filled up all the middle part with rubble. The deception wasn’t discovered until a few years ago, when the dome threatened to cave in, entailing a large expense for repair. The history of Saint Paul’s Cathedral goes back for over 1,300 years - and for probably several centuries before that. Tradition has it that the Temple of Diana stood on this site before the Parliament-and----- introduction -oft Christianity. Mere than—L300 found them full of interest. The picture of the building is doubtless familiar to Banner readers, but a picture would not do justice either to its size or its beauty. The building itself covers an area of eight acres, and with its magnificent outlook over the busy Thames River, it extends along the bank for a distance of nearly one-fifth of a mile. It is a comparatively new building considering the many ancient ones in London, being completed in the mid 1800s, after the old one was destroyed by fire about 20 years before the completion of the new one. Unfortunately, the exterior of the parliament building is made of a white limestone which evidently is too soft for London’s climate and has commenced to crumble. At the time we were there, great scaffolds made of three-inch gas pipe, extended upward four or five stories, and along portions of the exterior, as repairs were being made on the out­ side walls. At one end of the building, a great tower, 40 feet square, extends upward to a height of more than 300 feet. On each side of the square tower and pretty well toward the top, is a great clock, each with a dial nearly 23 feet in diameter. The minute hands are 14 feet long, and the hands 9 feet, so the exact time can be seen from a long distance. The hours are struck on a huge bell, which can be heard pretty well all over London. This clock is “Big Ben” that you’ve probably heard over the radio. The House of Lords is a magnificent room, very elaborately gilded and decorated. In the niches between the windows are statues of the barons who compelled King John to sign the Magna Carta. The hall for the House of Commons is much less ornate than the House of Lords. In fact, it is quite plain, though in good taste. The member­ ship has outgrown the space, and there are only 450 seats for the more than 600 members, the gallery accommodating the overflow. In the halls and throughout the building are many paintings and statues of England’s famous [peo­ ple], and of important incidents in her history. We attended Sunday service in the famous old Saint Paul’s, one of the largest and best-known cathedrals in Europe, being over 500 feet in length. We listened to a fine sermon by the Rt. Rev. A.E.J. Rawlinson, D.D., bishop of Derby. The singing by the Saint Paul’s choir of careful­ ly trained voices was splendid, but the delightful harmony was affected by a sort of an “echo” that perhaps may have been due to extensive repair being made in the building. An immense dome raises up from the center of the cathedral, and evidently the builders resorted to a little “funny work.” The contract A While Marshall Cook penned pieces ori local history, his younger brother, William R. Cook, (pictured here) wrote about his trip to London shortly after King George VI took the throne. (File photo) years ago, Ethelbert, King of Kent, built a church or a temple on this ground, but about 500 years later, it was destroyed by fire. Another church was immediately commenced on a much grander scale and was not completed in over 200 years. This structure was even larger than the present one, but it was practically destroyed by the great London Fire in 1666 which wiped out quite a large portion of the city. The present building was commenced in 1675 and was completed in 1710. So, the name of St. Paul’s has been closely associated with the growth and development of London, the world’s great metropolis. The present building is said to have cost about $5 million at the time it was built and would doubtless cost five times that much to duplicate it today. The noted builder, Sir Christo­ pher Wren, was the architect, and his remains are in Saint Paul’s. Evidently, he was satisfied with the completed structure, because on his monu­ ment is this inscription: “If thou seekest his monument, look around.” St Paul’s Cathedral is second only to West­ minster Abbey in its monuments to its mighty sons. We made a visit to the crypt of the cathe­ dral and walked around among the tombs of men famous in history and whose careers have helped to shape the course of the world. Under the cen­ ter of the dome is the tomb of Lord Nelson, the son of a country clergyman, whose masterly work at sea in the destruction of the French fleet at Aboukir completely changed Napoleon’s idea about Egypt and conquering India, and put a big crimp in his aspirations to bring all of Europe to his feet. Nelson’s coffin was very appropriately made from the main mast of the French flagship captured at Aboukir. Close by is the tomb of Wellington, who com­ pleted the work by defeating Napoleon at Water-: loo. Wellington’s tomb is a great black of por­ phyry resting on a granite base. Nearby is the memorial to Lord Charles Beresford. Not far away rest the remains of three other great sol­ diers: Field Marshal Viscount Wolseley, Field Marshal Earl Roberts, Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, and numerous others, not overlooking the fine tablet to the memory of Florence Night­ ingale. What a part these men have played in history. It gives one a sort of a “creepy” feeling even to walk among the graves of the illustrious dead; You reflect upon the fact that the grave is no respecter of persons, and that at its mouth, the illustrious must lay aside all honors, just as the pauper must lay aside his rags. Truly “the paths of glory lead but to the grave.” W.R. Cook • Traditional and Cremation Services * Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated oJX’mL Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years �Page 6 — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Vivian Makley, age 84, of Woodland, MI passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 2, .2022. Vivian was bom June 28, 1937 in Wil­ liamston to Kenneth and Evelyn Jean (McClelland) Ackley. She married Vernon Makley on June 6, 1954, and they lived in the Woodland area their entire 67 years of marriage. Vivian worked all her life at sever­ al different places. She loved her job at Michigan Department of Social Service. She was a clerical supervisor for several years. After retiring, she enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, Cooking and baking and hosting parties. Vivian will be dearly missed by her hus­ band, Vernon; children, Danny (Rochelle) Makley, Rick (Patty) Makley and Tammy (Steve) Allerding; 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; siblings, Phyllis (Ron) Fowler, Marv (Sharon) Ackley, Gary (Sha­ ron) Ackley and Butch (Diana) Ackley; special sister-in-law, Melva Shook,along with many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Michael Makley; mother-in-law, Genevieve Makley and father-in-law, Guy Makley. The family would like to express their thanks to the staff at both Woodlawn Mead­ ows and Elara Caring Hospice for the excel­ lent care they gave Vivian. A Jjgigbratipn. ,q£. Viyiaif s Life, will.Jbe held at Zion Lutheran Church on June 4, 2022 at 1 p.m. Memorial contributions can be given in Vivian’s name to Elara Caring Hospice. Douglas Yarger, age 85 of, Nashville, MI passed away on May 30, 2022 at Carveth Village in Middleville. Funeral service will be held on Friday, June 3, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Daniels Funeral Horne-Nashville, 9200 E. M-79 Hwy., Nash­ ville, MI. Interment will take place immedi­ ately following the funeral service at Hosmer Cemetery. Friends and family are invited to continue to fellowship with the family at the funeral luncheon will held Friday, June 3, immediate­ ly following the graveside service Daniels Funeral Horne-Nashville. The family will receive visitors, on Thurs­ day, June 2, 2022 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Daniels Funeral Home-Nashville Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings, MI. Fbr further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email gmail.com. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ Website: HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Director, Martha are Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery social available. distancing. Aftermath Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ for information. School Youth Group; 6:30 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, N. Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. Nursery contact 616-690-8609. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Hhastings Fiberglass Hastings 945-9554 Products 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Raymond C. Smith, Jr. of Fremont, MI, ■ age 95, passed away peacefully at his home > on May 26, 2022 with his immediate family by his side. ? He was bom on April 27, 1927 in Hast- ’ ings to Raymond C. Smith and Ella Lura ] Smith, was a graduate of Lake Odessa High i School arid Albion College, a WWII US ■ Navy Reserve Veteran and a Life Member of the American Legion - Holton Post. Ray was, an avid hunter and fisherman who enjoyed many outings with his closest 1 friends over the years. He was an Eagle Scout and a supporter of the Boy Scouts - 1 active in scouting affairs — and a Life Mem­ ber of the Newaygo Pilgrim Lodge, 32° Scottish Rite and Saladin Shrine. He served on the Fremont City Commission and the • Fremont Public Schools Board of Education. ; After college, he worked for General ' Motors Fisher Body in Lansing, SS Kresge in Detroit and Gibson Refrigerator Company i of Greenville, before settling into a 35-year ' career at Gerber Products Company in Fre- 1 mont. At Gerber, he was VP of Food Pro­ duction for many years, and retired as VP । Materials Management and President of Cornucopia Farms. He was past President of . the Michigan Food Processors Association ( and served on several National Food Proces- । sers committees. Fie was proceeded in death by his beloved • wife 6f 61 years-, Lois-Ann (Friend) Smith ' wfib'^assbd April 30, 2010, and is survived ; by his. sons, Gregory Russell Smith (Fre­ mont) and Steven Raymond Smith (Wendy Sue Taylor) of Grand Rapids; grandson, Steven Alexandre Smith (Grand Rapids); ' step grandchildren, Leah Louise Taylor (Alex Blackford) and great granddaughter, Sequoia Rose; Curtis Anderson Taylor; and Jacob Joel Taylor (Nikki Salzemnieks) and 1 great grandsons, Zeppelin and Kash Taylor all of Grand Rapids; one brother, Dr. Charles Bruce Smith (Rena) of South Lyon; and beloved companion ,Patricia Ann Duquette 1 (Fremont). ■ Raymond preferred that no public service ‘ be held, but to honor his memory the family . will host a Celebration of Life Open House at Lakes 23 in Fremont on September 3, 2022 from 2-4pm. Memorial Contributions can be made to the Fremont Area Community Foundation. Friends may send a condolence or share a memory with the family online at www. crandellfh.com. Arrangements by Crandell Funeral Homes PO 148 Fremont, MI 49412 231-924-0800. i LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Martin William Bigley, age 79, of Hast­ ings, MI, passed away on May 31, 2022, in Battle Creek. Martin was bom on June 29, 1942, the son of John and Marian Bigley. Martin married Ruth Blain August 13, 1965. He proudly served his country as a US Marine. Martin received his bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Study in 1984, serving as a pastor in the Wesleyan Church until 2007. Martin loved his family, being a pastor and fishing. He loved spending time at fam­ ily gatherings, sitting around the table play­ ing cards. When not spending time with family, you could find him fishing for blue­ gill and bass. His family always looked forward to the holidays, because they would get to enjoy his homemade apple pies. Not only enjoying them at the holidays, but there was one in the freezer for each family to take home. To relax, he loved watching westerns and football, reading mysteries and his Bible, or listening to gospel music. After retiring as a Wesleyan Pastor, he remained involved in the church. He was a great pastor and family man. Martin was preceded in death by his par­ ents, John and Marian (Butler) Bigley; sis­ ter, Patricia (Bigley) Burnett; brothers, John Bigley and Norman Bigley; brothers-in-law, Robert Burnett, James Smith and Herman Meints. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Bigley; children, Paul (Holly) Bigley, Teresa Bigley, Marian Bigley, Jill (James) McRae'/Tr:; grandchildren, J.D., Abbygale, and Kaitlyn McRae, Matthew Bigley; sisters, Marilyn (Bigley) Smith, Carolyn (Bigley) Meints. Visitation will be held Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 1 p.m. with a service to follow at 1:30 p.m. at Hastings Church of the Nazarene, 1716 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Memorial contributions can be made to the church in memory of Martin. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4 Truth Kids Kindergarten-5th Elenora “Ellie” Irene (Anderson) Tobias of Delton, MI passed away at home on Monday, May 30, 2022. Ellie was bom in Ceresco, MI on Novem­ ber 17, 1938, the daughter of Donald Sr. and Geraldine (Brown) Anderson. She grew up in Orangeville and attended Delton Kel­ logg High School graduating in 1956. On April 20, 1957, Ellie and Bernard Tobias Sr. were united in marriage and just celebrated their 65th anniversary. They built their life in the Delton area with their five sons. Ellie held various jobs in the area. Her most loved was owning her own restaurant, “Ellie’s Place”. Ellie will be remembered as a people person, and enjoyed meeting and talking with people. In her free time, Ellie loved shopping, going to Shipshewana, eating out, celebrating holidays with her family, and especially spending time with her kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Bernard and Ellie loved wintering in Sebring, FL for 23 years, where they made many new friends. Ellie is survived by her husband, Bernard (Bernie) Sr.; children, Bernie (Debbie) Jr., Dave (Becky), Rod (Nancy), Tracy (Julie), John; grandchildren, Ben (Kylie), Amanda, Davie (Rebekah), Amber (Scott), Andy (Jen), Tasha, Jpsh, Ricky (Stephanie), Aus­ tin, Cassidy; 16 great grandchildren; broth­ er, Don (Rita) Anderson Jr.; sisters, Carol Wallers,. K^thy^(JCJu^;Kurzmaiui.; brolfrerin-law, Larry (Betty) Tobias; several nieces and nephews. Ellie was preceded in death by her par­ ents; sisters, Tena, Mary Jane; brothers, Chuck, Andy, Tim; brother-in-law, Archie (Diane) Tobias. Relatives and friends may meet with Ellie’s family on Monday, June 6, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Faith United Method­ ist Church where a memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. Private interment will take place at Cressey Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Centrica Care Navigators Hospice will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Ellie’s family. HotUneTools&Eqiilpment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Elaine Garlock The Lakewood Lions Club first chicken barbecue of the year is this weekend with sales from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 5. The first such meal on a Sunday two years ago was an astounding success, the Lions have continued with the Sunday take-out only meals. Serving will be at the beach park with take-out meals handed to buyers from the south end of Jordan Lake Avenue, outside the beach pavilion with the exit onto Virginia Street. Tickets are available all week at a few business places and from Lions members. This service club includes members from Woodland, Lake Odessa, and Clarksville. Adult tickets are $12, chil­ dren $5, and available at New Walker Phar­ macy, Lake Odessa Pharmacy, Jordan Lake Floral and Viking Chiropractic. Memorial Day services Monday had good attendance. This was a return to ser­ vices of the past except for a parade. It was good to have the high school band after a two-year absence. The flag girls did their twirling with precision. It was very color­ ful. Members of the VFW Post provide the leadership with their firing squad, flag bear­ ers, chaplain and more. Many folding chairs are hauled to the east cemetery lawn. Most spectators choose to stand, but others are glad for the convenience of having chairs to use for the nearly hour-long service. For the 10th year, the Rev. Bruce Barker of Faith Bible Church led the service and gave the patriotic message. This year in a departure from local custom, instead of a VFW Aux­ iliary member placing a wreath of tri-colored flowers at the central focus spot, a candidate for public office did the honors. The weather was perfect. Since the east side of the cemetery is newer, flowers are far more plentiful there than on the older west side of Cemetery Road. For the past two years, the Sunfield Cemetery on St. Joseph Highway south of Sunfield did not have the display that was used the past two years. Members of the Daughters of Union Veterans in 2020 and 2021 had the perimeter drive lined with colorful printed posters with quotes from historic figures and also from contempo­ rary people with a patriotic theme on each. This year, due to easing of pandemic wor­ ries, it was permissible for people to assem­ ble in a fashion not possible in the past two years. A new house to the south of East Tupper Lake Street now has a poured foundation in place. The Fischer house on Huddle Road immediately past the east village limits now has a wide roof on its front side and porch railings and balustrades. This is a fine com­ plement to the blue-sided new hours. Rhubarb is growing fast. It is time to make some pies or cobblers. . Snowball bushes are at their best. Beauty bushes are coming on fast. A neighbor inquired about the graduation bush. Her reference was to the beauty bush in her neighborhood, used in years past as a back­ ground for graduating seniors wearing cap and gown. Such bushes can be seen at the farm on Woodland Road and behind Fresh Water cove on Fourth Avenue clearly visi­ ble from the Union Bank parking lot. SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS read 0 contribute advertise Hastings DANNER �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — Page 7 UdviAL nOllCE/O MIKA MEYERS PLC 900 MONROE AVENUE, N.W. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN 49503 (616) 632-8000 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Mika Meyers plc is attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the cir­ cuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge for a fee for this information. Attention homeowner: If you are a military ser­ vice member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mort­ gage made by Samantha Vandenbosch, of 19 Mar­ ket Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333, mortgagor, to United Bank of Michigan, a Michigan banking corporation, of 900 East Paris Ave SE, Grand Rap­ ids, Michigan 49546, mortgagee, dated Novem­ ber 13, 2001, recorded in the Office of Register of Deeds for Barry County, on November 21, 2001, in Instrument No. 1070113. Because of said de­ fault, the mortgagee has declared the entire unpaid amount secured by said mortgage due and payable forthwith. As of the date of this notice, there is claimed to be due for principal, all interest accruing thereafter and expenses on said mortgage the sum of $46,370.66; No suit or proceeding in law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest, as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law, and all taxes and in­ surance premiums paid by the undersigned before sale, said mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the mortgaged premises at public sale to the highest bidder at the West door of the Barry County Court­ house, Hastings, Michigan 49058, on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. The premises covered by said mortgage are sit­ uated in the Village of Middleville, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as follows: Commencing at the West 1/4 Post of Section 26, Town 4 North, Range 10 West, Thence South 89 degrees 18’ 55” East, along the East and West 1/4 line of said Section 26, a distance of 693.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 57’ 03” East, parallel, with the West line of said Section 26, a distance of 759 feet to the true point of beginning, said, point of be­ ginning being on the East line of Market Street plat as recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds in Liber 5 of Plats, on Page 89; and running thence North 00 degrees 57’ 03” East, along said East line of Market Street plat, 242.52 feet; thence South 89 degrees 02’ 27” East 164.61 feet; thence South 01 degrees 02’ 07” West 241.73 feet; thence North 89 degrees 18’ 55” West, parallel with said East and West 1/4 line, 164.33 feet to the place of beginning. Together with and subject to an easement for ingress and egress to be used jointly with others over a strip of land 33 feet in width East and West, and lying 16.5 feet either side of a line described as: Beginning at the Southeast corner of the above de­ scribed parcel and running thence North 01 degrees 02’ 07” East along the East line of said parcel and the Northerly extension thereof, 483.46 feet to the South line of Market Street and the point of ending. The property is commonly known as 19 Market Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333. Notice is hereby given that the length of the re­ demption period will be one (1) year from the date of sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of sale. Notice is further given that if the property is sold at foreclosure sale, in accordance with MCL 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. Dated: May 3, 2022 United Bank of Michigan, a Michigan banking corporation By: Mika Meyers PLC Attorneys for Mortgagee By: Daniel R. Kubiak 900 Monroe Avenue, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616)632-8000 180158 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029180-DE Honorable William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 , Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Samual Joseph Oliverio, Deceased. Date of birth: *771958. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Samuel Joseph Oliverio, died 03/03/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Brandi Inglett, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., # 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: May 26, 2022 Blake D. Crocker P38653 107 W. Michigan Avenue, 4th Floor Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 (269) 501-4516 Brandi Inglett 107 W. Michigan Avenue, 4th Floor Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature, act .of. 196.1^.. 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 09, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be great­ er on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the pur­ chaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagors): Harry D. Kidder and Lorraine M. Kidder, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Regis­ tration Systems, Inc. ("MERS"), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: April 6, 2007 Recorded on April 12, 2007, in Document No. 1179110, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSO­ CIATION, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS SUCCESSOR TO LASALLE BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE, FOR MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFI­ CATES, SERIES 2007-3 Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-Four Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty-Seven and 41/100 Dollars ($84,867.41) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 16 of Ammon Eaton's Addition to the City of Hastings also the North 1/2 of Eaton Street vacated East of Dibble Street adjacent to the Lot 16 according to the recorded plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats Page 15 Barry! County Records. Commonly known as 1229 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichev­ er is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to ac­ tive duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. U.S. Bank, National Associa­ tion, Successor Trustee to Bank of America, N.A. as successor to LaSalle Bank, N.A. as trustee, for Merrill Lynch First Franklin Mortgage Loan Trust, Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Se­ ries 2007-3 Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farm­ ington Hills, Ml.48339 248.53917400 • 1463875:5?.. Hi! ‘ (05-12)(06-02) 180472 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 23, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchas­ er to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): DALE D BURSLEY, A MARRIED MAN AND KAY K. BURSLEY, HIS WIFE Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Reg­ istration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors-and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in. its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for RCF 2 Acquisition Trust c/o U.S. Bank Trust National Association Date of Mortgage: August 21, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 29, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $85,401.69 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Township of Woodland, Barry County, Mich­ igan, and described as: Lot 11 and the West 3 Feet of Lot 10, Block 2 of the Plat of The Village of Woodland, According to the Recorded Plat There­ of, as Recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 21. Common street address (if any): 153 Thatcher St, Woodland, Ml 48897-9784 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with .MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military ser­ vice member on active duty, if your period of ac­ tive duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. 181433 1464126 (05-19)(06-09) . ■ Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1pm, on Thursday, June 16, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the prop­ erty. A potential purchaser is encouraged to con­ tact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The foreclosure sale is pur­ suant to the terms and conditions of a Mortgage made by CHRISTOPHER B. WALKER and SHAN­ NON J. WALKER, Mortgagors, to First National Bank of America, Mortgagee, dated November 9, 2004, and recorded November 17, 2004, in Instru­ ment Number 1137316, of Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due as of the date of this notice $76,444.06, including interest at 9.95% per annum. Said prem­ ises are situated in Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at the NW corner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec­ tion 9, T4N, R9W; thence 26 2/3 rods East; thence South 12 rods; thence West 26 2/3 rods; thence North approximately 12 rods to the place of be­ ginning. Together with rights of ingress and egress over the currently established road, except that part deeded to the State, of Michigan in Liber 246 on Page 589; c/k/a 6153 Cain Creek, Freeport, Ml 49325. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of the sale, unless the premises are determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be one month, or until the time to provide the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c) expires, whichever is later. The redemption period further may be shortened pursuant to MCL 600.3238(10) if the property is not adequately maintained, or if. the purchaser is denied the opportunity to inspect the property. Please be advised that if the mort­ gaged property is sold at a foreclosure sale by ad­ vertisement, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the bor­ rower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale, or to the mortgage holder, for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dat­ ed: May 19, 2022 Randall T. LeVasseur P41712 LeVasseur Dyer & Associates, PC Attorneys for Mortgagee 3233" Coolidge Ftwy Berkley, Ml 48072 ‘ (248)236-1765 . ’ . (05-19)(06-09) 180777 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ dicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or ca­ shier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court, in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 30, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Justin T. Curtis, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registra­ tion Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servic­ ing, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 22,2016 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 9,2016 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $128,754.92 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 26 of Ammon Eatons Addition to the City of Hast­ ings according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats on Page 15. Also commencing at the Northeast corner of said Lot 26, thence North 33 feet, thence West 132 feet, thence South 33 feet, thence East 132 feet, being the South one half of Eaton St. adjacent to said Lot 26, which street was heretofore vacated by City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 1305 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2502 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chap­ ter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: June 2, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1465702 (06-02)(06-23) Date of notice: May 19, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 । 180781 Financial FOCUS THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR AT­ TEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. NOTICE OF FORE­ CLOSURE BY ADVERTISMENT. 181512 Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 What investors can - and can’t - control As an investor, you can easily feel frustrated to see short-term drops in your investment statements. But while you cannot control the market, you may find it helpful to review the factors you can control. Many forces affect the financial markets, including geopolitical events, corporate profits and interest rate movements - forces beyond the control of most individual investors. In any case, it’s important to focus on the things you can control, such as these: • Your ability to define your goals - One area in which you have total control is your ability to define your goals. Like most people, you probably have short-term goals - such as saving for a new car or a dream vacation - and long-term ones, such as a comfortable retirement. Once you identify your goals and estimate how much they will cost, you can create an investment strategy to help achieve them. Over time, some of your personal circumstances will likely change, so you’ll want to review your time horizon and risk tolerance on a regular basis, adjusting your strategy when appropriate. And the same is true for your goals - they may evolve over time, requiring new responses from you in how you invest. • Your response to market downturns - When the market drops and the value of your investments declines, you might be tempted to take immediate action in an effort to stop the losses. This is understandable - after all, your investment results can have a big impact on your future. However, acting hastily could work against you - for example, you could sell investments that still have solid fundamentals and are still appropriate for your needs. If you can avoid decisions based on short-term events, you may help yourself in the long run. • Your commitment to investing >- The financial markets are almost always in flux, and their movements are hard to predict. If you can continue investing in all markets - good, bad or sideways - you will likely make much better progress toward your goals than if you periodically were to take a “time out.” Many people head to the investment sidelines when the market tumbles, only to miss out on the beginnings of the next rally. And by steadily investing, you will increase the number of shares you own in your investments - and the larger Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judica­ ture act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged" prerhisesT-ersome part oFtherrt; aba publtcauction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 16,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is en­ couraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Stanley W. Beer, Single Man Original Mortgagee: Mort­ gage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mort­ gagee, as nominee for Union Home Mortgage Corp., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rushmore Loan Management Services, LLC Date of Mortgage: October 20, 2014 Date of Mortgage Record­ ing: October 27,2014 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $121,742.20 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Bar­ ry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Com­ mencing at a point on the West line of Section 18, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan, distant North 00 degrees 06 minutes West, 989.15 feet from the Southwest corner of said section; thence continuing North 00 degrees 06 minutes West along said West section line, 165.00 feet; thence South 88 degrees 28 minutes East, 264.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 06 minutes East 165.00 feet; thence North 88 degrees 28 minutes West, 264.00 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly Known as: 12793 South M 43 Hwy., Delton, Ml 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless deter­ mined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the bor­ rower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any rea­ son. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the tele­ phone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 5/19/2022 Potestivo & As­ sociates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 315374 (05-19)(06-09) 180952 your ownership stake, the greater your opportunities for building wealth. • Your portfolio’s level of diversification - While diversification itself can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses, it can help greatly reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio. Just how you diversify your investments depends on several factors, but the general principle of maintaining a diversified portfolio should govern your approach to investing. It’s a good idea to periodically review your portfolio to ensure it’s still properly diversified. The world will always be filled with unpredictable, uncontrollable events, and many of them will affect the financial markets to one degree or another. But within your own investment world, you always have a great deal of control - and with it, you have the power to keep moving toward all your important financial objectives. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT Notice under MCL 600.3212: Pursuant to MCL - 600.3242Hf the property is sold at a forectosttre sale under MCL 600.3201 et. seq., the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION POTENTIAL PURCHASERS AT FORECLOSURE SALE: In the case of resolution prior to or simultaneously with the aforementioned foreclosure sale, Highpoint Community Bank, successor by merger to Hastings City Bank, may rescind, this sale at any time prior to the end of the redemption period. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited to the return of your bid amount tendered at the sale, plus interest. homeowner: If you are a military service member bn active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been .ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at-the telephone number stated in this notice. Attention Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in County of Barry in the State of Michigan, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on June 23, 2022 at on the East steps of the Circuit Court Building in Hastings, Michigan. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. This notice relates to a Mortgage in the amount of $61,000.00 made by June M. Bolton, not personally but as surviving Trustee on behalf of the Lewis O Bolton and June M Bolton Trust dated October 21, 2003 and amended on April 14, 2004; AND June M. Bolton, a single woman, (“Mortgagor”), to Hastings City Bank, dated September 28, 2015, and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for the County of Barry in the State of Michigan on October 2, 2015, in Document No. 2015-009729, on which Mortgage there is claimed to be due as of the date of this Notice the sum of $56,027.59, together with interest at 4.5 percent per annum. NOW THEREFORE, there will be offered at public sale, the premises, or some part thereof, described in said Mortgage as follows, to-wit: Platted Lot(s), situated in the Township of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: Lot 12 Melody Acres, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the Recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Said premises are commonly known as 2141 Robinwood Drive, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The redemption period shall be six (6) months unless the property is established to be abandoned pursuant to MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be the later of thirty (30) days from the date of sale or fifteen (15) days from the date the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(b) was posted and mailed, or unless under MCL 600.3240(16), prior to the foreclosure sale the borrower follows the procedure set forth in that section to establish the presumption that the! property is used for Agricultural purposes, in which case the redemption period shall be one (1) yeai1 from the date of the sale. Dated: May 3, 2022 By: NICOLE R. GRAF (P55474) ALWARD FISHER RICE ROWE & GRAF, PLC Attorneys for Highpoint 202 E. State Street, Suite 100 Traverse City, Michigan 49684 (231)346-5400 File No.: 19279.0001 (Highpoint / Bolton) 180782 �SECTION Thursday, June 2, 2022 DK softball season ends in extras Brett Bremer Delton Kellogg third baseman Aubrey Aukerman puts the tag on a Parchment play­ er attempting to steal third base during their doubleheader in Delton May 25. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Delton Kellogg's Abby Fichtner rips a hit down the line during her team's double­ header split with visiting Parchment at Delton Kellogg High School May 25. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Sports Editor In a different corner of the Multiverse when Delton Kellogg’s Aubrey Aukerman knocks a single to the left side of the infield at West Catholic High School maybe teammate Abby Fichtner is standing on second base or sprint­ ing home from third with one out to score the tying run. In this universe, the bases were clear when Aukerman put the ball in play with two out and nobody on. She was still at first when Calvin Christian pitcher Brooke Hunderman recorded her 11 th strike out of the afternoon to finish off the Squires 2-1 eight-inning win over the Delton Kellogg girls in the MHSAA Division 3 Pre-District contest in Grand Rapids Tuesday. The Delton Kellogg season comes to an end and the Squires will return to West Catholic Saturday for the district semifinals, taking on the host Falcons at 10 a.m. Covenant Christian and Fennville meet in the district’s other semi­ final match-up Saturday at noon. “It was a tough game and we figured we had three common opponents during the sea­ son, South Christian, Hopkins and Wyoming and after playing those teams they all said it •should be a really good game [between us and Calvin Christian]. It was,” Delton Kellogg head coach Jesse Lyons said. “It was an excel­ lent high school game.” The two teams went into the eighth inning tied 1-1. A Delton error allowed the Squires’ lead-off batter, Grace Walcott to reach in the eighth. She was still at first after a pair of fly­ outs, but she managed to come around to score on a single into center field by teammate Lau­ ren Steenstra. Delton Kellogg also got its lead-off batter on to start the eighth. Abby Fichtner worked a walk. Mya Brickley followed with a sacrifice bunt that got Fichtner to second, but as she rounded the bag at second she collided with the Squires’ shortstop. That gave the Squires the time they needed to catch her at third - basical­ ly turning a successful sacrifice bunt into a double play. The umpires began a conversation even before coach Lyons came off the bench to inquire as to why interference hadn’t been called on the Calvin Christian shortstop, but the final decision was that there as no interference. “That was kind of a crushing blow there,” coach Lyons said. “That is the way it goes in high school sports. Sometimes you get those calls and sometimes you don’t. The girls, really this last month of the season, have been playing excellent ball. From what I see both Calvin Christian and us were both ranked honorable mention in the state as far as rankings go. That pre-district game, most likely if we had seed­ ings like basketball and stuff like that, we prob­ ably wouldn’t be matched up until the finals.” Calvin Christian scored its only run of regu­ lation in the top of the third. Andrea Diemer led off with a double, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Walcott and then scored on a fly-out into right by Aynelem Zoet. Delton Kellogg tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Fichtner led off with a single, moved to third on a one-out dou- Paige Thomas pitches for the Delton Kellogg varsity softball team during its double­ header split with visiting Parchment May 25. (Photo by Perry Hardin) ble by Aukerman and scored on a single by Allison Brandli. A strikeout and a ground out ended that rally there though. The two pitchers, Hunderman and Brickley, arrived at their one unearned run in eight innings in very different ways. Hunderman struck out 11 while walking one and giving up seven Delton Kellogg hits. Brickley struck out one and didn’t walk a batter. She allowed six hits. “[Brickley] pitched an excellent game,” coach Lyons said. “With all our pitchers all year, we’re not a strike out team. We’re not going to strike out 10 or 11 batters. All our pitchers throw strikes to contact and we rely on our defense to make the plays.” He said his defense did make some out­ standing plays, with the shortstop Fichtner making a couple of nice catches behind third base, the third baseman Aukerman snagging a line drive and getting the Panthers out of a jam by stepping on third for a double play early in the bailgame. The Panthers made a few good plays in the outfield as well. “We ended up facing a pitcher who threw really well,” Lyons said. “She kept us off balance and we really had a hard time timing her up. She had a good mix of pitches. She had a fastball, change-up, cur­ Vikings strong in field at GLAC finale Brett Bremer Sports Editor To no one’s surprise, the Olivet varsity boys’ and girls’ track and field teams fin­ ished off undefeated Greater Lansing Activ­ ities Conference championship seasons Wednesday. The Eagle boys won the GLAC Champi­ onship Meet hosted by Stockbridge 211.5­ 110 over the runner-up Lakewood Vikings and the Olivet girls took a 226-140 win over the Stockbridge girls who finished in sec­ ond place Wednesday. The Lakewood boys capped off their day with the team of senior Tyson Raffler, soph­ omore Elijah Jablonski, freshman Donald Wells and senior Connor Feighan winning the 4x400-meter relay in 3 minutes 39.40 seconds. i It was the third conference championship performance of the day for Feighan. He took the 400-meter dash in 52.20 seconds and won the discus with a personal record throw of 134 feet 5.5 inches. Feighan also placed third in the shot put with a mark of 40-6. Lakewood’s boys won three field events. Raffler won the pole vault by clearing the bar at 10-6. Senior teammate Jacob Merry­ field won the high jump by clearing 5-10. The two guys behind Raffler in the pole vault did their best to try and catch him. They both set new personal records in the event. Maple Valley sophomore Nic Martin was second at 10-0 and Lakewood freshman Kade Boucher placed third by clearing 9-6. Maple Valley’s top finish of the meet came from sophomore Evan Brandenburg who was the runner-up in the long jump with a leap of 19-9.5. Raffler had a pair of runner-up finishes as the Lakewood boys put three in the top six in both of the hurdles races. Raffler finished the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a runner-up time of 42.71 with Merryfield fifth in 45.22 and sophomore teammate Shane Raffler sixth in a personal record time of 45.22. Tyson was second in the 110meter high hurdles in 17.11 with Merryfield third in 17.17 and Shane sixth in 18.43. The hurdles were a good event for the Lakewood girls too. Senior Hokulani Ka’alakea took the conference title in the 100meter hurdles with her season best time of 16.95. Lakewood also had freshman Mia Bouwens set a PR in placing sixth in 20.66 and freshman Kora Boucher seventh in 21.81. Boucher also set a PR in the 300meter low hurdles at 58.29 to place fifth in that race while Bouwens wasn’t too far back in seventh. Olivet senior Mason Molek won both of the boys’ hurdles races while also being a part of the winning 4xl00-meter relay team and the 4x400-meter relay team for the Eagles that was second to the Vikings. Reese Teel from Perry and Lucas Hop­ kins from Olivet won two individual races apiece on the track too. Teel took the 100meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Hop­ kins won the 800-meter run and the 1600meter run. Brandenburg was second to Teel in that 100-meter dash and third in the 200. His sophomore teammate Hunter Redmond improved his PR in the 200 to 24.98 to place fifth. Lakewood’s Ethan Weller was fifth in the 100 and sixth in the 200. Junior Ashton Ripley set a personal record for the Lions in the 400-meter dash finishing fourth in 55.36 and senior Daniel Perez scored a fifth place time of 2:16.09 in the 800 for the Lions. Lakewood guys were third in the sprint relays. The team of Benjamin Scobey, Jus­ tin Warner, Donald Wells and Ethan Weller finished the 4xl00-meter relay in 48.16 and the team of Ethan Goodemoot, Colt Ends­ ley, Warner and Denny Sauers finished the 4x200-meter relay in 1:41.52. Lakewood had two guys earn top eight finishes in the long jump. Weller was fifth at 18-6 and Endsley eighth at 16-8.75. Junior Ryan Alford had eighth place finishes in the 3200-meter run and the 1600-meter run. Behind Feighan for the Vikings in the 400-meter dash, Wells placed sixth. Weller added a sixth-place time in the 200-meter dash and a fifth place time in the 100-meter dash just ahead of teammate Alexander Russell who was eighth. Leslie was third in the boys’ standings with 77 points ahead of Maple Valley 40, Perry 25 and Lansing Christian 1. Leslie was also third in the girls’ meet with 54 points ahead of Lakewood 49, Perry 35, Lansing Christian 5.5 and Maple Valley 1.5. In the field, the Lakewood ladies got a third place vault of 7-0 from junior Madison Bierens in the pole vault and sophomore Anna­ belle Stank was third in the discus at 104-2. Lakewood junior Reagan Lab was fourth in the high jump clearing 4-4 and Maple Val­ ley sophomore Lilly Faurot placed sixth in the event at 4-2. Lakewood freshman Kara Fedewa was eighth in the shot put at 24-3. Lab scored in two distance races as well with personal record times. She was fourth in the 3200-meter run in 13:29.37 and fifth in the 1600-meter run in 5:56.31. Faurot placed seventh in the 200-meter dash for the Lion ladies in 30.51 and added a sixth-place time of 2:48.93 in the 800meter run. Lakewood junior Bailey Fifelski was just behind in the 800 with a sev­ enth-place time of 2:49.83. Ka’alakea was also third in the 100-meter dash for the Vikings in 14.35 with sopho­ more teammate Lilly Burgess seventh in that race in 15.37. Olivet senior Kennedi Hewitt won the girls’ sprints, taking the 100 in 13.28 and the 200 in 26.86. Olivet freshman Cassie Coleman was second in the 200 and won the girls’ 400 in 1:02.59. Stockbridge senior Rylee Tolson won the 800-meter run in a personal record time of 2:16.23 while also taking the 1600-meter run in 5:12.52 and the 3200-meter run in 11:37.23. Olivet junior Payton Otto won both girls’ throwing events. She set her PR in the dis­ cus at 132-9 and took the shot put with a mark of 33-10. veball and then she’d throw' in a rise ball once in a while. She is a senior and we knew going in she was a really good pitcher in that area.” Brickley, Aukerman and Brandli had two hits each for DK in the loss. Brickley was 1- for-l with a walk. Steenstra with the only Squire with two hits off of Brickley. Delton Kellogg closed the regular season last Wednesday, May <25, splitting a double­ header with Parchment. Parchment took game one 8-4 in Delton and the DK girls came back for a 12-6 win in game two. Fichtner, Paige Thomas, Allie Trantham and Jordan Lyons all homered for Delton Kellogg in the game two win as DK smashed 12 hits total. Lyons was 3-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Brickley and Aukerman were both 2- for-4 and Trantham went 2-for-3. Trantham, Aukerman and Thomas had two RBI each. The four Delton Kellogg runs in game one came on a grand slam by Fichtner in the bot­ tom of the second inning, but Parchment answered with seven runs in the top of the third and then added an eighth in the sixth while shutting out the DK girls the rest of the way. Aukerman, Thomas and Trantham had the three other DK hits in the loss. Michigan DNR plans Three Free Weekend for June 11-12 The Michigan Department of Natu­ ral Resources is calling it a “Three Free Weekend.” There will be no charge for Michigan residents and non-residents to fish, visit state parks and boating access sites or to ride ORVs (outdoor recreational vehicles) the weekend of June 11-12. A Recreation Passport will not be required for entry into state parks and boating access sites. Those who wish can legally can ride without buying an ORV license or trail permit. All other ORV rules and laws still apply. In Michigan, riders can access 4,000 miles of state-designated ORV routes and trails and the state’s six scramble areas (Bull Gap, Black Lake Scramble Area, Holly Oaks RV Park, Silver Lake State Park, The Mounds and St. Hel­ en’s Motorsport Area). All other regular fishing regulations apply as well. Free Fishing Weekends next year, in 2023, are set for the weekends of Feb. 18-19 and June 10-11. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — Page 9 DK/Martin boys can’t make it through regional tourney Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg/Martin senior Javier Gue­ vera fired pars on three of his first five holes, but couldn’t quite keep up that pace as the hot and windy day at Beeches Golf JClub in South Haven wore on Tuesday. J The Delton Kellogg/Martin varsity boys’ golf team saw its season end at the MHSAA Division 3 Regional Tournament at Beech­ es. The Panther team was 18th in a field of 20 teams and Guevera, the team’s leader, was in a tie for 24th at the end of the day with a score of 96. The top three teams and top three players not on those teams at regionals across the state this week earn spots in the June 10-11 MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys’ Golf Finals. The Division 3 Finals will be held at The Fortress in Frankenmuth. I Coloma took the regional championship by outscoring Schoolcraft by a stroke, ■364-365. Olivet was third with a 370 to ftlso qualify for the state finals in Frankenjmuth. 1 Hillsdale placed fourth in the team stand­ ings with a score of 379, ahead of Watervliet 383, Jonesville 390, Quincy 392, Dowagiac 410, Union City 413, South Haven 415, jComstock 426, Delton Kellogg/Martin 427, Hopkins 432, Buchanan 435, Homer 443, Constantine 458, Bronson 491, Parchment 493, Niles Brandywine 507 and Berrien ’Springs 336. Junior Karter Ribble shot a 105 for the DK/Martin team. Sophomores Zachary Hale and Michael Branch contributed the DK/Martin team’s third and fourth scores. Hale scored a 109 and Branch a 117. The three individual state qualifiers from the event included Quincy’s Sam Sawyer who scored a 76, Berrien Springs’ Ethan Junior Karter Ribble chips his ball onto the green on number eight during the Delton Kellogg/Martin varsity boys' golf team's MHSAA Division 3 Regional Tournament at Beeches Golf Club in South Haven Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg/Martin sophomore Michael Branch fires his ball from the edge of the fairway on number nine during the MHSAA Division 3 Regional Tournament at Beeches Golf Club in South Haven Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Tripp who scored an 86 and Watervliet’s Parker Lanning who shot an 87. Coloma was led by senior Luke Phillips who shot an 84. The Comets also got a 90 from junior Brodie McQuillan, a 94 from senior Caeleb Ishmael and a 96 from sopho­ more Carter Crist. Phillips was the individual runner-up behind Sawyer. Schoolcraft was the runner-up with senior Tyler DeGroote scoring an 87, senior Ty Rykse an 89, freshman Lucas Wheeler a 93 and junior Jack VanDam a 96. Olivet qualified for the finals led by junior Dawson Redfield’s 86. The Eagles also got an 89 from sophomore Tyler Nor­ ton, a 96 from sophomore Levi Browning and a 99 from junior Jaycob Delong. Lakewood’s Simon is GLAC’s best, but Pilgrims win trophy Brett Bremer Sports Editor Despite the Vikings’ best efforts they weren’t able to repeat as Greater Lansing Activities Conference Championship this spring. Lansing Christian’s varsity boys’ golf team clinched the GLAC Championship by winning the GLAC Championship Tournament at For­ est Akers East Golf Course Wednesday. The Pilgrims put up a score of 319 to best the Lakewood total of 330. Perry was third with a score of 367 ahead of Olivet 368, Leslie 404 and Maple Valley 411. - Lakewood senior TreVor Simon was -the day’s medalist and the conference’s top scorer overall this season. He shot a 74 Wednesday. . Lansing Christian had the next three best scores of the 18-hole tournament on the cam­ pus of Michigan State University. Davis Gar­ rett shot a 76, Baylor Brogan a 79 and William Combs an 80 to help their team to the victory. “It makes our team better to have the com­ petition we did each week,” Lakewood head coach Carl Kutch said. Lakewood got an 82 from junior Drew Marquoit which had him sixth in the day’s individ­ ual standings. Brody Jackson and Liam Cava­ naugh, a pair of Lakewood seniors, tied for eighth with 87s. Jackson, Cavanaugh, Owen Richmond and Logan Kenyon all earned sec­ ond team all-conference honors in the GLAC this spring. Simon and Marquoit were first team all conference. Maple Valley senior Owen Bailey, an indi­ vidual state qualifier in Division 4 a year ago, placed fifth with a score of 81. -The ‘Eiorrteaihrafeo -£ot~a~l 07 frofn~semrtf Carsen Musser, a 111 from senior Kenneth Curtis and a 112 from senior Caden Faurot. While the Vikings came up short of back-toback conference titles they still get the chance to play for back-to-back regional titles. Lakewood was set to open the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys’ Golf postseason in the Division 3 Region­ al hosted by Montague at Old Channel Golf Course Wednesday, June 1. The top three teams Lakewood answers Olivet with four goals to advance Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity girls’ soccer team made sure the ball bounced its way Wednesday, May 25, as it opened the MHSAA Division 3 state tournament with a 4-1 win over the Olivet girls at Lakewood’s Unity Field. The win gave the Lakewood ladies the chance to take on Otsego, the district’s top seed, in the MHSAA Division 3 District Semifinals at Otsego High School Tuesday, May 31, where they were bested 7-0 by the Bulldogs. Otsego, 12-4-1 will face 13-4­ 4 Portland in the district final hosted by Delton Kellogg Friday, June 2, at 6 p.m. Portland bested Parchment 4-1 in its district semifinal Tuesday. The Lakewood girls finished in a 1-1 draw in its Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference con­ test with Olivet this season on the Eagles’ home turf. Lauren Upright scored three goals for the Vikings who trailed Olivet 1-0 in the first half of the district opener last Wednesday. Rebekah Storm scored the first goal of the game for the Vikings to tie the match with about ten minutes to play in the first half. While Upright scored three goals in the second half one was by virtue of the ball skimming off the top of her head on a powerful shot by teammate Elaina Haring which likely would have found the net on its own had it not been for Upright’s glancing touch. Senior goalkeeper Ellie Minard came up big in net for the Vikings thwarting an Olivet penalty kick. The defense looked a bit different in front of her throughout much of the game. Cadence Poll moved forward a bit in the formation from center back to a stopper spot to get more involved in the play, moving the ball to the midfielders and boosting the attack. “She had a phenomenal game,” Lakewood head coach Kate Barbour said of her sopho­ more defender Poll. “The girls just played pretty soccer,” Barbour added. “It was great to watch their communica­ tion, their passing, all of the work they have been putting in throughout the season really came together and it showed.” and top three individuals not on those teams at the regionals across the state in this week earn spots in the June 10-11 State Finals. This year’s regional was set to feature a much tougher field than the one the Vikings faced last spring. It included the defending Division 3 State Champions from Grand Rap­ ids Catholic Central, this spring’s OK Gold Conference champions, among others. Lakewood went into the GLAC Champion­ ship having just won the Ionia County ShootOut at Morrison Lake Country Club Saturday, May 21. -The Vfldifgk toofr t^tTde TVtdraTeahTTcore of 208. Portland shot a 347, Ionia 354 and Pewamo-Westphalia 426. Simon was the medalist with a 75. Lake­ wood had the top three scorers with Cavana­ ugh shooting a 76 and Kenyon a 78. Lak.ewood’s Marquoit was part of a three-way tie for fourth with a 79. Ionia sophomore Hobbs Pinnow and Portland junior Isaac Honsowitz both shot 79 as well. Springport shuts out Lions in D3 Pre-District ballgame The Maple Valley varsity softball season came to an end Tuesday. The Lions were bested 17-0 by by Springport in their MHSAA Division 3 Pre-District ballgame at Saranac. Olivet edged Pewamo-Westphalia 6-5 in the other pre-district game hosted by Saranac Tuesday. The district tournament will conclude Saturday. Olivet will face Potterville in one district semifinal match-up while Saranac takes on Springport in the other. The district final is planned for 2 p.m. Maple Valley soccer season ends in district loss at Grass Lake The Maple Valley varsity girls’ soccer had its season ended in the MHSAA Division 4 districts at Grass Lake High School Thursday, May 26. Grass Lake took a 9-1 win over the Lions to earn a spot in the district semifinals that were scheduled to be hosted by Lansing Christian yesterday, June 1. Lansing Christian and Dansville were set to meet in one of the district’s semifinal matches after scoring wins in opening round games this week. Grass Lake was set to face Jackson Lumen Christi or Leslie in its district semifinal Wednesday. The district championship game is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. hosted by Lansing Christian. 612 E. Clinton St., Hastings s299,000 NEW Children’s Books; 108” Cottons, Wildlife Panels, More Zippers, Threads, Polyfil. Pillows, Patterns 'T? Pray for our Nation "0* QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 ;aMMa OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; »-sj Saturday 9 am-3 pm SEX Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station • • • • • • 0.40 acre lot Fenced backyard • Main floor master • • Loads of storage Over 3,500 square feet 30x40 pole barn Covered deck Main floor laundry Great space for home office Laurie Clark Palmer 616.527.3500 • 616.902.2192 www.Iivelocal-realty.com T1^1 TVF ▼ Xj I JY. t Live local. Sell AT L I I local. “Live Local’ Sell Local, Gl _ Give local. 1 9) Local. Delton Kellogg/Martin senior Javier Guevera knocks his tee shot on number eight during the MHSAA Division 3 Regional at Beeches Golf Club in South Haven Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) BARRY TOWNSHIP AND PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR UPPER CROOKED LAKE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL SPECIAL ASSESSMENT _ --------- _DtSTRrcT_2G22-r_---- 4 TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF BARRY TOWNSHIP AND PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Township Supervisors and Assessors have prepared and filed in the offices of the Township Clerks for public examination a special assessment roll for each Township, including all properties within each Township located within the Upper Crooked Lake Aquatic Plant Control Special Assessment District No. 2022-1 that are benefited by the proposed aquatic plant control project. The rolls have been prepared for the purpose of assessing the costs of the project within the aforesaid special assessment districts (Barry Township and Prairieville Township), which districts are more particularly shown on the plans on file with each Township Clerk. The costs of the project are as shown on the estimate of costs on file with each Township Clerk. The total project cost is $445,120, including administrative costs, of which $273,437 is Prairieville Township’s share and $171,683 is Barry Township’s share. The assessment rolls will be in those amounts ($273,427 for Prairieville Township and $171,683 for Barry Township), less any surplus funds carried over from the expiring special assessment districts. The amounts assessed against each property in each district will be: Prairieville Township SAD $222 per year for front lot parcels and $111 per year for back lot parcels; Barry Township SAD $170 per year for district for front lot parcels and $85.50 per year for back lot parcels. Each Township Board plans to periodically redetermine the amount to be assessed in the district and may decrease the amount assessed in any year that more funds are available than needed for the cost of treatment in the upcoming year. The term of the special assessment will be seven years, 2023 through 2029 inclusive. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Supervisors and Assessors of each Township have further reported to the Township Boards that the assessment against each parcel of land within each district is such relative portion of the whole sum levied against all parcels of land in each district as the benefit to such parcels bears to the total benefit to all parcels of land in each special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Prairieville and Barry Township Boards will meet at the Barry Township Hall, 155 E. Orchard Street, Delton, Michigan on Monday, June 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of reviewing the special assessment rolls, hearing any objections to the rolls and confirming the rolls as submitted, revised or amended. Each assessment roll may be examined at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business days of regular business days until the time of the hearing and may further be examined at the hearing. Any person objecting to the assessment roll shall file his objections thereto in writing with the Barry Township Clerk or the Prairieville Township Clerk before the close of the hearing or within such other time as each Township Board may grant. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that an owner or party in interest, or his/ her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment or may file his/her appearance and protest ^by letter before the hearing, and in that event, personal appearance shall not be required. Any person objecting to the assessment roll shall file his/her objection thereto in writing with the Barry Township Clerk or the Prairieville Township Clerk befg^tjie close of the hearing or within such other time as each Township Board may grant. The owners or any person having an interest in real property who protests in writing at or before the hearing may file a written appeal of the special assessment with the State Tax Tribunal within 30 days after confirmation of the special assessment roll, as provided by law. Barry Township and Prairieville Township will provide necessary, reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon four (4) days’ notice to the Barry Township Clerk or the Prairieville Township Clerk. Rod Goebel, Clerk Deb Knight, Clerk Prairieville Township Barry Township 10115 S. Norris Road 11300 S. M-43 Hwy. Delton, Ml 49046 Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-2664 (269) 623-5171 �Page 10 — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Delton grads receive more than $2.26 million in scholarships Ranging from smaller awards for com­ munity service to full-ride college scholar­ ships, Delton Kellogg’s graduating class has been awarded more than $2.26 million for their achievements so far. That amount was announced by Delton Kellogg High School counselor Jim Hogoboom during the senior tribute May 20. Hogoboom addressed the entire class, and spoke about their past four years. “I want to take a moment to say congrat­ ulations. Although you’ve had to experience a weird, and I’m sure disappointing at times high school career, I don’t want that to over­ shadow all the reasons you have to cele­ brate,” he said. “Each of you have played a significant part in who you are as the class of 2022 and how you have impacted our school and community. Regardless of your plans moving forward, I’m confident you have what it takes to be successful. Find a path that uses your gifts and fills you with joy. Just make sure it pays. ... I am so proud of you all and am grateful for our time together. Work hard and be positive!” . Principal Lucas Trierweiler also touched on the challenges of the past few years. “You have all been through many chang­ es and you have not had a ‘normal’ year yet. However, I believe this is a good thing,” Trierweiler told the seniors. “You have experienced many new things in your high school career, and you were still able to do the majority of all the regular high school stuff. You established new routines, new activities, new traditions, and along the way, ■have handled yourselves with character and class. I am proud of the way you all have persevered through changing times, and you always made the best of each situation. I am impressed with all your accomplishments over the last four years. Good luck in all that you choose to do in the future. I know you can handle anything that will be thrown at yOU.” , ' During the May 20 assembly, students were recognized for final grade point aver­ ages, athletics, community service, and more. Senior awards Senior Scholarship awards Halena Phil­ lips, valedictorian; Kelsey.Campbell, salutatorian. Senior Service awards -"Aubrey Acker­ man, Karlee Aukerman, Kelsey Campbell, Taylor Carter, Lydia Chandler, Caden Ferris, Kayla Ferris, Natalie Haight, Owen Harig, Hannah Matteson, Caitlin McManus, Melanie Monroe, Maddie Pape, Halena Phillips, Glorianna Stanton, Morgan Stidham, Rebecca VanDyk, Martin Wachowski, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller, Mary Whitmore. Senior Citizenship awards - Karlee Aukerman, Eli Austin, Grace Ann Budzinski, KayLeigh Bufftim, Brooke Calgaro, Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chandler, Patricia Colwell, Emily Dake, Amiya Diamond, Caden Ferris, Kayla Ferris, Jacob Gherardi, Natalie Haight, Ida Thilsing Hansen, Owen Harig, Austin Hill, Avery Howland, Max Flughes, Hunter Jones, Emma Kokx, Caitlin McManus, Melanie Monroe, Madison Nor­ ris, Maddie Pape, Alexandra Peterson, Hale­ na Phillips, Glorianna Stanton, Giovanni Stea, Morgan Stidham, Emily Tack, Hope VanderWall, Rebecca VanDyk, Martin Wachowski, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller, Alden Whitmore, Alex Whitmore, Mary Whitmore. Senior Leadership awards - Karlee Aukerman, Grace Ann Budzinski, Taylor Carter,: Lydia Chandler, Kayla Ferris, Owen Harig, Marcb Hickerson, Avery Howland, Emma Jo Kokx, Hannah Matteson, Caitlin McManus, Marcus. Momenee, Halena Phil­ lips, Gavin Poley, Glorianna Stanton, Mor­ gan Stidham, Hope-VanderWall, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller, Alden Whitmore, Alex Whitmore. SAC All-Academic awards - Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chandler, Halena Phillips. Michigan Competitive Scholarship, Acknowledgement bf Outstanding Academ­ ic Achievement - Kelsey.Campbell, Halena Phillips, Gavin Poley, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller. Early Middle College cords - Caitlin McManus, Morgan Stidham. Various awards aria scholarships DKHS Staff Scholarship - Caitlin McMa­ nus. Woody. Wyngarden Scholarship - Emale Tack. • Delton Kellogg Education Foundation scholarships - Aubrey Aukerman, Karlee Aukerman, Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chan­ dler,Caden Ferris, Kayla Ferris, Jacob Ghe­ rardi, Natalie Haight, Owen Harig, Madison Norris, Maddie Pape, Halena Phillips, Gavin Polefe G lo£^tanto.a^mfffe Tack, Rebecca VanDyk Hayden’Walker,braeden Waller! Alekzander Waller, Mary Whitmore. Delton Kellogg Trades/Vocational scholarships - Natalie Haight, Madison Norris, Gavin Poley. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber ' ' New construction, remodel, repair, -drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER; HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Do You Have a Dull Utensil? The Rotary Club will make it + + + + + Kitchen Knives Hunting Knives Scissors Lopping Shears Pruning Shears SHARP for you! + Chain Saw Blades + Axes / Hatchets + Shovels I Hoes + Lawn Mower Blades (Sorry, No Circle Saws or Saw Blades) Bring them to the “Middleville Farmer’s Market” at the pavilion, 1 to 7 PM Friday, June 10, 2022 Items will be sharpened while you shop! (We work for donations) This is a ONE TIME event! Don’t miss it! Rotary of Middleville Barry County Humane Society Scholar­ ship - Hannah Matteson. Coleman Agency Scholarship - Gavin Poley. Emil Tyden Founders Scholarship - Hale­ na Phillips. Ethel Denton Groos Scholarship Alekzander Waller. Gun Lake Women’s Club Scholarship Halena Phillips. Gun Lake Women’s Club Skilled Trades Scholarship - Gavin Poley. Barbara Colleen Hooten Memorial Scholarship - Kayla Ferris. Chamberlin Skilled Trades Scholarship Gavin Poley. Delton Kellogg Determined Student Scholarship - Glori Stanton. DKHS Fine Art Scholarship - Alekzander Waller. Delton Area Rotary Club - Kayla Ferris, Halena Phillips, Gavin Poley. Mark Jeska Memorial scholarships Kayla Ferris, Glori Stanton. George and Doris Leonard scholarship Natalie Haight, Hannah Mattesoh, Halena Phillips, Glori Stanton, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller. The John F. and"Gladys M. Chamberlin Scholarshi^^^ena Phillips. V Gladys Carol Williams Scholarship for Academic Excellence - Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chandler, Halena Phillips. Hofmeister Memorial Scholarship Alekzander Waller. McCullough Family Scholarship - Kayla Ferris. Kate Kwasny Memorial scholarships Kayla Ferris, Rebecca VanDyk. John and Lillian Arnold Scholarship Natalie Haight. . Donald Humphreys Memorial ScholarsHJ?’- Glori Stanton. Mary Collier Bard Fan Scholarship Halena Phillips. Wyatt M? Cook Memorial Scholarship Owen Harig. DAR Good Citizen State Finalist - Halena Phillips. Pefer Meijer Congressional Med^l of Merit- Halena Phillips. , Miss Delton Winner 20.19 Scholarship McKenzie Higdon. .viviy. u •'••Jiouirship - Morgan StidWn. ' ’ " K ' College scholarships Bemidji State University scholarship Aubrey Aukerman. Bob Jon^s University Scholarship "Glo- Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Garage Sale HUGE 5 FAMILY SALE. A SALE YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS! 30' x 40' POLE BARN WITH WAY OVER 400FT OF SHELVES FULL OF MISC. ITEMS: . SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE! RAIN OR SHINE. WED., JUNE 1ST THRU SUN., JUNE 5TH, 2022. 9AM-5PM. NO EARLY BIRDS OR NIGHT OWLS. M-37 SOUTH TO LAWRENCE RD., GO 1 MILE, LEFT ON MCKEOWN RD 1/2 MILE, 5560 MCKEOWN RD, HASTINGS. HUGE MULTI-FAMILY SALE- Fri.Sat., 6/3/22-6/4/22, 9am-5pm. Sports & Pokemon cards, collectibles, vintage toys, housewares, oddities, and so much more! No early Sales!! Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793.______________ _ BELLS CONSTRUCTION- 18 years experience. Dry wall, painting, tile, floor­ ing, trim, home improvements, power washing. 269-320-3890. Pets AKC GOLDEN RETRIEVER puppies. 1st shots & dewormed, very cute. $625.00, 517-726-0706._________________________ BEAGLE PUPPIES- Very cute and great colors. 1st shots and de-wormed. $350.00 517-852-3007. Real Estate Remove FOR SALE- 700 W. High St., Hastings. 2 bed/2 bath with basement, enclosed porch, 1 Car garage. 352-287-3997, Help Wanted GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment start­ ing at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. Farm 5YR OLD MINI PONY- Gelding, trained to drive & ride. Our 6yr old son drives & rides him all over. Bomb proof. $1,600.00. 517-726-0706. LAND FOR LEASE for horse pasturing, approx. 45 acres. Well water & separate meter already installed. Would need to put up fence or outbuilding or barn if needed. 616-293-8267 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex. handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. www.thebatguysbatremoval.com Mjz Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass 517-599-1019 Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 L Athletics awards AJl-Stat^ honors - Lydia Chandler, vol-! Idyball Academic All-State; Kelsey Camp-! bell,/ competitive cheer Academic All-State;! Caden Ferris, wrestling state champion. J SAC Scholar athletes - Aubrey Auker-J man, Karlee Aukerman, Elijah Austin,* Kelsey Campbell, Caitlin McManus, Halena Phillips, Mary Whitmore. (jradt^ing with athletic honors - Aubrey AutermarifKelsey Campbell, Caden Ferris, Caitlin McManus, Halena Phillips, Alden Whitmore, Alex Whitmore. Outstanding Senior Athletes of the Class - Halena Phillips and Caden Ferris. College-Bound student athletes - Aubrey! Aukerman, Bimidji State (softball); Caden! Ferrj§?. Central Michigan (wrestling; Mary. W^ithnojre, Kellogg Community College; (basketball). Exchange student-athletes - Giovanni’ •Btemaqdez-Casas, Spain:) Special awards - Caitlin McManus, Bas­ ketball Coaches of Michigan Association; Team First Award; Halena Phillips, MHSAA S.choIarWhlete Award Nominee. LEGAL NOTICES FOR SALE 2 bedroom, 2 batheojdo. 708 ^»V SPRAY FOAM 10 YEAR WARRANTY Delton Kellogg awards Senior band awards - Taylor Carter, Lydia Chandler, Kayla Ferris, Caitlin .McManus., Halena Phillips, Glorianna Stanton, Me Stidham, Martin Wachowski, Rebecca Van­ Dyk, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Mealier. John Philip Sousa Award - Alexander Waller. , National Honor Society seniors - Aubrey Aukerman, Karlee Aukerman, Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chan$pr, Kayla ferris, Natalie Haight, OWeii Harig, Hs^gfr'M&L teson, Caitlin McManus;/Melanienvloritbe, Halena Phillips, Glorianna Stanton,’Morgan Stij W/tllbr, Mary Whitmore. Student council seniors - Aubrey‘'Auker­ man, Karlee Aukerman, Caden Ferris, Cait­ lin McManus, Giovanni Stea, Morgan Stidham, Alekzapjier Waller, Braeden Waller, Mary Whitmore. Michigan Blood Versiti Leaders for Life awards - Aubrey Aukerman, Karlee Auker­ man, Owen Harig, Caitlin McManus, Glori­ anna Stanton, Morgan Stidham, Mary WhiU more. •> French III Outstanding Senior Award -> McKenzie Higdon. World Language Senior awards - April Barstow, Jadelyn Wofford. Spanish Outstanding Senior Award -> Natalie Haight. English Department Outstanding SenioiJ Award - Owen Harig. , Yearbook Editor Award - Kayla Ferris. ; History/Social Studies Department Out­ standing Senior Award - Owen Harig. Math Department Outstanding Senior Award - Halena Phillips. s Science Department Outstanding Seniot Award - Owen Harig. Visual Arts Outstanding Senior Award -> Hope VanderWall. General Studies Department Outstanding Senior.Award - Max Hughes. Physical Education Outstanding Senioi^ Award - Emma Kokx. Weight Training Outstanding Senior Award — Garrett Warren. Industrial Arts Department Outstanding Senior Award - Garrett Warren. . Riverwalk, Hastings. Open Hoose June 7-10, 2022. 310-980-7129. GIVE US A CALL TODAY! HARMLESS BAT REMOVAL BAT PROOF & CLEAN UP FULL ATTIC RESTORATION rianna Stanton. Cornerstone University Scholarship Lydia Chandler, Owen Harig. Central Michigan University Scholarship - Caden Ferris. Central Michigan University - Academic Maroon and Gold Scholarship - Kelsey Campbell. Grand Valley Laker Scholarship - Karlee Aukerman, Grace Budzinski. Kellogg Community College Scholarship Foundation, Leonard W. and Dorotha C. Dott Memorial Scholarship, Eldon and Emma Draime Memorial Scholarship, and KCC Endowment Scholarship - Natalie Haight. KCC Battle Creek Community Founda­ tion a Scholarship, Richard S. (Clair) Poole Memorial scholarships - Hannah Matteson, Corey Moore, Madison Norris, Emale Tack. Kellogg Community College Scholarship - Mary Whitmore. Marian University Scholarship - Alexis Briggs. Michigan Technological University Scholarship -Jacob Gherardi, Halena Phil­ lips. Owens Community College School Of Science, Technology, Engineering arid Mathematics - John Deere Mechanical Training Scholarship - Madelyn Converse. University of Michigan Scholarship Braeden Waller. Vanderbilt University Scholarship,..— Alekzander Waller. '■# *'■ t'A V Western Michigan University scholar­ ships - Alexandra Peterson, Rebecca VapDyk. » 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE NOTICE Trust of: Alma Jane Post. Date of birth: May 21, 1921. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Alma Jane Post, Settlor of the Alma Jane Post LivingI Trust dated November 5,1999, as amended, whose residence was at 12760 Park Drive, Wayland, Ml 49348, died January 24, 2022. There is no personal representative of the decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have1 been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the trust will be forever barred unless ’ presented to Donna Veltman and Sandra Bolt, , Trustees of the Alma Jane Post Living Trust dated . November 5, 1999, as amended, at 12760 Park ; Drive, Wayland, Ml 49348, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: May 31, 2022 Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC Lynwood P. VandenBosch P24512 1700 East Beltline, NE, Suite 200 Grand Rapids, Ml 49525 616-726-2200 Donna Veltman and Sandra Bolt, Trustees 12760 Park Drive 181623; Wayland, Ml 49348 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-029149-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Karen Christine Larsen. Date of birth: 09/25/1946. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Karen Christine Larsen, died 03/23/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Anna Ellis, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 5/25/2022 David H. Tripp P29290 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-9585 Anna Ellis 11957 Cargill Lane, Delton, Ml 49046 269-352-1516 I Noticd of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is' given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judica-’ ture Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212,; that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by • a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part i of them, at a public auction sale to the highest■ bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place; of holding the circuit court in Barry County, start-; ___ _ ........ P.M., on June 23, 2022. The _’ ing promptly at 1:00 amount due on the mortgage may be greater on' -- the sale. -Placing the highest bid at the j the day of sale does not automatically entitle the purchas-! er to free and clear ownership of the property. Al potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the • county register of deeds office or a title insurance > company, either of which may charge a fee for this! . information. Attention homeowner: If you are a mil- • itary service member on active duty, if your period ' of active duty has concluded less than 90 days, ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, s please contact the attorney for the party foreclos- J ing the mortgage at the telephone number stated t in this notice. Robert Fruin, an unmarried person, { (“Mortgagor”), gave a mortgage to Advia Credits Union, (“Mortgagee”), dated March 22, 2019, and' recorded on April 3, 2019, in Instrument Number; 2019-002650, Barry County Records, Michigan.’ On the date of this notice, there is claimed to be i due the principal of Twenty Thousand Five Hun- ’ dred-Fourteen and 49/100 Dollars ($20,514.49) i plus accrued interest at 2.75% per annum. Un-{ der the power of sale contained in said mortgage’ and the statute in such case made and provided, J notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be i foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises,' or some part of them, at the place of holding in the, circuit court within Barry County, Michigan @ 1:00 J P.M. on Thursday, June 23, 2022. Said premises) . are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry Coun- ■ ty, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing < at a point 23 Rods South of the center of Sec- ; tion 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence West J 10 Rods; thence South 4 Rods; thence East 10 J Rods; thence North 4 Rods to the place of begin- ’ ning Commonly: 14644 S. Kellogg School Road1 Hickory Corners, Ml 49060—Tax ld#08-03-028-! 057-00 The redemption period shall be six months ‘ from the date of such sale unless determined t abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241 a, ‘ in which case the redemption period shall be 30 < days from the date of such sale. If the property is ’ sold at a foreclosure sale, under Section 600.3278! of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Mortgagor’ will be held responsible to the person who buys! the property at the mortgage foreclosure or to the ’ mortgage holder for damaging the property during ! the redemption period. Dated: May 19, 2022 Ad-; via Credit Union, Mortgagee Holzman Law, PLLC, By: Charles J. Holzman Attorney for Mortgagee1 28366 Franklin Road Southfield, Michigan 48034 J (248)352-4340 181400 (05-19)(06-16) 180778' �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 2, 2022 — Page 11 Delton Kellogg celebrates its graduating seniors Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer The Delton Kellogg senior class of 2022 graduated last Thursday night in the high school gym. The graduating class had a total of 75 students, 36 of whom received honors. The band began the ceremony with a piece dedicated to the people in Ukraine, then high school Principal Lucas Trierweiler began the graduation recognition. “On behalf of the Delton Kellogg School Board of Education, administration and staff, we would like to extend a very cordial wel­ come to all of our friends, relatives, and most importantly - to all the proud parents of this year’s graduating seniors,” Trierweiler said. “I would also like to emphasize how import­ ant this milestone is to these young people, for it represents 13 years of effort, culminat­ ing in this evening’s ceremony. One of which you - and they - will remember forever.” The processional was played by the high school band and the senior class then walked down the center of the gym - surrounded by family and friends - to take their seats. Class President Karlee Aukerman announced the national anthem, which was played by the high school band. The class history speech was delivered by Caitlin McManus and Alekzander Waller. Salutatorian Kelsey Campbell and the Valedictorian Halena Phillips also offered their reflections. Trierweiler said that, instead of having a guest speaker at graduation ceremonies, Delton Kellogg has a new tradition. The seniors will each take part in an essay contest with the topic being “What Delton Means to Me.” The winning essay will then be given by the student at the ceremony in place of a guest speaker. This year, there was not enough time for the contest to take place, so Aukerman read her senior essay, which emphasized that Delton defined the word “home” for her. After the student speeches, Trierweiler made the recommendation for diplomas to the Delton Kellogg School Board of Educa­ tion, and board President Jessica Brandli presided over the acceptance of the class. School board members and interim Superin­ tendent Carl Schoessel took turns handing out diplomas to the graduates. Students moved their tassels from right to left before making their way outside to par­ ticipate in the tradition of throwing their caps in the air before gathering with their families and friends for photos. Mr. Lucas Trierweiler Principal ■W The following students, in order, made up the top 10 of the class: Halena Phillips, Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chandler, Kayla Ferris, Natalie Haight, Morgan Stidham, Caitlin McManus, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller and Owen Harig. Senior members of the National Honor Society are: Aubrey Aukerman, Karlee Aukerman, Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chan­ dler, Kayla Ferris, Natalie Haight, Owen Harig, Hannah Matteson, Caitlin McManus, Melanie Monroe, Halena Phillips, Glorianna Stanton, Morgan Stidham, Alekzander Waller, Braeden Waller and Mary Whitmore. For the honors, there are three levels. Stu­ dents who earned a grade point average of 3.00 to 3.49, or honors, wore a bronze cord. They are: Alexis Briggs, Patricia Colwell, Caden Ferris, Jacob Gherardi, Marco Hicker­ son, McKenzie Higdon, Max Hughes, Corey Moore, Maddie Pape, Alexandra Peterson, Gavin Poley, Peyton Pummel, Emale Tack, Hope VanderWall, Rebecca VanDyk, Hayden Walker, Alden Whitmore and Alex Whit­ more. Those who had a GPA of 3.5 to 3.849, or high honors, had a silver cord. They are: Aubrey Aukerman, Karlee Aukerman, Elijah Austin, Grace Budzinski, Owen Harig, Han­ nah Matteson, Melanie Monroe, Glorianna Stanton, Braeden Waller and Mary Whit­ more. Students who earned a GPA of 3.85, high­ est honors, received a gold cord. They are: Kelsey Campbell, Lydia Chandler, Kayla Ferris, Natalie Haight, Caitlin McManus, Halena Phillips, Morgan Stidham and Alekzander Waller. Mr. Mike Mohn Dean of Students ' Delton Kellogg High School Class of 2022 Ct Kayleigh Buffum Brooke Calgaro T rystan Dake Amiya Diamond Kelsey Campbell Taylor Carter Alyssa Dowdy Ashton Farrah Caden Ferris Kayla Ferris Jacob Gherardi Samara Gouin Natalie Haight Owen Harig Alexander Harris Marco Hickerson McKenzie Higdon Halena Phillips Gavin Poley Peyton Pummel Frank Rosado Evan Smith Taylor Smith Cameron Spaulding Glorianna Stanton Giovanni Stea Morgan Stidham Hannah Stoetze 1 Emale Tack Ida Thilsing-Hansen Luke Tobias Hope Vanderwall Rebecca Vandyk Hayden Walker Alekzander Waller Braeden Waller Garrett Warren Alden Whitmore Alex Whitmore Mary Whitmore Jadelyn Wofford Owen Wolfe Jahnessa Wood These local businesses support these students as they graduate from Delton Public Schools. THE HASTINGS BANNER Devoted to the interests of Barry County since TUJAX TAVERN 1856 1351 N. M-43 Hwy, Hastings 945-9554 BUCKLAND AGENCY CHAPPLE REALTY INC 1 1235 Sprague Rd, Delton 118 E Orchard St., Delton Mi 4904 269-623-4058 623-5115 133 Orchard, Delton HOW. Center, Suite B, Hastings 948-3720 WILLIAMS-GORES FUNERAL HOME WESTMICHIGANLAKES.COA 623-5461 103 S. Grove St. Delton (269) 623-8310 DELTON POLE BUILDING SUPPLIES 10036 M-43 DELTON, MICHIGAN 269-623-3300 10036 M-43, Delton, Michigan 269-623-3300 visit us at; www.neitonpoie.cQ. Delton Moose Lodge 269.623.2112 5428 Moose Lodge Dr. (2 miles north ofDeltone on M43) highpoint COMMUNITY BANK 1 -888-422-2280 Delton Drive Thru: highpointcommunitybank.corr 10199 S. M-43 Hwy. Member FDIC Delton, Ml 49046 NAPA NAPA of Deltoi 9939 M-43 Hwy 623-4804 GROVE STREET CAFE M-43 Hwy. across from Delton Schools Try Our Pizza Take & Bake, To Go, Dine-in 623-3777 SIMPLY SWEETS, 623-8047 LYONS SEPTIC TANK SERVICE 3840 Harrington Rd. Delton 623-2089 • 945-5379 Fast Reliable Service For Over 50 Years DELTON FAMILY PHARMACY 338 Grove St. (M-43)Delton 623-5250 SMITH & DOSTER SALES & SERVICE 114 Grove (M-43) Delton 623-5111 GO GO AUTO PARTS 7709 Kingsbury Rd. Delton (269) 623-2775 �Page 12 —Thursday, June 2, 2022 — The Hastings Banner i Lions shut out DK boys in Pre-District Brett Bremer Sports Editor Chanse Courtney threw four scoreless innings, his defense was solid behind him, and the Lions worked counts and moved around the base paths at Delton Kellogg High School Tuesday. The Maple Valley varsity baseball team earned another ballgame with a 10-0 win over the host Panthers in the MHSAA Division 3 Pre-District ballgame in Delton. The Lions scored in each of their four innings with two runs in the first, four in the second, two in the third and two more in the fourth. Maple Valley will travel to Lansing Catho­ lic to take on Springport in the MHSAA Division 3 District Semifinals Saturday at 10 a.m. Lansing Catholic will face Potterville in the second semifinal of the day. The district final is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Springport took a 6-5 win over the Lions Delton Kellogg second baseman Seth Lebeck touches second and fires towards first to try and complete a double play during his team's loss to Maple Valley in an MHSAA Division 3 Pre-District bailgame at Delton Kellogg High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) on a Saturday in late April, but the Lions are certain they can be better than they were in that ballgame. “I am excited,” Courtney said. “I think we can get to the district championships and maybe win, [The first time against Springport] they just hit the ball and we made too many efforts. We should beat them this next time.” Delton Kellogg’s one hit was a single by Seth Lebeck with one out in the top of the first inning. Courtney walked two of the first three batters he faced in the top of the second inning but got a ground out and a strike out to get out of the jam. He didn’t allow another Panther to reach base. “I just worked on mechanics this weekend and made sure everything was solid, just fine tuning things,” Courtney said. Courtney gave up one hit and two walks while striking out eight. James Wiser came on in relief for the Lions and struck out two of the three batters he faced in the top of the fifth with the Panthers playing as the visiting team. “[Chanse] just threw strikes,” Lion head coach Bryan Carpenter said. “He attacked the zone and didn’t try to overpower anyone. He got ahead in the count and threw strikes. He was efficient. He got his work in and we could save him a little bit to be rested for Saturday.” Carpenter was pleased with the defense behind his pitchers too. On offense, the Lions did what they could to put pressure on the Panther defense trying to take an extra base when they could and making sure to put the ball in play as often as possible. He said his guys are better at knowing game situations and have learned to not try and do too much throughout this spring. “They have worked,” coach Carpenter said. “They have worked their tails off to get better to fine tune things. Our approach at the plate is definitely better, and understanding situations defensively to not give away outs and take what is given to us.” Maple Valley had eight hits. Jakob McDonald and Jessey Deppe were both Maple Valley's Ayden Wilkes (right) is unable to leap by the tag of Delton Kellogg catcher Mason Nabozny during their Division 3 Pre-District bailgame in Delton Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 2-for-2. McDonald had a two-run single with two out in the bottom of the first and an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to go along with a walk. Ayden Wilkes, in the lead-off spot for the Lions, walked twice and scored two runs. He also doubled once. Callan Hoefler, Cam Car­ penter and Wiser each singled once for Maple Valley. Noah Musser, Wiser and Hoefler had one RBI each. Courtney was 0-for-2 at the plate, but he walked once, drove in two runs and scored twice. Wilkes and Deppe both stole two bases. Courtney, Cam Carpenter and Wiser had one steal each. “We all seemed to have fun tonight. We all just laughed and had a good time together,” Courtney said. “The defense talked really well and made plays when they hit the ball.” Tristin Boze took the loss on the mound for Delton Kellogg. He was hit for six runs in 1.2 innings. He walked six and struck out three before being relieved by Austin Hill. Hill gave up four runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks. He struck out three in 2.1 innings. Sixth place finish for TK ladies at MITCA Meet Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Trojans ran hard in the meet where every competitor counts on the scoreboard. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ track and field team placed sixth at the MITCA Division 2 Team State Finals hosted by Fowl­ erville Friday, May 27. Senior Trysta Hilton, set to run in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 State Finals at Forest Hills Eastern High School this Saturday, took the championship in the 300meter low hurdles in Fowlerville with a time of 47.87. Her freshman teammate Brooklyn Harmon was second in a personal record time of 48.03. Harmon didn’t have Hilton in her sights though, because she went into the meet seeded ninth and ran to her second-place time out of the next to last heat of the race - setting a TK freshman record in the process. Harmon had already set a personal record in the long jump flying 15 feet 9.25 inches to score in that event. \ “[Harmon] started the season running a 53.27 [seconds in the 300 hurdles] and has consistently been shaving off time each meet,” TK girls’ coach Maggie Wilkinson said. “Brooklyn is so energetic and full of positive energy and excitement for the sport. It is contagious. I’m so happy for her.” It took Hilton some effort to be ready to go for those 300 hurdles. She fell bn. the first hurdles in the day’s 100-meter hurdle race. The Trojans substituted another runner into the 4x100-meter relay team, but she was recovered enough to compete in the 300s with “grit and determination” according to her coach. “She is a competitor and a beast out there,” Wilkinson said of Hilton. “Trysta accepted the challenge set before her and persevered. I couldn’t be more proud.” Each team is allowed to enter three indi­ viduals into each event as well as one team in each relay races and each finishers scores for their team at the MITCA Finals. Zeeland East took the girls’ championship with 1369 points, ahead of Dearborn Divine Child 1276.5, Freeland 1223.5, Gladwin 1039.5, Monroe Jefferson 1020, Thomapple Kellogg 978, Allendale 969, Vicksburg 937, Linden 910.5 and Chelsea 898 in the top ten. Olivet was 11th with 895 points ahead of Parma Western 884.5, North Branch 848 and Shepherd 802.5. Sophomore Joselyn DeBoer was the third TK girl to score in the 300 hurdles with a 24th-place time of 54.40, but she was the first in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal record time of 18.28. Harmon placed 15th in that race in 18.43. Trojan distance runners Ava Crews and Jessica Durkee ran as far as they could Friday taking part in the 800-meter run, the 1600meter run, the 3200-meter run and the 4x800-meter relay. Both girls concluded their day with their fastest 3200-meter runs of the season so far. Crews, a freshman who won a regional championship to qualify for the MHSAA Finals in the 3200, was seventh in that race in Fowlerville with a time of 12 minutes 11.04 seconds. Durkee, a senior, capped her running career at TK by placing 12th in 12:32.00. Another TK senior, Anna Benedict, did the same running a personal record tie of 15:04.41 to place 34th in the 3200-meter run. In her three-season, pandemic interrupted, varsity track and field career it was Benedict’s first time competing in the race. Benedict and Hilton were two of 13 seniors on the TK girls’ roster this spring. Benedict as also 40th in the 100-meter dash and joined by juniors Emmerson DeVries, Lindsey Velting and senior Ainsley Oliver in a tenth-place finish in the 4x100-me­ ter relay. TK was top ten in all four relays. The 4x200-meter relay team of sophomores Eva Corson, DeBoer, Kenady Smith and the freshman Harmon was ninth in 1:53.56. The 4x400-meter relay team of Oliver, Velting, Smith and Corson placed ninth in 4:31.58. Durkee and Crews teamed with freshmen Emma Dykhouse and Lydia Schilthroat to place ninth in the 4x800-meter relay with a time of 11:01.85. In the 800-meter run TK had Durkee 11th in 2:35.06, Crews 16th in 2:40.01 and Schilthroat 33rd in a personal record time of 2:54.92. Crews led the way in the 1600-meter run with a 12th-place time of 5:42.83. Durkee was 13th in 5:44.87. Other highlights of the day for the TK girls included sophomore pole vaulter TJ Myers improving her PR to 8-3 to place fourth and three girls finishing in the top 12 in the high jump. Smith led the TK ladies with a fourth­ place jump of 5-0. Hilton was ninth at 4-10 and Oliver 12th at 4-6. Olivet also set her PR in the 200-meter dash at 27.91 to place 17th in that race. Junior Alana Compton was eighth in the discus with a mark of 99-6 and 16th in the Our Health Care Rights By Gina 3ohnsen One of the hardest things over the past two years has been to watch politicians and bureaucrats dictate to our doctors how to care for their patients, while shutting down most of our healthcare systems during a healthcare crisis. Our elected and non-elected officials limited the healthcare industry, told doctors how to medically treat (or' not treat) their patients, dictated what medications they could and couldn’t prescribe, and defined what was “safe” in a medical environment where doctors had previously kept patients and healthcare professionals safe while caring for disease, viruses, and all other sicknesses, long before 2020. These types of arbitrary mandates and non-scientific dictates are some of the reasons why I was inspired to run for office for this district’s state representative seat. My name is Gina Johnsen, and 1 am running for the 78th District to serve the people of MI in the State House of Representatives. I never thought I would see the day when our health care could be controlled by politicians and bureaucrats. What did they know about what we needed for medical care? How did they suddenly know more than the doctors we have been seeing and trusting for years? They never should have shut down healthcare, told our doctors what we needed, and blocked us from providing care, advocacy, and moral support for our loved ones in hospitals and nursing homes. We suddenly couldn’t see our own family members? Preposterous! Some of our doctors lost their jobs for doing what they thought was right on behalf of their patients. Others were thieatened that they might lose their licenses if they prescribed the same, effective medications they previously had been prescribing for decades for all sorts of horrible viruses and diseases. So, who really stood up for our healthcare rights? I’m starting to understand why Alexander Hamilton said, “If you don’t stand up for something, you will fall for anything”. Many of you are as incensed over this as I am. Others may disagree. But, we all know that this was not handled in a way that dignified a private medical relationship between patient and physician. No civilized, developed country should have ever tolerated such insensitivity and abuse. Furthermore, as we progress in time, we see statistics revealing that our government was grossly negligent and lacking in transparency. I am so sorry for the loss of lives, and especially those who could have lived if they had received proper treatment in the proper timing - treatment our doctors already knew how to administer, if they hadn’t been hand-cuffed by an abusive, controlling government. Everyone wants the reassurance of knowing their healthcare decisions will remain between them and their doctors, and not critiqued and challenged by a government bureaucrat or politician. I will fight for you to have the health care you choose for yourself, for your family, and with the privacy you deserve. Vote for me Gina Johnsen on August 2nd. Let your voice be heard. And please send me your comments. Feel free to email me at Gina4StateRep@gmail.com. For more information visit: Gina4StateRep.com. Your health care decisions need to be between you and your doctor only. Vote Gina Johnsen on August 2nd for change in the right direction. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 shot put with a mark of 29-11.25 to lead TK in the throws. Senior Cassidy Dole and junior Preslee Hall both also scored in the throws for the TK ladies. DeVries scored for TK in the pole vault and Benedict and Corson scored in the long jump. Dykhouse scored in both the 200 and the 400 for TK on the track. Corson added points in the 400 and Velting in the 200. Velting and DeVries scored in the 100 along with Bene­ dict. Zeeland East sophomore Allison Kuzma was the only girl to take two individual wins on the track. She won the 3200-meter run in 11:28.09 and the 1600-meter run in 5:15.27. Zeeland East also had Allie DeLost win the 100-meter dash in 12.61. Teammate Paige Westra won the shot put with a mark of 38-2.5 inches. _ Frankenmuth won the boys’ championship' with a score of 1222.5. Whitehall was second with 1142 points ahead of Harper Creek 1044, Zeeland East 1028, Allendale 795.5/ Hamilton 769.5, Berrien Springs 762, Way-' land 752, Sparta 739, Freeland 714.5, Mon^'" roe Jefferson 679.5 and Ionia 592.5-^"'^ ' The only guy to win two individual events was Monroe Jefferson seniorAlex Mansfield who took the shot put with a mark of 58-f> and the discus at 175-6 which is a new PR fop him in that event. ’ TK’s number one just shy of trio headed to D2 golf finals Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg junior Austin Pitsch was just three strokes behind the three indi­ vidual state qualifiers at the MHSAA Divi­ sion 2 Regional Tournament at Lake Doster Golf Course in Plainwell Wednesday, June 1. Pitsch scored an 84 to lead the Thomap­ ple Kellogg varsity boys’ golf team. The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams at regionals around the state this week earn spots in the June 10-11 State Finals. The MHSAA Lower Peninsu­ la Division 2 Finals will be hosted by The Meadows on the campus of Grand Valley State University. Grand Rapids Christian won the regional title at Lake Doster with a score of 313. Unity Christian was second with a 320 and Hamilton third at 335. The three individual state qualifiers from the regional are Zeeland West senior Austin Borners, Holland Chris­ tian senior Isaiah Geerlings and Zeeland East junior Jack Anderson who each shot an 81. The Thomapple Kellogg boys were 12^ as a team and Hastings finished in 18^ place. Pitsch’s 84 put him in 84^ place indi­ vidually. Senior Joseph McLean led Hast­ ings with an 87 which had him in 30^*. McLean’s sophomore teammate Owen Carroll scored an 89. Behind Pitsch for TK, Connor Newland scored a 90, Christian DeBruin a 92 and Trevor Hummer a 96. Rounding out the top four for Hastings were Blake Barnum with a 112 and Hunter Cook with a 119. Grand Rapids Christian had its top four guys all finish under 80. Sophomore Dylan Clark scored a 77, freshman John Cassiday a 78, junior Alex VandenBerge a 79 and sophomore Maxwell O’Grady a 79. The Eagles’ fifth scorer, sophomore Adam Workman, fired an 83. The top players from Hamilton and Unity Christian both scored a 76 - the Cru­ saders’ Colin Nieuwenhuis and the Hawkeyes’ Eli Timmerman. Behind the top three teams, Lowell shot a 342, Holland Christian 346, Allendale 350, East Grand Rapids 352, South Christian 357, Zeeland West 357, Plainwell 358, Wayland 361, Thornapple Kellogg 362, Otsego 365, Zeeland East 367, Allegan 369, Holland 389, Ionia 395 and Hastings 407. Charlotte knocks Vikings out of D2 baseball tourney scored on Klifinan’s single into left. Price also singled to lead off the top of the Sports Editor fourth inning and came in to score on an Oriole Charlotte broke open a 3-1 game with four error. runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and went Singles by Landon Makley and Garrett on to a 10-2 win over the Lakewood varsity baseball team in their MHSAA Division 2 . Feighan were the only other hits for the Vikings in the ballgame. Price and Ashton Pfeifer both, Pre-District bailgame in Eaton Rapids Tuesday. walked once. & Charlotte benefitted from five Viking errors Orioles’ pitcher Jadyn Smuts gave^up one in the bailgame to score four unearned runs. earned run in his seven-inning complete game The Orioles will return to Eaton Rapids Sat­ effort. He struck out eight and walked two. urday to face Lansing Sexton in the first of two Aiden Laverty was 2-for-3 with thee RBI district semifinal match-ups. Eaton Rapids and two runs scored to lead the Charlotte takes on Lansing Eastern in the second. offense. Montana Powell, Zeb Surdenik, Walker Klifinan was 2-for-3 to lead the Landon Jackson, Seth McClellan, Greyson Lakewood offense in the loss Tuesday. He Seavolt, Nathan Pennfield and Eann Spotts all singled in the Vikings’ final run of the season had hits for the Orioles. Surdenik tripled and in the top of the sixth inning. Blake Price drove in a run. Seavolt also had an RBI. walked with one out, stole second and then Brett Bremer � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-06-09.pdf 3416eaeec77b09661bb42c00d1012c43 PDF Text Text Wall of Fame honors Hastings Performing Arts Center donors Despite the chaos, we still have heroes Saxons Nino wins medal in long jump at D2 Finals See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 1070490102590504274649058113421 ■ | "'UU'"C005 ^ M Has<'ngs M/4905g_ p Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 804879110187 M , Hastings Jt5 ANNER Thursday, June 9, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 23 PRICE $1.00 Sheriff sues state police Complaint claims constitutional sheriffstanding trumps all other law enforcement authorities Rebecca Pierce Editor Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf filed suit Friday against the Michigan State Police, the Attorney General and Secretary of State, seeking to stop them from investigating a vote tabulating machine they seized in the county. That machine, according to County Clerk Pamela Palmer, had been removed from the Irving Township Hall after the November 2020 election and taken to Detroit where it was dismantled and later returned to the township With a broken security seal. In the past six weeks, state police obtained warrants to seize voting equipment and elec­ tion related records in at least three towns and one county, according to a June 7 Reuters article that was based on police records. The state is now investigating a potential breach of voting equipment in at least 17 incidents nationwide, including 11 in Michi­ gan, the Reuters report said. Barry County is one of these cases. Who authorized the removal of the Irving Township voting machine shortly after the November 2020 election is a question as yet unanswered. Some in the county are viewing this latest court action by Leaf as a preemptive strike. Breaking the security seal on a voting machine is a felony. “No one is above the law - and those found to have broken it will be charged and prose­ cuted,” Michigan Secretary of State spokes­ person Tracy Wimmer said in a statement Monday. An April 28 search warrant authorized state police to seize the Irving Township vot­ ing tabulator so they could examine it. But the investigation extends beyond Barry County. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Ben­ son told Reuters that the state is checking to see if these election-system breaches are coordinated. “If there is coordination, whether it’s among those in our state or reaching up to a national level, we can determine that and then we can seek accountability for all involved,” Benson said in an interview with a Reuters reporter. Leaf has mentioned that he had hoped to enlist the aid of fellow sheriffs in his effort to investigate the vote. However, in a July 2021 article published by Bridge Michigan, sher­ iffs in Lake and St. Joseph counties said they wanted no part in it. “Dar’s in his own little world,” St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite told Bridge. Now, in this most recent court action, Leaf, See SHERIFF, page 3 Citizens1 petition against Tyden Lofts Hunter McLaren Patrick Gilmore Crossbow murder brings life in prison Judge exacts a life for a life Greg Chandler Staff Writer Patrick Gilmore will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing Lane Roslund with a crossbow in Hastings Charter Township last fall. The 18-year-old Hastings man was sen­ tenced Wednesday afternoon by Barry Coun­ ty Judge Michael Schipper to life without parole for the murder of the 17-year-old Roslund on Sept. 10-11, 2021. Roslund’s body was buried in a shallow grave and recovered more than a month after the killing. “I believe when you take a life, you give a life,” Schipper said in issuing the sentence as family members on both sides wept. “Lane will never have the opportunity to have another day to walk free, and I don’t think Mr. Gilmore should either,” the judge said. Outside the courtroom, Gilmore’s mother embraced Roslund’s father, saying, “I’m so sorry.” Grandparents from the victim’s and defendant’s families also hugged. Michael Roslund, Lane’s father, wept as he spoke of his son during the hearing and the impact that Lane’s death has had on the family. See CROSSBOW, page 2 Staff Writer After presenting a concept for a new 60-unit residential development in the city at the May 24 Barry County Board of Commis­ sioners meeting, Hastings officials have been notified of a petition from residents opposing the idea. The petition, bearing 40 signatures, calls the project “unfortunate.” It states that the development concept, called Tyden Lofts, would cause traffic issues in the surrounding neighborhood and asks that the space be used for townhouse or row-house styled units instead. “The residents of this neighborhood recog­ nize the severe lack of housing in Hastings, but appeal for a smaller development that is more compatible with the existing single or small multi-family homes in the neighbor­ hood,” the petition reads. Developer General Capital expressed the intent to buy the former Friend of the Court building from the county so that the historic nature of that structure would be preserved and incorporated into the development. It would use tax credits that had been held over by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority after it was issued a no-go letter for the Royal Coach project. The historic nature of the former Friend of the Court building would bring in more tax credits from MSHDA to apply to the project. Sarah Moyer-Cale, Hastings city manager, said she felt the petition expressed valid con­ cerns about traffic flow and related issues, but it seemed premature. The development con­ cept was just that - a concept to present an idea to county commissioners. “We don’t have a site plan, we don’t have an application, we don’t have a purchase and development agreement,” Moyer-Cale said. “I mean, this is very much in its infan­ cy. At this stage, the developers are just trying to find out what space they have to work with.” Moyer-Cale sent out a letter to every resi­ dent who signed the petition, letting them know that this was a concept and informing them any proposals made would have to be approved through the city council and plan­ ning commission. Dan King, community development direc­ tor for the city, said the project would go a long way toward helping ease a lack of hous­ ing throughout the city and the county. “We have a severe need for housing in Hastings and, frankly, through Barry Coun­ ty,” King said. “We would love to see an attainable workforce housing development go into that site.” The development would be great because of its proximity to downtown and its walk­ ability, King said. “We’ve got businesses that can’t hire workers because they can’t afford to live in larger outlying cities and drive to work, espe­ cially with fuel prices going up as drastically as they have,” King said. “If people can live where they work, it saves money all the way around.” The county building would be connected to the 60-unit complex and would serve as a recreation center for residents, as well as pro­ Sheriff Dar Leaf Sheriff’s Freedom of Information requests still in progress Rebecca Pierce Th former Friend of the Court building may be attractive to developers, but the Barry County Board of Commissioners say they aren't planning to let it go - and now the city is getting response from citizens who have some other objections. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) viding office space. The building is currently vacant. Commissioners met in a May 31 workshop to discuss potential plans the county might have for the former Friend of the Court build­ ing. At the conclusion of the meeting, Barry County Chairman Ben Geiger summed up the discussion. “I think we have determined the consensus of the board is we are going to need the space in that building, our preference is to own it and we’re going to need some parking if we’re going to use (that building) in the future. “Unless the city wants to give us a new building, which we would gratefully accept, this is our future space.” What the county plans to do with the build­ ing in the future remains unclear - a space for the commissioners to hold their meetings, office space for new county employees, and storage space were all ideas floated by com­ missioners at the workshop. “It would be nice if they really had a plan for that building, but I also understand they have limitations as far as resources and planning,” Moyer-Cale said. “It’s certainly disappointing because we have an instance where we can see how that property could be used for something beneficial for the community, and that’s being turned down with no real alternative. See CITIZENS, page 8 Editor For the past two years, Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf has been conducting a sporadic high-profile probe into allega­ tions of what he believes may be Novem­ ber 2020 voter fraud. But Barry County results have been verified as accurate. And County Clerk Pamela Palmer and other county election officials have attest­ ed to their accuracy. Statewide, an investigation by a Republican-controlled state senate found no evidence of widespread fraud. Even Leaf himself said none of the clerks in Barry County are suspected of wrongdoing. So Friday’s filing of a lawsuit by Leaf, acting in his official capacity as sheriff, against state police and other state offi­ cials, blindsided county commissioners and upset some others. When Attorney General Dana Nessel authorized state police to seize the voter tabulating machine from the Irving Township Hall on April 29, Leaf expressed no concern about the state’s action to The Hastings Banner. They were “chasing a different rabbit,” he said. Now, however, the rabbit that the state is chasing appears to concern Leaf - and the county as well. In the case he filed in the Michigan Court of Claims on Friday, he is acting in his official capacity as Barry County sheriff. This may expose the county to costs or sanctions incurred as a result - and that has caused consternation among elected officials, who were blindsided by reports of Leaf’s lawsuit. After handing out copies of an article about the lawsuit during the Barry Coun­ ty commissioners’ Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, Hastings Char­ ter Township Supervisor Jim Brown stood before the county board Tuesday and told commissioners to read it. “Who’s paying for this?” Brown asked them. No one answered. Leaf was not present at the meeting. Im 2021, a private investigator named Michael Lynch was accompanied by Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Erb as Lynch traveled around the county to interrogate township clerks about the November 2020 election. See FOIA, page 8 �Page 2 — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HPAC unveils Wall of Fame to honor donors Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Performing Arts Center unveiled the Groos Family Fine Arts Wall of Fame at an induction ceremony June 2. The wall, located in the HPAC lobby, hon­ ors donors who have contributed through the Friends of the Hastings Performing Arts Cen­ ter non-profit organization. The following names and organizations were placed on the wall: Ethel Groos; Doug Acker; Robert Burghdoff; Herbert Moyer; Arthur Steward, Jr.; Larry and Earlene Baum; the Baum Family Foundation; Douglas and Margaret DeCamp; the Douglas and Margaret DeCamp Foundation; and the Groos family. Ethel Groos was posthumously recognized for her work supporting the arts in the commu­ nity, including scholarships established in her name at several colleges and schools in the area. Spencer White, Hastings band director and HPAC site coordinator, commended her love of the arts. “Ethel was a lover of art, and shared her enthusiasm for all mediums, including the performing arts with her children and her community,” he said. “She encouraged others to pursue and support their interests, grow their talents and continue their artistic educa­ tion. We miss her very much.” Doug Acker was recognized for being an active performer and musician, and for found­ ing the Thomapple Players theater group. “If there were ever a renaissance man when it comes to the arts, (Doug Acker) would be that person,” White said. “When it comes to promot­ ing the arts in our community, Doug truly does just that with every action of his day.” White said Robert Burghdoff is a skilled craftsman and musician, always offering to repair string instruments and even creating some from scratch. “Bob Burghdoff epitomizes what one would look for as someone who has lived with a life of passion for music and the arts,” White said. Herbert Moyer and Arthur Steward, Jr. were posthumously recognized for their work building the choral and band programs at Hastings. “Mr. Moyer’s choirs were known for their high level of musical education and execu­ tion,” White said. “There were many fine vocalists who have gone through his program and experienced great success at the profes­ sional level.” White said Steward cared deeply about his students inspired many to become band direc­ tors themselves. “The Hastings bands under the direction of From left, honorees Steve and Debbie Steward, representing Arthur Steward; Douglas and Margaret DeCamp; Cindy Bender, Cassie Moyer Campbell and Jack Bender, representing Herbert Moyer; Larry and Earlene Baum; Doug Acker; Maggie Coleman, representing the Groos family; Robert Burghdoff; and Cassie Augenstein, representing the Groos family stand in front of the Groos Family Fine Arts Wall of Fame at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Mr. Steward were awarded excellent ratings too numerous to count, creating the tradition of excellence that we still know today,” he said. The Groos family, Douglas and Margaret DeCamp, and Larry and Earlene Baum were recognized for their contributions to the fine arts in Hastings. White said these families, along with the foundations they have estab­ lished, are generous donors to the communi­ ty. White thanked them for securing a Stein­ way grand piano for the school, bringing the Grand Rapids Symphony to Hastings and creating the Thomapple Plaza. “Among us tonight are those from three families who have done so much to enrich the lives of the Hastings community,” White said. “For several generations, these families have provided employment to many in the Hastings and Barry County community. They’ve set an example of giving to the com­ munity for many generations to follow.” White said the idea for the wall came when Superintendent Matt Goebel was putting together a team to manage the Performing Arts Center after it reopened in 2021. “The idea of the fine arts Wall of Fame was something that Mr. Goebel was adamant and passionate about creating here,” White said. “Hence, he charged the team with the direct task of making this reality and we are very happy he did.” The HPAC management team consists of White, site coordinator; Joe LaJoye, pro­ gramming and promotion; Carl Schoessel, fundraising; Jeff Buehl, stage technician; and Craig Holley, stage technician. Friends of the HPAC President Richard Franklin thanked the management team for their work in running the arts center. “These are the guys who occasionally get stuck in the front of the house or in the front of the stage, but are doing all the things that keep this place running,” Franklin said. “If they’re not done right, people could get hurt. Art can be dangerous.” White said the HPAC held 133 events in the last year. The arts center closed in 2020 because of COVID-19 concerns before reopening in 2021. “Overall, the HPAC has had a tremendous comeback from the past 18-month shut­ down,” White said. “The HPAC is thriving.” Steve Steward shakes hands with musician Doug Acker in front of the Groos Family Fine Arts Wall of Fame in the Hastings Performing Arts Center lobby. CROSSBOW, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------- ——------Township of Yankee Springs 284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333 269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-2388 **** CORRECTION NOTICE ““ The Yankee Springs Township Spring 2022 Newsletter mailed in April contained an error in the article about the 2022 election related to the Henika District Library Proposal. The error was that the proposed millage rate was wrong. The actual/correct proposed millage rate that you will see on the 8/2/2022 ballot is 1.50 Mills. This ballot proposal will only be on the ballots of Yankee Springs Township voters in Precinct 1 and Precinct 2 who are in the Wayland Union School District. We apologize for this error. Please contact the Yankee Springs Township office if you have any questions about this issue. Mike Cunningham Yankee Springs Township Clerk 284 N Briggs RD. Middleville, Ml 49333 269-795-9091 mikec@yankeespringstwp.org ATTENTION! HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1961 Please join your classmates for our 61st Class Reunion Saturday, Aug. 27th, 2022 “That person not only took the life of a person that he knew, but the part of so many other people,” Michael Roslund said. “He wasn’t just a so-called ‘friend,’ he was a son, he was a brother to five others. He was a cousin, a nephew. “There has been so much hurt in the family. When you celebrate your son’s 18^ birthday, but he’s not there. When you and your wife hold each other Christ­ mas Eve because his stocking is empty, because he’s not there ... [My] 4-year-old [son] asks to this day, ‘When is Lane coming home?’ We have to tell him that Lane has gone to live with the angels and he won’t be back and he doesn’t understand.” Gilmore was 17 when he killed Roslund. So Wednesday’s sentencing was unusual. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2012 required Schipper to fol­ low different sentencing parameters because Gilmore was under the age of 18 when he committed the crime. In the case of Miller v. Alabama, the high court found that a sentence of mandatory life without parole for juveniles is unconstitutional - if age and other mitigat­ ing factors are not considered prior to sentencing. It was the first time in Barry County that a homicide case involving a juvenile was sentenced under this ruling. Under the parameters outlined in the Miller v. Ala­ bama case, Schipper could have chosen to sentence Gilmore to a minimum of 25 to 40 years in prison to a maximum of no less than 60 years. Schipper had to consider the following criteria in reaching his decision: • The juvenile offender’s chronological age and its hallmark features - among them, immaturity, impetuos­ ity, and failure to appreciate the risks and consequences, the offender’s family and home environment; • The circumstances of the homicide offense, includ­ ing the extent of the offender’s participation in the con­ duct and the way familial and peer pressures may have affected him; • The incompetencies associated with youth in deal­ ing with police officers, prosecutors and defense attor­ neys; A Saxon Day is Planned We start with: • Breakfast - 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at American Legion Post 45, 2160 S. M-37 Hastings (Breakfast is a donation) • Reception/Meet & Greet 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 405 N. M-37, Hast­ ings (Reception is free) • Alumni Banquet 5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. Same location as Reception. (Tickets for Banquet are $25.00 per person) ____________________ • Golf Outing Sunday, August 28th 1600 Hall Rd Classmates - check your spam or junk mail if you didn’t receive our email information REALESTATE VIEW US: MillerRealEstate.net : on Facebook CALL US: (269) 945-5182 S: 149 W. State St. Hastings, MI 49058 Good selection cotton prints & solid colors ii 43” & 108" widths Zippers, thread, notions SATURDAY, JUNE 11 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. Honor Father on his Day Host:Jess Webb Directions: From Hastings, take Tanner Lake Rd South off of M-43/ M37. Take a left on Hall Rd. About 1/2 mile driveway is on the left 1. ‘LUXURY GENERATIONAL PROPERTY* 40 ROLLING Twp* 5 beds, 2.5 baths ‘Additional apartment over 5 stall garage with 3 beds, 1 bath.......... ACRES! ‘Rutland For tickets please email - 43jimmyz@gmail.com or call 616-437-1259 or 269-721-8255 • And the possibility of rehabilitation. The prosecution requested a life sentence without possibility of parole. “The motion must ‘specify the grounds on which the prosecuting attorney is requesting the court to impose a sentence of imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole,” according to Michigan Judicial Institute’s “Juvenile Justice Benchbook.” “This was a 100-percent premeditated murder thought out, planned out ahead of time, discussed, researched, and covered up and lied about,” Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Elsworth argued. In his court brief, Ellsworth wrote that “the defendant is the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects irrepa­ rable corruption.” “Thoughtful application of the concepts described in Miller permit a court to distinguish between the juvenile offender whose crime reflects unfortunate yet transitory immaturity, and the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects irreparable corruption,” he noted. The Miller case lays out a process that, in Michigan, requires trial courts to consider specific factors before imposing that harshest possible sentence “to ensure that only those juveniles who are irreparably corrupt are sentenced to life without parole,” the Juvenile Justice Benchbook states. The determination of irreparable corruption is not a factual finding, it notes. It’s “a moral judgment made after considering and weighing the Miller factors.” Elsworth’s motion detailed “a lengthy history of seri­ ously aberrant behavior, regardless of consequences of such behavior on the rights of others.” At the age of 6 Gilmore grabbed a steak knife and stabbed a dog through the ribs. He made false reports of bomb threats, huffed propane and abused a variety of other substances, killed chickens at his grandfather’s house just to kill them, stole money and other property, impersonated teachers, staff and students and struck his mother. His caseworker “found him to be ‘very sneaky, untrustworthy and does not demonstrate any desire to make better choices or change.” Elsworth reported. “(Gilmore) has been offered all the services that the juvenile court has to offer. “His criminogenic risk level continues to increase, despite all of the services and supports offered to him. He continues to engage in risky behavior, tamper with ................................................................................$1,399,000 ft Pray for our Country ft QUESTIONS: ask us.- 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 mm OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm KK Hu/st Cleaners Pick-Up Station drug screens, test positive for substances, lie, steal and show minimal motivation to change.” Gilmore’s defense attorney, Carol Jones Dwyer of Hastings, challenged the court to impose a life sen­ tence “only if the Court finds with certainty that this defendant is so without hope of redemption, so irrevo­ cably bad, and so unambiguously culpable of commit­ ting a heinous act in an unforgivingly heinous fashion that the Court can declare here and now, today and forever more, that the defendant shall never be released so long as he shall live.” Dwyer allowed that there are juvenile offenders for whom justice would be life without parole. But “is Patrick Gilmore such an offender?” she asked. She said she believed he is not. Much of Gilmore’s record features “notoriously juve­ nile acts which are, on one hand, victimless, but which produce a certain amount of public mayhem, expense, and contribution to a general public sense of dis-ease,” she said. Historically in Michigan, children who have commit­ ted homicides have been handled in the juvenile system and eventually released, Dwyer wrote, pointing to many of these juveniles who have grown up and gone on to lead productive lives. Twenty-five years is a lifetime for Gilmore, she said. “Those are the years in which people fall in love, build families, build careers, build their homes and pre­ pare for retirement,” Dwyer pointed out. Since the state statute pertaining to this case does not allow for “good time” or other early release options, if he had been sentenced to a term of years, Gilmore would likely have gotten out of prison at the age of 43. “This court has the discretion to use an unforgiving life sentence with this youthful offender rather than pro­ moting his eventual reintegration into society - should he survive the next 25 years in prison,” Dwyer wrote. “The defense does not ask the court to give this defendant a second chance, as that decision will ultimately be given to the Parole Board. “This court is only asked to give the defendant a chance at a second chance. “Patrick Gilmore cannot hope to undo what he has done and Lane Roslund’s family cannot hope to ever see their boy alive again. But in sentencing Patrick Gilmore, this court can express its hope - its hope for redemption; its hope that sinners can turn to a life of service; its hope that the defendant before the court can and will make amends.” “Sentencing Patrick Gilmore to life without parole will not act as a deterrent to others to follow in his path; will not preserve the public’s safety, and will not serve any rehabilitative goal. It would serve only the goal of retribution - a goal that is well met by the statute that demands a 25-year sentence.” After the sentence was handed down, Dwyer remarked, “Not much to say.” After accepting Gilmore’s guilty plea on March 30, as family members and observers wept in the back of the courtroom, Judge Schipper looked the defendant in the eye and concluded the hearing with this com­ ment: “Mr. Gilmore, I can say, from my perspective, thank you for not putting the family through a trial.” Please see next Thursday’s Hastings Banner for more coverage of this case. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — Page 3 Village of Middleville overbids Bradford White Greg Chandler Staff Writer The village of Middleville overbilled Bradford White Corp. - the community’s largest employer - more than $106,000 for utilities, an audit of the village’s finances found. Dan Veldhuizen of the accounting firm Siegfried Crandall PC outlined details of the 2021 audit in a presentation to the Village Council at a committee of the whole meet­ ing Tuesday afternoon. “Simply put, your major customer was overbilled for sewer and water charges,” Veldhuizen told council members. The village had charged Bradford White more than it should have for water and sewer service dating back to late 2019, “but it really stood out this year because there was this $106,000 additional billing that shouldn’t have been there,” Veldhuizen said. The audit found the village overcharged Bradford White $57,631 in the sewer fund and $48,462 in the water fund in 2020, add­ ing up to an amount of $106,093. A “prior period adjustment” was recorded in 2021 to correct errors tied to the overbilling, accord­ ing to the audit document. Village Finance Director Alexandra Longstreet was not present for Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, but Veld­ huizen offered a theory as to what led to the overcharge. “Part of it was the way the software cal­ culated the billings [that] were rated to the compound meters,” Veldhuizen said. “Alec [Belson, Department of Public Works Direc­ tor and co-interim Village Manager] was involved and helped us understand the way it should have been. He has always ... helped us understand the number of gallons billed. That’s how we do our predictive test. If we hadn’t had that information, it would have been even harder to find the error. “It’s been detected, it’s been corrected, as far as I know. I don’t know how the custom­ er is being repaid, what’s being done with that ... I’m sure it will be taken care of.” Co-interim Village Manager Duane Weeks told the council that he and Belson have been in contact with Bradford White officials regarding the overcharge. “[We] made sure they understood every­ thing that was going on with that,” Weeks said. “We’re hoping to get a meeting here in the next week or so, to find what is most acceptable for Bradford White as far as making sure we get this taken care of.” Weeks said he hoped to have the matter resolved “in the next few weeks.” The Bradford White utility overcharge excepted, Veldhuizen presented a high opin­ ion of the village’s financial state. “The village is in a very healthy financial position, probably better than I have seen in the 20 years I have worked here,” he said. The village experienced a general fund surplus of $89,640 last year, due primarily to the village receiving more money in state grants than had been anticipated, according to the audit document. The village took in more than $98,000 in revenues above what had Delton Kellogg to add telemedicine program Leila Wood Contributing Writer At a special meeting, on Monday, June 6, the Delton Kellogg Schools Board of Educa­ tion discussed a new telemedicine program that it decided to implement in the high school in the coming school year. The program has already been adopted by several other school districts and is intended to provide mental health support to students, both in crisis situations and on an ongoing basis. Interim Superintendent Carl Schoessel said that the other schools that have adopted the program have said they are happy , with it. According to Schoessel, the program is provided by Spectrum Health, operated by Spectrum Health employees, and will not cost the school anything. All services will be funded by the patient’s insurance or grant money that has been set aside for that purpose. The only thing Spectrum needs from the school is a room, which Spectrum will pay rent for. Schoessel said that a representative from Spectrum was shown two available rooms and said that one in the office complex is ideal, as it will allow students to use the service more privately. “... when a student goes in, as far as other students are concerned, that student is just going into the office. They don’t know that student, is going in because of some kind of crisis,” said Schoessel. Concern was raised by Board Member Rodney Dye that adopting the service could be problematic if it creates a situation where students are receiving counseling without the knowledge of their parents. Board Member Brandy Shooks comment­ ed that there may be some situations where a student would need to be able to use the service without parental consent, such as in cases of domestic abuse. According to Schoessel, it is not the school’s intention for students to receive counseling without parental consent, except under dire circumstances. “One of the questions I asked immediate­ ly was ‘we don’t want a situation where students come in and talk to a specialist about things that the student doesn’t want the parents to know’ and I was told ‘no’, they don’t operate away from the parents,” said Schoessel. “Now, if there is a danger to a student in the home... then they have to make a judgement.” Dye commented that there is a fine line on that issue. Typically, Schoessel said, parents will have to give their consent, since their insur­ ance is the first choice to pay for the ser­ vices. In the case of a student who is not insured or needs access to the service without paren­ tal involvement, grant money will cover the cost. Schoessel said the program will be set up over the summer and will only be offered in the high school at first, though they may expand to the middle school if it goes well. “I’m not opposed to it, as long as there is parent involvement,” said Dye. At the meeting, they also discussed a pro­ posed millage that was a topic of Barry Intermediate School District’s May 17 meet­ ing. According to Schoessel, Barry ISD need­ ed to know whether Delton Kellogg and Hastings Area Schools would support the new millage, and if so, when the millage should appear on the ballot and how much the millage would be. Schoessel said that the Hastings Area School System is in favor and would like to put the millage on the ballot this November. The amount proposed by Hastings Area Schools was $1.9 million, which Dye stated would cost all property owners nearly $200 more per $100,000 of property value each year. “When you do that and you look at what we’re doing to this community, how do you approach what we’ve all spit out of our mouths on affordable housing?” said Dye, “because it’s not there. You can’t achieve it going down that road.” “I don’t think our community can afford it,” said Board President Jessica Brandi. The Delton Kellogg Board ultimately decided to forgo the millage at this time. Given the difficult economic situation members of the community are facing at the moment, they said they do not want to ask for more money when there is not yet a spe­ cific plan for how it would be spent. They also said that if they were to do something like that, they would want to wait so that they could include their incoming Superintendent, Dr. Herman Lartigue, in the discussion. In other business: • The 2022 Construction Trades House was sold above asking price after four show­ ings and one bid for $335,000. • Scheduling conflicts have called the date of the next regular monthly meeting of the Board into question. Board members said they would contact Craig Jenkins and Robert Houtrow, who were absent on Monday, before deciding on a date. • The resignation of Board Member Bran­ dy Shooks and process for appointment of a replacement were approved and will take affect at the next meeting. • The Board approved the contract for Dr. Herman Lartigue, who will serve as their next Superintendent. • The Board’s next strategic planning ses­ sion will take place after Dr. Lartigue’s arrival. • The Board said they are aware that some members of the community would like to save bricks from the old elementary building when it is demolished, and they will try to work that out, although it was noted that people who want the bricks will have to clean them themselves. ■ According to Schoessel, the cupola from the old building is not salvageable, but the weathervane is. • Where to move the elementary students while the building is under construction remains undecided. Board members dis­ cussed concerns from some parents about their children being moved to the middle school. Portable classrooms were suggested as a possible option to keep students closer to the elementary building and playground, however concerns were raised about the potential security nightmare of putting stu­ dents in several separate portable structures instead of a building. “A portable provides practically no security,” said Schoessel. Price would also be an issue with renting portables, they said. • Interviews have been completed to fill the food service position left by Sharon Boyle, who retired recently. SHERIFF, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------ ------- in his official capacity as Barry County sher­ iff, is the lone plaintiff accusing Benson, Attorney General Dana Nessel, Director of Elections Jonathan Brater, the Michigan State Police, in its entirety, and Detective Sgt. Bryan Fuller and Detective Sgt. David Geyer specifically, of taking “it upon themselves to bully, harass, intimidate, threaten, and ulti­ mately to unconstitutionally usurp, and/or cause to be usurped and replaced and/or to invade and encroach upon the powers and duties of plaintiff (Leaf) as the constitutional sheriff of Barry County.” In doing so, they are obstructing justice, “covering up evidence and crimes, including those that they themselves were involved in and conspired with others to commit,” he alleges. Leaf’s suit asks Michigan Court of Claims Judge Douglas Shapiro to call a halt to the state’s probe and provide him with injunctive relief along with damages and attorney fees. Detroit attorney Stefan ie Lambert is repre­ senting Leaf in this case. Lambert also represented Leaf, who was the lead plaintiff, in the Dec. 7 case in federal court that had asked for an immediate order to impound all voting machines and software in Michigan for expert inspection. That request was thrown out a day after it was filed. In his denial, Western District Chief Judge Robert Jonker, a President George W. Bush nominee, said the request invited the court “to make speculative leaps towards a hazy and nebulous inference that there has been numerous instances of election fraud and that defendants are destroying the evidence. “There is simply nothing of record to infer as much.” In the complaint filed Friday, Lambert bases his request on the concept of a “consti­ tutional sheriff,” who holds an elected office as provided by the Michigan constitution since 1880 and established by common law. Since he claims to be the chief law enforce­ ment officer of the county, any other action assumed by local officers is a usurpation, his complaint alleges. “The Sheriff represents the sovereignty of the State and he has no superiors in his coun­ ty,” it states, “and, in the execution of his law enforcement duties, the Sheriff represents the state and no other entity may exercise ‘direct control over how the sheriff fulfills his law enforcement duty.’ By this mandate, sheriffs are given complete authority to enforce the state criminal law in their counties.” While Leaf has repeatedly told The Hast­ ings Banner that he is sure there was no crim­ inal behavior on the part of clerks in Barry County during the November 2020 election, his complaint to the Court of Claims states that “on or about Nov. 3, 2020. Leaf received been budgeted, while spending was about $8,800 above budget, the document said. The village entered 2022 with a general fund balance of $944,250, of which $866,416 is unassigned and can be spent for any purpose. The ftind balance represents 59 percent of the village’s current year expen­ ditures, Veldhuizen said. “That’s usually how I measure the health of your fund balance,” he said. “Most cities and villages have somewhere between 15 to 20 percent. You’re very healthy, certainly not excessive. It’s better than most of the cities and villages [in the state].” The major street fund balance grew by $207,835 for the year to $1,093,325, while the local street fund decreased $27,310 to $486,650, according to the audit document. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured City of Hastings 182079 Request for Bids City Hall Custodial Services The City of Hastings is accepting sealed bid proposals for custodial services for Hastings City Hall. Sealed bids will be received at the Office of the City Clerk/Treasurer, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan until 9:00 AM on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at which time they will be opened and publicly read aloud. The City reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to award the bid in a manner which it believes to be in its own best interest, price and other factors considered. Bid specifications are available at the office of the City Clerk. Perspective bidders will be required to provide sat­ isfactory evidence of successful completion of work simi­ lar to that contained within the bid package to be consid­ ered eligible to perform this work. All bids must be clearly marked on the outside of the submittal package “Sealed Bid - City Hall Custodial Services”. Travis Tate Director.of Public.Services RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF JUNE 30, 2022 SPECIAL MEETING 2", G-J AND PUBLIC HEARING OF ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS /-W CLtC.rn*' ArJ TO: Ohl ■sf&urp AttbG-'T _ *2 • O ttAf THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Township Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a special meeting and public hearing on June 30, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 for the purpose of considering the following matters: 1. The appeal of Frederick SaintAmour from a Zoning Ordinance interpretation determination made by the Rutland Charter Township Zoning Administrator with respect to a proposed recon­ figuration of a metes and bounds parcel commonly known as 1919 Ottawa Trail (parcel no. 08-13-001-022-00) and platted lots 47-49 of the recorded plat of Al-Gon-Quin Estates commonly known as 2114 Island Drive (parcel no. 08-12-040-028-00) and part of lot 1 of the recorded plat of Buena Vista Heights and a “gap” parcel (parcel no. 08-13-001-GAP-00) so as to create a new parcel/lot with 30’ of frontage/width on Algonquin Lake. The Zoning Administrator has determined the Zoning Ordinance requires this parcel/lot to have at least 100’ of frontage/width on Algonquin Lake, and has therefore denied zoning approval for the new property reconfiguration proposed by the applicant. The applicant is appealing this determination to the Zoning Board of Appeals, which is permissible pursuant to § 220-24-4.A of the Rutland Charter Township Code. 2. Such other and further matters as may properly come before the Board. Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf's affidavit in the complaint filed Friday. information that election fraud and voting machine fraud was taking place in Barry County, Michigan, before, during and after the November 2020 election.” In March 2022, the state police began an inquiry and went to the private residence of Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson to demand that she give them access to the township hall and the voter tabulating machine, records, documents, data and infor­ mation that were subject to the ongoing investigation. “They presented an ultimatum to the depu­ ty and subpoenaed him to sit for an interview and/or give testimony related to his work on the investigation by and on half of the sheriff, including requiring said deputy to disclose details and information regarding the law­ enforcement investigation,” Lambert states. At about the same time, other deputies and agents of the sheriff were contacted “in order to intimidate them, interview them, confiscate protected materials and information in their possession related to the ongoing election investigation” being conducted by the sheriff, she adds. All this, Lambert characterizes as “a direct, unconstitutional usurpation of and encroach­ ment upon Plaintiff’s common-law and statu­ tory powers and duties as a constitutional sheriff under Michigan constitution.” In Leaf’s complaint, Lambert contends that “neither the county, the state, or the federal government may so invade or change the statutory and constitutional duties and pow­ ers of the sheriff, through direct circumscrip­ tion or by indirect means (e.g. removing funding or authority) so as to destroy the sheriff’s power to perform his office.” In the complaint, Lambert cites case law from Alabama, social media posts and a union arbitration matter that questioned whether collective bargaining has an impact on a sheriff’s authority. “The defendants, acting in concert and jointly, have taken it upon themselves to obstruct justice, interfere with and ultimately usurp the powers and duties of the county sheriff, and to obstruct, impede, taint, preju­ dice, stop and/or adulterate an ongoing crim­ inal investigation into allegations of criminal acts related to elections and voting,” she concludes. The complaint characterizes the Michigan State Police as “an unelected and unaccount­ able strong arm of the state, a partisan and politically controlled, run and operated ‘state police’ force in every sense of the term, acts as a law enforcement branch for and on behalf of the executive branch of the state government.” Detective Sgt. Bryan Fuller and Detective Sgt. David Geyer have no authority to encroach upon the law enforcement functions of a constitutional sheriff, she states. The actions of these officers were a “bra­ zen attempt to thwart justice and the judicial, legislative and constitutional processes to uphold the rule of law,” the complaint claims. Through Lambert, Leaf is asking the court to order the defendants to return all materials, information and data they seized, to prohibit them from keeping and/or tampering with the evidence and information in violation of state and federal law, and to order that his attor­ ney’s fees be covered as part of his relief. The Rutland Charter Township Zoning Ordinance and Map, and the appeal application materials, may be examined by contacting the Township Clerk, and may also be examined at the meeting. / Written comments regarding the abovereferenced matters may be sub­ mitted to the Township Clerk prior to the meeting, and may also be submitted to the Zoning Board of Appeals at the meeting. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 182074 �Page 4 — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Despite the chaos, we still have heroes Get a horse? Soaring gas prices hit record highs this week - beyond anything we've known in the past. Gas prices are at record highs in every state, but Michigan is among 10 states where a gallon of gas costs more than $5. Experts are saying that what's driving these high prices is a lack of refining capacity. It's hard to believe that, in 1970, gas was 36 cents a gallon - equal to about $1.72 per gallon in today's dollars. If it's any comfort, equine experts say these gas prices are still lower than what you'd pay if you opted for a horse. However, mass transit - or a bike - may be worthy of consideration. Do you remember? Banner Sept. 12, 1963 This is Nashville High’s fine baseball team of bygone days. The Nashville High diamond aggregation lost just one game in two seasons, winning the old Barry Eaton Association Championship in 1924 and 1925. After achieving a record of 21 straight victories, Nashville was defeated at Freeport but later whipped Freeport at the Barry-Eaton field meet at Middleville by a score of 13-5. This same team took the BEAA track title in the forenoon and the baseball championship in the afternoon. Nashville’s schedule for the year included two games with Hastings, two with Charlotte, two with Freeport, and one each with Sunfield, Woodland, Vermontville and Middleville. “The fine record lends credence to Nashville’s boast of having as fast and smooth a high school team as any ‘C’ school in the state,” a 1925 newspaper story declared. In the photo here are (front row, from left): John Johnson, Cliff Williams, Virgil Springett, Harold Woodard, Maynard Knoll; (back) coach George E. Bersette, Ted Townsend, Clayton Johnson, Donald Sprague, Kenneth Lykins and Hiram Baxter. Have you met? Marshall “Marsh” Evans retired this year after working as a special education teach­ er, football and baseball coach in Hastings for 37 years. “I tell people 1 probably had to come to work about 10 days in my whole career,” Evans said. “We had a great time, and I just love the kids. I think we learned a little more than just math and reading along the way.” Education has always been a big deal in the Evans family. Marsh’s father Bob Evans was a school administrator in Middleville, his grand­ mother and grandfather were both teachers and his brother Steve Evans is currently a teacher and coach at Thomapple Kellogg. Although Marsh always knew he wanted to be a teacher, he never thought he’d be teaching special education. Growing up going to school and playing football in Caledonia, Evans looked up to his physical education teachers and coaches. When he went to Hope College, he started studying physical education. Evans quickly changed his mind when he found some of the required anatomy and health classes difficult. He shifted his stud­ ies to psychology, sociology and social work. In the last year and a half of his col­ lege career, he switched again to focus on studying education. When Evans graduated, he was having a hard time finding any open physical educa­ tion positions. That’s when some of his parents’ friends told him there were lots of openings for male special education teach­ ers across the state. “I just fell in love with teaching special education,” Evans said. “I never thought that’s what I would end up in - and it was the best decision for me. I’ve been home ever since. “These kids face so many different chal­ lenges, and they work so hard just to get by. I always admired their effort, determination Marshall Evans and drive to overcome those different chal­ lenges - whether it’s math, English or read­ ing. There’s something unique about being with them.” Evans taught for a year in Onekama and two years in Manistee before coming to Hastings. His wife, Kim Evans, also landed a job in Hastings as an early elementary and art teacher, where she taught for 27 years before retiring. During his 37 years in Hastings, Evans never seriously entertained any other job offers. Even when fellow coach Bill Karpinski, who Evans described as “leg­ endary,” left to coach at Hillsdale College and asked Evans to join him, he decided to stay in Hastings. “My wife was teaching in Hastings, my daughter was here in school and I didn’t want to uproot them,” Evans said. “I’ve never regretted it. I’ve been very blessed to live here and it’s a great community.” He’s been coaching at Hastings so long that he now works alongside some of the kids he used to coach. Adam Case, assistant principal, and Jamie Murphy, head football coach, are both Evans’ former players. “You know, I coached Jamie back in the day and three or four of the guys on our coaching staff were guys I coached,” Evans said. “I get to see them come full circle. I’m just very proud of them.” Once he’s retired, Evans plans to spend more time with his daughter Chelsea Evans, who graduated from Hastings in 2002 and works as an interior designer in Los Angeles. He also hopes to spend more time outdoors, camping and pad­ dling in Northern Ontario. He’ll continue working at his summer job, where he helps out at Bill and Paul’s Sporthaus in Grand Rapids. Evans plans to be around the area, and may even continue to help coach football at Hastings in the future. In the meantime, he said it might take some adjustment getting used to being away from athletics. “It’ll be different because it’s all I’ve known. 48 years of athletics, either report­ ing for high school football or as a college athlete,” Evans said. “I,don’t think it will hit me until that first football practice in August.” For his dedicated efforts to teach, coach and guide the youth in Hastings, Marshall Evans is this week’s Bright Light. Person I most admire: My daughter Chelsea for her kindness, her resiliency and her big heart. What motivates me:„.Being able to help and serve others. Amidst the panic of guns in our streets and the brain-dead politicians who can get nothing done about it, it’s refreshing to see one of our own law enforcement officers recognized for modeling admirable protec­ tion of his community. Sgt. Scott Ware of the Barry County Sheriff’s Department was recently honored as the 2022 Police Officer of the Year for his actions during an Aug. 4, 2021, car chase that led to a shootout in Woodland. The press release from the Police Offi­ cers of Michigan states that the award was made to Ware “for bravely putting the lives of others before his own by stopping an armed shooter before he could do any real harm. The teamwork of all officers on the scene and the courageous, tactical deci­ sions of Sgt. Ware allowed the whole inci­ dent to end without any civilian or police officer casualties.” Local officers were on the lookout that day for Timothy Riddle, 48, a felon who was out of jail on an electronic tether and reported to have stolen two shotguns from a residence earlier in the day. Once he was located, Riddle led police on a car chase at more than 115 mph before it ended in Woodland where he barricaded himself in a gas station for nearly seven hours before surrendering. “What was so apparent is how well our officers handle situations,” said Barry County Judge Michael Schipper of the Aug. 4 events. “We came out of this situa­ tion with no one hurt, which is amazing when you watch the video of the chase, shots fired and a standoff that ended with no one hurt. “I think that this is what happens more - much, much more - in our county as opposed to the few rare, bad things we see in law enforcement nationally.” That is what most Americans seem to expect from law enforcement now, espe­ cially in the wake of rising crime across the country that has followed public outcry about police brutality and racial inequity. In some communities, calls to “defund the police” had just emboldened criminals and created a culture of lawlessness. The expression “defund the police” has been misunderstood, however. The move­ ment simply called for reallocation, or redirection, of some funds away from police departments to other communL ty-based agencies. . . : ,. uuuzi From what we’ve seen, though, that has been a disastrous failure as crime has grown out of control in major cities across the nation. Experts are alarmed that those calls to defund the police have become popular at a time when shootings and killings are at an all-time high in many major cities across the country. Metropolitan areas, such as New York, Chicago, Baton Rouge, Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland, Memphis, and New Orleans, are reporting increasing­ ly high rates of murder, rapes, robbery, shootings and assaults. According to statistics released by the FBI, Michigan isn’t in the Top 20 most dangerous states in the country, but it is known for having some of the most dan­ gerous cities in the United States. There are 15 dangerous cities in our state where it’s dangerous to walk outside at night. Now, as major cities across the nation are reporting increases in violent crimes, a recent Pew Report survey shows Ameri­ cans want more money spent on their local police forces. That’s a pendulum shift from the “defund the police” movement that had gained a lot of attention in the wake of the George Floyd police killing two years ago. Many experts attribute the lower crime rates in the outermost parts of our state to the high number of law enforcement per­ sonnel in those areas. Michigan employs more than 19,000 police officers and 1,000 unsworn officers to help keep the peace. But there are omi­ nous clouds on the horizon. Local law enforcement officials, such as Barry County Undersheriff Jason Sixberry, are expressing concern that a lack of offi­ cers will impact department response. “Sometimes the department will have a list of non-emergency calls going back three days,” Sixberry says. Dale Boulter, Hastings Police Depart­ ment Chief of Police, adds, “Recruiting has been a challenge.” Boulter says his department currently has 10 officers, but could use 15. Getting recruits has become challenging in recent years. Changing attitudes toward policing, along with reforms affecting incarceration, also have made enforcement difficult for officers. “Some new procedures make it difficult to jail criminal offenders,” Boulter says, “leaving officers frustrated and feeling like they are dealing with a revolving door.” The soft-on-crime mentality and the fact that the system doesn’t have their backs has left some cops feeling demoralized and frustrated - to the point that some are leav­ ing the field. • Sixberry says the county is losing more experienced officers who are retiring or changing careers and there aren’t enough recruits now to take their place. “It’s a continuing cycle, whether people are retiring or moving on,” he says. “It’s becoming more difficult to fill these posi­ tions. “It’s slim pickings for the most part.” So what’s the answer to this troubling and potentially tragic problem? It can’t be only guns - although they are a major contributor. We need even more. If we really expect to reduce mass shootings and the 30,000 death-by-gun travesty in this country every year, we will need the conviction of a nation to do everything in our power to cure this disease. It will take support from a large number of community leaders, including young people and survivors of gun violence, poli­ cy-makers and others to work together for reasonable change. We need to come to grips with the fact that mass shootings are not the only face of this horror, Domestic violence, suicide, commu­ nity violence and threats to law enforcement also are poisoning our communities. The issue won’t be solved by just reduc­ ing guns, but rather by employing compre­ hensive strategies that will achieve safety in our homes, schools and community. This will be achieved by reducing access to dan­ gerous weapons by those people who are considered a threat. We need comprehensive universal.background checks, waiting peri­ ods, and a reduction in high-capacity maga­ zines - along with a culture of gun safety. And, of course, there’s the plight of mental health that needs to be addressed. This is the factor that so often comes up during investigations - after the fact. Our communities must focus more on identify­ ing individuals who are disconnected and/ or otherwise in need of additional support or services. We also need to demand that prosecutors do their job by prosecuting criminals and that judges put them behind bars when appropriate. As our country continues to reel from these terrible tragedies, we must be willing to change our culture and our policies to stop the cycle of violence. We should be able to walk the streets, shop, attend church and school without the threat of violence. In memory of so many who have lost their lives, it’s imperative that we, as a nation, step up and work together at all levels of government to take action. Together, we must support reasonable change to prevent the next tragedy - before it makes the headlines. The Hastings BcHUICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. What I’d tell a high school graduate: Live a life of intent and purpose. Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality), for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. • NEWSROOM• Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren Benjamin Simon Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — Page 5 What do we all have in common? SOCIAL SECURITY To the editor: I grew up in the Detroit area, but I have lived in the country or small towns since I graduated from college more than 50 years. I prefer the pace of life, the shared sense of community and the quiet to the hectic urban life. One part of that close community is the potential for distrust, and even fear, of those outside the coniines of our home base. I have lived on a two-land blacktop road with farm fields across from my home in Barry County for 38 years. All told, I have lived in rural settings in six states: Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Colorado, New York and California. I find that country folks and the residents of small towns often seem to have more in common across the United States than they do with city folks in the same state. Unfortunately, the mistrust of those city folks seems to be present in small towns across the U.S. too. People from outside are often per­ ceived as being different in some unwhole­ some way, In most of the towns where 1 have lived white folks have been heavily in the majority. Why do I mention that? Because it is note­ worthy and significant. In the 30 years I operated a veterinary practice in Barry Coun­ ty, I doubt that I had more than a couple dozen clients of color, total, in all those years. I had exactly one African-American farm client, a retired rodeo cowboy. Is this a prob­ lem? It needn’t be. During my upbringing in the Detroit area and my years at the three universities I attended, I had the opportunity to interact with people of many races and whose families came from many countries. Many of them came from foreign countries themselves. New people come into our area all the time. Usually they are welcome, but How to protect against identity theft not always. There are still plenty of people who view the newcomers with suspicion. Why bring this up? I make no accusations about anyone 1 know here in Barry County. But 1 certainly see a lot of support here for people who express fear and even loathing for those who are different from themselves. They vote for politicians who embrace white nationalism. They watch news programs where the commentators tout “replacement theory,” the claim that some politicians sup­ port humane policies for immigrants only to build an electoral majority or that American whiteness is intentionally being diluted or eliminated by a conspiracy of “elites,” or satanists or Jews or some other group singled out for suspicion. Ex-President Donald Trump went so far as to call some neo-Nazis “very fine people,” even though they were marching with torches and chanting, “You will not replace us,” and “The Jews will not replace us.” If you are worried about immigrants, ask yourself why. Fox TV personality Tucker Carlson warns his audience that those immi­ grants will replace “legacy Americans.” Just who are those legacy Americans? My grand­ parents immigrated from Ukraine and Hun­ gary in the early 20th Century. When did your people arrive here? Except for Native Americans, the indigenous peoples of North America, aren’t we all immigrants or the descendants of immigrants? Our families came to this country to make a better life for themselves and their children often despite great costs and challenges. Today’s immi­ grants come here for the same reasons and brave the same struggles. Most African-Amer­ icans are the descendants of people who were brought to this continent involuntarily to serve as slaves. Those slaves helped build America into the economic giant it is today. Their ancestors paid a heavy price for their right to belong here. When I read that last sentence to my wife, she was critical. People shouldn’t have to prove they are worthy of respect and decent lives. People everywhere want the best for themselves, their families and their commu­ nities - regardless of their race or religion. We shouldn’t deny our common humanity. And we shouldn’t sit in silence when other people do. Dr. Kenneth M. Komheiser, Prairieville Township Thank you for ‘Black in Barry County’ To the editor: Two items: First, thank you for the recent article, “Black in Barry County,” and thank you to those who were featured in the article. When I started reading, I thought the piece might be self-congratulatory on the part of the community and reinforce the common defense, “I’m not a racist; I know a person of color,” rather than acknowledging the reality that racism is systemic in our country, culture and local communities and must be systemat­ ically dismantled. Happily, the tenor of the article was honest and open, and those interviewed shared their experiences, both positive and negative, with candor and grace. Secondly, concerning the proposed 60-unit building in the block bordered by State and Broadway, Court and Park streets: There is a critical need in Hastings - and in every other community I know of, large and small - for affordable housing that is acces­ sible to work and shopping. However, in the effort to respond to that need, it is important that people not be “warehoused,” but rather that decisions include consider­ ations of sustainability and renewable ener­ gy, green space and space for children to play, and awareness of “home” and con­ nectedness. The proffered solution in its current pre­ sentation considers none of these factors, but seems designed to pack in as many people as possible. That is not an honorable or respect­ ful solution. Linnea Stiller, Hastings Hastings Middle School releases final honor roll Hastings Middle School has released its final honor roll for the 2021-22 academic yean Students quality for the honor roll for earn­ ing all A grades on their report card, the Prin­ cipal’s List, or all A and B grades. Middle school students who qualified for the fourth quarter include: Sixth grade All A s Principal s List Violet Bivens, Deagan Blough, Allison Brown, Benjamin Brown, Kade Case, Kyanne Casey, Parker Castaneda, Dakota Cole, Graden Courtright, Landon Currier, Lillian Edger, Parker Erb, Gavin Fields, Joseph Fur­ row, Ashlynn Goldsworthy, Ethan Hetrick, Graceyn Horrmann, Remington Jerzyk, Jason Jimenez, Braxton Kirby, Cayden Kirby, Tan­ ner Krzysik, Annabelle Kuck, Nolan Lucas, Sydney Patterson, Lilly Randall, Trevin Rus­ sell, Alexander Timmers, Grant Tossava, Aiden Vance and Aaliyah Voss. As and B s Audrey Acker, Jace Acker, Giovanny Arias, Taylor Aspinall, Jax Balderson, Damian Bouchard, Sophia Bucher, Morgan Casselman, Cameron Clock, Ryann-Lynn Cole, Thomas Cook, Kimberlee Coolidge, Carter Danks, Zachary Davis, Prestin Dinger, Jackson Edwards, Rene Espinal-Lopez, Tucker Fenstemaker, Carson Gole, Elsie Haight, Jonah Hamp, William Hilbert, Ayden Johnson, Max­ well Kensington, Alexis King, Lylah Kopf, Lena Kuestner, Reece Laws, Mya Luna, Kaden Main, Olivia Malik, Emma Martz, Jayce McCord, Weston Meinke, Alijah Mitchell, Gregoiy Neubauer, Jett Nofz, Jago O’Brien, Jazmin Porras-Griffin, Brenton Purdum, Addi­ son Reaser, Kaylee Roe, Cora Shattuck, Hanna Snow, Owen Spicer, Weston Troyer, Ryan VanHouten, Avery Walsh, Brayden Ward, Kiley Wilcox and Samantha Wright. Seventh grade All A’s Principal s List Olivia Allen, Meredith Ansorge, Adria Arent, Alexa DeCamp, Quintin Eberly, Petra Foster, Sadie Hanford, Ethan Hawthorne, Sophia Haywood, Brissa Hernandez-Hernan­ dez, Sierra Hester, Caleb Kramer, Malllory Rohe, Donald Smith, Annika Solmes and Kendra Taylor. A’s and B’s Audrey Aicken, Ava Arens, Brennen Arm­ strong, Mayla Bell, Lily Bishop, Quincy Brown, Ashton Brubaker, Benjamin Carl, Morgan Cross, Sydnie Diljak, Janessa Ellwood, Lilianna Enyart, Griffin Grummet, Ava Herbert, Harlie James, Colt Jousma, Gabryella Juskewicz, Cordelia Kniaz, Joshua Law­ rence, Reese Loftus, Riley Luna, Hannah Merrick, Tori Morgan, Emilyah Neal, Ava Patterson, Zachary Patterson, Maverik Peake, Lilyien Pelkey, Chloe Pirtle, Caroline Ran­ dall, Brayden Reaser, Grady Reed, William Renner IV, Cade Roberts, Cassie Rosenberg, Lucy Shafer, JayTee Sleight, Aiden Smith, Hannah Sorensen, Madison Stora, Allison Tefft, Raegan Wattles, Caelyn Webb, Jack Webb, Spencer Wilkins, Madison Wilson and Marlayna Young. Eighth grade All A’s Principals List Ashlyn Bailey, Kyla Brown, Aiden Byle, Shiloh Crandall, Matthew Domenico, Char­ lotte Drake, Ethan Holman, Daniel Jensen, Carter Krzysik, Ava Noteboom, Carisa Rosenberger, Josalyn Russell, Matthew Shults, Mazie Waterman and Gracie Wilson. A’s and B’s Arika Alexander, Kooper Argo, Aden Arm­ strong, Olivia Bucher, Adeline Carey, Ellie Cousins, Spencer Crozier, Madeline Dinger, Kyle Echtinaw, Bronson Elliott, Jayla Ellwood, Madison Elzinga, Anderson Forell, Madison Fortier, Olivia Friddle, Nathaniel Funke, Lauren Gee, Riley Gurtowsky, Reese Hammond, Riley Herron, Tanner Hill, Natalee Klinge, Alexander Kohmescher, Alyssa Main, Dezarae Mathis, Rylee Meece, Adriana Meyers, Alanna Miller, Jadalie Mill­ er, Claudia Minch, Alyssa Morton, Madilynn Peake, Aurora Pummill, Trapper Reigler, Shealagh Rose, Kendall Shinault, Bayley Smith, Natalie Snyder, Isabelle Stanton, Brayden Thielen, Collin Tossava, Olivia Triick, Angelina Waterman and Lainey West­ worth. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, June 9 - Nailed It! Teen Edition at Thomapple Plaza, 1 p.m.; Movie Memories watches “State Fair,” a 1962 film starring Pat Boone, Bobby Darrin and Ann-Margret, 5 p.m. Friday, June 10 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 13 - Crafting Passions Group, 10 a.m.-l; How to Safely Enjoy the Water - Great Lakes Water Safety, 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 14 - Mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15 - Library Walking Club, 9 a.m.; Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. I am receiving Social Security) retirement benefits, and 1 recently went back to work. Do 1 have to pay Social Security) (F1CA) taxes on my income? Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year Social Securi­ ty automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit ssa.gov or call 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778). How can I get proof of my benefits to apply for a loan? If you need proof you get Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income and/ or Medicare, you can request a benefit verifi­ cation letter online through your personal My Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. This letter is sometimes called a “bud­ get letter,” a “benefits letter,” a “proof of income letter,” or a “proof of award letter.” You even can select the information you want included in your online benefit verification letter. How can I protect myself against identity theft? First, don’t carry your Social Security card with you. Keep it secure at home with your other important papers. Second, don’t readily give out your Social Security number. While many banks, schools, doctors, landlords and others will request your number, it is your decision whether to provide it. Ask if there is some other way to identify you in their records. If you are the victim of identity theft, you should report it right away. To report identity theft, fraud or misuse of your Social Security number, the Federal Trade Commission (the nation’s consumer protection agency) recom­ mends you: • Place a fraud alert on your credit file by contacting one of the following companies (the company you contact is required to con­ tact the other two, which will then place alerts on your reports): Equifax, 800-525-6285; Trans Union, 800-680-7289; or Experian, 888-397-3742. • Review your credit report for inquiries from companies you have not contacted, accounts you did not open, and debts on your accounts you cannot explain. • Close any accounts you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudu­ lently. • File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. • File a complaint with the FTC by calling toll-free, 877-438-4338 (TTY 866-653­ 4261). I got an email that says it’s from Social Security, but I'm not so sure. They want me to reply with My Social Security number, date of birth, and mother’s maiden name for "verifi­ cation. ” Did it really comefrom Social Secu­ rity’? No. Social Security will not send you an email asking you to share your personal information, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, or other private infor­ mation. Beware of such scams - they’re after your information so they can use it for their own benefit. When in doubt, or if you have any questions about correspondence you receive from Social Security, contact your local Social Security office or call 800-772­ 1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) to see whether we really need any information from you. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may’ write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp HE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. Tonya Kathleen Shields, Delton and Robert Daniel Wacha, Hastings Hannah Drean Smith, Delton and Aaron Joseph Hakes, Delton Kimberly Marie Main, Delbert Samuel Morgan, Middleville CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED NEWS BRIEFS 2nt* annual Summer Stock Up puts food in Barry County pantries The Barry County United Way is joining Michigan United Ways and the Kellogg Company for the second-annual Summer Stock Up - a twoweek statewide virtual and in person drive to stock the shelves of Mich­ igan’s food banks and pantries. An in-person collection will be taking place at the Barry Community Enrichment Center, 231 S. Broadway, in Hastings on Thursday, June 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Items collected will include: boxed mac and cheese, boxed cereal and canned vegetables or fruit. All donated food will go directly to food pantries that serve Barry County residents. There also is a virtual giving option available by visiting sumerstockup.org. The inaugural Summer Stock Up in 2021 raised more than $63,000 and collected more than 46,000 pounds of food, benefitting 220 food pantries across the state. To support the Summer Stock Up in your community, visit sumerstockup.org. Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com 'Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 Celebration of Life In Memory of Music in the great outdoors Barry County is featuring a host of concerts this week as Hastings Live kicks off its first full week of free music and entertainment of the 2022 season. In addition to Hastings Live, Delton kicks off the weekend with their “Music in the Park” series. There are several opportunities to expe­ rience live music throughout the week at a variety of locations around town. Saturday, June 11- Delton’s “Music in the Park” series will feature Cover 2 Duo and Dave Banister at William Smith Park in Delton, 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, June 15 - Hastings City Band presents “A Night on Broadway.” A Hastings summer tradition since 1857, the City Band will perform Broadway favorites both new and old, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16 - Playing at the Plaza will feature singer-songwrit­ er and one-man band Eric Engblade, 11 a.m. Friday, June 17 - Fridays at the Fountain will feature Justin Stover on the courthouse lawn in Hastings at noon. Friday, June 17 - Friday Night Features begins its season with the return of home-grown electric blues player Jake Kershaw of Battle Creek. Kershaw performs at the Thomapple Plaza, 7:30 p.m. Hastings Live encourages its guests to bring blankets or lawn chairs. The concession stand, operated by volunteers from Hastings’ Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, will be open for evening performances serving food, snacks, soft-drinks and more. Smoking, non-service animals, and outside alcohol are prohibited. Come ready to enjoy live music in a beautiful outdoor setting in historical downtown Hastings. Due to COVID-19, there will be no rain venue. Richard, “Dick” Deming Sunday, June 12, Starting at 10:00 am - 3:00 ??? Dick’s building, just behind the Deming Auto Collision at 2493 West State Rd. Please come and bring your classic cars and share your memories . Snacks will be served. He was loved by all of us, and missed very much. Audrey, Rick, Rob, Sue, Lori and Don Give the gift of NEWS! SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville Send friends and family a gift subscription to The Hastings BANNER! To subscribe, call us at... 269-945-9554 �Page 6 — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — The Hastings Banner David J. Reynolds server. For many years, David delivered communion to those who could not attend mass and patients at Pennock Hospital. Sev­ eral days a week he would volunteer at Thor­ napple Manor, helping the residents play Bingo. David was always ready for a card game, especially with his brothers, cousins, and friends. He enjoyed an occasional casino excursion with his wife and looked forward to their annual trips to Northern Michigan to observe the fall colors. Above all else, David was the best father that six children could ask for. He loved spending family time with them and later his grandchildren. He was the grill master at many family gatherings, grilling his barbe­ cued country ribs and always butter brickie cake (and let’s not forget the brownies!) for dessert. David is survived by daughters, Polly (Brian) Hoxworth, Rosemarie (Mitch) Van­ Houten, Kathryn (Mark) Ramsey, Beth (Tom) Watson; sons, Mark (Joanne) Keeler and Tim (Tracy) Keeler; 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren, his brother, Jack Reynolds and Chris Waldrop; nephew. Todd Reynolds and family, many cousins and friends. Dave was preceded in death by his par­ ents; wife, Margaret (Peg); brother, Tom Reynolds; cousins, James Goulooze, Sue Rose, Jeff Spencer, Baby Emma Bowerman, John Hayes, Janet Hughes, Myron “Junior” Reynolds, Bob Benham, Paul Benham, and Dorothy Bowles. Memorial contributions can be made to St. Rose of Lima to help restore the church or the Alzheimer’s Association. A visitation will be held at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 5:30 to 7 p.m. with Rosary starting at 7 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held Friday, June 10, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Cath­ olic Church, 805 S. Jefferson St, Hastings, MI 49058, Fr. Stephan Philip, Celebrant. Burial will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. David J. (Nub) Reynolds, age 82, of Hast­ ings, MI, passed away peacefully with loved ones by his side on Sunday, June 5, 2022. David, the son of Homer and Marian (Pierce) Reynolds, was bom in Hastings on May 11, 1940. David attended St. Rose of Lima School, graduated from Hastings High School, and attended Ferris State University. David was a devoted husband to his wife, Peg, and wonderful father to his six stepchil­ dren. He began his working career at the local pool hall in Hastings (much to his mother’s dismay!) He also worked at E.W. Bliss and Spartan Foods in Grand Rapids, from which he retired as a forklift operator. David excelled at any sport he participat­ ed in. He was a pitcher for Ferris State University, where he opposed future major leaguer Dave DeBusschere. He was a mem­ ber of the 1967 Class D Men’s Softball State Champions. David played billiards his entire life. He partnered many times with his longtime friend, Ron Lewis, on many occasions and together they won a Moose State Doubles Championship. David was a lifelong, devoted member of St. Rose of Lima Church. He and his wife were known as Grandpa and Grandma to dozens of children at St. Rose School. David called Bingo for many years on Saturday nights in the basement of the church. He attended Mass every day of the week well into his seventies. He was an adult altar Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. 8, Sunday. Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc® Website: gmaiLcom. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Nursery Martha are available. Our Moser, Pastor. Lead Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. (Children WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. Kindergarten-5th p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. Group; 6:30 PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 43), Delton. MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. N. 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, Ml 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Service: 10 a.m. Jefferson Street. Sunday WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH provided. Pastor Peter Adams, 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. 10 a.m. Nursery This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 HotlineTods&Eqnlpmeit 1301 W. Green St Hastings 945-9541 Thomas Robert Sheridan passed away sud­ denly Friday, June 3, 2022, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 11, 2022 at noon at Girrbach Funeral Home 328 S. Broadway Street, Hastings, MI. The family will receive visitors beginning at 1 la.m. preceding the service. There will be a luncheon immediately following at 1 p.m. at Yankee Bill’s Wood-Fired Saloon, 606 S. Whitmore Road, Hastings, MI 49058. Tom is survived by his daughter, Amanda Sheridan and her fiance, Scott Hayes; grand­ sons, Bailey and Brennan Kidder; brother, Mike (Mikki) Sheridan of Columbus, IN; sisters, Susan Smith of Hastings and Karen (Raymond) Yanus of Houston, TX; step­ daughters, Michelle (Blough) Packer and Chyane Schantz; ex-wife, Vicki (Allerding) Sheridan; and loving friend, Cara Hum­ phreys, as well as many nieces and nephews. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Stanley. Bom to William and Dolores (Salter) Sher­ idan on April 3, 1953, Tom attended Hastings High School graduating in 1972. Tom was aheavy equipment operator and a truck driver for most of his career, retiring in 2010. Tom’s greatest love was riding his Harley and spending time with his family, Cara and his many friends. Tom loved dogs, and spent many hours with his dog, Muddy. Tom was an avid fisherman, was an excel­ lent cook, and especially enjoyed having meals with his grandsons and daughter. Tom was the most gentle soul, was always quick witted and could always be counted on to lighten the mood. He was a true friend and “brother” to so many and was very well loved. He will be greatly missed by his fami-. ly and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to his family for expenses in care of Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome. net. D-Day remembrance in France. For the 50^ and 60^ anniversaries, Fred and Fran 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, Ml 49058. Pastor 4 Truth SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 9390. Sunday Worship Service Elsie “Marie” (Powers) (Burandt) DeWitt, age 82, of Hastings, Ml, passed away peace­ fully at home on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Marie was bom February 16, 1940 in Bat­ tle Creek. She spent the majority of life in Battle Creek, Hastings and Middleville. She married Wiliam Burandt. They resided in the Chicago area until returning to the Hastings area to raise her eight children, after her divorce to William in 1973. Marie returned to school to earn her GED and take some college courses. She worked for the Hastings Adult Education program and did very well providing for her children and herself. Marie married Kreeno DeWitt in 1980. He preceded her in death in 2014. Marie was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to all she met. She loved going to church, going for walks, and spending time with her family, and blessed everyone with her quick, witty sense of humor! She was a kind and gentle soul who regularly helped out those less for­ tunate than herself and very much enjoyed sharing her baking talents with her neighbor­ hood and beyond. Marie was preceded in death by her moth­ er, Elsie (Gallup) Kidder; sisters, Phoebe “Bonnie” Perez, and her baby sister, Anna Jean; husband, William Burandt; sons, David Burandt, Leonard Burandt; husband, Kreeno DeWitt, and stepson, Dennis DeWitt. Marie is survived by her children, Grace Burandt, Sandy (John) Britten, Diane Ham­ mond, John (Beth) Burandt, Nancy Reed and Thomas Burandt; stepchildren, Kreena Tos­ sava, Tina Cullers, and Bill DeWitt; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; niec­ es and nephews. Also surviving her are half-sisters, Ruthie Sommers, Maryann Pow­ ers, Lori Reinke, and half-brother, Ernie Powers; special friends, Darlene Loph, Mar­ vin and Patti McWhinney, Kathy Rowley, Shirley Warner, Glenna Robbins, and Gayla Kienutske. Respecting Marie’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. The family is planning a Celebration of Life at a later date, which will be announced when details are finalized. Interment is at Hastings Township Cemetery. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth A too-short life filled with music and a fierce love for her children came to an end June 4, 2022 when Betsy (Elizabeth) Ann Parish was taken from this earth after a sud­ den and swift illness. Born October 25, 1958, Betsy found joy in the small things - a good book, a rocking vinyl, time spent at the sewing machine, cre­ ating music and a good cup of coffee. She was quick to voice her opinions but quicker to help anyone who asked. Through her we know what perseverance and resilience look like. She had an all-en­ compassing love for her children and grand­ children. Cross one of hers and you crossed her - an act not to be taken lightly. A lover of music, Betsy just celebrated 50 years of playing her beloved Armstrong flute. She lent her talents to more than 100 area musical theater productions. The pits will be a bit emptier without her amazing musicality and sarcasm. Betsy always had a creative project or two under way. Her crocheted hats could cover every head in the Valley and still have several to spare. Her sewing machine(s) were con­ stantly abuzz with a task - usually hemming the pants of her youngest daughter. Her favorite pastime, however, was sup­ porting and cheering on her children and grandchildren in all of their endeavors. She rarely missed a school or extracurricular activity, big or small and her unwavering support will be greatly missed. She..was preceded^in death by parents, Lafayette and Sylvia Williams. She is survived by brother, Paul (Debbie) Williams; sister, Jane Owen; daughters, Sara (Ed) Sheldon and Amy Jo (Judd) Brown; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Benjamin and Syl­ via, nieces, nephews and a legacy of honest, authentic living. A service will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow at Chester Gospel Church 3744 West Ver­ montville Hwy., Vermontville. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to a starving musician you know so the music can continue. Whenever she found a saying or recipe worth saving she wrote it down on whatever was close - a paper plate, an old receipt, any­ thing that would hold ink. Among these pages are scraps of wisdom she found significant that we now pass on to you. “When you stum­ ble - make it part of the dance.” “When you can’t get it right - go left.” Funeral arrangements entrusted to Daniels Funeral Home, Nashville, MI. For more information please visit our website www. danielsfuneralhome.net Elaine Garlock The Ionia chapter of MARSP will meet next week on Thursday, June 16 on Haynor Road at the Rheams’ home for a noon picnic. This will be the first meeting in two years, postponed month after month because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reservations are to be made. The Grand Rapids Press recently published a listing of the top rated 50 schools in Michi­ gan. Many were in the Grand Rapids area, but there were surprises. Topping the charts was City High/Middle School in Grand Rapids. Okemos High School near Lansing ranked No. 16. This has long been rated the top school in the Lansing area. Next of interest to those in this area is Pewamo-Westphalia Middle/High School. Local people would likely rate it near the top in athletics, but here it is listed high up in academics. Behind that comes three high schools in the Forest Hills district just to the east of Grand Rapids. They are ranked with Forest Hills Northern at No. 21, Forest Hills Central No. 28 and Forest Hills Eastern No. 42. In the northern part of the state, Leland, Elk Rapids and Houghton also made the top 50. It would be interesting to see how the rest of us rate. Beauty surrounds us. The “graduation” beauty bush has been at its best since the end of last week. It will soon begin losing petals. The downtown planters are now filled. The centerpiece of each is a tall canna plant, sur­ rounded by smaller varieties of flowering plants. As the weeks progress they will become larger, taller and showier once all the central canna plants are in the blossom stage. The lampposts are still adorned with the banners, each showing the young image of a veteran of one of America’s past conflicts. Many are from World War II. This week’s newspapers are carrying stories of the KKDAV>ri FUNERAL HOM! Morris attended. A visit to the Normandy cemetery is memorable for anyone at any time. It overlooks the D-Day invasion site. Visitors today wonder how any of the men in the invasion force ever were able to scale the rocks. The cemetery contains the remains of more than 9,500 who died near­ by and were buried here after being interred first in smaller, temporary cemeteries. United Methodist women and some guests met on Monday at Central United Methodist Church to hear a Grand Rapids lady’s story of human trafficking. Thou­ sands of young girls and others are trapped for the financial profit of those who exploit them. There is hope that one day there will be a safe house in the city to assist those who are rescued to live in while being treat­ ed from their trauma. Tuesday, June 14 is to be observed as Flag Day. Let’s hope that more flags are visible on Fourth Avenue than there were on Memorial Day. On that day, Dairy Queen on M-50 had a row of small flags along their curb, but there were few others visible. Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax(269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — Page 7 ,, x« I fl looK back at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner Early June had same vibe in decades past TURNING BACK THE PAGES Peonies and irises in bloom, the school year ending, the city band concert ready to begin. Like today, all of these were happening 84 years ago. The Barmer of June 9, 1938, reported on news items from past decades. Those, along with a then-current column, allow a peek at the community and the people. Backward glances: Bits of yesterday 20 years ago June 6, 1.918 Hon. William W. Potter is expected to return Friday from a business trip to El Paso, Texas. J.C. Ketcham will leave Friday for Dela­ ware, where he will deliver an address before the graduating class of the Delaware Agricul­ tural College. Dr. A.W. Woodburn expects to attend the meeting of the American Medical Associa­ tion in Chicago June 11 to 13. Mrs. Donald Van Zile and children of Detroit are visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Goodyear. 30 years ago June 3, 1908 Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Burton were in Lansing the first of the week. Miss Gertrude Ryan returned from Kalkas­ ka Friday where she has been teaching school. Miss Ryan will teach in the Second Ward schools in the city next year. W.W. Potter was called to Detroit on legal business Monday. Mrs. Herman Frost and son are visiting her parents near Hickory Corners. Miss Wilhelmina Bates was home from the M.A.C. [now Michigan State University] from Friday until Monday. Chas. Burch of Grand Rapids was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Burch Sunday. Mrs. Fred Ryerson and son left Tuesday evening for Toronto where they will spend the summer. innings in order not to beat the Nashville nine too badly. The Barry County pension board has been organized with Dr. W.H. Young as president; Dr. J.M. Elliott, treasurer; Dr. A.P. Drake, secretary. Alongside this looking-back column was a simple boxed quotation, reading: “The fewer desires, the more peace.” - Tomas Wilson And below that was a column of then-cur­ rent news from- a downtown correspondent. So now, this could be labeled “84 years ago” in early June: 9State Street Ramblings Six more days of school. In one city, the authorities changed the signs near the school by scratching out the word “zone” and inserting “vacation” to read “School Vacation - Drive Safely.” Not a bad idea. Big crowds in town every Wednesday now. Everyone wants that money that’s given away. The floor of the large porch at Hotel Hast­ ings received a new coat of paint last week. Manager Green is always doing something to improve the looks of the building and to improve the service he is rendering. Mrs. C.D. Bauer has had a lovely flower garden this summer. A new shoe shop and leather goods store has opened on South Jefferson Street where the Gamble’s store was. Peony day Saturday. An interesting case being tried in circuit court here this week - Benaway vs. Pere Mar­ quette R.R. A fine program planned for the Bluegill Festival'.1;Large crowds-will be in town for this event, and those in charge are planning a good time for everyone. Don Fisher placed the new electric wiring on the courthouse yard just east of the foun­ Demands for woolen inserts had increased enough that in June 1898, the Hastings Wool Boot Co. announced it would be expanding. The factory was near the intersection of East State and Railroad streets, north of where Padnos now operates. (Image from Detroit Public Library, Burton Historical Collection) tain last week for the benefit of the city band in their weekly concerts. Many very attractive gardens around the city at present. Street names are still hard to find. Just who is responsible for this work? How many cases of measles are there in the city at present? A headline in a paper from a neighboring town reads: “Bloomers Take Over Kozy Korner.” Like Jane Cameron, we reserve our further remarks. Many former residents of Hastings have called on old friends here the past few days. Hastings always looks good to these former residents, and they all seem glad to get back. A good-sized crowd attended the first band concert of the season last Thursday evening. These free concerts are scheduled for each Thursday evening during the summer. Mr. Sparks and his corps of workers put in a new cement entrance to the alley just north of the hotel. A splendid improvement. A bulletin from the Michigan State Conser­ vation Department says if a person were to visit all of this state’4? irffrmd lakes, one each day, he could complete the circuit in a little more than 11 years. Several months would be spent in Barry County. Let’s go. Cheerio. 40 years ago June 9, 1898 The 16th annual reunion of the Hastings High School Alumni Association will be at the Episcopal Parish House Friday afternoon, June 24, at 6 o’clock. The banquet will be served by the ladies of the Episcopal church. Following the banquet, the usual program of songs, toasts and responses will be given. Increased demands for the products of the Wool Boot Co. has made necessary the enlarging of its present extensive plant. 50 years ago June 6, 1888 The Michigan Mutual Windstorm Insur­ ance Company issued policies to the amount of more than $100,000 during the months of April and May. Clement Smith, C.H. Arman, R.B. Messer and R.B. Richards were in Middleville Satur­ day evening to attend the organization of the Young Men’s Republican Club at that place. The high school nine visited Nashville Wednesday, and by a score of 28-18 defeated the crack nine of that town. It was a very easy task for our “kids,” who held up after a few Don Fisher placed the new electric wiring on the courthouse yard just east of the fountain or the benefit of the Hastings City Band, noted the Banner in early June 1938. (Photos from Fred Jacobs’ postcard collection) Time flies with an occupied mind Dr. Universe: Why does time fly when we are having fun? Isaac, 7, Australia Dear Isaac, If you’re having a great time playing at the beach or camping with your family this summer, the day might zip right by. But the long drive to get to your fun destination might seem to take forever. To understand why time seems to change based on our activities, I asked my friend Alana Anderson, who just earned her Ph.D. at Washington State University. Anderson studies how people, especially babies and little kids, manage their behaviors and emotions. The way we experience time has more to do with our attention than the activity itself, Anderson said. When your brain is occupied by what you’re doing, you’re not going to think about how many minutes or hours are ticking by. It doesn’t even have to be something you think of as fun. When Anderson was a kid, she played the piano. Practicing was hard work, but she gave it her full attention, and the time flew by. Excitement helps time fly, too. If your body and brain are expecting an activity to be enjoyable, you’re more likely to focus on it. It’s easy to get excited about something like a vacation or an afternoon at the swim­ ming pool. But what about tougher things, like practicing a skill or finishing a home­ work project? Anderson said you can make decisions to trick your brain into making a less-excit­ ing activity go by faster. Turn off background noise, like TV or music. Don’t try to do a bunch of different things at once. What we sometimes call “multi-tasking” is really a way of taking attention away from the task in front of you. “Try to minimize your distractions and just do exactly the one thing that you want to be doing,” Anderson said. You can even help time fly when you don’t have anything fun or important to do. Some of Anderson’s research has to do with the way small children respond to boredom. Scientists who study boredom have discovered that people who don’t cope with boredom well are more likely to make risky decisions. Anderson suggests that you can beat boredom-and the long, slow hours that come with it-by being prepared. Practice recognizing what your brain and body feel like when they’re bored, so you’re ready to notice the feeling and find something to do. You can even make a list of fun options ahead of time. “When you’re in that really boring state, you don’t have to do all the work of finding something to do, but you can grab some­ thing that’s there,” Anderson said. You can also try thinking of a boring activity in a new way. It’s tough to make a long car trip fly by, but you can remind yourself that it’s necessary to get where you’re going. You could even fill up your bored moments by imagining what it would be like to be a scientist who studies boredomor getting curious about any questions that make your mind excited. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. Ruthanne Kauffman will celebrate 90th birthday Still known as the Hastings House when this postcard photo was taken, the Hotel Hastings was mentioned in the Banner in June 1938. The porch had received a new coat of paint, according to the State Street Ramblings columnist: “Manager Green is always doing something to improve the looks of the building and to improve the service he is rendering.” Ruthanne (Herzel Day) Kauffman is turn­ ing 90 years young on June 29th! She'd love to get a card from you to mark this important birthday! No gifts! No money! But lots and lots of cards! Her address is: 237 Mead Rd., Hastings, MI 49058. She has 3 children: Joyce, Paul, and Karen! �Page 8 — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — The Hastings Banner FOIA, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------Lynch was the “mystery figure” reported in a July 8, 2021, Banner article, who was being paid by a source who was never disclosed. Leaf said he did not know the source, but whoever was financing the probe was of no concern to him; the voting process was his focus. But that investigation had to cease mid­ year last year when the department became overwhelmed by criminal cases, Leaf explained. The sheriff enlisted the aid of Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt to join with several sher­ iff’s department officers in a direct appeal to the county commissioners to ask for an addi­ tional detective for his department, since the county board holds the pursestrings. Their collective appeal persuaded the board to immediately approve a new hire. Leaf recently said he’s still looking for that detective. Meanwhile, his department has lost at least two other deputies. But, earlier this year, the investigation started up again under a new sheriff’s deputy, Mark Noteboom Jr. This time, a flurry of Freedom of Informa­ tion Act requests went out to township, city and county clerks requesting copious emails involving key words that appeared to have some connection to elections. Nakfoor Pratt and Palmer have been asked to provide these documents, which they are currently working to gather. Before they fin­ ish, though, they will provide Noteboom with a cost estimate on how much all the copies will cost. That has yet to be determined. In other action Tuesday, a new contract between the Village of Middleville and the Barry County Sheriff’s Department to pro­ vide police services to the village received unanimous support from the county commis­ sioners. The village council had already voted 5-0 to approve an amended contract that will be in effect for the next two years and automati­ cally renew annually after that. The contract calls for an additional deputy along with the two deputies and sergeant who work in the village now. The agreement also calls for at least 18 hours of coverage in the village five days a week and at least eight hours the two remain­ ing days of the week, with the schedule to be determined by the appropriate sheriff’s department lieutenant and the sergeant for the Middleville unit. It’s the first update to the village’s contrac­ tual arrangement with the sheriff’s depart­ ment since 1999, when the initial contract between the two entities was approved. Removed from the contract language were provisions that the Middleville unit provide “supplemental services” such as free child fingerprinting and property security checks, as well as implementing “a sustained commu­ nity outreach campaign. The contract calls for an emphasis on com­ munity-oriented policing. The department will be required to make reserve officers available for weekends, certain school events and other community events. It also will be required to set up a procedure for assuring there are vaca-‘ tion checks for homes and checks of homes of residents who go away for extended periods of time, such as down south for the winter, according to the contract language. In other business, the commissioners rec­ ommended renewal of the county inmates’ administrative services contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield. The county is responsible for medical care of inmates when they are incarcerated and under the care, custody and control of the Barry County sheriff’s office. The program offers a discounted rate that Blue Cross Blue Shield has negotiated with providers (hospi­ tals, doctors and pharmacies) that reduces the! medical costs incurred by inmates. Hastings Charter Township Supervisor Jim Brown asks commissioners who's pay­ ing for the sheriff's lawsuit. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) BARRY TOWNSHIP AND PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL FOR UPPER CROOKED LAKE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 2022-1 TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF BARRY TOWNSHIP AND PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Township Supervisors and Assessors have prepared and filed in the offices of the Township Clerks for public examination a special assessment roll for each Township, including all properties within each Township located within the Upper Crooked Lake Aquatic Plant Control Special Assessment District No. 2022-1 that are benefited by the proposed aquatic plant control project. The rolls have been prepared for the purpose of assessing the costs of the project within the aforesaid special assessment districts (Barry Township and Prairieville Township), which districts are more particularly shown on the plans on file with each Township Clerk. The costs of the project are as shown on the estimate of costs on file with each Township Clerk. The total project cost is $445,120, including administrative costs, of which $273,437 is Prairieville Township’s share and $171,683 is Barry Township’s share. The assessment rolls will be in those amounts ($273,427 for Prairieville Township and $171,683 for Barry Township), less any surplus funds carried over from the expiring special assessment districts. The amounts assessed against each property in each district will be: Prairieville Township SAD $222 per year for front lot parcels and $111 per year for back lot parcels; Barry Township SAD $170 per year for district for front lot parcels and $85.50 per year for back lot parcels. Each Township Board plans to periodically redetermine the amount to be assessed in the district and may decrease the amount assessed in any year that more funds are available than needed for the cost of treatment in the upcoming year. The term of the special assessment will be seven years, 2023 through 2029 inclusive. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Supervisors and Assessors of each Township have further reported to the Township Boards that the assessment against each parcel of land within each district is such relative portion of the whole sum levied against all parcels of land in each district as the benefit to such parcels bears to the total benefit to all parcels of land in each special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Prairieville and Barry Township Boards will meet at the Barry Township Hall, 155 E. Orchard Street, Delton, Michigan on Monday, June 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of reviewing the special assessment rolls, hearing any objections to the rolls and confirming the rolls as submitted, revised or amended. Each assessment roll may be examined at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business days of regular business days until the time of the hearing and may further be examined at the hearing. Any person objecting to the assessment roll shall file his objections thereto in writing with the Barry Township Clerk or the Prairieville Township Clerk before the close of the hearing or within such other time as each Township Board may grant. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that an owner or party in interest, or his/ her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment or may file his/her appearance and protest by letter before the hearing, and in that event, personal appearance shall not be required. Any person objecting to the assessment roll shall file his/her objection thereto in writing with the Barry Township Clerk or the Prairieville Township Clerk bejgy^tjie close of the hearing or within such other time as each Township Board may grant. The owners or any person having an interest in real property who protests in writing at or before the hearing may file a written appeal of the special assessment with the State Tax Tribunal within 30 days after confirmation of the special assessment roll, as provided by law. Barry Township and Prairieville Township will provide necessary, reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the meeting upon four (4) days’ notice to the Barry Township Clerk or the Prairieville Township Clerk. Rod Goebel, Clerk Deb Knight, Clerk Prairieville Township Barry Township 10115 S. Norris Road 11300 S. M-43 Hwy. Delton, Ml 49046 Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-2664 (269) 623-5171 Undersheriff Jason Sixberry answers questions about the new contract between the Village of Middleville and the Barry County Sheriff’s Department to provide police services to the village. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Commissioner Dave Jackson during Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) •i CITIZENS, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------- ; It’s not like the county is using (the build­ ing) for something in particular, they don’t know what they’re going to do with it.” The Tyden Lofts project could continue even if the county decides not to sell the building, but the project would receive significantly fewer MSHDA credits with­ out the historic nature of the building tied to it. Moyer-Cale said the concept presented to commissioners was by no means a finished product and is still in its early stages. General Capital is willing to work with the community to present a project that works for everyone, Moyer-Cale said. King said General Capital has stuck with the city, even after facing challenges with the Royal Coach project, and the city should do what it can to keep them around for future projects. t “They haven’t given up on the city of Hastings, and in my role here as a city! employee, I applaud them,” King said.. “Because we need to attract developers like this and retain them for these projects so we> can keep working on the goal of providing housing.” gotten too far from the resort and couldn’t paddle back because of the fast current. The responding officer helped get both the woman in the boat and the boat itself out of the water before loading it into a truck to be returned. Boyfriend takes, returns gun A 61-year-old Delton woman called police around 7 p.m. May 4, saying her boy­ friend had taken a gun from her home on Milo Road, Delton. Shortly after she got into an argument with her boyfriend, she said, he left and took her gun. The woman told police her boyfriend, a 47-year-old Delton man, deals drugs and hangs out with “dangerous people.” She said she bought the gun two years ago, and the boyfriend has carried it ever since. The responding officer told the woman that because she gave the gun to him, she couldn’t report it as stolen. The officer also told her it wasn’t a good idea to buy a gun for someone who engages in drug-related activities. The woman told the officer her boyfriend had been cheating on her, and the officer told her it was anoth­ er reason not to purchase a gun in her name and give it to the man. Police couldn’t make contact with the man, but the woman called police a few days later to say her boyfriend had returned the gun. Toddler wanders into neighbor’s home Police were alerted around 4 p.m. May 21 of a 3-year-old boy walking around the 1700 block of Archwood Drive in Yankee Springs Township without supervision. The caller said the boy had been frequently wandering the neighborhood without parental supervision. The caller returned the child to his parents when the same thing happened May 19, and again when the boy wandered into the neighbor’s home May 20. The police spoke to the boy’s par­ ents, a 40-year-old Wayland man and a 41-year-old Wayland woman. The father told police he worked on third shift and had fallen asleep, and the boy’s mother worked second shift. He said they’d had issues with the boy leaving the house and would put a lock on the door out of his reach. Police reported the incident to Child Protective Services. Ex-wife gets camper with deflated tires Police responded to a May 29 report around 3 p.m. from a 38-year-old Nashville woman that her husband, a 37-year-old Delton man, had let the air out of the tires on the camper she was living in. The woman told police they are in the process of getting a divorce, and her husband agreed to let her take the camper because she is pregnant. The man told police he had let the air out of the tires since he was con­ cerned his wife was going to burn up the camper because she had burned one down in the past. Police told the man to stay away from the woman, advising him that con­ tinuing to act aggressively could be proba­ ble cause for domestic violence. The man told police he would stay out of the camper and allow his wife to take it with her. Police help get boat back to ’port’ Higher water levels on the Thomapple River prevented a woman in a paddleboat from returning to Barry’s Resort near McKe­ own Bridge Park. Police were dispatched around 3 p.m. May 29 to rescue the woman on the Thomapple River because she had ‘ Camera shows Realtor sign thief in the act A 47-year-old Delton woman called police around 2:30 p.m. May 25 to report a stolen Realtor sign that had been taken from in front of Gun River Inn the night before. The woman told police she was able to view security camera footage from a gas station across the street. In the footage, she saw someone approach from behind the bar, take the sign, and go back the way they had come. The woman told police the quality of the footage didn’t allow for any iden­ tification - other than the suspect was wearing a white shirt. She said she would work with the owners of the bar to try to find more footage and report back with more details. ; ■ | i j J Police help cows come home Police were called to help wrangle loose cattle in the roadway last week. A caller alerted police that there were four cows standing in the road east of Hastings on North Wellman Road near East State Road around 4:30 p.m. June 1. After police arrived on the scene, they spoke with a passer-by who said the cows belonged to a 74-year-old man who lived on the 700 block of North Wellman Road. The passer-by spoke to the man’s wife who said he wouldn’t be back to collect the cattle for another 30 minutes. After police contained the cattle on the side of the roadway, a neighbor helped the officer herd them back to the owner’s property, where they were secured. ] ; I �The SPORTS SECTION Thursday, June 9, 2022 Nino leaps to state medal in D2 Brett Bremer Sports Editor Madison Nino’s first competitive long jump for the Saxons came as a sixth grader in the spring of 2017. She hit the sand 12 feet and one half inch beyond the board at a meet hosted by Harper Creek. Five years and five more feet on her jumps landed her on the medal stand at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Finals Saturday at Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada. • Nino placed third in the long jump to earn her first track and field state medal. She had a top mark of 17-2.75 Saturday, bested only by a personal record leap of 17-7 by Marine City junior Lindsay Girard who won the event and Unity Christian junior Hallie Kooyer who was second with a leap of 17-4.75. They were the only three girls to fly further than 17 feet Satur­ day in Ada. “I wanted to get first. I was [seeded] second for it, but the girl who got first came out of nowhere with her PR. It was a pretty good day though. I’d say third place is pretty good - top three,” Nino said. : Girard was fifth at the state finals in the long jump as a sophomore in 2021, but had never leapt beyond 17 feet before Saturday. Her PR had been 16-9.75 which was a mark she hit to <vin her region in Frankenmuth last month. | The only other girl to set her PR in the long jump at the D2 Finals Saturday and finish on (he medal stand was Zeeland East junior Rachel Miller who was eighth with a mark of 16-9. Only two of the eight medalists in the event Were seniors. ■ Nino said nerves had her feeling a little ill when she arrived at the finals Saturday, but it jvasn’t her first time at the finals - just the first time competing in the long jump there. She was a member of the Saxons’ state qualifying 4x200-meter relay team in 2021. Nino surpassed 13 feet during the spring of her sixth grade year in 2017, passed the 14-foot mark as a seventh grader, and hit 15-1 in her first jump as a sophomore in the spring of 2021, her first season of varsity track and field due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She upped her PR to 16-1 that season. Nino flew more than 17 feet for the first time in an Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference dual with Jackson Northwest inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in May, set her personal record at 17-6.5 to take the title at the 1-8 Championship and was also a regional champion in the event this spring to qualify for the state finals. This was the first season Nino really decided that long jump would be her thing. She gave up running the 400-meter dash, and mostly com­ peted in the 100-meter dash and with the Saxon 4x 100-meter and 4x200-meter relay teams this season. • “My coach pushed me really far,” Nino said. “Mr. [Tony] Knopp, he helped me a lot this season. : “He was just making sure I had a better land­ ing and how I was in the air. He made sure I was looking up with my chest up and every­ thing. He also really got me in a better mental Thornapple Kellogg freshman Ava Crews makes her way around the track during the 3200-meter run Saturday at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Finals hosted by Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada. (Photo by Brett Bremer) state,” Nino said. “I’ll try harder and work harder for it if I’m mentally prepared and happy.” The top eight in each event earned state med­ als Saturday. The area’s only other medalist in Division 2 was Thomapple Kellogg senior Trysta Hilton who ran to an eighth-place time in the 100-meter hurdles. She hit the finish line in 16.42 and later turned in a time of 48.03 that had her 11th in the 300-meter low hurdles. Hil­ ton is a now a three-time state medalist. She was seventh in the 100 hurdles and fifth in the 300 hurdles as a junior. Saxon senior Allison Teed was a member of the Saxon 4x200-meter relay team, competing with Nino, at the 2021 Finals and was also a state medalist in the 100-meter hurdles last spring. She qualified for the finals in the pole vault this season and set her personal record in the event by clearing the bar at 9-9 which had her in 14^ overall. Teed was one of two Saxon pole vaulters competing Saturday. Junior Robby Slaughter from the Hastings boys’ team was 16^ with a height of 12-10. Hastings had two guys competing Saturday. Saxon junior Daniel Weatherly competes in the shot put at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Finals hosted by Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Junior Daniel Weatherly finished 21st in the shot put with a mark of 42-.5. The area had two guys competing in the 400meter dash. Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Jaxan Sias ran to a personal record time of 51.32 seconds which had him in 11^ overall. Lakewood senior Connor Feighan, who bested Sias for a regional championship last month, was 17^ with a time of 52.10. Sias also ran with the TK boys’ 4x200-meter relay team. Seniors Jonah Schilthroat, Alex Harrington and junior Gabe Lajoye placed 15^ in that race with a time of 1 minute 32.04 sec­ onds. Thomapple Kellogg also got a personal record from freshman distance runner Ava Crews who placed 18^ in the girls’ 3200-meter run with a time of 11:48.05. The East Grand Rapids girls and Berrien Springs won MHSAA L.P. Division 2 State Championships Saturday. The EGR girls finished the day with 66 points. Grand Rapids Christian was second with 37.66 ahead of Zeeland East 30, New Boston Huron 29, Bridgeport 28, Unity Chris­ tian 23.66, Allendale 21, Dearborn Divine Child 20, Ludington 20, Madison Heights Lamphere 19, Warren Regina 19 in the top ten. The six points Nino earned put Hastings in a tie for 32n° place. East Grand Rapids junior Camryn Bodine took the 800-meter run in 2:12.46, besting Parma Western senior Alyna Lewis by just over half a second for the victory. Bodine’s team­ mate Drew Muller, a sophomore, won the 1600-meter run in 4:51.41. Grand Rapids Christian senior Madelyn Frens was the runner-up in that 1600 and ran to a winning time of 10:44.24 in the 3200-meter run. EGR senior Ainsley Workman was the runner-up in that 3200. The EGR foursome of Workman, Sophia Lado, Muller and Bodine won the 4x800-meter relay in 9:25.89. Muller and Bodine also teamed with Claire Weaver and Avery Hecksei for a runner-up performance in the 4x400-meter relay. New Boston Huron junior Elizabeth Ander­ son won the 200-meter dash in 25.07 seconds and the 400-meter run in 56.28. The only other two-time individual champ in the girls’ meet was Ludington senior Ry Ann Rohrer who took the discus with a personal record throw of 135-7 and the shot put with a mark of 41-11. Berrien Springs won the boys’ meet with 41 points ahead of Forest hills Eastern 33, White­ hall 31, Allendale 31, Pinckney 30, Spring Lake 29, Frankenmuth 27, Holland Christian 26, Detroit Martin Luther King 20, Dearborn Divine Child 19, Edwardsburg 19, Mason 19 and Monroe Jefferson 19 in the top ten. Berrien Springs senior James York was the boys’ long jump champion with a personal record mark of 22-10 and he teamed with Junyoung Chung, Jake Machiniak and Jamal Hai­ ley to win the 4x 100-meter relay in 42.44. Hailey was the D2 boys’ sprint champion taking the 100-meter dash in 10.77 and the 200meter dash in 22.11. Hastings junior Madison Nino celebrates her medal winning performance in the long jump at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Finals hosted by Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada Saturday. Nino had a top jump of 17 feet 2.75 inches to place third in the event. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior Allison Teed gets over the bar in the pole vault competition Saturday at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Finals hosted by Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings senior Allison Teed gets over the bar in the pole vault competition Saturday at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Track and Field Finals hosted by Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) �Page 10 — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR AT­ TEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. NOTICE OF FORE­ CLOSURE BY ADVERTISMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1pm, on Thursday, June 16, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the prop­ erty. A potential purchaser is encouraged to con­ tact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The foreclosure sale is pur­ suant to the terms and conditions of a Mortgage made by CHRISTOPHER B. WALKER and SHAN­ NON J. WALKER, Mortgagors, to First National Bank of America, Mortgagee, dated November 9, 2004, and recorded November 17, 2004, in Instru­ ment Number 1137316, of Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due as of the date of this notice $76,444.06, including interest at 9.95% per annum. Said prem­ ises are situated in Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at the NW corner of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Sec­ tion 9, T4N, R9W; thence 26 2/3 rods East; thence South 12 rods; thence West 26 2/3 rods; thence North approximately 12 rods to the place of be­ ginning. Together with rights of ingress and egress over the currently established road, except that part deeded to the State of Michigan in Liber 246 on Page 589; c/k/a 6153 Cain Creek, Freeport, Ml 49325. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of the sale, unless the premises are determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be one month, or until the time to provide the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c) expires, whichever is later. The redemption period further may be shortened pursuant to MCL 600.3238(10) if the property is not adequately maintained, or if the purchaser is denied the opportunity to inspect the property. Please be advised that if the mort­ gaged property is sold at a foreclosure sale by ad­ vertisement, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the bor­ rower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale, or to the mortgage holder, for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing । the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dat­ ed: May 19, 2022 Randall T. L<>Vasseur P41712 LeVasseur Dyer & Associates, PC Attorneys for Mortgagee 3233 Coolidge Hwy I lerkley, Ml 48072 (248) 236-1765 (05-19)(06-09) 180777 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the re­ ’ vised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be fore­ closed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 23, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchas­ er to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): DALE D BURSLEY, A MARRIED MAN AND KAY K. BURSLEY, HIS WIFE Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Reg­ istration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for RCF 2 Acquisition Trust c/o U.S. Bank Trust National Association Date of Mortgage: August 21,2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 29, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $85,401.69 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situat­ ed in Township of Woodland, Barry County, Mich­ igan, and described as: Lot 11 and the West 3 Feet of Lot 10, Block 2 of the Plat of The Village of Woodland, According to the Recorded Plat There­ of, as Recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 21. Common street address (if any): 153 Thatcher St, Woodland, Ml 48897-9784 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined aban­ doned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale un­ der Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military ser­ vice member on active duty, if your period of ac­ tive duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: May 19, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1464126 (05-19)(06-09) 180781 NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: TABLED Case Number: SP-1-2022 - Mich­ igan Materials & Aggregate Co. (Property Owner) Location: Miller Road, Delton, in Section 25 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to operate a mine for sand and gravel pursuant to Article 23, Section 2351 in the RR (Rural Resi­ dential) zoning district. MEETING DATE:June 27,2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@barrycounty.org. The special use application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 181712 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING May 11,2022-7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to accept and sign the ARPA agreement Roll Call Vote - 6 -1, motion Passes Motion to accept the sale agreement for the sale of Heath Rd property Roll Call Vote - All ayes, mo­ tion passes Motion to approve the purchase of up to $5,000 for new computers for the Township Hall Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-181 for the second reading and adoption Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-182 for the second reading and adoption Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to accept the application to be used for Marihuana License Applications Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Motion to accept the Ordinance 2022-183 for the first reading Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Adjournment 8:07 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 181711 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 21-28936-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of James Donald Zasadil. Date of birth: 3-31-1931. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, James Donald Zasadil, died 7-16-1921. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Ja-Lene Postema, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 6-1-2022 David H. Tripp P29290 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-9585 Ja-Lene Postema 10 - 126th Avenue Wayland, Ml 49348 586-292-8951 181776 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Date: 05/31/2022 Mika Meyers PLC Christopher D. Matthysse P60535 900 Monroe Ave. NW Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-632-8000 Henry T. Arens I Todd R. Arens 3847 Havens Road/1528 W. State Road Hastings, Ml 490581 Hastings, Ml 49058 269-838-0961 /269-838-0948 MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE NOTICE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judica­ ture Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, start­ ing promptly at 1:00 P.M., on June 23, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchas­ er to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Attention homeowner: If you are a mil­ itary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclos­ ing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Robert Fruin, an unmarried person, (“Mortgagor”), gave a mortgage to Advia Credit Union, (“Mortgagee”), dated March 22, 2019, and recorded on April 3, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-002650, Barry County Records, Michigan. On the date of this notice, there is claimed to be due the principal of Twenty Thousand Five Hun­ dred-Fourteen and 49/100 Dollars ($20,514.49) plus accrued interest at 2.75% per annum. Un­ der the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at the place of holding in the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan @ 1:00 P.M. on Thursday, June 23, 2022. Said premises are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry Coun­ ty, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at a point 23 Rods South of the center of Sec­ tion 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence West 10 Rods; thence South 4 Rods; thence East 10 Rods; thence North 4 Rods to the place of begin­ ning Commonly: 14644 S. Kellogg School Road Hickory Corners, Ml 49060—Tax ld#08-03-028057-00 The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, under Section 600.3278 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Dated: May 19, 2022 Ad­ via Credit Union, Mortgagee Holzman Law, PLLC By: Charles J. Holzman Attorney for Mortgagee 28366 Franklin Road Southfield, Michigan 48034 (248)352-4340 (05-19)(06-16) 181818 Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 New limits expand 401(k), IRA opportunities You could spend two, or even three, decades in retire­ ment. So, to pay for all those years, you’ll probably need to take full advantage of your retirement accounts. And in 2022, you may have expand­ ed opportunities to deduct re­ tirement plan contributions on your tax return. Before looking at what’s changed this year, let’s review the key benefits of these ac­ counts: • Traditional IRA - You typically contribute pretax (de­ ductible) dollars to a traditional IRA, and your earnings can grow tax-deferred. • Roth IRA - You invest af­ ter-tax dollars in a Roth IRA, so your contributions won’t lower your taxable income, but your earnings can grow tax free, provided you’ve had your account at least five years and you’re 59/2 or older when you begin taking withdrawals. • 401 (k) - A 401(k) or sim­ ilar plan (such as a 457(b) for state and local government employees or a 403(b) for em­ ployees of public schools or nonprofit groups) is generally funded with pretax dollars and provides tax-deferred earnings. Some employers offer a Roth 401 (k), in which employees contribute after tax-dollars and can take tax-free withdrawals if they meet the same age and length-of-ownership require­ ments as the Roth IRA. So, what’s different about these plans in 2022? First, con­ sider the traditional IRA. Ifyou - and your spouse, if you’re married - don’t have a 401(k) or similar plan, you can always deduct the full amount of your contribution on your tax return, no matter what you earn. But if one or both of you are covered by an employer-sponsored plan, then your deductions could be reduced or eliminated based on your income. Single taxpayers can claim the full deduction if your mod­ ified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is $68,000 or less ($109,000 for married filing jointly), with deductibility de­ creasing at higher income lev­ els and phasing out entirely at $78,000 ($129,000 for married filing jointly). But here’s the key point: Compared to 2021, these ranges are $2,000 high­ er for single filers and $4,000 higher for those who are mar­ ried and filing jointly - which means that this year, you might have more opportunities to make deductible contributions. And a similar type of in­ crease applies to Roth IRA eligibility. In 2022, if you’re a single filer, you can put in up to $6,000 ($7,000 if you are 50 or older) in a Roth IRA if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $129,000 - up from $125,000 in 2021. Allowable contribu­ tions are reduced at higher income levels and phased out if your MAGI is $144,000 or more, up from $140,000 in 2021. If you’re married and file jointly, the respective rang­ es are $204,000-S214,000, up from $198,00Q-$208,000 in 2021. Again, higher ranges may mean more opportunities for you. (Consult your tax advisor to determine your eligi­ bility to contribute to a Roth IRA or make deductible con­ tributions to a traditional IRA.) And finally, the annual contribution limit for 401(k), 457(b) and 403(b) plans is $20,500 - up $1,000 from 2021. If you’re 50 or older, you can put in an extra $6,500 this year, for a total of $27,000. These changes may not seem monumental, but when you’re saving for retirement, any opportunities to invest and potentially reduce taxes, of whatever size, can be valu­ able. So, review your options to determine how you can help yourself move closer to your retirement goals. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC . • ' ■ .*! i ■ , ( , ' '■ ' 180778 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judica­ ture act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 16, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the. purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is en­ couraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Stanley W. Beer, Single Man Original Mortgagee: Mort­ gage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mort­ gagee, as nominee for Union Home Mortgage Corp., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Rushmore Loan Management Services, LLC Date of Mortgage: October 20, 2014 Date of Mortgage Record­ ing: October 27, 2014 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $121,742.20 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Bar­ ry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Com­ mencing at a point on the West line of Section 18, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan, distant North 00 degrees 06 minutes West, 989.15 feet from the Southwest corner of said section; thence continuing North 00 degrees 06 minutes West along said West section line, 165.00 feet; thence South 88 degrees 28 minutes East, 264.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 06 minutes East 165.00 feet; thence North 88 degrees 28 minutes West, 264.00 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly Known as: 12793 South M 43 Hwy., Delton, Ml 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless deter­ mined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the bor­ rower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any rea­ son. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the at­ torney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the tele­ phone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 5/19/2022 Potestivo & As­ sociates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 315374 (05-19)(06-09) In the matter of the Janet E. Arens Revocable Living Trust. Date of birth: 05/02/1936. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Janet E. Arens died 12/16/2021 There is no personal representative of the decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Trust will be forever barred unless presented to Henry T. Arens and Todd R. Arens Co­ trustees of the Janet E. Arens Revocable Living Trust, under a Trust Agreement Dated January 20, 2009, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. j Financial FOCUS 180952 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ dicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or ca­ shier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 30, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Justin T. Curtis, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registra­ tion Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servic­ ing, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 22, 2016 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 9, 2016 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $128,754.92 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 26 of Ammon Eatons Addition to the City of Hast­ ings according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats on Page 15. Also commencing at the Northeast corner of said Lot 26, thence North 33 feet, thence West 132 feet, thence South 33 feet, thence East 132 feet, being the South one half of Eaton St. adjacent to said Lot 26, which street was heretofore vacated by City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 1305 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2502 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). ' If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chap­ ter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: June 2, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1465702 (06-02)(06-23) 181512 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29179-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Beverly J. Emswiler. Date of birth: 10/11/1945. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Beverly J. Emswiler, died 04/03/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Pamela J. Strouse, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29190-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Joan Frances Kintzing. Date of birth: 04/10/1924. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joan Frances Kintzing, died 05/06/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to William C. Vissers, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/03/2022 Nathan E. Tagg P68994 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Pamela J. Strouse 1350 Hammond Road Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-7360 Date: 06/07/2022 Stephanie S. Fekkes P43549 Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 William C. Vissers c/o Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 182090 182072 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT i Notice under MCL 600.3212: Pursuant to MCI? 600.3212, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under MCL 600.3201 et. seq., the borrower* will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or the mortgage holder for damaging the property during, the redemption period. ‘ ATTENTION POTENTIAL PURCHASERS AT FORECLOSURE SALE: In the case of resolution, prior to or simultaneously with the aforementioned foreclosure sale, Highpoint Community Bank, successor by merger to Hastings City Bank, may rescind this sale at any time prior to the end of the redemption period. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited to the return of your bid amount tendered at the sale, plus interest. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this; notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCU 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be^ foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, on some part of them, at a public auction sale to the1 highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in County of Barry in the State of Michigan, starting promptly at 1 :OOj p.m., on June 23, 2022 at on the East steps of the Circuit Court Building in Hastings, Michigan. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. This notice relates to a Mortgage in the amount of* $61,000.00 made by June M. Bolton, not personally; but as surviving Trustee on behalf of the Lewis O' Bolton and June M Bolton Trust dated October 21, 2003 and amended on April 14, 2004; AND; June M. Bolton, a single woman, (“Mortgagor”)^ to Hastings City Bank, dated September 28, 2015,. and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for the County of Barry in the State of Michigan on1 October 2, 2015, in Document No. 2015-009729,' on which Mortgage there is claimed to be due as, of the date of this Notice the sum of $56,027.59,| together with interest at 4.5 percent per annum, v NOW THEREFORE, there will be offered at public sale, the premises, or some part thereof,, described in said Mortgage as follows, to-wit: . Platted Lot(s), situated in the Township of Hastings’ County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as: i Lot 12 Melody Acres, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the Recorded Plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 5 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Said premises are commonly known as 2141 Robinwood Drive, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The redemption period shall be six (6) months unless the property is established to be abandoned pursuant to MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be the later of thirty (30) days from the date of sale or fifteen (15) days from the date the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(b) was posted and mailed, or unless under MCL 600.3240(16), prior to the foreclosure sale the borrower follows the procedure set forth in that section to establish the presumption that the property is used for Agricultural purposes, in which case the redemption period shall be one (1) year from the date of the sale. Dated: May 3, 2022 By: NICOLE R. GRAF (P55474) ALWARD FISHER RICE ROWE & GRAF, PLC Attorneys for Highpoint 202 E. State Street, Suite 100 Traverse City, Michigan 49684 (231)346-5400 File No.: 19279.0001 (Highpoint / Bolton) 180782 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — Page 11 EGR scores one-run win over Saxons in district game Brett Bremer . Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris, pictured winning the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in the discus, earned state runner-up honors in the discus at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Track and Field Finals Saturday in Kent City with a personal record throw of 160 feet 2 inches in the event. (File photo) Ferris caps track time as state runner-up in discus I Brett Bremer Sports Editor ’ As the season wore in it kept taking longer £nd longer to track down a discus throw by Delton Kellogg senior Caden Ferris. ■ He set a new personal record in six of his nine meets this spring including the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Track and Field Finals Saturday at Kent City High School Jvhere he earned the state runner-up medal yvith a throw of 160 feet 2 inches. ; Ferris had a top throw of just over 120 feet coming into his senior season. He set his PR at 126-3 at the opening meet of the season back in April, went over 140 feet for the first fime at a meet in mid-May, won the South­ western Athletic Conference championship in the event at 153-9.25 and then blew by 160 for the first time Saturday. Only two guys went over 160 feet at the D3 Finals Saturday, Ferris and the state champion junior Kellen Kimes from Hart. Hart had a top throw of 165-10 to set a new PR of his own. . Kimes threw beyond 160 for the first time in the first meet of this spring for the Hart boys after being a state medalist a year ago as well. The top eight in each event earned state piedals Saturday. Fetris, ,who will wrestle at Central Michi­ gan University next season, was one of two away the competition in the hurdles. He won Delton Kellogg boys competing Saturday. Freshman Wyatt Finney placed 16^ in the the 110-meter high hurdles in 13.64 seconds long jump with a mark of 19-1. and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in Warren Michigan Collegiate senior Trevon 39.43. In the 110s, Pewamo-Westphalia Redding won the boys’ long jump with a leap senior Corey Schafer was the runner-up in of 22-5. Beaverton’s Noah Coffey, another 15.17, and Schafer placed second in the 300s senior, was the runner-up at 22-0. The last of in 40.36. the eight state medalists in the event flew Diaz also won the 100-meter dash in 11.16 20-5.25. seconds. The Lansing Catholic varsity boys’ track Hart’s Kimes was also the runner-up in the and field team took the 2022 MHSAA LP boys’ shot put with a mark of 58-8, bested Division 3 State Championship with 38 only by Mason County Central senior Andrew points finishing one point better than the run­ Quinn who threw 61-1.5. ner-up team from Saugatuck with 37. Benzie Hart won the girls’ state championship in Central was third with 32 points ahead of D3 with 63 points ahead of Pewamo-West­ Pewamo-Westphalia 30, Hart 29, Mason phalia 39, Onsted 33, Montague 29, Quincy 28, Ithaca 27, Jackson Lumen Christi 24, County Central 28, Sanford-Meridian 28, Traverse City St. Francis 24, Chesaning 23, Blissfield 22, Benzie Central 21 and Holland and Beaverton 19 in the top ten. Black River 20 in the top ten. Ferris’ eight-point runner-up finish had the Saige Martin from Pewamo-Westphalia Delton Kellogg team in a tie for 29“1 place. matched Diaz’s sweep of the hurdles. She Benzi Central junior Hunter Jones was a won the girls’ 100-meter hurdles in 15.23 and two-time champion in distance races. He took the 300-meter low hurdles in 46.24 - setting the 1600-meter run in 4 minutes 10.68 sec­ new personal records in both races. onds and the 800-meter run in 1:52.68. He Senior Lani Bloom from Ithaca was a two­ couldn’t quite finish off the trifecta, placing time champion too winning the 1600-meter second in the 3200-meter :fun with a time of " fun in 4:49.60 aria the” 800-meter run in 9:125.87 behind Manton senior Noah Mar­ 2:11.86. row (9:17.84). Kylee Poulton, a senior from Black River, Saugatuck was powered to its team run­ took the sprints. She won the 100-meter dash ner-up finish by senior Benny Diaz who blew in 12.28 and the 200-meter dash in 24.83. Season ends for Saxons and Trojans at softball district Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings and Thomapple Kellogg both saw their varsity softball teams conclude their season in the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals at Hopkins High School Saturday. OK Gold Conference rival Wayland bested the TK ladies in their district semifinal 9-0 and then went on to defeat host Hopkins 10-0 in five innings in the district final. Hopkins got to the district championship game by knocking off Hastings 8-2 in their semifinal match. Hastings had four hits in its loss to the Vikings. Zoey Bennett was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Morgan Deal and Jayden Karsen both singled once. The Saxons scored their two runs in the bottom of the fifth after Hopkins had moved out to a 6-0 lead. The Saxons’ scoring rally got going with two out after Liliana Fox had led off the inning with a walk. She moved to second on a ground out by Emily Simmons. Karsen’s single moved Fox to third. Fox would score on a Hopkins error and then a pair of passed balls allowed Karsen to get to third. Karsen came home on an RBI single into right by Bennett. Cassidee Easey went the distance in the circle for the Saxons allowing six earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out three and didn’t walk anyone. The only three hits for Thomapple Kellogg in its 9-0 loss to Wayland were a pair of singles by Kylee Hoebeke and one from Eliana O’Riley. Wayland pitcher Emma Ludema threw the first six innings striking out 13. She allowed the three hits and didn’t walk a batter. Banner CLASSIFIEDS Help Wanted MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets BORDER COLLIE PUPPIES For sale. Very cute & play­ ful. 1st shots and wormed. $250. 517-852-4881. Real Estate Fann Eagles chasing conference championship in Kalamazoo Brett Bremer Sports Editor Barry County Christian’s varsity baseball team improved to 21-10 on the season with 3 and 2-0 wins over Algoma Christian to 4close out the regular season on the road Tuesday. The Eagles finish the Great Lakes Six Regular season in a three-way tie for the top spot in the conference with Algoma Christian and Sacred Heart Academy. The conference tournament is this evening, June 9, hosted by Heritage Christian in Kalamazoo. The Eagles open play at 5 p.m. against Algoma Christian. “We still aren’t hitting well after our three-game skid,” BCC coach Brandon Strong said. “We will need to squeeze every ounce of energy [Thursday] to get the conference championship.” Barry County Christian took game one 4-3 against Algoma Christian Tuesday with Chris Lantzer getting the win on the mound. He shut outAlgoma Christian for three mnings on'one frit and one walk while striking out two. Algoma Christian managed three runs, one of them earned, in the bottom of the fifth off of Wyatt Smit before Isaiah Bir­ mingham came on to get the final two outs with the tying run on second base. Nathan Loerop was 2-for-2 hitting out of the number nine spot for the Eagles. He had an RBI. Lantzer drove in two runs. The other Eagle hits were singles by Birmingham and Joe Wise. Brody Grihorash and Aspen Neymeiyer teamed up to shut out Algoma Christian in game two. Grihorash went 2.2 innings allow­ ing one hit and striking out four. Neymeiyer struck out two in 2.1 innings. Neither guy walked a batter. Neymeiyer didn’t allow a hit. Birmingham tripled and drove in a run. Grihorash and Dustin Lampart added sin­ gles for the Eagles. Lantzer had an RBI. Smit and Wise scored the two Eagle runs. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED 2022-2023 BUDGET AT THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BARRY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT: DATE OF MEETING: JUNE 14, 2022 PLACE OF MEETING BARRY ISD ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE HOUR OF MEETING 8:30 A.M. TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE: (269) 945-9545 LAND FOR LEASE for horse pasturing, approx. 45 acres. Well water & separate meter already installed. Would need to put up fence or outbuilding or barn if needed. 616-293-8267 FOR SALE- 700 W. High St., Hastings. 2 bed/2 bath with basement, enclosed porch, 1 Car garage. 352-287-3997. BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING MINUTES ARE LOCATED AT: PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. base hit,” Sixberry said. “There were times we hit the ball and it was like, ‘how did that not get through?’ One hit the pitcher’s mound and went up high and they got us out on that, which nor­ mally would have been a single up the middle.” Morris, the Saxon catcher, was the only Hastings guy with two hits. He was 2-for-3. Mason Denton, Tibble, Reil, Landon Steward and Lars Sorensen had the other Saxon singles. East Grand Rapids pitcher Brendan Bums matched Reil’s seven-inning performance for the Pioneers. He struck out six, walked one and didn’t allow an earned run in earning the win. Grand Rapids Christian, the district host, bested Thomapple Kellogg 15-0 in the other semifinal match at the Eagles’ Gainey Athletic Complex Saturday morning and then went on to a 5-2 win over East Grand Rapids in the district final. Hastings tuned-up for the district with a pair of ballgames at Jonesville June 1. The Saxons took the opener 10-2 in Jones­ ville then fell 2-0 to the Comets in game two. Hastings had 12 hits in the game one win, including four from Thompson who was 4-for5 with an RBI and four runs scored. Tibble was for-4 with two runs, two RBI and a walk. One 3of his three hits was a double. Steward was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Reil had three RBI and also threw the first four innings in which he allowed one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out three. Denton relieved Reil for the final three innings and gave up one run on three hits and a walk while striking out one. “It was fun,” Sixberry said of the doublehead­ er that was planned late in the season. “They were really spunky and feisty. It was fun to go down there and we had a good time down there even though we should have won both games.” Singles by Tibble, Benson, Sorensen, Smalley and Reil were the five Saxon hits in game two. Morris started on the mound and allowed two unearned runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out two in four innings. Smalley came on in relief for two scoreless innings in which he struck out two and allowed one hit. Hastings ends the season with a 10-17 over­ all record. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BARRY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 B itsin ess Services Sports Editor East Grand Rapids managed to manufacture a run in the top of the seventh inning to snap a 22 tie and score a 3-2 victory over the Hastings varsity baseball team in the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals hosted by Grand Rapids Christian Saturday. The Saxons scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the contest at 2-2. Senior Carter Reil had a fine final game for the Saxons on the mound. He went the distance in taking the loss, striking our four, walking two and scattering six hits while giving up two earned runs. “He pitched a really solid game. He pitched a complete game and just ended up on the back side of that,” Hastings head coach Jason Six­ berry said. “East Grand Rapids was a very solid team. We did our job overall, except for allow­ ing the one run that got to third on an error. Overall, Carter Reil pitched a game that very easily could have been won by us.” Reil hit Gavin Bishop, the Pioneers’ lead-off man in the seventh. Bishop stole second and went to third on a Saxon error. He scored what proved to be the winning run on a fly ball into center by teammate David Bemecker. “I was proud of our guys on how they stayed in the game and stayed focused, with positive attitudes,” Sixberry said. “We had a chance all the way up to the end.” The Saxon coach was also pleased with his guys’ sportsmanship throughout. Tyler Morris led off the fifth inning with a single for the Saxons. Aiden Morton dropped down a sacrifice and reached on a Pioneer error, giving Hastings guys on first and second with nobody out. Matt Thompson followed with a bunt to third base that the Pioneer third baseman was unable to make a play with. That had the bases loaded with nobody out. A one-out single by Easton Tibble scored John Tellkamp, a courtesy runner in for Morris, and kept the bases loaded. A fly-out into center by Harrison Smalley brought Morton home from third and tied the game. Hastings outhit the Pioneers 7-6 in the bail­ game, but runs were tough to comet by. “It seemed like every time we hit the ball it took the hop to them instead of becoming a ’at Remove' GIVE US A CALL TODAY! HARMLESS BAT REMOVAL BAT PROOF & CLEAN UP FULL ATTIC RESTORATION 10 YEAR WARRANTY 517-599-1019 www.thebatguysbatremoval.com A COPY OF THE PROPOSED 2022-2023 BUDGET INCLUDING THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS AT: BARRY ISD ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 535 WEST WOODLAWN AVENUE HASTINGS, MI 49058-1038 BARRY ISD ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE 535 WEST WOODLAWN AVENUE HASTINGS, MI 49058-1038 PURPOSE OF MEETING: 1. Public discussion on the proposed 2022-2023 budget. The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. The Board may not adopt its proposed 2022­ 2023 budget until after the public hearing. Deb Hatfield Secretary, Barry Intermediate School District Board of Education 182075 �Page 12 — Thursday, June 9, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Winning Saxon season ends against Gull Lake girls Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons chatted after their final match of the season Wednesday and came to the conclusion that Gull Lake was the best team they had faced all season long. That was with the top-ranked team in the state in Division 2, Marshall, having been on their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference slate this spring. The Saxons were right. The fifth-ranked Blue Devils from Gull Lake bested the top-ranked Marshall varsity girls’ soccer team 4-2 in their MHSAA Division 2 District Final in Marshall Friday evening. The Gull Lake girls opened the state post­ season with an 8-0 win over another 1-8 foe, Harper Creek, and then bested the Saxons 9-1 in the district semifinals Wednesday, June 1, in Marshall. “They just had an overpowering offense that was relentless,” Hastings head coach Tim Schoessel said. “We were able to hold our own or at least fight them off for the better part of the first half. The half ended with them up 3-0. I assume that upset them more as they came out and lit us up for six more goals prior to the end of the second half. “Our girls were definitely worn out trying to slow down their offensive attack which just kept building into the second half. They have a great team, and the subs coming into the game were equally as skilled so there is no let up from that group of girls.” The Saxons managed a couple breakaway counter attacks in the first half, but coach Schoessel said those were shut down rather quickly by the Blue Devil defense. The Sax­ ons a few more solid chances on net in the second half with Raegan Morrison finally putting one in for the Hastings team. The now 17-2 Blue Devils were set to face Mason in a regional semifinal hosted by Harper Creek Wednesday, June 8. Hastings ends the season with a record of 12-5-1. “Overall I was very happy with this group of girls this year,” coach Schoessel said. “There were a couple of additions to the team, but overall the majority of the girls were the same that had a two-win season last year, and this year were able to turn it around into a 12-win season. I think they just needed to get a season under their belt being a young team and understand how to come together and work as a team. “This group of girls just really loved to play the game and they worked hard on fixing all the areas that allowed them to net a win­ ning season.” Marshall, which was undefeated heading into the district final, reached the district final against Gull Lake by scoring an 8-0 win over Coldwater in its district semifinal match June 1. That was the RedHawks’ 20th victory of the season. Lakewood junior Drew Marquoit accepts his regional runner-up medal after shooting a 77 at Old Channel Trail Golf Course in Muskegon during the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Regional hosted by Montague. Marquoit was a runner-up and the Lakewood team was second overall as well to earn a spot in the June 10-11 State Finals at The Fortress in Frankenmuth. - Viking golf team gets back to D3 State Finals Hastings' Raegan Morrison (right) battles with Gull Lake's Caroline Yapp for posses­ sion during their MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal hosted by Marshall June 1. (Photo by John Hendler) Hastings Goalkeeper Dekota Blough makes as diving save against Gull Lake during the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals in Marshall June 1. (Photo by John Hendler) THE HOTTEST STARS ——— 45 YEARS OF ROCK ——— GEORGE thorogoOD —-t-AND the-»—— Brett Bremer Sports Editor Only the defending MHSAA Lower Penin­ sula Division 3 Champions from Grand Rap­ ids Catholic Central were better than the Lakewood boys Wednesday at Old Channel Trail Golf Course in Muskegon. The Viking varsity boys’ golf team will head back to the Division 3 Lower Peninsula State Finals for the second consecutive spring thanks to their runner-up finish. Catholic Central won the regional championship with a score of 308. Lakewood put together a score of 326 and Grand Rapids Covenant Christian scored a 340 to earn the three state finals spots from the regional. The top three teams and top three individ­ uals not on those teams at the regional earned spots in the finals which will be held June 10-11 at The Fortress in Frankenmuth. Lakewood junior Drew Marquoit was the regional runner-up with a score of 75 individ­ ually and senior Trevor Simon placed fifth with a 77. Marquoit was just one over on the front nine, on the Woods course, helped by a birdie on the 403-yard, par-4 number two. The 75 is a season-best 18-hole round for Marquoit. Simon had back-to-back birdies on nine and ten to boost his score. Things were certainly tougher on the Val­ ley nine, the back nine for the day. Lakewood head coach Carl Kutch said it was a narrow, demanding stretch of golf. “Our boys managed the course very well and played smart and confident today,” Kutch said. Catholic Central had four guys among the top seven scorers and all five of its guys were among the top 16. Catholic Central sopho­ more Will Preston won the individual region­ al title with a score of 72. Behind the top two for Lakewood senior Brody Jackson scored an 84 and senior Logan Kenyon a 90. Senior teammate Liam Cavana­ ugh was right behind Kenyon with a 92. Rounding out the scorers for Catholic Cen­ tral were senior Luke Preston with a 76, sophomore Matthew Sokorai with a 77 and senior John Harmon with an 83. The third-place team from Covenant Chris­ tian got 83s from sophomore Michael DeVries and senior Tyler Block, an 85 from senior Micah Koole and an 89 from senior Damon Haveman. Belding senior Mason Anderson was tied for third in the day’s individual standings and was the top individual state qualifier from the regional with a 76. Montague’s Danny Flana­ gan and Comstock Park’s Josh Berridge both shot an 83 to earn the final two state spots. Anderson’s Belding team was fourth in the team standings with a score of 344 ahead of West Catholic 359, Montague 363, North Muskegon 363, Tri County 364, Kent City 372, Muskegon Oakridge 378, Portland 385; Lakeview 387, Hart 392, Comstock Park 395, Grant 400, West Michigan Aviation Academy 424, Shelby 437, Newaygo 455, Ravenna 46Q and Central Montcalm 474. Highly ranked Plainwell tops TK ladies in district semifinals Coach Strickland ends winning tenure at TK j Plainwell Trojans were knotted at 0-0 at the half. Goal­ was unable to get it down to get a shot off before the keeper Kate Hildabrand was strong, and the defense and. Plainwell keeper snagged it. midfield in front of her were solid for TK throughout her “The first half, I thought we played phenomenal,” SATURDAY, Strickland said. “We came out with a lot of energy. We half in net. JUNE 18 honestly, I think took Plainwell aback a little bit.” Strickland said he thought his girls frustrated Plainwell Strickland announced to his team after the contest that with their counter attacks. it was his final one leading the TK program. During his In the end, it was Plainwell sophomore midfielder DIERKS BENTLEY 12 seasons, really 11 due to the canceled 2020 campaign, Kailah Newcomb who scored two goals about a minute THURSDAY, JULY 7 Strickland’s teams were 143-54-22. The only losing sea­ apart with a little over ten minutes to play that secured the KENNY LOGGINS son the TK girls had under his tenure was his first. TK win for her team. Her two goals snapped a 1-1 tie. AT THE MOVIES TOUR won two district championships and three conference Alex Thornton scored less than two minutes into the SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 titles under his guidance, with the help of some outstand­ second half to put Plainwell in front. Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office ing assistant coaches along the way Strickland made sure TK answered with a well-performed set play. Sydney or FireKeepersCasino.com. to mention. Moerman rolled a pass past a Plainwell wall about 40 “The culture change definitely happened. You can’t yards out from the goal for a sprinting Kiah Nichols. Nich­ GET YOUR VfttfFoNf ™S ols booted a pass across the goal mouth over the head of win games without good players, but I think there is something to be said about implementing a culture of the Plainwell keeper where Grace McNabnay was waiting I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 winning. I remember when I got to TK, when our girls on the other side to put it in tying the game at 1-1. Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. would do their team goals at the start of the year the goals “It is honestly a play that we have run for years,” were like beat South Christian. Can we beat this one Strickland said, while admitting his girls haven’t team? We don’t have a culture of winning when our goal been very successful with it this spring. “I think is to beat one team. Now, you don’t see any of that. the first time I actually saw it was my first or sec­ “The goal is we want to compete for a district. Win a ond year coaching. I saw Grand Rapids Christian district. Compete for conference. Win conference. We run it at a district game and stole it from them. We have done that. The reality is outside of that very first have run it ever since. Set play no 2. I think origi­ year, in the conference, we have multiple second place nally, Alyvia Thome ran over the ball and she was I don’t know how many folks to help when I become your next State Representative for finishes and multiple third place finishes and we never No. 2 and we named it that.” know that the regulations currently District 78. You can help me re-design the Michigan farming The Trojans’ best chance to score in the first half fell below that.” in Michigan government are not regulations by including the farmers in the discussions that Hildabrand, McNabnay, Moerman and Nichols were came midway through the half. Nichols made a on the side of the farmer, and will directly affect their livelihoods and the food supply for four of nine seniors on the TK roster this spring joined by play on a cross by teammate Peyton Pratt and col­ certainly not the LOCAL farmer. Of our families. Shutting down Line 5, increasing gas taxes, Shayne Krystyniak, Tristen Cross, Keanna Dudik, Augus­ lided with the Plainwell keeper. The ball found its all the 50 states, our Michigan farming regulations, taxes, delaying road repairs, and implementing costly regulations tine Abshagen and Aino Okko. way across the net to TK’s Madilyn Chivis, but she and protocols are some of the most impractical, costly, to alter previous farming practices under the guise of unsustainable, and NOT environmentally-friendly. And “environmentally friendly” standards must be exposed and Michigan is one of the most productive farming states in stopped. The farmer must prevail, thrive, and be able to at the country. We are second only to California in variety of least make some kind of a profit. So, the next time we see a farmer with his large farming crops, solely because we cannot grow citrus fruit. All that said, the average family spends 10% of their equipment on the road, let’s be patient while he’s slowly East Jackson senior Benjamin Maino joined the two Brett Bremer disposable income on food, and food prices are rising along moving his equipment, let’s wave and give him a thumbs Lenawee Christian guys in qualifying for the state Sports Editor with our gas prices. The farmer AND the family are both at up, and if you are close enough to talk to him, tell him finals. He scored a 79. Adrian Lenawee Christian teammates Connor Paririsk for survival as we endure these governmental policies THANK YOU. The farming profit margins aren’t big, but Lansing Christian senior Davis Garrett was the sien and Brogan Winder survived a playoff to best that seem only to strip our economy and demoralize us. their contributions to society sure are! Let’s appreciate the Can the farmer survive? Can the family survive? Who can farmer, and all they represent for us. And, let’s frequent the individual regional champion with a score of 76. The Maple Valley senior Owen Bailey for the last state debate that the most important part of our society is the food local farmers’ markets so they stay in business. Pilgrims also got a 77 from junior Baylor Brogan, an qualifying spot from their regional tournament My name is Gina Johnsen. I am running for State supply? Couple that with an infrastructure problem getting 80 from senior William Combs and an 81 from senior Wednesday. the food to markets, we have a terrible disaster fostered Representative. My goal is to stand up for the farmer and the Caden Kinnas. Parisien, a sophomore, and the senior Winder both mostly by those whom we have elected and the departments family, and to foster common sense laws and leadership for Hillsdale Academy took its runner-up finish led by shot an 82 to lead their team to a fourth place finish on our state. Your one vote for me on August 2nd can make a they manage. the day. The Maple Valley boys were 11^ led by Bai­ sophomore Ridley Fast who shot a 77. Rykert FrisingAlong with rising fertilizer and diesel fuel costs, that difference for all of us. And if you are a farmer, please email er scored an 84 for Hillsdale, Kahle Welden an 85 and ley’s 82. The trio went to a playoff with the Lenawee every farmer depends on, there has recently become a or call me with your comments. I want to hear from you. I Jake Waldvogel an 87. Christian boys keeping Bailey from earning a return drastic decline in available farm laborers as well. Some already talk regularly to Mooville owners, Doug and Louisa Hudson was led by Austin Marry who scored an 83 trip to the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Boys’ Golf crops depend on LEGAL migrant workers. How ironic is Westendorp who have endorsed me for this position to serve and Kodie Kirkland with an 85. Logan Willis scored a Finals. it to have a labor shortage when our current presidential Michigan, but I also want to hear from you. 91 and Rhys Mitchell a 92 for their team. The top three teams and top three individuals not on Your comments are welcome and encouraged: administration is increasing illegal immigration? Behind Bailey for Maple Valley, sophomore Diesel those teams at regionals across the state this week There are more issues with increased farming regulations Curtis was number two with a 100. Caden Faurot earned spots in next weekend’s state finals. For more information, please visit my website: in Michigan and a potential food shortage in the near future. capped his senior season with a 113 and freshman The Greater Lansing Activities Conference champi­ But don’t panic, we really can turn this around - if we pay Gina4$t4terepxem.Chris Mock scored a 114. ons from Lansing Christian won the regional champi­ Please give me the opportunity to earn your vote on attention, find out the truth about what is going on, and defend The MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals onship at Calderone Farms Golf Course with a score our farmers and the businesses they depend on. I am willing August 2nd. will be held at Forest Akers West Golf Course on the of 314. Hillsdale was second at 333 and Hudson third Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 campus of Michigan State University, June 10-11. with a score of 351. DESTROYERS Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ soccer coach Joel Strickland won 143 games during his dozen seasons lead­ ing the Trojan program. Getting win 144 would have been great. The TK Trojan team’s season was ended by No. 5-ranked Plainwell in the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals at the Zeeland East soccer complex Tuesday, May 31. Plainwell, now 16-2, was upended 4-2 to Zeeland West (13-2-2) in the district final Friday night, June 3. TK ends the season with a 13-4-3 record overall. “I felt like we played really well,” Strickland said. “Outside of about a five minute period in the second half, I thought we to be honest played well and I actually thought we played good enough to win.” He said the first half was one of the best halves of soc­ cer his girls played all spring. The TK Trojans and the mer survive? Bailey just misses return trip to MHSAA golf finals � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-06-16.pdf 82f586034ac8b8b1f1b8d00bea6f7151 PDF Text Text Raising the alarm for victims of catastrophic car crashes Now here's someone who's way out of touch Viking golf team has best state finals finish ever See Story on Page 3 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 9 804879110187 1070490102590502300549058113421 *********************** CAR-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47.00 AM VOLUME 168, No. 24 Thursday, June 16, 2022 PRICE $1.00 Court surprise puts county in a quandary Rebecca Pierce Editor This coming Monday will be a paid holi­ day for Barry County courthouse employees, commissioners agreed during their board meeting Tuesday. Although this hastily declared Juneteenth observance is set for June 20, some commis­ sioners weren’t happy the precipitous way this new holiday came about — and they weren’t alone. A couple of state Supreme Court justices weren’t thrilled about it either. “President Biden signed into law last year a new federal holiday, which is Juneteenth, which, if you’re not familiar, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved black Ameri­ cans,” Chairman Ben Geiger said. “It has been celebrated across the country for generations, but now it is becoming a formal holiday.” Geiger said the state Supreme Court, which is the authority controlling all courts in Michigan, on June 1 declared a court holiday for June­ teenth this year, “which is a worthy thing to do.” “However,” he added, “this does affect every local court in Michigan, including our courts.” So every county in Michigan was faced with figuring out how to deal with the sudden decision to add another holiday for a specific group of employees, Geiger said. In Barry County, commissioners ultimately voted to give county employees Monday off and close the courthouse - but not before agonizing over how to handle it. Commissioner Dave Jackson said a major problem with the state court ruling was tight turnaround. The court order is dated June 1. Two of the seven state Supreme Court jus­ tices dissented: Justices Brian Zahra and David Viviano. Viviano characterized the court ruling as upstaging legislative action taken years before. “Juneteenth commemorates a historically significant date that, pursuant to statute, our state recognizes and celebrates by encourag­ ing individuals and organizations to pause and reflect,” Viviano pointed out. “...The Legislature gave this matter thoughtful con­ sideration less than two decades ago, passing the Juneteenth National Freedom Day legis­ lation unanimously and with broad bipartisan support. “I would defer to its judgment rather than trying to upstage the Legislature by creating a new holiday of our own.” The idea of giving court employees a paid day off is not a simple matter, especially in the wake of COVID-19. Many courts in Michigan have been buried under a case backlog caused by the pandemic. Viviano noted, “The Court’s decision to add another holiday comes at a particularly bad time for our courts. As I noted last fall, ‘many of our trials courts - including some of our largest courts - are confronting a signifi­ cant backlog of criminal and civil cases resulting for their inability to conduct in-per­ son court proceedings for long stretches of time during the COVID-19 pandemic.’” That backlog “will only be exacerbated by today’s rule change. And, as if to emphasize that trial court operations are not our primary concern, the Court has decided to give the current amendment immediate effect, meaning it will take effect this June rather than next.” That sudden implementation does create a problem in Barry County, Chief Judge Wil­ liam Doherty confirmed, even though the county does not have the backlog that other counties are experiencing. All three judges had jury trials scheduled for this Monday. So that sudden change throws “a lot of things ... out of whack,” Doherty said. Logistics aside, the greater concern for commissioners is equitable treatment of other See COURT, page 2 Barry County Chief Judge William Doherty reviews the Michigan Supreme Court June 1 ruling with regard to the immediate establishment of a paid holi­ day on June 20. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) ‘Evil can’t extinguish a shining light’ Rebecca Pierce Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt tells listeners of Gracyn Brickley’s “stunning eyes,” and describes her as “a shining light.” (Photo by Scott Harmsen.) Editor The sentence in^the death of Gracyn Brickley was a foregone"i’onclusion. Andrew Lafey, 22, is going to die in prison with no chance of parole, Barry County Judge Michael Schipper said. The judge didn’t word it quite that way, though. Schipper refused to say his name. Instead, he called him evil. “I have not said the defendant’s name since the last day of the trial,” the judge said. “What he did takes him out of the human realm for me.” Schipper found Lafey guilty on six crimi­ nal counts, including first-degree murder and torture, after a four-day bench trial. “There’s one other thing I’m going to add,” the judge said. “1 don’t know what authority I have or don’t have regarding this, but I’m going to write in the judgment of sentence that the defendant have no phone or email privileges. The defendant have no mail privi­ leges - either sending or receiving.” “The only contact the defendant should have with anyone outside the prison should be with his legal counsel,” Schipper ordered. “Don’t know if the prison will follow that. But I don’t think the defendant should have any contact with anyone outside the prison until the day he dies. He’s lost that privilege in my mind. No one should have contact with him either.” The handing down of sentence in this case last Thursday concluded the proceedings. Tyden Lofts idea to get another look from county Staff Writer A revised Tyden Lofts housing concept for downtown Hastings is queued up for consid­ eration by Barry County commissioners next Tuesday. The discussion will come as a followup to a May 31 workshop when some commission­ ers said they weren’t in favor of selling the former Friend of the Court building. Developer General Capital had asked to buy the building from the county so that it could be preserved and included as a public amenity in the housing project. Preserving that historic aspect of the building also would add value to the development since it would qualify for Michigan State Housing Develop­ ment Authority tax credits. On Tuesday, county board Chairman Ben Geiger confirmed that he had received an amended proposal from General Capital. In this new plan, the county would sell a portion of the building’s parking lot to the developer, but retain ownership of the building. “I would like to move on this and get this done by the end of the month,” Geiger said. “We will have an amended proposal to be considered next week. ...I appreciate the backers behind this proposal understanding our future needs.” Geiger expressed a sense of urgency about this project since housing remains scarce in the county; he said he’s hearing about this need from constituents. If the housing market here was healthy, Mark Hewitt, co-owner of Miller Real Estate in Hastings, said he would expect to see about 225 houses for sale in Barry County. When Hewitt checked on Tuesday morn­ ing, he noted a total of 78 houses for sale in the region. When he checked again a short time later, that number had already dropped to 77. See TYDEN LOFTS, page 3 Gracyn Brickley’s father, Jason Goforth, expresses his anguish over the death of his daughter. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) everybody” who has come in contact with-itr she said. . Nakfoor Pratt held up photos of Gracyn'as she spoke. “This is a picture Dad sent-me on Easter Sunday.” .... -L; Gracyn had beautiful features, the proseeij* tor said, but there was something about her that was unforgettable: “She had stunning eyes. She was described by her dad as a light. And her eyes had light.” , When Lafey was torturing her, he bragged about watching the light go out of her eyes, Nakfoor Pratt said. “But I have no doubt in my mind, and I am told by people I trust, that she is, in fact, at peace and her light is going to shine for the rest of our lives. ...We’re always going to be connected. ... “Gracyn was a shining light.” Jason Goforth spoke during the hearing. “Gracyn wasn’t just my daughter,” he said, shaking with emotion, “she was my Strength; my world. \ ,• “’My bestie’ she used to say.” — “She always knows how to make your day better; her smile, her laugh was always some­ thing you could count on. Her ‘I love you, Dad” will always be something I hope to hear: All the wonderful things that were taken. My wish is that Mr. Lafey never hurts anyone else like this and I pray and hope he’s somewhere where that’s not possible for him.” Gracyn’s mother, Brandy Goforth^ wag not able to come to the court, but the prose- See SHINING LIGHT, page 2 State to invest $688,000 f in Nashville housing project Housing concept slatedfor consideration at commissioners' meeting Tuesday Hunter McLaren That part was perfunctory hearing, a neces­ sity to ensure the killer would never be free to harm anyone else. Instead, the proceedings were all about Gracyn, the 18-year-old girl from Ionia with the beautiful eyes. She is what truly matters, Schipper told the family. And so that hearing was dedicated to her. Barry County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt said, in more than 30 years as a prosecutor, she has never handled a case quite like this one. It has “profoundly affected Greg Chandler The former Kellogg School in Nashville is one of 12 projects in Michigan being funded through the $13 million Building Michigan Together Plan. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Staff Writer Plans for a $6 million “workforce hous­ ing” project in Nashville got a major boost Wednesday, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that the project had received $688,000 in funding assistance from the state. The proposed Village Flats, planned for the former Kellogg School in Nashville, was one of 12 housing projects across the state being funded through the Building Michigan Together Plan, with a combined total investment of $13 million, the gover­ nor’s office said. The funding support comes in the form of tax credits. Through the federal Low-In­ come Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) pro­ gram, developers that receive awards can claim credits against their tax liability annu­ ally for up to 10 years - an important initia­ tive that helps incentivize investments in affordable housing in local communities across the state, the governor’s office said. Nashville officials approved the Village Flats project in March. Dogwood Community Development, based in Hart, has proposed renovating the building into 20 apartment units - 1-3 one-bedroom, five two-bedroom and two studio units. The building has been mostly vacant since Maple Valley Schools solvit about seven years ago. During a presentation in March, Dog-., wood Executive Director Kittie Tuinstra told planning commissioners that the apart­ ment units are not subsidized, but rather income-based. “This will be workforce housing, not subsidized housing, not Section 8 housing,, so it is available to a wide range of folks,” Tuinstra said at that time. “As long as folks have income below the income limits for the units, and as long as they have enough income to support the rent that is charged for those units, they can live there.” The apartments would make an annual payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to local governmental units of about 4 percent,of the gross rent. The Village Council passed an ordinance regulating the PILOT in late February. As a result of the PILOTs and tax breaks See STATE, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — The Hastings Banner STATE, continued from page 1-------------------------the Building Michigan Together Plan will fund the construction of thousands of affordable, attainable housing units to give thousands of working families a sta­ ble foundation to pursue their potential. It will also help more than 100,000 families stay in their homes with mortgage and rental assistance and finance energy-effi­ cient home repairs, lowering costs for Michiganders, according to the gover­ nor’s office. “When Michiganders have a safe place to call home, it serves as a launchpad for economic opportunity and a strong foun­ dation for people to pursue their poten­ tial,” Whitmer said in a news release. “Together, we can make necessary invest­ ments to create equitable pathways to attainable housing for all Michiganders.” ■ from the state, the complex would have a maximum income cap for occupants. The ", income cap for a family of four would be $59,860 a year, with the rent for the two-bedroom unit being $1,000 a month, while the cap for a one-bedroom unit would be $47,760, with rent at $850 a month. The Barry Community Foundation contributed a $50,000 loan to Dogwood to help with pre-development costs such as architectural work, a site survey, civil engineering, site plan review, marketing studies and legal costs associated with acquiring the property. “We’re thrilled,” BCF Executive .Director Bonnie Gettys said upon leammg the news of the state approval. Signed into law in April by Whitmer, June 1, 2022 Dear Spiritual Care Supporters, Children have come to us feeling helpless and defeated, disillusioned about their worth and potential, and having succumbed to messages of failure and despair. We know these feelings will continue, along with new feelings of anxiety and fear that accompany a pandemic. As our community continues to be affected by the corona virus, we pursue bringing hope and healing to those in need. Children that we serve have been greatly impacted by this crisis. With these new demands, we’ve been proud to increase our outreach efforts with Skype, Zoom, and Instant Messenger consulting sessions. We believe there will be a bright future for our community and nation on the horizon and the new Healing Center is open to help us meet the need. 2021 was a challenging year as SCC worked with children and adults. SCC saw 734 children and 796 adults, some more than once. The ministry grew by 41%, because of COVID-19 related challenges. Children and families were struggling not only with COVID-19 but also, with the lockdowns and isolation and the anxiety, stress, depression, and domestic violence that went with it. In 2022, we are preparing to help even more people than we did in 2021. Please keep SCC and the team in your prayers as we help people through the challenges of 2022. Through your continuing support, we want to help children overcome their challenges and empower each one of them to know their worth. As they experience the love of Christ, that they will receive light that will shine to others. Our SCC Children’s Fundraising goal this year is $150,000. We welcome your help in reaching it! Please feel free to go to www.scchealingbegins.com where you can watch testimony videos of the difference SCC has made in people’s lives. Are you ready to help us continue to make a difference? May the Lord bless and keep you always. Jeremiah 29:111 know the plans I havefor you says the Lord. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Sponsored by KEY CLEANING SERVICES INC. 269-948-8381 Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Yes, I would like to become an SCC Partner by contributing the below gift to assist in the transformation of an individual's health and wellness through Spiritual Care! *Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 Name: Address:. Zip:. State:. Phone:. Total Donation Amount: Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Q Mastercard AMEX Card Number: Exp. Date:, county courthouse employees, such as clerks and IT staff who work alongside court per­ sonnel, but would not have been entitled to the same paid day off. These courthouse workers have holidays established through a bargaining agreement authorized by their union representatives and the county board. Geiger said he and Vice Chairman Vivian Conner spoke with union leadership for the Barry County Courthouse Employees Associ­ ation (BCCEA). “I encouraged union leadership, if they wanted to make a formal request, to submit one,” he said. So the county board received a proposed letter of understanding that, once approved by commissioners, gives all courthouse employees this coming Monday, June 20, off. The letter requests that the article dealing with holidays in the current contract be amended to include Juneteenth as a paid hol­ iday, effective immediately. (If the holiday falls on a Saturday, it would be observed on the preceding Friday; if it falls on a Sunday, it would be observed on the following Mon­ day - which is happening this year.) “So that is what we’re considering,” Gei­ ger told the board at Tuesday’s meeting. Doherty said he personally had contact with Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack to ask why this ruling had hap­ pened without allowing the county an oppor­ tunity to work something out with the union. “The answer was: ‘It’s going to happen. Deal with it,’ ” he said. “It does feel like an unfunded mandate,” Geiger remarked. “I don’t see how you could say it was any­ thing different than that,” Doherty replied. The sudden change almost seems to consti­ tute intentional interference with collective bargaining units, he told the board, but to refuse to implement the ruling could put them in contempt of court. “We are where we are,” Doherty said, add­ ing that it would be unfair for only court staff to receive a holiday and other courthouse employees who work alongside them not to have the same holiday. “Everyone is struggling to retain their employees,” he said. “I would suggest mak­ ing this a holiday for all the courthouse employees.” “Isn’t there some option (to observe this holiday) only for one year?” Commissioner Jon Smelker asked. Doherty said that could be done, but “my impression is that this is now going to be a court holiday.” Smelker suggested the commissioners authorize the holiday for county courthouse employees, but just for a year to allow the county time to resolve the issue with all bar­ gaining units. “This reminds me quite a lot of a dictator­ ship instead of a bargaining contract,” Smelk­ er remarked. Jackson said, “It is an unfunded mandate.” “It would have been an awesome idea in Jan­ uary,” Jackson added. “... I reached out to friends and my daughter, who works on the East Coast, it has been a holiday out there for years.” The suddenness of the action here, though, creates an issue with internal equity, Jackson added, and that’s a problem. “We have great employees. They pulled with us (through the pandemic). I’m not happy with an unfunded mandate coming through, but we have to keep that internal equity in mind.” “We might as well resolve this now,” Jack­ son urged. “Deal with it and move on. It’s another benefit for the hardworking employ­ ees of Barry County.” BCCEA President Brenda Morgan and Vice President Amber McQueen attended the meeting to answer questions. Barry County Administrator Michael Brown advises the commissioners on the com­ plexity of equitable benefits across the variety of bargaining units from sheriff’s depu­ ties to courthouse employees. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) 'Why don't we go back to the contract table and do it the way it's supposed to be done?' - Barry County Commissioner Jon Smelker I Conner, who could not attend Tuesday’s meeting because of a personal commitment, sent a letter that Geiger read aloud to com­ missioners. She recommended voting against the letter of understanding. She suggested letting court employees take off June 20 if they chose to, but then require them to surrender another day off, such as New Year’s Eve day or the day after Thanksgiving, so that they would receive the same number of paid days off as other courthouse workers. Then, for non­ court staff, their holidays would not change. The idea would be to maintain a holiday schedule that is “fair and equitable to all, keeping in the spirit of the contract with the courthouse employees,” Geiger read. “While it is expedient and easy to just approve the letter of understanding being submitted by the Barry County Courthouse Employees Association, it is not the best or right thing to do,” she advised. “I would not add an additional day off at taxpayers’ expense.” But Geiger recommended approving the letter of understanding. “This is going to be a holiday, going for­ ward,” he said. “I think, for the sake of clarity and consistency, we should provide the day off for all county courthouse employees.” Smelker pointed out that commissioners have spent many hours in negotiations with several employee bargaining units. “Why don’t we go back to the contract table and do it the way it’s supposed to be done?” he asked the board, proposing an amendment to the letter of understanding so that, for now, it just applies to this year. Smelker’s amendment was approved and the subsequent action, as approved by com­ missioners Tuesday, agreed to the June 20 holiday for those courthouse employees who are not covered by the state Supreme Court ruling - but only for this year. This will allow the county to “do their due diligence” as far as all employee bargaining units, Smelker said. Jackson said the result would be the same, “going back to internal equity,” he noted. “This isn’t going away. We’re going to have this holiday going forward.” And, whatever their talks with bargaining units lead to for next year, the six commis­ sioners at the meeting agreed to declare Mon­ day as a holiday. They recommended that county offices be closed that day. SHINING LIGHT, continued from page 1 cutor read the statement she had written: “Gracyn was everything to me - my sun­ shine on a cloudy day, the stars that lit my sky, my happy place, one of my greatest creations, my little peanut. “Have you ever collapsed from the weight of grief, when your legs can no longer carry the weight that your heart has to hold? “I remember like it was yesterday, the day my legs gave way. I was standing and, sud­ denly, I was not. My body crumbled to the ground and the sobs engulfed me. I could hardly breathe; like all the air had been sucked from my lungs.” “I will accept a life sentence for this scum Lafey, but only because I have no choice. I firmly believe that Michigan should have the death penalty. I can only hope that prison is very cruel and torturing for this scum Lafey and I will pray and hope my baby haunts him every day, his pathetic existence.” After family members spoke, or Nakfoor Pratt read their statements into the court record, Lafey chose to read a statement as well. He stood, unfolded a piece of paper and read the following: “I just want to say to the family that I’m deeply sorry. And I know there’s nothing I can say or do to make it any better for them. I wish I could take it all back. ...I know what I did was unforgivable and I deserve to go to prison forever. “I hope Grace is in heaven next to God.” Schipper was the last to speak and his anger was palpable. “I want her family and friends to know that Gracyn Brickley matters,” he told the family. Even though, given the severity of Lafey’s crimes, the judge has no discretion as far as the sentence in this case, “I think sentenc­ ings are more,” Schipper said. “They’re justice for the victim and victim’s family and can, hopefully, help with some healing.” The judge praised all the attorneys, prose­ cution and defense, law enforcement and support staff involved in this case. “We’ve got a great legal system here in Barry County,” he said. “You can’t possibly sit through a trial like this and not be changed. It’s a powerful reminder of how unimportant most things in life really are. “... If this trial didn’t put life and what should matter into perspective for you, than nothing will.” “We all have a choice in everything that we do,” Schipper said. “The defendant chose every single thing that he did. ... He chose Gracyn Brickley was 18 when she was killed by Andrew Lafey. (Photo provided) where to live. He chose who to hang out with. He chose to use drugs. He chose every single mean and demeaning word he said to Gracyn. He chose every single thing he did to hurt Gracyn. No one forced him to do anything. There’s no excuse. ... He chose to do it. “The only explanation is he’s evil.” Amount:. Name on Card:. CW (4 Digit):. COURT, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Signature: Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-860-879-7985 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — Page 3 Home care agency seeks county’s help to modify reform Rebecca Pierce Editor Representatives of a statewide home care agency for victims of catastrophic crashes expressed the hope Tuesday that Barry County commissioners would help them press for changes in no-fault auto insurance reform. Brian Harrison, occupational therapist with AdvisaCare Home Health & Hospice in Grand Rapids, addressed the board to pro­ pose meeting in future to discuss Michigan’s auto rio-fault insurance reform. < Harrison and Lorraine Zorbo, executive director of network development at AdviSaCare, said the impact of the no-fault J reforms, when they started to take effect in 2020, gutted the system that had once ensured long-term care for crash survivors. Those survivors had paid into the system for cata­ strophic care. Now, that system can’t support the level of care they require. Under the reforms that took effect in 2020, the fees that medical providers can charge insurance companies were trimmed to 55 percent. The lower reimbursement rate has driven many providers out of business, elim­ inating thousands of jobs and preventing severely injured survivors of crashes from receiving the 24/7 care they need. “It’s not our intention to ask to undo the reforms that were put in place,” Harrison told commissioners. “However, we are seek­ ing amendments to the fee cap that has been put in place.” As a result of the changes enacted in 2019, highly skilled caregivers, who had been paid as much as $30 an hour, may now be paid $ 14 an hour. At that rate, “we can’t get anybody to do the work,” Harrison said. Harrison and Zorbo expressed the hope that actions on a local level would prompt state legislators to correct the deficiencies in catastrophic care and restore services that are urgently needed. In other business, the commissioners heard the Commisson On Aging annual report from retiring Executive Director Tammy Penning­ ton, whose last day leading the agency will be Aug. 26. In March, Pennington marked 35 years with the COA. At the conclusion of her report to com­ missioners, they gave her a standing ovation. In other action, the board approved'. • the minutes of May 24, May 31, and June 7 commissioners’ meetings. • the county Inmates Administrative Ser­ vices Contract with Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan for July 2022 through June 2023. • the appointments of Dr. Anna Tart and Dr. Edmund Donoghue as deputy medical examiners for the county. • amending the budget for the 2021 Mid­ dleville Sewer Construction Fund to increase the expenditure line item from $0 tq $2,428,915. • completion of an application to the state Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Department Materials Management Commu­ nity Engagement (MMCE) grant program by the county’s Recycling Coordinator Rachel Frantz, as overseen by the Solid Waste Over­ sight Committee. • • pre-paid invoices totaling $7,462,880.43, claims of $61,889.30 and commissioned reimbursements for mileage of $389.61. ’ • a resolution for police functions and responsibilities between the village of Mid­ dleville and the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. *■ Father of murder victim strives to forgive Greg Chandler Staff Writer y Even in his grief, Michael Roslund of Hastings is trying to forgive Patrick Gilmore for the kill­ ing of Roslund’s son, Lane, last September. 'Eight days have passed since Gilmore, now 18, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting Lane Roslund, who was 17, with a crossbow in Hastings Charter Township, then burying his body in a shallow grave, where it remained for 32 days before being recovered. During his victim impact state­ Defense Attorney Carol Dwyer and defendant Patrick Gilmore listen to Judge Michael Schipper as he hands down'the sentence on June 8. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) ment at the June 8 sentencing hearing went missing and when his body was before Barry County Judge Michael recovered as “32 days of pure hell.” Schipper, Michael Roslund spoke of She spoke of pleading with law how he was counseling his 17-yearenforcement, the public and the old son not to show hatred toward media for help in finding Lane. Gilmore for killing Lane. “We hung dozens of ‘missing’ fly­ “He hates this person so much,” ers, did five river searches, we Roslund said. “I tell him, ‘You can’t walked countless miles searching for hate, because hate is an emotion. him, for his face,” Jenipher Roslund He’s not worth the emotion. We have said. “We talked to the news stations. so much more to sit here and think on We combed the streets late at night.” than this person here.’ Later, in court hearings, Jenipher “I tell him, ‘Don’t wish him dead, Roslund looked for any sign of guilt because he’s still somebody’s son, in Gilmore. and we don’t want another parent to “At every court hearing, we sat feel the heartache that we do.’ ” here looking for justice for Lane, Moments after issuing the life sen­ looking for some sort of remorse tence for Gilmore, Schipper said he from Patrick Gilmore, yet we see had “so much respect” for Roslund. none - not a tear, not a look of sad­ “I appreciate so much the kindness ness or wish that he could have and embrace that I heard from Mr. changed what he did,” she said. Roslund - truly a Christian man,” Schipper twice offeree} the opportu­ Schipper said. nity for Gilmore to make a statement, After the sentencing, Gilmore’s but Gilmore declined both times. mother embraced Roslund, saying, Shortly before adjourning the sen­ “I’m so sorry.” tencing hearing, Schipper offered one glimmer of hope for Gilmore. Roslund and his wife, Jenipher, shared their memories of Lane as “Some might feel like I’ve taken well as the emotions they experi­ all the hope away from Mr. Gilmore, enced while he was missing during but that’s not true,” the; judge said. their victim impact statements. “The most important hope still exists. Michael recalled his son being a big “I don’t know if Mr. Gilmore has Johnny Cash fan as a small boy, with ever been introduced to God. I don’t Cash’s classic song “Ring of Fire” know if he has a faith at^al.L But I do. being his favorite. What’s amazing, every time I think “He won’t get a chance to do what about it - he still has the opportunity, he was meant to do because some­ while in prison, to find redemption. He body else was selfish and decided still has the hope that is by far the most that life wasn’t important enough,” important. Michael Roslund said. “I don’t know what he’ll do during Jenipher Roslund spoke of the this time in prison. That^up to him. time window between when Lane : But that hope still exists#- . ■ ■■ could help, too. Hewitt mentioned two changes made by the city that help ease the problem: Allowing houses to be built on slab foundations instead of basements or crawl spaces; and allowing owners to create accessory dwelling units, Cleaning owners could rent out garages or extra rooms on their property. Loosening some regulations can make ^building easier and more cost-effective for ’developers, he said. “You have to be sensible about it,” Hewitt said. “But that’s the type of stuff that can make an immediate impact.” Dan King, community development direc­ tor for the city, said these changes are part of the city’s 5-year master plan created in July 2021. Housing was identified as one of the city’s biggest needs. At Monday’s joint planning commission and city council meeting, city officials dis­ cussed making changes to allow duplexes anywhere in the city’s Residential-2 zone. Currently, only houses built facing a state highway in this zone are allowed to be duplexes. “That will open up options, not only for vacant parcels, but also for people who may want to convert their single-family residence into a duplex, expanding housing options,” King said. King said, once the planning commission finalizes changes to duplexes, next on their agenda will be finding places for higher den­ sity housing with anywhere from three to eight units per lot. The city also has been meeting with Veneklasen Construction, General Capital and CopperRock Construction to discuss bringing more development to Hastings. “We’re here to work with these developers to, hopefully, solve problems and eradicate roadblocks,” King said. Talks with CopperRock were preliminary, but King said he hopes more developers will come to the city and find development oppor­ tunities. “You know, we’re a hidden gem and I think developers are finally starting to realize that,” he said. King applauded developer General Capital for working closely with the city, even after a fire at the Royal Coach project site and a no-go letter from MSHDA was issued for another proposed project at the site. Most recently, General Capital presented renderings of a new potential project to coun­ ty commissioners. The project, called Tyden Lofts, would use MSHDA tax credits to put a 60-unit development on a city-owned lot next to the former Friend of the Court building. Sig Strautmanis, a General Capital devel­ oper who’s been involved in Hastings since ------------------- "I tell him, 'Don't wish him dead, because he's still somebody's son, and we don't want another parent to feel the heartache that we do.'" Michael Roslund^ father of Lane Roslund^! iTnrwAT ~- TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 1 -------------------“For the last two years, it changes by the minute,” he said. The Michigan Regional Information Cen­ ter, which tracks real estate data, reports that the average sale price for a house in Barry County in 2019 was $208,397. In 2020, the average sale price jumped to $237,757. In 2021, it jumped again to $269,859. With affordable homes becoming scarce, the few rentals in the county are expensive, too. The Hastings Banner compiled Barry County rental listings available in June by searching online, looking through newspaper ads, and contacting property owners. That search turned up nine listings avail­ able in the county. Of those, three were in Hastings. Middleville, Delton and Plainwell had two listings each. Of those nine listings, two were available for less than $1,000 a month; both in Hast­ ings. None were one-bedroom listings. In the current market, it’s difficult for someone like Hewitt’s son, Matt Hewitt, a single 24-year-old and recent college gradu­ ate, to find a place to live in Hastings. Matt currently lives with a friend, who he rents from. * .More houses and a variety of housing fmpluding townhouses and apartments could help alleviate the crisis, Mark Hewitt said. Policy changes from the city and the county Michael Roslund, the father of Lane Roslund, who was murdered^ Patrick Gilmore, holds his wife's hand during the court proceedings when Gilmore was sentenced to life in prison without parole. (PhotdH^ Scott Harmsen) -_____ A revised concept for the proposed Tyden Lofts housing development in downtown Hastings is expected to come back before the Barry County Board of Commissioners next week. (File art) i 2^* the Royal Coach project, said there’s a nation­ wide need for workforce attainable housing. This is housing for “the missing middle,” defined as people who make too much to benefit from low-income government pro­ grams but who can’t afford more expensive housing options. “The term comes from people who are working, who are doing everything right, but their paycheck just isn’t making ends meet,” Strautmanis said. “It’s not low income housing, where the government’s paying a piece of the rent,” Strautmanis added. “We’re using tax credits to leverage the financing of the project and all of our residents will pay their own rent with certain income restrictions. “It’s a super powerful program to be able to do affordable housing this way.” The Tyden Lofts preliminary designs received some initial objections - 40 resi­ dents in the neighborhood signed a petition asking the city to stop the project or move it , elsewhere, citing traffic concerns. Some county commissioners expressed surprise at being approached and hesitant to consider selling the old Friend of the Court building, which General Capital originally requested be preserved and included in the project. Strautmanis said he is aware of the potential issues that have been raised by the community, and wants to work with the community and the county to make the project work. “What we’re really looking to do here is fit this into the neighborhood comfortably, in a very sensitive way. ______________ “We want to be a good part­ ner to the city and the neigh­ borhood. We’re rolling up our sleeves to really get there.” LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME j DIETARY MANAGER • Good selection cotton prints & solid colors in 43” & 108” widths Zippers, thread, notions Traditional and Cremation Services Pre-Planning Services Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving AH Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net SSEjer Family Owned and Operated oXXn’Xs Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years While the project concept is still in its eqfiyz stages, King said he is hopeful the city and the county can work together to bring m«£p housing to Hastings where it’s needed most; He commended General Capital for contig*; ing to work with the city, despite all of t£e challenges they’ve faced dating back to Royal Coach project. “Every roadblock, every stone throwr£rn their path, they looked for opportunities^ overcome those,” King said. “They’ve c0n; tinned their commitment to bring the housing to the city of Hastings, and they understand the need.” -JA Honor Father on his Day Oversight of the dietary staff and designing' of the menus to ensure daily food choices' are being prepared satisfactorily for our ’ elderly residents. Inquire by calling Carveth Village | 269-795-4972 Ask for Makenzi Peters CLarveth Village QUESTIONS: ASK US... of Middleville 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 bmmk OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm rw Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station AAAAAAAAAAAAA£ www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us!' 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 4 — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Way out - I mean way out of touch with voters Get there with help via air An airboat operated by the Invasive Plant Management section of PLM Lake & Land Management cruises along the northern and western shore of Cloverdale Lake Tuesday morning. According to the newsletter of the Long Lake Cloverdale Association, the crew surveys and treats the lakes for invasive weeds, including milfoil and various pond­ weeds, such as cabomba and starry stonew­ art. (Photo by Scott Harmsen) Do you remember? Light show Banner June 27, 2013 Jeff Baurs of Delton couldn’t resist a photo opportunity Tuesday evening and headed to Delton Kellogg High School where he knew the unobstructed view would provide a clear shot at the lightning that was coming from the southwest, behind the school. He said it only took two extended-exposure shots to get this photo, since the lightning all happened at once. Have you met? Being active can be a lot of fun. This is what Hastings resident Gina McMahon hopes to teach kids through her ’ work at the YMCA. “ “When kids think about exercise or phys­ * ical activity, it’s not going to be running ; three miles and doing 50 push-ups,” McMa■ hon said. “Let’s get hula hoops out, and < buckets and balls. You can move and be ? active and still have fun.” " McMahon works as the recreation and • program director for the Barry County YMCA, where she coordinates sports pro» gramming for kids and adults. = “I grew up playing sports. My husband . grew up playing sports. My kids grew up ’ playing sports,” she said. “I love being able ; to give youth the opportunity to play < sports.” • McMahon played volleyball, softball and , basketball when she went to East Kent­ ; wood High School. The East Kentwood • volleyball team was a “powerhouse,” and ’McMahon said college recruiters regularly stopped by their games to scout potential -players. “I just happened to do a great job one game and they recruited me,” she said. McMahon received a volleyball scholar­ ship from Grand Valley State University, where she was a backrow player and a server. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology before attending Western Michigan University with her husband Tim, where they both received their master’s degrees. From there, the two of them started doing social work. They moved to Hastings in 1998, where McMahon worked as an inde­ pendent contractor with the Michigan “ -’Department of Health and Human Services “Awhile her husband worked with the Barry County Court. While raising her two sons, Zach and Alex, McMahon coached volleyball for Hastings High School. She continued her work as an independent contractor working with abused and neglected children, and found her job’s schedule gave her extra time to spend with her family. When her two sons moved out, McMa­ hon was ready for a change. That’s when she applied for her position at the YMCA in 5016. ' Gina McMahon “I got tired of working in the human ser­ vice field, and I still wanted to work with youth and families,” she said. “Now, instead of working in the abused and neglected arena with youth and families, I get to work with youth and families in the sports arena.” McMahon runs several programs for kids and adults at the YMCA, and many of them are centered around keeping kids active. It’s important to McMahon that the programs the YMCA offers are available to anyone, regardless of age or socioeconomic back­ ground. “We include everybody,” she said. “I love the fact that we can provide sports for all kids to learn, grow and thrive.” McMahon describes one of the YMCA’s programs as “the YMCA without walls.” YMCA employees load a van full of sports equipment and snacks before driving to different communities, where kids can get involved in activities without having to travel. Another program McMahon started focuses on getting young girls involved with physical activity. “There’s a big gap between boys being active and participating in sports, compared to girls,” she said. “I’m just trying to teach them different ways to be active. It doesn’t have to be the typical football, basketball, softball, volleyball. It can be dance, gym­ nastics, horseback riding, swimming, div­ ing.” McMahon loves her job. Most of all, she said she loves that it allows her to create relationships in the Hastings community with kids and parents. “I love being able to, you know, see kids grow and thrive and reach their potential when they’re out playing sports,” she said. “That’s my job in a nutshell.” For her dedication to youth sports in the Hastings community, Gina McMahon is this week’s Bright Light. Biggest accomplishment: In the past, it was receiving that scholarship to play vol­ leyball. Recently, I just returned from vaca­ tion in North Carolina with my husband and boys. For the first time, I hiked the Appalachian Trail, the Smoky Mountains, went whitewater rafting and rode a horse up and down the side of a mountain. It was a very active vacation. It was a good experi­ ence, but the horseback riding and white­ water rafting was almost scary. Most proud of: My family. My husband and our two adult boys, we continue to stay in contact with each other. Our oldest son Zack, he’s 26 and lives in Florida. He works for Florida Gulf Coast University and he does what I do, but at a much bigger scale. He does sports recreation programs for the university. He’s a high school bas­ ketball ref, very involved in sports. Our other son, Alex, he’s 24. He lives in the Detroit area and he’s into sales and market­ ing. Both boys came to meet us in North Carolina. Like I said, I’m proud of them. They’re healthy, independent, mature, responsible young men. It’s great being with them and it’s great they still want to go on vacation with their parents. Favorite season: Summer. I love the warm, bright sunny days. I love being out­ side and being around the water, whether it’s out on the boat or just sitting by the lake reading or fooling around in a tube. Sum­ mer is definitely my favorite season. She drove her new Chevrolet Volt electric utility vehicle from Michigan to Washing­ ton, D.C., thumbing her nose at every gas station she passed, then U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow bragged about it. It must be nice to be so removed from the harsh reality of today’s high fuel prices, but this is more than being clueless, it’s elitist. And it enters a whole new stratosphere. It’s just further proof that Stabenow and her colleagues are truly out of touch with the people they’re supposed to represent. “I do have to say, just on the issue of gas prices, after waiting for a long time to have enough chips in this country to finally get my electric vehicle, I got it and drove it from Michigan to here this last weekend and went by every single gas station, and it didn’t mat­ ter how high it was,” Stabenow commented at a recent Senate Finance Committee. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity for us to move to vehicles that aren’t going to be dependent on the whims of the oil companies and the international markets.” That’s America’s problem. Skyrocketing fuel prices are the chief driver of rising inflation that is now reaching crisis levels at a rate not seen in more than 40 years. Ignor­ ing the stranglehold it’s now placing on American family budgets, Democrats are pursuing an all-out, full-throttle battle to summarily end the use of fossil fuels. Frankly, that’s Stone Age thinking. We cannot just dismiss our dependence on international markets and the fragility of a worldwide economic system without bringing devastating disruption to American families. Today, Americans rate inflation as the top problem facing our nation. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, seven in 10 Americans see inflation as “a very big problem” - one that the administration seems to be ignoring as it continues to fol­ low a path of economic destruction. In the first hours of his administration, President Biden signed executive orders to “end the use of fossil fuels.” When Biden took office, gas prices were $2.37 a gallon. One day before the Russians invaded Ukraine, the price had already risen to $3.53 a gallon and continues to rise to a national average of more than $5 per gallon. The administration wants Americans to believe that failed policies haven’t caused prices to rise; that it was Russian leader Vladimir Putin, his invasion of Ukraine, and the chaos caused by our closing access to Russian oil. Though the war in Ukraine has caused hardship and rising energy prices, crime, border security and inflation all have become more worrisome since Biden took office. It just shows how out of touch our leaders are. It’s shameful to think that Stabenow, who grew up in rural Clare, Michigan, would be so clueless about the plight of the people she serves with her attitude on rising gas prices - especially when she is chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Doesn’t she realize what diesel prices are doing to farm­ ers across the country? Inflation’s No. 1 enemy is fuel prices: This is what drives up everything from food, trucking, production to farming. So when Stabenow brags about driving her . ■ s " Know Your Legislators: Michigan Legislature Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Democrat, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, Mich. 48909. Phone (517) 373-3400; 517-335-7858 (Constituent Services). State Representative Julie Calley, Republican, 87th District (All of Barry County), Michigan House of Representatives, N-1191 House Office Building, Lansing, Ml 48933. Phone (517) 373-0842. e-mail: JulieCalley@house.mi.gov State Senator Dr. John Bizon, Republican, 19th District State Senate, Phone 517-373-2426 or toll-free, 855-347-8019. Email: SenJBizon@Senate.Michigan.gov; U.S. mail: Sen. Dr. John Bizon, P.O. Box 30036, Lansing Ml 48909. U.S. House of Representatives Peter Meijer, Republican, 3rd District (All of Barry County), 1508 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-2203, phone (202) 225-3831, fax (202) 225-5144. District office: 110 Michigan Street NW, Suite 460, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503, phone (616) 451-8383. U.S. Senate Debbie Stabenow, Democrat, 702 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, phone (202) 224-4822. Gary Peters, Democrat, 2 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-2202, phone (248) 799-0850. District office: Gerald R. Ford Federal Building, Room 720, 110 Michigan Street NW, Grand Rapids, Mich. 49503-2313, phone (616) 233-9150. President’s comment line: 1-202-456-1111. Capitol Information line for Congress and the Senate: 1-202-224-3121. The Hastings BcHHICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. electric vehicle and dismisses surging gas prices she joins the Democrat administration in ignoring one of the worst crises in American history. Failed policies that could take a decade to overcome are putting American families in a senseless financial crisis. Democrats con­ tinue to block further U.S. energy produc­ tion with more bureaucratic red tape while energy prices continue to rise. One would think that Stabenow and other Democrats would see the handwriting on the wall, especially since she comes from a small-town environment in northern Michi­ gan where, after the lumber barons stripped the land, oil kept the economy thriving. The administration needs to change its policies to reduce energy prices and curb inflation before the country ends up in a recession that could cripple growth for years to come. The Pew Center Research survey also indicates that Americans remain deeply dis­ trustful and dissatisfied with government. Sixty-five percent say most political candi­ dates run for office “to serve their own per­ sonal interests.” Leaders like Stabenow, who has a net worth of more than a $1 million and makes more than $174,000 per year as a senator, surely fits that definition - out of touch and without the best interests of her constituents in mind. That’s why barely half of eligible voters cast election ballots in America. It’s not hard to understand the feeling that politicians campaign on promises their constituents want to hear, then, after they’re elected, they just move on to feathering their own nests. The Pew Center Research survey also goes on to indicate that Republicans and Democrats alike generally agree that government does too little regarding issues that concern groups, such as retirees, rural residents, suburbanites and middle-income workers. These are the people who make up the largest percentage of our population, yet are hit the hardest from issues such as inflation. Trust in government has recently hit an all-time low, an especially stark number when taking into account the fact that trust is normally higher among the party of the current president. But, due to the current policies of this administration and its inabil­ ity to turn the tide against a growing number of challenges, President Biden’s numbers are currently'lowSF thM president in modem history, ■ It’s time for the administration and the Democrats to stop defending failed policies and get going on a plan that shows they are in touch with what’s really happening in America - and chart a course to better days ahead. • NEWSROOM • Rebecca Pierce (Editor) Kathy Maurer (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren Benjamin Simon • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — Pagg.5 Hastings Live continues with a full week of programs The music and fun continues as Hastings Live ushers in its second full week of enter­ tainment. After being rained out last week, Hastings City Band will take to the stage once again. Local favorite Stormy the Magi­ cian, Eastown Swing and a Detroit rock band round out the weekly lineup. For its penultimate performance, Hastings City Band will present “Cinemagic,” with music from favorite movies new and old at the Thomapple Plaza, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. Stormy the Magician will bring his special blend of magic, fun and foam to Playing at the Plaza 11 a.m. Thursday, June 23. Stormy has been delighting children and the young at heart for over 32 years. Expect a mix of fun, sassy and jazzy music as Eastown Swing plays favorites from the American Songbook for Fridays at the Foun­ tain at noon, June 24 on the lawn of the his­ torical Barry County Courthouse. A Detroit band will bring their fresh yet retro sound to Friday Night Features at the Thomapple Plaza, 7:30 p.m. June 24. Their approach to rock ‘n’ roll is music that helps people forget their cares and free their souls. Their original music, which sounds like vin­ tage southern rock blended with Motor City grit, features unifying, foot-stomping anthems that will inspire their audience to sing along. Hastings High School has announced its honor roll for the second semester of the 2021-22 academic year. The following honor roll is calculated based on a cumulative grade point average, starting with a student’s first semester of high school through the end of second semester this school year. An asterisk for students in ninth and lO^1 grades indicates a 4.0 GPA. 12th grade Stormy the Magician will bring foam for good, clean fun to Playing at the Plaza next Thursday, June 23. Hastings Live guests are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs. The conces­ sion stand, operated by volunteers from Hastings’ Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, will be open for evening performances serving food, snacks, soft-drinks and more. Smok­ ing, vaping, non-service animals, and out­ side alcohol are prohibited. Come ready to enjoy live music in a beautiful outdoor setting in historical downtown Hastings. Due to COVID-19, there will be no rain venue. NEWS BRIEFS Local United Way planning Summer Stock Up June 23 The Barry County United Way is joining Michigan United Ways and the Kellogg Com­ pany for the second annual Summer Stock Up - a two week statewide virtual and in-person drive to stock the shelves of Michigan’s food banks and pantries. An in-person collection will be taking place at the Barry Community Enrichment Center (231 S. Broadway, Hastings) Thurs­ day, June 23, from 9 a.m. to noon. Items Elaine Garlock Father’s Day is coming on Sunday. Happy “Dad’s Day” to all the dads. Between the time last week’s column was typed and when it appeared in print, the banners depicting local veterans had been removed from lampposts downtown and replaced with seasonal spring banners. The veterans’ banners will again be used in November in advance of Armistice Day, although in a different order. Likely, there will be faces not seen in the spring show­ ing. There are not enough lampposts to hold all the banners. The conscription of eligible men, young men and a few over­ grown boys who felt they were far too young for manhood and military service removed a high percentage of the male population from the community. It was a different time. George Carpenter of Sebewa Township was the guest of honor on Saturday at the Jordan Lake pavilion for his 90^ birthday celebration. His guests numbered about 200. He and his late wife Kathy had six children and now there are descendants in three generations. Guests came from Indi­ ana and elsewhere, including Cedar Springs. In years past, he was well known in rabbit circles. He had been the state president of a growers’ group. The county genealogy society met on Saturday at the museum on Emerson Street. For the first time, the meeting was on Zoom with the speaker for the day comfortable in her own home in Holland, Mich., speaking directly to her Lake Odessa audience. The officers have been working during the entire Hastings High School releases honor roll collected will include boxed macaroni and cheese, boxed cereal and canned vegeta­ bles or fruit. All donated food will go directly to food pantries serving Barry County residents. The inaugural Summer Stock Up in 2021 raised more than $63,000 and collected more than 46,000 pounds of food, benefitting 220 food pantries across the state. More information on how to support Sum­ mer Stock Up in the community can be found at summerstockup.org. COVID shutdown with recording, sorting and tabulating. When driving on Fourth Avenue, considering traffic, please take note of the messag­ es on the outdoor bulletin board at First Congregational Church. There have been some pithy messages along with some inspirational. This is the time for roses. All over town, rose trellises are dazzling with their June blooms in a wide variety of colors. In hockey circles, excitement is running high this week with the Tampa Bay Light­ ning in its run for its third consecutive Stan­ ley Cup. The team has won in three previ­ ous rounds and is now doing battle with a Colorado team. Two games this week are to be in Denver. Bruce and Janet Garlock of Big Rapids will fly to Florida to see Games Three and Four at Tampa. Their son is the videographer for the Lightning team. In their second round of competition, the Lightning won four straight games, so the series was very short. To advance to the next level in conference play, the winner must win four games of seven. The Central United Methodist Church is planning an entry in the Lake Odessa Fair parade, which is coming June 22. The fair this year runs five days, from June 22 to June 26. Their plan is back to the pre­ COVID years with the fair running multiple days. Sections of sidewalk are being replaced in several locations around town. Ionia County MARSP meets Thursday in Ionia. There will be a noon meal with a business meeting and speaker to follow. School board meetings The Delton Kellogg Schools Board of Edu­ cation meeting on June 20 will take place in the high school LGI small auditorium. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. The Hastings Board of Education will meet June 27 at the Hastings Middle School. The board will begin the meeting at 7 p.m. It is expected to last until 8 p.m. Hastings’ meet­ ings are livestreamed on YouTube, and can be found by searching “Hastings Area School System - Board of Education.” Kimberly Marie Main, Middleville and Delbert Samuel Morgan, Middleville Kami Michelle Carpenter, Wayland and Jeremy Scott Warner, DonKyle Robert Russo, Dorr and Victoria Nicole Kreft, Hastings Danielle Marie Tobias, Nashville and Christopher Charles Merryman, Nashville Marleigh Joy Thom, Augusta and Clayton John Eshleman, Marietta, GA Adam Thomas Haskins, Lake Odessa and Kaylee Jean Tava, Hastings Top honors (4.0 and above) Ruby Barber, Brianna Barnes, Hailey Graham, Patrick Mallory, Taylor Owen, Matthew Pattok, Carissa Strouse, Emma VanDenburg, Hannah Vann, and Sage Win­ ters. Highest honors (3.75-3.99) Andrew Bassett, Ty Burfield, Hannah Crozier, Anna English, Lindsey Herron, Alexis Leet, Connor Lindsay, BreAnn Micklatcher, Emily Roe, Harrison Smalley, Allison Teed, Braden Vertalka, and Breanna Willard. High honors (3.25-3.74) Elisabeth Arnold, Hannah Bancroft, Arian Bond, Rory Campbell, Justin Castelein, Marah Courtney, Brandon Darling, Mason Denton, Ian Dexter, Jackson DuBois, Cameron Eaton, Zachary Frank­ lin, Patrick Gee, Kali Grimes, Joslyn Hin­ kle, Wyatt Holman, Faith Johnson, Aihsley Jones, Ethan Malik, Glen McFarlan, Joseph McLean, Noah Mead, Kiley Miles, Jenna Miller, Makayla Parsons, Andre Perez, Madison Pettinill, Dakota Roll, Phoebe Schantz, Ellen Shults, Azaleigha Wemigwans, Owen Winegar, and Brooklynn Youngs. Honor roll (3.0-3.24) Riley Bies, Summer Caldwell, Jacob Fish, Drew Gleeson, Morgan Gregory, Alexis Gummo, Kaycie Jenkins, Grace Kurr, Bailey Lewis, Madison McWhinney, Abigail Owen, Mary Park, Carter Rosen­ berger, Blake Sheldon, Caleb Teunessen, Mitchel Vann, and Carly Warner. 11th grade Highest honors (3.75 and above) Lauren Arnold, Abigail Barton, Isobelle Bergeron, Eve Bishop, Kathryn Clark, Ericka Critzer, Grace Curtis, Erin Daniels, Valery Eaton, Joseph Goggins, Anna Hay­ wood, Jocelyn Hernandez-Hernandez, Gabrielle Horrmann, Jack Kensington, Julia McLean, Molly Patton, Isaiah Ran­ dall, Emily Simmons, Isabelle Storm, Kearan Tolles, and Caleb Waller. High honors (3.25-3.74) Sophia Ahearn, Valentia Arias-Franco, Joy Aukerman, Reed Balderson, Saanj Bhakta, Mekih Botsford, Joseph Brisco, Jackson Casey, Bailey Cook, Layton Eastmann, Justus Forell, Zara Franklin, Abby Gaskill, Zachary Gole, Anden Hines, Vic­ toria Jerzyk, Lucas Koetje, Nathan Kohmescher, Trenton Lipsey, Harley Mar­ lette, Juan Osorio, Amber Rabideau, Ash­ ton Rasey, Cailin Redman, Peighton Reser, Mackenzi Rivera, Marissa Roberts, Megan Rowley, Robert Slaughter, Lauren Taylor, and Ella Tellkamp. Honor roll (3.00-3.24) Sean Bondurant, Dylan Brisco, Elijah Brisco, Zachary Chipman, Cameron Danks, Cassidee Easey, Malayah Garrison, Graycee McCarty, Lawrence McKenna, Payton Miller, Christian Owen, Devon Pacillo, Cameron Seeber, Bayne Signeski, Cole Smith, Isaac Stanton, Noah Strimback, Aiyanah Wemigwans, and Macy Winegar. 10th grade Highest honors (3.75 and above) *Lucy Barnard, Abigail Beemer, Diego Coipel, Lily Comensoli, Logan Graham, Heath Hays, *Alexandria Herder, Olivia Meeker, Natalie Minch, * Adeline Nickels, Abigail Peake, Reuben Solmes, Jaeden Stevens, Adrianne VanDenburg, and *Olivia White. High honors (3.50-3.74) Sergynho Arias, Dekota Blough, Jack­ son Byers, Owen Carroll, Trey Casey, Alydar Chad Dico, Jordyn Downs, Damiei^ Green, Demensia Johnson, Allison Kerby, Camilla Loss, Coreena Marsiglia, Kaitlyn Moore, Raegen Morrison, Raedyn Rath­ bun, Riley Shults, Ellie Smith, Howard Teed, Cecilia Thunder, Gavin Tinkler, and Audrey Vertalka. Honor roll (3.25-3.49) Mason Bailey, Blake Barnum, Abigail Byykkonen, Kacey Campbell, Peightyi) Cronk, David Jiles, Madysen Kuestneq Charles Nickels, Aubree Rowse, Patricia Sue, and Sophia Sunior. Ninth grade Highest honors (3.75 and above) ■ Tanner Armstrong, * Isabel Gee, Jalyn Grimes, Rachael Hewitt, Micah Johnson^ Donald Kuck, *Kennedy Lewis, Alyson Miller, Seth Pirtle, Brandon Simmons, *Lilyah Solmes, Jennifer Stoline, and Vic­ toria Tack. High honors (3.50-3.74) Jett Barnum, Zoey Bennett, Riley Bon­ durant, Anika Bourassa, Ella Ferguson, Alora Fish, Bay lie Guernsey, Dawson Lewis, Jordan Milanowski, Elijah Randall’ Brennan Reser, Ronaldo Rios Santana, Heaven Simmet, Alonha Sleight, Brooklynn Strickland, Zoe Watson, and Memphis White. Honor roll (3.25-3.49) Elissa Bafaro, Hannah DuBois, Garrett Dunn, Alex Flikkema, Liliana Fox, Alex­ ander Galaviz, JoDee Gaskill, Christian Haire, Jordan Humphrey, Logan Kerby, Rachel King, Kyle Morgan, Ashley Norris, Jayse Peterson, Amelia Price, Nicklas Stehr, Keegan Sutfin, Melany Vargas, Alexya Vazquez, and Jordyn Winters. CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Ooms celebrating 60th wedding anniversary Bernie and Sue Oom of Caledonia are celebrating their 60th wedding anniver­ sary. They were married on June 16, 1962 in Union­ town, Pennsylvania. They have resided in the Hast­ ings, Middleville, Caledo­ nia area for 57 years where they raised their three chil­ dren, Laura (Tom), Wayne (Kate), and Dave (Sarah). They have eight grandchil­ dren they love dearly, Andrew, Elie, Josh, Lydia, Leah, Rachel, Beth, and Jonny. A KS11NSUUZ Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net _arveth Village www.CarvethVillage.com “Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 <we Bat Gi/h SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville Remove GIVE US A CALL TODAY! NEED HELP WITH YOUR Thursday, June 16 -Novel Ideas Book Club reads “The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” by V.E. Schwab, 1 p.m.; Movie Memories watches “Centennial Summer,” a 1946 film based on a book by Albert E. Idell, 5 p.m. Friday, June 17 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 18 - Dungeons and Dragons, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, June 20 - Crafting Passions, 10 a.m.-l; Lego club, 4-5 p.m. (adults must be accompanied by a child) Tuesday, June 21 - mahjong. 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m.; virtual visit from oceanographer and author Ellen Prager to discuss her work as a marine scientist, 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 22 - Library Walking Club, 9 a.m.; Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; Thomapple Wood­ lands Beekeepers demonstration md hands-on activities, 2 p.m. More information about these md other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. RETIREMENT PLAN? If you have questions about your pension, 4Oi(k) or profit sharing plan, call the Mid-America Pension Rights Project at (866) 735-7737 to get free legal advice. Funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging, MAPRP staff provides free legal assistance to anyone with a question about their retirement plan. CALL US TODAY 1.866.735.7737 HARMLESS BAT REMOVAL BAT PROOF & CLEAN UP FULL ATTIC RESTORATION 10 YEAR WARRANTY 517-599-1019 www.thebatguysbatremoval.com �Page 6 — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings Township preparing for leadership changes ahead Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer During the regular Hastings Charter Township meeting Tuesday night, the board discussed the changes to come, and their hope and commitment to keeping the board in good shape for the people counting on it. “There are potential changes to this board, obviously, with the elections this year,” Trustee James Partridge said. “I guess I would like to make sure that we leave the board in as good of shape as it is today because I think we have a very knowledge­ able and intelligent board.” Board members talked about how they can help that continue. Clerk Anita Mennell proposed an idea: “I have said I am not not running for 2024, but I am willing to stay on as a deputy for a while to help the next person fill that spot,” she said. “Which is so important,” Treasurer Jenee Phillips responded. “That’s not something you want to get messed up.” “And I would be willing to do the same thing,” Supervisor Jim Brown said. “We’ve got too good of a system in the township to let it go to ... to have something crazy hap­ pen to it. It has been too good for too long.” During the supervisor’s report, Brown gave an update on the Freedom of Informa­ tion Act (FOIA) request made by the Barry County Sheriffs Office. Attorney fees for the township totaled $1,309. “The legal advice was that this should never have been done; this isn’t even legal,” Brown said. “So, we sent a bill to the sheriff.” The board has not received any money yet. “The big deal is the amount of grief that the township clerks and the county clerks are going through,” Brown said. “The county clerk is going through even more because her request was massive, so we will see what happens there.” During the library report, Hastings Library Board President Kelli Newberry and library administrator Peggy Hemerling notified the board of the Magical Mystery Garden event that will be taking place on July 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ned and Rita Brown’s house at 1050 East Mill Street. “They have this fabulous daylily garden,” Newberry said. “They have 500 different varieties of daylilies. The highlight of the evening, however, is the window auction, Newberry added. There will be about 20 windows that have been transformed in some creative way. Newberry and Hemerling brought four win­ dows as examples for the board to view. The reason for this auction is to try and raise money for the window replacements that need to take place at the library. Stated in a handout that Newberry gave to each person at the meeting, replacing the win­ dows now will help prevent damage to the building caused by moisture buildup, which will protect the integrity of the building in the future. These windows were originally installed 14 years ago and had a design flaw that caused them to have a permanently cloudy appearance. This is causing moisture to condense and, since the manufacturer is no longer operating, the windows cannot be fixed. Considering there are a total of 336 win­ dows on the building and replacing them will mean a new paint job on the entire inte­ rior of the library, the cost is significant. Parts of the HVAC system also will have to be replaced. The estimated total for the entire project is around $1.2 million. The library has taken $300,000 out of its funds and Hemerling spoke of a federal grant she has applied for that will amount to $180,000. They are looking for all the help they can get, Hemerling added. The goal is to have the funds raised by the end of the summer in order to start replacing the windows in the fall. Everyone is invited to attend and the tick­ ets are $50.00 each. People interested are encouraged to contact Peggy Hemerling at (269)945-4263. In other business, the board: • Approved two budget adjustments that were requested by Mennell due to the approved spending of $5,000 for the upcom­ ing election. • “There are things in the budget we need to adjust to cover for that spending,” Men­ nell said. • The first was to increase the elections department budget by $5,500 and the second was to increase the cemetery budget by $1,000. The total adjustment cost was $6,5000. • Received the County Commissioner's Report from Commissioner Hoot Gibson. During his report, he told the board he was stopping by the Thomapple Manor for a picnic on June 24. • “They like elected officials to show up and meet with the residents out there,” he added. • Gibson also mentioned the open house for Thomapple Manor’s new facility, Har­ vest Pointe. The open house and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the building will be held on July 8 at 2 p.m. • “You are welcome to come and see the new facility,” Gibson said to the board. • Had Partridge and Trustee Timothy McNally volunteer to help Mennell by being on the election committee. • Approved payment of warrants totaling $18,568.93. • Approved the minutes of the May 10 meeting. • Marked Trustee Bill Wetzel’s absence. • Approved the ordinance for another 30 years with the Great Lakes Energy Electric Cooperative. • Reviewed and refused a property that is being foreclosed. Each year the number of foreclosures varies, but the board only had one to review. This was a vacant property on Jester Road in Hastings. The taxes due on this property are $1,590.99. “We have first right over whether the township wants to buy it or hold a public auction in our township,” Phillips said. After reviewing and discussing the prop­ erty, the board agreed to refuse it and let it go to the county. The next regular Hastings Charter Town­ ship board meeting is scheduled for July 12 at 6:30 p.m. City discusses duplex restrictions amid housing shortage Hunter McLaren Staff Writer City council members held a joint meeting with the city planning commission Monday to discuss amending city policies regarding duplexes. As it stands now, property owners in the city’s Residential-2 district can not build new duplexes or convert existing homes into duplexes unless the house faces a state high­ way. Planning commission member David Hat­ field opened the meeting by introducing the amendment as a way to alleviate the ongoing housing shortage in Hastings. “We all are very aware of the fact that there is a significant housing shortage in the city and the county,” Hatfield said. “And we’re trying to find some ways to address that.” Hatfield said that when compared to other communities, Hastings rules surrounding duplexes were especially restrictive. The measure comes months after the plan­ ning commission and city council worked together to allow accessory dwelling units for the same reason. Accessory dwelling units allow property owners to rent out garages or extra rooms on their property to tenants. Changes were also proposed to simplify minimum lot size requirements. As it stands now, there are different minimum required lot sizes depending on the use of the lot for Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. Man out on bond shows up at sheriff’s office drunk PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Fiberglass Products 945-9554 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Evidence of possible break-in at gun store Police responded to an alarm at Bob’s Gun & Tackle around 11:30 p.m. June 7. When police arrived, they found a door outside the business leading into a storage area was unlocked. A sliding door connecting the storage area to the shopping area of the store also was unlocked. Police investigated the area and found no intruders or obvious signs of theft. The next day, the owner of the store contacted police and said someone had tampered with the outside door, but he did not know if anyone had entered the store or anything was missing. The man told police there are no surveillance cameras at the store. Police photographed the damaged door and told the man to contact them if he deter­ mined anything was missing from the store. Him Hastings ing in July. Once it’s drafted, a public hearing must be held to allow the public to comment on the changes. Once any changes to the amendment are finalized, it will be brought before the city council to be voted on. In other business, the city council: • Approved a request from the Downtown Business Team to hold Sidewalk Sales July 8-9. ■ Approved a request from the Barry County Serenity Club to sell shirts and bracelets, as well as collect donations 5-8 p.m. Aug. 31 at a concert held at Thomapple Plaza. The concert is being held to raise awareness of International Overdose Aware­ ness Day. • Approved a request from the Barry WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. each district. The proposed amendment would simplify development by applying a flat minimum square foot requirement in each district. Community development director Dan King said he found the joint meetings between the city and planning commission valuable and hoped they continued to address housing issues that were outlined in the city’s 5-year master plan drafted last July. “Developing a greater number of invento­ ry and types of dwellings is something that is crucial right now, especially as it pertains to our master plan,” King said. Before it can be passed, the amendment must be drafted by the planning commission which will likely take place at their next meet­ AWfflMMOf 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Police were dispatched to the Barry County Sheriff’s office to respond to a report of a drunken man in the lobby around 3:30 p.m. June 6. The 48-year-old Hastings man was in the lobby and told police he believed he was supposed to be serving jail time. After finding his information, police discovered the man was currently out on bond. One of the conditions of the bond order was no use of alcohol or illegal controlled substances. Upon administering a Breathalyzer test, the man was discovered to have a 0.393 percent blood alcohol content. The man told police he had consumed a half-gallon of vodka. He was transported by ambulance to Spectrum Health Pennock, where he was medically cleared and lodged at the Barry County Jail for violating his bond order. Police handle stolen pudding stone A 54-year-old Delton man called police 4 p.m. June 4 to report a pudding stone valued at $2,000 had been stolen from a property he takes care for the owner on Guernsey Lake Road. The man also indicated he had located the stone at a 46-year-old Shelbyville man’s house on Lindsey Road. When police arrived on the scene at the Guernsey Lake Road property, they noticed a rope tied to two stakes with a “no trespassing” blocking entrance to a two-track road had been thrown to the ground. Police also saw tire impressions from some sort of heavy equipment leading directly to where the stone used to be located. The owner of the property told police he wouldn’t press charges if the stone was returned. When police contacted the 46-year-old suspect on Lindsey Road, he told police he had received the stone from a friend. When police asked if he knew where the friend had gotten the stone from, the man said he did not know. When asked if he had contact infor­ mation for the friend, the man said he did not. Police could not find any personal or contact information about the man after searching the internet and police databases. On June 8, the property owner said he had retrieved the stone from the other man’s property and now wished to press charges. When police reached back out to the suspect, he admit­ ted to stealing the pudding stone about two weeks prior to the report being made. The man told police someone else was looking over the property about 20 years ago and gave him permission to take it. Police informed the man that the current owners had owned the property since the 1960s and had not given anyone permission to take the stone. County Serenity Club for a charitable gam­ ing license. • Approved an application for a $250,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Devel­ opment Corporation for road and utility improvements on Apple Street. • Approved the Pursuit of Character Min­ istries to sell books, shirts and CDs on July 2 and Aug. 6 at Spray Plaza, as well as an event Sept. 17 at Thomapple Plaza. • Approved the sale of two city-owned trucks for $54,620 and $56,200. ■ Received a monthly report from Hast­ ings City Police Chief Dale Boulter. City police responded to 480 calls for service, made 26 arrests, issued 16 citations and responded to 10 traffic accidents. Driver charged in Delton fatal hit-and-run Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 32-year-old Delton woman has been charged in a hit-and-run crash in Barry Town­ ship that took the life of a 21 -year-old woman last month. Alexandra Marie Palmer is being held in the Barry County Jail on a $200,000 bond after she was arraigned Tuesday in District Court 56B on three criminal counts stemming from the May 8 accident in the 6900 block of Delton Road that killed Mica Alexandra Palmer LeBeau. Palmer was arrested Monday night after police received information from a caller as to her whereabouts, township Police Chief Mark D. Doster said. Palmer has been charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death, a charge that, upon conviction, carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000. She is also charged with failure to stop at the scene of a serious personal injury accident and a moving violation causing death, court records show. According to the Barry Township Police Department, officers found LeBeau lying alongside the roadway on Delton Road short­ ly after 1 a.m. May 8. First responders from the Delton Fire Department provided medical assistance, but LeBeau was later pronounced dead at the scene. An accident reconstructionist from the Barry County Sheriff’s Department joined township police for the investigation, Doster said in a news release issued after the accident. According to the officer’s investigation, a Dodge Durango or Dodge Dakota was travel­ ing west on Delton Road when it struck LeB­ eau, who was walking along the roadway. The driver fled the scene west on Delton and then turned north on Norris Road, police said. Palmer was identified as the suspect in an updated news release issued Monday. Palmer is scheduled for a probable cause hearing next Wednesday in district court before Barry County Judge Michael Schip­ per. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — Page'7’’ fl look back at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Editor’s Note: The following letters were printed in The Hastings Banner in late June and early July 1865 in which two calvary members recall their 2,000-mile trek into Rebel territory and back, and a veteran sol­ dier shares his heartache over Lincoln’s death. We are revisiting this collective account, first published in The Banner June 25, 2015, to mark the 100^ anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C. Banner June 28, 1865 From the 11th Cavalry Camp near Lenoir Station, Tenn. June 12, 1865 Mr. Editor - Thinking you might wish to hear something direct from the “old eleventh,” I will take the liberty of informing you that said regiment “still exists,” and (pardon my vanity) maintains its previously formed char­ acter as a fighting regiment. We are now enjoying a little rest after a long and successful raid into the very heart of the enemy’s country. We left Knoxville on the 17th of March with Gen. Stoneman’s command, and made our way as fast as practicable toward North Carolina. A wagon train accompanied us as far as Leesburg, where we drew 10 days’ rations, and the wagons turned back. We had previously been supplied with ammunition and other supplies necessary to a long march. On the night of the 27th, we crossed the Smoky Mountains into N.C., and the next day crossed the Blue Ridge. Soldiers tell of waning days of Civil War The above is a feeble outline sketch of our proceedings, during the last three months, and if you consider it worthy of a place in the columns of your paper, you have permission to publish the same. Volunteer. Banner July 5, 1865 From the 10th Cavalry Lenoir Station, Tenn. June 24, 1865 J.M. Nevins, Dear Sir - thinking the read­ ers of the Banner would like to hear from the 10th Mich, cavalry, I will give a short detail of its whereabouts, leaving it with you to publish if worthy a space in your columns. We left Knoxville March 21 and returned May 31, during that time, we were actively and ardently engaged in the late raid through the Southern States, under Gen. Stoneman, who is noted as a cavalryman, to improve every moment to accomplish his end. Our regiment, though under a forced march, encountering and driving the enemy in many places, returned after a march of over 2,000 miles, with only a loss of 15 men killed or wounded. On their return, the boys were dressed in all manner of uniforms. The forced marching, and playing out of horses, compelled them to abandon all unnecessary clothing, and to irri­ tate the rebel citizens a little, by supplying themselves with necessary food and clothing. But they have now become rested - drew new clothes and [are] ready for another raid if called upon, but we have every reason to believe our services will not be required in the line of raiding. Our regiment has a surplus of nearly 100 men awaiting to be assigned to companies as soon as a vacancy occurs. The boys are in the best of spirits, anxious to return home, and would be more anxious, did they not believe that the War Department was May 30, 2022, marked the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, shown here when it was under construction. Honoring the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, and inspired by the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, the memorial features a statue of the seated Lincoln; and engravings of the Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address, two of his greatest speeches. Dedication took place on Decoration Day (now known as Memorial Day) weekend. An estimated crowd of 50,000 attended, while as many as 2 million listened across the country via the new medium of radio. Space will not permit a detailed account of all our movements, suffice it to say that after passing several small towns and capturing several small squads of “Johnies,” we entered the “old dominion,” and stopped on the “sacred soil” April 6th at Christian Station, staying two days to destroy the railroad, which was done effectually by burning the bridges and ties and warping the rails so as to render them perfectly useless. Our next move was to Salesberry, [Salis­ bury] N.C., where the rebels had about 300 prisoners confined, sons of whom they had gently persuaded to enlist by means of starva­ tion and ill treatment generally. They were termed “galvanized Yankees.” They would do to count and boast over, but in time of action they “failed to connect.” Sev­ eral were shot in the vain attempt to make them fire on us. After a resistance of two hours they found the “Yanks” too much for them, and in attempting to run, found themselves com­ pletely surrounded and in our power. 12 piec­ es of artillery were taken. About that time, the news of the evacuation of Richmond was confirmed, and soon after the news of an armistice reached us; but before we had time to rejoice over this good news, the intelligence of the assassination of President Lincoln came like a thunder-bolt and turned our joy into mourning. There was a complete revulsion of feeling, and an almost universal wish that armistice might be broken in order to give an opportunity for retaliation, since it was believed to be the work of rebel emissaries. The wish was hardly made before it was real­ ized, and we were ordered once more to turn back. This time to visit South Carolina and Georgia - the command being divided up into small parties for the purpose of foraging and picking up and paroling rebel soldiers, who were then daily giving themselves up. After the capture of Jeff. Davis by the 4th Mich. Cavalry, we started for Tenn., where we arrived the 27th of May, and arrived in Knox­ ville the 2d of June after an absence of 77 days. The day of our arrival in Tennessee we were met by a wagon train bringing govern­ ment rations of hard tack, bacon and the ne plus ultra of soldier’s fair - coffee and sugar. During the march, we lived upon the fat of the land, and returned almost entirely remounted on the best stock the country afforded. Our loss is very slight. Capt. Edwards of Co. D was mortally wounded at Salesbery. One private of Co. L. was killed by an acci­ dental shot. influenced by the wise and patriotic motives in retaining the soldiers. We trusted the Gov­ ernment when she called for men, and our confidence in her remains unshaken. The Hastings boys are all well, with the exception of S.E. Bronson, who is in the hos­ pital at Knoxville, on the account of acciden­ tally breaking his leg. Truman Munion of Woodland (credited to Hastings) after a few days of sickness, died in camp with a fever, June 22d. The 11th Mich, and 12th Ohio Cav. are now Brigaded with us. We are camped 22 miles west of Knoxville in a beautiful grove, and intend to celebrate the coming Fourth in the shady woods of Tennessee. Yours respectfully, N.W. Crook Nelson W. Crook, of Hastings, served with Company K of the 10th Cavalry. He was 23 when he enlisted in the summer of 1863. Edward Bronson of Hastings was 33 when he enlisted. Munyon, whom Crook said was credited as beingfrom Hastings but truly was from Woodland, was 20 years old when he enlisted. Others from Hastings and Barry County in that company (and their age at enlistment) included: Joseph H. Adams, Hastings, 30; Henry F. Bennett, Barry Township, 18; Wal­ lace M. Brackett, Castleton Township, 18; Myron Bruce, Hastings, 20; George W. Bump, Hastings, 20; Edward Chafee, Hastings, 24; Edward Cook, Carlton Township, 27; Darius C. Heath, Hastings, 16; Byron Johnston, Hastings, 26; David Lewis, Hastings, 20; Frederick McNair, Hastings, 21; Henry Oak­ ley, Hastings, 18; Edgar D. Reid, Hastings, 34; Albert J. Sponable, Hastings, 21; Wash­ ington Sponable, Hastings, 26. The 1880 History of Allegan and Barry Counties lists additional Barry County men from the 10th Cavalry, including Company B’s Ashfield Graham, Samuel Hall, Monor Mead, Melvin Mead, Moses H. Taylor, J.B. Upperson; Company C, William Vaughan; Company D, George W. Jay, Albert A. Jay; Company F, John C. Coleman, Edward Fish­ er, Clinton A. Gregory, Myron H. Stephens; Company G, William Bundy, Lewis Landon, Amos Leek, Harvey G. Patrick, George T. Smith; Company H, Hiram O. Paine; Compa­ ny I, Samuel W. Sturdevant; Company L, Thomas J. Curtiss, William Estess, Walter M. Keagle, Allen T. Rowley; and Company M, Frank Demond and Richard Demond. Banner July 5, 1865 Soldier’s letter U.S. General hospital, Fairfax Seminary, June 23, 1865 Editor Banner: A flying trip from the cool shades of Barry to the scorching suns of Old Virginia is not very pleasant at this time of year. Yet, we are willing at any time to sacri­ fice ease and comfort for the sake of bringing those to their homes who have periled their lives in defense of our Country’s rights and institutions. Washington is all astir with the brave Vet­ erans of our noble army, who have faced the enemies of our country on many a well fought battlefield. Yet, there seems to be a general complaint against certain high offi­ cials, on account of the mustering out of the bounty jumpers and one year’s men, who have received large bounties, and have done little or nothing for their country; but are now allowed to go to their homes, while those war-scarred veterans are retained. I can not doubt for a moment, but what great wrong has been committed. Gov. Crapo did a great thing for Michigan soldiers when he got their pay withheld until they arrived in their own State, and every one should thank him most heartily, since it is an every day occurrence for one or more of our noble fellows to be robbed of all their hard-earned money. I visited the camp of the 8th Infantry, it is pleasantly situated on Twenty-Fourth Street, Major Doyle commanding. But few Barry County boys are left to tell the hardships they have passed through since September 1861. Capt. Swartout is in command of Co. F., and I believe is well liked by his boys. He has always proved himself to be a brave and effi­ cient officer. Capt. Baker is yet acting Quar­ termaster of the regiment, and I will express it in the boys’ own words that he makes a bully one. The boys of the 8th are all anxious to get home, and it is my opinion that they soon will. The White House is thronged on reception day, with veterans, and President Johnson seems to be one of the hardest working men at the Capital - listening to the complaints of all and doing all he possibly can for them, yet as we passed into the reception room, we missed that tall form, that noble head that but a few weeks ago stood there with more feel­ ings and a larger heart than ever before was possessed by any occupant. Yet in the midst of his noble career a base Assassin’s hand struck down American’s greatest son. His loss can never be repaired. Well may a Nation mourn, they have a need to mourn, and rebels have need to tremble, because mercy will not come so freely to them. The hospitals are being cleared of the sick and wounded, and all that are able to travel will soon be with their families. Two-hundred and fifty rebels passed through here yester­ day; they seem to be willing to live [as] peaceful citizens the remainder of their lives and respect the noble old flag which their leaders taught them to hate. We can forgive and leave them in the hands of a higher power. Crops are good here. Wheat is harvested and all the good things of the season are plen­ ty, such as blackberries, wortleberries, ripe apples &c. I have already written enough. You will overlook this, [since] you would not expect one to write anything very cooling [in] this warm weather; while your patience and that of your readers will be taxed by a perusal of this. Truly yours, Samuel Stowell. Stowell, of Woodland, was 20 years old when he enlisted as a corporal Aug. 26, 1861, in Lowell. He had signed on for three years of service, but was discharged in April 1863 due to disability. Perhaps, as a veteran, he had volunteered to accompany wounded soldiers back to Michigan. The first Federal wagon train enter Petersburg, Va., in April 1865. (Library of Congress photo) Fairfax Episcopal Seminary near Alexandria, Va., served as a hospital during the. Civil War. A young Civil War veteran wrote from the hospital in June 1865, saying, “The* hospitals are being cleared of the sick and wounded, and all that are able to travel wi.ilsoon be with their families.” (Library of Congress photo) Soldiers examine a crippled locomotive at the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad depot in Richmond, Va. An unidentified soldier with the 11th Michigan Cavalry wro® to the Banner about destroying railroads in the South. (Library of Congress photo) q** r 4 Ocean pollution affects all animals - including humans Dr. Universe: How are sea animals affected by water pollution? Natalia, 10, Florida Dear Natalia, If you ever visit the beach, take a look at all the animals: crabs scuttling across the sand, seals bobbing on the waves and sea stars tucked into tide pools. Maybe there are even whales spouting on the horizon. Earth’s oceans are home to thousands of creatures. But, as you know, human pollution reaches our waterways and all the animals that live in them. To learn more, I talked to my friend Erica Crespi, an associate professor in the Washington State University School of Biological Sciences. Crespi studies howanimals that live in water respond to all kinds of stresses, including pollution. Crespi said it’s important to realize that many different types of pollution harm ocean animals. First, there’s plastic. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 9.5 million metric tons of plastic waste ends up in the ocean every year. A blue whale can weigh 150 metric tons-so the amount of plastic in the ocean from one year weighs more than 63,000 blue whales. This includes not only household trash but also runoff from roadways, bits of material used to package items and waste­ water, which contains the dirty leftovers from our toilets, tubs and factories. Some of these are microplastics, very tiny plastic particles. Scientists have found microplastics in big animals like sharks and small ones like mussels-and even in humans. Plastics can harm animals in all sorts of ways. They can hurt digestion, damage body parts and make it difficult for them to swim. They can also harm their ability to grow and reproduce. Many plastics also contain toxins that make animals sick. Oil is another major cause of water pollution. Some oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico have been leaking into the water since before you were born! Oil damages seabirds’ feathers, so they can’t stay dry and warm. Predators that eat animals with oil in their bodies build up more oil, which can make them sick over time. Pollution can even reach the ocean through the air. As carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, some of it dissolves into the ocean, making the water more acidic. Sea animals are used to a certain level of acidity. When that changes, an animal might not be able to adapt. When pollution harms one type of ahimal in the ocean, it affects all of them. “We have such amazing company on this planet,” Crespi said. “We rely on healthy ecosystems. We value all the animals we see in the oceans from tiny zooplankton to large dolphins and whales, and all of those animals depend on each other to be healthy.” It’s OK if water pollution feels like such a huge problem that is overwhelming to think about. You can help by making small changes. Encourage your family to use less plastic or spend a day picking up trash near your house or the waterways you visit. You can also help by getting curious about how pollutants are made and how they reach the ocean. There is still so much we don’t understand about how they affect the health of animals and even ourselves. Humans can help solve big problems by working together to find big solutions. By asking questions like the one you did today, you’re taking the first step to making the world a better place. Dr. Univefse i ■ ’ ‘ ; . * • ” ’ ; • I » u • " . > ' • » \ * • . ‘ ] ‘ ; • ; ♦ 4 ] >’ Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni- • ’ verse. Send an email to Washington State ’ University’s resident scientist and writer at 1 x Dr. Universe@wsu. edu or visit her website, J askdruniverse.com. 1 • �Page 8 — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Ceremony honors adult ed graduates Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer Renaissance Adult Education Program honored the Class of 2022 in a graduation ceremony Saturday afternoon at the Thomap­ ple Plaza in Hastings. This program is made possible by the part­ nership between Plainwell Community Schools and the Community Action Agency, as well as MiWorks. Kristine Brown, manager and teacher of adult education through the Community Action Agency, said there are classes at MiWorks, the Barry County Jail, and Com­ munity Action Agency’s Hastings Head Start building. “Many students come to us because they are Head Start parents and they are able to attend class while their child is in class,” Brown said. “It’s great to have that wrap­ around of services. Others are clients of MiWorks, and when the need for a diploma or GED is uncovered, they are referred to us.” Brown said her favorite part of the pro­ gram is the connections they are able to make with the students and also their families. “We try to focus on the individual first and education second,” she said. “Many times, students come in intimidated by past experi­ ences with education, and we strive to make them feel welcome and comfortable. I love when students contact me, long after they have completed the program, to update me on what is going on in their lives; starting col­ lege, getting married, having children. It feels good to know they still want to share their Ten graduates file in for the ceremony. (Photos provided) MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #RI10376 & Insured RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN Tracy Whitney and her son who was heard shouting “I love you, mom!” during her student speech. good news with us!” A total of 14 graduates were listed in the program and 10 were present for the ceremo­ ny. After the graduates were seated, Brown began the ceremony with a welcome and a small speech. “Everyone has a different story behind what led them to stop attending traditional school, and everyone has a different reason for coming back to work on obtaining their high school diploma or GED,” she said. “Some do it to further their education, to have more opportunities for employment, to be a role model for their children, or maybe for their own sense of accomplishment. “Taking that first step is hard, though. It is intimidating to come to a new place, to take on a new challenge. I am so glad they had the courage to take that first step, and all the steps that followed, to get them here today.” Children from the audience, some kids of the graduates on stage, stood at the bottom of the stage with flags in their hands as they led the Pledge of Allegiance. Angela Seeber then sang the Star-Spangled Banner. Brown spoke about how this journey was not easy. The students had to study, take pages upon pages of notes, take tests and more, all while having busy schedules with their jobs, families, children and many other obligations. “You have all proved your determination to move forward and I am honored to have been a part of that journey,” Brown said. Tracy Whitney, one of the graduates, gave a speech that centered around her journey to the program. She was supposed to graduate in 2015 from high school, but she eventually stopped attending school altogether during her junior year due to lack of attention and the “cookie-cutter lessons” that are given to every student. Whitney spoke about the fear she had getting back into classes through the adult education program. “On the day of our first meeting, I almost didn’t show up,” she said. “And once I was there, I almost left.” After going through the program and fac­ ing her fears, Whitney and multiple others were able to stand on the stage and receive, their diplomas. “There is no barrier now between me and success and between myself and what I can be if I want to,” Whitney said. “The most exciting part is that I get to choose.” . Tammy Glupker, principal of Renais­ sance Adult and Alternative Education, and Heidi Huizenga, director of Renaissance Adult Education, handed out the diplomas. Brown made sure to mention that the cook­ ies at the ceremony were donated by The. Cookie Store and the flowers that Brown gave to each graduate were donated by Barlow’s. The graduates are: Kimberly Hard, Antjuan Kimble, John Hilton, Joshua Meece, Lexi Meher, Jessica Milanowski, Zane Reyn­ olds, Matthew Schultz, Tiffany Sibley, Derek, Smith, Tracy Whitney, Kathleen Campbell, Derick Evans, and Kevin Villarreal. NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 220 (ZONING) OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CODE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the June 8, 2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter Township Board the following Ordinance No. 2022­ 183 was adopted. The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058-9725, (269) 948-2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such other times as may be arranged. CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-183 ADOPTED: JUNE 8, 2022 EFFECTIVE: JUNE 24, 2022 An Ordinance to amend § 220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code of ordinances pertaining to special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District. THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION 1 AMENDMENT OF §220-12-3 (SPECIAL LAND USES IN LI LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT) §220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the uses designated as special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is proposed to be amended so as to add the following new special land use in that District as subsection U. “U. Retail sales of building materials and/or light industrial related products contained in an enclosed building, or screened from view from public streets, and where all loading/unloading areas are located at or near the rear or the building.” SECTION 2 REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; EFFECTIVE DATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the eighth day after publication or on such later date as may be required by law. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland 182303 Benjamin Simon won second place honors in a national writing competition for a feature story published in The Reminder. Hastings Banner staff writer wins ! Report For America writing honor' Benjamin Simon won second place in fea­ ture reporting in the second annual Report for America “Local News Awards” this past weekend. Simon was honored for “Beaver trouble in Barry County,” published as the cover story in the Oct. 31,2021, edition of The Reminder. Simon served as a J-Ad Graphics staff writer from June 2021 to May 2022 through the prestigious Report for America program. Report for America is a national service program that places journalists in newsrooms across the county to report on under-covered issues and locations. The program involves about 300 reporters who work in 50 countries. The awards ceremony was hosted in Chi­ cago on June 10. “Each of the entries was judged through an anonymous document with only the journal­ ist’s words or visuals - no designs, no links to other work, no identification of the news­ room - to put newsrooms big and small on a level playing field,” according to the Report for America website. The contest categories included feature writing, investigative writing, enterprise reporting, breaking news reporting, commu­ nity leadership writing, audio feature photo, spot news photo and video. Simon’s story explored why county Drain Commissioner Jim Dull has a beaver trap­ ping team. The piece also attempted toi investigate the complexities of beaver trap­ ping, highlighting two people who respect; beavers but have to kill them as a part of their jobs. Katie Hyson of WUFT News won first! place in feature writing for her story, “How a' Black marching band style was erased fromj Gainesville’s fields, and why it matters, decades later.” Rose Lundy of The Maine Monitor won; third place for her piece, “Tiny Coopers Mills reeling in the aftermath of nursing home closure.” , To find out more about the winning entries,, visit https://www.reportforamerica.org/. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, June 16, 2022 Vikings have their best Finals performance Brett Bremer Sports Editor It has been quite a run for the Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team in the past two sea­ sons. The 2021 Lakewood squad scored confer­ ence and regional championships and went on to place 14® at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula . Division 3 Boys Golf Finals. This 2022 team just might go down as the program’s best. The Vikings had their best ever state finals finish over the weekend at The Fortress in Frankenmuth placing sixth in the field of 18 teams at the MHSAA L.P. D3 Finals. Lakewood also had its best ever individual finish at the state finals as senior Trevor Simon finished on the medal stand in a tie for eighth place. Simon shot a 75-78-153 over the course of the two days. He was one stroke better than a pair of guys tied for tenth and two strokes from missing a spot on the state’s top ten medal stand - mean­ ing that honor came down to the final hole. Simon was happy with what he thought was a great second shot on the par-4 number 16 Saturday, but it flew by the green and left him with a terrible look at an up and down from the back side. The little bit of adversity made it one of the highlights of his weekend. He chipped up and over the hill on the backside of the green with his ball rolling 15 to 20 feet past the cup, then sank the putt to save par. Simon scored a bogey on four of his first six holes of the tournament Friday and then was one-under for the rest of his day-one round. That Friday run was sparked by backto-back birdies on number three and number four after starting on 14. Lakewood junior Drew Marquoit was 30® individually with a score of 82-84-166. Senior Liam Cavanaugh scored an 86-85­ 171. Viking senior Logan Kenyon was 60® with an 83-93-176. Senior Brody Jackson and junior Owen Richmond shared the Vikings’ fifth spot at the tournament. Jackson shot a 93 Friday and Richmond a 92 Saturday. “We had a real good practice round on the Tuesday before finals,” Lakewood head coach Carl Kutch said. “These kids have become very astute with course management and understanding variables that come into play during the course of a round. ■ “The depth of our team 1-6 is the best we’ve ever seen in this program. We clearly have a strong number one in Trevor, and Drew emerged as a consistent number two Lakewood senior Brody Jackson sets up for a tee shot during day one of the MHSAA L.P. D3 Boys Golf Finals at The Fortress in Frankenmuth Friday. (Photo supplied) shortly after the season began. Those two have been a huge factor in the team success. Our players are very competitive with each other, yet they are all very good friends as well, and that is where the strength of the team builds. They feed off of each other in a positive way.” Lakewood got to the state finals as a team after scoring runner-up finishes in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference and at its Division 3 Regional Tournament this spring. The Grand Rapids Catholic Central team that bested the Vikings for their regional championship this season was second at the state finals - 20 strokes back from the state champions from Ann Arbor Greenhills. Greenhills put together a two-day, 36-hole score of 612. Catholic Central was second at 632, ahead of Grosse Pointe Woods Uni­ versity Liggett 635, St. Francis 643, Grosse He 650, Lakewood 665, Jackson Lumen Christi 666, Millington 668, Covenant Chris­ The Lakewood varsity boys' golf team awaits the medal ceremony at the end of the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Boys Golf Finals Saturday at The Fortress in Frankenmuth. The Lakewood boys placed sixth, their highest ever finish at the state finals. (Photo supplied) Lakewood senior Trevor Simon (third from left) and the rest of the top ten state medalists look out from the awards stand at the end of the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Boys Golf Finals at The Fortress golf course in Frankenmuth Saturday. Simon fin­ ished in a tie for eighth which is the best-ever finish for a Lakewood guy at the state finals. (Photo supplied) tian 673, Big Rapids 675, Lansing Catholic 679, Boyne City 692- Swan Valley 693, Hanover Horton 694, Sandusky 706, School­ craft 738, Olivet 743 and Coloma 753. Greenhills senior Cale Piedmonte-Lang was the tournament’s individual champion too with a score of 72-71-143. Greenhills had three top ten medalists. Senior Beau Brewer was 12® at 71-79-150 and sophomore Max Shulman sixth with a 76-76-152. Junior Arjun Prabhakar had Greenhills’ number four score each day finishing at 87-80-167 in 36® place individually. Piedmonte-Lang was a stroke better than Grand Rapids Catholic Central sophomore Will Preston who shot a 74-70-144. Belding senior Mason Anderson placed third with a score of 73-72-145 and Bath senior Ethan Swenson was fourth at 72-77-149. The top three, Piedmonte-Lang, Preston and Anderson were the only members of the top ten to score better on day two than on day one. Charlie Cooksey from University Liggett tied Shulman for sixth with a 72-80-152 and Cooksey’s teammate Sean Sullivan matched Simon for eighth with a 76-77-153. Tied for tenth, the last of the state medalists, were Covenant Christian’s Michael DeVries with a 76-78-154 and Hanover-Horton’s Brady Applegate at 73-81-154. “We knew there were some birdies to be made, but there were also some holes provid­ ing a real test of golf, particularly the last half of the back nine. The Fortress was a very good Championship track,” Kutch said. The Vikings fared well though. Marquoit fired a birdie on 15 on day one and Cavanaugh scored one on 12. Cavanaugh and Kenyon also birdied the par-5 number six on Saturday. “I am so proud of these boys and the effort they brought throughout the entire season,” coach Kutch said. Simon was pretty impressed with the efforts his teammates made to improve between the 2021 and 2022 Finals, calling Marquoit defi­ nitely the most improved of the bunch. Personally, Simon said his irons and approach shots have seen the most improve­ ment in the past year. It was some improved tee shots over the weekend from earlier in the year that really helping him score well at the finals. “My driver all year was broken I’m pretty sure,” Simon said. “It was messed up. I ended up switching drivers [for the finals].” Simon had been using the same driver since his freshman season at Lakewood. Prior to regionals, his dad took a few swings with it. Once even his dad struggled to hit a clean shot With the driver they knew something had to be wrong. Simon borrowed his dad’s TaylorMade M4 driver and put it in his bag for regionals, but didn’t pull it out much due to a lack of prac­ tice time with the club. He made good use of it in Frankenmuth though. Simon said his dad has since found a new driver so he expects the M4 to stay in his bag for the time being. Coach Kutch was also pleased with the team’s parent group keeping this season and all the hard work of coaches Jason Solgat, Gary Elliott and Andy Cutter. Lakewood's Owen Richmond, Drew Marquoit, Logan Kenyon, Liam Cavanaugh^ Trevor Simon, Brody Jackson and head coach Carl Kutch are ready for the second day of the MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Boys Golf Finals at The Fortress in Frankenmuth Saturday. The Vikings' sixth-place finish is the top finish ever at the state finals for the Viking boys' team. (Photo supplied) Lakewood junior Drew Marquoit looks to chip his ball over some water onto a green at The Fortress Golf Course Saturday during the MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Boys Gol? Finals. (Photo supplied) ** �Page 10 — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGE CHARLES J. HIEMSTRA IS A DEBT ^COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE ,A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Default has occurred in the conditions of a - Mortgage (“Mortgage") made by David Pallasch, an unmarried man, of 1298 Main Street, Suite 4183, ..Windsor, Colorado 80550, Mortgagor, to Lake Michigan Credit Union, a state chartered credit union, having its principal office at 5519 Glenwood ■Hills Parkway SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 .(“Mortgagee”), which Mortgage was dated April 9, -2021, and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds for Barry County, Michigan on April 13, 2021 at Instrument Number 2021-004971. By reason of this default, the Mortgagee hereby declares the entire unpaid amount of said Mortgage due and payable immediately. As of the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due on this Mortgage the sum of One Hundred Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-nine and 22/100 Dollars ($114,229.22). No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by this Mortgage or any part thereof. ’ NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT: Notice is given under section ^3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the above Mortgage will , be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public sale to the highest ; bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of -holding the circuit court in Barry County, at the East Steps of the courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on Thursday, the 21 st day of July 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds Office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The premises covered by this Mortgage are located in the Township of Rutland, County of Barry, State of Michigan and described on the attached 'Exhibit A. Notice is further given that the length of the redemption period will be six (6) months from the date of sale unless determined to be abandoned ’in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case I the redemption period will be as provided by MCL ; 600.3241 a. i' If this property is sold at a foreclosure sale by ; advertisement, during the period of redemption, ‘borrower/mortgagor will be responsible to the (purchaser or to the mortgage holder for physical injury to the property beyond wear and tear resulting from the normal use of the property if the . physical injury is caused by or at the direction of the ;borrower/mortgagor. ‘ Dated: June 9, 2022 > LAKE MICHIGAN CREDIT UNION J MORTGAGEE ‘ THIS INSTRUMENT PREPARED BY: ;328.36 feet along said East line to the j South line of said Northwest 1/4, Southwest 1/4; (thence South 87 degrees 0 minutes 14 seconds "West 1,323.42 feet along said South line to the JWest line of said Southwest 1/4; thence North 3 “degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds West 660.07 feet (along said West line to the Place of Beginning. * Together with a non-exclusive easement being jnore particularly described as follows: » An easement over a strip of land 66 feet in width (for highway purposes and public utilities known as Scenic Trail (extended portion), the Centerline "of such easement being described as follows: Beginning at the West end of Scenic Trail as shown 7jn Clearview Lakes Estates according to the plat Thereof recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24, *at a point which lies South 25 degrees 57 minutes 16 seconds East 33 feet from the Southwest corner “of Lot 6 of said plat; thence South 64 degrees 2 'minutes 54 seconds West 345 feet to the point of “ending, including in said easement land lying within 60 foot radius cul-de-sac, the radius of which "lies South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West "50.10 feet from said point of ending. Also subject to and together with a parcel of land “reserved for a private easement for drainage and *park purposes described as follows: Commencing ‘at the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of Clearview Lakes •Estates as recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page j24; thence South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 66 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 236.37 feet along said South line for the true place *of beginning; thence South 5 degrees 27 minutes (56 seconds West 77.07 feet; thence South 51 •degrees 20 minutes 37 seconds East 73.26 feet; (’thence South 9 degrees 8 minutes 4 seconds West 88.09 feet; thence South 6 degrees 7 minutes (£1 seconds West 109.92 feet; thence South 32 -degrees 47 minutes 21 seconds West 133.66 feet; Thence South 13 degrees 26 minutes 18 seconds West 130.68 feet; thence South 0 degrees 28 Tninutes 46 seconds East 69.35 feet; thence South 47 degrees 29 minutes 41 seconds West 79.24 feet; Thence North 51 degrees 46 minutes 51 seconds (West 82.65 feet; thence North 0 degrees 1 minute 5 •seconds East 101.21 feet; thence North 5 degrees J 8 minutes 34 seconds East 96.52 feet; thence •North 19 degrees 40 minutes 48 seconds East §)3.61 feet; thence North 20 degrees 5 minutes 31 seconds East 91.43 feet; thence North 19 degrees ”22 minutes 10 seconds East 84.41 feet; thence -North 1 degree 59 minutes 37 seconds East 77.31 (feet; thence North 63 degrees 37 minutes 30 (seconds East 59.63 feet; thence North 4 degrees 34 Tninutes 6 seconds West 51.36 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence North 64 degrees 2 minutes “54 seconds East 55 feet to the place of beginning. 5 Parcel ID No. 08-13-010-007-00 ' the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on July 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not au­ tomatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE SALE -Daniel Drum and Amy N. Drum, Husband and wife as joint tenants, original mortgagors, granted a Mortgage to Citifinancial, Inc., dated No­ vember 30, 2006, and recorded December 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1173501, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan, and assigned to Citifinancial Servicing LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, recorded on January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017-000595, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as owner Trustee for WF 19 Grantor Trust, recorded January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017­ 000596 in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust III recorded April 13,2021 as Instrument Number 20212-004919, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michi­ gan which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Two Thousand Thirty dollars and 10/100 dollars ($22,030.10). The MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE NOTICE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judica­ ture Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, start­ ing promptly at 1:00 P.M., on June 23, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchas­ er to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Attention homeowner: If you are a mil­ itary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclos­ ing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Robert Fruih, an unmarried person, (“Mortgagor”), gave a mortgage to Advia Credit Union, (“Mortgagee”), dated March 22, 2019, and recorded on April 3, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-002650, Barry County Records, Michigan. On the date of this notice, there is claimed to be due the principal of Twenty Thousand Five Hun­ dred-Fourteen and 49/100 Dollars ($20,514.49) plus accrued interest at 2.75% per annum. Un­ der the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at the place of holding in the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan @ 1:00 P.M. on Thursday, June 23, 2022. Said premises are situated in the Township of Barry, Barry Coun­ ty, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at a point 23 Rods South of the center of Sec­ tion 28, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence West 10 Rods; thence South 4 Rods; thence East 10 Rods; thence North 4 Fiods to the place of begin­ on page 37; thence North 53 degrees 37 minutes ning Commonly: 14644 S. Kellogg School Road Hickory Corners, Ml 49060—Tax ld#08-03-028057-00 The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, under Section 600.3278 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Dated: May 19, 2022 Ad­ via Credit Union, Mortgagee Holzman Law, PLLC By: Charles J. Holzman Attorney for Mortgagee 28366 Franklin Road Southfield, Michigan 48034 (248)352-4340 00 seconds West 427.89 feet; thence North 09 degrees 49 minutes 00 seconds East 114.74 feet; (05-19)(06-16) sale is subject to a Mortgage recorded on May 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1164135 of Barry County Register of Deeds. The following described premises situated in the Township of Prairieville, County of Barry, State of Michigan, to-wit: Begin­ ning at the Northwest corner of Section 4, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence on the Township line of South 89 degrees 52 minutes 06 seconds East 180 feet; thence South 00 degrees 48 minutes 01 seconds East parallel with the West line of said section 587.21 feet to the Northeasterly edge of Hughes Road, a private drive in the plat of Shady Heights, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, utes 01 seconds West on same 221.0 feet to the ■4he East line of the West 1/2 of said Southwest 1/4; Whence South 3 degrees 18 minutes 6 seconds East *! Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of of 139.80 feet to the section line common to said section 4 and 5; thence North 00 degrees 48 min­ to the Southerly line of the Westerly extension of ’Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 69.88 feet along said Southerly fine; thence Southwesterly 117.26 feet along said (Southerly line along the arc of a 60 foot radius “Curve to the right, the chord of which bears South j63 degrees 24 minutes 2 seconds West 99.47 feet; thence South 2 degrees 44 minutes 51 seconds ‘JWest 160.93 feet; thence South 3 degrees 16 'Vninutes 44 seconds East 105 feet; thence North ^7 degrees 5 minutes 1 second East 503.80 feet to Scenic Trail, NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE 180778 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Parry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Member SIPC Jim Lundin , Financial Advisor 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 ' What’s your investment risk tolerance? Risk is a normal part of investing. If you didn’t take on any risk, you wouldn’t have the potential to achieve higher returns. But how much risk should you accept? You don’t want to incur unnecessary risk. So, you’ll need to assess the amount of risk you’re comfortable taking and then determine if this risk level supports your ability to achieve your long-term goals. Here are some of the key factors in determining your own capacity for investment risk: • Personality - We all have different personalities. And your individual personality can certainly affect your comfort level with risk. If you enjoy taking chances or pushing yourself outside your comfort zone in other aspects of your life, you could be more likely to accept greater investment risk, too, because you know that greater risk means greater potential reward. Conversely, higher-risk investments also carry greater potential for volatility, including steep short-term declines. • Time - Risk tolerance can change over time. When you are first starting out in your career, with decades to go until you retire, you may feel comfortable with a certain degree of investment risk, knowing you have time to potentially overcome the inevitable downturns in the financial markets. But as you near retirement, you might consider lowering your risk level and investing more conservatively, because once you do retire, you’ll likely have to start withdrawing money from your retirement accounts, which means you may need to liquidate some investments - and, ideally, you won’t want to have large fluctuations in value at that time. However, even during retirement, you may want your portfolio to include some growth-oriented investments to help keep you ahead of inflation. • Type of goal - You might have different risk tolerances for different goals. For example, if you know you need a specific amount for a particular goal in two years - such as buying a new car or taking an overseas vacation - you may want to put away money in a low-risk, liquid vehicle. This type of investment might not have much growth potential, but for this goal, you are less interested in achieving a high rate of return than you are in being reasonably sure the money will be there when you need it. So, in this instance, you may have quite a low tolerance for risk. But for a long-term goal, such as a J comfortable retirement, you may be prepared to take more risk in the hopes of greater returns, given ’ the longer time horizon. By understanding your risk [ tolerance and knowing how it * can change over time and under different circumstances, you can be better prepared to face investment volatility. And there * are certainly things you can do * to mitigate risk. By owning a variety of investments - domestic and international stocks, bonds, ’ mutual funds, government . securities and so on - you can ' reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio. (Keep in mind, though, that ‘ diversification can’t prevent all 1******** losses or guarantee profits.) In any case, the biggest risk of all is simply not investing. If ’ you are going to achieve your ( financial goals, you need to invest ' for them. By understanding your own risk tolerance, and « by making wise choices along ’ the way, you can stick with an investment strategy that can work for you in the long run. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial . Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC 1 NOTICE East parallel with the North line of the Northeast fractional 1/4 of the adjacent section 5, a distance fGrand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 235-3100 * EXHIBIT A . ..... .„—^kegaiDescription f That part of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 10, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, । Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 corner of said Section; thence South 3 degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds East 660.07 feet along the West line of said Southwest 1/4 to the North line of the South 1/2 of the Northwest 71/4 of said Southwest 1/4 and the Place of Beginning; thence North 86 degrees 55 minutes 432 seconds East 994.61 feet along said North line 1 MW MTZ%npW^5W^C VJzjkJLy 11M a a thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 12 seconds ‘Charles J. Hiemstra (P-24332) * Attorney for Mortgagee £125 Ottawa Ave., NW, Suite 310 * Property address: ^Michigan 49058 w place of beginning. Commonly known as 10929 Pine Lake Road, Delton, Ml 49046 Property ID# 08-12-004-007-10 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless^ de­ termined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241, in which case the redemption period shall be 1 month, or under MCL 600.3241 a 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later, or extin­ guished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice ATTENTION PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. This notice is from a debt collector. Dated: June 14 2022 For more information, please call: (513) 852­ 6066 Daniel A. Cox and Crystal L. Saresky Wood & Lamping LLP Attorneys for Servicer 600 Vine Street, Suite 2500, Cincinnati, OH 45202 File 21­ 12006 (06-16)(07-14) 182533 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29189-DE Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Vickie D. Waters, Deceased. Date of birth: 8/20/1955. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Vicki D. Waters, died 3/31/2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Justin Waters, personal representative, or to both the probate court at Barry County Probate Court, 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: June 14, 2022 Mark E. Kreter P35475 One West Michigan Avenue Battle Creek, Ml 49017 269-966-3000 Justin Waters 11619 Sorrel Run NW Gig Harbor, WA 98332 (248)219-6882 182563 TO ALL CREDITORS" The Grantor, Sandra R. Drummond (formerly Sandra R. Englehart), (date of birth December 4, 1945), who lived at 1616 Wildwood Dr. Hastings, Ml 49058, died May 9, 2022. There is no personal representative of the Grantor’s estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Sandra R. Englehart Trust, dated April 29, 1997, as amended, will be forever banned unless presented to Trustee, Erin Margaret Welker, within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: June 1,2022 ATTORNEY: TRUSTEE: Kristie A. Teague (P85631) Teeples and Teague Law, PLLC 230 Fulton Street E, Ste J C Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 776-7200 Erin Margaret Welker 3208 Woodsview Hills Dr. SE Caledonia, Ml 49316 (616) 528-2747 (06-16) 182490 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ dicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or ca­ shier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 30, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagors): Justin T. Curtis, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registra­ tion Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servic­ ing, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 22, 2016 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 9, 2016 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $128,754.92 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 26 of Ammon Eatons Addition to the City of Hast­ ings according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats on Page 15. Also commencing at the Northeast corner of said Lot 26, thence North 33 feet, thence West 132 feet, thence South 33 feet, thence East 132 feet, being the South one half of Eaton St. adjacent to said Lot 26, which street was heretofore vacated by City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 1305 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2502 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). ' If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chap­ ter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: June 2, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 Hastings, 182310 1465702 (06-02)(06-23) 181512 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of: the Mary Elizabeth Graham Family Trust, dated January 24, 2002, as restated. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Mary Elizabeth Graham, who lived at 1037 Wall Lake Drive, Delton, Michigan 49046, died on January 11, 2022, leaving a certain trust under the name of Mary Elizabeth Graham Family Trust, dated January 24, 2002, as restated, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Ray Dean Smith was named as Successor Trustee serving at the time of or as a result of the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Ray Dean Smith, the named Successor Trustee, at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: June 7, 2022 Nathan E. Tagg (P68994) 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269)-948-2900 Ray Dean Smith 9755 Eddy Road Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 720-2849 182230 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29166-DE < 1 WILLIAM M. DOHERTY । Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Jay William Porteous. Date of birth? 06/28/1968. f TO ALL CREDITORS: { NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Jay William Porteous, died 02/25/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Julianna Bisaccio, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street! Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/09/2022 i Nathan E. Tagg (P68994) . 202 South Broadway J Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2900 Julianna Bisaccio 675 Manzanita Street Lakeport, CA 95453 707-245-3432 < - 182314 1 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-029192-DE Estate of Clifford Lawrence Kulikowski. Date of birth: 09/30/1940. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Clifford Lawrence Kulikowski, died 02/16/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kathy E. Kulikowski, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/06/2022 Robert J. Longstreet (P53546) 607 N. Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 945-3495 Kathy E. Kulikowski 5508 Butler Road Dowling, Michigan 49050 (269) 758-3730 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22029184-DE Judge William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St. #302 Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Richard Lee Mead, Sr. Date of birth: 07/13/1934. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Richard Lee Mead, Sr., died 12/03/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jody L. Peterson, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St. #302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: June 8, 2022 Jody L. Peterson 522 E. Mill Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 616-915-6391 182218 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Ronald Revocable Inter Vivos Trust E. Roeder and Candice J. 3 < Roeder Living Trust dated May 16, 2006, as amended and restated. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The Settlor of the trust} Candice J. Roeder, who lived at 9210 Lakeview Drive, Delton, Ml 49046 died May 11, 2022. Creditors of the Settlor, Candice J. Roeder, ar^ notified that all claims against the trust will be forevet barred unless presented to Jeremy W. DeRuiter, the trustee of the trust at 9373 Whitneyville Ave SE, Alto, Ml 49302 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/09/2022 j Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos, P.C. .> , By: Kay E. Kossen P56627 One West Michigan Ave. Battle Creek, Ml 49017 269-966-3000 Jeremy W. DeRuiter 9373 Whitneyville Ave. SE Alto, Ml 49302 616-828-2461 182498 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. I I ! 1 I I 1 f .« 4 4 I �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — Page 11 Eagles reverse 2021 result by going other way Brett Bremer Sports Editor The situation was the same as a year ago and the Eagles weren’t going to let the 2022 result be the same as the 2021 result. The Barry County Christian School met Sacred Heart Academy in a winner-take-all championship game in the finals of the Great Lakes Six Conference Tournament in Kalama­ zoo Thursday, June 9, and pounded out a 13-3 win over the conference’s 2021 champions. “This year, I can literally remember day one of practice the guys saying, we’re not going to let happen to us what happened last year,” Barry County Christian School varsity baseball coach Brandon Strong said. “We just came to play.” Sacred Heart had just defeated the Eagles twice May 31 leaving Sacred Heart, Barry County Christian and Algoma Christian in a three-way tie for the conference lead heading into the conference tournament. The Eagles dispatched of Algoma Christian 11-0 in their semifinal ballgame Thursday. Barry County Christian started the champi­ onship game with lead-off batter Wyatt Smit hammering an outside pitch the other way into deep right field. Coach Strong called it a bomb that sig­ naled to the Eagles that it would be their day. Joe Wise followed up with another double into right field and the Eagles had a 1-0 lead three pitches into the contest. With a string of ballgames and few practic­ es leading up to the doubleheader with Sacred Heart at the end of May, coach Strong said his guys weren’t quite prepared at the plate for what they were going to face against Sacred Heart at the time. The Eagles were ready to handle outside pitches Thursday. A trio of Eagles knocked doubles the other way in that The Barry County Christian School varsity baseball team celebrates a Great Lakes Six Conference championship after sweeping its way through the Great Lakes Six Conference Tournament in Kalamazoo Thursday, June 9, to win its first conference title since 2019. first inning. Chris Lantzer doubled into right field to plate the Eagles’ second run. Barry County Christian kept adding runs. The Eagles pushed their lead to 6-2 through three innings, added two runs in the fifth and then poured it on with five more runs in the top of the sixth. The Eagles had 13 hits in their win over Sacred Heart in the championship game. Wise, the Eagles’ junior catcher, was 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBI in the champion­ ship and 7-for-7 overall for the day. “We needed Joe to have a good offensive year this year and he certainly did,” Strong said. Wise, Dustin Lampart and Jonathan Hawkes also had doubles in the win. Lampart was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Bailey finds place in Siena Heights Men’s Golf program [FIE VRllH Brett Bremer Sports Editor Owen Bailey has motivation for the holes ahead. Bailey placed 14th at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Boys Golf Finals as a junior in the spring of 2021 and had his sights set on another finals appearance. He came up just shy of that goal, losing out on a state qualifying spot in a playo IT at region­ als. He hit his tee shot in the tall grass over a hill and couldn’t quite save things to advance. Bailey said Siena Heights University Men’s Golf Head Coach Al Sandifer told him to take that playoff loss and turn it into motivation and use it to get better. Sandifer diJif t need to see ariotSer'state "'"'finals round from Bailey to know he wanted him on his team. Bailey signed his National Letter of Intent last month to join the Siena Heights program next season. Bailey played his final two season of var­ sity golf with his father, Dan Bailey, leading the Maple Valley varsity golf team. Owen was a three-time all-conference performer in golf in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference, but playing collegiate golf was never really on his radar until get­ ting a letter from the Siena Heights program in January. He’d been more focused on pos­ sibly playing soccer at the collegiate level to that point. Owen was a member of the Maple Valley varsity boys’ soccer team as a freshman and played throughout high school. He spent a couple falls as the kicker on the Lion varsity football team and also played a couple sea­ sons of varsity basketball. He said he started focusing on golf midway through his senior basketball season going to Lansing to work on his swing at the heated driving range at Forest Akers on the campus of Michigan State University. Trail runners race 10 to 1OO kilometers at annual event Charles Homburg of Lansing and Emily Van Tol of Ada won the men’s and women’s 100K races as part of June 3-5 Switchback Endurance Yan­ kee Springs Trail Run. The annual even includes 100K, 50K, 25K Night, half marathon and 10 K races. f Homburg completed the 100K race in 9 hours 33 minutes and 16 seconds. He was a little over 14 min­ utes ahead of Abraham Kane of Kalamazoo who was the runner-up. • A total of 14 men and women com­ pleted the 100K event that took off Saturday morning from the Long Lane Outdoor Center. Van Tol finished her run in 13:35:55. Van Tol set a new course record while improving her personal record by more than an hour. The 50K champions Saturday were Ethan Vigario of Fort Wayne, Ind. And Cindy Huntington from Portage. Champions in the 25K Night run, which started Saturday at 8 p.m., were Simon Giraud of Oke­ mos and Lauren Dietrich of Green­ bush. Josh Miller of Rockford and Jessica Gotwals of Goshen, Ind. led the half marathon race Sunday. The 10K champs Friday evening were Todd Meredith of Allegan and Lind­ sey Parker of Byron Center. Runners started and finished their races at the Long Lake Outdoor Cen­ ter and follow the Hall Lake Trail and spur past the Devil’s Soup Bowl. The 25K course turns right at the mountain bike trail and follows it counterclockwise to McDonald Lake. The 10K course goes left on the mountain bike trail and follows it clockwise to McDonald Lake. The half marathon course is the 25K course minus the two-mile warm­ up loop of the mountain bike trail. That path returns to the outdoor center by way of the North Country, Chief Noonday, Long Lake and ski trails. The 50K and 100K courses repeat the 25K course two and four times respectively. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER ■ 945-9554) Garage Sale SALE: 212 W. NORTH ST., Hastings. Thursday 6/16/22 8-5, Friday 6/17/22 8-5, Saturday 6/18/22 8-12:30. Women's name brand clothes, sizes 00, 0, 2 & 4. Men's Johnson & Murphy pants/jeans 32,34, & 36 by 30 length. Men's short/ long sleeve shirts, Large and X-large. Boys Hollister shorts, pants, shirts, X-small, small, & medium. All clothing $2.00 and under. Singer sewing ma­ chine and stand, Oak dresser for baby to middle school age. HP photo smart printer. Boys bike age 5-9. Vizio TV, Home decorating, jewelry, and more! Wanted R & R AUTO RECYCLING- Buying all unwanted vehicles, any condition. Free pick up! 269-876-9048. /? us in ess Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Wal­ nut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets JACK RUSSELL/WESTIE TERRIER Mix puppies- Very cute, will stay small. 1st shots & dewormed, $225.00 517-726-0706. BEAGLE PUPPIES- VERY Cute and great colors. 1st shots and de-wormed. $325.00,517-852-3007. Farm ATTENTION HORSELESS HORSE LOVERS- Abandoned, neglected horses need care. 269-948-4054. SMALL SQUARE STRAW BALES $3/ each, 517-781-0346. HORSE RIDES OR LESSONS- near Hastings City. 269-948-4054. Owen said he lost his first tooth making the turn with his dad from nine to ten at Mul­ berry Fore in Nashville. Even before that, Owen said his father put him in a car seat to ride around on a cart with him when he was an infant. He has been golfing himself since he can remember and played in a few Golf Association of Michigan events in Lansing as a youngster. Owen has been excited to go to Siena Heights after his first official visit there. He got to play the Siena Heights’ home course, The Hills of Lenawee Golf Club, during his visit. He knows he has to work on his consis­ tency to play collegiate golf. “It was better than any of the visits I had to any other college,” Owen said. Coach Sandifer reminds Owen a lot of long-time Maple Valley varsity baseball coach Jerry Reese in the way he talks, treats people and makes the sport about more than just the sport. BUILDING ASSISTANT POSITION Rutland Charter Township is seeking an individual to serve as Building Department Assistant for the Township. It is a 12 hour a week position, hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10am to 2pm. Computer experience is a must. Experience in Microsoft Word and Excel is also helpful. To apply, please bring your resume to the Township Hall, and/or call to set up an interview. Office # is 269-948-2194. We will be accepting resumes at the township hall until June 30th at 12:00 pm. Larry Watson, Supervisor Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 182308 182306 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY CLEANUP NOTICE As per our Cemetery Ordinance #2021 -178 adopt­ ed November 10, 2021, borders will no longer be allowed on cemetery lots. Also, all mounds, memo­ rials, decorations, or benches that hinder the free use of a lawn mower or other gardening apparatus are prohibited. All urns and decorations shall be set in line with the stone within the boundaries of each grave site. The Cemetery cleanup has begun and will be completed by Labor Day, Monday September 5, 2022. If you have any decorations at the Cem­ etery you wish to keep, please remove them now. Larry Watson, Supervisor Rutland Charter Township Hawkes and Nolan Loerop had one hit each in the championship. Hawkes had four RBI and a run scored. That group is a trio of fresh­ men in the 7-8-9 spots in the line-up for the Eagles which has coach Strong excited for the future of the program. Brody Grihorash and Brandt Noe both sin­ gled once. Noe drove in two runs and scored once. Grihorash drove in three runs. Isaiah Birmingham stared and went four innings on the mound for the Eagles against Sacred Heart. He struck out five, walked three and allowed two runs on three hits. Aspen Neymeiyer allowed one run on two hits in the final two innings of relief. He struck out one. , While the hitting carried the day for the Eagles, the pitching did what it needed to. Grihorash and Smit combined for the shut­ out in the tournament opener against Algoma Christian. Grihorash got the win. He started and didn’t allow a hit in two innings. He walked one. Smit threw the final two innings, striking out two and giving up two hits. “[Our pitchers] were outstanding,” Strong said. “I can’t say enough about what they did. We pitched to a whole lot of contact and that was our game plan, to force them to hit the ball and we needed to play good defense and throw a lot of strikes. I think we did that.” Wise was 3-for-3 with a double, three RBI and three runs scored against Algoma Chris­ tian. Lampart and Noe both belted doubles too. Smith was 1 -for-3 at the plate with a walk and three runs scored. Birmingham scored two runs. Noe drove in three and scored once: Hawkes had a single, a run and an RBI. James Stagg also scored one run for the Eagles. “We came out and played like we knew we were capable of,” Strong said. MRPLE VRLI LIONS LIONS DNS LIONS LIDC LIONS it mttv IONS Maple Valley's Owen Bailey, a member of the class of 2022, signs his National Letter of Intent to join the Siena Heights Men's Golf team alongside Siena Heights head coach Al Sandifer in the Maple Valley High School gymnasium. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION AT JULY 6, 2022 REGULAR MEETING THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on July 6, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing includes the following: 1. “ The application of High Grade Materials Company for special land use approval of the proposed expansion of an existing sand/ aggregate mining operation. The applicant is proposing to expand the existing sand/aggregate mining operation granted zoning approval in 2000. The total area of the proposed mining operation is approximately 230 acres on 3 parcels in land section 28 east of Goodwill Road and north of Hubble Road leased by the applicant and owned by Kenith and Carolyn Hubbell (parcel numbers 13­ 028-003-00, 13-028-002-00, and 13-028-001-00). The applicant is proposing to undertake the proposed expansion of the existing mining operation in four phases, each being 1-3 or 2-5 years in duration. The applicant proposes to use a portable dry screener on­ site, but anticipates most sand/aggregate material will be removed from the site to be processed at an off-site location. The application states the proposed expanded operation will use the existing point of access to Goodwill Road, and no new structures or access points are proposed. The land use proposed by the applicant is permissible in the AG/OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District within which the subject property is located, subject to special land use approval and site plan approval. The Planning Commission will consider this application pursuant to the special land use approval standards specified or referenced in §220-20-3.A. of the Rutland Charter Township Code, including Item 1 of §220-20-7 which specifies additional specific standards for aggregate commercial excavations and processing; and any other applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance. 2. Such other matters as may properly come before the Planning Commission at this meeting. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at any time prior to this public hearing/meeting, and may further be submitted to the Planning Commission at the public hearing/meeting. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Zoning Map, Master Plan, and the above-referenced special land use application may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/ meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. TO: 182217 Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 12 — Thursday, June 16, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Youth basketball camps start Monday at Maple Valley High Rock Shop performs at the amphitheater in downtown Middleville during Friday night's, June 10, Riverbank Music Series event. {Photo by Brett Bremer) The Maple Valley Youth Basketball Summer Camp is going on now at Maple Valley Jr/Sr High School in Nashville. The camp is open to all boys and girls in Young 5’s through eighth grade. The cost is $20 per player and campers get a T-shirt, basketball and sack lunches throughout the event. A maximum of $50 will be charged per family/household. Scholarships may be available upon request. Camp for third through sixth graders will be held for one week only from June 20-24 from 9 a.m. until noon each day. Camp for seventh and eighth grade students will be held for two weeks from June 13-17 and June 20-24 from 9 a.m. until noon each day. Camps for Young 5’s through second graders are being held this week only, June 13-17 from 9 a.m. until noon each day. Some younger, more experienced players will be allowed to move up a level upon request - such as a sixth grad­ er looking for more of a challenge being moved into the seventh and eighth grade group. Contact Tony Joostbems with an ques­ tions or requests at 269-838-8131. Joostbems can also be reached by email at tjoostbems@yahoo.com and more information may be available on the MV Youth Basketball Facebook page. Market, music and movies in Middleville all summer long , Brett Bremer Sports Editor ~ Summer events are in full swing in down­ town Middleville including the annual River­ hank Music Series, the Middleville Market and Movies Under the Stars. ; All three events filled downtown Friday and Saturday evening June 10-11 last week­ end as classic rock band Rock Shop per­ formed at the amphitheater in Sesquicentenni- al Park alongside the pavilion where vendors sold everything from doughnuts, tomato plants, honey and syrup to flowers, jewelry and poo emoji shaped soaps. The Middleville Market will be held in the downtown pavilion on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. until Oct. 14. The Movies Under the Stars kicked off its summer movie series Saturday, Jun 11, with Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” One movie a month will play on a screen in the amphitheater. Plans are for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” July 9, “Cruella” Aug. 13 and“Encanto” Sept. 10. Lew Russ and Sons is scheduled to be the next musical act at the Riverbank Music Series Friday, June 24. Music goes from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays through Aug. 19. Concessions are offered by the Middleville Lions Club and the Middleville Rotary Club during the acts. Delton Rocket football, flag football and cheer plan sign-up nights In-person Delton Kellogg Rocket Football, flag football and cheer sign-up dates will be held in the coming weeks. There will be sign-up sessions June 21, June 28 and July 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the middle school cafeteria. Contact Mark Nabozny at 269-998-7363 or Katie Lebeck at 269-548-7662 with questions.:' Walker among KCC athletes earning academic awards ’ More than 40 individual student athletes from Kellogg Community College and three KCC athletic teams received postseason academic awards for excellence in the class­ room during the 2021-22 academic year. The group included freshman Lyssa Walker, a Male Valley High School gradu­ ate on the KCC Women’s Soccer Team. Walker earned the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Academic All-Conference and Academic All-MCCAA awards. A defender, Walker played in 12 games, starting one, for the Cougars last fall. She had one assist and three shots in her 12 games. Walker was joined on the KCC team last fall by her high school classmate Alison McGlocklin, also a freshman at KCC last season. McGlockin had two goals and an •assist in her nine games. ; The KCC Women’s Soccer team was 3-10-1 overall last season. « Honors awarded to KCC student athletes for their academic performance include the following awards: The KCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, for which a student athlete must demonstrate outstanding academic achieve­ ment as well as athletic success, exhibiting ;an outstanding GPA and more than 60 cred­ it hours completed. The winners are nomi­ nated by their coaches. r The Michigan Community College Ath­ letic Association Academic All-Conference Award, for which a student athlete must have completed at least 24 credit hours in the last academic year and have a cumula­ tive GPA of 3.0 or higher. 1 The Academic All-MCCAA Award, for which a student athlete must have complet­ ed at least 24 credit hours in the last aca­ demic year and have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher. The 3rd Team National Junior College Athletic Association Academic Award, for Which a student athlete must have complet­ ed at least 24 credit hours in the last aca­ demic year and have a cumulative GPA between 3.60 and 3.79. ’ The 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award, for which a student athlete must have com­ pleted at least 24 credit hours in the last academic year and have a cumulative GPA between 3.80 and 3.99. The 1st Team NJCAA Academic Award, for which a student athlete must have com­ pleted at least 24 credit hours in the last academic year and have a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Additionally, MCCAA All-Academic Team and NJCAA All-Academic Team hon­ ors were awarded to teams with a cumula­ tive team GPA of 3.0 or higher. KCC’s women’s basketball (3.32 GPA), baseball (3.19 GPA), and women’s cross country (3.13 GPA) teams were named to both lists. Baseball Sam Bassett-Kennedy, of Ann Arbor, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Keegan Batka, of Grand Rapids, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Rance Bryant, of Danville, IL, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Matthew DeFay, of St. Joseph, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Hilario DeLaPaz, of Kalamazoo, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Kane Elmy, of Canton, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award James Geshel, of Grand Rapids, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Nathan Herberholz, of Canton, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 1st Team NJCAA Academic Award Chase Kemp, of Chelsea, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award Gavin Kempainen, of Howell, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Jackson Kitchen, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Cooper Middleton, of Marshall, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Drew Mitchell, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Tate Peterson, of Grandville, KCC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Ashton Potts, of Sterling Heights, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Aca­ demic All-MCCAA, Nathan Ross, of Jenison, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award RJ Sherwood, of Canton, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference Brett Stanley, of Washington Townshi­ pAcademic All-MCCAA, 2ndTeam NJCAA Academic Award Brendan VanTubergen, of Garden City, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Aca­ demic All-MCCAA Noah Warren, of Grand Ledge, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award Kyle Winslow, of Durand,, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award Carter Woody, of Syracuse, IN, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Men’s Cross Country Carter Spring, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award Women’s Cross Country Kassidy Bishop, of Sherwood, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award Ava Cooney, of Athens, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award Natalia Egnatuk, of Marshall, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Shay la Mejia, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Ellie Nowak, of Charlotte, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award Women’s Soccer Men’s Basketball Alika Edmonds, of Kalamazoo, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 2nd Team NJCAA Academic Award Jarod Hubbard, of Mattawan, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Women’s Basketball Kassidy Bishop, of Sherwood, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award Madison Edwards, of Climax, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Elizabeth Schreur, of Tekonsha, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award Maya Wilson, of Bellev­ ue, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Women’s Bowling Kelsey Kipp, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Allison Biergeder, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Ava Cooney, of Athens, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award Natalia Egnatuk, of Marshall, MCCAA Academic All-Conference Lillian Fulcher, of Paw Paw, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Chloe Leugers, of Marshall, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Maya Ruelas, of Kalamazoo, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 1 st Team NJCAA Academic Award Lyssa Walker, of Hastings, MCCAA Aca­ demic All-Conference, Academic All-MC­ CAA By Gina Johnsen Father’s Day is coming up, and it’s a great time to reevaluate our fathers’ roles in our lives, and the value that only they can bring to our culture. Every Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in churches, we hear sermons emphasizing the role, the responsibility, and the appreciation for our mothers and fathers. These are good messages that we need to hear even more than once a year. But, these are sometimes the most painful Sunday sermons for many people because of the lack of fathers (or mothers) and for those who had parents who just couldn’t figure out how to be there for them. One of the most significant crises in our nation, in our culture currently, is the breakdown of the family and the absence of fathers in the majority of our families today. Over 50% of children in America are bom to single mothers, and many do not ever form relationships with their natural bom fathers as a result. I am the Director of a Crisis Pregnancy Center, and we don’t see many of the fathers/boyfriends coming in for counseling or standing by their girlfriends who are pregnant. It’s lonely, scary, and a tough situation for most of these women. Single moms courageously do what is best in having the baby and allowing it to LIVE, but it is far from an ideal situation. As teen pregnancy rates have risen in our society over the past several decades, so has the incidence of childhood trauma, violence, rebellion, lack of respect for authority, hopelessness, depression, and suicide. The family unit truly is at risk in America, and although women step up to the role of Head of Household and take the responsibility to be breadwinner and mom and everything in between, we all know this is not the BEST we can do. All of these scenarios and statistics beg the question of the tremendous value a father brings to the family. And, it’s clear that no baby comes into this world as the result of ONE person, but always TWO: a man and a woman/a boy and a girl. So, it is automatically built in to the “science” of family to need both father and mother. By contrast, we also look at symbols of prosperity, success, peace, freedom, community service, courage and a thriving society: God the Father (who “disciplines His sons, the ones whom He loves”), our Founding Fathers like George Washington who led us to freedom, Father Abraham of our Judeo-Christian roots, and Robert the Bruce (and Sir William Wallace) in the movie Braveheart. Wallace says to Robert, in one of the toughest times in Scottish history, “If you would just lead them (to freedom), they’d follow you...and so would I.” History and our current society all tell us that if men will lead, especially as fathers; the rest will follow. How we value and need the fathers to retain their leadership roles in the family. It is true that women have stepped up to take the demands and the stresses of the family, in order to hold it together. But, some forces (Hollywood, the media, voices of other societies and ideologies) have invaded our culture, demoralized men, and pushed them aside. Therefore, men have walked away from their natural roles as protector, provider, leader, and have left it up to the mothers alone. Our society is pleading that men would take courage and return to their natural roles and stand up for their families, their wives and their children. And, contrary to what we are “told”, this doesn’t make the women weaker or diminish them in any way; it actually makes them stronger, freeing them to reach their potential and be all they can be. When men take their proper roles in families, the mothers and the children thrive as well! My name is Gina Johnsen. I am running for State Representative. And my campaign slogan is “Michigan Families First”. All the woes and the accolades of a society start and end with the family. The family is the most important unit for any society, across the globe. My goal is to encourage, stand up for, and do what is necessary to strengthen the family - the fathers, the mothers, the children! Will you help me do that for the families in Michigan? Please vote for me August 2nd, and help me regain respect for the family, recognizing the very important role of the father, and encouraging mom, dad, grandparents and children to again be the healthiest, most prosperous they can be. Please send me your comments. I want to hear from you: Gina4SwRep@gmail.com For more information, please visit my website: Gina4StateRep.com Paid tor by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 Women’s Volleyball Sports Editor A two-run double by Matt Riehle followed three straight singles by the Springport Spartans in the bottom of the eighth inning of their MHSAA Divi­ sion 2 District Semifinal against the Maple Valley varsity baseball team Saturday, June 4. Those four hits drove across three runs for the Spartans snapping a 2-2 tie. Springport shut down the Lions in the bottom of the eighth for a 5-2 win and a spot in the district final. Maple Valley got another strong outing from pitcher Chanse Courtney who went 7.1 innings. He struck out ten, walked two and allowed five hits. Of the four runs against him three were earned. James Wiser gave up one run on two hits as he came on to finish off the eighth inning. He struck out the final batter he faced to end the Spartan threat with a runner on second. Courtney doubled with two out in the eighth, but that was as much of a threat as the Lions could put up in their final at-bats of the season. The other five Lion hits on the day were all sin­ gles. Courtney was 2-for-3. Ayden Wilkes, Wiser, Jakeb McDonald and Andrew Sheperd had the other Lion singles. Jessey Deppe walked twice and scored a run. Callan Hoefler walked once and scored. Wil­ kes and Wiser had the two Lion RBI. Springport led the ballgame 2-0 after scoring single runs in the fourth and the fifth. The Lions lit the scoreboard for the first time in the bottom of the fifth inning. Deppe led off the inning with a walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Noah Musser and scored on Wilkes’ RBI single into center. Hoefler led off the Lions’ game-tying rally in the bottom of the sixth with a walk. Courtney bunted him over to second and then he went to third on a ground out by Cam Carpenter. A hard ground ball single through the right side by Wiser brought Hoe­ fler home. Wiser stole second and third, but the . Madison Edwards, of Climax, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA ’ J Grace Hall, ofBattle Creek, KCC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Jaelyn Hampton, of Napoleon, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA Kelsie Kemerling, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Aca­ demic All-MCCAA, Ondrea Miller, of Battle Creek, MCCAA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-MCCAA, 3rd Team NJCAA Academic Award < Valley stretches it to eight innings before Spartans win Brett Bremer The Value of a Father Lyssa Walker, a Maple Valley High School graduate, was among the Kellogg Community College student-athletes^ earn honors during the 2021-22 season. Spartans got a pop out to keep him stranded there. Riehle started on the mound for the Spartans. He struck out five and walked three in six innings while allowing two runs on four hits. Dylan Sanford got the win in relief with two scoreless innings in which he allowed two hits and struck out three. The Lions’ first best scoring threat of the game came in the bottom of the second. McDonald sin­ gled into center and Deppe walked with one out, but Riehle got back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam. The Lions didn’t have another base runner until Deppe walked to lead-off the fifth. Lansing Catholic dominated the district tourna­ ment. The host Cougars defeated Potterville 13-0 in five innings in the second semifinal of the day Satur­ day and then beat Springport 14-2 in six innings in the district final. The Cougars improved to 21-11 on the season with their two wins, but have since been knocked from the state tournament. Maple Valley was 15-17 on the season. The MHSAA Baseball Finals are being held this weekend at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium in East Lansing. The Division 3 semifinals Friday afternoon, June 17, pit Detroit Edison against Pewamo-Westphalia and Buchanan against Standish-Sterling. Battle Creek Lakeview takes on Grosse Pointe North and Forest Hills Northern faces Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in the Division 1 Semifinals Friday morning. The Division 2 Semifinals contests are this morn­ ing, June 16, pitting Grosse He against Grand Rap­ ids Christian and Forest Hills Eastern against Goodrich. In the two Division 4 Semifinals today, Whitmore Lake faces Beal City and Riverview Gabriel Richard takes on Rudyard. The state finals are Saturday with the Division 2 championship at 9 a.m., the Division 4 championship at 11:30 a.m., the Division 1 championship at 2:30 p.m. and the Division 3 championship at 5 p.m. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-06-23.pdf a8536e43620dfcfda8d73e7bb5865368 PDF Text Text M-37, Heath Road hazards prompt residents' response 'Deal with it/ says Supreme Court of its hasty derision Valve cover racers new addition to Route 66 show See Story on Page 5 See Editorial on Page 4 See Story on Page 12 80487911018 1070490102590503074149058113421 Thursday, June 23, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 25 PRICE $1.00 Tyden Lofts housing idea still in play Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers has assembled an ad hoc committee to negotiate with the developers of a proposed housing facility in downtown Hastings. During Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, the board appointed commissioners Jon Smelker, David Jackson and Bruce Campbell to negotiate with representatives from Wisconsin-based developer General Capital Group over the hot-button Tyden Lofts project. Since last month, General Capital has floated plans for a 60-unit workforce housing development to both the City of Hastings and Barry County. Originally, the developer had asked to pur­ chase the county’s Friend of the Court build­ ing at 102 S. Broadway St., adjacent to the city-owned development site. While the historic building currently sits empty with no specific plans for its future use, the county refused to sell it. General Capital had suggested using the building for recreational and office space for the pro­ posed development’s residents and the county’s refusal to sell was a brief setback for the project. It appears that General Capital has given up trying to purchase the building, though, sending a letter of the Barry County Board of Commissioners to pitch a new proposal. The board read the letter aloud at its com­ mittee meeting Tuesday. “To simplify the transaction, we have slight­ ly altered our project,” stated the letter, submit­ ted by General Capital Vice President Joshua 'So, commissioners, this is not a usual proposal. We have been asked, really by the community and the City of Hastings, to assist in facilitating one of the largest housing developments that has been proposed in decades.' Chairman Ben Geiger Hafron. “We no longer are seeking to purchase the building, instead, we would like to discuss the purchase of a portion of the parking lot.” “We are hopeful that this will be acceptable to the commission and that we can structure a transaction with the board,” the letter continued. In addition to a portion of the parking lot, General Capital proposed an access easement, which would give residents an additional ave­ nue for entering and exiting the development. The latest proposal was met with mixed reactions from commissioners, but most of them agreed that the plan was light on crucial details. That became the catalyst for assembling the ad hoc committee. “I’ve gone back and forth on this and what’s lacking here is real communication between the developer and the county,” said Jackson, who was picked by county board Chairman Ben Geiger to serve on that com­ mittee. “I think we’re missing a lot of infor­ mation when we get a letter and a drawing.” The new proposal by General Capital seemed to ease commissioners’ concerns, allowing the county to retain ownership of the Friend of the Court building in case additional space for county government is ever needed. “When I walked into the building this morning, there were three cars in that parking lot,” Geiger said. “All three of them were owned by the government. So we are not See TYDEN, page 5 New editor in charge at Banner, Reminder O Beautiful for Spacious Skies An American flag half the size of a football field graced the skies over MOO-ville Creamery near Nashville Saturday. The flag required two cranes and large farm tractors to hoist it and keep it in the air. It served as a backdrop for the celebratory event with music provided by Maple Valley High School’s band, as well as songs sung by attendees. Hundreds came to visit the creamery and farm on Saturday. Tours of the dairy barn were given with demonstrations of the robotic milker. All the while, the flag waved high above, providing shade for MOO-ville’s largest and most famous cow, Jodie. (Photo by George Hubka) Jayson Bussa is the new evolve, I have noticed that editor of five J-Ad Graphics hyperlocal news has suf­ Inc. newspapers: The Hast­ fered as a result,” Bussa ings Banner, The Reminder, said. “With large newspa­ Maple Valley News, Sun pers and news organizations and NeWs and Lakewood scaling back on their News. resources, it can tough to Bussa, who is filling the find a reliable source of opening created by the information for small com­ departure of Rebecca Pierce, munities like Hastings, Mid­ was a senior editor at MiBiz dleville and Caledonia.” and MiBiz.com prior to “I have a passion for fill­ joining J-Ad Graphics. ing this gap and want to Pierce is leaving to accept contribute to an organiza­ the post of executive editor Jayson Bussa tion that is focused on com­ at the Traverse City munity-based journalism Record-Eagle. that keeps citizens both informed and enter­ From 2008 to 2012, Bussa worked for tained,” he said. Pierce when she was the editor at the Bussa, who currently lives in Alto, has a Kalamazoo Gazette. After the Gazette, bachelor’s degree in journalism from Grand Bussa worked for the Grand Rapids-based Valley State University. niche publisher Revue Holding Co. as their “During Jayson’s decade-and-a-half in managing director of digital media, han­ journalism, he has contributed at just about dling the websites, e-newsletters and social every level of news reporting and delivery,” media for MiBiz, Revue and Recoil maga­ Pierce said. “From conducting interviews zines. Then, in 2020, he was named senior and reporting stories to laying out pages, editor for MiBiz, a weekly publication selling ads, proofing pages and developing a covering business news from around West digital strategy to keep up with the changing Michigan. face of the business, he has learned about His reporting beats included manufactur­ this industry from just about every angle. ing, sports business, technology and food/ “His experience will benefit J-Ad Graph­ agriculture. He also was involved in the ics and its readers by continuing the excel­ production of a bi-weekly print product. lent local news coverage that our communi­ “As the journalism industry continues to ties have come to expect.” SPECIAL REPORT What happens after a school bond proposal fails? Editor's Note: In the wake of Hastings Pub­ lic Schools' sixth failed bond request in May, The Banner took a look at data from 10 dis­ tricts similar to Hastings. In this review, Hastings was an outlier. Since 2010, Hast­ ings has consistently made more requests than other comparable districts. Another difference was that the amounts requested in the other districts were for considerably more money — nearly double the amount that typically has been sought in Hastings. Hunter McLaren Staff Writer On May 3, the Hastings Area School Sys­ tem’s bond request failed for the sixth time in a row. In the aftermath, Superintendent Matt Goebel said it’s his responsibility to figure out the reasons for the rejection. “We have to think of why it didn’t pass,” Goebel said. “Those are the questions I start to ask myself as a leader, so that we can provide the facility that matches the level of education we need to provide these kids.” In May 2015, Hastings failed to pass a $55 million bond. Six months later, a cut­ down $47.5 million bond passed that paid for the construction of the Hastings Perform­ ing Arts Center and some other fixes for the district. Since then, the district has been seeking the funds needed to “finish the job,” school officials said, aiming to complete mainte­ nance projects cut from the original $55 million bond request that failed in May 2015. During the last two unsuccessful bond elections, they tried to seek out “yes” voters and increase overall voter turnout to pass the proposal. Now, before trying for another bond, Goebel said he needs to know why people are voting no. “I think it’s important that I get out, sur­ vey people and have a very transparent dia­ logue with them,” he said. “I need to know the reasons why they’re voting no so I can address those things. Until I do that, I can’t give a definitive answer on when we would go for another bond proposal.” As Hastings figures out its next steps, The Hastings Banner reached out to superinten­ dents across the state to find out what hap­ pened in those districts after a proposal failed. In compiling data from similar school districts to compare bond proposals, The Banner chose 10 rural school districts that share a similar student enrollment, commu­ nity population and community median household income. These school districts are: Allegan, Ionia, Three Rivers, Marshall, Mason, St. John’s, Otsego, Coldwater, Plain­ well and Tecumseh. The Banner found that, in that specific group of similar districts, Hastings’ repeated failure to pass a state qualified bond makes it an outlier. State qualified bond elections differ from sinking funds and operating millage requests. Sinking fund elections ask voters to approve levying a tax rate to generate funds the district can use for relatively minor repairs or other incidental costs. Sinking funds are generally not feasible for funding large new construction projects or expensive renovations. Operating millage requests ask voters to set a non-homestead millage rate. This rate only affects industrial, commercial, vacation and rental properties and affects how much per-pupil funding a school receives from the state. Districts can levy no more than 18 mills on non-homestead properties, the point See SCHOOL, page 2 Bonds Passed and Failed Since 2010 #of bonds The Banner compiled data from state qualified school bond elections since 2010 from 10 rural school districts similar to Hastings. Out of these 10 similar districts, Hastings and Coldwater stood out as having significantly more failed bond elections than the others. Since 2010, Hastings pursued nine bond requests and passed two, a success rate of 22 percent. Coldwater pitched six and passed one, a success rate of 16 percent. One district, Ionia, passed a state qualified bond request in 2006 and hasn’t asked for another one since. �Page 2 — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — The Hastings Banner The last time Hastings Area School System passed a bond request was in May 2015 when voters approved millage for the Hastings Performing Arts Center next to the high school. (File photo) SCHOOL, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------- —------at which they receive the maximum amount of per-pupil funding they can receive from the state. State qualified bond elections ask for an increase in local taxes, residential and non-residential, so the school can complete the projects that are specified on the ballot. If the bond proposal passes, the school takes out a Ioan to pay for the projects while using taxpayer funds to finance the loan. How those funds are spent is strictly regulated by the state and audited on a yearly basis. Of the 10 school districts surveyed, exclud­ ing Hastings, districts have asked for a total of 19 state qualified bonds since 2010. Of those 19 requests, voters approved 11 of them - a success rate of 57 percent. Since 2010, Hastings Area Schools has pitched nine bond requests and two have passed - a 22-percent success rate. Coldwater fared worse. They have pitched six bond requests since 2010. Voters approved one for a success rate of 16 percent. Excluding Coldwater and Hastings, the A Mother’s Cry After a healing service, I was approached by a mom who asked if I thought that SCC could help her son. He was forty years old and had been in the military working in a special unit. When he came back home, he could not function and had severe PTSD. His family was afraid of him, and he had been through years of counseling where he met with over seventeen counselors. He was tormented at night in his dreams and could often be heard screaming because of nightmares. I let his mom know that we would try. This was no small task; we would need the Lord’s help and wisdom to be successful. I remember our first meeting, he had long hair, was holding a two liter bottle of Sprite, and had thirteen different meds that he washed down with the Sprite. We just sat there looking at each other in silence for about a minute. I could see under all that exterior that he had a good heart but had just been through so much. I knew he had events that he had never talked about that were the root of much of his mental health problems. If we were going to be successful, he would have to talk about these events and receive healing in his soul from the pain and begin to change his ways of thinking. One day while in session, I could tell he wanted to open up and talk but was afraid. He did not want to talk in the office, he wanted to go for a walk. He was very airaid of anyone overhearing what he would share. It was a cold winter day with the wind blowing and snow swirling all around us that he opened up his heart and poured out all the pain, hurt, and things he had done behind enemy lines. He knelt down and opened up his heart to Jesus and experienced a peace he had never experienced before. Over a span of a year and half we were able to work through all his hurting events and he was healed of all the pain. Fast forward to eight years later. The relationship with his wife and family has totally been restored. He has been healed from his PTSD and no longer has flashbacks and nightmares. As he has worked with his doctor, he has been able to get off all thirteen medications that they had him on to help with his mental health. His family is no longer afraid of him, and he has found a new purpose in his life as he shares his story with other veterans. God has answered a mother’s cry for help, and she is very grateful to have her son back in his right mind. Everything that SCC does is at no costs because of the generous donations from our donors. If you would like to listen to his story, go to the link below: https://youtu.be/GHIPvCRQ7xw Remember, there’s always hope. Thanks for supporting Spiritual Care Consultants! Sponsored ------------FARMS----------- - y Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Yes, I would like to become an SCC Partner by contributing the below gift to assist in the transformation of an individual’s health and wellness through Spiritual Care! * Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 Name:. Address:. City:. Zip:. State: Phone:. Total Donation Amount: Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Mastercard AMEX Card Number: Exp. Date:t Amount:. Name on Card:. CW (4 Digit):, Signature:. other eight districts passed 10 bonds and failed on four for a 71-percent success rate. In Allegan, voters approved a $56 million ele­ mentary school. In Mason, voters approved $69.7 million in fixes and renovations for schools throughout the district. But bonds for new construction were more common than bonds for fixes or renovations. Outside of Hastings and Coldwater, 14 bond requests called for new construction. Of those, 10 passed and four failed. Another noteworthy characteristic in this review is that passing a bond usually means most communities don’t return with another bond request for nearly a decade. Of the 10 districts surveyed, districts wait­ ed an average of 8.5 years before putting a bond request on the ballot again. One district, Ionia, passed a $13.64-million state qualified bond in 2006 and, 16 years later, hasn’t asked for one since. Ionia did fail to pass an operating millage request in the May 3, 2022, election, but it was not included in this data set since it was not a state qualified bond. Of the 11 bonds passed outside of Hast­ ings, districts requested an average of $40.31 million. Of the two bonds Hastings has passed, the average request was $23.79 million. And the average request of the seven failed bonds here was even lower, at $21.68 million. The communities and enrollment sizes are the same. The amounts being sought in Hastings are less. Yet these bond requests for Hastings schools are more likely to be denied. What are other districts doing differently? ‘We needed to meet voters where they’re at’ I Passing a bond proposal is never easy that’s one fact every superintendent can agree on. Charlotte Public Schools failed to pass bonds in 2018 and 2019, for $29.85 million and $27.75 million, respectively. The bonds were meant to pay for fixes, security features, and classroom updates at schools across the district. An agricultural learning center also was included for the high school. Mandy Stewart took over as Charlotte superintendent after the 2019 bond proposal failed. Shortly after, in 2020, the district tried again for a $36 million bond proposal. As superintendent, she made communica­ tion about the bond a No. 1 priority. The dis­ trict reached out with phone calls, wrote emails, sent pamphlets in the mail, put infor­ mation about the bond in the local newspaper and posted information on the school district website to break down the cost of each proj­ ect they proposed. Some residents believed school district offi­ cials weren’t listening to voters, Stewart said. She personally gathered written feedback from skeptical voters at town-hall events. Representatives of the district advocated for the bond to Rotary groups, women’s clubs and other stakeholders in the community. They asked what they wanted to see in the proposal - and how the district could better communicate with its constituents. One of the major sticking points was the agricultural learning center. Some thought it was too extravagant. They wanted to know why the district was spending millions of dollars on a glorified pole bam. “We had to educate the public that this isn’t a pole bam; this is a learning center,” she said. “Yes, it’s going to house animals. But it is also a teaching and learning space that needs to be as safe as possible for students.” “But there had to be some visual things taken out because it was too fancy for the taxpayers to support,” she said. “It was too much. We needed to meet voters where they were at and listen to what they were saying.” In November 2020, Charlotte passed the bond. “I think that is a better understanding of the community and the schools working togeth­ er,” she said. “We are supposed to be working together; the community benefits, the school benefits, the students benefit.” Communication also was a major empha­ sis in Rick Reo’s plan as the superintendent of Paw Paw Public Schools. His bond request failed by 45 votes on Aug. 3, 2021. When the district came back with another bond request, he focused on community outreach. Reo conducted community surveys and analyzed the data; hosted town halls where people could voice their concerns; and made an effort to give a short presentation about the bond proposal to as many people as he could. Even with the district focusing on communi­ cation efforts, some people were hard to reach. “For both campaigns, we tried to bring people into the district by hosting a commu­ nity forum to inform people about the bond,” Reo said. “You just don’t get a lot of people to show up. That’s...” Reo paused. “I haven’t figured that one out yet,” he admitted. Average Amount Requested Per Proposal The Banner compiled data from state qualified school bond elections since 2010 in 10 districts similar to Hastings: Coldwater, Marshall, Allegan, Mason, Tecumseh, Three Rivers, Plainwell, St. John’s, Otsego and Ionia. When compared to these 10 similar districts, Hastings asked for significantly less money, per bond proposal, on average. In the 10 similar districts outside of Hastings, the average amount requested for passing proposals was $40.31 million; the average request for failed bond elec­ tions was $43.75 million. The average request among the two bonds passed in Hastings was $23.79 million; the average request among the seven failed bonds in Hastings was even lower, at just $21.68 million. In a perfect world, taxpayers consider the pros and cons of improvements to their school district very carefully, Reo said. Although he said he hopes voters consider what school facilities can provide for the community as a whole, voters with no stu­ dents in school can be hard to reach. “I think when it comes to the attitude of ‘What does this do for me?’ it’s hard to over­ come that.” After taking a look at data from surveys and feedback from forums, the district came back with another set of proposals for the May 3, 2022, election. A $47.5 million proposal included the early childhood center and addi­ tions to the gym, while a $15.5 million propos­ al included the high school football field. The $47.5 million proposal passed; the $15.5 million proposal failed. Reo was disappointed the district couldn’t get the football field, but he said the additions to the gym were much needed. Those additions wouldn’t have been possible without the sup­ port he received from community volunteers. “It was not all me by any means,” Reo said. “I think that’s key. You’ve got to have the support of, not just employees of the dis­ trict, but business people, people out in the community and parents. I owe them a debt and so does our whole community.” What happens when a district waits? When he was the superintendent in Dans­ ville, Michael Simeck said he worried the middle school building might kill someone. “When I was there, we were putting hun­ dreds of thousands of dollars into that build­ ing, because we were afraid that a brick was gonna fall on somebody’s head,” he said. “It was coming down.” Dansville Middle School, built in 1921, had a brick exterior and a distinctive bell tower. The building and bell tower held a special place in community members’ hearts because of their memories of passing through the building themselves. By 2005, the building was outdated and falling apart fast, Simeck said. He described the interior of the building as a claustropho­ bic “crackerbox of a structure” that was uncomfortably hot in the spring and fall. There was no doubt about it: The building needed to be demolished and replaced. The district did not have the money to do it alone, so, in February 2005, school officials asked for a $17.1 million bond proposal with an increase of 4 mills to local taxes. “It is always a heavy lift to get any sort of bond,” Simeck said. “It doesn’t matter where you are, these things do not sail through. They tend to be easier to pass in affluent com­ munities, but not necessarily.” The proposal failed by a 310-vote margin. In November 2005, Dansville brought the proposal back. This time, it was broken up into two questions on the ballot. The first question involved demolishing and replacing the middle school. It asked for $12.5 million. The second question asked for $4.4 million dollars for a school activities center. Both requests failed. “Other than the loss of a student or staff member in a school district, there is no worse day than the day after a failed bond propos­ al,” Simeck said. “It is an unbelievably down day for everybody, because there’s just this feeling of complete rejection.” But even as Simeck mourned the loss of another bond request, the facilities were still deteriorating around them. He had to decide: What next? Without the bond proposal funds, the dis­ trict could not pay to have the middle school demolished and replaced. Kids in grades 6-8 continued to walk through the school for another 11 years, dealing with the cramped hallways, small classrooms and stifling heat, all the while telling stories about how the nearly 100-year-old building and its bell tower were haunted by the ghosts of past students. Simeck left the Dansville school district in 2007. The district didn’t pitch another bond pro­ posal until 2016. During those 11 years, he said, they had to find hundreds of thousands of dollars to contin­ ue patching the building and its increasingly unstable bell tower. Without the bond, the dis­ trict took money from other areas of the budget - from places that would have otherwise paid for teachers’ salaries and programs for students. Simeck was not surprised the district chose to wait. Sometimes, that’s what it takes to get “the right cocktail” — a coalition of communi­ ty members who can successfully advocate for the bond. Getting big family names with lots of pull in a small town can change the course of an election, he said. Meanwhile, the $17-million proposal in 2005 ballooned to a $26.5-million proposal. It was approved in 2016, passing by a margin of 228 votes. Simeck, who still drives through the dis­ trict when he’s visiting family in Michigan, said the proposal’s success was a bittersweet victory. Waiting more than a decade helped the district finally pass a bond request, but at what cost? “There’s an opportunity cost that can’t be measured in dollars and cents, because it comes in the form of programming and opportunities for kids,” Simeck said. “I had no question that the kids and their learning opportunities were suffering.” Next steps for Hastings While he doesn’t know when the school will go for a bond proposal, Hastings Super­ intendent Matt Goebel knows there are some things he’ll do differently the next time. Next time, Goebel said, the district needs to do a better job of listening to voters - particu­ larly in communities that have consistently voted against Hastings bond proposals, includ­ ing Baltimore, Irving, Hope and Assyria town­ ships, and other communities around Hastings. “We just need to do a better job communicat­ ing and getting some of the feedback from all of the townships to get their perspectives on what their needs are and what they want from their school district because we serve them not the other way around,” he said. “I’m not saying I’m a perfect person or a perfect super­ intendent, but if there’s ways that I can improve, and there are ways that it can be communicated to me, then that’s what I’m looking for.” Goebel said the district is looking at mak­ ing a number of changes for the next bond request. While the last two proposals have been very similar, the next one likely will be different — and may include a larger project, instead of just maintenance, if the district fixes on something the community wants. Until then, the school will prioritize its maintenance needs as best as it can with cur­ rent funds. Whatever those next steps entail, Goebel said he hopes that the district and the community can take those steps together. “I think it’s important that we move forward together, for the benefit of kids,” he said. “It’s going to be better for everyone. Property val­ ues, jobs, education, business - all of those things are dependent on good schools, because good schools make good communities.” Staff Writer Hunter McLaren is a Report For America corps member covering schools, city government and community issues in Barry County for The Hastings Banner. Reportfor America is a national service proj­ ect that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Report For America corps member Benjamin Simon con­ tributed to this story. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — Page 3 Four-way contest for local House seat features high-profile write-in Hot work in Hastings Road crews began resurfacing the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue on Wednesday. Although it will hopefully be smooth sailing for drivers on the street soon, it looked to be a tough day for the road crew. Laying hot tarmac on the sun­ baked blacktop would be hard work for anyone, not to mention that the National Weather Service reported a high of 84 degrees Wednesday. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Officers take an oath Tuesday A new sheriff’s deputy was sworn in and two sheriff’s officers were promoted during the Barry County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday. Here, from left, are: Sheriff’s Deputy David Price, with newly promoted Sgt. Richelie Spencer and Lt. Tim Stevens. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) County reaffirms recycling commitment with coordinator Jayson Bussa Editor Accompanied by glowing reviews regard­ ing her first-year performance, the Barry County Board of Commissioners approved a new service agreement with county recycling coordinator Rachel Frantz. At Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, representatives from the county’s 12-member Solid Waste Oversight Commit­ tee (SWOC) issued a request that the board renew an agreement with the Barry Conser­ vation District for recycling coordinator ser­ vices, a role that Frantz took on in June of last year, serving as a contractor and not a full­ time employee. The recycling coordinator is tasked with executing countywide recycling and waste management initiatives and programs. “Rachel Frantz is leading this county into a new era of environmental stewardship and has been a success for this county,” said Ben Geiger, chairman of the Barry County Board of Commissioners. The previous agreement for the position included $18,000 in payment, a sum that the SWOC bumped up to $31,000, or $7,750 per quarter, under the new agreement. Frank Fiala, chairman of the SWOC and Barry Conservation District Executive Direc­ tor Sarah Nelson attended the meeting to field questions about the new agreement. They said that increase in pay was because of a broader job description after both parties spent the pilot year determining the focus and priorities of the position. “Basically, it’s going to be more hours when you look at things like electronics col­ lection and applying for a grant, and if we get the grant, administering that grant will take more time,” Nelson said before the board. The motion to approve the new service agreement was nearly unanimously support­ ed. The board’s vice chairperson Vivian Con­ ner, who also serves on the SWOC, acknowl­ edged the good work of Frantz but voted against the motion, saying that the agreement lacked transparency regarding a detailed breakdown of costs. After a full year utilizing a recycling coor­ dinator, the county now looks to launch new projects and initiatives. “We’ve been working on building relation­ ships with townships and gathering informa­ tion and the purpose of this (new) contract, in my mind, is that we’re moving from that relationship stage to project stage,” said county commissioner David Jackson,' who also serves on the SWOC. “We’re going to move into actual boots on the ground projects that moves this forward.” Members of the board heaped praise on Frantz, Geiger admitting that he voted against the motion to contract with a recycling coor­ dinator last year, but was since proven wrong. “I voted against the recycling coordinator position last year and she has exceeded our loftiest expectations,” Geiger said following the COW meeting. “We’re excited for the future.” Frantz echoed those sentiments, saying after the meeting that she was excited for the challenges ahead. “The very beginning - the first year - was very pilot,” Frantz said. “I went around and introduced myself at all the township, vil­ lage and city meetings just to let them know I was available for their assistance and things like that.” “I’m in no way any type of enforcement,” she added. “I’m more of a catalyst for local units of government, community groups, anyone that wants to recycle. I’m here to help.” Outside of getting acquainted with county residents, Frantz used her first year to update the county’s recycling website, establish a presence on social media and provide other resources for the community, such as a map that shows recycling locations. “We’re really just trying to increase access,” Frantz said. “That’s my main thing. A lot of residents don’t have any access to recycling so it’s important to me to get that.” In other business Tuesday: • Frantz asked the board approve action allowing her to complete a grant application with the Michigan Department of Environ­ ment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The grant request will be for $16,000 to help fund four electronic waste collections over the course of two years. The board OK’d the request. • Commissioner Catherine Getty added an unexpected item that was not on the agenda addressing the fact that the Charlton Park millage expires in 2023. To avoid a special election in 2023, which would cost roughly $50,000, the board discussed whether they could include the issue on the 2022 election ballot and the wording of the ballot language. Ultimately, the board agreed to postpone a decision on the matter to give the general public sufficient opportunity to speak for or against the measure. Jayson Bussa Editor Jon Rocha, a Republican from Hastings, is vying for his party’s nomination to represent District 78 in the Michigan House of Repre­ sentatives. That’s the new state House district, which covers roughly a quarter of Barry County. Before recent redistricting, it was District 87, covered all of Barry County, and was repre­ sented by Julie Calley, R-Portland. But when voters in the new District 78 receive their ballots for the Aug. 2 primary, Rocha’s name will not be listed next to fellow Republicans Gina Johnsen, Christine Barnes and Barry County Board of Commissioners Chairman Ben Geiger. In May, Michigan’s Department of State disqualified Rocha, along with 15 other can­ didates in various races across the state, due to “defects on the candidate’s affidavit of identity,” which is the paperwork that must be submitted by each candidate before their name may appear on the ballot. Rocha and 11 other candidates were spe­ cifically disqualified for “false statements regarding the candidate’s compliance with the Michigan Campaign Finance Act,” a department statement reported. The other four candidates were disqualified for missing information or information that indicated they were not eligible in their jurisdictions. “The 11 candidates above all had outstand­ ing campaign finance reports or unpaid fines at the time they signed the affidavit of identi­ ty,” the statement said. “Some of the candi­ dates paid fines after signing their affidavit of identity, or subsequently paid their fines, then withdrew their affidavits of identity and filed new affidavits of identity.” Rocha contended that he and his campaign were attempting to follow the letter of the law, which was muddied by redistricting measures. He sought injunctive relief, but both the court of appeals and Michigan Supreme Court sided with the state. “Obviously that’s a heartbreak to not let the voters decide, but to let the government decide who can be on the ballots,” Rocha said. “...I spent two weeks really praying about it and reaching out to people nationally, statewide, locally - friends, family, promi­ nent political analysts.” “There were two camps,” he said about his decision to pursue a write-in campaign. “Some people said move on and run again in six years and others said you’re a fighter. Delton Kellogg gets update on school project Leila Wood Contributing Writer Delton Kellogg Schools are preparing to demolish and reconstruct ah old elementary school building, a project that is scheduled to begin after July 4. At a school board meeting Monday, interim Superintendent Carl Schoessel provided an update on the preparations for the project. Schoessel said class photos from the,hall­ ways of the old buiJdipg and other historical items have been removeAand put into, storage with the help of the Bernard Historical Muse­ um. A fence has also been installed around the building. Trustee Rodney Dye said he did not antici­ pate the removal of several trees near the building, a move that also surprised some community members. “I also was surprised,” Schoessel said. “I came in on Saturday morning with buzzsaws going like crazy.” The Rotary Club pine tree was not among the trees removed, Schoessel noted, adding that architects hope to keep it where it is or relocate it nearby. In other business, the board also reviewed changes to the school handbooks. According to Schoessel, all departments have proposed changes to their handbooks, except the middle school. Board members asked elementary principal Karmin Bourdo questions about several changes in the school’s handbook, which included a new rule that requires visitors to schedule their visits in advance in the interest of maintaining order and reducing unexpected interruptions. “We did have a problem with drop-in visi­ tors.. . They were interrupting the teacher and just popping in unannounced,” Bourdo said. “So we created a calendar... so everybody is on the same page.” The elementary school did not host visitors Auto Repair Tech Russ’Auto Repair is looking to hire an Auto Repair Tech. Must be Master State Certified. Driver’s license and reliable transportation required. $25-$32 per hour depending on experience. Call 269-838-6852 ask for Thomas That’s literally what-you built your entire reputation on. Why would you tell people to stand up if you’re not going to and you’re just going to stand down when the government starts pushing?” In 2021, Rocha, originally filed to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Fred Upton before Upton indicated he would not seek re-election. Rocha said he dropped out of that race both because he was satisfied with the caliber of the Republican nominees and because he was passionate about issues at the state level, especially as Michigan grappled with restric­ tive policies to combat the COVID-19 pan­ demic. Now that he’s committing to this state House race, he must rely on voters to write in his name during the Aug. 2 primary. “Most people, they look at the names, they fill in the bubble and that’s it,” he said. “We have to re-educate everyone. Luckily, we’ve knocked on over 3,500 doors before May 17 and collected data. Are they supportive? Did they take yard signs? These are people we can go back to and say ‘Look, this is what you’re going to have to do. Let us educate you on what needs to happen.’” Rocha prominently promotes his endorse­ ment from former President Donald Trump and has picked up a local endorsement from Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf. Despite the uphill battle, Rocha said he’s still optimistic of his chances. “It just seemed like the perfect opportunity for a write-in to win,” he said. “If there was going to be an opportunity or a chance, this was going to be it.” during the COVID-19 pandemic, but “now that that’s kind of behind us, I wanted to make sure that we would change that to be sched­ uled visitors,” Bourdo said. Another proposed change would require that all field trips be paid for in cash, with the exception of the Mackinac trip. “What we were finding with some checks is that parents were writing them for field trips ^.or somebody was - and the child’s name or ’W names 'never the’check jMdn’t clear, we have no way of trying to. find them to recoup the funds,” Bourdo explained. An exception could be made for the school’s annual Mackinac trip since the trip is more expensive and payment is required prior to departure. Trustee Craig Jenkins noted that the Mack­ inac exception was not clearly stated and verbiage should be modified before changes to the handbook were approved. He also noted the importance of maintain­ ing detailed financial records on field trip funds now that they would be dealt with in cash. Bourdo pointed out that teachers routinely turn in the cash to the office, and then check out a district credit card the day of the field trip. The school board expects to finalize updates to the handbook at its next meeting. The school board also approved changes associated with issuing athletic passes. Prices for passes increased by $25 for an annual family pass, $5 for an individual pass, and $5 for seasonal passes, however, Delton Kellogg students will receive free admission if they show their ID. Schoessel said students have, at times, been allowed free admission. This change would codify the previously unofficial practice. He said money the school earns from the passes will only be used for the athletic pro­ gram and assured everyone that athletic lNSl SPRAY FOAM MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING • Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L expenditures are monitored quite closely. The board also heard a report on athletic participation and honors at both the high school and middle school levels. Over 100 students at the high school partici­ pated in athletics, including boys baseball, girls softball, golf, girls soccer, and track and field. In other business: • The board will hold a special meeting and hearing regarding the proposed 2022-23 bud*get at 7 p.m., on June"27; WWeTiigH'sfcho^fe L.G.I. Auditorium. ' . , ’ • The Delton Kellogg Education Founda­ tion has finished issuing scholarships for this year and is moving on to other projects, Schoessel reported. • Elementary school teacher Lisa Kellam will be retiring at the end of the school year. • Delton Kellogg is still seeking applicants to fill several coaching positions. • The Food Services Collective Bargaining Agreement was ratified. “On the current con­ tract, there is a provision that there would be a discussion about wage reopening, so we had two meetings with the food service represen­ tatives,” said Schoessel. “...We came up with a competitive agreement.” The agreement includes a standard wage increase of $1.25 per hour and a stipend for summer school staff. Schoessel said the summer school sti­ pend is only for this year and would be revis­ ited if the board wishes to continue it. • Contracts for continuing the employment of management staff were approved. Schoes­ sel said the school typically approves con­ tracts for only administrators and not for other management staff. Now, management staff members will also receive contracts. • Michigan Department of Treasury Form L-4029 was approved. • The board voted to renew its Michigan Association of School Boards membership. Membership dues are based on enrollment. Delton Kellogg’s dues this year cost $3,406. New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville Busy Law Office Hiring Cotton prints & solid colors in 43” & 108" widths Office Assistant Make totes, dresses, shorts, tops, shirts & anything you need for summer! Legal experience a plus but not necessary. Minimum 2 years experience working in an office setting. Full time or, for the right candidate, part time is available. Paid sick time, paid vacation, annual raises and retirement plan included. Starting pay based on experience. Responses will be accepted until 7/8/2022 Reply to: Show kindness! Pray for our Country lb QUESTIONS: ASK US... J-ad Graphics PO Box 188, Ad #101 Hastings, MI 49058 with resume and cover letter. 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 aaug OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; aSTS) Saturday 9 am-3 pm WSl Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station XAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/ sAAA' 4 < �Page 4 — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you inion see? Bask away, you soft-shell smoothie Deal with it’ says Supreme Court of hasty decision Mike Hook photographed this smooth softshell turtle crossing the Michigan Avenue bridge in Hastings. These are the turtles who live in rivers, ponds and drainage areas. So this omnivore likely wasn't far from home. In most instances, their large size, flat shells, pointed noses and propensity to bask in the sun make these turtles easy to spot and iden­ tify. And there certainly has been plenty of sun to bask in this week. Do you remember? Pennock expansion Banner March 12, 1964 PART OF THE ‘TEAM’ — Don Siegel, chairman of the drive to raise $600,000 for Pennock Hospital’s $750,000 expansion program, has announced the various committee chairmen for the campaign which is getting underway. The committee chairmen met at 7:30 Tuesday preparing for the drive. This portion of the group was photographed in the kitchen Wednesday morning of last week as Hospital Director John Bay (left) took them on a tour of the crowded institution. From left to right are: Director Bay, Mrs. William G. Bradford, Kendall Reahm, Robert Sherwood, Thomas Stebbins, Margaret Cook and Frank Ritchie. Have you met? On a clear summer night, passers-by in Downtown Hastings might sometimes hear saxophone notes drifting through the air. The music sounds like it’s coming from a performer at Thomapple Plaza, but this particular musician plays when there are no performances scheduled. Those curious enough to investigate fur­ ther might find the source of the notes, Hastings resident Bob Hartig. Hartig often comes to the plaza, practicing with his sax­ ophone in his car or while he strolls along­ side the Thomapple River. “It’s a nice place,” Hartig said. “There’s something about it that is just evocative.” Hartig has been a saxophone player since he was young, when he started playing his father’s alto saxophone in the seventh grade. He’s since played with gospel groups, jazz combos and blues groups throughout the years. Hartig, now in his 60s, said he’s never stopped playing saxo­ phone. He’s recently rededicated himself to the instrument. “I don’t know, man - I was just a lazy musician,” Hartig said. “When I was 40 years old, equipped with the music theory that I had, I really began to invest myself seriously and practice the stuff I should have been. I paid my dues, and now I’m addicted to practicing.” You’ll never catch Hartig playing sax near the river when it’s storming, but it’s not because he dislikes the inclement weather. Quite the opposite - Hartig is a stormchaser. Hartig said his interest in storms started when he was young, like his interest in the saxophone. Hartig recalls wrestling with his father when he was growing up in Niles. After wrestling, his father would grab a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica and they would flip through the pages together. “One day he cracked open the ‘T’ vol­ ume and opened it up to tornadoes,” Hartig said. “Here were these black and white photos of tornadoes and they were just cap­ tivating.” When he was older, Hartig attended severe weather symposiums to learn more about meteorology and storms. He said stormchasing has acquainted him with the country - he’s chased storms in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Missouri, Mis­ Bob Hartig sissippi, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. “I pounded many, many miles of high­ way, particularly in Illinois,” Hartig said. “I developed a certain amount of forecasting skills and had some great experiences.” His interests don’t stop at saxophones and severe storms. He also enjoys trainspot­ ting from time to time, sometimes practic­ ing his saxophone near parts of the track he finds particularly interesting. His back patio is surrounded by a well-cared-for garden of carnivorous plants - another interest inspired by looking through the encyclope­ dia with his father. “I guess I’ve just got quirky interests,” Hartig said. “But those are just beautiful plants.” After growing up in Niles, Hartig’s fam­ ily moved to the greater Grand Rapids area when he was 12. He studied music at Aqui­ nas College, and spent time in Caledonia. There, he worked for Christian publisher Zondervan as a writer and editor - another interest Hartig cultivated when he was young. Now he continues his writing and editing work as a freelancer in Hastings, where he’s been for the last seven years. After looking for lots of places to live and applying to several waiting lists, he said ending up in Hastings was no mistake. For Hartig, Barry County had every­ thing he needed. Some of his friends live in Hastings, and he wanted to live some­ where away from the city life where he could spend time outdoors. He was relieved when he finally secured a place to stay in town. “I prayed about it. I have a strong sense that this is where the Lord was taking me,” he said. “I don’t like making things sound mysterious. But there are times when God really does step in and guide.” For his dedication to his interests and his love of Barry County, Bob Hartig is this week’s Bright Light. If I were writing an online dating pro­ file: I love the outdoors. I guess you could say I’m an amateur botanist and wildflower lover. I love to hike day to day and know pretty much the whole swath of features across southern Michigan. What else? I like to write. 1 do a fair amount of editing and proofreading for some Christian pub­ lishing houses. Where’s a good place to trainspot?: I used to park quite a bit out by Alto. I parked my car out there and the cops would come and check me out. It’s been a long time since I was on a well-known basis with them, but there was a time when I parked out there and they kind of looked at me and went, “Oh, it’s him. He’s eccentric but harmless.” What makes a good storm?: Well, you look for certain cloud features, or features like rotation in the storm. You look for the storm to organize in a way. When did you start writing?: I’ve writ­ ten since I was a kid. When I was a little boy, I was fascinated with books. I’d wake up in the morning and I’d start writing. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that’s when your head is clear. That’s one of the times when you’re going to be the most sponta­ neous and creative. I just sort of instinctive­ ly fell into that and I’ve written ever since. One would think that judges and the courts would be rational and delibera­ tive, perhaps the last remaining arm of government that’s still sane and reason­ able. That would be overlooking the stumbling and bumbling behavior of our Michigan Supreme Court during the last two weeks, though. On June 3, the Supreme Court, through its State Court Administrative Office, notified all local courts in the state that they would be required to be closed on Monday, June 20, to observe “Juneteenth” as a new legal holiday for the state’s court system. Never mind that the sudden edict left local courts just two weeks to solve the confusion of not just adjusting union bargaining agreements, but also rescheduling already clogged court dockets, hearings and trials. Nothing wrong with the Supreme Court’s intent. Juneteenth - normally held on June 19, but delayed one day this year because the official date fell on a Sunday - was established as a fed­ eral holiday so individuals and organi­ zations can pause and reflect upon the strong survival instincts of the African American slaves and the excitement and great joy with which they first cel­ ebrated the abolition of slavery on June 19, 1865. It was the slow walk of a court system that is otherwise demanding and precise in its day-to-day scheduling that caused the immense and baffling confusion. Juneteenth was established as a feder­ al holiday when President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021, giving the country - and the Michigan Supreme Court - more than a year to plan its implementation. On Monday, Barry County court employees were suddenly presented with an unplanned day off and the Barry County Board was pro­ vided with a conundrum: Find equity for the many county employees who are not part of the court system. “So every county in Michigan was faced with figuring out how to deal with the sudden decision to add another holi­ day for a specific group of employees,!’ said county commission Chairman Ben Geiger. In Barry County, commissioners voted to give all county employees the day off, but not without some debate about the issue. Other county employ­ ees, such as clerks and IT staff work alongside court personnel, but weren’t necessarily be entitled to the time off. Instead, these courthouse workers have holidays established through a bargain­ ing agreement authorized by their union representatives and the county board, so the holiday wasn’t part of their contract. Barry County Chief Judge William Doherty attended last week’s commis­ sioners’ meeting to inform board mem­ bers of the change and help determine how the county should respond to the court orders. Many of the courts across the state had a full docket and were forced to make changes at the last minute. Plus, counties had to deal with local bargain­ ing groups to come up with a resolution that would treat all employees fairly, because not all employees of the county are considered part of the court system. Doherty said he personally had con­ tact with Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack and asked why the Supreme Court hadn’t given counties more time to work this out - rather than forcing them into unsettling last-minute changes. “The answer,” Doherty told commis­ sioners, “was, ‘It’s going to happen, so deal with it.’ ” Doherty went on to suggest to com­ missioners that it would be unfair for only court staff to receive a holiday The Hastings BcilllMBT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone:.(269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. while other courthouse employees, who work alongside them, not have the same holiday. The dilemma was played out across the state where courts and county gov­ ernments were expected to “deal with it.” The Supreme Court decision was not made without some dissent, however. Two state Supreme Court justices, Brian Zahra and David Viviano, had a problem with the court creating its own special holiday. Viviano referenced the 2005 state legislation signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm that had established the third Saturday each June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Michigan. “The Legislature gave this matter thoughtful consideration less than two decades ago, passing the Juneteenth National Freedom Day legislation unan­ imously and with broad bipartisan sup­ port,” said Viviano. “I would defer to its judgment rather than trying to upstage the Legislature by creating a new holi­ day of our own.” “The courts’ decision to add another holiday comes at a particularly bad time for our courts,” Viviano continued. “Many of our trial courts, including some of our largest courts, are confront­ ing a significant backlog of criminal and civil cases resulting in their inability to conduct in-person court proceedings for long stretches of time during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Viviano and Zahra expressed a pref­ erence for the other considered option: Replace another scheduled holiday, such as the Friday after Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, with the new Juneteenth holiday, thereby keeping the same number of holidays and not burdening the court system. I agree with Viviano. It appears to me that the Michigan Supreme Court moved too quickly, given the backlog of cases in the courts plus the added pressure on county governments to fig­ ure out, in such a short time, how to handle the holiday fairly for all county employees. Then there are the taxpayers to con­ sider. Those who were still working on the Juneteenth holiday were picking up the tab for the additional day off that county employees enjoyed. Barry Coun­ ty commissioners didn’t disclose what the day will cost county taxpayers, but Ottawa County Administrator John Shay has said, if his county were to pay court and county employees for the Juneteenth holiday, it would be done at an approximate cost of an additional $250,000. The Michigan Supreme Court did not deliberate long enough before making a hasty decision that cost the county thou­ sands of dollars in additional time off, plus disrupted the courts as they need­ lessly maneuver through rescheduling issues. Were Supreme Court justices just playing politics with little or no regard for their actions? Did we see any court employees taking part in special events commemorating Juneteenth or was it just another paid day off with little or no concern for the reason for that day? In those words from the bench, we just have to “deal with it.” • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Scott Ommen Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $52 per year in Barry County $60 per year in adjoining counties $65 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — Page 5 M-37, Heath Road hazards prompt residents’ ideas to ease traffic Greg Chandler Staff Writer Less than two weeks after a crash at M-37 and Heath Road in Rutland Charter Township in which a sister and brother from Alto were critically injured, some area residents are proposing ideas for preventing further crash­ es at that intersection. Several residents came before the Barry County Road Commission Tuesday morning, proposing ideas for slowing traffic on Heath Road between the intersection of M-43/M-37 just west of the Hastings city limits and the intersection of Heath and M-37 to the northwest, possibly to discourage drivers from using Heath to go between the two state highway segments. Among the proposed changes are convert­ ing the intersection of Heath and Tanner Lake Road into a three-way stop. “If we do some unconventional things such as put a bunch of stop signs along Heath Road - no one will cut through there,” Road Commission Managing Director Brad Lam­ berg said. Dakota Trail and Mead Street are other possibilities where additional stop signs could be located on Heath, Lamberg said. According to the website michigantrafficcrashfacts.org, 20 accidents have occurred at $10,000 worth of equipment stolen the Heath/M-37 intersection over the last five years, two of which resulted in injuries. The most common type of crash is a rear-end accident involving westbound motorists approaching the intersection, Lamberg said. “Somebody pulls up and stops, and then pulls ahead and the person behind them thinks they’re going and bumps into them,” Road Commission Director of Engineering and Communication Jake Welch said.” But a rear-end mishap wasn’t the case in the June 10 crash. In that accident, Barry County Sheriff’s Department investigators said a 17-year-old girl was driving a black Chevrolet Impala west on Heath, when she failed to stop for the stop sign and crossed into the path of a white Nissan Pathfinder. The Pathfinder struck the Impala on the pas­ senger side, investigators said. Both the girl and her 11-year-old brother were airlifted to Spectrum Health Butter­ worth Hospital in Grand Rapids via AeroMed. The driver of the Pathfinder also was injured. “Both cars were over in the ditch. I knew it was bad,” said Larry Winchel, who has owned Tires-N-Such at the southeast corner of Heath and M-37 for 38 years. Winchel is usually the first person to call Police responded to a McKeown Road construction site near Thomapple Manor after a contractor reported several items miss­ ing from the site May 31 around 9 a.m. Among the stolen items were two paint sprayers valued at $5,000 each, along with various other tools and equipment. The con­ tractor told police he was working to gather security footage to identify possible suspects. When the officer responded to the 68-yearold Nashville man who made the complaint, the man told police he had shot at the neigh­ bor’s dog because it was chasing his cat. The man said he didn’t hit the dog and put the weapon down after his neighbor came into his yard. The man told police that’s when the two of them exchanged words before his neighbor shoved him and told him to get off his property. The man told police nothing further happened, but he was concerned his neighbor might retaliate because he had shot at the dog. Man shoots at neighbor’s loose dog Stolen car found in Bristol Lake Police received a complaint about a loose dog that escalated into a confrontation between neighbors around 4 p.m. June 8 on the 6700 block of Guy Road near Nashville. A 15-year-old boy contacted police around 7 p.m. June 14 when he found a car sub­ merged in Bristol Lake near Dowling. The boy was diving in the lake when he saw the 911 to report a crash at the intersection. “They usually ask me how many people are hurt, whether they need this or that,” he said. “It’s bad. It’s twice they’ve landed two helicopters over here. Several times, they’ve landed one.” Winchel says some measures are needed to reduce the number of crashes at the intersec­ tion. “There’s too darn many. They need a cau­ tion light or a stop sign or some... thing,” he said. A little more than 8,000 vehicles use M-37 at Heath on a typical day, and that number grows to between 11,000 and 12,000 when Heath intersects again at M-37/43, said John Richard, spokesman for MDOT’s Grand Region office in Grand Rapids. About 4,000 vehicles use Heath Road on a typical day, Welch said. Welch cautioned about the potential unin­ tended consequences of changes to Heath Road. “It reverberates past ‘there was a bad acci­ dent, we need to do something,”’ he said. “You have to look at what the result is of what you’re doing and that’s what we’re try­ ing to do. “There’s not a lot of great options here.” Celebration of Life Marie (Powers) (Burandt) DeWitt Saturday, July 9, 2022 12-3pm at Mj TVC Church 4 2750 S. M-43 Hwy 2000 Pontiac Grand Am upside down and fully submerged in the lake. Police assembled a dive team and retrieved the vehicle. No items of value or interest were found inside the vehicle. Upon investigating, police found the vehicle was registered to a 60-year-old Battle Creek woman and had been reported stolen by the Charlotte Police Department in November 2020. Police impounded the vehi­ cle and contacted the owner. your family & friends.. Motorcycle stolen from driveway A 64-year-old Wayland man called police June 15 to report his motorcycle had been stolen from his residence on the 1200 block of Michael Drive. The man told police he had gotten up around 3:30 a.m. to let his dog out and saw the motorcycle in the driveway. When his daughter left the house at 4:30 a.m. to pick her boyfriend up from work, she called the man to tell him the motorcy­ cle was gone. Upon reviewing video sur­ veillance footage, the man reported seeing a pickup truck and trailer drive past the house several times before the motorcycle was stolen. TYDEN, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------using this parking lot. We are not using this building yet. “So, commissioners, this is not a usual pro­ posal. We have been asked, really by the com­ munity and the City of Hastings, to assist in facilitating one of the largest housing develop­ ments that has been proposed in decades. I think we got everything we wanted out of this.” Still, selling a portion of the parking lot was met with some hesitancy. Vice chairperson Vivian Conner and Smelker both raised concerns with the new plans, primarily how it would still infringe upon the county’s building. Smelker noted that a portion of the land being sold overlaps with the handicapped ramp at the entrance of the Friend of the Court building. “I don’t think we should scuttle a transfor­ mational project like this because we need a handicap ramp some day to a building we’re not using,” Geiger said in response to the criticism. “...Do they need the ramp now? We’re not using it.” “If we do use it, we won’t be able to get handicapped people in there and we won’t be able to have offices in there,” Conner shot back. “If I learned anything in the public sector, when it comes to construction, it is that archi­ tects can find a way,” Geiger said. As an alternative to selling the portion of the parking lot to General Capital, the board also discussed the prospect of extending a long-term lease - or otherwise thinking outside the box to establish a public-private sector partnership. “I think they’re going to go ahead with this project - with or without us giving them more property,” said commissioner Howard “Hoot” Gibson. “So, I’d like to see a lease agreement so it works in their neighborhood and every­ body else has another way of getting out of their property.” General Capital originally had looked to create a development by renovating the Royal Coach building, a historic warehouse build­ ing located near Hanover and East Mill streets. However, the building was destroyed by an arson fire in 2020. General Capital was granted permission by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to take affordable housing tax cred­ its intended for the Royal Coach project and apply them to Tyden Lofts project. The plan for Tyden Lofts comes at a time where both Hastings and Barry County are hurting for affordable housing. Yet, despite the glaring need, not all Hast­ ings residents have jumped readily on board. After General Capital’s original proposal for Tyden Lofts, a group of Hastings residents signed a petition calling for a smaller-scale project to avoid traffic. “I think it’s pretty reasonable to approve this request and start moving forward,” Gei­ ger said. Tow trucks get ready to haul away the two vehicles involved in the June 10 crash at M-37 and Heath Road. (Photo courtesy Larry Winchel) Diane, Sandy, John, Grace, John, Beth CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net Qarveth ViIlase of Middleville , y Chairman Ben Geiger listens to com­ ments from fellow commissioners about the amended proposal for the Tyden Lofts project. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) City Owned Parcel. Site of Proposed Development Barry County Commissioner Jon Smelker is one of three commissioners who will serve on an ad hoc committee to negotiate with the developer proposing the Tyden Lofts project. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Portion of County Owned Parcel To Be Purchased For Proposed Development YA www.CarvethVillage.com J “Remember-- if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME DIETARY MANAGER Oversight of the dietary staff and designing of the menus to ensure daily food choices are being prepared satisfactorily for our elderly residents. Inquire by calling Carveth Village 269-795-4972 County Owned Parcel Ask for Makenzi Peters of Middleville Mali I w ww.Carveth Vi II age .com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 269-795-4972 Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 Proposed Access I Easement/ Svlc.o.unifet Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care lAgreemenf For I Proposed I Development or | Additional Land To 1 Be Purchased This map shows the location of the proposed housing development and the por­ tion of the county-owned parking lot that the developer is asking to purchase. (Map provided.) Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-860-879-7095 �Page 6 — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Nicole Leonhardt Edna Ann Corrigan Edna attended Indiana University Koko­ mo and became a dedicated realtor, tireless in helping clients find the perfect home. After she and her husband moved to North Carolina, she joined Coldwell Banker Triad Realtors in High Point. A member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Edna was a deeply spiri­ tual woman of profound faith. She was instrumental in launching and sustaining the Perpetual Adoration program estab­ lished in 1994 in Maryfield Chapel at Pennybryn in High Point. Months before the pandemic, hundreds gathered to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the program. Edna also attended and participated in the faith communities of Christ the King Church in High Point as well as Our Lady of the Highways in Thomasville. Her husband, Richard, and her great-grandson, Hutchinson Deal, prede­ cease Edna. She is survived by her five children, Pat­ rick (Linda) Corrigan of Collierville, TN; James M. (Kim) Corrigan of Selma, AL; Susan (Rick) Sarver of Greenwood, VA; Joseph (Stacy) Corrigan of Skillman, NJ; and Pamela (Robert) Guy of Winston-Sa­ lem, NC. She also is survived by a sister, Grace (Jack) Neubecker of Lowell, MI, 15 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held Thursday, June 23, 2022, from 6 to - 8 at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI. A Funeral Mass will take place Friday, June 24, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 805 S Jefferson St, Hast­ ings, MI 49058, followed by burial at Mount Calvary Cemetery. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Winston-Salem, NC - Edna Ann Hum­ phrey Corrigan, 91, passed away peaceful­ ly on June 15, 2022, in Winston-Salem, NC, in the company of family. She was born to George and Marcella Humphrey on New Year’s Eve in 1930 in Hastings, MI, and grew up on a nearby farm along with her nine siblings. Edna loved the land and all the stories, especially the humorous ones, which came from liv­ ing on a farm in a large family during The Great Depression. She married Richard J. Corrigan, and soon thereafter, the couple relocated to Indiana where they raised five children and built a home on an acre of land in the coun­ try. The parcel supported an enormous garden and decades of backyard baseball games. Edna enjoyed watching her sons and grandsons grow up through the ranks of baseball, from little league through col­ lege, often traveling out of state to catch their games. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. 8, Sunday. Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday Youth hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Website: 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ Worship HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH www, Lead Moser, Pastor. School 9:30 Time 10:30 activities: a.m. a.m. call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. Martha Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery are available. Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children social distancing. Aftermath com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. School Youth Group; 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) church phone. 758-3021 Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and N. Jefferson WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhsks Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Elaine Vida (Stanton) Holt passed peace­ fully at home June 11, 2022. She was diag­ nosed with Leukemia in July 2020, and after six months of chemo was successfully in remission. She had a wonderful life until a major stroke just two days prior to her passing. She was bom February 12, 1937, in Hast­ ings, MI to Howard Thomas and Esther Jennie (Van Delic) Stanton. She was raised on the family farm in Dowling, as the four generation to live on that homestead. Elaine attended the one-room Barney Mills School, through eighth grade and graduated from Hastings High School in 1954. She raised and showed dairy cattle in 4-H, was crowned the 1954 Barry County Dairy Queen, and went on to become the runner-up regional Dairy Queen. She attended Michigan State University for her first two years of college. She devel­ oped a passion for physical therapy after learning about the treatment of young polio patients by Mary McMillan. Michigan State did not have that program, so she trans­ ferred to The Ohio State University earning her bachelor’s degree in the second gradu­ ating class of OSU physical therapists. While at Ohio State, she met the love of her life, Dwight Humphrey Holt. They were married June 15, 1958, at Dowling Method­ ist Church, almost 64 years ago. They raised their three children on a farm, like generations of their families before them. Elaine began her 40-year career in Phys­ ical Therapy at the Magnetic Springs Reha­ bilitation Center followed by 35 years as a Physical Therapist at Allen Memorial Hos­ pital in Oberlin, Ohio. Elaine was a dedicated volunteer for many community organizations including her Church, Farm Bureau, 4-H, Scouting, and Firelands School organizations. She was a founding member of a new chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority and was recog­ nized as the first outstanding member of the year. For many years Elaine’s joys included overseeing the church kitchen. If it needed to be done, she did it. In retirement, she and husband Dwight enjoyed life on the farm, gardening, vaca­ tioning, and spending time with family. They especially enjoyed traveling in their camper and their many trips to National Parks in the western USA and Canada. She is survived by her husband, Dwight Humphrey Holt; three children, David Howard Holt, Karen Sue Holt, Michael James (Andrea) Holt - and six grandchil­ dren, David Brian (Christina), Lauren Eliz­ abeth, Audrey Elaine, Catherine Jane, Wil­ liam Viktor, and Henry Cleeland; her sister, Marilyn Ann Meyers and brother, William Howard Stanton, many cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends. She was preceded in death by her par­ ents, Howard and Esther; brother, Bernard Lee Stanton; sister, Arlene Ivah Stanton, and her daughter-in-law, Ardis Helaine Edmondson-Holt. Funeral service and. visiting hours will be at First Congregational Church UCC, 140 S Main St, Wellington, OH 44090. Visiting hours Friday, June 24, 4 to 7 p.m. and Sat­ urday June 25, lla.m.-noon. Funeral, Satur­ day June 25, 2022 noon. Interment at Cam­ den Cemetery, Kipton, OH. Memorial gifts are invited to First Con­ gregational UCC, 140 S Main St, Welling­ ton, OH 44090 www.wellingtonfirstchurch. org. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Nor­ ton-Eastman Funeral Home, Wellington. Online condolences may be expressed at www.norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com AWMLDWIDESUPPUBIOF MlineWMmt 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-699-879-7995 Frances Madalene Morgan Frances Madalene (Sutton) Morgan of Hastings, MI passed away June 16, 2022 at Thornapple Manor just shy of her 100th birthday. She was bom August 22, 1922, the daugh­ ter of Dell and Sadie Morgan. She is survived by her son, Dell Morgan and daughter, Sally McVey. Frances was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Milo (Mike) Morgan. The family has honored Frances’ wishes of no service and cremation has taken place. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Nicole Yvette (Bovee) Leonhardt, age 62, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, June 18, 2022, exactly one year from receiv­ ing a diagnosis of terminal cancer. She was given six months to live, and fought a hercu­ lean fight of faith for a full year. Nicole was bom on December 9, 1959, in Saginaw, MI, the daughter of Victor and Audrey (Ellis) Bovee. She was a 1978 gradu­ ate of Chesaning High School. On December 16, 1990, she married Alan Leonhardt, and ■ they enjoyed 31-1/2 years together. Nicole was a housewife and served as an |Assistant Pastor and Worship Leader. She enjoyed gardening, directing children’s . plays, singing and playing the keyboard, ‘ and encouraging and supporting her daugh­ ters. Nicole was preceded in death by her par­ ents Victor and Audrey Bovee. She is survived by her husband, Alan Leonhardt; daughters, Bethany (Danny) ' Casaurang, Hannah Leonhardt, Arial (Isaya) Hughes, and Gabriella Leonhardt. If you would like to help with funeral, | medical and travel expenses, please give to Alan Leonhardt, 1600 W. State Road; Hast­ ings, MI 49058. A celebration of life will be held on Tues­ day, June 28 at 11 a.m., at Hastings Assembly of God, 1674 W State Rd, Hastings, MI 49058, Randal Smolchuck officiating. A lun­ cheon will follow. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Neighbors help family after house fire Greg Chandler Staff Writer Residents of the Middleville area are rally­ ing around a family whose home was destroyed by fire last Friday. Brad and Courtney Curtiss and their four children, ranging in age from 7 to 16, escaped injury when the blaze broke out at their home in the 3200 block of Farm Lane in Thornap­ ple Township shortly before 7 p.m. Liz Fershee, a friend of the family, has set up a GoFundMe page where people can make donations to assist the family as they try to recover from the fire. As of Wednesday after­ noon, more than $12,000 in donations had been received toward a goal of $20,000. “They will be saving it to cover emergen­ cies and situations where the insurance doesn’t cover, or didn’t distribute enough,” Fershee wrote in an email to The Hastings Banner. “They have big expenses coming that will need to be handled. It’s going to be a long road, rebuilding not only their home, but their lives and belongings. Brad is an iron worker, while Courtney is a hairstylist and owner of the Hazel + Rose Salon in Caledonia. “Both are so much fun and have hearts of gold,” Fershee wrote in the email. The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation. Thomapple Township Emergency Services Chief Randy Eaton said the family was on the back deck of the resi­ dence when Brad Curtiss went to check on something in the garage, and saw that it was . on fire. The blaze quickly spread to the rest of the house. Neighbors called 911 to report black smoke in the area, Eaton said. “When you get calls from numerous resi­ dents in the area, you know it’s the real deal,” Eaton said. Firefighters got to the scene quickly, and neighbors assisted in unrolling the hose to get it ready to fight the fire, Eaton said. TTES received assistance from five other departments in fighting the fire - Freeport, ■ Hastings, Yankee Springs, Caledonia and Wayland. They were on the scene for about 2-1/2 hours, Eaton said. “We went through a lot of cases of water, trying to keep guys hydrated,” Eaton said. As of Tuesday afternoon, Eaton said he had not heard from the insurance company, but expected the company to send an investigator to look further into the source of the fire. Donations to the Curtisses may be made through https://www.gofundme.com/f/curtiss-fam i ly-house-fire-fund. Hearing postponed in fatal hit-and-run Greg Chandler Staff Writer A court hearing for a Delton woman charged in a fatal hit-and-run crash in Barry Township last month has been put on hold for two weeks. A probable cause conference for 32-yearold Alexandra Marie Palmer was adjourned Wednesday in District Court 56B. The hear­ ing has been rescheduled for July 6. Palmer is accused of striking 21-year-old Mica LeBeau with her vehicle in the 6900 block of Delton Road in the early morning hours of May 8 and failing to stop after striking her. LeBeau’s body was found lying alongside the roadway by Barry Township police officers. She was pro­ nounced dead at the scene. Palmer is charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death, a felony that could result in a prison sen­ tence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $10,000. She is also charged with failure to stop at the scene of a serious personal injury accident and a moving violation causing death. Palmer was arrested June 13 after police received information on her whereabouts. She remains in the Barry County Jail on a $200,000 bond. 3 Hastings Public Library to hold auction to fund window project Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Public Library is holding an auction July 26 from 6-8 p.m. to raise funds for its window replacement project. The Magical Mystery Garden auction will take place outside Ned and Rita Brown’s house in their daylily garden at 1050 East Mill St., Library Director Peggy Hemerling said. 19 windows that have been decorated and transformed by various artists will be auctioned off in both live and silent auctions. Proceeds from the auction will go toward the library’s ongoing fundraising project to replace the building’s windows. The build­ ing’s current windows are becoming tar­ nished due to a design flaw that traps mois­ ture inside them, Hemerling said. Over time, the windows permanently appear more foggy. Of the building’s 336 windows, Hemer­ ling estimates less than 50 remain unaffect­ ed. Because the original manufacturer of the windows is no longer operating, they can not be fixed and must be replaced. The current windows are attached to the building’s heat­ ing and cooling systems, which will also need to be replaced. Hemerling said this puts the estimated cost of the project around $1.2 million. The library hopes to raise these funds by seeking state and federal grants as well as private donations. Everyone is invited to attend the Magical Mystery Garden event, Hemerling said. Tickets for the auction can be purchased for $50, with proceeds going to the library’s window project. Those interested in attend­ ing or looking to donate directly can contact Peggy Hemerling at (269) 945-4263. • • . �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — Page 7 Hastings Public Library events June 23-29 Jill Hill will celebrate 80th birthday Jill Hill will celebrate her 80th birthday on June 22nd. She celebrated by going to South Haven Lighthouse with her son and daugh­ ter-in-law. Thursday, June 23 - Movie Memories watches a 1958 film based on the true story of Barbara Graham starring Susan Hayward, 5 p.m. Friday, June 24 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Monday. June 27 - Crafting Passions, 10 a.m.-l; Scuba, Oceans and Travel with Marty Buehler, 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 28 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m.; No Family Left Indoors 2022: Wonderful Water at Thomapple Plaza, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 29 - Library Walking Club, 8 a.m.; Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. The Cook-Robbe House at 901 W. Green St. has a rich history. It has been included in the proposed Maple Ridge Historic District. . ' t fl look back at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner // TURNING / BACK THE I PAGES <t> Editor’s Note: The following article was written by Esther Walton and printed in The Hastings Banner in early Sept. 1994. The article recounts the history of the iconic Cook/Robbe home in Hastings, as well as the history of its important owners. As mentioned previously in this column, the Banner was bought by the Cooks in 1880 and remained in the familyfor more than 100 years. Banner Sept. 1, 1994 The architecturally and historically signifi­ cant Cook/Robbe home, 901 W. Green St. in Hastings, is a classical example of the Italianate style so popular in the 1800s. This grand old home, constructed in 1868 for David R. Cook, is made distinctive by its high hand-made red brick exterior and the square white wooden cupola on top. The exterior walls are actually two walls tied together with connecting bricks to form a basically hollow core. These walls are “bear­ ing walls” in that they support the entire weight of the structure. In other words, the red brick exterior walls are not only decora­ tive, but also serve a very functional purpose. One disadvantage of this design is that it makes any remodeling that threatens the integrity of the exterior walls practically impossible. At the time the house was built, it was the largest and finest in not only Hastings, but all of Barry County. The house has two floors each having 12-foot ceilings and was finished inside with only the finest available woods. The structure has been well-maintained throughout its over 125-year history. The central front entry way with its tall ceiling and original stairway is overwhelming to one accustomed to the relatively small scale on most contemporary homes. Even the panes of glass in the windows are original to the house and have that “wavy” distortion so typical of the glass manufactured in yesteryear. One could go on endlessly describing the many distinctive and curious features of this lovely old home, but suffice to say that there are few such structures remaining in our com­ munity and fewer yet in such pristine condi­ tion. Slocum Bunker is credited with building the first permanent structure in Hastings in the year 1836. David Randolph Cook, the builder of the Cook/Robbe house arrived in Hastings just 12 years later in 1848. Mr. Cook moved to Hastings from Prairieville, which is located in the southwest part of Barry County. • Beginning with David R. Cook and con- Elaine Garlock For the first time, Juneteenth was a feder­ al holiday, so many people had an unex­ pected day off from work. This was likely a disruption to entities that had their sched­ ules already set with no such plan. No mail came. Father’s Day was observed at the Central United Methodist Church by having a break­ fast following the morning service. There were breakfast casseroles, muffins, fruit, cup­ cakes and more. The eldest father present was Staffed The historic Cook/Robbe home tinuing to the present day, the home has been occupied by families that have made distinc­ tive and often unique contributions to the fabric of our community. During these years many state officials, governors and people of considerable influence and importance were visitors and guests in this fine house. Among other things, David Randolph Cook served as Barry County Register of Deeds from 1863 to 1868. He owned an abstract office and in partnership with his brother Sylvester opened a real estate office. He was instrumental in raising funds for a second railroad line. Mr. Cook was convinced that bringing railroads to Hastings would promote the industrial development of Barry County, but more immediately would benefit farmers in getting their produce to market in a timely way and at a good price. David R. Cook was a trained surveyor and as such did much of the early surveying in Barry County. Mr. Cook served on the school board in 1870 and was elected mayor in 1872. During his tenure on the school board, the old Union School (which taught up to eighth grade) burned down. Mr. Cook served on the com­ mittee charged with rebuilding a new school only this time it was designed for a 12-grade' program. Once constructed, it became the first 12-grade high school in Barry County. As a consequence, many young people out in the county came to Hastings for their high school education to earn a coveted diploma. They often commuted on the very trains that David Cook had helped make a reality. His son, Marshall, was in the first graduat­ ing class of Hastings High School in 1877. Because “Cook” was the first name on the alphabetically listed graduates, he truthfully claimed to be the “first graduate.” As mayor, David cook actively backed the proposal for a city-wide water system. “This,” according to Cook, “was imperative to be able to fight fires.” The need for a city water system proved prophetic when in 1877 fire destroyed half of the downtown, two large industries, a hotel, several small businesses, houses and some retail establishments. After this disaster, the construction of a municipal water system was approved. In the meantime, Cook was instru­ mental in convincing investors to build fire­ walls between the downtown structures. After the Republican Party was formed in Jackson, Mich., David R. Cook became involved in Michigan politics. In 1876, he served a term in the Michigan State Senate. In 1880, the Cook family bought what is now known as The Hastings Banner from George Dewey. (An interesting but little known his­ torical side light here is that George Dewey was the grandfather of Governor Thomas Dewey of the State of New York who ran against Franklin Roosevelt in 1944 and Harry Truman in 1948 for the presidency.) The Banner remained in the Cook family for more than 100 years, having been origi­ nally purchased by David R. Cook for his son, Marshall, who eventually brought his brother, William, into partnership. During this time, the paper was rated several years as the outstanding weekly in the state. The paper eventually passed to David’s grandson and then to his great-grandson. The Banner is presently owned by J-Ad Graphics Inc. David R. Cook and his wife has two sons, Marshall and William, who were raised at the Cook residence at 901 W. Green St. Both of these sons were to cany on the family tradi­ tion of community service established by their father. Besides publishing the Hastings Banner, the brothers William and Marshall were involved as promoters and investors in much of the early industry in Hastings. Several of the ventures, such as the Hastings Whip Company and the Hastings Furniture Compa­ ny, were short-lived. Others, however, were very successful and formed the backbone of Hastings’ industrial base. There were inves­ tors in the Hastings Manufacturing Company, the Viking International Lock and Seal, Hast­ ings Table Company and the Hastings Wool Boot Company. Besides their involvement in Hastings industries, both brothers, like their father were active in the Republican Party. They both were charter members of the Hastings Rotary Club, which was founded in 1923. Marshall L. Cook was one of the founders of the Hastings City Bank and a charter member of the Hastings Mutual Insurance Company. The record shows that they both worked tire­ lessly for and gave generously to Pennock Hospital. Belle and Sadie Cook, the wives of Marshall and William, raided money for the “Good Samaritan Hospital,” which was the forerunner of present-day Pennock Hospital. Besides the Good Samaritan Hospital, the wives of Marshall and William were early members of the Women’s Club, working tire­ lessly for such community projects stich as paved roads and a library. They also were members of Daughters of the American Rev­ olution and Barry County Pioneer Society. After David Cook’s death in early 1900, the Green Street residence was sold to Keller Stem. Mr. Stem was general manager and a major stockholder of the Grand Rapids Book­ case and Chair Company, which was located on west State Street. Keller Stem was a direc­ tor of the Hastings City Bank, a life member of the local Masonic Lodge and a Rotarian. He and his wife took a deep interest in helping children and they often took children into their home. Mr. Stem is credited with being the moving force behind Hastings’ first hospital. He served many years on the hospi­ tal board and donated generously to Pennock Hospital. After the Keller Stems, the Cook/Robbe house was owned by Richard and Angie Wait. Kenneth and Cindy Robbe, well-known local educators were the next owners. At the present time, the property is owned by their son, Gary and Debbie Robbe. Unconfirmed reports state that Pennock Hospital is actively interested in acquiring this property to use as a parking lot. likely George Carpenter who had celebrated his 90th birthday a week earlier. Last Thursday, the Ionia chapter of the Michigan Association of Retired School Per­ sonnel met at the Rheams’ home northwest of Ionia for a catered meal. This was the first time in two years for a gathering. More than 20 were present, glad to see each other after such a long recess. Delos Johnson, now a resident of Middleville, was present, thanks to Ben Merchant, who provided his transpor­ tation. Delos was given a floral gift in appre­ ciation of his more than 30 years serving as treasurer of the chapter. The next meeting will be in September. The Red Cross Bloodmobile was in town Monday at the Fellowship Hall of Central United Methodist Church. A trip to the cemetery shows that it is time to be watering plants. The cemetery is well equipped with handy faucets on all the drives and a large watering jug so it is easy to carry water to nearby urns and plantings. Many people who make frequent trips find it easy to not only water those for which they feel responsibility for, but also to do some extra on nearby plantings. Raspberries are fast maturing, so there is promise of fruit to come. We need rain, though, for the berries to be plump. Snowball bushes are showing evidence of soon being ready to bloom. Peonies have faded and it will soon be time to snip the wilted petals far down the stems. Strawberries are now on sale in farmers’ markets. Rhubarb is still usable, so there is time for tasty desserts while it is still June. Lyra Mae Matthews, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock to HannahHaines and Travis Matthews of Delton. . Naevy Jo Planck, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on May 11, 2022 to Charlie Planck and Devin Planck of Hastings. Hendrix Eugene Marshall, bom at Spec­ trum Health Pennock on May 13, 2022 to Faith Smith and Lucas Marshall of Orangeville. Azaylia Daelin Leonard, bom at Spec­ trum Health Pennock on May 18, 2022 to Tabitha Leonard and Tyler Norris of Lan­ sing. Adalynn Olmsted, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on May 16, 2022 to Savanna L. Kessinger and Brian P. Olmsted of Hastings. Hazel Grace Bolo, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on May 31, 20 Kaylyn Bolo and Steven Bolo of Hastings. Lincoln Joseph Glaser, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on June 3, 2022 to Jessica Smith and Dustin Glaser of Hastings. Shawn Patrick Ringelberg, Middleville and Lea Renee Bussler, Middleville Nancy Jo Grizzle, Delton and James Michael Minich, Delton Mervin U Herschberger, Nashville and Norma Mullett, Nashville " ... Robert John Rogers, Delton and Debora Kaye Hammond, Delton ,v, Nails can provide decoration and purpose Dr. Universe: Why do we have toenails and finger­ nails? Chloe, 12, Texas Dear Chloe, Maybe you like to paint your toenails beautiful colors or admire the dirt under your fingernails when you come in from playing outside. But you’re right to notice that nails must be more than just decoration. To learn more, I talked to my friend Edward Johnson, an assistant professor of anatomy and physiology at Washington State University. Johnson reminded me that humans are primates, just like gorillas or orangutans. If you look closely at a primate’s hand or foot, you’ll see their nails look a lot like yours. They’re wide and flat at the ends of their fingers and toes. Our primate relatives spend a lot of time in trees - climbing to get away from dan­ ger, searching for fruit and seeds to eat, or swinging from branch to branch to get through the forest quickly. Some primates, like chimpanzees, climb just to have fun. Johnson said scientists think nails make primates’ fingers and toes stronger, helping them get a better grip while moving through trees. But nails aren’t just for primates. Most mammals have similar hard appendages on their fingers or toes. They’re all made of keratin, a type of protein also found in claws, fur, feathers, skin, scales and more. The keratin at the end of a type of mam­ mal’s fingers or toes looks different depending on how animals use their hands or feet. Johnson told me to think of squirrels, which climb trees in a different way than primates do. “Squirrels are actually using their claws to dig into the tree when they scurry up,” he said. Elephants have broad strips of keratin on their toes. They’re not exactly like primate toenails, but scientists think they help make elephants’ feet stronger, too. Animals that run fast often have fewer toes with bigger pieces of keratin to pro­ tect them. Think of a horse’s foot. “Basically, their third toe is all that’s present, and it’s covered by a huge nail, which is their hoof,” Johnson said. Cats need sharp claws for hunting. Instead of five toes, like you, cats have four, plus a small toe called a dewclaw on the back of their feet. Human fingernails have special uses, too. Other primates have trouble picking up small objects, but humans are great at it. Your thin fingernails at the ends of your flexible fingers help. Imagine trying to pick up a tiny bead or skinny needle with­ out your fingernails. The next time you’re playing, maybe even climbing a tree, notice all the things you do with your hands and feet - and remember all the amazing ways animals’ bodies help them move. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her web­ site. askdruniverse.com. �Page 8 — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — The Hastings Banner New classroom reflected in Barry Intermediate School District’s 2022-2023 budget NEWS BRIEFS Savannah Kaechele Contributing Writer A new classroom known as the elementary behavioral classroom, built to serve students who have an Individual Education Program (IEP), was a very important part of the Barry Intermediate School District’s (Barry ISD) $8.3 million budget for 2022-2023. The Barry ISD Board of Education unanimously approved this preliminary budget on Tuesday, June 14 at its regular board meeting. The Barry ISD was created in 1962 and provides special education services for stu­ dents of the Barry County area, specifically Delton Kellogg Schools and Hastings Area Schools. The new elementary behavioral classroom is funded through the $6.9 million special education fund and will provide both academic instruction and behavioral instruc­ tion for students who have an IEP who need to learn specific skills in order to be success­ ful in their home school, Director of Business Services Amber Holland said. “These students come from both Hastings Area Schools and Delton Kellogg Schools through an enrollment process,” Holland said. As stated on the Barry ISD’s website under the “special education” tab: “Eligibility for special education programs and/or services is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997. A team of qualified profession­ als and the parents, referred to as an Individ­ ualized Education Planning Team (IEPT), make the determination of eligibility after a comprehensive evaluation has been complet­ ed. This evaluation may determine that a child qualifies for special education services under one or more disability areas.” The Elementary Behavior Support Class­ room will be located at the Barry ISD’s West Learning Center and the teacher has been hired. They are still working to hire parapro­ fessional staff, Holland added. “What makes this classroom special is that it is a smaller class of students who receive very intensive instruction and skill building with a high staff to student ratio in a very structured environment,” she said. As stated on the Barry ISD’s website under the “special education” tab: “Eligibility for special education programs and/or services is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1997. A team of qualified profession­ als and the parents, referred to as an Individ­ ualized Education Planning Team (IEPT), Alumni Banquet tickets now available Tickets for the 2022 Hastings High School Alumni Banquet are now available at the Hastings Public Library, the General Store or from any board member. The cost is $25 per ticket, which includes a meal catered by Seasonal Grille. The banquet is being held on August 27, 2022 at the First Presbyterian Church. Punch will be at 4:30 and dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. Hastings High School graduates are encouraged to attend to reconnect with classmates from the past. Nominations, due by July 15th, continue to be encouraged for this year’s Alumnus of the Year. They should be sent to Lois Bowers, 102 E. Clinton St., Hastings, MI 49058. Lake Odessa Fair runs June 22-26 The midway opened 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22 for what Lake Odessa Fair organiz­ ers are hoping will be the best year yet of the Lake Odessa Fair. The schedule of grandstand events are: Friday, June 24 - SJO motocross, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 25 - truck and tractor pulls, 6 p.m. Sunday, June 26 - demolition derby, 6 p.m. In addition to the grandstand events, the fair is hosting livestock shows, Trivia Night at the Beer Barn, a classic car cruise, volleyball, pickleball, dodgeball and comhole tourna­ ments, pedal pulls, and live music. Fireworks will be at 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. The fairgrounds are located at 1640 4th Avenue, Lake Odessa, MI 48849. More infor­ mation about the fair is at lakeodessafair.org. Yankee Springs Township Fire Department hosts blood drive The Yankee Springs fire department will host a community blood drive on Wednesday, June 29. The drive will run from 2 to 6 p.m. at 1425 S. Payne Lake Road in Wayland. Prospective donors must be at least 17 and 112 pounds to be eligible to donate. Drink­ ing plenty of water and eating a meal before donating is encouraged. Donors will receive a portable Bluetooth speaker while supplies last. The need for blood increases in the summer due to increased activity and decreased donations. Appointments to donate can be made by calling 866-642-5663 or by visiting bit.ly/ BEAHERO2SOMEONE. Walk-ins are welcome. Hastings Rotary Club to celebrate 100 years The Rotary Club of Hastings will celebrate “100 plus two” years of service this Thurs­ day. The Rotarians will gather at the Walldorff Brewpub and Bistro’s third floor ballroom for a social hour, dinner, and a program. Social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner to follow at 6:30. The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $50 per person. Reservations are required and can be made at dacdb.com/Calendar/ or by calling Dave Solmes at 269-838-8106. City of Hastings PUBLIC NOTICE —: Summer Tax Deferments 182927 Notice is hereby given that applications for deferment of summer taxes are available at Hasting City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. Those who qualify may complete the application at City Hall or request that an application be mailed to them by calling 269.945.2468. The deadline for completing and filing a deferment application for the 2022 summer tax season is Sep­ tember 15, 2022. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk/Treasurer BUILDING ASSISTANT POSITION Rutland Charter Township is seeking an individual to serve as Building Department Assistant for the Township. It is a 12 hour a week position, hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10am to 2pm. Computer experience is a must. Experience in Microsoft Word and Excel is also helpful. To apply, please bring your resume to the Township Hall, and/or call to set up an interview. Office # is 269-948-2194. We will be accepting resumes at the township hall until June 30th at 12:00 pm. Larry Watson, Supervisor Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 make the determination of eligibility after a comprehensive evaluation has been complet­ ed. This evaluation may determine that a child qualifies for special education services under one or more disability areas.” Holland and Superintendent Rich Franklin both agreed that the special fund budget reflecting the addition of the new classroom was very important. “The new classroom supports our constitu­ ent districts by serving some of their neediest elementary-aged students with behavioral support needs, just as we added a classroom for the support of secondary students with behavioral support needs two years ago,” Franklin said. “This is pretty exciting news for us,” Hol­ land added. Holland put together the preliminary bud­ get and presented the information to the board during the budget hearing. To sum up the budget, the total revenues for both the General Fund and the Special Education Fund were split into four categories: local, state, federal, and other transactions. For the General Fund, which has a total revenue amount of $1.3 million, it is expected that the district will see: • $153,410 from local sources • $924,138 from state sources • $148,559 from federal sources • $136,778 from other transactions For the Special Education Fund, which has a total revenue amount of $6.3 million, it is expected that the district will see: • $3,092,587 from local sources • $1,839,655 from state sources • $1,386,191 from federal sources • $72,009 from private sources The general fund has a beginning fund bal­ ance of $189,595 and a projected ending fund balance being the same, $189,595. The total expenditures from the 2022 general fund amounted to $1,408,675 and the projected total expenditures for 2023 amount to $1,362,876. The special education fund has a beginning fund balance of $2,158,887 and a projected ending fund balance of $1,591,185. The total expenditures from the 2022 special education fund amounted to $6,520,495 and the project­ ed total expenditures for 2023 amount to $6,958,144. The maximum allowable millage total between both funds is 2.2201. When asked about the most important things from the budget hearing, Franklin mentioned maintaining reasonable fund bal­ ances. This ensures the board’s ability to deal with unforeseen expenses, he added. Another important thing is that the budget reflects over six million dollars in services to the constituent districts, Delton Kellogg Schools and Hastings Area School System. One concern from the budget hearing and the preparation of the budget was not getting the state numbers back, Holland said. “Like all K-12 districts and ISD’s in the state, we have once again had to pass budget^ for the coming year before the state has passed its School Aid Fund budget,” Franklin said. “We have been conservative in our rev­ enue estimates because of this.” “It has been typical for the last several years for our projected budget to have higher expenses than revenues,” Holland said. “With inflation costs, building improvements and addition of a new classroom our expenses ark on the rise. However, we remain conservative in our revenue estimates because of needing to pass the budgets before the state has passed its School Aid Fund Budget. “Some of the reasons for a dip into fund bal­ ance this next year is projects/purchases already committed to that are back-ordered,” She added. “We have some IT switches and a Bus that have been held up due to manufacturing delays.” The board adjourned the budget hearing and their regular Board of Education meeting was conducted immediately after where they approved the final revision budget for 2021­ 2022. Their approval was for the resolutions attached, which listed the total revenue and expenditures for both the general fund and the special education fund. The total revenue for the general fund came out to be $ 1,388,116 and the total revenue for the special education fund came out to be $6,439,252. The board members expressed their appre­ ciation for Holland, and all the work she puts into the budgets. Later In the meeting, Hol­ land was recognized in a letter from David Martel, the Executive Director at the Michi­ gan Schools Business Officials Association, stating that she achieved her Chief Financial Officer Certification. “When we brought Amber [Holland] on, this was part of her overall professional development plan and something that we’vfe supported her with and we are really excited she’s gotten that,” Franklin said. Kellogg plans three-way split Headquarters to move to Chicago, cereal division to remain in Battle Creek Bridge Michigan Kellogg Co. announced Tuesday that it plans to move its headquarters from Battle Creek - where Michigan’s fifth-largest publicly traded company was founded in 1906 - to Chicago as it spins off its businesses into three inde­ pendent companies. The cereal division, led by brands like Com Flakes and Special K, will remain in Battle Creek, the company said. However, its growing snack divi­ sion - which is selling almost five times as much chips as cereal - will make the move to Illinois as the com­ pany turns its focus to growing inter­ national sales of products like CheezIt and Pringles. That headquarters move is likely to have financial implications for the state. About 80 percent of corporate revenue is tied to what will become the new Chica­ go-based company. Kellogg - one of Michigan’s most iconic companies, along with Ford and General Motors - expects to roll out details of its plans in coming months, officials said Tuesday morning. The company, which recently went through a bitter union strike, is the second-leading cereal maker in the U.S. The names of new spin-off companies have not been determined. Also unclear is how the Kellogg brand will make the transition by the time it is finalized by the end of 2023. The city of Battle Creek - the south­ west Michigan city east of Kalamazoo along 1-94 where the $22.8 billion com­ pany and some of its global manufactur­ ing remain - did not immediately com­ ment on the news early Tuesday. The city manager’s office told Bridge Mich­ igan on Tuesday it will not comment on the decision until it holds a press event on Wednesday. Kellogg is the second-largest employ­ er in the Battle Creek area, according to Battle Creek Unlimited, an economic development organization. Its 2,000 employees is second only to Denso, an auto parts manufacturer. In a statement, Kellogg called the move the “bold next steps we’re taking to transform our portfolio.” The company said it would break into three new new divisions: • A “Global Snacking Co.,” with about $11.4 billion in net sales. • A “North America Cereal Co.,” with about $2.4 billion in net sales after a year with supply chain constraints and a strike that affected four of its U.S. facto­ ries. • And “Plant Co.,” building around the Morningstar Farms vegetable patty brand, with about $340 million in net sales. “These businesses all have significant standalone potential, and an enhancedfocus will enable them to better direct their resources toward their distinct stra­ tegic priorities,” Steve Cahillane, Kel­ logg Co.’s chairman and CEO, said Tuesday morning in a statement. “In turn, each business is expected to create more value for all stakeholders, and each is well-positioned to build a new era of innovation and growth.” ' Unclear is how many jobs may be moving from Battle Creek to Chicago. All three company leadership decisions will be announced later, the company said. As part of the strike settlement in 2021, the company pledged to uniofi officials that it would make no plant closings through October 2026, accord­ ing to NPR reports. The company’s stock price [NYSE: K] rose 2.34 percent after one hour of trading on Tuesday, climbing to $69. per share. Bridge Michigan intern Jared Ramsey contributed to this story. Michigan Secretary of State speaks to preserving the sanctity of elections 182308 BUS WASHER OPENING! Barry County Transit has an opening for a hard working individual for the position of Bus Washer. Duties include maintaining the transit fleet in clean condition both inside and out. Duties also include facility custodial work. The job will keep you busy! The schedule is Monday thru Friday and 7.5 hours per day. Starting pay is 13.77 Driver’s License is Required Applicants may apply online at barrycountytransit.com or in person or mail at: Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-8125 Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Following the June 21 hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6^ Attack on the U.S. Capitol. As Michigan’s chief election officer, my responsibility is to ensure our elec­ tions are accessible, safe, secure, and that the results are an accurate reflection of the will of the people. As election officials, we are commit­ ted to protecting all voters, regardless of how they voted or who they voted for. Yet it is a role that increasingly forces us - whether we consider ourselves Repub­ licans, Democrats, or independents - to endure threats, harassment, false and malicious attacks on our character and integrity, and sometimes even violence. Today’s hearing makes clear that we cannot have a secure democracy if we do not protect the security of the people who administer, protect, and stand guard over our elections. Election officials play a critical role in American democracy. We sign up to work elections because we care about our communities and our democracy. We are professionals, deeply committed to, and passionate about, our work. In towns, cities, and counties across the nation we carry out the free and fair elections that enable American citizens to choose their leaders and make their voices heard. But, right now, we are facing an unprecedented wave of continuous, unrelenting harassment and threats. I’ve experienced these threats first­ hand. People have come to my home or threatened me, my staff, and many of the hundreds of clerks and local election officials in our state. As a result, there is an omnipresent feeling of anxiety and dread that permeates our daily lives, and our families’ lives. To be clear, the threats are a direct extension of the efforts to spread false information about the security and accu­ racy of our elections that we’ve all endured in the years since 2020. Through blatantly false press releases, purely political legislative hearings, bogus legal claims and so called ‘affidavits’ that fail to allege any clear or cogent evidence of wrongdoing, those unhappy with the results of the 2020 presidential election - and now, political candidates courting their support and coveted endorsements - have perpetuated an unprecedented, dangerous, egregious and false campaign to erode the public’s confidence in the results of one of the most secure, acces­ sible and transparent elections in our state - and country’s - history. One of the results is that election offi­ cials have become targets - Republican, Democratic and independent election officials - in every state in this country. Tina Barton, the former Republican clerk of Rochester Hills, Mich., received a deluge of threats after she told the truth about the 2020 election results. Antrim County Clerk Sheryl Guy, a lifelong Republican who has worked in the clerk’s office for decades, no longer plans to run for re-election because of the abuse she endures for admitting a human error - a mistake that was quickly fixed and had no impact on the certified results of the election - that was used to falsely fuel a national conspiracy theory that resulted in subsequent litigation. Al Schmidt, a former Republican city commissioner in Philadelphia who over­ saw that city’s vote counting, received threats that named his children and included his address and photos of his house. I, along with thousands of others doing this work, will continue to defend and protect every voter, their voice, and . their vote, regardless of how they voted or who they voted for. But we cannot do this alone. We need legislators to pass laws that protect us, our personal information, and the personal information of our families and children. We need elections to be fully and con­ sistently funded by the state and federal government. And we need all Americans, on both sides of the aisle, to stand with us in pro­ tecting and defending our democracy, before it’s too late. �r* n>. -L.c 3' 3 b c 3- The Hastings ANNER SECTION Thursday, June 23, 2022 MVHS grad Williams getting ready for soccer at Ancilla Brett Bremer I* , Sports Editor t. Soccer has taken recent Maple Valley High ^chool graduate Olivia Williams all over the syea and now it is taking her to Donaldson, Ind- where she will be a part of Marian Uni­ versity’s Ancilla College Women’s Soccer 1#am. u Williams signed her National Letter of Intent in December and spent the winter and early spring recovering from ankle recon­ struction surgery before playing her senior year with the Maple Valley varsity girls’ soc­ cer team. “I took almost three months off for healing qry ankle, I got back a week before I had our first game,” Williams said. " “I had this big old cast,” Williams said. “I nad that for two weeks. I was exercising from t)je couch, then I had my boot. It was kind of weird learning how to walk again. It took a uttle bit to get back in the groove and get spme touches.” Williams was a member of the Maple Val­ ley varsity girls’ team from the time she was a freshman. She’ll never forget being told by Richard Seume about some of the history of tjie. number three jersey she received as a f^shman and she did her best to live up to the gervious wearers of the number. Williams said she is hoping to be number three at Ancilla, but that number is currently on the back of midfielder Yareli Toledo, a freshman last season with the Chargers. Williams ran three miles Monday as part o^f her summer conditioning program, before Reading to work. While running extra to stay in shape is something fairly new to Wil­ liams, soccer is not. She started playing in second grade. She was into dance and soccer at the time. Over the years, Williams played for club teams in Ionia, the Hastings FC and then with the Thomapple Area Soccer Club (TASC) in Middleville. Williams said she spent a couple years with a TASC club team and then played her final season with the TASC Premier team. She is training throughout this summer in preparation for the start of Ancilla’s presea­ son workouts Aug. 13. “I played premier in the fall a year ago,” Williams said. “I am a busy person, right now. I do training on Tuesday and Thursdays. I do training with [club coach] Jamie Fuller in Qaledonia. I am always at the fields. Some­ times if you drive by you’ll see me there. I am always playing soccer. I’m going to Indiana fyeire and there to train with my future team­ mates.” L She liked the small town feel of Donaldson, £3 • which is a short drive west of Plymouth in gorthem Indiana. She plans on studying busi­ ness with an eye on becoming an accountant. ? “I went and visited a couple colleges,” Williams said. “They happened to be the best fit for me. It is a small town feel. I really don’t like big towns at all. This was the perj^cf fit for me. They really made it feel like a second home. The team was the right fit and toe coach, this is my favorite.” “[Ancilla head coach Kalen Saddler] defi­ nitely reminds me of my high school coach, Richard Seume. He always wants the best for us and he is always pushing us to be the greatest version of ourselves. He started all these new programs for the team. He has us doing these summer workouts that are almost like a competition.” Maple Valley's Olivia Williams signs her National Letter of Intent to join the Ancilla College Women's Soccer program alongside Ancilla Head Coach Kalen Saddler in the Maple Valley Jr/Sr High School during December of 2021. (Photo supplied) Trenten Ingraham (left) and Mylee Wiers combined to win the MIHA District 19 Junior Championship this spring in Division D. District 19 held its awards banquet Wednesday after the May 14 district competition at the Barry County Fairgrounds. LMS team wins District 19 title Maple Valley's Olivia Williams clears the ball out of her end with a goal kick during her team's GLAC match-up with visiting Bath at Fuller Street Field in May. Williams joined the Maple Valley varsity as a freshman and now has plans to continue her playing days for the Marian University Ancilla College Chargers. (File photo) Williams said her family was new to soccer when she started playing in second grade, but her parents, Jacob and Amy Williams, have grown in the game with her over the years. “I started liking it more and more and I was like this is something I want to stick with,” Williams said. “They started doing research, because they obviously want the best for me. I got to do some training in Grand Rapids. My dad, he started coaching. He loves soccer now. He has definitely played a big role in my soccer career. He is always standings on the sideline.” Olivia said now she gets tips from him by text message at halftime sometimes. “Sometimes it is so crazy. In second grade we both had no clue,” she said. Now she’s starting to get a clue of what playing collegiate soccer will be like. She has enjoyed meeting her teammates and her future roommate. “It is a bigger team, so we’re always work­ ing for a spot on the field,” Williams said. “They’re all family even though there are 25 of them.” Retiring KCC AD, Shaw, earns athletic association awards ' Kellogg Community College Athletic Director Tom Shaw (pictured below) this month was named Michigan Community College Athletic Association Athletic Direc­ tor of the Year for a record fourth time and £lso received the MCCAA Distinguished Service Award. ■ Shaw, who retires this summer after more than 17 years in various positions at KCC, Mso won the Athletic Director of the Year £ward in 1999, 2014 and 2020, is the first four-time recipient of in the more than three decades since it was first presented in 1990. The award recognizes the MCCAA athletic jiirector “having done the most for both his School and the organization during the year,” according to the MCCAA. I Shaw is just the 29^ individual in 1MCCAA history to receive the MCCAA bistinguished Service Award, which recog­ nizes an individual who’s made significant contributions to community college athletics pn the MCCAA level. ’ In the MCCAA’s award announcement Released June 16, the organization noted Shaw’s administration of a nine-sport pro­ gram at KCC, including the recent MCCAA Western Conference baseball champions, as fvell as his work behind the scenes with MCCAA baseball programming and partici­ pation on the MCCAA’s realignment and scheduling committees. The MCCAA also acknowledged Shaw’s long history of service with the MCCAA, including roles as president, vice president, treasurer and baseball chair at various times during his tenure at KCC. Additionally, “He hosted the first MCCAA volleyball champions and the first ever NJCAA Division II women’s volleyball nationals,” the MCCAA announcement said. “He has also hosted the NJCAA Region XII baseball and softball tournaments on numer­ ous occasions. He has also helped host the NJCAA Region XII Bowling Championship and the NJCAA Bowling National Champi­ onship.” Shaw began his coaching and athletic administration career at Olivet College, where he held several athletic positions from 1987 until 1998, when he first became ath­ letic director at KCC. He returned to Olivet in 2001, where he was vice president for enrollment management for five years and athletic director for two years, before return­ ing to KCC in 2008. In addition to these current and prior MCCAA awards, Shaw was a recipient of Kellogg Community College Athletic Director Tom Shaw, who is retiring this summer, has been named the MCCAA Athletic Director of the Year for the fourth time and also has received the MCCAA Distinguished Service Award. the National Junior College Athletic Associ­ ation’s prestigious annual George E. Killian Award of Excellence in 2021. Shaw was one of just two 2020-21 recipients of the award and the only recipient from a Michigan school in the award’s 16-year history. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood Middle School Equestrian team won the the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association (MIHA) District 19 Junior Championship in Division D May 14 at the Barry County Fairgrounds. Mylee Wiers, an eighth grader, and Trenten Ingraham, a fifth grader, made up the two-per­ son Lakewood team this spring led by head coach Erin Ingraham. Coach Ingraham had plans to pick up the team’s district champion­ ship trophy at the MIHA District 19 Junior awards banquet Thursday, June 16, at the Barry Expo Center. Forest Hills Central was the reserve cham­ pion in Division D at the district champion­ ship last month. Cross Creek placed third in the division and Gull Lake fourth. Both Wiers and Trenten took on some new events to fill the 16 slots in the competition. Mylee Was'the leacflnr ten-events' ami Trenterr in six. Wiers actually competed 11 times, team­ ing with Trenten for his two-man relay event. Wiers started working on the saddle seat event and Trenten on Western bareback about a month before the district championship to help pile up points. Neither had competed in those styles before. Coach Ingram said Wiers “shows dressage on a regular basis more than anything, so she had kind of a lot of the stuff she needed to know about saddle seat and knew it even better than I did.” The weather didn’t offer a lot of time to practice this spring coach Ingraham said. Wayland was the champion and Caledonia the reserve championship in Division A. In Division B, Hopkins took the championship and South Christian finished as the reserve champion. Delton Kellogg won the Division C championship. Hastings baseball has trio honored among 1-8’s best Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons did their best to fight for a spot in a district final against Grand Rapids Christian’s varsity baseball team at the conclusion of the 2022 spring season. The Hastings boys were bested by a run by East Grand Rapids in the MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinals hosted by Grand Rapids Christian June 4. East Grand Rapids went on to fall 5-2 to Grand Rapids Christian in the district final that day. Grand Rapids Christian went on to finish as the state runner-up, falling to Forest Hills Eastern 3-0 in the June 18 MHSAA Baseball Finals at Michigan State University. While the final few teams were bat­ tling through the postseason, the Sax­ ons celebrated their season by announc­ ing team awards. Senior Mason Denton was named the team MVP this spring. He earned all-conference honors in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference this season. Teammates Matt Thompson and Harrison Smalley were both named honorable mention all-conference. Thompson was named the Saxons’ best offensive player in the team awards. Junior Aiden Benson and sophomore Lars Sorensen were named the team’s best defensive players. Both Benson and Sorensen spent much of their season on the Saxons’ middle infield, but covered more ground than that. The Saxon team was 10-17 on the season under head coach Jason Sixberry. The Saxons' Mason Denton was named all-conference in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference this spring and was honored as the Hastings varsity baseball team's MVP at its season ending banquet this month. (File photo) �Page 10 — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGE CHARLES J. HIEMSTRA IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Default has occurred in the conditions of a Mortgage (“Mortgage”) made by David Pallasch, an unmarried man, of 1298 Main Street, Suite 4183, Windsor, Colorado 80550, Mortgagor, to Lake Michigan Credit Union, a state chartered credit union, having its principal office at 5519 Glenwood Hills Parkway SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 (“Mortgagee”), which Mortgage was dated April 9, 2021, and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds for Barry County, Michigan on April 13, 2021 at Instrument Number 2021-004971. By reason of this default, the Mortgagee hereby declares the entire unpaid amount of said Mortgage due and payable immediately. As of the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due on this Mortgage the sum of One Hundred Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-nine and 22/100 Dollars ($114,229.22). No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by this Mortgage or any part thereof. NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT: Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the above Mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, at the East Steps of the courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on Thursday, the 21 st day of July 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The premises covered by this Mortgage are located in the Township of Rutland, County of Barry, State of Michigan and described on the attached Exhibit A. Notice is further given that the length of the redemption period will be six (6) months from the date of sale unless determined to be abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be as provided by MCL 600.3241a. If this property is sold at a foreclosure sale by advertisement, during the period of redemption, borrower/mortgagor will be responsible to the purchaser or to the mortgage holder for physical injury to the property beyond wear and tear resulting from the normal use of the property if the physical injury is caused by or at the direction of the borrower/mortgagor. Dated: June 9, 2022 LAKE MICHIGAN CREDIT UNION MORTGAGEE THIS INSTRUMENT PREPARED BY: Charles J. Hiemstra (P-24332) Attorney for Mortgagee 125 Ottawa Ave., NW, Suite 310 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 235-3100 EXHIBIT A •4 Legal Description That part of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 10, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 corner of said Section; thence South 3 degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds East 660.07 feet along the West line of said Southwest 1/4 to the North line of the South 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Southwest 1/4 and the Place of Beginning; thence North 86 degrees 55 minutes 32 seconds East 994.61 feet along said North line to the Southerly line of the Westerly extension of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 69.88 feet along said Southerly line; thence Southwesterly 117.26 feet along said Southerly line along the arc of a 60 foot radius curve to the right, the chord of which bears South 63 degrees 24 minutes 2 seconds West 99.47 feet; thence South 2 degrees 44 minutes 51 seconds West 160.93 feet; thence South 3 degrees 16 minutes 44 seconds East 105 feet; thence North 87 degrees 5 minutes 1 second East 503.80 feet to the East line of the West 1/2 of said Southwest 1/4; thence South 3 degrees 18 minutes 6 seconds East 328.36 feet along said East line to the South line of said Northwest 1/4, Southwest 1/4; thence South 87 degrees 0 minutes 14 seconds West 1,323.42 feet along said South line to the West line of said Southwest 1/4; thence North 3 degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds West 660.07 feet along said West line to the Place of Beginning. Together with a non-exclusive easement being more particularly described as follows: An easement over a strip of land 66 feet in width for highway purposes and public utilities known as Scenic Trail (extended portion), the Centerline of such easement being described as follows: Beginning at the West end of Scenic Trail as shown in Clearview Lakes Estates according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24, at a point which lies South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 33 feet from the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of said plat; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 345 feet to the point of ending, including in said easement land lying within a 60 foot radius cul-de-sac, the radius of which lies South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 50.10 feet from said point of ending. Also subject to and together with a parcel of land reserved for a private easement for drainage and park purposes described as follows: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of Clearview Lakes Estates as recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24; thence South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 66 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 36.37 feet along said South line for the true place of beginning; thence South 5 degrees 27 minutes 56 seconds West 77.07 feet; thence South 51 degrees 20 minutes 37 seconds East 73.26 feet; thence South 9 degrees 8 minutes 4 seconds West 88.09 feet; thence South 6 degrees 7 minutes 21 seconds West 109.92 feet; thence South 32 degrees 47 minutes 21 seconds West 133.66 feet; thence South 13 degrees 26 minutes 18 seconds West 130.68 feet; thence South 0 degrees 28 minutes 46 seconds East 69.35 feet; thence South 47 degrees 29 minutes 41 seconds West 79.24 feet; thence North 51 degrees 46 minutes 51 seconds West 82.65 feet; thence North 0 degrees 1 minute 5 seconds East 101.21 feet; thence North 5 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds East 96.52 feet; thence North 19 degrees 40 minutes 48 seconds East 93.61 feet; thence North 20 degrees 5 minutes 31 seconds East 91.43 feet; thence North 19 degrees 22 minutes 10 seconds East 84.41 feet; thence North 1 degree 59 minutes 37 seconds East 77.31 feet; thence North 63 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds East 59.63 feet; thence North 4 degrees 34 minutes 6 seconds West 51.36 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence North 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds East 55 feet to the place of beginning. Parcel ID No. 08-13-010-007-00 Property address: 1 Scenic Trail, Hastings, Michigan 49058 182310 LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on July 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not au­ tomatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE SALE -Daniel Drum and Amy N. Drum, Husband and wife as joint tenants, original mortgagors, granted a Mortgage to Citifinancial, Inc., dated No­ vember 30, 2006, and recorded December 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1173501, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan, and assigned to Citifinancial Servicing LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, recorded on January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017-000595, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as owner Trustee for WF 19 Grantor Trust, recorded January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017­ 000596 in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust III recorded April 13, 2021 as Instrument Number 20212-004919, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michi­ gan which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Two Thousand Thirty dollars and 10/100 dollars ($22,030.10). The sale is subject to a Mortgage recorded on May 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1164135 of Barry County Register of Deeds. The following described premises situated in the Township of Prairieville, County of Barry, State of Michigan, to-wit: Begin­ ning at the Northwest corner of Section 4, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence on the Township line of South 89 degrees 52 minutes 06 seconds East 180 feet; thence South 00 degrees 48 minutes 01 seconds East parallel with the West line of said section 587.21 feet to the Northeasterly edge of Hughes Road, a private drive in the plat of Shady Heights, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, on page 37; thence North 53 degrees 37 minutes 00 seconds West 427.89 feet; thence North 09 degrees 49 minutes 00 seconds East 114.74 feet; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 12 seconds East parallel with the North line of the Northeast fractional 1/4 of the adjacent section 5, a distance of 139.80 feet to the section line common to said section 4 and 5; thence North 00 degrees 48 min­ utes 01 seconds West on same 221.0 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 10929 Pine Lake Road, Delton, Ml 49046 Property ID# 08-12-004-007-10 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless de­ termined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241, in which case the redemption period shall be 1 month, or under MCL 600.3241 a 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later, or extin­ guished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice ATTENTION PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. This notice is from a debt collector. Dated: June 14 2022 For more information, please call: (513) 852­ 6066 Daniel A. Cox and Crystal L. Saresky Wood & Lamping LLP Attorneys for Servicer 600 Vine Street, Suite 2500, Cincinnati, OH 45202 File 21­ 12006 (06-16)(07-14) 182533 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting June 14,2022 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Six board members present Approved all consent agenda items Budget adjustments Ordinance 2022-01 final reading Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:18 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 182972 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised ju­ dicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or ca­ shier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on June 30, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Justin T. Curtis, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registra­ tion Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servic­ ing, LLC Date of Mortgage: November 22,2016 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 9,2016 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $128,754.92 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 26 of Ammon Eatons Addition to the City of Hast­ ings according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 2 of Plats on Page 15. Also commencing at the Northeast corner of said Lot 26, thence North 33 feet, thence West 132 feet, thence South 33 feet, thence East 132 feet, being the South one half of Eaton St. adjacent to said Lot 26, which street was heretofore vacated by City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 1305 S Dibble St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2502 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). ' If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chap­ ter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been or­ dered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: June 2,2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1465702 (06-02)(06-23) Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 Emily Taylor -J® Financial Advisor tb 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. ; Hastings, Ml 49058 ? (269) 945-3553 i Crypto: Investment or speculation? With cryptocurrencies so much in the news, you might be wondering if you should invest in them. But “invest” may not be the right word - because, in many ways, cryptocurrencies, or “crypto” for short, are more speculation than investment. But what’s really the difference between a speculator and an investor? Probably the main factor is the differing views of time. A true investor is in it for the long term, building a portfolio that, over many years, can eventually provide the financial resources to achieve important goals, such as a comfortable retirement. But speculators want to see results, in the form of big gains, right now - and they’re often willing to take big risks to achieve these outcomes. There’s also the difference in knowledge. Investors know that they’re buying shares of stock in a company that manufactures products or provides services. But many speculators in ciyptocurrency don’t fully comprehend what they’re buying - because crypto just isn’t that easy to understand. Ciyptocurrency is a digital asset, and ciyptocurrency transactions only exist as digital entries on a blockchain, with the “block” essentially beingjust a collection of information, or digital ledgers. But even knowing this doesn’t necessarily provide a clear picture to many of those entering the crypto world. In addition to time and understanding, two other elements help define ciyptocurrency’s speculative nature: • Volatility-Cryptocurrencies are subject to truly astonishing price swings, with big gains followed by enormous losses - sometimes within a matter of hours. What’s behind this type of volatility? Actually, several factors are involved. For one thing, the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies depends heavily on supply and demand - and the demand can skyrocket when media outlets and ciypto “celebrities” tout a particular offering. Furthermore, speculators will bet on crypto prices moving up or down, and these bets can trigger a rush on buying and selling, again leading to the rapid price movements. And many purchasers of ciypto, especially young people, want to see big profits quickly, so when they lose large amounts, which is common, they often simply quit the market, contributing to the volatility. • Lack of regulation - When you invest in the traditional financial markets, your transactions are regulated by the Securities and Exchange '• Commission (SEC), and the ■ firms with which you invest i are typically overseen by the ‘ Financial Industry Regulatory^ Authority (FINRA). Othe&f agencies are also involved in> regulating various investments'* These regulating bodies workx to ensure the basic fairness oft the financial markets and to* prevent and investigate fraud.* But ciyptocurrency exchanges are essentially unregulated,' ‘ and this lack of oversight has contributed to the growth of', “scam” exchanges, crypto market manipulation, excessive’^ trading fees and other predatory * practices. This “Wild West” scenario should be of concern to anyone putting money in crypto. The ciyptocurrency market* is still relatively new, and it’s^ certainly possible that, in the* future, crypto can become more of an investment and less of a speculation. In fact, Congress is actively considering ways to regulate the ciyptocurrencyr market. But for now, caveat^' emptor - “let the buyer beware.”4*’**63 This article was written by^ Edward Jones for use by yourr local Edward Jones Financial^ Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC'' •r 181512 Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number.stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JULY 21, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by James L Waller, unmarried individual, to PNC Bank, National Association, successor by merger to National City Bank, Mortgagee, dated July 1,2008 and recorded July 17, 2008 in Instrument Number 20080717-0007274 and Modification to Open-End Deed of Trust/Mortgage recorded August 7,201'3 in Instrument Number 2013­ 009626, Barry County Records, Michigan. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Thousand One, Hundred Seventy and 58/100 Dollars ($20,170.58). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in suoh case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JULY 21,2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Twp Lot 36 & E1 /2 Lot 37 Parker Park and Vacated Alley Adjacent to Lot on Southeast Side Thereof. 5982 McKibbin Rd, Delton, Michigan 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: June 23, 2022 File No. 22-003175 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (06-23)(07-14) 182906 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of the Emma Jean Englerth Trust dated May 30, 1997. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Emma Jean Englerth, born August 9, 1.923, who lived 690 West Main Street, Middleville, Michigan died May 9, 2022 leaving a certain trust under the name of the Emma Jean Englerth Trust, and dated May 30, 1997, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Edward P. Englerth and Mark W. Englerth were named as the trustees serving at the time of or as a result of the decedents death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Edward P. Englerth and Mark W. Englerth the named trustees at 395 W. Meadow Lane, Hastings, Ml 49058 and 1769 Edwin drive, Wayland, Ml 49348 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY d NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29140-DE < WILLIAM M. DOHERTY P-41960 Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302,. Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Doris J. Null. Date of birth: April 12f 1932. I TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Doris; J. Null, died January 11, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to William G. Null, personal representative, or to botfj the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302j Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: June 13, 2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Edward P. Englerth and Mark W. Englerth 395 Meadow Lane and 1769 Edwin Drive Hastings, Ml 49058 and Wayland, Ml 49348 182922 Date: 06/15/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 William G. Null 6717 Lindsey Road Delton, Michigan 49046 182923 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 ? Antiques & Collectibles ALLEGAN ANTIQUE MARKET. SUN­ MINI-AUSSIE PUPPIES- VERY cute and fluffy. Will stay small. 1st shots and de­ wormed. Females $400, Males $325. 517-726­ 0706._____________________________________ DAY, JUNE 26TH, 2022. 350 Exhibitors. Rain or Shine. 8:00am - 4:00pm. Located at the Allegan County Fairgrounds in Allegan, Michigan. Admission $5 per person. No Pets. cute & playful. 1st shots and wormed. $200. 517-852-4881. Garage Sale Farm HUGE GARAGE SALE- Fri. & Sat., June 24th- BORDER COLLIE PUPPIES For sale. Very SMALL SQUARE STRAW BALES $3/each, 25th, 2022 & Fri.-Sat, July lst-2nd, 2022 9am5pm. 245 Old Mill Rd., Middleville. Very large sale!! Lots of everything!! Too much to list!!!! 517-781-0346. MOVING SALE: TOOLS, household items, PUBLIC NOTICE: A misconduct complaint furniture. Fri, Sat, Sun, June 24-26,2022.9am4pm. 10623 Cressey Rd, Plainwell. Wanted Community Notice about Judge Vicky Alspaugh has been filed with the Judicial Tenure Commission on June 21st, 2022. For information, please contact DISQUALIFYALSPAUGH@GMAIL.COM. R & R AUTO RECYCLING- Buying all un­ wanted vehicles, any condition. Free pick up! 269-876-9048. Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and re­ Give the gift of NEWS! Send friends and family a gift subscription to The Hastings BANNER! To subscribe, call us at... 269-945-9554 pair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. CaU 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liabil­ ity & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets SHIH TZU PUPPIES for sale. Small, super cute. 1st shots and wormed. $600.00, 517­ 852-4881. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — Page 11 The Tripp, Tagg & Storrs team of Luke Warner (from left), Steven Storrs, Nathan Tagg and Jeff Storrs celebrates its win in the Bill Porter Memorial Charity Golf Classic 18-hole scramble at The Legacy at Hastings Friday. The foursome shot an 18-underpar 54 to win the title. Bonnie Gettys (from left) presents a giant check to Janie Bergeron and representatives from the Green Gables Haven staff Christy, Jenny and Jillian at the conclusion of the Bill Porter Memorial Legends Golf Classic Friday at The Legacy at Hastings. Green Gables big winner at Porter Golf Classic Brett Bremer Sports Editor Janie Bergeron said her event partner Bon­ nie Gettys came up with the perfect words to describe the 2022 Bill Porter Memorial Char­ ity Golf Classic - and while she couldn’t quote her word for word it boiled down to “it may have been small, but the enthusiasm was through the roof.” The outing, which donates funds to local 'charities based on a voting system at the event each year, has donated over a half a ■million dollars since it began in 2004. Green Gables Haven, this year’s winning charity, received a giant check at the conclu­ sion of the event June 17 at The Legacy at Hastings. Green Gables Haven will receive approximately $24,000 from the outing. There will also be $10,000 going to the Route 66 Business District. A group of 25 foursomes competed in the 18-hole scramble. “We had 25 teams,” Gettys, the President/ CEO of the Barry Community Foundation, said. “Before Covid we would typically have between 40 and 36 teams.” The event was canceled in 2020 and then in 2021 golf teams had a week to play their rounds, allowing for social distancing by not gathering a larger group at The Legacy at one time. “Due to some very, very generous people we all know we have in this community, we may have been down on golfers we were way up on sponsorships,” said Bergeron, the Executive Director at Green Gables Haven. She said that allowed the donation to the winning charity to even exceed some previ­ ous years. • Bergeron said at Green Gables the funds “support our counseling program which allows us to hold weekly group sessions and pay for up to six sessions for any domestic violence victim needing counseling.” “I love this community they come together when they need to,” Bergeron added. Bergeron and Gettys were brought together to help the event get started in 2004. It’s namesake, Bill Porter, passed away soon after that first June event. Bergeron said the event has become The Legacy’s outing now, but her and Gettys have helped transition new man­ agement teams into leading the event in recent years. To the surprise of no one in attendance, the Tripp, Tagg & Storrs Attorneys at Law team which shot an 18-under-par 54 at The Legacy. That foursome was made up of Nathan Tagg, Steven Storrs, Jeff Storrs and Luke Warner. Their closest competitors, The Legacy 1 and Team Hooten were three strokes back. The crowd gathers at the The Legacy clubhouse as results are tallied from the 2022 Bill Porter Memorial Charity Golf Classic Friday in Hastings. 182639 . Notice Bid Request for Township Hall Addition Sealed bids will be received at the office of Hope Township, 5463 S M-43 Hwy, Hastings MI 49058 until 11:00 AM, Wednesday July 6, 2022, for the following item. A 500sft absentee counting board office to the Current Hope Township Hall Engineered plans may be viewed at www.Hopetwp.com or at the Township Hall on Wednesdays 9:00AM to 12:00AM and 1:00PM to 3PM. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive irregularities in the best interest of Hope Township. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAI­ RIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: The Legacy staff member Will Jensen, Legacy General Manager Josh Alderson, Barry Community Foundation President Bonnie Gettys and Green Gables Haven Executive Director Janie Bergeron enjoy their time helping make sure the Bill Porter Memorial Charity Golf Classic runs smoothly in Hastings Friday. ■cbbbobsseesese Who decides the value of life? By Gina Johnsen ’ 1 I ! : ‘ -j j! I1 I I Over the past couple years with the controversial Covid culture, we have heard so many statements about how valuable life is and how careful we must be about preserving life. We were given new protocols regarding health. We were reminded to show compassion to everyone who might be at risk, and we were told to recognize and thank the healthcare heroes that were saving lives while risking theirs. We were told to lockdown and isolate to save lives. Life, Risk, Care, Health, Compassion, Shutdowns, Heroism, Safety, and Saving lives all became the buzz words of the day. This all took place while encouraging abortions that made several groups extremely wealthy. Planned Parenthood, a multi-billion dollar corporation, was open for business as usual during the Covid shutdown. The dichotomy was that in one building medical staff was trying to preserve life, and in the next building medical staff was profiting from ending life. How did we manage these opposing “values” in the same place, same brain, same conversation, and same society? I also don’t understand the supposed “empowering” messages women hear so often from abortion advocates: you CAN’T AFFORD a baby, you AREN’T CAPABLE of having a baby, you AREN’T SMART enough or STRONG enough or PREPARED enough to bring a human life into the world. If the abortionists are always trying to “empower” women, then why don’t they use words of possibility, capability, hope, and ‘can-do’ themes? This hypocrisy is extremely disturbing. Pro-abortionist group “Jane’s Revenge” has called for great violence against pregnancy centers across the nation, in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 abortion decision. In contrast, pregnancy centers are working hard to save moms and babies, with love, nurture, generosity, and kindness. Common sense would suggest that this prolife decision by the highest court in our land should be I celebrated with great joy and thankfulness, not violence and hatred. | When this Supreme Court decision becomes official, Michigan will regain its own voice - to preserve and defend life in the womb. We will be able to continue assisting moms (and dads) to do all they CAN I to be the life-givers they CAN BE. They will be ABLE to support life’s greatest resource: HUMAN LIFE. Michigan also needs to stand against the violent threat of “Jane’s Revenge”, and celebrate women’s abilities to have LIFE - for themselves and their babies. Thirty years ago, I was trained to be a lay counselor for a crisis pregnancy center. My goal was to help save babies, and try to make a small dent in the multi-billion dollar, life-ending abortion industry. Today, I am the volunteer Executive Director of a Crisis Pregnancy Center, and I am elated that we are finally at the point where we can preserve and defend life as a state. Michigan will now have the opportunity and responsibility to stand up for LIFE again, instead of finding an industry that only provides plans toward death, deception, and theft of our future generation. So, if we are honest as individuals and as a culture, would we say that every life HAS VALUE, and that EVERY LIFE is worth saving? Is it appropriate for us to say that as a government, as a society, as individuals we have made a big mistake by allowing the abortion industry to make billions of dollars from lying to women, placing their lives at great risk (cancer, infertility, mental and emotional health, and death), and killing over 60 million babies? Isn’t it time to admit we were wrong, forgive ourselves and each other, and receive forgiveness from God Himself? Isn’t it time to reject the business of abortion and accept our opportunities and responsibilities to raise the next generation toward its fullest potential? Every time I speak or share on the topic of abortion, I have to give credence to the great guilt many women (and men) feel after having abortions. Everyone has sinned, and we all have regrets - some really big and some small - but we ALL wish we could do some things over again. No sin or regret is unforgivable. The saving forgiveness offered by Jesus Christ is truly enough to cover all our regret and shame. It is enough to make up for every abortion and every horrible decision we’ve made. When we receive and accept that forgiveness, we can truly be healthy and reach our potential. Your comments are welcome and encouraged: Gina4StateRep@qmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you. For more information, please visit my website: Gina4StateRep.com. Please give me the opportunity to earn your vote on August 2nd. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on July, 14 2022 com­ mencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning En­ abling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to any State of Michigan legislative chang­ es to the Open Meetings Act, the Township Planning Commission may hold its meeting (including public hearing) electronically, in order to limit in person government activities, to protect critical infrastructure workers to the extent possible. If the meeting is held electronically, information to electronically attend the meeting will be posted on the Town­ ship’s website at http://www.prairievilletwp-mi.org. In addition to participation during an electronically held public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission’s consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Ad­ ministrator, Eric Thompson (ethompson(g)pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said pub­ lic hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the construction of a detached accessory structure failing to meet the lot coverage requirements pursuant to section 4.20 “Accessory Structures”. The subject site is located at 7402 Bendere Rd., Parcel # 08-12-036-083-10 and is currently zoned R-1 - Residential. 2. A request from property Corners, Ml 49060, for a subject site is located at #08-12-036-083-10 and requesting to re-zone the 3. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is parcel to A-Agricultural. The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Fritz Bork, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 182971 �Page 12 — Thursday, June 23, 2022 — The Hastings Banner A 1931 Ford Model A hot rod is among the entrants in the annual Route 66 Nashville Classic Car Show Saturday. It was one of 227 cars registered for the day's competition. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Scott Reid sets up a pair of cars at the top of the track during the first valve cover races at the Route 66 Nashville Classic Car Show Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Valve cover races new addition to M-66 Car Show Youngsters watch the valve cover races in the middle of M-66 in downtown Nashville Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ELECT 6ob Teunessen Barry County Commissioner - District 1 I Lifelong resident of Barry County I Owner of Bob Teunessen Drywall I Elks Member I teamed my work ethics. 1 have always been a hard worker. I will work just as hard Brett Bremer Sports Editor Malachi Boutwell got a special honor in the middle of M-66 in downtown Nashville. Julie Reid’s periwinkle blue valve cover racer, kind of like a pinewood derby car but designed on an actual rocker cover from an automobile engine, sat on a table next to the sloped track in the middle of the street which was closed to vehicle traffic with the annual Route 66 Nashville Classic Car show going on all day Saturday. Reid typically saves that one for he own racing, but Boutwell was enticed by the vehi­ cle’s driver, a small statue of DreamWorks Animations’ Puss in Boots, and Reid gave him the okay to race. First the periwinkle race bested its bright orange competitor from the left track and then the right. Boutwell jumped for joy as the racers reached the end of their short run. rvr-x S This was the first year valve cover racing was featured as part of the annual Fathers Day weekend car show in Nashville. Events started Friday with a chicken dinner at the Nashville VFW, a car cruise, a Hot Shot Basketball competition and free ice cream from Moo-ville before and during a showing of “Grump Old Men” held behind the revue and fireworks at dark. The Saturday events kicked off with the pancake breakfast at the fire bam at the north end of town and a flea market at the Nashville VFW on the south end. Free horse drawn wagon rides were pro­ vided throughout the day by Blake Griffin. The Duck Derby took the the Thomapple River at noon, followed by the firemen’s Bucket Brigade on Washington Street. Car Show trophy winners were announced begin­ ning at 2 p.m. Saturday. “This is my wife’s car,” Scott Reid said of the vehicle piloted by Puss in Boots. “We built that years ago for a car show we did in Petoskey. They did this up there. It started out the same as we did here today - three or four cars, a bunch of kids ran and had fun. The second year, the adults were building cars for the kids. The third year the adults pushed the kids to the side and had their own race. The fourth year there were more tabbet cover car racers than there were show cars because everybody had fun, the adults were building one or two of them. That is what we’re trying to do here, get something started. Hopefully we have made an impression with a few peo­ ple that will get this thing going.” “The idea is that this morphs and next year we get people to bring their own cars and we can run for hours on end,” he added. There weren’t plaques and trophies for the winners of the valve cover races in Nashville, but the youngsters who raced the handful of Malachi Boutwell selects a valve cover racer to compete with on the track during the Route 66 Nashville Classic Car Show Saturday in downtown Nashville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) cars which were provided were happy to pick out a Matchbox car after they were through. “Me and my wife built these, for some­ thing to do at the car show,” Scott said of the cars available for the kids to run, “because after you get done looking at the cars what do you do? And it is something for the kids. You get a kids race, they^get a Matchbox car. It is a good thing.” Cars sit at the top of the track before being released with a lever that sends them falling down the track onto the pavement. It had its maiden run Saturday. Scott said the track was built last winter. A couple of the c#rs built for Saturday had only had their final coat of paint applied days before the event. Cars can be decorated any way the builder sees fit. The wheels can be attached to the car “If would be an koncn to sewe gou and give back to mg community that has been good to me and mg famtly ” Endowed by Howard Hoot Gibson, VOTE august2,2022 Dear Barry County Residents: and confidence tn n«X* county commission past 17 plus years. 1have I ? Tervins the citizens of Barry I Contact Info i and I wiH Bab Teunessen for St" Bob has attended most | ofthecomnussioner meetmSSest 2675 Star SstodJ SV. Hastings, Mi 4SSS8 Spectators check out a 1932 Chevrolet Sport Coupe in front of the Nashville Fire Barn Saturday during the Route 66 Nashville Classic Car Show. (Photo by Brett Bremer) in any manner. No additional weights can be added to increase speed. There are a handful of other rules. “The idea with what we’ve done [with the cars we’ve built], is that we have different styles of wheels, different configurations just trying to show people what options are they can do,” Scott said. “The main idea is you don’t cut the tappet cover apart. If you go on the web you can see cars that have fenders cut out of them. They do all kinds of crazy stuff. If we get people that want to do that, we’ll run a class like that I am not saying they can’t, but for right now let’s just keep it basic. Bolt some wheels on it and throw it down the track and see what happens.” There was a variety of wheel sizes and styles on the handful of cars the Reids had at the event, to give people more of an idea of things they may want to attempt to build. Scott said those wanting to build a car can get a cover at an auto parts sport if they want to buy a new one or check junk yards and sal­ vage yards. He said he bought most of the ones racing Saturday at swap meets last summer. “It’s a low budget thing,” Scott said. “Next year, one of our goals is to have a tappet cover kit. If you can’t get one of these, we sell you this tappet cover, we throw in some sort of wheels with it, you go home and play with it and come back to the show and see what you can do with it. Paint it however you want. Decorate it. That’s the cool thing. You can really make it look any way you want.” The races might move just off of M-66 next time around. Reid said he plans to sell advertising space on the ride of the race track next year to help the car club raise funds for Make-A-Wish. There were 227 vehicles registered for the car show in Nashville Saturday with a num­ ber of tractors, which did not need to register, out for display in downtown too. It was a big weekend for car shows in the area. Charlton Park hosted the annual South­ ern Michigan Street Rod Association Fathers Day Car Show Sunday. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-06-30.pdf 60fc69110d29f8609f01f96fa922f50e PDF Text Text tastings residents voice concerns 4c ”"*■ ■“ - “ 4 c ver o: Fatal motorcycle accident in Yankee Springs Township See Story on Page 2 80487911018 1070490102590503199949058113421 Thursday, June 30, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 26 PRICE $1.50 Hastings Rotary Club celebrates, reflects on 102 years of service Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Rotary Club of Hastings celebrated 102 years of community service at its 100+2­ year Anniversary Celebration last week. The Hastings Rotary Club was chartered on May 1, 1920. Last week Thursday’s 100­ year celebration was delayed from 2020 due to COVID-19 precautions. Michigan State Representative Julie Calley and Hastings Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie presented proclamations recognizing the club’s many acts of service. “I have to admit, I don’t typically get ner­ vous, but it’s very unusual for someone in my line of work to be surrounded by this many presidents and this many governors,” Calley joked. “I’m feeling a little over­ whelmed right now. “It is an honor to represent Barry County,” she added. “As I reflect on all the 102 years of successes in this community, it is easy to get lost in that list. How many lives have been changed? How many lives have been saved?” President Michelle Skedgell and former president Norm Barlow welcomed guests before Barlow led the club in prayer. “I’ve been a Rotarian for 52 years,” Bar­ low said. “I have seen more Rotarians in the past 50 years that are no longer with us than those that are here tonight. “It’s been a pleasure for all these years to know the various men and women who have been associated with Rotary and it’s been my privilege to be a part of that group.” Jillian Foster, Rotary president elect, and Jennifer Heinzman, presidential nomi­ nee, addressed the group with their plans for the future. “I’m thinking some of the things that we want to do is increase our service opportuni­ ties, improve upon our educational opportu­ nities and just modernize some of our practic­ es,” Heinzman said. “I see the future of Rotary being very inclusive - more service oriented and having more of a purpose.” Rotarians enjoyed dinner and drinks at the Walldorff Brewpub and Bistro ballroom. Music was provided by former Rotary presi­ dent Norm Barlow and recent Hastings High School graduate Zach Franklin. The program for the evening outlined the history of Rotary Club and former presidents See ROTARY CLUB, page 8 Former Rotary President Gregory Randall accepted a proclamation from Michigan State Representative Julie Calley. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Single copy cost going up The single-copy price of The Hastings Banner will go up 50 cents, effective July I, as a result of rising production costs. Subscribers to The Banner will see a corresponding increase in their subscripthey renew. Virtually ever aspect of producing and distributing the newspaper - the fuel required to deliver it, the rates charged to mail it, the paper, ink and aluminum plates for printing it - cost far Planning Commissioner Bob Vanderboegh draws a proposal for widen­ ing Miller Road at the site of the proposed Stoneco sand and gravel mine on a white board during Monday's meeting. Vanderboegh said without a widened road to include acceleration and deceleration lanes and a center left-turn lane, he would not support the project. (Photo by Greg Chandler) more than a year ago. As a result, beginning July 5, The Ban­ ner will be $1.50 on the newsstand. In Barry County, a year’s subscription will be $78. In Allegan, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo and Kent counties, a year’s subscription will be $86. A subscription for five months or more to any other location outside those counties will be $91. Stoneco attorney Ken Vermeulen addresses planning commissioners at Monday's meeting, as Tony Halloran, west side operations manager for the company, listens. (Photo by Greg Chandler) County planning commission votes to move contentious sand and gravel mining operation forward Recent audit shows Chair of the Barry County Board of Commissioners Ben Geiger provides com­ ments on the county’s current financial standing during Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Greg Chandler Staff Writer On a narrow 4-3 vote, Barry County plan­ ning commissioners approved a special land use for a large sand and gravel mining opera­ tion in Orangeville Township, just west of Wilkinson Lake. But the approval on Monday came with a condition: that Canton-based Stoneco of Michigan get approval from the Barry Coun­ ty Road Commission for widening Miller Road from two to five lanes between Rose Road and Hayward Road to alleviate con­ cerns about likely conflicts between truck traffic that will be hauling away sand and gravel from the site and other vehicles that may be using the road. Stoneco proposes to develop 100 acres on the west side of the 160-acre Orangeville property for the mining operation, county planning director Jim McManus said. “It would include both mining and process­ ing of sand and gravel from this property, as well as, if permitted, material from across the street with a conveyor line that would bring material from across the street on the Hope Township site, if that is permitted,” said Ken Vermeulen, an attorney representing Stoneco. “(The conveyor line would be located) under the road and then (carry material) to the (Orangeville) site for processing.” The special land use approval came three months after Stoneco first came before the planning commission seeking authorization for the mining operation. The approval came despite objections from nearby residents who say the project will negatively impact water quality and groundwater levels, present acci­ dent risks for motorists who use Miller Road, and drive down property values. “You guys are taking responsibility for making a decision. They want to do the busi­ ness,” said Joe Reinheimer, who has lived in the area for the last 25 years, after the vote. “Who’s going to take the responsibility when there’s an accident out there? Who’s going to take responsibility for the devalued homes? Somebody’s gotta step up and take it....We’re not just gonna sit back. If you think we are, you’re insane.” However, commissioners had to abide by a provision in Act 110 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act of 2006 that largely favors aggregate and mining companies when they bring proposed projects to local decision makers. The legislation is based on a 1982 Michigan Supreme Court ruling where Ada Township in Kent County was found to have overstepped its bounds in blocking a pro­ posed mining operation. “An ordinance shall not prevent the extraction, by mining, of valuable natural resources from any property unless very serious consequences would result from the extraction of those natural resources,” the provision reads. “Natural resources shall be considered valuable for the purposes of this section if a person, by extracting the natural resources, can receive revenue and reason­ ably expect to operate at a profit.” And that’s where some commissioners struggled - trying to find what would fall under the definition of “very serious con­ sequences.” One commissioner who voted in favor of the special land use said he didn’t believe there was a need for the mine, and openly expressed his frustration about it. “This is one of the few businesses that people run where the public has really no say,” Commissioner John LaForge said. “Legally, we can control the hours of opera­ tion, within reason, and the amount of traf­ fic, within reason. Other than that, the state of Michigan ...has pretty much tied the hands of the local communities to control what happens in their community. See PLANNING, page 3 Barry County in solid financial position Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County received a clean audit of its finances for 2021, proving itself fiscally strong in a couple crucial areas. Joe Verlin, a principal from Grand Rapids-based CPA firm Gabridge & Co., offered a presentation to the county’s Board of Com­ missioners during Tuesday’s meeting, touch­ ing on the cliff notes of a 140-page report generated from the annual audit. Verlin said that his firm audits roughly a dozen counties and 250 local units of govern­ ment throughout Michigan. Two of the more crucial components of county finances include managing net cash and liabilities and also deal­ ing with retiree healthcare benefits, he said. Barry County is thriving in both areas. Barry County came into 2021 with $37.2 million in cash and investments. That number spiked to $49.9 million by the end of the year, but the roughly $13 million increase was a bit skewed. It included $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that have been paid to the county, but not yet spent. The county’s net position, which provides the most basic view of its financial health, sat at $53.6 million in 2021. This means that if the county were to sell all of its assets - not all of them are liquid - and pay off its liabili­ ties, it would be left with $53.6 million. That number grew by about $3 million from last year, which Verlin said is good to see. “If someone asks ‘Is the county better off financially as of Dec. 31, 2021 compared to 2020, the answer is yes,” Verlin said. Barry County has been quite effective in managing retiree health care and benefits for county employees. Its net other post-employ­ ment benefits (OPEB) asset grew from $141,007 to $752,188. “We’ve audited dozens of counties, 250 local units of government throughout Michi- See RECENT AUDIT, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Public discusses yard sign ordinance at city council meeting Hunter McLaren Staff Writer A Hastings resident came before the Hast­ ings City Council on Monday to discuss a citation he had received for having too many wireframe signs in his yard. Charles Hertzler received the citation for violating a city ordinance that restricts city residents to four or fewer wireframe yard signs. Hertzler, who is a Republican precinct delegate and is running for the 8th District Barry County commissioner seat in the Aug. 2 primary election, has 10 candidate or polit­ ical wireframe signs in his yard. “Right now, I support 22 candidates that have a direct impact on Barry County. It’s my job as a precinct delegate to support who I think is good,” he said. “Why do you have the right to tell me I can only have four signs? Consider rewriting the ordinance so it makes more sense and affects everyone more fairly.” Aaron Gross, Joel Ibbotson, Ellie Ibbotson, Elden Shellenbarger, Mike Marlow, Adam Heikkila and Phil Lusky all spoke against the ordinance during the public comment portion of the city council meeting. They argued the ordinance is unconstitutional and restricts city residents’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and expression. “The ordinance is unconstitutionally vague and overly broad, and I trust that with the public comment tonight, this has been clearly demonstrated,” Joel Ibbotson said. Council member Don Smith addressed the members of the public at the end of the meet­ ing. “I appreciate everyone coming in and say­ ing their piece,” Smith said. “I was on the council at the time the ordinance was passed. I don’t think the intent was to diminish polit­ ical comment or content and I think the Supreme Court also agrees with that. I would like to talk about this another time, I think everyone makes a good point.” In other business, the city council: ■ Approved the use of Fish Hatchery Park for Summerfest 2022 from Aug. 26 to 28. • Approved a custodial contract bid from Halifax Cleaning Services for Hastings City Hall for $18,892 annually. • Awarded the HVAC service agreement of city hall to Allied Mechanical Services for $7,743. • Approved a request from the Hastings Police Department to hold National Night Out 5 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 2 in Tyden Park. Motorcyclists killed, injured in Yankee Springs Township crash Gary Chandler Staff Writer A 59-year-old Caledonia man is dead and his wife is in intensive care at a West Mich­ igan hospital after their motorcycle was struck by a sport utility vehicle in Yankee Springs Township Sunday afternoon. John Meyer was killed in the crash at South Yankee Springs Road near Gun Lake Road. The mishap occurred about 1 p.m., according to Michigan State Police at the Wayland post. A preliminary investigation by State Police found Meyer and his 69-year-old wife, Carol, were riding a trikc-style motor­ cycle southbound on South Yankee Springs Road near Gun Lake Road when a north­ bound Chrysler Aspen SUV, driven by a 26-year-old Delton man, turned into the path of the motorcycle while attempting a left turn into a parking lot. Both Meyers were thrown from the motorcycle. John Meyer was pronounced dead at the scene. Carol Meyer was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in intensive care at press time. The driver of the SUV was not hurt but was checked by medical personnel at the scene as a precau­ tion, police said. The motorcycle struck by a sport utility vehicle lies on its side after the Sunday afternoon crash in Yankee Springs Township. The driver of the motorcycle, 59-yearold John Meyer of Caledonia, was killed, and his wife, Carol, critically injured. (Photo courtesy of Michigan State Police) Both Meyers were wearing helmets. It is not known if the SUV driver was wearing a seatbelt, nor has it been determined whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, police said. The crash resulted in the closure of Yan­ kee Springs Road for several hours in order for law enforcement to conduct crash inves­ Come Bask in the Splendor of Nature and Celebrate the Institute with Us! Set against the backdrop of our taflgrass prairie, this is not your average garden party! It's a NATURE PARTY! featuring A Selection of Seasonal Appetizers and Desserts Wine from Glass Creek Winery Beer from Walldorff Non-Alcoholic Beverages Live Music from Who Hit John? Silent Auction Name a Turtle Game Key Box Prize Raffle Drawing Fund A Future Early Bird Special Available through July 5. Buy One Event Ticket, Get One Free! Event Ticket: $50 Buy tickets online at CedarCreeklnstitute. org or call (269) 721-4190 All proceeds support the Biological Field Station research program for college students and community programs for people of all ages. tigation and cleanup. State Police were assisted at the scene by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Barry County Sheriff’s Office, Yankee Springs Township Fire Department and Wayland Area EMS. The crash incident remains open pending further investigation, police said. Charles Hertzler has 10 political wireframe signs in his yard, including three that support himself for the 8th District Barry County commissioner seat. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) RECENT AUDIT, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------gan and you guys are the only ones that have a net OPEB asset,” Verlin said, “...that shows very prudent management of your total retiree healthcare liability.” . Total pension liability for the county was $65.9 million in 2021. That figure represents what will be paid over the next 30 to 50 years to fully fund pension benefits to county employees and retirees. The county’s plan fiduciary net position, a term that refers to how much money it has set aside to cover it, was $57.8 million, meaning it is 87.6 percent funded. As of 2015, it was only 66 percent funded. “I wanted to take a moment to recognize this fact,” said Ben Geiger, chair of the Barry County board of commissioners. “In 2015, we were 66 percent funded and today we’re about 88 percent. That’s good financial stewardship. We have saved and have been good stewards of the taxpayers’ money and found ways to pay down on debt. It’s nice to see that on paper.” PRESSURING THE STATE ON NO-FAULT AUTO INSUR­ ANCE REFORM: Brian Harrison from home health care company AdvisaCare addressed commissioners on Tuesday for the second time in a month, asking them to put pressure on the state to ditch portions of Michigan’s recent no-fault auto insurance overhaul that profoundly affects accident victims that require in-home and rehabilitative care. Under the new law, which took effect in July of last year, any medical service not already covered under federal Medi­ care law, which includes in-home caregivers, will now only be reimbursed by insur­ ance companies at 55 percent of what they were back in 2019. Harrison said that his compa­ ny used to be reimbursed at around $30 an hour to adminis­ ter this type of care, but that has dwindled down to $14 to $16 an hour. “As you can imagine, that’s not something that is sustain­ able for the industry and we don’t think the legislators of the state thought that would be the case or happen as it has,” Har­ rison said. Harrison recognized that this Joe Verlin of Gabridge & Co. is a state issue, but counties can presents his report on Barry start to pressure the state in County’s 2021 financial audit overturning it. Harrison brought during a meeting of the Board one of his company’s clients, of Commissioners on Tuesday. Hastings resident Sandra (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Poland, with him to give a voice to those affected by the change in law. “Right now we’re failing her because we can’t afford to pay people to show up and do the work and Sandy’s had to have family help and have people step in to do the work that we were tasked to do,” Harri­ son said. “This isn’t something that Sandy, along with many other families, should have to go through.” “I struggle every day,” said Poland, who was injured nine years ago and is wheelchair bound. “Even though I’m paralyzed, I’m still in pain every day, every minute. I struggle. I cannot take care of myself total­ ly but I am pretty independent when I can be. .. .1 try to do what I can but I need your help to get this reversed.” 2545 S. Charlton Park Rd., Hastings Charlton Park Gas & Steam Club and the Barry County Steam, Gas & Antique Machinery Assoc, present TRACTOR PULLING at the 50th Annual Antique Gas & Steam Engine Show at Historic Charlton Park July 8 & 9, 2022 July 8 & 9 Garden Tractors: Fun pull with transfer sled (no hook fee) starting at 6pm - both nights July 9 Antique Tractors: Weigh in begins at 10 am, Pulling starts at llam-$Y5 hook fee Sponsors Classes Miller Farm Repair Field/Farm Stock Greenmark Equipment 2750, 3500-6500#/Heavy Taylor Equipment Antique Sabre Manufacturing Co. Antique Plus Duane Hamilton Excavating Open 2750,3500-6500# July 9 Miniature Horse Pull: Starts at 3pm Run by the Michigan Mini Horse Pulling Assoc. Sponsors Sabre Manufacturing Co. Family Farm & Home Caledonia Farmer’s Elevator Historic Charlton Park Village, Museum, Recreation Area �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — Page 3 Hastings staff, graduate credited with saving Potterville student’s life Hunter McLaren Staff Writer A Potterville basketball player collapsed during a scrimmage in the Hastings High School gym when the school’s staff and an alumnus stepped in. James Avery, a 2015 graduate of Hastings High School, was working out in the school’s weight room when he saw the Potterville student DaMarion Hicks collapse. Avery, who received CPR and AED training in the United States Marines Corps, thought it may have been a heat related incident because it was a warm day. Avery instructed the gathered coaches and players to elevate Hicks’ legs to aid circula­ tion. Hastings coach Rich Long brought ice in an attempt to bring Hicks around. Hicks didn’t improve. Avery jumped from the weight room balcony to the gym floor to check Hicks’ vitals. He detected a weak pulse and Hicks’ breathing was very shallow. Avery started chest compressions. Long grabbed some of his players and retrieved a nearby heart defibrillator. Long and Avery assisted while Luke Van Klompenberg, a Tri-unity Christian parent and medi­ cal doctor, used the defibrillator. It worked. Hicks took a deep breath and his pulse and breathing became stronger and more regular. Bystanders in the gym had called an ambu­ lance and by the time it arrived Hicks was starting to regain consciousness. Hicks was revived with the AED only a minute-and-a-half after falling unconscious. Long estimates the time between Hicks col­ lapsing and the ambulance arriving to be about five minutes. Hicks was transported to Spectrum Health Pennock to receive further treatment. Hospi­ tal staff told Long and Potterville coach Stacy Almquist the swift response time likely saved Hicks’ life. The incident was found to be caused by a faulty valve in Hicks’ heart. He was trans­ ported to Helen De Vos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids for open heart surgery on June 17. Almquist said Hicks is on the mend and in good spirits. He’s been fitted with a heart monitor that will automatically alert friends, family and coaches if his heartbeat acts irreg­ ularly. Pending the results of a check-up in Novem­ ber, Almquist is hopeful that Hicks will be able to play with the team again in the winter. “He’s improving everyday, and he’s had a positive attitude about all of this,” Almquist said. “It’s going to be a long road back, but I’m so glad he’s going to be alright. He’s the heart and soul of our team.” Almquist couldn’t express how grateful he was for Avery, Long, Van Klompenberg and everyone else who stepped in that day. “It all went completely wrong, but it could have gone so much worse,” he said. Long said everyone sprang into action that day. “Nobody really stood around and waited,” Long said. “Multiple people involved reacted appropriately, but very swiftly. And it worked out well.” The incident left Long “rattled,” but he was relieved the situation didn’t turn tragic. Hastings athletic director Mike Goggins had already provided Hastings coaches with CPR and AED training, helping to prepare for such instances. The high school had also secured a grant that gave them an additional three AEDs within equal distance of the gym, making it easier to access one in an emergen­ cy, Long said. All of this added up to a suc­ cessful emergency response, Long said. “It wasn’t just you know, one person,” Long said. “We had some other coaches that knew what to do, and the players responded perfectly. We’re glad to be reporting some­ thing positive about something that could have easily turned into a tragic situation.” Hicks was transported to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for open heart surgery June 17 to fix a defective heart valve. Hicks was fitted with a heart monitor that will automatically alert family members and coaching staff if his heartbeat becomes irreg­ ular. (Photo provided) Barry County courtroom now School board approves includes national motto on wall 2022-23 budget Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Board of Education approved its 2022-23 budget on Monday. Tim Berlin, assistant superinten­ dent of operations, explained that the board is required by state law to hold a budget hearing to discuss the upcoming year’s budget and the dis­ trict’s operating millage rate. The operating millage is adjusted yearly in accordance with Hie Headlee Amendment to the Michigan State Constitution, which requires that non-homestead operating millage rates be reduced in any year property values increase at a higher rate than stead properties'. This year, the district’s operating millage rate for non-homestead prop­ erties was reduced to 17.7953. The rate affects how much per-pupil funding the district receives, and Berlin estimated the school would lose around $41,000 in funding com­ pared to last year’s millage rate. The only way to “gain back” mills for the district’s non-homestead oper­ ating millage is to hold an election that asks voters to approve a higher millage rate. The school’s 2022-23 general fund is forecast to bring in $30 million of revenue, with an estimated $29.6 million in expenditures. The debt fund is supposed to bring in $4 mil­ lion in revenue with $4.3 million budgeted toward expenditures, draw­ ing the difference from the school’s $1.3 million in unappropriated debt funds. The school’s sinking fund, which can be used for minor repairs, build­ ing improvements or new facilities and properties, was projected to be at $1.3 million with $500,000 budgeted for eligible projects. Superintendent Matt Goebel explained the state of Michigan requires schools to approve a budget before July 1, even though the state generally doesn’t decide what that year’s per-pupil funding rate will be until closer to the beginning of the school year. When the per-pupil rate is decided for the 2022-23 year, the board will meet again to amend the budget. “It’s not a shot in the dark,” Goeb­ el said. “Tim (Berlin) usually keeps us in the ballpark, and he does a great job.” The board scheduled its next regu­ lar and semi-annual organizational meeting for 7 p.m. on July 25 at Hastings Middle School. In other business, the school board: ■ Approved the June 2022 person111 food 'service retired.' Hannah Alexander, ' S'obth'easfeiT!' ETem entary; He'ath er Armour, Northeastern Elementary; Savannah DeYoung, Central Elemen­ tary; Lara Douglas, Northeastern Elementary; Kelsey Koewers, Cen­ tral Elementary; Mary Murphy, com­ munity center; Theresa Slagel, North­ eastern Elementary; and Alisha Storm, Southeastern Elementary, were appointed as new hires. • Adopted a resolution to borrow up to, but not exceed, $1 million in state aid for the 2022-23 school year. • Adopted a resolution to maintain membership in the Michigan High School Athletic Association for the 2022-23 school year. • Accepted a $6,555 bid from A-l Asphalt Maintenance to repair the parking lot in front of Hastings Mid­ dle School. • Accepted a $40,932 bid from Lansing Tile and Mosaic for the ren­ ovation of Northeastern Elementary bathrooms. • Approved an increase in Commu­ nity Center Childcare rates effective July 1. • Accepted the resignations of Abe DeVries, Hastings High School; Rebekah LaDuke, Northeastern Ele­ mentary; Ashley Peake, Hastings Middle School; and Abby Szafranski, Southeastern Elementary. Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County district court judge Michael Schipper made a recent and small alteration to the decor of his courtroom, but the change carries significance with him. “I remember seeing old courtrooms and they’d have it on the wall, and I always thought that was kind of cool,” Schipper said. “So, years ago I thought about it and did some research on it and there is no where that says you can’t.” Over the weekend, Schipper enlisted the help of a friend to paint the national motto “In God We Trust” behind the bench of the county’s 56-B District Courtroom. In his research, not only did Schipper fail to find any regulations that Said he wasn’t allowed to add the phrase to his wall, but coincidentally, he uncovered a state act that was adopted in 2001 shortly after the 9/11 attacks, which encouraged~suen measures. ’ Michigan’s Placement of National Motto Act (Act 184) states: “This : state strongly encourages each state agency and unit of local government to exercise their constitu­ tional ability to place the national motto Tn God We Trust’ in or on public buildings or land owned or occupied by that state agency or unit of local government.” “I don’t have an agenda for it,” Schipper said. “I don’t care if no one else in the world knows about it. I don’t care if it happens to grow. 1 don’t care if I get negative backlash or positive. I just think it’s the right thing for me to do.” Adding the nation’s motto to his wall in bold lettering comes on the heels of a past Spring season, where Schipper heard a hand­ ful of particularly gruesome and daunting cases. These cases included trials of Allen McClure, Timothy Riddle (ongoing), Andrew Lafey and Patrick Gilmore. All instances invol ved either murder or other acts of severe violence. The particularly heinous string of cases underscored the need for a mural of that nature, according to Schipper. “Each one of those cases there are two common denominators,” he said. “Not one of those men had God or morality in his life. And, number two, not one of those guys had a strong male role model. They had either no father figure or a bad father figure. That’s the problem.” An unidentified friend of Judge Michael Schipper works on painting “In God We Trust” on the wall of the county’s 56-B district courtroom. The national motto “In God We Trust” now adorns the wall of the Barry County 56-B district courtroom. PLANNING, continued from page 1 “If you have a million people that live in this community that don’t want it, it doesn’t make a damn difference because if you guys want it, you can have it because the courts said so.” LaForge was joined in support by Vivian Conner, who also is on the county board of commissioners, as well as Bob Vanderboegh and Joyce Snow. Commission Chairman Clyde Morgan and commissioners Jack Miner and Jack Nadwomik voted no. Vanderboegh’s support hinged on his insis­ tence that additional lanes of traffic be added to Miller Road to address the conflict between truck traffic going to and coming out of the mine, and other local vehicular traffic. “To have a truck potentially blocking the entire road for 14 seconds, is a serious con­ sideration,” Vanderboegh said. “The only way I can see this could even be addressed in any serious matter would be to add another lane to that road - both sides. Traffic coming down from the north have a deceleration lane to get off of (Miller) Road ... get into the pit. A loaded truck going south would have an acceleration lane.” “Unless something like that was created, it’s a no-go for me,” Vanderboegh added. A center left turn lane would also be added, Vanderboegh said. Snow read an email she received from Jake Welch, director of engineering and communi­ cations for the road commission, about the conditions on Miller Road. The road commis­ sion has approved a driveway permit for Stoneco to access the property, with the driveway located about 400 to 450 feet south of Rose Road, and that it had adequate sight distance, Snow quoted from Welch’s email. Vermeulen presented to commissioners a hydrogeological report that was submitted by the firm Natural Resource Management LLC, indicating the project would not impact groundwater levels in the surrounding area. The report outlines the speed of which water travels through soil - for example, it moves much more quickly through sand and gravel than clay. “That report was basically a computer model, identifying what the likely impact will be (of) pumping 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at the maximum capacity for nine months straight,” Vermeulen said. “That is not going to happen. In fact, the way the operation will run, we’ll probably pump at that rate for a week or two, to fill a pond - a clay-lined pond. That pond will then be used as a source of water (for the operation). We will then pump periodically, once a week, once every couple of weeks, as that pond either evaporates or is drawn down.” That model was based on logs of 150 resi­ dential wells in the area, Vermeulen said. “We have very high conductivity in the sand and gravel soils here. We would expect very low impact, we would expect a very rapid recovery (of groundwater levels),” he said. However, Mike Wilczynski of Pangea Environmental LLC sounded a note of cau­ tion about the NRM report. He called for a third party, independent evaluation of the project’s impact on groundwater. “First of all, the model is developed for an unconfined aquifer, of what is sometimes called a water table aquifer,” Wilczynski wrote in a report to The county. “In reality, a high capacity well would be located deeper and in a confined aquifer. This is supported by the residential wells in the area. This will make a very big difference in the shape and size of the cone of depression formed by the pumping.” A Kent County resident whose horse farm is located next to a Stoneco gravel mine warned commissioners of the potential nega­ tive impact of the project. “Two years ago, I was in the same position that many of you residents are in right now, fighting to keep my farm,” said Doretta Anema, who lives in Gaines Township in the southern portion of the county. “I’ve listened to a lot of the Stoneco story. Mr. Vermeulen told my township (board) that it’s not going to be as bad as what Ms. Anema thinks. Well, I can tell you it is infinitely worse. “My pond was not supposed to be affected. It disappeared. My bam is filled with dust, and everything I own is being destroyed. I lost my livelihood. I lost opportunities with special needs families. I am scrambling to survive ...and everything that was presented to my township proved to be true that we presented, and everything that Stoneco said .. .none of that was true.” Kathy Mutschler, who lives on Crooked Lake, said she was “horrified” that a compa­ ny would propose a mining operation so close to local lakes such as Wilkinson Lake and Crooked Lake. “These are pristine lakes, and the damage that it would do to me, to my family, to the environment, is just horrifying,” Mutschler said. Patricia Austin, who lives on the Hope Township side near Wilkinson Lake, said the project would “completely destroy our neigh­ borhood and our environment there.” “Stoneco is an international company. They’re huge,” Austin said. “They’ve got a lot of dollars to work with. They can go any­ where and buy property .. .They don’t have to have it in our township.” Stoneco still needs approval from Hope Township for locating any sand and gravel operation opposite from the Orangeville Township property. The company is putting together paperwork for the township’s review, Vermeulen said. “The idea is to keep the processing (on the Hope Township property) away from the lake as far as possible,” Vermeulen said. Hope Supervisor Doug Peck wrote in an email to the Hastings Banner that their town­ ship planning commission is awaiting the results of a hydrological study from Stoneco. Stoneco would operate from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Presuming that the road commission goes along with the planning commission’s recom­ mendation for widening the road to five lanes on Miller, Stoneco would have to come back to the planning commission with an updated site plan that would incorporate the widened road. That might not take place until Septem­ ber, McManus said. �Page 4 — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Michigan OKs financial literacy for students Mutant lizard invades The Legacy Do not fear — Godzilla was not on the loose in Hastings over the weekend. Family Promise of Barry County hosted its annual golf outing on Saturday at The Legacy at Hastings. The event was designed to raise funds for the orga­ nization, which operates a homeless shelter for families with children. This giant inflatable liz­ ard kept watch over the course throughout all the action. For further coverage of the event, see page 12. Do you remember? Flexfab retiree Banner May 30, 1974 Mrs. Doris Cogswell was honored Wednesday, May 22, when the 100 employees of Flexfab got together to wish her well in her retirement from the rapidly growing corporation. President Willard R. Pierce presented Mrs. Cogswell with a check. Mrs. Eva L. Winans, who was the company’s first retiree, also greeted Cogswell. Mrs. Cogswell joined the company on Jan. 7, 1963, when there were only about a dozen employees. President Pierce noted that while Cogswell had been with Flexfab more than a decade, he had worked with her in other firms for more than 18 years, and enjoyed “every day.” Left to right are President Pierce, Mrs. Cogswell, Mrs. Winans and Doug DeCamp, vice president. Have you met? Growing up in New Jersey, Natasha Offerman always knew she wanted to be a teacher. When she was a kid, she would play school with her brothers and sisters, pre­ tending to give them worksheets to com­ plete and even giving them new “student” names. “I was always going to be a teacher,” Offerman said. “But once I got in the actu­ al classroom it was like, ‘No... this isn’t it, is it?’” When teaching didn’t work out, Offer­ man decided to focus on her other passion: art. That’s when she attended Kendall Col­ lege of Art and Design in Grand Rapids to study graphic design. From there, she worked in a couple fields: Photography, fashion design, graphic design. Something still wasn’t quite right. “Finally I was like, ‘I just want to be teaching art,”’ Offerman said. “It just made sense. Just put the two together.” Offerman started teaching art to elemen­ tary students in the Hastings district in 2013, where she’s been ever since. When she first started, she taught students at all four elementary schools in Hastings, but now she spends most of her time at Central Elementary and Southeastern Elementary. When she’s needed, sometimes she’ll help out at Hastings High School or St. Rose Catholic School. Offerman has been in the district long enough that she’s been able to see some of her elementary students years later at the high school. It’s one of her favorite things about what she does, watching her students grow along with their art. She assigns students a self-portrait proj­ ect every year. Throughout the years, the portraits become a way for students to track their growth. “I’m like, ‘So, you’re leaving me think­ ing you’re not an artist, but look at every­ thing you’ve learned!’” she said. Offerman said she teaches a wide vari- Natasha Offerman ety of media types to introduce her stu­ dents to something they like. Her lessons have included drawing, painting, origami, sculpture, textile weaving and even food decorating. Teaching elementary students, Offerman has a formidable goal: Prepare her students for the challenges of middle school. She hopes to build her students’ confidence by showing them proficiency in different art mediums. “I always feel like there’s so many things you’re not good at,” Offerman said. “But let’s look at what you are good at.” She makes sure to elevate her students’ work, submitting their pieces to compete statewide through the Michigan Art Educa­ tion Association. Since she’s been in Hast­ ings, her students’ work has always made it to the regional level of the competition or beyond. Her students regularly make the top 100 for the state of Michigan in the competition. Last year, one of her students cracked the top 15. Regardless of where her students end up in any particular year, Offerman makes sure to reach out to The Hastings Banner to rec­ ognize her students’ work. “I usually contact the paper about my students once a year,” she said. “Then I have to track down the paper, because I don’t live around here, to show them that they were in the paper and to make a big deal about it.” Offerman currently commutes to Hast­ ings from Grand Rapids, where she lives with her fiance and their two dogs. Although she misses her family in New Jersey, she said she’ll probably be in West Michigan for the foreseeable future. “There’s always something that’s just kept me here,” Offerman said. “I always wanted to go back to Jersey, but then I got this job in Hastings and now I’m engaged. I feel like that’s going to be something I do when I retire, going back home to Jer­ sey.” For her work educating the students of Hastings and building their confidence, Natasha Offerman is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite vacation destination: Any­ where! I love to travel; Europe, France, Paris, Italy, the Mediterranean, any Virgin Island, St. Thomas, St. John. Really, any­ where with a beach. Favorite childhood memory: Playing with my cousins at my grandma’s either in the hayloft on the farm or at my other grandparents’ house playing in their camper in the summer. Too many to choose from. Favorite dinner: Nachos! Most proud of: My kiddos (students)! Seeing them grow over the years and their creativity blossom. Everybody’s got a number. From the latest poll of voter sentiment to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, it seems we’re continually bombarded with numbers supposedly reflecting the state of our lives and the value of our pocketbooks. It all may feel overwhelming but a recent number from the Pew Research Center should con­ cern us all - and should provide an alert to how we’re educating our children. Overall trust in government has fallen to an unnerving 17 percent, says the Pew report. Given today’s political environ­ ment, that may not seem surprising but trust in government is the bedrock of our democracy. More disturbing to me is that distrust in government may come from not understanding it and for that our schools may own some of the responsibility. Members of the older generation to which I belong were once required to take a civics class, which included finance and the basics of government. Today, as schools have become more focused on college preparation and career training, we’re seeing a growing number of stu­ dents who don’t have a proper foundation in finance or government. Currently, 22 percent of teens lack that basic knowledge. Only 57 percent of U.S. adults - many of them, their parents - are considered financially literate. The Annenberg Public Policy Center reports that a growing number of students it surveys aren’t even able to name the three branch­ es of government. That’s why last week’s action by Mich­ igan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to sign a bill requiring students to take a personal finance class before graduating from high school is so positive. Soon, high schools across the state will be required to teach our students how to write a check, manage their credit and budget their money. Area education leaders are enthused about the addition to the curriculum but, in an environment where they’re continually mandated to do more, they’re also cautious. “As a former business teacher, I’m pleased to see this change,” said Thomapple Kellogg Superintendent Craig McCar­ thy. “Our students need to understand how to manage money as well as how it is earned. Knowing how to balance a check­ ing account is a valuable skill and key to managing one’s finances. “It’s extremely important for students to learn about interest rates, interest earned on deposits or owed on loans and how they impact a students’ pocketbook is often overlooked.” In Hastings, Superintendent Matt Goeb­ el pointed out that his district has already been laying the groundwork for the new curriculum requirement. “We’ve had discussions with Highpoint Bank on the topic,” said Goebel, “and we have plans to tap into our local experts at local banks, insurance companies and CPAs to assist with a collaborative curric­ ulum. Plus, we plan to add programs at our elementary levels which already use the Barry Community Foundation’s ‘Kickstart to Career Program,’ which offers a fun way to learn about how money works.” The Kickstart program is available to all Kindergarten through fifth grade students throughout the county. Dr. Katherine Bertolini, who leads the Maple Valley district, shared in the enthu­ siasm but tempered it with the natural caution of educators who wonder how an addition curriculum mandate will affect other important areas. “1 think this is an excellent idea, as finan­ cial literacy is a crucial cornerstone for a successful adulthood,” said Bertolini. “The only challenge is that, the more courses that are required due to the Michigan Merit Cur­ riculum, the less options we have to build engaging elective options that are tailored to our students’ wide ranging interests. “We will be implementing enough sec­ tions of it (the new finance course require­ ment) to ensure we are compliant by 2025 The Hastings BcUHICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. when it needs to be fully implemented.” In his storied career as a superintendent, Carl Schoessel, now interim superinten­ dent at Delton Kellogg, has seen many a new education idea come down from Lan­ sing politicians. He grants that the personal finance requirement could be a good one but points out that Delton has had a long history of equipping students with “every­ day” math skills including a course adopt­ ed some 10 years ago called “Applied Math.” That course evolved into “Consum­ er Math” and now into “Personal Math 1 and 2,” based on materials from noted national financial advisor Dave Ramsey. “No details have been received,” said. Schoessel of the governor’s action last week, “however it is anticipated that the new requirement may have staffing impli­ cations that could affect the math options of our students. As an example, many of our students going into the trades choose to meet the current math requirement by tak­ ing Career-Technology-Education courses such as welding and construction trades. “If there is a requirement in the new law regarding when the personal finance class has to be taken, that also could influence other curriculum choices that students may want to make and even possibly affect dual-enrollment situations.” Like every educator, though, Schoessel pledges that every preparation will be taken to benefit students. “Delton Kellogg Schools has, and will continue to, provide quality math options... to prepare our students to be appropriately and adequately math-ready when they graduate,” he said. Though another state-mandated curricu­ lum requirement makes it difficult for our school leaders, if we expect students in large numbers to be better prepared to make decisions as adults we need to give them the essential skills to be successful. Financial literacy -and civics, too - hav­ en’t played a strong enough role in our K-12 curriculum. If our country wants to remain competitive on the world stage we must put an emphasis on these programs. The U.S. is ranked No. 7 out of 15 coun­ tries in financial literacy, trailing China, Canada, Russia and Australia, and was just slightly better than Poland. According to the Brookings Institute, 70 percent of 12th grad­ ers also say they have never written a letter to give an opinion or to solve a problem and 30 percent say they have never taken part in a debate. Another Pew Report confirms that puts us behind 25 other countries, including Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia and Estonia. The numbers suggest we have a lot of room for improvement by giving our young people the tools they will need to become successful adults. They need to get fired up about the future and we must teach them how to channel the passion into effective action in the hope we can put America back on top once again. “No one is bom a good citizen; no nation is bom a democracy,” said the late U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. “Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts off from its youth severs its lifeline.” Our country’s future will be determined largely by how we prepare our children to take over the reigns as they become adults, so giving them the tools they will need is imperative to any success we hope to achieve. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — Page 5 What happened to candidate integrity? If you did not already know, five out of the 10 would-be Republican candidates for state governor running in the primary, including two front -runners, have been dis­ qualified to be on the primary ballot by the State Board of Canvassers, due to an inade­ quate number of valid signatures on their petitions. Review of signatures by the Board of Election found that the petitions of these five candidates had less than the required 15,000 valid signatures. An “unprecedented Amount” of fraudulent signatures was detected during the required examination of signatures on petitions. Identified were 36 percent circulators who had collected a Combined 68,000 signatures, and who allegedly forged many of them. i Reportedly, some of these circulators Were paid for each signature obtained, peemed invalid were, in some cases, Approximately 40 percent or, in the case of one candidate, even greater than 50 percent of the petition signatures presented to the state. > The Board of Election’s review of peti­ tion signatures succeeded in detecting these thousands of corrupt efforts, demonstrating that the system that’s already in place works. There must be legal consequences for the perpetrators of attempted election fraud. Oh, and understand that these were candi­ dates of the party that has bellowed out loudly for “election integrity.” Republicans have been insistent upon passing new laws recently in dozens of states allegedly in an effort to ensure said “election integrity.” Perhaps the five now ineligible would-be candidates for governor of Michigan should have had their election campaign commit­ tees better vet those hired for petition signa­ ture collection and, thereafter, even review those petitions themselves, before turning them into the Board of Elections. Perhaps this is reflective of the capability of theses candidates to be effective leaders. And how does this reflect upon their party? (Note that one of the disqualified candidates was endorsed by the former pres­ ident.) Perhaps Republican primary voters will recognize that election security measures, as demonstrated by the above, is and has been effective in detecting election procedural deficiencies and dealing with these prob­ lems. Election integrity already exists. They had better consider the veracity, accuracy, and thoroughness of those for whom they cast their ballots, lest the GOP be relabeled as Group Of Pariahs. Paul DeWitt Hastings Who’s out of touch? Recently, criticism of a senator driving an electric vehicle made the local papers. Rec­ ognition of the high cost of oil, driven by Putin’s war and oil companies’ profits, did not merit comment. Jobs that will be created by electric vehicle manufacturing in Michi­ gan were not discussed. The air pollution caused by diesel and gas internal combus­ tion engines failed to get a mention. Let’s consider how out of touch everyone can be at times. Recently, the U.S. Senate passed the PACT Act - money that will go to the VA for the health of our veterans affected by bum pits of the recent wars, and by Agent Orange from the Vietnam War. Fourteen supposedly veteran-supporting GOP sena­ tors voted against this bill, citing budgetary concerns. This is a bipartisan bill, yet these sena­ tors, who vote for military budget increases, did not vote for the health care of our veter­ ans. Please understand that the health bene­ fits and the care of our veterans falls not under the military budget, but under what some call the “entitlement budget.” Let that fact sink in. The Wall Street Journal discussed in an article June 13, 2022, about how the federal deficit is declining. Unemployment is down. Wages are up, finally, after the wage com­ pression that started in 2008. We are waging a war by supplying arms to Ukraine, and oil and gas are at high prices due to the war and profiteering. Yes, it is awful, but our active military personnel are not dying in this war, or becoming veterans who are ignored by senators against “entitlement” spending. So how out of touch are some of us? Michele Peltier, Hastings Uvalde in Barry County j To the editor: How do the people of Barry County feel about all of these mass shootings, especially since the massacre in Uvalde, Texas? ; Well,,L l^tglljy.o^Jj recently. conducted a Survey of sorts. ’ I recently posted on icial media plat. forms a statement that I hoped people here would endorse. Then I intended to publish in our local papers a list of these folks, Along with the statement, to influence our leaders to take action on preventing gun violence. Here’s the statement: j “We, the undersigned, are advocates for a peaceful and respectful Barry County. J “Every community has its element of residents who may be disposed to use vio­ lence to express their displeasure about some grievance or another. “We have seen the normalization of Keep downtown the way it is To the editor: I am wondering why any citizen would want apartments so close to downtown? That seems kind of stupid - especially on Broadway and State. Traffic is bad enough at that comer! They wouldn’t let Walgreen’s go in the block where the Quick Lube is. The city kept making up more and more things for Wal­ green’s to do - so they are now on the comer - which causes terrible traffic issues. Keep downtown the way it is. If we need big business here, then let it be out south of town - like a Meijers, Home Depot or Hobby Lobby. > Thank you. ; Deb James, Hastings Sheriff’s vote probe is inexcusable To the editor: The ongoing election investigation - which Some have called harassment by the Barry County sheriff of our township clerks, county clerk and county prosecutor - is inexcusable. If the average taxpayer/voter knew what is ■legally required to hold fair and accurate elections, they would quickly realize the time, effort, and organizational skills our clerks possess is way beyond the intelligence bf those who are accusing them of doing oth­ erwise. We elected, and have the quality of, clerks needed to hold legal and accurate public selections. Maybe we should take a closer look for the real reason our elected law enforcement offi­ cial is trying to keep them from doing their jobs. He also has to be elected - or not. Fair is fair. i Jim Brown, Hastings Charter Township supervisor ‘Open Carry Culture’ in our own communi­ ty and how it’s being used to groom our young people to accept gun violence as a justified means to express their grievances. . “We, do pot. thjnk. that, >ve, here, in Barry County, are immune from gun violence. If gun violence can odcur at so many vaned localities across the U.S., it can certainly happen here, too. “We support the adoption of legislation, regulations and even local ordinances that would lessen the potential of one of these mass shootings happening here.” Then I asked for their endorsements by replying in the comments. The response from our community was both more and less than I had hoped for: Hundreds of people responded positively to the message; many more saw it. The goal was to get 200 or more signa­ tures so we could publish a strong statement calling for more gun regulation. However, less than 50 brave souls were willing to actually sign on to the statement. Why is that? A few respondents stated that they were afraid to make their opinions known for ffear or retribution" afief that, while they agreed with the statement, they wanted to be cautious. It’s not wrong to feel this way. So, my takeaway from this survey is that there are hundreds, probably many more, who are really concerned about the chance of mass violence in our communities. But most folks think the possibility is so real they are afraid to speak out. That’s real sad - and a condemnation of our current situation. Erich Alan Kent, 39, of Delton, was found guilty of accosting children for immoral pur­ poses as a habitual offender and was sentenced by Judge Michael Schipper to 365 days in jail. He was ordered to pay $398 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 36 months. In addition, he must participate in and success­ fully complete the Office of Community Cor­ rections’ cognitive and relapse prevention programs and comply with all terms as listed in the investigation report. Mason Floyd Madison, 33, of Nashville, was found guilty of assaulting or resisting a police officer and was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve two days in jail with credit for two days served and ordered to pay $458 in fines and costs. He was placed on probation for 36 months and his transfer to the Eaton County Veterans Court, along with fines and costs totaling $1,112.28, is to be allowed. Justin Lee Demott, 32, of Battle Creek, was found guilty of unlawfully driving a motor vehicle as a habitual offender and was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 123 days in jail with credit for 123 days served, placed on probation for 24 months and his driver’s license was suspended by 365 days. He was ordered to pay $1,698 in fines and costs; par­ ticipate in and successfully complete the Office of Community Corrections cognitive and relapse prevention programs, with a monthly regular supervision fee of $30 or electronic supervision fee of $60. In a second case, Demott, who was living in Nashville at the time, was found guilty of lar­ ceny of $1,000 or more as a habitual offender and sentenced to a concurrent sentence of 123 days in jail with credit for 123 days served. He was ordered to pay fines and costs of $498 placed on probation for 24 months. In a third case, he was found guilty of car­ rying a concealed weapon and possession of a firearm as a habitual offender and was sen­ tenced to a concurrent sentenced of 123 days in jail with credit for 123 days served, ordered to pay $566 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 24 months. Robert Mitchell Maurer, 31, of Hastings, was found guilty of failing to pay child sup­ port as a habitual offender and ordered by Judge Schipper to pay $6,276.71 in fines and costs and placed on probation for 12 months. He was ordered to pay restitution to the Friend of the Court as well as a $30 monthly regular supervision fee or a $60 fee for electronic supervision. Kiler Blaine Bramer, 32, of Olivet, was found guilty of fleeing a police officer and Sentenced by Judge* Schipper to two days in jail with credit for two days served. He was ordered to pay $598 in fines and costs. Keith Allen Huggins, 54, of Nashville, was found guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and firearms possession as a habit­ ual offender and was sentenced by Judge Schipper to 120 months to 360 months in prison with credit for 96 days served. He was ordered to pay $1,526 in fines and costs. Devan Joseph Swanson, 21, of Mid­ dleville, was found guilty of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and sentenced by Judge Schipper to 13 months in prison with credit for 99 days served and ordered to pay $1,058 in fines and costs. Two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual con­ duct were dismissed at the time of sentencing. Robert John Colburn, 40, of Middleville, was found guilty of domestic violence, sec­ ond-degree and assaulting or resisting a police officer and sentenced by Judge Schipper to eight days in jail with credit for one day served and ordered to pay $475 in fines and costs. He was placed on probation for 12 months and ordered to comply with all the terms of the presentencing report. Addam Isaac Kadrovach, 42, was found guilty of disorderly person and was sentenced by Judge Schipper to pay $325 in fines and costs. Jeffrey Jay Vasquez Jr., 32, of Woodland, was found guilty of failing to pay child sup­ port and was sentenced by Judge Schipper to serve two days in jail with credit for two days served. He was ordered to pay $498 in fines and costs. He was placed on probation for 36 months and his transfer to the Eaton County Veterans Court is allowed, with fines and costs totaling $1,112.28 to be allowed. He may pay a monthly regular supervision fee of $30 or a $60 fee for electronic supervision each month. Probation violation hearings took place in 18 cases and guilty pleas were accepted from: Bret Michael Bird of Freeport; Jeremy Lee Gesmundo of Galesburg; Douglas Jay Havens of Hastings; Brandon Michael Ulrich of Nashville; Jay Lee Allerding of Hastings; Brian Edward Evans of Middleville; Kali Rose Gonzalez of Nashville; Jacob Daniel Nesbitt of Hastings; Robert Dexter McGee of Hastings; Anthony Joseph McCarty of Nash­ ville; Nathan Murray Robbe of Hastings; Tina Maria Nelson of Clarksville; Michelle Ann Balkema of Kalamazoo; Mason Michael King of Hastings; Benjamin Douglas Taylor of Delton; Andrew Richard Sheppard of Green­ ville; Sabrina Dawn Elwen of Hastings; GeraldRa^bnanrarof'KAlASiazob. ; MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation Scott Savage, Hastings Charter Township Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 !!! STATE OF THE ART FACILITY OPENING !!! We are about to open our BRAND NEW SERVICE CENTER. We are looking for CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS who want to join our team and help us grow. • • • • • Mon - Fri Schedule Weekends & Evenings Off Air Conditioned Facility Growth Opportunities Continued Education, Manufacturer We Also Offer: • • • • • • • • • • Paid Training Competitive Wages Medical and Dental 401K Plan Paid Time Off & Vacation Great Team (Family Owned & Operated) Clean & Professional Work Environment Uniforms Provided Discounts On Products and Services ASE & State Inspection Certification Reimbursement For more information or schedule an interview, please contact Charlie Jeffrey (cjeffrey@bettenbaker.com). ^eTTenuaKer WHERE MICHIGAN SHOPS Lowell, Michigan BUICK �Page 6 — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Louis E. Postula Erik Stahl: The Man, The Myth, The Leg­ end, husband, dad, and friend to all. Erik Stahl age 50 of Middleville, MI, passed away Sunday, June 19, 2022 at home surround­ ed by friends and family. Erik was bom on November 15, 1971 in Meadville, PA. Erik moved to Flint in 1978 and relocated to Mid­ dleville in 2004. Erik returned to Pennsylvania often to share his heritage and passion for nature with his children and cousins. Erik graduated from Mott Community College as a Journeyman Tool & Die Maker and Machinist working at Schmald, GM, Pridgeon & Clay, and as a Skilled Trades Maintenance Planner at SteelCase. Among the most important things in his life were his wife, children, family, friends, hockey, the outdoors and traveling. Erik mentored and changed many lives throughout the years. In everything Erik did, he showed that he cared. Erik is survived by his loving wife, Andrea, of 34 years; children, Breann age 22, and Lars Stahl age 19; siblings, Stacy Stahl, Brian Warington, and Mike Currier; nephew, Shane Plowman; Andrea’s parents, Phyllis and Keith Warington; best friends, Mike Demeter, Denny Dunn, and countless more. Erik was preceded in death by his parents, Chuck Stahl, Ellen Navidonski, and Al Navidonski. Erik’s family received friends at the Beeler-Gores Funeral Home, Middleville with a memorial service, following visitation. The Stahl Family would like to celebrate his life, not mourn his loss. In place of traditional funeral attire, please wear comfortable clothing and ^nyfrung ties you and Erik together, such as a hockey jersey, camo, concert shirt, etc. To give memorial contributions or share a message for Erik’s family please visit www. beelergoresfuneral. com. Caroil Elaine Erb, age 90, of Hastings, MI, passed awqy on June 18, 2022. Caroil was bom on May 4, 1932 in Hastings, the daugh­ ter of Caryl and Marjorie (Hale) Fuller. Caroil was a 1950 graduate of Lowell High School. Caroll was a homemaker. She was also a room mother for the Freeport Grade School. Caroil sewed and sold Artex, Toys and Avon. She was also a Campfire Girl and Bluebird Leader. On July 10, 1950, Caroil married Alden Keith Grinnell and they enjoyed 39 years together until his passing in 1990. On December 12, 1992, she married Robert L. Erb, and enjoyed 19 years together until his passing in 2011. Caroll enjoyed knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, sewing, embroidery, and word search puzzles. Her past hobbies included Artex paints, glass etching and mirror lifting. She loved her cats throughout her life. Caroll was preceded in death by her par­ ents, Caryl and Marjorie Fuller; husbands, Alden “Ozzie” Grinnell and Robert “Bob” Erb; son, Carlin Grinnell; grandson, Devon Sobleskey, and son-in-law, David Hoffman. She is survived by her daughters, Ronda Hunter, Marola (Martin) Sobleskey, and Velda (William) Wright; six grandchildren; 14great-grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Caroil to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), https://www.aspca.org/ways-to pive, 424 E. 92nd St New York, NY 10128-6804.’ Per Caroll’s wishes, cremation has taken place, and there will be no visitation. A pri­ vate family memorial gathering will take place at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online con­ dolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. 4:30 Mass p.m. 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. 8, Sunday. Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt gmail.com. Website: www. Moser, Lead Pastor. Stoetze!. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Director, Martha 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social distancing. Aftermath Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children Nursery are available. School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and N. Jefferson Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, 10 Street. a.m. -Nursery contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. ' i - i Kiwanis Club installs playground at Southeastern Elementary Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Kiwanis Club of Hastings installed new playground equipment at Southeastern Elementary School, an effort that involved the help of 30 community members. The club raised $44,000 in donations to fund the project, which is a collaboration with Sinclair Recreation and GameTime, both playground equipment manufacturers and suppliers. GameTime provided a 50 per­ cent matching grant, giving $88,000 for the project. The Kiwanis Club thanked the following groups and individuals for donating: the Barry Community Foundation, Gun Lake Casino, Youth Advisory Council, Barb Peitrangelo Prudential, Southeastern PTO, the DeCamp Foundation, Hastings Fiber Glass, Hastings Area Schools, First Presbyte­ rian Church, Guys That Give, Stacey Garri­ son, Spectrum Pennock Executive Commit­ tee and Tom Johnson. The 30 volunteers that installed the play­ ground equipment included Hastings High School football players, amongst others. Barry County Lumber, Advantage Plumbing & Drain, Bleam Eavestroughing Corporation and Thomapple Concrete helped install the equipment. Hungry Howie’s, Walldorff Bis­ tro & Brewpub and The Cookie Store donat­ ed lunch for the volunteers. Hastings Superintendent Matt Goebel said volunteers saved the district an estimated $40,000 in installation costs at the school board meeting on Monday. “This was a wonderful project that we were very proud of,” Goebel said. “I would like to thank the Hastings Kiwanis Club, who spearheaded this project, but also the very long list of organizations, businesses and people that supported this project.” PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Volunteers from Barry County Lumber stored and moved playground equipment; Advantage Plumbing & Drain prepped the ground for installation; Bleam Eavestroughing drilled holes for the equipment; and Thornapple Concrete poured concrete for the project. (Photo by Korin Ayers) • Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Sendees • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible • Serving All Faiths • Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 V \ . 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON loved spending time with his family and travel, including Europe, India, China, Brazil, Hawaii, and most of the United States. Louis was preceded in death by his father, Louis;, mother, Sonia; brothers, William and Victor Postula. He is survived by his children, Sheryl (Patrick) Clement, Cindy (Kevin) Kennedy, and his life partner of 24 years, Patricia Smith, whom he met in the third grade, and her children and grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Louis can be made to the National MS Society, https://www. nationalmssociety.org/Donate, PO Box #91891, Washington, D.C. 20090. A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2022, from 11 a.m. - Noon, with a sendee to follow at Noon at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058, Dr. Jim Atkinson officiating. Interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Marshall, Michigan. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Community volunteers and several local businesses donated time and equipment to install new playground equipment at Southeastern Elementary on June 23. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". Louis E. Postula, age 86, of Hastings, M, passed away suddenly on June 22, 2022. Louis was born on July 19, 1935, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the son of Louis, Sr. and Sonia (Kavalhuhuna) Postula. His family moved to Battle Creek, in 1937, and then onto the family farm in Marshall in 1946. Louis received his U.S citizenship at the age of 18. He was a 1953 graduate of Mar­ shall High School, where he was an out­ standing athlete in football, basketball (All­ State), track (State Champion in Pole Vault­ ing), most versatile athlete of the year, Bill Holt Award Winner, and other record-hold­ ing awards. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1959, with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering, where he was a member of the 1955 Rose Bowl Foot­ ball Team. In 1960, Louis married Jackie Mapes, which ended in divorce in 1983. He served in the Army reserves from 1962-1967 (1st Lieutenant). Louis worked for Loctite Cor­ poration as a sales engineer for 30 years, retiring in the late 1990’s. Louis was a member of the Hastings Country Club, the Bayshore Yacht Club, and St. Rose of Lima Church. He wintered in Naples, FL during retirement, where he enjoyed swimming in the gulf and coffee with the Naples Pier Coffee Group. He liked golfing at the Hastings Country Club, taking his sailboat “Happy Sales” out on the waters of Lake Michigan, and in recent years you would always see him on the Pickleball court in both Battle Creek, MI and Naples, FL. He enjoyed playing bridge with his buddies in Hastings. He especially Produc,s 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AftWMDE SUPPUffl OF HotllDelDols&EquipmHit 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Owner/iManager Family Owned and Operated Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Hastings High School students and members of the football team helped install the equipment alongside other i community volunteers. (Photo by Korin Ayers) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — Page 7 x ! fl loohacH aim stories and columns on local history / In the Hastings Banner f TURNING / BflGK THE PAGES L Editor’s note: This series originally was published in The Hastings Banner from June 8, 2017 to June 29, 2017. The following bits about early history in Barry County were written by Rev. Ashmun Asaph Knappen, who read the accounts to the Pioneer Society in 1882. An undated Banner referencing the writ­ ings said, “Mr. Knappen’s history, in addi­ tion to giving many dates and presenting much forgotten materials, is unusually valuable because of the firsthand glimpses it gives of persons well known in local history.” Knappen was bom in Vermont in 1828. He didn’t move to Hastings until 1850, but he still was familiar with the area, espe­ cially the southern part of the county in the 1830s and 1840s. As an adult, he was the editor of the Barry County Pioneer newspaper in Hastings and then became a lawyer practicing in Kalamazoo before he was called to be a Methodist-Episcopal minister. His ministry work took him to various cities in southwest Michigan, including Hastings in the early 1880s, when he likely presented the information below to the Pioneer Society. He even became involved in politics in 1896, when he was nominated to the Michigan House of Representatives on the Prohibition tick­ et, but failed. He, for many years, was the grand chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Michigan. Knap­ pen later moved to Albion where he lived out his retirement until his death at age 80. Appreciating the high honor conferred upon me as your speaker where there are so many older and better acquainted and more apt to please, it affords me the sin­ cerest pleasure to meet you and share with you the benefits of this, your ninth anni­ versary occasion. It was a happy useful thought, the for­ mation of the Barry County Pioneer Soci­ ety, whose province it is to rescue from oblivion the many choice personal inci­ dents and historic events that are now treasured up in only fallible memories, and by comparing notes and recounting deeds and reviving the recollections of such as having served their generation and God faithfully, are rapidly passing away forever. By a resolution of your society, one who resided in this county 25 years ago, is enti­ tled to recognition as a pioneer. That includes your speaker. And to change the third person to the first, I have a still better right to be considered one. Almost 49 years since, and when a lad of 4 years, the youngest of a large family, after a tedious journey from Vermont through Canada of three weeks in a cov­ ered lumber wagon, we “stepped down and out” on the 12th day of February and took up our abode in a small log house covered with whitewood boards that showed a strange propensity for warping and letting in the light, cold, snow and rain in copious quantities. I know what it is to sleep on rustic bed­ steads and hardwood floors softened by straw or marsh hay; to be covered with snow and soaked with rain up in the old log chamber; to study by firelight; to drink roasted pea, barley and acorn juice and call it coffee; sage and call it tea; be perched upon a bag of wheat placed across the back of a horse and started for a mill five miles away, before my legs were long enough to balance the bag, and to think my lot a hard one as I felt myself [tipping] over, and to know it was when I struck the ground; my horse frightened away, no house or man in sight, and only some “blazed trees” or an Indian trail to guide me anywhere. I know what it is to work early busily and late for years without a holiday, save only when it was bought by extraordinary exertions beforehand; and never to have a cent of spending money unless it had been procured by “choring” for someone while others were resting or sleeping. I know what it is to wear clothing made out of that already cast off and worn out by my elders, and to dress up in my sister’s stoga shoes or go barefoot; to do a multitude of chores on the farm by lantern light, both morning and evening, in order to go to school three miles away and on foot; and to study during the “intermissions” and “noonings” so as to keep up with the class; to sit on a bench of split log with no back, in a log schoolhouse with one or two win­ dows and to nearly freeze. I know what it is to help clear up a large, heavily wooded farm; to lift until the stars appear in broad daylight; to go barefoot through the wood and stubble and snakes; to cut wood for 25 cents per cord and board myself; to work from May ‘til October from sunrise ‘til bedtime as busily as a bee, for $11 per month; to teach school and board around at $ 13 and see my hard-working father’s family Knappen tells of county’s pioneer days, part 1 unable to raise money enough to keep clear of the tax collector, and pay the post­ age due on a 25-cent Eastern letter. I have seen my father transport his wheat by wagons 60 miles and sell it for 50 cents; his pork 50 miles and get a dollar and a half per hundred payable in goods; his oats at 10 cents per bushel, corn at 15, potatoes at 8, his butter at 7 per pound; English hay in the spring at $4 per ton, and other things in proportion, and often cash could not be obtained for farm prod­ ucts at any price. I think I can appreciate the work and sufferings of the old pioneers, whether I can betray them or not. What wonderful changes have been wrought during these last 49 years. Sometimes it seems it must be a dream. Where did these crowds of people come from? Then Philip Leonard makes his appear­ ance and leaves his indelible mark. Behold the man, in that experience of his in going to mill in Kalamazoo and thence to Com­ stock. How determined and energetic. Moreau was an Indian trader and wouldbe tavern keeper. Robert Scales, who married Miss Cum­ mings, of Gull Prairie, one of 26 children by one mother, gave his name to Scales Prairie. The next settlers were Anderson and Macy, who tried to make a village out of Thornapple, to be seen on their map only; and the Cislers, Mattison, Cook, Stokoe, Cranson, Freeman, Cline, Harper, Patrick, the Stimsons, Colbys and Brink and Rath­ bun. In ’46, those two hard-working, suc­ cessful early laborers Charles McQueen and John A. Robertson, moved on to adjoining sections just east of Middleville, where they still live, so prosperously. Afterward, Riggs, Campbell, Bliss, A. McQueen, Wilcox and others pitch their tents, begin their clearing, girdling, plant­ ing, fencing, seeding, harvesting, “shak­ ing” and thinking they have found hard times. Indians were thicker than white people, and sometimes very noisy and troublesome. The reputation of “Yankee” Bill Lewis’ “Mansion House” in Yankee Springs in the 1830s and 1840s exceeded the actual site, due mostly to the food and Lewis’ demeanor and hospitality. This photo shows a later addition; the original buildings were log structures. The year ’36 witnessed a large acces­ sion to population. It was the era of wild­ cat banks and paper cities. The movers’ wagons began to diverge more and more and crowd further into the north woods. Yankee Springs, Orangeville, Rutland, Carlton, Johnstown and Hastings received many pairs of strong arms and iron wills. And they soon became too poor to remove had they been discouraged, for the crash came with violence. A.A. Knappen, an editor, lawyer, minis­ ter and politician knew well the hard life of pioneers. In ’34, Calvin G. Hill settled on the stage road where the thriving village of Middleville now stands. He had capacity, was enterprising, trustworthy and very prominent and efficient as a business man, public officer and church member of the Baptist belief. There were at this time about a dozen voters in this county, more than half of whom lived in Prairieville. It was long after this before the town[ship] boundaries were fixed. All were known as Barry. Alpheus M. and Albert C. Hill, grown­ up sons of Calvin G., proved very service­ able for many years. The first as a land breaker, the second as a miller and mili­ tary officer. For many years, no man in Barry County was so widely known as William Lewis, familiarly called “Yankee Lewis,” the wonderfully popular proprietor of the “Mansion House,” which was about equi­ distant from Grand Rapids and Kalama­ zoo, near some springs in the sand in a hollow of Yankee Springs. The fame of this “hotel” had been bruited about ‘til thousands east, west, south supposed he conducted a mammoth one in the midst of a thriving town that furnished him all the rich viands his numerous patrons relished sb'Te'enly and described so beautifully. His warm welcomes, hot fires, fine cigars, well-furnished bar, sumptuous meals, amusing stories and brilliant repartee, happy guests, trusty hostelers and skillful method of “settling the bill,” had com­ pletely embellished with golden beauty the five or six log pens fashioned together and styled the “Mansion House.” For the sake of staying with him, travelers would plan their journey, sometimes turning in before night and then again driving far into the night. “Yankee Bill” was the syn­ onym for all that is cheeriest and best in a hotel keeper. Well do I remember how cordial, funny, genial and hospitable he seemed. He was the spirit and body of all that outsiders knew of “Yankee Springs.” Though he made money very fast, he could not lay it up. He was too public spirited. After serving the general public many years in royal style, after represent­ ing his county in the legislature; after losing the most of his property, he sick­ ened and died, but will be always kindly remembered. None others could ever keep that famous hotel successfully, though many tried it. [Other reports indi­ cate the arrival of trains, rerouting of stagecoach lines and a plank road between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo contribut­ ed to the inn’s demise.] Hiram Lewis, his brother, came about the same time, bought land where now the village of Prairieville is, built the hotel which he kept for many ears, amassed property, reared a family and a few years since sold out and removed into Kalama­ zoo County, where he died highly esteemed. Seth Lewis, another brother, was often seen at these hotels, and was accustomed to “pettifog” before justices and enlighten enquiring travelers. Possessed of superior talents, he did not make the right use of them, but abused himself. Between the two Lewis taverns was Peck’s, which bore an unsavory reputa­ tion. It had patronage, though its accom­ modations were poor. And then some five or six miles from “Yankee Lewis” were the hotels of B.S. Dibble and P. Leonard, between whom there was not the best of feeling. How plainly I can see them both. The first stocky, hale, sandy, easy talkative, good-natured, a farmer and mail carrier, as well as a tavern keeper. The second was tall, straight, heavy-voiced, dignified, ret­ icent, incorruptible and manly. Dibble died in Middleville last year. A widow survives him. To be continued ... In ’35 came Henry Leonard, a man of mark, with his stepson Charles Paul, who has been a carpenter for 45 years. Next came Duncan, who operated the mill with Leonard. (Sources Hastings Banner, “Fresh Out of the Attic” by Harold Burpee, The Strangest Names in American Political History, North Country Trail, ChiefNoon­ day Chapter.) My early home about three miles from the south line of this county - on that beautiful, rich and earlier settled Gull Prairie - made me familiar with the first settlements in Barry. They had to pass that way hither. They needed information, food, physicians, ministers, and property on credit, which the Prairie was prepared to furnish. It had a post office, store, stage route leading to Grand Rapids by the way of Prairieville, Yankee Springs, Thornap­ ple, Whitneyville, from Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. The first settlements were made in the southern and western portions of the coun­ ty. The Prairie will furnish my standpoint of observation for the first 18 years. Let me skip over many events, thought interesting to me, which are of less inter­ est to you. I can only glance at persons and things in order to touch the history of 16 town[ship]s and 50 years. In 1831, Amasa Parker, a Connecticut emigrant, rolled up a log house just north of the Barry County southern line, in what is now Prairieville Township, and thinking it not good to live alone, courted and won and married Miss Celestia Barnes of Yorkville, the miller’s oldest daughter, and my first Michigan school mistress. It was a splendid match. The union was pleasant and profitable. Mrs. Parker still lives at Gull Corners in fine circumstanc­ es. Mr. Parker died but recently, wealthy, respected and Christian. He was the first white settler in Barry County. In ’34 Moses Lawrence, a local Meth­ odist preacher with a large family, settled in what is now the town of Barry. It is affirmed that he preached the first ser­ mon, entered the first land, built the first cabin, and put out the first fruit trees. He was poor but healthy, stalwart and hope­ ful. He gathered a fine property, lived to see his family comfortably settled near him, and was spared many years to enjoy the reward of his hardships and toil, and the died “in the faith.” For years, it was a terrible struggle, but he conquered. His neighborhood was long known as the “Lawrence Settlement.” One of his sons owns the old homestead and is respected and wealthy. By Elaine Garlock The Lake Odessa Fair has gone into history for yet another year. The big bang came Sat­ urday with fireworks lighting the night sky before the event wrapped up on Sunday. This year, the fair benefitted from ideal weather throughout all five days, the perfect backdrop for the rides and a variety of other attractions. The parade on Wednesday kicked off the fair in style. It was led by the color guard and a~sectioh of the high- school marching band.'"' This year, the writer of this column was on one of the floats so she and her companions missed much of the parade. They sadly did not see the band, fire trucks, farm machinery, political candidates or pets. Church floats moved through the parade route, including First Congregational Church with a wagonload of stuffed toys and possibly some live pets. Church members rode in the wagon. Central United Methodist Church had two men carrying a banner, promoting the name of the church in front of a sporty red vehicle driven by Dick Nelson carrying the oldest member of the church. Signs on the vehicle read that the church offered fun and faith “From the Oldest” to “To the Youngest.” The “youngest” was toddler Jacob Spagnuolo, whose grandparents are the Cunninghams. Marching alongside was the pastor wear­ ing a unique clown costume created by Andrea Gentner. Several members marched along, wearing a variety of colored shirts to match a colorful umbrella featuring vivid colors of the rainbow. Harvest Community Church on Sixth Ave­ nue recently held a baptismal service at Jor­ dan Lake at the west-end of Lakeview Drive­ using the lawn of the Barnett home. Eately, the' inajl'Ti^ incfude^’ frequerrtT political advertising with candidates lauding themselves and criticizing the opponents of another persuasion. Classes continue at the local library for the gentle exercise method tai chi, which is certainly low-impact but beneficial in achieving better balance. The participants cover a wide range of ages. The instructor comes from Ionia. Along country roads, some of the ditches feature bushes with white blossoms. Likely, there are elderberry bushes in their early stage with a promise of colorful purple ber­ ries yet to come another month or so in the future. Roses are doing well. Day lilies are coming into their glory. Gardens are entering the fruiting stage. One local gardener has used his first cherry tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini. Faster processing of disability claims for people with Alzheimer’s disease Vonda VanTil Public Affairs Specialist Currently, more than 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Since the onset of Alzheimer’s can occur in people before they retire, it may strike during an individual’s working years, preventing gain­ ful employment as the disease progresses. As a result, people with Alzheimer’s dis­ ease and their caregivers must figure out how they’ll pay for care. Our benefits and services are vital to people with early-onset Alzhei­ mer’s who are unable to work and have no other source of income. For more than a decade, Social Security has included early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in our list of Compassionate Allowances pro­ gram. The program identifies debilitating diseases and medical conditions so severe they meet our disability standards. Compas­ sionate Allowances allow for faster process­ ing of disability claims for individuals with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and several other neurodegenerative disorders. More information about the Compassion­ ate Allowances program can be found at ssa. gov/compassionateallowances. To learn more about how Social Security disability insur­ ance works and to apply for benefits, visit the disability page at ssa.gov/disability. Vonda VanTil is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email to vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, June 30 - Movie Memories watches 1938 film starring Ginger Rogers and James Stewart, 5 p.m. Monday, July 4 - Library closed. Tuesday, July 5 - Foam Party with Stormy at the Plaza, 2 p.m.; mahjong, 5:30 p.m.; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 6 - Jingle and Mingle Meeting, 8 a.m:; Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; Ocean Magic with Mr. Jim, 2 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945­ 4263. �Page 8 — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Financial Advisor 1 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 J 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 • Take steps toward financial freedom ; Student researchers from the biological field station help maintain the native species garden at Hastings Public Library. Students gardening are (from left) Lindsey Ackermann, Emma Fitzgerald, Eleanor McFarlan, Anna Miller, Kylie Krawulski and Mariela Gonzalez. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) “Weed ’em and reap:” Student researchers improve library garden Lindsay Ackermann, a Steely Land Management Fellow from Cornerstone University, holds plant material while her fellow student researchers prepare a bag for waste. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Molly Macleod Copy Editor Members of the Pierce Cedar Creek Insti­ tute’s stewardship program helped to give the garden at the Hastings Public Library a facelift. Student researchers in the program visit­ ed the garden on Thursday, performing routine maintenance and planting new spe­ cies. The garden was installed in 2018 in close contact with Pierce Cedar Creek Institute with the goal of integrating native plants into a water collection area. Native plant integration is an important aspect of sustainability.’ Intentionally planned gardens with native plants can improve the quality of the environment on many different levels. “The integration of native plants into this area will help reduce pollution and improve water infiltration into the soil,” said stew­ ardship manager, Mary Parr. The plants’ deep root networks create channels that facilitate infiltration of water far down into the soil. In addition, the plants provide critical nectar, pollen and seeds for pollinators. The plants in the library’s garden were specifi­ cally chosen for their ability to tolerate urban soils and conditions such as limited water and salt accumulation. Typically, the garden is maintained by volunteers, but summer heat and changes in the roster of volunteers has led to the garden becoming slightly overgrown. The stewardship department at Pierce Cedar Creek continues to check on the progress of the garden and provide assis­ tance when needed. Due to the state of the garden, the stewardship staff organized a workday for the biological field station student researchers. Students researchers at the biological field station hail from col­ leges such as Grand Valley State, Corner­ stone, Central Michigan and Valparaiso universities.' iispngW ,J IvvVv'.. pi he*nsssanint; For three hours, the group worked, clear­ ing weeds and trimming shrubs. The crew ended with 15 large bags of plant material pulled from the garden. In addition to the purging of overgrown weeds and plant material, the stewardship program planted Lance-leaved coreopsis and butterfly milk­ weed. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is a biologi­ cal field station, environmental education center and nature center located on 850 acres of land in Hastings. The center was created to appreciate, preserve and teach about the local environment. More information about Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, and how to get involved, can be found at cedarcreekinstitute.org. Auto Repair Tech Russ’Auto Repair is looking to hire an Auto Repair Tech. Must be Master State Certified. Driver’s license and reliable transportation required. $25-$32 per hour depending on experience. Call 269-838-6852 ask for Thomas Emma Richards, a box turtle researcher from Grand Valley State, removes weeds from the Hastings Public Library’s garden, Thursday. (Photo by Rebecca Pierce) Next week, we observe Independence Day, an opportunity to celebrate all the liberties we enjoy in this country. Of course, there are different types of freedoms - such as financial freedom, which can open the doors to many other opportunities. What steps can you take to gain your financial independence? Here are a few suggestions: • Save, invest ... and repeat. There’s really no shortcut to achieving financial freedom - you do have to save and invest for many years. And that means you should take full advantage of the opportunities available to you. If you have a 401(k) or similar retirement plan at work, try to put in as much as you can afford each year, and when your salary goes up, increase your contributions. Even if you have a 401(k), you may also be eligible to fund an IRA. Both a 401(k) and an IRA offer tax benefits and an array of investment options, so they are powerful retirement savings vehicles. • Invest for growth. How much you invest is obviously a key factor in reaching your financial freedom. But how you invest is also important. If you’re going to accumulate the resources you need to retire comfortably and meet your other financial goals, you will need to devote a reasonable percentage of your investment dollars to growth-oriented vehicles, including stocks and stock­ based mutual funds. Of course, these investments will fluctuate in value, so you’ll need to be prepared to accept a certain level of risk. Your individual risk tolerance will help determine how much of your portfolio should be devoted to growth investments. • Put financial windfalls to work. Whenever you receive a financial windfall, such as a bonus from your employer, a tax refund or even an inheritance, consider putting some of it to work in your investment portfolio. Over time, these windfalls can add up. • Reduce your debts. It may be easier said than done, but try to reduce, or eliminate, as many debts as you can. The less money you have to pay each month on your debts, the more you’ll have available to save and invest. Of course, some debts, such as your mortgage, can’t be easily erased, but if you can find ways to cut down on spending, you may ] be surprised at how much s progress you can make f toward debt reduction. • Prepare for the unexpected. Life is 3 unpredictable - and some ' unforeseen events could 1 threaten your ability to 1 achieve, and maintain, your financial independence. For a example, if you were unable S to work for a while due to illness or injury, you might be j forced to dip into your savings . and long-term investments i just to help meet your cost of I living. You can help protect ' yourself from this risk by 0 building an emergency fund ,j containing several months’ 3 worth of living expenses,J with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. And j you may want to consult with a financial professional to 1 learn about other protection ? strategies. It will take a concerted effort to reach your financial 1 independence - but, like all ' freedoms, it offers immense ’ benefits. This article was written 1 by Edward Jones for use by j your local Edward Jones , Financial Advisor. q Edward Jones, Member J SIPC ■■ 1 Barry ISD lands new physical therapist Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer The Barry Intermediate School District has named a new physical therapist to its staff. At a recent board of education meeting for the Barry ISD, the board approved the hiring of Dr. Ronald Fogg, replacing the district’s former physical therapist, Kristen Burpee, who retired last school year. “She was much loved but just was ready to retire,” Superinten­ dent Rich Franklin said of Burpee. “We were very con­ cerned because they are very hard to find, but here was this great guy and he was already working in our county so we feel very fortunate to find him.” Ronald Fogg has been working in physical therapy at the Thomapple Manor. During his education and training in physical therapy, Fogg gained experience with pediat­ ric care and really enjoyed that part of his training, Franklin said. Fogg now transitions from geriatric to pediatric care. “I think he is excited about the difference and expanding his practice area,” Franklin said. “He is really upbeat and has a very pos­ itive presence.” Fogg will be paid according to the collec­ tive bargaining agreement. “Just like any other teacher or service pro­ vider, he will be part of that union contract,” Franklin said. Due to the summer needs of some children, Fogg will start his tenure this summer as an acting physical therapist and will then become full-time and on the payroll in the fall. Sum­ mer classes, which are referred to as the 200­ day program, began two weeks ago for Barry ISD. They are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and are interspersed through­ out June and July. “The basic school year is 180 days, so it i^ just 20 additional days in the summer,” Franklin explained. “It is an opportunity for our students who are in our regular programs to kind of stay in school throughout the sum­ mer. We talk about that a lot, the learning los| of summer. For a lot of our students, that would be really counterproduct tive and I think truly we can makd the argument that it is for a lot of kids - regardless of their learning needs.” j In other recent business, th6 board: ' - Authorized Franklin to com tract a qualified interim Director of Special Education. Franklin men* tioned that the position has beep Fogg reposted and has a longer posting time of three weeks. “Right nowj we are in the waiting phase,” he added. t - Approved the merit payments for admin­ istrator Mrs. Weeks ($1,500) and Mrs. Riggs ($1,000). “AH instructional staff, which includes teachers and the instructional admin* istrators, has to have a component in their evaluation system that includes merit pay­ ment based on evaluation score,” Franklin explained. “We try to not make that a huge portion of their salary.” -Approved the employment of Molly Keller’ Deann Grabemeyer and Kara O’Hearn a§ teachers for the 200-day program this summerj - Scheduled its organizational meeting for July 12 at 8 a.m., which will proceed its reg­ ular BOE meeting. The organizational meetj ing for the Barry ISD always takes place in July, Frankln said. i - Scheduled the superintendent’s evalua-2 tion, which will follow the BOE regulaf meeting on July 12. All Barry ISD meetings are live streamed on the organization’s Face­ book page and can be accessed in the archived afterwards. : CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net LOOKING FOR FULL-TIME DIETARY MANAGER Oversight of the dietary staff and designing of the menus to ensure daily food choices are being prepared satisfactorily for our elderly residents. Inquire by calling Carveth Village 269-795-4972 Ask for Makenzi Peters darveth Village of Middleville w w w .CarvethVi 1 lage .com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 269-795-4972 of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 J ROTARY CLUB, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------- ? William Cook, Bard Bloom, Patricia Woods, Carl Schoessel, Janice Hartough, Marjorie Haas, Grego­ ry Randall and Chelsea Foster reviewed its commu­ nity service projects throughout the decades. Attorney Paul Harris chartered the first Rotary Club in 1905 in Chicago. The Rotary Club of Hast­ ings was chartered in 1920 by Aben Johnson, only 15 years later. Johnson attended a Rotary meeting in Chicago and was impressed by the program, inspiring him to bring it to Hastings. Rotarians of the 1920s and ‘30s met in the Masonic Temple in Hastings and were responsible for restarting the Hastings City Band and began the Hastings senior boys’ dinner, which continues today as the senior boys’ lunch. In the ‘40s, Rotarians assisted with World War II efforts by holding scrap metal drives and selling war bonds. In 1956, Detroit Red Wing Gordie Howe visited the club as a guest speaker. Rotary club started a committee to create Fish Hatchery Park in 1974. Women weren’t allowed to join Rotary until 1987, with the Hastings club inducting Judy Hughes as the first woman member in 1987. Patricia Woods was the second woman to join in 1989 and Janice Hartough was the third in 1990. . o Rotary meetings moved to the Walldorff BalU room in the 2000s, where they continue today. The club donated $25,000 toward the development of the downtown Splash Pad, which was completed ill 2013. ’ 7 The Hastings, Delton and Middleville club's began contributing funds to Dolly Parton’s Imagi7 nation Library program that provides books for kids in 2016. In addition, Rotary and Kiwanis members started staffing events at the newly com7 pleted Thomapple Plaza in 2016. □ Skedgell ended the program by thanking th© Rotarians in attendance and reminded them that although some things have changed over the years1' the club has stood by its ideals of fellowship anq community service. n “We truly are stronger because we stick togetfe er,” Skedgell said. “Rotary membership helps us build our own strength through fellowship, our community’s strength through service and ouj world’s strength through our commitment to truth and fairness.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — Page 9 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGE CHARLES J. HIEMSTRA IS A DEBT .COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE (USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE •DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, 'PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Default has occurred in the conditions of a Mortgage (“Mortgage”) made by David Pallasch, an unmarried man, of 1298 Main Street, Suite 4183, Windsor, Colorado 80550, Mortgagor, to Lake .Michigan Credit Union, a state chartered credit iunion, having its principal office at 5519 Glenwood (Hills Parkway SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 ((“Mortgagee”), which Mortgage was dated April 9, (2021, and recorded in the office of the Register of (Deeds for Barry County, Michigan on April 13, 2021 -at Instrument Number 2021-004971. By reason of (this default, the Mortgagee hereby declares the entire unpaid amount of said Mortgage due and (payable immediately. As of the date of this Notice (there is claimed to be due on this Mortgage the sum (of One Hundred Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-nine and 22/100 Dollars ($114,229.22). (No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to ■recover the debt secured by this Mortgage or any (part thereof. I NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY (ADVERTISEMENT: Notice is given under section 13212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA (236, MCL 600.3212, that the above Mortgage will pe foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, Or some part of them, at a public sale to the highest (bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, at the (East Steps of the courthouse, 220 W. State Street, •Hastings, Michigan, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., .on Thursday, the 21st day of July 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of (the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear (ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds (office or a title insurance company, either of which <may charge a fee for this information. ' The premises covered by this Mortgage are (located in the Township of Rutland, County of Barry, 'State of Michigan and described on the attached (Exhibit A. • Notice is further given that the length of the (redemption period will be six (6) months from the date of sale unless determined to be abandoned (in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be as provided by MCL (600.3241 a. i If this property is sold at a foreclosure sale by (advertisement, during the period of redemption, toorrower/mortgagor will be responsible to the (purchaser or to the mortgage holder for physical injury to the property beyond wear and tear (resulting from the normal use of the property if the physical injury is caused by or at the direction of the ■borrower/mortgagor. (Dated: June 9, 2022 LAKE MICHIGAN CREDIT UNION L MORTGAGEE THIS INSTRUMENT PREPARED BY: Charles J. Hiemstra (P-24332) Attorney for Mortgagee 125 Ottawa Ave., NW, Suite 310 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 <616) 235-3100 EXHIBIT A Legal Description < That part'd! Ihe Southwest 1/4 of Section 10, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 corner of said Section; thence South & degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds East 660.07 feet along the West line of said Southwest 1/4 to the North line of the South 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Southwest 1/4 and the Place of feeginning; thence North 86 degrees 55 minutes 32 seconds East 994.61 feet along said North line to the Southerly line of the Westerly extension of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 69.88 feet along said Southerly line; thence Southwesterly 117.26 feet along said Southerly line along the arc of a 60 foot radius curve to the right, the chord of which bears South 63 degrees 24 minutes 2 seconds West 99.47 feet; thence South 2 degrees 44 minutes 51 seconds West 160.93 feet; thence South 3 degrees 16 minutes 44 seconds East 105 feet; thence North 87 degrees 5 minutes 1 second East 503.80 feet to the East line of the West 1/2 of said Southwest 1/4; thence South 3 degrees 18 minutes 6 seconds East 328.36 feet along said East line to the South line of said Northwest 1/4, Southwest 1/4; thence South 87 degrees 0 minutes 14 seconds West 1,323.42 feet along said South line to the West line of said Southwest 1/4; thence North 3 degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds West 660.07 feet along said West line to the Place of Beginning. ’ Together with a non-exclusive easement being more particularly described as follows: An easement over a strip of land 66 feet in width for highway purposes and public utilities known (as Scenic Trail (extended portion), the Centerline of such easement being described as follows: Beginning at the West end of Scenic Trail as shown in Clearview Lakes Estates according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24, at a point which lies South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 33 feet from the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of said plat; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 345 feet to the point of ending, including in said easement land lying within a 60 foot radius cul-de-sac, the radius of which lies South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 50.10 feet from said point of ending. Also subject to and together with a parcel of land reserved for a private easement for drainage and park purposes described as follows: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of Clearview Lakes Estates as recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24; thence South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 66 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 36.37 feet along said South line for the true place of beginning; thence South 5 degrees 27 minutes 56 seconds West 77.07 feet; thence South 51 degrees 20 minutes 37 seconds East 73.26 feet; thence South 9 degrees 8 minutes 4 seconds West 88.09 feet; thence South 6 degrees 7 minutes 21 seconds West 109.92 feet; thence South 32 degrees 47 minutes 21 seconds West 133.66 feet; thence South 13 degrees 26 minutes 18 seconds West 130.68 feet; thence South 0 degrees 28 minutes 46 seconds East 69.35 feet; thence South 47 degrees 29 minutes 41 seconds West 79.24 feet; thence North 51 degrees 46 minutes 51 seconds West 82.65 feet; thence North 0 degrees 1 minute 5 seconds East 101.21 feet; thence North 5 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds East 96.52 feet; thence North 19 degrees 40 minutes 48 seconds East 93.61 feet; thence North 20 degrees 5 minutes 31 Seconds East 91.43 feet; thence North 19 degrees 22 minutes 10 seconds East 84.41 feet; thence North 1 degree 59 minutes 37 seconds East 77.31 feet; thence North 63 degrees 37 minutes 30 Seconds East 59.63 feet; thence North 4 degrees 34 minutes 6 seconds West 51.36 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence North 64 degrees 2 minutes $4 seconds East 55 feet to the place of beginning. Parcel ID No. 08-13-010-007-00 ’ Property address: 1 Scenic Trail, Hastings, Michigan 49058 f . 182310 1 K'/-' AT JL/JLajaJL/ 1 tv#JL NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on July 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not au­ tomatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE SALE -Daniel Drum and Amy N. Drum, Husband and wife as joint tenants, original mortgagors, granted a Mortgage to Citifinancial, Inc., dated No­ vember 30, 2006, and recorded December 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1173501, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan, and assigned to Citifinancial Servicing LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, recorded on January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017-000595, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as owner Trustee for WF 19 Grantor Trust, recorded January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017­ 000596 in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust III recorded April 13, 2021 as Instrument Number 20212-004919, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michi­ gan which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Two Thousand Thirty dollars and 10/100 dollars ($22,030.10). The sale is subject to a Mortgage recorded on May 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1164135 of Barry County Register of Deeds. The following described premises situated in the Township of Prairieville, County of Barry, State of Michigan, to-wit: Begin­ ning at the Northwest corner of Section 4, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence on the Township line of South 89 degrees 52 minutes 06 seconds East 180 feet; thence South 00 degrees 48 minutes 01 seconds East parallel with the West line of said section 587.21 feet to the Northeasterly edge of Hughes Road, a private drive in the plat of Shady Heights, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, on page 37; thence North 53 degrees 37 minutes 00 seconds West 427.89 feet; thence North 09 degrees 49 minutes 00 seconds East 114.74 feet; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 12 seconds East parallel with the North line of the Northeast fractional 1/4 of the adjacent section 5, a distance of 139.80 feet to the section line common to said section 4 and 5; thence North 00 degrees 48 min­ utes 01 seconds West on same 221.0 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 10929 Pine Lake Road, Delton, Ml 49046 Property ID# 08-12-004-007-10 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date df such sale, unless de­ termined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241, in which case the redemption period shall be 1 month, or under MCL 600.3241 a 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later, or extin­ guished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice ATTENTION PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. This notice is from a debt collector. Dated: June 14 2022 For more information, please call: (513) 852­ 6066 Daniel A. Cox and Crystal L. Saresky Wood & Lamping LLP Attorneys for Servicer 600 Vine Street, Suite 2500, Cincinnati, OH 45202 File 21­ 12006 (06-16)(07-14) 182533 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION AND NOTICE OF FRIEND OF THE COURT ANNUAL STATUTORY REVIEW PUBLIC NOTICE ANNUAL REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE RECORD OF THE FRIEND OF THE COURT Pursuant to Michigan law, the chief circuit judge annually reviews the performance record of the friend of the court. The review will be conducted on or about July 1, 2022. This review is limited by law to the following criteria: whether the friend of the court is guilty of misconduct, neglect of statutory duty, or failure to carry out the written orders of the court relative to a statutory duty; whether the purposes of the Friend of the Court Act are being met; and whether the duties of the friend of the court are being carried out in a manner that reflects the needs of the community. Members of the public may submit written comments to the chief judge relating to these criteria. Send your written comments, with your name and address, to Hon. William H. Doherty, 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml 49058. • ____ 183309 NOTICE TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor of the Groendyke Family Trust, Judy L. Groendyke, of Middleville, Michigan, died on April 18, 2022. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s Estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against Judy L. Groendyke or the Groendyke Family Trust under agreement dated February 6, 2007, as amended, will be forever barred unless presented to James L. Groendyke and Jeremy L. Groendyke, Co-Trustees, within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: June 27, 2022 Andrew L. Rassi (P57309) Schnelker, Rassi & McConnell, PLC 44 Grandville Ave. SW, Suite 200 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 (616) 828-5375 James L. Groendyke, Co-Trustee Jeremy L. Groendyke, Co-Trustee c/o Schnelker, Rassi & McConnell, PLC 44 Grandville Ave. SW, Suite 200 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 (616)828-5375 183298 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate Howard Wenger (“Decedent"). Date of Decedent’s Birth: January 14, 1929. Name of Trust: Howard Wenger Trust dated March 4, 2008. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: Decedent, Howard Wenger, died April 13, 2022. There is no personal representative of the Decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of the Decedent are notified that all claims against the Decedent, Decedent’s estate, and/or Decedent’s trust(s) -tvIII be forever barred unless presented to Cheryl L. Wenger, Trustee, within four (4) months after the date of publication of this notice. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JULY 21, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by James L Waller, unmarried individual, to PNC Bank, National Association, successor by merger to National City Bank, Mortgagee, dated July 1, 2008 and recorded July 17, 2008 in Instrument Number 20080717-0007274 and Modification to Open-End Deed of Trust/Mortgage recorded August 7,2013 in Instrument Number 2013­ 009626, Barry County Records, Michigan. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Thousand One Hundred Seventy and 58/100 Dollars ($20,170.58). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JULY 21,2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Orangeville, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Twp Lot 36 & E112 Lot 37 Parker Park and Vacated Alley Adjacent to Lot on Southeast Side Thereof. 5982 McKibbin Rd, Delton, Michigan 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: June 23, 2022 File No. 22-003175 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (06-23)(07-14) 182906 Community Notice HUGE GARAGE SALE- Fri. & Sat, June 24th25th, 2022 & Fri.-Sat., July lst-2nd, 2022 9am5pm. 245 Old Mill Rd., Middleville. Very large sale!! Lots of everything!! Too much to list!!!! PUBLIC NOTICE- A second misconduct complaint about Judge Vicky Alspaugh of the 5th Judicial Circuit Court has been filed with the Judicial Tenure Commission on June 27th, 2022 for violations of MCJC Canon 3(A)(4)(a)(i, ii) and MCJC Canon 2(A,B). For information, please contact DISQUALIFYALSPAUGH© GMAIL.COM MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets SHIH TZU PUPPIES for sale. Small, super cute. 1st shots and wormed. $600.00, 517-852­ 4881. Farm SMALL SQUARE STRAW BALES $3/each, 517-781-0346. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029203-DE Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Brenda Ann Cross. Date of birth: 1-29­ 1949. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Brenda Ann Cross, died 1-11-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Charles John Cross, Jr., personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/21/2022 Michael J. McPhillips P33715 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-3512 Charles John Cross, Jr. 77 West Broadway Street Woodland, Ml 48897 269-804-7949 183376 NOTICE POSITION OPENING 183375 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29204-NC William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Payton Gale Levett. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 7/27/2022 @ 2:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Payton Gale Levett to Payton Gale Keeler. 183292 All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. 183777 For more information and a list of the properties being sold, visit www.tax-sale.info or call 1-800-259-7470. Sale listings may also be available at the county treasurer’s Garage Sale B usiness Services Attorney for Trustee: David G. Ledbetter, P4367T Ledbetter. Law 1 Coldbrook Street NW, Suite 110 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 (616)459-3333 Incomplete or voided sales from the August 16th auction, if any, will be re-offered online on September 28th, 2022. Please visit www.tax-sale.info/faq for additional details. James A. Wesseling (P-40226) Wesseling & Brackmann P.C. 6439 28th Avenue Hudsonville, Michigan 49426 (616) 669-8185 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Date: June 16, 2022 The auction will be held online at www.tax-sale.info from 10:00am to 7:00pm EST. Bids can also be placed up to 30 days in advance on the website, and assistance is avail­ able for those without computer or internet access. INTERNAL ..... POSTING DEPARTMENT: Treasurer’s Office TITLE: Deputy Treasurer Base Pay: $15.85/Hr. SEND RESUME TO: Sue VandeCar svandecar@barrycounty.org 220 West State Street Hastings, MI 49058 CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 R & R AUTO RECYCLING- Buying all un­ wanted vehicles, any condition. Free pick up! 269-876-9048. Social Security Number of Decedent: XXXXX-4236 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS; Your interest in the estate may be barred or affected by the following: The decedent, Luella O. Perry, date of birth February 15, 1936 whose last address was 505 Charles Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 died on May 27, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to the current acting trustee (whose name and address appear below) of the Trust within four (4) months of the date of publication of this notice. The current acting trustee is: Michael D. Murphy, 3949 Blackstone Drive, Aurora, IL 60504. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. The Barry County Treasurer will offer tax-reverted real estate at public auction on August 16th, 2022. Rannor V/L CI jA^<RTFIPB^ DdlIIItJL AOOIJl IELjUO Wanted NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE - PUBLIC LAND AUCTION Date: June 24, 2022 Cheryl L. Wenger 2610 Pine Trail Drive Middleville, Michigan 49333 d Barry County is a Equal Opportunity Employer. We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers and comply with the American’s with Disabilities Act. 182639 Notice Bid Request for Township Hall Addition Sealed bids will be received at the office of Hope Township, 5463 S M-43 Hwy, Hastings MI 49058 until 11:00 AM, Wednesday July 6, 2022, for the following item. A 500sft absentee counting board office to the Current Hope Township Hall Engineered plans may be viewed at www.Hopetwp.com or at the Township Hall on Wednesdays 9:00AM to 12:00AM and 1:00PM to 3PM. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or to waive irregularities in the best interest of Hope Township. �Page 10 — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Justice League teammates Reid Jackson (from left), Stetson King, Cade Thelen, Will Haskin and Eli Lenneman celebrate their victory in the 7U division of the Lake Odessa Fair Dodgeball Tournament Thursday. (Photo by Breaking Bread Photography) Dodgeball makes triumphant return to fair Brett Bremer Sports Editor It opened in the hot sun of the afternoon youngsters like Dustin Rohrbacher dodging balls and keeping his team alive as long as he could as the last one out on the sand in his first dodgeball tournament. It ended with seasoned veterans lifting the adult competitive division trophy near 10 p.m. Seven different teams won championships in their divisions at the annual Lake Odessa hair Dodgeball tournament Thursday. June 23. Rohrbacher said he had fun following his first pool play match. Championship teams included Justice League in the 7U division, SlamRocks in 9U, Ball Busters in 12U, The Legends in 14U, Party Crashers in 17U, BK’s Three Sides Barn in the Adult Recreation division, and AK’s Cattle Dungeon in the Adult competi­ tive division. That Cattle Dungeon team was made up of teammates Ashton King, Nick Boucher, Pat Finn. Madison McKinney and Kyle Wil­ lette. M r King and Boucher have been teaming up at the tournament for about a dozen years. Boucher said their teams have won about nine championships. Finn joined them about five years ago. Finn and McKinney were new to the team this season. “Ashton is the ring leader,” Boucher said. “He is on the phone calling, texting, making sure we have a team together, posting silly memes and stuff. He is defi­ nitely the cheerleader and overall leader of the group.” Boucher said' When they were younger Weston Down takes aim at his opponents duiring an early pool play match in a youth division contest Thursday at the Lake Odessa Fair Dodgeball Tournament*. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ~ they had a few “skills sessions, but nowa­ days we’re so busy with kids and family, we just show up.” Boucher said that in the finals the Cattle Dungeon defeated, “a bunch of much younger more athletic people that we were fortunate enough to beat. Madison McKin­ ney was definitely our star. She had an amazing throw out and then catch of the final ball to seal the victory.” “It is a good time,” Boucher added. “We getto play a bunch of people we know from around the community and some that we don’t. It is just a fun time for kids all th& way up through.” Sponsorship from the AIS Construction Equipment once again allowed all the Pee­ wee (7U and 9U), Youth (12U and 14U) and Teen (17U) teams to play dodgeball fot free at the 2022 fair. The Lake Odessa Fair was canceled iri 2020 and torrential rains forced the cancel­ lation of dodgeball and many other events at the fair hi 2021? ’ OJ •1 ■ -4 ' MHSAA hoping benefit will help grow ranks of officials: The Michigan High School Athletic Asso­ ciation is accepting registrations online or by mail for game officials for the 2022-23 school year, and is providing a pair of signif­ icant new benefits intended to attract new officials and bolster the number of current officials who work multiple sports. The MHSAA annually receives registra­ tion by more than 9,000 officials, but dipped below 8,000 for 2020-21 as school sports navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 -22 school year saw a slight bounce back to 8,128 officials registered - an increase of two percent compared to the previous year and officials who register for the upcoming school year will receive additional perks that will further boost the already high level of support provided to those serving MHSAA member schools. Beginning this summer, all officials who register may sign up for up to two sports as part of that registration. Officials previously registered separately for each sport they wished to work, providing 13,896 sport regis­ Busy Law Office Hiring Office Assistant Legal experience a plus but not necessary. Minimum 2 years experience working in an office setting. Full time or, for the right candidate, part time is available. Paid sick time, paid vacation, annual raises and retirement plan included. Starting pay based on experience. Responses will be accepted until 7/8/2022 Reply to: J-ad Graphics PO Box 188, Ad #101 Hastings, MI 49058 with resume and cover letter. Position Opening The Barry County Prosecutor’s Office is accepting applications for a full time Legal Secretary. The position requires computer and Internet skills, writing and grammar skills, an ability to meet deadlines, and good interpersonal skills. The base pay rate is $15.85 per hour. Please send a cover letter, resume and completed job application form to: Julie Nakfoor-Pratt, Prosecutor, Barry County Prosecutor’s Office, 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. An application and job description is available at www.barrycounty.org. For more information, you may contact the Barry County Prosecutor’s Office, at 269-945-1297, jpratt@barrycounty.org, or nmitchell@barrycounty.org. Deadline for applying: Open until filled. trations total in 2021-22 - or with every reg­ istered official signing up for approximately 1.7 sports on average. Officials also will receive membership in the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), which comes with a variety of edu­ cational and training resources including a subscription to an MHSAA-branded “Refer­ ee” digital magazine, and the NASO’s Shield liability insurance that will provide $6 mil­ lion in coverage for officials while they are working both MHSAA and non-MHSAA events. The previous MHSAA-provided lia­ bility coverage, while still substantial, cov­ ered those officials only during MHSAA events. “We are excited about the potential of these new benefits to not only attract new officials, but drive growth of our officiating pool from within,” said MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice, who supervises the offi­ cials program. “We hope our current sin­ gle-sport officials will take advantage of this opportunity and help us bolster our numbers in other sports. Add in the resources and insurance from NASO - the largest officials advocate in the world - and we hope this package attracts officials to join us and stay with us at a time when we are facing our greatest need for these indispensable contrib­ utors to school sports.” For all new and returning officials, a $70 fee covers registration for up to two sports. Officials may register for additional sports at $16 per sport. To avoid a $30 late fee, all fall sport regis­ tration applications must be received by Aug. 16, 2022. Winter sports registrations must be received by Nov. 11 to avoid the late fee, and spring sports registrations must be received by March 17, 2023. Online registration can be accessed by clicking “Officials” on the home page of the MHSAA Website athttps://www.mhsaa.com. More information about officials registration may be obtained by contacting the MHSAA by phone at 517-332-5046 or by email at register@mhsaa.com. There is an officials’ registration test for first-time officials and officials who were not registered during the past school year, derived from the MHSAA Officials Guidebook. New officials and those who didn’t officiate during 2021-22 also must complete the online MHSAA Principles of Officiating course. Additional exams must be taken by those registering for football or basketball for the first time or those who were not registered for those sports during the previous school year. Links to the Officials Guidebook, Principles of Officiating presentation and the football Tony Joostbems talks things over with his officiating partner during a break in thb action of a Maple Valley varsity softball game against Potterville this spring. The MHSAA will now allow officials to register to officiate two sports for the price of one ifi an effort to boost the number of officials in the state. (File photo) ! and basketball mechanics manuals can be found by following the “New Officials” link on the Officials page of the MHSAA Website. There also are opportunities to officiate for students at least 14 years old and in grades 9-12 through the MHSAA Legacy Program. Juniors and seniors may officiate subvarsity contests, while freshmen and sophomores may officiate contests at the middle school/ junior high levels. Mentor officials will work events with Legacy participants to provide guidance and support. Find information on the Legacy Program by clicking “REGISTER NOW” on the Officials page of the MHSAA Website and following the “Legacy Official Information” link. The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 public and private senioT high schools and junior high/middle school’s which exists to develop common rules fdf athletic eligibility and competition. No gov­ ernment funds or tax dollars support th'6 MHSAA, which was the first such associa­ tion nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tour­ naments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — Page 11 Age breakdown Roe v. Wade overturned in blockbuster ruling. Abortion still legal in Michigan Bridge Michigan The U.S. Supreme Court sealed the fate of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision on Fri­ day, overturning the longstanding federal precedent enshrining the right to an abor­ tion and leaving it up to individual states to determine legality. In a 6-3 majority opinion penned by Jus­ tice Samuel Alito, the court determined the Roe decision was wrong to conclude the U.S. Constitution protects abortion rights while weighing the legality of Mississippi law that would make most abortions illegal after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Roe allowed, at a minimum, roughly 24 weeks. “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Alito wrote. “Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.” It is time, Alito concluded, “to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abor­ tion to the people’s elected representa­ tives.” The court’s three liberal justices, each appointed by Democratic presidents, blast­ ed the decision in a scathing dissent, pre­ dicting it will curtail women’s rights and “their status as free and equal citizens” in the United States. “Across a vast array of circumstances, a State will be able to impose its moral choice on a woman and coerce her to give birth to a child,” said the joint dissent from justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. “With sorrow - for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental consti­ tutional protection - we dissent.” . Chief Justice John G. Roberts joined the majority in striking down a Mississippi law at issue in the case, but criticized them for also overturning a separate case, Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, that reaf­ firmed right to abortion. The blockbuster decision was preempted by a leaked draft opinion obtained in May by the news site Politico, which marked a seismic shift in the abortion rights debate nationwide. Michigan is one of the states with pre-ex­ isting laws on the books criminalizing abortion - a law last updated in 1931 makes abortion a felony except in life-threatening pregnancies. Right to Life of Michigan’and other groups opposing abortion support keeping that law as is. \ But a recent state court decision put Enforcement on hold 'While challenges are pending. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whit­ mer, a Democrat, is asking the state Supreme Court to weigh in on the constitu­ tionality of the 1931 law, and abortion rights supporters are circulating petitions to try and enshrine the right to an abortion in the Michigan constitution. “Today is a sad day for America as an unelected group of conservative judges act squarely against the will of the people and medical expertise,” Whitmer said in a state­ ment. “I want every Michigander to know that I am more determined than ever to protect access to safe, legal abortion. Now is the time to use every tool in our toolbox to protect women and reproductive health care.” Right to Life of Michigan, the state’s leading anti-abortion advocacy group, praised the Supreme Court for standing “on the right side of history” and urged abortion rights activists to accept the result “without violence and retaliation.” “This monumental day gives the states the ability to restore legal rights to the unborn hopefully, in turn, ceasing the unjust slaughtering of the innocent in our coun­ try,” Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said in a statement. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the ruling “shocking” and “unnerv­ ing” even though it was expected after last month’s draft opinion leak. “Americans will lose a fundamental right they’ve had for nearly my entire lifetime,” Nessel, a Democrat, said in a statement, reiterating her pledge to not enforce Michi­ gan’s old abortion ban if it is eventually reinstated. “I will not use the resources of the attor­ ney general’s office to enforce an unconsti­ tutional law that will allow the state into our bedrooms and doctor’s appointments, interfering with our fundamental reproduc­ tive rights,” Nessel said. “As long as I’m in office, I will not prosecute women, girls, or their doctors for seeking or providing abor­ tion services. Nor will my staff seek licen­ sure discipline against medical profession­ als who safely perform these procedures.” Her presumed opponent in the November election, Matthew DePerno, said he was “thrilled” by the decision and will uphold the 1931 ban on abortion. “It is deeply troubling that Dana Nessel pledged to not enforce the opinion of the Supreme Court even before their announce­ ment this morning,” he said in a statement. “We cannot have an attorney general who believes she is better than the Supreme Court and the law.” Dr. Sarah Wallett, chief medical Officer at Planned Parenthood of Michigan, said Friday that she is working with a team of doctors, nurses and health care profession­ als to “ensure we can provide care to as many patients as possible.” “Let me be clear - abortion is still legal in Michigan, and our doors are open,” Wal­ let said in a statement. “But my heart is breaking for the millions of patients living in states that will cut off abortion access in the days and weeks to come.” There were nearly 30,000 abortions in Michigan in 2020, a 33 percent increase since 2009, when there were 23,357. Nation­ wide, abortions reached their lowest level in 2017, but increased by small percentages in subsequent years. In 2021, the number of abortions rose in Michigan to more than 30,000 for the first time since 1996. Nationally, Michigan had the fifth-highest abortion rate in the United States in 2020 - 14.6 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15-44. A decade earlier, Michigan’s rate was the 26th highest in the nation. The Guttmacher Institute reported that 35 percent of Michigan women live in counties with no abortion clinics. Prosecu­ tors in seven of the 13 Michigan counties with abortion clinics - all Democrats recently released a letter vowing not to enforce the 1931 law if it were to be revived. In a politically purple state like Michi­ gan, the debate over abortion access is far from over. Statewide, 55 percent of Michigan adults believe abortion should be legal in most cases, while 39 percent believe it should be illegal in most cases, per a New York Times state-by-state analysis. A recent national poll found a quarter of Americans believe abortion should be allowed at any point and 9 percent believe it should be banned in all cases. Whitmer and Nessel have vowed to pro­ tect access and ignore the old criminal law, NOTICE OF REGISTRATION FOR THE ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022 BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN PRIMARY ELECTION TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS: The Barry County Townships of Assyria, Baltimore, Barry, Carlton, Castleton, Hastings Charter, Hope, Irving, Johnstown, Maple Grove, Orangeville, Prairieville, Rutland, Thomapple, Woodland, Yankee Springs, and the City of Hastings. COUNTY OF BARRY STATE OF MICHIGAN PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any qualified elector of the above named jurisdictions who is not already registered, may register to vote at the office of the Township or City Clerk; the Office of the appropriate County Clerk; a Secretary of State branch office, or other designated state agency. Registration forms can be obtained at www.mi.gov/vote and mailed to the Township or City Clerk. Voters who are already registered may update their registration at www. expressSOS.com. The last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk is Monday, July 18, 2022. while Republicans vying for nom­ ination oppose abortion and would leave the decision up to the state Legislature. That trend is also evident among state legislative candidates - among those with public stances on abortion, nearly all Democrats said they supported the right to an abortion, while Republicans gen­ erally said abortion should be ille­ gal with few exceptions. Alito, in Friday’s majority opin­ ion, said justices “do not pretend to know how our political system or society will respond to today’s decision,” and even if we could foresee what will happen, we would have no authority to let that knowledge influence our decision.” “We can only do our job, which is to interpret the law,” he wrote. Address Regular Business Hours Hours on Saturday, July 30, 2022 Hours on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 City of Hastings Jane Saurman 201 E, State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday - Friday 8 am - 5 pm 7:00 am -3:00 pm 7:00-8:00 pm Annette Terry Assyria Twp. 8094 Tasker Road Bellevue, Ml 49021 By Appt. 10:00 am-6:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Penny Ypma Baltimore Twp. 3100 E. Dowling Road Hastings, Ml 49058 By Appt. 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 155 E Box 705 Delton, Ml 49046 Wednesday 9 am - noon & 1pm - 5 pm Amanda Brown Carlton Twp. 85 Welcome Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Wednesdays - 10 am - noon Wayland Schools: WAYLAND UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $48,500,000 Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Wayland Union School District, 85C East Superior Street, Wayland, Michigan 49348-9141, telephone: (269) 792-2181. " Please take further notice that the bonds of the school district, if approved by a majority vote of the electors at this election, will be general obligation unlimited tax bonds payable from general ad valorem taxes. NOTICE OF PUBLIC ACCURACY TESTS Notice is hereby given that a Public Accuracy Test for the August 2,2022 election will be conducted by the clerks oi the named townships on the voting equipment pursuant to MCL 168.798 at the addresses noted on the foliowinc dates: July 20, 2022 at 2:00 am at CITY OF HASTINGS 201 E. State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Wards participating in the July 20, 2022 date: City of Hastings Wards 1, 2, 3 & 4 July 26, 2022 at 3:00 pm at ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP HALL 8094 Tasker Road, Bellevue, Michigan 49021 Townships participating in the July 26, 2022 date: Assyria Township July 21, 2022 at 1:00 pm at BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP HALL 3100 E. Dowling Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 21. 2022 date: Baltimore Township July 26, 2022 at 10:00 am at BARRY TOWNSHIP HALL 155 E. Orchard-Street, Deitdn, Michigan 49046-------- --- ----- -------------------------Townships participating in the July 26. 2022 date: Barry Township Marcia Scramlin Castleton Twp. 915 Reed Street PO Box 679, Nashville, Ml 49073 Anita Mennell Hastings Charter 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Wednesdays 1 pm - 4:30 pm 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm 885 River Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Tuesdays 9 am - noon & 1-4 Sun 7-31-2022 9 am - 5 pm 7.00 am - 8:00 pm Deborah Jackson Hope Twp. 5463 S. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 Wednesdays 9 am - noon & 1:15-3:00 pm; Thursday & Friday 1-3 pm 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Sharon Olson Irving Twp. 3425 Wing Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday 9 am- 12 noon Wednesday 9 am -12 noon 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Sheri Babcock Johnstown Twp. 13641 S. M-37 Battle Creek, Ml 49017 Monday & Wednesday 8 am - 4 pm or by Appt. 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Holly Carpenter Maple Grove Twp. 721 Durkee Street Nashville, Ml 49073 By Appt. 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am -8:00 pm Melody Risner Orangeville Twp. 7350 Lindsey Road Plainwell, MJI 49080 Mon - Wed - Friday 9:30 am - 1:30 pm Sun 7-31-2022 9 am - 5 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Rod Goebel Prairieville Twp. 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 Tuesday - Thursday 9 am - 12; 1 pm - 5 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Robin Hawthorne Rutland Twp. 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday - Thursday 9 am - 3 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Cindy Willshire Thomapple Twp. 200 E. Main Street Middleville, Ml 49333 Monday - Thursday 9 am - 3 pm 7:00 am - 3.00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Nancy Stanton Woodland Twp. 156 S. Main PO Box 98 Woodland, Ml 48897 Consolidated with Carlton Twp. for this election only. 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Michael Cunningham Yankee Springs Twp. 284 North Briggs Road Middleville, Ml 49333 9 am - 3 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm •_____ __ July 14, 2022 at 6:00 pm at CARLTON TOWNSHIP HALL 85 Welcome Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 14, 2022 date: Carlton Township ___________ July 20, 2022 at 2:00 am at CASTLETON TOWNSHIP HALL 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, Michigan 49073 Townships participating in the July 20, 2022 date: Castleton Township July 19, 2022 at 5:00 Pm at HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP HALL 885 River Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 19, 2022 date: Hastings Charter Township July 21, 2022 at 1:00 pm at HOPE TOWNSHIP HALL 5463 S. M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 21,2022 date: Hope Township July 11, 2022 at 9:30 am at IRVING TOWNSHIP HALL 3425 Wing Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 11, 2022 date: Irving Township July 11, 2022 @ 9:00 am at JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP HALL 13641 S. M-37 Hwy., Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 Townships participating in the July11, 2022 date: Johnstown Township July 18, 2022 @ 1100 am at MAPLE GROVE HALL 721 Durkee Street, Nashville, Michigan 49073 Townships participating in the July11, 2022 date: Johnstown Township July 13, 2022 at 10:00 am at ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL 7350 Lindsey Road, Plainwell, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 13, 2022 date: Orangeville Township July 26,2022 at 1:30 pm at PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan 49046 Townships participating in the July 26, 2022 date: Prairieville Township THE POLLS of said election will be open at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. of said day of the election for the purpose of nominating candidates for the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian Parties. The following offices will appear on the ballot: Congressional County U.S. Representative(s) in Congress County Commissioners U.S.Senator State Governor State Representative State Senator Source: Michigan Department of Health & Human Services PROPOSAL TO RENEW FIRE/EMERGENCY SERVICES MILLAGE Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitutor in Yankee Springs Township of .75 mills ($0.75 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 0.7341 mills ($ 0.7341 pei $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 0.75 mills and levied for 4 years, 2023­ 2026 inclusive, for township fire operations and emergency services, raising an estimated $236,975 in the first yeai the millage is levied? Henika District Library District Library Millage Proposal Shall the Henika District Library, County of Allegan, Michigan, be authorized to levy a new additional millage annually in an amount not to exceed 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the portion of Yankee Springs Township located in the Wayland Union School District, in perpetuity beginning in the year 2022 for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the Henika District Library will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Henika District Library in the firsl year (2022) is approximately $155,000. Street PO Barry Twp. ♦ 1985 >2021 Yiankffi* Springs* After this date, anyone who qualifies as an elector may register to vote in person with proof of residency (MCL 168.492) at the following: Municipality Far fewer young women are getting abortions in Michigan compared to 1985. with women 30 and older now far more Likely to choose the Citv of Hastings Commissioner Precinct Delegates Townships Trustees Precinct Delegates The following local proposals will be voted upon: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following proposals will appear on the ballot: Castleton Twp: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES OPERATIONS Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Castleton Township, of 1 mill ($1.00 per 1,000.00 of taxable value) be renewed and levied for 4 years, beginning 2022 through 2025 inclusive for Emergency Medical Operations, raising an estimated $61,751.00 in the first year the millage is levied FIRE DEPARTMENT HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Castleton Township, be renewed at .5 mill ($.50 per $1,000.00 of taxable value) and levied for 4 years, beginning 2022 through 2025 inclusive for Fire Department housing and equipment, raising an estimated $33,710.00 in the first year the millage is levied. . EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation impose4d under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Castleton Township, of .2 mill ($.20 per $1,000.00 of taxable value) be renewed and levied for 4 years, beginning 2022 through 2025 inclusive for Emergency Medical Services housing and equipment, raising an estimated $13,469.00 in the first year the millage is levied. Johnstown Twp: PROPOSAL TO RENEW FIRE OPERATIONS MILLAGE Shall the previous expired voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Johnstown Township of 1.0 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 0.9848 mills ($0.9848 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 1.0 mills and levied for 4 years, 2022-2025 inclusive, for township fire operations, raising an estimated $117, 486 in the first year the millage is levied. PROPOSAL TO RENEW ROAD MILLAGE Shall the previous expired voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Johnstown Township of 0.5 mills ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 0.4923 mills ($ 0.4923 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 0.5 mills and levied for 4 years, 2022-2025 inclusive, for township road improvements and maintenance, raising an estimated $ 58,743 in the first year the millage is levied. Thornapple Twp: THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP EMERGENCY SERVICES MILLAGE PROPOSAL Shall the constitutional tax rate limitation on general ad valorem taxes in Thomapple Township be increased by 0.5662 mills ($0.5662 per $1,000 of taxable value) for two (2) years, 2022 through 2023, inclusive, and shall the Township annually levy such new additional millage on all taxable property in the Township for the purpose of providing fire protection and emergency services and funding the purchase of fire and emergency equipment, raising in the first year an estimated $212,351? July 13, 2022 @ 10:30 am at RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Townships participating in the July 13, 2022 date: Rutland Township July 19, 2022 at 9:30 pm at THORNAPLE TOWNSHIP HALL 200 E. Main Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333 Townships participating in the July 19, 2022 date: Thomapple Township July 12, 2022 at 6:00 pm at WOODLAND TOWNSHIP HALL 156 S. Main Street, Woodland, Michigan 48897 Townships participating in the July 12,2022 date: Woodland Township July 7, 2022 at 1:30 pm at YANKEE PRINGS TOWNSHIP HALL 156 N. Briggs Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 Townships participating in the July 7, 2022 date: Yankee Springs Township The Public Accuracy Test is conducted to demonstrate that the program and the computer that will be used to tabulate the results for the election have been prepared in accordance with law. MONDAY, JULY 18, 2022 LAST DAY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION OTHER THAN IN-PERSON Persons with special needs, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, should contact the City or Township Clerk. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired may place a call through the Michigan Relay Center TDD#1-800-649-3777. This notice is given as required by law (MCL 168.498(3). YOU MUST BE REGISTERED TO QUALIFY AS A VOTER! QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE Citizen of the United States At least 18 years of age on or before August 2,2022 Resident of Michigan and the township/city where you are applying to vote. *************************************** Assyria Township Annette Terry Township Clerk PAMELA A. PALMER, BARRY COUNTY CLERK on behalf of: Baltimore Township Barry Township Penny Ypma Deborah Knight Township Clerk Township Clerk Carlton Township Amanda Brown Township Clerk Castleton Twp. Marcia Scramlin Township Clerk Hastings Charter Township Anita Mennell Township Clerk Hope Township Deborah Jackson Township Clerk Irving Township Sharon Olson Township Clerk Johnstown Township Sheri Babcock Township Clerk Maple Grove Township Holly Carpenter Township Clerk Orangeville Township Melody Risner Township Clerk Prairieville Township Rod Goebel Township Clerk Rutland Township Robin Hawthorne Township Clerk Thornapple Township Cindy Willshire Township Clerk Woodland Township Nancy Stanton Township Clerk Yankee Springs Township Mike Cunningham Township Clerk City of Hastings Jane Saurman City Clerk 183301 �Page 12 — Thursday, June 30, 2022 — The Hastings Banner OPERATION BALL DROP: Family Promise golf outing features high-flying fundraiser “Old-Fashioned Fourth of July” returns to Charlton Park Charlton Park is hosting its annual Fourth of July celebra­ tion and veterans’ barbecue this Monday. The park will kick off the event at noon with a flag raising and veteran remem­ brance ceremony. Following this, the veterans’ barbecue fundraiser will begin with a feature of smoked meats. Games will begin at 12:45 p.m. on the village green. Fami­ lies and large groups will be able to participate in games. Event organizers ask that large groups participating in games consist of contestants 15 years of age and younger, unless indicated. Unlike previous years, the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July pie contest will now be a silent auction. Guests are encour­ aged to bring their pies, and prizes will be awarded to the baker of the highest-bidding pie. More information is available on Charlton Park’s Face­ book page at facebook.com/CharltonPark/. Barry County BrewFest sponsorships due July 6 Organizers of the 6th annual Barry County BrewFest are asking for sponsors to submit their applications by July 6. The BrewFest is taking place Aug. 6 from noon to 6 p.m. at Curley Cone in Wayland. The festival will feature a selection of beers from 30 of Michigan’s craft breweries, as well as wine, mead and hard ciders. Live music and food will complement the vast selec­ tion of drink. More information about the BrewFest is available at mibarry.com/brewfest/. Those interested in sponsoring the event should contact Kim Martin by calling 269-945-2454 or emailing kim@mibarry.com Keep pets safe July Fourth According to the BISSELL Pet Foundation, more pets run away on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year. With many shelters already at or near capacity, the surge in runaway animals due to Fourth of July festivities can cause strain. BISSELL encourages pet owners to take precautions on the Fourth to keep their pets safe. The foundation recom­ mends keeping pets indoors in a quiet place, tiring pets out more than usual to keep them calm, microchipping pets and keeping ID tags on pets. As shelters across the nation face unprecedented over­ crowding, BISSELL Pet Foundation has organized a Summer National Empty the Shelters event. Dogs and cats are avail­ able for adoption at a reduced fee from hundreds of partici­ pating shelters across the country from July 11 to July 31. A frill list of participating shelters will be available soon at bissellpetfoundation.org/emptytheshelters. Jayson Bussa Editor One of the biggest winners at Fami­ ly Promise of Barry County’s annual golf outing didn’t even swing a club. Jessica Brott of Hastings came away from the second annual fundraiser on Saturday with a $2,500 cash prize after claiming the winning ball in the event’s ball drop. Upon conclusion of the golfing por­ tion of the event, Family Promise of Barry County, a local homeless shelter for families with children, arranged for a helicopter to fly in and drop 1,000 marked golf balls onto a makeshift green located at the second hole of the The Legacy at Hastings. Whoever laid claim to the first ball to go in the hole was crowned winner. If no golf balls went into the hole, the closest ball would win. “My husband started Family Promise and he passed away four years ago (before the center opened),” said Sue Larghi, who sits on the board for the organization. “He loved aviation so when I happened upon this (idea), I thought it would be a good tribute to him. But we didn’t do it to honor him - we do this for Fam­ ily Promise. But I felt like he would have appreciated it.” The aircraft, which was rented from White Pine Helicopter in Waterford Township and sponsored by Wood­ land-based DeMaagd Marble & Tile, swooped down the fairway and hov­ ered over the green. John DeMaagd, president of the sponsoring company, dumped out buckets of golfballs down on to the green. The winner, Brott, was not in atten­ dance for that portion of the event, but organizers called her immediately after her ball was identified to give her the good news. Larghi said that her organization sold all 1,000 golf balls for $10 apiece. “As I was selling tickets, you hear all different stories on how Family Promise has impacted their, or some­ one’s, life that they know,” she said. The ball drop was a bit of a show A helicopter from White Pine Helicopter, piloted by Alan Bradstreet, hovers over the second hole of The Legacy at Hastings, dumping 1,000 numbered golf balls below. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) stealer for the golf event, which raised roughly $15,000 for Family Promise of Barry County. On the links, a four-man team rep­ resenting Zoet Builders of Alto/ Clarksville finished the outing in first. That team consisted of Ryan Zoet, Zach Zoet, Justin Zoet and Hayden Vischer, who combined for a score of 57. In all, the event attracted 17 teams for its second installment. Last year’s event was marred by poor weather. The golf outing is one of a handful of fundraisers for Family Promise of Barry County, which also organizes an adult prom, bass tournament and anni­ versary dinner. Family Promise has been opened for three years but was put in motion seven years ago. Event organizations at Family Promise of Barry County’s annual golf out­ ing collect golf balls after the ball drop event (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Pierce Cedar Creek Institute to be host site for first James Webb Telescope images Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings will be a location to host a livestream event when NASA releases the first full-color images from the James Webb Space telescope on Tuesday, July 12. The Webb Telescope is the largest and most complex space observatory ever launched into space. No one knows what these first images will reveal, but just like the Hubble Telescope’s iconic “Pillars of Creation” in the Eagle Nebula, the Webb’s images have promise to be incred­ ible and breathtaking. As a host site, the Institute is proud to bring this livestream event the day the images are publicly released. The program will be free to the public and is slated to run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Following the free program, lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those interested in lunch must reg­ ister by July 6. The cost for the meal will be $12 for Institute members and $17 for non-members. Registration for the viewing party can be found at CedarCreeklnstitute.org/events. More information about the Webb Telescope is available at webbtelescope.org/. Golf balls litter the second hole of The Legacy at Hastings as part of the ball drop event, featured by Family Promise of Barry County. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) - Who will I -- I t for our children? By Gina Johnsen I’m a grammar teacher, and I realize that most people don’t give much thought to the proper use of pronouns as a part of speech. But now, pronouns have center stage in the mainstream media and in the federal department of education. He, she, him, her—who knows what we are supposed to call each other? Little boys and girls now are told they should not assume they are one or the other, but should stop and review the possibilities of choosing the opposite pronoun with which they would have naturally identified. Worse yet, some are told they could be a they, as if a boy or a girl could become more than one person or genderless entirely. Students now experience anxiety and heightened stress over just using school bathrooms or locker rooms, since either sex can use the other’s facilities if they choose. Just when I thought we might be getting back to some of the basics in education, we are rushing to trend down a deep dark hole, causing confusion and distracting from the true purpose of school. While schools are sexualizing children with graphic, inappropriate sexual education curriculum, promoting pronoun-confusion, and teaching divisive racist ideologies, math, science, reading, and history have gone by the wayside. Children are led down a confusing path of reevaluation of themselves based on woke teaching, just so some school districts and administrations can collect millions of federal dollars by proving they have implemented such nonsense. Michigan’s children attend school buildings for many years, but are graduating with incompetence to take on the challenges of the world they will enter. We have to get back to teaching the essentials of education to help our children become prepared for prosperous, productive lives. Although not every school district in Michigan is implementing this woke Critical Race Theory (Marxist doctrine finding some reason to separate everyone into hostile warring groups), it is prevalent in most schools in one way or another. If it isn’t in your local school, it is surely “coming to a district near you” if you let it. This initiative is coupled with “don’t tell your parents” communication in some of our public schools. Curriculum transparency standards with parents have not been considered. When someone tells a child to keep secrets from their parents, whether school, medical clinic, entertainment group, or media, we have a big problem! This is the most heinous part of what is transpiring in our education atmosphere today. The children have never been nor will ever be the property or the main responsibility of the school, the government, or the society at large. Our children belong to the parents they have been given to, whether foster, adopted, step-parents, grandparents, or natural bom. The parents have the responsibility to raise them, to feed them, and to launch them into adulthood. They hold not only the purse to take care of them, but the heart to look after them and love them for the rest of their lives. Michigan education must provide curriculum transparency with parental oversight, or we will never be successful in assisting our children to thrive in the years ahead. Funds follow the child initiatives have been successful in many states all over the country, and it is my goal to implement this in Michigan as well. Our hard-earned tax dollars should be utilized where the parents deem it most efficient and effective for the needs of their children. When the funds follow the child instead of the building or administration, parents are more involved and invested in what their children are learning. School boards and parents work together instead of becoming adversaries. Teachers become empowered to make the best educational choices for their students while enjoying the partnership that they truly want with parents. These elements of an educational environment are the most efficient and sustainable for raising the next generation into adulthood. Great schools and districts will flourish and become wellfunded. Schools that don’t meet the parents’ needs for their children will cease to be funded. Whether public, charter, or private schools all will be held accountable to the market that pays their wages and provides their funding. It will be consumer-driven by the parents and tax payers in each community, instead of being federally funded and 1 s :■ t ‘ directed by divisive, confusing, and anti-American initiatives. I am running for State Representative in the 78th District. My goal is to stand up for you and your children, and make a difference in our state. I will fight for our children in the education system. As a result, we will have educated, skilled students in Michigan again. Our children are the greatest treasures God has given us. Help me restore true education for them, and secure a better future for everyone. Vote for me August 2nd. f! Your comments are welcome and encouraged: L 'A: ■ I look forward to hearing from you. For more information, please visit my website: Gina4StateRep.com. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 46908 i !■; ;■ [ Woodland’s Brodbeck reappointed to state committee for corn growing Jayson Bussa Editor A Woodland-based farmer has been reappointed by the governor to a Michigan-wide committee designed to bolster the state’s com industry. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office recently released a statement announcing individuals she has appointed to various committees and boards around the state. In the announcement, Kory Brodbeck, partner at Brodbeck Farms and manager at Woodbury Grain, was reappointed to the Michigan Com Marketing Program Committee. Brodbeck had previously been named to the com­ mittee in 2019 and his first term expired in March. His new term to the nine-person committee will extend through May 5, 2025, where he will represent com growers throughout the surrounding area. “As a board member, you try to listen to your neigh­ bors a little bit and bring some of those items to the table,” Brodbeck said. “But, we have our own agenda, too. There are a lot of research projects and things that average growers might not even know about.” The Michigan Com Marketing Program Commit­ tee, along with the Michigan Com Growers Associa­ tions, are two state committees tasked with helping Michigan’s com industry to thrive on a national and international level. Brodbeck said the Comer Marketing Program Committee meets roughly four times a year, helping the state to determine the best way to use its funds on programs to benefit the industry. Keeping ethanol viable is one top priority, Brod­ beck said, as it stands as the biggest market for com 4 growers. Brodbeck also said the industry is constantly battling misinformation. “Misinformation on the practices that farmers use is big,” Brodbeck said. “We get blamed for a lot of things when I think we’re the answer to a lot of things - especially environmental issues. I feel like we’re the answer, not the problem.” � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-07-07.pdf 35b619502341ceea89a744b30502dd51 PDF Text Text Local business to provide wheelchair accessible transportation County road commissioners want study of dangerous corridor Demolition begins on Delton Kellogg elementary building See story on page 8 See story on page 8 See story on page 2 804879110187 Thursday, July 7, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 27 PRICE $1.50 Protesters take to courthouse lawn to advocate for legal abortion in Michigan Jayson Bussa Editor Betsy Colgan and Kay Loftus both remem­ bered marching on Washington D.C. in the late 80s and early 90s in protest of proposed limitations to federal abortion rights. Over 30 years later, the sisters found them­ selves returning to protest, this time with a smaller crowd in their hometown of Hastings, after federal rights to abortion have been wiped away completely. “We didn’t think we’d have to do this again,” Colgan said. The sisters joined a solid crowd of several dozen protesters on Saturday that took to the lawn of the Barry County courthouse to make their voices heard on the heels of the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which makes abortion legal on a federal level. Instead, the federal court has left it up to each state to determine the legal­ ity of abortion. In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vowed to fight for abortion rights, filing a legal injunction to hold off a previously dor­ mant 1931 law that would make abortion illegal in Michigan under all circumstances. See PROTESTERS, page 3 J. Maizlish Mole of Hastings carries a hand-painted flag with him as he listens on during Saturday’s protest of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) their concerns with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Delton house fire claims one life Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 16-year-old girl is dead after an ear­ ly-morning house fire on Tuesday in Barry Township. Firefighters were called to the home in the 10000 block of Kingsbury Road at 4:18 a.m. The teenager’s body was found in the base­ ment, said Sgt. Steve Lehman of the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. The name of the victim was not released by the sheriff’s department, but various media sources identified the victim as Kayla Casey, who was visiting family in Delton from out of state. While still under investigation, it is believed that the fire was started by burning candles after the home had lost power, Lehman said. Five fire departments responded to the scene - Delton, Hickory Comers, Hastings, Prairieville and Johnstown. Also responding were the Michigan State Police fire marshal, Mercy EMS, the American Red Cross and Barry County Central Dispatch. Prepare for the Fair The Barry County Board of Commissioners currently conducts their weekly meetings on the mezzanine level of the county court­ house. The board is considering relocating its chambers. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Barry County board of commissioners considers relocating its chambers Jayson Bussa Editor At a Tuesday committee of the whole meeting, the Barry County board of commis­ sioners floated the idea of relocating its chambers. The county’s former Friend of the Court Building and the Tyden Center, both of which are just across the street from where the board currently meets, were pegged as potential destinations for the county’s gov­ erning body. The board plans to further discuss the mat­ ter and did not make any decisions before adjourning. Some commissioners indicated that the board was outgrowing its current space, which is located in the mezzanine level of the Barry County Courthouse. This, the board argued, would get worse once it wel­ comes an eighth commissioner to its ranks after the upcoming election. The mezzanine level of the courthouse also features a tech­ nological infrastructure that is adequate, but becoming fairly outdated. “Fiscally, we should be conservative in how much money we put into a new facility,” Catherine Getty, Barry County commissioner, District 2 The board posed a series of questions to county IT director David Shinavier, who is regularly on site at the meetings to accom­ modate tech needs and to stream meetings online. Shinavier said that the current technolog­ ical infrastructure performs adequately, but sometimes encounters limitations when outside presenters bring in technology of their own. The former Friend of the Court building, located across South Broadway Street from the courthouse, would require significant ren­ ovations in order to create a chamber at the location. The building has also been in the public eye lately because of the county’s refus­ al to sell it to a private developer to make way for a proposed workforce housing project. “The space isn’t the same; it isn’t a lot bigger, it maybe is a little smaller,” board vice chair Vivian Conner said. “There might be the opportunity to have a balcony that we can put more people in. 1 know that many people don’t like the set up we have because the audience is not facing the board.” In the current set up at the courthouse, an arching bank of desks where commissioners sit faces a podium for presenters. The audi­ ence flanks both sides. See BARRY COUNTY, page 3 The 169th annual Barry County Fair kicks off on July 18 and The Hastings Ban­ ner and Reminder wants to help you plan your trip. Check this weekend’s Reminder for our special preview section, which features a rundown on all the events and action you can expect from this year’s fair. The section will also contain inter­ views with fair organizers in addition to feature stories on those who will be involved. �Page 2 — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Man drowns in Little Pine Lake in Hope Township The Barry County Sheriffs Depart­ ment reported a 37-year-old man drowned in Little Pine Lake near Hope Township July 3. Police responded when the man, named as Richard Bryan Card, went under water while swimming from a paddleboat just after midnight July 3 and did not resurface. The department reported that Card was found around 3:30 p.m. July 3 in 26 feet of water with help from the Delton Fire Department, Great Lakes Drone Team, Great Lakes Search and Rescue, and the Kalamazoo County Dive Team. Recent rainfall eases drought stress on local crops Keeping Our Community Peaceful Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer The soaking rains that drenched Barry County were a welcome sign for area crop growers - and likely for homeowners that have been staring at yellow, dormant grass for weeks. The county, and greater West Michigan as a whole, had been plagued with dry, and, at times, scorching temperatures. However, Eric Anderson, field crops educator for the MSU Extension put our recent dry spell into perspective. “There have been years when dry condi­ tions persisted longer than they have this year,” Anderson told the Banner. “The histor­ ical landmark drought period during the 1930s was known as the Dust Bowl in the U.S. Another extended drought period lasted from 1949 to 1957.” In recent history, the drought of 2012 is often used as a measuring stick since it was severe and fairly widespread across the Mid­ west. Barry County suffered a more severe drought just last year, the first time for Mich­ igan since 2012. Over a month went by without rainfall until rains in mid-June began to alleviate the situation, Anderson high­ lighted. According to the U.S. drought monitor, Barry County has not experienced any level of drought yet this year. Areas further north in the state are currently considered “abnor­ mally dry,” but for Barry County, there are no official signs of drought. And with the recent rainfall, the crops should be in the clear as far as drought stress. “The thunderstorms that came through the region overnight on Monday brought wide­ spread rainfall with totals near one inch (in) We all want our community and communities we serve to be peaceful and healthy. In today’s world we are seeing so much violence, unrest, hurt, and pain. How can we make sure that our community is different? Much of what we see going on today is an outcome of the hurt and pain in people’s hearts that have not been healed and taken care of. Spiritual Care Consultants helps people on a daily basis to get healing in their hearts, at no cost. Only God knows what has been prevented because of all the lives that have already been healed through SCC. June through August is the time that SCC focuses on getting donations for the Children’s Fund of SCC. SCC sees somewhere between 70 to 90 children a month and between 70 to 85 adults a month. This represents hearts and lives that are being healed and changed. Our goal this year is to raise $150,000 for the Children’s Fund. Our children are our future leaders and are critical to our community and communities we serve. Families are struggling to find help in their hour of need because of financial difficulties and other factors like insurance problems. By investing in the healing of our children, we are also investing in keeping our community peaceful. If everyone reading this column would send in a donation it would make an enormous difference. Ask the Lord what He would have you give. Hastings,” Anderson said. “This rainfall, combined with what is forecasted to fall this week, will help to replenish the soil moisture reserves in the rooting zone and alleviate drought stress symptoms.” “If Barry gets the additional inch of rain that is predicted for the coming week, I would say the crop will be in good shape heading into the key reproductive stages for com and soybean,” he added. “The current rainfall won’t necessarily cancel out impacts on yield that have already been incurred, especially in com, although soybean with its extended period of flower production is often able to compensate for early water stress and still produce a good yield.” The recent lack of rain in Barry County has somewhat impacted the growth of crops. Data from the Hastings weather sta­ tion in the Michigan State University Enviroweather network shows Barry County received little to no rain throughout the month of June. “A plant can be as much as 90 percent water by weight,” Anderson said. “It is the solvent that all minerals and sugars are dis­ solved or carried in, so it is essential in mov­ ing nutrients and photosynthetic products from one part of the plant to another.” With little water available, the crops begin to feel drought stress. One of the outcomes being stymied growth. “Much like humans, water is also essential in cooling plants,” Anderson said. “As water evaporates from the surface of leaves in a process called transpiration, it takes heat away from the leaves thus cooling the plant.” “When com experiences drought stress, the plant responds by curling its leaves to reduce the level of transpiration,” Anderson added. “A soybean plant will turn its leaves over, exposing the underside to the sun which has fewer stomata and more fine ‘hairs” that reflect more sunlight.” Even though the situation is looking up, many farmers have been affected by the lack of rain, including those who raise animals. Copperhead Hill Farms, located by the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings, provides ethical options for consuming meat by pro­ viding the animals with a healthy and fulfill­ ing life. “It has been so dry - the lack of rain has definitely taken a toll on us,” said Carrie Cronk of Copperhead Hill Farms. “We were thankful to hear rain falling (Monday night), but it’s been a long few weeks. “During the warmer months, we rely on rotational grazing and the steady regrowth of our pastures for our grass-fed beef and dairy cows, as well as pasture for our pigs and meat chickens - really all of our animals here. We’re on track to start supplementing hay far earlier than we ever have in past years because our pasture’s regrowth, even with rotational grazing, has slowed to a halt.” ?There is very little a farmer can do to avoid the impacts of a drought without irriga­ tion, Anderson said. Common forms of irri­ gation include the use of center-pivot sys­ tems, which are used for larger acreages and drip irrigation which is typically used in fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops. “Irrigation systems can be very expensive and coupled with costs for regular mainte­ nance and powering the pumps, the expense keeps irrigation from being used unless high-value crops are being grown,” Ander­ son added. “Other methods of preserving soil moisture include implementing no-till prac­ tices as tillage opens up the soil surface and speeds up evaporation.” I want to thank everyone in advance for all ofyour support. Please make all checks payable to Spiritual Care Consultants. Put Children’s Fund on the memo line. Sponsored by KEY CLEANING 269-948-8381 Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Yes, I would like to become an SCC Partner by contributing the below gift to assist in the transformation of an individuals health and wellness through Spiritual Corel i i » i » i i i t i * Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or . check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1 Hastings, MI 49058 Name: Address:_ t t t 8 t E I I i t i ■ ■ ■ ■ Construction crews have begun to demolish the Delton Kellogg Elementary school building, a structure that has been standing since 1936, to make way for a new, $12.9 million facility. (Photo by Fred Jacobs) ■ ■ ■ ■ K ■ sp Demolition underway at Delton Kellogg elementary building t ■ I ■ u I State: Phone: I ■ Total Donation Amount: i ■ i K Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Mastercard AMEX 1 0 Card Number: Exp. Date: / Amount: Name on Card:. CW (4 Digit): Signature: Leila Wood Contributing Writer Demolition of the former Delton Kellogg Schools elementary building has begun. The building, which has stood since 1936, will be replaced by a new facility that fea­ tures state-of-the-art HVAC and internet sys­ tems, special education classrooms, a STEM lab, an extended learning area, full-size gym­ nasium with a stage and administrative offic­ es among other amenities. Additions will remain and connect to the new building. With demolition kicking off on Tuesday, the project is expected to take over a year to complete and will cost $12.9 million. Those funds will come from a bond that was approved in the 2019 May election. Despite economic and supply chain diffi­ culties, Zachary Bosma, project executive for the building company Christman, said his team has worked hard to accomplish the proj­ ect within budget. While the project is underway, the superin­ tendent’s office and the district’s central office have been moved to the east end of the middle school. Fourth grade classes will also be moved to the middle school. Back in June, the school board discussed concerns from some parents about their chil­ dren being unable to finish fourth grade in the elementary school building, but decided that moving them to the middle school was ulti­ mately the best course of action. Board members said that staying in the elementary is not a viable option and portable classrooms would offer very little security for the students and would also be an additional cost that they had not budgeted for. Interim Superintendent Carl Schoessel said that the fourth graders will be in a different part of the building from the other students, with the nearest classes being composed of fifth graders. “I think our people have tried hard to make them feel welcome,” Schoessel said. Local residents have also expressed con­ cern about preserving the history of the old building. In response to those concerns, stylistic ele­ ments reminiscent of the old building have been incorporated into the new plans. “It is a brick schoolhouse that we’re putting back up in its place,” said Bosma, “It is going to feature a cupola, similar to the existing building, and it will be two stories, so it is in the spirit of the existing building, let’s say.” Many historical items and memorabilia were removed from the old building and put into storage for future use in an historical display that will be created in the new build­ ing with the help of the Bernard Historical Museum. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — Page 3 A protester propped up a sign during Saturday’s protest in Barry County. (Photo by Jayson Bussa). PROTESTERS, continued from page 1 ------------------------, “Horror - just horror that this could happen again,” said Colgan, when asked about her reaction to the Supreme Court ruling earlier this month. The group of protesters spent a couple hours on Saturday voicing their outrage over the change to federal law. Holding up signs and taking turns speaking about their person­ al experiences with, and feelings on, abor­ tion, the group also circulated a petition that would help to put the issue on the ballot for the upcoming election. Voters could codify abortion rights into the state law before any old laws would take over and ban it. The ballot is for a proposed constitutional amendment, called “Michigan Right to Repro­ ductive Freedom Initiative.” It would protect the right to make decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, mis­ carriage management and infertility care. The effort has been led by a coalition called Michigan Reproductive Freedom for All and was in motion even before Roe v. Wade was overturned. Now, residents in Michigan have been flocking to sign. “This will be just for Michigan, but it’s a start,” said Loftus. “I don’t know, I think it’s about 50 or 60 percent of people in this coun­ ty believe abortion should be available. Some think that it should be done with some restric­ tion. So, getting the vote out is important.” Both Loftus and Colgan also said that they were pleasantly surprised with the number of Meg Slagel protesters that the event garnered, especially in a deeply conservative area like Barry County. “There are a lot more people here than maybe I thought might come, so there is sup­ port,” Loftus said. “When we walked down, there were lots of cars honking and waving in support of our signs.” Meg Slagel, a Hastings High School grad­ uate that now resides in Auburn Hills, orga­ nized the protest via Facebook and echoed both Colgan and Loftus in saying that she was surprised and happy with the turnout. Slagel said, growing up, she was unable to Betsy Colgan (left) and Kay Loftus (right) hold signs as they listen to a speaker during Saturday’s protest. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) discuss her values and beliefs when it came to abortion and other hot button social issues out of fear of butting heads with the beliefs of her friends and family. That was part of the moti­ vation for organizing the gathering. “I just wanted to bring community together - a community of people that do share those values and beliefs,” Slagel said. “Especially in Hastings and Barry County, where it’s more of a conservative area. But not as a means of ‘Oh, we’re angry at these people.’ It’s more that we share these values so let’s come together.” As an issue Slagel feels passionately about, she said that she does not shy away from speaking about the topic with those that might disagree. In those situations, she sim­ ply implores them to get all the facts. “I try to focus on educating them on why I believe the way I do and why I believe abortion is health care and its essential because there are many people with uteruses that will die because of lack of access to safe abortions,” Slagel said. “It has happened in the past and it continues to happen even now and it’s sad and frustrating.” As a state issue, Slagel emphasized the Judge bats down effort to delay hearing for suspected arsonist Greg Chandler Staff Writer A preliminary hearing for a man suspected of setting a Hastings police car on fire earlier this spring will take place next week, even as the suspect claims he was not properly arraigned for the crime. Judge Michael Schipper Wednesday threw out a motion seeking a delay in the hearing for Jeremy Scott Dunklee, a 31-year-old Hastings-area man who is facing multiple charges in connection with the March 21 inci­ dent in the parking lot of City Hall. The hear­ ing is scheduled to take place at 1:30 p.m. Monday in District Court 56B, Schipper said. Shane McNeill, who was appointed at Dunklee’s attorney last week, brought forth the motion. “Mr. Dunklee has an issue with regard to how he was arraigned,” McNeill said. Dunklee was arraigned by a magistrate shortly after his arrest. Schipper said that a magistrate typically handles the arraignment process. “It’s a district court case. This case starts out (with arraignment),” the judge said. Dunklee, who was appearing for the hear­ ing via video, immediately began to argue with Schipper. “This is a felony court case. It’s a circuit court case,” Dunklee said. “Only once it’s bound over to circuit court, which isn’t done yet,” Schipper responded. “I should have been arraigned in circuit court, sir,” Dunklee argued. “He thinks he’s an attorney,” Schipper said. “Mr. Dunklee, all felony cases begin as district court cases.” Dunklee continued to argue, claiming Schipper has no authority to hear the case beyond the district court level. Schipper and fellow Judge William Doherty have concur­ rent jurisdictional authority, meaning they can both hear cases at the district and circuit court levels. After he denied the motion, Schipper called for a trial to be set for Dunklee as soon as possible. “Let’s get this done with,” he said. “I don’t want to sit around on this whole sched­ ule. (Set it for) the earliest Monday I have for trial, get this thing over with, one way or the other. A jury can determine whether to find Mr. Dunklee guilty of pouring gas on a police car, lighting it and running away ... let’s get on with this as quickly as we can.” Wednesday’s hearing wasn’t the first time Dunklee had clashed verbally with Schipper. On June 29, Schipper founded Dunklee in contempt of court after the suspect uttered an expletive toward him and sentenced him to 93 days in jail, according to court records. Dunklee is charged with third-degree arson, malicious destruction of police prop­ erty and assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer. He also has been charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. He is being held on a $200,000 bond in the Barry Coun­ ty Jail. City Hall security footage showed a man strolling into the City Hall parking lot on March 21 with a red gasoline canister in his hand. The footage then shows him dumping the contents of the gas can on the police car, and the car catches on fire. Deputy Police Chief Julissa Kelly pulled into the parking lot in an unmarked car shortly before the police car catches on fire. Kelly got out of her car and chased the sus­ pect across the parking lot toward State Street. The suspect was arrested a few min­ utes later in the parking lot of the Ace Hard­ ware store. No one was hurt in the fire. If convicted of the arson charge, Dunklee faces up to 10 years in prison and could also be fined up to $20,000. importance of bringing the issue to the ballot this year in order to bring about permanent change to Michigan’s abortion laws. “Most of adults and people of voting age are in favor of abortion and they don’t want there to be any restrictions on access to that legally,” she said. “Today, I am really proud of how many people came out to show up and show their support; that’s really awesome,” Slagel added. “I did not expect this many people at all. It’s really great to see so many people of all ages and demographics.” 20% Off Fabrics (excludes sale items) - Ends July 30, 2022 Hulst Cleaners Pick Up Station Show kindness! qU‘ Pray for our Country 'th QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm SbEz' Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net BARRY COUNTY BOARD, continued from page 1 The community room at the Tyden Center, another frontrunner to host the BOC cham­ bers, sees a lot of use, according to board chair Ben Geiger, but modifying meeting schedules could give the board a chance to make that space its permanent home. “The county would have to find space conference room space - for venues that use (the community room of the Tyden Center). Or they could use this room (referring to the mezzanine level of the courthouse).” The discussion on potentially re-locating the chambers included thoughts from fellow commissioners in addition to public comment on the matter. “Fiscally, we should be conservative in how much money we put into a new facility,” commissioner Catherine Getty said. “The Tyden Center, I’ve had many meetings there. It’s a very adjustable room. With how many people you have, I think it’s set up well. Just like today we took a recess to amend some language and it’s nice to be in a facility where you can go to IT to print it. If you’re in FOC, you’re across the busy street.” The few public comments included criti­ cism of the Friend of the Court building, both because the traffic-laden South Broadway Street that divides it from the courthouse and because it, like other county-ov. ned buildings that are not being used, should be put on the market to be sold. of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 THE BUZZ YOUNGS LEGENDS GOLF CLASSIC Friday, August 6th, 2022 The Legacy at Hastings ■ 9:00 a.m. Shot Gun Start $400.00 per team includes: 18 holes of golf and cart included Optional Skins Game/Prize Holes Lunch included (Brats/Hot Dogs, Chips, Drink) 30 Team Maximum To register go to,,. www.lah4egacyathastings.golfgenius.com/ggid/craqxd/directory or contact The county’s former Friend of the Court building, which is currently vacant, is under consideration to host the Barry County Board of Commissioners (Photo by Jayson Bussa) The Legacy(269) 945-2756 Denny Storrs (269) 945-2210 It’s a great day to be a Saxon! �Page 4 — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Standing up for kneeling in prayer A section of the Paul Henry Trail in Barry County along the Thomapple River is where this male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was photographed by Del Bachert in the month of May. This is a bird that is mostly seen during migra­ tion. However both a male and female have been seen repeatedly along the trail, one of Barry County’s green gems. There are no records of a pair nesting in Barry County. Be on the lookout over the next few years and be the first to confirm a nesting pair with young. Do you remember? Ready for Muskegon Kiwanis luncheon Banner May 29, 1947 Four members of the Hastings Kiwanis Club - Bob Klevorn, Gus Wingeier, Art Wingerden and pilot Elwood “Woody” Bachelder - are photographed just before taking off last Friday morning for Muskegon where they attended the noon luncheon meeting the Muskegon Kiwanis Club as part of the local organization’s inter­ club activities. Bachelder set his Seabee down in Muskegon har­ bor and docked the amphibian at the foot of Third Street, one block from Muskegon’s Occidental Hotel, where the luncheon was held. Members of the Muskegon club greeted them at the dock. They returned to Hastings early Friday afternoon. (Photo by Barth) Have you met? Steve Wales II describes himself as a lifelong learner. “Sometimes when people look at my resume, they’re like, ‘Do you know what you want to do?”’ Wales said. “I always say no.” Wales grew up in Big Rapids, where he studied business administration at Ferris State University. He helped run his family’s business and taught martial arts. That’s how he met his wife, who was bom and raised in Hastings, at a martial arts tournament in Grand Rapids. The two got married and moved to Hastings in 1989. He’s been living in West Michigan ever since, doing a little bit of everything, every­ where. He worked in various business adminis­ tration roles for FlexFab, Proline Archery and other West Michigan manufacturers outside of Hastings. Eventually, he went to work for a Grand Rapids dentist’s office in a business administration consulting role. The job was meant to be short-term, but shortly after, the dentist Wales was working for fell ill and wasn’t able to attend to his patients. Suddenly, it was up to Wales to find and hire outside dentists to fill the scheduled appointments. “It’s kind of a weird situation, because you develop a relationship with your dentist and now, all of a sudden, the dentist isn’t there,” Wales said. “It was kind of weird but we had to keep the business afloat.” That’s the job that got him interested in healthcare. Wales, a former Kiwanis Club president, Red Cross board member and Barry County Area Chamber of Commerce board member, found the field was a natu­ ral fit for him - it allowed him to use his business skills while helping others. “That was the reason I shifted from manu­ facturing to healthcare. It was much more rewarding helping people,” Wales said. “I’ve always been philanthropically motivated.” After three years of working at the den­ tist’s office, the dentist was able to return to work and it was time for Wales to move on once again. For the next five years, he worked with an ophthalmology office. During his time there, Wales took on an additional role as a reserve police officer for the Hastings Police Department. Wales said he felt inspired to get involved after For his love of helping others and his dedication to being a lifelong learner, Scott Wales II is this week’s Bright Light. What I like about serving in the police reserves: The police reserve officers get involved with a lot of things. We help out with Summer Fest, parades, traffic control for events, football games. We help with hazardous waste pickup at the fairgrounds twice a year. We go wherever we’re needed. It’s just a group that gives their time and of themselves. We attend monthly meetings, we do training and have qualifications just like a normal police officer would. We’re not police officers ourselves, but we oper­ ate under an officer and we’re held to the same standard they are. Scott Wales II seeing the work done by his brothers-in-law George Winick, a former Hastings officer and Ron Neil, the former Michigan State Police post commander in Hastings. “I’ve been involved with the reserves for six years. I really enjoy that - we’ve got a really good reserve team,” Wales said. “You know, we could always use more.” As a reserve officer, Wales buys his own equipment and volunteers his time to accompany Hastings police officers on patrol. He continues to work as a reserve officer even after switching into another new full-time role at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock as a security officer. Wales has been working as a security officer at Pennock for the last three-and-a-half years. “I love it. I love helping people and that’s what we’re really here to do,” Wales said. “A lot of times you see people at their best, sometimes you see people at their worst. Sometimes you see them on their first day, and sometimes you see them on their last day. It’s a gamut between all of that.” A full work week as a Pennock security officer is three, 12-hour shifts. Wales said he likes to pick up an extra shift at another Spec­ trum hospital in the state to keep him busy. “Only three days a week just seems like I have too much time to get in trouble,” Wales joked. “You’re here for 12 hours; yes it’s a long day. But I can honestly say that I can wake up at four in the morning and be excited to go to work.” Something people might not know about me: I had worked at Proline Archery for five years when they decided to sell the company to Darton Archery. I was the con­ troller and later became their production manager. Because of my background there, I kind of helped with the transition of all of the assets from Proline in Hastings to Dar­ ton Archery, located in Hale. I helped coor­ dinate that transition and I was kind of the last employee, if you will, at Proline. FlexFab absorbed some of the good guys and gals that worked at Proline. There were a handful that ended up moving over to FlexFab, having awesome careers and retiring. Some are still there. What I like about Hastings: There’s a lot of history in Hastings. It’s just a cool town. I kind of think of it like Big Rapids without the college; that’s how I always describe it to people. There’s just a lot of great people here. I’ve been around forever and been involved in a lot of stuff. I’ve got­ ten to know a lot of people in the neighbor­ hood or the community and it’s just really fun to go to the store and see people you know. It’s a really close knit community. At first glance, the ruling last week by the U.S. Supreme Court looked to be only about school prayer. Not that returning prayer to the public schools was anything less than monumental, but the court’s ruling carries significance in so many other areas. Ostensibly, the case affirmed Joseph Ken­ nedy’s contention that he was removed from his high school assistant football coaching position in the state of Washington for engaging in brief, quiet and private prayers at midfield following games. The school district maintained it disci­ plined Kennedy for encouraging students to pray with him, a violation of school policy. School officials felt it put undue pressure on students to participate in the prayers at the risk of being marginalized. Coach Kennedy acknowledged that he led prayer with students after the games and also in the locker room. He said he also engaged in motivational speeches with his players that included some religious refer­ ences. However, Kennedy stopped the prayers and religious references when asked to do so by district administrators. He con­ tinued to kneel and pray by himself after games, which eventually led to his dismiss­ al. Naturally, to some people, Kennedy’s praying quietly by himself on the field could be construed as a “religious exercise,” but by allowing or accepting it, people demon­ strate one of the strongest foundations of democracy: Tolerance in a free society. That’s the tenet that Barry County District Court Judge Michael Schipper espouses in his courtroom and in his life. Schipper recently had the motto “In God We Trust” painted on a courtroom wall. “I don’t have an agenda for it and I don’t care if no one else in the world knows about it, says Schipper, acknowledging his toler­ ance of others who may think differently. “I don’t care if it happens to grow. I don’t care if I get negative backlash or positive. I just think it’s the right thing to do.” Adding the nation’s motto to the wall in bold lettering follows the particularly grue­ some and daunting cases of Allen McClure, Timothy Riddle (ongoing), Andrew Lafey and Patrick Gilmore, all tried in Schipper’s courtroom. All cases involved either murder or other acts of severe violence. Schipper believes the motto on the courtroom wall plays into the story of each man. “In each one of those cases there are two common denominators,” says Schipper. “Not one of those men had God or morality in his life. And, number two, not one of those guys had a strong male role model. They had either no father figure or a bad father figure. That’s the problem.” That situation is playing out across the country, driving up crime due to violence and a lack of respect for authority. People especially young people - respond to role models like Kennedy, the football coach. In my own life, I have a list of men and women who have made a difference in my life. One of those role models was former Circuit Court Judge Richard Schuster who, on his death bed, gave me some sound advice by which all of us could benefit. ... ....... “Be careful,” Judge Schuster told me, “it only takes 10 seconds to make a mistake that can change your life; so don’t screw it up.” In the recent court cases with which Schipper and other authorities have had to deal, if the perpetrators would have had role models that gave them some sound advice it might have changed their lives. Too often today we are driven to join the group, to fit in, conform rather than stand up for what we believe. Coach Kennedy was making a dif­ ference in lives of many of his players by giving them life-changing skills and spiritu­ al values that are so often lacking in today’s society. We’ve allowed a new generation of lead­ ers to question history, the importance of a higher being in our lives and risk of standing up for one’s beliefs. They’re pushing a dif­ ferent culture, questioning our history and the standards we live by. We should be confident and ready to The Hastings BcUUlCl” Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. stand up for the kind of country in which we want to live. We need to have confidence in our institutions such as churches, the crimi­ nal justice system, government and educa­ tional systems. But we must be willing to question them by holding them accountable when necessary. And we must be willing to fight for our individual rights that are the basis of our way of our democracy. Coach Kennedy said all Americans should celebrate last week’s Court ruling because it and means the First Amendment’s right to free speech is “alive and well for all Americans, people of faith, different faiths or no faith at all.” “The imperative of protecting religious freedom was not just a nod in the direction of piety,” say s former Attorney General Wil­ liam Barr. “It reflects the framers’ belief that religion was indispensable to sustaining our free system of government.” The constitutional freedom of religion is the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights. Coach Kennedy wasn’t seeking to persuade his team to any certain religion or views; it was all about giving them some life skills that could make a difference in the way they worked together as a team and building character. In his courtroom, Judge Schipper sees first-hand what happens when young people miss out on role models in their lives like a father, mother, coach or preacher who cares enough to give others the skills they need to succeed. The dissenting opinion in the school prayer decision was written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who stated that it was wrong for the Court to ignore that Kennedy repeatedly caused “severe disruption to school events.” “This case is about whether a public school must permit a school official to kneel, bow his head and say a prayer at the center of a school event,” Sotomayor wrote. “The Constitution does not authorize, let alone require, public schools to embrace this conduct.” Yet, those who’ve blasted the Court’s protection of Coach Kennedy’s right to pray on the field at the same time have defended an athlete’s right to kneel during the national anthem. These are trying times when it’s easy to fall into conformity traps to get along, stay silent, or to lie about one’s beliefs in order to conform to the masses. Kennedy was willing to fight for what he believed was in the best interest of his players. He didn’t conform to what was considered acceptable to the main­ stream. He was building relationships for a more meaningful life by building character that will ultimately contribute to a better life for all his students. Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt long ago pointed out the vital but often tricky link between the individual right to free speech and tolerance for others exercis­ ing theirs. “Where freedom of religion has been attacked, the attack has come from sources opposed to democracy,” said Roosevelt. “Where democracy has been overthrown, the spirit of free worship has disappeared. And where religion and democracy have vanished, the good, faith and reason in inter­ national affairs have given way to strident ambition and brute force.” Freedom of expression is paramount to a free society - it’s a right that all Americans should cherish and be willing to fight for at every level of society. Congratulations to Coach Kennedy and so many like him who are still willing to stand up for what they believe. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — Page 5 Newly-approved sand and gravel mining site a big, risky mistake Letter to the editor: Jim McManus (Barry County planning director) and the Barry County planning commission have completely failed to pro­ tect our community from the very serious consequences caused by sand and gravel mining. The failure to hire an attorney to evaluate the law (Michigan Zoning Enabling Act) is a complete failure by this board along with Jim McManus, which leaves us residents at risk for our health, safety and natural resource damages. Commissioner John LaForge showed his • frustration at the meeting about the rigged ' system towards sand and gravel miners but he truly doesn’t understand the law or the mean­ ing of very serious consequences. Healthy Water Alliance sent in plenty of data and . information on the very serious consequences .but without an attorney representing the PC board this information was cast aside. ; This industry has already damaged Loomis Lake, which was verified by EGLE after tak­ ing several months to respond to those dam­ ages. The reclamation process for the proper­ ty on the Otis Lake gravel pit site, which closed six years ago, still hasn’t been signed off on by the township thus not living up to the special use permit standards they have in place now. Loomis Lake, according to the land own­ ers, is down five feet from water pumping out of the lake, which still has an active pump running on the property. Stoneco has also Provided by the Barry County offices of Ed ward Jones Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 What to expect from a financial advisor drained a pond in Caledonia and shutdown a horse ranch that did therapy for autistic chil­ dren according to property owner Doretta Anema. One Neigh at a Time is the horse ranch that borders this now-approved gravel pit that also conducts therapy for veterans, women and children. Doretta spoke to the PC board about very serious consequences that caused her farm to close, but again, no attorney was present for this PC board to understand the law so she was ignored. I grew up in Parchment and drank from contaminated wells caused by an industry. The lack of review this PC board took with the hydrogeology study puts residents at seri­ ous risk. The PC board was asked to get an independent review of this report but instead rushed to an irrational decision. Any risk of drinking water contamination deserves more review than what occurred by this board! There was absolutely no reason for a rushed decision with such an important risk to our health and safety. Gravel compa­ nies have bought up property all around our county and having PC boards afraid of law­ suits while not hiring an attorney should make residents extremely concerned. Lastly, I personally found the act of draw­ ing on a white board to propose expanding Miller Road and the gravel conveyor under the road was an insult to us residents. The residents were informed of this plan last sum­ mer so this PC board is playing games while not looking out for the best interest to protect residents. Jim McManus and the Barry County plan­ ning board must understand their rushed decision to approve this gravel pit without truly understanding the very serious conse­ quences is inappropriate and only us residents get to live and suffer the damages from this rushed decision. Gordon Smith Delton Promoting electric cars is far from out of touch The audacity of Fred Jacobs’ opinion piece saying Debbie Stabenow and her colleagues ,are “out of touch” for driving an electric vehi­ cle while he drives a Land Rover, a vehicle that pushes the $100,000 price tag. That’s more than many homes in Barry County are worth! It’s also made by Jaguar. At least Ms. Stabenow is driving an American car. If he believes electric vehicles are Stone Age .thinking, then what does he think driving a vehicle with the fuel efficiency of a Model T ;is if not taking us backwards? If you want to bash politicians, why don’t Financial FOCUS you start with your own party? When Rick Snyder was governor, he imposed an income tax on retirees; he was guilty of polluting the Flint drinking water, which caused sponta­ neous abortions and long term mental and physical disabilities for surviving babies and children. Your president, Donald Trump, signed a bill to lower taxes on the wealthy, then told friends at Mar-A-Lago “You all just got a lot richer.” Trump attempted a coup and he even went so far as to say his vice presi­ dent Mike Pence “deserved to be hung” for refusing to overturn a valid election. If you want to rattle off how elitist Debbie Stabenow is, how about you show us your net worth and income tax return? We already know you drive a pretentious vehicle in a mostly blue collar county. Otherwise, you’re just another hypocrite Republican. Chris Lukasiewicz Hastings EDITOR’S NOTE: The vehicle cited in this letter is a 2016 model purchased used and did not cost $100,000 If you know how important it is to invest for your future, but you’re unsure of the road to fol­ low, you may want to get some guidance and direction from a financial professional. But if you’ve never worked with one before, what can you expect? Here are some things to look for: • Assessment - A financial advisor will assess your cur­ rent financial situation - assets, income, debts and so on - but that’s just the start. These days, advisors recognize the need to view their clients’ lives holis­ tically. Consequently, you will see questions like this: What are your feelings about investing? How would you judge your risk tolerance? What are your indi­ vidual financial goals? What hopes and dreams do you have for your family? • Recommendations - Only after fully understanding your needs, goals and preferences will a financial advisor recom­ mend any investment moves. There are no “one-size-fits-all” solutions. You may want to steer clear of individuals claim­ ing to be financial advisors who “guarantee” big returns with no risk. In the investment world, there are few guarantees, and eveiy investment carries some type of risk. • Communications - Finan­ cial professionals communicate with their clients in different ways, but you should always feel free to reach out to an ad­ visor with any questions or concerns. Most financial ad­ visors will want to meet with clients at least once a year, ei­ ther in person or through an online platform, to review their investment portfolios. During the review, the financial advi­ sor will help you determine if any changes are needed. But financial advisors won’t wait a full year to contact clients to discuss a particular investment move that might need to be made. Also, depending on the firm you choose, you should be able to go online to review your portfolio at your convenience. • Technology - A financial advisor can employ a variety of software programs to help clients. For example, a finan­ cial advisor can determine the rate of return you might need to attain specific goals, helping shape your investment strat­ egy. But there are also a lot of “what ifs” in anyone’s life, so an advisor can use hypothetical illustrations to show you where you might end up if you take different paths, such as retiring earlier (or later) than you had planned or putting in more (or less) money toward a specific goal, such as education for your children. Anyone’s plans can change, so the ability to view different potential scenarios can prove valuable. Above all, a financial ad­ visor can help you feel more confident as you pursue your goals. Among investors who work with a financial advisor, 84% said that doing so gave them a greater sense of comfort about their finances during the COVID-19 pandemic, accord­ ing to a survey conducted in 2020 by Age Wave and Edward Jones. And during times of mar­ ket turbulence, such as we’ve experienced this year, a finan­ cial advisor can help you avoid overreacting to downturns. When unexpected events crop up, such as a lapse in employ­ ment, a financial advisor can suggest moves that may enable you to avoid major disruptions to your financial strategy. Con­ versely, when a new opportu­ nity emerges, perhaps from an inheritance or some other wind­ fall, your financial advisor can help you take advantage of it. Navigating the investment landscape can be challenging - but the journey can be a lot smoother if you’ve got the right guide. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC 183613 Our President has made great strides, and it’s only the beginning ! r .■■<•• ■ . • J Letter to the editor, : . . . The way I see it, President Biden took 1 office with a broken economy, the rich were richer and the poor were poorer. Thousands of citizens were dying every day from coro­ navirus. He had to deal with the Jan. 6 insur­ rection and multiple natural disasters. Still, he was able to get the $1.9 trillion CO VID relief .package sign into law. The bill provided free vaccines to anyone who wanted them, 400 million N95 non-surgical masks, contract tracing, home testing kits and now an oral medicine taken at the first signs of the virus that can help reduce .severity of the infection. The bill also provides stimulus checks, funding for schools to prepare students to return to school safely and small business funding. When he took office, only 1 percent of Americans were vaccinated, last I heard, 74 percent of us are vaccinated. Beats drink­ ing bleach or taking horse wormer. In March, he signed into law the $1.2 tril­ lion bipartisan infrastructure bill. We are now seeing road and bridge repair that is long overdue. There has been a $1,700 social secu­ rity give back to help senior citizens. This administration is not denying climate change; we can all see an increase of weath­ er-related damage around this country and around the world. Hurricanes are more fre­ quent and more destructive, droughts cover larger areas with more forest fires and flood­ ing in many parts of the country. Just look at Yellowstone. Ex-President Trump had started to remove us from the WHO (World Heath Organization) and The Paris Climate Accord. He also wanted to end NATO. President Biden is respected by other world leaders and has coordinated measures with NATO allies against Vladimir Putin’s aggres­ sion in Ukraine. Would Putin stop with Ukraine or continue to be a threat to our democratic/NATO allies? Then war? President Biden continues urging con­ gress to pass “For The People Act,” and the “John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” which is still being stonewalled in the Senate. If they can’those fair and square and turn over the presidency peacefully, they have shown that they wilruse any trick in the book to win. The Jan. 6 hearings have been an eye opener - hope you all took time to watch all, or part, of the hearings. We need to have a majority in the House and the Senate so more thing can get done for the general pop­ ulation. It is of great importance that every­ one who can vote, find a way, even if it’s hard. Vote in all elections - local, state and national. Voting is essential to our democracy and freedoms. Let’s not throw the baby (our democracy) out with the bath water. I know that President Biden hasn’t been able to please everyone and things are hard right now, but he’s just getting started. I believe he has our best interest at heart and deserves time to get more done. I : ‘ ; Staff Writer Non-profit group ASSE International is seeking families in Barry County, and throughout the rest of the state, to host foreign exchange students for the 2022-23 school year. Terri Schall, Michigan area coordinator for ASSE, said the organization is still seeking placements for about 500 students. Applications to host a student are open until Aug. 1. Applicants can choose a student they’d like to host, after which they’ll undergo a brief background check and screening pro­ cess, Schall said. Once the screening pro­ cess is done, ASSE will work with local schools to place the student. “In Michigan, it’s very rare that a school won’t accept a foreign exchange student,” Schall said. “We do have some states across the nation that are a little more dif­ ficult, but Michigan is very accepting and they have an amazing time while they’re here.” Schall said the students then attend high school like any other student, arriving in August and returning to their home coun­ tries in June. They’ll attend prom, awards nights and graduations alongside their classmates throughout the year. Schall said ASSE works alongside the United States Department of State and other government regulatory organizations to ensure everything goes smoothly. In addition, area coordinators like Schall work with local families to overcome any issues they might encounter. In addition, many students involved with the program have received scholarships from their home countries. These scholar­ ships ask them to do service projects that give back to their new communities. “They are an asset to the school, because ' r- ^cartonul srl* oiodw ,’otoH Sealed proposals will be received''at the’ bffide'bf ‘the JB$rry "CoUnty Abaci Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 A.M., Tuesday ~ July 18, 2022, for the sale of the following: 2000 Sterling SC T9511 - Minimum Bid $2500 2014 Haulmark 7x16 Enclosed Trailer 1994 Work Saver HPD-20HC Post Pounder Miscellaneous - fuel tanks, fenders, tail lights, breakroom light fixtures, parts pallets, etc. Viewing of equipment may be done any time between 7:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. All sealed bid envelopes must be plainly marked with item number. All equipment sold as is where is. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. Ilona Hagon Nashville Non-profit seeks families to host foreign exchange students Hunter McLaren USED EQUIPMENT UP FOR SEALED BIDS By Barry County Road Commission GRAND OPENING FRIDAY, JULY 15 RIBBON CUTTINGAT NOON it brings the diversity of another culture into those schools,” Schall said. “But it also helps the staff, the students and the community because they’re going to be doing these service projects.” Those interested in applying to host a student can contact the ASSE office by calling 1-800-677-2773 or apply online at www.host.asse.com. Position Opening 126 E STATE ST. FREE COOKIES! OPEN M-F: 7:30A-5P SAT-SUN: 8A-4P The Barry County Prosecutor’s Office is accepting applications for a full time Legal Secretary. The position requires computer and Internet skills, writing and grammar skills, an ability to meet deadlines, and good interpersonal skills. The base pay rate is $15.85 per hour. Please send a cover letter, resume and completed job application form to: Julie Nakfoor-Pratt, Prosecutor, Barry County Prosecutor’s Office, 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. An application and job description is available at www.barrycounty.org. For more information, you may contact the Barry County Prosecutor’s Office, at 269-945-1297, jpratt@barrycounty.org, or nmitchell@barrycounty.org . Deadline for applying: Open until filled. Call to place your Hastings Banner classified ad 269-945-9554 or 1-800-876-7985 �Page 6 — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Ethan Robert, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on June 9, 2022 to Emily Flessner and Jeremy Flessner of Woodland. Hadley Jo Holman, bom at Spectrum Michael H. Ernst Shirley Ann Macqueen Health Pennock on June 15, 2022 to Kendra Holman and Daniel Holman of Hastings. Shirley Ann Macqueen of Holland, MI, passed away peacefully after an extended illness on Saturday June 25, 2022. She was 88 years old. Shirley always enjoyed life to the fullest. From her childhood years in Holland, her later years spent with John at Lincoln Pines living on a lake, then on to Hastings, and finally back in Holland, Shirley always made the most out of life. She enjoyed being the life of the party, whether it was building sandcastles on the beach with the grandkids or playing cards, dominoes, Bingo, Scrab­ ble, and making puzzles. Shirley was always happy being around family as well as the many, many friends she made wherever she went. She was espe­ cially fond of cooking and decorating for the holidays. Living at McIntosh Manor in Holland, she developed close relationships with friends there before continuing on to Res­ thaven Maplewood, where she lived out the rest of her years here on earth. Everywhere she went, she was loved by residents and staff. She is survived by her children, David (Mary) Macqueen, Michelle Visser, Kim (Mike) Ter Vree, Greg Macqueen, Jeff (Maureen) Macqueen, Todd (Kelley) Mac­ queen and Troy (Robin) Macqueen; her pride and joy were her 22 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and many wonderful nieces and nephews. Shirley was preceded in death by her hus­ band, John; parents, Helen and Leo Victor; sister, Lorraine Stevenson; brother, Ken Victor; son-in-law, Jim Visser; and grandson Austin Boersema. Services will be held at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Holland, MI on Monday July 11, 2022, with visitation at 10 a.m. and funeral mass at 11 a.m. The family requests that in lieu of flow­ ers, donations can be made to Resthaven https://resthaven.org/help-us-serve/ Arrangements are being coordinated by Lakeshore Funeral Services. Michael Harold Ernst, age 74, of Delton, MI, passed away June 30, 2022 at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo. Michael was bom March 21, 1948 in Ypsi­ lanti, to Harold and Mary (Lucas) Ernst. Michael worked as an elevator technician at Otis Elevator for over 25 years retiring in 2006. He was a member of the Local 85 of the ICEU. Michael owned and operated Jones Lake Campground in Delton with his wife, Aliene for more than 35 years. In his free time, Michael enjoyed antique tractors, collecting an extensive array of iron piggy banks, and watching Westerns on TV. He loved spending winters in Key West, FL for many years. Michael was a hard worker who was always willing to help others in need. He loved his family and friends and will be remembered as a proud grandpa and storyteller. Michael leaves behind his loving wife, Aliene (Daniels) Ernst; daughters, Melissa (Jason) Stoneburner, Jennifer Ann (Richard Lee Jr.) Jackson; grandchildren, Emily and Easton Stoneburner, Jacob and Audrey Jack­ son; siblings, Shirley (Steve) Terrien, John (Linda) Ernst, Mary (Roger) Larson; several nieces and nephews; and many extended fam­ ily and campers at Jones Lake ('ampground. Michael was preceded in death by his par­ ents; son, Todd Michael Ernst; and grandson, Jeffery Ernst. Michael’s family received friends on Sun­ day, July 3, 2022 at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home, Delton. Private burial will take place in Prairieville Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Michael’s family. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Website: 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor www. Lead Moser, Pastor. Bertrand. Randall Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Director, Martha 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery are available. Wednesday, Family Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children social distancing. Aftermath Night Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON School Youth Group; 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. church Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Colson Lee Woodall, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on June 20, 2022 to Taylor Felix James Baker, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on June 20,2022 to Meghan Baker and Jake Baker of Hastings. Zinnia Geraldine Torres, bom at Spec­ trum Health Pennock on June 21, 2022 to Micala Torres and Ethan Torres of Hastings. Lenora Rain Spencer, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on June 25, 2022 to Olivia Kain and Keagan Spencer of Hastings. Wesley Malowski, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on June 26, 2022 to Jessica Maslowski and Fredrick Maslowski of Ver­ montville. Molli Bee Apinall, Freeport and David Edward Skiles, Freeport Craig Alan Ekstrum, Wayland and Kathleen Martin, Wayland Billie Joe Endsley, Hastings and Jared George Christiansen, Hastings Cindy Carina Castillo, Nashville and Matthew David Rose, Nashville Katie Joy Offringa, Middleville and Jonathan Daniel Dejong, Bellefontaine, Ohio 1 Michigan parks, beaches are improving access to visitors with disabilities Julia Forrest Bridge Michigan In 1992, Cynthia Burkhour was taking her 12-year-old daughter Erin on a stroll across a zigzag bridge at Hager Park in Ottawa Coun­ ty when Erin’s wheelchair got stuck while turning a corner. Erin had suffered a stroke four months earlier that left her paralyzed on one side and with a language disorder, forc­ ing her into a wheelchair and facing the harsh realities of large swaths of the outdoors being widely inaccessible. “I hadn’t figured out that it wasn’t accessi­ ble until I got her wheelchair stuck on it,” Cynthia Burkhour said. “When your kid looks at you and goes, ‘really you thought this was accessible?’ ... I felt pretty dumb.” Fast forward 30 years, and Michigan has made large strides to make parks like those Erin went to more accessible for those with disabilities. Even after Erin’s incident, Hager Park replaced all of its bridges to be more accessible. Across the state there are 28 accessible beach parks, 31 accessible fishing spots and 34 accessible scenic viewpoints and trails. According to the Center for Disease Con­ trol and Prevention, about 2.3 million Michi­ ganders have some kind of disability. About 12 percent of adults ip Michigan - one in eight - have a disability impacting their mobility. Last year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a $250 million investment to update state parks, including updates to make parks more accessible, including at Tahquamenon Fall State Park in the Upper Peninsu­ la. Those improvements range from wheel­ chair accessible trails and kayak launches, to off-road electric wheelchairs that give the disabled access to beaches. There are about 400 track chairs now throughout Michigan, according to Bryan Wilkinson, a member of the Michigan Acces­ sibility Advisory Council and owner of Mich­ igan Trackchair. Track chairs are spread out across 11 parks in the state. Wilkinson himself has benefitted from track chairs since he became paralyzed almost 22 years ago. He said track chairs have allowed him to remain connected to the out­ doors. “The track chair gave me the ability to be in nature independently,” Wilkinson said. “Which was a huge door opener...It is important to give people outlets.” Patrick O’Hare, president of Friends of Ludington State Park, on the shore of Lake Michigan, said track chairs are giving those who are disabled “that sense of freedom” to explore and enjoy the park with everyone else. “It’s an opportunity to provide a mobility opportunity to let people get out into the park,” O’Hare said. “Individuals that may never have been able to, or individuals that have had some medical condition that is now not allowing them to traverse the trails or get down to the beach ... they’re able to do so.” Thomas Murphy, who has bilateral neurop­ athy, was the first to use a track chair at Lud­ ington State Park in late May - traveling This track chair at Ludington State Park is an example of how many state parks and recreation areas have become more accessible for those with disabilities. (Photo courtesy of Friends of Ludington State Park) j more than 10 hours from Columbia, Tennes­ see to use it. Murphy said the experience “was a real blast” and that track chairs would “really open up some avenues of enjoyment for lots of folks. “For about the last 15 years, 1 have not been able to do anything like that,” Murphy said. “I was hoping to hear the ocean again or the waves again and it kind of fulfilled that dream right there.” The state also has six state parks and recre­ ation areas that have accessible kayak launch­ es. These sites have a transfer bench and slide that enables participants to sit and slide into the kayak. Jessica Stark, a recreational therapist at Interlochen State Park and a council member on the Accessibility Advisory Council, has assisted with efforts at Interlochen State Park to help those with disabilities enjoy kayaking. Stark recalled helping one woman who was quadriplegic with getting into the kayak launch and the woman “yelling, ‘This is free­ dom!”’ “She’s out of her wheelchair, she’s on a level playing field with everybody else around her,” Stark said. Tom Jones, another member of the council and president of Michigan Operation Free­ dom Outdoors, got involved with the council and efforts to boost accessibility after he returned from war with a traumatic brain injury and saw that helping those with dis­ abilities gain access to the outdoors was an “opportunity to still serve.” “Public land doesn’t segregate...it’s still your public land,” Jones said. “I’ve flipped enough desks and [did] the work first and asked for permission later, so much that it’s becoming a common practice to include the other-abled communities in these plans [to boost accessibility].” Jones said that he hopes the future of accessibility efforts focus on “trying to get costs down” and implementing activities at more parks in the state so that Michiganders do not have to travel long distances to reach accessible outdoor activities. Jones also said he would like to see “more inclusive, reserved opportunities for folks with health challenges that can’t get out in the woods, in November in Michigan” when it is cold and harder for those with disabilities to navigate the lower temperatures and snow. Ron Olson, parks chief for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said that the state’s efforts focus on incentivizing and implementing projects that go beyond the minimum standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act when designing accessi­ ble spaces. “We want everybody to have an inclusive [experience] so that people can enjoy the outdoors without having obstacles,” Olson said. That work means there will be fewer expe­ riences like Erin Burkhour suffered through in 1992, when her wheelchair was stuck on a non-accessible bridge. “Every accessibility improvement that is made in recreation, or the outdoors, or the built environment, serves all of us,” Cynthia Burkhour, Erin’s mother, said. “[It’s] making the environment easier to use by everybody.” < > t . > . Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. contact 616-690-8609. a.m. Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 N. Jefferson 10 a.m. Census: Michigan losing population again after decade of tepid growth Mike Wilkinson This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 May Bowerman and Dakota Lee Woodall of Hastings. Produc,s 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWMBIJMOF Hotlinelools&Ertml 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Bridge Michigan The COVID-19 pandemic hit many Mich­ igan counties hard, helping fuel population losses statewide in 2020 and 2021, accord­ ing to U.S. Census estimates released this week. But for population centers including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties, the bigger driver was simply people leaving for other counties and states, the data shows. Wayne County’s population fell by about 1 percent overall to 1.77 million, and an esti­ mated 15,857 residents left the county for another part of Michigan or the country. The estimates reverse what had been slow, steady growth in Michigan, the only state to lose population from 2000 to 2010. The state crested 10 million again in 2020, but has lost an estimated 26,000 residents since, including nearly 17,000 between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021, according to the estimates. Many of those losses can be attributed to the nearly 13,000 residents who died of COVID-19 in that time, with the pandemic exacerbating the growing imbalance between deaths and births in the state. In 2019, the last full year before the pan­ demic, 49 of Michigan’s 83 counties recorded more deaths than births. From 2020 to 2021, 77 counties had more deaths than births. Still, west and northern Michigan record­ ed modest gains, as those regions had when the decennial 2020 Census was reported last year. The state’s fastest growing county, Otta­ wa, added an estimated 2,370 people, while ' Livingston County added 1,041. They were the only two counties to add at least 1,000 » residents. In contrast, 44 of the 254 counties in Texas added at least 1,000 people, including 10 that added between 10,800 and 36,000. In 2019, nine states were losing population nationwide, while Michigan was still grow­ ing (albeit slowly, by about 2,800 people). In 2021, 17 states and the District of i Columbia were estimated to be losing popu­ lation, including Michigan. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — Page 7 By Elaine Garlock Described by Rev. A.A. Knappen as a “sturdy form,” Leander Lapham, was the owner of this farm at the center of Maple Grove Township. His father, Eli Lapham, was that township’s first settler, arriving in 1837. (1880 History of Allegan and Barry counties, Michigan) X' fllooKWattliesiorb X and columns on local history / . in the Hastings Banner fl TURNING / BflGK THE L PAGES Knappen tells of county’s pioneer days, part 2 Editors note: This series originally was pub­ lished in The Hastings Banner from June 8, 2017 to June 29, 2017. The following recollection about early his­ tory in Barry County was written by Rev. Ashmun Asaph Knappen, who read the accounts to the Pioneer Society in 1882. An undated Banner [likely 1913] referencing the writings said, “Mr. Knappen’s history, in addition to giving many dates and presenting much forgotten materials, is unusually valu­ able because of the firsthand glimpses it gives of persons well known in local history.” Knappen was an editor, lawyer, minister and politician later in life. As a child, he knew well the hard life of pioneers. Knappen mentioned most of the townships in the county, listing the first settlers in each township or community. In the first part of this series, he referenced townships in the west and southwest side of the county. He continues here with the township of Hastings. Then there was Judge Barlow, who owned the “mill.” How large, sedate and majestic, his bearings. He was the father of Nathan and William and Mrs. Henry Goodyear. And John Miles, too; what a fine “supervi­ sor” he made. How oracularly he talked and strange he seemed. He, too, ran a saw mill. And who has not heard of A.C. Bull - that educated, shrewd, enterprising little man who parted his black hair in the middle? He was a character. Some queer stories are told of him, one of which I must relate: Having done some work which he thought properly chargeable to the county, he had pre­ sented his claim in good shape to the board of supervisors, which had rejected it. Again and again he called it up, to be treated in the same way. At last he determined on revenge. Don­ ning himself in his best apparel, he comes to Hastings proceeds to the courthouse where the board is in session. Gently entering the room, removing his silk hat and politely bowing, and begging pardon for the intrusion, he speaks as follows: “Mr. Chairman of the Board of Super­ visors of Barry County: I have no particular business before this honorable board, for the very good reason, you are not capable of doing any.” Taking his hat and bidding them “Goodday,” he returned home content to lose his claim. He, too, laid a foundation for a fine estate, and will long be remembered in Kalam­ azoo as well as this county as a stirring citizen - a man of intelligence and sagacity, with a sharp lookout for his pecuniary interests. A treat for the eyes awaits drivers on Jordan Lake Avenue from the CSX tracks north to 2nd Street. Each year, employees at Jerry’s Tire tend to the plantings on the east side of the street. This year, there is a long row of daylilies fronted by a row of orange marigolds. This replaces last year’s planting of all marigolds. While hoping for a parade to pass by the public boat launch off of Tasker Road, it was enjoyable to watch all the boat traffic. There were many boaters coming in from 6 to 2:30 p.m. intermixed with others com­ ing off the lake with their dripping boats. It was also interesting to note the vehicles that were transporting the watercraft. Many were heavy-duty trucks. Only a few were cars, such as station wagons or vans. Many vehicles were in pristine condition. Others were well-rusted, but they toted watercraft in fine shape. The slip was wide enough to accommodate two vehicles at a time. Oth­ ers were polite about waiting their turn to use the paved approach to the water. In addition, there is a narrow spot where smaller craft can be carried out. Late Sunday evening there were lots of fireworks going off with loud booms at intervals. The McMillen family, once based in Woodland, gathered at the Woodland vil­ lage park on the weekend for their tradi­ tional Scottish games and other activities. This family once had 10 living children with many grandchildren added to the mix. The last of the 10 has passed on, but their children and grandchildren still plan to gather every fourth year (the same year as the Summer Olympics). However, the COVID pandemic stalled this event two years ago, so the delayed gathering of the clan took place this year with shared meals and games. First place winner in the church float division of the Lake Odessa Fair parade was Zion Lutheran Church with its entry of a wagon with lots of interesting items on board to advertise the Vacation Bible School. The wagon was loaded with chil­ dren, a sizable bam, cutouts of animals and signs for the theme: “Hay Day.” The chil­ dren rode on bales of hay surrounded by a fence. On June 30, the Vacation Bible School was held at the church for a full day. There had been a lapse of two years since there had been such an event at Zion because of the CO VID problem. They had a session in the morning followed by lunch, then a day’s worth of lessons and fun with a din­ ner for the climax. All in all, it was a fun event and a welcome return to a summer tradition with a biblical theme. Outdoors, there was a petting zoo with a horse, cows, pigs, sheep and chickens. Downtown, Bill Rogers’ Main Street Ice Cream Shoppe has added a black and white striped wooden awning. The awning wraps around the comer at 4th Avenue and 2nd Street and has chairs and tables under­ neath for customers to eat in comfort. The shop further accents the black and white theme with umbrellas for the tables and another large awning for an upstairs apart­ ment. Use personal Social Security account to instantly check benefits claim status Vonda VanTil Settled by three bachelors in 1837, Woodland Township grew to have large farms, like this one owned by Washington Rowlander, a few decades later. (1880 History of Allegan and Barry counties, Michigan) Call to mind Buxton, Ware, O.B. and N.H. Sheldon, Everts, Riggs, Smith, Clifford, Walker, Thomas and Blaisdell - how these and early settlers toiled, braved, suffered, to overcome the wildness and roughness of their region. Tongue cannot describe their varied and terrible experiences with drunken savag­ es, wild beasts, poverty, loneliness, sickness, death. Who are more deserving of respect and wealth and happiness now than those who have paid the full price? For want of time, we must omit many other deserving names. Eighteen hundred and thirty-seven also marked the first settlement of Maple Grove by Eli Lapham and his family. How does the mere mention of Maple Grove call up the sturdy forms of Eli and Leander Lapham, A.S. Quick, Dr. Harwood and others to whom such a debt of gratitude is due. “One sows, another reaps.” Even in ’36 Joseph Blaisdell had settled in Assyria. Cleveland Ellis came the next year. What pioneers those were. How adventurous, industrious, indomitable, obliging, success­ ful. And the others who soon followed, what did they not endure to make themselves homes and advance their children’s interests? We are indebted to Assyria for Knapp, Mulvany, Downs, Jones and John S. Van Brunt. The settlement of Carlton by the Wickhams and Fullers was no less perilous and difficult. How resolute they were. Think of the Roberts, Barnum, Cheney neighborhoods. Who shall ever tell all that such as Jared S. Roberts, Isaac Messer, Carpenter, Henyon the Barnums, Covey, Youngs, Townsend, Fuller, Lawhead, Fish, Lovewell, Cheney and Meyers, accom­ plished and endured? By their struggles, Carl­ ton was subdued and beautified. Isaac Messer’s early experiences read like a novel, except his are founded on fact. How trying, thrilling they seem even yet. Who envies any of them their well-earned prosper­ ity? Who does not feel like lifting his hat whenever they pass him? Venerable heroes, you have come through darkness and storm into the sunshine of the present. You may recount your strange adventure with com­ mendable pride and mirth. Until ’38, Irving had no settlers, save Mr. Bull. Then came Ingraham, Williams, Cobb, Freeman, McClintock, Cole, Hendershott, Baleh, Barton, Hopkins, Powers, Pratt, Texter, Wagoner, Beamer, Hanna, Wilcox and Lusk, in the order named - all of them prior to ’44. How familiar their names sound, and the faces of such who survive look. Cohen Balch’s boisterous laugh; Barton’s slouched hat; Cole’s robust figure; Powers’ conversa­ tional gifts, Pratt’s honest frankness; Judge Hanna’s gentlemanly demeanor; Beamer’s humanity; Cobb’s sternness; Freeman’s qui­ etness. What thrifty farmers, and what useful citizens these proved to be. They had left their indelible mark upon Irving and upon many of the affairs of the county, besides. To be continued ... Public Affairs Specialist If you applied for Social Security benefits, or have a pending reconsideration or hearing request, you can instantly check the status online using your personal my Social Securi­ ty account. If you don’t have an account, you can create one at ssa.gov/myaccount to see the following information about your claim: • Date of filing • Re-entry numbers for incomplete appli­ cations • Current claim location • Servicing office location • Scheduled hearing date and time, if appli­ cable mw .... ■•ti oJtivn'i .no’iaw .-.itnoi i u,’•.••• • Publications of interest, depending on the claim and current step in the process Use your personal my Social Security account to instantly check the status of your application or appeal at ssa.gov/myaccount. More information about retirement, dis­ ability, Medicare, or survivors’ benefits, as well as Supplemental Security Income, is available at ssa.gov/benefits. Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Special­ ist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, July 7 - Movie memories watches the 1949 film “Intruder in the Dust” based on a novel by William Faulkner, 5 p.m. Friday, July 8 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m.; book drop-off for Friends Book Sale starts. Monday, July 11 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; book drop-off for Friends Book Sale. Tuesday, July 1.2 - Mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m.; book drop-off for Friends Book Sale. Wednesday, July 13 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; book drop-off for Friends Book Sale More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. O Hastings OANNER The Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 • Woodland was settled in ’37 - first by those adventurous “three bachelors” who made such a success of keeping house Charles Galloway, Jonathan and Samuel Haight. Their lives were full of danger, nov­ elty and frolic. It is not necessary I should repeat the funny accounts of the perverse cows, flavored mush, hard bread, deer, etc. Their whole history is replete with curious interest. They “roughed” it with a vengeance. And so of the Jordans, Hagers, Durkees, Holmeses, Shriners, Wheelers, Rowladers, Palmaters and others. It was by the exercise of bone and muscle and brain of such that Woodland has become one of the finest towns, if not the finest town, in the county. Hastings: Middleville: Cloverdale: Woodland: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Cloverdale General Woodland Express (M-43 North) ' Harding's Superette Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Shelbyville: Nashville: Family Fare Middleville Johnny's Town & Country Trading Post The Dock Nashville Johnny's Delton: Nashville C Store Family Fare Carl’s Delton Johnny’s Lake Odessa: Banfield: Lake-O-Mart Banfield General Store Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L& J’s Tom’s Market Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Marathon Mega Bev Pine Lake: Hastings Pharmacy Doster Country Store Marathon Gas Station Castleton was first taken possession of by Lorenzo Mudge and his brave self-de­ nying wife, who for eight months saw not the face of another white woman. This was in ’37 also. Ansel Seeley, his brother-in-law, came on the next year. K Area L^occitions to purchase the Hastings Banner! j (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Prairieville: MV Pharmacy Lake-O-Express Carl’s Prairieville Fast Stop �Page 8 — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Broadmoor Motor Group starts medical transport business to serve Barry County and beyond Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Broadmoor Motor Group now offers wheelchair accessible transport based out of its Middleville location through its new Gate­ way Transportation brand. Tyler Wustman, director of business devel­ opment for BMG and general manager of Gateway, said the idea for the business came from Matt Koning, owner of BMG, which specializes in selling used cars, trucks and commercial vehicles. The company currently maintains locations in Middleville, Hastings, Caledonia and Wayland. Koning serves as a mentor for a child who lives in a group home for those with medical needs, and he realized it’s been hard for them to find non-emergency medical transportation during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It seems like nobody was willing to transport anyone for fear of getting sick, I guess,” Wustman said. “We wanted to step up and do it.” Although the Broadmoor dealerships and Gateway Transportation are separate busi­ nesses, they operate closely together. Wust­ man said Broadmoor regularly receives wheelchair-accessible vehicles as trade-ins, which it can use to supply Gateway’s fleet. “If all of a sudden there’s a desperate need for transport, we can pull a vehicle from our fleet that’s for sale, sell it to ourselves within 15 minutes and have it eligible to be driven by a driver,” Wustman said. Wustman said Gateway’s services have a focus on Barry County within a 25-mile radi­ us of its Middleville location, but the compa­ ny aims to serve all of West Michigan. The company has already driven customers as far as Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Muskegon and Greenville in its first month of operation. Although Barry County Transit in Hastings offers similar services, Wustman said there are some key differences. Barry County Tran­ sit is generally more focused on serving the Hastings area and Barry County, whereas Gateway Transportation can make those lon­ ger trips outside the county. Gateway is also able to accommodate last-minute trips, while Barry County Transit may require a few days’ notice because of how busy they are, Wust­ man said. “Barry County Transit is a wonderful ser­ vice,” Wustman said. “We just try to pick up in areas that they can’t, essentially.” In the future, Wustman hopes to start a bus service for passengers without medical needs, as well. He envisions a scheduled bus route that connects Hastings to Grand Rapids, Lan­ sing, Kalamazoo and other areas outside the county. “The city bus in Grand Rapids stops at a certain point and Barry County Transit stops at a certain point,” he said. “We’re really just trying to figure out where those holes are.” The company’s main goal is to serve the community, Wustman said. “We felt called to do it,” he added. “We feel like there’s a need out there, and we just want to help the communities that we’re in.” Car struck by beer bottle A 41 -year-old Dorr woman called police around 11 p.m. on July 3 to report her vehicle had been struck by a beer bottle. The woman was driving west on Hickory Road near Fine Lake in Johnstown Township and had to slow down because of parked cars and pedestrians near the road. The woman reported some of the pedestrians seemed annoyed that her car’s headlights were shining in their eyes, but she said she wouldn’t have been able to see the pedestrians otherwise. The woman’s husband was riding in the front passenger seat and heard a loud noise. The couple were unsure of whether it was a firework or an object striking the vehicle. Upon investigating, the two saw damage to the car and a broken beer bottle in the street. The woman said no one answered her when she asked who threw the bottle. When police ., (arrived on the scene, no one in the area said they had heard or seen anything. Boat trailer backs into garage A loud crash woke up a 76-year-old Carlton Township man after midnight July 2. The man said he looked out the window and saw a truck towing a boat trailer backed into the driveway of his home on the 3000 block of Middle Lake Drive. The truck left, and the man saw the trailer had hit and damaged his garage door. Police arrived and saw tire tracks backing into the man’s driveway and going through his lawn. The officer visited the nearby Welcome Woods Campground, where campground owner said a lifted truck towing a boat trailer had sped through about 30 minutes earlier. The owner told the truck driver to slow down, and the driver responded with obscen­ ities and sped off of the property. Firearm found in Thornapple River Police responded to Charlton Park around 10 a.m. June 27 when a 61-year-old Hast­ ings man reported finding a firearm. The man was magnet fishing near the Charlton Park Road Bridge when he hooked on to the firearm. Police took the weapon but couldn’t operate the firearm to check if it was loaded due to rust. CORRECTION Please note the following Accuracy Test time corrections: July 20,2022 at 2:00 pm at CITY OF HASTINGS Tyler Wustman, Gateway Transportation general manager, poses with one of the company’s wheelchair accessible vehicles. The company aims to provide non-emergency medical transport throughout Barry County and West Michigan at large. (Courtesy photo) County road commissioners want study of busy, dangerous M-37 corridor Greg Chandler r . Staff Writer Barry County road .commissioners are call­ ing for a study of the M-37 corridor west of the Hastings city limits. Commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution, where the road com­ mission is offering to “partner with the com­ munity and especially the (Michigan Depart­ ment of Transportation) in procuring an anal­ ysis” of the corridor - running from the intersection of M-37 at Heath Road to the north to M-37 and Cook Road to the south. It also calls for a study of M-43 from Cook Road to M-179. “This area of Rutland Charter Township has been growing and is under pressure for the addition of commercial developments that will likely result in significant increases in traffic along said corridors,” Road Com­ mission Board Chairman Dave Solmes of Hastings read from the resolution. Even though M-37 is a state highway under the jurisdiction of MDOT, issues with the corridor have reached the road commis­ sion’s attention. Several area residents came to a road commission meeting last month expressing concern about the safety of the intersection at Heath Road, after a two-vehi­ cle crash that seriously injured an Alto teen­ ager and her 11 -year-old brother. The resolution states that the construction “This area of Rutland Charter Township has been growing and is under pressure for the addition of commercial developments that will likely result in significant increases in traffic along said corridors.” Dave Solmes Chairman of the Barry County road commission board of M-37 and M-43 resulted in “multiple skewed intersections.” It also calls for an analysis of the future capacity needs of the corridors, taking into account factors such as current township zon­ ing, consideration for the M-37 corridor access management plan, and a “thorough breakdown of any geometric and safety improvements necessary” to improve safety at the intersections. “The next step is to try to get funding for that study,” Solmes said after the meeting. “It’s (MDOT’s) road. The next step is to get them to fund the study, because this is a fairly large project. It’s not just a couple of intersections.” Commissioner Frank Fiala of Yankee Springs Township said that Jason Cole, an assistant operations engineer for MDOT, has identified potential funding sources for an M-37 study. “He’s carrying the ball forward,” Fiala said. A 2021 MDOT study found more than 9,800 vehicles use M-37 at Heath Road on an average day. The average daily volume on M-37 at Green Street is more than 12,200 vehicles, according to MDOT. Road commissioners plan to bring the res­ olution to the county board of commissioners in a couple of weeks when they will present their annual report from 2021 to the board. They also will forward copies of the resolu­ tion to the Rutland Township board and to state legislators who represent Barry County, Solmes said. 201 E. State Street, Hastings, MI 49058 Wards participating in the July 20, 2022 date: City of Hastings Wards 1, 2, 3 & 4 July 20,2022 at 2:00 pm at CASTLETON TOWNSHIP HALL 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, MI 49073 Townships participating in the July 20, 2022 date: Castleton Township July 19,2022 at 9:30 am at THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP HALL 200 E. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 Townships participating in the July 19, 2022 date: Thomapple Township RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP NOTICE OF BOARD OF REVIEW Pursuant to provisions in MCL 211.7cc (19), MCL 211.7b, MCL 211.7u and MCL 211.53b, the Board of Review will meet on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in the office of the Assessor at Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan to consider appeals related to Principle | Residence Exemptions, Disabled Veterans Exemptions, Poverty Exemptions and to Correct Qualified Errors. I I Dennis McKelvey, Assessor RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP I 2461 Heath Road I Hastings, Ml 49058 I (269)948-2194 The intersection of M-37 and Heath Road has been the subject of safety concerns amongst several area residents. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) ‘ y 5 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — Page 9 Tragedy strikes at Field of Flight event in Battle Creek Erin Joy Gentry J-Ad News Services The 2022 Field of Flight Airshow and Bal­ loon Festival, which ran from June 30 to the Fourth of July this year, will be one that stands out in recent memory for Battle Creek. This was the year the United States Air Force (USAF) Thunderbirds made their first appearance in the skies over Battle Creek since 2017, having been unable to return as planned in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pan­ demic. This was the year of crowds estimated to .break last year’s record-setting total of 100,000 over the course of the entire festival. But this was also the year that the local tradition, now more than 35 years running, experienced its first fatality during a sched­ uled performance. \ On Saturday, July 2, Shockwave Jet Truck driver Chris Darnell passed away when an accident occurred with his customized jet-powered semi truck. Darnell’s act was a longstanding one. Rec­ ognized by airshow announcer Phil Dacy as '“the king of drag racing,” Darnell was a con­ summate and competent professional with an outstanding reputation for not just his techni­ cal skill but for his warm, down-to-earth personality as well. Former Field of Flight volunteer and avia­ tion enthusiast Brett Hermsen was one of many who witnessed the tragedy firsthand. “Today, my biggest fear came true,” he said of the fatality. “I saw some of the Thun­ derbird pilots in tears after it happened,” Hermsen said. “Everybody liked (Darnell).” The remainder of the airshow was canceled on the day of the crash out of respect for the Darnell family as well as to allow the airfield to be cleared from the debris of the single-ve­ hicle crash. The depth of the tragedy, which was wit­ nessed in person by the deceased’s wife and daughters, gave rise to an outpouring of heartfelt tributes and generosity in Darnell’s memory. - Hours after the crash, which is still under investigation by local authorities and the Fed­ eral Aviation Administration, the Sam Luna Band took to the Firekeeper’s Field of Rock stage on the festival grounds and announced that they would be donating their paycheck from the event to the Darnell family. A bucket was then placed near the stage for the purpose of additional donations to the family of the deceased - an action also taken by The Megan Rae Band later that same eve­ ning and by musician Jake Kershaw during his concert on the Field of Rock stage on Sunday. There were also opportunities to donate to the Darnell family at the event gates. The total amount raised is not yet known but is estimated to have exceeded $2,000 less than a day after the accident. ' A somber and respectful tribute was given to the Darnell family and the Shockwave Jet Truck team on Sunday afternoon ahead of the airshow. The gathered crowds fell silent as the mil­ itary service members involved in the air­ show assembled in a straight line on the air­ field, with other performers and the Darnell family gathered behind them. “Taps” was played and four of the event’s civilian performers - Rob Holland, Bill Stein, Nathan Hammond, and Ken Reider - flew Though adverse conditions prevented some of the scheduled hot air balloon activities, there were many opportunities for both Field of Flight attendees and local residents to see the balloons up close. (Photo by Erin Joy Gentry). overhead in the “Missing Mari Formation” an impactful formation in which four aircraft fly together before one breaks formation and flies off to the side as the remainder travel on. The airshow that followed was marked by the excellence for which the Field of Flight is known, and a second show held on July Fourth held more of the same. Other tributes were given during the course of the five-day festival, to include remarks prepared by Eric Greene given in memoriam of former longtime Battle Creek Enquirer journalist Trace Christenson and well-known hot air balloon meister Jim Birk. The former passed away following an accident in 2021, and the latter perished in 2020. Greene’s remarks were delivered on the evening of Friday, July 1, and said, in part, “(Christenson) helped organize balloon com­ petitions and exhibitions all over the United States with his friend, Jim Birk, and he worked with numerous pilots and crew mem­ bers to bring the splendor of hot air balloons closer to the general public.” The launch that followed Greene’s remarks on Christenson was held against the backdrop of a colorful sunset on a mild evening, a fitting tribute for a man praised for his “gentle spirit”. The Patty family, who had made the 90 minute drive from Fort Wayne, Ind. to attend the festivities on Friday, July 1, were impressed with what they saw. Though this was their first time attending Field of Flight in Battle Creek, they have seen numerous airshows before, including one held recently in their hometown featuring the USAF Thunderbirds. “I’m really impressed with the airshow this afternoon, even though it was just the prac­ tice run,” said Angie Patty, who was sitting near the airshow fence line with her husband John and their three young sons. Patty said that she first heard of the event in Battle Creek on social media - a sentiment heard again and again over the course of the festival. USAF Capt. Daniel Katz is Pilot 6 in the Thunderbird line-up and one of just two solo pilots on the team who demonstrates the F-16’s capability. Katz, who is from Los Angeles, is in his firsLyear as a Thunderbird pilot and said that the Field of Flight was his first time visiting Michigan. (Photo by Erin Joy Gentry) The twilight air show and night air show were crowd-pleasers on the mild evening of July 1, with mesmerizing aerially-deployed fireworks and brightly-lit planes sparkling against the darkening sky. Those assembled on the evening of July 1 were the last to witness Shockwave Jet Truck driver Chris Darnell complete a performance. The truck’s three jet engines’ afterburners made for a dramatic lightning effect behind a wall of smoke. In its final pass across the airshow field during the performance on Friday night, the Shockwave Jet Truck sped past observers as the classic song “Danger Zone” from the movie “Top Gun” provided an energetic musical backdrop. “Top Gun” proved to be a recurring theme over the five-day festival, largely owing to the release of the movie franchise’s much-an­ ticipated sequel which debuted in theaters in June 2022. While “Top Gun” and “Top Gun: Maver­ ick” focused on naval aircraft - of which several were featured prominently in this year’s Field of Flight airshow line up - it was the USAF Thunderbirds who served as the main attraction. USAF Thunderbird Pilot 6, Captain Daniel Katz, credits “Top Gun” with reinvigorating Americans’ excitement for fighter jets and military aircraft, regardless of which branch is featured in the film. “What you see in the movie and what you see from [the Thunderbirds] is actually pretty similar in terms of jets flying really close to each other, going real fast, real low, lots of noise,” said Katz. “But what we don’t do is take off out of boats,” he chuckled. “That’s the Navy.” “There’s also a lot less beach volleyball,” he quipped. Katz said that despite not having a military background, attending airshows as a kid ignited his interest in aviation. “I had seen the Thunderbirds perform a few times when I was real young,” said Katz. “At the time, I thought, ‘Hey, that would be a really cool career opportunity.’ ” While he never set out to become a Thun­ derbird pilot, he realized that he had a fair shot at landing a spot on the elite demonstra­ tion team after he had flown the F-16 for a number of years as a USAF Captain. “I didn’t have a ‘10-year-plan’, if you will,” he said. “It took me a while to realize it was something that was actually in my grasp.” As one of two solo pilots on the team, Katz’s role is to demonstrate the full capabil­ ity of the F-16, which includes speeds approaching 1,000 miles per hour, subjecting himself to seven and a half times the force of gravity, and climbing 75 feet in a matter of seconds. On a scale from one to 10, Katz rates his experience with the Thunderbirds as being “at a 12” and calls his cockpit the best office in the world. This, 2022, is Katz’s first season with the Thunderbirds - something that has given way for several other “firsts,” such as visiting the Midwest for the first time. “I’m crossing a lot off of my bucket list,” said Katz, who added that what he has seen of the Midwest and especially of Michigan has made him consider settling down with his wife in this part of the country. Board of commissioners to approve rule change; commissioners granted right to speak more freely at meetings Jayson Bussa Editor A proposed amendment to the Barry Coun­ ty Board of Commissioners rules of proce­ dures would give each commissioner leeway to speak his or her piece at meetings. At Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting, commissioner David Jack­ son proposed that the county’s board of com­ missioners allow time at each meeting for what he labeled “commissioner comments.” The time would be allotted for commis­ sioners to discuss current events that are not on the agenda that pertain to Barry County and to respond to questions asked of the board during either of the two public com­ ment sessions. Commissioners are not required to provide comments nor are commissioners allowed to engage in back-and-forth with the general public. “This is an idea we discussed a while ago. Actually this is an idea I think (board chair) Ben Geiger had proposed a year-and-a-half or so ago ... just to have a time when there could be some open discussion between com­ missioners,” Jackson said. “We also listen to two sessions of public comment and there is a lot of information that goes back and forth,” Jackson added. “We Barry County commissioner David Jackson explains his proposal for a rule change that would give each commissioner a chance at meetings to provide comments on cur­ rent events or to respond to questions posed by the public. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) have been asked to respond to some of the questions that have been put out in public comment. This gives us an opportunity after the second public comment to be able to take some of those ideas.” Right now, commissioners are permitted to provide commissioner reports at board meet­ ings, highlighting the goings-on within their districts. The newly-proposed commissioner comments time would provide less restrictive boundaries on what they can discuss. However, the Committee of the Whole felt it necessary to specify that this time can not be used to file motions. Because this sentiment was not spelled out in the original language of the amendment, the board took a brief recess to draw up more specific language. The final language reads as such. “Commissioner’s Comments shall be placed second-to-last on the regular agenda of the Committee of the Whole and Board of Commissioners. During the Commissioner’s Comments, commissioners may openly con­ fer with one another, or speak on items which they feel important to the public. No motions shall be made during Commissioner’s Com­ ments. Only commissioners shall be recog­ nized to speak during Commissioner’s Com­ ments.” “I think it’s long overdue that we have some way of responding,” commissioner Bruce Campbell said. “I think it’s a great source of irritation to our public when there are no answers or even (a way to) address their concerns.” The proposed procedural amendment, however, was met with resistance from some of the audience members in attendance, wor­ ried that the move was a ploy to give com­ missioner’s the last word in debating with the public. From left, commissioners Hoot Gibson, Jon Smelker and Catherine Getty listen during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) “By you folks wanting the last word tells me you’re politicians and you’re not repre­ sentatives of the people of Barry County,” said Gary White of Nashville, who is running for county commissioner. “They should have the last word. This is theirs.” Jackson said that was a misrepresentation of the spirit of the proposed rule change. “The purpose is when people ask us questions during public comment that there’s an opportunity to respond to that,” Jackson reiterated. “If we don’t hear the public comment, we don’t know what to respond to at that point. So I think this is not an opportunity for us to get the last word in. It’s an opportunity to provide information and guidance as requested by our constitu­ ents. The COW passed the motion and now it will go to the board for approval. rt Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care �-* Page 10 — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGE CHARLES J. HIEMSTRA IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Default has occurred in the conditions of a Mortgage (“Mortgage”) made by David Pallasch, an unmarried man, of 1298 Main Street, Suite 4183, Windsor, Colorado 80550, Mortgagor, to Lake Michigan Credit Union, a state chartered credit union, having its principal office at 5519 Glenwood Hills Parkway SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49512 (“Mortgagee”), which Mortgage was dated April 9, 2021, and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds for Barry County, Michigan on April 13, 2021 at Instrument Number 2021-004971. By reason of this default, the Mortgagee hereby declares the entire unpaid amount of said Mortgage due and payable immediately. As of the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due on this Mortgage the sum of One Hundred Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred Twenty-nine and 22/100 Dollars ($114,229.22). No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by this Mortgage or any part thereof. NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT: Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the above Mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, at the East Steps of the courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on Thursday, the 21 st day of July 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The premises covered by this Mortgage are located in the Township of Rutland, County of Barry, State of Michigan and described on the attached Exhibit A. Notice is further given that the length of the redemption period will be six (6) months from the date of sale unless determined to be abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be as provided by MCL 600.3241a. If this property is sold at a foreclosure sale by advertisement, during the period of redemption, borrower/mortgagor will be responsible to the purchaser or to the mortgage holder for physical injury to the property beyond wear and tear resulting from the normal use of the property if the physical injury is caused by or at the direction of the borrower/mortgagor. Dated: June 9, 2022 LAKE MICHIGAN CREDIT UNION MORTGAGEE THIS INSTRUMENT PREPARED BY: Charles J. Hiemstra (P-24332) Attorney for Mortgagee 125 Ottawa Ave., NW, Suite 310 .'Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 235-3100 j EXHIBIT AT ■ Legal Description That part of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 10, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 corner of said Section; thence South 3 degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds East 660.07 feet along the West line of said Southwest 1/4 to the North line of the South 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Southwest 1/4 and the Place of Beginning; thence North 86 degrees 55 minutes 32 seconds East 994.61 feet along said North line to the Southerly line of the Westerly extension of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 69.88 feet along said Southerly line; thence Southwesterly 117.26 feet along said Southerly line along the arc of a 60 foot radius curve to the right, the chord of which bears South 63 degrees 24 minutes 2 seconds West 99.47 feet; thence South 2 degrees 44 minutes 51 seconds West 160.93 feet; thence South 3 degrees 16 minutes 44 seconds East 105 feet; thence North 87 degrees 5 minutes 1 second East 503.80 feet to the East line of the West 1/2 of said Southwest 1/4; thence South 3 degrees 18 minutes 6 seconds East 328.36 feet along said East line to the South line of said Northwest 1/4, Southwest 1/4; thence South 87 degrees 0 minutes 14 seconds West 1,323.42 feet along said South line to the West line of said Southwest 1/4; thence North 3 degrees 29 minutes 26 seconds West 660.07 feet along said West line to the Place of Beginning. Together with a non-exclusive easement being more particularly described as follows: An easement over a strip of land 66 feet in width for highway purposes and public utilities known as Scenic Trail (extended portion), the Centerline of such easement being described as follows: Beginning at the West end of Scenic Trail as shown in Clearview Lakes Estates according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24, at a point which lies South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 33 feet from the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of said plat; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 345 feet to the point of ending, including in said easement land lying within a 60 foot radius cul-de-sac, the radius of which lies South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 50.10 feet from said point of ending. Also subject to and together with a parcel of land reserved for a private easement for drainage and park purposes described as follows: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Lot 6 of Clearview Lakes Estates as recorded in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 24; thence South 25 degrees 57 minutes 6 seconds East 66 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence South 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds West 36.37 feet along said South line for the true place of beginning; thence South 5 degrees 27 minutes 56 seconds West 77.07 feet; thence South 51 degrees 20 minutes 37 seconds East 73.26 feet; thence South 9 degrees 8 minutes 4 seconds West 88.09 feet; thence South 6 degrees 7 minutes 21 seconds West 109.92 feet; thence South 32 degrees 47 minutes 21 seconds West 133.66 feet; thence South 13 degrees 26 minutes 18 seconds West 130.68 feet; thence South 0 degrees 28 minutes 46 seconds East 69.35 feet; thence South 47 degrees 29 minutes 41 seconds West 79.24 feet; thence North 51 degrees 46 minutes 51 seconds West 82.65 feet; thence North 0 degrees 1 minute 5 seconds East 101.21 feet; thence North 5 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds East 96.52 feet; thence North 19 degrees 40 minutes 48 seconds East 93.61 feet; thence North 20 degrees 5 minutes 31 seconds East 91.43 feet; thence North 19 degrees 22 minutes 10 seconds East 84.41 feet; thence North 1 degree 59 minutes 37 seconds East 77.31 feet; thence North 63 degrees 37 minutes 30 seconds East 59.63 feet; thence North 4 degrees 34 minutes 6 seconds West 51.36 feet to the South line of Scenic Trail; thence North 64 degrees 2 minutes 54 seconds East 55 feet to the place of beginning. Parcel ID No. 08-13-010-007-00 Property address: 1 Scenic Trail, Hastings, Michigan 49058 182310 I FTtf”- AI ......................................................... - NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on July 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not au­ tomatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE SALE -Daniel Drum and Amy N. Drum, Husband and wife as joint tenants, original mortgagors, granted a Mortgage to Citifinancial, Inc., dated No­ vember 30, 2006, and recorded December 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1173501, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan, and assigned to Citifinancial Servicing LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, recorded on January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017-000595, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as owner Trustee for WF 19 Grantor Trust, recorded January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017­ 000596 in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust III recorded April 13, 2021 as Instrument Number 20212-004919, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michi­ gan which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Two Thousand Thirty dollars and 10/100 dollars ($22,030.10). The sale is subject to a Mortgage recorded on May 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1164135 of Barry County Register of Deeds. The following described premises situated in the Township of Prairieville, County of Barry, State of Michigan, to-wit: Begin­ ning at the Northwest corner of Section 4, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence on the Township line of South 89 degrees 52 minutes 06 seconds East 180 feet; thence South 00 degrees 48 minutes 01 seconds East parallel with the West line of said section 587.21 feet to the Northeasterly edge of Hughes Road, a private drive in the plat of Shady Heights, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, on page 37; thence North 53 degrees 37 minutes 00 seconds West 427.89 feet; thence North 09 degrees 49 minutes 00 seconds East 114.74 feet; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 12 seconds East parallel with the North line of the Northeast fractional 1/4 of the adjacent section 5, a distance of 139.80 feet to the section line common to said section 4 and 5; thence North 00 degrees 48 min­ utes 01 seconds West on same 221.0 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 10929 Pine Lake Road, Delton, Ml 49046 Property ID# 08^12^04-007-1 P Jig fgdsfwfitionperiod ^sh^lli^6 months from the-date of suchfsale, unless' de'termined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241, in which case the redemption period shall be 1 month, or under MCL 600.3241 a 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later, or extin­ guished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice ATTENTION PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. This notice is from a debt collector. Dated: June 14 2022 For more information, please call: (513) 852­ 6066 Daniel A. Cox and Crystal L. Saresky Wood & Lamping LLP Attorneys for Servicer 600 Vine Street, Suite 2500, Cincinnati, OH 45202 File 21­ 12006 (06-16)(07-14) 182533 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust In the Matter of llene B. Hilson Revocable Trust dated 12/17/2012. Date of birth: llene B. Hilson 12/26/1927. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, llene B. Hilson, died 01/03/2022, leaving the above Trust in full force and effect. Creditors of the decedent or against the Trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or trust will be forever barred unless presented to Highpoint Community Bank, Trustee, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: June 30, 2022 Rhoades McKee PC Stephanie S. Fekkes P43549 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-1921 Highpoint Community Bank 150 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 (269)945-2401 183538 d ............... - - PUBLICATION NOTICE TO CREDITORS DECEDENT’S TRUST ESTATE State of Michigan, County of Barry, In the Matter of the Patricia E. Reif Trust. Decedent’s date of birth: July 26,1933. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Your interest in this matter may be barred or affected by the following: The decedent, Patricia E. Reif, lived in Barry County, Midland, Michigan, and died June 10, 2022. Creditors of the deceased are notified that all decedent’s assets were held by the Trustee at decedent’s death, and the decedent has no probate estate. Creditors of the deceased are further notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to: James E. Reif or Paula R. Headbloom, Co-Trustees and/or Ramon F. Rolf, Jr., Weiler Law Group, PLC, the attorney’s office representing James E. Reif and Paula R. Headbloom, as Co-Trustees within 4 months of the publication of this notice. This notice is published pursuant to MCL 700.7608. If a probate estate is opened in the future for the decedent, this notice is intended to satisfy the requirements of MCL 700.3801. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the person(s) entitled to it. Date: June 29, 2022 Weiler Law Group, PLC Ramon F. Rolf, Jr. (P28226) 5820 Eastman Avenue Midland, Ml 48640 (989) 492-0955 , James E. Reif 907 West Park Drive Midland, Ml 48640 (989) 492-0955 Paula R. Headbloom 3000 Glacier Way Apt. 130 Ann Arbor, Ml 48105 (989)492-0955 183464 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION AND NOTICE OF FRIEND OF THE COURT -------- ---------------- ------ - ------- --------------- ------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- £. NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number: SP-6-2022 - Ronald McLouth (Property Owners) Location: 10640 Manning Lake Road, In Sec­ tion 1 of Barry Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to have an accessory dwelling pursuant to Article 23, Section 2305 in the RR (Rural Residential) zoning district. MEETING DATE: July 25th, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described properties will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@barrycounty.org. The special use applications are available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 183612 ANNUAL STATUTORY REVIEW PUBLIC NOTICE ANNUAL REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE RECORD OF THE FRIEND OF THE COURT Pursuant to Michigan law, the chief circuit judge annually reviews the performance record of the friend of the court. The review will be conducted on or about July 1, 2022. This review is limited by law to the following criteria: whether the friend of the court is guilty of misconduct, neglect of statutory duty, or failure to carry out the written orders of the court relative to a statutory duty; whether the purposes of the Friend of the Court Act are being met; and whether the duties of the friend of the court are being carried out in a manner that reflects the needs of the community. Members of the public may submit written comments to the chief judge relating to these criteria. Send your written comments, with your name and address, to Hon. William H. Doherty, 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml 49058. .. . '7 । ............... " " 183309 F^****fc«'.* ■'-■-■4'&***'■'•■ ■ -■ >■ STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29141-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Norman L. Stanton. Date of birth: 02/07/1933. , TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Norman L. Stanton, died 03/05/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to John D. Stanton, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/29/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 John D. Stanton 6524 E. Dowling Road Nashville, Michigan 49073 183614 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING June 8, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk's Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to accept the Ordinance 2022-183 for the second reading and adoption Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Motion to approve the quote from Dell for new computers for the Township Hall Roll Call Vote motion passes 6-1 Motion to accept revisions on Ordinance 2022­ 179 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to approve budget amendments for bided projects Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Adjournment 7:49 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-800-870-7085 183667 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29202-DE Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Tracy Lynn Farr. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Tracy Lynn Farr, died December 21,2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Laurie Ann Travis, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 06/17/2022 Elizabeth V. Bauer P26187 128 East Bridge Street Plainwell, Michigan 49080 (269) 685-6883 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty hai concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have beef): ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for thr party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number' stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given; under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,’ 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgag|; will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, gr; some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. The amount due on the: mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitfej the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, eithej of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage: made by Heather Anne Barton, an unmarried womaixi to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., a| nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ojassigns, Mortgagee, dated October 12,2016 and recordej October 18,2016 in Instrument Number 2016-010472 an$ Loan Modification Agreement recorded on February 19, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-001257, Barry County. Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth’ Third Bank, National Association successor by merger t|. MB Financial Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimedto be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifty­ Seven Thousand Six Hundred Twelve and 58/100 Dollars ($157,612.58). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Thornapple, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: That part of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4’ North, Range 10 West, described as: Beginning at the East 1/4 corner of said Section 36; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes 30 seconds West 625.0 feet along the North line of said Southeast 1/4, thence South 45 degrees. 09 minutes 30 seconds East 575 feet, more or less, to the centerline of Thornapple River; thence Northeasterly along' said centerline 295 feet, more or less, to the East line of said Section 36; thence North 00 degrees 00 minutes West 215 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. 7101 West Loop Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordanc| with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. 1*3**6 If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: July 7, 2022 ? File No. 22-003936 Firm Name: Orlans PC J Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084’ Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (07-07)(07-28) 18370} . Laurie Ann Travis 1101-12th Street Martin, Michigan 49070 (269) 207-9970 Banner 183439 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 11, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for RMTP Trust, Series 2021 Cottage-TT-V Date of Mortgage: November 30, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10,2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $176,583.73 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 7, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1468755 (07-07)(07-28) 183730 MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER 945-9554 ‘ Wanted R & R AUTO RECYCLING- Buying all un­ wanted vehicles, any condition. Free pick up! 269-876-9048. Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793'. Pets SPRINGER SPANIEL PUPPIES- Ready for their FURever homes! 269-673-3759. Fann SMALL SQUARE STRAW BALES $3/each, 517-781-0346. , Community Notice PUBLIC NOTICE- A third misconduct complaint about Judge Vicky Alspaugh with the Judicial Tenure Commission is pending regarding a conflict of interest that happened with Attorney Brad Gee (P69239) on May 30th 2022, during a Motion to Disqualify. A new hearing to Disqualify Judge Alspaugh will be set before Judge William Doherty. Date TBA. A complaint to the Attorney Grievance Commis­ sion is pending for Attorney Brad Gee. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: AH real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — Page 11 Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs House Bill 4842 while visiting Grand Traverse Distillery in Traverse City. (Courtesy photo) New state legislation to benefit local distilleries, grain farmers This week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4842 into law, which cuts costs for small Michigan distilleries and supports Michigan grain farmers. House Bill 4842 assists Michigan’s growing craft distillery industry by lowering mark up costs associat­ ed with the purchase of Michigan grain, increasing the number of bottles distillers can produce while saving them and their customers money. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and today I am proud to sign bipar­ tisan legislation that supports an iconic and growing Michigan industry - craft distill­ eries,” said Gov. Whitmer. “Since my first day in office, I have been focused on grow­ ing Michigan’s economy, creating good-pay­ ing jobs, and investing in a range of indus­ tries across Michigan, including our strong food and agriculture businesses. This biparti­ san bill lowering costs for Michigan distillers demonstrates what we are capable of when we work together and put Michiganders first.” “I thank Gov. Whitmer for signing this bipartisan legislation and her ongoing sup­ port for expanding and investing in Michi­ gan’s food and agriculture businesses, including our growing craft beverage sec­ tor,” said Gary McDowell, director, Michi­ gan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). “Michigan ranks 7th in the nation for craft distilleries and gen­ erates more than a billion dollars in econom­ ic activity. By using more locally grown and sourced products, it creates additional oppor­ tunities for our farmers, keeps more jobs in Michigan and supports local economies across the state.” This bill was sponsored by Rep. Pat Outman (R - Six Lakes). “The signing of this bill today by Gov. Whitmer is the single largest help for craft distillers since 2007 when Grand Traverse Distillery started producing spirits,” said Kent Rabish, owner of Grand Traverse Dis­ tillery. “We have always use local grain and this is going to help the bottom line tremendous­ ly. We were planning on a price increase with our vodka line since we have never increased the price and with the cost-of-living adjust­ ments we just couldn’t afford to sell it any longer at $30 a bottle. This bill helps us maintain the cost for consumers.” Replica of Vietnam memorial coming to Battle Creek Will Kowalski J-Ad News Services Residents from the Battle Greek area and beyond are expected to make their way to Cereal City on July 14-17 to look and reflect on the names of military members who paid the ultimate sacrifice during their service when the national traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica Wall and Mobile Educa­ tion Center comes to the Harper Creek High soccer field. Both the viewing of the exhibit and park­ ing on the HCHS grounds will be free. The event is being hosted by the Calhoun County Red White Blue Foundation, and sup­ ported by several businesses, companies, groups and individuals. Below is an itinerary for the event and some additional details. More On The Wall • The Wall That Heals is a three-quarter scale wall replica. It is 375 feet in length and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point. • Visitors will experience the wall rising above them as they walk toward the apex, a key feature of its design. • • Visitors are able to do name rubbings of individual service member’s names on the wall. Attendees will be furnishing paper for the rubbings. Mobile Education Center - The Mobile Education Center exhibit includes: • Digital photo displays of “Hometown Heroes” - service members whose names are on the wall in the five-county area. • Digital photo displays of Vietnam veter­ ans from the local area honored through VVMF’s In Memory program, which honors veterans who returned home from Vietnam and later died as a result of their service. • Video displays that teach about the histo­ ry and impact of the wall; educational exhib­ its told through items representative of those left at the wall in D.C.; a replica of the “In Memory” plaque; a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the Vietnam War. • The exhibits tell the story of the Vietnam War, the wall and the era surrounding the conflict, and are designed to put American experiences in Vietnam in a historical and cultural context. The Event - • The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memo­ rial along with a Mobile Education Center, is coming to Emmett Township near Battle Creek on Thursday, July 14 through Sunday, July 17 at the Harper Creek High School Soc­ cer Field. • The Wall will be open 24 hours a day and is free to the public. Parking is free. • The Wall That Heals honors the more than three million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War and it bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. • The Calhoun County Red White Blue Foundation is serving as host for the exhibit. • Brigadier General Robert Secrist, USA Retired, stated: “This event is a special opportunity to show our support for the mili­ tary. This event is a unique occasion to thank Vietnam veterans for their sendee and sacri­ fices during the Vietnam War and for their suffering since then. Battle Creek offers a central location for all from western, south­ western and southern Michigan - and else­ where - to easily visit The Wall.” Opening Ceremony and Times/Schedule • Opening Ceremony is 10 a.m. Thursday, July 14. Keynote Speaker is Medal of Honor Recipient, Jim McCloughan. • Closing Ceremony is noon, Sunday, July 17. Keynote Speaker is Former U. S. Con­ gressman, Dr. John J.H. “Joe” Schwarz of Battle Creek. • Taps Every Evening at 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, July 14-16. • Colonel Frank Walker, U.S. Air Force, Retired, and co-chair of the event, will serve as master of ceremonies for both opening and closing ceremonies. • The arrival/the escort route: Departs 2 p.m. July 12: The trailer containing the wall leaves the Galesburg-Augusta Primary School, 315 West Battle Creek Street, Gales­ burg, at 2 p.m. on July 12, escorted by over 600 motorcycles. At 1 p.m. begins free motor­ cycle line up at primary school, with an escort briefing at 1:45 p.m. • The route - 2:09 p.m. Downtown Augus­ ta; 2:13 p.m. Fort Custer National Cemetery, Dickman Road; 2:14 p.m. Silver Star Apart­ ments, Clark Road; 2:15 p.m. West Michigan Avenue and Clark Road Intersection; 2:19 p.m. West Michigan Ave. and Bedford Road intersection; 2:27 p.m. West Michigan Ave. and Division Street intersection; 2:28 p.m. West Michigan Ave. becomes Main Street intersection; 2:29 p.m. Main Street and Cliff Street intersection; 2:30 p.m. Main Street and Columbia Avenue intersection (continue on Beadle Lake Road); 2:37 p.m. - Arrive at Harper Creek High School entrance on Bea­ dle Lake Road. • Note: The Wall That Heals will arrive in a 53-foot trailer. When parked, the trailer opens with exhibits built into its sides, allow­ ing it to serve as a Mobile Education Center telling the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history. Other General Info • Specialist Five James “Jim” McCloughan, Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam veter­ an, is keynote speaker at the Opening Cere­ mony and will honor all his fellow Vietnam veterans with the singing of our National Anthem, 10 a.m. Thurs., July 14. McCloughan, of South Haven, was pre­ sented the Medal of Honor for military valor because of distinguished action as a U.S. Army combat medic during the Viet­ nam War. • Former U.S. Congressman and Battle Creek doctor John J. H. “Joe” Schwarz will be the keynote speaker at the Closing Cere­ mony, noon on Sunday, July 17. Lieutenant Commander Joe Schwarz was a U.S. Navy combat surgeon who served two tours in Vietnam. • Also, Brigadier General Robert Secrist USA Retired, co-chair of the event, will pro­ vide reflections of the week at the closing ceremony. • Present plans are for the Hooligan’s Flight Team to lead the arrival of the Escort at Harper Creek High School, Tuesday, July 12, and perform flyovers at the opening ceremo­ ny on Thursday, July 14 and closing ceremo­ ny on Sunday, July 17. Sponsors/Volunteers • The 2022 National The Wall That Heals Tour is generously sponsored by USAA. Through a partnership with the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the trucking industry and Blue Beacon, the exhibit is able to travel across the country. • Major local sponsors are Battle Creek VA Medical Center, Calhoun County Veterans Affairs, Harper Creek Community Schools, JB’s Whisky, Battle Creek Community Foun­ dation, Battle Creek Field of Flight, Biggby Coffee of Battle Creek, Chick-fil-A of Battle Creek, Dockmaster, eXp Realty, Gales­ burg-Augusta Community Schools, Jetco Signs, Kellogg Community Credit Union and Troxel Realty. Children of all ages are invited to: Quest for the King's Armor at Knights of North Castle Vacation Bible School! Auto Repair Tech Russ’Auto Repair is looking to hire an Auto Repair Tech. Must be Master State Certified. Driver’s license and reliable transportation required. $25-$32 per hour depending on experience. Call 269-838-6852 ask for Thomas Sunday, July 10 - Wednesday, July 13,9:00 am 41:30 am Come explore any or all of the days of Knights of North Castle VBSI For more information contact Green Street Church, 209 W. Green Street, Hastings at 269-945-9574; or office.greenstreetumc@gmail.com �Page 12 — Thursday, July 7, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Annual Gas and Steam Engine Show to return to Charlton Park for 50th year Now in its 50th year, the Charlton Park Gas and Steam Engine Club is presenting its annual Gas and Steam Engine Show on Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Historic Charlton Park Village, Museum and Recreation Area. Displays featuring antique tractors, stationary engines, steam engines, farm machinery and other rare antiques will be on site. The antique saw mill, shingle mill, thrashing machine and many other pieces of antique machinery will be operating throughout the two days. Visitors will also get a glimpse of the rare 1884 Westing­ house Traction Engine in the park’s collection. This year will feature tractors and equipment from the Rumely and Allis families of farming and industrial equipment. The event will feature a tractor pull, miniature horse pull and pedal pull, along with other attractions for all ages. There will be a pancake breakfast starting at 7 a.m., food vendors and a flea market. Registration and camping are available for vendors and exhibitors. Exhibitor registration is required, but mem­ bership is not. Admission to the event is $5 per person for those 13-years-old and older. Ages 12 and under are free. More information can be found by calling 269-945­ 3775, visiting charltonpark.org or by visiting Charlton Park’s Facebook page. Barry County Great Start Collaborative receives grant for Early Childhood Scholarships The Barry County Great Start Collaborative (BCGSC) recently received a $4,000 Walmart Community Grant. The BCGSC is a group of local professionals and parents that works towards a vision to socially, emotionally and developmentally support children to be healthy, thriving and ready to learn. The group works on many facets of family support, including maternal and infant health, trauma informed community, literacy, parent education and supporting early childhood educators. The Walmart Community Grant will be used towards the Barry County Early Education Fund, which provides scholarships for preschool-aged students in Barry County. The program provides scholarships that range from $250 to $500 per student each school year. The scholar­ ships, while not intended to cover the full cost of pre­ school, are meant to assist as many families as possible so that more students in Barry County will have access to preschool. In 2021, five preschool scholarships were given out to students in Barry County. Organizers are hopeful the group will be able to give out even more in 2022. More information about the Barry County Great Start Collaborative can be found at gjeatsunbarry.org. To learn more about preschool scholarships and how to apply, contact Sara Syswerda at ssyswerda@cedarcreekinstitute.org. Shakespeare comes to Nashville Photo by Susan Christner FUN THAT FLOATS: Annual boat parade brings creative vessels to Middle Lake A decades-old Middle Lake tradition continued on Independence Day as families gathered to participate in the annual holiday boat parade. Dr. Matt Moser, Hast­ ings Baptist Church lead pastor, served as judge this year, selecting the winner. More than a dozen boats adorning patriotic and creative designs, including hula dancers, competed for the coveted Middle Lake Best in Show trophy, pinnacled by a shiny pontoon boat at its peak and names of past winners. This year’s winning boat involved several families working closely together to design and transform Jim and Angie Woodall’s pontoon boat into a one-of-a-kind pirate ship. Kathy Carpenter was the brains behind decor and constructed the side walls out of foam board that she designed and painted. The kraken legs hanging on the sides of the ship were made from chicken wire that was stuffed and painted. The ship also included a plank, a cannon made from PVC pipe, skeleton pirates climbing the mast and several flags. The pirate crew included the families of Jim and Angie Woodall; Brad and Kathy Carpenter; Kathy Linker; John and Nicole Linker with their kids Gabby and Brody; and Daniel and Stacey Woodall with their kids Alexa, Avalea, Josiah and Kyzik. Honorable mention went to the armed services boat, uecorated by Mike and Lisa Flohr. They were joined by their son Jason and his wife Mary, their four sons Jere­ miah, Gabe, Joshua and Luke and Mary Flohr’s mother, Mary Walliczek. Also on the boat were Mike and Lisa’s daughter Kelli Worth, her husband Dan, and their two kids Kaiden and Kaitlyn. Photo by Susan Christner The Crown Revue in Nashville will kick off its perfor­ mances of Hamlet this weekend. The Bard’s famous play features swords, ghosts and deceit. In addition, The Crown Revue’s performance will display the talents of local actors and actresses. Shakespeare has never graced The Crown Revue’s stage before and organizers hope the community will be supportive. Director Jacob Cook and producer Angry Pillows Pro­ ductions have crowdfunded money for months to put on the play, and were ultimately successful attaining their $700 goal. The cast of 15 is small but mighty, and has been rehearsing since the second week of May. Hamlet performances will be Friday and Saturday July 8-9 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, July 10 at 2 p.m.; Friday and Sat­ urday July 15-16 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, July 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person and can be purchased online or at the door. More information about The Crown Revue’s pro­ duction of Hamlet can be found on the theater’s Face­ book page. Photo by Susan Christner Photo by Susan Christner What does Independence Day mean? Land of the free, home of the brave By Gina Johnsen We just celebrated the 246th anniversary one U.S. History class. Many of our youth do not know what a representative of our nation’s Independence Day. What does government. They expect government to provide financial hand-outs instead that mean exactly? Does it mean fireworks, of offering them opportunities to thrive on their own. Most of our youth cookouts, vacation time, parades? To most don’t know our history as a nation, nor our patriotic songs, and they are not Americans, it encompasses any or all of these, educated to defend or maintain our legacy of a freedom-loving, independent but the meaning is much deeper than that. Our history is so rich that it is nation. Contrasting leaders today with our Founding Fathers of the 1700s, let’s worth repeating every year, just to help us keep our focus so we don’t lose the “independence” others fought so hard to establish many years ago. So, in the 1700s, America (13 colonies), a young nation, was bullied, look at “politics”. Did our Founding Fathers put their ideas on a brochure, taxed, pressured, (some were) imprisoned, and threatened by Great Britain’s hear? Or did they risk everything: their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred run for office, and merely talk about what they thought others would like to King George III. He wanted to maintain control of the new colonies by honor to reinforce values like personal responsibility, personal autonomy, controlling their resources, their livelihoods, and the flow of money from the need for a strong work ethic and the dignity that comes from personal ■' those resources. When that wasn’t enough, he taxed the citizens more to accomplishments? Did they spend ALL their money to secure freedom । benefit his own financial greed. The colonists tolerated abuse until they couldn’t take it anymore. The for the rest? For future generations like us? Yes, they did. Many of our Founding Fathers died penniless. They “left it all on the field”, risking it j pastors in churches led the “rebellion” against the tyranny of this bully, enforcing the Declaration of Independence, which officially announced the all, having an idea of what freedom would look like without a government bearing down against them. This is why the U.S. Constitution was carefully colonies’ separation from Great Britain. Through Sunday sermons, pastors were political, leading the colonists to rise up against tyranny, teaching written and prayed through. They knew it would be THE protection against a government that would not treat its citizens with dignity and freedom. They I principles of freedom and abuse, good and evil, and clarifying civilized had a glimpse of what real freedom would feel like, because they knew the governmental standards. Almost every church gave sermons outlining their grievances against King George for over-taxation, misrepresentation (or no God of the Bible, the source of all real freedom. 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence stated that they were doing this for the rights of all people representation), seizing of property to please the King’s desires, and removal and to preserve the dignity for all mankind, as endowed by our Creator. of their religious and individual liberties. The War of Independence was just The United States is supposed to be an independent, autonomous country that interfaces and trades with other countries. However, some leaders are that - Americans’ efforts to establish independence and autonomy from any other country, any other ruler, any other set of rules that they previously had in agreement with Marxism, globalism, national control of farms, schools, escaped. Above all, they fought to maintain religious freedom to worship parents, families, businesses, and people of faith. In the colonial days, the few and seek God according to their consciences. They fought an abusive that fought for righteous freedom were mocked by the majority. And today government, and against all odds, established the citizenry of the United we see the same. Because of a lack of courage and historical knowledge, we States of America. Let’s fast forward to July 4,2022. In Lansing, pro-abortionists blocked a run the risk of losing vision to retain our freedoms. 4th of July Independence Day Parade. The police took no action to preserve the citizens’ rights to celebrate history through a simple parade. In Chicago, rights in Michigan. 1 need your vote on August 2nd so I can be your voice of I hope you will join me in standing up for our God-given Constitutional independence and freedom in Lansing. with ail their strict gun laws and gun free zones, there was another shooting Your comments are welcome and encouraged: resulting in many injured and 6 people killed. University of Michigan Gina4StateRep@gmail.com. For more information, please visit my website: Gina4StateRep.com. provides graduates with a history degree with no requirement for even taking Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina nsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 Two military veterans raise the American Legion flag in front of the Upjohn House at Charlton Park on the Fourth of July. (Photo by Jacqueline Muma) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-07-14.pdf 19d9137ca63f6f30adac888b85688ede PDF Text Text Thornapple Manor cuts ribbon on new addition Relocating county board chambers needs to make business sense Abby Marcukaitis earns All-America swim honor See story on page 2 See story on page 4 See story on page 9 804879110187 1070490102590503450849058113421 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AMI Thursday, July 14, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 28 PRICE $1.50 Hastings man bound over for trial, accused of setting police cruiser on fire Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 31-year-old Hastings man will stand trial on charges he deliberately set a Hastings Police Department patrol car on fire in March of this year. Jeremy Scott Dunklee was bound over to circuit court Monday by Judge William Doherty on multiple charges stemming from the March 21 incident in the parking lot of City Hall. Dunklee remains lodged in the Barry County Jail on $200,000 bond. He is charged with third-degree arson, malicious destruction of police property and assaulting, resisting and obstructing an officer. He has also been charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. The arson charge carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years and fines of up to $20,000. Assistant Prosecutor Jessica Payne called three witnesses during Monday’s preliminary hearing - Hastings Deputy Police Chief Julissa Kelly, Police Chief Dale Boulter and Dave Solmes, owner of Dewey’s Auto Body in Rutland Charter Township. Kelly testified she had just returned to the department after having handled a prior inci­ dent when she encountered Dunklee in the City Hall parking lot. “I noticed Mr. Dunklee walking through the parking lot towards my direction, and I specifically remember thinking he appeared angry or upset, carrying a red gas can, and my first thought was that his vehicle ran out of gas,” Kelly said. Kelly went on to say that as soon as she got out of her unmarked vehicle, she saw Dunklee “pouring a clear liquid on top of one of our patrol vehicles,” and not long after, the patrol car caught fire. Dunklee then took off on foot away from the scene, and Kelly pursued him. “I said ‘stop, police’ at the top of my lungs several times. He kept on running,” she said. “I followed him southbound out of our parking lot up to East State Street, and then through an opening in a walkway toward the Ace Hardware parking lot, and then in a southeast direction through the parking lot to South Boltwood Street,” Kelly added. Once in the parking lot, a motorist blocked Dunklee’s path with his vehicle. Kelly moved in to arrest Dunklee, but she testified that he resisted. The motorist held down one of Dunklee’s arms while Kelly held down the other, and another person held Dunklee down on the ground while Kelly handcuffed him, she said. “He was thrashing, pulling away - just refused to put his hands behind his back,” Kelly said. Kelly said she didn’t know Dunklee’s name at first, but recognized his face, saying See HASTINGS MAN, page 3 Charlton Park celebrates 50th annual Antique Gas and Steam Engine Show Antique farming equipment was the mode of transport for many over the weekend, like Phil and Maria Roodvoets on their Farmall. Phil and Maria’s sons, Tim and Jeff Roodvoets, hauled several of the featured Rumely Oil Pull tractors to the park. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Molly Macleod Copy Editor Gas and steam enthusiasts from near and far hauled their antique farming equipment to the Historic Charlton Park Village this past weekend to mark 50 years of the park’s Antique Gas and Steam Engine Show. This year, the show highlighted tractors and equipment from the Rumely and Allis Tamilies of farming. Fifteen Rumely Oil Pull tractors were on display Friday and Saturday, All 15 Rumely tractors were sourced from three families, some of them local to Barry County. Rumely Oil Pull tractors were sold from 1910 to 1930 and run on kerosene. In addition to the army of Oil Pulls, antique tractors and steam engines by John Deere, Allis-Chalmers, Advance Thresher Co. and Minneapolis, to name a few, were featured. The park’s famous 1884 Westinghouse traction engine was also on site Friday and Saturday, with many attendees seeing the rare machine for the first time. The Westinghouse engine still functions and was demonstrated several times both days of the show. Norm Stevens of Bellevue brought another rare gem to the Gas and Steam Engine Show: His 1918 Minneapolis steam engine. Very few Minneapolis engines were made in that size. (Photo by Molly Macleod) See CHARLTON PARK, page 2 Hastings receives state grant funding to enhance neighborhood Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The City of Hastings has received a $75,000 grant to update and renovate homes on its northeast side. The grant comes from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority through its Neighborhood Enhancement Program, which aims to help fund development projects throughout the state by providing a total of $2 million in awards. Hastings is using the funds to work with at least 10 homeowners to improve the exteri­ ors of their homes through siding, painting, porch repair, accessibility and safety improvement projects. Each address selected is eligible for up to $7,499.99 in grant funds. City of Hastings Community Develop­ ment Director Dan King said eligible homes are contained in the area north of the Thor­ napple River, east of Michigan Avenue, south of Francis Street, and west of Ferris Street. Homes at eligible addresses must be single-family and owner-occupied, meaning rental units are not eligible for grant funds. King said choosing a designated area was part of the grant requirements. The city chose this particular area because of its relatively high number of owner-occupied homes when compared to other areas in the city, as well as homes in this area being older on average, with some being built before 1900. The grant funds are income qualified, meaning homeowners must not exceed 120 percent of the median income for a house­ hold of their size in Barry County. The funds must be used for exterior renovations or enhancements. Siding, painting, window or porch repair projects are all examples of potential projects, King said. Applications are open until Aug. 19, with Barry County Fair opens its gates this weekend Homes within a designated area on the northeast side of Hastings — like these, located near the intersection of East Grant and North Wilson streets — are eligible for grant money to fund exterior improvement projects. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) addresses receiving grant funds to be chosen Aug. 22 using a lottery system. If the city does not use all of its allotted $75,000 at that time, King said the remaining funds will be available to additional applicants on a first come, first serve basis. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said upkeep for existing housing is important for maintaining the city’s housing stock. “We talk a lot about the importance of new housing development; but maintaining the housing that has already been built is also critically important for the future of Hast­ ings,” she said. King said the city anticipates the projects will be completed by the end of the year. “We’re really excited to offer these grant funds in that section of Hastings,” King said. “We’re really appreciative of MSHDA for approving our grant request.” Banner Staff The 169th installment of the Barry County Fair is poised to officially kick off on Monday, but events ramp up this week­ end already. The week-long event at the Barry Coun­ ty Expo Center welcomes in the public on Saturday for such events as harness racing, the youth rocket launch and youth non-livestock judging. Admission and events are free for both Saturday and Sunday. The fair kicks off in full on Monday, with a full schedule of events available at barryexpocenter.com. Last year’s fair was a rousing success and organizers said they hope to duplicate that success this time around. The fair welcomed in a record-setting 41,000 people last year. “This year will be almost identical to what it was last year,” said Dennis Red­ man, president of the Barry County Fair board. “Last year was such a great year people-wise, money-wise, weather-wise. We just didn’t change anything.” That includes prices. Redman said that, despite the current economic climate, attendees can expect the same prices for admission to the fair and grandstand events. “We want to try to make it affordable and fun for everyone,” Redman said. “Nobody is going to make as much one, but it just is what it is.” The Hastings Banner and The Reminder will be providing readers throughout Barry County with coverage of this year’s fair. �Page 2 — Thursday, July 14, 2022 —The Hastings Banner City approves new digital tool for police, discusses road conditions By Hunter McLaren Staff' Writer City council unanimously approved pur­ chasing a subscription to a digital policy management service for the Hastings Police Department. Amongst a laundry list of items discussed at Monday’s meeting, Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter gave a presentation to council members about the service from Lexipol Solu­ tions, which provides regular updates to police policy as changes are made in state and feder­ al legislature. The service will cost $23,988 to implement for the first year, with a continued subscription costing $8,893 per year. Boulter said using the service could poten­ tially save hundreds of hours of manpower that would be necessary to regularly review and update the department’s procedures. “Anybody in law enforcement or public safety knows there’s usually a three ring binder that’s three, four, sometimes five inch­ es thick of policy and procedure,” Boulter said. “It’s been a constant battle trying to keep up with ever-changing laws, especially over the last three to four years.” The service also digitizes the department’s policies, making them easier to search and review. “It’s easier for the end user, which would give officer’s the ability to have that policy and procedure in the palm of their hand, on their phone or car computer,” Boulter said. “Versus (having a paper copy) back at the office or in their patrol bag, and having to page through hundreds and hundreds of pages looking for a policy about how to deal with a certain situation.” Boulter said the department is familiar with the service because it has been using PoliceOne Academy, an online training ser­ vice for police, for the last eight years. Lex­ ipol is another service provided by PoliceOne. In addition to policy updates and digi­ tizing, Lexipol provides daily, 2-minute train­ ing for police officers regarding various poli­ cies and procedures. In her proposal written to city council, Deputy Chief Julissa Kelly said the service was essential for the future of the department. “This platform is crucial to the progression and success of the police department as we continue to face growing mistrust in law enforcement, severe staffing shortages and national outcry for more training,” Kelly wrote. After the council had covered its business items, City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale gave a .presentation to council members about the condition of city roads. Moyer-Cale explained she gathered the information in the report because road condi­ tions have been an issue brought up to coun­ cil members by residents both inside and outside of public meetings. The city’s roads are rated annually using the standardized Pavement Surface Evalua­ tion and Rating system (PASER), which rates roads on a scale of 1-10. Ratings one through four are poor, five through seven are fair, and eight through 10 are good. According to a study in the fall, 7 percent of the city’s roads achieved a good rating, 64 percent were rated fair and 29 percent received a poor rating. Moyer-Cale explained that once roads fall into poor condition, it is much more expen­ sive to repair them than it is to maintain roads that are in good condition. “The key here is to not wait for pavement to be bad before you start treating it, and also to not spend all of your money on the poor From front, left, Thornapple Manor Human Resource Director Rebecca DeHaan, Administrator Donald Haney, Barry County Board of Commissioners Chair Ben Geiger and commissioner Vivian Conner cut the ribbon in the lobby of the new Harvest Pointe project at Thornapple Manor. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Thornapple Manor cuts ribbon for new addition, sets grand opening date Thornapple Kellogg senior Zoey Ziny (left), Hastings senior Julia McLean (right) and Thornapple Kellogg senior Mia Dickman (not pictured) gave a presentation about the Youth Advisory Council’s Roof Sit event in downtown Hastings from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 29. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) “It becomes a question of where you want to put your money. We’re clearly not going to be able to make a quick turnaround regardless of what we do,” Moyer-Cale said. “Even with additional funds, it’s going to take quite a bit of time before we’re able to see a significant difference.” In other business, the city council approved: Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter gave a presentation Monday night to council members regarding Lexipol Solutions, a digital policy management service. The service will digitize and update the department’s policy, making it easier to access and more up-to-date. (Photo by Bunter McLaren) (rated) roads unless you have to,” she said. “For the cost of reconstructing two miles of road, you can sealcoat 14 miles of road.” “So if you spend your limited funds on just the poor roads, you can’t maintain and pre­ vent further deterioration on your fair and good quality roads.” Moyer-Cale explained Hastings expects to receive S970,000 this year from die £tate for the city’s street fund, but much of that money is earmarked for things like snow removal or sidewalk maintenance. Only about 33 percent of major street spending and 15 percent of local street spending is related to road repair, she said. Moyer-Cale estimates that the cost to bring all of the city’s roads to good condition would be $32 million - 33 times the $970,000 in expected revenue from the state for road funds. The city would have to levy 140 mills to generate that amount of money through taxes, she said. “It is not reasonable to have an expectation that we’re ever going to have all of our roads be good,” Moyer-Cale said. “That is com­ pletely unaffordable.” The city will have to get creative with alter­ native sources of funding and carefully prior­ itize projects to make significant headway on road conditions, she said. Other potential solutions included making roads narrower where appro­ priate, reducing upkeep costs and potentially reducing street funds used to salt or plow the roads in the winter. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber ............. -«■ New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 ALUMNI BANQUET Saturday, August 27, 2022 First Presbyterian Church 405 N. M-37, Hastings Meet and Greet 4:30 p.m. Dinner 5:30 p.m. Catered by Seasonal Grille Tickets are $25 per person and are available at the Hastings Public Library & The General Store until August 15th. Tickets must be purchased in advance. CONTACT LOIS BOWERS AT 269-945-9657 affordable workforce housing in the county, he said that meeting made him realize there was a lack of housing across all age demo­ graphics in the county. “If we build 50 units here, then those are seniors that will move in and sell their homes,” Haney said. “They keep their place in Barry County and that opens up a little bit of movement in the market.” Haney said the project has been met with significant interest. “We wanted to make sure we’re meeting a need. As of this morning, we have 74 people on our waitlist to get in and we only have 50 units,” he said. “It’s a pretty good confidence boost that we are actually meeting a need here in Barry County.” Haney will be retiring from his role in Sep­ tember, with Rebecca DeHaan, the current human resources director for Thomapple Manor, taking over. “I’m going to be sunsetting here very soon,” Haney said. “But it’s great to know that when you leave an amazing organization that there is a very special person who can take over.” NEWS BRIEFS Lakes Appreciation Month photo competition The Barry County Chamber and Economic Alliance is embracing Gov. Whitmer’s dec­ laration of July being Lakes Appreciation Month by organizing a photo competition. Lakes Appreciation Month is designed to highlight the rich ecosystems, fresh drinking water, recreational appeal and economic vitality that Michigan’s 11,000 inland lakes and . four bordering Great Lakes provide. In a recent announcement, the Chamber stated that since Barry County is full of so many beautiful lakes, it is only fitting to host a photo competition of Barry-specific lakes. Participants will need to take a picture of a lake nearby and email their best photo to aleshia@mibarry.com with the subject line “Lake Comp” by Sunday, July 24. From July 25-31, anyone can visit the Barry County Chamber and Economic Alliance Facebook page and vote for their favorite photo by “liking” the picture. The winner of the photo competition will be announced on the Chamber’s Facebook page on Monday, Aug. 1 and will receive $100 in Barry Bucks. Participants’ photos may be included in the 2023 Barry County Community Guide. Free children’s clothing exchange The Alpha Women’s Center in Hastings is hosting the grand opening of the Children’s Clothing Exchange on Saturday, July 16. The Children’s Clothing Exchange is a free store and clothing exchange open to families in the community to receive free clothing for children. The Exchange will offer clothing as small as newborn up to 5T. During the grand opening event, no donation is required. Instead, anyone is welcome to come in and select up to 10 free items per child. The grand opening event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. After the event, normal hours for the Exchange will be Tuesdays from 2 to 5 p.m., Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. The Children’s Clothing Exchange is located at 838 W. Green Street in Hastings. More information about the Exchange and the Women’s Center can be found at the Alpha Women’s Center of Barry County’s Facebook page See NEWS BRIEFS, page 3 ............. . ................ ta, . SsV 1NSL/4??f. SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass nnATTENTION! <>4#*** HASTINGS HIGH P ff | SCHOOL 2022 - Sewer rate study proposal from Baker Tilly for an amount no more than $10,000. - A request from the Youth Advisory Coun­ cil to hold the Roof Sit in downtown Hastings from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 29. Proceeds raised from the event will go toward Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center, with the YAC writing a matching grant to the Court Appoint­ ed Special Advocates organization. -Resolutions making changes to non-medicare eligible and medicare eligible retirees as part of the city’s planned other post employ­ ment benefits (OPEB) changes made in November of 2021. City retirees are being moved to a healthcare savings program through MERS starting Aug. 1, with the city paying Medicare eligible retirees $100 a month and non-Medicare eligible employees $200 if they choose a healthcare plan other than the city’s plan. - A request from Fun Promotions to hold an endurance bike race from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 13 at Hammond Hill Trail. - A request from ^ ’Community Action Cen­ ter to hold the Walk for Warmth from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Fish Hatchery Park. Pro­ ceeds and funds raised will keep residents of Hastings and Barry County warm by helping those in need pay for heating and gas bills. -A request from Fire Chief Roger Caris to purchase a new self-contained breathing apparatus from Allied Fire Apparatus for $48,300. - A 5 percent surcharge fee up to $693.50 a month for June, July and August for Leap­ ing Lizards Landscaping to cover increased fuel and material costs. -A fee of no more than $7,200 from Prein & Newhof to prepare a plan for a new, elevat­ ed storage tank for the city’s water distribu­ tion system. - The purchase of various chemicals nec­ essary for the operation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Water Treatment Plant for a total of $119,575. The total went over the $100,000 amount budgeted for chemicals. -The council also appointed Jane Saurman and Dan King as delegates for the Municipal Employees’ Retirement Service (MERS) Annual Conference, taking place Sept. 26-27 in Acme. Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Thornapple Manor Administrator Donald Haney cut the ribbon for the care facility’s new Harvest Pointe addition on Friday, but the grand opening had to wait. Although the ribbon cutting ceremony was originally intended to double as the grand opening of the new wing, Haney explained that supply chain issues had set the project back a few months. The project broke ground in 2019, and the grand opening event for the facility is now scheduled for Aug. 26. “We really look forward to opening this building,” Haney said. “We did run into a construction delay, but these things happen. We were doing really well, but we ran into some supply chain issues. We made up most of that time but those issues kind of cascaded down and came to a head.” Haney said the idea for the facilities came from a discussion about housing at a Barry County Economic Development Alliance board meeting. While Haney himself was aware of issues of young workers finding L Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J 7th Annual CAR, TRUCK & MOTORCYCLE SHOW at Grace Lutheran Church 239 East North Street Hastings Michigan 49058 (Across from Clearstream Rehabilitation and Nursing Center) Sunday, July 31, 2022 9 AM - 3 PM Fittingly, shuttles pulled by tractors roamed Charlton Park on Friday and Saturday. Here, the shuttle is driven by Keith Droscha, a member of Charlton Park’s Gas and Steam Club. (Photo by Molly Macleod) CHARLTON PARK, continued from page 1 ---------------------------Vice President of Charlton Park’s Gas and Steam Club Daryl Cheese­ man said that the 50th anniversary of the show marks an important achievement. “It’s special because, you know, 50 years is a long time to honor a tradition,” said Cheeseman. Despite the tractors being antique, the attendees of the show were not. The park offered food, pedal pulls, tractor pulls, a minia­ ture horse pull, vendors and a swap meet over the weekend. “It’s definitely a family event. A lot of the steam engine operators go four or five generations back,” said Cheeseman. Some of the equipment shown over the weekend are one-of-akind, like the Canton Monitor steam engine that came all the way from Ohio. According to Cheese­ man, the Canton engine is one of six in the world and is the only one that still runs. Many of the nearly century-old tractors didn’t show their age. Much of the equipment shown was still functional, as evidenced by the many tractors ambling through the park during the show. Maybe the old adage is true: They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — Page 3 County employees honored for their continued service Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers honored five county employees who recently reached milestones in their careers. At Tuesday’s board of commissioners meet­ ing, board chair Ben Geiger extended service awards to employees celebrating their five-, 10-, 15- and 20-year anniversaries with the county. This included Matthew Ward, an informa­ tion technology (IT) support employee, and Deputy Rose O’Grady with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, who were both honored for five years of service. Corrections officer Zachary Drake was hon­ ored for 10 years of service in what Geiger called “one of the toughest jobs imaginable.” “The role of corrections officer is not easy, and the fact that he has served for a decade with such distinction tells us so much about his character.” Geiger and the board also acknowledged Rick Bump, who has spent 15 years provid­ ing maintenance support for the county. Finally, Sgt. Steven Lehman with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office was honored for 20 years of service. “For two decades, he has answered every call, traveled every road in Barry County, right?” Geiger said. “Twice,” Lehman replied with a laugh. “He’s been awakened at every hour and attended to every problem we civilians can imagine,” Geiger continued. “Here he stands Michelle Skedgell hands the gavel to Jillian Foster during a Monday meeting as Foster takes over as the new president of the Rotary Club of Hastings. (Photo by Fred Jacobs) From left, Matthew Ward, Rick Bump, corrections officer Zachary Drake, Sgt. Steven Lehman, Deputy Rose O’Grady. after 20 years still answering the call and leading the department through his character and resolve.” The board also attended to other business during its fairly brief session. This included: - Approval of the renewal of liability, Vehicle Physical Damage and Property and Crime Insurance coverage through the Mich­ igan Municipal Risk Management Authority from July 1, 2022 to the same date next year. The cost for coverage was $446,521. - Adoption of a resolution to approve a ballot proposal for the renewal of the Charl­ ton Park Millage. The Charlton Park Millage is set to expire in 2023 and the board wanted to avoid a costly special election on the issue. - Adoption of amended 2022 Barry Coun­ ty Board of Commissioners Rules for Proce­ dure & Regulations. This measure creates allotted time during all board of commission­ ers and committee of the whole meetings for commissioners comments, where commis­ sioners can respond to public comment and discuss items not on the agenda. - Approval of pre-paid invoices in the amount of $4,099,861.80. Thornapple Township hires new fire chief Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer The Thomapple Township board has approved the hiring of William Richardson as the township’s new emergency services chief. “This process was rather detailed, and we put a lot of work into it,” Trustee Ross DeMaagd said during Monday night’s board meeting. “We found that there were several people that were quite well qualified, and we are just happy to have such qualified candi­ dates and we feel Bill [Richardson] is going to be a good fit for us.” A native of St. Joseph, the 50-year-old Richardson comes to Thomapple Township with more than 28 years’ experience as a full­ time firefighter. He retired June 22 from the Meridian Township Fire Department, near Lansing, where he worked for 23-1/2 years, the last eight as senior captain and acting battalion chief. Before that, he served five years as a firefighter in Covert, near St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. The board members welcomed Richardson during board comments at the end of the meeting. William Richardson Outgoing fire chief Randy Eaton provided the board with an emergency services report regarding calls for the month of June. Eaton reported four structure fires, two in Thomap­ ple Township, one in Middleville and one mutual aid in Caledonia. NEWS BRIEFS, continued from page 2------------- Charlton Park hosts annual Civil War reenactment Historic Charlton Park in Hastings will offer special events and programming during its annual Civil War Muster on July 16 and 17. Interpreters and craftsmen will be stationed in the Historic Village, with special scenarios planned for the Sixberry House, Barber Shop, Carpenter Shop, Jail and Bristol Inn. On Saturday night, attendees can view cannons fir­ ing over the Thornapple River. At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Carlton Center Church will host a traditional worship service. “We’ve had a couple more since then,” Eaton said. “It seems to be the season right now for house fires and structure fires. Hast­ ings, Wayland and Yankee [Springs] have had some too.” However, when reviewing the county numbers, the number of fire calls was down 6.9 percent from last year, from 1,011 to 941. Alarm to arrival time - alarm being when the call is received at dispatch - was 15.12 minutes. This is no matter the destination, Thomapple or Irving township, Eaton added. Eaton also shared that ambulance calls make up 18 percent of the overall 911 calls at dispatch. “It’s not slowing down,” he added. Also, during the meeting, the board approved additional compensation for Chief Eaton for the time he naS\stayed past his retirement date. He will receive an addition­ al $500 per week from the original date of retirement, June 1, to the end of Chief Rich­ ardson’s training period. “A great thanks to Randy [Eaton] for stay­ ing and helping us through this process.” Supervisor Eric Schaefer said. Spectators are invited to view battle activities throughout the weekend. All demonstrations and bat­ tles will take place on the Village Green. Saturday demonstrations begin at 1:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. This includes the infantry, caval­ ry, medical and artillery demonstrations. Please note, all times are tentative. All events are hosted by numer­ ous volunteer reenacting units throughout Michigan. Guests are encouraged to visit Sutler’s Row ven­ dors, offering reproduction and handmade civil warera merchandise for purchase, including clothing, household goods and toys. Daily general admission to the event is $5 for ages 13 and up and free for children 12 and under. Charlton Park is located at 2545 S. Charlton Park Road. The complete event schedule can be found at charltonpark.org or by visiting the Park’s Facebook page. Rotary Club presidency changes hands Banner Staff Even after two decades involved with the Rotary Club of Hastings, Michelle Skedgell admitted that she learned plenty of new lessons in her one year at the helm of the organization. “After 20 years in the club, through my presidency, I learned even more about Rotary, my club, and my community,” Skedgell said. “The motto of Rotary is service above self and although that’s always been a part of who I am, the importance of that became crystal clear.” At Monday’s club meeting, Skedgell hand­ ed the gavel off to incoming president Jillian Foster, who will now take the reins of an organization that recently celebrated its 102nd year of service to the community. “I shared with the club on Monday when we welcomed Jillian Foster as our new presi­ dent, that despite being a ‘mature woman’ and maybe I said ‘old woman’ - I learned so much through my year. Rotary is a special organization and I would encourage anyone to visit during our Monday lunch meetings, possibly join, and even consider a year of special service as president. You are never too young or too old to make a difference!” The Rotary Club of Hastings now enters its new era under Foster. “I am humbled and honored to start a new year as the president of the Hastings Rotary Club,” Foster said. “I believe the club is in a position to make meaningful changes for our club and community with an eye to diversity, equity and inclusion. I’d like to thank Michelle Skedgell, the board, and committee chairs for the fantastic leadership over the past year. They have paved the way for Hastings Rotary to have its best year yet. I hope we can grow our club and show the community how Hast­ ings Rotary puts service above self.” “Barry Boss” business competition comes to Thornapple Plaza Hastings Public Library and Thomapple Credit Union are co-hosting an entrepreneurial competition for teens in Barry County. “Barry Boss” is based on the ABC show “Shark Tank.” Teens with business ideas both in the service or product industries will present their business plans to a panel of judges. The top teen will be awarded the title of “Barry Boss” and will win $200 from Thornapple Credit Union to develop their winning business. The competition adds a mentoring compo­ nent as well. After registration, teens will be paired with a local business person who will help the teen create a business plan and pre­ pare to present the idea before the panel of judges. Teens need to register by July 27. Regis­ tration can be found on the library’s website at hastingspubliclibrary.org. Once registered, teens will be contacted to work on a business plan and be paired with a mentor. Contes­ tants will present to the judges at the Thor­ napple Plaza on Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. at an event that’s open to the public. Potential “Barry 'Bosses” will be able to set Up a table to pres­ ent their businesses. More information can be found on the Facebook events page of both the library and credit union or by calling either business. The Hastings Public Library can be reached at 269-945-4263. Thomapple Credit Union can be reached at 269-948-8369. Thornapple Garden Club to share low-maintenance gardening tips The older or busier we get, the less time we have to garden. Gary Miller from Wedel’s Nursery in Kalamazoo may have some ideas for those who want to spend more time enjoying their landscape with less time working in it at Thursday’s meeting of the Thomapple Garden Club. Miller will share tips on easy-care plants and shrubs, drip irrigation ideas and other low-maintenance tips. Following his talk, club members will prepare for the Garden Thyme Market and annual garden tour which is scheduled for Saturday. The meeting, which is open to the public, starts with fellowship at 6:30 p.m. at Green Street Methodist Church. The speaker will present at 7 p.m. 20% Off Fabrics (excludes sale items) - Ends July 30, 2022 - 'Quilting Cotton & Wide Backs • Show Kindness 1 Hulst Cleaners Pick Up Station "J Pray for our Country ll* QUESTIONS: ASK US... SiAtetb 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 ssssgsss OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station :XAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaAAAA*AA1 HASTINGS MAN, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------she had arrested him in the past. She asked him why he set the patrol car on fire. “He never gave a reason,” she said. Kelly received a lacerated lip during her efforts to arrest Dunklee, she said. Boulter testified that he was having a phone conversation with another chief when an office worker came in to tell her that some­ one had set the patrol car on fire. He ended the call, grabbed a fire extinguisher and went to assist the assistant fire chief, who had responded to the scene. The chief then headed over to Ace Hard­ ware. After checking on Kelly to see if she was all right, he went to the patrol car where Dunklee had been taken to see if he could iden­ tify him, and said he noticed “an overwhelming gasoline smell” coming from the suspect. “He cursed at me and told me I knew who he was,” Boulter said. After returning to the office, Boulter down­ loaded video footage taken from two security cameras that captured the patrol car being set on fire. He shared with the court what he was able to observe from the video. “As the subject approached State Street, you could see that he’s carrying something in his hand, red in color,” Boulter said. “As he crosses State Street, he comes across the front of our garage that sits in the city police department parking lot. He throws something to the right which is later identified as the cap to the gas can, walks immediately to the (patrol) car and begins dumping the gasoline on top of the car.” Boulter contacted Dewey’s Body Shop for an estimate on how much it would cost to repair the damage caused to the patrol car. Solmes told the court that it would be more than $25,900, based on a visual inspection. “There was lots of scorching of paint, melted plastic, consistent with any fire dam­ age,” Solmes said. Monday’s hearing was the first time Dunklee appeared before Doherty. Two prior hearings were held before Judge Michael Schipper. At the first hearing, Dunklee was found in contempt of court after he uttered an expletive toward the judge, and was sentenced to 93 days in jail. He then argued with Schipper at a second hearing over the nature of how he was arraigned. Defense attorney Shane McNeill said that he would file a change of venue request, seeking to have the case moved out of Barry County. Dunklee is scheduled for a pre-trial confer­ ence on July 20 at 8:30 a.m. 183613 USED EQUIPMENT UP FOR SEALED BIDS By Barry County Road Commission Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 A.M., Tuesday ~ July 18, 2022, for the sale of the following: 2000 Sterling SC T9511 - Minimum Bid $2500 2014 Haulmark 7x16 Enclosed Trailer 1994 Work Saver HPD-20HC Post Pounder Miscellaneous - fuel tanks, fenders, tail lights, breakroom light fixtures, parts pallets, etc. Viewing of equipment may be done any time between 7:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. PUBLIC NOTICE The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) is considering a request for Federal assistance from Gun Lake Tribe to construct a US-131 Highway Utility Crossing and 129th Avenue Utility Extension in Shelbyville, Allegan County, MI for providing essential utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer mains, to the undeveloped parcel west of US-131 and parcels south of 129th Avenue. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, EDA is conducting an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed project. The project will drill a directional bore under US-131 to provide utilities to the undeveloped parcel west of the highway and will connect utilities to the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant on Tribal Lands as well as provide essential utilities to parcels south of 129th Avenue. The project will be located at the exit 61 interchange and at 1150 129th Avenue, Shelbyville, MI 49344. The purpose of the project is to provide essential utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer mains, to the undeveloped parcel west of US-131 and parcels south of 129th Avenue and supply raw water to the water treatment plant. Project information is available for review at 2872 Mno Bmadzewen Dr., Shelbyville, MI, 49344 and 269-397-1780. If you have any information regarding potential environmental impacts associated with this proposed project, please provide it in writing to: Kyle Darton Environmental Protection Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Chicago Regional Office KDarton@eda.gov All sealed bid envelopes must be plainly marked with item number. All equipment sold as is where is. The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. A copy of the NEPA/NHPA decisional document will be available upon request at the above EDA Regional Office. Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm on August 12th will be considered. �Page 4 — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you inion see? County board ‘perk’ will come at taxpayer expense This summer has delivered its share of scorch­ ing days. And, when it comes to beating the heat, kids know how to do it best. In this photo, submitted by proud grandpa Del Bachert, 6-year-old Katie Vanden Berg and 9-year-old Lauren Vanden Berg, both from Cas­ cade Springs, play in Spray Plaza in downtown Hastings as they take a moment to escape the summer temperatures. “Oh my, they had fun,” Bachert said. Do you remember? New Gray Ladies Banner July 19, 1962 Gray ladies have long provided a vital Red Cross service and here in Barry County they are recognized for their contribu­ tions in many capacities. Last week five of these women received their pins and caps and two in the picture received service bars, Mrs. Russell Kimmel and Mrs. Ernest Sandefur. Pictured above, left to right (front row) are: Mrs. Forrest James, Mrs. Anthony Hein and Mrs. Lyle Scudder. In the back row are: Mrs. Clark Hill, Mrs. Kimmel, Mrs. Sandefur and Mrs. C. W. Frederick. Other Gray Ladies who recently completed their training are Mrs. Gay Jordan, Mrs. Leslie Hawthorn and Mrs. Julian Lubieniecki. Those who have earned two-year service bars are Mrs. Frank Ritchie and Mrs. Kimmel and earning oneyear bars were Mrs. Sandefur and Mrs. Ken Reahm. — Photo by Barth. Have you met? Ed Englerth was 14 years old when a friend asked if he’d like to be the singer of their band in the summer of 1967. They’d never even heard Englerth sing. Rejoined the band and ordered a bass gui­ tar from a Radio Shack catalog. “I told my folks that I was going to be in this band, and I ordered a bass guitar and an amplifier,” he said. “My parents thought I was kidding until they showed up on the doorstep. I mean, the amp was very small, if you talked too loud you could drown it out.” Englerth played with the group until he graduated from Hastings High School in 1972. He decided he was ready to leave Hastings, and he joined another band of Spring Arbor University students and stud­ ied music there. “I thought my folks would want me to go to college, so I figured ‘two birds with one stone.’ I’ll go to college and play with this other band,” he said. After changing his mind about what he wanted to study several times, Englerth graduated from Spring Arbor with a liberal arts degree. From there, he played with many bands in many places working many jobs. He moved to Petoskey for a time to pur­ sue an opportunity to play music for a Christian organization. When that fell through, he became the head baker of Dawn Donuts. His next job was in Alpena, work­ ing at a bar there. At one point, Englerth recalls he and his wife, Panda Englerth, had moved five or six times in a three-year period following jobs he had taken on. “Finally I said, ‘Hun, where do we want to live? I’ll find something to do,”’ he said. The two agreed on moving back to Hast­ ings in the ‘80s. Ed still had friends and family in town, and its location made it easy to find work in Grand Rapids, Battle Creek or Kalamazoo. Englerth and his wife worked a few odd jobs in the area, and he even started a busi­ ness selling hold music and messages for telephones. Ed Englerth “At one point I decided to start my own business, which I promptly ran into the ground,” he said. “I found out a few things. One, I shouldn’t start a business by myself.” The experience prompted Englerth to go back to Spring Arbor and finish his degree in management and organizational roles. Englerth then landed a job at the Hast­ ings Public Library as a network adminis­ trator, helping to manage the library’s com­ puter systems. After a few years, his wife also took on a position at the library and the two worked together for 20 years before retiring in 2019. “I tried to be retired, and it didn’t work,” he said. In his retirement, Englerth still writes and records music. He released his newest album, “TIMED,” on his Bandcamp web­ site in October of 2021. Over his career, Englerth has released 13 albums and played music with performers like Ray White, who performed vocals with Frank Zappa; Robin Robbins, a keyboardist with Bob Seger; and Joe English, drummer for Paul McCartney and Wings. Even still, he’s not sure how to gauge how he feels about his accomplishments. “Maybe it’s because I never really set goals in my life,” he said. “I’ve found the writing of music is much cheaper than ther­ apy and probably more help.” Englerth has a new goal now: write a book. He’s currently writing about identity, and how people can tie their identity to their careers or other aspects of their lives. “A lot of people, after they retire, it’s like they’ve lost their identity,” he said. “Or they’ll identify with what they are not. ‘I’m not this, and I’m not that,”’ he said. For his service at the Hastings Public Library and his work as an artist, Ed Englerth is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite movie: “The Maid.” Best advice I’ve ever received: My dad said, “You’ll grow into it.” First job: It was at a Big Boy or some­ thing like that in Lansing. I went in as a dishwasher and I got yelled at for eight hours a day saying I was doing a bad job and I wasn’t doing it fast enough. I got a call from my parents one day and they told me my brother was in a minor accident, so I asked for some time off and I never came back. Person I most admire and why: My wife, because she is amazing. She’s put up with me for 47 years now. I didn’t realize I was marrying into such an intelligent fami­ ly. Not that my folks are dumb, but Panda is somewhere in the genius category and so are all her relatives. I have a cousin who has a degree in recombinant DNA, and now I have a niece that plays with the cyclotron breaking atoms up. CORRECTION: Last week’s Bright Light photo caption incorrectly identified subject Steve Wales II as “Scott Wales II. ” The Banner deeply regrets this error. Politicians are labeled a lot of different things these days, but the one label they seem to consistently earn is “bad business people.” The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers provided confirmation of that moniker last week when, at its Committee of the Whole meeting, members discussed the idea of relocating the board’s weekly meeting chambers. The topic has come up before and, after this November’s election, a new, eighth commissioner will be added to the board. Ability to conduct the county’s business will naturally necessitate more room. The prob­ lem comes for me - as it should for all county taxpayers - in how the county board is proposing to add that additional space. In their most recent facilities project, the commission moved the offices of the Friend of the Court from its former home at the comer of M-37 and M-43 to the Courts and Law Building. With no apparent plans or ideas on how to use the former Friend of the Court location, commissioners suddenly had an empty, 1920s historic building on their hands that has continued to stand vacant. The property sits on valued real estate at the busiest intersection in Barry County but, because it’s government-owned, it generates no tax revenue. Recently, the commission received an offer from Wisconsin-based housing developer General Capital to pur­ chase the building as part of a proposed 60-unit workforce housing development on adjoining property. It was a plan that would incorporate the historic structure into a housing project that would give Hastings and Barry County some badly needed hous­ ing and would preserve the building that was the original home of the Hastings Mutual Insurance Company and once Hast­ ings City Hall. Suddenly our commissioners got reli­ gion, snubbing the General Capital offer and scrambling the egg on their faces with Commission Chair Ben Geiger’s vague comment that “.. .the consensus of the board is we are going to need the space in that building.” For what, has been left to be determined though commissioner com­ ments have been made that it should be the new commission meeting site. Meanwhile, a desperately-needed hous­ ing project may be in jeopardy, taxes on a vacant building are not collected and tax­ payers now will have to make up the differ­ ence in what money could be added to the general fund if the building had been sold to General Capital. A big problem is lack of memory. None of the present commissioners were around when the commission once met in the for­ mer jail, now known as the annex building on the southwestern side of the historic courthouse building. Commissioners met there and got the county’s business done in a small, dark and dingy room. They didn’t complain about needing larger, plusher sur­ roundings but in 1989, as part of a major renovation of the courthouse, an elevator was added and as well as stairs to an attic area that allowed the reworking of a usable and comfortable mezzanine where commis­ sioners meet today. Today’s commissioners appear to also have little memory of the 2015 master plan­ ning process to develop a proactive approach in future planning of county properties. The plan looked at 12 key facilities within the county: The courthouse, Courts and Law, Annex, Friend of The Court Building, Com­ munity Room, Jefferson St. Garage, Health Department, Commission on Aging, Sher­ iff’s Department and Jail, Transit, Animal Shelter and the vacant land on M-79. The plans set in that 2015 document sug­ gested that once the Friend of the Court offices moved, the building would likely be sold or leased, in both cases returning the valued property to the tax rolls. At the time, the planning committee saw no obvious need for the county to retain the building once the Friend of the Court offices moved. They determined that in the future, if The Hastings BclIHlCr Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com •Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. commissioners outgrew their present cham­ bers, there were other places to accommo­ date their needs. One was the large circuit courtroom in the historic courthouse. Now that most court proceedings are conducted in the Courts and Law building, it frees up the courtroom for other uses. It will still be maintained for the occasional use it gets. Plus, the commissioners meet only once each week leaving lots of opportunity to work around any court proceedings that would necessitate using the larger courtroom. In addition, there are a number of other problematic factors in the commission mov­ ing its meeting chambers to the former FOC building. The commission’s current meeting chamber has the necessary technology and security within the building, which would have to be duplicated if the commission moved to the former FOC building. The building would also require significant ren­ ovations in order to create a chamber suit­ able for their use. Then there’s the matter of upkeep, main­ tenance and service costs in a huge building that will be used once each week for com­ mission meetings. Is it worth the additional expense to keep utilities and maintenance on the structure when there is plenty of space in the courthouse where security is in place and staff on the premises? “The space isn’t the same,” says Vivian Conner, vice chair of the commission, com­ paring the present space to a new possible space at the FOC building. “It isn’t a lot bigger; it may be a little smaller. There might be the opportunity to have a balcony that we can put more people in. Many peo­ ple don’t like the setup we have because the audience is not facing the board.” But why can’t our county commission solve its perceived space problem with some simple adjustments, like installing an additional desk? For instance, the circuit courtroom in the same courthouse building remains vacant most of the time. All the county needs to do is add some technology. There’s also a huge meeting room in the Tyden Center, the for­ mer public library across the street. The only drawback with that room is the lack of security, which would be costly and incon­ venient for other occupants of the building but that could still be a solution far more practical than remodeling and retrofitting the vacant FOC building. And wouldn’t it be far more practical, appreciated and appropriate if that building were sold, placed back on the tax rolls, and those taxes used to ease the burden on all taxpayers? We expect commissioners to make decisions that are in the best interest of taxpayers. When the county entered into the 2015 master planning study, the intent was to take a proactive approach in the future planning of its facilities. The goals and objectives were to develop a long range master plan which embodies the ideas of improved service and safety to its citizens, reduce operating costs, consolidation of non-county services and the preservation of its historic facilities. There were thousands of dollars spent and a great deal of time to better prepare future commis­ sioners on the best use of their facilities. Now, Barry County commissioners owe it to their taxpayers to review and to study the plan that was put in place just seven years ago. If they do not, the idea of relocat­ ing to the vacant COA building will appear to be one of typical politicians feathering their own nest at the expense of taxpayers. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — Page 5 Educate yourself when it conies to the election process I’d like to suggest that anyone that is skep­ tical of our election process attend a voting equipment public accuracy test that will be performed per the schedule listed in both the Banner and Reminder. By attending folks can see what a great job our clerks are doing and that their fears of massive voter fraud are not valid. Perhaps even our sheriff should attend. Loose cows damage neighbor’s garden Larry Osborne Delton While purchased for protection, guns often end up doing the opposite To the editor: Of the almost 39,000 yearly gun deaths in the United States, 60 percent are suicides about 23,400. It seems grotesquely ironic that weapons purportedly in peoples’ homes for their protection are in fact agents of heaps of self-destruction. (Stats and figures extract from bradyunited.org/key-statistics Mark Bonsignore Delton Police responded around 4:30 p.m. on July 5 to a report from a 50-year-old Delton man that his neighbor’s cows damaged his garden at his home on the 11000 block of Sprague Road. The man told police the cows had been contained before they arrived, but they had caused around $200 in damages to his garden. The man said the cows destroyed the wire fence around the garden and ate the com he had planted. The man agreed to contact his neighbor and speak to him about paying for the damage. Dirt bike stolen from driveway A 41-year-old Middleville woman reported her dirt bike stolen around 9 a.m. July 9. The woman told police she was cleaning her garage the previous day and forgot to put the bike back in the garage when she went to bed around 11 p.m. When she woke up on July 9, the bike was missing from the driveway of her home on the 400 block of Oak View Drive. The woman told police she sent a message to her local community watch Facebook page telling neighbors to keep an eye out for the bike. Moped found in woods A moped was found in the woods the morning of July 1 near the intersection of Little Pine Lake Road and Otis Lake Road. A 77-year-old Delton man reported finding the vehicle in the woods that morning. The man told police it wasn’t there the previous morning, and it must have been left in the woods overnight. Police photographed the vehicle, towed and impounded it. Barry ISD discusses ‘historic budget’ from the state Bags o’ books Friends of the Hastings Public Library Judy Kensington (left) and Patty Woods are laughing while organizing the incoming book donations area in preparation of the upcoming Friends Book Sale today and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturday customers of the Book Sale can fill up a bag of books for $5. The bag portion of the Book Sale will begin at 10 a.m. and is set to end at 2 p.m. The Hastings Public Library encourages donations during regular business hours. Each day of the sale.w4btake place at the Hastings Public Library. \ Hastings Township receives another glowing financial audit, works to expand broadband access Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer Results from an annual audit of Hastings Township yielded a clean opinion, meaning that the township is not facing any glaring financial issues or discrepancies. Third-party accountant David DeHaan, from the firm Walker, Fluke, & Sheldon, PLC, provided an audit presentation at the town­ ship’s regular board meeting on Tuesday night. “The township received an unmodified, or what we call a clean opinion,” DeHaan said. “This is the highest form of assurance that we can give you that your financial statement’s are not materially mistaken. This is the same opinion that you guys get every year; you guys do a great job out here.” DeHaan briefly went over the audit with the board and highlighted some high level numbers from 2021. The township’s total expenses were down at $488,000 compared to $655,000. The big­ gest reason for that was the road projects that took place last year, DeHaan said. Total revenues were up at $777,000 com­ pared to $570,000. The big jump in revenue can be attributed to the first installment of $160,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which hit the township’s bank account in late 2021. The township also received the second installment recently. “You guys were under budget on every­ thing,” DeHaan added. “As always. You guys do a great job with the original budget and if there needs to be amendments you guys made those throughout the year.” Board Supervisor Jim Brown asked how Hastings Township stands with the other sim­ ilar townships. “You guys have a very healthy general fund balance at $1,113 million,” DeHaan said. The board accepted the audit report as pre­ sented. A mJ. Owner/ M a h ag<T A *• “(Hastings Township was) under budget on every­ thing. As always. You guys do a great job with the original budget and if there needs to be amend­ ments, you guys made those throughout the year.” David DeHaan, accountant from Walker, Fluke, & Sheldon, PLC, During the supervisor’s report, Brown gave an update on efforts to expand access to broadband service, even for residents that don’t live in densely populated areas of the township. “Simplistically, there is no easy, one answer,” he said. He informed the board that he spoke with MEI Telecom Services in Delton. “They are not going anywhere where there’s not enough people to make it worthwhile, which I understand; that’s business, but 1 asked them what the sec­ ond-best way would be to get some of these pockets of people here and there small towers for connection,” he said. “Long story short, MEI is going to come over here to the township office and see what our connectivity would be here because right now we have AT&T and a hotspot for Verizon.” Brown explained that that representatives from the company have to physically come out and test to see what kind of signals they can get before giving the township any infor­ mation. “It’s very hard to connect everybody,” he added. “There are no easy answers.” In other business, the board: * Traditional and Cremation Services * Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated oX r rmXkus Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years -Paid its bills in the amount of $98,841.60. A portion of that, in the amount of $85,000, was the contribution to the road services, Clerk Anita Mennell said. - Approved Mennell and Treasurer Jenee Phillips to seek quotes for painting the town­ ship offices. “The office hasn’t been painted since it was built in 1988,” Mennell said. “Jenee [Phillips] and I would like to spruce it up a little bit in there. So, we would like to paint the hallway, the two bathrooms and the main general office.” - Was informed that Brown sent a past due invoice to the Barry County Sheriff’s Depart­ ment for their unpaid bill in the amount of $1,309 for the lawyer fees the board had to pay to investigate the Freedom of Informa­ tion Act (FOIA) request made by the Sher­ iff’s Department. - Marked Trustee Timothy McNally absent and received an apology from Trustee Scott Savage for being over’20 minutes late to the board meeting. The next regular township board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the township hall. Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer While Barry County Intermediate School District superintendent Rich Franklin con­ ceded that the state’s newly-passed school aid budget was good for students, he pointed out that the significant tax cut many Michi­ gan residents were expecting was still miss­ ing. “The overall budget deal did not include the big tax cut that we all believe is coming,” Franklin said during Barry ISD’s board of education meeting on Monday. “It’s going to be a political hot potato for a while,” board president Robert Becker added. “I think the state superintendent called it, quote-unquote, a ‘historic budget’”, Franklin said. “And I don’t disagree with them.” After the meeting, Franklin clarified that this was a good budget for schools. He feels the people of Michigan are fortunate to have seen revenue increases for schools and still be expecting a big tax cut of some sort. “The tax cut was more of an issue of ‘How much is the legislature holding back that could, or should, be going to schools and other public services?”’ he said. “On the other hand, we all want a healthy state in which people keep, or get back, more of their hard-earned money, so if they can give increases in revenues and still give a tax cut, so much the better,” he said. Though the tax cut wasn’t passed yet, it seems to be in the future for schools. “The legislature and governor haven’t agreed on what it will look like or when it will come, but they held over $2 billion on the balance sheet for it,” Franklin said. “So yes, we’ll see something dramatic in time for fall elections.” Franklin went over some of the main high­ lights of the state budget. There was a $610 million increase to the overall amount going to the basic foundation. “So, the local districts will be receiving $9,150 per pupil,” Franklin said. “It’s great to know that local districts are going to be fund­ ed better.” The local districts were getting $8,700, so this is a $450 increase. The general operating expenses for the ISD is up a little over 5 per­ cent, amounting to an increase of about $7,000 to $7,500. “It’s not a huge amount of money, but it’s good news,” Franklin said. “It’s on the right side of the ledger,” Beck­ er added. During a review of financial statements, Director of Business Services Amber Holland explained that her and her team are working on a five-year replacement plan for the build­ ings as well as IT and infrastructure. NOTICE - PUBLIC LAND AUCTION The Barry County Treasurer will offer tax-reverted real estate at public auction on August 16th, 2022. The auction will be held online at www.tax-sale.info from 10:00am to 7:00pm EST. Bids can also be placed up to 30 days in advance on the website, and assistance is avail­ able for those without computer or internet access. Incomplete or voided sales from the August 16th auction, if any, will be re-offered online on September 28^, 2022. Please visit www.tax-sale.info/faq for additional details. For more information and a list of the properties being sold, visit www.tax-sale.info or call 1-800-259-7470. Sale listings may also be available at the county treasurer’s “As IT talked with me last month, we got a lot that we need to improve just based on the age of our equipment,” Holland said. “So, we are making sure we have a plan in place on how we can do some of this and the good thing is there are a lot of E-rate projects, so we get a lot of funding back.” E-rate refers to federal funding where dis­ tricts can be reimbursed for certain types of IT projects if applied for and approved, Franklin explained. The board also discussed the Back-toSchool Breakfast for the staff and board members scheduled for Aug. 16 at 8 a.m. “It’s the official return to work for most school-year employees, so a chance to break bread together, share what’s new in the organization, talk about ideas and plans for the year, and hopefully get everybody excited for the start of school,” Franklin said. . In other business, the board: - Conducted the Superintendent’s evaluajtion during a closed session. When the board returned to open session with Franklin, they approved no merit pay at this point, an exten­ sion to the current contract by one year through June 30, 2025 including a 1-percent salary increase commensurate with that received by all other staff. The personnel committee will schedule a time to meet with Franklin and go through the evaluation at a later time. - Authorized the payment of general fund expenditures in the amount of $74,090.90 and special fund expenditures in the amount of $919,652.06. - Approved the contract for the special education supervisor/principal through June 30, 2023, for the salary increase of 1 percent, as recommended by the superintendent. - Approved the contract for the director of business services through June 30, 2023, for the salary increase of 1 percent, as recom­ mended by the superintendent. - Approved the transfer of $51,187 from the special education fund to the general edu­ cation fund to cover central office costs for the 2021-22 school year. - Approved the transfers from special edu­ cation fund to local district fund in the amounts of $184,308 to Delton and $335,805 to Hastings. - Approved the purchase of one replace­ ment roof-top unit for heating and cooling at the West Learning Center from Quality Air for $21,544.26. The next regular school board of education meeting is scheduled for Aug. 9 at 8:30 a.m. in the Barry ISD administrative office. All meetings are live streamed and archived for viewing at a later time on the Barry ISD Facebook page. CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.coni or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net Oarvetb Village of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com “Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville. MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 6 — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Thomas Omar Maurer Thomas Omar Maurer, age 86, of Hastings, MI, passed away on July 10, 2022. Tom was bom on December 3, 1935, the son of John and Germaine (Hebert) Maurer. He was a graduate of Nashville High School and Michigan State University. On July 30, 1960, Tom married Sharon Jean Moffatt in Grand Rapids, and they enjoyed nearly 62 years together. Tom retired from Hastings Area School System, where he was a high school mathe­ matics teacher for 31 years. He was a devout member of the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. He loved his family and friends dear­ ly. Tom loved his extended “kids” - all of his students - and encouraged all to continue to team at a higher level. He played guitar in the bluegrass band, Thornapple River Boys. Music was very important to Tom, especially Laura Lee Pierson singing the MSU Fight Song and Alma Mater, “Shadows” ...always a proud Saxon and Spartan! Tom was preceded in death by his parents John and Germaine Maurer, siblings Roger Maurer, Don Maurer, Alice Keeler, Peter Maurer, Joseph (Dutch) Maurer, Julius Maur­ er, Germaine Maurer, and Victor Maurer. He is survived by his loving wife of nearly 62 years, Sharon Maurer, sons Joe (Janet) Maurer, Ed (Kelly) Maurer, Tom (Kathy) Maurer, Steve (Stacy) Maurer, Doug (Kris­ ten) Maurer, , daughters Teresa (Eric) Heide, Shari Dick, grandchildren Joshua (Caitlin) Maurer, Jackie Maurer, Ashley (Alex) Goodroe, Grant (Margo) Heide, Kevin (Shel­ by) Maurer, Steven Maurer, Luke (Ashley) Heide, Christine (Adam) Khanfar, Becky (Garrett) Amstutz, Matthew Maurer, Eliza­ beth Heide, Allison Dick, Samantha Dick, Adam Maurer, Ben Maurer, 13 great-grand­ children, with 3 on the way, and close family friends Jeff (Barb) Denny, Aaron (Liv) Denny, and Megan (Jeremy) Dobbin. Memorial contributions in memory of Tom can be made to the Hastings Education Enrichment Foundation (HEEF), https:// tinyurl.com/Hastings-HEEF, 232 West Grand Street, Hastings MI, 49058. Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 13,2022, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and again from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058. Funer­ al Mass will be held Thursday, July 14, 2022, at 3 p.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church (There will not be a procession to the ceme­ tery following the service). All are welcome to gather in fellowship at 4:30 p.m. following the Mass at the First Presbyterian Church, 405 N. M-37; Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together We lost our sister, Terri Jo Harmon, on June 28, 2022. She had just turned 63 years old. Terri lived in Florida most of her adult life. She was born in Hastings, MI on June 22, 1959. She was adopted by Dale and Elberta (Shaneck) Harmon as an infant and was raised by the Harmon family her whole life. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1977 and then went on to be a medical coder and biller. She worked for Florida Medical Center. Her love for animals was her passion in life. Her animals were her whole life. Terri made her home in Port Richey, FL for many years, never wanting to come back to Michigan. She is survived by her beloved stepchil­ dren, Robert Easterbrook and Melanie (Josh) Renzoni of Florida. They were the love of her life along with her animals. Also her sister, §hirley (Norman) Watson, Jackie (Bob) McMillian; her sister-in-law, Lien Harmon and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dale and Elberta Harmon and her brother, Robert Harmon. She didn’t want any services, so we cele­ brated her life with a get-together on July 1, 2022 in Florida. Her ashes will be spread on the water in Florida per her wishes. ... ■ .u , Laura Lee Pierson, age 75, of Hastings, MI, went to be with the Lord and others before her, peacefully with her loving hus­ band Marshall of almost 49 years and family by her side on Sunday, July 10, 2022. Laura was born on February 12, 1947, in Hastings, the daughter of Ray Boise and Bar­ bara Todd. Laura was the oldest of three daughters. Laura attended Hastings High School. After leaving high school she went on to work for Hastings Piston Ring and Flexfab. During her time at Flexfab she became a supervisor and completed several classes including The Dale Carnegie Course. She would go on to begin a career as a Mortgage Broker in Grand Rapids, retiring in 2001 to watch her grandchildren full time. In the summer of 1971 at a YMCA BBQ Dinner, Winnie Keller Foote introduced Laura Boise to Marshall Pierson. Laura and her two daughters Cindy and Maggie went on to marry Marshall Pierson on July 28, 1973. Laura and Marshall had their third daughter Angela to complete their family. Laura enjoyed ceramics, line dancing, casinos, and camping. She would often go camping with Marshall and her parents Barb and Wendall “Toddy” Todd. They would often find a casino nearby where Laura’s luck would hit every single time. On top of working full time, Laura was an amazing homemaker and cook. She would often be up before 5 am every day and her girls would wake up to her either cleaning or ironing. Laura would never leave the house without her hair and makeup done and always dressed to the nine’s. She was also a very savvy shopper, and any salesperson was never a match to her negotiation skills. She had a wit and sense of humor that is unmatched to any other and could make her family laugh. Laura took great pride in her grandchil­ dren. She taught them all about Elvis and Tom Brady, she treated them to chocolate bars and many homemade treats. She adored each of them and will watch over them every day. Laura was preceded in death by her par­ ents, Ray Boise and Toddy and Barbara Todd; sister, Molly Westrate; brother, Ray­ mond Boise Jr.; nephew, Richard Weedall; brother-in-law, Paul McClurkin, and grand­ daughter, Lindsay Marie Jones. She is survived by her husband of almost 49 years Marshall Pierson; daughters, Cindy (Kevin) Echtinaw of Greenville, Maggie (David Cole) Pierson of Venice, FL, and Angela (Jeff) Tinkler of Hastings. Her beau­ tiful grandchildren, Matt (Kristin) Jones, Emerald (Evan) Terry, Ceiara (Cody Selby) Norris, Pierson, Aubree, and Gavin Tinkler and Great Grand-Children Parker Selby, Apollo and Lucca Jones. Her special fur baby Marlee and her sister, Karen McClur­ kin. She is also survived by several brothers and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews. Per Laura’s wishes, there will be no public service held. A family memorial service at Fort Custer will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. ...at the church of your choice Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. T/iw information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWDOMDESUPPUSIOF HotLtoeTools&Equipnient 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-699-870-7985 Shawn Edward Flippo, Sorrento, FL and Rene Sue Welch, Sorrento, FL Ethan James Jonker, Hastings and Faith Marie Frederickson, Wayland Jonathan Lear Dutter, Hastings and Mandy Louise Diedrich, Hastings Jacob Mitchell Tatto, Council Bluffs, IA and Casey Nicole Ziegert, Granger, IN SOCIAL SECURITY Social Security specialist answers benefits, tax questions I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits and I recently went back to work. Do I have to pay Social Security (FICA) taxes on my income? Yes. By law, your employer must withhold FICA taxes from your paycheck. Although you are retired, you do receive credit for those new earnings. Each year, Social Securi­ ty automatically credits the new earnings and, if your new earnings are higher than in any earlier year used to calculate your current benefit, your monthly benefit could increase. For more information, visit ssa.gov or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). national security at risk if someone dangerous is using your number to obtain other forms of identification. It’s against the law to use someone else’s Social Security number, give false information when applying for a num­ ber, or alter, buy or sell Social Security cards. Keep in mind, you should never carry your Social Security card with you. If you think someone is using your Social Security num­ ber fraudulently, you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) right away. You can report it at idtheft.gov or you can call FTC’s hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877­ 438-4261) TTY (1-866-653-4261). Do Members of Congress have to pay into Social Security? Yes, they do. Members of Congress, the President and Vice President, federal judges, and most political appointees have paid taxes into the Social Security program since Janu­ ary 1984. They pay into the system just like everyone else, no matter how long they have been in office. When a person who has worked, and paid Social Security taxes dies, are benefits pay­ able on that person’s record? Social Security survivors’ benefits can be paid to: • A widow or widower-unreduced bene­ fits at full retirement age, or reduced benefits as early as age 60. • A disabled widow or widower-as early as age 50. • A widow or widower at any age if he or she takes care of the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled, and receiving Social Security benefits. • Unmarried children under 18 or up to age 19 if they are attending high school full time. Under certain circumstances, benefits can be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren, or adopted children. • Children at any age who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled. • Dependent parents age 62 or older. Even if you are divorced, you still may qualify for survivors’ benefits. For more information, go to ssa.gov. Can I delay my retirement benefits and receive benefits as a spouse only? How does that work? It depends on your date of birth. If you were bom on or before Jan. 1, 1954 and your spouse is receiving Social Security benefits, you can apply for retirement benefits on your spouse’s record as long as you are at your full retirement age. You then will earn delayed retirement credits up to age 70, as long as you do not collect benefits on your own work record. Later, when you do begin receiving benefits on your own record, those payments could very well be higher than they would have been otherwise. If your spouse is also full retirement age and does not receive benefits, your spouse will have to apply for benefits and request the pay­ ments be suspended. Then you can receive benefits on your spouse’s Social Security record. If you were born on or after Jan. 2, 1954 and wish to receive benefits, you must file for all benefits for which you are eligi­ ble. Social Security will determine the bene­ fits you are eligible for and pay you accord­ ingly. For individuals bom on or after Jan. 2, 1954, there is no longer an option to select which benefit you would like to receive, even beyond your full retirement age. Wid­ ows are an exception, as they can choose to take their deceased spouse’s benefit without filing for their own. For more information, visit ssa.gov. I want to estimate my retirement benefit at several different ages. Is there a way to do that? Use our Retirement Estimator at ssa.gov/ estimator to get an instant, personalized Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Special­ ist for West Michigan. You can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525 or via email at vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. I workedfor the last 10 years and I now have my 40 credits. Does this mean that I get the maximum Social Security retirement benefit? Probably not. The 40 credits are the mini­ mum number you need to qualify for retire­ ment benefits. However, we do not base your benefit amount on those credits; it’s based on your earnings over a lifetime of work. To learn more about how you earn Social Secu­ rity credits and how they work, read or listen to our publication How You Earn Credits, available at ssa.gov/pubs. A few years ago, I lost my Social Security card. Now my credit report shows that some­ one might be using my Social Security num­ ber. I’m afraid they might ruin my credit. What should I do? Identity theft and fraud are serious prob­ lems, not just for you, but for the financial integrity of our agency. It also puts our retirement benefit estimate based on current law and your earnings record. The Retire­ ment Estimator, which also is available in Spanish, lets you create additional “what if’ retirement scenarios based on different income levels and “stop work” ages. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — Page 7 , V---. - - ' | ’ fl look back at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Knappen tells of county’s pioneer days, part 3 Editor’s note: This series originally was published in The Hastings Banner from June 8, 2017 to June 29, 2017. The following recollection about early histo­ ry in Barry County was written by Rev. Ashmun Asaph Knappen, who read the accounts to the Barry County Pioneer Society in 1882. An undated Banner [likely 1913] referencing the writings said, “Mr. Knappen’s history, in addi­ tion to giving many dates and presenting much forgotten materials, is unusually valuable because of the firsthand glimpses it gives of persons well known in local history. ” Knappen was an editor, lawyer, minister and politician later in life. As a child, he knew well the hard life ofpioneers. In his speech, Knappen mentioned most of the townships in the county, listing the first settlers in each township or community. He continues here with the county seat and the village ofHastings. strifes of politics were marked and appreciat­ ed. Was married the next August, or I should, in all probability, have never become a preach­ er. I was in the right condition to be deeply impressed with new strange ways. One of the first things that attracted my attention was the jealously existing between the “upper” and “lower” town, especially between the hotels. New roads and other attractions were drawing the business away from its old center. It was told for a fact at the Barlow hotel, that the other landlord watered his liquors until they froze solid, and I thought by the appearance of some of the countenances, it was a very good thing should they never thaw out, but they did. I had never been used to seeking such heavy and general drinking and small gambling as I witnessed. And the thought comes to me now. How many of the pioneers as well as others have made shipwrecks or been killed by “strong drink,” though we have fewer saloons than most counties with so large a population. The first Barry County jail wa.s a hole in the ground about 6-by-10 feet square, covered with plank four feet above the surface. Some amusing stories are told of confinement in it previous to ’43. It required a deal of guarding to keep prisoners in their hole. The Poor Farm was bought of J.L. McClel­ lan in ’55 for $3,500. Outside the village, the first two settlers were James and Samuel McClellan, brothers, in ’37 and ’38. Though only three miles from Hastings, they did not have a very lively time until other settlers came. Next came Mr. Hub­ bell, Munger, Morley and German, the father of Caroline, who is with us today. Mr. Hubbell alone survives. What a distinct individuality each of these possessed. And also, James and John McClellan. Who can ever forget them? Then came Ephraim Shattuck, persuaded to come by Seymour Andrus, the father of our obliging county clerk. Afterward, old Mr. Hutchinson, Robinson, Hyde, Pierson, Covey, Fisher, Cook. Mr. Andrus came in ’43 and also induced Judge Greenfield to make his home in Hastings. His earliest neighbors were P. Turn­ er and J. Lewis in ’45. Next there were Bump, Palmer, Stillson, Meloy, Russ, Craig. All the Tinklers came in ’46, Adam leading the way. There was no settler between his place and Battle Creek except W.P. Bristol - the subse­ quent tavern keeper. Among the old faces that stamped them­ selves upon my memory were the Aldens, Bennetts, Carlton, Hitchcock, George Fuller, Mrs. Young, J.W.T. Orr, Richardson, the Keiths, Merritt, Thornton, J.B. Foot, Edwin and William Sheldon and many besides. Many of these have a history worthy of rehearsal. They were odd, droll, quaint, rough, peculiar in many ways. The funniest stories are told concerning them, as when “Lew” McClellan, having won the cow in his election bet with Elijah Alden, went after her the next day, was coolly informed he “flunked” yesterday. Later there were some very interesting transactions in ’61 that certain ones delighted to repeat. Slowly, however, the place took on the charac­ ter of a busy, orderly town, and those who had been so prominent because of their “jokes” and “sells” were lost sight of. The town sank into the city’s life, and so what I shall say now still relate to the village and city of Hastings. Though I had been an occasional visitor, it was not ‘til the last day of February 1851 that I took up my residence here. Only 23 years of age, unmarried and the bare possessor of a hundred dollars [approximately $3,800 in 2022] dearly earned and frugally saved. I cast my lot with these people, unacquainted with nearly all, and the kindness shown me not­ withstanding the rivalries of business and LA. Holbrook, Nathan Barlow and H.A. Good­ year frequently gave. They did much to tone up society and unify and bless the community. The lyceum debates, where often Mills, Geer, Goodyear and others measured swords, were pleasant and useful. And those who heard those long, exhausted and learned dis­ cussions of the Rev. Perrine and Wilcox against Mills in separate tilts, will always remember them. They broke in upon the rou­ tine of low frolic and grotesqueness, sordid­ ness and anxiety, and left an invigorated and purified tone. And for Mills and Geer to die so near together, as they did last summer, after having so long known and loved each other, seems significant and solemn. Twenty-five years ago, they were admired and much was expected of them. Then, too, what an important event was the arrival of the four-horse stage coach at the Bar­ low house. How wonderful seemed the skill of Wm. Seavey, Kurt Munger, Ben Burr and Hy Merrill as they clanged their horn, cracked the whip and reined their fiery nags up to the front door of the great hotel. How eager was every­ body to get a sight of the passengers and learn their particular reason for coming to Hastings. With what curiosity was he looked upon who stopped off a few days and how many tempting baits were held out for him to settle. The first term of the circuit court was held in the schoolhouse by Judge Ransom, Otis and Barlow, May ’40. We suspect the duties of the associates were not very onerous. E. Ransom seemed every inch a judge. His very presence was majestic and impressive. George Martin was elected in ’51 and bore a striking contrast in personal appearance, though a good officer. The first courthouse and jail combined was built by H.J. Kenfield at a cost of $1,214. The sheriff and other county officers occupied the first story, and the second was used as a court­ room. It was destroyed by fire that broke out of the sheriff’s room in ’46. The next court­ house was built by Alvin Bailey in ’49, under the direction of John Lewis at a cost of $2,382. The present jail was built by Ferris and Edgecomb during the summer of ’54 and cost $1,000 and has never received all who deserved its shelter and hospitality. This photograph, though undated, must have seemed utterly modern to A.A. Knappen and others who knew Hastings before it had streets and multiple houses. Hiram Merrill is one of the stagecoach drivers whom A.A. Knappen described as skillful “as they clanged their horn, cracked the whip and reined their fiery nags up to the front door of the great hotel.” The Sabbaths were poorly kept. I remember a horse race that was followed by a general jollification with milk-punch egg-nog and “whiskey straight.” Such as did not look after their business on the Sabbath, amused them­ selves in story-telling and discussing politics and in hunting, sometimes went to hear Rev. Hoyt preach in the courthouse and hear Mr. and Mrs. Hayward sing. Edgecomb was charged with “knocking” when he went the first Sunday. It was often said, if the day of the week should become doubtful, the doubt could be solved by “calling that day Sunday on which “the most firing of guns was heard.” That was before the erection of the churches. What an improvement regarding the Sab­ bath and temperance has occurred, one that should inspire and encourage all Christian workers and lovers of good order. It used to be flippantly said, “Hastings against the world,” and was meant as a confession of manifold improprieties. The proportion of “good soci­ ety” has greatly increased not only in Hastings but in all this region, and there is room for further progress. This place was always noted for playing off “practical” blistering, mortifying “jokes” on each other. Several “cute” ones seemed to make it a study, and great numbers hugely enjoyed the fun. Another thing amused and deeply impressed me - the love of dancing. Nearly all practiced it. It was mirth provoking to see who danced and how they danced - danced all night, and with tremendous earnestness - and some of them about every figure. All classes mixed freely. From all quarters they come, in all manner of shapes and styles. Fat old women dressed half­ way between paupers and actresses; gray-haired men in their shirt sleeves, stocking feet and even bare foot; and come with horses and oxen and cows, wagons and carts, and “hopped, skipped and jumped” like frisky young lambs at sunset to the delight of all. It was their way of relaxing and recovering from anxiety, toil and hardship. If anybody was ever justified in this kind of limbering up, certaimy the pioneers were. I assure it was none of the modern “walk­ ing” past each other with a boy, but a regular breakdown with several “end men” to illustrate. Another feature of Hastings society was its cordial greetings, familiar intercourse, nearly all calling each other by their given names; genteel evening parties, such as the Mesdames And the county court. What a sensation its sessions created. How wise, dignified and anxious seemed Judge Greenfield and Prose­ cutor Holbrook, and genc&ny N.A. Batch of Kalamazoo. How constant the attendance of certain litigants and their crowd of witnesses. How disconcerted looked the judge, if by any mischance these standby patrons failed to put in their regular appearance. And how great looked the county officers to my green eyes. R.N. Hannah, judge of pro­ bate; P. Leonard, sheriff; C.V. Patrick, register; O.B. Sheldon, treasurer; H.E. Hoyt, clerk; S.C. Hall, representative; John Bowne, sena­ tor. Demigods they seemed, men they were. Rutland, too, has a history which I ought to give. The first two pioneers were Cooley and DeGroant in ’36. These were short-lived. Next comes that honest temperate, queer and antiquated specimen, Estes Rich, who married the widow Cooley. Then singing master Mott, who came from and returned to Battle Creek. The oldest settler now in the town is Ira Shipman, who came in ’35. Few men have experienced so much of adventure, toil, and hardship and supported a better character for downright honesty than he. How distinctly Rich, Pickle, Prindle, Lennington, Shipman, Brewer, Cowell, Peck, Newton, Stebbins, Lothridges, Doud, McMur­ ray, Henyon, David Rork, Finch Mead, W.W. Ralph, Campbell, Holden, Marshall, Elva Cross, Douglass, are photographed on the walls of our memory. Who can ever forget the droll, witty, mirth­ ful, story-telling, genial, honest, thriving, hos­ pitable, practical-joking, somewhat conceited farmer, David Rork, the father of so many talented, stirring members of society? What further could be said after Mr. Ralph had uttered his oracle? He “who was not to blame for his strength.” Orangeville was one of the first towns settled. George Brown and his son led the way, blazing the trees as they passed from Gull Prairie. Brown was a man of brains and grit, His brother, Henry, is also. John Patton will long be remembered for his sturdy frame, sawmill, and love for litiga­ tion and who that knew them will ever forget Silas Nichols who “could not tell whether he had 13 or 14 children,” or Jo Coffin, the Indian whiskey trader; or James Steward; or Donald McCallum; or “Squire” Woodman; or the Falks? What a figure the latter long cut in neighborhood quarrels and courts. How Watson Wait by his original expres­ sions made his hearers roar with laughter. And how the intelligent ones wondered where Stilwell and Pettingill and Valentine got so well posted in the “dictionary” and “mathe­ matics” and history of the slaves fled to Cana­ da- 150,000,000. Mrs. Isaac Messer taught the first school in Orangeville, and it was here that Martha Messer, now Mrs. Morrill, of blastings, was bom - the first child bom in the town - the first white girl in the county. To be continued ... The audience at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s James Webb Space Telescope livestream was awed by the images revealed. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Pierce Cedar Creek Institute serves as host site for first Webb Telescope images I Molly Macleod Copy Editor Pierce Cedar Creek Institute took a look to the stars Tuesday morning. The Institute hosted a livestream event for the release of the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. Community Program Manager Ellen Holste, PhD, headed the presentation of the event. Ahead of the NASA livestream, which released the first five photos from the new telescope, Holste lectured the full audience about the telescope, what the images might reveal and why it matters. The James Webb Space Telescope is a tennis court-sized feat of engineering that has been 25 years in the making, accord­ ing to Holste. With the idea for it stem­ ming back to 1995, and construction beginning in 2002, the finished product was finally launched on Christmas of last year. Holste dubbed the telescope a “Christmas miracle.” “The James Webb Telescope has lots of bells and whistles,” said Holste. Not only does the telescope have an antenna, it also has a huge sunshield, a secondary mirror, a spectrograph, a coro­ nagraph and both a Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). All of these tools work together to create images far more advanced than those captured by the Hubble Space Tele­ scope, the Webb’s predecessor. In Holste’s lecture before the lives­ tream, she explained how incredible it is that the James Webb Space Telescope was not only constructed, but that it was able to successfully travel to space and be operable. “If something’s the size of a tennis court, how easy would that get into space? Not so easy, right?” said Holste on Tuesday. “They had to basically do origami on this thing. They had to fold it up, put it into a rocket...launch it into space...and they had to unfold it.” The unfolding process took time and care, but was ultimately successful. The mammoth telescope was pointed at five different targets in the reveal on Tuesday. NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute formed an international committee to choose where the Webb Telescope should aim for the first images. The first was a look into deep space at the SMACS 0723 galaxy cluster. This tar­ get was chosen due to the “gravity lens” effect it would have. The gravity of the galaxy cluster acted as a magnifier for the James Webb Space Telescope, distorting the image at the edges, but allowing the telescope to see further into space and, in turn, the past. Next, the telescope was focused at WASP 96-b, an exoplanet just over 1,000 light years away. In space terms, that’s just a hop, skip and a jump away. The telescope’s spectrograph was used in the case of WASP 96-b to break down the chemical makeup of the exoplanet and its atmosphere. The most spectacular images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope on Tuesday were of the Carina Nebula, Stephan’s Quintet and the Southern Ring Nebula. The nebulas pictured give scien­ tists data on how stars are bom and die, and what happened after the Big Bang. Stephan’s Quintet is located in the east constellation of Pegasus and is a cluster of five galaxies. Each of the five images that were revealed imply big things are to come in the worlds of astronomy and astrophysics. In both Holste’s presentation and in the NASA livestream, the phrase “This is just the beginning,” was uttered in reverence many times over. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, July 14 - Friends Book Sale, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; no movies. Friday, July 15 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m.; Friends Book Sale, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, July 16 - Friends Book Sale (bag sale), 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, July 18 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; Lego club (adults must be accompanied by a child), 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; Jerry DeCaire Marvel artist event. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. �Page 8 — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ‘A Day in the Garden’ tour offers glimpses of seven local gardens Gardeners have a saying that the first year a plant sleeps, the second year it creeps and the third year it leaps. The same could be said for gardens and gardeners. This year’s “A Day in the Garden” tour, sponsored by Thornapple Garden Club has examples, of all three types of gardens. On Saturday, July 16, the general public can shop for garden-related items and plants at the Garden Thyme Market on the Barry County Courthouse lawn from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. as well as tour seven gardens between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available at Al Fresco and The General Store in Hastings, and on the 16th at the courthouse lawn. Tick­ ets can also be purchased at each of the par­ ticipating houses, or by contacting the club at Thornappl eGardenClub@yahoo .com. For city gardener June Gillespie, she enjoys the flowers and her garden beds, but because of allergies she isn’t as much into gardening. Because of that, low maintenance is key according to Gillespie, who says she likes to get out and see what’s blooming and what has changed day by day. Luckily, a friend helps, and June’s husband Doug is the chief waterer. “1 love the variety of colors and contrast provided in the beds,” said Gillespie, who combines what she likes with what will grow in the yard. One plant she has given up on is a rhododendron after several failed attempts. The beds have undergone some transfor­ mations over the 39 years the Gillespie’s have been in the house. Evergreens have been pulled out and replaced with hostas, heucheras (coral bells), clematis plants, a rose, and lilies, plus annuals for pops of color. Goats beard, lilacs, forsythia, weigela, pivot and spiraea bushes add color in the spring and early summer. One addition about three years ago was adding concrete edging around the beds. They are looking at removing the remain­ ing worn-out evergreens in back and replac­ ing with a flowering shrub and possibly a fountain. Gillespie’s advice to new gardeners is to talk to friends - you never know who can help or who will share plants. The garden beds at Julie and John Ehlich’s house on Kirkshire Drive started before the house was finished, thanks to family and friends who donated plants to get them start­ ed. Julie planted those on the hillside for safe keeping during construction until she could transplant them to the newly created beds last year. This year, she is experiencing the creep stage as plants have expanded and are over­ crowding some of the areas. She said she wanted the look of lush garden “and I’in paying the price now for planting them too close.” Julie Ehlich poses in a hillside garden bed. Julie and her husband John started their gardens with the help of friends while their Kirkshire Drive home was still being con­ structed. (Courtesy photo) Nana’s Garden is a memorial garden that includes her mother’s statue of the Blessed Mother, a cardinal representing her father as well as pinks, which were her aunt’s favorite flower. But Julie’s favorite bed is the one along the garage because of the way the hostas, coral bells, rocks, and everything have come together. She really started gardening about six years ago when her mom passed, and she created a memorial bed at her home. She found she enjoyed being outside and unwind­ ing from being on the computer all day. Her first experience was planting 10,000 pine saplings with her family on their 50-acre property as a child. “It’s fun to go back and see those trees now',” Julie said. Julie’s advice to new gardeners is to listen to those with more experience. “They told me not to put in too many beds, but I just kept adding more.” Down the road is the garden of Diane and Ron Jesmore who have chosen plants to tie into the feel and colors of their home. The woodside path winds between the guesthouse and behind the house with deer resistant plantings and wild white roses. Sev­ eral river birches, redbuds and native spruce tree§, have be^en added around the property. Perennial gardens surround the house. A flagstone path opens to a beautiful vista of Lake 21 with patio, dock and beach. Along the driveway, everything got pushed down the bank as they were excavat­ ing, so Diane has been throwing wildflower seeds down the slope and hacked down what she doesn’t want. She plans to stagger plants and bushes. The screen porch is a favorite spot for both Diane and Ron and their dog Gabby, and you will probably see her there during the tour. “I’ve gardened forever,” Diane said. “In my Romeo house I had extensive gardens. My grandmother hybridized roses and was an incredible gardener.” Last year was a busy year with trenches, as Ron built the seawall along the shore, adding a beach area and the dry stream bed that had to be done twice because the first liner leaked and undermined the nearby tree. Diane bills them as “big project people,” and this year’s find at an antique sale turned into a bigger one than they expected. The folding metal screen they got this spring to hide the power box came from an estate by Lake Erie. But both Ron and Diane said it was quite the feat to get it level. This trio of homes and gardens is just a small sampling of what attendees can expect at .this year’s annual event. . „ , . For further information on the tour, call 269-948-2044. Position Opening The Barry County Prosecutor’s Office is accepting applications for a full time Legal Secretary. The position requires computer and Internet skills, writing and grammar skills, an ability to meet deadlines, and good interpersonal skills. The base pay rate is $15.85 per hour. Please send a cover letter, resume and completed job application form to: Julie Nakfoor-Pratt, Prosecutor, Barry County Prosecutor’s Office, 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. An application and job description is available at www.barrycounty.org. For more information, you may contact the Barry County Prosecutor’s Office, at 269-945-1297, jpratt@barrycounty.org, or nmitchell@barrycounty.org. Deadline for applying: Open until filled. ” NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale two pickups: (2) 2021 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab SLE pickup. Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 AM, Tuesday, July 26, 2022 for the following items. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck number i.e #210020 or #210080. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website www.barrycrc, org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is. (2) 2021 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab SLE Pickups 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors 1-Cardinal Red Truck #210020 - Green Title - approximately 36,000 Miles Minimum Bid $50,000 1-Cardinal Red Truck #210080 - Green Title - approximately 20,000 Miles Minimum Bid $50,000 NOTE: All mileages are approximate - trucks are being driven until they are sold. The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. .. .— June Gillespie stands by one of her home’s garden beds, which has greatly evolved over the 39 years she and her hus­ band have live at the location. (Courtesy photo) “Nana’s Garden” is a memorial garden at the home of Julie and John Ehlich. The garden includes Julie’s mother’s statue of the Blessed Mother, a cardinal representing her father as well as pinks, which were her aunt’s favorite flower. JLake. &deAAa - Elaine Garlock Our French friends are celebrating Bastille Day today. This also marks the time in our history when American troops were getting their initiation into actual combat on French soil during World War II. Earlier this week, six trucks were assem­ bled in the area of North 4th Avenue and Johnson Street for a long-awaited line flushing project. They do this to clear the lines of tree roots, which have affected drains in the area for a few years. This pro­ cess involved getting rid of a tree or two, replacing drains and other utility work. The same area is often visited by tanker trucks drawing water from a hydrant at the junc­ tion of a water main on 4th Avenue. A 12-inch water line that runs parallel to Johnson Street west to serve the heavy water needs of Twin City Foods is also located near there. The addition of this line enabled residents of Johnson Street to get a bigger water main for their fire hydrants and other water needs years ago. The downtown planters are at their best. The centerpiece canna plants are now well over a foot tall and are in full bloom. The many shorter surrounding plants add their beauty to the central canna plants. Thursday and Friday are the days when First Congregational Church is having Bible School for children with the rural theme, “Hay Day.” In addition to its normal activity this sum­ mer, the local library is hosting a meals pro­ gram to serve youth below the age of 18 with food items suitable for a lunch meal. Certain older people also qualify for the free food. The library has its weekly story time for chil­ dren of two age brackets, besides a youth science program and an exercise program with a young man as the instructor. The library is far more than books! Central United Methodist women met on Monday for a midsummer gathering to make plans for the next few months. These plans include a summer salad luncheon with a speaker and guests from several other church groups in the community, as well as a fall trip to Turkeyville for an entertaining meal. They also heard stories of years past when the name of the church mission program shifted from Women’s Foreign Missionary Society to Women’s Society of Christian Service. There have been other name changes in the ensuing years with church mergers and other factors contributing. There is yet another change in the offering, which will be put into use in a few months from now, but the purpose will continue with emphasis on missionary service, spiritual growth and other aims. One planned event will be the annual rummage sale at the end of September and an apple pie sale. Delores McMillen of San Diego has returned home on Monday of last week after a three-week visit to her sister and other rela­ tives. She also attended the quadrennial McMillen family reunion held at the Wood­ land village park. Work continues on the new house on Tup­ per Lake Road east of the village limits and also on a new house on the south side of that same street, several blocks south, tucked behind houses on Jordan Lake Avenue. Alas, we hear that the end of strawberry season has come. Black raspberries are small and lacking in plumpness and therefore juici­ ness. Rain on the weekend was welcomed, bringing a slight lowering of temperature in the air and a greening of lawn grass. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, July 14, 2022 Harness racing opens fair grandstand events Brett Bremer Sports Editor The 2021 Barry County Fair grandstand shows set attendance records throughout the week last summer, and the mix of attractions returns again beginning this weekend at the Barry Expo Center grandstand. Grandstand events get rolling with har­ ness racing Saturday and Sunday, July 16-17, at noon. Entry into the grandstand is free for the harness racing events. Programs are $2. Evening events will be held at 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, July 18-23. Tick­ et prices do not include admission to the fairgrounds. Gates open one hour before the events begin. Those evening events kick off with KOI Drag Racing Monday. Tickets are $5 to watch the drag racing. Practice and registra­ tion for those participating in the evens will start at 5 p.m. KOI has announced that “this race has some of the highest horsepower vehicles that we have ever seen, so you won’t want to miss this one.” There are classes for all types of vehicles diesels, full size vehicles and ATVs to race along the 200-foot dirt raceway in front of the grandstand. KOI teams are spending the summer host­ ing events throughout Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and beyond. A Unique Motor Sports Off Road Derby will be held Tuesday. Tickets are $10. Plans are for a 4-cylinder stock off-road derby, a V6 stock off-road derby, a powder puff event, a Power Wheels event for youngsters and a stock mini van and crossover off-road derby. Rules and entry forms to compete in the events can be found at unique-motorsports.com. The Super Kicker Rodeo will entertain the crowd Wednesday. Tickets are $10. Super Kicker Rodeo events typically feature bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding as well as roping competitions - as well as some activities for youth from the stands like mutton busting. Michigan Truck & Tractor Pullers will compete in front of the grandstand Thursday, July 21. Tickets are $10. Unique Motorsports returns Friday, July 22, to host a Demolition Derby. Tickets are $10. Events during Friday’s “Night of Destruction” will be similar to Tuesday’s event with also the possibility of a compact front wheel drive bone stock demo derby. The main eventing grandstand events con­ clude with the SJO Productions Michigan State Fair Super Cross Saturday, July 23. Tickets are $10. All sign-up to participate in races is done in person the day of the event. ' There will also be a free antique tractor pull at the grandstand Saturday, July 23, beginning at 10 a.m. Michigan Pullers track and tractor pulls will be the grandstand entertainment at the Barry County Fair Thursday, July 21. (File photo) Engines will take an evening off Wednesday, July 20, as the Super Kicker Rodeo entertains the grandstand crowd at the Barry County Fair featuring bull riding, saddle bronc riding (pictured), barrel racing and more. (File photo) Full speed ahead for annual Summerfest 5K/10K races Unique Motor Sports will offer grandstand shows twice during the Barry County Fair in 2022 hosting an off road derby Tuesday, July 19, and more on Friday, July 22, during the annual “Night of Destruction” at the fair. (File photo) Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was more about the fun than the run a year ago, but the Spectrum Health Pennock Summerfest Run is back to full strength this August. Sign-up is going on now for the 5K run/ walk and I OK run which will be held Satur­ day, Aug. 27, during the annual Hastings Summerfest. “We had the race in 2021, but due to Covid restrictions we kept it simple,” said new race director Tina Frank, the Spectrum Health Pennock Health & Wellness Center Supervisor. “We didn’t ask for any sponsor­ ships from local businesses because we knew they were hit hard with Covid. So, the race was just a 5k and it was a fun run.” “This year it is back,” she exclaimed add­ ing that the race will once again be timed, there will be awards and there will be donuts from Cotant’s Farm Market as well. The 10K run begins at 7:30 a.m., fol­ lowed shortly by the 5K run/walk at 7:45 a.m. at Hastings Middle School at 232 West Grand Street. The cost to participate in the 5K races is currently $35, with the fee moving to $40 after Aug. 7. It is $40 to compete in the 10K if sign-up is done by Aug. 7 and $45 after that date. There is a $5 discount for students ages 18 and younger to participate. Sign-up can be done online at runsignup, com/summerfestrun.com. There is an addi­ tional sign-up fee online of about $3. Packet pick-up will be held Friday, Aug. 26, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Spectrum Health Pennock Health and Wellness Center in Hastings. There were more than 300 participants in the races the last time the event was at full speed in 2019. LHS duo earns all-state awards from golf coaches Brett Bremer Sports Editor A pair of members of the Lakewood varsity boys’ golf team shot their way to all-state hon­ ors during the spring 2022 season as they helped lead the Viking program to the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Boys Golf Finals. Trevor Simon finished off his varsity golfing years at Lakewood by earning first team all-state honors from the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association (MIGCA) in Division 3. Drew Marquoit, a junior in the spring, earned honorable mention all-state in Division 3. Simon is the first member of the Lakewood boys’ golf program to ever earn the accolade. Simon was a medalist at the MHSAA Finals, finishing in a tie for eight place at the June 10-11 Finals at The Fortress in Frankenmuth. “He had an incredible senior year and played with such incredible consistency,” Lakewood varsity boys’ golf coach Carl Kutch said of Simon. “He became our team leader and the rest of the guys fed off of this. “And, certainly, one of those guys, Drew, grabbed the reigns as a true number two player for Lakewood and posted such solid rounds. This, in turn, helped to push all of the rest of our crew.” Marquoit was 30th individually at the state finals. As a team, Lakewood placed sixth at the finals which is the best finish in the history of the Viking boy’s program. Both guys were regional medalists this sea­ son. Marquoit was the regional runner-up the first weekend in June and Simon placed fifth. All-America honor for local swimmer headed to Purdue Lakewood's Trevor Simon and Drew Marquoit have recently received all-state hon­ ors from the MIGCA. The two helped the Viking team to its best ever finish at the state finals in June and were both medalists at regionals (pictured) last month. Abby Marcukaitis, a 2022 graduate of Thomapple Kellogg High School and member of the Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings varsity girls’ swimming and diving team has earned All-America honors from the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association. Marcukaitis was one of the country’s top 100-yard backstroke swimmers during the 2021-22 season - winning an MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 State Championship in the event with a time of 55.07 seconds. Marcukaitis was also 11th in the 50-yard backstroke at the state finals her senior season. Marcukaitis is set to swim for Purdue University next season. Marcukaitis also received Academic All-America honors from the NISCA last month. �Page 10 — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Iy liVJ1.1 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m. on July 28, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not au­ tomatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE SALE -Daniel Drum and Amy N. Drum, Husband and wife as joint tenants, original mortgagors, granted a Mortgage to Citifinancial, Inc., dated No­ vember 30, 2006, and recorded December 5,2006 as Instrument Number 1173501, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan, and assigned to Citifinancial Servicing LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, recorded on January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017-000595, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as owner Trustee for WF 19 Grantor Trust, recorded January 19, 2017 as Instrument Number 2017­ 000596 in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michigan and assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, dba Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust III recorded April 13, 2021 as Instrument Number 20212-004919, in official records of Barry County Register of Deeds, Michi­ gan which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Twenty Two Thousand Thirty dollars and 10/100 dollars ($22,030.10). The sale is subject to a Mortgage recorded on May 5, 2006 as Instrument Number 1164135 of Barry County Register of Deeds. The following described premises situated in the Township of Prairieville, County of Barry, State of Michigan, to-wit: Begin­ ning at the Northwest corner of Section 4, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence on the Township line of South 89 degrees 52 minutes 06 seconds East 180 feet; thence South 00 degrees 48 minutes 01 seconds East parallel with the West line of said section 587.21 feet to the Northeasterly edge of Hughes Road, a private drive in the plat of Shady Heights, as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, on page 37; thence North 53 degrees 37 minutes 00 seconds West 427.89 feet; thence North 09 degrees 49 minutes 00 seconds East 114.74 feet; thence South 89 degrees 53 minutes 12 seconds East parallel with the North line of the Northeast fractional 1/4 of the adjacent section 5, a distance of 139.80 feet to the section line common to said section 4 and 5; thence North 00 degrees 48 min­ utes 01 seconds West on same 221.0 feet to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 10929 Pine Lake Road, Delton, Ml 49046 Property ID# NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Heather Anne Barton, an unmarried woman, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 12,2016 and recorded October 18,2016 in Instrument Number 2016-010472 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on February 19, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-001257, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth Third Bank, National Association successor by merger to MB Financial Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifty­ Seven Thousand Six Hundred Twelve and 58/100 Dollars ($157,612.58). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Thomapple, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: That part of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 10 West, described as: Beginning at the East 1/4 corner of said Section 36; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes 30 seconds West 625.0 feet along the North line of said Southeast 1/4, thence South 45 degrees 09 minutes 30 seconds East 575 feet, more or less, to the centerline of Thomapple River; thence Northeasterly along said centerline 295 feet, more or less, to the East line of said Section 36; thence North 00 degrees 00 minutes West 215 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. 7101 West Loop Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: July 7,2022 File No. 22-003936 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (07-07)(07-28) 183701 08-12-004-007-10 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless de­ termined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241, in which case the redemption period shall be 1 month, or under MCL 600.3241 a 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later, or extin­ guished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for dam­ aging the property during the redemption period. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice ATTENTION PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. This notice is from a debt collector. Dated: June 14 2022 For more information, please call: (513) 852­ 6066 Daniel A. Cox and Crystal L. Saresky Wood & Lamping LLP Attorneys for Servicer 600 Vine Street, Suite 2500, Cincinnati, OH 45202 File 21­ 12006 (06-16)(07-14) 182533 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029219-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, # 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of David Lee Wrate. Date of birth: 10/18/1959. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, David Lee Wrate, died 05/14/2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Julie Wrate, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/12/2022 Linda G. Bobrin P37506 30400 Telegraph Rd., Suite 444 Bingham Farms, Ml 48025 248-642-6000 Julie Wrate 575 Rosemont Galesburg, Ml 49053 269-217-9334 184091 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 11,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Lee Schuitman, an unmarried man, whose address is 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, to Mortgage Electronic System, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 6, 2018, and recorded on August 13,2018, as Document No. 2018-007791 , Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Discovery Mortgage Loan Trust, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated August 2, 2021, and recorded on August 3, 2021, in Instrument 2021-009736, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($148,582.27). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land located in the Northeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the center line of Old M-37 which lies South 00 degrees 06 minutes 20 seconds East 433.26 feet and South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 1056.01 feet from the North 1/4 post of said Section 11; thence South 39 degrees 26 minutes 40 seconds West 189.0 feet; thence North 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds West 217.69 feet; thence North 32 degrees 19 minutes 08 seconds East 190.47 feet to the center of said highway; thence South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 241.32 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 14,2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4501 (07-14)(08-04) Financial FOCUS Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 11, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagors): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for RMTP Trust, Series 2021 Cottage-TT-V Date of Mortgage: November 30,2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10,2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $176,583.73 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240( 16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 7, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1468755 (07-07) (07-28) 183730 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY FILE NO: 21 - 928 - CH ORDER FOR SUBSTITUTED SERVICE HON VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Notice to: The unknown heirs of Oscar Rice, Ernest Rice, Nola Rice or Ruth Rice; Rebecca Rice; and anyone that may claim interest in the below described property. An action has commenced in the Barry County Circuit Court, Case 2021-0928-CH, SaintAmour v Rice et al. The nature of the proceedings is an action to quite title. Any answers or other actions permitted by law or court should be filed with the Barry County Circuit Court and served upon Plaintiff by contacting attorney Steven G. Storrs at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 S Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058. Failure to answer or take action shall result in a default of any potential interest in the following described property: COMMENCING AT A POINT “B” OF SAID PLAT OF BUENA VISTA HEIGHTS, THEN SOUTHEASTERLY TO POINT “C” THEN NORTH 00 DEGREES 33 MINUTES WEST TO POINT “D”, THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 27 MINUTES EAST 75 FEET TO POINT “E”, THENCE NORTH TO POINT “F, AND CONTINUING NORTH TO THE SHORE OF ALGONQUIN LAKE, THENCE NORTHWESTERLY ALONG THE HORE OF SAID LAKE TO A POINT DUE NORTH OFTHE PLACE OF BEGINNING, THEN SOUTH TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING, SUBJECT TO AN EASEMENT, HOWEVER, OVER THE WEST 33 FEET DESCRIBED AS: COMMENCING AT POINT “B” OF SAID PLAT, THENCE SOUTHEASTERLY TO POINT “C”, THENCE NORTH 00 DEGREES 33 MINUTES WEST TO POINT “D", THENCE WEST 33 FEET, THENCE SOUTH TO POINT “B”. Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jim Lundin Financial Advisor Member SIPC Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Prepare yourself for a long retirement We all want to live long lives. We all expect to live long lives. But are we financially prepared for this longevity? Before we get to the issue of preparation, let’s look at a cou­ ple of interesting findings from a 2022 survey by Age Wave and Edward Jones: • The surveyed retirees said, on average, they expect to live to 89, and they said the ide­ al length of retirement is 29 years. • When asked if they want to five to 100, nearly 70% of the respondents said “yes.” The main reason for this desire for long life? To spend more years with their family and friends. Of course, none of us can see into the future and know how long we’ll be around. But with advances in medical care and a greater awareness of healthy lifestyles, these as­ pirations have a real basis in reality. However, if you’re going to enjoy a longer lifespan, and the extra years with your loved ones, you need to ensure your finances are also in good shape. How can you make this happen? Here are some basic steps to follow: • Save and invest early and often. This may be the oldest piece of financial advice, but it’s still valid. The earlier you start saving and investing for your retirement, the greater your potential accumulation. Consider this: If you began saving just $5,000 per year at age 25, and earned a hy­ pothetical 6.5% annual rate of return, and didn’t take any early withdrawals, you’d end up with $935,000 by the time you reached 65. But if you waited until 35 to start saving and investing, and you earned the same hypothetical 6.5% return - again with no early withdrawals - you’d only end up with $460,000. And if you didn’t start saving until 45, you’d end up with just over $200,000, again given the same 6.5% return. • Be mindful of debt. You may not want to be burdened with certain debts when you enter retirement. So, while you’re still working, try to reduce unwanted debts, par­ ticularly those that don’t offer the financial benefits of tax-de­ ductible interest payments. The lower your debt load, the more you can save and invest for the future. • Keep reviewing your prog­ ress. It’s important to monitor the progress you need to make toward achieving your goal of STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FILE NO. 22-29188-GM In the matter of Marley Jean Cook. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS including Dustin Cook whose address(es) is/are unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing win be held on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge Doherty P41960 for the following purpose: Petition for Guardianship of Minor Child. Date: 7/7/2022 Jackie Baker P76955 137 W. State St. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-3999 Laneta Bennett 580 Welcome Road Hastings, Ml 49058 269-908-5110 Parcel ID No: 08-13-001-GAP-00 and any other rights in property commonly known as 1919 Ottawa Trail, Hastings, Michigan 49058. 183993 SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS read contribute advertise 184149 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Hastings DANNER a comfortable retirement. Over the short term, your invest­ ment balances may fluctuate, especially in volatile financial markets such as we’ve seen in the early part of this year. But you’ll get a clearer picture of your situation if you look at long-term results. For exam­ ple, have your accounts grown over the past 10 years as much as you had planned? And go­ ing forward, do you think you’re in good shape, or will you need to make some chang­ es to your investment strategy? Keep in mind that, if you’re 50 or older, you can make “catch­ up” contributions to your IRA and 401(k) that allow you to exceed the regular limits. You may also want to adjust your investment mix as you near retirement to potentially lower your risk exposure. Hopefully, you will enjoy many years of a healthy, happy retirement. And you can help support this vision by careful­ ly considering your financial moves and making the ones that are right for you. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22029210-DE Estate of Ronald David Stoddard, deceased. Date of birth: 2/12/1949. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Ronald D. Stoddard, died 5/21/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kurtis C. Stoddard, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: July 14, 2022 183991 Estate of Ronald D. Stoddard 11965 Millstone Dr. Grand Ledge, Ml 48837 517-281-3237 183801. City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NO. 606 The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing written and/ or oral comments from the public concerning amending Chapter 90, Article 90-VI District Regulations, Section 90-312 (h) pertaining to two family dwellings and also amending Sections 90-314 (a), 90-289 (a), 90-339 (a), pertaining to dimensional requirements, and also amending Section 90-391 pertaining to purpose, and also amending Section 90-392 (b) pertaining to Permitted Uses and Section 90-393 (a) pertaining to Special Uses and Section 90-394 (a) pertaining to dimensional requirements and also amending Section 90­ 423 (a) pertaining to Special Uses and Section 90-424 (a) pertaining to dimensional require­ ments, and also amending Section 90-452 (b) pertaining to Permitted Uses, Section 90-453 (a) pertaining to Special Uses, and Section 90-454 (a) pertaining to dimensional require­ ments. The public hearing will be held on Monday August 1, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the Council Cham­ bers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Please contact Dan King, Community Development Director, at dking@hastingsmi.org or 269-945-2468 if you have questions or comments regarding this pub­ lic hearing. A copy of this information is available for public in­ spection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1-800-649-3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk 183992 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 14, 2022 — Page 11 Hastings 1211 team wins GIYL Major Softball Tourney Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings girls had to dig out of a hole, but managed to do it for a 16-13 win in the championship game of the Greater Ionia Youth League Major Softball Tournament the final Friday of June. The Hastings Softball Club 12U team sponsored by Redmond Wood Floors finished of a 12-3 season by winning the finale of the league tournament. Hastings faced Saranac in the champion­ ship game, and the girls from Saranac scored four runs in the first inning. “It put us in a hole right off the bat, but the girls fought back and I think we finally took the lead in the top of the fifth inning,” Hast­ ings head coach Todd Sanlnocencio said. The Hastings team was made up of Payton Arnie, Jordyn Birdsall, Khloe Blantz, Sophia Boucher, Kayelen Brown, Lexus Gorodenski, Rylee Hanford, Hailey Myers, Harper Nich­ ols, Lily Redmond, Ella Sanlnocencio and Zoey Storm. The Redmond Wood Floors girls beat the league’s other team of Hastings girls in the semifinals after opening the tournament with a win over a team from Lakewood. The vic­ tory over Saranac was the third of the season for the tournament champs. Assisting coach Sanlnocencio were fellow coaches Josh Hanford, Kelly Brown and Adam Gorodenski. The girls started their season in early May, practicing a couple times a week until the game schedule limited practice time to once a week. ! The Maple Valley Youth Softball 10U team sponsored by Tobias High Tensile Fence took the championship at the Tri-County Baseball/Softball League Tournament last month at Lakewood High School. The Maple Valley girls bested a team from Hastings 20-9 in the championship game June 18 to close an 8-4-1 season. Team members include (front from left) Maycie Erb, Elliana Flowers, Reagen Berg, McKenna Norman, Maddie Henney, coach Dustin Henney, (back) coach Tyler Erb, coach Curtis Norman, Carolynn Chapman, Saydee Tupper, Bentley Little, Chessa Jopie, Sarah Losey, Ryleigh Ripley, coach Derek Ripley and (missing from photo) Karlee Davis. Maple Valley 1OU team avenges losses to win title Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Maple Valley Youth Softball 1 OU team sponsored by Tobias High Tensile Fence took the championship in the Tri-County Youth Baseball/Softball League Tournament last month at Lakewood High School. . The Maple Valley girls were 8-4-1 overall on the season and bested a team from Hast­ ings 20-9 in the championship game of the tournament June 18 after opening tournament play with wins over another team from Hast­ ings and a team from the Lakewood area earlier in the week. The team the Maple Valley girls faced in the championship game from Hastings and the team from Lakewood it bested in the semifinals had handed them three of their four losses during the regular season. Maple Valley coach Dustin Henney said his girls really improved their batting through­ out the season, which started with the first practices in April, but he was most impressed with their improved sportsmanship through­ out the spring and summer. “It was night and day,” Henney said. “They 100 percent all the way around just became better athletes.” “At the end they were cheering each other on. They were having fun, and when they had fun they played better. I was just super proud of their sportsmanship. As they were winning they started listening better. They’re just a great group of girls. Phenomenal. They always wanted to do more. They always wanted to do extra.” Team members this season included Reagen Berg, Carolynn Chapman, Karlee Davis, Maycie Erb, Elliana Flowers, Maddie Henney, Chessa Jopie, Bentley Little, Sarah Losey, McKenna Norman, Ryleigh Ripley and Saydee Tupper. Coaching the team were coach Henney, Tyler Erb, Curtis Norman and Derek Ripley. Lions among GLAC award winners during spring season Maple Valley High School had a handful of student-athletes honored as all-conference performers in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference this spring. Junior Lydia Schilz from the Lion varsity girls’ soccer team was named first team all-conference with freshman teammates Julia Mater and Melaina Granger earning spots on the all-conference second team and senior Olivia Williams named all-conference honor­ able mention. Senior Karli Dahms from the Maple Valley varsity softball team earned second team all-conference and junior teammate Abeni Hartwell was named honorable mention all-conference. Senior Owen Bailey from the Lion varsity boys’ golf team earned all-conference honors this spring and his teammate Kenny Curtis was honorable mention all-conference. Maple Valley varsity track and field athletes sophomore Evan Brandenburg and sophomore Nic Martin were both second team all-confer­ ence thanks to runner-up finishes in events at the GLAC Championship Meet in May. Sophomore Callan Hoefler from the Maple Valley varsity baseball team earned a first team all-conference award. Sophomore Chanse Courtney was named second team all-conference and sophomore Cam Carpenter was named honorable mention all-conference. The Lion varsity baseball team earned a handful of other awards. Hoefler was named Lion sophomore catcher Callan Hoefler was named first team all-conference in the GLAC this spring and was one of two Maple Valley varsity baseball players, joined by Chanse Courtney, to earn hon­ orable mention all-state in Division 3. (File photo) honorable mention all-state in Division 3 at catcher and Courtney honorable mention all­ state as an infielder after both earning all-dis­ trict and all-region honors. Outfielder Ayden Wilkes and Carpenter, a utility player, joined Hoefler and Courtney as all-district honorees. The Hastings Redmond Wood Floors 12U softball team took the Greater Ionia Youth League Major Tournament championship the final weekend of June finishing off a 12-3 season. Team members included (from left) Ella Sanlnocencio, Jordyn Birdsall, Lexus Gorodenski, Hailey Myers, Sophia Boucher, Khloe Blantz, Lily Redmond, Kayelen Brown, Payton Arnie, Rylee Hanford, (missing from photo) Harper Nichols and Zoey Storm. (Photo supplied) Student-athlete numbers bounce back in 2021-22 Participation in Michigan High School Athletic Association-sponsored sports across the state rebounded tremendously during the 2021-22 school year, despite a slight decline in enrollment among the MHSAA’s 750 member high schools. The onset of CO VID-19 during the spring of 2020 was followed by a significant decline in participation in MHSAA sports during 2020-21. However, participation for the most recent school year concluding this spring saw an increase of 6.6 percent from 2020-21 to a total of 260,542 participants across the 28 sports for which the MHSAA sponsors post­ season tournaments - even as statewide enrollment fell 0.76 percent to 440,728 stu­ dents this past school year. Girls participation increased 6.8 percent to 109,128 athletes, while boys participation was up 6.5 percent to 151,414. The overall MHSAA participation totals count students once for each sport in which they participate, meaning students who are multiple-sport ath­ letes are counted more than once. A total of 23 sports saw increases in partic­ ipation during 2021-22 compared to 2020-21. Ten sports saw double-digit percentage increases, led boys track & field (27.2 percent to 22,120 participants), girls track & field Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Recreation ACHILLES RUBBER DINGHY- 8 l/2ft. by 4 l/2ft. Solid bottom, oars and motor mount. $300.00, 269­ 945-7082. SHIH-TZU MORGIE CROSS, very cute, nice lap dog. $525. 517­ 726-0706. GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES, very cute, 1st shots & de wormed, Mom on site. $600. 517-852-3007. Garage Sale ESTATE SALE: THURS-SAT, July 14-16,2022.9am-3pm. 15560 Noonan Rd, Hickory Comers. Business Services BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets SHIH POO PUPPIES for sale. Small, super cute. 1st shots and wormed. $600.00, 517-852-4881. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. EQUAL KOUSXQ OPPORTUNITY Help Wanted BARRY COUNTY TRIAL COURT SERVICES SPECIALIST: The pur­ pose of this job is to perform a variety of complex clerical tasks involved in processing cases, setting up case files; filing case documents; maintaining and compiling case load and case activity statistics; re­ cording; and scheduling hearings. Provides information and assistance to law enforcement officers, attor­ neys, defendants, and court patrons. Substitutes for other court staff and provides general clerical assistance to the Judges and court staff. This position requires the individual to be self-motivated while working with­ in a team environment. Computer skills and excellent customer service skills are essential. Full time. $17.03/ per hour, plus benefits. Please send cover letter and resume by July 25, 2022 to: Ms. Daisey Cherniawski; 206 W Court St. Ste. 101; Hastings MI 49058; Or email: dchemiawski© barryco.org. (22.4 percent to 15,594 participants), and boys skiing (22.4 percent to 1,001 participants). Wrestling (17.1 percent) and boys bowling (16.2 percent) also saw double-digit increases, along with girls tennis (11.4 tennis), girls bowling (11.2 percent), girls competitive cheer (10.6 percent), boys golf (10.5 percent) and girls lacrosse (10 percent). Wrestling’s major boost came in part because of a nearly 300-percent increase in girls participants with 620 taking the mat for the first season of the MHSAA offering a girls championship divi­ sion at its Individual Wrestling Finals. Also enjoying increases in participation during 2021-22 from the previous year were girls golf (8.1 percent), girls skiing (7.6 per­ cent), boys basketball (6.4 percent), girls soccer (6.3 percent), boys swimming & div­ ing (6.1 percent), boys lacrosse (5.8 percent), softball (3.6 percent), girls basketball (3.1 percent), baseball (3.0 percent), boys tennis (2.8 percent), football (2.4 percent), girls vol­ leyball (2.0 percent) and girls swimming & diving (1.2 percent). Five sports saw decreased participation in 2021-22. The decline in boys soccer partici­ pation can be considered negligible, at only 0.21 percent with 28 fewer participants. Girls cross country (1.4 percent) and boys ice hockey participation (1.2 percent) decreases also were slight, with boys cross country next with a 3.9-percent decrease and girls gymnas­ tics at 4.6 percent fewer participants than the previous school year. Football, with a combined 33,284 partici­ pants over the 11 and 8-player formats, remained the most-played sport during the 2021-22 school year. Boys track & field (22,120) and boys basketball (20,017) were next for total participants followed by girls volleyball (18,798) - the most popular girls sport - baseball (16,528) and girls track & field (15,594). While the majority of sports are still build­ ing back to their pre-COVID participation totals, golf and skiing posted some of their highest totals in some time. Boys golf (6,829) had its most participants since 2012-13, and girls golf (3,875) its highest total since 2003­ 04. The boys skiing total (1,001) was its highest since 2002-03, and the girls skiing total this past season (837) was the highest for that sport since 1998-99. The participation figures are gathered annually from MHSAA member schools to submit to the National Federation of State High School Associations for compiling of its national participation survey. A Dog Saved My Life By Gina Johnsen Today I met a woman who shared from her guts the deep concern she has for our state and nation. She can’t believe the sharp contrast between what we used to be and what we are now. She was angry about being put off when expressing concern to government officials. She couldn’t believe how her country and community had changed over the past couple years, and she fears for our future. She was truly grateful to have someone to listen to her. And I was honored that she would trust me enough to share all these thoughts and feelings. Through tears, she reviewed how tough the shutdown was for her, and how glad she was for the dog she rescued only 2 days before the shutdown began, March 2020. She said, “This dog saved my life.” Otherwise, she would have been devastated by being all alone for many months. There are so many folks who experienced extreme loneliness because of the government shutdown. I remember how a couple friends became trapped in isolation in nursing homes, retirement centers, and assisted living facilities. Their heartache for social contact with family and friends was not like anything they had ever experienced before in their lives. Others actually died at home from loneliness. One pastor remarked that although he had an older population in his church, no one died from Covid there. However, four people died of loneliness. They just quit caring. They quit eating...and died. They said that if they couldn’t see their families or friends, there was no point in living. Prior to the shutdown in 2020, our culture was already experiencing a problem with loneliness. Our youth were better at social media and video games than actually being social. They lacked skills to make friends in person. They lacked passion for relationships and making commitments to each other. Their depression, anxiety, and suicide rates were the highest this nation has ever seen. Their sense of self-worth and respect for the world around them were, at best, underdeveloped. So how do we get our sense of humanity back? I don’t have simple answers for this, but I do think we have the power to change it. Even though we have gained more money and technology, we have not gained more happiness. We can choose to put people first - our neighbors, friends, and family. We can prioritize the little things in life - like sharing a card game together, sharing stories, playing music together.... And making people the priority again. We certainly can’t legislate it, but we can encourage it. As I visit the folks in our communities, I’m truly reminded that nothing matters more than a person valuing another person. We must get back to these basic values of life. We are made to need each other’s company. We are made for community, for family, for gathering. Let’s work on this together. Let’s value “customer service” where taking care of the customer really is the goal. Let’s commit to at least making small changes in each of our lives, so that a person in our path becomes important again. Tell me what you think. I welcome your comments: Gina4StateRep@gmaiLcom. For more information, please visit my website: Gina4StateRep.com. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Mi 48908 — �Page 12 — Thursday, July 14, 2022 —The Hastings Banner mEMorial Tournament adding to courts and its mission Mix, Haskin Farms, Precision Grade Excavating and Michigan Custom Excavating. King had plans to head up to the courts Tuesday evening, after some popsicles with his daughter. “It all came together kind of quickly,” King said Tuesday. “It was something where they had to approve it right after the fair and we kind of had to jump on it right away to make it happen before the tournament. There won’t be any grass where we do the dirt work this year, but the courts will be there. “Gordy Erb is up there finishing taking out some of the clay that is in there so we can get it down just a little bit lower so we can get more sand in there. Tomorrow HSV is going to be bringing us some bank sand to put in the very bottom of it, then Timpson sand and gravel out of Lowell has a high­ er grade of sand for volleyball being played on it. That is what CL Trucking has ben moving for us.” He said the whole project will bring close to 600 yards of new sand up to the courts. “If all goes well, we’ll be sinking poles in next week,” King added. The courts will also be re-dedicated to Emily with a custom sculpture by local artist Tony Jack­ son, who has had his metal sculptures entered in Art Prize over the years. King said Kendall Wilcox and APEC (Automated Process Equipment Corpo­ ration) have been instrumental in making sure Jackson has everything he needs for the sculpture. “Tony has put together an amazing piece of art,” King said. “We’re excited to reveal it at the end of July. “It really kind of goes well with all the other improvements that the fair has been doing up there, like the pickleball courts and the other reno­ vations.” “What he has done is nothing short of incredi­ ble,” Selena Duits said, “of course I cried when it was revealed to Ashton and I in Tony’s shop in Lake Odessa.” Changes go well beyond the construction proj­ ects. There will also be a pickleball tournament going on during the volleyball tournament at the fairgrounds that final Saturday in July. The four-player tournament is a change from the usual six-player teams. Hannah Gierie from the Far Out Volleyball Club, Emily’s club volleyball program, has been named the 2022 recipient of the Emily Duits Scholarship Award. King said the board is planning to expand the events’ charitable contributions to the community. He said work is going on to create a kind of ‘how­ to-guide’ and support group for people going through the unexpected loss in the way the Duits family did in 2005. Brett Bremer Sports Editor Work continues on three new sand volleyball courts just south of the current Emily Duits Memo­ rial Courts at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds and the plan is for sand deliveries to be complete and nets to be up by tournament time. The 17th annual Emily Duits mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament will be held at the fair­ grounds Saturday, July 30, and Ashton King who is one of the seven members of the new tourna­ ment board of directors hopes that having six courts rather than three will allow players to spend more time in the sand and less time waiting for their next match throughout the day. Team sign-ups are going on now for the four-player adult competitive and recreational divisions and the six-player youth divisions. Links to the sign-up pages can be found on the event Facebook page. While adding three new courts to the complex is a big task it is just one of many changes to the tournament this summer. The tournament honors the memory of Emily Duits, a Lakewood High School student who passed away after sustaining injuries in a car acci­ dent when she was 16 years old in the fall of2005. Her parents, Jeff and Selena Duits, organized and ran the tournament for its first 16 years, but decid­ ed after the 2021 event that it was time for a change. “Jeff and I considered having last year as the last,” Selena said. “We felt like maybe it was a good place to call it ‘a good run’ and be thankful for the longevity of support given for 16 years. We felt like we held the tourney in Em’s honor for as long as we had her on with us and had done some amazing things in the way of scholarships and blessed a lot of recipients. “Chelsea Brehm and Ashton King felt as though they didn’t want it to end and decided to take over the leadership so that it would continue. A board was formed and they are doing amazing things with their own vision and direction.” King said it has been a huge blessing that the Lake Odessa Fair Board has allowed for the expansion of the Emily Duits Memorial Courts and a slew of community members and area busi­ nesses have helped with the surge to get the new courts ready for this summer’s tournament. Work has been done by and with the help of Hazel Brothers Drainage, CL Trucking and Exca­ vating, AIS Construction Equipment, HSV Redi- The Emily Duits Memorial Courts at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds will once again be filled with volleyball players July 30 as the Emily Duits mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament returns for its 17th year. Team sign-up is going on now for four-person adult competitive and recreational divisions and the six-person youth division. (File photo) “Honestly, we’re kind of piggybacking off what Nora’s Garden did,” King said. Nora’s Garden is a local charity that’s mission is to “cover families with love who are grieving the loss of a baby “whether they were able to hold their babies in their arms or only in their wombs.” “It’s a similar idea for individuals who have lost someone unexpectedly at a young age. That is one of the things,” King Said. “Also, our goal is to try to cultivate individuals who are hopefully what Emily embodied, who are what we’ve said about Emily for years: kind hearted, high energy individ­ uals that display a personality that everyone can get along with and fit in with. “We hope having this it fosters more of that.” Selena Duits is one of the seven members of the board along with King, Brehm, Jessie Buche, Lacey Morris, Ashley Sponhauer and Manda Nurenberg. King said there were 29 teams signed up for the tournament as of Tuesday evening. Registration continues at a cost of $30 per player. Players receive an event T-shirt, lunch and ice cream. Teams need to register by today, July 14, to guar­ antee themselves T-shirts. There are plans for a bounce house, and possibly a slip and slide, raffles, the typical music from DJ Ron. Lunch and ice cream will be available for all. Work continues on three new sand volleyball courts just south of the current three Emily Duits Memorial Courts at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds. The plan is for con­ struction to be complete and the courts ready to go for the 17th Annual Emily Duits mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament July 30. (Photo supplied by Ashton King) GRAND OPENING FRIDAY, JULY 15 The Fallen Soldiers’ table with a white tablecloth. Every item on the table symbolizes POWs and Ml As. (Photo provided by Heroes Food & Spirits) Patriotic restaurant in Delton pays respect to military heroes TYDERI PARK * SATURDAY, AUG. 27™ Jim «■ The MEMORIAL MSKETBAiBWIMNAH Entries must be to the Chamber by Friday, Aug. 19th Make checks payable to Hastings Summerfest 2022 CHECK IN. Pick up T-shirts at this time TIP OFF... 9:30 AM Boys & Girls (Ages 15-17) —I Men & Women I 1 Men & Women | ___ l(Ages 18-25) l(Ages26&up) | I Age brackets subject to change based on participation _________ Age Team Captain Send Entries to... erce .Email. Phone #______ Team Members Age Age :l 221W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Questions ??... out form completely Some have mistaken Heroes Food and Spirits for something other than a restaurant because it is so military-themed. This is a view from outside. (Photo provided by Shannon Ertner) Call (269) 948-3025 or email I brett@j-adgraphics.com J TYDEIU PARK • SATURDAY. AUG. 27™ James Gemmell Contributing Writer A military-themed restaurant recently opened in downtown Delton after four years of hard work to refurbish a vacant building. But it was a labor of love for Heroes Food and Spirits owner Mike Ertner and his wife, Shannon Ertner, who opened the 4,000-squarefoot facility at 121 S. Grove St. on Jan. 30. Mike said he is not a military veteran, “just a patriot.” But his oldest son, Skyler, served as a U.S. Army Ranger from 2017 to 2020. “And my father-in-law is a veteran, my son is a veteran and my wife’s grandparents were vet­ erans during World War II,” he said. The restaurant leans so heavily into its mili­ tary theme - with flags flying outside the build­ ing and framed photos of veterans adorning the walls on the inside - that some passersby have mistaken it for a museum or a military post. “It’s funny, because somebody called the other day and asked if it was open to the pub­ lic,” Shannon said. The 72-seat eatery is open seven days a week. The hours Sunday through Thursday are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Heroes has 22 employees. Mike Ertner said the restaurant serves “American comfort food” such as wraps, burg­ ers, seafood and chicken. Alcohol is one of the items available on the menu, but he emphasized it is a restaurant, not a bar, because he wants to ensure the patriotic theme is respected. Ertner said he and his wife came up with the Heroes concept after pondering how to differen­ tiate the restaurant from other area establish­ ments while connecting it to the community. “I’m a patriot and I understand that, without those guys, nothing we have exists,” Ertner said. “Then I thought, ‘What if we did the theme on the men and women who served (in the military)?”’ He invited customers to bring in photos of their loved ones who were in the military, and that is how the Heroes name came about. The Ertners then found various photos of veterans, military equipment, planes, an eagle and U.S. flags to mount on the walls. Retired Master Sgt. Allen Wilson of Hastings stopped in to the restaurant recently. He served 22 years in the Air Force (1977-1999). “It’s an outstanding restaurant,” he said. “The prices are great. The owners come over and talk to you. They have pictures on the wall of the military people. They put one of mine up there. And we talked about our experiences in the military. It’s a very good place.” Wilson happens to know retired Master Sgt. Mike Madill, who also frequents the restaurant. They met when Madill was in the Air National Guard. Although Heroes is open to the general public, it draws a fair amount of local military veterans. Sgt. Madill is a member of VFW Post 422 in Delton. “I think the restaurant has an awesome theme,” Madill said. “I think (Ertner) is really onto something. I always think it’s a good idea to recognize our veterans who have served. To me, we can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done for our country.” Madill just met the Ertners recently, but now has a 1986 photograph of his military family hanging up on one of the restaurant walls. The photo depicts Mike Madill, who was an Army specialist at the time; his brother Steve Madill, who was in the U.S. Coast Guard; his brother Tim Madill, who was in the Navy; and their father, Frank Madill, who was a chief petty officer in the Navy. Frank Madill served 20 years in the Navy. He and his three sons combined for 81 years of military service. A small Fallen Soldiers table inside Heroes Food and Spirits symbolizes POWs and MIAs. It is covered by a white tablecloth and is main­ tained every day. “Yes, and that is a very deep symbol to us military people. I just think it’s a great thing that (Ertner) celebrates that,” Sgt. Wilson. The table is set for one, and the restaurant menu explains the meaning behind each item on it. The white tablecloth represents the purity of the soldier’s intention to respond to the coun­ try’s call to arms. “The rose reminds us of the life of each o£ our fallen and the loved ones and friends who’ve missed them each and every day,” Ert-‘ ner said. There is a vase tied with a red ribbon, a slice of lemon, a pinch of salt, an inverted wine glassj an empty chair and a candle. “The empty chair means they are no longer with us,” Ertner said. “The candle is reminisi cent of the light of hope, which lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home from their captors, to the open arms of a grateful nation.” > Fridays are called “Red Fridays” at Heroes restaurant. All employees wear red shirts that day with the words Remember Everyone Deployed to remind customers of those who have not returned home from war and to thank veterans. Mike Ertner, 54, works every day as a cook in his restaurant. Shannon Ertner handles the business side of things. Mike said he has ncf culinary background but began helping out in kitchens when he was 13 years old and learned on the job every aspect of restaurant work and how to be efficient. Originally from Waukesha, Wise., he moved to Michigan in 1993. That was after he had graduated from Valders High School and received an associate’s degree in general studies from Manitowoc Center. He was out of the restaurant business for about 30 years before returning six years ago to a part-time, side job. “I always wanted to own a restaurant and one day decided, ‘I’m going to try to pursue this.’ And five years later, here I am,” Ertner said. Shannon Ertner said the military theme is unique. “There is nothing else around here (like this); The veterans really seem to take it in,” she said, “They love coming to the restaurant and seeing the photos on the wall of the veterans. They come in there and some people even said they felt that place was meant for them because they could come there and re-think, and it just brings back memories.” � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-07-21.pdf 25e8641aaad0d7cd5807c7993c93d79f PDF Text Text New coffee shop opens in Hastings Time to celebrate community and defend it from state control Longtime TK tennis coach into MHSCA Hall of Fame See story on page 3 See story on page 4 See story on page 9 804879110187 1070490102590504398649058113421 Thursday, July 21,2022 VOLUME 168, No. 29 PRICE $1.50 Barry County Fair in full swing, organizers optimistic for turnout Greg Chandler Staff Writer “Country Pride, County Wide.” That’s the slogan for the 169^ Barry The sun sets on the Barry County Fair on Tuesday evening. The fair kicked off on Monday and extends through the weekend, providing a wide range of activities, events and attractions. (Photo by Jill Ketchum) The Jackson French Quarter Band performs at the Elks Water Hole near the grand­ stand of the fairgrounds Tuesday night. It was the band's first time at the fair. Performing, from left, are Paul Bickel (trumpet), Joel Randolph (piano), Phil Nager (clarinet), Paul Bickel (trombone), Dennis Pienta (drums, hidden), Dan Bickel (tuba) and Melinda Long (tambourine/vocals). County Fair, which is underway at the Barry Expo Center. Sunny skies and hot temperatures have welcomed fairgoers all week, and the forecast for today and tomorrow is for continued sunny conditions. “It’s been a little warm, but it’s been okay - no major glitches,” Fair Board President Dennis Redman said. No attendance figures for the first few days of the fair are available yet. Last year’s fair was a record-setting event with about 41,000 visitors - a jump of more than 25 percent from the last fair in 2019. The 2020 fair was can­ celled because of the CO VID-19 pandemic. One potential area of optimism for this year’s fair is with amusement rides. Elliott’s Amusements, the Mason-based company which is providing the rides for the fair, is coming off a strong showing at the Eaton County Fair last week, Redman said. “They were up this year from what they were at (last year),” said Redman, who has See COUNTY FAIR, page 3 Republican primary races for county commission draw near Jayson Bussa Editor The Aug. 2 primary election will give Barry County residents a much clearer look at what their new county board of commis­ sioners will look for the next two years. In five districts throughout the county, Republican candidates for commissioner will go head-to-head for a spot on the board, which is occupied completely by Republicans, thus making these primary races so crucial. An added wrinkle to this year’s race is that Barry County is adding an eighth com­ missioner seat on the Board of Commis­ sioners. The new District 8 covers the City of Hastings. It is a District that used to exist on the board before it was removed in a cost savings effort. Republicans Charles Hertzler arid David Hatfield are facing off in this new district while Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz will remain unopposed and advances to the gen­ eral election in November. The Banner reached out to all the candi­ dates involved in these Republican primary races to get their high level view on the most pressing issues facing Barry County right now. Each candidate was posed a uniform set of questions and their responses are includ­ ed and, in some cases, condensed due to space constraints. Incumbents David Jackson (District 3), John Smelker (District 4) and Bruce Camp­ bell (District 7) were not included in this report as they face no opposition in the upcoming races and will retain their seats on the board. DISTRICT 1 The field is most crowded in District 1, encompassing the areas directly around the city of Hastings. Republicans Brandon Strong, Bob Teunessen and Hastings Town­ ship Supervisor Jim Brown will face off in the primary election while Democrat Scott Savage awaits in the general election. BRANDON STRONG Years lived in Barry County: Eight years Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Executive Director at Barry County Christian School; Board chairman for Barry County Economic Development Alliance/Chamber of Com­ merce; Board member for Barry County Chamber of Commerce; Executive Director for Launch Virtus (Midwest school consult­ ing firm); Church elder and board member (Chair of Finance); Former public school principal/administrator; Former special edu­ cation teacher; M.Ed. in K-12 School Admin­ istration from South Dakota State University; B.A. Secondary Education and Bible from Trinity Bible College; Small business owner (construction). I have not run, nor have I been elected, to an office outside of the organiza­ tions that I serve. In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? Barry-Eaton District Health Department: MCL requires that a local health department See PRIMARIES, page 2 Commission on Aging identifies its pick for new executive director The seven-seat Barry County Board of Commissioners meets earlier this month. The board could potentially welcome several new faces as the election nears. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Three more face charges in Brickley murder case Jayson Bussa Jayson Bussa Editor When Courtney Ziny reports for duty as the new executive director for Barry County’s Commission on Aging, she will potentially have 30 days to train with the woman that has been at the helm of the organization since the beginning. At Tuesday’s Barry County Committee of the Whole meeting, representatives from the Commission on Aging (COA) presented Ziny as their candidate of choice to take over for long-time executive director Tammy Pennington, who is set to retire at the end of August. The Committee of the Whole passed a motion to recommend that the Board of Commissioners approve Ziny as the new hire, which will likely happen at next week’s meeting. However, the motion did not pass before a few procedural hiccups involving the ver­ biage used in the motion. After all, this was new territory for the Commission on Aging, which provides a laundry list of services for seniors throughout Barry County. “This is the first time we’ve had to go through this,” said Sally Shuster Shof, chair of the COA board. “Tammy has been with us since the start of the COA, so it’s the very first time we’ve gone through it.” See COMMISSION, page 3 Barry County Commission on Aging board chair Sally Shuster Shof (left) speaks to the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, presenting Courtney Ziny (right) as the orga­ nization’s new hire for executive director. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Editor Three individuals have been charged in connection with the Gracyn Brickley mur­ der case, perpetrated by convicted murder­ er Andrew Lafey. The Barry County Prosecutor’s office announced late Wednesday that it has rounded up three individuals they believe assisted Lafey following his particularly egregious murder and torture of the 18-year-old Brickley. Lafey recorded a video of himself stomping and taunting Brickley, who he had shot twice. Lafey is now sitting in the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson as he awaits to be assigned to a prison where he will live out his life sentence without the possibility of parole. Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office has filed charges against 3 6-year-old Dustin Scott Stephens of Nashville, 46-year-old Coleen Marie Rice of Hastings and 52-yearold Sheralyn Randolph of Nashville. “During the investigation and trial pro­ cess, police and prosecutors became aware of information which led to the charges,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. “We recognize that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We are committed to seeking justice for the victim, Gracyn Brickley and her family. The three suspects were arraigned Wednesday in Barry County District Court. Stephens faces felony counts of perjury in the trial of a capital crime, tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, accessory after the fact to a felo­ ny and a felony firearm charge. The perju­ ry charge carries a maximum of life in prison while the tampering with evidence charge is punishable by up to a decade behind bars. Stephens was also charged as a habitual offender-second notice. His bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety and his probable cause conference is set for Aug. 3 before district court judge Michael Schipper. Rice was charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony. Her bond was set at $10,000 cash ready and has a probable cause hearing slated for Aug. 3. Randolph’s charges mirrored those of Rice, but she is being charged as a habitual offender-fourth notice, which carries a maximum of life in person. Her bond was set at $20,000 cash or surety as she awaits a Aug. 3 probable cause hearing. In April 2022, Lafey was convicted of first degree felony and premeditated mur­ der stemming from the 2021 attack. He was sentenced last month to life in prison without the possibility of parole. �Page 2 — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner PRIMARIES, continued from page 1 ----------------------------ONLY has to offer nine basic areas of service. We presently offer considerably more than that, and disproportionately more in Eaton County. It’s time for the health department to get back to its basic functions. If there are services that we can offer in Barry County above those nine, then we can look at that on a case-by-case basis. In the long run, this makes operating our own health department more affordable in Barry County (as our own department). BEDHD is in the process of hiring seven new school liaisons, which will be primarily used in Eaton County. We tend to grow government, I tend to think we need to keep government small. Facility management plan/New jail: We continue to kick the can when it comes to the jail. We know we need a new jail. Yet, for a variety of reasons, we continue to punt “until next year.” Some of this is part of public con­ cern about more taxes - a concern I share. The other is the multitude of disagreements over the actual facility and its location. We have long trusted outside consulting agencies with what we could determine ourselves through an appointed committee. We also own numer­ ous other properties that we continue to wait on. Meanwhile, they sit vacant and unused. Housing: This is indeed a county-wide issue. And the solution is vastly different depending on where you are in the county. I am in favor of finding solutions or at least assisting in solutions that provide relief across the board. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? It is NOT the job of the government to own vacant or unused buildings. The FOC building is a primary example. We had an opportunity to create a solution for one of our communities in regard to housing (being that the community focus groups, etc, all return a favorable opinion and movement). Instead, commissioners were determined to drop the burden of renovating a nearly 100-year-old building for county “use.” Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a time­ line on when or what the facility will be used for. We have additional properties outside of the City of Hastings that are also vacant and should be sold. The money could be used for the purpose of a new jail, or one of several other projects. This keeps the burden further from the taxpayers we are serving. BOB TEUNESSEN Years lived in Barry County: Whole life Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Small busi­ ness owner (drywall contractor); Former farmer; Ran the Hastings Youth Athletic Association’s little league football program for 10 years; Involved with athletic boosters, both past and present. In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? The Commission on Aging building is deteriorating and we have to do something with that. That’s going to have to be addressed at some point. We’re going to have to figure that out because the elderly of this communi­ ty have given their lives to this community and they deserve to go to a facility in good working condition. Now that we’re going to have a city com­ missioner, I think we could have a lot better cooperation between the city and the county to grow together. Whether we like it or not, growth is going to come and we need to be prepared for that. I think now that the city is going to have its own commissioner, I think we can start working together to be a much better partner and start thinking forward on how we’re going to deal with growth. Because we do need affordable housing. It’s a major issue in Barry County so we need to address it. The jail, of course, but right now the way people are being squeezed by inflation and everything else, there is no sentiment out there to increase taxes to raise enough money to build a jail. There could be a cooperation between the city, county and the whole nine yards to maybe build a facility and start thinking about doing something all together. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? I think there is going to be future growth. And they might need that building for future growth. By the same token, we need to have cooperation between some developers that want to come here, so that (FOC) parking lot is a major sticking point. That would be a cooperation to them to be able to use that and still get some affordable housing here. I think that’s a great idea. But for the FOC building itself, I actually do think there probably will be a need for future growth. JIM BROWN Years lived in Barry County: Whole life Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Hastings Charter Township supervisor for 22 years. On the Hastings DDA for 23 years. In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? To have more coordinated work between townships countywide as far as planning and zoning and use of our property. I have had two calls from (power companies) regarding buying up hundreds of acres of good farm land and putting solar on them. Issues like that. Coming up with a better way or more efficient way of paying tax payer money that we’re paying right. Commissioners need to start looking beyond just the areas that elected them. By law, yes, that’s how it works, but once you are elected, you have to look at it from a county standpoint. Not just your backyard. ...You have to look at it from 10,000 feet. At one point there were eight commission­ ers and without the city commissioner, it went to seven...now they’re going back to it. The biggest, single reason they dropped the commissioner was (so) they could save all this money on the cost of this commissioner. They took (the cost savings) but lost a million dollars worth of connections. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned This map shows the newly drawn districts recognized by the Barry County Board of Commissioners. buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? In the case of the Friend of the Court, unless they can come up with something real­ ly good to use for county business, I think the best thing could have been to sell it to that developer, take that money and put that money into the other facilities they already own. If they can make a case that they can use it, OK fine, but the problem is it takes them so long to make up their mind on what to do and in many cases what not to do. By the time they think about it, they have a new set of board of commissioners and it starts over again. There is no continuity of thought between elected officials over time. DISTRICT 2 Incumbent Catherine Getty faces Republi­ can challenger John Gallagher in District 2, which includes the Village of Middleville. CATHERINE GETTY Years lived in Barry County: 30 years Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Planning and Zoning Administrator (2009-present)?; Barry County Commissioner (2020-2022). 20% Off Fabrics (excludes sale items) - Ends July 30, 2022 'Quilting Cotton & Wide Backs ' Show Kindness ' Hulst Cleaners Pick Up Station ft Pray for our Country ft QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 kgiswt OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; 3KZ3 Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net __ Oarvetb Village__ of Middleville f * Yj www.CarvethVillage.com M My /Jy “Remember... ifyou can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 ERBACH Tel. (269)-945-3252 FUNERAL HOME Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? If I had to choose only three, they would be expanding broadband access, county facility planning, and providing safe and desirable county parks for our residents to enjoy. Addressing the housing needs is also an important issue facing our community. Broadband: I currently serve on the Broadband Expansion committee, where we are actively working to identify underserved and unserved areas in the county. The com­ mittee is working with service providers to serve these areas. I believe the county will need to leverage local funding sources (Township and County ARPA funds) as well as secure grant funding to achieve our goal of broadband access for everyone in Barry County. Facilities: Our county facility plan should be carefully reviewed and updated as we determine our facility needs in the near and long term. Priorities should include securing funding for a new jail, Friend of the Court Building, Annex, Commission on Aging as well as our historic buildings at Charlton Park. Parks and trails: Barry County is blessed to have beautiful county parks and trails. The County should continue to strive to be a pre­ mier recreational destination. This is not only a matter of providing safe and healthy recre­ ational opportunities for residents, but invest­ ments in parks and trails are an important stimulant to our local economy. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? The County Commissioners should contin­ ue to carefully evaluate all of the options for the future use of the old Friend of the Court building. If county needs can be met through the creative and adaptive use of other county owned property, then other public and private uses for the building should be considered. JOHN GALLAGHER Years lived in Barry County: Almost nine years. Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Telecommuni­ cation construction manager. Served in the United States Marine Corps. (2008-2013). First time running for political office. The Aug. 2 primary election is an important one for Republicans vying for a spot on the county board of commissioners. The current board is comprised of all Republicans. (File photo by Jayson Bussa) In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? GARY WHITE Years lived in Barry County: 34 years. Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Retired busi­ 1 have lots of thoughts. But, basically it’s government accountability at all the levels with things like school transparency and spending. We need to ensure we’re spending money appropriately and not on pet projects. That’s a really big frustration of mine. I’m really frus­ trated with government overreach from the past two years and honestly, it seems like it’s been going on longer than that, but the last two years brought that to light. That’s a big one for me. It’s creeping in when it comes to different boards that are at the local level but at the high­ er levels as well. The big thing that got me fired up, I have five beautiful children and three of them were going to school and the parents weren’t heard throughout the pandemic. We had concerns and we were just pushed to the side and that was on all sides of the government. Getting better internet service for the Barry County area. I think that, even if I wasn’t to win -1 really hope I’m afforded that opportu­ nity - but I’d really still like to help because we have a lot more people working from home and we need good internet and we can lever­ age the 5G rollout to help with that. That’s a thing I’d like to help the community with. Also, representing the vets. Being a veter­ an, I get the opportunity to hear a lot of the frustrations that a lot of veterans aren’t being represented. I think there is a lot of growth to be had in that area. ness owner at Green Light Driving School; Also retired from GM in Lansing. As a busi­ ness owner and instructor, I learned the bene­ fit of being open-minded and listening to others in trying new ideas. Former Village of Nashville president and village trustee. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? MIKE CALLTON Years lived in Barry County: 32 years. Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Chiropractor The short answer is we need to reduce expenses and spend our tax payers’ money wisely. If we have expenses that are needless, we need to get rid of them. That’s just funda­ mental. But there could be nuances that I don’t know about with the county commis­ sion. Maybe there are reasons prohibiting us (from selling or leasing), but just from a fundamental standpoint, we should not be wasting taxpayer dollars just needlessly. DISTRICT 5 Barry County Board of Commissioners chair Ben Geiger is not seeking reelection in District 5, opting instead to run for Michi­ gan’s State House of Representatives for the state’s District 78th district. This creates a vacant seat that Gary White and former state representative Mike Callton will vie for. In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? Health department, jail and county-owned properties. Health department: We need a health department that meets the needs of the people and businesses of Barry County, not Eaton County. Finish developing the plan to sepa­ rate the current district health department and eliminate the wasteful spending and pro­ grams of it. Look at incorporating the Com­ mission on Aging with a Barry County health department in one facility. Jail: Determine the location to build a new facility, size (number of beds needed) and design. At this time, I believe the county has the ability to finance the jail with no millage. County-owned properties: Vacant proper­ ties cost taxpayers money (i.e. building and lawn maintenance, utilities also no tax reve­ nue) the county should not be a landlord. With no planned future use, selling is the best option to a private developer or business. based in Nashville. Took office as a state rep­ resentative in 2011 and served six years before term limited out of office. Currently the presi­ dent of the Maple Valley school board and a member of Nashville Village council. In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? This is a baseline. I think the county is doing a great job. I know we’ve seen some people that are nothing but critical. The coun­ ty actually is in great shape. It’s doing a great job. And we want to keep it going that way. I think the number one issue overall is change. Change is a constant, which almost seems like an oxymoron, but there is going to be change. We can’t stay the same. So, we need See PRIMARIES, page 8 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — Page 3 COMMISSION, continued from page 1 ------------------------The procedural missteps were not serious ones and the recommendation to hire Ziny came without any resistance. Shuster Shof said that the organization would like to hire a new executive director by Aug. 1 so the indi­ vidual has roughly a month to work alongside Pennington. Ziny said that this will be a cru­ cial phase for her. . “It’s very overwhelming to think about trying to absorb three decades (of information from Pennington),” Ziny said. “That training period will be extremely important - that we have that time together. But, then also, Tammy is in the community and we have a really good working relationship. So, I’m sure if I need to call her in the future, she will pick up.” Ziny comes to the Commission on Aging from Barry County United Way, where she was involved with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. In that role, she coordinated the recruitment, training and management of program volunteers, imple­ mented financial education workshops for low- to mid-income families amongst other duties. She was also a VITA coordinator for a year with AmeriCorps while simultaneously serving as a nurse tech for Spectrum Health Pennock. Ziny was one of three candidates that were interviewed for the job. Only one other can­ didate was interviewed in front of the entire COA board. “We went through quite an extensive search and were pleased that Courtney is a local - born and raised,” Shuster Shof said. “She’s been working for the United Way tax program. She knows our community, she has worked for our seniors, she has worked for the COA and we are very excited to recom­ mend her for the executive director position.” Ziny now turns her attention to the whole host of issues facing seniors in Barry County. “Household income and basic needs are increasing right now,” Ziny said. “We’re hav­ ing a lot of people that weren’t able to pay their bills before and now rent is going up and food costs are going up, yet, they make too much to qualify for any of those traditional assistance programs. There are a lot of those basic needs going on.” And, in regard to the COA and its ability to meet those needs, Ziny sees improvements to the organization’s current facility at 320 W. Woodlawn Ave. in Hastings as a must. “We need to improve the facility so we can provide the services our aging population is going to need,” Ziny said. “It’s great we have the day care center, but we need more space. We need to be able to expand on that so there are a lot of different pieces that are going on. 1 think the biggest thing is diving in and get­ ting to know that community and asking them what they want.” 7"' Annual CAR, TRUCK & MOTORCYCLE SHOW A bird’s-eye view of the midway at the Barry County Fair. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) at COUNTY FAIR, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------County and beyond competed in several divi­ been on the fair board for 15 years. “They go sions, including 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder from Eaton to here.” stock off road and a powder puff division for The fair did experience one unexpected women drivers. Unique Motor Sports will headache Tuesday, as the bottom of a 100-galhold its Night of Destruction demolition ion water pressure tank inside the Expo Cen­ derby at 7 p.m. Friday at the grandstand, with ter blew out, resulting in several inches of admission at $10. ■ ■ water saturating the floor of the Prairie Exhib­ Meanwhile, over at the Elks Watering Hole it Hall, where a number of organizations and near the grandstand, fairgoers enjoyed drinks political candidates had set up tables. while listening to the music of the Jackson “There was about a 3-inch hole in the bot­ tom of (the tank). (The water) was coming French Quarter Band. The band, which was playing the fair for the first time, has been out like a fire hydrant,” Redman said. “It took around since the mid-1980s, when a group of 15 of us probably about an hour to get it Consumers Energy employees with a mutual cleaned up.” interest in Dixieland jazz decided to form a Ironically, the Expo Center had just group. The Jackson French Quarter Band received some new hot water heaters, and one ^as just installed to serv'e the campground performs throughout .Michigan and northern ;<ca,vWitjK^hers. to be installed soon. Red*^ Ohio. man said/ ©^.--Wednesday’s fair events focused on the On Tuesday night, the grandstand wai-full, kids, including activities throughout the afternoon. Youth horse judging, youth beef judg­ and additional spectators found space on the ing and youth dog agility competitions were infield as Unique Motor Sports held its off­ held. The night concluded with the Super load rally. Drivers from throughout Barry Kicker Professional Rodeo at the grandstand. Today is Ladies’ Day at the fair, with reduced admission at $2.50 until noon. Rides begin at 3 p.m. Goats, rabbits and poultry will be sold at the small animal sale at the show arena at 5:30 p.m. Then at the grandstand at 7 p.m., the Michigan Truck and Tractor Pullers Association will hold its annual tractor pull. Admission for the tractor pull is $10. The 4-H livestock sale will be held at 9 a.m. Friday in the show arena, with steers going first, followed by hogs, lambs and milk cows. The fair concludes Saturday with a full day of activities, starting with the 4-H Show of Champions in the Show Arena at 8:30 a.m. Antique tractor pulls will take place at the grandstand at 10 a.rir. The night- concludes with SJO motocross raemgat the grandstand at 7 p.m., with admissiofi av$10. Admission to the fair is ’$5 per person, while seniors 60 years of age and older get in for $3. Children 12 and under are free. Left Field Coffee opens new location in Hastings Grace Lutheran Church 239 East North Street Hastings Michigan 49058 (Across from Clearstream Rehabilitation and Nursing Center) Sunday, July 31, 2022 9 AM - 3 PM ns>i narrnst Better one or two £ IT I ...THREE is better for YOU! Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Left Field Coffee opened its location in downtown Hastings last week Friday. Owner Johnny DeMaagd cut the ribbon in front of the business at 126 E. State St. DeMaagd encouraged patrons to join him. “We’re not just a building, we’re not just a business, we truly are a community of people,” he said. “It takes a community to have a coffee shop and that’s exactly what this space is for.” Left Field Coffee Bar in Hastings offers various coffees, teas, lattes and baked goods, with plans to offer coffee cocktails and food in winter 2022. The Hastings shop is the second location for the brand. Left Field’s original location, Left Field Cafe on Main in Middleville, will continue to operate alongside the new Hastings location. “We love our Middleville spot and we love that we can continue to rock every­ thing over there. But we’re ecstatic to have a community in Hastings, so thank you all so much for joining us,” DeMaagd said. In addition to Left Field’s new location in Hastings, DeMaagd is working on expand­ ing his business in Middleville. A purchase agreement from DeMaagd to buy the vil­ lage’s old fire bam was approved by the village council on May 24. WELCOME Trevor Smith, M.D. /mwA. snath, KU ? Accepting new patients Local Cataract Surgery Multifocal Lens Implants Astigmatism Correction Macular Degeneration Droopy Lid Reconstruction Johnny DeMaagd, Left Field Coffee owner (left), and Patty Woods, Barry County Chamber and Economic Development Alliance (right), cut the ribbon at the opening of Left Field Coffee Bar at 126 E. State St. on July 15. “We’re excited to develop it into some­ thing that can really showcase the history of the building and how unique it is,” DeMaagd said. “But we’re also excited to redevelop it into something that the whole community can use, and something that is just as useful as it was when it was a fire barn.” Charlton Park beach closed due to E. coli contamination Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Barry-Eaton District Health Depart­ ment issued a closure notice for the Thornap­ ple Lake beach at Charlton Park on July 14. The beach was closed after a high level of E. coli bacteria was detected. The health department monitors the beach at Charlton Park as well as two public beaches at Gun Lake through a grant program provided by AEP now has three ophthalmologists to provide you more local medical vision care! Dr. Smith has a passion for advanced cataract and glaucoma treatments. Learn more about him on our website. He joins AEP’s ophthalmologists Dr. Michael Flohr and Dr. David Harrell. the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Miley Burgstahler, public health opera­ tions manager, said the health department was collecting samples from the beach July 20 and would be able to provide more infor­ mation on when it could reopen the follow­ ing day. Burgstahler said E. coli bacteria origi­ nates from fecal matter. The health depart­ ment is testing the water to determine whether the contamination comes from human or animal sewage in an effort to find the source. Until the health department gives the all­ clear, any contact with the water at Thornap­ ple Lake should be avoided to prevent con­ tracting an E. coli infection, Burgstahler said. Symptoms of an E. coli infection include vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Hastings 269.945.3866 Ionia • Lowell • Sheridan • Glaucoma Care & Glaucoma Surgery • Retinal Disease & Retinal Injections • Diabetic Eye Care ZIER1 ADVANCEDEYECARE PROFESSIONALS AEPeyecare.com �Page 4 — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Community integral part of county fair and mining discord Kids from the YMCA of Barry County’s Y Time child care program had a blast playing in the foam last Friday at Hastings Church of the Nazarene, as Stormy’s Foam Party entertained kids. The Y Time program offers full day child care for kids from young kindergarten to fifth grade at the church five days a week, and will offer before school and after school child care when school resumes. Do you remember? Building for God ■ Banner Aug. 6, 1964 The Rev. Russell Houseman, pastor of the Hastings Baptist Church, has been a real “builder” for his church and has taken a major part in its physical expansion and parish growth since coming here in 1952. At the present time he and others are working to increase the Sunday School capacity by 180 persons, the third expansion project undertaken in the last 14 years. Rev. Houseman is shown with Kenneth Kelsey and Charles Fox (right).—Banner photo. Have you met? Glorimar Ayala almost always brought lunch to her job as a law office legal assis­ tant in Puerto Rico. The one time she remembers leaving the office to get food, a man saw her and approached her. “I went to buy some lunch and he just came to me and said, ‘Hey, my name is Jose. How are you?”’ she laughed. “I was like, ‘Good. Why are you talking to me?”’ That man, Jose Ova, was an AutoCAD draftsman who worked around the corner from her office. The two went on to get married and have two daughters, Miranda and Isaura Ova-Ayala. When the two decided they wanted to move to the United States mainland to pro­ vide more opportunities for their daughters, Ova found work as a welder and a ship builder in Panama City, Fla. in 2012. Ayala said adjusting to life in Florida wasn’t difficult at first. The weather was very similar to Puerto Rico, which she described as, “either not too hot or too hot.” “My husband and I are not completely fluent, but we manage to speak English,” she said. “The ambience in Florida is just like Puerto Rico. We met a lot of people and they were super nice to us.” The difficulty came when Ayala started looking for work. Ayala, who has a bache­ lor’s degree in business administration from University of Puerto Rico, said she spent months applying for every clerical job list­ ing she could find. She found the job mar­ ket in Florida to be very competitive. Potential employers told Ayala she was either too educated, or didn’t have enough work experience in the mainland United States. Some employers denied her for other reasons. “I remember I applied at a pool company, they were looking for a receptionist. The first thing he told me was, ‘Why did you apply? You don’t have experience with pools,”’ she said. “I told him there is no university or any other school that will teach a receptionist about pools. You can give me training, but I don’t think there’s someplace where you can just pay for a class.” Meanwhile, Ayala’s husband Ova had seen more and more of his co-workers diag­ nosed with cancer at his job. He became Glorimar Ayala concerned for his health, and started look­ ing for another job, as well. In 2016, Ova found work at a dairy farm in Michigan, and later at Bradford White Corporation in Middleville. Ayala and their daughters moved with him, and Ayala began working as the village clerk for the Village of Middleville in 2017. Although it was exciting to see snow at first, Ayala said it’s becoming less exciting with each passing winter. Other than the cold weather, their family has adjusted well to their new life in Michigan. This is Ayala’s first local government position, but she’s glad to be doing it in Middleville. “It’s a good thing, working in a small environment like this one,” she said. “You’ll learn a little bit of finance, you’ll learn a little bit of planning and zoning, you’ll learn a little bit about the Department of Public Works stuff.” Ayala and Ova’s daughters attend school at Thomapple Kellogg Schools and the family recently bought a home in Mid­ dleville. “I guess we are Michiganders,” she said. “This is where we live. We do miss the ocean a lot, because we are island people. We miss that smell of the saltwater. Of course we miss our family in Puerto Rico. “In Puerto Rico right now, things are getting difficult. I’m not saying this because it’s different from any other country or city or place; it’s just because we didn’t want that for our girls. We-wanted something different. I think we found it here in Mid­ dleville:” For her journey to becoming a Michigan­ der and her service to the residents of Mid­ dleville, Glorimar Ayala is this week’s Bright Light. What do you like about Michigan?: I like seeing all four seasons. I have a cousin that’s been living in New York for longer than I’ve been here in Michigan and even the United States, and she’s always talked to me about the fall season. All the colors and that kind of stuff. I love it, I just love it. I’m always looking to decorate for specific seasons, and I just love the fall colors. And of course the spring, when you have all the flowers, there’s no snow, and the weather is more comfortable. Person I’m glad to have met: Charlie Pullen, our past village president. His nick­ name of Mr. Middleville just fit him. If we had any question about something in Mid­ dleville, either historical or anything else, he was the person we always went to because he always had an answer. He was a great, great gentleman, and I’m just glad I met him. First thing I bought with my own money: My first job was when I was 13 or 14 years old. The government had this youth program for teenagers to have their first job. I ended up working in this apart­ ment complex in the office. We did differ­ ent kind of chores, like raking, painting, cleaning or whatever. When I got my first check, I told my mom, “I want a bed. This 15 my bed.” It was a twin daybed. Instead of wood, it was aluminum and it was white and pink. Yep, it wasn’t so bad. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. It’s fair time in Barry County Summertime means fair time in every county in the state of Michigan. And with this week’s Barry County Fair, we will be proudly displaying the values of commu­ nity. County fairs are community celebra­ tions that bring people together to social­ ize, to meet people they haven’t seen in some time, and to see local youth in action with all their special projects. After 169 years, the Barry County Fair, like every county fair in the state, still remains one of the highlights of the sum­ mer. Families wait each year in anticipa­ tion to see the kids, the bright lights, sounds and smells, crafts and the special food. Families look forward to the midway, truck and tractor pulls, demolition derbies and motocross races, harness racing and so much more that draws thousands to the annual event. And it wouldn’t be fair week without a foot-long hot dog, com dog, elephant ear, cotton candy or some other delicious treat we look forward to each year. And just about every fair has an exhi­ bition hall for businesses to show what they have to offer, organizations to tell you what they’re doing and for politicians to shake hands and hand out literature. To me, though, the county fair is so much more because it offers kids the opportunity to learn so many special skills while creating lifetime friendships. That’s a true component of community. Through 4-H and FFA programs, kids learn communication, leadership, goal set­ ting, work ethic, responsibility and sports­ manship. They learn about community service and volunteer leadership and they create relationships with other kids. The fair gives our kids a chance to take part in dog shows, science projects, cook­ ing and sewing, horse and talent shows and raising and showing their livestock. Local 4-H and FFA programs, through the support of adult mentors, teach youth how to put ideas into action and instill a sense of responsibility that will leave a lasting, positive impression. Look around any community in Ameri­ ca and there’s an absence of kids playing street ball, building forts, or just getting together for a neighborhood baseball or soccer game or whatever event that helps build character and offers some physical activity. Several studies show that kids are not being as physically active, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Less than 24 percent of children aged 6 to 17 partic­ ipate in more than 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Experts warn that inactivity leads to all kinds of disease such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. Plus, kids are spending so much time on social media, which experts warn can lead to cyberbullying, social anxiety, depres­ sion and exposure to content not age appropriate. That’s why programs such as 4-H and FFA offer youth a break from technology devoting time to projects and participation instead. County fairs have become part of the fabric of our community by offering fami­ ly entertainment and giving kids the opportunity to show off their talents in activities and projects that they’ve worked on for months. That’s why fairs have lasted so long. County fairs highlight a sense of rural American life that we should cherish. And even though county fairs will differ from county to county and state to state, there’s a common thread: The celebration of farm life and values. So, don’t miss out on the fair - it’s a great opportunity for some down-home entertainment, a chance to indulge in some fair food and, most importantly, to take a look at the accomplishments of our local youth. As the 4-H mission statement pro­ claims, we’re all part of a community that is “Preparing youth for meaningful and productive lives.” It’s also time to defend community from state control The steady erosion of local control to the state is threatening the community that events like the county fair builds, though. For most citizens, that might not appear to be a serious issue, but in townships like Hope and Orangeville it is an ominous warning. A state house committee will take up a bill to consider taking local control over sand and gravel mining operations from townships and giving that authority to the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The Banner has cov­ ered several meetings in Barry County where citizens filled townships halls over concerns with groundwater, high traffic and dust issues. The core community issue here is that local officials, who live in the township, know the citizens and see first-hand the impact of their decisions, may soon be forced to cede that authority to the state. Large multi-million dollar mining com- . panies involved would much rather deal with state officials who enjoy the political contributions from those companies but who don’t have the same feelings for the neighborhoods. What could be the next big industry that goes to state leaders looking for special consideration because the local leaders are difficult to deal with? The bill’s sponsor, Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, says, “Shifting per­ mitting responsibilities to EGLE would relieve local governments of the burden and allow for a uniform decision-making process across the state.” What he’s really saying is “we’re reliev­ ing local governments because they’ve held up the process.” So, if they move permitting to the state level, it makes it easier for mining companies to get permit­ ted in areas where it might be impossible to expand or locate a new mining opera­ tion because of local opposition. We all understand the importance of mining operations yet local officials are more likely to hold companies account­ able whereas state officials are detached from the immediate impact. State Representative Gary Howell (R-North Branch) says “EGLE would have the authority to issue permits, it would have very little authority to deny them, even if the proposed mines are with­ in 400 feet of someone’s home or a school. The permits would allow sand and gravel mines to operate Monday through Satur­ day, and in special circumstances, Sun­ days as well. Blasting noise would be permitted up to 130 decibels.” Local officials can slow down the pro­ cess and even get under the collar of these mega-mining operations. Should a deter­ mination that affects us locally be decided in Lansing by a board whose members don’t live here and who are not directly impacted by their decision? The benefit for townships in this bill, according to state proponents, is that it will relieve township boards from having to make tough decisions and dealing with a hall filled with concerned citizens. If the bill passes, township boards can just say about local mining operations that ‘it’s not our responsibility.’ The debate continues, but local govern­ ment and environmental groups, including the Michigan Townships Association and the Michigan Environmental Council, are fighting back. In a statement, the coalition said the legislation eliminates “all local authority” and creates “an ineffective state-level oversight program.” “These gravel mining bills are yet another assault on local control,” said Jennifer Rigterink, legislative associate for the Michigan Municipal League. “We are continuing to see big govern­ ment go on the side of corporations over people.” The coalition urges Senate committee members to vote ‘no’ on new sand and gravel mining bills. Mining companies maintain that town­ ships are unreasonably refusing to issue permits. These companies say not having mines closer to road projects increases the costs of roads because the gravel has to be shipped further. But shifting the responsi­ bility to the state reduces, or even elimi­ nates, any concerns of the people and communities by taking away local zoning decisions that currently provide a balance in considering the impact the mines will have on the community. This is a serious issue. It is an assault on local control and increases the impact that large corporations can have on our legisla­ tors. Time is of the essence. If you’re concerned about the impact this bill could have on our county and state contact your legislators to voice your concerns. This is the time to celebrate communi­ ty... and to protect it. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 21,2022 — Page 5 As Yankee Springs Township grows, fire and EMS services must grow, too We encourage your vote to renew this mill­ age. Note: This is a renewal, not a new mill­ age request. Our fire and emergency services personnel are working hard to keep costs down but our requested need continues to grow. Part of this growth is because of the growth in our population. Yankee Springs Township is the fastest growing township in Barry County. Fire responses are up 125 percent and emergency services are up 179 percent. A greater population and more answered calls requires more dollars to keep the service run­ ning appropriately. We need this protection. Speaking as older persons, we have been very fortunate that we have not yet needed Kayak disappears from Irving Road boat launch our emergency services but my guess is that as we grow even older, that will change. We just hope that when we need a first responder for either of us there is one available. Please vote “Yes” on the upcoming vote. Sally and John R. Smith Yankee Springs Township Yankee Springs fire and EMS services millage is crucial and provides no new taxes Letter to the Editor: An important millage renewal question is on the ballot for Aug. 2, and I would like to offer just a few thoughts to voters as they consider the question only they can answer. The ballot question is whether to “renew” the Fire/Emergency Services Millage for Yankee Springs Township. These funds pro­ vide the money to pay for first responder and fire services to Yankee Springs Township residents and visitors. The millage question is a “renewal” of a previously approved levy that voters approved several years ago. Let me make it clear this is .NOT a new tax or a tax increase. The millage renewal simply moves the levy back to the original 0.75 mills that voters previously ‘approved in 2016. The Yankee Springs Fire Department has enjoyed significant improvements over the years and the partnership with the Wayland Fire Department has been beneficial for both organizations. It should be noted that the Yan­ kee Springs millage goes “exclusively” to our department and Wayland is funded separately through the City of Wayland. While it is a fire department, citizens should be aware that the vast majority of the calls are for “first responders,” which can mean automobile accidents, medical emer­ gencies, boating incidents on any one of our lakes, or a general emergency to which they respond. Our volunteers are a great group of peo­ ple and anyone who attended the fire department pancake breakfast over the Fourth of July holiday got to meet many of these volunteers who served them break­ fast. Incidentally, while they served us breakfast - they also responded to nine calls for service over that weekend - a busy and fun filled time for most of us, but some people needed emergency assistance, and they were there. As a final comment, let me just say that the fire department stands ready to “support” us for any emergencies that we may have house fire, automobile accident, medical emergency, boat accident and more. Let’s all of us “support” them with a YES vote for the millage renewal. Greg Purcell Yankee Springs Township Opposition grows for legal lake level for Pleasant and Mud lakes Jayson Bussa Editor Residents who own property on Pleasant and Mud lakes near Delton have recently made their presence known in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners and Committee of a Whole, voicing disapproval over a resolution that would establish a legal lake level at their expense. The group has mobilized as the county .explores „.th.e idea of establishing a legal level in both Pleasant Lake and Mud lakes. •One resident revealed-at Tuesday’s Commit­ tee of the Whole meeting that residents are working with an attorney to address the matter. “We have a petition we will present to the board showing the majority of homeowners do not want this,” Mary Miceli, president of fhe Pleasant and Mud Lakes Association, said during the public comments portion of Tuesday’s meeting. The issue was not included on the agenda for that session. “Unless there is something on the horizon that you know about that you have not shared with us that would make this lake level imperative, we just don’t see the bene­ fit outweighing the cost.” The primary arguments posed by resi­ dents is that the lakes do not need a legal level and that residents have already shoul­ dered tax burdens for projects in nearby lakes. They’re not ready to take on an even heavier financial load. . “We have a large population of home­ owners who are retired and on fixed incomes,” Miceli said. “To create another special assessment tax situation on top of both the Cloverdale (Lake) and Watson drain assessments at a time when their port­ folios are shrinking and inflation is above eight percent is almost criminal. To tax them out of their homes for what will change the lake level very little is what I assume was not your intention.” Fellow resident Patti Hemden also spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, as did one other, condemning the proposed move. Hemden got in front of commissioners at the previous Board of Commissioners meeting, too, pleading for them to rescind the resolution all together. “After the meeting (last week), chairman (Ben) Geiger approached me and said the board does not rescind resolutions,” Hem­ den said on Tuesday. “I’ve done a little research of my own in the last week and discovered that resolu­ tions can be rescinded and the process does not sound very difficult to me. A county commissioner, realizing there is no support for the resolution - and there is not now ... that commissioner can make a motion to rescind the resolution and the motion to rescind the resolution comes before the entire board to be voted on. That sounds pretty simple to me.” . Commissioner Dave Jackson, who rep­ resents District 3, which includes Delton, weighed in on the matter during the “Com­ missioners Comments” portion of the meet­ ing. “In listening to our friends from Pleasant Lake and talking to the drain commissioner, I don’t think the communication was great between the two,” Jackson said. “There are good points on both sides.” “There are some big advocates from Pleasant Lake here that are going to contin­ ue to get signatures,” Jackson added. “I think there will be some good minds that Police responded at 10:19 a.m. July 13 to a report of a stolen kayak at the Thomapple River boat launch on Irving Road. The caller, a 67-year-old Hastings man, reported leaving an orange kayak, a black paddle and yellow life vest at the launch around 9:40 a.m. When he returned around 10 a.m, the items were gone. The man said he placed them about 15 feet away from the river and didn’t think they had floated away. Scammers send man $14,000 after computer freezes A 68-year-old Delton man told police he was on his computer the night of July 6 when it appeared to “freeze” and stop working. The man was given a number to call for assistance, and someone at that number told him there was an issue with the soft­ ware and he was due a $349 refund. After the man sent them his checking account information, he received $14,000 over the amount he was “due.” The scammer told the man to withdraw the money, but not to tell the bank why he was withdrawing it. The man grew suspicious and told the bank what had happened, which allowed the bank to resolve the issue before he lost any money. Teen taken to hospital after taking pre-workout formula Barry County Central Dispatch received a call before midnight July 12 reporting a 17-year-old Freeport teenage boy with a moped on the side of the road near the intersection of Campground Road and Brookfield Drive. The caller told dispatch the teen wasn’t involved in a crash, but he had “the shakes.” Police arrived at the scene and found the boy. Police described the teen as sweaty, hair soaked in sweat, shaking and wearing clothes covered in grass. The teen told police he had the shakes from taking pre-workout formula before working out. When asked about the grass on his clothes, the teen said he was shaking so bad he stopped driving and laid down in the grass. The teen agreed to be seen by emergency services, who transported him to the hospital. Man’s offer to trade van for money, marijuana goes up in smoke Police assisted a 19-year-oId Delton man in retrieving his vehicle from his former residence after turning down an offer to buy it. The man told police the vehicle and its keys were at a house on the 8400 block of Pine Lake Road with the current residents, a 34-year-old woman and 43-year-old man. The 19-year-old left the van with the keys inside when he moved out of the property, because the van wouldn’t run and the 34-year-old and 43-year old offered to buy it. When the two offered to pay the 19-year-old with “some money and a big bag of weed,” he decided he didn’t want to make that deal. Police went to the Pine Lake Road residence and retrieved the keys to the vehicle. Insul4Z/ SPRAY FOAM W Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J NOTICE - PUBLIC LAND AUCTION The Barry County Treasurer will offer tax-reverted real estate at public auction on August 16th, 2022. Pleasant Lake resident Patti Hernden speaks in front of the Barry County Committee of the Whole on Tuesday in opposition of setting a legal lake limit on Pleasant and Mud lakes. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) can sit down between Pleasant Lake and the drain commissioner and his board and really evaluate the need going forward to that. I see that continuing to happen -1 don’t think it will happen overnight.” ANIMAL SHELTER TO HIRE NEW TECH Barry County animal shelter director Ken Kirsch informed county commissioners that he plans to retire next year, and is now working with them to implement a succes­ sion plan. In response to Kirsch’s intentions to retire in October of 2023, the Committee of the Whole proposed approval to replace a vacant kennel worker position at the shelter with a second full-time animal shelter tech­ nician. Unlike a kennel worker, a kennel techni­ cian handles all aspects of operations, including finances. “Bottom line, I want to be able to have someone replace me when I retire,” Kirsch said. “That person needs to be a kennel tech versus a kennel worker and that way they have the authority and ability to learn all aspects of the job.” Swapping out the two jobs would add $9,482 in additional expenses for the coun­ ty. Because the proposal comes in the middle of a budget year, the Committee of the Whole agreed to take the $9,482 out of the kennel’s donation fund, which currently sits at $296,542.26. Commissioners plan to work the added costs into the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. ‘LONG WAY TO GO’ ON TYDEN LOFTS NEGOTIATIONS Almost a month ago now, the Board of Commissioners put together a three-person ad hoc committee to negotiate with a devel­ oper interested in purchasing a portion of a county-owned parking lot in order to build multi-family housing. The project, called Tyden Lofts, would include around 60 affordably-priced apart­ ment units. Originally, the developer, Wisconsin-based General Capital Group, wanted to purchase the county’s unused former Friend of the Court building, but the county refused to sell. The developer came back with an amended proposal for purchasing a small slice of the parking lot, to which the board was still leery. Commissioner Jackson updated the gen­ eral public on how negotiations were going. “We’re very early in the process,” Jack­ son said. “We don’t have an offer. We don’t have any details. We don’t know how big the building will be. We don’t have a traffic study. We don’t have approval from Hast­ ings city planning and zoning. There is a long, long way to go to see this all through. “Our message is we will not be the reason this project fails. We’re open minded about doing our part to make sure that this hap­ pens providing all those other things are in line. But, we’re not in a position to negotiate something that we don’t know what we’re getting. I think it’s an opportunity for a private/public partnership.” The back-and-forth on the matter has put a spotlight on the vacant Friend of the Court building, some residents pressuring the commission to either use the facility or sell or lease it. Jackson said that ideas for the space have trickled in as the debate has continued on. “Other organizations have actually inquired about using the Friend of the Court building for other things,” Jackson said. “There are other things to consider but (the) focus (of the ad hoc committee) is so narrow that we don’t really have the ability to debate that. ...At a fixture COW meeting, it may be worthy of discussion on whether or not that ad hoc committee be expanded to evaluate what else could be a fit for the Friend of the Court building.” The auction will be held online at www.tax-sale.info from 10:00am to 7:00pm EST. Bids can also be placed up to 30 days in advance on the website, and assistance is avail­ able for those without computer or internet access. Incomplete or voided sales from the August 16th auction, if any, will be re-offered online on September 28^, 2022. Please visit www.tax-sale.info/faq for additional details. For more information and a list of the properties being sold, visit www.tax-sale.info or call 1-800-259-7470. Sale listings may also be available at the county treasurer’s GRAND OPENING FRIDAY, JULY 15 RIBBON CUTTING AT NOON 126 ESTATE ST. FREE COOKIES! To the first 30 customers . OPEN M-F: 7:30A-6P SAT-SUN: 8A-4P �Page 6 — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner S&ea Ofituaried Roger Jacob Nelsen,, age 99, of Hastings, MI, passed away on July 16, 2022. Roger was bom on February 18, 1923, in Fenwick, the son of Einer H. and Lida K. (Winters) Nelsen. He attended Michigan State College, gradu­ ating in 1949. Roger worked at EW Bliss in Hastings from 1949 - 1988. He proudly served his country during World War II in the Philip­ pines and Japan. On October 15, 1949, Roger married Betty Hallihan, and they enjoyed almost 59 years together until her passing in 2008. Roger enjoyed traveling, woodworking, gardening, writing and was an avid reader. He was a member of the Jaycees, the Elks Lodge, the Moose Lodge, and the Lions Club. Roger was a member of the St. Rose of Lima Church in Hastings. Roger was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jo Nelsen, and his brother, Ross Nelsen. He is survived by his sons, Michael, Ran­ dall (Laura), James (Mary Kay), and Jerald “Jed” Nelsen; his grandchildren, Colleen (JR) Grulke, Caroline (Devin) Silvia, Megan (Alex) Veltman, Amy (Brandon) Grochowalski, and four great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Roger can be made to a charity of your choice. A funeral mass was held on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 805 S Jefferson St, Hastings, MI 49058. Interment at Mt. Calvary, Military Honors provided by American Legion Post 45, Hastings. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Wally Olsson passed away July 14, 2022 at the age of 83. He was an encouraging and generous man of great faith who is now fully alive in Jesus Christ in his eternal home. Wally is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Midge; children, Tom (Jennifer) Ols­ son, Jeff (Ruth) Olsson and Scott (Lindsay) Olsson; grandchildren, Jeff, Jon, Kate, Zin­ nia, Oskar, Kahee, Morgan, Corbin and Ryer; sister, Marge (Dean) Ohlman and nephews, Greg, Eric, and David. He was preceded in death by his parents, Nils and Gezina Olsson. Wally was a 1956 Hastings High graduate that went on to Wheaton College and gradu­ ated from WMU in 1960. Many of his gen­ eration will remember him as an All-State basketball player for the Saxons. Wally was a longtime member of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, MI. His life verse was Proverb’s 3:5-6 which states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” The memorial service for Wally will be Monday, July 25, 2022 at Calvary Church, 707 East Beltline NE, beginning at 1 p.m. Visitation will be Sunday, July 24 at Metcalf & Jonkoff, 4921 Cascade Rd. SE, from 4-7 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Calvary Church. ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (corner of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. dren and was an amazing example of kind­ ness, hard work, support and love. Ernest is survived by his wife, Barbara; children, Richard (Sharon) Olson, Francie (Mitch) Nagel, Kimberly (Dennis) Lajcak; 19 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; sib­ lings, Harold (Kathy) Olson, Delores Olson, Jerry Olson; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Leonard Olson, Amy Jane Olson, Barbara Olson, Caroline Olson. Relatives and friends may meet with Ernest’s family on Friday, July 22, 2022 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Beeler-Gores Funeral Home in Middleville, and again on Saturday, July 23 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Holy Family Catholic Church. A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. with Fr. Mike Cilibraise officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude or the local charity of ones’ choice. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence mes­ sage for Ernest’s family. David Lawrence Osgood, age 84, of Delton, MI, passed away on July 10, 2022. Dave was bom on August 17, 1937 in Bat­ tle Creek, the son of Isaac and Bernice (Henauer) Osgood. Dave was a graduate of Huntington University in Indiana. He lived in the Bartow, FL area for many years before moving back to Michigan to be closer to fam­ ily and friends. He worked as a teacher, set up houses for American Homes, and was an antique dealer. Dave’s true passion however was both playing and coaching basketball. He coached many different high school teams and was the head coach at Huntington University. In his free time, Dave enjoyed fishing, playing cards for fun, singing, and was always the jokester. Faith was important to Dave and he was very active in many different organizations and churches including: Gideons Internation­ al, McCallum United Brethren Church, and attended many Sunday evening services at Lighthouse Baptist. Dave is survived by his loving wife, Helen (Keeney) Osgood; stepsons, Russell (Lauren) Miller, Robert (Margo) Miller, Randy (Patti) Miller; sister, Nelda (Gary) Charles; seven grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and five nieces and nephews. Dave is preceded in death by his parents; and daughter, Debbie Osgood. Dave’s family received friends on Friday, July 15, 2022 at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home, Delton, where his funeral service was conducted. Burial took place at Prairieville Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Dave’s family. Change your address and phone number online with my Social Security —an Til Worship Together Ernest Louis Olson, age 75, of Middleville, MI, passed away on July 16, 2022. Ernest was bom on August 2, 1946 in Tra­ verse City, to Albert and Henrietta (Walters) Olson. He was married to the love of his life, Barbara, for 58 years. Ernest owned and operated the Olson Dairy Farm for over 46 years. He was a mem­ ber of the Moose Lodge, the Knights of Columbus, and the National Elk Foundation. Ernest played in the Freeport Fast Pitch Softball League for many years and was a Hall of Fame inductee. He also enjoyed collecting special cars and tractors. He could often be found at Miller’s for Saturday morning coffee. Always handy around the house, he could fix whatever was needed for his family. Most important to Ernest was his loving family who will miss him dearly. He support­ ed his grandson’s in the Barry County 4H program and enjoyed visiting the fair on show day as they made their grandpa proud. Grandpa Ernie enjoyed all of his grandchil- Public Affairs Specialist If you receive Social Security benefits, the easiest way to change your address and phone number is by creating a personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. Once you create your account, you can update your contact information from your preferred loca­ tion. This feature is available for people who receive retirement, survivors, or disability benefits, along with Medicare enrollees. If you receive Supplemental Security Income, you can check the address that we have on record with your account. Visit the my Social Security webpage to get started. To create an account, you must: • be at least 18 years old. • Provide a valid email address. • Have a Social Security number (SSN). • Provide a U.S. mailing address (includes military addresses, APO/FPO/DPO, AE, AP, orAA). Once you have a valid email address, you are ready to create your personal my Social Security account. When you visit my Social Security, select the “Create an Account” but­ ton. You will have the option to create your new my Social Security account with one of our two credential partners: Login.gov or ID.me. • Login.gov is the public’s one account for simple, secure, and private access to partici­ pating U.S. government agencies. • ID.me is a single sign-on provider that meets the U.S. government’s online identity proofing and authentication requirements. Please note, if you already have a Login, gov or ID.me account, you can select the appropriate button to sign in with either one and access your personal my Social Security account. If you previously verified your iden­ tity with Login.gov or ID.me, you don’t need to do so again. If you don’t have a Login.gov or ID.me account, please select the “Create an Account” link to start the one-time regis­ tration process. If you create a new Login.gov credential, we will still complete the identity verification part, so you will need to provide some per­ sonal information to us. You will also receive an activation code from us to complete the process. Remember, you can do much of your busi­ ness with us online at www.ssa.gov/onlineservices. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, Ml 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Hum Fiberglass Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Banner Staff Hastings High School will be accom­ modating bikers raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation on July 31. Bikers will be passing through Hast­ ings during the final day of the Wish-AMile 300 Tour, an annual 300-mile bike race fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation Michigan Chapter. Superintendent Matt Goebel said bik­ ers will be welcomed behind the school, with showers and bathroom facilities inside the Community Education and Recreation Center available for them to use. There will also be food served for them inside the school’s cafeteria. The race will take place July 28-31, with riders traveling from Traverse City to Marshall. The bike race is the Michi­ gan chapter’s largest fundraiser, and the 2022 event will be its 35th year. Those who would like to register to ride, volun­ teer or donate can do so at wishamile.org. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale two pickups: (2) 2021 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab SLE pickup. Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 AM, Tuesday, July 26, 2022 for the following items. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck number i.e #210020 or #210080. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website www.barrycrc. org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is. (2) 2021 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab SLE Pickups 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Hastings High School to host bikers raising funds for Make-A-Wish Foundation AVfflKSMfflF Hotlinelools&Eqnipment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 1-Cardinal Red Truck #210020 - Green Title - approximately 36,000 Miles Minimum Bid $50,000 1-Cardinal Red Truck #210080 - Green Title - approximately 20,000 Miles ‘ Minimum Bid $50,000 NOTE: All mileages are approximate - trucks are being driven until they are sold. The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. Jacob Mitchell Tatta, Council Bluffs, IA and Casey Nicole Ziegert, Granger, IN Madeline Kathlene Youngs, Hastings and Timothy Scott Campbell, Dowling Shawn Micheal Wagner, Plainwell and Val­ erie Dawn Erskine, Delton Nialla Rene Warner Abbott, Hastings and Megan Marie Abbott, Hastings Jacob Holt Claeys, Hastings and Mayra Villarreal, Hastings SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS read contribute advertise The Hastings I> Banner �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — Page 7 j fl look hack at the stories and columns on local history z In the Hastings Banner // TURNING / BACK THE I PAGES Editor’s note: This series originally was published in The Hastings Banner from June 8, 2017 to June 29, 2017. Thefollowing recollection about early histo­ ry in Barry County was written by Rev. Ashmun Asaph Knappen, who read the accounts to the Barry County Pioneer Society in 1882. An undated Banner [likely 1913] referencing the writings said, “Mr. Knappen’s history, in addi­ tion to giving many dates and presenting much forgotten materials, is unusually valuable because of the firsthand glimpses it gives of persons well known in local history. ” Knappen was an editor, lawyer, minister and politician later in life. As a child, he knew well the hard life ofpioneers. In his speech. Knappen mentioned most of the townships in the county, listing the first set­ tlers in each township or community. He con­ cludes here Prairieville and Barry townships, and general modernizations in the county. Though Mr. Parker was the first settler in Prairieville, two years subsequently Orville Barnes moved near him. A year later, C.W. Spaulding settled two miles further north. He was a most estimable citizen. He not only became a thrifty farmer, but filled many public positions to the satis­ faction of all. His son, Addison, lives on the old place, and several children have proved their Vermont origin and wise family training and love for virtue and knowledge. And then came Linus Ellison, hale, hearty and rough. Then the Tillotsons and Camp­ bells and Deming, the “walking skeleton.” One of the most capable and prominent citizens was Isaac Otis - the small, nervous, wiry man - keen, economical, moral, educat­ ed, who raised one of the most cultivated and useful of families and held very many public offices. And there is short, sturdy, dark, bluff, strong-minded John Bowne, (father of A.J., the banker) the prosperous farmer, sometimes “pettifogger,” and once state senator. Nor must I forget David Hamburg, the bach­ elor who was drowned in Crooked Lake, or Erastus Cressey, father of John Q., the ex-sher­ iff; and Albert Warner; and Young Gilkey, who with Foster, his brother, owned 1,300 acres of land; and Frank Holden the wealthy; and Rev. Leonard Slater with his 300 Indians; nor Drs. Alverson, Parkhurst and Sackett; Blackmer, Wells Byington, “Squire” Allen and tailor Storrs; Henry Edgecomb and the Colliers. In the township of Barry, after the Law­ rences came Benjamin Hoff, who with the most of his family died during that sickly summer [according to Potter’s 1912 History ofBarry County, Benjamin Hoff died of chol­ era in 1838]. Cook, the Nyes, Mills, Zaphna, Barnes, the father of H.L Knappen’s first wife, and of Warner, who lives there still; the Barbers, Elliotts, Hewetts, Byington, the Wil­ liamsons, Cross, Rogers, Skillman, the Bowkers, the Pennocks, Marshall, Woodward and S.C. Hall, who figured so prominently afterward as a local politician and office holder. He taught the first winter school in the town. He was unique and interesting and sly - a brother-in-law of Dan Cook of Hastings. Knappen tells of county’s pioneer days, part 4 (conclusion) Harlow Merrill made the first Johnstown clearing in ’36. He met and overcame the greatest of difficulties; he and his possessed grit, courage and heroism of no common quality. Supposed to be the father of Hy, the stage driver and hunter [pictured in the July 14 Banner]. During that eight years of business in Hast­ ings, how I became attached to hundreds. And how many of the old faces do I now miss; some of whom died peacefully at home, others have gone to seek their fortune elsewhere. While the last of that time are now the heads of families and owners of large estates and politi­ cal managers and office holders. Can it be true that this bustling, prosperous, beautiful city of 2,500 inhabitants, is the same place where only a few years ago the red man pursued their game; where the dense forests almost shut out the light of day; and where daring men and women toiled and struggled for very existence with the hope of dying and leaving their chil­ dren in comfortable circumstances? Look at the rapid increase in population [in Barry County]: 1837, 512; 1880, 25,319. Bushels of wheat: 1853, 109,444; 1879, 1.47 million. Bushels of corn: 1852, 7,026; 1879, 987,897. Pounds of wool, 260,572. These are but a few samples of the prog­ ress made in developing the resources of the county, whether you reckon the number of acres cultivated, the crops raised, the stock increased, the buildings erected, the roads and bridges improved, the hamlets and villag­ es springing up, and the general improvement in all that constitutes material wealth. And yet our greatest possibilities have not dawned upon us. There was never a better time in our history to expand labor and capital than now. We have just found the all-important lever and fulcrum with which to move things. These results should gladden and encourage us all. Where there is a will, there is a way. In imagination, I stand on some great emi­ nence in the middle of the country. The first view reveals an unbroken wilderness; no white man inhabits it. The second view shows here and there a clearing or patch with a shanty or a log house in the center, all enclosed in a brush or log fence, and a yoke of oxen grazing in the woods; hogs half wild feed and fatten on “shack.” The people are clothed in rags, or at best in denims, and look sick and rough. The third view is now. The farms are rich, large and productive. The buildings con­ venient and beautiful. Great herds of stock are scattered through the verdant pastures, showing they belong to the best of breeds. The orchards are loaded with luscious fruit. The field waves with golden grain, and the fragrance of clover blossoms fills the air. The roads well cared for, and lined with beautiful horses and carriages and happy, intelligent and virtuous people. The railroad traverses the length of the county, to transport them and their products wherever they wish to go. The telegraph obeys their will. School houses dot every section. Churches show the people have regard for morals and religion. As lengthy as I have been, I am compelled to pass over the names of hundreds of pioneers in utter silence and only give a hint or a glance to many who deserve the be written up care­ fully and fully. Had I the time, it would be a work of love to do them something like jus­ tice. If ever men deserved favorable mention and genuine heartfelt gratitude, it is those who have reclaimed our forests, built our dwell­ ings, manufactories, railways, bridges, roads, school houses, churches - in a word, caused the wilderness to bud and blossom as the rose. Had it not been for some leading spirit or spirits in every township to strike out boldly, disinterestedly in favor of the greatest good, how different its condition today. These laid the foundations of permanent prosperity. Think now these have grandly panned and wrought and sacrificed for the highest wel­ fare of such as should come after; often in the midst of suspicious, slander, opposition and privations, in urging forward local enterprises of various kinds. What a debt of obligation is due them all. Coming generations shall do them better justice. And I think when you become familiar with the noble motives, the unpaid arduous labors, the wide arid lasting influence, the honorable, consistent Christian life of [Rev. William] “Father Daubney,” of Gull Prairie, recently deceased, who for 25 years made Barry, Allegan and Kalamazoo counties his circuit and parish, you will agree with me that whoever else is forgotten, he deserves to be remembered and almost can­ onized. Only an English Methodist local preacher with a large tract of his own land to clear, and a numerous family to support, and devoid of great talents and learning, yet the love of Christ so constrained him that we read his record almost everywhere as having preached the first sermon in the settlements, Barry County’s second courthouse (with the school building in the background) was built just two years before A.A. Knappen settled in Hastings. (1880 History of Allegan and Barry counties, Michigan) even before the days of bams and school­ houses, and often organized a little class that has grown into a strong church. His name will long be as ointment poured forth because he blessed the destitute, like his Master, went about doing good. It speaks well for the intelligence and vir­ tue of her citizens that Barry County has 42 orders and lodges; 148 schools and about 58 churches. What a contrast of a few years ago. Yankee Springs and Rutland are the only townships destitute of a church. Woodland has 11. The average is about four to each. Simply on the score of morals how wise such investments of money put into school and church buildings. (Our readers will remember this paper was written 31 years ago. Since then Rutland and Yankee Springs each have two church build­ ings) [This editorial note from the Banner indicates a publication date of 1913]. Barry County can also boast of nine villag­ es and one city, some of them very thriving and beautiful. What a tremendous work has been done to accomplish what we behold in spite of ... wild animals, dense forests, brid­ geless streams, Indian trails, hard times, civil war, financial panic and paralysis, disease and death. A generation of brave, sturdy, per­ severing, industrious men and women have sacrificed themselves to make these greatly needed improvements. Shall they not be hon­ ored and remembered? A few of the longer-lived still are spared, some of whom are with us to celebrate this glad occasion. Their eyes are dim, their looks are white, their faces wrinkled, their forms are bowed, their hands are horny, their race is almost run; but their hearts warm, their reflections sweet, their hopes undimmed, they rejoice that they have been called to suffer for the good of the posterity. Their children will hallow their precious memories and prove a blessing also. Nurtured in hard­ ships and cradled in perils, they will realize the inestimable worth of their inheritance aricl be ready to spring to its defense whenever threatened. Veterans and your children, may you long be spared to enjoy the reward of your great toil and sufferings, and witness the happy return of many such festive occasions as this, and dying at last, be cheered in your last moments by the consciousness of having dis­ charged your whole duty. “So, mote it be.” MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 9®2248 #8110376 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAI­ RIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on August 11, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. William Young Gilkey, along with his brother, Foster, were said to have owned 1,300 acres of land in Prairieville Township. (1880 History of Allegan and Barry counties, Michigan) PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to any State of Michigan legislative chang­ es to the Open Meetings Act, the Township Planning Commission may hold its meeting (including public hearing) electronically, in order to limit in person government activities, to protect critical infrastructure workers to the extent possible. If the meeting is held electronically, information to electronically attend the meeting will be posted on the Town­ ship’s website at http://www.prairievilletwp-mi.org. In addition to participation during an electronically held public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission’s consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Ad­ ministrator, Eric Thompson (ethompsonffipcimi.conft or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said pub­ lic hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. 2. 3. Yankee Springs Township officials and members of the township hall renovation committee joined representatives from project contractor Mugen Construction and designer Fleis & VandenBrink for Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony, marking the start of the project to expand and renovate the township hall. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Yankee Springs hall expansion groundbreaking Greg Chandler Staff Writer Work is getting underway on the expansion and renovation of the Yankee Springs Town­ ship Hall. Township officials and community mem­ bers gathered for a brief groundbreaking cer­ emony Monday morning at the 51-year-old building at 284 N. Briggs Rd. “We don’t do this every day. We’ve been waiting a lot of years to do this, and now we’re gonna do it,” Township Supervisor Rob Heethuis said. “It’s a great day for the township.” The nearly $1.08 million project will include a 1,727-square-foot office addition on the north side of the building and renova­ tion of the current 4,000-square-foot build­ ing, including the current offices and the meeting room where township board meet­ ings take place. “We’re starting next week with the actual breaking ground, with the excavation,” said Dave Simpson, project manager for Mugen Construction of Dorr, the project contractor. “Phase I will be complete right around the end of the year, and then we’ll be wrapped up with Phase II at the end of April.” The addition will take place first, followed by the renovation, Simpson said. The township board approved the project earlier this year and awarded the contract to Mugen Construction in June. The company submitted a bid of $981,744 for the work. Add in design and engineering costs from Fleis & VandenBrink of $97,000, and the total project cost is expected to.be $ 1,078,744. That’s less than the more than $1.2 million Fleis & VandenBrink gave the township last year as the estimated project cost. The expanded offices will include office space for the supervisor, treasurer, clerk, assessor and zoning administrator; secure entry space on the north side of the building where residents will be greeted by the deputy clerk and deputy treasurer; a place to store election equipment and a conference meeting room. Those were among the priorities iden­ tified by the renovation committee. The hall meeting room renovation will include installation of a raised platform for the board, a new heating and cooling sys­ tem, an audio visual system and new closet space. 4. 5. A request from property owner, Andrew Hart 10928 South Dr. Plainwell, Ml 49080, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the construction of a detached accessory structure on an otherwise vacant lot pursuant to section 4.20 “Accessory Structures”. The subject site is located on Alling Rd. Plainwell, Ml 49080, Parent Parcel # 08-12-008-007-30(recently split) and is currently zoned R-1 - Residential. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located on Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12036-080-01 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located at S M43 Hwy. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12036-080-02 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located at S M43 Hwy. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12036-074-01 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Fritz Bork, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 184465 �Page 8 — Thursday, July 21,2022 — The Hastings Banner county. The FOC building would better serve and stop spending to keep an unused building. Get it back on the tax rolls and let it be useful for someone else. PRIMARIES, continued from page 2 --------------------------------------------------------------------this county being sold DISTRICT 8 to direct change to the most positive place it can be so that it’s a positive change. Overall, I see that as the overall baseline behind every small item happening in the county. As far as a jail, we do need a new jail. It’s a serious liability issue. To finance something like that will cost at least $25 million and a millage will have to pass. That has been unsuccessful but I think the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s office need to lead the millage cam­ paign, not the chair of the county commission. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? The county building is landlocked. Any property that is adjacent to the county campus is extremely valuable to the county because they can’t tear down (surrounding businesses and buildings). If you have a piece of proper­ ty adjacent to the present county campus that could possibly be of use, you’ll never get a chance to get it back. In Eaton County, they built out into a com field over there. They needed more land so they pushed into the cornfield, but the (Barry) County building is landlocked. Unless you can give me a super compelling reason on why they should sell that building - it’s adjacent to the county campus - I’d like to hear it. DISTRICT 6 In District 6, which includes Orangeville and Prairieville townships, incumbent and board vice chair Vivian Conner will be run­ ning against Mark Doster. Mark Doster did not respond to questions. VIVIAN CONNER Years lived in Barry County: 47 years Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Administra­ tive assistant; Now in fourth term as District 6 county commissioner. In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? Taxes, new jail and cost of living. For taxes and cost of living, be diligent in gov­ ernment spending. Try to keep millages to a In the new District 8, which represents the city of Hastings, Republicans Charles Hertzler and David Hatfield will both run for the seat. The winner in the upcoming primary will face Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz in the general election. minimum. For the jail, I would like to see us use the ARPA funds we have left for pre-con­ struction costs for planning and blue prints, so residents would know what we want to build; preparations and permitting, which will keep that portion of the project from the millage so that when approved, we would be shovel ready to move forward. Also, use the funds from the sale of the Algonquin and Jefferson Street property to offset the cost. The millage would be for the bricks and mortar. my HVAC license, no longer a certified auto and diesel mechanic. Service manager for Massey Ferguson tractors with experience in management and budgeting. Plant manager for maintenance with injection molding and painting company dealing with outside ven­ dors and contractors. I worked installing, repairing and maintaining robots but not with the programming. I was an elected union steward, I’m on the board for the Barry County Tea Party, the board of the GOP, the board of the Local Government Accountabil­ ity Forum. How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? Keep the Friend of the Court building until the ad hoc committee is finished researching the different suggestions that have been made for uses of the building. Then decide. We cannot make a knee-jerk reaction right now. We need to be diligent and do our homework. Appraise and sell the Algonquin Lake Property and the parking lot and garage on Jefferson Street. TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022 _______________ FOR GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY_______________ State Governor State Representative State Senator City of Hastings Commissioner Precinct Delegates Townships Trustees Precinct Delegates PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following proposals will appear on the ballot: Castleton Twp: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES OPERATIONS Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Castleton Township, of 1 mill ($1.00 per 1,000.00 of taxable value) be renewed and levied for 4 years, beginning 2022 through 2025 inclusive for Emergency Medical Operations, raising an estimated $61,751.00 in the first year the millage is levied. FIRE DEPARTMENT HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Castleton Township, be renewed at .5 mill ($.50 per $1,000.00 of taxable value) and levied for 4 years, beginning 2022 through 2025 inclusive for Fire Department housing and equipment, raising an estimated $33,710.00 in the first year the millage is levied. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation impose4d under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Castleton Township, of .2 mill ($.20 per $1,000.00 of taxable value) be renewed and levied for 4 years, beginning 2022 through 2025 inclusive for Emergency Medical Services housing and equipment, raising an estimated $13,469.00 in the first year the millage is levied. Johnstown Twp: PROPOSAL TO RENEW FIRE OPERATIONS MILLAGE Shall the previous expired voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Johnstown Township of 1.0 mills ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 0.9848 mills ($0.9848 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 1.0 mills and levied for 4 years, 2022-2025 inclusive, for township fire operations, raising an estimated $117, 486 in the first year the millage is levied. PROPOSAL TO RENEW ROAD MILLAGE Shall the previous expired voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Johnstown Township of 0.5 mills ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 0.4923 mills ($ 0.4923 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 0.5 mills and levied for 4 years, 2022-2025 inclusive, for township road improvements and maintenance, raising an estimated $ 58,743 in the first year the millage is levied. Thornapple Twp: THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP EMERGENCY SERVICES MILLAGE PROPOSAL Shall the constitutional tax rate limitation on general ad valorem taxes in Thornapple Township be increased by 0.5662 mills ($0.5662 per $1,000 of taxable value) for two (2) years, 2022 through 2023, inclusive, and shall the Township annually levy such new additional millage on all taxable property in the Township for the purpose of providing fire protection and emergency services and funding the purchase of fire and emergency equipment, raising in the first year an estimated $212,351? Yankee Springs: PROPOSAL TO RENEW FIRE/EMERGENCY SERVICES MILLAGE Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Yankee Springs Township of .75 mills ($0.75 per $1,000 of taxable value), reduced to 0.7341 mills ($ 0.7341 per $1,000 of taxable value) by the required millage rollbacks, be renewed at up to 0.75 mills and levied for 4 years, 2023-2026 inclusive, for township fire operations and emergency services, raising an estimated $236,975 in the first year the millage is levied? e v ) 184421 SEASONAL HELP 3 ■ 3 2022 d ♦ -TEMPORARY SEASONAL GENERAL LABORER- J 2 v 1 • NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY • OUTSIDE WORK •UP TO $16/hour d 8 Applicant must be at least 18 years of age by start date, have a valid Driver’s License, and be able to pass a drug test. Start date negotiable, hours Monday-Friday 6 AM- 4 PM. Starting hourly pay range up to $16 per hour, no benefits. Application & job description can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office located at 1725 West M-43 Highway, Hastings between 6 AM - 3:45 PM, or on our website at www.barrycrc.org. ' •j e 6 d b d 4 I d j The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. »» TYDEIU PARK • SATURDAY, AUG. 27th i i 3 The fa tan T ‘2 d 3 3 / JUEUADIAl :t V 2 6 ■1 3 Wayland Schools: WAYLAND UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $48,500,000 Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Wayland Union School District, 850 East Superior Street, Wayland, Michigan 49348-9141, telephone: (269)792-2181. Please take further notice that the bonds of the school district, if approved by a majority vote of the electors at this election, will be general obligation unlimited tax bonds payable from general ad valorem taxes. Sample ballots may be viewed at www.mi.gov/vote. THE POLLS OF SAID ELECTION WILL BE OPEN AT 7 O’CLOCK A.M. AND WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 8 O’CLOCK P.M. ON THE DAY OF ELECTION. '2 I / 2 3 ' S ■ d a >.■ 4 d d <1 BASKETBALLTQUBNAUGMT . ...... v T rf-~mrr . COST.S> pttv* team of d or4 players Entries must be to the Chamber by Friday, Aug. 19th Make checks payable to Hastings Summerfest 2022 | CHECK IN.. 8:30 AM Pick up T-shirts at this time TIP OFF... 9:30 AM Team Name |Men& Women I | Men & Women I (Ages 18-25) II (Ages 26 & up) Boys & Girts I I Boys & Girts (Ages 12-14) II (Ages 15-17) Age brackets subject to change based on participation Age Team Captain Email. Phone # Team Members Age Age | d j 3 Send Entries to... ChamWSlU. T v 221W, State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 2 Questions??... out form completely PAMELA A. PALMER, COUNTY CLERK While I have thoughts about solutions, my bigger concern is to develop a process that will allow the county to effectively lay out plans to the citizens for the entire county that will build support for whatever resolution we decide we need. But I think, all too often, wq come in there with individual solutions and we don’t spend the time we need to really build a consensus. I think that’s one of the things I really feel is a strength of mine. ;r I feel the county has no plans for all the property they own as there is nothing in the master plan. I believe it is time to release some of the land for growth in the county and let it be an income instead of a cost to the Henika District Library District Library Millage Proposal Shall the Henika District Library, County of Allegan, Michigan, be authorized to levy a new additional millage annually in an amount not to exceed 1.5 mills ($1.50 on each $1,000 of taxable value) against all taxable property within the portion of Yankee Springs Township located in the Wayland Union School District, in perpetuity beginning in the year 2022 for the purpose of providing funds for all district library purposes authorized by law? The estimate of the revenue the Henika District Library will collect if the millage is approved and levied by the Henika District Library in the first year (2022) is approximately $155,000. Absent voter ballots must be mailed to voters no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2022. Registered voters may contact their local Clerk to obtain an application for an absent voter ballot. For any other questions relating to the election process, please contact your local Clerk: 269-968-3329 Annette Terry ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP 269-721-3502 Penelope Ypma BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP 269-623-5171 Deb Knight BARRY TOWNSHP 269-945-5990 Amanda Brown CARLTON TOWNSHIP 517-852-9429 Marcia Scramlin CASTLETON TOWNSHIP 269-948-9690 Anita Mennell............................... HASTINGS CHARTER TWP. 269-948-2464 Deborah Jackson HOPE TOWNSHIP 231-373-4784 Sharon Olson IRVING TOWNSHIP 269-721-3710 Sheri Babcock JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP 517-490-9510 Holly Carpenter MAPLE GROVE TOWNSHIP 664-4522 Melody Risner ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP 623-2726 Rod Goebel PRAIRIEVILLE TWP 948-2194 Robin Hawthorne RUTLAND TOWNSHIP 795-7202 ext. 203 Cindy Willshire THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP 269-367-4915 WOODLAND TOWNSI IIP Nancy Stanton YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP 269-795-9091 Michael Cunningham 269-945-2468 CITY OF HASTINGS Jane Saurman How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? ? How would you like to see the board of commissioners manage county-owned buildings and facilities that are currently vacant (i.e. former Friend of the Court Building) or underutilized? THE PLACES HOLDING THE ELECTION IN SAID MUNICIPALITIES ARE INDICATED BELOW: TO VOTE ON THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES AND PROPOSITIONS LISTED BELOW: THE POLLS of said election will be open at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. of said day of the election for the purpose of nominating candidates for . the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian Parties. The following offices will appear on the ballot: Congressional County U.S. Representative(s) in Congress County Commissioners U.S.Senator The list is a long one and goes well beyon^i three. To me, the big ticket items are, first df all, developing a more cooperative and sup7portive relationship between the city of Hast­ ings and the county. That ties back to so many of the other issues - real estate, public safety or housing. I look at that as a key issue. We’ve got a number of budgetary issues? We need to start thinking about the impact qf each resolution on things like tax rate ancj decisions relative to how we use ARPA funds? Everything is interrelated. I hate to break it down to just three. They all have to be addressed in a synergistic fashion. It goes back to what I said about real estate issues; it’s all about planning. I’m hopeful that in some way I would be helpful to the group in terms of getting them to focus on more strategic plan; ning instead of only immediate issues. ) My top three issues are, 1) Stop spending the county taxpayers’ money like if I don’t use it, I will lose it. Be conservative and lower the burden on the taxpayer. 2) A new jail with no increase of taxes to the people. 3) Split the health department from Eaton Coun­ ty so our county gets what it pays for at a lower cost to the taxpayer. If elected, I know I am but one voice of eight on this board and to make a difference I need to be factual, informative and persuasive to try to convince a majority to agree with me in the voting. COUNTY OF BARRY • STATE OF MICHIGAN 8094 Tasker Road, Bellevue, Ml 49021 3100 East Dowling Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 155 East Orchard, Delton, Ml 49046 85 Welcome Road, Hastings, Ml 49058. 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, Ml 49073 885 River Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 5463 S. M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 3425 Wing Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 13641 S. M-37, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 721 Durkee Street, Nashville, Ml 49073 7350 Lindsey Rd., Plainwell, Ml 49080 1015 S. Norris Road., Delton, Ml 49046 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 128 High Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 200 E. Main Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 100 East Main Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 156 S. Main PO Box 98, Woodland, Ml 48897 284 N. Briggs Road, Middleville, Ml 49333 1425 S. Payne Lake Road, Middleville, Ml 49333 Hastings Baptist Church, 309 East Woodlawn, Hastings, Ml 49058 In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would yoi address them? In your opinion, what are three of the most pressing issues or concerns for Barry County residents and how would you address them? NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A PRIMARY ELECTION WILL BE HELD IN THE: Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 2 Precinct 3 Precinct 1 Precinct 1 Precinct 2 Ward 1,2, 3 &4 40 years in banking. First time running for public office. A 20-year board member for the Barry County United Way, 20-year board member for Barry County Chamber & Eco­ nomic Development Alliance. Past board member of the Barry Community Foundation and Historic Charlton Park. CHARLES HERTZLER Years lived in Barry County: Eight years. Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Retired with PRIMARY ELECTION ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP BARRY TOWNSHIP CARLTON TOWNSHIP CASTLETON TOWNSHIP HASTINGS CHARTER TWP. HOPE TOWNSHIP IRVING TOWNSHIP JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP MAPLE GROVE TWP. ORANGEVILLE TWP. PRAIRIEVILLE TWP. RUTLAND TOWNSHIP' THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP WOODLAND TOWNSHIP YANKEE SPRINGS TWP. YANKEE SPRINGS TWP. CITY OF HASTINGS DAVID HATFIELD Occupation/professional experience or previous elected offices held: Retired after Call (269) 948-3025 or email brett@j-adgraphics.com TYDEN PARK • SATURDAY. AUG. 27™ c ■J I r �з • The Hastings Ckи • 1' T ANNER is; 3. b b n i 9 i ' SPORTS SECTION Thursday, July 21, 2022 Seger into coaching hall of fame after 86 seasons Brett Bremer Sports Editor Tennis matches are few and far between in Middleville this summer, as progress contin­ ues on a dozen new tennis courts between the Thomapple Kellogg High School and Middle School buildings. • ' Throughout much of five decades Larry Seger made sure a lot of balls were being hit throughout the summer either on the courts ktop the windy hill just west of the high school or on the courts built behind the then middle school (now McFall Elementary) which were dedicated as the Larry L. Seger Community Tennis Courts in 1994. Seger Was also induced into the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association in 1994. Seger still had more than 25 years of ioaching tennis at Thomapple Kellogg High School ahead of him when his name was affixed to those ‘new’ courts. Those courts have since been demolished as well as the ’new’ set of eight which were built back on the high school site some years later. And how Seger is receiving another Hall of Fame honor. He has been named to the Michigan high School Coaches Association (MHSCA) Hall of Fame Class of 2022. 5 “It seems like in the world of no-brainers it is a big no-brainer,” Dr. Christopher Noah said of Seger earning his spot in the MHSCA which is located in the Student Activities Center on the campus of Central Michigan University. The 64th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held Sept. 25 at CMU’s Bovee Center. While training horses and competing in barrel racing events fills up a lot of Seger’s time, there is always time for tennis. “Yesterday, I came in here [the Hastings Library] and read the Wall Street Journal,” Seger said Friday. “I had my tennis racket with me and stuff and I told my wife [Linda] I was probably going to go up and try Hast­ ings’ new cement backboard. I went up there and hit for about half an hour and just enjoyed doing that. “This morning, I kind of had my morning all set and I got up about six o’clock or so and I got a text message from [Jack Camp­ bell] who I hit once a week with and he says, do you want to play this morning? So, I was in Caledonia this morning at 7:30 hitting tennis balls. That is probably the most tennis I have had in a long time.” He credits his wife Linda with shoulder­ ing a lot of the family load while he was at the tennis courts over the years. Its only in recent years that he really is learning what “spring cleaning” means. In reality though, Seger is still adding to his coaching resume. He continues to help out his daughter, Erin Schaefer, who coaches the varsity girls’ team at Cadillac High School. His granddaughter, Ellery Schaefer, played fourth singles for the Vikings as a sophomore this spring. Larry and Linda also have a son, Brian, who still lives in the area. Both Erin and Brian played tennis for Larry atTK. “I coached [Ellery] a little bit,” Seger said. “It started out just spending a couple hours with her. It is too far away to spend a lot of time, but I got up there and we went indoors when it was cold in Cadillac to a gym did some things for a couple hours, and then after that I just started coaching her at a match here and there. Before I knew it, I was coaching the doubles teams at some dual matches. She had a tournament at Fruitport, so I drove up there and [Erin] coached the Fruitport site and I coached the Spring Lake site. We had some good wins ... and they ended up winning the tournament. That was a fun day. The kids were pretty happy.” “I still love doing that and I have done it before. I have coached Cadillac at state tour­ naments. I have coached them at regional tournaments. It has been fun to get to know her kids. Even back when I was still coach­ ing, we’d have a Thursday [regional] tour­ nament and I’d have a Friday tournament, winning a regional championship and we qualified for state another time.” They missed qualifying or the state finals by a point in the spring of 2019 in what Seger called “probably the toughest regional you can be in in the state.” “And we had nine players coming back. That was the tough part of 2020. We had nine players coming back and we worked the summer before getting our 12. We knew who our 12 were going to be for the 2020 season and we thought we were going to be pretty dam good and take another run at the regional. Of course it didn’t happen. We had four days of practice and that was the end of it. That was a tough way for me to go out. Those kids, I live for those seniors, and to not see them go through and be able to show what they could have shown to this day eats at me to tell you the truth.” Had it not been for that break, Seger thinks he might still be leading the TK girls’ program along with Sylvestre. “I had to get these records together [for the MHSCA Hall of Fame induction], and going back through those it was an absolute treat to go back over and read those names and think about all the tournaments, and matches and all the things that we have been through and all of the terrific people I have worked with. I have been so lucky to work with quality people - truly lucky.” “All in all it has been great working with the players and parents boys and girls both.” He had good support from assistant coach­ es over the years with great efforts from Martha LaVoie who coached alongside him for numerous years. LaVoie was a part of, what he remembers as the 1994 girls’ team, Larry Seger advises a doubles team during the 2017 OK Gold Conference varsity girls' tennis tournament. Seger coached a total where they had 54 girls to lead, noting that of 86 varsity boys' and girls' tennis seasons at Thomapple Kellogg and has been named to the 2022 Class of the Michigan High TK Schools were much smaller back then. School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. (File photo) George Dudik also was invaluable in more recent seasons. Don Hutchens and Dick so I could coach my regional and her program was at one its peaks at that point Joining Noah in earning all-state honors DeMorrow were also key parent coaches ' regional. I did that a few times.' Fnfkihd'dF winnmg conference championships in 1981 “oyer ttfe'years' were'Nathan1 LaVoie from We a "over the'years.' addicted to coaching, so when I get a chance and 1982. Noah was one ofxsix of Seger’s boys’ program and Deb Ploeg, Julie DeMor­ As the country remembers the 50th anni­ I just do it.” players to earn all-state honors over the row, Erin Wolverton (four times all-state) and versary of Title IX this year, Seger looks His barrel racing activities are just an years. Shelly Wolverton from the girls’ program. back on its importance. He remembers extension of that. He’s coaching horses “His legacy is not just numbers. It is how “[Seger] coached summer tennis, orga­ watching friends in a high school basketball instead of tennis players. he got them,” Noah said. “His coaching nized summer leagues in Middleville for game and noticing six cheerleaders on the Seger, who stepped down from coaching style, it was not about winning at all. What decades, in the 70s, 80s and 90s he would be sideline cheering for the boys - girls who at Thomapple Kellogg after the 2020 varsity he really stressed was just getting people to at the courts early in the mornings and stay never got the chance to participate in the girls’ season was canceled due to the pan­ improve, and doing the best that they could. as long as kids wanted,” Noah said. numerous activities available for the guys. demic, coached a total of 86 varsity seasons That was his thing. It struck me really my Seger said the ebbs and flows of the high “I just thought that was so wrong,” Seger at TK throughout 52 consecutive years. He final year how hard he was working with school program also went along with the said. kids Who had never played before, and led 40 varsity boys’ teams and 46 varsity ebbs and flows of the time he was able to He was as bit disappointed when he girls’ teams. Those squads earned 741 dual ended up loving it. He had a very supportive invest during the summers. He said the pro­ wasn’t the first choice to start the girls’ ten­ meet victories - which is third all time style. There was nothing demeaning and gram excelled in three waves. nis program in Middleville in 1974, but the among tennis coaches in the history of the nothing negative. You really had to be a “This first group, the way we got that world was different then Seger said. state of Michigan. screw up to get a negative word out of him. good, I was running 18-and-under, “It made sense at the time. They asked the “All the kids and all the players need to be And, he knew the sport. He had a strategy, 16-and-under, 14-and-under, 12-and-under girls’ phys. ed. teacher. They wanted to have congratulated for that,” Seger said. “All the and he worked extremely hard at it.” leagues all summer long,” Seger said. “They women coaching girls. They had locker players, the boys and the girls, they all put “We’re not tennis people [in Middleville] played and they played and they played and room issues. All that stuff hadn’t been settled that together, whether they had a winning as a rule, whatever that means,” Noah said. they just filled the courts. We didn’t have yet. Everything was up in the air. Everyone season or a losing season or a. 5 00 season it “I think that was a little bit of his secret many courts, but they filled them. We had a was asking, ‘what do we do? What do we doesn’t make a difference. They all contrib­ sauce: he taught people how to stand, how to tournament at the end of the year that was do?”’ uted in some way some how to the program hold a racket, how to hold the ball. He got two weekends and four days during the When the first choice announced she itself. I hope they take a little pride in that.” people as raw as you could get. He just week. We played a ton of tennis during that wouldn’t be coaching right before the start TK tennis teams won 22 conference titles taught the basics and then really stressed self time and that is what made those kids so of the season, Seger was happy to “do a under Seger, five regional championships improvement. I really don’t think his goal good.” favor” for the athletic director and take over and finished in the top five at the state tour­ was ever to be great, it was just to get people Seger, a teacher at Thomapple Kellogg the program. nament three times, had seven teams in the as good as they could be and in doing that Schools, got into being an instructor in the “That first girls team that didn’t win a top ten at the state tournament and 13 in the sort of became great.” driver’s education program in the summers match meant so much to the program, top 15. His teams had ten undefeated sea­ “Not to say he wasn’t competitive or throughout the years, which took time away because they stayed with it, they worked didn’t love winning.” sons. from the tennis courts for stretches. hard, and they just showed a lot of heart,” Seger took over the Middleville boys’ Seger’s eyes light up when he talks about In the 1980s and 1990s inter city league Seger said. “A lot of those girls first in the program in 1969 - a team made up of two finding strategies to help Cadillac girls pull matches around the area helped boost the program went on to win a conference cham­ seniors, Fred Polhemus and Chris Sherman, off some regional and state finals upsets in program. More driver’s education time for pionship or a tournament championship. and six freshmen. That team went 3-10. recent years. Seger followed a strong stretch though. They were so competitive, a group of girls He was asked days before the inaugural “The two singles players [Polhemus and Seger co-coached the girls’ program for that didn’t win a match, but mean so much to Middleville varsity girls’ tennis team was set Sherman] were both seniors, and they knew six seasons with current head coach Philippe the program. more about tennis than I did frankly,” Seger to play its first match to coach that program Sylvestre, and Seger was happy to learn “That is why I always think, everybody in 1974. He had to postpone the season said. “They were really good guys and both from Sylvestre as they guided the girls contributes. Whether you win a match or opener against Allegan to have time to teach of them were good players.” together over his final seasons with the pro­ you don’t win a match you contribute to The team was 8-9 the next season, with all everyone how to keep score. That first girls’ gram. what is there and you contribute to the team team was 0-9. The ladies went 4-7 the fol­ those freshmen returning for their sopho­ “He brought a teaching style that I just and the spirit of the team. There are so many more season, and the team went 11-7 in lowing year and then 9-6 in 1976 capping off love - a co-operative learning kind of thing. good things in sports in terms of commit­ 1971. That 1971 season was the first of 23 their first winning season by winning its You get a lot more contacts in for the players ment and dedication. Things that employers consecutive seasons with a winning record conference tournament. The 1977 TK girls’ for the time that they’re on the court. There really want. They want people being on in duals for the TK boys’ program. team won the overall conference champion­ are more contacts which means you get bet­ time. They want them committed. They want Noah played on a few of Seger’s early ship in nine of the next 11 seasons. In 1979, ter faster” Seger said. “He just brought that them dedicated. You find things in sports varsity boys’ tennis teams in Middleville, they won a regional title and finished fifth in here and I loved the whole idea. He and I did that business people want and they value. I graduating from TK in 1983. The Trojan the state. some good things during those six years, think sports are a huge part of education.” Founders Festival activities help raise funds for DKHS students The 2022 Delton Founders Festival is com­ ing up the weekend of Aug. 12-14 and the Delton Kellogg High School Student Coun­ cil’s 18th Annual StuCo Founders Festival 5K Run/Walk will help open the Saturday morning activities and a comhole tournament will also benefit DK students. Registration is going on now online for the StuCo 5K Run/Walk and will also be held from 7:45 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. the morning of the race at the Delton Kellogg soccer field [next to the library]. The race set to begin at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $15 before July 31 and $20 the day of the race. A family rate is available. The first three runners in a family are $15 each with each additional runner an addition $5. Early registration guarantees runners a T-shirt. Prizes will be awarded in seven age groups. Payment is due at the time of the race. Checks, made out to Delton Kellogg Schools, can be sent ahead of time to Delton Kellogg Schools, c/o DKHS StuCo, 10425 Panther Pride Dr, Delton, MI 49046. Registration can be done online at forms. gle/eriUpNwGYByWEdzw8. Those that would like to support DKHS StuCo and get a race T-shirt should apply as a Phantom Runner for SI5. For more information email stuco@ dkschools.org. The Founders Festival also includes a Comhole Tournament at the soccer field to benefit the Senior Mystery Trip. Registration for that event begins at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 13 and the competition starts at 10 a.m. The cost to participate in the comhole tour­ nament is $25 per player. Players will draw for partners. The first team to 21 points or over wins each round in the double elimination tournament. The first place team will take home $80 and the second place team $50. Pre-register or get comhole questions answered by Mark Nabozny at 269-998-7363 or Rob Halcomb at 269-317-9030. Bay to Bay outing raises $3,500 for DeVos Children’s Hospital Bay to Bay Building Concepts, LLC celebrated its fifth year in business host­ ing a charity golf outing to benefit the Helen De Vos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids Friday, July 15 at Saska­ toon Golf Club. A total of 56 golfers, representing cus­ tomers, vendors and employees, tee’d it up at the event. When the day was com­ plete, nearly $3,500 was contributed by participants, benefitting the hospital. “We were very pleased to host such a fantastic event,”” said Bay to Bay Build­ ing Concepts President & CEO Jerold Saeman. “The generosity of our custom­ ers, vendors and staff is unmatched. And, we’re looking forward to an even bigger event in 2023.” The team of Chris Sanchez, Jesse Post, Byker Post and Corey Tingley won the golf scramble with a 12-under-par 61. Bay to Bay Building Concepts, LLC is an exterior construction company, spe­ cializing in roofing, siding, decks, win­ dows and gutters with offices on State Street in Hastings. �Page 10 — Thursday, July 21,2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by LESTER L. DUTCHER AND SUSAN DUTCHER AKA SUSAN M. DUTCHER, husband and wife, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc (MERS) as nominee for S.W.I Financial Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 30th day of November, 2013 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 17th day of December, 2013 in Inst# 2013-014740 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy-Seven and 54/100 ($164,977.54). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 18th day of August, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.12500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Yankee Springs, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: Being known and designated as a parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Beginning at a point in the center of road which lies 1467.40 feet due North and North 75 degrees West 782.07 feet from the South 1/4 post of Section 8; thence South 6 degrees 6' West 158 feet; thence North 83 degrees 14' West 82.50 feet; thence North 6 degrees 6' East 158 feet; thence South 83 degrees 14' East 82.50 feet to the place of beginning Commonly known as 11657 BOWENS MILL RD., MIDDLEVILLE, Ml 49333 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 07/19/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee 184373 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 11, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for RMTP Trust, Series 2021 Cottage-TT-V Date of Mortgage: November 30,2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $176,583.73 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 7, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1468755 (07-07) (07-28) 183730 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616 451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is I-8OO 927-9275. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Kenneth Heifner, married man, whose address is 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 31, 2020, and recorded on September 24, 2020 in Document Number. 2020-010309, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated November 10, 2021 and recorded on November 12,2021 in Document Number 2021 -014017, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND 32/100 ($143,237.32). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 3, Block 9, Butler’s Addition, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 66, Barry County Records. Also: Commencing at the North 1/4 Post of Section 17, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence South 00 degrees 05 minutes 20 seconds West, 502.46 feet along the North and South 1/4 line of said section; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds East, 131.32 feet to the place of beginning; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet; thence South 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the Northeast corner of Lot 3 of Block 9, Butler’s Addition to the City of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 66; thence North 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet to the Northwest corner of said Lot 3; thence North 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 21,2022 HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN. LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Seivicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM DUTCHER-22-01461 1470209 (07-21 )(08-11) NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4373 (07-21 )(08-11) 184374; NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Heather Anne Barton, an unmarried woman, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 12,2016 and recorded October 18,2016 in Instrument Number 2016-010472 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on February 19, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-001257, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth Third Bank, National Association successor by merger to MB Financial Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifty­ Seven Thousand Six Hundred Twelve and 58/100 Dollars ($157,612.58). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Thomapple, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: That part of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 10 West, described as: Beginning at the East 1/4 corner of said Section 36; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes 30 seconds West 625.0 feet along the North line of said Southeast 1/4, thence South 45 degrees 09 minutes 30 seconds East 575 feet, more or less, to the centerline of Thomapple River; thence Northeasterly along said centerline 295 feet, more or less, to the East line of said Section 36; thence North 00 degrees 00 minutes West 215 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. 7101 West Loop Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: July 7,2022 File No. 22-003936 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (07-07)(07-28) 183701 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Roy E. Cogger, Sr., a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: March 5,2014 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 18, 2014 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $106,403.63 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: PARCEL A: LOT 19 AND PART OF LOT 20 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1 SECTION 29 , HASTING TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BYSURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.07 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 19 AND 20 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNERS OF SAID LOT 19: THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS WEST, 150.07 FEET PARALLEL WITH NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 89.97 FEET TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 04 MINUTES 41 SECONDS EAST, 1*50.13 FEET ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT-19 TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. PARCEL B: PART OF LOTS 20, 21, AND 22 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1, SECTION 29, HASTINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 DISTANT SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.06 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 21 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES01 MINUTES 26 SECONDS WEST, 150.00 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOTS 21 AND 22 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 22 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 90.31 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 22 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGRE£§.07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS EAST. 150.07 FEET PAR&^l iWITKiTH^.NQRTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO THE ,POINT OF BEGINNING. Common street address' (if any): 2122 Maple Ln, Hastings, Ml 49058-93(^6 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the' attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 21, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy; Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1470232 (07-21 )(08-11) 184372 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY FILE NO: 21 - 928 - CH ORDER FOR SUBSTITUTED SERVICE HON VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Notice to: The unknown heirs of Oscar Rice, Ernest Rice, Nola Rice or Ruth Rice; Rebecca Rice; and anyone that may claim interest in the below described property. An action has commenced in the Barry County Circuit Court, Case 2021-0928-CH, SaintAmour v Rice et al. The nature of the proceedings is an action to quite title. Any answers or other actions permitted by law or court should be filed with the Barry County Circuit Court and served upon Plaintiff by contacting attorney Steven G. Storrs at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 S Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058. Failure to answer or take action shall result in a default of any potential interest in the following described property: COMMENCING AT A POINT “B” OF SAID PLAT OF BUENA VISTA HEIGHTS, THEN SOUTHEASTERLY TO POINT “C” THEN NORTH 00 DEGREES 33 MINUTES WEST TO POINT “D”, THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 27 MINUTES EAST 75 FEET TO POINT “E”, THENCE NORTH TO POINT “F”, AND CONTINUING NORTH TO THE SHORE OF ALGONQUIN LAKE, THENCE NORTHWESTERLY ALONG THE HORE OF SAID LAKE TOAPOINTDUENORTHOFTHEPLACEOF BEGINNING, THEN SOUTH TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING, SUBJECT TO AN EASEMENT, HOWEVER, OVER THE WEST 33 FEET DESCRIBED AS: COMMENCING AT POINT “B" OF SAID PLAT, THENCE SOUTHEASTERLY TO POINT “C”, THENCE NORTH 00 DEGREES 33 MINUTES WEST TO POINT “D”, THENCE WEST 33 FEET, THENCE SOUTH TO POINT “B”. Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor r 400 W. State St, Suite B < Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Strengthen your ‘three-legged stool’ for retirement For many years, Americans provided for their retirement needs through three sources: employ er-sponsored pension plans, Social Security income, and savings and investments accumulated through employer plans or individual accounts - the socalled “three-legged stool.” But today, that stool is shakier than it used to be. What can you do to strengthen it? To begin with, all three legs of the stool are facing challenges. Let’s consider them: _ • Employer pensions - A generation ago, workers employed in many companies could count on a set monthly pension income to help them through their retirement years. Today, pensions - also known as defined benefit plans - are mostly found in public sector employment, as most private-sector employers have replaced their pensions with 401(k) and similar plans. These plans can be quite effective at helping build resources for retirement, but they do place most of the responsibility for saving on the employee. • Social Security - Social Security has come under financial pressure because the workers-to-retirees ratio has declined significantly, according to the Social Security Administration’s 2021 Board of Trustees Report. A number of proposals have been brought forward on how to improve the long-term financial security of the Social Security system. • Personal savings and investments - In terms of building savings and investments for retirement, the picture is somewhat mixed. The national savings rate has increased in recent years, but more than half of American workers still say their retirement savings are not where they should be, according to a 2021 survey from Bankrate, a personal finance website. And the same survey found that just over half of investors with a 401(k) or IRA have taken early withdrawals - that is, they withdrew money before they retired. Furthermore, we may be waiting too long even to begin saving/investing for retirement. A survey from Age Wave and Edward Jones found that respondents began saving for retirement at an average age of 38, but the majority said they should have started saving a decade earlier. You have options for improving some parts of your own three-legged stool. For example, no matter what happens to Social Security, you can still decide when to start taking payments. You can begin collecting NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged spreniises, er .some patriot -them, (to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 11,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION; Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Lee Schuitman, an unmarried man, whose address is 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, to Mortgage Electronic System, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 6, 2018, and recorded on August 13,2018, as Document No. 2018-007791 , Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Discovery Mortgage Loan Trust, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated August 2, 2021, and recorded on August 3, 2021, in Instrument 2021-009736, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($148,582.27). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land located in the Northeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the center line of Old M-37 which lies South 00 degrees 06 minutes 20 seconds East 433.26 feet and South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 1056.01 feet from the North 1/4 post of said Section 11; thence South 39 degrees 26 minutes 40 seconds West 189.0 feet; thence North 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds West 217.69 feet; thence North 32 degrees 19 minutes 08 seconds East 190.47 feet to the center of said highway; thence South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 241.32 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 14,2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4501 benefits as early as 62, but ’ your monthly checks will be larger if you wait until your.l “full” retirement age, which r will likely be between 66 and 67. You can even delay taking benefits until they “max out” at age 70. 4 As for a pension, you can’t control what’s available to * you through your employer,* but you can create your own ■ retirement income stream by ' contributing as much as you can afford to your 4Ol(k) or'7 other employer-sponsored > plan and by increasing your 2 contributions whenever your salary goes up. And you can r also contribute to an IRA or other investment vehicle to tt further boost your retirement funds. Try to leave these accounts intact until you need " them for retirement. This will be easier if you’ve built “ an emergency fund, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account, to pay for unexpected costs, such as those resulting from a major car or home repair. The three-legged stool may not be as universal as it once was - but you can still construct a sturdy structure to support your retirement needs in the future. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC •? Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature> actqf 1961,1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgagee! sale tb! the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place df| holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting prompt^ at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on tbei mortgage may be greater on the day-of the sale. Placing! the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle} the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. | A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county! register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either• of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Ronald B. Johnson and Connie., Johnson, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Bank of America, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: July 8, 2013 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 24, 2013 Amount claimed due on mortgage oh the date of notice: $80,090.04 Description of the mortgage!! premises: Situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A strip of land 66 feet jg width being the right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company as located over anS across the Southwest one-quarter of the Southwest onequarter, Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, morg particularly described as: Commencing at the Southwe^ corner of Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence East 516.87 feet along the South line of Section 7, to the former existing Westerly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company, thence North' 38 degrees 9 minutes East 1037 feet more or less along said Westerly right of way to the Southerly line of a creels thence Northeasterly and Easterly along said Southerlylien of a Creek to the former existing Easterly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company and the Westerly right of way of Highway M-43; thence South 38 degrees 9 minutes West 1001.86 feet more oj. less along said former existing Easterly right of way of th$ Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company, and the Westerly line of Highway M-43, to the South line of Section 7; thence West 83.93 feet along said South line of Section 7 to the place of beginning. Commonly Known as: 11892 S. M-43 Hwy, Delton, Ml 49046 The; redemption period shall be 6 months from the date erf, such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance’ with MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period, shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(cXwhichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies, it the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 <rf, the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278/ the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be; rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. Ip, that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest,, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney­ Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has conclude# less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active, duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this7 notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 7/21/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314679 (07-21 )(08-11) (07-14)(08-04) 184469 „ 184149 ■ Parcel ID No: 08-13-001-GAP-00 and any other rights in property commonly known as 1919 Ottawa Trail, Hastings, Michigan 49058. 183993 Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-890-679-7965 ll �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — Page 11 Horsepower highlight of first fair grandstand shows Brett Bremer Sports Editor ■ Brothers Canner Frazer and Hudson Fraz­ er Wayland took to a new form of racing Monday. Canner edged his younger brother out, and One other competitor to win the kids division of the KOI Drag Racing event in front of the grandstand at the first evening of action at the Barry County Fair. “This is my first time doing drag racing,” Canner said. “It was fun.” It was the first time drag racing for both the brothers, but Canner has competed in District 14 Motocross events. There is a chance they’ll be competing in the SJO Productions Michigan State Fair Super Cross races back at the Barry Expo Center grandstand Saturday with their big brother Ethan. Competitors were set to face off in more than 20 different classes of drag racing com­ petition throughout Monday evening’s event, racing dirt bikes, trucks, Jeeps, trikes, sideby-sides and more with differing combina­ tions of hot gas, regular gas, knobby tires, etc. The crowd was a bit sparse throughout Monday evening, but exploded to standing room only for the first Unique Motor Sports Off Road Derby held Tuesday evening. , The Unique Motor Sports team will be back Friday for a “Night of Destruction” with Off Road Racing and demolition derby action. Super Kicker Rodeo was set to entertain spectators last night, July 20. Grandstand tickets are $10 per person in addition to the $5 entry fee into the fair. There was no entry fee to see the harness 182306 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY CLEANUP NOTICE As per our Cemetery Ordinance #2021 -178 adopt­ ed November 10, 2021, borders will no longer be allowed on cemetery lots. Also, all mounds, memo­ rials, decorations, or benches that hinder the free use of a lawn mower or other gardening apparatus are prohibited. All urns and decorations shall be set in line with the stone within the boundaries of each grave site. The Cemetery cleanup has begun and will be completed by Labor Day, Monday September 5, 2022. If you have any decorations at the Cem­ etery you wish to keep, please remove them now. Larry Watson, Supervisor Rutland Charter Township Canner Frazer gets a jump on his competitor at the light during their kids division race early on in the KOI Drag Racing event in front of the grandstand at the Barry County Fair Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) racing last Saturday and Sunday at the fair grandstand. Horses, colts and fillies, and rac­ ers competed in 11 events Saturday and 16 Sunday to see who could put in the fastest mile without breaking stride. Barry County Fair Harness Racing July 16, 2022 - Results Race #. Class: Winning Horse 1. MIFS 2FT: Kandys Clarice 2. MIFS 2CT: Ithinkithoughtidid 3. MIFS 2FP: Blockade Jack 4. MIFS 2CP: Captain M ax Henry 5. MIFS 2CP: Stabler 6. MIFS 3FT: Fancy Flex 7. MIFS 3CT: Saulsgood 8. MIFS 3FP: Pleshette 9. MIFS 3FP: Real Slick Chic 10. MIFS 3CP: Creekside Johnny 11. MIFS 3CP: Memory Makin PUBLIC NOTICE The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) is considering a request for Federal assistance from Gun Lake Tribe to construct a US-131 Highway Utility Crossing and 129^ Avenue Utility Extension in Shelbyville, Allegan County, MI for providing essential utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer mains, to the undeveloped parcel west of US-131 and parcels south of 129^ Avenue. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, EDA is conducting an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed project. The project will drill a directional bore under US-131 to provide utilities to the undeveloped parcel west of the highway and will connect utilities to the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant on Tribal Lands as well as provide essential utilities to parcels south of 129^ Avenue. The project will be located at the exit 61 interchange and at 1150 129^ Avenue, Shelbyville, MI 49344. The purpose of the project is to provide essential utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer mains, to the undeveloped parcel west of US-131 and parcels south of 129^ Avenue and supply raw water to the Barry County Fair Harness Racing July 17, 2022 - Results / A Ford pick-up tries to outdo a Jeep in a race Monday during the KOI Drag Racing event in front of the grandstand at the Barry County Fair. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Governor approves $45.6 million in outdoor recreation grants Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Tuesday signed legislation creating more opportunities for quality outdoor recreation by authorizing $45.6 million in Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants. , “Outdoor recreation in Pure Michigan is essential to the high quality of life Michigan­ ders and visitors enjoy in our beautiful state,” said Gov. Whitmer. “These Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants support so many of the world-class outdoor opportunities we have in Michigan, including fishing, hiking, kayaking or simply enjoying an accessible playground. In communities across the state, the grant program makes much of this possi­ ble with critical investments so people of all abilities can get outdoors. Let’s keep working together to invest in our parks, recreation and public lands so future generations can enjoy everything that Pure Michigan has to offer.” Senate Bill 1028 approves funding for 117 recreation development projects and land purchases recommended by the board. It is how Public Act 151 of 2022. The Trust Fund board recommends fund­ ing to both state and local agencies for devel­ opment projects and land acquisitions that will increase the quality and quantity of pub­ lic outdoor recreation opportunities. This found of grant funding reflects continued support of: . Acquisitions of high-quality, unique wild­ life and fishery habitat for conservation and public access. Trail systems, specifically those - like the Potowatomi Trail in Livingston County - that have broad impact. An extensive range of development proj­ ects that expand opportunities across Michi­ gan for outdoor recreation, including devel­ opment of urban parks and playscapes, sports field enhancements and river access. < This year the board recommended $22.3 million in acquisition grants and nearly $23.3 bullion in recreation development grants: ' Of the $22.3 million recommended to fund acquisition projects, $14.2 million would be awarded to local units of government, while die remaining $8 million would be awarded to the Department of Natural Resources for diverse projects such as land consolidation at Pinckney-Waterloo Recreation Area. Of the $23.3 million recommended to fund development grants, $20 million would sup­ port 82 local government projects and $3.2 million would support 13 state projects including Kalamazoo River Valley Trail development at Fort Custer Recreation Area and footbridge replacement at Harrisville State Park. Collectively, the $45.6 million of Trust Fund grants is matched with nearly $39 mil­ lion of additional funding for a total of nearly $84.6 million being invested in land acquisi­ tion and development projects across the state. “By leveraging these additional dollars from local government partners, Trust Fund grants ensure expanded outdoor recreation and the continued conservation of our natural resources throughout the state,” said DNR Director Dan Eichinger. “These grants fund outdoor recreation opportunities that have proven even more important over the last several years as people increasingly ventured outside to recreate.” The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund is a restricted fund that was established in 1976 to provide funding for public acquisi­ tion of land for resource protection and out­ door recreation, as well as for public outdoor recreation development projects. It is funded through interest earned on funds derived from the development of publicly owned minerals, primarily oil and gas, and can only be used for public outdoor recreation. Over the past 40-plus years, the Trust Fund has granted more than $1 billion to local units of govern­ ment and the DNR to develop and improve public outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan. The Trust Fund board’s recommendations go to the Michigan Legislature for review as part of the appropriation process. The Legis­ lature then forwards a bill to the governor for approval. Descriptions of the development projects and acquisition projects approved by Gov. Whitmer are available at Michigan.gov/ MNRTF. If you have any information regarding potential environmental impacts associated with this proposed project, please provide it in writing to: Kyle Darton Environmental Protection Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Chicago Regional Office KDarton@eda.gov ~ Race #. Class: Winning Horse 1. MAIDEN: Broadway Liberty 2. MAIDEN: Randall Howey T 3. NW3000L4: Sj’s Edith 4. NW3000L4: Double A Cash Hall 5. NW3000L4: A Real Miracle 6. FFA: Ohmyheart 7. MAIDEN: Nootka._ 8. MAIDEN: Admiral Adam 9. NW3000L4: Avalanche Hanover 10. NW3000L4: Not Playin Nice 11. NW3000L4: Doug’s Jaxx 12. NW6000L4: Calm As Can Bee 13. MAIDEN: Vintage Chrome 14. NW6000L4: Onlythetuffsurvive 15. NW6000L4: Gabe The Babe 16. FA: Sumthinboutim A copy of the NEPA/NHPA decisional document will be available upon request at the above EDA Regional Office. Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm on August 12^ will be considered. SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting July 12,2022 Banner CLASSIFIEDS Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Six board members present, 1 absent Approved all consent agenda items 2021 audit presentation Painting township office interior Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:03 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor water treatment plant. Project information is available for review at 2872 Mno Bmadzewen Dr., Shelbyville, MI, 49344 and 269-397-1780. 184467 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 21028975NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Amaya Rose Perkins. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on August 17, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Amaya Rose Perkins to Amaya Rose Kees. 184159 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-29174-DE Estate of Patricia Ann Key, Date of Birth: February 15, 1948. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Patricia Ann Key, died 04/21/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Mary M Campbell, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/21/2022 Mary Campbell 9480 WY Ave Schoolcraft, Ml 49087 (269) 506-0276 184476 CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Garage Sale Help Wanted MULTI FAMILIES, THURS.-FRL, July 28th & 29th, 2022, 8:30am to 5:00pm. 7981 S. M-66, Nashville; 7500 Cloverdale Rd., Nashville; 7950 Marshall Rd., Nashville. Rain or Shine. Some­ thing for everyone, come check it out. BARRY COUNTY TRIAL COURT SERVICES SPECIALIST: The purpose of this job is to perform a variety of complex clerical tasks involved in processing cases, setting up case files; filing case documents; maintaining and compiling case load and case activity sta­ tistics; recording; and scheduling hearings. Provides information and assistance to law enforcement officers, attorneys, defendants, and court patrons. Substitutes for other court staff and provides general clerical assistance to the Judges and court staff. This position re­ quires the individual to be self-motivated while working within a team environment. Computer skills and excellent customer service skills are essential. Full time. $17.03/ per hour, plus benefits. Please send cover letter and resume by July 25, 2022 to: Ms. Daisey Chemiawski; 206 W Court St. Ste. 101; Hastings MI 49058; Or email: dchemiawski@barryco.org. R a siitess Services BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets GOLDEN DOODLE PUPPIES- Huffy, very play­ ful!. 1st shots and wormed. $500.00.269-223-9194. SHIH POO PUPPIES for sale. Small, super cute. 1st shots and wormed. $500.00,517-852-4881. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 2022-29227-DE Estate of Pamela R. Dewey, Deceased. Date of birth: 06/03/1959. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Pamela R. Dewey, died 03/07/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Eugene Newell, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/14/2022 Kellie E. Podolsky (P73694) 601 South Shore Drive, Suite #329 Battle Creek, Ml 49014 (269) 965-3185 Eugene Newell 13998 Kelly Road Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 (269)350-1602 184225 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 2022-29233-DE - Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of David Camille Fillion. Date of birth: 07/22/1960. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, David Camille Fillion, died 06/06/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Crystal R. Hedger, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/19/2022 Stephanie S. Fekkes (P43549) 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 Crystal R. Hedger c/o Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 184464 �Page 12 — Thursday, July 21, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings neighbors both participating in ArtPrize \ Hunter McLaren Gail Horsefield next to some of her mother’s jewelry, sewing and needlepoint work. Horsefield’s “Nature’s Seamstress” series of paintings will be displayed at Gita Pita and Char in downtown Grand Rapids during ArtPrize. Healing Of Personal Tran ma Personal trauma can deeply affect a person’s life in a negative way. People begin to live । out pain and hurt and their actions reflect their lack of value of human life. Trauma can be something that happens to you or something that you experience that shakes your life to the core. In the February 3, 2022 study of the mass shooting, they discovered “persons % who committed public mass shootings in the US over the past last half of the century were I commonly troubled by personal trauma before their shooting incidents and nearly always in a state of crisis at the time.” This study highlights the importance of healing personal trauma in a person’s life at an early age. By doing this we can reduce violence and crimes f in our community and the .communities we serve. . ft . ■ • • ■ ■ | B | 1 I u ■ ft I g ■ B ■ I would like to share a couple experiences from my own life. When I was twelve years old, I was sick with encephalitis and experienced great pain from brain swelling in a fever of 105.1 was sick for weeks and the doctors did not know whether I would ever recover or ever be the same after that sickness. The headaches were so punishing that I could not stand any light or hear anybody walk across the floor without it causing me great pain. This sickness affected the way I processed written thoughts. So, I had to develop other ways of processing. For many years after that, I would have reoccurring migraines, that nothing could touch. I remember lying in bed praying for the pain to end. I was so sick during that time that I could not even walk. I praise God that he spared my life. g B B ■ I B B ■ B B B I B B I I I B ■ g ■ ■ ■ Then, when I was sixteen years old, I was traveling in Nebraska on the highway. As we were going down the road, I saw a truck pulling a horse trailer. Suddenly the horse trailer disconnected from the truck went across the centerline and hit a small car head on. The small car was totally wrecked and came to a rolling stop in the median. We slammed on our brakes and came to a quick stop, jumped out of the car, and began to run toward the car in the median. As I approached the car, I noticed there was a hand sticking through the glass window and hanging down the side of the car. The guy with me said are you sure that you are ready for what you’re about to see? I can tell you I was not ready for what I saw. When I looked into the car, the husband and wife had been killed instantly, and I will not describe what things looked like for the sake of the reader. This experience and what I saw affected me for many years because I did not know where to go for healing from the trauma. I found out later that the couple in the car was a pastor and his wife traveling to a church to do evangelistic meetings. At Spiritual Care Consultants, we make sure that we go through our own healing process personally. I now have received healing from the above events. Praise God for that. I I I I ■ ■ B I | B ■ ■■ B B The Spiritual Care Consultants healing process addresses early childhood trauma. Through our process, people receive healing and freedom from the pain of the trauma they have been through. We then help them change the way they think that resulted from going through trauma and they develop a new identity in Christ. We help them to see themselves and others the way God sees them. When this happens, this is transformative in a person’s life. This is the work that SCC does on a daily basis, which is why your support is so important. SCC Children Fund Raiser * June ihmtigh August I had not planned to share this story today, but as I sat at my computer in my office, the Lord wanted me to share that special story about my life with you. Now that I am older, I know that I am impacting many people for God’s kingdom and it’s all because of Harold’s investments in my life when I was young. Your donation to the Children’s Fund is very important. My question is this: “Have \ Staff Writer When Gail Horsefield saw “Open Water,” the 2009 grand prize winner of the first Art­ Prize event, she thought she might like to start painting for the first time. This year, she’ll be showing a series of seven paintings in the annual Grand Rapids-based art event and competition, which she’s titled “Nature’s Seamstress.” Although she won’t be revealing the paintings to the public until the event, she said each depicts a woman surround­ ed by different elements of nature. Horsefield completed the project as a way to honor her late mother, Annetta Dingman, who died in 2013. Dingman was a seamstress and liked to use bright and vivid colors, which Horsefield said inspired her painting series. “She loved pastels, but she loved bold colors. She loved bold jewelry,” Horsefield said. “I thought this would be a great way to honor her.” ArtPrize allows artists to showcase and sell their work via venues located throughout downtown Grand Rapids and some metro areas. Artists can submit sculptures, paint­ ings, drawings and other mediums. Members of the public can browse the works and select some of their favorites. The event awards $175,000 in cash prizes to artists throughout the event based on votes from members of the public. Of the 1,100 interested artists this year, Horsefield said only about 75 percent will find a venue to display their work. Artists start applying for venues in April, getting in touch with the businesses involved with ArtPrize and trying to find one that will showcase their work. As time went on, Horse­ field worried she might not be connected with a venue., She finally scored a venue on July 5 - three days before the deadline. “Oh my, my mom would be loving this,” she said. “I have a feeling she had something to do with me getting a venue at the last minute.” While applying for venues, Horsefield noticed something: Her neighbor Jon Schmidt was applying for venues, too. She came across his name while searching through the online portal that listed all the other artists that were submitting work. For Schmidt, this year will be his third time displaying work at ArtPrize. He’s sub­ mitting a framed series of three photos titled “Sarah-Dipity.” They feature his 10-year-old granddaughter, Evelyn-Sarah “Ewie” Lantinga, in a series of visual puns: “Sarah-Soda,” “Sarah-Toga” and “Tri-Sarah-Tops.” More than anything, Schmidt said ArtPrize is a great way to explore Grand Rapids with his grandchildren. Lantinga expressed inter­ est in being involved in this year’s event, and Schmidt said he wanted to share the experi­ ence with her. “I’ve been displayed before, and it meant so much to me just to have people look at it Evelyn-Sarah Lantinga and Jon Schmidt with their work “Sarah-Dipity.” The piece will be displayed in Blue Dog Tavern in Grand Rapids during ArtPrize. Take a walk on the wild side; Pierce Cedar Creek Institute to host wildflower walk Summer wildflowers put on a show every year with a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and patterns. Enjoy the splendor of summer blooms and learn how to identify commonly found species, their unique floral characteristics and their roles in their ecosystems on Thursday, July 28. Attendees will enjoy a guided tour through Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s grounds, observing the many native species of wildflow­ ers the Institute hosts. There will be two tours, including one from 2 to 4 p.m. and one from 6 to 8 p.m. Everyone 9-years-old or older are welcome to attend the tour. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The event is free to members of the Institute. Non-members must pay $5 per person. Wayland church hosts blood drive Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Wayland will host a blood drive in partnership with Versiti Blood Centers on Tuesday, July 26. The drive will run from 2 to 6:30 p.m. at the church and donors will receive a Bluetooth speaker while supplies last. Versiti is also giving away $15 e-gift cards to all donors who give blood between July 13-31. Those who are at least 110 pounds and 17 years old or older may be eligible to donate. Versiti says that the need for blood is even more critical during the summer due to increased activity and decreased donations. you sent in a donation yet?” Your donation can make a big difference in a child’s life. We are looking to raise $150,000for the Children’s Fund. Ask the Lord what He would have you to give and give that. You donation can help a child to be healed as they grow up to impact many people in a positive way. Ifyou have already given, thank you so much. Sponsored and smile or frown - to get a reaction. It did something for people,” Schmidt said. “1 wanted her to experience that.” ArtPrize will be held from Sept. 15 to Oct. 2 in downtown Grand Rapids. Horsefield’s “Nature’s Seamstress” series will be dis­ played in Gita Pita and Char at 2 Jefferson Ave SE, while Schmidt and Lantinga’s “Sar­ ah-Dipity” will be displayed in Blue Dog Tavern at 638 Stocking Ave NW. More information about how to vote for your favorite artists will be released closer to the start of the event, with updates available at artprize.org. While all blood types are needed, Type O blood is especially in high demand. Event organizers encourage potential donors to eat a healthy ' meal and drink plenty of water before donating to help the process go smoothly. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcomed. Appointments can be made by calling 866-642-5663 or by vis­ iting Versiti.org/miblood. Colobus monkey born at Binder Park Zoo Binder Park Zoo announced a successful colobus monkey birth at the zoo. Bom June 26, the eastern black and white colobus, or Colo­ bus guereza, infant is the third offspring of parents Usi and Nairobi. Health exams are not usually done right away, so the baby’s gender has not been confirmed yet. Staff have observed the baby as strong, active and alertj reaching for items of interest and showing curiosity about the other members of the troop, especially big brother Freddie. Colobus monkeys have been at Binder Park Zoo since 1998. Located in the Wild Africa area of the zoo, the Monkey Valley exhibit opened in 1999 and remains an engaging exhibit where two primate species coexist: the black and white colobus and black mangabeys. Together with the newborn, the current colobus troop totals six individuals. The zoo is eager for guests to catch a glimpse of the new baby on exhibit but cautions that there is no guarantee the troop will be on exhibit on any given day. Information about visiting Binder Park Zoo can be found at binderparkzoo.org. THORNAPPLE FLOORING & FURNITURE T——----------- Donations The Value of Hard Work Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is I making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Wb 5®* ft W& Wk » ■*** ** -VO, -W.. M*. W1 «8«i Wb W ’WU *Wi =**. ■'«*■*»* By Gina Johnsen ' Yes, I woold itfee to .become on SCC Partner by the Mow gift to assist in the ion of MhidwPs health and wllness throngh Spiritual Card * i * Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to i SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 t i i t i i * i t t i t 1 I I I , j ’ Name: Address: tI DI 4I Zip: State: Phone: Total Donation Amount:. Please charge my gift to my credit card: 4I 4I * * i * 3 1 j 1 4< 4 j 41 j i j i 5 $ I I I i * Visa Mastercard AMEX i Card Number: Exp. Date:, Amount:. i Name on Card: CW (4 Digit):. r L Signature:. i j * j < : ’ It’s amazing how much of our lives is spent dreading going to work, complaining about work, planning or counting down the days to retirement, and finding ways to get around going to work. Is the goal just to achieve enough funds to pay bills? If so, then why are we trying to live “without having to work”? The value of a “work” ethic is something we don’t talk about much today. And the shutdowns have encouraged a mindset that furthers this misunderstanding. At the same time that the federal government is trying to get us used to their financial hand-outs instead of working for a living, we are losing a labor force that used to be the shining example to the world of our productive “consumer-driven” society. In Michigan, over the past 2 years of government shutdown, we have lost over 23,000 businesses, and will suffer at least double that in population decline. Businesses close early these days because they can’t find enough workers to sustain normal business hours. Do you find yourself wondering how folks can suddenly survive without working? The rest of us have to pay bills just the same as before the shutdown. If we go back to the beginning of humanity, work existed before The Fall. It actually was a gift, a blessing. It was an opportunity to see how God designed each person, how His genius or creativity could be expressed through one’s own hands, mind, and body. There is dignity in expressing one’s self through what one could produce, serve, create, change, repair, or improve. There is a sense of accomplishment and a tremendous value in connecting others. We were made to be interdependent with each other to produce and contribute to the world around us. We have overlooked this in the past years, as the Marxist idea of “all equal” has been promoted to our youth, for 2 generations now. We have crushed their ambition and allowed our children to be brought up in an attitude that says that no matter the degree of hard work, genius contribution, or sacrifice, all should receive the same paycheck, housing, education, and trophies. At the same time, demoralizing situations, stressful workloads, and the lack of purposedriven lives have overtaken the passion to enjoy the journey of working. Instead, this generation is fueled by an entertainment driven life not knowing that the end result is actually socialism, squashing independence, autonomy, and the incentive to thrive. Let’s restore the work ethic in our culture. Let’s appreciate the locally grown or made product, the hands that worked to bring it to market, and the fact that we get to do work and share our talents with each other. Let’s appreciate each other again and value our differences, trying not to be the same as everyone else. Let us value the work of our hands. After all, our Founding Fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Let’s enjoy the pursuit as well as life itself. Let’s ensure we have the liberties we need to fulfill our dreams for ourselves and our families’ future. Tell me what you think. I welcome your comments: For more information, Gina4StateRep.com. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 please visit my website: � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-07-28.pdf a02b130837561a0c22a0bdbf60b9ad0f PDF Text Text Hastings approves sponsorship of two police recruits Respect one another by following the “unwritten rules” Grandstand contests entertain fair crowds See story on page 3 See story on page 4 See stories on page 11 to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 804879110187 LOT**C 005 C005 Thursday, July 28, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 30 PRICE $1.50 Republican state rep candidates face off in upcoming primary election Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County is home to three different races for state representative, all of which feature a crowded field in next week’s Repub­ lican primary election. With freshly re-drawn districts and no incumbents in the mix, these races will yield three newcomers in Lansing next year. With less than a week until Aug. 2’s prima­ ry election, The Banner connected with Republican candidates vying for these seats in the State House of Representatives. All Democrats in these races are running unop­ posed, and therefore will advance to Novem­ ber’s general election. - DISTRICT 78 The 78th district, which includes Hastings, Ionia and a portion of Lowell, will see three Republican candidates on the primary ballot, including Gina Johnsen, Christine Barnes and current chair of the Barry County Board of Commissioners, Ben Geiger. Meanwhile, Jon Rocha, an employee with the Barry County Sheriff’s Office, has launched a highly visible write-in campaign after being disqualified from this year’s ballot. The winner that emerges from this four-candidate field will go on to face Demo­ crat Leah Groves of Lowell in the general election. GINA JOHNSEN Residence: Lake Odessa Occupation/professional experience: Business woman, currently self-employed with an independent life and health insurance agency. I have over 30 years of business experience in various industries including financial services, insurance, education and healthcare. I have worked the entire lower peninsula of Michigan at various times throughout the years. I am also executive director of two non­ profits - Michigan Capitol House of Prayer (12 years) and Pregnancy Center of Eaton County. I have hired and managed staff, signed the front and back of checks, run board meetings, fundraised and successfully grown these and other organizations, for the purpose of improving each community and the State of Michigan. As a mother and community member, I have interfaced and worked with private schools, public schools, and the homeschool community. I have taught and am currently teaching in the classroom. I am set apart from my opponents because I have a service record and business back­ ground much longer than both of them, which is more than lip service and ideas. I have served in the state senate as a legislative pol­ icy director and for the past 20 years as a “citizen lobbyist.” I have been active and have trained others to be engaged and effective to influence Lan­ sing politics as regular citizens. With that experience, I am well aware of the Lansing political environment - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I will not fall prey to their games. Michigan is in dire straits. Our small cities and local communities are facing difficult economic issues with inflation, interrupted supply chain, and labor shortages. However, I believe we have the resources and the talent to solve Michigan’s problems and turn our state around and in the right direction. In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents and how do you propose addressing these challenges? I would like to positively impact the follow­ ing arenas in Michigan: Farming, family busi­ ness, education and healthcare. Freedoms must See STATE REP, page 2 Relay for Life organizers determined to put on successful event despite CO VID disruptions Adelaide Mei Contributing Writer Julie Faunce first got involved with the Relay for Life of Barry County when she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 and her sister signed her up for the com­ munity-based fundraiser to benefit the Amer­ ican Cancer Society. “Just before the (survivor) dinner, every­ body lines the track and applauds the survi­ vors as they walk by,” said Faunce, a Hast­ ings native. “They take a lap in victory, I suppose, and the sense of community you get from that and the people-got-your-back feel­ ing ... I was hooked, and I’ve done it every year since.” Faunce and fellow organizers will be stag­ ing this annual event on Aug. 6 at Tyden Park in Hastings beginning at 11 a.m. This is a local installment of a fundraiser event that is held all across the country, melding together fun activities and fundraising while honoring those who have suffered - or continue to suf­ fer - from cancer. Jenny Cusack, is part of the planning com­ mittee and member of her dad’s team, called Grandpa C’s Crew. “I look at the event as a celebration (where) we’re honoring those that are survivors that are going through the journey,” said Cusack of Hastings. “And then we’re also celebrating the ones that have fought very hard and are no longer with us.” Though Cusack walked in her first Relay for Life event about 15 years ago for her mother’s coworker and had participated on and off since, cancer really hit home for her and her family when her dad - Grandpa C was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2018. Since then, she has actively participat­ ed as part of her dad’s team and became involved in planning for the event as a whole. According to Sherry Cusack, Jenny’s mom and wife to Grandpa C, “when asked why I (we) relay, it’s simple - supporting a friend or family member that is (going through), or has gone through, the cancer journey.” Jenny Cusack echoed this. “I just want to help others out because I know that it’s a very trying time ... It’s made me learn that each day is precious and just to take each day as they come.” According to Faunce, Relay For Life branded events across the country stand as the largest fundraiser for the American Can­ cer Society. The funds raised go to support cancer research, coordinate rides for cancer patients to get their treatment, provide wigs, staff a 24/7 support number with personnel See RELAY FOR LIFE, page 3 A team poses at the start/finish line of last year’s Relay for Life event. This year’s Relay for Life will take place on Aug. 6 at Tyden Park, beginning at 11 a.m. (Courtesy photo) Green Gables to receive $600,000 from state grant Molly Macleod Copy Editor A $600,000 grant from the state will allow Green Gables Haven in Hastings to keep its doors open and continue serving the community. State Rep. Julie Calley rallied for this grant in the state budget signed by the governor last week, as the financial security of Green Gables has been in jeopardy since last fall. Green Gables Haven is a shelter for abused women and children in Barry County. It pro­ vides shelter, food, personal items, emergency transportation and advocacy for legal, medical and social needs for up to four weeks. Executive Director Janie Bergeron said that funding from grants has always been a sore point for the shelter. For years, the shelter has applied for grant after grant and has rarely been awarded funds. In 2017, the shelter’s luck seemed to change with the advent of a federal grant with funds distributed through the state. This grant, pro­ vided by the Victims of Crime Act, afforded an annual average of $210,000 in funding to Green Gables each year. This funding made up 41 percent of the operating budget for the orga­ nization, allowing it to provide shelter and services for women and children in abusive situations 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. In September of last year, said Bergeron, the grant process changed with seemingly no expla­ nation and the funds were denied to the Green Gables Haven for the year of 2022. Bergeron said she has a team trying to figure out why they were denied the grant funds, but was left with a $210,000 deficit in the meantime. “In 2017, the federal opportunity came up. We had it for five years and then - poof - it was gone,” said Bergeron. In addition to being denied $210,000 per year in grant funding, the change in the grant process made it so Green Gables can’t reapply for the grant for four more years. Bergeron said Green Gables Haven was the only domestic violence shelter in the state of Michigan that did not receive funding from the Victims of Crime Act grant for 2022. Luckily, the community immediately stepped up to support the Haven and has allowed it to continue offering its services in the past months. Bergeron said she feels fortu­ nate to be a part of a community as supportive as the one in Barry County. “This community has always stepped up always,” said Bergeron. In the weeks following the news of the Vic­ tims of Crime Act grant being taken away from the shelter in September, the Barry County United Way and the Barry Community Foundation banded together to commit $150,000 to the shelter to help keep its doors open. Bergeron said other organizations and See GREEN GABLES, page 3 Barry County Fair concludes The 2022 Barry County Fair is in the books. Next week, The Banner will feature a special section recapping the event. This will include interviews with organizers and pho­ tos of all the 4-H winners and their prized animals. �Page 2 — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner STATE REP, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------be retained as well as parental choices and healthcare independence/autonomy. State farming regulations must assist the farmer instead of burdening them. Michigan must regulate in a practical way instead of destroy­ ing the farmer’s ability to conduct business and maintain basic function, with at least a modest profit margin. Our local food supply is at risk because of abusive state government policies. As a pregnancy center director, I under­ stand the emotional and financial issues women face with unplanned pregnancies. I understand what it’s going to take by the community to support and bring forth life instead of ‘"erasing” the burden we all can share together. There are many needs that we can meet as a community, and we see the successes in the pro-life world, pregnancy centers and church programs. I find it appall­ ing that the Governor would veto these kinds of programs that help mothers and their unbom/newbom children. Her political hypocrisy is beyond words. She claims to support women and their choices, but refuses to help women who make the choice for life. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? Regarding the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, I am eager to see Michigan protect women and their unborn children instead of supporting the multi-billion dollar abortion industry. For 49 years, we have endured deceitful rhetoric that denies women full disclosure of factual infor­ mation, lying to them and destroying life in the womb to make profits off of young wom­ en’s vulnerabilities. With the possibility of Michigan once again becoming a life-affirm­ ing state, pro-abortionists are yet again lying to women about what an abortion-free state would look like, and they are fear mongering and deceiving the public. They continue to spread misinformation about contraception, life of the mother exceptions, and women’s healthcare. This disinformation campaign has to be identified and stopped. The so-called “reproductive freedom for all” petition, which is being supported by the Governor, is neither reproduction nor free­ dom. Instead, this petition/proposal would permanently enshrine in the Michigan Con­ stitution guaranteed tax-payer funded abor­ tions with no parental consent, partial birth abortion and could open the door to all sorts of related permissions such as no prosecution of infanticide, pedophilia, sterilization of minors, lowering the age of consent, sex traf­ ficking loopholes, etc. This is what the Gov­ ernor is all about. I for one will not support this “anything goes abortion amendment,” and I encourage others to read the dangerous language of this constitutional amendment and vote against it. BEN GEIGER Residence: Nashville How many years lived there: Seven years in Nashville. Lifelong Barry County resident. Occupation/professional experience: Graphic artist; Barry County Commissioner (2011-present); Legislative assistant for State Rep. Brian Calley (2007-2010); Communica­ tions associate and special assistant, Office of the Governor (2011-2018); Graphic Artist, Michigan House of Representatives (2019­ 2021). Previous elected offices held: Barry County Board of Commissioners (2011-pres­ ent); Chairperson, Barry County Board of Commissioners (2017-2018; 2021-present); Chairperson, Barry County Republican Party (2009-2010; 2021-present). In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents and how do you propose addressing these challenges? MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation IJcense Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured City of Hastings PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Hastings will hold a public hearing during its regular meeting on August 16, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The purpose of the public hearing is to hear comments and make a determination on a variance request by owner, One Eighty Investment, LLC of 136 W. Center Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. The applicant has requested a variance from Section 90-859 (2) of the City of Hastings Code of Ordinances, that if granted, will allow construction of a six feet high fence to within two feet of the front yard sidewalk. Legal description of said property is: LOT 801 AND THE W 14 FT OF LOT 802 ORIG PLAN OFTHE VILLAGE (NOW CITY) OF HASTINGS. EX N 75 FT OF E 4 FT OF W 14 FT OF LOT 802 BEING AN EASEMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAINTAINING AN EXISTING GARAGE AND DRIVEWAY. SUCH EASEMENT EXIST ONLY SO LONG AS THE EXISTING GARAGE EXISTS. Written comments will be received on the above request at Hastings City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 4:00 PM on the day of the hearing. Requests for information of said hearing should be directed to Community Development Director, Dan King at 269-945-2468 or dking@ hastingsmi.org. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1 -800-649-3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk 184421 SEASONAL HELP 2022 -TEMPORARY SEASONAL GENERAL LABORER• NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY • OUTSIDE WORK •UPTO $16/hour Applicant must be at least 18 years of age by start date, have a valid Driver’s License, and be able to pass a drug test. Start date negotiable, hours Monday-Friday 6 AM- 4 PM. Starting hourly pay range up to $16 per hour, no benefits. Application & job description can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office located at 1725 West M-43 Highway, Hastings between 6 AM - 3:45 PM, or on our website at www.barrycrc.org . The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Burdensome executive orders, unfair cor­ porate handouts. Gridlock on common sense reforms. These failures have eroded trust between voters and their representatives. I believe in better and am running to restore trust. As State Representative, I will deliver honest, experienced leadership to this district. Three key issues include the following. Rising inflation and the soaring price of gas. While the state leaders have limited tools to fix this, we can do our part by ensuring Line 5 is open, keeping government spending in check and by not burdening our industries with anti-growth regulations. The skilled labor gap that is holding back job creators and economic opportunities. State government can do its part by stream­ lining the certification process for skilled labor positions and by expanding career tech­ nical education - which I have done as Barry County Commissioner. Erosion of trust in our institutions because of poor decision making and ugly politics. I have a clear track record as Barry County Commissioner - a record based on conserva­ tive principles and delivering results. I believe our next State Representative will earn the trust of the district by respecting everyone’s rights, avoiding identity politics and looking out for ways to enhance places in Barry County. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michi­ gan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? I’m proudly endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan, and would like to see our state pass and embrace pro-life legislation which saves lives. CHRISTINE BARNES Residence: Mulliken How many years lived there: 10 years Occupation/professional experience: I am a small business owner and NRA instruc­ tor. I have taught over 9,500 students from this area. As such, I am the only candidate in my race to receive both the NRA and MCRGO endorsements, a distinction that I am proud of. I have been an entrepreneur most of my adult life. I understand what it means to have my family and many other families depend on me. I understand what it means to negoti­ ate government bureaucracy and government over regulations. I have owned businesses in the skilled trades and service industries. I have earned my living as a bam painter and an executive. This broad experience will lend well to understanding my constituents’ con­ cerns from multiple angels. Previous elected offices held: I earned the yptes of the constituents in Eaton County’s District 1 to become the first Republican elect­ ed in that district in over a decade. I served as an appointed commissioner to the Tri County Regional Planning board as well as Eaton County’s Transportation Board (Eatran). In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents? There is no doubt the number one issue I hear at the over 11,000 doors I have knocked on is that Michigan’s infrastructure leaves a lot to be desired. Whether we are discussing the current condition of our roads and bridges or high speed connectivity in our rural com­ munities, infrastructure is a hot topic. I served on the Tri County Regional Planning Com­ mission as an appointed commissioner. I understand from experience how infrastruc­ ture projects are prepared and funded. I will continue my work as a strong advocate of infrastructure projects and help small com­ munities navigate the bureaucracy to bring those dollars to District 78 communities. District 78 is encompassed by beautiful fields growing vital products for our Michi­ gan economy. As the exclusively endorsed Michigan Farm Bureau candidate in District 78, agriculture will be a focal point of my first term in office. I hope to serve on the Regulatory Reform and Agricultural Com­ mittees, where I can be a good partner to the agricultural community. I will work to reduce redundant and over regulated legislation that unduly burdens our farmers. The pandemic taught many in Michigan how important first responders are to the health and welfare of our state. However, lit­ tle has been done to recruit and retain these heroes who serve our communities. First responders will have a strong voice when I am elected as the next state representative of District 78. We need better fimding for fire, police and corrections. I will champion those who run in when others run out. How do you propose addressing these challenges? As the only endorsed Michigan Farm Bureau candidate in District 78,1 am a trust­ ed advocate for our agriculture families. I am the only candidate in this race that lives on ag land and has a small farm with livestock. I look forward to advocating for the needs of my neighbors, businesses and local gov­ ernment units in our district. The experiences I have had with infrastructure funding will help me serve the needs of our community. We need to have more revenue sharing with local units of government from the state. This will allow for infrastructure, safety and con­ gestion projects to be implemented in our growing communities. Our local government officials know better than anyone where our tax dollars are most effectively invested. I am endorsed by The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and will be a strong voice for businesses in District 78. We need to adopt tax policies that encourage business growth and opportunity for good paying jobs. I will work to bring better funding to Dis­ trict 78 and Michigan as a whole to support Plainfield Charter District 43 emergency services. We need to address the retention and recruitment of first responders. I will form the first ever State Representative Citizen Advisory panel to consist of 78 con­ stituents from my district with varying politi­ cal ideologies. I will meet with these constit­ uents at least six times a year to discuss what is happening in the legislature and what projects need my attention in the district. I will ensure that I am hearing the voices of everyone in my district, not just the ones that agree with me. I will ask each member of the advisory panel to attend one meeting to dis­ seminate the information they gather from our time together. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? We already have a law passed by the legis­ lature in 1931 that bans abortion. I believe in life from conception to death. I am a four time endorsed Right to Life candidate. I will vote, sponsor and co-sponsor legislation that protects the sanctity of life. JON ROCHA (WRITE-IN) Residence: Hastings; Bom in Kalamazoo, and graduated high school at Portage North­ ern before joining the Marine Corps. Occupation/professional experience: I work for the Barry County Sheriff’s Depart­ ment. Before that, I mostly worked as direc­ tor of operations in the manufacturing indus­ try and as a football coach, including time as an assistant to PJ Fleck at Western Michigan University. Previous elected offices held: None In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents? How do you propose addressing these chal­ lenges? The 3 biggest issues facing Michigan right now are: Fighting for our kids by banning radical sexual indoctrination and CRT (critical race theory) in Michigan’s public schools, like Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida. We need to let kids be kids again. Fighting for fair and secure elections, by implementing photo ID, banning unsolicited absentee ballots and drop boxes, as well as implementing forensic audits and hand counts. Fighting for fiscal responsibility. The bud­ get needs to be reigned in quickly, it’s con­ trolled by lobbyists, leftists and RINOs, who take our money for wasteful government programs, special interest pork projects and corporate welfare to get themselves reelected. Michigan families deserve much better. I will fight like hell to stop Lansing’s spending spree, and their nasty habit of continually picking winners and losers with our money. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? Abortion is murder; we should do every­ thing we can to stop it. I am 100 percent pro­ life. I will do whatever I can in Lansing to bankrupt and destroy the “abortion industrial complex,” and create a strong culture of life in our state for kids and young families. DISTRICT 79 The state’s 79th district includes a swath of northwestern Barry County, including Irving Township and the Village of Middleville. The district extends west, out to Byron Center and slightly beyond. Here, voters will find Caledonia resident and Hastings native Angela Rigas facing off with Jeremiah Keeler and Ryan Gallogly for the Republican nomination. Rigas ran for state representative in what was then District 86 in 2014 and lost to incumbent Lisa Posthu­ mus Lyons. The Republican nominee from District 79 will face Byron Center resident Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington in the general election. See STATE REP, page 8 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — Page 3 City approves sponsorship of two police recruits Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter (left) asked council members for funds to spon­ sor two recruits, Lexi Meher (right) and Andrew Babcock (not pictured). Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings City Council unanimously approved the sponsorship of two police recruits to join the Hastings Police Depart­ ment at its meeting Monday. The sponsorship, which will cost the city $26,039, pays for the schooling of the two recruits with the promise that they will work for the city of Hastings after graduating from the police academy. Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter explained to council members that sponsor­ ing incoming recruits is an increasingly more common way for police departments to gain new recruits. “This is one way to handpick candidates, vet them and look for longevity,” Boulter said. “Most of the kids graduating from any type of academy are already sponsored.” Boulter said the Hastings department is currently looking to fill five officer positions, and these two new recruits would help close that gap. A lack of new police officer recruits has made the law enforcement job market significantly competitive, with departments across the state and the country facing similar staffing problems, he said. “This is just one way that we can continue to build our police force,” Boulter said. “Cur­ rently, we’re down five people. They’re not beating our doors down, and nor are they down the road or anywhere else.” Study shows proposed food center could help keep dollars in county Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County and its food and beverage stores are allowing roughly $83 million of local consumer spending escape county lines, according to a new study. Andrea Carbine of Chicago-based New Venture Advisors LLC appeared in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to present cliff notes from a detailed retail market analysis report. New Venture Advisors specializes in local food systems planning and Carbine is the firm’s project manager for the pioposed Barry Community Food Center. The recent retail market analysis was the latest in a long line of due diligence the county is conducting to ensure that a food center is feasible, and if so, what it would look like physically and operationally. The numbers that Carbine presented left little doubt that Barry County could benefit from additional food retail. The study showed that the household spending poten­ tial of county residents at food and beverage stores totaled $127.4 million while Barry County retailers are capturing just $43.5 million of that. This means a retail gap of $83.8 million as 65.8 percent of resident spending is leaking out into other counties. “It’s a big number and its across all the relevant food and grocery categories,” Car­ bine told commissioners. “What it tells us is that there is an opportunity potential for new retail for some food establishments, grocery plug-ins and for fresh food items within Barry-County and that there are dollars inter- Andrea Carbine of New Venture Advisors presents her retail market analysis report to the Barry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) ested in being spent on those items by your citizens.” The amount of food and beverage spend­ ing that is slipping outside of Barry County was just some of data presented to commis­ sioners, which also included information on all nearby food and beverage stores and how easily Barry County residents can access food. The study provided validation for the proposed project, which is planned to fea­ ture a variety of components. The Barry County Food Center is planned to feature commercial kitchen space, which could serve as an incubator kitchen for food start-up businesses or be utilized by orga­ nizations that need space for food prepara­ tion. The center, which will serve as the full­ time home for the farmer’s market, will also house a retail hall, providing access to fresh food concepts, in addition to warehousing, logistics and cold storage solutions. Plenty of question marks’^till dot the proj­ ect, including where it will be located and who will run it. “Finding a site is sort of the next crucial step,” Carbine said, admitting that the loca­ tion will dictate many other elements of the project. Refining the operational model, forging necessary partnerships, assembling a build­ ing and development team and completing a capital campaign are also next on the list. The potential timeline - even once a site is chosen - is still a bit hazy. “The one hitch we all know in construc­ tion right now is that it has some delays and equipment timelines are operating at a min­ imum of 10 months,” Carbine said. “If all the site pieces were finalized tomorrow and they could set a build deadline, you’re look­ ing at a minimum of 12 to 18 months to sort of get to day one.” The new recruits, Lexi Meher and Andrew Babcock, were picked because of their abili­ ties and expected longevity at the Hastings Police Department, Boulter said. Meher is from the Hastings area, and Babcock is cur­ rently a corrections officer at the Ionia Coun­ ty Sheriff’s Department. Both are currently enrolled in the Kellogg Community College Regional Police Acade­ my. There, they will undergo a 19-week train­ ing program starting on Aug. 19. Once they’ve graduated from the academy, they’ll be joining the Hastings Police Department. Boulter said that although this was the first sponsorship the department had awarded, the department was going to make every effort to support Meher and Babcock during their time at the academy and beyond. “We’re not going to let it fail, for sure,” Boulter said. “And we’re going to be with our candidates all the way as long as we can to get them there.” In other business, the city council: • Casted a ballot on behalf of the City of Hastings for Lee Kilboum to serve on the Michigan Municipal League Workers’ Com­ pensation Fund Board. • Accepted a letter of resignation from Lynn Denton from the Downtown Develop­ ment Association, Planning Commission, Downtown Business Team and Barry County Chamber of Commerce, effective Sept. 1. Mayor David Tossava said the city would County clerk stresses to voters the different rules associated with primary elections Jayson Bussa Editor The process of voting in a primary election is slightly different than that of the general election. As the Aug. 2 primary election nears, Barry County Clark Pam Palmer spoke with the Hastings Banner, emphasizing to all local residents the unique rules associated with these elections. The most crucial rule that voters need to observe is that they must vote for candidates in just one party - they can­ not vote for both Republicans and Dem­ ocrats. “We have more spoiled ballots because people either forget or don’t understand that they have to stay within (one) party,” Palmer said. “In November, you can cross back and forth all you want,” Palmer added. This means, if a voter wants to cast votes for Republican nominees, they cannot cast a vote for a Democrat can­ didate, otherwise all of their votes for candidates will be nullified. Their votes on proposals, if there are any, will be counted, though. But, luckily for in-person voters, they can rectify the situation on site. If a ballot contains votes for both Republi­ cans and Democrats, the machine that processes the ballots will alert the voter. Palmer said, in those situations, a continued from page 1 -------------------who are trained to answer ques­ tions and listen and give resources to cancer patients. However, COVID-19 has put a damper on this event in the past few years. According to Faunce, last year, the American Cancer Society told her that, “you can either choose to not do an event, have a virtual event or have a DIY event.” Hosting a DIY event proved a challenge because, in the past, the ACS would assign a staff partner to a region who would support and guide the local team through plan­ ning, fundraising and advertising for the event. Faunce planned a “pretty suc­ cessful” Relay for Life last year and is looking forward to this upcoming one though most of the work - which includes planning and fundraising through finding sponsors and getting the word out - has fallen to her and the local team. Both Faunce and Cusack have seen how participation has declined over the past decade. Faunce said, “In 2013, there might have been 40-ish teams. Last year 1 had 10, and this year I have 12.” She added that “getting people involved has been the hardest thing” in jumpstarting Barry Relay For Life following the pandemic. This event includes a different relay theme every half hour, a individuals in the community have donated their time, money and resources to help the cause as well. While community support is crucial to the shelter, Bergeron believes there needs to be a more permanent solution. The Green Gables Haven plans to use the $600,000 to continue normal operations of the shelter and to start building an endow­ ment fund. An endowment is crucial to the longevity of the shel­ ter, Bergeron said, so it can stop being “held hostage” by grant funds that are not guaranteed. Bergeron emphasized that the $600,000 is a “one-time deal” and should not be expected again. Since it was first established, Green Gables Haven has served more than 2,217 individuals, including 848 children. Laub 1NSUL4 ^J SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass (Courtesy photo) vendor craft show and a dunk tank. More than the fun activities, though, the idea behind the 12-hour event, which used to be 24 hours long, is to “have the person who’s not been through cancer treatments in any way have an idea what it’s like to have your body just dead and still have to get up and move and still live life,” said Faunce. Highlights of the event include a survivor lap and dinner and also a luminaria ceremony at dusk where white paper bags, sold for L, $10 each, are decorated and lit in memory of a loved one. Cusack said, “If you (have been personally impacted), then it’s just very beneficial; it’s just healing. But if you haven’t been personally impacted, ... it’s just a great way to support your community and the folks that are going through that journey.” To get involved with Barry Relay For Life, visit the event’s Facebook page or reach out to Faunce at barry county relay@ gmail.com. Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville voter can choose to send the ballot through, negating their votes on candi­ dates but counting their votes on pro­ posals, or the voter can spoil their ballot, get a new one and fill it out correctly. For absentee voters that mail in their ballots, if a ballot features votes for both parties, the ballot will go through as is. This means no votes will be counted for candidates but votes on proposals will be counted. Palmer pointed to one final caveat for situations where a voter crosses over to the opposite party and writes in a candi­ date. If the candidate is a valid write-in candidate, the ballot will be processed as is. If the candidate is not valid - per­ haps someone wrote in a fictional char­ acter or celebrity - the ballot will be duplicated and submitted without the invalid write-in. Palmer admitted that the world of primary elections is slightly more com­ plicated than straightforward general elections, which is why she and her staff focus on education. “We talk about it at my trainings when I’m training election inspectors, but that’s 250 people out of the entire county that’s registered to vote,” Palm­ er said. “...We’re trying to education more people about it.” NOTICE - PUBLIC LAND AUCTION GREEN GABLES, RELAY FOR LIFE, continued from page 1 send him a letter thanking him for his years of service. . • Approved a request from Director of Public Services Travis Tate to buy a skid steer, cold planer skid steer attachment and mini excavator for a total of $397,864. Although the purchase went over the depart­ ment’s budgeted allowance for new equip­ ment by $30,000, city officials agreed the equipment would pay for itself by allowing city employees to administer road repair work instead of contractors. • Approved a pre-season purchase of 200 tons of road salt from Detroit Salt Company for $12,358 and a mid-season purchase of 900 tons of road salt for $57,906. • Approved the purchase of a GPS survey tool for the Department of Public Services for $7,705. • Approved a request from Fire Chief Roger Caris to replace the fuel island at the fire station with the services of Rohr Gasoline Equipment for $7,467. • Approved the ratification of the tentative agreement with the Police Union. • Heard comments from City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale and Community Development Director Dan King regarding the city’s Neigh­ borhood Enhancement Program grant, funded by the Michigan Housing Development for exte­ rior improvements for certain neighborhoods in the northeastern part of the city. The program is still accepting applicants until Aug. 19. J= The Barry County Treasurer will offer tax-reverted real estate at public auction on August 16th, 2022. The auction will be held online at www.tax-sale.info from 10:00am to 7:00pm EST. Bids can also be placed up to 30 days in advance on the website, and assistance is avail­ able for those without computer or internet access. Incomplete or voided sales from the August 16th auction, if any, will be re-offered online on September 28th, 2022. Please visit www.tax-sale.info/faq for additional details. For more information and a list of the properties being sold, visit www.tax-sale.info or call 1-800-259-7470. Sale listings may also be available at the county treasurer’s CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net Qarveth Vi I la ere of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... ifyou can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 4 — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? As it’s been unwritten Orange crush Motorists driving into Hastings via M-37/43 this week were met by a labyrinth of orange cones and barriers. Road crews have been conducting exten­ sive road work throughout the busy stretch of road. Still, the inconvenience to local motorists shouldn’t last too long. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) issued an announcement prior to the work, saying that the project was sched­ uled to only last a week. But, until then, the stretch of road will prove a little more challenging to navigate. Do you remember? Ready volunteers Banner April 5, 1972 Members of the Kiwanis-sponsored Hastings High Key Club have participated in many civic projects, the most recent was the Chamber of Commerce’s Easter Egg Hunt, which actually got snowed out. However, the Key Clubbers distributed eggs to Pennock Hospital, the Medical Facility and Provincial House, and later Saturday morning sacked dozens and dozens of colored eggs and candy and handed them out to youngsters downtown. Bruce Barnum js their advisor. Pictured axe (front row, from left) Dave VanderVeen, Rick Rohde, Jeff Ben­ nett, Greg Cole, (middle row) Bruce Barnum, Tom Groos, Brad Foltz, Tom Steward, (back row) Steve Bradford, Steve Lawrence, Brian Smith, Bob Allen, Jerry Kessenich, Dennis Brogan and Dan Buerge. - Banner photo. Have you met? I didn’t want to be a journalist anymore. I felt like the timing could not have been any worse. Months away from graduating with my bachelor’s degree in journalism from Central Michigan University, I was ready to leave the field for good. It’s not entirely uncommon for those who study journalism to seek a career in another field. Any journalist can tell you about how reporters work long and irregular hours, how deadlines always loom like a dark cloud overhead, and how the future of the news industry often seems bleak. None of these things were what changed my mind about pursuing a career as a reporter. One thing changed my mind: I felt alone. I was (and still am) close friends with many of my peers who were in the field, and had close relationships with many of my professors and advisers at CMU. I had even scored an internship with a major news out­ let during my time at CMU, which allowed me to connect with more tenured reporters and professionals all across the state. All of that did not change the fact that I felt alone. When I thought about my future as a reporter, I felt like an outsider looking in. All of my peers seemed to have found their niche before I did; it felt like I just wasn’t meant to find mine. Weeks before I graduated in May 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world. Trying to find a job in a field where I had no experience or connections felt like an even more Herculean task than it already was. After months of living at home with my parents (thank you Mom and Dad!) and obsessively scouring job boards, I started working as a marketing writer. I moved out of my parents’ place and moved in with a friend in Lake Odessa. I worked with some great folks who were kind, helpful and patient; but something still wasn’t quite right. If I had felt alone working as a reporter, I was completely adrift in the marketing field. I kept looking for new opportunities, but I had resigned myself to the idea I might never find a job that filled me with purpose. I applied for a few jobs every day just to see what would stick. After months of hearing nothing, I received a call from Vincent McCraw from Report for America. They had received my application to work at The Hastings Ban- Hunter McLaren ner, he said, and both Report for America and The Banner were interested. The call had completely blindsided me. I had applied to the Report for America posi­ tion months before and figured my chances of getting accepted were slim-to-none. I thought there was no way my application would be accepted out of the hundreds of up-and-coming journalists from all over the country who also applied. I won’t lie - the idea of going back into journalism still did not excite me. I agreed to come into the newsroom and meet with Rebecca Pierce, former editor of The Ban­ ner. Thinking I was most likely going to turn down any potential offers, I figured I would be in and out within a half-hour. I walked into the office at 2:30 in the afternoon one day in early April. I had no idea what to expect, but what transpired was the longest, strangest interview of my life. After Rebecca introduced herself, she started asking me questions I had never been asked in any interview ever before. She wanted to know what I wanted to do, how I felt about the news industry and what I’d like to see change. She asked how I felt while I was at my previous jobs, and how I felt I was treated. She made me feel comfortable enough to tell her the truth -1 felt alone. I felt like I didn’t fit in, like I didn’t have a commu­ nity and that I might never achieve the success and happiness some of my peers had found in their careers. I even told her I was fielding another job offer. Rebecca didn’t try to convince me. She just listened. She told me to consider where I wanted to be and do what I thought would be best for myself. She assured me if I chose to work at The Banner, I would fit right in. I didn’t leave the office until almost 6 p.m. I called Rebecca to accept the job the next morning. As soon as I arrived in the office, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be. My time in Hastings has been a whirl­ wind since then, but Rebecca was right: I no longer felt alone. Since starting my new role here in April, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be for the first time. My colleagues at The Banner have welcomed me with open arms, showing me around the city, pointing out the best spots to eat and introducing me to as many people as they can. Hastings has welcomed me just the same. I’m shocked by how many people still reach out to me just to introduce themselves and welcome me to the community, even after months of working here. Every time I answer one of those phone calls or emails, I say the same thing. It is an honor to be able to tell the com­ munity’s stories right here in Hastings. Favorite movie: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Greatest song ever written: “Every Morning” by Sugar Ray. Favorite vacation destination: Yellow­ stone National Park. Book I’d recommend: “Annihilation” by Jeff Vandermeer if you like creepy, spooky science fiction. “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams if you like goofy science fiction. What I like about my job: Getting to meet new people everyday, learn about things I would have never known other­ wise, and share that information with the community. Anyone who doubts society’s slow slide into First World narcissism should take note of the rules change recently made by the Barry County Board of Commissioners to bring more “civility” to its meetings. As if we needed to be reminded. The board - like governing bodies across the country - is focusing on folks who register their opinions during the public comment portion of meetings, some who now express vulgarities, intimidations, and even physical disrup­ tions. And after months of discussion and foot-shuffling, the commission final­ ly decided it needed to pass some rules on how people should behave at com­ mission meetings. It all sounds like a red-faced school principal trying to halt a classroom spit­ ball assault rather than responsible polit­ ical leadership. Ever since boards and committees began meeting hundreds of years ago in communities across America, there have been formal rules and bylaws on how they operate and that serve as mandates of authority. But there have also been unwritten rules - standards of conduct, courtesy, and character - mutually under­ stood and observed with no need for them to be codified. Unwritten rules are the glue by which organizations, practices and even enter­ tainment activities exist. Take baseball, for instance. It’s a game with a thick rulebook and they’re all strictly enforced by umpires, but there’s an unwritten game inside the game that most fans don’t see. Hit a home run, for instance, watch it sail over the fence before you flip your bat and then slowly move into a proud home run trot that just adds to the humil­ iation of the pitcher who served up the “gopher ball.” Next at-bat, you’ll likely see some “chin music,” a brush-back, near-miss pitch that leaves you writhing in the batter box dirt - if the ball isn’t already halfway down your ear canal. Same thing is likely to happen if you violate other unwritten baseball rules: Swinging at a sure fastball pitch on a 3-0 count in the late innings when your team’s already ahead by six or eight runs; or stealing a base to get into scor­ ing position when a lopsided score already makes the outcome nearly cer­ tain for your team. Throwing pitches at, or close, to a batter’s head might seem a dangerous unwritten rule, but even in violence there are unwritten rules. Check out the next ice hockey fight you see. Almost always it’s two menac­ ing, scowling brutes allowed by officials to settle their differences one-on-one bare-knuckled. But watch closely when the fight ends, usually with one falling atop the other. The punches stop imme­ diately. At a time when the most damage can be done with a defenseless fighter flat on his back on the ice, the confronta­ tion ends - every time. It’s one of the unwritten rules of hockey. It’s a form of sportsmanship, a show of ultimate respect for an opponent. Today, in real life, everything seems to be a hockey fight. But, unlike hockey, spats around the board table, in the courtroom, or in road traffic don’t end with sportsmanship or an acknowledged respect for someone on the other side of our own perspective. I believe society is damaged when a man, though convicted of murder, taunts the sentencing judge by calling his judi­ cial robe a dress and crows that “I’ll beat you any day of the week.” I don’t worry about Judge Michael Schipper. His gift of repartee is worth the price of (free) admission to his court and he can cer­ tainly cause anyone who’s called before him to regret their words. It’s the violation of an unwritten rule that bothers me. There was once a time when you never spoke to a judge unless Doug VanderLaan Guest Columnist The Hastings BcUmd* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. you were allowed to. It’s when we see people not following an unwritten rule that erodes those foundational under­ standings that then leads to a loss of respect by greater society. Once it’s gone, it may be hard to restore. Judge Schipper jumped on unwritten cell phone etiquette early. Walk past the sign outside his courtroom banning them and have your charming ring tone go off during proceedings and it’s gone. I can’t imagine the conversation with the judge before getting your confiscated phone back. Where have the unwritten laws of con­ sideration in public gone? Not long ago, a local priest stopped mid-homily and asked a naturally embarrassed violator if she’d like to answer her call before he continued. It still happens everywhere; in doctor’s office waiting rooms, at con­ certs and ballgames. It’s in the crowd at those entertain­ ment venues where unwritten rules are being ripped to shreds. There was also a time when the guy sitting in front of you waited for a break in the action - the end of an inning, a time out, a change of court in tennis - before he stood up to go the concession stand and then return right in the middle of another crucial play or moving song. A friend told me last week he may never return to Meijer Gardens for a con­ cert after paying $90 each for two tickets and having the whole group in the row in front stand up and dance, song after song. Where has our simple consideration for others - the fundamental unwritten rule - gone? Even conversation is ripping unwrit­ ten rules to shreds. I never liked the F-word and seldom heard it, especially in the media that so rigidly censored it. I can accept that times change and under­ stand now how some weak and exasper­ ated minds feel the need to employ the word. But now it seems the word has crossed into casual conversation and I know there’s no going back. I long for the day when that part of society still had discretion, decorum and judgment. I still hold on to those now fading days when pickup basketball players call their own fouls, when junior tennis players learn the game making their own line calls and then learning how to deal with opponents when they disagree. It’s in the spirit of those still sports­ man-like activities that we’ll ever find a way back to the wisdom of unwritten rules. I’m only cautiously optimistic that it will ever happen, but I know we could start with some simple but still challeng­ ing steps when we disagree: • Let’s remember we can always get to mad and irate, but why start there? • Let’s all agree on what we hope to accomplish and achieve - it’s our first accord; we’re proving there’s harmony between us. • Let’s then agree on the “trigger words” we should not use because of their potential volatility and call more to our separateness. • Let’s define our ultimate goals and how can we help each other to get there. That involves identifying what we’re willing to give up so all of us reach the ultimate outcome we’d all like to reach. • And, let’s step up then to the ultimate problem-solving, life-changing attitude: Asking those with whom we disagree, “How can I make you successful?” It’s reciprocal magic; the more success we create for others produces a society that brings it back to us. “The meaning we give to life deter­ mines the path we take,” says French business consultant Christophe Lachnitt. We all desire meaning in our lives. Let’s allow life’s unwritten rules to get us there.. .together. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — Page 5 Is Barry County poised for the future? The things that drove me to move to Barry County a decade ago are newly on my mind las I think about public service. I’m concerned that some people are afraid of societal changes and that is the reason for ■the divisiveness in our politics today. Change can be scary, especially for folks who are set in their ways and maybe who feel subcon­ sciously that it’s too late in their lives to adapt to changes. So, they resist in whatever way they can. Here’s the thing about change, though. It’s going to come whether you are ready for it or not. ; I like to think about Barry County from a geographical perspective. We moved here upon my retirement because real estate values were lower than surrounding larger commu­ nities and we could find the rural kind of lifestyle we always dreamed of. All that and we could still be not too far removed from ■larger cities with the opportunities they offer. Think of it! We are right in the middle of a region bounded by Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Lansing. And our real estate values are still reasonable and parcels are available for development. That is all going to seem really attractive to individuals and maybe businesses looking for House egged, basement entered a place to retreat to or escape from regions that may be impacted by further changes. Think back on the Dust Bowl era in the early 1930s caused by drought and other ecological factors. Over 300,000 people fled the prairies of the Great Plains states during that time. They could not survive without water, they had to go where the water was. Many fled to Cali­ fornia (“The Grapes of Wrath” tells this story). Now, California and other states dependent on reservoirs being drained by climate change may be about to experience their own “Dust Bowl”-type crisis. Where will their popula­ tions flee to if water shortages become severe in the extreme? Michigan is going to look very attractive as an escape plan during a water crisis. Then we may see an exodus from western state to the Great Lakes region. People will have to move to where the water is. Michigan in general and Barry County in particular may see a good bit of potential migration. I think we should plan now for that kind of change. Is our infrastruc­ ture ready to support and service our commu­ nity if we should experience a sudden burst of growth in the next 10 to 20 years? When electing our representatives, we should vote for those who are open to change and willing to prepare for the future, not those that are trying to retreat to a past that no longer exists. Scott Savage Hastings Charter Township Christine Barnes is right for the 78th district EDITOR’S NOTE: The Barmer received ■multiple letters endorsing Christine Barnes and, due to space issues, were not able to print them all. I am proud to support Christine Barnes for ,78th District State Representative. She is my neighbor, a longtime family friend and the best candidate by a county mile. Michigan Farm Bureau Agri-PAC made the right decision in selecting Christine to receive their exclusive candidate endorse­ ment in the 78th district house race. They ■recognize the need for a strong person who genuinely cares about agriculture, is knowl­ edgeable about the industry, and will repre­ sent farmers in the Michigan legislature. Christine Barnes is that person. Two of my brothers are in the cash crop business, growing soybeans, com, and wheat, so I know firsthand the challenges that Mich­ igan farmers are facing. Many will be lucky to break even with huge cost increases for everything from seeds to pesticides to fertil­ izer to diesel fuel. Fertilizer prices have qua­ drupled. The high cost combined with the scarcity of fertilizer is resulting in farmers planting less corn, which puts our food sup­ ply at risk and endangers my job at an ethanol plant. Agriculture is important to me, my family, and the rural communities in the 78th district. Another issue that is important to me is Second Amendment rights. Christine and her husband Tim own and operate a business providing training for Concealed Pistol License. Christine is the only 78th district candidate to be endorsed by both the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners (MCRGO). If you care about agriculture and gun rights, vote for Christine Barnes! Don Roll Mulliken A vote for Barnes is a vote for agriculture I am writing to support Christine Barnes for 78th District State Representative because we need a strong advocate for farming in our ^district. Frankly, I am worried about the sur­ vival of agriculture. I was born and raised in the dirt, labored on a farm during my youth, and enjoy working, jny 20-acre, garden. But I look, at the politics in Washington, DC, and in the ddH’( ki>whb% looking out for farmers. Agriculture is a key part of Michigan’s economy. In fact, I understand that it’s second only to the automotive industry. It is critical to our state and its citizens. Christine cares about the plight of farm­ ers. She is committed to advocating for t|iem in the legislature, and fighting tp reduce the burdensome overregulation of Nli^hi’g’an'farins:' t^iWe^o'sFpoiitrcIaris, I know Christine to be honest and to do what she says she’s going to do. She goes above and beyond to help folks in need. She’s a good person, and in my book, she’s the best of the best. Please join me in supporting agriculture by voting for Christine Barnes on Aug. 2. | .• J; i . * n ' " ■ '*• ' dures. Sadly, I was the only non-poll worker to attend. If only others would take the time to get involved, I’m sure they would see how accurate our elections are. I was so impressed, I signed up to assist with future elections. Police responded around 9:30 a.m. July 4 to the 15000 block of Woodlawn Beach Drive after a 64-year-old Hickory Comers woman reported finding her car door open. Upon reviewing security footage, the woman saw a vehicle park at the end of her drive­ way around 4 a.m. before a man walked up her driveway. Upon reaching her vehicle, he tried opening all the doors until he found one that was unlocked. The woman said besides the open door, she didn’t notice anything moved or missing in her vehicle. The woman told police she believed other vehicles in the area were broken into. Scammer asks woman for $15,000 in gift cards Scammers attempted to defraud a 77-year-old Wayland woman of $15,000 on July 11. The woman told police she was using her computer when a pop-up appeared, claiming to originate from Microsoft. The woman reported that the pop-up had completely dis­ abled her computer, and she called a “service number” listed on the pop-up. The woman spoke to a man who claimed to be a Microsoft employee, before being transferred to someone who claimed to be a representative of Chase Bank. The scammers told the woman China and Russia had access to her bank accounts, and were using her computer to buy child pornography. They then told the woman to buy $15,000 of Target gift cards. The woman bought five cards totaling $2,200 before she realized she was being scammed and went to a Chase Bank location to cancel her accounts. Police reach over drunk, sleeping man to turn off vehicle Police responded to reports of an unresponsive man in a vehicle at the intersection of South Norris and Mullen roads just before midnight on July 18. When police arrived, they found the 3 6-year-old Bloomfield man slumped over in the seat of his vehicle, which was in the roadway with its hazard lights on. The responding officer reached over the man to turn off his vehicle, after which the man woke up and was disoriented. Police reported that the man was mumbling, could not be understood, and at one point tried to hand the officer a bag of sunflower seeds. When asked to pick a number between 12 and 14, the man responded with “17.” A breath test showed the man had a blood alcohol content of 0.22 percent. ■ ’ Mulliken ' ' " THORT1RPPLE i- yiitJOv PLAYERS Auditions! Auditions! Auditions! 1 had hoped (Sheriff) Dar (Leaf) would be there, but he was a no show. Larry Osborne Delton Battle Creek fund set aside to preserve historic barns around the state Banner Staff Barry County nonprofit organizations that own or operate an old bam can potentially score free funding to preserve and renew it. Grants of up to $5,000 are now available from the Bam Believers Community Project Fund, a fund held by the Battle Creek Com­ munity Foundation. The grants are designed to preserve barn history and help save bams for community use. Nonprofit (501c3) organizations throughout the state of Michigan are eligible !to apply. Bam Believers has also published a book­ let, “Saving Heritage Bams,” providing cau­ tions and words of wisdom. The booklet is available at no charge from bambelievers. org. and has been shared with bam owners in ■several states. Grant dollars can be used for a variety of projects such as gathering and archiving doc­ uments and photographs of farmsteads/bams, evaluating or repairing a bam for use by a community or historic village and convening officials and barn owners to develop barn-friendly policies, and much more. “A folk song made famous by singer Joni Mitchell carries the line, ‘Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone,’“ said Bam Believers co-founder, Jan Corey Arnett. “So many of the reasons our valuable, traditional bams are lost can be avoided when people make decisions based on accurate information and creative thinking.” There is a lack of knowledge among peo­ ple who have decision making power over the fate of old bams which are often built with irreplaceable virgin timber. These bams, architecturally and ethnically signifi­ cant, are increasingly rare. They are sought Rafter for use on specialty farms or converted to new uses. “In several years writing about and work­ ing to save Michigan’s timber-frame and log bams,” explained Arnett, “insurance agents, code compli­ ance officers, realtors, developers, township officials and bam owners express a need to Would-be burglar leaves car door open Robert Green Voters can gain peace of mind through observing local election practices Get involved with elections to learn the truth. ■ I recently attended the Barry Township ivoting machine accuracy test. I was impressed by the accuracy of the equipment and of Clerk Deb Knight’s knowledge of the proce­ A 43 year-old Battle Creek man reported that his house on M-37 south of Dowling was hit with eggs and entered on the morning of July 21. The man told police his dogs started barking around 2:30 a.m. and awoke him, but he didn’t hear anything suspicious and went back to bed. When the man’s wife returned home at 9:30 a.m., she found a door leading to the basement of the home wide open. The man also reported finding broken eggs on, and around, his truck and the house. The man told police nothing was stolen, moved or left in the house. He also told police it was not the first time his house had been egged, but it was the first time there was evidence of someone entering the house. Magnolias The Thornapple Players hold open auditions for Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling. Auditions will be held on Monday, August 1,2022 at 7:00 PM in the Dennison Performing Arts Center located at 231 South Broadway in Hastings. There are six adult female roles for women age 18 and up in this ensemble cast Rehearsals are 7-9:30 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Tech Rehearsal: Sunday, September 25, 2022 - mandatory attendance. Show dates are September 28 October 2,2022. Questions? Call Norma Jean Acker at 269 945 2332 or text 269 908 0870. If you cannot audition August 1st, please contact us in advance to make other arrangements. Presented by special arrangement with better understand these structures and altematives to losing them.” This lack of knowledge is compounded by a shortage of people qualified to evaluate and make repairs on traditional bams, some of which date back to the early 1800s in Michigan. Among common misassumptions is the belief that it always costs a lot of money to save a bam. Preventive maintenance, including a good roof, secure foundation and removing vines, brush and nearby trees, avoids later expense. Another erroneous belief is that there is no value to keeping an old barn. Realtors are now finding, however, that a good bam on five to 15 acres is prized because of the enormous potential it offers. Bam Believers was created in 2017 as a fund held with the Battle Creek Community Foundation to raise money that could be put to work for hands-on projects and education leading to saving bams and bam history. Grants have been made to organizations in five Michigan counties. Grant decisions are made by a five-member board backed by an advisory group. Bam Believers does not recommend spe­ cific products, names of companies or indi­ viduals to undertake bam repairs. .Thor nappls ■ ARTS _ 'Council Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-999-879-7065 Ino �Page 6 — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner County approves multi-year plan developed by senior services contractor James Willis Jones James “Jim” Willis Jones, age 81, of Delton, MI, passed away on July 19, 2022. Jim was bom on February 14, 1941 in Bat­ tle Creek, the son of Paul Jones and Margaret (Clemens) Moore. Jim proudly served his country in the United States army for four years as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Echo Company. He was employed by Fisher Body in Kalamazoo as a tool and die maker for 35 years. Jim was a Volunteer at Fort Custer Nation­ al Cemetery for many years in various roles including flag keeper. He was a member of American Legion Post 484 in Hickory Cor­ ners, VFW Post 422 in Delton, and Moose Lodge 1649 in Delton. He enjoyed telling stories to his family, playing cribbage and euchre, and in his younger years, fixing up old cars. Faith was important to Jim and he attended the Old Gospel Church in Delton where he was the bell ringer. Jim is survived by his children, Wendy (Ron) Gates, Scott (Christine) Adams, Tony Jones, and Brian Jones; son-in-law, David Calbaugh grandchildren, Ron (Jessica) Gates, Nick Adams, Travis Adams, and Emilynn Jones; 11 great grandchildren; sisters, Lynda Warden, Theresa (Steve) Moore, and Kathy Moore; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family. Jim was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Jody Calbaugh; granddaughter, Nicole Gates; great granddaughter, Allysen Gates; siblings, Charlotte, Virginia, Herb, Doris, and Phil. Jim’s funeral service was conducted on Monday, July 25, 2022, Pastor Bernard Blair, officiating. Burial took place at Union Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or to leave a condo­ lence message for Jim’s family. Jayson Bussa Editor What appeared to be a relatively innocu­ ous, procedural agenda item in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners led to much debate before the item narrowly passed. The board on Tuesday sought to approve the 2023-25 multi-year plan for Region 3B Area Agency on Aging, otherwise known as CareWell Services Southwest. Barry County contracts with CareWell to provide a variety of services for the county’s aging population. A week earlier, at the county’s Committee of the Whole meeting, Stacy Wines, COO and interim CEO of CareWell, provided an overview of the organization’s multi-year plan, highlighting its goals, services and funding for serving older adults in both Barry and Calhoun counties. In the plan, Wines outlined how the organi­ zation, in an effort to address demographic changes, would provide DEI training. The training initiative pertains to CareWell’s employees. This led to a parade of public commenters that mostly spoke out against DEI programs in general. The comments started at the COW meeting and took up a large portion of Tues­ day’s nearly two-hour Board of Commission­ ers meeting. Wines wasn’t able to attend the BOC meet­ ing to answer questions on what the DEI training would mean to the county, if any­ thing. Her inability to answer questions com­ pelled commissioners Vivian Conner and Jon Smelker to consider postponing action on the item. At the end of an active public comments session, Sharon Zebrowski, a member of the Barry County commissioners listen to comments during Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Barry County Commission on Aging board put focus back on the agenda item. “What I’ve heard today, I don’t think has anything to do with the issue,” she said. “This is CareWell’s plan. That’s not the Barry County Commission on Aging’s plan. It’s their plan.” “I’ve been on the board for several years, CareWell services has never forced COA to do anything COA didn’t think was right for Barry County.” Commissioner Catherine Getty echoed those sentiments, pushing for a vote. “1 supported (the motion) and 1 think we can move forward,” she said. “It’s not some­ thing that affects Barry County policy. This was an information item she was presenting to us. I think we spent too much time on it already.” Voted on approval, passed 4-2. Commis­ sioners Getty, Hoot Gibson, David Jackson and Bruce Campbell were in favor while Smelker and Conner voted no. Board chair Ben Geiger was absent. SOCIAL SECURITY Cappon Family Celebrates 5 Generations of Cappon Men Ji .1 -•«>- From bottom right: Great Great Grandpa Marshall (Dutch) Cappon and his name sake baby Marshall Cappon. Top Right: Great Grandpa Terry James Cappon, Sr., Grandpa Terry James Cappon, Jr. (TJ), and Calvin Cappon. t noivjfjp * '!> . ■. i-a’i WIT Worship Together A new - and faster - way to request a Social Security card Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist Do you need an original or replacement Social Security Number card? We now have a new - and faster - way for you to start online. When you go to the Social Security Num­ ber and Card webpage at ssa.gov/ssnumber, we now ask you a series of questions to deter­ mine whether you can: • Complete the application process online. • Start the application process online, then bring any required documents to your local office to complete the application, typically in less time. Once you complete your application (online or in-person), we will mail the card after we process the application. Please understand that we don’t issue cards at our offices. Finish your application in the office If you need to visit an office, please follow these steps to complete the application: 1. Learn what types of documents you need to bring to your local office. 2. Print and save the online control number shown once you complete the online applica­ tion. 3. Bring the online control number - along with the documents - to your local office Jtake OdeJAa ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetze!. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. 77ns information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: sFlexfob Hh® 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 vf 1 vl V Fiberglass Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Mi 49058. 945-4700 been entertaining a group of bridge players and also a group learning to sew. Volunteers are on hand in the late forenoon to hand out free lunches for students up to age 18 and other select individuals in a federal program. Libraries are for more than just books! The pastor was set to be away Sunday at the Central United Methodist Church, so there was a hymn sing instead of a traditional sermon. This is a favorite substitute for the congregation based on past experiences. Unlike other years, members were invited to submit a list of several hymns of their own choice. This was done a week in advance. Members of the worship committee then PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) W Elaine Garlock According to a post on Facebook, the Lake Odessa Depot Museum is to be open on Sat­ urday, July 30. This would normally be the annual day for Depot Day, with a half-day of activities. However, this time it is likely that it is simply open for visitors. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The Summer Reading Program for chil­ dren of all ages is drawing to a close. This year’s theme involves the ocean and its abun­ dant variety of life forms. Whales, squids, dolphins, barracudas and other aquatic beasts were likely topics of some of the reading and the activities. This summer, the library has Kariana Cullen, Milan and Michael David Tellkamp, Hastings Jordan Allen Crawford, Plainwell and Katelyn Rose Hatfield, Plainwell Christine Faith Seelman, Delton and Mark Joseph Converse, Delton Lindsay Marie Smith, Shelbyville and Chase William Hawkins, Grand Rapids Joshua Saris Baxter, Hickory Corners and Rose Marie Pauge Vincent, Kalamazoo Hailee Ann Gerber, Hastings and Clayton J. Anders, Middleville Billie Jo Keeler, Nashville and Kenneth Frank Carns, Jr., Nashville Adrian Bailey Sinkler, Lake Odessa and Alexzander Craig Nichols, Lake Odessa Anna Marie Tietz, Hastings and Jason Donald Kapala, Hastings Emma Renee Lakies, Bellevue and Jacob Homer Miller, Bellevue James Charles Springfield, Jr., Middleville and Ambrosia Lee VanSiclen, Middleville Rebecca Ann Vickery, Wayland and Timothy James Stewart, Wayland W. ** AfflWDE«Of ’ Traditional and Cremation Services * Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted within 45 days to finish your application. Find your local office using our Office Loca­ tor at ssa.gov/locator. 4. Check in at the kiosk when you arrive. 5. Meet with one of our employees to ver­ ify the information that you completed online and review documentation. That’s it! You’ll receive the card in the mail, usually within 7-10 business days. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for Vest Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. compiled the list and discovered there were recurring themes in the laymens’ choices. The hymns were then grouped in their common theme and a brief preface was made for each group. There was piano accompaniment with some of the hymns. Marilyn Noffke was the accompanist and organist. Kay Barcroft and Lori McNeill were worship leaders. The tai chi classes at the library will con­ tinue for two more weeks in August. These classes are low-impact and geared more toward balance than muscle building. The parking lot of the Depot complex was received a new tar surface on Tuesday. Gardens are getting lots of attention with sweet com now ripening and other vegetable plots showing their abundance. Some tomato vines are reaching great heights and need sup­ port from a tomato cage or something similar. Sunflowers are reaching high and have their faces pointed sunward. Thunderstorms on Fri­ day night brought welcome rain and more rain a day or so later. These rains brought slightly lower temperatures with them by Monday. Today there will be another community supper at Central United Methodist’s Fellow­ ship Hall. The food is prepared at a Mulliken restaurant and delivered to the church. Helpers from a variety of churches are doing the work of setting up, cleaning and other assistance. Serving hours are from 4 to 6 p.m. Rob Piercefield of Mulliken prepares the food from his restaurant, Swede’s. This will be the third week of the program. The community dinner program is being done on a trial basis for a specified number of weeks. Last week’s main feature was sloppy Joes with other good foods backing it up. The first week had biscuits topped with a chicken mixture - very tasty! SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS read contribute advertise HotMools&EiRMl 1301 w. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net W'W'M (SviSer Family Owned and Operated owner EmXnL Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years JI lit i'h-t't'Mlfc then/Eta'ry A vw SfrKr 1856 Hastings DANNER �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — Page 7 Senior citizens protest county fund shutoff Banner, July 27, 1981 Barry County senior citizens are up in arms over the refusal of the County Commission­ ers two weeks ago to appropriate $2,314 to the South Central Michigan Commission on Aging. The money represents the county’s share of the operating expense of the South Central COA, which obtains and distributes state and federal money for senior citizens’ programs in a five-county area. The senior citizens demonstrated at the Barry County Fair on Thursday and in the Hastings business district on Friday to express their displeasure with the decision. The Commissioners are expected to recon­ sider the action at their meeting Tuesday, July 28. The majority voting against the motion to make the payment are Otis Hermenitt, Jack Love, Richard Landon, Walt Soya and Ed Daniels. These five have consistently taken conservative positions within the community this year. On many issues, these five are a minority. However, with the absence of Com­ missioners Albert Bell and Richard Sunior, they could summon the votes to prevail. Commission Chairman Ken Radant voted at first to support the payment, then switched his vote in a parliamentary move so he could bring the issue up again this week. According to Radant, the refusal of the county to pay its $2,314 share will result in the loss of $129,287 to the county in state and federal funds. These funds are used for such purposes as the senior nutrition program, home care for senior citizens, arts and crafts programs and other programs for senior citi­ zens. Senior citizens have formed a group called “Senior Citizens for Senior Citizens,” which distributed a handbill to the seniors before the demonstration Friday. Among other things, this handbill stated, “If this $2,314.00 is not paid all senior citizen programs provided by the Barry County Commission on Aging will stop on September 30, 1981.” The handbill urged senior citizens to attend the demonstration on Friday and to attend the commissioners meeting on July 28. On Friday, in the larger of the two demon­ strations, many senior citizens were brought to the Methodist Church parking lot by COA vans. They walked over to the court house, then went down through the business district on one side of State St., and returned on the other side. Many carried placards making plain their displeasure with the decision and the five commissioners involved. Eloise Wolf, director of the B.C. Commis­ sion on Aging, told The Banner that the coun­ ty “is not eligible for the funds,” unless the $2,314 is paid. She said that a local matching share is required for any grants that the COA / ! fl look back at the stories and columns on local hlstorg In the Hastings Banner a TURNING / BflGK THE L PAGES <| PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on August 11,2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to any State of Michigan legislative changes to the Open Meetings Act, the Township Planning Commission may hold its meeting (including public hearing) electronically, in order to limit in person government activities, to protect critical infrastructure workers to the extent possible. If the meeting is held electronically, information to electronically attend the meeting will be posted on the Township’s website at http://www. prairievilletwp-mi.org. In addition to participation during an electronically held public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission’s consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompson@pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from property owner, Andrew Hart 10928 South Dr. Plainwell, Ml 49080, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the construction of a detached accessory structure on an otherwise vacant lot pursuant to section 4.20 “Accessory Structures”. The subject site is located on Alling Rd. Plainwell, Ml 49080, Parent Parcel # 08-12-008-007-30(recently split) and is currently zoned R-1 - Residential. 2. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located on Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12-036-080-01 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. 3. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located at S M43 Hwy. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12-036-080-02 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. 4. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located at S M43 Hwy. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12-036-074-01 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. 5. A request from property owner, Craig Shumaker, 7402 Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, M! 49060, for a re-zoning pursuant to section 9.4 “Amendments”. The subject site is located at Bendere Rd. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 parcel #08-12-036-083-00 and is currently zoned R1-Residential, the applicant is requesting to re-zone the parcel to A-Agricultural. 6. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days’ prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. TO: Myra McMellen’s sign reads, “What’s Wrong with Being a Senior Citizen?” She par­ ticipated in the Senior Citizen Protest Friday. has ever obtained, and she feels sure the county must pay this to get the state and fed­ eral funds for senior citizens’ programs. Mrs. Wolf terms the funds “what we operate with.” Only small amounts have come from the United Fund and private donations in the past, she said. Mrs. Wolf noted that the Barry County COA has been commended for having a low ratio of administrative expenses to actual operating funds. The COA administrative expenses run about 15%, she said, compared to 20 to 25% in other counties. Dean Potter, a familiar face around Hastings, participated in the Senior Citizen Protest Friday, and displays his sign, telling people that, “I’m Ashamed To Live In Barry County.” Mrs. Wolf said that if the commissioners refuse to pay the $2,314 for the regional COA, she thinks the money can probably be raised from other sources. She said that noth­ ing has been done to tap other sources, how­ ever, until after the commissioners reconsider the action on Tuesday. “We’ll definitely be here next year,” Mrs. Wolf assured The Banner. An official of the South Central Commis­ sion on Aging was not so certain that funds would be cut off if Bany County did not pay its local matching share1,'however. Deborah Russell, program manager for the South Central COA, said that she knows of nothing in any laws or regulations that require that group to withhold Barry’s state and fed­ eral funds if the county declines to pay its dues. If Barry did not pay its share, Ms. Russell said, the South Central COA board would have to make a decision. No county has ever before refused to pay, she said, so it’s a new situation. She noted that it would be unfair for Barry to not pay its local matching share while the other counties pay theirs. Ms. Russell said that the money which comes through her agency is 15% state and the rest federal, from the Older Americans Act. She estimated the Barry County amount at $127,425, which she said is based on the fact that Barry has 9.5% of the senior citizens in the five-county area. In Barry County, she said, the money is used as follows: meals program, including three sites and home-delivered, $71,500; per­ sonal in-home care, $31,000; transportation, $8,000; senior center programming, $7,000; information and referral service, $6,700 and home-bound assessment program, $2,000. She said that each county’s share is “reserved” for that county, and proposals are taken from local agencies to use it. In Barry, as in most rural counties, only the county COA has requested the funds. In urban coun­ ties like Kalamazoo and Calhoun, she said, several agencies get the state and federal funds to provide services for senior citizens. Barry County has three members on the regional COA-Merle Cooley, County Com­ missioner Paul Kiel, and Richard Thompson. Editor’s note: After a series of emotional County Commissioner meetings throughout the summer of 1981, it was revealed that the $2,314 bill requested by the South Central Commission on Aging actually should have amounted to $1,666. The confu­ sion of the amount requested came from a budget request for the year of1982 of $2,314 being submitted at the same time as the 1981 matching request. On August 11, 1981, commissioners voted to pay the bill of $1,666 in matching funds to the South Central COA in a 10-1 vote. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Fritz Bork, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 184780 TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO, 176 ADOPTED: 07/20/2022 EFFECTIVE: 8 DAYS FOLLOWING PUBLICATION AFTER ADOPTION An Ordinance to amend the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance by the rezoning of a certain property located in Land Section 31 from a “A, Agricultural District” zoning classification to “C-1, Rural Area Convenience Commercial District” zoning classification; and to repeal all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION I REZONING OF PROPERTY IN LAND SECTION The Zoning Map as incorporated by reference in the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended be rezoning an approximately 6.5 acre parcel of land in Land Section 31, as described herein, from the “A, Agricultural District” zoning classification to the “C-1, Rural Area Convenience Commercial District” zoning classification. ■ A PARCEL OF LAND COMMENCING AT THE SOUTH 1/4 CORNER OF SECTION 31, T.1 N., R.10 W.; THENCE EAST ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID SECTION 1109.33 FEET; THENCE NORTH PERPENDICULAR WITH SAID SOUTH LINE 240.00 FEET FOR THE POINT OF BEGINNING OF THE PARCEL HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED; THENCE CONTINUING NORTH 431.16 FEET; THENCE NORTH 39°5T EAST 250.93 FEET TO THE SOUTHERLY LINE OF STATE HIGHWAY M-89; THENCE SOUTH 43°10' EAST ALONG SAID SOUTHERLY LINE 67.71 FEET; THENCE NORTH 46°50' EAST ALONG SAID SOUTHERLY LINE 50.00 SECTION II SEVERABILITY HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR JULY 28-AUG. 3 Thursday, July 28 - Movie memories watches a 1955 movie starring Gene Kelly, 5 p.m. Friday, July 29 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; Board of Directors meeting, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2 - Mahjong, 5:30; Chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. The provisions of this Ordinance are declared to be severable. If any court of law shall hold that any section or provision hereof is invalid, such holding shall not affect or impair the validity of any other section or provision of this Ordinance. SECTION III REPEAL OF CONFLICT ORDINANCES/EFFECTIVE DATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect eight (8) days following publication after adoption. 77„ Rod Goebel, Clerk Prairieville Township �Page 8 — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner STATE REP, continued from page 2--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://qr.page/g/hEevl7Gi2K August 2nd ,3m ,4th Time 9am - 12pm Save the Date!! Hay Day VBS Is COMING! First Presbyterign Church Address: 405 M-37, Hastings, MI 49058 Phone: (269) 945-5463 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN 2023-2032 ALGONQUIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (AQUATIC VEGETATION CONTROL) NOTICE OF AUGUST 10, 2022 TOWNSHIP BOARD PUBLIC HEARING ON REESTABLISHING SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED 2023-2032 PROJECT TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN; OWNERS OF PROPERTY ABUTTING OR HAVING DEEDED ACCESS TO ALGONQUIN LAKE IN LAND SECTIONS 1, 2, 3, 11 AND 12 OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP; AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that as a result of petitions of property owners within the Township signed by the record owners of land constituting more than 50% of the total land area of the hereinafter described 2023-2032 Algonquin Lake Improvement Project Special Assessment District for aquatic vegetation control, as tentatively established by Resolution of the Rutland Charter Township Board adopted July 13, 2022 (Resolution No. 2022-282) the Township Board proposes to undertake a ten-year program in 2023-2032 for the eradication and/or control of aquatic weeds and plants in Algonquin Lake, and finance such improvements by special assessments on the properties within the special assessment district (to be levied in 2022-2031). Note: legally, the Township must administer this undertaking as a new project; but, as a practical matter, it is a continuation of successive multi-year aquatic vegetation control programs in 2004-2008, 2009-2015, and 2016-2022. m The Special Assessment District within which the foregoing improvements are proposed to be undertaken and within which the cost thereof is proposed to be assessed is described as follows: r, .__AII lands abutting Algonquin Lake o_r.haying deeded access to Algonquin Lake in land sections 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12 of Rutland Charter Township, Barry County, State of Michigan. The Township Board has plans for the anticipated aquatic vegetation control program from PLM Lake & Land Management Corp. (PLM), together with an estimate of the costs of the program in the amount of $806,500 for 2023-2032, and has placed the same on file with the Township Clerk. The Township estimates the legal and administrative expenses of creating and administering the Special Assessment Districtto be approximately $7,500. ANGELA RIGAS Residence: Caledonia How many years lived there: 24 years Occupation/professional experience: Small business owner/hairstylist Previous elected offices held: County and state Republican delegate In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents: Inflation; Election integrity; Medical freedom. How do you propose addressing these challenges? In order to curb inflation and get people back on their feet, I would remove the income tax, reduce property tax and make Michigan more business-friendly to encourage commerce. Eliminate the gas tax and return unnecessary spending back to the tax paying citizens. Elections should be fair and robust to ensure a transparent electoral process. This must be done with Voter ID laws and mak­ ing Michigan a closed primary state. Absen­ tee ballots should only be reserved for military/out-of-country and handicapped indi­ viduals. Citizens have the right to make their own health decisions, we live in a free country and the government has no authority to violate individuals rights and liberties as per the Constitution of Michigan and of America. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? I would follow the law as per Michigan state law that prohibits abortion in the state of Michigan (the Michigan Penal Code Act 328 of 1931). This topic is very personal for me and I am honored to be endorsed by Michigan Right to Life. I will always defend the lives of the unborn. JEREMIAH KEELER Residence: Grand Rapids Occupation/professional experience: Manager at Star Truck Rentals, Inc. Previous elected offices held: None In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents? Destructive economic policy, failing edu­ cation system and the war on the unborn. How do you propose addressing these challenges? Government has to stop putting endless regulations on business and suspend the gas tax immediately. Kids need to be in-person in the classroom as we have children who are further behind socially and academically now more than ever before. Lastly, the most basic human right we can protect is life itself. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? Michigan legislators need to be willing to protect all life in and out of the womb. Life is a precious gift that God created and we must protect. RYAN GALLOGLY (Did not respond to requests for comment) The plans/cost estimate provided by PLM proposes an annual special assessment budget of $90,704 ($907,040 over the ten-year program) so as to include an approximate 10% contingency to account for unexpected costs that cannot be anticipated at this time in the future years of the ten-year treatment program, and to also cover the administrative/ legal costs. The Township Board is proposing to use this budget amount for the total estimate of costs, including the contingency and administrative/legal costs; but apply to this total estimate of costs all of the surplus in the special assessment fund from the 2016­ 2022 Algonquin Lake improvement project, which is presently projected to be $25,000$28,000 when the accounting for that project is closed-out at the end of 2022. The rollover of that surplus (presently assumed to be $25,000) will therefore reduce the net new special assessment revenues needed for the 2023-2032 project from approximately $907,000 to approximately $882,000 ($88,200/year). This new revenue amount may be subject to reduction during the 2023-2032 project as actual costs incurred may make feasible, and to otherwise avoid an excessive special assessment fund balance. Note: the Township presently anticipates the proposed individual property special assessments to be considered at the second public hearing will be approximately $3,630 ($363/year) on each improved lake lot in the special assessment district, and $1,283 ($128/year) on each unimproved lake lot and improved or unimproved back lot with deeded access to the lake in the special assessment district. These amounts are predicated on a total of 200 improved lake lots in the special assessment district, and a total of 122 unimproved lake lots and improved or unimproved back lots with deeded access in the special assessment district; and are subject to changes that may take place before the special assessment roll is prepared for the second public hearing. The foregoing hearings and all proceedings associated with these special assessment matters will be conducted in accordance with and pursuant to 1954 PA 188, as amended, the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and any other applicable law. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058-9725 (269) 948-2194 RACHELLE SMIT Residence: Shelbyville How many years lived there: 13 Occupation/professional experience: Business owner for the last 20 years. Previous elected offices held: Township clerk (2016-current). In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents: 1. Securing elections; 2. Protecting paren­ tal rights in education; 3. Reducing inflation How do you propose addressing these challenges? Securing Elections: Mandate voter ID, clean up voter rolls and ban both third party money involved in elections and ballot drop boxes. Protecting parental rights in education: Par­ ents should be able to be more involved in their local schools and we need to allow more curric­ ulum decisions to be made on the local level. Reducing inflation: Stop the endless spend­ ing, reduce taxes and get people back to work. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? I am proud to be endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan. As a mother of adopted chil­ dren, I plan on going to Lansing to safeguard life and make it easier for families to live and work in Michigan. PHILLIP JOSEPH Resident: Orangeville How many years lived there: 5 years Occupation/professional experience: Currently working as territory manager cov­ ering all of West Michigan. We are a nation­ wide insulation distributor. Also program director at Barry County Christian School for the wrestling program and was previously the head coach for Allegan High School varsity wrestling. Previous elected office held: Currently sitting on the zoning board of appeals for Barry County and the executive board for the Barry County GOP. Also served on the Barry County apportionment committee. In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents and how do you propose addressing these challenges? Election integrity: Without election integ­ rity, the people do not have a voice. If the people do not have a voice then there is no Republic. I do not believe the current laws in place are reasonable in safeguarding our elections. In fact I think they are irresponsi­ ble and intentionally placed to encourage fraud. Zippers, Tapes, Threads, Trims & More Pray for our Countiy 'O* QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 ugg,, OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-530 pm; ryi Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hu/st Cleaners Pick-Up Station At this hearing/meeting the Board will also consider any written objections to any of the foregoing matters which are filed with the Board at or prior to the time of the hearing, as well as any corrections or changes to the plans, estimate of costs, or to the proposed special assessment district. If the Township Board determines to reestablish the special assessment district with respect to the proposed 2023-2032 project a second public hearing will be held at a later date to be set by the Township Board (tentatively scheduled for September 14, 2022) for the purpose of reviewing and hearing objections to the proposed allocation of the costs of the project among the various properties included in the special assessment district. Appearance and protest at such a second public hearing or as otherwise allowed by 1962 PA 162, as amended, is required in order to preserve a right to appeal the amount of any such special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal after the confirmation of a special assessment roll. Formal notice of any such second public hearing will be published in a newspaper and mailed to affected property owners as required by law. Finally, District 43 includes all over lower Barry County and much of the county’s west­ ern edge. This includes Delton, Assyria, Orangeville and Yankee Springs. A four-candidate field of Republicans are battling it out in this district while unopposed Democrat Mark Ludwig awaits in the general election. • New Collectionsfrom Moda® & QT ® Fabrics A public hearing on the 2023-2032 improvement project, the total estimate of costs, the special assessment district proposed to be reestablished for the assessment of the costs of such improvement, and any objections to the petitions, will be held at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 during the regular meeting of the Township Board commencing at 7:00 p.m. The project plans, estimate of costs, the boundaries of the proposed special assessment district, and the petitions, may be examined at the office of the Township Clerk and may further be examined at the public hearing. DISTRICT 43 PUBLIC NOTICE The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) is considering a request for Federal assistance from Gun Lake Tribe to construct a US-131 Highway Utility Crossing and 129^ Avenue Utility Extension in Shelbyville, Allegan County, MI for providing essential utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer mains, to the undeveloped parcel west of US-131 and parcels south of 129^ Avenue. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, EDA is conducting an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed project. The project will drill a directional bore under US-131 to provide utilities to the undeveloped parcel west of the highway and will connect utilities to the water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant on Tribal Lands as well as provide essential utilities to parcels south of 129^ Avenue. The project will be located at the exit 61 interchange and at 1150 129^ Avenue, Shelbyville, MI 49344. The purpose of the project is to provide essential utilities, such as water and sanitary sewer mains, to the undeveloped parcel west of US-131 and parcels south of 129^ Avenue and supply raw water to the water treatment plant. Project information is available for review at 2872 Mno Bmadzewen Dr., Shelbyville, MI, 49344 and 269-397-1780. If you have any information regarding potential environmental impacts associated with this proposed project, please provide it in writing to: Kyle Darton Environmental Protection Specialist U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Chicago Regional Office KDarton@eda.gov A copy of the NEPA/NHPA decisional document will be available upon request at the above EDA Regional Office. Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm on August 12^ will be considered. Furthermore I don’t believe this is a parti­ san issue and both parties should have high interest in this issue. The infiltration of third party funds to help pay for drop boxes is an issue that should never have been tolerated. Same day registration is another bad law that only encourages fraud and I am a big advocate for photo ID and believe it is a rea­ sonable and easy safeguard to help prevent fraud. Perhaps one of the most baffling issues to me is the voter rolls. The voter rolls always seem to be an afterthought and yet are vital in the prevention of fraudulent voting. I believ# there should be a full time position dedicated solely to making sure those are constantly accurate and up to date. Financial health of the state: With inflation at an all-time high, Michigan, more than ever, needs to be creating policy that is creating financial growth and longevity in our states And most of the time that simply means th6 removal of government in certain areas. j I am a big advocate for moving Michigan back to a part-time legislative state. We are one of a few states that actually have a fuU time legislation and with similar sized stated (population) around the country operating successfully on a part-time legislation, I se4 this as an important issue. Michigan previously passed a $74 billion budget while Georgia passed a $34 billiori dollar budget. We have proven that with th$ full time legislation taxes, laws and regulaj tions have all increased significantly and not in a positive way. We need a government that works for the people and right now it seems like the people work for Lansing and j believe this would be a good start. Education: I have a slightly different approach to the education issue than most; Instead of advocating for more funds to go to education (We are already spending more than any other nation per pupil in education) I will be pushing for a reform on where th^ funds go and who gets to make that decision1. The bureaucracy behind the education sys* tern has become focused on just about every* thing except the student and their education! The government-run education system ha$ shown itself to push an agenda contrary tt) what most parents want and yet most families are financially tied to limited options due td the high taxes they’re required to pay with no power to decide where that money goes if they so choose to send their kids to a private: school, charter school, etc. I want to give the power back to the part ents and allow the money to follow them; Much like the free market, education institu* tions will be held to a tangible standard thai produces real results rather than the arbitrary standards passed down from the policymakj ers and board of education. I’m a huge advo­ cate for education and it is vital for the future and survival of our nation. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue^ As a Christian, I believe in the sacred life of our innocent children and therefore I wil address the issue at face value. We as a natior have been deceived to call the murder of ou • babies “abortion” and have therefore become numb to the reality of this great crime. I personally cannot find a situation where murdering an innocent baby is the solution tc any problem. That being said, I would like tc see Michigan take a hard look at reforming ou adoption and foster care systems along with the actual treatment of pregnant women. There are issues out there that need to be addressee and we have neglected them for decades. Do women have realistic options wher they have an unwanted pregnancy? Are wc providing safe places and proper medica treatment to rape victims? Are the high risl pregnancies being properly handled to keep the mother safe and healthy? As previously stated, Michigan has a $7Z billion budget, and with that, we need tc make sure that we are protecting BOTH the mother and the child while also holding the father accountable. LINDSAY KRONEMEYER Residence: Dorr - grew up in Hudsonville How many years lived there: 6 years ir Dorr Occupation/professional experience Commercial Risk Advisor at Gibson, an inde] pendent insurance agency Previous elected offices held: None Appointed to the Walker Charter Academy school board In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents: 1. Inflation/economy; 2. Education; 3. Lav enforcement/public safety. How do you propose addressing these challenges? We need to get people back to work address the labor gap and reduce taxation anc regulation to make Michigan a more compet­ itive and friendly place for both individuals and businesses to live and thrive. The foundation of education is transparen­ cy, flexibility and accountability. We need tc protect childhood innocence and emphasize parental rights. Our law enforcement professionals need tc have the support and resources necessary tc protect our communities. With the topic of abortion/reproductive health being kicked back to the states tc decide, what would you like to see Michi­ gan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? lam 100 percent pro-life and will fight tc protect life and for the unborn in Lansing. > NEVIN COOPER-KEEL (Did not respond to requests for comment) �d The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, July 28, 2022 DK big men earn hardware at G-A Challenge Brett Bremer Sports Editor There is just a little over a week before the start of high school football practices across the state of Michigan and the Panthers have been working hard to be ready for the start of the 2022 season. A pair of Delton Kellogg big men earned hardware July 14 at the 12^ Annual Ram Tough Lineman Challenge at Galesburg-Au­ gusta High School. Mitchell Swift took the championship in the bench press, the sled push and placed second in the sand bag carrying challenge in the JV division. Victor Gonzalez placed third in the sand bags competition in the varsity division. Student athletes from 27 schools were a part of the annual event. “We have been participating in 7-on-7 passing leagues, lifting and speed training and skills camps all summer,” Delton Kel­ logg varsity football coach Ryan Bates said. “Our numbers are not as high as we would like, but we have had 90+ percent turnout this summer. It has been a busy summer for DK football for sure.” The first day high school football programs can start practice according to MHSAA rules is Aug. 8. The first contests of the season can be played Aug. 25. Delton Kellogg will open the 2022 varsity football season with a home game against Kalamazoo Loy Norrix Thursday, Aug. 25. Around the county, Hastings will open the season Aug. 25 at Thomapple Kellogg, Lake­ wood will be at home against Pennfield Aug. 25 and Maple Valley will start its varsity 8-player football season at home Aug. 25 taking on Bridgman. Delton Kellogg's Victor Gonzalez pushes the sled in a race at the 12th Annual Lineman Challenge at Galesburg-Augusta High School July 14. - Delton Kellogg High School football players Victor Gonzalez and Mitchell Swift cel­ ebrate with their trophies after finishing among the top three in competitions during the ,12th Annual Lineman Challenge at Galesburg-Augusta High School July 14. c Pole vaulters will work to get over the bar once again at Landon Athletics' annu­ al Moon Vault at the vault barn on Nashville Highway in Vermontville Aug. 6. The meet is the conclusion of a four-meet Summer Vault Series. (File photo) Moon Vault will wrap up summer series at vault barn Brett Bremer Sports Editor Landon Athletics will host its annual Moon Vault pole vault competition Aug. 6 at the vault bam in Vermontville, just east of Maple Valley High School on Nashville Highway. The Moon Vault is the conclusion of a four-meet Summer Vault Series, and series champions will be crowned after the Moon Vault points are added to the summer’s over­ all standings. The Summer Vault Series opened with the June 18 Star Wars Vault. A Tiki Vault was held July 9 and a Kite Vault was Satur­ day, July 23, at the vault bam. Landon Cosby won the USA Track and Field sanctioned Tiki Vault on the men’s side by clearing the bar at 15 feet 6 inches July 9. The women’s victory went to Kijsa Gifford who cleared 12-0. New personal records were set at the meet by Nolan Rhodes (10-6), Phinehas House (10-6), Willem Evenson (10-0), Grace Carlson (8-6), Layla Sharf (6-0) and Peyton Mathis (4-0). A total of 52 competitors took part in the meet. Moon Vault pits will open to the first group of vaulters at 11 a.m. with the com­ petition in the women’s 14 and under group and the Men’s 15 & 16 group and the Mas­ ters group starting a noon on the three runways. The final groups are scheduled to open their competition beginning at 7:30 p.m. Registration is going on now for com­ petitors in the 11 divisions. Those that register or have their registration post­ marked by July 26 will be guaranteed an event T-shirt. The entry fee is $50. The 2021 event brought together 77 competitors. Henry Sheldon cleared the bar at 15 feet 6 inches to win the 2021 Men’s College Elite division putting up the top height overall at the event. The top women’s performance came from Victoria Faber in the College Elite division as she cleared the bar at 12-6. A number of personal records were set including by 14-year-old Tryce Tokar who PR’d twice to win the Men’s 14-and-under division with a top height of 13-6. Delton Kellogg's Adrian Deboer attacks the sand bag chal­ lenge during the 12th Annual Lineman Challenge at GalesburgAugusta High School July 14. Delton Kellogg's Luke Watson races around a tackle wheel during a speed test at the 12th Annual Lineman Challenge at Galesburg-Augusta High School July 14. Sculpture to be fully revealed Saturday at mEMorial tourney The Emily Duits Memorial Courts at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds will be rededicated Saturday, July 30, with a sculpture by local artist Tony Jackson. The 17th Annual mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament will be played throughout the day on the three exist­ ing and the three recently constructed courts. As usual the tournament will feature adult competitive and recreational divi­ sions, a youth division, lunch, raffles, music, ice cream, remembrances and more. Lunch, raffles and ice cream are all available to players and spectators. �Page 10 — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner 1a i MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by LESTER L. DUTCHER AND SUSAN DUTCHER AKA SUSAN M. DUTCHER, husband and wife, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc (MERS) as nominee for S.W.I Financial Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 30th day of November, 2013 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 17th day of December, 2013 in Inst# 2013-014740 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy-Seven and 54/100 ($164,977.54). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o'clock Local Time on the 18th day of August, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.12500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Yankee Springs, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: Being known and designated as a parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Beginning at a point in the center of road which lies 1467.40 feet due North and North 75 degrees West 782.07 feet from the South 1/4 post of Section 8; thence South 6 degrees 6’ West 158 feet; thence North 83 degrees 14' West 82.50 feet; thence North 6 degrees 6' East 158 feet; thence South 83 degrees 14' East 82.50 feet to the place of beginning Commonly known as 11657 BOWENS MILL RD., MIDDLEVILLE, Ml 49333 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 07/19/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM DUTCHER-22-01461 1470209 (07-21 )(08-11) 184373 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Kenneth Heifner, married man, whose address is 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 31, 2020, and recorded on September 24, 2020 in Document Number. 2020-010309, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated November 10, 2021 and recorded on November 12,2021 in Document Number 2021-014017, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND 32/100 ($143,237.32). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 3, Block 9, Butler’s Addition, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 66, Barry County Records. Also: Commencing at the North 1/4 Post of Section 17, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence South 00 degrees 05 minutes 20 seconds West, 502.46 feet along the North and South 1/4 line of said section; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds East, 131.32 feet to the place of beginning; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet; thence South 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the Northeast corner of Lot 3 of Block 9, Butler's Addition to the City of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 66; thence North 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet to the Northwest corner of said Lot 3; thence North 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 21,2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4373 (07-21 )(08-11) 184374 ci Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Roy E. Cogger, Sr., a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: March 5, 2014 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 18, 2014 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $106,403.63 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: PARCEL A: LOT 19 AND PART OF LOT 20 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1 SECTION 29 , HASTING TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.07 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 19 AND 20 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNERS OF SAID LOT 19: THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS WEST, 150.07 FEET PARALLEL WITH NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 89.97 FEET TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 04 MINUTES 41 SECONDS EAST, 150.13 FEET ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 19 TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. PARCEL B: PART OF LOTS 20, 21, AND 22 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1, SECTION 29, HASTINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 DISTANT SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.06 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 21 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 01 MINUTES 26 SECONDS WEST, 150.00 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOTS 21 AND 22 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 22 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 90.31 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 22 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS EAST. 150.07 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. . .Common street address..,(if ,W): Maple Lnt Hastings, Ml 49058-9306 . The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 21, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1470232 (07-21 )(08-11) 184372 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 11, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jeffery L. Jenkins Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for RMTP Trust, Series 2021 Cottage-TT-V Date of Mortgage: November 30, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: December 10, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $176,583.73 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 5 and the East 1/2 of Lot 4, Block 6, Taffee Addition according to the recorded Plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 83, Barry County Records. Common street address (if any): 431 W Colfax St, Hastings, Ml 49058-1103 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 7,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1468755 (07-07)(07-28) 183730 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 11,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Lee Schuitman, an unmarried man, whose address is 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, to Mortgage Electronic System, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 6, 2018, and recorded on August 13, 2018, as Document No. 2018-007791 , Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Discovery Mortgage Loan Trust, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated August 2, 2021, and recorded on August 3, 2021, in Instrument 2021-009736, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($148,582.27). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land located in the Northeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the center line of Old M-37 which lies South 00 degrees 06 minutes 20 seconds East 433.26 feet and South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 1056.01 feet from the North 1/4 post of said Section 11; thence South 39 degrees 26 minutes 40 seconds West 189.0 feet; thence North 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds West 217.69 feet; thence North 32 degrees 19 minutes 08 seconds East 190.47 feet to the center of said highway; thence South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 241.32 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 14,2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4501 (07-14)(08-04) 184149 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT TOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY FILE NO: 21 - 928 - CH ORDER FOR SUBSTITUTED SERVICE HON VICKY L ALSPAUGH Notice to: The unknown heirs of Oscar Rice, Ernest Rice, Nola Rice or Ruth Rice; Rebecca Rice; and anyone that may claim interest in the below described property. An action has commenced in the Barry County Circuit Court, Case 2021-0928-CH, SaintAmour v Rice et al. The nature of the proceedings is an action to quite title. Any answers or other actions permitted by law or court should be filed with the Barry County Circuit Court and served upon Plaintiff by contacting attorney Steven G. Storrs at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 S Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058. Failure to answer or take action shall result in a default of any potential interest in the following described property: COMMENCING AT A POINT “B” OF SAID PLAT OF BUENA VISTA HEIGHTS, THEN SOUTHEASTERLY TO POINT “C” THEN NORTH 00 DEGREES 33 MINUTES WEST TO POINT “D”, THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 27 MINUTES EAST 75 FEET TO POINT “E”, THENCE NORTH TO POINT “F”, AND CONTINUING NORTH TO THE SHORE OF ALGONQUIN LAKE, THENCE NORTHWESTERLY ALONG THE HORE OF SAID LAKE TO APOINT DUE NORTH OFTHE PLACE OF BEGINNING, THEN SOUTH TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING, SUBJECT TO AN EASEMENT, HOWEVER, OVER THE WEST 33 FEET DESCRIBED AS: COMMENCING AT POINT “B” OF SAID PLAT, THENCE SOUTHEASTERLY TO POINT “C”, THENCE NORTH 00 DEGREES 33 MINUTES WEST TO POINT “D”, THENCE WEST 33 FEET, THENCE SOUTH TO POINT “B”. Parcel ID No: 08-13-001-GAP-00 and any other rights in property commonly known as 1919 Ottawa Trail, Hastings,. Michigan 49058. 183993 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29135-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Kenneth G. Pease. Date of birth: 08/04/1940. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Kenneth G. Pease, died 12/7/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Robert H. Pease or Jody W. Pease, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/20/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Roberta H. Pease/Jody W. Pease 144 Coats Grove/910 N. Wayne Street Hastings, Ml 49058/Waterloo, IN 46793 184873 Financial FOCUS offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Financial Advisor Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Avoid these estate-planning mistakes When many people hear the words “estate planning,” they assume it’s just for the wealthy. But that’s not the case because everyone can benefit from an estate plan. And when you’re creating one, you’ll want to avoid some common mistakes. Before we look at those mistakes, let’s go over what estate planning is designed to accomplish. Essentially, an estate plan allows you to pass on your assets in the way you desire. But it can also specify other actions, such as naming someone to care for your minor chil­ dren if you were no longer around. In creating an estate plan, several key documents are involved, including a will, a trust, a financial pow­ er of attorney and a medical power of attorney or a health care directive. Now, let’s consider a few estate-planning mistakes: • Not communicating your plans. You’ll need to inform your family about whom you’ve chosen as executor - the individual who will administer your estate - and whom you’ve named as the trustee - the person who will manage your trust’s as­ sets. (You can also choose a trust company to handle this duty.) And to help avoid un­ pleasant surprises when your estate is being settled, con­ sider letting your children or other close relatives know who will be receiving what. • Not reviewing your plans periodically - Once you cre­ ate your estate plans, don’t forget about them. Over time, your personal situa­ tion may change - you may experience a remarriage or bring in new children. Your interests may change, too perhaps you’ll become deep­ ly involved in supporting a favorite charitable organiza­ tion. Given these and other potential changes, you’ll want to review your estate plans once in a while to see if they need to be modified. • Not updating beneficiary designations - Every so of­ ten, you may want to review the beneficiary designations on your life insurance pol­ icies, investment accounts and retirement assets. As mentioned, changes in your life, such as remarriage and the addition of new children, may affect your beneficia­ ries. Beneficiary designa­ tions are powerful and can even supersede your will, so you’ll want to update them as needed. Also, if you have a 529 education savings plan, you’ll want to name a successor owner - someone NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Heather Anne Barton, an unmarried woman, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated October 12,2016 and recorded October 18,2016 in Instrument Number 2016-010472 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on February 19, 2019, in Instrument Number 2019-001257, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth Third Bank, National Association successor by merger to MB Financial Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifty­ Seven Thousand Six Hundred Twelve and 58/100 Dollars ($157,612.58). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on AUGUST 4, 2022. . Said premises are located in the Township of Thornapple, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: That part of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 10 West, described as: Beginning at the East 1/4 corner of said Section 36; thence South 89 degrees 50 minutes 30 seconds West 625.0 feet along the North line of said Southeast 1/4, thence South 45 degrees 09 minutes 30 seconds East 575 feet, more or less, to the centerline of Thornapple River; thence Northeasterly along said centerline 295 feet, more or less, to the East line of said Section 36; thence North 00 degrees 00 minutes West 215 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. 7101 West Loop Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: July 7, 2022 File No. 22-003936 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 who can take over your 529 if you were to pass away. • Not re-registering assets placed in a trust - A living trust offers you many poten­ tial benefits, such as the abil­ ity to bypass the time-con­ suming and highly public­ process of probate when it’s time to settle your estate. However, just establishing the trust, by itself, may be insufficient - you likely also need to re-register assets, such as your invest­ ments, so they are officially owned by the trust, not by you. This is essential for the trust to work as you intend­ ed. Here’s one other mistake - not getting the help you need. Estate planning can be complex, so you’ll want to work with an attorney, and possibly with your financial advisor and tax professional, too. By avoiding key mistakes and working with a qualified team of professionals, you can create and maintain an estate plan that will help you leave the legacy you desire. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Fi­ nancial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the' mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Ronald B. Johnson and Connie Johnson, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Bank of America, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: July 8, 2013 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 24, 2013 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the. date of notice: $80,090.04 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County,. Michigan, and are described as: A strip of land 66 feet in width being the right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company as located over and across the Southwest one-quarter of the Southwest onequarter, Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, more particularly described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence East 516.87 feet along the South line of Section 7, to. the former existing Westerly right of way of the Chicago* Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company, thence North; 38 degrees 9 minutes East 1037 feet more or less along; said Westerly right of way to the Southerly line of a creek> thence Northeasterly and Easterly along said Souther!/ lien of a Creek to the former existing Easterly right of way o'fl the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company; and the Westerly right of way of Highway M-43; thencei South 38 degrees 9 minutes West 1001.86 feet more ort less along said former existing Easterly right of way of th& Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company; and the Westerly line of Highway M-43, to the South line; of Section 7; thence West 83.93 feet along said South; line of Section 7 to the place of beginning. Commonly} Known as: 11892 S. M-43 Hwy, Delton, Ml 49046 The! redemption period shall be 6 months from the date oL such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance*1 * * * * & with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the1 expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely toi the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest; and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded; less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 7/21/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314679 ’ (07-21 )(08-11) (07-07)(07-28) 184469 183701 Synopsis Hope Township Regular Board meeting July 11 2022 Meeting opened at 6:30pm Approved; Consent agenda Transfer from ARPA Fund to Road Fund Adjourned at 6:45 pm Submitted by: Deborah Jackson, Clerk Attested to by Doug Peck, Supervisor r f .« , ■ z 184783 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, July 28, 2022 — Page 11 Two nights of demo derby not enough Brett Bremer Sports Editor ■ Jordyn Aspinall, 6 of Hastings, is patiently waiting five more years to get to be a part of a fourth generation of demolition derby driv­ ers in her family. : Aspinall drove her Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade to a win in the three-lap Power Wheels race to start the Unique Motorsports ‘Night of Destruction’ in front of the grand­ stand at the Barry County Fair Friday. She ,\vas third in the event during the first Unique Motorsports night at the fair Tuesday, July 19, and also placed second in the event a year ago at the fair. Aspinall has learned from her dad to drive fast on the track and just bump anybody that gets in the way. She drove up onto the back of a competitor during the Tuesday evening race she said. Her father, Don Aspinall Jr., opened up his evening by winning the first heat of the V6 Off Road Derby Friday. He said of his two daughters Jordyn is the daredevil of the pair. Jordyn Aspinall of Hastings is all smiles after winning the Power Wheels competition to kick off the Unique Motorsports 'Night of Destruction' at the Barry County Fair grandstand Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “I won it a long, long time ago. This is the first time I have done it in four or five years,” Don said, “because I’ve been building cars for my nieces and nephew - my sister’s kids. I let them do it first, and then we had an extra car. Me and my dad both had extra cars, so we decided to try it one more time.” Aspinall said that when cars go up for sale for $500 or $600 he’ll buy them up and share them with kids that need them to compete. “If there are extras, I’ll do it. I’ll let the nieces and nephews get the first pick and then me and my dad [Don Aspinall Sr.] will get the last one.” Jim Trolard of Unique Motorsports touted throughout the night that many cars could be converted to compete in just six hours and pointed out one specimen that was whipped together in just four hours before the event. Vehicles have roll bars installed, glass removed, air bags removed a windshield cage installed and other modifications. Aspinall Jr. was hoping for a better finish Friday than he had competing against his dad in the B Final Tuesday. It was standing room only in the grand­ stand for the Friday night show, and eventu­ ally only more pit passes were being sold. There were 39 entrants into the V6 Off Road Derby competition Friday, 17 entrants into the 4-cyIinder Off Road Derby as well as Power Wheels, Powder Puff and mini van races and demolition derby contests. _ The contests were similar Tuesday and will be again when Unique Motorsports returns to the Barry County Expo Center in October. The annual Mitten Madness Championship in Gaylord Sept. 24 will be followed up this year by the Barry Beat Down Oct. 1. Scott Redman races to a win in his heat of the Unique Motorsports Off Road Derby in the four-cylinder class during the 'Night of Destruction' in front of the grandstand at the Barry County Fair Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TYDEN PARK • SATURDAY. AUG. 27th Rodeo contestants keep riding well beyond sunset Brett Bremer Sports Editor The show goes on. , While team roping, bull riding, barrel rac­ ing, youth activities, clowning around and other events entertained a filled grandstand during the annual Super Kicker Rodeo show at the 2022 Barry County Fair Wednesday, July 20, it is long after the sun goes down that the rodeo competition finally finishes up. All the bulls were loaded and hauled away and the pens were being broken down as the barrel racers finished up their competition under the lights with more spectators on the infield than in the grandstand. Miley Bekins raced to a time of 14.063 seconds to wirithe'gnV barrel racing compe­ tition and hold her spot atop the season-long Super Kicker Rodeo standings in the event. Ashley Baumbach and Angela Farris both also turned in times less than 14.1 seconds. Baumbach was the runner-up in 14.079 and Farris third in 14.094. Hunter Ball was the evening’s bull riding champion with a score of 81 points which had him atop the season’s Super Kicker Rodeo standings at the time. Mitch Noe was the bull riding runner-up with a score of 79 and Kevin Fairris third with a score of 66 points. The team roping victory went to the duo of Rob Pyne and Dan Cline at 7.44 seconds. Pyne held the season-long lead in the team roping header competition after the event and Age brackets subject to change based on participation Team Captain_______________________________________ Age-------------- -------- —_™_ ( Send Entries to... Miley Bekins races to a win the girls barrel racing competition Wednesday, July 20, during the Super Kicker Rodeo at the Barry County Fair. (Photo by Owen Bremer) Cline had the lead in the team roping heeling competition for the season. Pyne also had a runner-up time of 7.52 seconds with Jake Herr. The team of AJ O’Heran and Garrett Madry had a third-place team roping time of 8.37 seconds, the only other duo to finish in fewer than ten seconds. The rest of the girls’ barrel racing scorers from Wednesday night included Amber Erbes (14.201 seconds), Kelsey Campbell (14.255), Megan Jones (14.329), Lexi Miller (14.368) and Jodi Loosenort (14.457). Phone #------------------------------------------- JEmail | Changer of Commerce Team Members Age Age j ■ ^21W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Questions??... Call (269)948-3025 or email brett@j-adgraphics.com fill out form completely TYDEN PARK • SATURDAY. AUG. 27th 2022-2023 GREAT STAR READINESS PROGRAM The Super Kicker Rodeo runs through its final barrel racing competitors Wednesday evening after the grandstand show's conclusion at the 2022 Barry County Fair. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Antiques & Collectibles ALLEGAN ANTIQUE MAR­ KET. SUNDAY, JULY 31ST, 2022. 350 Exhibitors. Rain or Shine. 8:00am - 4:00pm. Lo­ cated at the Allegan County Fairgrounds in Allegan, Michi­ gan. Admission $5 per person. No Pets. Recreation ACHILLES RUBBER DIN­ GHY- 8 l/2ft. by 4 l/2ft. Sol­ id bottom, oars and motor mount. $200.00, 269-945-3231. Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. CASH FOR JUNK CARS: Call 269-818-7854. Pets AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES for sale. Awesome colors, very cute. $400.00. 517-852-4881 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. PUBLICATION NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate STATE OF MICHIGAN, COUNTY OF BARRY In the Matter of the Arlene M. Edwards Trust dated September 16, 2013, as restated. Decedent’s date of birth: 08-25-1936. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Your interest in this matter may be barred or affected by the following: The decedent, Arlene M. Edwards, lived in Barry County, Hastings, Michigan, and died 6-24-2022. Creditors of the deceased are notified that all decedent’s assets were held by the Trustee at decedent’s death, and the decedent has no probate estate. Creditors of the deceased are further notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to: Robert Edwards, Trustee and/or the attorney’s office representing Robert Edwards as Trustee, within 4 months of the publication of this notice. This notice is published pursuant to MCL 700.7608. If a probate estate is opened in the future for the decedent, this notice is intended to satisfy the requirements of MCL 700.3801. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the person(s) entitled to it. Date: 07/20/2022 Longstreet Elder Law & Estate Planning, PC Robert J. Longstreet P53546 607 North Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3495 Robert Edwards 2132 N. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-9689 184875 ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN OUR FREE GREAT START READINESS PROGRAM. THERE ARE STILL SPOTS AVAILABLE! WEBSITE LINK: WWW.MIECC.0RG/MIECC/APPLICATI0N/ADD/8 �Page 12 —Thursday, July 28, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Summer program that teaches kids about the trades garners strong support from community Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings Middle School teacher William Renner started the HMS MiSTEM Camp with a $3,000 grant from the state. When word got out about the program, Renner said he was surprised by the level of community support that it received. He esti­ mates community members have donated at least $5,000 worth of tools and supplies to the program, with donations from the Chervon Group, which owns Flex Power Tools, and Rick Reid Lumber. “I’m overwhelmed by how much support I was able to get and how quickly I was able to get it,” Renner said. “And it’s still coming.” The four-week program started July 18 and has been meeting four days a week, three hours a day. Middle school students have been learning how different trades apply var­ ious math and science concepts, as well as meeting professionals in the field and dis­ cussing their career paths. “It’s a very, very quick exposure point to all of these different trades,” Renner said. “We are showing the kids that there are mul­ tiple paths to success.” Students toured the City of Hastings Depart­ ment of Public Services garages and learned about job site cleanup from Waste Manage­ ment. In the coming weeks, they’ll meet with professionals from Weldon’s Heating and Cool­ ing, Morgan Electric and Advantage Plumbing. Kids involved in the program have been doing plenty of hands-on work, too. Haw­ thorne Masonry taught them how to lay bricks and helped them construct a stone table outside the middle school. This week, students learned how to safely use power William Renner (left) helps eighth grade students Gabe Rodriguez and Ethan Hawthorne measure a board before cutting it on a table saw. William Renner (left) works with seventh grader Kyle Goos to show her how to use a miter saw. Goos said she signed up for the program so she could learn how to build things in her garden. lot of people leave high school and they don’t know what they want to do,” Hawthorne said. “This can tell you what you might like in life, if you like doing one of these things and you’re good at it.” Renner said that, beyond learning some new skills, he hopes the program can help students answer those questions of what they might like to do after high school. “We’ve tried to have an actual professional coming in and talking to the students about how to get a job in that field,” Renner said. “What is it that you like to do? And now that we know what you’d like to do, how can we come up with a career path for you?” tools to construct bat houses for the YMCA campground. “I am just so impressed,” Renner said. “I love this community and their willingness to come in and work with the kids.” Eighth grader Ethan Hawthorne said the program is a great opportu­ nity for students like himself to learn about careers they might be interested in. “It’s just a wide spectrum teaching you about many different trades to do and how many jobs there actual­ ly are in the world, because a ****** ★★★★★★★★★ ELECT Gary White District 5 Barry County Commissioner M As a retired business owner from Barry County I am for a Smaller, less Regulating Affordable government. BARRY COUNTY: Great place to raise a Family! - - - - - - - - WE ARE- - - - - - - - - HIRING I am able to put the time into research and questions for making decisions for the people of Barry County NOT Work to develop, implement and pay for plans for the future of Barry County’s people and businesses. (Jail, Commission on Aging and Health Department) Eighth grader Liam Renner (left), seventh grader Hunter Sutfin, seventh grader Ella Allyn and eighth grader Ethan Hawthorne work together to build a bat house for the YMCA. '' n: Facilities & Programming Coordinator Location: Community Education & liecreation Center (CERC) Pierce Cedar Creek celebrates annual ‘A Latesummer Night’s Green’ event Saturday s’*.; i Hours: Full-time (flexible schedule) Preferred Qualifications: A degree in education, facility management, recreation, community development or other related field is preferred. Experience with community and I or education programs is required. Deadline: August 5,2022 Persons interested In applyingfor this position must submit a cover letter and resume to: Paid for by CTE Gary White 9708 Brumm River Dr. Nashville, Ml 49073 _____ NEWS BRIEFS Tim Berlin, Assistant Superintendent Hastings Area School System Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s annual A Latesummer Night’s Green event will be a celebration of nature and the Institute. This year’s “nature party” will feature a selection of seasonal appetizers and desserts, local wine and beer, live music, fun games, a silent auction and raffle draw­ ings. A Latesummer Night’s Green will be in an outdoor setting against the backdrop of the tall grass prairie on Saturday, July 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. As in years past, all proceeds support the Biological Field Station research program for college students and community programs for peo­ ple of all ages. The event will feature wine from Glass Creek Winery, beer from Walldorff Brewpub and Bistro, non-alcoholic beverages, live music from Who Hit John?, a silent auction, a name a turtle game, the key box prize, raffle drawings and Fund A Future. Event and raffle tickets can be purchased at CedarCreekInstitute.org. Donations to Fund a Future can also be made at this website. __ ^7.7___ _____________________ 232. West Grand Street_________________________________ Thornapple Players to host auditions for ‘Steel Magnolias’ The Crossroads We Face By Gina Johnsen Like many of you, I just spent the last couple of weeks enjoying three county fairs. The best part of any fair for me is admiring God’s beautiful farm animals and seeing how hard the 4-H children have worked to raise them. I’m always captivated too at how polite and respectful these children tend to be - also raised well by parents and grandparents who mentored them to work hard, respect others, and to speak with good manners. For the male cows, sheep, and goats, it’s an interesting lesson to think of how much they have been changed once castrated. Big strong steers that are subdued so they can be led around and controlled, so they can be shown and utilized for a different purpose from breeding. They no longer will procreate, but they will certainly feed a lot of people. It always bothers me for a second, but then I remind myself that they can’t be shown at an event like this without this kind of procedure. These are animals that are fulfilling a purpose. But what if they all were like this? What if all the cows were castrated? Would we ever have another generation of cows? Beef for one generation, but not for the next? I’m very concerned when I look at the problems we face in Michigan right now. We have a state leadership crisis, with bullies bearing down against every sphere of our farming, business, family, education, and religious worlds. And we don’t have enough leaders in position to push them back. We feel undermanned and outspent. Our boys are told to be girls, and our girls to be boys. Some of our medical world is implementing (unlawfully) age of consent protocols down to age twelve. Surgeries to castrate human males are being offered, and gender confusion is encouraged. We have an entertainment, political, and medical world that is trying to feminize boys and medically transform our youth, instead of letting them be the natural creations they were meant to be. When I look at our Congress and at our Legislature, I’m wondering where the bulls are. Have they all been castrated too so they can be led around for show? They keep their mouths shut while they technically fill an office, but will not ever really deal with the tough issues. What happened to the strong men who made so many promises when they were running for office? Were they there for us during the shutdown? Are they there for us now? The 3 women at the top of our state’s political food chain are certainly large and in charge, but have become tyrants instead of real leaders. I’m a businesswoman who runs a House of Prayer (MICHOP) and a Pregnancy Center. I’m trying to do all I can to help where I can. But now it’s time for me to go inside the state government and assist in bringing back some of the ideals that made this state and country great. We have to change the trajectory of our state, and I can’t sit by and watch it continue to tank. We must restore truth, common sense, godly family values, and a world where we can raise the next generation in. We must tell our children again that there are only two sexes, that an unborn baby has a right to live, and that we have enough social resources to care about everyone. We cannot tolerate choice only when it’s a baby, but not when it’s a vaccination or educational issue. And we can’t have regulations, taxes, and other financial burdens that destroy our ability to just take care of ourselves. Won’t you help me turn this state around? I am running to represent you, and to serve you as your next state representative. I promise to serve with integrity, true transparency, and with intelligent research that finds the right solutions for the real problems. I promise to bring smart, experienced people to the table, instead of lobbying firms and career politicians that have no idea what they are talking about, but can certainly count the dollars collected from us. Let’s get something done that’s based on common sense, is respectful to humanity, and is truly financially sustainable. August 2nd, we have the opportunity to make very important choices. Please choose life, freedom, and real accountability. I hope I have earned your respect and confidence. If so, please vote for me to work for you as your next state representative. Tell me what you think. I welcome your comments: Gina4StateReD@gmail.com. For more information, please visit my website: Gina4StateRep.com. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Gina Johnsen, PO Box 70074, Lansing, Ml 48908 Local thespians will have another chance to take the stage in Hastings next month. The Thomapple Players are holding open auditions for “Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling. Based on his own experience growing up in rural Natchitoches, La., Robert Harling’s landmark play “Steel Magnolias” explores the bonds between six women. Auditions for “Steel Magnolias” will be held on Monday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Den­ nison Performing Arts Center in Hastings. There are six adult female roles for women 18 and older for this ensemble performance: Rehearsals will be from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. There will be a mandatory tech rehearsal on Sun­ day, Sept. 25. Show dates will be from Sept. 28 through Oct. 2. Those interested in more information can call Norma Jean Acker at 269-945-2332 or text 269-908-0870. Grace Lutheran Church hosts 7th annual car, truck and motorcycle show Antique and custom cars, trucks and motorcycles will adorn the front lawn of Grace Lutheran Church in Hastings on Sun­ day, July 31. This is the church’s seventh annual car show, and it is free to the public. The show will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. at the church’s location at 239 E. North Street in Hastings. Vehicle registration begins at 9 a.m., with dash plaques for the first 35 entries. Young visitors can participate in activi­ ties in the shade with small toy cars and stuffed animals. The community is invited to an outdoor wor­ ship service beginning at 10 a.m. under the tent on the church lawn. A free neighborhood picnic will follow the service. Food and beverages, provided by the Grace family and Thrivent Financial, will be served beginning at 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. or until food is gone. More details about the event can be found by calling the church at 269-945-9414. The church encourages RSVPs to gauge how much food will be needed, but attendees are not required to do so. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-08-04.pdf fae352ae7e00c54379b57ccc30943c92 PDF Text Text Get a full recap of this year’s Barry County Fair Hearings rescheduled for three accused in Brickley murder case Organizers break in new Lake Odessa volleyball courts with memorial tournament See special section See story on page 3 See story on page 11 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 804879110187 1070490102590503810549058113421 t*,™„*MM^„.CAR_RT LOT**C 005 c005 H Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr ' Hastings Mi 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9.47:00 AM PRICE $1.50 Thursday, August 4, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 31 Movement in Sheriff’s lawsuit against state after nearly two months of inactivity Jayson Bussa Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf Editor A lawsuit filed against state agencies by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf appears to still be spinning its wheels nearly two months later. Leaf made headlines in early June when he, through attorney Stefanie Lambert, filed a lawsuit against a variety of parties, including Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in addition to the Michigan State Police and both Bryan Fuller and David Geyer, who are MSP offi­ cers. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants are interfering with Leaf’s efforts to conduct an investigation into voter fraud that was com­ mitted during the 2020 election, the year that former president Donald Trump lost to Presi­ dent Joe Biden. But since filing with the Michigan Court of Claims, there has been no evidence or indica­ tion that Leaf or his legal team has served the defendants. After repeated requests for information as to the status of the lawsuit, Leaf provided the following statement through Lambert. “I took an oath and obligation as Sheriff to investigate all potential crimes reported to my office including election law violations,” the statement attributed to Leaf said. “I have received evidence reflecting that SOS Ben­ son ordered 2020 election data to be deleted in violation of the law and a full investigation will be conducted by my office.” Late last week, both Nessel and Benson filed an appearance with proof of service in the case, the only notable developments in the case for the last two months. By Nessel and Benson filing an appearance in the case, other parties and the court, must alert them whenever anything is filed in the case. The proof of service also means that Nessel and Benson sent a copy of the appear­ ance to Leaf’s attorney. There was no proof See SHERIFF, page 2 THE RESULTS ARE IN Tuesday’s Michigan state primary election brought into focus the new crop of potential local, state and national leadership. The election featured races for Barry County Commissioner, Michigan State Represenatives and others. See page 2 for a rundown of the results. Erb sentenced for sexual Dunklee convicted in relationship with Lakewood student Hastings patrol car arson, motive still unknown Greg Chandler Staff Writer A former Lakewood Public Schools employee has been sentenced to nine months in jail for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male student in the fall of last year. Michele Rae Erb of Lake Odessa was sen­ tenced Wednesday by Judge Michael Schipper on a second-degree criminal sexual con­ duct charge in District Court 56B. The ninemonth jail sentence is a firm sentence, with Erb to be released on May 2, 2023, Schipper ruled. “It’s a long time, but it’s deserved in this case,” Schipper told Erb as he handed down the sentence. “There’s no excuse for what you did. It’s nobody’s fault but yours.” Erb, 45, had served as the administrative assistant to the director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for Lakewood schools, as well as director of technology for the district. Schipper also sentenced Erb to five years’ probation. In addition, she will be placed on the state’s sexual offender registry. Police alleged Erb was involved in a sexu­ al act with the victim on Oct. 27, 2021. Lake­ wood Superintendent Steve Skalka wrote in a March 4 statement to district families and staff that the incident involved a high school student “off school property and during school hours.” Travis Earley, an assistant Kent County prosecutor, handled the case for the prosecu­ tion after Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt recused herself because she knew the defendant. Earley argued that had the sexes been reversed in this case - a male Greg Chandler Michele Erb (right) seated next to attorney Shane McNeill during her sentencing at District Court 56B. (Photo by Greg Chandler) school employee having sex with a female student - “it would be a lot more taboo.” “I believe simply because he’s male, he’s an athlete, things of that nature should not count against him when it comes to his vul­ nerability,” Earley said. Defense attorney Shane McNeill recog­ nized the significant age difference between Erb and the victim but argued that the victim was of the age of consent, which in Michigan is 16. “We believe there was no exploitation here,” McNeill said. See ERB SENTENCED, page 3 Staff Writer A 31-year-old man has been convicted of setting a Hastings police cruiser on fire in broad daylight earlier this year, then resisting attempts by the city’s deputy police chief to arrest him. It took a Barry County jury about 30 minutes Monday afternoon to convict Jeremy Scott Dunklee of Hastings of three criminal counts - third-degree arson, malicious destruction of police property, and assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer - in connection with the March 21 incident in the parking lot of City Hall. He was also charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. Dunklee will be sentenced Oct. 13 by Judge Michael Schipper in District Court 56B. He faces up to 10 years in prison and could be fined up to $20,000 on the arson charge. He remains held in the Barry County Jail on a $200,000 bond pending sentencing. “This was not a complicated case. It was a simple case, but a very, very important case,” said Assistant County Prosecutor Jessica Payne, who tried the case before Schipper. Payne called seven witnesses for the prosecution, including three from Hast­ ings Police. She also called to the stand two local residents who assisted police in arresting Dunklee. In addition, she showed video of the police cruiser being set on fire, followed by Deputy Police Chief Julissa Kelly chasing Dunklee toward the parking lot of Ace Hardware. Kelly, who was the leadoff witness, testified that she had just pulled into the parking lot of City Hall in an unmarked police car shortly before 5 p.m. on March 21, after she had returned from a personal injury accident on Michigan Avenue. The deputy chief spotted someone coming in her direction carrying a gas can, but said she initially didn’t think much of it. But then, as Kelly got out of her car, things drastically changed. “I saw a clear liquid being poured onto one of our patrol cars, from a red gas can,” Kelly said. “I stopped for a second, because I was a little bit shocked with what was going on. As soon as I saw it go up in flames, I saw the same gentleman running south­ bound, away from my direction. I made a quick decision to follow (him).” As soon as Dunklee took off running, Kelly gave chase, shouting “Stop! Police!” several times. But Dunklee kept on running toward Ace Hardware. Kelly radioed for assistance. Hastings Officer Josh Sensiba, who had just responded to the same Michigan Avenue crash as Kelly, heard the call, although he initially didn’t realize it was her voice on the radio. See DUNKLEE, page 3 �Page 2 — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — The Hastings Banner New crop of Barry County commissioners comes into focus on heels of primary election Jayson Bussa Editor Bob Teunessen has been attending Barry County Board of Commissioners meetings as often as he can since Christmas of last year. “The more I went, the more I got interested in it and really seeing how the interactions of the county worked,” Teunessen said. “I discovered those guys put in a lot of time and effort and I really thought to myself that this was something I wanted to do at this point in my life.” After Tuesday’s primary election, Teunessen is one step closer to moving from sitting in the audience at the meet­ ings to having his own desk. The local small business owner prevailed in a three-way race against fellow Repub­ licans Brandon Strong and Hastings Township Supervisor Jim Brown. The three candidates were running for the Republican nomination in District 1, which surrounds the city of Hastings and is held by Commissioner Hoot Gib­ son, who is not seeking reelection. Teunessen, who received 948 votes, compared to Strong’s 422 and Brown’s 204, was one of five primary races for seats on the eight-person commission. Teunessen credited his service as a small business owner, paired with decades of combined interactions with members of the community, for his success in the election “I do feel that the amount of people I have come into contact in my life, and working relationships with a lot of people and running a small business (helped me win),” Teunessen said. “My dad started in 1980 and we just had a lot of different relationships built over the years. Word of mouth that we always try to do a great job and always follow through in what we say. People trust me.” Elsewhere throughout the county, Mike Callton, a former county commissioner who went on to become a state representative, will return to the commission after defeating Gary White in District 5 (northeast comer of the county) by 154 votes. In District 6, which includes the southwest comer of Barry County, incumbent and current board vice chair Vivian Conner suffered defeat to Mark A. Doster, who racked up 872 votes compared to Conner’s 757. Fellow incumbent Catherine Getty lost her race in the District 2 (includes the Village of Middleville) to John Gallagher, but an issue that came to light last week will seemingly allow Getty to retain her seat. Late last week, Gallagher, who lives on the west side of Bender Road of Thomapple Township, was informed that he cannot win the seat because he actually lives in District 4 after the districts were re-drawn. “At this point, he cannot lawfully win the seat,” Palmer said last week. “He is aware of that.” The Banner followed up with Palmer after Gallagher’s victory to learn of his status. Palmer was in the process of consulting with the Board of Elections at the time of pub­ lication. Finally, in the newly-created District 8, which consists of the city of Hastings, David Hatfield won the nomination and will face off against Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz in the general election. “I think it’s a great opportunity. 1 really appreciate the fact that the commission made the change to make Hast­ ings a separate district and I’m looking forward to hope­ fully improving the working relationship between the city and county going forward,” Hatfield said. In his campaign running for the seat, Hatfield empha­ sized stronger ties and better cohesiveness between the city of Hastings and the rest of Barry County. . “At this point, I certainly don’t have a particular agenda or set of issues that address that, but I think that it is per­ vasive with so many decisions that both the city and the county make and I feel there ought to be more conversa­ tion that there are ways the two units can work more effec­ tively together and help reduce costs.” With two current commissioners opting not to seek reelection (Gibson and Ben Geiger), Conner losing her seat and a District 8 commissioner coming on board, there will be plenty of new faces next year. This is a dynamic that comes with both positives and negatives. “Unfortunately, two-year terms are minimal in terms of really getting to understand the intricacies of the opera­ tions of the county, budget issues, relationships - it’s diffi­ cult,” Hatfield said. “If we were serving longer terms, I think it would assist in developing the expertise you really need to do the job well. On the other hand, it’s also great to have new ideas and new perspectives and a fresh thought process. It’s a give and take.” While history might be on the side of both Teunessen and Hatfield for their general election races (the current commission is comprised of all Republicans), neither indi­ cated they would be relenting in their campaign efforts. “I don’t think, in today’s political environment, that it’s safe to take anything for granted,” Hatfield said. “I got a legitimate opponent there and look forward to continuing the campaign.” MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation I .icense #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Collectionsfrom ®Moda Women candidates dominate state rep. races in Barry County Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County voters weighed in on three separate Republican primary races for Michigan State House of Representa­ tives on Tuesday. All three races crowned a woman candidate. The county was home to Michigan House of Representatives Districts 79, 78 and 43 and they all gave the Republican nomination to women, who now advance to face Democrat opposition in the gener­ al election held in November. Rachelle Smit, current Martin Town­ ship clerk, emerged in the 43rd District, which spans four counties wide (Eaton, Barry, Allegan, Ottawa). Smit’s closest competition in the four-way race was Lindsay Kronemeyer of Dorr. Angela Rigas, a Hastings native that now lives in Caledonia, throttled the rest of the Republican field in District 79, which includes the Village of Middleville, Irving Township and extends out west to Byron Center. She faces Democrat Kim­ berly Kennedy-Barrington in November. And, in arguably the highest profile of state representative races in Barry Coun­ ty, Gina Johnsen beat out current Barry County Board of Commissioners chair Ben Geiger and will go on to face Demo­ crat Leah Groves in the primary. Johnsen’s Republican opposition also included Christine Barnes and Hastings resident Jon Rocha, who mounted a spir­ ited write-in campaign after being dis­ qualified from the ballot leading up to the election. For Johnsen, seeing a trifecta of women emerge with the Republican nominations was not a surprise. “I’m not surprised that women are Rachelle Smit Angela Rigas involved like this - they have always been involved, even if behind the scenes,” Johnsen said. In light of the Supreme Court’s deci­ sion to overturn Roe v. Wade - a decision that many Republicans have applauded - party opposition has routinely created a narrative that Republicans are anti-wom­ en and intend to strip women of their rights. Johnsen acknowledged that narrative and was quick to dispel it. “That narrative has been garbage from the very beginning,” she said. “We have great women, but I don’t want to under­ mine men at the same time. We have great men, too. I think the other side is a mess. They don’t have women represent­ ing the way they should. They don’t have men representing the way they should.” Despite the convincing victory in the primary election, and the clear momen­ tum her campaign has, Johnsen will not be tapering down her efforts leading up to the general election, even in a deeply conservative district. . “For our campaign alone, we’re just going to keep campaigning,” Johnsen said. “The goal is to stay engaged so you can properly represent the people - I’m engaged.” Smit also acknowledged the signifi­ cance of fellow women like Johnsen and Rigas rising up in the Republican party at the state level. “I think it just shows strong support for (women), personally,” Smit said. “I think it’s a good thing. I think a lot of the incumbents, they were term limited incumbents so (Republicans) were look­ ing for more women to hopefully be in the caucus.” Smit, who will face off with Democrat Mark Ludwig in November, acknowl- edged that the newly-drawn 43rd district covers a lot of ground and presents its own unique set of challenges. “It’s a challenge - this 43rd district seat goes across four different counties,” she said. “It can be a challenge just hav­ ing equal representation - even when two of the counties have only one township in each of them. I’m just getting out and still letting them know who I am and my mes­ sage about me being consistent and unwavering with what I’m going to do.” Smit is also confident that she is repre­ sentative of her constituents, which most­ ly live in rural settings. “It’s very heavily agriculture,” Smit said. “To me, that’s comforting knowing that’s my background, as well. I don’t think it will be difficult crossing over those counties in that aspect. ...The challenge, I would say, is you’re on four different county boards once elected. That’s a lot.” Tudor Dixon, riding Trump wave, wins big in Michigan GOP governor primary Jonathan Oosting Bridge Michigan LANSING - Tudor Dixon will be the Republican nominee for Michigan gover­ nor and take on Democratic incumbent Gretchen Whitmer in November. Dixon, a 45-year-old businesswoman and conservative media host, won Mich­ igan’s GOP gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, according to projections by multiple media outlets. The Associated Press called the race for Dixon at around 9:40 p.m. The Norton Shores mother of four, a breast cancer survivor who will become the Michigan Republican Party’s first-ev­ er female gubernatorial nominee, won a chaotic primary by walking a political tightrope. She won support from establishment GOP figures like the DeVos family of west Michigan while also currying favor with former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Dixon late Friday. With an estimated 42 percent of state­ wide ballots counted shortly after 11 p.m. 220,279 out of 550,868 GOP primary voters had backed Dixon, about 40 per­ cent of the total, according to an unoffi­ cial tally from The Associated Press. Dixon led Bloomfield Hills business­ man Kevin Rinke (21 percent), Mattawan chiropractor Garrett Soldano (19 per­ cent), Allendale Township real estate broker Ryan Kelley (16 percent) and Farmington Hills retired pastor Ralph Rebandt (4 percent). Many of the early results were coming from precincts in Oakland County, where Rinke lives but Dixon was out to a large early lead. With about 78 percent of bal­ lots counted there, Dixon led Rinke 47 percent to 25 percent. Dixon celebrated her victory around 10 p.m. in Grand Rapids, where she spoke to supporters while surrounded by mother, husband and four daughters. “I’m doing this for you, girls, and every child in Michigan, to make sure the next four years are filled with opportuni­ ties, and not locked classrooms and mas­ sive grocery bills,” Dixon said. THE TRUMP FACTOR Dixon, who has never held elected office, announced her campaign in May 2021 but had polled near the bottom of the field for more than a year. She Tudor Dixon speaks to her supporters after winning Michigan’s Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids. (Bridge photo by Daytona Niles) began to build momentum in late June after securing a series of notable endorsements in a GOP race that was rocked by high-profile candidate dis­ qualifications. A paid circulator signature forgery scandal kept five other Republicans off the primary ballot, including former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who had led all polls of the race to that point, and Bloomfield Hills businessman Perry Johnson, who spent nearly $8 million of his own money on his campaign. While Dixon had led most recent polls, Trump’s endorsement likely had a “huge impact” on the outcome, said Steve Mitchell, a Republican pollster whose Sunday survey showed Dixon building her lead over Rinke to 14 percentage points, up from 6 points a week prior. Trump announced his support on Fri­ day night, but 60 percent of likely GOP primary voters had heard about it by Sunday, according to Mitchell, who had long predicted the endorsement would carry significant weight. “I’ve said from day one that the candi­ date who wins the nominee will be the candidate that gets the Trump endorse­ ment,” Mitchell told Bridge Michigan. “Our polling has shown consistently that 60 percent of GOP voters are more likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Trump.” The endorsement appeared siphon votes from Kelley, in particular, but “a lot of undecideds... who were perhaps wait­ ing for a final determination from Presi­ dent Trump” also appeared to break late for Dixon, Mitchell said. The nomination sets up a “fascinating” general election between Dixon and Whitmer, Mitchell said. “I think you have two really very accomplished women, both of a similar age, both outstanding retail politicians but diametrically opposed on the issues,” he said. Recent polls, however, suggest that Dixon would begin the race with a siz­ able deficit against Whitmer. While Dixon raised the most from individual donors and PACs among GOP candidates, she still trails Whitmer by a wide margin when it comes to fundraising. Dixon had raised about $1.8 million by Sunday, about 12 percent of Whitmer’s tally. But Dixon also has support from two super PACs - Michigan Strong and DeVosbacked Michigan Families United - that have spent more than $2.2 million to sup­ port Dixon, including almost $2 million on ad buying and video production. Dixon’s win is proof that “money mat­ ters,” said Adrian Hemond, Democratic consultant and CEO of bipartisan con­ sulting firm Grassroots Midwest. “The Republican primary electors, by and large, did not know who she was until a few weeks ago when she got this massive infusion of money into her cam­ paign,” Hemond said, referring to the financial backing of the DeVos family and other GOP power brokers. Trump’s endorsement helped her cam­ paign further, Hemond said, but she now enters the general election with a signifi­ cant fundraising deficit against Whitmer. “She needs money very, very badly right now,” he said of Dixon. & ®QT Fabrics • Zippers, Tapes, Trims, Threads, Quilt Patterns, etc. • Be Kind and Gracious •r our Military and each other't? QUESTIONS: ASK US... mmm OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; ajo Saturday 9 am-3 pm SE3 HulstCleaners Pick-Up Station SHERIFF, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- —--------------of service filed by Leaf to show that defendants in the case were ever served. The Banner reached out to Attorney General Nessel’s office about the law­ suit, but she declined to comment. Rep­ resentatives in Benson’s office cited the fact that they do not comment on ongo­ ing litigation and also had no statements to offer. Leaf’s lawsuit came after state investi­ gators raided Irving Township Hall in April to seize a voting tabulator after an unpermitted individual was reportedly given access to the machine. Leaf’s own lawsuit provides confirma­ tion that Michigan State Police are inves­ tigating him, saying that those authorities have attempted to subpoena and inter­ view a deputy he has working on the investigation. The lawsuit filed by Lam­ bert also makes reference to the voting machine in Irving Township as part of Leafs investigation into voter fraud. In the suit, Leaf and his attorney say that the state is bullying and harassing him during his ongoing investigation. Earlier this month, Leaf pledged to continue on in his quest to find, and unmask, voter fraud stemming from the 2020 election. He spoke at a Constitu­ tional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Associa­ tion (CSPOA) convention in Las Vegas about his efforts to uncover fraud and how he believes both state and local authorities have thwarted those attempts. Leaf explained to attendees at the con­ ference how he has brought requests for search warrants to Barry County Prose­ cutor Julie Nakfoor-Pratt, who, in turn, did not provide the prosecutorial recom­ mendation Leaf was looking for. Still, Nakfoor-Pratt maintains that she remains open to hearing future requests from Leaf if and when he has any. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — Page 3 Barry, Ionia counties working together to plan repairs for dam on Jordan Lake Jayson Bussa Editor i Drain commissioners in both Barry and donia counties are taking the initial steps [needed to issue essential repair and mainte[nance work to a lake level control structure Jon Jordan Lake. The lion’s share of Tuesday’s Barry Coun­ ity Committee of the Whole meeting was (spent hearing from Barry County Drain Com[missioner Jim Dull and attorney Stacy Hissong, who serves as general counsel for the •Michigan Association of County Drain Com­ missioners, about needed work for the inter-county lake. . The device on Jordan Lake - a dam for all intents and purposes - requires inspection every three years with findings reported to -the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and both Barry and Ionia drain commissioners. These .regular checks allow the dam to remain safe and operational. Recent inspections revealed the need for -repair and maintenance work that will exceed ,$10,000, which is why drain commissioners must, by law, appear in front of their respec­ tive boards of commissioners to green light the work. Jim Dull admitted that the dam is safe and not at risk of failure, but the work is essential­ ly mandatory in order to keep it in compli­ ance with state permitting regulations. Dull estimated that the price - including engineering and permitting, which could very well exceed the cost of the actual work itself -could sail north of $50,000. The assessment for the work would be levied only to those that live on the lake and not throughout the greater watershed. Members of the Barry County Board of Commissioners discuss needed work on a Jordan Lake dam during Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) “We’re before you today, and we’re also in front of the Ionia County Board of Commis­ sioners tomorrow, because we need permis­ sion from each county board,” Hissong said. “After resolutions are secured from both counties, the drain commissioners will move forward with working with engineers to get the necessary permits and retain a contractor to get bids.” A special assessment hearing will be pro­ vided for those that live on the lake and the drain commissioners will return to both boards of commissioners to approve project costs and secure any financing they might need. This, accordingly to Hissong, probably won’t happen until next year. While residents have a voice in the matter, the work has to be done regardless of their feedback. “To be very frank, if everyone came and said ‘We don’t want this,’ it’s too bad, we have to secure the safety of the dam above everything else and we have to meet the permit requirements of EGLE.” Commissioner Catherine Getty asked if they had set aside a fund for such purposes, but Hissong explained that residents of the lake don’t pay regular assessments in order to build up a fund of that nature. “(Lake residents) have received assess­ ments, but not every year because they’re only assessed when costs are incurred,” His­ song said. The Committee of the Whole also recom­ mended to the Board of Commissioners to: - Approve the purchase of a 2023 Chevy Silverado 6500 HD to be used by the drain commissioner for the.|jnQunt of $78,042.58. The drain commissioner's \current truck is around seven years old and Rearing 100,000 Stacey Hissong, general council for the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners (left) and Barry County drain commissioner Jim Dull (right) speak in front of the county board of commissioners during Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) miles, according to Dull. -Along with Hastings City Council, approve the use of $40,000 from the Airport Fund for engineering and pre-construction work for the airport’s terminal planning project. - Approve, fhe 2022-23 Child Care Fund Plan and Budget and authorize that the chair signit. - Schedule a public hearing regarding Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) emergency program income guide­ lines at the meeting of the Board of Commis­ sioners on Aug. 9. Hearings rescheduled for three accused of tampering with evidence in Brickley murder Greg Chandler Staff Writer Court hearings to determine whether three Barry County residents should stand trial for tampering with evidence in the videotaped murder of Gracyn Brickley in February 2021 have been put on hold. Judge Michael Schipper Wednesday adjourned the hearings for 36-year-old Dustin Scott Stephens of Nashville, 46-year-old Coleen Marie Rice of Hastings and 52-yearold Sheralyn Randolph of Nashville. All three appeared via video from the Barry County Jail, where they have been held since their arrest last month. Rice is scheduled to appear for her proba­ ble cause hearing Aug. 10. Stephens’ hearing has been rescheduled for Aug. 17, while Ran­ dolph had her hearing set for Sept. 7. Brickley was 18 years old when she was shot to death in Maple Grove Township on Feb. 16, 2021, as her killer, Andrew Lafey, videotaped the murder. Lafey, also 18, is serving a life sentence without parole for the slaying. Stephens is facing felony counts of perjury in the trial of a capital crime, tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, accessory after the fact to a felony and a fel­ ony firearms charge. He asked for a court-ap­ pointed attorney. Chief Public Defender Kerri Selleck stepped in to represent Stephens on Wednesday since no defense attorney was present for the hearing. Stephens asked if Selleck could represent him going forward, but she declined, saying she cannot represent more than one defendant in the case. Selleck is defending Randolph. Stephens remains held in the Barry County Jail on a $50,000 bond, although he may ask for a reduction of bond once an attorney is appointed. “That new attorney can come in immedi­ ately and ask for a bond reduction That does not mean I’m gonna grant it, but '.hey can ask for it immediately,” Schipper said Stephens faces a possible life sentence if convicted of the perjury charge. Randolph is charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony as well as being a fourth time habitual offender. Schipper granted a reduction in Randolph’s bond from $20,000 to a personal recognizance bond and had her transferred to the custody of Ionia County, where she is facing charges of violating her probation. Rice is charged with felony counts of tam­ pering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony. Defense attorney Shane McNeill requested that Rice be allowed to post 10 percent of her bond, allowing her to be released until her hearing next week. “It’s my understanding that Ms. Rice has been cooperative (with prosecutors),” McNeill said. “The charges are resulting from that cooperation. .] don’t dispute the charges ... She has a residence, she has obli­ gations, she is taking this very seriously.” However, County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt opposed the motion. “This is a homicide case,” Nakfoor Pratt said. “Yes, she did come in and testify, but there’s a reason why she was charged. It doesn’t just depend on what she said in court. There’s other evidence besides that.” Schipper continued Rice’s bond at $10,000, calling it “reasonable.” Two members of Brickley’s family, wear­ ing blue T-shirts saying “justice for Gracyn,” were among those witnessing Wednesday’s hearings. BARRY COUNTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR MICHIGAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY PROGRAM INCOME FUNDING 184758 DUNKLEE, continued from page “I started to the area of Ace parking lot to figure out what was going on,” Sensiba told the court. “As I was driving to Ace, the female came on (the radio) again and said there’s a patrol car on fire in the parking lot (of City Hall), and it was at that time that I recognized that (voice) as that of Deputy Chief Kelly.” “I had no idea what was going on, other than the fact that I needed to get there to help her,” Sensiba added. As he ran, Dunklee bumped into the side of a maroon pickup truck owned by Dennis Mil­ bum, a retired Michigan State Police trooper. “I jumped out of my truck and stood in front of (Dunklee), while the deputy chief came up behind him,” Milbum told the court. Milbum described Dunklee as “combat­ ive.” “I remember seeing the back of Mr. Dunklee. His fists were clenched behind him, and he was not listening to my verbal directions,” Kelly said. Kelly grabbed Dunklee’s right arm and attempted a leg sweep maneuver to get him on the ground. Dunklee tried to pull away. Milbum then grabbed onto Dunklee’s left arm and helped get him into a prone posi­ tion on his stomach, Kelly testified. Joe Farley, another Hastings resident who had just come out of Ace Hardware with his wife, also helped keep Dunklee down as Kelly handcuffed him. “He was agitated, really upset,” Farley said to the court. Payne played a second video clip, taken from Sensiba’s bodycam, that picked up a verbal exchange between police and Dunklee. “What’s your name?” Kelly asked in the video clip. “You know damn well what my (exple­ tive) name is,” Dunklee said. “Bro, calm down,” Sensiba said. “I’m not gonna calm down,” Dunklee said. Kelly did a body search while Dunklee was on the ground and found two pocket knives, a lighter and an opened pack of cig­ arettes in his pockets. She suffered a cut bottom lip during the struggle with Dunklee. Once in custody, Dunklee was put into Sensiba’s patrol car, and he was taken to the Barry County Jail. “I remember the very strong odor of gas­ oline coming from his person/clothes,” Sen­ siba said. Sensiba said he instructed the corrections officer at the jail to have Dunklee remove his clothes so they could be used as evi­ dence. 1 -------------- Police Chief Dale Boulter and Assistant Fire Chief Rick Krouse put out the fire using portable extinguishers. Defense attorney Shane McNeill did not call any witnesses during the trial. Dunklee did not take the stand in his own defense. The only challenge McNeill made was to the charge that the arson damage was val­ ued at more than $20,000. “We aren’t arguing the arson. We are arguing the valuation,” McNeill said. Dave Solmes, owner of Dewey’s Auto Body, gave the police department a prelim­ inary estimate of what the damage was to the patrol vehicle. He gave the amount at $25,947. Solmes told the court that he based the estimate “on the physical damage that I could see at that time,” adding that there was likely additional damage below the surface. “Until we disassemble it, we have no idea what we’re going to find underneath,” Solmes said. Boulter said the Ford Interceptor utility vehicle was purchased in June 2020 at a cost of $36,662. The city purchased the vehicle from Signature Ford in Owosso through a state bidding process. The vehi­ cle then had to be outfitted with an in-car computer, 800-megahertz radio, prisoner cage and light bar, which added “at least a few thousand dollars” more to the vehicle’s value, Boulter testified. Boulter said after the trial that the depart­ ment is still waiting for a replacement vehi­ cle for the patrol car that was destroyed in the fire. He said that the city is on a “30- to 45-week waiting period” because of supply chain issues. While the jury determined Dunklee com­ mitted the arson, the question that remains unanswered is why he did it. Since Dunklee did not take the stand during the trial, he has not publicly said why he did it. Kelly was asked during her testimony if she had any thoughts as to why. “No idea,” she said. County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt praised the work of police and the prosecu­ tion team in handling the case. “I just thought his behavior was repre­ hensible and unacceptable. Justice was served,” Nakfoor Pratt said. Dunklee, who had been cited for con­ tempt of court for verbal outbursts during an earlier hearing and was sentenced to 93 days in jail, was quiet throughout the trial, only asking after the verdict to be released on personal recognizance bond until he is sentenced. Schipper refused. “A guy’s gotta try, right?” Dunklee said as he was led out of the courtroom. ERB SENTENCED, continued from page 1 -------------------Schipper disagreed. “We have someone who’s clearly in a posi­ tion of authority in a school, and we have someone who’s 16 years old,” Schipper said. “The age of consent shouldn’t even be 16, it should be increased, with our knowledge of brain development and so forth.” Schipper agreed with Earley that there is no difference between a male teacher having sex with a female student, or a female school employee doing the same with a male student. No verbal victim impact statements were made by the victim or his family Wednesday, but Earley said the victim’s mother provided a written statement where she said her son has been mocked and teased in school because of the incident, and that it has affected his relationships with other students. “It’s clearly wasn’t something that he was celebrating after the fact,” Earley said. Erb pleaded guilty to the second-degree CSC charge May 18. Two other charges - a count of third-degree criminal sexual con­ duct and a count of using a computer to commit a crime - were dismissed in exchange for Erb’s plea. The second-degree charge carried a poten­ tial maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The sentencing guidelines, which take into consideration both the criminal act as well as the person’s past criminal history, recom­ mended a 12-to-24 month sentence for Erb, who had no prior criminal record. Erb declined to make a statement prior to sentencing. Erb, whose husband is a Barry County sheriff’s deputy, could potentially serve her Judge Michael Schipper as he issues sentenced against Michele Erb. (Photo by Greg Chandler) sentence in another county because of her husband’s position. Schipper raised that pos­ sibility. “The jail here may or may not be appro­ priate,” the judge said. “I don’t know if that’s a problem with her spending that time in our jail. If you, Mr. McNeill, or if the jail believes that would be a difficulty, I have no problem with granting her transfer to some other jail.” NOTICE: SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS BARRY COUNTY will conduct a public hearing on August 9, 2022 at 9:00am in the Board of Commissioners’ Chambers in the Barry County Court House, 220 West State Street, Hastings, MI 49058 for the purpose of affording citizens an opportunity to submit comments on the proposed Homeowner Emergency Program funded with Program Income received into the County. The Barry County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the following Boards: BARRY COUNTY proposes to use $ 71,690.46 CDBG funds to provide emergency repairs to homeowners in Barry County whose incomes are at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the County per HUD regulations. Zero persons will be displaced as a result of the proposed activities, and all repairs shall be classified as emergency conditions by MEDC/CDBG guidelines. Mental Health Authority Board: 1 position: preferred individual with lived experience and/or family member with lived experience in mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorder Further information, including a copy of the Barry County Emergency Repair Program Guidelines, is available for review upon request. To inspect the documents, please contact Marilyn Smith at 734-341-1866, or you may review them in person at the County Clerk’s office at 220 West State Street, Hastings, MI 49058. Comments may be submitted in writing to the attention of Marilyn Smith in care of the Clerks’ office through August 9, 2022, or made in person at the public hearing. Citizen views and comments on the proposed emergency program are welcome. Barry County Michael C. Brown, County Administrator 269/945-1400 Equal Opportunity Employer Fair Housing Compliant Department of Health and Human Services: 1 position Applications may be obtained at the County Administration Office, 3rc^ floor of the Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings; or www. barrycounty.org under the tab: How do I apply for: An Advisory Board or Commission and click to display the application. Applications must be returned no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 30, 2022. Contact 269-945-1284 for more information. �Page 4 — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Burning the midnight oil Public service is particularly thankless today, and that’s a shame If you happened to drive past the Barry County Courthouse late Tuesday night, you probably saw a few lights left on and plenty of activity — even during the wee hours. That’s because a variety of county staff mem­ bers, from Chief Judge William Doherty and Barry County Clark Pam Palmer, to the IT staff tasked with posting the results online, pulled a late night shift to ensure that everyone received the election results when they woke up on Wednesday morning. A parade of township clerks visited the court­ house to drop off their digital cards that stored the results from their precincts so that votes from each precinct could be accounted for. Do you remember? Banner Oct. 12, 1967 Mrs. Dorothy Gronewold of Freeport (right) hands the gavel to Mrs. Ethel Cravens of Dowagiac (left) as the newly elected president of the Women’s Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, at the 74™ annual convention of District 5 held at the IOOF Hall in Hastings Thursday, Oct. 5. Mrs. Darley Foster of Union City, president of the Michigan Department, looks on. Mrs. Gronewold served as the District 5 president for the past year and presided at the convention. Mayor Franklin C. Beckwith gave the welcome at the opening session. - Banner photo. Have you met? Someone who has spent their whole life living in Hastings might take it for granted. Courtney Ziny, bom and raised in Hast­ ings, is not one of those people. A Hastings High School alumni and life­ long Barry County resident, Ziny said she still feels a draw to the community because of how special it really is. “I think sometimes people don’t realize how special our community is, the benefits that we have and all the people doing things to make it a better community for all of us,” she said. “There’s a lot of groups and vol­ unteers behind the scenes, and I think that we often don’t realize how blessed we are.” After graduating high school, Ziny worked at banks and other financial institu­ tions around town. Eventually, she decided to go back to school to study accounting and was placed in the honors program at Davenport University. One of the pro­ gram’s requirements was to work with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. “I never thought that doing taxes was my thing, I was just doing it to check a box,” she said. “I fell in love with the program and fell in love with giving back and help­ ing people.” VITA is a grant program funded by the Internal Revenue Service that helps people in underserved communities by offering free tax consultation and preparation ser­ vices. The program often works with asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE) people. Those in the ALICE pop­ ulation are working a job but struggling to make ends meet, often because they fall slightly above the poverty line and can’t qualify for many aid programs. After discovering her love of non-profit work, Ziny accepted a position in Calhoun County working directly with the VITA program. “I loved what I was doing in Calhoun County,” she said. “But it wasn’t my com­ munity. I really felt led to come back to serve in my community.” She worked for a time as the financial coordinator at the Barry Community Foun- Courtney Ziny dation, keeping records and learning more about what role each service organization in the community served. Most recently, she’s been a success coach for the Barry County United Way. She works directly with those in the ALICE population, work­ ing to improve financial literacy in the community and connect those in need with services that can help them. Monday will be Ziny’s first day in a new role of executive director at the Barry County Commission on Aging. She’s been working with Tammy Pennington, the cur­ rent director, to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. “Tammy has been here for 30 years, so there are huge shoes to fill,” Ziny said. “I’m not trying to be a new Tammy, I’m just trying to put my spin on things and see where we go from there.” Ziny is ready to roll up her sleeves and dive into the new position. Along with improving the services and facilities the commission provides seniors, she also hopes to spread awareness about the pro­ grams provided to reach as many seniors as possible. Above all, she’s happy to continue helping people right here in Barry County. “Every job I’ve had, every position I’ve held, has prepared me for this,” Ziny said. “Especially in the last five years at United Way, I’ve really been able to be up close and personal with people seeing where the needs are. I’m excited to narrow that down to seniors.” For her dedication to helping people and her love of Barry County, Courtney Ziny is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite Movie: “Armageddon.” I don’t know why that ever became my favorite movie, but it is my favorite. It’s really good. I could probably quote most of it. If I won the lottery: I would proba­ bly give away the money because there’s so many things that other people need. That would make me happy - to make other people happy and to support other people that might just need a handout, or support the organizations that are always worried about their funding. That’s what 1 would do. Person I admire most: My maternal grandmother, Dorothy Hawkins. My grandpa was in the service, so she raised the kids while they were little by herself. She became a beautician, and worked that job. She was just always there. We spent a lot of time with her when my sister and I were younger. It’s hard to watch people that you love that much age and change. We lost her in 2020. She had a huge part in my learning of unconditional support. I never felt judged by her. She never ques­ tioned my decisions. When my grandpa passed away from cancer, she remained independent. She showed a strength that I hope I show when I’m older. In one of my many chats with Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer, I asked her if she had any goals for the primary election in terms of voter turnout. She completely ignored my request for her to quantify what might be con­ sidered a “successful primary election” in terms of numbers and simply said: “For everything to go smoothly.” You can’t blame her for that being a top priority, either. Palmer, her staff in the clerk’s office and the over 200 poll workers around Barry County really do walk a prover­ bial tight rope these days. With buzz­ words like voter fraud and election integrity floating around ever since they were seemingly bom out of the 2020 presidential election, there simply is no room for error for anyone associ­ ated with elections. Here’s a revelation that will surprise nobody - I make mistakes at my job. Quite a few of them, in fact. You can leaf through this issue of The Banner and search for them if you’d like (whatever gets you to read the newspaper). But the point is that, when I make mistakes, I don’t have someone yelling in my face that I am alienating their constitutional rights or compromising democracy. Poll work­ ers face this sort of risk. Benign, procedural mistakes or tech­ nical issues can be overblown into something bigger than what it really is. Palmer’s fear for any sort of procedural hiccup during an election is founded because, when it happens, media, parti­ san-inspired members of the public and others are prone to digging in to see if there is something more. Now, I’m certainly not saying that this sort of behavior happens only in Barry County - or that it even happens frequently here. In fact, Palmer told me that dust-ups at the polls are quite lim­ ited. But try browsing headlines, or even scroll through social media during a high-profile election. I’m talking Presidential elections. You’ll find everything from self-ap­ pointed poll watchers being ushered out of facilities to people on social media hatching half-baked theories about what they have seen or experi­ enced while voting. Now, on the other side of this coin, look at the typical poll worker. What inspires them to be there? Both myself and Banner reporter Hunter McLaren spent some time on Tuesday during the primary election connecting with poll workers, figuring out why they choose to serve in that capacity and what sort of scrutiny they face. You can catch that extended report in this weekend’s issue of The Reminder. Not to spoil it for you, but these poll workers ain’t in it for the little bit of money they get paid. There aren’t a whole lot of professional poll workers driving around in luxury vehicles. Most are driven by the opportunity to serve the community. These are individuals that have a genuine passion for serving the com­ munity and helping to facilitate its most crucial functions, like local elections. Even a small but vocal minority of folks can make this act of service incredibly unfulfilling and, in some cases, perhaps even miserable. This by no means is a trend reserved for public servants involved with elec­ tions, either. Let’s look at an incredibly important public service role that is Jayson Bussa Editor-in-Chief Hastings Banner The Hastings BaHUCI* Deuoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. accompanied by no pay: school board members. I had the opportunity to sit down with Maple Valley Schools Superinten­ dent Katherine Bertolini to pick her brain on a number of topics, which we will release in a report as the first day of school nears. I noticed that, at the time, Maple Val­ ley Schools was having a hard time getting people to even run for open school board positions. Since then, some incumbents have stepped in to fill the potential vacancies, but I think, as a whole, the role of school board member has become far less appealing after schools had to endure the COVID-19 pandemic and the constantly-changing policies and mandates that came with it. How many video clips from West Michigan alone have you come across where parents are storming a school board meeting, shouting and carrying on? I’m all for going to bat for your children. I have three of them in school and want their experience to be nothing but positive. But are these issues and grievances really with unpaid school board mem­ bers or state policies and other higher ups? School board members have been on the front lines, facing the barrage of angry parents. Superintendent Bertolini, who was nothing but complimentary about the parents in her school district, highlight­ ed one such instance. Last school year, while students were not made to wear masks inside the school buildings throughout the day, a Michigan mandate permitted that all students wear a mask while riding the bus. When the school had to enforce that policy, school board members and other members of the administration bore the brunt of the blowback on that issue. This dynamic has permeated so many areas of society, now. We won’t even get into the disrespect and malign­ ing of virtually anyone in law enforce­ ment, even when the lack of respect for authorities has gotten worse by many accounts. Heck, hop over to the private sector where you will find reports right now of restaurants and other hospitality businesses facing a growingly entitled and hostile customer base. It has gotten so bad that some businesses have tem­ porarily closed up shop to give their workers a breather. Kudos to any busi­ ness owner that sees their workers fac­ ing that sort of treatment and doing something to help. But, public servants are not awarded this right - there is no pause button for them. Simply step back and take a high level look at what sort of public ser­ vants make society tick. Take time to think about what func­ tions make society tick and the people that have stepped in to take on those responsibilities. Poll workers and school board members are certainly two vital roles. Are these really roles that we want to make look unattractive and discourage people from pursuing? While we don’t have to bow at the feet of public servants or shower them with gifts, we owe it to them to do their jobs - which also means making mis­ takes. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — Page 5 Delton Kellogg building project erasing history, overly extravagant I spent my first 13 years of school attend­ ing Delton Kellogg in the building that has now been destroyed. I was disappointed to see it go, but I had accepted the decision. When I saw that the hundred-year-old trees has been removed, my disappointment (along with many others) turned to disgust and anger. The trees were part of our “small town Americana” atmosphere. It makes me wonder what other surprises there are in store for us besides the trees. I’m not sure whose decision it was to cut them down, but they now have a lot of people asking the following question: Why do we need three buildings, four gyms, a turf football field, rubber track, and a stateof-the-art $12 million building when last Drunk driver apologetic, cooperative year’s graduating class had 15 more students than the class that graduated 60 years ago? We now live in a throw-away society with the attitude that “it’s not our money, we will spend it all and then ask for more.” Police responded to a single-vehicle crash around 6 p.m. on July 18 near the intersec­ tion of Davenport and Velte roads, southeast of Woodland Township. A 56-year-old Woodland man drove off the roadway, through a ditch and hit a tree. When asked what happened, the man told police he “had one too many to drink” and had consumed three “tall boy” beers before driving. The man told police he realized he had made a mistake, and he wanted to take responsibility for his actions. The police report noted the man was very cooperative, respectful and remorseful for his actions. The report also said the man apologized several times to every police officer and first responder who appeared at the scene of the crash. A breathalyzer test at the scene measured the man’s blood alcohol content to be 0.133 percent. Maybe it’s time we make it more difficult to get more. Don Wooer Delton Departure from Christian foundation to blame for downfall Letter to the Editor: “As it’s been unwritten.” America was once a great nation because of our strong Judeo-Christian foundation and heritage, and the residue positive effects it had on the nation as a whole. While the nation was not perfect (what nation is?), it became the greatest nation on earth and hundreds of mil­ lions of people desired to come here. But many are foolishly walking away from this, and doing so at exponential speed, and we are suffering (not benefiting) from the results. As the chasm widens (virtually uncrossable), roughly half the people are staying with the general Judeo-Christian mindset that made America great, and the other half of people are descending into a severe mentality of narcissism, with each person choosing to build their sense of right or wrong, good or bad, on the shifting sand of “me first” thinking. The days of a higher authority (God) being above people, a higher authority of absolutes of right or wrong, good and bad are fast dis­ appearing, and not for the better. People who support this narcissistic mentality, blindly think we are headed toward utopia, but the descent into the abyss is evident to anyone Hake. Elaine Garlock and announcement of the 75^ wedding anni­ August 6 brings Art in the Park once again. This has been a big event here for more than 40 years. Gone are the days of having food service from local service groups. This year, all the vendors seem to be commercial enti­ ties. In years past, one could patronize Band Boosters, the Lakewood Area Choral Society, Boy Scouts, Friends of the Library, Lions Club and others - time marches on! There will be a full day of music at the bandstand with plenty of space for lawn chairs and picnic tables with benches. Vendors will line the diagonal path from 4^ Avenue to M-50, plus a row of vendors along 4^ Avenue versary of Maxine “Mick” and Galen Wortley of Lansing. Maxine was a graduate of Wood­ land High School, a Bates daughter who lived on Clark Road north of M-43. The couple has three daughters. Summer reading programs have concluded at both the Woodland and Lake Odessa com­ munity libraries. At Woodland, there were more than 50 children enrolled. The array of prizes ready for the readers was impressive. Both libraries had the same theme about crea­ tures in the ocean. At Lake Odessa, which has a much larger population than Woodland, the number who registered for the program was more than 200. With that number added to adults who read, played bridge, sewed and cooked, the number of people involved was over 300. Flowers are everywhere. On the north end of 4^ Avenue, the Mutch yard has almost no and a few tucked into spaces in the northeast quarter of the park. This even draws thousands of visitors. Come and join the crowd! We often see announcements of 50^ and 60^ wedding anniversaries, but the Sunday issue of the Lansing State Journal had a photo Drunk driver hostile, uncooperative with eyes to see and ears to hear. While the author of the opinion piece offers some good advice in dealing with this, it seems that most people lack the desire, nor ability on their own to make any change. I think this is where we, as a nation, need to return to the biblical God and his teachings as the firm foundation for our lives, the proper understanding what is right or wrong, good and bad with the residue effect making the nation a more harmonious place once again. Joseph Perotta Nashville Votebeat Leading up to Michigan’s first major elec­ tion since the frenzy of 2020 election conspir­ acy theories, election officials are again hold­ ing public events to demonstrate their regular testing of election systems - and again are finding little interest from Michiganders in seeing the technology and the process up close. The Aug. 2 primary is just days away, and clerks across the state are testing tabulators to ensure that the machines are accurate, reli­ able, and ready to receive the ballots from voters and properly count them. The assess­ ments, referred to as logic and accuracy tests, are mandated by state law, as in many parts of the country. In Michigan, the tests must be conducted before each election and are open to the public. With the country’s elections clouded in suspicion, mistrust, and misinformations, elections officials hope the public testing allays suspicion and helps renew trust in their voting process. Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown is among Michigan clerks who strongly encour­ age residents to see the tests. She believes that witnessing the mock count could help dispel some of the disinformation and misin­ formation around elections. “It’s open to the public,” said Brown, who noted that she advertised in the local newspa­ per, sent out a press release, posted on social media and notified an email listserv. “This is a transparent operation. Come watch! Come see what we do!” But only one local resident came to watch Monday’s test, which Brown conducted in a large conference room at the Oakland County Clerk’s Office in Pontiac. Two election work­ ers from Hamburg Township, in Livingston County, also watched to learn more about the tabulators’ software. With the assistance of a handful of staffers armed with about 20 computers, Brown and Oakland County Elections Director Joseph Rozell scanned test ballots to check the accu­ racy of 18 tabulators. Oakland election work­ ers will use the same tabulators Tuesday to count absentee ballots for 19 communities in the county. “We want to ensure the accuracy of the equipment as well as the security so we know the votes are secure,” said Brown. Statewide, there have been no notable glitches or problems reported from local elec­ tion departments’ tests of the tabulators, said Tracy Wimmer, the spokeswoman for Michi­ gan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. “None that were not correctable or indicative of anything more than initial human error that was caught and fixed,” Wimmer said. Another test happened later in the week in Port Huron, a border city along Lake Huron in St. Clair County. City Clerk Cyndee Jonseck also said she welcomes voters to come watch the testing. “There are so many views out there about elections, and so it [the test­ ing] brings awareness about the testing of the machines and how it’s done every election,” said Jonseck. Although a public notice for Thursday morning’s logic and accuracy test was pub­ lished in the Port Huron Times Herald and on the city’s website, no residents showed up, said Jonseck. She was joined by her staff, Port Huron Police Chief Joseph Platzer, and Finance Director Ed Brennan, who are members of the city’s election commission, to test a tabu­ lator for one of Port Huron’s 10 precincts. “I just think a lot of people aren’t aware of the process,” Jonseck said, as she loaded about 30 mock ballots in the tabulator. Jonseck tested the machine using several different scenarios on test ballots, including overvoting and inserting a blank ballot. She later compared results from the test ballots that included votes for candidates to the tab­ ulator’s readings.. The manual count of the test ballots and the tabulator matched up. “We do things right here,” said Platzer. “Sit­ ting here just watching the test and the verifi­ cation shows that things are done properly.” The police chief says the public test “shows the transparency” of the process and that the system is reliable. In Oakland County, Brown said she also hopes the testing will lay to rest any doubt some may have about voting. “Now we have people doubting the transparency, the securi­ ty of voting,” said Brown Woman makes 127 unfounded 911 calls grass because it is thickly planted with a wide variety of flowers. Right now, lilies are the chief attraction. Nearby, the Rider-Heins’ yard has abundant plantings. Because it is the last house on the block, it has great exposure to all drivers coming from the north. On the next street closer to APEC, residents have a lawn garden with impressive plantings between the sidewalk and the street. Theirs is completely vegetables with several tomato plants and a sign which reads “FREE tomatoes.” On Saturday, the Lake Odessa Depot Museum was open for visitors with the only publicity coming from Facebook and this column. Even so, there was a surprising attendance of out of town visitors, some of whom did considerable research. The hours were 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This was the tradition­ al day for Depot Day, which had to be cur­ tailed during the CO VID pandemic, which is still with us in varying degrees. People are still being infected, despite their vaccinations and booster shots. The frequent telephone calls touting politi­ cal candidates continued ^TI day Monday. We should have a bit of respitabefore the calls start again in advance of the November elec­ tion. We will be having a new county com­ missioner since incumbent Karen Banks was not a candidate. She replaced her husband on the county board to fill his term after major illness took him away from his post. Since then, she has been re-elected at least once, if not more. Despite election conspiracies, few in Michigan bother to watch equipment tests Oralandar Brand-Williams Police responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash around 1:30 a.m. on July 24 near the 3600 block of North Clark Road in Woodland Township. Police made contact with the driver, a 25-year-old Hastings man, who responded to questions from police by shak­ ing his head and saying “just take me to jail” several times. The man eventually told police he was returning home from a bar in Grand Ledge when he started drifting off the road and overcorrected, leading to his car turning sideways and rolling over. A breatha­ lyzer test measured the man’s blood alcohol content to be 0.238 percent. Throughout the investigation, the man refused to cooperate with police and remained hostile towards them as well as other first responders on the scene. Police reported that it took three attempts to get an accurate breath test reading, as the man continuously performed the test incorrectly after being told how to do it. The man then resisted while police tried to handcuff him, held his legs tightly together while police tried to search him, and refused to walk to the police vehicle. The man went limp, and police had to carry the handcuffed man by his arms to the police vehicle. Once at the vehicle, the man refused to get in the backseat and had to be pushed in. Walled Lake resident Marlene Palicz came to Brown’s office to witness Monday’s test­ ing. She said the visit made her “feel better” and put an end to any concerns about the counting of ballots. “It really does show how they prove the accuracy,” Palicz, a Republican precinct del­ egate in her community in Oakland County, told Brown. “Thank you for this. I had no idea it was so detailed.” This article is made possible through Vote­ beat, a nonpartisan news organization cover­ ing local election administration and voting. Votebeat will make this article available for reprint under the terms of its republishing policy. The A 24-year-old Lansing woman requested a welfare check on her 2-year-old daughter who lives with her 23-year-old Wayland father around 11 p.m. on July 28. The officer responding to the call was just starting their shift and was informed by another officer a welfare check had been performed earlier in the day. This particular caller had made several unfounded calls, with checks from police and Child Protective Services finding no proof of any allegations made. On this call, the woman told police she had received a call from her daughter’s father stating that he was going to throw the child against the wall. The responding officer called the woman, and noted that the woman’s response was a calm and collected “Hey, what’s up?” The officer told the woman that her previous allegations were unfounded, and to stop calling. The woman continued to call the non-emergency police line and asked about the status of her welfare checks, while calm­ ly alleging that her daughter was being sexually assaulted and later killed. When asked for evidence of this, the woman stuttered, changed her story several times and failed to produce any text messages or calls she said she had received. When police informed the woman they were going to request the recordings of her several emergency calls, the woman interrupted and told police she was going to drive to her daughter’s father’s house and kill him. The responding officer requested several periodic phone pings that showed the woman did not leave her house. Upon requesting a history of complaints called in by the woman, the officer found the woman had called 911 with similar reports 127 times in the span of a year. Recordings of the calls and a copy of the 911 logs were forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for review. HASTING PUBLIC LIBRARY CALENDAR AUG. 4-10 Thursday, Aug. 4 - Movie memories watches an Oscar-nominated 1944 film about a cow­ ardly actor and a runaway princess searching for treasure, 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9 - Learn magic with John Dudley (online registration required), 2 p.m.; mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. ' Call for Hastings Banner ais 269-945-9554 or 1-800-870-7085 ■ HIastings D ........ . .... Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 DANNER Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: ■■ ............. ... One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway (M-43 North) • Cloverdale: Woodland: Cloverdale General Woodland Express Harding's Superette Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Shelbyville: Nashville: Family Fare Middleville Johnny's Town & Country Trading Post The Dock Nashville Johnny's Tom's Market - . Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Marathon Mega Bev Pine Lake: Hastings Pharmacy Doster Country Store Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Prairieville: MV Pharmacy Delton: Nashville C Store Family Fare Carl’s Delton Johnny's Lake Odessa: Lake-O-Express Banfield: Lake-O-Mart Banfield General Store Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L& J’s Prairieville Fast Stop Carl’s �Page 6 — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Raymond Lee Hawkins David Bruce Thomas, age 71 of Hastings, MI, passed away on July 29, 2022. David was bom on October 3, 1950 in Hastings, the son of Joseph and Betty (Wilkenson) Thomas. David was employed as a superintendent at Steelcase for over 35 years. He owned several Farmall tractors and enjoyed collecting them. David loved his big red truck, hunting, fishing, and took great pride in his lawn. He was also an avid NASCAR fan. David will be remembered for helping other people whenever he could and will be greatly missed by his surrounding neighbors who have shown so much care and compas­ sion over the years. David is survived by his wife, Ruby Thom­ as; sons, Jason (Sabrina “what’s her name”) Thomas and Joshua (Charlyne) Thomas; grandchildren, Alexis, Ethan, Nathan, Zoey, Samantha (Seth), and Corey; great grandchil­ dren, Simon, Jonah, Asher, and Gracie; broth­ ers, James Thomas and Don (Eddy Sue) Thomas. David was preceded in death by his par­ ents; and brother, Bill Thomas. A celebration of life open house will be held on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, 12 to 5 p.m. at Joshua Thomas’s residence. 11965 Gackler Road, Middleville, MI 49331. Memorial contributions to the Gilmore Car Museum will be appreciated. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for David’s family. Treva Elaine Schoneboom, passed away July 31, 2022 at Stanford Lodge in Plainwell, MI. Treva was bom August 25, 1931 in Allegan County, the daughter of Henry and Edith Predum. In her early years, Treva worked at sev­ eral retail positions where she gained experi­ ence that served her well when she and her husband, Wayne owned and successfully oper­ ated Shonie’s Gullview Market at Gull Lake for seven years. Following the sale of the store, Treva was actively involved in managing the farm she and her husband had acquired in the Barry County area near Yankee Springs. Treva took a lot of pride in canning the fruits and vegetables grown in the large gar­ den area established on the farm. She had several guineas and liked raising chickens and gathering their own eggs. Treva is survived by siblings Roland Predum and Bonnie Putman; and several nieces and nephews. Treva was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wayne Schoneboom after 56 years of marriage; siblings, Adelia McNutt, Russell Predum, Alvin Predum, Joe Predum, Mike Predum, Olive “Becky” Pantale, Clare Predum. Friends and family are invited to a grave­ side service at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at Oak Hill Cemetery, 6942 Lindsey Rd., Delton, MI 49046. Memorial contributions to a local charity of one’s choice will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory pi to Leave a condolence message for Treva’s family. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmai.Ls.om. Website: www, hasting.sfreemethQdist.CQm.. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; ^:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 MIMSM 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Velma Helene (Muntz) Bennett, a resident of Charlevoix, MI, entered eternal life on August 2, 2022. She was 92 years old. Velma was born in Gagetown, MI, on May 4, 1930, to Homer and Nellie Muntz. She was raised on a farm in Cass City. She always shared many‘fond memories of her childhood years, including attending the one-room schoolhouse, hoeing the beans, milking the cows, and farming with the team of horses. Velma also shared many memories of her life during the Great Depression and World War II. In 1951, she received a bachelor of science degree in business education from Central Michigan College of Education (now Central Michigan University). Many great memories were made at CMCE, including meeting her husband and being part of the Homecoming Queen’s Court in 1949. At the age of 22, Velma taught business classes, specifically shorthand and typing, in the Chicago area (Orland Park and Midlo­ thian). After a brief teaching career, she and her husband (Kingsley Bennett) were relocated to Fort Ord near Monterey, CA, during the Korean War. Velma and Kingsley then moved to Hastings, where their family continued to grow, and Kingsley began his optometry career. Her last 27 years were spent in beautiful Charlevoix. She worked at the family owned Sunglass Shoppe and spoke fondly of the many friendships she made while there. She is still known today as “The Sunglass Lady”. . Velma truly Ipv^Jjeing with family. She also loved music, especially watching con­ certs and parades in which her children and/ or grandchildren were involved. There was always a special place in her heart for The Petoskey Steel Drum Band. Velma’s sweet personality and kind smiles will be missed by all who knew and loved her. She always put others first and never wanted to disappoint. Velma is being reunited with her late hus­ band (Dr. Kingsley Bennett), parents (Homer and Nellie Muntz), sister (Lorine Raess-Hartman), infant twin siblings (Newell Homer Muntz and Nellie Marie Muntz), and son-in­ law (Wally Sowles). She is survived by her five children, Jeff (Deb) Bennett of Hastings; Fred (Leslie) Bennett of Larkspur, CO; Lori Bennett-Sowles of Charlevoix; Barry (Robin) Bennett of Petoskey; and Mary (Brian) Wynne of Midland. She is also survived by nine grandchildren (Jason Bennett, Katie Bennett-Durr, Rebecca Bennett-James, Jac­ queline Bennett, Annika Bennett, Corey Ben­ nett, Morgan Wynne, Sydney Wynne and Kingsley Wynne), five great grandchildren (Chase Bennett, Cara Bennett, Charlotte Durr, Wyatt Durr, and Milly Durr), sister-in­ law Mary Bennett-Drake of Buena Vista, CO; former daughter-in-law Jayne (Ron) Win­ chester of Charlevoix, as well as many dear nieces and nephews. Her family would like to thank Grandvue Medical Care Facility for their wonderful care, love, and friendship. Memorial contributions in her memory can be donated to any of the following: Petoskey Steel Drum Band, c/o Petoskey Band Boosters, 801 Northman Drive, Petos­ key, MI 49770, the American Cancer Society online, by phone at 800-227-2345, or by mail at P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD, 21741, or the American Diabetes Association online, by phone at 800-342-2383, or by mail to P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA, 22116-7023. Funeral services for Velma will be con­ ducted at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022 at the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. The family will receive visitors from 2 p.m. until the time of services at 4 p.m. Arrangements are in the care of the Charlevoix Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com GIRRBACH M Funeral Home / y Sue Hunter went to be with her Lord and Savior on July 30, 2022, at the age of 77. Sue was bom in Hastings, MI on Decem­ ber 21, 1945 to Edith and John Miller. Sue grew up on a farm, and enjoyed riding her horse to school and through the fields of Mid­ dleville. She graduated from Thornapple-Kellogg High School in 1964, where she was crowned homecoming queen. She married Gordon Timm soon after graduating from high school, and had three lovely children. Sue was a very hard worker, who made loyalty a priority. One of her first jobs was modeling for Steelcase. She then worked many years as a bus driver for Thornapple-Kellogg Public Schools. Over an extended period of time, she was involved with horse shows, and taking her children to 4H. She went on to work for the US Post Office as a rural carrier for 25 years. Sue really enjoyed this job, because she could connect with the community. She absolutely loved to meet her postal route patrons, and they loved her welcoming demeanor. After retirement, she enjoyed a life of lei­ sure and took up boating. She was a proud member of The Saginaw Bay Yacht Club. She would travel on long, overnight excursions along the shores of Lake Huron. Sue also trav­ eled to Hawaii, Florida, Alabama, and occa­ sionally would visit one of her son’s in Maine. She enjoyed spending time with her grand­ children. .Sue attended St. Paul Lutheran Church, where she volunteered as the treasurer. She was predeceased by her husband, Mel­ vin Hunter; mother, Edith Miller; father, John Miller; son-in-law, Paul Peterson, and grand­ son, Bradley Timm. She is survived by her brothers, David (Mary) and Al Miller; sons, Eric (Elaine) and David Timm;- her daughter, Kris Peterson; step-daughters, Beth (Rodger) Nugent and Cynthia (David) Rotherford; grandchildren, Ryan MacLeod (Ann Sun), Jordan Timm (Gabi Nearing), Camden MacLeod (Melanie Hill), Garrett (Hannah) Hubbell, Jon Hubbell, Andrea and Jessie Peterson, Amelia and Eve­ lyn Nugent, Francis, Benedict, Joseph, and Isidore Rutherford, and great-grandchild, Lyla MacLeod. Visitations will be held at Beeler-Gores Funeral Home in Middleville on Friday, Aug. 5 from 5-7 p.m. and at Middleville United Methodist church on Saturday, Aug. 6 from 10-11 a.m. with the memorial service follow­ ing at 11 a.m. There will be a luncheon pro­ ceeding at the church. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Hospice of Michigan. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Sue’s family. i Raymond Lee Hawkins, age 89, of Alto passed away on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. Ray was the son of Clayton and Edna Hawkins, bom June 10, 1933. He married Gertrude Louise Teater on May 14, 1955 at Park Congregational Church. Ray graduated from Caledonia Agricultural School in -1951. Following graduation, he worked for Davis Dental Laboratory until he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1952, where he com­ pleted initial training at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. He saw service during the Korean Conflict from 1952 to 1956, where he worked in communications having attended U.S Naval Radio School in San Diego, CA and fol­ low-on courses at Imperial Beach NSA School in Napa, CA. Upon completion of his training, Ray was stationed first at the Naval Air Facility Adak in Alaska and then, after marrying his wife Gertrude in 1955, was stationed at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. After completing his service, he returned home to Michigan and once again worked for Davis Lab. Ray taught Sunday school at Whitneyville Bible Church, served on the Caledonia School Board, volunteered at the Kent County Youth Fair as Livestock Superintendent, Sheep Superintendent, and served on the fair board for 16 years. Ray was a member of the Amer­ ican Legion Post 305 in Caledonia and a member of the Caledonia Historical Society. Ray retired from the lab in 1993. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed raising sheep, gardening, and taking friends and family on golf cart rides around the farm. He was preceded in death by his brother, Clayton Hawkins Jr.; sister, Sharon Hawkins; daughters-in-law, Dede Hawkins, Mary Haw­ kins; sister-in-law, Barbara Hawkins. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Gertrude; children, Raymond (Penny) Hawkins Jr., James Hawkins, William Haw­ kins, Roy David (Kathy) Hawkins, John (Sandy) Hawkins, Mary (Chad) Crosby; 17 grandchildren; 13 greatgrandchildren; broth­ er, Richard (Joyce) Hawkins. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Fri­ day, Aug. 5, 2022 at Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home, 616 E. Main St. SE, Caledonia, with Rev. Alan Leonhardt officiat­ ing. Burial will be held at Lakeside Ceme­ tery. Relatives and friends may meet the family Thursday from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home and one hour prior tq services. Those who wish may make memorial con­ tributions to the American Legion Post 305. Condolences may be sent online at www. mkdfuneralhome.com. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute August events Aug. 1-31 - August Story walk book: “If Pluto was a Pea” by Gabrielle Prendergast. Join two curious kids as they discover the rel­ ative sizes of each planet in our solar system. After the hike, go for a “Planet Walk” along the Tall Grass Prairie. The Storywalk is cost-free. Thursday, Aug. 4 - Field Station end of summer celebration; open house, 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Writers’ Reading, 7:30 p.m. This cele­ bration is free to the public. Wednesday, Aug. 10 -A Celebration of Water: Barry County Water Quality Monitoring Program (BCWQMP) report meeting; refresh­ ments, 6-6:30 p.m.; presentation, 6:30-7:30 p.m. There is no cost to attending the meeting. Saturday, Aug. 13 - Tour the Galactic Zoo in the Sky with the Hastings Public Library, 8:30-10:30 p.m. This event is free. Tuesday, Aug. 16 - What’s the Cache? The Basics of Geocaching; program, 6:30-7 p.m.; Geocaching, 7-8:30 p.m. What’s the Cache? is a free event. Thursday, Aug. 18 - BioBlitz Hike: Your Guide to Grasses, 3-5 p.m. This event is free to Institute members and costs $5 for non-members. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreeki n stitute.org/events. htm 1. Tel. (2691-945.3252 Fax(269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings. Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Miguel Angel Diaz, Middleville and Gretchen Suzanne Bartlett, Lowell Alexis Joy Hoffman, Middleville and Jef­ frey Alan Keating, Middleville �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — Page 7 fl look back at the stories and columns on local history in the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Editor’s note: In the 60 years following the Steenbock gravel pit accident, the tragedy still invokes strong emotions from many com­ munity members. The Banner has decided to run the original article published following the tragedy in June of1952 due to community interest and to honor the memory of the men lost in this accident. The Steenbock gravel pit accident has remained a prominent memory in the history of Barry County, albeit a sad one. In 1954, Sally Massey produced a 78-rpm record with songs composed by Patty Demond in tribute to the Steenbock family and Eddie Lewis. This article contains graphic descriptions that readers may find disturbing. Banner June 12, 1952 Only sand and pebbles dribbling from the sheer, wind-swept walls into the chasm breaks the silence at the Steenbock & Sons’ canyon-like gravel pit two and a half miles northwest of here on old M-37 where the lives of a father and two of his sons and a fourth man were snuffed out by tons of grav­ el which slid into the bottom sometime after 10:30 a.m. Thursday. It was the worst tragedy of its kind in Barry County’s history, and search operations directed by Sheriff Leon Doster are believed to have been the largest and most dramatic on record. The dead are Henry Steenbock, 56; his two sons, Vernon, 30, and Roy, 25, all of Route 2, Hastings, and Edward N. “Eddie” Lewis, 25, of Middleville, a custom trucker. The last of the bodies, Roy’s, was brought out of the pit and set gently down on the sur­ face by the giant Baldwin Brothers’ crane at 3:40 p.m. Friday, climaxing a Herculean struggle of men and machines to free the vic­ tims entombed by hundreds of yards of grav­ el which evidently slid from the steep north wall. The bodies of the other three were removed from the pit between 5:45 and 7:40 p.m. Thursday. According to Sheriff Doster, the tragedy began to unfold about 11:20 a.m. Thursday when Henry’s wife, Gladys, went from their home about 200 yards southwest of the pit to get her husband to fix the bottle gas stove which had gone out. She found only a depressing silence. The large gravel scoop, which operates in a 450-foot channel of sand along the bottom of the pit to the crusher-washer, was at the machine. Water was still dripping from the bins. No one could be seen. Mrs. Steenbock knew something wasn’t right, as the pit is seldom left unattended during the day - except during the deer sea­ son. However, she thought the men may have walked back to Algonquin Lake or had gone to Hastings. Eddie’s truck, with one door open, was at the pit. Eddie had been at the Steenbock home about 10:30 to get the orders for gravel he was to fill that day. One was to haul gravel for the new YMCA bathhouse at Algonquin. She returned to the house and telephoned Vernon’s home. He wasn’t there. She called several places in Hastings where she thought the men might be. In the meantime, Eddie’s wife, Phyllis, arrived to have lunch with her husband and also to find out if Eddie would go fishing that evening with his brother in law, Homer DeWeerd, of Middleville. Ver­ non’s wife, Neva, soon arrived at the pit. Lyle Rockhill, of the Rockhill & Kinney service station here who lives across the road from the pit, drove in about 11:45 a.m. to pick up Roy’s car to take it to town for a grease job. What happened still isn’t known. Finally Mrs. Steenbock drove in desper­ ation to the sheriff’s office, arriving at 12:25, to report there may have been a cave-in. By 1 p.m., Sheriff Doster, Undersheriff Bernard Hammond, Juvenile Agent Ted Wis­ ner, Robert Stowell, City Engineer Ken Laberteaux and men form the City’s street and water department crews, were on the scene. Where the men were was still a mystery, but a slide from perhaps two-thirds of the north wall of the pit had rolled into the nar­ row bottom. The huge pit scraper was dragged by the triangular cable-suspension system into the pit. With Undersheriff Hammond on the west side and Doster in the centerto Sig­ nal orders to Glenn Baum operating the power unit, the scraper started one scoop. Almost immediately a portion of a man’s head was revealed. The full force of the tragedy struck. The driving need for urgency to free the men was obvious, but sending more men into the pit for hand shoveling without protection of life-lines was ruled out as fool-hardy. Fur­ ther use of the scraper, difficult to manipu­ late, was halted to prevent mutilation of the men. A physician believed the men could only live a few minutes after being buried alive. Doster sent for the Baldwin Brothers’ equipment. In the meantime, Wilbur Landon, of the City water department, operated the Steenbock crane and the City crew, using the pit’s bulldozer, practically built a road up the steep east end of the hill from which the pit was dug, to get the machine to the north lip of the pit to begin operations. By the time Baldwin’s crane with a 3A-yard shovel arrived at 3:07, the landing was almost prepared. The big crane moved in. Men, brav­ ing possible additional slides, periodically entered the pit. Not more than six went down at a time to dig for the bodies. Men on the top held life-lines tied to the searchers who Gravel Pit Cave-In Snuffs Out Lives Of 4 Barry County Men Henry, Vernon, Roy Steenbock and Eddie Lewis Buried Alive in Chasm Last Thursday Morning worked frantically in the intense heat at the bottom of the 40-foot hole. Life belts, ropes and other equipment came from the State Flighway department, County Road commis­ sion and the City. The families of the men remained at the house, and as the hour passed, all hope faded. The body of Vernon, the first found, was freed. The body of Henry was removed about 7:15 and Eddie’s at 7:40 that evening. Henry and Eddie had been within several feet of each other. Vernon’s body was found about 14 feet west of them. The Baldwin power shovel had to be used. The dry sand and small stones filled hand­ made excavations almost as fast as they were dug. . The shovel was used constantly during the afternoon and evening until Sheriff Doster called a halt at 1:15 a.m. Friday to give the weary men a rest. The night operations were eerie as six, 1,500 watt units from Consumers Power portable dynamos beamed into the gaping tomb and ground lights placed by the Homelite company cast huge shadows over the hundreds of on-lookers who gathered during the afternoon and evening, coming across fields and by car. They were held in check by Civil Air Patrol cadets, scouts from the Morton Young Sea Ship and Troop 73, plus sheriff’s deputies and volunteers. The highway was lined near­ ly a half mile east and west of the pit by cars. About 11 p.m. digging operations halted briefly as Albert Osborn, First ward aiderman and safety expert for Consumers Power, was lowered by the shovel into the pit with an M-Scope, a metal detector which under prop­ er conditions can detect metal from 12 to 16 feet in the ground. It was hoped the device might reveal where a shovel, an iron prod or other tools might be, indicating perhaps where Roy’s body may be. Coffee, milk, and food appeared at the pit from restaurants and stores both in Middleville and Hastings, and from neighbors who pitched in to help in whatever manner they could. A ghost-like silence fell over the scene as Robert Baldwin, who operated the crane most of the time, locked it early Friday morning. Shortly after 7 a.m. the tired men returned to the pit. Again, the drag line scoop was pressed into service. The crane’s shovel, working off cables, had moved over 1,100 yards of dirt without a sign of Roy’s body. Using the dragline scoop, Doster and oth­ ers reasoned, would remove much of the dirt and deepen the channel at the bottom to cause the unmoved gravel against the sheer scoop unearthed a bit of a red south bank to cave gently to the center perhaps revealing Roy’s body. [At about 3:05 Friday afternoon,] Bert Ebersole, tied to a lifeline, went down the north side and after one probe with a shov­ el signaled that the search was over. The body was freed by Ebersole, Ed Erway and Bill Moore. They wrapped the strapping youth in a blanket, laid him in the crane’s scoop and he was raised to the surface. He was placed in the ambulance and the heart­ sick crowd began drifting away. As the rumble of the heavy equipment moving from the area faded, only the falling sand and pebbles broke the silence. Exactly what happened may never be known. There are no witnesses to tell. PIT SCENE—Volunteer workers under the direction of Sheriff Leon Doster, in checkered shirt, are shown in a picture taken from the north side of the Steenbock gravel pit. Workmen using shovels alternated in the search with the Baldwin Bros, crane. Crane operations would stop whenever something unusual was unearthed in the pit, and the men would go down for close scrutiny. — Grand Rapids Press photo. Sheriff Doster believes that all four men could have been in the pit when the slide occurred. Roy was found the farthest west, or the farthest into the pit which is shaped like the bottom half of an hour glass. He was covered by about 10 feet of gravel. Vernon’s head was about two feet under the gravel. Henry and Eddie were buried slightly deeper. The evening before the accident, Henry and his wife drove to the pit. He told her he was afraid of the “finger” of gravel which jutted upwards on the south wall which had at least an 80-degree slope. He said the “finger” would have to come down. Sheriff Doster said the men had not intended to use dyna­ mite to cave in the wall. Sheriff Doster believed the men were in the pit Thursday morning to prod the bank to eliminate that danger. He believes about twothirds of the north wall gave way, catching the men from behind. They were all upright and in a running position when found. Eddie had one arm behind his head for protection. Henry and Roy had one arm forward across the face as Henry had taught - so as to form a possible air pocket so they may breathe and work their way out if not too deeply buried. Vernon’s arms were down and slightly for­ ward of his body. Roy’s head was turned to the south wall. The rest were facing, the south wall turned slightly towards the channel to the east the only avenue of escape. Another theory is that Roy and Vernon were in the pit first. Roy, in the farthest, may have been caught in a first slide and the other three went in to aid him and were caught in a second, more massive slide. Normally it was not the practice for all workmen to go into the hole at one time. However, no shovels were found in the pit, the scraper was at the crush­ er. If there had been a rescue attempt by the men, some tools should have been found. The Steenbo'ck'op6fatIon”Wtf§'tHb largest <5f its kind in this area: The grafvel the fifth could turn out almost any size of stone and gravel needed for road and building work was purchased by the State Highway depart­ ment, the Barry County Road commission, Hastings and by many private firms and individuals. The Steenbocks purchased the property, formerly known as the Charles Moore farm, in the late 1930s and in 1941 moved here from Potterville. The gravel pit operation was started in the spring of 1947 and, ironically, Baldwin Brothers’ equipment was used to “skim” off the surface dirt. Henry, who was bom in Lucas county, Kansas, April 19, 1896, was the son of Dan and Christin (Nagle) Steenbock. A former Detroit policeman, he was a member of the Knights Templar. He is survived by his wife, Gladys, whom he married in 1950; a son, Walter, of Lansing, and a daughter Mrs. Harold (Eileen) Jones, Route 1, East Lansing; three step-children, Mrs. Carmen (Rhoda Jean) Caruso, Fair Lawn, N.J. and Mrs. Mary Butler and Rich­ ard D. Hubbard, both of Charlotte. He is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Dan Steenbock, and a sister, Miss Ruth Steenbock, both of Leonardville, Kan.; another sister, Mrs. Nora Wallbrakem Randolph, Kan., and a brother, Walter, of Baja, Kan. Vernon was born in Detroit Oct. 19, 1921, the son of Henry and Mary (Stowell) Steen­ bock. He and his wife, the former Neva Stan­ ton whom he married April 11, 1942, resided at Algonquin Lake, north of the gravel pit. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, Carol, 6 ?; Rebecca “Becky,” who was four Friday, and Linda, who will be three in July. Roy was unmarried and resided at home. CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net Qarveth Village of Middleville PROBE FOR BODIES—In a photo taken from the eastern end of the Steenbock gravel pit, workmen tied to lifelines are seen probing the tons of gravel searching for the bodies of the victims of the landslide. On-lookers can be seen crowding the western and northern edges of the pit. — Kalamazoo Gazette photo. w w w.Carveth Vi 11 age .com “Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 �Page 8 — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — The Hastings Banner KCC offering nursing assistant training at no cost for many Barry County residents Barmer Staff Kellogg Community College is seeking applicants for a Nursing Assistant Training Program starting in October, offered at no cost for Barry County residents who meet income guidelines. This training program is offered by KCC though funding provided by the Michigan Learning and Education Advancement Pro­ gram (MiLEAP) and is modeled after KCC’s popular Innovative Accelerated Credentialed Training (iACT) initiative in Battle Creek. The program will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays from Oct. 10 through Nov. 17 at KCC’s Fehsenfeld Center campus, located at 2950 M-179 in Hastings. KCC’s Nursing Assistant Training Pro­ gram prepares students to take the Michi­ gan Nursing Assistant Test to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). Stu­ dents also receive AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider and AHA Heart Saver First Aid training, as well as foundational skills in demand with area employers. The program training includes founda­ tional-skills and technical training in health care, career coaches to help with goal set­ ting, academic advising, barrier removal and job placement, built-in work-based learning activities, exposure to health care programs and careers, industry recognized credentials and other components. Individuals interested in participating in this Nursing Assistant Training Program must contact KCC at 269-948-9500, e-mail MiLeap Navigator Caitlin Murphy-Myer at murphy-myerc@kellogg.edu or complete the information form online at kellogg.edu/iact by 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 29. Slots are limited. The training is open at no cost to resi­ dents of Barry County who meet income guidelines. Participants must be at least 18 years of age, provide a high school tran­ script or GED, complete the Accuplacer Next Generation Reading test with a score of 240 or greater and have the ability to attend the training for extended hours daily for the duration of the program. A criminal history background check will be run prior to the start date. Thousands of dollars were raised Saturday to support summer education programs, as well as community programming at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. The silent auction was one of the many ways A Latesummer Night’s Green attendees could support the organization. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Pierce Cedar Creek Institute holds 13th annual *A Latesummer Night’s Green’ Molly Macleod RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN 2023-2032 ALGONQUIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (AQUATIC VEGETATION CONTROL) NOTICE OF AUGUST 10, 2022 TOWNSHIP BOARD PUBLIC HEARING ON REESTABLISHING SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED 2023-2032 PROJECT TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN; OWNERS OF PROPERTY ABUTTING OR HAVING DEEDED ACCESS TO ALGONQUIN LAKE IN LAND SECTIONS 1, 2, 3, 11 AND 12 OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP; AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that as a result of petitions of property owners within the Township signed by the record owners of land constituting more than 50% of the total land area of the hereinafter described 2023-2032 Algonquin Lake Improvement Project Special Assessment District for aquatic vegetation control, as tentatively established by Resolution of the Rutland Charter Township Board adopted July 13, 2022 (Resolution No. 2022-282) the Township Board proposes to undertake a ten-year program in 2023-2032 for the eradication and/or control of aquatic weeds and plants in Algonquin Lake, and finance such improvements by special assessments on the properties within the special assessment district (to be levied in 2022-2031). Note: legally, the Township must administer this undertaking as a new project; but, as a practical matter, it is a continuation of successive multi-year aquatic vegetation control programs in 2004-2008, 2009-2015, and 2016-2022. The Special Assessment District within which the foregoing improvements are proposed to be undertaken and within which the cost thereof is proposed to be assessed is described as follows: All lands abutting Algonquin Lake or having deeded access to Algonquin Lake in land sections 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12 of Rutland Charter Township, Barry County, State of Michigan. The Township Board has plans for the anticipated aquatic vegetation control program from PLM Lake & Land Management Corp. (PLM), together with an estimate of the costs of the program in the amount of $806,500 for 2023-2032, and has placed the same on file with the Township Clerk. The Township estimates the legal and administrative expenses of creating and administering the Special Assessment District to be approximately $7,500. The plans/cost estimate provided by PLM proposes an annual special assessment budget of $90,704 ($907,040 over the ten-year program) so as to include an approximate 10% contingency to account for unexpected costs that cannot be anticipated at this time in the future years of the ten-year treatment program, and to also cover the administrative/ legal costs. The Township Board is proposing to use this budget amount for the total estimate of costs, including the contingency and administrative/legal costs; but apply to this total estimate of costs all of the surplus in the special assessment fund from the 2016­ 2022 Algonquin Lake improvement project, which is presently projected to be $25,000$28,000 when the accounting for that project is closed-out at the end of 2022. The rollover of that surplus (presently assumed to be $25,000) will therefore reduce the net new special assessment revenues needed for the 2023-2032 project from approximately $907,000 to approximately $882,000 ($88,200/year). This new revenue amount may be subject to reduction during the 2023-2032 project as actual costs incurred may make feasible, and to otherwise avoid an excessive special assessment fund balance. A public hearing on the 2023-2032 improvement project, the total estimate of costs, the special assessment district proposed to be reestablished for the assessment of the costs of such improvement, and any objections to the petitions, will be held at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 during the regular meeting of the Township Board commencing at 7:00 p.m. At this hearing/meeting the Board will also consider any written objections to any of the foregoing matters which are filed with the Board at or prior to the time of the hearing, as well as any corrections or changes to the plans, estimate of costs, or to the proposed special assessment district. The project plans, estimate of costs, the boundaries of the proposed special assessment district, and the petitions, may be examined at the office of the Township Clerk and may further be examined at the public hearing. If the Township Board determines to reestablish the special assessment district with respect to the proposed 2023-2032 project a second public hearing will be held at a later date to be set by the Township Board (tentatively scheduled for September 14, 2022) for the purpose of reviewing and hearing objections to the proposed allocation of the costs of the project among the various properties included in the special assessment district. Appearance and protest at such a second public hearing or as otherwise allowed by 1962 PA 162, as amended, is required in order to preserve a right to appeal the amount of any such special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal after the confirmation of a special assessment roll. Formal notice of any such second public hearing will be published in a newspaper and mailed to affected property owners as required by law. Note: the Township presently anticipates the proposed individual property special assessments to be considered at the second public hearing will be approximately $3,630 ($363/year) on each improved lake lot in the special assessment district, and $1,283 ($128/year) on each unimproved lake lot and improved or unimproved back lot with deeded access to the lake in the special assessment district. These amounts are predicated on a total of 200 improved lake lots in the special assessment district, and a total of 122 unimproved lake lots and improved or unimproved back lots with deeded access in the special assessment district; and are subject to changes that may take place before the special assessment roll is prepared for the second public hearing. The foregoing hearings and all proceedings associated with these special assessment matters will be conducted in accordance with and pursuant to 1954 PA 188, as amended, the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and any other applicable law. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058-9725 (269) 948-2194 Copy Editor With the backdrop of Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s tall grass prairie setting the scene for the night, the Institute’s annual A Late­ summer Night’s Green fundraiser set the bar high for garden parties to follow. The event is Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s largest fundraiser for each calendar year and raises money for the Institute’s summer col­ lege researchers, as well as community pro­ gramming throughout the year. The event was hosted from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 30. This year’s event was host to live music by Who Hit John?, an appetizer and desert menu that changed as the night went on, local beer and wine, a silent auction and games. Last year, the fundraiser raised around $50,000. This year’s event is expected to pull in even more funds once the final tabulations are made. All proceeds from the event direct­ ly support the college research programs and community programming at the Institute. Since the advent of the summer education programs in 2005, Pierce Cedar Creek Insti­ tute has provided $1.6 million to college researchers. Nearly 300 students have spent their summer at the Institute, and over 200 research projects have been completed. Despite the posh hors d’oeuvres, deserts, drink menu and auction items, A Latesummer Night’s Green had a decidedly friendly and welcoming atmosphere. John Howe, a volunteer for the event, said that the event creates a special space for com­ munity. “It’s always a good time - you never meet a stranger!” said Howe. Howe has been a volunteer for the Institute for around seven years, he said, and appreciates how the Institute creates a space to revel in the splendor of nature. Even in the midst of high political tensions and differing views among people, Howe said the Institute “finds its way through” and visitors are able to connect through the common idea of appreciating nature. This year’s A Latesummer Night’s Green fundraiser was the 13th installment of the event, and the second year the event was held outside. Michelle Skedgell, executive direc­ tor of the Institute, said that the event is very successful outside and organizers plan to hold the event outside in the future. Last year, the event hosted around 140 guests. This year, over 200 people pre-regis­ tered to the event, according to marketing coordinator Sara Lien Edelman. Skedgell said the Institute plans to hold the event next year on July 30. “Get your tickets early,” said Skedgell, “I think this is going to be a big event.” Near the end of the event, some students in residency at the Institute gave presentations on their research done at Pierce Cedar Creek. Faith Kuzma, a master’s student at Grand Valley State University, has been coming to the Institute for four summers. She presented her research on eastern box turtles to the packed audience. With ground squirrels scurrying in-be­ tween guests’ feet, it truly felt like the “nature party” advertised. Skedgell was grateful for the success of the event and for all the volunteers that put their time and energy in. “It takes a whole team,” she said. “It takes even more than that - it takes a whole village to make something like this happen.” Some of the current students in residency at the Institute, like the ones pictured here, presented their research findings to the audience Saturday night. Students who come to the Institute hail from several local colleges and universities. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Who Hit John?, a Michigan-based bluegrass band, provided music throughout the night. (Photo by Molly Macleod) A Latesummer Night’s Green took place Saturday at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute with the tall grass prairie serving as the scenic backdrop for the night. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Planning commission moves ahead eased duplex restriction, simplified lot requirements Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Planning Commission on Monday moved forward with a change to city policies allowing duplexes anywhere in the city’s Residential 2 district. Currently, duplexes in the Residential 2 zone can only be built if they are facing a state highway, leaving options for develop­ ments limited in that area. The changes were last discussed at a joint planning commission and city council meeting held June 13. “I appreciate everybody’s work with this, it has taken us a while,” commission chair David Hatfield said. “There are more steps to come. But we’ll wait until we see this resolved and finalized before we move forward with those.” The changes come amidst a housing short­ age in the city and the county, which the city has frequently discussed. Earlier this year, the city voted to allow accessory dwelling units, meaning property owners can rent out spare rooms, garages or other similar structures. The proposed changes to city policy also simplified lot size requirements across all dis­ tricts, setting a minimum square foot require­ ment that was the same across all districts. With approval from the planning commis­ sion, the changes will go before the city council to be approved. Hatfield said he anticipated the city would likely pass the changes based on the discussions that were had at the joint meeting on June 13. The commission also continued its proce­ dure review from its last meeting on June 6, discussing attendance policies and voting procedure. The board approved changes that allowed a majority of board members present at a meeting to vote on business, as opposed to the current policy that requires a majority of the board as a whole. Rebecca Harvey, attorney consultant for the commission, rec­ ommended the changes based on what she had seen on other boards she worked with. The commission reviewed its upcoming work, which included reviewing the ordi­ nances and policies surrounding food trucks in the city as well as reviewing roads that could be narrowed for easier and cheaper maintenance. Commission members were also made aware of a joint meeting set for September involving the city council, planning commis­ sion and downtown development authority regarding the city’s streetscape plan. Com­ munity development director Dan King said the date of the meeting was not determined as of Monday, but it would discuss community feedback and development options for chang­ es to the city’s streets. ' �SPORTS SECTION The Hastings ANNER Thursday, August 4, 2022 HCDC divers compete in national events Hastings Community Diving Club coach Todd Bates and divers Abigail Dumond and Quinn Stafford togeter at the 2022 AAU National Championships in San Antonio, Texas. Both divers qualified for spots in the national meet. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings Community Diving Club National team has travelled across the United . States of America from Ohio to West Virginia to Texas this summer as it bounces back strong from a couple of summers limited by the Covid-19 pandemic. The summer season culminated in the 2022 USA Diving Junior National Champi. onships in Midland, Texas, July 25 through Aug. 2. That is where HCDC captain Abigail Dumond finished off her trifecta of compet­ ing in three of the season’s national champi­ onship meets. HCDC head coach Todd Bates said Dumond represented the team in “spec­ tacular fashion,” averaging out placing 28th out of 128 divers over the spring and sum­ mer months. Dumond placed 40th in the 14-15 girls 1-meter Junior Olympic contest in Midland July 29, on the heels of placing 35th in her Girls’ B 15-year-old 3-meter competition at the AAU National Championships at the Northside ISD Swim Center in San Antonio, Texas. At the USA Diving Junior National Cham­ pionship the top 64 divers from across the country in different divisions compete along­ side Olympic trials finalists and hopefuls. While there were ups and downs one of the highs of the 1-meter competition at the USA Diving Nationals for Dumond was putting up the best best second-dive score of the compe­ tition as she tallied a mark of 16 net points with her forward two somersault dive in the tuck position that drew a 5.50 score from three of the five judges. Dumond competed in the 2022 Red-WhiteBlue AAU Nationals at the Mylan Park Aquatic Center in Morgantown, W. Va., in late May this year too and placed 15th in the Group B Girls 1-meter competition. The club’s Aubrey Yarger made the AAU Diving National team and nearly qualified for AAU Summer Nationals. Quinn Stafford qualified for AAU Summer Nationals, but didn’t compete. Yarger finished eighth in the Group C Girls 3-meter competition at the Red-White-Blue AAU Nationals in May in West Virginia while adding a 12th-place score in the Group C Girls 1-meter competition. She followed that up by placing 12*-" back in Morgantown at the USA Diving Zone C Championships in June in both the 12-13 Girls 1-meter and 3-meter Junior Olympic divisions. At those Zone C Championships, Dumond scored a 16th-place finish in the 14-15 Girls 1-meter Junior Olympic contest and I?1’1 in Aubrey Yarger and Abigail Dumond from the Hastings Community Diving Club take part in the AAU National Team Parade in Morgantown, W.Va., earlier this season. MHSAA provides heat management reminders Aubrey Yarger represents HCDC in her AAU National Team gear this spring in Morgantown, W. Va. the 14-15 Girls 3-meter Junior Olympic division. “I couldn’t be more proud” Bates said. “We should be tired after a busy season of traveling, but the divers are amped up and ready to do more which is exciting as we are about to start our high school season.” HCDC has also been having a successful season on the local circuit with some of the younger divers. “We’ve come home with a lot of hardware with a lot of medals and ribbons. The club has been growing for over ten years and it is mak­ ing a difference when the divers get to high school,” Bates said. Bates was also selected at AAU Summer Nationals to speak on the college recruitment panel with other top coaches, which he said was an honor. The dive team is accepting registrations for the fall season. Anyone interested may call or text Bates at 248-227-7718 or email toddbates@att.net for more information. No expe­ rience is required, but divers must be'able to swim. Buzz Youngs Legends Golf Classic is Saturday The annual Hastings Athletic Boosters Buzz Youngs Legends Golf Classic will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, at The Legacy at Hastings. Golfing opens with a 9 a.m. shotgun start on the 18 holes at The Legacy. The event includes 18 holes of golf and a cart for the four-person scramble teams. An optional skins game and prize holes will be available for competitors. The out­ ing is open to 30 teams and registration closes last night, Aug. 3, at 11 p.m. Lunch of brats, hot dogs, chips and drinks is included. With communities across Michigan pre­ paring for forecasts this week including tem­ peratures in the 80s and in some places low 90s, this is an opportune time for the Michi­ gan High School Athletiq Association to pro­ vide its annual reminders on training in hot weather as fall sports teams are set to begin practices next week and competition later this month. Each year, the MHSAA provides informa­ tion to its member schools to help them pre­ pare for hot weather practice and game con­ ditions during the late summer and early fall. Practices for all Fall 2022 sports - cross country, football, Lower Peninsula girls golf, boys soccer, Lower Peninsula girls swim­ ming & diving, Lower Peninsula boys and Upper Peninsula girls tennis, and volleyball - may begin Monday, Aug. 8. The “Health & Safety” page of the MHSAA Website (https://www.mhsaa.com/about/ looking-general-resources/health-safety) has links to several information sources, includ­ ing the MHSAA preseason publicationHeat Ways, which is available for download and includes valuable information on heat man­ agement in addition to requirements and resources regarding head injuries and sudden cardiac arrest. The first days of formal practices in hot weather should be more for heat acclimatiza­ tion than the conditioning of athletes, and practices in such conditions need planning to become longer and more strenuous over a gradual progression of time. Schools also must consider moving practices to different locations or different times of day, or change practice plans to include different activities depending on the conditions. Furthermore, football practice rules allow for only helmets to be worn during the first two days, only shoulder pads to be added on the third and fourth days, and full pads to not be worn until the fifth day of team practice. The MHSAA advises student-athletes to make sure to hydrate all day long - beginning before practice, continuing during and also after practice is done. Water and properly-for­ mulated sports drinks are the best choices for hydration. Maple Valley football players work to stay cool during the season-opener in August of 2021. The MHSAA is providing its annual reminders about training in hot weather as the 2022 season nears. (File photo) ( A number of member schools follow the MHSAA’s Model Policy for Managing Heat & Humidity, which while not mandat­ ed for member schools was adopted as a rule for MHSAA postseason competition in 2013. The plan directs schools to begin monitoring the heat index at the activity site once the air temperature reaches 80 degrees, and provides recommendations when the heat index reaches certain points, including ceasing activities when it rises above 104 degrees. (When the temperature is below 80 degrees, there is no combination of heat and humidity that will result in a need to curtail activity.) The model heat & humidity policy is outlined in a number of places on the MHSAA Website, including as part of Heat Ways. �Page 10 — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): John Hoffman, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Money Source Inc. Date of Mortgage: May 5, 2015 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 16, 2015 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $100,785.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 332 Feet Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4, Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan. This Parcel May Also Be Described As: That Part Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 Of Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, Described As: Beginning At The East 1/4 Corner Of Said Section, Thence North 0 Degrees 00 Minutes East 332.0 Feet Along The East Line Of Said Northeast 1/4; Thence South 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds West 1312.35 Feet Parallel With The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence South 0 Degrees 04 Minutes 54 Seconds East 332.0 Feet Along The West Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence North 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds East 1311.88 Feet Along The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 To The Place Of Beginning. Common street address (if any): 5501 N Solomon Rd, Middleville, Ml 49333-8719 " The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1471226 (08-04)(08-25) 184989 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by LESTER L. DUTCHER AND SUSAN DUTCHER AKA SUSAN M. DUTCHER, husband and wife, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc (MERS) as nominee for S.W.I Financial Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 30th day of November, 2013 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 17th day of December, 2013 in Inst# 2013-014740 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy-Seven and 54/100 ($164,977.54). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 18th day of August, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.12500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Yankee Springs, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: Being known and designated as a parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Beginning at a point in the center of road which lies 1467.40 feet due North and North 75 degrees West 782.07 feet from the South 1/4 post of Section 8; thence South 6 degrees 6' West 158 feet; thence North 83 degrees 14' West 82.50 feet; thence North 6 degrees 6' East 158 feet; thence South 83 degrees 14' East 82.50 feet to the place of beginning Commonly known as 11657 BOWENS MILL RD., MIDDLEVILLE, Ml 49333 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 07/19/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Kenneth Heifner, married man, whose address is 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 31, 2020, and recorded on September 24, 2020 in Document Number. 2020-010309, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated November 10, 2021 and recorded on November 12,2021 in Document Number 2021-014017, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND 32/100 ($143,237.32). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 3, Block 9, Butler’s Addition, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 66, Barry County Records. Also: Commencing at the North 1/4 Post of Section 17, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence South 00 degrees 05 minutes 20 seconds West, 502.46 feet along the North and South 1/4 line of said section; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds East, 131.32 feet to the place of beginning; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet; thence South 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the Northeast corner of Lot 3 of Block 9, Butler’s Addition to the City of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 66; thence North 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet to the Northwest corner of said Lot 3; thence North 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. -r Dated: July 21,2022 HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM DUTCHER - 22-01461 1470209 (07-21 )(08-11) NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Philip R. Shrinerand Kristen K. Shriner, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated May 31,2013 and recorded June 5, 2013 in Instrument Number 2013-007202 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 22, 2021, in Instrument Number 2021-009329, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth Third Bank National Association, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Two Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Seven Hundred NinetyTwo and 67/100 Dollars ($285,792.67). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1,2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Yankee Springs, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot(s) 83 and the North 1/2 of Lot 84 and the South 1/2 of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records, being situated in Section 32 and 33, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Except that part of said above described premises as lies within the following: Commencing at the North Northerly corner of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records (said corner being adjacent to Mile Drive of said Plat) thence Southwesterly along the Northwesterly line of said Lot 82 and the Extension of 61 feet, thence South 59 degrees 5 minutes East 132.50 feet to a stake, thence Northeasterly parallel to the first mentioned course of the within described 50 feet to a stake, thence North 54 degrees 21 minutes West 125 feet to the place of beginning, Including in said exception all land lying between the third or shore traverse of same and the shore of Gun Lake, Barry County Records. 3161 Elmwood Beach Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 4, 2022 File No. 22-004404 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-04)(08-25) 185221 184373 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4373 (07-21 )(08-11) 184374 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Roy E. Cogger, Sr., a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: March 5, 2014 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 18, 2014 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $106,403.63 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: PARCEL A: LOT 19 AND PART OF LOT 20 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1 SECTION 29 , HASTING TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.07 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 19 AND 20 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNERS OF SAID LOT 19: THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS WEST, 150.07 FEET PARALLEL WITH NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 89.97 FEET TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 04 MINUTES 41 SECONDS EAST, 150.13 FEET ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 19 TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. PARCEL B: PART OF LOTS 20, 21, AND 22 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1, SECTION 29, HASTINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 DISTANT SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.06 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 21 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 01 MINUTES 26 SECONDS WEST, 150.00 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOTS 21 AND 22 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 22 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 90.31 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 22 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS EAST. 150J)7 FEET.. PA^ALL.EL~W1T.H-THE NORTH-LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. Common street address (if any): 2122 Maple Ln, Hastings, Ml 49058-9306 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 21,2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy,'Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1470232 (07-21 )(08-11) 184372 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 08, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Justin Perry and Ashleigh Perry, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage 1 Incorporated Date of mortgage: October 12, 2018 Recorded on November 9, 2018, in Document No. 2018-010050, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Michigan State Housing Development Authority Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand Two Hundred Five and 34/100 Dollars ($134,205.34) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 8 in Block 3, Map of the Village of Freeport, according to the Plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 22, Barry County Records Commonly known as 145 Oak St, Freeport, Ml 49325 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 125.1449v, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15. days from the MCL 125.1449v(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Michigan State Housing Development Authority Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1471836 (08-04)(08-25) 185334 r Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Member SIPC Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 529 plans: Underused but valuable In just a few weeks, students will be heading off to college and parents will be getting out their checkbooks. Without a college-bound student in your home right now, you might not be thinking much about tuition and other higher education expenses, but if you have young children, these costs may eventually be of concern - so how should you prepare for them? It’s never too soon to start saving and investing. Unfortunately, many people think that they have a lot of “catching up” to do. In fact, nearly half of Americans say they don’t feel like they’re saving enough to cover future education expenses, according to a 2022 survey conducted by financial services firm Edward Jones with Morning Consult, a global research company. Of course, it’s not always easy to set aside money for college when you’re already dealing with the high cost of living, and, at the same time, trying to save and invest for retirement. Still, even if you can only devote relatively modest amounts for your children’s education, these contributions can add up over time. But where should you put your money? Personal savings accounts are the top vehicle Americans are using for their education funding strategies, according to the Edward Jones/Moming Consult survey. But there are other options, one of which is a 529 plan, which may offer more attractive features, including the following: • Possible tax benefits - If you invest in a 529 education savings plan, your earnings can grow federally income tax-free, provided the money is used for qualified education expenses. (Withdrawals not used for these expenses will generally incur taxes and penalties on investment earnings.) If you invest in your own state’s 529 plan, you may receive state tax benefits, too, depending on the state. • Flexibility in naming the beneficiary - As the owner of the 529 plan, you can name anyone you want as the beneficiary. You can also change the beneficiary. If your eldest child foregoes college, you can name a younger sibling or another eligible relative. • Support for non-college programs - Even if your children don’t want to go to college, it doesn’t mean they’re uninterested in any type of postsecondary education or training. And a 529 plan can pay for qualified expenses at trade or vocational schools, including apprenticeship programs registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. • Payment of student loans NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage.will be foreclosed, by. a s^le. of the-mortgaged premises, or some tpart of them, at a public auction ;sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 11,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Daniel Lee Schuitman, an unmarried man, whose address is 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, to Mortgage Electronic System, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 6, 2018, and recorded on August 13,2018, as Document No. 2018-007791 , Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Discovery Mortgage Loan Trust, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated August 2, 2021, and recorded on August 3, 2021, in Instrument 2021-009736,, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 27/100 ($148,582.27). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: A parcel of land located in the Northeast 1/4 of Section 11, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Township of Rutland, Barry County,. Michigan, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the center line of Old M-37 which lies South 00 degrees 06 minutes 20 seconds East 433.26 feet and South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 1056.01 feet from the North 1/4 post of said Section 11; thence South 39 degrees 26 minutes 40 seconds West 189.0 feet; thence North 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds West 217.69 feet; thence North 32 degrees 19 minutes 08 seconds East 190.47 feet to the center of said highway; thence South 50 degrees 33 minutes 20 seconds East 241.32 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 2437 W. State Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 14,2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4501 184149 Investors should understand the risks involved of owning investments. The value of investments fluctuates and investors can lose some or all of their principal. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the fotfoWing" mortgage 'Will' be foreclosed by a sale'bt thehidrtgagbd pfemiShs,' 8r some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly' at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Irey, an unmarried man Original Registration Mortgage Mortgagee: Systems, Inc., as Electronic mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lake Michigan Credit Union Date of Mortgage: January 17, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 19, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $95,760.79 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated, in Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The North 628 feet of the East 175 feet of the South 1/2 of the Northeast' 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 28, Town 3; North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry . County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 2400 Hubble Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8607 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as' defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961 ,pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be helff responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage­ holder for damaging the property during thei redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service­ member on active duty, if your period of active duty, has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have; been ordered to active duty, please contact the- attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. • ■ Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1471803 (08-04)(08-25) (07-14)(08-04) - A 529 plan can help pay off federal or private student loans, within limits. Keep in mind that state-by­ state tax treatment varies for different uses of 529 plans, so you’ll want to consult with your tax professional before putting a plan in place. Despite these and other benefits, 529 plans are greatly under-utilized. Only about 40% of Americans even recognize the 529 plan as an education savings tool, and only 13% are actually using it, again according to the Edward Jones/ Morning Consult study. But as the cost of college and other postsecondary programs continues to rise, it will become even more important for parents to find effective ways to save for their children’s future education expenses. So, consider how a 529 plan can help you and your family. And the sooner you get started, the better. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC. 185247 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — Page 11 LEGAL NOTICES Play continues on the three new sand volleyball courts during the 17th Annual Emily Duits mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds Saturday morning. The three new courts, which had poles and nets installed Friday night before the event, doubles the total number of courts from three to six at the fairgrounds. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Duits tournament grows in 17th year Brett Bremer Sports Editor Rydik Wrubel found his calling on the vol­ leyball court pretty quickly Saturday morning. He’d be going for blocks in the youth division of the 17th Annual Emily Duits mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament at the Lake Odes­ sa Fairgrounds. Wrubel, who’ll be starting his freshman year at Caledonia High School later this month, played in the tournament honoring the memory and legacy of his aunt for the first time Satur­ day. He said he remembers attending the tour­ nament since he was about three-years-old and and always enjoyed times spent playing with friends at Jordan Lake when the tournament used to move down to Buddy’s on the Beach for its championship matches. While event organizers were figuring out just how to put the finishing touches on the poles and nets on three brand new volleyball courts at the fairgrounds Friday Wrubel was coming to the decision that he’d finally give playing volleyball a shot. “I was just sitting around, and my grandma [Selena Duits] told me that one of my friends [Charlie Dykhouse] had asked her to play, but it was for the youth league so she couldn’t real­ ly play so they asked me if I could play. “So, I just showed up today out of nowhere and decided to play with them.” Wrubel said he has played soccer in the past and is focused on track and field at the moment. He was one of the top high jumpers on the Caledonia Middle School Track and Field team in the spring. He doesn’t expect Caledonia High School’s newly formed boys’ volleyball club, which competes during the spring, to pull him away from track and field. “I’m learning I am not very good at [volley­ ball], but I have found that I am pretty tall so I mostly just try and stay forward as much as possible because I can’t really do much else. I just try and stay up ahead [at the net.]” He did have enough fun that before lunch he made sure to get some raffle tickets into the bucket to try and win a four-square volleyball set. Emily Duits was the big sister of Rydik’s mother, Sarah (Duits) Wrubel. Emily passed away due to injuries sustained in a car accident when she was 16 in the fall of 2006. Emily and Sarah’s parents, Jeff and Selena Duits, ran the mEMorial Tournament for its first 16 years. Jeff and Selena got the chance to spend a little more time visiting and relaxing as the new tournament board took over running things. Chelsea Brehm, a friend of Emily’s and now a member of the tournament board, said while she was extremely busy throughout the day she did get to see Jeff and Selena getting time to socialize and was happy the board was able to lift some of the load from the Duits family and keep the tournament running. Despite all the newness of the event - the addition of three more sand volleyball courts, the new leadership, an impressive sculpture by Tony Jackson designed and built with the help of Kendall Wilcox and APEC to look over the Emliy Duits Memorial Courts at the fair­ grounds - it was mostly business as usual on the sand. The tournament swelled to about 40 teams, about ten more than in recent years - but the additional courts helped things wrap up around 8 p.m. which wasn’t too off the usual time. “In all honesty, I bet if I hadn’t spoke at lunch, instead of Jeff Duits, that most people wouldn’t have known any different,” Brehm said. “We really tried to keep so many elements of the event, which has lasted for 16 years, the same. The day itself was. overall a great suc­ cess. I think adding the three new courts was obviously a big .game-changer, but the volley­ ball itself and the length of the day and the number of matches, that was pretty much all the same.” The team of Finley Arp, Karis Chatfield, Emma Duffy and Leah Burlison won the youth division. Navea Gauthier, Mallory Johnson, Abby Pickard and Isabelle Swiercz won the adult recreational division. Shannon Conaty, Christa Jones, Matt Sakuta and Marcus Sleet won the adult competitive division champion­ ship. Another prize was handed out during the lunch break around 1 p.m. Liv Wender won the “Spirit of the Game” award. She got to cele­ brate with an early edition of Jackson’s sculp­ ture which is being turned into an annual trophy for the award winner. “Em’ was this athlete who just embodied so A new sculpture created by local artist Tony Jackson with lots of help from Kendall Wilcox and APEC sits in its new home alongside the Emily Duits Memorial Courts Saturday during the 17th Annual Emily Duits mEMorial Sand Volleyball Tournament at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds. (Photo by Brett Bremer) much: positivity, being a bright light, her work ethic, having a positive attitude, being a hard worker and a great teammate,” Brehm said. “The board members watched morning games before lunch, watched all the athletes, and focused on the youth, and we identified a handful of kids and [Wender] was the first recipient.” Brehm said there is a wrap up meeting for the board Monday to focus on the future after a whirlwind of a first year running the event. “We’ll identify priorities and what we want to do,” Brehm said. “We kind of exist, as a unit, to improve the community. If that can be through volleyball or giving back to families who have maybe lost a family member in a devastating way, like Em’s did, we’re trying to orient ourselves in a way to give support when and where it is needed.” Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of' ttier-fnbrtgS4br(sJ:' RoTtaid" Johnson arid Cohhie Johnson, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Bank of America, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: July 8, 2013 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 24, 2013 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $80,090.04 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A strip of land 66 feet in width being the right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company as located over and across the Southwest one-quarter of the Southwest onequarter, Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, more particularly described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence East 516.87 feet along, the South line of Section 7, to the former existing Westerly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company, thence North 38 degrees 9 minutes East 1037 feet more or less along said Westerly right of way to the Southerly line of a creek; thence Northeasterly and Easterly along said Southerly lien of a Creek to the former existing Easterly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company and the Westerly right of way of Highway M-43; thence South 38 degrees 9 minutes West 1001.86 feet more or less along said former existing Easterly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company and the Westerly line of Highway M-43, to the South line of Section 7; thence West 83.93 feet along said South line of Section 7 to the place of beginning. Commonly Known as: 11892 S. M-43 Hwy, Delton, Ml 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 7/21/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314679 (07-21 )(08-11) 184469 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 B iisin ess Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. CASH FOR JUNK CARS: Call 269-818-7854. Pets AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES for sale. Awesome colors, very cute. $400.00.517­ 852-4881 MINI GOLDEN DOODLES, vet checked, ready to go, very cute, $525. 517-726-0706. BOSTON TERRIER PUP­ PIES, very cute, 1st shots & de­ wormed. $525. 517-852-3007. All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29240-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Thomas Robert Sheridan, Deceased. Date of birth: April 3,1953. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Thomas Robert Sheridan, died June 3, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Amanda Sheridan, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: August 1,2022 Howard T. Linden, P.C. Howard T. Linden P25438 29100 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 370 Southfield, Ml 48034 (248) 358-4545 Amanda Sheridan 10039 N. 40th Street Hickory Corners, Ml 49060 (269)953-7379 185208 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate & Trust Estate and Trust of Patricia M. Robinson. Date of birth: October 10,1954. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Patricia M. Robinson, who lived at 11415 Floria Road, Delton, Michigan died July 13, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Estate of Patricia M. Robinson and/or the Joseph A. and Patricia M. Robinson Living Trust dated April 10, 2001, as amended, will be forever barred unless presented to Spencer C. Robinson, Trustee of the Joseph A. and Patricia M. Robinson Living Trust dated April 10, 2001, as amended, and/or Spencer C. Robinson, nominated Personal Representative of the Estate of Patricia M. Robinson, c/o Christopher J. LaLonde, Esq., Veritas Law Group at: 107 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 500, Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 and the Trustee within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/27/2022 Veritas Law Group Christopher J. LaLonde P68317 107 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 500 Kalamazoo, Mi 49007 (269) 270-3500 Personal Represetnative and Trustee’s Name: Spencer C. Robinson, Trustee of the Joseph A. and Patricia M. Robinson Living Trust dated April 10, 2001, as amended, and/or Spencer C. Robinson, nominated Personal Representative of the Estate of Patricia M. Robinson, c/o Christopher J. LaLonde, Esq., Veritas Law Group at: 107W. Michigan Avenue,-Suite 500---------- -—=•-------Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 (269)270-3500 184957 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JOHN RENEAU, a single man, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Mortgagee, dated the 26th day of July, 2020 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 4th day of August, 2020 in Document # 2020-007853 said Mortgage having been assigned to Freedom Mortgage Corporation on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Five and 57/100 ($176,385.57). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 1st day of September, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 3.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Barry, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: LOTS 3 AND 4, SCOTTS PARK, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 3 OF PLATS, PAGE 68, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS Commonly known as 11904 SCOTT PARK RD., DELTON, Ml 49046 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Jf the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 08/04/2022 Freedom Mortgage Corporation Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FMC FHARENEAU/22-01902 1471605 (08-04)(08-25) NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor, Roberta Jean Wadel. DOB: 07/21/1949 SSN: xxx-xx-9273, who lived at 9945 Shaw Lake Road, Middleville, Michigan died 10­ 30-2021. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Roberta Jean Wadel Living Trust dated 12-12-2006 (as amended), will be forever barred unless presented to Eric Ray CloverWadel Trustee(s) within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07-28-2022 Linsey Gleason P72242 333 Bridge Street NW; PO Box 352 Grand Rapids, Ml 49501-0352 616/336-6000 Eric Ray Clover-Wadel 3230 North Lawndale Avenue #2 Chicago, IL 60618 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29015-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Daniel Jon De Vries, Deceased. Date of birth: 09/29/1961. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, David Jon De Vries, died 01/12/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to David De Vries, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 07/15/2022 Kenneth E. Tiews P25874 250 Monroe Avenue NW, Suite 100 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-459-7100 David De Vries 1978 Glenvale Drive SW Wyoming, Ml 49519 616-745-2047 185237 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 22-29246-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 302 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058. Court Telephone No. 269-945-1390 In the matter of Rebecca Ann Reece-Jarman. TO ALL PERSONS, including: whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be “barred 'uraffecled by the' following:--------------------------TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 8/24/2022 @ 2:45 p.m. at 302 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William H. Doherty to change the name of Rebecca Ann Reece-Jarman to Rebecca Ann Bourdo, JaysonaSkye London Reece-Jarman to Jaysona-Skye London Bourdo. 185211 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kelly Jo Carroll, Single Woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, LLC, its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services, LLC Date of Mortgage: January 31, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 4, 2019 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $157,159.69 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: The South one-half of Lots 977 and 978, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. Commonly Known as: 528 S. Jefferson St., Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 8/04/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 315920 (08-04)(08-25) 185209 185043 185246 �Page 12 — Thursday, August 4, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS BrewFest opens taps in Gun Lake area Saturday The Barry County BrewFest is coming to Yankee Springs for the first time Satur­ day, Aug. 6. The BrewFest’s sixth annual event con­ tinues the tradition of moving around the Barry County area. Curley Cone, near the comer of M-179 and Patterson Avenue, will be the host for this year’s Gun Lake area edition which will run from noon until 6 p.m. Parking for the event will be one mile down M-179 at the Gun Lake Com­ munity Church with a free shuttle taking guests to and from the event. Pre-sale tickets for the event are $30 and tickets will be $40 at the door. The cost for designated drivers’ tickets is $5. A total of 32 “brewers” will share their beers, wines, ciders and mead. The 2022 beer list was recently released with bever­ ages from as close as 707 Winery and Brewery in Caledonia and the Waldorff in Hastings and as far as Upper Peninsula breweries Blackrocks Brewery and Ore Dock Brewing in Marquette and Upper Hand Brewery in Escanaba. Barry County United Way to hold Stuff the Bus event The Barry County United Way, in part­ nership with Hastings Walmart, is hosting its first ever Stuff the Bus event. On Friday, August 5 from 10 to 4 p.m. the Barry Coun­ ty United Way is asking the community to join it in “stuffing” a bus full of school supplies to support the annual Backpack Program. The event will take place in the parking lot of the Hastings Walmart. Items needed include: backpacks, note­ books, 3-ring binders, folders, pencils, pencil boxes, washable markers, colored pencils and crayons. A full list of what is needed can be found on the Barry County United Way’s Facebook page. Families who qualify are able to sched­ ule an appointment for their children to National Night Out allows public to meet with police, first responders choose their own new backpack and fill it with the supplies that they need to start the school year off right. The goal of this program is to ensure that every youth in Barry County is able to go back to school feeling confident and ready with all of the supplies they need on the first day of school. Donations of new items can be dropped off during the event itself or to the following locations at any time: • Barry County United Way in Hastings • Any Highpoint Community Bank location • Edward Jones offices in Hastings, Nashville and Middleville • Any Thomapple Credit Union location • Walker, Fluke & Sheldon in Hastings. Families who are in need of school sup­ plies are encouraged to call the Barry County United Way at 269-945-4010 to qualify for this program. Delton Founders Festival to return Aug. 12-14 Delton’s signature summer event, the Founders Festival, is slated to return Aug. 12 through Aug. 14. This year, the festival will feature a parade, fireworks, a 5k race, the Delton Idol contest, a pig roast, a wood­ en-boat show, a scavenger hunt, a comhole tournament and an arts and crafts show, among other things. There is no carnival this year. A complete list of events is posted on the deltonfoundersfestival.com webpage. In addition to the more typical festival events, the festival will feature a time cap­ sule-opening as well. Last month, the time capsule was discovered during the demoli­ tion process of the Delton Kellogg Elemen­ tary School. The box was found behind the “1936” stone marking the date of construc­ tion of the building. Ahead of the opening of the time capsule, the Friends of the Delton District Library are hosting a contest to guess the contents of the time capsule. Those interested in entering the contest can pick up entry sheets at the Delton District Library. All entries must be returned by Aug. 12. Hunter McLaren Juli Curtis and her daughter Brynli pose for a photo behind a cardboard cutout of a police uniform. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Jayden Garner takes a seat in the Wayland/Yankee Springs Fire Department all-ter­ rain rescue vehicle. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Staff Writer The Hastings National Night Out event returned after a three-year hiatus Tuesday in Tyden Park, allowing the public to meet the police and first responders in their community. Attendees had the chance to see police patrol vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks up close. Badges, firefighter gear, police uniforms and even a diving suit were all available for kids, parents and community members to see. •' Free food, prize raffles and activities allowed the public to talk to their local law enforcement and first responder departments. Attendees had the chance to talk to mem­ bers of the Hastings Police Department, Hast­ ings Fire Department, Barry County Sheriff’s Department, Nashville Police Department, Wayland and Yankee Springs Fire Depart­ ment, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State Police. This year’s event was organized by Hast­ ings Deputy Chief Julissa Kelly, who said the event was just one way the department tries to build relationships with the community. ■ “We like to take the time to show people what we do and answer their questions, because sometimes a lot of the discomfort or uneasiness around the police is because peo­ ple just don’t know what’s going on,” Kelly said. “I like to be there to inform people. We can say, ‘Don’t be afraid to call us, that’s why we have jobs.’ It’s to reassure the community that they can reach out to us for pretty much anything and we’ll be here for them.” The last National Night Out event in Hast­ ings took place in 2019, and was postponed in the following years due to COVID-19 precautions. The National Night Out event first took place in 1984, with neighbors turning on their porch lights and sitting outside to show their support for law enforcement and first responders. Now, 38 million participants across 16,000 communities nationwide host a National Night Out event, with many featur­ ing cookouts or block parties. AUGUST 12TH &13TH 2022 K //' Y KUROOKE , -fieZZcH \ /MJ ■/ C r «« -o' CONTEST! 5:00PM @ WILLIAM SMITH MEMORIAL PARK « « W- 4® Sf ® B W & Bass as! FREE TO ATTEND! - OUTDOOR EVENT! - BRING CHAIRS! $20 TO PRE-REOISTER - $30 OOY OF REGISTRATION TOP 50% FROM MY1HDVKNCE TO DRY 2 fflUJWS fiojIvKlL?. LIMITED REGISTRATION AVAILABLE - TO PRE-REGISTER EMAIL DJKEILKARAOKE^GMAIL Jordan Lee, Barry County Sheriff’s Department marine dep­ uty, offered attendees a look at a police water patrol and res­ cue boat. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Olivia Terpstra comes face-to-face with a scaly friend brought to the National Night Out event by the Kalamazoo Reptile Expo. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Roman (left) and Stoik Jirtle get a close-up view of one of the many vehicles brought to the National Night Out event with their mom, Karistyn Jirtle. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Barry County Judge Michael Schipper asked attendees to help him cool off in the dunk tank. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) M'7’ 0^0® OR VISIT WWW.HW5300K COi/DJKEIlORflOO TYDEIM PARK • SATURDAY, AUG. 27th Age brackets subject to change based on participation Team Captain Age Send Entries to... ChamWAerce Phone #Email Team Members Age Please fill out form completely Age 221W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Questions ??... Call (269)948-3025 or email 3rett@i-adaraohics.com TYDEA1 PARK • SATURDAY. AUG. 27™ The Barry County Sheriff’s Department armored Special Response Team vehicle was open to members of the public, offering an up-close view of the massive machine. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-08-11.pdf 55401a51070165648aef3dca69d72863 PDF Text Text Want change? Use your vote A couple clear bar at 15' 6" during annual Moon Vault See story on page 4 See story on page 9 804879110187 Ha 1070490102590500825349058113421 ************q/\R-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemerling 421 M Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 “ 6/30/2023 9:4/:00 AM Thursday, August 11,2022 VOLUME 168, No. 32 PRICE $1.50 Sheriff in crosshairs of potential criminal charges for gaining improper access to voting machines Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, along with a group of eight other individuals, could potentially face criminal charges as the state’s attorney general seeks the appointment of a special prosecutor in the case. Early this week, the office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a petition for appointment of a special prosecu­ tor to consider a variety of criminal charges against the group of nine individuals, which includes Leaf, state representative Daire Ren­ don and also the likely Republican candidate for attorney general Matthew DePemo, who state officials pegged as a ring leader of sorts. The petition claims that the group con­ spired with one another to gain unauthorized access to voting tabulators to conduct tests on them following the controversial 2020 elec­ tion involving former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. Stefanie Lambert, who has been serving as Leaf’s attorney, is also named in the petition in addition to Ben Cotton, Jeff Lenberg, Douglas Logan and James Penrose, who, per the petition, were selected by DePemo as experts to conduct tests on the equipment. Attorney Ann Howard could also face criminal charges,' accused of printing fake ballots to be used for testing purposes. After months of investigation by Michigan State Police, Nessel’s office claims that the nine individuals eventually got their hands on five different voting tabulators and conducted tests of them. This includes a tabulator from Irving Township Hall, which the attorney general’s office claimed that Leaf managed to get township clerk Sharon Olson to turn over to a “third party.” The group could potentially face charges that range from conspiracy, using a computer system to commit a crime, willfully damag­ ing a voting machine, malicious destruction of property and fraudulent access to a com­ puter or computer system. Based on the investigation, the attorney general alleges that all nine played in a role in taking tabulators - five in total - from local clerks in Roscommon, Missaukee and Barry counties. Per the attorney general, those machines were taken to hotels or short-term rental properties to be tested by Lenberg, Cotton, Penrose and Logan. The attorney general also alleges that DePemo was there for the testing, which included printing fake ballots and running them through the machines. The origins of the state investigation stem back to February of this year when Benson sent a request to the attorney general and Michigan State Police to investigate third party access to voting tabulators, components and technology in Irving Township in addi­ tion to Lake City, Richfield Township. In April, Michigan State Police raided Irving Township hall as part of the investi­ gation. In the petition for a special prosecutor, the office of attorney general Nessel claims stated that “Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson indicated that she was asked by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf to cooperate See SHERIFF, page 3 Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf speaks at a May 2020 event in downtown Grand Rapids to protest the stay-at-home orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Ever since the 2020 election, Leaf has been outspoken in his skepticism about a fair election process. Bus driver shortage leaves TK scrambling to make service adjustments Greg Chandler Staff Writer With a little more than a week remaining before classes start for the new school year, Thomapple Kellogg Schools are addressing a shortage of bus drivers. Because of that shortage, TK Superinten­ dent Craig McCarthy on Aug. 3 issued a letter to parents instituting a number of changes to the district’s transportation services, includ­ ing elimination of some bus stops or entire routes, and creation of a walking zone. That letter resulted in numerous phone calls to district offices and complaints on social media, with some parents complaining stu­ dents in the new walking zone may have to walk up to 40 minutes to get to school. At the time of McCarthy’s letter, the dis­ trict was short eight drivers out of a usual See BUS DRIVER, page 2 Thornapple Kellogg schools have been confronted with a crippling shortage of bus drivers that has led to proposed changes in service that has not sat well with many parents. (Photo by Jayson Bussa). Man claiming to be independent investigator harasses, threatens county officials Jayson Bussa Editor Ah individual claiming to be an indepen­ dent investigator into the general election of 2020 appeared in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday morn­ ing, demanding voting data from last week’s state primary election before issuing a threat. The board meeting wasn’t the only stop he made while he was in town, either. The man also visited the offices of county clerk Pam Palmer and prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt, taking an intimidating posture with both. The man identified himself as Scott Aughney from Jackson County. Aughney unsuc­ cessfully ran for Jackson County Commis­ sioner during the recent state primary election, but made his way over to Barry County where he addressed the Board of Commissioners during its regularly scheduled meeting. See MAN CLAIMING, page 2 The campground office at Yankee Springs Recreation Area was destroyed by a fire early Tuesday morning. (Photo courtesy Deputy Chief Dan Miller, Yankee Springs Township/Wayland Fire Department) Yankee Springs Recreational Area office destroyed by fire Scott Aughney speaks during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting. Aughney is demanding that the county turnover over data from the recent state primary election. (Photo via Barry County livestream) Greg Chandler Staff Writer An early morning fire on Tuesday destroyed the campground office at the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. Firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 5 a.m. When they arrived, they found the office “completely involved,” said Deputy Chief Dan Miller of the Yankee Springs Township and Wayland fire depart­ ments. Firefighters were on the scene for nearly three hours. The building is considered a total loss. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation by the Barry County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police fire mar­ shal’s office, Miller said. No one was hurt in the fire. The Yankee Springs/Wayland fire depart­ ment was assisted at the scene by Orangeville Township firefighters and Wayland Area EMS, Miller said. �Page 2 — Thursday, August 11,2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Charlton Park to host annual longbow invitational Archery enthusiasts looking for a week­ end of fun and friendly competition are invited to the annual Great Lakes Long­ bow Invitational at Historic Charlton Park on Friday and Saturday. Hosted by the Michigan Longbow Asso­ ciation (MLA), the event includes archery-related activities for all ages and skill levels. Activities include tomahawk throwing, and breaking clays at the ‘01 Sagamore Turkey Shoot, along with numerous competitions and 3D courses. Another highlight is MLA story night, where guests can hear archery experts around the campfire. A coached children’s range with bows and arrows provided is available throughout the weekend for young archers looking to begin their longbow adventure, and a nondenominational church service is held in the Carlton Center Church at 8 a.m. on Sunday. Many traditional archery vendors will be on site selling custom made items and there will be a trade blanket and barn raffle for those looking to barter or pick up archery odds and ends. Demonstrations catered to the outdoor enthusiast, including bow building and flint knapping, will take place throughout the event near the Gas and Steam Bam. MLA membership is $20 and includes unlimited shooting all weekend, a sub­ scription to the quarterly magazine, “STICKTALK,” and members-only dis­ counts on MLA merchandise at archery events throughout the year. Additional event information can be found at michiganlongbow.org or charltonpark.org. Clarksville Ox Roast Day returns Saturday In Clarksville, there are three certainties: Death, taxes and Ox Roast Day every sec­ ond Saturday of August The time has come once again to roast oxen in the village of (‘larksville, and the annual celebrations will keep attendees busy until dinner time. Ox Roast Day begins at 7 a.m. with the Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast, which lasts until 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., the Ox Roast Parade will march down Main Street. This year, the Ox Roast Day festival will host a comhole tournament beginning at 1 p.m. At 5 p.m., the highly-anticipated ox dinner will be served. Main Street in Clarksville will be closed from Cross Street to High Street all day on Aug. 13. Throughout the day, additional events, activities and vendors will be avail­ able on Clarksville’s main drag. Some of these offerings include crafters, food ven­ dors, a car show, the Ox Roast Royal Court Pageant, a pedal pull and a dodgeball tour­ nament. More information about Ox Roast Day can be found by visiting the Ox Roast Day 2022 Facebook page. Lincoln Homecoming Weekend at the Gilmore The 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Motor Company - one of the world’s great luxury marques - is being celebrated now through Saturday at the Gilmore Car Muse­ um in Hickory Comers. The event is com­ memorating the centennial of Lincoln’s acquisition by the Ford Motor Company in February 1922. Originally founded by Henry Leland, Lincoln had begun building luxury passenger cars in 1920. The Lincoln Motor Car Foundation, which oversaw creation of the Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum & Research Foundation, Inc., is holding this year’s Centennial Homecoming Aug. 10-13, on the museum grounds in Hickory Comers. Pre-homecoming events took place in Dearborn on Aug. 7-10. Serving as host for the 2022 Homecom­ ing will be the Lincoln and Continental Owners Club (LCOC). The Lincoln Motor Car Foundation (LMCF) board is com­ prised of individuals from the four major Lincoln clubs - the Lincoln Owners Club, the Lincoln-Zephyr Owners Club, the Road Race Lincoln Register and the LCOC. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the museum’s Campania Bam Lawn. More information about the event and registration information can be found at gilmorecarmuseum.org/events. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 i/8l 10376 & Insured CAREGIVERS FOR THE ELDERLY WANTED Looking for professional and dedicated caregivers for our community to provide assistance with ADLs, med passing, charting, and contributing to life enrichment activities. Long term opportunities and benefits available with full­ time and part-time schedules available. Apply in person at 690 W. Main St., Middleville, MI 49333 Apply online at www.carvethvillage.com or email Makenzi Peters at mpeters@carvethvillage.net .arveth Village of Middleville www.CarvethVillage.com ‘Remember... if you can’t live alone... live with us! 690 W. Main Street, Middleville, MI 49333 269-795-4972 THE HOTTEST STARS CHRIS YOUNG THURSDAY, AUGUST 18 KENNY LOGGINS AT THE MOVIES TOUR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 AARON TIPPIN • COLLIN RAYE • SAMMY KERSHAW ROOTS & BOOTS TOUR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR FIREKEEPERS CAS I NO ♦ HOTEL BATTLE CREEK I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue | Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. Race for District 2 of the Barry County Board of Commissioners still unresolved Jayson Bussa Editor As Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer works to prepare ballots for November’s general election, one seat on the county commission is still up in the air. The race for the Republican nomination in District 2, which includes the Village of Mid­ dleville, remains unresolved after Aug. 2’s state primary election. The winner of the Republican nomination would win the seat as they do not face Democrat opposition in November’s gener­ al election. Shortly before the election, challenger John Gallagher was informed that he could not legally serve in the seat for District 2 because his home falls just outside of the newly-drawn district. His name, however, remained on the ballot for the election and he beat incumbent Catherine Getty. Ever since, Gallagher has been working with Palmer and county attorneys to clear up any ambiguity in the new district lines to ensure they are accurate and show that Gallagher does, in fact, live outside of District 2. “The county clerk, Pam Palmer, and the map­ ping department, they have been fantastic in us isolating exactly where the line is,” Gallagher told The Banner late last week. “And, we’re still working through it.” Palmer has worked to provide materials for Gallagher. “Right now, he’s doing his homework and just double checking the lines for sure, which I don’t blame him,” Palmer said. Still, expediency is important in the matter as Palmer works to compile ballots for the Novem­ ber election and is unable to list the appropriate Catherine Getty, current Barry County commissioner for District 2, asks a question during Tuesday morning’s board of commissioners meeting. Getty was defeated in last week’s primary election, but might still take the seat after it was determined that challenger John Gallagher lives just outside of the district. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) candidate in District 2. Palmer said her office is no longer contacting Gallagher in order to avoid the perception that she is pressuring him to bow out of the race. Meanwhile, if Gallagher doesn’t advance to the general election, Getty will have to take additional steps to get on the ballot hav­ ing lost the primary race. “I’m done contacting (Gallagher) - I don’t want to feel like I’m pushing,” Palmer said. “I’m also limiting my advice to Catherine. It’s not up to me. It’s up to me to prepare the ballot, not to resolve this issue.” Getty said, despite the snafu, she is continuing on with her business as commissioner. “I don’t have time to reflect too much on this,” she said. “I’m too busy. I’m working on the positive change for the county that I’ve been working at for years. Not just in the Middleville, Thomapple and Yankee Springs areas, but through the whole county. We have so many projects and partnerships and relationships to carry on. I’ll continue to do what I can and we’ll leave it up to the lawyers and the election bureau to sort out the election.” Getty is concluding her first two-year term on the Board of Commissioners. After two mem­ bers opted not to seek re-election, one incumbent losing and a new seat being added, next year’s board is poised to look noticeably different. The board will welcome at least four news faces, while the seat for District 2 is still in flux. “I think if he has the true interest - the best interest - of the county, he would work toward a quick resolution,” Getty said of Gallagher. Preliminary hearing set for one defendant in Brickley murder case Greg Chandler Staff Writer A Sept. 8 preliminary hearing date has been set for Coleen Marie Rice, one of three individuals who have been charged with tam­ pering with evidence in the February 2021 murder of 18-year-old Gracyn Brickley in Maple Grove Township. Rice, 46, of Hastings, appeared Wednesday in District Court 56B via video. She is charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony. Wednes­ day’s hearing lasted less than two minutes. Rice’s attorney, Shane McNeill, made a sec­ ond request that his client’s bond be reduced. “We fully acknowledge the seriousness of this charge,” McNeill said. “With the delay before the preliminary examination and Ms. Rice’s cooperation to date, prior to the issu­ ance of charges, we think a reduction of bond is warranted for consideration.” County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt opposed reducing Rice’s bond. “This is a homicide case, and the charges are very serious that Ms. Rice faces. We’re asking the court to keep bond as is,” Nakfoor Pratt said. Judge Michael Schipper ruled in favor of the prosecution, maintaining Rice’s bond at $10,000, calling it “reasonable.” Eighteen-year-old Andrew Lafey was con­ victed in April of first-degree felony and premeditated murder in Brickley’s death. He is serving life in prison without parole. Two other defendants are awaiting hearings in the case. Dustin Scott Stephens, 36, of Nashville, is scheduled to appear for a proba­ ble cause hearing Aug. 17 in District Court 56B, while 52-year-old Sheralyn Randolph, also of Nashville, has a hearing set for Sept. 7. Stephens is facing felony counts of perjury in the trial of a capital crime, tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, accessory after the fact to a felony and a fel­ ony firearms charge. Stephens remains held in the Barry County Jail on a $50,000 bond, and could receive life in prison if convicted of the perjury charge. Randolph is charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony as well as being a fourth time habitual offender. Schipper last week granted a reduction in Randolph’s bond from $20,000 to a personal recognizance bond and had her transferred to the custody of Ionia County, where she is charged with violating her probation. MAN CLAIMING, continued from page 1 “I’m an independent investigator in the general election of 2020,” Aughney said during the first public comment portion of the meeting. “I have the extensive technical background in terms of rela­ tional databases. There is fraudulent data going into the system and fraudulent data going out. This has nothing to do with Sheriff (Dar) Leaf. This has to do with my own investigations.” Aughney submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the county. He read the request out loud before handing it over to board chairman Ben Geiger. Aughney’s argument centers on tech­ nology associated with the county’s vot­ ing system. “I am requesting a copy of the raw data files contained on the verity drive cards for all voting precincts to Barry County for the primary election concluding Aug. 2, 2022,” Aughney read aloud. “The con­ tract for the tabulator/verity drive machine used in your county requires QVF (Qualified Voter File) data to be loaded into the verity drive for full func­ tionality. As such, the QVF data loaded on to the verity drive cards are subject to FOIA.” Aughney left midway through the meeting; therefore, he wasn’t able to field questions at the meeting’s conclusion. He capped his rant off with a warning. “I’m disgusted what has happened to this country and local politicians - state and federal politicians - ignoring investi­ gations,” he said. “Again, this has noth­ ing to do with Sheriff Leaf. This has to do with the rule of law. Pam Palmer is vio­ lating it, (Barry County prosecutor) Julie Barry County commissioners listen during Tuesday morning's regularly scheduled meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) (Nakfoor) Pratt is violating it and so is (Michigan Attorney General) Dana Nes­ sel and (Secretary of State) Jocelyn Ben­ son in Lansing.” “I will become your enemy number one. Not Dar Leaf - I will,” Aughney said. “Tell Julie (Nakfoor) Pratt the same thing.” Nakfoor Pratt confirmed that Aughney came to the prosecutor’s office shortly after he left the meeting, demanding to meet with her. Members of the prosecu­ tor’s office notified both building securi­ ty and Michigan State Police. He staged a similar visit to the clerk’s office just before the meeting. During Aughney’s recent run for coun­ ty commissioner in Jackson County, he released videos harping on voter integri­ ty, claiming he has unearthed credible evidence of foul play. In those same vid­ eos, he has also railed against officials in Jackson County, saying they were unco­ operative in his investigation. Palmer declined to comment on the outburst and the allegations made by Aughney. BUS DRIVER, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ---roster of 31, McCarthy told the Hastings Banner. Since that letter went out, the TK dis­ trict has approved the hiring of two indi­ viduals who could become drivers once they complete their training, and some adjustments have been made to the plans outlined last week. McCarthy updated the school board on the transportation situation at Monday’s board meeting. “We have been working that problem, trying to figure out what the best solu­ tions are to try and limit the impact on the families in that walking zone,” McCarthy told the board. “We have come up with some good solutions that are viable.” The walking zone is bounded by M-37 on the east, Bender Road south of Main Street and Lloyd Court north of Main on the west, Misty Ridge Drive on the south and Towne Center Drive on the north. It includes the Towne Center townhouses and apartments, as well as the Rolling Oaks Estates, Seneca Ridge, Misty Ridge and the Downs subdivisions. McCarthy sent out an email Monday afternoon to district parents updating them on changes that have been made since last week. Most notable is the addi­ tion of shuttle routes to two elementary runs. “After students are dropped off at McFall and at Lee (Elementary), two buses will circle back and go to some group stops in the furthest reaches of that walking zone,” McCarthy said. Those two stops are for Page Elementa­ ry students, one in the Towne Center area and a second in the Misty Ridge area, McCarthy said. The specific locations for Towne Cen­ ter and Misty Ridge stops will be com­ municated to parents from the bus garage, via their transportation notices, McCar­ thy said. The two new driver hires are pending passage of their written and driving tests. Several other individuals are starting the interview process for positions, McCar­ thy said after the meeting. “If these applicants are successful in the interview process and pass the state-required written and driving tests, we will be closer to having a full trans­ portation staff,” McCarthy wrote in an e-mail to the board. “We are hopeful to offer additional route reinstatements in the coming weeks.” Free training toward a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is available for anyone interested in being a driver at TK, and no experience is necessary, McCar­ thy said. The district is offering the following for new hires, according to its website (tkschools.org): • A $500 sign-on bonus • Wages of up to $25 or more per hour • Up to $1,000 in attendance bonuses that are available this year • Healthcare options • Paid CDL training Anyone interested in becoming a TK bus driver can email tktransportation@ tkschools.org, or call 269-795-5540 for more information. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — Page 3 Hastings police still awaiting new patrol vehicle after arson Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter said the department likely wouldn’t be able to replace a patrol vehicle destroyed by arson until November. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Deaths continue to steadily climb in Barry County, elsewhere throughout the state Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers picked through data on a particularly somber topic during Tuesday morning’s meeting. Dr. Joyce deJong from the office of the medical examiner appeared in front of the board to provide an annual report, breaking down details on county deaths in 2021. Dr. deJong is from the Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine at Western Michi­ gan University, which provides medical examiner and forensic services ...to Barry County, in addition to 12 others -counties throughout the state. When a death is reported to the medical examiner’s office, it deploys one of its foren­ sic pathologists to provide service. As someone that provides yearly reports to 13 total counties throughout the state, Dr. deJong said she likes to highlight trends that might be noteworthy or unique to each respective county. /, In 2021, Barry County saw 529 deaths, 155 of which were reported to the medical exam­ iner’s office. The total deaths shows steadily growing death totals in Barry County, dating back to 2019. In 2019, the county reported 399 deaths, which climbed to 453 last year and took another jump this year. This time frame also coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and the many health and societal issues that came with it. “There was an increase of people dying in the county,” Dr. deJong said. “Most of those are natural (deaths).” “It speaks to mortality,” Dr. deJong added. Dr. Joyce deJong of the Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine at Western Michigan University speaks in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. “People are dying sooner when your numbers go like that.” The trend wasn’t isolated to Barry County, either. Dr. deJong said St. Joseph County, a southwestern Michigan county that her orga­ nization also serves, features a comparable population size. There, she saw 601 total deaths, which also continued a steady threeyear climb. Another stat that pointed to the fact that most of the additional deaths in Barry County were natural was that, while total deaths spiked, the number of deaths reported to Dr. deJong’s office dropped from 161 reports l|st year. A silver lining in the data showed that both accidental and drug-related deaths fell. The county recorded 18 accidental deaths in 2021 compared to 30 (the year before. The county saw four drug-related deaths m 2021. St. Joseph County saw 10 drug-related deaths while CalhoUn County had 60 drug-related deaths in 2021 alone. Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Police Department will be waiting several more weeks before they can replace the patrol vehicle destroyed in a fire. Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter said he doesn’t anticipate a replacement for the vehi­ cle to be ready until at least November, leav­ ing the department with three vehicles until then. Jeremy Scott Dunklee was convicted of arson for pouring gas on the patrol vehicle and setting it ablaze in the city hall parking lot March 21. Dunklee will be sentenced Oct. 13. A preliminary estimate put damages to the vehicle at $25,947, while Boulter said the department purchased the Ford Interceptor in June 2020 for $36,662. The department purchases its vehicles through the MiDeal state purchasing agree­ ment with Signature Ford in Owosso. Boulter said after checking on the replacement vehi­ cle order last week, the new vehicle had not yet been scheduled for production. Although Boulter said law enforcement vehicle orders are often given priority over other orders, supply chain issues have still delayed new vehicle production. Even deal­ ers as far as Ohio didn’t have any pursuit rated vehicles available, with some saying they likely wouldn’t see any for another 30 to 45 weeks. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Ford or Chevy at this point, everyone’s kind of having the same issue,” Boulter said. Deputy Chief Julissa Kelly said once the department gets the new vehicle, it will still need to be outfitted for use as a police cruiser. “Yeah, the light bar that we had on our car got torched,” Kelly said. “So that’s gonna be a new expenditure, and just a lot of the other parts that are specific to patrol.” Maintenance of the department’s vehicles is performed by the Ford of Wayland dealer­ ship, while state contractors are hired to outfit the patrol vehicles with police gear. They install the light bar, radios and cages that separate officers from suspects. While the department typically only has two vehicles on the road at a time, having just three available has only slightly changed how the department operates, Boulter said. During the Memorial Day parade in Hastings, reserve officers utilized bikes and more barricades than usual to block off a parade path. The real worry is that with one of the vehi­ cles at the mechanic for routine maintenance, one of the two operational vehicles might run into issues, Boulter said. “We regularly perform maintenance on these cars, but just as anything else, you can never predict when something’s going to go wrong,” Boulter said. “Even newer vehicles still have issues.” Hastings Township recaps primary election as parties request voter information Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Discussions around the Aug. 2 state primary election were at the center of the Hastings Charter Township board’s Tues­ day meeting. Township Clerk Anita Mennell shared a Freedom of Information Act request the township had received on Monday, which asked for various items of information from the election. Some of the requested information, like the amount of absentee ballots distributed and returned by the township, was public information and would be provided, Men­ nell said. Other requested items, like cop­ ies of electronic poll books and tabulator administrative information, were not pub­ lic information and would not be provid­ ed. The FOIA letter claimed that “even after this information is provided, the destruction of this data is a violation of state and federal election law and there­ fore must be preserved for a minimum of 22 months.” Mennell informed the other board members that she would be turning the request over to the township’s attorney. Mennell said she had seen similar let­ ters go out to townships and cities all across the state, with most of the language remaining the same except for who signed the letter. “I’m tired of this stuff” Mennell said. “I’m just going to turn it over to the law­ yer. I mean, some of the stuff that they said is you have to keep this, or that. There’s only one thing I have to keep for 22 months and that’s the ballots them­ selves. These people don’t know what they’re talking about.” The board unanimously approved a resolution forbidding the placement of any signs endorsing candidates or ballot issues at the township hall. Mennell explained that the purpose of the resolution was to avoid the impression that the township board was endorsing any candidates or ballot measures. Cam­ paign representatives were still welcome to be on township property as long as they remained further than 100 feet from the entrance of the township hall as required by state law, she said. In her report, Mennell said the town­ ship received 513 in-person ballots and an additional 330 absentee ballots. SHERIFF, continued from page 1 s With 'investigators regarding an election fra|4:investigation. Subsequent to this con­ versation, Olson turned over her tabulator to a third party.” 7 'Leaf, who was out of the county early this week, did not field questions based on the recent happenings but he did submit a state­ ment through Lambert. “I took an oath and obligation as Sheriff to investigate all potential crimes reported to my office including election law viola­ tions,” Leaf said. “1 have evidence reflect­ ing that SOS Benson ordered 2020 election data to be deleted in violation of the law and a full investigation will be conducted by my office.” In early June, after Michigan state police raided Irving Township Hall and it became clear that the state was investigating Leaf, he went on the offensive with his attorney Lam­ bert. They filed a lawsuit against state offi­ cials, including both Nessel and Benson, claiming that they were impeding on his investigation into potential voter fraud and harassing both him and those he was work­ ing with. That lawsuit is still pending two months after being filed with the state’s court of claims. However, just this week, the Detroit News reported that Eric Jamison, an assistant attorney general and an attorney for the Michigan State Police, was the first to respond to the lawsuit, filing a 19-page petition saying that the suit must be thrown out because Leaf never signed it. The Hastings Banner reached out to the offices of both Attorney General Nessel and Secretary of State Benson, but neither could comment on that pending lawsuit. Both sides are digging in with their mes­ saging. While state officials maintain that the group tampered with technology and under­ mined the 2020 election, those being targeted by potential charges claims that this is a form of political of punishment. “Legitimate investigations on behalf of elected constitutional officers in the course of determining whether there was election day fraud is not a crime, especially where those individuals have the legal authority and indeed, the duty to inquire into and investi­ gate potential fraud in the election process within their jurisdiction and authority,” Lam­ bert said via a statement. Lambert emphasized that “there is no law preventing local clerks from seeking inde­ pendent expert analysis of voting machines.” “Now, Nessel and Benson, with their own elections just under three months away, have concocted a scheme to intimidate local clerks, attorneys and sheriffs from investigating election law violations and/or fraud that could potentially occur in the November 2022 election. I am not intimidated,” Lambert concluded. Secretary of State Benson released a state­ ment following Nessel’s request for a special prosecutor. “There must be consequences for those who broke the law to undermine our elec­ tions in order to advance their own political agendas,” she said. “I’m thankful that Attor­ ney General Nessel is conducting this inves­ tigation into the tampering of our secure voting machines and referring the case for prosecution.” “The republican, democratic and nonparti­ san election clerks of this state do their jobs with professionalism and integrity and we will continue to ensure they are equipped with a full understanding of the legal protec­ tions in place to block bad actors from pres­ suring them to gain access to secure election systems.” UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY Ben Geiger, chairman of the Barry County Board of Commissioners said that, were Leaf to face criminal charges, it would create a scenario unprecedented in Barry County. "This is unprecedented and we haven’t had a county officer potentially face criminal charges - at least in my tenure." As Leaf pursues a lawsuit against the state, and could potentially face criminal charges of his own, many county residents are left won­ dering if they will be responsible for footing the bill in defending the elected official. “If there is litigation related to someone’s official capacity, then the county would defend an officer or if any member of the board of commissioners was sued for some­ thing they did in their capacity as an elected official, the county would defend them," Geiger said. "However, when it is a criminal investigation, that is a different matter entire­ ly and the county will not pay for legal defenses related to criminal matters." Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer, who has been on the front lines of elections within the county, and the extracurriculars that have come with, didn’t have much to say about the latest development in the case. “Other people know more about it than I do. ...I really haven’t had time to read up on it,” Palmer said about Leaf’s dealings with the state. “It is what it is.” Dana Nessel Jocelyn Benson Woodlawn Meadows All ""J participants entered into 4 GRAND PRIZE Z DRAWING! M L Grill n’ Chill Classic Car Show"! Friday, Aug. 19 • 12pm - 1:30pm RSVP to participate by Aug. 15 to 269-948-7755 Build-Your-Own Gourmet Burger Bar! Woodlawn Meadows Assisted Living & Memory Care 1821 North East Street Hastings, Ml 49058 www.woodlawnmeadows.com Anyone is welcome to come. Sunday August 14,2022 2-5pm @ Johnson Field %-12 flag football Qamu! SUeni tuition! * EVENTS TICKETS > FISHING GEAR •LOTS OF GIFT CARDS! -ARDMORE!!! Dunk Tlour Coach! The lucky food Truck! Honalce! �Page 4 — Thursday, August 11,2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? k vote is a voice Water Front Property Living on a lake is something many homeowners strive for - but only when that lake is supposed to be there. Due to torrential downpours last week, some Hastings residents found themselves ankle deep in water. Here, a resident works to clean out a drain opening as flood waters accumulated at Church and Center streets. Areas of Barry County got hit with tremendous rain on and off for two days. The storm also knocked out power to much of Hastings. Do you remember? *..... Salute Anniversary ,£OTHerl 971 .................. « I ■ A The 50^ anniversary of the Hastings Manufacturing Company and its economic and cultural contributions to Hastings and the entire area was recognized Thursday night at a banquet sponsored by the Area Chamber of Commerce held at the Country Club. Patrick Hodg­ es presented a gift to Stephen Johnson (left), company president, as a token of the appreciation citizens of the community have for him, the other company officers and the founders. - Banner photo. Have you met? Staff writer Hunter McLaren is a Report For America corps member covering schools, city government and community issues in Barry County for The Hastings Banner. Report for America is a national service project that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-cov­ ered issues. As part of the program, corps members are expected to take on a service project that benefits the community. McLaren hosts a weekly two-hour writing class for middle and high school students in Barry County. This week’s Bright Light features writing and reporting contributions from local stu­ dents Braiden Wesner, Holdyn Clinkscales and Noah Lear. Geneva Walsh, who has a master’s degree in early childhood education, has taught at the preschool, elementary school and middle school levels. She’s always been interested in educa­ tion in some way, shape or form. “I have been in education basically for­ ever,” Walsh said. Last year, she decided it was time to step out of the classroom. “I just woke up one day, I emailed my boss in the summer like, T can’t do it. I can’t come back. I’m done.’ It was a little bit scary,” she said. “But I told myself that this year would be the year that I try new things,” Walsh now works with the Barry County Great Start Collaborative as a family coach, helping connect parents to early childhood resources and information. She also works as a freelancer, working with an educa­ tion-focused company in Los Angeles. Even though she’s still doing education related work, she said her distance from the classroom has given her the space to focus on another one of her interests: Art. “One of the things that I’m trying to real­ ly focus on this year is creating art and doing things that are in alignment with supporting people of color, minorities, women, all that stuff,” Walsh said. “Before, I didn’t. I was very much like, ‘I’m a teach­ er. I can’t say this. I can’t do this. I don’t want to create that.’” “Now that I’m not (a teacher), I feel much more free to kind of find out who I want to be in the community.” Geneva Walsh The public pressure and scrutiny that comes with being a teacher is not always conducive to expressing yourself through art. Although she loved her teaching job at a Christian pre­ school, she often felt she had to be careful. Walsh, who is half-Japanese, said she’s used to typically being the only non-white person in a small town community. She didn’t always feel comfortable making art about her identity and beliefs. “With my art, I used to be really scared to express myself in any way that could be controversial,” Walsh said. “Because as a teacher in a small town, you’re kind of in a box of, ‘I don’t want to upset this group of people. I don’t want to alienate myself from this group of people.’” “Now, I really do want to get more into art that is in alignment with my beliefs about inclusion and human rights,” she said. She’s been exploring her newfound free­ dom to express those beliefs. Earlier this year, she designed and shared a coffee mug celebrating the start of Pride Month. “I knew that I would have several people, whether it’s family members or just people in the community, that would have a prob­ lem with it,” she said. “But the world didn’t collapse when I did that, so I feel like I’m going to head in that direction more.” There’s another thing that’s inspired her to keep sharing her beliefs about what she thinks is right: Kids. “Kids nowadays have no problem doing that, and it’s really admirable,” she said. “As a millennial growing up, we just tried to get ‘ A’s and not get in trouble. Now, I’m going to try and live a little bit like Gen Z.” For her dedication to education and expressing herself, Geneva Walsh is this week’s Bright Light. What inspires your art: It’s really just focusing on intuition. If I start creating something, and I don’t like it, I just move on and start making anything that feels good. If I go through a phase where I’m obsessed with drawing flowers, I’ll just make flowers. Even if it’s like, ‘Oh, you’ve made that same thing 100 times,’ I’ll just keep doing it. Dream career when you were younger: I knew it was going to somehow be in edu­ cation. I’ve always been drawn to it, even when I tried to get away from it. But I grew up in a time and environment which is real­ ly different from now, where you had to just pick a career, go to college, stick with it and make money. I wasn’t ever really encour­ aged to try things just to explore it. I’m just now starting to figure out what I want to do. I had no idea. I still don’t really know. There’s a quote from Oscar Wilde: “To define is to limit.” I don’t want to be a teacher, or an artist, or whatever. I just want to be whatever I feel like doing. Advice for young people: Everything is connected. You don’t have to just go into art, or go into this or that. It can all be so connected. Even if it’s not something you can do that will make money, that’s 100 percent okay. We’re taught to produce. To me, the good artists never created because they were trying to pay bills. Find some­ thing you’re interested in, and just do it until you’re not interested in it. Find some­ thing else. I think this is such a great time for young people. I’ll leave it to the experts to confirm or deny my feeling that this country and our society have never faced the kind of urgent problems that confront us today. That’s not to say I don’t value and hold dear the sacrifice of courageous Ameri­ cans who fought to free this country and protect that freedom through the horrors of two world wars and several costly overseas conflicts. Brave Americans built our United States, conquered diseases like polio and smallpox. They constructed the world’s strongest economy on the principles of capitalism and used it as a model for security and prosperity all over the world. My contention is that America has never seen so many urgent challenges all at one time - and each has the possibility, like those major events of the past, to change our country and our marvelous story forever. Gun violence, a growing recession, rising food prices, high gas prices, a bor­ der crisis, the war in Ukraine, climate issues, and Fentanyl overdose deaths claiming thousands of lives are pressur­ ing our reliance on the bedrock Ameri­ can ideal of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And now China is increasing tensions over Taiwan as Americans ask, “What’s next?” Due to increasing political and cultural divisions in our country, how can we as a nation deal with so many issues facing us every day? We’ve dealt with some diffi­ cult times in the past and we’ll weather through the tough times again, but right now it feels like we’re faced with too much to handle. “More than ever before in history, indi­ viduals can now band together to solve grand challenges,” says American entre­ preneur and engineer Peter Diamandis. “We face enormous problems, but we - as individuals - have enormous power to solve them.” Solving these problems takes coopera­ tion and the ability to work together, though - something that is really lacking in Washington these days. But, closer to home, local officials seem ready to tackle local issues. While races for higher offices naturally receive more attention, locally elected officials play a more direct and immedi­ ate role in solving issues in our communi­ ties. That’s why I believe voting is the best way to make our voices heard by selecting the people that will do their best to get the job done. As Abraham Lincoln famously said in his Gettysburg Address, we are a “gov­ ernment of the people, by the people, and for the people.” The power and responsibility lies in the hands of the voters to choose the people best suited to solve the problems that impact our communities. Even though we seem to be locked into a time of great unrest in our society when local school board and government meetings devolve into shouting matches and heated rhetoric we must find a better way to overcome our differences. Politics clouds everything today, but there is a solution. Instead of pointing fingers and raising voices and endlessly arguing on social media, people need to become informed on the issues and demand results or throw the bums out. Locally, some new faces will be taking on the issues that are most important to us. And with the primary elections behind us, voters have chosen a host of candi­ dates to run in the fall. In Michigan, two women will face off for governor for the first time in history. And in Barry County, three women will dominate state races to represent our county. Seeing some new faces that bring new ideas and a dedication to make a difference is refreshing news for taxpay­ ers. Now it’s up to each of us to become better informed on the issues so we’re The Hastings BcUUlCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MT 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. able to choose the right candidates in the fall elections for the big job ahead. In Barry County, a new group of coun­ ty commissioners will face a number of challenges in the New Year. In his cam­ paign to fill the new seat making Hast­ ings a separate district on the county board, Dave Hatfield will emphasize stronger ties and better cohesiveness between the city of Hastings and the rest of Barry County. “At this point I don’t have a particular agenda or set of issues to address, but I think there ought to be more conversation and ways the two units can work more effectively together to reduce costs,” says Hatfield. Hatfield will face off against Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz in the gen­ eral election. Local businessman Bob Teunessen is one step closer to joining the commission by winning the chance to face Scott Sav­ age in the fall. Mark Doster, who defeated board vice chair Vivian Conner, will also join the board. John Gallagher defeated incumbent Catherine Getty, but it was discovered after the election that he didn’t live in the district so he can’t accept the position. So it looks like Getty will return to the board. Participating in elections and making the right choice is what makes the differ­ ence in solving the issues that impact our lives. It’s sad that more people don’t vote and it’s deplorable that citizens aren’t better informed on the issues that impact their lives. I’m shocked when discussing the issues in the news with people only to find out they know little about the issues, or that the information they have is strict­ ly partisan. At J-Ad Graphics, we do our best to give you the facts, by interviewing the candidates with unedited comments on the issues. And even though the state of local news coverage across the country hasn’t been a pretty picture for the past few years, we continue to fight the good fight in the battle for comprehensive cov­ erage on the local scene. The loss of weekly and daily newspa­ pers is serious because it leaves people without relevant facts in an environment of influenced and biased information. When news d'omes second-hand, citizens are responding to opinions, rumors, guesses and propaganda. I come to work each day knowing we’re doing our best to serve our commu­ nity by providing the information people need to keep informed on the issues that impact their lives. Whether it be taxes, regulations or proposed changes - or news on local deaths, sports and local organizations - we cover it all. We’re committed to the news that makes a dif­ ference in our communities. In the end, though, it all depends on you - the voters, the taxpayers, all the citizens who will always be impacted by the decisions made at all levels of gov­ ernment. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” said civil rights leader and minister Martin Luther King, Jr. Our nation stands at a crossroad crisis, the leaders we’ve elected will determine what the country looks like in the years ahead. That should be a concern of every­ one...because today’s leaders do not seem to have chosen the road to success. • NEWSROOM • Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Greg Chandler Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid Hunter McLaren P.O. Box 188 at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — Page 5 Jan. 6 hearings provide crucial information to the voting public Large swaths of the American public still believe that Donald Trump was the actual winner of the 2020 Presidential Election. Donald Trump still holds sway with many Republicans, enough that candidates who support the claim that the 2020 Election are getting their party’s nominations in many locations. Congressman Peter Meijer lost his bid for the Republican nomination for Michigan’s Third Congressional District by losing the primary to an election denier despite his record of support for our men and women in arms, consistent spending restraint and strong constituent assistance. I didn’t agree with all of Mr. Meijer’s positions but he ably and honorably represented this area and lost pri­ marily because he had the courage to vote to impeach Donald Trump and the integrity to stand by that vote. I have made no secret of how puzzling it is that so many of the people in Barry Coun­ ty can stand by Donald Trump despite the preponderance of evidence that he lost the election fair and square and regardless of all the failed court challenges, the official and unofficial audits and the recounts that con­ firmed the original results. I reckon that part of the reason folks support him in the first place - and continue to support him - is because of those people who he opposes and attacks. There is a lot of resentment against politi­ cal, economic and cultural forces, groups and leaders that are suspect because they are “not Man passes off movie money at gas station like us”. Donald Trump managed to embody that resentment and channel it. And he is hav­ ing some success at channeling it against candidates who won’t sing his praises and accept his leadership. I have seen a lot of distrust and criticism of the Congressional January 6 Committee, which is investigating the events of the riot at the Capitol and also the larger set of attempts to overthrow the election of President Joe Biden. Many of the people who still support Trump have avoided those hearings and their findings. They criticize them as partisan. There is an element of truth to that. The majority on the panel are Democrats. And the two Republicans on the panel are highly crit­ ical of Democrats. But it is important to remember that the information that comes out in the hearings need not rely on one’s faith in the Demo­ cratic Party to the truth. Most of the people whose testimony has been presented have been Republicans, appointees of Donald A cashier at the Woodbury Speedway gas station near Lake Odessa reported receiving a fake $5 bill around 7 p.m. on July 15. The 24-year-old Lake Odessa woman gave the bill to police, who saw the words “motion picture money” printed at the top of the bill. The woman described the suspect as a white male in his twenties driving a “jacked up” blue pick-up truck. Police shredded the phony money. Trump’s, members of his own government, White House or campaign staff. There have been some elected Republicans, some Capi­ tol police, a participant in the Capitol riot and a one-time leading member of the Proud Boys. If you have not watched the January 6 Committee Hearings already, I urge you, regardless of your political persuasion or feelings about Donald Trump or the Republi­ can and Democratic Parties, to take the opportunity to watch the replays. They are readily available online, unedited. They tell a compelling story. I have no complaint with each one of us using our own judgement about Donald Trump and whether he is telling the truth about the election and fraud, but look at the hearings and then use your best judgement. Democracy shouldn’t rely on blind faith. Dog found drowned in swimming pool A dog was found drowned in a swimming pool on the 9600 block of Butler Road around 2 p.m. on July 29. The owner, a 52-year-old Nashville woman living on the 7800 block of M-66 Highway, had reported the dog missing the previous day. Police contact­ ed the woman and turned over the dog’s remains. Five teens walk away from fiery crash Police responded to a crash just after midnight on July 13 on South Broadway Street near Sager Road. Police received a call from OnStar stating the SUV involved had been in a crash and the airbags had deployed. A separate caller reported the vehicle was engulfed in flames. When police arrived, they found two Hastings teens at the scene. After corroborating stories from the teens and witnesses, it was determined there were five Hastings teens in the vehicle when it crashed. Some of the teens had been drinking, and although there were conflicting stories of who was driving, police believe the driver of the vehicle was also drunk. The teens reported the driver attempted to “drift,” which led to the crash. No major injuries were reported. Dr. Kenneth M. Kornheiser Prairieville Township Delton residents encouraged to weigh in on Upper Crooked Lake iow-build elevation On Saturday, Aug. 13, during the Delton Founders Day celebration, there will be a display near the park stage for the county master plan. Please consider stopping by and requesting to have a low-build elevation limit established for Upper Crooked lake. Drain commissioner Jim Dull is suggesting that the lowest level floor, including crawl spaces, of new construction, not be built below a certain elevation in order to prevent the structure from flooding. Currently the only limits in the books are setback requirements. Larry Osborne Delton Woman finds grenade in brother’s belongings City Council surprised with invoice for completed road project, deadlocked on whether to pay it Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings city council members were sur­ prised by a $42,962 invoice for the comple­ tion of the road resurfacing project on North Michigan and East Woodlawn avenues, which had been performed without an approved purchase order by the city. The motion to approve the invoice failed in a tie, with council members Brenda McNabbStange, Al Jarvis, Jacquie McLean and Don Bowers voting against the motion. The project was completed by Grand Rapids-based civil engineering firm Prein & Newhof, which also completed the prelimi­ nary design engineering phase of the project. When that phase of the project came in $20,000 under the amount budgeted by the city, Director of Public Services Travis Tate said Prein & Newhof staff decided to contin­ ue with the construction engineering phase of the project with the knowledge there was $20,000 of “leftover funds” for the project. Prein & Newhof staff then drafted a pro­ posal for the construction phase of the project in April, but failed to send it to the city. Tate said he became aware of the problem when he was sent the $42,962 invoice, which he did not approve and brought it before the city. Dana Burd, project manager for Prein & Newhof, attended the meeting to represent the firm. Burd apologized for the error and answered questions from council members. “We certainly' didn’t mean to take advan­ tage of the situation or circumvent a city procedure,” Burd said. “It was just (done in the interest of) trying to stay on task with the project and keep things on schedule.” City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale recom­ mended the city approve the invoice based on the fact that Prein & Newhof had already completed the work. “This is an unfortunate way that this came about,” Moyer-Cale said. “I don’t see any reason to not pay them for the work that they’ve done, given that they were acting in good faith and we were working together to try to accomplish this project.” City Treasurer Jane Saurman said because expenses for the project were incurred as part of the 2021-2022 operating budget, the city would have to pay their balance by the end of August. Council members asked for more informa­ tion on how the error occurred, how it affect­ ed the city’s budget and how the city planned to prevent further errors on future projects before they would vote on the motion again at the Aug. 22 meeting. “I’m not even sure it was good faith when they didn’t have a contract, and they normally do business with a contract and a purchase order,” McNabb-Stange said. “Yeah, I guess it probably was still in good faith, but it was negligence.” “I put the blame on Travis (Tate) and I put the blame on (Prein & Newhof). When we write (requests for proposals), we have a checklist,” Mayor David Tossava said. “I really think we need a checklist for any kind of big project. I don’t want to see this happen again.” Council member McNabb-Stange also expressed concerns about how the city was operating within its budget after several unexpected expenses came up during the course of the meeting. “Is everything (on the agenda) for approval over budget tonight?” McNabb-Stange asked. A 70-year-old Hastings woman arrived at the Barry County Sheriff’s Office around noon on on Aug. 2 to turn in what she thought might be a live grenade. She told police at the station she had found the grenade while going through her recently deceased broth­ er’s belongings, and believed it to be real because he served in the Army in the 1980s. She brought the grenade with her, but had left it in her vehicle. The Michigan State Police Bomb Squad came to the station, determined the grenade was inert and took it for disposal. Hastings Area School System, Barry County Chamber of Commerce to Host BIE Luncheon Hastings Area School System (HASS) and the Barry County Chamber of Com­ merce will host the 2022-23 Business, Industry and Education (BIE) Luncheon on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 12 p.m. at the Hastings Performing Arts Center, 520 West South Street. This year’s presentation, “Working Together to Enhance our Communities,” will focus on 21st Century skills in the workforce and the partnerships needed within the community to help everyone Dana Burd, project manager for Prein & Newhof, appeared before city council mem­ bers at their meeting Monday to apologize for starting work on the Woodlawn Avenue and Michigan Avenue resurfacing project without an approved purchase order from the city. Earlier in the meeting, a $33,452 invoice approved for street line painting throughout the city came up just over the city’s combined $32,000 budget for major and local streets. A $7,652 unbudgeted invoice was approved for the purchase of four laptops from IT firm Aunalytics to be used in the November elec­ tion. City Treasurer and Clerk Jane Saurman explained computers used in the November election would require Windows 11, which was not compatible with the city’s current systems. A grant from the state would reim­ burse $6,000 of the expenses. The council approved $51,630 for two invoices from Prein & Newhof for a maxi­ mum allowable headworks loading (MAHL) study at the wastewater treatment plant and the associated lab services. The study requires extremely precise equipment and specific expertise that would not allow it to be done in-house by city employees, Director of Pub­ lic Services Tate said. The study is necessary for operations at the plant but Tate was not aware in time to budget it for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Council mem­ bers had already discussed the unbudgeted expenses and heard a presentation from George Holzworth, who is contracted by the city to manage the plant, at previous meet­ ings. McNabb-Stange said she understood the expenses were unexpected and necessary, but still asked if there was anything that could be done to foresee similar expenses in the future. “Can we do anything in-budget?,” McNabb-Stange asked Tate. “We are into August and we’ve not been on budget. We’re talking about raising (water and sewer) rates because of the construction that we’ve done, and we don’t know what we’re doing when it comes to spending.” In other business, the city council: • Approved the Mayor’s appointment of Chelsey Foster to the Hastings Planning Commission for a partial term effective Sept. 1 to Dec. 31. • Conducted a first reading of changes to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tests positive for COVID-19 the city ordinance pertaining to two-family dwellings in the R-2 zoning district and adjustments to lot size requirements. The changes would eliminate a requirement that apartments in the R-2 district face a state highway. The council will take action on the measure at its Aug. 22 meeting. • Approved a request from the Barry Coun­ ty Airport Commission for a $40,000 project pre-construction deposit to Lansing-based design and construction firm Mead and Hunt. The project entails replacing sidewalks, park­ ing lots and rehabilitating the terminal build­ ing. The project will be paid out of the Air­ port Fund. • Approved professional service fees not to exceed $9,750 to MCSA Group for improve­ ments to city hall landscaping and parking lot lights. • Discussed clarifications to the city’s dog park ordinance. • Received a report from Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter. In July, the Hastings Police Department received 510 complaints, made 27 arrests, responded to nine traffic accidents and issued 12 tickets. Bridge Michigan LANSING - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced late Monday she has tested posi­ tive for COVID-19 but symptoms are mild. In a statement, Whitmer said she tested positive on Monday after a test earlier that day was negative. She is twice vaccinated and doubly boosted and said she will be “maintaining a remote schedule to contin­ ue getting things done for the people of Michigan.” The positive test comes less than a week after the August primary election. Whitmer had several campaign events, and she said in her statement that she will notify close contacts. “I am grateful for the support of my family, my staff, and the vaccine for offer­ ing me robust protection against the virus,” she said. This is Whitmer’s first time with the virus. Her positive test comes amid an uptick in cases, as the BA.5, an omicron subviariant, has increased cases the past four months to an average of 2,513 daily cases last week. 182830 BUS WASHER OPENING! Good Selection of WfcXT Cotton Prints succeed. Students will share their “plan” for the coming school year, and the Hast­ ings High School band will perform a few songs from this year’s show. “We are looking forward to partnering with the Barry County Chamber of Com­ merce to host this year’s BIE luncheon,” said Matt Goebel, Superintendent of Hast­ ings Area School System. “This will be a great opportunity for our students to high­ light their plans for the 2022-23 school year with members of our community.?” 108 " Quilt Backing in Many Colors Barry County Transit has an opening for a hard working individual for the position of Bus Washer. Duties include maintaining the transit fleet in clean condition both inside and out. Duties also include facility custodial work. The job will keep you busy! The schedule is Monday thru Friday and 7.5 hours per day. Starting pay is 13.77 Driver’s License is Required Zippers, Threads, Notions Applicants may apply online at barrycountytransit.com or in person or mail at: ft Pray for our Country ft Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-8125 QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • m 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm SIE2I Hoist Cleaners Pick-Up Station Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. �Page 6 — Thursday, August 11,2022 — The Hastings Banner Russell K. Ameter Lois Audrey Baylor Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a flight surgeon until he retired. His military career spanned 40 years with some breaks in service. His flying experience includes 12 different aircraft, 600 plus flight hours and seven air medals. Russ went on to build two aircraft and owned two others. Russ and Darlene enjoyed being snowbirds with their fifth wheel. They split their time between Michigan and Alabama. Russ enjoyed supporting Battle Creek Central Bearcat ath­ letics as Team Physician. Russ enjoyed spend­ ing time with his dogs, family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Darlene Ameter of Three Rivers; daughter, Sarah Ameter of Kalamazoo; three sons, Rusty (Sarah) Ameter of Lincoln, CA, Andy (Elena) Ameter of Kalamazoo and Stuart (Erin Tornello) Ameter of Kalamazoo; three step-children, Scott (Jessi­ ca) Warner of Marshall, LeeAnn (Mark) Mid­ dleton of Traverse City and Nicole Fowler and her fiance Jim Schumacher of Erlanger, KY; 12 grandchildren; a brother, Tac (Amy) Ameter of Blacklick, OH; two sisters, Mary Ann Ameter of Columbus, OH and Salley Longley of Edmond, OK; many nieces and nephews. A private graveside will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery. The family requests that memorial contribu­ tions be directed to ProMedica Hospice, 8075 Creekside Drive, #120, Portage, MI 49024­ 5390 or The Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516. Arrangements by the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home and Cremation Services, www. henryfuneralhome.org Lieutenant Colonel Russell K. Ameter, M.D., USAF, Retired, died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, at the North Woods Village Memory Care in Kalamazoo. He was bom August 17, 1946, in Bryan, Ohio. He was the son of Russell K. and Nancy Moore (Roe) Ameter. He retired from the Air Force in August 2006 after 20 years of service. His military career began in August of 1966 when he enlisted in the Navy and became a hospital corpsman. After the necessary train­ ing, he was sent to the First Marine Air Wing in Danang, Vietnam where he flew medical evacuation missions in 1968. From there he was sent to Sigonella, Sicily for the remainder of his enlistment. He later finished his under­ graduate degree and eventually went to medi­ cal school and a family practice residency. When he finished his residency, he joined the Michigan Air National Guard in Battle Creek and eventually became a flight surgeon. He transferred to the Air Force Reserve at ’ Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Services £ -’Wt i . „ • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted •< 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net j j „ . j Family Owned and Operated Ray Girrbaeh Owner Emeritus „ Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for SO years Worship i Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Website: www. Lead Moser, Pastor. Bertrand. Randall Wheel­ Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Stoetzel. Sunday Services: Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery social are available. distancing. Aftermath Family Wednesday, Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Night Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. School Health Pennock on July 13, 2022 to Danielle Ward p.m. and Ryan Ward of Hastings. * **** Kindergarten-5th Youth Group; 6:30 PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ for information. church Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328! night Bible study and prayer Worship time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. N. Jefferson WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 bom at Spectrum Wednesday Life Group 6:30 Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON Oakley Lillyanna Ward, com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. 4 Truth Kids which usually means extra money. Credits: As you work and pay Social Security taxes, you earn credits - previously called “Quarters of Coverage” - that count toward your eligibility for future Social Secu­ rity benefits. You can earn a maximum of four credits each year. Most people need 40 credits to qualify for benefits. Younger people need fewer credits to qualify for disability or survivor benefits. For more information, see Social Security Credits at ssa.gov/pubs/ EN-05-10072.pdf. Earnings Record: This is the chronological history of the amount of money you earned each year during your working lifetime. Your credits remain on your Social Security earn­ ings record even when you change jobs or have no earnings for a period of time. Review your Erica Brianne Redman, Hastings and Kodee John Crouch, Nashville Terri Marie Weedall, Hastings and Michael Scott Record, Grand Rapids Max Louis Brummel, Middleville and Allison Kay Conrad, Columbia City, IN Keauna Joy Hayes, Middleville and Noah Lloyd Zward, Plainwell Hunter Jennings Gates, Middleville and Brooke Lynae Alejos, Middleville chair accessible and elevator. Sunday Morning Worship: Martha Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist We strive to explain your benefits using easy-to-understand, plain language. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires federal agencies to communicate information clearly in a way “the public can understand and use.” This can be particularly challenging when talking about complicated programs like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income and Medicare. Take a moment to learn a few common Social Security terms and acronyms. COLA: This stands for “Cost-of-Living Adjustment.” With COLAs, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits keep pace with inflation. Most years, your monthly benefit amount will get a COLA, 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Director, Central UM Church has some new signs. One reads “Central Church: a United Methodist Congregation.” Across the street, the Koops Funeral Chapel has removed a glass-fronted bulletin board with wording done by metal letters affixed to the brick wall with the name in attrac­ tive lettering. Art in the Park is once again over and the reports are forthcoming, we hope. A block of 4th Avenue was blocked off to accommodate vendors for this annual event which draws thousands. On Monday, the scheduled United Meth­ odist Women’s salad luncheon at Central United Methodist Church had to be canceled because the scheduled speaker had contracted COVID-19. Ladies from several churches had been invited, but they were notified on Sunday of the cancelation. Sunflowers are at their best. They stand tall and stately. The Tri-River Museum Network will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the Outreach Chris­ tian Church on Jordan Lake Road at noon for their annual catered lunch with a speaker, door prizes and a “Split the Pot” drawing. Reservations were to be made to the secretary at the Ada Museum. This event usually draws many guests. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. love with those around her and would extend a listening ear to many. Her grandchildren describe her as the ‘best grandmother one could have.’ She is survived by her loving husband, Dick Baylor; sisters, Mary (Willie) Sager and Cindie (Scott) Taylor; children, Rick (Sophie) Baylor and Kristy (Wade) Lester; four grand­ daughters and five great granddaughters with a great grandson on the way. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 16,2022 at Faith Unit­ ed Methodist Church, 503 S. Grove St., Delton, MI 49046 with visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow. The service will be led by the family with Pastor Sam Gordy officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Faith United Methodist Church. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a con­ dolence message for Lois’ family. Expand your Social Security knowledge with these four terms 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 Dale Billingsley Owner/Manager Elaine Garlock The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be here Monday Aug. 15 at the Fellowship Hall of Central United Methodist Church for its bimonthly visit to collect blood. Hours are from noon to 5:45 p.m. Marian Durkee is chairman and can answer questions about the drive. Snacks and drinks will be provided to replenish fluids. Lois Audrey Baylor, age 81, of Delton, MI went to be with her Lord and Savior on Satur­ day, Aug. 6, 2022. Lois was bom on March 2, 1941, to Myron and Princess (Williams) Morse in Toledo, Ohio before the family moved to Delton in 1946. Lois graduated from Delton-Kellogg High School. She married the love of her life and soulmate, Dick Baylor of Delton on March 9th, 1957, and was happily married for 65 years. She was a very devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was an active member of Faith United Methodist Church in Delton and was a supporter of the community. Her faith in God was steadfast and her guiding light throughout life. She encour­ aged people in their faith, took joy in caring for the needs of others, and had a gift for befriend­ ing those who often felt overlooked. She made a positive impact by generously sharing God’s AWMEWIM HotlheTboIs&Equipment 1301 W. Green St Hastings 945-9541 bom at the University of and Melia Smith. Jace Benjamin Petersen, Health Pennock on July Ainsley Mae Smith, Michigan Health West on July 21, 2022 to Terrick bom at Spectrum 12, 2022 to Jeanene Iris Lee Schaub, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ Petersen and Christopher Petersen of Lake Odes­ nock on July 22, 2022 to Tiffany A. Schaub and sa. Luis Rodriguez-Cruz of Vermontville ***** Alya Huntley, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ Bella Rose Stoneburner, bom at Spectrum nock on July 13,2022 to Tracy Huntley and Duane Health Pennock on July 22, 2022 to Breanna Cart­ Huntley of Hastings. wright and Robert Stonebumer of Lake Odessa. ***** ***** Easton Henry Matthews, bom at Spectrum Zuri Christine Case, bom at Spectrum Health Health Pennock on July 14, 2022 to Candace Pennock on July 24, 2022 to Page Case and Adam O’Neal and Troy Matthews of Hastings. Case of Hastings. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR AUG. 11-17 Thursday, Aug. 11 — Movie memories watches an Oscar-winning film based on Ernest Hem­ ingway’s book “Old Man and the Sea,” 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 — Star Stories of the Galactic Zoo from many cultures and Perseids meteor shower watch party at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 8:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15 — Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m. ■ Tuesday, Aug. 16 —mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17 —- Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. earnings record with a personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. FICA: This stands for “Federal Insurance Contributions Act.” It’s the tax withheld from your wages that funds the Social Security and Medicare programs. Now, if any of these terms or acronyms comes up in conversation, you can help explain what they mean. Visit our online glossary at www.ssa.gov/agency/glossary to learn more of our terminology and deepen your understanding of how Social Security works for you. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. W.K. Kellogg Manor sets history to music with a summer concert and tours Enjoy a late summer afternoon of music surrounded by the rich history of W.K. Kellogg’s former home and estate. The W.K. Kellogg Manor House’s annu­ al Tours and Lakeside Concert event returns after a two-year hiatus from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28. The Manor House is located at 3700 East Gull Lake Dr., in Hickory Corners. The family-friendly concert and tours are free and no registration is required, but donations are appreciated. Guests are invited to bring a picnic lunch, take self-guided tours of the grounds, and learn more about the Kel­ logg Biological Station’s research, edu­ cation and outreach activities before and after the concert. Check in at the Manor House for a copy of the Historical Walk­ ing Tour map. Docents will be stationed along the self-guided tour route to share information about the estate and its his­ torical buildings. Guided tours of the Manor House inte­ rior will be available from noon to 3 p.m. In addition, the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanc­ tuary will offer free admission that day, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Cereal City Concert Band of Bat­ tle Creek will perform beginning at 3 p.m. under a canopy tent on the grounds of the Manor House. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets. No out­ side alcohol is permitted, but beer and wine will be available for sale on site. To learn more, visit conference.kbs. msu.edu. Direct questions to manorhouse@kbs.msu.edu or 269-671-2160. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — Page 7 fl look Dock at the stories nd columns on local hlstori In the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Cops may take to streets on mountain bikes Rural Michigan schools are considering electric school buses with EPA cash Two all-electric buses belonging to Roseville Community Schools. (Courtesy phoot) Mary Warner Banner May 6, 1993 Picture this: a man steals a woman’s purse and takes off running down the street. The woman yells for the police. Someone calls the Hastings City Police. Officer George Winick is dispatched. He puts on his hat, jumps on his trusty bicycle, and pedals off in search of the perpetrator. Bicycle cops? It could be a reality. Winick recently completed a 32-hour course teaching him how to patrol with mountain bikes and says he would like to start a mountain bike patrol in Hastings. The bikes come in handy when in pursuit of felons in parks, parking garages, or in walking areas not accessible to patrol cars, he says. There aren’t too many parking garages in Hastings (actually none), but there are several parks, some of them frequented by drug pushers. Winick says the bikes can also come in handy when traffic jams delay police trying to reach a crime scene (although the only traffic jam occurring in Hastings is at the Dairy Dip on Court Street on hot summer days). Winick received the bike training at the Silverdome in Pontiac. It was given by two officers from the Seattle Police Department. Mountain bikes are popular modes of trans­ portation for the police in Seattle and many other cities in the U.S., Winick says. The class instructors have traveled all over the world giving lessons on such things as how to shoot a handgun after sprinting a Officer Winick shows proof that he didn’t sneak out to Tiger Stadium when he was supposed to be finding out how to catch criminals with a Huffy. quarter of a mile on a bike, and how to ride up and down stairs on bikes (going down being preferred by a wide margin to going up, except in the case of 90-degree turns). They also teach good nutrition (no beer bellies allowed on the Schwinn patrol) and basic bicycle maintenance. Winick said he enjoyed the class a lot and would recommend it to anyone with a durable derriere. Metal conducts, guides electricity to its desired location Dr. Universe: How does electrical power travel through metal? Gabriel, 4, Illinois Dear Gabriel, When you watch the zapping bolts during a lightning storm, you know how powerful electricity is. Humans have only been harnessing electricity to bring light and energy to our towns and homes for about 150 years-and metal is one of the main ways we get this powerful tool from place to place. To learn more, I talked to my friend Bob Olsen, a professor emeritus in the Wash­ ington State University School of Electri­ cal Engineering and Computer Science. Olsen said it’s important to realize that we don’t need metal wires to move the waves that carry electricity, which are called electromagnetic waves. Some tech­ nologies, like cell phones, pick up waves that are sent through the air. But these technologies don’t work as well if you get too far from the station that’s sending out the wave. If you go camping out in the woods, you probably won’t be able to make a call on a cell phone. To get electricity from power plants to houses, we have to use a system that doesn’t'fade out. It also needs be efficient, which means it can carry power from one place to another without losing very much energy. “In that case, metal wires can be used to ‘guide’ the waves between the two loca­ tions,” Olsen said. Metals are good conductors, which means electricity flows through them easi­ ly. Most power lines use aluminum and copper. Copper is a bit better conductor than aluminum, but aluminum is lighter- which is important because we don’t want power lines to sag toward buildings or people. No metal is a perfect conductor, so power lines still lose a little bit of energy into the wires in the form of heat, Olsen said. “Nevertheless, even long high-voltage power lines transport 90-95 percent of the power between the beginning and end of the line,” he said. “We say that they are quite efficient.” Engineers keep looking for ways to move electrical power even more efficient­ ly. One of the things Olsen studies is how to make very long power lines carry more power. This is important as we switch to new types of power plants, he said. For exam­ ple, the windiest places in the United States, which are best for wind farms, are in the middle of the country. But most peo­ ple live on the coasts, so wires have to move the power an extra-long distance. More efficient power lines are also important around the world, especially in places where people don’t have much money. Millions of people don’t have elec­ tricity in their houses or towns. But if they get electricity, it can help them have better medical care, open businesses, get an educa­ tion or make their lives better in other ways. If you keep asking interesting questions about electricity, maybe you’ll find a way to move power even more efficiently-and you’ll help make the world a better place for everyone. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdrun iverse. com. Roni Kane Bridge Michigan Bus 167 looks the same as the other bright yellow vehicles in the Roseville Community Schools fleet, but it sounds very different. In fact, there’s almost no sound at all. As the pupils get on the bus, they ask driv­ er Kristy Adkins if the electric bus is “really on” while the wheels go round and round through the streets of this Macomb County community. Adkins said it’s almost eerie for a bus that weighs over 20,000 pounds to not make a sound as it traverses the suburban roads. When Adkins drops off Bus 167 at the garage at the end of the day, all she has to do is plug it in for a couple of hours rather than pulling up to the diesel pump. “It’s a lot different than a diesel bus,” Adkins said. “It’s really quiet. Doesn’t make any sound and it rides really smooth.” In 2019 Roseville and six other Michigan school districts received a combination of state and federal funding to pilot some of the first electric school bus programs in the nation. Since those 17 electric buses began their routes, however, no other Michigan districts have purchased electric buses. There’s still some skepticism over how well electric buses can hold a charge in Michigan winters, and there’s a massive price tag. A typical electric school bus costs about $375,000, or about three times the cost of a diesel-powered bus. Add in another $1,200 to $10,000 or more for a basic EV charger and infrastructure-related costs, and many dis­ tricts say the sticker shock is too much to overcome. By October, Michigan school districts could have more than 150 new electric school buses on the way. Over the next five years, the Environmen­ tal Protection Agency is offering $5 billion in grants to districts across the country. That money - enough to pay for more than 13,000 buses, or the size of the entire school bus fleet in Michigan - will be used to help schools pivot from regular diesel school buses to electric and low-emissions models. With the grants, it won’t be just the sub­ urbs like Roseville that are able to pilot elec­ tric buses. The EPA has identified 297 “prior­ ity districts” out of Michigan’s over 800 tra­ ditional and charter districts for the grant program, primarily in rural and low-income areas. Priority districts are expected to have a leg-up in the selection process and are eligi­ ble for funding up to the full cost of 25 buses and the necessary chargers. Of the seven districts that currently have electric school buses in the state, only two of them can be considered rural - Three Rivers Community Schools and Gaylord Communi­ ty Schools. “We want schools that wouldn’t otherwise be able to apply to purchase electric school buses,” Anthony Maietta, an environmental protection specialist at the EPA told Michigan school district representatives at a recent webinar about the grant program. He explained to Bridge Michigan that “rural schools are priority schools” because of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a U.S. law passed in 2021 which called for the creation of a federal grant program to replace current school buses with “clean” and “zero-emission” school buses. The law specifies potential priority groups for the grant program which include “rural and low-income areas.” Maietta said they were using the priority groups laid out in the Act as the basis for their decision to prioritize rural schools. As of Monday, Michigan school districts had sent in 46 applications requesting EPA funding for 155 electric school buses, which would increase the number of EV school buses in the state by more than tenfold. It’s not clear how many of those districts might be in rural communities, but represen­ tatives from Ashley Community Schools and Harbor Beach Community Schools - both rural districts - told Bridge they are highly considering applying for the grant. Shawn Bishop, superintendent of Harbor Beach Community Schools in the Thumb said his district plans to apply for at least one electric bus, but may apply for up to three. Traci Gavenda, superintendent of Ashley Community Schools, which is an hour north of Lansing in mid-Michigan, has started fill­ ing out the application for two buses. Bishop said he’s excited to explore the eco­ nomic and environmental benefits of electric buses without having to dip into his own bud­ get. Without the federal funding, Bishop said his district could not afford to take the leap. But even with the grants, he and other dis­ trict leaders have several questions about where rural buses might fit in rural Michigan, including concerns about battery capacity, charging infrastructure, the state’s brutal win­ ters and ease of maintenance. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t say sometimes being the first, inaugural people in a new thing can be a little bit scary too, because you don’t have as many examples to draw on,” Bishop said. “We’re pioneering to a certain degree.” Anna Stefanopoulou, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan who has been researching electric bus batteries for over a decade, provided some of the answers to Bishop’s questions. Different models of electric school buses can go 70 to 200 miles on a full battery, while diesel buses can go over 500 miles on a full tank. Unlike diesel-powered vehicles, the range for electric buses drops in the winter, Stefanopoulou said. “Michigan has cold winters and the batter­ ies reduce their range [in the winter], because they use some of their energy to heat up the cabin,’’-Stefanopoulou said. “The range drops quite a bit when it’s very cold. If you are in a rural area you need to do the calculations to make sure the range is appropriate when you do long-distance routes.” That problem had an easy fix in Three Riv­ ers Community Schools, a rural district with two electric school buses. Kenni Jean Schrader, the transportation director for the district just north of the Mich­ igan-Indiana border, told Bridge Michigan that one of their electric buses has a range of 155 miles. It’s been able to run a 75- to 80-mile rural route daily without any prob­ lems. That bus just has to be charged between morning and afternoon routes in the winter, Schrader said. Using that strategy, they’ve had no problems with battery capacity. “In the warmer months we charge once a day and in the colder months we do charge in between routes,” Schrader said. Bishop said Harbor Beach does not have any regular routes that are longer than 70 miles. Gavenda also worried that getting a subsi­ dized charger and bus on school premises might not be enough for rural districts like Ashley to ever go completely diesel-free. Unless there are charging stations at all of the places the buses go for sporting events and school trips, the extent to which Gavenda’s district can rely on electric buses will be limited. Especially in rural areas, the EV infrastructure needs to be robust for electrifi­ cation to be successful, Gavenda said. “As we travel to events, not all areas where we travel would have the charging infrastruc­ ture,” Gavenda said. “We would need to continue to run our diesel buses.” Bishop, Gavenda and representatives of other Michigan school districts have until Aug. 19 to apply for the first round of EPA funding and should be notified whether or not they have been approved before Halloween. The buses would likely hit the roads 16 months later - or by January 2024. The deadline is inspiring a “sense of urgen­ cy” in clean energy advocates across the state of Michigan who want to lower emissions by increasing the number of electric school buses. Milena Marku, the manager of “Charging Forward,” a DTE program that offers electric vehicle rebates to DTE cus­ tomers, said the energy company has been in contact with several districts to encourage them to apply for funding before next week’s deadline. According to EPA data, Michigan emits the lOth-most greenhouse gasses in the nation. Forbes reported that about a third of the state’s emissions come from the transporta­ tion sector alone. DTE has estimated that the six operational electric school buses in Roseville Communi­ ty Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools will reduce greenhouse emissions by about 500 tons over the course of their lifetime - which is projected to be 13 years. That might not be enough to make much of a dent in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s pledge to make Michi­ gan carbon neutral by 2050. But if all the state’s 13,000 diesel-powered school buses were eventually to go electric, that would lower Michigan’s emissions by an average of 108,000 tons a year - the equiva­ lent of taking 21,700 cars off the road. There are more than 2.6 million cars in the state, but electrifying school buses would still be a good start, Marku said. “This is really the beginning of electric school buses because they’re so costly,” Marku said. “We’re hoping ... the applications with EPA are really going to move the needle.” Non-priority districts are also able to apply for funding, but if chosen would only receive $250,000 per bus and $13,000 per charger making the price of a new electric bus com­ parable to the price of a diesel bus. Marku estimated that if a district has to pay for an electric bus out of pocket, it would take about nine to 10 years for the bus to pay itself off. But if they’re paying what they would for a new diesel bus, the district could start sav­ ing money on day one. With historically high gas prices, the cost of electricity is comparatively low. Coupled with lower maintenance costs than diesel buses, electric buses can save districts thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the vehicle, accord­ ing to Katrina Morris, the executive director for the Michigan-Association fbr Pupil Trans­ portation, the organization that helped pilot the original 17 electric buses in the state. “One of our districts did a comparison and said on a field trip it would have cost them close to $24 in diesel, but cost 17 cents when it comes to electric buses,” Morris said. “There is a huge difference and over time is where you’re going to see it.” At Three Rivers Community Schools, Schrader confirmed that they’ve saved about $50,000 in fuel and $43,000 in maintenance costs with their two electric buses since they started using them regularly in January 2020. Morris is also the transportation director for the West Shore Educational Service Dis­ trict in Ludington where she facilitates trans­ portation for special needs students in the area. Though her district is not on the EPA’s priority list, Morris has submitted an applica­ tion on behalf of the district for two electric buses. Less than 12 percent of students at each of the seven EV pilot districts have a disability, but Morris said electric buses can offer unique advantages to certain special needs students. “Some of our special needs kids have hear­ ing sensitivities so loud noises can upset them and these buses are extremely quiet,” Morris said. Back in Roseville, Scott Sikorski, the supervisor of transportation and maintenance, has some advice for the districts that do get approved for the grant. Having worked with and driven the two electric buses in their fleet over the past year, he said getting a free bus dropped off in the garage is just the beginning. He said his district has just worked out most of “the kinks,” but when they first got the buses in February 2021 it was a bit of a learning curve for the transportation depart­ ment. The district still has yet to install a separate meter for their electric buses, so they don’t know how much they are saving on diesel. And with only one charger to share between two buses, they had to design a spe­ cial schedule to make sure both buses are always fully charged. “I wouldn’t say that we would never [buy another electric bus] in the future, but we still want to give this some more time,” Sikorski said. “We just got both electric buses running regularly.” In Three Rivers Community Schools, meanwhile, the district is going full steam ahead with electric school buses. Schrader said she plans to apply for EPA funding for two more electric buses, which would bring their EV fleet up to four. The district is also in the process of build­ ing a new transportation facility which is set to include eight charging stations for electric school buses. “I know it’s scary. It’s a leap. It’s not some­ thing we’re used to,” Schrader said. “I encourage any district to apply and learn from what our experience has been so far.” �Page 8 — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Main Street businesses in Thornapple Twp. may get to soon skirt mandatory post office boxes side of the street, everyone could get their mail by 10 or 11 a.m.” Bussard suggested putting the boxes behind the Township office, where two boxes could fit comfortably. “It would serve you and your staff, but also the businesses up and down Main Street,” she added. The area of mulch at the prospective site would need to be converted to cement to sup­ port the boxes. The DDA would set up a fund to purchase the boxes and cover possible damage or repairs in the future. “This is a pretty new idea; we didn’t even know this was possible,” she said. “But I wanted to see what the township thought. Is this something you’d like to explore further, or are you thinking ‘Not in our space?”’ The board didn’t see a problem with hav­ ing the box there, but there was some concern about the township’s mail being delivered to the location - mail that often includes checks and important documents such as ballots. The township currently picks up its mail directly from the post office. The board decided that, even if the town­ ship does not utilize the box for its mail, it would be helpful to the community and the Savanah Kaechele Contributing Writer Thomapple Township businesses located on Main Street could see some relief from the expenses tied to mandatory post office boxes. Businesses on Main Street currently must pay for a P.O. box as the post office will not deliver to each individual establishment. During Monday’s Thornapple Township meeting, Katherine Bussard of the Mid­ dleville Downtown Development Authority shared an idea with the board that would alleviate the issue. “On Main Street, all of the businesses from the Methodist Church all the way down past Faro’s, have to have P.O. boxes,” she said. “The cost of that is about $120 a year plus you have to get in your car to go get your mail and all of those things.” Bussard had visited the post office, where she received a book with options for mail receptacles. “They have something where you have one box and it takes care of a whole block,” she added. “So, if we had one central location on Main Street, it would be easy for everyone to walk and grab their mail. If we put it on this businesses the have the boxes there versus each business purchasing a P.O. box. They voted to approve Bussard and the DDA to look further into pursuing this option. Also, during the meeting, the board approved motions regarding the increase in wages for the supervisor and treasurer non-statutory wages of 5.9 percent, retroac­ tive to April 1. The ad hoc committee tasked to review the job performance for the town­ ship’s elected officials determined the raises were warranted. In other business, the board: - Received the first run report from new Chief of the Emergency Services Depart­ ment, William Richardson. “I want to thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to serve the community,” he said. “I have been busy trying to meet with all of our staff and I’ve gotten through about half of them so far,” he added. “I am impressed with the level of commitment they’ve had; we’ve had a busy last two weeks with the weather that came through and we had a structure fire last night.” - Approved the request to establish a fund of $25,000 to assist employees in furthering their education. The request was made by the Emergency Services Committee due to many employees expressing interest in furthering their education to benefit themselves and the Township. The scholarship amount will be paid back by the employee over time in accordance with the payment plan agreement. The money to establish the fund will be taken out of the township’s general fund and be broken up among various recipients. - Approved a request to purchase a flam­ mable materials storage cabinet for the emer­ gency services department. The board autho­ rized Chief Richardson to purchase the cabi­ net for an amount not to exceed $900. -Approved a motion to allow Chief Rich­ ardson to coordinate with the Emergency Services Committee and the Personnel and Compensation Committee for new hires without full board approval, to expedite the process and fill open positions. “I think everyone here has heard of the huge paramedic shortage in the state of Michigan and actually throughout the Unit­ ed States,” Richardson said. “With how the process is now, with having to get approval right before a board meeting to get them hired makes it challenging to make sure that we get the people we need to service the community.” - Approved a request from the cemetery committee to hire a road repair company to repair the cemetery roads as needed, up to an amount not to exceed $19,500. Jake Welch of the Barry County Road Commission has looked at the roads in the cemetery and rec­ ommends chip-sealing them all. The commit­ tee has requests in to a few companies for quotes, and is waiting to hear back. - Approved a motion to adopt a pay scale for full-time paramedics and firefighters. After researching the local market, Chief Richardson presented the information to the Emergency Services committee, recommend­ ing a pay scale of: $62,000 (year one); $63,500 (year two) and $65,000 (year three). - Tabled the motion to raise the election inspector wages from $11 per hour to $15 per hour and election chair from $12 per hour to $18 per hour. Due to the elections becoming increasingly hostile, the state is requiring more training of the election inspectors. These wages are still under what area town­ ships pay, but the board felt it was best to wait until the next meeting to make a decision on this motion. Delton Founders Festival to feature opening of 86-year-old time capsule, Delton Idol and other highlights By Janies Gemmell Contributing Writer The Delton Founders Festival returned in style last year with steady crowds and plenty of entertainment, one year after the COVID19 pandemic prompted its cancellation. The community’s signature summer event promises more of the same on Aug. 12-14 at William Smith Memorial Park in downtown Delton. Among the activities scheduled include a parade, fireworks, 5k race, the Delton Idol singing competition, pig roast, wooden-boat show, scavenger hunt, com hole tournament and an arts and crafts show. There is no car­ nival this year. A complete list of events is available at deltonfoundersfestival .com. “A Bridge to the Past, with a Road to the Future” is the 48th annual festival’s motto, and organizers of Founders Fest say there once again will be plenty to enjoy for everyone of all ages. But this year, die brid^ to the past will feature a historic event on Saturday, Aug. 13. A time capsule that was placed in the Delton Kel­ logg Elementary School during its construction in 1936 was found last month during the build­ ing’s demolition. The rectangular box had been hidden behind the “1936”-dated sandstone block on the building’s exterior. The building was demolished to make way for a new school that is being built on the site. District voters passed a $23 million bond issue in 2019 and the Phase 2 portion of the bond money is paying for the project. For now, the time capsule is in a showcase The Delton Idol contest has become an annual highlight of Founders Festival. This file photo shows the Smith Park bandshell that is used for the event. Kyle Burnham is the host. (Photo provided) at the Delton District Library. It will be opened at 4 p.m. on Aug. 13 during a ceremo­ ny at Founders Fest. “It’s about the size of an overgrown lunch box,” Barry Township Supervisor Barry Bower said. He is on the festival committee. The capsule-opening will take place at the amphitheater in Smith Park. And the library is holding a contest for the public. “If you can guess what’s in that, there is a $25 gift certificate to one of the (area) restau­ rants,” Bower said. “It was W.K. Kellogg Agricultural School (in 1936). Is there some- TYDEIM PARK • SATURDAY, AUG. 27™ Jim Jhm of 3 or A Entries must be to the Chamber by Friday, Aug. 19th Make checks payable to Hastings Summerfest 2022 Team Name CHECK IN... 8:30 AM Pick up T-shirts at this time TIP OFF... 9:30 AM Boys & Giris (Ages 12-14) I I Boys & Giris I___ I (Ages 15-17) I—11(Men & Women 18-25) I____ IfAges l| Men & Women (Ages 26 & up) Age brackets subject to change based on participation Team Captain Send Entries to... Phone # Team Members Lauren Childs wears the crown as Miss Delton 2022 for this year’s Founders Fest. She is joined by members of her court. Left to right: Ruby Keck, Lauren Childs, Lilyana Sinclair and Josie Jones. (Photo from Becky Kahler) in the park. It will resume on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual pig roast will be held Friday at the Barry Township Hall from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Delton Idol contest kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday in the Smith Park bandshell and will run until 11 p.m. It will be held at the same time slot on Saturday. It is patterned after the American Idol TV show. Delton Idol is host­ ed by Kyle Bumham, who runs the D.J. Keil Karaoke Service in Barry County. There is no cost for spectators, but contest participants can pay an early-registration fee of $20. There will be a limited number of registration availabilities on the day of 185652_ the event. You can pre-register by contacting DJKeilKaraoke@gmail.com. If the weather is bad, the contest will be moved inside the township hall. DRIVER POSITION OPENING BARRY COUNTY TRANSIT cost...$2 | thing in there from W.K. Kellogg? Is there a box of cornflakes? It’s almost a shame to open it up; there’s so many guesses.” Another question is whether the time cap­ sule will be put in the newly reconstructed school building. “So, should we put that back in there with more information or should we make a new one?” Bower asked, contemplating possibly starting a new time capsule containing 2022 items. Two $25 dollar gift certificates will be awarded. One will be based on the most accu­ rate guess of any four items inside the cap­ sule. And the other will be given to a random­ ly-drawn winner amongst all the contest entrants. The time capsule is made of copper. How to safely open the tightly sealed container is anoth­ er question that will have to be answered soon. “We can’t torch it (open),” Bower said, add­ ing that he hopes new Delton Kellogg Schools Superintendent Dr. Herman Lartigue, Jr., will be the person who opens the capsule. FULL SLATE OF EVENTS Founders Festival Committee president Becky Kahler keeps busy throughout the year, helping to plan the Founders Festival. She spoke about some of this year’s sched­ uled activities. One is the fourth annual Touch a Truck event that runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in the parking lot adjacent to the Grove Street Cafe, at 370 N. Grove St. It is a big hit with kids, who get to touch or sit in big vehicles such as a fire truck, dump truck and road grader. The first festival activity on Friday, Aug. 12, is a book sale at the Delton District Library, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The annual arts & crafts show will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A time capsule in the form of a copper box was found during demolition of the Delton Elementary School in July. It was behind the 1936-dated stone that was engraved into the building’s exterior. The box will be opened during the Delton Founders Festival. (Photo provided) Email. 221 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Questions??... Barry County Transit is accepting applications for the position of Driver. A Class C CDL with a ‘P’ endorsement is required. A strong sense of community and people skills are required of the successful candidate. Driver’s hours are 37.5 per week. Wage scale is $14.75 to $17.53. Applications are available from the Transit Office or online at: www.barrycountytransit.com Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-8125 Call (269) 948-3025 or email fill out form completely brett@j-adgraphics.com TYDEN PARK • SATURDAY. AUG. 27™ Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer in full compliance with all State and Federal Regulations. Tim Warren is hosting the classic-car show at Founders Fest this year. Here, a look at one of his vintage vehicles with his twin grandsons, Austin and Parker Bagley, aboard. (Photo from Tim Warren) Thank You The Family of Treva E. Schoneboom would like to extend our gratitude to everyone who expressed care and support during these difficult times. r Also we would like to thank the / Orangeville Baptist Church members for the special care they provided us. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SEL Thursday, August 11,2022 Heights of 15-foot-6 cleared at Moon Vault Brett Bremer Sports Editor Groups of Women’s College vaulters and 17-year-old to 18-year-old men, the final groups to compete Saturday, were going through their warm-ups when the moon made its appearance rising over the trees in the southwest sky behind the Landon Athletics vault bam in Vermontville. A hot sun had dominated the sky for much of the day. With both the sun and moon overhead Trey Collins and Cole Sheldon won their respec­ tive divisions, Sheldon the Men’s Elite 17 & 18 division and Collins the Men’s College division. Their two groups competed together on the center of three runways on the hill behind the vault bam. Both guys had a win­ ning height of 15 feet 6 inches - the top height of any winners on the day. Collins cleared 14-6 on his first attempt of . the meet, then managed to get over the bar at . 15-0 on his third and final attempt at the ! height. He cleared 15-6 on his first attempt at that height, with just himself and Nick Ruval­ caba left attempting that height in the Men’s >’ College division. Collins took the victory by ‘ clearing 15-6 on his first attempt, setting a ; new personal record in the process. Sheldon started competing earlier, clearing >the bar at 14-0, 14-6, and then 15-0 and 15-6. Ruvalcaba, the Men’s College runner-up, \ and David Conrad, the Men’s Elite 17 & 18 ^runner-up, both cleared 15-0 successfully, but ’couldn’t get over the bar at 15-6. I Landon Cosby was third in the Men Elite 117 & 18 division at 14-6. Thialen Broughton ’placed third in the Men’s College division 'with a personal record of 14-0 that impressed ’ even Collins. Broughton improved his PR by six inches. f Collins started vaulting with Landon Ath­ letics as a junior at Hopkins High School where he did high jump, long jump and pole vault with the varsity track and field team. He is now a junior at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., where he started out as a decathlete before suffering a knee injury. Now he focuses exclusively on the long jump and the pole vault for the Bruins’ Men’s Track and Field team. His 15-6 vault improved his PR by about four inches Collins said, but he wasn’t con­ vinced the day was a total success. “I’ve been making a lot of progress lately. I was kind of expecting a PR, but I was hop­ ing for a little bit more,” Collins said. He said he didn’t get his plant quite right in his attempts at 16-0. The first time Collins started working out with coach Jerry Sessions and the Landon Athletics crew, after meeting Collins at a Barry County Fair Vault, the vault bam hadn’t been built yet. Landon Athletics vault­ ers were still working literally right down the road at Maple Valley High School. He said even now in the collegiate ranks he hasn’t really ever seen or heard of any vault specific destinations quite like the vault bam in Ver­ montville. “I’ve never seen anything like it honestly,” Collins said. “We have some good vault clubs down in Tennessee, but I haven’t seen any­ thing like the vault barn before where it is all totally dedicated to vault. It is pretty sweet. It is pretty cool.” Collins was the runner-up at the Ohio Val­ ley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship in May where he cleared the bar at 15-1.75 (4.62 meters). The conference champion, his Belmont teammate Knox Perry, cleared 16-0 that day. In all, 96 athletes competed throughout the day Saturday in Vermontville. Winners got their medals as well as the traditional cham­ pionship Moon Pie at the event. A group of three runways is surrounded by tents as vaulters and spectators seek some shade behind the Landon Athletics vault barn in Vermontville Saturday during the annual Moon Vault. (Photo by Brett Bremer) A pair of women cleared 12-6, the top women’s height of the day. Sophia Mettes did it to win the Women’s Elite 17 & 18 division and Kenzie Fedewa did it to win the Women’s Masters 25-29 division. The Moon Vault was the last of Landon Taylor Diemond gets herself over the bar cleanly at 10 feet 6 inches, her top height of the day, as she works towards a runner-up finish in the Women's 15 & 16 Division Saturday at the Landon Athletics' Moon Vault in Vermontville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Athletics four-vault Summer Series. A Star Wars vault was held in June and a Tiki Vault and Kite Vault were held in July. 2022 Moon Vault Medalists Women 14 & Under: 1. Maiya Corrigan, 11- 6; 2. Evie Mathis, 11-0; 3. Aubrey Boweres,-10-0.~ Women 15&16: 1. Katie Stewart, 11-0; 2. Taylor Diemond, 10-6; 3. Molly Winger 10-0. Women 17 & 18: 1. Avery Boyce, 10-6; 2. Emma Stewart, 10-6; 3. Ki anna Tucker, 10-6. Women Elite 17 & 18: 1. Sophie Mettes, 12-6; 2. Brooke Bowers, 12-0; 3. Hannah Brunton, 9-6. Women College: 1. Josie Mettes, 10-6. Masters Women 25-29: 1. Kenzie Fedewa, 12- 6; 2. Kassie Powell, 12-0; 3. Erin Barnum, 10-6. Masters Women 35-39: 1. Miranda Smith, 10-0. Masters Women 40-44: 1. Kristyn Dinkel, 9-0. Masters Men 30-34: 1. Terry Kayser, 12-0. Masters Men 50-54: 1. Jeff Clark, 9-6. Masters Men 60-64: 1. Bob Babbits, 10-0. Masters Men 70-74: 1. Craig Prether, 9-0. Men 14 & Under: 1. Brady Anthony, 9-0; 2. Joshua Burby, 8-0; 3. Parker Draper, 7-6. Men 15 & 16: 1. Reece Emeott, 13-0; 2. Andrew Bums, 12-0; 3. Maximus Petniunas, 12-0. • Men 17 & 18: 1. Logan Hollingsworth, 13-6; 2. Isaac Bowden, 13-0; 3. Dolan Gonzales, 13- 0. Men Elite 17 & 18: 1. Cole Sheldon 15-6; 2. David Conrad, 15-0; 3. Landon Cosby, 14-6. Men College: 1. Trey Collins, 15-6; 2. Nick Ruvalcaba, 15-0; 3. Thialen Broughton, 14-0. Cole Sheldon accepts his champion­ ship medal and a Moon Pie after winning the Men's Elite 17 & 18 competition at the 18th Annual Moon Vault hosted by Landon Athletics in Vermontville Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Webb and Wehr take over Lion sports programs Trey Collins talks things over with coach Miranda Smith as he works towards a new personal record of 15 feet 6 inches in the pole vault during the Moon Vault Saturday at the Landon Athletics vault barn in Vermontville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor A familiar face and a new face will be taking over coaching duties on the sidelines for Maple Valley High School this fall. Mike Webb was named the new Maple Valley varsity boys’ soccer coach this sum­ mer and Timara Wehr, the current Maple Valley varsity girls’ basketball coach, is taking over the varsity volleyball team. Maple Valley High School athletic direc­ tor Landon Wilkes said Webb stood out when the school went looking for a boys’ soccer coach this summer. Wehr was as late-minute addition as volleyball coach. “Mike moved into the area, had a good resume of previous experience coming from the Allegan area and seemed like a really good candidate. He hit the ground running,” Wilkes said. “[Wehr] stepped up to make sure our kids will have the opportunity to play a sport they love to play.” “She is prepared and she is ready to roll. Everything kicks off on Monday all the way across the board and we’re going to hit the ground running ready to roll in all the sports.” Webb assisted the Allegan varsity boys’ soccer team in recent seasons as his young­ est son went through the program. He has coached high level club teams in the Kalamazoo area for much of the past two decades. Hitting the ground running meant getting a regular summer program up and running quickly for the first time in years at Maple Valley. “Typically, most soccer programs do a summer workout program,” Webb said. “I guess historically they didn’t do that here. They were coming in a couple months behind everybody else to start. I had to assess the players skills and abilities the first couple days and from there I organized a program to work on their weaknesses.” “We did a lot of ball control drills, pass­ ing drills, positioning drills.” He said he has already seen quite a bit of growth over the past few weeks with touch­ es much more likely to find their marks. Webb and his wife Heather recently moved to the Nashville area. He had given away much of his soccer gear as his plan was to retire from coaching. His wife did suggest that he look for some ways to assist with an area program, and then suddenly he was asked by Wilkes if he’d like to take over for outgoing coach Andy Roush. After some thought he accepted the position. “What I have seen in the Nashville com­ munity, I have seen the community sup­ ports their sports programs good or bad or indifferent - the community supports their program,” Webb said. “There has been great parental support so far and all the boys seem very committed. They want to get better. They want to have soccer be a winning program and to quote Mr. Wilkes, ‘we want to compete.’” “I want to do better than compete,” Webb added. So do his guys. He said the group that has been working out during the evenings Monday through Thursday this summer, have hopes of going after a Greater Lansing Activities Conference championship. That would be a big step up for the program, but Webb likes what he has seen from his guys. He said a group of five seniors are proving good leaders for what is a young group overall. The seniors ran training sessions one night recently while Webb was taking part in MHSAA meetings. Practices started Monday for MHSAA sanctioned fall sports. The Maple Valley varsity boys’ soccer team hosted its first official practice of the season Monday, Aug. 8, at Fuller Street Field. The MHSAA allowed for all high school sports to begin practicing Monday. The first competitions of the season can be held Wednesday, Aug. 17, in many sports. �Page 10 — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Roy E. Cogger, Sr., a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems,. Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Mortgage: March 5,2014 Date of Mortgage Recording: April 18,2014 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $106,403.63 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: PARCEL A: LOT 19 AND PART OF LOT 20 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1 SECTION 29 , HASTING TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.07 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 19 AND 20 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNERS OF SAID LOT 19: THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS WEST, 150.07 FEET PARALLEL WITH NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 89.97 FEET TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 19; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 04 MINUTES 41 SECONDS EAST, 150.13 FEET ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 19 TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. PARCEL B: PART OF LOTS 20, 21, AND 22 OF THE PLAT OF WESLYAN VILLAGE NO. 1, SECTION 29, HASTINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED BY SURVEY AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOT 20 DISTANT SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST 90.06 FEET ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 21 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 32 MINUTES 30 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 01 MINUTES 26 SECONDS WEST, 150.00 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOTS 21 AND 22 TO A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOT 22 WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST, 30.00 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS WEST, 90.31 FEET ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID LOTS 20 AND 22 TO A POINT WHICH LIES SOUTH 03 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 43 SECONDS EAST 15.00 FEET FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 02 SECONDS EAST. 150.07 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 20 TO THE POjNT OFBEG|NNlNG. . Common street address (if any): 2122 Maple Ln, Hastings, Ml 49058-9306 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: July 21, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1470232 (07-21 )(08-11) 184372 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 08, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Justin Perry and Ashleigh Perry, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage 1 Incorporated Date of mortgage: October 12, 2018 Recorded on November 9, 2018, in Document No. 2018-010050, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Michigan State Housing Development Authority Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand Two Hundred Five and 34/100 Dollars ($134,205.34) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 8 in Block 3, Map of the Village of Freeport, according to the Plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 22, Barry County Records Commonly known as 145 Oak St, Freeport, Ml 49325 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 125.1449v, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 125.1449v(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Michigan State Housing Development Authority Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1471836 (08-04) (08-25) 185334 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by LESTER L. DUTCHER AND SUSAN DUTCHER AKA SUSAN M. DUTCHER, husband and wife, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc (MERS) as nominee for S.W.I Financial Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 30th day of November, 2013 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 17th day of December, 2013 in Inst# 2013-014740 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy-Seven and 54/100 ($164,977.54). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 18th day of August, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.12500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Yankee Springs, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: Being known and designated as a parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Beginning at a point in the center of road which lies 1467.40 feet due North and North 75 degrees West 782.07 feet from the South 1/4 post of Section 8; thence South 6 degrees 6' West 158 feet; thence North 83 degrees 14' West 82.50 feet; thence North 6 degrees 6' East 158 feet; thence South 83 degrees 14' East 82.50 feet to the place of beginning Commonly known as 11657 BOWENS MILL RD., MIDDLEVILLE, MI 49333 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 07/19/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 P.M., on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale 'does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Kenneth Heifner, married man, whose address is 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated August 31, 2020, and recorded on September 24, 2020 in Document Number. 2020-010309, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated November 10, 2021 and recorded on November 12,2021 in Document Number 2021-014017, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND 32/100 ($143,237.32). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 3, Block 9, Butler's Addition, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats on Page 66, Barry County Records. Also: Commencing at the North 1/4 Post of Section 17, Town 3 North, Range 8 West; thence South 00 degrees 05 minutes 20 seconds West, 502.46 feet along the North and South 1/4 line of said section; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds East, 131.32 feet to the place of beginning; thence South 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet; thence South 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the Northeast corner of Lot 3 of Block 9, Butler’s Addition to the City of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, as recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 66; thence North 79 degrees 29 minutes 46 seconds West, 66.02 feet to the Northwest corner of said Lot 3; thence North 10 degrees 19 minutes 30 seconds West, 90.00 feet to the place of beginning. Street Address: 543 E. Thorn Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: July 21, 2022 HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road. Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48.084 (248)362-2600 F$ FARM DUTCHER - 22-0T46T : 1470209 (07-21 )(08-11) NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. 184373 NOTICE Attention homeowner: if you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Christian L. Allwardt, married man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Talmer Bank and Trust, Mortgagee, dated November 21, 2014 and recorded December 8, 2014 in Instrument Number 2014011497 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 12, 2016, in Instrument Number 2016006882, and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on December 4,2019, in Instrument Number 2019011985, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Sixty-One Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Seven and 70/100 Dollars ($161,767.70). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Hope, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the Northwest corner of Section 24, Town 2 North, Range 9 West; thence East 1320 feet along the North line of Section 24; thence South 300 feet for the true place of beginning; thence South 574 feet; thence East 494 feet parallel with the North line of Section 24; thence North 84 feet; thence East 226 feet; thence North 227 feet to the centerline of Gurd Road; thence Northerly along the centerline of Gurd Road to a point 300 feet South of the North line of said Section 24; thence West parallel with the North line of said Section 24 to the place of beginning. 7100 Gurd Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11,2022 File No. 22-005635 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-11)(09-01) 185612 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, .& Associates, LLC, 5955.-West.Main Street, Suite 18, ■ Kalamazoo; Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4373 (07-21 )(08-11) 184374 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1 :OO PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kelly Jo Carroll, Single Woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, LLC, its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services, LLC Date of Mortgage: January 31, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 4, 2019 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $157,159.69 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: The South one-half of Lots 977 and 978, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. Commonly Known as: 528 S. Jefferson St., Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 8/04/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 315920 (08-04)(08-25) 185246 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 When can you choose retirement? If you’re like most people, your work has been a central part of your life. So, wouldn’t it be nice to have the flexibility to decide when you no longer want to work? Many people of retirement age have achieved this type of control. In fact, two-thirds of workers ages 65 and older say they work primarily because they want to, not because they have to, according to a 2021 study by Edward Jones and Age Wave. But that means that one-third of workers in this age group feel financially compelled to work. This doesn’t necessarily mean they dislike the work they do — but it’s probably fair to say they would have liked the option of not working. How can you give yourself this choice? You can start by asking yourself these questions: • fifien do I want to retire? You’ll want to identify the age at which you wish to retire. You may change your mind later and move this date up or back, but it’s a good idea to have a target in mind. • What sort of retirement lifestyle do I want? When you retire, do you anticipate staying close to home and pursuing your hobbies, or do you hope to travel the world? Would you like to spend your time volunteering? Open your own business or do some consulting? Clearly, some of these choices will require more resources than others, so you’ll want to follow a financial strategy that aligns with the retirement lifestyle you intend to pursue. • Am I saving and investing enough? As you chart your course toward your retirement journey, you’ll want to assess the sources of income you’ll have available. If you think you may be falling short of achieving your retirement goals, you may need to consider saving more. • When should I start taking Social Security? You can begin collecting Social Security benefits as early as 62, but your monthly payments will be much bigger if you wait until your “full” retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. Your decision about when to take Social Security will depend on several factors, including your other sources of income and your family NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please certaobthe attorney for. the■ party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Philip R. Shriner and Kristen K. Shriner, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated May 31,2013 and recorded June 5, 2013 in Instrument Number 2013-007202 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 22, 2021, in Instrument Number 2021-009329, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth Third Bank National Association, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Two Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Seven Hundred NinetyTwo and 67/100 Dollars ($285,792.67). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1,2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Yankee Springs, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot(s) 83 and the North 1/2 of Lot 84 and the South 1/2 of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records, being situated in Section 32 and 33, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Except that part of said above described premises as lies within the following: Commencing at the North Northerly corner of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records (said corner being adjacent to Mile Drive of said Plat) thence Southwesterly along the Northwesterly line of said Lot 82 and the Extension of 61 feet, thence South 59 degrees 5 minutes East 132.50 feet to a stake, thence Northeasterly parallel to the first mentioned course of the within described 50 feet to a stake, thence North 54 degrees 21 minutes West 125 feet to the place of beginning, Including in said exception all land lying between the third or shore traverse of same and the shore of Gun Lake, Barry County Records. 3161 Elmwood Beach Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. • If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 4, 2022 File No. 22-004404 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-04)(08-25) 185221 history of longevity. Of course, as you’re probably aware, the Social Security system is facing significant financial stress, so it’s possible that we may see changes to Social Security, based on actions Congress could take. In any case, you might want to be fairly conservative in estimating how much Social Security can contribute to your retirement income. By addressing the above questions, you can get a clearer sense of when you might reach the point at which work is optional. But you’ll also need to consider other factors, too, such as how much you enjoy working or when your spouse or partner is planning to retire. In any case, the sooner you start planning for this next phase of your life, the better position you’ll be in when it’s time to make the transition. This article was written by Edward Jonesfor use by your local EdwardJones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised, judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale .of-^;jaortgaged..'premise&,. or-some part of them, at a public- auction sale to the highest. bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): John Hoffman, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Money Source Inc. Date of Mortgage: May 5, 2015 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 16, 2015 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $100,785.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 332 Feet Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4, Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan. This Parcel May Also Be Described As: That Part Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 Of Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, Described As: Beginning At The East 1/4 Corner Of Said Section, Thence North 0 Degrees 00 Minutes East 332.0 Feet Along The East Line Of Said Northeast 1/4; Thence South 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds West 1312.35 Feet Parallel With The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence South 0 Degrees 04 Minutes 54 Seconds East 332.0 Feet Along The West Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence North 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds East 1311.88 Feet Along The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 To The Place Of Beginning. Common street address (if any): 5501 N Solomon Rd, Middleville, Ml 49333-8719 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1471226 (08-04) (08-25) 184989 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — Page 11 MHSAA alters grounding and chop block rules Nearly 95,000 athletes statewide were anticipated to begin practices Monday, Aug. 8, kicking off the Fall 2022 season across nine sports for which the Michigan High School Ath­ letic Association (MHSAA) sponsors postseason tourna­ ments. Teams in girls and boys cross country, football, Lower Pen­ insula girls golf, boys soccer, Lower Peninsula girls swim­ ming & diving, Upper Peninsula girls tennis and Lower Pen­ insula boys tennis, and girls volleyball may begin practice Monday. Competition begins Aug. 15 for golf and tennis, Aug. 17 for cross country, soccer, swimming & diving and volleyball, and Aug. 25 for varsity football. Football teams at all levels must have 12 days of preseason practice - over a period of 16 calendar days - before their first game. The beginning of a school year always is accompanied by at least a handful of notable playing rules changes or adjust­ ments regarding MHSAA Tournament competition. Among the most noteworthy this fall will be the addition of a “third half’ rule in soccer, which will allow an athlete to play in a combined three halves across two matches and multiple levels (varsity, junior varsity, freshman) on the same day, any day of the week. This is similar to the fifth-quarter rules in football and basketball approved in recent years to help programs with low athlete numbers still have enough to continue fielding teams at multiple levels - generally with underclassmen play­ ing on multiple teams to keep rosters filled. There is also an enhanced penalty beginning this fall for violating the fifth-quarter or third-half rules: Violators must forfeit the contest during which the violation took place (either varsity or subvarsity), and that head coach in violation will be ineligible for the next day of competition. The change to a playing rule most likely to be noticed by spectators comes in football, where intentional grounding has been adjusted to allow for a passer to throw an incomplete forward pass to conserve yardage - in essence, to throw the ball away to avoid being tackled for a loss, even when a receiver isn’t present near the pass’s destination - if the pass­ er is outside the free-blocking zone, or “pocket,” and as long as the pass reaches the line of scrimmage or extension of the neutral zone beyond the sideline. This change makes the high school intentional grounding rule mirror those at the colle­ giate and professional levels, and was made to conserve the amount of contact by defensive players with passers. A second football rule change also was made with safety in A new MHSAA rule this fall will allow high school foot­ ball quarterbacks under pressure in the backfield to throw the ball away when they are outside the pocket to avoid losing yardage due to a sack, similar to current NFL rules. (File photo) mind, as the chop block - which is illegal - was redefined to include any combination block by multiple teammates against the same opponent where one of the blocks is above the waist and the other is below the waist. Previously, the knee (instead of the waist) was the determining factor on a chop block. This change also is expected to assist officials in enforcing the rule because deciding if blocks occur above and below the waste is more straightforward than using the knee to decide if an infraction occurred. Another football rule change will be noticeable during the MHSAA 11-Player Finals, as head coaches for the first time will be allowed one challenge per game, with the play in ques­ tion then reviewed with video replay. The challenge will cost that team a timeout if the original outcome is confirmed. Coaches will be allowed to challenge the following: complete/ incomplete passes, if a runner/receiver was in/out of bounds, a runner who is ruled not down, the forward progress spot as it relates to the yard to gain, which player first touched a kick, the recovery of a ball in/out of bounds, if a pass was forward or backward, and penalties for illegal forward pass, targeting or illegal helmet contact, and pass interference only as it relates to the pass being previously tipped. All potential scores and turnovers will remain automatically reviewed by replay booth officials. Three more notable rules changes for fall sports also affect MHSAA Tournament competition. There is a new qualification process for divers seeking to advance to Lower Peninsula Finals. In each of the three divisions, each Regional will be guaranteed 10 qualifiers for the Finals, with six more “floating” qualifier entries to be distributed to the Regionals that have one of the previous year’s top six returning Finals divers in their fields. If a team changes division from the previous season, any floating top­ six spots are added to the six already allowed in the school’s new division. In golf, the maximum number of strokes allowed per hole during MHSAA Tournament play has been reduced from 12 to 10. Also, teams will be allowed two school-approved coaches to be present and actively coaching during postseason rounds. In tennis, the number of players who may be seeded at No. 1 singles was increased to seven if there are between 21-23 players in the field, and eight if the field includes 24 or more players at that flight. The No. 1 singles flight is the only flight that allows for individual qualifiers from Regional play, often making it larger than the other seven flights at the Finals. The 2022 Fall campaign culminates with postseason tour­ naments beginning with the Upper Peninsula Girls Tennis Finals during the week of Sept. 26 and wraps up with the 11-Player Football Finals on Nov. 25 and 26. SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING July 13, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: For Sale Garage Sale Pets ACHILLES RUBBER DINGHY- 8 l/2ft. by 4 l/2ft. Solid bottom, oars and motor mount. $200.00, 269­ 945-3231. HUGE BARN SALE. Fri-Sat, Aug. 12th-13th, 2022.9am-6pm. 7190 Barryville Rd, Nashville. Lots of tools. Farm equipment: rake, baler, sickles. Misc items. ALL NEEDS TO GO! AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUP­ PIES for sale. Awesome colors, very cute. $300.00. 517-852-4881 For Rent OFFICE SPACEFOR RENTrdowntown Hastings. 2nd floor above Sugar Ribbon, 106 E. State Street. Contact Carlos @ Barlow Florist, 269-945-5029. SENIOR LIVING- TWO Bedroom Cottage, 2 miles north of Hastings, 55+. $850/mo. plus utilities. ONE BEDROOM- $700/mo. No Pets, No smoking. 269-838-7384. B usiness Services SHIH POO PUPPIES for sale. Small, super cute. 1st shots and wormed. $400.00, 517-852-4881. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18.living.with parents otlegal. custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk's Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to continue the work laid out in agreement between Road Commission and RCT Roll Call Vote -All Ayes, motion passes Motion to approve the MTA dues Motion to approve Resolution 2022-280 Roll Call Vote - All ayes,* rnol’idh passes ' Motion to approve Resolution 2022-281 Roll Call Vote - All Ayes, motion passes Motion to approve the first hearing date for the Algonquin Lake Weed Control 2022-282 Adjournment 7:49 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29242-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Louis Edward Postula, Deceased. Date of birth: July 19,1935. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Louis Edward Postula, Deceased, died June 22, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Cynthia Kennedy, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: August 2, 2022 Knaggs Brake, P.C. David R. Brake P38633 7521 Westshire Drive, Suite 100 Lansing, Michigan 48917 (517) 622-0590 Cynthia Kennedy 5402 Windy Ridge Lansing, Michigan 48917-1463 (248)514-1752 185615 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of: The Melvin G. Hunter and Sue A. Hunter Living Trust, dated November 25, 2008. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedents, Melvin G. Hunter who died September 17, 2021 and Sue A. Hunter who died July 30, 2022, who lived at 4182 Thornapple Hills Drive, Middleville, Michigan 49333, leaving a certain trust under the name of The Melvin G. Hunter and Sue A. Hunter Living Trust, dated November 25, 2008, wherein the decedents were the Settlors and Eric D. Timm was named as Successor Trustee serving at the time of or as a result of the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Eric D. Timm, the named Successor Trustee, at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8/9/22 Nathan E. Tagg (P68994) 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2900 Eric D. Timm 5496 Ravine Drive Middleville, Ml 49333 (616)292-4216 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on August 18, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Ronald B. Johnson and Connie Johnson, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Bank of America, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: July 8, 2013 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 24, 2013 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $80,090.04 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: A strip of land 66 feet in width being the right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company as located over and across the Southwest one-quarter of the Southwest onequarter, Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, more particularly described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 7, Town 1 North, Range 9 West; thence East 516.87 feet along the South line of Section 7, to the former existing Westerly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railway Company, thence North 38 degrees 9 minutes East 1037 feet more or less along said Westerly right of way to the Southerly line of a creek; thence Northeasterly and Easterly along said Southerly lien of a Creek to the former existing Easterly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company and the Westerly right of way of Highway M-43; thence South 38 degrees 9 minutes West 1001.86 feet more or less along said former existing Easterly right of way of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad Company and the Westerly line of Highway M-43, to the South line of Section 7; thence West 83.93 feet along said South line of Section 7 to the place of beginning. Commonly Known as: 11892 S. M-43 Hwy, Delton, Ml 49046 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest, and the purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: 7/21/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 314679 (07-21 )(08-11) 185676 184469 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Irey, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lake Michigan Credit Union Date of Mortgage: January 17, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 19, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $95,760.79 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The North 628 feet of the East 175 feet of the South 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 28, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 2400 Hubble Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8607 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1471803 (08-04)(08-25) 185640 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Timmy Rosenberg, a single man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated June 6, 2012 and recorded June 12, 2012 in Instrument Number 2012-001107 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Four and 74/100 Dollars ($110,384.74). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the City of HASTINGS, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The Southeast % of the Northeast % of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. 719 E Woodlawn Avenue, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11, 2022 File No. 22-008032 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 185247 (08-11X09-01) 185613 STATE OF MICHIGAN 5th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29217-NC William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Linda Marie DeVane. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 9/7/2022 at 2:30 p.m. at 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Linda Marie DeVane to Linda Marie Moore. 185617 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29220-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Patricia G. Hatfield. Date of birth: 12/05/1946. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Patricia G. Hatfield, died 03/11/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kerri Selleck, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/09/2022 Nathan E. Tagg P68994 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Kerri Selleck PO Box 233 Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-9117 185677 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29244-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Beulah R. Benedict. Date of birth: 06/06/1933. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Beulah R. Benedict, died 06/29/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Christine Swank, personal representative, or to both the probate court'at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/04/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Christine Swank 528 S. Grove Street Delton, Michigan 49046 616-929-6553 185616 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JOHN RENEAU, a single man, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Mortgagee, dated the 26th day of July, 2020 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 4th day of August, 2020 in Document # 2020-007853 said Mortgage having been assigned to Freedom Mortgage Corporation on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Five and 57/100 ($176,385.57). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 1st day of September, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 3.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Barry, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: LOTS 3 AND 4, SCOTTS PARK, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 3 OF PLATS, PAGE 68, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS Commonly known as 11904 SCOTT PARK RD., DELTON, Ml 49046 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241 a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 08/04/2022 Freedom Mortgage Corporation Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FMC FHARENEAU/22-01902 1471605 (08-04X08-25) 185209 �Page 12 — Thursday, August 11, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Summerfest sporting events still signing up competitors for 2022 Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was more about the fun than the run a year ago, but the Spectrum Health Pennock Summerfest Run is back to full strength this August. Sign-up is going on now for the 5K run/ walk and 10K run which will be held Satur­ day, Aug. 27, during the annual Hastings Summerfest. (“We had the race in 2021, but due to Covid restrictions we kept it simple,” said new race director Tina Frank, the Spectrum Health Penncfck Health & Wellness Center Supervisor. “We didn’t ask for any sponsorships from local businesses because we knew they were mrhard with Covid. So, the race was just a 5k and it was a fun run.” “This year it is back,” she exclaimed add­ ing that the race will once again be timed, there will be awards and there will be donuts from Cotant’s Farm Market as well. The 10K run begins at 7:30 a.m., followed shortly by the 5K run/walk at 7:45 a.m. at Hast­ 7 ---------------------------------------------------------------- I : ings Middle School at 232 West Grand Street. The cost to participate in the 5K races is currently $35, with the fee moving to $40 after Aug. 7. It is $40 to compete in the 10K if sign-up is done by Aug. 7 and $45 after that date. There is a $5 discount for students ages 18 and younger to participate. Sign-up can be done online at runsignup, com/summerfestrun.com. There is an addi­ tional sign-up fee online of about $3. Packet pick-up will be held Friday, Aug. 26, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Spectrum Health Pennock Health and Wellness Center in Hastings. There were more than 300 participants in the races the last time the event was at full speed in 2019. Registration is also going on now for the annual Jim Jensen Memorial 3-on-3 Basket­ ball Tournament, the Backwoods Traithlon and the slow pitch softball tournament. More information can be found on the hastingssummerfest.com website and the Hastings Summerfest Facebook page. --------— ------------------------------------------------ —. To God be The Glory | It is always good to give God the glory for all the good things He is doing and that is what I want to do with this newsletter. I Psalm 115:1 says, “Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love I I and faithfulness.” “Healing Begins” Podcast Channel SCC started the “Healing Begins” podcast channel on April 16, 2021. This was to help our clients I have all the SCC tools available through their devices to help equip them in their walk with the I Lord. The way the channel is set up, anyone can access the SCC tools all over the world. Here is how H we’re doing so far: 39 different countries have started listening and over 710 different cities with a L^. total of 8,063 different downloads. That is amazing. I |K Podcast Testimony I I saw you on June 30th. Since then, I have listened to all The Healing Begins podcast episodes. I just K finished number 88 tonight. I will be coming in July 25 th for my second session but could not wait H until then to tell you how grateful I am for the podcast, the teaching, and tools that you have given to me. I would also like to thank you and Dr. Troy Carlson for your very gracious gift of free council I and for being a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am almost 60 years old and have been to I many counselors, therapists, and psychiatrists since I was 24. In that time no one has given me the I hope of being healed and set free from my torment that I received from your podcast. I realize this HF is only the beginning and I have a long road of hard work, healing, and learning ahead of me but H at least I am starting to believe that in and through Christ there is hope. I look forward to my next H session on July 25th. I To Listen to the “Healing Begins” Podcast Channel Go To H https://spiritualcareconsultants.com/healing-begins-podcast/ H The “Healing Begins” Radio Programs E In November 2021, SCC started the “Healing Begins” radio program: Stories of faith, healing, and | messages of hope. “Healing Begins” is on WHTC Holland, WBCH Hastings, Wood FM Grand Rapids H (iHeart Radio), and The River. We have had PSA’s (public service announcements) talking about I the services we have available on WGRD also. The twenty-five-minute program airs on Fridays and H Saturdays at lam and on Sundays at lam in Grand Rapids. H 7/16/2022-Radio Testimony I Hello, my name is Chuck. J live in Grand Rapids, Michigan and 1 have terminal cancer and I don’t I have any income, but you mentioned on one of your podcasts about a book that you recommend ■ for people who have a terminal illness. The cancer that I have is uncomfortable and I’m a religious I man that loves God with all my heart but my cancer hurts really bad, and my faith is getting worse ^H everyday. H Update qs of 7/20/2022 I I talked to a church who mobilized a prayer team to go and pray for him and his pain left his body. I PTL. And he is a believer who felt disconnected from the church, and we have reconnected him. He H desires to tell his story, so on 7/20/2022,1 went with Scott Eikenberry to film his testimony to share H with all of you soon. He heard our radio program on The River. I just want to thank everyone for f supporting the podcast and radio programs. You are being a blessing for so many who are hurting. ■ Podcast & Radio Costs I SCC produces 104 programs a year at the cost of $12,000 along with the airtime of each radio | station that must be purchased. I praised the Lord for all the people who have stepped up to cover I the costs in advance. Every program produced will be aired 3 different times on the different radio i stations. ■ Total Listenership of the 3 Radio Stations I The total listenership of all three Radio stations daily is 230,000 people. So, 1 know that we are ■ impacting thousands every month with the message of healing and hope in Christ. This can all be I done from the corner of my office without going anywhere. That’s a lot of people in our region to K impact. I To Listen to past “Healing Begins” radio programs go to the link below. WHTC Holland ■ https://whtc.com/podcasts-healing-begins/ I The Question? I How many people would you like to find Christ and healing in our area? SCC is on a path to bring I healing and transformation to our community and the communities we serve in West Michigan, I PTL. To God be the Glory!! J | a I j | I 1 I I | I I I i Archie Jennings (center) is surrounded by grandchildren (from left) Meredith Ansorge, Dexter Pata, Ian Ansorge and Marshall Pata during a day of youth baseball. A celebration of youth sports from baseball and softball to basketball and more will be held at the Jennings family farm in Nashville Saturday, Aug. 13. Celebration of youth sports at Jennings Farm Saturday Brett Bremer Sports Editor A group of 150 or more former athletes, coaches, family and community members are expected to gather Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Jennings’ family farm in Nashville to cele­ brate and the on-going legacy of Archie Jen­ nings and others who helped grow youth sports throughout the Hastings area starting in the 1990s. Starting at 1 p.m. there will be a reunion to honor not only Jennings, but many other area residents who were instrumental in expand­ ing athletic opportunities around the Hastings area like Jim Williams, Tom Cookson, Peg Boucher, Dee Crowley and others who devel­ oped and expanded youth basketball, softball and baseball programs. “At one point in time [about 1994-95] there were over 150 boys and girls playing Jr. Pro Basketball for Hastings in youth leagues,” Virginia (Jennings) Bolshakova, Archie’s daughter, said. “No doubt this contributed to some great talent and strong runs in both bas­ ketball and softball during the mid to late 90s in Hastings, as well as several D I and II scholarship athletes and a couple all-Ameri­ can female athletes.” The reunion will take place at 6592 Barryville Rd., Nashville. “We are expecting 150-200 former ath­ letes, coaches, family members out at our family’s farm to bring people together for the first time in over 20 years,” Bolshakova said. “We started a Facebook Group, Archie’s Team, about six months ago and had no idea how large and excited the group would be.” Attendees are told to expect a full day of picnicking, sports, laughs and fun. Burgers and hot dogs will be provided, and families are asked to bring a potluck dish, drinks and chairs. Organizers would like a message on the group Facebook page to help with the head count if possible. Last free ORV weekend of the year planned for Aug. 20-21 | 1 1 I j Taking place twice a year, Free ORV Weekend is a great time to see, experience and test out Michigan’s off-road vehicle trails according to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The final Free ORV Weekend of the year in Michigan takes place Saturday, Aug. 20, and Sunday, Aug. 21. On these two days, Michigan residents and visitors can legally ride Michi­ gan’s 4,000 miles of designated routes and trails, and the state’s six scramble areas, with­ out purchasing an ORV license or trail permit. All other ORV rules and laws still apply. “Our hope is that after experiencing a weekend of off-road fun, riders will consider purchasing an ORV license or trail permit for the remainder of the season,” said Jessica Holley-Roehrs, statewide motorized trails program analyst with the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. “We always like to say that it’s the perfect time to introduce - or reintroduce - friends and family to the fun and beauty of a ride.” The DNR directly reinvests ORV trail per­ mit and license dollars back into the ORV trails system. The funds help pay for trail brushing, signage, maintenance, bridge and culvert construction, maintenance of trails head amenities and other expenditures. A Recreation Passport still is required where applicable, such as at trailheads and scramble areas. Typically, there’s an entrance fee at the Holly Oaks ORV Park (although no Recreation Passport requirement), but the fee is waived for this special weekend. Visit Michigan.gov/ORVInfo for the latest ORV trail, safety and closure information. Contact Jessica Holley-Roehrs with any; questions at 517-331-3790. I I I Become a Financial Partner Today Everything we are able to do is because of our financial partners who give on a regular basis. If you I would like information about giving monthly, call 269-254-5758. Or if you would like to send in a | I check, make it payable to: Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St. Ste. 1 Hastings, MI 49058. I ■ To donate online go to: www.spiritualcareconsultants.com and click on donate. Sponsored by 269-948-8381 Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN OUR FREE GREAT START READINESS PROGRAM. YeUwiUlifer to ktwe SGCBHrtoer fey c&iitrifeurtmg tfer feetow- gfk to assist in the oftat MfaMtaFls hedtih and wettness thrush Spiritual Core! *Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 Name: Address: City:_____________ State:Zip: Phone:_________________ Total Donation Amou nt: Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Mastercard AMEX Card Number: Exp. Date: Amou nt: _ � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-08-18.pdf 5d2a9f486f385f152197cebcaf716b7b PDF Text Text Hastings Police offer back-to-school safety tips Leaders can handle criticism and take it in stride Delton Kellogg Panther fall sports previewed See story on page 3 See story on page 4 See stories on pages 9-11 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 1070490102590500825349058113421 ************ * ******* H ******CAR-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr ' Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM 1 BV-F B ANNER Thursday, August 18, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 33 804879110187 PRICE $1.50 FOIA FLOOD: Townships in Barry County hit with requests for election information Jayson Bussa Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer (second from the right) collects election results from township clerks late at night on Aug. 2 as part of the state primary election. Clerks have been receiving a surge of FOIA requests pertaining to information from the election. Editor Township clerks throughout Barry County were hit with a flurry of Freedom of Informa­ tion Act requests following the recent state primary election. The FOIA requests appear to be a part of a coordinated effort to gather information both from the primary election held earlier this month and the 2020 election, where former President Donald Trump lost to current Pres­ ident Joe Biden, leading to the public uproar surrounding election integrity. Every township The Banner was able to connect with confirmed that they received FOIA requests. Most of the requests are sim­ ilar to each other, while some are exactly the same. The filer on such requests hasn’t always been located within the county, or even the state. For example, Barry County clerk Pam Palmer was processing a FOIA request sub­ mitted from New Jersey when The Banner spoke with her. The filer was requesting vot­ ing information stemming back to 2015. “I do care (about the concerns of the vot­ ing public), but it’s also a time suck,” Palm­ er said. “I’m supposed to be focused on getting ready for the general election, burFOIAs are time sensitive. I can’t ignore them,” she added. While FOIA requests are not at all uncom­ mon, and a useful tool to bring transparency to local government, Palmer said that this year’s primary election opened the floodgates on FOIA requests pertaining to voting infor­ mation. This is also the first major election since the divisive 2020 election. For two years, Palmer has stood firm in defending the integrity of elections in Barry County despite parties calling them into ques­ tion. This includes the county’s own Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has been publicly outspoken on what he said is election irregularities and fraud in the county and state. The FOIA requests make for a lot of work for township clerks, township attorneys and all others associated with the FOIA process. “I’ve answered every single FOIA and every single question,” Palmer said. “I don’t know. I’ve gone as deep as I can go on it.” Some townships have openly discussed such requests, and how to respond as they are generally loaded with technical speak and threats or criminal liability for not following through. For instance, in Orangeville Township, clerk Mel Risner highlighted three FOIA requests she received. Two of those requests pertained to the 2020 presidential election and the filer requested photos of ballots from the election in addition to surveillance foot­ age from cameras near the township’s absen­ tee ballot drop box. ' The county is not outfitted with such tech: nology and, therefore, could not provide that information. Another FOIA request in Orangeville asked for a laundry list of data from the recent primary election. Risner was able to See FOIA FLOOD, page 2 Election integrity event featuring Sheriff Dar Leaf abruptly canceled Jayson Bussa Editor Organizers of a local event focusing on the topic of election integrity, including an appearance by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, abruptly canceled on Tuesday afternoon. The grassroots group Stand Up Barry County had been promoting the Tuesday event, slated to be held at Barry County Christian School. Dubbed an election integri­ ty forum, the event promoted informative presentations, stories and a question and answer session regarding ongoing elec­ tion-related issues in the county, state and nation. Promotion for the event prominently fea­ tured Leaf, who has been clashing with state officials as of late due to his efforts to inves­ tigate and bring to light voting irregularities and fraud. However, on Tuesday afternoon, The Ban­ ner received word that the event was no lon­ ger taking place along with conflicting rea­ sons as to why. Organizers have yet to clarify whether the event would be re-scheduled, and if so, when. Barry County Christian, which was set to host the event, made one of the only public statements about the event via social media on Tuesday afternoon. “This evening, BCCS leased our gym to Stand Up Michigan - Barry County for an event,” the post stated. “We were informed recently that the event is cancelled for this evening and being postponed. We have no other information on this event.” Leaf’s scheduled appearance comes on the heels of revelations earlier this month that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is seeking the appointment of a special prosecu­ tor to consider a variety of criminal charges against a group of nine individuals, which includes Leaf. See DAR LEAF, page 2 The Hastings Area School System was proactive in conquering one of the most disruptive issues facing education right now: staff shortages. The Hastings Banner checked in with superintendents from district around Barry County to get a look ahead at the coming school year. (Courtesy photo) Barry County goes back to school Jayson Bussa Sheriff Dar Leaf Judge rejects request to lower bond for suspect accused of lying in Brickley murder Greg Chandler Dustin Scott Stephens Staff Writer Barry County Judge Michael Schipper Wednesday rejected a request to lower the bond for a 36-year-old Nashville man facing perjury and tampering charges tied to the videotaped murder of Gracyn Brickley in February 2021. Dustin Scott Stephens remains held on a $50,000 bond in the Barry County Jail after the judge denied the request by his new attorney, Brandon Gardner of Grand Rapids. A probable cause hearing in the case was adjourned to Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. in District Court 56B. Stephens is facing felony counts of perjury in the trial of a capital crime, tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm, accessory after the fact to a felony and a felony firearms charge. He could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty of the perjury charge. Stephens is one of three people who are accused of tampering with evidence in the case of Brickley, an 18-year-old who was murdered in Maple Grove Township. Andrew Lafey, 18, was convicted of first-degree felony and pre­ meditated murder in the slaying and is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole. In asking that Stephens’ bond be lowered, Gardner told the court that his client was not a flight risk, and that Stephens had only one felony offense prior to his current charges, a criminal sexual conduct conviction from a few years ago. He said that Stephens would be employed and have a place to stay if he were released. “A financial bond cannot be excessive, pursuant to the court rule ... He would not See JUDGE, page 2 Editor Students return to the classroom next week as school districts contend with a vari­ ety of issues - many of them byproducts of the last two years school leaders spent navi­ gating the minefield of COVID-19 concerns and precautions. By some accounts, this school year is shap­ ing up to resemble the closest thing to the pre-COVID era as students have seen in the last three years. But it won’t come without its share of chal­ lenges. Statewide - and even throughout other parts of the country - the education sector is grap­ pling with a universal set of dilemmas. Like any other industry, staffing shortages have hit schools, making it sometimes tough for them to deliver all the necessary programming. Clashes between parents and school adminis­ trators over health protocols and curriculum are another well documented problem that has both created hostility and scared away talent from wanting to assume roles in education. As the doors to Barry County schools swing open next week and students flood inside, The Banner made its rounds with superintendents of the three school districts in the county, working to learn what sort of issues they are facing, how they are dealing with them and what students can expect from another year of learning. See SCHOOL, page 3 One last summer bash Summerfest will take over downtown Hastings on Aug. 26-28. The annual sum­ mer celebration will feature everything from arts and crafts vendors, concessions and children’s activities to a variety of ath­ letic competitions. The Reminder wants to help you plan your visit to this year’s event. Check out Saturday’s edition of The Reminder to get a complete preview of Summerfest and what you can expect from this year’s installment. �Page 2 — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS The Accidentals to play at the Thornapple Plaza On Friday, Aug. 19 at 7:30 p.m., The Accidentals will bring their unique genre-bending music to the Thornapple Plaza stage. Long before glowing acclaim from NPR and Billboard, packed shows, unforgetta­ ble festival appearances, millions of streams and collaborations with everyone from BTS to Contemporary Youth Orches­ tra, the journey of The Accidentals com­ menced in a public high school classroom in Traverse City. The Accidentals now host and lead workshops across the country, hoping to inspire other young musicians. The group opened a nonprofit in 2020 called Play It Forward Again and Again to help provide access to instruments, lessons and mentors for all aspiring musicians. The concert, sponsored by Hastings Live, will be free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs. The concession stand, operated by volunteers from Hastings’ Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, will be open for evening performances serving food, snacks, soft­ drinks and more. Smoking, vaping, non-service animals and outside alcohol are prohibited. Due to COVID-19, there will be no rain venue. State Street lane closures through Saturday Hastings residents will continue seeing orange barrels down State Street until Sat­ urday, according to the Michigan Depart­ ment of Transportation (MDOT). MDOT stated in a news release Mon­ day that lane closures will be in effect Monday, Aug. 15 at 8 a.m. until Saturday, Aug. 20 at noon. These closures will affect State Street from Broadway (M-43) to Cook Road. The center turn lane and a single driving lane will be closed during this time. Drivers should proceed with caution when navigating the construction zone and be conscious of construction workers. Registration open for Summerfest Run The 2022 Summerfest Run sponsored by Spectrum Health Pennock Health and Wellness Center is back for another year and registration is now open. The run, with 5K and 10K options, will take place Saturday, Aug. 27. Both the 5K and 10K races are open to youth under 18, at a $10 off rate. The 5K timed run/walk will kick off at 7:45 a.m. at the Hastings Middle School. Registration for adults for the 5K will cost $40, and $30 to those under 18. The 10K timed run will begin at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 27 at the Hastings Middle School as well. This race will cost $45 for adults and $35 for youth. Registration can be done online at run­ signup. com/Race/MI/Hastings/HastingsSummerfestRun2 until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 26. Runners can pick up their packets or register late in person Friday, Aug. 26 at the Spectrum Health Pennock Health and Wellness Center from 3 to 7 p.m. Runners can also late register and pick up their packets the morning of the race at the Hast­ ings Middle School Cafeteria from 6:30 to 7:15 a.m. Maps of the race routes and more infor­ mation about the event can be found at runsignup.com/Race/MI/Hastings/HastingsSummerfestRun2. & Insured • Good Selection of Cotton Prints 108" Quilt Backing r Zippers, Threads, Notions ft Pray for our Country ft QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station AAAAAA ZX AZxZkA A A of the construction and engineering firms who worked on the project. Prior to this new facility, the preschool programs were located in a much-smaller building next to McFall Elementary School. As growth continues in the community, the district also experienced the need for more room for early childhood programs. Staff Writer The last Hastings Area School System Board of Education meeting before the 2022­ 23 school year starts next week was a short one, wrapping up in about 15 minutes. The board accepted donations from the Hastings Band Boosters in the amount of $15,312 for new uniforms and $10,184 for new sousaphones. The board also accepted a $70,000 dona­ tion from the Baum Family Foundation to cover the pay-to-participate costs for student athletes for the 2022-23 school year. It was the 16th school year that the Baum Family Foundation covered pay-to-participate fees for the district with a donation. The board approved several new hires, including the appointment of Emily Doherty to the position of Community Education and Recreation Center facilities coordinator. Doherty will be filling the position left by the resignation of Chase Youngs, which was also approved by the board. New hires approved by the board were as follows: » Time to Start Christmas Quilts Usss tional opportunities for students,” TK Super­ intendent Craig McCarthy said. “This was made possible by voters approving the bond in 2019 and we want to thank the community for their continued support.” During the open house, families will be able to tour the facility, visit classrooms and hear from school leaders as well as members The Heritage Days festival in down­ town Middleville keeps getting bigger every year, and organizers say it is getting better, too. This year’s three-day event kicks off today and there will be plenty of new activ­ ities to go along with the traditional ones that reflect the village’s 188-year history. Middleville’s Downtown Development Authority is organizing many of the events. The festival will run from 6 to 9 p.m. today and Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A Community Night Out kicks off Heri­ tage Days tonight. It will be hosted by the Middleville Lions Club at Sesquicentennial Park from 6 to 9 p.m. There will be a touch-a-truck, where kids will be able to sit in or get a close-up look at emergency vehicles, farm equipment, antique and modem tractors, plus Department of Public Works trucks. More information and a full schedule of the event can be found at villageofiniddleville.org/events/event/heritage-days/ or at the Middleville Heritage Days Face­ book page. New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 ~ Thornapple Kellogg Schools Early Childhood Center. (Photo by Greg Chandler) School board appoints new hires, CERC director Licensed Master Plumber • Licensed Journeyman Plumber p T Thomapple Kellogg Schools’ new Early Childhood Center will open this fall after nearly 18 months of construction. The district will hold a ribbon-cutting cer­ emony and open house at 6 p.m. on Wednes­ day, Aug. 24. The center is located at 3316 Bender Rd., just south of Page Elementary School on the east side of the road. This new center was made possible when voters approved a $42.8 million bond issue in November 2019. The Early Childhood Center is the largest of the bond projects. At approximately 33,000 square feet, the new center includes 10 age-appropriate class­ rooms, a sensory room, multi-purpose room, offices and a large meeting room which can be used for staff development, board of edu­ cation meetings and other gatherings. The facility includes secured entryways for safety and a large playground area for students. The center will house TK tuition-based pre­ school programs for 3- and 4-year-old children, Great Start Readiness Preschool for 4-yearolds, Bright Beginnings Playgroup for children ages birth to 5 years old, and the before and after school childcare program for TK students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. “We’re very excited to be opening this facility and providing early childhood educa- Middleville Heritage Days runs today through Saturday MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Mobile (269) 838-5112 Open house set for TK early childhood center A./XA 182306 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CEMETERY CLEANUP NOTICE As per our Cemetery Ordinance #2021 -178 adopt­ ed November 10, 2021, borders will no longer be allowed on cemetery lots. Also, all mounds, memo­ rials, decorations, or benches that hinder the free use of a lawn mower or other gardening apparatus are prohibited. All urns and decorations shall be set in line with the stone within the boundaries of each grave site. The Cemetery cleanup has begun and will be completed by Labor Day, Monday September 5, 2022. If you have any decorations at the Cem­ etery you wish to keep, please remove them now. Larry Watson, Supervisor Rutland Charter Township Hunter McLaren Northeastern Elementary Elizabeth Allerding, lunch paraprofession­ al; Samantha Craven-Ki iboum, food service; Siena Jenkins, lunch paraprofessional; Tiffa­ ny Moore, lunch paraprofessional. Central Elementary Lorinda Giacalone, lunch paraprofessional. Hastings Middle School Michelle Barrows, student support special­ ist; Sahara Basye, social studies teacher; Kristina Boersma, assistant cross country coach; Terry Dull, head eighth grade football coach; Shyanne Kill, assistant cheerleading coach; Anthony Knop, cross country coach; Milo Liebenow, assistant eighth grade foot­ ball coach; Jennifer Marvin, eighth grade volleyball coach; Brenagan Murphy, eighth grade volleyball coach; Verne Robins, sev­ enth grade football coach; Kenneth Taylor, assistant seventh grade football coach; Con­ nie Williams, cheerleading coach. Hastings High School Michelle Hineman, healthcare paraprofes­ sional; Rebecca Pirtle, food service; Robekah Warner, math teacher; Kayak Anible, fresh­ man cheerleading coach; Todd Bates, girls diving coach; Robert Cole, assistant junior varsity football coach; Jillian Collins, junior varsity volleyball coach; Steve Collins, cross country coach; Pat Coltson, assistant varsity football coach; Brian Donnini, assistant var­ sity football coach; Matthew Forrell, head junior varsity football coach; Lindsey Jacin­ to, varsity cheerleading coach; Tyler Jiles, assistant freshman football coach; Kristen Laubaugh, girls golf coach; Francisco Lopez, boys varsity soccer coach; James Murphy, varsity football coach; Kelly Newberry, assis­ tant cross country coach; Jon Pewoski, head freshman football coach; Carl Schoessel, girls swim coach; Krista Schueller, boys var­ sity tennis coach; Russ Schueller, girls golf coach; Xander Signeski, boys junior varsity soccer coach; Erin Slaughter, varsity volley­ ball coach; Amanda Zalewski, junior varsity cheerleading coach. Transportation Elizabeth Curtiss, substitute bus driver; Matthew Mencarelli, assistant mechanic; and Terressa Schray, substitute bus driver. The board accepted resignations from Bryce Davis, Hastings High School math teacher; Debra Dunklee, Hastings High School healthcare paraprofessional; Nicole Parsons, Hastings Middle School food ser­ vice; Brooke Veneman, Hastings Middle School social studies teacher; and Christy Payne, bus driver. The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 in the Central Elementary School gym. FOIA FLOOD, continued from page 1 determine that the request was filed by a local resident. “My position, not only as the clerk but as an individual, is what is the purpose of all these FOIAs?” Risner said at a recent township meeting. “What legit­ imate reason do they have to continually request this con­ stant information that’s avail­ able through the (county)? When you look up the elec­ tions, it’s got the voter turnout, it’s got the ballot summary, it has all that online when you look up election results. “The amount of time we’re spending on this is getting more and more frustrating for all clerks to handle. It really is. It’s very time consuming. And it’s very costly for the township because we have to consult attorneys because you don’t know what you’re going to get into.” In Hastings Charter Town­ ship, clerk Anita Mennell pro­ vided a similar account at the township’s most recent meeting. “It’s going on (FOIA letters like this one) all around because the City of Muskegon received the same thing, only it’s sent from somebody in the (Mus­ kegon) area. (FOIA filers) are starting to pay attention to the fact that we do not have to answer these things if they do not put up who, what, when and where type stuff, so they are signing the bottom. This person is from Shelbyville in Barry County.” The Banner reached out to an individual listed on a recent FOIA request for election infor­ mation. The individual referred The Banner to a different party and did respond to further ques­ tions about the request they sup­ posedly filed. “These are legal requests; attorneys should be involved,” Hastings Charter Township trustee Tim McNally said. “In respect to some comments I’ve heard in the past - that’s why we have attorneys, who will be looking at this and making a legal decision. Especially when they’re making comments about the possibility of civil liabilities - as soon as that gets comment­ ed on, attorneys should get involved.” Scott Aughney of Jackson County didn’t leave any ano­ nymity to his FOIA request. He hand delivered it to the Barry County Board of Commission­ ers meeting on Aug. 9, loudly voicing his displeasure with what he considered to be wide­ spread voter fraud. The Banner connected with Aughney, who said his initial FOIA request was denied due to its technical language. He DAR LEAF, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------Nessel alleged that these indi­ viduals conspired with one another to illegally obtain voting tabulators from townships around the state, including Irving Town­ ship. Once procuring the equip­ ment, the group is said to have run tests and tampered with it. Others in the group that could potentially face charges include presumed Republican candidate for attorney general Matt DePemo, who will like face Nessel in the Nov. 8 gener­ al election. Current state repre­ sentative Daire Rendon, a Republican from Lake City, was also named. In early June, Leaf teamed with attorney Stefanie Lam­ bert to file a lawsuit against the state, claiming that the attor­ ney general and state police were impeding Leafs ongoing investigation into voter fraud by harassing him. Last week, an attorney for the state argued that the lawsuit should be thrown out because Leaf failed to sign it, which is required by law. Leaf is notoriously outspo­ ken about election integrity and no stranger to the public speak­ ing circuit, either. He is active amongst a group called Consti­ tutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) and, in July, was a featured speaker at one of the group’s events in Las Vegas. Leaf has been relatively quiet since Nessel announced her intentions to seek a special pros­ ecutor. However, via a statement through his attorney Lambert, who is also among the group of nine to potentially face criminal charges, Leaf maintained that he has uncovered evidence of voter fraud in the state. “I took an oath and obliga­ tion as Sheriff to investigate all potential crimes reported to my office including election law violations,” Leaf said in his statement. “I have evidence reflecting that (Secretary of State Jocelyn) Benson ordered 2020 election data to be deleted in violation of the law and a full investigation will be conducted by my office.” filed a new one. He also provided some con­ text on who might be behind this barrage of filings. Aughney said that he created a FOIA fil­ ing and submitted it to a grass­ roots movement called the Elec­ tion Integrity Force so that oth­ ers could use it. “They distributed it to various people throughout the state, who are sending it to clerks,” Augh­ ney said. “I have no problem speaking on it.” JUDGE, continued from page 1 -----------have the financial ability to post. Clearly, he has been sitting in (jail) for quite some time. He does not have the financial abil­ ity to post that bond, and there­ fore it is excessive,” Gardner said. Schipper wasted little time in rejecting Gardner’s argument, saying the bond could be higher than what it is. “There is a danger to the com­ munity,” the judge said. “This gentleman was involved in the most horrific murder case that I’ve ever been involved in, where a young lady was stomped to death on video over 50 times before she died. He saw the video. He perjured himself ... during a murder trial, he tam­ pered with evidence regarding this murder, he was a felon in possession of a firearm, (and an) accessory after the fact of a fel­ ony. The bond is, in fact, in my mind, lower than it should be.” Also facing charges in the case are 52-year-old Sheralyn Randolph of Nashville and 46-year-old Coleen Marie Rice of Hastings. Randolph faces a Sept. 7 court hearing on felony counts of tampering with evi­ dence and accessory after the fact as well as being a fourth­ time habitual offender. Rice is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing the following day on charges of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — Page 3 Gov. Whitmer proposes suspending sales tax on school supplies; Tudor Dixon calls it a ‘gimmick’ This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed suspending the Michigan sales tax on school supplies, part of her MI Back to School Plan to help families get ready for the upcom­ ing school year by lowering costs and Building on the education budget she signed.in July. • According to her administration, the plan would save Michigan families money right now, help educators save on classroom expenses, and equip kids with the tools they need to succeed, including everything from paper and pencils to crayons and computers. “As families gear up for the school year, they should be able to get what they need without spending too much money out of pocket,” Gov. Whitmer said in a statement. “That’s why I’m putting forward the MI Back to School Plan, which includes a proposal to temporarily suspend the sales tax on school supplies. Getting this done would lower costs for parents, teachers, and students right now, and ensure that they have the resources to succeed. “I will work with anyone to lower costs, cut taxes, and help our kids thrive.” Gov. Whitmer’s announcement was accompanied by reaction from West Michi­ gan teacher Alex Bohr. ? “I spend about $500 out-of-pocket a year on supplies for my classroom, and that’s a big challenge for me as an early-career teacher with low wages,” said Bohr, a fourth-grade teacher at Gull Lake Community Schools. “On top of school supplies, many of us also buy snacks for students whose families aren’t able to send snacks from home, so the kids can have something to eat during the day outside of lunch. All of these costs accumu­ late and can become a substantial financial burden, both for educators and parents. Gov. Whitmer’s proposal for a school sales tax holiday will help educators and families keep a little extra money in our wallets, so we can afford other basic necessities.” With prices rising on everyday items, a Deloitte report found that parents and fami­ lies expect to spend up to $661 per child on school supplies this year, as opposed to $612 per child last year. To provide relief, 19 other states are suspending state sales taxes on everything from clothing and shoes to back­ packs and computers to lower costs for fami­ lies and help educators outfit their classrooms for the year. Under the governor’s plan, Michigan would join those states to deliver savings for parents as they prepare to send their children back to school. Not everyone is sold on the idea, though. Whitmer’s opponent in the upcoming gen­ eral election, Republican nominee Tudor Dixon, called the idea a gimmick in a public statement. “School supply lists came out a month ago,” Dixon said in the statement. “Shopping is done, many shelves are bare. Many schools start in just a few days. Too little, too late from the most out of touch governor in the nation.” Back-to-school safety: Remember to slow down for school buses, crossing guards Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Back-to-school season is in full swing, and with it comes the hustle and bustle of students coming and going from classes and school programs. Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter said there’s always some confusion about traffic laws surrounding school buses and crossing guards when school starts back up after sum­ mer break. “The biggest thing we see is people are in a hurry, signs don’t seem to really much matter,” Boulter said. “They’re just placed alongside the road, and people are in a hurry going to work and they kind of say ‘Oops, I didn’t see this and didn’t see that.’” The Hastings Police Department will be deploying four crossing guards throughout town as the school year starts. “We put these people out there to help kids maneuver across the street through the busy times in which we live,” Boulter said. A common mistake that Boulter sees driv­ ers often commit is starting to drive after kids have crossed the street, but before the crossing guard has returned to the sidewalk. State law mandates that drivers must wait for the crossing guard to be clear of the street before proceeding through the intersection, and violators can be charged with a misde­ meanor. Boulter said some drivers are also usually confused on how to proceed around school buses picking up or dropping off children. When the overhead lights on a bus start flashing yellow, it’s recommended that driv­ ers slow down and prepare to come to a stop. When the lights flash red, state law requires that drivers on both sides of the road come to a complete stop. The only exception is on divided highways, where drivers on the opposite side may continue, but Boulter said he’s unaware of anywhere that would be applicable in Barry County. Drivers are allowed to proceed again once “You should be concerned with a child or any person crossing in front of the bus and striking them and causing injury and, or death. That's what should be more concern­ ing than whether or not you're going to get a citation.” - Dale Boulter, Hastings Police Chief ----- the red overhead lights turn off and the bus begins to move. Drivers who violate this rule could be charged with a civil infraction and gain points on their license, Boulter said. “It’s not really the citation you should be concerned with,” he added. “You should be concerned with a child or any person cross­ ing in front of the bus and striking them and causing injury and or death. That’s what should be more concerning than whether or not you’re going to get a citation.” The HPD crossing guards will be located at the intersections of South Hanover and East Grand streets; West Green Street and South Broadway Avenue; West Clinton and South Broadway streets; as well as South Michigan Avenue and E Grand Street. Some schools in the district also have their own crossing guards near their schools, Boulter said. Boulter also said that, with the start of a new school year, he’d like to remind young drivers who may be driving to school for the first time to be safe, watch their speed and avoid “exhibition driving” complaints that are the result of things like revving their engines or squealing their tires. Some schools in the district have cameras that can record drivers who are excessively speeding, and HPD can issue citations to the owner of the vehicle regardless of who was driving at the time. “This is all stuff that’s been added for safety,” Boulter said. “We are hoping for a safe year and for anybody that is unfamiliar with any of this, we are more than happy to help them understand the rules.” “Hastings PD will be monitoring our crossing guard intersections, and if viola­ tions occur, we will be very strict,” he said. “I would really like people to pay attention, slow down, obey our crossing guards, pay attention to the flashing lights (on buses) and keep the children safe. That’s the biggest thing.” SCHOOL, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“We have had to request some staff within our Organization O'ri 'new roles based on student selection of classes and overall “You have 5 percent on one side and 5 percent on the other and you got the 90 per­ need,” Goebel said. “Fortunately, this has not impacted a large amount of staff. We certain­ centers that just want to get a good, solid ly want to limit the amount of disruption to education for their children. Granted, there accommodate the service to students.” are probably still a few hurt feelings out there Hastings schools has hired over 65 employ­ of parents that think we didn’t make the deci­ ees over the last two years. Not only is that a sions they wanted but we’re also trying to make a decision for 3,200 students and we’re testament to the district’s effectiveness in attracting talent in an era where it is in great trying to do the best for everyone.” scarcity, but Goebel said it’s also an effective In terms of staffing, McCarthy said the district has filled all its instructional posi­ way to bring new ideas into the mix. The district has been intentional about reten­ tions. He wanted to hire an additional coun­ selor at the middle school but was unable to tion, as well, making sure that when these new find viable applicants for that posting. Filling staff members are in the door, they stay there. “This past year, our board of education has instructional roles means avoiding the pros­ pect of expanding class sizes or eliminating . made an intentional effort to recognize the special courses, which are commons ways to value of staff by providing a bonus and increased salary and/or benefits for all alleviate these staff shortages. “Those are some things that have happened- erhployee groups,” Goebel said. “We are try­ in the past, and luckily, we don’t have to face ing to assist our employees with furthering their education, obtaining other certifications that,” McCarthy said. The district has also run into a severe and supporting their future goals.” As far as COVID safety policy, the general shortage of bus drivers, which has forced changes to transportation services, but those policy Goebel and his team have implement­ ed is quite simple. pressures are slowly easing. “We will encourage parents to keep their kids home if they are sick and send them to school when they are’healthy,” Goebel said. Also, Goebel said that the COVID-19 pan­ demic didn’t really fray any relationships between parents and the district. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. “Our relationship with our parents is very positive,” Goebel said. “Our parents volun­ teer, mentor and attend many of the activities we provide to enrich their children’s educa­ tion. We plan on partnering with all of our parents and want to increase their participa­ tion in their children’s education as much as possible.” to sctiooT and not' worrying about masks or Craig McCarthy THORNAPPLE KELLOGG STU­ DENTS RETURN TO NEWLY RENO­ VATED FACILITIES Throughout the summer, Thomapple Kel­ logg schools was home to plenty of activity. The district completed a laundry list of construction projects, and, despite the supply chain issues that have so notoriously knocked such projects off kilter, Thomapple Kellogg schools superintendent Craig McCarthy said everything will be ready for students next week. “It’s been a very busy summer, but it’s just good to see the progress being made and it’s really all about the kids and creating the best learning environment for them.” Projects included air handling equipment upgrades at McFall Elementary while Lee Elementary underwent a roofing project. The district’s middle school also saw new air han­ dling equipment installed complete with all new flooring. The district installed 12 new tennis courts and, the crown jewel is the construction of the new early childhood center, which will host an open house next week so that the general public can have a look. Every school building is now equipped with new air handling equipment, except for the high school, which will be outfitted with such measures next summer. This new infra­ structure is one of many investments the dis­ trict has made in sanitation and keeping CO VID variations out of its buildings. McCarthy said that each building has a Clorox 360 machine, which uses a fine, disin­ fecting mist to clean entire classrooms each night. Similarly, the bus garage features handheld misting machines that bus drivers can use to disinfect their vehicles after a run. McCarthy admitted that, throughout the pandemic, finding the right balance of pre­ ventative health measures was a point of contention between the district and parents. “We had parents on both sides of the COVID coin,” McCarthy said. "Some really wanted us to lock things down and really wanted a bunch of measures in place to protect people, and then there was the other side of the coin where they just wanted students coming It’s this sense of community that Lartigue said has galvanized the district through the years of the COVID pandemic, leaving no residual animosity or conflict. Lartigue said that, as COVID continues to linger, the district will implement special cleaning measures as an added precaution. He also said that the Barry-Eaton District Health Department has handed down guide­ lines in which the school will follow. Staffing has not presented any debilitating problems for the district, either, but Lartigue said that Delton Kellogg is still looking to hire a couple teachers and paraprofessionals. All of those positions have been posted pub­ licly. “I’m used to making adjustments every­ where,” Lartigue said. “It’s just part of the job. You make adjustments in order to do what’s best for the kids and the community - that’s all.” Staff writer Hunter McLaren contributed to this report NOTICE 1485959 Cellco Partnership and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) proposes to build a 310 - foot self­ support communications tower at the approx, vicinity of 11160 Vedder Road, Freeport, Ionia County, Ml 49325, Lat: 42-46-15.9 Long: -85­ 17-41.9. Public comments regarding potential effects from this site on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Emily, e.pickrell@ trileaf.com, 1515 Des Peres Road, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63131, 314-997-6111. DRIVER POSITION OPENING BARRY COUNTY TRANSIT HASTINGS SCHOOLS HAMMER ON HIRING, RETENTION Matt Goebel, superintendent for the Hast­ ings Area School System, was not about to be caught flat-footed when it came to hiring staff. While severe staffing shortages are forcing schools statewide to cut programs and make transformation changes to their models, Goebel and his team were able to breathe a sigh of relief last spring already. “We were very intentional with posting positions that we knew needed to be filled early in the spring,” Goebel said. “We have never hired this early before, but knew that we needed to based on the staffing climate in education.” That proactive mindset means that Hast­ ings schools are not facing any glaring per­ sonnel issues. Still, to facilitate needs of the students, the district had to shift around some of its existing staff. Taking the helm of a school district that pales in comparison in terms of size 'should be a cake walk, right? “I did not say that,” Lartigue said, laughing. “But the thing is, working with so many students in the past, it will be easier for me to establish relationships with those kids (at Delton Kellogg),” he added. “Because I used to have so many of them come to me, but didn’t always have time to meet with them individually.” Lartigue’s first day on the job was July 1 as he prepares to kick off his first year as super­ intendent of Delton Kellogg schools. Lartigue previously worked in the district for five years before moving out to Houston. What drew him back is also what he says is a defining quality of the school district. “That’s one of the reasons I came back the people and this community,” Lartigue said. “That’s something I was searching for in Texas since I went there. I could’t find it so I decided to come home.” Herman Lartigue Jr. NEW SUPERINTENDENT DIGS IN AT DELTON KELLOGG SCHOOLS Dr. Herman Lartigue Jr. comes to Delton Kellogg Schools from a previous gig in the Houston area, where he served as assistant principal at a middle school that belonged to a school district with 55,000 students. Barry County Transit is accepting applications for the position of Driver. A Class C CDL with a ‘P’ endorsement is required. A strong sense of community and people skills are required of the successful candidate. Driver’s hours are 37.5 per week. Wage scale is $14.75 to $17.53. Applications are available from the Transit Office or online at: www.barrycountytransit.com Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-8125 Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer in full compliance with all State and Federal Regulations. �Page 4 — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? No business like show business Leadership is a mandate...for us all This year’s Delton Founders Festival played host to another installment of Delton Idol, a singing competition modeled after the popular television show American Idol. Held at William Smith Memorial Park for the second straight year, 30 contestants competed in front of throngs of spectators for a $1,000 cash prize. While inclement weather relocated the second day of competition to the auditorium in Delton Kellogg High School, the contest ultimately crowned Jordan Boley as winner. Boley placed third place last year and second place in 2019, making him the only competitor to finish third, second and first. Do you remember? Back-to-school Banner Nug.fifr During sixth grade orientation at Hastings Middle School, Shawna Englehard (right) studies her new class schedule as Wendy and Julie Gerber look on. Have you met? Staff writer Hunter McLaren is a Report for America member covering schools, city government and community issues in Barry County for The Hastings Banner. Reportfor America is a national service project that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. As part of the program, corps members are expected to take on a service project that benefits the community. McLaren hosts a weekly two-hour writing class for middle and high school students in Barry County. This week’s Bright Light features writing and reporting contributions from local stu­ dents Braiden Wesner, Holdyn Clinkscales and Noah Lear. Ever since she was a toddler, Ruth Gee remembers being able to see pictures that no one else could at her family’s home in Bolivia. The light coming through the windows and landing on the stucco walls would cre­ ate the pictures, which she would then draw and trace. Eventually, her family painted one of the walls black and gave her chalky stones to draw with. “From the time I was a toddler, 1 had pencils and crayons and I would draw out the pictures I could see on the wall,” she said. “Nobody could see what I could see.” She didn’t stop there, and would draw pictures in the margins of the books her parents used to homeschool her. Her parents, Scandinavian missionaries, had moved their family to Bolivia to do mis­ sion work. While they humored Gee’s artistic endeavors, Gee said she was never encour­ aged to be an artist. She was pushed toward career paths that were more closely related to the mission work they did growing up. “You were supposed to be a nurse or a teacher, and I really wanted to be an artist,” she said. “They saw no value in it.” Gee grew up in Bolivia among the native Aymara population, learning to speak English, Spanish, and Aymara, along with some Dutch and Norwegian from her par­ ents. They would only see other missionary families in the region on special occasions. When she was older, her parents moved the family again to America, where she went to high school in Minnesota and was encouraged to become an artist by one of her teachers. That teacher would give Gee old window shades that acted as makeshift “I have a little rule that I do my very best. 1 use the best material I can afford and do the best I can get out of my time while still being faithful to my family,” she said. “But I do my best within my bound­ aries. Then, once I sign my name, unless they bring it back with a scratch on it or something, I don’t go back.” For her experience growing up in another culture and her contribution to the arts in Hastings, Ruth Gee is this week’s Bright Light. What it was like growing up in Boliv­ ia: It’s different than here. Culturally, you Ruth Gee canvases, along with boxes of leftover paint and brushes. “It’s that one teacher, they encouraged my art. They didn’t know how much they did, by giving me that,” Gee said. “But I was really thankful that somebody saw value in art.” That teacher cemented Gee’s path to becoming an artist. She started selling the paintings she made on those window shades for $10 a piece, using the money she earned to buy canvases, brushes, paints and other supplies. She’s been a portrait artist ever since. Gee met her husband while attending Taylor University in Indiana and the two moved to his hometown of Lansing, before eventually finding their way to Hastings. It wasn’t until 12 years ago at the age of 55 that Gee started doing sculpture work. Her very first sculpture, “Reflective Moments,” is on display near Hastings City Hall. It depicts a woman with her leg out­ stretched, as if dipping her toe into a lake. Another piece, “First Flight,” is on display between city hall and the library, depicting a child with butterfly-like wings. Gee said one of the most difficult parts of sculpting is being able to call the pieces finished and let them leave her studio. If she wasn’t working on a deadline for her commissioned pieces, it’d be easy to keep working on them forever, always trying to achieve perfection. had (in Bolivia) what I call a double body language. You’ll notice I speak with my hands. You always watch people, and you touch them a lot. You’ll often stand holding hands. If it’s a private conversation, your hand will go on their shoulder. If their shoulder goes up, you call that being uncov­ ered. You never leave a conversation until the shoulder goes down and they’re relaxed. When their shoulders go down, you can close the conversation. What I miss in Boliva: I miss the peo­ ple. But I’ve been in America now for over 50 years, and there’s a lot of good things about America and the opportunity here. It’s just what you pay for the oppor­ tunity here that I’m not always in agree­ ment with. What it’s like learning so many lan­ guages: If you learn a poem in a language, or a song, that never gets translated. (When you read it or hear it) you will go back to how you learned it in the language you learned it in. When I first fell in love, poet­ ry all came to my mind in Spanish. I was really working hard at learning English and being American, but I could not think of romantic things or anything like that in English. Sometimes if I get really excited about something, I’ll switch over to speak­ ing Spanish. So when did expressing an opinion become dike swimming in an alligator pool with pork chop swimming trunks? For more years than I care to admit, I’ve sat down every week to write my opinions on a host of subjects, most of which have been local issues impacting the residents of our county. In the past, I’ve taken jabs at public officials like the governor, president and congressmen, but for the most part, I’ve tried to ‘connect the dots’ on issues closer to home, involving our county com­ missioners, school boards, the sheriff and people in leadership positions who were given the responsibility to lead locally. I usually write about subjects which, as the title of my weekly columns imply, I have an opinion on. The columns don’t necessarily come from an investigation; they are subjects that I have chosen because I feel the need to comment - no different than anyone who has addressed a board or provided their perspectives over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table or at the kids’ soccer game. What’s great about our democracy is that we all have the right to our opinions, but in recent years we’re all finding that the act of taking a stand or having an opin­ ion on anything can be difficult and even dangerous. As a nation, we’re faced with so many issues such as violence, crime, public policy conflicts and personal behavior that, for some, are considered abusive. By not taking a stand or at least stepping up to express our opinions while respecting the viewpoints of others, we let our lives; our community and our nation drift without direction because we don’t know how to take control. We see the problems but don’t know how to fix them or we feel we can’t make a difference. So we just accept the prob­ lems with frustration and anger rather than looking for solutions to accomplish posi­ tive change. That’s why you see more citizens at community meetings like school boards, township and county meetings, zoning boards and the like voicing their concerns and frustrations, which can so quickly turn to anger. We forget that, in a democracy, we all have the responsibility to take part in the process of improving our communities. But that requires the understanding that leadership begins, not with just the elect­ ed, but with all of us - everyday citizens who have the desire to make a difference. “Leaders are made, not bom,” said the late author and organizational consultant Warren Bennis, “and made more by them­ selves than by any external means.” Leaders don’t set out to be leaders, per se, but rather seek to express themselves freely and fully. That is, leaders have no interest in proving themselves, but they have an abiding interest in expressing themselves. The difference is crucial, for it’s the difference between being driven, as too many people are today, and leading, as too few people do. Leadership is relational; it is a process, almost organic. And because it is a process that cannot be fixed in time or measured precisely, no one can do it perfectly. Lead­ ership means leaving a mark by initiating and guiding and working with people in an effort to accomplish change. John F. Kennedy said that, “one person can make a difference, and every person must try. What if each of us really tried? What if each of us spontaneously decided that, one by one, we really can be the bet­ ter world we wish for?” The role of leaders is to create that state of mind by expressing the values that hold our society together and by articulating the goals that give us the hope for a better life, a better community for all of us. But that’s not what we’re seeing from so many of our leaders today - they seem to be disconnected to the needs of ordinary citi­ zens - they’re focused on what they feel needs to be done rather than what’s in the best interest of ordinary people. The Hastings Banner Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. Often, my columns are food for thought, with the intent to inform readers and get a conversation started. But many of the let­ ters and calls I receive from readers are often based on rumors they expect this newspaper to investigate. They feel it’s our responsibility to get out all the facts. Sometimes these tips pay off because our staff didn’t have firsthand knowledge of the issue or because the issue hasn’t yet surfaced. There are also times when some­ one contacts us to give us a ‘heads-up’ on an issue they know about or because they have firsthand knowledge. I’ve even had elected officials call with a tip on issues that will be coming up at a meeting and they look to us to comment. Recently I’ve heard from some readers questioning me for taking on people in leadership positions, stating they were elected or selected for these positions, and they deserve our support - but that doesn’t mean they get a pass on doing what’s right or cannot be criticized. Citizen leaders didn’t step up to Adolph Hitler less than 90 years ago when the German dictator was able to convince an entire nation it could conquer most of Europe, a brand of unchecked leadership that led to World War IL He later ordered anyone who opposed his leadership to be executed or thrown in prison. This is a good, albeit potent, analogy for what I’m writing about today: Good government and logical decisions come from open discussion and transparency at all levels. Sending this newspaper allegations about issues with little or no information doesn’t help us get to the bottom of any issue, it just adds to the frustration. The role of a journalist is to report the facts, try to find the truth and educate the public with accurate information on the subject. Our staff spends hours each week gathering the news, researching stories and attending meetings, and working hard to inform our readers on issues that impact our communities. We take the job and our commitment to our readers seriously. Criticism of the press is not new; it’s been going on since the beginning of newspapers, and it will continue as long as we remain determined to protect the rights of free speech. It’s our job to question whenever any­ one in a leadership position makes a deci­ sion we feel is misguided. Our community will be better served if citizens with information and opinions are willing to make them public, to step up as leaders. That’s our mandate as citizens. The world lost a great promoter of just this kind of leadership less than 18 months ago when Larraine Matusak passed away in Battle Creek. Matusak was a director at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation where she headed the Kellogg National Fellowship program and tirelessly championed the ability of ordinary people to unleash their leadership potential. “Anyone can lead, not just those bom into it,” was Matusak’s continual theme. “Everyone has a time in their lives, and a gift, when they will be called on to lead. And it’s up to them to have the courage to do it.” That’s what I hope to inspire in readers when I write each week. 1 stand behind everything that I say, but always note at the top of every column, it’s only “In My Opinion.” That’s where dialogue - and leadership - begins. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — Page 5 Jan. 6 is a cautionary tale on how to effectively govern Letter to the editor: In a letter to the editor in the Aug. 11 issue of The Banner, Dr. Komheiser encouraged Trump Republicans to read the January 6 Committee report. I would suggest looking at one picture - an aerial shot of bully boys, using military tactics to physically prevent police from protecting Congress. This rally was not just the action of an overly enthusiastic crowd supporting an idol; a sitting President, knowingly, with physical force, wanted to replace government officials for his own gain. It is probable that 99 percent of the march­ ers would not have defied the Capitol Police with force. They were used. Trump continued his fantasy that he had been robbed, demand­ ed complete loyalty, and used insults and bully boy threats to intimidate Republicans with differing views. It worked. Break in at weed store Evidently, there is something inside us that wants to be part of a brash, rich, irreverent lifestyle. In the August (primary) election, Trump Republicans have become our area candi­ dates. When elected, it can be hoped, they will gather facts and vote on issues, thoughtfully, rather than do a knee-jerk bow. On many issues, all Republicans agree. When there is a difference of opin­ ion, good government, as well as party loyalty, require respect for the office, if not the holder. Barbara St John Hastings Police responded around 1 a.m. Aug. 3 to a burglar alarm at Lumberjack’s Provision­ ing Center in Dowling. After police and the store owner checked the building, no signs of a break-in were found. Upon entering the store later that day at 9:30 a.m., the store manager found evidence of a break-in and several missing products. The manager told police there were several interior doors that looked like they had been forced open and a safe kept at the store was left wide open, although nothing was taken from the safe as it was empty before the thieves arrived. The manager turned over video footage of the suspected burglars and began making a list of stolen items to provide to police. Criminals covet cookies, cash from car A 40-year-old Hastings man called police on behalf of his 47-year-old Delton girl­ friend after her car was broken into. The man advised nothing was taken out of his vehicle from the driveway of his Hastings home on the 1200 block of Ogimas Street, but there was around $300 and some cookies missing from his girlfriend’s car. Sober passenger drives vehicle after drunk driver arrested Police and emergency services responded to a one-vehicle crash at around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 12 near Otis Lake Road and Keller Road in Delton. The vehicle had run off the road after blowing a tire. The vehicle’s occupants, a 54-year-old Delton man and a 19-year-old Grand Rapids woman, were unharmed. Upon arriving, the 19-year-old pas­ senger informed police that the 54-year-old man had been drinking, but was driving because she disliked driving down “country roads” at night. The man admitted to drink­ ing and blew a 0.15 blood alcohol content on a breathalyzer test at the scene. The woman blew a 0.00 and was free to drive the vehicle away from the scene, which had been fitted with a spare tire with the help of a bystander. DKS provides update on elementary school project in brief school board meeting Leila Wood The Hastings High School Band performed songs from their “1992” show, including renditions of “Vogue” by Madonna, “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin, “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice and “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. Hastings students share future plans at BIE Luncheon Hunter McLaren Staff Writer School administrators and staff met with local business and industry leaders for the 2022-23 Business, Industry and Education Luncheon at the Hastings Performing Arts Center on Tuesday. The event is put on by the Hastings Area School System and Barry County Chamber of Commerce to highlight and facilitate efforts to connect students with local busi­ ness and industry. Students gave this year’s presentation, “Working Together to Enhance our Communities,” in which they detailed their goals inside and outside of school. Jennifer Heinzman, president and CEO of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Alliance, stressed the importance of the connections between local schools and industries. “I don’t have to tell anybody what a hectic situation we’ve been in the last couple of years and the workforce challenges facing Barry County and the world,” Heinzman said. “The landscape has completely changed. We need to be working together to make sure we’re still giving our children a chance to compete in a worldwide economy.” HASS Superintendent Matt Goebel shared several steps the district had taken to strengthen those connections, including touring local manufacturers with students, holding job fairs and focusing on goal development. “We’re very proud of our CTE (Career Technical Education) partnerships within the community, providing students the opportu­ nity and experiences to engage them in a career pathway,” Goebel said. Incoming Hastings High School junior Charlie Nickels; Hastings High School junior (From left) Incoming fifth grader Luca Dickinson, sixth grader Riley Furrow, and juniors Addey and Charlie Nickels shared their goals with local business and industry leaders. Addey Nickels; Hastings Middle School sixth grade student Riley Furrow and Central Elementary fifth grade student Luca Dickin­ son presented their goals for the upcoming school year. Charlie shared his goal of getting more work done during school hours, Addey said she’s exploring subjects she’d like to learn more about, Furrow said she’d like to get all A’s this year and Dickinson said she’s think­ ing about her future and would like to get involved in her school’s robotics club. The event concluded with a performance from the Hastings High School Band, which performed songs from this year’s show titled “1992,” featuring popular songs from that year. Incoming sixth grader Riley Furrow shared her goal on stage, which was to get all A’s in the upcoming school year. Contributing Writer Delton Kellogg Schools Vice President Kelli Martin gave an update on the Elemen­ tary construction project during the board’s meeting on Monday. She said construction crews were in the process of backfilling the hole left by the old building in preparation for construction on the new building, scheduled to begin next week. Work on sidewalks is underway. “All of the concrete and sidewalks are going to be in this week,” said Superinten­ dent Dr. Herman Lartigue Jr. The district has already chosen roofing for the new building and saw a mockup of the brick, which Martin said looks good. Lartigue also said that they will be mov­ ing the fence around the work site. “They’ll actually be moving the fence back so it will just surround the work site... in preparation for school to start,” he said. The construction project was one of a number of topics discussed at the brief meeting, which clocked in at only 22 min­ utes. The board also covered the upcoming appointment of a new board member, which is expected to take place at a Barry Interme­ diate School District meeting at 9 a.m. on Friday. The new member will replace Brandy Shooks, who moved away a couple of months ago. Board members also took a moment to review the Delton Founders Festival, which took place over the weekend. They said it was a success despite inclement weather. Some highlights were the opening of the time capsule, which was found during the demolition of the old elementary building, and Delton Idol, a singing competition that was moved into the high school auditorium to avoid the rain. Board members said they were very pleased with the number of kids interested in the time capsule and with how well the contents were preserved. “It’s all about the community, and it was the right thing to do, because there’s no way that we could have done it out there,” said Lartigue about moving Delton Idol into the high school. “There was so many people that showed up,” he said. “It was really awesome.” In other business: - There is still more work to be done on the pond. “Yes, it’s holding water, but it’s not finished yet,” said Martin. - Resignations and retirements: Autumn Hamlin, paraprofessional; Valerie Bulow, paraprofessional; Jessica Broussard, high school teacher; Dawn Fluty, food service; and Sunday Bosworth, fourth grade teacher. - Appointments and reassignments: Shawna Brower, paraprofessional; Libby Mills, JV volleyball coach; Kaitlyn Oakes, freshman volleyball coach; and Natasha Deyoung, middle school cro'ss country coach. - A discussion about sending delegates and alternates to MASB’s 2022 Delegate Assembly in Traverse City in October was tabled and is expected to be resolved next month. Several board members said that they did not think they would be able to attend that event. - Lance Wolfe commented and thanked the board for hiring Lartigue as their new superintendent. “I think it was the right choice, and I want to publicly thank you guys. My wife and I prayed for you guys and prayed for him, and we prayed for the decision that you guys have made, so I think we, as a community, chose well,” he said. Synopsis Hope Township Regular Board meeting August 8 2022 Meeting opened at 6:30pm Approved: Consent agenda Audit report Walker, Fluke, Sheldon Budget amendment - transfer from ARPA to Road fund Refund for hall rental Payment to Wyoming Asphalt Closed session to review Attorney opinion Hope Township Attorney & Zoning Administrator to consult with Guernsey Lake Mobile home park Attorney Adjourned at 7:15 pm Submitted by: Deborah Jackson, Clerk Attested to by Doug Peck, Supervisor 185767 NOTICE; SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS The Barry County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the following Boards: Mental Health Authority Board: 1 position: preferred individual with lived experience and/or family member with lived experience in mental health diagnosis and/or substance use disorder Department of Health and Human Services: 1 position Incoming fifth grader Luca Dickinson fist-bumps HASS Superintendent Matt Goebel after sharing her goals to think about her future career and explore her STEM and robotics classes. Twins and incoming juniors Addey and Charlie Nickels shared their goals on stage at the Hastings Performing Arts Center at the Business, Industry and Education Luncheon. Applications may be obtained at the County Administration Office, 3rd floor of the Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings; or www. barrycounty.org under the tab: How do I apply for: An Advisory Board or Commission and click to display the application. Applications must be returned no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 30, 2022. Contact 269-945-1284 for more information. �Page 6 — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Shirley Ann Reaser Ronald Lee Wymer and great-grandchildren, and on and on...until her mind no longer let her thread a needle. She was especially excited and proud of the handstitched quilts she made for each of her six children, an endeavor she would generous­ ly describe as a group project because her whiney, lay about children sometimes chose fabric combinations for her to sew together. She enjoyed camping, snowmobiling, motor­ cycling, traveling around the country, playing cards and games, and attending Hasting High School sporting events (Go Saxons!) with her husband. And for a while, it was all about the slot machines at any casino. To be sure, she did not come out ahead, but she seemed to get her money’s worth. She LOVED chocolate. And she made the best cinnamon rolls quite possibly in existence. Seriously. Don’t even on this. Shirley was preceded in death by her par­ ents; by her husband, DB; son, Greg; brother, Duane Scott, and sister, Mary Janet Springer. And those left filled with sadness by her passing are her children, Kris Reaser of Fort Wayne, IN, Jodi Reaser, Dody Frosinos, both of Manistee MI, Jess Reaser of Madison WI, and Abby (Greg) Sikkenga of Hickory Cor­ ners, MI. Her grandchildren, Lucus, Bran­ nigan, Chapin, Calloway, Reni, Ezra, Lian, Eddy, Brendan, Connor, Avery (Cookie); 13 great grandchildren, a great-great grandchild. Her sister, Nancy Swan and her brother, Rich­ ard Scott. And, not least, her Stoneridge fami­ ly: Nan, Tracey, Megan, Karen, Trisha, and Connie, who cared for her with patience and love when she needed these so much. Memorial contributions can be made to: Deathwithdignity.org, HEEF or Alz.org (Alz­ heimer’s). Visitation will be on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, from 1-3 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings with a private family memorial at a later date. Respecting Shirley’s wishes cremation has taken place.Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Shirley Ann Scott (SAS, for good reason) Reaser passed away August 11, 2022, at age 86, at Stoneridge Assisted Living in Bellevue, MI surrounded by her daughters. Shirley was bom to Ellsworth and Leone (Peake) Scott in Jackson, MI on April 8, 1936. She and Robert D. Reaser were married on October 30, 1954. They spent 62 pretty sweet years together in their home on S. Broadway in Hastings. Shirley was a motorcycle Mama who filled her life with activities, which changed with the stages of her life. First and foremost, she mommed, throughout her life, for each of her chil­ dren, she was there at every turn, whether it be joyous, or sorrowful, whether it was to lend a supportive hand, or share in a multitude of amazing life experiences, she was ever present. She sold Avon (thank you Kris and Sara B. for signing her up), she worked at Ben Franklins, then in the flower department and as a cashier at Felpausch. She proudly, dependably, and conscientiously worked elections for the city. She was a seamstress, sewing wedding dresses for her daughters, suits for her sons, shirts for her husband, pajamas for her grandchildren Ronald Lee Wymer of Hastings, MI passed away Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022 at the Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton at the age of 64. The son of Charles and Ione (Cousino) Wymer was bom on June 14, 1958 in Onsted, MI. He was raised in the Hastings area and graduated from Hastings High School in 1976. He married Julie Cook on January 18, 1986. Before retirement, Ron was employed as a Quality Maintenance Technician. He was a member of Mullenhurst Golf Course for many years and was the secretary of the Senior’s Golf League. He enjoyed golfing, riding his motorcycle, and spending time with his children, and his dogs, Rainey and Stanley. He was a wonderful husband, father, and a great friend to many. Surviving besides his wife are his two sons, Brandon (Karly) Wymer and Joshua (Mackenzie) Wymer; two sisters, three broth­ Sally Elaine VanHouten Sally Elaine VanHouten, age 85, of blast­ ings, MI, passed away on August 11, 2022. Sally was bom on January 10, 1937, in Hastings, the daughter of Forest and Etoral (Tift) Smith. She was a 1954 graduate of Hastings High School. On January 17, 1955, Sally married Jack VanHouten, and they were married for 52 years until his pass­ ing in 2007. Sally enjoyed golfing, gardening, and walking on the Thomapple River Trail. Sally was preceded in death by her parents, Forest Smith and Etoral (Smith) Castelein; husband, Jack VanHouten; brothers, Don, Vernon and Linford, and sister, Mildred. She is survived by her sons, Mitch (Rose) VanHouten of Ada, Samm VanHouten of Hastings, Mark VanHouten of Grand Rapids Vonda Van Til Public Affair's Specialist We have provided vital benefits and ser­ vices to hard working Americans for nearly 90 years. America has an increasingly diverse population with a variety of needs. To meet those diverse needs, we’ve created webpages that speak directly to groups of people who may need information about our programs and services. • Veterans (ssa.gov/veterans) - We proudly serve wounded warriors and veterans who sacrificed to preserve our treasured American freedoms. Many veterans do not know they might be eligible for disability benefits from Social Security. Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan 4:30 Mass Philip. p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ Website: gmail.com. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH www, Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Pastor. Lead Moser, Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social Wednesday, Family Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children Nursery are available. distancing. Aftermath Night Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) church phone. 758-3021 Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids Ml 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. chair accessible and elevator. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Martha • LGBTQ+ (ssa.gov/people/lgbtq/) - Our agency touches the life of every American, both directly and indirectly. Our commitment extends to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans­ gender people covered by Social Security’s many programs and services. Check out even more of our People Like Me webpages at ssa.gov/people. Please share them on social media and with friends and family! 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Stoetzel. Director, • Women (ssa.gov/women) - Social Secu­ rity plays an important role in providing economic security for women. A woman who is 65 years old today can expect to live, on average, another two decades. Since women have longer life expectancies than men, they typically live more years in retire­ ment and have a greater risk of exhausting their sources of income. Women also tend to have lower lifetime earnings than men, which usually means they’ll receive lower benefits. These are just a few reasons why women need to plan early and wisely for retirement. We’re here to make sure women have the information they need to plan for those golden years. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Youth has.tingsfre.e.me.thodist.com- and Marty VanHouten of Hastings; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, brother, Chuck Smith of Hastings and sister, Priscilla Winters of Grand Ledge, and several nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff from Spectrum Health Hospice for all the care and kindness given to Sally and our fam­ ily. Memorial contributions in memory of Sally can be made to Spectrum Health Hos­ pice, https://give.spectrumhealth.org/hospice/ donate, 100 Michigan St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. To honor Sally’s wishes, there will be no funeral or memorial service. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Social Security serves people like you: veterans, women, LGBTQ+ and more 945- HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". ers, and their spouses, Nancy (Al) Morgan; Judy (John) Kula; Roy (Terri) Wymer; Tim (Melissa) Wymer; Philip (Brenda) Wymer; two brothers-in-law and their spouses, Jeff (Patty) Cook; Jerry (Mary) Cook; several nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Ione; siblings, Donald, Richard, Susie, Howard, and Charles; and his father and mother-in-law, John and Fern Cook. The Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022 at 11 a.m. with lunch to follow at Thomapple Valley Church, 2750 M-43, Hastings, MI 49058. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to con­ sider Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton (https:// www.hospiceofdayton.org/). Arrangements by Lusain Funeral Home (Dayton, Ohio). http://www.lusainmemorial. com/dayton.htm AWWESlfflESOF H&tlineTwIs&Eqiiipntent 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Elaine Garlock Work continues on the sewer project along Cemetery Road. This has been in the works for months. For a time, Cemetery Road from Woodland Road north and east was con­ trolled by a pair of traffic signals with lights. There were many barrels in use. For several weeks, Cemetery Road has been a one lane route from Eaton Highway to M-50. Months ago, a row of old pine trees on the east side of the cemetery was removed in preparation for this project. It is possible to drive on the road if one is willing to take some risks. However, the signs at M-50 and Brown Road indicate the road is closed as well as any intersections between, such as Eaton Highway. The side roads to the lakefront dwellings, namely Eagle Point and Runyan Drive, have the normal entry to Woodland Road. At times, it was easy to move from the east side of the cemetery to the west side, but in recent weeks that has been very problematic. It is simply easier to use the north entrance to the east half of the cemetery and to use Maier Drive and the west drive on the perimeter of the cemetery to reach one’s lot in the older sec­ tion. The older west drive was used in years past when caskets were stored in a vault during winter, awaiting spring time for burial in family plots. The large plantings downtown are very showy with the center canna plants now more than three feet high. The surrounding begonia and other smaller plants are also very showy. Intersections at Tupper Lake Street, 1st Avenue, 2n<^, 3rc^ and 4™ Streets each have four planters plus others midway down the blocks. The parking lot on 4^ Avenue between the medical building and the dental buildings has a wrought iron fence with brick posts, each with a planter. The plants are regularly watered by volun­ teers who came nightly (or nearly so) with a crew of two with water tanks and watering wands. They should get our applause and appreciation. The weekly dinners held at the Fellowship Hall of Central United Methodist Church are prepared by Swede’s Restaurant in Mulliken and served by volunteers from several church­ es, including the host church, which provides some of the other needs for this community outreach. This is open to anyone who desires to eat in fellowship with others, not based on income or need. Hours are from 4 to 6 p.m. Unlike an earlier program, there are no take­ out meals. Part of the reason for this service 15 to combat loneliness, not necessarily to just assuage hunger. The Tri River Museum Group help its annual summer luncheon on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at Outreach Christian Church near the 1-96 freeway north of Lake Odessa. Members come from as far as Lakeview, Cedar Springs, Byron Center, Middleville, Eaton Rapids, Belding, Greenville, Sunfield and points nearer. About 75 people were in attendance. There was an excellent catered lunch. The speaker’s topic of choice was “Women in the State Capitol - Under the Dome.” There was much discussion of women’s suffrage and the early days of women in state government. This was followed by a money game and then distribution of door prizes. The next meeting will be in September. Jordan Elizabeth Johnson, Dowling and Trenton O'Neal Hubbard, Dowling Kayla Emelander, Shelbyville and Aaron Michael Elkins, Shelbyville Allison Paige Goldeon, Mount Airy, NC and Eric Troy-Allen Johnson, Mount Airy, NC Alyssa Marie Bergman, Wayland and Christopher Brent Bardin and Wayland Megan Elizabeth Parmelee, Irving, TX and Gregory Scott Roberts, Austin, TX HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR AUG. 18-24 Thursday, Aug. 18 - Movie Memories watches a 1940 film celebrated for its special effects with Errol Flynn, 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 - Dungeons and Drag­ ons, 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 22 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; Lego club (adults must be accompanied by a child), 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23 -mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; acoustic jam session, 5 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — Page 7 K mart opens Sept. 30 Sandra Ponsetto Staff Writer Display racks are being set up and shelves are being stocked as K mart prepares to open the doors to its new Hastings store later this month. Although the opening is officially sched­ uled for Sunday, Sept. 30, K mart will have a “soft-opening” Thursday, Sept. 27, at 9 a.m. when Hastings Mayor Mary Lou Gray, city council members and K mart officials will be on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremo­ ny. The store is located at 802 W. State St. K mart Regional Manager Doug Miller said the three day “soft opening,” when the store will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., gives the company time to train employees before the official opening. After the official opening on Sept. 30, the store will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. More than 800 people applied for jobs at the new store, Miller reported. He also said that K mart will employ 150 people for the opening, but the final number will be determined by the volume of busi­ ness the store generates. Miller noted that the Hastings store will be staffed almost entirely with local people. “Most of the people we hired live in Hastings or the surrounding area,” he said. “Others have been working in Grand Rap­ ids or Battle Creek but transferred to the Hastings store because they live around here.” Miller said Hastings’ 86,479 square-foot store is as large as any K mart builds now. “We’re no longer building small K marts...The company recognizes that peo­ ple in smaller communities have the same needs for goods and services as people in larger towns.” The Hastings store will include a full-ser­ vice computerized pharmacy, a major appli­ ance department featuring audio and video equipment, lay away, a large men’s and ladies department, hardware, automotive supplies for the do-it-yourselfer, sporting goods and a garden shop. Miller said that while K mart used to target the middle class, it has now broad­ ened its appeal. “We still offer good value, but we also promote brand names,” said Miller. “You can either buy the brand name or you can save money and buy the K mart brand.” “We try to appeal to everyone’s needs as much as we can,” he said. Miller said K mart chose to build in Hast­ ings because of its location and population. “The city is here with a good population and people are having to drive 30‘miles one way to get to a K mart in Grand Rapids or Battle Creek,” said Miller. Part of K mart’s goal is accessibility,” said store manager Ron Beachnau. Miller and Beachnau pointed out that K mart is also trying to make merchandise more accessible to customers by increasing the depth and height of its shelves and the width of its displays at the end of the aisles. “This way we can have as much (mer­ chandise) as possible on the floor and not in the stock room,” said Miller. “That will give easy access to the customers.” Miller also said that he wants to make it clear that K mart wants to be involved in the community. “When I met with the mayor six weeks ago, I told her that K mart doesn’t want to TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Display racks and shelves are being installed and filled with stock in preparation for the September 27 opening of the new Hastings K mart. come in as a big corporation. We want to be involved in the community,” said Miller. “We have resources available... the Good News Committee is made up of store employees who work with the community to raise money to help schools, the needy, the homeless and battered wives and chil­ dren. “In Grand Rapids, the Good News Com­ mittee has been really successful, we’ve helped raise money for the Ronald McDon­ ald House and others,” he said. Miller said that K mart will also help the community financially. “It (K mart) will keep the money in Hast­ ings,” he said. “Everyone I’ve talked to is really excited about having a place to shop and not having to drive so far. People will spend money in Hastings and we’ll employ Hastings people.” Miller notes that other Hastings business­ es should also benefit. “People will come here to shop from Nashville, Yankee Springs and the sur­ rounding area and they’ll spend money not only at K mart but other businesses as well,” he said. “We’ll help the entire central business district of Hastings.” K mart Corporation has over 4,000 retail outlets across all 50 states in the United States and in Puerto Rico and Canada. K mart currently operates 2,326 K mart stores and is also the parent company for Pay Less Drug Stores, Builders Square, Waldenbooks, PACE Membership Warehouse Clubs and Sports Authority. Hastings. Lunch and the award ceremony were held at the Elks Lodge when golfers wrapped up. Family Support Center of Barry County Executive Director Linda Maupin said “the Hastings Elks help with the planning process as well as the event itself. Many members golf in the event which provides financial support. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support.” Maupin also congratu­ lated the winners of the golf tournament, “Murray’s Aces,” sponsored by Murray’s Asphalt. The Family Support Center of Barry County’s mission is to eliminate and prevent all forms of child abuse and neglect in Barry County. They are supported by Barry Coun­ ty United Way. CareWell Services and the Children Trust Michigan. More information about the Family Sup­ port Center of Barry County and their work can be found at familysupportbarry.com/. Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital is named Michigan’s top hospital for cardiac surgery Healthgrades has recognized Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital for the third year in a row as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery and has named it the No. 1 hospital for cardiac sur­ gery in the state of Michigan. Healthgrades is an independent organiza­ tion that analyzes health care data and ranks heart surgery programs on a state and national level. The award recognizes superi­ or clinical outcomes in heart bypass surgery and heart valve surgery. “We are very proud of our long track record of providing high quality cardiac surgery care to the community of West Michigan,” said John Heiser, MD, Spectrum Health Medical Group division chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. “This award is espe­ cially meaningful because it is independent recognition of our exceptional outcomes when compared to other programs in the state and the nation.” •_ ■ ■ ■. ■ . • ■ , Ants use pheromones and vibration to communicate Dr. Universe: How do ants communicate with each other? Timothe, 7, Hagerstown, Md. Dear Timothe, Hastings Elks Lodge supports the Family Support Center of Barry County The Hastings Elks Lodge #1965 hosted and sponsored the 21st Annual Family Support Center Golf Outing Saturday, Aug. 13. The Elks have advocated for the Family Support Center’s mission to “elim­ inate and prevent all forms of child abuse and neglect in Barry County through awareness, advocacy and education” by supporting the fundraiser since 2001. The Elks hosted registration and breakfast before the shotgun start at the Legacy of ^Doctor Universe fl look back at the stories Most of the hospitals evaluated by Health­ grades fall into the category of community heart surgery programs. Butterworth Hospi­ tal and the Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center offer a quaternary pro­ gram, including all the care available at a community program in addition to specific diagnostic and therapeutic services for com­ prehensive heart care. These include heart and lung transplantation, robotic heart sur­ gery, catheter-based valve replacement, arti­ ficial heart pumps and cardiothoracic criti­ cal care. “Our team is delighted to offer compre­ hensive cardiac surgery so that the heart patients of our community do not have to leave West Michigan to receive care else­ where,” said Edward Murphy, MD, Spec­ trum Health Hospitals division chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. In 2021 Spectrum Health’s cardiothoracic surgery team performed a total of 1,625 cardiac surgery cases. This includes 661 isolated coronary artery bypass graft surger­ ies, the highest volume in the state of Mich­ igan. Transcatheter aortic valve replace­ ments accounted for 324 of these proce­ dures. Open operations on cardiac valves without CABG concurrent constituted 204 cases. Coronary artery bypass graft valve combination procedures resulted in 103 sur­ geries along with other cardiac surgeries accounting for 323 procedures. In addition to this Healthgrades accolade, the Society of Thoracic Surgery also has recognized Spectrum Health cardiac surgery with a 3-star quality rating (the highest star rating) for CABG and CABG/Aortic Valve Replacement. For more information about Spectrum Health or its Cardiothoracic Surgery depart­ ment, call 616-459-7258 or visit spectrum­ health, org/services/heart-and-vascularcare. “When they hear and smell that alarm pheromone and the alarm signal, some of them start being aggressive. They start attacking whatever they can see that is not part of their nest,” Jocson said. Some species of ants even have special Think of all the ways the people you “door guard” ants that sense these signals know get your attention. An adult might and rush to the door of the nest to block it shout your name across the yard. Your with their wide, flat heads. friend might wave his arms from down the Other types of ants have body parts they sidewalk. Your teacher might tap you on can rub together to make a noisy vibration the shoulder. called a stridulation. You might have heard Humans use way more than words to crickets or grasshoppers “sing” in the same communicate. Animals like ants have many way. This is another way of communicat­ ways of communicating, too. ing! To learn more, I asked my friend Dowen For example, leafcutter ants can make Jocson, who is earning her doctorate in stridulations or drum vibrations on the entomology at Washington State Universi­ leaves they’re cutting to let their colo­ ty. Entomology is the study of insects. ny-mates know they have leaf pieces ready Many ants can release special chemicals to carry back the nest. into the air that other ants can sense and Jocson studies how a different type of respond to. These chemicals are called insect called a pear psylla uses vibrations pheromones (FAIR-UH-MONES). Ants to communicate. Since pear psylla can are famous in the world of biology for damage pear trees, Jocson’s research helps using pheromones to warn other ants about people protect crops for food and develop danger or guide them to food. more sustainable ways to manage pests. But ants communicate in other ways, But, she said, it’s still cool to learn about too. Pheromones can’t always travel quick­ how animals behave, even when you don’t ly through a nest of ants, Jocson said. Not know exactly how that knowledge could too long ago, scientists discovered that help humans. some ants get their colony-mates’ attention “As humans we are naturally curious, with another type of communication: and just knowing something gives us a vibration. sense of where we belong in the world,” Imagine a big speaker hooked up to a Jocson said. computer or radio. If you played a song . So next time you spot an ant, follow it really loud, you wouldn’t just hear it- and pay attention to where it goes, how it you’d feel it snaking through tfieTIooFanabehaves and how ftacts around other ants,, into your body. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover anotliWhen some species of ants realize that er amazing way that ants communicate. their nest is under threat from a predator Dr. Universe like an anteater, they can release phero­ mones. But they might also drum their mouth-parts, called mandibles, or use their Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ abdomens to make a vibration. The vibra­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at tion shakes through the nest, and other ants feel it with hair-like organs on their legs Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. called sensilla. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION AT SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 REGULAR MEETING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on September 7, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing include the following: 1. The application of JARS Holdings, LLC for special land use approval of a Marihuana Retailer business on the property commonly known as 1450 West M-43 Highway, Suite 7 (parcel number 08-13-013-006-30). The subject property is located in the MU Mixed Use District. The land use proposed by the applicant is permissible in this zoning district, sub­ ject to special land use approval (and site plan approval). 2. Such other matters as may properly come before the Planning Commis­ sion at this meeting. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at any time prior to this pub­ lic hearing/meeting, and may further be submitted to the Planning Commission at the public hearing/meeting. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Zoning Map, Master Plan, and the above-referenced special land use application may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be exam­ ined at the hearing/meeting. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, August 18, 2022 Leos muscles her way to medal at Wayland Invite i Brett Bremer Sports Editor Playing in threesomes with teammates gave a whole different feel to the season opening Wayland Invitational at Orchard Hills Golf Course Monday. For some it made the round more relaxing and for others it forced them to try and focus to push themselves to compete. Having start­ ed her high school golfing days on the varsity as a freshman, TK sophomore Ailana Leos hadn’t played in a tournament with that kind of set up before. Leos said it took a bit of getting used to, but she was happy to be able to share positive thoughts with her teammates throughout the round. The Caledonia Fighting Scots made the best of it winning the championship by 13 strokes over the runner-up team from Zeeland West. Leos worked through a couple “blow­ Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Ailana Leos fires her second shot up towards the green on the par-4 number 11 at Orchard Hills Golf Course Monday during the Wayland Invitational. Leos finished the day in a tie for fifth place. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ups” to fire an 86 which put her in a tie for fifth place individually. “It was good overall. It was fun,” Leos said. Leos started on hole 15 and was at even par through the five holes after a birdie on num­ ber one. Leos said any issues she had on the course Monday were with chipping and put­ ting. She has been playing Callaway Meijer Tour and the Kalamazoo Junior Tour events in the lead-up to the varsity season. “And just with friends, a lot of practice every day. Range time, playing nine, 18 sometimes. It was a good kick-off to the sea­ son today for sure. I am pretty proud of it,” Leos said. Her distance has been outstanding through­ out the summer. She said she has improved her yardages by anywhere from 20 yards to 40 yards depending on the club. “I weight-lifted in school. That really helped. I got more consistent, started hitting the sweet spot and I got a new driver,” Leos said. She said she has been bombing shots off the tee with her new Callaway Mavrik driver, but the success has been a combination of the technology and her improved strength. She took Chad Ruger’s athletic strength class the second semester of her freshman year. “It is one of my favorite classes. [My family] gets annoyed because I talk about it every day,” Leos said. “[Mr. Ruger] is an awesome guy. I love him. He pushes us all every day no matter what. You have a bad day, you still go in there and have some fun no matter what. It is a good refresher from normal life sometimes.” She plans to be a part of the. class for both semesters this school year. Caledonia sophomore Copelin O’Krangley, who won the tournament to open her freshman season last August, led the Scots again Monday with a score of 85 that includ­ ed an eagle on the par-5, number eight. She finished fourth in the day’s individual stand­ ings. * Junior teammate Elizabeth Honhart shot an 86 to tie Leos and Plainwell senior Anessa Jaeger for fifth place. Zeeland West junior Ry lee Smith was the day’s individual medalist with a score of 77 and Plainwell senior Renae Jaeger shot a 78. NorthPointe Christian senior Mya Jones was third individually with an 82. Thomapple Kellogg junior Joselyn DeBoer taps a putt towards the hole on number 11 at Orchard Hills Golf Course during Monday's Wayland Invitational to open the 2022 varsity girls' golf season. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Caledonia’s varsity girls’ golf team, led by new head coach Veronica Van Wagoner, put together a score of 367 to finish better than Zeeland West at 380, Plainwell 387, Thornap­ ple Kellogg 403, Wayland 469, Allegan 496 and Zeeland East 515. Rounding out the top four for the Scots were seniors Addison Deveney and Kiana Haywood. Deveney shot a 96 and Haywood a 100. Seniors Sara Flynn and Anna Mince were the Scots’ five and six on the day. “1 walked into just incredible talent,” Van Wagoner said. “It’s a very focused group, with a lot of senior leadership, which is huge. But, I walked into just a great situation with all these girls. My junior, Elizabeth [Hon­ hart], had a fantastic day today and Addison [Deveney] had a great day today too. And Copelin did what Copelin does. She played really well.” ’ Coach Van Wagoner said her girls did a good job of staying out of trouble and getting out of trouble, playing well in the short game overall as a whole. Junior Kendra Coe shot a 100 for TK, sophomore Rae Borrink 106 and junior Emma Schut 111. Juniors Joselyn DeBoer and Sydney Robertson were TK’s five and six scorers at the first meet. Monday was the first day competition was allowed in girls’ golf across the state accord­ ing to MHSAA rules. Quinn named MIAAA’s A.D. of the year Brett Bremer Sports Editor More than 50 years ago a basketball bound­ ed out of a gymnasium at Battle Creek St. Philip and a second grader named Mike Quinn who had been watching after school practice from the hallway, scooped it up, gave it a few bounces and then got it back to the team. He was late getting home that day and he said it nearly killed his mother, Mary. Even­ tually, he became the manager for that basket­ ball team and getting home late from the gym or the field has been the norm ever since. Quinn, who is beginning his seventh school year as the Lakewood High School Athletic Director, has been named the winner of the 2022-23 Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA) Thom­ as Rashid Athletic Director of the Year award. Quinn started his career as an athletic director in 1996 at Vicksburg High School. He spent the majority of his years as an athletic direc­ tor, so far, at Gibraltar Carlson and he is a former president of the MIAAA. “To say this award is a little overwhelming and a little humbling would be an understate­ ment,” Quinn said. “A lot of people around me go above and beyond the call of duty to make the show go on at Lakewood. At Lakewood, people just make sure the job gets done. In a lot of ways, I get the rewards for it - clearly in this case. I’ll be accepting this award for all those people who get things done.” Quinn is also an assistant principal at the high school, and he said he has had really great secretaries over the years who are key in a lot of things getting done. That held true at Carlson and continued on at Lakewood with Lisa Spetoskey, Bobbie Madejczyk and now Cameron Rowland. “They do a lot of things behind the scenes because I simply don’t have time to do them,” Quinn said. “The ball doesn’t drop. We don’t miss eligibility. We don’t miss deadlines for getting teams registered for state tourna­ ments. We don’t have kids practicing without physicals. “It’s always done, and Mike doesn’t always have to do it.” Quinn said his help extends well beyond the office. “When we get into game prep, fields are set up, fields are lined, scoreboards are on, the scoreboards work, programs are printed, people show up to take tickets, we do the veteran of the game in football. Clearly it falls under my umbrella, but those are all jobs where people just step up and say this is what we’ve got to do and this is how we’re going to do it. The show goes on. People oversee things to make sure things get done.” While Quinn is quick to praise his helpers, being helpful himself is one of the things he is best at. Quinn moved to the Delton Kellogg school district in fourth grade and made a quick friendship with Mike Mohn, who was a grade above him. They played high school basketball together. Quinn went on to play and then coach at Siena Heights University and Mohn was a stand-out at Oakland University. They were best men in each others weddings. Mohn, currently the varsity girls’ basketball coach at Delton Kellogg, has been the athletic director at Delton Kellogg since 2011. “Before I became an A.D. he kept saying you’ve got to become an A.D., you’ve got to become an A.D.,” Mohn said. “What he has taught me most, and I try and use it every day, is just extending and assisting other A.D.s. He was a tremendous help to me. “He was firmly established by the time I came along. It’s the willingness to extend yourself out and being able to help in any way shape or form that you can.” Mohn took lessons from former Delton Kellogg athletic directors Mike Garvey and Karen Leinaar as well as Quinn. Quinn said he learned a lot from Leinaar too. Leinaar retired as athletic director at Bear Lake schools last year, and ended a 20-year tenure on the MHSAA’s Representative Council, after a career that started in athletic adminis­ tration at Delton Kellogg in 1982. “He is one in a million,” former Lakewood wrestling, football and baseball coach Bob Veitch said of Quinn. “I remember checking with [long-time Delton Kellogg coach] Rob Heethius when [Quinn] applied and I said, ‘who is this guy?’ “He said, ‘you’ll like him, you’ll like him.’” “I said, ‘are you sure?”’ “Oh yeah, you’ll like him,” Veitch heard from Heethuis. Heethuis was correct. “He could get a job anywhere he wants,” Veitch said of Quinn. “He loves it here and he loves the coaches. He does a great job. He is great with the community. He is great with coaches when they need to do anything. He always goes to your events whether it’s home or away, you can always see him walk in. ‘Mike you didn’t need to drive all the way here’ “He always applies for state tournaments. He is always pushing for us to have home events. Most A.D.’s tell you go to on the road, go on the road, I don’t want to deal with it. He is always looking out for the kids and their best interest.” Leinaar and then Buchanan athletic direc­ tor Fred Smith shared the 2014 MHSAA Allen W. Bush Award. Smith, now the athlet­ ic director at Bangor, was on the Battle Creek St. Philip basketball team Quinn managed as a youngster. “[Smith] has been one of my mentors in this job since I got the job at Vicksburg,” Quinn said. “Fred was, ‘okay this is what you do and this is when you do it.’ Karen Leinaar was the AD at Delton. Karen and I have been friends since I was in fourth grade. These are people that still mentor me today at 60 years old.” Quinn still turns those moments as an ele­ mentary school basketball manger into les­ sons today. “When I tell people that little eyes are watching and little ears are listening, I get that because I was that kid,” Quinn said. At St. Philip, Quinn says all he ever want­ ed to do was to play sports. Quinn’s father Dick Quinn, who passed away in 2012, used to regularly ask him when he was going to get a job. Once Mike’s playing days were done at Siena Heights Mike said his father told him, “athletics is the only thing you know. It is the only thing you’ve ever done,” and that he should stick around coaching and such for as long as possible. Mike chuckles a bit now watching NCAA commercials with his son Ryan Quinn that talk about the high percentage of NCAA ath­ letes who turn pro in something other sports. “What side of that category do I fit on?” Mike asks. “Clearly I get paid because of sports. I may not play, but my job is still school sports. My life is still school sports. If I am not at school sports because I’m the administrator, I am there because I am a fan. When done right, I think the values and the lessons in school sports are some of the best lessons and values that we learn in life. I also Lakewood High School Athletic Director Mike Quinn applauds the Lakewood varsity volleyball team before handing out medals and a district championship trophy in November of 2021. Quinn has been named the 2022-23 Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Thomas Rashid Athletic Director of the Year win­ ner for 2022-23. (File photo) think when done wrong, school sports can have some of the most negative impacts on somebody’s life. I am one of the lucky ones.” Mike feels lucky to have had the sporting opportunities from second grade on up that he had throughout his life. His number one goal as an athletic director is to make sure current students have those same opportunities. His mother Mary doesn’t get worried about him coming home late from school any more. “She is used to it. In fact, now she comes to the gym with me and goes home when I go home,” Mike said. “School sports has been important in our family. My mom was Delton’s first girls’ basketball coach. As we grew up we kind of grew up around school sports. I probably live a life that most people say is pretty good.” Mike lives with Mary in Lake Odessa during the work week and heads home to Trenton to be with his wife Anne for as much of the weekend as possible. They have two grown children, their son Ryan and daughter Kelly Kelly. Mike said between wanting to spend more time with Mary, his job, Anne’s job, and Ryan and Kelly going through col­ lege and dealing with the pandemic the cur-i rent living arrangements are just what work best for now. While there are plenty of tough things to deal with in an A.D. job, Quinn said dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and the changed and challenges it brought to high school ath-i letics actually invigorated him. Instead of scheduling football games 13 or 14 months, out it was kind of nice for a change to have to think on his feet a little more often. “We were scheduled to play one team an4 at two o’clock that afternoon we were playing another team totally different at some place totally different. It rejuvenated us,” Quinn said. The toughest part of going through the; pandemic was not being in the gym. He waS happy to work towards getting everyone playing again. “It doesn’t matter how good or how bad my day goes,” Mike said, “but at the end of the day kids play games. That is what I enjoyj I enjoy watching them. I enjoy talking to them about it. I enjoy the competition. I enjoy the camaraderie of it.” . �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — Page 9 District champs bring back attack, must add to defense Brett Bremer The 2022 Delton Kellogg varsity girls' and boys' cross country teams. Team members are (front from left) Piper McArthur, Avery Barker, Summer Ritchie, Lillie Steele, Jillian LeClercq, Allie Trantham, Lilly Sinclair, Joelle White, Johanna Houtkooper, Kiley Main, Ethan Rimmer, Nick Muday, Rhys Bedford, Isaac Shephard, Brock Hickerson, Brett Harsevoort, Gage Vincent, Hector Jimenez and Micah Martin. Missing from photo is Lillian Lester. DK cross country teams open season Friday morning Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg varsity cross country coach Dale Grimes is looking forward to learning more about his team at the Lawerence Early Bird Invitational Friday morning, Aug. 19. He expects it to be an eye-opener for many of his runners, but that doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone of them. For some, ’it’ll be a realization of just how much more work there is to do. For others, it could mean learning just how close they are to accom­ plishing great things. Earning a spot in the MHSAA Lower Pen­ insula Cross Country Finals would be a great thing. Senior Hector Jimenez, who has split time between the DK varsity boys’ soccer team and the cross country team throughout high school and may add some kicking duties with the football team this fall, has been close to qualifying for the finals before and he’ll be pushing towards that. “The big thing for me, and him, is that he has finished within one, two or three places of qualifying for state every year,” coach Grimes said. “Really want to make that happen this year. He has been knocking on the door. When he is available, with us not playing soccer, it definitely makes the team a lot stronger.” Key returnees to the team also include senior Micah Martin, senior Isaac Shepard and sophomore Ethan Rimmer. Rimmer was an all-conference runner in the Southwestern Athletic Conference as a freshman and Shep­ ard was honorable mention all-conference last year. Senior Gage Vincent is also expect­ ed to be among the top five Panthers through­ out much of the fall along with those other returnees. “Isaac has put in quite a few miles. He has been at a lot of our summer conditioning practices, and Gage hasn’t really missed any­ thing,” Grimes said. “He has been running a lot and wrestling a lot. Our numbers are a little low. A big thing will be, let’s stay healthy so when we step up to the starting line we have enough guys to score.” The team’s lone freshman this fall is Nick Muday. While there is that stable of experienced upperclassmen to lead the way for the boys’ team, the girls’ team had a pretty strong senior group graduate last spring. Johanna Houtkooper and Lillie Steele were honorable mention all-conference as fresh­ men last fall and a back for sophomore sea­ sons in which coach Grimes said the team will be relying on them pretty heavily. Not far behind them is senior Joelle White who missed conference honors by a single place last season. Junior Summer Ritchie and and senior Lilyanna Sinclair will be pushing to score for the varsity this fall, and coach Grimes likes the work he has seen from sophomore Kiley Main, freshman Piper McArthur and junior Avery Barker so far. Grimes said the boys’ and girls’ teams are still trying to recruit more athletes. He was pleased to see Barker and McArthur unex­ pectedly show up to workouts. Friday morning’s eye-opener is just the start to a busy early season schedule. The DK harriers will be at Gilmore Car Museum Aug. 23 to take on Gull Lake in a dual. Coach Grimes and the team are really looking for­ ward to being a part of South Christian’s Under the Lights Invitational Friday, Aug. 26, where the DK teams are scheduled to take off from the start at 11:30 p.m. Sports Editor The Panthers’ top playmakers from a year ago return, but there will be a rebuild on the defensive end of the pitch for the Delton Kellogg/Martin co-op varsity boys’ soccer team this fall. At the moment the big focus however is just building the roster. DK/Martin head coach Alan Mabie, who is entering his 13th season leading the program, said he is expect­ ing a few foreign exchange students arriving in the coming days to help boost the pro­ grams numbers enough to get games under­ way. The team had to postpone its first week of competition and is now set to open the season against Lawton Monday at 6 p.m. It is a bit of a tough start after the high the program ended on last fall. The DK team was 11-8-2 overall this three of those victories coming in the state postseason as the team won a district championship and then won its way to the regional finals in Division 3 before falling to the eventual state champions from South Christian. Back from that squad to lead the way this fall are senior forwards Hector Jimenez and Marshall Warner and senior midfielder James Blackbum. Warner was second team all-state a year ago scoring 15 goals to go with 13 assists. Jimenez was an all-region selection in a sea­ son in which he scored 21 goals last fall. Blackburn had 12 goals and a team-high 18 The 2022 Delton Kellogg varsity boys' soccer team. Team members are (from left) James Blackburn, Austyn Lipscomb, Myles Hatton, John Sinclair, Marshall Warner, Tyler Howland, Hector Jimenez and Isaac Shephard. Missing from photo are Asher Verstrate, Pablo Gomez-Acebo, Joelle White, CJ Quick and Felix Houssmaini. assists while earning all-district honors. Coach Mabie will expect good contribu­ tions from sophomore midfielders Myles Hatton, John Sinclair and sophomore defend­ er Austyn Lipscomb as they seek bigger roles this fall. Freshman Tyler Howland will look to help fill in holes in the defensive line for DK. DK has everyone back at forward and mid­ field from a year ago, but have to replace the entire defense and its goalkeeper. “I anticipate we can finish in the top half of our conference and should end the season at or above.500,” Mabie said. Mabie said he expects Hackett Catholic Prep and an improving Fennville program to be the class of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. DK will play four times before the calen­ dar turns to September, visiting Parchment Aug. 24, hosting Schoolcraft Aug. 29 and visiting Allegan Aug. 31. Set to motivate the maroon and white from the sidelines The 2022 Delton Kellogg varsity sideline cheer team. Team members are (front from left) Alexis Delaphiano. Lily Boze, Sam Makowski, Maddy Waller, Lucy Lester, (back row) Josie Jones, Cayden Andersen, Violet Kokx, Brooke Childs and Allison Brandli. Missing from photo are Emily Stoneburner and Carley Webb. Thank You to these businesses for their support. highpoint GROVE STREET CAFE M-43 Hwy. across from Delton Schools Try Our Pizza Take & Bake, To Go, Dine-in COMMUNITY BANK 1 -888-422-2280 Delton Drive Thru: 623-3777 highpointcommunitybank.com 10199 S. M-43 Hwy. Delton, Ml 49046 SIMPLY SWEETS, 623-8047 Member FDIC DELTON FAMILY PHARMACY 338 Grove St. (M-43)Delton 623-5250 THE HASTINGS BANNER TUJAX TAVERN Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 103 S. Grove St. Delton 1351 N. M-43 Hwy, Hastings 945-9554 BUCKLAND AGENCY CHAPPLE REALTY INC 11235 Sprague Rd, Delton 118 E Orchard St., Delton Mi 49046 623-5115 269-623-4058 948-3720 WILLIAMS-GORES FUNERAL HOME 133 Orchard, Delton 110 W. Center, Suite B, Hastings WESTMiCHIGANLAKES.COM (269) 623-8310 623-5461 M-43 DELTON. MICHIGAN 269-623-3300 0036 M-43, Delton, Michigan 269-623-3300 r visit us at: www.tieltonpole.coi Delton Moose Lodge 269.6232112 5428 Moose Lodge Dr. (2 miles north ofDeltone on M43) NAPA NAPA of Delton 9939 M-43 Hwy 623-4804 LYONS SEPTIC TANK SERVICE 3840 Harrington Rd. Delton 623-2089 • 945-5379 Fast Reliable Service For Over 50 Years SMITH & DOSTER SALES & SERVICE 114 Grove (M-43) Delton 623-5111 �Page 10 — Thursday, August 18, 2022 —The Hastings Banner TPAAT TV/VT'I/^17' G. L/E/liAJL nUilvD^ Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): John Hoffman, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Money Source Inc. Date of Mortgage: May 5, 2015 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 16, 2015 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $100,785.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 332 Feet Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4, Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan. This Parcel May Also Be Described As: That Part Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 Of Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, Described As: Beginning At The East 1/4 Corner Of Said Section, Thence North 0 Degrees 00 Minutes East 332.0 Feet Along The East Line Of Said Northeast 1/4; Thence South 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds West 1312.35 Feet Parallel With The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence South 0 Degrees 04 Minutes 54 Seconds East 332.0 Feet Along The West Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence North 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds East 1311.88 Feet Along The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 To The Place Of Beginning. Common street address (if any): 5501 N Solomon Rd, Middleville, Ml 49333-8719 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry Countys starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Shane Hills, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Mortgage: December 27, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 6, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $66,453.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing on the East side of the Highway, 57 rods 14 links South of the West 1/4 post; thence East 11 1/2 rods; thence South 22 rods 11 links, more or less; thence West 13 1/2 rods to the center of the Highway; thence North 15 rods 23 links; thence East 2 rods to the East side of the Highway; thence North 6 1/2 rods to place of beginning. Common street (if address any): 7290 N Broadway Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9714 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Date of notice: August 18, 2022 (^04.21251^... '^1226 (08-04)(08-25) ■ 184989 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Timmy Rosenberg, a single man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated June 6, 2012 and recorded June 12, 2012 in Instrument Number 2012-001107 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Four and 74/100 Dollars ($110,384.74). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the City of HASTINGS, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The Southeast % of the Northeast % of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. 719 E Woodlawn Avenue, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11, 2022 File No. 22-008032 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-11 )(09-01) 185613 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (246; 642-2515 - b ‘ ■'> it UrtG ’ICO’-’ 1472883 (08-18)(09-08) • VX1 185960 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Christian L. Allwardt, married man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Talmer Bank and Trust, Mortgagee, dated November 21, 2014 and recorded December 8, 2014 in Instrument Number 2014011497 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 12, 2016, in Instrument Number 2016006882, and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on December 4,2019, in Instrument Number 2019011985, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Sixty-One Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Seven and 70/100 Dollars ($161,767.70). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Hope, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the Northwest corner of Section 24, Town 2 North, Range 9 West; thence East 1320 feet along the North line of Section 24; thence South 300 feet for the true place of beginning; thence South 574 feet; thence East 494 feet parallel with the North line of Section 24; thence North 84 feet; thence East 226 feet; thence North 227 feet to the centerline of Gurd Road; thence Northerly along the centerline of Gurd Road to a point 300 feet South of the North line of said Section 24; thence West parallel with the North line of said Section 24 to the place of beginning. 7100 Gurd Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11, 2022 File No. 22-005635 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-11)(09-01) 185612 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Philip R. Shriner and Kristen K. Shriner, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated May 31,2013 and recorded June 5, 2013 in Instrument Number 2013-007202 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 22, 2021, in Instrument Number 2021-009329, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth Third Bank National Association, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Two Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Seven Hundred NinetyTwo and 67/100 Dollars ($285,792.67). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Yankee Springs, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot(s) 83 and the North 1/2 of Lot 84 and the South 1/2 of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records, being situated in Section 32 and 33, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Except that part of said above described premises as lies within the following: Commencing at the North Northerly corner of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records (said corner being adjacent to Mile Drive of said Plat) thence Southwesterly along the Northwesterly line of said Lot 82 and the Extension of 61 feet, thence South 59 degrees 5 minutes East 132.50 feet to a stake, thence Northeasterly parallel to the first mentioned course of the within described 50 feet to a stake, thence North 54 degrees 21 minutes West 125 feet to the place of beginning, Including in said exception all land lying between the third or shore traverse of same and the shore of Gun Lake, Barry County Records. 3161 Elmwood Beach Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 4, 2022 File No. 22-004404, ...... ... . Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-04) (08-25) 185221 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 08, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Justin Perry and Ashleigh Perry, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage 1 Incorporated Date of mortgage: October 12, 2018 Recorded on November 9, 2018, in Document No. 2018-010050, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Michigan State Housing Development Authority Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand Two Hundred Five and 34/100 Dollars ($134,205.34) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 8 in Block 3, Map of the Village of Freeport, according to the Plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 22, Barry County Records Commonly known as 145 Oak St, Freeport, Ml 49325 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 125.1449v, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 125.1449v(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. Attention homeowner: (f you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Michigan State Housing Development Authority Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1471836 (08-04)(08-25) 185334 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate Decedent: Ernest L. Olson. Date of birth: 8/2/1946. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Ernest L. Olson, who lived at 3949 Grange Road, Middleville, Michigan, died July 16, 2022. There is no probate estate. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against Ernest L. Olson or the Ernest L. Olson Trust dated 10/4/1979, and any amendments thereto, will be forever barred unless presented to Barbara L. Olson, Trustee, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8/12/2022 William B. Millard P39054 DeMent and Marquardt, PLC 211 E. Water Street, Ste. 401 Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 (269) 343-2106 Barbara L. Olson, Trustee 3949 Grange Road Middleville, Ml 49333 (269)948-0447 185965 t1 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Memoersirc Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® FinancialAdvisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 (269) 948-8265 What should you know about IRA rollovers? If you’ve been contributing to an IRA, you’ve chosen a great way to save and invest for retirement. All IRAs have potential tax benefits and a range of investment possibilities, but not all IRA providers offer the same features. So, if you decide that your current IRA provider is charging higher fees than you’d like, or perhaps doesn’t offer as many investment choices as you want, then you might choose to move your IRA assets to another provider. How should you go about making this switch? Here are some options to consider: • Trustee-to-trustee transfer or direct rollover - You can ask the financial institution holding your IRA to move the money directly to another IRA. No taxes will be withheld from the amount transferred at the time of the transfer. This method is generally hasslefree, but some IRA sponsors will still only mail the check to your address of record, so you’d have to forward it to your new IRA. • Indirect rollover - If you take an indirect rollover, also known as a 60-day rollover, the assets from your existing IRA will be liquidated and the custodian or plan sponsor will send you a check or deposit the funds directly into your bank or brokerage account. This payment may be subject to withholding for federal taxes, and possibly state taxes, unless you opt out of withholding. You have 60 calendar days from the time the funds were withdrawn to deposit the money, including any amount withheld, into a new IRA. If you miss this 60­ day deadline, the withdrawal may be taxable at your personal income tax rate, and it could also be subject to an early withdrawal penalty if you’re younger than 59 !4. Given the immediate withholding and the possibility of further taxes if you don’t move the money into a new IRA before the 60 days are up, you’ve got much to consider before initiating an indirect rollover. Consequently, you should consult with a financial advisor and tax professional before you make this type of move. In addition to a rollover from an existing IRA, you may someday want to move the money from your 401 (k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan to an IRA. This can occur when you retire or change jobs, although if you do take on another job, you might have the options of leaving your 401(k) with your former employer or rolling it over into your new employer’s plan. However, if you do want to move your 401(k) funds into an IRA, you can make what’s known as a direct rollover, in which the administrator of your old retirement plan will send you a check made payable to the custodian of your IRA. No taxes will be withheld, but you need to get the funds transferred within 60 days to avoid any potential tax issues. You spend years,: contributing to your IRA and 401(k) — and for good reason. So, when it’s time to move that money, be careful and consider getting help from your financial and tax professionals. These funds can play a big role in your retirement income, so manage them wisely. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29254-DE Hon. William. M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29248-DE Hon. William. M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Joseph VanderPloeg, Deceased. Date of birth: 08/24/1960. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joseph VanderPloeg, died 06/27/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to John VanderPloeg, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: August 9, 2022 Gary E. Tibble P43886 5144 Gull Rd. Kalamazoo, Ml 49048 269-383-6000 John VanderPloeg 3518 Croyden Ave. Kalamazoo, Ml 49006 269-345-8992 185765 Estate of James A. Wilcox. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, James A. Wilcox, died May 31, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Martin Perez, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: August 10, 2022 Law Office of Kathleen F. Cook Kathleen F. Cook P31842 121 S. Cochran Ave. Charlotte, Ml 48813 (517) 543-7643 Martin Perez 11638 Elm Drive Lakeview, Ml 48850 (989) 205-6056 185783 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29252-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29251-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Sherry L. Pero. Date of birth: 8-20-1943. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Sherry L. Pero, died 10-13-2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Shana Pero, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Estate of Joyce M. Daugherty. Date of birth: 10/11/1931. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joyce M. Daugherty, died 10/22/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Brenda G. Murphy, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/11/2022 Diane K. Peters P52818 905 W. Michigan Ave., Suite A Marshall, Ml 49068 269-248-6500 Brenda G. Murphy 13060 W. Michigan Avenue Marshall, Ml 49068 269-274-0009 Date: 08/08/2022 Michael J. McPhillips P33715 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-3512 Shana Pero 10785 Maple Grove Road Nashville, Michigan 49073 269-274-7908 < 185819 185818 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29234-DE William M. Doherty P-41960 Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Robert D. Stadel. Date of birth: 09/14/1953. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Robert D. Stadel, died on or after 6/25/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Phillip Peter Adams, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/16/2022 Phillip Peter Adams 6274 Tischer Road, Lake Odessa, Ml 48849 616-690-8609 186076 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting August 9, 2022 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. All board members present Approved all consent agenda items FOIA request Form L-4029 Resolution about political signs Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:15 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 185964 �Tho Mactinnc Rannar — Thiircriaw Aiiniiet 1R 9099 — Pana 11 The 2022 Delton Kellogg varsity football team. Team members are (front from left) Mason Nabozny, Cam Wolthuis, Victor Gonzalez, Dylan Fichtner, Maverick Thomas, Cristian Roias, Vincent Quick, Gryffn Harmon, Jordyn Jones, Gabe Pharr, Ezra Smith, Grant McCarthur, Brayden Delaphiano, (middle row) Cyrus Bain, Philip Halcomb, Cole Lane, Michael Bhola, Gauge Stampfler, Adrian DeBoer, Tristan Boze, Wyatt Finney, Luke Watson, Luke Vanderwall, Luis Perez, Blythe Caldwell, Isaac Ferris, (back) Jason Lundquist, Mitchell Swift, Cooper Sandusky, Philip Jergensen, Ricky Ramsey, Wyatt Colwell, Brady Pritchard, Collin Muskovin and Torren Mapes. Core looks to get DK back to playoffs Brett Bremer Jordan Lyons i Panthers plan to pass pretty well, working on net skills Brett Bremer Sports Editor While the Panthers will put a lot of work in on ending points this season, keeping them alive should be a strength. The Delton Kellogg varsity volleyball team opens play Saturday at the Coloma tour­ nament and then will host its own DK Invita­ tional Wednesday, Aug. 24. Back to lead the DK team into the new year are senior outside/middle hitters Lillie Ferris and Jordan Lyons, senior libero/DS Carlie Ritchie and sophomore setter Claire Wesolowski. “We’ve got an abundance of passers on the court this year, and with some fine-tuning should be able to pick up some of the plays we weren’t able to last year,” Delton Kellogg head coach Erin Thornton said. Thornton is entering her fifth season leading the program. Wesolowski got time at setter as a fresh­ man last fall. “She’s a great kid that has a true spirit of a volleyball player,” Thornton said. “She’s got great hands that come naturally and works all off-season to be the best that she can be. She was brought up last year mid-season, and it was truly the change that we needed. She brings a breath of fresh air to the program with her can-do attitude and effort.” Ritchie will have a challenger for the libero spot in junior Maysse Weissner, but there is certainly room for both of them in the back row. “Carlie really has grit,” Thornton said. “She gives 100 percent day in and day out to achieve greatness, and really believes that we can be great. Her ability to read the hitter is better every day, and it’s going to be tough to get balls past her.” Weissner is naturally a good passer and moves with speed around the court, accord­ ing to her coach. “It’s nice to see how much she’s willing to put in to try to overtake a senior starter from last year,” Thornton said. Taking care of things at the net will be a bit of a challenge as the Panthers try to.get some new girls accustomed to filling the middle blocker position. Both Ferris and Lyons could see time there while also being a pair of the team’s top swingers on the out­ side. “[Ferris] has got a great knowledge of the game and can read the defense well,” Thorn­ ton said. “Playing in the off season really helps home in those skills, and I can’t wait to see what she can bring in regard to net play.” “[Lyons] is a great all-around athlete and really has her head on her shoulders. Being a three-sport athlete and a captain in other sports brings a different dynamic to the vol­ leyball program that can help us in more ways than one. I’m excited to see her leader­ ship come to the forefront.” The Panthers will work to improve on their five wins from last fall, but getting bet­ ter is the most important thing. “I’m out for getting better and coming together as a team,” Thornton said. “We need that more than anything. Once that happens, we’ll be right where we need to be.” Where the Panthers are is in the middle of a tough Southwestern Athletic Conference. Thornton expects Schoolcraft, Constantine and Kalamazoo Christian to be formidable once again. The SAC will be split into three volleyball divisions this fall, with the DK girls joined by Galesburg-Augusta, Gobles, Martin and Saugatuck in the SAC Central. Sports Editor The Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division sent three of its five teams to the state postseason at the end of the 2021 regular season, with the conference champi­ ons from Lawton battling all the way to the state championship game before suffering its first defeat of the season. Delton Kellogg and Saugatuck were the conference’s other two playoff teams. The trip to the postseason marked the fifth time in seven seasons the Delton Kellogg team finished.500 or better and earned a spot in the playoffs. A solid group of senior, three-year varsity athletes is set to try and get the Panthers back to the playoffs in 2022. “Our seniors have been playing varsity football now for three years. They are a spe­ cial group,” Delton Kellogg head coach Ryan Bates said. Having a summer to prep for a spot under center should do wonders for returning quar­ terback Philip Halcomb who was installed as the starting QB in the Panthers’ Wing-T offense about a weekJbefore practice opened. “We needed someone to step up in that spot and Philip volunteered,” Bates said. “His speed and shifty moves in the open field ......... .... ........ ■■■"..... ■——------------- —. ....... ..... — ......... imil Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of IV/VT'lZ’MR'c Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Irey, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage at 1:00 PM, on September 1,2022. The amount due automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kelly Jo Carroll, Single Electronic Woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, LLC, assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lake Michigan Credit Union its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services, LLC Date of Mortgage: January 31, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 4, 2019 Amount claimed due on mortgage on the date of notice: $157,159.69 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in the City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, in Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, and are described as: The South one-half of Lots Michigan, and described as: The North 628 feet of the East 175 feet of the South 1/2 of the Northeast 977 and 978, City of Hastings, Barry County, 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 28, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 2400 Hubble Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8607 Michigan. Commonly Known as: 528 S. Jefferson St., Hastings, Ml 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or Garage Sale BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Help Wanted FAMILY GARAGE SALE: Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. WANTED: EXPERIENCED, KIND Caregiver. 8am-4pm, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the Pets PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: responsible to the person who buys the property at property during the redemption period. Attention All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage Purchaser: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee for any reason. In that event, 1011 N. Wilson St., Hastings. Thurs, August 25 and Fri, August 26,2022 9am-5pm; Sat, August 27 9am-3pm. Clothessmall to 2x large, Crafting Supplies, Books, Yam, Sewing Books & Patterns, Jewelry, and more. HUGE BARN SALE. Fri-Sun, Aug. 19th, 20th, 21st, 2022. 9am-6pm. 7190 Barryville Rd, Nashville. Lots of tools. Farm equipment: rake, baler, sick­ les. Misc items. ALL NEEDS TOGO! Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. GOLDEN DOODLE PUP­ PIES- Fluffy, very playful!. 1st shots and wormed. $500.00. 269-223-9194. HEALER MIX PUPPIES for sale. Small, cute & playful. $150.00. 269-223-9194. AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES for sale. Awesome colors, very cute. $200.00.517­ 852-4881 Monday-Friday. Please call 269-953-6170. References re­ quired. The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. upon the expiration of the notice required by MCL 600.3241 a(c), whichever is later; or unless MCL 600.3240(16) applies. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the Attention homeowner: If you are a military service return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have interest, and the purchaser shall have no further been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have ordered to active duty, Date of notice: August 4, 2022 please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this Trott Law, P.C. notice. This notice is from a debt collector. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 Date of notice: 8/04/2022 Potestivo & Associates, P.C. 251 Diversion Street, Rochester, Ml 48307 248-853-4400 315920 1471803 (08-04)(08-25) 185247 (08-04) (08-25) yards per attempt and six touchdowns. Nabo­ zny joined Ramsey, Quick and Halcomb on the All-SAC first team in 2021. “[Ramsey] played big and physical last year and has only gotten bigger and stron­ ger,” Bates said. Watson will be a key part of the offensive line along with senior lineman Jason Lund­ quist and junior tight end Cole Lane who will both see time at defensive end too. “Luke and Cole were both up for the sea­ son last year as sophomores. Both had tre­ mendous seasons last year and we expect a great deal out of them this year as well,” Bates said. The Delton Kellogg team will play its first two ballgames on its home turf taking on Loy Norrix Thursday Aug. 25 and Parchment Sept. 1. South Haven and Allegan are joining the SAC this fall, both set to compete in the Lakeshore Division. DK gets to travel to take on both teams in early September before kicking off the SAC Valley season at Lawton Sept. 23. The bailgame with Parchment is the Delton Kellogg team’s only home contest in -Septem­ ber. The Panthers will be back on the field in Delton for dates with Decatur Oct. 7 and Schoolcraft Oct. 14. ........... .............................. 11 them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder Date of Mortgage Recording: January 19, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $95,760.79 CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 ................. .... . Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised Date of Mortgage: January 17, 2018 Banner CLASSIFIEDS made him an interesting candidate. He stepped up and ran the offense very well last year. He became one of our biggest weap­ ons.” Halcomb rushed for 436 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging nearly seven and a half yards per rush and was named first team all-conference in the SAC Valley after being honorable mention all-conference as a sopho­ more. He is also a key part of the Panthers’ defense as a defensive back, and coach Bates said the staff is really excited about the speed and experience on defense overall. Senior Vinny Quick will once again join Halcomb in the defensive backfield. Senior Rick Ramsey will be a leader at linebacker with junior Luke Watson contributing there as well. Senior Mason Nabozny moved all over the offensive and defensive sides of the ball as a junior and will start out this campaign was a defensive end and running back. “He played everything from tight end to halfback as well as linebacker and defensive end,” Bates said of Nabozny. Nabozny averaged just under five, yards per rush last year and scored six touchdowns. Ramsey was a key part of the Panthers’ offen­ sive backfield a year ago too, rushing for 7.4 185246 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JOHN RENEAU, a single man, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Mortgagee, dated the 26th day of July, 2020 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 4th day of August, 2020 in Document # 2020-007853 said Mortgage having been assigned to Freedom Mortgage Corporation on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Five and 57/100 ($176,385.57). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 1st day of September, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 3.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Barry, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: LOTS 3 AND 4, SCOTTS PARK, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 3 OF PLATS, PAGE 68, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS Commonly known as 11904 SCOTT PARK RD., DELTON, Ml 49046 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 08/04/2022 Freedom Mortgage Corporation Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FMC FHARENEAU/22-01902 1471605 (08-04)(08-25) 185209 �Page 12 — Thursday, August 18, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ‘Storywalk’ hike at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute combines literacy and nature Molly Macleod Copy Editor After over 20 years of operation, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings is wellknown in the community for its natural splen­ dor. The nature center, set on 850 acres off of Cloverdale Road, hosts a plethora of native plant and animal species, a tall grass prairie, education and community buildings and miles of trails. One trail, however, sticks out from the rest. The quarter-mile Black Walnut Trail is not particularly arduous or long, but the signposts along the trail offer something unique to the Institute: A storybook. Since 2018, the Institute has been offering its Storywalk hike. Storywalk consists of a children’s book split and posted page-bypage along the Institute’s short Black Walnut Trail. The book changes from month to month and is related to science and nature in some way. As the adage goes, behind every great Sto­ rywalk are two great minds. Community Program Manager Ellen Holste, PhD and Education Assistant Jim Kolar form the dynamic duo behind the interactive hike. Holste handles the planning side of the Story­ walk, while Kolar takes care of the practical side of taking the books apart and hanging the pages up along the trail. This month, the Institute’s featured book is “If Pluto Was a Pea” by Gabrielle Prender­ gast. The book tells the story of two curious kids pondering their place in the vast uni­ verse. As families walk the quarter-mile Black Walnut Trail, wooden signposts will crop up every few hundred feet. Each post displays a page of the book and hikers can stop and read the pages. By the end of the trail, hikers will have read the entire book. The trail begins next to the Play Space, a playground for children made almost entirely from natural materials sourced from the Insti­ tute’s grounds. The trail ends at the visitor center, where families can go inside to enjoy air conditioning and views of Pierces’ impres­ sive clock collection throughout the building. While it seems relatively simple to cut up a book and post pages along a trail, Kolar knows there is much more to it than that. For each Storywalk book, Kolar takes two Ellen Holste and Jim Kolar oversee the Storywalk projects from inception to when they are taken down from the trail. (Photo by Molly Macleod) (preferably hardcover, as the stitching makes the disassembly process neater than with glue) copies of the chosen book of the month and uses an X-Acto knife to free the pages from the binding. Holste pointed out that they quickly learned to purchase two copies of the book, because the pages are printed dou­ ble-sided. Once the pages are loose, Kolar laminates them and attaches metal washers to the back of the laminated pages. These washers then attach the pages to the magnets on the sign­ posts along the trail, fastening the pages in place. But, as Kolar pointed out, manmade items don’t always last very long at a nature institute. To combat natural forces such as weather, birds and other creatures that frequent the Institute’s grounds, Kolar uses heavy-duty rubber bands to make sure the pages stay in place on the signs. Of course, there are some forces beyond Kolar’s control, such as bird excrement, but he is quick to remedy any potential blemish to the Storywalk. “The birds love our stories too,” Kolar said. “They sit here and read ‘em - you can see the evidence.” Reverend Linnea R. P. Stiffler Congratulations (9n Your ‘Retirement Reverend Linnea R. P. Stiffler will be retiring from the ministry on August 28, 2022. Please help us celebrate her five years of service with us at an open house on Tuesday, August 23rd, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 315 W. Center St., Hastings. Linnea was called to many types of service over her years. She grew up as a child of missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She continued serving as a wife and mother of three, an early childhood ed­ ucator, first grade teacher, teacher trainer in reading and writing, and high school French and Spanish teacher. Finally, she was called to the ministry. She began as an intern at Grace Episcopal Church in Traverse City. From there she spent three years at St. Martin of Tours in Kalamazoo; two years as assisting priest. She came to Emmanuel in 2017 as our minister. We have felt truly blessed these past five years. She has supported the continued success of Emmanuel’s community breakfast ministry. She can often be seen sharing a cup of coffee and fellowship with breakfast guests. One of her biggest projects was the establishment of a creation care committee which has educated our parish about positive actions to care for the earth. In turn, our church has embraced being an environmental witness in our community and we invested in the installation of solar panels on our parish house. Linnea’s passion for education has brought several programs to our church; Kids care creation camp. Education for Ministry; an education program for lay people to discern their calling. She led Sacred Ground; an Episcopal anti-racism education program. From this program, Linnea helped form a community anti-racism education and action group called Roundtable Companions. Her Emmanuel church family and the community has been blessed so much from her service and her example of service. Come, help us wish her a fond farewell on August 23rd, 3-6 p.m. Be sure to fill out a memory page that will be included in a memory book. TYDERI PARK • SATURDAY, AUG. 27™ Jim Jensen BASKETBIMiTOUBHAMENT Entries must be to the Chamber by Friday, Aug. 19th Make checks payable to Hastings Summerfest 2022 CHECK IN*f. 8:30 AM Pick up T-shirts at this time TIP OFF... 9:30 AM ___ t | Team Name I Men & Women I I Men & Women □(Ages 18-25) Il(Ages26&up) | Age brackets subject to change based on participation Age Team Captain. Team Members Send Entries to... Email. Phone # Age erce Age 221 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Questions 11... Call (269) 948-3025 Please fill out form completely TYDEftl PARK * SATURDAY. AUG. 27™ To Holste, choosing the books to appear on the trail is a labor of love. An avid reader herself, she tries to choose books that are informative, engaging, practical, and, at times, thematic. “(Something) you have to think about when you’re picking Storywalk books (is) how long is a kid going to stand in front of that sign and want to read it and not get bored?” said Holste. Part of the art of picking a book for the Storywalk comes from making sure the book is engaging and informative, but not too wordy. Holste often picks out the books months ahead of time, but tries to leave wiggle-room to include new releases. Sometimes, Holste’s 7-year-old son is the “product tester” for potential Storywalk books. For Pierce Cedar Creek Institute-goers, the Storywalk is something families can do together outdoors. “I regularly meet people on the trails, especially families, that will come out and say ‘Hey, we saw you had the new Storywalk,’ or ‘We were gonna hike the trail anyway.’ Especially with littles, this is a nice, short trail that they can hike,” said Holste. With the book spread out along the quar­ ter-mile trail, kids can stay engaged with the book while also experiencing a hands-on learning experience of nature along the trail. “It gives families something to do on the trails. A lot of times, at least with youngers I’ve encountered, if you have a destination, if you have a goal.-wadj-kids, they are much more willing to walk,” said Holste. “If Pluto was a Pea” will be on display through Aug. 31 along Pierce Cedar Creek’s Storywalk trail. Next month, “Be a Tree!” by Maria Gianferrari will be featured. Community Program Manager Ellen Holste demonstrates how the Insitute’s life-size “Lincoln Logs” can be used in the children’s Play Space. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Holste points at a page from “If Pluto was a Pea” by Gabrielle Prendergast. This book will be on display at the Institute until Aug. 31. (Photo by Molly Macleod) with the natural splendor of Pierce Cedar Creek’s grounds. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Something old, something new: Delton time capsule is opened ; How does one define an era? What infor­ mation and items can be used to give those in the future a glimpse of the past? Delton residents faced this tough question 86 years ago during the construction of the Delton Kellogg Elementary School and the creation of a time capsule to be placed within the new school’s foundation. At the time of Delton Kellogg Elementa­ ry’s construction, Delton residents decided to create a time capsule to be opened upon the demolition of the school. This time has come to pass, and the capsule was opened Saturday, Aug. 13 as a part of Delton’s Founder’s Fes­ tival celebration. A group of about 130 were able to get a glance of 1936 when the time capsule from the old school was opened. To add excitement to this unusual event, the Friends of the Delton District Library had sponsored a contest asking community mem­ bers to list four items that might be in the capsule. The organization received 78 entries with each selection entered on a spreadsheet. After the capsule opening, three judges huddled to pick the winner. Entries to the contest included a wide array of guesses of the contents of the capsule. These guesses included everything from newspapers and yearbooks to a box of Kellogg cereal. After much anticipation and fanfare, the capsule was opened to reveal communityand school-oriented items. At the time of the capsule’s inception in 1936, the nation was still recovering from the Great Depression and there were concerns with the growing military might of Germany. Organizers of the event said there was nothing unexpected in the time capsule, but there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from its contents. Several of the items in the capsule were handwritten, in cursive. Some audience members joked these would not be readable by many of today’s youth. The capsule included a June 11, 1936 copy of The Banner as well as a June 15, 1936 copy of Kalamazoo Gazette. In addition to the newspapers, the capsule contained what is believed to be pictures of the 1892 Delton senior class with names, attendance records from a 1936 class taught by Ella Rogers, a 1936 Delton telephone book, a photograph of the existing school building before the 1936 construction of the new building, a handwrit- Even after 86 years, some things stay the same. This 1936 copy of The Hastings Banner was found in the Delton time capsule on Saturday. This Banner, like the Banner this story appears in, was published on a Thursday. (Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Delton District Library) thehastincjBanner t w Two Sensors TlftP? IMiT a bias tridav —------------ - »»»«' .'S SS3 • Interim Superintendent for Delton Kellogg Schools Carl Schoessel led the opening of the time capsule Saturday. Here, he is seen in a room crowded with onlookers holding a 1936 copy of The Hastings Banner. (Photo courtesy of the Friends of the Delton District Library) ten note about the planning of the 1936 school and several other pictures and notes concerning the school. Anthony Ratti was one of the two guessing contest winners with three guesses that most accurately matched the contents. Maddie Palmer won the random draw from all entries in the contest. Both winners won a $25 gift certificate to a Delton restaurant. Currently, there are no plans to place another time capsule in the foundation of the new school being built. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-08-25.pdf 27f03ef96e4fb3b28b85fcd0a4cfddb6 PDF Text Text Hastings band gets donation in memory of long-time supporter See story on rpage o 5 804879110187 1070490102590501074349058113421 District 2 county commission seat still open; New name emerges in race Jayson Bussa Editor The race for District 2 Barry County com­ missioner is again up for grabs and not solely amongst the candidates that appeared on this month’s primary election ballot. The race in District 2, which includes the village of Middleville, has yet to be resolved nearly a month after the Aug. 2 state prima­ ry election. In the primary, Republican incumbent Catherine Getty lost to Republi­ can challenger John Gallagher, who was not slated to face a Democrat opponent in the upcoming general election, thus, earning him the seat. However, shortly before the election, the county clerk’s office determined that Galla­ gher does not live within District 2. In fact, the redrawn district line goes through his property, and since his home resides in Dis­ trict 4, he was unable to take the seat. With Gallagher out of the equation, the nomination does not go to Getty by default. Instead, per an announcement released this week by ftj^Barry County Republican Party, the organisation plans to hold a special meet­ ing to fil|||B vacancy. The nujeting to decide who will take the District JKat is slated for WednSltW; Aug; 31 at the Tyden Center. Catherine Getty and Pat Hilton, a rtfcw face to this race, are currently tagged as the two candidates up for consideration. “Only executive members of the Barry County Republican Party (or designated proxy) will be eligible to vote in this selec­ tion,” the Barry County Republican Party stated in its announcement. While Getty and the newcomer Hilton are up for consideration, the Barry County Republicans also put an announcement out, calling for any Republican residing in Dis­ trict 2 that is interested to apply for the vacancy by contacting Geiger before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. Residency and signature requirements will be required for the selec­ tion eligibility. Geiger said that, to be considered, a new nominee must collect at least eight signatures from registered voters in the area, live within District 2 and also receive a nomination by a member of the Barry County Republicans executive committee. “The primary between Catherine Getty and John Gallagher is void,” Geiger told The Banner. “There are scores of reasons why someone would vote for either candidate. Yes, Catherine did receive a lot of votes but the voters were asked to choose between two candidates and because one is deemed ineli­ gible, we have to do a new election,’’ U®ftfnrtunately, going to be done at a political party meeting and not See DISTRICT 2, page 2 Catherine Getty, who currently holds the seat for District 2 on the Barry County Board of Commissioners, speaks during a meet­ ing earlier this month. Getty is vying to keep her seat, facing off against Pat Hilton in a special selection process involving the Barry County Republican Party. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Annual Summerfest festivities kick off tomorrow Jayson Bussa Don Haney, administrator at Thornapple Manor, is set to retire next week after 16 years in the role. Don Haney reflects on a 16-year tenure as Thornapple Manor administrator Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Don Haney fell in love with long term care at 3 p.m. on July 23, 2001. Haney had been working in accounting and administration roles for various healthcare entities in West Michigan for over 20 years. He kept an eye out for physician’s offices, mental health services, pharmacies and any other healthcare facility that was in dire need of help.. He’d work there for two to three years until he had worked out some of the issues, and then it was time to move on. “I really kind of call myself a firefighter. They just had all kinds of problems and didn’t have systems in place,” he said. “And I kind of loved my job.” On July 23, 2001, Haney started working for a continuing care retirement community in Grand Rapids. A woman in a wheelchair, a resident of the community, stopped by his office to welcome him and the two chatted for a while. After soine conversation, the woman found out that Haney liked to read the sports pages in the newspaper, just like her late husband. She handed Haney the sports section out bf Ker copy of the paper. “Every day for three years, she’d come up at 3 p.m. and bring me the sports page, and we’d sit and chat for a bit,” Haney said. “I didn’t know it then, but I can look back on it now and I know that it’s 3 p.m. on July 23, 2001 that I fell in love with long term care.” “I went from having a job to having a pas­ sion,” he added. “Not going to work, but having a calling to get there and work.” Haney started his role as the Thomapple Manor administrator in 2006, where he’s con­ tinued to work for the last 16 years. The role has been a blessing because it’s allowed him to become more involved in his community, but it’s also been special to work in a commu­ nity that is collaboratively-minded, he said. When a joint-effort between Thomapple Manor and the Barry County YMCA was able to provide a daycare service for the chil­ dren of Thomapple Manor staff, Haney said the move seemed like common sense. He’s now realized such beneficial partnerships between community organizations don’t often come that easily in other places. “I think I’ve come to appreciate that more since then. Sometimes you don’t recognize the good things that are happening just because it seems normal,” Haney said. “This community really has that sense of pride of working together and doing’what’s best for the community, versus ‘What’s in it for me?,’ See DON HANEY, page 2 Editor The athletic competition organized by Korin Ayers comes with one unwritten rule. “Oh, you better have a beer in your hand while you compete,” Ayers laughed. While adult beverages are certainly option­ al, Ayers was highlighting the informal vibe associated with what has been dubbed the Backwoods Triathlon. For the eighth year now, this event will be a part of Summerfest, which opens up tomor­ row. Teams of two will compete in golf, bowling and com hole, all vying to win cash and get their names enshrined on the Back­ woods Triathlon trophy. Like all previous installments of the event, it will also raise money for a charity. This year’s charity of choice is Kyomi’s Gift, a nonprofit that provides support for families whose children require extraordinary care. See SUMMERFEST, page 2 fig The Backwoods Triathlon includes competition in golf, bowling and corn hole. Here, participants compete in the bowling portion of the competition at Hastings Bowl. (File photo) Hastings Rotary honors Karen Heath with Red Rose Award Molly Macleod Copy Editor The Rotary Club of Hastings awarded the Red Rose to longtime Hastings business­ woman Karen Heath at its Monday meeting. The ceremony, a complete surprise to Heath, was held to honor her for her continued years of service to the Rotary Club and to the City of Hastings. See RED ROSE, page 3 Karen Heath, former co-owner Secondhand Corners, was chosen this year’s Red Rose Award recipient the Rotary Club of Hastings. (Photo Molly Macleod) of as by by Old photos of Heath were dug up for the ceremony, chronicling her many years of service since moving to Hastings, as well as her various hairstyles through the years. (Photo by Molly Macleod) �Page 2 — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — The Hastings Banner City slashes unfunded OPEB liabilities from $8.5 million to $170,000 Hunter McLaren Staff Writer City council members gave themselves a pat on the back Monday after finding changes they made to the city’s other post-employ­ ment benefits successfully lowered the city’s unfunded liabilities from an estimated $8.5 million to $170,928. Council members were made aware of the unfunded liabilities earlier in the year, when it was found that city contributions to the Municipal Employee Retirement Service were not making a return on investment sig­ nificant enough to keep up with potential liabilities to the city. The city made approved changes to the city’s OPEB plan during its July 11 meeting, which cut spouses, surviving spouses and dependents of retirees from the plan. The city also offered $100 for Medicare-eligible retir­ ees and $200 for non-Medicare eligible retir­ ees who chose a healthcare plan that was not the city’s plan. These changes allowed the city to lower its unfunded liabilities, although City Clerk and Treasurer Jane Saurman said the results exceeded her expectations. “It actually ended up being monumentally better than what I thought it was going to be,” Saurman said. “I had projected us at right around $2 million of unfunded liability, but it’s better than that.” Saurman said the changes were able to reduce the city’s OPEB unfunded liabilities by fixing costs and reducing the number of participants by half. Whereas the city’s pen­ sion was found to be only 44 percent funded when the changes to the OPEB benefits were made, the pension plan was now over 80 per­ cent funded, Saurman said. The approximately $423,000 the city saved by making changes to the OPEB plan was redirected into an investment vehicle which will be able to pay retirees directly. This means, in the next 10 years, the pension plan could be fully funded and would no longer be an item on the city’s budget, Saurman said. “We were projected to have to spend approximately $8.5 million over the life of the OPEB plan,” Saurman told council mem­ bers. “Now the projection is under a million, and of that million, you have already pre-funded that to the tune of almost $700,000.” In other business, the city: -Appointed Todd Schaal to the downtown development authority effective Sept. 1, for a partial term expiring Dec. 31. Schaal, owner of Bunker’s Smokehouse and Grille, will be filling a vacant position left by the resigna­ tion of DDA member Lynn Denton. - Announced the city’s possible eligibility for a $500 neighborhood micro grant from the Michigan Municipal League Foundation. The grant would go toward funding a concert, the creation of a functional art piece and a community gathering in the city’s Fourth Ward. Residents and non-residents alike can vote once daily for the Hastings grant project at mmlfoundation.org. Voting began Aug. 22 and continues until Sept. 4. - Approved a $42,962 invoice from Prein & Newhof for a resurfacing project on Mich­ igan Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue. Council members were surprised with the invoice at the previous city meeting, where the engi­ neering firm explained it had nearly complet­ ed work on the project without obtaining an approved purchase order from the city first. - Approved the adoption of Resolution 606, amending city rules to allow duplexes anywhere in the Residential 2 district. Previ­ ously, duplexes were severely limited in this district as they had to be built facing a state highway. - Approved a $19,670 proposal for com­ post screening from Precise Excavating, Inc. - Set the date for a joint city council, plan­ ning commission and downtown develop­ ment authority meeting at 6 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Barry Enrichment Center for a presenta­ tion on the city’s ongoing streetscape project. City council member Jacquie McLean (right) announced a grant proposal funding a community gathering, the creation of a functional art piece and concert in the city’s Fourth Ward had advanced to a public voting stage. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Hastings Summerfest Blue Zones Events Come see three of the Culinary Program's very own graduates compete to prepare the best food with a surprise ingredient! Competitors will have 30 minutes to prepare the food. Judges will be present to taste test each of the contestants' food and will judge the winner. The winner will receive a $50 gift card! oaa edges (iteszsp MW® Enter to win a box of locally produced food from our producers in Barry County. Four CSA boxes available, values at $75 a piece. Must be present to win. Winners announced at 4:00 InteiPfii PSEEESSt The parade at Summerfest is one of the marquee events. Festival co-chair Brent Cowan said that it goes on, rain or shine. (File photo) SUMMERFEST, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------The Backwoods Triathlon is one of the more popular events associated with the annual Summerfest, which features a flurry of activities for attendees of all ages. “We have a wait list this year,” said Ayers, who accepted 48 teams. “We usually max out our teams. If we had more space, we would make it bigger.” The idea for the Backwoods Triathlon was bom out of a late night at the Hastings Bowl, where Ayers and some friends developed the concept in order to incorporate the alley into Summerfest. For the Backwoods Triathlon, 27 golfers will take to Gun Ridge Golf Course tomor­ row night and 27 more on Saturday morning before the entire field of participants meets at Hastings Bowl for bowling and com hole. “We have a lot of repeat players,” Ayers said. “We got a lot of people that have played with us since we started doing this.” Summerfest runs Friday through Saturday. As is the case every year, the event will fea­ ture something for just about any taste. From festival musts, such as live music, parade, food, car show and vendors, to a bevy of ath­ letic competitions, organizers have carefully pieced together one of the busiest weekends in Hastings. “I think that’s what makes it unique and what makes us stand out from other summer festivals,” co-chair Brent Cowan said. “Peo­ ple have events like Heritage Days (in Mid­ dleville) or they go to this and that... With all our activities, we’re giving people a lot of opportunity to come and enjoy the weekend in different ways. This includes the return of the 5K and 1 OK run, which, for the first time, will be spread headed by the Spectrum Health Pennock Health & Wellness Center and race director Tina Frank. Last year, organizers turned the event into an untimed fun run with no sponsors. The year before that, Summerfest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Doing the fun run last year, we had a smaller turnout,” Frank said. “(This year) We had a lot of inquiries on whether the race was timed and back to normal....So, we’re really excited to have both distances back and that it’s a timed event.” It requires a small army of event chairs and other volunteers to execute this annual event. Last year, this roster of volunteers looked on cautiously to see how many festival goers would return after Summerfest took a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was an average year, bouncing back from COVID and we had very hot weather it was really hot last year,” Summerfest co-chair Robert Byington recalled. “We real­ ly took a hit at the car show. We were down 100 cars from what we usually had. I don’t know if that will bounce back (this year) or whether or not it was COVID, the heat or a combination of the two. Pre-registration for events that allow for it seem to be on par with previous years, according to Cowan, which makes organizers optimistic that will be another solid year at Summerfest. But the reality is that taking an entire year off from Summerfest did stymie some of its momentum, and organizers are looking to hit their stride once again. “We’re not really focusing on anything new this year - it’s just about regaining momentum,” Cowan said. “We came out of CO VID. You had some people wanting to get out and some not wanting to get out. I think, the reality is, now that we’re another full year out (from the pandemic shutdowns), I think it will be more people, personally. That’s just based on other things that I’ve been to and as people get more comfortable coming to these events.” When it comes to athletic competition at Summerfest, the 5K and 10K runs have been a cornerstone. After offering just a fun run last year, Summerfest will feature full, timed 5K and 10K races this year. (File photo) DON HANEY, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------and everybody seems to be working hard to do what’s in the best interest of the communi­ ty overall.” A lot has changed at the facility since Haney’s arrival. Only a few months after he began in his new role, a three-year, $22 million construction project doubled the footprint of the building by switching from 88 beds in four-bed wards to 96 beds in private rooms. In 2012, the facility added another 23 beds in a $6.5 million dementia cot­ tage project, which Haney said filled up in about two months and has remained full ever since. Now, construction is wrapping up on Harvest Pointe, a $15 million project started in 2019. When completed, the new facility will add 50 units, with both single and two-bed units avail­ able. Supply chain issues and contractors with conflicting schedules during the back-to-school season have set the project’s expected comple­ tion back, but Haney said everything should be ready for final inspections by Sept. 22. Haney said there were already 74 names on a waitlist to tour the facility. “We’re just about to open this up, and we really hope this is going to relieve some hous­ ing pressure,” Haney said. “Folks that are staying at home and don’t have anywhere to go can come here. That opens up their house, somebody will buy that and get some move­ ment in the marketplace.” The facilities at Harvest Pointe include a media room, a fully staffed kitchen with cooks and a head chef, a hair salon and an examination room for health specialists to check up on resi­ dents. A spa with a step-in tub is available for residents who have difficulty showering or bathing in their own rooms, and all the rooms are ADA compliant to accommodate residents of all mobility levels. Haney’s mother resides in the dementia cot­ tage at Thomapple Manor, and he knows it can be a tough decision to place a loved one in an assisted care facility. But as seniors begin to live longer, it can become more difficult for their families to care for them at home while also raising kids or working a full-time job. While it will always be a tough decision, Haney said the increased social activity and movement throughout an assisted care facility can actually improve a senior’s health. It’s espe­ cially true for seniors who might find them­ selves isolated or cut-off from the outside world in their own homes, he said. “They’re moving, they see other people. They see people at breakfast, lunch and dinner, they see people while music memories are being played, or they’re playing bingo or having a popcorn and movie night,” he said. “I think that gives families that have had to make that tough decision a real measure of comfort that they’ve done the right thing,” Haney added. “‘Yeah, Mom or Dad is in a good spot. They’re doing well.’” Although it’s not quite finished, Harvest Pointe is holding its “grand opening” on Friday from 1 to 3 p.m. The event will offer a chance for the public to see how work on the project is progressing, and to see what some of the com­ pleted rooms and facilities look like. A portion of the event will also be dedicated to Haney, who’s retiring from his position the following week. “It’s always mixed emotions. I’ve been here a long time,” he said. “I hate leaving the team and the family that we have here, but I also know that there’s a point at which they’re better off with fresh energy and fresh ideas.” Haney plans to go on to do consulting work, and he’s sure he’ll continue to do work with Thomapple Manor in some way. Haney will be handing off his position to Thomapple Manor’s current human resources director, Rebecca DeHaan. Haney feels that the facility is in good hands. “She’s just been doing a bang-up job,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the team that’s around here. I am not a clinician, I am not on the floor taking care of folks like they are day-to-day. It is absolutely a credit to our staff and the hard work that they do, their care and compassion, because that’s what makes the difference at the end of the day.” Samantha Hempsted will bo teaching us how to make gazpacho a healthy cold soup great for the hot days of summer! DISTRICT 2, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------- —-------- Samples and recipes will be provided to the audience1' I Ita I n BM pfiVI (.'i-TiM-TivI I'liffll w raw Come see the Blue Zones booth to get your free healthy meal, catered by Seasonal Grille, and enjoy while listening to the amazing concert series. Meal distribution begins at 5:00, with the show starting at 5:45. at polling stations,” continued Geiger, who, as an impartial party to the process, will not be casting a vote. “I would have loved for this race to be resolved by Republican voters, but unfortunately, it’s not.” The addition of Hilton makes for a compel­ ling storyline as he comes to the table having never held political office. “I’m not a politician by any means,” Hilton told The Banner. Hilton is a parent and husband that has resided in the Middleville area for the last 18 years. Hilton said that he was initially inter­ ested in running for the District 2 seat, but decided not to and, instead backed John Gallagher. “I certainly had my eyes on what was going on,” Hilton said about Gallagher’s run for the seat. “...It was in short order that sev­ eral people began to reach out (after Gallagh­ er was disqualified), John being one of them,” Hilton said. Both Gallagher and Hilton’s ideals align in the fact that they were both led to the political arena after being dissatisfied with the school district’s approach to COVID-19 health and safety protocol. Like Gallagher, Hilton thought decision making was stripped from parents. “We noticed rather quickly that unelected government entities could snatch away liber­ ty,” Hilton said. “And I initially always felt that way on a national level, but in the last decade, I saw it at the state level. It wasn’t until COVID until I realized this goes all the way down to the local level.” “I think that is the directional change we need,” Hilton added. “We need county com­ missioners that will recognize that the power doesn’t like with unelected officials - it always lies with the representation that the voters put in place.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — Page 3 Hope Township denies plans for proposed gravel mine amid protest from residents Leila Wood . Contributing Writer After roughly two years of del iberation and protests, a special exception use permit applicatii’ by R Smith & Sons for a proposed. mine located at 8409 Miller(Road, on Wilkinson Lake, was denied unanimously by the Hope Township Planning Compassion during its Aug. 18 meeting. " .Reasons given by commission tnembers, for theit decision to deny the .application maihly centered around the mining company’s.-ffrTure to provide information that was requested by the commission several months ago, including a hydrogeological report, a threatened and endangered species analysis and data showing need for the gravel. “Originally, they (R Smith & Sons) said by June they would have at least the hydrogeo,” said planning commission secretary Craig Jenkins. “I thought it was clear at the March 17 meeting that this is what we expected. Because of that, we don’t know anything about the impact... on private water wells,” said Bob Norton, chairman of the planning commission. Jenkins said he has reached out to them several times and received no reply. “We’ve been struggling with this for... more than two years. We began this at the tail end of 2019 or beginning of 2020. We’ve been asking for material from the applicant... they failed to provide,” said Norton. Under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, a local municipality can not restrict the min­ ing of valuable natural resources unless they believe that serious consequences would result from the mining operation. Studies regarding the potential negative effect of a gravel mine on surrounding groundwater and property values - paired with the dangers of airborne silica dust parti­ cles, which may cause silicosis - have been submitted to the commission. “Healthy Waters Alliance provided studies that indicate the danger of silica dust and sil­ icosis, and the applicant, or his attorney - I can’t remember - made a bold statement that there are no cases of silica dust impacting non miners,"said Norton. “There’s not been clarity given around fugitive dust,” said Jenkins. “The applicant submitted - I can’t remem­ ber the name of their study - that said that it doesn’t affect property values, but that’s after remediation, which, they told us this (the mine) could be open for... 40 years,” Jenkins said. V Many residents have also raised concerns about the potential hazards of the increase in traffic on Miller Road,.as well as the potential harm inflicted on the ideal environment and disruption of the peaceful lakeside communi^I’m wo rried about the dust. I’m worried about the noise... I bought this, my place in 2020, and I asked what was going on over there... I was told agriculture was going in there. I was excited to see corn, and this is what I got instead,” said Kathy Slagter, owner of Peace of Serenity Ranch. “...I’m going to lose a lot of money, not only in my businesses and the health of my horses, but my own serenity and peace.” “For me and others, the mere threat of a mine on the lakeshore has taken some of the joy out of owning my lakefront property,” said Larry Heslinga. “They just want to peacefully and safely enjoy the property that they worked hard to buy... gravel is abundant throughout Barry County, and a gravel mine proposed on the shore of a recreational lake with a mature residential community is... unprecedented. So, for so many reasons that have been provided over the last few years, this is just simply the wrong location for a gravel mine. The very serious consequences are numerous.” Without the requested information, the commission expressed concerns about the fact that potentially serious consequences have not been disproven. Commission members and residents who commented during the meeting also cited R Smith & Sons’ stated intention of selling the property to another mining company, StoneCo, as evidence that the application was within their jurisdiction to deny. The Michigan Zoning Enabling Act states that a person challenging a decision to restrict mining on the grounds of potential serious consequences “has the initial burden of show­ ing that there are valuable natural resources located on the relevant property, that there is a need for the natural resources by the person or in the market served by the person, and that no very serious consequences would result from the extraction, by mining, of the natural resources.” As well as failing to prove that no serious consequences would result from the' mining operation, the commission said that R Smith & Sons’ decision to sell the property shows that they have nb need for the gravel, and, as they have sold their other mining assets as well, there is no longer a market served by their company. According to Jenkins, the mining compa­ nies requested a form to amend the applica­ tion to include StoneCo, since they would be the ones mining the site, which may have helped their case in demonstrating need, but they never filed it. Had the application been approved, R Smith & Sons’ intention was to sell the prop­ erty to StoneCo, which owns another lot across the street, in Orangeville Township. StoneCo’s application to mine on their Orangeville lot was recently approved, with the stipulation that Miller Road must be wid­ ened to accommodate the increased traffic, by the Barry County Planning Commission, who were handling the decision for Orangeville. Representatives of StoneCo have said they intended to build a conveyor belt under Mill­ er Road to connect the two lots, which would allow them to process and ship the gravel from both lots on the Orangeville side, with the intention of relieving some of Hope Township’s concerns, but that was not satis­ factory for many. “We thought the noise component was going to go away when they weren’t going to process gravel on the east side of the road, but then they admitted they’d have to crush any­ thing that wouldn’t fit on their conveyor,” said Norton. Representatives of the two mining compa­ nies were not present at the Aug. 18 meeting, but many residents opposed to the mine were. Eight people spoke against the proposed mine during the meeting, and more than that stood along M-43 with signs expressing opposition to the proposed mine prior to the start of the meeting. Seven written comments were also received by the Commission since their lastiTneeting, in May. A truck with a sign protesting the proposed Miller Road gravel mine parked in front of the Hope Township Hall during the planning commission meeting on Thursday, Aug. 18 (Photo by Leila Wood) PEERLESS Auto Glass LLC Local, Family Owned, Dependable 25 Years Experience Works With All Insurances, Mobile Service, Warrantee Call for a quote today! 616-930-7944 Hastings Area School System HIRING BUS DRIVERS Substitute Bus Driver $20.44 per hour $.55 per hour attendance incentive Bus Driver $20.44 per hour $.55 per hour attendance incentive Paid Training $1,000.00 Sign On Bonus We are looking for dedicated individuals who are interested in transporting students to and from school. We are also looking for dedicated individuals to transport athletic teams to and from athletic events. For questihtwspTeaSte contact Dale Krueger at (269) 945-6152 or you can email dale.krueqer@hasskl 2.orq. Applications can be turned in at the District Administration Office (where they can be obtained). . Hastings Area School System 232 West Grand St., Hastings MI 49058 .. .. BARRY COUNTY, Ml ©FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER Anti-gravel mine protesters walking up to the Hope Township Hall for the planning commission meeting on Thursday, Aug. 18 (Photo by Leila Wood) RED ROSE, continued from page 1 The Family Support Center of Barry County would like to thank the following Sponsors for their support of the 21st Annual Elks’ Sponsored Family Support Center Golf Outing. In addition, we want to thank the staff at The Legacy of Hastings for their great customer service and support. Title Sponsor Bronze Sponsors Hastings Elks # 1965 Gilmore Car Museum King's Appliance Seidl Veterinary Hospital The South Jefferson Street General Store Diamond Sponsors Karen Heath and her husband Rick moved to Hastings in 1989 from Texas to fulfill Rick’s dream of owning a resale store. They took their two daughters, moved across the country and opened Secondhand Comers on State Street. After 30 years in business, Rick retired in 2019 and the store was closed and sold. The Red Rose Award was started in 1945 to honor people who personify “service above self.” Secretary and Membership Chair Carl Schoessel explained that the award began after an unexpected tragedy in the Dowagiac chapter of the club. Schoessel said the Red Rose Award was created to celebrate those who exemplify service while they are still alive and actively serving the community. “Why not tell them and honor them how much we appreciate them while they’re here. Not only that, not only while they’re here, but while they’re still serving” Schoessel said Monday. Heath joined the Rotary Club of Hastings in 2004 with a specialty in retail merchan­ dise. She has served in numerous committees, advised, wrote manuals for the club and has served on the Rotary Board of Directors, to name a few examples of her service to the club. Schoessel said “I think all of (the Rota­ ry Club members) know that whenever a request comes out for help with a Rotary project or program, Karen is always among the first to be in line.” In addition to her service to the Rotary Club of Hastings, Heath has exemplified ser­ vice above self in her community activities time and time again. A longtime board mem­ ber for seemingly every organization in Barry County, Heath has lent her services and expertise to the Barry Community Founda­ tion, the Youth Advisory Council (where, reportedly, she often made her famous bis­ cuits and gravy), the Barry Community Enrichment Center, PTA for both the middle Highpoint Community Bank Jenks Cleaning Services Jim's Pickup Services Law Offices of Carol Jones Dwyer, PLC & Barry Associates, Inc. Munn Manufacturing Professional Code Inspections Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law Gold Sponsors Caledonia Farmers Elevator Cindy and Stacey Garrison, DDS Coleman Agency Flexfab, LLC Hastings Mutual Insurance Company Miller Real Estate Ron Barnes State Street Diner Silver Sponsors Karen Heath’s family was instrumental in keeping the Red Rose Award a surprise to her, as well as supporting her through all her endeavors to serve Barry County. Here, Heath is pictured with her family at the Rotary meeting. Pictured are (front row, from left) Suzanne Bradford, Emily Elliott, Karen Heath, Deb Hatfield, Heather Heath, (back row, from left) Jacob Elliott, Rick Heath, and Tim Goode. (Photo by Molly Macleod) , and high schools, Summerfest and Sidewalk Sales, to name a just a few. “Today, more women than any time in our history have shown the strength and courage to ‘go for it,”’ said Rotarian and past Red Rose recipient Fred Jacobs. “Not only does their success stem from ambition, hard work and inspiration,” Jacobs continued, “it also comes from their ability to fight against adversity, and for not accepting ‘no’ for an answer...Karen Heath embodies these words by the hard work and the special effort she’s put in a. business that brought her and her husband Rick here in 1989, and she continues to (be) giving of herself even today.” Heath’s family was in attendance at the Rotary meeting Monday and was able to cel­ ebrate her as she was honored for her service to the community. “I love this town; it’s so progressive, it’s so forward-moving, I love change, and you all make the difference,” Heath said when receiving her award. Connie McMillian Edward Jones - Andrew Cove Edward Jones - Jim Lundin Good Time Pizza - Nashville Hastings Napa Auto Parts Hungry Howie's - Hastings Huntington Bank J-Ad Graphics Kloosterman's Sports Tap Bar & Grille Les's Sanitary Service Less Stress in Life.com MacLeod Chiropractic Center Mexican Connexion Mullenhurst Golf Course Photographic Memory Progressive Graphics Storrs Family The Legacy at Hastings Travelers Protective Association Triple E Counseling Services Walker, Fluke & Sheldon, PLC Donors & Volunteers Amanda Castelein Bob Becker Carol Jones-Dwyer Char and Larry MacDonald Dave Jackson David Banister Erica Enz Jennifer Eastman Julie Nakfoor-Pratt Larry Maupin Laura Brandt Laurie Ann Curtis Lori Jackson Mackenzie Maupin Mark Perkins Mollie Moore Sharon Barry Sheryl Overmire Stacey Laverty Sue Owen Susan McKinstry Therese Maupin-Moore Thank you to all the golfers and volunteers for their continued support in helping us with our mission to "eliminate and prevent child abuse and neglect through awareness, advocacy and education” Congratulations to our First Place Winners “Murray’s Aces” sponsored by Murphy Asphalt. �Page 4 — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Let’s make this school year a successful one - together No use crying over spilled milk A small river of milk formed in the parking lot of the Green Street United Methodist Church on Wednesday as volunteers from throughout the community, and the Barry County United Way, unloaded food to be distributed to families. The effort was part of the Hastings Fresh Food Initiative, which hands out food to roughly 200 area families every Wednesday morning. Unloading a towering skid of milk gallons proved challenging yesterday as it toppled over and sent milk spilling. Luckily, only a handful of gallons were damaged. Check this weekend’s edition of The Reminder to read our feature story on the Hastings Fresh Food Initiative and how it is powered by partnerships with corporations, the city and a small army of volunteers. Do you remember? Back by popular demand Reminder Aug. 19, 2003 Back by popular demand, the Hastings Public Library Drill Team will make its second appearance during the Summerfest parade. Par­ ticipants include (front row, from left) Karen Schlachter, Michelle Benningfield, Ellarie Spindler, Marianne Seidl, Jean Hammond, Susan Smith; (back row) Mel Hund, Barb Toburen, Jeanne Schwander and Willo Fuhr. Not pictured are Barb Schondelmayer and Emmalene McConnell. Have you met? Jacob Zech went to New York City for the first time last year, where he attended the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and studied TV and film acting. Believe it or not, the Big Apple is a little different from Hastings. Going from Hast­ ings to New York, and then back to Hast­ ings from New York for summer break has been quite the experience, he said. “It’s different, for sure,” Zech said. “I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s odd because this has been my home my whole life, but it’s definitely... slower goin.” While he still loves the small town feel of Hastings and the relationships that can develop because of that, he said it’s been great to see a different style of life in New York. “Everyone’s so wrapped up in their own thing (in New York), no one has time to worry about what you’re doing,” he said. “It’s been a blast. It’s really awesome. I love New York.” “It’s kind of odd, I was worried about moving out to New York that my social anxiety would flare up really bad with all these people around me,” he said. “Then, when I got there, I realized no one really cares what you’re doing at all. It’s almost like, ‘Okay, no one’s judging.’” Zech, a 2016 Hastings High School grad­ uate, was bom in Grand Rapids but has lived in Hastings since he was 3 years old. When he was a junior in high school, he started becoming more heavily involved in theater. “I love movies. I’ve wanted to act since I was like 5,” Zech said. “But then it kind of took me a while to build up any courage to actually audition.” Since then, Zech has been involved in productions in Barry County with the Thomapple Players, as well as other shows at theaters in Kalamazoo. He’s done a lot of Shakespeare, with his first leading role being Romeo from “Romeo and Juliet.” Jacob Zech In his time off from school, Zech has been taking time to develop projects for himself. Alongside helping a friend pro­ duce a short film, he’s been spending time writing and drawing. During the day, he’s the assistant general manager at Left Field Coffee Bar in Hastings. In a few weeks, he’ll be headed back to New York to finish up his second and final year of school there. Although he’s been enjoying his time back in Hastings rekin­ dling community connections and serving coffee downtown, he’s excited to return to New York. Although he’s unsure of where his future may take him, a move to the city that never sleeps may be in the cards. “I wouldn’t mind living in New York,” he said. “That would be awesome. I’ll prob­ ably get out of Hastings at some point, just for a different change of pace. I’ve been here most of my life.” For exploring new horizons and his cre­ ative interests, Jacob Zech is this week’s Bright Light. Person I admire most and why: I admire my grandmother, Sue Zech, the most. Just based on the life she’s lived, she’s one of the strongest people I know. She’s similar to why 1 like working here (at Left Field Coffee). She always stood by her values and never wavered for anybody else, and has always been her own person. She’s sacrificed so much for all of her loved ones. There’s been plenty that she’s gone without to make sure that her family and the ones closest to her have. She’s a tough old lady, for sure. Music I like to listen to: I listen to all kinds of music. Pretty much the only thing I won’t listen to is the modem, pop-y coun­ try. I like a lot of older country, like Marty Robbins and Johnny Cash and stuff like that. Besides that, just about anything. I’ve always been into hip-hop and ’90s rap. Recently I’ve been into a lot of indie rock and punk. I’ve been listening to this group called Black Midi, that’s kind of what I rock with recently. Favorite movie: It’s hard to choose just one. Recently, I’ve been on a huge kick for “There Will Be Blood,” from 2007 with Daniel Day-Lewis, directed by Paul Thom­ as Anderson. It’s so good. It’s about this guy’s endless ambition and greed and how he basically gets everything he wants, but ends up with nothing. Favorite director: I‘ve been really lik­ ing what the Safdie brothers have going with “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems.” They’re able to do suspense really well. Paul Thomas Anderson is up there as well. Monday was difficult in a bittersweet kind of way. It always is. It was back-to-school time in the Bussa household, and if we’re being honest, all three of my kids were less than excited. I was confronted by the usual mix of emotions, as well. After enduring a whole summer’s worth of having them home, listening to the occasional complaint about how bored they were, you might have thought that I would be nothing but enthused about dropping them off at school for the day. And, for the parents that did have giant grins on their faces as they dropped their kids off at school, I’m certainly not judging you. But, as a dad, there are always so many emotions to process for that day. From the nervous energy in the morning and their hesitation of walking through the doors, to watching them triumphantly hop in the car at the end of school after conquering their first day back. It’s cer­ tainly a lot. It might come as no shock that I’m a bit of a helicopter parent in training. I issue no apologies. Naturally, I made full use of the opportunity to walk my kids all the way into the school to make sure they were able to find their classrooms. I’ve made quite the tradition out of doing exactly that each year, followed by the ceremonial return trip back down the hall by myself, back to the van with my eyes stinging just a little bit. This year was certainly no exception. My youngest son joined his two siblings at the same school for the first time. He made the jump from part-time preschool to the big leagues of Kindergarten. That means a full seven hours of school, bringing a lunch - welcome to the bus­ tling life of academia, kid. It certainly hit my heart watching the little man walk into the gymnasium to meet the rest of his classmates who, along with many others, had congregated there. He marched forward confidently, looked up at some of the older kids who towered over him like trees, and stopped dead in his tracks. He looked back at me with a face that said “I’m not sure I can do this.” I looked back at him with a face that said “I’m not sure I can do this either, buddy.” But we both did and we both survived. My kids all returned from their first day of school with nothing but fun sto­ ries to share and general excitement. That first day tends to be the toughest for both kids and parents - but now, we’re off to the races. I’m not sharing this story just to let all of Barry County know that I’m a wuss. Back-to-school time is important for many reasons, and one of those reasons is that it puts on display all the hard work­ ing professionals in each school district that make this magical first day - and all the others that come after it - possible. This year is starting off with a little bit of a different feel, as well. The past two school years had been completely rattled and disrupted by COVID-19 as school districts looked to state officials and enti­ ties for direction on how to deal with the unprecedented health event. And while COVID is still very much a factor in our everyday lives, we have two-plus years of dealing with it under our belts. The first days of school almost felt like nor­ mal again - at least, a new normal, which comes with measures like advanced cleaning and similar efforts to mitigate the spread of this virus. There is no doubt, CO VID took its toll on everyone associated with education. From school boards and administrators to parents, teachers, and of course, kids. They all faced hardships that affected them in different ways. The media dripped with stories about how COVID had whipped up outrage The Hastings Jayson Bussa Editor Banner Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Frederic Jacobs Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. amongst parents, who then unleashed that outrage at school board meetings all while teachers exited the profession in droves. It has always been about how COVID has divided us, but as my kids head back to school for the year, I choose not to dwell on that division. You shouldn’t dwell on it either. Yes, COVID did put many of us at odds with one another. There is no deny­ ing the impact that the pandemic had on education and the rest of life. But, when you’re able to shed the “us vs. them” mentality that has unfortunate­ ly seeped into just about every aspect of social life, you’ll see that, through it all, schools were filled with teachers and administrators that wanted to do what’s best for children. Period. I recently spoke with Thornapple Kel­ logg Schools superintendent Craig McCarthy who acknowledged the divi­ siveness that accompanied the COVID19 pandemic. His take on it was both candid and accurate. Acknowledging that a good chunk of parents might still be suffering from hurt feelings after they felt their input was ignored, McCarthy said that roughly 5 percent of parents thought the school did too little to protect students while anoth­ er 5 percent thought the district’s policies were too heavy handed and stripped them of their liberties. In the middle are 90 percent of parents that simply wanted to see their kids do whatever was needed to get a quality education. And that’s a silent majority we don’t talk about enough. We love to focus on the controversy. Teachers busted their butts throughout the last two years jumping through countless hoops in order to find ways to effectively educate their students. Don’t believe me? I witnessed a first grade teacher try to command the attention of 20-plus kids on a video conference as they worked remotely. Do you think that was ideal for the teacher? Whether they have agreed with poli­ cies or not, teachers have gone with the flow. The exodus of talent from the ranks of teaching is certainly a reality, but the teachers that decided to stay likely stayed for the right reasons. Every day we entrust teachers with the well being of our kids. Over the last two years, we laid that same burden on their shoulders while the world juggled a deadly pandemic. You can project devious intentions upon teachers and administrators that you don’t agree with all you want. But, you’d be overlooking the fact that, just like you, they want to see your child thrive. I heard from all superintendents in Barry County and beyond that, amid some conflict throughout the pandemic, were overwhelmed by the sense of com­ munity that was forged in it. And that’s key. Education is going to be so much more effective when we grasp the fact that we’re on the same team here. You don’t have to agree with every decision a school district makes, but you can at least acknowledge that the end goal for everyone involved is the same. That’s what I was reminded of while dropping my kids off at school for their first day. They have seen it all - remote learning, masks, and every other precau­ tion you can think of. Never did I think any of that was designed to intentionally hurt them. I felt reassured walking away on that first day, even if I was a little sad. So, to Berklee, Whitaker and Watson - Dad is proud of you! To teachers, administrators, parents and students throughout Barry County, good luck this year. Make it a great one. Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker • NEWSROOM• Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties Jayson Bussa (Editor) $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren ' POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — Page 5 NEWS BRIEFS Summerfest outdoor community worship returns Sunday Capping off a weekend of fun celebrating the end of summer, Hastings Summerfest will offer its annual outdoor worship service once again on Sunday at the Thomapple Plaza. The service will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. All are welcome, and attendees are encour­ aged to bring friends and lawn chairs. Pastor Bryce Feighner, Green Street Church, and Pastor Kim Metzer, Hope and Wel­ come Comers Churches, will lead the worship. The worship theme this year is “The Lord’s Prayer.” This outdoor worship service has been a Summerfest tradition for many years. All offerings received go to support community needs. The goal, Feighner said, is to “take worship outside of the church and to help the community.” In the past, the service has raised funds for local non-profits such as Hand2Hand, Family Promise of Barry County, Barry County Cares and the Community Meal Program. Free beverages and snacks will be offered during the service to all attendees. Following the service’s conclusion at 11 a.m., local churches will put on a free community cookout. Like previous years, this year’s outdoor service will raise funds to support a local cause. This year, the community focus will be to support the Barry County Serenity Club, which helps fight addiction in Barry County and supports those recovering from substance abuse. Thornapple Wind Band kicks off its 2022-23 season From left to right Alex Steward and Stacy Steward present a check to Hastings High School band co-directors Spencer White and Jen Ewers. The money was raised via a charitable golf outing put on by the Viking Group. The company wanted to make a donation in memory of Kyle Steward, who passed away in November. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Family of longtime Hastings band supporter keeps his legacy alive through contributions Hastings Women’s Club to host informative meeting on elections in Barry County Jayson Bussa Editor When Stacy Steward’s husband passed away in November, she knew exactly where she wanted to direct his memorial contribu­ tions. “When he passed, there was no hesitation where we wanted donations to go,” she said. Kyle Steward was a veracious supporter of the band program at Hastings High School. Not only was he a former member of the band - he played tuba throughout his high school years - and a reliable volunteer for the pro­ gram long after graduating, but the program also ran in his bloodline. His grandfather, Art Steward, was a former director that took the reins back in the ’50s. In November, Kyle Steward passed away as a result of COVID-19 at the age of 44, just two days before his birthday. Still, his memo­ ry and legacy continues to live on within the program. Stacy Steward said most of his memorial contributions were diverted to the band to help with various expenses. The school also now displays a sign above a doorway leading to the band room that reads “In memory of Kyle Steward - Father, Family, Friend, Forever”. That sign was donated by another band parent. Kyle and Stacy’s three sons - Mason, Alex and Landon - all participated in drum line during high school. “He loved the band program,” Stacy Stew­ ard said. “He loved the band since he was in the band. Kyle just loved music in general and he loved the other band parents that he worked with (while volunteering).” This week, Stacy Steward’s employer, Hastings-based Viking Group Inc., joined in on the giving to the band program. Each year, the local manufacturer holds a golf outing and chooses a worthy cause to raise donations for. This year, the company decided to raise funds in memory of Kyle Steward, which made the beneficiary a no-brainer. As a result of the July 16 golf outing, held at The Legacy, Stacy Steward was able to hand the band program another check on Monday night for $2,215. “It definitely gives us the opportunity to have the right amount of equipment for our students,” said Jen Ewers, co-director of the Hastings High School band. “I feel like we’re always trying to buy equipment for different sections. Also, just keeping our equipment in shape and in good working order. We want to make sure we give them the best to work with.” And when it comes to needs, they’re virtu­ ally never ending. “We have a big list that is sort of a 5-year and a 10-year thing,” Ewers said. “We figure out what is the most immediate need and try to get that one and move to the next. It’s just keeping a running list because there’s always something.” Spencer White, the band’s other co-direc­ tor, said that the band generally focuses on one area per year when it comes to new pur­ chases. He said last year, the program made investments in equipment for the drum line. While White and Ewers haven’t finalized this year’s focus, he did say that they were looking to purchase baritone and tenor saxo­ phones, as the band’s current inventory is extremely outdated and from the early 90s, which is ironic considering the theme of this year’s marching show is “1992". In addition to generous charitable contribu­ tions, like the one that Viking and Stacy Stew- The Thomapple Wind Band will bring music to the Barry County area once again this year, and has announced its schedule for the first half of the 2022-23 season. The band is in a “transition year,” according to organizers, due to the retirement of longtime director Dave Macqueen. The first two concerts of the season in October and December will serve as “auditions” for the candidates to be new director. Having concerts on Sunday afternoons is new to the ensemble, as well. The Thornapple Wind Band’s first concert of the season will be Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Jackie Spagnuolo will be directing the band for this concert as a part of her audition to be the Wind Band’s new director. Rehearsals for the October concert will be Thursday nights at 7 p.m. in the Hastings Middle School band room. The dates for these rehearsals are Sept. 15, 22 and 29, and Oct. 6, 13 and 20. The second concert of the season will be Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. This concert will be conducted by Joan Bosserd-Schroeder as her audition to direct the Wind Band. Rehearsals will be held throughout November and December. Any and all are welcome and encouraged to join the Thornapple Wind Band. Those interested in joining can pick up music Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1:30 p.m. at Tyden Park during the band’s snack picnic. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Hastings Women’s Club regularly meets the first Friday of the month, and September’s meeting will be at Green Street United Methodist Church. Meetings begin at noon, featuring speakers presenting local volunteer information and topics that impact the community. This is followed by a 1 p.m. luncheon and fellowship. The featured speakers on Sept. 2 will be Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt and County Clerk Pam Palmer. They will be speaking on the topic of elections in Barry County. The club is a non-partisan organization. . The GFWC is a women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by e^amcing^W^e^Fd^CTFtWaf^SffTKlrs^iWrVis^W^i^'new always welcome. Club Membership Co-chair Kathy LaVictor may be reached by calling 269-945-0745 for more information or reservations. Rep. Calley invites residents to upcoming office hours Hastings High School senior Joy Aukerman practices the marimba as the band prepares for rehearsal on Monday night. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Kyle Steward (left) and his wife, Stacy Steward (right). ard handed over, the band has held a fundrais­ er called Bowling for Bands each year for over a decade now. This door-to-door effort hap­ pens every Spring and has helped to purchase everything from uniforms, sousaphones and marimbas to a MULE (utility vehicle, akin to a golf cart) and two band trailers. However, the donations made in memory of Kyle Steward seemed to resonate a little more. White got emotional while talking about what Kyle had meant to the band program. “He worked really hard with Jen and 1 on developing a couple areas of the program,” White said of Kyle. “The drum line and developing our electronics that we use in the band - those were two. We have a huge sound system and Kyle really helped spearhead and make that happen. He was very generous with his time. He was at every meeting (serv­ ing as a band booster board member), every rehearsal and every performance.” “...Just a volunteer supreme,” White said. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING ... - --- .. 108 " Quilt Backing Zippers, Threads, Notions fl Pray for our Country ‘0* QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 W hmm OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; ry-j Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station CANCER or another SERIOUS DISEASE after drinking the water at #8110376 & Insured CAMP LEJEUNE? ... ilk FROM 1953-87 Lans! Call us for a free consultation — since 20,000 vets (our clients) can't be wrong! SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L • Good Selection of Cotton Prints Did you get New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License J# • Time to Start Christmas Quilts MARINES, FAMILY MEMBERS & CIVILIAN WORKERS Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 State Rep. Julie Calley is hosting her upcoming office hours in Hastings. “Listening to the community helps me understand what concerns our district is facing,” Rep. Calley said in a statement. “I am incredibly grateful to have a dialogue and open conversation on what issues are impacting you.” The informal meeting will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Barry County Tyden Center, 121 S. Church St. in Hastings. No appointment is necessary to attend. Calley is also planning a virtual option for community members whb are unable to attend in person. Those interested in meeting virtually with Calley can email JulieCalley@house.mi.gov or call 517-373-0842 to schedule a Zoom meeting. Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville 800-311-9691 WEITZ &_LllXENBERGrc. 1 -844-538-0145 www.MarinesLegal.com 700 BROADWAY I J NEW YORK, NY 1 0003 �Page 6 — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Verlynn Frost Verlynn “Lynn” Carter Frost, age 88, passed away peacefully on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022 at Thomapple Manordn Hastings, MI. Bom in Raleigh, NC on November 26, 1933 to Linton “Nick” and Verlynn “Bynn” Carter, Lynn grew up in NC and then East Lansing, MI where she graduated from high school. After graduating from the last class of Michigan State College (now MSU) with a degree in Home Economics, Lynn married the love of her life, Barry Frost, and started a career as a high school teacher. As children arrived, Lynn went back and forth between teaching (either full time or as a substitute) and being a great mother. Having a spirited and adventurous heart herself, she encouraged and trained her children well when she saw those same traits in them. x-* -cVlTlT? >4 . . S IMfcx . Lilah Joan Francisco Even though they moved several times, Lynn was always active in her church: lead­ ing the women’s ministry bazaar, teaching Sunday school, providing food for others in need or heading up the prayer chain. An avid reader, Lynn was known to read histor­ ical novels, especially with a map on her lap. Lynn also enjoyed swimming, cooking, baking, gardening and knitting. Lynn was preceded in death by her hus­ band of 63 years, Barry Frost; her parents; her stepmother, Marian Carter; her sisters, Ellen Ringle and Jeanne Chadderdon; her sister-in-law, Carolyn VanSchoick, broth­ ers-in-law, John VanSchoick, Robert “Bob” Ringle and John Chadderdon. She is survived by her son, Eric Frost (Debra) of Battle Creek, MI; son, Brian Frost (Susan) of Mt. Juliet, TN; daughter, Sarah Frost of Holland, MI; son, Barry Frost III (Christine) of Niles, MI; grandchil­ dren Caleb Mason (Nicole), Michal Mason, Amanda Ulman (Tim), Charity Schwartz (Michael), Drew Frost (Faith), Anna Har­ mon (Trever), Megan Frost, Kara Frost and Gedeon Frost; great grandchildren Ella Bishop, Elliot Ulman, Varrick Ulman, Declan Schwartz, Talia Schwartz; nieces, nephews and many friends. A memorial service will be held on Sat­ urday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. at Hope United Methodist Church, 2920 M-37, Hastings, MI with a lunch reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hope United Methodist Altar Flower fund, the Hope Benevolence fund or your local food pantry. Memories and con­ dolences may be sent to the family at ofieldfuneralhome.com. * Traditional and Cremation Services Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 A Dale Billingsley Owner/Manager xx „ 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net j j . j Family OWUCd and Operated Ray Girrbach Owner Emeritus Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. Lilah Joan Francisco, age 84 of Delton, MI, passed away on August 17, 2022. Lilah was bom in Frontier, MI, the daughter of Harold and Arline (Dressier) Shiftier. Lilah was a second and third grade teacher at Delton Kellogg Schools for 25 years, retiring in 1994. She was a member of Faith United Meth­ odist church, Women of Faith, Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel, Michigan Education Association, National Education Association, and Delton-Kellogg Education Association. Always the teacher, Lilah was also a Sunday school teacher, 4H Leader, and on the board of directors for the children’s comer daycare at the church. . Lilah loved children, nature, going for walks, knitting, sewing, reading, and baking. Lilah is survived by her children, Jacqueline (Randy) Wahl, Gwendolyn (Ted) Boyle, Carolyn (William) Shuler, Kenneth (Mary) Francisco; grandchildren, Staci, William (Katherine), Bren­ dan (Chelsea), Wyatt, Jacob (Lauren), Natalie, BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan announces change to visitor restrictions BHSH Spectrum Health West Michigan is revising its visitor policies, lifting some restrictions in its hospitals and outpatient locations, including Spectrum Health Pennock. Effective Wednesday, minors - individuals ages 15 and younger - are allowed to visit adult and pediatric patients. Visiting minors must be with a supervising adult during regular visiting hours and be able to adhere to masking requirements. Additionally, non-COVID-19 patients who are in pri­ vate rooms will be allowed one adult overnight visitor. Overnight visits are not permitted for minors at this time. “At Spectrum Health, the safety and well-being of our patients and team members are our highest priority,” Chad Tuttle, senior vice president of hospital and post­ acute operations for Spectrum Health West Michigan, said in a statement. “We also recognize the importance of patients staying connected with loved ones. These revised restrictions will remain in place as long as cur­ rent infectious disease rates remain stable.” Visitor guidelines include: - Adult hospital inpatient; labor and delivery; OB tri­ age; and cath lab: Four visitors. Visitors can be different individuals each day. -Adult emergency department, urgent care, surgery and endoscopy: Two visitors. -Adult lab and radiology: One visitor. - Pediatric emergency department, surgery, lab and radiology: Two visitors. - Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital bone marrow transplant unit: Minors younger than 12 years are not per­ mitted. - Neonatal ICU minor visitors must be sibling of patient. - Physician and medical offices: Two visitors (some loca­ tions may have tighter access because of space limitations). - Inpatient adult and pediatric COVID-19-positive patients can have two adult visitors. The visitors must be the same people throughout patient’s stay at the hospital and the visitors must abide by all personal protective equipment (PPE) expectations. Adults are individuals ages 16 years and older. All visitors will be asked to follow personal protective equipment guidelines at all times. Visitors who enter must consistently wear an acceptable, clean, well-fitting, filter­ ing face covering. Medical-grade procedural masks are available for all visitors. Complete visitor guidelines can be found at spectrumhealth.org/covidl 9/family-and-visitor­ restrictions. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.Iifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Megan Elizabeth Parmelee, Irving, TX and Gregory Scott Roberts, Austin, TX Samantha Anne Stewart, Middleville and Justin Scott Rein­ ke, Middleville KElly Marie Sievert, Middleville and Ross Thomas Fitzpat­ rick, Middleville Christopher Alan Poland, Hastings and Katie Lynn Bowl­ ing, Middleville Kristen Jeanne Trujillo, Hastings and Stephen Jeffrey Delcotto, Hastings Hannah Leia Waters, Hastings and Travis Jay Westra, Hast­ ings Amy Michelle Hobert, Bellevue and Ashton Michael Clow, Bellevue David Theodore Verbeek, Jr., Dowling and Brittany Lee Burley, Dowling Mark William Simmons, Plainwell and Marina Dawn Niemchick, Dorr Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist How can I get proof of my benefits to apply for a loan? If you need proof you get Social Security benefits, Supplemental Securi­ ty Income (SSI) and/or Medicare, you can request a benefit verification letter online through your personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. This letter is sometimes called a “bud­ get letter,” a “benefits letter,” a “proof of income letter,” or a “proof of award letter.” You even can select the infor­ mation you want included in your online benefit verification letter. Someone stole my Social Security number and it’s being used repeatedly. Does Social Security issue new Social Security numbers to victims of repeated identity theft? Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America, so you aren’t alone. If you’ve done all you can to identify and fix the problem, includ­ ing contacting the Federal Trade Com­ mission (FTC), but someone is still using your number, Social Security may assign you a new number. If you decide to apply for a new number, you’ll need to prove your identity, age, and U.S. citizenship or immigration status. You’ll also need to provide evidence you’re having ongoing problems because of the misuse of your current Social Secu­ rity number. You can read more about identity theft at ssa.gov/pubs. Can I delay my retirement benefits and receive benefits as a spouse only? How does that work? It depends on your date of birth. If you were bom on or before 01/01/1954 and your spouse is receiving Social Security benefits, you can apply for retirement benefits on your spouse’s record as long as you are at your full retirement age. You then will earn delayed retirement credits up to age 70, as long as you do not collect benefits on your own work record. Later, when you do begin receiving benefits on your own record, those payments could very well be higher than they would have been otherwise. If your spouse is also full retirement age and does not receive benefits, your spouse will have to apply for benefits and request the payments be suspended. Then you can receive benefits on your spouse’s Social Secu­ rity record. If you were bom on or after 01/02/1954 and wish to receive bene­ fits, you must file for all benefits for which you are eligible. Social Security will determine the benefits you are eli­ gible for and pay you accordingly. For individuals bom on or after 01 /02/1954, there is no longer an option to select which benefit you would like to receive, even beyond your full retirement age. Widows are an exception, as they can choose to take their deceased spouse’s benefit without filing for their own. For more information, visit ssa.gov. I plan to retire in spring. How soon can I file for my Social Security bene­ fits? You can file four months before you plan to receive benefits. Go ahead and apply now if you plan to retire when winter’s frost finally lets up. To apply, go to ssa.gov/retire. Applying online has never been easier - you can do it from the comfort of your home. All you need is 15 minutes and internet access. I am 57 years old and I currently receive Social Security disability bene­ fits. Can 1 still get my regular Social Security retirement benefits when I reach full retirement age? If you are still receiving Social Secu­ rity disability benefits when you reach your full retirement age, we will auto­ matically switch you from disability benefits to retirement benefits at that point. The money amount will remain the same. For more information on dis­ ability benefits, visit ssa.gov/benefits/ disability. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs specialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Adminis­ tration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda.vantil@ ssa.gov. Fiberglass Produc,s MWfflHOF HotlineTDols&Equlpment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Tobias Timothy Miller, bom at Spec­ trum Health Pennock on July 29, 2022 to Meaghan Miller and David Miller of Hastings. Alexander Palmer, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on July 31,2022 to Breanna Palmer and James Palmer II of Lake Odessa. Ragnar Lee Laughry, bom at Spctrum Health Pennock on August 8, 2022 to Mehgan Laughry and Lance Laughry of Lake Odessa. Colt Glenn Huhn, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 10, 2022 to Bobbi Jo Johnsen and Jordon Huhn of Vermontville. David Anthony Daniels Bailey, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 5, 2022 to Jillian Bailey of Hastings. Mykah Thad Emery Roscoe, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 12, 2022 to Kasey Jo Adams and Trent Pat­ rick Emery Roscoe of Nashville. Griffin Henry Hammond, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 14, 2022 to Hayley Bishop and Brett Ham­ mond of Hastings. Hastings Area School System HIRING Transportation FT Mechanic Helper/Driver Starting Rate of Pay $20.44 per hour Benefits - Paid Vacation - Holiday Pay 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Question and Answer LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Caden (Brooke), Clayton, Nicholas; great grand­ daughter, Annaliese, and one on the way; broth­ ers, Wendell (Judy) Shiftier, Walter (Linda) Shiftier, and Willis (Debbie) Shiftier; special cousin, Mary Margaret Lane; many nieces, neph­ ews, and loving extended family and friends. Lilah was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James Francisco; brother, Wallace Shiftier; and sisters, Leona Bergman and Leia Powers. Friends and relatives may meet with the family on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Faith United Methodist Church where a celebration of life service will take place at 11 a.m. Pastor Sam Gordy will offi­ ciate. Private burial will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery. Memorial contributions to Faith United Methodist Church will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Lilah’s family. We are looking for a dedicated candidate who can assist our Head Mechanic with repairs to our fleet and drive a bus from time to time. Applications can be obtained and turned in at Hastings Area School System Administration Offices located at 232 W. Grand St., Hastings, MI 49058 Helen Schantz to celebrate 95th birthday Helen Schantz, of Nash­ ville, will be celebrating her 95th birthday on August 28, 2022 at Maple Grove Commu­ nity Building, 721 Durkee St., Nashville. She was born August 31, 1927. No gifts. Your presence will be enough. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — Page 7 Heritage Days provides action-packed weekend for Middleville residents Charlie Pullen Memorial Car Show spectators check out Dave Sensiba's 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, which won first place Saturday during Heritage Days in downtown Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Adam (left) and Matalie Underhill make a pass on the Thornapple River Saturday morning in Middleville during the first TAPRC Paddle for Parks canoe race from downtown Middleville to Indian Valley Campground on the northern edge of Barry County. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 186505 . CITY OF HASTINGS PUBLIC NOTICE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 606 The undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Clerk of the City of Hastings, Michigan, does hereby certify that Article 90-VI is hereby amended by amending Division 90-VI-4 R-1, Section 90-289 (a), Division 90-VI-5 R-2, Sections 90-312 (h), Section 90-314 (a), Division 90-VI-6 R-D, Section 90-339 (a), Division 90-VI-8 A-1, Section 90-391, Section 90-392 (b), 90-393 (a), Section 90-394 (a), Division 90-VI-9 A-2, Section 90-423 (a), Section 90-424 (a), Division 90-VI-10 A-O, Section 90-452 (b), Section 90-453 (a), and Section 90-454 (a). was adopted by the City Council of the City of Hastings at a regular meeting on the 22nd of August 2022. A complete copy of this Ordinance is available for review at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk 164697 PUBLIC NOTICE Action goes on during the Thomapple Kellogg basketball program s Heritage Days 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at the Cage at McFall Elementary School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Greg Chandler Staff Writer Downtown Middleville was packed with excitement last weekend with the village’s annual Heritage Days celebration. The two-day festival featured all kinds of activities for families, highlighted by the annual Heritage Days parade last Saturday morning. Randy Eaton, who retired earlier this summer as chief of Thomapple Township Emergency Services, was the grand marshal. The festival also included the first-ever Pad­ dle for Parks canoe race, put on by Thornapple Area Parks and Recreation. Proceeds from the event will go toward a fund to support the Sheridan Park project that has been proposed in the village, near the Department of Public Works headquarters and Mt. Hope Cemetery. Car enthusiasts turned out in force for the Charlie Pullen Memorial Classic Car Cruise­ In, honoring the late beloved village presi­ dent who passed away in November 2020. Other activities includes the Middleville Rotary Club’s Duck Race on the Thomapple River, games for kids, live music, a sand volley­ ball tournament and a barbecue turkey dinner. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on September, 8 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to any State of Michigan legis­ lative changes to the Open Meetings Act, the Township Planning Commission may hold its meeting (including public hearing) electronically, in order to limit in person government activities, to protect critical infrastructure workers to the extent possible. If the meeting is held electronically, information to electronically attend the meeting will be posted on the Township’s website at http://www.prairievilletwp-mi.org. In addition to participation during an electronically held public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission’s consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Plan­ ning Commission for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompson(g) pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone mes­ sage prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. 2. A request from property owner, Gene and Betsy Muskovin, 7877 Coyote Ln. Hickory Corners, Ml 49060, for a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the construction of an addition to detached accesso­ ry structure failing to meet the lot coverage requirements pursuant to section 4.20 “Accessory Structures”. The subject site is located at 7877 Coyote Ln., Parcel '# 08-12-025-003-16 and is currently zoned A Agricultural. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amend­ ments) at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Bryce Cooper plays his trombone with the Thomapple Kellogg High School marching band before heading to the river to win the first TAPRC Paddle for Parks canoe race during Middleville Heritage Days Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and ser­ vices, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Fritz Bork, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 All Barry County Townships APPLICATIONS FOR DEFERMENT OF SUMMER 2022 TAXES Application Deadline: Sept. 14, 2022 All township treasurers in Barry County are currently accepting applications for summer 2022 tax deferments (deferments are not exemptions). To qualify, a household annual income cannot exceed $40,000. The applicant(s) must also be: 1) 62 years of age or older, including the unmarried surviving spouse of a person who was 62 years of age or older at the time of death, 2) paraplegic, hemiplegic or quadriplegic, 3) an eligible serviceperson, eligible veteran or their eligible widow or widower. 4) a blind person, or 5) a totally and permanently disabled person. Those that farm agricultural real property may also qualify if the gross receipts of the farming operation are not less than the household income of the owner. Additional information and deferment applications may be obtained from the following treasurers: BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP Terry Ryder-Stephens, Treasurer Melissa VanSyckle, Treasurer (269) 721-3502 (269) 339-9569 BARRY TOWNSHIP Judith Wooer,Treasurer (269) 623-5171 CARLTON TOWNSHIP Terri Geiger, Treasurer (269) 945-5990 CASTLETON TOWNSHIP Joy Mulder, Treasurer (517) 852-9479 HASTINGS CHARTER TWP Jenee Phillips, Treasurer (269) 948-9690 HOPE TOWNSHIP Arlene Tonkin, Treasurer (269) 948-2464 IRVING TOWNSHIP Doug Sokolowski, Treasurer (269) 948-0633 JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP Karmen Nickerson, Treasurer (269) 721-3611 MAPLE GROVE TWP Ginger Cole, Treasurer (517) 852-1844 ORANGEVILLE TWP Michelle Ritchie, Treasurer (269) 664-4522 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Judy Pence, Treasurer (269) 623-2664 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP Sandra Greenfield, Treasurer (269)948-2194 THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP Debra Buckowing, Treasurer (269) 795-7202 WOODLAND TOWNSHIP Shawn Durkee, Treasurer (269)367-4915 YANKEE SPRINGS TWP Deb Mousseau, Treasurer (269) 795-9091 CITY OF HASTINGS Francie Brummel, Dep Treasurer (269) 945-2468 �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, August 25, 2022 Saxons kick-off season tonight in Middleville Brett Bremer The 2022 Hastings High School and Middle School cross country runners. Team members include Lilly Randall, Caroline Randall, Chloe Pirtle, Alexia Owen, Tanner Krzysik, DJ Kuck, Kenny Vastine, Micah Johnson, Spencer Crozier, Brandon Simmons, Carter Krzysik, Reuben Solmes, Jonah Teed, Riley Shults, Cole Greenfield, Bailey Pennock and Alex Steward. HHS boys have experience, Saxon girls look to gain it Brett Bremer Sports Editor A strong class of 2024 group has gained experience over two varsity cross country seasons and will look to move up in the top half of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference varsity boys’ cross country standings this fall. The Hastings boys were fourth in the conference a year ago and went on to win the Barry County Championship at the end of the season. Back from last year’s squad are junior co-captains Riley Shults and Reuben Solmes, senior Alex Steward, juniors and Cole Greenfield and sophomores Brandon Simmons and Micah Johnson. Shults, Solmes, Teed and Greenfield are all in their third season with the team. Shults has twice earned first team All-Barry County honors and has been honorable mention all-conference and second team all-conference in his two 1-8 seasons. Teed has been first team all-county twice and Solmes and Simmons have both earned that honor once. Head coach Steve Collins said that Stew­ ard, who is in his fourth year with the pro­ gram, has made great improvements and is looking to be a scoring contributor through­ out the season. The program is also happy to welcome back junior Caleb LaBoe who was an all-conference and all-county runner as a freshman, but had to miss his sophomore season due to an injury. Also back for the Hastings boys’ team are juniors Bailey Pennock, Kenneth Vas­ tine and John Chmura all starting their third season in the high school program. The team will also look forward to seeing what freshmen Spencer Crozier, Carter Krzysik and sophomore DJ Kuck can contribute. While the boys’ team is full of returning runners, the guys didn’t get together much this summer to run. “We’ll see if we can bring it together as a team,” coach Collins said. The Hastings girls took a solid step for­ ward a year ago, but it’ll be tough to keep the ball rolling in the right direction with three letter winners returning and no addi­ tions to the program as of yet this season. The group back for the girls includes junior captain Toby Commensoli, senior Victoria Jerzyk and sophomore Anika Bourassa. It is Commensoli’s third season in the program and the second for both Jerzyk and Bourassa. Coach Collins said it is a great group of girls that is looking forward to a season building fond memories of fun times - and there is still hope of adding a few more runners to the program in the coming weeks. The boys are looking forward to getting some trophies, chasing a repeat of their Barry County title and pushing for a top spot in the 1-8. In the end, their hope is to be able to advance through a tough regional and earn a spot in the MHSAA Lower Pen­ insula Division 2 Cross Country Finals. Harper Creek is the defending 1-8 cham­ pion on the boys’ side, and the Beavers bring back three of their top seven runners from a team that finished as a regional run­ ner-up and placed 16th at the MHSAA L.P. D2 State Finals last fall. Coldwater was second in the conference a year ago and has four of its top seven back, and Marshall has an experienced crew returning as well. Sports Editor It has been back-to-back regular seasons for the Hastings varsity football team with the Saxons earning shares of the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference title in each season. Now a mostly new group, which will be tested early on, will try and keep things roll­ ing. Hastings graduated 16 seniors last spring who were all contributors. Junior quarterback Owen Carroll, who got a few snaps with the varsity as a sophomore, leads an athletic backfield which does bring back a couple of its top threats from a year ago in seniors Robby Slaughter and Lanny Teunessen. Slaughter was an all-conference running back as a junior carrying the ball for 1,146 yards and 18 touchdowns out of the Saxons’ Wing-T backfield. He had over 600 yards and nine touchdowns on the varsity as a sopho­ more. He was one of the Saxons’ top defend­ ers at outside linebacker as well last fall. Teunessen rushed for over 400 yards and ten touchdowns as a junior and will see time on the Saxons’ defensive line as well. Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy, now entering his eighth season leading the pro­ gram, is excited by the Saxons’ strength in the trenches. Those groups are led by senior Alexander Forbes and junior Diego Coipel and Murphy also expects good things from Parker Roslund and Devin Smith. Forbes and Coipel were both all-conference athletes last fall on what was chosen the top offensive line in the Interstate-8 at the conclusion of the season. Senior Layton Eastman is back on the line at tight end and he will be a key piece of the Saxons’ defensive backfield again. Eastman has an impressive junior campaign that included 38 tackles, two sacks, ten pass break-ups and five interceptions. Sophomore Jet Barnum will work with Eastman at tight end and defensive back, and Carroll will sped time as a defensive back too. The young guys working their way onto the field will face a challenging start to the season. The Saxons open in Middleville tonight, Aug. 25, against the rival Thomapple Kellogg Trojans. Next Thursday, Hastings will play its home opener against a Whitehall program that made the playoffs a year ago. The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season begins Sept. 9 in Jackson against the Lumen Christi Titans. Coach Murphy said he expects the JLC Titans to once again be one of the top con­ tenders in the 1-8 along with Marshall and Jackson Parma Western. Lumen Christi, Hastings and Harper Creek shared the confer­ ence title a year ago each going 6-1 in confer­ ence contests. Kick-off in Middleville is set for 7 p.m. Tonight. Murphy said the Trojans’ multi-level passing game will challenge his young defen­ sive backs. Hastings did finish a few points ahead of the Marshall boys as both teams opened their season at the Portage Early Bird Invi­ tational Friday, Aug. 19. Hastings was 11th in a field of 20 teams with 308 points. Marshall, the only other 1-8 team competing on the day, was 13th with 332. East Grand Rapids took a tiebreaker to best Portage Central for the championship with 53 points each. Kalamazoo Central was third with 119 points, Rockford fifth with 125 and Battle Creek Lakeview fifth with 164 at the top of the standings. Shults and Simmons both hit the finish line in less than 18 minutes for Hastings. Shults was 24th in 17 minutes 24.9 sec­ onds. Simmons clocked in 45th at 17:52.9. The top five for the Hastings boys also included Solmes 73rh in 18:49.8, Teed 85th in 19:03.2 and LaBoe 125th in 20:02.3. Rockford senior Colin Graham was the day’s individual champion with a time of 16:12.0. He was one of 13 guys to finish the race in fewer than 17 minutes. The Hastings girls did not compete Fri­ day - and neither did the Marshall girls for that matter. Coach Collins said he expects Jackson Lumen Christi, Marshall and Parma West­ ern to be a tough top three in the 1-8 girls’ competition this fall. Lumen Christi had five of its top seven back and Marshall has six of its top seven. Both teams won region­ al championships a year ago after going 1 -2 in the conference. Hastings is back in action this Friday night at South Christian’s Under the Lights Meet. The Saxons head to Turkeyville Monday, Aug. 30, for Marshall’s annual Barney Roy Invitational. Diego Coipel THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS Dr. Scott Bloom O.D. 1510 N. Broadway (M-43 Hwy.) Hastings 269-945-3906 NAPA HASTINGS NAPA PERFORMANCE 122 N. Jefferson St. ------ PLUS ------- Hastings 269-948-9696 UnionBank Ybnrfife (800)974^273 dU/C/(O/i CMAJVGf Quality Aluminum Products 429 S Michigan Ave, Hastings, MI 49508 DEWEY’S AUTO BODY THE HASTINGS BANNER 1111 W. Green, Hastings Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 www.deweysautobody.com 1351 N. M-43 Hwy., Hastings 269-945-9554 430 W. STATE ST HASTINGS 269-948-8558 LITTLE CAESAR’S Home of the Hot & Ready Pizza! 216 N. Broadway, Hastings 269-948-2824 ubmich.com SAXON * ** PRIDE * r Leaping Lizards k Landscaping nick@leapinglizardslandscaping.com �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — Page 9 Young HHS volleyball team and new coach look to grow program Brett Bremer Sports Editor New Hastings varsity girls’ volleyball coach Erin Slaughter is looking forward to the future. She started her high school coaching career leading the Saxon freshmen last fall and takes over leadership of the varsity from Tiffany Hendershot this season. Back with the varsity this fall are senior outside hitter and DS Bailey Cook, junior setter/outside hitter Abby Beemer and junior middle Audrey Vertalka. Coach Slaughter said Cook is a great leader, confident and competitive. Beemer is dependable and consistent according to her coach and had over 100 kills and 100 assists a year ago. Vertalka will really help out the back row defense with her blocking skills. She had 61 solo blocks a a year ago continue to home her skills. “We are looking to grow the program, in numbers and in skills,” Slaughter said. “In past years our upperclassmen numbers have been really low, and we would like to change that so that the teams have more experience. The girls have also set a goal of having a more positive and happy season, which so far we have accomplished.” Winning certainly always helps. The Sax­ ons went 5-1 and finished second overall at their season opening tournament in Fremont August 19. Hastings will start the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season at Jackson Lumen Chris­ ti Sept. 7. The first home match on the schedule for the Hastings girls is against Coldwater Sept. 14 and he Saxons will host a three-team meet at home the following day, Sept. 15. and over 100 kills while also spending some time at setter. Cook is one of just three seniors on the roster and it is a fairly small team in terms of numbers overall, so youngsters will get a lot of time on the court. “We’ve got good leadership returning and joining us at the varsity level,” Slaughter said. “We have some height at the net, and we are hoping to young girls learn from these leaders to continue having a strong team in the future.” Coach Slaughter said she is hoping the youngsters’ time on the varsity court now only strengthens the program overall. A couple of those varsity newcomers are junior middle hitter Kimber Fenstemaker and sophomore setter Bri Darling. Slaugh­ ter is excited to see Darling grow into her setter role, and excited to see Fenstemaker Audrey Vertalka DK/TK/HHS swim brings three of its four state finalists back Brett Bremer Sports Editor Nobody scored more points at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Championship Meet last November than Delton Kellogg/ Thomapple Kellogg/Hastings sophomore Sophia Marcukaitis - not even her All-America big sister Abby who is now swimming for Purdue University. The two Marcukaitis sisters each scored 40 points at the 2021 conference meet, tying Ottawa Hills freshman Danica Sadowski atop the all-conference list. Sophia is back to help lead the DK/TK/ HHS varsity team this fall as a junior. Junior Holly Carpenter and senior Preslee Hall return as well. Thattrio joined Abby in swim­ ming in the 200-yard medley relay at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Swim­ ming and Diving Finals last season. Sophia was the conference champion in the 200-yard individual medley a year ago and the conference champion in the 100-yard breaststroke. The trio of Sophia, Hall and Carpenter were a part of runner-up confer­ ence finishes in both the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay. Carpenter was one of the conference’s top freestyle sprinters last fall finishing on the medal stand in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Hall was not too far behind the medalists in the 50-yard freestyle and earned a spot on the conference medal stand in the 100-yard butterfly. While that trio has earned some great expe­ rience in the pool over the years, DK/TK/HHS head coach Carl Schoessel said he has a young team overall with some girls who don’t have any competitive experience yet. The DK/TK/ HHS girls will certainly have the talent at the top to chase some conference championships again, but Ottawa Hills and Wayland are the most likely squads to finish atop the team standings in the conference by the end of the season. The DK/TK/HHS team will be push­ ing for a spot in the top half of the conference. Coach Schoessel said he expects a strong corps of divers to be able to help the team add points throughout the season. The season opens Tuesday, Aug. 30, when the DK/TK/HHS girls host Ionia for a no-con­ ference dual. That is the only meet on the schedule before the Labor Day holiday. The team will go to Fremont Sept. 8, Northview Sept. 15 and then Ottawa Hills Sept. 22 to open conference duals. The team hosts its annual DK/TK/HHS Relays Sept. 24, and the conference meet will once again be held in Hastings the weekend of Nov. 4-5. owpi lid ivicnuui\ciiu& Golf girls look to grow their short-game as season starts Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons got their first competitive nine holes of the season in Monday and put together a team score of 218 to best the Ionia Bulldogs at Shadow Ridge Golf Club. Most of a very young 2021 squad is back for the Saxons to be guided by new varsity girls’ head coach Ross Schueller, who took over the boys’ program as well last spring., The group back for the Saxons includes seniors Lauren Arnold, Julia McLean and juniors Isabelle Roosien, Addey Nickels and Peightyn Cronk. That group of five is joined on the course this fall by freshmen Sophia Greenfield and Adeline Carey. Greenfield has some youth golfing experience and is likely to fill the Saxons’ varsity six at most events along with those five returnees. Roosien and McLean each shot a 53 in Lauren Arnold the win over Ionia. Greenfield scored a 55 and Arnold and Nickels both scored a 56. While coach Schueller would love for his girls to come into the fall having played golf every day all summer long, the Saxons have a little bit of catch up to do before they’re ready to compete with the top teams in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. He is pretty happy with the work they have gotten done so far. “Every single one of them wants to be coached. They’re not looking at me like, ‘I have to listen to this guy because he’s a coach.’ They want to be better and want to know how to be better,” Schueller said. The new Saxon coach said while not everyone always wants to spend time work­ ing on the short game he knows it is typical­ ly the area of play where people can improve the most and that has been the focus for the couple weeks the team has been together. “I have seen improvement in all of them, but in particular Sophia and Peightyn have probably made the biggest leaps forward in terms of their short game,” coach Schueller said. Coach Schueller said he is looking for­ ward to help the junior golf program in the area continue to grow. The Saxons will continue to grow their own varsity experience at the Thomapple Kellogg Invitational Friday at Yankee Springs Golf Course, the first 18-hole tour­ nament of the season for the Saxons. Hast­ ings was scheduled for a dual with Lake­ wood at Centennial Acres yesterday. Hastings starts the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season Tuesday, Aug. 30, when Parma Western hosts the first conference jamboree at Arbor Hills Golf Club. The first home meet at The Legacy at Hastings for the Saxons will be their 2022 Saxon Dozen Invitational where players play an unusual 12-hole round. THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS Pat Doezema Managing Broker Realtor® 269.838.1469 GREENRIDGE REALTY HAST! N G S pdoezema@greenridge.com 2169 W. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, MI 49058 highpoint PRECISION AUTO BODY REPAIR KING’S ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES 819 E. Railroad St. Hastings 130 W. State, Hastings 269-948-9472 269-945-4284 FARM Rl/REAl/ INSURANCE’ 117 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml Lynn Denton 517.852.9207 COMMUNITY BANK 1-888-422-2280 highpointcommunitybank.com Member FDIC HODGES JEWELRY & GIFTS 122 W. State St, Hastings 269-945-2963 269-945-4520 SCREEN PRINTING & EMBROIDERY 1, brokencmoker.com ..ADVANTAGE PLUMBING & DRAIN 269.948.2811 MILLER REAL ESTATE EDWARD JONES 149 W. State St, Hastings 421 W. Woodlawn, Hastings 269-945-5182 269-241-1050 Southern BBQ S* Catering 122 W. Mill St. Hastings, Mi 139 W. State Street, Hastings www.thelyiuidentonagency.com 120 E. Main St. Middleville, MI 49333 Andrew R. Cove, AAMS Financial Advisor 269-945-3553 Thanks to Brett Bremer for his areas sports coverage. �Page 10 — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Philip R. Shriner and Kristen K. Shriner, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated May 31,2013 and recorded June 5, 2013 in Instrument Number 2013-007202 and Loan. Modification Agreement recorded on July 22, 2021, in Instrument Number 2021-009329, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Fifth , Third Bank National Association, by assignment. There. is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Two Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Seven Hundred NinetyTwo and 67/100 Dollars ($285,792.67). . Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of . them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 1,2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Yankee Springs, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot(s) 83 and the North 1/2 of Lot 84 and the South 1/2 of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records, being situated in Section 32 and 33, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Except that part of said above described premises as lies within the following: Commencing at the North Northerly corner of Lot 82 of ELMWOOD BEACH according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 2 of Plats, Page 58 of Barry County Records (said corner being adjacent to Mile Drive of ■ said Plat) thence Southwesterly along the Northwesterly line of said Lot 82 and the Extension of 61 feet, thence South 59 degrees 5 minutes East 132.50 feet to a stake, thence Northeasterly parallel to the first mentioned course of the within described 50 feet to a stake, thence North 54 degrees 21 minutes West 125 feet to the place of ^beginning, Including in said exception all land lying between the third or shore traverse of same and the shore of’Gun Lake, Barry County Records. 3161 Elmwood Beach Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 •The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to’’the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. D^ted: August 4, 2022 ' Fite No. 22-004404 rFirm Name:.Orlans.PC • Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-04) (08-25) 185221 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party | foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone . number stated in this notice. -Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash oroashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit cdurt in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 'PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county regipter.pldeeds7 office or a title insurance company, either Of which - imay charge a fee for this information. ' Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Scott Edgerton, to PNC Bank, National Association, successor by merger to National City Bank, Mortgagee, dated March 30, 2001 and recorded April 23, 2001 in Instrument Number 1058455 Barry County Records, Michigan. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Thirty-Seven Thousand Two Hundred ThirtyNine and 48/100 Dollars ($37,239.48). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: ; .The East 74 Fee of Lot 34, Vickery’s Lakeside Park and Cot, according to the recorded Plat thereof, Barry County Records. .857 Watts Dr, Dowling, Michigan 49050 'The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 25, 2022 File No. 22-003427 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-25)(09-15) 186453 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): John Hoffman, a single man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Money Source Inc. Date of Mortgage: May 5, 2015 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 16, 2015 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $100,785.59 Description of the mortgaged premises; Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 332 Feet Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4, Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan. This Parcel May Also Be Described As: That Part Of The Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 Of Section 17, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, Irving Township, Barry County, Michigan, Described As: Beginning At The East 1/4 Corner Of Said Section, Thence North 0 Degrees 00 Minutes East 332.0 Feet Along The East Line Of Said Northeast 1/4; Thence South 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds West 1312.35 Feet Parallel With TheSouth 1 >•- • r-rr--. Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence South 0 Degrees 04 Minutes 54 Seconds East 332.0 Feet Along The West Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4; Thence North 89 Degrees 59 Minutes 20 Seconds East 1311.88 Feet Along The South Line Of Said Southeast 1/4, Northeast 1/4 To The Place Of Beginning. Common street address (if any): 5501 N Solomon Rd, Middleville, Ml 49333-8719 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. FOCUS Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1'961, 1'96.1 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sala Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle, the^purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential'^urchaser is may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Shane Hills, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Mortgage: December 27, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 6, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $66,453.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing on the East side of the Highway, 57 rods 14 links South of the West 1/4 post; thence East 11 1/2 rods; thence South 22 rods 11 links, more or less; thence West 13 1/2 rods to the center of the Highway; thence North 15 rods 23 links; thence East 2 rods to the East side of the Highway; thence North 6 1/2 rods to place of beginning.. Common street address (if any): 7290 N Broadway Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9714 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 6Q0.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service the telephone .number stated in this notice. Case Number V-2-2022 - Barbara O’Grady (Ap­ plicant); Barbara O’Grady (Property Owners) Location: 603 Gaskill Rd. Hastings, Ml 49058, in Section 33 of Carlton Township. Purpose: Request a variance to construct a 12 x 18 carport with a front yard setback of 16 ft (the minimum is 20ft) and a side yard setback of 6ft (the minimum is 10ft) in the RL (Recreational Lake) zon­ ing district. Case Number V-3-2022 - Robert Flannery (Ap­ plicant); Robert Flannery (Property Owne Location: 12892 Marsh Rd. Shelbyville, Ml 49344 in Section 6 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Request a variance to construct an ad­ dition to a home with a front yard setback of 16ft (the minimum is 20ft) in the MU (Mixed Use) zoning district. Case Number V-4-2022 - Robin Coyer (Appli­ cant); Robin Coyer (Property Owner) Location: 1496 Shagbark Lane, Hastings, Ml 49058 in Section 5 of Hastings Township. Purpose: Request a variance to divide a parcel of land using a private road that does not meet, the specifications of Section 531 of the BCZO. Case Number V-5-2022 - Clark Brothers Build­ ing Contractors, LLC (Applicant); Bay Corp Inc. (Property Owner) Location: 11456 Marsh Rd. Shelbyville, Ml 49344, in Section 5 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Request a variance to construct a 20 x 35 addition to an existing pavilion that is 10ft from the rear (water) line (the minimum is 20ft) in the MU (Mixed Use) zoning district. MEETING DATE: September 12, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center, Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Zoning Board of Appeals members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned time and place. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at imcmanus@barrycounty.orq. The variance application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or calling the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 186452 £ ■ "s 1472883 (08-18) (09-08) NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing for the following: fatitt —'andxtefaults are generally unlikely with investment-grade bonds (those rated BBB or higher). Your interest payments will remain the same throughout the life of your bond, which can help you plan for your cash flow and spending. • Diversification - As you’ve probably heard, diversification is a key to successful investing. If you only owned one type of asset, such as growth stocks, and the stock market went into a decline, as has happened this year, your portfolio likely would have taken a big hit — even bigger than the one you may have experienced. But bond prices don’t always move in the same direction as stocks, so the presence of bonds in your portfolio — along with other investments, such as gov­ ernment securities and certificates of deposit — can help reduce the impact of volatility on your holdings. (Keep in mind, though, that by itself, diversification can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses in a declining market.) • Reinvestment opportunities - As mentioned above, rising in­ terest rates and higher yields may reduce the value of your current bonds, but this same development may also offer you some favor­ able reinvestment opportunities. If you own bonds of varying dura- tions — short-, intermediate- and long-term—you should regularly have some bonds maturing. And in an environment such as the current one, you can reinvest the proceeds of your expiring short­ term bonds into new ones issued at potentially higher interest rates. By doing so, you can potentially provide yourself with more in­ come. Also, by owning a mix of bonds, you’ll still have the lon­ ger-term ones working for you, and these bonds typically (but not always) pay a higher interest rate than the shorter-term ones. It might not feel pleasant to see the current value of your bonds drop. But if you’re not selling them before they mature, and you take advantage of the opportu­ nities afforded by higher yields, you’ll find that owning bonds can still be a valuable part of your in­ vestment strategy. This article was written by Ed­ ward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC. Before investing in bonds, you should understand the risks in­ volved, including credit risk and market risk. Bond investments are also subject to interest-rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of bonds can decrease, and the investor can lose princi­ pal value if the investment is sold prior to maturity. has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515: ..it l&wSi 184989 As you rket has attracted a lot of attention - and for good reason, as we’ve seen considerable volatility al­ most from the beginning of the year. But if you own bonds, or bond-based mutual funds, you might-also have some concerns. However,"it’s important to understand why bonds should continue to be an important part of your portfolio. To begin with, let’s look at what’s happened with bond prices recently. Inflation has heated up, leading the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to help “cool off’ the economy. And rising in­ terest rates typically raise bond yields — the total annual income that investors get from their “cou­ pon” (interest) payments. Rising yields can cause a drop in the value of your existing bonds, be­ cause investors will want to buy the newly issued bonds that offer higher yields than yours. And yet, despite this possible drop in their value, the bonds you own can still help you make prog­ ress toward your financial goals. Consider these benefits of bond ownership: • Income-No matter what hap­ pens to the value of your bonds, they will continue to provide you with income, in the form of inter­ est payments, until they mature, provided the issuer doesn’t de- member on active duty, if your period of active duty This notice is from a debt collector. 1471226 (08-04)(08-25) 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525N.M-37 Hwy.SuiteF Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 encouraged, totoontact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which Date of notice: August 18, 2022 Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 185960 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JOHN RENEAU, a single man, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC, Mortgagee, dated the 26th day of July, 2020 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 4th day of August, 2020 in Document # 2020-007853 said Mortgage having been assigned to Freedom Mortgage Corporation on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of One Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Five and 57/100 ($176,385.57). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 1st day of September, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 3.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the Township of Barry, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: LOTS 3 AND 4, SCOTTS PARK, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 3 OF PLATS, PAGE 68, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS Commonly known as 11904 SCOTT PARK RD., DELTON, Ml 49046 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241 a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 08/04/2022 Freedom Mortgage Corporation Mortgagee STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22029216-DE Estate of Marcia Jean Tiffany, Deceased. Date of birth: 11-11-1936. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Marcia Jean Tiffany, died November 15,2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Brian S. Tiffany, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058­ 1857 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/15/2022 George T. Perrett (P-42751) 202 N. Riverview Drive Parchment, Ml 49004 269-349-7686 Brian S. Tiffany 12456 Merlau Avenue Plainwell, Ml 49080 269-664-5126 186471 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING August 10, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Gra­ ham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to approve Resolution 2022-283 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Adjournment 7:45 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 186504 STATE OF MICHIGAN 5th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29262-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Camden Walker Tellkamp. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 1:45 p.m. at 206 W. Court St. , Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FMC FHARENEAU/22-01902 1471605 (08-04)(08-25) 185209 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Camden Walker.Tellkamp to Claire Wolfe Tellkamp. 185617 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 08, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Justin Perry and Ashleigh Perry, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage 1 Incorporated Date of mortgage: October 12, 2018 Recorded on November 9, 2018, in Document No. 2018-010050, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Michigan State Housing Development Authority Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand Two Hundred Five and 34/100 Dollars ($134,205.34) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Lot 8 in Block 3, Map of the Village of Freeport, according to the Plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 22, Barry County Records Commonly known as 145 Oak St, Freeport, Ml 49325 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 125.1449v, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 125.1449v(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Michigan State Housing Development Authority Mortgagee/ Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1471836 (08-04)(08-25) 185334 STATE OF MICHIGAN 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF HEARING CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22009558 - NA PETITION NO. 22010142 22010143 TO: Michael Ryan Holley. IN THE MATTER OF: Kayde Michael Holley, Liam Charles Holley. A hearing regarding preliminary hearing will be conducted by the court on 09/19/2022 via Zoom meeting ID 3636746844 at 2:45 p.m. in 3rd Floor Courts and Law Bldg., 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 before Jan M. Otto. You have the right to an attorney and the right to a trial by judge or jury. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Michael Ryan Holley personally appear before the court at the time and place stated above. This hearing may result in termination of your parental rights. 186597 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — Page 11 Hastings tennis players maturing STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF CALHOUN NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22029226-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Brett Bremer Sports Editor > The Hastings varsity boys’ tennis team is ‘on the hunt for new players. ! The Saxons opened the season with a pair [of duals at the Three Rivers Invitational SatJurday, falling to the host Wildcats and Kalamjazoo Central. The Saxons were forced to for­ feit three flights with just seven guys swing­ ling rackets for the blue and gold on the day. J The team’s top five players are all upper ; clansmen with some years of varsity experi;ence. Head coach Krista Schueller sees that •allowing them to play a more consistent and 'thoughtful game. . Joe Goggins filled the second singles spot Jas a junior behind four-year first singles play­ er Joey McLean who graduated in the spring. ■He has moved into the first singles spot to iopen his senior year. • Also back for the Saxons are juniors Heath [Hayes and Keegan Lindsey ; “These three are all equally matched and ;are returning with a maturity to their game that »will be very helpful for us,” Schueller said. । Lang Alexander returns for the Saxons as [well. He teamed with Lindsey at first doubles ;to open the season and that duo for the team’s done win Aug. 20, besting the top doubles ■team from Three Rivers 6-2, 7-5. • Junior Evan Porter filled the third singles ‘spot behind Goggins and Lindsey over the [weekend, and freshmen Anderson Forrel and ■Matt Hineman teamed up at second doubles. i Hastings was scheduled to host Lowell and [Grand Ledge Wednesday, Aug. 24, at the high [school. The Saxons will be back on their •home courts to face Charlotte Tuesday and 'then travel to Ionia Aug. 31. Estate of BETTY J. VAULKNER and the HERMAN F. VAULKNER AND BETTY J. VAULKNER TRUST Date of Birth: August 19,1940 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, BETTY J. VAULKNER, who lived at 13775 A Drive South, Marshall, Michigan 49068, died on August 6, 2022. The decedent established the HERMAN F. VAULKNER AND BETTY J. VAULKNER LIVING TRUST AGREEMENT on February 24, 2005. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to WILLIAM J. DAY, JR., TRUSTEE of the HERMAN F. VAULKNER AND BETTY J. VAULKNER TRUST within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. TRUSTEE: WILLIAM J. DAY, JR. Address: 14469 A Drive S Marshall, Ml 49068 ATTORNEY: SYDNEY E. PARFET Address: Howell Parfet Schau 350 East Michigan Avenue, Suite 500 Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 Telephone: (269) 382-5300 [Antiques & Collectibles\ Pets B usiness Services ALLEGAN ANTIQUE MAR­ KET. SUNDAY, AUG 28TH, [2022. 350 Exhibitors. Rain or [Shine. 8:00am - 4:00pm. Lo•cated at the Allegan County [Fairgrounds in Allegan, Michi­ gan. Admission $5 per person. No Pets. HEALER MIX PUPPIES for sale. Small, cute & playful. $150.00.269-223-9194. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Garage Sale BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793. MINI PONTOON BOAT, New Paddle King 15', LO Pro Cruiser, Fish & Cruise Model with Bimini Top, Cov­ er, Motor and Trailer. In-Stock Sale Price $19,950. KOOPERS MARINE IN RICHLAND 269-629-4979, 269-968-9600 yww.koopersmarine.com BACK TO SCHOOL GA­ RAGE SALE: Fri-Sat, August 26-27, 2022 9am-3pm 11367 Cobb Rd, Delton. Clothes, household items, tv, micro­ wave, computer equipment, electric griddles, toaster oven, books, entertainment stand, room-sized area rugs, & more! FAMILY GARAGE SALE: 1011 N. Wilson St, Hastings. Thurs, August 25 and Fri, August 26,2022 9am-5pm; Sat, August 27 9am-3pm. Clothessmall to 2x large, Crafting Supplies, Books, Yam, Sewing Books & Patterns, Jewelry, and more. NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Timmy Rosenberg, a single man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated June 6, 2012 and recorded June 12, 2012 in Instrument Number 2012-001107 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Four and 74/100 Dollars ($110,384.74). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the City of HASTINGS, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The Southeast % of the Northeast 14 of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. 719 E Woodlawn Avenue, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11,2022 File No. 22-008032 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-11 )(09-01) 185613 Help Wanted WANTED: EXPERIENCED, KIND Caregiver. 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday. Please call 269-953-6170. References re­ quired. NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Christian L. Allwardt, married man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Talmer Bank and Trust, Mortgagee, dated November 21, 2014 and recorded December 8, 2014 in Instrument Number 2014011497 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 12, 2016, in Instrument Number 2016006882, and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on December 4,2019, in Instrument Number 2019011985, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Sixty-One Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Seven and 70/100 Dollars ($161,767.70). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Hope, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the Northwest corner of Section 24, Town 2 North, Range 9 West; thence East 1320 feet along the North line of Section 24; thence South 300 feet for the true place of beginning; thence South 574 feet; thence East 494 feet parallel with the North line of Section 24; thence North 84 feet; thence East 226 feet; thence North 227 feet to the centerline of Gurd Road; thence Northerly along the centerline of Gurd Road to a point 300 feet South of the North line of said Section 24; thence West parallel with the North line of said Section 24 to the place of beginning. 7100 Gurd Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11,2022 File No. 22-005635 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-11 )(09-01) 185612 Knowledge & Understanding PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference sea­ son starts for Hastings when it travels to Lumen Christi Sept. 6. Lumen Christi is likely to be the top chal­ lenger to Parma Western for an 1-8 champi­ onship this fall. The Saxons goals are to play a mature game by using consistency and ball place­ ment Schueller said. Hastings had a scrim­ mage with Thomapple Kellogg Aug. 17 and the Saxon coach was happy to report “we were hitting well and staying in points longer than previous years.” CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 CROSS BOW Ten Point Titan Xtreme, with scope, with hard case, extra arrows & broad heads. New, never used, $1000 se!L£oK$8Q0=269-908r06Ql^=- 186514 Joe Goggins All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Banner CLASSIFIEDS Recreation Estate of Lila Elaine Nash. Date of birth: July 4, 1926. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Lila Elaine Nash, died 02/01/2016. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kimberly Main, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8/17/2022 Kelly G. Lambert III (P43874) 1444 Michigan St., NE, Suite 9 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-732-8888 Kimberly Main 2580 Woodschool Road Middleville, Ml 49333 269-331-1889 186206 i Back in 2020, our lives as we knew them changed forever. Our ways of doing things had to adapt and change to meet the times we were living in and going into. Spiritual Care’s way of operating had to change and many things we had done to reach out to others had to change. Realizing this, I asked the Lord, “What is it that you would have me do?” As I was praying, I felt the Lord put in my heart the following: He said, “It’s my words that are important. People need hope and encouragement to make it through the times that were to be coming.” So, that is the reason I started writing the articles that go out by email each week and the half page newspaper columns. I pray that they have been an encouragement to you as you work to take care of your family in an ever-changing world. So, stay encouraged and keep fighting the good fight of faith and never give up. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29265-DE Hon. William. M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Gene C. Eggerstedt. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Gene C. Eggerstedt, died September 8, 2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Rye Henry Eggerstedt, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months afterfhe date of publication of this notice?-^ Date: August 18, 2022 Law Office of Kathleen F. Cook Kathleen F. Cook P31842 121 S. Cochran Ave. Charlotte, Ml 48813 (517) 543-7643 Rye Henry Eggerstedt 8751 Jones Rd. Bellevue, Ml 49021 (269)213-6252 186275 I . j I a J i j I would encourage everyone to read the book of Daniel. It’s a short book in the Old Testament. Daniel lived in challenging times. He was living in Babylon and had to deal with an ungodly world system, and he faced many challenging situations that he had to have wisdom and understanding to be able to know what to do. He knew how to honor those in authority without compromising his faith and what he believed about his God. In Daniel, chapter 3, we have the account of the fiery furnace that the three Hebrew children were thrown into because they would not bow down to an idol the King had made. The king got so mad he had the furnace heated seven times hotter and had them thrown in the fire bound by ropes. But thank God that Jesus appeared in the fire with them and the only things that were burned, were the ropes that had them bound. Take the time to read the story. | I I I I I I I I I I In Daniel, chapter 6, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den because he disobeyed the king’s new law. A law had been made that if anyone who prayed to any other god except the King, would be thrown into a lion’s den. Of course, Daniel could not obey that law because it would go against the law of his God. As a result, Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, but God sent an angel to shut the lion’s mouth and Daniel was unharmed. I I I I I I don’t know what you’re dealing with or going through but the same God who , delivered the three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace and Daniel from the lion’s den is able to deliver you and I from difficult situations that we all face daily. Daniel 1:17 says, “to these four young men, God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. God’s knowledge and understanding is what we all need to pray for, so we know what to do when problems arise. There will be times where we must make hard decisions and when we do we have to trust God that He will see us through. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear If you feel like you are losing hope, call Spiritual Care Consultants, and set up a prayer appointment to have someone pray for what you’re going through. This type of support can be extremely helpful when you feel all alone and don’t know what to do. Don’t walk the road alone, let someone walk with you. If you need encouragement and something to listen to that will help you get through your day, feel free to visit our new media website at www.scchealingbegins.com . There you will find video testimonies, The “Healing Begins” podcast, and past “Healing Begins” radio programs to listen to that I think will help equip you to face life’s challenges. ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which Since 1920 may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christopher Irey, an unmarried man . Original Mortgagee: Registration Systems, Mortgage as Inc., I EBELS Sponsored Electronic mortgagee, General Store as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lake Michigan Credit Union Date of Mortgage: January 17, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 19, 2018 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $95,760.79 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. in Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The North 628 feet of the East 175 feet of the South 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 28, Town 3 North, Range 9 West, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan. Common street address (if any): 2400 Hubble Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8607 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the *Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging redemption period. property during N ame:_______________ Address:_____________ City:_________________ the State:________________ Attention homeowner: If you are a military service Phone:_______________ the member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Please charge my gift to my credit card: Mastercard AMEX ai aI al aj a! ■! 1 i a9 aj ad a ' Card Number:_ Date of notice: August 4, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. Exp. Date:___ y 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Amount: Name on Card: (248) 642-2515 CW (4 Digit):. 1471803 (08-04)(08-25) Total Donation Amount: Visa This notice is from a debt collector. Zip: i I a 3 I I 3 I I I a ■ a a a a a a a a a 185247 Signature: a 3 3 a 3 �I— Page 12 — Thursday, August 25, 2022 — The Hastings Banner STS PREVIEWS Group of 12 seniors to lead Saxon soccer Brett Bremer Sports Editor A dozen seniors, the largest class of soccer players coming through the program in a few years, is set to lead the Hastings varsity boys’ soccer team this fall. That Saxon dozen includes Kearan Tolles, Caleb Waller, Drew Thompson and Nate Kohmescher who each have three seasons of varsity experience under their belt with all three of those seasons under head coach Francisco Lopez who took over the varsity position at the start of their sophomore sea­ sons. Waller and Kohmescher return to lead the defense, with Waller at center back and Kohmescher on the outside. They’ll look to be a wall in front of returning senior goal­ keeper Zach Chipman. It isn’t just the back line that needs to be Strong defensively though. ; “I think we’re a pretty sound team overall. We have our weak spots, I think in every layer of the field, mid, defense, forward, but overall we move the ball well,” Lopez said. |We defend with discipline. We defend really well. That is a big thing for me, being able to as a forward or an attacking center mid being able to set aside your duty as an offensive player and put your part in with the defense.” ‘ Waller was a captain a year ago for the Saxons. Kohmescher was an aggressive, physical defender on the outside for the Sax­ ons last fall and coach Lopez is excited to see him on the field this fall as last year’s expe­ rience has helped him improve his ability to deal with the varsity pace of play. Tolles may see time on the back line too. He is a utility player that the Saxons will use wherever he is needed. “[Tolles] is probably the most in shape athlete that I have,” Lopez said. “He can run forever I feel like. So, one of his biggest attributes is off the ball the way he closes down space because of how good of shape he is in. He is very productive with that. He is just a hard worker.” Thompson unfortunately will be out with an injury for much of the season. The Saxons were hit hard by injuries a year ago, and are already working through some issues. Coach Lopez is looking forward to getting junior Sergynho Arias back in an attacking center midfield spot soon as he recovers from a broken foot. Arias, Thompson, and senior Cohen Smith and Caleb Gurtowsky all competed on an AYSO United club with coach Lopez this summer, and the Saxon head coach said a number of other guys joined a few Lakewood players to form a team through Hastings FC which competed in GVSA competitions. Troy Hokanson and Alex Flikkema were a part of the varsity as freshmen last fall and are looking forward to sophomore cam­ paigns. Hokanson will be a key part of the attack up top for the Saxons, and Flikkema will provide a support role as needed. Coach Lopez sees a calmness with the ball in his guys, which was brought on by last year’s test under fire. “They were kind of thrown into a really tough situation last season when a few of the leaders went down and a lot of the incoming seniors this year had to do a lot of growing up really quickly, especially since some of them had just had their first varsity minutes. It is not easy to get accustomed to it, obviously. It is a lot quicker pace. It is more demanding, and the skill level is a lot higher.” The Saxons were expecting a tough test in their season opener Wednesday. They were set to travel to Middleville to take on the Trojans. Hastings is scheduled to play its home opener against Battle Creek Central Satur­ day morning at 11:30 a.m. The Saxons take on Ottawa Hills on the road Wednesday, Aug. 31. The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference sea­ son starts when the Saxons visit Jackson Lumen Christi Sept. 13. Coach Lopez said he thinks his guys are capable of a top three finish in the league. They’ll have to take care of business against most of their opponents and be at their very best to challenge the likes of the usual suspects at the top of the league: Coldwater, Parma Western and Marshall. Caleb Waller DK pack continues coming together at Gilmore Brett Bremer Delton Kellogg's Gage Vincent works his way through the first mile of the Panthers' dual with Gull Lake at Gilmore Car Museum Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor Seniors Hector Jimenez, Micah Martin, Isaac Shepard and sophomore Ethan Rimmer for the Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ cross country team were a strong pack throughout the first mile of a dual with Gull Lake at Gilmore Car Museum Tuesday. They spread out a bit from there, but not much as they all finished within 30 seconds of each other in the end. The Gull Lake boys and Gull Lake girls both took victories over the Panthers in a meet hosted by the Blue Devils on what is the Panthers’ home course. Jimenez led the way for DK finishing third oyerall in the boys’ race with a time of 19 minutes 41.4 seconds. Martin was fourth in 19:54.9, Rimmer sixth in 20:07.6 and Shepard seventh in 20: 10.8. Gull Lake was powered in part by having nine of the next ten guys across the finish line. The only DK guy in that pack was senior Gage Vincent who was tenth overall in 21: 20.2. “I was very, very pleased with the boys and the way they ran as a pack,” DK head coach Dale Grimes said. “They did that Friday at Lawrence, and to do that two times in a row is good ... A lot of them are seniors so they are able to pace themselves well enough to move up in the last mile, which they have done in the past two meets. Hopefully, we can keep that going.” He was especially pleased to see Vincent, who was also the number five for the DK boys when they opened their season at the Lawrence Early Bird Invitational last Friday, closing the gap with those top four. “It was mental, I.just have to keep up with the team a little bit more and close that gap to make us all more competitive,” Vincent said. He said he’ll be coming for Shepard throughout the fall. “I’ve beaten him in the past,” Vincent said. The Blue Devil boys beat the Panthers 25-30 in (he final tally^§enior WyattMcComb won the boys’ race in 18:56.6. His senior teammate Ashton Sears was second in 19:23.3. The Gull Lake girls took a 20-35 win. Senior Joelle White led the Delton Kellogg team with a third-place time of 25:09.8. The Panthers also had sophomore Johannah Houtkooper sixth in 25:39.6 and junior Summer Ritchie seventh in 26:26.3. Ritchie led the DK girls at the Lawrence Early Bird last week. “That was interesting, because the whole line-up was different,” Grimes said of the way his girls’ finished. “We have a lot of inexperi­ ence and even rookies. They’re learning how Delton Kellogg's Johannah Houtkooper races along the road between the soybeans during her team's non-conference dual with Gull Lake at Gilmore Car Museum Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) to pace themselves. Not every course is going to be the same. Friday’s course was flat as a pancake and several laps basically around school grounds. Here, it doesn’t look like it, but there are some hills involved and that hole half over there [making up the first mile], they hadn’t mowed it so the grass was really thick and long. That makes a difference.” Summerfest Community Worship! Sunday, August 28, 2022 Thornapple Plaza I I 9:30 am - Worship Featuring Many Talented Musicians and Singers’ Worship Theme: The Lord’s Prayer Community Focus: Barry County Serenity Club 11:00 am - Free Cookoutfor the Community! He said White looked really strong, espe-. cially at the finish. ’ Rounding out the five scorers for DK were Lillie Steele ninth overall in 29:01.1 and sophomore Kylie Main tenth overall in 30:04.37 I Gull Lake got a win from junior Kendalf Wank in 23:59.3 and her freshman teammate: Allison Ramer was second in 24:13.7. The DK boys won the Lawrence Early Bird Invitational Friday with 25 points ahead of St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic 45, Hartford 72 and Eau Claire 84. Jimenez, Martin, Shepard and Rimmed placed 2-3-4-5 overall and Vincent was 11th/ The DK girls were second on the day with 51 points behind St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic’s 29 points. Ritchie led the DK girls in third place. White was sixth, Houtkooper eighth, Main; placed 23rd and junior Lillian Lester placed; 28th overall. • Warner and Jimenez score three each in DK win ... Brett Bremer Sports Editor Kellogg varsity boys’ soccer got its season started Monday and it started with a bang. The Delton Kellogg boys scored an 8-1 m win over visiting Lawton in the first South­ am Athletic Conference bailgame of the season on the turf in Delton. The Panthers scored four goals in each half with Marshall Warner leading the way with three goals and two assists. Hector Jimenez had three goals. James Blackbum tallied a goal and an assist, and John Sinclair scored for the Panthers too. 'We were able to control the midfield and also capitalize on most of our scoring chanc­ es,” DK head coach Alan Mabie said Lawton’s only goal against first-year goal­ keeper Isaac Shepard came on a penalty kick, and the new DK keeper made a few good saves throughout the contest. Delton Kellogg had to postpone its first two ballgames of the season due to a lack of numbers in the program. Delton was set to face Parchment last night, Aug. 24. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-09-01.pdf b33060949b663fb8374838cc69194289 PDF Text Text Delton woman to stand trial for fatal hit-and-run Let’s work together to help students thrive in school Hastings tops TK in football opener See story on page 2 See story on page 4 See story on page 9 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 804879110187 1070490102590501306649058113421 *„*«************car-rt H Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134^^Q23 9:47:00 AM Thursday, September 1, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 35 PRICE $1.50 Getty gets Republican nomination in extraordinary county commissioner race Greg Chandler Staff Writer A Barry County judge Tuesday ordered that the name of incumbent County Commis­ sioner Catherine Getty be submitted as the Republican Party nominee for the District 2 seat on the county Board of Commissioners for the November general election. Getty will not face Democrat opposition in the general election, effectively granting her a second term in the seat. Judge Vicky Alspaugh issued the ruling during a 15-minute show cause hearing on a civil suit filed by Getty against County Clerk Pamela Palmer and the County Board of Can­ vassers over the certification of John Galla­ gher as the winner of the Aug. 2 primary. Gallagher received 658 votes in the prima­ ry to 568 for Getty, a Thomapple Township resident who is serving her first term on the county board. However, it was discovered the week before the election that Gallagher’s Bender Road address in Thomapple Town­ ship was just outside the District 2 boundaries that had been redrawn as a result of the 2020 census. Getty asserted that, because she was the only eligible candidate in the primary, she should be declared the nominee. “Ms. Getty is an individual who has met the ... appropriate residency requirements for eligibility to run for the Board of Commis­ sioners District 2 seat,” Alspaugh said in her ruling. “She is an individual that obtained the second-most votes for that position, as Mr. Gallagher is no longer eligible. The court finds that Ms. Getty would be the next indi­ vidual in the hierarchy for the nomination.” The ruling came one day before the execu­ tive committee of the county Republican Party was to hold a special meeting at the Tyden Center in Hastings to choose a nomi­ nee for the November election. “I feel like I had the proper legal high ground on it,” Getty said after the ruling. “I don’t want to take anything away from the Republican executive committee, because I have faith that I would be nominated. But that wasn’t the proper legal path, and I think this is the proper legal path, and I believe in doing the right thing.” County Board Chairman Ben Geiger, who is also chair of the county GOP, sent out a See NOMINATION, page 3 Hastings bids farewell to summer with weekend's Summerfest Jayson Bussa Editor Andy Cove has been attending Summer­ fest in Hastings since he was just 5 years old. He has seen the annual festival’s best years and its worst, which certainly includes 2020, when it was cancelled altogether. After Summerfest was called off in 2020 - and then returned last year to relatively sluggish crowds and participation - Cove said this weekend’s installment was the nice rebound that organizers had been lo.qking for. i “The crowd was definitely at pre-COVID । levels, would be one way to put it,” said Cove, who has organized the grand parade for six .years now. “We had 40 entrants in the parade, some of them have been in the parade ’ ‘ tvery single year since we started, but also a handful of first timers.” . . This year’s Summerfest was greeted by gorgeous weather, which was in stark con­ trast to the oppressive heat that plagued last year’s festival. See SUMMERFEST, page 2 The color guard for the Hastings High School band makes its way through the parade route on Saturday morning during Summerfest. (Photos by Jayson Bussa) ■ i The Mini T Patrol from the Battle Creek Shrine Club weave their small vehicles amongst each other during Saturday’s Summerfest parade. Barry County Sheriff’s lawsuit against state agencies dismissed Jayson Bussa It’s a great time to unload an unwanted vehicle, but not necessarily the ideal time to buy, according to area auto retailers like Broadmoor Motor Group in Hastings and Middleville. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) HOT WHEELS: Local auto retailers say new, used vehicles still going for top dollar Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The new and used car markets are both still pricier than they were two-and-a-half years ago, local dealers said. After the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted world trade in 2020, the new car market stalled. A semiconductor chip shortage, sup­ ply chain issues and pauses in production meant new vehicles weren’t being manufac­ tured. As a result, prices and demand in the used car market soared. Jordan Weaver, sales manager at Broad­ moor Motor Group in Middleville, said as new vehicle production continues to ramp back up, rising used car prices have started to slow down. It may still be some time until they return to what they were in 2019. “(Prices are) getting a little bit closer to what they were two-and-a-half years ago, but still still high in comparison to that,” Weaver said. “Right now, you would definitely be paying a premium to buy, but I feel like it has kind of plateaued a little bit in the past six months.” “If you bought a car a couple of years ago and you’ve got the ability to sell it and still get by, it’s a great time to sell just because of that rise (in used car prices.)” Mike Wright, owner of Blough Auto Sales in Freeport, has noticed similar trends. Although his shop specializes in rebuilding and selling Volkswagen vehicles that have been in a crash, he’s noticed an increase of customers who either can’t find what they want in the new car market or can’t afford to buy new. “We’ve had some more customers that have bought cars (from us) because they couldn’t get new cars,” Wright said. “What they were looking for was not available in a new car, so they trusted us and had us get a good used car for them.” The shortage of new cars on the market has had other effects, too. Wright said it’s common to hear customers traveling to Indi­ ana or Ohio to buy vehicles because dealers are less willing to share their inventory amongst each other. Wright said his own business is buying vehicles from as far away as Nevada to fill its inventory, something it had never done See HOT WHEELS, page 3 Editor A judge in the Michigan Court of Claims has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf against state agen­ cies. In early June, Leaf and attorney Stepha­ nie Lambert filed a lawsuit against Michi­ gan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Secre­ tary of State Jocelyn Benson, the Michigan State Police and also individual MPS offi­ cers Bryan Fuller and David Geyer. In the legal complaint, Leaf claimed that the par­ ties were interfering with his investigation into voting fraud tied to the 2020 election. The case mostly sat idle with no evi­ dence that Leaf or his legal team had served the defendants. Movement in the case resumed at the beginning of August when Nessel and Benson filed an appearance with proof of service, ensuring that they were alerted by the court and other parties involved when anything was filed. A few weeks ago, an assistant attorney general with the state argued that the law­ suit should be thrown out completely, pointing out that the affidavit was not signed or notarized. This week, Judge Douglas Shapiro of the Michigan Court of Claims did exactly that, dismissing the lawsuit, saying that Leaf and his legal team did not respond to summary motions for disposition that were filed by state attorneys. Because of the delays, the court dismissed charges against Nessel, Benson and the MSP. Leaf did not respond to requests for comment. However, it does not appear that he and his camp will be throwing in the towel quite yet. Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf (File photo) “The case is open and pending and Sher­ iff Leaf will continue litigation,” Leafs attorney, Lambert, said in an email to The Banner. “Sheriff Leaf is filing an amended complaint in light of new evidence obtained this past weekend.” Leaf is among a group of nine individ­ uals that could potentially face criminal charges for their role in what the attorney general’s office says was a conspiracy to obtain, and tamper with, voting tabulators throughout the state. Nessel has sought the appointment of a special prosecutor to consider charges against Leaf in addition to sitting state rep­ resentative Daire Rendon, Republican can­ didate for attorney general Matthew DePer­ no and his own attorney, Lambert. Leaf is accused of gaining access to a tabulator from Irving Township hall, which was brought across the state and tampered with. �Page 2 — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS United Way to hold Day of Caring Sept. 15 and 17 Last year, over 400 volunteers completed just over 1,700 hours of volunteer service during the Barry County United Way’s annual Day of Caring. Day of Caring and Caring in Action bring together local community mem­ bers, businesses, organizations and churches to show a united front of volunteer service. The Barry County United Way is committed to com­ munity and continuing the Day of Caring volunteer activ­ ities in a safe and effective manner. Organizers say they are excited to again be able to offer many different ways to get involved this year as they continue to expand the typical Day of Caring options. Barry County United Way will still be hosting the traditional in-person volunteer opportunities as well as bringing back the “Caring in Action” non-traditional options. The traditional Day of Caring projects will take place Thursday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept. 17. Two shifts are available - a morning shift from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and afternoon shift from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thurs­ day. On Saturday, only the morning shift of 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. is available. Caring in Action projects are more flexible and can be adapted to a timeframe that works best for your business and/or organization. The Barry County United Way is also bringing back the Day of Caring Luncheon this year. All volunteers are invit­ ed to join the United Way for lunch Thursday, Sept. 15 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the YMCA Camp Algonquin. More information is available by contacting Morgan Johnson at Barry County United Way and Volunteer Cen­ ter at 269-945-4010 or at morgan@bcunitedway.org. Reps. Calley, Albert help secure funding for Barry County public safety project Barry County Central Dispatch and Emergency Man­ agement will soon receive state funding to build an addi­ tional emergency communications tower, thanks to a grant secured by state Reps. Julie Calley and Thomas Albert. The $3 million project is included in the new state budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Barry County’s 800-megahertz public safety radio system was implemented in the early 2000s. Because the number of users has increased substantially over the last 21 years, the system is now overloaded, putting it at risk. Additional tower sites will increase the system’s capacity, improve coverage and support the sharing of additional information and data to better meet the needs of police, firefighters, emergency medical responders and the Barry County families they serve. “This equipment upgrade will help first responders serve their communities and make them safer places to live,” said Albert, who as chair of the House Appropriations Commit­ tee plays a lead role in developing the state budget. Meijer Gardens celebrates the unexpected colors of autumn with chrysanthemum exhibition Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids is presenting its annual fall horticulture exhibi­ tion, “Chrysanthemums & More!”, opening to the public Sept. 16. The largest of its kind in Michigan, the exhibi­ tion features expansive displays of chrysanthemums, fall foliage and family-friendly activities. “Chrysanthemums & More!” will be on display through Oct. 30. A perennial favorite and the largest of its kind in Mich­ igan, this annual fall exhibition spans thousands of blos­ soms across 158 sprawling acres. “Chrysanthemums & More!” will surprise and delight, with a focus on abun­ dant autumn plantings arranged in intriguing and uncom­ mon color combinations. Plentiful plantings in the Grand Entry Garden, Wel­ come Center, and Gunberg and BISSELL Corridors showcase the chrysanthemum through the artistry of many designers, among them Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park horticulture staff. In the BISSELL Corridor, a different local floral designer each week will create a singular arrangement highlighting the chrysanthemum as its primary element. Local florists include Hyssop Floral, Horrocks Market, Overgrowth Floral, Kennedy’s Flowers & Gifts, Dahlia Acres Farms, and Eastern Floral. A full listing of events can be found at MeijerGardens. org. PEERLESS Auto Glass ux Local, Family Owned, Dependable 25 Years Experience Works With All Insurances, Mobile Service, Warrantee Call for a quote today! 616-930-7944 Hastings Area School System HIRING BUS DRIVERS Substitute Bus Driver $20.44 per hour $.55 per hour attendance incentive Bus Driver $20.44 per hour $.55 per hour attendance incentive Paid Training $1,000.00 Sign On Bonus \Ne are looking for dedicated individuals who are interested in transporting students to and from school. We are also looking for dedicated individuals to transport athletic teams to and from athletic events. For questions please contact Dale Krueger at (269) 945-6152 or you can email dale.krueqer@hassk 12 .org. Applications can be turned in at the District Administration Office (where they can be obtained). Hastings Area School System 232 West Grand St., Hastings MI 49058 Palmer to stand trial in Delton fatal hit-and-run Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 32-year-old Delton woman will stand trial in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 21-year-old woman in Barry Township earlier this year. Alexandra Marie Palmer waived her right to a preliminary hearing in District Court 56B on Wednesday and was bound over to circuit court by Judge Michael Schipper. She remains held in the Barry County Jail on a $200,000 bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 12. Palmer is facing three criminal counts stemming from the May 8 crash in the 6900 block of Delton Road that killed Mica LeBeau. She is charged with failure to stop at the scene of an accident result­ ing in death, failure to stop at the scene of a serious personal injury accident and a moving violation causing death, accord­ ing to court records. According to the Barry Township Police Department, officers found LeBeau lying alongside the roadway on Delton Road shortly after 1 a.m. on May 8. LeB­ eau was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the police investiga­ tion, a vehicle was traveling westbound on Delton Road when it struck LeBeau, who was walking along the roadway. The driver then fled the scene west on Delton, then turned north onto Norris Road, police said. Palmer was arrested June 13 after police received a tip on her where­ abouts. If convicted of the failure to stop at an accident resulting in death charge, she could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison and fined up to $10,000. Alexandra Palmer Timed 5K, 1OK races back in action at Summerfest For the first time in three years, timed 5K and 10K races returned to Summer­ fest and a pair of Hastings High School cross country athletes grabbed first place in both of them. After cancelling Summerfest in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organiz­ ers offered only an untimed fun run last year due to the potential for poor turnout and anticipated problems finding spon­ sorships from businesses that had also been rattled by the pandemic. However, this year, the competitive races returned, organized by the Spec­ trum Health Pennock Health and Well­ ness Center and race director Tina Frank. The race attracted 119 participants. Micah Johnson finished first in the 5K, completing the course in 20:08. The 15-year-old is a member of the Hastings cross country team and finished ahead of 24-year-old Samuel Johnson (20:24). His teammate Alex Steward was victo­ rious in the 10K run, finishing in 44:55.4, just five seconds in front of 54-year-old Wayne Oom. Summerfest 5K Run/Walk Overall (Top 25) 1. Micah Johnson 20:08.3; 2. Samuel Johnson 20:24.0; 3. Calvin Kasprowicz 21: 03.1; 4. Cody Ploof 21:59.2; 5. Tyce Richardson 22:46.4; 6. Jacob Pratt 22: 51.6; 7. Ron Collins 22:57.9; 8. Fide­ lia Kasprowicz 23:38.9; 9. P. Smith 23: 48.9; 10. Jaxon Leslie 24:17.9; 11. Sara Madden 24:28.7; 12. Josh Besteman 24: 40.0; 13. Ken Zimmerman 24:27.2; 14. Todd Dammen 25:05.0; 15. Kami Collier 25:13.2; 16. Owen Boge 25:23.3; 17. Justin Greer 25:43.3; 18. Erika Smith 26:44.2; 19. Lindsay Justice 27:39.3; 20. Michael Kaza 27:39.3; 21. Brandy Safim 28: 32.0; 22. Mike Straubel 29:08.6; 23. Susan Pifer 29:24.5; 24. Ellie Matthai 29: 32; 25. Heather Betz 29:52.9. Summerfest 10K Run Overall (Top 25) 1. Alexander Steward 44:55.4; 2. Wayne Oom 45:00.6; 3. Jon Roshko 45:22.7; 4. Christopher Goron 45:42.4; 5. Leslie Scheffers 47:31.9; 6. Elizabeth Roberts Ahee 48:32.7; 7. Nicholas Olso-Schwerin 48:59.9; 8. Walter Church 50:05.0; 9. Claudia Ford 50:21.8; 10. Taylor Carter 50:53.2; 11. Holly Stark 54:10.9; 12. Amanda Daley 55:31.6; 13. Carol Kasprowicz 56:29.7; 14. Gary Sohl 56:46.2; 15. Shannon Powers 58:12.3; 16. Matt Powers 58:12.3; 17. Aaron Schantz 58:23.7; 18. Raylee Preston 1:00:26.8; 19. Rocky Spear 1:00:49.4; 20. Stephanie Kerr 1:00:53.8; 21. Laura Brandt 1:01:07.1; 22. Bill McInnis 1:01:36.0; 23. Jeffo Anderson 1:01:46.1; 24. Colette Purucker 1:05:28.4; 25. Sarah Johnson 1:06:12.4. SUMMERFEST, continued from pagel ----------------------The pairing of pleasant weather with the fact that COVID-19 fears are begin­ ning to ease was a recipe for strong crowds that descended on downtown Hastings for the three-day event. Cove, who chairs the parade on behalf of the Rotary Club of Hastings, took a patriotic approach to the parade this year with the theme of red, white and blue. Former Michigan state representative and lieutenant governor Brian Calley, his wife, current state representative Julie Calley, and their family, served as the grand marshals for this year’s parade. Cove said that the 40 entrants for this year’s parade was solid compared to last year. While in its hay day, the parade would attract anywhere from 60 to 80 entrants, including several bands, it was nice to see solid turnout after the previ­ ous period of uncertainty, Cove said. He also said that businesses and orga­ nizations mostly sign up for the parade because they want to support a home­ town favorite event. “I think its probably a little of both,” Cove said. “We got some that want to promote their business and make the community aware of a service or prod­ uct they offer. Others do it just because it’s Summerfest and it’s been going on for 45 years. It’s just ingrained in them.” Cove and his team of organizers wel­ come input from area residents, too. In fact, he said that he often implements ideas that he receives from the commu­ nity. “Somewhere between January and March we come up with a theme so we can start to get some materials out,” Cove said. “We have a few ideas float­ ing around, but we’re always taking suggestions.” Summerfest organizers don’t get much rest when it comes to starting in on planning for next year. Just ask Sha­ ron Elzinga, who chairs the arts and crafts vendors. She already received a few applications for placement at next year’s event. “It went wonderful,” Elzinga said. “Everybody was very happy. They love being in Hastings. That’s why they come back. They love the small town feel where everyone is friendly and they buy. It seemed like everyone was buy­ ing and finding things they wanted. I tried to have a large selection of differ­ ent vendors. Elzinga made room for 170 booths, which surrounded the Barry County Courthouse this weekend. This included a wide range of businesses and crafters, displaying their wares. The 170 vendors was up a bit from last year, which was a welcome sight after CO VID affected the last two years. “Everybody did really well,” Elzin­ ga said. “They are happy. I actually got like eight applications for next year in the mail today. This shows me how much our vendors really appreciate Hastings....The weather was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better week­ end.” Nationwide vendors make a point to stop in Hastings - even those that live across the country and zig-zag the Unit­ ed States selling their products. “We are on the circuit for the ven­ dors,” Elzinga said. “People that go out there in the winter and they travel throughout the country, and for them to pick Hasting as one of their stops, I take great pride in that and the show we put on.” A massive float from BC Stars girls fast pitch softball program, which honored the festival’s theme of red, white and blue, chugs ahead during Saturday’s parade at Summerfest. Over 130 vendor booths filled the lawn around the Barry County Courthouse on Saturday, including this one from Bertie Bear Company. From left to right, AJ Lorenz of Delton and Karleigh Halifax and Kayla Price, both of Middleville, spin them­ selves around on a ride during Saturday’s installment of Summerfest. The arts and crafts show attracts vendors from all over the country, making Hastings and Summerfest a favorite stop on the national circuit. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — Page 3 Charlton Park to seek crucial millage renewal on Nov. 2 ballot Hunter McLaren This is an example of a fake $100 dollar bill, designed to be used in movies but is now being passed off by fraudsters as real currency across the country, including here in Barry County. The Hastings Police Department has asked local businesses to be on the look out for such a scam. Police warn local businesses of counterfeit ‘movie money’ Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Police Department issued a warning to local business owners last week to be on the lookout for anyone trying to pass off prop “movie money.” The phony bills look like real money but have the words “Copy Money” under the seal and “For Motion Picture Purposes” along the top of the bills, Police Chief Dale Boulter said. The department has encountered three separate incidents of the bills being passed off as real, with bills coming in denomina­ tions of $10, $20 and $100. “Clerks and other people taking in money get used to seeing money and just grab it and tender it like you would any other bill,” Boulter said. Although Hastings Police have dealt with several incidents within city limits in the past few weeks, Boulter said it’s safe to assume whoever is using this money is likely dissem­ inating it in other places throughout the coun­ ty. Local businesses and businesses that deal primarily in cash are more likely to be target­ ed. Nailing down a suspect can be tricky because of the nature of the crime. If a phony bill goes unnoticed at the time of sale, it may be days or weeks before the business discov­ ers they’ve been defrauded. Boulter said safety should be the number one priority of clerks and business owners who suspect they have been handed a phony / bill. Confrontation should be avoided. Instead, obtain as much information about the suspect as possible. “What were they wearing? What vehicle were they driving? What goods were they trying to purchase?,” Boulter said. “Then, call the police immediately.” Anyone who handles money should be aware of the situation and remain vigilant. “When someone hands you money, do whatever you’re trained to do,” Boulter said. “Whether that’s marking the bill or looking for abnormalities; if you don’t like what you’re looking at, every business has the right to refuse that sale.” Although the prop movie money is legal to obtain and can be widely purchased by any­ one, the consequences of trying to pass it off as real are the same as trying to pass off a counterfeit bill, Boulter said. “Whether they were printed off on a printer or they bought (the bills) from Amazon, it’s no different,” he said. “It’s exchanging coun­ terfeit money for goods and services. It’s going to be all the same. The intent is there to defraud. Just because it says ‘For Motion Picture Use Only,’ doesn’t mean it’s going to negate them from the long arm of justice, so to speak.” This tactic of passing off fake money as real is by no means confined to only Barry County, either. Media reports from coast to coast show that this scam has been used throughout all reaches of the country. ' 'h. ! Staff Writer The millage supporting the funding of His­ toric Charlton Park will be up for renewal on the Nov. 2 ballot. At an Aug. 25 meeting, the Barry County Parks and Recreation commissioners dis­ cussed the importance of the millage for Charlton Park’s funding and efforts to inform voters about the ballot proposal ahead of the election. Due to rollbacks from the Headlee Amend­ ment, the park is currently levying 0.2191 mill, a tax of $0.2191 per every $1,000 of taxable property value. The proposal going out to voters will ask for a renewal of the millage from the years 2024 through 2032. The proposal also asks for an increase of the millage to the original 0.25, to reverse the rollbacks made by the Headlee Amendment. The Headlee Amendment to the Michigan State Constitution requires millage rates be reduced in any year property values increase at a higher rate than inflation. When this occurs, the only way to regain those mills is to go back to taxpayers and ask for a renewal or increase during an election. Daryl Cheeseman, Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission chair and vice presi­ dent of the Charlton Park Gas and Steam Club, said the 0.0309 millage increase should come at a minor cost to most taxpayers. “While it is an increase, it’s fairly minor as things cost today. It is additional, but hopeful­ ly nothing that breaks the bank for anybody,” Cheeseman said. “We’re just asking for a continuation of the millage.” The commission estimates that the levy of 0.25 mill would generate $654,000 of reve­ nue in its first year, with $80,000 of that coming from the additional.0309 mill. The park uses money from the millage for basic operation costs and routine mainte­ nance. Those funds pay the salaries of the park’s three full-time employees and 11 part­ time employees, with extra funds going toward improving and renovating the park. “We’re not asking for anything for big projects because of the way the economy is right now,” Cheeseman said. “Just basic oper­ ations, and we’re saving a few dollars for projects where we can'” The millage is a crucial part of the park’s funding. Even with'the funds/gained by the full 0.25 mill, funding for Charlton Park is ■ ■ ■ z. ."-"j U \ • k : * ’ Keith Droscha is pictured driving a tractor shuttle during this year’s 50th Annual Antique Gas and Steam Engine Show. Events such as the gas and steam show help to generate revenue for the park. (Photo by Molly Macleod) tight. Commissioner Doug Klein said it’s common for the park to defer maintenance and renovations to its existing structures, with an estimated $3 million worth of proj­ ects being put off in the last 15 years because of a lack of funds. Due to the historic nature of Charlton Park’s village, constant upkeep is required to keep the buildings in good shape. Many structures in the park haven’t seen major ren­ ovations since they were installed nearly 50 years ago in the ’70s or ’80s. Wood buildings need to be repainted every six or seven years to prevent them from deteriorating. Some­ times this preventative maintenance still isn’t enough. Klein said the park recently discovered the historic barber shop was in such bad shape, any attempt to even drive a nail into the wood caused it to deteriorate. “You realize the old foundation of the building is just rotting, and needs to be replaced,” Klein said. “So you can’t even do repairs, because there’s problems there that need to be addressed.” Funding for the park’s 300 acres of nature trails and historic programming don’t just benefit Barry County residents, commission­ ers said. The park estimates around 5,000 children come to the park’s programs annual­ ly on field trips from as far as Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Eaton and Ionia County. A fur­ ther estimated 25,000 visitors come to the Charlton Park staff is working to restore its Upjohn House, one of the 30-plus building and structures on the grounds. Back in July, it was being scraped, sand­ ed and painted. (Courtesy photo) park for events and shows held throughout the year, in addition to those who can access the park for free during the day. Above all, Cheeseman said a well-main­ tained, accessible park aligns with county interests. “(Barry County commissioners) have said that they want to make Barry County a desti­ nation for recreation,” Cheeseman said. “Well, Charlton Park is a good place to recreate.” triw* I - 'v- x -. ■ *& NOMINATION, continued from page 1 ----- Catherine Getty, incumbent Barry County Commissioner for District 2, is seated on the right next to fellow commissioner Jon Smelker during a meeting earlier this month. Getty lost to primary challenger John Gallagher in early August but Gallagher was disqualified from taking the seat. This week, a court ordered that Getty be named the nominee for November’s general election. letter Aug. 22 saying thaft“an ineligible can­ didate” had received the nomination for the District 2 seat, and that a special meeting would take place Aug. 31 at die Tyden Center. Getty and Pat Hilton, a Middleville resident who did not run in the primary, were the can­ didates to be considered. At the time, Geiger acknowledged that the process would take the decision out of the voter’s hands but that it was an “extraordi­ nary” case. “Time is of the essence,” Getty’s attorney, Stephen Grimm, told the judge in requesting his client be recognized as the GOP nominee. Palmer did not attend Tuesday’s hearing because she was at a conference. Attorney Timothy Perrone, representing the defen­ dants, told the court that Palmer removed Gallagher’s name from the November ballot on Aug. 23. But Perrone argued that didn’t automatically make Getty the nominee. “The clerk does not have any statutory authority to put the runner-up in the election on the ballot,” Perrone said. “The Michigan election law is not clear as to how a substitute nominee is to be placed on the ballot in this particular situation.” Getty first took her case to Michigan Attor­ ney General Dana Nessel on Aug. 17, seeking a “quo warranto” action to overturn the Board of Canvassers’ certification of Gallagher as the nominee and declare Getty as the primary winner. However, Nessel declined to pursue the case. “We are not persuaded that the circum­ stances warrant participation by this office via quo warranto proceedings at this time,” Chief Deputy Attorney General Christina Grossi wrote in a letter to Grimm dated Aug. 23. However, state law allows for an individu­ al to pursue legal action through the local courts if the attorney general chooses not to step in. That led to Getty pursuing the case in Barry County. On Tuesday, before the court ruling, Gei­ ger held firm in the Barry County Republi­ can’s plans to appoint a nominee to run in November’s general election, even if it wasn’t Getty. “I am fully confident the Barry County Republican Party should, and will, fill this HOT WHEELS, continued from page 1 ------------before. Now, higher used car prices and demand make it both feasible and necessary. There’s been an increase in customers who choose to service their high-mileage vehicles as opposed to looking for another vehicle, as well. Wright said it’s not uncommon to see customers having service done to Volkswagen vehicles with 300,000 miles on the odometer. “The bare minimum car is not a $1,000 to $1,500 car anymore. It’s $3,000 to $7,000 for a basic car,” he said. “Well, if you’ve got a $2,000 car that you really like, and then it needs $500 worth of work, people aren’t just getting rid of it anymore. They actually do the $500 worth of work and keep driving what they’re used to.” Dealerships aren’t the only ones seeing an increase in customers seeking repair services. Jerry Ballard, owner of Hastings Pro Auto Services, said there was a twomonth slow period for his shop in 2020 after COVID-19 shut down businesses. Since then, he has had non-stop business. Before 2020, Ballard said, if his shop was booking two weeks out, he considered that exceptionally busy. His shop has been booked for almost a month ever since that slow period in 2020. “We’re fixing cars that normally would exceed the cost of the vehicle,” Ballard said. “The used car mar­ ket has gone up so high that it’s still viable to repair the vehicle rather than just walk away from it and replace it.” There’s other reasons for his shop’s backlog, too. Sup­ ply chain issues and a high demand have made it hard to source parts. In addition, new car dealerships are more likely to hang onto parts in an effort to generate more service business while new car sales remain sluggish. “What we’re finding is there’s a limited supply of parts, (dealerships) may have the parts, but they’re not - --AL - <ny St lNSUMr SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville Local Temp/QnCall Opportunity with MSU! Labor Aide/Off Campus - This position is at W.K. Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners, Ml. This temporary/on-call position will assist and perform routine semi-skilled maintenance and repair work in areas of carpentry, painting, plumbing, heating, lighting, and general mechanics to buildings and facilities. Gen­ eral experience in these areas is desired. Work hours are of an on-call nature but are generally 7am - 4pm; hours may vary based on workload and seasonal re­ quirements. Physical demands include lifting of objects weighing 25 pounds or more. Pay is commensurate upon experience. Jerry Ballard, owner of Hastings Pro Auto Services, said his shop has had a month-long backlog ever since 2020. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) selling to the aftermarket,” Ballard said. “Because they need to service their customers first.” There’s no telling when his business might slow down to what it was before 2020, Ballard said. “There’s no end in sight as far as what we can see,” he said. “Unless there’s a volatile change in the market, right now, with the gas prices up, everybody’s fixing their smaller vehicles with a better fuel mileage. The truck market’s not as big as it was, but we’re still fixing trucks, too.” & ■■ ■ ■ •. t £ vacancy as required by law,” Geiger told The Banner oh Tuesday morning. “I will hold a meeting to do just that on Wednesday night.” “Only an act of God or an order by a court will stop the party from fulfilling its required duties on Wednesday night,” Geiger con­ cluded. Coincidentally, that turned out to be a court order. Hours after Judge Alspaugh’s ruling, Geiger circulated an email to mem­ bers of the Barry County Republicans alert­ ing them to the court’s decision and cancel­ ling the meeting. ' “What a sad, preventable, embarrassing local quagmire,” Geiger told The Banner fol­ lowing the resolution of the issue. “I am glad it’s over. However, there’s still work to do. Before I leave office, the county board will put checks in place to prevent this situation from ever happening again.” Geiger did not seek reelection to his seat on the county commission, instead, vying for the Republican nomination for state represen­ tative, which was won by Gina Johnsen. Banner editor Jayson Bussa contributed to this report. Please apply and upload a resume at https://careers.msu.edu, posting # 808523 All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employ­ ment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orienta­ tion, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status. Extension �Page 4 — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? A big and wonderful school year begins When pigs fly This pig was poised for flight over the weekend at Summerfest in Hastings. It was a creation by Ada-based artist Franky Rose, who crafts all sorts of creations strictly out of recycled and reused metal. This pig, made from an old storage drum, sports spoons for both its ears and tongue along with butter knife wings. Rose was one of over 150 vendors at this year’s event, which takes over the courthouse lawn with a large arts and crafts market. Do you remember? Banner Non. 11, 1965 The Barry County Road Commission’s $230,344 garage a mile west of the City limits off M-43 and M-37 is well underway and here Engineer-Manager Orval Cutshaw Jr. confers with Contractor Clarence VanderWerff of Grand Rapids. The building is going up south of the new office building completed in 1963 on a location where the county owns 103.22 acres of land on what was known as the old Peck farm. Hastings Electric has the electrical contract of $15,105; Ace Plumbing & Heating of Ada has the plumbing job at $17,019 and Kaechele’s has the heating contract at $11,000. The “L” shaped building will have about 40,000 square feet of usable floor space. - Banner photo Have you met? Alexandra Longstreet was six months pregnant with her third child when she walked across a stage to receive her mas­ ter’s degree in accounting. She was working three jobs, attending school full-time and had joined the United States Army as a reservist. “That was what pushed me to join (the Army), it was so I had a guaranteed income to take care of my kids,” Longstreet said. “I love (being a mom). I like being some­ one for my kids that they can count on and can come to for anything, and just taking care of them.” In the Army, she worked in a human resources adjacent position for a time before moving to medical supply. She’d handle lists of items that different units needed, and make sure that the proper sup­ plies got shipped to the right places. Once she had her degree, she signed up with an accounting temp agency while try­ ing to find a position. She was given an address and a time to show up. “It kind of fell into my lap. I had no idea what I was walking into, to be honest,” she said. “They didn’t give me the name of the company - nothing.” That is the story of how she began her current role as financial director for the Village of Middleville, where she’s been for the past nine years. It’s her first accounting role in the public sector. “It’s totally different from the education you get in school, because we only did one class of governmental accounting,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot being here.” The job was a good fit for Longstreet, whose adoptive parents are from Mid­ dleville. Her kids all attend classes at Thor­ napple Kellogg Schools. “I love it,” she said. “Everybody knows my kids, so I have extra eyes on my kids if degree, and is considering going back for another master’s degree. Once her kids are done with school, she’s got plans to explore the rest of the country and the world through traveling and doing mission work. She hasn’t decided where she’d like to go first. • “I had Zeke when I was 20, so I’ve been a mom for almost 20 years now,” she said. “I don’t know (where I’d go first), honestly.” For her love and dedication to her chil­ dren, as well as her service to the Mid­ dleville community, Alexandra Longstreet is this week’s Bright Light. If I could go anywhere in the world: Could anything feel more welcome in these anxious, turbulent times than the start of a new school year? Even the traditional day of excite­ ment, renewal and promise hasn’t felt normal in the last two years as the devas­ tating effects of a deadly pandemic cor­ nered us into lockdowns, Zoom class­ rooms and months of potential growth smothered behind masks, fear and anger. Where was the music of the halftime marching bands, the rising curtains of play and dance performances, the pomp and circumstance of graduations? That’s why it seems gratifying this fall to see the excitement on the faces of our teachers and bus drivers, of our principals and aides as they welcome our children back with open hearts and warm smiles. What’s happened to our kids has been devastating as educators, parents and students have juggled the challenges of trying to keep up with home life and schoolwork while dealing with the uncertainty of the moment and seeing those vital years of growth development seep away. Now, amidst all our new year excitement, it’s time to assess the damage. A primary concern for all of us should be the most recent Kids Count report released by the Annie E. Casey Founda­ tion which ranks Michigan No. 32 in overall child well being. As they wel­ come children back to their classrooms, teachers will soon be measuring learn­ ing loss in all subjects - the major one being reading comprehension. Educators are bracing for a dramatic reduction in reading test scores due to the fact that children were stuck at home dealing with lessons via a computer or without internet connections and found it difficult to keep up with their subjects. Experts maintain the early years from kindergarten through third grade are particularly important in a child’s over­ all success. Parents and teachers know that children acquire new skills and knowledge rapidly during these early years. Research shows the average annual learning gains for children in grades K-2 are dramatically greater than those for subsequent years of school. Moreover, the outcomes of early ele­ mentary education, particularly whether children can read proficiently by third grade, are a powerful predictor of their educational accomplishments and life outcomes. In other words, the child’s success in these early years can deter­ mine whether they are able to meet their true potential. Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is critical in a student’s over­ all development. By fourth grade, chil­ dren are expected to use those reading skills to learn other subjects. Therefore, mastery of reading at this level becomes important for students to keep up aca­ demically. Students who reach the fourth grade without being able to read proficiently are more likely to struggle and are more likely to drop out of school. Sobering statistics, to be sure, but in our quest to close reading deficits, we cannot ignore the enrichment that reading can also bring for a lifetime. “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty,” says Kate DiCamillo, author of The Tale of Despereaux, “it should be offered to them as a precious gift.” Those classroom gifts naturally extend beyond a strong reading founda­ tion. As technology continues to transform our economy, the demand for a work­ force with strong math and science skills will determine our ability to com­ pete on the world stage. The Annie E. Casey report also indicates that students with strong math and science skills are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college or some form of technical training and earn higher incomes. According to the report, 68 percent of fourth graders aren’t proficient in read­ ing and 69 percent of 8th graders aren’t proficient in math. These are dire statis­ tics that schools across the state must evaluate and focus on in the coming school year. Some other statistics from the report that should alarm all of us are: 19 per­ cent of high school students won’t grad­ uate on time, 53 percent of young chil­ dren (3 and 4) are not in school, and 32 percent of teenagers 10-17 are obese. Underlying all of those academic numbers are some of the most silent and saddest indications of the devastation and lost opportunities with which we’ve dealt these past two years. The Annie E. Casey report covers the first year after COVID and indicates that 13.5 percent of children have feel­ ings of anxiety and depression. The number represents an increase of more than 22,000 children than in previous years. The data also shows the pandemic had a more negative effect on children overall than in previous reports. It reminds us how important the early years of a child’s education have on the foundation for lifelong success. It con­ firms establishing the standards and conditions that promote educational achievement for children are critical. It also confirms that children who get a strong healthy beginning are more like­ ly to remain in school, graduate on time, pursue postsecondary education and training, and successfully transition to adulthood. The rbport reveals a number of other issues that should be top-of-mind for parents, schobl 'and govethrhdrit offi­ cials so that something can be done to reduce the decline and put Michigan on the road to better outcomes. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s education, but teachers, coaches, church leaders and other adults are also important to a child’s overall well being. Too often today, we’re look­ ing for someone to blame for a student’s lack of educational success. Society has the feeling that schools are the key ingredient in the overall per­ formance of our students. But parents can’t abdicate the responsibility to schools; they must play a major role in the overall success of their child and insist that their kids do their homework, be attentive in class, and respect their teachers. Better outcomes in the future will depend on the time parents are willing to spend today to better prepare their child for what’s ahead. Let’s ring those school bells together! The Netherlands. Person I most admire and why: Jamie Swanson. She is a strong woman and has been through so much, but she is always there for her friends and family. She makes me stronger. I can’t be home to be with them. There’s so much for my kids that they can do. I don’t have to worry about if my kid is going to get hurt, because I know they’re within walking distance from my house.” Outside of work, Longstreet spends a lot of her time taking care of her kids: Zeke, 18; Zoey, 15; Domenick, 10; and Sofya, 8. All four participate in competi­ tive cheerleading competitions. Michigan competitions take place as far as Lansing and Grand Rapids, but national competi­ tions took the family as far as Myrtle Beach this summer. Although her kids keep her busy, she still finds time for herself. She’s a photographer, and likes to take photos of her kids. She volunteers at Thomapple Valley Church. In the future, she’s looking forward to further­ ing her education. She’s already finished all her classes and residencies for a doctorate’s What I’d tell a high school graduate: Make sure that you still have fun even though you have become an adult. Don’t put off things just because you think you need to get further ahead in life. What I like about my job: The chal­ lenges that I face every day. They are all different and make it interesting. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a: Research chemist. Hobbies: Reading and diamond paintings. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. The Hastings BhIHIGI* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com ! > ) Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • 1 J Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ■I Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 i ) 1 1 i ♦ t �Page 6 — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Shirley Jean Hanford Shirley Jean (Young) Hanford, age 79, of Hastings, MI passed away on August 25, 2022 at Spectrum Health Butterworth in Grand Rapids, MI. Shirley was bom in Marshall, MI, on Sep­ tember 03, 1942, daughter of Elsie and Gary Young. She was raised in the Hastings area and attended country school and later Hast­ ings High School. On January 30, 1975, she married Mr. Henry Hanford in Kokomo, IN. When they were married, Henry was serving in the United States Air Force, and the couple spent several years moving, and had lived in Greece, New Jersey, and Indiana. When Henry’s military career had ended in the summer of 1983, they returned to Hastings. To celebrate their retirement, the couple set out on a West Coast Road trip which includ­ ed many of the natural landmarks. She spent her working career as a cashier at the Ben Franklin Dime Store, Gardeners Pharmacy, Hastings Manufacturing and Alu­ minum Extrusion in Charlotte. Shirley loved her family dearly and she took great pride in getting them together for holidays and birthdays. Shirley enjoyed crafting, painting and crocheting and collecting nutcrackers, Char­ lie Brown and Nintendo characters memora­ bilia. She loved playing cards with her sis­ ter-in-laws and nieces, at what was called the “Chit Chat & Chew Club”. In her younger days, during the summer months Shirley could be found golfing, and when the weather turned cold, she enjoyed bowl­ ing and participated in several local bowling leagues. Her love of family extended beyond her brother, sister and children to her beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren. When her grandchildren were younger, she would often host ’’pajama nights” where she and the grandchildren would play board games and video games. Although she may not have always won at Mario-Kart, the time spent playing with her grandchildren was priceless. Shirley also attended the Hastings Free Methodist Church where she enjoyed singing and worshipping with her family and friends. Shirley is survived by her three daughters, Cindy (David) Cain, Deb Nelson-McLiechey, Sue (Kevin) Lancaster; her brother, Ger­ Ford Joseph McGinley, Jr. ald (Darlene) Young; six grandchildren, Gregg (Amanda) Cain, Ryan (Sara) Cain, Nick Lancaster (Chloe), Mindy Lancaster (Mohit), Jake Lancaster and Tyler Nelson (Kaitlyn); five great grandchildren, Declan, Harvey, Ava, Oliver and Lennon and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Henry Hanford; her parents, Elsie and Gary Young; sister, Patricia Dukes; her son­ in-law, Al McLiechey and her beloved dogs, Cookie and Wickette. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, Sep. 03, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Hastings Free Methodist Church, 2635 M 43 Highway, Hastings, ML with Pastor Brian Teed offici­ ating. There will be a luncheon and time of fellowship immediately following the funer­ al service at the Hastings Free Methodist Church, Hastings, MI. The family will receive visitors on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 from 6- 8: p.m. at Daniels Funeral Home Hastings conveniently locat­ ed at 1401 North Broadway, Hastings, ML The family will also receive visitors, one hour prior to the funeral service on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 at the Hastings Free Methodist Church beginning at 10 a.m. Interment will take place following the funeral luncheon at Hastings Township Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to American Diabetes or Kid­ ney foundation. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings, ML For further details please visit our web­ site at www.danielsfuneralhome.net Ford Joseph McGinley, Jr, age 86, of Hast­ ings, MI passed away on August 26, 2022. Ford was bom on January 28, 1936, the son of Ford Joseph McGinley, Sr. and Mari­ on Florence Miller. He was a 1954 graduate of Sexton High School in Lansing. Ford served in the Army during the Korean War, and retired from Wohlerts, Company in Lan­ sing. On June 9, 1957, Ford married Ida Ellen Thomas. Ford was a minor league softball player and excellent at archery, taking home many trophies and winning many championships. He was an avid stamp collector. Ford was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Sandy Predmore, and son-in-law, Randy Lee Coenen. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ida McGinley; daughters, Tammy (Lowell) Wilde, Debra Coenen, Linda McGinley; son, David (Mary) McGinley; grandchildren, Amber (Brandon) Willard, Patrick Wilde, Katie (Elliott) Coenen, and Joshua (Jessica) Coenen. Memorial contributions in memory of Ford can be made to the Barry County Ani­ mal Shelter, 540 North Industrial Park Drive, Hastings, MI 49058 and the Hastings Public^ Library, 227 E State St, Hastings, MI 49058’. Respecting Ford’s wishes, there will be no services held. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home^ to leave an online condolence visit wwwl gi rrbachfuneralhom e. net. l i J 1 •i 4 .4 * funeral home You can apply for Medicare online Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Vonda Van Til Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 sFlexfab Him 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Fiberglass Products fflWMfffiOf BotlheToob&Eqnpait Public Affairs Specialist You can apply for Medicare online even if you are not ready to start your retirement benefits. Applying online is quick and easy. There are no forms to sign, and we usually do not require additional documentation. We’ll process your application and contact you if we need.more infojmatioru. Knowing when-to apply for Medicare is very important. You must apply during your limited initial enrollment period. If you’re eligible for Medicare at age 65, your initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after that date. If you miss your initial enroll­ ment period, you may have to pay a higher monthly premium. Visit ssa.gov/benefits/ medicare to apply for Medicare and find other important information. If you were unable to enroll or disenroll in Medicare because you could not reach us by phone after January 1, 2022, you will be granted additional time, through December 30, 2022. This additional time applies to the 2022 General Enrollment Period, Initial Enrollment Period, and Special Enrollment Period. Some people who receive Medicare bene­ fits may qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs, includ­ ing the monthly premiums, annual deduct­ ibles, and co-payments. To qualify for Extra Help, you must receive Medicare, have limit­ ed resources and income, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Read our publication Understanding the Extra Help with Your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for more information at ssa.gov/ pubsZEN-05-10508.pdf. The Medicare website has answers to your questions and other helpful resources includ­ ing: • What does Medicare cover? Find out at medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers. • Where do I find forms to file a Medicare appeal? Visit medicare.gov/claims-appeals/ how-do-i-file-an-appeal for more. • How can I let someone else talk to Medi­ care on my behalf? Learn more at medicare, gov/claims-appeals/file-an-appeal/can-someone-file-an-appeal-for-me. • What do Medicare health and prescript tion drug plans cost in my area, and what services do they offer? Check out medicare! gov/plan-compare. • Which doctors, health care providers, and suppliers participate in Medicare? See medi­ care.gov/forms-help-resources/find-com4 pare-doctors-hospitals-other-providers fop the answers. • Where can I learn more about a Medi­ care prescription drug plan (Part D) and enroll? Visit medicare.gov/drug-coverage-part-d/how-to-get-prescription-drug^ coverage. • Where can I find a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy in my area? Find the answers at medicare.gov/medigap-supplemental-insurance-plans. q Please share these helpful resources with friends and family today. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special-) ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/d Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email', vonda.vantil@ssa.gov. I Hastings Alumni Association holds 135th Reunion and Banquet The classes of 1957,1961 and 1962 reunit­ ed at the Hastings Presbyterian Church for a meet-and-greet as the Hastings Alumni Asso­ ciation held its 135th annual Reunion and Banquet event on Aug. 27. Hastings High School graduate Carla Wil­ son-Neil was honored as the “Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.” Wilson-Neil was rec­ ognized for retiring from Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital in Hastings as the Chief Operating Officer in January 2020 and for her service in the United States Air Force. Current Hastings Area School System Superintendent Matt Goebel addressed those in attendance at the banquet. The Dana Bur­ gess Scholarships were awarded to students Ellen Shults and Carter Rosenberger. Several alumni attended to represent their classes, including Marian Swift, for the class of 1947’s 75th anniversary; Liz Haight for the class of 1952’s 70th anni­ versary; Marcia Leedy for the class of 1956’s 66th anniversary; Lois Bowers for the class of 1957’s 65th anniversary; Donna Brown and Joanne Logan for the class of 1962’s 60th anniversary; Bill Biv? ens for the class of 1961’s 61st anniversa-? ry; and Barb Case for the class of 1972’s 50th anniversary. ) The class of 1961 reunited at the Hastings Presbyterian Church Aug. 27. Bill Bivens; representative for the class, said they were able to raise $2,000 to donate to UNICEF to aid children in Ukraine. i David Theodore Verbeek Jr., Dowling and Brittany Lee Burley, Dowling Mark William Simmons, Plainwell and Mari­ na Dawn Niemchick, Dorr Emma Lee Forbes, Wayland and Jared Wendall Fish, Freeport Janice Eileen Tossava, Hastings and Ronald Ray Smith, Freeport Collette Kay Hatinger, Freeport and James Edward Williams, Clarksburg Rd., Tennessee Peter Paul Hernandez Jr., Middleville and Stacy Lynn Toler, Middleville Alyssa Rose Marie Olsen, Hastings and Rob­ ert John Bailey Weiler, Vermontville Lynlee Brianne Cotton, Wayland and Logan Briggs Sevigny, Wayland Dustin Curtis Carroll, Hastings and Bethany Marie Gieseler, Hastings The class of 1961 reunited at the Hastings Presbyterian Church Aug. 27. The class-* es of 1957, 1961 and 1962 reunited as well as members and representatives of other classes. i �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — Page 5 Voters disenfranchised by proceedings in District 2 county commission race EDITOR’S NOTE: This letter was sub­ mitted before the recent court order that named Catherine Getty the Republican can­ didate for District 2. To the editor: If we Christians somehow arrive at the conclusion that giving up some personal lib­ erties for the sake of other people’s safety somehow makes us less free, then we have deeply misunderstood the cross. In the Hastings Banner, the headline read, ‘District 2 county commission seat still open; New name emerges in race.’ As a former and long time resident within District 2, I fully support Catherine Getty in her bid to remain on the Barry County Board of Commissioners. Mr. John Gallagher: We expect our elected officials to be informed and truthful to our cause and to the needs of our district. We expect them to know in which district they are qualified to run in for said office. We expect them to know and follow all of our state’s election laws. We expect them to concede and step down gracefully when they are found to be in error. It is my understanding that the voters who placed their voice behind the only, and truly viable, District 2 candidate are now to be disen­ franchised as the Republican leadership within Barry County put forth their own candidate. To read that there is now a new name in the mix begs the questions, who is Mr. Pat Hil­ Mailbox missing, road blocked by hay bale Police responded to a report of a missing mailbox submitted by an 80-year-old Bel­ levue woman at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15 on the 12000 block of Case Road. The woman said she went to bed around 10 p.m. the previous night and awoke again at midnight, but she didn’t see anything suspicious. While police were on their way to her residence, she called again to report there was a large, round bale of hay blocking the entire road. The Barry County Road Commission was notified and cleared the roadway. at polling stations. I would have loved for this race to be resolved by Republican voters, but unfortunately, it’s not” Ben Geiger (chair of the Barry County Republicans). “I think that this is the directional change we need,” Hilton added. “We need county commissioners that will recognize that the power doesn’t lie with unelected officials - it always lies with the representation that the voters put in place.” Mr. Hilton, irony is the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. What is about to happen is an appointment (vote) to office by Republican leadership or the lack there of not an election of the voters put in place. You do realize that, by your own statement and belief, you should be held powerless. ton? How did that happen, and with no expe­ rience to boot? Who are those individuals that approached him and urged him to come to the table? “The addition of Hilton makes for a com­ pelling story line as he comes to the table having never held political office,” Jayson Bussa, editor of the Hastings Banner, wrote. Interestingly, Mr. Hilton, perhaps more so, his wife, actively pressured former elected/ appointed officials within District 2 to resign from their elected and or appointed positions. Is it still the Hiltons position that elected/ appointed officials should toss their educa­ tion and experience aside? Are they still in agreement that elected/appointed officials have no rights, or expectations, to freedom of speech and expression? Even on their person­ al and private social media platforms? No double standards once in office. “Unfortunately, that new election is going to be done at a political party meeting and not Bill Nesbitt Hastings But is what happened really that surprising? With our sheriff traveling the country and making his outrageous claims, in my opinion, we’re lucky our county clerks and prosecutor haven’t had more threats directed at them. In fact, (Sheriff) Dar (Leaf) himself has made comments about the county prosecutor that were very intimidating. So, how could Dar be “enraged” by the gentleman’s conduct when it’s actually his fault. I’m afraid until the sheriff’s behavior is corrected, our county will have to deal with even more outrageous behavior. Larry Osborne Delton . n- i then we will fix it. All is well and good. Investigating is part of hisjob - let him do his job. Qr, is this harassment of the Sheriff to rr-.. vtbrj'.' .’fh.’.b • • Cow on-the-loose eludes law enforcement Police received a report of a loose cow in the area of North Broadway Road, between North M-43 and East Carlton Center Road at noon on Aug. 12. The responding officer arrived at 12:08 p.m. and checked the area for 20 minutes but could not find any signs of loose cattle. Motorbike driver attempts to evade police, crashes Argument over imminent divorce turns threatening Police were dispatched after a verbal argument between a married Plainwell couple at 6 p.m. on Aug. 14 in the 11000 block of Long Point Drive. The couple, a 54-year-old Plainwell woman and 40-year-old Plainwell man, were arguing earlier in the day about divorce paperwork. The woman reported the man told her he was going to “take one of her neck rolls and shove it down her throat,” after which she told him she’d be calling the police. Police made contact with the man at a hotel he was staying at and asked about the threat. The man admitted to saying it but told police he only said it because he was upset, and he wouldn’t actually do it. Sheriff is doing his job with election investigation - let him .Since when did it become illegal, fpr the Sheriff to investigate a case? If he investi­ gates and finds nothing -well, that is good. ■If he investigates and finds something, A Middleville woman was awoken around 2 a.m. on Aug. 2 by a rock thrown through the window of her home on the 100 block of Irving Road. When police arrived, they found a rock in the kitchen of the residence that went through a window, and another rock outside that had smashed another window but didn’t go through it. A police officer observed a black motorbike traveling southbound on M-37 and M-43 at a high rate of speed on Aug. 11 around 11:30 p.m. The officer’s radar showed the bike going 88 mph in a 55 mph zone. When the officer approached the bike and flipped on the cruiser’s lights and sirens, the motorbike continued southbound and passed traffic on the left while negotiating the turn near the intersection of M-37, M-43 and M-179. The motorbike accelerated quickly and crashed on the turn on M-43 near Yeckley Road. The motorbike driver, a 22-year-old Battle Creek man, was lying in the ditch next to his motorbike when police approached. The man apologized, told police he had made a stupid decision and he knew he was going to get in big trouble. He was evaluated at the hospital and cleared to be lodged at the Barry County Jail. Sheriff welcoming in threats, outrageous behavior with election claims I agree with the comments at (last) week’s county commission meeting concerning the gentleman from Jackson and appreciate the folks making them. (Note: Public comment­ ers condemned public threats made by an individual two weeks prior concerning what he thought were voting irregularities and fraud in Barry County). Rocks thrown through window make him look bad for political reasons only? Carol Swanson Barry County • i I*', ; ’, ' J Guns are killing children; something must be done Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System To the Editor: I recently ended up at a website called “Current Causes of Death in Children and Adolescents in the U.S.” It contains a letter to the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine by three medical doctors from the University of Michigan. Along with much technical discussion of rates of mortality from many things, there is this stark fact: In 2020, gun violence became the leading cause of death in the U.S. for children and ado­ lescents from one through 19 years of age. At that rate, can we really call ourselves a civilized society? Surely something needs to be done. Mark Bonsignore Delton Rules and guidelines for submitting a letter to The Banner As the name implies, letters should be directed to the editor, not to any specific or broad audience. The Hastings Banner welcomes letters to the editor from readers, but a few conditions must be met before they will be published. The requirements are: • All letters must be signed by the writer, with address and phone number provided for verification. All that will be printed is the writer’s name and community of residence. We do not publish anonymous letters, and names will be withheld at the editor’s discre­ tion for compelling reasons only. • Letters that contain statements that are libelous or slanderous will not be published. • All letters are subject to editing for style, grammar and sense. • Letters that serve as testimonials for or criticisms of businesses will not be accepted. • Letters serving the function of “cards of thanks” will not be accepted unless it is of public interest, which will be determined by the editor. • Letters that include attacks of a personal nature will not be published or will be edited heavily. • “Crossfire” letters between the same two people on one issue will be limited to one for each writer. • In an effort to keep opinions varied, there is a limit of one letter per person per month. • We prefer letters to be printed legibly or typed, double-spaced. Quality Aluminum Products sold to nationwide manufacturer Jayson Bussa Editor Hastings-based manufacturer Quality Alu­ minum Products is under new ownership after it was purchased by a national, public­ ly-traded company. Last week, Grand Rapids-based private equity firm Blackford Capital, which has owned QAP since 2016, announced that it sold the company to Gibraltar Industries Inc., which is headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y, for $54 million. Gibraltar manufactures a wide range of products used for such purposes as renewable energy, residential use, agriculture and infra­ structure. Quality Aluminum Products will enhance Gibraltar’s portfolio of residential products as it specializes in such things as soffit, fascia, rain-carrying products and alu­ minum siding. John Neil, president of building products for Gibraltar, told The Banner that QAP is similar to other companies that Gibraltar owns throughout the company, which includes names like Pacific Award Metals in California, NORWESCO in Washington, DOT Metal Products in Texas, Semco South­ eastern Metals in Florida and Appleton Sup­ ply Company in Wisconsin. “Those are all companies we purchased in the last 20 or 25 years and I’m sure they had the same questions back when we bought them as QAP does now,” Neil said when asked Bob Clark how the acquisition might change operations in Hastings. “In our industry, it’s very import­ ant to be very close to the customer. QAP does a really great job working with their customers and managing throughput in their facility form raw material to the product.” Neil stressed that this was a strategic acquisition for Gibraltar, and they plan on growing the company over the long haul. “It’s a long-term business we want to own and give it the power to improve. So we have no intention to disrupt,” he said. In a statement about the deal, Quality Alu­ minum Products CEO Bob Clark said: “I am excited that QAP has joined Gibraltar - our companies both have strong heritage focus­ ing on customer satisfaction. I look forward to the work we will do together to deliver strong platform of growth that benefits our employees and customers alike.” The sale ends a six-year era where QAP was under ownership of Blackford Capital, which specializes in growing companies that are family- or founder-owned. Quality Aluminum Products is a third-generation business. Blackford touted the fact that it allowed QAP to make new investments in its business to stay on the cutting edge of technology and also making it more effective in sourcing aluminum. “QAP grew rapidly and profitably since becoming part of the Blackford Capital fami­ ly of portfolio companies,” Clark said. “We see tremendous potential for the business and are confident we will continue our momen­ tum as we transition from Blackford Capital to Gibraltar. We are grateful for Blackford’s partnership and we are excited to enter our next phase of growth as a part of Gibraltar’s residential business.” HASS off to an amazing start As I toured schools and classrooms this past week, I saw the excitement of students preparing for a new school year. Talking to students and staff, there was a sense of nor­ malcy to this new school year that wasn’t felt in the past couple of years. I am so grate­ ful to our families and community as they understand the importance of making sure all of our students get all of the things they need for the beginning of the school year. The Barry County United Way has been providing the backpack and school supply program for over 10 years, and this year saw another successful event. Over 143 Hastings students accessed the program again this year. The backpacks, supplies and other resources are entirely donated by the com­ munity. This past weekend, my wife and I attend­ ed the 135th Annual Alumni Banquet of the Hastings Alumni Association, which is the oldest alumni association in the state of Michigan. It was wonderful to share an eve­ ning with so many proud Saxons from so many different graduating classes. The memories shared, laughter and connections were priceless as classmates reunited on a wonderful summer night. As we start the new school year, I’m proud to share that our students are partici­ pating in extracurricular activities in record numbers. The Hastings High School band has 152 members, which is approximately 20 percent of the high school enrollment, and the 6th grade class alone has 94 mem­ bers in its band. At Hastings High School, 265 students are participating in athletics, which is approximately 35 percent. Hastings Middle School has 150 students participat­ ing in sports (football, volleyball, sideline cheer and cross country) this fall, which is about 26 percent of the middle school enroll­ ment. All of our schools are open to the public, and we are encouraging community mem­ bers to volunteer and mentor our students. We hope that you will consider this as we partner to enrich the lives of our students together and prepare them for their career pathway. Notice of Public Hearing on Increasing Property Taxes The Board of Trustees of Prairieville Township will hold a public hearing on a proposed increase of 0.1086 mills in the operating tax millage to be levied on property in 2022. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, September21, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. at Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan. The date and location of the meeting to take action on the proposed millage will be announced at this public meeting. If adopted, the proposed additional millage will increase operating revenue from ad valorum property taxes 3.3% over such revenues generated by levies permitted without holding the hearing. If the proposed additional millage is not approved, the operating revenue will increase by 1.44% over the preceding year’s operating revenue. The taxing unit publishing this notice, and identified below, has complete authority to establish the number of mills to be levied from within its authorized millage rate. This notice is published by: Prairieville Township 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623 2664 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — Page 7 fl look back at the stories and columns on local In the Hastings Banner TURNING I BflGK THE PAGES HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR SEPT. 1-7 Thursday, Sept. 1 - Movie Memories watches an Oscar-nominated 1953 film starring Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn and Aldo Ray, 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5 - library closed. Tuesday, Sept. 6 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7 - Jingle and Mingle meeting, 8 a.m.; Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. The Hastings Public Library is celebrating Banned Books Month and Library Card Month. During September, there will be displays, activities and drawings throughout the library to celebrate. Patrons with lost, worn, old or grungy cards can get a free replacement this month. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. PIERCE CEDAR CREEK INSTITUTE EVENTS FOR SEPT. 1-7 Sept. 1-30 - September Storywalk Book: “Be a Tree!” By Maria Gianferrari. Learn how you can be a tree, and how, collectively, we can be a forest - stronger together. After reading the book, stop by the south side bathrooms of the Visitor Center for activities to learn more about Michigan’s trees. A portion of this Storywalk book is thanks to the gen­ erosity of Joel and Barbara Vandyken. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Those interested can find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. Father-son work together at world’s only superconducting cyclotron lab RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN 2023-2032 ALGONQUIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (AQUATIC VEGETATION CONTROL) Jim and Andy Moskalik are currently working at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab at Michigan State University. Although the father and son don’t work together at the lab, their offices are in the same general location. Here, Jim observes Andy as he runs a computer program. Susan Owens Banner Aug. 29, 1985 Like father, like son? Well, maybe. Andy Moskalik said it’s too early to tell. Right now, he and his father, Jim, are working at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Lab at Michigan State University. The lab is the world’s only superconducting cyclotron plant that conducts research work on nuclear physics. ■ The fact that employees are working with radiation and other nuclear materials isn’t a hidden fact either. Signs posted outside of the building clearly caution employees and visitors alike of the testing being done behind the doors. Jim admits that the first time he entered the building upon taking the position as project engineer nearly three and a half years ago, he was somewhat alarmed. “I saw those signs and thought ‘Oh no, are my eyes going to glow,”’ he said with a laugh. “But now I’m used to it.” Jim was offered the project engineer position after working as an engineer at E.W. Bliss for more than 10 years. He said he originally heard of the opening at the cyclotron lab through a newspaper ad and applied for the position. At the time, he never imagined he would one day be working on nuclear research with his (then) 14-year-old son. Andy, now 17, and a recent graduate of Hastings High School, said that when his father informed him of the possible openings at the lab for college students during the summer months, he was quick to respond. : “This is the direction of what I plan to major in at L Jlake, (bdeAAa Elaine Garlock ' Where did our summer go? Schools have already started. The family calendar of birthdays and anniver­ saries has been crossed off. The school calendar now involves great-grandchildren and nobody is in college. Other families are in that stage of life, but for this writer, the college days are past. * The Woodland Labor Day events are fast unfolding. Among the events on the schedule for this weekend pre a pancake breakfast at the Harold E. Classic Memorial Park sponsored by the local church. On Sunday, there will be a community church service with leadership shared by the Lutheran and United iMethodist pastors. This service will begin at 9 a.m. Also on Sunday is the traditional hymn sing which has been held for many years at the only church in town. (The hymn sing will be at 6 p.m. Separate from these events, the Sunfield United Brethren Church had a similar hymn sing last Sunday. » The Lakewood Lions Club is having its barbecue thicken dinner at Harold E. Classic Park in Woodland |?n Saturday, Sept. 3. This event was skipped a few times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are glad to see it returned. The combined club composed of former Woodland, Lake Odessa and Clarksville members now carries on traditions of the former Woodland club. college,” he explained. “Right now, I’m planning on studying general science, possibly going into physics.” Andy was a good candidate for the position not only because he was interested in pursuing a career in phys­ ics, but also because he planned on going to Michigan State University for his education. “They wanted to get someone who they could invest in,” Jim explained. “So rather than getting someone who was just going to leave at the end of the summer, they chose Andy, who was going to be around for a while.” Andy is currently doing “a little bit of everything” at the lab, including running computer programs and working on medical cyclotron programs. “I’m doing something here that I would be doing when I get out of college,” Andy explained. “Maybe I’m not doing it exactly, but I’m seeing it done.” “It’s a good opportunity to see if I want to stay in this field,” he continued. “If I find out I don’t want to, it’s good to find out now. If I find out that I do, that’s really great, too.” Although Andy and his father do not work together in the lab, their offices are in the same general location and both admit it’s kind of fun. Another attraction to the positions is that they can both help to keep one another awake at 6 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. when they are traveling to and from work. They both admit, however, that the hour-long trop to and from the lab is something they have gotten used to. “It’s kind of nice,” Jim said, “at first the drive was bad, but now I enjoy it.” The Moskaliks live at 4186 Center Road, Hastings. It is a small world. The Gratiot County Herald had a story in last week’s issue about a police chief in St. Louis being presented with a large crocheted flag blanket by an appreciative lady in his community. The officer was Chief Richard Ramirez Jr., who has been with the St. Louis Police Department for 28 years. The story of the presentation included the chief’s reference to the death 11 years ago of his cousin Eric Zapata, who paid the ultimate price of being a police officer while serving in the Kalamazoo Police Department. Chief Ramirez was quoted in the article saying he still keeps a photo of Eric on his desk to remind him of what the police badge represents and the accompany­ ing risks. Members of Central UM Church enjoyed a Sunday event on Eagle Point Road with the hosts being John and Andrea Gentner. They enjoyed a meal together, followed by fun on the lawn and a pontoon ride around Jordan Lake. Others enjoyed a dip in the lake and paddle boat rides near the shore. Ron Cunningham, who works in Georgia, was home for the weekend and spent time with his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandson. Members of the Garlock family camped at Tyler Creek Golf Course over the weekend. During that time, part of the family spent Saturday forenoon at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park on Pratt Lake Road in Alto to see the mixed variety of animals from around the globe. The parking lot was filled with hun­ dreds of cars. After a quiet afternoon at the park, they and more of the family who arrived later had an eve­ ning meal at the park in Freeport. Young children had fun on the playground. After a pizza supper followed by birthday cake, they departed for home to Grand Rapids, Big Rapids, Richland and Lake Odessa. SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL (for levy in 2022-2031) TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE 2023-2032 ALGONQUIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT (AQUATIC VEGETATION CONTROL) ENCOMPASSING ALL LANDS ABUTTING ALGONQUIN LAKE OR HAVING DEEDED ACCESS TO ALGONQUIN LAKE IN LAND SECTIONS 1, 2, 3, 11 AND 12 OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN; AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Supervisor/Assessing Officer of Rutland Charter Township has reported to the Township Board and filed in the office of the Township Clerk for public examination a proposed special assessment roll/ special assessment column in the regular tax roll pertaining to the 2023-2032 Algonquin Lake Improvement Project Special Assessment District (Aquatic Vegetation Control) as reestablished and continued by the Township Board on August 10, 2022 (Resolution No. 2022-283). This proposed special assessment roll proposes to allocate the costs of an aquatic vegetation control pro­ gram for 2023 through 2032 in the approximate total amount of $882,000 over the ten-year program, after subtracting an anticipated surplus of approximately $25,000 from the similar 2016-2022 program now being concluded (approxi­ mately $88,200 per year, rounded off), which includes a contingency for potential cost overruns throughout the term of this ten-year continuation program, and legal and administrative expenses, to the various lots and parcels within the District as follows (in each instance treating multiple contiguous lots/parcels under the identical ownership as a single assessment unit): • $3,630.00 to each improved lot/parcel abutting Algonquin Lake ($363.00 per year). • $1,280.00 to each unimproved lot/parcel abutting Algonquin Lake and to each improved or unimproved lot/ parcel with deeded access to Algonquin Lake ($128.00 per year). The special assessment installments for each of years 2023-2032, to be levied and billed with the winter prop­ erty taxes in 2022-2031, will be subject to annual redetermination by the Township Board when the actual costs of the yearly program and any relevant administrative costs are known. Any such annual redetermination of costs and assess­ ments will be made at a regular meeting of the Township Board in September or October of 2023 - 2031, or thereabouts, without further notice or hearing except as may be required by law or as may be further determined by the Township Board; provided that the allocation of individual special assessments resulting from any such annual redetermination shall be based on the same allocation method used for the initial 2023-2032 special assessment roll. Unpaid assess­ ments will be subject to interest at a rate to be determined by the Township Board not exceeding 8.0% per annum (tentatively 3.0%). A public hearing on any objections to the proposed special assessment roll will be held at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan, on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 in conjunction with a regular meeting of the Township Board commencing at 7:QQ p.m. Pursuant to this public hearing the Township Board may approve and confirm the proposed special assessment roll as submitted, or may approve the proposed special assessment roll with revisions, or may direct a new roll to be made. The proposed special assessment roll, and the project plans, estimate of costs, the boundaries of the 2023­ 2032 Algonquin Lake Improvement Project Special Assessment District, and the Resolution of the Township Board reestablishing the Special Assessment District and directing the Supervisor/Assessing Officer of the Township to make the proposed special assessment roll, may be examined at the office of the Township Clerk and may further be exam­ ined at the public hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE THAT APPEARANCE AND PROTEST AT THIS HEARING IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO APPEAL A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT TO THE MICHIGAN TAX TRIBUNAL. AN OWNER OR PARTY IN INTEREST OR HIS OR HER AGENT MAY APPEAR IN PERSON AT THIS HEARING TO PROTEST A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, OR MAY FILE AN APPEARANCE OR PROTEST BY LETTER WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THE HEARING OR WITHIN SUCH FURTHER TIME AS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MAY GRANT, IF ANY, AND IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES A PERSONAL APPEARANCE AT THE HEARING SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED. THE OWNER OR ANY PERSON HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY WHO PROTESTS IN PERSON OR IN WRITINGAS PROVIDED ABOVE MAY FILE A WRITTEN APPEAL OF A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT WITH THE MICHIGAN TAX TRIBUNAL WITHIN 35 DAYS AFTER THE CONFIRMATION OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL. The foregoing hearings and all proceedings associated with these special assessment matters will be conduct­ ed in accordance with and pursuant to 1954 PA 188, as amended, the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and any other applicable law. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being con­ sidered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 8 — Thursday, September 1,2022 — The Hastings Banner Harvest Pointe holds grand opening, dedicates lounge to long-time volunteer Hunter McLaren Retiring Thornapple Manor Administrator Don Haney (right) presents Elsie Sage (center) with a dedication alongside her daughter Cindy Winters (left). Sage was rec­ ognized for volunteering at Thornapple Manor for 45 years. Recent Hastings High School graduate Zac Franklin closed the ceremony by per­ forming on the grand piano, donated to the lounge by volunteer Elsie Sage. Staff Writer Thomapple Manor held a grand opening ceremony for its new Harvest Pointe addition on Aug. 26. Although supply chain issues and labor shortages have pushed back the completion of the project, the facility was open to the public and featured a furnished room that could be toured. Construction is expected to be complete in September. The ceremony also served as a send-off party for current Thomapple Manor Adminis­ trator Don Haney, who is retiring after 16 years with the facility. Rebecca DeHaan, currently the human resources director, will be taking over in the administrator role next week. Speakers at the event expressed their grat­ itude for the services provided by Thomapple Manor and gave their thanks to Haney for the work he’s done during his tenure. Michigan State Representative Julie Calley, Barry County Department of Health and Human Services Chair Brad Johnson, Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council Executive Director Renee Beniak, Barry County Commissioner Vivan Conner, Barry County Administrator Michael Brown and CM Contracting President Mark Hires spoke about their excitement for the project and the future of the facility. “What you see today before you is a con­ tinuation of Thomapple Manor’s determina­ tion to bring large town amenities to a small town in a rural setting,” Calley said. “Michi­ gan is a top 10 state when it comes to aging demographics. We have a lot of people approaching their golden years.” Calley presented Haney with a flag that was flown over the Michigan State Capitol in Michigan State Representative Julie Calley spoke at the grand opening event, thanking Don Haney and the staff of Thornapple Manor for their service to Barry County residents. honor of his service at the facility and his retirement. “Your leadership has been absolutely key to so many positive developments, not just within Thomapple Manor,” she said. “We have a real asset that we must celebrate.” The event also included the dedication of the facility’s Elsie Sage Music Lounge. Sage volunteered at Thomapple Manor for 45 years, playing piano for residents. A donation from Sage provided a grand piano for the lounge, which she played at the ceremony, Her performance was followed by Jeff Hill of West Michigan Piano and Zac Franklin, a recent Hastings High School graduate who also plays piano at Thomapple Manor. Barry Community Foundation grant applications due Oct. 17 To allocate resources in the most effective manner, influencing a vibrant, healthy com­ munity for the residents of Barry County, the Barry Community Foundation (BCF) has identified the seven elements of a healthy community to focus on. Grant applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Oct. 17 for distribution in December. The foundation’s grant committee reviews all eligible grant applications and makes rec­ ommendations to the BCF Board of Direc­ tors for approval. Applications can be found on the foundation’s website at barrycf.org. Eligible applications must: • Support the Barry County community and its residents. • Be an organization with an IRS designa­ tion. • Work to address one or more of the fol­ lowing seven elements of a healthy commu­ nity: Provide broad access to arts and culture Applicants should encourage a wide vari­ ety of recreational, historical and cultural opportunities. Meet the basic needs of residents Eligible applicants will create a compas­ sionate social, economic and political envi­ ronment where people have ftill opportuni­ ties to meet basic needs for themselves and their families, build assets and advance themselves. Ensure a vibrant and diversified econo­ my The BCF is looking for applicants that foster an economy that is diverse, vital and innovative, that grows strong businesses and business districts, and creates adequate jobs and income for residents. Create quality education and learning opportunities for all ages Organizations interested in the grant should open themselves to new ideas and provide high quality education and life­ long learning for all members of the com­ munity. Protect and steward the natural envi­ ronment Applicants should help preserve and sus­ tain the environment. Promote health and wellness Assuring access to high quality health services on a personal, community and sys­ tems level and promoting healthy lifestyles is important to the BCF. Foster strong and connected neighbor­ hoods and communities Groups or individuals interested in apply­ ing should assure equal opportunity for all individuals to participate in and influence decisions that affect each of their lives and embraces diversity and promote a sense of community. More information about the grant can be found at barrycf.org. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License //SI 10376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Mwmvwwwwwwv Time to Start Christmas Quilts Good Selection of Cotton Prints 108 " Quilt Backing \ Zippers, Threads, Notions Pray for our Nation 'T? QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; ffiBBTSi Saturday 9 am-3 pm SR3 Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station 't^AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAA. 186902 Cashier/Accounts Receivable Clerk Position The City of Hastings is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as a Full Time Cashier/Accounts Receivable Clerk. Position duties include accepting payments, establishing records, customer services, and assisting with various tasks. The complete job description can be found on our webpage. The pay range for this position is $15.35 - $20.46 per hour. Interested candidates should complete an Employment Application Form which can be found and submitted on the Document Center/ Forms page of our website www.hastingsmi.org or visit City Hall between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm to complete and submit an application. In addition, submit a resume and cover letter to smoyercale@hastingsmi.org, or mail to The City of Hastings, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. The City of Hastings will be accepting applications until position is filled. Please direct questions to Sarah Moyer-Cale, City Manager, at smoyer-cale@hastingsmi.org or 269-945-2468. Plants help keep rivers clean Dr. Universe: How can plants help rivers? Jaydon, 9, Indiana Dear Jaydon, Rivers are great places for kids to explore. With an adult and a safe stretch of water, you can wade, swim, splash and enjoy the incredible number of animals that make the river their home - along with all the plant life. Many types of plants grow around rivers. You’ve already guessed how important they are to keeping rivers healthy! To learn more, I talked to my friend Alex Premier, an associate professor at Washing­ ton State University’s School of the Envi­ ronment who works with the State of Wash­ ington Water Research Center. Premier studies areas called watersheds. A river’s watershed is made up of all the land where rain and snow fall and drain down hills and through streams into the river. The plants in a watershed soak up some water before it reaches the river. They also help filter out pollutants in the water that makes it all the way there. “If you removed all the plants, then the water would drop on the soil and dislodge that soil, and that soil would enter the streams and pollute them,” Premier said. Some rivers have lots of soil in them, like the muddy Mississippi, while others run clearer. Either way, the animals that live in a river are used to a certain amount of dirt in the water. Plants in the watershed help keep that amount steady, which keeps the animals healthy. Rain and soil can bring other pollutants with them, too. Plants help filter out pesti­ cides or fertilizers from crops and chemi­ cals from roads. The plants that grow along a river’s banks are helpful, too. We call these plants “riparian” (RY-PAIR-EE-AN). Riparian plants are the final filters between the land and water. They also hang over the water, keeping the river cool. A steady tempera­ ture is important for river animals. For example, Premier said, “salmon need cool, clean water, and if the sun is hitting the water’s surface, that water is going to warm up.” Finally, there are plants growing in the river. If you’ve ever touched river rocks, you’ve felt the slimy brown or green algae (AL-GEE) that grows there. Algae are plants! They pull chemicals like nitrogen and phosphorus from the river water to help them grow. Premier encourages kids to think about all the ways plants help rivers by observing algae. The next time you’re at a river, pick up a rock. Look at the algae and other tiny plants growing on the surface. Then flip the rock over and look at the back. If the water is clean, you’ll see tiny baby insects. The algae and insects are both part of the river’s ecosystem - just like the huge trees in the watershed, the fems growing along the bank and the salmon swimming in the water. A healthy ecosystem needs many parts, working together. People are part of the river’s ecosystem, too. Keep being curious and asking ques­ tions, and you can be part of the big team that helps keep the water clean for all the wonderful things that live in and by a river. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �SPORTS SECTION The Hastings ANNER Thursday, September 1, 2022 Saxons surge in second half to beat TK Brett Bremer Sports Editor There are big events planned for the sec­ ond Thursday evening of the 2022 varsity football season tonight (Sept. 1). Hastings is set to play its home opener against a tough Whitehall squad after opening the season with a win in Middleville last week. The Vikings have been to the postseason in seven of the past eight season and opened 2022 with a win of their own last week - 54-26 over a Unity Christian program that reached the Division 4 State Final a year ago. Delton Kellogg is hosting its annual Salute to Heroes Night. Veterans, law enforcement, first responders and emergency personnel will be honored throughout the evening and are invited to attend for free and to join the team on the field for the National Anthem at 6:45 p.m., about 15 minutes prior to kick-off. Parchment visits Delton Kellogg tonight after a 44-0 loss to Constantine in a South­ western Athletic Conference Lakeshore ball­ game to open the season. Thomapple Kellogg will be part of an eventful evening as it tries to get win number one. The Trojans are the opponent for this year’s edition of the Lowell Pink Arrow con­ test - the program’s annual breast cancer awareness event. TK and Lowell will square off in a varsity boys’ soccer contest at 3:30 and then the varsity football teams will kick­ off at 7 p.m. Lowell started its season with a 48-28 win over Mattawan last week. Lakewood was bested by Pennfield and Belding to open the 2021 and 2019 varsity football seasons, with those match-ups can­ celed in the fall of 2020. The Vikings got off on the right foot in the non-conference sched­ ule last week with a win over the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference’s green and gold Pan­ thers. Now the Vikings will look for a second win to open the season at Belding tonight. The Black Knights are also 1-0 having thumped Ionia 46-14 in their seasfGh opener. Maple Valley will be chasing win number one in a non-conference 8-payer ballgame against visiting Brown City tonight. It is aca­ demic night at MVHS. Brown City scored a 64-12 win over Peck to open the season while the Lions were bested by a solid Bridgman team. This is Brown City’s first 8-player sea­ son. The program hasn’t had a winning record since 2016,which was its Ione winning season since 2011. Local Standings (W-L), playoffpoints Delton Kellogg Hastings Lakewood 1-0, 60.000 1-0, 50.000 1-0, 45.000 Hastings senior fullback Robby Slaughter dodges a Thornapple Kellogg tackler as he bursts through the middle during the open­ ing quarter of the Saxon varsity football team's season-opening win in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thomapple Kellogg Maple Valley (8-player) 0-1, 0.000 0-1, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Hastings Marshall Northwest Parma Western Coldwater Harper Creek Lumen Christi Pennfield 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, 0-1, 0-1, 0-1, 0-1, 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 OK Gold Conference 1-0, 0-0 Forest Hills Eastern 1-0, 0-0 G.R. Catholic Central South Christian 1-0, 0-0 Wayland 1-0, 0-0 0-1, 0-0 Cedar Springs Kenowa Hills 0-1, 0-0 Thomapple Kellogg ser or quarterback Carsen Burbridge sees open space through the middle during the isecond quarter of his team's season opener against visiting Hastings inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Ottawa Hills Thomapple Kellogg 0-1, 0-0 0-1, 0-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Delton Kellogg 1-0, 0-0 Lawton 1-0, 0-0 Schoolcraft 1-0, 0-0 Galesburg-Augusta 0-1, 0-0 Saugatuck 0-1, 0-0 Greater Lansing Activities Conference Lakewood 1-0, 0-0 Stockbridge 1-0, 0-0 Perry 1-0, 0-0 Leslie 0-1, 0-0 Olivet 0-1, 0-0 Tri-River 8-Man Britton-Deerfield 1-0, NorthPointe Christian 1-0, Concord 0-1, Maple Valley 0-1, 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Morenci Vandercook Lake 0-1,0-0 0-1, 0-0 Here is a round-up of last week’s local gridiron action. Hastings 30, Thornapple Kellogg 20 “This isn’t Saxon football,” barked Hast­ ings senior captain Lanny Teunessen after coming all the way across the Saxons’ defen­ sive formation to stop Thomapple Kellogg quarterback Carsen Burbridge just a couple yards shy of the end zone late in the first half inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Thursday. “I don’t want to lose this game!” A couple big pass plays from Burbridge to junior teammate Tyler Gavette and an 11-yard run by Burbridge did the bulk of moving TK from its own end of the field to the Saxon twoyard-line. Burbridge plunged through the line for a touchdown that put TK up 14-6 at the time. Delton Kellogg running back Mason Nabozny plows forward through a tackle attempt at his ankles during his team's win over visiting Loy Norrix Thursday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) TK’s lead only lasted a few seconds. Nothing is more “Saxon football” than senior fullback Robby Slaughter finding a seam and flying 78 yards for a touchdown out of Hastings’ Wing-T formation, and that is exactly what Slaughter did on the Saxons’ first offensive snap following the TK touch­ down. A two-point conversion run by Teunessen tied the game at 14-14 at the half. “Off the tackle they were kind of squeez­ ing it down a little bit, and we started to be a little successful off tackle and then that is what opens up the inside,” Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy said. “You just have to be patient enough to see it. Robby has great vision as a runner and he is good enough to make it happen.” Teunessen and the Saxons didn’t lose. Hastings went on to a 30-20 victory in the season opener. Slaughter rushed the ball 16 times for 242 yards and three touchdowns, caught two passes for 46 yards. One of those receptions was nearly as important as any of his three touchdown runs. In the closing moments of the third quarter on a third-and-7 from the TK 42-yard-line, junior quarterback Owen Car­ roll floated a pass out to his left. Slaughter made as break from the middle and went over the top of TK junior defender Ethan Bonnema to not only break-up the interception with his team holding a two-point lead, but to grab the pass and come down with a first down that kept the drive alive that extended the Saxons’ lead to double digits. Up front, Murphy was especially happy with junior captain Diego Coipel and senior center Jackson Clow on the offensive line. Clow said he spent most of the halftime let­ ting the coaching staff know he could handle the TK nose guard and that there was room to run through the middle where Slaughter took advantage. “We broke a couple plays. We made some big stops. It is my senior year, last time going against TK and it is a great win. I am ecstatic. I am probably going to cry, to be honest,” Clow said. “We have been playing with each other forever now,” he said of the Saxons’ current senior group. “We love each other. We play as a team. Every day we get to the field and we practice four hours in the heat. Were are there for each other. Every time someone is down everyone picks them up.” Both teams put together outstanding first offensive series in the ballgame. The Saxons marched from their 20 to the TK nine before turning the ball over on downs. TK took the early lead turning things around and fighting out of the shadow of its goal-line for a 91-yard TD drive that ended in one-yard TD plunge by junior back Drake Snyder and an extra point by Reece Hoeksma. A 38-yard pass from Carroll to Slaughter was the big play on the Saxons’ ensuing drive. Slaughter was taken down at the three-yardline and Teunessen carried the ball into the end zone from there to get Hastings within 7-6 with four and a half minutes to play in the first half. TK flew down the field to score Bur­ bridge’s second TD of the night and go up 14-6, the TD that was answered by Slaugh­ ter’s first big TD run. Slaughter also scored on a 38-yard run three minutes into the second half to put the Saxons up 22-14, another TD followed by a Teunessen two-point run. That TD was set up by the first turnover of the game. TK started the second half with the ball, but Burbridge had a third-and-13 pass intercepted by the Saxons’ Aiden SaintAmour a the TK 41. TK got back within 22-20 when Burbridge hit a wide open Hayden Chatman with a 23-yard TD pass in the end zone with 8:02 to go in the third quarter, a little over a minute after Slaughter had given the Saxons the lead. Burbridge, who was hobbled a bit throughout the night, had to come off with an injury fol­ lowing the TD throw and wasn’t on the field for TK’s unsuccessful two-point try. Hastings bumped its lead to 30-20 with 35 seconds to play in the third quarter on a 25-yard TD run by Slaughter. A fumble recovery by Saxon senior Damien Gibson basically erased TK’s hopes of coming back in a two-score ballgame with five and a half minutes to go. “In the first half we just seemed to be right there, a hand was on the ball in the air. We were within inches of every pass and every big play that they had. We were just right there,” Murphy said. “In the second half, we adjusted and made the plays.” Burbridge took advantage of some early Saxon defensive alignments that gave him a hole to run right through the middle and led TK with 14 rushes for 66 yards on the night. The Saxons managed to close those gaps a bit in the second half. See FOOTBALL, page 10 �Page 10 — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner MHSAA survey says nearly half of athletes play multiple sports More than 44 percent of athletes at Michigan High School Athletic Association member high schools participated in more than one sport during the 2021-22 school year, according to the Multi-Sport Participation Survey conducted this spring, the fourth such survey conducted by the MHSAA over the last five years to monitor the rate of specialization in school sports. Early and intense sport specialization has become one of the most serious issues related to health and safety at all levels of youth sports, as overuse injuries and burnout among athletes have been tied to chronic injuries and health-re­ lated problems later in life. In early 2016, the MHSAA appointed a Task Force on Multi-Sport Participation as part of a continued effort to pro­ mote and protect participant health and address the issues leading to early sport specialization. The annual Multi-Sport Participation Survey, first conducted for the 2017-18 school year, was among results of the task force’s work. (No sur­ vey was conducted for 2019-20 as spring sports were canceled due to COVID-19.) The MHSAA 2021-22 Multi-Sport Participa­ tion Survey received responses from 85 percent of member high schools, the highest response rate of the four years the survey has been conducted. Survey results showed a slightly lower percent­ age of member high school students participating in athletics compared to the inaugural survey in 2017-18 - but a higher percentage of multi-sport athletes among those playing at least one sport. For 2021-22, schools responding to the survey showed 40.4 percent of their students participat­ ed in athletics during the last school year - 43.5 percent of boys and 37 percent of girls. Class D schools enjoyed the highest percentage of ath­ letes among the entire student body, at 51.8 per­ cent, followed by Class C (47.8), Class B (41.3) and Class A (37.7). Those percentages — total and by Class - all were slightly lower than what was produced by the 2017-18 survey, which saw 42.5 percent of students total participating in athletics. However, the percentage of athletes competing in multiple sports in 2021-22 was higher than in 2017-18, 44.3 percent to 42.8 percent. For 2021-22,46.5 percent of male athletes and 41.4 percent of female athletes played multiple sports. Class D again enjoyed the highest per­ centage of multi-sport athletes among this group, at 60.8 percent, followed by Class C (58.5), Class B (49.5) and Class A (36.7). Similar results for overall sport participation and multi-sport participation relative to enroll­ ment size were seen by further breaking down Class A into schools of fewer than 1,000 stu­ dents, 1,000-1,500 students, 1,501-2,000 stu­ dents and more than 2,000 students. For both sport participation as a whole and multi-sport participation specifically, the smallest Class A schools enjoyed the highest percentages, while percentages then decreased for every larger size group of schools. This has remained consistent over the last five years. “The multi-sport participation survey again shows that student-athletes across the state con­ tinue to focus on participation in several sports and the benefits that come with that participation for their school teams. What the numbers don’t show is the behind-the-scenes benefits of multi­ sport participation,” said MHSAA assistant director Cody Inglis, who has served as coordi­ nator of the multi-sport task force. “So many student-athletes see great success on and off the field with their teams, teammates, friends and peers while also developing the lifelong lessons that sports done right provide. We continue to believe and know that student-athletes who are involved in multiple sports are more successful, benefit from the variety of sports and see huge long-term benefits.” The MHSAA Task Force on Multi-Sport Participation also recommended measuring multi-sport participation in MHSAA member schools to recognize “achievers” - that is, schools that surpass the norm given their enrollment and other factors that affect school sports participation. In Class A, Bay City Central (78.7) and Livo­ nia Franklin (77.7) posted the highest percent­ ages of multi-sport athletes in 2021-22, with Clinton Township Chippewa Valley (75.6) and Parma Western (75.4) also reaching 75 percent. In Class B, four schools achieved at least 80 percent multi-sport participation - Brooklyn Columbia Central (85.8), Detroit Southeastern (84.6), Warren Michigan Collegiate (84) and Durand (82.6). Class C saw five schools with more than 80 percent of its athletes taking part in more than one sport: Brown City (95.7), Decatur (87.4), Niles Brandywine (85.6), Ishpeming Westwood (83.2) and Flint Beecher (80.4). Five Class D schools responded at higher than 90 percent multi-sport participation, with Coldwater Panso­ phia Academy and Kinross Maplewood Baptist both reporting 100 percent of their athletes played multiple sports. McBain Northern Michi­ gan Christian (98.6), Ewen-Trout Creek (94.3) and Detroit Douglass (91.7) were the next high­ est on the Class D list. A total of 10 schools have appeared among the top 10 percent in their respective classes for multi-sport participation three of the four years of the survey: Battle Creek Harper Creek, Detroit Cody, Gibraltar Carlson, Grand Rapids North­ view, Hamtramck, New Baltimore Anchor Bay, Ovid-Elise, Warren Lincoln, Athens and Maple­ wood Baptist. Vikings second to Bees at first GLAC girls' golf competition Brett Bremer Sports Editor Bath beat out Lakewood and Olivet by ten strokes to win the first Greater Lansing Activities Conference jam­ boree of the season hosted by Laings­ burg at Pine Hills Golf Course Tues­ day. Lakewood bested Olivet on a fifth­ score tiebreaker to finish in the run­ ner-up spot. Bath won the nine-hole jamboree with a score of 206, ahead of Lake­ wood 216, Olivet 216, Perry 225 and Laingsburg 270. Sophomore Ellie Benham led the Lakewood team with a 49. Juniors Makenzie Vasquez and Audrey Hil­ lard each shot a 53. Junior Lexi Boom and senior Karmyn Winkler both scored a 61 for the Vikings, besting four and five scores of 65 and 68 by the Eagles. Olivet senior Drue Allen and Bath sophomore Anna Schaibly tied for medalist honors each shooting a 46. Bath junior Aubrie Schaibly scored a 47 and Olivet senior Miah Kiss scored a 48. Benham was fifth overall on the day and Vasquez and Hillard tied for seventh. The conference will get together again for the jamboree hosted by Perry Sept. 6. Viking soccer shuts out first two conference foes Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood boys soccer team suc­ cessfully bounced back from its first two regular season defeats since 2020 last week. The Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team moved to 2-2 after scoring 5-0 wins over Potterville and Leslie in GLAC/CMAC action - starting out 2-0 in conference play. The Vikings are now 3-2 overall thanks to a 7-1 win at Penn­ field Tuesday evening. Lakewood opened the conference season with the win over the Leslie boys at Lakewood High School Wednesday, Aug. 24, and followed up with the shut out of Potterville Thursday, Aug. 25, on the road. The Vikings had been bested 6-1 by Parma Western in their season opener Aug. 19 and fell at rival Ionia 5-1 Mon­ day. The Lakewood boys were set to return to conference action at home against Laingsburg yesterday, Aug. 31. Lakewood has back-to-back ball­ games next week at West Michigan Aviation Tuesday and at Maple Valley Wednesday. FOOTBALL, continued from page 9 Coach Murphy said the Trojans’ athleti­ cism surprised the Saxon defense a bit early on. Gavette was a big part of that. He rushed four times for 61 yards and finished with four receptions for 89 yards. Burbridge was 6-of-9 passing for 121 yards and the one touchdown and one interception. “The big thing with these kids is that when they do make mistakes, and there is a big play, we have been preaching for two years don’t hang your head, go to the next play and have a short memory,” Murphy said. “That is really hard for kids to do, because they’re embarrassed. They’re out in front of a huge crowd. That is really hard for young kids to do and they did a hell of a job of that today, not hanging their head and being defeated. Maturity.” M Delton Kellogg kicker Philip Jeorgensen boots one of his six extra-point kicks, out of the hold of teammate Vinnie Quick, through the uprights during the Panthers1 victory over visiting Loy Norrix Thursday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) SaintAmour had a team-high 7.5 tackles for Hastings while Daniel Weatherly and Jet Barnum had five apiece. Carroll was 3-of-4 passing for the Saxons for 69 yards. Haiden Simmet added 13 carries for 47 yards and a 23 yard reception, and Teunessen had eight rushes for 34 yards for Hastings. Bonnema had a team-high 7.5tackles for TK and Tyler Bushman added six and Noah Rosenberg five. Delton Kellogg 42, Loy Norrix 24 The Wing-T offense of the Delton Kel­ logg Panthers opened the season with 90-yard and 89-yard touchdown scoring drives and never really slowed down in the season opener on the Delton turf against Loy Norrix Thursday. Delton Kellogg went on to a 42-24 win over the visiting Knights while amassing over 400 yards of total offense. Fullback Vinnie Quick capped off the first offensive possession of the season for Delton Kellogg with a 28-yard touchdown run and kept his team’s second drive alive by rushing 17 yards from the Loy Norrix 23 to the sixyard-line on a fourth-and-14 play. DK quar­ terback Philip Halcomb snuck the ball into the end zone himself from two yards out two plays later. DK kicker Philip Jorgensen was busy drill­ ing all six of his extra-point kicks. That second Delton Kellogg drive began with Torren Mapes coming across the field to fall on a Loy Norrix fumble at the Pan­ thers’ 11-yard-line on the Knight’s second possession. Mason Nabozny scored Delton Kellogg’s final touchdown of the first half on a oneyard run to answer the Knights’ first score. DK led 21-6 at the half. Ricky Ramsey added the first points of the second half with a four-yard touchdown run for DK on a fourth down carry early in the third quarter. Loy Norris failed on a fourth down conversion attempt in its own end lead­ ing to another quick score by DK to start the third quarter. This time Nabozny ran it in from 26 yards out. Halcomb tacked on a four-yard TD run in the fourth quarter for DK. Loy Norrix quarterback James Rocco hit a couple long passes down the right side for his team, including a 58-yard TD pass in the first quarter and a 45-yarder that set up his team’s third touchdown. He added a two-yard TD run of his own as well. Lakewood 33, Pennfield 28 The combination of an injury on the Vikings’ defensive line, a dominant perfor­ mance by the Lakewood offensive line and the reads Lakewood quarterback Nathan Wil­ lette was getting from the Pennfield defense made for one heck of a varsity debut for Lakewood sophomore Cole Anderson. Anderson rushed 14 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns as the Lakewood varsity football team opened the 2022 season with a 33-28 win over visiting Pennfield at Unity Field Thursday. “He played the JV scrimmage and played with us, and a couple injuries and some other things and we decided we were bringing him up,” Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart said. “He normally plays linebacker, but we needed him on the defensive line. He plays tackle, but in our split back [offense] he plays running back to next to Monty [Reid].” When Willette got the ball in his hands, more often than not the right choice Thurs­ day was to get it to Anderson. The sopho­ more back scored the Vikings’ first points of the season on a 60-yard run. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Anderson. He did lose a fumble. As a team the Vikings averaged 10.7 yards per rush, totaling 377 yards for the evening on the ground. “Our line also played phenomenal. They owned them up front all night long. We, at will, could move the ball and they were driv­ ing them off the ball and just taking it to them over and over and over again,” Mark­ wart said. He was happy to see his offense play with a bit faster tempo than in the past. Even with a dominant offensive perfor­ mance, the Vikings were in a bailgame. Anderson had the 60-yard TD run and Wil­ lette had a 50-yard TD run, but Pennfield led 21-13 at the half and had a 28-27 lead late in the fourth quarter before Lakewood took the The Hastings varsity football team rushes to the sideline to celebrate with class­ mates at the end of a 30-20 victory over Thornapple Kellogg inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Thursday to start the 2022 football season. (Photo by Brett Bremer) lead for good on a six-yard TD run by Wil­ lette with a little over half a minute to play. New Viking kicker Landon Makley booted the ensuing kick-off into the end zone for a touchback and two plays later junior defen­ sive back Shane Raffler intercepted a Penn­ field pass to clinch the victory. Montreal Reid ran the ball hard for the Vikings too, finishing with ten carries for 92 yards. Willette ran 14 times for 103 yards. Willette was 4-of-7 passing for 68 yards and a TD. Senior wide receiver Ethan Weller had two receptions for 49 yards. After falling behind by a touchdown late in the first half, the Vikings put together another quick drive down the field that ended with Weller’s foot coming down on the end line after he hauled in a pass as the clock hit 0:00. The Vikings capped a third quarter drive with a 12-yard Anderson TD run and twopoint conversion run that tied the game at 21-21. Lakewood took a momentary 27-21 lead in the fourth quarter on a five-yard touchdown pass from Willette to tight end Austin Straub. Pennfield answered that TD to go up 28-27 in the fourth. Bridgman 54, Maple Valley 6 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 |RM| Banner Hastings Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: One Stop Shop (Marathon) (M-43 North) Superette Family Fare Tom's Market Hastings Johnny's The General Store Marathon Mega Bev Hastings Pharmacy Marathon Gas Station Speedway Harding's Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Middleville Johnny's (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Cloverdale: Orangeville: ShelbyviUei Nashville: Town & Country The, Dock Trading Post Nashville Johnny's MV Pharmacy . Nashville C Store Carl’s Lake Odessa: Lake-O-Express Lake-O-Mart Lake Odessa Johnny’s Carl’s Freeport: L & J’s Delton: Family Fare Delton Johnny's Orangeville Fast Stop Banfield: Prairieville: Prairieville Fast Stop Banfield General Store Dowling: Goldsworthys Cloverdale General Woodland: Woodland Express The Lions were unable to contain Bridg­ man’s three-year varsity quarterback Reid Haskins, one of the top eight-player quarter­ backs in the state of Michigan, and Haskins’ teammates dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball Thursday at Maple Valley High School. The Bees took a 54-6 win over the host Lions, scoring 48 points in the first half. Maple Valley’s opening touchdown of the season came with 3:47 to play in the first half on a 29-yard pass from Ayden Wilkes to Cam Carpenter. Through the air was the only way the Lions had success moving the ball against the Bees, and even then some screen passes that may have hit for big yardage were swarmed for much shorter gains. “We had a rough time tonight,” Maple Val­ ley head coach Marty Martin said. “We got beat at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. You could infidelity tell this [Bridg­ man] team - the weight room was important to this team. They really took control of the line of scrimmage and beat us up psychically.” Bridgman rushed for 367 yards, led by Haskins who had 12 runs for 160 yards. Clark Smith added 12 carries for 128 yards. Haskins also was 3-of-7 passing for 114 yards. “We needed to do a better job of tackling in space,” Martin said. “We need to be able to tackle in space. We didn’t do a very good job of that. We need to do a better job of Delton Kellogg's Torren Mapes finds room to run up the left side during his team's win over visiting Loy Norrix Thursday in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) keeping our leverage. If we have outside contain we have to stay there instead of ducking back under.” “These things are all fixable,” he added. “We have worked on them endlessly, and we will continue to work on them.” Haskins had touchdown runs of four and 45 yards in the first quarter, added a 20-yard rushing TD in the second quarter and a 62-yard TD pass to Wade Haskins late in the first half. Smith had TD runs of 29 yards and 52 yards in the bailgame. Wilkes was 6-of-14 passing for 55 yards for the Lions. He was intercepted twice, with Nolan Staniszewski picking off one pass and returning it 35 yards for a score early in the second quarter. Martin said his boys played hard and made Bridgman work for everything it got in the first half. Jesse Deppe finished with a team-high ten tackles for the Lions. Andrew Shepard had six. The Bees’ defensive front was just too dominant for the Lions to really sustain any­ thing offensively. Maple Valley had -2 rush­ ing yards for the night. Tyler Rose had a team-high six yards. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — Page 11 LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Christian L. Allwardt, married man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Talmer Bank and Trust, Mortgagee, dated November 21, 2014 and recorded December 8, 2014 in Instrument Number 2014011497 and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on July 12, 2016, in Instrument Number 2016006882, and Loan Modification Agreement recorded on December 4,2019, in Instrument Number 2019011985, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Sixty-One Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty-Seven and 70/100 Dollars ($161,767.70). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Hope, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the Northwest corner of Section 24, Town 2 North, Range 9 West; thence East 1320 feet along the North line of Section 24; thence South 300 feet for the true place of beginning; thence South 574 feet; thence East 494 feet parallel with the North line of Section 24; thence North 84 feet; thence East 226 feet; thence North 227 feet to the centerline of Gurd Road; thence Northerly along the centerline of Gurd Road to a point 300 feet South of the North line of said Section 24; thence West parallel with the North line of said Section 24 to the place of beginning. 7100 Gurd Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11,2022 File No. 22-005635 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-11 )(09-01) 185612 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement : 'Notice TFgiven u’ncfer sbcfibn 321’2L of the' re vised * judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Shane Hills, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Mortgage: December 27, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 6, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $66,453.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing on the East side of the Highway, 57 rods 14 links South of the West 1/4 post; thence East 11 1/2 rods; thence South 22 rods 11 links, more or less; thence West 13 1/2 rods to the center of the Highway; thence North 15 rods 23 links; thence East 2 rods to the East side of the Highway; thence North 6 1/2 rods to place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 7290 N Broadway Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9714 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: August 18, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1472883 (08-18)(09-08) 185960 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 6, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kayla Leboeuf and Zachary Leboeuf, husband and wife as joint tenants with right of survivorship Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: May 7, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 10, 2021 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $256,795.15 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Section 29, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, Part of Northeast 1/4, Commencing North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 118.80 feet from East 1/4 corner, North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 380.31 feet, North 00 degrees 48 minutes 41 seconds East 297 feet, South 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds East 220 feet to Centerline of Banfield Road, South 27 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds East 338.59 feet to the point of beginning Common street address (if any): 928 E Hickory Rd, Battle Creek, Ml 49017-8252 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 1, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1474029 (09-01 )(09-22) NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Timmy Rosenberg, a single man, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated June 6, 2012 and recorded June 12, 2012 in Instrument Number 2012-001107 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Ten Thousand Three Hundred Eighty-Four and 74/100 Dollars ($110,384.74). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 8, 2022. Said premises are located in the City of HASTINGS, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The Southeast % of the Northeast % of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan. 719 E Woodlawn Avenue, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 11,2022 File No. 22-008032 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 186614 (08-11)(09-01) NOTICE Attention homeowner: if you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Scott Edgerton, to PNC Bank, National Association, successor by merger to National City Bank, Mortgagee, dated March 30, 2001 and recorded April 23, 2001 in Instrument Number 1058455 Barry County Records, Michigan. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Thirty-Seven Thousand Two Hundred ThirtyNine and 48/100 Dollars ($37,239.48). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The East 74 Fee of Lot 34, Vickery’s Lakeside Park and Cot, according to the recorded Plat thereof, Barry County Records. 857 Watts Dr, Dowling, Michigan 49050 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 25, 2022 File No. 22-003427 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address; 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-25)(09-15) 186453 185613 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29271-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Judith Ann Campbell, Deceased. Date of birth: 3/2/1954. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Judith Ann Campbell, died 7-27-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Veronica Crawford, 116 S. State Street, Nashville, Ml 49073, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/24/2022 Michael J. McPhillips P33715 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-3512 Veronica Crawford 116 South State Street Nashville, Michigan 49073 616-824-0117 186919 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS TRUST In the matter of: The Treva E. Schoneboom Trust, dated February 15, 2017. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Treva E. Schoneboom, who lived at 5299 Otis Lake Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, died on July 31, 2022, leaving a certain trust under the name of Treva E. Schoneboom Trust, dated February 15, 2017, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Bonnie E. Putnam and Scott McKeown were named as Successor Co-Trustees serving at the time of or as a result of the decedent’s death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Bonnie E. Putnam and Scott McKeown, the named Successor Co-Trustees, at Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law, 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8/22/2022 Nathan E. Tagg (P68994) 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2900 Bonnie E. Putnam and Scott McKeown 2722 East D Avenue, Kalamazoo, Ml 49004 1792 N. M-37 Middleville, Ml 49333 269-342-1172 186726 Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 186616 Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Are you properly insured? You probably won’t see it on your calendar, but September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. And it is indeed important to be aware of the importance of life insurance. Are you adequately insured? Many people aren’t. About 40% of Americans face some type of life insurance gap, either because they’re uninsured or un­ derinsured, according to a 2021 survey by the research and ad­ vocacy groups LIMRA and Life Happens. The need for life insurance is pretty straightforward: If some­ thing were to happen to you, would your family be able to con­ tinue their same lifestyle? Would the mortgage still be paid? Would your children still be able to fur­ ther their education? So, if you decide that you should acquire or strengthen your life insurance, how much do you need? Your employer may pro­ vide you with some insurance as an employee benefit, but it may not be sufficient. You might have heard that you should have cov­ erage worth seven or eight times your annual salary. But this esti­ mate is just that — an estimate. Everyone’s situation is different, and there’s really no one formula that can tell you how much insur­ ance you require. To determine the coverage you need, you’ll want to consider several factors, including your age, number of de­ pendents, your income and that of your spouse and the size of your mortgage. Knowing how much coverage you need is obviously important, but you’ll also want to consid­ er what type of life insurance is right for you. You have two basic choices: term or permanent insur­ ance. As the name suggests, term insurance provides coverage for a specified amount of time, such as 10,20 or 25 years. Term insur­ ance only offers a death benefit— there’s no buildup of cash value in your policy. Generally speaking, term insurance is considered to be quite affordable, especially when you’re young. Permanent insurance, on the other hand, offers a death benefit and the opportunity to build cash value. Because of this, premiums for permanent insurance—which includes “whole life” or “univer­ sal life” — are considerably high­ er than those for term life. Which type of insurance should you choose? Again, it all depends on your situation and your preferences. Some financial experts advise people to “buy term and invest the difference” — that is, use the money saved on the lower term insurance premi­ ums to invest in stocks and mu­ tual funds. Others, however, dis­ agree, and point to the benefits of permanent insurance, such as the ability to borrow against the cash STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY ORDER TO ANSWER FILE NO.: 22-204-CH HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Paula L. Bennert, Gregory A. Bennert, Plaintiffs, “ V ■ - yr. I Gayle Crocker, Peggy Good,Tina L. McGowan, Marcie Huff, The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot, Defendants.____________________ David H. Tripp (P29290) Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law 202 South Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2900 Attorney for Plaintiffs_____________ TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF DALE F. HOOT MARCIE HUFF At a session of said court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan on the 25th day of August, 2022 Present: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh, Circuit Judge Based on the pleadings filed in the above entitled case, it is ordered that Defendants, The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot and Marcie Huff shall file a Notice of Interest in the above captioned case in real property commonly now as: Vacant Land, more fully described as follows: Hope Township Lot 39, Techland (Sup. Plat). Tax ID No: 08-07-330-013-00 by the 14th day of October, 2022, to assert any interest in the above described property. If the Defendants fail to do so that shall constitute a default in the above entitled matter, and on the 17th day of October, 2022 at 2:00 in the afternoon, this Court shall take proofs and shall terminate whatever interest The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot and Marcie Huff may have in and to the above described property unless a Notice of Interest in the Real Property is filed in this action or unless Defendants or their representatives appear on that date. Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh P42572 Drafted by: David H. Tripp (P29290) Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-2900 186883 value of a policy to pay for unex­ pected expenses. Ultimately, in making the choice between term and permanent insurance, you’ll need to look at your entire finan­ cial picture to determine which option is best for you. In fact, life insurance should be a key component of your overall financial strategy, along with your investment mix and the long-term goals you’ve set. Insurance can even play a role in your estate planning, as you determine the best way to distribute assets to your family members and any charitable organizations you sup­ port. Life Insurance Awareness Month lasts 30 days — but your need for life insurance can endure for decades. Make sure you’re do­ ing eveiything you can to protect your loved ones. This article was written by Ed­ ward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Edward Jones is a licensed insurance producer in all states and Washington, D.C., through Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P., and in California, New Mexico and Massachusetts through Ed­ ward Jones Insurance Agency of California, L.L.C., Edward Jones Insurance Agency of New Mex­ ico, L.L.C., and Edward Jones Insurance Agency of Massachu­ setts, L.L.C. California Insurance License OC24309. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-29264-DE In the matter of Gilbert B. Tate. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS including? Denise Blair, Matthew Tate and Dawn Marcinkiewicz and the unknown and unascertained heirs, whose address(es) is/are unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on Wednesday, September 21 x 2022 at 2:45 p.m. at Barry County Probate court, 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml before Judge William M. Doherty P41960 for the following purpose: Petition for Probate, Admission of the will of the deceased and a determination of heirs. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: the Decedent, Gilbert B. Tate died March 9, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jay R. Harrington Personal representative, or to both the Probate Court at 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8/23/2022 Robert L. Byington P276221 222 W. Apple Street, PO Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Jay R. Harrington 927 E. Railroad Street Hastings, Michigan 269-908-3561 186722 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Garage Sale BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White GARAGE SALE- FRL-SAT., Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Wanted Called to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Stoneburner, Goebel, Pence, Doster, DeVries Agenda amended and approved . Consent agenda approved: July 20, 2022 Minutes, department reports, bills Commissioner's report Public comments, if any, were received. Approved: Resolution 2022-19 Truth in Taxation Chief of Police Hire Public and Board comments were received. Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m. Member SIPC Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 9/2/22-9/3/22 9am-5pm. 3365 Pifer Rd., Delton. Tools, toys, antiques & morel! SYNOPSIS PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Regular Meeting August 17, 2022 Submitted by: Rod Goebel, Clerk Financial FOCUS WANTED- BUNK BEDS in MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom decent condition, 517-852­ 1705. trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Business Services Pets PINE BUILDING MATERI­ ALS Sawed to your specs, 6' AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES For sale. Awesome through 16' lengths. Miller's Custom Sawing. Call for avail­ ability 517-852-4989, leave a message, or 517-852-9335. colors, very cute, $150.00.517­ 852-4881. HEALER MIX PUPPIES For sale. Small, cute & playful, $100.00. 269-223-9194. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �Page 12 — Thursday, September 1,2022 — The Hastings Banner Marcukaitis flies through final leg of 400 relay Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings junior Holly Carpenter races to a victory in the 10O-yard freestyle during her team's non-conference win over Ionia in the CERC pool in Hastings to open the 2022 season Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor The anchor swimmer for the Ionia varsity girls’ swimming and diving team’s 400-yard freestyle relay team proved quite the carrot for Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/ Hastings junior Sophia Marcukaitis to chase Tuesday. Marcukaitis took off nearly 20 seconds behind the last Bulldog in the last race of the night at the Community Education and Rec­ reation Center in Hastings. Putting up a first 50-yard split of 23.05 seconds, Marcukaitis was just five seconds back. By the end, the DK/TK/HHS team had won by more than six seconds. Marcukaitis was moving. Her first 50 split of 23.05 seconds was faster than any 50-yard split in a 200-yard freestyle relay or 400-yard freestyle relay race by a DK/TK/HHS girl all of last season, which included times from her big sister Abby Marcukaitis who is now swimming at Purdue University. The team of sophomore Malia Hamby, sophomore Aubrey Hawks and senior Cadence VanOoy joined Sophia in winning Tuesday’s relay in 4:24.06. Abby Marcukaitis set the DK/TK/HHS record in the 100-yard freestyle at 53.62 sec­ onds in 2019 and the 50-yard freestyle record in 24.52 seconds in 2020. While relay splits to straight starts aren’t directly comparable, Sophia’s relay splits from Tuesday certainly put those records well within reach as well as state qualifying marks in those events. The DK/TK/HHS program is hoping that a return to the state finals at the end of the sea­ son for the 200-yard medley relay team that includes returning swimmers Sophia Marcu­ kaitis, Preslee Hall and Holly Carpenter is within reach. Coach Carl Schoessel said after Tuesday’s meet that the key to chances of that happening will be home many improvements the team can make in the backstroke over the course of this season. The junior Carpenter and senior Hall teamed with seniors VanOoy and Erin Dan­ iels to win the 200-yard medley relay in 2 minutes 9.77 seconds, leading off the DK/ TK/HHS team’s 101-77 win over the visiting Ionia girls. The team actually had the top two teams in that relay with the team of junior Isabella Morey, senior Kasey Kapteyn, freshman Siena VanOoy and sophomore Hamby second in 2:22.96. ' Marcukaitis started her season in the pool with a winning time of 2:19.69 in the 200-yard individual medley and added a winning time of 1:11.99 in the 100-yard breaststroke. Car­ penter took the 100-yard freestyle in 1:01.17. Hall, Carpenter, Marcukaitis and Hawks took the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:53.77. Junior Lizzie Middleton Won the 500-yard freestyle for DK/TK/HHS in 6:59.46. Coach Schoessel joked after the meet that he was pleased Ionia’s foreign exchange students hadn’t arrived yet, as he feels like the Bulldogs traditionally somehow are able to add a fast swimmer or two from overseas every year. The Bulldogs have a few of their own homegrown talents who showed off their skills Tuesday. Madeline McGee, a senior, won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:04.21 and the 100-yard backstroke in 1:02.31. Her fresh­ man sister Amelia McGee took the 50-yard freestyle in 27.02 and the 100-yard butterfly in 1:05.57. DK/TK/HHS comes into the fall expecting to score well in the diving competition and certainly did so Tuesday with girls earning three of the top four scoring places. Sopho­ more Abby Dumond won the event with a score of 208.40 points on her six dives. Junior TJ Myers was second at 170.20 and senior Eve Bishop right behind at 168.85. DK/TK/HHS will compete again Sept. 8 at Fremont. Eagles prepping for big league match with Libertas next week Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Barry County Christian School varsity volleyball team is getting a fresh start under new head coach Melissa Webb. The Eagles opened the season with a cou­ ple of August contests and are now looking forward to a home date with Libertas Chris­ tian planned for Sept. 8. Coach Webb said so far she has seen her team working well together with good energy and communication. The focus this season will be on improving the girls’ skills in individual positions. Some of the top players back for the Eagle varsity are senior defensive specialist Rachel Feldpausch, junior defensive specialist Mikaila Thompson, junior middle Kelsey Stoltzfus and sophomore middle Ravyn Simon. Coach Webb is also expecting good things from her sophomore setter Alexandria Webb. “Our main goal this year is improvement from the beginning of the season to the end of the season in overall knowledge of game play,” coach Webb said. The Eagle coach is especially looking for­ ward to the two Great Lakes Six Conference matches with Libertas Christian and Heritage Christian Academy this fall. The Eagles see the Heritage Christian girls for the first time Sept. 13, on the road. The 2022 Barry County Christian varsity volleyball team Eagles set sights on conference title Sports Editor The Eagles will find out just how they stack up in the Great Lakes Six Conference shortly. The Barry County Christian School varsi­ ty boys’ soccer team has a big early season match at Heritage Christian Academy in Kalamazoo Sept. 13. Eagle head coach Justin Schultz, who has been leading the Eagle program for six years, said “I am looking forward to this season more than any other. We have a strong possibility of taking our league this County cross country teams race Under the Lights at South Brett Bremer The 2022 Barry County Christian varsity boys' soccer team. Brett Bremer Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings senior diver Eve Bishop twists above the water during her team's win over visiting Ionia at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) year as long as the boys continue to work hard and work together.” Barry County Christian was third in the conference a year ago. Coach Schultz said he expects Heritage Christian and Algoma Christian to be the top teams in the way of the Eagles and a conference championship this fall. There is positivity in part because of a solid defense powered by senior stopper Kevin Shaffer and senior sweeper Joe Wise. Sophomore Kegan Robinson is another key returnee to the middle of the Eagle line-up. Sophomore defender Johnathan Hawks is a key addition to the team. Coach Schultz said he expects his team to be hard to score against this fall. Speed is the key to the offense which will be led in part by a couple of talented fresh­ men in attacker Isaiah Lamphere and winger Landon Winager. Barry County Christian is set to face Fac­ toryville Christian on the road Sept. 6 and Libertas Christian at home Sept. 8 prior to the big first showdown with Heritage Chris­ tian. The team’s annual Wisner Soccer Invita­ tional is planned for Sept. 24 this season. Sports Editor The Friday night lights were for the cross country runners last week. “Hundreds anxiously waiting to cheer wildly for the teams that are ready to do battle adorned with face paint and shouting their school’s respective war whoops along with fireworks to start things off may sound like a football game in cities and towns across the United States,” Thornapple Kel­ logg varsity girls’ cross country Wilkinson described after the Trojans opened the sea­ son at South Christian’s Under the Lights Invitational Aug. 26. Middle school and three divisions of varsity races began taking off from the starting boxes at just after 8 p.m. Hastings varsity teams were a part of the Sunset boys’ and girls’ races that began at 8:40 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. respectively, the Thor­ napple Kellogg boys’ and girls’ were a part of the 9:50 p.m. and 10:25 p.m. Twilight division races, and the Delton Kellogg and Lakewood teams ran in the Midnight boys’ and girls’ races that started at 11:00 p.m. and 11:35 p.m. “For the Lady Trojans, the starting gun went off around 10:30 p.m. and the twelve teams in the Twilight Division emerged from the comfortable confines of the well lit starting area into the often rather dark abyss of the race course,” coach Wilkinson described. He said junior Ava Crews, Barry Coun­ ty’s lone state qualifier from a year ago who is competing this fall, led her team with an intelligent race from start to finish, “biding her time and reeling in one athlete after another until crossing the finish line.” Crews was tenth overall in the Twilight girls’ race with a time of 20 minutes 11.20 seconds among a field of 12 full teams and more than 200 total runners. Team placings, scores and individual finishing places in this story are for the division races as a whole Friday. Those races were further bro­ ken down into small and large school com­ petitions. Jenison took the Twilight girls’ title with 50 points. TK was eighth with 229 points. The Trojan team also had Holly Velting 37*h, Lucy VanDemark 63r^, Lindsey Velt­ ing 66^ and Madison Kietzman 67^. Potter’s House Christian dominated the Twilight division boys’ race with 28 points, while the TK boys were 12^ with a score of 312 points. Junior Lucas VanMeter led the TK boys with a 20th-place time of 17:13.50 impressively opening his season with a per­ sonal record time. The Trojan boys’ team also had Christien Miller 81st, Kaden Ham­ ming 124^, Hunter Tietz 142nc* and Luke Archer 167 . The Hastings boys kicked things off for the Barry County area teams running in the boys’ Sunset race which was one by Thor­ napple Kellogg’s OK Gold Conference rivals from Forest Hills Eastern that fin­ ished with 46 points. Runner-up Kalamazoo Central was well back with 103 points. Hastings placed seventh in a 14-team field with 187 points. Hastings junior Riley Shults led his team with a 19th-place time of 17:14.10. Bran­ don Simmons was 24^ in a personal record time of 17:35.70 for the Saxons and Hast­ ings also had Reuben Solmes 42nct, Jonah Teed 44ttl and Caleb LaBoe 68^. Toby Comensoli was the lone competitor to finish for the Hastings girls on the night. She placed 85^* with a time of 26:03.20. Forest Hills Eastern also won the Sunset girls’ race, besting runner-up Shepherd 57-83 from a field of 13 teams. Forest Hills Central’s boys outscored host South Christian’s 39-94 at the top to win the Midnight division boys’ race, while the Rangers did take the large school divi­ sion and the Sailors the small school divi­ sion which also happened to include Lake­ wood and Delton Kellogg. The Delton Kellogg boys were tenth overall in the Midnight race with 248 points. Lakewood was 12^ with 310 points. Lakewood senior Ryan Alford opened the year with a personal record time of 18:23.60 which put him in 31st place over­ all. The Vikings also had Troy Acker 46^, Riley Johnson 94^, Hudson Goethals 121st and Matt Cronk 128^. Delton Kellogg was led by Hector Jimenez who was 34^n in 18:31.50 and Micah Martin who was right behind in 36^ with a time of 18:32.10. The Panther team also had Gage Vincent 50^, Isaac Shepard 54^ and Brett Harsevoort 108^. The women’s Midnight division title went to the West Ottawa girls who dominat­ ed even other large schools to finish with 26 points. Zeeland East was second with 70. Freshman Emma Tidd led Lakewood with a time of 22:01.60 that had her in 40^ place. Senior teammate Reagan Lab was 41st in 22:02.10. Lakewood also had Sadie Brearley 76^, Claire Fortier 101st and Emma Lancaster 102nck Delton Kellogg’s pack was paced by senior Joelle White who was 73r<^ in 23:27.00. The Panthers also had Lillian Lester 144^, Lillie Steele 146t*1, Jillian Leclercq 158^ and Kylie Main 160^* in a field of 206 finishers. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — Page 13 Short-handed Panthers off to 3-0 start Delton Kellogg's Hector Jimenez lets a shot fly from the top of the 18 in between Schoolcraft defenders Ethan Popp (2) and Nyan Wonders (15) during the first half Monday in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was a microcosm of the whole Panthers’ season so far wrapped up in one evening. It started a little late. It would have been nice to have some more players. It was a win. The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ soccer team improved to 3-0 on the young season with a 2-0 victory in its Southwestern Athlet­ ic Conference Valley Division match against visiting Schoolcraft Monday in Delton in a ballgame that started a few minutes late due to the severe thunderstorms that rolled through the area after school. All three wins so far this season are conference victories for the DK/Martin co-op team. The Panthers faced their toughest test of the season so far in the Eagles, who already have three non-conference victories on the season. At full strength, the Panthers mostly controlled the play and scored two goals in the first two minutes. Senior Hector Jimenez had a foot in both goals. He carried across the top of the box from left to right and dropped the ball back for teammate James Blackbum who riffled a shot into the right side of thenetTdf a T^(J DK lead just 68 seconds into the contest. Jimenez scored the second goal of the game 80 seconds later twisting defenders back and forth as he made his way into the box and then ripping a shot off the keepers’ fingertips and into the net. Jimenez had 21 goals and eight assists a year ago. Blackbum had 12 goals and 18 assists last season. The talented senior trio leading the DK team into the new season also includes Marshall Warner who was second team all-state in Division 3 a y ear ago after scoring 15 goals and handing out 13 assists. Warner was sidelined throughout the sec­ ond half Monday though, nursing an injury alongside teammate Pablo Gomez. With those two on the bench that left the 13-mem­ ber DK team without a sub. Of those 11 on the field, three had never played soccer before showing up for the 2022 preseason. “They had to play almost the whole game,” DK head coach Alan Mabie said of Isaac Shepard, Ethan Rimmer and Craig Quick. “They held on. Fortunately, we started quick. With [Marshall] going down it wasn’t pretty, but we were able to hold on. We’re learning. A win is a win and 3-0 is 3-0. “They don’t always know quite what to do, but they hustle after the ball. Two of them are cross country runners [Rimmer and Shepard], so they’re quite. They have the speed they just aren’t always sure what to do when they get the ball, but they’re learning. They have come a long way since the 15th [of August].” While the Delton Kellogg defense is young, it held its shape well throughout the second halTinTrofit of new gbalkeepefTelix Houssemaine who is a foreign exchange stu­ dent who was a late arrival to the team. Hous­ semaine was strong in his box and avoiding losing the shut out when an Eagle shot clanged off the post in the opening minutes of the second half. “[Houssemaine] play really well today,” Mabie said. “He had a couple really good saves. This is only his second game, because he is an exchange student that just came in last week. That very first week when we had to cancel those games I only had eight play­ ers. We didn’t even know if we were going to have enough for a team.” Coach Mabie said Houssemaine is a keeper for his club team back in Sweden. “Before that, Isaac Shepard was going to be our keep. He had never played it before. He is a basketball player and it was like let’s give it a shot. He did okay, but he doesn’t nearly have the skills of Felix and he is in better shape to play in the field because we haven’t had a lot of time to condition with a lot of them because many didn’t show up until a week ago, so even that first Monday before our first game last week we had 12 and that is because one kid came in that day. He hadn’t had any practice yet and just came in. He was there for a sub, so we had at least one sub.” Myles Hatton has been back helping out the young defense, and coach Mabie is look­ ing forward to being able to push him up in the center of the formation sometime soon. The Panthers didn’t expect offense to be an issue coming into the season. It hasn’t been yet. DK beat Parchment 9-2 last Wednesday with Warner notching four goals and an assist. Jimenez had three goals and an assist and Blackbum had two goals. DK was scheduled to visit Allegan Wednes­ day, Aug. 31. The Panthers will be at home to take on Constantine Sept. 7 and then head to Harper Creek for a non-conference match Sept. 8. Offense progresses for Vikes as they test themselves early on Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was a 3-0 day for the Lake­ wood varsity volleyball team at the East Kentwood Quad Thurs­ day. The Vikings defeated East Kentwood 25-15, 25-20, Grand Ledge 25-14, 25-18 and scored a 25-13, 25-20 win over Traverse City St. Francis. Abby Pickard had a team-high 13 kills for the Vikings as they shared the load on the attack. Sky­ lar Bump and Cadence Poll had 12 kills each. Alivia Everitt had 11 kills, Ellie Possehn ten kills and Izzy Wheeler six. The Vikings knew they would have to have everyone involved on the attack this season. Bump had 29 assists and Pick­ ard 23. Alli Pickard had a teamhigh eight aces while bump added six, Abby Pickard five, Bailey Fifelski four, Paige Wolverton three and Carley Piercefield one. Piercefield had a team-high 34 digs, with Abby Pickard recording 13 and Alli Pickard ten. Bump had nine, Wolverton seven and Fifels­ ki five. Defensively at the net, Abby Pickard and Poll had five blocks each. Alivia Everitt added three blocks, Wheeler two and Bump one. Coach Rowland said after his team’s first two quads of the sea­ son, “the things we knew we were gonna be good at we have been good at and the things we knew we needed to improve showed.” The Lakewood girls were 1-2 at a quad hosted by Cornerstone Uni­ versity, but played at Rockford High School, Tuesday (Aug. 23). Lakewood defeated the Rams in three sets 25-15, 18-25, 15-13, but fell 23-25, 25-16, 15-13 to Forest Hills Central and 25-22, 25-19 to Coopersville. The Vikings were back at Rockford Saturday, Aug. 27, where coach Rowland said his girls played exceptionally well to start eh day taking down East Kentwood 25-12, 25-6, Byron Center 25-16, 25-22 and Hudson­ ville 25-20, 20-25, 15-10. In the end, the Vikings were bested by Portage Central 26-24, 14-25, 16-14 and Rockford 25-16,26-22. “Our offense has to keep get­ ting better, which I believe it will but we are serving and passing exceptionally well and must con­ tinue to make that our strength,” Rowland said. Abby Pickard had a team-high 29 kills and Poll pounded 24. Alivia Everitt had 19 kills, Bump 16, Wheeler 15 and Possehn knocked eight. Bump put up 56 assists and Abby Pickard 31, while Piercefield added 15 assists to go with her two aces and 68 digs. Alli Pickard led the Vikings in aces on the day with 12. Bump and Wolverton had seven each. Alli Pickard chipped in 36 digs, Bump 28 and Abby Pickard 17 while Bailey Fifelski had 11. Wheeler and Everitt tied for the team lead in blocks with three apiece. Delton Kellogg defender Ethan Rimmer pushes ahead with the ball during his team's shutout of visiting Schoolcraft in Delton Monday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg goalkeeper Felix Houssemaine moves into position to snag a Schoolcraft shot during the Panthers' 2-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference win Monday in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Panthers score a few early season volleyball victories Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg var­ sity volleyball team opened its season Aug. 20 with a win over Bloomingdale at the Coloma Early Bird Tournament. The Panthers dropped a few sets that dan bug con­ cluded the tournament run with a loss in a hard-fought three-set match with a solid Dowagiac team. The Delton Kellogg girls were back in action Wednesday, Aug. 24, at their own Delton Kellogg Invitational where they scored a win over Climax-Scotts and split with Loy Norrix in pool play before ultimately falling to Loy Norrix in the tourna­ ment semifinals. “Lillie Ferris and Jordan Lyons are leading in attack­ ing, and Cadence Johnson took on a new role hitting this year, so our front line is looking pretty strong,” Delton Kellogg head coach Erin Thornton said. “We’ve got a lot of girls that can dig the ball, but our libero Car­ lie Ritchie is really showing what she can do with 49 digs in two tournaments.” The Delton Kellogg girls were set to visit Plainwell Wednesday, Aug. 31, and will open the Southwestern Athletic Conference season Sept. 13 at Martin. “I have some high hopes and we’re setting some even higher expectations this year to get every ounce out of this season that we can,” Thornton said. Lions try to set their pace after first cross country race of 2022 Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lions all learned a little something about themselves as they opened the 2022 varsity cross country season at the Laingsburg Early Burg Invitational Fri­ day, Aug. 26. Some found they should push a little differently early. Some learned they need to be stronger for late in the race. And that was the goal. “The goal for all the runners was to use this race as just a starting point for the sea­ son,” Maple Valley head coach Tiffany Blakely said. “Run it the way they wanted to, learn from what went well and what to work on and then apply it to our practices.” Maple Valley senior Adam Blakely, the program’s only guy so far this fall, placed 119th in 26 minutes 16.1 seconds. He raced out to fast one-mile and two-mile splits, faster than he has typically gone so early in the second. “He was disappointed in his finish time, but encouraged by his perfor­ mance,” coach Blakely said. “He set his new goal for working on his endurance for the last mile.” Neither the Maple Valley boys’ or girls’ team had enough runners to earn a team score. Teams need five to earn a score. The girls’ team had four competing. Junior Lilly Faurot led the Maple Val­ ley girls’ pack with a 40th-place time of 24:31.2. The Lions had junior Mackenzie Decker 98th in 31:29.6. Coach Blakely said Faurot didn’t start too fast, but held a steady pace to finish with a good time. While Faurot was a state finalist as a freshman, her teammate Decker was just running her first 5K ever. “Not knowing what to expect, I was pleased to see her keep with it, and when she finished, she commented it wasn’t bad and had a good time,” coach Blakely said of Decker. “She also said she didn’t realize how much energy she’d have at the end and wants to work on getting faster while racing.” Not too far behind were sophomore Brianna Gurd 112th in 38:35.5 and fresh­ man Ada Marie Blakely 113th in 39:57.3. “Both had solid consistent races,” coach Blakely said. “Gurd posted a new personal course best time by over three minutes while Blakely kept her in her sights and they pushed each other the whole race.” Holt took the girls’ championship as a team on the day, besting Grand Ledge by one point 67-68. A group of ten girls’ teams and nine boys’ teams competed for team titles. The Capital Homeschool boys domi­ nated their race finishing with 49 points. Marshall was second with 70 points an dGrand Ledge third with 74. Capital Homeschool had two of the first three finishers. Logan Zahn won the boys’ race in 17:10.2 and sophomore teammate Ezekiel Grimmet was third in 17:20.8. Marshall sophomore Jack Bid­ well as the runner-up in 17:19.9. Grand Ledge senior Taylor Pangbum won the girls’ race in 19:37.6. City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Ap­ peals of the City of Hastings will hold a public hearing during its regular meeting on September 20, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The purpose of the public hearing is to hear com­ ments and make a determination on a variance re­ quest by owner, Hastings Church of the Nazarene of 1716 N. Broadway, Hastings, Ml 49058. The applicant has requested a variance from Section 90-859 (a)(2) of the City of Hastings Code of Ordi­ nances, that if granted, will allow construction of a four (4) foot high fence within the secondary street front yard and a variance from Section 90-831 (a)(4) that if granted, will allow placement of a structure(s) which exceeds a height of 36 inches in a required front yard. Legal description of said property is: BEG AT A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SECTON 7 DISTANT S 00 DEG 25 MIN 01 W 495.64 FEET FROM THE NE CORNER OF SAID SEC; THENCE N 89 DEG 59 MIN 07 SEC W 424.21 FEET (PRE­ VIOUSLY RECORDE AS 424.3 FEET) HENCE N 00 DEG 27 MIN 23 SEC E 45.00 FEET; THENCE S 89 DEG 58 MIN 48 SEC W 48.00 FEET; THENCE S 00 DEG 27 MUN 23 SEC W 336.51 FEET TO THE CENTERLINE OF INDIAN HILLS DRIVE; THENCE ALONG SAID CENTERLINES 89 DEG 53MIN 17 SEC E 59. 74 FEET; THENCE N 00 DEG 25 MIN 01 SEC E 33.00 FEET TO THE NORTH LINE OF INDAIN HILLS DRIVE; THENCE S 89 DEG 53 MJN 17 SEC E 412.67 FEET TO SAID EAST LINE OF SECT 7; THENCE N 00 DEGH 25 MIN 01 SEC E 259.32 FEET ALONG SEffiON LINE TO THE POB IN THE NE 1/4 OF SEC 7;TOWN 3 NORTH RANGE 8 WEST CITY OF HAST­ INGS SPLIT/COMBINED ON 02/01/2022 FROM 55­ 135-011-00; Written comments will be received on the above re­ quest at Hastings City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 4:00 PM on the day of the hearing. Requests for information of said hear­ ing should be directed to Community Development Director, Dan King at 269-945-2468 or dking@hastingsmi.org . The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1 -800-649- 3777. Jane M. Saurman City Clerk 186884 �Page 14 — Thursday, September 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Annual Jim Jensen tourney champs crowned The Triple Threat team of Cam'ran Jones, Braiden Villa, Olivia Friddle and Bella Friddle celebrate their championship in the 15-17-year-old division of the 2022 Hastings Summerfest Jim Jensen Memorial 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at Tyden Park Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Murray's Asphalt team of Teegen McDonald, Darren Carpenter, Cam Murray and Bobby Bryson celebrate their championship in the 12-14-year-old division of the 2022 Hastings Summerfest Jim Jensen Memorial 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at Tyden Park Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The UCF team of Gavin Wilson, Matt Newton and Bryant Stewart celebrate their championship in the 18-and-up division of the 2022 Hastings Summerfest Jim Jensen Memorial 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at Tyden Park Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK finds its way through Saxon D for win Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg’s varsity boys’ soccer team bounced back from consecutive defeats to score a 2-0 win over the visiting Hastings Saxons on the turf in Middleville Wednesday. It took two attempts on a penalty kick by Jackson Curtis to get the Trojans on the scoreboard first with a little less than 13 min­ utes to play in the first half. The ball was spotted incorrectly on his first attempt and he had to put it past Hastings keeper Zach Chip­ man a second time to break the scoreless tie. Fernando De Santiago gave the Trojans a big of a cushion when he finished off an out­ standing centering ball from teammate Reece Hoeksma with just less than 14 minutes to go in the second half. Outstanding set-ups created the scoring opportunities for TK, which had a tough time at times working the ball through the crowd­ ed Saxon defense. Austin Chivis created a great scoring chance for Curtis that set up the PK in the first half, rolling a pass ahead from the top of the box that Curtis got a touch on towards the net before being taken down from behind. Hoeksma hit a long centering ball in from the right side to find De Santiago for the sec­ ond goal. The Trojans are now 4-2 overall this sea­ son. “They played well. It is hard. They were packing it in,” TK head coach Andrew Kiel said. “It is fair strategy for them to do that. They put 11 behind the ball and we had a hard time breaking it down. When were were able to find some interplay and knock the ball in the middle of the pitch we were able to create a couple things. In the second half we had great combination play between our wings and the guys in the middle and it ended up making for an easy slot across for Fernando.” Hoeksma was especially strong setting up teammates. Coach Kiel loves his ability to beat defenders one-v-one and knows Hoeks­ ma loves to try. “He comes back and wins stuff for us, checks back and relieves a lot of pressure for us,” Kiel said. “He can beat the first guy and then get the ball out, and that allows us to shift.” Chivis, who notched the other assist, impressed his new varsity coach too. Thomapple Kellogg's Jackson Curtis pushes the Trojans onto the attack during the first half of his team's win over the visiting Saxons in Middleville Wednesday, Aug. 24. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “He doesn’t have may goals or assists yet this year, but Austin Chivis winning the ball up top is really key for us. He is dropping back into that center attacking mid spot and he can win the ball and his ability to get the ball to his feet and then distribute out allows our whole team to shift, and then switch the play easily,” Kiel said. “He had a couple stingers out there too, and the goalie from Hastings just made a great save,” Kiel added. Chipman had an outstanding night in net to keep his team within striking distance, and for the most part the Saxons held their forma­ tion well to keep the Trojans at bay. The Trojans possessed the ball much of the evening, and most of the game was played between 20 yards and 50 yards in front of the Saxon net. Getting closer wasn’t easy, and the RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP 2022 TAX ALLOCATION NOTICE The Rutland Charter Township Board will discuss for approval the 2022 tax allo­ cation rate proposed to be levied for the year 2022 at its regular board meeting to be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan. This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA 41.72a(2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Hastings goalkeeper Zach Chipman makes a diving save to his right to prevent a goal during the first half of the Saxons' 2-0 loss to the Trojans inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Aug. 24.(Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons didn’t have much luck pressuring the TK defense. The Trojan coach was happy with how Nathan Shoemaker played calm in the back row for TK and all the defenders worked the ball ahead through the midfield rather than trying to skip a step in moving the ball up the field. At times, the TK defense tried to bypass the midfield when moving the ball out of its end and it caused some trouble in a loss to the visiting Chix Monday. Hastings bounced back Saturday morning to score a 3-2 win over visiting Battle Creek Central in Hastings. The Saxons were slated to visit Ottawa Hills Wednesday, Aug. 31, and then won’t compete again until Sept. 6 at home against Wellspring Prep. TK has now won three in a row to improve to 6-2 overall this season. The Trojans took a 5-1 win over West Michigan Aviation Friday on the road and then opened the OK Gold Conference season with a 4-2 win over visit­ ing Wayland Monday evening. TK is set to be a part of the Pink Arrow night in Lowell tonight and will face the Red Arrows at 3:30 p.m. today, Sept. 1, before the varsity football game between TK and Lowell. TK returns to OK Gold Conference play Sept. 7 against South Christian in Middleville. Lakewood ladies best HHS girls for first nine-hole win Brett Bremer The Rutland Charter Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxilia­ ry aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days notice to the Rutland Charter Town­ ship Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. Robin J Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 Hastings' senior Nate Kohmescher works to run Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Juan Aguiar off the ball along the sideline during the first half of the Trojans' 2-0 win over the Saxons in Middleville Aug. 24. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity girls’ golf team played its first nine-hole dual of the season last Tuesday (Aug. 23) against Portland and got its first nine-hole dual victory of the sea­ son Wednesday (Aug. 24) against Hastings. The Vikings defeated the Hastings Saxons 237-243 on the sunrise nine at Centennial Acres Wednesday. Makenzie Vasquez, a Lakewood junior, led all the golfers on the day with a 47. Her score was boosted by pars on holes one, four and five. Senior Karmyn Winkler shot a 59 for the Vikings. Junior Audrey Hillard scored a 62 and junior Makayla McGary scored a 69. Hastings was led by 56s from junior Addey Nickels and freshman Sophia Greenfield. Peightyn Cronk scored a 64 for the Saxons and senior Lauren Arnold a 67. Both Hastings and Lakewood took part in the Thornapple Kellogg Invitational Friday, Aug. 26, with the Vikings placing 405^ and the Saxons 22n^ in the 22-team meet. South Christian took the day’s team cham­ pionship with a score of 328, ahead of Sparta 333, Byron Center 338, St. Joseph 362, Northview 366, Gull Lake 367, Zeeland West 368, Mona Shores 374, Lowell ‘B’ 376 and Caledonia 376 in the top ten. Lowell also had a team place ll^1 with a 381. The host Tro­ jans were 12th with a score of 386. Vasquez led Lakewood with a score of 94. Winkler shot a 102, Hillard a 104 and Ellie Benham scored a 105. Hastings was led by a 109 from Nickels and a 113 from Arnold. The Thomapple Kellogg girls were paced by Ailana Leos’ 80. Kendra Coe shot a 101 for TK, Rae Borrink a 102 and Emma Schut a 103. Byron Center junior Macie Elzinga was the individual champion with a one-under-par 71. Zeeland East junior Carly Lukins was second with a 75. South Christian was led to the title by a 77 from junior Ashley Thomasma and a 78 from senior Lucy DeHaan. Leo’s 80 was good for eighth individually behind Caledonia sopho­ more Copelin O’Krangley who was seventh with a 79. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-09-08.pdf 2a9a65f8f4c8fa2c1e7d3f37f1b4d694 PDF Text Text ■ Soccer Saxons run their winning streak to three New Delton pickleball coin seeing plenty of use See story on page 9 See story on page 8 804879110187 1070490102590501430449058113421 ******«**,*************.** CAR_RT L0Tw*C 005 QQ05 Richard Hemerling 421NTaffeeDr ' Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM Thursday, September 8, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 36 PRICE $1.50 Juvenile lifer that got a second chance now returns to prison for the rest of his days Jayson Bussa IN GOD 1 Editor Two competing narratives clashed last week in a Barry County courtroom as the fate of a high-profile offender was decided. Timothy Riddle, the man who led police on a high-speed chase last year, including an exchange of gunfire before barricading him­ self in a Village of Woodland gas station, lobbied for an eventual shot at freedom. He spoke about the impact of being incarcerated as a teenager and spending nearly his entire life behind bars. The office of Barry County prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt, however, made it clear that she was not buying it, laying out facts that indicate why Riddle should be consid­ ered a dire threat to the community at large. Ultimately, Judge Michael Schipper went the way of the prosecutor’s office, sentenc­ ing the 49-year-old Riddle to a prison term that will ensure his natural life ends behind bars. Riddle appeared in 56-B district court to learn his fate over one year after the fateful night that resulted in a laundry list of charges. Riddle appeared in front of Judge Schipper in a sentencing hearing that eclipsed an hour- See JUVENILE^page 2 Timothy Riddle enters the 56-B district courtroom last Thursday morning to be sen­ tenced for charges stemming from a 2021 standoff with police iw'.^odland. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) x Judge Michael Schipper speaks during last Thursday’s sentencing hearing involving Timothy Riddle. Ultimately, Judge Schipper said he could not grant Riddle another opportunity at freedom based on his consistent pattern of threatening behavior. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Freeport artist enters ArtPrize for 12 years running Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Visitors making their way up the drive to Lane Cooper’s house in Freeport are greeted by a five-foot tall praying mantis made of scrap metal, discarded farm equipment and some old shovels. Making their way further up the property, they’ll see various other little scrap metal critters. A blue heron made of rebar, nails and old car parts wades through cattails with a fish in its mouth and a turtle underfoot. Vari­ ous birds of prey peer from the garage, unrecognizable from their past life as machines and motors. There, Cooper might ask his visitors to take a seat and chat with him and his wife Rosemary. In the yard looking into the garage, an iron wood stove in the shape of a peculiar, stout little man holds a fire. “That’s my minion,” Cooper said. “He’s real good for cooking hot dogs and things like that.” Freeport artist Lane Cooper stands beside his Art Prize entry, titled “Creating You in ArtPrize 2022.” See ARTIST, page 3 Irving Twp. clerk amongst parties suing to decertify 2020 election results Jayson Bussa Editor Irving Township clerk Sharon Olson has joined a recent lawsuit filed in federal court to decertify Michigan’s 2020 presidential election results. Originally reported by The Detroit News, Olson is listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed on Friday in Michigan’s western district of the federal court system. Citing what they view to be improprieties in the election process, the plaintiffs are ask­ ing federal officials to demand that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson re-run the 2020 presidential election process. The results of that election were certified on Nov. 3, 2020. Additional plaintiffs in the case include the Macomb County Republican Party, non-prof­ it organization the Election Integrity Force and Byron Center-based Donna Branden­ burg, who is the 2022 governor candidate for the U.S. Tax Payers party. Individual voters Jason Ickes and Ken Beyer are also listed as plaintiffs. The office of Secretary of State Benson did not respond to requests for comment about the recently-filed lawsuit. Olson declined to participate in an inter­ view at this time, but released a statement outlining the sort of information and evidence she is aware of that would suggest the results of the 2020 presidential election were tainted. Much of her statement centered on her claims that electronic voting systems used throughout Michigan were not certified by an accredited entity. “Why does it matter? The certification provides federal standards for security and transparency in our election systems. There are many safeguards that were missing for a See IRVING TWP, page 2 Grizzly served as the K9 unit of the Barry County Sheriff’s Office since he was 15 months old. He is now retired and his ownership has been transferred to his handler Deputy Travis Moore. (File photo) GOOD BOY IN BLUE: Barry County Sheriff’s Office K9 granted retirement Jayson Bussa Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson (File photo) Editor One member of the Barry County Sher­ iff’s Office is now enjoying the luxurious life of retirement. “We were joking around that he’s proba­ bly going to start eating burgers and fries and watching Oprah now,” Sheriff Dar Leaf said with a chuckle. The new retiree certainly has earned a burger or two - he’s a very good boy. Grizzly, who has served as the only four­ legged member of the force for the last six-and-a-half years, was granted retire­ ment by the Barry County Committee of the Whole during Tuesday’s brief meeting. His ownership rights have been transferred from the Sheriff’s office to handler Deputy Travis Moore, a veteran of the force. The committee of the whole was able to review a waiver of liability for the animal and the sale agreement. Grizzly was sold to Moore for $1, bringing to close a nearly seven-year career for the eight-year-old German Shepard. The process of transferring ownership to the dog’s handler is common practice. These dogs are trained for their duties on the force, which means they can be a liabil­ ity in the care of someone that doesn’t know how to manage them. “The dog is trained to bite - it’s a police dog,” Leaf said. “It can’t just be going out to the lay public.” The Barry County Sheriff’s Office uti­ lizes just one K9 on the force at a given time, most often for tracking purposes. “We do a lot of tracking with the dog,” Leaf said. “And, that’s anything from See GOOD BOY, page 3 �Page 2 — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner »New Halloween and Christmas Fabrics 1 Zippers, Threads, Notions • 108" Quilt Backing • Print Cottons for Quilts! "U* Pray for our Nation QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; r— Saturday 9 am-3 pm I------- Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station 1 J Dear Spiritual Care Supporters, Through your continuing support for Spiritual Care Consultants, we have been able to lead 734 sessions for children and 796 session for adults to Christ-centered healing and new pathways necessaiy for them to refocus on achieving their God-given potential. Thank you! I ask that you prayerfully consider the I Spiritual Care Consultants Program in your year-end giving plans. The ministry grew by 41% in 2021. Your support has helped SCC meet the increase in demand for services in our children’s program. Growth in demand will continue as grateful parents and children proclaim the impact the Lord had on their lives through SCC’s work, and as SCC’s work in Maple Valley Schools and Delton Kellogg Middle School. In July 2022, SCC saw a 14-year-old dream fulfilled by opening the new Healing Center. This will help SCC meet the increasing demand for services. People often come to SCC feeling helpless and defeated because other interventions failed to help them live happy and productive lives. Adults and children often come to SCC disillusioned about their worth and potential, having succumbed to messages of failure and despair. I was in a local restaurant and Betty walked up to my table and said, “I want you to know that SCC saved my life. I was going to commit suicide, but I came to SCC for help. Not only did they save my life, but I was able to get off all of the drugs that I was addicted to and now I have a new life.” All I could say was, “Praise the Lord.” Through your continuing support for SCC’s work, a big part of your legacy can be summed up in the following messages that represents the vast majority of gratitude expressed by SCC clients: “Spiritual Care taught my son so many different ways to connect with the world and be happy again!,” “Spiritual Care gave me tools I needed to get over my anxiety and to be a success in life.” You helped so many children and adults escape painful destinies, destinies they were never intended to experience. God’s plans for people are so important and this work must continue. SCC greatly appreciates your support for our work to empower marginalized families through our process. We have a $50,000 matching fund for this year, which will greatly help us reach our fundraising goal of $150,000. We welcome your help in reaching it. Please feel free to go to www.scchealingbegins.com where you can watch testimony videos of how SCC has made a difference. Please make all checks payable to Spiritual Care Consultants. God bless you! Chaplain Gale Kragt & Dr. Troy Carlson Since 1920 EBELS 'General Store Dfflialtaw Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. tfce Mow to a&fel i# ikr trantfmtaifoft ef a* fadfatiMfo Mddt throu^i Spiritual Caret * Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 Name: JUVENILE, continued from page 1 and-a-half in time, as all parties involved had to unravel a cumbersome list of charges. Armed robbery was the most serious of the charges Riddle was convicted of, being found guilty via a bench trial. Due to his criminal history and previous offenses, the mandatory minimum for that charge was 25 years, a number that Riddle’s defense Barry County chief public defender Kerri Selleck - was striving for in hopes that Rid­ dle would potentially be released from pris­ on during his lifetime. Instead, Judge Schipper opted for the high side of sentencing guidelines and sentenced Riddle to 47.5 to 75 years in prison for that charge alone. Riddle also faced several felony firearms charges, which he pled guilty to in May. The felony firearm convictions carried a 2-year sentence that must be served first and be served before his sentence for armed robbery would begin, upping his time behind bars to a minimum of 49.5 years. “Mr. Riddle, you will die in prison, and I’m looking you in the eye and telling you that,” Judge Schipper said during the sen­ tencing. Schipper also urged Riddle to make good use of his time in prison by mentoring young­ er convicts and helping them to avoid the fate that he has dealt with - a fate that landed Riddle in prison for an overwhelming major­ ity of his life. TURBULENT LEGAL PAST Riddle’s checkered legal past is quite unique, beginning at the age of 15. At the age of 15, he was placed in a juvenile detention facility on the east side of the state due to a variety of legal and probation violations. In July of 1988, Riddle escaped from the facility and broke into his elderly neighbor’s home in Wayne County. Riddle ended up killing the woman by hitting her over the head with a bottle. Riddle and the Barry County prosecutor’s office clashed over their characterizations of this incident. Riddle, who expressed remorse for the killing, said that he was spooked that night, threw a bottle at the woman and inad­ vertently killed her. The prosecutor’s office has pointed to evi­ dence in the nearly 3 5-year-old case that showed Riddle smashed a bottle over the woman’s head and also concealed her body. “After the murder, defendant and a friend then stole his uncle’s car and drove to his friend’s mother’s cottage and were swimming in a lake when caught and arrested by police,” stated a lengthy sentencing memo issued by Nakfoor Pratt, which laid out Riddle’s pen­ chant for anger, violence and poor deci­ sion-making. Riddle took exception to how he was char­ acterized in that previous murder case. “I explained to you what happened,” Rid­ dle said to Judge Schipper at his sentencing. “...In the interest of full disclosure, you deserved to know that....I even read a news­ paper that said I beat her in the head with a pipe. I didn’t do that. And I will never ever let her leave my mind or my heart.” Riddle was sentenced to life in an adult prison at the age of 15. However, when the United States Supreme Court banned life sentences for juveniles, he Timothy Riddle stands beside Barry County’s chief public defender Kerri L. Selleck last Thursday. Riddle spoke to Judge Michael Schipper at length about his past run-ins with the law and what happened during last year’s stand-off with police. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) was placed on parole in 2017 after 30 years in prison. By Riddle’s account, these decades in pris­ on were a contributing factor in the life of crime he would continue to lead upon exiting. “I got a bad hand when I got in prison - I was a kid and I was in an adult world,” Riddle said. “And it was an understatement to say that going from a 14-year-old kid ready to turn 15 going into an adult prison, within the first year being brutalized after being raped and nearly being killed ... I didn’t even think that was such a bad thing in a way (after what I did).” Nakfoor Pratt’s office pointed to the fact that he was hardly a model inmate, too, citing his 120 major acts of misconduct. “Among other violations, the defendant was charged with threatening to kill a prison guard and exposing his genitals to a female prison guard. The defendant’s conduct in prison improved around 2012, although it is unclear whether his improvements were con­ temporaneous with his application for a par­ don while incarcerated.” After exiting prison, he immediately found himself in legal trouble in Barry County. According to the prosecutor’s office, this included the use of methamphetamine and stealing from both houses and businesses. Nakfoor Pratt’s office highlighted an inci­ dent in Nov. 23, 2021 when Riddle got angry with workers at a Secretary of State Office in Hastings. “He then threatened to bum down their office building,” the sentencing memo stated. “The workers were frightened that the defen­ dant would return in the days following the incident. He pled guilty to disturbing the peace on that case.” FINAL ACT OF CRIME Still, none of those offenses matched what happened on Aug. 4,2021 when he broke into a house, stole guns and then took off on a high-speed chase when confronted by Hast­ ings police at a later time. Riddle sped down to Woodland where he stopped at a Mobil Gas Station, firing a gun at Barry County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Ware. Ware was present at the sentencing, but did not provide a victim impact statement. Riddle claimed, that day, he stole the guns with plans to kill himself. He said that he had no intention of hurting anyone when he took off on the chase. “It’s not fair to say that no one was injured,” Riddle said. “I keep thinking about it every day. For over a year now I’ve sat in (jail) and thought about the exponential impact of everything I’ve done. But, I don’t like the fact that the prosecution gets the chance to really misstate things. To make up things that just aren’t.” Riddle’s defense also said that, once he noticed that two clerks were still in the gas station, he let them leave immediately. The prosecutor’s office was not buying it, saying that he terrorized the clerks and many others throughout the course of his actions. Not only did an eloquent Riddle speak at the sentencing, he also submitted a 17-page letter to Judge Schipper prior to the hearing. His overall narrative centered on hardships he faced after leaving prison and his plans to kill himself - and not others - that day. “I got out of prison and I did not know anything,” Riddle said in court. “It happened so fast that it was a whirlwind.” “There is a litany of excuses I can give, but the truth is that I wasn’t prepared when I got out,” he added. “How is that going to change if you get out again? Because they’re not going to prepare you in prison any different this time than they did last,” Judge Schipper responded. “Some things have changed. Not much,” Riddle said. “And that’s the concern,” Judge Schipper responded. Nakfoor Pratt tried the case for the county but was unable to appear at the sentencing. The lengthy memo, though, spoke for itself, pegging Riddle’s constant and serious threats to society and the fact that he has made a habit out of making excuses and manipulat­ ing others in order to earn second chances. “The defendant’s attempts to explain his behavior and apologize fall on deaf ears at the prosecutor’s office,” the memo read. “He claims he was ‘institutionalized,’ which he may have been in prison. However, he was not institutionalized when he decided to kill Ms. Heine in cold blood and leave her.” “Actions speak louder than words, and his actions warrant the highest prison sentence allowed by law,” the memo concluded. Judge Schipper acknowledged the uphill battle that Riddle faced after spending three decades in prison and said he wasn’t shocked that Riddle continued to struggle once he got out. And while Judge Schipper said he didn’t necessarily doubt Riddle’s regard for human life or will to change, he ultimately could not take a chance on ever letting him go free. “There is no way I can put the rest of my community at risk with giving Mr. Riddle another chance,” he concluded. Address:. IRVING TWP, continued from page 1 ----- Zip: State:__________ .______ Phone: Total Donation Amount: Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Mastercard AMEX Card Number:_________________________ Exp. Date: / Amount: Name on Card:________________________ CW (4 Digit):Signature: _ _____ __ free and fair election,” Olson’s statement read. “Without this, the 2020 election was not lawfully able to be certified,” Olson argues. “Should we just pretend that it was? I think it should be re-run without the electronic voting system.” Olson also cautioned that state officials must preserve electronic data such as audit and security logs. “There is no requirement in federal or state law to destroy or delete election data,” Olson said in her statement. “Considering the interest and this controversy, we are ask­ ing the court to order protection against an SOS order or voluntary optional destruction of evidence - too many people still want access and this is part of a free and fair elec­ tion.” In her statement, Olson also said that she believes Michigan should hand count ballots in the upcoming midterm elections instead of relying on electronic voting systems. “I, as a clerk, am seeking clarity,” Olson said. “On one hand, I am told to use a system that does not meet the requirements by law, or I will be removed. I am being given an order and I want to know if it is lawftil by a court. “I serve the people, not the Secretary of State, but the people want me to retain evi­ dence, but I get instructions threatening me with a crime if I do not obey to destroy elec­ tion information.” Olson has been accused by the state of turning over one of Irving Township’s voting tabulators at the behest of Barry County Sher­ iff Dar Leaf, who has easily been the most outspoken county official in regard to voting integrity. Last month, Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel petitioned to appoint a special prosecutor to potentially charge Leaf and eight other individuals criminally for alleged­ ly gaining unauthorized access to voting tab­ ulators and conducting tests on them. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — Page 3 Middleville woman named MDHHS director for Barry, Allegan counties Greg Chandler Grizzly is pictured with his handler, Deputy Travis Moore, at a Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting last year. (File photo) GOOD BOY, continued from page 1 -------------------someone just broke into your home or some­ one with dementia is missing from the home.” Grizzly, which weighs in at roughly 78 pounds, also has been effective in chasing and bringing down suspects. One notable instance came in 2019 when Grizzly chased down David Krebs of Vermontville, who was accused of slitting a man’s throat near Free­ port. Krebs was eventually sentenced to a prison term of eight years minimum. Now that Grizzly is granted a life of lei­ sure, a new K9 takes over, funded by an anonymous donation. The new dog, named Jesse, comes from Europe and is working with Deputy Moore, preparing to start partic­ ipating in day-to-day duties. But on Tuesday, the attention was affixed on Grizzly. “Thou art retired, Grizzly,” Ben Geiger, chair of the bpar^.Qf^ommis^iQ^e^^ saidv. r Staff Writer Noelle Bair was adopted when she was less than a year old in her native Texas. As an adult, she has been a foster parent with her husband, Byron Hoogwerf. Now, one of her main goals as director of the local office of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is to encour­ age more Barry County families to become foster parents. Bair, a Middleville resident, was named Sept. 1 as director of the MDHHS offices in Barry and Allegan counties, replacing Tim Click, who was recently named director of the In-Home Services Bureau within the MDHHS. Children’s Services Agency. Bair has been child welfare program man­ ager for Barry and Allegan counties since 2016, when she moved to Middleville. Because of her professional experience in the child welfare system and as a foster parent, she can offer insight to those who might be interested in foster parenting but have concerns that might keep them from moving ahead. “It’s very easy to identify some of the bar­ riers to becoming licensed. One of our major initiatives right now with the state is to recruit more placement options, to focus on home environments for children instead of congre­ gate care,” Bair said. “My own experience allows me to say ‘what are some of the barriers (that keep people from becoming foster parents). Is finding daycare a barrier? How can we help those (facing that challenge)? I can identify barriers, look for ways we can improve (that situation).” Anyone interested in becoming a foster parent can call 1 -855-MICH-KIDS, Bair said. Bair, 45, has been with MDHHS for the past 17 years, starting in children’s protec­ tive services in Ionia County, then working her way up to be a child welfare supervisor in Kent and Ionia counties. In her role as child welfare program manager, she super­ vised managers and analysts in several Chil­ dren’s Services Agency programs in Barry and Allegan counties. Bair also wants to promote and grow rela­ tionships with other community organiza­ tions. For example, the local MDHHS office will be involved in next Thursday’s United Way Day of Caring. The department will also be involved in United Way’s Fresh Food Initiative, a local food distribution program tq assisjt fynailiesdn ueed,^he said. KCC offers free music classes Sept 12-15 Noelle Bair “My focus has been to enhance our part­ nerships with agencies and grow those rela­ tionships, so that we can have greater impact,” Bair said. Bair and her husband, who is a children’s protective services supervisor in Kent Coun­ ty, were recently awarded Foster Care Parent Hero of the Month and Foster Care Parent Excellence awards by Samaritas, a Michi­ gan-based non-profit organization that pro­ vides a variety of social services. Bair said her experience as an adoptive child and having adoptive siblings led her to pursue a career in the human services field. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Michigan in 2003. “I really saw this as the practical applica­ tion of my studies,” Bair said. “When you take a look at sociology and all that theory, how can I get my hands in there? How can 1 take that and apply it?” Bair specialized in social welfare and social institutions in her studies at U-M and received honors in social justice and advoca­ cy. She holds a master’s degree from Grand Valley State University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor for the univer­ sity’s master of social work program. The local MDHHS office also oversees the operation and regulatory compliance of Thor­ napple Manor, which is Barry County’s medical care facility. A four-member board oversees the local office, and meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at I p.m., alternating between Thornapple Manor and the Barry County Department of Health and Ijuman, Services. Kellogg Community College is offering free access to a dozen music classes in September as part of its annual Music Week, a weeklong celebration of all things music. Music Week at KCC will run from Mon­ day, Sept. 12, through Thursday, Sept. 15, primarily at the school’s Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center on campus at 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek. The week­ long series of classes also includes online options, as well as opportunities at KCC’s regional center campus in Coldwater. All classes are free and open to the pub­ lic, but advance registration is required. Music classes offered for free during Music Week at KCC range from general music appreciation and fundamentals, to individualized voice and instrumental lessons. The free courses will proceed as sched­ uled at the college with registered KCC students attending for credit, giving indi­ viduals who sit in on the classes a chance to see what a college music course at KCC is like. Music Week at KCC will kick off with a free community forum event held in con­ junction with the Battle Creek Symphony, titled “Hold On, America, Hold On!” The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, at the Davidson Center, and fea­ ture remarks from vocal arts director Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard, Interim KCC President Dr. Paul R. Watson II and Anne Harrigan, artistic director and creative director of the Battle Creek Symphony. For more information about Music Week at KCC, or other music program­ ming at the college, contact Dr. CaseBlanchard at case-blanchardg@kellogg. .edu or 269-565-7859. Hazardous waste collection slated for Sept. 17 Barry County’s second hazardous waste Tgollection event for the 2022 year will take lace Sept.47 from 9 a.m. to T p.m. *** Barry County holds two household haz­ ardous waste, tire and medicine collections each year. These collections take place in the spring and fall at the Barry County Fairgrounds, 135ON. M-37, Hastings. The collections are sponsored by the Barry County Solid Waste Oversight Committee with support from the Barry County Fait­ Board, Waste Management, BED HD, Barry County Substance Abuse Task Force, Barry County Sheriff’s Department, Hast­ ings PADNOS and local pharmacies. Household hazardous waste (HHW) is any product or material that has one or more of the following properties: toxic, flammable, corrosive or reactive and should never be disposed of in a landfill or incinerator. These materials are harmful to people, animals, and the environment if not disposed of properly. A full list of acceptable and unaccept­ able materials is available at barrycounty. org/barrycountyrecycles/householdhazardous_waste.php. More information about hazardous waste and collection events can be found at BarryCountyRecycles.org. West Michigan volunteers come together to fight suicide Walkers from around West Michigan will join thousands of people from around the country in raising awareness for sui­ cide prevention during the annual Out of the Darkness Walk, hosted by the Michi­ gan Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. at Millennium Park in Grand Rapids. Walkers have set a fundraising goal of $75,000 for this year. The gathering will support AFSP’s education and support pro­ grams and its bold goal of reducing the annual suicide rate in the United States by 20 percent by 2025. Organizers say that one in five American families are touched by suicide. With uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic, economic insecurity and a growing mental health crisis in our nation, it is critical to bring attention to suicide and support one another. Organizers of the walk hope to create a culture that is “smart” about men­ tal health. The first step to achieving this goalds to bring light to thertepiei •• <•*•<>■«• The Out of the Darkness Walk is one ofy 'hundreds ofevenis being held* around th'fiS nation this year. Representatives from local ' mental health organizations will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on available resources. Those interested in donating or joining the event can visit afsp.org/grandrapids. Various woodland critters made of scrap metal and recycled parts are scattered throughout Cooper’s workspace. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) ARTIST, continued from page 1------------------------------------------------------------------------------Although it’s easy to lose count of ail the creations scattered around the property, Coo­ per remembers each one. He knows when he made them, what spare parts they consist of and where he displayed them. Cooper, 81, recalls making toys out of scraps of wood when he was growing up as a boy in Ludington. He continued making and selling toys throughout high school, until he lost interest and took up painting. Eventually, he lost interest in that, too. It wasn’t until Cooper took an early retire­ ment in 2003 that he began making sculp­ tures. A car accident and resulting head injury left him with severe headaches. Sculpting helped him manage the pain. “Art is my therapy,” Cooper said. “If it wasn’t for my art, I don't think I’d be here. I would have gone off the deep end.” Cooper said he’s adopted the life of a starv­ ing artist, exhibiting and selling his work when he can. He’s shipped off his work to buyers in Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas and Texas. He’s participated in the Grand Rapids ArtPrize competition every year it’s been held since its inception, with this year being his 12th. His entry this year, titled "Creating You in ArtPrize 2022,” is a six-foot '..ill gecko made of rebar and old car exhausts. Holding a Cooper’s work often takes many hours in his garage, as evidenced by this sculpture of a trout using 423 individually welded spoons as scales. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) THE HOTTEST STARS AARON TIPPIN • COLLIN RAYE SAMMY KERSHAW ROOTS & BOOTS TOUR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 3 DOORS DOWN SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 Cooper holds a sculpture of a catfish he made out of scrap metal. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) painter’s palette and sporting a bowtie, the lizard invites viewers to take a selfie with him using a mirror on an easel. Cooper and his wife hope the piece can entice people at the event to interact with it. Regardless of how the piece performs in the competition, Cooper is happy to have a chance to exhibit his art. “We’re just having fun,” Cooper said. “I love ArtPrize, it’s the greatest thing in Grand Rapids. Otherwise, it’s so hard to show your art in Michigan.” TYLER HENRY HOLLYWOOD MEDIUM SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR VlSfiFoN- HLS.L™ I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. �Page 4 — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? The pandemic drastically changed the dynamics of labor - now employers must adjust Hanging a shingle As one of two forthcoming cannabis retailers that will set up shop in Middleville, Crafted Leaf Cannabis now has a pub­ lic-facing presence. A couple weeks ago, crews got to work installing the new sign at the store’s location at 314 Arlington St. Crafted Leaf Cannabis will be joined by The Botanical Co. as the only two dispen­ saries in Middleville. Grand opening dates for both establish­ ments have yet to be announced. Do you remember? The hog days of summer Banner July 19, 2012 MOO-ville’s Freddy the pig knows how to stay cool in hot weather. Mud helps keeps pigs cool and protects them from sunburn. He seems unphased by the sun and the attention. (Photo by Bonnie Mattson) Have you met? Zach Franklin often finds himself in a conundrum at his job as a library assistant for the Hastings Public Library: he has all the access to books he could ask for, and no time to read them all. “I actually checked out two books last night. It was like: I can’t read both of you, who’s it going to be?,” Franklin said. “Then I had to mournfully put one back in the drop box.” Although it makes for some tough choic­ es, it also allows Franklin to explore some of his interests. Recently he’s been reading about America’s early years preceding and following the Revolutionary War. More specifically, he’s been reading a book about cod. The book is a perfect example of why he’s so interested in histo­ ry, he said, because it shows how the world became what it is today. The cod trade, seemingly unrelated to America’s revolution and foundation as a republic, actually played a major role. When British taxes on cod exports went up, the fishing industries of New York and Massachusetts took up arms. Nova Scotia and other areas of Canada, with colder waters less desirable to cod and less profit­ able fishing industries, did not have as strong of a reaction. “I think it’s so funny. It’s just one little thing: cod prefer the warmer waters in America,” Franklin said. “And it’s one of the reasons America is even a thing. It’s fascinating.” Although the title “library assistant” might sound dry to some, Franklin said it’s more fun than it might seem. Among his other duties, Franklin helps those coming into the library find what they’re looking for. “You have a pretty good mix of human interaction, and you get to go be amongst the books,” he said “I really value being able to interact with people from all walks of life who are com inp. into this special place where everybody r. an equal.” Zach Franklin Franklin, a recent Hastings High School graduate, is also studying sacred music at Kellogg Community College. Music is another one of his interests: he writes hymns and plays piano at local churches on the weekends, and sometimes he volunteers to play for residents of Thornapple Manor. He describes his work at the library and his music studies as his dual aspirations. While some people may open a business as a side gig, Franklin plays music on the weekends. His enjoyment of music comes from a sense of “communal enjoyment,” he said. Whether it be at church, a music festival or anywhere else, music brings people together. “I really just love when people are happy,” Franklin said. “I love the experi­ ence of having that happiness with them. I’m privileged to be the arbiter of happiness in that moment.” For exploring his passions and sharing the joy of music with the community, Zach Franklin is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite quote: “Be excellent to each other,” from “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” It’s really a great maxim, because it covers all the bases. There are some others where it’s like, “That’s a cool phrase, but I don’t feel like it encompasses a whole lifestyle.” Greatest song ever written: “Chester” by William Billings. He was a composer in America in the 1700s. He wrote hymn tunes, and this one appeared in one of his collections. It was a psalm tune, and then it became a marching song of the Revolution­ ary War. I love it because it starts with, “How shall we praise God?,” and then it’s like, “Damn the British generals!” It runs the gamut. Not only is it a bop, but also it is very indicative of the human experience. If I could build something: I’d like to try architecture. When I was young, I want­ ed to be an inventor or an engineer. As I got older, I realized I’m not great at math. I love the ideas of math and architecture, but building a house is harder than you think. If I was an architect, I would design this per­ fect house, the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. You would walk in and close the door, and it would fall apart. I love reading about architecture, but I could never do it. What motivates me: I have two answers for this, one is the truth and one is what I’d like to be true. One is spite, which is the one that is true. Spite bum's hot, but dirty. It’s the sort of diesel of motivation. The second one, which is true sometimes, is the want to make good in the world. That’s cool too, but sometimes you’re just tired. There’s certainly a balance; I don’t know if I’d say it’s healthy, but there is a balance. While catching a little rest and relax­ ation with my family over Labor Day weekend, I couldn’t help but to think about the current state of labor. Yes - that’s right. Most people grill up some steaks and hit the pool for one last dip. Apparently I sit around and let my mind wander to the current state of the labor market (I’m fun at parties). In my previous professional life before coming to The Banner, I was a business reporter, focusing especially on manufacturing. I dove into that reporting beat just as the COVID-19 pandemic was ramping up. It goes without saying that the pan­ demic turned just about every aspect of life on its head. But, as a business reporter, I got a front row seat to witness the many ways that it disrupted industry. One of those was shaking up the labor pool. The prevailing dynamic was that companies of all sectors could not lure people back to the job. I say “back” because this was a combination of employees that were temporarily and permanently laid off, sent home for an indefinite amount of time or even decid­ ed to leave under their own volition. Workers left the job for a variety of reasons, and it didn’t necessarily hurt all businesses, because some of those com­ panies had already pumped the brakes on production or scaled back on hiring out of caution. Then, there came a time where these employees were needed back on the job but many didn’t return. This is about the time that you likely passed about a dozen “Now Hiring” signs after driving only a mile through a remotely populat­ ed part of town. This is the mode most employers have been stuck in ever since. Ask most business owners - especially in sectors like manufacturing and hospitality - and they will tell you that they are not fully staffed and haven’t been for quite some time. Heck, they don’t even anticipate that they will be. It’s a major pain point for employers and it has completely transformed the pre-COVID labor market. What I’ve always found interesting about this newfound dynamic is the “Why” behind it all, and that’s partly because the “Why” is different depend­ ing on who you talk to. In my years of business reporting, I spoke with employ­ ers both large and small here in West Michigan. During the pandemic, they attributed the exodus of the workforce to everything from Baby Boomers retir­ ing early to parents that had trouble finding childcare. Then, of course, there was the trendy answer that we heard for quite a while - employees were being paid by the federal government to stay home in the form of stimulus money. Therefore, no one wanted to work any­ more. People were lazy. Yadda yadda. This is an important argument to address because it is an argument that has some teeth to it. But, it’s also turned into a crutch for business owners that aren’t interested in actually making meaningful changes in their organiza­ tion that will attract and retain talent. When the federal government started to send citizens around the country checks during the pandemic, there is no doubt it played a role in sidelining employees that would otherwise be reporting to work during that time peri­ od. During that time, there were some people that were making comparable Jayson Bussa Editor, The Banner The Hastings B<lIllieT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. income without having to leave the house. Many folks weighed the pros and cons of the scenario and decided to stay home. The federal government putting its thumb on the scales of the labor mar­ ket certainly didn’t do any favors for employers. These payments eventually dried up, though. What started out as a legitimate gripe amongst employers turned into a tired refrain that we hear all too often people don’t want to work anymore. Part of that statement is technically true. While most people do not mind working, the pandemic showed that people didn’t want to work certain jobs anymore. Labor experts will tell you that people aren’t sitting on the sidelines anymore. What we have is what we have. What was once considered a temporary work­ force shortage is actually a permanent workforce shrinkage. These are the peo­ ple we’re working with and there isn’t enough to go around. This is bad news for employers that have built a business model that is thankless to its workers. This could be a fast food worker getting yelled at because the fries are cold or a manual laborer that can get the same amount of money without breaking his or her body. During this era, many laborers have learned their worth in the market. They know there isn’t enough talent to go around. And, if they didn’t know that, they quickly did when they realized that just about every company is start­ ing new employees out at around $18 per hour. If a business is having difficulty attracting workers, then it might be on them. People have choices on where they work, and they know what they want,. _ , . They want to make a decent living. They want flexible hours to finally make reality out of a genuine work-life balance. They want to be treated with respect. They want a company that under­ stands the rigors of being a working parent. While this might paint the picture of an entitled employee, it is a result of an awakening that happened during the pandemic and now it’s simply the norm. Coincidentally, it is the companies that have provided these things for their workers that haven’t had trouble field­ ing, at the very least, an adequate work­ force. If your solution is to say “Bah! No one wants to work anymore,” and move on with business as usual, things probably aren’t going well for you. Do companies face some inherent difficulties when it comes to hiring? Absolutely - and I don’t want to dis­ count that. Businesses located rural communities, or small communities with inadequate housing (sound famil­ iar?) are pulling from a much smaller pool to begin with, for instance. The uphill climb to field a fully-staffed workforce is even greater. Many large employers in Barry County face this exact conundrum. My intent is not to paint with broad strokes and say that every company fac­ ing workforce shortages is doing some­ thing wrong. The valid point in all of this is that much more thought, effort and collaboration is required to hire and retain and strong workforce. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren 4 • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — Page 5 No longer the ‘Grand Old Party’ The demise of the Republican party sad­ dens me. We need strong leadership based on facts and serious discussion between at least two political parties or we will run amok in society. A portion of the GOP attacks the FBI and supports the attack on Jan. 6 as a protest, where police personnel died or were injured. Yet, they will fly the blue flag supporting law and order. Others shout that our elections are fixed, even when they win in some elections and harass our elected township and county clerks. The GOP voted against the PACT Act, which helps veterans, whose health has been affected by bum pits. Still, they claim to be supporters of veterans. The argument against the bill was centered on moving the health care from discretionary spending (read entitlements) to the mandato­ ry side of the budget. Bringing national shame on the GOP to Neighbors lose sleep over exchange student’s shooting lessons change their vote - by a former comedian turned activist (John Stewart) - saved the bill for our veterans. How sad they needed to be shamed to do the right thing. Currently, the agenda in Washington is to fund the police with added police and respond­ ers. I wonder how this nonpartisan issue will fare with the extreme radicals of the GOP party, or, will they fail us again and turn down funding for the police in our nation? We can only hope that some of the GOP will support the effort as they supported the CHIPS Act, supporting manufacturing in the United States. Perhaps there is a glimmer of hope for reasoned discourse, but all of us that believe in our election system need to vote this fall for progress, not negativity. Ed Tillier Hastings When it comes to reproductive freedom, the voters should decide The Reproductive Freedom for All and Promote the Vote petitions were rejected along party lines by the Board of Canvassers on Aug. 31. Now, the two initiatives must go to the Michigan Supreme Court. Both initiatives had verified signatures well over the required 450,000 (totals of 750,000 and 664,000 respectively, per the Wall Street Journal and the Detroit Free Press'). Sadly, the canvassers are deadlocked on irrelevant details of spacing words, depriv­ ing the Michigan voters the right to decide the issues. If the Michigan Supreme Court has to now take up the task that should have been handled by the board of canvassers, it must be done expeditiously, as time is of the essence. If this does not happen, we must all vote for candi­ dates that will stand up for our private rights regarding reproduction and our voting rights. These two issues are critical to our basic rights and dominate this November election. People that believe in the election system need to vote. Michele Peltier Hastings Rules and guidelines for submitting a letter to The Banner As the name implies, letters should be directed to the editor, not to any specific or broad audience. The Hastings Banner welcomes letters to the editor from readers, but a few conditions must be met before they will be published. The requirements are: • All letters must be signed by the writer, with address and phone number provided for verification. All that will be printed is the writer’s name and community of residence. We do not publish anonymous letters, and names will be withheld at the editor’s discre­ tion for compelling reasons only. • Letters that contain statements that are libelous or slanderous will not be published. • All letters are subject to editing for style, grammar and sense. • Letters that serve as testimonials for or criticisms of businesses will not be accepted. • Letters serving the function of “cards of thanks” will not be accepted unless it is of public interest, which will be determined by the editor. • Letters that include attacks of a personal nature will not be published or will be edited heavily. • “Crossfire” letters between the same two people on one issue will be limited to one for each writer. • In an effort to keep opinions varied, there is a limit of one letter per person per month. • We prefer letters to be printed legibly or typed, double-spaced. Barry County Central Dispatch received multiple phone calls around 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 23 about gunshots fired near Banfield Road in Delton. Responding officers made contact with a 43-year-old Delton woman who told them that her husband had been shooting on their property. The man told police the family was hosting an exchange student and he was teaching him how to shoot. He told police he was confused why the neighbors called the police because he frequently shoots on his property. The police told the man it was late at night and people were trying to sleep. Police asked to help retrieve firearm A 41-year-old Coopersville man called police at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 19 for assistance retrieving a firearm from his 42-year-old sister and his 22-year-old niece. The man told police he gave the rifle to his niece in Nov. 2020 because of a restraining order that did not allow him to possess the weapon. He told police he had been trying to obtain the weapon from them since Nov. 2021, when the order expired. When contacted by police, the man’s niece said she had indeed taken control of the rifle at one point because the man was concerned it may be seized by police due to his possible ties to the group that plotted to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. She then gave it to the man’s sister. The man’s sister told police the firearm was in her garage because it actually belonged to their 66-year-old father, and the 41-year-old man had turned it over before being admitted for mental observation. After contacting the father, he told police the firearm was once his but he gave it to his son when he moved to Florida in 2017. The family agreed to bring the firearm in a case to the sheriff’s office, where the man could retrieve it. Witch’s spell prompts welfare check Police checked on a 39-year-old Augusta man staying at Crooked Lake Campground in Plainwell after receiving a call from his employer around 3 p.m. on Aug. 18. The man’s employer was concerned because he did not show up to work and had sent her a message saying a witch had cast a spell on him. Police made contact with the man’s wife, who told police the man had a drinking problem and had relapsed after a month of sobriety. Trespassers leave apology note after breaking, entering, vomiting Police responded to a reported break-in at 5 p.m. on Aug. 26 on the 6400 block of Stimpson Road in Middleville. A 30-year-old Middleville man checking on the property called police after finding a broken window. The man told police he found nothing else broken or missing, and he suspected teenagers were breaking into the house. A note was found inside the house that said, “Sorry for breaking/vomiting in your house, we thought it was abandoned.” OPINION: Developing a ‘good and beautiful community’ in Hastings It was eight years ago this month that my wife and I moved to Hastings. We got a call to consider pastoring a small church'' in a small city in a small county in West-Central Michigan. We had never heard of Hastings, but after meeting the church and visiting the town, we knew this was where God was leading us. We fell in love with the congre­ gation and we fell in love with the commu­ nity. But what drew us here was, ultimately, the possibility for the marriage of the two. When they interviewed us to come and be the pastor I told them, “If you want a pastor who is going to build a big church, I am not your guy. My hope for this church is not that we grow big, but that we grow out.” Coming from urban and suburban envi­ ronments, what attracted us to Hastings was the possibility that one small church could have a tangible impact on the whole com­ munity. In an urban environment, we would pastor a church with a scattered impact; with commuting congregants and disparate families, the emphasis of an urban church would not be like it is here. We felt called to a church that could help make a good and beautiful community. At various times in the scriptures, we see glimpses of God’s vision for a good and beautiful community. In Acts 2, what we celebrate as the Day of Pentecost, we read, “Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking the native language of each.” (Acts 2:5-6 NRSV) In this passage we see unity in diversity. A diverse people were united in the presence of the Spirit of God. Danny Quanstrom That’s the thing about unity, it implies diversity. If there isn’t diversity, it isn’t unity; it’s uniformity. It’s sameness. God’s vision for a good and beautiful community is unity amidst diversity. This is reinforced in the last book of the Bible, Revelation. God gives John the Revelator God’s ultimate vision for a good and beautiful community. Revelation 7:9, “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...” (NRSV) This is a vision for God’s heavenly community, what things will be like when God’s future is fully realized. The vision of unity amidst diversity is once again front and center. Not sameness, not uniformity, not homogeneity. ‘God’s desire is that all humanity and all peoples live in harmony. This is God’s good and beautiful community. In my church, we frequently pray the Lord’s prayer, but change a bit of the lan­ guage. We localize the prayer. We pray, “May your kingdom come, may your will be done, in Hastings, in Barry County, as it is in heaven.” We hope to be a city on a hill - a small church reflecting the good and beautiful kingdom of God. And we pray that we can help our community reflect this good and beautiful community. Eight years and two kids later, I love this place more than I did when we first moved. Eight years and two kids later, I no longer view this place through my honeymoon glasses, however. If we reflect on our city and on our coun­ ty, we have some work to do. Confessionally, we are doing a poor job reflecting the good and beautiful community of unity among diversity. Our community is sorely lacking diversity. And this is not on accident. For decades, Hastings was a “Sundown Town,” where persons of color (POC) were not permitted to stay the night. Hastings was not a hospitable place for non-white people. The stories I’ve heard of city lead­ ers from not that long ago, whether apocry­ phal or historical, regarding the language directed at POC have stifled our becoming what God intends as a good and beautiful community. There have been intentional efforts to keep our community homoge­ nous. Hastings Church of the Nazarene has taken an initiative to help encourage diver­ sity in our community. Six months ago, T met Bikram Ranapheli and was compelled by his story. As a graduate from seminary and an immigrant from Nepal, Bikram needed a full-time job in his field of study, pastoral ministry, or he could face deporta­ tion. Intending to become a legal citizen, he is not legally permitted to work outside of pastoral ministry. And his wife, an immi­ grant from India, is not legally allowed any employment at all. My church board began to deliberate if we ought to bring him on staff, knowing that we did not have the funds to do so. After prayer, hard conversations, and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we decided to hire him, trusting that God would make a way where there seemed to be no way. In a community with a dearth of POC represen­ tation, we felt compelled to practice what we preach. In tandem with greater representation, Bikram will begin administering english language courses for our growing immi­ grant and refugee population. While he is employed at Hastings Naz, the vision Tor his work reaches beyond our walls to impact our community in good and beaut tiful ways; by helping others integrate into the community and pursue citizen­ ship. Through english language learning, marginalized people will learn a tangible skill and we will continue to pursue becoming a good and beautiful commu­ nity. You are welcome to partner with us in this work. There were intentional efforts made to prohibit diversity; it will require intentional efforts in order to promote unity among diversity. You can give to support this ini­ tiative through the Barry Community Foun­ dation. A fund has been set up under “Church of the Nazarene.” We are excited to celebrate Bikram’s first Sunday this week, Sept. 11th at 10:45 a.m. May we reflect God’s vision for a good and beautiful community. Danny Quanstrom has been serving as lead pastorfor Hastings Church of the Naz­ arene since 2014 MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 Elaine Garlock The new house under construction south of Tupper Lake Road has had progress. Some of the rafters are in place on the east half of the house. Nearby the new house are hanging baskets and foundation plantings. Through the many windows, furniture is visible. With multiple windows, the new home must have a great view of Tupper Lake to the east. Central UM Church will revert to its 10:30 a.m. service hour with Sunday school classes for all ages held at 9:30 a.m. These hours will be in place until late May next year. The call-down choir sings once each month under the direction of Jacqueline Spagnuolo. The church’s pastor is Rev. Paul Wessman III. United Women of Faith will meet Mon­ day, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. The speakers will be the local police chief and a member of the health department. These two speakers will present “Hidden in Plain Sight.” Part of the emphasis of the presentation will be on cyberattacks. All local women are invited to attend. This event will be in the Fellowship Hall of Central UMC. The chicken barbecue dinner at Wood­ land’s Homecoming celebration sponsored by the Lakewood Lions Club was well-at­ tended on Saturday. One difference this year from years past is that the dessert item was a packet of cookies rather than the tradition­ al ice cream cup. The same ball games were taking place to the west of the pavilion. There were several other activities taking place. The spot for pickup of carryout meals was on Main Street, just to the north of Har­ old E. Memorial Classic Park. A coming event at Central UM Church will be the annual rummage sale. This year, the sale will be Thursday, Sept. 29 through Saturday, Oct. 1. George and Judy Johnson returned Satur­ day from their annual trip to Branson, Mo. They were accompanied by the younger half of their family. As happens with most fami­ lies, with the passing years, the family gets spread over a far-flung area as grandchil­ dren mature and spread their wings. Local residents received a mailing from the Lakewood Board of Education that per­ tains to the upcoming November vote on the bond issue for the improvement and enrich­ ment of Lakewood, its buildings and its programs. The list of board members includes one gentleman and six ladies. The superintendent is Dr. Steven Skalka. License //SI 10376 &. Insured NOTICE SPIRITUAL CARE CONSULTANTS of West Michigan ANNUAL MEETING/ BOARD MEETING September 13, 2022 at 5:30pm Spiritual Care Consultants Healing Center Public Welcome RSVP for instructions on how to join the meeting. 269-929-2901 �Page 6 — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Harold Edward Hall Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Genevieve; daughter, Brenda Conine; his parents; his brother, Kenneth; his sisters, June and Thela. He is survived by daughter, Barbara (Dar­ rell) Jones; son, Donald Hall and daughter, Janice Cutler; grandchildren, Christina Tokarski, Wendy Tokarski and Andrea (Bryan Kindel) Jones, Melissa (Jeffrey) Burch, Michelle (Randy) Rolfe, Jennifer (Andrew) Brazee, Jannell (Gabe) Nickrent, Jill Hall, Donald (Kaeli) Hall, Amy Hall, Karen Payne and Adam (Heather) Lange; great-grandchildren, Samantha, Simon, Anson, Cole, Draven, Alexis, Abigail, Ethan Wayion, Hailey, Landon, Brooklyn, Jaelynn, Kaitlyn, Morgan, Makayla, Michelle, Dylan, Liam, Evyn, Jef­ frey. Alana, Amaya, Xavier and Bailey.; great-great grandchildren, Skylar, Avery, Genevieve and soon to be bom Willow; son­ in-law, Orval Conine; sister, Arlene Powers and sister-in-law, Clarice Miles; many nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be held Thursday, Sept. 8 at 11 a.m. at the Daniels Funeral Home - Hastings, conveniently located at 1401 North Broadway, Hastings, MI. The family will receive visitors one hour prior to the funeral service beginning at 10 a.m. There will be a time of fellowship and luncheon immediately following the funeral service at the Daniels Funeral Home - Hastings. Interment will take place at Fuller Ceme­ tery following the funeral luncheon. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the charity of donor’s choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Danials Funeral Home-Hastings. For fur­ ther details please visit our website at www. danielsfuneralhome.netw Harold Edward Hall, age 94, of Delton , MI, passed away September 2, 2022. He was born July 6,1928 in Charlotte, Ml, the son of Donald and Vera Hall. Harold married Gene­ vieve Christie on February 18,1950. Harold attended Hastings area schools graduating in 1945 from Hastings High School. Shortly after completing his educa­ tion, Harold joined the United States Navy serving faithfully from 9-17-1945 to 7-6­ 1949 and was Honorably discharged. Harold spent most of his working career at E. W. Bliss as a machinist, retiring in 1983 after 31 years with the company. He was an avid sports fan of all sports especially the Detroit Lions and Tigers and enjoyed fishing and following his grandchildren in their sporting events. /t W. ~ • Traditional and Cremation Services Jp'ff * Pre-Planning Services ...... 'C • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted ^28 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Tl( * Dale Billingsley Owner/Manager .. y-, . _ . . „ Ray Girrbach Owner Emeritus Family OWlied aild Operated Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Worship Together ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. 8, Sunday. Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Website: Martha www. Stoetzel. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. Moser, Lead Pastor. activities: call LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist It may have been years or even decades since you thought about how much you earned at your first job. Did you know that you can find out how much you made that first year? Or any year you worked? Your earnings history is a record of your progress toward your future Social Security benefits. We track your earnings so we can pay you the benefits you’ve earned over your lifetime. That is why it’s so important for you to review your earnings record. You should review your earnings history and let us know if there are any errors or omissions, even though it’s your employer’s responsibility to provide accurate earnings information to us. Otherwise, you will not get credit for money you paid in payroll taxes, and your future Social Security benefits will Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Nursery Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. Our worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 (Children p.m. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 (corner of Milo Rd. &S. M­ for information. church School Youth Group; 6:30 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and N. Street. Jefferson WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. 10 a.m. J Him Graphics 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Fiberglass Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 and where and how to find them. Following the chat, attendees can enjoy s’mores and a short night hike on the trails looking for nocturnal animals. This all-ages, family event is free for PCCI members and $5 for non-members. Saturday, Sept. 10 - Dine and Discuss: Grow Your Own Mushrooms at Home dinner and workshop; dinner, 5-6 p.m.; workshop, 6-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a delicious mushroom-fo­ cused dinner, learning how to make simple recipes from different types of mushrooms. Then, attendees will join Chris Swinson, owner and Chief Fungal Officer of Mycophile’s Gar­ den in Grand Rapids, to learn how to grow these beautiful, edible mushrooms at home. Attendees will also receive mushroom growing kits to produce their own crop of fresh mush­ rooms to enjoy. Chris also will have extra grow kits and fresh mushrooms for sale. Space is limited, so don’t wait to sign up. Dinner is vegan-friendly but not gluten- or dairy-free. Attendees aged 15-years-old or older are wel­ come, but those under 18 must be accompa­ nied by an adult. Members will pay $80 for this event and non-members will pay $110. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. AViWfflDE SUPPLIEROF BotlineTools&Equipineiit 1301 W. Green St Hastings 945-9541 be lower than you should receive. You’re the only person who can look at your lifetime earnings record and verify that it’s complete and correct. If an employer didn’t properly report even just one year of your earnings to us, that error could reduce your future benefit payments. Over your lifetime, that could cost you thousands of dollars in retirement or other benefits that you’re entitled to receive. It’s important to identify and report errors as soon as possible. If too much time passes, it could be hard for you to get older tax documents. Also, some employers may no longer exist or be able to provide past payroll information. The best way to verify your earnings record is to visit ssa.gov/myaccount and cre­ ate or sign in to your personal my Social Security account. You should review your earnings carefully every year and confirm them using your own records, such as W-2s and tax returns. Keep in mind that earnings from this year and last year may not be listed yet. When you have a my Social Security account, we send you an email three months before your birthday to remind you to check your earnings and to get future benefit esti­ mates. You can find out how to correct your earn­ ings record by reading our publication “How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record” at ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf. Start a conversation. Ask a family member or friend what their first job was and let them know they can find out what they made that year. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR SEPT. 8-14 This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: e-ad Tybearious Jamikah Myers, age 43, of Hastings, MI, passed away unexpectedly on August 31, 2022. Ty was born on October 6, 1978, in Grand Rapids, MI, the son of Charles and Nancy (Miller) Myers. Ty worked as a painter and construction worker. He loved fishing, mushrooming, playing frisbee golf and was a collector of rocks and coins. He loved to discuss politics. He never met anyone who remained a strang­ er and loved to discuss politics with every­ one. Ty was preceded in death by his father, Charles Myers and grandparents, Robert Myers, Patsy (Gardner) Downs, Leonard Miller and Agnes (Brinks) Miller. He is survived by his mother, Nancy (Miller) Myers; his brothers, Brad (Marisol) Myers and Derek (Mary) Myers; five nieces who loved their Uncle Ty-Ty, aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins. He will especially be missed by his best friend - his Irish Wolf Hound - Ace. A visitation was held Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Access your earnings history with “my Social Security” 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and are available. Sept. 1-30 - September Storywalk Book: “Be a Tree!” By Maria Gianferrari. Learn how you can be a tree, and how, collectively, we can be a forest - stronger together. After reading the book, stop by the south side bath­ rooms of the Visitor Center for activities to learn more about Michigan’s trees. A portion of this Storywalk book is thanks to the gener­ osity of Joel and Barbara Vandyken. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Friday, Sept. 9 - Nature at Night Fireside Chat, 8-10 p.m. Enjoy a chat around the camp­ fire exploring many of Michigan’s nighttime creatures, how they have adapted to the dark Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Senior High Youth Group 6-8 Jeffrey Lynn Howlett, age 48, of Mid­ dleville, MI, passed away unexpectedly on September 5, 2022. Jeff was bom December 24, 1973 in Battle Creek, ML Jeff worked as a maintenance technician at Sun Homes at Cider Mill in Middleville. He loved spending time with his children Michael, Desiree and Keith; grandchildren, Jesse, Patience, Levi and Logan as well as his mom and siblings. He was avid motorcycle rider. Jeff was preceded in death by his father, Larry Howlett, Jr. He is survived by his mother, Carol Howl­ ett; children, Desiree Hansen, Michael Howl­ ett, Keith Siple and Cameron Ralston; sib­ lings, Larry (Cheryl) Howlett, Keri (Kirt) Belka, Steve (Vicky) Howlett; twin brother, Jim Howlett; many nieces and nephews, extended family and his motorcycle friends. Cremation is taking place; a Memorial and Life Celebration will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made directly to Desiree Hansen to assist with cremation costs and for the care of his Autistic son. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. for information. Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Sunday Morning Worship: Tybearious Jamikah Myers Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Sept. 8-14 ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". James Richard Slater, age 71 of Delton passed away on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Jim was born on October 8, 1950 in Kalamazoo to Marinus and Gertrude (Wiers­ ma) Slater. Jim was a 1972 graduate of West­ ern Michigan University. He worked for many years as a landscaper, most recently at Hitchcocks Village Landscape. Faith was important to Jim and he was a member at Delton Community Church. He was very involved with the Appalachia Ser­ vice Project (ASP) for over 20 years. Jim also served as a member of the Long Lake Cloverdale Association. He will be remembered as a good neighbor, do-it-your­ selfer, and a humble Christian man that loved the Lord with all his heart. Jim is survived by his brother, Jack (Les­ lie) Slater; sister-in-law, Mary Slater; several nieces and nephews; and faithful companion Bailey. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Robert Slater. Jim’s family will receive friends on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Delton Community Church, 5380 Mooselodge Dr, Delton, MI 49046, where his memorial cele­ bration will be conducted at 11 a.m. Pastor Mike McCrumb will officiate. Memorial contributions to the Appalachia Service Project (ASP) (asphome.org) will be appreciated. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to meipory ,pr Ipaye ,a condolence message.to Jim’s family. Jeffrey Lynn Howlett Dustin Curtis Carroll, Hastings and Betha­ ny Marie Gieseler, Hastings Hannah Michelle Moseley, Hastings and Bryan Alanzo Cole, Hastings Maleah Louise Bailey, Middleville and Wil­ liam McKinley Zoerman, Caledonia Casey Ann Vandenberg, Plainwell and Christopher James Beals, Plainwell Michael Scott Davis, Delton and Brianne Michele Taft, Delton For the Banner, Sept. 8 Thursday, Sept. 8 - Movie Memories watches a 1943 film starring Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins and Gig Young, 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 12 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 14 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; Friends of the Hastings Public Library, 6 p.m. The Hastings Public Library is celebrating Banned Books Month and Library Card Month. During September, there will be displays, activ­ ities and drawings throughout the library to celebrate. Patrons with lost, worn, old or grun­ gy cards can get a free replacement this month. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — Page 7 fl look back at the stories and columns on local histo In the Hastings Banner TURNING BACK THE PAGES Editor’s Note: The following series was originally researched and written by Joyce F. Weinbrecht in 1996 for the From Time to Time column. This series chronicles the early days of the Ladies Foreign Missionary Soci­ ety in Woodland. Weinbrecht used meeting minutes to let readers get a feelfor the Wood­ land of the 1870s. Some of the women mentioned in this series are referred to by their husbands’ names instead of by their own individual names and identities. It is unfortunate these ladies ’ names have been lost to the Banner archives, but their individual impact has left a lasting impression on local history. Banner Dec. 19, 1996 The Woodland Methodist Church began in the winter of 1846-1847 at a meeting held in the Galloway Schoolhouse, which was locat­ ed east of Woodland, on the south side of Section 15. A Methodist Episcopal class of six mem­ bers was formed and met in the different homes of the group, holding preaching ser­ vice and prayer meetings. Members of the first class were Charles and Joanna Galloway, John and Laura Dillenbeck, Mrs. Joseph W.T. Orr and Pattie Rog­ ers. Mr. Galloway was the class leader. Circuit riders and local preachers who came on foot and on horseback furnished the sermons. The first of these men were Day and Tallman, who preached on an alternating basis from 1846 until 1857. The group increased to a good number during these years. The village of Woodland built a new schoolhouse in the village. Methodist meet­ ings were held in that building until 1871. The Rev. A.T. Ayres was the first resident pastor for the church, beginning his duties on Sept. 1, 1857, for a salary of $300. A quarter­ ly conference, the first was held at the Homes schoolhouse on Oct. 1857. During the period from 1857 to 1869 there were nine pastors, who stayed for one or two years each. In 1864, the circuit consisted of the churches as Woodland, Carlton Center, Castleton Holmes, Mudge and Munion. Nashville was added later. The Woodland church purchased five acres of land in 1862 to be used as a parsonage. A cow also was furnished, with the provision that the products of the cow and the land were going to be deducted from the pastor’s salary of $390. This land was just outside of the village, on Section 16. In 1868, the five acres of land were exchanged for two acres in the village. The Rev. Alvah Hoag was appointed that year and received a salary of $600. The plans for building a church building were made in 1869. This was a white, wooden structure and was dedicated in 1871. The Rev. Alonzo Rog­ ers was the pastor that year. Joseph Stinchcomb, James L. Flower, Christopher Hough, Samuel Stowell and John Rowlader were elected as trustees of the church. There is no exact record of the building of the parsonage on the lot north of the church building, but a well was dug there in 1872. The church was valued at $3,000 and the parsonage at $1,000. The church decided to move pastors every three years. This was later amended to five years in 1891. Lightning struck the church in 1895, partially damaging the spire and cracking the bell, which was recast at the cost of $30. Brick veneer was added to the outside of the church and an annex, as well as sheds for horses, were added to the church. The total cost of the renovations was $2,991.97. Part of this amount was in hand and the balance of $1,229 was raised in a period of 30 minutes at the dedication ceremonies. In 1924, a basement with a kitchen was added. On July 25, 1877, the ladies of the Meth­ odist church met to organize a Ladies For­ eign Missionary Society. The charter mem­ bers of this group were Margaret Haight, Mrs. H.C. Carpenter, Mrs. Harriet Holly, Mrs. A.F. Copper, Mrs. S. Brown, Mrs. H. Valentine, Mrs. Mary Stinchcomb, Mrs. H.J. Stowell, Mrs. W.P. Holly, Mrs. O.F. Monion, Mrs. D.B. Coville, Mrs. Ira Stowell and Mrs. Austin Stowell. By the end of 1877, Mrs. Lance Holly, Mrs. S.J. King, Mrs. Albert Dillenbeck, Mrs. Matilda Haight, Mrs. C.A. Hough, and Mrs. H. Hilbert had joined had joined the Mission­ ary Society. Following is a record of the minutes of this busy group of ladies. “Woodland, July 25, 1877. The ladies of the M.E. Church met to organize a Ladies Foreign Missionary Society. J. Roberts was chairman. Mrs. W.P. Holly (was) elected sec­ retary. The'meeting was opened by 'singing, reading scripture and prayer, reading of the constitution and bylaws. The society was then organized. A motion was made and car­ ried that we adopt the constitution and bylaws. Motion was made and carried that a nominating committee of three be appointed. The committee consisted of J. Roberts, Sis­ ters Carpenter, Stowell and Stinchcomb. The following nominations were made: Sister Roberts for president; for vice president, Sis­ ters Holly, Stinchcomb and Carpenter, Recording Secretary, Sister Eva Holly; Trea­ surer, Sister H. Cooper. It was moved and carried that the regular meetings of the soci­ ety be held on the first Wednesday of each month. Motion made and carried that the next meeting be held at Sister Carpenter’s, to com­ mence at two o’clock, supper at five o’clock. Supper will consist of bread or biscuit and butter, once kind of sauce, one of cake, cheese or pickles and tea. Motion made and carried that Sister Roberts act as committee on business. Moved and carried that Sister Cooper provide the singing for each meeting. Sister Cora Cooper will read a piece at the next meeting. There being no further busi­ ness, meeting closed in due form. Mrs. J. P. Roberts, president; F. Stowell, secretary. “Woodland, Aug. 1, 1877. The Ladies Mis­ sionary Society met at the residence for Sister Ellen Carpenter. Officers present: Sister Rob­ erts, president; Sisters Carpenter and Holly, vice presidents; Frances Stowell, recording secretary; Eva Holly, secretary; Helen Coo­ per, treasurer. The meeting opened by sing- The Woodland United Methodist Church. Ladies Foreign Missionary Society, Woodland M.E. Church ing, reading scripture and a prayer. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Motion was made and carried that the society pay their dues quarterly. A piece was then read by Sister Cora Cooper. Motion made and carried that a committee be appointed to make arrangements to provide work for the society. The committee, consisting of M. Klise, H. Holly, E. Carpenter, Eva Holly and Roberts, were appointed. Motion made and carried that a committee of three be appointed by the president to procure literary exercises. Committee consisting of Sisters C. Cooper, H. Cooper, and E. Carpenter was appointed. Motion made and carried that the society procure two books, one for the treasurer and one for the secretary. Motion made and car­ ried that we have out next meeting on the 29^ of August at the M.E. parsonage. There being no further business, meeting was closed in due form. Sister J.P. Roberts, president; Sister F. Stowell, secretary.” “Woodland, Aug. 29, 1877. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the M.E. parsonage. Officers present: Mrs. Roberts, president; Sisters Carpenter, Holly, Stinch­ comb, vice presidents; Frances Stowell, recording secretary, Hellen Cooper, treasurer. The meeting opened by singing, reading scripture and a prayer. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Collecting of dues was done. Members Eva Holly and Cassie Stinchcomb were then appointed to read at our next meeting. Motion made and approved that each member piece a (quilt) block to consist of white and some color, to be nine inches square. Motion made and car­ ried that Brother Roberts be authorized to purchase two books, one for the secretary and one for the treasurer out of his own means and then each member pay her portion of the cost. Motion made and carried that we have a mite box, the evails to be used which the society think best. Reading by the president. Motion made and carried that Sister Carpen­ ter act as our delegate at the district meeting. Sister Roberts her reserve. (Alternate). The next meeting to be held at Mrs. A.P. Holly’s. Meeting closed in form. Mrs. Roberts, presi­ dent; Frances Stowell, secretary.” “Woodland, Oct. 9, 1877. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Sister H. Holly’s. Officers present: Sister Roberts, president, Sister Holly, vice president; F. Stowell, secretary; Eva Holly, corresponding secretary; and Hellen Cooper treasurer. Meeting opened by singing, read­ ing scripture and prayer. Minutes of the last meeting’'Were read frncf approved. Next iri order was collecting of dues. The committee on literature then appointed Ellen Carpenter and Cora Cooper to red at our next meeting. Motion made and carried that we have the quarterly meeting on the 1l^1 of December to consist of an afternoon and evening session. Motion made and carried that Mrs. Roberts appoint the committee to make arrangements. The committee consists of Sisters Carpenter, F. Holly, H. Cooper and Johnson. Sister Rob­ erts acting as chairman of the committee. Motion made and carried that the committee meet at the M.E. parsonage on the last Friday in October. A piece was then read by Eva Holly. Moved and carried that we extend an invitation to the Society of the Holmes Class to attend our quarterly meeting. The next meeting to be held at Sister E. Holly’s on Nov. 7, 1877. Sister Roberts, president; Fran­ ces Stowell, secretary.” “Woodland, Nov. 7, 1877. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. William Holly. There were 17 members present and six visitors. Officers present: Mrs. J Roberts, president; Sisters Holly and Carpenter, vice presidents; Eva Holly, corresponding secretary; F. Stowell, recording secretary; Hellen cooper, treasurer. Meeting opened by singing, reading scripture and prayer. Minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Next in order, collections of dues from members. Report of committee on program for the public meeting. Motion made and carried that the report be accepted and the committee discharged. Motion made for and carried that Mr. Roberts get the programs printed for the public meeting. Expense for this to come of the mite box. Next in order, paying the mite box. Committee on entertain­ ment, Sisters Holly Stinchcomb, Holbrook. Reading by Cora Cooper and Ellen Carpen­ ter. Meeting closed by singing. Receipts of the meeting, $2.72. Next meeting will be held at Mrs. Flowers. Mrs. Roberts, president; Mrs. Stowell, secretary.” The minutes for the Dec. 11 meeting and the January 1878 meetings have been tom from the minute book. The minutes resume again with February. “Woodland, Feb. 6, 1978. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Baitinger. There were 25 mem­ bers present. Officers present were Mrs. Roberts, president, sister Holly Stinchcomb, vice president; Eva Holly, corresponding sec­ retary; F. Stowell, recording secretary, Hellen Cooper, treasurer. Meeting was opened by singing, reading scripture and prayer, after which the following business was transacted. (1) Reading of the minutes from the last meeting were approved. (2) Getting subscrib­ ers for the Friend, (3) Collecting dues from members. (4) reading by Bell Stowell and Mrs. Huchens. (5) roll call. Clara Stinchcomb and Mrs. Valentine were approved to read at the next meeting. The next meeting will be held at the residence of J.W. Stinchcomb. Receipts of the meeting, $2.75 Meeting was Galloway School house where the Woodland Methodist Class first held their ser­ vices. closed with singing. Mrs. Roberts, president, F. Stowell, secretary.” “Woodland, March 5, 1878. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Stinchcomb. There were 18 members present. The officers were all pres­ ent. Meeting opened by singing, reading scripture and a prayer, after which the follow­ ing business was transacted. (1) listening to report of treasurer. (2) getting subscribers for the Friend. (3) collecting dues from members. (4) motion made and carried that we have a missionary conference meeting at the next meeting. (5) reading by Mrs. Valentine and Clara Stinchcomb. Mrs. Hough and Mrs. Osman were appointed to read at the next meeting. Motion made and carried that we send for six mite boxes, to be paid for out of the mite box receipts from the meeting, $1.80. Meeting closed in form. Mrs. Roberts, president; Mrs. Stowell, secretary.” “Woodland, April 9, 1878. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Bell Stowell. Officers present: Mrs. Roberts, president; Ellen Carpenter, vice president; Eva Holly, corresponding secretary, Frances Stowell, recording secretary; Hellen Cooper, treasurer. Meeting opened with sing­ ing, reading scripture and a prayer, after which the following business was transacted. First, the reading of minutes which were approved. Second, collecting of dues. Third, report of Literacy Committee. Mrs. Russell was appointed to read at the next meet­ ing. Fourth, election of officers. Motion made and carried that we elect officers by an infor­ mal ballot. The officers that were elected were as follows: Mrs. Roberts, president; Mrs. Rus­ sell, first vice president; Mrs. H. Holly, second vice president; Mrs. Flowers, third; corre­ sponding secretary, Hattie Carpenter; treasurer, Hellen Cooper. Committee on music, Louisa Baitinger and Mrs. Johnston. On literary exer­ cises, Mrs. Hough and Mrs. Wiseman; Com­ mittee on ways and means, Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Carpenter and H. Holly. As delegates to district meeting, Sister Stinchcomb, Hutcheons and Eva Holly. Motion made and carried that we each bring to the next meeting material for clothes for the little Tobias boys. Receipts of meeting, $2.90. Next in order, roll call, then paying mite box. Meeting closed in form, there were 15 members present. Mrs. Roberts, pres­ ident; F. Stowell, secretary.” (The mite boxes were used to collect small sums of money, usually for charity. Refer­ ence, Mark 12:42.) “Woodland, May 6, 1878. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Russell. The officers were all present. Meeting opened by singing, reading scripture and prayer, after which the follow­ ing business was transacted. First, reading of minutes of last meeting, which were approved. Second, collecting of dues from members. Third, report of committee on literature. Har­ riet Carpenter and Sister Holly appointed to read at the next meeting. Fourth, motion made and carried that we have a public anni­ versary meeting in July. Motion made and carried that the president appoint the commit­ tee on arrangements. The names for the com­ mittee are as follows: Eva Holly, Mrs. Rus­ sell, Lorr Baitinger; Hellen Cooper; Ellen Carpenter. Pierces were then read by Mrs. Russell and Mrs. Hough. There being no fur­ ther business, meeting closed by singing. Receipts of the meeting, $2.45. There were 21 members present. Mrs. Roberts president; Mrs. Stowell, secretary.” “Woodland, June 5, 1878. The Women’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Ira Stowell. Meeting opened by singing. Officers were not all present. The following business was transacted. Fgirst, reception of new members. Received one new name, Mrs. Emmaline Cook. Second, motion made and carried that we hold our next meet­ ing on Tuesday afternoon. Third, collecting dues from members. It being so late, the read­ ing was dispensed with. The receipts of the meeting, $1. Next meeting will be held at the residence of Sister Valentine. Meeting closed with prayer by Brother Roberts. There were ”*1*4 members present* Eva Holly, secretary, pro tern.” “Woodland, July 2, 1878. The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Valentine. Meeting opened by singing, reading of scripture and a prayer by Mrs. Valentine, after which the following business was transacted. First, reading of minutes of last meeting. They were approved. Second, listening to report of committee on program for public meeting. Motion made and carried that the reports be accepted and the committee be discharged. Motion made and carried that we have the programs printed that Brother Roberts be authorized to get them printed. Motion made and carried that we hold the public meeting on the 8^ of July. Motion made and carried that we bring pieces to piece blocks to finish our bed quilt. Third, collecting dues from members. Fourth, get­ ting subscribers for the Friend. Fifth, report of literary committee. Hellen Cooper, and Harriet Carpenter appointed to read at the next meeting. A very interesting piece was then read by Mrs. A. Holly, titled “What of the Night?” Also a piece was read by Cora Cooper, called “A Mistake and What Came of It.” Motion made and carried that we rise and address the chair if we have any remarks to make. The next meeting will be held at the parsonage. Motion made and carried that we have a picnic supper. Motion made and car­ ried that we extend an invitation to the Bap­ tist Society. There being no further business, the meeting closed by singing. Receipts of the meeting, $2.76. Mrs. James Roberts, pres­ ident; Frances Stowell, secretary.” Thus, the first year of the Woodland For­ eign Missionary Society was completed. (To be continued...) PEERLESS Pluto Glass llc Local, Family Owned, Dependable 25 Years Experience Works With All Insurances, Mobile Service, Warrantee Call for a quote today! 616-930-7944 La Insul47, SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville �Page 8 — Thursday, September 8, 2022 —The Hastings Banner EXTRA PICKLE: Delton installs new pickleball court; second court proposed James Gemmell Contributing Writer It took plenty of work and financial contri­ bution from the community to build a pickle­ ball court at William Smith Memorial Park in Delton, but Barry Township Supervisor Barry Bower says it was well worth it. Final touches on the $30,000 court recently were completed at about the time the annual Delton Founders Festival was getting under­ way in August. The project began last Octo­ ber and Bower said he hopes another pickle­ ball court can be built next to it and complet­ ed on a similar schedule - possibly beginning this October and wrapping up in time for next year’s festival. The site for the second court is partially on Delton Kellogg Elementary School property so construction will require the school’s permission and some more com­ munity fundraising. The location is immediately east of the park pavilion. A seating area was installed when the pavilion was built and funded by the Delton Lions Club a couple years ago. Community donations funded the project. One was for $3,000 from the Barry Commu­ nity Foundation NextGen Fund Network. The second court would require additional funds, although not as much that was needed to install the initial court. The $17,000 worth of sand purchased this past year was enough for both courts. About 400 yards of sand from an anony­ mous donor was rolled into place for the first one. Carpenter Gravel Inc. hauled the sand to the site. “I spent days spreading it out and compact­ ing it. One of the local businesses let me use their compactor,” local resident Jim Wensel said. He paid for the fencing for the first pick­ leball court. “We’ll have to start having some more pancake breakfast fundraisers at the (Delton) Moose Lodge,” Bower said. Organizers are still about $7,000 short of the amount needed to pay off the remainder of the project cost on the first pickleball court. Bower said some of that money will go to compensate Smith’s Landscape and Lakeside LLC for the use of a backhoe and the work that was done by Hunter Smith and his crew. A donation check can be mailed to Barry Township/Pickleball, P.O. Box 705, Delton, 613 MI. 49046. The memo line should indicate the money is for the pickleball courts. Checks also can be placed in the dropbox in front of the Barry Township office at 11300 S. M-43. The township is handling all the financial processing. “I’m just happy to see the Delton commu­ nity have a place where kids and older people can go hang out and have fun,” Smith said. A standard pickleball court is 30-by-60 feet. The one is Smith Park is about 35-by-65 and provides room for people in wheelchairs to play. A couple of extra feet of cement was poured to accommodate people who want to play comhole on the side of the court. “We went two feet out from each direction. We just poured the second half of the court a few weeks ago,” Bower said, adding the first half was poured in July. Pickleball is played on something similar to a tennis court and four players use wood paddles to hit a wiffie ball over a net. Wensel came up with the idea for pickle­ ball courts in 2021. “We found out quite a few people in this area had been driving all the way to Plainwell to play pickleball because we didn’t have any courts in Delton,” he said. A lot of people are already aware of the new court in Delton and are playing on it. “The best part is, I looked over there and kids all the way from (age) 8 on up were playing,” Bower said. “Grownups were teaching them. Usually, kids are just knock­ ing the ball over the fence, but they were actually playing. I got there one day at 7 a.m. and there were people playing.” The opening of the pickleball court will probably see a lot of action on the weekend of Sept. 10 and 11. A 6 p.m. concert will take place at the nearby amphitheater in Smith Park on Sept. 10, as part of the monthly Delton Summer Music Series on Saturdays. That will be the last concert of the summer. Three bands will perform a concert as part of Fall Fest on Oct. 8. Bower figures some con­ cert-goers will check out the pickleball court. “They’ll wander over ... and the next thing you know, there will be people with paddles playing, which is pretty cool,” Bower said. He said many township and Delton resi­ dents have expressed interest in having a pickleball court built in recent years, “because they would have to go to Plainwell to play, and they live in this area. Now they can stay right here.” A 9/11 commemoration is scheduled for the evening of Sept. 11 at Smith Park near the veterans memorial and flags display. Delton VEW quartermaster Tess Knobloch is an organizer of the 9/11 event in coordina­ tion with some Delton Boy Scouts of Ameri­ ca members and the Disabled American Vet­ erans group in Hastings. Jackie Spencer with the BSA is helping to plan some of the activ­ ities, as well. Knobloch said holding the inaugural event was the brainchild of Delton Kellogg Middle School principal April Margaritis. Knobloch said they were trying to line up an American Legion honor guard to partici­ pate in the ceremony, as well. “We’re still coordinating someone to play taps, we want to have some music, maybe have a speaker,” she said. Knobloch is a U.S. Navy veteran and, also, president of the Delton Rotary Club. Workers recently poured the cement for the second half of the pickleball court in Delton. People began playing on it in August. The new pickleball court in Delton was recently completed. It is extra wide to accommodate cornhole tournaments. (Photos provided by Barry Township) RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN 2023-2032 ALGONQUIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (AQUATIC VEGETATION CONTROL) A close-up view of the new pickleball and cornhole court in William Smith Memorial Park. Barry Conservation District and DNR team up for white oak management workshop Molly Macleod NOTICE OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2023-2032 SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL 3I , ~~ (for levy in 2022-2031) TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE 2023-2032 ALGONQUIN LAKE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT (AQUATIC VEGETATION CONTROL) ENCOMPASSING ALL LANDS ABUTTING ALGONQUIN LAKE OR HAVING DEEDED ACCESS TO ALGONQUIN LAKE IN LAND SECTIONS 1, 2, 3, 11 AND 12 OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN; AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Supervisor/Assessing Officer of Rutland Charter Township has reported to the Township Board and filed in the office of the Township Clerk for public examination a proposed special assessment roll/ special assessment column in the regular tax roll pertaining to the 2023-2032 Algonquin Lake Improvement Project Special Assessment District (Aquatic Vegetation Control) as reestablished and continued by the Township Board on August 10, 2022 (Resolution No. 2022-283). This proposed special assessment roll proposes to allocate the costs of an aquatic vegetation control pro­ gram for 2023 through 2032 in the approximate total amount of $882,000 over the ten-year program, after subtracting an anticipated surplus of approximately $25,000 from the similar 2016-2022 program now being concluded (approxi­ mately $88,200 per year, rounded off), which includes a contingency for potential cost overruns throughout the term of this ten-year continuation program, and legal and administrative expenses, to the various lots and parcels within the District as follows (in each instance treating multiple contiguous lots/parcels under the identical ownership as a single assessment unit): • $3,630.00 to each improved lot/parcel abutting Algonquin Lake ($363.00 per year). • $1,280.00 to each unimproved lot/parcel abutting Algonquin Lake and to each improved or unimproved lot/ parcel with deeded access to Algonquin Lake ($128.00 per year). The special assessment installments for each of years 2023-2032, to be levied and billed with the winter prop­ erty taxes in 2022-2031, will be subject to annual redetermination by the Township Board when the actual costs of the yearly program and any relevant administrative costs are known. Any such annual redetermination of costs and assess­ ments will be made at a regular meeting of the Township Board in September or October of 2023 - 2031, or thereabouts, without further notice or hearing except as may be required by law or as may be further determined by the Township Board; provided that the allocation of individual special assessments resulting from any such annual redetermination shall be based on the same allocation method used for the initial 2023-2032 special assessment roll. Unpaid assess­ ments will be subject to interest at a rate to be determined by the Township Board not exceeding 8.0% per annum (tentatively 3.0%). A public hearing on any objections to the proposed special assessment roll will be held at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan, on Wednesday, September 14, 2Q22 in conjunction with a regular meeting of the Township Board commencing at 7:Q0 p.m. Pursuant to this public hearing the Township Board may approve and confirm the proposed special assessment roll as submitted, or may approve the proposed special assessment roll with revisions, or may direct a new roll to be made. The proposed special assessment roll, and the project plans, estimate of costs, the boundaries of the 2023­ 2032 Algonquin Lake Improvement Project Special Assessment District, and the Resolution of the Township Board reestablishing the Special Assessment District and directing the Supervisor/Assessing Officer of the Township to make the proposed special assessment roll, may be examined at the office of the Township Clerk and may further be exam­ ined at the public hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE THAT APPEARANCE AND PROTEST AT THIS HEARING IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO APPEAL A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT TO THE MICHIGAN TAX TRIBUNAL. AN OWNER OR PARTY IN INTEREST OR HIS OR HER AGENT MAY APPEAR IN PERSON AT THIS HEARING TO PROTEST A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, OR MAY FILE AN APPEARANCE OR PROTEST BY LETTER WITH THE TOWNSHIP CLERK BEFORE THE CLOSE OF THE HEARING OR WITHIN SUCH FURTHER TIME AS THE TOWNSHIP BOARD MAY GRANT, IF ANY, AND IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES A PERSONAL APPEARANCE AT THE HEARING SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED. THE OWNER OR ANY PERSON HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY WHO PROTESTS IN PERSON OR IN WRITINGAS PROVIDED ABOVE MAY FILE A WRITTEN APPEAL OF A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT WITH THE MICHIGAN TAX TRIBUNAL WITHIN 35 DAYS AFTER THE CONFIRMATION OF THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL. Copy Editor Barry County residents will get a chance to learn more about what they can do to protect their white oak forests, as well as sustainably managing woodlots this coming month. On Sept. 20, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Barry Conservation District are team­ ing up with funding from the White Oak Initiative to bring a white oak management workshop to the Barry State Game Area near Hastings. Locals with or without white oak trees or forests are welcome to attend the workshop, featuring DNR biol­ ogist Randy Heinze, DNR forester Jesse Bramer and Conservation District forester Ben Savoie. These speakers will educate oak owners and enthusiasts on how to sustainably manage an oak woodlot, as well as addressing the challenges that come with it and the resources available to help. More than half of Michigan’s land - nearly 20 mil­ lion acres - is forested. In Barry County, oak has his­ torically been the dominant forest type. Over time, however, the forest landscape has shift­ ed with development and management that does not always favor oak regeneration. Over half of all Mich­ igan forested land, nearly 11 million acres, is privately owned. Many of Barry County’s privately-owned forests are family-owned, small acreage or first-time forestland owners, making such a resource important for the county’s natural resources. Barry Conservation District Executive Director Sarah Nelson emphasized the importance and rele­ vance of the workshop to Barry County residents. “We all rely on natural resources,” Nelson said. “Sustainable management of natural resources is essential to help a landowner reach his or her goals now and to provide similar benefits and opportunities to future generations. Workshops like these help land­ owners learn about our natural resources and how to manage them. “They also connect landowners with groups locally that can provide assistance in many forms, including site visits, advice and technical assistance, referrals to other agencies or industry professionals, and some­ times even cost-share programs.” The workshop is the second of its kind in Barry County, with the inaugural white oak workshop taking place last month. This series of workshops is being held as a part of a grant gifted to the DNR by the White Oak Initiative, a group that lobbies for sustain­ able white oak forests across the nation. The foregoing hearings and all proceedings associated with these special assessment matters will be conduct­ ed in accordance with and pursuant to 1954 PA 188, as amended, the Michigan Open Meetings Act, and any other applicable law. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being con­ sidered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 White oak leaves have rounded edges and seven to nine lobes, typically. (Photo by Molly Macleod) White oaks, like this one, are commonly found in Barry County. (Photo by Molly Macleod) According to Nelson and the White Oak Initiative, it is imperative that individuals take action to sustain their white oak forests. The White Oak Initiative details the risks facing this type of tree that is so prevalent in Barry County. “Shifts in land management and ecological chang­ es are making room for competing species to flour­ ish, preventing white oaks from regenerating sus­ tainably,” the organization’s website says. “And as a result, older white oak trees are not being replaced by younger white oak trees at a pace that will sup­ port long-term sustainability. Without intervention, the American white oak population will begin to decline significantly within the next 10 to 15 years, with more extreme declines over the next several decades.” Nelson added that there are additional stressors to the health of white oaks in Michigan. “Spongy moth and oak wilt are two invasive spe­ cies that can stress white oak trees, though they have not been shown to lead directly to mortality. But bun­ dle multiple years of spongy moth and oak wilt infes­ tations with increasingly harsh winters, greater vari­ ability in precipitation patterns, our native oak defoli­ ator insects and storm damage, and eventually it could become too much for an oak to take,” said Nelson. The workshop is free, but participants are asked to pre-register by calling Barry Conservation District at 269-908-4135 to ensure sufficient supplies for all attendees. Refreshments will be provided and partici­ pants will have the chance to win door prizes includ­ ing Cabela’s gift cards and hunting gear. Free registration for this workshop is made possible by the support of the White Oak Initiative. The workshop is from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Tues­ day, Sept. 20. Participants are asked to gather in the parking area at the intersection of Chief Noonday Road and Peets Road in Yankee Springs Township. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, September 8, 2022 Offensive outburst for Saxons in victory Brett Bremer Sports Editor The scale that is the scoreboard tilted heavily in favor of the Saxons at Pierce Field Tuesday. It was an evening all about balance though as the a Hastings varsity boys’ soccer team preps for the start of the 2022 Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season. Hastings improved to 3-1 overall this season with a 6-1 win over visiting Wellspring Prep. The Saxons scored all six of their goals in the first half, and head coach Francisco Lopez had his guys focusing on finding bal­ ance in their attitude in the second half - not letting confidence tip towards cockiness. He was pleased with their attitudes in the sec­ ond half and pleased with the chances the Saxon attack continued to create despite not finding the net again in the final 40 minutes. “They couldn’t capitalize, but beyond that they were playing offense at will. They were putting the ball all over the field. They were using the wings, using the flanks and using every inch of space. They really did everything correctly and it just wasn’t their luckiest half in front of the net,” Lopez said. “That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.” The Wellspring Prep goalkeeper made a few key saves - positioning himself in the right spot at the right time to snag headers off of crosses and some point blank chances. The Wellspring keeper and defenders were constantly reminding teammates to watch the far post as the Saxons time and again pushed the ball up the wings and looked switch the field and find open teammates behind the defense. Cohen Smith tallied two goals for the Saxons and Charlie Nickels, Cayden Snow, Sergynho Arias and Kearan Tolles scored one goal each. Troy Hokanson and Tolles had two assists each and Caleb Waller and Juan Osorio both had one. Key to the Saxon success overall was the central midfielders’ ability to find a balance between challenging defenders with the dribble themselves and knowing when to distribute the ball. “Offensively we have struggled to con­ nect combination play, but for the last two or three games we have accomplished what I’ve wanted offensively,” Lopez said. “It has been a building process. It narrows down to the fact that our center mids were just trying to do too much with the ball. They were trying to beat two or three guys, and that is not how the game of soccer is played unless you’re an all-state player who has the ability to do that. They just started playing as a team offensively.” Tolles was especially solid distributing the ball in the midfield for the Saxons. “He was a complete player today,” Lopez said. “His first touch was always into space. Sometimes he gets a little too individual, but today he had the perfect balance of getting the ball off his foot onto a teammate’s foot and being able to turn into space. When you find that balance it is really hard for the opposing center mids to predict, and that is another concept that I have tried to beat down on the center mids. You can’t be one dimensional. You can’t be one dimensional and you can’t distribute all the time. Take players head on, yes, I love it. I love it when you take players head on, but have a bal­ ance. Have a balance in which the opposing player is going to look at you and say, ‘I have no idea what this guy is going to do. Is he going to dribble into player, or is he going to pass it.’” The Saxon coach was also especially pleased with Hokanson up top. “He is a menace. His pressing, he drops into space so well,” coach Lopez said. “Sometimes our defensive line drops it right in between the opposing center backs and he just fills the space. He sprints back there and he receives the ball, he gets the ball on his foot, and he finds the support play.” The Saxon defense was solid throughout the ballgame led by captain Caleb Waller. Wellspring Prep did put together a couple of dangerous counter attacks in the second half and both teams had a shot ring off one of the upper 90s. The one time the ball got by Hastings goalkeeper Zach Chipman it was off an unlucky deflection. Hastings will host Portland Thursday and then open 1-8 conference play at Lumen Christi Sept. 13. Hastings' Charlie Nickels slams a header down towards the Wellspring Prep net during the second half of the Saxons' 6-1 win over the visiting Wolves Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxon Troy Hokanson (left) looks to shake a Wellspring Prep defender along the sideline during the second half of the Saxons' 6-1 win over the visiting Wolves Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Saxons' Cohen Smith leaps in to try and beat a Wellspring Prep defender to the ball during the first half of the Saxons' 6-1 win over the visiting Wolves on Pierce Field Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Conference mark moves to 3-0 for Vikings Brett Bremer Sports Editor Goal scoring hasn’t been an issue during the Vikings’ current four-game win streak. The Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team ran its record to 4-2 with a 4-2 win over vis­ iting Laingsburg in a Greater Lansing Activi­ ties Conference/Central Michigan Athletic Conference contest at Lakewood High School Wednesday evening. Lakewood is a perfect 3-0 in the conference as it attempts to defend its 2021 conference title. The Vikings found the net often early and then held on as Laingsburg wrestled more control away in the second half. The Vikings got goals from sophomore Jackson MacKen­ zie, senior Colby Carter and senior Alexander Russell. Carter had two goals - netting a PK for his team’s final goal which put Lakewood ahead of the Wolfpack 4-1 at the half. “It is a work in progress,” Lakewood head coach James Leveque said. “This team, because we’re so young and so inexperi­ enced, the growth that can take place with this team is a lot more than last year’s team. Last year the the kids had all played for four years or played club soccer. That team came out of the gates hot and stayed hot. This team can get drastically better throughout the year if the younger guys can understand their posi­ tions a little bit better and stay more com­ posed when things aren’t going our way. “We can do some work. We can do some damage. Our league is pretty up for grabs. From what I am seeing score-wise, it is very up for grabs and this was a big one.” Last year’s league runner-up Lansing Christian is off to a 7-0 start with a 2-0 mark in the conference, but coach Leveque said in comparing scores and talking with other coaches he hasn’t gathered any information that tells him the Pilgrims are ahead of the pack in the conference at this point. Conference and district success will even­ tually come down to how well the Vikings play. They’d like to be much more like they were in the first half Wednesday, although part of the second half lull likely had to do with the fact that the Vikings are typically rotating 12 guys on the field and that they had just scored a 7-1 victory at Pennfield the day before. “We were a little flat in the second half. We didn’t possess the ball at all. They scored and our heads went down. We just panicked I think, the same kind of similar thing that happened with Ionia. We had a lead at half­ time, although we had a much bigger lead today, but we just lost our composure,” Leveque said. “They were exited up 4-1 at the half. We thought this was going to be a real tight, tough game and it didn’t appear that way in the first half.” MacKenzie got the scoring started for the Vikings with a goal in the third minute on a well-placed shot. Carter added a second goal in the fifth minute, stealing the ball away from the Laingsburg keeper, who had received a pass back from a teammate, and dribbling in to tap it into the open net. Laingsburg scored in the games eighth minute when Dano Winans got space in the box and spun a shot by Viking keeper Ben Scobey. It’s a safe best that Scobey would like to have another shot at box the Wolfpack goals. Wicked english on the ball helped Winans’ shot get through. Laingsburg got its second goal on a comer kick less than two minutes into the second half. The ball from right to left got through Scobey’s hands and Laingsburg’s Dylan Hulliberger was there on the back side to knocking it off the turf, through Scobey and into the net. That second goal made it 4-2 at the time, and that is where the score remained. After the Wolfpack had pulled within 2-1 in the first half, Russell made it 3-1 by run­ ning on to a great ball ahead by MacKenzie and chipping it by the Wolfpack keeper. Carter’s penalty kick with 69 seconds to go in the first half made it 4-1 Lakewood at the time. The game got more physical throughout and a number of yellow cards were issued for hard fouls. Leveque said he is happy to see his guys playing physical, but he would rath­ er see them not have to make up for a miscue with a foul as happened a few too many times in the second half. The young Viking defense had a couple lapses, but mostly prevented the Wolfpack from other strong scoring chances. Lakewood did have a great shot at a fifth goal late in the bailgame as winter Donald Wells fired a perfect centering pass to the middle of the box where both senior Ty Evans and sophomore Cole Thrun were charging in hard behind the defensive line, but Evans’ shot clanged off the cross bar. In the 7-1 win over Pennfield in Battle Creek Tuesday, Sept. Aug. 30, Lakewood got three goals and an assist from Carter and three goals and two assists from MacKenzie. Russell scored once. Junior Garrett Feighan added two assists and sophomore Troy Acker had one as well. The Vikings were scheduled to return to GLAC/CMAC play at Maple Valley yester­ day, Sept. 7. The go outside the league Mon­ day, Sept. 12, to visit Lakeview and then play a league game at home against Stockbridge Sept. 14. Lakewood senior Colby Carter sprints towards the Laingsburg goal with the ball during the first half of the Vikings' win over Laingsburg Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Lakewood High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �Page 10 — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following Mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, on October 13, 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a Mortgage made by Donald Blakely and Ada Blakely to America’s Wholesale Lender dated October 3, 2003 and recorded October 10, 2003 in Instrument Number 1115375, Barry County, Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held by THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR INDENTURE TRUSTEE TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NA, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR THE CWABS REVOLVING HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES, SERIES 2004-E by assignment and/or merger. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of $8,412.09. Said premises are located in Barry County, Michigan and are described as: Township of Castleton, Barry County Beginning at a point on the East-West quarter line of Section 32, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan; distant South 89 degrees 37’ 52” West 1097.10 feet from the East quarter corner of said section; thence South 89 degrees 37' 52” West 230.00 feet along the said quarter line; thence North 00 degrees 02’ 38” West 330.01 feet along the West line of the East half of the Southeast quarter of said section; thence North 89 degrees 37’ 52” East 230.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 02’ 38” East 330.01 feet to the point of beginning containing 1.74 acres of land more or less. Subject to an easement for Public Highway purposes over the Southerly 60 feet thereof for M-79 highway and any other easements or restrictions of record. Being the same property conveyed to Steven L. Priddy and Sandra Dorothy Priddy, husband and wife by deed dated 09-14-01 and recorded 07-02-02 in Deed Book 1083156, in the Office of the Recorder of Barry County, Michigan. Said property is commonly known as 6791 E M-79 Highway, Nashville, Ml 49073. The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages, if any, are limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Please be advised that any third party purchaser is responsible for preparing and recording the Sheriff’s Deed. If this is a residential Mortgage, the following shall apply: ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. IF YOU: ARE A DEBTOR IN AN. ACTIVE BANKRUPTCY DISCHARGE IN BANKRUPTCY AND YOU HAVE NOT REAFFIRMED THE DEBT, THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Dated: September 6, 2022 Attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage: Thomas E. McDonald (P39312) Brock & Scott, PLLC 5431 Oleander Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (844) 856-6646 File No. 22-05428 (09-08)(09-29) 187298 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Scott Edgerton, to PNC Bank, National Association, successor by merger to National City Bank, Mortgagee, dated March 30, 2001 and recorded April 23, 2001 in Instrument Number 1058455 Barry County Records, Michigan. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Thirty-Seven Thousand Two Hundred ThirtyNine and 48/100 Dollars ($37,239.48). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The East 74 Fee of Lot 34, Vickery’s Lakeside Park and Cot, according to the recorded Plat thereof, Barry County Records. 857 Watts Dr, Dowling, Michigan 49050 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 25, 2022 File No. 22-003427 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (08-25) (09-15) 186453 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JORDIN WILLSON, a single woman, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 29th day of January, 2018 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 30th day of January, 2018 in Document # 2018-001035 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of Seventy-Two Thousand One Hundred Twelve and 67/100 ($72,112.67). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 6th day of October, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: The South 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield’s 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records, except the South 20 feet of Lots 15 and 16, used for street purposes. Also, the South 6 feet of the North 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield’s 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records Commonly known as 621 E. HUBBLE ST., HASTINGS, Ml 49058 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 09/08/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM WILLSON - 22-02117 1475014 (09-08)(09-29) 187248 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 6, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kayla Leboeuf and Zachary Leboeuf, husband and wife as joint tenants with right of survivorship Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: May 7, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 10, 2021 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $256,795.15 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Section 29, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, Part of Northeast 1/4, Commencing North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 118.80 feet from East 1/4 corner, North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 380.31 feet, North 00 degrees 48 minutes 41 seconds East 297 feet, South 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds East 220 feet to Centerline of Banfield Road, South 27 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds East 338.59 feet to the point of beginning Common street address (if any): 928 E Hickory Rd, Battle Creek, Ml 49017-8252 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 1, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1474029 (09-01 )(09-22) 186614 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on September 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Shane Hills, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Mortgage: December 27, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 6, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $66,453.59 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Carlton, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 4 North, Range 8 West, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as: Commencing on the East side of the Highway, 57 rods 14 links South of the West 1/4 post; thence East 11 1/2 rods; thence South 22 rods 11 links, more or less; thence West 13 1/2 rods to the center of the Highway; thence North 15 rods 23 links; thence East 2 rods to the East side of the Highway; thence North 6 1/2 rods to place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 7290 N Broadway Rd, Freeport, Ml 49325-9714 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: August 18, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwester^Hwy, Suite 145 . Farmington Hills, MI 3&334 . / ■. (248) 642-2515 1472883 (08-18) (09-08) 185960 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY ORDER TO ANSWER FILE NO.: 22-204-CH HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Paula L. Bennert, Gregory A. Bennert, Plaintiffs, v Gayle Crocker, Peggy Good,Tina L. McGowan, Marcie Huff, The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot, Defendants.____________________ David H. Tripp (P29290) Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law 202 South Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2900 Attorney for Plaintiffs_____________ TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF DALE F. HOOT MARCIE HUFF At a session of said court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan on the 25th day of August, 2022 Present: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh, Circuit Judge Based on the pleadings filed in the above entitled case, it is ordered that Defendants, The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot and Marcie Huff shall file a Notice of Interest in the above captioned case in real property commonly now as: Vacant Land, more fully described as follows: Hope Township Lot 39, Techland (Sup. Plat). Tax ID No: 08-07-330-013-00 by the 14th day of October, 2022, to assert any interest in the above described property. If the Defendants fail to do so that shall constitute a default in the above entitled matter, and on the 17th day of October, 2022 at 2:00 in the afternoon, this Court shall take proofs and shall terminate whatever interest The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot and Marcie Huff may have in and to the above described property unless a Notice of Interest in the Real Property is filed in this action or unless Defendants or their representatives appear on that date. Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh P42572 Drafted by: David H. Tripp (P29290) Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-2900 186883 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29272-DE Court Address: 206 West Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Sandra Ruth Drummond, deceased. Date of birth: December 4, 1945. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Sandra Ruth Drummond, deceased, died May 9, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Erin M. Welker, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 9/2/2022 Kristie A. Teague P85631 230 East Fulton Street - Ste. J Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 616-776-7200 Erin M. Welker 3208 Woodsview Hills Drive, S.E. Caledonia, Ml 49316 (616)528-2747 187265 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St., Suite B ' Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 When should you adjust your investment mix? There are no shortcuts to investment success — you need to establish a long-term strategy and stick with it. This means you’ll want to create an investment mix based on your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon — and then regularly review it to ensure it’s still meeting your needs. In fact, investing for the long term doesn’t necessarily mean you should lock your investments in forever. Throughout your life, you’ll likely need to make some changes. Of course, everyone’s situation is different and there’s no prescribed formula of when and how you should adjust your investments. But some possibilities may be worth considering. For example, a few years before you retire, you may want to reevaluate your risk exposure and consider moving part of your portfolio into a more conservative position. When you were decades away from retiring, you may have felt more comfortable with a more aggressive positioning because you had time to bounce back from any market downturns. But as you near retirement, it may make sense to lower your risk level. And as part of a move toward a more conservative approach, you also may want to evaluate the cash positions in your portfolio. When the market has gone through a decline, as has been the case in 2022, you may not want to tap into your portfolio to meet short­ term and emergency needs, so having sufficient cash on hand is important. Keep in mind, though, that having too much cash on the sidelines may affect your ability to reach your long-term goals. Even if you decide to adopt a more conservative investment position before you retire, though, you may still benefit from some growth-oriented investments in your portfolio to help you keep ahead of — or at least keep pace with — inflation. As you know, inflation has surged in 2022, but even when it’s relatively mild, it can still significantly erode your purchasing power over time. Changes in your own goals or circumstances may also lead you to modify your investment mix. You might decide to retire earlier or later than you originally planned. You might even change your plans for the type of retirement you want, choosing to work part time for a few years. Your family situation may change — perhaps you have another child for whom you’d like to save and invest for college. Any of these events could lead you to review your portfolio to find new STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29236-DE Hon. William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Ste. 302 Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Michael Lee Holston, Deceased. Date of birth: 08-08-45. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael Lee Holston, died 2-25-22. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Michael Todd Holston, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 1944 Rhondo Street, SE, Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/30/2022 Sharon R. Brinks P32111 2010 - 44th Street, SE, Suite C Kentwood, Ml 49508 616-881-9860 Michael Todd Holston 1944 Rhondo Street, SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 616-337-8759 187131 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Revocable Inter Vivos Trust Elizabeth V. Hagist Living Trust Dated December 6, 2007. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The Settlor of the trust, Elizabeth V. Hagist, who lived at c/o Stone Ridge Adult Foster Care, 4825 Fruin Rd., Bellevue, Ml 49021, died August 8, 2022. Creditors of the Settlor, Elizabeth V. Hagist, are notified that all claims against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Sue E. Hagist, the trustee of the trust at 4765 W C Ave., Kalamazoo, Mi 49009 within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8-29-2022 Kreis, Enderle, Hudgins & Borsos, P.C. By: Kay E. Kossen P56627 One West Michigan Ave. Battle Creek, Ml 49017 269-966-3000 Sue E. Hagist 4765 W C Ave. Kalamazoo, Ml 49009 269-968-2513 187066 opportunities or to adjust your risk level — or both. You might wonder if you should also consider changing your investment mix in response to external forces, such as higher interest rates or a rise in inflation, as we’ve seen this year. It’s certainly true that these types of events can affect parts of your portfolio, but it may not be advisable to react by shuffling your investment mix. After all, nobody can really predict how long these forces will keep their momentum — it’s quite possible, for instance, that inflation will have subsided noticeably within a year. But more important, you should make investment moves based on the factors we’ve already discussed: your goals, risk tolerance, time horizon and individual circumstances. By reviewing your portfolio regularly, possibly with the assistance of a financial professional, you can help ensure your investment mix will always be appropriate for your needs and goals. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29237-DE Court Address: 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of David Allen Stewart. Date of birth: 10/20/1945. ....... TO ALL CREDITORS: . ... NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent. David Allen Stewart, died 01/04/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Dixie Stewart, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Danielle Streed P45668 480 W. Lovell Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 269-276-0055 Dixie Stewart 12723 M-89 Plainwell, Ml 49080 269-629-4043 197247 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29245-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Analeeseah Kaylee Shelden. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on Wednesday, September 21,2022 at 2:15 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Analeeseah Kaylee Shelden to Analeeseah Kaylee Dewitt. 187271 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Garage Sale Wanted GARAGE SALE- THURS.- WANTED- BUNK BEDS in MINI GOLDEN DOODLE SAT., 9/8/22-9/10/22 9am3pm. 10545 Nashville Hwy., Vermontville. Harley parts, Longaberger baskets (some never used), ladies shoes (size 8) and purses, misc., some­ thing for everyone! decent condition, 517-852­ 1705. PUPPIES: Fluffy, very play­ ful!. First shots and wormed. $600, 269-223-9194. BARN SALE: 105 Becker Rd, Hastings. Thur-Sat, Sept 8-10, 2022 9:00am-5:00? Furniture, Harley Davidson parts & clothes, new saddlebags, a pool and supplies, clothesbaby to adult all ages & sizes, mower bagger, basketball net for trampoline, tools, toys, too much to list. Something for everyone, don't miss it! Business Services BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. " MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. PINE BUILDING MATERI­ ALS Sawed to your specs, 6' through 16' lengths. Miller's Custom Sawing. Call for avail­ ability 517-852-4989, leave a message, or 517-852-9335. Pets PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex. handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — Page 11 Conference play begins for most Friday Hastings’ final score of the night came with five minutes left in the game, on another run by Teunessen, and the two-point conver­ sion pass from Carroll to junior receiver, Jett Barnum, was also good, to put the final score at 41-30. Coach Murphy added “this was one of the most physical games I have seen in 15 years.” While the Vikings held the Saxons back from scoring, the team still ran for 277 yards and had 74 passing yards. Teunessen led the team rushing with 155 yards, while Slaughter was held back to only 86 yards on the night. Carroll completed 4 of 7 passes on the night. On defense, the Saxons allowed 300-yards rushing and 198 receiving yards by the Vikings, as Stratton, the Viking quarterback, completed 11 out of 14 passes on the night. The Saxons were led by Slaughter who had 9 tackles and 1 sack for the night. Layton East­ man had 6.5 tackles, and Jack Kensington added 5.5 tackles for the night. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons are hoping a non-conference schedule including a game against the rival Trojans in Middleville and an outstanding Whitehall program has them ready to chase another Interstate-8 Athletic Conference championship. Varsity football games kick off on Friday night for the first time this season this week and the Saxons are hitting the road to face Jackson Lumen Christi in the first conference clash of the season. “The team and I are ready to play Lumen Christi this week,” Hastings senior Lanny Teunessen said after the Saxons were bested by the Whitehall Vikings last Thursday. “We all understand that they have a good football team, but at the same time if we stick to Saxon football they are a very beatable team.” The Lumen Christi Titans are off to an uncharacteristic 0-2 start. The Titans haven’t dropped the first two ballgames in a season since 1970. Lakewood, Thomapple Kellogg and Maple Valley are all entering conference play Friday. Thomapple Kellogg is hosting its Salute to Service game Friday as it takes on Wayland Union to open the OK Gold Conference sea­ son. Active service members, veterans and first responders will be admitted to the con­ test for free with identification. The Wayland Wildcats are off to a 2-0 start with wins over Hopkins and Holland Chris­ tian. It is the first time the Wildcats have as many as two wins in a season since 2018. The Trojans come into the bailgame at 0-2, but are looking for their fifth consecutive win over the Wildcats. Lakewood will be at home to open the Greater Lansing Activities Conference sea­ son Friday to take on Leslie. The Blackhawks are 0-2 under new head coach Ken Bradley. Maple Valley came out of a 40-20 loss to visiting Brown City last Thursday knowing there is some work to do defensively. Vandercook Lake is in the same boat. The Jayhawks have been outscored in 137-0 in their two eight-player ballgames so far this fall. The Lions were 0-2 in the non-conference slate as well, and they’ll battle to see who can get win number one first at Vandercook Lake Friday in the first Tri-River 8-Player Conference game of the season. Delton Kellogg has one more Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference crossover contest on the slate for this week, traveling to take on South Haven. The Rams and Panthers are both 1-1 on the season so far. The Rams opened the year with a win over Dowagiac, but were handled by the Forest Hills Eastern Hawks last week. Delton Kellogg will look to bounce back from a seven-point loss to Parchment. Contributing writer Valerie Slaughter con­ tributed to this article. Local Standings (W-L), playoffpoints Delton Kellogg Hastings Lakewood Thomapple Kellogg Maple Valley (8-player) 1-1, 33.000 1-1,27.500 1-1,24.500 0-2, 2.500 0-2, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Northwest 2-0, 0-0 1-1, 0-0 Hastings 1-1, 0-0 Marshall 1-1, 0-0 Parma Western 0-2, 0-0 Coldwater 0-2, 0-0 Harper Creek 0-2, 0-0 Lumen Christi 0-2, 0-0 Pennfield OK Gold Conference 2-0, 0-0 Forest Hills Eastern 2-0, 0-0 G.R. Catholic Central 2-0, 0-0 South Christian 2-0, 0-0 Wayland 0-2, 0-0 Cedar Springs 0-2, 0-0 Kenowa Hills 0-2, 0-0 Ottawa Hills Thomapple Kellogg 0-2, 0-0 Parchment 21, Delton Kellogg 14 Changing things up at quarterback Thursday, Maple Valley senior Tyler Rose runs over Brown City linebacker Clint Ford on a carry during the first half of the Green Devils' victory over the Lions at Maple Valley High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) to be a track race on the scoreboard.” The Saxons were able to put the first score on the board with a two-yard pass to Haiden Simmet after a seven-minute drive down the field. Simmet then ran in the two-point con­ version. The Vikings answered that score in just over 3 minutes with a 2-yard run of their own. The Saxons were up 8-7, but then Vikings’ quarterback, Kyle Stratton, complet­ ed a 46-yard touchdown pass less than a minute into the second quarter, bringing the score 14-8. The Saxons quickly answered with another pass of their own from Junior quarterback Owen Carroll to Simmet again. Saxon running back Lanny Teunessen ran in the two-point conversion to keep ahead of the Vikings 16-14. _ The game became a race on the score­ board, with a combined five touchdowns in the second quarter, after another Whitehall score, Teunessen ran in his first touchdown of the night from 32 yards out, and Robby Slaughter pushed in the two-point conversion with two minutes left in the half, the Saxons were up 24-21. Whitehall quickly put another seven on the board with seconds left before the half on another pass from Stratton to head into the locker room 28-24 at the half, and the Saxons would not see the lead again. Saxon senior Lanny Teunessen saw the game as a “bonding experience that showed us that we can play football with the best team in our division. I think that our excessive mis­ takes made on defense is what set us apart from Whitehall. With the help of my offensive line and fellow running backs I was able to have a great night running the ball, and if I didn’t have them nothing would be possible.” Both teams tightened up their defense at the half, but Whitehall was still able to score two more in the third quarter. The Saxons only had one turnover for the night, and only three penalties compared to eight from the Vikings, but they had two fourth down con­ versions where they couldn’t quite get the last few yards into the end zone. Delton Kellogg came up just shy with the end zone in reach a couple times and that was the difference as Parchment scored a 21-14 win over its guests from Delton Thursday. Running back PJ Nelson raced into the end zone from seven yards out to put the hosts in front for good in the fourth quarter, snapping a 14-14 tie. Delton Kellogg got as close as the Parch­ ment 25-yard-line on its ensuing drive, but the host Panthers smothered a couple of Delton Kellogg runs and Delton Kellogg had two pass attempts under pressure fall incomplete. A final fourth quarter drive by the Panthers ended with a fourth down pass falling incom­ plete just inside Parchment territory. The Delton Kellogg offense had its chanc­ es to add points. The first DK drive of the bailgame reached the Parchment 12-yardline before stalling out. A pass was eventu­ ally swatted away at the goal-line on fourth down and Parchment went 80 yards the other way to score the game’s opening points on a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Aaron Jasiak early in the sec­ ond quarter. Delton Kellogg pulled with 7-6 on a 34-yard touchdown run by Vinnie Quick. This time the Parchment team answered with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Jasiak to Will Koval, who raced behind the defense from the slot deep down the right side and managed to avoid a tackle around the DK 25-yard-line. Parchment led 14-6 and man­ aged to carry that lead into the half when the Delton Kellogg fumbled the ball away at the Parchment one-yard line late in the second - quarter. - »- w.' u<t — Delton Kellogg made up for that miscue by evening the game on a five-yard TD run by Ricky Ramsey and a Philip Halcomb twopoint run in the third quarter. Ramsey had a big game rushing 19 times for 117 yards. Halcomb had 13 carries for 81 yards and Wyatt Colwell added nine rushes for 54 yards for DK. Lowell 49, Thornapple Kellogg 6 The Trojan offense never got going in the annual Pink Arrow game in Lowell Friday night. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity football team fell to 0-2 on the season with a 49-6 loss to the host Red Arrows. Back-up quarterback Grant Middleton rushed into the end zone during the third quarter to score the only points for TK on a drive that was sparked by a big kick return from teammate Tyler Gavette into Lowell territory that was aided in the end by a Lowell penalty. Middleton got some work with start­ er Carsen Burbridge a little banged up and the game already out of hand. Delton Kellogg's Torren Mapes returns a kickoff during the first half as Parchment’s Jacob Guzior (83) sizes him up for the tackle Thursday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) See FOOTBALL, page 12 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley 2-0, 0-0 Lawton 2-0, 0-0 Schoolcraft 1-1, 0-0 Delton Kellogg Saugatuck 1-1, 0-0 0-2, 0-i Galesburg-Augusta Greater Lansing Activities Conference Stockbridge 2-0, 0-0 Perry 2-0, 0-0 Lakewood 1-1, 0-0 Olivet 1-1, 0-0 0-2, 0-0 Leslie Tri-River 8-Man Britton-Deerfield 1-1, NorthPointe Christian 2-0, Concord 1-1, 0-2, Maple Valley 0-2, Morenci Vandercook Lake 0-2, iWelcmelUrJBrian Weller! ADVANCEDEYECARE PROFESSIONALS 0-1 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 • Optometrists (Dr. Weller, Dr. Jackson, Dr. Slate) • Ophthalmologists (Dr. Flohr, Dr. Harrell, Dr. Smith) Here is a round-up of last week’s local gridiron action. • Eye Exams, Glasses, Sunglasses & Contacts • Cataract Surgery, Diabetic Eye Care Whitehall 41, Hastings 30 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer In a physically demanding game, the Hast­ ings Saxon varsity football team lost its home opener 41-30 to the Whitehall Vikings Friday. Whitehall, who just defeated last year’s state finalist, Unity Christian, was going to be a tough game for the Saxons. Saxon head coach, Jamie Murphy, “knew this was going • Glaucoma Care & Glaucoma Surgery • Retinal Disease & Retinal injections HASTINGS 269.945.3866 Hastings running back Lanny Teunessen finds room to spring up the right side during the Saxons' non-conference loss to visiting Whitehall inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Thursday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Hastings • Ionia • Lowell • Sheridan AEPeyecare.com �Page 12 — Thursday, September 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Panther teams near middle of pack at RustBuster Invitational Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg girls managed a few new best times at the Southwest Michigan XC RustBuster at Warner Camp in Grand Junc­ tion last Wednesday, Aug. 31. Delton Kellogg sophomore Johannah Houtkooper to recorded her best time of the season so far in a 50th-place finish in the varsity girls’ race. She hit the finish line in 24 minutes 17.56 seconds. Delton Kellogg number seven runner on the day, freshman Piper McArthur, also improved her season best time with a mark of 31:10.79. The Delton Kellogg girls’ team placed sev­ enth and the boys’ sixth at the invitational. Senior Joelle White led the DK ladies with her 40th-place time of 23:38.4. Junior Sum­ mer Ritchie wasn’t too far behind in 46^* place with a time of 24:03.42. DK also had junior Lillian Lester 83rc^ in 28:23.57 and sophomore Lillie Steele 88^ in 28:58.36 among its top five scorers. Jenison and Otsego both had its top five finish among the top 11 in a field of 114 girls. Jenison senior Maya Guikema won the girls’ race in 18:32.68. The next three girls across the finish line were Otsego Bulldogs who all recorded new personal record times. Megan Germain, a junior, led the Bulldog pack with a runner-up time of 18:33.3. The Otsego girls took the invitational title with 26 points ahead of Jenison 100, Plainwell 100, Schoolcraft 116, Paw Paw 153, Fennville 182, Delton Kellogg 199, Three Rivers 201 and Gobles 242. Jenison outdid Otsego at the top of the boys’ standings 35-40 despite Otsego senior Colin Wesseldyk taking the individual title with a time of 16:20.82. Plainwell was third in the boys’ standings with 121 points ahead of Three Rivers 127, Paw Paw 130, Delton Kellogg 211, Coloma 218, Parchment 219, Allegan 255, South Haven 266, Bangor 299, Schoolcraft 346, Gobles 355 and Fennville 381. Jenison had seven guys among the top 15 finishers led by sophomore Seth Conner who came in at 16:40.12. The eight guys all hit the finish line in less than 17 minutes. Senior Micah Martin led the DK boys get­ ting in just under the 19-minute mark. He placed 34*h in 18:59.02. DK had a good pack behind him with senior Isaac Shepard SO1'1 in 19:20.05, senior Gage Vincent 451'1 in 19:52.5, sophomore ..Ethan Rimmer 461^ in 19:54.67. The Panthers’ number five was junior Rhys Bedford who placed 73rc* in 22:05.29. Delton Kellogg is scheduled to host an invitational at Gilmore Car Museum today, Sept. 8. The Southwestern Athletic Confer­ ence season starts Sept. 14 at Lake Township Park in Bridgman. " Lumen Christi tennis team scores 1-8 win over the Hastings boys The Hastings varsity boys’ tennis team was bested 8-0 by Jackson Lumen Chris­ ti in its Interstate-8 Athletic conference opener Tuesday in Jackson. The Saxons managed to pull out a few games here and there against the Titans. Keegan Lindsey and Lang Haines notched a couple games in their opening set at first doubles, but eventually fell to the Titans’ top duo of Brendan Stevens and Cade Nelson 6-2, 6-0. Anderson Forrel and Matt Hineman took a couple games in their third doubles match. On the singles side, Heath Hays had the most success for the Saxons in a 6-0, 6-2 loss to Nash Hanchett. Hastings is scheduled to be back in action in the conference this afternoon, Sept. 8, taking on Coldwater in Hastings. The Saxons go to Harper Creek for a conference dual Monday, Sept. 12. Improved offense helps Lions net first soccer win Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lions are building up the attack and notched their first win of the season last week, pulling out a 2-1 victory over visit­ ing Quincy at Fuller Street Field Aug. 29. Brad Harvey scored to snap a 1-1 tie in the second half and put the Maple Valley varsity boys’ soccer team in front of the Quincy boys. “They’re showing improvement every game,” Lion head coach Mike Webb said. “On offense we’re starting to understand the formation better and proper spacing, which is creating more opportunities for them.” He sees his attackers especially doing a better job of utilizing the comers of the field. The Lions are now 1-3 overall this sea­ son and 0-2 in the Greater Lansing Activi­ ties Conference/Central Michigan Athletic Conference play. Stockbridge took a 5-3 win over the Lions Wednesday in Nash­ ville in conference action. The Lions continued to show off their improved attack against the Panthers in the defeat. Coach Webb said his guys are quicker and more aggressive than at the start of the season, but he counted at least nine times that Maple Valley guys were able to fire crosses into the Stockbridge box towards the far post which teammates were just a tad late to receive. “If we can just get people to get to the far post we would be scoring a lot more goals,” Webb said. The Lions and Stockbridge boys were tied 3-3 in the second half before a couple defensive breakdowns allowed for the Pan­ thers to score two quick goals. Ethan Boldrey scored for the Lions, fin­ ishing off a corner kick from teammate Robert Schilz. Nick Hansen and Alex Nel­ son had their team’s other two goals in the loss. The Lions were scheduled top return to action Wednesday, Sept. 7, hosting the defending conference champions from Lakewood in Nashville. Maple Valley goes on the road to face Bellevue Friday. Allegan shuts out DK as Panthers fall for the first time The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ soccer team was bested for the first time this season Wednesday, Aug. 31. The Panthers saw their record fall to 3-1 with a 4-0 loss at Allegan in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. The Tigers are now 4-1 after the win over the visiting Panthers. Delton Kellogg was scheduled to host Constantine last night, Sept. 7, and will be at Harper Creek for a non-conference match tonight, Sept. 8. Next week, the Delton Kel­ logg team will host Bridgman Sept. 12, visit Black River Sept. 14 and then visit Lake­ wood Sept. 15. FOOTBALL, continued from page 11 “It was great to be a part of the Pink Arrow­ game,” TK head coach Jeff Dock said. “That was a great experience. Offensively, we were terrible in the first half. We had opportunities and we just couldn’t capitalize. We had some penalties. We just couldn’t finish drives.” The Trojan defense did well against the Lowell run game in the first half, a big improvement from the previous Thursday night against Hastings, but the Red Arrows made some big plays in the passing game and picked up the rushing attack in the second half. Dock was p 1 easels,witli the defense being better at the line of scrimmage after being gashed by Hastings. “Collectively, we played good solid team defense against the run,” Dock said. “It was night and day better than it was against, Hast­ ings. We got off the ball better, we played with a better pad level and we stayed true to our responsibilities. Those three things alone make you better in a heartbeat.” Thornapple Kellogg trailed 28-0 at the half with Lowell quarterback Jackson Reisbig going 7-of-8 throwing the football in the first half. He tossed three TD passes in the first two quarters. A big TD run early in the sec­ ond half pushed the Red Arrows’ lead to 35-0 and then an interception returned for a touch­ down upped it to 42-0. Belding 60, Lakewood 8 Parchment corner back Ez Liggins(2) tips a Delton pass away from DK's Ricky Ramsey(44) as Parchment safety Brecklyn Bootland (21) looks on Thursday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) As injuries mounted for the Vikings the Black Knights piled up touchdowns. The Lakewood varsity football team fell to 1-1 on the season with a 60-8 loss at Belding Thursday night. The Vikings took advantage of a Belding fumble on the opening drive of the bailgame and went in for a 27-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Willette to Ethan Weller and a twopoint run by Montreal Reid and an 8-0 lead. Belding returned the ensuing kick-off 90 yards for a touchdown and tied the game at 8-8 and then intercepted a pass in the Vikings’ end and went in for another quick score to go in front 14-8. “They were ready to play. Belding is one of the top teams in Division 5 right now for a reason,” Markwart said. “They were ready to come out and play us. We knew it was going to be a slugfest. We went out expecting to be in a bailgame. What we were doing was working, and it just we made more errors than they did.” By the end, the Vikings didn’t have Willette, Reid and a few other guys on the field any more because of injuries, most of which aren’t serious enough to have anyone miss any more game action according to coach Matt Markwart. “1 have a good group, of .kids, but our depth is still an issue and we lost Monty in the sec­ ond quart,” Markwart said. “By the middle of the third quarter I didn’t have Willette any more. We were finishing the game with one running back. At that point, we couldn’t move the ball, so it was three plays and punt.” “The kids played hard,” he added. “ They knew what was going on. Now it is just coming back to going to work next Monday.” Reid still led the Vikings in rushing with eight carries for 35 yards.Cole Anderson ran six times for 20 yards. Willette was 3-of-6 passing for 47 yards. Austin Straub had two catches for 20 yards. “At the end of the game they were, ‘this game is not going to define us,”’ Markwart said of his players. “We’re going to come to work on Monday and gel ready to play Leslie. They know, all in all, we were better than we played. “That is our step forward we need to make. We need to be able to play with the good teams and give ourselves a chance to fight to the end. When bad things happen we have to continue to fight and continue to play with the good teams.” Brown City 40, Maple Valley 20 Too many times there was only green between Brown City quarterback Lawson Coo­ per and his Green Devil receivers Thursday night at Maple Valley High School. The Lion varsity football team fell to 0-2 on the season with a 40-20 defeat at the hands of the Green Devils. Cooper completed seven of his ten passes for 117 yards and two touch­ downs and the Green Devils were 8-of-12 passing for 128 yards overall. Those aren’t staggering numbers, but they didn’t need to be. Brown City also had Kyle After rush 14 times for 162 yards and Clint Ford carry 18 times for 133 yards. They both had a TD reception from Cooper, and After also scored on 66 and 52 yard runs. Ford had a 35-yard TD run. “We have everybody on our defense back and we don’t look like it,” Maple Valley head coach Marty Martin said. “We have to sit there and we have to get back to what we did last year. I thought at the end of the year we were playing some really good defense. We were disciplined with our eyes and we were disciplined with our reads. We have kind of gotten away from that because we have people playing different posi­ tions than they were in last year.” The Lions have tried some new defensive philosophies this season with Martin moving into a role more on the offensive side of the ball after the retirement of long-time offen­ sive coordinator Jeff Fisher. The offense has had major alterations this season too in an attempt to best take advantage of the skill set of the cun-ent group of players which might not have the beef of previous squads that had been running the Wing-T. It’s an adjustment for everyone, and there will be more adjustments as the Lions contin­ ue to work out how to be a better football team. Coach Martin said the team may be looking get guys back to more comfortable positions on defense and to look into the pos­ sibility of having a little less two-way play. “We worked all week on eye discipline and keeping our eyes where they needed to be. We’re working on fundamentals: using our hands to get off blocks and improving our pursuit angles. If we can do those three things you’re going to see us play defense like we did at the end of the year last year,” coach Martin said. Junior split end Camden Carpenter was the stand-out for the Lions Thursday. He scored all three of the Lions’ touchdowns— two on passes from quarterback Ayden Wilkinson ana one from Tyler Rose who took over at QB for a bit to give the Green Devil defense a different look. Carpenter rose over two defenders and hauled in 16-yard pass from Rose in the end zone with 3:51 to play in the first half to get Maple Valley its first points of the game. It was the only pass attempt for Rose who is much more of a running threat than a passer - and did move the offense well at times. Carpenter added two more touchdowns in the second half on catch and runs off passes from Wilkes the first covering 46 yards and the second 23. Those both came in a flurry of scor­ ing in the final two minutes of the third quarter that saw Ford score on a 35-yard run with 1:56 to go in the quarter, a Carpenter TD reception with 1:39 to go, After’s 52-yard TD run at the 1:289 mark and then Carpenter’s second TD with 29 seconds to play in the period. “I thought we did a nice job moving the ball,” Martin said. “Early in the game, every play I called really worked. It wasn’t because of me. It was because they were working. We did a nice job of scouting and the kids execut­ ed. The second half when they really stated to come downhill, those two interior linemen and the linebacker, they exposed our weakness.” Brown City led 20-0 when Carpenter caught his first TD pass. After took off 66 yards for a score on the first snap of the game and his team led 8-0 after the two-point conversion. The Lions had two illegal procedure penal­ ties on their first drive, something that plagued them all evening long. The Green Devil offense went right back to work moving to the Maple Valley 11-yard-line before Andrew Shepard fell on a Green Devil fumble. The Lion drive lasted just two plays as they fumbled it right back. Two plays later, Cooper hit Ford for an 11-yard TD and a 14-0 lead. Maple Valley’s ensuing possession got with­ in the Green Devils’ 10, but Wilkes had a pass on third down picked off by Brown City’s Conner Vanlerberghe at the goal-line. Brown City put together a 99-yard, 14-play drive that ended in a Vanlerberghe TD run with 7:16 to go in the first half and a 20-0 lead. Brown City led 20-6 at the half and then added to their lead after a Lion turnover on the first drive of the second half. Brown City picked up a Lion fumble at the 22 and on the next snap Cooper tossed a TD pass to After. Carpenter finished the ballgame with five receptions for 60 yards. Callan Hoefler had five catches for 46 yards. While Rose came into to lead a few drives with his hard-running style at QB, coach Martin said he saw Wilkes make some strides as a passer. Wilkes was 1 l-of-21 for 127 yards. On the ground, Andrew Shepard led the Lion backs with nine rushes for 50 yards. Rose finished with seven carries for 33 yards and Hoefler had three for 31. Jesse Deppe had a team-high 16.5 tackles for the Maple Valley defense. Shepard added ten. Carpenter and Reese Proctor-Burhans had eight tackles apiece. Deppe and Proctor-Bur­ hans both had a sack. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-09-15.pdf d6a0f5f61b134268bdde05f7ac677681 PDF Text Text New leadership on the way at Spectrum Health Pennock Super PAC money hinders free and fair elections Hastings boys XC finishes second at Delton invite See story on page 3 See story on page 4 See story on page 14 804879110187 1070490102590501551049058113421 Richard HemerlingAR’RT L°T"C 005 C0°5 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47.00 AM ilAb 1 irxo3 Thursday, September 15, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 37 PRICE $1.50 TK parents weigh in after district removes book from eighth grade reading unit Greg Chandler Staff Writer Some Middleville-area residents are unhappy with Thomapple Kellogg Schools officials over the removal of a book from an eighth grade English unit at the district’s mid­ dle school. More than 40 residents signed a letter objecting to the district’s removal of “The House on Mango Street,” a 1984 book by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros, from a reading unit a week after classes began last month. The book is a coming-ofage story of a young Latino girl growing up in Chicago and addresses such issues as pov­ erty, racism, identity and society. However, objections were raised by some district parents over the book’s content, most notably a two-page passage that describes an assault on Esperanza, the book’s main char­ acter. “Political theater should not be allowed to drive curricular choices,” resident Rebecca Hoskins read from the letter at Monday’s TK Board of Education meeting. “Educational professionals should make those choices as they are expected to use research and evi­ dence from the field to inform those deci­ sions. Politics should not impact education. We want our students to form their own beliefs based on exposure to the experiences of diverse groups of people.” Thornapple Kellogg Schools parent Cheri Bruinsma speaks out in support of teach­ ers and their ability to choose appropriate reading material for their students at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. (Photo by Greg Chandler) See TK PARENTS, page 3 Thornapple Kellogg Schools Superintendent Craig McCarthy explains the decision to remove the novel “The House on Mango Street’ from a middle school reading unit at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Tyden Lofts project still hazy while county hurts for housing Jayson Bussa Editor The steady clamor for more housing in Barry County has put a renewed focus on one project in Hastings that comes with a particu­ larly fuzzy timeline. Led by Wisconsin-based developer Gen­ eral Capital, the Tyden Lofts project is expected to bring 60 units of affordable housing to Hastings once constructed at its proposed site next to the county’s vacant Friend of the Court building at 102 S. Broadway Ave. General Capital originally wanted to pur­ chase the Friend of the Court building, but the county declined to sell. This led to a sum­ mer-long dance between the developer, the county and the city of Hastings. The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers created a three-person ad hoc committee See TYDEN LOFTS, page 3 D.J. Hilson The vacant Barry County Friend of the Court building, and the debate surrounding what the county might use it for, has complicated a proposed housing project in Hastings. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Outgoing county commissioners vow to continue working diligently for constituents Jayson Bussa Editor With significant turnover on the way for the Barry County Board of Commissioners at the end of the year, chairman Ben Geiger assured residents that the board would continue to work hard to accomplish important initiatives and objectives before the new faces arrived. “A few of us on this board only have a few short months left in office,” Geiger said during a brief Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. Geiger himself is one of three sitting board members that will not return next year. “There is a lot that I personally would like to take care of before I leave this mezzanine and I know there are issues that vice chair (Vivian) Conner and commissioner (Hoot) Gibson are passionate about.” See COMMISSIONERS, page 2 Ben Geiger, chair of the Barry County Board of Commissioners, is pictured on the right during a Committee of the Whole meeting last week. To his left is vice chair Vivian Conner. Neither will be a part of the board next year when a new crop of commission­ ers arrive. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Dar Leaf Special prosecutor named in voting tabulator case involving Barry County Sheriff Jayson Bussa Editor Muskegon County prosecutor D.J. Hil­ son will determine whether or not Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf and eight other individuals will face criminal charges in what the state has classified as a conspiracy to obtain, test and tamper with voting tabu­ lators. Late last week, the Prosecuting Attor­ neys Coordinating Council assigned Hil­ son, a democrat who has served in his role in Muskegon County since 2013, to the case. Other defendants in the case include Matthew DePemo, the Republican nomi­ nee for attorney general, and State Repre­ sentative Daire Rendon, a Republican from Lake City. “Prosecutor Hilson will review the inves­ tigation and information for possible charges,” the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordi­ nating Council said in a statement last week. “At this time, no charges have been filed against any of the possible defendants.” Hilson’s assignment comes after Michi­ gan attorney general Dana Nessel sought the appointment of a special prosecutor to take the reins of a months-long case that had been executive by her office and Mich­ igan State Police. Nessel will be facing DePemo in November’s general election, therefore, sought a special prosecutor in order to eliminate any conflict of interest. Despite the move, DePemo has been very public in his thought that Nessel is targeting him for her own political gain. In her petition for a special prosecutor, issued in early August, Nessel alleged that nine individuals played a role in gaining unauthorized access to voting tabulators and transporting them to Oakland County in order to conducting tests on them at hotels and short-term rental properties. The petition stated that, in all, the group got their hands on five different voting tabulators. This included a tabulator from Irving Township Hall. The attorney gener­ al’s office stated that township clerk Sha­ ron Olson handed over the tabulator to a “third party,” at the behest of Leaf. “Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson indicated that she was asked by Barry See PROSECUTOR, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Hastings High School Alumni Board announces 2023 banquet date The Hastings High School alumni board has announced that 2023’s Alumni Banquet will be held Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. This coming year, the banquet will celebrate the classes of 1948, 1953, 1958, 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983,1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013. Graduates from these classes are encouraged to include the banquet in their respective anniver­ sary celebrations. The banquet is still in the early days of planning, and the alumni board appreciates the help and input of others in the planning of the event. Those interested in helping plan the banquet are encouraged to attend alumni board meetings. The next alumni board meeting will be at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 at J-Ad Graphics. Any questions about the alumni board or the 2023 banquet can be directed to Lois Bowers at 269-945-9657. KCC named a ‘2022 Great College to Work For' Kellogg Community College is one of the best colleges in the United States to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For program. The results of the 2022 analysis, released Monday, are based on a survey of 212 colleges and universities. In all, 68 of those institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. KCC won honors in the “Compensation and Benefits” cat­ egory, which is based on employee satisfaction data derived from a campus survey conducted earlier this year. According to Great Colleges, the honor in this category is based on the perception among employees that they are compensated fairly and that benefits are adequate, contributing to a feeling that employees feel valued and respected at KCC. Survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, maintenance and sup­ port staff. Employee feedback was a primary factor in the decision-making process. The Great Colleges to Work For program is one of the largest workplace recognition programs in the country. Oktoberfest comes to Hastings on Sept. 24 It’s time to dust off your lederhosen. Hastings’ own Oktoberfest celebration will be Saturday, Sept. 24 from 5 to 10 p.m. The outdoor event will be located in the parking lot behind Bunker’s Smokehouse and Grille and will feature food and drinks from Founders Brewing Co. and live music from Trapped on Mars. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. This year, Hastings Oktoberfest will be using the proceeds from beer sales to support the Rotary Club of Hastings and its relief efforts in Ukraine. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hastings, Bunker’s Smokehouse and Grille, Seasonal Grille, the Thor­ napple Arts Council and Founders Brewing Co. City urged to move on housing projects, hires interim treasurer and clerk Hunter McLaren Staff Writer A discussion on housing was at the top of the agenda for Monday’s city council meeting. Fred Jacobs, owner of J-Ad Graphics, and Dennis Quam, vice president of human resources for Viking Corporation, spoke to council members and asked them to move quickly on the proposed Tyden Lofts project and to make further housing developments a top priority. “You have talked about it, and the county has talked about it, but we’re not doing enough,” Jacobs said. “We’re at a threat right now of losing some companies or losing the ability for some of these companies to expand because there’s no place for our people to live.” Quam said recruiting in Hastings has been difficult in the past few years and continues to become more challenging. Of the 350 workers that Viking employs in Hastings, Quam said 158 of them - 45 percent - do not have Hastings addresses. “We’re finding it is extremely difficult to staff posi­ tions not necessarily due to money, benefits, culture or the type of work that we’re performing, but rather because of the lack of available housing, whether it be rental apartments, condos or single-family homes,” Quam said. Quam also emphasized that while family-owned manufacturing companies could once be expected to stay in the community, that was no longer the case. Citing the recent sale of Quality Aluminum to a private equity firm and Viking’s own sale to a firm in the past, Quam stressed the importance of housing develop­ ments to make Hastings an attractive destination for employers. “The Grooses were great people and they did a lot for this community,” he said. “When they owned Viking, we pretty much put (new developments) here. The Grooses are gone now.” “We’re owned by a private equity firm in Germany. You can’t necessarily bank on manufacturing staying here forever, you have to make it attractive.” Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie asked what the city could do to help accelerate housing developments in the city and invited Jacobs and Quam to provide input at the city’s housing committee meetings. Jacobs suggested that, when it comes to building large housing developments, the city needs to look for available property just outside the city proper and make an effort to work with developers to connect those properties to the city’s water and sewer system. “The land you need to build these houses and do all this development is right on the perimeter of Hastings all around the whole town, but you can’t get city sewer and water in those places,” Jacobs said. “If the city would open up the city sewer and water to devel­ opers just outside the city, you would have growth almost immediately because that’s what really holds them up.” Dennis Quam (right), vice president of human resources for Viking Corporation, and Fred Jacobs (left), owner of J-Ad Graphics, asked that the city take action on workforce housing developments in the city. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Council members were presented a letter signed by Bill Rohr of Flexfab, Sandy Snook of Hastings Manufacturing and Dave Baum of Hastings Fiber­ glass that echoed the sentiments presented by Jacobs and Quam. Mayor Dave Tossava thanked Jacobs and Quam for their presence at the meeting and said new housing developments, including the Tyden Lofts project, are a top priority for the city. Giving examples of several ordinances passed by the city in recent months that have allowed accessory dwelling units and duplexes in a wider area of the city, Tossava said the city is work­ ing hard to handle a lack of housing. NEW TREASURER AND CLERK Council members approved the hiring of an interim treasurer and city clerk, Christopher Bever. The appointment was made following former treasurer and city clerk Jane Saurman’s departure from the position on Sept. 2. Bever was hired through GovTempsUSA, a temp agency for local government positions. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said the employment agreement with Bever begins Sept. 19 and runs for three months. During that time, the city can decide to offer the full position to Bever or advertise for the position and hire another candidate in a more traditional fashion. “It’s a really unique setup that allows us the oppor­ tunity to get to know him a little bit better and his skills, abilities and strengths,” Moyer-Cale said. “And (it gives him the opportunity) to get to know the city better and how we do things, how we operate and to make sure it’s a good fit for him before committing.” In other business, the city: • Approved a request from Gina McMahon, YMCA program director, to use Tyden Park for flag football from Sept. 12 to Oct. 25. • Approved a request from Anna Haywood, Hast­ ings High School student body president, to hold the school’s homecoming parade at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 7. • Approved a request from the Downtown Business Team to hold Fall Girl’s Night Out from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 6. • Approved an amendment to an agreement with Carlton Township regarding the township’s wastewater treatment facilities. Because Carlton Township is now hiring an outside contractor to run, repair and maintain the township’s facilities, the agreement was amended to remove obligations from the City of Hastings to run, repair and maintain them. • Approved a request from the Department of Pub­ lic Services for the purchase of a new cargo van for $69,240 and the purchase of a new trailer with attach­ ments for $7,399. • Approved a proposal from Blue Fire Media for a redesign of the city’s website for $20,400. • Received a monthly report from Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter. Hastings Police responded to 520 calls, including 15 traffic accidents, 11 property dam­ age incidents, four injury accidents and 19 arrests. Officers issued 13 traffic citations. MSP: Three people killed in Bowne Township car crash James Gemmell Contributing Writer Michigan State Police say three people were killed in a two-car crash Monday afternoon in Kent Coun­ ty’s Bowne Township, just north of Barry County. It happened around 12:30 p.m. on Alden Nash Avenue (M-50) at 92nd Street, the site of a two-way stop and a consistently busy intersection. MSP Sixth District posted on Twitter, and con­ firmed with The Banner, that a 79-year-old woman from Waldron (Hillsdale County) drove southbound on Alden Nash into the path of a car that was heading east. Troopers said a 55-year-old woman from Free­ port, who was in the backseat, was declared dead at the scene. An AeroMed helicopter was summoned to the scene and airlifted two people to a hospital. MSP said the driver of the southbound vehicle later died, as did another passenger, the driver’s 82-year-old husband. Police said the driver of the eastbound vehicle suffered minor injuries, and the intersection was closed for a few hours. The investigation continues into the crash. “Out of respect for the families, we’re not releas­ ing the names of the victims,” MSP Lt. Michell Robinson said in a phone interview Tuesday. COMMISSIONERS, continued from page 1 ------------------ Over the years Thomapple Trail Association has had many opportunities to thank the Bolthouse family for their generosity and their unwavering sup­ port of bicycle trails. This year it has been hard to find a new way to thank them. Again this year the Bolthouse family has given Thomapple Trail Associa­ tion most of their Ace Hardware parking lot for our Barry Roubaix fund­ raiser. Their generosity has overwhelmed us as they have matched those funds. We dedicate our funds to the development and maintenance of the Paul Henry, Thomapple Trail. This is just one way the Bolthouse family and Ace Hardware play an important role in the success of Barry County and the Hastings area. I think we all need to spend more at our local businesses. Our local spending adds far-reaching benefits to the surrounding area. At Ace Hardware you can get solid information from folks with knowledge and expertise. If you have a concern they are there to help instantly. I don’t know how many of you know what a woodruff key is but they do. As I walked through the store one day on a mission for that key I was asked if I needed help. I asked with a smile about woodruff keys and the response was follow me and I was asked what size along the way. Amazing! And it was only25 minutes shipping. Aside from learning what you don’t know from a real human there is anoth­ er important point to make about the difference between Brick and Mortar stores and the Internet. Did you ever see or hear of the Internet giants with private moon rockets giving anything back to Barry County? The Bolthouse family and Ace Hardware continue to give back to the community through their donations of time, money and opportu­ nities. It is just such an effort that prompts this letter. Simply, and earnestly, we at Thomapple Trail Association along with the many trail users way “Thank You” To the Bolthouse family and Ace Hardware. Next year’s board will feature eight mem­ bers after it adds a seat to represent the city of Hastings. Half of the commissioners next year will be newly-elected, even if some of them have served in that capacity in the past. Gibson, a veteran of the board that notori­ ously has never missed a meeting, and Geiger both declined to seek reelection. Geiger made a bid for state representative but lost in August’s GOP primary to Gina Johnsen. In Gibson’s District 1, Bob Teunessen will face Democrat Scott Savage in November for the seat. Former Michigan state representa­ tive Mike Callton was victorious over Gary White in District 5 to take over for Geiger. Vice chair Conner lost her race in District 6, which includes Orangeville, Prairieville and Yankee Springs townships. Mark Doster will return to the board of commissioners after ousting Conner in the primary. In the newly minted District 8, David Hat­ field, chairperson of the Hastings planning commission, will take on Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz in November’s general election. The exits of Gibson, Geiger and Conner stand as a significant loss of historical and institutional knowledge that the newly-seated board must compensate for. In the meantime, Geiger said that the group would not be phoning it in, instead, using the last three to four months to complete mean­ ingful work for the taxpayers. “This cannot be a lame duck board where we rubber stamp things and run out the clock,” Geiger said. “We are here to serve and we will do that.” One issue that Geiger said he hoped the board could address is the county’s second round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and what direction they should take for those funds. BOARD TO PROBE CHANGES AFTER CONTROVERSIAL DISTRICT 2 PRIMARY RACE On the topic of completing meaningful work while still on the job, Geiger also addressed the GOP primary race for the com­ mission seat in District 2, which includes the Village of Middleville. In this controversial race, incumbent Cath­ erine Getty lost in August’s primary to John Gallagher. However, just before the election, county officials revealed that Gallagher could not take the seat because he lived just outside of the newly-drawn district lines. Barry County Republicans attempted to hand the GOP nomination by appointment, but Getty went to the courts, which ordered she be placed on the ballot in November. While still in office, Geiger said he wants to take measures to ensure this situation never arises in the future. “I don’t know how it happened - how we can have an instance where we go through a whole election, or almost a whole election, then we find out someone doesn’t actually live in the district,” Geiger said. “I’m not using this time to pass blame on PROSECUTOR, continued from page 1 ------------------------County Sheriff Dar Leaf to cooperate with investigators regarding an election fraud investigation. Subsequent to this conversation, Olson turn over her tabulator to a third party.” Leaf contends that he never coerced Olson - or anyone else - to turn over machines. However, Leaf and his attorney, Stefanie Lambert, who is also a defendant in the case, have not wavered in their accusations of voter fraud playing a role in the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in Michigan. Olson has since signed on as a plaintiff in a recently-filed federal lawsuit, attempting to decertify Michigan’s 2020 presidential elec­ tion results and run the election over as soon as possible. Olson was joined by such parties as the Macomb County Republican Party, non-profit group the Election Integrity Force and Donna Brandenburg, who is a nominee for governor by the U.S. Tax Payers party. In response to the state’s initial investiga­ tion, Leaf and Lambert filed a lawsuit against Nessel, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and the Michigan State Police, claiming that anyone. I’m just looking to find solutions,” he added. One solution he proposed was the wider availability of online information for hopeful candidates for local government. “I think we need to look into empowering citizens with some new tools, like showing these are the offices that are going to be up. This is when you can file for office ... give people all the information they need to either run for office or just participate in local government.” Getty contended that the information is already available - the burden lies on people to consult with that information. “The district maps were there,” she said during the meeting. “I think the information was available. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink. I was the only eligible candidate on the ballot and the judge made that ruling for me.” Getty will move into her second term with that cloud over her head. In fact, at Tuesday’s meeting, one resident from District 2 that identified himself as Pat Jameson voiced his disapproval over Getty losing her primary race but still getting on the ballot. “We have a losing candidate who is going to be back on this board because there are no other challengers,” Jameson said. “She was put there by a judge - my vote doesn’t matter.” It is that sentiment that is seemingly driv­ ing Geiger to install safeguards against such scenarios before leaving office. “I’m just looking to find solutions,” Geiger reiterated. “Never again can we have an elec­ tion where people wake up and think their vote didn’t count.” they were interfering with Leaf’s investiga­ tion into voter fraud. That lawsuit was recent­ ly thrown out by the Michigan Court of Claims because Leaf failed to sign it. Leaf and the group of potential defen­ dants face the prospect of a variety of charges, including using a computer system to commit a crime, willfully damaging a voting machine, malicious destruction of property and fraudulent access to a comput­ er or computer system. If Leaf faces legal charges and must fund a defense, Chairman of the Barry County Board of Commission Ben Geiger already said that the county would not foot the bill. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — Page 3 Thornapple Kellogg schools finish 2021-22 fiscal year safely in the black Greg Chandler Staff Writer Thomapple Kellogg Schools ended the 2021-22 fiscal year with better than expected financial results, the district’s assistant super­ intendent reported on Monday. The district ended the fiscal year on June 30 with a surplus of $438,529, boosting TK’s general fund reserves to $6,268,149. The dis­ trict had projected a $370,000 surplus when it approved the budget in June 2021. That fund balance represents 15.8 percent of the dis­ trict’s annual spending, Assistant Superinten­ dent Chris LaHaie told the school board. “That’s a great place to sit,” LaHaie said. “You really don’t want to see that (fund bal­ ance) over 20 percent, because we’re not a bank and we want to be spending our money on students, but at the same time, this fund balance allows us to not have to borrow from the state (to pay teachers and staff until state aid funding comes in).” That 15.8 percent represents the highest per­ centage of fund balance in the district in more than a decade, according to district documents. TK ended the year with revenues of more than $40.9 million, about $68,000 more than had been budgeted. Its expenditures were more than $40.5 million, and only $17 less than budgeted, LaHaie said. “In my career, I’ve never seen anything that close,” LaHaie said. “That’s a tribute to Barb VerHoef, our accountant here at TK. She’s the best of the best.” LaHaie reported that the district’s food ser­ vice fund gained nearly $227,000 of surplus on expenditures of nearly $1.82 million during the fiscal year, to boost that fund balance to more than $784,000, a figure the state says is too large a fund balance. “You’ll recall for the last two years, all meals - breakfast and lunch - were free for all students (because of the COVID-19 pandem­ ic),” LaHaie said. “We did have a spend-down plan for hav­ ing too much money last year. We followed the plan, we spent it down, we did everything right, but we brought in too much revenue once again,” he added. LaHaie said that now that most meals are no longer free, he doesn’t expect the issue of too much revenue to be an issue again. The district plans to spend that fund balance down during the 2022-23 fiscal year. LaHaie also reported on the district’s enrollment in advance of the official fall count on Oct. 5. As of Monday, TK’s enroll­ ment was 3,170 students - exactly what dis­ trict officials had projected when the 2022-23 budget was drawn up and an increase of 12 students district-wide from a year ago. Enrollment at the high school is up by 28 students, offsetting slight decreases at the middle school, all three elementary buildings and the Early Childhood Center, LaHaie said. The district will have its annual audit at next month’s board meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 10 in the meeting room of the TK Early Childhood Center, 3316 Bender Rd. Spectrum Health Pennock president out as health system consolidates By Jayson Bussa Editor In a cost-cutting move late last week, the newly-merged Spectrum Health and Beau­ mont Health - now known as BHSH System - shed hundreds of employees, including the president of Spectrum Health Pennock. On Friday, BHSH System released a state­ ment, saying that it cut 400 non-clinical and administrative positions throughout the state. “Unfortunately, this consolidated leader­ ship model means that the role held by Angie Ditmar, who has served as president (of) Spectrum Health Pennock, (a) southeast regional market leader since November 2018, will be eliminated,” Chad Tuttle, Senior Vice President at BHSH said in a statement to The Banner. “Angie has been an outstanding leader, cultivating deep relationships with the Pennock board and the Barry County com­ munity. We thank her for all she has done for our organization and our teams.” Beginning on Oct. 7, Bill Hoefer will serve as the leader of the south regional market, where Spectrum Health Pennock and Spec­ trum Health Zeeland Community Hospital will share resources and partner together regularly to meet the collective needs of the system’s south region. Hoefer brings more than 27 years in health care leadership and has served as the presi­ dent of Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital since June 2021. “I am confident Bill’s personable leader­ ship style and vision for the south market will help us in our efforts toward health that is simple, affordable, equitable and exception­ al,” Tuttle said. In a general statement from BHSH System, the health system said the move was in response to rising market pressures. “Our health system, like others around the nation, is facing significant financial pressures from historic inflation, rising pharmaceutical and labor costs, COVID-19, expiration of CARES Act funding and reimbursement not proportional with expenses,” the statement said. “Joining together as one health system places us in a stronger position to face these challenges while ensuring quality care for our communities for generations to come.” TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 1 ------------------------to negotiate with General Capital, aiming to only sell a chunk of the building’s parking lot to facilitate the housing project while retain­ ing the building. At last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting, commissioner David Jackson, a member of the ad hoc committee, provided an update on the project. Jackson and the committee had recently participated in a conference call with General Capital. “Basically we let them know that we felt like it was a long way to go in the process,” Jackson said. “As Dave Hatfield pointed out, (chairperson) of Hastings planning and zon­ ing, it’s really in the city of Hastings’ court right now....We wanted to let General Capital know that we would not be standing in the way of the project.” Bruce Campbell, who is also a member of the ad hoc committee with fellow commission­ er Jon Smelker, echoed Jackson’s sentiments. “I think we need to do everything possible to make this project go,” Campbell said during the COW meeting. “Whatever input we can have to make it successful and still maintain a relationship with our constituent that’s favorable. We just really need the hous­ ing, there is no doubt about it. We don’t want to be the ones standing in the way of it.” But, when it comes to this high-profile housing project, the county and city do not seem to be on the same page. The topic came up at this week’s Hastings city council meeting. “I listened to the ... Board of Commission­ ers meeting last week and I was so disap­ pointed in the outcome,” Hastings mayor Dave Tossava said. “One of the statements that was made was that we’re going to put it in the hands of the city planning commission and let the planning commission work on it. Well, the county needs to make a decision because anybody who wants to build in Hast­ ings can’t come up with a site plan unless they know that there’s property available. And at this point right now, I don’t know if the property the county owns that’s empty is going to be sold to the developer or not.” The idea that the county might come around and sell the entire building is all but dead in the water. The commission has stated that a number of interested parties would like to use the space. “We’ve had some interest - since it has got­ ten some publicity - to retain that building and people have asked to potentially us looking at filling those vacancies,” Jackson said. “There have been some ideas we have been discussing. But we wanted General Capital to know we’re here to work with them and be as flexible as possible to make sure the project goes through.” While county officials contend they are not standing in the way, city officials certainly think otherwise. “I would like to see everybody on this council send a letter to the Barry County Board of Commissioners encouraging them to make a decision; right, wrong or whatever, just make a decision,” Tossava said. “Don’t just keep kicking this can down the road.” The debate on the Tyden Lofts project has stirred as a group of prominent employers in Barry County are calling for the county to do something about housing. Forming what they refer to as the Manu­ facturers Roundtable, representatives from Hasting Fiberglass, J-Ad Graphics, Flexfab Inc., Viking Corporation and Hastings Manu­ facturing presented a letter to both the board of commissioners and the Hastings city coun­ cil, detailing their housing woes. “Although we provide very competitive wage and benefits packages, we are experi­ encing an increasing number of issues related to a lack of housing,” the letter states. The letter also singled out the Tyden Lofts project. “We are collectively reaching out to the Barry County Board of Commissioners to request your support for more housing,” the letter stated. “Specifically, we are encouraging approval on the proposed 60-unit workforce housing development at 326 West State Street.” • New Halloween and Christmas Fabrics Zippers, Threads, Notions TK PARENTS, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------- *--------------------------- 108" Quilt Backing Hoskins called any depictions of the passage being sexually graphic “an over dramatiza­ tion.” “The way the selection is written, the reader can draw their own conclusions about what transpired. Was it a non-consensual kiss or some­ thing more? Only the reader can make that determination,” Hoskins said, again quoting from the letter. An opt-out permission slip was sent home to parents who had objections to the book, and six families asked to opt out of the book study, Hoskins said. TK Superintendent Craig McCarthy said that the opt-out permission slip that went out on Aug. 30 did not include sexual and racial content in the book description. “We felt the description was less than transparent and might appear that the district had a hidden agenda,” McCarthy said. “At the same time, we also learned that there were several families that were opting out of the reading and subsequent assignments. Faced with a short window of time before students would start to read the novel, we had to act. “Working with the eighth grade teachers, the decision was made to switch to a different book, which also was part of the same board-approved curricu­ lum, and also met the language that was in the permission form sent to parents.” “The House on Mango Street” was replaced by “The Outsid­ ers,” the 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton that describes the life of a 14-year-old boy caught in a conflict between rival gangs in Tulsa, Okla. “We learned from our eighth grade teachers that the assign­ ment and the class discussion accompanying the novel would provide the same thought-pro­ voking discussions and impact of the rites of passage that were intended with the original unit,” McCarthy said. “The greatest value of the assignment is the in-depth discussions they’ll have with our instructors.” “The House on Mango Street” will be available for students to read during “choice reading” time, McCarthy said. “It’s not been banned, it has not been removed. It’s just not a primary focus of this unit, this year,” he said. Next year, the plan is for teachers to provide opportuni­ ties for students to read both books “in a comprehensive, interactive reading group approach,” McCarthy said. Hoskins and others who signed the letter weren’t con­ vinced that the change would provide an equivalent reading experience for students. “Why wasn’t an opt-out per­ mission slip required for ‘The Outsiders?”’ Hoskins asked. “We find the choice lacking rel­ evancy to the present day. ‘The Outsiders’ is a great novel. However, it portrays gang vio­ lence, underage smoking and drinking, strong language/slang, family dysfunction, murder, and suicide by cop. Yet a permission slip was not required.” McCarthy concluded his comments by saying the intent of switching to a different book was to maintain public trust and transparency. “We aim to be transparent in all of our operations, and include all of our students in our educa­ tional process,” he said. “We aspire to do what we say and to say what we are going to do, and will continue to operate in that matter, to the fullest possi­ ble extent.” Several residents spoke out about what they saw as the sex­ ually graphic nature of “The House on Mango Street.” “Those books that I have read personally had sexual content in them,” said Lori Buchanan, a TK grandparent. “Pornography is described as any scene or photograph that is intended to elicit a sexual excitement response. These books that I have personally read are such books. I’m wondering if anyone on this board ... would approve of having a Hustler magazine or Playboy magazine on their library (shelf).” Buchanan also objected to the wording that was left out of the opt-out permission slip. “To me, that was a telltale sign that they were trying to hide something from a parent,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how many parents decide not to have their child participate in that curricula. It doesn’t matter. The parents are the ones to decide, not you, not the teacher and not the other children.” TK parent Keara Hilton saw the book’s content as something that should be considered in a sex education class. “Elements of the Mexi­ can-American culture and themes of social class, race, sex­ uality, identity and gender are interwoven throughout the novel,” Hilton said. “Since ‘The House on Mango Street’ has themes of sex interwoven throughout the novel, it would be logical to assume that stu­ dents would be discussing this Print Cottons for Quilts! fr Pray for our Nation *0* QUESTIONS: ASK US... OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station HkRBACH Tel. (269)-945-3252 FUNERAL HOME Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care CT2022-04 187718 Carlton Township Board Resolution To Adopt Application For Access To And Ongoing Use Of Public Ways By Telecommunications Providers Under Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-OfWay Oversight Act 2002 PA 48 MCL Sections 484.3101 To 484.3120 By Great Lakes Energy Cooperative WHEREAS, the Application For Access To And Ongoing Use Of Public Ways By Telecommunications Providers Under Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-Of-Way Oversight Act, 2002 PA 48 MCL Sections 484.3101 To 484.3120, states "A municipality shall approve or deny access under this section within 45 days from the date a provider files an application for a permit for access to a public right-of-way." MCL 484.3115(3). NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that Carlton Township, Barry County, approves Great Lakes Energy Cooperative's Metropolitan Extension Telecommunications Rights-Of-Way Oversight Act Permit that is attached as Tab 1. topic and be sparked to ask questions about that topic that would require teacher’s feed­ back. Being that all education surrounding the topic of sex is by law required to be contained to a state-approved sex educa­ tion class ... this should never have been approved.” But another parent, Reagan Gielincki, spoke out in support of teachers and their ability to determine appropriate content for students. “I believe in the education they’ve obtained, and the dedi­ cation they have to all of our students,” Gielincki said. “I do not believe there’s any agenda other than to grow our chil­ dren’s minds, their ability to think critically and to enhance their empathetic side. I do have concerns that a vocal minority is causing unfounded harm, not only to the staff but to my chil­ dren’s rights to a balanced, pub­ lic, non-religious education.” Parent Cheri Bruinsma echoed Gielincki’s support of teachers being able to decide on appropriate reading material. ‘“The House on Mango Street’ addresses many relevant issues in our society today, and that really is the purpose of great literature - to make some­ one see what another person has experienced through the set of that person’s eyes, to challenge the thoughts that you have in your worldview, and to make you ask questions about the world that you live in,” Bruins­ ma said. “Switching the book at the last minute took that opportuni­ ty from many of our children. I have a child in eighth grade. I think it’s very upsetting that the board denied the opportunity to talk about these issues and address them in the classroom.” Monday’s school board meet­ ing was the first for the board in its new meeting space inside the district’s new Early Childhood Center. BE IT ALSO RESOLVED, the permit contemplated in the Application brought forth by Great Lakes Energy Cooperative is hereby approved by the Township. Ayes: (jMP&nkf/ j Nays:j2_ _ _ _ _ Attested, by Order of the Township ofCof/hn ” HoPfl ~ , County, Michigan CERTIFICATION The undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Clerk of Township, County, Michigan, hereby certifies that (1) the foregoing is a true and complete copy of a resolution duly adopted by the Township Board at a regular meeting held on Qjuq 2,2025, at which meeting a quorum was present and remained throughout, (2) the original thereof is on file nrthe records in my office, (3) the meeting was conducted, and public notice thereof was given, pursuant to and in full compliance with the Open Meetings Act (Act No. 267, Public Acts of Michigan, 1976, as amended) and, (4) minutes of such meeting were kept and will be or have been made available as required thereby. Dated: Township Clerk �Page 4 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you inion see? Super PACS are subverting elections Pardon our dust Construction on the 1,700-square-foot addition to Yankee Springs Township Hall, which will serve as additional office space for the township, is well underway. The expansion and renovation had an original price tag of nearly $1.08 million. However, as construction is moving ahead on the expansion, some additional items have been added to the project, including a newly-approved security system, video cameras and recording equipment for the building, which was not in the original project budget. Those, and other, measures were approved by the township board at a recent meeting. Do you remember? Sign contract Banner 1970s Diana Krievins (left) adminis­ trator coordinator of the Calhoun Community Action Agency, and Mrs. Eloise Wolf, director of the Barry County Commission on Aging, sign the contract for a $3,524 grant from the state to provide hot meals to senior citi­ zens on low incomes. Present for the signing were Representative Wayne Sackett of Portage (seated), and (stand­ ing, left to right) Orville Hammond, chairman of the Barry County Board of Commissioners; Jack Patten, president of the Hastings Kiwanis Club which has contrib­ uted $61 toward the program, and David Gluckman, planner for the Calhoun Community Action Agency. The Board of Commissioners appropriated $1,114 towards the program. The state grand provides funds only for the cost of the food which will be delivered by other junior citizen volunteers. If the program goes over well, the commission will apply for a larg­ er grant next year, Mrs. Wolf said. - Banner photo. Have you met? Regular readers of The Banner and The Reminder may know Molly Macleod as the newest copy editor for both publications here at J-Ad Graphics. Those readers may not know just how much those publications depend on her, and how much work Macleod does behind the scenes. Getting press releases ready to print, answering calls from readers and editing copy before it is published are just some of the things she’ll do during the week. “I am everything-but-the-kitchen-sink for everyone else (here at the J-Ad Graph­ ics office),” Macleod said. “I will find old stories, I’m the J-Ad historian, I will quick­ ly type up stories on production day that I’m told minutes before that we need, and if anybody ever has a story that doesn’t really fall within someone’s beat, it comes to me.” Originally from Woodland, locals may even know her as Miss Woodland 2017 runner-up. However, she said readers are most likely to know her as the little girl behind the counter at her dad’s old pizza place, Mike’s Monster Pizza. After graduating from Lakewood High School, Macleod attended the University of Michigan. Although she originally wanted to study journalism, she switched to politi­ cal science after finding out the school didn’t actually have a journalism program. Two years of studying as an undeclared political science major later, Macleod was accepted into the university’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Macleod said her interest in politics start­ ed young, and she remembers being the only sixth grader in her class that read the newspaper every week. But while the tumultuous political climate of the last two decades has certainly highlighted the importance of good policy making, Macleod said she’s motivated primarily by a want to do good in the world. “I have always wanted to give back to the community and make the world a better place. I know everyone says that, but I mean it.” Macleod said. “I know that I can’t fix everything single-handedly. But I think anything I can do to educate myself and to learn about public policy and the practical side of it, that’s what I’m interested in because I want real solutions and real answers.” Molly Macleod Macleod went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree majoring in public policy and minoring in both German and history in April 2022. Burnt out from going to school during the COVID-19 pandemic and disil­ lusioned with the idea of working as a political consultant, Macleod moved back in with her parents in Woodland. “I didn’t have a job. No prospects,” she said. “It was like, ‘Okay, I’m home. Back to the drawing board.’” Not even a week after she had moved back in, her dad brought her a job posting for the copy editor position at J-Ad Graph­ ics. Macleod sent her resume to former editor Rebecca Pierce the next week, and the rest is history. Even after seeing the big city lights of Ann Arbor and moving into a new place in Grandville, Macleod said she will always remember growing up in Woodland. “I know that growing up in Woodland, has always been really special to me, and if you ask someone else who grew up in Woodland I am almost certain they would say the same,” she said. “Seriously, the whole community is so supportive. You just feel like you’re at home.” “I always talked to my friend about this when we would come home from college. When we’d be driving home, I could tell when I was home because I could feel it. It just feels like you’re where you’re sup­ posed to be.” “I have left Woodland, but I’m still there almost every single week,” she said. “Because I can’t avoid it.” For her love of the community, desire to make change and her outsized role in get­ ting this very paper into your hands, Molly Macleod is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite movie: Silence of the Lambs. I love that movie. First job: There’s kind of two answers for this. My real first job was unpaid labor for my dad, for many years, working at the pizza place. In fact, many readers will prob­ ably recognize me as the little girl cashier from Mike’s Monster Pizza. But my first real job that I got paid at was the Hastings 4 Cinema as a general staff member. Favorite season: Winter, which I know is controversial to say, but 1 don’t do well in the heat. So winter is the one time of year I can chill out, literally. But also, it’s really pretty. I like to go ice skating, sled­ ding and making snowmen and other win­ ter activities. Greatest song ever written: “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. The person I admire most: My mom, Beverly Macleod. She has worked at the hospital as a mammogram and X-ray tech for a long time - like 30 years. She’s just really cool. She’s very selfless and she worked very hard, and she’s set a very good example for me. Greatest fear: Spiders. First thing I bought with my own money: It was a Nintendo DS Lite and a copy of Pokemon Diamond. My brother and I had these piggy banks since we were really little. When the DS and the new Pokemon game came out, we begged our parents to dip into our piggy banks and we bought our own DS’s. So... we’ve pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. For many Americans, getting involved in political campaigns and taking sides on any given issue was once considered an American tradition. Taking part in the political process is what we as Ameri­ cans accepted as our responsibility as good citizens. But unfortunately, these days, the middle ground seems to have disappeared in our country as the fringes have taken over, making it risky for indi­ viduals to discuss the issues. “If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all,” said writer Noam Chomsky. Listening to the political pundits, debates and news interviews used to be part of the informational process. How­ ever, most campaigns have changed their focus in recent years due to a 2010 Supreme Court ruling allowing unlimit­ ed independent expenditures on political ads as long as they are not coordinated with candidate campaigns. So, in the future, will voters listen to the candidates and their messages for the information they need to determine where a candidate stands on the issues? Or will the power of the Super PACs (political action committees) take over the airwaves by filling the spaces with negative ad sound bytes linked together to form a message that questions another candidate’s credibility? The entire process has become tainted due to the limitless amount of money that is driving campaigns. Leading up to this year’s midterm elections, millions of dollars will be spent from out-of-state PACs to influ­ ence voters. No longer can we count on political messages to be truthful repre­ sentations of where a candidate stands on the issues. It would take hours for most of us to sift through the rhetoric to deter­ mine if the message has any validity. Plus, far fewer voters are taking the time to do even the slightest amount of research on candidates and the issues. According to political pundit Rich Robinson, “The harm in this is what we have degenerated to this new definition of democracy where, ‘my billionaire can whoop your billionaire,’ and I’m not sure that’s sitting well with the American public.” Robinson says Michigan has become the dark money capital of Amer­ ican politics with record-setting spend­ ing on political campaigns and an increased lack of transparency. Elections should be about ideas, but they’ve become mostly about ads. Discuss issues? Who wants to do that? Yet Rob­ inson says all of this money has become a corrupting influence on politics, espe­ cially since much of the contributors remain anonymous or are hidden until after financial disclosures are filed just late enough that voters don’t know who’s bankrolling some of the candidates. He is calling for more transparency with more limited fundraising. According to a recent Pew report, Americans overwhelmingly support lim­ its on political spending and most think new laws could effectively reduce the role money plays in politics. The report indicates widespread and bipartisan support for controlling the amount of money spent on campaigns, with 77 percent of the public stating “there should be limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations” can spend on campaigns, and they need to report where the money is coming from. Just 20 percent say there shouldn’t be limits. A good example of what big money can do is billionaire mega-donor George Soros financing a super PAC with more than $125 million, an enormous invest­ ment to aid Democratic groups and can­ didates for the 2022 election cycle. The donation places Soros among the largest political donors with plans to influence the 2022 election cycle and into the future. Before the Supreme Court decision, political campaigns were required to make available information on who paid for the advertisement. Even today, when our newspaper runs a local political advertisement, we are required to add a tagline with an organization or the per­ son paying for the space. And yet, mil­ lions of dollars are spent each day to control the message by promoting a position or candidates paid for by a spe­ cial interest group under the banner of free speech. Is this free speech? I think not. The issue isn’t whether these organi­ zations should be allowed to exercise freedom of speech to say anything they want. It’s about allowing them to taint the process by saying what they want whether it’s truthful or not, oftentimes knowing it’s inaccurate - without having to sign their name to the message. If we expect to attract good people to the political process, then we must demand accountability by requiring con­ tributors to be listed on every commer­ cial, or by directing citizens to a website with a list of contributors. Otherwise, we allow special interest groups and individ­ uals like Soros to exaggerate and distort the truth under the guise of free speech. This doesn’t help the process. It turns voters off to the point that fewer and fewer will take part in the future. In the next few weeks, we will be bombarded by political mail, television ads and, worst of all, robo calls, the pre-recorded phone calls that automati­ cally dial your phone. This isn’t free speech. This is all about controlling the process to the point voters will no longer trust anyone running for office. It damages the process by allowing special interest groups and big money to control more of the outcomes. What can we do? Contact your state and federal representatives and tell them your concerns over how big money is taking over the election process. These PACs are allowed to demean and destroy their political opponents with piles of unregulated money spent to influence the voters and control the out­ comes. The problem isn’t just about the level of spending, it’s more about where the money comes from and how they use it. And, experts who follow the money are concerned about how organizations and funding foundations are working hard to design ways to protect the anonymity of the donors. “We are not afraid to entrust the Amer­ ican people with unpleasant facts, for­ eign ideas, alien philosophies and com­ petitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people,” said Presi­ dent John F. Kennedy. If, as Americans, we value our free­ doms and the benefits of our democratic system, then we must demand transpar­ ency of the process by requiring account­ ability in all political messages. Only then will we restore honesty and integri­ ty in the process. The Hastings Bcllllldr Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — Page 5 Support local business - they give back to the community in big ways Over the years, Thomapple Trail Associa­ tion has had many opportunities to thank the Bolthouse family for their generosity and their unwavering support of bicycle trails. This year, it has been hard to find a new way to thank them. Again this year, the Bolthouse family has given Thomapple Trail Association most of their Ace Hardware parking lot for our Barry Roubaix fundraiser. Their generosity has overwhelmed us as they have matched those funds. We dedicate our funds to the develop­ ment and maintenance of the Paul Henry, Thomapple Trail. This is just one way the Bolthouse family and Ace Hardware play an important role in the success of Barry County and the Hastings area. I think we all need to spend more at our local businesses. Our local spending adds far-reaching benefits to the surrounding area. At Ace Hardware, you can get solid information from folks with knowledge and expertise. If you have a concern, they are there to help instantly. I don’t know how many of you know what a woodruff key is Man’s fence post removed while out of town but they do. As I walked through the store one day on a mission for that key, I was asked if I needed help. I asked with a smile about woodruff keys and the response was ‘Follow me,’ and I was asked what size along the way. Amazing! And it was only 25 minutes shipping. Aside from learning what you don’t know from a real human, there is another important point to make about the difference between brick-and-mortar stores and the internet. Did you ever see or hear of the internet giants with private moon rockets giving anything back to Barry County? The Bolthouse family and Ace Hardware continue to give back to the community through their donations of time, money and opportunities. It is just such an effort that prompts this letter. Simply, and earnestly, we at Thomapple Trail Association, along with the many trail users, say “Thank You” to the Bolthouse fam­ ily and Ace Hardware. Blair Miller President Thomapple Trail Association ‘Me first’ mentality reflected in the legislation being proposed, lobbied for To the editor: In the Sept. 8 Hastings Banner “Letters from our readers,” someone felt that we needed to be able to vote to decide repro­ duction freedom - abortion, the nice word for the murder of innocent and defense­ less human beings - and voting rights an endorsement for a free-for-all that invites voter fraud in like a long lost rela­ tive. Would this person - and others who agree with her - feel that we should have a right (state by state) to vote for slavery, any kind of marriage (including adult/child) and a host of other things that people of common sense and maturity used to be opposed to? Thinking is being pushed aside by an epi­ demic of self-absorption and “me first” that is worse than anything COVID has done to us. America used to be a great nation because we had common sense, maturity, and a sense of putting others first. Now, we are immature, lack any common sense, and put ourselves first at every opportunity. We will be nothing but a second-rate nation if we continue to have this glut of sec­ ond-rate thinking. Police received a call from a 66-year-old Wayland man around 10 a.m. on Aug. 25 reporting damage to his property on the 3000 block of Sandy Beach Street. The man told police he was out of town and had seen footage via his doorbell camera of someone on his property moving rocks and digging by the fence near the door. Police went to the property and told the man there was no damage other than an approximately 2-inch hole where someone had dug around the fence post, and the post was laying on the ground nearby. Police told the man they could review the footage when he returned to town. Vehicles broken into in Freeport Police responded to a report of a vehicle break-in at a residence on the 5000 block of Jordan Road from a 54-year-old Freeport woman and her 20-year-old daughter around 1 p.m. July 7. The two told police they had left their purses in their vehicles overnight and they realized someone had been in both of their vehicles when they left to go to work the next morning. The two reported the $40 in cash was missing and told police they froze their bank accounts. Shotgun stolen, evicted roommate suspected A 19-year-old Plainwell man reported his shotgun as stolen from his home on the 11000 block of 4 Mile Readjust before midnight on Aug. 13. The man told police he had last seen the firearm around 5 p.m. that day, and reported ammunition and a Harley Davidson Matchbox set from the 1970s he valued at $400 were also missing. The man suspected his former roommate, whom he had evicted about a week prior for smoking meth on his couch, may have been responsible. On the day the shotgun and other items went missing, the former roommate asked where he was before sending a screenshot of his location. Upon returning home, the man found the items missing. Joseph Perotta Nashville Is ‘affordable housing’ really affordable to everyone? Dear Editor: I felt I should write this letter so I can tell you that (it) is great that the city is building new rental property because there is a need but how can (an) average person afford $ 1,200 a month? I am retired and that amount is more than I get on Social Security (so) how do I pay utilities, car insurance and other (expenses)? I can’t, so many people are average like me and can’t afford that much. Georgia Lindroth Hastings Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System Rules and guidelines for submitting a letter to The Banner As the name implies, letters should be directed to the editor, not to any specific or broad audience. The Hastings Banner welcomes letters to the editor from readers, but a few conditions must be met before they will be published. The requirements are: • All letters must be signed by the writer, with address and phone number provided for verification. All that will be printed is the writer’s name and'c'dfrimtinity of residence. We do not ‘publish' ahoriymdus letters, and HASS Headlines names will be withheld at the editor’s discre­ tion for compelling reasons only. • Letters that contain statements that are libelous or slanderous will not be published. • All letters are subject to editing for style, grammar and sense. • Letters that serve as testimonials for or criticisms of businesses will not be accepted. • Letters serving the function of “cards of thanks” will not be accepted unless it is of public interest/ which will be determined by the editor. Representative Calley welcomes constituents to Lansing for ‘Representative for a Day’ experience The Horning family of Hastings got a taste of life in state government by joining Rep. Julie Calley in Lansing for an experience called “Representative for a Day.” Rep. Calley (far left) is pictured here with members of the family, which consist of (left to right) Beth, Jack and Allie. The Horning family won the opportunity to shadow Rep. Calley through a fundraiser to raise money for Green Gables Haven, a Hastings-based nonprofit that serves indi­ viduals that have been impacted by domestic violence. • Letters that include attacks of a personal nature will not be published or will be edited heavily. • “Crossfire” letters between the same two people on one issue will be limited to one for each writer. • In an effort to keep opinions varied, there is a limit of one letter per person per month. • We prefer letters to be printed legibly or typed, double-spaced." HASS prepares for Sept. 27 blood drive The Hastings Rotary Interact Club part­ ners with Versiti Blood Center of Michigan three times a year and will be hosting a blood drive at the CERC in the auxiliary gym on Tuesday, Sept. 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Versiti Blood Center of Michigan col­ lects more than 120,000 units of blood annually and has a nationally recognized stem cell (marrow) program. Student leaders work to host blood drives under the guidance of a Versiti account representative and learn how to successful­ ly market events while networking with peers, faculty, Versiti employees and blood donors. Each blood donation can save up to three lives. Hosting a blood drive at the high school level allows the opportunity to provide a new generation of blood donors, which is necessary for saving lives throughout the West Michigan region. The number of donors also reflects on scholarship oppor­ tunities for our students at Hastings Area School System. We certainly want to reach our goal by increasing the participants in our blood drives this year. Students will Tie -scheduling--appoint- t ments next week, and we will be provid­ ing times for community members to donate if availability is open. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Sept. 15-21 Sept. 1-30 - September Storywalk Book: “Be a Tree!” By Maria Gianferrari. Learn how you can be a tree, and how, collectively, we can be a forest - stron­ ger together. After reading the book, stop by the south side bathrooms of the Visi­ tor Center, for activities to learn more about Michigan’s trees. A portion of this Storywalk book is thanks to the generos­ ity of Joel and Barbara Vandyken. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Friday, Sept. 16 - Lunch and Learn: the Kirtland Warbler’s Sweet Song of Success, in-person and on Zoom; pro­ gram, 11 a.m.-noon; lunch, noon-1 p.m. Join Dave Ewert, Kirtland’s Warbler Program Director and Conservation Spe­ cialist at American Bird Conservancy, as he discusses Kirtland’s Warbler’s unique journey from the brink of extinction to rare conservation success story and the lessons learned that could help protect other endangered species. A recording of the program will be available to all reg­ istered participants on the Institute’s YouTube Channel. Register by Monday, Sept. 12, to reserve a lunch. Attendees aged 15-years-old or older are welcome, but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The program itself is free to members and $5 for non-members. The lunch will cost $12 for members and $17 for non-members. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR SEPT. 15-21 SPRAY FOAM Mjz Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 MARINES, FAMILY MEMBERS & CIVILIAN WORKERS Did you get CANCER or another SERIOUS DISEASE after drinking the water at CAMP LEJEUNE? FROM 1953-87 Thursday, Sept. 15 - Novel Ideas Book Club, 1 p.m. Join the group for a discussion of “Women of Copper Country” by Mary Doria Rus­ sell. The group will meet at Tyden Park, weather permitting. Attend­ ees should bring folding chairs to sit. The rain location will be in the library’s community room. Thursday, Sept. 15 - Movie Memories watches a foreign film star­ ring Pierre Fresnay, Josseline Gael, and Noel Roquevert. The film follows Roland Brissot after he purchases a talisman that brings him love, fame and health, but at a sinister cost, 5 p.m. This is the first foreign film with English subtitles shown at Movie Memories. Friday, Sept. 16 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 -Dungeons and Dragons, 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 19 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; Lego club (adults must be accompanied by child), 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; “Post­ COVID 90 Days in Europe” presented by Arm Chair Travel Group, 6 p.m. The Hastings Public Library is celebrating Banned Books Month and Library Card Month. During September, there will be displays, activi­ ties and drawings throughout the library to celebrate. Patrons with lost, worn, old or grungy cards can get a free replacement this month. More information about these and other events is available by call­ ing the library, 269-945-4263. Call us for a free consultation — since 20,000 vets (our clients) can't be wrong! WEITZ &LUXENBERGpc 1 -844-538-0145 www.MarinesLegal.com 700 BROADWAY I NEW YORK, NY 10003 ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Phok results do net guarantee a future outcome. V.e may associate wfth iocalflrms in slates wherein we do not maintain ar. office. if ho recovery, bo’.fees or costs are. chargee. �Page 6 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Louise Jean Middleton special place in her heart for the children who rode with her. Each year she chose one family to have Christmas for, anonymously buying them pres­ ents to be hand delivered by Santa himself. This tradition continued into her later years as she wanted to help others around the holidays. She also had a soft spot in her heart for dogs. She had as many as 26 throughout her life, including litters of puppies. The Mid­ dleton’s got their first family dog when four of their children (all under the age of five) were terrified of dogs and Louise decided to buy the ugliest one she could find, set it loose in the house, and scared the kids until they overcame their fear. She enjoyed collecting dolls, playing cards and was skilled with ceramics, quilting, and sewing. She made all of her daughters and daughters-in-law maternity clothes, diapers for her grandchildren, and knit slippers and mittens for all of her kids well into their adult lives. She even sewed special clothing protec­ tors for the residents of Carveth Village. Louise is survived by her loving children, Kay (Larry) Stolsonburg, Diane Hanson, Gary (Alison) Middleton, Bob (Bev) Mid­ dleton, David (Diane) Middleton; 17 grand­ children; 41 great grandchildren; five great­ great grandchildren; sister, Ruth Beck; spe­ cial dog, Rosie. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Forest Middleton; son-in-law, Glenn Hanson; sisters, Lois (Kenneth) Mid­ dleton, Phyllis (Jack) Boger; sister-in-law, Dorothy (Art) Babcock. Relatives and friends met with Louise’s family on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022 at the Beeler-Gores Funeral Home. A private inter­ ment will take place at Coman Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Carveth Village or Kindred Hospice. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Louise’s family. Louise Jean Middleton, age 94, of Mid­ dleville, MI, set both God and the Queen straight as she walked into Heaven on Sep­ tember 8, 2022. Louise was bom on November 26, 1927 in Grand Rapids to Garold and Laura (Schleh) Sherk. She was a longtime resident of Middleville along with her late husband, Forest, who founded Middleville Tool and Die. They enjoyed fishing together, after which Louise would clean their catch and have it for dinner at Barlow Lake where they lived for 65 years, loving every minute of it. Together she and Forest had five children whom they loved dearly. Louise was the kind of mother that always had her children’s backs and stuck up for them no matter the situation (even to her husband). She drove a school bus for Thor­ napple Kellogg for many years. Her goal was to drive every one of her grandkids to kindergarten - a goal she happily accom­ plished. She loved driving bus and had a Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. p.m. 4:30 Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Website: www, Pastor. Lead Moser, Randall Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. activities: call for LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 are available. worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids (Children p.m. Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. School Group; Youth 6:30 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, church Pastor, Steve (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 328 Street. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, night Bible study and prayer Worship Nursery MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship Services: Sunday, 9 contact 616-690-8609. a.m. N. Jefferson 10 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Him Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 tree on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Emerson Street had been cut down. The remains look like a large ring. The entire cen­ ter is gone. This is a classic example of inner rot. There is only a thin ring covered with bark remaining. Beans and more beans! The trucks contin­ ue haling in their ample loads of green beans. Often, Twin City Foods has a string of four refrigerator cars on the track near the build­ ing. Now, the track has five cars waiting for their cargo of green beans to haul away. One has to admire the beautiful graffiti painted on the cars. How many tons of beans does it take to fill a car? One indication of the scope of business at Twin City Foods is the number of semi-trucks in line to pick up frozen foods. On Tuesday of this week, there was a line of six tractor-trail­ ers parked along Sherman Street, waiting their turn to get loaded with frozen vegeta­ bles. United Women of Faith of Central UMC met on Monday. Guest speakers were from the Ionia County Health Department and the Lake Odessa Police Department. Their presentation was on drug use and means of detection. There were many questions - most with answers. In addition, there was an eye-catching exhibit parked outside labeled “Hidden in Plain Sight.” Two or three members were escorted inside the trailer as the guide showed the visi­ tors ways in which drugs can be hidden in a home, going undetected by parents. This was very informative. At the close, members adjourned to the dining room where refresh­ ments were served. The next date on the calen­ dar is a trip to Cornwell’s Turkeyville in Mar­ shall for a dinner theater event in October. Also on tap is the annual district meeting at the St. Louis UMC on Sept. 14. A celebration of life for the late Eleanor Cook Sedore will be held at the village park pavilion on Sept. 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. Another remembrance event will be on Monday, Sept. 19 at 11 a.m. to honor Bill Pitman, husband of Janet Valentine. This will be followed by a burial at Lakeside Cemetery. He was a resi­ dent of California. information. Sunday Morning Worship: Nursery system has been invaluable to her as an AP student. She said it’s not uncommon for her to email her teachers at 11 p.m. and receive an immediate response. Her AP courses have also taught her lessons outside of the curricu­ lum, she said. “Speaking for myself, I think it’s kind of assumed that AP students get good grades,” McLean said. “But we’ll go into AP classes and get Cs and Ds on tests because they are hard. We’ve come to accept that when it happens, it’s something we had to learn. Not getting good grades on every single thing you do is okay because that’s how you get better and that is what ultimately helps us in the long run.” Hastings High School principal Teresa Heide said that those extracurricular lessons are what make the AP courses such a valuable experience for students. High expectations for students set by the curriculum and upheld by teachers gives them an opportunity to rise to the occasion. “I think they’ve learned that, which is great. It’s hard for some kids to learn that nothing’s free in life,” Heide said. “If you want something, you have to dig in and go to work.” Wheel­ Bertrand. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and 74 percent of students passed with a three or higher; in 2020, 76 percent passed; and in 2021, 79 percent passed. Last year, 84 percent of students enrolled in AP classes passed their course with a score of a three or higher. Mike Engel, who teaches an AP govern­ ment course, said student success in the courses is no mistake, but it’s not just because of the high expectations set by AP courses and teachers. “I feel like the success our students have had is a full body of work. Because our 9th and 1 Oth grade teachers have prepared them, they have arrived to us ready to take on that rigor,” Engel said. “It’s the concept of the team approach. It didn’t just happen in their junior year. It didn’t just happen with some inspirational speech on day one.” AP classes teach students how to succeed at college-level courses while still having an accessible support system through their peers, teachers and families at home. It’s an import­ ant way to familiarize students with how to use the resources at their disposal while still providing a safety net, Engel said. Student Julie McLean said that support chair accessible and elevator. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Martha Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Advanced placement courses don’t just prepare Hastings High School students for college - they prepare them for life. This isn’t just what teachers have to say about the program, either. Students involved in AP courses said the challenge provided by the courses taught them how to better collaborate, use the resources at their disposal and how to accept failure. “Between AP classes and normal classes, it’s definitely different,” Hastings High School student Juan Osorio said. “In normal classes, you’ll definitely see people work by themselves more, but in AP classes, people work together as a team. It’s just a different experience.” AP courses follow a curriculum set by the College Board meant to mimic the challenges of a college course. After taking a series of exams, students are graded on a one-to-five scale, with scores of three or higher allowing students to pass and potentially apply for completed college.credit at some universities. Hastings’ AP scores have been steadily rising for the last four school years. In 2019, 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Stoetzel. Director, AP classes and exams prepare Hastings students for success WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Youth HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH gmail.com. Hastings High School students (left to right) Jose Osorio, Julie McLean, Anna Haywood and Molly Patton said their AP classes and exams helped them prepare for success past high school. AWRLDWIDESUPPUEROF HotlheTooh&Equlpnient 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-699-679-7995 Elaine Garlock The Central United Methodist Church will have a guest speaker on Sunday while the pastor Rev. Paul Reissmann IV is on vaca­ tion. The service will be at 10:30 a.m. for the second week. Sunday school classes are available for all ages. The changing scene. For weeks, the barn on the comer of Martin Road and M-43 in Wood­ land township has been razed. This landmark has stood for probably a hundred years. It had an elevated approach on the south side for unloading hay and/or wheat bundles awaiting the threshing machine. The ramp-like approach is still in place, built with soil and fieldstones. This was the Reser farm in years past. The new house being built off Tupper Lake Street now has all its rafters in place. A large Social Security online learning tools Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist With many schools starting in September, our online resources for educators are great for teaching people about Social Security. Chances are a student will know someone who receives retirement or disability bene­ fits. Our educator’s toolkit is a great way to introduce our many programs to a new audi­ ence and show them that our programs help people other than retirees. Understanding how Social Security helps wounded war­ riors, survivors, children, and adults with disabilities can teach students to have great­ er empathy, provide a path to inspired learn­ ing and increase awareness of programs that can provide financial security. Use our toolkit to create your own lesson plan about our programs. The toolkit includes: • Lesson plans with objectives. • Infographics and handouts for each les­ son plan. • Links to Social Security web pages. • Talking points. • Quiz questions and answers. We value and welcome the efforts of teachers to educate America’s young peo­ ple. We want to help spark discussions with students about the benefits that Social Secu­ rity provides to millions of people. Access the toolkit at ssa.gov/thirdparty/educators. html. You do not need to be a formal teacher to benefit from the toolkit. As your child’s first educator, you can use our toolkit to introduce your child or grandchild to the importance of Social Security programs. Please share our toolkit with your favorite educators today. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. Maleah Louise Bailey, Middleville and Wil­ liam McKinley Zoerman, Caledonia Casey Ann Vandenberg, Plainwell and Christopher James Beals, Plainwell Michael Scott Davis, Delton and Brianne Michele Taft, Delton Charles John Cross III, Bellevue and Jac­ queline Lois Anderson, Bellevue Joshua James Woodman, Delton and Melis­ sa Eileen Roth, Hastings Emma Jean Huysesr, Kentwood and Travis John Bouwman, Hastings Katrina Lynn Deisler, Hastings and Nicho­ las David Knowles, Hastings Casey Lynn Smith, Hastings and Shane Stephen Frailey, Hastings Madalin Gabrielle Trumbull, Hastings and Ethan James Klipfer, Hastings �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — Page 7 Ladies Foreign Missionary Society, Woodland M.E. Church The Hotel Manktelow, Woodland Centre, circa 1890. Editor’s Note: The following series was originally researched and written by Joyce F. Weinbrecht in 1996 for the From Time to Time column. This series chronicles the early days of the Ladies Foreign Missionary Soci­ ety in Woodland. Weinbrecht used meeting minutes to let readers get a feelfor the Wood­ land of the 1870s. Some of the women mentioned in this series are referred to by their husbands’ names instead of by their own individual names and identities. It is unfortunate these ladies ’ names have been lost to the Barmer archives, but their individual impact has left a lasting impression on local history. Banner Dec. 26, 1996 The ladies of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Woodland organized a Ladies For­ eign Missionary Society on July 25, 1877. Excerpts from the minutes of the group gives an idea of how Woodland was in the 1870s and 1880s. Each monthly session opens in form with singing, scripture reading and a prayer. The minutes of the preceding meetings were ready and a collection of dues was done. Committee and officer reports were given and there was usually a literary reading. A roll call was taken at each meeting. Meetings usually closed with singing. The name of the organization was changed from Ladies Foreign Missionary Society to Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society. No explanation of .the, change was made in . the minutes of tfiemeeting. . On Aug. 7, 1878, they met at the M.E. par­ sonage. The officers were all there. Six names were added to the roll at this meeting. Readers were appointed for the next meeting. They were Bell Lee, Mrs. J. Crites and Mrs. J. Stinchcomb. Eva Holly was elected to fill corresponding secretary as the person elected in April has resigned. Hellen Cooper gave a reading “Thanksgiving.” Remarks for the good of the order were made by Mrs. Monion, Mrs. Coville and Mrs. Carpenter. There were 39 members present with three other societies represented at the meeting. Receipts were $5.60. The September meeting was set for the home of Mrs. Felows of Odessa. There were 20 members present at the home of Mrs. Felows in Odessa. One new member’s name was submitted. The Friend, a newsletter which served the society, was often promoted at the meetings. The people who were supposed to read at this meeting did not attend, and there were assigned to give their readings at the October meeting. A piece entitled “A Bit of Sunshine” was then selected and Sister Angie Holmes read it. Receipts from this meeting were $3.40. The Oct. 2 meeting was held at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Albert Johnson of Odessa. There were 20 members present. Delegates were appointed to go to the district meeting. Eva Holly read at this meeting. Matilda Haight was appointed to write a piece on heathen religions to be read at the next meet­ ing. Mrs. Monion gave some remarks for the good of the order. There were 19 members present, including one ’who had joined that day. Receipts of the meeting were 90 cents. The next meeting was held Dec. 4, 1878, at the home of Mrs. C.A. Hough with 18 mem­ bers present. The Literary Committee appoint­ ed Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Probart and Mrs. King to read at the next meeting. Mrs. Barnes gave the reading of the day. Receipts were $3.05. Jan. 2, 1879, the Society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. N. Brown. A public meeting was set to be held at Odessa at the end of January. Sisters Probart and Brown gave the reading for the day. Lena Baitinger was appointed to read at the next meeting. Receipts of the meeting were 50 cents. On Feb. 5, 1879, the group met at the home of Eva Holly. There were 14 members pres­ ent. Absent from this meeting were Mrs. H. Holly, Mrs. S. Flower, and Mrs. A.T. Cooper. Miss Lena Baitinger, Mrs. Probart and Mrs. Roberts and Belle Stowell presented read­ ings. Mrs. Jesse Jordan, Mrs. Coville and Mrs. St. John were appointed to read at the next meeting. Receipts from the meeting were $1.75. March, 1879, the meeting was held at the residence of Mrs. Jesse Jordan. There were 12 members present and 10 visitors. Only two of the new officers were present and four absent. Two new members were taken in. Belle Stowell and Margaret Haight were appointed to read at the April meeting. Mrs. J.W. Stinchcomb was selected to be delegate to the district meeting. Lena Baitinger was selected as an alternate for her. Esther Jordan and Mrs. Coville gave readings. Celestia St. John read.a poem she had written, titled, “Come and Help Us.” Belle Stowell red from a book called “Women of the Orient.” On April 2, 1879, the meeting was held at the residence of Belle Stowell. Eighteen members were present, as well as two visi­ tors. Mrs. Monion, Mrs. Stowell and Mrs. King were appointed to read at the May meet­ ing. Officers were elected at this meeting. Readings were done by Eva Holly, Belle Stowell and Mrs. Roberts. Receipts from the meeting were $3.75. May 7, 1879, the group met at the home of Mrs. A.P. Holly with 21 members present. The president was absent. Mrs. Coville pre­ sided over the meeting. A dollar had been donated by Mrs. St. John before she became a member of the society. The group voted to apply the amount to her dues. The Literary Committee was appointed. Mrs. H.C. Car­ penter and Mrs. Harriet Holly were appoint­ ed. Mrs. Frank Hilbert was appointed to the Music Committee. Mrs. J.W. Stinchcomb, Mrs. Jesse Jordan and Mrs. Stephen Haight were appointed the Ways and Means Com­ mittee. Mrs. King and Mrs. Ira Stowell gave readings of the day. Mrs. Frank Stowell and Mrs. J.W. Stinchcomb are to read at the June meeting. June 5, 1879, the society met at the home of Mrs. James Flower. There were 12 mem­ bers present. Six officers were present and one absent. The motion made at the May meeting to apply the $1 donation made by Mrs. St. Johns be applied to her dues was rescinded. Jesse Jordan was given the job of informing her that this had been done. Receipts for the meetings were $1.50. Sister Monion gave a report on the district meeting. Sisters Carpenter and Coville have some sug­ gestions for the good of the order. Mrs. Jor­ dan and Mrs. Stinchcomb were appointed to read at the next meeting. The society opted to purchase the book “Women of the Orient.” The July 2, 1879 meeting was held at the residence of Mrs. St. Johns. There were 12 members present. Six of these were officers. One officer was absent. Receipts from this meeting were $2.05. Mrs. Wheeler made some suggestions for the good of the society. Mrs. Wiseman, Mrs. A.T. Cooper and Mrs. Monion were appointed to read at the August meeting. On Aug. 6, 1879, the society met at the residence of Mrs. George Jordan. Six offi­ cers were present, one absent. A committee was named to collect dues, which were in arrears for 1878. Mrs. King and Mrs. A.T. Cooper and Mrs. Wiseman are to read at the September meeting. Mrs. Monion gave a treasurer’s report. Mrs. Monion read a piece called “Bits of Red Ribbon.” There were 11 members present. Receipts for the meeting were $1.23, with $1.05 from dues and 18 cents from mite money. the meeting place for this month. The Auditing Committee was not ready to report and asked for another month to finish the audit. Two new members joined the society. Dues were $2. Eva Holly, Phoebe Carpenter and Frances Stowell were appointed to read at the December meeting. A new president was elected by ballot. Sister Orwick received the majority of the votes and was elected president of the society. A reading was given by Mrs. Wiseman and one was given by Hellen Cooper. Eva Stowell, Har­ riet Holly and L.D. Carpenter were appoint­ ed to see about the bed quilt. There were 15 members present. Dec. 3, 1879, the society met at the parson­ age. Five officers were present, two were absent. The Auditing Committee gave their reports and the committee was discharged. A new treasurer’s book was needed. The motion was made to purchase a one. The literary part of the program was omitted. The program will be done next month by the persons who were to do this meeting’s reading. $2.75 was Remodeling the Woodland Centre United Methodist Church. Brick veneer was added to the church in 1901. Sept. 9, 1879, found the society meeting at the parsonage. There were four officers pres­ ent and three were absent. An Auditing Com­ mittee was appointed. The motion stated that President Mrs. James Robert act as chairman of this committee. It was suggested that some gentlemen be chosen to assist the Auditing Committee. Delegates were appointed to the district meet­ ing to be held at Saranac. Sister Valentine was appointed as delegate and Sister Holly acting as alternate. Mrs. Carpenter will preside at the October meeting. Mrs. Roberts’ address was given to Sister Roberts by Sister Coville. Mrs. Roberts responded with very feeling words. There were 28 members present. Receipts of the meeting were $8.10 from dues and 51 cents from mite money. Oct. 1, the home of Mrs. A.T. Cooper was West side of Main Street, Woodland Centre, circa 1900. collected. The society met on Jan. 7, 1880, at the home of A.P. Holly’s. The first vice president conducted the meeting. Dues were collected in the amount of $2.35. A motion was made and carried that the society donate one dollar aside from all other dues as a free-will offer­ ing to donate one dollar to the branch society, the dollar to be taken from the mite box. Mrs. Frances Stowell and Belle Stowell gave read­ ings at this meeting. Readers for the next meeting were to be Margaret Haight and Mrs. Monion. There were 18 members present. The society met at Mrs. J.W. Stinchcomb’s home Feb. 4 1880. Receipts were $1.90. Sis­ ters Monion, Carpenter and Jordan were appointed to read at the March meeting. Sis­ ters Haight and Coville gave suggestions for the good of the society. There were 23 members present. March 10, 1880, found 15 members present at the home of Mrs. H.C. Stowell. A motion was made and carried that when it storms on the day appointed for the society to meet that the meeting be postponed until the following day. A second motion was made and carried that when members wish to withdraw from the society, they bring the request before the soci­ ety themselves, or send it in writing. Sisters Orwick and Holly were appointed as delegates to the district meeting at Greenville. Sisters Eva Holly, Belle Stowell and O.F. Monion were appointed readers for the April meeting. The society met April 7, 1880, at the home of Mrs. C.A. Hough. The members voted to pay a $ 1.42 bill to Ellen Carpenter. A motion was made and carried that each member pay 5 cents to defray expenses of the district meeting. Luthera Coville was allowed by a vote of the membership to withdraw from the society without paying further dues. There was an election of officers held at this meet­ ing, and new committees were appointed. The literary exercises were omitted as the business had taken so much time, and that the quilt subject and the sugar social be discussed at the next meeting. There were 14 members present. The society met at the residence of Matil­ da Haight for the May 5, 1880, meeting, with 15 members present. It was moved that the society have a weight social and dispose of the bed quilt on the same evening at an auction. For the good of the society, it was suggested that each member shall arise when they wish to speak and address the chair and that only one member shall speak at a time. It should be the duty of the president to see that resolution is complied with. Sister Haight then read a piece called “The Old Home” and Sister Hellen Cooper did a piece called “Nobody.” June 2, 1880, the society met at Mrs. Ira Stowell’s with nine members present. The treasurer was absent so Sister Holly was appointed to act in her place. Sister Monion gave a reading and a poem was read by Sister Orwick, called “The Church and the World.” There were no minutes for July 1880, no reason given. Aug. 8, 1880, marked the beginning of the third year of the society. Dues were collected in the amount of $1.35. Mrs. A.P. Holly, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. H.C. Carpenter gave read­ ings. There were nine members present and two visitors. The society met on Sept. 1, 1880, at the home of Mrs. A.P. Holly with 12 members present. The Auditing Committee reported and their report was accepted and the com­ mittee discharged. Receipts from this meet’ing were u-L’.xj. zi committee was- appoitilCu to see all delinquent members. Sisters Holly, Cooper and Jordan were assigned that task. Mrs. Wiseman requested that her name be taken from the roll. The president had resigned her office and a motion was made to table the resignation until next month. The society met at the residence of Mrs. Jesse Jordan on Oct. 19, 1880. The resigna­ tion of Mrs. Orwick from the office of presi­ dent was accepted. The society then elected a new president. Mrs. A.P. Holly was elected to fill the vacancy. Receipts form this meeting were $2.50. Frances Stowell was appointed as delegate to district meeting at Pewamo. The motion was made and carried that a com­ mittee of three be appointed by the president to draft a resolution on the death of Sister Monion. Eva Holly, Esther Jordan and Fran­ ces Stowell were appointed. The resolution read as follows: In Memoriam “At a regular meeting of the Woman’s For­ eign Missionary Society, Woodland Centre, Auxiliary No. 1, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted. “WHEREAS it has pleased Almighty god to remove from our midst a beloved sister, Mrs. Monion. “THEREFORE, resolved that while we bow in humble submission to the devine [sic], can but feel that our loss is very great. “RESOLVED, that in the death of our sis­ ter, our society laments the loss of one of the most efficient workers, and one by her zeal and fidelity, won the love and respect of all, and who has left a noble example for the guidance and imitation of her sisters. “RESOLVED, that we lament the loss of a sister who was ever ready to proffer the hand of aid and the voice of sympathy to the needy and an active member in the church, one whose utmost endeavors were exerted for its welfare and prosperity and a friend and com­ panion dear to all and we feel in her demise a brilliant star has sunk beneath the horizon. “RESOLVED, that our society manifest our respect for our deceased sister and our sympathy and condolence with the bereaved relatives in this their hour of sorrow, by inscribing these resolutions on our record and sending a copy there off to the family and also to Michigan Advocate and the Nashville News for publication. “Committee, Mrs. F. Stowell and Mrs. Eva Holly.” The Woman’s Missionary Society met in November 1880, at the home of Eva Holly. 75 cents was collected in dues. Mrs. Jordan read a piece, “Experiences in China.” Mrs. Holly read “A Mission Scene in Japan.” There were seven members present. The society assembled at Mrs. Stinch­ comb’s home. The committee for visiting delinquent members was discharged. Mrs. Orwick was to bring (quilt) blocks and Mrs. Holly was to bring the quilt to the next meet­ ing. Mrs. Stinchcomb gave a reading “Light in the Darkness.” (To be continued...) �Page 8 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Pierce Cedar Creek Institute launches a program to improve and protect Barry County water In Barry County, the protection and preser­ vation of water quality are essential. The resource supports human health, recreational opportunities, and continued economic sus­ tainability. However, there are many threats to water quality in our community, including toxic algal blooms, E. coli, and high nitrate levels. To better understand these threats, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute piloted a new research and education program this year to test the effectiveness of utilizing high school and college students to operate a water quality monitoring program for Barry County. The main goals of the program are to: • Increase awareness of the importance of lake water quality, its connection to overall water quality, and what each resident can do to protect and improve it. • Improve and protect the water quality in Barry County. To meet these goals, Institute staff, led by Field Station Manager Matt Dykstra and Edu­ cation Director Sara Syswerda, worked with Delton Kellogg High School Teacher Connie High examines aquatic plants and macroinvertebrates with Delton Kellogg High School Student Emily Stoneburner at Brewster Lake. (Photo by Anna Miller) college students, high school students, local residents and water quality professionals to collect data about the status of water quality in local Barry County Lakes and waterways. The Institute’s Education Department partnered with Delton Kellogg Schools to offer a sum­ mer class for high schoolers to educate and train students to serve as water quality ambas­ sadors for the community. Institute staff and the students worked together to produce educational materials in a range of media forms about water quality to share with lake residents, lake associations and community residents of Barry County. Two research students, Eleanor McFarlan from Central Michigan University and Theo Saillant from Western Michigan University, were recruited to help with the research por­ tion of the program during the summer, with Institute staff completing additional sampling in the spring and fall. In addition to collecting new water quality data using scientific protocols, students and staff worked to find, organize, and analyze existing water quality data from multiple sources. The goal for 2022 was to identify potential impairments to water quality before Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Education Director Sara Syswerda samples macro­ invertebrates and fish in Brewster Lake. (Photo by Anna Miller) those impairments become irreversible and to inform research for future years. This pilot program mainly involved water quality sampling on four lakes: Wall Lake, Big Cedar Lake, Little Cedar Lake in Delton and Algonquin Lake in Hastings, although some sampling did take place in Crooked Lake, Clo­ verdale-Jones-Wilkinson Lake, Clear Lake, Thomapple Lake, Brewster Lake, Aurohn Lake and Carter Lake. McFarlan and Saillant are working with the Institute staff to develop educational materials for individual lakes so that they can learn about the water quality in their own lakes. McFarlan said, “My work first started with Pierce in 2017 when I participated in the water quality program as a high school student. This first sparked my love for science, inquiry, and natural resources. As a high schooler, this pro­ gram prepped me for choosing a major and career path that I’m now working towards five years later at Central Michigan University.” McFarlan believes that without her experi­ ence in the high school water quality program, she wouldn’t be on the path she is today. “Without that program as a high schooler, I don’t think I would have found my interests and goals so soon,” said McFarlan. “When I found out that Pierce had summer internships for students, I knew that I needed to apply. A water quality internship that was also in my hometown was truly an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. The experience of working in the program both as a high schooler and college intern was a unique experience. It was rewarding to see high schoolers figure out their passions and interests in a similar way to how I did when I was in their shoes.” Anna Miller, a Thomapple Kellogg High School graduate and current Grand Valley State University student, worked at the Insti­ tute this summer to document the program and to develop water quality education materials to help lake residents understand the impor­ tance of water quality and help them leam how to improve water quality. Anna has taken pictures and videos, as well as produced writing material. “Documenting and helping a project so close to my home has been the best learning opportunity ever,” said Delton Kellogg High School students Emily Stoneburner and Samantha O’Meara canoe while on a sampling trip on Clear Lake. (Photo by Anna Miller) Miller. “I was able to leam so much from observing the students in the field - as many of my professors have said, the best way to leam something is to explain it to someone else. By helping make educational material for the community and next year’s students, I was able to indirectly leam so much about my local watershed.” A water quality education class at Delton Kellogg High School ran from June 15 to Aug. 10, with final presentations at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute to help inform the public. Delton Kellogg High School teacher Connie High led the class with the Institute’s Educa­ tion Director Sara Syswerda. High empha­ sized the importance of field experience. “Having a research field experience allows high school students to put their science into practice and to see what kinds of jobs exist in the field of natural resources,” said High. The Institute plans to continue the program in 2023 and beyond. Institute staff members, High and the students have made a few pre­ sentations to the community already, and there are plans to continue to share information about water quality with the community this winter and spring. Institute staff are continuing to dig into problems and concerns that have popped up during the pilot program, including issues like nitrate in drinking water, failing septic systems and aquatic invasive species. Syswerda knows the work is far from over, but they are on the right track. She said, “We know that there is more work to do. Barry County residents care about the water they drink, swim in, and fish in. They want to Thornapple Kellogg High School stu­ dent Clyde Watson analyzes water sam­ ples for nitrogen and phosphorus. (Photo by Anna Miller) make sure it is safe and that it is protected into the future.” Dykstra shared his gratitude for those who provided funding for the program on behalf of the Institute, including the Barry Community Foundation, the Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital Medical Staff Fund and many private donors. “This program couldn’t have hap­ pened without the generous donations from our donors,” said Dykstra. “We are very grate­ ful for their interest and support in protecting our local water resources.” BARRY COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE, MEDICATION COLLECTION, AND *FREE TIRE DROP-OFF Saturday, September 17th, 2022 from 9:00a.m. - 1:00p.m. Barry County Fairgrounds, 1350 N. M-37 Hwy. Household Hazardous Waste Including aqueous acids and bases; oil-based paints; reactives; solvents; aerosol cans; automotive liquids; pesticides (liquids and solids); automotive batteries: alkaline, nickel-cadmium and/or silver oxide batteries; liquid cleaners; heavy metal solutions; mercury-containing articles; motor oil. Electronics including computers, cell phones, laptops, gaming systems, tablets, and more will be collected for no charge. There will be a fee for TVs and monitors, $10 - $30 for CRT (tube/ box) and $5 - $10 for LCD/LED (flat screen); cash only. The intersection of West Apple and North Broadway streets was shut down briefly on Sept. 8 due to an accident involving a truck from the state’s Department of Natural Resources. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Accident involving DNR truck closes busy intersection in Hastings FREON CONTAINING DEVICES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Limit of 10 gallons per vehicle $ee www.barrycountyrecycles.org for more details. We Cannot Accept: asbestos; latex paint (when dry it can go to the landfill): propane tanks; commercially generated waste; radioactive material; explosives; unknown wastes; speakers in wooden cases; tires heavily caked with dirt. Medications need to be in their original containers with the name of the drug clearly labeled. Cross out any personal information on the containers. One of the main arteries for motorists into the City of Hastings was blocked off for about an hour last week following a dramatic crash that saw a truck from the state’s Department of Natural Resources tip over on its side. The Hastings Police Department responded to a three-car crash at the intersection of North Broadway Street and West Apple Street around 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 8. A 19-year-old Wayland man driving a DNR truck headed northbound drove through a red light at the inter­ section, striking a westbound car driven by a 20-year-old Nashville woman. A 77-year-old man who was also headed northbound and behind the truck then struck the passenger side of the truck, flipping it on its side. At the time, the DNR truck was transporting a deceased deer, which was to be tested for disease. The carcass was ejected from the vehicle and landed by the roadside on North Broadway Street. Police said only minor injuries were reported on the scene and none of the drivers involved needed further medical attention. Police said the man driving the DNR truck was a DNR employee but was not a Con­ servation Officer. Help keep your home, environment and community safe DISPOSE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND MEDICATIONS SAFELY poNL * Don’t pour paint, solvent, medicine, automotive oil, or chemicals down the drain or dump them in the trash where they may end up in our drinking water and lakes! Tire Drop-Off FREE thanks to a grant from ‘This is a ONE TIME ONLY free tire-drop off event LIMIT OF 10 TIRES PER CAR HOUSEHOLD TIRES ONLY (NO BUSINESS TIRES) First come, first serve until all trailers are full Questions? Please Call (269) 798-4107 Sponsored by the Barry County Solid Waste Oversight Committee with thanks to the Barry County Fair Board, Waste Management, Barry-Eaton District Health Dept., Barry County Substance Abuse Task Force, Sheriff’s Dept., City of Hastings Police Dept., Hastings Padnos and Local Pharmacies. A heavily damaged truck operated by the Department of Natural Resources is loaded up to be hauled away following an accident on Sept. 8. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) �The Hastings SPORTS SECTION Thursday, September 15, 2022 Maple Valley defender Ashton Ripley is bumped aside by Lakewood's Ben Scobey after clearing the ball from trouble during the first half of their GLAC/CMAC match in Nashville Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Vikings keep league record perfect in Nashville The Saxon varsity volleyball team celebrates winning a bit point in its first-ever Interstate-8 Athletic Conference victory at the home of the Jackson Lumen Christi Titans Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxon spikers get first-ever 1-8 Victory Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer “We all just looked at each other and start­ ed crying,” said Hastings senior Bailey Cook after the ball hit the floor for the final time in Jackson Wednesday. “There’s no crying in volleyball!” was the reaction of head coach Erin Slaughter, who had some initial confusion at the tears on the faces of the four returners from last year’s Hastings varsity volleyball team. The girls were quick to inform the first-year varsity coach that these were tears of both relief and joy after the Saxons closed out their first-ever Interstate-8 Athletic Conference volleyball victory at Lumen Christi High School. “A win in the 1-8 has been a long time coming,” coach Slaughter said. “This year our goal as a team was to work on our mind­ sets and our aggressiveness, and it paid off. It was emotional for some of the girls after having a couple of rough seasons, but it was good for the team so that they could under­ stand that they deserve to win.” It is the first conference victory for the Hastings varsity volleyball team since leav­ ing the OK Conference for the 1-8, joining Lumen Christi and others in the fall of 2016. “It finally felt like we got what we deserved and all of the work that we had put in finally paid off,” Cook said. “We were all over­ whelmed.” Cook’s aggressiveness paid off as she led the team in kills for the night with 11 and worked on defense too adding an amazing save to keep a ball in play that took out a water cooler. The Saxons won the first se,t 25-18, before dropping the next two sets to Lumen Christi 25-19, 25-23. The Saxons played tough vol­ leyball the next two sets in their comeback, pulling out a 25-19 win and then a 15-12 win in the final set. Hastings teammates Audrey Vertalka and Rachel Garrett go up for a block as the ball falls on the Titans' side of the net Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Lumen Christi High School in Jackson. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings senior libero, Cailin Redman, served the last point of the night and was pleased with her team. “We knew it was in our reach to win that game and all of the work that we put in was getting recognized. After that long of a game that far away we were just happy to have been able to win it,” Red­ man said. Redman had a great night passing from the libero position. Coach Slaughter has also been working the Saxon lineup and keeping it “as consis­ tent as possible. Our upperclassmen on the team are leading well, pushing the entire program to improve for future seasons. It has been a great team effort.” Junior setter Abby Beemer had 23 assists for the night. Junior middle hitter Audrey Vertalka added 10 kills and 12 blocks. Soph­ omores Rachel Hewitt and Kimber Fenstemaker added 7 kills each. Saxon libero Cailin Redman passes the ball during her team's five-set win at Lumen Christi Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Brett Bremer handful of outstanding saves as the Vikings Sports Editor put steady pressure against his net. The Colby-Jack combo up front of Colby “There was a little bit of a learning curve Carter and Jackson MacKenzie got the Lake­ [defensively],” Webb said. “They made mis­ wood varsity boys’ soccer team off to a great takes on the defensive line in the first half, start at Fuller Street Field in Nashville but Doug played an exceptional game. He Wednesday (Sept. 7). had some awesome saves, flat out.” The Vikings improved to 4-0 in the Greater The learning curve on The back line-came Lansing Activities Conference/Central Mich­ as the Lions switched up their formation a bit igan Athletic Conference (GLAC/CMAC) to a flat four along the back. Webb didn’t see with an 8-0 win over the Maple Valley Lions. his young defenders’ experience in that for­ MacKenzie had two goals and an assist to mation shine through as he’d hoped it would Carter. Carter assisted on MacKenzie’s though in the first half. opening goal of the game and then scored In the end, the Lion coach said much of the later on in the first half himself off a pass defensive issues boiled down to shutting from MacKenzie. Carter added a second down the middle of the field and communi­ assist setting up Garrett Feighan for a first cating. He said he chatted with his guys half goal. Thursday in practice, apologizing for “com­ Alex Russell had an unassisted goal for the municating” a little fiercely from the sideline Vikings in the first half and Elijah Steed put while the players themselves admitted to Lakewood up 6-0 before the half heading in a needing to calm down a bit in games to better cross from teammate Drew Marquoit. transition their practice habits to competition. Lakewood is now 5-2 overall this season The Lions will host their own Maple Val­ having scored a 4-1 win at Lakeview Mon­ ley Invitational in Nashville Sept. 17. Maple day. Valley was 1 -5 overall this season and 0-4 in The Vikings called off the dogs before the the GLAC/CMAC after a 5-0 loss at Bath first half was through against Maple Valley, Monday. allowing a number of younger guys off the Both Maple Valley and Lakewood were bench to get some good minutes. Feighan scheduled for conference matches last night, took over in goal for junior teammate Benja­ Sept. 14. The Lions were set to host Laings­ min Scobey, allowing Scobey to spend some burg and the Vikings planned to host Stock­ bridge. time on the attack. Carter spent some time at center back helping Feighan protect the Lake­ The Vikings will be home Thursday, Sept. wood net. 15, for a non-conference contest with Delton Kellogg. Lakewood finished off the Lions with Mar­ quoit running onto a ball chipped through the Lion defense and fighting through for a shot to score an unas­ sisted goal and Feighan fin­ ishing off a cross from team­ mate Joel Apsey in the open­ ing ten minutes of the second half. “So far, being new to the area and to the conference, they’re probably the most respectful team, with the best sportsmanship, we’ve seen,” Maple Valley head coach Mike Webb said of the Vikings. “[Coach Leveque] knows we have low num­ bers. He knows that we’re very young. His players didn’t talk trash. They didn’t rub anything in. They kept it respectful. Lakewood’s soc­ cer players and the coach are a class act.” * That sentiment was most obvious when Maple Valley sophomore Isaiah Ross went down with an injury on the far sideline from the benches in the first half and Lake­ wood sophomore Troy Acker was the first to help him to his feet and support Ross as the Lion coaching staff made its way across the field. Being respectful didn’t Lakewood sophomore Troy Acker assists Maple limit the Vikings’ pressure Valley's Isaiah Ross towards his bench after Ross went on the Lions while play was down with an injury during their GLAC/CMAC match at going. Maple Valley goal­ Fuller Street Field in Nashville Wednesday, Sept. 7. keeper Doug Smalley had a (Photo by Brett Bremer) �Page 10 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Top Trojan player scores win over South Christian Thomapple Kellogg's Austin Chivis looks ahead and pushes through the midfield during the second half of his team's OK Gold Conference loss to visiting South Christian in Middleville Sept. 7. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Trojans shut out for first time in loss to Sailors Brett Bremer Sports Editor Through eight games only Cedar Springs has found the net against the defending MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 State Champions from South Christian. The Red Hawks scored in a 4-1 loss to the visiting Sailors Aug. 31. The Sailors have shut out their other seven foes, including a 3-0 victory over the Thomapple Kellogg var­ sity boys’ soccer team in Middleville Wednes­ day, to improve to 6-0-2 overall this season. It was the first time this season the 7-3 Trojans have been held without a goal. The South Christian defense was stout and keeper Nick Bultje cleaned up everything that got through, but the Trojans were limited as much offensively by the Sailors’ own posses­ sion as the defensive effort by the visitors. It was just a 1-0 lead at the half for the Sailors, but they quickly doubled that in the second half as senior midfielder Jerred DeVries ripped a shot just under the crossbar from the top right side of the 18 two minutes into the second half. DeVries scored again with 1:23 to play in the bailgame with TK pressing to try and get on the scoreboard. A Trojan turnover left the ball with the Sailors’ who got it ahead for DeVries who found the net for the second time in the second half. The Trojans reduced their backline to three defenders in the second half in an effort to try and create some more offense. The trio of Austin Chivis, Jackson Curtis and Reece Hoeksma led the charge for TK, but good scoring chances were few and far between. Chivis was able to get a few chances on the net. He managed to hit a comer kick down at the Sailor net, but had it swallowed up by the Sailor keeper Bultje midway through the second half and Chivis also had a free kick from about 25 yards out at the top left of the South Christian box that found its way into Bultje’s hands. The Trojans are now 1-2 this season in the OK Gold Conference. Forest Hills Eastern edged the TK boys 3-2 in Ada Monday eve­ ning. The Trojans were scheduled to host Kenowa Hills for a conference match last night, Sept. 14. They will face a tough Cedar Springs team on the road Monday, Sept. 19. Thomapple Kellogg's Jayce Curtis leaps in front of South Christian's Mason DeKock to try and get to a fifty-fifty ball during their OK Gold Conference match in Middleville Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Barry County Democrats Invite You To a Meet-and-Greet Open House Wednesday, September 21 ★ 4-7 PM Brett Bremer Sports Editor While middle school cross country run­ ners criss-crossed the Thomapple Kellogg Schools campus Wednesday afternoon, TK first singles player Kameron Nichols played a marathon match with South Christian’s Luke Post. Post surged in a tiebreaker for a 7-6(2) win in the opening set of his OK Gold Conference showdown with Nichols, but Nichols rallied for a 6-1 win in the second set and then out-dueled Post 6-4 in the third set to take the lone win for the Trojan team in its OK Gold Conference dual with South Christian’s varsi­ ty boys’ tennis team. The Sailors’ 7-l win wasn’t quite as lop­ sided as that final team score shows. A sec­ ond flight went to three sets, the third dou­ bles match. TK’s Dylan Bailey and Andrew Beckering fell 6-0 in its opening set against South Christian’s James Bergsma and Mar­ cus Dixon, but righted things for a 6-1 win in set two. Set three was back and forth with Bergsma and Dixon finally pulling out a 6-3 win. There were also tight two-set matches at fourth singles and fourth doubles that the Sailors pulled out. South Christian’s Vinny Klassen edged TK’s Franklin Wilkinson 6-3, 6-3 at fourth singles. In the doubles match, South Christian’s Josh Fles and Ryan Wiers pulled out a 6-3, 6-4 win over the TK team of Daniel Beckering and Andy Liu. The Trojans were back in action Thursday, scoring a 5-3 non-conference win at Otsego in a dual filled with more hotly contested matches. Half of the eight flights were decided by a super tiebreaker in the end and two of the other flights featured at least one set that was extended to a tiebreaker. Nichols took the first singles point for TK with a 5-7, 6-1, (10-4) win over Sam Bronkema. Wilkinson won a super tiebreaker too at fourth singles where he outscored Phoenix Orona 6-3, l-6, (10-5). TK got a third singles point from second singles player Aidan Dudik who outscored JJ Kruizenga in a tough two-setter 6-4, 6-3. The Trojans secured the team victory with a pair of doubles wins added to the singles points. Bailey and Andrew Beckering at third doubles outscored Otsego’s Jack Chap­ man and Spencer Shearer 7-5, 7-6(7). At fourth doubles, the Trojan team of Daniel Beckering and Anson Verlinde knocked off Ryan Fielbrandt and Tyler VanNess 2-6, 6-2, (10-8). The Trojans battleci.even in defeat. At third singles, Jacob Draaisma pulled out one set in a 6-2, 3-6, (lO-l) loss to Tyler DeHaan. The Bulldog duo of Dylan Chandler and Tyler VanderLugt took a 7-6(7), 6-4 win over the Trojan first doubles team of Aaron Michalk and Ben Cuisson. Ricky Amos and Isaac Madalinski scored a 6-0, 6-1 win over the TK team of Landon Conroy and Kyan Haywood at second dou­ bles. TK had a tough non-conference dual at Hamilton Saturday,, falling 6-2 to the Hawkeyes. TK got a win from Jacob Draaisma at third singles where he bested Nathan Freyhof 6-1, 6-2 and from the first doubles team of Michalk and Cuisson which scored a 6-2, 6-3 win over Joshua Bush and Evan Talsma. TK is now I-2-1 in OK Gold Conference duals this season. Forest Hills Eastern took an 8-0 win over the TK boys Monday afternoon winning all eight flights in straight sets. Thomapple Kellogg third doubles player Andrew Beckering knocks a forehand back at the team from South Christian on the other side of the net during their OK Gold Conference dual in Middleville Wednesday, Sept. 7. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK first singles player Kameron Nichols hits a forehand back at South Christian's Luke Post during his three-set win over the Sailors' top player Wednesdasy, Sept. 7, in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) KCC Fehsenfeld Center - 2950 M-179, Hastings Vikes win at The Legacy, get another trophy in Laingsburg ★ Meet the Congressional, State and County Democratic Candidates JERRY HILLIARD 2nd U.S. Congressional District MARK LUDWIG KAI DEGRAAF 43rd State House District 18th State Senate District DR. KIMBERLY KENNEDY-BARRINGTON SCOTT SAVAGE 79th State House District County Commissioner, 1st District Also invited - LEAH GROVES, 78th State House District Paid for with regulated lands by Barry County Democratic Committee, PO Box 533, Hastings, Ml 49058 Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Vikings worked on loading up the tro­ phy cases over the weekend. The Lakewood varsity girls’ golf team won the Saxon Dozen 12-hole tournament hosted by Hastings at The Legacy in Hastings Friday and then took third Saturday at the Laings­ burg Wolfpack Invitational at Pine Hills Golf Course Saturday. Karmyn Winkler, Makenzie Vasquez and Audrey Hillard each earned a medal for the Vikings in Hastings Friday in a field of ten teams. Winkler was the day’s runner-up with a score of 63. Vasquez tied for third with a 66 and Hillard scored a 70 to place 13^. The Vikings were a single stroke ahead of runner-up Vicksburg at the end of the day. At Pine Hills Saturday, the Vikings got a 98 from Vasquez and a 100 from Hillard, which had them fifth and sixth respectively among the girls’ shooting 18 holes. Lake­ wood also had a best ball team of Winkler and Kiley Walkington score a 103 and the scramble team of Morgan Tidd and Savanah Mendes shoot a 93. Lutheran North took the day’s champion­ ship with an overall score of 315. Lansing Catholic was second at 342. Lakewood put together a score of 394 ahead of Pewa­ mo-Westphalia 455, Durand 466 and Laings­ burg 515. Lakewood got back to work in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference Tuesday at The Lakewood varsity girls' golf team, led by assistant coach Jason Solgat on the day, celebrates its championship Friday at The Legacy at the end of the Saxon Dozen Invitational. Timber Ridge Golf Course for the jamboree hosted by Bath. The Bees held onto the league lead by winning with a score of 209. Lakewood was second with a 231, ahead of Olivet 240, Perry 248 and Laingsburg 310. Bath had the top two scores of the day. Sophomore Anna Schaibly shot a 40 and junior Aubrie Schaibly scored a 50. Lakewood was led by a 53 from Winkler. Vasquez scored a 56. Ellie Benham scored a 60 for Lakewood and the Viking team also got a 62 from Hillard. Olivet senior Drue Allen tied Winkler for third with a 53. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — Page 11 ljlaial rwiictvS Public Land Auction Tax reverted real estate in Barry County will be offered at an online-only public auction at www.tax-sale.info. All bids must be placed by 5:00pm EST on Oct28th,2022. Formore information and to view the list of the properties being sold, please visit www.tax-sale.info or call 1-800-259-7470. STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29278-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Miley Grace Fust. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 10/19/2022 at 2:15 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Miley Grace Fust to Mya Grace Hammond. 187755 STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY ORDER TO ANSWER FILE NO.: 22-204-CH HON. VICKY L. ALSPAUGH Paula L. Bennert, Gregory A. Bennert, Plaintiffs, v Gayle Crocker, Peggy Good,Tina L. McGowan, Marcie Huff, The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot, Defendants.____________________ David H. Tripp (P29290) Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law 202 South Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2900 Attorney for Plaintiffs______________ TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF DALE F. HOOT MARCIE HUFF At a session of said court held in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan on the 25th day of August, 2022 Present: Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh, Circuit Judge Based on the pleadings filed in the above entitled case, it is ordered that Defendants, The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot and Marcie Huff shall file a Notice of Interest in the above captioned case in real property commonly now as: Vacant Land, more fully described as follows: Hope Township Lot 39, Techland (Sup. Plat). Tax ID No: 08-07-330-013-00 by the 14th day of October, 2022, to assert any interest in the above described property. If the Defendants fail to do so that shall constitute a default in the above entitled matter, and on the 17th day of October, 2022 at 2:00 in the afternoon, this Court shall take proofs and shall terminate whatever interest The Unknown Heirs of Dale F. Hoot and'Marcie Huff may have in and to the above described property unless a Notice of Interest in the Real Property is filed in this action or unless Defendants or their representatives appear on that date. Honorable Vicky L. Alspaugh P42572 Drafted by: David H. Tripp (P29290) Tripp, Tagg & Storrs, Attorneys at Law 202 South Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-2900 186883 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Clint L. Pape and Melinda Jo Pape, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated September 24, 2010, and recorded on October 4,2010, as Document Number: 201010040009209, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated January 05, 2016 and recorded January 15, 2006 by Document Number: 2016-000445, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Five Hundred Seventeen and 73/100 ($115,517.73) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the intersection of North-South 1/4 line of Section 16, Town 1 North, Range 8 West and the centerline tangent of curve of State Highway South M-37 in the South 1/2 of said Section 16, thence South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 802.00 feet along said tangent and the centerline of Highway for the true place of beginning; thence continuing South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 220.00 feet; thence South 29 degrees 13 minutes West 396.00 feet; thence North 60 degrees 47 minutes West 220.00 feet; thence North 29 degrees 13 minutes East 396.00 feet to the place of beginning. Subject to easement over the Northeasterly 50 feet thereof for Highway South M-37 Commonly known as: 12610 S M37 HWY, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 15, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00593-1 (09-15)(10-06) 187685 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JORDIN WILLSON, a single woman, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 29th day of January, 2018 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 30th day of January, 2018 in Document # 2018-001035 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of Seventy-Two Thousand One Hundred Twelve and 67/100 ($72,112.67). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 6th day of October, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: The South 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield's 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records, except the South 20 feet of Lots 15 and 16, used for street purposes. Also, the South 6 feet of the North 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield's 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records Commonly known as 621 E. HUBBLE ST., HASTINGS, Ml 49058 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee's attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing ■ the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this .notice. .. . Dated: 09/08/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM WILLSON - 22-02117 1475014 (09-08)(09-29) 187248 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following Mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, on October 13, 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a Mortgage made by Donald Blakely and Ada Blakely to America’s Wholesale Lender dated October 3, 2003 and recorded October 10, 2003 in Instrument Number 1115375, Barry County, Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held by THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR INDENTURE TRUSTEE TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NA, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR THE CWABS REVOLVING HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES, SERIES 2004-E by assignment and/or merger. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of $8,412.09. Said premises are located in Barry County, Michigan and are described as: Township of Castleton, Barry County Beginning at a point on the East-West quarter line of Section 32, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan; distant South 89 degrees 37’ 52” West 1097.10 feet from the East quarter corner of said section; thence South 89 degrees 37’ 52” West 230.00 feet along the said quarter line; thence North 00 degrees 02’ 38” West 330.01 feet along the West line of the East half of the Southeast quarter of said section; thence North 89 degrees 37’ 52" East 230.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 02’ 38” East 330.01 feet to the point of beginning containing 1.74 acres of land more or less. Subject to an easement for Public Highway purposes over the Southerly 60 feet thereof for M-79 highway and any other easements or restrictions of record. Being the same property conveyed to Steven L. Priddy and Sandra Dorothy Priddy, husband and wife by deed dated 09-14-01 and recorded 07-02-02 in Deed Book 1083156, in the Office of the Recorder of Barry County, Michigan. Said property is commonly known as 6791 E M-79 Highway, Nashville, Ml 49073. The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages, if any, are limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Please be advised that any third party purchaser is responsible for preparing and recording the Sheriffs Deed. If this is a residential Mortgage, the following shall apply: ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. IF YOU: ARE A DEBTOR IN AN ACTIVE BANKRUPTCY CASE; ARE UNDER JHE PROTECTION OF A BANKRUPTCY STAY; OR, HAVE RECEIVED A DISCHARGE IN BANKRUPTCY AND YOU HAVE NOT REAFFIRMED THE DEBT, THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Dated: September 6, 2022 Attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage: Thomas E. McDonald (P39312) Brock & Scott, PLLC 5431 Oleander Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (844) 856-6646 File No. 22-05428 (09-08)(09-29) 187298 MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Josh Gipe and Ronie Finkbeiner, As Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated April 27, 2021 and recorded May 18, 2021 in Instrument Number 2021-006546 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Forty-Seven Thousand Ninety-Seven and 93/100 Dollars ($147,097.93). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Carlton, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot 18, Culbert’s Plat No. 3, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded plat in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 78, Barry County Records. 4 Culbert Dr, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 6, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kayla Leboeuf and Zachary Leboeuf, husband and wife as joint tenants with right of survivorship Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: May 7, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 10, 2021 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $256,795.15 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Section 29, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, Part of Northeast 1/4, Commencing North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 118.80 feet from East 1/4 corner, North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 380.31 feet, North 00 degrees 48 minutes 41 seconds East 297 feet, South 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds East 220 feet to Centerline of Banfield Road, South 27 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds East 338.59 feet to the point of beginning Common street address (if any): 928 E Hickory Rd, Battle Creek, Ml 49017-8252 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Dated: September 15, 2022 File No. 22-009244 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 (09-15)(10-06) Date of notice: September 1,2022 1474029 (09-01 )(09-22) 187793 186614 Jeff Domenico, MMS@CRPC® Financial Advisor Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor memoer^ 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Look closely at open enrollment choices Once again, it’s the season for football games and backto-school activities. And if you work for a medium-size or large employer, it will soon be open enrollment season - the time of year when you can re­ view your employee benefits and make changes as needed. What areas should you focus on? \ Actually, it’s a good idea to pay close attention to all your benefits. Some of the offerings may have changed from last year — and you might have experienced changes in your own life, too, which might lead you to look for something different from your existing benefits package. You may want to start with your health insurance. If you’re satisfied with your coverage, and it’s essentially the same as it’s been, you may well want to stick with what you have. However, many employers are increasingly of­ fering high-deductible health plans, which, as the name sug­ gests, could entail more outof-pocket costs for you. But high-deductible plans may also offer something of bene­ fit: the ability to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). Your HSA contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, so they can reduce your taxable income for the year. Also, your earnings grow tax-free, and your withdrawals are tax-free, provided the money is used for qualified medical expens­ es. (Withdrawals taken before age 65 that aren’t used for qualified medical expenses are taxable and subject to a 20% penalty; once you reach 65, the penalty no longer applies, although withdrawals are still taxable as income if not used for a qualified expense.) Your next benefit to con­ sider: Life insurance. Your employer may offer a group life insurance plan, but you’ll want to evaluate whether it’s sufficient for your needs, es­ pecially if you’ve experienced changes in your personal situ­ ation over the past year, such as getting married or adding a new child. There’s no mag­ ic formula for how much life insurance you need — you’ll need to consider a variety of factors, such as your income, family size, mortgage and so on — but it may be necessary to supplement your employ­ er’s coverage with a private policy. Your employer may also offer disability insurance as a benefit. Some employers’ dis­ ability policies are fairly lim­ ited, covering only short peri­ ods of time, so you may want to consider a private policy. Beyond the various insur­ ance policies your employer may offer, you’ll also want to closely look at your 401 (k) or similar retirement plan. Typ­ ically, you can make changes to your 401(k) throughout the year, but it’s important to make sure your investment selections and contribution amounts are still aligned with your risk tolerance and goals. Also, are you contributing enough to earn your employ­ er’s match, if one is offered? And if you’ve already receiv­ ing the match, can you still afford to put in more to your plan if such a move makes sense for you? Your employee benefits package can be a valuable part of your overall financial strat­ egy. So, as open enrollment season proceeds, take a close look at what you already have, what’s being offered, and what changes you need to make. It will be time well spent. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Edward Jones, its employ­ ees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situa­ tion. STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29269-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Goble Clayton Bouwman. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Goble Clayton Bouwman to Dale Earl Bouwman III. 187468 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29279-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 ‘ In the matter of Lee Anne Ry'derY TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 10/19/2022 at 3:15 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Lee Anne Ryder to Lee Ryder Koffend. 187701 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Scott Edgerton, to PNC Bank, National Association, successor by merger to National City Bank, Mortgagee, dated March 30, 2001 and recorded April 23, 2001 in Instrument Number 1058455 Barry County Records, Michigan. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Thirty-Seven Thousand Two Hundred ThirtyNine and 48/100 Dollars ($37,239.48). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on SEPTEMBER 22, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: The East 74 Fee of Lot 34, Vickery’s Lakeside Park and Cot, according to the recorded Plat thereof, Barry County Records. 857 Watts Dr, Dowling, Michigan 49050 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: August 25, 2022 File No. 22-003427 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 2022-29249-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Wendy Lue Timm. Date of birth: 03-24­ 1958. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Wendy Lue Timm, died 04-01-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to James Scott Timm, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. (08-25)(09-15) 186453 Date: 09-08-2022 Steven G. Storrs P80557 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-2242 James Timm 4545 Farrel Road Hastings, Ml 49058 616-272-1922 187688 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust In the Matter of Winfield S. Matteson Jr. and Ruth M. Matteson Trust dated August 23, 1999. Date of birth: Winfield S. Matteson Jr. - August 8,1932. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Winfield S. Matteson Jr., died August 31, 2022 leaving the above Trust in full force and effect. Creditors of the decedent or against the Trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or trust will be forever barred unless presented to Kevin E. Matteson, Trustee, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 09/13/2022 Rhoades McKee PC Stephanie S. Fekkes P43549 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-1921 Kevin E. Matteson c/o Rhoades McKee 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269)945-1921 187717 �Page 12 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Barry County a perfect 5-0 Friday night Brett Bremer Sports Editor Maple Valley made it official this week that the Lions are moving to the Big 8 Con­ ference and leaving the Greater Lansing Activities Conference, which appears to be dissolving totally. Maple Valley is one of two schools in the Big 8 currently playing football among the Tri-River 8-player conference ranks. The other, Concord, will host the Lions Friday night. It is a battle between two teams who have not lost in the conference yet this fall. Concord is off to a 2-0 start and the Lions are 1-0. The Lions opened their conference sched­ ule with a lopsided win over Vandercook Lake last week. It was a part of a 5-0 Friday night for Barry County teams. Maple Valley, Hastings, Lakewood and Thornapple Kellogg all opened play in their respective confer­ ences with victories. Hastings is the only one of those teams on its home turf this week hosting a winless Coldwater team in Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference action. Thomapple Kellogg will look to get to 2-0 in the OK Gold Conference when it travels to Houseman Field in Grand Rapids to take on Ottawa Hills Friday. TK knocked off Way­ land in its conference opener last week and will look to make it five consecutive seasons in which it has defeated both Wayland and Ottawa Hills. The Trojans closed out 2021 with back-to-back conference wins over the Wildcats and Bengals. . Lakewood will look to move to 2-0 in what appears to be its final season in the GLAC when it travels to take on Perry. The Ram­ blers are 2-1 after a 32-14 loss to Saranac last week. Delton Kellogg has one more Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference crossover before getting into the SAC Valley Division sched­ ule. The Panthers go on the road to face Alle­ gan Friday. The Tigers were rolling through two weeks with 55-0 and 56-0 wins over Cassopolis and Comstock, but Berrien Springs turned the tables on the Tigers in a 48-7 win last week. Allegan has not had more than two victories in a season since going 4-5 in 2011. Local Standings (W-L), playoffpoints Delton Kellogg 2-1, 36.667 Hastings 2-1,31.667 Lakewood 2-1, 27.667 Thomapple Kellogg 1-2, 23.333 Maple Valley (8-player) 1-2, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference 2-1, 1-0 Hastings 2-1, 1-0 Marshall 2-1, 1-0 Parma Western 1-2, 1-0 Harper Creek 2-1, 0-1 Northwest 0-3, 0-1 Coldwater 0-3, 0-1 Lumen Christi 0-3, 0-1 Pennfield OK Gold Conference 3-0, 1-0 Forest Hills Eastern 3-0, 1-0 G.R. Catholic Central 3-0, 1-0 South Christian 1-2, 1-0 Thomapple Kellogg 2-1, 0-1 Wayland 0-3, 0-1 Cedar Springs 0-3, 0-1 Kenowa Hills 0-3, 0-1 Ottawa Hills Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley 3-0, 0-0 Schoolcraft 2-1, 0-0 Lawton 2-1, 0-0 Delton Kellogg 1-2, 0-0 Saugatuck 1-2, 0-0 G a lesburg-Augusta Greater Lansing Activities Conference Lakewood 2-1, 1-0 2-1, 1-0 Olivet 2-1, 0-0 Perry 2-1, 0-1 Stockbridge 0-3, 0-1 Leslie Tri-River 8-Man 2-1, Concord 3-0. NorthPointe Christian 1-2, Maple Valley 0-3, Morenci 0-3, Vandercook Lake 1-2, Britton-Deerfield 2-0 1-0 1-0 0-1 0-1 0-2 Hastings fullback Robby Slaughter fights for yards through the middle of the line during the first half at Lumen Christi Friday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Here is a round-up of last week’s local grid­ iron action. Hastings 24, Lumen Christi 21 Hastings opened the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season with a 24-21 win in Jack­ son over the Lumen Christi Titans. The differ­ ence was the Saxons’ three successful twopoint conversion attempts in the end. Both teams scored three touchdowns and the Sax­ ons were playing catch-up in the second half. Lumen Christi took a 21-16 lead four min­ utes into the second half, but the Saxons answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Sale MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom PRESSURE WASHER, 6hp Craftsman. $50.386-852-7160. trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Recreation BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White CROSS BOW Ten Point Ti­ tan Xtreme, with scope, with hard case, extra arrows & broad heads. New, never used, $1000 sell for $800. 269­ 908-0601. Automotive 1998 CHEVROLET SILVER­ ADO 2500, 454 engine. Al­ most like new. $15,000. 386­ 852-7160. Business Services PINE BUILDING MATERI­ ALS Sawed to your specs, 6' through 16' lengths. Miller's Custom Sawing. Call for avail­ ability 517-852-4989, leave a message, or 517-852-9335. Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets MINI LABRADOODLE PUPPIES For Sale- Cute, fluffy and playful! 1st shots and wormed. $500.00, 517­ 852-4881. MINI AUSSIE DOODLES­ Cute, very curly & fluffy, nice colors. Vet checked, ready to go! $500.00, 517-852-3007. LAB & LAB MIXES- Puppies & dogs. For more information call 269-419-0041. MINI GOLDEN DOODLE PUPPIES: Fluffy, very play­ ful!. First shots and wormed. $500, 269-223-9194. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. LEGAL NOTICES STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29281-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of James Willis Jones. Date of birth: 02­ 14-41. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, James Willis Jones, died 07-19-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Brian Walter Jones, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29125-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Daniel Jon De Vries, deceased. Date of birth: 09/29/1961. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, David Jon DeVries, died 01/12/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to David De Vries, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 09-08-2022 Steven G. Storrs P80557 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-2242 Brian Jones 6863 Shoreline Drive Delton, Ml 49046 269-929-6319 Date: 9/2/2022 Shane A. Henry P82054 250 Monroe Avenue NW, Suite 100 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-459-7100 David De Vries 1978 Glenvale Drive SW Wyoming, Ml 49519 616-745-2047 187511 187504 ended in a one-yard TD run by Lanny Teunessen and a two-point pass from Owen Car­ roll to Haiden Simmet that put the Saxons in front for good. The Hastings defense didn’t allow the Titan offense another first down for the rest of the night and the Saxons’ Jet Barnum picked off Lumen Christi’s last gasp pass in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Robby Slaughter, the Saxon fullback, fin­ ished the night with 22 rushes for 146 yards. Teunessen had 20 carries for 100 yards and scored all three Saxon touchdowns. Hastings had the game’s first lead after an eight-yard touchdown run by Teunessen seven minutes into the contest. Teunessen carried in the two-point run for an 8-0 advantage. Lumen Christi nudged within 8-7 with a short touchdown ran, with just over two min­ utes remaining in that opening quarter, and then took a 14-8 lead with a touchdown with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half. A 30-yard run by Slaughter and a roughing the passer penalty against the Titans helped Hastings move down the field quickly and get back in front before the half. Teunessen scored on an eight-yard run with 44 seconds to go before the intermission to tie the game at 14-14 and Slaughter’s two-point run put the Saxons back in front. blastings defensive back Layton Eastman intercepted a Lumen Christi pass as the first half expired to thwart a last minute score by the Titans. A 40-yard TD run by the Titans put their team back in front 21 -16 on the opening drive of the second half. A ten-play, 75-yard Saxon drive that ended in Teunessen’s final TD run got the Saxons back in front for good with 2:53 remaining in the third quarter. Aiden SaintAmour had a team-high 8.5 tackles for the Saxon defense. Eastman fin­ ished with seven tackles. Delton Kellogg 18, South Haven 12 Delton Kellogg matched South Haven back and forth for three quarters and then took the lead for the first time in the fourth for an 18-12 win over the Rams in a South­ western Athletic Conference crossover con­ test in South Haven Friday. The Panthers improve to 2-1 overall this season with the nail-biting victory that came down to the DK defense holding up in the shadow of its own goalpost in the closing seconds. South Haven had chances to take the lead back in the fourth quarter. The Rams drove to the Delton Kellogg 20-yard-line before Delton Kellogg safety Philip Halcomb picked off a Ram pass at the six-yard line to set the Panthers up for the drive that would eventu­ ally win them the game. A 36-yard run by Mason Nabozny was the spark the DK offense needed on the winning drive, moving the ball to the Ram 29-yardline. Six plays later Ricky Ramsey scored on a two-yard run to put DK in front. The lead wasn’t safe though. A Hail Mary up the left side had the Rams with the ball at the DK 14-yard-line in the closing moments. The Delton defense came up big though, with Halcomb nearly intercepting one pass (ruled out of bounds) at the back of the end zone, big pressure from lineman Jason Lundquist forcing an incompletion on second down and then the Rams’ QB missing a wide open receiver in the end zone while being chased by Ramsey as time expired. Delton Kellogg’s first answer of the bail­ game came on an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Halcomb, the Panthers’ quar­ terback. South Haven scored the game’s opening points on a short touchdown run early in the second quarter and Halcomb’s kick return tied the game at 6-6. South Haven scored on a six-yard TD run to cap its opening drive of the second half and take the lead back at 12-6. It took a little lon­ ger for Delton Kellogg to pull back to even this time, but not too long as another big kick­ off return allowed the Panther offense to start its next drive on the Rams’ side of the field. Ramsey finished off the Delton Kellogg drive with a seven-yard touchdown run through the middle that evened the score again. Halcomb made another huge special teams play after Ramsey’s touchdown, recovering an onside kick by beating the Rams to the ball along the left sideline, but the Delton Kellogg drive deep into Ram territory ended with a fumble 14 yards from the end zone. Thornapple Kellogg 14, Wayland 7 ' The Thomapple Kellogg defense stymied Wildcat possessions with fourth down stops at the Trojan 22-yard-line and the Trojan 29 in the fourth quarter to seal a 14-7 victory in the OK Gold Conference opener for both teams in Middleville Friday. The Trojan defense limited the Wildcats to just 152 yards of offense and the one touch­ down. Wayland came into the contest having scored 42 points in a season-opening win over Hopkins and 27 in a victory the previous week over Holland Christian. TK’s defense was in a tough spot a lot as the Trojans fumbled the ball away four times. Wayland was in TK territory twice in the second quarter after Trojan turnovers, but the defense kept the Wildcats safely away from the end zone. A 65-yard drive in the middle of the third quarter finally put the Trojans in front. A 24-yard pass from Carsen Burbridge to Tyler Gavette got the TK offense moving and Gavette, Drake Snyder and Ethan Bonnema successfully carried the ball forward to the Wildcat three-yard-line where Burbridge car­ ried the. ball across the goal-line for a 7-0 TK lead with the help of Braden Sharrar’s extra­ point kick. TK upped its lead to 14-0 two plays into the fourth quarter with a three-yard TD run by Snyder and another Sharrar extra point. Burbridge was 6-of-7 passing for 53 yards on the night and added eight rushes for 62 yards. Gavette had 12 rushes for 74 yards and Jayden Garcia contributed four rushes for 48 yards. Gavette had two receptions for 21 yards and Garcia had two catches for 18 yards. Lakewood 40, Leslie 20 Quarterback Nathan Willette and running backs Cole Anderson and Montreal Reid each scored two touchdowns on the night after an explosive first half in which the Lakewood varsity football team built a 28-0 lead in the first half against Leslie Friday. Lakewood went on to a 40-20 win at Unity Field in the Greater Lansing Activities Con­ ference opener for both teams. “The team played a really solid game from start to finish,” Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart said. “They came out and scored four touchdowns before Leslie got on the board.” The Vikings amassed 407 yards of offense on the night, with 307 of that coming on the ground. Willette was 4-of-7 passing for 96 yards and a team-high 113 yards rushing on four carries. Willette, Anderson and Montreal Reid scored two touchdowns each. See FOOTBALL, page 13 Saxon offensive lineman Diego Coipel looks to block as Saxon quarterback Owen Carroll tries to run for a first down against Lumen Christi Friday night in Jackson. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — Page 13 Leagues in flux: Lions to Big 8, Vikes may return to CAAC Boys' teams from Caledonia, Thornapple Kellogg, Wayland Hamilton and more take off at the start of the Coach B Invitational at Gun Lake Monday afternoon. The two-time state runner-up Caledonia boys took the championship in the Thornapple Division boys' race on the day. TK gets trophy at meet honoring Coach ‘B’ Brett Bremer Sports Editor Speed was on display on the flat fast track along Gun Lake at Thornapple Kellogg’s annual Coach B Invitational at Yankee Springs State Park Monday. Caledonia had five of its seven fastest girls run their fastest race ever to win the Thomap­ ple Division championship for big schools and the Thomapple Kellogg girls earned some hardware at their home invitational for the first time since 2019 in a runner-up finish. “Granted, we did not host this meet in 2020, but I’ve been feeling anxious to have our team hold a trophy at this meet for some time now,” TK girls’ coach Sam Wilkinson said. “It’s a special meet because we get a chance to honor Coach B (Tammy Benjamin, former Hall of Fame Coach of the TK girls’ cross country team) and it makes it all the more special when we are at least in the top two and holding hard­ ware in the photo op. with Coach B.” Among TK’s top seven there were two sea­ son-best times and a personal record for junior Katherine Powers who was the Trojans’ num­ ber seven finisher with a tine of 23 minutes 46.23 seconds. Caledonia senior Natalia Quigley dropped her personal record time to 19:53.45 to win the individual title at the race. TK sophomore Ava Crews was third with a time of 20:15.63 to lead her team. The Caledonia girls and Caledonia boys both won championships in the Thomapple Division on the day. Championships in the Kellogg Division races for smaller schools went to the Grand Rapids Track Club Pere­ grines as the Peregrine team had the first eight guys across the finish line in their race and the first seven girls across the finish line in theirs. Caledonia outscored the TK girls 26-64 at the top of the Thomapple Division girls’ standings. Wayland was third with 83 points ahead of Hopkins 86, Hamilton 137 and Lake­ wood T44". Junior Holly Velting was ninth in 21:55.38 for the TK ladies. Seniors Lucy VanDemark and Lindsey Velting had their season-best times to place 15th and 18th respectively for TK. VanDemark hit the line in 22:19.68 and Lindsey Velting in 22:40.20. Thomapple Kellogg's EmmaThompson (left) and Madison Kietzman sprint to the finish line at the end of the Coach B Invitational at Gun Lake Monday. “Holly looked way better than she did in our last race. She was strong, she looked in control, and she was gettin’ after it,” Wilkin­ son said. “It was good to see Holly not only running well, but looking like herself again.” The Trojan team also had freshman Madi­ son Kietzman 21st in 23:14.26 and senior Emma Thompson 22nd in 23:44.30. “Emma keeps being the benchmark for where our middle pack needs to build from. Sometimes a couple of the girls will be ahead of her and a couple will be behind her, but she is like a quiet storm keeping the thunder and the lightning on the move,” Wilkinson said. “Meanwhile Mady is constantly growing and evolving in her racing and is yet to realize her potential. Having said that, I am thrilled with where she is so far. I thought maybe it would take much of the season to get her to where she is now, but now that she’s raised the bar for herself, I believe she will grow even more as she gains confidence.” Lakewood was led by freshman Emma Tidd who was just ahead of Kietzman with a 19th-place time of 22:45.96. The Vikings also had Sadie Brearley 25th in 23:44.30, Emma Lancaster 34th in 24:49.58, Gabby Rosen­ berger 54th in 26:39.64 and Marci Nurenberg 78th in 33:10.29. Wayland senior Olivia Barabas was the runner-up behind Quigley with a season-best time of 19:56.81. The Caledonia boys won their race with 32 points ahead of Wayland 49, Hamilton 55, Thomapple Kellogg 104, Lakewood 157 and Hopkins 157. Caledonia senior Jordan Domany ran his quickest race of the season finishing in 16:15.48. Hamilton senior Max VanHuis was the runner-up in 16:30.42. TK got a top ten finish from junior Lucas Van Meter who was ninth in 17:39.47. The TK pack was a solid one behind Van Meter. Kaden Hamming, Benjamin Postma, Christien Miller and Hunter Tietz all finished within less than 30 seconds of each other. Hamming led the way with a season-best time of 20:07.55. Postma, a freshman, ran his fast­ est race yet to place 51st in 20:24.05. Miller was 52nd in 20:29.28 and Tietz crossed the finish line 54th in 20:37.25 with a new PR. Lakewood’s leader was sophomore Riley Johnson who was 57th in 21:16.69. The Peregrines won the Kellogg Division race with 15 points led by senior Justice Shaf­ fer who came in at 17:03.23. Delton Kellogg was second with 58 points, ahead of Grand Rapids Union 68 and Wyoming 114. Delton Kellogg was led by senior Micah Martin who placed ninth in 18:37.09. Sopho­ more Ethan Rimmer ran his fastest race of the year to place 13th for DK in 18:15.44. The Peregrine girls also had a perfect 15 point score. Libertas Christian was second in the Kellogg girls’ race with 61 points ahead of Union 81 and Delton Kellogg 83. Peregrine sophomore Sinead Noonan was the individual champion in 19:41.01. Delton Kellogg had season best times from each of its first five runners in. That included senior Joelle White who dropped her PR to 22:57.00 to place J 3th and junior Summer Ritchie who lowered "her PR to 23:46.29 to place 20th. The DK team also had sophomore Johannah Houtkooper 24th in 24:03.05, sophomore Kylie Main 30th in 26:37.08 and junior Maysse Wiessner 32nd with a personal record time of 27:09.47. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Maple Valley School Board voted Monday to approve a conference shift to the Big 8 Conference for the Maple Valley Jr/Sr High School athletic programs begin­ ning in the 2023-24 school year. The move is being made in large part to put the Lion varsity programs up against more similarly sized schools in athletic contests. Maple Valley is currently the smallest public school in the Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference (GLAC) with an enrollment of 263 students in the high school. Lakewood is listed at 492 students for the 2022-23 school year and Olivet 469 at the top of the GLAC enrollment list. Only Lansing Christian with 177 students is smaller than Maple Valley in the GLAC. There is also hope from administrators that Maple Valley will have more competi­ tive athletic contests with the move and that will help boost participation numbers at the school. The Big 8 currently consists of members Bronson, Concord, Homer, Jonesville, Quin­ cy, Reading, Springport and Union City, but Jonesville and Homer are set to join the Cascades Conference in 2023-24 leaving the opening for the Lions in the Big 8. Leslie, currently a GLAC member with Maple Valley, is planning a 2023-24 move to the Cascades Conference. This starts the dominoes falling with the remaining GLAC teams Lakewood, Olivet, Perry, Stock­ bridge and Lansing Christian. Lakewood and Olivet are fast-tracking the process of joining the Capital Area Activities Conference Lakewood athletic director Mike Quinn told the Lakewood Board of Education Monday. Lakewood Wildcats pull out win in four at TK Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg varsity volleyball team opened the OK Gold Conference season at home Thursday with a tough loss in four sets against the visiting Wayland Wildcats. “We had a great night of volleyball,” said TK head coach Tia Cross. The teams split a pair of fairly lopsided opening sets. Wayland took the first set 25-14 before TK rallied for a 25-13 win in set two. The two teams lined up a bit more evenly in the final two sets with the Wildcats pulling out 27-25 and 25-23 wins in the end. Charlotte Nelson hadTT’servTce points "to” go with 19 assists for the Trojan team and Lumen Christi Titans extending their cur­ rent winning streak to five consecutive matches. Nate Kohmescher scored two goals for the Saxons and Kearan Tolles and Pedro Barreiro each scored once. Troy Hokanson, Bayne Signeski, Cohen Smith and Tolles each had one assist. Hastings is now 5-1 overall this season. The Saxons face a stiff test when they host Coldwater inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Thursday night in another Interstate-8 Athletic Conference contest. Coldwater is 3-4-2 overall this season so far against a tough schedule and opened 1-8 play with a 4-3 win over Marshall Tuesday. FOOTBALL, continued from page 12 ----------------------------Reid was the workhorse of the Viking attack carrying the ball 19 times for 103 yards. Anderson finished with four rushes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Anderson went 80 yards on the first play of the game for a touchdown to put the Vikings in front. The Viking defense forced a turnover on downs after the Vikings had marched to the Lakewood 31-yard-line on their first drive. It only took three plays for Willette to break loose on a 61 yard touchdown run. Lakewood got a two-yard TD run by Wil­ lette in the second quarter and a two-yard TD run by Reid. Leslie answered when Mason Tow tossed a 5 3-yard touchdown pass to Jay den Colby on a fourth-and-11 play near midfield late in the first half on a fake punt. Leslie was back at midfield on its opening drive of the second half, but Willette recov­ ered a Blackhawk fumble to get his team the ball back. The Vikings quickly went the other way for a one-yard TD run by Reid. Anderson tacked on a two-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter for the Vikings. Colby scored a nine-yard TD run for the Blackhawks late in the third quarter and then a three-yard TD run early in the fourth. Colby, the Blackhawk quarterback, did most of his damage with his arm. He was 12-of-24 passing for 222 yards. He was inter­ cepted once. Christian Reed led the Black­ hawks on the ground with nine carries for 33 yards. Max Fourman had five catches for 107 yards and Ethan Kaimon five receptions for 77 yards for Leslie. Ethan Weller clinched the victory for the Vikings with an interception at the end of the night. Maple Valley 65, Vandercook Lake 0 The Lions got to have some fun in the end zone this time. The Maple Valley varsity football team scored its first victory of the 2022 8-player season Friday at Vandercook Lake, outscor­ ing the Jayhawks 65-0. Callan Hoefler returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown a minute and a half into the game to get the scoring started for the Lions, and they continued to score every which way: long touchdown runs, medium TD runs, short TD runs, on a fumble return. Hoefler added a safety for the defense midway through the second quarter and then scored the Lions’ final points of the first half on a 17-yard touchdown run. Cayden Scott and Tyler Rose had two touchdown runs each for Maple Valley, and Ayden Wilkes and Reese Proctor-Burhans both had one. Jesse Deppe led the Lions in tackles with seven and returned a fumbled kick-off 19 yards for a score in the second quarter. “We did a lot of things really well on both sides of the ball,” Maple Valley head coach Marty Martin said. “It was nice to see. On special teams our kickoff coverage, we did a fairly good job of. We had a lot of practice. On offense we were efficient. We do have some things we have to shore up on the offen­ sive front and then out on the perimeter as far as blocking.” The Lion coach was pleased with how hard his backs ran the ball and some of the choices Wilkes, the Lion QB, made with his read/pull chances. Martin was also really pleased with his team’s down field blocking with one especially impressive example coming from Hoefler. Scott had a team-high 142 yards on seven rushes. He had 110 of those yards on his two touchdown runs, a 28-yarder late in the first quarter and an 82-yarder for the Lions’ lone TD of the third quarter. teammate Grace Zube fired ten service points. Peyton Pratt had 19 digs and 14 kills. Alana Compton chipped in seven kills. TK was able to even its conference record at 1-1 Tuesday with a 25-7, 25-8, 25-14 win at Ottawa Hills. “We played together as a team, making our serves, covering the plays at the net and working our offense,” coach Cross said. Compton had 19 service points on 22 ser­ vice attempts for the Trojans, smacking six aces. Thea Zellmer had seven kills for TK, Pratt six and Zube five. Nelson had 11 assists and Jessie Drenten added seven assists. Kenna VanElst contrib­ uted seven digs for TK. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS AT OCTOBER 5, 2022 MEETING Saxon look to extend streak to six hosting Coldwater tonight Brett Bremer Sports Editor It took more than 40 minutes, but the Saxons started to find the net at Lumen Christi Tuesday. The Hastings varsity boys’ soccer team opened Interstate-8 Athletic Conference play with a 4-0 win over the Jackson left the CAAC at the end of the 2012-13 school year for the newly created GLAC with Maple Valley joining the GLAC from the Kalamazoo Valley Association. “When Leslie was the first one to make a move [out of the GLAC], I talked with [superintendent] Dr. Bertolini and some other stakeholders,” Maple Valley athletic director Landon Wilkes said. “1 would rather be proactive than waiting to see what shakes out so we don’t end up as the last man standing. We kind of got the ball roll­ ing to see what we could make happen.” Wilkes said Maple Valley officially sent its letter requesting admittance to the Big 8 June 1 and that the Lions received an invi­ tation into the league in mid-August. Maple Valley has calculated that on average travel times for conference con­ tests will be increased by about 15 minutes each way with the move to the Big 8 from the current GLAC - from an average of about 46 minutes to 61 minutes for away contests. It is possible that in the near future the Big 8 could attempt to expand to a 10-team conference. Currently Maple Valley and Concord are both a part of the Tri-River 8-player football conference, and Wilkes said that he certainly doesn’t expect any changes towards a future football confer­ ence to happen before this season is over. Wilkes is quick to point out that this decision is not being made for any specific sport. “This is for the all kids at Maple Valley and the athletes here to hopefully allow for them to be more competitive and with being more competitive I think you can add numbers, at least that is the hope,” Wilkes said. TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on October 5, 2022, which begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing are: - The proposed amendment of §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Zoning) so as to revise the definitions of the terms “lot, corner”, “lot area”, and “lot line” to clarify that for purposes of those definitions a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway. (Items 1, 3 and 4 of Tentative Text). - The proposed amendment of §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Zoning) so as to revise the definition of the term “lot line, front” to clarify that the front lot line of a corner lot with frontage on a lake, river, or other navigable waterway is the boundary line abutting the water. (Item 2 of Tentative Text). - The proposed amendment of §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Zoning) so as to revise the definitions of the terms “Family Day Care Home” and “Group Day Care Home” so as to align those definitions with recent amendments of State law making those types of child day care facilities automatically eligible for “increased capacity” after satisfying certain criteria relating to state licensing (from 6 to 7 children in a Family Day Care Home, and from 12 to 14 children in a Group Day Care Home). (Items 5 and 6 of Tentative Text). The Saxons' Jack Kensington chases after Lumen Christi quarter Joe Lathers during their 1-8 match-up in Jackson Friday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Cam Carpenter didn’t find the end zone offensively, but he found the Jayhawk quar­ terback in the backfield time and again from his defensive end spot. He had three sacks among his five tackles - paired up with Proc­ tor-Burhans on the ends of the line through­ out the night. The Lion defense pushed the Jayhawk offense back for -48 total yards. “We put people in position to make plays last night,” coach Martin said. “We put people in familiar positions with familiar reads and it showed. Cam and Reece both started at DE last year, and last night was the first time that they really dictated how the offense ran their plays which was a really nice thing to see.” Nic Martin had a huge defensive game for the Lions too. He finished the night with ten tackles, including three for a loss, a sack and also got a hand on the Vandercook Lake punt. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Master Plan, and the tentative text of the above-referenced proposed zoning text amendment(s), may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. The Township Planning Commission reserves the right to modify any of the proposed amendments at or following the hearing/meeting and to make its recommendations accordingly to the Township Board. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 14 — Thursday, September 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Only Wayland faster than HHS boys at Delton Kellogg Invite Brett Bremer Sports Editor With four of the first seven guys across the finish line and a fifth scorer in the top 12 the Wayland Union varsity boys’ cross coun­ try team dominated the Delton Kellogg Invi­ tational at Gilmore Car Museum Thursday. The Wildcat scored just 32 points to best runner-up Hastings which had 88 points. Plainwell was third with 92 points. Parchment senior William Winter was the only guy to buzz around the course in fewer than 17 minutes. He hit the finish line in 16 minutes 59. 13 seconds. Wayland senior Devin Weaver beat out Paw Paw senior Will Vanderbor at the finish line. Weaver clocked in at 17:14.69 and Vanderbor at 17:14.95. Hastings junior Riley Shults placed fourth in 17:37.95. The only other guy to finish in less than 17 minutes was Wayland sophomore Dylan Pallett with a time of 17:52.31. He was fol­ lowed across the finish line by senior team­ mate Travis Koon and junior Isaac Dyer who were sixth and seventh respectively overall. Hastings sophomore Brandon Simmons was on their heels with a time of 18:05.00 in eighth place. Hastings also had junior Reu­ ben Solmes 20th in 19:01.13, junior Caleb LaBoe 22nd in 19:17.49 and sophomore Micah Johnson 35th in 20:08.90. Delton Kellogg’s boys were led by senior Micah Martin who ran his quickest race of the season to place 13th in 18:27.28. Pan­ ther senior Isaac Shepard dropped his PR to 18:55.87 in a 17th-place finish. Delton Kellogg also had senior Gage Vin­ cent 19:21.67, senior Brett Harsevoort 39th in 20:18.44 and junior Rhys Bedford 76th in 22:35.42. Behind the top three teams in the boys’ race Covenant Christian finished with 107 points, Paw Paw 122, Kalamazoo Christian 146, Delton Kellogg 148, Parchment 185, Pennfield 271, Hopkins 289 and Mendon 290. The girls’ race was tighter at the top. Plainwell bested Kalamazoo Christian 74-79 for the win. Wayland’s girls were third with 103 points, ahead of Covenant Christian 114, Paw Paw 115, Hopkins 131, Mendon 163, Parchment 169 and Delton Kellogg 193. Mendon sophomore Presley Allen ran her fastest race of the season to win in 19:27.03. Covenant Christian junior Amber Koole was second in 20:20.49 with Wayland senior Olivia Barabas third in 20:32.16. Senior Joelle White led the Delton Kel­ logg girls with a 24th-place time of 23: 40.47. Johannah Houtkooper was 35th in 24:26.02 and Summer Ritchie 36th in 24: 37.70 for the Panthers. Rounding out the top five for DK, Maysse Wiessner placed 65th in 28:00.46 and Lillian Lester 69th in 28: 08.02. Maple Valley had four finishers and Hast­ ings three, so neither team earned a team score. Hastings’ leader was junior Toby Comensoli who came in 51st at 26:22.39. The Saxons also had Victoria Jerzyk 107th and Anika Bourassa 115th. Lilly Faurot led the Maple Valley girls with a 41st-place time of 25:08.65. The Lion team had Mackenzie Decker 98th, Brianna Gurd 117th and Ada Marie Blakely 118th. Maple Valley also had two guys compet­ ing Thursday. Adam Blakely was 112th in 25: 23.30 and Robert Laws placed 142nd. The biggest news for the Lions out of Thursday’s race was the addition of Laws. Laws, a junior, joined senior Adam Blakely on the course on the hot and sunny course for his first 5K race ever and ran to a time of 29: 37.57. “He is still working on the endurance part of cross country,” Maple Valley head coach Tiffany Blakely said. “I am pleased that he stayed with [Adam] Blakely for the first mile, and I can see that he will continue to improve as we go through the season.” The Hastings varsity boys' cross country team celebrates with its runner-up trophy in front of the Cadillac building at Gilmore Car Museum follow Thursday's Delton Kellogg Invitational. Adam Blakely had his fastest time of the season to that point at Gilmore. “It was a very hot race with little to no shade on the course,” coach Blakely said. “With that in mind, we worked on race man­ agement - using this run as a training run, gaining experience, and getting ready for this Saturday’s Lakeview Invitational. I was really pleased [Adam’s] performance once again. He kept his first two split times roughly the same as before, but significantly improved his last mile.” Saxon boys battle for second with Western at first 1-8 race Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons were just two points out of second place with three guys among the first 11 finishers at the first lnterstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference jamboree of the season Tuesday, hosted by Harper Creek High School. Marshall, led by race champion Jack Bid­ well, won the varsity boys’ race with 44 points. Parma Western edged the Saxons 67-69 for the runner-up spot. Bidwell won the race in 16 minutes 45.6 seconds, finishing well in front of Parma Western junior Cooper Singleton, who was the runner-up in 17:03.9. Lumen Christi junior Gannon Shore just beat out the Saxon leader Riley Shults at the finish line. Shore was third in 17:06.1 and Shults fourth in 17:07.5. The Saxon team also had Reuben Solmes ninth in 17:59.4 and Brandon Simmons 11th in 18:08.7. Rounding out the top five for Hastings Hastings Riley Schults chases Parma Western's Cooper Singleton in a pack that also includes his Saxon teammates Brandon Simmons and Reuben Solmes during the 1-8 jamboree hosted by Harper Creek High School Tuesday in Battle Creek. (Photo by Dan Goggins) were Jonah Teed 21st in 19:06.5 and Micah Johnson 24th in 19:29.0. Harper Creek was fourth in the day’s boys’ standings with 100 points, ahead of Lumen Christi 115, Coldwater 142, Pennfield 201 and Jackson Northwest 203. Marshall’s top five were all among the top six finishers. The Hastings girls’ team didn’t quite earn a team score, but has seen its ranks grow to four racers Tuesday. A fifth finisher would allow the Saxon girls to earn a team score. Senior Victoria Jerzyk led the Hastings girls with a75ht-place time of 30:47.8. Brie Jerzyk, a freshman, was right behind in 78th with a time of 33:11.3. Sophomore Anika Bourassa placed 82nd in 35:11.0 and sopho­ more Brooklyn Strickland 83rd in 39:19.6. Lumen Christi dominated the girls’ race with six girls among the top 12 finishers. The Titans had just 25 points. Junior Madison Osterberg won the girls’ race for the Titans in 18:40.5. Lumen Christi had freshman Macy Fazekas third in 20:49.1 and sophomore Layla Lopez fourth in 21:00.2. Marshall girls broke up that pack. Redhawk junior Camille DeCola was the run­ ner-up in 19:57.4 and senior teammate Zariah Ozuzu was fifth in 21:07.3. Marshall was second in the girls’ team standings with 55 points ahead of Harper Creek 79, Parma Western 79, Coldwater 144 and Pennfield 157. Hastings was in action Saturday at Battle Creek Lakeview’s Invitational at Riverside Elementary. Shults earned a medal for the Saxons with his 20th-place finish. Shults hit the finish line in 17:14.74. Team­ mate Reuben Solmes set his personal record at the race with a 33rd-place time of 17:52.58. Hastings also had Caleb LaBoe 58^ in 19: 00.17 and Jonah Teed 63rd in 19:19.16. The Saxon team also got personal record times from Alex Steward, Bailey Pennock, Carter Krzysik and Spencer Crozier at the race. The Saxons' Anika Bourassa makes her way along the course in Battle Creek Tuesday during the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference jamboree hosted by Harper Creek High School. (Photo by Dan Goggins) Crews runs to third place finish at first OK Gold race BARRY COUNTY, Ml ^FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER Want to support Barry County Families? Join the Family Support Center of Barry County! KINSHIP SERVICES COORDINATOR We plan to hire a part-time (60 hours/month) Kinship Services Coordinator to support Barry County residents who are relative caretakers of children ages 0-18. The incumbent will coordinate and deliver all aspects of the Kinship Services Program. Associate degree or comparable experience in Human Services, Family Studies, Education or Child Development is required. For more information, email resume to Linda Maupin at Iinda@familysupi3ortbarry.com . Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg leader of the pack Ava Crews was the only freshman or sophomore girl to finish in the top ten at the first OK Gold Conference jamboree of the season Wednesday at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids. Crews placed third with a time of 20 minutes 8.57 seconds to help the TK varsity girls’ cross country team to a fourth-place finish. “Ava could be characterized as a tough or strong run­ ner, and that would be true, but she is also a cerebral runner, and she ran a super smart race today,”TK girls’ coach Sam Wilkinson said. “She started strong, and smart, worked her way gradually through the field, and PEERLESS fluto Glass me Local, Family Owned, Dependable 25 Years Experience Works With All Insurances, Mobile Service, Warrantee Call for a quote today! 616-930-7944 then unleashed the beast in the last half mile that brought her from fifth to second, and then she was just outkicked in the end by a formidable opponent (Forest Hills Eastern senior Sarah Dixon). It’s always going to be a battle at the pointy end in this conference.” Forest Hills Eastern’s boys and girls ran away with wins on the day. The FHE boys scored just 34 points to finish 51 points ahead of runner-up Wayland. The FHE girls won with 37 points finishing 23 points ahead of second-place South Christian. Ottawa Hills junior Selma Anderson won the girls’ race in 19:40.15, leading from start to finish, and FHE leader Dixon was the only other girl ahead of Crews with a time of 20:06.22. FHE had four girls in the top ten. El lory Clason was fourth, Addison Washier fifth and Ashlyn Smith tenth. Behind FHE, the South Christian girls had 60 points, Ottawa Hills 94, Thomapple Kellogg 125, Cedar Springs 132, Wayland 132, Kenowa Hills 150 and Catholic Cen­ tral 158. TK senior Lucy VanDemark was second of her team with a 27th-place time of 23:08.12. Fellow senior Lind­ sey Velting was 34th in 23:39.93 and senior Emma Thompson placed 37th in 23:49.13. Freshman Madison Kietzman was in the middle of those two for TK with a 36th-place time of 23:48.81. Junior Holly Velting was right behind the top five for -A— the TK ladies with a 38th-place time of 23:50.69. “Holly has been our number two, and she struggled today, and some days are just like that,” coach Wilkin­ son said, “Lucy saw the need for the team and charged forward even with her own body rebelling a bit. Then the pack of Lindsey, Mady, Emma, and ultimately, Holly came through. This group works well together and it is good to see. They may finish in a different order each time, but it’s the group work that’s what is going to pay off.” Junior Lucas VanMeter led the TK boys with an llth-place time of 17:21.90. Junior Kaden Hamming was 60^ in 21:11.34. Freshmen Luke Archer and Benja­ min Postma came in one after the other. Archer was 70^ in 21:35.44 and Postma 71st in 21:40.54. TK’s number five was sophomore Christien Miller who was 76^ in 22:29.71. FHE outscored Wayland 34-85 at the top of the stand­ ings. Ottawa Hills was third with 94 points, ahead of South Christian 103, Catholic Central 112, Cedar Springs 126, Kenowa Hills 152 and Thomapple Kellogg 207. Ottawa Hills senior Benne Anderson won the boys’ race in 16:01.49. A group of four guys finished in less than 17 seconds. FHE senior Aiden Sullivan was the runner-up in 16:02.48. Ottawa Hills junior Liam Walters placed third in 16:27.90 and South Christian senior Caleb Boes was fourth in 16:45.16. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-09-22.pdf c534f812a7d74d80327424469e986d1b PDF Text Text 804879110187 1070490102590501781949058113421 ,_CAR_RT LOT‘*C 005 H C005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr " Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM Thursday, September 22, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 38 PRICE $1.50 County board’s Committee of the Whole unable to meet Tuesday when only three commissioners show Jayson Bussa Editor After 18 years serving on the Barry County Board of Commissioners, Hoot Gibson has essentially seen it all. However, Tuesday afternoon’s scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting offered a first for the veteran commissioner. “I’ve never seen that happen before,” said Gibson, who serves District 1, which current­ ly includes the City of Hastings and part of Hastings Township. “That was interesting.” With only three commissioners present at Tuesday’s meeting, the Committee of the Whole failed to meet quorum and was forced to cancel the meeting. The cancellation announcement by Chairman Ben Geiger immediately at 9 a.m. solicited both disap­ pointed groans and jokes about it being the shortest meeting on record. “We knew that the margin was going to be razor thin and everything had to fall into place,” Geiger said following the meeting, indicating that all but one of the absences were anticipated. Geiger and Gibson were joined by District 7 commissioner Bruce Campbell, who was prepared to sit in as vice chair in the event the meeting did take place. However, commissioners David Jackson and Catherine Getty were on vacation, vice chair Vivian Conner was attending a confer­ ence and Jon Smelker was out due to illness. The county clerk’s office was unable to verify if, and when, the board ever failed to achieve quorum. Geiger said that the cancellation doesn’t necessarily cause a log game to the agenda, which would simply be pushed to next week’s Board of Commissioners meeting, slated for the usual time of 9 a.m. in the mezzanine of the Barry County Courthouse. Last week, the BOC’s chairman Geiger took time to state that, despite the exit of three commissioners and the arrival of four new faces next year, the board would contin­ ue to work diligently for its constituents. “There is a lot that I personally would like to take care of before I leave this mezzanine and I know there are issues that vice chair Conner and commissioner Gibson are pas­ sionate about,” Geiger said during last week’s BOC meeting. “This cannot be a lame duck board where we rubber stamp things and run out the clock,” he added. “We are here to serve and we will do that.” A week before Tuesday’s cancellation, the Board of Commissioners held a meeting that clocked in at less than 30 minutes. The Com­ mittee of the Whole meeting before that was roughly 30 minutes. Gibson and Geiger, who were both present, will not be returning to their seats next year, nor will Conner. Impressively, Gibson has yet to miss a meeting in his nearly two-decade tenure. See COMMITTEE, page 3 Irving Township board mulls options after clerk signs on to lawsuit to decertify 2020 election results Jayson Bussa Editor A crowd filled Irving Township hall on Tuesday night to show support for township clerk Sharon Olson, who joined plaintiffs across the state in a recent lawsuit to decertify the 2020 presidential election results. tnetow'nship boafiFs first meeting since Olson appeared on the lawsuit, filedJn federal court earlier this month, the gallery was filled with audience members focused on voicing their approval of Olson’s move. Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf was among them. Public commenters, most of which identi­ fied themselves as residents outside of Irving Township, thanked Olson for her courage one even dubbed her a hero. Earlier this month, The Detroit News reported that Olson was listed as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed in federal court that sought to decertify Michigan’s 2020 presidential elec­ tion results and force Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Ben­ son to re-run the election process. When given the opportunity to speak on Tuesday, Olson explained her last-minute deci­ See IRVING, page 2 Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf addresses the Irving Township board on Tuesday night during the public comment portion of its monthly meeting. Leaf and others threw their support behind Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson, who is a plaintiff in a feder­ al lawsuit that aims to decertify the 2020 presidential election results. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson (left) is seated next to township trustee Mike Buehler (right) during Tuesday night’s meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Stephens waives preliminary hearing in Brickley murder case Greg Chandler One of the first packs of riders rolls through the checkpoint at Delton Kellogg High School during a previous National 24-Hour Challenge. Organizers announced this week that the event has been discontinued. (File photo by Brett Bremer) National 24-Hour Challenge cycling event conies to an end Greg Chandler Staff Writer An endurance cycling event that drew participants from all over the country to Barry County for nearly two decades has come to an end. The National 24-Hour Challenge, which had been held in Middleville for the last 19 years, has been discontinued. The event’s seven-member board of directors Sunday voted to end the challenge, saying it was no longer sustainable, said Gary Goscenski, who had been the event’s executive director since October 2017. “We sincerely appreciate everyone who participated in the event over the many decades and understand there will be a sense of loss, considering the N24HC was more than a cycling event. We became a family in a sense and will miss our annual gatherings,” Goscenski said in a statement posted on the See CHALLENGE, page 3 “I think the primary reason was lack of leadership to continue to organize the event.” — Gary Goscenski, National 24-Hour Challenge Executive Director Staff Writer A Nashville man accused of perjury during a murder trial in Barry County ear­ lier this year will stand trial after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing Wednes­ day morning in District Court 56B. Dustin Scott Stephens, 36, was bound over to circuit court by Judge Michael Schipper after waiving his hearing. Schipper scheduled a pretrial conference for the suspect for 10 a.m. on Oct. 26. Stephens is facing multiple charges as an accessory in the February 2021 murder of 18-year-old Gracyn Brickley in Maple Grove Township. He is charged with perju­ ry in the trial of a capital crime - a charge that carries a potential life sentence if con­ victed - as well as tampering with evi­ dence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, accessory after the fact to a felony, a felony firearms charge and being a habit­ ual offender-second notice. Andrew Lafey was convicted of first degree felony and premeditated murder in the videotaped torture and murder of Brick­ ley in April 2022. He is serving a life sen­ tence without possibility of parole and is currently lodged in the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon Heights. Two other defendants have preliminary hearings pending. Sheralyn Randolph, 52, of Nashville and Coleen Rice, 36, of Hast- Dustin Stephens ings, are charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony. Randolph is also charged as a habitual offender-fourth notice, which carries a possible life sen­ tence if convicted. The tampering with evidence charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Stephens remains held in the Barry County Jail on a $50,000 bond. �Page 2 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Hastings Twp. supervisor continues to press Sheriff’s Office for money to cover FOIA expenses Jayson Bussa Lakewood Area Choral Society to perform Anniversary Gala Concert This Saturday, Sept. 24, the Lakewood Area Choral Society will celebrate 35 (plus two) years of bringing music to the com­ munity and beyond. The choir, directed by Dr. Robert C. Oster, was established in 1986 and has had more than 540 singers in its 37 years. This iteration of the choir con­ sists of about 85 singers hailing from near and far. The 35th anniversary concert, now with two extra years to celebrate, is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. The concert will feature all-time favorite pieces performed by the group, including “For Spacious Skies” by David L. Brunner, “How Great Thou Art” arranged by Dan Forrest and “One World” by Mark Hayes, to name a few. In addition to old favorites, the choir will perform the world premiere of Jill Gallina’s “His Masterpiece,” originally commis­ sioned by Oster and the Choral Society for the 35th anniversary concert two years ago. The piece was commissioned by the choir to be a “tribute to music.” Gallina and her husband will attend the concert Saturday and will be available to greet in the lobby following the perfor­ mance. Following the long-awaited concert, the Choral Society will be celebrating its 35-plus-two-year anniversary in the ball­ room of Walldorff Brewpub and Bistro for a reunion dinner on Oct. 1. More information about the concert and the Lakewood Area Choral Society can be found at lacsmusic.org. Celebrate autumn at Historic Charlton Park The Charlton Park Gas and Steam Engine Club is presenting its annual Fall Harvest Festival at Historic Charlton Park on Sept. 23 and 24. Event activities will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Volunteers stationed in the park’s historic village and throughout the grounds will be offering pumpkin painting, corn shelling, apple cider, along with rope making and numerous kids activities, including a peddle pull in the gas and steam barn. A tractor parade will take place daily. Saturday will include a pancake breakfast and farm tractor pull, along with a mini­ horse pull. Wheat threshing, antique saw­ mill, shingle mill and many other demon­ strations and activities will take place throughout the day, as well. Spectators should plan to bring lawn chairs and blankets for parade seating. Food vendors will be serving festival favorites along with a swap meet and flea market both days near the Gas and Steam Barn. Spaces are still available for S10 each. Daily admission to the event is $5 for ages 13 and up. Children 12 under are free. Charlton Park is located between Hast­ ings and Nashville, north of M-79, at 2545 S. Charlton Park Road. More information can be found at charltonpark.org. Hastings Public Library receives grant funding to conduct local digital literacy trainings The Hastings Public Library has been honored as one of only 160 public librar­ ies nationwide awarded funding by the Public Library Association (PLA) to con­ duct digital literacy workshops using DigitalLearn.org resources. The PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by telecom giant AT&T, provides support to libraries of all sizes to conduct digital literacy training in their communities and help close the digital divide. The library will hold six monthly classes on a range of topics from computer and internet basics, to cybersecurity, tablets and more. Classes are open to anyone and will be held the first Wednesday of each month starting Wednesday, Oct. 5. New laptops received from another grant earlier this year will be available to use, or patrons can bring their own. More information on the workshop can be found at the library’s website at hastingspubliclibrary.org or by calling 269­ 945-4263. Editor Jim Brown believes that the Barry County Sheriff’s Office owes his township money, and he is not backing down. Brown appeared in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners last week to remind them that he had submitted an invoice months ago, seeking re-payment for expenses incurred from a FOIA request submitted by a member of the Sheriff’s Office. “This bill has not been paid and is now overdue for more than 90 days,” Brown said in front of the Board of Commissioners, read­ ing from a letter he submitted to each com­ missioner. “Please authorize payment as this unnecessary legal cost should not have been paid by Hastings Township taxpayers and potentially leads to unwanted legal costs to the county and all Barry County taxpayers. Sheriff’s Department investigator Mark Noteboom sent a FOIA letter to Hastings Township Clerk Anita Mennell on March 30 tied to the 2020 election, when Donald Trump lost his presidential race to current president Joe Biden. Noteboom had been commissioned by Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has long spearheaded a county-wide investigation into alleged voter fraud, to look for improprieties and fraud in the election process. This request was issued to other townships throughout Barry County, as well. Ultimately, Hastings Township did not turn over the requested information on the advice of its legal counsel and incurred $1,309 in legal expenses processing that request. Ever since then, Brown has been prodding both the Board of Commissioners and the Sher­ iff’s Office on who will pay the expenses. He said his requests have been met with silence. “They’ve all been ignoring it,” Brown told The Banner. Instead of public pleas, Brown said he is now working to issue a formal request to the Board of Commissioners in hopes that it will be added to the agenda for consideration. He wants to see the board weigh in on whether the county will pay the tab or not. Jim Brown is pictured at a Barry County Board of Commissioner’s meeting earlier this year. Brown, the supervisor of Hastings Township, is seeking over $1,300 from the Sheriff’s Office to cover expenses incurred by what he deems a frivolous FOIA request. (File photo) Brown estimates that he has about a 50/50 chance at success but still feels that, on prin­ ciple, it is the right thing to do. “I am speaking on (constituents) behalf I’ve had more than a few people stop me and tell me that at least someone is trying to do something about this,” Brown said. “The people that are having the biggest stake in the game are all the clerks,” Brown added. “They should not have to be going through this. We hold probably the cleanest elections in the world but we have people like Dar Leaf that want to keep things stirred up for whatever reasons. It should not happen.” However, when speaking with Ben Geiger, the county board of commissioners chairman, the likelihood that the county will foot the bill is not good. “We do not have a precedent of paying local government FOIA bills and the county board does not have an interest in starting one,” said Geiger, who approves the board’s agendas. “I understand the point Supervisor Brown is trying to make, but it’s not on the county board’s agenda.” In March, Noteboom submitted the request to Hastings Township, asking for various data from the 2020 election. “Please provided the date and time stamps, voter IDs and election that the information you provided is from,” his request read, in part. “This is a criminal investigation, so no informa­ tion shall be redacted from requested materials.” The letter also requested a waiver of all fees tied to the FOIA request “as the disclo­ sure of the requested information is for my own personal use and knowledge and/or in the public interest and will contribute significant­ ly to the awareness and/or understanding of the information contained within the afore­ mentioned document(s) or files. The letter gave the township 20 days to respond to the FOIA. On April 18, the town­ ship, through its attorneys, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC of Okemos, sent a letter of denial to Noteboom. “To the best of the Township’s knowledge, information, and belief, under the information provided by you or by any other description reasonably known to the Township, the requested ‘Electronic Poll Book’ data is not in the possession of or retained by the town­ ship,” the letter said. The letter further goes on to state that the FOIA release releases to the disclosure of certain public records, and that computer soft­ ware such as the electronic poll book is not considered a public record. Between April 5 and April 18, there were eight communications involving the township and attorneys William Fahey and Kendall O’Connor from Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes. The interactions totaled 6.3 hours, at rates ranging from $190 to $225 per hour, according to an invoice submitted by the law firm to the township dated May 1. The total bill came out to $1,309. On May 17, the township initially sent the bill to the Sheriff’s Office in the exact amount that it was billed for the legal consultations. Staff writer Greg Chandler contributed to this report IRVING, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cottons for Christmas Quilts New 108” Quilt Backing Smile More - Give your face a break! If* Pray for our Nation ‘d" QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 CTsasg OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm St3 Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station xxixafi Curtain at 7 PM Adults - $10 ; Center ~ Barry Community Enrichment Center Broadway ~ Hastings, Mt 49058 - Please use the doors on Center Street ~ ised at Progressive Graphics, at the door, or reserved by calling the Thomappte Arts Council at (269) 945-2002 Covid policy: Masks are recommended but not required STEEL MAGNOLIAS is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC. servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection The Irving Township board conducts its business during Tuesday night’s monthly meeting. The meeting was filled with supporters of township clerk Sharon Olson. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) sion to join the lawsuit. Olson said she was approached about the lawsuit and only had a few hours to digest the information and respond. “I just felt like, with the oath that I took, that I needed to say ‘yes’ to pursuing this and to ask the courts to make a ruling on what are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to fol­ low the federal law that I have read saying we need to retain certain records or go by the (Michigan) Bureau of Elections telling us to destroy certain records,” Olson said. “They put us all in a bind at a federal level when we do a federal election.” Olson did not specify who approached her about signing on to the lawsuit. However, addi­ tional plaintiffs in the case include the Macomb County Republican Party, non-profit organiza­ tion the Election Integrity Force and Byron Center-based Donna Brandenburg, who is the 2022 governor candidate for the U.S. Tax Pay­ ers party. Individual voters Jason Ickes and Ken Beyer are also listed as plaintiffs. “I appreciate the support showing up to confirm, for me, that was a good decision to make on such a short notice,” Olson said, followed by a prolonged period of applause from the gallery. However, because Olson signed on in her official capacity as Irving Township clerk, it also drags the entire township board, and township residents, into the lawsuit. Township Supervisor Jamie Knight said she had consulted with the township’s attor­ ney about the matter. “In most circumstances, acting in her offi­ cial capacity means she is talking on behalf of the entire township - not just the board, but every citizen in this township,” Knight said. “It was never brought to the board’s attention that this was happening. I’m not saying I’m for the lawsuit and I’m not against the lawsuit - I’m following what our attorney is guiding us to do.” Knight outlined three potential options laid out by the township’s attorney. They included ignoring the lawsuit alto­ gether or adopting a resolution that the board is not taking a position on the lawsuit. Or, “we can file an action in court in which the township seeks formal recognition that they are not a party of the lawsuit and should not be held responsible for any claims arising from the lawsuit,” Knight explained. That’s when Irving Township treasurer Doug Sokolowski chimed in, advocating that the board take action to support Olson. “One option that I did not hear was the board can also support the lawsuit,” he said. “...Our clerk would not be in this position if it weren’t for her exercising her duties as described by the constitution. I think that any of us could find ourselves in the same posi­ tion that the clerk did by overreach. “Our responsibility moving forward should be that we have faith and confidence in the person that we have in position of clerk. If we do anything other than that, and what we say publicly is that we do not support our clerk, I could not sign on to that.” This elicited applause from the gallery. Ultimately, the board did not take any action on the matter as trustees Dean Bass and Mike Buehler wanted to review the information. Olson released a statement at the time the lawsuit was filed, outlining the information and evidence she is aware of that would sug­ gest the results of the 2020 presidential elec­ tion were tainted. Much of her statement centered on claims that electronic voting systems used through­ out Michigan were not certified by an accred­ ited entity. “Why does it matter? The certification pro­ vides federal standards for security and trans­ parency in our election systems. There are many safeguards that were missing for a free and fair election,” Olson’s statement read. “Without this, the 2020 election was not lawfully able to be certified,” Olson argued. “Should we just pretend that it was? I think it should be re-run without the electronic vot­ ing system.” Olson also cautioned that state officials must preserve electronic data such as audit and security logs. “There is no requirement in federal or state law to destroy or delete election data,” Olson said in her statement. “Considering the interest and this controversy, we are asking the court to order protection against an SOS order or voluntary optional destruc­ tion of evidence - too many people still want access and this is part of a free and fair election.” Olson has been accused by the state of turn­ ing over one of Irving Township’s voting tabu­ lators to a third party for inspection at the behest of Leaf, who has been the most outspo­ ken county official in regard to voting integrity. As part of the state’s investigation against Leaf, Michigan State Police raided Irving Township in April to seize the tabulator. Last month, Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel petitioned to appoint a special prosecutor to potentially charge Leaf and eight other individuals criminally for alleged­ ly gaining unauthorized access to voting tabulators and conducting tests on them. Muskegon County Prosecutor DJ Hilson was eventually named the special prosecutor and is reviewing the case. Leaf was at Irving Township Hall on Tues­ day, echoing that there are indeed flaws and fraud associated with the voting process in Michigan. “There is a major, major problem with this,” Leaf said during public comment. “We have three ballot proposals coming up (in November’s general election) that I’m really worried about. ...Two out of the three all have gone too far. “I don’t know where everyone stands and I don’t really care, it’s your own person­ al opinion - on this right to life stuff but they took it to where, the government and schools have the power to take your child without your knowledge to get an abortion or treat­ ment for transgender stuff. That’s my fear. If we don’t get this under control, there is more of this stuff coming down the pipe.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 3 Hastings school board approves 43 new staff member hires From left to right, the board introduced new staff members Elliza Tolles and Robekah Warner, high school; Michelle Barrows, HMS; Kelly Wilson and Heather Armour, Southeastern Elementary; Theresa Slagel, Central Elementary; Andrea Price, Southeastern Elementary; Savannah DeYoung and Kayleigh Collins, Central Elementary. Hunter McLaren Staff' Writer Nine new Hastings Area School System staff members were introduced to the public at Monday’s board of education meeting. Superintendent Matt Goebel said the dis­ trict hired 43 new staff members this year, with 65 new staff members hired in the last two years. The wave of new staff appointed comes amidst a national teacher shortage, with many districts struggling to fill positions. Goebel thanked school administrators for their work in finding and vetting candidates. “We posted some of these jobs before spring break, which actually has never hap­ pened before. But we knew that to be com­ petitive and to fill these jobs, we knew that we needed to get an early start,” Goebel said. “That says a lot about our administra­ tors. They go through the interview and hiring process and get great people for our kids, and I believe that we really have done that here.” Board President Luke Haywood thanked the candidates for choosing Hastings and welcomed back some staff members who are alumni of the district. “We know it’s a competitive market out there. Thank you for choosing Hastings and coming back to our community, many of you,” Haywood said. “We’re excited to have you and have many great things to come, I’m sure.” Board members approved the financing of four new diesel buses for the school’s fleet in School Board President Luke Haywood (back, left) shakes hands with Michelle Barrows while Superintendent Matt Goebel (back, right) shakes hands with Kelly Wilson. an amount not to exceed $395,000. Goebel said the buses were due to arrive in Novem­ ber and were badly needed. “Right now, sometimes we have enough drivers and we don’t have enough buses,” Goebel said. “Our transportation department, in partnership with our athletic department, have really been creatively figuring out ways to get kids (where they need to go), especial­ ly to athletic trips after school. We want to make sure that all of our routes are being taken care of first and foremost to get those kids safely home.” The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Hastings Middle School. NEW DISTRICT-WIDE APPOINTEES Ericka Critzer, childcare employee; Cassidee Easey, childcare employee; Daniel Hickey, transportation department assistant mechanic; Michael Lesick, community center attendant; Robert Woodworth, groundskeep­ er; Deborah Williamson; elementary special education department chair; Jo Ann VandenHout, physical education department chair; Karen Schoen, fine arts chair and district implementation team; Dora Leonard, district implementation team; Edward Domke, CTE department chair. In other business, the board: • Approved a field trip for the Hastings High School choir to Chicago on March 20-31, 2023. • Approved a field trip for the Hastings Middle School Youth in Government organi­ zation to Lansing Nov. 20-22, 2022. • Approved the purchase of a new mainte­ nance vehicle in an amount not to exceed $30,000. • Accepted pick-tip lane’ signs valued at $1,549 Jjom DB Design for Southeastern Elementary? Barry County commissioner Bruce Campbell chats with resident Jack Miner on Tuesday after the Board of Commissioners meeting was canceled. The board failed to achieve quorum when only three commissioners were present. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) COMMITTEE, continued from page 1 --------------------------The agenda slated for Tuesday’s Commit­ tee of the Whole meeting was relatively light. The committee was scheduled to review and recommend for approval a letter of resignation from Susanne Huebner, who serves as admin­ istrator of the Barry County Remonumentation Program. This program utilizes state dollars to conduct land surveys and maintain monument markers on an ongoing basis. Huebner’s resignation is effective on Oct. 1. The agenda item requested that county administrator Michael Brown take over the role of grant administration for the program. The COW was also scheduled to weigh in on whether or not the county should apply for a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant in order to fund environmental assessment projects for potential brownfield redevelopment sites. The county received $300,000 in grant funding from the EPA in 2019 to evaluate the environmental condition of brownfield sites throughout Barry County. The county has inspected 10 sites total as the third year of a four-year program comes to a close. The county has $50,000 left, which is on pace to run out before the grant program expires. The EPA has introduced a new round of funding for fiscal year 2023 that Barry Coun­ ty can potentially apply for. Also, the COW was scheduled to review a master engagement agreement with Tam­ pa-based MGT Consulting, which maintains additional hubs around the country. Barry County works with the company spending $9,500 annually over three years - to identify indirect costs that are incurred by the county in supporting and administer­ ing federal and state programs. The compa­ ny also works to help the company find ways to minimize and recuperate some of that money. CHALLENGE, continued from page 1 D-K school board considers trading property with Barry Township after conflict with land boundary Leila Wood Contributing Writer The Delton Kellogg School Board is work­ ing on a solution to a persistent problem concerning the boundary between the dis­ trict’s property and Barry Township’s Wil­ liam Smith Park. According to board member Rodney Dye, the township’s construction projects in the park have crossed the line onto the school’s property several times; including with the construction of public restrooms that were built in conjunction with the amphitheater, swing set and now one of the two new pick­ leball courts, which were under construction over the summer. Dye said the school previously donated the piece of land that the restrooms were built on. Members of the board and audience expressed frustration with the situation and concern about potential liability issues if any­ one using the park or working on the pickle­ ball court project were to be injured on school property. “I’m really disappointed that they did this without owning the land, and if we did that, we’d have repercussions, and they don’t,” said board member Sarah Austin. The question was also raised about poten­ tial fines for the township if they did not have the necessary permits. Dye said he did not know the answer to that question. “They were warned that they were really close to school property, and we ended up here... so here we are. They did it,” said Dye. “I don’t know why those permits weren’t pulled. I don’t know why they didn’t know where the property lines were. Even if you didn’t need a permit, you still - even farmers - they need a zoning permit... so there’s cer­ tain processes and steps that were probably not taken.” After a bit of discussion, the board voted to have the land surveyed and to work out a deal with the township. The district would trade the land on which the swing set and pickle­ ball court have been built for another lot on Orchard Street, owned by the township, where the school currently has an easement. “We’ve talked with Drew Chapple (realtor) and the township... What the proposal is, is to square the township property up and give them an additional roughly 180 feet that will be surveyed off... which will clear and allow them to keep the footings for the second set of pickleball courts - they won’t have to tear those out. In return for that, they will trade us, so we’ll trade that for the comer lot that has the easement on it,” said Dye. Dye also said he would like the township to pay for the survey. “This, the development of what’s going on here, is all at fault of the township. It shouldn’t fall on the school at all. We shouldn’t have any monetary ramifications for any of .this,” he said. He said they would then put a fence along the boundary to help separate the school property from the township property and pre­ vent future issues. Dye also suggested that the school should also reevaluate its other boundaries and ensure that they are clearly marked. “I don’t think any of us up here are opposed to the idea of a pickleball court... but we just have to make it legal... I played on the pickleball court the other night. It was fun, but we have to make it right,” added board member Kelli Martin. During the meeting, an update was also provided on the Elementary reconstruction project. The board said the project is about a week ahead of schedule. Footings are going in, and the structure should be going up very soon. “(The construction company) said you’ll start seeing it come up, and they said when it comes up, it’s going to come up pretty fast. You’ll see it coming out of the ground,” said Superintendent Dr. Herman Lartigue Jr. The discussion briefly turned to plans for a time capsule that will be placed in the new building, inspired by the one that was discov­ ered during the demolition of the old building and opened in August, during Delton Found­ ers Festival. According to Lartigue, the construction company working on the project, Christman, has offered to donate the box for the new time capsule. “It’s really exciting, but we have to start thinking about what we’re going to put in it and also, actually looking at the old box, think about what will last, because like so many of the pictures were faded from the old box,” said Lartigue. In other business: - Jesse Shaver was appointed by Barry Intermediate School District to fill a vacancy on Delton Kellogg’s board that was left by Brandy Spooks, who resigned several months ago. Shaver was sworn in during a special meeting last Thursday. He gave a brief state­ ment introducing himself to the audience Monday evening, during the meeting: “I’ve got three young kids in the district. I’m a transplant to the Delton area, approximately 12 years ago, or so. I love the area, love the school system. I’m here to support all our kids, our staff and continue to make this dis­ trict awesome,” he said. - According to Superintendent Lartigue, the Delton Kellogg Education Foundation has been busy with several successful fund­ raisers lately, including a pancake breakfast at the Moose Lodge and a movie in the park. - Middle school paraprofessional Cathyrae Mishoe has resigned. - Delton Kellogg Schools will hold a plan­ ning retreat in the elementary school library on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 5 and 6 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Board members, administra­ tors, teachers, parents, community members, other staff members and students are invited to attend and help develop the vision, mission statement, beliefs and goals for the district. Anyone planning to attend should call 269­ 623-1501 to RSVP by Sept. 29. event’s website. “We especially appreciate all of the volunteers, some who gave hundreds of hours of service, that made the N24HC a premiere event.” Goscenski submitted a letter of resignation to the board in early June. The board put out an advertisement seeking a new executive director to take over administration of the challenge, but received no applications, Goscenski said. “It was an unpaid position, not compen­ sated,” he said. “I had spent the last five years doing it, and decided that the time commitment was beyond what I was capable and willing of doing moving forward ... I think the primary reason (for ending the event) was a lack of leadership to continue to organize the event.” The decision to end the National 24-Hour Challenge came several months after this year’s event, which would have been held on Father’s Day weekend, was canceled because organizers were unable to secure adequate assistance from the Barry County Sheriff’s Department for reserve deputies to provide traffic control, as well as ensure an ambu­ lance and emergency medical technician to handle any medical issues that might affect cyclists. “As of May 31 ...We had only secured four law enforcement personnel and had not iden­ tified additional medical personnel. We had exhausted all possibilities, which led to the cancellation of the event,” Goscenski said in a statement posted on the event’s website at that time. The National 24-Hour Challenge was founded in 1983 in the Grand Rapids area by Skip and Diane Obermeyer. The couple orga­ nized the event for 25 years, starting from 18 riders in the first year, to nearly 500 riders in the 2000s. The Rapid Wheelmen Bicycle Club hosted the challenge until 2004, when it was incorporated as a non-profit organiza­ tion. The Obermeyers retired in 2007 and Lew Persenaire took over. After Persenaire died in 2009, Pete and Kathy Steve stepped in to direct the event, and held that role until 2017, according to the challenge’s website. The 2020 24-Hour Challenge was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event returned in August 2021, with 164 rid­ ers taking part. Riders came from as far away as Washington state, according to the event website. Plans are being developed for a “farewell ride” that will likely take place in June 2023. The ride is expected to follow the “day loop” route that challenge riders have used for years, starting from Thornapple Kellogg Middle School, going south to Delton, and then back, Goscenski said. CORRECTION In last week’s edition of The Banner, we wrote about Hastings High School students and their successes in advanced placement courses. In the photo, we assigned the wrong name to Hastings student Juan Osorio. The correct photo and caption is below. We regret the error. Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass W. Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber Hastings High School students (from left to right) Juan Osorio, Julie McLean, Anna Haywood and Molly Patton said their AP class­ es and exams helped them prepare for success past high school. New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 �Page 4 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Our housing crisis continues... M allude ricittVyzs Wayne’s Comet In this section, we commonly ask ‘Did you see this?’ In this case, you did not which is why we’re sharing it with you. While on assignment for an upcoming report from the Delton area, resident Wayne Houghpaling gave us a quick peek at his prized Mercury Comet, which has been stashed in his garage for years. Houghpaling had the vehicle shipped to him from Arizona, and, at its age, it’s still looking pretty good. “Look at it - no rust anywhere,” he said with a smile. Do you remember? Good morels Banner 1970s Duane Bowerman and his wife, Maria, 736 North Michigan, Hastings, picked these luscious mushrooms in about three hours Sunday. Duane isn’t saying exactly where, but he says they gathered about a half-bushel “somewhere near Freeport.” Duane says they have har­ vested more mushrooms this year than last year. - Banner photo. Have you met? Staff writer Hunter McLaren is a Report for America corps member covering schools, city government and community issues in Barry County for The Hastings Banner. Report for America is a national service project that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-cov­ ered issues. As part of the program, corps members are expected to take on a service project that benefits the community. McLaren hosts a weekly, two-hour writing class for middle and high school students in Barry County. This week’s Bright Light features writing and reporting contributions from local stu­ dents Zeke Ring, Kelly Burhans and Carleigh Stonehouse. Wearing blue smokey-eye makeup, Zac Ploeg confidently walked the Thomapple Kellogg High School hallways. “I just didn’t care what people thought, so nobody really messed with me,” Ploeg said. “But I think if you let people get under your skin, they will. So you just really have to be confident and you can’t let the B.S. get in the way.” After graduating, Ploeg now works at Left Field Coffee Bar in Hastings. Ploeg sees Left Field as more than a cof­ fee shop. He sees it as a safe place for the LGBT community to gather in a rural area. “I think it’s really important to have plac­ es like this in towns like this,” he said. “Because I know from people I went to school with who were part of the LGBT community, they didn’t really have any­ where to go.” While he plans on continuing to work at Left Field during the day, Ploeg starts cosme­ tology night classes in November. Although he decided on cosmetology, he originally wanted to go to school to be a makeup artist. Ploeg took a theatrical makeup class when he was 13-years-old. He’s been doing it ever since. “I wasn’t good at it, but I really liked it and I kept trying,” he said. “Eventually, I Zac Ploeg was good at it. I’ve come a long way since then.” He attributes his interest in makeup and cosmetology to two things: his mother, who is also a cosmetologist; and his love for theater. Ploeg, who performed in a theater show from the time he was in the fourth grade until he graduated high school, is still carrying on his penchant for performance in a new way. “Well, I am an Instagram drag queen,” Ploeg said. “I have not made my way into performing yet. We’re still working on it.” Starting with drag makeup and a wig when he was 15, Ploeg only started doing full-body drag makeovers last fall. He remembers becoming first interested in drag in the seventh grade, when he would sneak upstairs at his family’s house and watch “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” “I always loved it, and I was like, ‘Oh, this looks fun.’ But I never considered doing it,” Ploeg said. “Then I saw the show Dragula, which is a lot more inclusive, and it’s more my thing. I love scary things. So then I was like, ‘Oh, okay, so this is what I need to do.’” Performing as “The Mermaid,” Ploeg describes the look as “spooky, but pretty and a little eerie.” The horror-themed make­ over is one of the reasons he likes drag so much, he said. “Most people, when they think of drag, they think it’s men in wigs, which really isn’t the case anymore,” he said. “It’s taking an idea of something and making it bigger, extravagant and more detailed.” “Because there’s drag kings and drag queens, there’s really no (defined) roles. It’s a performance art (for some), or sometimes just art for some people where the perfor­ mance really isn’t there. But I would say it’s just about entertaining people.” For following his passions and his unwavering confidence, Zac Ploeg is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite dinner: Pizza. Hungry How­ ie’s pizza, in particular. Just cheese. Some­ times if I’m feeling crazy, pepperoni, but that’s a rare occasion. Favorite movie: “Jennifer’s Body.” Favorite season: Fall, because it’s cold but not too cold. And I like Halloween. What kind of music do you like: It’s a very wide range. I tend to like music with a lot going on. I’m okay if it’s boring the whole time if at the end something really cool happens. I like some weird music, like Slayyyter. I don’t know how to describe that, it’s like crazy pop music. I listen to bubblegum pop, heavy metal, I really do it all. For years, leaders throughout Barry County have talked about the need for additional housing yet the progress has been slow and spotty. Currently, most of the new housing construction has been in Middleville and surrounding townships. The lack of housing growth in other areas of the county has become a concern because it’s impacting our schools, which in recent years have seen a decline in enrollment, putting pressure on dis­ tricts to compete against each other for a shrinking pool of students. Plus local industries are feeling the pinch of attracting and keeping employees on the job due to the diffi­ culty in finding a place for them to live. “We’re finding it extremely difficult to staff positions not necessarily due to money, benefits, culture or the type of work that we’re performing,” said Viking Corporation’s vice president of human services Dennis Quam. “It’s because of the lack of available hous­ ing, whether it be rental apartments, condos or single-family homes.” Denny and I attended both the Hast­ ings City Council and Barry County Board of Commissioners meetings recently to plead our case for the cooperation of attracting more hous­ ing projects throughout Barry County. Both bodies blamed the other for moving the Tyden Lofts project in downtown Hastings forward - a prob­ lem many developers face when try­ ing to work with local governments. Affordable housing is a basic com­ ponent needed for society to function. Research shows the foundational importance of safe, decent and afford­ able housing determines the level of concern for child welfare, labor mar­ ket outcomes and the overall health and vitality of a community. The recent interest in our communi­ ty from developers is a promising possibility. But it takes visionary lead­ ership and their willingness to work with developers to make it happen. “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything,” said playwright George Bernard Shaw. Every town relies on a diverse blend of people whose circumstances call for a range of housing types, afford­ ability levels and locations. Workers need reasonably priced housing near work. In the late 1940s, many of the houses built in Hastings were near the E.W. Bliss and Hastings Manufactur­ ing Company, making it possible for workers to walk to and from work each day. New households and growing fami­ lies need an expanding stock of hous­ ing with affordable options. And retir­ ees are looking for options so they can downsize yet still remain in their communities. And companies and local businesses need workers and customers to prosper so solving the housing crisis will determine the vital­ ity of our community in the future. That’s why we must ask, are the rules and regulations on the books in our communities creating barriers that reduce or impede the housing supply? And, are regulations driving up prices, and making it difficult for homeowners to build their dream homes? Developers warn that one reason housing is scarce is that, in a typical market, an apartment complex with affordable rents costs more to build than developers can recoup through rents. And creating housing that is affordable has become even more dif­ ficult. So what can be done to change the situation? A substantial part of the The Hastings BdllllCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. problem and solution is within local control. New housing doesn’t just require land, materials and labor, it must pass through local approvals, which can be lengthy, often adding to development expenses. Plus new development that provides multi-family or affordable housing approvals are often conten­ tious and uncertain, which can impact the outcomes. According to a recent study by The American Economic Journal Macro­ economics, housing supply constraints don’t just add to rents and home pric­ es, they create a drag on the national economy and exacerbate income inequality. By loosening constraints on hous­ ing development, it increases the nation’s gross domestic product. Removing regulatory barriers to affordable housing and investing more in rental subsidies can strengthen the fabric of all communities, from rural towns and villages to major urban transit hubs. In fact, modernizing zon­ ing codes, housing permitting pro­ cesses and other land-use policies could allow housing resources to stretch farther. Plus, Hastings and other small towns throughout the county have a unique opportunity for growth due to their location near major metropolitan centers, and the existing character of their communities - we just need to agree on a plan for the future that will provide the level of growth and sus­ tainability that will attract high-quali­ ty development. When asked by the Hastings City Council ‘What suggestions do you have for us?’, my response was to allow city sewer and water into the neighboring townships where land is prevalent and it would allow a denser development to offset the cost of infrastructure. Plus Hastings has one of the few Opportunity Zones in the area, which attracts investment, especially when you’re dealing with a volatile stock market. We have options but our lead­ ers must be willing to use them. Growth just doesn’t happen; it takes a concerted effort by local groups and government. Good growth is inten­ tional, with thoughtful planning and strong support from the community. In the book 13 Ways To Kill Your Community, author Doug Griffiths warns leaders that, “Everything changes. The world is change. It always will be. You can watch it, understand it, internalize it, respond to it, adapt to it, regulate it, take part in it, capitalize on it and make it your own - or you can deny it is happening, ignore its consequences, and it will hit you like a freight train. Change will happen whether you like it or not. And change always wins.” Barry County is at a crossroads, we will either answer the call for addi­ tional housing and make it happen or we will reject change and experience the consequences of our actions. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Subscription Rates: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 5 Thornapple Players to perform ‘Steel Magnolias’ next week Man defrauded of $15,000 with phony check scam A 73-year-old Delton man reported he had been scammed out of $15,000 around 11 a.m. on Sept. 9. The man told police he had been talking to a woman he had never met on WhatsApp that claimed to be from Battle Creek. The woman told the man she was taking a trip to Florida to see her sickly uncle and asked the man to hang onto her money to keep it safe. She sent a check for $15,000 which the man deposited into his account. The woman then asked the man for several eBay gift cards totaling $3,000 and also asked that he wire $12,000 to a Utah man’s bank account, who she claimed was a surgeon. The man later discovered that the $15,000 check from the woman wasn’t valid, after which he contacted his bank and police. Bat in the belfry trips burglar alarm A 61-year-old Richland man met police outside a church on the 4000 block of Hick­ ory Road around 2 a.m. on Sept. 5 after a motion-sensor burglar alarm in the building was tripped. After walking through the building with the man, police found no signs of forced entry and found only a bat in the main room of the building. “Steel Magnolias” explores the bond between six women in rural Louisiana. The cast consists of (from left) Ellie Payne as Shelby, Pennie Westers as M'lynn, Julie Coon as Clairee, Cindy Faubert Hayes as Truvy, Kassi Pineau as Annelle and Vickie St. John as Ouiser. (Courtesy photo) The Thornapple Players will return to the Dennison Performing Arts Center stage next week to perform “Steel Magnolias.” Shows will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 1; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. Tickets for the shows will be $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. The Players will also have an open-to-thepublic dress rehearsal on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. All seats will be S7 for this rehearsal. “Steel Magnolias” tells the story of six women in rural Louisiana, based on author Robert Harling’s personal experiences. Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty salon in Chinquapin, La., where all the ladies in the neighborhood have a standing Saturday appointment. Along with her anx­ ious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of many of the women about town: wealthy widow and former first lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local cur­ mudgeon Ouiser, intelligent and compas­ sionate career woman M’Lynn and her daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town. From left, Clairee (Julie Coon) and Ouiser (Vickie St. John) listen to Annelle (Kassi Pineau) as she shares her life story at Truvy's. (Courtesy photo) Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the town, but the joy and excitement of her wed­ ding quickly turn to concern as she faces a risky pregnancy and a myriad of health com­ plications. Producer Norma Jean Acker said the Players performed “Steel Magnolias” in 2009 and are excited to be able to put on the show again 13 years later. When the Players first performed “Steel Magnolias,” the group was still located in the Czinder Hall­ mark Building. Even though the Players performed the show years ago, Acker believes this new cast will bring a thrilling, fresh take on the story. “We are very excited about this cast and crew,” said Acker. “You won’t want to miss it.” Lis Burton-Haas is making her directorial debut with Thomapple Players, though she has been seen on stage several times, includ­ ing in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Nun­ crackers,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and in the limited run of “Young Frankenstein” as Elizabeth. The cast includes Cindy Faubert Hayes as Truvy Jones, Kassi Pineau as Annelle Dupuy-Desoto, Julie Coon as Clairee Belcher, Ellie Payne as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie, Pennie Westers as M’lynn Eatenton and Vicki St. John as Ouiser Bou­ dreaux. In the crew are director Burton-Haas, assistant director and costumer Jennifer Craven, stage manager Terri Schray, lights operator Aidan Oliver, sound operator Rick Hemerling, house manager Carol Svihl, set builders and designers Dan and Audrey Bur­ ton and producer Acker. “We were not looking for actresses to imitate the film actors, but rather to work from the original script,” said Acker. “We have a great cast. The audience will not be disappointed.” The Dennison Performing Arts Center is at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings (entrance is through the door on Center Street). Advance tickets may be purchased at Pro­ gressive Graphics or by calling the Thor­ napple Arts Council of Barry County, 269­ 945-2002. Masks are encouraged, but not required. Hastings High School to host West Michigan Drum Bash The West Michigan Drum Bash returns to Baum Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 25 at noon. The annual event is no stranger to Hastings, where it has been held for several years in a row. West Michigan area high school drum­ lines are invited to perform their marching shows for each other at the Drum Bash, as well as for a clinician. Following each per­ formance, the clinician will work with the drumlines to help improve each band’s marching show. Mattawan, Portage North­ ern, Byron Center, Vicksburg and Hastings high schools are all expected to perform Sunday. Also performing at the West Michigan Drum Bash are the Western Michigan Univer­ sity Bronco Drumline and the Grand Valley State University Drumline. These university drumlines will have sectionals with each high school drumline to teach cadences and skills. To conclude the event, a “Mass Drumline” will be formed with all drumlines in atten­ dance. This Mass Drumline is expected to consist of around 120 drummers. The Hastings High School drumline is Around 120 drummers are expected to perform together at the conclusion of the West Michigan Drum Bash. (Courtesy photo) scheduled to perform at 1:25 p.m. Sunday, with lunch to follow. University drumline sectionals will take place at 2:30 p.m. Grand Valley State University’s drumline will per­ form at 3:05 p.m. with Western Michigan following at 3:30 p.m. The event is expected to conclude around 4:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are welcome to attend as long or as short as desired. More information about the West Michi­ gan Drum Bash can be found by visiting hastingsbands.com. Pig runs hog wild on neighbor’s property The Barry County Sheriff’s department received three reports from a 73-year-old Hastings man of a pig on the loose on the 1000 block of Valentine Road between Aug. 30 and Sept. 12. The man told police there was a frequent issue with his neighbor’s pig running loose on his property. After the third report, police issued the man’s neighbor with a citation for a violation of livestock-at-large laws. Man walks away from fiery crash, claims he was held at gunpoint Police responded to a reported crash near the intersection of Cedar Creek Road and West Dowling Road around 11 p.m. on Sept 1. While police were on the way, Barry County Central Dispatch informed the officer that the caller saw the driver of the vehicle walking away from the scene of the crash. Upon arriving, the officer saw the crashed vehicle on the side of the road fully engulfed in flames, with the Delton Fire Department working to put out the fire. Police searched the area but could not locate the driver. The next day at 9:30 a.m., a 34-year-old Delton man called to report that he was held at gunpoint and had crashed the vehicle. The man told police he had left the bar around 10 p.m. that night and started to drive home when a man appeared from the backseat of the vehicle and jabbed him in the ribs with a handgun. The man told police he then crashed the vehicle, although he doesn’t remember how. After the vehicle crashed, he said the man with the gun asked him to walk into the woods, which they both did before the gunman was picked up by another vehicle. A witness on the scene told police he heard the accident occur outside his home and came out to see what happened, where he saw a crashed vehicle on fire. The witness saw a man walking away from the scene, who he asked if he was okay and if there was any­ one else in the crash. The man told the witness it was just him and gave him a thumbs up before walking into the woods. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Sept. 22-28 Sept. 1-30 - September Storywalk Book: “Be a Tree!” By Maria Gianferrari. Learn how you can be a tree, and how, collective­ ly, we can be a forest - stronger together. After reading the book, stop by the south side bathrooms of the Visitor Center for activities to learn more about Michigan’s trees. A portion of this Storywalk book is thanks to the generosity of Joel and Barba­ ra Vandyken. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Saturday, Sept. 24 - Learning the Land Series: Sand Prairie Summer, 10 a.m.noon. Listed as imperiled habitat in Michi­ gan, learn the features of a sand prairie, search for box turtles with one of the Insti­ tute’s researchers and enjoy a saunter through this rare place. This event is open to those 9-years-old or older, but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Members can enjoy this event for free, and non-members will pay $5. Saturday, Sept. 24 - The Scientist’s Secret: Puzzle Game on the Trails kick-off event, 1-5 p.m. Outdoor and puzzle enthu­ siasts will finally be able to enjoy an event that combines their interests. Part scaven­ ger hunt and part escape room, this outside puzzle game will equate to 100 percent fun. Attendees can play as an individual or as a team. Participants will discover a jour­ nal left by an Institute scientist and will follow in their footsteps to learn the secrets of the natural world and return the journal. Small prizes will be awarded to the fastest teams of the day. Hints will be provided for those that get stuck. Registration for a timeslot is required to compete for the prizes. This is the kick-off event to the semi-permanent puzzle game on PCCI’s trails. Following the kick-off event, the self-guided puzzle game will be available for all of fall. Want to do this puzzle game as a team-building activity for your scouts or workplace? Please contact Ellen Holste, Community Program Manager at eholste@cedarcreekinstitute.org for more details. Timeslots for this event are: 1 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. This event is free for mem­ bers and $5 for non-members. Anyone 9-years-old or older is welcome to the event. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedar­ creekinstitute. org/events .html. West Michigan area drumline members will perform and learn valuable skills from their peers, clinicians and university drum­ line members Sunday. Here, Ashton Rasey plays the quads. (Courtesy photo) HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY CALENDAR FOR SEPT. 22-28 The celebration will be held in Hastings at Dave and Terri Barry’s home, 1151 Welcome Rd., Hastings. from 12noon-3pm on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Thursday, Sept. 22 - Movie Memories watches a 1953 film starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan and Anne Francis, 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26 - Crafting Passions, 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 - mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; open com­ puter lab learning, 2 p.m.; acoustic jam session, 4 p.m. The Hastings Public Library is celebrating Banned Books Month and Library Card Month. During September, there will be displays, activities and drawings throughout the library to celebrate. Patrons with lost, worn, old or grungy cards can get a free replacement this month. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. A picnic lunch will be provided (BBQ pulled pork sandwiches—we know that Cindi's sandwich would be just the coleslaw on a bun). Please bring your own lawn chairs, laughter, j and stories. Memory Sharing at T i-. 1 pm. We hope you can come a celebrate having Cindi in ^^1 �Page 6 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Charles Shaffer Charles Harrison Shaffer, age 93, died peacefully at home in Hastings on September 19, 2022. Charles was bom in July of 1929 to Charles and Vernie Catherine Shaffer in Elk, WV. He graduated from Thomas High School in West Virginia in 1947 and joined the U.S. Navy, serving from 1948 to 1952 aboard the USS Rochester CA-124, which engaged in hostilities during the Korean War. After his service, he continued his educa­ tion at Fairmont State College, Fairmont WV 1957; Bowling Green State University, OH 1968, and completed additional post-masters hours at Central Michigan University. In 1957 he married Dorothy Ann Hughes. Charlie’s passion in life was education and working with youth. For 36 years, he was a secondary school educator and administrator. "R /i He taught and served as a school administra­ tor in Alexandria and Carey, Ohio and retired from teaching at Tri-County High School in Howard City, MI. During the active years of his life, Charles held many different posi­ tions in his church and was active in commu­ nity service organizations including Gideons speaking. He was a woodcarver and photog­ rapher. After retiring, Charlie and Dorothy spent 20 years traveling with NOMADS, a Mission Volunteer Group for the United Methodists. Most of all, he enjoyed the sim­ plicity of life and had strong moral values; his deep faith was his foundation, and his family was closest to his heart. Charles was preceded in death by his parent; his eight brothers; and 11 sisters. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy Ann Shaffer, sons, Karl D. (Joanne) and Donald H. (Valerie) Shaffer, and seven beloved grandchildren: Dorianne (Eric) Shaffer-Meineke, Jeannette, Kathryn, David, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Kevin Shaffer. Services conducted by Pastor Bryce Feighner will be held at the Green Street United Methodist Church in Hastings on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 at 11 a.m. with inter­ ment at the Fuller Cemetery in Carlton Township, Barry County. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. If desired, memorial contri­ butions may be given to the Green Street United Methodist Church or Barry County Cares. Funeral arrangements have been entrust­ ed to Daniels Funeral Home - Hastings, conveniently located at 1401 North Broad­ way, Hastings MI. For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net * Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted ■I Ow ner/Manager XX 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated o™r Emeritus Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Emai 1 hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. Warren E Coe Richard Allan Marsh, age 80, of Hastings, MI, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. Richard was born January 15, 1942 in Bat­ tle Creek, MI the son of Richard Arza Marsh and Margaret (Narmore) Martin. He attended Lakeview High School in Battle Creek. Rich­ ard was married to Elizabeth (Pam) Marsh for 17 years, and Shirley “Shug” (Sult) Marsh for 40 years until her passing in 2019. Richard began his restaurant career in 1961 at Speed’s Coffee Shop in Battle Creek. In 1979 Richard and his wife “Shug” opened Richie’s Koffee Shop in downtown Hastings. They worked side by side for many years building the business together. Richard loved the restaurant and was so grateful for all his loyal customers. He also appreciated all of you who have worked at the restaurant over the years. He was proud to provide a place for people to gather, socialize and enjoy a meal. Richard loved to fish. From steelhead fish­ ing up north with his son Richie to shark fishing off Bob Hall Pier on Padre Island. He also enjoyed many weekend fishing trips with his buddies (may they all rest in peace). Rich­ ard was a loving husband and father. He was a friend and familiar face to many. Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley “Shug” Marsh; son, Richard A. Marsh, Jr.; father, Richard A. Marsh; mother, Margaret Martin, and brother, Phillip Marsh. He is survived by his daughters, Toni and Courtney Marsh; grandchildren, Mason Trumbull, Madalin Trumbull, Gia Marsh, great-grandchildren, Grace Trumbull, Quintyn Trumbull, and sister, Vicki (Larry) Fiandt. A visitation will be-held Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, from 1 to 3 p.m. and again from 5 to 7 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Donald Lee Brail, age 93, of Hastings, MI, went to Heaven on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. Don was bom July 7, 1929 at Parma, MI, the youngest of Howard and Hazel Brail’s three sons. He spent his childhood on the family farm in Horton and then Leslie, where he graduated from high school in 1947. After graduation, Don worked in the business office of the Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper. From 1950-1952, Don served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict. Upon his discharge from the Army, he and Haroldine Louise Hartley were married on May 9, 1953 in Parma. In 1964, Don and Haroldine responded to God’s call and moved to Iowa to begin a life­ time of Christian ministry. Don became an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church, faithfully serving pastorates in Iowa City, Hamburg, Sioux City and Toddville, Iowa; and Hastings and Zeeland, MI. His ministry was notable for the successful building proj­ ects and church growth at many of his pastor­ ates. Don led missionary trips to Haiti, and he and Haroldine were blessed to visit the Holy Land. After retiring from full time ministry, Don was active in Senior Adult ministries throughout north Michigan. The hallmark of Don’s life was his love for others. He was a devoted husband and father. Don was a talented artist and floral designer; his family’s homes are all decorated with his artwork. He was a generous mentor, an encourager to all, a good and faithful man. Don is survived by son, Bob and Deb Brail of St. Charles, MO; son, Brad and Pam Brail of Warsaw, IN; daughter, Liz-Brail of Hast­ ings; daughter, Ddwn and Duane SecOrd of Hastings; seven grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Har­ oldine, in 2021 after 68 years of marriage. Visitation is planned for 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 at Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Satur­ day, Sept. 24, 2022 at the Hastings Free Methodist Church, Military Honors provided by American Legion Post 45. A private inter­ ment will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, at a later date. Memo­ rials may be directed to the Hastings Free Methodist Church. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Warren E. Coe, age 78, of Hastings, MI, passed away Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, due to Parkinson’s. He was bom November 30,. 1943, in Taunton, MA to the late Emerson and Eunice (Morgan) Coe. Warren moved to Mesa, AZ as a young child and attended Mesa High School and Arizona State University. He was in ROTC and after graduating he entered the United States Air Force as a lieutenant and served in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. He was later stationed at Scott Air Force Base in O’Fallon, IL where he met his future wife,, Joyce. Warren later retired from the Air National guard as a major. He was active in the Middleville UMC choir and loved to sing. He retired from Amway in 2007. Since that time, he has enjoyed spend­ ing time with his family, especially his grand­ daughters. Warren made friends wherever he went. He loved life, and his family and was a devoted Christian. Warren always had a big smile and a great sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Warren was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Jessica and his parents. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Joyce; children, Rich (Ingrid), Todd (Angie), and Kevin Coe; granddaughters, Elizabeth, Madeline, Kendra, and Emily Coe. Gathering of family and friends will take place Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, at 11 a.m. at Middleville United Methodist Church, 111 Church Street, Middleville, Ml 49333, with a celebration of life service beginning at 1 p.m. Military Honors will be rendered after the service by the United States Air Force and American Legion Post #45: 'Refreshment^ will be served afterwards. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to Middleville United Method­ ist Church. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Kindred Hospice, especially Mel and Kristi and to Lum inate Home Care, especially Cheryl. To send a message of sympathy to the fam­ ily, sign Warren’s online guest book, or to share a favorite memory, please visit: www. MichiganCremation.com > Eric Charles McLaury 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. Helen Mae Garrett LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Him Fiberglass products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Donald Lee Brail WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Richard Allan Marsh «»M0F 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Eric Charles McLaury bom December 3, 1957 in Garden City, MI to Warren and Eve­ lyn McLaury died September 6, 2022 in Dan­ ville,PA. He was preceded in death by his father and is survived by his mother; siblings, Salena McLaury, Maire (Steven) Kineman, Annette (Wally) Houck, and daughter, Emily McLaury. Eric spent his childhood years in Hastings, where he attended primary and high school, graduating in 1976. While in high school, Eric was very active in the French Club where he found that he was able to master the French language. He also spent four years on the var­ sity tennis team. These two passions carried into his adult life. After high school he traveled to Europe where he used fluency in French, found adventure in travel, and vowed to return to live someday. Eric McLaury spent 21 years in the Global Telecommunication industry, using his fluency in French where he worked domestically in Houston, TX and Atlanta, GA. He then took his work experience internationally relocating many years to Paris, France and Sydney, Australia. Eric married Cathy Pixley on September 26, 1981 and they have a daughter, Emily, who was the light of his life. Upon Emily’s birth Eric became a loving father who adored Emily and was proud of her accomplishments as an adult. Eric enjoyed playing tennis and being near the ocean in Naples, FL where he often said that he “was the most content.” He also enjoyed playing euchre and croquet. Through the years he made numerous trips to Disney World with his family. No service had been scheduled at this time. Cards and remembrances can be sent to Emily McLaury at accemm2@yahoo.com Mrs. Helen Mae Garrett, age 89, of Delton, MI, passed away on September 18, 2022. Mrs. Garrett was born on March 26, 1933 in Kalamazoo, MI the daughter of Decil R. and Mildred M (Sprague) Fuhrman. She lived most of her life in the Delton area. On January 19, 1954, she was united in marriage to Maurice James Garrett, Jr. on the Bride and Groom Television show in New York. She is survived by two sons Timothy A. (Vicki A.) Garrett of Delton and Christopher J. (Rachel M.) Garrett of Saginaw; a grand­ son, Camden J. Garrett; two granddaughters, Alannah M. Garrett and Aaralyn R. Garrett, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Maurice J. Garrett, Jr.; parents; daugh­ ter, Christina Joan; sister, Joan F. Hayward of Delton; brothers and sisters-in-law, Rob­ ert D. and Meredith Fuhrman of Kalamazoo, and Richard E. and Rita Fuhrman of Silver­ dale, WA. Mrs. Garrett received both her bachelor and master degrees in music education from Western Michigan University. She taught instrumental music at the Pennfield School, Battle Creek, and Gull Lake Community Schools (formally Kellogg Consolidated). She was a Michigan Band and Orchestra music adjudicator adjudicating at the Michi­ gan District and State Solo and Ensemble Festivals for 28 years. She was an oboist for the Battle Creek Symphony for 26 years. She was an amateur radio operator (W8JOK) for 60 years, enjoying her hobby with her husband. Memorials may be made to Eversight or the charity of one’s choice. Interment will take place at East Hickory Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Helen’s family. Sandy Tebo to celebrate 80th birthday , Sandy Tebo (Woodman) is celebrating 80 years of memories on September 29th. Sandy married Dan 59 years ago. They have three children, nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. You can help Sandy honor this milestone by sending cards and well-wishes to:' 84 Culbert Drive Hastings, MI 49508 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 7 Ralph Briggs On September 18, 2022, Ralph Briggs passed away unexpectedly, yet peacefully in his home on the lake. He is survived by his brother Jerry and his five children, Shellie McQueen, Michael, Carl, Benjamin, and Nathan Briggs, eight grandchil­ dren, and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in passing by his loving wife of 64 years Gladys Faye, and his two grandsons, Bryan McQueen, and Matthew Briggs. Ralph was bom in Battle Creek, MI on July 3, 1938 to Howard and Elva Briggs. Ralph grew up in a time that was simpler, and an appreciation for simple things was enough. Ralph X / participated in football, and baseball where he excelled as an athlete and an active member of his small com­ munity of Hickory Comers. Ralph’s plans to continue his educa­ tion and sports were in one moment changed, when he met the love of his life, Gladys Faye. Anyone who met him has heard his “love at first sight” story and how he beamed sharing the introduction from a friend to the one true love of his life “Faye”. There are many other stories he loved to share about his 14 years in the service including time spent in Vietnam, Ger­ many, Okinawa, and teaching at the engineering school in Ft. Benning Georgia. The place and times would change but with every story, there was always the common theme of Gladys, and family that truly was the center of his purpose as well as the message of love he was always so willing to share. In his 84 years on earth, anyone lucky enough to know him and get a glimpse of his story, truly left know­ ing they had met a man who had truly found the meaning of life and the contentness that comes with being humble as well as appreciative of sharing life with those he loved. For those who got closer, they were shown the clear example of what being a father, grandfather, friend, and husband is supposed to look like. fl look Ba6k at the stories and columns on local history y f In the Hastings Banner TURNING / BACK THE I PAGES Editor’s Note: The following series was originally researched and written by Joyce F. Weinbrecht in 1996for the From Time to Time column. This series chronicles the early days of the Ladies Foreign Missionary Society in Woodland. Weinbrecht used meeting minutes to let readers get a feel for the Woodland of the 1870s. Some of the women mentioned in this series are referred to by their husbands ’names instead ofby their own individual names and identities. It is unfortunate these ladies ’ names have been lost to the Banner archives, but their individual impact has left a lasting impression on local history. Banner Jan. 2, 1997 On July 25, 1877, the ladies of the Methodist Church of Woodland Centre organized a Ladies Foreign Missionary Society. While most of the members were associated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, they accepted ladies who belonged or were affiliated with other area churches. Members were accepted by a vote of the body. Apparently, some of the ladies just dropped out without any formal recognition. On March 10, 1880, a rule was made that if a member wished to withdraw from the society, they had to bring it before the society them­ selves, or send it in writing for a vote of accep­ tance from the membership. One member who was regular and faithful to the society was Celestia Cole St. John. She was called “Aunt Celestia” by the children of the area. Her husband, Joel St. John, owned and operated the sawmill on Mud Creek, southwest of Woodland in the Kilpatrick neighborhood. Celestia was a schoolteacher and a writer. She often wrote poetry and essays to be read at the meetings. She also taught Sunday school most of her life. The society assembled at the home of Mrs. Stinchcomb on Dec. 1,1880. The committee on delinquent members was discharged. The quilt and the quilt blocks were to be brought to the January 1881 meeting. A reading, “Light In the Darkness” was read by Mrs. Stinchcomb. The meeting was held at the M.E. Parsonage on Jan. 5, 1881. The amount of the receipts at the meeting was “nothing.” The quilt was to be given to Mrs. Chatfield when it was done. The quilt would be made into a comforter. The meeting for Feb. 2, 1881, was held at Mrs. Valentine’s home. The Constitution of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society was read by Mrs. H.D. Carpenter. The name of Mrs. Emma Deria was accepted for membership. There were 11 members present. On March 2, 1881, the society met at the residence of Mrs. A.P. Holly. There were 11 members present. The election of officers was voted to be done by acclamation. A committee was appointed to meet with the Baptist Com­ mittee about a public meeting. Harriet Holly, Frances and Belle Stowell were appointed to that committee. On April 6. 1881, 10 members assembled at the home of Mrs. N. Brown. Belle Stowell and Mrs. Stinchcomb were appointed as delegates to the district meeting. The committee for arrangements of the district meeting was dis­ charged. Officers were elected as follows: Mrs. A.P. Holly, president; Mrs. H.J. Stowell, vice president; Mrs. Esther Jordan, recording secre­ tary; Eva Holly, corresponding secretary; and Mrs. Belle Stowell, treasurer. A standing vote of thanks was given (to) the recording secretary The years of walking to work multi­ ple jobs to feed his family, as well as the way he never missed an event for either his children and or grandchil­ dren. Ralph loved with a passion for life that was both selfless as well as committed to others, never wavering for what he believed to be right to him as well as what he thought was right for you. You set the bar high for us Pop, and for that we are forever grateful for the time we had! We will forever be grateful for the example of how to be Human and optimistic in the “Not so Simple” time we are currently in. I know if you had your way, you’d be here to continue showing us the path, but rest peacefully with Gladys. Your work here is done, and you have hon­ orably left a proud legacy and exam­ ple of what being a Husband, Father, Grandfather, son, and Friend should look like Ralph’s family will receive friends on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Beeler-Gores Funeral Home where his funeral service will be con­ ducted on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 at 9 a.m. Burial will take place in Mount Hope Cemetery. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Ralph’s family. Michael D. Yarger Michael D. “Mike” Yarger, age 60, of Noblesville, IN, was taken too soon and passed away sur­ rounded by his family on Thurs­ day, Sept. 15, 2022 at Community Hospital North in Indianapolis. He was bom on June 26, 1962 in Hast­ ings, MI. In his youth, Mike enjoyed adventuring with his siblings, hunting, playing baseball, and col­ lecting baseball cards. He was a 1980 graduate of Hastings High School and received a bachelor’s degree in business from Grand Valley State University in 1984 where he met Sara. For over 20 years, Mike worked as a manager for Guide One Insurance. He enjoyed working outside and being in nature, and loved watch­ ing birds with Sara in their back­ yard. He loved to play with his dog, Gracie, and walked her faith­ fully. Mike was an avid sports fan and inherited his love for collect­ ing baseball cards and sports mem­ orabilia from his great grand­ mother. From an early age, many of Mike’s favorite memories revolved around a multigenerational love for the Detroit Tigers and the Dodgers. Mike enjoyed coaching his girls’ sporting teams over the years and advocated for equal opportunities in girls sports. Mike was known to be fair in everything he did. His helpful ways, kind heart, and calming presence in every situation made him one in a million. His wise counsel, patience, generosity, and sense of humor were a gift to all who knew him. Most of all, Mike treasured his time with his family through all of their life experienc­ es. He will be missed beyond mea­ sure. He is survived by his wife of nearly 37 years, Sara Yarger; daughters, Emily Yarger and Melissa Yarger (fiance Nick Clapp); father, David (Alyce) Yarger; mother, Patricia (Tom) Chmiel; sisters, Kim (Craig) Denny and Kelly Yoder; brother­ in-law, Jeff (Peggy) Brady; nieces, Sarah Hayes, Rachael Hart, Sarah Brady, and Lauren Brady; nephew, Matthew Hayes; great-nieces, Emma Morey and Alexa Morey; and great-nephews, Drew Morey and Carter Morey. Mike was preceded in death by his grandparents, Dennis and Win­ ifred Yarger and Ralph and Agnes Andrews; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Lois Brady; and his brother-in-law, Bill Yoder. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022 at Randall and Roberts Funeral Center, 1685 Westfield Road, in Noblesville. Pastor Paul Mumaw will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society-Indiana, PO Box 772389, Detroit, MI 48277-2389 (www.lls. org/donate); or Lupus Foundation of America, 2121 K Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037­ 1830 (www.lupus.org). Condolences: www.randallroberts.com Ladies Foreign Missionary Society (part III) for her services of the past four years. Harriet Stowell Holly was married to Alansen P. Holly, who was an engineer. He traveled for the Holly Manufacturing Co. of Lockport, N.Y. as an erecting engineer for the Holly Sys­ tem of Water Works. He installed plants in Jackson, Adrian, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Bay City, Muskegon and other cities in Michigan as well as other states. The society met at the residence of Mrs. J.B. Coville on May 4, 1881. There were eight mem­ bers present. Harriet Stowell presided at this meeting. The minutes of the last meeting were not accepted until they had been corrected. They made a motion to have printed programs for this meeting. The motion lost. No printed programs for-this meeting. Mrs. Brown read a letter, from Bulgaria. Mrs. Orwick read a piece entitled “Father Weller and the Oregon Mission.” Sarah King’s dues were remitted to her until August. No reason for this action was given. In June of 1881, the society met at the resi­ dence of Sarah King, with 11 members and four visitors present. A reading entitled “Sand Storm” was given by Frances Stowell and Mrs. H. Brown, and a reading called “Rest” was given by Mrs. Jesse Jordan. Dues were collect­ ed in the amount of 25 cents and 17 cents for the mite box. A motion was made to have the next meeting at the church. It was voted down. They would meet at Belle Stowell’s home. Mrs. Jesse (Esther) Jordan was married to the man who supposedly was the first bom child in Woodland Township. At least he for sure was the first boy child bom there, on the family farm in section four, of Woodland Township. The contender for first bom in Woodland Township was Huldah Hager, who was thought to have been bom on May 14, 1838 while Jesse Jordan was bom on Sept. 29 1839. Jesse Jordan was a farmer on section 28. He enlisted in the Civil War and send many letters back to Michigan from the battlefields describing the conditions there. July 6, 1881 found the society assembled at the residence of Belle Stowell. A total of $3 was collected in dues, and 29 cents for the mite box. Mrs. Ira Stowell read a piece entitled “Woman’s Sphere of Action.” Eva Holly then read, “A Rainy Day in China.” There were 10 members and four visitors present. Aug. 3, 1881, found the group assembled at the residence of Mrs. Henry Stowell. The trea­ surer’s report was referred to the auditing com­ mittee. This committee was Eva Holly and Frances Stowell. Two new members joined, Mrs. Anna Schantz and Mrs. J.W. Holmes. Mrs. Stowell read “Silver Plate” and “A Meet­ ing in China.” Dues collected at this meeting were $3 and 30 cents for the mite box. A motion was made and carried to have the Sep­ tember meeting at the church and to invite area societies to this meeting. Each society is to furnish some reading matter for this meeting. There were 12 members and four visitors. Sept. 7, 1881, the meeting was held at the church. Brother Orwick led the opening exer­ cises of this meeting. Dues collected were $3.25. The first essay was by Almira Wheeler and was on missionary work. Mrs. Lucy Bar­ num gave a reading entitled “Working For Each Other.” Mrs. Keagle gave a reading on missionary work. Celestia St. John then gave a Bible reading in which all present participated. Refreshments were served. Mite money of $1.25 was received. The society met at the parsonage on Oct. 5, 1881. It was decided that the auditing commit­ tee report would be held over to the November meeting. Eveline Stowell and Esther Jordan were to be sent as delegates to the district meet­ ing to be held at Palo on the 18^ of October. An essay entitled “Work For Thee” was read. The next reading, by Sister Orwick, was “A Famine Cry.” The next piece was entitled “Help those Women,” and was read by Miss Sidal. A letter was read by Sister Orwick on missionary work written by O.B. Hening. There were eight members present. The group was to meet in November at Mrs. Rising’s home. The group didn’t meet at Rising’s in Novem­ ber, however. No reason was given for the change. Instead, they assembled at the parson­ age for the second month in a row. The report of the auditing committee was held over until the December meeting. Dues collected were $1.35. Eveline Stowell gave a report on the District meeting which has been held at Palo. Belle Stowell read “A Plea for a Missionary.” “The Woman’s Work Among the Zelugans” was read by Sister Orwick. They did meet at the home of Mrs. G.W. Rising on Dec. 6, 1881, with 10 members pres­ ent. The auditing committee report was held over for another month. A total of $1 was col­ lected in dues. Mrs.-J*a Stowell gave -a-reading called “Women and the Bible.” “Stirring up Gifts” was given by Eva Holly, and “Competi­ tion with an Idol” was read by Ellen Carpenter. March 1, 1882 meeting of the society. The sec­ retary was absent, so no minutes were read. Dues collected were $1.35. Sister Orwick was paid 70 cents, no reason given. A reading enti­ tled, “For Love’s Sake” was read by Mrs. H. Brown, and a second one entitled, “The Seal­ skin Flood” was done by Eva Holly. The Rev­ erend J.F. Orwick addressed the group. April 5, 1882 found the society meeting at the parsonage. The meeting opened in the usual form. A total of $2.85 was collected in dues and $1.62 for the mite box. Three new members joined at this meeting. They were Mrs. A.J. Carpenter, Mrs. I. Baughman and Mrs. William Lee. Election of officers was held, with the following person elected: president, Mrs. H.J. Steweffi-recording secretary, Mrs. Jesse Jordan- and Mrs. Ira Stowell were appointed as dele­ gates to the district meeting. A motion was made that the newly elected president appoint This is a trick photograph of James Tyler pushing himself in a wheelbarrow. The Methodist Episcopal Church can be seen in the background. He always joked about it being a picture of James Tyler pushing Jimmy Tyler. Ellen Cooper Carpenter was often called Mrs. Dr. Carpenter in the minutes of the meetings. She was married to Dr. Henry C. Carpenter, who was a homeopathic doctor, having attended the Homeopathic College in Cleveland. He and his sons Claude and George formed a partnership in a hardware store in Lake Odessa. Claude bought him out after a couple of years. Ellen was the daughter of Israel Howell Cooper, sister to Eva Cooper Holly, Cora Coo­ per Rowlader. Cora was the last of the 26 char­ ter members of the Woodland Methodist Epis­ copal Foreign Missionary Society, which had been founded by Mrs. J. Roberts, the wife of the Reverend J. Roberts. On Jan. 4, 1882, the society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. Carpenter. A reading was present­ ed by Mrs. James Jordan, entitled “True Liv­ ing.” “An Appeal to Young Women” was given by Mrs. Carpenter, as well as one entitled “Indi­ vidual Responsibility.” There were nine mem­ bers present and three visitors. Dues collected were 25 cents and for the mite box, 55 cents. Mrs. A.P. Holly entertained the Woman’s Foreign Missionaiy Society at her home on Feb. I, 1882, with 12 members present. The auditing committee gave its report and was discharged. It was decided by a motion which carried that the treasurer would give a report at each meeting of the amount of money collected. Collected at this meeting was “42.25 in dues and 20 cents for the mite box. The March meeting was scheduled for the home of Mrs. Ira Stowell. Ira Stowell came to Woodland in 1858, set­ tling on section 17. He was a carpenter, and helped build the schoolhouse in 1856 and the town hall in 1858. He was supervisor and high­ way commissioner for Woodland Township for many years. Desire Evaline Rising Stowell was the daughter of Henry Jerome and Clarissa Noble Rising. The Ira Stowell home was the sight of the the vice president. Resolutions were read by Sister Orwick. A motion was made and carried that the society adopt the resolutions. The trea­ surer was requested to give a quarterly report. There was a memorial service in honor of Sis­ ter Hickmer, who had passed away. This was conducted by Sister Orwick, Mrs. Haight, Frances Stowell and Eva holly. There were 18 members and four visitors present. On May 3, 1882, the society met at the home of Eva Holly. A total of $1 was collected in dues. The president appointed the following officers: Mrs. Hellen Cooper, first vice presi­ dent; Mrs. Minerva Hough, second vice presi­ dent; Mrs. Eva Holly, committee of music; Mrs. D.B. Coville and Mrs. Dr. Baughman, Literary Committee. Mrs. H.C. Carpenter gave the reading “Stone Hill Mission.” Mrs. St. Johns gave a reading, “Questioning.” There were eight members present and one visitor. Mrs. David B. Coville was active in the com­ munity and the church. David B. Coville was active in the Free and Accepted Masons. Mrs. Coville was a charter member of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society. The Covilles were livery stable operators and hotel operators, among other occupations. In June of 1882, the society met at the home of Mrs. D.B. Coville. Dues of $1.45 were col­ lected. Aunt Matilda Haight gave a reading entitled, “Intelligent Giving for Missions.” There was a reading by Mrs. Coville on Bible work and a poem read by Mrs. H.C. Carpenter. There were nine members present. On July 5, 1882, the society met at the resi­ dence of Mrs. St. John. The Reverend J.F. Orwick was in attendance at this meeting and gave the opening prayer. There was one new member, Mrs. Ruby Barber. There (were) 40 cents collected for the mite box and 20 cents in dues. It was decided to pay $1 toward the Rullison fund. (No explanation given as to what the Rullison fund was.) “South Africa” was read by Mrs. J.F. Orwick. Mrs. H.C. Carpenter contin­ ued with the reading on the same subject. There were 12 members present and nine visitors. Hellen Cooper opened her home to the soci­ ety on Aug. 2, 1882. A total of $1.80 was col­ lected in dues and mite money. There was a motion made that the election of officers be changed from April to October. There was also a motion made and carried to hold a missionary concert on August 25. Eva Holly and Hellen Cooper were appointed to the auditing commit­ tee. Mrs. Carpenter, Mrs. Orwick and Mrs. Holly gave readings at this meeting. There were 10 members and three visitors present. “Aunt” Matilda Ingerson Haight, daughter of Ira Ingerson-, wife of Johnathan Haight, one of the three bachelors who settled Woodland, was an early member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a charter member of the Woman’s Fellowship Missionary Society. Matilda Ingerson married Johnathan Haight on Dec. 26,1847. He had come to the Woodland area as one of three bachelors and was the last of the trio to marry. Sept. 5, 1882, the society assembled at the home of the H.C. Carpenters. Dues collected were 55 cents and mite money was 29 cents. It was decided by a vote that the society subscribe to the paper entitled “Gospel in All Lands.” A reading entitled “Vacation Is Over” was read by Hellen Cooper. There were eight members and one visitor present at this meeting. Mrs. Baughman joined the society in 1882 when her husband Dr. John A. Baughman came to Woodland to practice. He stayed in Wood­ land until 1890, when he moved his practice to Hastings. They later returned to Woodland and again practiced in Woodland until 1896. He then moved to Alaska. Mrs. Baughman remained a society member during her stay in Woodland. The doctor was a graduate of Bellevue Medical College, in New York City. He operated a drug­ store during his years in Woodland. Oct. 11,1882, the meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Jesse Jordan. Mrs. Harriet Holly was nom­ inated to serve as delegate to the district meeting, which was to be held in Lowell the last (week) of October. Dues collected were $1.75. A reading by Ruby Barnum was entitled “Left Undone.” “Mis­ sionary Revival” was read by Electa Cooper. Mrs. Eva Holly also gave a reading. On Nov. 7, 1882, the meeting was held at the home of Mrs. C.C. Hough. The audit commit­ tee read its report and it was accepted. The committee was discharged. Mrs. Colestalk and Mrs. Vanderwalker were accepted as new members. Dues collected were $2.14. Mite money was 25 cents. Election of officers was by acclamation, except for the president to be elected by ballot. Eva Holly received the majority of the votes and was declared to be the president. Mary Lee gave the first reading, entitled “Missionary Enthusiasm.” Eva Holly read, “He Careth for Me.” There were 10 mem­ bers and three visitors present. Mrs. A.J. Carpenter entertained the society on Dec. 6,1882. The meeting opened in regular form. Collected was $1.01 for dues and 20 cents for the mite box. The first reading was done by Eveline Stowell and was entitled “A Great Revolution.” Mrs. A.P. Holly read a piece entitled “Five Pennies.” The president, Eva Holly, reported on the district meeting. Mary Lee was appointed first vice president and A.P. Holly was made second vice president. Mrs. H.C. Carpenter gave some remarks on the work of missionaries and temperance work. There was a motion that the Ladies of Woodland meet with the Baptist Society at Mrs. H.C. Carpen­ ter’s home to reorganize the W.C.T. Union (Women’s Christian Temperance Union). There were 10 members and three visitors present. Mary Lee was married to William Lee, who at one time owned the property where the Lee schoolhouse stood. William Lee was a charter member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and was its first Senior Warden. Mar Lee was active in the community and the church. (To be continued...) �Page 8 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Barry County United Way Executive Director Lani Forbes addressed vol­ unteers that gathered at the Barry County Expo Center before they headed out to their Day of Caring projects on Sept. 15. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) From left to right, volunteers Heather Albright, Stacy Gangwer, Ronnie Fogg, Melissa Priest and Leah Ruesink from the Barry County ISD worked to clean up the garden in front of the Habitat for Humanity build­ ing in Hastings. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Sheryl Lewis-Blake (left), former Spectrum Health Pennock executive, and Lynae Mathews from Buckland Insurance helped to prepare the Barry County Commission on Aging’s windows to be repainted. “Day of Caring symbolizes the best of Barry County,” Lewis-Blake said. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) CARE FORCE; United Way Day of Caring brings out hundreds of volunteers Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hundreds of volunteers donated thousands of hours of work to various community proj­ ects throughout Barry County last week as part of the Barry County United Way’s Day of Caring event. The non-profit organization holds the event every year in conjunction with its fundraising campaign kickoff event. Volunteers gathered in the Barry County Expo Center grandstands to hear a performance from the Thornapple Kellogg Fligh School Band before heading out to their service projects. The theme for this year’s campaign is “United Now More Than Ever,” both a call to action and a reference to the community’s continued support of the organization despite the challenges raised in the past three years. Lani Forbes, Barry County United Way executive director, said the organization has set a goal of $700,000 raised for this year’s campaign. United Way had already received $253,000 in donations on the day of the kick­ off event, about 35 percent of its goal. “Today, we are going to show our commu­ nity that we are stronger together, that we are needed here and we are united more now than ever,” Forbes said. “Thank you so much for being here.” Forbes offered some information to contex­ tualize what donations to the Barry County United Way could provide. A donation of $ I a week provides around 300 pounds of food to those who need it, and $5 a week provides an infant with a safe sleeping environment. Barry County United Way provided 300 students with school supplies in August, its Meals on Wheels program supports 322 seniors daily, and nearly 1,500 children will be provided with a new book in September, she said. “When we are united, lives change, children reach their full potential, seniors are support­ ed, families achieve success and urgent needs are addressed,” she said. “Our community needs us to be united now more than ever.” This year’s appointed United Way cam­ paign chair is Rich Franklin, Barry County Intermediate School District superintendent. Franklin said the Day of Caring encapsulates the important kind of public services that are made possible through the United Way. “We know that the United Way campaign is about raising funds to do the things that we need to do,” Franklin said. “But the Day of Caring kicks off our campaign not talking about money, not talking about asking for money, but talking about giving of ourselves, our time, our talent and our sweat equity to put into our communities.” And volunteers put in plenty of sweat in their volunteer efforts during Day of Caring. The annual event leverages the help of the hundreds of volunteers to take on projects across Barry County, from Middleville down to Delton. This year’s Day of Caring started last Thursday with the kick-off before volun­ teers tackled projects both in the morning and afternoon. Volunteer projects continued Sat­ urday morning with no activities Friday. Last year, nearly 500 volunteers completed 1,700 hours of volunteer work as part of Day of Caring. In Barry County, it’s expected that about 500 volunteers show up every year. The Village of Middleville, and elsewhere through Thomapple Township, were just two destinations where volunteers descended. Volunteers trimmed, thinned and trans­ planted flower beds throughout the village and also cleaned up the Paul Henry Trail from overgrown brush. Another crew painted the fence that divides Thomapple Township Hall and Westen’s Carpet. Middleville resident Brenda Kearly worked outside of the Thornapple Township Emergen­ cy Services building to weed the landscape and thin it out. She was one of over 40 volunteers from Bradford White and the UAW. It was her second year volunteering for the cause. “ft gives you a little extra pride,” said Kearly, who works on the heat pump line at Bradford White. “I drive right through here five days a week.” Editor Jayson Bussa contributed to this report A group of volunteers overhauled the landscape outside of the Thornapple Township Emergency Services building. This was just one of the many projects that volunteers took on for the annual Day of Caring event. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Brenda Kearly of Middleville works to weed the landscape outside of the Thornapple Township Emergency Services building last Thursday. She was joined by a large group of co-workers from employer Bradford White. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Thornapple Credit Union completes renovations at Hastings location, accommodates for its growth Hunter McLaren 187891 PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Planning Commission meeting and public hearing regarding zoning ordinance text amendments will be held on October 13, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Road, within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include the following: 1. Zoning Ordinance text amendments regarding outdoor storage in the C-l Zoning District (Article 6.4) and 1-1 Zoning District (Article 6.5) 2. Zoning Ordinance text amendments regarding accessory buildings, and open air businesses and outdoor sales as special land uses in the C-l Zoning District (Article 6.4) 3. Zoning Ordinance text amendments to add Section 6.12-7 Open Air Businesses 4. Zoning Ordinance text amendment to Section 3.1, Definitions, to add definition of open air business. 5. Such other and further business as may properly come before the Planning Commission at said hearing. Staff Writer Thomapple Credit Union held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the newly renovated lobby of its Hastings location on Friday. Courtney Stonehouse, Hastings branch manager and collections manager for TCU, said the new renovations included an update to the interior of the building as well as a new look for the exterior of the building for the first time. “We wanted to expand the building to make it look more professional and have more room for growth. We’ve been growing at such a significant pace that we needed more office space,” Stonehouse said. “The building has been here since 1930, so while we have done multiple renovations through­ out that time, we wanted something that was just a little bit more modem and professional looking from the outside as well as the inside.” Also included in the update was a new community meeting space, which will be used by community organizations and for in-house financial education for staff mem­ bers, Stonehouse said. “We’re really community-based. Having this big community space that we’re hoping to use is going to have a big impact for us, too,” she said. “(It’s nice) just having more From left to right, Jeff Keessen, chairman of the board for Thornapple Credit Union; Amy Byers, CEO; Courtney Stonehouse, branch manager and collections manager; Sylvia Hook, assistant branch manager; Stephanie Dunklee, member service repre­ sentative; and Jessica Barcroft, member relations manager; cut the ribbon in the newly renovated Thomapple Credit Union lobby. of an open area for our members to come and be more comfortable. We are hoping to benefit members in the long run. That’s always the goal.” PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the proposed text amendments can be reviewed at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business hours of regular business days and will also be available at the time and place of the hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that written comments will be taken from any interested person concerning the rezoning application at the email address of the Township Clerk below, at any time during regular business hours up to 4:00 p.m. on the date of the hearing and will further be received by the Planning Commission at the time of said hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the proposed text amendments and overlay zoning district map at or following the public hearing. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' notice to the Prairieville Township Clerk. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Rod Goebel, Township Clerk Prairieville Township Hall 10115 S Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 (269) 623-2726 RGoebel@DrairievilletWD-mi.org Thomapple Credit Union’s Hastings location at 202 E. Woodlawn Ave. wrapped up a year-long renovation project to the interior and exterior of the building Sept. 16. Although the building has been renovated and updated a few times over the years, CEO Amy Byers said none of those renovations came close to the scope of the most recent project, which started last summer. Byers said there have been a few surprises along the way. Before becoming a TCU branch, the building was a restaurant with housing above it as recently as the 1970s. A few weeks before construction was set to be complete on the recent renovation project, empty gas tanks were found in the ground below the parking lot suggesting that the building used to be a gas station at some point in its history. Between adapting to COVID-19 regula­ tions and working around ongoing construc­ tion, the last year has been an interesting one for TCU members. Some members would even joke and ask which door they should use on any particular day, Byers said. How­ ever, even with concessions made for the ongoing construction, the bank only had to close for two days. “We might do things in a goofy or unorth­ odox way,” Byers said. “But it’s all in the spirit of, ‘Who cares if it looks goofy if we can still serve our members?”’ �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, September 22, 2022 Head coach Kellie Rowland is introduced as the Lakewood High School volleyball program celebrates the ten year anniversary of the Vikings winning the 2012 MHSAA Class B Volleyball State Championship before the Viking varsity team's win over visiting Olivet Tuesday. Members of the 2012 team on hand included (from left) Emily (Kutch) Williams, Jordan Kietzman, Taylor Shook, Olivia Davis, Brooke (Wieland) Francisco, Charlie (Smith) O'Mara, Bethany Tingley, Karly Morris, coach Kellie Rowland, coach Clair Rowland, scorekeeper Colleen Rowland and coach Jeff Duits. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Vikes see similarities with 2012 state champs Brett Bremer Sports Editor There were moments of the Vikings flashing things state champions need to do Tuesday. Senior defensive specialist Paige Wolver­ ton knocked a serve and then rushed up to left post to keep an Olivet overpass from hitting the floor. Junior middle Alivia Everitt dented Lakewood junior middle Cadence Poll hits an attack by Olivet's Megan Neitzel at the . the floor with a swiugjwhen she had space on net during their GLAC match-up at Lakewood High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett the right side. Sets wer^ on target from the Bremer) Vikings’ trio of setters Skylar Bump, Abby Pickard and Emma Duffy. There were moments that were just for fun too as the Lakewood varsity volleyball team dominated Olivet to improve to 3-0 in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference on a night that it celebrated the tenth anniversary of the 2012 Vikings winning the MHSAA Class B Volleyball State Championship. All-state junior libero Carley Piercefield hit the final kill off the match while playing a middle blocker position to clinch the Vikings’ 25-11,25-11, 25-9 win. “[Coach Cameron Rowland] said if we kept them under eight I could go in the front row,” Piercefield said. “Obviously, that didn’t happen, but we convinced him to let me go front row. I am a little short and I have never played front row in my life. It went pretty good. The overpass was a little further than I thought, but it was a kill.” With Duffy, a freshman setter, serving the Vikings ran out to a 7-0 lead in that third set. Senior defensive specialist Bailey Fifelski started another Viking service run that pushed her team’s lead to 17-2 before some miscom­ munication between Piercefield and Alli Pickard allowed the ball to hit the floor. Piercefield and Pickard have spent a few years perfecting their back row communica­ tion, but Piercefield said she didn’t remember until too late that she was chasing a ball not meant for a middle to dig up. Lakewood senior setter Skylar Bump puts a pass up asteammate Izzy Wheeler (6) looks to attack at the net during their GLAC win over visiting Olivet Tuesday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Rowland Rowdies, Lakewood’s vol­ leyball student section, started chanting “we want Liv!” as the third-set run by Fifelski started drawing smiles from the senior out­ side hitter Liv Woodman on the bench. “Liv was supposed to be going front row for Emma [Duffy], but we didn’t quite rotate soon enough, so I was like we’re not going to get there. Go!,” said coach Rowland of the decision to get Woodman on the court with their team up 14-2 in the middle of Fifelski’s service run. Woodman played her turns in the front row and then got a rare turn at the service line and started it by smacking an ace. “That is another nice thing with this group. I don’t have to sub kids in during sets. We’re going to have a different line-up each set in the league,” Rowland said. “I get to manage the kids on the court and I am not worried about switching things up in the middle of sets with this group. I can say, ‘here is the lien-up,’ and they all have played enough vol­ leyball and played enough different positions that they’re just like, okay, this is what that kid does, so I go in and I play that position. “We have had nine different line-ups in our nine sets in the league.” Abby Pickard and Alivia Everitt tied for the team lead in kills with five each Tuesday and Maryssa Goble and Izzy Wheeler had four each. Wheeler took over Piercefield’s libero position in that third set. Despite that set in the front, Piercefield still had a teamhigh eight digs. Woodman’s ace was one of 23 by the Vikings on the night. Fifelski had eight of them. Duffy hit four aces and Alli Pickard and Piercefield had three apiece. Abby Pickard had a team-high nine assists, Bump finished with eight and Duffy seven. The evening started with the introduction of the 2012 state championship team which had about a dozen players and coaches on Lakewood senior Liv Woodman (13) is greeted at the center of the net by junior teammate Carley Piercefield as she enters the match in the third set Tuesday against Olivet at Lakewood High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) hand for the night’s ceremony. A recap of the team’s state tournament run was shared before a Finals video to the tune of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” created by former Viking vol­ leyball player Kalli Barrone played next to the state championship banner in the gym. The team, including assistant coach Brooke (Wieland) Francisco who was the setter on the 2012 state championship team, got to watch the video for the first time in practice Monday. “They had 13 players and they had seven seniors, which is what we have this year,” Piercefield said. “So, we think it is a little bit too ironic that it is working out that way. We actually got to watch the video in practice yesterday. We all got goosebumps from it. We’re working hard towards our goal and tak­ ing what they did and trying to continue it.” She said she saw tears in coach Francisco’s eyes as the video played Monday. “She was just smiling, looking at Camer­ on, because of the big hug at the end,” Piercefield said. Cameron Rowland also featured promi­ nently in the video cheering from the far side of the court in Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek for the team coached by his parents, Kellie and Clair Rowland. Francisco said she never would have imagined ten years ago that she’d be sitting on the bench coaching the Vikings next to Cameron. She sees some similarities between that 2012 team and this 2022 team beyond the seven seniors. “Their chemistry and how hard they work every day at practice,” Francisco said, “and we tell them every day that can be you if you continue to do this every day. You’re going to have to work hard at it and it is not going to come easy. But you can do it. I think they’re starting to believe that as we are getting better throughout the season. There is a common competitiveness that we share. It is a compet­ itive group and that is how you win.” Cameron Row land is happy to have his girls thinking about winning a state champi­ onship. It is after all the goal for the end of every Lakewood volleyball season. Lake­ wood came into the week ranked third in the state in Division 2 behind only North Branch and Detroit Country Day. “This group talks about it a lot,” Cameron said. “This group is not afraid to talk about it, which I think is really important, where I think the last two years’ groups were a little afraid to talk about it. Because, for us to do it with this group we’re going to have to have zero fear. “I think we do that. A lot of times this group just goes after it. A lot of times, it is hard to tell in the league matches, but a lot of times when we’re playing teams that are much more phys­ ical than us on weekends they just don’t care. They just continue to go after it. We played some very large humans this weekend. McBain is massive and athletic. [Traverse City] Cen­ tral is big and athletic. We just knew, okay we’ll just serve and pass them off the court and that is why we won this weekend.” At the Cadillac Invitational Saturday, the Lakewood ladies defeated McBain, which is ranked second in the state in Division 3, and then bested Traverse City Central in the finals to win the tournament. Lakewood will test itself again this Satur­ day at Byron Center’s Cristi Curtis Memo­ rial Invitational and then will return to league action at home against Perry Tues­ day, Sept. 27. �Page 10 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Coaches expecting physical conference showdowns Brett Bremer - - " , . ■ . - Sports Editor It is two weeks into the conference season and only Hastings and Marshall have unblemished Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence records as the Saxons push for a third consecutive Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship. The Saxons certainly won’t be overlook­ ing the Harper Creek Beavers who they face this Friday in Battle Creek though. Marshall just pulled out a 28-19 win over the Beavers last week. Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy said he feels that Friday night’s game “will be won or lost in the trenches. Our offensive and defen­ sive line will be challenged. Harper Creek is a multi-dimensional team. They run the ball and throw the ball well. Their running backs are talented. But the most impressive part of their team is their linemen.” The Saxons have some outstanding line­ men themselves who helped power the Sax­ ons’ to 2-0 in the Interstate-8 last week. Hastings rushed for nearly 400 yards against Coldwater last week. Delton Kellogg gets the Southwestern Ath­ letic Conference Valley Division season start­ ed at Lawton Friday. Both teams started the season 3-1. The Blue Devils’ lone loss of the season so far came against Constantine. “Strap it up. It is always our most physical game of the year,” Delton Kellogg head coach Ryan Bates said. “We didn’t get to play them last year due of Covid. We didn’t have enough kids to dress. That was going to be our big Veterans’ game at home that year. We had to put it on hold. Now, it’s our traveling trophy over there this year. We played them two years ago and both of us came out of that game beat up. Both of us had a couple kids that had to sit because of injuries. That game is always physical and violent, and the way Friday night football should be. We have our work cut out for us, and every week it gets tougher and tougher. But, that is the way we want it.” Thomapple Kellogg has its work cut out for itself Friday night too. The Trojans are hosting South Christian for senior night in Middleville. The Sailors are one of three OK Gold Conference teams off to a 4-0 start, joined by Forest Hills Eastern and Catholic Central, and are ranked fourth in the state in Division 4. The Sailors have allowed seven points or fewer in three of their first four ballgames including non-conference contests with Grand Rapids Christian and East Grand Rap­ ids to open the fall. While the Trojans were bested in their two non-conference contests to open the season, they join the Sailors, FHE Hawks and Cath­ olic Central Cougars at 2-0 in the conference so far. Lakewood is in the mix at the top of the standings in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference so far too, sitting tied atop the conference leaderboard with Olivet as usual. The Vikings and Eagles are both 2-0 in con­ ference play. The Vikings step outside the GLAC this week and are traveling to Ferris State Univer­ sity to take on Harbor Springs Friday evening. Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart said his team has not always been at the top of its game on road trips and the Vikings will really be looking to focus on having a strong start after the bus ride to Big Rapids. Maple Valley head coach Marty Martin still has hopes that things can play out to where the Lions are battling for a conference title in the Tri-River 8-Man Football Confer­ ence this season, but those hopes all hinge on a tough task this week. The Lions travel to Grand Rapids to face NorthPointe Christian, a program new to the Tri-River and eight-play­ er football in general. The Mustangs have dominated foes so far this fall scoring 224 points during their 4-0 start. Only four eight-player teams in the state have scored more points so far this season. Local Standings (W-L), playoffpoints Delton Kellogg Hastings Thomapple Kellogg Lakewood Maple Valley (8-player) 3-1, 42.250 3-1,39.500 2-2, 32.500 3-1,30.750 1-3, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference 3-1, 2-0 Hastings 3-1, 2-0 Marshall 3-1, 1-1 Northwest 2-2, 1-1 Parma Western Harper Creek 1-3, 1-1 Lumen Christi 1-3, 1-1 0-2, 0-4 Coldwater 0-4, 0-2 Pennfield OK Gold Conference Forest Hills Eastern 4-0, 2-0 4-0, 2-0 G.R. Catholic Central South Christian 4-0, 2-0 2-2, 2-0 Thomapple Kellogg 2-2, 0-2 Wayland 0-4, 0-2 Cedar Springs 0-4, 0-2 Kenowa Hills 0-4, 0-2 Ottawa Hills Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Delton Kellogg 3-1, 0-0 3-1, 0-0 Lawton Schoolcraft 3-1, 0-0 Saugatuck 1-3, 0-0 Gal esburg-Augusta 1-3, 0-0 Greater Lansing Activities Conference Lakewood 3-1, 2-0 3-1, 2-0 Olivet 3-1, 0-1 Stockbridge 2-2, 0-1 Perry 0-4, 0-2 Leslie Tri-River 8-Man 3-1, 3-0 Concord NorthPointe Christian 4-0, 2-0 Maple Valley 1-3, 1-1 Britton-Deerfield 2-2, 1-2 0-4, 0-2 Morenci Vandercook Lake 0-4, 0-2 Here is a round-up of last week’s local grid­ iron action. Hastings 46, Coldwater 0 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer It took less than two minutes for the Hast­ ings varsity football team to score all the points it needed as the Saxon defense record­ ed a shut out against Interstate-8 Athletic Conference rival Coldwater at Johnson Field and Baum Stadium Friday night. Sophomore Isiah Wilson scored on a 41-yard touchdown run to open the scoring for Hastings and then capped off that first possession with the two-point conversion that put Hastings up 8-0 and the Saxons went on to a 46-0 victory. Hastings’ head coach, Jamie Murphy, point­ ed out that “defensively we played especially well. Coldwater had a few nice long drives, and our defense held them out of the end zone on two different occasions. The big difference in the game were the turnovers. A fumble recovery, an interception, and three stops on fourth down were big for our defense.” After stopping the Cardinal offense, the Saxons put two more scores on the board in the first quarter on a 37-yard run by Lanny Teunessen, with a two-point conversion run by Haiden Simmet, and with a minute left in the quarter on a 13-yard run by Robby Slaughter and another two-point conversion by Simmet. The Saxons led 24-0 at the end of the opening quarter. The second quarter was much of the same with the Saxons driving down the field. Slaughter scored twice more in the second quarter with Owen Carroll running in one two-point conversion and Slaughter kicking an extra point. At the half, the Saxons led the Cardinals 39-0. “We played a well-balanced game against Coldwater,” coach Murphy said. “Offense mixed it up with inside and some outside run plays.” A wide open Jett Barnum makes a two-point conversion catch for the Saxons during their 1-8 victory over visiting Coldwater inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Delton Kellogg's Wyatt Colwell leaves his feet to bring down Allegan receiver Nolan Rynearson with the help of teammate Philip Jorgensen (26) during the first half of their Southwestern Athletic Conference crossover contest in Allegan Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Murphy added that the Cardinal “quarter­ back Coffing ran for over 100 yards, but our defense did a good job containing limiting his long runs.” The final Saxon score came from Gerald Miller in the fourth quarter on a seven-yard run, with the final extra point kick by Slaughter. The Saxons had six players score for the night and tallied 398 total yards to Coldwa­ ter’s 198. Slaughter led the team on offense with 153 yards on ten carries, with three touchdowns and two extra point kicks. Wil­ son added 72 yards and a touchdown, Teunes­ sen added another 47 yards, and Landon Steward added 35 yards for the night. The Saxons had ten backs carry the ball. Defensively, the Saxons had tackles by 20 different players. Aiden SaintAmour led the team with 6.5 tackles. Teunessen added another six, Layton Eastman and Simmet each added 4.5 tackles. Daniel Weatherly and Parker Roslund each had a sack. Delton Kellogg "id, Allegan 13 Philip Halcomb led the offense and got his hands on the football time and again on the defensive side of the ball and the pile moved forward most of the time when Ricky Ram­ sey was running through the line for the Delton Kellogg varsity football team at Alle­ gan Friday. The Panthers improved to 3-1 overall this season with a 20-13 win over the host Tigers to close out the pre-conference portion of the schedule. DK opens Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division action at Lawton Friday. “We were just playing as a family,” Ram­ sey said. “We’re brothers up in here. We had a lot of adversity, a lot of injuries, and things didn’t go right, but we just kept pushing.” Ramsey finished with 25 carries for 150 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t the only Panther back having success. Wyatt Col­ well had ten rushes for 68 yards. “Everybody was just doing their job and some extra [on the offensive line]. We prac­ tice for a reason,” Ramsey said. “We execute pretty well.” “They were putting kids on their back, getting riled up. That is what I like to see out of my boys,” he added. It is taking everybody in the program to keep the success going for the Panthers. Inju­ ries started hitting the varsity team from the get-go. Torren Mapes went down in the defensive backfield after an interception in week three. Vincent Quick, projected to be one of the team’s top.ball-carries this fall, was injured in week two. “It was interesting. We had two linemen play DB’s this week [Luke Watson and Cole Lane],” Delton Kellogg head coach Ryan Bates said, “because of injuries. These guys have never played those positions before. We came in with a couple of guys we weren’t sure were going to be able to play tonight and they both stepped up. We had some kids come up from the jayvees to play fifth quarter and played big for us. I can’t tell you how much this was just a team effort to pull this off. It is amazing. These kids just seem to keep playing like pit bulls and coming up with a play when they need it and finishing people off.” The Panthers haven’t started a week and ended it with all 11 offensive players able to remain in the same positions. Bates said Quick has still been a key part of the team, moving into a coaching role at practice and “pulling these boys along and doing a great job.” The Panthers lost another back, Mason Nabozny, to an injury during Friday night’s bailgame. “I told my staff, I feel like we’re putting together a 500-piece puzzle with two 250piece puzzles that don’t match,” Bates said, “but Philip has been a tremendous leader. He is just the warrior that kind of gets everybody back going again. It has been interesting.” DK recovered two Tiger fumbles in the bailgame and Halcomb intercepted Allegan Delton Kellogg defensive back Philip Halcomb makes a diving attempt at hauling in an interception during the second half of his team's victory at Allegan High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) quarterback Luke Ellis twice while nearly adding a third interception. “[Halcomb] is just a ballhawk man. He just finds a way to come up with the ball,” Bates said. “It is amazing to me how me can come out of nowhere and just come down with the ball. I am glad he is on our team,” Bates added. “Those were all huge for us to stop those drives. Our offense stalled a couple times, and we had some unfortunate penalties that put us in a bad situation, and the [Wing-T] just doesn’t work when you’re behind the sticks.” Halcomb wasn’t the only one with a great two-way night for DK. Ramsey forced a fum­ ble in the second quarter, pressuring the Alle­ gan quarterback and then sprinting back after the pass was away to chop the ball out of the receiver’s arms from behind. Watson recov­ ered that ball late in the first half to help preserve a DK lead. Delton Kellogg led 8-0 at the half in Alle­ gan, but Tigers’ talented young arial attack found some traction in the second half. The Tigers flew down the field to pull within 8-6. The Panthers responded with a methodical drive of their own to go up 14-6. It was a 15-play 74-yard drive that ended in a four-yard TD run by Ramsey who had also scored the only points of the first half on another four-yard TD run and a two-point conversion attempt. That second Delton touchdown drive was helped along by a huge catch from tight end Cole Lane on a fourth-and-11 play near mid­ field. Ellis, at defensive back on that side for the Tigers, would have had to have been inside Lane’s jersey to have any tighter cov­ erage, but the DK tight end came back for the ball and secured it at the Allegan 13. Ramsey scored two plays later. A fumble recovery by Delton Kellogg’s Philip Jorgensen early in the fourth quarter helped the Panthers seal the win on an 11-yard Ramsey TD run with 6:45 to go. Ellis, the Tigers’ quarterback, had some of his own fourth down magic left. He picked up a bad shotgun snap off the ground, dodged Panther lineman Jason Lundquist in the back­ field, stepped up through the middle and the out to the left and up the sideline for a 55-yard TD on a fourth-and-8 play with 3:29 to go in the game. The extra-point had the Tigers within 20-13. Delton Kellogg’s offense was able to run out the clock though, with Halcomb kneeling down three times inside the Tiger five-yardline in the end. The Panther program has had a number of massive, talented offensive linemen graduate in recent years. “We don’t have those kids right now,” Bates said. “What we have right now are a bunch of dudes that are about 160 to 190 pounds with a chip on their shoulder and little man syndrome, and they’re just going to get after it. Our center and our two pulling guards, people look at them and we had South Haven last week and those dudes were just mammoth up front, and these dudes are just blowing them three to five yards off the ball every play. It is amazing how they can move those piles.” That center of the Delton Kellogg line was outstanding again in Allegan with Adrian DeBoer at center between guards Maverick Thomas and Watson. Thornapple Kellogg 30, Ottawa Hills 6 On three consecutive snaps in the final minute of the first half the Trojans blocked a Bengal punt, got a ten-yard TD pass from Carsen Burbridge to Tyler Gavette and had Ethan Bonnema intercept an Ottawa Hills’ pass attempt. It was the culmination of a 30-6 first half surge at Houseman Field in Grand Rapids Saturday and the Thornapple Kellogg varsity football team eventually won by that final score to improve to 2-2 overall this season and 2-0 in the OK Gold Conference. Bonnema had two interceptions on the day and also had a team-high 72 rushing yards, on just two carries. Burbridge was 4-of-7 pass­ ing for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Gavette recovered the blocked punt late in the second quarter, had a touchdown rush, a touchdown reception and a team-high 42 receiving yards on three catches. That big finish to the first half for TK real­ ly started with Bonnema’s 65-yard touch­ down run with 5:40 to go in the first half. It came on the first snap after the Bengals’ lone score of the ballgame. See FOOTBALL, page 12 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 11 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH BARRY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE SUMMONS CASE NO. 2022-441-DO Vicky L. Alspaugh Court Address: 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508 Court telephone no. 269-945-1285 Plaintiff Shannon M. Finch Plaintiff’s Attorney Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 v Defendant Christopher Robin Finch Domestic Relations Case There are no pending or resolved cases within the jurisdiction of the family division of the circuit court involving the family or family members of the person(s) who are the subject of the complaint. SUMMONS NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT: In the name of the people of the State of Michigan you are notified: 1. You are being sued 2. YOU HAVE 21 DAYS after receiving this summons and a copy of the complaint to file a written answer with the court and serve a copy on the other party or take other lawful action with the court (28 days if you were served by mail or you were served outside this state). 3. If you do not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. 4. If you require special accommodations to use the court because of a disability or if you require a foreign language interpreter to help you fully participate in court proceedings, please contact the court immediately to make arrangements. Issue Date: 7/28/22 Expiration Date: 10/27/22 Court Clerk: Stacia Tebo, STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE 5TH BARRY CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY Case No. 22-441-DO Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508, 269-945-1285 Shannon M. Finch, Plaintiff’s v Christopher R. Finch, Defendant Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC Attorneys for Plaintiff 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 888-3810 Allison@thackersleight.com familylaw@thackersleight.com Christopher R. Finch Defendant In pro Per VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR DIVORCE There is no other pending or resolved action within the jurisdiction of family division of the circuit court involving the family or family members of the persons who are the subject of the complaint or petition. Plaintiff states: 1. Residence: Plaintiff is a resident of Barry County, Michigan and has resided in the State of Michigan for more than 180 days and in the County of Barry for more than 10 days immediately proceeding the filing of this Complaint. 2. Marriage: On August 23, 2015, Plaintiff was married to the Defendant by a person qualified to perform marriages in the City of Hastings, County of Barry and State of Michigan. 3. Name Before Marriage: Plaintiff’s complete name before the marriage was Shannon Michelle Woodard. 4. Separation: The parties separated in or about: February 2022. 5. Children; There are no minor children of the marriage and the Plaintiff is not currently pregnant. 6. Breakdown: There has been a breakdown in the' marriage relationship to the extent that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed and there remains no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved. 7. Assets and Debts: The parties have accumulated marital assets and debts which must be divided and distributed based upon the circumstances and facts of this case. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff requests that: a. the Court enter a Judgment dissolving the marriage; b. the Plaintiff be restored to her former name: Shannon Michelle Woodard; c. the Court divide the real, personal and marital estate property of the parties on a just and reasonable basis taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of this case; and d. the Court award Plaintiff other relief to which Plaintiff may be entitled. NOTICE TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE P.U.B$UANT_IQ_ MCR, 2,302(B)(5): Defendant is placed on notice of the duty to preserve electronically stored information. Defendant, his/her agents, advisors and affiliates, must not remove, destroy, delete, alter, or discard any documents, files or records in their custody or under their control that are or may be related or relevant in any way to the subject matter of this divorce action, including specifically any electronic documents, e-mail and electronic correspondence, images and graphics, deleted files, spreadsheets, tax or bookkeeping data, presentations, databases, system usage logs, Internet history, Facebook postings, social media postings, text messages, and cache files, contact lists, address lists, calendars, task lists, and backup copies of same. I declare under the penalties of perjury that this Verified Complaint for Divorce has been examined by me and that its contents are true to the best of my information, knowledge, and belief. Tk.ted: 07<r«/M2Z_________ __________ Sluuuio it M. Tiinsj. Pkjiiiff THACKER SLEIGHT PC TtetBd: ____ AJIuin E. Sleight (PTTWOSi Attorney for Pl-nr miff STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH BARRY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO. 2022-441-DO Court Address: 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508 Court telephone no. 269-945-1285 Plaintiff Shannon M. Finch Plaintiff's Attorney Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 v Defendant Christopher Robin Finch THE COURT FINDS: 1. Service of process upon the defendant, Christopher Robin Finch cannot reasonably be made as provided in MCR 2.105, MCR 2.107(B)(1)(b) and service of process may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: 2. Service of the summons and complaint other: Verified Complaint for Divorce and a copy of this order shall be made at the following method(s). 3. Publication personal for MCR 2.106 and continuing MCR 3.203. For each method used, proof of service must be filed promptly with the court. Date: Aug.31,2022 Judge Vicky R. Alspaugh P42572 w AT LJEAJL/AJL 1 iVJ T1 NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following Mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, on October 13, 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a Mortgage made by Donald Blakely and Ada Blakely to America’s Wholesale Lender dated October 3, 2003 and recorded October 10, 2003 in Instrument Number 1115375, Barry County, Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held by THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR INDENTURE TRUSTEE TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR THE CWABS REVOLVING HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES, SERIES 2004-E by assignment and/or merger. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of $8,412.09. Said premises are located in Barry County, Michigan and are described as: Township of Castleton, Barry County Beginning at a point on the East-West quarter line of Section 32, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan; distant South 89 degrees 37’ 52" West 1097.10 feet from the East quarter corner of said section; thence South 89 degrees 37’ 52” West 230.00 feet along the said quarter line; thence North 00 degrees 02’ 38” West 330.01 feet along the West line of the East half of the Southeast quarter of said section; thence North 89 degrees 37’ 52” East 230.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 02’ 38” East 330.01 feet to the point of beginning containing 1.74 acres of land more or less. Subject to an easement for Public Highway purposes over the Southerly 60 feet thereof for M-79 highway and any other easements or restrictions of record. Being the same property conveyed to Steven L. Priddy and Sandra Dorothy Priddy, husband and wife by deed dated 09-14-01 and recorded 07-02-02 in Deed Book 1083156, in the Office of the Recorder of Barry County, Michigan. Said property is commonly known as 6791 E M-79 Highway, Nashville, Ml 49073. The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages, if any, are limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Please be advised that any third party purchaser is responsible for preparing and recording the Sheriff’s Deed. If this is a residential Mortgage, the following shall apply: ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. IF YOU: ARE A DEBTOR IN AN ACTIVE BANKRUPTCY CASE; ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF A BANKRUPTCY STAY; OR, HAVE RECEIVED A DISCHARGE [N BANKRUPTCY AND YOU HAVE NOT REAFFIRMED THE DEBT, THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Dated: September 6, 2022 Attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage: Thomas E. McDonald (P39312) Brock & Scott, PLLC 5431 Oleander Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (844) 856-6646 File No. 22-05428 (09-08)(09-29) 187298 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Patrick W. Elliott and Mary A. Elliott, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-4 Date of Mortgage: May 18, 2007 Date of Mortgage Recording: June 25, 2007 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $49,610.41 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 4 and the West 1/2 of Lot 5 of Barrett Acres Plat, according to the Recorded Plat thereof as Recorded in Liber 4 of Plats on Page 30, Barry County Records, also beginning at the Northwest corner of said Lot 4 of the Recorded Plat of Barrett Acres, thence South 89 Degrees 18 Minutes East on the North Line of Lot 4, 100 Feet, thence North 134 Feet, Thence North 89 Degrees 18 Minutes West 100 Feet, Thence South 134 Feet to the Place of Beginning. Being Part of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West. Common street address (if any): 239 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-7516 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1475942 (09-22X10-13) 187893 MORTGAGE SALE Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JORDIN WILLSON, a single woman, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 29th day of January, 2018 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 30th day of January, 2018 in Document # 2018-001035 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of Seventy-Two Thousand One Hundred Twelve and 67/100 ($72,112.67). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o’clock Local Time on the 6th day of October, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: The South 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield's 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records, except the South 20 feet of Lots 15 and 16, used for street purposes. Also, the South 6 feet of the North 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield's 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records Commonly known as 621 E. HUBBLE ST, HASTINGS, Ml 49058 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. ' Dated: 09/08/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM WILLSON - 22-02117 1475014 (09-08)(09-29) 187248 MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Josh Gipe and Ronie Finkbeiner, As Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated April 27, 2021 and recorded May 18, 2021 in Instrument Number 2021-006546 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Forty-Seven Thousand Ninety-Seven and 93/100 Dollars ($147,097.93). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Carlton, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot 18, Culbert’s Plat No. 3, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded plat in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 78, Barry County Records. 4 Culbert Dr, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: September 15, 2022 File No. 22-009244 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (09-15)(10-06) 187793 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Member SIPC Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Should you stick with index-based investments You may have heard that you can simplify your investment strategy just by owning index-based or passive investments. But is this a good idea? You’ll want to consider the different aspects of this type of investment style. To begin with, an index­ based investment is a vehicle such as a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that mimics the performance of a market benchmark, or index — the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and so on. (Am ETF is similar to a mutual fund in that it holds a variety of investments but differs in that it is traded like a common stock.) You can also invest in index funds that track the bond market. Index investing does offer some benefits. Most notably, it’s a buy-and-hold strategy, which is typically more effective than a market-timing approach, in which individuals try to buy investments when their prices are down and sell them when the prices rise. Attempts to time the market this way are usually futile because nobody can really predict when high and low points will be reached. Plus, the very act of constantly buying and selling investments can generate commissions and fees, which can lower your overall rate of return. Thus, index investing generally involves lower fees and is considered more tax efficient than a more active investing style. Also, when the financial markets are soaring, which happened for several years until this year’s downturn, index-based investments can certainly look pretty good — after all, when the major indexes go up, index funds will do the same. Conversely, during a correction, when the market drops at least 10% from recent highs, or during a bear market, when prices fall 20% or more, index-based investments will likely follow the same downward path. And there are also other issues to consider with index­ based investments. For one thing, if you’re investing with the objective of matching an index, you may be overlooking the key factors that should be driving your investment decisions — your goals and your risk tolerance. An index is a completely impersonal benchmark measuring the performance of a specific set of investments — but it can’t be a measuring stick of your own progress. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 6, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Kayla Leboeuf and Zachary Leboeuf, husband and wife as joint tenants with right of survivorship Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: May 7, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 10, 2021 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $256,795.15 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Section 29, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, Part of Northeast 1/4, Commencing North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 118.80 feet from East 1/4 corner, North 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds West 380.31 feet, North 00 degrees 48 minutes 41 seconds East 297 feet, South 88 degrees 44 minutes 23 seconds East 220 feet to Centerline of Banfield Road, South 27 degrees 26 minutes 58 seconds East 338.59 feet to the point of beginning Common street address (if any): 928 E Hickory Rd, Battle Creek, Ml 49017-8252 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 1, 2022 Trott Law, RC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1474029 (09-01 )(09-22) 186614 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29286-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Catina K. Smelker. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 10/26/2022 at 2:30 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Catina K. Smelker to Catina K. Clark. 188039 Furthermore, a single index, by definition, can’t be as diversified as the type of portfolio you might need to achieve your objectives. For example, the S&P 500 may track a lot of companies, but they’re predominantly large ones. Amd to achieve your objectives, you may need a portfolio consisting of largeand small-company stocks, bonds, government securities and other investments. (Keep in mind, though, that while diversification -can give you more opportunities for success and can reduce the effects of volatility on your portfolio, it can’t guarantee profits or prevent all losses.) Ultimately, diversifying across different types of investments that align with your risk tolerance and goals — regardless of whether they track an index — is the most important consideration for your investment portfolio. Use this idea as your guiding principle as you journey through the investment world. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage, may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Clint L. Pape and Melinda Jo Pape, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated September 24, 2010, and recorded on October4,2010, as Document Number: 201010040009209, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated January 05, 2016 and recorded January 15, 2006 by Document Number: 2016-000445, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Five Hundred Seventeen and 73/100 ($115,517.73) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the intersection of North-South 1/4 line of Section 16, Town 1 North, Range 8 West and the centerline tangent of curve of State Highway South M-37 in the South 1/2 of said Section 16, thence South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 802.00 feet along said tangent and the centerline of Highway for the true place of beginning; thence continuing South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 220.00 feet; thence South 29 degrees 13 minutes West 396.00 feet; thence North 60 degrees 47 minutes West 220.00 feet; thence North 29 degrees 13 minutes East 396.00 feet to the place of beginning. Subject to easement over the Northeasterly 50 feet thereof for Highway South M-37 Commonly known as: 12610 S M37 HWY, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period’will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the .bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 15, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00593-1 (09-15)(10-06) 187685 NOTICE TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor, Mary Ellen Schumacher born September 17, 1928, died August 4, 2022. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom letters of administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent.are notified that all claims against Mary Ellen Schumacher or The Schumacher Family Trust dated December 23, 1997, as amended, will be forever barred unless presented to Lee Ann Pemberton, 5811 Blaine Ave. SE, Kentwood, Ml 49508, 616-295-3680, Trustee, within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: September 14, 2022 Lee Ann Pemberton, Trustee 187894 �Page 12 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 —The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Linda Weyemnan, married and husband Eldon B. Weyerman Original Mortgagee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Nationstar Mortgage LLC Date of Mortgage: May 3, 2012 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 29, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $72,814.38 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: That part of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, lying South of Hammond Road, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the above described premises for the place of beginning; thence South 220 feet; thence West 115 feet; thence North 220 feet; thence East 115 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 2841 Hammond Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8931 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1476288 (09-22)(10-13) 188037 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 pm, on October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may cnarge a'fee for this" information. MORTGAGE" INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Eugene C. Lockyer and Cheryl L. Lockyer, husband and wife whose address is 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated September 5, 2008, and recorded on September 8, 2008, in Document No. 20080909-0008962, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp., as assignee as documented by an assignment dated September 12, 2022, and recorded on September 15, 2022, in Document No. 2022-009627, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 45/100 ($66,422.45). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 1010 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the recorded Plat thereof. Street Address: 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: September 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4616 (09-22)(10-13) 188097 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29269-NC William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Goble Clayton Bouwman. TO ALL PERSONS, including (specify non­ custodial parent’s name here, if applicable) whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 10/19/2022 at 2:45 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of: Goble Clayton Bouwman to Dale Earl Bowman III 188205 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust In the matter of Robert L. & Caroil E. Erb Revocable Living Trust, dated Jan. 15, 2001. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Caroil E. Erb, born May 4, 1932, who lived at 355 Cherry St., Freeport, Michigan died June 18, 2022 leaving a certain trust under the name of Robert L. & Caroil E. Erb Revocable Living Trust, and dated Jan. 15, 2001, wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Velda P. Wright was named as the trustee serving at the time of or as a result of the decedents death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Velda P. Wright the named trustee within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 9/14/22 Nicholas J. Ryan 2944 Fuller Ave. NE#100 Grand Rapids, Ml 49505 (616) 451-4242 Velda P. Wright 8801 Folsom Blvd. #192 Sacramento, CA 95826 (916)216-4707 187895 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting September 13, 2022 Saxon running back Haiden Simmet (21) gets into the end zone for a two-point conversion with help from a block by teammate Zander Forbes (55) during their victory over Coldwater at Hastings High School Friday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Six board members present, one absent Approved all consent agenda items Parking lot repair Opt in to Sec. 218 Agreement Meeting with Road Commission Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:03 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 188142 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by John C. Smith, a married man and Amanda J. Smith, his wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated December 12, 2007, and recorded on January 11, 2008, as Document Number: 20080111-0000387, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association, FKA Fifth Third Bank as successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated March 08, 2011 and recorded March 21, 2011 by Document Number: 201103210003288, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Six Thousand Two Hundred Sixty-Seven and 16/100 ($106,267.16) including interest at the rate of 4.50000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Part of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 27, town 3 north, range 9 west, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as commencing at the northwest corner of said section 27, thence south 66.00 feet along the west line of said section 27 to the true point of beginning, thence east 200.00 feet parallel with the north line of said section 27, thence south 600.00 feet parallel with said west line, thence west 200.00 feet parallel with said north line, thence north 600.00 feet along said west line to the point of beginning. Containing 2 acres, more or less, and being subject to any easements, restrictions or conditions of record. Commonly known as: 2031 HUBBLE RD, HASTINGS, Ml 49058 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 22, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 17MI00493-2 (09-22)(10-13) 188198 Public Land Auction Tax reverted real estate in Barry County will be offered at an online-only public auction at www.tax-sale.info. All bids must be placed by 5:00pm EST on Oct28th,2022. Formore information and to view the list of the properties being sold, please visit www.tax-sale.info or call 1-800-259-7470. FOOTBALL, continued from page 10--------------------------------------------------------------------------The Trojans forced a safety on the ensuing Bengal possession to up their lead to 23-6 with 3:16 to go in the first half. Reece Hoeksma was a perfect 4-for-4 on extra-point kicks for TK, but couldn’t quite convert on a 52-yard field goal try on the Trojans’ possession after the safety. Ottawa Hills took over at its own 20 with 2:13 to play in the first half and the TK defense forced a three-and-out, with the help of a couple Ben­ gal penalties. Gavette recovered the blocked punt attempt at the Bengal 10 with 37 sec­ onds to play in the half. On the next play, Burbridge tossed a tenyard touchdown pass to Gavette for the final touchdown of the game. TK scored on its first three possessions of the bailgame, getting a 22-yard touchdown pass from Burbridge to Jaxan Sias midway through the first quarter and an eight-yard TD run by Gavette on the first play of the second quarter. The third possession ended quickly on Bonnema’s long TD run. Ottawa Hills had the ball inside the TK 20 on each of its first two possessions of the second half. Bonnema’s second interception of the game thwarted the first drive. The TK defense forced a turnover on downs on the second, a drive which started at the TK 11 after a turnover by the Trojan offense. In the end, the Trojan offense sealed the vic­ tory with a drive that-started at its own 11 with 2:45 to play in the third quarter and ended at the Ottawa Hills four with a turnover on downs nine and a half minutes later. The drive didn’t produce any points, but ate enough clock that the Bengals no longer had time for a comeback. Lakewood 31, Perry 17 Nathan Willette was a terror at lineback­ er for the Vikings at Perry Friday night and he also threw a touchdown pass and rushed for three TD’s as the Lakewood varsity football team improved to 2-0 in the final GLAC season with a 31-17 win over the Ramblers. STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-292416-DE Court Address: 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Arthur M. Allen, deceased. Date of birth: July 10, 1928. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Arthur M. Allen, died May 23, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Paul D. Austin, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Nelson Karre P27639 70 West Michigan Avenue, Suite 450 Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 269-965-7000 Paul D. Austin 6756 Kies Street N.E. Rockford, Michigan 49341 616-550-0910 Lakewood spotted the Ramblers a 10-0 lead. The Vikings fumbled away their first possession, a ball that the Ramblers scooped up and took to the end zone for a 7-0 advan­ tage. The second Lakewood possession stalled out and the Ramblers went the other way for a field goal. The Vikings rallied to go in front 16-10 at the half though. Willette got the Vikings their first points on an 11-yard TD run. Landon Makley added the extra-point kick to get their team within three. Willette later tossed an 18-yard touch­ down to Bryson Haight that had the Vikings up 13-10. The extra-point was no good, but Makley made up with it by drilling a 16-yard field goal before the half to get the Viking lead to six points. Perry stole the lead back with a short touchdown run early in the third quarter going ahead 17-16 momentarily before Wil­ lette exploded. The Viking quarterback scored on a 46-yard run and then tacked on a twopoint conversion for a 24-22 Lakewood lead late in the third quarter and then put the fin­ ishing touches on the win with an 83-yard TD run in the fourth quarter that was followed by a Makley extra point. “The line played well,” Markwart said. “We were able to run basically what we want­ ed to. Walker Klifman plays well every week. Tucker Blair plays well every week. David Smith played well-tonight. Chase Senters and Hunter Shank played well out there too.” The Lakewood QB, Willette, closed the night with 19 rushes for 220 yards. Cole Anderson added eight carries for 62 yards for the Vikings. Willette also had ten tackles on defense. “Nathan Willette played a tremendous game at linebacker tonight he was every­ where and menaced the quarterback all night,” Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart said. “He made big plays and made big stops. Our defensive ends [Austin Straub, Brendan Lehman and Ethan Goodemoot] did well keeping the quarterback in the pocket and not giving him lanes to run. The last few weeks we have been hesitant to hit on defense, and tonight we came up and started hitting about halfway through the second quarter. We start­ ed hitting tonight. That was a big, we didn’t wait, we went up and made big plays, made big hits and started playing defense like we did in the past.” The Viking coach was pleased with the defensive secondary’s play too. Concord 18, Maple Valley 16 Maple Valley had a 16-6 halftime lead, but struggled to finish drives throughout the night as the Yellow Jackets handed the Lions their first Tri-River defeat of the season Friday in Concord 18-16. Lion head coach Marty Martin said quar­ terback Ayden Wilkes played an outstanding football game, but making catches was going to be a focus in practice this week as his team prepares for a tough conference showdown with new Tri-River member NorthPointe Christian in Grand Rapids Friday. The Lion defense was strong with Reece Proctor-Burhans and Cam Carpenter thwarting Concord’s inside running game with the help of linebackers Nic Martin and Jesse Deppe. Coach Martin also praised the play Cayden Scott and Andrew Shepard on the outside, free safety Callan Hoefler, and comer back Tyler Rose, locked up against an all-state receiver. Maple Valley’s defense only allowed two scores. The opening touchdown of the game came when the Yellow Jackets blocked a Lion punt and recovered it in the end zone to go up 6-0. The Lions battled back to a 16-6 lead. Shepard powered the Lion running game, regularly carrying would-be tacklers accord­ ing to his coach. He had ten rushes for 43 yards on the night. Wilkes ran well too when needed, carrying 13 times for 50 yards. He was 13-of-31 passing for 179 yards. “The effort the kids gave tonight was out­ standing the entire game,” coach Martin said. “It was a fun atmosphere. It was a great crowd. We had as many people there as they did. It was as hard-fought battle. We just have to finish our drives.” ■tj< Wilkes connected with Carpenter on a 35-yard pass to get the Lions their first points. A two-point run by Rose had the Lions up 8-6. Shepard scored the Lions’ sec­ ond TD of the second quarter, on a two-yard run. Wilkes then hit Proctor-Burhans with a two-point pass. Concord got within 16-12 thanks to a 47-yard TD run by Logan Lamb with 1:40 to play in the third quarter and then moved in front on a 26-yard TD pass from Anthony Evans to Mekhi Wingfield three minutes into the fourth quarter. Martin said it was a game of adjustments. Concord adjusted its defense to a bigger for­ mation, which slowed the Lion attack for a bit as the interior defensive linemen subma­ rined the Lion guards. “It really made it hard for us to start run­ ning it inside,” Martin said. “We were able to run screens tonight. Our screen game was good. We were able to run short routes tonight and hit them. Ayden (Wilkes) did a nice job of spreading the ball and making good passes and stepping up and running when he had the opportunity.” Wingfield had five receptions for 83 yards in the game to lead the Concord attack and Lamb added three catches for 79 yards. Evans was 9-of-19 passing for 169 yards. He was intercepted once by Rose. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 188204 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29236-DE Hon. William M. Doherty P41960 Court Address: 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Michael Lee Holston, Deceased. Date of birth: 08-08-45. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael Lee Holston, died 02/25/22. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Michael Todd Holston, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 08/30/2022 Sharon R. Brinks P32111 2010 - 44th Street, SE Suite C Kentwood, Ml 49508 616-881-9860 Michael Todd Holston 1944 Rhondo Street, SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49508 616-337-8759 For Sale Garage Sale Pets PRESSURE WASHER, 6hp 1ST TIME YARD SALETHREE GENERATIONS! MINI LABRADOODLE PUPPIES For Sale- Cute, Antique tools, round oak table, 2 Waldorf dressers, welder (1-220 & 1-110), unique items - very old, steel milk cans, military 5 gallon cans, wooden nail kegs, steel 4 drawer file cabinet, good oak dining table, 4 Amish oak chairs, 4 wooden church chairs, cedar chest, bicycle with add-on gas motor, fish­ ing & camping gear, including tent, furniture & lamps. Fri­ day 9/30 and Saturday 10/1/22 8am to 4pm. 8700 S. Clark Rd., Nashville (2-1/2 miles south M-79). fluffy and playful! 1st shots and wormed. $500.00, 517­ 852-4881. Craftsman. $50.386-852-7160. ntiques & Collectibles\ ALLEGAN ANTIQUE MAR­ KET. SUNDAY, SEPT 25, 2022. 350 Exhibitors. Rain or Shine. 8:00am - 4:00pm. Located at the Allegan Coun­ ty Fairgrounds in Allegan, Michigan. Admission $5 per person. No Pets. Business Services BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom 188030 trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Automotive 1998 CHEVROLET SILVER­ ADO 2500, 454 engine. Al­ most like new. $15,000. 386­ 852-7160. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — Page 13 Delton scores with three ticks left to tie Lakewood boys Brett Bremer The Saxons' Caleb Gurtowsky gets his head on the ball in front of teammate Dan Jensen during their I-8 match with visiting Coldwater Thursday in Hastings. (Photo by Dan Goggins) The Saxons' Kearan Tolles (3) controls the ball in the midfield during his team's I-8 match with visiting Coldwater inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Thursday. (Photo by Dan Goggins) Saxons into meat of 1-8 season; prepping for Mepham Day Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity boys’ soccer team had a five match win streak brought to an end last week Thursday in a 1-1 draw with Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference foe Coldwater at Hastings High School. Coldwater took a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick with 13 minutes to go in the second half, but the Saxons rallied to even the score with three minutes left to play on a goal by Kearan Tolles. Tolles fired a blast from near­ ly 40 yards out that was something of a desperation shot that made its way past the Cardinal keeper. Hastings head coach Francisco Lopez said it was a very chippy game, and that his team had a number of good scoring chances lead­ ing up to Tolles finally finding the back of the net. “It was one of those games that is not good for the blood pressure,” Lopez said. Zach Chipman made seven saves in goal for the Saxons. . Hastings is now 6-3-1 overall this season. The Saxons split two games at a tournament hosted by Allegan Saturday and then saw their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference record evened at 1-1-1 in a 2-0 loss at Harper Creek Tuesday. Hastings fell in a PK shootout to Allegan in its first match of the day Saturday after the two teams battled to a 2-2 tie in regulation. In game two of the tournament, the Saxons scored a 2-1 win over Paw Paw. Caleb Gurtowsky had two goals at the tournament for the Saxons and Cohen Smith and Tolles both scored once. Troy Hokanson had the Saxons’ only assist at the tournament. The Saxons have another tough 1-8 test at home against Marshall this evening on Pierce Field and then will play host to Ionia for a non-conference match Saturday. The Saxons are on the home turf inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Tuesday, Sept. 20, taking on Parma Western. Hastings, will also be home Oct. 4 to take on Pennfield on what will be a special eve­ ning on Pierce Field as the Saxons host Doug Mepham Day. The founder of the Hastings High School soccer program was diagnosed with ALS in May of 2021. The Saxons will wear read to spotlight ALS and a GoFundMe account has been set up by the program to raise funds for the Susan Mast ALS Foundation. That link can be found on the Doug Mepham Day Facebook page that has been created for the event. There is also a link to purchase “Mephdawgs” Saxon soccer appar­ el which will also help support the fundraiser. “It is something that will unite the whole community and it’ll be something we can all get behind something that is bigger than soc­ cer essentially,” Lopez said. “This guys is as good as it gets when it comes to a community figure and outright human being,” he said of Mepham, who will also be celebrating his birthday on the day of the event. The J.V game OcLJLbegins at 4 p.m. fol­ lowed by the varsity contest, around 5:30. K-Christian boys and girls fastest at first SAC jamboree Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ cross country team got off to a solid start in the Southwestern Athletic Conference placing fifth at the first conference jamboree at Lake Township Park in Bridgman last Wednesday. The fifth place finish was in a field of 15 full boys’ teams. The Delton Kellogg girls were tenth on the day. Kalamazoo Christian narrowly edged Sau­ gatuck’s boys 102-108 for the day’s win. Hackett was third with 118 points, ahead of Bridgman 130, Delton Kellogg 140, Black River 151, Constantine 167, Coloma 193, Parchment 230 and Allegan 236 in the top ten. Delton Kellogg was led by a trio of seniors. Micah Martin placed 11th in 18 minutes 32.49 seconds. Isaac Shepard was 20th in 19:09.28 and Gage Vincent 30th in 19:38.22. DK also had sophomore Ethan Rimmer right behind with a 31st-place time of 19:40.92. DK’s number five was senior Brett Harsevoort who finished 52nd in 20:34.79. Parchment senior William winter was the runaway champion in the boys’ race. He hit the finish line in 16:59.51. Coloma junior Boden Genovese was the runner-up in 17:21.80. Kalamazoo Christian was led to the win by senior Isaac Bogard who was ninth in 18:04.67, which was a season best time for him. Saugatuck’s leader was Charlie Stormer who placed seventh in 17:58.16. Kalamazoo Christian won the girls’ meet too with 51 points. Schoolcraft was second with 81 points, ahead of Bridgman 111, Lawton 117, Hackett Catholic Prep 136, Fennville 164, Black River 168, Watervliet 180, Parchment 196 and Delton Kellogg 238 in the top ten. Lawton didn’t have enough runners to earn a team score, but the two fastest girls in the race were Blue Devils. Junior Kendra Koster won it in 19:12.45 and senior Sofia Oertel was the runner-up with a personal record time of 20:49.82. Kalamazoo Christian had three girls in the top ten led by senior Annika Sytsma who placed fourth in 21:20.79. Schoolcraft senior Caley Kerwin was third overall in 21:15.43. The leader of the Delton Kellogg girls’ pack was sophomore Johannah Houtkooper who placed 32nd overall in 23:49.84, which is a new season best time for her. DK junior Summer Ritchie was 41st in 24:40.56. Pan­ ther sophomore Kylie Main was 62nd in a season-best time of 26:32.01. Delton’s four and five came in together with junior Maysse Wiessner 74th in 27:32.07 and junior Lillian Lester 75th in 27:34.98. Tournament attendance rebounds to near pre-pandemic total After two school years requiring limited tournament attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021-22 school year saw a total of 1,327,633 fans attend Michigan High School Athletic Association postseason com­ petitions for which attendance is recorded. That total is 4.2 percent less than attendance during 2018-19 - the last school year before COVID-19 resulted in either the cancelation of championship events or lower spectator num­ bers due to restrictions in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Still, the 2021-22 spectator totals showed higher turnouts than their most recent restriction-free postseason in four sports, including records at two levels and overall for the MHSAA Baseball Tournament. The MHSAA annually tracks attendance for all sports except golf, skiing and tennis for which admission typically is not charged. The 2021-22 attendance totals included 889,155 fans for boys tournament events and 438,478 for girls postseasons. The girls spec­ tatorship nearly reached its pre-COVID total, coming up just 2.3 percent short of 2018-19, while boys spectatorship was down 5.1 per­ cent from that most recent restriction-free school year. Baseball set a District attendance record this past spring with 35,649 fans, besting the record set just the season before, in 2021, of 34,484 spectators. Baseball also set a Quar­ terfinals record of 7,203 fans, with the previ­ ous record set during the 2013 season. The spectator total for the entire baseball postsea­ son was 59,941 fans, which also bested a record set in 2021, this one by 5.3 percent. Three more boys sports drew larger overall postseason crowds during 2021-22 than in their most recent restriction-free postseason. Ice Hockey drew 47,293 fans across its three playoff rounds, an increase of 12 percent from the 2019 playoffs, the most recent to be played to their completion before COVID-19. The hockey total was the highest since the 2017 postseason. Boys soccer set a District record of 18,024 fans in Fall 2021, besting the previous record for that round set during the 1999 season. Soccer’s overall postseason attendance of 40,546 was its highest since setting a record of nearly 43,000 during the 2005 season. The Individual Wrestling Tournament also saw an improvement from its most recent restriction-free postseason, drawing a total of 41,925 across its three tournament weekends - an increase of 2.7 percent from the 2020 season before crowd restrictions were put in place for 2021. Football drew the most fans of any MHSAA postseason with 297,425. Boys bas­ ketball was the next most-attended sport with 279,255 fans at postseason games. Basketball was the most attended girls sport for postsea­ son play with 141,448 spectators, with vol­ leyball also reaching six figures at 113,572. Joining baseball, four more spring tourna­ ments returned from COVID-canceled 2020 to set overall attendance records in 2021 girls soccer, girls lacrosse, boys lacrosse and girls and boys track & field (which is compet­ ed simultaneously). During the 2022 season, girls soccer was only 294 fans off its previous year’s record pace with 35,143 spectators. Girls and boys track & field drew 37,810 spectators this past spring - 4.8 percent off its 2021 record pace, but still its second-highest attendance since the MHSAA began tracking spectators with the 1990-91 school year. This spring’s boys lacrosse attendance of 15,743 was the second-highest since that sport began with MHSAA sponsorship in 2004-05. Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team had a seven-match win streak stunt­ ed by Delton Kellogg at Lakewood High School Thursday afternoon. While it was the Vikings in control on the scoreboard for almost the entire match, Lakewood head coach James Leveque said that was not the feeling on the field. “They suffocated us defensively. They were hungry. They were more aggressive from the get-go and once they had the momentum it never let up,” Leveque. Had the Panthers let up for a few sec­ onds they may not have secured the draw. Delton Kellogg’s Isaac Shepard scored his first goal of the season with three sec­ onds left, chipping a shot from the edge of the Viking box over keeper Ben Scobey and into the far side of the net. “It just wasn’t a great threat. [Shepard] just happened to put it in the one place where the goalie couldn’t make a save,” Leveque said. “They had plenty of other opportunities to tie the game or take the lead.” Leveque said his team’s defensive back line was not aggressive enough in the first half, allowing the Delton Kellogg attack space and time, and the midfielders were a bit slow to help out as well. The Vikings managed to make the most of a few of their counters though. Colby Carter and Ty Evans scored early on in the first half to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead. James Blackbum scored the first of his two goals for Delton Kellogg to get his team within 2-1, and Lakewood answered with Alex Russell outran the DK defense to a through ball to score just before the half and put his team back up two goals. Lakewood led its 3-1 lead for much of the second half. Delton Kellogg pulled within 3-2 on a goal by Blackbum with ten minutes to go. Hector Jimenez earned an assist on all three Delton Kellogg goals. A 6-1 win over visiting Saugatuck Monday moved the Delton Kellogg’s record to 8-1-1 on the season. The Panthers put a lot of pressure on offensively right from the start, but the Saugatuck defense and goalkeeper were able to hold off the Panthers for a while. The DK team did find the net twice in the first half and then put the game away in the second half. Warner and Jimenez had three goals and two assists each for Delton Kellogg and Myles Hatton added an assist as well. The tie with Lakewood came one day after a 1 -0 win at Holland Black River last week for DK. Jimenez assisted on a goal by Warner with ten minutes left to play to put the Panthers in front in Holland. Lakewood followed up the tie with Delton Kellogg by scoring a 5-3 win over visiting Charlotte in another non-confer­ ence match Monday. The Vikings are now 8-2-1 overall this season. Lakewood played three games last week without one of its top players, Jack­ son MacKenzie, who was out with an injury. Garrett Feighan, Drew Marquoit, Joel Apsey and Carter all shared some time at MacKenzie’s attacking central midfield spot in the match with Delton. The Viking attack wasn’t slowed much in a conference match against visiting Stockbridge last Wednesday. Lakewood improved to 5-0 in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference/Central Michigan Athletic Conference with an 8-1 win over the Stockbridge Panthers. Feighan had three goals, Carter two and Russell, Troy Acker and Marquoit had one each on a night when the Lakewood reserves were able to get a lot of playing time, especially after the starters put in the seventh and eighth goals of the game early in the second half. Lakewood girls still chasing Bees on GLAC golf greens Brett Bremer ..Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity girls’ golf team was second only to Bath as the Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference got together at The Medalist for the jamboree hosted by Olivet Thursday. Bath put together a score of 200 to best the Vikings’ 216, Olivet at 223, Perry 241 and Laingsburg 301. Makenzie Vasquez led the Lakewood team with a 47 which put her in second place for the day. Ellie Benham shot a 56, Karmyn Winkler a 56 and Audrey Hillard a 57. Anna Schaibly was the medalist leading Bath with a score of 43. Bath’s Aubrie Schaibly shot a 48 and Olivet’s Drue Allen a 49 at the top of the leaderboard. League-mate Perry hosted the Dick Sport­ ing Goods Invitational Friday and Lake­ wood placed tenth in a field of 17 full teams. South Lyon took the day’s championship with a score of 324, ahead of Rochester Adams ‘B’ 358, South Lyon ‘B’ 364, How­ ell 395, Frankenmuth 410, Almont 415, Lansing Catholic 415, Notre Dame Prep 423, Flushing 426 and Lakewood 428 in the top ten. Vasquez led Lakewood with a 96. Hillard shot a 103, Winkler a 109 and Benham a 120. Hillard celebrated a birdie on the par-5 number six at the tournament. South Lyon sophomore Kaylyn Wisniews­ ki was the day’s individual champion with a score of 75. Senior teammate Gabriella Tapp shot a 79. Rochester Adams got an 81 from Katie Fodale. Lakewood hosted the GLAC at Centenni­ al Acres in Sunfield Tuesday, but that league jamboree was cut short due to the storms that moved through the area. NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number V-6-2022 Richard Kesler (Applicant/Property Owner) Location: 9747 North Avenue Dowling, Ml 49050 Section 31 of Maple Grove Township. Purpose: Request a variance to construct a 24 x 32 detached accessory building with a 10 ft sideyard setback and a 10 ft rear yard setback (the minimums are 20 ft) in the A (Agriculture) zoning district. MEETING DATE: October 10, 2022 TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Zoning Board of Appeals members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned time and place. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@ barrycounty.org. The variance application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or calling the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 188040 �Page 14 — Thursday, September 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Top Saxon players getting better on their feet as fall progresses and Murphy rallied for a 6-2 win in set two and then clinched the match with a 10-7 win in a super tiebreaker. Goggins and Long also pushed Coldwa­ ter’s top doubles team to a super tiebreaker earlier this season. Coach Schueller is hoping the experience of playing in a couple tiebreakers will help in the future, because there is no real good way in practice to simulate the pressure of that winner-take-all format. Lindsey and Hays in the top two singles spots won a few games for the Saxons in the dual with Marshall as well. The Saxons were scheduled to travel to Jackson Northwest for another tough confer­ ence dual today, Sept. 21, and will be back in action at home this afternoon (Sept. 22) tak­ ing on Greenville and Kelloggsville in a non-conference tri. Hastings goes to the Way­ land Invitational Saturday. The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference sea­ son continues when the Saxons host Pennfield Monday. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons aren’t ready yet to challenge the top teams in the Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference, but there is certainly progress hap­ pening on the courts at Hastings High School. Hastings fell to 0-5 in conference duals as they were bested 8-0 by visiting Jackson Parma Western Monday afternoon. Heath Hays at second singles picked up the lone game for the Saxons in the loss to the conference powerhouse. He was bested in the end by the Panthers’ Nick Keeler 6-1, 6-0. Hays, Joe Goggins and Keegan Lindsey have been sharing the top singles spots throughout the fall for Hastings and head coach Krista Schueller said they’re all pretty comparable skill-wise, trading wins in chal­ lenge matches throughout the season so far and taking turns in the top singles and top doubles flights. Goggins was bested by Parma Western’s Seth Keana at first singles Monday and Lindsey was downed by Noah McCollum in the third singles match. Hastings forfeited at fourth singles as well as third and fourth doubles. “They have been playing really well actu­ ally,” Schueller said of her singles trio after Monday’s loss. “We hang in rallies, even here, we hang in rallies four or five more shots than we typically have. We just don’t always have the final shot. It is fantastic for them how well they are learning to move around the court. We are faster and we have some stronger forehands going. We can move the ball and get inside the opponents’ head. It’s good.” Some of that speed is from their athleti­ cism, and some of it is just the anticipation that comes with experience on the court. “Those three in particular, they have learned you can’t get better until you move your feet,” Schueller said. “They have been doing really well with that from their serve to their forehand to their backhand, how to use their lower body,” she added. “That is fantastic to see, and some of our younger ones are leaps and bounds from where they were last year in middle school.” She is looking forward to the rest of the varsity roster figuring out their footwork as the fall progresses, which would allow for big strides forward in all of their skills. Caleb Borton and Hayden Long I tiled the first dou­ bles spot for the Saxons Monday and Even Porter and Anderson Forrel took on Parma Western’s number two team. Hastings also fell 7-0 in a conference dual with Marshall last Wednesday. Goggins teamed with Long at first doubles and took the opening set against the Red Hawks’ Ryan Murphy and Landon Fazekas 6-4. Fazekas The Saxons' Kimber Fenstemaker goes up for a block as Coldwater puts the ball over the net during their 1-8 dual at Hastings High School Sept. 14. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings spikers have week full of very competitive volleyball Valerie Slaughter Hastings second singles player Heath Hays hits a forehand return back at his opponent from Parma Western during their 1-8 dual in Hastings Monday after­ noon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK tennis team tops Knights for its second conference victory 6- 1, 6-0. The Trojans weren’t far from being able to secure a doubles sweep. Kenowa Hills’ Carter Link and Jack Labtoz took a tough 7- 6(6), 6-4 win over the TK duo of Landon Conroy and Kyan Haywood at number two. The couple singles points the Knights took were in close matches as well. Tybee Bickford bested Aidan Dudik 6-3, 6-1 at second singles and Max Hun edged Frank­ lin Wilkinson 6-4, 7-5 at number four. The TK team returned to action with a non-conference win at Plainwell Thursday by a score of 7-1. The Trojans from TK swept the four sin­ gles matches against the Trojans from Plain­ well. Nichols bested Calvin Strader 6-4, 6-1 at number one. At number two, Aidan Dudik knocked off Anthony Kolhoff 6-1, 6-0. In the third singles match, Draaisma bested Kevin Vicenzi 6-0, 6-2. Franklin Wilkinson scored a 6-1, 6-2 win over Austin Susang at fourth singles. Michalk and Cuison earned a 6-4, 6-1 win for TK at first doubles. Bailey and Andrew Beckering won 6-2, 6-1 at third doubles. Daniel Beckering and Verlinde scored a 6-2, 6-0 win at fourth doubles. Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thornapple Kellogg’s varsity boys’ ten­ nis team improved to 2-2-1 in the OK Gold Conference with a 5-3 win over visiting Kenowa Hills Wednesday. Trojan first singles player Kameron Nichols pulled out his second consecutive three-set win in conference action by knocking off Kenowa Hills’ top player Logan TenBrink 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 in their match. TK had two singles victories on the day. Jacob Draaisma won the third singles match 6-1, 6-2 over the Knights’ Gavin Pohl. The Trojan team took three doubles wins to secure the overall team victory. The Tk team of Aaron Michalk and Ben Cuison scored a 6-0, 6-1 win over the Kenowa Hills team of Sam Chapman and Tyler Herpolsheimer. TK also took the third and fourth dou­ bles points. Dylan Bailey and Andrew Beckering captured a 6-0, 6-4 win for the Trojans at number three over Tyler Reu and Landon Breen. Daniel Beckering and Anson Verlinde at fourth doubles for TK bested Aydan Kieldser and Ayden Larabel Vikings officially join exodus from GLAC, return to CAAC Brett Bremer Sports Editor It didn’t take Lakewood long to find a new home as the Greater Lansing Activities Con­ ference, which it was a founding member of for the 2014-15 school year, dissolves. Lakewood received its official acceptance letter into the Capital Area Activities Confer­ ence Wednesday, Sept. 21, and will return to the CAAC White Division which it called home before leaving for the newly created GLAC. The Maple Valley School Board voted Sept. 12 to approve a conference shift to the Big 8 Conference beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Leslie had already announced it was leaving the GLAC for the Cascades Con­ ference. Olivet will join Lakewood in the CAACWhite forming an eight-school division with the likes of Portland, Ionia, Lansing Sexton, Lansing Catholic, Charlotte and Eaton Rap­ ids. Lakewood left the CAAC at the end of the 2012-13 school year for the newly created GLAC with Maple Valley joining the GLAC Brett Bremer Digital Literacy For Everyone www.HastingsPublicLibary. org J Your Laptop or Ours Seating is Limited 1 Tablet Given Away Every Class "Digital Literacy for everyone made possible by the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T.” ^AT&T Hastings libero Cailin Redman digs up a shot in front of her bench against Coldwater during the Saxons' 1-8 match with the Cardinals at Hastings High School Wednesday, Sept. 14. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) from the Kalamazoo Valley Association. Maple Valley made the move from the GLAC in hopes of being more competitive and increasing participation numbers in ath­ letics. Maple Valley had the smallest enroll­ ment of any GLAC school other than Lansing Christian. Maple Valley won GLAC titles in baseball and boys’ golf in the spring of 2015 during the GLAC’s inaugural 2014-15 season and has not won a team conference champi­ onship since. Lakewood High School athletic director Mike Quinn said efforts were made to keep the conference together with six teams once Leslie announced it was leaving the GLAC, but Maple Valley’s departure really forced the remaining five schools to start scattering. While nothing is official yet, Perry and Lan­ sing Christian may make the move to the Central Michigan Athletic Conference (CMAC) and Stockbridge may wind up as an independent for the time being. The CAAC is a good option for the Vikings, according to Quinn, but it was also about the only option. Lakewood and Olivet were deemed a bit to large to fit in the CMAC and other conference options like the Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference, the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference and Ottawa-Kent Confer­ ence were just not possible at this time for one reason or another. “I think from a standpoint of stability, if the league does nothing else for us, we’re going to have sub-varsity with pretty much every­ body except Sexton,” Quinn said. “From that standpoint, filling out schedules with good competition and real good competitive bal­ ance in the league it is going to be there. The idea that the league will revolve around Lake­ wood and Olivet, those days are gone, but I think that at the end of the day we’re going to have a real good opportunity to compete in every sport.” The addition of Lakewood and Olivet to the Lansing area CAAC bumps the confer­ ence up to 21 total teams in three divisions. Quinn expects the challenging conference season to have Lakewood varsity teams bat­ tle-tested come state playoff time. He said the CAAC has been in contact with him since the moment he took over the athletic director position at Lakewood about a possible return. Trojans fourth on home course as Gold season winds down Cybersecurity Basics Register Now! Contributing Writer Playing with a limited squad, the Saxons traveled to Charlotte on Saturday for a quad against Delton, Potterville and Charlotte. The Sax­ ons defeated local rival, the Delton Kellogg Panthers in three sets 25-21, 15-25 and 15-11, but lost in three sets to both Potterville and Charlotte. The Saxons are now 10-10 on the season and have surpassed the total wins of the last two varsity seasons under the leadership of the new Head Coach, Erin Slaughter. Bailey Cook had a team high 20 kills for the Saxons and added seven blocks. Rachael Hewitt added another 10 kills and five blocks at the net. Cook and libero Cailin Redman also led the team in passing, while Abby Beemer added 39 assists for the day. The Hastings’ volleyball team had a tough week at home, prior to Saturday. The Saxon’s lost a close Interstate-8 Athletic Conference matchup against Coldwater at home on Wednesday night, Sept. 14. The Saxon’s went five sets with the Cardinals after losing 18-25 and 22-25 in the first two sets. The Saxons came back and picked up a 25-20 and 25-19 win in sets three and four before dropping the final set 15-11. Coach Slaughter noted that in total points it was very close with a total difference of 104-101 points scored in the five sets. Redman served up four aces for the Saxons and Cook added anoth­ er two. Redman andAudrey Vertalka also led the team in passing. At the net, sophomores Isabel Gee and Hewitt, stepped up to add 6 and five kills, respectively. Vertalka added four blocks. On Thursday night, Sept. 15, the Saxons’ hosted a tri with Saranac and Ionia. The Saxons defeated Saranac in three, losing the first set 25-21, then coming back to win sets two and three 25-12 and 15-10. In the second match of the night, the Saxons lost to Ionia in another close match, dropping sets 25-23, 25-21. Cook and Hewitt both had seven kills for the night, while Vertalka added six blocks at the net. HASDNCS PUBLIC LIBRARY Explore =• Crow Sports Editor Grand Rapids Catholic Central edged South Christian by two strokes to take the victory at the OK Gold Conference varsity girls’ golf jamboree hosted by Thomapple Kellogg on the White nine at Yankee Springs Golf Course Thursday. The Trojans were once again in fourth place for the day behind the conference’s two private schools and the ForestHills Eastern Hawks. Catholic Central outscored the Sailors 167­ 169. FHE was third with a score of 196 ahead ofTK 197, Kenowa Hills 219, Cedar Springs 232 and Wayland 236. TK’s Ailana Leos was third on the day with a score of 41 to lead her team. Only Catholic Central sophomore Ava Wisinski and South Christian junior Ashley Thomasma were bet­ ter on the day. Wisinski shot a 39 and Thomasma a 40. Catholic Central and South Christian both had four girls among the top ten scorers. Catholic Central’s Morgan Armock shot a 42 and the Cougars also 43’s from Kelsey Preston and Katie Cook. South Christian got 43’s from Natalie Northouse, Lucy DeHaan and Emerald Hoekwater. Rae Borrink and Kendra Coe each shot a 50 for the TK team and Joselyn DeBoer added a 56. The league was together again for the jamboree hosted by Kenowa Hills at Gracewil Golf Course Monday. The Trojans leapt up to third place as the standings mixed themselves up a bit. South Christian bested Catholic Central 163-165 at the top of the standings. TK scored a 193 to finish ahead of Forest Hills Eastern’s 201, Kenowa Hills 212, Cedar Springs 216, Way­ land 228 and Ottawa Hills 250. Leos led TK with a 40 and Emma Schut shot a 49. Right behind were Bor­ rink with a 50 and Sydney Robertson with a 54. South Christian was led by a 40 from Thomasma and a 40 from DeHaan. Claire Vanelderen scored a 41 and Maya Wierenga a 42. Catholic Central had the day’s top scorer. Wisinski shot a 38 and her teammate Armock tied for second with a 40. The conference got started at Quail Ridge for the jamboree hosted by Catholic Central Tuesday before severe weather moved through the area. The conference championship is slated for Sept. 28 at the Mines Golf Club. TK will be back on course at Yankee Springs Sept. 26 hosting a Pre-Regional tournament in preparation for the MHSAA Division 2 Regional it will host Oct. 4 back at Yankee Springs. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-09-29.pdf 7d7584c02b96a5c87c05112d06511c26 PDF Text Text Longtime Orangeville Twp. restaurant closing its doors Charlton Park millage is a must Hastings football to face conference’s best See story on page 5 See story on page 4 See story on page 10 804879110187 1070490102590502527449058113421 Thursday, September 29, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 39 PRICE $1.50 City sells land for Tyden Lofts project to developer General Capital Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The sale of city-owned land to developer General Capital brought the Tyden Lofts housing project one step closer to fruition at Monday’s city council meeting. Council members approved a purchase and development agreement between the city and Wisconsin-based General Capital that sold the city-owned lot near the intersection of West State Street and South Broadway Ave­ nue for $157,600. The agreement stipulated that the land must be used for development and gave a timeline for General Capital to develop a finalized site plan and begin con­ struction. “This agreement protects the city in a num­ ber of ways,” City Manager Sarah Moy­ er-Cale said. “Anything can happen with developments - there’s a lot of things that can go wrong. The last thing we want is to lose control of the property.” Plans for the 60-unit workforce housing project are still in their early stages. Develop­ ers and architects representing General Capi­ tal and Hooker DeJong, an architectural firm involved with the project, held an open house at the Barry Community Foundation on Tues­ day night. Representatives of both firms col­ lected comments from the public and heard concerns from residents in the neighborhood surrounding the project. The project has already undergone several changes from the last iteration that General Capital had presented to city officials. Many of the changes were made to directly address concerns raised by neighborhood residents. First presented as a flat-roof design, the building has been reimagined in a more tradi­ tional style with gables to resemble a series of townhouses. The three-story, 60-unit plan calls for 41 one-bedroom apartments, six two-bedroom apartments and 13 three-bed­ room townhouses. Parking for the building will utilize an underground parking garage with access on Park Street as well as an above ground lot with access on West Court and South Broad­ way streets, using a proposed easement from the county’s former Friend of the Court Building parking lot. Developers on the project said entrances to the parking garage and lot were situated close to West State Street and South Broadway Avenue in an effort to distribute traffic evenly and keep it away from the neighborhood sur­ rounding the project site. See TYDEN LOFTS, page 2 Developers from Wisconsin-based General Capital presented new renderings of the proposed Tyden Lofts project to the com­ munity on Tuesday at the Barry Community Foundation. The new design sports a gabled, townhome style exterior as opposed to the earlier flat-roof style rendering. (Courtesy rendering) Middleville council selects new village manager James Gemmell Contributing Writer The Middleville Village Couftcil HTs cho­ sen a familiar face to be the next village manager. Lifetime resident Craig Stolsonburg has been active on many local community boards and as a coach. He will take the reins as soon as contractual details can be worked out. The offer of employment also is contingent on the outcome of final background and reference checks, which is standard procedure. Interim Village Co-Manager Duane Weeks said staff hopes Stolsonburg will be on the job by November or earlier. “We’re going to try to make it happen as quickly as we can,” Weeks said. Weeks and Department of Public Works director Alec Belson have been sharing inter­ im village manager duties since late May, following former Village Manager Patricia Rayl’s resignation on April 27. Former Assis­ tant Village Manager Brian Urquhart filled in as manager for about a month but left in early June to become the city planner in Grand Haven. The 4-3 vote was taken at a special meet­ ing of the council on Saturday, Sept. 24, after council members interviewed the three final­ ists for the job individually and deliberated after a lunch break. They quickly narrowed the decision down to two applicants and the debate over which one to select was vigorous. Council Pro-Tempore Fran French and trustees Mike Cramer, Mike Lytle and Ed Schellinger opted for Stolsonburg. President Sherry Ronning, and trustees Tom DeVries and Kevin Smith voted for Jennifer E. Antel, a mayoral candidate for the City of Wayland. Stolsonburg, 48, is a Thornapple Township resident and a Thomapple Kellogg High School graduate. He has an associate’s degree Castletown Township Hall as it welcomed in voters during August’s primary election. (File photo by Jayson Bussa) Craig Stolsonburg speaking at his interview for Middleville Village Manager on Sept. 24 at village hall. (Photo by James Gemmell) in applied arts and sciences from Grand Rap­ ids Community College, where he majored in mechanical drafting. He also is certified as a business solutions professional at West Mich­ igan Works, where he has worked for the past seven years. “In my current position, my primary role is writing or helping employers write grants, administer grants,” Stolsonburg told the board. “I usually handle between $2.5 million and $3 million of annual grants with different employers every year.” In addition, he coaches freshman high school football and middle school wrestling for the TK schools. He helps with the varsity programs, as well. Stolsonburg also was a longtime associate broker/realtor with Greenridge Realty and a hearing referee for the State of Michigan Tax Tribunal. He is on the Thomapple Township Board of Appeals and president of the Thor­ napple Area Enrichment Foundation. Stol­ sonburg is past president of the Middleville Rotary Club and has served on various other community boards. He was asked by trustee Tom DeVries if he would like to see the Village of Middleville maintain its small-town character or become bigger and more of an extension of Grand Rapids. “What is your vision in terms of village growth, business growth, housing growth?” DeVries asked. See MIDDLEVILLE, page 3 Absentee ballots in the hands of townships, available now to voters Jayson Bussa Editor Call it what you want. Absentee voting season, maybe? Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer calls it “the calm before the storm” - before the hustle and bustle of election season really kicks into high gear. The final, 40-day sprint to Nov. 8’s gen­ eral election is now underway. Absentee ballots have been printed and distributed to each respective township throughout Barry County as of Saturday. By law, absentee ballots must be avail­ able to voters 40 days before the election. Thanks to a 2018 ballot initiative, any­ one in the state of Michigan can opt to vote See ABSENTEE, page 3 RESCUE 911: Barry County Central Dispatch manages through statewide shortage of dispatchers Hunter McLaren Stephanie Lehman, Barry County Central Dispatch director, sits in front of a suite of computer screens that 911 dispatchers use everyday. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Staff Writer Barry County Central Dispatch has three open dispatcher positions as 911 call centers across the state report they are struggling to remain staffed. BCCD Director Stephanie Lehman said when fully staffed, the office has four super­ visors and 12 emergency communications officers. The office is currently operating with four supervisors and nine emergency communications officers. While Lehman said staffing has been an issue throughout her 15-year tenure at the dispatch center, it hasn’t majorly affected how the call center operates. During that time, the office has maintained or exceeded a 90 percent rate of answering emergency calls in under 10 seconds, the national stan­ dard for dispatch centers. Barry County res­ idents do not need to worry that they won’t be able to place a 911 call in an emergency, Lehman said. The issues caused by understaffing are generally internal, making scheduling chal­ lenging at times. The biggest issues arose during the height of the CO VID-19 pandem­ ic, when illness could potentially prevent an entire team of four dispatchers from being in the office for days or weeks. “COVID was really hard for us because of how intense and how long the training pro­ gram is. We had to be really, really careful and take some extra measures in regards to keeping people out of the facility,” Lehman said. “We’ve had as many as four or five folks have COVID at a time, which wreaked havoc on us. It’s still happening a little bit, but it’s nowhere near what it was.” The BCCD office is a “centralized public safety answering point,” which means that all emergency calls in Barry County have gone See RESCUE 911, page 3 �Page 2 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS ATHENA Fall Social to return Sept. 30, nominations to open As with any community, strong and meaningful leadership is crucial to suc­ cess. That certainly is the case in Barry County, which is why the Barry County Chamber of Commerce serves as the host organization for the ATHENA pro­ gram. Part of Barry County’s ATHENA pro­ gram is the annual Fall Social, which is scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at the Barry Community Enrichment Center. The ATHENA Leadership Model, developed through Aa grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, identifies eight distinct attributes that are reflec­ tive of women’s contributions to leader­ ship: living authentically, learning con­ stantly, advocating fiercely, acting cou­ rageously, fostering collaboration, building relationships, giving back and celebrating. The theme for this year’s Fall Social is “A Life Well Lived.” The event will include a wine tasting and snacks, as well as speakers highlighting each of the eight tenets of ATHENA leadership. The pro­ gram also kicks off the ATHENA nomi­ nation season. Nominations can be turned into the Barry County Chamber before 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, and the awards will be made at the Chamber Annual Dinner in January. Registration for the ATHENA Fall Social is now open. Those interested in attending can contact the Chamber office at 269-945-2454 or visit tinyurl.com/ BCATHENACelebrate22 to register. Barry Beat Down comes to Barry County Expo Center this weekend Mud will fly this Saturday, Oct. 1 when the inaugural “Barry Beat Down” off-road derby takes its first laps in Barr}' County. The _ gveqt, ligs^ed by Unique Motor Sports, will begin at 3 p.m. at the Barry County Expo Center grandstand. Unique Motor Sports is no stranger to Barry County and has been staging a show at the Barry County Fair for the last seven years. This event was created to allow many local derby drivers to race closer to home. Even so, organizers say there will be drivers from nearly every county in Michigan competing in Satur­ day’s races. In addition to 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder and powder puff classes for adults, the event also features a youth division with drivers ages 10-17. Tickets cost $ 10 for adults, $5 for chil­ dren and $20 for all-access pit passes. More information about the event can be found at unique-motor-sports.com. Hastings to connect to ‘International Life Chain' Participants in Hastings will be con­ nected to the International Life Chain this Sunday, Oct. 2, along with more than 2,000 U.S. and Canadian cities and towns. Right to Life advocates will be lining the streets of Hastings with pro-life signs while praying for the end to abor­ tion in America. The Hastings event will be held from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Area participants are encouraged to meet in the parking lot next to the Barry County Friend of the Court building and the Adrounie House Bed and Breakfast on the southwest corner of State Street and Broadway in downtown Hastings. The event will go on rain or shine. Participa­ tion is open to all ages. Participants are welcome to bring chairs or umbrellas. People passing by are also welcome to join at any time. Life Chain participants follow a code of conduct that respects all motorists and pedestrians. Additional information can be obtained by calling Marty Preston at 269-948-8834. Hastings Life Chain is being sponsored by Barry County Right to Life. The Barry County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday morn­ ing. Here, Deputy County Administrator Luella Dennison (far left) fields questions. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Board of commissioners back in business, tackles short agenda Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commissioners resumed its business on Tuesday after a rare unscheduled week off. The board worked through an agenda origi­ nally set for last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting, but it was unable to do so when just three commissioners attended. This week, the board was back to nearly full strength, other than board chair Ben Geiger, who was absent. He is expected to return for next week’s Committee of the Whole. The board rolled through the agenda fairly swiftly, without any opposition. Commissioners approved an item that named county administrator Michael Brown as the new grant administrator for the Barry County Remonumentation Program. This pro­ gram utilizes state dollars to conduct land sur­ veys and maintain monument markers on an ongoing basis. Susanne Huebner previously held the position but recently announced her resignation, which will be effective on Oct. 1. Huebner has taken on a role with the county’s Committee on Aging. The board said that Brown is only expected to tend to those responsibilities temporarily as the county seeks a new grant administrator. The BOC also gave the Brownfield Rede­ velopment Authority the green light to apply for a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant in order to fund environmental assessment projects for potential brownfield redevelopment sites. The county received $300,000 in grant fund­ ing from the EPA in 2019 to evaluate the envi­ ronmental condition of brownfield sites throughout Barry County. The county has inspected 10 sites total as the third year of a four-year program comes to a close. The coun­ ty has $50,000 left, which is on pace to run out before the grant program expires. The EPA has introduced a new round of funding for fiscal year 2023 that Barry County can potentially apply for. “It’s the right time to apply for the next round,” said commissioner Dave Jackson, who also sits on the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. “It’s done some really good things around the community.” The board also approved a master engage­ ment agreement with Tampa-based MGT Con­ sulting. Barry County works with the company spending $9,500 annually over three years - to identify indirect costs that are incurred by the county in supporting and administering federal and state programs. The new agreement comes with no changes to the current agreement. Supper Club to offer bread making class The Hastings Healthy Living Supper Club will be hosting a free demonstra­ tion on bread making from scratch on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. Participants will learn how simple, wholesome whole-grain bread from fresh milled wheat berries tastes. Attend­ ees will also have the opportunity to sample several tasty breads and hearty hq^egi.a^ea^oup:|jtigL,addmun^0 4U,o^ s this, the Supper Club will feature a sur­ prise bread recipe. Recipes will be provided and friends are welcomed. Free-will offerings are welcome, too. The event will take place at the Hastings Elementary School Community Hall, 888 Terry Lane in Hastings off of Star School Road. More information about the Supper Club and registration is available by calling Janice at 269-948-3161 or emailing Hhealthy 1 i vingsupperclub@gmai 1. com. Richie’s Koffee Shop has been open for 43 years on West State Street. His family members said they don’t plan on selling the restaurant or changing anything. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Celebrate the SAXON SPIRIT K ^TAILGATE PARTI> PRE-GAME y FRIDAY, SEPT. 30 f To show community support for our football team and the spirit of being a Saxon, Hastings Mutual Insurance Company is sponsoring a tailgate party with free grilled hot dogs, chips and a drink to anyone before the game with Marshall at the main entrance to Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. START TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S GAME WILL BE 7 P.M. SAXON SPIRIT ft ... let it show! From left to right, Toni Marsh, Courtney Marsh and Mason Trumbull stand outside Richie’s Koffee Shop with a cutout of a 1985 “What’s Cookin’” article from The Reminder featuring Richard “Dick” Marsh. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Family members continue to run Richie’s Koffee Shop, remember namesake owner Hunter McLaren J Barry County commissioner David Jackson (center) listens as the board discusses the idea of applying for an EPA grant. The money would cover expenses for envi­ ronmental assessments for potential brownfield redevel­ opment sites. Fellow commissioner Bruce Campbell is on the left and board vice chair Vivian Conner is in the fore­ ground. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Staff Writer A table in Richie’s Koffee Shop was reserved for a few days earlier this month. On it sat a half-drank glass of orange juice, a bottle of Tabasco sauce and a hat that belonged to the owner, Richard “Dick” Marsh. “That was his table,” his grandson Mason Trumbull said. “He liked it because he could see every­ thing from that spot,” his daughter Toni Marsh said. “He could see everything that happened in the restaurant.” Richard passed away on Sept. 14 at the age of 80. Regulars at the restaurant have been filing in as they usually do, ordering their coffee, burger or biscuits and gravy, and tak­ ing a moment to pay their respects. It’s no coincidence that Richard knew so many customers on such a personal level, and it’s certainly no coincidence that those cus­ tomers choose to come back regularly. “We’re a very social place, and that’s how Grandpa wanted it,” Trumbull said. “He wanted to have that personal relationship with the people that came in here. He made sure to say ‘hi’ to everybody every day.” “We’re planning on keeping it running for another 43 years. We’re not changing anything. Why would we?” - Toni Marsh, daughter of Richie’s Koffee Shop owner Richard Marsh In 1979, Richard and his wife Shirley “Shug” Marsh opened Richie’s Koffee Shop in downtown Hastings. They spent many years together side-by-side, building the business. Even in recent years when he wasn’t work­ ing as frequently in the kitchen or behind the scenes, he’d be sitting at his table in the back and talking with his customers. Richard was a part of the restaurant just as much as the tables and chairs, just as much as the coffee and burgers, and just as much as the regulars and the photos of the regulars that hang on the walls. Richard looked for­ ward to coming into the restaurant the same way his customers did. Whatever he was doing, Richard was like­ ly with his family. Whether he was at the restaurant or home, he was a family man. The customers and staff were an extension of that family. “It’s like having a big family that’s always here,” Toni said. “Everyone knows who everyone is,” said his daughter Courtney Marsh. When asked if they have any plans to sell the restaurant, Toni always responds with a laugh and a firm “no.” “We’re planning on keeping it running for another 43 years,” Toni said. “We’re not changing anything. Why would we?” “We’ve been very, very fortunate to have what we have down here, and our loyal cus­ tomers and our loyal employees that we’ve had over the years,” Mason said. “We defi­ nitely commend them for being here with us. Without them, we wouldn’t be Richie’s.” TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 1 --------The former FOC building, once proposed to be incorporated into the project, is no lon­ ger part of the site plan. Instead, the project only calls for about a quarter acre on the west side of the county-owned lot to be used for the project, connecting the Tyden Lofts above­ ground parking lot to the FOC lot and allow­ ing access from South Broadway Avenue. Sig Strautmanis, a General Capital devel­ oper, said the group is meeting in October to further develop the site plans and could have a final version before the city planning com­ mission in November. Once a final site plan is approved by the planning commission, the project will go before city council for final approval. Construction could be ready to start by the end of the year, he said. “We’re not in any hurry per se, we just want to keep the process moving,” Straut­ manis said. The Tyden Lofts project is planned for a swath of land adjacent to the former and vacant Barry County Friend of the Court building. The developer originally wanted to purchase the Friend of the Court building, but the county was unwilling to sell. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — Page 3 MIDDLEVILLE, continued from page 1 ------------------------- Nightmare on Green Street? City council weighs pros and cons of road closure for trick-or-treaters Hunter McLaren Staff Writer City council members started discussing Halloween trick-or-treating plans at Mon­ day’s meeting, approving a partial road clo­ sure on Green Street on Monday, Oct. 31 ■from 5 to 8 p.m. “There were so many people out there last year, it was pretty cool,” Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter said. “A lot of volunteers help us manage the intersections as well as business owners.” The street has been closed on Halloween to accommodate trick-or-treaters for the last eight years, except 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. Police and volunteers close Green Street from Broadway Avenue to Cass Street to allow kids and parents to go door-to-door in a safer fashion. Although the road closure can make it safer for families to trick-or-treat, it can cre­ ate other problems. Council member Don ■Bowers, who does not live on Green Street, mentioned that he has seen very few trick-ortreaters at his house since the city started closing Green Street. On the other hand, council member Don ’Smith, who does live on Green Street, said the street has been getting flooded with more and more people each year. “I’ve heard other people say they’re afraid ■to not give candy. You literally have thou‘ sands of kids, and (you don’t want to be) the house that doesn’t give candy,” Smith said. “I — “I’ve heard other people say they’re afraid to not give candy. You literally have thousands of kids, and (you don’t want to be) the house that doesn’t give candy. I always wonder when we do stuff like this, sure, it’s great, but we also create a problem.” - Hastings City Council Member Don Smith “I would love to have the same small-town character that I grew up with,” Stolsonburg replied. “I’d like have aspects of the small­ town feeling and have businesses be where businesses are supposed to be, industries be where they are supposed to be. I heard this a long time ago: good planning makes good neighbors.” After the finalist interviews and lunch were over, the council reconvened with no manag­ er applicants present. Some council members noted that Stolsonburg seemed visibly ner­ vous during Saturday’s interview. “You say someone is nervous about a job and, if it’s a dream job, I would be really nervous about it, too,” Cramer said. “I mean, you can’t buy the connections he has with the community. You can’t train for those connec­ tions ...I absolutely loved that he came with (a list of) first-year objectives. “Honestly, I liked all three (finalists),” Cra­ mer continued. “I liked a lot of answers that (Antel) gave ... I liked the inter-governmen­ tal coordination. I liked the understanding that you can’t make everyone happy in this line of work. I really liked that she takes notes on questions.” But Cramer said he ranked Stolsonburg slightly ahead of Antel for the job. “Nobody can doubt the passion and com­ mitment to this community of Craig,” DeVries said. “This is a man, who, at great personal sac­ rifice, serves others,” Smith said. To run for mayor of Wayland this Novem­ ber, Antel had to step down from the Wayland City Council in August. She also ran for the Michigan House in 2018 but lost in the Republican primary election. Antel, 54, attended high school in Constan­ tine, has been married for 30 years and has five adult children. She is an avid runner and kayaker. She is the boys’ and girls’ track always wonder when we do stuff like this. Mayor David Tossava spoke in favor of the Sure; it’s great, but we also create a problem.” road closure. “These people are spending a thousand “If you live on any street in town and you dollars on candy just to be able to keep their don’t want to give candy out, you leave your door open.” light off,” Tossava said. “Down on Green Street... I’ve noticed people will (get halfway Boulter, who was formally requesting the road closures, heard the council members’ through the night) and they’ll turn their lights concerns. off (because) they ran out of candy. I think “Some of the houses will have several fam­ kids realize that - there’s so many people ilies join in and split that cost, but I definitely down there (trick-or-treating.)” agree; it is expensive,” he said. “It’s well In other business, the city: attended, there are a few houses which don’t • Purchased dog agility equipment and a participate and that’s their prerogative.” fire hydrant from Dog On It Parks for S12,051 Smith argued that fewer and fewer houses for the city dog park. have been participating because of the costs asso­ • Approved a contract to Straight Line ciated and the sheer number of trick-or-treaters. Fence, LLC for $46,872 to install 724 feet of fence at the city water treatment facility. “I would say about half (don’t participate), Chief. I’ve gone down there three or four • Approved a contract to Horrocks fpr trees and 20 years in a-row with-my kids? Half the houses . 4:654 -to Japanese maples. \ are open and half of ‘em ain’t.” RESCUE 911, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------through the BCCD since it was established in 1992. Summer is generally the busiest time of the year, with the increase of outdoor activi­ ties and tourism in Barry County leading to an increased 911 call volume that usually peaks in July, Lehman said. “We have over 300 named bodies of water in Barry County, so our population kind of explodes in the summertime,” Lehman said. “Our call volume increases exponentially.” Although the office is moving past the busy season, it’s still looking to fill its open positions and move toward being fully staffed. Team members need to be able to easily schedule time off when their position demands sharp reflexes and requires open availability. The positions can be tough to fill, even in times when there isn’t a nationwide labor shortage for public emergency services per­ sonnel. Lehman attributes this to two main points. For starters, 911 dispatchers do not have a publicly visible career like other emergency services do. “One challenge that we have is that 911 is not always highly visible in communities. Think about how, as a young person, you grew up being able to see police officers, ambulances, firefighters and fire trucks in your communities. People grow up with (a want) to serve, right?,” Lehman said. “You want to be involved, you want to help people. But a career in public safety telecommunica­ tions is not considered that often. It’s kind of hidden.” Secondly, the position comes with an intensive pre-employment screening process and a 20- to 24-week training period on the job. Unlike police or emergency medical ser­ vices, there are no schools or academies that train candidates to be 911 dispatchers. Most Craig Stolsonburg spoke briefly at Tuesday night’s Middleville Village Council meeting, thanking them for vot­ ing for him to become the next village manager. (Photo by James Gemmell) ---------- ---- - P I sartnnra jPPLE; - Proudly Presents - The Barry County Central Dispatch was established by the county in 1992 as a centralized public safety answering point, meaning all emergency calls in Barry County have gone through the office for 30 years. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) of the training comes in the dispatch office, on the job. Lehman said in her experience, about half of the candidates who make it through the pre-employment process don’t make it through training. “Most folks have no idea the level that we have to be at to be able to do (this job). They don’t even know if they’re capable of doing it,” Lehman said. “We don’t know if they’re capable of doing it.” Dispatchers don’t just answer phones. They answer 911 calls, operate an emergency radio and manage six computer screens full of information all while helping the public through what are often traumatic events. It’s a job that Lehman said requires a strong per­ sonality, and should be looked at as a long­ term career as opposed to just a job. She welcomes those who excel in a fast-paced, high stress environment with a desire to serve the public and make a difference to apply. “We have a very dedicated team here. They’re proud of the work that we do,” Leh­ man said. “Yeah, there’s a lot of things that are high stress about this job, but there’s a lot of things that are rewarding as well. You know, they get to come to work and make decisions that to them probably don’t seem like a very big deal, but they’re impactful to someone’s life every single day.” ABSENTEE, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------absentee - they do not have to provide a rea­ son for doing so. Registered voters must request their ballot by 5 p.m. on Nov. 4. If the voter is making the request in person, the deadline for doing so is 4 p.m. the day before the election (Nov. 7). Absentee ballots can be returned via mail or in person at the clerk’s office or a designat­ ed ballot drop box. The ballot must be sealed in the secrecy sleeve that accompanies it. In Barry County, absentee ballots are not counted until the day of the election. Howev­ er, when a township receives the ballot, the clerk will make a note of when it was returned in addition to verifying the signa­ coach for Wayland Union Middle School and assistant varsity cross county coach for boys and girls at the high school. Council members also had a lot of good things to say about the third finalist, Jane McGookey of Gaines Charter Township, especially her sense of humor. But they agreed her skillset was not the right fit for the position. “I like (McGookey). I don’t feel she has the experience we’re looking for. I feel she’s very methodical. And if she was applying for a different position, I’d hire her in a heart­ beat,” Cramer said. “I feel she has a lot of experience that would lend itself to our plan­ ning and zoning departments.” Local resident Andrew Beck, who serves on the Middleville Downtown Development Authority board, thanked the village council for its time and effort in the search process for a new manager. “I know it’s a big duty for you guys. It’s a responsibility to your community,” Beck said. He also thanked Clerk Glorimar Ayala, who served on the ad hoc search committee, and village attorney Mark Nettleton for mod­ erating the applicant interviews. The village council had decided at a June meeting that the next village manager would be paid an annual salary of between $78,000 and $88,000, plus benefits, depending on the qualifications of the individual. The council did not set a specific salary amount at the regular council meeting on Tuesday because the legal details of the contract are still being hashed out by attorneys. “There is not a delay,” Belson said after the meeting. “We’re just continuing the process. So, the offer’s been made and we just have to go through the final steps with the contract.” Weeks said he hopes the contract can be finalized and voted upon at the Oct. 4 Com­ mittee of the Whole meeting. “With any contract, you make sure you do a review so it’s current and pertains to the person you have the contract with,” Weeks said. At the council’s behest, village staff had posted a public notice on July 1 seeking applications for the position. Nine people applied for the position and an ad hoc com­ mittee helped the village council whittle it down to a shortlist of finalists. Stolsonburg spoke briefly at Tuesday night’s council meeting, thanking council members for choosing him to be the next village manager. There will be more shifting of positions at village hall later this fall. Cramer and French are running for village president in the Nov. 8 election. French, a longtime planning com­ missioner, was sworn in as a village council member on Jan. 11 and later appointed as council pro-tempore. She currently is filling the remainder of village president Sherry Ronning’s former term as a trustee. The Committee of the Whole voted in December 2021 to promote Ronning from council pro-tern to village president, three months after former council president Aman­ da Fisk resigned in September 2021. Fisk had been appointed president in January 2021, two months after former village president Charlie Pullen died in November 2020. Ronning is not running for re-election. Cramer announced his intention to run for village president on Feb. 1. He is on the vil­ lage council and serves as a council liaison on the planning commission. ture. If there is a discrepancy with the signa­ ture, the clerk must connect with that voter to clear up the matter. On election day, roughly half of the town­ ships in Barry County have absentee ballot counting boards that are tasked with process­ ing those ballots. Palmer now sets her sights on readying voting equipment for each township and pre­ paring for public accuracy tests, which will begin as early as Oct. 6. Each township deter­ mines when it would like to hold one of these events, which provides a transparent look at how the machines operate and count votes. Despite the opportunity to ask questions about voting equipment - a sticking point with groups that have grown leery of poten­ tial voter fraud - these sessions are usually sparsely attended. “Anyone that has questions about the machines working correctly or not should attend the accuracy test,” Palmer said. “That tests the machine - how it processes the bal­ lot and how the machines react to all that. There is a predetermined report card on how that is supposed to turn out. And, if it doesn’t, that means something it wrong. But that never happens.” Dates for each accuracy test will be public­ ly announced next week. Thursday, September 29th - Saturday, October 1st, 2022 Curtain at 7 PM Sunday, October 2,2022 Matinee performance at 2 PM Adults - $10 Students and Seniors - $8 Wednesday, September 28,2022 Open to the public Dress Rehearsal at 7 PM AU seats are $7 Dennison Performing Arts Center - Barry Community Enrichment Center 231 South Broadway ~ Hastings, Ml 49058 ~ Please use the doors on Center Street Tickets may be purchased at Progressive Graphics, at the door, or reserved by calling Thornapple Arts Council at (269) 945-2002 Covld policy: Masks are recommended but not required STEEL MAGNOLIAS Is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing. U.C, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection Presented by special arrangement with >thornapple | Arts 'Council �Page 4 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Charlton Park seeks millage renewal Reeling ‘em in Del Bachert captured this heart-warming father-son moment. Here, J. Hesselschwardt and his son, Theo, are fishing at the McKeown Road Bridge Park on the Thomapple River. Theo and his dad are both proud of his first ever catch - a nice bluegill. Congrats to the young angler-in­ training. Do you remember? Banner Sept. 13, 1972 The Hastings Rotary Club sponsored the annual breakfast welcoming the new members of the teaching staff of the Hastings Area Schools. The breakfast was held at the Hotel Hastings Tuesday, Sept. 5, with Dr. Larry Blair, Rotary president, presiding. Robert Johnson, Hastings Chamber of Commerce executive, spoke briefly on the link between education and business prior to introducing the guests form the various other clubs in the City. Mayor Cedric Morey gave the teachers an official welcome and Supt. of Schools Richard J. Guenther introduced the new instructors. New teachers include (front row): Miss Shirley Shay, fourth grade at Central; Mrs. Sarah Kenyon, high school home economics; Miss Deborah Northrup, junior high art; Mrs. Richard Stanley, first grade at Welcome Corners; Mrs. Kenneth Granata, high school English; Miss Barbara Hackett, (special education) at Central, and Mrs. Vicki Webster, junior high counseling. Second row: Eldon Dodd, junior high science; Mary Windes, half-time sixth grade at Pleasantview; David Furrow, Central school elementary and varsity wrestling coach; Lawrence Ricco, special education at Northeastern; Charles Doe, high school English; Lawrence Gibson, sixth grade at Pleasantview, and James Metzger, high school mathematics. Miss Bonnie Jerow, kindergarten teacher at Algonquin, was not present at the breakfast. - Banner photo. Have you met? Alyssa VanDusseldorp has been pursuing her goal of working as a juvenile probation officer for years. In February, she started working in that role with the Barry County Court. A Western High School alumna from the Spring Arbor area, VanDusseldorp attended Lansing Community College and obtained her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University in 2019. Her role here in Barry County is the culmina­ tion of years of studying, as well as intern­ ship and work experience for juvenile facil­ ities throughout the state. Previous to her current position, VanDus­ seldorp worked with kids at the Calhoun County Juvenile Home for three years. There, she spent every day with the kids and acted as an older sibling of sorts. She’d make sure they ate their meals, got to school on time and did their homework, but she’d also spend time just hanging out, playing basketball or going on fishing trips. VanDusseldorp currently lives in Mar­ shall with her Goldendoodle, Archie. Fam­ ily means everything to VanDusseldorp, and it’s part of the reason why she’s so passionate about her work with kids in the court system. “I had a really good childhood, and I saw people that didn’t have such a good child­ hood,” she said. “That made me want to make things better for other kids.” Although her new role as a probation officer is slightly different from what she did at the juvenile home, she still loves being able to help kids get on the right track. At the juvenile home, she’d spend most of her time working closely with the kids, helping manage and participate in their day-to-day activities. She works in a slight- Alyssa VanDusseldorp ly more hands-off capacity as a parole offi­ cer, but the goal is the same. “It’s just helping them be successful human beings in society, helping them make smart decisions and just have a good future,” she said. “My goal is just to help them be successful and not have to be in this system for a long time.” VanDusseldorp works to help kids involved in the court system set long-term goals. Kids come to her and choose various classes, com­ munity service projects and even fitness activities to help them get back on track. “That’s been really fun, just seeing all these kids coming in and helping them in different ways,” she said. For guiding the youth of Barry County to successful futures, Alyssa VanDusseldorp is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite movie: Have you seen “Where the Crawdads Sing”? That was really good. Person I’d most like to meet: Don’t laugh at me, but Taylor Swift. I’m a huge Swifty. If I had any superpower: I think it’d be mind reading. I think that’d be really cool. Or, to transport places! That’d be cool, too, because I hate driving places. My grandma is like half an hour away and sometimes I just hate that. Sometimes I’m like, “If only I could just be there...” That would be great. Music I like to listen to: More country nowadays than it used to be. But growing up I always used to make fun of people like my grandparents (who listened to country) like, “Oh my god. This is the worst music ever.” But yes, I love country music. I love going to country concerts. I mean, Taylor Swift is definitely my favorite singer. How­ ever, I like a lot of them: Luke Combs, Jason Aldean, anybody country. If I won the lottery: I would probably buy a big house on a lake - like huge. Then my family can have their own little wing and that’d be cool. I’m most content when: I’m on the lake. I learned how to surf this summer. And I actually got it. I’m not good at it. But 1 got it. Once again, county voters will be asked to approve a millage renewal on the Nov. 2 ballot to fund Charlton Park. The County Parks and Recreation Commission, along with the County Board of Commissioners, is asking voters to renew the millage that gives the necessary financial assistance for Charlton Park. The renewal gives the park funds for the salaries of its three full-time and 11 part­ time employees with any extra funds going to maintenance and improvement of the park. Due to rollbacks from the Headlee Amendment, the park currently is levying 0.2191 mills, a tax of $0.2191 per every $1,000 of taxable property value. The pro­ posal for voters will ask for a renewal of the millage for the years 2024 through 2032. The proposal also asks for an increase of the millage to the original 0.25, to reverse the rollbacks made by the Headlee Amendment. The Headlee Amendment to the Michi­ gan State Constitution requires millage rates reduced in any year that property values increase at a higher rate than infla­ tion. When this occurs, the only way to regain those mills is to go back to taxpay­ ers and ask for a renewal or increase during an election. The parks commission estimates that the levy of 0.25 mil would generate $654,000 of revenue in its first year, with $80,000 of that coming from the additional.0309 mil. The commission also noted that, due to the present economic conditions, they decided not to increase the request even though there are so many projects and renovations needed through­ out the park. Yet, the millage is a crucial part of the park’s ongoing funding. Even with the money the park receives from the millage, due to the nature of the park and its historic buildings, there’s always more need than what they receive each year. Experts maintain that Charlton Park, located off M-79 between Hastings and Nashville, has the fourth largest collection of historic artifacts of “day-to-day” life of the early inhabitants of Barry County. The collection preserves for future generations an example of the rich heritage of an earli­ er time. “The park is a cultural history of this county as well as the natural history, and it has a very large reserve - one of the biggest collections of any county - of county-based artifacts,” said former park director Dr. Peter Forsberg. “It’s a treasure and it rep­ resents everything this county has been and why it is like it is today,” said Forsberg. The property records show based on a grant from the federal government and the census records of 1850 that a group of Indi­ an families was deeded the property, which became known as “Indian Landing.” The Indians built a building used as a church and school, and their families lived in traditional lodges. The settlement only lasted a few years when the Indians moved to a property in Thomapple Township before moving to the Pentwater area. Banner files indicated after the Indians left the land it was owned by a series of farmers until my grandparents purchased it sometime in the early 1930s. My grandparents were the last owners of the property before selling it to Charlton in 1936. My grandfather purchased the prop­ erty sight unseen and moved his family from South Bend, Ind. with the intention of raising vegetables. Once he arrived at the property, he found the ground not worthy of growing vegetables. In fact, it wasn’t much good for farming. So he sold the property to Charlton with the intention of building a museum for all his artifacts from the area in memory of his parents. Charlton had grown up on a 40-acre par­ cel across the road so purchasing the prop­ erty near his family farm was important to him. It was said that he was mechanically inclined and had a very inquiring mind and was interested in how things worked, so it made sense he had a desire to collect all kinds of tools and artifacts from the area. The Hastings BcHHlCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. Charlton intended to preserve the pio­ neer history of Barry County so future generations would have a better under­ standing of the difficult tasks that early pioneers of the area experienced without the benefit of powered equipment and mod­ em conveniences. Charlton started his stone museum build­ ing in 1944 and completed it sometime in 1950 but was not able to prepare his huge collection for the public to enjoy before he died. Yet, by the time of his death in 1963, he had accumulated enough artifacts to fill four or five buildings. I’m sure Charlton never envisioned that eventually there would be a village with 25 historic residences, businesses and commu­ nity buildings moved from throughout the county to the property to, create the village. But before Charlton’s death, he had made arrangements for the county to take over the property which they put under the supervision of the Barry County Road Commission, which closed the museum and only used the property for camping and the picnic area. But in 1967, the Barry County Board of Supervisors turned control of the park, its museum and grounds to the newly created Barry County Parks and Recreation Com­ mission with the intent of opening the museum and property to the general public. “Historic Charlton Park Village and Museum & Recreation Area continues to be an outstanding primary historical attrac­ tion and recreational opportunity for thou­ sands of people every year,” said current director Dan Patton. “As a community resource, Charlton Park provides opportu­ nities for Barry County residents, visitors and students to experience history and the outdoors. Strengthening connections to history, physical activity and improved quality of life is our focus, helping make the county a great place to live, work and play,” said Patton. In a book of Barry County history, it talked about the recreational needs of the county’s residents that could be served at Charlton Park. With that in mind, the park’s first director, Frank Walsh, led the charge to develop the beach and waterfront areas with the intent of turning the park into an attraction for families throughout the area. There’s no question the park has a rich history where, throughout the years, it has been a place for so many special events from Antique Gas and Steam Engine shows, Folk Life Festivals, all kinds of holiday events and the annual Father’s Day Car Show just to mention a few. It has also served as an educational facility for students to come and experience a time from the past. So should Barry County residents feel obligated to continue to fund this special place and all its historic collections? Abso­ lutely - it’s a gem that cannot be replaced. In fact, the commission should consider developing the park in the future by adding some commercial ventures such as a restau­ rant, operating bakery, running train, buggy rides and modem campsites. There’s so much potential for the park even beyond the extraordinary collection that Charlton worked so hard to collect. The park needs a vision for the future to continue to grow and attract people from around the area and beyond. It has the potential to become one of Barry County’s biggest tourist attractions. But right now they need our support. So, vote yes on Charlton Park - and protect this wonderful place that preserves the past for generations to come. • NEWSROOM • Jayson Bussa (Editor) (Copy Editor) (Sports Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod Brett Bremer Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — Page 5 Serial mailbox arson near Bellevue Police received four reports on the morning of Sept. 15 from residences near the 12000 block of North Avenue in Bellevue of property being burned overnight. Among the property reported destroyed were several mailboxes as well as the mail inside, a Reminder mailbox, a plastic garbage can and the garbage inside, and an umbrella that was covering a vegetable stand. One of the victims found a can of lighter fluid laying flat in his partially burned mailbox. Several of the victims reported that their mailboxes had been destroyed in the past, although this was the first time their property had been burned. Hauling the mail: Freeport mailbox stolen Circle Inn in Orangeville Township was established in 1957 and has been under the ownership of Don Cote for the last 20 years. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) A 57-year-old Freeport woman on the 7400 block of North Broadway Road reported that her mailbox was stolen on the morning of Sept. 11. The woman told police she believes it happened sometime between 2 to 5 a.m. The post was still in the ground, and it appeared that the burglar unscrewed the mailbox from the post and took it. Middleville mailbox mauled with bat END OF AN ERA: Orangeville Twp. mainstay restaurant sells, will close its doors A 62-year-old Middleville man on the 4500 block of Loftus Road reported his mailbox had been damaged by a baseball bat over the weekend on Sept. 11. The man told police he and his wife had left the house late Friday, Sept. 9, and when they returned on Sunday, Sept. 11, the mailboxes had been damaged. The man told police it looked as if someone had hit them with a baseball bat, as only one side was pushed inwards. Karen Turko-Ebright Contributing Writer Upon clearing piles of dishes off the table, the busy waitress catches one of many famil­ iar faces rising from a chair. “I’m going to miss you, sweetie,” Amanda Bacon told her friend at the Circle Inn restau­ rant on Gun Lake in Orangeville Township. The customer replied the same while walking out the door. “I was shocked,” Bacon said of hearing the news that Circle Inn, the place where she has waited tables for 11 years, will close its doors for good this year on Sept. 30. Circle Inn, established in 1957, has been owned by Don Cote for the last 20 years. He’s the restaurant’s business manager, while his daughter, Karen Nash, cooks and manages the inside of the restaurant. When Gun Lake MCM communities, a manufactured housing operator, offered to buy the business, Cote accepted but did not disclose the offer amount. The MCM office is right around the corner from Circle Inn, which sits directly across Gun Lake and Marsh Road in Shelbyville. ■ Gun LakeFMCM has not‘specified what it plans to do with the building once they move in, but Cote says he has an idea that it could become a store and office for that community. “Well, I was reluctant to sell. I’ve been in business in Gun Lake since 1985. I’m a little sad ? very sad in parting with this,” Cote said. “Amanda’s been there for years,” Cote added, mentioning that Betty Bourdo retired as a waitress from Circle Inn after working there for approximately 30 years. “So, we’ve had long-standing help there.” Cote, 83, realizes times have changed, and hiring is not like it used to be at the Circle Inn. “It’s a place for kids in high school and stuff, not any more different generations.” Besides taking care of the books through­ out the years, Cote has other responsibilities to Circle Inn. “I come up there several times a year to make sure it’s still standing and have coffee with all the guys in the morning.” TheaterWorksUSA is a traveling theatre troupe performing “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School” at the Hastings Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Oct. 11. (Courtesy photo) Amanda Bacon has been serving customers for 11 years at Circle Inn. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) ■■■“Lwas'tn'There for several years, then my wife-passed away,” Cote recalled, “I just decided to stay in Florida.” His wife Sandy passed away in 2005. Bacon said, although she’ll miss her job, she’s looking forward to doing something different because she’s been waiting on tables for a long time. She plans to take a month off and spend time with her four young daughters and husband while she figures out what she’ll do next. For 20 years, Cote has owned and kept the books while Nash cooked and managed the inside of the iconic restaurant known for its home-cooked meals. While it’s hard to say goodbye to her cus­ tomers and staff, Nash, who started working at an ice cream store when she was 10 years old and has worked since then, is looking forward to spending time with her family. She has 13 grandchildren and will be get­ ting a knee replacement. Nash said it’s still difficult since the pandemic to get the sup­ A chalkboard informs customers of Circle Inn's last day. (Photo by Karen TurkoEbright) pl ie^they-need to runfrhto?-estaurant. Cote was a former police officer for 25 years, working for the Kalamazoo Depart­ ment of Public Safety. When it existed, he was the former owner of Whispering Pines Resort and once owned an ice cream busi­ ness. Cote is not slowing down anytime soon. “I have plenty of irons in the fire,” he said. Cote resides in his Florida home while still owning a house on Gun Lake. He said he will treasure his family memories and the memo­ ries he made gathering with long-time cus­ tomers and friends throughout the years for coffee at the Circle Inn. Cote will never for­ get his menu favorites, either - biscuits and gravy for breakfast and Salsbury steak for dinner. Not only for Cote, but frequent patrons of the Circle Inn, homemade goodness wrapped in every meal is the theme for the many menu items. Some choices have earned a blue high­ light on the menu. The standout choices include local customer Sheri Haan’s favorite, the “Suzie” sandwich, stacked with chicken tenders, cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo grilled on Texas toast. “It’s very good,” Haan said. Laura Boykin is Nash’s cousin. She brings her Golden Retriever service dog, Twister, to Circle Inn weekly. “I’m sad for a little bit. Karen’s my cousin, so this is a family thing. It’s sad in a way because this is where I get to see my cousins and their offspring and their offspring,” Boy­ kin said. “I don’t see as many people in my family because they live in Kalamazoo, and I live out here (Shelbyville).” Customers have been ordering Circle Inn coffee mugs throughout the weeks leading up to the closing. “Like the food, ya know, it’s kind of end of an era,” Boykin said. Junie B. Jones’ musical comes to the HPAC nexf month The Hastings Performing Arts Center (HPAC) will host “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School,” a musical based on Barbara Park’s book series, “Junie B. Jones,” on Oct. 11. The show, presented by TheaterWorksU­ SA, is aimed for an audience of children in grades Kindergarten through 4th grade. Performances of “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School” will be on Tues­ day, Oct. 11 during the school day for Hastings and Delton third- and fourth-grad­ ers, as well as at 7 p.m. for the general public. Both performances will be at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are available to pur­ Elementary schoolers will get a crash course on how to survive school this October. Here, Junie B. (played by Kristin Stokes) writes in her journal. (Courtesy photo) City of Hastings receives 2023 MACC project support grant The City of Hastings has been awarded a grant of $21,000 from the State of Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC). The grant was awarded through the MACC peer review process and was one of 639 applications to compete for MACC fiscal year 2023 funding. Organizations receiving a MACC grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Local sup­ port of the project included: Barry County Lumber, Baum Family Foundation, Commer­ cial Bank, Douglas A. and Margaret E. DeCamp Foundation, and Highpoint Com­ munity Bank. Hastings Live also receives significant volunteer support from the com­ munity, including the Hastings Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, the proceeds of which are used for local charitable and community proj­ ects. In 2023 the City of Hastings, in partnership with the Thomapple Arts Council, will con­ tinue to present Hastings Live, a summer concert series and outdoor sculpture exhibit. The annual year-round Downtown Sculpture Tour allows people of all ages and abilities to experience art. Hastings Live’s summer music and enter­ tainment program features the Community Concert series on Wednesday evenings, Fri­ day Night Features as well as Playing at the Plaza, the Thursday morning children’s music, entertainment, and education series, and Fridays at the Fountain concerts. Support from MACC and local sponsors allows the City of Hastings to provide all these pro­ grams free of charge, giving residents in this rural community access to high-quality visual and performing arts. The MACC peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in state and out-of­ state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this proj­ ect through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences. A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at 517-241 -4011, or by visiting the MACC web­ site at michigan.gov/arts. chase at hasskl2.org/HPAC for $10 each. “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School” is the first of five special events hosted by the HPAC between October of this year and April 2023. On Nov. 11, the HPAC will host a con­ cert by the Grand Rapids Symphony. Fol­ lowing that, Tim Zimmerman and the King’s Brass will perform a Christmas concert on Dec. 6. Edye Evans Hyde will perform on Feb. 10, and Aubrey Logan will round out the series on April 28. Funds from the Baum Family Foundation and a grant from the Michigan Arts and Cul­ ture Council helped bring “Junie B.’s Essen­ tial Survival Guide to School” to Hastings. Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass W. Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 �Page 6 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Question and Answer Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist Terry Raymond Morgan Terry Raymond Morgan, age 77, passed away peacefully with his daughters by his side on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. Terry was born in Battle Creek, MI on September 22, 1944 to the late Leslie and Luella Morgan. Terry was preceded in death by his broth­ ers, Ronald Morgan and Gerald Morgan; and his loving fiance, Mary Ludwig. Terry is survived by his daughter, Dianna Cook; brother, Dennis (Kay) Morgan; daughter, Angela (Chris) Franks; six grand­ children, Steve Geroy, Jon Cook, Leslie Cook, Breanna Franks, Brandon Franks, and Laci Jane; six great-grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews. IRRBACH ? FUNERAL Home Terry was a graduate of Delton Kellogg High School. Following high school, Terry joined the U.S. Army, where he served for three years. He returned to his hometown of Delton, and joined the Lather’s union where he worked for 35 years until his retirement. He was an active member of the VFW and American Legion, he enjoyed cooking breakfast and special dinners for the VFW. Terry enjoyed spending time and causing many shenanigans with his family and friends. He had several hobbies including: hunt­ ing, fishing, playing cards, bowling, shoot­ ing pool, going to the casino, and going mushroom hunting up north. Terry enjoyed being in nature, he loved to go out in Yankee Springs, to drive the trails. Especially in the fall when the leaves begin to change colors. Terry lived much of his life in Delton, relocated to Richland about 25 years ago. While Terry enjoyed being the center of attention, he was a kind and generous man who will be missed by his family and many friends. A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 at the VFW #422 in Delton, MI beginning at 2pm. A private graveside service will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery, In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the VFW #422 “Cooler Fund” or to the Wounded Warrior Project. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Terry’s family. Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Hmm Fiberglass Hastings 945-9554 produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Mary Jane Smith, age 77, of Battle Creek, MI, passed away on September 26, 2022. Mary was bom on March 25, 1945, in Otsego, to Edwin and Irene Jane (Bodine) Falor. She attended Otsego High School, later graduating from Hastings High School with her niece Cheryl Smith. Mary worked at Thomapple Manor as a nurse’s aide. On February 15, 1983, she mar­ ried Walter Smith, the love of her life, and they enjoyed 14 years together until his death in 1997. Mary enjoyed playing bingo and cards. Being family-oriented, she always put family first. She also loved going to garage sales and spending time with her family. Mary was preceded in death by her par­ ents; her husband; brother, Edwin Falor, Jr., and son, George Fletcher. She is survived by her sons, Dean Fletch­ er, William Fletcher, Daniel Kendall; several grandchildren and great-grandchildre;, sister, Phyllis Bridges; nieces and nephews, Cheryl (William) Auten-Smith, Larry Auten, Jr., and Gina Auten. Memorial contributions in memory of Mary can be made to the National Kidney Foundation, https://nkfm.org/ways-to-give/, 1169 Oak Valley Drive, Ann, Arbor, MI 48108. Visitation will be on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 from 10 a.m. - Noon, with a service to follow at Noon at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway; Hastings, MI, interment at Ft. Custer National Cemetery alongside her husband at 2:00 PM. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www. gi rrbachfuneral home .net. Brielle Lee Taylor, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 22, 2022 to Brianna Planck and Aaron Taylor of Hastings. Sarah Cortright and Phillip Cortright of Hastings. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Theodore Alan Boop is resting in the arms of Jesus. He passed away peacefully sur­ rounded by his loving family on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 at Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake, Ohio. Ted was born in Youngstown, Ohio on February 24, 1937 to Dean and Edith (Cook) Boop, Sr. Ted was a 1954 graduate of Rayen High and married his high school sweetheart, Saralee (Craver) Boop, on May 30, 1957. They enjoyed 58 years of marriage before Saralee’s passing in 2015. Ted graduated as Mechanical Engineer from Youngstown State University and spent the majority of his extraordinary career with E.W. Bliss. When residing in Hastings, Ted and his family were members of the First Presbyterian Church where he served as Dea­ con and Elder. Ted and Saralee opened their home and their hearts to their three adopted children; daughters, Linda Garvey (Craig) and Lisa Dumbauld (Richard); and their son Jeffrey Boop. He was also the very proud and loving grandfather of Brandon, Alexander and Zach­ ary. He is also survived by his siblings Dorene Oakley, Dean Boop, Jr. (Monique) and John Boop. Ted was preceded in death by his parents, Dean and Edith; his beautiful wife, Saralee and brother-in-law, Richard Oakley. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to Guiding- Eyes For The-Blind www.guidingeyes.org or Lorain County Office on Aging - Northeast for the Home Delivered Meals Program www.loraincounty. com/OfficeOnAging or a charitable organiza­ tion of one’s choice. A private memorial service was held at Belmont Park Cemetery in Youngstown, Ohio. Arrangements were entrusted to Busch Funeral Home, 32000 Detroit Road, Avon, OH. For more information or to leave a con­ dolence please visit the website at www.buschcares.com 440-937-6175. AWMLDWESUPPUBIOF Kotlinelbols&Equipmflit 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Lakelynn Viola, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 25, 2022 to Karlee Shapley and David Bautista of Hastings. Stella Grace Bryans, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 30, 2022 to Morgan Pierce and Kole Bryans of Hastings. Zoey Lynn Krebs, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on August 28, 2022 to Chyane Schantz and Max Krebs of Delton. Penny Marie Kidder, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 15, 2022 to Tiffany Lilley and Michael Kidder of Nashville. Janies Purchase, bom at Spectrum Health Everett Lee Fisher, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 4, 2022 to Rebecca Fisher and Jordan Fisher of Lake Odessa. Pennock on September 15, 2022 to Brooke Ward and Michael Purchase of Hastings. My grandfather, -who is receiving Sup­ plemental Security Income (SSI), will be coming to live with me. Does he have to report the move to Social Security? Yes. An SSI beneficiary must report any change in living arrangements before the 1 Oth day of the following month. If you do not report the change, your grandfather could receive an incorrect payment and have to pay it back, or he may not receive all the money that he is due. Failure to report a change to us could result in the deduction of a penalty from his SSI bene­ fits. Your grandfather also needs to report the new address to us to receive mail from us. You can report the change by mail or in person at any Social Security office or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You can get more infor­ mation by reading Understanding SSI at ssa.gov/ssi. What is the definition of disability for children filing for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? Social Security has a strict definition of disability for children under the SSI pro­ gram. A child who is under age 18 is con­ sidered disabled if he or she: • Has a physical or mental condition (or a combination of conditions) resulting in “marked and severe functional limita­ tions.” (“Marked and severe functional limitations” means that the condition very seriously limits the child’s activities). • The condition has lasted, or is expect­ ed to last, at least one year or is expected to result in death. To decide whether a child is disabled for SSI purposes, we look at medical and other information (such as information from schools, parents, and caregivers) about the child’s condition(s), and we consider how the condition affects his or her daily activ­ ities. We consider questions such as: • What activities is the child not able to do or is limited in doing? • What kind of and how much extra help does the child need to perform age-appro­ priate activities - for example, special classes at school, medical equipment? • Do the effects of treatment interfere with the child’s day-to-day activities? Read “Benefits for Children with Dis­ abilities” at ssa.gov/pubs for additional information on how we decide if a child under age 18 is disabled. I have medical coverage through my employer. Do I have to take Medicare Part B? You are not required to take Medicare Part B if you are covered by a group healthcare plan based on either your employment or the employment of a spouse. When your coverage ends, you may contact Social Security to request a special enrollment for Medicare Part B. We will need to verify your coverage through your employer in order for you to be eligible for a special enrollment For more information, visit medicare.gov. How does Social Security decide ifI am disabled? If you are an adult, you must be unable to work for a year or more because of a medical condition or combination of med­ ical impairments. Overall, we use a fivestep evaluation process to decide whether you are disabled. The process considers any current work activity you are doing. It also considers your medical condition and how it affects your ability to work. To be found disabled: • You must be unable to do work you did before you became disabled and we must decide you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition. • Your disability must last, or be expect­ ed to last, for at least one year or to result in death. Social Security pays only for total dis­ ability. We do not pay benefits for partial or short-term disability. For more informa­ tion, read our publication “Disability Ben­ efits” at ssa.gov/pubs/10029.html. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs spe­ cialist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda.vantil@ssa.gov. Emily Jane Sizemore, bom at Spectrum Ira Paul Kidder, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 4, 2022 to Megan Sue Kidder and Eric Dean Kidder of Hastings. Health Pennock on September 16, 2022 to Bethany Vincent and Logan Sizemore of Nashville. In Loving Memory of Keith Meaney 11/6/1946-10/2/2010 at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 7, 2022 to Heather Collins and Nathan Collins of Woodland. Wren Helen Collins, born Theodore Ernest Deibert, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 8, 2022 to Aubrey May Deibert and James Dari Deibert of Shelbyville. Lura Reese Castellanos, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 16, 2022 to Ashley Castellanos and Israel CastellanosTorres of Battle Creek. Sasha Ashley, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 18, 2022 to Zoe Russell of Hastings. Rachel Jean Gaunt, bom at Spectrum Health Owen Phillip Cortright, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on September 8, 2022 to Pennock on September 19, 2022 to Nicole Gaunt and Scott Gaunt of Middleville. Suzanne Nicole Wolcott, Shelbyville and Edward Michael Morgenthaler, Chicago, IL. Giovanni Anthony Eldridge, Hastings and Rheegan Christine Wells, Hastings. Kimberly Ann Sanders, Woodland and Robert Karl Elliott, Woodland. Ryan Andrew Doornbos, Middleville and Kierstin Deanne Carpenter, Dorr. Nicholas William McKay, Nashville and Lyndsey Kae Bosserd, Nashville. Julia Kristine Till, Fort Wayne, IN and Phillip Zachery Williams, Peru, IN. Taylor Nicole Wagner, Bellevue and Austin Lee Hughes, Bellevue. Brandon Jacob Haas, Wayland and Morgan Elizabeth Dutcher, Wayland. We think about you always, We talk about you still, You have never been forgotten, And you never will. We holdyou close within our hearts, And there you will remain. To walk and guide us through our lives, Until we meet again. Miss you every day, Gloria Matt & Pyper Andrew, Mel, Amelia & Emerson Jerrod, Mel, Jaekson & Hannah �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — Page 7 X"' ( fl look back at the stories and columns on local history In tie Hastings Banner z The days and times of Irving Charlton many Indian and Old Pioneer Picnics before the museum was built. The Indians would come from Bradley, Mt. Pleasant and all about Michigan and put on log rollings in the river, Indian dances and ceremonies. They made many prominent people, along with Charlton, honorary chief. TURNING / BflGK THE I PAGES Banner Dec. 1982-March 1983 Editor’s note: The following excerpts come from the 1982-1983 series “The days and times of Irving Charlton” published in The Banner. Keith Mead, a former neighbor, friend and employee of Mr. Charlton penned this series in 1982 to chronicle the life of Irving Charlton, the founder of Charlton Park, as well as the origins of the park. The series on the Woodland Ladies Foreign Mis­ sionary Society will resume and conclude next week. As I read a recent Hastings Banner and saw the photograph of the two Charlton Park offi­ cials placing a wreath on Irving Charlton’s grave, I was reminded of the many years I had known and been associated with him. I became acquainted with him in the mid19308 until his death June 12, 1963, a span of 27 years. I thought of the great influence he had exercised in my life. My only reason for writing this narrative is to attempt to acquaint interested people with the man as I knew him. There are a few peo­ ple still around who knew Irving, but the older ones are leaving the scene, and soon it will not be possible to gain an insight on the man as I knew him and as he really was. In the many years I was around him as a neighbor, working for him 12 years at the park, on his farms operating them from 1946­ 50, working on the marsh on the park in 1936 and being a friend all that time are my means of authority of the subject. In 1945, he purchased 65.5 acres on Cog­ swell Road on the north side of Thomapple Lake and called it Pleasant Shores. His pur­ pose as he said was to develop it as lots to sell and build another museum over on the park. To purchase this land, he borrowed the money from a local doctor and paid interest on it until 1950. After selling his farms to Warren and Arvilla Bolton in September of 1950, he moved over to the park and constructed the living quarters and shop down by the river. I was living on and operating his farms at that time and had been there living with my fam­ ily in the white house (west of his stone house), from March 1946. After selling his farms and getting some ready money, he bought the Scott farm on the comer of Charlton Park Road and M-79, south of the park; this he broke up into parcels and sold. His one and only interest was to get more money to buy more relics, which he did. He spent very little on himself. However, con­ trary to popular belief, he liked to eat well, and did, as far as a bachelor could. He may not have been too “keen on dishwashing,” but he had what he liked. Mrs. Charlton appeared very abrupt and even gruff sometimes, but he had a heart as big as a barrel. To the many who may wonder why he gave all the time, land, antiques and money to us all of Barry County, it was given in mem­ ory of his parents, which he dearly loved and respected. He also had other relatives whose memory was dear to him, especially his uncles, Calvin Charlton, Will Charlton and Clarence Charlton. As I read the article about Charlton being Irving was an only child of E. Frank and the donor of the land for the park to Barry Roseanna (Althouse) Charlton, bom August C-ounty-f-you and me) and others using it^T - 2^F882r' •= •"— wondered how many people knew of the sac­ The park and its contents were given to rifices, work and worry he endured to make it honor and perpetuate the memory of the Indi­ all possible. He gave a full and clear title of ans and early pioneers of the area, which he the land to Barry County with the stipulation loved also. that a museum would be built by the county Irving Charlton loved children and wanted and that he would fill it with relics, which he to have some of his own but for some reason did. was denied that privilege. In about 1950, the museum was finally Yes, he had been married, and divorced enclosed. He also stipulated that he was to many years ago in the early teens and twen­ manage it in his lifetime and he did. Both ties. It was a matter he discussed very little. parties kept the agreement. However, neighbors and friends who knew There are those who thought Irving was Mrs. Charlton (Gertrude), said she was a fine, wealthy but that was not true, as he paid inter­ well-educated lady. Mrs. Hamilton Munn, a est right up to 1950-51. To be able to give a neighbor who lived near the Frank Charltons clear title of the park land, he mortgaged his on Center Road, corresponded with her until farms. Until he sold his 280-acre farm in Sep­ her death many years ago, long before Irving tember 1950, cash money was a bit scarce. passed away. I never saw or knew her and In writing of his farms, they are: only wish I could have known her. The 120-acre farm where the square stone Irving Charlton was a very unassuming house now stands about four miles from person and expected very little recognition Hastings on the east Center Road on the north for himself, only respect. He was always side of the road, formerly owned by Frank helpful to anyone in need. Charlton, Irving’s father. While teaching at Pullman, Wash., at the The 160 acres west and adjoining the 120State College (Washington State University) acre farm Irving bought from Robert Martin there, he helped many students financially to in the early 1920s. be able to stay in college, who otherwise On the southwest comer of Center Road would have had to drop out. The only stipula­ and Charlton Park Road are 10 acres of tion being that when they were able after woods Irving also owned. In both farms, graduating, they would help another student there were 280 acres. graduate and that would be all the returns he Irving Charlton, founder of Charlton Park. wanted and he said it worked well. After returning to Barry County in the early 1920s, he was always active in main­ taining the then farmer rural telephone lines. Even into the 1940s, he taught rural school 4-H club students handicraft in his shop. He was always active in school or township busi­ ness. Frank Charlton, his father, was on the school board in earlier days and also Hastings Township road commissioner. “The Park” as Irving always referred to it, is the tract of land consisting of nearly 200 acres on the north side of the Thomapple River on what Is now known as Charlton Park Road. The land lays along the river in an easterly ‘dire’dtrOtt anfralohg theTakeTcTtlTe “harrows,” then angles in a northerly direction to “Sundago Park.” There are some 1.5 to 1.75 miles of river and lake frontage. Prior to 1937, the land along the river was known as Indian Landing. There had in earli­ er days been an Indian Mission on the hill north of the river. In the early 1900s, the land consisting of two farms was purchased by members of the Jacobs family from Indiana. Charley Jacobs lived in the house on the south side and Edward Jacobs lived in the north house. In the early 1900s, two families, Ignatious Jacobs and son Charles, came from Indiana and purchased the land now known as Charl­ ton Park (two farms). The one nearest the river was for many years called “Indian Landing.” The Indians could ford the river on horseback near where the Charlton Park Museum now stands. In about 1957, the “Steam Club” was orga­ nized and Mr. Charlton was president of it until his death on June 12, 1963. The Steam Show created great interest and huge crowds attended the summer event. Irving purchased a very early 1880s Westinghouse portable steam engine over near Lake Michigan for $2,100 and had it trucked to the park. He hired Ed Tyler from Augusta, Lyle Landfair Irving Charlton invited Native Americans to return to their traditional landing to continue their tribal ceremonies. (Banner photo) from Union City and a Mr. Burt Stanger to overhaul the engine. They did a remarkable job and it “ran like a top.” At the steam shows would be many events held to demonstrate their use many years ago. There would be races held. Harry Woodmans­ ee would climb the ramp with his engine, and threshing, sawmilling, shingle milling and power tests exhibited by those steam power plants of long ago. Many small steam and gasoline engines were exhibited and run. Also, a huge diesel would be “fired up” and run. There were many huge gasoline and kerosene, and distillate fueled engines and tractors. The auto shows come later (antique autos). In the early days of the park, Irving held In the 1930s when I first became acquaint­ ed with the area which is now the park, there were two frame houses on it. The one was on the rise to the left of the south entrance and the other was to the north, on the left of the north entrance, but several rods up from it. There are some large oak trees there and it can be seen there had been a house there. It was moved or razed in the 1940s. People lived in the south house from time-totime as the marsh was then being worked and they raised onions and cabbage. Irving did live there for a time along with some of his hired help. Just below and to the right of the drive was a building and Charlton had a sawmill there. He sawed logs for those who brought them in but later traded the mill for, “guess what,” Indian arrowheads and artifacts. In the north house, Irving had dances at times, usually Saturday night. I was there several times and they would square dance mostly. The reason Irving had the dances was to get people to play Pedro. He cared nothing about the danc­ ing. He loved to play Pedro and when living in the stone house on the farm, local men would come and play, sometimes until day­ light - Merle Varney, Ward Weiler, Gus Furniss, Loren Lewis, Harry Hinkley, Shirley Gillespie and myself, of course. Anytime he could get enough to play a game, he would. He took it very seriously and played as though his farm was at stake. He would laugh and have a great time. Sometimes he had some beer on hand or cider and he would say, “you don’t get a drunk until I win a game” and we didn’t. Irving, when at home, always sat in an armchair he had built. He placed a wide board across the arms and used it to write upon or play solitaire, when alone, or not reading. As one passed by his home late at night, you could see him sitting there, sometimes I am sure a lonely man. Nothing seemed to please him more than the card games with his friends. I sure do miss those times, too, as I and many others do, as some often mention it. As to who played the music for the dances, I just cannot remember, but I do know every­ one had a good time in those long-ago days, when fun did not cost many dollars. Today most of our so-called fun is bought. In those days, one had to make it, and I am sure we were all better friends and neighbors for it. After 1937, the upper house was used to store park tables and benches in the winter season. ^gkPocfor Universe Octopuses: Not so different from us Dr. Universe: What is octopus ink? Henry, 6, Md. Dear Henry, An octopus has three hearts and long arms with suction cups. It probably seems very different from you. But you have the main ingredients of octopus ink in your body, too! I talked about octopus ink with my friend Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, asso­ ciate professor in WSU’s School of the Environment. She told me that ink isn’t just an octopus thing. Most animals called cephalopods (sef-uh-luh-pods) make it. These include octopus, squid and cuttle­ fish. Cephalopods including octopuses use color a lot. They have sacs of colored pig­ ments all over their bodies. They use those sacs to change their body color. That helps them blend into their environment. They also make and store a dark pigment in special ink sacs. “Squid ink looks dark because it con­ tains molecules of melanin, which is a pigment,” Rollwagen-Bollens said. “It’s the same pigment that you find in human skin. The more melanin skin cells contain, the darker they are.” There’s also melanin in human hair and eyes. For octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, all that pigment usually makes their ink black. It can also look brown, grey, blue, or green. The second ingredient of ink is also familiar: mucus. Yep, that mucus. The slimy texture of mucus affects how the ink squirts out. An octopus will eject ink when threat­ ened. But there’s more than one way to do it. Sometimes they release ink in a puff. This ink has less mucus, so it spreads through the water quickly. The cloud of ink distracts enemies. Then, the octopus can escape. Sometimes an octopus will squirt out ink with more mucus. That makes the ink thicker. It can look like long ropes. Some scientists think this ink looks like jellyfish tentacles. The octopus can hide behind the ink to escape. Some octopuses, squids and cuttlefishes eject ink in thick spurts that look like their own body shapes. Then, they can dart away and leave the fake body behind to confuse their enemies. That fake-out is called a pseudomorph. A few cephalopods go a step further. Their ink has a chemical that irritates an enemy’s eyes. It can also make it hard for them to smell. One deep sea squid even makes ink that glows! Rollwagen-Bollens told me that ink helps them survive. “That individual who’s able to use the ink to escape a predator one more time than some other guy will survive. Then they’ll have babies with that same trait,” she explained. Releasing ink also helps other octopus­ es, squids or cuttlefish nearby. As the ink spreads through the water, it’s an alarm signal. It tells the others to swim away to safer waters. Ejecting ink must be a good strategy. Cephalopods have been cruising around the oceans for about 500 million years. That’s a lot of ink! Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse. com. �Page 8 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Artists represent Barry County at latest installment of ArtPrize Hunter McLaren Freeport artist Lane Cooper poses for a photo next to his ArtPrize entry, a metal gecko statue made out of car exhausts, metal rebar and scrap metal. The piece is on display at Park Congregational Church. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP AND BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS CLEAR LAKE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIPS OF JOHNSTOWN AND BALTIMORE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Township Boards of Johnstown and Baltimore Townships, based on petitions submitted, as authorized by PA 188 of 1954, as amended, each propose to undertake an aquatic plant control project (with associated activities) in Clear Lake in Johnstown and Baltimore Townships as more particularly described below and to each create a separate special assessment district for the recovery of the costs thereof by special assessment against the properties benefited. Staff Writer Three Barry County artists are exhibiting work throughout downtown Grand Rapids this week as part of the 12th annual ArtPrize event. The event, which began Sept. 15, offers a way for artists to exhibit their work, with hundreds of interna­ tional artists displaying their pieces in local business­ es, churches and parks throughout downtown Grand Rapids. Artists compete for $250,000 of cash prizes, with some prizes being awarded by a panel ofjudges and others chosen by the public. For Freeport artist Lane Cooper, the event is a great way to get his work in front of an audience. “I’m just happy to be able to show my art,” Cooper said. “There’s hardly any place you can show it, and galleries want so much money.” Cooper’s entry for this year’s event is a six-foot tall statue of a gecko titled, “Creating You in ArtPrize 2022.” Toting a painter’s brush, hat and palette, the lizard stands next to an easel with a mirrored “can­ vas.” Visitors to the piece can stand in front of it and pose for a photo, making it appear as though the gecko has “painted” a portrait of them. The piece is on display at Park Congregational Church at 10 E. Park Place NE. Hastings artist Gail Horsefield was inspired to start painting after seeing “Open Water,” the grand prize winner of the first ArtPrize event in 2009. The paint­ ing depicts a huge, photorealistic sea-scape. “That painting is what inspired me,” Horsefield said. “That’s what ArtPrize is about. If one person walks away saying, ‘I want to do that. I want to cre­ ate,’ then ArtPrize has accomplished what (it is sup­ posed to).” This is Horsefield’s first time entering art into Art­ Prize. Her entry this year, a series of seven paintings titled “Nature’s Seamstress,” depicts women surround­ ed by elements of nature. The work was inspired by her late mother, Annetta Dingman, who was a seamstress and often used bright and bold colors. The paintings are on display at Gita Pita, located at 2 Jefferson Ave SE. Horsefield encourages anyone with an interest in the event to participate - whether they’re an artist looking to exhibit or are just interested in seeing the art. It offers a great way for artists to connect and share inspiration, she said. “I would encourage people to give it a try - it’s a great experience,” she said. “Especially if you like to be social.” Horsefield’s neighbor, Jon Schmidt, is also exhib­ iting work in this year’s ArtPrize. His piece, titled “Sarah-Dipity,” features photographs of his grand­ daughter Evelyn-Sarah “Evvie” Lantinga in a series of visual puns: “Sarah-Soda,” “Sarah-Toga” and “Tri-Sarah-Tops.” Schmidt, who has competed in ArtPrize previous­ ly, said he wanted to be able to share the experience of exhibiting art with his granddaughter. The piece hangs in Blue Dog Tavern at 638 Stocking Ave. NW. “They got a great spot for us,” Schmidt said. “It’s been a great response. We’ve had friends tell us they went there for dinner specifically to see it.” “Creating You in ArtPrize 2022,” “Nature’s Seam­ stress,” and “Sarah-Dipity” are all on display until the end of ArtPrize on Oct. 2. Those interested in finding more information about which venues are displaying work, when venues will be open, and what art is being shown can visit artprize.org/visitorlanding for more information. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special assessment districts within which the foregoing improvements are proposed to be made and within which the costs thereof are to be specially assessed include all parcels with frontage and/or access to Clear Lake in Johnstown and Baltimore Townships and are more particularly described as follows: JOHNSTOWN TWP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated 08-09-005-018-00 08-09-055-018-00 08-09-055-016-00 08-09-004-005-00 08-09-055-022-00 08-09-005-008-00 08-09-005-010-00 08-09-055-002-00 08-09-055-012-00 08-09-210-010-00 08-09-210-009-00 08-09-055-005-00 08-09-210-011-00 _ 08-09-005-014-00 08-09-210-021-00 08-09-055-010-00 08-09-055-001-00 08-09-210-005-00 08-09-210-019-00 08-09-055-007-00 08-09-210-016-00 08-09-055-017-00 08-09-055-008-00 08-09-210-018-00 08-09-055-008-00 08-09-055-004-00 08-09-055-019-00 08-09-055-009-00 08-09-055-016-00__ 08-09-210-017-00___ by parcel numbers: 08-09-210-003-00 08-09-055-013-00 08-09-210-015-00 08-09-210-014-00 08-09-210-020-00 BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated by parcel numbers: 08-02-033-377-00 08-02-040-007-00 08-02-032-376-00 08-02-040-008-00 08-02-032-401-00 08-02-033-378-00 08-02-032-401-10 08-02-040-009-00 08-02-033-452-00 08-02-040-010-00 08-02-033-100-00 08-02-033-453-00 08-02-033-100-30 08-02-033-454-00 08-02-040-011-00 08-02-040-012-00 08-02-033-251-00 08-02-040-002-00 08-02-033-252-00 08-02-040-014-00 08-02-040-003-00 08-02-033-253-00 08-02-040-004-00 08-02-040-015-00 08-02-033-254-00 08-02-040-004-10 08-02-040-030-00 08-02-033-376-00 08-02-040-006-00_____ PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have received plans showing the proposed aquatic plant control project, associated activities, any proposed improvements and locations thereof, together with an estimate of the total project cost of $212,000. Each Township’s allocated share of the total project cost will be raised by a special assessment district in each Township. Each Township Board has passed a resolution tentatively declaring its intention to undertake such project and to create the aforedescribed special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have placed the project plans and costs estimates on file with the Township Clerks and said plans, cost estimates and special assessment districts may be examined at each Clerk’s office from the date of this Notice to the date of the public hearing and may further be examined at such public hearing. PROPERTY SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF COST SHALL NOT BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 10% WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards propose to make a per-parcel special assessment each year for a period of five years (2022 -2026 inclusive). The annual assessment in each Township is to be determined by both Township Boards, upon final allocation of total project cost to each Township. Hastings artist Gail Horsefield poses next to her series of paintings titled “Nature’s Seamstress,” available for viewing at the Gita Pita restaurant. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Evelyn-Sarah Lantinga poses for a photo next to “Sarah-Dipity” in Blue Dog Tavern. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a public hearing on the plans, districts and cost estimates will be held at the Johnstown Township Hall, 13641 S. M-37 Hwy, Battle Creek, Michigan, commencing at 5 p.m. on October 12, 2022. At the hearing, the Boards will consider any written objections and comments to any of the foregoing matters which are filed with the clerks at or before the hearing, and any objections or comments raised at the hearing; and at the hearing (or any adjournment of the hearing which may be made without further notice), the township boards may revise, correct, amend, or change the plans, cost estimates or special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if written objections to the project are filed with the Township Boards at or before the hearing, signed by the record owners of land constituting more than 20% of the area within the proposed special assessment district, then the township boards may not proceed unless petitions in support of the project, signed by record owners of more than 50% of the area to be made into a special assessment district, are filed with the township. Written comments or objections may be filed with the clerks at the address set out below. Appearance and protest at the public hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the State Tax Tribunal within 30 days after the special assessment roll is confirmed. An owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment, or shall be permitted to file at or before the hearing his or her appearance or protest by letter and his or her personal appearance shall not be required. All interested persons are invited to be present in person or by representative and to submit comments concerning the establishment of the special assessment district, the plans and the cost estimates. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if the Township Boards determine to proceed with the special assessments, the Boards will each cause a special assessment roll to be prepared and another hearing will be held, after notice to record owners of property proposed to be specially assessed, to hear public comments concerning the proposed special assessments. Johnstown Township and Baltimore Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days notice to each Township Clerk. Sheri Babcock, Clerk Johnstown Township 13641 S. M-37 Hwy. Battle Creek, Ml 49015 (269) 721-9709 Penelope Ypma, Clerk Baltimore Township 3100 E. Dowling Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 721-3552 Artist Lane Cooper demonstrates how the gecko can “paint a portrait’ of visiting ArtPrize guests. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, September 29, 2022 Setters surprise Knights late in TK win Brett Bremer Sports Editor It’s not a trick, but there is some sleight of hand involved. Both Trojan setters pulled off some magic at the end of Thursday night’s OK Gold Con­ ference varsity volleyball match with visiting Kenowa Hills in Middleville. Junior setter Jessie Drenten picked up a kill by flipping a second ball into an opening in the center of the Kenowa Hills defense as the Trojans fought to work out of a little hole in the middle of the fifth set. The point evened the fifth set at 12-12. A couple points later, Trojan junior setter Charlotte Nelson took over at the service line and put up the final two service points of the match. A big dig by senior Peyton Pratt and a block by senior middle Alana Compton were huge during the final rally, and in the end it was Nelson finding the same spot that Drent­ en had for a kill with a second ball to surprise the Kenowa Hills girls again for a 15-13 win in the deciding set. On each of those key points Drenten and Nelson got in position to set up a teammate before flinging the ball across the net. “They put it over just right into what we call the campfire spot. I was pleasantly sur­ prised, and happy. It doesn’t always work. Sometimes we’re putting those up too high and it gives the defense time,” said TK head coach Tia Cross. “You have to get it to just the right height, and you have to sell it to the blockers so the blockers aren’t jumping. Typ­ ically, we put it up a little too high and tonight we didn’t. They hadn’t used that all night so [the Knights] weren’t ready for it. “That was the girls. They did it. I didn’t call for that. That was all them.” While passing, Nelson put up a team-high 17 assists in the win and Drenten had 15. The win was the third of the conference season for the Trojans. TK also won a five-set match at Forest Hills Eastern Tuesday, Sept. 20. The Trojans are now 3-3 in the OK Gold after falling 25-21, 20-25, 25-18, 25-15 at Cedar Springs Tuesday, Sept. 27. “We just kind of decided to wake back up, pick up the enthusiasm and start digging again,” Cross said. “We just really had to dig deep. We played two five-set matches this week, both fifth sets ended on a 15-13 score. It has been a really long week. We just had to find the energy and dig it out.” There was as much relief as elation in the Trojans’ celebration at the end of the night Thursday. They controlled the match during the first two sets, winning 25-17, 25-17. Kenowa Hills staked itself to a 21-13 lead in set number three before the Trojans’ took off in an attempt to end the night early. The Trojans surged to even the set at 23-23 before the Knights eventually took a 27-25 win. The Knights pulled away in the middle of set four for a 25-15 win as TK really struggled with its serve receive. “They had some really good servers that were hammering some tough serves, and we struggled with it for a little bit,” Cross said. It certainly didn’t help the Trojans to be without regular libero senior Elaina O’Riley. Senior Grace Zube, typically an outside hitter who plays all the way around the rotation for TK, had to step into that key defensive position. “We had to completely alter the line-up at three or four positions. That was tough too. These girls really stepped up and were able to overcome a really big change,” Cross said. “One of my middles moved to outside, and I moved one of my right sides to middle and was running a different right side,” Cross added. “It was a little nerve-wracking, but the way they came out I thought, this is going to work. It is going to be okay.” Pratt and Compton led the TK attack early on with some big swings - raising the team’s energy level as a whole. Sophomore Brook­ lyn Harmon and junior Kenna VanElst had some solid attacks as well for TK. As the passing struggled later in the evening, it was tougher to get those strong, smooth swings at the net. The Knights also adjusted their block a bit as the night progressed to limit the Trojans’ big swings. Pratt finished with a team-high 12 kills and 11 digs. Zube finished with ten digs. VanElst had a big night with ten kills and a team-high four aces. TK senior libero Grace Zube passes a ball during her team's OK Gold Conference win over visiting Kenowa Hills Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) There were some ups and downs during the five-set win Tuesday too. The two teams alter­ nated taking wins through the first four sets in Ada, but TK jumped out to a 9-4 advantage in set five against the Forest Hills Eastern girls. The Hawks didn’t quit and fought to pull ahead 13-11. Zube stepped to the service line for a string of four consecutive points for the Trojans which put them in front in the end. Zube had 22 digs in that contest with the Hawks. Pratt had 17 kills, 17 digs and four aces. Nelson had 14 assists and Drenten 13. DK-TK-HHS senior Katie Clark competes in the 200-yard butterfly relay during the DK/TK/HHS Relays at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings Saturday. (Photo by Mr Gaskill Photo) Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Brooklyn Harmon hits an attack over Kenowa Hills blockers during the Trojans' five-set win over the visiting Knights Thursday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DK/TK/HHS girls fourth at their 18th annual invitational Brett Bremer Thomapple Kellogg setter Charlotte Nelson flips a pass behind her head as team­ mates Alana Compton (front) a^d Thea Zellmer (back) prepare to go on the attack Thursday against Kenowa Hills n Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor The defending OK Rainbow Tier II Con­ ference champions from Ottawa Hills showed that they’ll be one of the favorites for a conference championship once again in the past few days. The Bengals took a 113-73 win over the visiting Delton Kellogg/Thomapple Kellogg/Hastings varsity girls’ swimming and diving team in Grand Rapids Thursday and then came to Hastings Saturday to win the championship in the 18th Annual Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings Swimming and Diving Relays. The Bengals took the win Saturday with 586 points ahead of Unity Christian 550, Wayland 484, DK/TK/HHS 470, Ionia 282, Calvin Christian 206 and Charlotte 158. The DK/TK/HHS team won one champi­ onship at the CERC Saturday with the div­ ing team of Abby Dumond and TJ Myers putting together a score of 183.65 points in the diving “shootout.” In the three traditional relays, the 200yard medley relay, the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay, the DK/TK/HHS girls took runner-up finishes. The team of Cadence VanOoy, Sophia Marcukaitis, Preslee Hall and Holly Carpenter took the runner-up finish in the 200-yard medley relay in 2 minutes 1.28 seconds, just behidn the Unity Christian team of Karli Velzen, Lucy Maring, Grace Dewaalmalefyt and Corinne Bierling that finished in 1:59.47. Unity Christian’s Lauren Miedema, Maring, Lily Dewaalmalefyt and Bierling also won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:46.97 with the DK/TK/HHS team of VanOoy, Carpenter, Hall and Marcukaitis second in 1:49.18. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, the Unity Christian team of Bierling, Grace Dewaal­ malefyt, Lily Dewaalmalefyt and Miedema won in 3:52.24. The DK/TK/HHS foursome of Carpenter, Hall, VanOoy and Marcukaitis finished in 4:03.85. The other six races were all won by another OK Rainbow Tier II team. The DK-TK-HHS diver Abigail Dumond twists above the water during the competition at the annual DK-TK-HHS Relays in Hastings Saturday. (Photo by Mr Gaskill Photo) Wayland girls took victories in the 800-yard freestyle relay, the 400-yard relay individu­ al medley, the 200-yard butterfly relay, the 500-yard freestyle progressive relay, the 200-yard backstroke relay and the 200-yard breaststroke relay. The DK/TK/HHS girls have another tough dual ahead, hosting Unity Christian tonight (Sept. 29) at the CERC in Hastings. The DK/TK/HHS team of VanOoy, Mar­ cukaitis, Hall and Crapenter won the 200yard medley relay in the dual with Ottawa Hills Sept. 22 in 2:01.67. Those four also won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:51.28. Marcukaitis added a victory in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.75 sec­ onds and in the 100-yard freestyle in 56.56. Dumond won the diving comeptition with 203 points. Meyers was second in the div­ ing at 174.35. �Page 10 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Saxon fullback Robby Slaughter bursts through a hole created by teammates Tommy Hollars (83) and Zander Forbes (55) during their I-8 win over Harper Creek in Battle Creek Friday night. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Hastings quarterback Owen Carroll weaves through the Harper Creek defense during the first half of the Saxons' win in Battle Creek Friday night. (Photo by Shelly Kehrle-Sulser) Saxons and Redhawks to battle for 1-8 lead Brett Bremer Hastings senior captain Layton Eastman makes a catch along the sideline before racing for a touchdown during his team's win at Harper Creek High School Friday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) 188465 Barry County Road Commission The Barry County Road Commission has openings for the following positions. MECHANIC A high school diploma or GED with 5+ years of mechanic experience is required, CDL A or ability to obtain one. Starting hourly wage will be $23.63 with advancement after one year of probation to $26.93 per hour. TRUCK DRIVER/ROAD WORKER A high school diploma or GED is required along with a Michigan Commercial Driver’s License with A&N endorsements & current Medical Card. Starting hourly wage will be $22.06 with advancement after one year of probation to $25.28 per hour. Applications can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office (phone 269-945-3449) at 1725 W. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml between 6:00 AM & 3:45 PM or found on our website at www.barrycrc . org. Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. A complete job description will be provided at the time of application. Tools and benefits including 401K provided, more information available upon request. . Sports Editor There are only two teams without a blem­ ish on their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference varsity football record left this fall: Hastings and Marshall. That won’ be true after Friday night when the 4-1 Saxons play host to the 4-1 RedHawks. Both teams are 3-0 in conference play so far with wins over Harper Creek and Pennfield among their accomplishments. “Marshall is a great team, but I think we can put the work in to become number one in the league,” said Hastings senior defensive back Layton Eastman. Hastings is hoping for a victory that would boost the team on its quest for a third-consec­ utive Interstate-8 Athletic Conference cham­ pionship. Lakewood and Olivet are once again the top two teams in the Greater Lansing Activi­ ties Conference, the only two remaining teams without a loss in conference play this fall. They’ll square off Oct. 7 at Olivet in the conference’s regular season finale. Lakewood will be looking to keep its conference record perfect this week as it hosts Stockbridge for homecoming at Unity Field. The Vikings have made long trips for lop­ sided wins over Perry and Harbor Springs, at Ferris State University, the past two weeks and are looking forward to getting back on their home turf. Stockbridge has only give up more than 14 points once this season, in a 44-8 loss to the league leading Olivet Eagles. While Hastings and Lakewood are looking to carry forward momentum from big wins in week five of the season, Barry County’s other three varsity football teams are looking for­ ward to bouncing back from lopsided losses. Thomapple Kellogg was knocked from the ranks of OK Gold Conference teams with undefeated league records by the 5-0 South Christian Sailors last week. Forest Hills East­ ern suffered its first conference defeat last week too, against 5-0 Grand Rapids Catholic Central. The Trojans and Hawks will battle in Ada Friday night looking to say one game back of the state ranked Cougars and Sailors in the conference standings. Delton Kellogg got thumped at Lawton last week and will go on the road in the South­ western Athletic Conference Valley Division again this week to take on a 2-3 Saugatuck team that will be playing its conference open­ er. The Trailblazers snapped a two-game skid last week by overwhelming Comstock 48-14. Maple Valley got beat up by league-lead­ ing NorthPointe Christian in the Tri-River 8-Man Football Conference last week in Grand Rapids and comes home to take on Morenci in another conference clash this week. Morenci is one of two 0-5 teams in the Tri-River 8 and has allowed more than 40 points per game this season. Valerie Slaughter contributed to this story. Local Standings (W-L, playoffpoints) Hastings Delton Kellogg Thomapple Kellogg Lakewood Maple Valley (8-player) 4-1, 44.200 3- 2, 36.600 2-3, 33.000 4- 1, 32.000 1-4, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference 4-1, 3-0 Hastings Marshall 4-1, 3-0 3-2, 2-1 Parma Western Lumen Christi 2- 3, 2-1 Northwest 3- 2, 1-2 Harper Creek 1-4, 1-2 Coldwater 0-5, 0-3 Pennfield 0-5, 0-3 The Barry County Ro.q.d Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. OK Gold Conference G.R. Catholic Central 5-0, 3-0 South Christian Forest Hills Eastern Thomapple Kellogg Wayland Cedar Springs Kenowa Hills Ottawa Hills 5-0, 4-1, 2-3, 3-2, 1-4, 0-5, 0-5, 3-0 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2 0-3 0-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Lawton 4-1, 1-0 Schoolcraft 4-1, 1-0 Saugatuck 2-3, 0-0 Delton Kellogg 3-2, 0-1 Galesburg-Augusta 1-4, 0-1 Greater Lansing Activities Conference Olivet 4-1, 3-0 Lakewood 4-1, 2-0, 1-4, 1-2 Leslie Stockbridge 3-2, 0-2 Perry 2-3, 0-2 Tri-River 8-Man Concord 4-1, NorthPointe Christian 5-0, Britton-Deerfield 3-2, Maple Valley 1-4, Morenci 0-5, Vandercook Lake 0-5, 4-0 3-0 2-2 1-2 0-3 0-3 Here is a round-up of last week’s local grid­ iron action. Hastings 52, Harper Creek 6 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings’ Saxon varsity football team continued its winning streak in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference with a 52-6 win at Harper Creek on Friday night over the Beavers. The Saxons are now 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference. Hastings senior captain Layton Eastman felt the team was well prepared. “We practiced hard all week for our game,” Eastman said. “We went into the night pre­ pared and ready to hit. One of their first plays they scored, from then on we didn’t let them get anywhere and they couldn’t stop our pass­ ing game. They began giving up and it ener­ gized us to keep going.” The Beavers scored a few minutes into the game with a 55-yard run by KeyShaun Mat­ thews to take the early lead 6-0, but the Sax­ ons quickly answered with a 61-yard pass from Owen Carroll to Eastman for a touch­ down. At the end of the first quarter the tie was 6-6. The Saxons then shut down the Harper Creek offense for the rest of the night. In the second quarter, senior Saxon backs Robby Slaughter and Lanny Teunessen both scored on short runs with the two-point con­ versions by Slaughter and Isaiah Wilson, to put the halftime score at 22-6. In the second half, the Saxons continued with a strong defense to hold the Beavers scoreless, while still moving the ball down the field. Slaughter and Carroll both had rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, with Teunessen making both two-point conversions. In the final quarter of play, Haiden Simmet and Tate Warner both had rushing touch­ downs for the Saxons, with the extra point kicks by Slaughter on both, putting the final score 52-6. The Saxons had 129 passing yards for the night from Carroll who completed 5-of-6 passes. The Beaver quarterback Trace Clark was only able to complete l-of-3 passes for the night for 19 yards, and the Beavers were held to only four first downs all night by the Saxon defense. The Saxons racked up the rushing yards with their Wing-T offense for a total of 321 yards on the night. Carroll, the Saxon quarter­ back, led the team with 106 yards for the night, while six other Saxons ran the ball during the night. On defense, Jack Kensington led the Hast­ ings team in tackles with 4.5, followed by Jett Barnum with 4 and Daniel Weatherly with 3 tackles. The Saxons’ deep bench allowed for 17 different Saxons to make tackles for the night. Lawton 53, Delton Kellogg 0 The Blue Devils throughly dominated the Panthers Friday night to open the South­ western Athletic Conference Valley Divi­ sion season. Lawton took a 34-0 lead in the opening quarter, pushed its edge to 44-0 by the half and went on to a 52-0 victory over the visit­ ing Delton Kellogg varsity football team. Delton Kellogg managed just four first downs in the first half and two of those were the result of a penalty by the Blue Devil defense. DK also tossed one interception, fumbled the ball away twice and saw the Blue Devils recover an onside kick in the opening quarter which helped boost their team to a 20-0 lead. Torren Mapes took some turns at quarter­ back as the Panthers spread out their offense a bit in an effort to try and get back in the bailgame. He was 2-of-5 passing for 16 yards. DK’s other QB, Philip Halcomb, had a team-high 72 rushing yards on five carries. Lawton’s defense limited DK back Ricky Ramsey to 38 yards on 12 rushing attempts. Kai Motter got the Blue Devil offense roll­ ing as he scored on runs of 23 yards and 14 yards in the first eight minutes of the ball­ game and then tacked on a 15-yard TD run before the opening quarter was up. Luke Leighton also had a five-yard TD run in the first quarter for the Blue Devils and Carter Cosby added a six-yard TD run. Motter added a fourth TD on a 14-yard run three minutes before the half. Lawton kicker Logan Nap hit a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter as well. Carter found the end zone for a second time on a three-yard run to score the only touchdown of the second half. South Christian 43, Thornapple Kellogg 2 A couple of issues with snaps got the Tro­ jans their only points in a battle of team’s previously unbeaten in the OK Gold Confer­ ence Friday night in Middleville. South Christian, ranked second in the state in Division 4, improved to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the OK Gold with a 43-32 win over the Thomapple Kellogg varsity football team. The Sailors limited the Trojan attack throughout the night and built a 30-0 lead in the first half with Sailor quarterback Jacob DeHann rushing for one touchdown and throwing for two more in the first half. Carson Vis had the two touchdown catches for the Sailors in the first half. DeHaan scored the game’s first points on a seven-yard TD run five minutes into the game. A Trojan turnover set up the Sailors to go ahead 14-0 on a 29-yard TD pass from DeHaan to Vis. Vis caught a nine-yard TD pass from DeHaan to help their team up its lead to 21-0. Both teams were credited with a safety in the game, both coming on a bad snap. The Trojans had to fall on a ball in their own end zone on an attempted punt with a minute and a half to go in the first half, and a big return on the ensuing kick allowed the Sailors to get into position for a five-yard touchdown run from Nate Brinks in the closing moments of the first half. DeHaan and Vis hooked up again in the second half on a 33-yard touchdown pass and catch and Sam Barr scored the final touch­ down for the Sailors on a seven-yard TD run. See FOOTBALL, page 12 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — Page 11 , | STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH BARRY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE SUMMONS CASE NO. 2022-441-DO Vicky L. Alspaugh Court Address: 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508 Court telephone no. 269-945-1285 Plaintiff Shannon M. Finch Plaintiff’s Attorney Allison E. Sleight (P73399) . Thacker Sleight PC 445 Cherry Street SE ” Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 ' v Defendant Christopher Robin Finch ; Domestic Relations Case There are no pending or resolved cases within the jurisdiction of the family division of the circuit court -< involving the family or family members of the person(s) who are the subject of the complaint. < SUMMONS ’ NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT: In the name of the people of the State of Michigan you are notified: 1. You are being sued 2. YOU HAVE 21 DAYS after receiving this summons and a copy of the complaint to file a written answer \ with the court and serve a copy on the other party or take other lawful action with the court (28 days if you were served by mail or you were served outside this state). 3. If you do not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint. ; 4. If you require special accommodations to use the court because of a disability or if you require a foreign language interpreter to help you fully participate in court proceedings, please contact the court immediately to make arrangements. Issue Date: 7/28/22 Expiration Date: 10/27/22 ■ Court Clerk: Stacia Tebo, STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE 5TH BARRY CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY Case No. 22-441-DO Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508,269-945-1285 Shannon M. Finch, Plaintiff’s v Christopher R. Finch, Defendant Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC Attorneys for Plaintiff 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 888-3810 Allison @ thacke rsle ig ht. com familylaw@thackersleight.com . . , ■ . Christopher R. Finch Defendant In pro Per VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR DIVORCE There is no other pending or resolved action within the jurisdiction of family division of the circuit court involving, the family or family members of the persons who are the subject of the complaint or petition. Plaintiff states: 1. Residence: Plaintiff is a resident of Barry County, Michigan and has resided in the State of Michigan for more than 180 days and in the County of Barry for more than 10 days immediately proceeding the filing of this Complaint. 2. Marriage: On August 23,2015, Plaintiff was married to the Defendant by a person qualified to perform marriages in the City of Hastings, County of Barry and State of Michigan. 3. Name Before Marriage: Plaintiff’s complete name before the marriage was Shannon Michelle Woodard. 4. Separation; The parties separated in or about February 2022. 5. Children: There are no minor children of the marriage and the Plaintiff is not currently pregnant. 6. Breakdown: There has been a breakdown in the marriage relationship to the extent that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed and there remains no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved. 7. Assets and Debts: The parties have accumulated marital assets and debts which must be divided and distributed based upon the circumstances and facts of this case. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff requests that: a. the Court enter a Judgment dissolving the marriage; b. the Plaintiff be restored to her former name: Shannon Michelle Woodard; c. the Court divide the real, personal and marital estate property of the parties on a just and reasonable basis taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of this case; and d. the Court award Plaintiff other relief to which Plaintiff may be entitled. NOTICE TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE PURSUANT TO MCR. 2.302(B)(5): Defendant is placed on notice of the duty to preserve electronically stored information. Defendant, his/her agents, advisors and affiliates, must not remove, destroy, delete, alter, or discard any documents, files or records in their custody or under their control that are or may be related or relevant in any way to the subject matter of this divorce action, including specifically any electronic documents, e-mail and electronic correspondence, images and graphics, deleted files, spreadsheets, tax or bookkeeping data, presentations, databases, system usage logs, Internet history, Facebook postings, social media postings, text messages, and cache files, contact lists, address lists, calendars, task lists, and backup copies of same. I declare under the penalties of perjury that this Verified Complaint for Divorce has been examined by me and that its contents are true to the best of my information, knowledge, and belief. Tteted: c?/a)/zoza__________ ___________ SiauulOiL M. yindi. THACKER SLEIGHT PC Dated: 20 _________________ AJhSnn E. Slmgtif (P73SWJ Attorney for Pi.Ttrjff STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH BARRY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO. 2022-441-DO Court Address: 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508 Court telephone no. 269-945-1285 Plaintiff Shannon M. Finch Plaintiff’s Attorney Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 v Defendant Christopher Robin Finch THE COURT FINDS: 1. Service of process upon the defendant, Christopher Robin Finch cannot reasonably be made as provided in MCR 2.105, MCR 2.107(B)(1)(b) and service of process may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: 2. Service of the summons and complaint other: Verified Complaint for Divorce and a copy of this order shall be made at the following method(s). 3. Publication personal for MCR 2.106 and continuing MCR 3.203. For each method used, proof of service must be filed promptly with the court. Date: Aug.31,2022 Judge Vicky R. Alspaugh P42572 1 C AT Financial FOCUS MORTGAGE SALE NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following Mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, on October 13, 2022. The amount due on the Mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a Mortgage made by Donald Blakely and Ada Blakely to America's Wholesale Lender dated October 3, 2003 and recorded October 10, 2003 in Instrument Number 1115375, Barry County, Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held by THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR INDENTURE TRUSTEE TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR THE CWABS REVOLVING HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES, SERIES 2004-E by assignment and/or merger. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of $8,412.09. Said premises are located in Barry County, Michigan and are described as: Township of Castleton, Barry County Beginning at a point on the East-West quarter line of Section 32, Town 3 North, Range 7 West, Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan; distant South 89 degrees 37’ 52” West 1097.10 feet from the East quarter corner of said section; thence South 89 degrees 37’ 52” West 230.00 feet along the said quarter line; thence North 00 degrees 02’ 38” West 330.01 feet along the West line of the East half of the Southeast quarter of said section; thence North 89 degrees 37’ 52” East 230.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 02’ 38” East 330.01 feet to the point of beginning containing 1.74 acres of land more or less. Subject to an easement for Public Highway purposes over the Southerly 60 feet thereof for M-79 highway and any other easements or restrictions of record. Being the same property conveyed to Steven L. Priddy and Sandra Dorothy Priddy, husband and wife by deed dated 09-14-01 and recorded 07-02-02 in Deed Book 1083156, in the Office of the Recorder of Barry County, Michigan. Said property is commonly known as 6791 E M-79 Highway, Nashville, Ml 49073. The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages, if any, are limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Please be advised that any third party purchaser is responsible for preparing and recording the Sheriff’s Deed. If this is a residential Mortgage, the following shall apply: ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. IF YOU: ARE A DEBTOR IN AN ACTIVE BANKRUPTCY CASE; ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF A BANKRUPTCY STAY; OR, HAVE RECEIVED A DISCHARGE IN BANKRUPTCY AND YOU. HAVE NOT REAFFIRMED THE DEBT, THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Dated: September 6, 2022 Attorney for the party foreclosing the Mortgage: Thomas E. McDonald (P39312) Brock & Scott, PLLC 5431 Oleander Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (844) 856-6646 File No. 22-05428 Pursuant to the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, made by JORDIN WILLSON, a single woman, Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) as nominee for Northern Mortgage Services, Inc., Mortgagee, dated the 29th day of January, 2018 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for The County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the 30th day of January, 2018 in Document # 2018-001035 said Mortgage having been assigned to Flagstar Bank, FSB on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, the sum of Seventy-Two Thousand One Hundred Twelve and 67/100 ($72,112.67). Notice of Foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM o'clock Local Time on the 6th day of October, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. The bid may include interest thereon at 4.62500 per annum and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including the attorney fees allowed by law, and also any sum or sums which may be paid by the undersigned, necessary to protect its interest in the premises. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land, including any and all structures, and homes, manufactured or otherwise, located thereon, situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and described as follows, to wit: The South 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield's 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records, except the South 20 feet of Lots 15 and 16, used for street purposes. Also, the South 6 feet of the North 1/2 of Lot(s) 15 and 16, Block 13 of Kenfield's 2nd Addition to the City of Hastings according to the plat thereof recorded in Liber 1 of Plats, Page 37 of Barry County Records Commonly known as 621 E. HUBBLE ST., HASTINGS, Ml 49058 During the six (6) months immediately following the sale, the property may be redeemed, except that in the event that the property is determined to be abandoned pursuant to MCLA 600.3241a, the property may be redeemed 30 days after the foreclosure sale or when the time to provide the notice required by the statute expires, whichever is later. Pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the mortgagor(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, of if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Dated: 09/08/2022 Flagstar Bank, FSB Mortgagee HLADIK, ONORATO & FEDERMAN, LLP Jonathan L. Engman (P56364) Attorney for Servicer 3290 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 117 Troy, Ml 48084 (248)362-2600 FS FARM WILLSON - 22-02117 187298 187248 (09-08)(09-29) Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Patrick W. Elliott and Mary A. Elliott, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-4 Date of Mortgage: May 18, 2007 Date of Mortgage Recording: June 25, 2007 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $49,610.41 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 4 and the West 1/2 of Lot 5 of Barrett Acres Plat, according to the Recorded Plat thereof as Recorded in Liber 4 of Plats on Page 30, Barry County Records, also beginning at the Northwest corner of said Lot 4 of the Recorded Plat of Barrett Acres, thence South 89 Degrees 18 Minutes East on the North Line of Lot 4, 100 Feet, thence North 134 Feet, Thence North 89 Degrees 18 Minutes West 100 Feet, Thence South 134 Feet to the Place of Beginning. Being Part of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West. Common street address (if any): 239 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-7516 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1475942 (09-22X10-13) 187893 1475014 (09-08)(09-29) FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Clint L. Pape and Melinda Jo Pape, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated September 24, 2010, and recorded on October 4,2010, as Document Number: 201010040009209, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated January 05, 2016 and recorded January 15, 2006 by Document Number: 2016-000445, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Five Hundred Seventeen and 73/100 ($115,517.73) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the intersection of North-South 1/4 line of Section 16, Town 1 North, Range 8 West and the centerline tangent of curve of State Highway South M-37 in the South 1/2 of said Section 16, thence South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 802.00 feet along said tangent and the centerline of Highway for the true place of beginning; thence continuing South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 220.00 feet; thence South 29 degrees 13 minutes West 396.00 feet; thence North 60 degrees 47 minutes West 220.00 feet; thence North 29 degrees 13 minutes East 396.00 feet to the place of beginning. Subject to easement over the Northeasterly 50 feet thereof for Highway South M-37 Commonly known as: 12610 S M37 HWY, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 15, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00593-1 (09-15)(10-06) 187685 Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 Failure to plan: Is it planning to fail? Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” But as you chart your financial course, what steps should you take to help you keep moving forward to where you want to go? Consider these suggestions: • Establish and quantify your goals. Throughout your life, you’ll have short-term goals, such as an overseas vacation or a home renovation, and long-term goals, the most important of which may be a comfortable retirement. You’ll want to identify all your goals and put a “price tag” on them. Of course, it’s not always possible to know exactly how much it will cost to achieve each goal, but you can develop reasonably good estimates, revising them as needed. • Create an investment strategy to achieveyour goals. Once you know how much your goals will cost, you can create the appropriate savings and investment strategies to potentially help you reach the needed amounts. For your retirement goal, you will likely need to contribute regularly to your IRA and 401(k) or other employersponsored retirement plan. But for shorter-term goals, you may need to explore other types of investments. For all your investment moves, though, you’ll need to consider your risk tolerance. You won’t want your portfolio to have such a high-risk level that you’re constantly uncomfortable with the inevitable fluctuations of the financial markets. On the other hand, you won’t want to invest so conservatively that you jeopardize your chances of achieving the growth you need to reach your goals. • Control your debts. We live in an expensive world, so it’s not easy to live debt-free. And some debts, such as your mortgage, obviously have value. But if you can control other debts, especially those that cany high interest rates, you can possibly free up money you can use to boost your savings and investments. • Prepare for obstacles. No matter how carefully you follow the strategies you’ve created to achieve your goals, you will, sooner or later, run into obstacles, or at least temporary challenges. What if you incur a large, unexpected expense, such as the sudden need for a new car or a major home repair? If you aren’t prepared for these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long­ term investments - and every time you do that, you might slow your progress toward achieving your goals. To help prevent this, you should build an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses. • Review your strategy. When you first created your financial strategy, you might have planned to retire at a certain age. But what if you eventually decide to retire earlier or later? Such a choice can have a big impact on what you need from your investment portfolio — and when. And your circumstances may change in other ways, too. That’s why it’s a good idea to review your strategy periodically to make sure it still aligns with your up-to-date objectives. None of us can guarantee that our carefully laid plans will always yield the results we want. But by taking the right steps at the right times, you can greatly improve your chances. This article was written by Edward Jonesfor use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC FORECLOSURE NOTICE (ALL COUNTIES) Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement AS A DEBT COLLECTOR, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUIY) PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement - Ndticefis given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM a.m./p.m. on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default having been made in the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage made by Larry Drewyor and Tammy Drewyor of Barry County, Michigan, Mortgagor to Fifth Third Bank (Western Michigan) dated the Sixteenth day of October, 2014, and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for the County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the Third day of November, 2014, Instrument No. 2014-010390 of the Barry County Records on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, for principal of $57,721.89 plus accrued interest at 5.74000% percent per annum. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land situated in the Township of Orangeville, in the County of Barry and State of Michigan and described as follows to wit: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 17, Town 2 North, Range 10 West, Orangeville Township, Barry County, Michigan distance North 465 feet from the center post of said section running thence North 220 feet along said 1/4 line; thence South 87 degrees 47 minutes 10 seconds East 400 feet parallel with the North 1/8 line of said section; thence South 220 feet; thence North 87 degrees 47 minutes 10 seconds West 400 feet to the place of beginning Commonly known as: 6391 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 Tax ID: 08-11-017-004-25 If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale the borrower, pursuant to MCLA 600.3278 will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. Dated: September 29, 2022 By: Benjamin N. Hoen #P-81415 Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A. 965 Keynote Circle Cleveland, OH 44131-1829 Telephone: 216-739-5100 Fax: 216-363-4034 Email: bhoen@weltman.com WWR # 22-001147-1 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid_at the sajg.dpes not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and.clear ownership of the property. A potential'^tn*Chef^“ is (09-29)(10-20) 188453 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FILE NO. 22-029275-GM In the matter of Kayden James McManus. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS including: Mersaydies Hall whose address(es) is/are unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge Doherty (P41960) for the following purpose: Petition for Guardianship of Minor Child. Date: 7/7/2022 Jackie Baker (P7695) 137 W. State St. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-3999 Charles and Lisa McManus 7074 Pike Road Delton, Ml 49046 269-838-4870 encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Linda Weyerman, married and husband Eldon B. Weyerman Original Mortgagee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Nationstar Mortgage LLC Date of Mortgage: May 3, 2012 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 29, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $72,814.38 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: That part of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, lying South of Hammond Road, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the above described premises for the place of beginning; thence South 220 feet; thence West 115 feet; thence North 220 feet; thence East 115 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 2841 Hammond Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8931 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1476288 (09-22)(10-13) 188037 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29289-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Mica LeBeau. Date of birth: 11/06/2000. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Mica LeBeau, died 05/08/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jessi Ankwatsa, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: September 27, 2022 Steven J. Matz P28082 25800 Northwestern Hwy. #575 Southfield, Ml 48075 248-799-8300 Jessi Ankwatsa 7748 Kaiser St. Canton, Ml 48187 616-610-9173 188506 �Page 12 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ItVfJLIvJCaj NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 pm, on October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Eugene C. Lockyer and Cheryl L. Lockyer, husband and wife whose address is 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated September 5, 2008, and recorded on September 8, 2008, in Document No. 20080909-0008962, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp., as assignee as documented by an assignment dated September 12, 2022, and recorded on September 15, 2022, in Document No. 2022-009627, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 45/100 ($66,422.45). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 1010 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the recorded Plat thereof. Street Address: 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. HOMEOWNER: ATTENTION SERVICE MILITARY IF MEMBER YOU ARE A ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: September 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4616 (09-22)(10-13) 188097 MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Josh Gipe and Ronie Finkbeiner, As Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated April 27, 2021 and recorded May 18, 2021 in Instrument Number 2021-006546 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Forty-Seven Thousand Ninety-Seven and 93/100 Dollars ($147,097.93). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at T.00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Carlton, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot 18, Culbert’s Plat No. 3, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded plat in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 78, Barry County Records. 4 Culbert Dr, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: September 15, 2022 File No. 22-009244 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (09-15X10-06) FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by John C. Smith, a married man and Amanda J. Smith, his wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated December 12, 2007, and recorded on January 11, 2008, as Document Number: 20080111-0000387, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association, FKA Fifth Third Bank as successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated March 08, 2011 and recorded March 21, 2011 by Document Number: 201103210003288, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Six Thousand Two Hundred Sixty-Seven and 16/100 ($106,267.16) including interest at the rate of 4.50000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Part of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 27, town 3 north, range 9 west, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as commencing at the northwest corner of said section 27, thence south 66.00 feet along the west line of said section 27 to the true point of beginning, thence east 200.00 feet parallel with the north line of said section 27, thence south 600.00 feet parallel with said west line, thence west 200.00 feet parallel with said north line, thence north 600.00 feet along said west line to the point of beginning. Containing 2 acres, more or less, and being subject to any easements, restrictions or conditions of record. Commonly known as: 2031 HUBBLE RD, HASTINGS, Ml 49058 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 22, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 17MI00493-2 (09-22)(10-13) 188198 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate In the Matter of the Roger J. Nelsen and Betty J. Nelsen Trust dated January 12, 2006. Decedent’s date of birth: 02-18-1923. TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Your interest in this matter may be barred or affected by the following: The decedent, Roger J. Nelsen, lived in Barry County, Hastings, Michigan, and died -7-16­ 2022. Creditors of the decedent has no probate estate. Creditors of the deceased are further notified that all claims against the trust estate will be forever barred unless presented to: Jerald C. Nelsen, Trustee and/or the attorney’s office representing Jerald C. Nelsen as Trustee, within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. This notice is published pursuant to MCL 700.7608. If a probate estate is opened in the future for the decedent, this notice is intended to satisfy the requirements of MCL 700.3801. Notice is further given that the trust estate will be thereafter assigned and distributed to the person(s) entitled to it. Lester helps DK by setting P.R. at Parchment Classic Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg girls would have been closer to the bottom of the standings than the middle if they hadn’t gotten a big boost from junior Lillian Lester Wednesday. Lester was the Panthers’ number five fin­ ishers at the Parchment Classic cutting more than 40 seconds of per previous personal record. Lester placed 44th overall in 26 min­ utes 40.17 seconds. The Delton Kellogg girls placed fifth among nine scoring teams at the race which was headed by Southwestern Athletic Con­ ference rivals Kalamazoo Christian and Schoolcraft. The Kalamazoo Christian girls won the championship on the day with 34 points ahead of Schoolcraft 55, Bronson 120, Fennville 128, Delton Kellogg 145, Coldwa­ ter 150, Parchment 151, Quincy 161 and Pennfield 202. Ethan Rimmer was 20th in 19:51.17 and junior Rhys Bedford was 57th in 21:52.22. Nick Muday recorded a new personal record for the DK boys with hi 62nd-place time of 22:36.69. Kalamazoo Christian also won the boys’ meet with 57 points ahead of Bronson 93, Delton Kellogg 98, Coloma 117, Coldwater 129, Constantine 141, Parchment 160, Alle­ gan 186, Schoolcraft 214, Pennfield 246 and Fennville 248. Parchment senior William Winter was the individual champion with a time of 16:58.07. Coloma junior Boden Genovese was second in 17:04.45 and Coldwater senior Haroon Omar third in 17:40.78. The SAC was set to get together for a jam­ boree hosted by Gobles Wednesday, Sept. 28. DK will be back in action Saturday morning, Oct. 1, at the Otsego Bulldog Invitational and then at the Portage Invitational Oct. 8. DK rebounds after pair of tough conference defeats Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ soccer team ran its record to 9-3-1 overall this sea­ son with an 8-0 Southwestern Athletic Con­ ference victory over visiting Coloma Mon­ day. Hector Jimenez scored the opening goal 30 seconds into the match with the Comets. He added two more goals in the first half and a fourth in the second half. Marshall Warner and Pablo Gomez also scored in the first half allowing the Panthers to lead 5-0 at the intermission. Warner added two more goals in the second half for DK. Warner and James Blackbum both had two assists in the win. Jimenez and Alvar Marti­ nez Furones had one assist each. Delton Kellogg battled one of the SAC’s top teams in Kalamazoo Friday, falling 2-0 to Hackett Catholic Prep. The bailgame was tied 0-0 at the half, but the Irish finally found the net midway through the second half and then put the game away with an insurance goal with five minutes to play. Last Wednesday, the Panthers were bested 3-1 in a SAC match at South Haven. Warner scored to tie the game at 1-1 in the first half, but the host Rams added two sec­ ond half goals for the conference win. FOOTBALL, continued from page 10--------------------------------------------------------------------------Sailor kicker Nate Brinks converted on his first five extra-point attempts before the final attempt went awry following Barr’s score. DeHaan finished the game 12-of-l 5 pass­ ing for 174 yards and he also led the Sailors on the ground with nine rushes for 32 yards. Vis had nine receptions for 117 yards and fourth other Sailors caught passes. TK quarterback Carsen Burbridge was 5-of-12 passing for 37 yards. Drake Snyder had a team high 32 rushing yards on eight carries for TK. Lakewood 47, Harbor Springs 0 In part because of the defense Harbor Springs was throwing at the Vikings and in part to prepare for the final weeks of the reg­ ular season, the Lakewood varsity football team threw the ball around a little more than usual on the turf at Ferris State University’s Top Taggart Field Friday. The Vikings could try some things as they scored a 47-0 win over the Rams. The offen­ sive experimentation was made possible in part by what Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart called his team’s best defensive performance of the season. “There were some times where we could have slipped a little bit and they stepped up and shut them down,” Markwart said. “The defense stepped up. We gave them some short fields and had a few turnovers early and the defense stepped up and played well. “We finally got to a point where once we got up we didn’t coast. They kept going and kept going.” The defense even got in on the scoring as Austin Straub returned a fumble 25 yards for a touchdown to put the Vikings up 12-0. Straub had two fumble recoveries on the eve­ ning, Landon Makley picked up a fumble and Montreal Reid had an interception. Nathan Willette had a team-high seven tackles for Lakewood. Straub was one of six Vikings to get into the end zone. Reid scored on runs of four yards and seven yards. Cole Anderson opened the scoring for Lakewood with a 15-yard TD run. Lakewood also got an 18-yard touch­ down pass from Willette to Ethan Weller, a 14-yard touchdown run by Ethan Goodemoot and a four-yard TD run by Willette. Makley was 5-of-7 on his extra-point kicks, and coach Willette said the Viking kicker was just a little nervous to be kicking on a collegiate field that has a narrower space between the goalposts than a regulation high school field. Markwart said the two Makley missed would have been good at Unity Field. The Vikings have made Ferris State Uni­ versity a pit stop on some long trips up north in recent seasons. Markwart made sure to get the Vikings to Big Rapids early to have a big meal in the dining commons and time to let it settle before the contest. Markwart is happy to give his players a big of college atmosphere - whether they’re planning to go to a university after high school or not. “They thought it was the greatest thing ever. It was a lot of fun to play there,” Mark­ wart said. The winning makes it even more fun. Willette was 9-of-ll passing for 188 yards in the ballgame. Straub had four catches for 97 yards. Weller had two catches for 20 yards. Bryson Haight, Makley and Brennen Lehman had receptions as well. “We do have a good corps of receivers,” Markwart said. “We’re a run dominant team. We do have a good corps of receivers and our tight ends are phenomenal, all three of them. They’re big they’re tough and they’re not afraid of contact. They’re willing to get in there and mix it up.” Markwart said the play-action pass was a big part of the Viking attack on the night, it was especially successful at creating open­ ings for the tight ends Lehman, Makley and Straub. “They were bringing their backside line­ backer a lot to try and stop our veer, and that is where some of our play-action passes came in,” Markwart said. On the ground, Reid had a team-high 15 rushes for 53 yards. Anderson had 11 carries for a team-high 66 yards. Goodemoot fin­ ished with five carries for 42 yards. NorthPointe Christian 53, Maple Valley 6 The Lions faced their toughest task of a tough start to the season Friday at North­ Pointe Christian High School and couldn’t quite keep pace with the undefeated Mus­ tangs. NorthPointe Christian improved to 5-0 overall this season and 3-0 in the Tri-River 8-Man Football Conference with a 53-6 win over the visiting Lions. Maple Valley is now 1-4 overall this season and 1-2 in conference play. The Lions’ losses so far this season have come against teams with a combined record of 18-2. “We are playing against the best of the best in 8-man football and NorthPointe is the best team we have played so far,” Maple Valley head coach Marty Martin said. “They’re big. They’re physical. They’re really disciplined and they’re really well coached.” “Our defense hung in there. They did everything they could tonight to stop them. The had to put together longer drives tonight to score on us. A couple times they got inside the ten and it took them four downs to get it into the end zone.” The Mustangs did find the end zone though. They outscored the Lions 30-0 in the first half, getting a one-yard touchdown run by Caden Trathen two and a half minutes into the bailgame to open the scoring. Quarter­ back DeDe Person added three touchdown runs in the first half, then throw for one touchdown and run for another in the second half. Person finished the bailgame with 30 rush­ es for 298 yards and 54 yards passing while completing two of three attempts. The Mus­ tangs amassed 464 yards of offense overall. “[Offensively] they just overwhelm you at the point of attack,” Martin said. “When the team is bigger and faster and stronger than you, you wear down quickly and it is just a matter of time.” “On defense, they just come downhill.” The Lions had just 103 yards of offense. They got their lone points on a 64-yard touch­ down pass from Ayden Wilkes to Cam Car­ penter a minute into the fourth quarter. Wil­ kes was 6-of-19 passing for 88 yards in the ballgame. Carpenter had three receptions for 69 yards in the bailgame. Martin said his team did what it could to mix things up and find something that would work on offense, but NorthPointe had an answer for the Lions’ new offensive scheme and older ones they tried. When plays worked once, the Mustangs made sure they didn’t work out again for Maple Valley. Andrew Shepard had a team-high 11 tack­ les for the Lions and Jesse Deppe added ten. The Lions were a bit shorthanded, with a couple of players injured and a few more out with the flu. Date: 09-12-2022 Longstreet Elder Law & Estate Planning, PC Robert J. Longstreet P53546 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Trust 607 North Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3495 Jerald C. Nelsen 727 N. Wilson St. Hastings, Ml 49058 616-570-4793 188508 STATE OF MICHIGAN 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF HEARING CASE NO. 22009558-NA PETITION NO. 22010142 22010143 TO: Michael Ryan Holley IN THE MATTER OF: Kayde Michael Holley Liam Charles Holley A hearing regarding pretrial, adjudication, termination trial will be conducted by the court on 10/24/2022 at 8:30 a.m. in 3rd Floor Courts and Law Bldg., 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Michigan 49058 before Hon. William M. Doherty. You have the right to an attorney and the right to a trial by judge or jury. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Michael Ryan Holley personally appear before the court at the time and place stated above. This hearing may result in termination of your parental rights. 18&449 In the matter of the Louise J. Middleton Trust dated June 6,1994. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Louise J. Middleton, born November 26,1927, who lived at 1554 Heritage Bay Drive, Middleville, Michigan died September 8, 2022 leaving a certain trust under the name of the Louise J. Middleton Trust, and dated June 6,1994 wherein the decedent was the Settlor and Kay L. Stolsonburg was named as the trustee serving at the time of or as a result of the decedents death. Creditors of the decedent and of the trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Kay L. Stolsonburg the named trustee at 1242 Lynn Drive, Middleville, Michigan within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: September 22, 2022 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Sale Sporting Goods For Sale: 2004 Crossroads BOW HUNTERS: MAT­ THEWS Compound bow Cruiser 30ft Fifth Wheel with slide-out. Bunkhouse model, everything works as it should. $5800 PBO. Call 269-838-3245 anytime Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Kay L. Stolsonburg 1242 Lynn Drive Middleville, Michigan 49333 and Parker Crossbow, $175 each, with cases. 269-953-3571. B usiness Services Estate Sales BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White HUGE ESTATE SALE- Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Thurs.-Sat., Sept. 29th, 30th & Oct. 1st., 2022 8am-6pm. 8421 Delton Rd., Delton. Lifetime Eclectic Collection. Antiques, Furniture, Royal Daulton, Art, Dishes, Games, Cameras, Computers, Clocks, Lamps, Tools, 4X & 3X Clothing. 188507 187793 Kalamazoo Christian sophomore Alaina Kloster was the individual champion in a season-best time of 20:40.64. Bronson soph­ omore Ava Hathaway was the runner-up in 20:48.67 - setting a new personal record. Schoolcraft was led by senior Caley Kerwin who placed third in 21:31.83. Delton Kellogg was led by senior Joelle White who was 24th overall in 23:52.68. Junior Summer Ritchie was 29th for the Pan­ thers in 24:42.79 and sophomore Johannah Houtkooper 32nd in 25:06.23. DK sopho­ more Kylie Main ran her fastest time of the season, 26:12.53, to place 38th. The Delton Kellogg boys were third as a team at the meet led by senior Micah Martin who placed eighth in 18:55.28. DK had two guys finish in less than 19 min­ utes. Senior Isaac Shepard was 11th in 18:58.95. Senior Gage Vincent was 16th over­ all for the DK boys in 19:14.62. Sophomore Pets MINI GOLDEN DOODLE PUPPIES: Fluffy, very play­ ful!. First shots and wormed. $500, 269-223-9194. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — Page 13 Saxon spikers win two three-setters at BC Central Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings scored a third-place finish at the Battle Creek Central Invitational Saturday, besting Interstate-8 Athletic Conference rival Pennfield and Paw Paw on the day. The Saxons got their first ever Interstate-8 Athletic Conference win earlier this season and will get to face Pennfield in a conference dual on senior night at Hastings High School Oct. 19. “Pennfield was a good win for us,” Hast­ ings varsity volleyball coach Erin Slaughter said. “It showed the girls that they are con­ tinuing to improve and show the conference who they are as a team.” The Saxons beat the Pennfield girls in three sets, 24-26, 25-15, 15-7. The Saxons fell 25-16, 25-7 to Manchester in their second match of the day and then bounced back for a 25-18, 18-25, 15-11 win over Paw Paw in the match for third. “Manchester was a tough loss to a team that I think we could have beat,” Slaughter said. “The girls had sat for two and a half hours and then played them, so they just came out too flat and took a long time to get warmed up. “They did play well against Paw Paw.” Rachael Hewitt had an especially great match against Paw Paw. She had eight kills in that match. She had nine in the win over Pen­ nfield. Bailey Cook and Audrey Vertalka had four kills each in that win over Paw Paw and Ver­ talka added three solo blocks. Saxon setter Abby Beemer put up 13 assists. Cook had a team-high three aces and Jordan Milanowski hit two. Beemer had 23 assists in the match with Manchester. Cook led the team with three kills. Beemer had 39 assists in the win over Pen­ nfield, spreading the attack around. Hewitt had her nine kills. Kimber Fenstemaker hit Hastings blockers Audrey Vertalka (8) and Abby Beemer (4) protect their side of the net during their conference contest at Harper Creek High School Wednesday, Sept. 21. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) seven, Vertalka six and Cook four. Beemer, Cook and Cassidee Easey had two aces each in the win over the Panthers. The Saxons were set to return to confer­ ence play last night against Marshall. They are at the Lakeview Invitational Saturday, Oct. 1, and then will host Parma Western for a conference match Tuesday, Oct. 4. “We’re excited to keep pushing forward in the conference,” Slaughter said. “The girls set goals for themselves at the start of the year, The Saxons' Bailey Cook goes up for a kill during her team's I-8 match at Harper Creek Wednesday, Sept. 21. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) and so far we are accomplishing those goals, despite multiple injuries, line up changes, and long weeks. I’m really proud of the girls and how they have worked for this season. These varsity players are creating a good model for the rest of our program to follow and improve with.” The Saxons fell 3-0 at Harper Creek in Interstate-8 Athletic Conference action last Wednesday, Sept. 21, by the scores of 25-19, 25-15,25-17. Top competition tough on Trojan soccer team lately not like we’re playing slouches Sports Editor in the non-conference games.” Kiel liked the pressure his Tro­ The Thomapple Kellogg var­ sity boys’ soccer team was set to jans put on up higher against fry'ahd“close but the'OK Gold^ ‘‘ "East *Grand Rap^s^ Monday? He' Conference regular season and knows what will be a challenge build some positive vibes at for his team’s young defense with outside guys pushing up to Ottawa Hills Wednesday. The Trojans opened the season help boost the attack. 7-2, but has gone 0-5-1 in its last The Pioneers led 1-0 at the six ballgames including a 3-0 half getting a goal from senior loss to East Grand Rapids in a Ben Borak in the 14th minute of non-conference match in Mid­ action. dleville Monday and a 5-1 loss to That one-goal lead stood into the Grand Rapids Catholic Cen­ the middle of the second half tral team leading the OK Gold when the Pioneers found some and ranked first in the state in space up the left side to create a Division 3 on Sept. 21. couple strong scoring chances. “We have a tough conference, Logan Becker scored off an assist there is no denying that. We got from Harrison Bigler and Micah away from some of our basic Daniels finished off an assist stuff, which allowed us to lose from Borak. some teams we maybe should The Trojans didn’t have those have beaten,” TK head coach finishing touches the Pioneers Andrew Kiel said. did Monday. Junior Reece “It’s a credit to our conference. Hoeksma had a nice feed inside They came in with a game plan for senior Logan Archambault and did stuff, and we got a little who chipped a shot just wide of off. We’re taking steps in the the frame that could have tied the right direction. The last two game at 1-1 midway through the games, 5-1 and 3-0, we didn’t first half. play like that. It is tough. We’re The Trojans had another one doing little things right and we’re of their best scoring chances late taking things in the right direc­ with attacker Austin Chivis just tion. It is tough to do that in a missing being able to direct a conference like we have, and it is long free kick from teammate Brett Bremer Viking boys manage a couple PR’s in the mud Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lightning pushed back the start of the Greater Lansing Activities Conference cross country season by a week, but the league got to finally start and finish the first jamboree of 2022 at Lakewood High School Monday. Lakewood senior Matt Cronk and soph­ omore Hudson Goethals pushed each other to new personal record times in placing 15th and 16th overall for the Lakewood varsity boys’ cross country team. Those finishes helped the Lakewood boys to a third place finish. Lakewood’s girls were also third on the day. Maple Valley’s boys’ and girls’ teams both placed seventh in the hypothetical scoring for the teams that didn’t have at least five finishers at the meet. Olivet won the boys’ race by four points over Leslie, 36-40. Lakewood was third with 75 points ahead of Stockbridge 88 and Lansing Christian 124. Leslie senior Cameron Pierce was the individual champion in 17 minutes 17.7 seconds. Olivet had eight guys finish in the top 20 overall led by juniors Lucas Hop­ kins and Conner Fountain. Hopkins was second in 17:31.8 and Fountain third in 17:44.59. Lakewood was led by senior Ryan Alford who placed tenth in 19:25.09. Soph­ omore teammate Riley Johnson wasn’t far behind in 12th with a time of 20:50.7. Cronk hit the finish line in 21:13.2 and Goethals in 21:16.59. The Vikings’ number five scorer was freshman Charles Heiss who was 24th in 22:05.9. Maple Valley was led by senior Adam Blakely who was 44th in 25:09.5. Lion junior Robert Laws was 51st in 30:36.4. Despite the mud and rain Blakely ran his fastest race ever on the Lakewood course. MHSAA Sportsmanship Summits return for first time since 2019 The Michigan High School Athletic Association’s annual Sportsmanship Sum­ mit series will return this fall to be con­ ducted for the first time since 2019, again focusing on sportsmanship both on and off the field of play. The MHSAA has conducted Sportsman­ ship Summits across Michigan for more than 20 years, and this year’s series kicks off Nov. 7 in Marquette and finishes Nov. 16 in Ypsilanti. MHSAA staff, with assistance from school administrators and the MHSAA Stu­ dent Advisory Council, conduct Sportsman­ ship Summits. More than 800 students are expected to take part in the four workshops, where they will discuss the line that sepa­ rates good from bad sportsmanship, both as athletes during competition and when it comes to cheering at athletic events. Workshop sessions will feature handson activities including one session devel­ Thomapple Kellogg's Jackson Curtis looks to pass the ball ahead after a turnover by East Grand Rapids in the midfield during the first half inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Braden Sharrar by the East Grand Rapids goalkeeper Eli Huey. Kiel has been happy to see his team building its depth as the season has progressed. He sees his team not losing a step when Sports Editor Vicksburg edged the Hastings varsity boys’ cross country team for third place at the 18-team Bangor Invitational Saturday. The Kalamazoo Homeschool Sports team took the boys’ championship with 89 points. Plainwell was second with 95 ahead of Vicks­ burg 108, Hastings 109, Three Oaks River Valley 127, Buchanan 136, Edwardsburg 160, Constantine 183, Parchment 251 and Allegan 310 in the top ten. The Hastings boys’ team got personal records from sophomore Brandon Simmons and Alex Steward. Simmons was sixth over­ all in 17:27.48. Junior teammate Riley Shults led the Saxons with a fifth-place time of 17: 26.38. Hastings also had Jonah Teed 23rd in 18: 24.83 and Caleb LaBoe 32nd in 18:41.00. LaBoe ran his fastest race of the season, as did sophomore Micah Johnson who was 48^ in 19:18.24. Steward placed 50^ in 19:32.66. Parchment senior William Winter won the boys’ race in 16:59.53. Constantine senior Ethan Glick was the runner-up in 17:03.20 and Centreville senior Logan Weis was third in 17:05.87. Glick and Weis both set new personal records. All three Hastings girls competing Satur­ day ran their fastest race of the season. Soph­ omore Anika Bourassa ran a personal record New Collections by ®Moda the 12th, 13th and 14th guys start rolling in off the bench. Hoeksma scored the Trojans’ lone goal in their loss to Catholic Central last week off an assist from Chivis. time of 34:00.58. Sophomore Brooklyn Strickland and freshman Alexia Owen both came in at 38:36.15 with Strickland dropping her PR with her 94th-place time. Vicksburg won the girls’ race with 82 points. The Kalamazoo Homeschool Sports team was second with 86 points and Plain­ well third with 87. Edwardsburg was a distant fourth with 134 points. Lawton junior Kendra Koster won the girls’ race in 18:52.58. St. Joseph Our Lady of the Lake Catholic junior Allison Glendening was second with a personal record time of 20:05.04. Vicksburg was led by junior Emma Steele who placed third in 20:13.26. Red Arrows well ahead of foes at Lakewood Invite Brett Bremer Sports Editor Lowell lapped the field on the course at Morrison Lake Country Club Friday during the Lakewood Invitational. The Red Arrows put up a score of 354 to take the day’s championship. Olivet was a distant second with a score of 439 ahead of Lakewood 443, Ionia 450, Hastings 504 and Pewamo-Westphalia 511. Freshman Sophia Greenfield, junior Addey Nickels and senior Lauren Arnold tied for the team lead for Hastings. They each shot a score of 120 at the 18-hole con­ test. Lakewood was led by junior Makenzie Vasquez who scored a 102 and senior Karmyn Winkler who scored a 105. The Viking team also got 118s from sophomore Ellie Benham and junior Audrey Hillard. All five of the Red Arrows were under 100 on the day. Senior Stephanie Spinella paced her team with an 82 and sophomore Elie Sluss shot an 84. Lowell also got a 92 from Elyse Veldman and 96s from senior Ry lee Jannenga and sophomore Leah Krieger. The Saxons are scheduled to be at Cedar Creek Golf Course today for the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship. Lake­ wood is headed to Forest Akers East Golf Course for the Greater Lansing Activities Conference Championship today. oped and instructed by members of the Student Advisory Council. At the end of the day the delegation from each partici­ pating school will meet to develop a school sportsmanship campaign. Break­ outs at each Summit also provide a great opportunity for student sections to learn about appropriate student section behavior. There will be information for the veteran student sections, as well as guides for schools that want to start their own orga­ nized student sections for the first time. Sessions will take place in Grand Rapids at the Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as well as in Marquette Nov. 7, Saginaw Nov. 9 and Ypsilanti Nov. 16. Registration at each site is limited to the first 225 students and administrators. Schools are welcome to bring as many as 10 total representatives, including two administrators. • Beautiful Cotton Prints Zippers, Threads, Buttons... and more! Hastings runners record a few PR’s at Bangor Invite Brett Bremer “We had both hoped for a better time, but agreed that his miles were very consis­ tent, and he just needs to be a little faster with each mile,” Maple Valley head coach Tiffany Blakely said of Adam’s race. The Lion coach said Laws was surprised by the conditions, running a cross country race in foul weather for the first time. “He was able to work on his confidence in the race, by running a faster third mile than second, which for a coach is awesome to see,” coach Blakely said. The Lion team will look forward to James Penny being ready to run at the next conference jamboree. Leslie took the girls’ race with the top three runners overall and five in the top eight. The Blackhawks finished with 19 points ahead of Stockbridge 59, Lakewood 66 and Lansing Christian 83. Leslie sophomore Jaidyn Smith was the individual champion in 20:16.59. Her sophomore teammate Erin Lubahn was second in 20:42.4. Leslie freshman Hailey Creisher was third in 21:21.2. Lakewood senior Reagan Lab led her team with a time of 23:04.79, finishing just ahead of freshman teammate Emma Tidd who was tenth in 23:07.59. The Viking team also had senior Sadie Brearley 14th in 23:45.4, senior Emma Lancaster 19th in 24:33.5 and senior Gabby Rosenberger 24th in 26:33.7. Maple Valley junior Lilly Faurot paced the Lion pack with a 16th-place time of24:05.29. Junior Mackenzie Decker was 29th in 30:05. Freshman Ada Marie Blake­ ly was 38th in 36:58 and sophomore Brianna Gurd 40th in 39:16. “This was a difficult race to approach due to weather,” coach Blakely said. “Despite all that, we had decent times. I had hoped for better, but was prepared for worse.” She said Faurot was her team’s most con­ sistent over each mile and was pleased to see Decker pick up the pace over her last mile. QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • srsbsss 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station 188452 CITY OF HASTINGS PUBLIC NOTICE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 607 The undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Clerk of the City of Hastings, Michigan, does hereby certify that AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 58 OF THE HASTINGS CODE OF 1970, AS AMENDED, BY ADDING ARTICLE V, HASTINGS DOG PARKS was adopted by the City Council of the City of Hastings at a regular meeting on the 26th of September 2022. A complete copy of this Ordinance is available for review at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Christopher Bever City Clerk �Page 14 — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Vikings keep umblemished record going in the GLAC Brett Bremer Sports Editor Perry took the brunt of the Lakewood ladies efforts to bounce back from a rough Saturday tournament. The Lakewood varsity volleyball team improved to 4-0 in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference with a 25-11, 25-11, 25-11 win over the visiting Ramblers Tuesday. The Vikings once again rolled through three different line-ups in the three sets with the Ramblers, as has become tradition this season in conference match-ups. Abby Pickard closed out the day with a team-high seven kills and Cadence Poll had six. Skylar Bump, Bailey Fifelski and Alivia Everitt had five kills apiece. Lakewood had 11 different girls record kills. Izzy Wheeler chipped in four and Liv Woodman and Paige Wolverton had three each. Freshman setter Emma Duffy had a team-high 21 assists, with Carley Piercefield, Bump and Abby Pickard adding four each. Alli Pickard and Fifelski had three assists each Bump led the Vikings in aces with six. Piercefield and Alli Pickard had six digs each. Everitt had their team’s lone block. Lakewood head coach Cameron Rowland said his girls practiced extremely well Monday in the lead-up to the match. His girls had struggled to find a rhythm at Byron Center’s Cristi Curtis Memorial Invitational Saturday where they fell in the finals to Mattawan. Otsego bested the Vikings in three sets to open the tour­ nament, but Lakewood rallied for two-set wins over Fruit­ port, West Catholic and Allendale. Abby Pickard had 31 kills as well as 57 assists, eight aces and 35 digs for the Vikings. Bump had 35 kills, 39 assists and 30 digs. Piercefield put up 16 assists to go with her 73 digs. Alivia Everitt had 21 kills, Ellie Possehn 17, Wheeler 13 and Poll 11. At the service line, the Vikings got seven aces each from Alli Pickard and Wolverton. Bump and Fifelski had six aces each and Piercefield four. Poll had eight blocks, Everitt five and Bump four. Lakewood has a break from competition ahead. The Vikings host their own Lakewood Invitational Oct. 8. Lakewood's Liv Woodman hits an attack through the Perry block during their GLAC match at Lakewood High School Tuesday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Lakewood senior setter Skylar Bump (right) goes up to try and block a Perry attack during their GLAC match at Lakewood High School. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxons tested as they prep for Mepham Day next week Brett Bremer Hastings' Bayne Signeski pushes through the midfield with the ball during his team's 1-8 contest with Marshall on Pierce Field Thursday, Sept. 22. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Celebrate the SAXON SPIRIT -------------- witn a ------------- PRE-GAME TAILGATE PARTY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 Sports Editor The Hastings varsity boys’ soccer team is in a stretch of games as tough as the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference can throw at it. Parma Western, ranked 12^ in the state in Division 2, ran its record to 12-0 overall this season and 4-0 in the 1-8 with a 7-0 win over the Saxons inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Tuesday evening. The Saxons will get to be on their home turf again next Thursday, Oct. 4, when they play host to Pennfield. on Doug Mepham Day in Hastings. The Saxon soccer program is hosting an ALS research fundraiser as it hon­ ors program founder, and former coach, Doug Mepham on his birthday. Mepham was diagnosed with ALS in May of 2021. The Saxons will be wearing red in support of ALS awareness. While originally slated for an earlier start on Pierce Field, the bailgame has been moved inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. The Saxon JV will take on Pennfield at 5 p.m. with the varsity match to follow at around 6:30 p.m. “Let’s show Doug that he is not alone in this battle,” Hastings varsity boys’ soccer coach Francisco Lopez shared on the event Face­ book page (Doug Mepham Day) where there are links to GoFundMe fundraisers to accom­ pany the event. “We could never as a commu­ nity be able to pay back everything Doug has given to us. His impact is, and continue3s to be, nothing less than extraordinary.” After a. 5-1-1 start to the season, the Sax­ ons have dropped four in a row including a 4-0 loss to Marshall on Pierce Field in confer­ ence action last Thursday, Sept. 22, and a 5-1 non-conference loss to Ionia in Hastings Sat­ urday. Hastings is now 1-3-1 in conference action. The Saxons are in Jackson for an 1-8 contest with the Northwest Mounties today, Sept. 29, and go out side the conference to face Lowell on the road Saturday at noon. The Saxons' Cayden Snow looks to clear the ball up the sideline during his team's Interstate-8 Athletic Conference contest with Marshall in Pierce Field Thursday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) WE WILL BE HAVING 1 "COACH DOUG MEPHAM ALS AWARENESS NIGHT" Coach Mepham’s former players are invited to attend as well as Hastings area youth soccer players in their jerseys. TRIxCLOR, A tailgate party at the Spirit bus before the game with Pennfield will be sponsored by Tri-Clor Inc. and the Saxon Athletic Boosters. Donations and proceeds will be given to the Susan Mast ALS Foundation. THE JV GAME WILL START AT 5 PM AND THE VARSITY GAME WILL START AT 6:30 PM SAXON SPIRIT ... let it show! Saxon tennis players pick up a few victories at their own tri Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons had their most successful afternoon of the season Thursday, hosting Greenville and Kelloggsville on the courts at Hastings High School. The Saxon varsity boys’ tennis team was edged 4-3 by the Kelloggsville Rockets and fell 7-1 in a dual with Greenville. Keegan Lindsey in the second singles spot for the Saxons in the dual with Greenville took a 7-5, 6-4 win over the Yellow Jackets’ Hudson Parker. There were tough sets throughout the dual. Heath Hays filled the first singles spot for Hastings and fell 6-0 to Greenville’s Jackson Doyle to start the day, but fought in what turned into a 7-5 defeat in set number two. The Saxon first doubles team of Joe Gog­ gins and Hayden Long had a similar match, falling 6-2 in the opening set against Brayion Haist and Aidan Steele and then surged to force a tiebreaker in set number two before the Greenville boys closed out a 7-2 win. Goggins and Long were 1-1 on the after­ noon. They knocked off Kelloggsville’s Coal Voss and Camryn DeLaRosa 6-1, 6-0 in their first doubles match. Hastings got two points on the singles side, with Lindsey scoring a 6-1, 6-0 win over Jontae Longmire at second singles and Caleb Borton besting Brandon Nguyen 6-1, 6-2 at third singles. At number one, Hays was edged 6-2, 6-3 by Kenny Vi. The second singles match was a tough one with Kelloggsville’s Gabe Perz and Michael Nunez scoring a 7-6(5), 7-5 win over the Saxon pair of Evan Porter and Anderson Forrel. Hastings was back in action Saturday at the Wayland Quad. “After a nice warm up of pushing squee­ gees around wet courts, the team played hours of brilliant and exciting tennis,” Saxon head coach Krista Schueller said. Borton scored the Saxons’ point in what coach Schueller called an “epic first round” match. It took 93 minutes for him to pull out an 8-7 win over Plainwell’s Kevin Vicenzi. The Saxon coach was also very happy with the serves and forehands she saw from Gog­ gins and Long at first doubles, especially in a tough contest with Plainwell. Porter and Forrel at second doubles were in a number of long rallies throughout the day, and Lindsey and Hays left no comer of the court uncov­ ered according to their coach. Lindsey nearly pulled off a stunning come from behind win. He trailed his opponent from Plainwell 5-0 and rallied to tie the match at 7-7 before falling 8-7 in the end. The Saxons were scheduled to host Battle Creek Central Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 28, and will return to the court at home against Pennfield today (Sept. 29). The Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference Tournament is scheduled for Friday on the courts at Parma Western and Lumen Christi. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-10-06.pdf 0696c982de3b6120d355321221723878 PDF Text Text Kiwanis Club of Hastings names new president Reading program worthwhile for young children Saxon soccer shows no mercy on Mepham Day See story on page 8 See story on page 4 See story on page 9 804879110187 1070490102590501904449058113421 *.,*****«W*******„«****** CAR_RT |_OT«*C QQ5 Richard 421 N Taffee Dr E C0Q5 Hemerling ' Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM Thursday, October 6, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 40 PRICE $1.50 Remembering longtime business owner Dorothy Conklin Molly Macleod Hastings businesswoman Dorothy Conklin passed away last week. (File photo) Rice waives preliminary hearing in Brickley murder case Greg Chandler Staff Writer A Hastings woman accused of tamper­ ing with evidence after a heinous murder in Maple Grove Township last year waived her right to a preliminary hearing Wednes­ day morning in District Court 56B. Coleen Marie Rice, 46, was bound over to circuit court by Judge Michael Schipper after waiving her hearing. Rice is sched­ uled for a pretrial conference on Nov. 2. Rice is charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony in the February 2021 murder of 18-year-old Gracyn Brickley. She is one of three suspects who have been charged as accessories in the slaying. Rice appeared in person for Wednes­ day’s hearing. Her attorney, Shane McNeill, told the court that he would be in “constant conversation” with County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt “as far as resolving this case.” Another defendant in the case, 52-yearold Sheralyn Randolph of Nashville, had her preliminary hearing adjourned on Wednesday, with no new date set. She is also charged with tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact, as well as being a habitual offender-fourth notice. The remaining defendant, 3 6-year-old Dustin Scott Stephens of Nashville, has already had his case bound over to circuit court. He is charged with perjury in the trial of a capital crime - a charge that car­ ries a potential life sentence if convicted as well as tampering with evidence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, accesso- Copy Editor Longtime Hastings businesswoman and former president of Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Dorothy Conklin passed away early last week. A staple of the community, Conklin worked hard during her life to promote eco­ nomic development in Hastings. Born on Aug. 24, 1934, to Lawrence and Fem Adams, Conklin and her family moved to Hastings from Grand Rapids early in her childhood. There, she met and married her husband Laurence (Larry) Conklin in Sep­ tember 1952. She and Larry raised two daughters together, Lou Ann and Connie. Known for her friendly disposition, sharp business instincts and smile, Conklin had a knack for entrepreneurship and taking on new challenges. Conklin was known for her ownership of River Bend Travel, Back Door Deli and Heart’s Desire in Hastings. Her personal business ven­ tures were not where her ambitions stopped, either. A former president of what is now the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and Eco­ nomic Development Alliance, Conklin took a Chamber that was broke and, with the help of a few others, built it up from the ground. Dixie Stadel-Manshum, a longtime friend and colleague of Conklin’s, remembers Conklin never backing down from a chal­ lenge. She and Conklin worked together on what was then the City of Hastings’ Chamber of Commerce. Upon taking the reins at the Chamber, Conklin quickly came to the reali­ zation that the organization needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. Conklin called Stadel-Manshum, the daughter of a friend, and asked her to come aboard at the Chamber. Together, Sta­ del-Manshum said, the two women were able to rejuvenate the Chamber and make it bigger and better than ever before. “She was a very determined person,” said Stadel-Manshum. She recalled Conklin’s gentle way of keeping Stadel-Manshum in line with her plans. “She (would say) ‘Now Dixie, now Dixie, maybe look at it this way,’” Stadel-Manshum said. Stadel-Manshum said Conklin’s loss is a poignant one. She remembers Conklin as a devoted member of her community, one that gave invaluable time and effort to the City of Hastings. “She was one of the people that spread some seeds - and got them planted.” Conklin was an avid supporter of Hastings and its economic development, as well as a proponent of her businesses. A Reminder article from July of 1995 chronicled the open­ ing of Conklin’s third business at the time, Heart’s Desire. This was a gift boutique in the same building as one of Conklin’s other busi­ nesses, Back Door Deli. “Hastings is very, very important to me and I promote it every chance I get,” said Conklin in her 1995 interview. “It’s very important to me to keep business in Hastings. I will go to the nth degree to help bring busi­ ness into Hastings.” When Larry and Dorothy Conklin took over River Bend Travel in the early 1980s, they had two employees and no computers. It was an uphill battle, but Dorothy and her husband did not let the pressure get to them. “It would have been so easy to say, those first three years, ‘It’s not worth it.’ But we worked hard - still do - and today, we are a well-known agency and proud of it,” said Conklin in a 1997 Reminder story. Conklin did indeed work hard and has many business accolades to prove it. The See DOROTHY, page 2 County board considers requests for additional funding from Commission on Aging, Economic Development Alliance Jayson Bussa Coleen Marie Rice of Hastings appears in district court Wednesday with her attorney, Shane McNeill. Rice is accused of tampering with evidence and being an accessory after the fact in the February 2021 murder of Gracyn Brickley in Maple Grove Township. (Photo by Greg Chandler) ry after the fact to a felony, a felony fire­ arms charge and being a habitual offend­ er-second notice. Andrew Lafey was convicted in April 2022 of first-degree felony and premeditat­ ed murder in Brickley’s death. He is serv­ ing a life sentence with no possibility of parole at the Earnest C. Brooks Correction­ al Facility in Muskegon Heights. Rice is currently free on a $10,000 bond. Editor Representatives from two departments pled their cases for additional funding on Tuesday afternoon as Barry County looks to assign nearly $75,000 not already accounted for in the proposed 2023 budget. The cunent draft of the county’s 2023 gener­ al fund budget projects $19.80 million in reve­ nue with $19.72 million in expenditures. Both the Barry County Chamber & Economic Devel­ opment Alliance and the Commission on Aging are hoping to secure a portion of those funds. The Barry County Chamber & Economic Development Alliance issued a request for an additional $20,000 in funding in hopes of bringing on staff to help administer a hightech tool designed to collect data and gener­ ate reports pertinent to economic develop­ ment. The organization has a laundry list of additional initiatives that it hopes to devote more staffing to, as well. “This funding that we’re asking for will allow us to add more staff so we can focus more heavily on some of these initiatives instead of trying to be a jack-of-all-trades and master of none,” said Nichole Lyke, who serves as economic development director for the chamber. “We want to master them all.” The organization typically receives $140,585 each year from the county. In 2021, See ALLIANCE, page 3 Nichole Lyke, economic development director for the Barry County Chamber & Economic Development Alliance, speaks in front of the county board of commission­ ers on Tuesday morning, formally requesting an additional $20,000 in funding within the 2023 budget. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Government accountability group releases clashcam of Sheriff’s deputy in out-of-state trip he was reprimanded for Jayson Bussa Editor Newly-released dashcam video of a Barry County deputy traveling out of state in one of the office’s cruisers shows a glimpse of a trip that landed him in hot water. The local grassroots group Local Govern­ ment Accountability Forum, led by Joel Ibbotson of Rutland Township and Aaron Gross of Hastings, obtained a total of two hours worth of dashcam footage showing Barry County Deputy Mark Noteboom trav­ eling to South Carolina to attend the funeral of a fallen officer. The group obtained the footage through the Freedom of Information Act and the county charged them $153 to process the request. The dashcam video shows snippets of the multi-day trip. The footage shows activity on June 24 through 26, starting at the Sheriff’s office and ending with Deputy Noteboom partaking in the funeral procession in Spar­ tanburg, S.C. The Local Government Accountability Forum presented only a few minutes of the footage at a meeting in Freeport last Thurs­ day and The Banner reviewed all two hours of the footage. The footage shows Noteboom traveling at high rates of speed and, at times, making questionable maneuvers. While it is not uncommon for departments to send officers to the funerals of fallen offi­ cers, there appears to be a connection between Noteboom and that area of South Carolina. In multiple dashcam videos, he is seen pulling up to a home where he greets those inside. “To me, this just seems like a family trip,” Ibbotson said. Noteboom is conscious to the fact that the dashcam is recording - he vocally acknowl­ edges that at one point - and turns it off quickly in most instances. In Ibbotson’s presentation, footage shows Noteboom traveling at high rates of speed and occasionally cutting off other motorists, including a semi-truck. See DASHCAM, page 3 This is a still frame shot of dashcam video obtained and released by the Local Government Accountability Forum in Hastings. The video shows just over two hours of footage of Barry County Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Noteboom as he traveled down to South Carolina in a county-issued cruiser this summer for a fallen officer’s funeral. �Page 2 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Planning commission reviews streetscape, parking lot redesign concepts Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Planning Commission reviewed concepts for two projects that could bring big changes to downtown. On Monday, commission members reviewed concept renderings for the city’s proposed streetscape project as well as plans to landscape and finish Parking Lot 8, near the comer of North Jefferson Street and East Apple Street. The streetscape project would bring more pedestrian access and outdoor seating on State Street, from Broadway to South Bolt­ wood streets. Included in the plans are new LED streetlights, trees planted along the sidewalk and a gas fireplace on the comer of North Church and State streets. New seating areas would offer street side bistro seating and picnic tables as well as a covered porch swing and patio area near Jefferson Street. Mid-block crosswalks would allow pedestrians to cross between North Church and North Jefferson streets, as well as between North Jefferson Street and South Michigan Avenue. The items were for review and the com­ mission was not required to take any direct action on the plans. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said she wanted to bring the plans before the commission one last time before the city and MCSA Group, the proj­ ect architect, started working toward secur­ ing funding. “Even though the planning commission isn’t formally approving the plan because it is a streetscape area and isn’t financially contributing because that’s the (responsibil­ ity of) the city council and DDA, we felt that it was certainly relevant to come before this board because you’ve spent a lot of time with the master plans,” Moyer-Cale said. Commissioner Tom Maurer asked about the feasibility of checking on underground water and electrical infrastructure while the project was underway, which Community Development Director Dan King said wouldn’t be likely as the project wouldn’t involve changes to the street on that scale. “If there was going to be a complete street redo, it would be very beneficial to be able to do underground work or review,” King said. “Since this plan does not really include any of those changes at a full rip-up and repair and replace basis, it’s not relevant at this point.” The Parking Lot 8 concept included plans to landscape and re-stripe the lot, with the current estimated capacity of 45 spaces decreasing to 32 total spaces including the two disability designated spaces. The land­ scaping redesign includes canopy trees and a brick wall around the lot, which are both required by city code. Commissioner Michele Peltier asked about the possibility of including more electric vehicle charging stations into plans for the streetscape or parking lot plans. Commissioners also discussed the possibil­ ity of laying infrastructure groundwork to make the installation of charging stations easier in the future. “I don’t see there being a lot of support for EV charging stations on street parking,” Moyer-Cale said. “But I can see it being potentially expanded in some of our park­ ing areas as those become more common.” In other business, the planning commis­ sion: • Set a public hearing for the 7 p.m., Nov. 7 planning commission meeting to review and consider amendments to city childcare policies regarding child day care homes and foster facilities. The changes were being made to reflect changes to state law that allowed more children per home. • Set a public hearing for the 7 p.m. Nov. 7 planning commission meeting for a site plan and special use permit review for Serenity Village at 700 East Woodlawn Ave. • Reviewed a report approving the relo­ cation of B2 Outlet Store from its current location at 820 W. State St. to 760 W. State St., in between Family Farm & Home and T.J. Maxx. Community Development Director Dan King presented reports on the streetscape design concept and Parking Lot 8 to the planning commission Monday. HHS reveals homecoming court Ghoul’s Night Out happening tonight Kicking off the inaugural Barry County Boo-fest, Ghoul’s Night Out (or Girl’s Night Out) will take to the streets of Hast­ ings tonight from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Flourish Barry County, ladies can enjoy beverages in Hastings’ HOPS area and learn about the history of downtown from Brian Reynolds. The historical tour will focus on State, Church and Jefferson streets. Sales and specials for dining and shop­ ping will be available downtown tonight. In addition, scarecrows will line the streets. Eventgoers can vote for their favorite scarecrow. HOPS is an outdoor, social district that allows for the purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages within the district’s boundaries. Beverages will come in clear­ ly marked cups, are limited in size and must remain within the HOPS boundaries. Only beverages purchased at participating HOPS locations can be consumed in the district. More information about Hastings’ HOPS district can be found at downtownhastings.com/social-district-hops/. Ghoul’s Night Out is free to attend. Flourish Barry County will be collecting snack donations for Hastings Area Schools and the Hastings Public Library during this event. Courageous Conversations series has returned Courageous Conversations for More Equitable Communities is a partnership among Leadership Barry County, Thor­ napple Arts Council and the Barry County Chamber and Economic Development Alliance (EDA) that brings difficult con­ versation topics to Barry County. Courageous Conversations started in the fall of 2021, with a three-speaker series taking place via Zoom. The program received so much support and interest that organizers decided to bring back the series for another year. Courageous Conversations is a three-session series, from 6:30-8 p.m. that started Tuesday and will continue Oct. 11 and 18 at the Barry Community Enrich­ ment Center. The sessions are also accessi­ ble via Zoom. Those interested can regis­ ter, free of charge, at formsbcf.org. Sara Syswerda will present about envi­ ronmental justice on Oct. 11 and Oct. 18 will feature Carson Tueller talking about disability advocacy. , .... Each session will include time for dis­ cussion, questions and answers. More information about the Coura­ geous Conversations series can be found by visiting facebook.com/leadershipbarrycounty. Today is National Depression Screening Day The Barry County Community Mental Health Authority is continuing to promote mental illness awareness with National Depression Screening Day, slated for Thursday, Oct. 6. Depression is an illness just like any other, even if it doesn’t always manifest physically. It is important for people to be screened for depression. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, one in four Americans 18 years of age and older suffer from mental illness each year. Anyone having a difficult time, and not currently receiving mental health services, is encouraged to call 269-948-8041 or stop in at Barry County Community Mental Health at 500 Barfield Drive in Hastings. The Mental Health Authority would like to assist anyone in need with connecting to appropriate mental health services. More information about the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority can be found at barrycountyrecovery.com. Anyone in crisis should call or text 988 to access the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Hastings High School will celebrate its homecoming once again this weekend as the varsity football team takes on Parma Western at Baum Stadium Friday night at 7 p.m. Additional pageantry will coincide with the game. Ten members of the Hastings High School senior class have been nominated to the homecoming court, all vying for the crowns of homecoming king and queen. The Hastings High School 2022 Homecoming Court consists of (front row, from left) Valentina Arias-Franco, Grace Curtis, Bailey Cook, Macy Winegar, Erin Daniels, (back row, from left) Pedro Cobelo Barreiro, Kearan Tolles, Nathan Kohmescher, Layton Eastman and Jack Kensington. DOROTHY, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IlliIIIllI IIIIII11III THORnflPPLE xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxm Auditions! Auditions! Auditions! The Thornapple Players will hold open auditions for Christmas Belles by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten on Monday, October 10, 2022, at 7:00 PM in the Dennison Performing Arts Center located at 231 South Broadway in Hastings. Julian Kratochvil is directing. There are speaking roles for 7 women and 4 males plus a small group of carolers. There are no speaking roles for children. Rehearsals are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 7-9:30 PM. There will be 3 additional rehearsals to be determined. Tech Rehearsal is Sunday, November 27, 2022, and is mandatory. Show dates are December 1 through December 4. There is an open to the public dress rehearsal on November 30th. Please contact us prior to October 10th if you are interested but not able to audition on that date. Questions? Call Norma Jean Acker at (269) 945-2332 or text (269) 908-0870. If you cannot audition on October 10, 2022, please contact us BEFORE OCTOBER 10 to make other arrangements. Dorothy Conklin’s business-savvy instincts brought her and the City of Hastings much success. Here, Conklin holds an award from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) naming River Bend Travel as 1997’s South Region Business of the Year. (File photo) Larry and Dorothy Conklin started out at River Bend Travel with two employees and no computers. Since their ownership, River Bend Travel expanded and evolved. (File photo) Conklins quickly entered the digital age after purchasing River Bend Travel and purchased airline computers. With the much-needed assistance from technology, the Conklins were able to expand their business. Ambitious moves like these despite adversity are what her peers say they will remember about her. “She was a confident businesswoman that never had any problems giving her opinion on the issues of the day,” said Fred Jacobs, CEO of J-Ad Graphics and former colleague of Conklin’s. “She exemplified everything in becoming an entrepreneur. She took risks, worked hard and had lots of ideas to make her businesses successful.” Conklin’s impact on the community through her businesses, work with the Cham­ ber, and participation in many other local committees and groups will be felt for decades to come. Her colleagues and friends remember her, not only for her business instincts but for her welcoming spirit and smile as well. “She was one of those people that you think of as being ‘one-in-a-million,’” said Jacobs. Visitation for Conklin will be held at Dan­ iels Funeral Home in Hastings at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. A service will follow at 11 a.m., led by Pastor Bob Norton. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — Page 3 County commissioners to appoint individuals to advisory boards but vacancies still abound Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commissioners took steps on Tuesday to fill open positions on the advisory boards for two different depart­ ments, but the county still has plenty of avail­ able opportunities for residents to serve. At Tuesday morning’s committee of the whole meeting, the board interviewed candi­ dates that were vying for positions on the Department of Health and Human Services Board and the Community Mental Health Authority Board. Two individuals interviewed for one open sport with the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the opera­ tions and compliance of assisted living facility Thomapple Manor. The interviewees included incumbent June Behrendt of Rutland Township and Rebekah Sabo of Middleville. Behrendt, who started her first term with the board in November of 2019, got the nod from the committee, which recommended that she be approved by the board of commissioners next meeting. Ultimately, commissioners were swayed by Behrendt’s experience on the board, especially in light of the fact that both Thomapple Manor and Barry County’s MDHHS office have undergone recent leadership changes. “I think there is a benefit to having June since there is new leadership at Thomapple (Manor) just to keep things going good there,” commissioner David Jackson said. The commissioners, however, were leery about simply denying Sabo, especially given her extensive experience as a nurse that has worked in both acute care and higher education settings. Sabo currently serves as a clinical initiatives specialist for Grand Valley State University, where she assists health professionals in find­ ing and placing students in the medical field. Ben Geiger, chairman of the board of com­ missioners, encouraged Sabo to seek out other avenues for serving the county via advisory board positions. Additionally, Kristen Laubaugh, a lifelong resident of Hastings and former school teacher, interviewed for a vacant position on the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board. The BCCMHA is tasked with delivering behavioral health, substance use disorder ser­ vices and physical health care to county resi­ dents. Laubaugh, who stated on her application with the county that she had a family member that grappled with serious mental health issues, also passed through the COW and is expected to be approved by the board of commissioners. The latest appointments of both Behrendt and Laubaugh shown a light on the many vacancies on various department advisory boards right now. While some positions man­ date certain qualifications, county residents with no experience on public boards can apply for most of them. Geiger rattled through all the available posi­ tions, trying to find one that might suit Sabo. These included one open position on adviso­ ry boards for the Building Authority, Central Dispatch and the Road Commission. Two posi­ tions are open on the Conservation Easement Board and the advisory boards for Veterans Affairs and Parks and Recreation. Additional­ ly, four positions are open on the Commission on Aging board. June Behrendt (left) answers questions posed to her by the Barry County Board of Commissioners’ Committee of the Whole on Tuesday morning. Behrendt has been recommended for a new three-year term on the Department of Health and Human Services board, which will begin on Nov. 1. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Help for Holidays signup underway through Barry County Cares Help for the Holidays, a Barry County program coordinated by Barry County Cares, helps people in need at Christinas time. Barry County Cares connects individuals and families with churches, organizations, businesses and others who provide help, such as food for a family or toys for children. Individuals or families interested in the program must first register. Sign-up begins Oct. 10 and ends Nov. 23. Locations to sign up, based on home address, include: • Hastings and Middleville: Contact Barry County Cares at 231 S. Broadway St. in Hast­ ings, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or call 269-948-9555. • Delton: Contact Delton District Library at 330 N. Grove St. in Delton, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Monday, Wednes­ day and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or call 269-623-8040. • Freeport: Contact Freeport District Library at 208 S. State St. in Freeport, Mon­ day and Thursday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednes­ day and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., or call 269-765-5181. • Nashville: Contact the Village Clerk’s office at 203 Main St. in Nashville, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or call 517-852-9544. Nashville’s signup starts Nov. 1. Residents of all other Barry County addresses may call Barry County Cares directly at 269-948-9555. Those wishing to adopt a family for Help for the Holidays may call the Barry County Cares office at 269-948-9555. More information is available by calling Tina Horrigan at (269) 948-9555 or emailing barrycountycares@yahoo.com . DASHCAM, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------The dashcam did not display Noteboom’s speed, even though the technology allows for it. As a commercial driver for a living, Ibbot­ son used mileposts and a mathematical equa­ tion to determine Noteboom’s speed. Ibbot­ son said he figured that Noteboom was trav­ eling around 94 miles per hour at one point. In another instance, Noteboom seemingly grows impatient with a driver in front of him. As that vehicle drives off, Noteboom, talking to a passenger in his vehicle, calls the driver a homophobic slur. “This is not conduct that we should expect out of a deputy,” Ibbotson said during his presentation. The Banner spoke with Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf about Ibbotson’s findings. Leaf confirmed that Noteboom was given permission to take a cruiser down to the funeral and added that officers from down in that area have made the trip up for similar events. Leaf also acknowledged that he did not like some of what he saw on the dashcam but would not elaborate, saying it was being han­ dled internally. Leaf said that Noteboom was reprimanded and has received additional training in order to avoid such behavior in the future. Leaf assured that the matter had been handled. Ibbotson, who has, at times, been an out­ spoken proponent of the sheriff and his office, said it was important to present his findings because no county officials should be above the law. “We’ve had a very pro-(Sheriff) stigma over the years,” Ibbotson said of his organiza­ tion. “I want to make sure people understand that this is not the ‘Local Government Minus the Sheriff’s Office Accountability Forum.’” ALLIANCE, continued from page 1 --------------------------------as the COVID pandemic took its toll, it received $155,585. The added $20,000 would bump the EDA’s county funding to $160,585 for 2023. The chamber operates on a $370,000 year­ ly budget, money that comes from corporate partnerships, event sponsorships and reve­ nues, and contributions from the county and other municipal partners. One initiative Lyke highlighted as a primary reason for the funds was the Placer.ai program, a location analytics program that helps business owners and economic developers to better tmdersfahd THe’ movemenf^^bf^ ^sfing'^d" potential customers. Placenai provides2an idea of which establishments people are visiting and where they go both before and after their visit. The Chamber plans to work with fellow economic developer Ann Arbor Spark to onboard three interns - which would cost $6,000 per year, per intern - to collect and process data. The Placer.ai program will cost the organization $25,000 per year, but Lyke said it was a powerful tool that would pay dividends. Commissioner Catherine Getty agreed. “I think it’s a small investment for a very large return,” Getty said of the added $20,000. Instead, the committee of the whole approved an amended request for $12,000 that would be used to onboard two interns instead of three and moved the agenda item to a bull board vote. Courtney Ziny, executive director of the Commission on Aging, also appeared in front of the committee of the whole on Tuesday to request $31,000 to replace a section of pitched roof on its building. Local government offi­ cials have not been shy from acknowledging the poor state of the COA building and the committee of the whole discussed the funding request from a variety of angles. Ben Geiger, chairman of the board of com­ missioners, acknowledged the poor state of the facility and how it has a perpetual need for repairs. “These issues have been plaguing the COA since I’ve been on the board,” he said. “There has never been a promise made to build a new facility. We did go and ask the voters and they said no. Two percent more said no than said yes and we respect the will of the voters but we’re aware that the roof has not healed itself and significant investment is needed to fix it.” Th a leffef''ttf thcT5bdrdrbffc'ommissioners, Ziny acknowledged1 that the COA does carry a fund balance of around $400,000 and a restricted building fund of nearly the same amount, but she hopes not to dip into it. “With nearly 300 clients relying on daily delivery of food and care, we need cash on hand to cover emergencies, including uncer­ tainty of grant funds,” wrote Ziny, whose millage-based department operates on a $2 million budget. Commissioner Jon Smelker was not sold, though. “We do this for a millage-based entity - the COA. (Then), are we going to replace (cen­ tral dispatch’s) roof? Transit’s roof? They’re all millage-based and we’re starting a prece­ dent here.” Commissioner David Jackson fell in the middle. “1 think the Commission on Aging has been a good steward with its money,” he said. “They have good fund balances, they got a future building fund. I wouldn’t mind seeing us support them.... Maybe instead of $31,000, maybe we split it with them at $16,000-ish.” The committee of the whole tabled the matter without making a decision. CPU Class Coming on Saturday, Oct. 15 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Hope United Methodist Church 2920 S. M-37 Hwy., Hastings, Ml $25.00 fee plus cost of your renewal card. Call Mary - 269-953-6061 to register. Leave message. Help Wanted: Nursery Worker Sunday Mornings Barry County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Noteboom exits his vehicle in a portion of the recently-released dashcam video. (Courtesy photo) “It brought me no pleasure to bring this to light,” he added. Hired in February, Deputy Noteboom has been a fairly shadowy figure in the sheriff’s office. He is one of just two detectives in the office, which is dealing with one vacancy at the moment. Leaf recently reported to the Barry County Board of Commissioners that Noteboom handles just one case - the Sheriff’s investigation into statewide voter fraud. Noteboom is not investi­ gating any other cases currently as the Sheriff prepares to eventually release his findings. Noteboom’s name has been signed to a variety of FOIA requests that have hit town­ ships over the last two years, requesting vari­ ous data from the 2020 election. “In my opinion, this attitude exhibited just screams ‘I, the police officer, am above the law,”’ Ibbotson said. “The first and foremost obligation of the forum is to pro­ tect people’s rights.” Additional Hours May be Available for Evening Services and Activities For a Position Description or Additional Information Contact: or call 616-886-0301 Green Street Church, 209 West Green Street, Hastings �Page 4 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Imagination Library is a tool for success Jack of All Trades Some days he helps run Barry County. Other days, he teaches middle school students about U.S. history. Ben Geiger, chairman of the Barry County Board of Commissioners, is seen here on Monday at Lakewood Middle School helping student Slaydon Luna un-jam his locker. We stopped in on Geiger’s eighth grade U.S. history class, where he is filling in for a full-time teacher. Read this weekend’s issue of The Reminder for a feature that recaps Geiger’s long tenure in local politics and what’s next for him. Do you remember? Top math students Banner Dec. 15, 1975 Four Hastings High students were named as finalists in the Michigan high school mathematics examination. High math achievers at Hastings High were (left to right) Bob Mallison, Jim Hathaway, Jerry Eltzroth and Brad Fuhr. - Banner photo. Have you met? If you want to make an impact, think small. That’s the idea that drives what Hastings Church of the Nazarene pastor Danny Quanstrom has been doing for the past eight years in Hastings. Quanstrom grew up in southern Illinois in a suburb of St. Louis before studying at Olivet Nazarene University in Chicago. Once he obtained his undergraduate degree, he went on to Kansas City to attend semi­ nary school. After four years in Kansas City, he graduated from seminary school and was told there was a church that needed him: Hastings Church of the Nazarene. Quanstrom, who has family from Michi­ gan, had never heard of Hastings. “We came and visited and it really felt like, ‘Yeah, this is where we need to be.’ Which was funny, because we’re both very suburban, and urban,” Quanstrom said. “We got a call to come to this rural town that has no four-lane roads in or out of the county and at the time didn’t have a Star­ bucks. It was culture shock.” It was totally unlike the urban world that Quanstrom had come from. When he asked locals what they liked and disliked about living in Hastings, they told him the same thing: everybody knew everyone. “I didn’t know what that meant at the time, but after being here for eight years, it’s crazy how much everybody is connect­ ed to everyone else,” he said. “What felt really unique in a more urbanized world was the thought of pastoring a church in a small town where people were mostly going to be living together.” Being at a church where almost everyone lived together was a new experience for Quanstrom, who said churches in bigger cities tend to either serve an entire neigh­ borhood or have a congregation made up mostly of commuters. In Hastings, he saw the opportunity to think smaller to have a bigger impact on the community. “It’s fun to think small. I think that’s probably how impact is made and how change actually happens,” he said. “It’s more in the small things rather than in the meta.” Danny Quanstrom One of the things that struck Quanstrom when he moved to Hastings was how racially homogenous it was compared to other communities he’s been a part of. He’s taking action to make Barry County a more welcoming place for people from all walks of life. “My thought is, if we are going to have a diverse community, it’s going to take inten­ tional effort. It’s not going to happen acci­ dentally,” he said. At Hastings Church of the Nazarene, Quanstrom is making an effort to elevate the voices of people of color in the commu­ nity by welcoming two new clergy mem­ bers; Gabe Beelen and Bikram Ranapheli. Ranapheli is currently working on starting an English language class in Hastings to help those who speak English as a second language to better integrate into the com­ munity. “If we want to be a welcoming commu­ nity for persons of color, then persons of color need to see representation in the com­ munity,” he said. “They need to know that this is a place where they can live, love and be loved.” Outside of the work he does through the church and in the community, Quanstrom likes to go paddleboarding and tries to get on the lake as much as he can during the summer. Be on the lookout for a car driving around Barry County with a surfboard strapped on top during the summer - it’s likely him. He also enjoys video games, where he tries to make change through a persona he’s created on YouTube centered around gam­ ing. He hopes to make gaming a more wel­ coming space and help gamers deal with the same tough issues he might speak about at church. “I want to be a voice of encouragement. I want people to know that they’re valued and loved,” he said. “I set up my YouTube channel and created my gaming persona as a way to mitigate the toxicity in gaming and to create a place for people to wrestle with and ask questions.” For his desire to change Barry County and the world for the better, Danny Quans­ trom is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite video game: “Battlefield.” Best advice ever received: Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? First job: Soda jerk. Favorite TV show: “Survivor.” If I could go anywhere in the world: Ljubljana, Slovenia. Book I’d recommend.com.rite: “Fran­ ny and Zooey” by J.D. Salinger. If I could have any superpower, it would be: To fly. What I’d tell a high school graduate: It’s ok. Whatever it is, it’s ok. What I want for Christmas: Anything video game related. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a: Singer. What the world needs now is: Integrity. In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed a law that required schools to identify students who were struggling with reading and writing with the intent to hold back third graders that weren’t reading up to grade level. The standards were supposed to go into place beginning with the 2019-20 school year. But due to the pandemic and the loss of so many school days, the state decided to cut the “flunk’ out of the law, holding back less than 7 percent of students based on poor reading scores. Currently, Michigan law allows for wide exemptions, where the school and parents determine whether to move the students for­ ward, promoting 93.4 percent of students who were a grade or more behind with the intention of working with these students rather than holding them back. “Educators understand that holding kids back doesn’t change their ability to read or get them in a better position to succeed,” said Bob McCann, executive director of the K-12 Alli­ ance of Michigan, a school advocacy group. Plus, “Retention increases the likelihood students will drop out. There are times when it can be effective to hold students back,” said Paul Liabenow, executive director of the Mich­ igan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association. “But the social and emotional impact is fairly dramatic.” Experts warn that third grade is the turning point for students and, if students fail to reach proficient levels by the end of the third grade, it can impact their educational development in future years and can affect dropout rates. That’s why local Rotaiy Clubs have part­ nered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library book-giving program, mailing free and high-quality books to children in Barry County from birth to age five. Children that are signed up at birth will receive 60 different books by the time they reach the age of five when they officially opt out. But by the time that happens, most of these kids will have a greater appreciation for reading. Parton launched the program in 1995 in Sevier County, Tenn, where Dolly grew up. It was such a success that, in 2000, a national effort was underway and by 2003 the program had mailed more than one million books. Cur­ rently, the program operates in most states, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Republic of Ireland. “Reading is fundamental to our kids’ growth,” says Parton. “Reading develops your brain, provides a window into the world around you and helps kids do better in all their school subjects. Reading cannot only help our kids become better students but better citizens.” “Books train your mind and imagination to think big,” says acclaimed singer and perform­ er Taylor Swift. “If you are going to get any­ where in life you have to be able to read. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn the more places you’ll go,” adds renowned children’s author, Dr. Seuss. “When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your commu­ nity with their own dreams,” said Parton. “They dream of becoming a doctor or an inven­ tor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” According to the U.S. Department of Educa­ tion, approximately 36 million adults lack the basic literacy skills needed to sustain employ­ ment and current education programs for this group are serving only about 1.5 million due to cuts in state and federal programs. Currently Michigan ranks No. 32 in overall academic performance while improving in some categories, yet, with little or no signifi­ cant increase in overall performance in the last 10 years. So we have a lot to do, but we just can’t point our fingers at educators and the system. When it comes to reading proficiency, it begins at home with parents and grandparents reading to their kids and emphasizing the importance that reading will have on their over­ all educational growth. “Tell me and I forget,” said author L. M Fred Jacobs, CEO, J-Ad Graphics Inc. The Hastings BhIIIICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com •Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. Montgomery. “Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” We must involve our young minds by read­ ing to them and creating the desire to read at an early age. There is simply no limit on how far we can take this program and to what ends of the earth, but we need groups like local Rotary Clubs and other organizations willing to offer this early childhood literacy program in their communities. The Hastings, Delton and Middleville Rotary Clubs started the conversation in 2016 and now, six years later, about 1,500 children are enrolled in the program with more than 83,000 books distributed throughout the county to date. This fall marks the first year that local kindergartners have entered school having received the full 60-book library from birth to age 5. The program has been a focus of the Rotary Clubs with the determination to get as many books in the hands of as many young people as possible. Currently the clubs have invested more than $50,000 directly, with much more coming from special projects and contributions from individ­ uals and club members. They also receive funding from the Barry County United Way, Hastings Kiwanis Club and other local groups and foundations such as the Messer Family Trust, Tom and Kaye Johnson, Feldpausch Foundation, the Baum Family Foundation, and the Spectrum Health Foundation Pennock and Physicians Group, local financial institutions and others are among the ongoing investors. The Annie E. Casey Foundation indicates that, at a minimum, children must be ready to succeed when they come to school, cognitively, socially emotionally and physically if they expect to achieve educational success. The report also indicates that for children from lower-income families, reading proficiency rates are even lower. That’s why the Imagina­ tion Library program is so beneficial to our youth, in that every child is eligible to receive the books each month regardless of their fam­ ily’s situation - all they have to do is sign up for the program. Research from the Dollywood Foundation found the program shows promise in promoting changes in home literacy environments, children’s attitudes toward reading and early literacy skills. Dolly Parton and the program have received countless awards for their dedication to enrich­ ing the lives of children everywhere. Dolly believes if you can read you can do anything, dream anything and be anything. She believes “you can never get enough books into the hands of enough children,” so if you have a child or grandchild between the ages of birth and five years old, make sure they are enrolled in the Imagination Library - it’s just another way to guarantee your child is equipped with the basics that will make them successful as they begin school. “Learning isn’t easy and it shouldn’t be,” says author and teacher Rafe Esquith. “Success comes from a strong work ethic and from the dedication and perseverance on the part of children, teachers and their parents alike.” We have the tools; all we need now is the will to make it happen! “The first step is always the hardest,” says Dolly, “but you’ll never know unless you try. If you would like to sign up your child, go to barrycountyreads.org and click the ENROLL link at the top right of the page. If you would like to donate to the program you can send contributions to the Barry Community Foundation at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings, Michigan 49058 - note Imagination Library in the memo line. Online donations can be made at: barrycf.org/funds/imagination-library-of-barry-county-fimd • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 ■ . ‘ ; • > 3 i < ' j । j ‘ j j : f i ‘ * > > > > > i t ! \ ; % । ; i • �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — Page 5 Prop 22-2 uses deceptive bundling practices, unnecessary To the editor: I am writing this letter in opposition to ballot proposal 22-2 which is a proposed state constitutional amendment to add provisions regarding elections. There are nine separate statements in the ballot language informing voters about what the changes to the state constitution accom­ plishes. Part of my objection to this proposal is that we are asked to vote on these nine changes as a “package” much as vastly different things are “bundled” in TV programing and other marketing strategies. This practice is wrong, especially when it comes to amending our state’s Constitution. We are forced to accept the bad with the good. In most organizations, the people doing the voting have the option to accept grouping things together like this or to vote on them one issue at a time. Why can’t we have the same option when amending the state Constitution? I think it is because the proposals supporters know that individually we the vot­ ers will reject at least some of the proposed changes. This is a deceptive tactic and should be rejected any time we see it. As to the separate statements about the proposed changes: As an experienced elec­ tion inspector and elected township clerk, 1 do not believe that there is a legitimate need for any of these changes to the state Constitu­ tion. Some of the changes seek to make per­ manent the temporary and harmful changes that were imposed in 2020 due to Covid. We now know more about Covid than we did in 2020. In my opinion, Covid is now in the same category as the common cold, the flu and countless other maladies and we will have to live with it from now on because we cannot make it go away anymore that we have ever been able to cure the common cold. Police give barking man ride to Battle Creek The “temporary” measures rushed into place in 2020 are things that we can and should cause to go away because they certainly did not improve election security and definitely undermined confidence in our election pro­ cess. Proposal 22-2 makes some of these measures such as drop boxes permanent and expands their use and cost to taxpayers. Making drop boxes a part of the state Con­ stitution along with nine days of so called “early voting” are the worst of the proposed changes because they reduce the security of our elections. Contrary to some of the com­ ments I have seen in support of these chang­ es, there is nothing about them that could possibly improve election security. I ask everyone to take a minute and think about this. Prior to drop boxes, absentee voter bal­ lots could be returned by mailing them or delivering them to the clerk’s office in-per­ son, and they still can be. How does putting them in an unattended box somewhere do anything but risk all kinds of abuse? We already have “early voting.” Any regis­ tered voter can get an absentee ballot well before the nine days of early voting that is proposed. Voters “vote” when they fill out their ballot. The votes are counted when the ballots are run through the tabulator. The pro­ posed early voting allows in-person ballots to be tabulated before election day. Absentee ballots will still not be tabulated/counted until election day. The proposed nine days of early “tabulation” would force local governments at taxpayer expense to attempt to insure an extra nine days of election security for abso­ lutely no good reason. It is difficult enough to secure one day of voting. If there is a reason for early voting/tabulation it has not been stated. In my opinion it has not been stated because it is not a good reason. I ask everyone to consider whether or not the election process is more secure or less secure than it was in the past. In my opinion, we have gone well past the point where addi­ tional changes make voting more accessible and secure to the point of every new change leading to less security. Whether or not we like or dislike the outcome of the 2020 presi­ dential election, I believe that we should all oppose proposition 22-2. I would hope that this is something we could all agree on in a big way. Mike Cunningham, Yankee Springs Sheriff is wasting tax dollars To the editor: News flash! The Barry County Sheriff tells the county commission that there was no election fraud in Barry County and says our clerks didn’t do anything wrong. It’s about time. But still he plans on wasting our coun­ ty’s tax dollars by investigating election fraud throughout the state using what he called a “ledger law.” Look it up. (Sheriff Dar Leaf) just can’t seem to focus on what we elected him for and instead spends our county’s resources and tax dollars on his political agenda. I appreciate Dave Jackson giving credit to our clerks for ensuring our elections are safe and accurate. I also liked how Ben Geiger questioned (Leaf) about his personnel, quick­ ly showing that (Leaf) does not have a clue what personnel he has and what they are doing. But Jon Smelker's rebuke of (Leaf’s) actions was truly gutsy and wonderful to hear. I’m thrilled we have a commissioner on the board that takes the utilization of our tax dollars so personally. Larry Osborne, Delton “fhat to know about the non-homestead millage proposal On Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, Hastings Area School System (HASS) will ask district resi­ dents consider an Operating Millage Proposal for our student funding. This proposal is for non-homestead properties only. This has no effect on your primary residence (home­ stead). As the ballot in November is already crowded, it is important to understand the 18 mill non-homestead millage that the district is proposing to the community. The following bullet points and letter to the community out­ lines the district’s request: What is the 18 mill non-homestead millage? • In 1993, Proposal A changed school fund­ ing and redefined how property taxes are assessed. • The state legislature requires schools to periodically obtain voter’s approval to be able to collect the maximum per pupil fund­ ing for our students. • We do not get additional funding with a yes vote other than what the legislature allows. • If our voters do not approve the collection of non-homestead, the state will not make up the difference. This approval is necessary in order for the district to receive full funding. • Schools must levy 18 mills on non-homestead properties to receive full state funding (non- homestead properties are those in which a homestead exemption cannot be obtained such as commercial property, indus­ trial property and second homes). • The millage is collected by the city and townships within HASS, and then forwarded to the school district. • Tax revenues from this millage are used for the school district’s general operation for our students. • This is not a tax on homestead properties. It is a proposal to apply non-homestead prop­ erties only. Why does the school district need to pass this proposal? • HASS needs the full 18 mills for operat­ ing its general fund to get a full foundation allowance per pupil from the State of Michi­ gan. This allows us to retain full funding for our schools. • The original millage for non-homestead properties was 18 mills. This has “rolled back” to 17.7953 mills as the local tax base Police received three separate reports regarding a 26-year-old Hartford man making his way through Barry County from Sept. 15 to 18. Police were first called to check on the man around 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 at the Yankee Springs Marathon gas station, as a caller reported he was walking around the parking lot and barking at people. When police arrived, the man told them he had nowhere to go and refused a ride when offered. He continued east on M-179 Highway. Police next encountered the man around 10 a.m. on Sept. 17 at the Dowling Dollar General, where the man was lying in the grass next to the store. A woman called and requested a welfare check to ensure the man was okay. The man told police he was homeless, just passing through and didn’t need a ride. He told police he’d be headed north. . Around 11 p.m. Sept. 18, police received another report about the same man walk­ ing northbound alongside M-66 Highway. When police made contact with the man, he told them he was headed to the next town. The responding officer asked if the man would like a ride to Battle Creek to get closer to the homeless shelter there, and the man agreed. The officer dropped the man off at the Family Fare in Pennfield and gave him directions to a homeless shelter nearby. Police use K-9 to track indecent exposure suspect at Yankee Springs State Park A K-9 unit was called to action around 1 a.m. on Sept. 17 at Yankee Springs State Park to find a man that was exposing himself to women in the restroom. Police arrived on the scene and were told the suspect was last seen running towards the woods. The K-9 was let loose from the suspect’s last known location twice but wasn’t able to pick up a track. Man finds possible bullet hole in barn roof A 56-year-oId Hastings man called police to his home on the 2200 block of State Road after he noticed a hole in the roof of his bam. A contractor that looked at the damage told the man it looked like a bullet hole, which led the man to call the police. The man wasn’t sure exactly when the hole appeared or who may have been respon­ sible. Felines feast on phone line Police performed a welfare check on a 78-year-old Hastings woman on Sept. 11. The woman’s daughter told police she couldn’t get a hold of her for two days after she recently got out of the hospital. Police made contact with the woman and con­ firmed she was in good health. She told police she wasn’t able to call her daughter because her cats had chewed through her phone line, but that she would contact her soon. _ HASS Headlines Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Matt Goebel, Superintendent Hastings Area School System has increased more than inflation. • The school district is proposing this in November so that we remain in the Novem­ ber election year cycle, which saves the dis­ trict additional costs in holding special elec­ tions for this purpose. • The last time HASS requested an operat­ ing millage proposal was in 2017, in which it was successful. What is the financial impact of the pro­ posal? • Any amount levied less than the 18 mills is not reimbursed by the state. The state assumes that the school district will collect all 18 mills on non-homestead property. The district will need to eliminate this amount from its annual operating budget if this pro­ posal is not passed. • If not passed, the school district will lose just over $43,000 for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. What is the ballot language? This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal resi­ dence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance. Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Hastings Area School System, Barry and Calhoun Counties, Michi­ gan, be increased by 0.5 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 6 years, 2022 to 2027, inclusive, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2022 is approximately $43,056 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and will be levied only to the extent necessary to restore that reduction). Why is there a proposal for 0.5 mills? By law, the school district is only autho­ rized to levy 18 mills, however, every year, “the Headlee Amendment” requires a roll­ back in local authorized millage rates if the local tax base increases more than inflation. The maximum authorized millage can only be restored when there are more than 18 mills available. The additional 0.5 mills would restore possible future Headlee reductions on the authorized millage rate in order to contin­ ue to levy the full 18 mills on non-homestead property in 2022 and likely in 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027. How much would this cost a primary resi­ dence? Nothing. This would only impact business­ es, commercial property, or a second resi­ dence (cottage, etc.) How much would this cost a business, commercial property, or second residence (cottage, etc)? Here is an example of what someone with a business, commercial property or second residence with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay if the operating millage passes: 2022 levy of 17.7953 mills = $1,779.53 2022 levy of 18 mills = $1,800.00 Tax increase of = $20.47 Additional taxes received by district = $43,056 Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 L 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 Tree Removal - Tree Trimming - Stump Grinding Skid Steer Work - Demo Work • • • • Competitively Priced Free Quotes Licensed & Insured Family Owned and Operated David Case (269) 953-3366 bandcclearing@gmail.com Beautiful Cotton Prints New Collections by ®Moda t Zippers, Threads, |( Buttons... and more! B QUESTIONS: ask us.- 269-945-9554 or 1-890-979-7985 #8110376 & Insured B&C Clearing, LLC QUESTIONS? Those with questions can contact Matt Goebel, Superintendent, or Tim Berlin, Assis­ tant Superintendent of Operations, at 269­ 945-6130, or matt.goebel@hasskl2.org, tim. berlin@hasskl2.org. Call for Hastings Banner ads J Siatew 218 E. State St., Hastings • gggjga 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm SO Hu/st Cleaners Pick-Up Station Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaa �Page 6 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Dorothy Jean Conklin Larry Eugene Alien, Sr. Larry Eugene Allen, Sr, “Bear”, age 78, of Wayland, MI, passed on October 3, 2022. Larry was bom on November 9, 1943, in Hastings, MI, the son of Clinton and Rosina (Martz) Allen. He attended grade school in Freeport and graduated from Lake Odessa in 1962. Larry briefly drove ambulance in Hastings and worked at Girrbach Funeral Home before starting at Hastings Piston Ring. After many years as a foreman, he was asked to open a plant out of state. In 1984 he moved to Yank­ ton, SD where he worked and opened Hast­ ings Filters. After over 40 years with Hast­ ings, he retired in 1999. In 1965 Larry married Valery Varney, and they shared three children together. He later married Mary Vibbert in 2003. Larry was an avid sports lover, with his favorite football teams being the Raiders and MSU Spartans. He also had a love of baseball with his team being the New York Yankees. Throughout his growing up years he played baseball, and in 1961 and 1962 Larry was invited to play in the Detroit Tigers annual all-star game in Detroit. In the two innings that Larry pitched he gave up zero hits. When it was Larrys turn to hit, he recorded a homer­ un, being the youngest player to hit a home run at Butzel Field. He played football all through high school. He was a golden glove boxer. As an adult, he played lots and lots and lots of golf and was also on a bowling league. He loved to rebuild vintage cars and went to many car shows. His pride and joy was a 1956 chevy that he found on a farm that had a tree growing out of the trunk and he rebuilt everything on it. He played the drums in a band and loved to sing. He was always up for a party with his many friends and family. He was a lover of all music from CCR, ZZ Top, Beach Boys and Elvis to Gene Watson, Travis Tritt and George Jones. He enjoyed his TV as well, watching all the latest thrillers, true crime stories and just about any comedy with John Candy or Chevy Chase. As he aged and it was harder for him to get around, he found solace in his PS and loved playing video games. He was always up for a cookout, family gathering or any sporting event. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Clinton and Rosie Allen; brother, Gerry Allen; nephews, John and Randy Allen, and wife, Mary Joyce Allen. He is survived by his daughter, Stacy Uff (Sioux Falls, SD); sons, Larry Allen Jr. (Yankton, SD), David Allen Sr. (Yankton, SD); grandchildren, Alicia and (Reggie) Gadsden (Yankton, SD), David Allen Jr. (Yankton, SD), Zoie Uff (Sioux Falls, SD), and Emerson Allen (Yankton, SD); great-grandchildren, Tayven, Kamren and Jayla Gadsden (Yankton, SD); brother, Rob­ ert (Helen) Allen (Wayland, MI);sisters, Donna (Gene) Lambert (Abbeville, AL.), Darlene (Phil) Honeysett (Middleville, MI); nieces/nephews, Deb (Sonny) Hartman (Hastings, MI), DeAnna Kulikowski (Hast­ ings, MI), Amy (Jack) Rosenburg (Mid­ dleville, MI), Kim Lambert (Brooksville, FL), Chad (Selena) Lambert (Hudson, FL), Catherine (Matt) Kuipers (Middleville, MI), Tracy (Rob) Dutcher (Wayland, MI), and many great nieces/nephews. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Village of Freeport, Department of Public Works, ATTN: BOB RICHARDSON. PO BOX 10, FREEPORT, MI to help main­ tain the ball fields. Please make checks pay­ able to Village of Freeport, please note in memo: Larry Allen memorial. A celebration of life will be held Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, at 2 p.m. with a meal at the VFW, 735 S. Main St, Wayland MI 49348. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Dorothy Jean (Adams) Conklin, a woman who was never shy about taking on new chal­ lenges in life, passed away Tuesday, Septem­ ber 27, 2022. The family is inviting friends and family to gather for visitation at 10 a.m. and a ser­ vice at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at Daniels Funeral Home, 1401 N Broadway St. in Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist It’s never been easier to do business with us online. Often there is no need to call or visit an office. Here are three webpages that can make your life easier: • Create Your Personal my Social Secu­ rity Account. Did you know you already have access to much of your Social Security information? All you need to do is create or sign in to your personal my Social Security account. You can verify your earnings, get future benefit estimates, instantly get a bene­ 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Delton residents will have the opportunity to celebrate German culture this Saturday, Oct. 8 for the Fourth Annual Oktoberfest in the Park. The celebration will take place at William Smith Park in Delton. Oktoberfest runs from 3 to 9 p.m. at the park and will feature live music, a comhole tournament, pickleball, hay rides, food and beverages from Hickory Corners-based Boo­ gie Barbecue and a beer tent that will be run by the Moose Lodge. The soundtrack for the party will be pro­ vided by bands/musical acts Three of a Kind (3 to 5 p.m.), Tony Fields & Doug Decker (5 to 7 p.m.) and Tammy Olmstead Ford and her band Ain’t Dead Yet (7 to 9 p.m.). Registration for the comhole tournament, presented by the Delton Senior Mystery Trip Committee, opens at 1 p.m. with the tourna­ ment beginning just a half hour later. Okto­ berfest will also feature a 50/50 raffle and other activities. Despite Oktoberfest being traditionally associated with beer, Delton’s version of Oktoberfest will be family-friendly (with post a new blog so you can stay informed. Visit blog.ssa.gov. Our online resources don’t end there. If you didn’t see what you need in the list above, visit us at ssa.gov/onlineservices. Please share these pages with your friends and family. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. The Delton Kellogg soccer team hops aboard Bruce Campbell's horse wagon to promote the upcoming Oktoberfest in the Park. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) plenty of opportunity to drink alcoholic bev­ erages as well). More information about Delton’s Oktober­ fest celebration can be found by searching “Fourth Annual Delton Oktoberfest” on Facebook. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Oct. 6-13 Oct. 1-31 - October Storywalk Book: “Fungus is Among Us!” by Joy Keller and illustrated by Erica Salcedo. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Friday, Oct. 7 - Science Storytime: Just Winging It, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Science Story­ time is cost-free to attend. Saturday, Oct. 8 - World Migratory Bird Day celebration hike, 8-10 a.m. Members have no fee to attend the celebration hike, and non-members must pay $5 to attend. Sunday, Oct. 9 - October Brunch: Fungi to the Rescue - One Spore at a Time, 11:30 a.m. To register, member adults must pay $20 and mem­ ber children $10. Non-member adults must pay $25 to register and $12 for non-member children. Tuesday, Oct. 11 - Mobility-limited Fungal Foray Tours, 10-noon and 3-5 p.m. One spot is still open. Registration is free for members and $5 for non-members. Those interested can call 269- 721-4190 to register or be put on the waiting list. Thursday, Oct. 13 - Mobility-limited Fun­ gal Foray Tours, 10-noon and 3-5 p.m. One spot is still open. Registration is free for members and $5 for non-members. Those interested can call 269-721-4190 to register or be put on the waiting list. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR OCT. 6-12 Thursday, Oct. 6 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1944 film with Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey and Donald Crisp, 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 - Friday Story Time, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 - Dogman K-9 Training School, 10 a.m.-noon; Boofest, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Face painting and more will be offered at Boofest. AWMMPflW 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 fit verification letter, and more, with your own personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount. • File for Your Retirement Online. Plan­ ning for retirement? Or looking to retire now? You can complete and submit your online application for retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes at ssa.gov/retirement. • Stay Informed! Our blog is the place to be for Social Security news. We feature mes­ sages and information direct from our Acting Commissioner and other experts. When you subscribe, you’ll get an email each time we Delton hosts fourth annual Oktoberfest Products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 en’s Club of Battle Creek, president of Barry County Chamber of Commerce, and chairwoman of Summerfest parade commit­ tee. She was a member of Cedar Creek Bible Church and lived at Woodlawn Mead­ ows Memory Care unit for the past 17 months. Dorothy is survived by daughters, Lou Ann (Colin) Cruttenden and Connie (Martin) Hay­ wood, all of Hastings; sisters, Beverly McDyer Hambright, Joyce Alvarez, Peggy Wilson, Kay Simington, and brother Terry Adams; four grandchildren, Tim Cruttenden and Kelli Cruttenden, Jeff Haywood and Sabrina Chris­ ty; and seven great grandchildren, Ian, Caleb, Abby, Amelia, Kyle, Ben and Andrew. She was preceded in death by Larry after nearly 67 years of marriage. While Alzheimer’s Disease robbed her of many memories late in life, she never forgot Larry. Contributions may be made in her name to the Barry Community Foundation or Cedar Creek Bible Church. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Daniels Funeral Home - Hastings, conve­ niently located at 1401 North Broadway, Hastings ML For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net Three Social Security online musts /t Fiberglass Hastings. Pastor Bob Norton will officiate. Born August 24, 1934, in Grand Rapids, MI to Lawrence and Fem Adams, Dorothy’s family later moved to Hastings during her childhood. She married Laurence Conklin on Sept. 7, 1952 and raised two daughters. While her work life started with jobs such as a waitress and receptionist, she showed a fearless business mind early in her marriage. When someone offered her cash well above market value for the young family’s mobile home, the house was sold and moved off the lot by the time a stunned Larry returned home from work. Thankfully Dorothy and the girls drove up to inform him of the deal a short time later. Dorothy used those business skills when she and Larry bought River Bend Travel in Hastings in 1980, expanding its group tour division, leading hundreds of trips throughout the world. In the 1990s, she opened Hearts Desire Gift Boutique and Back Door Deli in Hastings. She was well known for her home decorat­ ing knowledge and helped many customers decorate their homes with unique touches and timeless pieces. Dorothy was involved with service groups including president of the Christian Wom­ mJL Owner/.Mahager X *■ Monday, Oct. 10 - Quilting Passions Crafting Club, 10-1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11 - Baby Caf?, 10 a.m.-noon; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 -Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by call­ ing the library, 269-945-4263. • Traditional and Cremation Services * ^'Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted ^28 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated owner Emeritus Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Brandon Jacob Haas, Wayland and Morgan Elizabeth Dutcher, Wayland Shannon Lynn Grammer, Battle Creek and Jarred Christopher Thompson, Hastings Craig Curtis Bell, Middleville and Sherri Lynn Nesbitt, Nashville Alexis Grace Hanchett, Hastings and Blake Eldon Mast, Hastings �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — Page 7 fl look back at the stories and columns on local histo In the Hastings Banner Ladies Foreign Missionary Society (part IV) TURNING BflGK THE PAGES relation to the Missionary Society.” There was a reading by Jesse Jordan. A letter from Mrs. Hoag was read by the president. She also read the duties of the various officers. The president requested that each member read an item on their offices at the next meet­ ing. There were 12 members present. Katherine Velte Faul was married to Lud­ wig Faul, who had come to Woodland in 1876 and had started a hardware there, which he and his sons ran for many years. Ludwig and his son George died within hours of each other in 1932. A double funer­ al was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was 81 years old. Katherine lived several years after that. The society was entertained by Ann J. Hil­ The minute book from the society was bert on April 2, 1883. Mrs. George Palmerton found at a yard sale and was recognized as a and Lottie Banner joined the society. Six unique item. It gives an overview of who dollars were collected in dues and 33 cents lived in Woodland in the late 1870s and for the mite box. Mrs. Colestock was elected early 1880s. to be the delegate to the district meeting, Literary Clubs were quite a common which was to be held in Portland on the first occurrence in those years, as women felt a and second of May. Readings were given by peed to do something besides nurture hus­ Mrs. Vendewalker, Mrs. Jesse Jordan, Mrs. bands and children. They felt a need to William Judd, Mrs. Coville and Mrs. Ira become more intellectually and culturally Stowell. Twenty members were present and aware. three visitors. “The Friend” was a magazine published Mrs. Stowell entertained the group on May during those times to give women a look at 9, 1883, with 13 members and one visitor in women in other countries, as well as other attendance. Dues collected was $$1.25 and areas of the United States and members of 29 cents for the mite box. An order was Foreign Missionary societies were encour­ drawn for 50 cents from the mite box to be aged to take this publication by the Methodist given to Mrs. Jesse Jordan. (No reason given.) Episcopal publishing house and to read and Mrs. H. Valentine and Mrs. W.H. Lee gave share it with the other women. readings. The delegate to the district meeting A little peak at the lives of some of the gave a report. members of the Woodland Society helps to Mrs. H. Valentine hosted the June 6, 1883 know that these women had busy lives in the meeting. Mrs. Emma Valentine joined the community,manwmarriedrterprommerrt-Tnen-- ■ s&eiety-en-this- day-There-were AS cents-rn dues and 19 cents for the mite box. The soci­ jof the area. *' ety decided to subscribe to “The Gospel in ’ To conclude the minutes of the meetings: All Lands” for the coming year. There was a fTThHi. 3,1883, the society was entertained by &4rs. T^lestock. Two ladies joined at this reading by Mrs. Cole. Also, an essay was greeting, Mrs. Cole and Mrs. William Judd, read by Mrs. C.A. Hough about Africa. Mis­ Jvife of the new minister the Rev. Judd. Dues sionary items were read by Mrs. Kline, Cole Collected was 50 cents, amount for the mite and Judd. Seventeen members and three visi­ •box, 36 cents. By motion, it was decided to tors were present. read the minutes of the organization of the George Palmerton was the son of Jackson ^V.C.T. U. (Woman’s Christian Temperance and Eliza Rowlader Palmerton, who came to JUnion). The society then heard a reading by Woodland to stay in 1848. Eliza Rowlader Mrs. H.C. Carpenter. Palmerton was an early member of the Meth­ '■ The Feb. 7, 1883 meeting was held at the odist Church. liome of Mrs. Albert Dillenbeck. Mrs. Abby On July 9, 1883, the society met with Mrs. McArthur joined the society at this meeting, Eva Holly. The treasurer gave a report. Electa pues collected was $2.25, and 65 cents was Cooper and Miss Parks joined the society. An Collected for the mite money box. Mrs. Coleorder for 65 cents was drawn upon the trea­ sury in favor of Eva Holly. (No reason given.) £tock gave a reading on missionary work. A {emperance piece was read by Mrs. Cole. Miss Parks gave the first reading. Then mis­ Mrs. H.C. Carpenter read the letter about the sionary items were read by members of the death of member Sarah King, which had been society. Each member was requested to read written by Mrs. Coville. An interesting letter, a short piece on missionary work at the next which was written by a Baptist lady living in meeting. There were 10 members and two Portland, was read by Mrs. Carpenter. There visitors present. were 12 members and five visitors present. On Aug. 1, 1883, Mrs. Baughman enter­ The March 1, 1883, meeting was called to tained the society. There were 90 cents in order at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Baughman. dues money and 29 cents in mite money col­ Katy Faul joined at this meeting. $3.25 in lected. There was a motion made to serve tea dues was collected and 19 cents for the mite or coffee at the meetings. The motion lost. A box. A delegate to a general missionary con­ reading “Japan” was given by Mrs. Coville. ference to be held at Grand Rapids the last Missionary items were read by the president, week in April was selected. Mrs. William Mrs. Eva Holly. Mrs. Hellen Cooper, Mrs. Judd and Eva Holly were chosen. Mrs. Eve­ C.A. Hough and Mrs. H. Holly also read line Stowell gave a reading titled “Women’s some missionary items. Hellen Cooper and Editor’s Note: The following series was -originally researched and written by Joyce F. Weinbrecht in 1996 for the From Time to Time column. This series chronicles the early days of the Ladies Foreign Missionary Soci­ ety in Woodland. Weinbrecht used meeting minutes to let readers get a feel for the Wood­ land of the 1870s. Some of the women mentioned in this series are referred to by their husbands’ names instead of by their own individual names and identities. It is unfortunate these ladies ’ names have been lost to the Banner archived, but their individual impact has left a lasting impression on local history. Banner Jan. 9, 1997 Bertha Palmerton Fisher was the switchboard operator of the Citizens Telephone Company, managed by banker Frank F. Hilbert circa 1900. Woodland Post Office and Jot Smith with his horse and rig, 1910. Rural Mail Delivery didn’t come until 1896, several years after the inception of the Ladies Foreign Missionary Society. Mrs. Vandewalker were appointed to the financial committee. There were 14 members present and five visitors at this meeting. Sept. 5, 1883, the society met at the home of Mrs. Jesse Jordan. The finance committee gave a report. Dues collected was $2.25 and mite money was 29 cents. Readings were by Mrs. Holly, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Coville and Mrs. Colestock. There were 16 members present and five visitors. On Oct. 5, 1883, Aunt Matilda Haight had the meeting at her home. There were 75 cents in dues and 15 cents for the mite box. Eva Holly and Mrs. A.W. Dillenbeck were select­ ed as delegates to the district meeting to be held in Ionia. Election of officers was held and the following were elected: Eva Holly, president; Esther Jordan, recording secretary; Mrs. H.C. Carpenter, treasurer; Hellen Coo­ per, corresponding secretary. Readings were given by Mrs. H.C. Carpenter and Mrs. Cole. Members were requested to bring in reading matter for the monthly meetings. There were 12 members and two visitors present. Sarah Adeline Galloway Dillenbeck was the daughter of a pioneer family and married a pioneer, Albert W. Dillenbeck. Albert came to Woodland at the age of 7. He and Sarah were married in 1862. In August of that same year, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Twenty First, Michigan Infantry, and was with Sher­ man on the march from Atlanta to Savannah. He was a farmer, and an enterprising man. He ~was supervisor for 12 years; a charter member of the G.A.R., a Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias, He was an avid follower of the printed news, a historian and wrote a history column for the Hastings Banner in 1911, (which at a later time this historian will share in this column). Mrs. A.W. Dillenbeck led a busy life, caring for her family and was active in the community' as well. Nov. 7, 1883, Mary Lee entertained the society at her home. Money collected at this meeting was $2.65 for dues and 21 cents for the mite box. Mrs. Colestock and Mary Lee were appointed to be vice presidents. The delegate to district meeting gave a report. Mrs. Colestock gave a reading titled “A Hea­ then Woman’s Prayer.” Mrs. Coville also gave a reading. Dec. 5, 1883, the group met at the home of Mrs. H. Holly. A letter from the district secre­ tary was read by Mrs. H.C. Carpenter. Two new members were accepted in the society, Mrs. Garver and Mrs. Smith. Dues collected were $2 and 31 cents in mite money. Two orders were drawn on the treasury in favor of Mrs. Eva Holly, one for 85 cents and a second one for $1.50 to pay money borrowed by the society. Readings at this meeting were given by Mary Lee and Mrs. Coville. Missionary items were read by Eva holly and Mrs. Klise, Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Gamer. . (It is interesting to note that at none of the meetings which occurred in months when religious events are usually held, such as Eas­ ter, Thanksgiving time and Christmas, was there mention of the holidays and no special readings were given. No mention is made at all of the seemingly Christian days.) Jan. 10, 1884, the society met at the home of Eva Holly. The usual collecting of dues, $2 and mite money, 22 cents, was done. Two new members joined, Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Vena Palmerton. Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Parks and Eva Holly gave the readings of the day. There were 16 members present. Lovina Brooks Palmerton was married to Columbus Sylvanus “Vena” or sometimes “Veenie” Palmerton, whose family were counted among Woodland pioneers. C.S. Palmerton was a practicing lawyer in Woodland and a journalist, writing for several of the county newspapers, including the Woodland News and the Nashville News and was a correspondent for the Hastings Banner. C.S. and Lovina Palmerton had two girls, one who was stillborn and one girl who they named Bertha. Bertha Palmerton was a tele­ phone operator for the F.F. Hilbert telephone company, the first telephone company in Woodland. She married Charles Fisher and they had one son, Gay Ion Fisher. Feb. 6, 1884, the society was entertained by Esther Jordan. $2.40 in dues and 69 cents for the mite box were collected. A motion was made and carried that the society pay $2 as a memorial fund for deceased members, the money to be used for the Lucknow School. Hellen Cooper read a letter form the district secretary. Mrs. H. Holly, Mrs. Klise and Mrs. Colestock gave readings for the meeting. There were 19 members and 11 vis­ itors attending this meeting. March 5, 1884 found Mrs. H.C. Carpenter entertaining the group. Dues collected were 77 cents, mite box, 0. Mrs. Goddard and Mrs. Weed joined the society at this meeting. The 17*h of March was designated as Conserva­ tion Day, with a fitting program, to meet at 2 p.m. A very able piece was then read by Mrs. Valentine. Each member was asked to make the monthly meetings more interesting. The society would choose a subject and devote a short time in discussion. The subject for the May meeting was to be “Resolved that we as a society are too inactive in the missionary work.” There were 17 members and four visitors there. Mrs. Judd entertained the May 7, 1884 meeting. Dues collected were $1.20, mite box 0. Readings were done by Miss Parker, Mrs. Hager, and Mrs. Benham. A request was again made that members bring in some liter­ ary work for the group. Ten members and four visitors were there. June 4, 1884, the society met at the home of Mrs. Hellen Cooper. There were no dues collected and only 7 cents for the mite box. Mrs. Klise, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Coville and Eva Holly gave readings. Tehre were seven members and two visitors present. July 2, 1884, Katy Paul entertained the society. There was a motion made that the society take “The Gospel in All Lands” for Ihc- com ing year. The motion- lost? XTSff in dues and 31 cents were collected by the trea­ surer. Readings were by Mrs. Andress, Miss Angie Holmes, Mrs. Baughman, Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Palmerton, Mrs. Hellen Cooper, and Mrs. H.C. Carpenter. There were 18 members and one visitor present. Aug. 6, 1884, Electa Cooper entertained the society. $1.75 in dues and 71 cents mite money were collected. A reading titled “Mid­ night In London” was-read by Esther Jordan. Mrs. Stowell, Mrs. Klise, Mrs. Mary Andress, Mrs. Coville ad Mrs. H.C. Carpenter also gave readings. A letter from China was read by Hellen Cooper. There were 13 members and two visitors present. Sept. 10, 1884, Mrs. C.A. Hough enter­ tained the society. The committees have their reports. $2.85 in dues and 25 cents for the mite box were collected. A motion was made to elect officers by ballot. The officers chosen were: Esther Jordan for president; Mrs. Cole­ stock for recording secretary; Hellen Cooper for treasurer; Lena Holly, corresponding sec­ retary. A letter from Mrs. Roberts was read by the president. Mrs. Roberts was the first pres­ ident of the Society. Fifteen members and three visitors were present. Oct. 9, 1884, the W.F.M. Society met at the parsonage. Mrs. Wrightman joined the soci­ ety on this day. Dues collected were $4.25, mite box fund, 11 cents. A report from the district meeting was read. Eva Holly and Mrs. H.C. Carpenter were to have attended, but due to illness, Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. H. Cole­ stock attended instead. Ellen Carpenter and Mert Palmerton were appointed as vice presj dent s? “Tenements and" Slums” "was "read by Ellen Carpenter. There were 11 members and two visitors there. (To be concluded.) ^Doctor Universe . ■ . ■ *• . . ■ • ■ One small step for man Dr. Universe: How was the moon formed? Barbara, 10, Texas Dear Barbara, Why do moon rocks taste better than Earth rocks? They’re a little meteor! In all seriousness, your question is something humans wondered about for a long time. I talked to my friend Michael Allen, an astronomy professor at WSU about how the moon formed. He told me we figured out the answer in 1972. That’s shortly after humans visited the moon for the first time. “The primary scientific goal of the Apol­ lo moon landings was to determine the moon’s origin,” he said. “The astronauts collected moon rocks between 1969 and 1972. They thought the moon rocks were going to hold the answer to that question, and they were right!” Once they got the moon rocks back to Earth, it was time to examine them. Scien­ tists wanted to know how similar they were to Earth rocks. That would tell them if the moon formed at the same time and place as Earth. When the solar system formed, objects closer to the sun were hotter than things farther away. They cooled differently and are made of different things. So, scientists expected to be able to look at the composition of moon rocks and match them up with where they formed. If the moon formed with Earth, the moon should have an iron core, a rocky crust and some water - just like Earth. Its rocks would be identical to Earth’s rocks. If it formed far away and wandered into Earth’s orbit, the moon should be more like Mars or an asteroid. “When they collected moon rocks, they discovered none of it was true,” Allen said. “They discovered no iron. They discovered lots of ordinary grey rock and zero water. That combination didn’t fit any of the expected origin places of the moon.” So back in 1972, planetary scientists William Hartman and A.G.W. Cameron looked at this evidence. They came up with the collision-ejection theory. It goes like this. Shortly after Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago, it was hot, liquid rock. That was a wild time in the solar system. There were lots of rock-like objects called planetesimals banging around and bashing into everything. Those collisions formed larger and larger objects - like planets. One planetesimal smacked into Earth. Allen said it was a glancing blow. That means it skimmed across Earth like a peb­ ble across water. The collision sent some of Earth’s liquid rock flying into space. It splashed out like a ring around the Earth. Then, it began cooling and sticking together into the round shape the moon is today. It probably happened fast. The whole thing could have taken just a few orbits around Earth! Allen told me that having a moon is rare. It also affects life on Earth. Having a moon slows down Earth’s rotation. Without a moon, a day on Earth would be much shorter! The next time you look at the moon, think about that random collision billions of years ago and the fearless astronauts who collected moon rocks so we could understand it. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �I Page 8 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Community leaders think ahead, discuss grant | fund options at economic development workshop Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Barry County community leaders and stakeholders toured the far reaches of the county on Tuesday with representatives of an economic development firm as part of an ongoing effort to seek out potential state and federal grant project opportunities. The trip was the latest in a series of work­ shops and brainstorming sessions facilitated by Antero Group, a civil engineering and urban planning consulting firm hosted by the Barry Community Foundation. Antero Group representatives Michael Schmitz, Randal Ste­ phens and Chris Brown collected information at the meeting to find county projects that were most likely eligible for state and federal grant funds. “The workshop today is to get focused... and really see what the needs are throughout several of the communities in the area,” Schmitz said. “(As well as) get a plan togeth­ er to help the county and also each of the townships and villages really look at setting priorities.” Before heading around the county to sur­ vey potential project sites, community lead­ ers and stakeholders met at Thomapple Township Hall in Middleville to discuss issues impeding economic development in Barry County. The issues were broken up into several categories based on comments made at workshops held earlier in the year. They included housing, tourism, water and sewer infrastructure, broadband internet infrastruc­ ture, transportation, childcare, education and workforce development. “Today, the goal is to map a lot of these specific projects so that we can pair all of these forthcoming funding opportunities with some of those projects to help maybe get some of those moving a little bit,” Stephens said. “We can pair some of those projects up to maximize resources and hopefully get them moving a little quicker.” Among the many issues touched on during the workshop, housing and water infrastruc­ ture issues were some of the most heavily discussed. Affordable housing projects, like the proposed 60-unit Tyden Lofts project in downtown Hastings, remained a high priority, with potential developments near Nashville and Woodland being mentioned. Chelsey Foster, Barry County Economic Alliance board member, said a more robust and well-connected sewer and water infra- structure that reached past the current Hast­ ings border would help facilitate further housing developments and foster economic development. “The developable land in the city is getting more and more scarce,” Foster said. “When do we (extend city sewer and water access) beyond the edge of town?” Bonnie Gettys, Barry Community Founda­ tion president, noted that the issue highlight­ ed a need for workshops like the one on Tuesday. By gathering leaders from around the county, they could discuss what projects were in development to make the best use of funding, speed along development and achieve the best possible outcomes. Gettys expanded on the need for forward thinking and used the planning process of building a new school as an example. “I think that therein lies the responsibility of all of us to make sure that we’re aware of everything that’s occurring. Like what comes first, the chicken or the egg?,” Gettys said. “Do we build a school first and then put in sidewalks (later)? Or, do we say we should be thinking about the sidewalks going out to this property so that when it’s built, the kids have a safe way to school (already)?” From left to right, Antero Group consultants Michael Schmitz and Randal Stephens work to plot out current and future developments with Barry County Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Heinzman. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) County board denies Hastings Charter Township supervisor’s request to discuss FOIA expenses Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers has declined to entertain an agenda item submitted by Hastings Charter Township Jim Brown, who is seeking reimbursement for what he believes was a frivolous FOIA request made by a Barry County sheriff’s deputy. Brown has not backed down from seeking $1,309 from either the county or the sher­ iff’s department, after his township paid the amount in legal fees processing a FOIA request from Barry County Deputy Mark Noteboom, who was looking for a variety of records related to the 2020 election. Noteboom was hired into I he department by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf and assigned to investigate potential voter fraud associated with that election, where Donald Trump lost the presidential race to current president Joe Biden. A few weeks ago, Brown appeared in front of the board of commissioners to remind them that the invoice he submitted to the sheriff’s office was over 90 days past due. After gaining no traction, Brown told The Banner that he would submit a formal request to add the matter to the agenda so that the board could discuss it. He did and board chair Ben Geiger denied the request. Brown attended Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, voicing his disappoint­ ment in front of the board. Hastings Township Supervisor Jim Brown speaks in front of Barry County's Committee of the Whole on Tuesday morning. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) “The ongoing voter fraud situation with the Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf is a good example of a waste of time, effort and tax­ payer’s money,” Brown said during public comment with Leaf seated in the gallery. “The FOIA request to our township and denied by our attorney is a good example.” Deputy Noteboom sent a FOIA letter to Hastings Township Clerk Anita Mennell on March 30. This request was issued to other townships throughout Barry County, as well. On April 18, the township, through its attorneys, Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes PLC of Okemos, sent a letter of denial to Noteboom. Hastings Township did not turn over the requested information and incurred $1,309 in legal expenses processing that request. “Our township has legitimate bills to pay, but this expense should be paid by the sher­ iff’s department or the Barry County gener­ al fund as determined by the Barry County Board of Commissioners.” “Unfortunately, the decision by chairman of the Barry County Commissioners, Ben Geiger, to refuse the request to put the FOIA payment up for discussion on the meeting agenda today is inexcusable. At the very least, all the commissioners should have had the opportunity to express their own opinion or appeal on this request. That is what the taxpayers elected them to do.” While none of the commissioners formal­ ly acknowledged Brown’s comments during the meeting, Geiger told The Banner two weeks ago that he wasn’t interested in weighing in on the matter. “We do not have a precedent of paying local government FOIA bills and the county board does not have an interest in starting one,” said Geiger, who approves the board’s agendas. “I understand the point Supervisor Brown is trying to make, but it’s not on the county board’s agenda.” Thank You to Our Sponsors 623 Express Wash All J’s Water Well Service American Industrial Support Services BCTC/MEI Telecom Services BJ Hydraulics Banfield Grocery Store Barry Township Office & Police Be Original Hair Salon Boogie Barbeque Bowen’s Family Dining Brown’s Cedar Creek Grocery Bruce Campbell & Family Buckland Insurance C&H Service Celia’s Painting & Color Consulting Chad Lyons Preferred Insurance Group Chapple Realty Cloverdale Station Dan Sutherland Excavating Dave and Mary Jo Whitaker & Family Dave and Tom Dewey & Families Dave Ash & Holly Belt, Paul Bunce Real Estate Delton District Library Delton Family Pharmacy Delton Fire Department Delton Kellogg Class of 1971 Delton Moose Lodge 1649 Delton Pole Building Supplies Delton Senior Mystery Trip Committee Delton VFW Diamond Transportation Services Family Fare Supermarket GOFCO Godspeed Graphix GoGo Auto Parts Goldsworthy’s Towing & Recovery Grove Street Cafe Hayward Logging and Sawmill Highpoint Community Bank I.C. Electric Jr and Cindy Homister & Family Joe and Marybeth Zalokar Katie & Christy’s Mid-Lakes Ken’s Sport Shop Knight Watch LJ Fluid Power L&S Service Lyons Septic Tank Service MRD Industries Matteson Enterprises Mid-Lakes Mini Storage Mitten State Engineering NAPA Auto Parts Naps ACE Hardware Nevins Farms Northwoods Classic Cars Osborne Farms Park Place Design R& R Engine Sajo’s Pizza Scrapaloo Shawn Kimbrue-Yard Art Shoemaker Construction Smith & Doster T.N.R. Machine The Delton Market The Hair Garden The Local Grind Third Generation Excavating Thomapple Credit Union Thornapple Valley Church Todd Carpenter, Carpenter Gravel True Design Tujax Tavern Valley Elk Farm Williams-Gores Funeral Home Woodstockarts Design & Illustration Saturday, October 8 • 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm William Smith Park (Behind the Fire Station) Tony New Kiwanis president wastes no time getting hands dirty The Kiwanis Club of Hastings announced David Tripp as its new President. Tripp, an attorney at local law firm Law, Tripp, Tagg, and Storrs Attorneys at Law, is joined in leadership by Pres­ ident-Elect Steve Marzolf, the chief nursing officer at Spectrum Health Pennock. Deb Hatfield of the Hast­ ings-based CPA firm Walker, Fluke, and Sheldon, remains secretary for another year. Bob Becker of Hastings Mutual is treasurer. Tripp started his first days by join­ ing other Kiwanians for the Adopt-aHighway program. Hastings Kiwanis is part of the State of Michigan Department of Transpor­ tation (MDOT) highway cleanup proj­ ect. MDOT announces early each cal­ endar year the three weeks designated for Adopt-a-Highway pickup in April, July and September. An organization risks losing its designated stretch of road if it fails to report having picked up at least two times in a year. MDOT requires Kiwanis and other organizations com­ pleting the pickup to confirm the date that the club did the pickup; that all volunteers are properly instructed in safety rules; and, to report on the num­ ber of bags left on the roadside. Carol Dwyer is the chairwoman of this Kiwanis outreach. Hastings Kiwanis also recognizes all the businesses along their stretch of highways who play an active role in helping to keep Hastings roads clean. TONY FIELDS'S DOUG DECKER 5:00 to 7:00 PM 3:00 to 5:00 PM Tammy Olmstead Ford \ AJ3.Y-Ain’tOead Yet 7:00 to 9:00 PM Catering by Delton Moose Refreshment Tent Serving a Variety of Beverages fl Delton Moose Lodge 1649 Eot • Drink • Boogie Bruce Campbell giving Horse Drawn Hayrides for Kids and Adults of all ages Delton Senior Mystery Trip Committee TOURNAMENT Registration at 1:30 pm • Tournament starts at 2:00 pm i We Couldn't Do It Without Youl Pickleball Play- Bring Your Rackets!! 50/50 Drawing Rain Location - Delton Moose Lodge 1649 4 Dave Tripp, new president of the Kiwanis Club of Hastings, working with the club to beautify local high­ ways. (Courtesy photo) , ; . . 1 �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, October 6, 2022 Hastings senior Caleb Gurtowsky rises above Pennfield goalkeeper Kyle Thomas and the rest of the crowd in front of the Panther goal to head the ball into the net for a 2-0 Saxon lead 12 minutes into their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference match in Hastings Tuesday. The Saxons went on to a 6-1 win. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons show no mercy on Mepham Day Brett Bremer Former Hastings varsity boys' soccer captain Scott Schoessel tells stories to the crowd gathered for the Saxon soccer program's Doug Mepham Day ALS Awareness event Tuesday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor Doug Mepham found the voice to give the Hastings varsity boys’ soccer team one message as it prepared to take on Pennfield Tuesday. “Show no mercy,” he said in a recorded message with his wife Deb from Mary Free Bed in Grand Rapids that played on the Baum Stadium at Johnson Field scoreboard in Hast­ ings prior to the Saxons’ Interstate-8 Athletic Conference contest with the Panthers. Doug, and everyone associated with the event, had hoped the founder of the Hastings High School soccer program would be inside the stadium on his birthday Tuesday to be a part of the Doug Mepham Day ALS Aware­ ness event, but the Saxons still heard his mes­ sage loud and clear en route to a 6-1 victory. “It is fantastic to see so many teachers, former players and friends of Doug’s here tonight,” Hastings High School athletic direc­ tor Mike Goggins said during the pregame ceremony. “Doug taught here at Hastings for 40 years and coached for 30. He was instru­ mental in starting the boys’ soccer and girls’ soccer [programs] here at Hastings back in 1985. That is when it all started. Every single boy or girl that has ever put on a Saxon soc­ cer uniform followed the path that Doug walked down first. “Doug is now bravely facing another chal­ lenge that life has thrown at him as he battles ALS. We had hoped Doug and his wife Deb would be able to attend tonight’s game, but Doug has suffered a slight setback recently and so the next best thing is Doug, Deb and Hastings varsity boys' soccer coach Francisco Lopez jogs out onto the field in his red and white “His Fight Is Our Fight” T-shirt during warm-ups during the Saxon pro­ gram's Doug Mepham Day ALS Awareness event Tuesday in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) their son Andrew are watching from Mary Free Bed as we live-stream the entire event. We hope he is watching right now.” Goggins led the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday To You” to Doug while looking up at the camera atop the stadium press box. It was just a coincidence that the event was planned for Doug’s birthday. A GoFundMe account titled “Dong Mepham ALS Research Fundraiser” has already Surpassed its goal of raising $1,000 and is still ppen for donations. The Mepham Family has found an ally in the Susan Mast ALS Foundation since Doug was diagnosed with the fatal neurodegenerative disease in the spring of 2021. Sarah Sheikh, a volunteer and ALS family liaison, spoke about her foundation’s work. Doug’s daughter Sarah, who played for her father, and former Hastings boys’ team cap­ tain Scott Schoessel also addressed the crowd during the pregame ceremony. “Thank you guys for so much,” Sarah said. “He has loved being a soccer coach. It is some of the best memories I have ever had, playing for my dad, which not everyone can say that. I am just happy to be here. Thanks for being here. I just hope that we can honor him and raise money for ALS ... research, so no one has to go through this terrible, debili­ tating disease. I just love my dad. Thank you for doing this for him.” Schoessel, one of a couple dozen of coach Mepham’s former players in attendance for the ceremony, shared two stories about his time on the first Saxon soccer team’s in the mid 1980’s. He reminisced about the time he threw his jersey down in frustration in the locker room after a loss and an ensuing con­ versation with coach Mepham. “”He said, ‘don’t you ever throw the jersey of Hastings on the floor,”’ Schoessel said. ‘“You represent more than just yourself. You represent your family, you represent your school, you represent your town.’ And so, I hope these guys out here know what an honor it is to play for Hastings.” He also remembered a halftime speech in which coach Mepham told him, “‘some­ times the will to win is greater than the skill to win.’” It was a lesson that became increasingly important to him as the years have gone on.” Slurred speech and an eventual loss of the ability to speak all together is among the many symptoms of ALS, which made coach Mepham’s pre-game message on the score­ board all the more powerful. The Saxons took that and scored four goals in the first 23 minutes of the first half against Pennfield, with headers playing a big part in three of the four goals. Senior Cayden Snow stared the scoring for the Saxons in the 111*1 minute. Caleb Waller fired a comer kick from right to left that teammate Juan Osorio headed down in the middle of the Pennfield box. Osorio’s header ricocheted off a Pennfield defender to to Snow who blasted it past the Panther keeper. A minute and a half later, the Saxons kept the pressure on following another corner kick. Kearan Tolles retreated with the ball then knocked a pass back towards the left comer for teammate Sergynho Arias. Arias chipped the ball across the Pennfield goal­ box where Caleb Gurtowsky came flying in to head it into the goal. It took just another three minutes for the Saxons to get a third goal, with Tolles getting Sarah Mepham, former Saxon soccer coach Doug Mepham's daughter, address the crowd aS Hastings High School athletic director Mike Goggins looks onvduring the Hastings soccer program's Doug Mepham Day ALS Awareness event Tuesday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) A clip from a WZZM news story on former Hastings soccer coach Doug Mepham plays on the Baum Stadium at Johnson Field scoreboard during the Hastings soccer program's Doug Mepham Day ALS Awareness event, before a recorded message from Doug and his wife Deb was shared with the crowd Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior Kearan Tolles finds space to fire a shot and put the Saxons up 3-0 on visiting Pennfield 15 minutes into their I-8 contest inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) a pass in the midfield, tapping it past the defense and racing back onto the ball for a shot that found the back of the net. Tolles assisted on the fourth Saxon goal, firing a kick from the left sideline in front of the Panther bench to the far post where Cohen Smith came crashing in to head it into the goal. The Saxons pushed their lead to 6-0 in the second half. Smith got goal number five with 16:21 to play, firing a shot in from the top of the box after a centering pass from Osorio found Smith and teammate Nate Kohmescher both open in the middle of the Pennfield defense. Sophomore Alex Flikkema closed the Saxon scoring by finishing off a comer kick with 9:38 to play. It wouldn’t have been Doug Mepham Day without a couple of yellow cards - and the Saxons managed a couple of those in the end as well with a red card giving the Panthers the opportunity to play with a man advantage for much of the final ten minutes. A perfectly placed free kick, from the top left comer of the Saxon box, from Pennfield senior Nathan Grennes found the upper 90 on the far side to account for the Panthers’ lone score. �Page 10 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HHS girls push Marshall and Western in a couple sets Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Saxons’ climb towards being a com­ petitive Interstate-8 Athletic Conference squad continued Wednesday at Hastings High School as the Hastings varsity volleyball team pushed league foe Marshall throughout much of three sets. Hastings had a 16-13 lead in the opening set and was knotted 22-22 with the Redhawks before big senior middle Natalie Frever took over to help her team clinch the final couple points. A kill by Bailey Cook had the Saxons with­ in 14-10 midway through the second set, but the Marshall girls surged to win 11 of the next 16 points for a 25-15 victory with Frever once again finishing the set strong. She had five kills on the final seven points of the set. While the Saxons have one of their largest, and most talented, front lines in years Frever still proved tough to slow down. “We were really aggressive on the net, and talking well and moving the ball well even though the gym was pretty quiet,” Hastings head coach Erin Slaughter said. “We have The Saxons' Kimber Fenstemaker rises over Marshall blockers Addie Waito (8) and Kairah Gore (7) to hit an attack during their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference match at Hastings High School Wednesday, Sept. 28. (Photo by Brett Bremer) been working hard on creating our own momentum and pushing through that and taking on strong teams like Marshall with it in our head that we are a decent team as well. We tried to push that through.” “I think we saw that in the first set and the first half of the second set, but then we got a little flat the second half and then the third set as well.” Marshall ran out to a 6-0 lead in set num­ ber three and went on to a 25-11 win as some struggles to pass the ball popped up for the Saxons. “We are still working on our serve receive,” Slaughter said. “That continues to be a big thing and working on ways to finish the ball. Marshall is scrappy in the back row and we don’t have the huge hitters all the time, not as consistently as we would like, and we’ll keep working on finishing the ball. “I am really happy with how they played. I think it was a good game for them.” Saxon setter Abby Beemer does have a lot of options at the net to distribute the ball to this season. Cook had a team-high four kills for the Saxons. Kimber Fenstemaker and Rachael Hewitt had three kills each and Audrey Vertalka chipped in two. Beemer had eight assists. Vertalka and Fenstemaker both had two solo blocks and Fenstemaker added two block assists. “[Frever] was really one of their biggest hitters. That is who we were looking to shut down. We got her about 50 percent of the time,” Slaughter said. “Kimber Fenstemaker really started to hone in on her at the net, and so we were really proud of her. She is kind of coming into her spot there as a junior. She has been really learning from Audrey Vertalka who has been on the varsity team before. Having those two at the net and working with each other, I think it has been a bigger year for us in blocking than I have ever had or I have ever seen for Hastings. We’re excited to have height and learn how to use it, but we’re still learning and still pushing.” The Saxon passing led by libero Cailin Redman, Vertalka, Cook and Beemer was especially strong in the early going. Marshall matched the Saxons’ passing skills and then some. Cassidee Easey and Jordan Milanowski had the Saxons’ two aces in the contest. The Saxons were back at it in the 1-8 against visiting Parma Western Tuesday at Hastings High School, and showed once again that when they are playing well they can challenge anyone in the 1-8. The Panthers won by the scores of 25-12, 25-21, 25-15. “Overall, I was pretty happy with how the girls played, but we definitely need to work on keeping ourselves motivated when we get in the hole,” coach Slaughter said. “We start­ ed out each set very strong, but did not main­ tain our momentum very well, which is what we will be working on doing the next week or so until we return to play.” Beemer had 12 assists in the loss. Vertalka had a team-high nine kills and Cook added eight. Fenstemaker and Vertalka had five solo blocks each. Cook had three aces and Easey two. Hastings' Cassidee Easey hits a serve against Marshall Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Hastings High school. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxon libero Cailin Redman lunches in front of teammate Jordan Milanowski to try and pass a Marshall serve during their team's 1-8 match with the visiting Redhawks Sept. 28. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Vikes’ Vasquez scores spot in D4 girls’ golf state finals Brett Bremer Lakewood sophomore Ellie Benham fires her ball towards the green on number 15 at Pine Hills Golf Course Tuesday during the MHSAA L.P. Division 4 Regional Tournament hosted by Laingsburg. (Photo by Brett Bremer) THE HOTTEST STARS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5 TYLER HENRY • HOLLYWOOD MEDIUM SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19 CIRQUE MUSICA • HOLIDAY WONDERLAND THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. GET YOUR VlftfiFoN" I-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. Sports Editor It was a pretty great day for the Greater Lansing Activities Conference/Central Mich­ igan Athletic Conference varsity girls’ golf teams at Pine Hills Golf Course in Laings­ burg Tuesday. And that means there will be plenty of GLAC/CMAC golfers competing at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Finals, including Lhkewood junior Makenzie Vasquez. Vasquez shot a 104 at Pine Hills to finish second among the three individual state qual­ ifiers from the regional that was hosted by the Laingsburg Wolfpack Tuesday. That score was good for 11th overall. The Division 4 Finals will be held Oct. 14-15 at The Meadows on the campus of Grand Valley State University. Jackson Lumen Christi, the top ranked team in the state in Division 4 heading into the postseason, and No. 9 Lansing Catholic blew everyone away at the regional. The Titans won the regional title with a score of 361 and Lansing Catholic shot a 374. The GLAC/CMAC champions from Bath were third with a score of 421. The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams at regional tournaments across the state this week earn spots in the state finals. East Jackson was a distant fourth behind the Bees with a score of 445, followed by Perry 459, Lakewood 462, Olivet 464, Durand 488, Napoleon 490, Pewamo-West­ phalia 514, Laingsburg 544 and Byron 545. Napoleon freshman Anna McCubbins shot a 96 to finish first among the girls not from the three state qualifying teams. Vasquez was second and Olivet senior Drue Allen was third with a 108. Overall, McCubbins was seventh, Vasquez 11th and Allen 14th. Vasquez was safely among the three indi­ vidual state qualifiers with her 104. Allen was one stroke better than East Jackson sopho­ more Mariah Kerley, who scored a 109, for that final state qualifying position. Vasquez’s lone par of the day came on the par-3 number nine, 13 holes into her round. It capped off a solid front nine on what Viking head coach Carl Kutch called “about as tough a regional track as I have seen over the years.” Lakewood junior Audrey Hillard scored a 114, senior Karmyn Winkler fired a 118 and sophomore Ellie Benham rounded out the Viking scoring four with a 126. The top six players were all from the state qualifying teams, led by Lumen Christi senior Ashley Hilderley who scored an 80 to win the individual regional title. She was joined among the top five medalists by Lansing Catholic junior Sophie Hauser (83), Lumen Christi senior Michaela Hauer (90), Bath Lakewood junior Makenzie Vasquez watches her tee shot fly on number 18 during the MHSAA L.P. Division 4 Regional hosted by Laingsburg at Pine Hills Golf Course Tuesday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) sophomore Anna Schaibly (90) and Lansing Catholic sophomore Julia Sambaer (91). Lumen Christi senior Alexa Spencer was sixth with a 92 and the Titans also got a 99 from senior Anna McClure. Rounding out the top four for Lansing Catholic were sophomore Brynn Anderson with a 97 and freshman Addi Rule with a 103. Behind the sophomore Schaibly for Bath, junior Aubrie Schaibly shot a 106, junior Kaitlyn Dickey a 109 and sophomore Aubri Torok a 116. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — Page 11 GLAC wraps with another Viking/Eagle showdown Brett Bremer Sports Editor Matt Markwart didn’t want to get too excited as the scoreboard clicked off and Unity Field finished clearing out Friday night. He also couldn’t honestly say that the Vikings hadn’t already queued up the Olivet “tapes” already. The Greater Lansing Activities Conference is closing its life on the gridiron with one more showdown between the Olivet Eagles and Lakewood Vikings for the league champion­ ship, in Olivet, this Friday night. Lakewood improved to 3-0 in the conference with a 48-0 victory over visiting Stockbridge on homecom­ ing night at Lakewood High School last Friday. Olivet scored a 20-7 win over Pewamo-West­ phalia outside the GLAC last week, having already bested its first three GLAC foes. Both Lakewood and Olivet are 5-1 overall this season. This is the ninth and final GLAC season. Olivet has won six conference football cham­ pionships in the first eight seasons, ceding the title to the Lakewood Vikings in 2015 and 2016. The Eagles are 38-2 to date in GLAC play with those two losses coming at the hands of Lakewood in the Vikings’ two con­ ference championship seasons. Lakewood is 32-8 since the creation of the conference, with six losses to Olivet and two coming against the Stockbridge program is throughly dominated last Friday night. It has taken a few seasons for the Hastings Saxons to become a powerhouse in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference, but here the Saxons are in the driver’s seat for a third-consecutive conference title after smashing Marshall inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field last week. The Saxons, who are 5-1 overall, take on a solid 4-2 Parma Western team that is 3-1 in conference play so far. Jackson Lumen Christi edged the Panthers 19-14 for their lone 1-8 loss this season, and Western’s only other defeat was by a touchdown to Detroit Country Day. Hastings, Delton Kellogg and Thornapple Kellogg are all hosting homecoming festivi­ ties this weekend. Delton Kellogg will take on a 4-2 Decatur team outside of the South­ western Athletic Conference Valley Division Friday night. Thornapple Kellogg will look to get back over.500 in the OK Gold Conference when it takes on a winless Kenowa Hills team in Middleville Friday. Maple Valley will be home Saturday after­ noon to take on Britton-Deerfield in the final Tri-River 8-Man Football Conference game of the season for the Lions. Britton-Deerfield is off to a 4-2 start and isn’t quite the power­ house it was a year ago when it won its first eight games of the season and advanced to the regional finals in the Division 1 playoffs. Local Standings (W-L, playoffpoints) Hastings Delton Kellogg Lakewood Thomapple Kellogg Maple Valley (8-player) 5-1,49.833 4-2, 37.667 5-1,35.667 2-4, 33.333 2-4, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Hastings 5-1, 4-0 Marshall 4-2, 3-1 Parma Western 4-2, 3-1 Lumen Christi 3-3, 3-1 Northwest 3-3, 1-3 Harper Creek 1-5, 1-3 Coldwater 1-5, 1-3 Pennfield 0-6, 0-4 OK Gold Conference South Christian 6-0, 4-0 G.R. Catholic Central 5-1, 3-1 Forest Hills Eastern 5-1, 3-1 Thomapple Kellogg 2-4, 2-2 4-2, 2-2 Wayland Cedar Springs 2-4, 2-2 0-6, 0-4 Kenowa Hills 0-6, 0-4 Ottawa Hills Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Lawton 5-1, 2-0 4-2, 1-0 Schoolcraft 4-2, 1-1 Delton Kellogg Saugatuck 2-4, 0-1 Galesburg-Augusta 1-5, 0-2 Greater Lansing Activities Conference Lakewood 5-1, 3-0 Olivet 5-1, 3-0 Perry 3-3, 1-2 Leslie 1-5, 1-3 Stockbridge 3-3, 0-3 Tri-River 8-Man 4-2, 4-0 Concord NorthPointe Christian 6-0, 3-0 Britton-Deerfield 3-3, 2-2 2-4, 2-2 Maple Valley Vandercook Lake 0-5, 0-3 Morenci 0-6, 0-4 Here is a round-up of last week’s local gridiron action. The Saxon defense again shut down Mar­ shall’s offense on the next series, getting the ball back for the offense that tacked on a 25-yard touchdown run by Robby Slaughter. Owen Carroll added the two-point conver­ sion to put the Saxons up 14-0 with three minutes left in the first quarter. In a d?j? vu attempt, the Redhawks again punted the ball back to the Saxons, who would score again with less than a minute left in the first quarter on another short run by Teunessen. Carroll passed to Haiden Simmet for the two-point conversion making the score at the end of the first quarter 22-0. Slaughter and Teunessen continued to alternate touchdowns in the second quarter. Slaughter scored on a 12-yard run, and two minutes later Teunessen scored again, and less than three minutes later Slaughter ran in a 63-yard touchdown. Simmet scored a cou­ ple more two-point conversions and at half­ time the Saxons were dominating the Red­ hawks with a 46-0 lead. On the first drive after kickoff of the sec­ ond half, Simmet scored on a 33-yard run, the Saxons had a penalty after the first extra­ point kick attempt and after the penalty was assessed the kick by Slaughter was good, putting the score at 53-0. Redhawk quarterback Austin Miller threw a pass on the next Marshall drive that was turned into a pick-six by Saxon cornerback Layton Eastman. He nabbed the pass and ran it the short distance into the end zone. Slaugh­ ter’s kick after was good, putting the score at the end of the third quarter at 60-0. Marshall finally put points on the score­ board with four minutes left in the game on a pass from Miller to Matthew Hackworth, and then a two-point conversion pass from Miller to Jake Jacoby to bring the final score of the night to 60-8. The Saxon defense took advantage of the interception by Eastman and a couple fumble recoveries earlier in the game, while the Sax­ ons didn’t have any turnovers of their own. The Saxon defense held Marshall to only 89 yards. Hastings sophomore Tate Warner led the team in tackles with five, followed by Jus­ tus Forell with four and Slaughter with three. The Saxons again used the depth of their bench to get tackles from 19 different players. The Saxon offense rushed for a total of 443 yards. Slaughter led the team with 203 yards, Simmet added 84 yards and Teunessen anoth­ er 66 yards. Delton Kellogg 35, Saugatuck 10 Delton Kellogg got its first Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division win of the season Friday, taking its third consecutive victory over the Saugatuck Trailblazers, 35-10 in Saugatuck. Philip Halcomb ran wild covering 195 yards on ten carries anT'sCormg rouf touchdowns? Wyatt Colwell scored Delton Kellogg’s other TD while carrying ten times for 83 yards. Torren Mapes has recently take over Hal­ comb’s spot at quarterback, turning into a big-time weapon at running back for DK. Halcomb scored the first points of the ball­ game on the opening drive of the ballgame, bursting into the end zone from 28 yards out. He waited for a hole to open in the line then flew between a pair of linebackers and past the Trailblazers’ safety into the end zone. Halcomb added a five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a one-yard TD run by Colwell before the half, and they led 21-3 at the break. Halcomb added a 49-yard TD run and a 73-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to seal the game for the Panthers. Saugatuck scored its only touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Forest Hills Eastern 45, Thornapple Kellogg 23 The Trojans didn’t officially turn the ball over Friday night in Ada, but a safety and a blocked punt for the Hawks helped Forest Hills Eastern grow its lead in the first half against the visiting Trojans. Forest Hills Eastern went on to a 45-23 win over the Thornapple Kellogg varsity football team. The 23 points was the most the Trojans have scored in a defeat so far this season. TK was within 17-9 at the half after the Hawks went out to a 9-0 lead. The Trojans’ opening offensive series of the game ended in a safety when a shotgun snap bounded into the end zone. FHE’s offense took over following the Trojans’ kick and quickly managed a 40-yard touchdown pass from Brendan Thompson to Drew Patten. A 36-yard field goal by Braden Sharrar for TK cut into the Hawks’ 9-0 lead early in the second quarter and then an interception by the Trojans’ Ethan Bonnema got the ball back for his team. TK got out of the shadow of its end zone after the interception, but eventually had to punt on a fourth-and-13 from its own 34. The punt attempt was blocked though and the Hawks went in for a quick score. Max Ferrick found the end zone at the end of a 20-yard run on the next play to help boost his team’s lead to 17-3 with two and a half minutes to play in the first half. TK answered before the break with a 97 second drive that covered 75 yards. Quarter­ back Brody Wiersma found room for a 29 yard run and tossed a 35-yard pass to Bonnema. The drive also got a boost from a 15-yard personal foul penalty against the Hawks. Jay den Garcia finished off the drive with a 13-yard touch­ down run, bu the two-point conversion attempt was no good to leave TK down eight. Forest Hills Eastern took control by scor­ ing on all three of its third quarter posses­ sions. The Hawks bumped their lead to 38-9 heading into the fourth quarter. Thompson tossed an 18-yard touchdown pass to Collin Fridsma and a 28-yard touchdown pass to Mac DenBraber and Bryson Kudzal scored on a one-yard TD plunge for the Hawks. Will Morgan tacked on a 36-yard touch­ down run for the Hawks in the fourth quarter. TK added two late touchdowns, one on a 19-yard run by Grant Middleton and one on a one-yard run by Kenneth Simon. TK had four guys with at least 30 yards rushing. Drake Snyder led the way with 11 carries for 48 yards. Zach Gibson had eight rushes for 45 yards, Garcia four carries for 36 yards and Middleton eight rushes for 32 yards. Wiersma was 4-of-7 passing for 59 yards, with Bonnema, Gibson, Kyle VanHaitsma and Jaxan Sias all pulling in receptions. Thompson was 5-pf-10 passing for TK for 106 yards and three iouchdowns. Kudzal fin­ ished the evening with 13 rushes for 111 yards. Ferrick had five carries for 54 yards. DenBraber was the Hawks’ top receiver with two catches for 41 yards. Lakewood 48, Stockbridge 0 A basketball player (Jayce Cusack) and a volleyball player (Liv Woodman) were crowed the 2022 Lakewood High School homecoming king and queen. Mike Wazowski, the green one-eyed mon­ ster from the Disney/Pixar film “Monsters, Inc.”, sat atop a decorated hay wagon near the entrance to Unity Field. The smell of caramel corn wafted through the air. It all culminated with the Lakewood varsiTyTdotlja'll tearh smgmg '"Happy Birfhday*to You,” to head coach Klatt Markwart after singing the school fight s^ng in front of the Lakewood students who hadn’t already exit­ ed the stadium early for the annual homecom­ ing dance inside the high school. In the middle of all of that, the Lakewood varsity football team manged to win another football game and set up its annual showdown with Olivet for the Greater Lansing Activities Conference title. Lakewood knocked off Stockbridge 48-0 to move its record to 5-1 overall this season and 4-0 in the GLAC, an identical record to the Eagles who’ll they take on in Olivet this Friday night. Lakewood had a 35-0 lead 16 minutes into the ballgame against the Panthers Friday night and didn’t allow Stockbridge to manage a first down in the second half with the run­ ning clock limiting the opportunities. “That is what we’re supposed to do right there,” Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart said. “It is all them. They have bought in. They want to do it. They’re working hard. It is all them, it is nothing I did. That’s it. They want to do it. It’s great. It’s great.” “The boys wanted to send a statement tonight that we’re better. They’re just excited. They’ve worked hard all year for this. After the Belding game, they said they wanted to line up and do it again.” “We haven’t had a team in a long time that has come out and played like this group, that tasted the blood in the water and went after it.” The Vikings didn’t need to do anything exotic to build their lead in the first half. The See FOOTBALL, page 13 Hastings running back Lanny Teunessen fights to break away from a Marshall tack­ ler during the first half of the Saxons' win over the visiting Redhawks Friday at Hastings High School. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) HOPE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Hope Township Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a meeting and public hearing on Wednesday, October 26^, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hope Township Hall, 5463 South M-43, Hastings, Michigan 49058 within the Township, to consider the following variance request: Charles Martin and Jody Mac Ritchie wish to construct a new single-family dwelling in the rear (street side) yard setback area on parcel (08-07-080-005-00) located at 4893 Lakefront Drive, Delton, Ml 49046. The Hope Township Zoning Ordinance requires that buildings and structures be set back 20 feet from the rear lot line on lots in the RL, Residential Lake zoning district, which can be reduced by 50% on legally nonconforming lots, except that a structure shall not be any closer to a roadway than a straight line connecting the nearest building on each side of the lot. The applicant is requesting to construct a single-family dwell­ ing 14’ from the rear (street side) lot line and thus a 30’ variance is required. A copy of the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance and the application is available for review at the Hope Township Hall, 5463 S. M-43 Hwy, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through noon and 1:15 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The Hope Township Zoning Ordinance is also accessible at www.hopetwp.com. Written comments will be received from any interested persons by the Hope Township Clerk at the Hope Township Hall during regular business hours up to the time of the hearing and may be further received by the Zoning Board of Appeals at the hearing. Oral comments will be taken at the meeting. Hastings 60, Marshall 8 The Saxons turned up the offense and locked down the defense to come out with a 60-8 win over the Marshall Redhawks in showdown for the top spot in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference standings Friday night. Both teams were undefeated in the Inter­ state-8 heading into the contest inside Hast­ ings’ Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. Hast­ ings and Marshall were both 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference going into the game. Hastings senior captain Jack Kensington said, “It feels great honestly because before the season Marshall was predicted ahead of every­ one in the conference and possibly winning it. It feels great to come out on top in a big way.” The Redhawks had the first possession of the game and were unable to get a first down. The Saxons rushed the ball up the field and scored the first touchdown of the night on a two-yard Lanny Teunessen run. Lakewood running back Montreal Reid sprints through open space around the left side during the Vikings' GLAC win over visiting Stockbridge on homecoming night at Unity Field Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lakewood's Nathan Willette works to bring down Stockbridge's Zachary Rogozinski with help from teammates during the Vikings' win at Unity Field Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) This notice is posted in compliance with PA267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below HOPE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS Hope Township Hall 5463 South M-43 Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2464 �Page 12 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 —The Hastings Banner MW 1 Financial FOCUS Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC " er Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor IxCJa Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® FinancialAdvisor sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder Hastings, Mi 49058 Hastings, Ml 49058 for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly (269) 945-3553 (269) 948-8265 at 1:00 PM, on November 3, 2022. The amount 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of What should Alzheimer’s caregivers know? If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, or is starting to show symptoms, you will face some real challenges. Navigating the Alzheimer’s experience involves a long journey, and there’s no easy answer for how you can cope with your emotions. But you can at least address some of the financial issues involved to help give yourself a greater sense of control. Here are some moves to consider: • Plan for care costs and identify insurance coverage. The list of Alzheimer’s-related medical expenses is long and includes ongoing medical treatment, medical equipment, home safety modifications, prescription drugs and personal care supplies. As a caregiver, you’ll want to know the extent of your loved one’s health insurance: Medicare, supplemental policies, veteran’s benefits if applicable, and so on. One big question is how much coverage they might have for adult day care services, in­ home care services and full-time residential care services, and other long-term care options. Long-term care is one of the largest health care costs not covered by Medicare, so you’ll want to determine if your loved one has a long-term care policy sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear starting to exhibit the earliest signs of the disease, so they can understand what documents they are signing. If you wait until they no longer have this cognitive ability, things will get much more challenging. You could apply to become a conservator, which grants decision-making abilities similar to a power of attorney, but the conservatorship process takes time and could involve court procedures. To avoid this potential difficulty, work with your tax and legal professionals to ensure all the relevant legal documents are in­ force and updated. Finally, you don’t have to go it alone. To help deal with the emotional challenges of caregiving, you can find local Alzheimer’s support groups that can offer practical suggestions for coping. As for the financial issues, consider working with a financial professional who can look at your family’s overall situation and recommend appropriate actions. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s will change the lives of everyone in your family. But as a caregiver, you can help ease the burden. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC or another insurance policy with a long-term care rider. • Identify assets and debts. You’ll need to know your family member’s financial position, both what they own — bank accounts, investments, property, etc. — and what they owe, such as credit card debt, a mortgage, lines of credit, and so on. This knowledge will be essential if you’re granted power of attorney to take over your loved one’s finances. • Look for tax breaks available to caregivers. If you’re a caregiver, you may have to pay for some care costs out of pocket. Consequently, you could receive some tax credits and deductions. These benefits vary by state, so you’ll want to consult with your tax advisor to determine your eligibility. • Ensure necessary legal documents are in place. As a caregiver, you may need to ensure some legal documents are in place, such as a durable power of attorney for finances, which lets you make financial decisions for your loved one with Alzheimer’s, and a durable power of attorney for health care, which lets you make health care and medical decisions on their behalf. It’s important to have these and other necessary documents drawn up before someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or when they’re just ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Scott S McBean, And Sarah M McBean, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for America’s Wholesale Lender., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee any): (if U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST Date of Mortgage: April 24, 2003 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 8, 2003 Amount claimed $102,908.17 due on date of notice: Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Village of Middleville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 8, Misty Ridge according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 30. Common street address (if any): 720 Wild Pond Ct, Middleville, Ml 49333-8396 ' The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (09-22)(10-13) 188198 (248)642-2515 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are .-i military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the. telephone numoer stateo in tfits notice. Nonce of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by John C. Smith, a married man and Amanda J. Smith, his wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated December 12, 2007, and recorded on January 11, 2008, as Document Number: 20080111-0000387, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association, FKA Fifth Third Bank as successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated March 08, 2011 and recorded March 21, 2011 by Document Number: 201103210003288, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Six Thousand Two Hundred Sixty-Seven and 16/100 ($106,267.16) including interest at the rate of 4.50000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Part of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 27, town 3 north, range 9 west, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as commencing at the northwest corner of said section 27, thence south 66.00 feet along the west line of said section 27 to the true point of beginning, thence east 200.00 feet parallel with the north line of said section 27, thence south 600.00 feet parallel with said west line, thence west 200.00 feet parallel with said north line, thence north 600.00 feet along said west line to the point of beginning. Containing 2 acres, more or less, and being subject to any easements, restrictions or conditions of record. Commonly known as: 2031 HUBBLE RD, HASTINGS, Ml 49058 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 22, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, PC. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 17MI00493-2 1478006 (10-06)(10-27) 188900 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, tha; the following njortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 pm, on October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Eugene C. Lockyer and Cheryl L. Lockyer, husband and wife whose address is 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated September 5, 2008, and recorded on September 8, 2008, in Document No. 20080909-0008962, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp., as assignee as documented by an assignment dated September 12, 2022, and recorded on September 15, 2022, in Document No. 2022-009627, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 45/100 ($66,422.45). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 1010 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the recorded Plat thereof. Street Address: 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. HOMEOWNER: ATTENTION MILITARY SERVICE IF MEMBER YOU ARE A ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: September 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4616 (09-22)(10-13) 188097 C Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Patrick W. Elliott and Mary A. Elliott, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-4 Date of Mortgage: May 18, 2007 Date of Mortgage Recording: June 25, 2007 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $49,610.41 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 4 and the West 1/2 of Lot 5 of Barrett Acres Plat, according to the Recorded Plat thereof as Recorded in Liber 4 of Plats on Page 30, Barry County Records, also beginning at the Northwest comer of said Lot 4 of the Recorded Plat of Barrett Acres, thence South 89 Degrees 18 Minutes East on the North Line of Lot 4, 100 Feet, thence North 134 Feet, Thence North 89 Degrees 18 Minutes West 100 Feet, Thence South 134 Feet to the Place of Beginning. Being Part of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West. Common street address (if any): 239 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-7516 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1475942 (09-22)(10-13) 187893 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Claude McClurg, A Single Man Original Mortgagee: Honor Credit Union Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: February 24, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: March 3, 2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $124,806.13 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: All that part of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as Beginning at a point 656 feet East of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence East 62 feet, thence South 165 feet, thence West 62 feet, thence North 165 feet to place of beginning. ALSO: Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 5/10 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 5/10 rods to the place of beginning. EXCEPT the West 62 feet of the following described premises; Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 1/2 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 1/2 rods to the place of beginning, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 308 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-9504 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Josh Gipe and Ronie Finkbeiner, As Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated April 27, 2021 and recorded May 18, 2021 in Instrument Number 2021-006546 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by NewRez LLC d/b/a Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Forty-Seven Thousand Ninety-Seven and 93/100 Dollars ($147,097.93). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on OCTOBER 13, 2022. Said premises are located in the Township of Carlton, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Lot 18, Culbert’s Plat No. 3, Carlton Township, Barry County, Michigan, according to the recorded plat in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 78, Barry County Records. 4 Culbert Dr, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. 1477846 (10-06)(10-27) 188801 Dated: September 15, 2022 File No. 22-009244 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (09-15)(10-06) 187793 STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH BARRY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE SUMMONS CASE NO. 2022-441-DO Vicky L. Alspaugh « Court Address: 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508 Court telephone no. 269-945-1285 Plaintiff Shannon M. Finch Plaintiff’s Attorney Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 v Defendant Christopher Robin Finch . Domestic Relations Case There are no pending or resolved cases within the ; jurisdiction of the family division of the circuit court involving the family or family members of the person(s) ; who are the subject of the complaint. SUMMONS NOTICE TO THE DEFENDANT: In the name of the ’ people of the State of Michigan you are notified: 1. You are being sued 2. YOU HAVE 21 DAYS after receiving this summons and a copy of the complaint to file a written answer with the court and serve a copy on the other party or take other lawful action with the court (28 days if you were served by mail or you were served outside this state). 3. If you do not answer or take other action within the time allowed, judgment may be entered against you ‘ for the relief demanded in the complaint. 4. If you require special accommodations to use the court because of a disability or if you require a foreign language interpreter to help you fully participate in court proceedings, please contact the court immediately to make arrangements. Issue Date: 7/28/22 Expiration Date: 10/27/22 Court Clerk: Stacia Tebo, STATE OF MICHIGAN IN THE 5TH BARRY CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF BARRY Case No. 22-441-DO Hon. Vicky L. Alspaugh 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508, 269-945-1285 Shannon M. Finch, Plaintiff’s v Christopher R. Finch, Defendant Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC Attorneys for Plaintiff 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 888-3810 Allison@thackersleight.com familylaw@thackersleight.com : Christopher R. Finch Defendant In pro Per ■ VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR DIVORCE I There is no other pending or resolved action within the jurisdiction of family division of the circuit court involving the family or family members of the persons who are the subject of the complaint or petition. Plaintiff states: 1. Residence: Plaintiff is a resident of Barry County, Michigan and has resided in the State of Michigan for more than 180 days and in the County of Barry for more than 10 days immediately proceeding the filing of this Complaint. 2. Marriage: On August 23, 2015, Plaintiff was married to the Defendant by a person qualified to perform marriages in the City of Hastings, County of Barry and State of Michigan. 3. Name Before Marriage: Plaintiff's complete name before the marriage was Shannon Michelle Woodard/ 4. Separation: The parties separated in or about. February 2022. 5. Children: There are no minor children of the marriage and the Plaintiff is not currently pregnant. 6. Breakdown: There has been a breakdown in the marriage relationship to the extent that the objects of matrimony have been destroyed and there remains no reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved. 7. Assets and Debts: The parties have accumulated marital assets and debts which must be divided and distributed based upon the circumstances and facts of this case. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff requests that: a. the Court enter a Judgment dissolving the marriage; b. the Plaintiff be restored to her former name: Shannon Michelle Woodard; c. the Court divide the real, personal and marital estate property of the parties on a just and reasonable basis taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of this case; and d. the Court award Plaintiff other relief to which Plaintiff may be entitled. • , , 1 ' > NOTICE TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE PURSUANT TO MCR, 2.302(B)(5): Defendant is placed on notice of the duty to preserve electronically stored information. Defendant, his/her agents, advisors and affiliates, must not remove, destroy, delete, alter, or discard any documents, files or records in their custody or under their control that are or may be related or relevant in any way to the subject matter of this divorce action, including specifically any electronic documents, e-mail and electronic correspondence, images and graphics, deleted files, spreadsheets, tax or bookkeeping data, presentations, databases, system usage logs, Internet history, Facebook postings, social media postings, text messages, and cache files, contact lists, address lists, calendars, task lists, and backup copies of same. I declare under the penalties of perjury that this Verified » Complaint for Divorce has been examined by me and that its contents are true to the best of my information, “ knowledge, and belief. Tte.ted- P7>'»/zo^_________ __________ Sluumou M. Fiats. Plaintiff TH ACKER SLEIGHT PC Dated: **2*2022 ' / E. Sleight (Ptssoq) Attaint? forPIrntifT . , STATE OF MICHIGAN JUDICIAL DISTRICT 5TH BARRY JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COUNTY PROBATE ORDER REGARDING ALTERNATE SERVICE CASE NO. 2022-441-DO Court Address: 220 E. Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49508 Court telephone no. 269-945-1285 Plaintiff Shannon M. Finch Plaintiff’s Attorney Allison E. Sleight (P73399) Thacker Sleight PC 445 Cherry Street SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 v Defendant Christopher Robin Finch THE COURT FINDS: 1. Service of process upon the defendant, Christopher Robin Finch cannot reasonably be made as provided in MCR 2.105, MCR 2.107(B)(1)(b) and service of process may be made in a manner that is reasonably calculated to give the defendant actual notice of the proceedings and an opportunity to be heard. IT IS ORDERED: 2. Service of the summons and complaint other: Verified Complaint for Divorce and a copy of this order shall be made at the following method(s). 3. Publication personal for MCR 2.106 and continuing MCR 3.203. For each method used, proof of service must be filed promptly with the court. Date: Aug.31,2022 Judge Vicky R. Alspaugh P42572 , । < t • 5 ■; , , 1 ? �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — Page 13 FORECLOSURE NOTICE (ALL COUNTIES) LEGAL NOTICES Hastings running back Isiah Wilson looks to pull away from Marshall defender Kooper Lewis (55) as Saxon teammate Diego Coipel looks to provide assistance Friday night inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) FOOTBALL, continued from page 11 ------------------------------veer offense went left or right and the offensive line pushed Panthers back and created holes. “We rolled everybody. Everybody that could play offensive line played offensive line,” Markwart said, “and we didn’t really miss a beat. We ran a dive for 40 yard for a touchdown. It’s Ethan Weller, who is faster than snot, but they all blocked hard. They all played hard. They all wanted it. They all work hard in practice. The whole line deserves praise. We don’t go anywhere if they’re not pushing guys ten yards down field.” Lakewood went 69 yards on five plays the first time it got its hands on the football. Cole Anderson rushed into the end zone from eight yards out and Landon Makley booted the first of six successful extra point kicks just 3:48 into the contest. The next Viking possession covered 57 yards in four plays, ending in a 34-yard touchdown run by Montreal Reid. An interception by Bryson Haight set the Vikings up for touchdown number three with a little over three minutes to play in the first half. Reid scored on a three-yard run this time. Lakewood followed up that score with an on-side kick recovery. Makley blooped a kick up the left sideline and teammate Shane Raffler ran up to snag it on a hop before any Panthers were near it. Four plays later, Reid scored his third TD of the opening quarter on a 15-yard run. It was 28-0 at the end of that first quarter. An interception by Nathan Willette got the Vikings’ first possession of the second quar­ ter started. Willette, the Vikings’ linebacker/ quarterback, guided the Lakewood offense back towards the end zone from there to score on a two-yard run by Ethan Goodemoot. Lakewood got a 31 -yard touchdown run by Ethan Weller and a two-yard touchdown run by Marcus Courtney in the second half. Reid finished the night with 12 carries for 106 yards. Anderson had six rushes for 73 yards and Willette had six carries for 90 yards. Courtney had nine carries for 41 yards in his first action in six weeks. Goodemoot closed his day with five carries for 54 yards. Weller had three carries for 45 yards. Brendan Straub had a 32-yard catch and Weller had an 11-yard reception. Willette wasn’t asked to put the ball in the air much. A middle screen by the Panthers was really the only wrinkle that gave the Lakewood defense any trouble, but by the third time Stockbridge’s offense attempted it the Vikings had learned how to sniff it out. Maple Valley 2, Morenci 0 Morenci forfeited its varsity 8-player bail­ game with Maple Valley due to illness and injury. TK’s Leos fourth at OK Gold finale Brett Bremer Sports Editor The trio of OK Gold Conference teams ranked among the top 15 teams in the lower peninsula finished 1 -2-3 at the OK Gold Con­ ference Championship Tournament Wednes­ day, Sept. 28, at The Mines Golf Club. Grand Rapids Catholic Central, ranked second in the state, clinched the conference championship by winning the 18-hole tourna­ ment with a score of 339. South Christian, ranked sixth in the state, shot a 344. Forest Hills Eastern, ranked 12™, scored a 373. Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Ailana Leos tied for fourth individually with a score of 86. Catholic Central sophomore Ava Wisinski was the individual champion with a score of 74. Cedar Springs was the best of the rest of the teams Wednesday with a score of 416, ahead of Thomapple Kellogg 418, Kenowa Hills 437, Wayland 480 and Ottawa Hills 514. Leos had a great turn after staring on hole ten. She fired a par on the 417-yard, par-5 number 17, birdied the 335-yard par-4 18^ and then scored another par on number one. She closed out her round with two more pars on number eight and nine. She shot a 43 on both the back and front nines. The top four for the Trojans all finished among the top 30 scorers at the meet. Sopho­ more Rae Borrink shot a 106, junior Emma Schut shot a 110 and junior Kendra Coe a 116. • Catholic Central and South Christian both had their top four scorers among the top ten. Catholic Central freshman Kelsey Preston scored an 86, junior Katie Cook an 89 and senior Morgan Armock a 90. The Sailors got an 83 from senior Lucy DeHaan, the tournament runner-up, an 85 from junior Ashley Thomasma, an 87 from senior Claire Vanelderen and an 89 from senior Natalie Northouse. Cedar Springs junior Sophie Skoog matched Armock for ninth place with a 90. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Help Wanted JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICER- The purpose of this job is to investigate assigned cases and recommend appro­ priate disposition of juvenile cases. Supervises youths for­ mally and informally under the court's jurisdiction, main­ tains case documentation, and performs other case supervi­ sion related functions. Bach­ elor's degree in sociology, psychology, criminal justice, or a related field is required. 1-3 years of experience in juvenile justice, social work, case work, or a related field is required. Full-time with benefits. $22.33 per hour to start. Please email cover letter and resume to: Deputy Court Administrator Dave Pelon, 206 W. Court St. Ste. 302, Hastings, MI 49058 OR email: dpelon@barryco.org WRAPAROUND COORDI­ NATOR/ FACILITATORThe purpose of this job is to coordinate teams of profes­ sionals, parents, parapro­ fessionals, natural support people and others within the community to plan and implement strategies to meet the needs of high risk youths and families, and to monitor the progress of cases in an at­ tempt to prevent out of home placement or facilitate early return to the home. The Wrap­ around Coordinator facilitates the timely delivery of services to youths and families, advo­ cates on the behalf of children and families, and ensures that treatment, transition and crisis plans are developed, implemented and monitored. This position may also su­ pervise a juvenile probation caseload. Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, child development, family services, criminal justice, or a related field is required. 1-3 years of experience in a juvenile court, children's mental health agen­ cy, child welfare agency, or related field is required. LPC or LMSW preferred. Full-time with benefits. $24.03 per hour to start. Please email cover letter and resume to: Deputy Court Administrator Dave Pelon, 206 W. Court St. Ste. 302, Hastings, MI 49058 OR email: dpelon@barryco.org. For Sale For Sale: 2004 Crossroads Cruiser 30ft Fifth Wheel with slide-out. Bunkhouse model, everything works as it should. $5800 PBO. Call 269-838-3245 anytime Pets MINI GOLDEN DOODLE PUPPIES: Fluffy, very play­ ful!. First shots and wormed. $500, 269-223-9194. MINI LABRADOODLE PUPPIES For Sale- Cute, fluffy and playful! 1st shots and wormed. $350.00, 517­ 852-4881. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. FORECLOSURE NOTICE Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 03, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Seth C. Lawrence, and Amy L. Lawrence, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Rand L. Koetje and Suzanne L. Koetje, husband and wife, as joint tenants with full rights of survivorship Date of mortgage: March 13, 2009 Recorded on March 16, 2009, in Document No. 20090316-0002388, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Witold Enterprise LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Two Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-Four and 20/100 Dollars ($102,844.20) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Land located in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes 48 seconds East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet; more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumers Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence North 88 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds West along said South line 401.41 feet more or less, to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 15 seconds West along said West line, 974.31 feet, more or less, to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section 31; thence South 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds East along said East and West 1/4 line 434.30 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. Description Easement for ingress and egress: TOGETHER WITH a non-exclusive 66 foot wide easement for ingress and egress in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, the centerline of which is described as: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line, North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet: thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet, more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumer's Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence continuing North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 72.29 feet; thence North 41 degrees 48 minutes 33 seconds East 377.74 feet; thence North 61 degrees 13 minutes 06 seconds East 19.99 feet; more or less, to the South line of the Northeast 1/4 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence continuing North 61 degrees 13 minutes 03 seconds East 121.74 feet; thence North 86 degrees 21 minutes 17 seconds East 395.47 feet; thence North 28 degrees 52 minutes 55 seconds East 178.71 feet; thence North 00 degrees 05 minutes 37 seconds West 372.03 feet; thence North 30 degrees 17 minutes 58 seconds West 326.86 feet; thence North 89 degrees 14 minutes 00 seconds West 377.23 feet; thence North 34 degrees 28 minutes 51 seconds West 40.41 feet to the of ending. Commonly known as 732 W Sheffield Road, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Witold Enterprise LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1478056 (10-06)(10-27) 188900 Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 13, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Clint L. Pape and Melinda Jo Pape, husband and wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated September 24, 2010, and recorded on October 4,2010, as Document Number: 201010040009209, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated January 05, 2016 and recorded January 15, 2006 by Document Number: 2016-000445, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Fifteen Thousand Five Hundred Seventeen and 73/100 ($115,517.73) including interest at the rate of 3.37500% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Johnstown, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the intersection of North-South 1/4 line of Section 16, Town 1 North, Range 8 West and the centerline tangent of curve of State Highway South M-37 in the South 1/2 of said Section 16, thence South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 802.00 feet along said tangent and the centerline of Highway for the true place of beginning; thence continuing South 60 degrees 47 minutes East 220.00 feet; thence South 29 degrees 13 minutes West 396.00 feet; thence North 60 degrees 47 minutes West 220.00 feet; thence North 29 degrees 13 minutes East 396.00 feet to the place of beginning. Subject to easement over the Northeasterly 50 feet thereof for Highway South M-37 Commonly known as: 12610 S M37 HWY, BATTLE CREEK, Ml 49017 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 15, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association as Successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 22MI00593-1 (09-15)(10-06) 187685 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING September 14, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to approve Resolution 2022-284 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to approve application for preliminary li­ cense for JARS LLC Roll Call Vote - All ayes, mo­ tion passes Motion to approve L-4029 2022 Tax Rate Re­ quest Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to approve new Township Logo Roll Call Vote - 4-3 motion fails Motion to approve budget amendments Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Adjournment 8:18 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor 188877 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29287-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Elizabeth Myers. Date of birth: 06/30/1928. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Elizabeth Myers, died 03/24/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Thomas Myers, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 09/30/22 Aaron A. Bartell P74907 206 S. Kalamazoo Ave. Marshall, Ml 49068 269-781-5193 Thomas Myers 17394 11 1/2 Mile Rd. Battle Creek, Ml 49014 269-282-1826 188798 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s TRUST ESTATE Decedent: Lilah L. Francisco. Date of birth: 07/04/1938. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Lilah J. Francisco, who lived at 10832 Pleasant Lake Road, Delton, Michigan 49046 died August 17, 2022. There is no probate estate. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Lilah J. Francisco or The Francisco Family Trust dated February 14,2001, will be forever barred unless presented to Jacqueline Wahl and Ken Francisco, the named successor co­ trustees within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 10-3-2022 Tyler J. Stewart P80750 DeMent and Marquardt, P.L.C. 211 East Water Street, Suite 401 Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 (269) 343-2106 Jacqueline Wahl & Ken Francisco 6908 Ringling Ave. 5335 Lindsey Rd. Kalamazoo, Ml 49048 Delton, Ml 49048 (269) 492-2063 188797 AS A DEBT COLLECTOR, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement - Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM a.m./p.m. on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default having been made in the terms and conditions of a certain mortgage made by Larry Drewyor and Tammy Drewyor of Barry County, Michigan, Mortgagor to Fifth Third Bank (Western Michigan) dated the Sixteenth day of October, 2014, and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds, for the County of Barry and State of Michigan, on the Third day of November, 2014, Instrument No. 2014-010390 of the Barry County Records on which mortgage there is claimed to be due, at the date of this notice, for principal of $57,721.89 plus accrued interest at 5.74000% percent per annum. Which said premises are described as follows: All that certain piece or parcel of land situated in the Township of Orangeville, in the County of Barry and State of Michigan and described as follows to wit: Beginning at a point on the North and South 1/4 line of Section 17, Town 2 North, Range 10 West, Orangeville Township, Barry County, Michigan distance North 465 feet from the center post of said section running thence North 220 feet along said 1/4 line; thence South 87 degrees 47 minutes 10 seconds East 400 feet parallel with the North 1/8 line of said section; thence South 220 feet; thence North 87 degrees 47 minutes 10 seconds West 400 feet to the place of beginning Commonly known as: 6391 Marsh Road, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 Tax ID; 08-11-017-004-25 If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale the borrower, pursuant to MCLA 600.3278 will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. The redemption period shall be six months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. Dated: September 29, 2022 By: Benjamin N. Hoen #P-81415 Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., L.P.A. 965 Keynote Circle Cleveland, OH 44131-1829 Telephone: 216-739-5100 Fax: 216-363-4034 Email: bhoen@weltman.com WWR # 22-001147-1 (09-29X10-20) 188453 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Linda Weyemnan, married and husband Eldon B. Weyerman Original Mortgagee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Nationstar Mortgage LLC Date of Mortgage: May 3, 2012 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 29, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $72,814.38 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: That part of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, lying South of Hammond Road, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the above described premises for the place of beginning; thence South 220 feet; thence West 115 feet; thence North 220 feet; thence East 115 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 2841 Hammond Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8931 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1476288 (09-22)(10-13) 188037 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The Grant F. Cook Trust No. 1, dated October 10, 1995 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The Settlor, Grant F. Cook. Date of birth: May 8, 1928, who lived at 10800 Center Street, Plainwell, Michigan 49080, died on September 6, 2022. Creditors of the decedent, the decedent’s estate, and the Grant F. Cook Trust No. 1 dated October 10, 1995, are notified that all claims will be forever barred unless presented to Chris E. Spitler and Naomi D. Deckard, the Successor Co-Trustees, within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. Date: September 29, 2022 Naomi D. Deckard 10800 Center Street Plainwell, Ml 49080 269-664-4388 188871 �Page 14 — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Pilgrims grab league lead at Lakewood High Brett Bremer Sports Editor The chances of a repeat Greater Lansing Activities Conference/Central Michigan Athletic Conference cham­ pionship became pretty slim for the Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team as it fell 5-1 to visiting Lansing Chris­ tian. The Pilgrims ran their conference record to 7-0 with the win over the Vikings and and are now 8-0 after a 2-1 win over Laingsburg Tuesday. The Lansing Christian boys will certainly be the favorites in their final two conference contests with Bath and Potterville. Lakewood is now 8-1 in conference play. The Vikings added a 5-0 win over Bath Monday and were set to finish the conference schedule against Perry Wednesday, Oct. 5. With the addition of all the CMAC squads to the GLAC soccer schedule the championship in the conference is decided by the regular season standings this year - and the Vikings won’t get another shot at the Pilgrims in a conference tournament. In chatting with new Lansing Christian head coach Tommy Ziolkowski, Lakewood head coach James Leveque said he was told that Ziolkowski expects the 188466 Vikings to be a pretty good match for their future possible district foes like Eaton Rapids and Williamston - teams the Pilgrims bested in non-conference action earlier this season. The Vikings will be a part of a district tournament host­ ed by Eaton Rapids later this month, joined on the brack­ et by Pennfield, Eaton Rapids, Lansing Catholic, Olivet, Portland and Williamston. Lakewood has a good shot at one of the top three seeds in the district tournament. Lansing Christian wasn’t quite as far ahed of the Vikings as the final score indicated. The game was tied 1-1 late in the first half before the Pilgrims took a 2-1 lead into the break and then moved in front 3-1 early in the second half. A couple of the Vikings’ best scoring chances came in the middle of the second half, and the attack was boosted some by a Pilgrim red card that allowed Lakewood to play with a man advantage until the Vikings were hit with a red card of their own. Leveque said it wasn’t a dirty game, just a physical one at times. Lakewood altered its attack for the contest, looking to put pressure on the outside defenders along the Pilgrims’ back line. Coach Leveque put center midfielder Jackson Mackenzie and attacker Colby Carter at outside midfield spots. ■ “And we told everybody, let’s get the ball wide to those guys and let them go to work,” Leveque said. “In doing that, we had three corner kicjcs in the first five minutes of the game. “It was working initially. They expected to see Colby up top and I think it threw thew off a little bit.” The Vikings also moved attacker Garrett Feighan to its defensive line to keep watch on one of Lansing Chris­ tian’s top attackers, and Leveque said he “virtually shut him down.” The Pilgrims managed to go in front nine minutes in. That 1-0 lead held until the 28^ minute of play when Carter drove baseline and ripped a shot off the Pilgrim keeper that found its way to the middle of the offensive zone where Ty Evans was waiting to knock it into the net for the Vikings. “It was tight. The whole first half was tight,” Leveque said. “They scored again on a breakdown by our defense, but what was also a really good play by one of their attackers. He just dribbled through the entire defense, like I five guys, he just killed them. It was a really good play and a little bit of sloppy defense by five guys.” That sophomore attacker, Owen Resch, dribbled through the Viking defense again early in the second hal( to put his team up 3-1. He finished the night with those two goals. Kevin Brooks, Elijah Ellis and Tyler Kendrick also scored for the Pilgrims. Mackenzie rang a free kick off the far post for the Vikings at one point midway through the second half and had at least one other great scoring chance in trying to get back in the ballgame. The Pilgrims tacked on two goals in the final 11 min­ utes, while the two teams were both playing a man down, to clinch the win. “Our defense played really really solid the first 65-70 minutes of the game and we stuck with them and fought,’! Leveque said. He was also happy with the defensive pressure put on by his team’s attackers up high throughout the match something the team has been working to improve through-r out the season. Lakewood is now 12-3-1 overall this season. The Vikings close the regular season at Hastings Oct. 10. ‘ JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP AND BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF JOINT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT PUBLIC HEARINGS CLEAR LAKE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIPS OF JOHNSTOWN AND BALTIMORE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Township Boards of Johnstown and Baltimore Townships, based on petitions submitted, as authorized by PA 188 of 1954, as amended, each propose to undertake an aquatic plant control project (with associated activities) in Clear Lake in Johnstown and Baltimore Townships as more particularly described below and to each create a separate special assessment district for the recovery of the costs thereof by special assessment against the properties benefited. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the special assessment districts within which the foregoing improvements are proposed to be made and within which the costs thereof are to be specially assessed include all parcels with frontage and/or access to Clear Lake in Johnstown and Baltimore Townships and are more particularly described as follows: JOHNSTOWN TWP PROPOSED DISTRICT The properties indicated 08-09-005-018-00 08-09-055-018-00 08-09-055-016-00 08-09-004-005-00 _ 08-09-005-008-00 08-09-055-022-00 08-09-005-010-00 08-09-055-012-00 08-09-055-002-00 08-09-210-010-00 _ 08-09-055-005-00 08-09-210-009-00 08-09-210-011-00 08-09-005-014-00 08-09-210-021-00 08-09-055-010-00 08-09-055-001-00 08-09-210-005-00 08-09-210-019-00 _ 08-09-210-016-00 08-09-055-007-00 08-09-055-008-00 08-09-055-017-00 08-09-210-018-00 08-09-055-008-00 08-09-055-004-00 08-09-055-019-00 08-09-055-009-00 08-09-055-0.16=0.0__ 08-09-210-017-00___ by parcel numbers: 08-09-210-003-00 08-09-055-013-00 08-09-210-015-00 08-09-210-014-00 08-09-210-020-00 BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP PROPOSED DISTRICT: The properties indicated by parcel numbers: 08-02-040-007-00 08-02-032-376-00 08-02-033-377-00 08-02-040-008-00 08-02-032-401-00 08-02-033-378-00 08-02-032-401-10 08-02-033-452-00 08-02-040-009-00_______ 08-02-040-010-00 08-02-033-453-00 08-02-033-100-00 08-02-040-011-00 08-02-033-100-30 08-02-033-454-00 08-02-040-012-00 08-02-033-251-00 08-02-040-002-00 08-02-040-014-00 08-02-033-252-00 08-02-040-003-00 08-02-033-253-00 08-02-040-015-00 08-02-040-004-00 08-02-033-254-00 08-02-040-004-10 08-02-040-030-00 08-02-033-376-00 08-02-040-006-00_____ 08-02-033-100-20_______ PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have received plans showing the proposed aquatic plant control project, associated activities, any proposed improvements and locations thereof, together with an estimate of the total project cost of $212,000. Each Township’s allocated share of the total project cost will be raised by a special assessment district in each Township. Each Township Board has passed a resolution tentatively declaring its intention to undertake such project and to create the aforedescribed special assessment district. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards have placed the project plans and costs estimates on file with the Township Clerks and said plans, cost estimates and special assessment districts may be examined at each Clerk’s office from the date of this Notice to the date of the public hearing and may further be examined at such public hearing. PROPERTY SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO THE PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT AND THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF COST SHALL NOT BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 10% WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE AND PUBLIC HEARING. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Township Boards propose to make a per-parcel special assessment each year for a period of five years (2022 -2026 inclusive). The annual assessment in each Township is to be determined by both Township Boards, upon final allocation of total project cost to each Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a public hearing on the plans, districts and cost estimates will be held at the Johnstown Township Hall, 13641 S. M-37 Hwy, Battle Creek, Michigan, commencing at 5 p.m. on October 12, 2022. At the hearing, the Boards will consider any written objections and comments to any of the foregoing matters which are filed with the clerks at or before the hearing, and any objections or comments raised at the hearing; and at the hearing (or any adjournment of the hearing which may be made without further notice), the township boards may revise, correct, amend, or change the plans, cost estimates or special assessment district. Olivet's Drue Allen, Bath's Anna Schaibly, Aubrie Schaibly and Kaitlyn Dickey, and Lakewood's Audrey Hillard, Karmyn Winkler and Makenzie Vasquez celebrate their first team all-conference hon1 ors in the GLAC/CMAC this fall at the conclusion of Thursday's conference tournament at Forest Akers * East Golf Course on the campus of Michigan State University. •■MU- | PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if the Township Boards determine to proceed with the special assessments, the Boards will each cause a special assessment roll to be prepared and another hearing will be held, after notice to record owners of property proposed to be specially assessed, to hear public comments concerning the proposed special assessments. Johnstown Township and Baltimore Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days notice to each Township Clerk. Sheri Babcock, Clerk Johnstown Township 13641 S. M-37 Hwy. Battle Creek, Ml 49015 (269) 721-9709 Penelope Ypma, Clerk Baltimore Township 3100 E. Dowling Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 721-3552 ? 4,.' j. »' Strong start powers Vikes’ Winkler to fourth at tourney Brett Bremer Sports Editor Bath clinched the final Greater Lansing Activities Conference/ Central Michigan Athletic Con­ ference championship at Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing Thursday. Lakewood had three girls shoot their best 18-hole rounds ever, but the Vikings still placed third in the day’s standings. Bath closed the tournament with a score of 383 ahead of Olivet 402, Lakewood 417, Perry 419 and Laingsburg 542. The third place finish Thursday was enough to secure second place overall in the final league standings for the Vikings. Karmyn Winkler led Lake­ wood with a score of 97. She was one of the three Vikings to set a personal best 18-hole score and one of three Lakewood ladies on the all-conference first team. She was joined on the all-conference first team by Makenzie Vasquez and Audrey Hillard. Teammate Ellie Benham earned second team all-conference honors this fall. Winkler was the lone senior competing for the Vikings Thurs­ day. She got off to a great start shooting par on number three and number one. Vasquez shot a 99 Thursday, Hillard a 101 and Benham a 120. Lakewood’s five and six golf­ ers had their best 18-hole rounds yet. Junior Makayla McGarry shot a 126 and senior Courtnie Mathe a 135. Bath sophomore Anna Schai­ bly was the day’s individual champion with an 83. She had a solid lead over Olivet senior Drue Allen, the runner-up with a 9L Bath junior Aubrie Schaibly placed third with a 94. Olivet freshman Jocelyn Rolston tied Winkler for fourth individually with a 97. Lions suffer shut out on senior night in Nashville Brett Bremer PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that if written objections to the project are filed with the Township Boards at or before the hearing, signed by the record owners of land constituting more than 20% of the area within the proposed special assessment district, then the township boards may not proceed unless petitions in support of the project, signed by record owners of more than 50% of the area to be made into a special assessment district, are filed with the township. Written comments or objections may be filed with the clerks at the address set out below. Appearance and protest at the public hearing is required in order to appeal the amount of the special assessment to the State Tax Tribunal within 30 days after the special assessment roll is confirmed. An owner or party in interest, or his or her agent, may appear in person at the hearing to protest the special assessment, or shall be permitted to file at or before the hearing his or her appearance or protest by letter and his or her personal appearance shall not be required. All interested persons are invited to be present in person or by representative and to submit comments concerning the establishment of the special assessment district, the plans and the cost estimates. ( Sports Editor Senior night was a success for the Lions everywhere but on the scoreboard Thursday, Oct. 1. Potterville scored a 2-0 win over the Maple Valley varsity boys’ soccer team in a Greater Lansing Activities Conference/ Central Michigan Athletic Con­ ference match at Fuller Street Field in Nashville. The visiting Vikings took a 1 -0 lead midway through the first half and then added an insurance goal with a few minutes to go in the game as the Lions pushed to try and get an equalizer. “We had great fan support last night. Students came out, the band came out. The boys, for the most part, played pretty well,” Maple Valley head coach Mike Webb said. “We had opportunities and we just weren’t able to capitalize on them.” The Lions altered their line-up in the second half of the second half trying to find an offensive spark. “I made some changes. I pushed the seniors up,” Webb said. “We don’t have a lot of speed up in our forwards. So, in order to try to even up the game or go ahead, I had to take some risks. That is how they scored.” Maple Valley managed to cre­ ated a breakaway attempt for sophomore defender Robert Schilz late in the game, but he wasn’t able to turn it into a qual­ ity scoring chance in the end. Coach Webb was pleased with freshman Brad Harvey’s efforts in the midfield throughout the bailgame and he felt like his team possessed the ball for the majori­ ty of the game. “Brad Harvey played excep­ tionally well,” Webb said. “Brad is a freshman. Brad has the potential to be an exceptional player when he gets older. He has good ball-control skills, he has good field awareness.” One of the Lions’ biggest chal­ lenges this season has been tran­ sitioning from offense to defense. Webb said his guys on the back­ line have been doing a solid job of moving the ball ahead to Har­ vey and the midfielders, but inex­ perience on the attack limits the options to keep moving ahead. When opponents realize that early in the game, they begin to press the Lion midfielders and defenders more and more. Webb said the seniors expressed optimism for the future of the program as they talked after the match. The Lion coach has also been pretty happy with the improve­ ments of freshman Nic Hansen and Ayden Betancourt in recent weeks. Betancourt has shown improved skills and Hansen has upped his level of physicality. The Lions were bested in a pair of conference contests last week. They fell 8-1 to visiting Olivet Wednesday (Sept. 28). Alex Nelson scored the lone goal for the Lions on a PK. Maple Valley will close out the GLAC/CMAC season at Leslie today, Oct. 6. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 6, 2022 — Page 15 Hastings girls beat Coldwater by one for fourth at 1-8 tourney Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Ailana Leos hits her tee shot with a crowd of spectators looking on on Gold number one at Yankee Springs Golf Course Tuesday during the first playoff hole at the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional Tournament hosted by the Trojans. Leos just missed qualifying for the state finals, finishing third in a three-girl playoff for the final two state qualifying spots from the regional. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Season ends in regional playoff for Leos Brett Bremer Sports Editor One of the first hugs came from her com­ petitor Renae Jaeger. Jaeger’s mom was next to get a quick .embrace with Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Ailana Leos. Leos then took a few more moments with her own parents before making her way from the Gold number two green to the clubhouse at Yankee Springs Golf Course where she was about to be presented with a regional medal. She’d gladly trade the medal for 36 more holes of golf in her second varsity season. Leos was the odd man out in a playoff between herself, the Plainwell senior Jaeger and Zeeland East junior Carly Lukins. Each scored an 82 at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional Tournament hosted by the Trojans at Yankee Springs Tuesday and the three had to play-off for the final two individ­ ual state qualifying spots from the tournament. All three girls scored a five on the par-4 Gold number one to begin the playoff and all three were a short chip away from being on the green after two shots on the par-4 number two. Leos was the only one of the three who’d just overshot the green with her sec­ ond shot. Her chip skipped across the green and off the front side, and that proved the difference as all three girls two-putted to close out the round. “She just said, ‘good job,’ because I kind of caved under pressure,” Leos said of her quick moment with Jaeger after the round. “She kind of knew. It is hard. You have 100 people watching you. You played a great round, and then oh, playoff holes. Cool! “So, she just congratulated me. I have played with her in tournaments before. I am really proud of both of them [Jaeger and Luk­ ins], They both did really well.” The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams at regional across the state this week earn spots in the MHSAA L.P. State Finals which will be played the weekend of Oct. 14-15. The Division 2 Finals will be played at Forest Akers West Golf Course on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. Byron Center took the team regional title Tuesday at Yankee Springs with a score of 345. Portage Northern was second with a 367 and Gull Lake third with a 370. Thomapple Kellogg had the Blue Devils in sight much of the day, but finished sixth. Stevensville Lake­ shore was third with a score of 383, St. Joseph scored a 384 and TK a 388 at the 12-team regional. Junior teammate Kendra Coe did her best to bring a smile to Leos’ face before she had to join the medalists in front of the crowd at the end of the day. : “She knows my sense of humor,” Leos said bf Coe. “She comes up and goes, ‘what’s going on? Do you want me to roll you down a hill?” With a smile, Leos said, umm no. : “She was just being Kendra. She is awe- Sports Editor The Hastings varsity girls’ golf team shot its way to a fourth place finish at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Tourna­ ment Thursday. Hastings was one stroke better than fifth-place Coldwater. Senior Lauren Arnold led Hastings with a score of 112. Junior Addie Nickels was right behind with a 113 and junior Isabelle Roosien scored a 114. The Saxons’ number four was freshman Sophia Greenfield who scored a 119. Roosien got off to a fine start with a par on the par-3 number four, but had a rough stretch to close out the front nine. She bounced back to shoot a 53 on the back nine. Of the top eight scores on the day, five were by Titans. Lumen Christi, the top ranked team in the state in Division 4, took the conference championship with an impressive round of 326 at Cedar Creek Golf Course. Parma Western was second with a score of 396, ahead of Harper Creek 400, Hastings 458, Coldwater 459, Marshall 466 and Jackson Northwest 563. Lumen Christi senior Ashley Hilderley was the day’s individual champion with an even-par-72. Senior Anna McClure was second with a 79, senior Michaela Hauer fourth with an 87 and senior Alexa Spencer fifth with an 88. Lumen Christi also had senior Maggie Page finish in a tie for sev­ enth with a 93. Marshall senior Lindsay Malone was the only other girl in the top five. She shot an 86. Coldwater was led by junior Hailey Price who scored a 91. Harper Creek senior Jordanne Norris matched Page’s 93. The top ten for the day also included a 95 from Parma Western sophomore Camryn Boldt and a 96 from Western junior Gabriella Davis. Hastings was scheduled to head to Willow Wood in Portland for its MHSAA L.P. Divi­ sion 3 Regional Tournament Wednesday, Oct. 5. DK/TK/HHS girls best Hornets after tough loss to Crusaders Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg/Thomapple Kellogg/ Hastings girls faced another tough dual in the CERC pool in Hastings last Thursday, Sept. 29, falling 109-77 to Unity Christian. DK/TK/HHS’s Sophia Marcukaitis was once again the freestyle sprinting champion taking the 50-yard freestyle in 25.47 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 57.79 seconds. The Crusaders’ Lauren Miedema and Ellie Vredevoogd both won two individual races too. Miedema took the 200-yard freestyle in 2 minutes 5.55 seconds and the 100-yard but­ terfly in 1:02.32. Vredevoogd won the 200yard individual medley in 2:37.81 and the 500-yard freestyle in 6:16.69. Miedema,' a senior, was a part of Crusader wins in the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard free­ style relay as well. Abby Dumond won the diving competition for DK/TK/HHS with a score of 211.35 points. The Crusaders had just scored a runner-up finish in the DK/TK/HHS Relays the previ­ ous Saturday in the CERC pool. The DK/TK/HHS girls bounced back Tuesday scoring a non-conference win at Williamston. Dumond, Marcukaitis, Holly Carpenter, Malia Hamby, Preslee Hall, Aubrey Hawks, Lizzie Middleton, Bella Morey and Cadence VanOoy had victories in the dual with the Hornets. DK/TK/HHS will return to OK Rainbow Tier II Conference racing fomght “wfren It plays host to Grand Rapids Union. Thornapple Kellogg junior Emma Schut sends her ball flying towards the green on White number two at Yankee Springs Golf Course Tuesday during the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional hosted by the Trojans. (Photo by Brett Bremer) some. My whole team is awesome. I have good girls. We have been really good at pick­ ing each other up throughout the year, and we have progressed so much,” Leos said. Coe was the number four scorer for TK on the day, shooting a 106. Junior Emma Schut shot a 97 for the Trojans and sophomore Rae Borrink tallied a 103. The top five scorers earned regional med­ als. Portage Northern junior KT Leinwand was the regional champion with a 76. Byron Center junior Macie Elzinga was the run­ ner-up at 77. Zeeland West junior Rylee Smith placed third with a 78 and was the first of the individual state qualifiers. It took some highs and lows for Lukins, Leos and Jaeger to all finish at 82. Jaeger, looking to make her fourth appear­ ance at the state finals in four years, was cruising to MSU before scoring an 8 on the par-4 number seven on the Gold nine, her final hole of the tournament. She was even on the White nine with birdies on number three and number eight. That hole that gave Jaeger so much trouble was the one hole that Leos birdied. Double bogies on five and six on the White nine brought Leos back to the pack a bit late in her round. She had a birdie putt lip out of the cup on White number eight, the final hole of the day, which was another singular stroke that really stood out in looking back on the round. “I’m proud of myself though. I did the best I possibly could,” Leos said. “Plus, I have been working for hours every single day. The people that work here are probably getting sick of me now. They’re probably like, ‘go away!”’ Leos and Lukins played in the same group all day and Leos was five strokes ahead with five holes to play. The final qualifying spots likely would have gone to Leos and Jaeger had Lukins not chipped in for birdie from a dirt patch to the right of the number seven green, which was their group’s second penul­ timate hole. Behind Thomapple Kellogg in the day’s standings, Zeeland West scored a 390, Harper Creek 400, Sturgis 401, Mattawan 404, Plain­ well 411 and Zeeland East 436. Behind Elzinga for the regional champs from Byron Center, senior Jayda Kerns shot an 86, senior McKenna Turnbull an 89 and junior Jenna Wallace a 93. Portage Northern go an 88 from senior Zoey Quinn, a 95 from freshman Brooke Randall and a 108 from sophomore Elizabeth Rzepka. Gull Lake qualified for the state finals with freshman Charlotte Boudeman shooting a 90, sophomore Ella Schaberg a 91, junior Kara Nelson a 94 and senior Ella Ezbenko a 95. Delton Kellogg soccer squad up to double digit wins this fall Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg was bested by a tough Fen­ nville team 4-2 in what head coach Alan Mabie called a hard-fought Southwestern Athletic Conference game Monday in Delton. The two teams traded goals in the opening minutes of the game, and then put a flurry of shots into the net late in the first half. The Blackhawks went into the break up 3-2 and then tallied an insurance goal with 11 minutes to play. Delton Kellogg is 11-4-1 overall this sea­ son after the defeat. Fennville moved its record to 11-3-1 with the win. Joao Aguera and Marshall Warner scored goals for the Panthers. Aguera’s came four minutes into the contest, tying the game at 1-1 at the time. Warner’s goal was the answer two two Fennville goals that came late in the first half. Delton Kellogg scored eight times, and Warner had a foot in all of them, as the Pan­ thers bested Olivet 8-0 Saturday in a non-conference match. Warner had two goals and six assists. Hec­ tor Jimenez contributed four goals and two assists and James Blackbum scored twice for Delton Kellogg. Delton will finish the regular season Mon­ day, Oct. 10, at Kalamazoo Christian. DK got its tenth win of the season last Wednesday, Sept. 28, knocking off Water­ vliet 2-1. Watervliet scored on an early penalty kick, but Jimenez found the net to even the game at 1-1 before the half. Jimenez scored again midway through the second half, off an assist from John Sinclair, to put his team in front. Felix Houssemaine, the DK goalkeeper, helped his team hold on for the victory by making 12 saves. Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Harper Creek adds league’s fastest runner for second meet Brett Bremer Sports Editor > The Hastings varsity boys’ cross country team placed fourth at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference jamboree at Ella Sharp Park in Jackson Tuesday. • Harper Creek jumped the Saxons in the standings from the first conference jamboree and gave the Mar­ shall boys a run for their money Tuesday. Marshall took the boys’ meet with 57 points ahead bf Harper Creek 59, Parma Western 67, Hastings 80, Jackson Lumen Christi 99, Coldwater 143, Pennfield 216 and Northwest 224. ' Harper Creek sophomore Dominic Lowrie didn’t compete the first time the conference got together, and proved the conference’s fastest runner Tuesday after finishing sixth at last year’s 1-8 Championship meet. Lowrie improved his personal record time to 16 jminutes 25.0 seconds, dropping a second and a half from his previous PR which he set last Saturday in the bi vision 2 boys’ race at the Otsego Invitational. ' Marshall held on for the team win with sophomore Jack Bidwell second in 16:42.8. Harper Creek junior 'William O’Dell was third in 16:50.7. The Saxon leader on the day was junior Riley Shults who placed seventh in 17:17.3. The Saxons last a handful of points without Reuben Solmes scor­ ing for the team on the day. The Saxon team did have three guys in the top 15 and five among the top 25 finishers. Sophomore Brandon Simmons was 13th in 18:06.9. Junior Jonah Teed placed 15th in 18:20.5. Senior Alexander Stew­ ard was 22nd in 19:09.3 and sophomore Micah John­ son 23rd in 19:11.0. Hastings had four girls competing. Senior Victoria Jerzyk led the way with a 77th-place time of 32:38.5. Sophomore Anika Bourassa was 79th in 35:32.5, freshman Brie Jerzyk 80th in 35:40.1 and sophomore Brooklyn Strickland set her PR at 37:05.7 while plac­ ing 81st. Marshall won the girls’ race too with 39 points, ahead of Lumen Christi 45, Harper Creek 75, Parma Western 99, Northwest 125, Coldwater 157 and Pen­ nfield 175. Marshall junior Camille DeCola was the individual champion on the girls’ side with a time of 19:33.5. Jackson Lumen Christi freshman Macy Fazekas placed second in 20:20.5, one of three freshman among the top eight finishers on the day. Hastings DANNER Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: Shelbyville: Nashville: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Harding's Town & Country The Dock Trading Post (M-43 North) Superette Family Fare Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Middleville Johnny's Delton: Orangeville: Family Fare Delton Johnny's Tom's Market Hastings Johnny's The General Store Marathon Mega Bev Hastings Pharmacy Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Orangeville Fast Stop Banfield: Prairieville: Banfield General Store Prairieville Fast Stop Cloverdale: Nashville Johnny’s MV Pharmacy Nashville C Store Carl’s Lake Odessa: Lake-O-Express Lake-O-Mart Lake Odessa Johnny's Carl’s Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L& J’s Cloverdale General Woodland: Woodland Express �Page 16 —Thursday, October 6, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Saxons slice time off PR’s at Otsego Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings senior Alexander Steward and sophomore Micah Johnson got a big boost on their charge towards finishing a race in the 18’s Saturday at the Otsego Bulldog Invita­ tional. The Saxon pair set new personal records in the Division 2 boys’ race in Otsego. Steward hit the finish line in 19 minutes 2.00 seconds. Johnson came in at 19:03.98. Steward shaved half a minute off his previ­ ous PR, which he set the previous Saturday at the Bangor Invitational. He was more than four minutes faster than he was on the course in Otsego a year ago. Many runners were pushed by the talented competition on the smooth course around the grounds across the street to the south from Otsego High School. Steward was 154th in the Division 2 boys’ race and Johnson 157th. They were fifth and sixth among the Saxon varsity boys’ cross country runners. Sophomore Brandon Simmons also set a new personal record. He placed 63rh in 17 minutes 20.57 seconds. Junior Riley Shults was just ahead of him for the Saxon team, placing 61st in 17:15.64. Hastings junior Reuben Solmes was 114th in 18:12.62. Chelsea junior Connell Alford set a new course record while winning the D2 boys’ Hastings junior Toby Comensoli nears a season-best time of 23 minutes 37.55 sec­ onds at the end of the Otsego Bulldog Invitational Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) race Saturday in 14:53.20 - a new personal record too. The four fastest guys in the race all set new PR’s. Dearborn Divine Child senior Michale Hegarty was second in 15:28.18, Forest Hills Eastern senior Aiden Sullivan third in 15:38.30 and Adrian senior Aiden Smith fourth in 15:53.58. East Grand Rapids won the boys’ meet with 94 points, ahead of Chelsea 103, Forest Hills Eastern 112, Dearborn Divine Child 176, Otsego 182, Adrian 195, Sparta 277, St. Clair 293, Grand Rapids Christian 300 and Hamilton 343 in the top ten. The Saxon boys were 22nh in a field of 30 teams, with 520 points. Thomapple Kellogg was 28th with 799 points. TK got a personal record from junior Hunter Tietz who placed 188th in 20:24.27. The Tro­ jan team was led by junior Lucas Van Meter who was 73r^ in 17:28.37. TK junior Kaden Hamming was 172n<^ in 19:38.56, freshman Benjamin Postma 185th in 20:10.29 and soph­ omore Evan Liu 193r(^ in 20:49.62. Liu beat out teammate Case Dykhouse in a sprint to the finish. Dykhouse was 194th in 20:50.77. East Grand Rapids was led by junior Alex Thole and senior Elijah Robinson who both set new PR’s. Thole was 12th in 16:12.25 and Robinson 14th in 16:14.87. Junior teammate Ryan Brinke was right behind with a 16th-place time of 16:16.13. EGR freshman Jonah Workman was 20th in 16:21.00 and junior teammate Davis Christy was 32nh. Junior Toby Comensoli was the only girl competing for Hastings Saturday. She ran her fastest race of the season to place 148th in the Division 2 girls’ race. She earned a time of 23:37.55. With girls placing fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh the Otsego girls dominated the stand­ ings in their race in finishing with 69 points. Grand Rapids Christian was second with 131 points, ahead of Forest Hills Eastern 144, Spring Lake 145, East Grand Rapids 169, Grand Rapids Christian 195, Zeeland East 200, South Christian 240, Cadillac 293 and Sparta 309 in the top ten. The Thomapple Kellogg girls were 20th with 507 points in a field of 26 teams. The three fastest girls set personal records Saturday. East Grand Rapids junior Drew Muller won in 17:52.48 with Grand Rapids Christian junior Natalie VanOtteren second in 18:09.37 and Zeeland East junior Allison Kuzma third in 18:14.04. Otsego was led by junior Megan Germain who was fourth in 18:33.19. The Bulldog team also had freshman Emma Hoffman fifth in 18:34.85, junior Logan Brazee sixth in 18:35.90 and sophomore Taylor Michell seventh in 18: 56.98. Freshman Rebekah Stachura was her team’s number five, placing 47th in 20:32.28. Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Ava Crews earned a medal for -her 15th-place time of 19: 26.54. TK junior Holly Velting placed 92nc^ in 21:41.04 and senior Lindsey Velting was 116th in 22:30.73. The short-handed TK team also had fresh­ man Madison Kietzman 137th in 23:17.25, junior Katherine Powers 164th in 24:46.69 and junior Laine Hinton 173r<^ in 27:00.14. The Saxons and Trojans will be in another fast field Saturday, Oct. 8, taking part in the Portage Invitational. The Saxons' Riley Shults and Brandon Simmons work their way through the crowd halfway through the Division 2 boys' race at the Otsego Bulldog Invitational Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxon junior Reuben Solmes sprints to the finish line a the end of the Division 2 boys' race Saturday at the Otsego Bulldog Invitational. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thomapple Kellogg freshman Mark Gielincki works his way through the pack at the start of the Division 2 boy's race at the Otsego Bulldog Invitational Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DK runners keep cutting times in SAC and at Otsego Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg made a jump up from fifth to third at the second Southwestern Athletic Conference jamboree of the season Sept. 28 in Gobles. The DK boys jumped Bridgman and Hack­ ett Catholic Prep in the standings to place third behind Saugatuck and Kalamazoo Christian - two teams that flip-flopped them­ selves in the standings last Wednesday. Saugatuck won Wednesday’s conference jamboree with 73 points. Kalamazoo Chris­ tian was second with 98 points, ahead of Delton Kellogg 130, Bridgman 134, Hackett 147, Coloma 184, Constantine 186, Parch­ ment 196, South Haven 243 and Allegan 254 in the top ten. DK shaved some points with senior Brett Harsevoort running his fastest race of the season to place 45th overall. He was seven places better than he was at the first confer­ encejamboree. Harsevoort turned in a time of 20 minutes 15.70 seconds. Micah Martin led the Delton Kellogg team with a 13th-place time of 18:44.78. The next three Delton Kellogg guys were all within 20 seconds of each other. Ethan Rimmer placed 22nct in 19:04.80, Gage Vincent 26th in 19:10.58 and Isaac Shepard 31st in 19:22.13. Parchment senior William Winter ran to the victory with a time of 17:01.04. Coloma 188684 Barry County Road Commission The Barry County Road Commission has openings for the following positions. MECHANIC A high school diploma or GED with 5+ years of mechanic experience is required, CDL A or ability to obtain one. Hourly wage - $25.63. TRUCK DRIVER/ROAD WORKER A high school diploma or GED is required along with a Michigan Commercial Driver’s License with A&N endorsements & current Medical Card. Hourly wage -$24.06. Applications can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office (phone 269-945-3449) at 1725 W. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml between 6:00 AM & 3:45 PM or found on our website at www.barrycrc.org. Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. A complete job description will be provided at the time of application. Tools and benefits including 401K provided, more information available upon request. The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. junior Boden Genovese was the runner-up in 17:04.18. The Delton Kellogg girls placed ninth, moving up one place from the first confer­ encejamboree. Senior Joelle White led the Delton Kellogg girls with a personal record time of 22:56.45 that put her in 23rct place overall. DK sopho­ more Johanna Houtkooper ran her fastest race of the season to place 37th in 23:47.42. DK had one other girl set a PR, junior Maysse Wiessner, who was 74th in 26:57.53. The Panther team also had sophomore Kylie Main 59th in 25:37.50 and junior Lil­ lian Lester 80th in 27:41.20. Lawton junior Kendra Koster was the indi­ vidual champion on the day with a time of 19:03.86. Kalamazoo Christian sophomore Alaina Klooster ran her fastest race of the fall to place second in 20:24.56. Klooster and the Comets won the jamboree with 40 points. Schoolcraft was second with 87 points, ahead of Hackett 108, Bridgman 121, Lawton 130, Fennville 158, Watervliet 178, Parchment 217, Delton Kellogg 219 and Saugatuck 229 in the top ten. Both Delton Kellogg teams placed fifth Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Otsego Bulldog Invi­ tational, with a number of Panthers setting new personal records. DK seniors Vincent and Shepard led the boys’ team with personal record performanc­ es. Vincent was 14th in 18:26.20 and Shepard 20th in 18:54.81. Martin was just behind them with a 23rd-place time of 19:00.38. DK also had Rimmer 31st in 19:22.82 and Harsevoort 46th in 20:34.90. The Kalamazoo Homeschool team bested Kalamazoo Christian at the top of the Divi­ sion 3 boys’ standings in Otsego Saturday by a score of 48-62. Bronson was third with 82 points, ahead of Bloomingdale 87, Delton Kellogg 118, Parchment 136, Fennville 200 and Schoolcraft 202. Winter, from Parchment, was the individu­ al champion in 16:52.32 and Bloomingdale junior Jaden Barnes was the runner-up in 17:00.42. In the Division 3 girls’ race, Kalamazoo Homeschool won with 37 points. Schoolcraft was second with 84 points, Fennville 88, Bronson 89, Delton Kellogg 128, Parchment 135, Quincy 167 and Comstock 173. Kalamazoo Flomeschool had four girls finish in the top ten. Bronson and Lawton both had two girls in the top four. Lawton junior Kendra Koster won in 19:19.35 and her senior teammate Sofia Oertel was second in 19:58.65. Bronson’s two fastest girls set new person­ al records. Sophomore Ava Hathaway was third overall in 20:01.45 and freshman Ashlynn Harris fourth in 20:37.27. White led the DK girls with a 19th-place time of 23:07.80. Delton Kellogg had four different girls run a new personal record time including junior Summer Ritchie who was 22n<^ in 23:21.82. Main ran her fastest race of the season to place 33r^ in 25:09.84. The Panther team also had Lester 43rh in 26:41.80 and Wiessner 49th in 27:30.88. Lakewood runners reduce times at P-W Invitational Brett Bremer Sports Editor Five of the seven scoring runners on the Lakewood varsity boys’ and girls’ cross coun­ try teams had their best times of the season Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Pewamo-West­ phalia Invitational. For many of those Vikings, they were their best varsity times ever. The four fastest Lakewood boys all ran their personal record times. Senior Ryan Alford led the way with an 18th-place time of 18 minutes 9.71 seconds. Sophomore Riley Johnson turned in a PR of 19:48.37. Sopho­ more Hudson Goethals was 51st with a PR of 20:48.0 and senior Matt Cronk was 53rc* with a PR of 20:53.05. Lakewood’s boys’ team also got a personal record time of 22:24.25 from junior Ethan Cappon. A couple freshmen were also in the top seven for the Vikings, Charles Heiss was 60th in 21:58.19 and Bryce Schelter 65th in 22:07.30. Lakewood senior Reagan Lab led the girls’ team with a personal record time of 21:49.66. Freshman Emma Tidd wasn’t far behind with a 19th-place time of 22:39.36. Junior Claire Fortier dropped her PR to 223:03.86 while placing 24th. The Viking team also got a PR from 36th-place finisher senior Gabby Rosenberger who came in at 24:38.20. Senior Sadie Brearley was 23r^ in 22:58.81 and senior Emma Lancaster 30th 23:52.86, both running their fastest race of the season. Pewamo-Westphalia put up a perfect 15-point score with the top five finishers in the girls’ race. Sophomore Whitney Werner won the race in 19:13.80 and two of her team­ mates also finished in less than 20 minutes. Senior Abby Arens was second in 19:31.35 and senior Ella Kowatch dropped her PR to 19:37.16 to place third. Charlotte freshman Baylee Moore was the fast non-Pirate. She improved her PR to 21:15.40 to place sixth. Charlotte was second in the girls’ team stand­ ing with 70 points, ahead of Laingsburg 76, Lakewood 93, Bath 130 and St. Charles 142. Pewamo-Westphalia junior Collin Farmer won the boys’ race in 16:11.72 and his team won the title with 44 points. Bath was second with 79 points, ahead of Dansville 80, Char­ lotte 84, Laingsburg 139, Portland St. Patrick 170, Lakewood 183, Potterville 194 and Port­ land 204. Farmer was one of three guys to hit the finish line before the clock hit 17 minutes. Dansville sophomore Theodore Davis was the runner-up in 16:24.12 and Charlotte senior Koda Brandt was third with a personal record time of 16:26.23. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-10-13.pdf 86e5b10878ebde9b2a1902e3772ab536 PDF Text Text Saxon football one win away from another title See story on page 9 804879110187 1070490102590502757749058113421 VOLUME 168, No. 41 Thursday, October 13, 2022 PRICE $1;50' Board of Commissioners passes motion to cut funding for a Barry County Sheriff’s detective position Jayson Bussa Editor As the Barry County Board of Commis­ sioners makes its way closer to finalizing the county’s 2023 budget, the board decided abruptly on Tuesday to eliminate funding for a detective position within the sheriff’s department, claiming that it was not an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. The Barry County Sheriff’s Office current­ ly has funding to support three detectives. Detective Sergeant Janette Maki currently handles the lion’s share of cases as the other detective, deputy Mark Noteboom, has been assigned by Sheriff Dar Leaf to investigate voter fraud ever since he was hired to the position in February. Leaf and Undersheriff Jason Sixberry both confirmed that the department has a third detective waiting in the wings with deputy Rose O’Grady. She is currently undergoing training and handling some detective duties, but due to staff shortages, the department is unable to take her off of the road in Middleville to assume full-time detective duties. See SHERIFF, page 2 During Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting, Jon Smelker (second from the right) motioned to eliminate funding for a detective position within the Barry County Sheriff’s Office. His motion passed with support from Catherine Getty (right) and Hoot Gibson (second from the left). (Photo by Jayson Bussa) ■ ■ -■ -1 ■' ,|k Last week, the county’s Committee of the Whole questioned Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf about how he is utilizing three detective positions within his department. Leaf explained that he has two full-time detectives, but one is only investigating a voter fraud case. The third position is vacant with an applicant waiting in the wings. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) > Hit-and-run suspect Palmer has trial set for January Greg Chandler Staff Writer A trial date has been set for early next year for a 32-year-old Delton woman charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 21-year-old woman in Barry Township in May of this year. Alexandra Marie Palmer is scheduled to go on trial on Jan. 23,2023 before Judge Michael Schipper on three criminal counts, including failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death, a felony that carries a pris­ on sentence of up to 15 years and fines of up to $10,000 upon conviction. Schipper set the trial date on Wednesday during a pre-trial conference. Palmer appeared for the hearing via video from the Barry County Jail, where she is being held on a $20,000 bond. Palmer is accused of striking Mica LeBeau with her vehicle in the early morning hours of May 8 in the 6900 block of Delton Road. LeBeau’s body was found lying alongside the road by officers from the Barry Township Police Department. Schipper set aside Jan. 23-24 and Jan. 27 as dates for the trial. Assistant Prosecutor Josh Carter said discussions on a possible plea have taken place with defense attorney Carol Jones Dwyer. “We are still working on a resolution in this case,” Carter told the court. According to the police investigation, Palmer was traveling westbound on Delton Road when her vehicle struck LeBeau, who was walking along the roadway. The driver then fled the scene west on Delton, then turned north onto Norris Road, police said. Palmer was arrested on June 13 after police received a tip on her whereabouts. Other charges against her include failure to stop at the scene of a serious personal injury accident and a moving violation causing death, accord­ ing to court records. A final pre-trial conference has been sched­ uled for Dec. 20. With less than a month left before the 2022 general election, the Hastings Banner will be providing weekly election previews to help inform voters. ■. Inside this week’s issue, you will find a full rundown on candidates vying for seats orb school boards for both the Hastings Area School System and Thomapple Kellogg Schools. \ Our team will be following up with previews on races for state representative, Barry County commissioner and more. w« Alexandra Palmer City approves five-year contract with new wastewater treatment plant operator Hunter McLaren Stajf Writer Hastings officials signed a 5-year, $166,585 contract with Infrastructure Alternatives, Inc. to manage the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The new contract comes as the city’s previ­ ous contract with Operations Services comes to a close. Operations Service’s contracted certified operator George Holzworth will be replaced by an lAI-certified operator, who has not been chosen yet. John Barthels, a representative of IAI who attended Monday’s council meeting, said the company was clos­ ing in on potential candidates. “There’s a real shortage in the state of Michigan and across the country (of certified operators) in the wastewater industry,” Barth­ els said. “We have talked to a number of candidates externally that we’ve worked with over the years. We also have a number of internal candidates and we think we have a really good pool of people who would be your prospective manager here at Hastings. The contract approved by the city would appoint Josh Mannard as the plant’s interim certified operator until a long-term candidate could be found and placed at the plant. Man­ nard currently works as lAI’s project manag­ er for the Bowne Toyvnship wastewater treat­ ment plant as well as a wastewater treatment plant serving the Royal Estates Manufactured Housing Community in Kalamazoo. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said the decision was based on several meetings the city had with IAI and reviews from others who had worked with the contractors. “(Director of Public Services Travis Tate), myself and (Superintendent of Utilities Verne Robins) evaluated the proposals, met with IAI a few times, talked about their organization and their philosophy and approach towards waste­ water contract operations and we were very impressed with them,” she said. “(We) also contacted the references. The people we spoke with were all very happy with their services.” IAI was founded in 2000 and is based out of Rockford. Barthels told council members he believed the Hastings facility would be a good fit for IAI services and the company focuses on building long-term relationships with clients. “We’ve been doing it a long time. Our mis­ sion isn’t necessarily to be the largest compa­ ny out there,” Barthels said. “But we really try to find partnerships with clients and our goal is to have long-term relationships. We focus on quality. We’re not perfect; we make mistakes. But if we do make a mistake, we own it, we fix it.’ In other business, the city: • Approved a three percent pay increase for City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale. The raise came after an employee evaluation for Moy­ er-Cale was completed by council members in Sept, and was consistent with other non-union city staff members, according to the city. • Approved a $28,368 purchase order for copper tubing, curb stops and corporation stops from Ferguson and a $34,000 purchase order from Advantage Plumbing and Drain. Both purchase orders were to replace lead water service lines for 17 houses on East Thom Street as required by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). • Approved a $144,450 contract with Lake­ land Asphalt Corp, for parking lot improve­ ments to City Lots 1,2,3 and 4. Funds for the improvements are coming from both the city and the downtown development authority. • Entered a sales listing agreement with At Home Real Estate for the sale of 1013 W. Green St. and approved the mayor and city clerk to enter a purchase agreement upon receiving an acceptable offer. • Approved a request from the Jingle and Mingle Committee to hold the Hastings Jin­ gle and Mingle Event from Dec. 2-4 in down­ town Hastings. John Barthels, division director at Infrastructure Alternatives, Inc., spoke to council members on Monday about a new five-year contract to manage the city’s wastewater treatment plant. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) �Page 2 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Thornapple Wind Band kicks off concert season with spooky favorites The Thomapple Wind Band invites the public to enjoy some “spooky sea­ son” tunes on Sunday, October 23 at 3 p.m. at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. The band will feature songs from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Cruel• -la,” “Ghostbusters,” “Scooby Doo,” “Dracula” and more. Children attend­ ees are encouraged to attend the concert in costume. Children who come dressed up will receive a special treat, accord­ ing to organizers. The Thomapple Wind Band is a , ■ community band based in the Barry County area. The band, open to anyone regardless of ability, gives adults the opportunity to make music and bring - music to the community. The Halloween-themed concert will be the first of the season for the band. COA seeking Senior Citizen of the Year nominations Barry County Commission on Aging (COA) has announced the opening of nominations for the annual Senior Cit­ izen of the Year award. This award highlights the contributions made by persons aged 60 and older to civic and social life in Barry County. It focuses on the positive benefits of remaining active while growing older. ' The 2022 award will be presented at the Barry County Commission on Aging’s Christmas Party on Dec. 16 at the COA building in Hastings. The -’ Senior Citizen of the Year winner is •<; also invited to ride as an honored guest 'in the annual Hastings Summerfest parade. Nominees for Barry County’s Senior Citizen of the Year award should be 60 or older and residents of Barry County. Consideration should be given to the ’ contribution each nominee has made to the Barry County community in their senior years. Examples could include ‘ the types of activities the nominee has ‘ been involved in, how his or her involvement has benefited the commu. ,nity and the number of people who have been affected by those contribu­ tions. Nomination forms are available at the Commission on Aging office or on their website at barrycounty.org/commission_on_aging_new. Nominations can be from individu­ als or groups. Nominations should be sent to the Commission on Aging, 320 West Woodlawn Avenue, Hastings, Ml 49058. All nominations must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18. BooFest stops in Middleville Barry BooFest, a new month-long series of fall festivities throughout Barry County, will be in Middleville tomorrow for the Fall Fest. The celebration of fall will take place in Sesquicentennial Park from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14. Middleville’s turn of hosting BooFest will feature a farmers and artisan mar­ ket, pumpkin giveaways, pet costume contests, 5K run, games, music and more. Local organizations will also be present at BooFest, including the Fam­ ily Promise of Barry County. Family Promise, an organization that helps those in Barry County experiencing homelessness, will have a cardboard haunted house building event at the Middleville United Methodist Church from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. tomorrow during BooFest. More information about BooFest can be found by searing “Barry BooFest” on Facebook. Thornapple Garden Club hosts fall meeting Gardeners are wrapping up outdoor work and getting ready to enjoy indoor gardening with succulents and house plants this winter. Barker and Stephanie Clark from The Plant Parlor in Grand Rapids will share their knowledge of both types of plants tonight, Oct. 13, at the Thornapple Garden Club’s meeting. The meeting, which is open to the public, is held at Green Street United Methodist Church in Hastings and starts at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. Join the Grassroots Movement to Elect BRADLEY "SCOTT" SAVAGE AS BARRY COUNTY COMMISSIONER in DISTRICT #1 l believe our County Commission is and should be a non-partisan Board that focuses on the administration of our county government. I also believe that even at the local level, it's important to have balanced representation and that is why l am running for this office. There is a segment of our population in Barry County that is under-represented and l wish to be their voice if the need arises. • current Hastings Charter Township Trustee • Vice Chair of the Barry County Dems Precinct Delegate Retired UAW Skilled Tradesman Please vote for Scott Savage on your mail-in ballot or at your voting location on election day. Don't forget to check the back side of your ballot! A ■ 9f FOR W COMMISSIONER -aid for by The Committee to Elect Bradley Savage, 1602 E. State Rd., Hastings, Michigan 49058 T.J. Maxx grand opening slated for Oct. 23 Three years after the closing of Kmart, Hastings will once again be home to a big-box clothing store. T.J. Maxx, one of the nation’s leading offprice retailers, will open at Hastings Center on State Street on Oct. 23. The store is located in a portion of the old Kmart building. In addition to providing a new shopping option for residents, the new store plans to add approxi­ mately 60 full and part-time jobs to the area. A grand opening event for T.J. Maxx will take place on Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Local shoppers are invited to visit the store. “Our newest store in Hastings will offer an ever-changing selection of high-quality, on-trend and brand-name merchandise at the amazing prices T.J. Maxx is known for,” Tim Miner, president of T.J. Maxx, said in a state­ ment. “Our buyers create a unique mix that offers value for styles in every department, and we’re excited to bring this experience to a new neighborhood.” “With a constant flow of new arrivals, we offer an exciting one-stop-shop that makes it easy for consumers to stay on-trend with styles they love and save big every single HHS crowns new homecoming king and queen Hastings High School crowned its 2022 home­ coming king and queen on Friday night during the varsity football team’s win against Parma Western. "' A. । Valentina Arias-Fran­ co and Jack Kensington came away with the crowns, both members of Hastings High School’s senior class. Arias-Franco is a multi-sport athlete and member of student council, having served two years on the execu­ tive board of student council. In addition, Arias-Franco has been a member of the band and drumline for all four years of high school, Seniors Jack Kensington and along with being a Valentina Arias-Franco are crowned the member of SONOS and 2022 Hastings High School homecom­ varsity choirs and a fre­ ing king and queen during halftime of quent star in Hastings the Hastings varsity football team’s 48-7 High School musicals. win over visiting Parma Western Friday Arias-Franco keeps night inside Baum Stadium at Johnson busy with additional Field. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) extracurriculars, including the Interact Club, Key Club,' fall play, Zero-Hour Choir, National Honors Society, Youth Advisory Council, ski club, Link Leaders, SAB, Science Olympiad, club soccer and Y-Mentors. Kensington, a senior at Hastings High School, has played football for four years, along with four years of varsity swim and varsity golf. He is an active Link Leader and member of Science Olympiad and the Robotics Club. day,” he added. Following the grand opening, T.J. Maxx will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Mon­ days through Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. In celebration of its new Hastings location, T.J. Maxx will contribute to the local commu­ nity by donating $10,000 to Safe Harbor Chil­ dren’s Advocacy Center. The new store will also join all other stores nationwide in spon­ soring Save the Children’s U.S. Programs through T.J. Maxx’s annual in-store fundrais­ ing campaign. Delton Kellogg crowns its 2022 homecoming royalty Felix Houssemaine and Abby Fichtner are crowned the 2022 Delton Kellogg High School homecoming king and queen during a ceremony at halftime of the Panther varsty football team’s 35-20 loss to visiting Decatur in Delton Friday night. (Photo by Perry Hardin) SHERIFF, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------However, the rub for commissioner Jon Smelker was that the board of commission­ ers granted the Sheriffs office funding for a third detective back in November - at that time, the office only had two detectives - to handle an influx of violent crime in Barry County. The board provided the sheriff’s office with funding and an additional vehicle to facilitate a third detective with the prom­ ise that the detective would help shoulder the load. Instead, nearly a year later, the office has one detective handling almost all of the cases while one detective exclusively focuses on voter fraud investigations. “We asked for a detective to take care of these crimes listed and we got a detective that got one job and one job only. Am I correct on that?” said a heated Smelker, who motioned to eliminate the funding for that position in the next budget. “So we don’t need that detective. You’ll still have two detectives....I feel that the person was hired to detective for election fraud.” Sixberry spoke on behalf of the Sheriff’s office at Tuesday’s meeting. A week before, at a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, Smelker and the board grilled Leaf about the detective positions. “I cannot answer that part of it because I’m not in charge of that person,” Sixberry replied to Smelker’s questions concerning Deputy Noteboom. Sixberry did, however, say that the request in November for additional help was genuine. “I don’t think the Sheriff asked for that per­ son,” Sixberry said. “I was asking for that third detective for the same reason as the prosecutor as well as Detective Sergeant Maki.” “I agree, and that’s why we gave it to you,” Smelker responded. Smelker made the motion to cut funding for the position without any idea if he would gain support. However, he did find support for the motion from commissioner Catherine Getty. “The Sheriff was in last week and expressed he didn’t determine there was voter fraud in Barry County. It seems like we could reprior­ itize public safety,” Getty said. “We know (the sheriff’s office) has vacancies. We have a detective where, maybe his work is done.” Vice chair Vivian Conner, who was sitting in as chairman for the meeting, asked if detective deputy Noteboom would be able to pivot from his investigation into voter fraud to focus on other cases. Sixberry said that wasn’t the plan. “He will go on the road for his field train­ ing (upon completing the voter fraud investi­ gation),” Sixberry said. “That (detective) spot would be filled by another deputy that has requested to be a detective.” Smelker, Getty and Hoot Gibson voted to pass Smelker’s motion. Conner and Bruce Campbell voted against it while chairman Ben Geiger and commissioner David Jackson were absent. The motion was able to pass without sup­ port from a majority of the seven-person board because the move didn’t solidify the budget issue - a public hearing is still sched­ uled before it can be finalized. The Banner spoke with Barry County prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt, who lobbied alongside the sheriff’s office in November to secure additional funding for a third detective. “I advocated for that position because it is needed,” Nakfoor Pratt said. “There are too many cases, they’re too violent....We don’t see that trend changing and what you end up with is fatigue and people who are over­ worked and that doesn’t help any of us.” “We’re lucky to have police officers that go the extra mile because they’re serving their community and care about their commu­ nity,” she added. “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t wear them out.” While she didn’t necessarily disagree with the board’s rationale, Nakfoor Pratt said she remains optimistic and hopeful that funding for that position will be restored because it is indeed still needed. 4 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — Page 3 County board expands its County Facilities Review Committee to address vacant and underutilized properties !' Despite refusing to sell the vacant Friend of the Court building, shown in the back? ground, a workforce housing development is still going in. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) ; Jayson Bussa A motorized mule is used to transport mobility-limited tour attendees through the Institute’s property. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Pierce Institute offering mobility-limited ‘hikes,’ promoting accessibility Molly Macleod Copy Editor Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is making strides to improve accessibility. Regardless of physical ability, anyone now has options to explore and appreciate the nat­ ural world on the grounds of the Hast­ ings-based nature center. An off-road vehicle, called a mule, was purchased by the Institute in 2019, but its maiden voyage wasn’t until earlier this year. The Institute purchased the vehicle intending to use it to transport visitors along trails who otherwise may not have been able to hike. Following a delay in in-person guided hikes due to the pandemic, the mule was able to take its inaugural group of Institute visitors on a wildflower tour this past spring. Since then, the motorized mule has been used again in the summer for another round of wildflower tours and most recently this week for the Institute’s Fall Fungal Foray mobility-limited tour. Led by Community Program Manager Ellen Holste, the Fall Fungal Foray is a twohour guided hike through some of the Insti­ tute’s 850 acres, discovering and learning about fungi found throughout the property. Holste, a proud mycophile, leads participants through the twists and turns of the Institute’s wooded trails and both delights and informs about the prolific world of fungi around us and beneath our very feet. For many, hiking up and down steep, sometimes craggy trails is simply not possi­ ble. Holste said the Institute was motivated to improve accessibility, leading to the purchase of the motorized mule and plans for an acces­ sible trail in the future. “My idea right now is to get people out in Holste displays a mushroom found on the Institute trails. While this mushroom has a few bites taken out of it, it still shows the structure of a mushroom with gills. (Photo by Molly Macleod) nature who wouldn’t typically get out in nature,” said Holste. There are, as with most things, some prac­ tical limitations to the tours. Many of the trails at the Institute are inac­ cessible unless on foot, even in the motorized mule. Another challenge posed by the mule is that it only has room for six passengers, including the driver. Even so, the mobili­ ty-limited tours give patrons an opportunity not available before. “Even if I only get 15 people over the course of two days,” said Holste, “to me it’s worth it if I can get some people out on the trails that wouldn’t normally.” While a paved, flat trail may be far in the future, for now, the mobility-limited tours at the Institute give those who can’t easily clam­ ber an opportunity to experience nature and learn about the natural environment. In a mobility-limited Fall Fungal Foray tour, Holste played the role of fungi tour guide as she weaved the mule through the narrow trails, sharply spotting mushrooms at seemingly every corner. Tour participants need not even leave the vehicle, as many stunning mushrooms were found right on the trail. For many others, Holste picked the mushrooms and brought them to the mule, encouraging participants to touch the mush­ rooms-and Hearn through more senses than ju§t sights The motorized mule will hibernate this winter but will be back in action for more mobility-limited tours this coming spring. Holste said the tours, while unprecedented, have been a success so far and there are no plans to stop them. While today is the last day of the fall mobility-limited tours at the Institute, there are still spots for this Saturday’s Fall Fungal Foray Walk, which will not be accessible or feature the motorized mule. One session is slated for 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 15, and another from 2 to 4 p.m. Registration forms can be found at cedarcreekinstitute.org. After joining forces months ago, Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health have a new name BHSH System, the new health system formed in February 2022 when Spectrum Health and Beaumont Health merged, recent­ ly announced its new name. The not-for-profit health system, which operates Spectrum Health Pennock in Hast­ ings, is now called Corewell Health. The city’s local hospital will now be known as Corewell Health Pennock Hospital. A planned rollout of the new name that includes signage will begin soon and be phased over the next two years. The announce­ ment comes nine months following the launch of the integrated health system. “At our core, we are here to help people be well so they can live their healthiest life pos­ sible,” Tina Freese Decker, President and CEO of the new Corewell Health, said in a statement. “We recognize the amazing outcomes and history from Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health. Now together, known as Corewell Health, we move forward unified, focused on health and wellness for all. The name selec­ tion is especially inspiring as it was influ­ enced by thousands of ideas from our team when it comes to county property....We heard throughout this last political campaign that people want the county to have a comprehen­ sive plan for what we’re doing with our prop­ erty. This is a more business-like approach.”-; Commission on Aging fails to secure money from county for roof repairs The Barry County Board of commissioners, on Tuesday resumed discussions tied to a' budget appeal filed by the Commission orr Aging, which request $31,000 to make roof repairs. £ Because the COA is a millage-based entity that carries healthy fund balances, the com­ missioners ultimately decided not to vote on the matter, which denied their hopes for the money. In a letter to the board of commissioners^ COA Executive Director Courtney Ziny acknowledged that the organization does carry healthy fund balances, but she hoped not to dip into them. The COA maintains a building fund of $442,000 and an operating fund balance of $380,000, per Ziny. “With nearly 300 clients relying on daily delivery of food and care, we need cash ori hand to cover emergencies, including uncer-' tainty of grant funds,” wrote Ziny, whose' millage-based department operates on a $2 million budget. .* Commissioner Jon Smelker was not sold. “We do this for a millage-based entity - th^ COA. (Then), are we going to replace (cen­ tral dispatch’s) roof? Transit’s roof? They’reall millage-based and we’re starting a prece~ dent here.. \ ;.a-’ £ Commissioner David Jackson fell in th| middle, y “I think the Commission on Aging hasbeen a good steward with its money,” he said? “They have good fund balances, they got a future building fund. I wouldn’t mind seeing us support them... .Maybe instead of $31,000^ maybe we split it with them at $16,000-ish.”< 189321 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED BUDGET PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on October 25, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. the Barry County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the 2023 Barry County budget during the regular Board of Commissioners meeting in the Commission Chambers, located on the mezzanine level of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings ME 49058 The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. Corewell Health members who put health and wellness at the core of everything we do.” According to the health system, the Core­ well Health name is reflective of striving toward an ambitious vision: a future where health is simple, affordable, equitable and exceptional. Corewell said that patients, fam­ ilies and health plan members can expect to receive high-quality care, services and out­ comes with a wider breadth of services now available across the state. “The Corewell Health logo reflects the increasingly synergistic relationship between health care and health coverage, and our ongoing commitment to continu­ ously improve the health of the communi­ ties we serve,” said Julie Fream, Chair of the Corewell Health System Board of Directors. An updated palette of bright blues and greens is a combination of existing colors used by Beaumont Health, Spectrum Health and Priority Health, paying homage to the history of the organizations. Priority Health’s name does not change with this announce­ ment. First monkeypox case identified in Barry County The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) notified the Bar­ ry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD) that a case of monkeypox virus (MPV) has been identified in a Barry County resident. More than 200 confirmed and probable MPV cases have been identified statewide, however, this is the first case identified in Barry County. The individual is currently isolated and does not pose a risk to the public. All close contacts to the individual have been notified. Editor The Barry County Board of commissioners originally launched an ad hoc committee to negotiate with a developer that was looking to bring a workforce housing development to the city of Hastings. With those efforts still ongoing, the board is now expanding the focus of this commit­ tee, giving it the opportunity to evaluate vacant, county-owned properties and underutilized spaces in order to make recom­ mendations on their fate. Dubbed the County Facilities Review Committee, the three-person ad hoc commit­ tee comprised of commissioners David Jack­ son, Bruce Campbell and Jon Smelker came together in order to more effectively handle negotiations tied to the Tyden Lofts project, which is still in the planning phases. Originally, the developers of Tyden Lofts wanted to purchase the vacant friend of the court building located across South Broad­ way Street from the Barry County Court­ house and incorporate it into their workforce housing development, which is going in on the adjacent parcel of land. The county refused to sell the building, leading to backlash amongst pockets of resi­ dents. The county’s refusal to sell the facility highlighted other vacant and underutilized properties that the county is currently main­ taining. By expanding the scope of the committee, the members will be able to address these facilities, making recommendations to the board on the future use or sale of them. “(The committee) was so narrowly defined strictly just to negotiate with the (Tyden Lofts) project,” Jackson said during last week’s meting of the Committee of the Whole. “It made sense as we started talking about that...that maybe this would be a good time to wrap our hands around all the proper­ ties, vacancies, opportunities, up to and including the COA and the jail.” “It makes sense to me,” said Ben Geiger, chairman of the board of commissioners. “Currently, we have a very jerky process No further case details will be provided to protect the individual’s privacy. Updated case counts by county in Michigan can be found at michigan.gov/mpv. MPV is a viral illness that spreads primar­ ily through direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, bodily fluids or prolonged faceto-face contact. Infection may begin with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes that progress to a rash on the face and body. Symptoms can also include fever, chills, exhaustion and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters. MPV is contagious from the time symp­ toms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. Symptoms generally appear within three weeks after exposure and infection, and the rash often lasts two to four weeks. Anyone can contract and spread monkeypox. To complete an eligibility screening for the monkeypox vaccine, call 517-541-2641. The vaccine will be administered on a case-bycase basis and by appointment only. A copy of the proposed 2023 Budget is available for public inspection, during normal business hours at the County Administrator’s office, 3rd; floor, Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings Ml 49058, or at http://’ www.barrycounty.org/proposedbudget Pamela A. Palmer, County Clerk Barry County Board of Commissioners; — OPEN HOUSE — SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 • 2-4 PM Enjoy ample Fishing And Wildlife From Your Own Private Dock On All Sports Middle Lake. This is a beautiful family home which is great for entertaining. Front Extra Large Lot Includes Custom Built 3-4 Bedroom 2.5 Bathroom Two Story Home With Six Inch Wall Construction. Master Suite, Living Room W/Fireplace, Kitchen with breakfast bar, Beautiful': walk around Covered Porches, Patio Walkout Basement Family Room that could double as a 4th bedroom, All of this With Lake View. Super Insulated Geo-Thermo Heating And Cooling With Natural Gas Backup. Heated Garage, 24x28 drive through pole bam withincluded Pontoon Boat, Roll In/Out Dock, and Floating swim raft with slide. Landscaped. Flower Gardens. Move-in ready lake house with all the toys to boot! C All of this for only $440,000 Conveniently located at 430 Gaskill Rd. Hastings five star* REAL ESTATE LEADERS 6690 Crossings Dr., Suite B Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Any questions please call Lori Shaw Five Star Real Estate 616-617-0639 �Page 4 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Service with a smile Free and accessible information is a feather in the cap of Barry County - let’s keep it that way - The Barry County Board of Commissioners honored a handful of county employees on Tuesday during its weekly meeting. Susan Hinga-Zeeryp (left) and Jennifer Dailey (right) are pictured here. HingaZeeryp celebrated five years serving as a . legal secretary in the Barry County prose­ cutor’s office while Dailey commemorated 25 years of service as a case worker with the family court. Corrections officer Shawn Olmstead . and Barry County Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Cooper were also honored for five and 10 years of service, respectively, but were not present to accept their awards. Do you remember? Banner June 27, 1968 Pennock Hospital now has “Candy Stripers.” The teenage volunteer program was recently initiated to supplement the adult escort volunteer service. The girls have received several hours’ training from Mrs. Mariam Sorby, R.N., school nurse, and “on-the-job” direction from Mrs. Velma Eaton, chairman of the escort service. The “Candy Stripers” escort new patients to their rooms, to X-ray and physical therapy, deliver flowers, mail and other items to patients and do other errand-type duties work­ ing with adult escorts. The “Candy Stripers” are (left to right, seated) Trudy Schlachter, Chris Neil, Vicky Clark, Sandy Hull and Carol Stauffer. Standing are Pat Craven, Bev Weeks, Cheryl Koutz, Jody Tobias, Janine Towne and Janice Nobel. Marcia Mulder was absent when The Banner picture was taken. Have you met? Chris Bever made his return to working in local government right here in Hastings. As of September, he’s been serving as the city’s interim clerk and treasurer. Before coming to Hastings, he was working for a private college in South Carolina for two years. Prior to that, he had worked in local government for 23 years. Bever felt it was time to return to work­ ing in local government and using his skills for public service. “If you have to spend a quarter of your life doing something, you want to feel like you’re adding value,” he said. “Getting back here and learning about the city and applying what I know - I think it will be beneficial to me and I hope that in my time here in Hastings I’m adding value.” Bom in Florida, Bever has spent most of his life in South Carolina and Virginia. ' Although people often warn him of the cold Michigan winter ahead, he’s no stranger to the Midwest. He lived in Indiana for a time growing up, and he often visits friends that live on the east side of Michigan. Starting with two years in the Ameri< Corps National Service Program, Bever realized he loved the administration and day-to-day operational work that went into working in local government. He went back to school and received his master’s degree in public administration from the Universi­ ty of South Carolina. Since then, he’s worked in several differ­ ent roles. Starting as an appraiser and then moving to a budget analyst position, Bever .worked his way up to a director position. “One of the good things about starting -off in budget is you get to learn about everybody else because almost everything .has a fiscal impact. Everything needs a budget,” he said. “I’ve worked in just about -every department you can, working with capital budgets and long-range planning. I just enjoy it. It’s a puzzle you have to put together. How can we best utilize the pub­ lic’s resources to provide the service they - want in an efficient and effective manner?” Person I’m glad to have met: I’m a big ’80s alternative, new-wave guy. My favor­ ite band of all time is Men Without Hats. I saw them in concert in 2012 in the DC area and I got to meet the lead singer (Ivan Doroschuk). They have been my band for 40 years since I was in the seventh grade. The music just always makes me happy. It’s just fun, happy music. I got to meet him after the show. He was probably like, “Who’s this lunatic?” I got a picture with him and he signed some CDs. I got to tell him that music brought a lot of joy into my life. What the world needs now: We just need people to be decent to each other. One thing people don’t know about me: I really like Guy Fieri. You know why? Chris Bever Outside of work, Bever has a passion for travel. He made it his goal to visit all 50 states before he turned 50, but was foiled by the travel disruptions caused by COVID19. He hasn’t given up and only has four states remaining: Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Rhode Island. His favorite places to visit lie overseas. Bever said it’s tough to pick just one, and it’d likely be a tie between Amsterdam and Barcelona. Both have interesting architec­ ture and urban design that appeal to his local-government-minded brain, with Amsterdam being known by some as the home of city planning. Hastings is more than just his latest stop: it’s the city where he was able to return to his work in the public sector. “I’m glad to be here in Hastings, and I have great staff (here at the city),” he said. “People care about the city here. It seems like a good place.” For adding value to Hastings and his years of public service, Chris Bever is this week’s Bright Light. He’s nice to people. He does a lot of stuff for the Special Olympics and does a lot of stuff for first responders. He gets people on his show and he’s nice to people. Favorite movies: “Hoosiers,” “Fargo” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” In an era where the term “misinfor­ mation” is thrown around the political and social arena on the daily, people are often left scratching their heads about what facts and sources they can believe and which ones they should be skeptical about. In fact, if we’re being completely hon­ est with ourselves, a lot of people tend to blindly accept facts that fall in line with their personal beliefs while scrutinizing and discrediting those that might clash with whatever narrative they have built. It’s natural. The bottom line is that accurate, insightful information is important and in unfortunately short supply - especial­ ly on social media. Here at the Hastings Banner, our staff works hard to serve our readers with exactly that - cut-and-dry informa­ tion that is lite on the opinion (which, I understand, might seem a little hypo­ critical to say as I write this opinion column). And while the members of our news­ room take seriously our duties to devote careful research to each topic, I’ll be the first to say that, for those in search of truth, the Hastings Banner should only be one of the places to look. Thanks to the powers of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which was set in place back in 1967, any resident of Barry County - and in cities and munic­ ipalities across the country - have the legal right to access records that are created or obtained by United States government agencies - even if they have not been publicly released. These can be records from the local police department, health department and everything in between. I don’t want to get into the weeds explaining the background, powers and limitations of FOIAs, but the United States government provides extensive information about it online to anyone that is interested in filing a request for records. FOIA is an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to transparency in gov­ ernment and establishing the truth. In just my three-plus months here in Barry County working at the helm of the Hast­ ings Banner, I have noticed this to be a well-utilized tool, which merits a round of kudos all around. For starters, in over a decade in the business, I have always understood FOIA to be a tool utilized almost exclu­ sively by newspapers, media and other organizations that are tasked with inves­ tigating government and government entities. Given my background in jour­ nalism - I was a sports guy for many years - I can’t say that I found myself filing a laundry list of FOIA requests, but I was surrounded by reporters that routinely did exactly that. Here in Barry County, one thing that has struck me is how often FOIAs are used amongst residents. I’ve walked into many conversations where county residents are talking about the FOIA process and what sorts of records they’re looking to obtain. In some cases, results of FOIA findings have been shared with myself and the team here at the Hastings Banner. In fact, in the past issue of the Hast­ ings Banner, we wrote a story about dash cam footage captured of a Barry County Sheriff’s Deputy as he made a trip out of state. This was information obtained by Joel Ibottson and his Local Government Accountability Forum via the FOIA process. While it might be a small pocket of Barry County residents that are familiar with the FOIA process and utilize it reg­ ularly, the fact remains that this is a healthy dynamic. This shows that every­ day residents - not professional investi­ gators or reporters - are concerned enough with the goings-on of their local government that they put in the effort to navigate the formal FOIA process to obtain information. They’re not relying on skewed facts or half-baked, narra­ tive-stretching talking points - they’re getting the cold hard facts and drawing their judgements from them. Transparen­ cy in local government is a good thing. At the Hastings Banner, we strive to monitor local government and shine our light on its happenings. That effort is only more effective when large swaths of local residents join in. The more the merrier, as they say. But, this high praise goes the other way, too. In my limited experience watching the FOIA process play out here in Barry County, I have to admit that the county does a solid job of responding to FOIA requests promptly, fulfilling requests in a timely fashion and doing so with min­ imal fees attached. In Michigan, the law states that the government or government agency must respond to a FOIA request within five business days. Over time, there has been some debate over the differences between responding to a request and fulfilling that request. Ultimately, the general rule is that the agency must respond and fulfill the request within five business days, but a number of exemptions can stretch that timeline. Again, with still a relatively small sample size to judge from, Barry County treats FOIA requests with urgency, and appears to respond and fulfill the requests quickly. While it certainly helps that Barry County is small compared to the likes of Wayne or Kent counties, prompt responses to FOIA requests don’t happen by accident. The county follows the letter of the law, too, and is not prejudiced against the validity of the request. I got a front row seat to this during the flurry of FOIAs that were coming into Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer’s office some of them coming from the far reach­ es of the country. These were requests for information from the 2020 presidential and other elections. Palmer and her team in the clerk’s office and at the county diligently responded and fulfilled (at least, when merited) to these requests, even when it was very apparent that it was a copyand-pasted FOIA request used to spread all over the state and country. Townships throughout the county experienced the same thing and took the requests seriously, consulting with their legal counsel to determine what records they would need to turn over. I have colleagues that work in larger counties around Michigan and I hear the horror stories of FOIA requests that are filed and float in purgatory for weeks or months. Or, their FOIA requests are suc­ cessfully fulfilled but come with hun­ dreds of dollars worth of fees. Relatively speaking, Barry County and its residents have a healthy relation­ ship when it comes exchanging public information and records. That’s a dynam­ ic that we should all strive to maintain. Residents should use the system as needed, trying not to bog it down with frivolous requests. If local government starts to slip and fails to fulfill its duty for access to public records, they should be held account­ able, as well. Jayson Bussa Editor Hastings Banner If I could go anywhere in the world: The two bucket list items that I have are Easter Island and Saint Helena, which is in the middle of the south Atlantic. It’s where Napoleon was exiled. The isolation of those two places fascinates me. How do people live? See, this is the nerdy, government part of me. How do they generate electricity? How do they get fresh water? What do they do with their municipal waste? Who’s maintaining the streets? There’s nothing around them. Easter Island is out there in the Pacific and Saint Helena is out there in the South Atlantic. The Hastings BclIlllCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — Page s- Three candidates eye seats on the Hastings Area School System Board of Education Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Three candidates are running for two seats on the Hastings Area School System Board of Education in the Nov. 8 election. Both seats are for a full, six-year term. The three candidates running for the two seats include Justin Peck, Elden Shellenbarger, and Jennifer Eastman. Eastman is an incumbent member of the board who is running again after serving a full term. The other open seat is being vacat­ ed by current board member Dan Patton, who has served a full term and is not running again. Because of the way the school board acts and behaves, they never address how, what, why, when they can stop the loss of students going to other schools of choices and the reasons why. Vocational education. We must have these classes. We have a shortage of skilled trades. The school isn’t doing enough to give the students these skills. When the school got new machines for machine shop, they should have kept the old working ones, not scrap­ ping a working machine. GENERAL ELECTION Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? There is not any particular issue that makes me want to serve on the board. I am going in with eyes and arms open in hopes of continu­ ing the successes and helping with any fail­ ures. My hope is that the HASS continues as the premier school system in Barry County. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? Jennifer Eastman (Did not respond to questions submitted) I have been a Realtor in the Barry County area for 13 years. It takes a unique skill to work in this profession. Oftentimes, we are working with numerous individuals, guiding a seller or buyer to their ultimate dream home ownership. Communication is absolutely paramount as this is often the largest investment my cli­ ents are making in life. I hope to bring that same type of communication skill onto the board level, that then allows for more orga­ nized partnerships. In also owning a portion of Miller Real Estate, I have built up my skill of guiding our company through the tough and exciting times of the last two years. As for some more information on myself, I am a 2003 graduate of Hastings Area School System and currently live in Hastings Town­ ship. Again, I have three daughters and am married to Cassandra Peck (maiden name Huver), who is also a Hastings grad. In my years at HASS, I enjoyed band (jazz, concert and marching) and FFA. After school, I attended Western Michigan University with a focus in business. I worked in the banking industry for some time and then became a real estate agent in 2009. I became co-owner of Miller Real Estate in 2019 with Mark Hewitt. I have a great family support system within the county as the majority of my wife and I’s family live here. This has provided us with fantastic family gatherings along with numerous babysitters! Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? The school must talk to the parents, busi­ ness leaders and the community as a whole to get input and the school board needs to be open with the money they currently have and spend it wisely and not waste the taxpayers’ money. I would try to get the right people in our community to come together and (figure out) how to try to resolve the problems at the school so we can overcome these issues. Also, do spending on a budget, not keep ask­ ing for more millages for people who are having a hard time. The school wastes too much money. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I’ve worked at many different jobs in my life, with many different skills. I’ve joked around and said I’m a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. The way the economy lulls from time to time, you have to be able to do any­ thing that you can to make a living. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I’ve heard this, I have not experienced this. But some of the parents are working long, hard hours trying to make a living and trying to get by with the way things are. Some of the kids, maybe they don’t get to see their parents until late at night or they don’t get to see them until the weekend. The thing is, I don’t know how much time the parents are spending with a kid, or how much time they’ve got to spend with their kids. Some of them are relying on the school, ' as my understanding, for the school to be . their babysitter. I don’t know that for sure, that’s what I’ve heard and been told. I don’t know what the answer is, other thah • that some parents are doing the best they can , because we are living in some hard economic . times. But I do know that the school needs to • do better than what they’re doing because' they’re not doing all they can do, either. ItVa vicious circle: the more money the school , asks for, the more the parents have to work ; because that’s more taxes they have to pay. With everything being structured the way it is, that’s not good. The school needs to come \ to the table and be part of the solution and not . part of the problem. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. * I am 62 years old, lifetime resident of Barry County, bom and raised, went to school here. My father was a World War II veteran. I received a state honorary agribusiness degree from the Future Farmers of America in 1981.1 am an FFA alumni member. I received a jurisprudence certificate from the Barry County Tea Party. I also served on the executive board for the tea party for one year. 1 I also served on the Barry County Animal Shelter advisory board. I have been a member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 45 for the paft seven years, serving for the last three years a.s Sergeant of Arms. I’ve been involved in going to school board and county commissioners meetings since 1992.1 have been a school board candi­ date two other times. Attended Central Col­ lege in McPherson, Kan. • I have been endorsed by our sheriff, Dar Leaf, Jon Rocha, Gary Munson and Rod Romeyn. « 1 • . ■. < What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? Justin Peck Residence: Hastings Occupation: Real estate agent and co-owner of Miller Real Estate Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? I am running for school board as I always feel inclined to contribute to our community. While helping with the May 2022 bond com­ mittee, I felt a sense of years-old disconnect between the school system and members of the community. Due to that, one of my big priorities is to build back relationships throughout the greater Barry County area. Don’t get me wrong, the Hastings School System has some great community partners and I would like to see those built on. I would also like to have a framework in place for promoting the great work the HASS does and is oftentimes forgotten about by those in the community. Too often do we tend to place blame and faults on our teaching community and forget that our children are a direct representation of our parenting'and thus the overall community' upbringing. The parents’ role in our school system should be an extension of the bigger picture guidance they receive at school. I think of discipline, expectations, schedule and learning from failure as bigger picture ideas on this. While it isn’t always fun or exciting for parents or guardians, it’s important! Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I currently have three daughters, with two at Northeastern Elementary. We are fairly involved with Northeastern directly and I have helped out with numerous events throughout the entire school system. In my organizational involvement in the communi­ ty, I have served and currently sit on many boards. 1 currently serve on the Barry County United Way board, YMCA of Barry County board, President of the Hastings Lions Club, Patient and Family Partners of Spectrum Health and, as of this year, the Hastings Edu­ cation Enrichment Foundation. I hope that these engagements will allow for building more partnerships within our community and the school system. Honey’s low water content, pH helps it never go bad Dr. Universe: How does honey last forever? Gillian, 7, Illinois Dear Gillian, Archaeologists exploring ancient Egyp­ tian tombs sometimes find honey. It’s thou­ sands of years old, but you could still safely spread it on your toast. I talked to my friend Brandon Hopkins, professor in the WSU department of ento­ mology, about why honey lasts so long. He told me honey is one of the only foods that never spoils. Microbes are a big reason other foods go bad. These living things are so small you need a microscope to see them. They include bacteria and fungi like mold. Just like you, they love a good meal. Some microbes break down food. That changes the way it looks, smells and tastes. Microbes can make food look moldy, mushy or slimy. It will smell and taste gross. So, what’s the difference between slimy, stinky food in the back of your fridge and ancient honey that’s still yummy? The main difference is that honey doesn’t contain much water. Bees gather nectar from flowers to make honey. Nectar is very watery. In fact, it can be 70 percent water. Honey is about 18 percent water. Bees dry out the nec­ tar by fanning their wings. This moves air over the nectar and causes water to evaporate. “Bees can determine whether that nectar is ready to be called honey,” Hopkins said. “When the moisture level is low enough, they put a thin layer of wax over each of the cells containing the honey. Then that honey is stable forever. If the moisture content isn’t low enough, it doesn’t stay stable forever. It can ferment and spoil.” Hopkins told me that bees use their tongues and antennas to taste the nectar. The taste tells them when the honey is ready. Then, they cover the honey with wax to store it for winter. Man reported to be involved in crash just skunk hunting A report of a possible crash near Gun Lake Golf Course prompted a check-in by police around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 1. Police responding on the scene found a truck near a golf s cart on the course. Upon approaching, police saw an animal trap in front of the truck and ’’ a man sleeping in the back. The 82-year-old Hastings man told police he owns the course and was hunting for a skunk. Elden Shellenbarger Residence: Hastings Occupation: Retired Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? We must elect a school board that effec­ tively communicates with the citizens in the district with transparency. The school needs to keep maintenance people to work on the school and keep it cheaper than letting it go into a state of dis­ repair. Also, hire local contractors when possible and get a contract on building materials to keep the prices lower. Educa­ tion is not based on politics of any party, but local control; not federal, not state. Local area control by the community. Like all living things, microbes need water to survive. If they try to live in honey, there simply isn’t enough water to keep them alive. Another thing that keeps away microbes is honey’s pH. The pH scale shows if something is an acid like vinegar, a base like soap or in between like water. Honey is an acid. That makes it an unpleasant or deadly place for most microbes to live. Honey also contains a tiny amount of hydrogen peroxide. Some people keep bottles of hydrogen peroxide to clean small wounds or rinse their mouths. That’s because it kills some microbes. Bees have a special pouch in their digestive system called the honey stomach. Proteins in the honey stomach and saliva help turn watery nectar into thick honey. That process releases hydrogen peroxide. It stays in the honey and gives it a little extra microbe-busting oomph. In fact, honey is so good at keeping microbes away that it’s been used as medicine to treat wounds and prevent infections. Archaeologists have found ancient prescrip­ tions for honey. They even found an of humans collecting honey. Hopkins says you may notice crystals in your honey. This is normal and doesn’t mean the honey is bad. You can eat honey with crystals. Or you can gently warm the honey to melt the crystals and make it smooth again. Now, that’s sweet! Deputies dislodge deer stuck on fence Police responded to a complaint of two deer stuck together on a fence around 10 a.m. on Oct. 5 on the 4700 block of McKeown Road. Deputies on the scene were able to cut an antler off one of the deer, allowing them to be separated from each other and the fence. Both deer left the area. ’ Gun turns up 21 years after being reported stolen The Eaton County Sheriff’s Office contacted Barry County police on Aug. 10 after finding a pistol marked as stolen by the Barry County Sheriff’s Office on May 15, 2001. A woman had sold the firearm to an auction house in Vermontville as part of her father’s ~ estate in Aug. 2022. The weapon was transferred to Eaton County police, who determined it had been reported stolen. The report from 2001 states a Middleville man report­ ed the gun missing after showing it at auction, and he suspected someone took it from the viewing table without him noticing. The man who reported the gun missing and his • wife, to who the gun was registered, are now both deceased. Police had not identified • next of kin at the time the report was made. The weapon was taken as evidence by police. Man warned about dining while driving < Police received a reckless driver complaint around 10 p.m. on Sept. 26 on East M-79 Highway near Devine Road. Police located the vehicle based on the caller’s description as it headed through Hastings near Michigan and Woodlawn avenues. Police made contact with the driver, an Ohio man, who told police he was making a delivery to a rehabilitation center and had been driving all day. He told police his bad driving was a result of him trying to eat while driving. The officer let the man off with a warning and told him to find a place to park and finish his meal. d '■ Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. Send an email to Washington State Universi­ ty’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse.com. ■ • . ; , J ' * i < " Teen trespassed after sneaking in, hiding under girl's bed b An 18-year-old Battle Creek man trespassed on a 43-year-old Bellevue man’s home on the 10000 block of Huff Road around 1 p.m. on Sept. 30. The Bellevue man told police he found out the teen was sneaking into his daughter’s room and hiding under the ■' bed as well as staying in a deer blind on the property. Police called the teen to inform 1 him he was not allowed back on the property. FUN ERAI HOME Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Dr. Universe x ' ; < • . Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care •' ’ i i . �Page 6 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner David Wilfred Blood, age 85, passed away on October 7, 2022, in Oberlin, Ohio. David was bom on March 12,1937, in Hast­ ings, MI, the son of Sherley Center and Vida Elsie (Cole) Blood. David was a 1955 graduate of Woodland High School, in Michigan, and was the co-salutatorian of his class. He gradu- ated from the University of Michigan in 1960 with a B.S.E and from Northeastern University in 1970 with a M.S. in Electrical Engineering. David worked as an electrical engineer at Raytheon, Wayland MA, receiving an award for 25 years of service, MIT Lincoln Labora­ tory, in Lincoln, MA, Penn State University, State College PA under contract, and HRB Systems, State College PA, retiring in 1999. David was also an avid amateur radio opera­ tor licensed and active from 1952 to 2022 (70 years!). David was a devoted follower of Jesus and was an active and faithful member of the East Oberlin Community Church. David is survived by his wife, Iva Dane Blood of Oberlin, Ohio; children, Wesley (Marjorie) Blood; Sherley (David) Blood Thom; Janel Blood, Daryl (Alina) Blood; Marla (Jeremy) Brewer; grandchildren, Andrew (Shelby) Blood; Samuel (Brigitta) Blood; Nijyl Brewer; Sacha Brewer; Lew Blood; great-granddaughter, Felicity Blood; sister, Ardath McCall; niece, Carolyn Manting, and nephew, Greg (Bryn) McCall. For the frill obituary and the service times, please visit the Girrbach Funeral Home web­ site: https://www.girrbachfuneralhome.net/ obituary/david-blood. NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale one pickup: 2021 GMC 1 Ton Crew Cab SLE pickup. Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 AM, Tuesday, October 25, 2022 for the following truck. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck number i.e #210170. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website www.barrycrc.org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is. 2021 GMC 1 ton Crew Cab SLE Pickup SRW Truck w/plow 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors 1-Cardinal Red Truck #210170- Orange Municipal Title - approximately 18,000 Miles with 8’—10’ Ext. Boss Blade Plow — Minimum Bid $58,000 NOTE: All mileages are approximate - truck will be driven until sold. The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. Worship Together ft1 ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... • HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ . 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328> N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. WELCOME CORNERS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 3185 N. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Phone 945-2654. Worship Services: Sunday, 9 a.m. Archer Leonard Howard Jr, age 75, of Woodland, MI, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. Archer was bom January 13, 1947 to Archer and Crystal Jennie (Burke) Howard in Wilmette, IL. His older sister, Elaine, remained in Chicago when the family' moved to Lake Odessa when Arch was a toddler, where his family owned and ran Martha’s Candy. Archer was in the first graduating class of Lakewood High School in 1965. He attended Western Michigan University for a short time before entering the U.S. Army. He served as a Sgt. in the 1 st Infantry Division in Vietnam, 1968-1969. He worked for E. W. Bliss Manufacturing in Hastings for many years before retiring in 2009. He was known as the peacekeeper in the plant. Those who worked with Arch, or as he was called at the factory', Archie, will remember the smell of Winstons and Diet Pepsi. His first wife was Chloanne Thomas, with whom he had a son Kirk. Arch met and married Janice Neitzke in 1975. Arch, determined to make the family complete, adopted Jan’s three daughters. He was a loving father and caregiver, a Mr. Fixit, the one everyone called with any prob­ lems. Arch and Jan loved to travel, having made it to all but five states, and all around the border, often .traveling with Jan’s brother Harold (Bud) Neitzke and wife Jeanne. They also camped and fished with friends at Nahma in the U.P. They just sold their “Happy Place” at Sandy Pines. Arch always seemed to find the good in everyone, was very even-tempered, and truly loved his family and the friends he worked with. To his grandchildren, he was the person they counted on. Archer was predeceased by his parents; sister, Elaine Berlinski and her husband, Ben; nephews, Gregg and Todd Neitzke, and grandson, Christian Howard. He has now joined many of his yearly Canadian fishing trip buddies. Archer is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Jan; son, Kirk (Christina) Howard; daughters, Leanne Kirchner, Stacie (Todd) White, Suzanne Howard; grandchildren, Brock (Syndi) Richmond, Alison (Jordan) Richmond Masur, Scott (Jessica) Kirchner, Brandon Cheeseman, Sam Cheeseman, Mar­ garet (John Guazhco) Rough, Amber McClel­ land (Jason) Thompson, Jessica Cheeseman (Andrew) Mepham,; great-grandchildren, Harold, Ellinor, Alden, Owen, Bentley, Oli­ ver, Finley, Adalynn, Jason, Kale, Kourtney, Kitana, Mateo, Gabriel, Nolan; niece, Sandra Berlinski (Steve) Howard; nephews, Mark Berlinski, Wayne (Ida) Neitzke and family; great-niece, Cassie Howard and brother-in­ law, Harold ‘Bud’ (Jeanne) Neitzke, and many special friends. According to Archer’s wishes, there will be no service. As he wished, “Mexican Con­ nexion” will provide a meal for family and friends, Friday, Oct. 14, from 5 until 8 p.m. at The Hughe House, 7766 Velte Rd, Lake Odessa, MI 48849. In lieu of flowers or donation, the family requests that those who are able make a dona­ tion to the American Red Cross. Blood or Platelets would be especially appreciated by the family. Fond memories and expressions of sympa­ thy may be shared at www.koopsfc.com for the Howard family. This information on worship service is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Graphics A■ Fiberglass Products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 1301W. Green St Hastings 945-9541 Mary Janet Shaull of West Bloomfield, MI passed away on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, age 93. Mary was bom on February 14, 1929, in Hastings, MI, daughter of the late Dr. George and Bonita Lockwood. After graduating from Hastings High School in 1946, she attended Western Michigan University, where she received her BS degree in teaching in 1950. She taught elementary school in Plainwell, Eaton Rapids and Hastings before moving to West Bloomfield. There she substitute taught for 30 years. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 61 years, David. She is survived by three daughters, Janet (Ed) Clark, Gina Green, and Alison Shaull; five grandchildren, Michael (Nikki) Green, Marie Tino, Scott (Christine) Torosian, Kate Sackman, Mary-Jo Green; seven great grand­ children, Devin Graves, Taylor Zawol-Green, JR Green, Levi Tino, Noah, Luke and Grace Torosian and two great-great grandchildren, Harley Robinson and Bear Graves, several nieces and nephews and many treasured friends. Preceded in death by her dear brother ,John Lockwood and sister, Doris Carlson and son­ in- law, John Green. Mary’s greatest love was her family, and nothing filled her heart more than to have them gathered at their long time Green Lake home. She and David enjoyed several decades Q^wmter/sp.ringtime, oil ArwMariaIsland on Florida’s Gulf coast - especially when their family could join them. She loved the out­ doors, photography, birds, golf, friends and raising monarch butterflies but most of all she loved her family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Kindred Hospice or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. A memorial service will be held on Sun­ day, Oct. 23, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Riverside Chapel, Simpson-Modetz Funeral Home, 5630 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday 10 a.m. until time of ser­ vice. Online guest book www.modetzfuneralhomes.com Craig Curtis Bell, Middleville and Sherri Lynn Nesbitt, Nashville Alexis Grace Hanchett, Hastings and Blake Eldon Mast, Hastings Kacie Lynn Lewakowski, Wayland and Robert Jordan Gonzales, Wayland Grace Lutheran Church is seeking a NURSERY ATTENDANT From 10:30 until Noon on Sundays Contact the church office at parishadmin@grace-hastings.org - Deadline November 1, 2022 - Linda R. (Kling) Sizeland of Cadillac passed away Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022 at Samaritas Senior Living in Cadillac. She was 71. Linda was bom on January 20, 1951 in Hast­ ings, MI to Gus L. and Bertha J. (Tonneson) Kling and they preceded her in death. Linda was raised in the Hastings area and attended school there. She later moved to the Cadillac area and on September 10, 1994 she married Gary L. Sizeland and he preceded her in death on May 29, 2007. Her hobbies included crocheting, word puzzles and animals. While living in the Manton area she was affiliated with the Lutheran Church. Linda is survived by her two siblings, Den­ nis (Charlene) Kling and Gayle (Robert) Shreve both of Mesick and her many nieces, and nephews. In addition to her parents and her husband Linda was preceded in death by two brothers, Richard Pederson and Russell Kling and a nephew, Michael Waldron. No services will be held at this time. Her final resting place will be Rutland Township Cemetery near Hastings. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Michigan. An online guestbook is available at www.petersonfh.com. , Francis Dale Hook Francis “Frank” Dale Hook, a jack-of-all trades, died Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. Frank age 88, of Charlotte, MI was borp September 19, 1934, in Baltimore Township, MI, the son of John and Evalyn (Ormsbe) Hook. After graduating from Hastings High School Frank enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country. Qp June 18, 1959, Frank married the love of his life Doris Carter. They spent the next 39 years creating lasting memories until her passing in 1998. He worked as a general laborer for Post Cereal, retiring after 30 years. Frank was a man who enjoyed tinkering on things, from working on cars, lawnmowers, and building wire trees. He also enjoyed collecting coins, replicas of cars, reading and watching west­ erns, doing word searches and his trips to Cadillac to go mushroom hunting. Above all Frank will be remembered as a man who was always there to support anyone in need. Frank is survived by his daughter, Debra (Rick) French; grandchildren, Greg (Crystal) Phillips, Jennifer (Miles) Warren, and Camer­ on Sebrell; three great-grandchildren; sister, Eva Peake; sister-in-law, Glenda Carter; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Doris; son, Russell Hook; siblings, Morris Hook, Dorothy Stratter, Ruth Roush, and Forrest Hook; parents; and brother-in-law, Raymond Carter. Friends are encouraged to support Frank’s family by sharing memories on his Tribute Page at www.prayfuneral.com. A private family graveside service will take place at Ft. Custer National Cemetery at a later date. If desired, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Dementip Society of America. The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte. ,• �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — Page 7 If Thornapple Kellogg school board races attract crowded field 7t* Greg Chandler ' Staff Writer • Ten candidates are running for four seats on the Thomapple Kellogg Board of Educa­ tion in the Nov. 8 election. Two of the available seats are for a full six-year term, while there is also a four-year seat and a two-year seat that will be decided on as well to fill out unexpired terms of board members who resigned in the past cou­ ple of years. Five candidates are running for two sixyear seats - Derrick Brock, Jeff Dickman, Allison Hinton, Katie Stanton and Tyler Wenger. Dickman and Hinton are current members of the TK board. A sixth candidate, thris Noah, appears on the ballot but he withdrew his candidacy after the filing dead­ line. Jake Welch and Brenda Hess are seeking the four-year seat that will expire at the end of 2026. Welch is an incumbent board mem­ ber. Three candidates are running for the twoyear seat that will conclude at the end of 2024 - Kyle Badge, Krissy Hooson and Dennis Landry. Hooson is an incumbent member of the board. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I was recently appointed to the Middleville Youth Football board. I have coached for two years in the youth football program. I have also had the opportunity to coach soccer and help with the youth wresting program. I enjoy volunteering in various community events. As someone who graduated from TK, I am pleased with the growth of our community youth programs, some of which were not established when I was in school. a school board in Texas, so I bring knowledge from that experience. I have worked in the nonprofit industry for 27 years. My work through the YMCA was youth focused - in Barry County, I created and brought to our youth the B. Bus Mobile Library, Y on the Fly, Y Mentors, and year-round feeding. I worked closely with district staff to bring these pro­ grams to TK youth. This allowed me direct contact with teachers, administrators, and stu­ dents. I also served as a CASA volunteer and worked closely with a TK student in special ed for several years. During this time, I was able to be in the classroom, helping her through daily struggles. I also substitute taught in TK schools. In our community, I taught Sunday school and currently serve on the Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee for my church. I have volunteered in various roles supporting PTA programs and other school wide events. Currently, I serve on the TK board after an appointment in January 2022. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I feel my role as a parent is to keep myself informed through the district website, by­ reading building/principal/teacher informa­ tion provided, and by asking questions. Also, it is to ensure my student is doing what he/she is being asked to do, to raise a person that is giving, service oriented and respectable. Candidates for six-year terms Name: Jeff Dickman Residence: Middleville Occupation: Project manager Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? Name: Derrick Brock Current residence: Village of Middleville Occupation: Certified public accountant Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? I do not have a particular issue making me run for the school board. I do agree with the goal of TK Schools in “Encouraging and Developing the Greatest Potential of Each Student” and will always do my best to sup­ port this for ALL students. After graduating from TK in 2006,1 always knew I wanted to raise my children in the community I was so fond of growing up in. I first considered running for the school board in 2021, when I noticed a fracture between the community and the school board. I then decided, if I want my children - and all the children of this community - to have the best School experience and hi ghost level of educa­ tion possible, the relationship needed to be repaired. I believe the honesty, transparency and trustworthiness that I can bring to the board will help repair that relationship. I am pinning to protect parental rights, protect our students frorm indoctrination, bring more transparency to the school board and put edu­ cation above all else. I am in project management in my career field. wfrctc1' ’ frfanhge ’Various1 projects arid people. I have one child who is a TK graduate and have two that are current students. I have previously served on church and youth camp boards and I currently serve on the TK school board. These experiences, along with consis­ tent and fair leadership and school board experience, will help me be an effective school board member. ; Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? Recently, the Michigan Department of Education has released guidance directed to educators on how to speak to students about specific topics. In these instructions, the Michigan Department of Education are also advising educators to keep information teamed during these talks from the student’s parents. It is my opinion that the school should never be able to hide information about a student from that student’s parents. Actions like these will lead to a breakdown in the key partnership that is needed between educators and parents. Let me be clear, I do not have knowledge of this currently happen­ ing at TK. However, I am running for a 6-year term. If elected, the voters will get an honest, transparent person who will defend parents’ rights to have a say in their child’s day-to day interactions with the school, with­ out being deceived. I believe the role of parents is to support their students both at home and throughout their educational process. Parents should have open communication and respectfully work with teachers, staff and administrators. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I currently serve on the Thomapple Kel­ logg school board. ' What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? As a graduate from TK, I am proud to be able to bring what I have learned from our community to the school board. One skill I learned growing up in this community was being a part of a team. Our school board will need to team with parents and educators to tackle large hurdles that are currently present­ ing themselves in our school. The only way We can overcome these hurdles is with solid leadership and teamwork. Some other skills I pride myself on upholding are trustworthiness ahd transparency. I am one of two candidates that have listed a lot of my stances on my social media page to make it very clear where I stand on issues. I have listed these issues to let everyone know what I stand for and to make it clear that I am a person you can trust upholding for the beliefs I have shared. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? Parents need be engaged with, not only their student, but also their student’s teacher to ensure support for our educators. As par­ ents take an active role in their student’s education, they can ensure a safe learning Environment and ensure our school’s curricu­ lum is meeting community and state stan­ dards. If a parent finds the school lacks a safe learning environment or the curriculum does riot meet community and state standards, it is important to bring that to the attention of the school board. For example, if parents find out our schools’ testing scores are lower than the state average, the community of parents have every right to ask for explanations as to why the schools has scored so low. Name: Allison Hinton Current residence: Middleville Occupation: Director of Operations, Unit­ ed Methodist Community House Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? To make a difference and to support educa­ tors. I truly feel if our educators are not sup­ ported and uplifted and trusted to do their jobs, then our students’ education will suffer. My work through the Y allowed me to work in schools alongside teachers and with stu­ dents, thus, seeing the daily successes and struggles teachers face. I want our school to remain a sought-after school to highly edu­ cate all students equitably. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? Honestly, it is the state of our community and the negative impact it has on our district. Additionally, I work hard to bring all voices to the table. As we emerge into a new dynam­ ic of LQBTQAI+ society and out of a life altering pandemic, we have to look at life differently. These are challenges to be met head-on as we all work to educate differently. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I am the daughter of a lifelong educator, thus, I grew up surrounded by educators in and out of school - those people had such a strong influence on who I am today. I have served on Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? The consensus of top concerns and my obligations: - Making certain our bid process saves taxpayer money. - Do the audits that will stop and prevent any temptation of embezzlement. - Respect parental choice. - Bridge the trust that has been lost between the community and the board. - Strengthen policies and procedures to discourage discrimination/differentiation of students. - Make certain our staff is being paid well. I have been attending meetings for the last few years and I do have solutions and ideas to share and hopefully implement. The founda­ tion is always focused on swift action to provide an excellent educatioh. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I believe that a quality education is monu­ mental in helping kids reach their full poten­ tial now and for the future. For my children, as well as the other students in the district, that education starts here at Thomapple Kel­ logg Schools. As a current school board member, I believe that I have the experience, training and knowledge, along with a calm and discerning demeanor, to continue to be a successful school board member. My priority is representing the community in supporting the education of all students. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? staff and other students. We need to empower our staff with policies that can put an end to these disruptions and create a precedence that such behaviors will not be tolerated on school grounds. If we are focused on giving students an excellent education, we need to set bound­ aries for conversations regarding sexual ori­ entation and how students want to identify, which could be different daily. Other policies that have a direct impact on our children: - Traditional bathroom settings. - Embrace parental and staff choice regard­ ing medical protocols. Our community deserves better with more integrity and better policies. Name: Katie Stanton Residence: Middleville Occupation: Paraprofessional/substitute teacher Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? Support parent and staff choice: I’ve felt a pull in my heart to run ever since my daugh­ ter started attending school. Then the pan­ demic hit and many of the decisions parents should naturally have been making for their children were being decided by the school bfrard.-Th^Va^a fmftTwc wefEirot ablElfr attend school board meetings, our rights were being infringed upon. When meetings were finally opened back up to in-person atten­ dance, I was at every meeting. Attending these meetings opened my eyes to many decisions being made that did not align with the wishes of the community. Over 75 percent of parents simply wanted a choice and so did I. Attending online school was misera­ ble for my daughter, causing many emotional concerns. Many students showed a decline in test scores and mental health. I knew force was not the answer. Board members took it upon themselves to go behind the community’s wishes at a backhanded attempt to influence the health director to force medical interven­ tions on our children. I would like to bring trust and integrity back to our schools by listening to parents; allowing parents to make major life decisions for their children while focusing my energy on closing the learning gap and work­ ing toward academic excellence. Save our hard-earned money: I’ve seen con­ cerns that should be addressed to support our hard-earned tax paying dollars. The bidding process should show the same details from each bid. This is how a school will save taxpay­ ers money, by choosing the bid that is the most cost effective - same details with different cost per bid. Instead, what I have seen, was that each bid showed different details, which is more costly to taxpayers, shows company favoritism and an ineffective competitive bid. Whenever we spend money wisely, future bonds are less. With a better bid process, we are also able to put money towards our students’ education and support our staff financially. Embrace transparency: Transparency builds trust. This is something that can be improved quickly. I will embrace transparency by: - Providing access to materials that the board is going over. - Allow more open dialogue during public comment and hot topics or ask for time to reply after the meeting. - Bridge gaps by allowing open communi­ cation between board members and staff (via email, questionnaire, one-on-one); Amend the policies that restrict this open dialogue. - Record meetings. Consistent policies need to be aligned at each building: After talking with hundreds of parents, it is clear there is weakness in policy. Our policies require consistency and action that is aligned for the students at each school. Phys­ ical harm should not be tolerated. Studies show that with consistency, proper action, and parent partnership, children that bully will not contin­ ue such behavior. Leaders-at each school need to collaborate to regain a focus that includes age-appropriate discipline action and is aligned with each building in the school district. There is also a concern mainly starting at the middle school with an excessive focus on gender identity, students openly “making out” in halls, and “furries” (students acting like animals by barking, growling, meowing at teacher/staff). This is simply disrespectful and creates a hostile work environment for both While attending college, I assisted people with daily living skills as a Certified Nursing Assistant. My degree encompasses a bache­ lor’s in business and elementary education. I’ve previously created budgets, worked as a paraprofessional, teacher and substitute teach­ er in many districts. I have many solutions and ideas that have been successful at other schools. For instance, it would be good to see a co-op program that utilizes local business’ skilled trade expertise. This program would also allow students the opportunity to create a resume and prepare them for a professional mock interview. This program has been a success at other schools because it prepares the student with skills and teaches them prop­ er business etiquette. grade classes around the area about the impor­ tance of agriculture and how our future will rely on it to feed the world going forward. My two specific reasons for running for tl^e TK school board are my two daughters. My children both attend TK schools and I want to be involved in their education. I believe TK has the best administrators, teachers, support staff and facilities and I want to be a part of the future of TK and help to continue the great things we already have going on in order.to ensure my girls get the same opportunities^! had as a student at TK. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? * There is not one particular issue that made me want to serve on the TK school board-. J genuinely just want to be a part of my daugh­ ters’ education, give back to the Middleville community and to serve the amazing TK teachers and staff. -2 What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? . I believe I bring many unique qualifications and skills to the TK school board. First, I am an extremely hard worker. I was bom and raised on a farm here in Middleville. I am not afraid of hard work and I am willing to put in the time and effort. Second, I love this com­ munity. I have lived here my entire life. My family believes in giving back to this wonder­ ful community because we feel very lucky to be surrounded by great educators, facilities and a community that values education. Giv­ ing back is a big part of who I am and my wife and I are instilling those same qualities in our daughters. Third, I am a very level-headed person. I can have great conversations with anyone. Whether they agree with me or not'T enjoy hearing other people’s perspectives^ I know that I have so much I can learn from other peoples experiences, so I believe in real­ ly getting to know a person in order to under­ stand where they are coming from in order tp come up with the best solution to a problem. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I feel that a parent plays many roles in a school district. Number one, a parent is a child’s first teacher. A parent is responsible for ensuring that their child is prepared and ready for school. Second, a parent’s role in a school district is to support the educators and staff in the schools. Parents and teachers should be partners that work together. That means com­ municating respectfully, ensuring that the child What do you feel the role of the parent is has everything they need to be successful. within the district? Last, a parent’s role is to be involved in ajfy The vital role of the parent will always be way that they can based on their individual top priority with my decisions at the board circumstances. Parents need to work hand-inlevel. Please let me help convey your voice to - Wboard.Ita-nd'Wit'frme«^fetrfgtm**a ‘po§ftiveMS our schools. It’s important to use the tools of communication to reach out to parents and vice versa. Parents should be allowed in schools. Our teachers can use their help. Par­ ents can mentor their student’s education. Studies show that family engagement leads to student success. Together we can see our scores rise and good traditions set back into place. Let’s get back to the basics! Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I’ve always helped at the schools whenever I am able. My husband and I have volun­ teered to coach sports. I plan to continue being the youth basketball coach. Now that my youngest is attending school, I’m able to volunteer more at the school and our church. I’m also excited to attend more community events. During the pandemic, there were 80-plus parents that filled out paperwork showing their interest for their children to attend a school that would allow choice that the current board was not offering. I wasn’t sure if my children would attend the school, but I wanted to help the parents have a choice. Focusing on an excellent education and creating a positive social emotional atmosphere is how we rise above the damage created from last mistakes. My family is root­ ed at TK schools, and I look forward to being a voice for our wonderful community. in order to ensure the success of all students;" Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. • I have spent the past eight years teaching third grade classrooms in the area with our Barry County Farm Bureau’s Agriculture Awareness Day. I also served on the county Farm Bureau board for a four-year term and served on the Middleville United Methodist church finance committee. As my girls con­ tinue to move through the grades at TK, J plan on serving with the TK Boosters and other youth programs involved in the school. I try to invest my energy on one board at *a time to ensure I am putting the most into what is expected of me and properly serving the boards that I have the honor of serving. Candidates for four-year terms Name: Brenda Hess Current residence: Middleville Occupation: Parish administrator, Grace Lutheran Church, Hastings Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? Name: Tyler Wenger Current residence: Middleville Occupation: Sales associate at Greenmark Equipment Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? I have been a resident of the Middleville community for my entire life. I attended TK from preschool and graduated in 2003.1 grad­ uated from Michigan State University in the fall of 2007 to obtain a bachelors of science degree in crop and soil sciences with a concen­ tration in turf grass management. After a year in the turf industry at the campus golf course I came back home. I am now in my 15th year of a retail sales position, 12 with GreenMark Equipment handling agricultural accounts of various backgrounds and sizes. During my tenure at GreenMark, I have participated in Agricultural Awareness day teaching 3third As a proud 1985 graduate of Thomapple Kellogg, I am running for the school board to serve the community I love. I am a firm believ­ er in public education and will work hard to be ensure all children receive the best education. We have a great district with high-quality teachers, staff and facilities. My top three pri­ orities are academic achievement, school safe­ ty and attraction and retention of teaching staff. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? , As stated in my previous answer, academic achievement and success in school for each and every student will be my focus. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? • I have 30 years of teaching experience in both Niles and Buchanan Community Schools. In addition to classroom teaching, I was a stu­ dent accommodations consultant and a literas See SCHOOL BOARD, page 8 r �Page 8 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner SCHOOL BOARD, continued from page 7----------------------------cy coach. My areas of expertise are in the areas of educational data collection/analysis, intervention programming for at-risk students and being a leader for intervention staff. In addition to my years in education, I also b.ave municipal leadership experience. I was a feiichanan city commissioner for one year, and then mayor for two years. My experiences and skills 1 have as a former city leader will fie an asset while serving on the TK board. J. I am confident I have the leadership skills and experience and I am prepared to work well 'with whomever is elected to the board in November. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? . Collaborative parent involvement is critical for student success. Parents are the first and most important teachers for their children, and as children enter school, parents should take an active role in their children’s education. This includes monitoring their child’s progress in school, seeking teacher feedback regarding their child’s progress, attending meetings and conferences, volunteering as available, partici­ pating in school activities and support learning at home by helping with homework. There are many opportunities for parent involvement within the TK district. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. . Presently, I am a trustee on the Thomapple Kellogg Alumni Association Board. My husband and I returned to Middleville in 2020 to be close to our parents and my time has been focused on family. In my previous community, I was a founding member of the Little Bucks Bookmo­ bile, a steward for four Little Free Libraries, a founding member of the Buchanan Tree Friends (a group seeking to reforest the city with native species of trees), an adult leader for the Buchan­ an Youth Committee teen group, and I volun­ teered as Mrs. Claus for city and library events. There are no particular issues that enticed me to apply to be appointed to fill the mid­ term open board seat and there remains no singular or group of issues that create my desire to run to fill the remainder of this term. Our family loves TK and any opportunity to lend a steady, consistent hand to help TK grow, I’m willing to give my time to do so. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? My time, though limited (one year), in serving on the TKSB has certainly given me valuable information and experience with which to perform future board duties. Also, as the assistant managing director at the BCRC, I am very familiar with working for the pub­ lic and communicating with the community. Having lived in the TK district for eight years, raising our two sons here, along with my professional experiences makes me uniquely qualified to serve on the TKSB. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? The collaborative relationship between parents, students, teachers and administrators is the driving force behind the success that TK has experienced in the past, and will con­ tinue to be the epicenter of success moving forward. Parents need to play an extensive role in their children’s education and should have the ability to have a great working rela­ tionship with educators. A large portion of learning happens at home, parent involve­ ment is instrumental in student success. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. 1 am currently serving on the TKSB. For the 2021 and 2022 seasons, I have volun­ teered as a coach on the TK varsity football team. For the last few seasons I have served as the head coach for a Thomapple Parks and Recreation “Select,” baseball team. Since 2015, I have served as the chairman for the Yankee Springs Township Zoning Board of Appeals and have coached youth football, baseball and basketball in and around the TK district since 2012. The opportunities I have had to positively impact the lives of TK school district’s youth have been a blessing and I look forward to continuing that for years to come. Candidates for two-year terms After much prayer and deliberation, I felt led towards education in my civic duty since I strongly believe that leading the way for our future generations is the top priority of today. I believe we need more unaffiliated, everyday Americans stepping up to repre­ sent their communities and I am glad that so many have decided to put themselves out there in this election. I have been out speak­ ing with and meeting hundreds of people over the past few years and education con­ tinues to be one of the top concerns. I will strive to represent what the majority of the community values in public education, while respecting the limits of government. Much of what I continue to hear and will make a priority include, protecting parental rights and family values, age-appropriate curricu­ lum, respecting medical and religious liber­ ties, transparency, promoting skilled and technical trades, limited spending and reduced energy usage. No. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? With extensive experience in HVAC, building automation, facilities and energy management, specifically working with K-12 schools; I know what it takes to ensure build­ ings are optimizing energy use while main­ taining proper indoor air quality and comfort for its occupants. As utility costs continue to rise, we need to ensure that we make wise purchases and are maintaining sound guide­ lines before we see unnecessary taxpayer money go down the drain. Throughout my career in the HVAC and construction indus­ tries, I have held various roles including Applied HVAC Sales Engineer, Project Man­ ager, Engineering Manager and Senior Soft­ ware Engineer. I am a LEED (Leadership in Energy Engineering and Design) Accredited Professional and currently the Chair of ASHRAE West Michigan’s Student Activi­ ties Committee, which works to encourage students to pursue careers in the industry and provide STEM resources to K-12 schools. As a Ferris State Graduate with a BS in HVACR Engineering Technology, it also gives me pleasure assisting the University with their summer internship program year after year. Over the years I have worked with hundreds of districts on complex technical and finan­ cial decisions involving facilities directors, superintendents, principals, teachers, board members, contractors, IT directors and AE firms. I believe this experience, amongst other leadership/life experiences, has given me the proper character and knowledge to represent our voters in this capacity. I believe parental involvement plays a cru­ cial roje in the development of the child and should be respected and encouraged by the district. There are numerous studies showing that increased parental involvement leads to better overall success. Parents should both aim to be partners with, and be treated as part­ ners by, the district regarding their child’s education. Middleville Occupation: Assistant Managing Direc­ tor, Barry County Road Commission Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I am running for TK school board to con­ tinue to bring a common sensical, level-head­ ed approach to assisting in the development of the direction and vision of the district. Setting policy and maintaining an effective and successful superintendent, coupled with setting a positive example for the students at TK, are the responsibilities of the board and likewise, are my priorities. Control Solutions Inc. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? Name: Kyle Badge Current residence: Middleville Occupation: Senior software engineer at I have not had much involvement in the local school district and am currently home­ schooling my children, but am eager to get more involved. Over the past couple of years, I have been the president of the Stand Up Michigan Barry County Chapter. It has been an exciting and rewarding, yet challenging, experience that has taught me so much about our community, the people and basic civics. Parents are the child’s first teachers. Many studies have highlighted the correlation between parent and teacher/district collabora­ tion and student success. Everyone should be on the same team, communicating openly and working towards a common goal. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I am a current board member of the Thor­ napple Area Enrichment Foundation (TAEF) and Serenity Village Hospice House of Barry County. I am a member of the Barry County Athena and the Michigan Association of School Boards. Previously, I served as a board member on the Barry Health Serviced Network and volunteered as an emergency services team member at Thomapple Valley Church. When my children were younger, I volunteer coached for Middleville AYSO and recently functioned as an assistant coach for Midwest United FC. I have enjoyed volun­ teering in my children’s classrooms, raising money for numerous school organizations and athletics, serving on the board of educa­ tion, and cheering for our kids on the sports’ field and in the classroom. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? Narhe: Jake Welch , Current residence: Payne Lake Road, I have had the chance to work with so many great people as we aimed to educate, inspire and activate citizens to get more involved in local government. I have also been a passion­ ate volunteer on the worship team at our family’s church for nearly 10 years and have worked on several community outreach proj­ ects. Name: Krissy Hooson Current residence: Middleville Occupation: Director of Operations, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? Serving on the board of education this past year has been a privilege. TK is an incredible school district and I feel a deep sense of pride in our Middleville community, which contin­ ues to call me to serve as a school board member. I enjoy giving back to the district that has poured so much into my children. The past several years have been challenging to navigate with unprecedented turnover in board members and administrative leader­ ship. As Thomapple Kellogg Schools contin­ ue to grow, academics should be a priority, along with mental wellness. Setting a robust strategic plan and dynamic leadership will continue this forward progress. If re-elected, I will continue to ensure that Thomapple Kel­ logg School district is serving the needs of all students. I am committed to our mission, “Encouraging and developing the greatest potential of each student.” Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? Thomapple Kellogg is a hidden gem! Rural location with an outstanding education. TK is an incredible school district. I enjoy using my time, talent and treasure to benefit our com­ munity. Our community is supportive of the schools. They invest in our schools, our edu­ cators are passionate about teaching, and our administrators put what’s best for kids first. Name: Dennis Landry Current residence: Middleville Occupation: Service manager Why are you running? What are your priorities? I have one daughter that graduated from TK and one still attending. This is an oppor­ tunity for me to serve the community that I live in. My priorities are to help preserve the amazing school district that we have while helping it grow and change with the needs of our children. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? No. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I have been in healthcare for 21 years, with the past 16 of those years in a leadership role. The experiences I bring to the board table include, but are not limited to, policy develop­ ment and implementation, listening to learn, in-depth knowledge of budgets and financial statements, contract negotiation, facility improvement and growth, and active engage­ ment in leadership accountability. I have served on the TK board of education for the past year, and as a trustee of several local non-profit organizations, I bring numerous years of board experience to the table. I am down-to-earth, trying to find the positive and humor in just about everything. These unique characteristics have served me well throughout my life. 1 am an Army veteran and have worked in customer service for 30 years. These posi^ tions have taught me how to serve with horn esty and integrity. I can listen and communi­ cate objectively. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? What do you feel the role of the parent is within the school district? The parent’s rote' in education is to be involved and be an advocate for their child. They need to be a partner and work together with their teachers. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. In the past I was a volunteer coach in the AYSO program here in Middleville. I am chairman of the finance committee at the Middleville United Methodist Church as well as a member of the administrative board. . '• ” '-.Z. Tom’s on Gun Lake welcomes shoppers Heritage Sunday for grand opening event Grace Lutheran Church cordially invites you to October 30th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. for worship and a heritage meal to follow. Please bring a dish to pass that reflects your heritage, or just come and enjoy. We look forward to meeting you. Amish Benefit Dinner October 14, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00pm 744 E. Brogan Rd., Hastings, Ml (Just off of M-37 Hwy.) (Home of Andrew and Sadie Raber) Cafeteria style, no reservations needed. Take-Out provided. Menu Roughly every week since spring, Nicole Smith has had customers wander into her store, unsure of what they might find. “I still get people every day saying ‘Oh, I didn’t know you were here,’ or ‘I didn’t know you were open,”’ Smith said. So, on Saturday, Smith and her team at Tom’s on Gun Lake cleared up the miscon­ ception by throwing a big party, complete with free food and live entertainment. Tom’s on Gun Lake, which serves as a second location for Tom’s Meat Market in Hastings, technically opened at the tail end of April of this year. It was a soft opening as area residents began to become acquainted with the store, locat­ ed at 11080 Gun Lake Rd. Formerly called Sam’s Gourmet, Tom’s on Gun Lake specializes in fresh meat while also providing an assortment of groceries. “It’s been embraced really well by the to include: barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes, bread dressing, gravy, mixed vegetables, salads, pies and homemade ice cream. Refreshments of coffee and water. (Baked Goods available for purchase!) - Proceeds to go for living expenses for Mrs. Ben (Susan) Raber. (Ben Raber died 4 years ago). The family of Ben Raber wishes to express their heartfelt thanks for your kind thoughts and well wishes! Local musician Michelle Moretti provided the soundtrack for the grand opening event. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) community,” Smith said at the grand opening event, which was packed with patrons. “I also live on Gun Lake so I saw that there was certainly a need. Just final­ ly doing it was the initial hurdle. But, the community is super happy.” Smith broke into the grocery game in 1999 when she and her late husband pur­ chased Tom’s Meat Market in Hastings. Since then, she has grown and doubled that business and hopes to do the same with its counterpart out in Gun Lake. “I had that footprint (in Hastings) and a playbook,” Smith said. “I know what we did well and I knew what I knew.” “We doubled (business in Hastings) since 1999 and I don’t want to take 20 years to do it here, but it may take a little time to have that kind of anchor in the community,” she added. Smith bought the former Sam’s Gour­ met at the beginning of 2022 and over­ hauled it with a new roof, pavement, ceilings and floors. Sam’s Gourmet, whose owner pursued Smith as a poten­ tial buyer for years before the sale, was known for its doughnuts, so Smith found a way to keep those. It’s a new wrinkle that doesn’t exist at her Hastings store. And, like every business, Smith con­ tinues to juggle the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hyperinfla­ tion that has followed. “We watch our margins and keep our inventories tight,” Smith said. “People still have to eat, which helps move things but they have choices. They don’t have to shop with me. It’s an incentive to me to keep my prices in line and competitive.” On Saturday, owner Nicole Smith staged a grand opening for Tom’s on Gun Lake, located at 11080 Gun Lake Rd. in Middleville. The store is Smith’s second as she has owned Tom’s Meat Market in Hastings since 1999. (Courtesy photo) Cashier Ivy Keyzer (left) assists one of the many shoppers that showed up for Saturday’s grand opening event for Tom’s on Gun Lake. The store launched a soft opening back in April. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Nicole Smith (right), owner of Tom’s on Gun Lake, said that the store has already been embraced by the surrounding community. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) �The Hastings SPORTS Thursday, October 13, 2022 Saxons can clinch another 1-8 title Friday Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings can clinch its third consecutive Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship with a win at Jackson Northwest Friday night. The Saxon varsity football team is the only team left in the 1-8 with an undefeated confer­ ence record at 5-0 and the only one-loss team left in the league standings is the Jackson Lumen Christi squad the Saxons beat by three points in the conference opener last month. The Mounties are 0-6 against Hastings since the Saxons joined them in the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference, but at 4-3 Northwest is hav­ ing its winningest season in a decade. A conference championship is out of reach for the rest of Barry County’s varsity football teams at this point. Lakewood was bested by rival Olivet in its final Greater Lansing Activ­ ities Conference contest last week and will go on the road to face a Decatur team this Friday night which just spoiled Delton Kellogg’s homecoming last week. Delton Kellogg returns to Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division action this week taking on Schoolcraft. Delton Kel­ logg is still chasing its first victory ever against the Eagles who have an 18-0-1 record all-time against the Panthers. Both teams are looking to bounce back from a tough stretch. Decatur rallied in the fourth quarter to spoil Delton Kellogg’s homecoming last week and Schoolcraft is coming off backto-back losses to Muskegon Catholic Central arid SAC Valley leading Lawton. Maple Valley will host Blackhawk Chris­ tian from Fort Wayne, Ind., for homecoming Friday night Oct. 14. Thomapple Kellogg lost a homecoming heart-breaker like the Delton Kellogg boys, losing a lead in the closing seconds, a?d will go on the road to finish off the OK Gold Confer­ ence schedule at Cedar Springs this week and at Grand Rapids Catholic Central in week nine. Cedar Springs is just 3-4 overall this season but has played a brutal schedule with those four losses coming against a River Rouge team ranked third in the state in Division 3, a South Christian team ranked second in the state in Division 4, the Catholic Central team ranked number one in Division 5 and the Zeeland West team ranked second in the state in Division 3. While the Tri-River 8-Man Football Con­ ference season is done for the Lions, this coming weekend will see 7-0 North Pointe Christian hosting Concord Friday with the Tri-River lead on the line. The Mustangs are 3-0 in conference currently while the Yellow Jackets head to Grand Rapids with a 4-0 con­ ference mark and a 4-3 overall record. Local Standings (W-L, playoffpoints) Hastings Delton Kellogg Lakewood Thomapple Kellogg Maple Valley (8-player) 6-1, 54.571 4- 3, 35.571 5-2, 34.000 2-5,30.714 2-5, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Hastings 6-1, 5-0 4-3,4-1 Lumen Christi Marshall 4-3, 3-2 Parma Western 4-3, 3-2 Northwest 4-3, 2-3 Harper Creek 2-5, 2-3 Coldwater 1-6, 1-4 Pennfield 0-7, 0-5 OK Gold Conference South Christian 7-0, 5-0 G.R. Catholic Central 6-1,4-1 Forest Hills Eastern 5-2, 3-2 3-4, 3-2 Cedar Springs Wayland 4-3, 2-3 Thomapple Kellogg 2-5, 2-3 Kenowa Hills 1-6, 1-4 0-7, 0-5 Ottawa Hills Thornapple Kellogg's Tyler Bushman holds up Kenowa Hills wide receiver Nolan Thayer short of the goal-line during their OK Gold Conference contest inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings 48, Parma Western 7 Hastings celebrated homecoming Friday night with a 48-7 victory over Parma Western inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. At the end, it was the tightest ballgame the Saxons have been in since the Friday after Labor Day. .............. . Hastings ran its Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference record to 5-0 with the victory and can clinch at least a share of its third consecutive conference championship with a victory at Jackson Northwest next Friday night. The Saxons had a 28-0 lead before Westem was able to find the end zone with 19 seconds remaining in the first half, and even that was too much time for the Panthers to leave the Saxons. Owen Carroll tossed a 50-yard touchdown pass to Jet Barnum with six seconds to go in the half to give Hastings a 34-7 advantage. Isiah Wilson and Lanny Teunessen had touchdown runs in the third quarter to close out the scoring for Hastings. Wilson followed his own 34-yard touchdown run with a twopoint run. Wilson and Carroll had two touchdown runs apiece. It was Robby Slaughter who go the Saxons on the scoreboard first, giving his team a 6-0 lead with a 72-yard TD run less than four minutes in. Carroll scored on 10-yard and oneyard runs in the second quarter, with Teunessen and Carroll adding two-point runs to extend the Saxon lead to 22-0 at the time. Wilson got his first touchdown on a sev­ en-yard run with 1:29 to play in the opening quarter - pushing the Saxon lead to 28-0. Hastings racked up 389 yards of offense in the ballgame. Slaughter closed the night with 13 rushes for 173 yards. Wilson had eight carries for 67 yards and Teunessen seven rushes for 51 yards. Carroll completed 2-of-3 passes for 61 yards. Slaughter surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark on the season during the victory and now has 1,075 yards on 100 carries this sea­ son with 12 rushing touchdowns. Teunessen had a team-high 5.5 tackles. Slaughter, Landon Steward and Simmet had four each. The Saxon defense turned the Panthers over six times. Laytop Eastman had two interceptions and recovered a fumble, and Steward and Barnum had one interception each. Gavin Tinkler recovered a fumble for the Saxons as well. Eastman now has four interceptions on the season after having five a year ago. Decatur 37, Delton Kellogg 22 The homecoming king and queen were crowned. Delton quarterback Torren Mapes fired a 39-yard touchdown pass to Philip Hal­ comb down the middle for what would be a 22-15 Delton Kellogg lead after the extra point kick by Mapes. The Delton Kellogg defense forced a turnover on downs to get the ball back. Then the fourth quarter happened. Decatur went on a 22-0 run in the fourth quarter to wipe out a seven-point Delton Kel­ logg lead and win its non-conference bail­ game with the Panthers 37-22 on homecom­ ing night in Delton Friday. The Panthers went three-and-out after tak­ ing over at the Decatur 46 three snaps into the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Decatur was in front thanks to a 69-yard touchdown run by Cameron Cropsey who bounded through traf­ fic at the left side of the line and then ran past the rest of the DK defense for the end zone. The two-point try was no good and Delton Kellogg still clung to a 22-21 lead. Decatur got the bounce it needed to power the rest of the comeback on the ensuing kick off. The ball hit at the ten-yard-line and start­ ed rolling parallel to the goal-line inside the three. The Delton Kellogg return man was forced to pick the ball up at step in front of his goal-line and he was taken down inside the one. The left side of the Decatur defense blew up the Panthers' first snap from inside the one, taking Mapes down in the end zone for a safety that pushed the Raiders in front 23-22. Things went from bad to worse .for DK when the Raiders' Brenden Hunsberger returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown and his team tacked on a twopoint pass for a 31-22 lead. Delton Kellogg's next possession ended in a fumble, giving the ball over to Decatur at the Panthers' 34-yard-line. A couple plays later Decatur quarterback Brandon Bruno plowed into the end zone from a yard out for the game's final points. Cropsey opened the game's scoring with a 29-yard touchdown run in the first quarter on a fourth-and-one carry. Decatur led 7-0 thanks to the extra-point kick. Delton Kellogg evened the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Mapes to Halcomb, with Mapes adding the extra-point kick. Mapes somehow managed to avoid four Decatur defenders in the backfield after a play fake, and lofted the pass to the back of the end zone where Halcomb came up with it to tie the game. Bruno tossed a six-yard TD pass to Cropsey and Delton answered with a five-yard TD run by Mapes before the second quarter was up, and the two teams went into the half tied 15-15. Mapes finished the game 5-of-8 passing for 126 yards and the two touchdowns to Halcomb. Halcomb had seven rushes for 21 yards to go with three receptions for 76 yards. Ricky Ramsey led the DK ground game with five carries for 31 yards. Mason Nabozny and Jason Lundquist had four tackles apiece for the DK defense, with Lundquist making two behind the line of scrimmage. Kenowa Hills 29, Thornapple Kellogg 28 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Lawton 6-1, 3-0 Schoolcraft 4-3, 1-1 Saugatuck 2-5, 0-2 Delton Kellogg 4-3, 1-1 1-4, 0-1 Galesburg-Augusta Greater Lansing Activities Conference 6-1,4-0 Olivet 5-2, 3-1 Lakewood Stockbridge 4-3, 1-3 3-4, 1-3 Perry 1-6, 1-3 Leslie Tri-River 8-Man Concord 4-3, 4-0 NorthPointe Christian 7-0, 3-0 Britton-Deerfield 4-3, 3-2 2-5, 2-3 Maple Valley 1-6, 1-4 Morenci 0-6, 0-4 Vandercook Lake Here is a round-up of last week’s local grid­ iron action. Maple Valley's Cam Carpenter fends off Britton-Deerfield defensive back Asher Wiser on a carry during the first half of their Tri-River 8-Man Football Conference match-up at Maple Valley High School Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Saxons' Lanny Teunessen (2) and Zander Forbes (22) bring down Parma Western's as teammates Gavin Tinkler (65) and Haiden Simmet (21) close in Friday night. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Coach Jeff Dock gave senior Logan Mason a quiet moment then urged him up off a knee on the sideline in front of where the Tro-zone student section had cleared out and the Eric C. DeGroote scoreboard had gone dark. Senior Carsen Burbridge got a hug from his father, Greg Burbridge, atop the orange and black Trojan at midfield inside Bob White Sta­ dium as the last of the spectators were exiting. Moments will flash like the fireworks that exploded time and again south of the stadium on homecoming night in Middleville Friday. A fourth down stop. A flag. A pass interfer­ ence call. A lobbed pass to the front of the end zone. Jet motion coming to the right and a pass over the middle for a two-point conver­ sion. Kenowa Hills students in their pajamas sliding down the grass hill on the visitor’s sideline to celebrate their Knights’ first win of the season. The Kenowa Hills varsity football team spoiled homecoming at Thomapple Kellogg High School, scoring a 29-28 victory over the Trojans. The Knights are now 1-6 overall this season while TK falls to 2-5. Thomapple Kellogg took a 28-14 lead with nine and a half minutes to play in the fourth quarter, but the Knights put together two Delton Kellogg's Mason Nabozny finds space out of the backfield during his team's homecoming contest against visit-, ing Decatur Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) scoring drives in those final nine and a haff minutes and converted on a two-point con­ version with 19 seconds to go to nudge into; the lead by a point. > The game-winning drive for the Knights started at their own 18-yard-line after a TIC punt with just under two minutes to go in. the fourth quarter. The TK offense had been able to eat up two and a half minutes and forceffle Knights to use all three of their time outs after Kenowa Hills had pulled within 28-21 with. 4:38 to go on a 29-yard touchdown run by junior running back Giles Ansmits. ... Kenowa Hills quarterback Jack Zegunis connected on four straight passes to get-his team to the TK 36 with just over a minute to play. An incomplete pass, a Trojan sack and another incomplete pass had the Knights facing a fourth-and-15 at the TK" 41-yard-line with 31 seconds to play. Zegu­ nis heaved a pass up the left side for senior wide receiver Andrew Bradley, who collid­ ed with TK comer Ethan Bonnema as the pass flew well over their heads. A pass; interference penalty gave the Knights new life with a first down at the TK 25-yard-line with 26 seconds to go. *. - ? Zegunis lofted a pass on that first down play' high to the front right comer of the end zone. Bradley rose up above TK comer BrodyWiersma to snag the ball just outside the goal-­ line and then twisted into the end zone for a touchdown that got his team within 28-27.’ * 7 Rather than a fourth extra-point kick from Diego Rivera-Vazquez to tie the game with 19 seconds to go, the Knights chose to go-for two-points and the win. Kenowa Hills soph-, omore wide receiver Juliusz Andino cam'e-iri a jet sweep motion from left to right and theft cut to the center of the end zone at the sr$p creating just enough space to haul in the pass that came his way from Zegunis who wasrolling to his right. • 3* - See FOOTBALL, page 10 �Page 10 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 —The Hastings Banner FOOTBALL, continued from page 9 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Delton Kellogg quarterback Torren Mapes gets the play call from assistant coach TMbrk Nabozny during the Panthers' homecoming contest against visiting Decatur Ffiday night. (Photo by Perry Hardin) The TK offense managed one 20-yard pass to senior back Zack Gibson and had first­ and-10 at its own 35 with 14 seconds to go. Burbridge, the TK quarterback, found Gibson again, but this time the Knights didn’t let the speedy Trojan back get to the sideline and eventually swarmed him as the clock ran out. Both teams lost a 14-point lead in the ball­ game. Kenowa Hills took a 14-0 lead thanks to a one-yard TD run by Ansmits in the mid­ dle of the first quarter and a three-yard TD pass from Zegunis to Sutton Tutas a minute and a half into the second quarter. TK answered with two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the first half to brighten the orange and black fans’ spirits heading into the halftime festivities. Gibson got TK on the scoreboard with a 19-yard TD run with 4:54 to go in the half the last of 11 rushing plays on a drive that covered 80 yards as the TK offensive line showed its might. Burbridge then tossed a 22-yard TD pass to tight end Jaxan Sias with 56 seconds to go in the half at the end of a 65-yard drive. That TD pass came on a fourth-and-five play. Bur­ bridge pump faked to the left and then fired to a wide open Sias. Kicker Reece Hoeksma was a perfect 4-for-4 on his extra-point attempts for the night for TK. TK took its first lead of the bailgame with 4:03 to play in the third quarter on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Bonnema. Burbridge faked a pitch to the left then hit Bonnema streaking down the middle for the score. TK pushed its lead from 21-14 to 28-14 on a four-yard TD run by Gibson with 9:20 to go in the game. Burbridge had a team-high 13 rushes for 94 yards Friday. Drake Snyder had ten carries for 61 yards. Bonnema rushed nine times for 54 yards and Gibson had six rushes for 53 yards. On the night, TK outgained the Knights 368 yards to 246. TK lost a fumble on its opening possession of the second half, inside the Knight 15-yard-line, for the only turnover of the ballgame. Burbridge was 5-of-8 passing for 97 yards and the two touchdowns. Gibson was his top target. He hauled in three receptions for 53 yards. Zegunis was 15-of-25 passing for 143 yards in the ballgame for the Knights. He threw two touchdown passes too. Thayer had seven receptions for 102 yards and Bradley pulled in two passes for 25 yards and a touchdown. The TK defense was solid much of the evening Bonnema and homecoming king Tyler Bushman broke up a handful of passes. The Trojan defense would have certainly liked to have brought Ansmits down sooner on his fourth quarter TD run. He managed to break tackles at the 20 and again near the five yard line and bull hi^way into the end zone. T Ansmits,. finisheT^iffi. nine rushes for 63 'yaras. Bradley," a “Wildcat” quarterback’ kt times for the Knights; had three rushes for 25 yards. Andino had five carries for 24 yards. Thomapple Kellogg's Tyler Bushman and Chad Lennert head, off the field together after Kenowa Hills' go-ahead two-point conversion in the final seconds in Middleville Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) those two seasons were the only GLAC defeats for the Olivet varsity football team which closes its time in the conference with a 39-2 record. Lakewood went 32-9 in the GLAC over the years, with seven of those losses to Olivet and the other two against the Stockbridge program it throughly dominated on homecoming night at Lakewood High School last week. A 17-yard touchdown run by Ethan Goodemoot and Landon Makley’s extra-point kick accounted for the Vikings’ only points at Olivet Friday night. That touchdown came after the Eagles had built a 35-0 lead. Ramsey Bousseau scored all five Olivet offensive touchdowns and also booted a 27-yard field goal. He had 68-yard and 43-yard touchdown receptions. He had touch­ down runs of 86, 12 and 81 yards. The Eagles didn’t need any help, but the Vikings gave them some. An interception return for a TD by Brody Lehman late in the first half helped the Eagles lead 35-0 at the break. The Eagles also benefitted from a trio of Lakewood fumbles in the early going and an interception by Tayven Feldpausch. Quarterback Nathan Willette paced the Viking offense with 16 rushes for 107 yards. Back Cole Anderson had 19 carries for 91 yards. Willette Was 12-of-25 passing for 123 yaras.' He spread Tfre" ball' around^to seven different receivers. Britton-Deerfield 16, Maple Valley 11 Olivet 42, Lakewood 7 Hastings senior Robby Slaughter returns a kick against Parma Western during the -Saxons' homecoming victory Friday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. (Photo by . • Jason Slaughter) That’s a wrap on the Greater Lansing Activities Conference varsity football com­ petition. The Olivet Eagles clinched their seventh GLAC championship in the conference’s nine seasons with a 42-7 win over the visiting Lakewood Vikings Friday night at Olivet High School. The Eagles and Vikings both entered the contest with 5-1 overall and 3-0 conference records. Olivet ceded the GLAC title to Lakewood in 2015 and 2016. Losses to the Vikings in Scoring points in all three phases wasn’t quite enough for the Maple Valley varsity football team as it fell 16-11 to visiting Britton-Deerfield in the final Tri-River 8-Man Football Confer­ ence contest of the season for the Lions Satur­ day at Maple Valley High School. Lion quarterback Ayden Wilkes had a 2 5-yard touchdown run early in the second half to pull the Lions to within 16-11 of the Patriots, but it was the final scoring play of the afternoon as Maple Valley falls to 2-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play this fall. Britton-Deerfield was in control early on. The Patriots put together two long, steady­ offensive drives early. The first ended in a fum­ ble recovery by the Lions’ Callan Hoefler at the Lion 32-yard-line, but the second ended with big 6-0, 215-pound running back Nick Wayne plowing into the end zone from five yards out. Quarterback Tristan Johnson hit Asher Wiser with a two-point pass for an 8-0 Patriot lead. The Lions followed up that score with their own steady drive, moving 66 yards to the Patri­ ot four-yard-line before Wilkes fired a thirddown pass into the hands of Hoefler in the end. zone. A flag flew in the end zone however as an official thought he saw Hoefler push off a defender to create some space. An offensive pass interference penalty wiped the touchdown off the scoreboard and pushed the Lions back to a third-and-goal from their own 19. The drive stalled out there, but the mostly successful offensive series still turned into some point for the Lions. The Patriots took over at their own 14-yard-line. Johnson was taken down behind the line for a loss of four yards on first down and on second down he dropped back to pass, and then dropped back some more and Lion linebacker Nic Martin pulled him down just across the goal-line for a safety. The Lions received the Patriot punt, trail­ ing 8-2, and moved into scoring position again. This time the offense got as close as the Patriot eight-yard-line before being pushed back by a holding penalty. Maple Valley fiad’ td ^ett1e^fbT'^*27-j^d field goal from Jessy Deppe with 4:16 to go in the first half that pulled them within 8-5. The special teams scored and the special teams gave up points. The teams traded rough offensive series over the next couple minutes. The Patriots punted to the Lions on a fourthand-28 from their own 30. After three offen­ sive plays, the Lions were set to punt on fourth-and-25 from their own 36 when the long snap got away and Britton-Deerfield recovered and moved the ball to the Lion four-yard-line with 37 seconds to play in the first half. Wayne ran into the end zone from the two with 36 seconds to go in the half and then ran in a two-point try to give his team a 16-5 halftime advantage. No. 1 Gull Lake awaits Trojans or Beavers in district semifinals The Thomapple Kellogg varsity boys’ soc'Cer.team was set to open the MHSAA Divi­ sion 2 state postseason with a district opening contest against Harper Creek in Middleville Hast night, Oct. 12. / The Trojans had a rough conclusion to the regular season with their only two victories after Sept. 1 against the Ottawa Hills Bengals. After a 2-4-1 OK Gold Conference regular season the TK boys went 1 -2 in the confer­ ence tournament, taking a 6-0 win over Otta­ wa Hills in the first round of consolation MKIIAll KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 License #8110376 & Insured Beautiful Cotton Prints ' | New Collections by ®Moda Zippers, Threads, Buttons. and more! ★habitat quilt raffle* Tickets: 1 for s2 -or- 3 for 55 Drawing will take place on Oct. 26,2022 QUESTIONS: ASK US... & 218 E. State St., Hastings • If ■■■■ f 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; ajTSj Saturday 9 am-3 pm SK3 Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station i games last Wednesday. Wayland avenged an early season loss to the TK boys with a 3-1 win in Middleville Saturday to finish off the conference tournament. TK heads into the postseason with a 9-9-1 overall record, and it is a tough district brack­ et that the. Trojans face. The winner of last night’s match will face Gull Lake, the top ranked team in the state in Division 2, in the district semifinals Monday in Middleville. Game time for that semifinal match is 5:30 p.m. The district tournament’s other open­ ing round games see Charlotte take on Marshall and Hastings take on No. 8-ranked Parma Western. The Saxons and Panthers face off tonight, Oct. 13, in Hastings. Hawkeyes take down TKHS volleyball team Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg varsity volleyball coach Tia Cross liked the way her girls battled in a tough non-conference loss with visiting Hamilton Thursday evening. The Hawkeyes got off to a great start, running to a 17-8 lead in the opening set, but the Trojans battled back to make the Hamilton girls work for the win. TK got within 23-21 before the Hawkyes closed out a 25-22 win and then went on to take the final two sets 25-14, 25-17. “We had to make adjustments due to ill­ ness, bu the players handled it very well,” Cross said. She was pleased to see her girls playing consistently throughout the night. Changes included junior Jessie Drenten donning the libero jersey for the eve­ ning and her teammate Charlotte Nelson taking over the setting duties for the full rotation - moving the team from a 5-2 offense to a 6-1. Nelson put up 16 assists on the night. Grace Zube had a team-high nine kills to go with 13 digs for the Trojans. Peyton Pratt finished with six kills. The Trojans were bested 25-9. 25-14, 25-16 by Catholic Central in Grand Rap­ ids in an OK Gold Conference match Tuesday evening. “Catholic Central is a good volleyball team and they did a lot of good thing,” Thornapple Kellogg's Thea Zellmer (12) and Alana Compton (16) work to thart Hamilton's Jeralyn Hoppes at the net during their non-conference match in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Cross said. “We couldn’t make the adjust­ ments that needed to be made.” Brooklyn Harmon had six kills in the loss. Kenna VanElst had a team-high 11 digs. TK will play host to Kenowa Hills in a conference match Tuesday and then go to Gull Lake Thursday in the week ahead. Thornaple Kellogg's Peyton Pratt hits an attack during her team's non-conference match with visiting Hamilton Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — Pagefil LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 03, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Seth C. Lawrence, and Amy L. Lawrence, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Rand L. Koetje and Suzanne L. Koetje, husband and wife, as joint tenants with full rights of survivorship Date of mortgage: March 13, 2009 Recorded on March 16, 2009, in Document No. 20090316-0002388, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Witold Enterprise LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Two Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-Four and 20/100 Dollars ($102,844.20) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Land located in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8-West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes 48 seconds East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet; more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumers Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence North 88 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds West along said South line 401.41 feet more or less, to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 15 seconds West along said West line, 974.31 feet, more or less, to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section 31; thence South 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds East along said East and West 1/4 line 434.30 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. Description Easement for ingress and egress: TOGETHER WITH a non-exclusive 66 foot wide easement for ingress and egress in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, the centerline of which is described as: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line, North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet, more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumer's Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence continuing North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 72.29 feet; thence North 41 degrees 48 minutes 33 seconds East 377.74 feet; thence North 61 degrees 13 minutes 06 seconds East 19.99 feet; more or less, to the South line of the Northeast 1/4 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence continuing North 61 degrees 13 minutes 03 seconds East 121.74 feet; thence North 86 degrees 21 minutes 17 seconds East 395.47 feet; thence North 28 degrees 52 minutes 55 seconds East 178.71 feet; thence North 00 degrees 05 minutes 37 seconds West 372.03 feet; thence North 30 degrees 17 minutes 58 seconds West 326.86 feet; thence North 89 degrees 14 minutes 00 seconds West 377.23 feet; thence North 34 degrees 28 minutes 51 seconds West 40.41 feet to the of ending. Commonly known as 732 W Sheffield Road, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Witold Enterprise LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1478056 (10-06)(10-27) 188900 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29268-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 Estate of Michael Reed Smith. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael Reed Smith, died 7-4-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Georgia Kay Smith, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. David H. Tripp P29290 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Georgia Kay Smith 12475 Oakwood Shores Street Wayland, Ml 49348 269-795-9882 . 189040 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of bolding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Patrick W. Elliott and Mary A. Elliott, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-4 Date of Mortgage: May 18, 2007 Date of Mortgage Recording: June 25, 2007 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $49,610.41 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 4 and the West 1/2 of Lot 5 of Barrett Acres Plat, according to the Recorded Plat thereof as Recorded in Liber 4 of Plats on Page 30, Barry County Records, also beginning at the Northwest corner of said Lot 4 of the Recorded Plat of Barrett Acres, thence South 89 Degrees 18 Minutes East on the North Line of Lot 4, 100 Feet, thence North 134 Feet, Thence North 89 Degrees 18 Minutes West 100 Feet, Thence South 134 Feet to the Place of Beginning. Being Part of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West. Common street address (if any): 239 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-7516 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapte1' 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Claude McClurg, A Single Man Original Mortgagee: Honor Credit Union Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: ebruary 24, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: March 3, 2020 Amount claimed cue on date of notice: $124,806.13 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: All that part of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as Beginning at a point 656 feet East of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence East 62 feet, thence South 165 feet, thence West 62 feet, thence North 165 feet to place of beginning. ALSO: Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 5/10 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 5/10 rods to the place of beginning. EXCEPT the West 62 feet of the following described premises; Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 1/2 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 1/2 rods to the place of beginning, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 308 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-9504 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1475942 (09-22X10-13) 1477846 (10-06X10-27) 187893 FORECLOSURE NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 01:00 PM, October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by John C. Smith, a married man and Amanda J. Smith, his wife to Fifth Third Mortgage - Ml, LLC, Mortgagee, dated December 12, 2007, and recorded on January 11, 2008, as Document Number: 20080111-0000387, Barry County Records, said mortgage was assigned to Fifth Third Bank, National Association, FKA Fifth Third Bank as successor by merger to Fifth Third Mortgage Company by an Assignment of Mortgage dated March 08, 2011 and recorded March 21, 2011 by Document Number: 201103210003288, , on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Six Thousand Two Hundred Sixty-Seven and 16/100 ($106,267.16) including interest at the rate of 4.50000% per annum. Said premises are situated in the Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan, and are described as: Part of the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 27, town 3 north, range 9 west, Rutland Township, Barry County, Michigan, described as commencing at the northwest corner of said section 27, thence south 66.00 feet along the west line of said section 27 to the true point of beginning, thence east 200.00 feet parallel with the north line of said section 27, thence south 600.00 feet parallel with said west line, thence west 200.00 feet parallel with said north line, thence north 600.00 feet along said west line to the point of beginning. Containing 2 acres, more or less, and being subject to any easements, restrictions or conditions of record. Commonly known as: 2031 HUBBLE RD, HASTINGS, Ml 49058 If the property is eventually sold at foreclosure sale, the redemption period will be 6.00 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned or used for agricultural purposes. If the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 and/or 600.3241a, the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of sale, or 15 days after statutory notice, whichever is later. If the property is presumed to be used for agricultural purposes prior to the date of the foreclosure sale pursuant to MCL 600.3240, the redemption period is 1 year. Pursuant to MCL 600.3278, if the property is sold at a foreclosure sale, the borrower(s) will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. TO ALL PURCHASERS: The foreclosing mortgagee can rescind the sale. In that event, your damages are, if any, limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest. Dated: September 22, 2022 Randall S. Miller & Associates, P.C. Attorneys for Fifth Third Bank, National Association 43252 Woodward Avenue, Suite 180, Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48302, (248) 335-9200 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Case No. 17MI00493-2 (09-22)(10-13) 188198 188801 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on October 27, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Linda Weyerman, married and husband Eldon B. Weyerman Original Mortgagee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Nationstar Mortgage LLC Date of Mortgage: May 3, 2012 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 29, 2012 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $72,814.38 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: That part of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 36, Town 4 North, Range 9 West, lying South of Hammond Road, described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the above described premises for the place of beginning; thence South 220 feet; thence West 115 feet; thence North 220 feet; thence East 115 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 2841 Hammond Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-8931 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: September 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1476288 (09-22)(10-13) 188037 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Jett Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 4933$? 269-205-2650 Lf. ' &■ How should you pay for short-term financial goals? As you go through life, you will likely have long- and short­ term financial goals. But how will your strategies for meet­ ing your long-term goals differ from those needed for your short-term ones? If you’re like most people, your biggest long-term goal is achieving a comfortable retire­ ment. And for this goal, a com­ mon strategy is putting away money in tax-advantaged re­ tirement vehicles, such as your 401(k) and IRA. So, how should you go about preparing for shorter-term goals, such as a family vaca­ tion, home renovation, wedding or major purchase? For starters, determine what your goal is, how much you can spend on it and when you’ll need the money. Even if you can’t pinpoint a precise amount, you can develop a good esti­ mate. Of course, the sooner you start this process, the better off you’ll be, because you’ll have more time to save. Your next decision involves the maimer in which you save for your short-term goal. Spe­ cifically, what savings or invest­ ment vehicles should you use? The answer will be different for everyone, but you need to make sure that your investments align with your risk tolerance and time horizon. And you’ll want to ensure, as much as possible, that a certain amount of money is available for you at the spe­ cific tune you’ll need it. If you aren’t able to save enough to reach a short-term goal, you have other options — you can borrow what you need, or you can potentially sell investments to cover the cost. How can you decide which choice is best? To help make up your mind, you’ll first want to consider some of the most common bor­ rowing options: credit cards, home equity loans, personal loans and margin loans. (A mar­ gin loan lets you borrow against the value of investments you already own). How might each of these loans fit into your over­ all financial strategy? Will the repayment schedule work with your cash flow and budget? You’ll then want to com­ pare the costs and benefits of borrowing, in whatever form, against selling investments. For example, if you can borrow at a lower interest rate compared to the return you think you can get from your investments, borrowing might be a reason­ able choice. You’ll also need to consider other factors, such as your credit score, taxes, fees associated with selling invest­ Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Barbara Fleser, an unmarried woman and Steve Savoy, an married man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): FLAGSTAR BANK, FSB Date of Mortgage: December 21,2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 2, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $160,318.27 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 34, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 1265.00 feet along the East 1/8 line to said Section 34 to the true place of beginning; thence South 220.00 feet along said East 1/8 line; thence West 242.00 feet at right angles; thence North 220.00 feet; thence East 242.00 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 3780 McKeown Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-9142 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 13, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1478535 (10-13X11-03) 189150 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Revocable Inter Vivos Trust ments and time needed to repay*, debts. If, for instance, selling* investments will trigger a large amount of taxes, borrowing might be preferable. You’ll: also want to consider whether there’s a penalty or high costsassociated with selling invest-” ments. In addition, if you havea long time horizon for a loan, you may want to sell invest-' ments to avoid paying interest, for a longer period of time, and1 thus driving up the overall cost of borrowing. Finally, keep in mind that you ’ may have built an investment* mix designed to align with yourl goals and risk tolerance. If youi were to sell any of these invest­ ments to meet short-term needs, you would want to consider thej need to rebalance your portfolio'' to maintain your desired asset­ allocation. As you can see, there’s a fot_. to think about when it comes'topaying for short-term goals. Butby carefully evaluating your op-, tions, you can make the choices; that are right for your needs. * 1 4 This article was written by* Edward Jones for use by your" local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member"' SIPC STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT . -. *j- . BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29243-DE ~ William M. Doherty *~ Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 '- • Estate of Richard Lynn Robinson. Date of birth: 10/11/1953. . TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Richard Lynn Robinson, died 05/30/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Johanna H. Fenn, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206' W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 8/10/2022 . , Christopher Shourds P82401 644 Lovette Avenue SE, Suite C Grand Rapids. Ml 49506 (616)855-0914 , Johanna H. Fenn ■, 1870 Pine Bluff - 1 ‘ Hastings, Ml 49058 (616)430-3397 189218 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT ‘1 BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS ... Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. AND JUDGE: 22-29300-DE • * William M. Doherty P-41960 . . Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302,Hastings, Ml 49058 ’■ - ‘ Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 - Estate of Chester J. Merda. Date of birth: June 5, 1961. 7 \ TO ALL CREDITORS: ‘ 1'-. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Chester J. Merda, died August 3, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Allison Merda, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. •J’*", Date: 10/3/2022 Robert L. Byington P-27621 222 West Apple Street, P.O. Box 248 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-9557 Allison Merda 424 N. Park Wayland, Michigan 49348 269-352-6481 '■ '' . J■ . ■> 188962 «* GWENDOLYN A. BURG LIVING TRUST DATED OCTOBER 28, 2015, as amended TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The Settlor of the trust, Gwendolyn A. Burg, who lived at 324 N. State Street, Nashville, Ml 49073, died September 4, 2022. Creditors of the Settlor, Gwendolyn A. Burg, are notified that all claims against the trust will be forever barred unless presented to Kim M. Furlong, the trustee of the trust at PO Box 675, Nashville, Ml 49073 within 4 months of the date of publication of this notice. Date: 10/4/2022 KREIS, ENDERLE, HUDGINS & BORSOS, P.C. By: Kay E. Kossen (P56627) One West Michigan Ave. Battle Creek, Ml 49017 269-966-3000 Kim M. Furlong PO Box 675 ~ Nashville, Ml 49073 269-832-2023 189198 STATE OF MICHIGAN -J PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY ~ ”, NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate -- ' FILE NO. 19-28241-DE c Estate of Joan J. Timmerman. Date of birth; 06/04/1932. TO ALL CREDITORS: ? ' NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joan J. Timmerman, died 01/14/2019. Creditors of the decedent are notified that ail claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Wiley M. Timmerman, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. . • Date: 10/05/2022 James A. Wesseling (P40226) 6439 - 28th Avenue - _ Hudsonville, Michigan 49426 (616) 669-8185 Wiley M. Timmerman .* 6991 Duncan Lake Road ' *Middleville, Michigan 49333 (616)891-8200 • T’ J89W9 j �Page 12 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner ■IMiMMMHMMMH■ Banner CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL NOTICES CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Gall for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION ahd repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets M(NIAUSSIEPOOS: VET checked ready to go, $300. 517-726-0706 JUVENILE PROBATION OFFI­ CER- The purpose of this job is to investigate assigned cases and rec­ ommend appropriate disposition of juvenile cases. Supervises youths formally and informally under the court's jurisdiction, maintains case documentation, and performs other case supervision related functions. Bachelor's degree in sociology, psychology, criminal justice, or a related field is required. 1-3 years of experience in juvenile justice, social work, case work, or a related field is required. Full-time with benefits. $22.33 per hour to start. Please email cover letter and resume to: Deputy Court Administrator Dave Pelon, 206 W. Court St. Ste. 302, Hastings, MI 49058 OR email: dpelon@barryco.org Help Wanted Business Services ____________________ TREES LLC- HIRING ALL posi­ tions!!! No experience required. Call 231-414-7510. Base pay on experi­ ence, with full benefits. GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Beneffts-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St. Sunfield, MI. BOSTON TERRIER PUPPIES: 1st shots and dewormed, very cute $500. 517-852-3007 Fann WRAPAROUND COORDINATOR' FACILITATOR- The purpose of this job is to coordinate teams of profes­ sionals, parents, para professionals, natural support people and others within the community to plan and implement strategies to meet the needs of high risk youths and families, and to monitor the progress of cases in an attempt to prevent out of home place­ ment or facilitate early return to the home. The Wraparound Coordinator facilitates the timely deliver}' of ser­ vices to youths and families, advocates on the behalf of children and families, and ensures that treatment, transi­ tion ar 1 crisis plans are developed, implei nted and monitored. This position ay also supervise a juvenile probation aseload. Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, child de­ velopment, family services, criminal justice, or a related field is required. 1-3 years of experience in a juvenile court, children's mental health agency, child welfare agency, or related field APPLES $10 PER Peck- Ida Reds and Red Delicious. 4425 Heath Rd., Hastings 269-945-2705. NOTICE OF REGISTRATION FOR THE ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN GENERAL ELECTION 7 |I TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS: s The Barry County Townships of Assyria, Baltimore, Barry, Carlton, Castleton, Hastings Charter, Hope, Irving, fe Johnstown, Maple Grove, Orangeville, Prairieville, Rutland, Thornapple, Woodland, Yankee Springs and the City of ■T Hastings. COUNTY OF BARRY STATE OF MICHIGAN x.-j PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any qualified elector of the above named jurisdictions who is not already mistered, may P register to vote at the office of the Township or City Clerk; the Office of the appropriate County Clerk; a '°cretary of State branch office, or other designated state agency. Registration forms can be obtained at www.mi.gov/vote and ■k; mailed to the Township or City Clerk. Voters who are already registered may update their registration at www. expressSOS.com. The last day to register in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk is Monday, October 24, 2022. LAKEWOOD SCHOOLS: LAKEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $64,000,000 Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Lakewood Public Schools, 223 W. Broadway Street, Woodland, Michigan 48897-9798. telephone: (616) 374-8043. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE THAT THE BONDS CF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF APPROVED BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE ELECTORS AT THIS ELECTION, WILL BE GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BONDS PAYABLE FROM GENERAL AD VALOREM TAXES. MAPLE GROVE: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE RENEWAL MILLAGE Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Maple Grove Township, of 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) be renewed at 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for four years, 2022 through 2025 inclus ve for the purpose of providing Emergency Medical Service, raising an estimated $48,000 in the first year the millage is levied? PLAINWELL SCHOOLS: PLAINWELL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW 3 MILLS FOR 5 YEARS FOR HEADLEE RESTORATION PURPOSES, IF NECESSARY Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Plainwell Community Schools, 600 School Drive, Plainwell, Michigan 49080-1595, telephone: (269) 685-5823. WOODLAND. Address Regular Business Hours Hours on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 Hours on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 City of Hastings Amy Hubbell 201 E, State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday - Friday 9 am - 4 pm 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm VILLAGE OF WOODLAND: Annette Terry Assyria Twp. 8094 Tasker Road Bellevue, Ml 49021 By Appt. 10:00 am -6:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm j 8:00 am -4:00 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Marcia Scramlin Castleton Twp. 915 Reed Street PO Box 679, Nashville, Ml 49073 By Appt. 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Anita Mennell Hastings Charter 885 River Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Tuesdays 9 am - noon & 1-4 9 am - 5 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Deborah Jackson Hope Twp. 5463 S. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, Ml 49058 Wednesdays 9 am - noon & 1:15-3:00 pm: Thursday & Friday 1-3 pm 8:00 am-4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm MILLAGE RENEWAL FOR PARK OPERATIONS Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within the Village of Woodland be renewed at the two (2) mills ($2 per $1000 of taxable) value) for the period of 2023 through 2026 inclusive for the purpose of park operation and shall the Village levy such| renewal in millage for the said purposes thereby raising in the first year an estimated $16,143.98? _ . NOTICE OF PUBLIC ACCURACY TESTS Notice is hereby given that a Public Accuracy Test for the November 8, 2022 election will be conducted by the clerks of the named city and townships on the voting equipment pursuant to MCL 168.798 at the addresses noted on the following dates. November 1, 2022 at 9:00 am at CITY OF HASTINGS 201 E. State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 October 27, 2022 at 3:00 pm at ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP HALL 8094 Tasker Road. Bellevue, Michigan 49021 — ................... _ 7:00 am-8:00 pm Sharon Olson Irving Twp. 3425 Wing Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday 9 am- 12 noon Wednesday 9 am - 12 noon 8:00 am -4:00 pm Sheri Babcock Johnstown Twp. 13641 S. M-37 Battle Creek, Ml 49017 Monday & Wednesday 8 am - 4 pm or by Appt. 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Holly Carpenter Maple Grove Twp. 721 Durkee Street Nashville, Ml 49073 ____ ___ By Appt. 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 9 am - 5 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm 7:00 am - 3:00 pm 7:00 am-8:00 pm Rod Goebel Prairieville Twp. 10115 S. Norris Road Delton, Ml 49046 Robin Hawthorne Rutland Twp. 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 Monday-Thursday 9 am - 3 pm 8:00 am - 4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm October 27, 2022 at 1:00 pm at HOPE TOWNSHIP HALL 5463 S. M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Michigan 49058 Cindy Willshire Thomapple Twp. 200 E. Main Street Middleville, Ml 49333 Monday-Thursday 9 am - 4 pm Sunday Nov 6, 2022 6:30 am -2:30 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm October 26, 2022 at 10:00 am at IRVING TOWNSHIP HALL 3425 Wing Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Nancy Stanton Woodland Twp. 156 S. Main PO Box 98 Wpodland, Ml 48897 Consolidated with Carlton Twp. for this election only. 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am - 8:00 pm Michael Cunningham Yankee Springs Twp. 284 North Briggs Road Middleville, Ml 49333 9 am - 3 pm 8:00 am -4:00 pm 7:00 am -8:00 pm - October 17, 2022 at 4:00 pm at HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP HALL 885 River Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 October 10, 2022 @ 9:00 am at JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP HALL 13641 S. M-37 Hwy., Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 October 21, 2022 @11:30 am at MAPLE GROVE HALL 721 Durkee Street, Nashville, Michigan 49073 । for the purpose of electing candidates for the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian Parties. I The following offices will appear on the ballot: Congressional U.S. Representative(s) in Congress U.S.Senator City of Hastings Commissioners City County Wards 1,2, 3 & 4 Board of Review State Governor State Representative State Senator Townships Trustees Parks Commissioners Library Trustee October 13, 2022 at 1:00 pm at ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL 7350 Lindsey Road, Plainwell, Michigan 49080 October 20, 2022 at 11:00 am at PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL 10115 S. Norris Road, Delton, Michigan 49046 October 13, 2022 @ 10:30 am RUTLAND TOWNSHIP HALL 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 October 25, 2022 at 9:30 am at THORNAPLE TOWNSHIP HALL 200 E. Main Street, Middleville, Michigan 49333 County County Commissioners TThe following local proposals will be voted upon: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following proposals will appear on the ballot: October 11, 2022 at 6:00 pm at WOODLAND TOWNSHIP HALL 156 S. Main Street, Woodland, Michigan 48897 October 18, 2022 at 1:00 pm at YANKEE PRINGS TOWNSHIP HALL 156 N. Briggs Road, Middleville, Michigan 49333 f COUNTY: BARRY COUNTY MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSITION FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF HISTORIC CHARLTON PARK VILLAGE, MUSEUM & RECREATION AREA H Shall Barry County renew the previously authorized Historic Charlton Park Village, Museum & Recreation Area millage of .2191 mill per year, ($0.2191 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable real and personal property in the County and shall said millage be increased by .0309 mill ($0.0309 per $1,000 of taxable value) to restore I? amounts reduced by the Headlee Amendment, resulting in the levy of 0.25 mill ($0.25 per $1,000 of taxable value), | for a period of (9) years, 2024 through 2032, both inclusive, subject to reduction as provided by law? H 0 The purpose of this levy is to provide funding for operation and maintenance of Historic Charlton Park Village, | Museum & Recreation Area, and related recreation facilities and programs including, but not limited to, educational || programs, preservation of historic artifacts, conserving of historic structures, and maintaining recreational Xj resources, trails, and park safety. || If approved, it is estimated that the levy of 0.25 mill would provide revenue of $654,620 in the first calendar year I of the levy, of which $80,911 would result from the additional 0.0309 mill. The revenue from this millage will be ; disbursed to Barry County. A small portion of the levy within a predefined area of the City of Hastings and Village of Middleville shall be disbursed to those respective entities DDA's and LDFA’s. This amount comes from a predefined area within the $ City of Hastings and Village of Middleville only. Hastings Schools: HASTINGS AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDEBNCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW .5 MILL FOR 6 YEARS FOR HEADLEE RESTORATION PURPOSES, IF NECESSARY | Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Hastings Area School System, 232 West Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058-2298, telephone: (269) 948-4400. • ; ’ i • ■ . 188097 1 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 3, 2022. The amount October 12, 2022 at 2:00 pm at CASTLETON TOWNSHIP HALL 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, Michigan 49073 Mon - Wed - Friday 9:30 am - 1:30 pm — Tuesday - Thursday 9 am - 12:1 pm - 5 pm L sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Eugene C. Lockyer and Cheryl L. Lockyer, husband and wife whose address is 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated September 5, 2008, and recorded on September 8, 2008, in Document No. 20080909-0008962, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by J.P Morgan Mortgage Acquisition. Corp., as assignee as documented by an assignment dated September 12, 2022, and recorded on September 15, 2022, in Document No. 2022-009627, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of SIXTY-SIX THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO DOLLARS AND 45/100 ($66,422.45). Said premises are situated in the City of Hastings, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Lot 1010 of the City, formerly Village of Hastings, according to the recorded Plat thereof. Street Address: 430 W. Grand Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: September 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4616 v October 18, 2022 at 6:00 pm at CARLTON TOWNSHIP HALL 85 Welcome Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 7350 Lindsey Road Plainwell, Ml 49080 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly ' at 1:00 pm, on October 20, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the ‘ Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement October 25, 2022 at 10:00 am at BARRY TOWNSHIP HALL 155 E. Orchard Street, Delton, Michigan 49046 Melody Risner Orangeville Twp. NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. (09-22)(10-13) October 20, 2022 at 1:00 pm at BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP HALL 3100 E. Dowling Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 | THE POLLS of said election will be open at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. of said day of the election | K | s EQUAL HOUSINQ OPPORTUNITY Municipality By Appt. Penny Ypma 3100 E. Dowling Road Hastings. Ml 49058 Baltimore Twp. —,----------------------------- __ _____________________________ 9 am-noon & E. Orchard Street. PO 1pm - 5 pm Box 705 Barry Twp. Delton. Ml 49046 ’ — Wednesdays - 10 am - noon 85 Welcome Road Amanda Carothers Hastings, Ml 49058 Carlton Twp. ■ PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise ‘‘any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. RENEWAL OF TOWNSHIP EXTRA VOTED MILLAGE FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Article IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within Woodland Township be renewed at two (2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2022 through 2025 inclusive for road maintenance and shall the Township levy such renewal in millage for said purposes, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $187,125.00. After this date, anyone who qualifies as an elector may register to vote in person with proof of residency (MCL 168.492) at the following: •I is required. LPC or LMSW preferred. Full-time with benefits. $24.03 per hour to start. Please email cover letter and resume to: Deputy Court Admin­ istrator Dave Pelon, 206 W. Court St. Ste. 302, Hastings, MI 49058 OR email: dpelon@barryco.org. The Public Accuracy Test is conducted to demonstrate that the program and the computer that will be used to tabulate the results for the election have been prepared in accordance with law. MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2022 LAST DAY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION OTHER THAN IN-PERSON Persons with special needs, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, should contact the City or Township Clerk. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired may place a call through the Michigan Relay Center TDD#1-800-649-3777. This notice is given as required by law (MCL 168.498(3).______________________________ YOU MUST BE REGISTERED TO QUALIFY AS A VOTER! QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE Citizen of the United States At least 18 years of age on or before August 2,2022 Resident of Michigan and the township/city where you are applying to vote. *************************************** PAMELA A. PALMER, BARRY COUNTY CLERK on behalf of: Baltimore Township Barry Township Assyria Township Penny Ypma Deborah Knight Annette Terry Township Clerk Township Clerk Township Clerk Carlton Township Amanda Brown Township Clerk Castleton Twp. Marcia Scramlin Township Clerk Hastings Charter Township Anita Mennell Township Clerk Hope Township Deborah Jackson Township Clerk Irving Township Sharon Olson Township Clerk Johnstown Township Sheri Babcock Township Clerk Maple Grove Township Holly Carpenter Township Clerk Orangeville Township Melody Risner Township Clerk Prairieville Township Rod Goebel Township Clerk Rutland Township Robin Hawthorne Township Clerk Thornapple Township Cindy Willshire Township Clerk Woodland Township Nancy Stanton Township Clerk Yankee Springs Township Mike Cunningham Township Clerk City of Hastings Jane Saurman City Clerk due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Scott S McBean, And Sarah M McBean, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for America’s Wholesale Lender., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST Date of Mortgage: April 24, 2003 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 8, 2003 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $102,908.17 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Village of Middleville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 8, Misty Ridge according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 30. Common street address (if any): 720 Wild Pond Ct, Middleville, Ml 49333-8396 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 189025 1478006 (10-06)(10-27) , 188900 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — Pagert3 Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings' Maelea Martin gets off the board in the diving competition during her team's win over Grand Rapids Union Thursday niglrt. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) ■' - DK/TK/Hastings girls defeat Union in the pool Valerie Slaughter Hastings senior Drew Thompson pushes through the midfield with the ball during the Saxons' non-conference win over visiting Lakewood on senior night at Pierce Field Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior Juan Osorio gets a hug from head coach Francisco Lopez during the senior night ceremony at half­ time of the Saxons win over the Lakewood Vikings on Pierce Field in Hastings Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxons best Vikes in regular season finale at Pierce Field Brett Bremer Sports Editor There was some internal debate amongst the Hastings and Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer teams as to how hard they were going to battle for a victory on Pierce Field Mon­ day night. It was easy to see why at the end. Hastings senior Bayne Signeski walked out of the stadi­ um on senior night with a good-sized ice bag -strapped to his leg. Lakewood senior Colby Carter was headed for stitches in his lip. Next up for both teams is the state tourna­ ment where you win or see your season end, ■and both teams played like elimination games had already started Monday as Hastings pulled out a 4-3 win over the visiting Vikings. Hastings is slated to visit Interstate-8 Ath^Tetic Cont^^)ce cHampioiVi^arma' Western for its Division 2 district opener tonight, Oct. 13, with the winner of that match advancing to the district semifinals in Mid­ dleville Monday against either Charlotte or Marshall. Lakewood is the top seed for its Division 3 District Tournament. The Vikings will face either Pennfield or Williamston in the district semifinals in Eaton Rapids Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. The district final in Eaton Rap­ ids is planned for Oct. 22 at noon. “It wasn’t good for the blood pressure, but a game is a game and a win is a win. You can’t take anything away from that,” Hast­ ings head coach Francisco Lopez said. The Saxon coach wasn’t exceptionally pleased with his team’s performance, but he could understand his guys being a little discombobulated while mixing the emotions of -Hi no KAtnft ooopzs'tHKc P.PV- r' 'A • Saxon junior Sergynho Arias punches the ball towards the offensive zone in from of Lakewood's Donald Wells during the second half Monday evening on Pierce Field in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) senior night, the final game of the regular season and a match against familiar foes. A number of Saxons and Vikings have spent time playing club ball together in the Hast­ ings F.C. in recent seasons. The Saxons were also looking for some redemption after falling 3-0 to the Vikings a year ago. “I wasn’t really expecting a perfect game. I knew they were going to come out and look like Energizer bunnies-without the control, but we got the win,” Lopez said. The two teams went back and forth all eve­ ning long Monday. Lakewood has 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 leads only to see the Saxons pull back to even every time it went in front. Saxon senior Cohen Smith tobk away the last Lake­ wood lead with 12 minutes and 28 seconds to play in the second half when a free kick from the left corner rolled info a crowd in front of the Viking net and Smith put his foot on it to put it by Lakewood keeper Ben Scobey. Ten minutes later Hastings freshman Dan Jensen sent a long cross into the Viking box from left to right and Smith was again waiting on the back side to head the ball into the net. Smith had a hat-trick with three goals in the bailgame. He also scored the Saxons’ opening goal in the fifth minute, ten seconds after Lakewood opened the coring with Gar­ rett Feighan finishing off a corner kick from teammate Drew Marquoit. Feighn had two goals for the Vikings, beat­ ing everyone to a loose ball between the Saxon defense and its keeper Zach Chipman, to find space for an open shot that put his team up 2-1 with a little over five minutes to play in the first half. Hastings had an answer again. This time it was senior Kearan Tolles finishing off a long ball in at the far post from teammate Troy Hokanson less' than three minutes before the break. Before being bloodied, Carter put the Vikings back in front 3-2 with 17:48 to play. The Saxon defense deflected one shot by Carter towards the left comer, but his Viking teammate Ty Evans put the ball right back in front for Carter who directed it into the goal. That Lakewood lead lasted only five min­ utes before Smith scored his final two goals to give the Saxons the win. Smith did an excellent job of finishing crosses to find the net for the Saxons, a tactic that also worked well for his team in the 1-8 finale against Pennfield the previous week. The offense can be dangerous with Smith on one post and Tolles on the other. Lopez said he is happy to see his offense at full strength after some early season injuries. Hastings is 9-6-1 on the season after the win. Lakewood closes the regular season at 13-4-1. White improves her PR in leading DK girls at Portage Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg boys were 21st and the girls’ 26th Saturday at the annual Portage Invitational at Portage West Middle School. Delton Kellogg senior Joelle White contin­ ues to lead the Panther girls’ pack. She has shaved nearly a minute and a half off the fastest time from her junior season. She set a new personal record Saturday while placing 78th in 22 minutes 5.7 seconds. That time is two and a half minutes faster than it was on the same course her freshman season. The top four Delton Kellogg girls all ran their fastest race of the season Saturday. Junior Lillian Lester dropped her personal record to 26:03.6 in a 235th-place finish. DK also had sophomore Johannah Hout- kooper run a season-best time of 23:43.00 top place 147th, sophomore Kylie Main run a season-best time of 24:39.8 to place 186hl, and Maysse Wiessner placed 266t’1 in 27:15.6. Traverse City St. Francis won the D3 girls’ title in a field of 31 full teams Saturday in Portage. St. Francis finished with 95 points to beat out Hart 106, Lumen Christi 143, Benzie Central 171 and Leslie 179 in the top five. Hart sophomore Jessica Jazwinski was the individual girls’ champion in D3 with a time of 17:15.1, a new PR for her. The top three girls all lowered their PR. Lumen Christi junior Madison Osterberg came in at 18:04.1 and Kent City sophomore Lila Volkers at 18:12.5. Sophomore Ethan Rimmer led the Delton Kellogg boys on the day with a season-best time of 18:11.5. Delton senior Gage Vin­ cent was 93rh in 18:29.3, senior Micah Martin 111th in 18:47.8, senior Isaac Shep­ ard 118th in 18:57.1 and senior Brett Harse- voort dropped his PR to 19:14.0 in placing 147th. Delton Kellogg’s boys’ team also had junior Rhys Bedford improve his PR to 20:38.5 in a 238th-place finish. Hart senior Clayton Ackley won the D3 boys’ race in 16:56.6, beating out Kent City junior Samuel Martini who was second in '15:57.3. Ackley’s Hart team took the boys’ champi­ onship with 71 points, ahead of Hanover-Hor­ ton 117, Traverse City St. Francis 136, Cove­ nant Christian 254 and Leslie 280 in the top five of a field of 35 full teams. Contributing Writer The Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/ Hastings co-op swim team defeated Grand Rapids Union’s co-op team 89-57 at the Hast­ ings Community Education and Recreation Center Pool Thursday. The DK/TK/HHS team started out strong with a sweep in the first event, the 200-yard medley relay, taking all three scoring places/. DK/TK/HHS was led by the first place team of Bella Morey, Erin Daniels, Kasey Kapteyn and Malia Hambly that finished in 2 minutes 25.70 seconds. In the second event, DK/TK/HHS placed first and third with the top time in the 200-yard freestyle going to Aubrey Hawks (2:18.66) and Lizzie Middleton finishing third (2:31.19). Union took a first in the 200-yard individu­ al medley, with a second place going to DK/ TK/HHs’s Cadence VanOoy (2:48.88) and a third place going to Erin Daniels (2:57.03). DK/TK/HHS would come back in event four, the 50-yard freestyle to sweep first through third in the scoring spots with Holly Carpenter finishing first for the team (26.90), Malia Hambly finishing in second place (31.32) and Zoe Watson third (32.54). At the break in swim for the diving compe­ tition, DK/TK/HHS was up 43-14. After cdrrL pleting the series of dives, DK/TK/Hastings’ divers finished first and third. Abby Dumond took first place with a final score of 2O7'.LO points and TJ Myers finished in third place with 169.70 points. ; Back in the pool, the Union swimmer Luaa Jacques took first in the 100-yard buttepfly followed by Morey who took second witfoa time of 1:24.99. Sophia Marcukaitis finished in first in the 100-yard freestyle (58.45) for. DK/TK/HHS and Abby Gaskill finished sec* ond in the 500-yard freestyle with a time* of 7:34.94. " *< The combined relay team of VanOpyt Hawks, Carpenter and Marcukaitis finished first in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:53.54. . .X Hawks placed first again in the 100-y^rd vackstroke (1:11.87) and Marcukaitis finished, with another first in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:10.59). The DK/TK/HHS girls are scheduled to host Calvin Christian this evening, Oct. 13," and will be back in action next Thursday af home hosting Wayland for their annual cancer awareness fundraiser. DK/TK/Hastings' Cadence VanOoy moves through the water in the 100-yard butter; fly during her team's win over visiting Grand Rapids Union at the CERC in Hastings Thursday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) < SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass a. Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville DRIVER POSITION OPENING BARRY COUNTY TRANSIT Barry County Transit is accepting applications for the position of Driver. A Class C CDL with a ‘P’ endorsement is required. A strong sense of community and people skills are required of the successful candidate. Driver’s hours are 37.5 per week. Wage scale is $14.75 to $17.53. Applications are available from the Transit Office or online at: www.barrycountytransit.com Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-8125 Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer in full compliance with all State and Federal Regulations. �’Page 14 — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Assistant coach Alex (Culbert) Williams and head coach Jamie lanni look on as their Okemos Wolves take on Lakewood in the championship match of Saturday's Lakewood Invitational. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lakewood teammates Abby Pickard, (from left) Alli Pickard, Carley Piercefield, Cadence Poll and Skylar Bump celebrate winning a big point in their championship match against Okemos Saturday at their own Lakewood Invitational. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lakewood ladies sweep through their invitational Brett Bremer Sports Editor .Lakewood didn’t drop a set all day in .winning its own Lakewood Invitational against a mix of foes from across the state •Saturday, but the Vikings had to work late in a couple sets to stay perfect. ' - The Vikings closed out pool play unbeat­ en with a contentious match against Lowell ;and then powered through a 25-23, 25-15 •win over Okemos in the tournament cham­ pionship game. The Wolves from Okemos jumped out to a 5-0 lead in their championship match with -the Vikings and had their advantage to as rtiany as eight points a couple times. The tfkemos lead was at 19-12 before the Vikings really started shaving it down at the end of that first set. With the Wolves struggling to pass Paige Wolverton’s serves, at least the ones they cbuld even get to, the Vikings won seven consecutive points to get even at 19-19. Jted 20-20 Lakewood setter Abby Pickard “put a second ball over for a kill and then 4ug a ball to Wolverton, which she put up .and Skylar Bump put down for a kill, to ’.force an Okemos timeout with the Vikings jeading 22-20. Okemos got back to even at ■22-22 before Lakewood finally pulled in front for good, finishing off the Wolves with Pickard hitting through a block on the left side for a kill. Pickard had a team-high 32 kills on the day to go with 39 assists, six aces, 21 digs and three blocks. Bump, the Vikings’ other regular setter, did a bit of everything Saturday too. She had 14 kills as well as a team-high 43 assists, ten aces and 24 digs. Alivia Everitt had 23 kills and two blocks for Lakewood. Cadence Poll and Ellie Possehn had 16 kills each and Izzy Wheeler 13. Possehn and Wheeler had two blocks each. Carley Piercefield, the Vikings’ junior libero, had 47 digs and 17 assists. Lakewood’s serving was strong through­ out the tournament. Alli Pickard had seven aces. Wolverton finished with six, including two in the late run against Okemos. Pierce­ field had four aces and Bailey Fifelski came on to hit three. “I liked our service pressure all day,” Lakewood head coach Cameron Rowland said. “We did exactly what we needed to do to win against teams by making it tough on their best players to score. That is some­ thing we have continued to work on in order to help us have more scoring chances of our own.” What a Lakewood started its day Saturday with a 25-14, 25-18 win over Harper Creek and then bested Essexville Garber 25-23, 25-14. In the final match of pool play, the Vikings knocked off Lowell 25-17, 28-26. The Vikings had to rally from behind in consecutive sets, that first one with Oke­ mos after a second set with Lowell in which they trailed by as much as 17-10. It was a couple of aces by Alli Pickard that really got things rolling for the Vikings in set two against the Red Arrows. A couple more aces by Abby later helped the Vikings go from 22-17 down to 22-21 down. Lakewood pulled even with the Arrows for the first time at 24-24 and eventually finished off the victory that earned it the chance to play foPtEe championship. The big serves by the Pickard sisters and a few big swings by Everitt were key in the clos­ ing out Lowell. It was the first action for the Vikings since a Sept. 27 Greater Lansing Activities Conference dual with Perry. The Vikings head to the Beast of the East Tournament in Pontiac Saturday where they will start out the day with pool play against Ann Arbor Skyline, Imlay City and Grandville. 04839385 By Gina Johnsen It wasn’t that long are the current legal protections against it). ago one could hear Additionally, Planned Parenthood’s multi-billion-dolLouis Armstrong or lar industry, the ACLU, and Jane’s Revenge (a militant another singer belt pro-abortion group) partner together to threaten any who out the famous ballad would question their flow of revenue. In light of the chal­ What A Wonderful lenges to this Proposal 3, pregnancy centers in Michigan World. It’s a beautiful found notes like this on their doors: “Warning: this is a tune, a gentle two-step, fake clinic. If abortions aren’t safe, neither are you. Next with lyrics full of hope time we will visit your homes, your churches, and your and wonder. A man sponsors. Expect us.” And how interesting it is that the 'of color singing about his wonderful life in a wonderful groups that claim they want abortion to be “safe and rare”, "world, with nature, beauty, babies and love all around are the ones now threatening everyone’s lives and attempt­ ing to bully us all into submission. Who could possibly him. ’i Today, in our own wonderful community, an 84-year- trust them?! 4 old woman going door to door and sharing with neighbors If you knew nothing at all about the topic of Proposal 3, about the worst ballot proposal the world has ever seen, but were aware of all the threats, the violence, the gun ‘gets shot in the shoulder. Why? Just because that neigh­ shots, and the hate, you might just be okay concluding that bor didn’t agree with her viewpoint on Proposal 3. What you would certainly vote NO on it. Who wants all that ? could have been a wonderful discussion, became a near drama and violence?! Whether we are Christian or not, we < death experience. So, what is behind Proposal 3 and why all know good from evil. It is evil to encourage children . is it causing all this violence? It’s just politics and rheto- to make decisions that will impact their lives irreversibly. Enough said - it’s not wonderftil! ^■ric, right? What’s the wonderful big deal? Let’s examine Proposal 3, deceptively termed “Right Proposal 3 is actually simple. It turns parents into weak, to Reproductive Freedom Initiative”, which will forever powerless bystanders while enabling the government/ change our Michigan Constitution, with no hope of any school to change and mold their children into physical­ ;■ legislator altering it in the future. It overrides parental ly unfit and abnormal barren young people. And there’s a rights, giving super-rights to anyone who would like to whole lot of money in sex-trafficking, abortion, transgen­ exercise vague freedoms over any individual, minors der surgeries, and the sale of puberty-blocking drugs. The included, in relation to reproductive organs, process­ only thing stopping this flow of MONEY is us and our .. es, transgender surgeries, abortions, sterilizations, cas­ votes! Those of us who are committed to being informed trations, etc. The list is long with what it includes, like are going to vote our consciences and emphatically say anytime abortion (after birth), by anyone (not a doctor), NO to this and the other two bad proposals on the Novem­ in any clinic or room or whatever, without oversight or ber 8th ballot. Proposal 3 is actually the worst proposal the question, with no parental consent or knowledge, deleting entire world has ever seen. • all current state laws and protections that might challenge Satan has planted his flag in Michigan and thinks he will lead destruction of America right here in our home state. any part of these new rights.. .this is evil! Can you smell the aroma of people at the top of this You might say he is trying to connect New York to Cali­ food chain controlling victims and making a whole lot fornia via mid-American Michigan. Are we going to stop of money? What is the purpose of this proposal? Is it to this movement? Are we going to admit this is wrong? Will promote childhood sexual anarchy? Every not-wonderful we win this battle against such tremendous evil and gross * thing you can think of from pedophilia to sex-trafficking assault on humanity? It’s up to us - VOTE NO and help us or ; to rape to abuse of minors...all these included, without defeat it. Contact ' <the benefit of current state laws that protect women, chil< dren, and parents from these evils. Michigan Board of “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious - Canvassers states plainly that if this proposal passes, it people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any * > will “invalidate all state laws that conflict with it” (which other.” - John Adams . fy Paid for by Regulated Funds from Michigan Pray, 106 W. Allegan St, #200, Lansing, Ml 48933 Lakewood's Izzy Wheeler hits an attack during her team's win over Okemos in the championship match of the Lakewood Invitational Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton girls sweep past Black River on senior night ■ s • Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity vol­ leyball team celebrated senior night with a 29-27, 25-18, 25-9 win over visiting Holland Black River. “It was nice to get the W at home, especially since we techni­ cally have nine seniors this year,” Delton Kellogg head coach Erin Thornton said. That group of nine Delton Kel­ logg seniors includes a pair of foreign exchange students, “so, it’s a little extra special this year with the majority of the varsity team not coming back next year,” Thornton said. It has been a busy few days for the Panthers, who will also have an eventual Thursday night tonight hosting Fennville and Allegan on a Pink Out Breast Cancer Awareness Night in Delton. DK followed up its win Thurs­ day by testing itself at the Wayland Invitational Saturday. “We didn’t take home a W on the day, but we did compete with Wayland, Plainwell and Allen­ dale. We did see Plainwell earlier in the season, and we definitely improved from the last meeting,” Thornton said. The DK coach said middles Lille Ferris and Abigail Cobum didn’t need long to realize that they had to get their blocks up fast against the quick attacks from their competitors Saturday. The Panthers finished strong at Galesburg-Augusta Tuesday in a Southwestern Athletic Confer­ ence Quad which put them up against Kalamazoo Christian and Parchment. Parchment took a 25-20 in the first set of the final match of the evening, but the Delton Kellogg girls rallied for 25-22, 17-15 win? in the final two sets to secure the victory. Thornton was happy to see her team keep pace with the Kalamazoo Christian Comets for half of the first set before they pulled away. “They are a strong team, as they have been in years past, so we knew what was coming. It was just a little out of reach,” Thornton said of the two-set loss to the Comets. The Delton Kellogg girls are at the Constantine Invitational Satur­ day and then will head to Lawton for a conference tri with the Blue Devils and South Haven Tuesday.- HHS girls close golf season in tough field of D3 teams Brett Bremer Sports Editor OK Gold Conference rivals and top five ranked teams in the state South Christian and Grand Rapids Catholic Central finished atop the standings at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Girls Golf Regional at Willow Wood Golf Course in Portland Wednesday. The Sailors bested the Cougars 339-341 for the regional champion­ ship with Holland Christian a distant third at 385. The top three teams and top three girls not on those teams at regionals across the state last week earned spots in the Oct. 14-15 MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Girls Golf Finals that will be held at Forest Akers East Golf Course on the cam­ pus of Michigan State University. Grand Rapids Christian fresh­ man Lillian O’Grady was tops in the field individually shooting a 74. She was joined by Unity Chris­ tian sophomore Evelyn Kwiatkow­ ski and Hamilton senior Autumn VanderKooi in qualifying for the state finals as an individual. Kwi­ atkowski and VanderKooi beat out Kwiatowski’s junior teammate Ellie Kerkstrat in a playoff for the final two state qualifying spots. All three girls shot a 97 during the 18-hole regional round. The Hastings girls were 12^ on the day, led by senior Lauren Arnold who shot a 121 in her final varsity round. Junior Addey Nick­ els was right behind with a 123 and the Saxon team also had freshman Sophia Greenfield and junior Isa­ belle Roosien competing. O’Grady’s Grand Rapids Chris­ tian team placed fourth with a score of 393, ahead of Unity Chris­ tian 411, Hamilton 433, Portland 448, Hopkins 464, Wayland 469, Ionia 501, Allendale 502 and Hast­ ings 528. South Christian won the region­ al title thanks to an 81 from junior Ashley Thomasma, an 83 froni senior Lucy DeHaan, an 87 from senior Claire Vanelderen and an 88 from senior Natalie Northouse: Catholic Central brought a much younger line-up to the regional. Sophomore Ava Wisins/ ki and freshman Kelsey Preston each shot an 81 to lead the Cou| gars. Catholic Central added an 87 from senior Morgan Armock and a 92 from freshman Margaret Deimel. Senior Ainsley VandenBrink and junior Megan Frassmid led the Holland Christian team in its state qualifying performance - each shooting a 93 which had them in a tie for tenth individually overall. • The top five medalists on the day were O’Grady and the top two players from South Christian and Catholic Central. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-10-20.pdf 234dcef418fb5ab092ce23c3dc9ba07b PDF Text Text Meet the candidates running for D-K school board What’s a fair price for local news? Vasquez shoots through ups and downs of Finals See story on pages 7 and 8 See story on page 4 See story on page 9 804879110187 1070490102590502026149058113421 County looks to strike a deal with Tyden Lofts developer Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers is currently negotiating with a developer on the sale of a small swath of county-owned land to help facilitate a forthcoming work­ force housing development. It’s the latest in a saga that has played out for most of the year involving Wiscon­ sin-based developer General Capital, which is planning to bring a 60-unit housing devel­ opment called Tyden Lofts to 102 South Broadway Street in the City of Hastings, located next to a vacant, county-owned building that formerly housed the Friend of the Court. Initially, General Capital aimed to pur­ chase the former Friend of the Court build­ ing, but the county board refused to sell. Now, the developer is asking to purchase 0.26 acres of land, which takes a small slice out of the parking lot for the building. County com­ missioners seem receptive to the idea. General Capital’s offer for the land was $43,591. Commissioner David Jackson, who is one of three commissioners on the recent­ ly-formed County Facilities Review Commit­ tee, said he thought the price was low, given the property’s location. However, in a counteroffer, the county board let General Capital know that it is will­ ing to sell the land for $1 but on certain con­ ditions. Originally, the county planned to renovate the rear of the vacant building, tearing out concrete stairs and installing an ADA-com­ pliant ramp in order to enhance accessibility for whatever tenant might take it over in the future. Instead of the county performing this work, the board is asking General Capital to take the reins of that project, effectively blending it in with the design and d?cor of Tyden Lofts. “Since you have your designers and engi­ neers and people on site doing this, we want you to, in a sense, take out those steps, cre­ ate an APA-compliant ramp and blend it with the structure that you’re going to build...making it functionally useable for us at Friend of the Court and for its future use,” Jackson said. Despite the long road in getting there, sell­ ing off a small portion of the parking lot and retaining the building is a win in the eyes of the board. See TYDEN LOFTS, page 2 Jeremy Scott Dunklee (right) stands next to his attorney, Shane McNeill, as he listens to Judge Michael Schipper last Thursday during his sentencing hearing in District Court 56B. Dunklee was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Jeremy Dunklee sentenced to a decade in prison for torching police cruiser Jayson Bussa Editor Judge Michael Schipper asked the con­ victed arsonist that stood in front of him a question that has been lingering since March. “Why did you do this?” Schipper asked Jeremy Scott Dunklee one last time during the 31-year-old Hastings man’s sentencing hearing last week in District Court 56B. Opting to stay mum on the matter due to his pending appeal efforts, Dunklee’s brief moment of stammering offered no insight as to why, on March 21, he decided to walk into the parking lot of City Hall, douse a police cruiser with gasoline and light it on fire before taking off on foot. The act was caught on surveillance video. See DUNKLEE, page 3 Barry County Cares seeks community assistance to address growing needs Greg Chandler Staff Writer As the holidays approach, a Barry County nonprofit says it needs help from the commu­ nity to address growing requests for assis­ tance. Barry County Cares, a faith-based organi­ zation that seeks to help county residents in need, says its requests for assistance have risen more than 20 percent since 2019. Not only have the number of requests increased, but the amount of assistance being requested has also skyrocketed, according to Jerry Welsh, a Middleville res- See CARES SEEKS, page 2 “We need to get people to understand that the need has increased significantly, and we need to have a response.” — Jerry Welsh, board member, Barry County Cares Barry County Commissioner David Jackson (left) is seated next to board vice chair Vivian Conner as he explains a potential deal between the county and a housing developer. The deal would include selling a small portion of land near the county's former Friend of the Court building. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Irving Township hall hosted a packed crowd for Tuesday’s board meeting. Here, Nichole Lyke of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce speaks to the board about availability of broadband internet. However, much of the night was focused on a federal lawsuit that Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson signed on to in September. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Irving Township board clarifies that the township is not a party to its clerk’s federal lawsuit Jayson Bussa Editor In a tense meeting on Tuesday night, the Irving Township board narrowly voted to adopt a resolution stating that the township is not a party to a federal lawsuit filed by its own clerk, among other plaintiffs. At the beginning of September, Irving Township clerk Sharon Olson signed on to a federal lawsuit filed in Michigan’s western district of the federal court system. The law­ suit asks the federal court to decertify the 2020 presidential election results in Michigan due to improprieties in the voting process and run the election process over again. Last month, Olson said that she was approached about joining the lawsuit and had merely hours to decide whether or not to par­ take. The other plaintiffs on the lawsuit include the Macomb County Republican Party, 2022 U.S. Taxpayers candidate for governor Donna Brandenburg and non-profit organization the Election Integrity Force, in addition to individual voters Ken Beyer and Jenison resident Jason Ickes. The plaintiffs are represented by Petos­ key-based attorney Daniel J. Hartman. Because Olson signed onto the lawsuit in her official capacity as township clerk, con­ cern mounted that the township as a corporate entity would be dragged into the proceedings and also exposed to both the legal and finan­ cial liabilities associated with the case. Because of that, Irving Township’s general legal counsel, Grand Rapids-based Bloom Sluggett PC, urged the board to adopt a reso­ lution that would clearly state whether or not it is involved in the lawsuit as a corporate entity. That scenario created the backdrop to Tuesday’s meeting, which featured a packed Irving Township Supervisor Jamie Knight (left) and Trustee Dean Bass (right) engage in discussions during Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) gallery, many of which were vocal supporters of Olson and her efforts. Attorney Dave Eberle from Bloom Slug­ gett was on hand for the meeting, which lasted over two hours, as he fielded questions from the board. Eberle recommended that the board address two central issues. The first was to state whether the township as an entity was, or was not, a party to Olson in the lawsuit. Aside from that, Eberle said that the board was free to make a statement on what it thought of the merits of the lawsuit. This meant that the board could remove itself from the lawsuit while also supporting Olson. “When an officer is part of a lawsuit in their official capacity, that is making the township as a corporate entity a party to that lawsuit and the only body that can authorize the township as a corporate entity to join a . lawsuit is the township board,” ElEberle said. “So the question really is, what does the township board want?” Discussions dragged on for nearly an hour. Olson at one point attempted to g<;et her personal attorney on speaker phone. Olson , revealed that she contacted Bloom Sluggett for representation in the lawsuit, but the firm declined to take the case. Eberle was careful not to make any comments on the merits of the federal lawsuit, as he and his firm had not reviewed the materi­ als and could not render an opinion on its validity. ' Township Trustee Dean Bass finally broke through a lengthy back-and-forth between the board and Eberle with a stunning rebuke of. Olson and her actions. See IRVING, page 3 �Page 2 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Peggy Hemerling to host an evening of song Music lovers and art supporters alike are invited to an intimate concert on Thursday, Oct. 27, in Hastings, show­ casing local talent in support of the Hastings Community Music School (HCMS). This evening of song will feature local songstress Peggy Hemerling, accompanied by 2022 Hastings High School graduate Zach Franklin on the piano. Hemerling, the library administrator at the Hastings Public Library, and Franklin will perform an eclectic col­ lection of pieces from Broadway musicals, classical reper­ toire, folk music and more. The evening will begin with refreshments and conversa­ tion from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., before the performance begins at 7:30 p.m. The performance will last for 60 minutes. Tickets are $20 each, and proceeds from this concert will support scholarships at the Hastings Community Music School. Seating for this special event is limited, so those interested are asked to call 269-945-2002 to reserve seats. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s Holiday Gift Show is Nov. 13 For 19 years, artists have been selling handcrafted and creative gifts at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute’s Holiday Gift Show. Artists donate 15 percent of their sales to the Insti­ tute, which helps further the Institute’s mission of inspiring appreciation and stewardship of our environment. The Gift Show will feature over 30 artists this year, featuring items such as photographs, housewares, paint­ ings, jams, jellies, preserves, woodworking items, hand-printed clothing and goods, silk flower wreaths and wall decor and more. The day of the event, the Institute’s gift shop will feature books, fair trade items, locally-made items, as well as bird­ houses and feeders by Bill Stovall. Stovall will be available to answer questions about birding and his products. Insti­ tute members receive 15 percent off all gift shop purchases' the day of the show and 25 percent off one item if a cus­ tomer’s birthday is in November. The Institute will have a holiday bake sale and member­ ship table this year. Patrons can meet volunteers at the table and learn more about gift memberships. Those who purchase a gift membership receive 25 percent off a gift shop item. Hastings school board hires consulting firm to survey community about bond issue Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings school board had a frank discussion with a consulting firm about its repeated failures to pass a bond that would pay for “critical needs” for the district. “You all know that we’ve been strug­ gling to pass a bond around here,” Luke Haywood, school board president, said at Monday’s meeting. “We’ve sought the advice of some professionals to take a look at what we’re doing, what we should be asking for, or how to gather informa­ tion, and so they’re here to open that dis­ cussion and bring us some good ideas.” Two representatives from the Paw Paw­ based Perspectives Consulting Group, Bryn Bogemann and Gary Goscenski, spoke with board members about services they could provide the district. “We’ve worked with school districts throughout Southwest Michigan pri­ marily to do one thing related to bonds, and that’s to help districts who haven’t been able to pass a bond,” Goscenski said. “We’ve been retained and we’re excited to work with Hastings Area School System.” The firm outlined its two-step pro­ cess to board members. The first step involves sending out a survey to voters in the district, which is then analyzed by the firm to determine what can be included in the bond proposal to make it likely to be passed by voters. Bogemann said the firm would work with input from board members to create a 20-question survey that would take rough­ ly five minutes to complete, with anyone 18 or older being able to take the survey. The survey will ask voters about their attitudes surrounding up to four key projects needing funding that could be included in a bond proposal. The four projects being explored would be entirely up to the board, Boge­ mann said. “We don’t try to market ourselves as facility experts - we’re researchers,” she said. “We’re really going to need the help of (school) administration to figure out what the absolute necessities are.” Bogemann said the firm would work with board members to craft the survey, bringing multiple drafts to them for input. The final survey will be available from Dec. 5 to 16, at which point it will be pushed to the community via the Hastings school website, social media pages and a physical postcard mailed to every resident in the district. The firm will analyze the results and present their findings at the Feb. 27, 2023 board of education meeting, Bogemann said. Goscenski told the board he had seen the previous bond proposal election results in Hastings and was confident Perspectives could help them craft a ballot proposal that would pass funding for the school’s critical infrastructure needs. He encouraged them to think carefully about less critical parts of the proposal if they could wait. “Most of the districts that we’ve worked with find that the critical needs plus one option are a viable bond request,” he said. Goscenski wasn’t phased by Hast­ ings six previous attempts to pass the bond, and even said Perspectives had worked with a district that failed seven times in a row to pass a request on the eighth attempt. Consultants Bryn Bogemann (left, background) and Gary Guscenski (right) form Perspectives Consulting Group outlined their survey process to Hastings school board members. “Just as a statement of fact, every district we have worked with has, on the next election, passed their bond request. I don’t want it to end here,” Goscenski said. “It’s a very specialized niche we’re in. We have a very clear method for getting what needs to be done, and we’re happy to share that with you and thrilled to work with you on it.” USDA seeks applications for Thornapple-Kalamazoo Water Quality Project The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking applica­ tions for conservation financial assistance from forest owners and agricultural producers within the Thomapple-Kalamazoo Water Quality Project. The project, createc through the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program, includes portions of Allegan, Barry, Eaton, Ionia, Kent and Ottawa counties. The Thornapple-Kalamazoo Water Quality Project is led by the Barry Conservation District and is administered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Ser­ vice. The project provides financial assistance for a variety of conservation practices that will help improve water quality and aquatic habitats in the Thomapple River, Rab­ bit River and Gun River watersheds. Farmers and non-in­ dustrial forest owners have until Dec. 2, 2022 to apply for the current round of funding. Conservation financial assistance is available for imple­ menting designated conservation practices on agricultural land and private non-industrial forest land. Some practices eligible for financial assistance include forest management plans, forest stand improvement, grazing management plans, conservation tillage, cover crops, tree and shrub planting and many others. iNSUUy SPRAY FOAM M Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass n Planning to hold on to the vacant Friend of the Court building, the county intends to rip out the stairs (pictured on the far left) and install an ADA-compliant ramp. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 1 -------------------------------------------------- >------------------------------------------“This seems like a nice, cooperative effort between us and everyone involved,” said Bruce Campbell, who joins Jackson and Jon Smelker on the County Facilities Review Committee. “It seems like we’ll get what we need out of the situation.” Late last month, General Capital agreed to purchase a city-owned portion of land near the intersection of West State Street and South Broadway Avenue for $ 157,600. The developer provided renderings of the proposed project, which are still liable to change. “It’s a great idea,” Board of Commis­ sioners Chairman Ben Geiger said of the proposal to sell land to General Capital for $1. “If you’ve seen the proposal they recently put out with the development of that property, it is very attractive. Having them involved in developing (the back side of the former Friend of the Court Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation 1.j cense Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 ★habitat quilt raffle^ Tickets: 1 for s2 -or- 3 for $5 S Drawing will take place on Oct. 26, 2022 \ 1 QUESTIONS: ASK US... Our Si&tenA ^a&ucA 218 E. State St., Hastings • hmhi Lake Effect Exterior Washing LLC Mobile Boat and Car Wash ing/Detai ling Call Luke at 269-447-7690 LakeEffectExteriorWashing.Com #8110376 & Insured Beautiful Cotton Prints \j New Collections by ®Moda Zippers, Threads, Buttons. and more! 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm So Hu/st Cleaners Pick-Up Station building) will just add to the community.” While the board has hinted at an influx of interest in the vacant Friend of the County building, no information has been released on who might take over that space in the future. On the topic of ADA compliance for the building, commissioner Catherine Getty said that she would like to see a ramp installed in the front entrance of the building as well, which is located off of South Broadway. Geiger agreed but said the board’s first priority should be find­ ing a use for the vacant building. “I’d like to see that entrance utilized. Before we determine that, we need to determine why people would enter the building and right now we don’t have a plan,” Geiger said. “One step at a time. I think that would be a good initiative for the next board to take up - the use of that building.” CARES SEEKS, continued from page 1 ------------------------ Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING This diagram shows the swath of land - located in the box labeled “Area to be Transferred” - the county intends to sell to a housing developer for $1 in addition to other terms. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Hastings Saxons Football Fans want to THANK Hastings Mutual Insurance Company for sponsoring the Tailgate Party at the Homecoming game on Oct. 7th! If your business would like to sponsor a Spirit Bus Tailgate Party at one of the possible home playoff games this season please contact Mike Goggins at mike.qoqqins@hassk12.orq ident who serves on the organization’s board of directors. “Two years ago, our average assistance amount was $180,” Welsh said. “To date, that (average) number is running $599 for assistance. That could be utilities, rent - typically those are the ones that amount to that much.” And with inflation driving rising utility costs, working families in the county often find them­ selves struggling to make ends meet, according to Welsh. “Those seem to be the folks that are getting slammed the hardest,” he said. Barry County Cares is perhaps best known local­ ly for the five food pantries it supports throughout the county with intake and referral services. But what some may not know is that the organization’s reach extends far beyond those pantries. “Barry County Cares also focuses on helping with personal care and household cleaning prod­ ucts,” BCC Executive Director Tina Horrigan said. “They assist with four levels of transportation needs, depending on the individual’s situation. Help for housing issues, utility bills, clothing, and other challenges are addressed often by collaborating with local churches, groups, agencies and individuals.” It is through the collaborative process that Barry County Cares is able to stretch its dollars and still be able to help those who need it. BCC may work with other organizations such as local churches or United Way or the local Department of Health and Human Services office, combined with a small contribution from the individual being assisted, to meet the need, Welsh said. Barry County Cares was founded in 1984 as a chapter of Love INC (In the Name of Christ) by local minister Steve Reid. In 2013, BCC spun off from the Love INC organization to become its own independent nonprofit. Horrigan became executive director of the organization two years later. Barry County Cares operates with an annual bud­ get of less than $100,000. Slightly more than half of its funding comes from churches, another 31 per­ cent from individuals and 15 percent from commu­ nity organizations. BCC does not receive funding through grants or government agencies, Welsh said. “It’s people who tend to hear about us through church or through other organizations that are the ones who fund us,” he said. More than 1,275 people have been served by Barry County Cares this year, including 600 who used the food pantry. More than 460 hours have been served by volunteers for the organization, Welsh said. Welsh admits that trying to raise funds in an inflationary environment is going to be challeng­ ing. He would like to see county residents get in the habit of giving to BCC in a similar fashion to how they might make a pledge or donation to their local church. “We need to get people to understand that the need has increased significantly, and we need to have a response,” he said. Barry County Cares is in the midst of its Christ­ mas adoption program, where someone can adopt a family in need through Nov. 23, Horrigan said. Donations can be made through the organiza­ tion’s website at barrycountycares.org, or via check to Barry County Cares, P.O. Box 155, Hastings, MI 49058. For more information about the organization and its services, call 269-948-9555 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — Page 3 HASS audit comes back clean as district pays off 2015 bond Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings Area School System’s yearly audit came back with an “unmodified” opin­ ion, an ideal scenario. Jonathan Ringlein, a CPA from the Lan­ sing-based Maner Costerisan firm, presented the audit results to school board members at their Monday meeting. “We have an unmodified opinion this year, which is the best that you can get as far as an audit goes,” Ringlein said. “That means from our testament standpoint, we noted that the numbers were free of material misstatement.” The audit included taking a look at expen­ ditures made using bond funds from the 2015 bond request, with the remainder of those funds being spent in the last year. “From the beginning of the bond until the end, we’ve looked at roughly 90 percent of total invoices and did not find anything that was outside of the approved bond language by the voters,” Ringlein said. The firm also looked at sinking fund expenditures. Ringlein explained that the firm generally expects a review of two-thirds of all invoices as sufficient, but they try to review closer to 90 percent of invoices for publicly-funded areas of the budget. “Again, looking at around 80 to 90 percent of total invoices and everything was in line Jonathan Ringlein, a representative of the Maner Costerisan CPA firm, presented the Hastings school district’s yearly audit results to board members Monday. with an expected (expense) for the sinking fund,” he said. “The reason we do that is both of those are paid for with taxpayer dollars, so it’s important for us to be able to look at that and speak to those.” Ringlein also commended the district for bringing its total general fund balance to a level exceeding where it was in 2019. While districts across the state generally had to dip into their general funds in 2020 because of COVID-19 related complications, Hastings had brought its fund back to a healthy level. “It’s really great to see in 2021 and 2022 that we’re bringing (the general fund) balance above and beyond where it was in 2018 and 2019,” he said. Rep. Calley leads effort to overhaul Open Meetings Act; make it easier to understand State Rep. Julie Calley is spearheading a plan to update Michigan’s Open Meetings Act to make it clearer and easier to under­ stand. The Open Meetings Act requires all meet­ ings of a public body to be open to the public and lays out other requirements like provid­ ing notice to the public, the keeping of min­ utes, and what circumstances must be met to allow the body to hold discussions in closed session. Calley, who represents District 87, said the Open Meetings Act is frequently referenced by public bodies, the people who serve on them, and the public - yet it currently includes confusing language and complicated legal terminology that can inspire more questions instead of providing clear-cut answers. The solution Calley is offering rewrites the Open Meetings Act using plain language. “Our current Open Meetings Act is ver­ bose,” she said in a statement. “It features several sentences with more than 100 words, multiple dependent clauses and an abundance of what could be termed Tegalese.’ The goal is to find straightforward language that is easy to understand.” Calley’s House Bill 6423 takes a compre­ hensive look at the entire Open Meetings Act, striving to make language clearer and more concise and reorganizing the information in a format that is easier to digest - all while stay­ ing true to the law’s original intent. It also incorporates clarifying information compiled over decades by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office that is currently offered in the form of a handbook. For exam­ ple, the existing statute does not provide guidance on how a public body exits from closed session. This measure clarifies that a majority vote is required. Calley has worked with the Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Town­ ships Association, Michigan Association of School Boards, and Michigan Municipal League, and said she values feedback as the measure moves through the legislative pro­ cess. The bill remains under consideration by the House Rules and Competitiveness Com­ mittee. Attorney Dave Eberle of Grand Rapids-based Bloom Sluggett PC, which serves as general counsel for Irving Township, speaks to the board during Tuesday night’s meet­ ing. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) IRVING, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------“Let me make my position clear,” Bass said. “I do not support Sharon in this lawsuit. I don’t think 1 want to get involved in it. I don’t think the county or the township wants to get involved in it. Sharon received a call from a lawyer in Petoskey asking her to get involved in this federal lawsuit. They sent people down from Gaylord to pick up a machine. I don’t know why we’re going so far out of our way to present this to the public. “Sharon does what she always does when she gets in a tight position and that is to get on the phone and call her support group to come in here and threaten and intimidate this board,” Bass continued. “Even if I supported it, I wouldn’t have supported because of that. I don’t appreciate it. And you people can do with that comment what you want. The peo­ ple I’ve heard from in Irving Township that have called me on the phone have supported me in my position on this and I’m going to go with that.” Bass’ biting words referred to last month’s meeting when this issue originally came up. That meeting was also packed with vocal Olson supporters, most of which resided from outside of the township. This included Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has spearhead­ ed his own lengthy election fraud investiga­ tion and has unsuccessfully sued the state. Leaf is waiting to hear from a special pros­ ecutor to determine if he will face criminal charges in what the state alleges is a conspir­ acy to acquire and tamper with voting tabula­ tors. Several other individuals have been accused of wrongdoing in those allegations by the state. Bass’ comments got the ball rolling as Township Supervisor Jamie Knight made the motion to adopt the resolution that states Irving Township is not a party to Olson’s lawsuit. Bass seconded it the motion. Olson and treasurer Doug Sokolowski voted against the motion. Mike Buehler explicitly said that he supports Olson’s effort in the lawsuit but voted for Knight’s motion . in order to shield the township of the poten­ tial liability. The discussion made for a meeting where Knight had to remind members of the gallery to not shout things out during the meeting or speak out of turn. “The board’s decision needs to be what’s in the best interests of all the residents in all of Irving Township,” Knight said. “Having Irving Township as a party on the lawsuit is not in the best interests of all the residents in Irving Township.” Celebrate the SAXON SPIRIT Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter provided a statement during Jeremy Dunklee’s sentencing hearing on Thursday, Oct. 13. Boulter’s department has been down one squad car after Dunklee torched the vehicle back in March. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) DUNKLEE, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Dunklee was chased down, arrested and placed in the Barry County Jail before appear­ ing in front of Schipper on Aug. 1 for a bench trial, where he was convicted of third-degree arson, malicious destruction of police proper­ ty and assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer. As his case trudged through the criminal justice system, Dunklee has never cited a reason for his actions - although he learned the consequences of those actions during last Thursday’s sentencing hearing when Schip­ per sent him to prison for a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 40 years. He received credit for the 206 days he has already served in jail. “My concern is this,” Judge Schipper said before handing down the sentence. “I’m imagining you just don’t like the cops. The cops have been a hassle in your life - maybe they’ve treated you unfairly ....I get that, but you can’t come up in the middle of the day and start a car on fire, in the middle of a packed parking lot.” “I don’t think you wanted to hurt any­ body,” Schipper added. “I don’t think you wanted to bum or hurt or kill someone else that might have been in a car next to that, but you didn’t even look and see. You didn’t even check it out. It’s the carelessness that was really dangerous. There could have been a kid or someone in that car ...That’s just super dangerous. That’s not acceptable. That’s absolutely not acceptable.” While Dunklee didn’t offer any sort of verbal explanation, his past brushes with the law paint a picture of a man with a grudge against law enforcement. During the sentencing hearing, Assistant County Prosecutor Jessica Payne highlighted Dunklee’s long string of resisting and obstruc­ tion (R&O) charges, which are hostilities toward law enforcement officers. In most of his R&O cases, Dunklee managed to plead down to attempted R&O, which is a lesser charge. “There has been too much of a criminal history,” Schipper said. “Too much of a risk. Something significant has to happen. You could have really, really hurt someone.” Payne pointed out words from Dunklee’s own mother, who had said on record that Dunklee has a “general mistrust of govern­ ment and contempt for authority.” Based on Dunklee’s record, his contempt wasn’t necessarily with Hastings Police alone - it was with any law enforcement as his R&O cases took place in a variety of states. This timeline starts in 2008 when he was charged with R&O outside of Barry Country and pled down to attempted R&O. In 2013, he was charged with an R&O in Wisconsin, which he pled down to attempted R&O, and then was charged with interfering with a peace officer in the state of Wyoming. He again pled down to a lesser charge. Again, in 2018, he was charged with three counts of R&O, which he pled down on, and received another R&O charge in Marquette, where he still has a warrant out for his arrest. “He’s shown no remorse so far and I don’t see anything in his history that is going to indi­ cate that he’s going to change,” said Payne, who had asked Schipper to sentence Dunklee to a minimum of 11 years behind bars. “It appears that his actions have just escalated over time. I do think he needs to be locked up.” Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter and Deputy Chief Julissa Kelly were in the court­ room for the sentencing. Boulter provided a statement, also asking for the maximum sen­ tence allowed in the case. “(I wanted to) be a voice for law enforce­ ment and citizens, not only for the city of Hastings but for every place Mr. Dunklee has been and involved with the court system,” Boulter said. “It seems to be a repetition where previous penalties and fines that have been assessed too him have not seemed to work. “We’re still dealing with a lot of money (lost) as far as the damage was done by Mr. Dunklee in regard to shortage of patrol cars and the amount of money we will never recoup. ...It always seems to be an issue with Mr. Dunklee for any law enforcement officer, whether it be city, county or other places he visits. ...The young man isn’t learning his lesson based on prior interactions with law enforcement.” While the Hastings Police Department has been down one cruiser since the incident, it has had little effect on its ability to patrol. PRE-GAME TAILGATE PARTY FRIDAY, OCT. 21 To show community support for our football team and the spirit of being a Saxon, ( Thornapple \\ Credit Union where community matters is sponsoring a tailgate party with free grilled hot dogs, chips and a drink to anyone before the game with Pennfield at the main entrance to Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. START TIME FOR THIS WEEK'S GAME WILL BE 7 P.M SAXON SPIRIT JI ... let it show! �Page 4 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Dirty Work The Freeport American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) water main project got under way Oct. 3. CL Trucking and Excavating, LLC began placing cones and barrels earlier this month and plans to have the project com­ pleted by Oct. 31. “They are sticking to the timeline presented at the informational meeting that was held on Aug. 29, said Village President Bill Andrews. “It’s coming along nicely.” Occasionally there may be intermittent lane or road closures on Freeport Rd and East St during the con­ struction. While the construction is occurring in the southeast section of the Village, it will impact all resi­ dents on the water system. The project is one of two funded for the Village of Freeport. The ARPA grant totaling $839,000 was part of $6 million that the Barry County Board of Commissioners released through an RFP process in 2021. The second part of the project will include a major overhaul of the Village water tower. Do you remember? Students name all 50 capitols Reminder Dec. 5, 2000 Twelve students at Northeastern Elementary successfully named all 50 state capitols in a contest sponsored by fourth grade teacher Tim Newsted last week. This is the third year Newsted had held the contest, and every year more participate, he said. “Last year we had four winners. This year we had a dozen.” One of the ways students practiced was to play on a large map of the U.S. painted on the cement in the courtyard in back of the school. All the capitols’ locations are indicated with a star on the map, and if students couldn’t remember one, they could look at a map containing the capitols’ names taped on a window facing the playground. The contest helps students learn more about areas outside Michigan, Newsted said, and also fits into the social studies curriculum. Winners received a certificate and bookmark. Pictured are (front, from left) Gabe Sutherland, Sean Lawson, Wendy Todd, Chelsea Siska, (middle, from left) Shelby Winans, Shane Henry, Eric Haney, Rachel Clevenger, (back, from left) Andrea Eaton, Katherine Partridge, Hayley Tuinstra and Ryan Cain. Have you met? Stephanie Lehman can frequently be heard saying she “works for cause, not applause” inside Barry County Central Dispatch. She describes herself as having a ser­ vant’s heart. She’s always wanted to serve the public, even before she started working at BCCD in 2008. “When I was a young person, I had aspirations of being a law enforcement officer, and I was going to save the world,” she said. “I determined through an internship that it was not going to be a good fit for me.” Growing up in Mount Pleasant, Lehman worked with local law enforcement toward her dream of being a police officer. After completing her internship in Lansing and changing courses on her career, she migrat­ ed westward and started working as a dis­ patcher for BCCD. Since then, she’s worked for BCCD in just about every capacity possible before becoming director of the office. “How I landed in 911 was really a fluke,” she said. “For most people that have had a long-standing career in 911 that are my age or older, that’s how it happens.” Although it’s changed a little in recent years, Lehman recalls, when she was younger, 911 dispatch jobs were not very visible to the public in the way that police and firefighter jobs are. Even with new 911 TV shows, most people aren’t aware of what happens inside a dispatch office. The shows still don’t show what it’s real­ ly like anyways, Lehman said. “I don’t watch those shows. I mean, when they come out, I watch for curiosity purposes, but that’s not a recurring hit on my DVR,” she said. Instead of watching 911 TV dramas, she often spends her time outside of work going to concerts and listening to music. Her taste is wide and varied, covering anything from classical to old-school hip-hop. It’s not uncommon to hear Mozart, Chopin, Stevie Nicks, Dr. Dre and Elton John all in one car ride, she said. Stephanie Lehman “If I had to pick a genre, I’m definitely a classic rock girl,” she said. Her passion for music runs so deep that many have asked why she didn’t pursue a career in music, but her career interests have always been more oriented to law enforcement and public safety, she said. That being said, it’s not uncommon to hear music coming from her office during the day. Other members of the dispatch team joke that they can hear Lehman coming. “Sometimes when I pull into the parking lot, I might be in the middle of a perfor­ mance. I’ll have to wait until the perfor­ mance gets over until I’m ready to come in and start my day,” she said. “I’m an awful singer. I have been known to partake in a little karaoke, though.” A big part of what she does at BCCD involves cultivating a team attitude in the office. She prefers to tackle problems headon, and still works as a dispatcher when she’s needed. As director, she’s always trying to make things better, both in the office and for Barry County. There’s no problem too big or too small for her team to tackle at BCCD. “I look at problems and I like to peel back the layers of the onion. I like to dissect things and make it better,” she said. “I understand there’s a place for if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. I just feel like it rarely applies to me.” For her dedication and service to public safety in Barry County, Stephanie Lehman is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite classic rock artist: I have two that are equal, because that’s a hard ques­ tion. That’s Bob Seger and Fleetwood Mac. Those are like my two all-time favorites. If I had to pick a third, it would be Tom Petty. Those are definitely my top three picks. Favorite movies: “Dead Poets Society” and “Tombstone.” The thing in my life that I’m most proud of: My daughter, Reese Lehman. If I could go anywhere in the world: I would love to go to England. A couple years ago, I did the Ancestry DNA and 23andme, and most of my DNA is English and Irish. Scotland, Wales - I have all of that. Any place in the world I would like to go right now would definitely be England. I’m super sad I wasn’t able to make it there before Queen Elizabeth passed away. I love the Netflix series “The Crown.” I feel most content when: I definitely feel most content when I’m being produc­ tive. That’s definitely a thing of mine. One thing on my bucket list: I want to tour Europe. When I was a kid I wanted to be: A police officer. Is $1.50 too much to ask? Raising the price of the Hastings Banner by 50 cents in July was a big decision at the time. But after looking at the numbers, we decided it was necessary if we expected to maintain the high level of coverage that our readers have come to expect. Shortly after the announcement, I had a couple of readers question why it nearly doubled. In fact, it became a conversation on social media. But after I’ve had several months to think about it and consider the implications, I’m better prepared with an answer the next time someone questions whether it’s worth $1.50 a week. Just think what you’re getting with your purchase - you’re supporting a staff of highly trained professionals that attend a number of meetings each week to gather the information and put it into a readable story. Plus, often­ times, there’s follow-up, where addi­ tional research is necessary to com­ plete the story. Our reporters cover the county board, Hastings City Council and sev­ eral township and zoning boards that meet each month throughout the coun­ ty. We cover local organizations, hap­ penings and a number of worthy news and feature stories. We have a sports editor that covers all the area schools with sports and happenings in the schools. Plus your local newspaper still remains the best place to find out pertinent information such as deaths, births, weddings and engagements as they happen. And you get all this in an easy-to-read package that you know is delivered with the dedication to get it right or we don’t print it. So, naturally, I think you’re getting a deal for only $1.50 per week when you get all these people working hard each: week to keep you and our readers aware of all the news you need to be an informed citizen. As an example, my wife was in a local dollar store the other day and picked up an item that, the last time she purchased it, was $1. Now, it’s $1.25, which is not at all surprising given our current economic climate and the state of inflation. But, that was the price hike for one item - not a paper filled with informa­ tion that isn’t available from any other source. Plus, I resent the way national tele­ vision is consistently attempting to convince Americans that newspapers are not vital or effective sources for news. You’ll never see those same networks do a story on how many cable channels and streaming services are cutting deeply into their viewer­ ship. In most communities across the state, the local newspaper is the only media left in their market that contin­ ues to cover the local scene as it has for generations, so when someone asks ‘Is it worth the price?’, my response is I think it’s a deal, because where could you get a staff of experts working overtime each week to make sure they deliver a paper filled with information closest to home for a $1.50 a week? In fact, the newspaper alone remains the only credible source for local information from events, zoning The Hastings Bcllllld* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. issues, planned new taxes to high school sports. Plus, the local newspa­ per remains the single best source to bring consensus to a community by covering the local scene and promot­ ing letters to the editor. Newspapers are great resources for residents who want to become more active in their communities and learn more about community events, building stronger communities as a result. Our family is truly thankful for the support given to us over the last 80 years, but at the same time, we must remind our readers, and advertisers how we exist. Our income is based on the people who purchase the paper each week and any advertising we sell, which in recent years, has been in decline when we need it most due to increasing prices on everything from staff, paper and ink to postage. Plus, our legal notices have been under fire, where state officials feel they can be placed on a state-side website, where citizens will be responsible to investi­ gate the issues that could impact where they live or local rule changes. And, I hope you’ve noticed that we are in the midst of our annual volun­ tary participation program for our community papers. Our publications are delivered free throughout the county each week, giving our readers all kinds of stories and information from the area. Plus it’s a great vehicle for local advertisers to inform the thousands of loyal readers about their companies and what they have to offer to their neighbors. Our commitment is to continue to reinvest in our papers, The Reminder, Banner, Sun and News, Lakewood News and Maple Valley News so we can continue to provide you, our read­ ers, with the most expansive, compre­ hensive coverage of each week’s news. But that’s become more diffi­ cult due tQ declining advertising,in all of our publications. That’s why, once a year, we come to our readers for some additional support to cover the costs of maintaining a staff of high­ ly-trained professionals that are dedi­ cated to producing a high-quality product each week. So, the next time I’m asked why we increased the Banner by 50 cents, or why we’re asking for support for our free papers, I’m better prepared to give an answer. The value of a trusted source for local news has never been more clear - as trust in government erodes, local independent reporting provides the necessary oversight and insight by keeping policy makers accountable. That’s our mission - to keep you informed, policy makers in check and to maintain an effective advertising vehicle for local business owners to connect with their communities and we do it 52 weeks a year. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — Page 5 It’s the principle not the money Letter to the editor: The decision by the chairman of the Barry County Commissioners not to con­ sider the agenda item of the FOIA pay­ ment to Hastings Township was a mis­ take for the wrong reason. At our township meeting this month, our township representative, Hoot Gib­ son, was asked for his opinion why it was turned down for discussion. His reply was that it would set the wrong precedent to discuss such issues. He felt it could open up the door for similar requests and once opened, that door couldn’t be closed. At the very least, the entire board of commissioners should have had the opportunity to express their thoughts and make that decision. This is too important for the board chairman to make alone. It actually kicked the can down the road for the next board of commissioners. This issue is not going away soon. With almost half of the county board being replaced at the upcoming election, will our Sheriff start another investigation? The first one is going nowhere fast. It’s time for an honest and open discussion regarding our township FOIA payment request. It’s the principle - not the money. Jim Brown Supervisor Hastings Charter Township The rest of the Barry County FOIA story Hastings Banner Editor: Thanks to Jayson for the October 13 editorial on FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) in Barry County. He did an excellent job of detailing how citizens can use the FOIA - in place for decades - to secure infor­ mation on the operation of their govern­ ments, local, state and national. The use of that ability has helped expose many misdeeds and improper spending by var­ ious governmental units on all levels. One short coming of the piece was in not addressing the misuse of the FOIA by some governmental units. As pointed out in the piece, there are strict time constraints for the responses from the body to whom the request is presented. There is also a strict set of guidelines regarding under what conditions a request can be denied, and what costs can be imposed upon a per­ son making a request under the FOIA. The law was written very simple for the clerks and other governmental officials to respond to ANY REQUEST made to them. They must first determine if the requested material -exists in control of the public body. If it does not, they simply must reply as such to the person requesting the items. If the item(s) does exist, they then have the time stated in the act to supply it to the person making the request, or they may determine that it is exempt under the act from being provided and so state in a response letter, which includes details on how the person may take the governmental body to court to attempt to secure release of the material being denied. The act very clearly details how much can be charged to provide the requested material. This is a formula based upon the lowest-cost governmental employee that can do the work to find, assemble and deliver the requested item(s). . In .crafting the FOIA, the legislature made the assumption that most govern­ mental officials were educated enough to be able to carry out the duties of respond­ ing to a FOIA request. They did not find it necessary to insert any language that required any person making a request to pay the fees of any attorney that the gov­ ernmental body decided to use to respond to a FOIA request. The simple question was, “Did Hast­ ings Township have any of the material being requested in the (Barry County Sheriff Detect Mark) Noteboom request?” It is sad that the township officials (in this case) appear to lack the “education” or skill required to properly respond without incurring the expense of an attor­ ney upon their taxpayers. If I remember the whole response they received from that expense was more or less, “it was an improper request.” That is not one of the responses allowed under the FOIA. In simple terms, any request under the FOIA is proper on its face, unless ruled otherwise by a court, not Hastings Township’s attorney. To expect our Barry County Sheriff to pay for Hast­ ings Township’s mistake is completely out of line, and they should address the issue with their township officials. George Hubka Dowling War on drugs has caused collateral damage This year, in our Great Decisions class in Hastings, we learned that the punitive measures of our 50-year war on drugs has actually made the problem worse. Man­ datory prison sentences for drug offenses have destabilized families here in the U.S. and caused many children to grow up without a parent. We then needed more cells to hold prisoners and private prisons rose to meet the need. These businesses are now invested in keeping them full. We talked about why illegal drugs are so appealing here, from family break­ down to low pain tolerance, and the bore­ dom and peer pressure of youth. The breakup of big drug cartels in Latin America has acted like Wac-AMole, creating many smaller, more com­ petitive, and violent cartels. The enor­ mous profits of drug dealing are hard to resist. The violence in Latin America has increased dramatically causing people to leave their homes and walk thousands of miles to seek refuge in America. Punishment of drug use has failed and we need a more humane response. Harm reduction, by legalizing some drugs and administering limited drugs to people who struggle to beat addiction, lowers crime and violence. And businesses who hire recovering addicts, like Ace Hardware here, do a big service to our community. Addiction is a disease. Carole G. Smith Delton Over time, our nation’s respect for life has slipped Letter to the editor: My heart goes out to the family of the 2-year-old boy in Battle Creek who recently was fatally shot while sleeping in his own bed in a drive by shooting. One of the statements made in the report­ ing of that crime was “There-is no regard for human life;”............ ’ ■-r As I pondered the path our country has taken to get to that point, and what can be done to turn our country back to respect­ ing life, two factors came to mind: The rejection of God and the idea that each human being conceived is a unique indi­ vidual who is valuable and made in His image is at the root of that thinking. Sec­ ondly, it is very clear to me when this disregard of human life start to be accept­ ed - when the Supreme Court legalized abortion with the Roe v. Wade decision in January 1973. As a student nurse from 1970-73,1 saw it unfold before my eyes. Now that Roe v. Wade has finally been reversed, voting no on Proposal 3 and voting for political candidates who respect life in our election on Nov. 8 will begin to turn this around in Michigan. Political ads are not a good place to get information on candidates, as there are many lies being told in them trying to advance their narrative, usually by those who will profit from abortion being legal. Right to Life of Michigan’s website is a good place to find out which candidates are pro life. Much information on abor­ tion is not being covered on the news, or is getting very biased coverage. Many of you were not yet alive before 1973 when abortion was still illegal. Did you know that Michigan had another ballot proposal on abortion in 1972? The law that makes abortion a crime in Michigan, which is is still the law in Michigan, was in effect in 1970 when I began nursing school. It is in the Michi­ gan Penal Code, Act 328 of 1931, Chapter Grace Lutheran Church cordially invites you to Heritage Sunday 3, sections 750.14 and 750.15. It states that administering a drug or doing a pro­ cedure on a pregnant woman to intention­ ally cause a miscarriage, unless it must be done to preserve the life of that woman, is a felony. If the mother dies, there would be an additional charge of manslaughter. It also includes a misdemeanor for advertis­ ing or selling abortion-causing drugs. This law never has prevented doctors from treating pregnant patients in a medical emergency, such as a tubal pregnancy, as one of the pro abortion ads claims. Repro­ ductive Freedom for All, funded by the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, a big abortion provider, is the sponsor of that ad. More on Planned Parenthood later. Before Roe, the OB Gyn doctors con­ sidered two patients - the mother and the baby growing in her womb. Some people, a few unethical doctors included, did not like having laws in place protecting the lives of the babies growing in the wombs of women. They began a national campaign to overturn abortion laws, motivated by both the desire to avoid the consequences of their own promiscuous sexual behavior and the large amounts of money to be made by taking advantage of women in distress because of an unintended pregnancy. They used many lies in their efforts, including a very inflated number of women they claimed had died from ille­ gal abortions. You can read in detail about their scheme in the book entitled Aborting America by Dr. Bernard Nathanson. Four states legalized abortion in 1970. In Michigan, there was a ballot initiative, Proposal B, designed to legalize abortion up to 20 weeks of gestation voted on in the November 1972 general election. I was so glad when it was rejected by 60.65 percent of the voters! Unfortunately, 76 days later, the Unit­ ed States Supreme Court handed down Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, overrul­ ing the voters in Michigan and nullifying all laws protecting unborn babies in the whole United States. This ruling was accomplished by some unethical lawyers using some vulnerable women to push forward their agenda, along with lies and a denial of reality. I was amazed to hear Justice Harry Blackman state in announc­ ing the court’s ruling, “We don’t know when life begins.” It had been a well known scientific fact for many years that life begins at conception. The court had stepped out of its proper role of interpreting laws and had made a law, removing the protection of the pre­ born from unethical people with no respect for the lives of these tiny human beings. The changes in the hospital happened swiftly. Some doctors began abandoning their Hippocratic Oath to “First, do no harm” and began killing the pre-born babies. One of the OB Gyn residents quit his residency and opened an abortion clin­ ic. In one part of the hospital we were fighting to save the lives of the tiny babies in the NICU and some pre-born babies who were well developed were being killed in another part .because a doctor thought it was best. Abortion did not free women at all, but injured them emotionally and sometimes physically. It also allowed men to use women and freed them from taking responsibility for the children they fathered. For many of the past 50 years, 1.5 mil­ lion unborn babies have had their lives snuffed out by abortion each year in the United States. For 50 years, many of us have fought to have abortion ended, and have warned against the slippery slope of disrespect for human life. I have seen it spread to a new­ born baby bom with a disability being starved to death, and the doctor going along with it. It was a “wrongful life” because if they had known the child had a disability, they would have aborted him. Google the Bloomington baby for his story. Teri Schaivo was a disabled adult starved to death as her estranged husband deemed her not worthy of life. We have seen such an increase in terrible crimes, including school shootings, where there is no respect for the lives of other human beings. We were overjoyed when Roe v. Wade was finally overturned by the court on June 24, 2022, and our state’s law pro­ tecting the lives of the pre-bom was to go back into effect, hoping this was the start of the return of respect for all human life. Unfortunately, our Attorney General DanaNessel stated she would not enforce that law. Shortly after that, a judge named Elizabeth Gleicher blocked the law from going into effect. She did not recuse her­ self, even though it is widely known that she is a financial supporter of the abor­ tion giant, Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood’s own financial statement for 2020-21 show they did 383,460 abortion procedures while per­ forming prenatal services for only 8,775 women along with only 1,940 referrals for adoption. They also received $633.4 million dollars from the US government. You can see what their focus is and how much of a conflict of interest it is for this judge to be involved in blocking our state law. Also, for Planned Parenthood to get government money and then spend large amounts to campaign for pro- abortion candidates and policies is wrong. The pro abortion forces are counting on keeping our state’s legitimate law pre­ venting abortion from going back into effect through getting Michigan voters to pass ballot proposal 3. Proposal 3 would make abortion-on-demand - throughout all nine months of pregnancy, for any reason whatsoever - a permanent part of the Michigan State Constitution. It would also wipe out every legal protection for both mother and child that has been put in place, even those requiring abortion clinics to have the same sanitary stan­ dards as other medical facilities. I see this as a pivotal point in history where the disrespect for life can be turned around in our state by electing people to office who respect life, and firing those currently in office who do not respect life. I urge you not to fall for the lies and manipulation of those who do not respect human life. Please learn from history. I urge you to vote no on proposal 3 and vote for people who respect human life from conception to natural death. Ruth Ann Stuart Former Registered Nurse Lake Odessa Proposal 3 would make devastating changes to Michigan’s constitution Dear Editor, On Nov. 8, we will be voting on Pro­ posal 3. I ask our readers the following questions: Do you really want your minor child to have serious medical procedures without your permission or your loving support? Without you even being notified? Pro­ posal 3 allows this. Do you really want medical proce­ dures performed in unregulated facilities by unlicensed providers that will have no liability if there is a complication from the procedure? Proposal 3 allows this. Do you really want abortion allowed in the seventh, eighth and ninth months of pregnancy, right up to and including the day of birth? Proposal 3 allows this. This is not just a new law but a change to our constitution. This is what Proposal 3 will enshrine in our Michigan Constitu­ tion. Think long and hard about it. Please, vote “No” on Proposal 3. October 30th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. for worship and a heritage meal to follow. Please bring a dish to pass that reflects your heritage, or just come and enjoy. We took forward to meeting you. Grace Lutheran Church is seeking a NURSERY ATTENRANT From 10:30 until Noon on Sundays Contact the church office at parishadmin@grace-hastings.org - Deadline November 1, 2022 - Nelson and Elaine Hine to celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary Nelson and Elaine (Gaudio/Foster) Hine of Hastings are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married October TJ, 1972 in Kalamazoo. Between them they have six children; Pat (Mike) Cox, Sherry (Andrew) Woodstock, John (Carrie) Hine, Ken (Susan) Foster, Steven Foster and Allan Foster (deceased). They also have 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Family and friends are invited to celebrate with Nelson and Elaine at a casual Open House held on Saturday, October 29 from 1 to 4 pm at Hope Township Hall, 5463 M-43 Highway, Hastings. Cards may be sent to 6640 Wilkins Rd., Hastings, Ml 49058. UNiTEOSmTES Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation POSmt^WCE. (All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Publications) t.Putd&itonTto Hastings Barsner_ 52 $85' *90 Bobbie Wilkins 1351 N M-43 Hwy FO Box 188 Hastings MI 49058 iTcwW! MasnsArfcmJcf HwkTuanwTtf Os-noa; Businuts 6$e-i V- PuaShsr Tetepfone c'irxvtt vea 269.945.95554 pcssa*) 1351 N H-43 Hwy PO Box 188 Hastings MI 49058 Punster iSft4r5.?5 Md cdnipteta - Fredric J Jacobs 1351 N M-43 Hwy PO Box 183 Hastings MI 49058 EHc; tfia/ne Btxf odnpSoitt wasfi Jayson Bussa 1351 N M-43 Hwy PO Box 188 Hastings Ml 49058 a c-rw-d fly s corpcnte-f. gye fa? ustavs /to* feate'ess.-tf 101 ’ Malting AddfoSI Fufl Hum* 461. Lakeside Dr Hastings MI 49058 Fredric J Jacobs Ttstti Amount«Bocoj HcxigagM.«. aw Other Ssewfr bfoWftre Cmng or Hol*r<g i 11. Kncwt- SoodhcJd-Me. Complete FuR Name UK aurpCM 0 Has [3 Hat Clwcjco Tom Feldpausch Hastings jns ctrfedtisr' ^irpK&ieiy toftwKi Uy &A and •neerdf status of tn® During pweceng 13 Mortns Precede? iz Worths Address ar»d the csM’pc Mamtor tedcat tat pur«is«» suterten n 0/ Ptezsf syortf* 10/13/22 Mo. Copies cf SingHi Each tssoc During issue Published Preceding 12 Months Nearest to PiPng Dsii a. Tots) KunAeruf Copie* ffifer pmasflin) Woman reports her phone, electric fence are being jammed Man loses trailer on the road home from Ontario A 58-year-old man called the police around 7 p.m. on Sept. 22 from the Hast­ ings Walmart to report a lost trailer. The man told police he was pulling an enclosed trailer behind his motor home while returning from Ontario, Canada. The man stopped at a Meijer in Lansing and saw the trailer was still attached, and he only noticed the trailer was missing upon making another stop in Martin. The trailer was carrying a golf cart, an ATV and a barbecue grill. The man drove back to Lansing to try and find the trailer, but he couldn’t remember his exact path of travel. Barry County Central Dispatch License plate stolen from vehicle in Delton A 46-year-old Kalamazoo woman called police around noon on Oct. 9 to report her license plate had been stolen from her vehicle while visiting her boy­ friend in Delton. The woman reported she arrived at his house on the 3000 block of Perch Point Drive between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Oct. 8. Around 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 9, she realized the plate was missing and called the police. Police responded to a hit-and-run crash at 5 a.m. on Oct. 3 at the intersection of Carlton Center Road and M-66 Highway. The driver, a 24-year-old Hastings man, told police he was headed east on Carlton Center Road when a vehicle approached him from behind with its high beams on. The vehicle started to pass the man but stayed next to his vehicle for about five seconds. The man thought the other driver might be trying to get his attention to tell him there was something wrong with his vehicle, so he pulled over near the stop sign at the intersection of Carlton Center Road and M-66 Highway. The man told police the vehicle swerved while he was opening his door, striking his vehicle’s now open door. The other vehicle, a gold Chevrolet Cavalier, continued driving northbound on M-66 Highway. A 48-year-old Bellevue woman reported a suspicious situation to police around 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 at her resi­ dence on the 7800 block of Huff Road. The woman told police she believed someone was setting up a phone jam­ mer on her property. She was in the process of filing a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission and required a police report to supple­ ment her complaint. The woman also told police several electric fences on her property weren’t working properly and she believed it was due to foul play. The responding officer noted they were not able to see anything suspicious on the scene while they were there. The officer helped the woman file a com­ plaint with the FCC. Pari Otecaitjwh ttw Mars i rtAuwg Sates Twotigh Djaters and Cartsra. Venfew?. Counter fJaias. and ©e^rf Pski OSPS«‘ b,- Otfter Cteswreof Mail Through frss ar ► Ceptes Pate 1081 1515 1560 2812 2766 2837 2791 363 309 PS Poirn 3541 on PS rcrtu334 MBin.-HaiCtfKrrCiassm* Trxe-:«gh the USPS w Norrtnaj Rate & {e.p.FBSl-CWSaMaXj Fit* M Nofoirst! Suie DrtbBailwn Otf&du Vw fi&i cr ffltfoosj I tom; O.-HlOUSC'l fStMJ O< JSCOJrO g Copies piOsidbwteo {Seu 195 1011 USPS Fr*91' tiORWiai Kstff Curskte-CGUirty Coplw-. inctetSM isv.’.tsa 216 Sated <sn PS Fuw 354.1 (fscfiwi; pcif (2) Waited'n-C-xniy Pstt Paid 3100 3200 c. Total Pad Otartbutton f&wt d l&ffy (2). contacted authorities in Eaton County and Ingham County to alert them of the missing trailer and cargo. Eaton County police found the trailer on North Chester Road in Charlotte several days later on Oct. 6. Data BStow K Ksiii Date for Hastings Banner l£*&faM and Nature- Car swerves and hits parked car’s open door 10/20/22 Purawas AnAJaii/ s NunSwr« 52 io M (pttss 3200 3100 i---------99.104 99.118 ' K you-ire cradling a C.-1?*.‘3 b. T.Ttfi! /fort Press Copfes »x-pes, go 1C oc peqe 3 a row are rSTsainwa akipb? ftw tsosS. M/A N’/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 10/18/22 �Page 6 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Beulah Rose Chase Beulah Rose Chase fell asleep in death on Saturday morning, Oct. 8, 2022, at Butter­ worth Hospital in Grand Rapids after a brief illness. Beulah was born on April 15, 1940, to Fred and Ella (VanCleve) Wert in Sand Lake. She was the ninth of 11 children. She graduated from Cedar Springs High School in 1958. Shortly after graduation she married (end­ ing in divorce in 1982) and started raising a family which included three daughters and one son. She is survived by two of those children: Connie (Pete) Tossava and John Jr. (Cande) Wendel. She was preceded in death by her daugh­ ter, Ella Ulrich in 2006 and her son-in-law, William Ulrich in 2009. She was also preced­ ed in death by her daughter, Julie Bohley in 2008, but is survived by her son-in-law, Ray Bohley. While raising her children she was mostly a stay-at-home mom, in fact she was and still is the best mom ever! However later in life she worked at various jobs including Gordon Manufacturing in Dutton for 10 years and then at various other jobs such as the Hast­ ings Big Boy restaurant as breakfast bar attendant and at Subway Sandwich shop here in Hastings. But in 2005 she retired from Walmart at their Alpine Township location. Beulah was known for her wonderful cooking abilities and was famous for her " ~ ------ Ray Thomas Miller baked beans, cream puffs and mostly her rice pudding that she would make either with or without raisins (she aimed to please every­ one!). On December 11, 2002, she married the absolute love of her life, Gary Chase, whom she met while growing up and reconnected at a relatives wedding. They would have cele­ brated their 20th anniversary this December, however, sadly Gary fell asleep in death on November 21, 2021. In the late 1960s she began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and dedicat­ ed her life to Jehovah God and was baptized in 1970. Her faith was especially important to her, and she remained faithful and loved and cherished her relationship with Jehovah God until the end of her life. Beulah is survived by her granddaughters, Tonya Shay (Chris Dittman), Brooke (Michael) Miller, Megan (Chris) Marlow, Tyler (Casey) Tossava, Luke (Karen) Tossa­ va, Chet (Jen) Bohley, Clay (Megan) Bohley, Came (Charlie) Thomas, Anne Lynch and Dennis Eagle. Many great grandchildren and nieces and nephews also survive Beulah. She is also survived by an incredibly special sis­ ter-in-law, Marillyn Wert and not to be for­ gotten, she is survived by her faithful canine companion of 12 years, Charlie. Beulah was also preceded in death by her siblings and their spouses, Fred Jr. (Norma) Wert, Earl (Leia) Wert, Virginia (Rix) Robin­ son, Audrey (Mike) Fifield, Clarence (Floss­ ie) Wert, Madeline (Frank) Sheldon, Patricia (Harry) Silverthorne, Darlene (Jerry) Elder, David Wert, Ronald Wert. She was also preceded in death by her great grandson, Alexander Thomas. We would also like to thank all of the med­ ical staff at Butterworth and Spectrum Pen­ nock ER for their wonderful care and a very special thank you to COA’s Nichole Schild whom our mom loved. Services for Beulah will be held on Satur­ day, Nov. 12, 2022, at 2 p.m. at The Hastings Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3550 M-179 Hwy., Hastings, MI 49058. Steve Dimond will be officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to The Hastings East Congregation of Jeho­ vah’s Witnesses. For those who wish to connect via Zoom, please contact Connie (Pete) Tossava; John (Cande) Wendel. , , Joshua Lee Boulter, age 40, of Hastings, MI, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022 at home. Joshua was bom on June 8, 1982, in Hast­ ings, the son of Kerry and Suk Boulter. Joshua was a 2001 graduate of Hastings High School. On May 26, 2006, he married Santana Conseulo Gonzalez, and she precedes him in death. Joshua worked at Kellogg’s, Johnson Con­ trols and Flex Fab. On January 13, 2012, he married Lacy Renae Pittelkow, and they enjoyed 10 years together. Joshua enjoyed weightlifting, competing in bench press competitions, camping and spending time with his family, all sports, bon­ fires, watching football and drinking beer. Joshua is survived by his parents, Kerry and Suk Boulter; his wife, Lacy Boulter; his chil­ dren, Kierstin, Evan, Theo and Vivian Boulter; brother, Ty Boulter; sister and brothers-in-law, Sean and Lindsey Schafer and Troy Pittelkow; nieces and nephews, Brody Pittelkow, Sam, Emma, and Reid Schafer; grandparents, Bever­ ly and Ed Esakson, and Edgar and Jan Boulter. Memorial donations can be made towards the children’s education, for which an account will be set up soon. Funeral service was held Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058, Pastor Roger Claypool officiating. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. sirrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (corner of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser. Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. y\Miip &fraise This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Roystons to celebrate 70th wedding anniversary Lyle and Shirley (Bursley) Royston were married on Oct. 25, 1952. They had a daugh­ ter, Yvonne Stults and a son, Melvin (both deceased); three grandkids; three great-grand­ kids, four great-great-gfandkids, and expect­ ing another in February. They reside at 9020 Elm Rd., Clarksville, MI 48815. Henry Miller Morris, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on Sept. 21,2022 to Amanda Dawn Mor­ ris and Philip Nicholas Morris of Hastings. 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Olivia Jean Snyder, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Oct. 5, 2022 to Casey Green and Cody Snyder of Nashville. sfc ik sk * 4s * * Willow Rae Hall, born at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock on Oct. 5, 2022 to Kaeli Hall and Donald James Hall of Dowling. ***** Raylynn Jean Veldhuis, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on Oct. 5, 2022 to Kelsey Mae Higdon and Bentley Alan Veldhui§-Roche. Ryker Thomas Andaverde, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on Oct. 8, 2022 to Heather Andav­ erde and Nathan Andaverde of Wayland. * Traditional and Cremation Services ’ Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted AWOOMOESUPPtffilOF HotlineTools&Equipinent JLake. &<HeMa The Red Cross Bloodmobile was hosted at the Fellowship Hall on Monday. The annual Tour of Homes sponsored by the Woodland Women’s Study Club was another success last Saturday. The advance publicity was well done. The houses proved to be every bit as interesting as the advance coverage predicted them to be. One bonus of the tour was to see other people, some from other communities and some who were old residents back for the tour. Once home, one could reread the publicity and note what we missed seeing. It was there for us to see but we failed to look for it. One home had a surprising rope which released a hatch in the ceiling, which in turn revealed a stairway to the attic. This was an ingenious feature in a house built after the turn of the 20^ century. This was the De Vault Cole Mahlan Fust, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock on Sept. 30, 2022 to Trisha Nicole Krammin and Benjamin James Fust of Bellevue. ***** Hhastings Fiberglass ings community, Ray served as the 1965 Exalted Ruler for the Hastings Elks Lodge, and was a founding member of the Thomapple Valley Credit Union (formerly EW Bliss Credit Union). Ray loved dancing with Joann, spending over 30 years square dancing and round danc­ ing together. After retiring, they ventured to Florida to escape the Michigan winters, where they traded their dancing shoes for shuffleboard. A lifelong Michigan State fan, Ray enjoyed watching Spartan sports. He also enjoyed watching the Detroit Tigers and Lions. Ray is survived by his beloved wife, Joann; his children, Mitch (Brenda) Miller, Raeanne (Bill) Renner, JoEllen (Dave) Anderson; sister, Linda (John) Craig; broth­ er-in-law, Richard Welton; nine grandchil­ dren; 25 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. He was preceded in death by his siblings, Charles Miller, Anne Welton, Mary Lou Schwencer and great granddaughter, Destiny Miller. Memorial service and luncheon will be held on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Daniels Funeral Home Hastings, located at 1401 North Broadway, Hastings, ML Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings, MI conveniently located at 1401 North Broad­ way. For further details please visit our web­ site at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. Elaine Garlock The free community meal to be served at the Fellowship Hall of Central United Meth­ odist Church (UMC) will be available from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 29. Food is prepared by Swede’s restaurant of Mulliken. It is served each week by one of the local churches. Two new churches have joined the list of those who help by serving and cleaning up each week. Donations are accepted. The chief items on the menu are prepared by the restau­ rant, but the desserts are provided by the host church or another. These dinners are provided not only for those for whom food costs are prohibitive, but also for those living alone for whom human companionship is a scarcity. Many people living alone feel that food tastes better when eaten in the company of others. For others, this is a gift of a meal which helps with one’s household expenses. It has proven to be a pleasure for becoming acquainted with other residents of the community. Also, it has brought together people who are renew­ ing acquaintances. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. Ray Thomas Miller, age 91, of Hastings, MI passed away peacefully on October 16, 2022 at Carveth Village in Middleville. Ray was born in Battle Creek, MI, June 26, 1931, a son of the late Nellie and David Miller. He was raised on the family farm in Ban­ field, where he enjoyed riding his horse “Chief’ to country school. After grade school, Ray attended Hastings Schools, grad­ uating from Hastings High School in 1950. During his senior year, Ray was voted captain of the football team and was the only player to play every minute of every game. Follow­ ing high school, Ray attended Grand Trunk trade school to train in tool and die. Wanting to work closer to home, Ray began working at EW Bliss, then at Hast­ ings Manufacturing. In 1974, joined Flexfab where he worked faithfully until retiring in 1993. On June 19, 1951 Ray married his high school sweetheart Joann (Story) Miller at the First Presbyterian Church in Hastings. The couple made their home in Hastings, where they raised their family together. Ray and Joann were married on Joann’s parents 25th anniversary. Their son was married 25 years later on Ray and Joann’s 50th anniversary. Ray was an avid outdoorsman, who loved deer hunting in Michigan. On several occa­ sions, he traveled out west hunting mule deer, and to Canada hunting moose. Having a strong connection, to the Hast­ ^11fl <X1 11 Dale Billinoslev Owner/Manager 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net j j j Family Owned aild Operated Rav Girrbach Ount-r Emeritus Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years home on Fifth Avenue. Later we heard of a man who had helped move a piano from the second-floor apartment several years ago, maneuvering the piano around a bend in the stairwell. He could only sympathize with the five or six men who had moved the same piano up those stairs ten years earlier. Most of the newer houses and even some of the older houses featured islands in the kitchens. The Brown home on Wellman Road had many decorative items containing collections of small objects, such as the inner-workings of wristwatches. Soaring ceilings were a feature in some of the homes which had been remodeled or had major additions. With a sharp drop in outdoor temperatures, we are now living behind closed doors and getting out our warm clothing for the coming fall and winter seasons. Last year’s garments are back in use with gloves, jackets, head­ wear and coats again in our closets. Doubt­ less the furnace people are busy handling service calls. We have not yet seen any bagged leaves along the curbs, but that day is surely coming. The lawnmowers can handle the amount of fallen leaves so far. Kristina Michelle Jacobs, Hastings and Todd Dwayne Porritt, Hastings Shawna Marie Wernette, Hastings and Eric Emerson Enz, Lake Odesssa Caitlin Elizabeth Williamson and Delton and Ross James Reeder, Delton Christine Elisabeth Wilson, Hastings and Jason Richard Craven, Hastings Kayla Sue Anible, Hastings and Terry Anthony Dull, Hastings �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — Page 7 Six candidates run for four Delton Kellogg Board of Education seats in November Karen Turko-Ebright Contributing Writer Six candidates are vying for four open seats on the Delton Kellogg Board of Educa­ tion. Three four-year and one partial-term seats are available in the November general election. The candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot for the non-partisan, four-year terms ending in 2026 include Julie Aukerman, Rodney Dye, Kath­ leen Forsyth, Samantha Munsell, Jesse Shav­ er and Jonathan Osborne. Shaver, a write-in candidate whom the Barry ISD appointed in August to fill in for Dr. Brandy Shooks, who left in July with two years remaining in that term, will face Osborne for the partial, four-year term seat. Shaver is in his third month serving on the board and will continue to serve if he wins his appointed spot in November. Dye is an incumbent running again for another four-year term. Two school board members, Sarah Austin and Bob Houtrow, are not seeking reelection guaranteeing two new faces to serve over 1,100 students. Austin currently serves as the school board’s treasurer, while Houtrow is a trustee. Name: Kathleen Forsyth Residence: Delton Occupation: Property manager at Delton Area Senior Housing and volunteer coordina­ tor at The Shack Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? The main Treason‘T’'decided to bin is because, throughout the last couple years, it has been difficult to witness people lashing out at our local boards of all kinds, including our school boards. I was honestly afraid no one would run for this reason. I think my priorities would be the health and safety of our students, staff and community - both physically and mentally. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? I would like to continue to promote posi­ tive traits like respect and good character through civil communications along with encouraging volunteering and community service. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve? I believe my bookkeeping and accounting background will be helpfill on some commit­ tees, but also the fact that I was a parent to both an AP student as well as a child on the Autism Spectrum that required an IEP through­ out his educational career gives me a unique perspective. I took part in Leadership Barry County a few years ago and highly recom­ mend this to anyone interested in making a difference in our community. I also have been very active in the community and have volunteered with many organizations over the last 20 years in Barry County. I think with all this, I would bring a knowledge and community awareness that would be helpful to the board. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I believe parents know their child best and I believe educators know their craft. I believe the parents’ role is pivotal to this powerful team much like any other sports team. I per­ sonally believe that this powerful team can overcome the many struggles that all children and youth of our community are dealing with. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I have tried to be involved with both the school and community since we moved here 21 years ago. I was active with the PIE (Part­ ners In Education) group and in charge of fundraising for multiple years. I served on the BISD PAC group (Parent Advisory Council) for five years, as well. I have been an active member of the Delton Area Rotary Club, which included serving as their president last year. But probably the biggest community involvement that I have been a part of is with a_ grassroots _ group created 10 years ago _ called '“Deltbh ROCKS; which'stands for 'Reaching Our Community’s Kids with Support. This group was created after a prayer vigil that gathered many from the community, who were grieving from three recent suicides of local young people. Delton ROCKS Face­ book group was created the afternoon after this prayer vigil and The Shack was created soon thereafter. Over the last 10 years, I have probably put in thousands of hours at this free clothing outreach that is open to all regardless of income or residency. Name: Samantha Munsell Current residence: Delton Occupation: Administrative assistant and dance teacher Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? The reason I am running for DK school board is simple - I want to see Delton Kel­ logg be the best it can be. I am motivated, I am vested in this community and I feel I can bring a new and unique set of eyes, and an open set of ears that are ready to listen. I have ideas, I have goals, I am ready to put my best foot forward and I see the brightest future for our wonderful school district and community. My first and biggest priority coming into this journey is safety in our schools. Whether that safety be physical or mental/emotional, I want the very best for our students, educators and support staff. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? There is not one particular issue that makes me want to serve on the school board. I feel as though our current board has done a great job maneuvering through the _ of the past ... challenges couple years. Educalion is'aTways changing and evolving. Heel this to be especially true as of late. While I don’t see this to be an ‘issue’ at the current moment, I do want to continue to see that open dialogue between parents and educators. I believe that open communication and transparency is key in any relationship, which is what I am vowing to stand up for if I am voted into a board seat in the Novem­ ber election. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I believe I have a unique set of skills and experiences that make me a great candidate for this position. I am a 2007 graduate of Delton Kellogg Schools. I then held the honor of being a high school coach at DK for 12 years. Now, I have two young children who attend Delton Kellogg Elementary and my husband is also a teacher at Delton. I have lived in Delton for nearly 30 years. I value this community and treasure the rela­ tionships I have made along the way. I look forward to meeting new members of our community and learning what they value and what I can help bring to our school district. I find it valuable that I have had an ‘inside look’ through my experiences, which I feel will be an asset in a board member. Professionally, I have extensive experience work­ ing with children from preschool age all the way through high school aricTihto college. T am currently a dance teacher at a local stu- dio, teaching a wide variety of ages. I love working with students. I want to be involved in what drives them, I want to see them succeed and I believe each student has the right to an equal education. In addition, I also work in healthcare and have been an active part in many committees within my current profession. I am organized, I love interacting with others, and I have a profound respect for others and their opinions. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I am a firm believer that parents should be involved in their children’s education. One of the things I have loved most about my children’s early elementary years (so far) is how included, welcomed and encouraged parents are to work within the school and in the classroom. I feel as though transparency between educator and parent/guardian(s) is so very important, especially with many of the topics our youth are being faced with today. I believe curriculums should be transparent and 1 believe students should learn the tools necessary to create their own opin­ ions on controversial issues. I believe in teaching what is necessary to see our stu­ dents succeed in their future adult and pro­ fessional lives. Kiwanis honors young citizens Hastings elementary school and middle school teachers have select­ ed students to be honored as citizens of the month by the Kiwanis Club of Hastings. Students are selected by their teachers for reasons such as excellent citizenship, attitude, conduct, academics, character, service, leader­ ship and sportsmanship. The citizens of the month for September (with parents’ names in parentheses) include: Central - Kendra Killian (Jennifer and Travis Killian) and Reuben Day (Darnell Day and Catherine Case). Northeastern - Gabe Longsworth (Paige Longsworth) and Austin Milcher (Jessica and Matthew Milcher). Southeastern - Isabelle Ricketts (Bambi and Shawn Ricketts) and Kaydence Sibley (Heather Sibley). Star - Kylah Wise (Colby Wise and Brooke Warner) and Davis Wattles (Tangi and Tadd Wattles). Hastings Middle School - Violet Bivens (Gordon and Chelsea Biv­ ens), Jaelynn Neymeiyer (Amy Hall), Natalie Olmstead (Becky Olm­ sted), Joshua Roberts Jr. (Joshua and Ashley Roberts) and Logan Orman (Jeremy and Christina Orman. September’s citizens of the month at Star Elementary School were recently honored. Pictured are (from left) principal Mrs. Smelker, Kylah Wise and Davis Wattles. Citizens of the month at Northeastern Elementary in Hastings include (from left) Gabe Longsworth and Austin Milcher. They are pictured here with Mrs. Wezensky (left) and Mrs. McKay (right). (Photos provided) September’s citizens of the month at Southeastern Elementary School were recently honored. Pictured are (from left) Isabelle Ricketts, principal Ms. Stein and Kaydence Sibley. Central Elementary citizens of the month include (from left) Kendra Killian and Reuben Day, joined here by Principal Amber Mitchell. September’s citizens of the month were honored recently. Pictured are (from left) Principal Geukes, Violet Bivens, Jaelynn Neymeiyer, Natalie Olmstead, Joshua Roberts and Logan Orman. - �Page 8 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner CANDIDATES, continued from page 7 Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. I consider myself a very involved school and community member, both in the past and today in present time. As a former cheerleading coach for DKHS, I was involved in many community events from our annual ‘Little Cheer Clinic’ and Founder’s Day festivities to homecoming events and Delton Hometown Christmas. Since retiring from my position two years ago, I now find myself involved in other community aspects such as volunteering to help run the sports physical clinic that is held yearly at Delton Kellogg High School. In my spare time, I also enjoy teaching dance and cheer classes at a nearby studio, which is home to many DK students. When my work schedule allows, I love to work in my children’s classrooms, and occasionally I get to pop in and help students tape my husband, Mr. Munsell, to the wall when they reach their donation goal for Kids Heart Challenge each year in February. If there is an event in our community that I am able to attend, I will be there. I look forward to being out there, working in our community, and help­ ing our students in the future as well. Name: Rodney Dye Current residence: Delton Occupation: Owner of a local machine ’' tool and die facility Why are you running for the school ; board? What are your priorities? The reason I am running for the school > board is I believe, as community members, business owners, parents and grandparents, we should be more involved and place a larg­ er influence on the educational programs and how they are represented to our children. It is concerning to know that only 33 percent of Michigan school-aged children who have ' - taken the Michigan Student Test for Educa­ tional Progress (M-STEP) ate proficient in math and only 41 percent in the English Lan­ ; ' guage Arts (ELA). I believe as parents, com•;«" munities and educators, we can do more to improve these statistics. My priority as a school board member is to provide a safe and inclusive environment ' along with quality education for all of our children, grandchildren and the entire student ; body. One of my goals as a board member is to bridge the gap between our community and - our school board so that we have shared val­ ues about how education is represented. Aca­ demically, my priority is to prepare our stu­ - dents so that they are well-rounded, meet state and national standards and are best pre­ pared to meet the challenges ahead of them. . ' To do this we can leverage the data received from standardized testing. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? Career Technical Education (CTE) and Agri­ culture Programs. Our skilled trades personnel and farmers continue to age and retire at rapid rates. This has placed a greater need for young adults to enter these fields and programs. How­ ever, many of the agricultural and trade-related studies have been either partially or entirely removed from our school systems and are only available through Vocational Education Cen­ ters. I will be working to reinstitute these pro­ grams into the local school district. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I am a local business owner in the machine tool and die industry. I have a manufacturing engineering background, 25 years of experi­ ence in project management and operations, and was the technical leader for a large automotive company. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? Parents have the greatest impact on the dis­ trict. They are the primary influence and men­ tors for the development of their child’s char­ acter, religious values and early education. They are the structure and foundation for their children as well as the authorities for their health and wellbeing. Parental involvement and input to the district are key to our success. Without the parents, we do not have students and without students, we do not have a district. Describe your involvement in a local school and community organizations. I am a current member of the Delton Kellogg school board. I was involved with the Delton Youth Football Programs (Rocket football) as a coach and the assistant director for 11 years. I really enjoy the youth programs (i.e., football, young cheerleaders, T-ball) and never miss an opportunity to watch our grandchildren partici­ pate in these events. I want to ensure these pro­ grams continue and that there are athletic oppor­ tunities at all school levels. I am always open to discussion and input with the community/parents with regard to school issues or district concerns. Name: Jonathan Osborne Current residence: Delton Occupation: Electrical/Instrumentation technician; Farmer Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? I am running for school board to help keep Delton Kellogg the great district that it is. 1 was blessed to be born and raised in the Delton community and attended the school system all the way through and will do my best to protect the traditional learning envi­ ronment we all love. Our children are our biggest asset and deserve nothing less than City of Hastings, Department of Public Services Operator 2 - DPS Garage SUMMARY: Performs a variety of duties related to the operation, maintenance, and repair of the City of Hastings facilities. Responsibilities include the operation of trucks, tractors, front end loaders, and other mechanical and power-driven equipment for the purpose of maintaining city streets, sidewalks, watermain, sewer main, storm sewer, trees, leaf and brush pick-up, compost facility, parks, trails, and other city facilities. Typical Work Schedule: 07:00 - 15:00, Monday through Friday, but is subject to change. REQUIREMENTS: Minimum requirements include a high school diploma or equivalent, a knowledge in roadway construction, municipal water and wastewater systems is a plus, and ability to pass and possess a "S4" level water, and CDL B license, within one year of hire. Candidate must pass a drug/alcohol screen, pre-employment physical, and background check. Competitive applicants will have a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and desire to be part of an effective team. Construction skills are a plus. APPLY: Interested applicants may download appropriate application materials from https://hastingsmi.org/downloadable forms/employmentapplication-form-2/and return to: the quality education a small school like DK can offer. We have some of the best teachers and support staff already and I look forward to working with them to help prepare our children for their future careers. My priorities are transparency between the school and community, increasing parental involvement, protecting the safe and tradi­ tional learning environment, accountability, honesty, a family-focused school and promot­ ing careers in skilled trades. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? I think we have something special here at Delton Kellogg and my only issue is trying to protect what we have from the rest of the world. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I have deep roots in the community. I was raised in this school system and my wife and I have three daughters who now attend DK. I have a lot of respect for our amazing staff as well as a lot of the community and it’s important to have good relationships with those you are working with as well as repre­ senting. I have experience serving on the safety board with Westrock as well as Pfizer. I have been through contract negotiations on both the union and company sides with previ­ ous employers and have served on the Delton Kellogg Little League board in recent years. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I think parental rights are very important. As a parent myself, our voices should be heard and respected. The school should sup­ ply a quality education without overruling parental choices or getting between a parent and their child. 1 think parental involvement should be encouraged and welcomed in the classroom. This builds good communication and relationships among everyone. Describe your involvement in a local school and community organizations. My wife and I have been involved with many large community fundraisers, little league, volleyball, and rocket cheerleading. I was a member of the Delton Fire Club for six years and am a deacon at Solid Rock Bible Church of Delton. Name: Jesse Shaver Current residence: Delton Occupation: Golf Course Superintendent - Gull Lake Country Club Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? My wife and I are transplants to the Delton community, 12 years ago, and have three young kids just starting out in our educational system. I’m a Michigan State University graduate, currently, the Golf Course Superin­ tendent at beautiful Gull Lake Country Club and I bring a great deal of board and commit­ tee experience to our school system’s board of directors. I am a man of faith, a devoted family man and husband, an avid outdoors­ man, and a hard-working American patriot. “Just. Plain. Education.” is my campaign slogan and something I truly believe in, not only for my kids but every child in our tightknit community. That should be our focus as educators for our children. We need to pro­ vide our kids with a quality foundation where they can learn, build on their educational future, be successful in life and help them develop into quality human beings for when they someday get out into “the real world”. Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? With radical worldly views intensifying around us in other local districts, Title IX, CRT and overreaching classroom sexual and race indoctrination - just to name a few - we need to stand strong for our children, their educational future and fight for parents rights. It is the job of the school, I believe, to prop­ erly educate our kids and provide them the tools needed to be successful in life, while leaving race, gender ideology and sexual edu­ cation up to the parents. Schools shouldn’t be in the business of promoting a political agen­ da but should focus solely on educating its students with good wholesome values and educational tools that will lead them strongly into the future. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? In 2016, I was elected to the Michigan Golf Course Superintendents Association (MIGCSA) Board of Directors and I’m cur­ rently serving in my second term. Last year, I was elected to the executive board as secre­ tary treasurer and I’m on track to be presi­ dent of the MIGCSA in the year 2024. For the past four years, I have also chaired our MIGCSA Communications Committee. We have built new websites, increased our branding, published quarterly magazines, created a new video marketing strategy and improved overall member satisfaction over the last several years. I have a great deal of knowledge on boards and their purpose and how Robert’s Rules are conducted in a meet­ ing. I’ve chaired committees and also run various meetings at the university, private club and state association levels. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? Parents should be supportive, instill quality core character values and provide their chil­ dren with a robust foundation for them to learn and grow in a school setting. A parent should teach patience in learning, respect for their teachers and build their confidence to set the tone for them to be their best selves when they get to school every single day. Parents should also be supportive of the school district and its faculty as they navigate many different issues and personalities in today’s society. I believe it’s important for parents and teachers to work cohesively together to provide our children the best possible experience in the classroom as well as at home. It takes a village and it’s important for us all to work together towards the one common goal of a quality education. We’re better together. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. In the short time my wife and I have had children in the school system, we have spent quality time in the classroom on several occasions to volunteer. There isn’t a week that goes by where we aren’t making sure our teachers and classrooms are equipped with exactly what they need to be successful. I’ve spent time helping with team sports and working on fields to prepare for summer seasons of T-ball since my wife is on the Delton Kellogg Little League board. We’re only in the beginning stages of submerging ourselves in this tight knit community since our children are young. We could not be hap­ pier with this school system and plan to do whatever we can to be as involved as possi­ ble in the future. City of Hastings Operator 2 Wastewater Treatment Plant­ Position Available Department of Public Services The City of Wastewater Position will the position Hastings is accepting applications for an Operator 2 at the Treatment Plant for the Department of Public Services. be full time with benefits. Applications will be accepted until is filled. Minimum requirements include a high school diploma or GED, ability to get Commercial Drivers License (CDL-B) valid in the State of Michigan within 6 months of hire. Candidate must pass a drug/alcohol screen, pre­ employment physical, and background check. Competitive applicants will have a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and desire to be part of an effective team. Wage rate for the Operator 2 position ranges from $17.00 to $19.25 per hour. Send resume, three (3) professional references, and completed employment application to the City of Hastings, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan, 49058. An online application can be located at: httDs://hastingsmi.org/downloadable forms/employment-applicationform-2/ Hastings City Hall 201 E State Street Hastings, MI 49058 WAGE RATE: The wage rate for this position is $17.00 per hour to $19.25 per hour, dependent upon experience. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Questions regarding this position should be directed to Travis Tate, Director of Public Services at 269-945-6006 A required application form and full job description are available upon request. Questions regarding this position should be directed to Travis Tate, Director of Public Services, 269-945-2468. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The City of Hastings is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Christopher Bever Clerk The City of Hastings is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Christopher Bever, Clerk Name: Julie Aukerman Current residence: Delton Occupation: Self Employed Why are you running for the school board? What are your priorities? I am running for Delton Kellogg school board because I see there is a real need to bring cohesion between the school, commu­ nity and student body. We are much better than other districts because we have some­ thing they don’t and that is Delton residents. We are a strong and proud group of families that are unstoppable when all that energy is funneled together. We have so many things to offer as a district that no other district can touch. We need to understand how to get that all working at our best. My priority is to keep all Delton families here, get back those who have left and attract new families to join. Delton has deep roots and entrepreneurial minds and we need to benefit from all that knowledge and strength. That will give young families a good place to raise their children and be excited to send them Delton Kellogg! Is there a particular issue that makes you want to serve on the school board? A particular issue that makes me want to run are the amount of families leaving Delton Kellogg. Like I said above, we need to keep our families here in our district so I get real concerned when I hear people leave. Why do they leave? What did Delton do wrong? Could it have been preventable or fixable? These questions, and many more, just run through my head. I’m a firm believer that there is no prefect place, person or world but if we don’t ask what the issues are, how can they be fixed? How many of these families we lost were unnecessary if we only knew what was wrong? This particular issue con­ cerns me and I would love to run and fix the broken system. We will not be a perfect dis­ trict but if I get elected we will have one that is always trying to be the best it can be. What skills and experiences do you bring to the table that have prepared you to serve as a board member? I have been married for 25 years and togeth­ er we have raised three pretty productive members of society and very polite young adults. I say it this way because, unfortunately, that is old fashioned. We raised our kids with structure, praise, accountability and of course unconditional love. Those are just a few words that come to mind but then you have work ethic, manners, responsibility and good old trial and error opportunities. I have held my children to a high standard in school and out. We have been through accomplishments, suc­ cesses and the “learn from our mistakes” growing opportunities/experiences. This isn’t easy for all parents but there is nothing easy about being a parent nor should it be. Hard work and great examples on all aspects of life are good ingredients in raising kids. Being a Delton Kellogg school board member resem­ bles being a parent in my eyes. Being constant, transparent and honest are great skills for a school board member. Also owning and run­ ning a business in town for the last 15 years, I have had endless conversations with parents and employees of the school and students regarding current school issues. And the expe­ riences of using said skills is priceless. What do you feel the role of the parent is within the district? I think the role of a parent in any district is involvement, hands down. This question is loaded but very simple. I have been involved with the school since my kids started. I started volunteering in the class when they were in preschool and going on field trips. I did it teaching a class in the elementary through Junior Achievement about needs and wants in life. And then my involvement transitioned as they grew and did new things. I would say becoming a coach in Little League and then later, an assistant varsity softball coach in high school to assisting in travel softball, I’ve been involved. Some may argue that I had the flexi­ bility and time so I could do things like that and I would agree. But being involved has many faces. You can email teachers, talk to coaches, join committees for all sorts of stuff. You can just be there on the;sidelines at games, in the auditorium during plays, and my favorite is...go to a conference and school board meet­ ings. They have made those so easy to attend. You need to be present for your kids and they need to know you are there for them always. Describe your involvement in local school and community organizations. My involvement in local school has been undoubtedly a huge part of my life. Ever since my kids started preschool, I have been involved. I was blessed to be right down the road from them and took full advantage of it. I have been doing everything from volunteering in the classroom to coaching to giving rides to games. I have been a member of groups, boards and committees throughout the years as well. As far as community goes, I have been a resident of Delton since 1985 and have loved every minute of it. My husband has been just as active in the community and school but lon­ ger. We love Delton Kellogg and are excited to see what’s in store for the years to come. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, October 20, 2022 Improvements continue for DK at SAC Championship Brett Bremer Sports Editor The gap between the Panthers and the Saugautck and Kalamzoo Christian boys was smaller than it has been all season Thursday as Delton Kellogg hosted the Southwestern Ath­ letic Conference Championship at Gilmore Car Museum. Delton Kellogg’s varsity boys’ cross country team finished off a third-place finish in the SAC this fall by placing third at the conference meet with 121 points. Saugatuck clinched the confer­ ence championship by outscoring Kalamazoo Christian 92-96 at the top of the standings. Saugatuck added its Thursday victory to a win at conference jamboree number two. The Comets won the opening conference jambo­ ree and then finished second behind the Trail­ blazers at the final two conference meet-ups. Delton Kellogg moved up to third at the final two conference meets after a fifth-place finish to open the SAC season. Sophomore Ethan Rimmer led the Delton Kellogg boys Thursday at Gilmore Car Museum, senior Michah Martin ran a new personal record time and seniors Gage Vin­ cent and Brett Harsevoort continued their push up the conference leaderboard. Senior Isaac Shepard also was among the top five for the DK boys on the day. Rimmer hit the finish line 15^ overall with a time of 18:18.23. Rimmer continued moving up in the SAC pack too. He was 31st at the opening conference race, and fourth overall for the DK team. He was 22nd over­ all at SAC race number two. He was just seven seconds off the season-best time he turned in the previous weekend at the Por­ tage Invitational. Delton Kellogg junior Macy Wiessner picks up the pace as she nears the finish line on her way to a new PR at the SAC Championship at Gilmore Car Museum Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg senior Isaac Shepard makes his way towards the finish line Thursday at Gilmore Car Museum during the SAC Championship. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Martin cut more than 20 seconds from his Portage time and was a second faster on the Gilmore course Thursday than he was the last time the Panthers competed on it Sept. 8 during the Delton Kellogg Invitational. Vincent was 25dl Thursday in 18:42.42,1 Shepard 31st in 19:05.75 and Harsevoort 43rd in 19:34.23. Delton Kellogg also got a personal record time from sophomore Brock Hickerson who was 76^ overall in 21:02.08. Bridgman placed fourth on the boys’ stand­ ings with 131 points, ten points behind the Panthers. Hackett Catholic Prep was fifth with 143 points, ahead of Coloma 155, Parch­ ment 168, Holland Black River 178, Constan­ tine 181, South Haven 244, Watervliet 271, GobT'es TOS; Lawton 325 andXlTegan 33$“““ Parchment William Winter was the indi­ vidual boys’ champion in 16:44.56 and Colo­ ma junior Boden Genovese was the runner-up in 16:49.63. Luke Gorgas, a senior, led Sau­ gatuck to the title with his eighth-place time of 17:56.00. The Delton Kellogg girls were tenth as a team with a trio of runners setting new per­ sonal records including senior Joelle White who placed 19^ overall in 21:59.00. White set her personal record at 22:57.0 on the flat fast track early in the season at Gun Lake during Thomapple Kellogg’s Coach B. Invitational, dropped half a second from that at the second SAC jamboree and has kept dropping time as the season as progressed. The SAC Championship was her first finish in less than 22 minutes. Her best time prior to her senior season was a 23:20.1 at the 2021 SAC Championship. Delton Kellogg also had junior Maysse Wiessner set a personal record with a time of 26: 33.68 that put her in 65^ place. DK fresh­ man Piper McArthur dropped her PR to 27: 34.82 to place 75th. The Delton Kellogg varsity girls' cross country team takes off at the start of the 2022 SAC Championship race Thursday at Gilmore Car Museum. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg sophomore Johannah Houtkooper placed 41st Thursday in 23:43.3, just three tenths of a second off her fastest time of the year and more than half a minute better than her previous race at Gilmore in early September. Sophomore Kylie Main was 57dl overall ‘forT51C in 25: i 1 junior tiffian' te er 71st in 27:18.40. DK junior Summer Ritchie gave it a go Thursday, but had to pull out of the race after a mile with an injury. That bumped the Pan­ thers’ final point tally down a bit. Kalamazoo Christian took the day’s cham­ pionship on the girls’ side with 45 points, ahead of Schoolcraft 87, Hackett Catholic Prep 111, Bridgman 126, Lawton 131, Fenn­ ville 163, Holland Black River 170, Water­ vliet 174, Parchment 202, Delton Kellogg 230 and Saugatuck 252. Lawton junior Kendra Koster won the girls’ race in 19:42.53, with Kalamazoo Christian sophomore Alaina Klooster doing her best to try and chase her down. Klooster improved her PR to 19:54.68 in a runner-up finish. Lawton senior Sofia Oertel was third in 20:34.65. Kalamazoo Christian had three of the first six finishers and five girls in the top 21. The Comets will host Delton Kellogg and others for an invitational Saturday, Oct. 22. Delton goes Allendale Oct. 29 for its MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 Regional Meet. Delton Kellogg sophomore Ethan Rimmer works his way along the grounds of Gilmore Car Museum during the first mile of the SAC Championship race Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) . Vasquez rides ups and downs at first finals Lakewood sophomore Makenzie Vasquez hits her tee shot from high above the number 17 green during day two of the MHSAA L.P. Division 4 Girls' Golf Finals at the Meadows on the campus of Grand Valley State University in Allendale Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor If she had the chance to go out and play a few more holes at The Meadows in the cool wind in Allendale Saturday afternoon she would have. Lakewood sophomore Makenzie Vasquez had to cap her day at 18 like the rest of the field at the MHSAA Lower Pen­ insula Division 4 Girls’ Golf Finals. Vasquez shot a 107 through her 18 holes Friday and a 108 Saturday at the finals to finish 66th in a group of over 100 golfers. “I liked it. I probably could have played better,” Vasquez said of her finals’ experi­ ence. She got to have a couple of highlights late in her weekend. Her tee shot on num­ ber two, her final hole of the competition, was one of her best of the tournament. Vasquez also had an outstanding tee shot on the 305-yard, par 4 number 11 Saturday, which started her on her way to her lone birdie of the tournament. Vasquez had a rough turn on nine and ten Saturday. “I had to put it behind me,” Vasquez said, “then I had a good birdie and a par. I had a really nice drive [on 11] and then my second shot went on the green and then I had a really good putt.” Lakewood head coach Carl Kutch, who last coached at the state finals when the Vikings qualified as a team in 2015, had a good time watching her solid performance on the back nine on day two. “Instead of letting it become a disaster you dig in, whether it’s the next hole or the next shot, you get it back,” Kutch said. “She has a lot to be proud of. She is the most humble and kind person.” The Viking coach noted her level-head­ edness, which can be a pretty positive qual­ ity in a golfer. The Lakewood coach said he saw Vasquez’s game grow this season. She was working harder and becoming more of a student of the game. “She started becoming a little more aware of that next level of things you start to think about and analyze once you have your swing down,” Kutch said. “Things like walking around the green and looking at the putt from not just behind it, but on the side. Little things like that. Just more into golf course management. Her confidence level has come up too.” Vasquez said much of her work before her junior season will be around the green - chip­ ping and putting. Kutch said she can make a big jump on the scorecard by eliminating a few three and four putts in her rounds. Vasquez is just the third Lakewood girl to qualify for the finals as an individual. The Viking team competed in the Division 3 Finals at the end of the 2013,2014 and 2015 seasons. Jackson Lumen Christi won the team state championship at The Meadows Satur­ day finishing off a 36-hole total score of 688. Lenawee Christian was second at 711, ahead of Lansing Catholic 715, Kalamazoo Christian 738, Hackett Catholic Prep 759, Ann Arbor Greenhills 761, Brooklyn Columbia Central 767, Harbor Springs 782, Calvin Christian 787, St. Francis 789, Roy Oak Shrine Catholic 820, East Jordan 824, Bath 831, Shepherd 847, Almont 850, Remus Chippewa Hills 860, St. Louis 898 and Clinton 905. Ann Arbor Greenhills sophomore Mia Melendez took the lead Friday with a 72 and then held on with a 77 Saturday for a total score of 149 to win the individual D4 state title. Brooklyn Columbia Central sophomore Logan Bentley put a charge on Saturday finishing at 78-72-150. Traverse City St. Francis sophomore Grace Slocum matched Melenedez’s 72 Friday then shot a 79 Saturday to place third at 151. While sophomores were the top individu­ als, seniors filled the Lumen Christi roster that won the D4 team state title. Anna McClure led the way, placing sixth individ­ ually with an 81-82-163. Ashley Hilderley shot a n 80-87-167 to place ninth. The Titans also got an 86-85-170 from Alexa Spencer, a 98-90-188 from Michaela Hauer and a 99-102-201 from Maggie Page. The runner-up team from Lenawee Chris­ tian was led by an 82-83-165 from Morgan Bell and an 88-79 from Lauren Swiggum, a pair of seniors who finished eighth and ninth respectively. Montague had a pair of individual state qualifiers finish in the top five. Junior Mackenzie Goudreau was fourth with an 80-79-159 and senior Natalie Kellogg was fifth with an 80-82-162. �Page 10 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Panthers and Vikes make playoff push I Brett Bremer Sports Editor ; The Saxons won’t take anything for grant­ ed as they push for their first undefeated Interstate-8 Athletic Conference varsity foot­ ball season. ’• Hastings improved to 6-0 while clinching a share of the conference championship with a ’shut out at Jackson Northwest last week. Now the Saxons will take on the winless Pennfield Panthers in the regular season finale inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday night, Oct. 21. “Everyone sees 0-7, we see a good team who can compete,” Hastings senior lineman Zander Forbes said. “We will prepare the same as if they are 7-0. We have a lot of tal­ ent, but we understand that hard work beats Delton Kellogg's Philip Jorgensen (26) and Torren Mapes (7) team up to try and bring down Schoolcraft running backlsaac Noora during their SAC Valley ballgame in Delton Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) DRIVER POSITION OPENING BARRY COUNTY TRANSIT Barry County Transit is accepting applications for the position of Driver. A Class C CDL with a ‘P’ endorsement is required. A strong sense of community and people skills are required of the successful candidate. Driver’s hours are 37.5 per week. Wage scale is $14.75 to $17.53. Applications are available from the Transit Office or online at: www.barrycountytransit.com Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-8125 Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer in full compliance with all State and Federal Regulations. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED BUDGET PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on October 25, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. the Barry County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the 2023 Barry County budget during the regular Board of Commissioners meeting in the Commission Chambers, located on the mezzanine level of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings Ml 49058 The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing. A copy of the proposed 2023 Budget is available for public inspection during normal business hours at the County Administrator’s office, 3rd floor, Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings Ml 49058, or at http:// www.barrycounty.org/proposedbudget Pamela A. Palmer, County Clerk Barry County Board of Commissioners NOTICE TO BIDDERS BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale one pickup: 2021 GMC 1 Ton Crew Cab SLE pickup. Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, Ml 49058, until 10:30 AM, Tuesday, October 25, 2022 for the following truck. Please mark outside of bid envelope with truck number i.e #210170. Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website www.barrycrc.org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks are sold as is. 2021 GMC 1 ton Crew Cab SLE Pickup SRW Truck w/plow 4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors 1-Cardinal Red Truck #210170- Orange Municipal Title - approximately 18,000 Miles with 8-10’ Ext. Boss Blade Plow — Minimum Bid $58,000 NOTE: All mileages are approximate - truck will be driven until sold. The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities in the best interest of the Commission. talent. We come in every day and work hard like it’s the last day.” For teams that don’t make the state post­ season, this will be the last weekend of the 2022 varsity football season. Teams like Hastings, looking forward to a spot in the MHSAA playoffs, will learn their postseason fate Sunday evening as the MHSAA announc­ es the playoff brackets in its eight divisions beginning at 6:30 p.m. Lakewood is fighting for a playoff spot in Division 5 and Delton Kellogg is working for one in Division 7 yet this season. The Vikings’ boosted their chances of getting into the postseason with a victory at Decatur last week and will hope to wrap up a playoff spot with a win over rival Ionia at the home of the Bulldogs this week. Ionia comes into the bailgame with a 3-5 overall record com­ ing off a tough two-point loss to St. Johns last week. Delton Kellogg is on the road this week too to face rival Galesburg-Augusta in the South­ western Athletic Conference Valley Division finale. The Panthers have bested the Rams in four straight dating back to 2017, but despite a 2-5 record so far the Rams are having one of their best seasons since their last winning season in the fall of 2016. Thomapple Kellogg does not have a play­ off challenge ahead, but does face one of its toughest tasks of the season in traveling to Grand Rapids Catholic Central to take on the Cougar team which has won a state champi­ onship in five of the past six seasons. The Cougars are 7-1 on the season having suffered their first loss singe 2019 and their first loss to a team from the state of Michigan since 2018 in their OK Gold Conference showdown with South Christian this fall. The Catholic Central team bounced back from that defeat by shutting out conference foes Ottawa Hills and Wayland in the past two weeks - the team’s third and fourth shut outs of the season. Maple Valley will close out its eight-player season south of the border, taking on Toledo Christian Saturday afternoon in Ohio. Toledo Christian has had an outstanding fall running to a 7-1 record. The Eagles are 2-1 already this season against teams from the state of Michigan with victories over Morenci and Deckerville and went 5-0 in its Northern 8 Conference regular season. Valerie Slaughter contributed to this article. Local Standings (W-L, playoffpoints) Hastings 7-1,58.750 Lakewood 6-2,36.125 Delton Kellogg _t 4-4,32.732 Thomapple Kellogg 2-6, 30.625 Maple Valley (8-player) 3-5, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Hastings 7-1,6-0 Lumen Christi 5-3, 5-1 Marshall 4-4,3-3 Parma Western 5-3, 4-2 Northwest 4-4,2-4 Harper Creek 3-5, 3-3 Coldwater 1-7, 1-5 Pennfield 0-8,0-6 Hastings running back Lanny Teunessen breaks through the line with a block by Devin Smith (left) during their bailgame in Jackson Friday. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) “We started slow. The weather is changing and getting colder and we need to prepare for that. We can’t let records and scores deter­ mine how we prepare for the games,” Hast­ ings lineman Zander Forbes said. “Any team on any day can have a great game. We come out and try and play our best every week no matter what their record says. We don’t assume any team is an underdog. We need to come out and play them at our pace.” Eastman didn’t get another interception to add to his total Friday, but he got his hands on the football when the Mounties mishandled it. The Saxons were able to force a fumble that was recovered by Eastman on the Mount­ ies’ first drive of the night. The Saxons turned that turnover into points on a seven-yard run by Slaughter. The Saxons ended the first quarter with a 6-0 lead. In the second quarter, Slaughter ran in a six-yard touchdown, and Lanny Teunes­ sen ran in the two-point conversion for the Saxons. At half, the Saxons were up 14-0. On the first play after second half kickoff, Slaughter broke free for a 54-yard touchdown to put the Saxons up 20-0 with 11:40 to go in the third quarter. Shift ifehifts’ defensive units held for the rest of the third quarter. At the top of the fourth quarter, Hastings got another turnover on an interception from Landon Steward. Steward was then able to get a 10-yard touchdown run on the board to put the Saxons up 26-0. With four minutes left in the game, Saxon sophomore Jet Bar­ num snagged a Mountie pass for the second interception of the night. Teunessen made short work of the ensuing possession by turn­ ing it into a 73-yard touchdown run, with an extra-point after by Slaughter, to put the final points on the scoreboard. The Saxons again cleaned up on the ground, rushing for 447 yards for the night. Teunessen carried the ball for 194 yards and a touchdown, Slaughter added another 190 yards and three TD’s. Eastman had the only Saxon reception for the night on a 10-yard pass from Owen Carroll. The Saxon defense, with another shut out, was led by Slaughter and Jack Kensington with 6.5 tackles each. Aiden SaintAmour added 5 tackles, and Haiden Simmet and Bar­ num added 4.5 tackles each. Schoolcraft 42, Delton Kellogg 6 Already dealing with bumps and bruises, the Delton Kellogg varsity football team had to dig into its reserves a little more on senior night 2022. Schoolcraft ran its record to 19-0-1 all­ time against the Panthers with a 42-6 win on the turf in Delton Friday night. Delton Kellogg’s Philip Halcomb reached for his helmet in athletic director Mike Mohn’s hand as they walked off the field with trainer Makenzie Hodgson late in the first quarter* kfter Halcomb Went'down hard while making a tackle on Schoolcraft quar­ terback Tagg Gott. Mohn handed it to Hodg­ son instead for her to hold onto until she was through with her evaluation of Halcomb. Halcomb started the season as Delton Kel­ logg’s quarterback before the Panthers moved him to a running back spot to take advantage of his running ability and the arm of Torren Mapes’ in a more spread out attack at times in the quarterback spot. Halcomb hobbled off See FOOTBALL, page 12 OK Gold Conference South Christian 8-0, 6-0 G.R. Catholic Central 7-1, 5-1 Forest Hills Eastern 6-2, 4-2 Cedar Springs 4-4, 4-2 Wayland 4-4,2-4 Thomapple Kellogg 2-6, 2-4 Kenowa Hills 1-7, 1-5 Ottawa Hills 0-8, 0-6 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Lawton 6-2,3-0 Schoolcraft 5-3,2-1 Delton Kellogg 4-4, 1-2 Galesburg-Augusta 2-5, 1-2 Saugatuck 2-5,0-2 Greater Lansing Activities Conference 6-2, 4-0 Olivet 6-2, 3-1 Lakewood Stockbridge 5-3, 1-3 3-5, 1-3 Perry Leslie 2-6, 1-3 Tri-River 8-Man NorthPointe Christian 8-0, 4-0 Concord 4-4,4-1 Britton-Deerfield 5-3,3-2 Maple Valley 3-5, 2-3 Morenci 2-6, 1-4 Vandercook Lake 0-7, 0-4 Here is a round-up of last week’s local grid­ iron action. Hastings 33, Northwest 0 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity football team contin­ ued its Interstate-8 Conference run defeating Jackson Northwest 33-0 at Northwest Fri­ day night and the Saxons now have a new scoring leader. Hastings senior fullback Robby Slaughter scored three more touchdowns Friday night, pushing his varsity total over three seasons to 42. He has 15 in the Saxons’ eight games this season. The Saxons are now 6-0 in the conference and 7-1 overall. Those wins are more important to the Sax­ ons than individual honors, like Slaughter’s or the nine career interceptions that senior defensive back Layton Eastman now has which is also a school record. Delton Kellogg's Mason Nabozny celebrates a first down stop by the Panther defense near its own end zone during the first half against Schoolcraft Friday night at Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — Page 11. LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 03, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Seth C. Lawrence, and Amy L. Lawrence, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Rand L. Koetje and Suzanne L. Koetje, husband and wife, as joint tenants with full rights of survivorship Date of mortgage: March 13, 2009 Recorded on March 16, 2009, in Document No. 20090316-0002388, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Witold Enterprise LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Two Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-Four and 20/100 Dollars ($102,844.20) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Land located in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes 48 seconds East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet; more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumers Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence North 88 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds West along said South line 401.41 feet more or less, to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 15 seconds West along said West line, 974.31 feet, more or less, to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section 31; thence South 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds East along said East and West 1/4 line 434.30 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. Description Easement for ingress and egress: TOGETHER WITH a non-exclusive 66 foot wide easement for ingress and egress in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, the centerline of which is described as: Beginning at u point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line, North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feed from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Rango 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet: thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet, more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumer's Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence continuing North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 72.29 feet; thence North 41 degrees 48 minutes 33 seconds East 377.74 feet; thence North 61 degrees 13 minutes 06 seconds East 19.99 feet; more or less, to the South line of the Northeast 1/4 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence continuing North 61 degrees 13 minutes 03 seconds East 121.74 feet; thence North 86 degrees 21 minutes 17 seconds East 395.47 feet; thence North 28 degrees 52 minutes 55 seconds East 178.71 feet; thence North 00 degrees 05 minutes 37 seconds West 372.03 feet; thence North 30 degrees 17 minutes 58 seconds West 326.86 feet; thence North 89 degrees 14 minutes 00 seconds West 377.23 feet; thence North 34 degrees 28 minutes 51 seconds West 40.41 feet to the of ending. Commonly known as 732 W Sheffield Road, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Witold Enterprise LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman PC. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1478056 (10-06)(10-27) 188900 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO.: 22-29307-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 3, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Scott S McBean, And Sarah M McBean, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for America’s Wholesale Lender., its successors and assigns Foreclosing Assignee any): (if U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST Date of Mortgage: April 24, 2003 Date of Mortgage Recording: May 8, 2003 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $102,908.17 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Village of Middleville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Lot 8, Misty Ridge according to the recorded plat thereof in Liber 6 of Plats, on Page 30. Common street address (if any): 720 Wild Pond Ct, Middleville, Ml 49333-8396 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. 189568 Date of notice: October 20, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1479029 (10-20)(11-10) This notice is from a debt collector. 189556 Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, PC. NOTICE 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1478006 (10-06)(10-27) 188900 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29306-DE - William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Janet Barbara Tillbrooke. Date of Birth: November 25,1944. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Janet Barbara Tillbrooke, died July 26, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Darren Tillbrooke, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 10/18/2022 Reeder Plachta Murphy P.C. Jeffrey M. Black (P68768) 124 E. Fulton, Suite 100 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 458-3994 Darren Tillbrooke 324 Oak Street, #203 Cedar Springs, Ml 49319 (616) 690-0790 189567 STATE OF MICHIGAN 5TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - FAMILY DIVISION BARRY COUNTY PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF HEARING FOR NAME CHANGE CASE NO. and JUDGE 22-29308-NC William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: 269-945-1390 In the matter of Drake Michael Holzhausen. TO ALL PERSONS, including whose address is unknown and whose interest in the matter may be barred or affected by the following: TAKE NOTICE: A hearing will be held on 11/16/2022 at 2:00 PM at 206 W. Court St., Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 before Judge William M. Doherty to change the name of Drake Michael Holzhausen to Kira Jae Holzhausen. 189569 SYNOPSIS HOPE TOWNSHIP Regular Board Meeting October 10, 2022 Estate of Trisca D. Beasley. Date of Birth: February 25, 1967. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Trisca D. Beasley, died September 12, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Joshua C. Beasley, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: October 17, 2022 Bossenbrook Williams PC David J. Williams, Esq. (P76932) 1600 Abbot Road, Suite 200 East Lansing, Ml 48823 (517) 333-5789 Joshua C. Beasley 5617 Pinch Hwy. Potterville, Ml 48876 (734) 883-3627 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on December 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christina D Huffman, an unmarried woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and le nder’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: November 4, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 6, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $94,521.74 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 1/2 of Lots 1105 and 1106, Village (now City) of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, filed in Liber A, Page 1, records of Barry County, State of Michigan. Common street address (if any): 730 S Jefferson St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2238 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (10-20)(11-24) 189718 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting October 11, 2022 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Five board members present, two absent Approved all consent agenda items Road work recommendations 2023 Salary resolutions 2022 Budget adjustments Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:32 pm Meeting opened at 6:30 p.m. Approved: Consent agenda Insurance renewal Adjourned at 6:41 p.m. Submitted by: Deborah Jackson, Clerk Attested to by Doug Peck, Supervisor VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANTTO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are amilitary service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active 189366 Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 139591 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169W. M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Should you consolidate retirement accounts? One of the rewards for work­ ing over several decades is the ability to contribute to tax-ad­ vantaged retirement accounts, which can help provide needed income for you when you do retire. As the years went by, you may well have accumulated sev­ eral retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401 (k)s or similar em­ ployer-sponsored plans. But you might find it advantageous to consolidate these accounts with a single provider. Consolidating them can pro­ vide you with several potential benefits, including these: • Less confusion and clutter - If you have multiple accounts in different locations, it may be difficult to keep track of tax documents, statements, fees, disclosures and other important information. Consolidating ac­ counts could help provide clear, simplified account maintenance. • Less likelihood of “lost ac­ counts ” - It may be hard to be­ lieve, but many people abandon their retirement accounts, leav­ ing thousands of dollars behind and unclaimed. In fact, at the end of 2021, there were nearly 25 million for­ gotten 401(k) accounts, worth about 20% of all 401 (k) assets, according to an estimate by Cap­ italize, a financial services com­ pany that helps individuals roll over retirement plan assets into new accounts. It’s possible that employers can even move small, old accounts out of their 401 (k) plans and into an IRA on behalf of their former employees, thus increasing the chances that sav­ ers will lose track of their money. By consolidating your retirement plans with one provider, you can ensure you don’t lose track of your hard-earned money. • Ability to follow a unified strategy - With multiple retire­ ment accounts, and different in­ vestment portfolios, you might find it difficult to maintain a unified financial strategy that’s appropriate for your goals and risk tolerance. But once you’ve consolidated accounts with a sin­ gle provider, you’ll find it easier to manage your investment mix and to rebalance your portfolio as needed. The need to rebalance may become more important as you near retirement because you may want to shift some of your assets into investments that ar­ en’t as susceptible to swings in the financial markets. • Possible improvement in in­ vestment options - Often, 401 (k) s may have limited investment selection, so consolidating ac­ counts with a full-service firm may allow for a wider array of products and strategies. This broader exposure can potentially help you improve your overall retirement income strategies. • Greater ease in calculating RMDs - Once you turn 72, you will need to start taking with­ drawals — called required min­ imum distributions, or RMDs — from your traditional IRA and your 401 (k) or similar plan. If you don’t take out at least the minimal amount, which is based on your age and account bal­ ance, you could face a penalty. If you have several accounts, with different providers, it could be cumbersome and difficult to calculate your RMDs — it will be much easier with all accounts under one roof. So, if you do have multiple retirement accounts, give some thought to consolidating them. The consolidation process is not difficult, and the end result may save you time and hassles, while also helping you manage your retirement income more effec­ tively. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free- and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Barbara Fleser, an unmarried woman and Steve Savoy, an married man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): FLAGSTAR BANK, FSB Date of Mortgage; December 21, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 2, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $160,318.27 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 34, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 1265.00 feet along the East 1/8 line to said Section 34 to the true place of beginning; thence South 220.00 feet along said East 1/8 line; thence West 242.00 feet at right angles; thence North 220.00 feet; thence East 242.00 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 3780 McKeown Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-9142 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 13, 2022 Trott Law, RC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1478535 (10-13)(11-03) 189150 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Claude McClurg, A Single Man Original Mortgagee: Honor Credit Union Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: February 24, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: March 3, 2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $124,806.13 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: All that part of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as Beginning at a point 656 feet East of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence East 62 feet, thence South 165 feet, thence West 62 feet, thence North 165 feet to place of beginning. ALSO: Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 5/10 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 5/10 rods to the place of beginning. EXCEPT the West 62 feet of the following described premises; Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 1/2 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 71/2 rods to the place of beginning, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 308 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-9504 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO.: 22-29303-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 1477846 (10-06)(10-27) Estate of Judy Ann Harvath. Date of birth: 08/18/1944. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Judy Ann Harvath, died 2/10/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Bertha Boonstra, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 10/18/22 Holly A Jackson (P71684) 180 Monroe Ave. NW Suite 400 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 616-454-3700 Bertha Boonstra 6393 - 14th Avenue Hudsonville, Ml 49426 616-457-5562 189566 188801 �Page 12 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 —The Hastings Banner 189405 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ORDINANCE SUBMITTAL TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE proposed Ordinance #2022-184 appended hereto was intro­ duced for first reading by the Rutland Charter Township Board at its October 12, 2022 meeting. This proposed ordinance will be considered for adoption by the Township Board at its scheduled regular meeting on November 9, 2022 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Charter Township Hall. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to Rutland Charter Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township. Format note—this proposed ordinance is prepared in “legislative format”: new verbiage proposed to be added is shown in bold type; any existing verbiage proposed to be deleted is shown linedthrough. CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-184 (PROPOSED) ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: An Ordinance to amend §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code of ordinances pertaining to definitions of terms used in Chapter 220 (Zoning Ordinance). THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION 1 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot, Corner” to read as follows: “LOT, CORNER — A lot whose lot lines form an interior angle of less than 135° at the intersection of two street lines. A lot abutting a curved street or streets shall be deemed a corner lot if the tangents to the curve at the points of intersection of the side lot lines with the street lines intersect at an interior angle of less than 135°. For pur­ poses of this definition a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway.” SECTION 2 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot Line, Front” to read as follows: “LOT LINE, FRONT % A. Where a lot abuts only one public street, or lawful private road/shared driveway, the front lot line shall be the line separating the lot from the right-of-way of the street or lawful private road/shared driveway; except where a lot has frontage on a lake, river, or other navigable waterway, the front lot line shall be the boundary line abutting the water. B. In the case of a corner lot, or a lot that otherwise has frontage on more than one public street, the front lot line shall be the right-of-way line of the street from which primary access to the principal building is provided or is proposed to be provided, or the right-of-way of the street with which the principal building is most directly associated/facing or is proposed to be most directly associated/ facing; except where a lot has frontage on a lake, river, or other navigable waterway, the front lot line shall be the boundary line abutting the water”. SECTIONS AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot Area” to read as follows: “LOT AREA — The total horizontal area included within the lot lines. Where the front lot line is the center line of a street, or where a portion of a lot lies within a street right-ofway, the lot area calculated to meet the requirements of this chapter shall not include the area of the street right-of-way. For purposes of this definition a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway.” SECTION 4 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot Line” to read as follows: “LOT LINE — A boundary line of a lot; or, where applicable, a street right-of-way line. For purposes of this definition a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway.” FOOTBALL, continued from page 10 ---------------------------------------------------------------himself after injuring a leg on a scramble early in the second quarter. Back-up Tris­ tin Boze came on to play most of the final three quarters in the Wing-T. Head coach Ryan Bates and assistant coach Mark Nabozny helped running back Mason Nabozny off the field late in the third quarter after a Schoolcraft tackler had to go low to bring down the Panthers’ bruising back and hit him on the outside of his right knee. Wyatt Colwell scored the Panthers’ lone points Friday on a 38-yard touchdown run with 11:44 to go in the fourth quarter after the Eagles had built a 42-0 lead in their Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division bailgame. Colwell finished with a team-high ten rushes for 56 yards. Schoolcraft got a 43-yard touchdown pass from Gott to Kolf v Lloyd six minutes into the ballgame to taxe a 7-0 lead. Delton Kellogg move 1 the ball all right on its first two possessions, advancing into Schoolcraft territory, but turned the ball over on downs both times. The Panther defense stuffed a fourth-and-four run from their 11-yard-line late in the first quarter to keep it a one score game, but the DK offense fumbled the ball back to the Eagles at the Panther five and Gott manged to plow into the end zone from a yard out on the first play of the second quarter to get his team a 14-0 lead. That short scoring drive was the first of five consecutive drives that ended in the end zone for the Eagles. Gott scored on an 11 -yard run and back Isaac Noora scored on a 48-yard run to push the Eagles’ lead to 28-0 by the half. Gott tossed a 34-yard TD pass to Carsen Svoboda on the first possession of the sec­ ond half for the Eagles to move the lead to 35-0 and then back-up QB Andrew Taylor tossed a 20-yard TD pass to put their team in front 42-0. The Eagle kicker was a perfect six-ofsix on extra-point kicks. Cedar Springs 46, Thornapple Kellogg 21 Cedar Springs scored a touchdown at the end of six of its first seven drives and managed to slow down the Trojans after a 52-yard touchdown pass from Carsen Bur­ bridge to Ethan Bonnema on the second play of the second quarter Friday in Cedar Springs. After an 0-4 start against a gauntlet of state ranked teams from River Rouge, Zeeland West, Grand Rapids Catholic Central and South Christian, the Red Hawks have now won four in a row head­ ing into theq regular season finale with Wayland. The Red Hawks downed the Trojans 46-21. TK was right with the Red Hawks in the early going, but Cedar Springs was able to pop a few too many big plays for the Tro­ jans to keep pace in the second half. And the Red Hawks’ own defense buckled down. Burbridge’s long TD connection with Bonnema and kicker Braden Sharrar’s extra-point kick had TK within 16-14 16 seconds into the second quarter. Cedar Springs answered with a sev­ en-play, 61 -yard scoring drive that ended in a 2 5-yard touchdown run by Ryan West and a Rory Schoenborn extra-point. Cedar Springs went into the half with that 23-14 lead and then scored a touchdown on its first three second half possessions before kneeling out the clock on its fourth. Burbridge threw two touchdown passes for TK. The Trojans led 7-0 after a sev­ en-yard touchdown pass to Zack Gibson four minutes into the contest finished off the first possession of the bailgame. Cedar Springs answered with a 30-yard TD run by Carter Falan and a 44-yard touchdown run by Schoenborn before the first quarter was up. West had an 18-yard TD run, Schoen­ born a 55-yard TD run and Falan a threeyard TD run to finish the first three The Saxons' Jett Barnum tackles Jackson Northwest's Eli Stetz during their 1-8 ballgame hosted by the Mounties in Jackson Friday night. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) Cedar Springs possessions of the second half. TK tacked on a three-yard TD run by Brody Wiersma with a minute to go in the contest. Wiersma got some action late, complet­ ing 2-of-3 passes for 30 yards and rushing three times for 21 yards and the score. Burbridge was 13-of-23 passing for 135 yards and the two scores. He was inter­ cepted at the end of the first half. Bur­ bridge also rushed nine times for 41 yards. Back Jayden Garcia had 11 carries for 44 yards for TK. Bonnema was the Trojans’ top receiver with three catches for 60 yards. Gibson had five receptions for 39 yards. Kyle VanHaitsma added two catches for 30 yards, Tyler Bushman had three catches and Gavin DeVore two. Cedar Springs didn’t attempt a pass in the bailgame. Schoenborn had nine rushes for 107 yards and Falan also hit 100 yards on 14 carries. Lakewood 35, Decatur 8 In year’s gone by, the Lakewood varsity football team picking up win number six on Friday night at Decatur would have guaranteed the Vikings a spot in the state postseason. The Viking’s 35-8 win over the Raid­ ers has them sitting in 32nd among the Division 5 teams in the state of Michi­ gan. The top 32 teams in playoff points in each of eight divisions earn spots in the MHSAA State Playoffs which begin next week. Reese Keeler forced a fumble and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown for the Vikings to help them clinch the win on the road Friday night. Lakewood quarterback Nathan Willette rushed for three touchdowns, including two in the second quarter and a 69-yarder to open the second half. Willette also tossed a 39-yard TD pass to Bryson Haight to help the Vikings’ seal the victory. Willette finished the bailgame with ten rushes for 156 yards and he was 5-of-ll passing. Lakewood back Montreal Reid had eight rushes for 45 yards. Austin Straub had two receptions for 33 yards. Lakewood kicker Landon Makley was 3-of-4 on his extra-point attempts. Maple Valley 35. Blackhawk Christian 0 Maple Valley scored a touchdown in the first two minutes of each of the first three quarters and celebrated homecoming with a 35-0 win over visiting Blackhawk Chris­ tian from Fort Wayne, Ind., Friday at Maple Valley High School. Lion quarterback Ayden Wilkes took off on an 85-yard touchdown run a minute and 13 seconds into the second half and the extra-point kick by Jesse Deppe upped the Lions-’ lead to 21-0 at the time. It was the start of a 22-0 third quarter surge for Maple Valley. Tyler Rose scored on a 46-yard touchdown run and Andrew Shepard found the end zone for a third time on a 54-yard run with 37 seconds to go in that third quarter. Shepard scored on an 18-yard run 40 seconds into the ballgame and then added a 13-yard touchdown run 1:04 into the second quarter. Deppe hit three of his four extra-point kicks and Callan Hoefler added a two-point run after the Lions’ final TD. Maple Valley limited Blackhawk Chris­ tian to 24 total yards and five first downs all game long. Blackhawk Christian had negative rushing yardage for the night. Hoefler and Deppe had five tackles each to lead the Lion defense and Shepard had four. Blackhawks Christian’s quarterback Brennan Miller was hassled all evening long. Reese Proctor-Burhans had three sacks for the Lions, and Deppe and Cam Carpenter had two sacks each. Miller com­ pleted 11 -of-22 passes for just 54 yards. Carpenter had fumble recovery for the Lions too. Wilkes closed the game with 137 rush­ ing yards on 15 carries. Shepard had six rushes for 107 yards and Rose finished with six rushes for 78 yards. Throwing the ball, Wilkes was 6-of-13 passing. Proctor-Burhans and Carpenter had over 30 receiving yards each. SECTION 5 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) Banner CLASSIFIEDS The definition of “Family Day Care Home” in §220-2-2 (Definitions) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to read as follows: “FAMILY DAY CARE HOME — A private home where not more than six minor children (or such other increased capacity number of minor children permissible under State Law) are received for care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours per day unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption.” SECTION 6 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) The definition of “Group Day Care Home” in §220-2-2 (Definitions) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to read as follows: “GROUP DAY CARE HOME — A private home where more than six but less than 12 minor children (or such other increased capacity number of minor children permis­ sible under State Law) are given care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours a day untended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption.” SECTION 7 REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES: EFFECTIVE DATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the eighth day after publication or on such later date as may be required by law. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Garage Sale Business Services ANOTHER NOT YOUR aver­ age sale before the end of the season!!!! Sat., Oct. 22, 2022 9am-lpm. 703 W. Madison, Hastings. You don't want to miss this sale! Lots of brand new items never used! Lots of decorative pillows, indoor/ outdoor rugs, shower cur­ tains, Vera Bradley backpacks, sheets, blankets, baskets for storage, video games, lamps, indoor/outdoor lights, clock, prom dresses (size 0-3)! You don't want to miss this sale! Many more items being added. It's going to be a great sale! MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Wanted $ $ $ PAYING CASH FOR RIDES. Will pay by miles or rides to Delton or Hastings for food or misc. Call 269-447-4299. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Pop­ lar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, li­ ability & workman's comp. Fet­ terley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUP­ PIES 1st shots and wormed, playful and friendly $500, 269­ 223-9194 AKC CHOCOLATE LAB Pup­ pies. 3 females, 2 males, Born September 3, 2022. $500, 269­ 419-0041 MINI LABRADOODLE PUP­ PIES For Sale- Cute, fluffy and playful! 1st shots and wormed. $300.00, 517-852-4881. Help Wanted TREES LLC- HIRING ALL positions!!! No experience re­ quired. Call 231-414-7510. Base pay on experience, with full benefits. GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lum­ ber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insur­ ance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St. Sunfield, MI. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based oh race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — Page 13 PR’s fall for Lions and Vikes at Greater Lansing area meet Thornapple Kellogg's Jayce Curtis (14) and Austin Chivis (11) try and contain Gull Lake's Zavier Thomas in the offensive end during the first half of their MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal inside Bob White Stadium in Middleville Monday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thomapple Kellogg's Reece Hoeksma (16) is cut off on his charge to the net by Gull Lake's Javier Padilla Guizar during the first half Monday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) TK and Hastings fall to top-ranked district foes Thornapple Kellogg senior goalkeeper Luke Kaiser keeps a Gull Lake shot from the upper 90 of his net during the first half Monday evening in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) f Brett Bremer Sports Editor The 2022 varsity boys’ soccer season ended for the Thomapple Kellogg Trojans Hastings Sax­ ons aginst a couple of the top ranked teams in the state in their MHSAA Division 2 District Tournament. Thomapple Kellogg ran into the top ranked Gull Lake Blue Devils for the second consecu­ tive postseason. Gull Lake won the 2020 MHSAA Division 2 State Championship, bested the Trojans in a district final in Richland on their way to the state semifinals in 2021, and came to Middleville ranked number one in the state in Divi­ sion 2 to open their 2022 tour­ nament run. The Trojans hosted the top seeded Blue Devils for a Divi­ sion 2 District Semifinal Mon­ day in Middleville and fought off the Gull Lake guys for a while before ultimately falling '’ 5-0: Gull Lake was scheduled to continue its state tournament run in Division 2 by taking on Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence Champion Jackson Parma Western in the district final in Middleville Wednesday. The Panthers defeated Marshall 5-0 in their district semifinal match in Middleville Monday to improve their record to 18-0 on the season. Parma Western, ranked eighth in the state in Division 2, opened its postseason by scoring a 6-0 win over the Hastings boys in the first round of the district last Thursday, Oct. 13, at Western High School. Gull Lake was 17-3 so far this fall heading into the dis­ trict final aginst the undefeated Panthers. “They’re a good team. You expect it. It is Gull Lake,” TK head coach Andrew Kiel said after his team’s match with the Blue Devils. “Unfortunately, a COtiplF thirigs just didn’t go our' way. We had a couple opportuni­ ties in the first half, but the first half was tough with the wind coming into us. We took a lot of pressure, and it definitely made us tired for the second half. “Our back line did a great job of working on our offside trap. I bet you we had 10 or 15 offsides calls. Something that was a pain point for us early on in the season definitely improved on. Giving up goals on set pieces, nothing tonight, which was great. That has been a big weakness of ours, giving up goals on set pieces.” Thornapple Kellog junior Reece Hoeksma had a couple of the Trojans’ best scoring chanc­ es as TK worked to funnel the ball to him up top at times Mon­ day. The Gull Lake keeper had to come racing off his line to slide onto the feet of Hoeksma and thwart a 1-v-l chance 11 minutes into the contest. Not long after, Ryker Corstange scored the opening goal of the garne 'fbf' the Blue’ Devils. Gull Lake led 2-0 at the half. Dominic Roudabush scored Gull Lake’s second goal late in the first half and then his teammate Zavier Thomas iced the win with a goal 12 minutes into the second half. TK seniors Jackson Curtis and Austin Chivis were solid battling the Blue Devils in the middle of the field, and TK senior keeper Luke Kaiser kept his team’s hopes of advancing alive for much of the brisk eve­ ning inside Bob White Stadium. Kiel said he thought his team was as prepared as it could be to face the Blue Devils having bat­ tled with the likes of South Christian and Grand Rapids Central in the OK Gold Confer­ ence and facing competition like East Grand Rapids outside of the league. TK ends the season with a 10-10-1 record. Hastings saw its season end with a 9-7-1 overall record last Hastings sweeps to three wins at West Michigan Aviation tri Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Saxon varsity volleyball team is now at 19 wins for the season after picking up wins over the last week. The Hastings varsity girls defeated Kelloggsville and West Michigan Aviation at a tri host­ ed by West Michigan Aviation Tuesday night. The Saxons defeated Aviation in three games after dropping the first set 21-25, they came back to pick up the next two 25-13 and 17-15. In the second game against Kelloggs­ ville, the Saxons finished in two sets winning 25-17, 25-17. Bailey Cook led the Saxon team for the night with seven aces and added five kills, Rachael Hewitt added another six kills, and Audrey Vertalka added four. Kimber Fenstemaker had four blocks. Cailin Red­ man led the Saxons in passing in the back row and Abby Beemer led the team in assists with 30. The Saxons traveled to Otta­ wa Hills last Thursday, Oct. 13, City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NO. 608 The Planning Commission will hold a Public Hear­ ing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public concerning amending Chapter 90, Article 90 -1, Section 90-1 Child Care Homes, and Sections 90-237 (c), 90-238 (i), 90-262 (b), 90-263 (i), 90-287 (b), 90-288 (h), 90-288A (b) 90-289A (i), 90-312 (b), 90-313 (h), 90-337 (c), 90­ 338 (i), 90-392 (d), 90-393 (h), 90-422 (d), 90-423 (h), 90-452 (d), 90-453 (h), 90-515 (d) to Chapter 90, Article 90-VI, and Section 90-1078 to Chap­ ter 90, Article 90, Division 90-XIII of the Hastings Code of 1970. The public hearing will be held on Monday November 7,2022 at 7:00 PM in the Coun­ cil Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Please contact Dan King, Community Development Director, at dking@hastingsmi.org or 269-945-2468 if you have questions or comments regarding this public hearing. A copy of this information is available for public in­ spection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1-800-649-3777. Christopher R. Bever City Clerk where the team defeated the Bengals in five sets. The Saxons dropped a close first set 24-26, picked up the second one 25-19, and then dropped the third 21-25, before coming back to pick up the final two sets 26-24 and 15-7. The Saxons played with a new lineup for the night due to some vacancies on the team, but were able to get the win regardless. Saxon leaders for the night were Cook with 14 kills, and Fenstemaker added another six kills and two blocks. Sopho­ more Jordan Milanowski stepped up and had a great night passing and added five solo blocks for the team. Beemer had 25 assists and Redman added three aces from the service line. The Saxons were scheduled to host Pennfield for senior night last night. Oct. 19. The Saxons head to Coldwa­ ter for the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Tournament Satur­ day, Oct. 22, and will host a quad next Thursday, Oct. 27. CITY OF HASTINGS NOTICE OF CLOSE-OUT PUBLIC HEARING MICHIGAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) DOWNTOWN RENTAL REHAB GRANT #MSC-2015-5860-H0 The City of Hastings will conduct a closeout public hearing on Monday November 14, 2022 at 7:00PM in Council Chambers at City Hall at 201 East State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058, for the purpose of affording citizens an opportunity to submit comments and receive a final report on the completion of the rental rehab projects at 123 West State Street and 136 East State Street, Hastings, which were funded with a CDBG grant. The CDBG grants provided funding to assist with rental rehabilitation, as follows: Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lions and Vikings hit their stride at the Greater Lan­ sing Cross Country Championships at Ledge Meadows Golf Course Saturday. A group of seven Vikings and three Lions ran their fastest times of the season Saturday and most of those finishes were personal records for those runners who will be competing together again this Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Greater Lansing Activities Conference Championship hosted by Perry. Senior Adam Blakely, the lone guy running for the Maple Valley boys’ team Saturday, set his personal record with a time of 22 minutes 51.04 seconds. “He was really excited about getting a new best time,” Lion head coach Tiffany Blakely said “especially since it was cold and there were strong headwinds for most of the race. His goal is to take his mile splits and just keep pushing faster and faster for the end of the season.” A pack of five Lakewood boys set new personal records. The two fastest Vikings were the only members of their team that didn’t run their fastest races ever. Senior Ryan Alford led Lakewood on the day with a 134th-place time of 19:02.92. Sopho­ more teammate Riley Johnson was 164th overall in 19:45.42. The first Viking across the finish line with a new PR was sophomore Hudson Goethals who placed 181st in 20:17.04. Senior Matt Cronk was right behind in 184th-place with a time of 20:19.10. Freshman Charles Heiss was 200th in 21:05.97, freshman Bryce Schelter 209th in 21:32.73 and freshman Camden Wright 220th in 22:24.64. In the girls’ race, Maple Valley junior improved her per­ sonal record by about 30 seconds in finishing 194th in 27:27.85. Lakewood freshman Marci Nurenberg moved her PR to 30:23.50 in a 207th-place finish. Another freshman led the Lakewood girls, Emma Tidd. She placed 94th in 22:10.46. The Viking team also had senior Sadie Brearley 138th in 23:26.17, junior Claire Forti­ er 143rd in 23:41.59, senior Emma Lancaster 144th in 23:41.85 and senior Gabby Rosenberger 175th in 25:49.47. For Lancaster, that w'as a new season-best time. Lion sophomore Brianna Gurd also had her fastest race of the season in placing 217th with a time of 34:52.55 - more than two minutes better than she had been at a race this fall. Maple Valley was led by junior Lilly Faurot who placed 122nd in 22:50.77. That was her second fastest race of the season. “I was excited for all the team’s times and told them that in a meet as large as this it’s easy to have competition all around you to help push you in the race,” coach Blakely said. “The goal was, the more you pass people the faster your time is, so it was great to see them push themselves in the race.” There were plenty of people to compete with. The boys’ race featured over 240 runners. The fastest of them was St. Johns senior Joey Bowman who hit the finish line in 15:49.35. Pewamo-Westphalia junior Collin Farmer was the runner-up in 16:06.45. St. Johns had three guys among the top ten finishers. Junior Isaac Staib was third in 16:19.71 and senior Tyler Dohm tenth in 16:44.26. That trio led their team to the cham­ pionship finishing with just 113 points. Okemos was second with 149 points, ahead of East Lan­ sing 167, St. Louis 201, Howell 210, Grand Ledge 232, Mason 257, Alma 257, Pewamo-Westphalia 269 and Saranac 286 in the top ten. The boys’field included 34 full teams. Lakewood was 30th in that group, \vith a score of 844. The day’s two fastest girls were from Lansing Catholic. Senior CC Jones won their race in 18:14.20 with senior teammate Hannah Pricco the runner-up in 18:25.34. Mason junior Meghan Ford placed third in 18:44.25. Okemos took the girls’ team title with 102 points, ahead of Alma 141, Lansing Catholic 142, Howell 146, Pewa­ mo-Westphalia 169, DeWitt 174, St. Johns 190, Grand Ledge 197, Holt 229 and Leslie 264 in the top ten. The Lakewood ladies were 23rd with 649 points in a group of 30 scoring girls’ teams. City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR 700 EAST WOODLAWN AVENUE The Planning Commission for the City of Hast­ ings will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hearing written and/or oral comments from the public regarding the request for the Special Use Permit and Site Plan Review for construction of a hospice/palliative care facility at 700 E. Wood­ lawn Ave. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday November 7, 2022 in the Council Chambers, second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. Please check the City of Hastings website at www.hastingsmi.org or contact City Hall at 269-945-2468 for details. 123 West State Street had a total project cost of $275,000. $75,000 came from private funds of the building owner, and $200,000 came from CDBG (federal funds through the CDBG grant award). Six new apartments were created in the space above the commercial first floor. Four of the apartments were required to be affordable rent for one year. 136 East State Street had a total project cost of $107,000. $27,000 came from private funds of the building owner, and $80,000 came from CDBG (federal funds through the CDBG grant award). Two new apartments were created in the space above the commercial first floor. One of the apartments was required to be afford­ able rent for one year. The CDBG project met national objectives of supporting 51% low to moderate income persons in a low-moderate income community. Zero persons were dis­ placed as a result of this project. Citizen views and comments on the completed CDBG project are welcome. Comments may be submitted in writing through 4:00pm on Monday November 14, 2022 or made in person at the public hearing. Questions or comments regarding this public hearing can be directed to Community Development Director Dan King at 269-945-2468 or dking@hastingsmi.org by 4:00 p.m. Monday November 14, 2022. The City will provide reasonable and necessary aids and services for persons with disabilities upon five days’ notice to the City Clerk by calling 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services at 800.649.3777. City of Hastings Christopher R. Bever City Clerk All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. A copy of the plans and additional background ma­ terials are available for public inspection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the Of­ fice of the Community Development Director, 201 E. State Street, Hastings, Ml 49058. Questions or comments can be directed to Dan King, Community Development Director at 269-945-2468 or dking@ hastingsmi.org. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Christopher R. Bever City Clerk 189550 * „ 1 - < - - �Page 14 — Thursday, October 20, 2022 — The Hastings Banner DK girls beat Fennville to close quad Brett Bremer Sports Editor It started out rough, but the Delton Kellogg varsity volleyball team managed to pull out the final two sets of the day at the Southwest­ ern Athletic Conference crossover quad it hosted to earn a split. Fennville took a 25-9 win in its opening set with the DK girls in the second match of the evening, but the Panthers rallied for a 25-7 win in set two and then clinched the victory 15-13 in a deciding third set Thursday. The Blackhawks built an early advantage in that third set, leading 4-1 and eventually 9-6 before the Delton Kellogg girls got a spark from some tough serving by Abaigail Cobum and a couple big kills from middle Lilly Ferris. “The passing was a lot better these last two games,” Delton Kellogg head coach Erin Thornton said after the win. “Mya [Brickley] was passing really well and Lilly was able to finish balls on the net. She has a range of different hits and it is nice to see when she can use them.” Delton Kellogg sophomore setter Claire Wesolowski puts a pass up during her team's win over Fennville during a SAC cross­ over quad in Delton Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Ferris smashed a kill in the middle to tie the third set at 9-9, Cobum followed with an ace, and then Ferris hit a kill from the right side to put her team ahead 11-9. Delton Kellogg never trailed again. Senior outside hitter Jordan Lyons tipped an attack over the net for the final kill. Thornton said her girls picked up the passing throughout the day and communi­ cated batter. Chemistry is something that the DK girls have been working on through­ out the ball. Delton Kellogg senior libero Carlie Ritchie passes the ball during her team's win over visiting Fennville at the SAC crossover quad hosted by the Panthers Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “They were able to come together as a team,” Thornton said. The Panthers got on the Fennville girls put aside that tough first set against Fennville quickly, racing out to a 16-6 lead. The Pan­ thers closed out that second set by winning the final nine points with eight on a service run by setter Claire Wesolowski. Allegan defeated the Delton Kellogg girls 25-18, 25-22 in the day’s opener. “Allegan went on big runs. We couldn’t shut them down on serve receive,” Thorn­ ton said. “That is the thorn in our side this year - serve receive. It just is. When we’re not serving strong we’re not also going on runs. So, we’re letting them go on runs. They’re going on five-point runs and we’re getting two. That is a big thing that changed from the Allegan game to the Fennville game - we stopped their runs.” The Delton Kellogg girls are scheduled to head to the Bangor Invitational Oct. 27. Delton Kellogg sophomore setter Claire Wesolowski puts a pass up during her team's win over Fennville during a SAC crossover quad in Delton Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Fennville upends DK’s bid for another district title in semi’s Brett Bremer Sports Editor Fennville rallied from a 1-0 deficit against Delton Kellogg in the MHSAA Division 3 District Semifinals in Fennville to score a 2-1 win and earn a spot in tonight’s district final , in South Haven against Holland Christian. James Blackbum found himself with space at the top of the box as the Panthers transitioned » into the offensive end early in the second half Tuesday and buried a shot into the side of the goal to put Delton Kellogg in front 1-0. Fennville tied the bailgame on a penalty kick midway through the second half and then took the lead with about seven minutes to play on something of a controversial non­ call. The Blackhawks knocked the ball into the Delton Kellogg defensive end from about 35 yards out and a Blackhawk with his back turned managed to quickly settle the ball to his feet, a trap that many Panther fans may have deemed a handball, and had a clear shot to the back of the DK goal. While Delton Kellogg assistant coach Jon Cannell, who was leading the DK team in the absence of head coach Alan Mabie who was unable to attend Tuesday due to family mat­ ters, had no qualms with the tackle that earned the PK for the Fennville boys, he was disappointed that the officials did not see the Join Your Neighbors to ELECT BRADLEY "SCOTT" SAVAG E AS BARRY COUNTY COMMISSIONER in DISTRICT #1 Our tradition at the Barry County Commission is non-partisan, to represent you and every single resident of Barry County. At the local level, it is vital to have fair and balanced representation - with liberty and justice for all. If you feel unheard, I will listen to you. if you feel ignored, l will speak for you. if you need someone to stand for you, I will be by your side. My wife Brenda and I have always lived and raised our family in small town and rural America. Since 2010, Hastings and Barry County have been our adopted forever home. We’re staying! Like you, we are part of and proud of our community. We believe everyone should be respected, treated fairly and honorably, with the freedom to have your voice heard. ■ • Current Hastings Township Trustee Retired UAW Skilled Tradesman Longtime Hastings resident Lifelong West Michigan resident SAVAGE FOR COMMISSIONER Paid for by The Committee to Elect Bradley Savage, 1602 E. State Rd., Hastings, Michigan 49058 handball the Panthers thought they saw before the go-ahead goal. “[Officials] took a minute to talk about it and explain it to me. They said, since we didn’t see it and we didn’t call it, we can’t call it back,” Cannell said. The DK coach said his guys were’t able to create many scoring chances after Fennville took the lead, but they had plenty of opportu­ nities to find the net again prior to that on the cold, windy, rainy night. “We came ready to compete and I think we executed our game plan pretty flawlessly,” Cannell said. “We defended as a team and we created several scoring opportunities.” “Although we didn’t get the result we may have felt we deserved, our Panthers should be proud of the season,” Cannell added. Fennville improved to 16-3-1 with the win and will meet 15-1-3 Holland Christian, the district’s top seed in the final. Delton Kellogg ends the season with a 12-5-2 record. The Panthers got that 12^ victory last Wednesday, Oct. 12, knocking off Parchment 9-1 in the opening round of the Division 3 state tournament. The Panthers entered the postseason hoping for the chance to repeat their 2021 district title. “We came out gunning,” said Mabie. Marshall Warner scored the game’s first goal a little over a minute into the contest and the Delton Kellogg team was up 5-0 after the first ten minutes. Warner had seven goals and an assist on the night. Blackbum had two assists and Hector Jimenez had two goals and four assists. Austin Lipscomb assisted on the final DK goal as well. Coach Mabie said Warner came to him before the district opener, after a 4-2 loss to Fennville and a 3-3 tie with Kalamazoo Chris­ tian in which the Panthers got off to a slow start, and said, “let’s just go out and start right off the bat and not let-up, maybe that’ll help motivate the team and get them ready for another poten­ tial run through districts. That is what he did.” DK/TK/HHS swim girls set for annual cancer awareness meet Bretf Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg/Thomapple Kellogg/ Hastings varsity girls’ swimming and diving team will host Wayland for its annual cancer awareness meet and fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society and the Lydia Cole Foundation Thursday at the Community Edu­ cation and Recreation Center pool in Hast­ ings. The DK/TK/HHS girls returned to OK Rainbow Conference Tier II action at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings last Thursday scoring a 91-79 win over Calvin Christian/West Catholic. Junior Sophia Marcukaitis switched things up in winning the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute 14.18 seconds as well as the 100-yard freestyle in 57.24 seconds for DK/TK/HHS. Teammate Preslee Hall as the 50-yard free­ style champ in 27.39 in the dual and took the 100-yard butterfly in 1:04.02. Abby Dumond was the diving winner for DK/TK/HHS with a score of 208.50 points with teammates TJ Myers and Maelea Martin behind her in second and third place for the DK/TK/HHS team. Bella Morey, Erin Daniels, Kasey Kapteyn and Malia Hamby won the 200-yard medley relay for DK/TK/HHS in 2:26.90. Daniels added a win in the 500-yard free­ style with a time of 6:46.69. Hawks won the 100-yard backstroke in 1:10.47. The previous Saturday, Oct. 8, a handful of DK/TK/HHS girls were a part of the MISCA Meet at Calvin University in Grand Rapids. Marcukaitis was one of the meet’s top sprinters, beating the MHSAA L.P. Division 1 State Finals qualifying times in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. Marcukaitis swam to a sixth-place time of 53.83 in the 100-yard freestyle, a race that was won by Midland Dow senior Ella Rober­ son in 50.46. Marcukaitis tied for tenth in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.59. The DK/TK/HHS team of Hawks, Marcu­ kaitis, Hall and Holly Carpenter was 31 st in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:57.81. The DK/TK/HHS team of Hawks, Hall, Carpenter and Marcukaitis closed out its meet by placing 29th in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:45.44. DK/TK/HHS also had diver Dumond com­ peting. She placed 20th in the diving compe­ tition with a score of 302.45 points. FHE teams clinch conference titles on TK cross country course Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Thomapple Kellogg varsity girls’ cross country team ran to a fifth place finish and the TK boys were eighth in the wind and rain in Middleville Tuesday at the OK Gold Conference Championship. Junior Holly Velting ran to a season-best time of 21 minutes 34.19 seconds for the TK girls in a 22nd-place finish and sophomore Ava Crews led the Tk ladies with a time of 19:55.34 which put her in sixth place overall. The TK girls’ team also had Lucy VanDemark 32nd in 22:15.58. senior Lindsey Velt­ ing 34th in 22:30.33 and freshman Madison Kietzman 36th in 22:38.33. Forest Hills Eastern won boys’ and girls’ championships on the day. The FHE girls finished with 43 points, led by a trio of girls who finished in the top five. Addision Wash­ ier, a junior, was at the head of that pack with a runner-up time of 19:21.13. Ottawa Hills junior Selma Anderson won the girls’ race in 18:54.74. South Christian’s girls were second with 62 points, ahead of Ottawa Hills 84, Cedar Springs 106, TK 130, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 138, Wayland 142 and Kenowa Hills 174. The Thomapple Kellogg boys’ got one PR on the day, from freshman Mark Gielincki who placed 48th in 20:07.08. Junior Lucas Van Meter led the TK boys with a 22nd-place time of 18:02.90. Junior Kaden Hamming was 39th for TK in 19:42.06, senior Dylan Church 46th in 20:02.88 and sophomore Christien Miller 49th in 20:10.87. The FHE boys captured the conference title with 40 points, besting Wayland with 82, Cedar Springs 95, South Christian 96, Ottawa Hills 106, Catholic Central 127, Kenowa Hills 178 and Thomapple Kellogg 204. Ottawa Hills senior Benne Anderson took the boys’ race in 16:04.91 and Forest Hills Eastern senior Aiden Sullivan was the run­ ner-up in 16:22.97. Sullivan’s team had four guys finish in the top ten and all seven scorers among the first 17 finishers in the race. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-10-27.pdf 28a2147d445334396e3d71e071af225e PDF Text Text Hastings schools shift bond strategy after lack of success Vikings live and die by PKs in district tourney See story on page 8 See story page 12 804879110187 1070490102590502146949058113421 **************************£AR-RT LOT C 005 0005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM L । inu 1111VJO Thursday, October 27, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 43 PRICE $1.50 County prosecutor clears air on her office’s involvement with voter fraud investigation Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County prosecuting attorney made an unscheduled visit to the county’s Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday morning, spending time to clear the air on her office’s involvement in the sheriff’s lengthy voter fraud investigation. Julie Nakfoor Pratt appeared in front of the board and spoke for roughly 40 minutes. The impetus for her appearance was primarily bud­ get related. The board of commissioners recent­ ly eliminated funding for a detective position within the sheriff’s office, citing the fact that detectives weren’t being utilized effectively and it was a waste of taxpayer dollars. After arguing that the board should restore funding for that position, she turned her attention to the long-running voter fraud investigation that has been spearheaded by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who was also in attendance at the meeting. “It is the elephant in the room. I’m asked about it constantly,” Pratt said. “I’ve wanted See VOTER FRAUD, page 2 Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf spoke briefly during Tuesday’s board of commission­ ers meeting, providing a brief update on his voter fraud investigation. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Barry County prosecuting attorney Julie Nakfoor Pratt appears in front of the coun­ ty board on Tuesday morning, speaking for roughly 40 minutes. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Couhty hoard hears last pleas before it finalizes 2023 budget By Jayson Bussa Ben Geiger, chairman of the Barry County Board of Commissioners, signs the final­ ized 2023 budget at the conclusion of Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Residents move in as Lofts @128 project nears completion Residents began moving into the Lofts @ 128 on Saturday as the project nears completion. The four-story mixed-use building at 128 N. Michigan Ave. offers a 21-unit mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, with retail and office space on the street level. The $4.9 million project by Cascade Township-based Veneklasen Construction broke ground in Nov. 2021. A ribbon cutting for the building will be held Nov. 29. Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers approved the county’s 2023 budget on Tuesday morning. The board faced a handful of budget appeals leading up to Tuesday’s public hear­ ing, which featured only a few comments from the public. The last-ditch pleas for funding stemmed from needs from both the Barry County Com­ mission on Aging and the sheriff’s department. The Commission on Aging recently sub­ mitted a budget appeal requesting $31,000 to help cover the cost to replace a portion of pitched roof on its aging building, which has been riddled with disrepairs over the last decade or more. The board of commissioners did not vote on that appeal, which, by default, denied the request. The board cited the fact that the COA is funded by a millage and, therefore, should use taxpayer dollars to address its needs. Courtney Ziny, executive director of the COA, got in front of the board one last time on Tuesday, along with support from others, to unsuccessfully request the funds. “While I understand the concern about setting a precedent, the precedent was actu­ ally set in July of 2019 when you did approve repairs on the flat portion of the roof,” said Ziny, who has been at her post for only a few months. “For someone new com­ ing into the situation, I wish there was some sort of agreement ...something that could guide my office, as well as the commission­ ers, on how to move forward in this situa­ tion. But we don’t have that.” “All we have right now is an understand­ ing that was probably appropriate 20 years ago but is that understanding appropriate 20 years later? I do continue to believe - and I will strongly say this over and over again that the commissioners and the COA board and myself all have the same desired end goal.” Another contentious budget issue cropped up late in the process when, earlier this month, the board of commissioners cut fund­ ing for a detective position within the sher­ iff’s office. See BUDGET, page 3 Proposed sand and gravel mine up in the air, legal action pursued Greg Chandler Staff Writer The future of a proposed sand and gravel mining operation in southwest Barry County is in limbo after recent actions by two sepa­ rate planning bodies. One lawsuit has already been filed against Hope Township by R. Smith and Sons Truck­ ing after the township planning commission on Aug. 18 unanimously vpted down a request for a special exception use and site plan approval for a raining operation, mineral extraction and related activities on a 153-acre parcel at the comer cf Miller Road and Rose Road, near Wilkinson Lake. The suit, filed on Sept. 22, alleges the township acted “in blatant violation of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act” by rejecting the proposed mining use for the site. Meanwhile, a second suit is expected to be filed against the Barry County Planning Commission after commissioners on Sept. 26 voted 6-1 to rescind an earlier decision that had approved special land use for a sand and gravel mining operation on a 160-acre parcel across Miller Road in Orangeville Township. That motion also rescinded a stipulation that was part of the prior approval that Stoneco approach the Barry County Road Com­ mission to ask that Miller Road be widened from two to five lanes between Rose Road and Hayward Road to allay concerns about potential conflicts between truck traffic that will be hauling sand and gravel from the site and other vehicles that may be using the road. Canton-based Stoneco of Michigan had gotten approval for the project on June 27 on a narrow 4-3 vote of commissioners. “I’m not exactly certain what the Planning Commission intended by its rescission of their prior decision,” said Ken Vermeulen, an attorney representing both Stoneco and Smith. “We were informed initially that our application had been denied, and that the planning commission wanted to ‘leave it up to the courts.’ “But in reading the actual language of the minutes of the September meeting, I’m not sure the Planning Commission actually denied our application. In speaking with (the coun­ ty’s) attorney, I believe he interprets the Plan­ ning Commission’s motion similarly. But now we’ve been put in the position of having to file a judicial appeal, just to preserve our rights.” Stoneco, which is also listed as doing busi­ ness as Michigan Materials & Aggregates, had proposed to connect the two properties with a conveyor line that would be built under Miller Road. In the suit against Hope Township, Smith said that it amended its application in January of this year to “eliminate any sand and gravel processing and loading activities” on its prop­ erty, as well as “eliminate any water withdraw­ al from below the property” and “significantly increase the setback of any mining activities away from Wilkinson Lake.” The mined mate­ rial would be sent by conveyor belt from the Hope Township side of Miller Road to the Orangeville side, according to court records. According to minutes from the Sept. 26 meeting, county attorneys said the stipulation for the road improvements “needed to be amended because it went too far by requiring offsite improvements.” County Planning Director Jim McManus proposed a possible amendment calling for a third-party traffic impact study that would be paid for by Ston­ eco, according to the meeting minutes. Commissioners had other issues with the project beyond the road improvement stipu­ lation. “It never set well with me,” Commissioner Jack Nadwomik said after Monday’s county planning commission meeting. “From day one I voted no on the original motion ... I felt there were things that we should have looked at, that we never got. I asked for the hydro­ geological report, we got garbage in return.” Nadwomik said the Stoneco proposal should be brought back to the planning com­ mission again. “Gravel pits are needed. We know that,” he said. “In certain places, there are certain things (the company) should (present). There’s an informational burden that they should reach, I think, to make sure every­ body’s aware and everybody knows what’s going on.” See GRAVEL MINE, page 2 �Page 2 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Grand Rapids Symphony to play Christmas pops concert at the HPAC The Grand Rapids Symphony (GRS) is returning to the Hastings Performing Arts Center (HPAC) in November for their pops concert, “Home for the Holidays.” The concert is scheduled for Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available by going online at Hastings.Ludus.com/, emailing HPAC@hasskl2.org or by calling 269-818­ 2492. Tickets are $10 for adults and free for students. This year’s concert will feature several selections from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nut­ cracker,” music from the motion picture “The Polar Express” and the iconic “Sleigh Ride,” among others. Hastings 4 to feature sensory-friendly movie showings GQT Movies has announced Sensory Friendly Movie Nights in Hastings. The Sen­ sory Friendly Movie Nights offer discounted movies, shown in a sensory-friendly format, to the community on the last Wednesday of the month from Oct. 26 through April 26, 2023. The series features several family-friendly films, such as “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” A complete listing of show times can be found at gqtmovies.com/sensory. “We are very excited to offer this special showing to our movie-goers with sensory needs,” GQT Movies COO Matt McSparin said in a statement. “We heard from a cross-section of our guests that this type of show was a want and need, so we listened. As always, GQT is focused on value, cleanliness and customer service, and we can’t wait to host everyone so they can experience all that we offer.” The films will be shown with the auditorium lights on and the sound at a lower volume than normal. Talking during the films is encouraged. Tickets are $5 for Sen­ sory Friendly Movie Nights. Although the films are offered at a discount, seating is limited to one auditorium, so guests are encouraged to come early. Concessions will be available for purchase. Hastings Library to host presentation on local fighter pilot downed during WWII On Monday, Nov. 7, the Hastings Public Library is honoring the life of P-38 fighter pilot James P. Dibble, a Hastings resident shot down and killed in Italy in 1943. The library will host a presentation at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7 by Dibble’s nephew, Jim, about his final mission and the search for answers about what happened to Dibble. Jim Dibble and his brother Ted have spent more than three decades researching their uncle’s life and military career. Their tenacity led to a posthumous Distinguished Fly­ ing Cross for James and eventually the discovery of his crash site in Italy. Several artifacts were recovered from the site, including parts of his plane and the heel of James’ boot. The Dibble family has donated much of their research and many artifacts for per­ manent display in the local history room at the Hastings Public Library in James’ hometown. Some items will only be available through Nov. 7, 2022. The library has also digitized most of the collection and made it available online on a new website, BarryCountyHistoryPortal.org. More information about the presentation and display of items can be found at the library’s website, hastingspubliclibrary.org. Barry County Economic Success Summit scheduled for Nov. 2 The Barry County Chamber and Economic Development Alliance invites the public to join it on Wednesday, Nov. 2 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hastings Performance Arts Center for the 2022 Barry County Economic Success Summit. The “Focus: Future” summit will feature Quentin Messer, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, as the keynote speaker. Attendees will also hear about current and future economic trends from Consumers Energy, the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office, The Right Place Inc., the Michigan Office of Rural Devel­ opment and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). Chamber President Jennifer Heinzman will facilitate a panel discussion that will highlight what the future of housing, manufacturing, technology, energy, broadband and infrastructure in the state looks like. Jim Robey, principal of Robey Analytics (formerly of the Upjohn Institute), will then provide a deep-dive into local, regional and statewide economic trends with his Economic Trends Forecast. Tickets for this event are $20 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members. Tickets can be purchased online. Join Yottr Neighbors to RS Kv* RS B BRADLEY "SCOTT" CAlfAfiE Ww W W w * HHK AS BARRY COUNTY COMMISSIONER in DISTRICT #1 Our tradition at the Barry County Commission is non-partisan, to represent you and every single resident of Barry County. At the local level, it is vital to have fair and balanced representation - with liberty and justice for all. If you feel unheard, I will listen to you. If you feel ignored, I will speak for you. If you need someone to stand for you, I will be by your side. My wife Brenda and l have always lived and raised our family in small town and rural America. Since 2010, Hastings and Barry County have been our adopted forever home. We're staying! Like you, we are part of and proud of our community. We believe everyone should be respected, treated fairly and honorably, with the freedom to have your voice heard. Hastings Township Retired UAW Skilled Tradesman Longtime Hastings resident Lifelong West Michigan resident SAVAGE FOR COMMISSIONER Paid for by The Committee to Elect Bradley Savage, 1602 E. State Rd., Hastings, Michigan 49058 City council discusses expediting road repairs on major thoroughfares Hunter McLaren Staff Writer A water main break on a major thorough­ fare in and out town prompted city council members to discuss infrastructure repair. The discussions came as the council approved a $6,780 purchase order from A-l Asphalt for repairs to North Broadway Street. City workers blocked off part of the street near city limits last week as they worked to repair the water main. While traffic is mostly back to normal, part of the shoulder remains blocked off where workers cut through the asphalt to access the water infrastructure. Mayor David Tossava suggested giving the city manager and the Department of Public Services the authority to complete or contract those repairs without city oversight. Tossava cited the need to keep traffic flowing when emergency repairs were needed, as well as concerns about the safety of city workers and equipment. “That water main break was last week,” Tossava said. “I think the DPS should have authority, especially on state highways, when there’s a water main break to get that repaired as quickly as possible.” Tossava said during the road’s brief clo­ sure, two separate arrow boards used by the city were damaged by traffic. He estimated the damages totaled around $16,000. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale told council members those types of repairs could be classified as an emergency purchase, which would allow them to be completed without council approval. “Right now there’s not really a definition of what an emergency purchase is. It’s open to interpretation and, in the past, it’s been used probably a bit too liberally,” Moyer-Cale said. “If you are comfortable setting the expecta- City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale (right), seated next to Interim City Clerk and Treasurer Chris Bever (left), discussed how the city could quickly repair city roads that needed work as a result of emergency repairs. tion that, at least on state highways, any defi­ ciency in the asphalt as a cause of work should be considered an emergency and be fixed as soon as possible... we can proceed on those grounds with that understanding.” Tossava also referenced previous emergen­ cy repair projects that left sidewalks or curbs closed for similar reasons. Council member Brenda McNabb-Stange agreed with Tossava and suggested the city develop a policy ensur­ ing roads and sidewalks are repaired quickly. “I think we should come up with a policy so that when the city sidewalk is out, it’s put back in by a certain time,” Tossava said. “I think we ought to be able to let the city man­ ager and Department of Public Services fix these big holes.” In other business, the city council: • Approved a request from the Hastings American Legion to hold Veterans Day Cere­ monies at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 in Tyden Park. • Approved repairs to a city Department of Public Services truck in the amount of $8,510 from Hastings Pro Auto Service LLC. • Approved additional monitoring and analysis from civil engineering firm Prein & Newhof at the wastewater treatment plant for $7,500. • Directed the city clerk to sell a decommis­ sioned 2017 Ford Utility Police Interceptor. • Set a public hearing for the next city council meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14 to hear comments regarding the completion of rental rehab projects at 123 W. State St. and 136 E. State St. Both projects were funded by a Community Development Block Grant. VOTER FRAUD, continued from page 1 so badly to come in and talk about it. I’ve talked about it to the (news)papers a little bit - as much as I thought I could.” For the sake of transparency, Pratt walked through the timeline of her involvement with the investigation, which started in the spring of 2021, when she said she first heard that Leaf was looking into matters related to alleged voter fraud. One of the central events involving Pratt and her office came in the summer of 2021 when she, along with assistant prosecutor Chris Elsworth, sat down for a meeting with Leaf and members of’ his investigative team, which included his attorney Stefanie Lambert, one of Leaf’s deputies and Jim Penrose, a cyber security professional that previously served with the National Securi­ ty Agency (NSA). “It became a little contentious for a few minutes - and this is my view - between myself and Miss Lambert,” Pratt recalled as she spoke in front of the commissioners on Tuesday. “I want to make this clear - I never told anyone not to investigate or to stop doing what you’re doing. I said take a pause so we can figure a few legal issues out. Then I never heard another thing until spring of 2022.” Leaf spoke to The Banner about that meet­ ing, saying that he and his team presented compelling evidence and that Pratt and Els­ worth didn’t seem receptive to learning about the technical nature of the information they were presenting. “Judging by her body language, she didn’t want anything to do with it,” Leaf said. Pratt disagreed with that characterization. “We not only sat down and tried to under­ stand what was going on, but we also - in an effort to understand what laws they were trying to prove and what laws they said were broken - I read three giant binders of infor­ mation they gave me,” Pratt told The Banner. “It took a while. They had a bunch of maybe conjecture and maybe opinion and things that happened in other counties and not ours. I just was like ‘no.’” To further the timeline, Pratt said that in the spring of this year, she was informed that the investigation was back on. Leaf and his investigators presented her with a search warrant for voting equipment at that time, per Pratt. Pratt and Elsworth both reviewed it and did not sign off on it. In June, Pratt said she was out of town, when Leaf and his investigators brought three search warrants to a magistrate, which advised them to have Pratt’s office sign off on it first. In Barry County, a search warrant does not have to go through the prosecutor’s office - it can go directly to a judge or magistrate. “To the angry people, I’ve said a couple things,” Pratt said. “It’s not my job to fit a square peg in a round hole. I’m not going to do it. That’s not what I was elected for. Num­ ber two, I will not put my signature on some­ thing that is not there.” Leaf told The Banner that the investigation is ongoing. “The month of August, about every day we were getting something new,” he said. “It’s like taking a drink out of a fire hose and there is more and more stuff coming here pretty soon. That’s why I’m asking people to be patient.” Leaf also said that he takes exception to the fact that some accuse him of soiling the rep­ utations of township clerks and Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer, adding that they were never suspected of wrongdoing. He simply wanted information from them for his inves­ tigation and tried to obtain that information via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. “That is out of line,” Leaf said. “A lot of the clerks have cooperated with us and talked to us. We’ve got it on recording....! don’t want to kick sand in the clerks’ faces. My guys were really nice when they were inter­ viewing.” Back in August, the office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel requested the appointment of a special prosecutor to deter­ mine if Leaf, and a list of other individuals, might face criminal charges for allegedly acquiring voting machines and conducting tests on them. In September, Muskegon county prosecu­ tor D.J. Hilson was named the special prose­ cutor. When asked if he has heard anything in that case, Leaf said, “Nothing that I’m wor­ ried about.” As Leaf works to build a case, offering no timeline on when he thought he might public­ ly lay out his case, he did urge Barry County residents to get out and vote in a couple weeks. “People still need to get out and vote,” Leaf said. “If you’re mad, then vote like you’re mad.” GRAVEL MINE, continued from page 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------extraction of those natural resources,” the provision reads. “Natural resources shall be considered valuable for the purposes of this section if a person, by extracting the natural resources, can receive revenue and reason­ ably expect to operate at a profit.” Some residents who live in the area say there are “very serious consequences” for the environment and quality of life of residents by allowing the mining operation. “Our community remains adamantly opposed to this proposed gravel mine,” the Healthy Waters Alliance wrote in a letter to county planners. “We are confident that a comprehensive review of the very serious consequences of this proposed mine will bring you to the conclusion to deny this appli­ cation in accordance with (state law) and local ordinances. We are counting on you to protect the property rights and welfare of Barry County citizens, to preserve the natural and agricultural character of the area, as required by the zoning ordinance and master plan.” “I do believe you have an engaged com­ munity that has a plethora of data and new information available for use, when and if the time comes,” said Don Sklenka, who lives in Hope Township on Wilkin­ Licensed Master Plumber son Lake. At the Hope Township Licensed Journeyman Plumber Planning Commission meet­ New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. ing on Aug. 18, commission­ BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS ers determined the “pro­ Same Day Installation License posed mining activities #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 would be injurious to the & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 immediately adjacent sin­ Stoneco did present a hydrogeological report to the county at the June meeting from the firm Natural Resources Management LLC, saying the project would not impact surrounding groundwater levels. Vermeulen said at that meeting that the model was based on logs of 150 residential wells in the area. But opponents called for an independent hydrogeological report. A central issue in the legal argument over the project hinges on a provision in Act 110 of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act that largely favors aggregate and mining compa­ nies when they bring a proposed project before a local planning body. The legislation was written after a 1982 Michigan Supreme Court ruling where the court ruled that Ada Township in Kent County overstepped its bounds by blocking a proposed mining operation. “An ordinance shall not prevent the extraction, by mining, or valuable natural resources from any property unless very seri­ ous consequences would result from the MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING gle-family development and the adjacent lake in terms of noise, dust air pollution, traffic and anticipated impacts on groundwater and the Chain of Lakes, and on wildlife,” com­ mission secretary Craig Jenkins wrote in the minutes from that meeting. Jenkins also noted in those minutes that the applicant did not supply hydrogeological information that would support the mining operation. “Without the hydrogeo report, the Planning Commission was unable to determine that very serious consequences would not result in terms of impacts on groundwater, on private wells, on Wilkinson Lake and the Chain of Lakes,” he wrote in the minutes. Smith’s lawsuit claims that the hydrogeo­ logical report was completed during mid-Au­ gust and was submitted to the township on Aug. 23, five days after the planning commis­ sion meeting. The suit further claims Smith was not informed that its amended applica­ tion would be placed on the agenda for the Aug. 18 meeting. No one from the company was in attendance at that meeting, court records show. “The Planning Commission, in a rush to judgment, and before Smith had submitted the additional information specifically requested by the Planning Commission, ignored the material evidence submitted by Smith, and instead relied on unsubstantiated conjecture, hyperbole, fear-mongering and assumption, and erroneously and in violation of (the Zoning Enabling Act), denied Smith’s amended application,” the suit said. No date has been set yet for any hearings on the lawsuit by Smith against Hope Township. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — Page 3 Teunessen and Savage face off for vacant District 1 seat on county board Jayson Bussa Editor The upcoming general election will feature two races for seats on the Barry County Board of Commissioners, while the lion’s share of candidates are either running unop­ posed or were determined in August’s prima­ ry election. , The Hastings Banner is spotlighting both faces, starting with the race in District 1 between Republican Bob Teunessen and Democrat Bradley Scott Savage. Teunessen emerged from a three-way pri­ mary race in August, beating out Hastings Charter Township supervisor Jim Brown and Brandon Strong for a seat that will be vacated by long-time commissioner Hoot Gibson, who did not seek reelection. Savage ran unop­ posed in the primary and currently serves as a trustee for Hastings Charter Township. The Banner posed the same set of ques­ tions to both candidates so see what they thought were the most important issues fac­ ing county residents today. Check next week’s edition as we preview the other race for the newly-created District 8. Current residence: Lifelong resident of Hastings and Hastings Twp. . Occupation: Owner of Bob Teunessen Drywall Previous elected offices held (if any): I have held no other elected offices other than my role as president of HYAA Football and Hastings Athletic Boosters and founding member and board member of SCMYB baseball. What are some of the most pressing issues facing the county right now? I feel that some of the issues facing the county right now are affordable housing, finding a solution for a new facility for the Commission on Aging - whose building is in dire need of repair - and working on a solu­ tion for a new jail as that building is also in dire need. Do you believe any measures can be taken at the county level to address this issue? If so, then what? rGENERAL _ ELECTION I have attended many township board meet­ ings and have had many conversations with the clerks and they are confident in our sys­ tem. I do feel that a photo ID should always be shown in order to vote and an absentee ballot must always be requested. I feel that every clerk takes their jobs very seriously and I worry about Proposal 2 because, after talking to them, I feel that having a nine-day voting system would put a strain on the clerks. The current system is all we have and it’s a privi­ lege to be able to exercise our right to vote. What are some of your ideas to resolve these pressing issues? county jail, updating emergency services, communication availability such as broad­ band, health and human services through the Barry-Eaton health department or the Com­ mission on Aging. I’m concerned that there are other matters coming that we have not yet become aware of. Will the board of com­ missioners be nimble enough to deal with the possibilities? Having board members with differing perspectives such as mine could be helpful. Having retired as an hour­ ly employee, I have empathy and sympathy for the working man and tend to look at things in a way to protect the average Joe’s interests. Affordable housing is a Barry County problem. The county and the city need to work together on this issue. As for the other issues facing the county, I feel that it is a matter of sitting with all of the other commis­ sioners and putting our heads together to find solutions. If elected I look forward to these challenges. What experience do you have that you think will prove beneficial serving as a county commissioner? Name: Bob Teunessen r 2022 My experience as a business owner and my common sense approach to life and to my business will help me be a good commis­ sioner. I will listen to all aspects of every issue before making a decision. I am a good listener and I work well with others. In my business, I have many employees to keep busy and I make many decisions that I feel will also benefit me. My background in con­ struction will help with any upcoming proj­ ects that may arise. I have been attending commissioner meetings since the first of the year and have attended many meetings at all townships in my district. I feel that I have learned many working aspects of the county. Township Barry County seems quite split when it comes to the concept of election integrity. The issues that get the most attention are future funding targets for things like the What are some of your ideas to resolve these pressing issues? Name: Bradley Scott Savage Current residence: Hastings Charter Occupation: Retired from General Motors in 2009 and Leitz Tooling in 2017 Previous elected offices held (if any): Currently a trustee of Hastings Charter Township What are some of the most pressing issues facing the county right now? At least maintain the funding levels of these departments at the current level. Don’t make any cuts. Then try to raise capital by liquidating unneeded county assets. With additional capital, attack the most pressing projects first. I for one am most concerned that our senior citizens may be adversely affected by coming changes at the state and national level and they may rely more heavily on county services in the future. We need to be there for them. If we can build a new coun­ ty jail at a reasonable cost and get it to oper­ Operating millage proposal for Hastings school district on the ballot Nov. 8 Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Area School System will be asking voters for an operating millage increase on the Nov. 8 ballot. The increase won’t affect most taxpay­ ers and the taxpayers who are affected will see a minor increase in taxes if the proposal is passed. Schools in Michigan are allowed to levy up to 18 mills as part of their operating mill­ age. The operating millage is adjusted yearly in accordance with the Headlee Amendment to the state constitution, which reduces oper­ ating millage rates when property values increase at a higher rate than inflation. Hastings currently sits at a millage rate of around 17.8, but it could reduce fur­ ther if the increase on November’s ballot doesn’t pass. Because the school is only allowed to levy 18 mills total, the pro­ posed 0.5 mill increase would increase taxes for those affected by about $0.20 per $1,000 of taxable value. Those 18 mills are a non-homestead tax, meaning they are only levied against busi­ ness properties or a taxpayer’s secondary homes. Districts often raise their operating millage above the allowed 18 mills as a way to prevent them from having to go back to taxpayers and ask for an increase every year the rate gets rolled back. An operating millage is different from a bond proposal. Funds accrued from the tax go toward paying school employees and the operating costs associated with the buildings - things like heat and elec­ tricity bills. Superintendent Matt Goebel said big ticket items the district has asked to be funded by bond proposals in the past would not be able to be funded by the operating millage. “The 18 mils for operating - it just wouldn’t cover what we need in regards to facilities, especially when we’re talking about some larger projects like roofs or a new school,” Goebel said. What experience do you have that you think will prove beneficial serving as a county commissioner? I think it’s important for folks to know that local and state governmental units have a sin­ cere interest in having newly elected officials get the training and advice they need to suc­ ceed at their new elected office. At the trustee level, there was provided to me a great deal of information in the form of training manuals focusing on responsibilities and authorities as well as ethics and decorum. I have already been contacted by the state to take training classes if I should be elected to this position. Barry County seems quite split when it comes to the concept of election integrity. Do you believe any measures can be taken at the county level to address this issue? If so, then what? I’m pretty confident that this year’s elec­ tions will prove educational for those who are afraid that our elections are not secure. Many of the folks taking part this year are going to see for themselves how the whole process works for the first time and I think they will be reassured. Because of that I hope the tur­ moil will die down. DRIVER POSITION OPENING -­ BARRY COUNTY TRANSIT Barry County Transit is accepting applications for the position of Driver. A Class C CDL with a *P’ endorsement is required. A strong sense of community and people skills are required of the successful candidate. Driver’s hours are 37.5 per week. Wage scale is $14.75 to $17.53. Applications are available from the Transit Office or online at: www.barrycountytransit.com Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-8125 When the state determines how much per-pupil funding it provides for each district in any given year, it’s assumed that every district is levying a full 18 mills for their operating millage. That’s why it’s such a key part of a healthy school budget, Goebel said. “It’s important that we get a full foun­ dation allowance for every pupil in regards to preparing the budget for oper­ ating our school district,” he said. “It’s important that we have enough money to pay the bills, pay the electricity, pay the heat, keep the lights on, and pay our staff’s salaries from an operating per­ spective.” Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer in full compliance with all State and Federal Regulations. _____________ i -- --------------------------- BUDGET, continued from page 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The sheriff’s office approached the board late last year to request a third detective for its departments in order to keep up with the surge of violent cases it faced. The board approved funding for that position. However, right now, the sheriff’s office still only has two detectives on its staff, one of which is focused solely on inves­ tigating voter fraud on behalf of Sheriff Dar Leaf while the other shoulders nearly the full load of cases. Before the board pulled funding for a third detective position, Leaf and the sher­ iff’s office said that it planned to install a third detective, but could not take that individual off the streets quite yet because the department is grappling with staff shortages. Pulling the funding for the detective position, and the vehicle that came with it, saved the county $123,278. Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nak­ foor Pratt appeared in front of the board on Tuesday to lobby commissioners to reinstate funding for the third detective position, saying that three detectives are still sorely needed even if the sheriff was not currently utilizing three. “You have leg work to find evidence and to take evidence to find out if it means anything,” Pratt said. “You’re talking to people on the other side of the tracks and talking to people that don’t want to talk.” Pratt cited a rash of high-profile and heinous cases to underscore the laborious job of a detective. She highlighted the Andrew Lafey case, the Nashville man that committed the murder of Gracyn Brickley in Maple Grove Township, recording the act of him stomping her to death as he insulted her. ate at a lower annual expense, that would be a good goal, too. | Hastings Healthy Living Supper Club | Presents TWO Health Programs in NOVEMBER All Free * Free-will offerings welcome Sunday, November 6th I 3:00 PM I _ ■ । Healthy Holiday Cooking Presentation Join us and learn how to make the Holidays healthier. Cooking demonstrations and tasty food sampling! _ I ■ ■ | I I Courtney Ziny, executive director of the Barry County Commission on Aging, requests that the county board recon­ sider providing her organization with $31,000 to fix a portion of roof on its building. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Barry County Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant Janette Maki was tasked with investigating the case, having to review the video tape multiple times. Pratt called the video “the worst thing I’ve seen in my entire life.” Maki’s efforts not only got Lafey sentenced to life in prison but three other individuals are facing charges of tampering with evidence and serving as an accessory after the fact. “That takes a lot of leg work. But when you spread it around a little bit you’re also spreading around the unbe­ lievable toll it takes on a person,” Pratt said of the relief that could potentially come from installing additional detec­ tives. “Not just to do a case like Andrew Lafey but any case.” Ultimately, board chairman Ben Gei­ ger signed off on the budget without much discussion. During the commissioner com­ ments portion of the meeting, com­ missioner David Jackson, who was absent when the motion to defund the detective position was decided by a single vote, said that he hopes, in the future, funding for that position would be reinstated. । 1 Hot Apple Cider Punch Easy Garlic Herb Vegan Cheese Ball Oat Crackers Plant-Based Turkey Roll Cauliflower Stuffing Festive Green Beans Lite and Tender Corn Bread Pumkin Pecan Bars Sunday, November 20th 3:00 PM REVERSE TYPE 2 DIABETES: Science, Stories, and Simple Steps Presented by: Dr. Jeff Gates ■ i | ■ ■ | । I . 1 DrPH (Loma Linda University) . Event Location Hastings Adventist Elementary School . ■ (in the Community Room) ■ ■ 888 Terry Lane, Hastings, Ml ■ To Register or for more information contact Janice at Hhealthylivingsupperclub@gmail.com or (269) 804-9959 �Page 4 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 —The Hastings Banner inion Ch Did you see? HIT THE LIGHTS Poor decisions are dividing our nation There’s always that one homeowner on the block that puts up their Christmas lights way too early in the season. In this case, that might be Barry County. On Tuesday morning, crews were tin­ kering around with Christmas lights on the historic Barry County Courthouse. Many of those lights stay up all year round, but the time is drawing near to fire them up as Christmas approaches. Do you remember? Preserving the bridge Banner Oct. 31, 1974 There are three remaining truss bridges over the Thornapple River, and this one on McKeown Road is being preserved for posterity at the request of the Barry County Historical Society. The McKeown bridge is the one nearest Charlton Park, the other two are at Irving and Greggs Crossing Roads in Nashville. . Watching the iron work being spray painted with primer purchased at an Army surplus store for 50 cents a gallon are engi­ neer Jack Kineman of the Barry County Road Commission and curator Frank Walsh of Charlton Park and Museum. The McKeown bridge was analyzed by engineers from Williams & Works of Grand Rapids and declared structurally sound if a few minor repairs were made. The bridge is being reconditioned using bridge fund money appropriated by county commissioners. The estimated cost is $10,000. A new bridge would cost between $120,000 and $150,000. Engineer Kineman said the McKeown span is not essential for heavy truck traffic since both sides of the river are accessi­ ble from either River Road or old M-79. The span will be posted for a 12-ton gross load limit to allow car, small truck and school bus traffic. Repairing includes removing and replacing the deck and I-beam stringers, making minor structural repairs, sandblasting, priming and painting. The new deck and substructure painting will be completed this fall and the bridge opened to traffic. Painting of the truss itself will be completed next summer. - Banner photo. Have you met? Bikram Ranapheli had been living in Grand Rapids for two years when he gave his testimony at the Grand Rapids Interna­ tional Fellowship church. It was a step on his way to becoming a district licensed pastor. During the process, he was interviewed by a board of several Church of the Nazarene pastors. One of those pastors was Hastings’ own Danny Quanstrom. “I didn’t know Danny was there, and I didn’t know anyone there,” Ranapheli said. “Danny, right after that meeting, he texted my pastor and said that he wanted to con­ nect with me.” Right around March, Ranapheli visited Hastings and met with Quanstrom and some of the others involved at Hastings Church of the Nazarene. He’s since been hired on as the connections pastor and moved to Hastings. He’s been getting settled into his new role and his new community. It’s a lot dif­ ferent from Grand Rapids, he said. “It’s going very well,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting how nice people are here. It’s more like a community here.” “Everyone knows everyone here. Espe­ cially when you go to get groceries and you see people, I’ve never had that experience in this state. I like this town. It’s kind of peaceful, very quiet.” Although he’s new to Barry County, Ranapheli isn’t originally from Grand Rap­ ids or Michigan. He came to the United States from Nepal in 2014 to study worship music in Memphis, Tenn. From there, he and his wife eventually made their way up to Michigan. Ranapheli’s background as an immigrant is part of what made his story so interesting Bikram Ranapheli to Quanstrom. He was also interested with Ranpheli’s experience teaching English Language Learner courses in Grand Rap­ ids, where he taught English to non-native speakers and prepared them to take a citi­ zenship test. Since starting in his new role here, Ranapheli and Quanstrom have been work­ ing together to bring an ELL course to Hastings. They see a need for an ELL pro­ gram in Hastings. “That was kind of interesting to Danny also, once I told him that I did that. He was like, ‘Okay, we have a lot of new immigrants here, and I think they need this kind of proj­ ect here in Hastings,”’ he said. “That’s why we want to do the project here.” Ranapheli said he hopes to get the word out about the program and get as many stu­ dents involved as possible. He urges anyone who is interested, or who knows someone who could benefit, to contact him or Quans­ trom at the Hastings Church of the Nazarene. “Right now, we are really trying to find and connect with people that would want to learn from an ELL program,” he said. “If (someone is interested), or if they know someone who wants to learn, they can con­ tact us.” For bringing his experiences as an immi­ grant and working to bring people together in Barry County, Bikram Ranapheli is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite movie: “Lord of the Rings.” I was just watching “Rings of Power” that was just released. It’s super cool. A lot of forgiveness and a lot of love going on in that series. Favorite season: Fall. I love the colors of the leaves and the food. It has a different vibe, you know? When you go to people’s houses, they have pumpkin pie or some­ thing. Yeah, we love the fall season. Today’s political environment seems to be dividing families and good friends when differing views on certain issues turns them against each other. Just the other day I was talking to someone that hasn’t heard from his brother in months due to an argument over the upcoming election. It seems foolish that friends and families take something they don’t have a lot of con­ trol over to the point they are willing to give up an important relationship. But according to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Manage­ ment (SHRM), one in five U.S. workers (20 percent) experienced poor treatment in the workplace by coworkers or peers due to their political views. And 20 per­ cent of human resource professionals say there is greater political volatility at work than there was just three years ago. SHRM found that a quarter of U.S. workers have personally experienced political affiliation bias, including pref­ erential treatment or undue negative treatment on the basis of their political positions or opinions. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen a real decline in civility when people express their opinions and beliefs, and it’s a bar­ rier to success for employers and their employees,” said SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. “This trend has been fueled by the relative anonym­ ity of social media, and it has spilled into our communities and our workplaces. In today’s climate, people are saying, ‘I can’t work with you if you don’t share my view,’ it’s a problem HR profession­ als and business leaders cannot ignore. I’m hopeful SHRM’s research will help organizations build constructive dia­ logue in the workplace - for the good of employees, the bottom line and society at large,” Taylor added. And I don’t think it’s going to end with the November election - it’s become a sign of the times when political elites continue to spew division and hate rather than constructive criticism with the intention to get the viewpoints on the table in order to find ways of solving problems. And our politicians can’t even agree when it comes to identifying the major issues that most Americans want to solve. According to the survey, 82 percent of U.S. workers plan to vote this year. Of these workers, the top issues influencing their vote include, the economy, infla­ tion, health care, immigration, global shortages, and increasing crime and drugs - especially Fentanyl. Yet, accord­ ing to the President, the economy is strong. He seems more worried about the global economy. Today, a growing number of Ameri­ cans feel the problems are with the administration that’s driven the economy into the ditch with no ideas on how they’re going to get out. Prices are exploding around us, the booming stock market is gone, real wages are dropping and Americans feel they are taking the brunt of their poli­ cies. BOO! The staff at the Hastings Banner and The Reminder appreciate a good scare. When you and the kiddos head out to trick-or-treat this Halloween, make sure to grab a picture of your scary costumes and email them to editor Jayson Bussa at jayson@j-adgraphics.com. We will pick some of the best, most creative costumes and feature them in the following issue of The Reminder. The Hastings BclllIlCT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 Favorite vacation destination, past and future: This one will be hard to choose, but it’s probably Utah. I’ve never been there, but we’ve wanted to go there sometime. But I’ve been to Prague in the Czech Republic. That was so beautiful. Prior to the Biden Administration tak­ ing office, America was energy indepen­ dent for the first time in more than 50 years by producing more oil than we used. But on his first day in office, Pres­ ident Biden killed the Keystone Pipeline and halted all leasing and permits for oil and gas production on federal lands. He slammed the brakes on drilling in our most rich states like Alaska and Texas and set out to increase royalty and bond­ ing rates and other fees making it more expensive for American drillers. So, we’ve gone from huge surpluses in oil production to a massive deficit. Experts say we’re losing $1 billion per week in economic output because of it, raising prices and forcing us to look else­ where for increased output. Everything is based on oil - not just the fuel for our cars and trucks and fuel to heat our homes. Oil is found in everything we touch. Our fabrics, packaging, pharma­ ceuticals - you name it and oil is a part of it. So when politicians continue to talk about reducing fossil fuels, the reality is it’s not just about fueling cars, trucks and heating your homes - it impacts our eco­ nomic stability, so when they create a war on energy, Americans will take the brunt of it. Even Michigan’s Governor has joined the war by trying to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline, which carries more than half a million barrels of oil and natural gas a day between Canada and several U.S. states. Experts warn a shutdown would mean that refineries in the Mid­ west could lose nearly half of the crude oil output - meaning even higher prices for consumers. Yet the administration thinks it’s OK to give the business to foreign nations like Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Iraq and Mexico rather than keeping the business in our own country, fueling our economy and fostering jobs for Americans. The President’s anti-energy nonsense is impacting Americans and every busi­ ness because energy determines our suc­ cess and security as a nation - and that’s something that we can’t allow either party to'mess with. We need to send a message to our elected officials that this war on energy is putting our nation in a vulnerable posi­ tion, especially when China and Russia are on the move to enlarge their foot­ print. This is no time for political games. We must become energy independent once again before we dig an even deeper • NEWSROOM • Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jennifer Brown Mike Gilmore #Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — Page 5 Our rights are on the ballot this November Letter to the editor: We are very close to the most monumental vote of our time. It comes down to whether we want our voting rights (our votes to count), women’s rights to their own health decisions and doctors’ rights to take care of their patients without fear of imprisonment. We already have a shortage of doctors and nurses who dedicate their lives to us. Who is going to take care of you when you are sick and need help? The economy is a big problem for so many of us (not the rich). I have lived long enough that I have seen this before and know it will get better. President Biden has done his best to pass bills to help the middle-lower class of us. Please take time to search Ballotpedia. (Third) on the list on the left side of the screen, click on President Biden to see what he has already gotten done for us and the bills sitting in the Senate needing a 60 (vote) count. Also, during his short time in office, he has had to deal with an out-of-control pan­ demic, multiple natural disasters and a war in Ukraine. It’s important that we protect (democracies) and our NATO partners. We could lose other freedoms if we elect persons who refuse to accept that President Biden won the last election. Sixty court judg­ es (appointed by Mr. Trump) all told him that he lost the election and still he yells loudly about how the election was stolen from him. As “The Apprentice,” he loudly fired people and he can’t stand that he was fired in a fairand-square election of the people. Our forefathers came to escape living under a king. We live in a free republic with a Constitution of laws that we follow. A peaceful transfer of power after an election is necessary. Our democracy is on the line, starting with local and state elections. I hope you will all get out and vote or mail in your ballots to protect the right to vote and other rights. Ilona Hagon Nashville Seeking legal counsel over FOIA request in Hastings Township was the right move To the editor: In response to Mr. Hubka’s letter regarding (the) Hastings Township FOIA request, I will start with my appreciation for Mr. Hubka’s years of service in educating students in the local area. As an educator, I am sure he is aware of the process of root cause analysis. This process is used in businesses to determine end results, or how to make the next decision to reach the intended outcome for the business. In this situation, the root cause of the final outcome was the very poorly written request of information. As elected officials of Hastings Township, we are required to protect the citizens of the township. In this situation, the board unani­ mously agreed we needed to seek legal counsel. Township government is the grassroots form of government, it does not require you to be a lawyer to serve. We have a highly-skilled and compassion­ ate board who always seeks to provide the very best to the residents of Hastings Town­ ship. I stand 100 percent behind our clerk and board in this decision. James M. Partridge II Hastings Republicans prove they’ll do anything to win Letter to the editor: It’s been said by - well almost everyone - that “the Republicans will do anything to win.” Would they lie to the average voter? Their barrage of television ads and relentless social media attacks seems to indicate that this is the case. Would they risk the economic security of the average American by letting inflation rage because you-know-who will get the blame? Nudge that cost-of-living up enough to make folks scream, shake their heads and take their eye off the ball? Did you know that big cor­ porations have made huge, sometimes record profits recently? And that no one had missed their dividend check or bond coupon since who knows when? I suppose it is safe to wager that “anything to win” is just a lucky coincidence for those who have huge resourc­ es to diversify. Do these new-era Republicans answer to the average, normal, work-weary Ameri­ can? Or do these excitable people argue with, complain about, and try to own everyone except Donald (Trump), Betsy (DeVos) and the mysterious “one percent,” who now employ a vast army of consul­ tants, advertising experts, hackers, social scientists and hired thugs? All is fair, win­ ners and losers, stay in the middle of the road and we will run you over and always, always remember - anything to win. Because it’s just all a game, as they like to tell us. This year, it might be time to vote blue. You could do that and still vote no on Propos­ al 3, if you wish. There is no law against that. No law at all. At least, not yet. Michael Jones Hastings Proposal 3 - Please, just read it To the editor: On Nov. 8, 2022, citizens of Michigan will be voting bn Proposal 3 to amend the state Constitution to make reproductive freedom a right, repealing a decades-old law that was set to take effect after the U.S. Supreme Court last month struck down Roe v. Wade, a 1973 landmark case that offered federal pro­ tection for abortion. Proposal 3 will give women the right to make decisions about their bodies. Proposal 3 would: - Establish new individual right to repro­ ductive freedom, including the right to make and carry out all decisions about women’s health, such as prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, steriliza­ tion, abortion, miscarriage management and infertility. - Allow state regulation of abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit it if medically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health. - Forbid state discrimination in enforce­ ment of this right; prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising rights established by this amendment. - Invalidate state laws conflicting with this amendment. This proposal does not allow minor chil­ dren to get an abortion without parental consent (unless, of course, the child is afraid to tell her parents for whatever rea­ son and then other responsible adults would step in to help), does not allow abortions in unregulated facilities (this is just not true - we’re done with back alleys) and does not allow abortions up until the day of birth. Really, people, this is called birth! Does anyone really think that when a baby is bom and the woman says she now wants an abortion and, what, the doctor and the staff in the delivery room kill the baby? Seriously, get a grip - this would never, never, ever happen. What is sometimes overlooked in this proposal is the other care that is guaranteed such as prenatal care, postpartum care, con­ traception, sterilization, miscarriage man­ agement and infertility treatments, all valu­ able additions to the management of wom­ en’s health. There is so much more in this proposal than abortion - that is such a small part of women’s health care. Betsy Colgan Hastings Research Headlee override and what it is doing to Hastings schools To the editor: The Michigan Constitution continues to put the squeeze on local school districts. I noticed a local school district proposal for the Hastings Area School System Operating Millage on my November 2022 ballot. I’m a supporter of our public schools, however, I thought I would do some research prior to voting. This proposal may also be termed a “Headlee Override” proposal. Google search (Headlee Override MSU Extension) and you can read additional information. It’s complicated, but this is my understand­ ing: Through a combination of the Headlee Amendment of 1978 and Proposal A of 1994, growth in property values can actual­ ly reduce the millage revenue and end up hurting our schools. It simply means about $40,000 will be stripped from school allo­ cated funds this year in our current scenar­ io. We can make up for this as proposed on the November ballot. If a person doesn’t have property outside their homestead, or if they rent the house they live in, there is no impact at all on their tax rate. The current roll back rate is 0.2 but the proposal would allow up to 0.5 to be rolled back depending on how the calcula­ tions fall during the time period between 2022 to 2027. I come from a long line of Hastings High School graduates arid my children are" also part of the district. They have greatly benefit­ ed from their experiences at Hastings and they are well prepared for the next phases in life. Whether it is academics, sports, trades or the arts, this school district is doing a won­ derful job of supporting my family and I only feel it is right to return the favor. Time for the Sheriff to listen to the county and move on The county prosecutor made a very pas­ sionate plea at the county commission meeting (on Tuesday) seeking support for the county sheriff detective. When it came time for the sheriff to speak, did he too ask the commissioners for support of his employees? No, instead he mentioned some nonsense about Dominion tabulators and Venezuela. It seems he cares more about his political witch hunt than the wellbeing of his own employ­ ees. Take the hint, Sheriff. When your con­ stituents laugh at what you say, you’ve lost their support. Time to move on! Larry Osborne Delton The lingering distrust over the 2020 election results is causing damage The detective that Dar Leaf assigned to investigate voter fraud in the 2020 election has been defunded. That is good news. The 2020 election was not stolen but discredited by a man whose father never let him admit defeat. Misinformation on the election by those who would like to spread autocratic govern­ ment has caused about 30 percent of our people to still believe the election was fraud­ ulent. But watching Vladimir Putin conscript young men into an unpopular war has made us more aware of the dangers of an autocra­ cy. We are the land of the free because of democracy. When this all settles down, those people who believed our election was stolen will still be our good friends and neighbors. Carole Smith 44040 South Shore Dr. Delton Beware of misinformation on Proposal 3 Fred’s recent editorial supporting the increase in the paper’s price included state­ ments that “YouiYe supporting a staff of high­ ly-trained professionals” and “they are work­ ing hard each week to keep you and our Matt Haywood Hastings Divisive nature of politics has led some to be intimidated To the editor: I am nearly 70 years old and have volun­ teered in many political campaigns over the years. This year, for the very first time, when asking people if they would like a yard sign, many have refused because they are actually afraid of reprisals from the other party. A number of them have expressed fears of being shot by the previous president’s follow­ ers! What on earth does this say about our community when voting citizens are too intimidated to place yard signs in support of their candidates on their own property? We must all be more respectful of one another’s right to express their views. Jackie Schmitz Middleville readers aware of all the news you need to be an informed citizen.” I couldn’t agree more. But then I look at the letters to the editor and see misleading comments about Proposal 3 that are not based on fact, but on something they have heard and I question what is exactly the purpose of these “Letters from our readers”? Where is the commitment to provide readers with news to help them be an informed citizen? Every­ one has a right to their own opinion but, to prevent the spread of misinformation, opin­ ions that are not based on fact should not be published. Do your homework before you vote... - Check what the State defines as viability of a fetus (“Before 23 weeks, a baby’s rate of survival remains low, even with interven­ tions: only 5 to 6 percent. At 23 weeks, the rate increases to 23 to 27 percent. At 24 weeks, a baby’s survival rate reaches 42 to 59 percent. By 25 weeks, the survival rate is as high as 67 to 76 percent”). - Be aware that any medical personnel who kill a baby after birth will be arrested for homicide. - Familiarize yourself with the scope of practice for medical licenses that describe the services a qualified health professional is deemed competent to perform, and per­ mitted to undertake (i.e. foot doctors or massage therapists, etc. cannot perform abortions); and - Do you seriously think medical profes­ sionals would perform any procedures on an underage child without parental consent? Here is the full text of Proposal 3 you can familiarize yourself with before entering the voting booth: Ballot text: A proposal to amend the state constitution to establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make all decisions about pregnancy and abortion; allow state to regulate abor­ tion in some cases; and forbid prosecution of individuals exercising established right. This proposed constitutional amendment would: Establish new individual right to reproductive freedom, including right to make and carry out all decisions about pregnancy, such as prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, steriliza­ tion, abortion, miscarriage management and infertility; Allow state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, but not prohibit if med­ ically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health; Forbid state dis­ crimination in enforcement of this right; Prohibit prosecution of an individual, or a person helping a pregnant individual, for exercising rights established by this amend­ ment; Invalidate state laws conflicting with this amendment. Should this proposal be adopted Be an informed voter, use common sense, stop the misinformation! Marcia Szumowski Hastings SPRAY FOAM Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J Beautiful Cotton Prints by ®Moda, QT Fabrics, and Maywood Zippers, Threads, Buttons... and more. QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 bsshmi OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hu/sf Cleaners Pick-Up Station Gas stolen from vehicle in Delton Man meets woman of dubious intentions on website offering marital affairs A 55-year-old Middleville man met a woman on a website claiming to connect those looking for extra-marital relationships. The man told police around noon on Oct. 14 that he had been chatting online with a woman he had met on the website cheatingaffairs.com, which seems to have since gone defunct. The two exchanged naked photos through email before the woman demanded $10,000 in Bitcoin, threatening to post the man’s photographs on Facebook if she didn’t receive it. The man refused, and the woman made another demand of $2,000 instead. The man refused again. The man told police the scammer had access to his location, family members’ phone numbers and that the scam­ mer even sent a text to his daughter. Police told the man to block all avenues of contact, not to reply and not to send any money. String of boat battery, gas tank thefts near Charlton Park Police responded to a series of thefts from boats around 1 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Barry’s Resort and Mobile Home Park on the 2800 block of South Charlton Park Road. Six pon­ toon boats in the area had their batteries stolen, gas lines cut and gas tanks stolen. Police contacted the owners to collect infor­ mation, with one of the victims telling police they saw their gas tank along with the five others sitting on a picnic table nearby at one point. A 22-year-old Delton man reported that some­ one was stealing gas from his car’s gas tank on Sept. 23 at his home on the 8600 block of Sum­ mit Drive. The man told police he suspected it may have been an ongoing occurrence that he was unaware of. Upon seeing the gas cap to his vehicle left open, he checked security cameras on the property and saw someone siphoning gas from his vehicle and lawnmowers. Hastings man reports manure truck spilling its load A 62-year-old Hastings man called police around 7 a.m. on Oct. 20 to report a semi­ truck full of manure was spilling its load. The man was following the truck southbound on M-43 Highway near Shultz Road and told police small amounts of manure were coming out of the truck and getting all over his car. The man was concerned it may cause a traffic hazard. Police investigated the area but were unable to locate the truck. �Page 6 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Ann Louise Winans Leona Margaret Moore Leona Margaret Moore (Lee), born on Jan­ uary 3, 1932, was called home by our heav­ enly father on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at the age of 90. Leona will be dearly missed by her loving husband, Robert, daughters, Sandy (Larry) Brower, Terri (Berl) Moma, Pam (Tim) Jef­ fery, sons Daniel Moore, Bobby ( Donna) Moore, granddaughter, Carrie (Brandon) Dunlap, grandsons, Dustin (Ashley) Moma, Andrew (Shanna) Fisher, Jason Jeffery, Jerimiah (Andrea) Brower, Benjamin (Caitlin) Fisher, Jared Jeffery, Tyler Moore, Tyler Moore, Aiden Moore, Greg (Deanna) Brow­ er, Kyle (Samantha) Brower, Shain (Lynnea) Brower, and her sister, Helen (David) Mills. She was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Dale R. Fisher and their son Michael D. Fisher. Lee has been part of the Middleville Com­ munity for most of her life. She raised her family there and was the first female school bus driver hired at Thomapple Kellogg Schools, where she drove for 20 years. She truly loved all of her “bus” kids and they loved her back. If you ever rode her bus, you will undoubtedly remember the “whistle”! She enjoyed watching her grandchildren & great grandchildren splashing and playing in her pool, teaching each one of them at various times the basics of how to swim. She enjoyed playing bingo with her bingo buddies, and even enjoyed an occasional trip to the casino. She enjoyed reading Nora Roberts books and Harlequin Romance books. But most of all, she enjoyed life. She was a friend to every­ one, and we would often find her talking to complete strangers at any given time, in any given place, like they were old friends. She and Bob spent many hours relaxing around their pool, just enjoying retirement. The little chipmunks around the pool area would eat right out of her hand, it was amazing, she had the touch. She always looked for the good in people. She was such a kind, and loving mother, grandmother, wife, sister and friend. She was the SUNSHINE of our lives! She will be so greatly missed! Visitation will be held Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022, 6 to 8 p.m. at the Beeler-Gores Funeral Home. Lee’s funeral service will be held on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Mid­ dleville United Methodist Church. Burial will take place at Mount Hope Cemetery. Memorial contributions to St. Jude Chil­ dren’s Hospital will be appreciated. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Lee’s family. RRBACH Tel. (269)-945-3252 Funeral Home Fax(269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetze!. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. Worship upraise This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhasdngs Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Mi 49058. 945-4700 AMMESIfflW BotLtoeTools&Equipment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Elaine Garlock The Lake Odessa Community Library has quite a schedule of activities with something for every age. Using the library as a host site, the Ionia County Commission on Aging will again offer a tai chi class starting November 2. The class will take place at 1 p.m. each Wednesday. These classes have been held before at the library, and tai chi is a low-im­ pact exercise. Another program geared to the home­ based education program this fall is a health-related program about the human body. The first class, slated for November 17, will highlight the digestive system. These classes will take place on the third Thursday of each month at 1 p.m. and all are welcome. Monthly registration for the class­ es is requested. Ann Louise Winans, age 75, of Hastings, MI was born on December 19, 1946, the daughter of John and Norma (Bidelman) Hickey. Ann was a 1965 graduate of Hastings High School. On March 17, 1967, she married Frank Winans, which ended in divorce after 20 years. Throughout her life, Ann worked at Mid­ way Polish and Buffing and Diana’s Cleaning Service, and raising her two children. Ann was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. She enjoyed collecting base­ ball cards and watching and attending Detroit Tigers, Lions Games and Michigan college football games with family. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grand­ child. She enjoyed meals with family and friends at State Street Diner in Hastings. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, John and Norma Hickey; sister, Marilyn Gilding; brothers-in-law, Jerry Gilding and Bruce Wilson and two nephews. She is survived by her son, Frank Jr. (Molly) Winans; daughter, Kimberly (Wayne) Nicholson; grandson, Daven (Stacey) Winans; granddaughter, Shelby (Zach Bret­ ten) Winans; grandson, Anthony (Amanda King) Nicholson, grandson, Levi Nicholson, granddaughter, Rylee (Ty) Sinclair, grandson, Brody Nicholson; great-granddaughter, Chloe Wesorick; great-grandson, Jack Winans; great-grandson on the way; sisters, Janice Wilson, Sue (Asa) Randall, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral Mass was held Wednesday, Oct. 26,2022 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 805 S Jefferson St, Hastings, MI 49058 with interment at Riverside Cemetery. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. The library program for the young students aged 9 to 14 will take place after school from 4 to 5 p.m. starting November 10. The pro­ gram is titled “The Fear Factor.” The day’s topic is “How fearless will you be?” For the younger students ages 5 to 11, there are sessions starting November 3 at 4 p.m. with games and more. The question this week is, “What do you call a skeleton that won’t work?” The answer is “lazy bones.” Bring your own favorite joke or riddle to share. Mr. Mike is the leader of the STEM pro­ gram at the library. This is for students between 11- and 16-years-old. Registration is required for this group. The STEM group will meet Tuesday, November 15 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Yet another group is “Family Story Time.” This groups is perfect for kids between the ages of 2 and 5. The group meets every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and has met since September 7. There is still time to join. The book pictured on the flyer for the group shows a variety of animals large and small. The book is titled “The World of Eric Carle Let’s Explore!” The library has some unique items for play in the archway between the children’s room and the library entry. Children of any age can be very creative using some of the new unites in the entry to the children’s area. Monday is Halloween. Trick-or-treat hours have been determined by the village council. Again this year, Central UMC will do their hosting in the church parking lot off Third Avenue with decorated car trunks open with their treats. Come on, come all. Homeowners whose porch lights are lit will welcome visitors to come with their open bags to get a treat. With leaves falling fast, we can now see vistas closed to us since spring. Streetside heaps of leaves are common. Soon, we will be seeing the village vacuum truck with its long snout sucking up the heaps of leaves alongside the streets. It seems that the large trees are quicker to lose their leaves than are shorter bushes. Some of them are tenacious about keeping their leaves. The unique gink­ go tree is sure to lose all its leaves overnight, leaving a green or gold carpet in one big cir­ cle surrounding the tree. Social Security services for the Hispanic community Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist Social Security strives to deliver great cus­ tomer service and helpful information to everyone, including people who are more comfortable reading and speaking Spanish. Our Spanish-language website, segurosocial.gov, provides information about our pro­ grams and services. You can learn how to get a Social Security card, plan for retirement, apply for and manage benefits and more. You can also learn more about why Social Security is important to the Hispanic commu­ nity at ssa.gov/espanol/personas/hispanos. And, you can follow us on our Spanish-lan­ guage Facebook and Twitter at facebook.com/ segurosocial and twitter.com/segurosocial. We also provide many publications in Spanish at ssa.gov/espanol/publicaciones on popular topics such as: • Retirement, Disability, and Survivors benefits. • Medicare. • Supplemental Security Income. Spanish-speaking customers who need to speak with a representative can call us at 1-800-772-1213 and press seven. Please share these resources with friends and family who may need them. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids Ml 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Oct. 27-Nov. 3 Oct. 1-31 - October Storywalk Book: “Fungus is Among Us!” by Joy Keller and illustrated by Erica Salcedo. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Saturday, Oct. 29 - invasive vegetation removal to benefit critical reptile habitat, 9 a.m.-noon. There is no cost to attending this event; Candlelight Trails: Trick or Treating on the Trails, 6:30-9 p.m. Members of the Institute must pay $5 each to attend and non-members must pay $7. Families can pay $25 for their entire group, but should indicate how many people are in the family upon registration. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR OCT. 27-NOV. 2 Thursday, Oct. 27 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1933 film starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert, 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28 - Preschool Story Time, 10:30-11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 31 - Quilting Passions Crafting Club, 10-1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Baby Cafe, 10 a.m.-noon; mahjong, 5:30; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2 - Jingle and Mingle, 8 a.m.; Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m.; Digital Literacy - email basics, 2 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. Stretch of Paul Henry Trail scheduled for temporary closure Officials at the village of Mid­ dleville are reminding users of the Paul Henry Thomapple Trail that a portion of the trail just south of the village will be closed during the month of November. The portion of the Paul Henry Trail that is within the village limits (the first one-half mile) will remain open. This includes the first two bridges and the Mill Pond, where no hunting is allowed. The remaining trail crosses private property and is closed to the public during the November hunting season. The trail will fully reopen to the public Dec. 1. Brooke Michelle Bagley, Middleville and Matthew Calvin Burton, Middleville Brandie Lee Lewis, Kalamazoo and Timo­ thy Roy LaFountaine II, Delton Nicole Marie Ricketts, Hastings and Rich­ ard Lee Weitzel, Battle Creek Call 269-945-9554 for Hastings Banner classified ads �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — Page 7 fl look back at the stories and columns on local history in the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Banner Jan. 27, 1983 Elaine Gilbert A group of downtown Hastings business owners and tenants want the Elks Lodge demolished to make room for increased offstreet parking and other site improvements to enhance shopping in the city. The city of Hastings owns the building now occupied by the Elks at 121 N. Church St. A petition requesting the removal and dem­ olition of the building was presented to the City Council Monday by Kenneth Miller, owner of Miller Real Estate, 137 W. State St. The City Council agreed to submit the petition to its city property committee for review. Miller told the council that the petition he presented carried the signatures of neighbor­ ing business landowners and tenants in the 100-block of the north side of W. State St. who want the city to decide not to renew the Elks lease on the building. In addition to wanting more off-street parking, Miller said (the) group he represents feels the narrow alley in that area should be widened to two-lanes to alleviate congestion and enhance fire protection capabilities and snow removal. Miller said the petition is in keeping with the city’s 19-year-old master plan which pro­ poses “off-street parking facilities behind the State St. stores be expanded and landscaped into free, off-street parking areas. When com­ bined with the parking facilities behind the State St. they will provide an adequate amount of off-street parking comparable to that provided within reasonable walking dis­ tance in a modern shopping plaza.” Miller also commented “it would be more desirable for customers if this is done. They like to stop and park with the stores in sight. “This is the sort of thing we have to continue to do to maintain our downtown business dis­ trict and to keep it healthy. We can’t wait until we get a lot of competition out at the edge of town and say we have to do something. We’ve got to do it now,” he told the council. Quoting the master plan, Miller said, “an adequate system of free off-street parking facilities is essential to the continued prosper­ ity of the business district and will assure its ability to stop any regional shopping plaza location outside the city.” When contracted Tuesday morning, John Cohoon, exalted ruler of the Hastings Elks, said he had not yet heard about the petition presented to the city council. “I’m in favor of progress,” Cohoon said, noting that the Elks have a building commit­ tee that already has been studying alterna­ tives, including the possibility of building a new lodge. According to the lease between the Elks and the city, Cohoon said the Elks would Demolition of Elks proposed Businessmen want more parking area have to be given a two-year notice if the city decides not to renew it. Cohoon said he is familiar with the city’s master plan and “I know we are in a no-win proposition. “My initial reaction (to the possible demo­ lition of the lodge) is that it would be fine if it would force the group of Elks to go ahead and make a decision,” he said. The Elks own property on the south side of town on Hanover St. The stumbling block to building there, Cohoon said, is that a viable plan must be derived to figure out how to finance the cost of a new building. Leaving the current lodge and erecting a new one “might be what it will take to revive the club and make it prosper,” he said. Cohoon, a real estate developer, said the current building is in need of many repairs, including a new roof. The Elks currently pay the city $200 per month rent, but also pay expenses for main­ taining the building. He estimated that the Elks also pay “a couple thousand dollars” in property taxes. At Monday’s council meeting, Michael Klovanich, city engineer, estimated that it would cost about $16,000 to have the Elks Lodge demolished. Additional costs would also be incurred to improve the site and widen the alley into two lanes. Councilman David Jasperse said he didn’t think the city had enough money to tackle the project by itself. Mayor Kenneth J. Howe suggested that perhaps a special assessment district could be established, as noted in the master plan, to help the city pay for the cost of demolition, if it is approved. In other business, the council approved putting $50,000 in the budget for temporary repairs to a storm drain problem that has cre­ ated basement flooding in a home on E. Mar­ shall St. However, Council members admit­ ted that money for the sewer line construction may not be available this year. The action was taken following a com­ plaint received last month from John Brookmeyer of 719 E. Marshall who said his base­ ment is flooded whenever there is a severe rainfall because the storm sewers can’t ade­ quately handle the runoff. Councilman Gordan Fuhr said he had per­ sonally inspected the problem storm sewer with Klovanich and said the problem is caused by a 10-inch sewer line that runs in front of Brookmeyer’s property and then intersects into an eight-inch line on Clinton St., creating a bottleneck in severe rainy con­ ditions. The line backs-up and the excess runoff causes the flooding, he said. Fuhr said the correct solution to the prob­ lem would be to construct a new 24-inch storm sewer line from Marshall to Clinton and a 36-inch line to Fall Creek but, it would cost $300,000. He noted that it would cost an additional $200,000 to repair and widen Clin­ ton after sewer construction. “Obviously we do not have this kind of money.. .we could possibly wait for a grant of state (or) federal ftmds to help us with the construction,” said Fuhr. Mayor Howe explained Clinton has been designated as a major street project (for new curb and gutters and underground services etc.) but, that no funding has been available. Council members also voted against set­ ting money aside in their budget to help pay for the paving on Cook Rd. from Green St. to Yeckley Rd. because of a lack of available funds. It was noted that the township current­ ly receives state funds to take care of that portion of Cook Rd. while the city maintains Cook from Green to State St. Approval was granted by the Council of a proposed urban boundary and road classifica­ tion map for the Hastings urban area. The boundary map is used by the Michigan Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration to identify areas and roads that are eligible for federal aid and urban funds. The action was taken as a favor to the county road commission which is expected to bring in more local funding for W. State Rd. in the Algonquin Lake area. “Basically it’s no skin off our nose. It could be of assistance to us later on should we have a major street project...our funds are tied with theirs,” said Howe. The Council also approved another appoint­ ment, overlooked at its last meeting, to have Klovanich serve as the city administrative member on the city planning commission. The former Elks Lodge. Spectrum Health Pennock welcomes new president Gas, water and energy the formula for early life Dr. Universe: How did life begin? Kelsey, 10, Texas Dear Kelsey, The universe is a big place. Thinking about how we fit into it is part of what makes humans (and cats like me) special. I talked about your question with my friend Afshin Khan who studied astrobiology and envi­ ronmental science at Washington State University. Astrobiologists explore how life began. They also look for signs of life outside Earth. Khan told me your question is a huge mystery. “We have very good ideas about what could have happened,” she said. “In different labs around the world, we’ve gotten very close to simulating some of those conditions. But simulations can only get so close to what was happening on early Earth.” We have a good sense of when life started. We know Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. The oldest fossils on Earth are stromatolites, basi­ cally layers of rock and microbes. They’re at least 3.5 billion years old. So, there must have been living microbes on Earth at that time. Living things need energy and water. They also need organic molecules. These molecules make up your cells. They drive the chemistry that happens inside your body. That chemistry is how your cells get oxygen. It’s how you change food into energy and move your muscles. But how can those complex organic molecules develop from simple molecules and chemistry? To figure that out, scientists made a glass device to mimic the super-hot conditions on early Earth. There were lots of gases, water, and lightning. So, they put gases and water into the glass device. They zapped it with electricity. After one week, the water turned brown. It was full of organic mole­ cules and things that form them. Scientists have done this experiment under many conditions. Khan even did it at WSU! One possibil­ ity is that the brown “soup” of organic molecules could have clumped together like bacteria do today. They could have started doing chemistry together. Or maybe built a protective layer around themselves like a cell membrane. Khan also told me that hydrothermal vents may hold clues to how life started. These are hot springs on the floor of oceans or lakes. The water in these vents can reach 750 degrees F! There’s no sunlight down there, but lots of pressure and toxic minerals. It’s not a place you would expect to find life. But scientists who discovered these vents in 1977 did find life there. Organisms that love extreme places are called extremophiles. Some extremophile microbes live in vents. They use the toxic chemicals to make energy-just like plants use the sun to make energy. Khan told me that early Earth had hydrothermal vents, possibly perfect places for life to start. They have water and energy. They have lots of chemi­ cals and chemistry going on. Scientists have shown that organic molecules and very simple cells can form there. Another idea is that life didn’t begin on Earth at all. “For all we know, we could discover we are actually Martians!” Khan said. “Maybe we evolved from life that came from Mars.” Around the time Earth formed, there were lots of collisions in space. It’s possible a meteorite from Mars was thrown to Earth. Maybe the first cells or organic molecules hitched a ride. Earth might have been the perfect hot, watery, lightning-filled place for that “seed” of life to grow. “We are made from the same elements the stars are made of,” Khan said. “We have become intelli­ gent enough that we are on a quest to understand where we come from.” We’ll probably never know for sure how life started on Earth. But thinking about it makes us good astrobiologists and even better caretakers of our planet and universe! Stay wild, star child. Bill Hoefer, FACHE, is the newly appointed president of Spectrum Health Pennock, also overseeing Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital. He began this new role Oct. 7. On Corewell Health’s journey to a unified region, Hoefer’s cumulative 27 years of health care experience and knowledge were the right skills at this critical moment in our journey to lead Pennock and Zeeland Community hospitals forward with passion and excellence. Leadership experience at hospitals ranging in size from 56 to more than 700 beds has shown Hoefer is a proven innovator with a purposeful approach to ensure high-qual­ ity care. Hoefer entered the health care field as an admin­ istrative resident and since then has worked in many capacities, giving him a well-rounded understanding of operations across multiple functions. He has resounding, clear expectations that patients, families and the commu­ nity remain the core focus of the hospital’s goals. “I’m already finding myself inspired by the Pennock team. It is apparent team members are committed to pro­ viding exceptional care,” said Hoefer. “I look forward to learning more about Barry and Ionia counties while ensur­ ing we continue providing timely access to high-quality, safe care in an environment that meets the needs of our patients, team members and providers.” As Hoefer transitions to guide Pennock and Zeeland hospitals, additional leaders join alongside him to provide a consolidated leadership model. Bernie Jore, chief oper­ ating officer, will oversee operations for both Pennock and Zeeland hospitals. Additionally, Jennifer Becksvoort, director, human resources business partner, will oversee the human resources functions for these two locations. Together, these leaders are expected to foster efficiencies among Pennock and Zeeland hospitals to meet the collec­ tive needs of the region. 189998 City of Hastings PUBLIC NOTICE Lake Effect Exterior Washing LLC Mobile Boat and Car Washing/Detailing Notice is hereby given that a public Accuracy Test will be conducted on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers at City Hall 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan, for the purpose of testing the tabulating equipment and programs, which will be used to tabulate the voted ballots for the November 8, 2022, General Election. Call Luke at 269-447-7690 LakeEffectExteriorWashing-Com Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse.com. Bill Hoefer, FACHE Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-899-879-7985 The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to the Clerk of the City of Hastings (telephone number 269-945­ 2468 or TDD call relay services 1-800-649-3777). Christopher R. Bever City Clerk �Page 8 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Dowling Public Library celebrates building's 150th year The 150-year-old Dowling Public Library building was originally the Country Chapel of Dowling. Pictured is a decades-old photo of a Sunday school class at what is now the library building. The class consists of (front row, from left) Mason Tobias, Dale Moon, Leon Whitworth, Kenneth Crawley, Robert MacKinder, (back row) Herman Stanton, Leo Whitworth, Charles Moon, Lloyd Gaskill, Lyle Gorham, Elmer Hook and Forrest Stamm. Molly Macleod Copy Editor Friends of the Dowling Public Library, staff and patrons gathered on Saturday to celebrate the 150-year birthday of the current building, as well as the past and future of the rural library. The Dowling Public Library is a tall, skin­ ny building marked by a distinct tower. The building is located within Dowling, which is neither a township nor village. Dowling, located within Baltimore Township, is so small, in fact, it falls under the designation of a census-designated place. Despite not quite making it over the bar of being a village, Dowling’s library serves as a crucial resource for those in Baltimore and Johnstown Townships, as well as a robust portion of the Amish community in those areas. Despite the Dowling Public Library recently celebrating its sesquicentennial, the story of how the library came to be isn’t a simple one. The current library building, located at 1765 E. Dowling Road, is the “birthday building” and was built 150 years ago. This building was the original Dowling Country Chapel. The library itself is a little more youthful than it’s building, having been officially formed in 1941 in an empty classroom of the Dowling School. According to Dowling Public Library historians, Mrs. Leona VanDelic, the country schoolteacher, was the first librarian. When the Dowling School received a boost in enrollment in 1947, the classroom housing books was needed for instruction and the library was tasked with finding a new home. Fortunately, local Howard Drake offered up his ice house to be the new home of the rural library. The ice house was cut in half and moved down a then-dirt M-37 on logs to directly across the street from the current library building. Several additions were made to the ice house building until the library’s move to the current building in 1989. Dowling residents recalled the evolution of the Dowling Public Library to its current state at the anniversary celebration, citing commu­ nity involvements as the crux of its successes. John Howe, a library board trustee, said the Dowling Library has centered itself around serving the community for its many years of operation. In recent years and months, many strives have been made to transform the Dowling library into a library equipped to serve a modern Dowling. “What’s the purpose of a library, right?” said Howe. “We’re trying to get it to be more of a community center.” 189742 Township of Yankee Springs 284 N. BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 48333 269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795’2388 YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Commission of Yankee Springs Township will conduct a public hearing concerning the following matters on Thursday, November 17,2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Yankee Springs Township Hall, 284 N. Briggs Road, in the Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include the following: 1. Zoning Ordinance text amendments to Article XIII, Private Road Standards and Procedures, including revisions to Sections 13.2,13.3,13.4,13.5,13.6 and 13.7. 2. Zoning Ordinance text amendments to Article XII, General Regulations, including adding a table format for dimensional requirements and other amendments. 3. Zoning Ordinance text amendments to Article III, Section 3.16 (F) Chief Noonday Corridor Overlay District, regarding setbacks and adjacent land uses, which changes shall be incorporated in Article XII. 4. Such other and further business as may properly come before the Planning Commission at said hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the proposed zoning ordinance amendments can be i reviewed at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business hours of regular business I days and will also be available at the hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that written comments will be taken from any interested person concerning the proposed text amendments at the office of the Township Clerk at the address set forth below, at any time during regular business hours up to 4:00 p.m. on the date of the hearing and will further be received by the Planning Commission at the hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Yankee Springs Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the proposed zoning ordinance amendments at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place. Yankee Springs Township will provide necessary reasonable services to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days’ notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals requiring services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Mike Cunningham, Township Clerk Yankee Springs Township 284 N. Briggs Road Middleville, Michigan 49333 (269) 795-9091 Since he took over the helm of the library about a year ago, Library Director Andy Jerue has made strives to keep the rural library in the modern era. There is now a library website, complete with access to online library databases like Hoopla and the Michigan E-Library. “(Jerue) knows what his vision is, and it keeps evolving,” said Howe. The building itself has seen some changes since Jerue’s takeover, too. The basement of the 150-year-old building was dank and dark a year ago. “Before Andy got here,” said Howe, “(the windows) were all blocked and it was dark down here, kind of damp.” Today, it has light streaming in, kid-friend­ ly painted features oh the floor and more shelves full of books. These shelves serve a different purpose from the ones upstairs, however. The basement of the Dowling Public Library is Barry County’s only book store. One Saturday each month, the Dowling Library opens its “Best Cellars” basement as a book store for the community. Howe and other library-goers cited the lack of book stores in the area as a motivating factor for the book store. Howe said the library is “try­ ing to fill that niche” of a resource for com­ munity members to buy books from. Howe said Jerue has made a huge differ­ ence in his short tenure. “Andy is the idea guy,” said Howe. In addition to sprucing up the old building with new paint and kid-friendly additions like chalkboard walls, the library singled out internet access as a priority to expand upon. The Dowling Public Library has had inter­ net access inside the building for years, but it came to the library’s attention that many community members don’t have access to internet for school, work or enjoyment after the library’s hours of operation. As such, the library decided to upgrade its internet to broadcast far beyond the property lines of the library to serve the small Dowling community. “We have internet and it’s strong enough The Dowling Public Library building celebrated its 150th birthday on Saturday. The building, once a church, has seen many changes to itself and the Dowling landscape over its century-and-a-half of existence. Current library leaders are making strives to bring the library into its new era and serve the community even more effectively. (Photos by Molly Macleod) As with any proper birthday party, the Dowling Public Library celebrated with cake. so people that don’t have access can park in the parking lot,” said Howe. The 150th anniversary celebration of the Dowling Public Library’s building served as a reminder of the long road the library has traveled down to reach its current iteration, as well as a celebration of the evolving and improvements to come. The Dowling Public Library is located at 1765 E. Dowling Road, just off from M-37. The library is open Monday through Friday. More information on the library and complete hours of operation are available at dowlinglibrary.com. Consultant group marks bond strategy shift as Hastings schools infrastructure ages Hunter McLaren Staff-Writer Replacing aging infrastructure continues to be a top priority for the Hastings Area School System administration. Bond proposals to fix big-ticket items like leaking roofs, replacement of single-pane windows and upgrades to 5 0-year-old bath­ rooms have failed repeatedly, with the sixth and most recent attempt failing in May. Superintendent Matt Goebel said he’s con­ scious of inflation and raising prices, and asking taxpayers for more money is not something he ever wants to do. “But I also know that our basic needs like roofing, windows, security systems and key­ in systems - those need attention and those are not going away,” Goebel said. “In fact, they’re getting more expensive to fix as time goes on.” Consultants from the Paw Paw-based Per­ spectives Consulting Group outlined the ser­ vices they provide to board members last week Monday. Goebel said bringing them into the district is a new way to collect feed­ back from the community. “They’re researchers. They’re not strategic partners in any way,” Goebel said. “We’re really trying to narrow the focus on what our community wants and trying to get a lot of people to participate in a survey for the bene­ fit of our facilities.” Goebel said representatives from Perspec­ tives spoke with the school’s Finance Com­ mittee and Executive Committee before pre­ senting to the board last week. Board mem­ bers will take a final vote on whether they’d like to retain the consulting firm for $20,750 at the board’s Nov. 21 meeting. Goebel said that while there is a cost asso­ ciated with the firm’s services, the insights provided will be valuable to the district. Although the school has tried hosting town hall-styled events and school tours to gather feedback about the bond proposal in the past, it hasn’t produced the volume of feedback they’d like. “The participation rate is very low,” Goeb­ el said. “When we’re trying to gain informa­ tion and engage the public... we’re willing to look at what we need to do better, and we’re really not gaining that information. We’re hoping that this will provide some additional feedback.” The move marks a major shift in the dis­ trict’s strategy. The previous two failed bond proposal requests presented to voters were nearly iden­ tical. It’s clear the district is not asking the right questions on the ballot, Goebel said. He hopes the survey results can help give the school a better idea of what exactly voters want. “Obviously, we know that we’ve been ask­ ing either the wrong question or questions in the past years,” Goebel said. “Moving for­ ward, we really feel like this will give us some information about what is the right question or questions that the community wants.” Goebel said the results will also be pub­ lished publicly to the school’s website. He hopes that showing how respondents feel about the district and its proposed bond proj­ ects with full transparency can help the dis­ trict and the community come together and find solutions. “We’re going to be publishing (the survey results). All of it - the good, the bad and the ugly,” Goebel said. “I feel like it is vital that we are ultra transparent with everything that we do at the schools. This entire survey will be published on our website in full so that the entire community can see.” �• The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, October 27,2022 Saxons and Panthers start playoffs Friday That pass would be the longest play of the night for the Vikings, and those were the only points of the night. Ionia pulled in front on its very next pos­ session thanks to a 48-yard touchdown run by Travis Tucker Jr. and two-point conversion run that had the Bulldogs up 8-0. The Bulldogs got a nine-yard TD run from Anthony Miller, an interception return for a touchdown by Tucker, a 72-yard TD run by Tucker and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Bowen to Mason Doty to close out the first half ahead 36-7. The Lakewood offense moved the ball a bit, but couldn’t consistently keep drives alive. “We have had trouble with teams that hit us as hard as we hit,” Markwart said. “They came out and hit us. We just struggled with their physicality. We’re not the biggest. We’re playing with 140-pound D-linemen so we’re not the biggest team the world. They were bigger than us.” The Vikings struggled with the Bulldogs’ blitz at times. He was pleased with the way his team’s defense held the Bulldogs scoreless in the second half. Willette had a team-high 35 points on nine rushes on the night. Reid had 11 carries for 33 yards. Brett Bremer Sports Editor To win two playoff games and get a district championship trophy a varsity football team has to win one game first. The Saxons have been pretty good at that first step in recent seasons. They’ll look to reach the district finals of the MHSAA Divi­ sion 4 State Tournament for the third consec­ utive season with a win over visiting Vicks­ burg in a pre-district ballgame Friday night inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. All tickets must be purchased online at gofan.co, per MHSAA rules, and no passes will be accepted. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with the Saxon Spirit Bus Tailgate beginning at 5:30 with free hotdogs for the public. The Saxons capped off their second straight 8-1 regular season and their first ever 7-0 Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season with a win on their home turf over Pennfield last Friday. That regular season performance, with the lone loss to the Whitehall team ranked number one in the state in Division 4, has the Saxons’ as the top seeded team in their district. Charlotte and Chelsea square off in the other Region 2 District 2 ballgame this week­ end. Hastings would host the winner of that contest in the district finals should it get by the Vicksburg Bulldogs. The Bulldogs were 5-4 this season, scoring a 35-0 win over Otsego to close out the regu­ lar season in the Wolverine “B” Conference last week. Hastings comes into the postseason ranked eighth in Division 4. While the Saxons will be the favorites heading into their opening postseason con­ test, the Delton Kellogg Panthers will be the underdogs as they open the Division 7 state tournament on the road against Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division rival Schoolcraft. The Eagles took a 42-6 win over the Pan­ thers in the final bailgame on the turf in Delton this fall. Now the Panthers head to Schoolcraft for a 7 p.m. kick-off Friday night. Delton Kellogg is in the playoffs for the sixth time in the past eight seasons. Local Standings (W-L, playoffpoints) Hastings Lakewood Thomapple Kellogg Delton Kellogg Maple Valley (8-player) 8-1,59.222 6-3, 35.444 2- 7, 33.111 4-5, 31.944 3- 6, NA Conference Standings (overall, conference) Interstate 8 Athletic Conference Hastings 8-1, 7-0 Lumen Christi 6-3, 6-1 Parma Western 6-3, 5-2 Northwest 5-4, 3-4 Marshall 4-5, 3-4 Harper Creek 3-6, 3-4 Coldwater 1-8, 1-6 Pennfield 0-9, 0-7 OK Gold Conference South Christian 9-0, 7-0 G.R. Catholic Central 8-1, 6-1 5-4, 5-2 Cedar Springs Forest Hills Eastern 6-3, 4-3 Wayland 4-5, 2-5 Thomapple Kellogg 2-7, 2-5 Kenowa Hills 2-7, 2-5 Ottawa Hills 0-9, 0-7 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Lawton 7-2, 3-0 Schoolcraft 6-3, 3-1 Galesburg-Augusta 3-5, 2-2 Delton Kellogg 4-5, 1-3 Saugatuck 2-6, 0-3 Greater Lansing Activities Conference Olivet 7-2, 4-0 Lakewood 6-3, 3-1 Stockbridge 6-3, 1-3 Perry 3-6, 1-3 Leslie 2-7, 1-3 Tri-River 8-Man NorthPointe Christian 9-0, 5-0 Concord 5-4,4-1 Britton-Deerfield 5-4,3-2 Maple Valley 3-6, 2-3 Morenci 2-7, 1-4 Vandercook Lake 0-8, 0-5 Here is a round-up of last week’s local grid­ iron action. Hastings 61, Pennfield 7 Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity football team contin­ ued its dominance of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Conference by defeating the Pen­ nfield Panthers 61-7 in the final bailgame of the regular season inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday in Hastings. Toledo Christian 62, Maple Valley 25 Hastings senior Layton Eastman takes down Pennfield receiver Brenden Duncan during their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference contest to close out the 2022 regular season Friday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field. (Photo by Jason Slaughter) The Saxons celebrated senior night with a three-peat, taking the 1-8 Championship for the third year in a row, going a perfect 7-0 in the conference for the first time. The Saxons finish the regular season with an 8-1 record overall. The Saxons started off strong Friday, forc­ ing the Panthers to punt on their opening drive and then scoring on a 50-yard run by Lanny Teunessen in the first two minutes of the game. Pennfield was again forced to punt on its next possession, and that punt was blocked by Hastings’ Zander Forbes and recovered by teammate Haiden Simmet on the Pennfield five-yard-line. Saxon fullback Robby Slaughter made quick work of the possession with a five-yard touchdown run to put the Saxons on the board again. Hastings led that 14-0 lead into the second quarter. The Panthers punted again a few min­ utes into that second quarter, and the Sax­ ons put another touchdown on the score­ board on a pass from quarterback Owen Carroll to Tommy Hollars. The two-point conversion pass from Carroll to Jett Bar­ num was also good, increasing the Saxon lead 22-0. The Saxon defense continued to hold the Panthers, forcing another punt. Slaughter scored on a short run with 20 seconds on the clock, the pass from Carroll to Layton Eastman for the two-point con­ version was good for the Saxons to have a halftime lead 30-0. The Saxons have seen a running clock in the majority of their games this season, and saw one again soon after the Panthers kicked off. Slaughter returned the second half kick 86-yards for a touchdown, put­ ting the Saxons up 38-0 only 13 seconds into the half. Slaughter then forced a fum­ ble that was picked up by Diego Coipel for the Saxons. Teunessen then took advantage of the turnover by running in another Saxon touchdown. The two-point conver­ sion by Landon Steward was also good, pushing the lead 46-0 still early in the third quarter. Steward would get the ball again with less than a minute in the third, to run in a 24-yard touchdown. Cohen James had a successful two-point conversion run to put the Saxon lead 54-0 at the end of the third quarter. The Panthers took advantage of a Saxon fumble late in the fourth quarter and were able to score on a 20-yard run by Isiah Adams. With one final drive, the Saxons scored on a three-yard run by Quinton James for the final touchdown of the night, and the extra point kick by Slaughter was good. The Saxons backs rushed for over 300 yards and had 11 players take turns at run­ ning the ball. Teunessen led the Saxons with 88 yards and Slaughter added another 74 yards rushing, while Barnum had 57 receiving yards. Slaughter added 134 yards on kick returns. The Saxon defense again played a strong game with over 19 different players getting tackles on the night. Steward, Teunessen and Forbes all had 3.5 each while Jack Kensington, Slaughter, Kai Richardson and Brennan Sensiba each added 3 each. Galesburg-Augusta 31, Delton Kellogg 14 Delton Kellogg scored the final two touch­ downs of the game, but ran out of time to chase down the Rams Friday night. Galeburg-Augusta’s varsity football team scored a 31-14 victory over visiting Delton Kellogg to close out the 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division season. The Panther’s biggest success of the bail­ game was hampered a bit by an injury to center Adrian DeBoer who suffered a concus­ sion on teammate Ricky Ramsey’s 31-yard fourth quarter touchdown run that put the Panthers’ first points on the scoreboard with a little over seven minutes to go. DeBoer was unconscious on the field for two minutes before being taken for treatment in an Gales­ burg-Charleston Township ambulance. Reports are that by the time the ambulance was to the hospital Friday night, DeBoer was saying he was ready to get back on the field. Delton Kellogg recovered from the tough moment to add another touchdown before the night was up. Quarterback Torren Mapes con­ nected with Philip Halcomb for a 62-yard touchdown before the time was up in the fourth quarter. The Rams led 21-0 at the half getting touchdown runs by Max Aguillon and John Klip in the first quarter and 28-yard touch­ down pass from quarterback Carter Boniface to Jalen Dolph two minutes before halftime. The lead grew to 28-0 early in the third quarter when Bonifcae connected with Dolph on a 27-yard pitch and catch for touchdown. Rams’ kicker Nolan Becker was as perfect 4-for-4 on extra point kicks and added a 37-yard field goal late in the game for his team’s final points. Things were rough from the start on the Panthers. They received the opening kick-off but fumbled a shotgun snap on the first offen­ sive play to put the Rams in good position, at the Delton Kellogg 22, to move in for the game’s first points. The Rams intercepted a pass on the Pan­ thers’ second drive to start their second drive at the DK 9, another short field that led to a short touchdown run. Grand Rapids Catholic Central 35, Thornapple Kellogg 7 Thomapple Kellogg fought off the Cou­ gars for most of the first two quarters, but the Cougars showed why they’re earned the No. 1 ranking among the state’s Division 5 teams heading into the state playoffs in the second half at the CAT in Grand Rapids Friday. The Cougars finished off an 8-1 regular season with a 35-7 win over the 2-7 Trojans. It was only a 14-0 bailgame at the half, but the Cougars scored on their first three drives of the second half to take a commanding 35-0 lead. That surge included a 39-yard touchdown pass from Connor Wolf to Nathan VanTimmeren, a 35-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-7 from Brayden Sweeney to Billy Mikolay, and a 30-yard touch­ down pass from Wolf to Michael App. A couple big runs by Zack Gibson set the Trojans up in position to score their lone touchdown in the fourth quarter. Brendan Peters scored on a two-yard run and Braden Sharrar added the extra-point kick with 1:21 to go in the TK season. Gibson had a team-high 49 yards rushing on the night, on nine carries. Quarterback Carsen Burbridge rushed 18 times for 35 yards and was 4-of-12 passing for 37 yards. TK had a drive into Cougar territory mid­ way through the opening quarter, but a fourthand-1 pass fell incomplete giving the ball back to the Catholic Central offense already up 7-0. The Cougars scored on their first two drives of the bailgame, getting a one-yard TD run by Connor Wolf five minutes into the bailgame. After the Trojans’ turnover on downs, the Cougars marched in for an eight­ yard touchdown pass from Wolf to Billy Mikolay with five seconds left on the first quarter clock to lead 14-0. The Trojan offense got the ball on the Cou­ gars’ half of the field again to open the second quarter. The two teams though traded fum­ bles near midfield. TK took over midway through the second quarter at the Catholic Central 48 and got down to the Cougar 17 before turning the ball over on downs again as a fourth-and-one run came up short of the line to gain. The TK defense forced a punt at the end of the Cougars’ ensuing drive and came up with a fourth down stop of its own late in the first half to keep the Trojans within striking distance. Wolf was 18-of-29 passing for 254 yards and three touchdowns before being relieved by Sweeney who was 3-of-7 for 42 yards and a score. VanTimmeren had seven receptions for 120 yards and Mikolay had seven catches for 86 yards. The Cougars only managed 52 yards rush­ ing all night. Ionia 36, Lakewood 7 The final bailgame of the season couldn’t have started better for the Vikings, but rival Ionia came back with a vengeance to score its fourth consecutive win over the Lakewood varsity football team and keep the Vikings out of the 2022 state playoffs. The Bulldogs scored a 36-7 win over the visiting Vikings to improve to 4-5 overall this season. Lakewood ends the year with a 6-3 mark. “We made a lot of steps forward this year, positive steps forward this year in a lot of ways,” Lakewood head coach Matt Markwart said. “Friday just didn’t work out for us.” “I am proud of them. They worked hard. They played as a team. All the things. They started to build the toughness and the team work that it takes to get to the next level and turned a lot of things around.” Lakewood kicker Landon Makley recov­ ered his own on-side kick to open the game. Both teams took a turn with the football before the Vikings recovered an Ionia fumble near midfield and then drove in to score on a four-yard, fourth down run by senior back Montreal Reid. Makley’s extra-point had the Vikings up 7-0. Reid was virtually untouched on his plunge through the line thanks to big blocks from senior right tackle David Smith, senior tight end Austin Straub and sophomore running back Cole Anderson. That touchdown was set up by a 26-yard pass on a third-and-10 play from senior quar­ terback Nathan Willette to junior wide receiv­ er Bryson Haight. In what was the first year of football for < the Maple Valley Lions and Toledo Christian Eagles, the Eagles made the trip to Michigan only to suffer a 69-42 loss to the Lions in' Nashville. . That remains the most points the Lions have scored in an eight-player football game. The Eagles returned the favor Saturday evening in Ohio. Toledo Christian knocked off the visiting Lions 62-25, scoring more. points than any other eight-player team has against the Lions. Maple Valley kept pace for a while, trailing just 14-13 after a ten-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ayden Wilkes 40 seconds into the second quarter. Do-it-all quarterback Charlie Duck IV sparked his squad by returning an intercep­ tion 52 yards for a touchdown four minutes later. It was the second of six Toledo Chris­ tian touchdowns that Duck had a hand in. He had TD passes of 20, 38, nine and 79 yards and added a 12-yard TD run with four minutes left in the third quarter. Duck fin­ ished the night 17-of-23 passing for 349 yards and he also rushed ten times for 109 yards. Duck’s top receiving targets were Lukas Donawa who had five receptions for 152 yards. Karter Koester had six receptions for 101 yards. Toledo Christian finished the ballgame with 536 yards of offense. The Eagles had a 7-0 lead 64 seconds into the contest thanks to a 30-yard TD run by Jacob Michalski. Duck put his team up 14-0 with a 20-yard TD pass to Donawa three and a half minutes later. Maple Valley rebounded and worked for a three-yard touchdown run by Andrew Shep­ ard before the opening quarter was up, adding an extra-point kick by Jessy Deppe. Wilkes’ TD run in the opening minute of the second quarter had the Lions within one. J Toledo Christian made the most of four interceptions on the night, getting two from Karter Koester and one each by Duck and Tyler Ryan. Ryan also added a 38-yard TD reception, which helped push his team’s lead to 27-13 midway through the second quarter. Duck added a nine-yard TD pass to Michalski and caught a two-point pass himself to bump his team’s lead to 35-13 at the half. The Eagles scored the first points of the second half on a 79-yard TD pass from Duck to Donawa. The Lions got a two-yard TD run from Shepard midway through the third quarter and a 47-yard TD run from Callan Hoefler two minutes into the fourth quarter. The Eagles added a 12-yard TD run by Duck, a 31-yard fumble return for a tD by Steven Patchen and a three-yard TD run by Michalski in the second half. Michalski finished the night with seven ~ rushes for 71 yards. The Lion offense was led by Hoefler on the ground who had 11 rushes for 89 yards. Shep­ ard ran 18 times for 67 yards and Wilkes had eight carries for 41 yards. Wilkes was 7-of-21 passing for 38 yards, with Tyler Rose hauling in three receptions for 27 yards. Rose also had a team-high ten tackles. Deppe had eight tackles and Nic Martin six for the Lions’ defense. The Eagles, one of if not the top eight-play­ er team in the state of Ohio, improved their record to 8-1 this season with the win. �Page 10 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner GLAC harriers have good long championship race in Perry Brett Bremer Maple Valley senior Hailey Kikendall passes a Bellevue serve during her team’s 3-1 win over the visiting Broncos on the teams' annual Dig Pink Night at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lions best Broncos on Dig Pink Night Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Maple Valley varsity volleyball team bookended its 2022 regular season with vic­ tories over the Bellevue Broncos. The Lions celebrated their annual Dig Pink cancer fundraiser evening with a four-set win over the visiting Broncos in a gym filled with pink Tuesday evening in Nashville. Lion senior Hailey Kikendall said she put a lot of work into her serves this season and a couple outstanding service runs helped power her team to the victory in the end. Maple Valley won by the scores of 18-25, 25-16, 25-11,27-25. She rattled off nine consecutive service points on a run that included at least four aces, in helping the Lions pull away in the third set. The fourth set started with the Lions falling behind 8-1. This time Kikendall put together a run of seven straight service points that turned an 11-4 Bronco lead into an 11-11 tie. She had few more aces in that service run. During the game, Kikendall said just hav­ ing a positive attitude is the most important thing for her in hitting a good serve. “We had good passing, and everybody’s serves were especially outstanding,” Kikend­ all said. Lion head coach Timara Wehr said Kikendall’s serves have been a little bit off in recent weeks. “But she killed it tonight,” Wehr said. “She was hitting her spots. She was taking charge of her serve.” She said at times Kikendall has focused too much on the power of her serve, sacrificing some accuracy. “She excelled at serving over and in tonight,” Wehr said. Kikendall was a key passer and attacker for the Lion team too. The Lions needed some positive vibes with the state tournament approaching. Lakewood and Stockbridge handled the Lions in the final two Greater Lansing Activities Confer­ ence duals of the season, and then the Lions were bested by Lansing Christian to open the GLAC Tournament Saturday morning at Lakewood High School. Wehr said she start­ ed seeing some positive signs as the Lions fought in a 2-1 loss to Perry to close out Sat­ urday’s conference tournament. “Tonight was a great end to our regular season, and we needed it for sure,” Wehr said. The Lion coach was pleased to really see her youngsters coming along in recent weeks - especially freshmen middles Madison Trowbridge and Kaitlyn Garlinger. They’ve been working more into the rotations at prac­ tice. Wehr saw them ready to block and take care of the Broncos’ overpasses Tuesday. Junior setter Emma Pierce made things tough on the Broncos with her serve too, Maple Valley freshman middle Kaitlyn Garlinger goes up to try and thwart an attack by Bellevue's Zoey Stanton (6) during the second set of their match at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 3735 Maple Valley junior setter Emma Pierce puts a pass up during the second set of her team's match with visiting Bellevue Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BUDGET HEARING NOTICE The Rutland Charter Township Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed Township Budget for fiscal year 2023, at a regular meeting to be held on Wednesday, November 09,2022, at 7:00 p.m. at Rutland Charter Township Hall, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan. THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE PROPOSED TO BE LEVIED TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE A SUBJECT OF THIS HEARING. A copy of the budget is available for public inspection at 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Michigan. This notice is posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act), MCLA41.72a(2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Rutland Charter Township Board will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon seven (7) days notice to the Rutland Charter Town­ ship Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. Robin J Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-2194 and had a key run in the second set to gave the Lions a 16-9 cushion. That run culmi­ nated in an ace finding the back comer of the floor. She also tipped a second ball over for a kill during that run while run­ ning the Lion offense capably throughout the night. While Kikendall served tough and a few others on both side of the night, a successful serve receive was key to the match all eve­ ning long Tuesday. At times rough passing had as much to do with either team’s runs as the success of the servers. Trowbridge, Madison Koons and Pierce were the Lions top attackers. Wehr said that third set of the night, when the Lions’ won 25-11, “was a very big confi­ dence booster for our girls.” “The first thing that I wanted from the beginning of the season was for these girls to have great chemistry, and we ended our sea­ son with very good chemistry. That is all 1 asked for. I think our team really excelled from day one to tonight.” / The Lions will take on Saranac Wednes­ day, Nov. 2, in the MHSAA Division 3 Dis­ trict Semifinals at Saranac High School. That match is set to begin at 7 p.m. Pewa­ mo-Westphalia will play in the evening’s second semifinal match against the winner of Monday’s state tournament opener between Bath and Potterville ••’•KU JC"’"re TT-1'V Sports Editor A dead giveaway that something was off was that only one runner set a personal record on the flat course in near perfect weather conditions at Perry High School Saturday. The end of the cross country season is when runners are hoping to be at peak performance chasing PRs, especially while being spurred on by the adrenaline of running in a conference championship meet. A number of runners may have had a personal best time after 3.1 miles at the Greater Lansing Activities Conference Championship, but Maple Valley head coach Tiffany Blakely reported that the course was closer to 3.3 miles long Satur­ day. “So, that changes the times by more than a minute, and we had no real way to gauge even how the race went, as the one-mile [marker] was also over a 1/4 mile short, so those times were way too fast and it was difficult to see how to stay on pace,” coach Blakely said. On the positive side, the Lions ran well according to their coach. Junior Lilly Faurot earned second team all-conference hon­ ors with a 13th-place finish. She hit the finish line in 24 minutes 42.6 seconds. She only had one race this season take longer than that, and that was back in early Sep­ tember. She was nearly two minutes faster at her previous race, which covered the appropriate 3.1 miles. Lakewood had a pair of girls earn all-conference honors. Freshman Emma Tidd earned a spot on the all-conference first team with a seventh-place time of 23:05.2. Senior Sadie Brearley was 11th in 23:59.4 to earn a spot on the all-conference second team with Faurot. In the boys’ competition, Lakewood senior Ryan Alford placed tenth in 19:38.8. “It was our first time running at Perry High School, so after the course preview everyone was feeling very positive. The course itself was great, flat and lots of long straightaways and even the weather cooper­ ated,” coach Blakely said. “The girls, like the boys, gave it their best shot at running their best times. The two that were the closest when adjusting the time for the extra length were freshman Ada Marie Blakely and sophomore Brianna Gurd. Both girls were really close at then­ best times for the season.” Gurd was 42nd overall in 36:24.2 and Ada Marie Blakely 41st in 36:00.3. Maple Valley also had junior Mackenzie Decker 31st in 27:30.6. Behind the two conference award win­ ners for Lakewood, senior Emma Lancaster was 20th in 25:14.9, junior Claire Fortier 21st in 25:31.9 and senior Gabby Rosen­ berger 24th in 27:30.6. Leslie had the race’s three fastest girls. Sophomore Erin Lubahn won in 20:59.6. Sophomore Jaidyn Smith was second in 21:19.3 and freshman Hailey Creisher third in 21:24.2. Both Leslie teams took championships on the day. Leslie also had the fastest guy, senior Cameron Pierce, who won in 17:24.5. Oliv­ et had junior Lucas Hopkins second in 17:27.6 and junior Conner Fountain third in 17:53.0. “The positive side to all this is that both senior Adam Blakely and junior Robert Laws ran really strong races,” coach Blake­ ly said. “It was great to see that they placed overall better than they were ranked pre­ race.” Adam Blakely was 39th in 23:51.4 and junior Robert Laws was 48th in 28:37.0. Lakewood had sophomore Riley John­ son 24th in 21:28.5, senior Matt Cronk 30th in 22:04.0, sophomore Hudson Goethals 31st in 22:09.1 and freshman Charles Heiss 34th in 22:14.7. Next up for everybody is the state tour­ nament. Lakewood will be a part of the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional hosted by South Christian Satur­ day morning. Maple Valley heads to Allendale Saturday for its Division 3 Regional. Maple Valley youth program prepping for Red Cedar season Sign-up is going on now for third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade basketball players who want to take part in the Maple Valley Youth Basketball pro­ gram’s Red Cedar League travel teams for boys and girls. Travel team sign-ups are going on now until Nov. 6 for the different grade levels. The games are in the Greater Lansing area and will be played on Saturdays and or Sundays beginning Dec. 10. The sea­ son concludes near the end of February. No games will be held over the Decem­ ber holiday break from school. Each division will play eight regular season games and tournaments at end of the season. Home games for the Maple Valley area teams will be played in the Maple Valley High School gyms. Practices will begin the first week of November, after school or in the eve­ nings twice a week, usually at Maple­ wood Elementary or the Maple Valley High School. Teams do their best to work around any other activities children may participate in. Parents are responsible for transporta­ tion both to and from games and practic­ es. The are asked to please communicate with coaches about practice, games and transportation. Many times other parents are willing to help transport players. The player fee is $20.00 per player, with a $50.00 max per family, which is due at signup. Financial Scholarships are available upon request. Contact Tony Joostbems, Maple Valley Youth Basket­ ball Coordinator, with requests. Forms are available at Maplewood School, on the MV Youth Basketball Facebook page or by contacting Joostberns by phone at 269-838-8131 or email at tjoostbems@yahoo.com. Applications available for MHSAA 2022-23 Scholar-Athlete Awards One of the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s most popular programs, the Scholar-Athlete Award, will again with Farm Bureau Insurance present 32 $2,000 scholar­ ships to top student-athletes at member high schools during the 2022-23 school year. The MHSAA/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award highlights the value extracurricular activities play in the total education of high school students, often improving their academic achievements in the process. The Scholar-Athlete Award is in its 34*h year. Since the award’s inception in 1988-89, Farm Bureau Insurance has pre­ sented $960,000 in scholarships through this program. The first 30 scholarships will be presented on a graduated basis across the MHSAA’s traditional class structure. From Class A schools, six boys and six girls will receive scholarships; from Class B schools, four boys and four girls; from Class C schools, three boys and three girls; and from Class D schools, two boys and two girls will be hon­ ored. The final two scholarships will be awarded at-large to minority recipients, regardless of school size. The scholarships may be used at the institution of higher learn­ ing the recipients attend during the first year at those colleges. Applications from individual schools will be limited to the number of available scholar­ ships in their enrollment class. Class A schools may submit the names of six boys and six girls, Class B schools may submit four boys and four girls, Class C may submit three boys and three girls and Class D may submit two boys and two girls. Students applying for Scholar-Athlete Awards must be graduating during the 2022­ 23 school year, be carrying an unrounded 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average and have won a varsity letter in a sport in which the MHSAA sponsors a postseason tournament: baseball, girls and boys basketball, girls and boys bowling, girls competitive cheer, girls and boys cross country, football, girls and boys golf, girls gymnastics, ice hockey, girls and boys lacrosse, girls and boys skiing, girls and boys soccer, softball, girls and boys swimming & diving, girls and boys tennis, girls and boys track & field, girls volleyball and wrestling. Applicants will be required to show involvement in other school and community activities and submit an essay on the impor­ tance of sportsmanship in educational ath­ letics. Information - including answers to a num­ ber of frequently asked questions - and links to the application are available online on the Scholar-Athlete Award page of the MHSAA Website. Applications are available in digital format only and must be submitted online by 4 p.m. Dec. 2. A committee composed of school adminis­ trators from across the state will select final­ ists and winners in late January, with the winners to be announced throughout Febru­ ary. All applicants, finalists and scholarship recipients will be announced on the MHSAA Website. The 32 scholarship recipients will be recognized during the 2023 MHSAA Boys Basketball Finals at the Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — Page 11 LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 03, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Seth C. Lawrence, and Amy L. Lawrence, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Rand L. Koetje and Suzanne L. Koetje, husband and wife, as joint tenants with full rights of survivorship Date of mortgage: March 13, 2009 Recorded on March 16, 2009, in Document No. 20090316-0002388, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Witold Enterprise LLC Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: One Hundred Two Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-Four and 20/100 Dollars ($102,844.20) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Land located in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West 153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes 48 seconds East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet; more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumers Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence North 88 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds West along said South line 401.41 feet more or less, to the West line of the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence South 00 degrees 37 minutes 15 seconds West along said West line, 974.31 feet, more or less, to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section 31; thence South 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds East along said East and West 1/4 line 434.30 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning. Description Easement for ingress and egress: TOGETHER WITH a non-exclusive 66 foot wide easement for ingress and egress in the East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West, the centerline of which is described as: Beginning at a point which lies on the East and West 1/4 line, North 89 degrees 25 minutes 43 seconds West 896.94 feet from the center of Section 31, Town 1 North, Range 8 West; thence North 08 degrees 51 minutes 42 seconds West 89.13 feet; thence 202.46 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius i§ 447.31 feet and the chord of which bears North 21 degrees 49 minutes 23 seconds West 200.74 feet; thence North 34 degrees 47 minutes 42 seconds West,153.00 feet; thence 172.68 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 114.12 feet and the chord of which bears North 08 degrees 33 minutes 18 seconds East 156.67 feet; thence North 51 degrees 54 minutes 18 seconds East 44.50 feet; thence 146.80 feet along the arc of a curve to the left whose radius is 163.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 26 degrees 12 minutes 48 seconds East 141.93 feet; thence 143.63 feet along the arc of a curve to the right whose radius is 906.00 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 03 minutes East 143.48 feet; thence North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 117.01 feet, more or less, to the South line of lands owned by Consumer's Power Company as surveyed by Chase, Dekeyser and Alden in May 1965; thence continuing North 09 degrees 36 minutes 18 seconds East 72.29 feet; thence North 41 degrees 48 minutes 33 seconds East 377.74 feet; thence North 61 degrees 13 minutes 06 seconds East 19.99 feet; more or less, to the South line of the Northeast 1/4 of the Northwest 1/4 of said Section 31; thence continuing North 61 degrees 13 minutes 03 seconds East 121.74 feet; thence North 86 degrees 21 minutes 17 seconds East 395.47 feet; thence North 28 degrees 52 minutes 55 seconds East 178.71 feet; thence North 00 degrees 05 minutes 37 seconds West 372.03 feet; thence North 30 degrees 17 minutes 58 seconds West 326.86 feet; thence North 89 degrees 14 minutes 00 seconds West 377.23 feet; thence North 34 degrees 28 minutes 51 seconds West 40.41 feet to the of ending. Commonly known as 732 W Sheffield Road, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Witold Enterprise LLC Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1478056 (10-06)(10-27) 188900 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17,2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Claude McClurg, A Single Man Original Mortgagee: Honor Credit Union Foreclosing Assignee (if any): None Date of Mortgage: February 24, 2020 Date of Mortgage Recording: March 3, 2020 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $124,806.13 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: All that part of the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as Beginning at a point 656 feet East of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence East 62 feet, thence South 165 feet, thence West 62 feet, thence North 165 feet to place of beginning. ALSO: Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest corner of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 5, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 5/10 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 5/10 rods to the place of beginning. EXCEPT the West 62 feet of the following described premises; Beginning at a point 36 rods East and 10 rods South of the Northwest comer of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 5, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, thence South 20 rods, thence East 7 1/2 rods, thence North 20 rods, thence West 7 1/2 rods to the place of beginning, Barry Township, Barry County, Michigan Common street address (if any): 308 E Orchard St, Delton, Ml 49046-9504 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). if the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 6, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1477846 (10-06)(10-27) 188801 NOTICE VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street. Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE. OF.. REAL ESTATE PURSUANTTO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (10-20)(11-24) 189718 NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number V-7-2022 Heartland Build­ ers LLC (Applicant); Darrin & Susan Nowicki (Proerty Owner) Location: 4860 Adrounie Lane, Shelbyville Ml 49344 in Section 4 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Request a variance to construct a home with a 5 foot side yard setback (the minimum is 7 ft) in the RL (Recreational Lake) zoning district. MEETING DATE:November 14, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center, Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Zoning Board of Appeals members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned time and place. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at imcmanus@barrycountv.org. The variance application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or calling the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on December 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christina D Huffman, an unmarried woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assigned (if any}: PennyMaif'tban Services LLC ........................ Date of Mortgage: November 4, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 6, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $94,521.74 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 1/2 of Lots 1105 and 1106, Village (now City) of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, filed in Liber A, Page 1, records of Barry County, State of Michigan. Common street address (if any): 730 S Jefferson St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2238 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 20, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1479029 (10-20)(11-10) Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services Pets MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. AKC CHOCOLATE LAB Puppies. 3 females, 2 males, Bom September 3, 2022. $500, 269-419-0041 BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Log­ ging, (269)818-7793.' Help Wanted LEAF CLEAN UP. Free estimates. Scott Hesterly 269-908-3232. TREE SERVICE- MICHIGAN Tree Fellers LLC, licensed and insured. Call for free quotes. 269-838-1782. GENERAL LABORER: JOB in­ cludes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retire­ ment plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St. Sunfield, ML 189772 TREES LLC- HIRING ALL posi­ tions!!! No experience required. Call 231-414-7510. Base pay on experience, with full benefits. 189556 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Don’t overlook importance of cash If you’re an investor, you no doubt pay a great deal of attention to your stocks, bonds and mutual funds. But you shouldn’t forget another key element of your financial strategy: cash. Cash is part of any financial strategy and investment portfolio, but how much have you thought about the different uses of cash, and how much you really need? Consider these four key purposes: • Unexpected expenses and emergencies - If you face an interruption in employment, you need an extensive home repair or you encounter an unplanned medical expense, you may need access to cash. If you’re not retired, it’s a good idea to have three to six months of living expenses in cash, possibly supplemented by access to a line of credit. If you’re already retired, keeping up to three months of living expenses in cash, possibly supplemented by a credit line, is a good rule of thumb. ■» Specific short-term savings goals - You may have some goals you want to meet within the next year or two, such as a wedding, a vacation or the purchase of a new car. And since you have a little more time to meet these needs than you would for an emergency, you might consider using a money market account or a short­ term certificate of deposit (CD), in addition to your other savings vehicles. • Everyday spending You’ll always need cash to provide for your day-today spending needs, such as your mortgage, other debts, groceries, utilities, entertainment and so on. If you haven’t already done so, you might want to create a budget, which could help highlight areas in which you can reduce spending to free up funds for investing in long-term goals. If you’re still working, keeping one to two months’ worth of living expenses in a liquid account may be sufficient, but if you’re retired, you may need up to 12 months of living expenses, which you can adjust to accommodate outside sources, such as Social Security or a pension. • Source of investment - You can look at cash as an investment source in two different ways. First, cash can be considered its own distinct asset class, and because it typically behaves differently from other asset Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM. on November 1^ 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Barbara Fleser, an unmarried woman and Steve Savoy, an married man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): FLAGSTAR BANK, FSB Date of Mortgage: December 21,2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 2, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $160,318.27 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 34, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 1265.00 feet along the East 1/8 line to said Section 34 to the true place of beginning; thence South 220.00 feet along said East 1/8 line; thence West 242.00 feet at right angles; thence North 220.00 feet; thence East 242.00 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 3780 McKeown Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-9142 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 13, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1478535 (10-13)(11-03) 189150 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE NO. 22-29302-DE Estate of Martin William Bigley. Date of birth: 06/29/1942. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Martin William Bigley, died 5-31-22 Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Paul M. Bigley, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 10/17/2022 Robert J. Longstreet P53546 607 N. Broadway Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 945-3495 Paul M. Bigley 1722 Princeton Rd. Berkley, Ml 48072 (248) 420-7633 189746 classes, it can provide some diversification to a portfolio containing stocks and bonds. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses.) And second, the cash in your portfolio could be used as part of a systematic investing strategy in which you put set amounts of money at regular intervals into investment vehicles that are appropriate for your goals and risk tolerance. Clearly, cash is an important part of planning for the future, but there can be too much of a good thing. While cash may seem like a perpetual safe harbor from the stormy investment seas, it is not without risk. If you hold too much cash, you could underfund your longerterm investments — the ones with the growth potential you need to reach some of your most important goals, such as a comfortable retirement. Put your cash to work. By using it wisely, you can add a valuable element to your financial picture. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC DIFS and DHHS warns older adults to protect themselves against Medicare scams The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Medicare and Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) are warning older adults in Michigan to protect themselves from scams and high-pressure sales tactics during the 2022 annual Medicare open enrollment period which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. DIFS, DHHS and MMAP have some important tips for older Michiganders to pro­ tect themselves during this Medicare open enrollment period: Never give your Medicare number or other personal information to callers or visitors saying they are from Medicare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will never call or send someone to your home to ask for personal information or check your Medicare number. Agents cannot state that they are from Medicare, are approved, endorsed, or authorized by Medicare, call on behalf of Medicare, or say that Medicare or any state or federal agency asked them to call or see you. • You can get information on Medicare plans without providing an ID number. The only time you must use your Medicare ID number is when you enroll in a plan. • Do not rely on caller ID. Scammers can use technology to make it look like they are calling from a legitimate business or govern­ ment agency. • Ignore anyone who contacts you saying you must join their prescription drug plan or you will lose your Medicare coverage. You may have to pay a penalty if you delay enroll­ ing in the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan but that coverage is voluntary. • Don’t trust mailers that appear to be gov­ ernment communications. These may be advertisements for private companies that may have a disclaimer buried in small print. • Remember that Medicare Agents/Brokers selling Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plans are not allowed to do certain things, including: ° Make unsolicited calls, send unsolicited text messages or leave voicemail messages. ° Approach you or market to you without you giving permission first. They cannot go door to door, leave materials on your door­ step or approach you in a public place, like a park or supermarket. Anyone with questions about Medicare coverage are urged to contact Medicare directly by calling 800-633-4227. Anyone who has been impacted by this type of scam or a high-pressure sales tactic is encouraged to contact DIFS at Michigan.gov/DIFSComplaints or by calling 877-999-6442 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to file a complaint. �Page 12 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Vikes live and die by PK in district tournament Brett Bremer Sports Editor If the v histle did not sound one team was going to be angry. If the w histle did sound the other would be devastated. . The whistle blew. The Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team had its season end in a 2-1 loss to the host Greyhounds in the MHSAA Division 3 Dis­ trict Final in Eaton Rapids Saturday. Eaton Rapids was awarded a penalty kick, after a handball in the box by the Viking defense, with six seconds remaining in regu­ lation of a 1-1 ballgame. The Vikings still obviously had a chance to thwart the attempt, but the success rate for shooters is far better than for goalkeepers on PK’s. Needing to cheat a bit to one side or the other to have a hope of making a save, Lake­ wood junior goalkeeper Ben Scobey slid to his left and was just not quite able to reach back right to touch the low hard shot from Eaton Rapids’ senior midfielder Robert Noyes. Scobey remained on his knees on his goal-line as the Greyhounds’ celebration start­ ed and many of the Vikings held their heads in their hands in disbelief and disappointment. Lakewood led for nearly an hour Saturday and trailed for just six seconds. Sophomore Jackson MacKenzie used up those last six seconds lofting the ball towards the Greyhound goal from midfield, but his hail Mary settled safely into the arms of Grey­ hound goalkeeper Kyle Bush as time expired. Sophomore Donald Wells put the Vikings’ up 1-0 in the seventh minute of play, directing the ball into the open net after a centering pass in from the left by senior teammate Colby Carter. That 1 -0 Lakewood lead stood deep into the second half. Eaton Rapids sophomore forward Drew Holevac found the space to get a shot off in the box and buried it to even things at 1-1 with 15:11 to go in the second half. The whistle that turned into the PK was actually the second time in the final six min­ utes that a ball had inadvertently skipped up and hit the arm of a Lakewood defender in the box, and the Greyhounds were irate that the officials’ ruled that the first didn’t neces­ sitate a foul being called. The official did take the time to explain the difference in the two plays to coaches after the contest - but that was little consolation for the Vikings. Lakewood head coach James Leveque said if he was the official he would have been more likely to have blown his whistle on the first one than the second. There were a lot of other chances to change the ultimate outcome, and a couple more that had the Vikings wondering about a call or lack of a call. A handful of players on both sides relaxed thinking the ball had been drib­ bled out of bounds across the end-line before the Greyhounds’ first goal. Holevac kept right on trucking towards the net. Lakewood nearly took a 2-0 lead early in the second half on a shot that was deflected off the Eaton Rapids goal-line by a defender who was inside his net at the time of the shot, and officials ruled he’d gotten forward to deflect the ball before it crossed the line. Scobey made a few few diving plays to keep the ball out of his net and coach Leveque was really pleased with the way he came off his line, all throughout the Vikings’ state tour­ nament run, to collect through balls and keep opponents from getting good scoring chances. GENERAL ELECTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD IN THE: COUNTY OF BARRY STATE OF MICHIGAN TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 j THE PLACES HOLDING THE ELECTION IN SAID MUNICIPALITIES ARE INDICATED BELOW: | ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP 8094 Tasker Road, Bellevue, Ml 49021 Precinct 1 | BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP 3100 East Dowling Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 Precinct 1 155 East Orchard, De’ton, Ml 49046 Precinct 1 BARRY TOWNSHIP 85 Welcome Road, Hastings, Ml 49058. Precinct 1 CARLTON TOWNSHIP 915 Reed Street, PO Box 679, Nashville, Ml 49073 Precinct 1 CASTLETON TOWNSHIP 885 River Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 Precinct 1 HASTINGS CHARTER TWP. 5463 S. M-43 Hwy., Hastings, Ml 49058 HOPE TOWNSHIP Precinct 1 3425 Wing Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 IRVING TOWNSHIP Precinct 1 13641 S. M-37, Battle Creek, Ml 49017 JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP Precinct 1 721 Durkee Street, Nashville, Ml 49073 MAPLE GROVE TWP. Precinct 1 ORANGEVILLE TWP. 7350 Lindsey Rd., Plainwell, Ml 49080 Precinct 1 1015 S. Norris Road., Delton, Ml 49046 PRAIRIEVILLE TWP. Precinct 1 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 RUTLAND TOWNSHIP Precinct 1 & 2 THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP 128 High Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 Precinct 1 THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP 200 E. Main Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 Precinct 2 THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP Precinct 3 100 East Main Street, Middleville, Ml 49333 WOODLAND TOWNSHIP 156 S. Main PO Box 98, Woodland, Ml 48897 Precinct 1 YANKEE SPRINGS TWP. 284 N. Briggs Road, Middleville, Ml 49333 Precinct 1 YANKEE SPRINGS TWP. 1425 S. Payne Lake Road, Middleville, Ml 49333 Precinct 2 CITY OF HASTINGS Hastings Baptist Church, 309 East Woodlawn, Hastings, Ml 49058 Ward 1, 2, 3 & 4 H TO VOTE ON THE FOLLOWING CANDIDATES AND PROPOSITIONS LISTED BELOW: I’Hc POLLS of said election will be open at 7:00 a.m. and wil) remain open until 8:00 p.m. of said day of the election for the purpose of electing candidates for the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian Parties. The following'offices will appear on the ballot: Congressional U.S. Representative(s) in Congress U.S.Senator I $ | | County__ County Commissioners City of Hastings Commissioner Board of Review State Governor State Representative State Senator School Boards Delton Public Schools Hastings Area Schools Maple Valley Schools Thomapple Kellogg Schools Townships Trustees Library Trustee 7.. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following proposals will appear on the ballot: ®i COUNTY: BARRY COUNTY MILLAGE RENEWAL PROPOSITION FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF I HISTORIC CHARLTON PARK VILLAGE, MUSEUM & RECREATION AREA Shall Barry County renew the previously authorized Historic Charlton H Park Village, Museum & Recreation Area millage of .2191 mill per year, H ($0.2191 per $1,000 of taxable value) upon all taxable real and personal ra property in the County and shall said millage be increased by .0309 mill H ($0.0309 per $1,000 of taxable value) to restore amounts reduced by the « Headlee Amendment, resulting in the levy of 0.25 mill ($0.25 per $1,000 of i- taxable value), for a period of (9) years, 2024 through 2032, both inclusive, H subject to reduction as provided by law? E The purpose of this levy is to provide funding for operation and main| tenance of Historic Charlton Park Village, Museum & Recreation Area, § and related recreation facilities and programs including, but not limited | to. educational programs, preservation of historic artifacts, conserving | of historic structures, and maintaining recreational resources, trails, and I park safety. If approved, it is estimated that the levy of 0.25 mill would provide revenue of $654,620 in the first calendar year of the levy, of which $80,911 would || result from the additional 0.0309 mill. The revenue from this millage will '/f: be disbursed to Barry County. A small portion of the levy within a predefined area of the City of Hastings and Village of Middleville shall be disbursed to those respective entities H DDA’s and LDFA’s. This amount comes from a predefined area within the H City of Hastings and Village of Middleville only. 1 I Hastings Schools: HASTINGS AREA SCHOOL SYSTEM OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW .5 MILL FOR 6 YEARS FOR HEADLEE RESTORATION PURPOSES, IF NECESSARY Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative of­ fices of Hastings Area School System, 232 West Grand Street, Hastings, Ml 49048-2298, telephone: (269)948-4400. MAPLE GROVE: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE RENEWAL MILLAGE Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Ar­ ticle IX, Section 6 of the Michigan Constitution in Maple Grove Township, of 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) be renewed at 1 mill ($1.00 per $1,000 of taxable value) and levied for four years, 2022 through 2025 inclusive for the purpose of providing Emergency Medical Service, raising an estimated $48,000 in the first year the millage is levied? PLAINWELL SCHOOLS: PLAINWELL COMMUNITY SCHOOLS OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL EXEMPTING PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND OTHER PROPERTY EXEMPTED BY LAW 3 MILLS FOR 5 YEARS FOR HEADLEE RESTORATION PRUPOSES, IF NECESSARY Full text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative offices of Plainwell Community Schools, 600 School Drive, Plainwell, Michigan 49080-1595, telephone: (269) 685-5823. “Our defense played a hell of a game in general,” Leveque said. “They were under pressure for a lot of the game and did a good job of not caving to that pressure and keeping the ball out of the net.” Lakewood knew coming in that the Eaton Rapids defense would be tough to penetrate. The Greyhounds had only allowed eight goals all season coming into the game. “They were a really good defensive team,” Leveque said. “We had a really hard time getting inside or across the 50 really against them with possession. I don’t know if they did anything different that made things harder on us. For whatever reason, we couldn’t get any attack going and we left a lot of pressure on our defense.” Eaton Rapids advanced to the regional semifinals in Williamston Tuesday where it scored a 3-2 win over ann Arbor Father Gabri­ el Richard. The now 14-4-1 Greyhounds will face 12-7 Grosse He in the regional final in Williamston tonight, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. The Viking senior foursome of Carter, Alex Russell, Ty Evans and Drew Marquoit, who was unable to compete Saturday because of a red card he drew in the Viking’s district semifinal win earlier in the week, helped its program reach new heights in the past three seasons. Lakewood finishes the 2022 season with a record of 14-5-1. The team has a com­ bined record of 44-8-4 the past three seasons with the 2021 Greater Lansing Activities Conference Championship on its resume during that time as well. Marquoit and Carter joined the Lakewood varsity in the fall of 2019, Russell was added to the varsity roster as a sophomore in 2020 and Evans is a first-year varsity soccer player. “We have been blessed with a lot of kids that really love the game at this point,” Leveque said. “They have played a lot of soc­ cer. They played a lot of soccer growing up. They played a lot of soccer together growing up. We have a couple club players that play high level premier ball. We have guys that play over in Hastings and CASL (Capital Area Soccer League). We have guys that like to play a lot of soccer. They all got along real well. They all worked real hard and getting better at the game became contagious I think. It has just allowed us to continually get better.” The Vikings certainly missed Marquoit Saturday. The Vikings were running on fumes in the second half Saturday in part because of the Greyhounds’ pressure, in pail because of the wind in their face and in part due to inju­ ries and illness that they’d been fighting through the final weeks of the season. All those issues combined with the fact that the Vikings played 100 minutes of soccer in an overtime shoot-out win over Williamston in the district semifinals last Thursday. District Semifinals Weston Potter, a junior defender for the Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team, fired his first high school PK into the net and the celebration began. For a second straight season the Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team opened its state tour­ nament run with an overtime match. This time it went beyond 100 minutes into a PK shoot-out. “He put it bottom,” Lakewood head coach James Leveque said of Potter’s shoot-out turn, “and he drilled it. It was basically a no-doubter. No hesitation he went up and ripped it right in the corner.” Lakewood earned the chance to take on Eaton Rapids in the MHSAA Division 2 District Final by scoring a 3-2 victory over Williamston in a PK shoot-out in the district semifinals in Eaton Rapids Wednesday, Oct. 21. Lakewood and Williamston battled through regulation to a 2-2 draw, and the two ten-min­ ute overtime periods didn’t change that even with the Hornets’ playing with a man advan­ tage for two thirds of that extra time. Potter was the sixth shooter in the Vikings’ shoot-out line-up. Teams send five players each out to the field to open the shoot-out, and with the two teams tied 4-4 in the shoot­ out following those ten shots an extra set of shooters was required. Williamston shot first in each round. Troy Acker, Garrett Feighan, Donald Wells and Colby Carter matched the Hornets’ shot for shot after Williamston’s first shooter and the Vikings’ Jackson McKenzie both missed the net to open the shoot-out. Lakewood junior goal keeper Ben Scobey knocked away the shot of Williamston’s sixth shooter to leave the opening for Potter to win it. “Ben made a diving save,” Leveque said. “He had gotten a hand on one other shot. He was diving the correct way on every shot. He was reading the play well, but they were just hitting comers very, very well. The last one he dove correct and it was close enough to him get a good hand on it.” Potter’s shot left the Vikings ahead 5-4 in the shoot-out, giving the team a 3-2 victory. Leveque said the Vikings worked a little on penalty kicks Monday in practice, but it isn’t something the team focuses on much through­ out the season with the state tournament really the only time the skill comes into play for anyone other than the team’s top shooters. The Vikings’ single-season scoring leader Carter has taken most of the PK’s the Vikings have earned this fall. McKenzie took a couple and Acker took one. “I had an idea on the five I would use typi­ cally, but Drew Marquoit got a red card in the first overtime, and Alex Russell, one of our seniors, tried to come back and play off his injured quad and just couldn’t do a whole lot.” Leveque said Joel Apsey was on his list of shooters, but a calf injury kept him out. Wells was battling calf cramps throughout the bail­ game, but had enough left to get his PK shot off. “We had a very make-shift group,” Leveque said. Each team had earned and converted a penalty kick during the course of regulation. Carter scored the first goal of the game ten minutes in, dribbling by a defender on the left side and ripping a shot inside the near post past the Hornet keeper. That lead lasted about 15 minutes before some bad luck for the Vikings helped William­ ston tie things up. The Hornets were awarded a corner kick and the ball came down in the 18 and skipped into the arm of a Lakewood defender, earning a PK for Williamston which it converted to tie the game at 1 -1. The Vikings took the lead back with 15 minutes to go in the second half on a penalty kick by Carter, and Lakewood fought off the Hornets until the final minute. The Hornets drew a foul at midfield and chipped their kick from their into the 18. “Nobody won the ball in the air. It got to the ground, turned into a scrum and one of their best scorers ended up putting it in to tie the game with a minute left,” Leveque said. Carter moved back to a defensive midfield position once Marquoit was taken out of the match, but Leveque said his guys may have even gotten a boost of energy at the time and they didn’t miss a beat playing 10-v-ll. The Viking defense had been stellar all evening, led by Acker, Potter, Brett Keeler, Eli Steed and Feighan, who was tasked with marking Williamston’s top attacker through­ out the bailgame. Leveque said Feighan was an animal in the semifinal match, defending and also helping transition the play from defense to offense. The Lakewood head coach said he doesn’t think he has ever seen a high school soccer player run as many miles in a single match as Feighan did Wednesday. And he never tired. Williamston did control much of the play in the Viking end Wednesday, but that Lake- , wood defense really limited good scoring opportunities. Scobey had to make just six saves throughout the course of play. WOODLAND: RENEWAL OF TOWNSHIP EXTRA VOTED MILLAGE FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Ar­ ticle IX, Sec. 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within Woodland Township be renewed at two (2 mills ($2 per $1,000 of taxable value) for the period of 2022 through 2025 inclusive for road maintenance and shall the Township levy such renewal in millage for said purposes, thereby raising in the first year an estimated $187,125.00. VILLAGE OF WOODLAND: MILLAGE RENEWAL FOR PARK OPERATIONS Shall the previous voted increase in the tax limitation imposed under Ar­ ticle IX, Sec 6 of the Michigan Constitution on general ad valorem taxes within the Village of Woodland be renewed at the two (2) mills ($2 per $1000 of taxable value) for the period of 2023 through 2026 inclusive for the purpose of park operation and shall the Village levy such renewal in millage for the said purposes thereby raising in the first year an estimated $16,143.98? Sample ballots may be viewed at www.mi.gov/vot LAKEWOOD SCHOOLS: LAKEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE POLLS OF SAID ELECTION WILL BE GENERAL OBLIGATION UNLIMITED TAX BOND PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING AND SITE PURPOSES IN THE AMOUNT OF OPEN AT 7 O’CLOCK A.M. AND WILL NOT TO EXCEED $64,000,000 REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 8 O’CLOCK P.M. ON Foil text of the ballot proposition may be obtained at the administrative of­ THE DAY OF ELECTION. fices of Lakewood Public Schools, 223 West Broadway Street, Woodland, Michigan 48897-9798, telephone: (616) 374-8043. .............................. ..................................... ............... ’’AbsorJ v ter ballots must be mailed to voters no later than 5:00"ixm"onFriday, November 4, 2022. Registered voters may contact their local Clerk to obtain an application for an absent voter ballot. For any other questions relating to the election process, please contact your local Clerk: 269-968-3329 Annette Terry ASSYRIA TOWNSHIP 269-721-3502 Penelope Ypma BALTIMORE TOWNSHIP 269-623-5171 Deb Knight BARRY TOWNSHP 269-945-5990 Amanda Crothers CARLTON TOWNSHIP 517-852-9429 Marcia Scramlin CASTLETON TOWNSHIP 269-948-9690 Anita Mennell HASTINGS CHARTER TWP. 269-948-2464 Deborah Jackson HOPE TOWNSHIP 231-373-4784 Sharon Olson IRVING TOWNSHIP 269-721-3710 Sheri Babcock JOHNSTOWN TOWNSHIP 517-490-9510 Holly Carpenter f 1APLE GROVE TOWNSHIP 664-4522 Melody Risner ORANGEVILLE TOWNSHIP 623-2726 Rod Goebel PRAIRIEVILLE TWP 948-2194 Robin Hawthorne RUTLAND TOWNSHIP 795-7202 ext. 203 Cindy Willshire THORNAPPLE TOWNSHIP 269-367-4915 Nancy Stanton WOODLAND TOWNSHIP 269-795-9091 Michael Cunningham YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP 269-945-2468 Amy Hubbell CITY OF HASTINGS PAMELA A. PALMER, COUNTY CLERK Lakewood senior Coby Carter and sophomore Jackson MacKenzie share a hug after time has expried on a 2-1 Eaton Rapids win over the Vikings in the MHSAA Division 2 District Final hosted by the Greyhounds in Eaton Rapids Saturday after­ noon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — Page 13 Saxons pair up to improve at 1-8 meet Brett Bremer Sports Editor Chasing a top seven spot pulled Hastings junior Riley Shults to his fastest time of the season Saturday morning at Turkeyville. Shults earned all-conference honors in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference by placing seventh at the 1-8 Conference Championship. The Saxon leader, he was ninth as a soph­ omore at the 1-8 Championship in 2021 to earn honorable mention all-conference and he had his heart set on a top seven finish and a first team all-conference honor Saturday. “I couldn’t have asked for better,” Shults said. “I knew that I just needed to stick with people. Last year I didn’t stick with people and I got caught behind a group. I just stuck with people and paced well. I wasn’t trying to go for a time. I just wanted all-conference and I snuck into seventh, so I am happy.” Shults said he heard from family and coaches along the course that he was 11th at one point, but he Marshall junior Connor Griffith. Griffith had been just behind Shults’ pace at each of the first two conference jam­ borees. “I was like, ‘you know what, this guys is going to be up there and I might as well stick with him,”’ Shults said he told himself.” Despite the painful burn in the muscles and lungs of the final 500 meters of the Tur­ keyville course, Shults was able to get by Griffith before the finish to earn that last spot on the all-conference first team. He hit the finish line in 17 minutes 3.7 seconds. Only 12 of the top 50 finishers in the boys’ race Saturday didn’t push themselves to a new season best time. Harper Creek sophomore Dominic Lowrie ran the fastest race of his life to win the indi­ vidual conference championship. He finished in 15:59.4 to help power the Beaver team to a victory Saturday. Harper Creek outscored Marshall 54-58 at the top of the standings Saturday, but Marshall still earned the confer­ ence championship trophy at the end of the day thanks to its victories in the two confer­ ence jamborees. Sophomore Jack Bidwell led Marshall Saturday with a runner-up time of 16:27.6. The rest of the top seven included Parma Western junior Cooper Singleton (16:48.1), Lumen Christi sophomore Isaiah Dinvemo (16:48.4), Coldwater senior Haroon Omar (17:00.0) and Harper Creek junior William O’Dell (17:01.2). Shults was just ahead of Griffith at the end. The Marshall junior was eighth in 17:05.6 and his sophomore teammate Reece Davis ran a PR of 17:06.6 to place ninth right on his heels. The Hastings boys were fourth in the day’s standings. Parma Western managed a thirdplace finish with 71 points, ahead of Hastings 79, Lumen Christi 120, Coldwater 150, Pen­ nfield 208 and Northwest 211. The Saxon program had 11 guys running and ten had their fastest time of the season with seven guys running their fastest race ever. The next six Saxons across the finish line behind Shults all improved their PR. Hastings sophomore Brandon Simmons improved his PR to 17:15.2 in a 12th-place finish. He was nearly 40 seconds faster than he was on the Turkeyville Course in late August at Marshall’s Barney Roy Invitational. Teammates Reuben Solmes, Jonah Teed and Micah Johnson all set PR’s while shaving Saxons Anika Bourassa, (from left) Victoria Jerzyk and Brooklyn Strickland take off with the crowd at the start of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship race at Cornwell's Turkeyville in Marshall Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Battling Depression The Saxons' Reuben Solmes (right) and Jonah Teed race by the Turkeyville turkey barns during their second loop around the course at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship Saturday in Marshall. (Photo by Brett Bremer) urnore than a minute off their time from the Barney Roy invite. Solmes, a junior, was 17th in 17:49.0. The junior Teed was 18th in 17: 50.5. The sophomore Johnson placed 25th in 18:23.1. Senior Alexander Steward was right behind Johnson with a personal record time of 18: 24.5 that put him in 26th place. He took almost a minute and a half off his Barney Roy invite time. Shults loved seeing pairs of teammates racing together. “Me and my best friend Brandon worked together the entire season. He keeps me hum­ ble,” Shults said. “ My friends Reuben and Jonah have been working together every sin­ gle season, working and passing people and running the whole entire race together. [It was great seeing] Alex and Micah PR’ing by like two minutes, together and running like the same race. “It is crazy how they aren’t just friends, they’re just like best friends racing each other. It is so cool to see, as a team captain, seeing that environment and how that affects their running.” The Saxon got personal record times from sophomore Donald Kuck and freshman Spen­ cer Crozier in the boys’ race. The Hastings girls’ team had just three runners, so they didn’t earn a team score on the day. Senior Victoria Jerzyk proved the fastest Saxon placing 78th in 32:31.2. Sophomore Anika Bourassa was 80th in 35:07.6 and sophomore Brooklyn Strickland 81st in 35:17.0. Bourassa was the only one of the Saxon trio who competed at the Barney Roy Invita­ tional and she cut more than two minutes off her early season time on Saturday. Jackson Lumen Christi had the first two finishers and its top seven all placed among the top 21 as the Titans clinched the confer­ ence championship with just 32 points Sat­ urday. Harper Creek was second with 63 points, ahead of Marshall 72, Parma West­ ern 96, Jackson Northwest 133 and Coldwa­ ter 142. Junior Madison Osterberg won the individ­ ual championship with a time of 18:21.0 and her freshman teammate Macy Fazekas was the runner-up in 19:47.2. Another freshman was third, Northwest’s Chloe Khon who came in at 20:02.7. Harper Creek got a personal record time from junior Katie Behnke who placed fourth in 20:29.5. Her senior teammate Madison Berning was fifth in 20:45.0. Next up for the Saxons in their MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional Meet hosted by South Christian High School. Like at Turkeyville, the Hastings runners will get to test themselves against their own early season performance. They ran at the Sailors’ Under the Lights Invitational at. the end of August. ’’ a,.,. ............ ... ul, More than a personal record time, Shults will be racing for a place that earns him a spot in the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Cross Country Championship for the first time. The top three teams at the regional qualify for the state finals, along with the top seven individuals not on those three teams. Every runners that finishes among the top 15 medalists is guar­ anteed a spot in the state finals even if that pushes the number of individual state qualifi­ ers from the regional over seven. Shults was only about ten seconds behind the last of the state qualifiers at regionals a year ago. “I understand I can’t go into it thinking I know I am going to states,” Shults said. “I just have to run the race of my life and if God takes me there then that is where I am going.” Getting through the regional will be tough for anybody. The Marshall and Harper Creek guys that finished 1 -2 in the 1-8 will be com­ peting at South Christian Saturday, but they’re far from the favorites. The region also includes East Grand Rapids, which is ranked first in the state in Division 2, and the Forest Hills Eastern team that is ranked fifth. Depression is real and there are many people who battle with it. Often, after someone has been so depressed, they commit suicide. Everyone always asks, “What could have been done to prevent it?” Dealing with depression is a serious subject, many people suffer from it, and they never tell anyone until it’s too late. Maybe you’re reading this, and you have thoughts of committing suicide because you think that no one cares and that all hope is lost for you. I want you to know that there are many people who love you and care about you. Please call the Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255 or check yourself into ER. You are valuable and God’s precious treasure. God has a plan for you, even if you can’t see it or believe it. Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Let’s talk about 4 Keys to battling depression: 1. Don’t isolate yourself. Tell a trusted friend what you are going through and struggling with. Don’t be a silent sufferer. 2. Don’t believe the enemy’s lies that no one loves you, no one cares, or the world would be better off without you. All of these may be how you feel but they are all lies!! 3. Go and get help to see where the depression is coming from. Go to your doctor. You might need a medication, or something may be out of balance in your body. Call Spiritual Care Consultants at 269-929-9201 and receive some healing for your soul. Find a good counselor to talk to. You are worth it. Your life matters and you are important. 4. Ask Jesus to fill you with His peace. . , , Isaiah 9:6b And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 61:3 And providefor those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil ofjoy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Jesus desires to give you a garment of praise instead of despair. He wants to remove the spirit of heaviness you’re feeling. When you’re battling depression, this might be hard for you to believe but it’s still true. God has good things for you. Healing is possible but it will be a process. I would like to end this with the words of Jesus. John 10:10, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” It’s the enemy that desires to destroy our lives. Jesus came to give us life and to give it to you more abundantly. My prayer is that Jesus would heal you from the depression and help you to discover the abundant life he has for you. Donations Thank you for generosity! If you would like to donate, please make checks payable to: Spiritual Care Consultants, 1375 W. Green St. Ste. 1, Hastings, MI 49058. To donate online, please go to: https://www.inspirationstudiodesigns.com/forms/view.php?id=50237 Have a blessed week, Pastor Gale Kragt Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Yes, I would lifee to become an SCC Partner by contributing the below gift to assist in the transformation of an individual’s health and wellness through Spiritual Care! *Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 Hastings junior Riley Shults strides a few feet ahead of sophomore teammate Brandon Simmons as they make their way around the first mile of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship course at Turkeyville in Marshall Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings' Micah Johnson peeks ahead as he races along a step in front of team­ mate Alex Steward during the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship Saturday at Cornewll's Turkeyville in Marshall. (Photo by Brett Bremer) N ame: Address: City: State: Phone: Total Donation Amount:. Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Mastercard AMEX Card Number: Exp. Date:/Amount: Name on Card: CW (4 Digit): Signature: �Page 14 — Thursday, October 27, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings senior Kasey Kapteyn races to the wall in the 100-yard butterfly Thursday in the CERC pool in Hastings during the team's annual Cancer Awareness Meet against Wayland. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Spectators fire rubber ducks from the balcony, towards a swim ring in the pool, during the Chuck-A-Duck fundraiser at the Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/ Hastings varsity girls' swimming and diving team's annual Cancer Meet with Wayland Thursday at the CERC in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ' Team honors friends, family, teammate at Cancer Meet Brett Bremer emotional for everyone because it means so much because of Lydia. It’s a big meet.” More than two thousand dollars were raised for the Lydia Cole Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Pink T-shirts were sold, many swimmers from both sides wore pink caps and suits and both squads gathered together for their annual pink ribbon photo in the pool at the end of the evening. Raffle prizes were awarded, the chuck-a-duck fund­ raiser took center stage in the deep end of the Community Education and Recreation Center pool once the divers had completed their competition. Coach Schoessel took time before each race to read off the names of those battling cancer, who have survived cancer and those who have lost their lives to cancer who swim­ mers were racing in honor of. The Wayland girls did come out on top in most of those races. The Wildcats took a 107­ 78 victory in their OK Rainbow Tier II Con­ ference dual. The DK/TK/HHS girls swim their final dual of the season, against visiting Charlotte, Oct. 27. They will host the Tier II Conference Meet in Hastings the weekend of Nov. 4-5. Sophomore diver Abby Dumond got the first victory for the DK/TK/HHS girls by recording a score of 206.75 with her six dives. Junior teammate TJ Myers was second Sports Editor . It is something of a bittersweet ceremony each October. Loretta was etched on the back of Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings senior Kasey Kapteyn in pink marker in honor of coach Carl Schoessel’s wife who lost her bat­ tle with cancer. Former DK/TK/HHS varsity girls’ swimming and diving teammate Lydia Cole, who passed away during the winter of her junior year, was remembered with a pink “Lydia” down Kapteyn’s right leg. Kapteyn and her teammates were covered with remembrances Thursday as the DK/TK/ HHS team hosted Wayland Union for its annual Cancer Awareness Meet and fundrais­ er in Hastings. “Rick” adorned Kapteyn’s left arm. “Coach Powell” and “Betty” ran down her right. “Coach Brian” and “Sylvia” adorned her left leg. “When everyone gets here, we do Lydia and Loretta first... and then anyone that that you know that has had cancer. This is my uncle, that was my grandma, that was my basketball coach and that was my softball coach, so each person has a meaning to everyone.” “It was emotional for me, because I am a captain and it is my last one, but I think it is with a score of 175.95. Junior Sophia Marcukaitis took a pair of wins for the DK/TK/HHS team. She was first to the wall in the 100-yard freestyle in 55.51 seconds and she won the 100-yard breast­ stroke in 1 minute 10.77 seconds. The DK/TK/HHS girls had many other good swims and personal best times through­ out the evening. The team got runner-up finishes from sophomore Aubrey Hawks in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke and junior Lizzie Middleton in the 500-yard freestyle as well as in all three relay races. Laney Wolf, a freshman, took two individ­ ual events for the Wildcats. She won the 50-yard freestyle in 25.56 and the 100-yard butterfly in 1:03.08. Junior Elliot Antel took the 200-yard freestyle in 2:12.63. Junior Tay­ lor Wolf won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:31.96. Senior Ellaina Hudson won the 500-yard freestyle in 6:04.95. Wayland also had sophomore Kennedy Jasinski win the 100-yard backstroke in 1:09.59. The couple sprint relays were two of the best races of the night. Antel just fought off Marcukaitis in the end to get her team the win in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Jasinski, Tay­ lor Wolf, Abigail Deweerd and Antel took that race in 1:47.56 while the DK/TK/HHS team of Cadence VanOoy, Holly Carpenter, Preslee Hall and Marcukaitis was right behind in 1:48.85. The 200-yard medley relay to open the The Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings and Wayland Union varsity girls1 swimming and diving teams form a pink ribbon, with their pink swim caps, at the con­ clusion of their annual Cancer Awareness night at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings Thursday. (Photo by Mr Gaskill Photo) night was even closer as the Wayland four­ some of Laney Wolf, Taylor Wolf, Jasinski and Sami Reed won in 1:58.85 - just 17 hun­ dredths of a second ahead of the DK/TK/ HHS team of Hawks, Marcukaitis, Hall and Carpenter. Kapteyn, one of six captains for the DK/ TK7HHS team along with Erin Daniels, Katie Clark, Abby Gaskill, Hall and VanOoy, was sixth in both of her individual races Thursday - the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard butterfly. Kapteyn said she is still working alongside Daniels to earn a spot on the conference medal stand in the 100-yard breaststroke (a top eight finish) as the season winds down. She’d like to take about three more seconds off her PR in that race. Marcukaitis was the conference champion in the breaststroke a year ago and their team also had Middleton seventh and Daniels ninth at the conference meet in the race. Kapteyn was 13^ in the conference in that race as a junior. Saxons close out Interstate-8 Conference season strong Valerie Slaughter Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings sophomore Aubrey Hawks races to a runner-up finish in the 100-yard backstroke during her team's annual Cancer Meet with Wayland at the CERC in Hastings Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Email Basics Digital Literacy For Everyone www.HastingsPubliclibary.org Register Now! Your Laptop or Ours Seating is Limited 1 Tablet Given Away Every Class "Digital Literacy for everyone made possible by the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T * WSSi? © Si AT&T Contributing Writer The Hastings varsity volleyball team increased its overall season record to 22-16 by recording three more Interstate 8-Conference wins over the last week - including a couple at Saturday’s conference tournament. The Saxons defeated Pennfield at home on Wednesday night, Oct. 19, in the final match of the conference regular season. Hastings won the first set 25-19, before dropping a close second set 22-25. The Saxons came back to win the next two sets 25-19 and 25-18. Saxon head coach Erin Slaughter was proud of her team. “We really wanted another win in the con­ ference to set us up better for the conference tournament, which the girls did,” Slaughter said. “They dug deep and believed in them­ selves and managed to have the most success­ ful season Hastings has had in the 1-8, which is a major accomplishment in itself.” Senior captain Bailey Cook led the team against Pennfield recording 15 kills for the night and she lead the team in passing. Audrey Vertalka added 12 kills and 10 solo blocks for the Saxons. On Saturday, the Hastings team traveled to Coldwater for the 1-8 Conference Tourna­ ment. The Saxons started against Parma Western, where they lost two close sets 22-25 and 23-25, much closer scores than earlier in the season. The Saxons then defeated Penn­ field again 25-22 and 25-14 to advance to the match for fifth place match against Jackson Northwest, who the Saxons had lost to in five sets earlier in the season. Coach Slaughter noted the hard work her team has put in to reverse the earlier result. “We managed to beat Jackson Northwest, who we lost to previously in the season. I’m really proud of the girls’ hard work and the program that they are building. They are lead­ ing Saxon volleyball to great places,” Slaugh­ ter said. The Saxons defeated Jackson Northwest in two sets, winning 25-17 and 25-18 to finish in fifth place. The Saxons came into this sea­ son having never won an 1-8 - going back to 2016. This season, the team has picked up four wins in the conference. Cook led the team in passing and had 15 kills at the tournament. Rachael Hewitt added 15. Vertalka added 14 solo blocks. Sopho­ more, Jordan Milanowski had three aces and four solo blocks. The Saxons will pldy at home on Thursday hosting a non-conference quad. Hastings celebrates senior night during its Interstate-8 Athletic Conference match with visiting Pennfield Wednesday, Oct. 19. Pictured are Cailin Redman with parents Rob and Erin Redman, Bailey Cook with mom Stacey Ott, and Cass Easey with par­ ents Tim and Deana. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings' Rachael Hewitt and Audrey Vertalka go up for a block during their team's win over visiting Pennfield Wednesday, Oct. 19. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-11-03.pdf 252f49cd9ddc204b58818d938ce08916 PDF Text Text Two candidates face off for newly-created county board seat Celebrating a soldier's sense of duty Saxons into district football finals again See story on page 3 See story on page 4 See story on page 11 804879110187 The Hastings PRICE $1.50 Thursday, November 3, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 44 Worried about employee retention, county boardi considers dipping into ARPA funds for bonuses Jayson Bussa Barry County judge Michael Schipper (left) and Chief Judge William Doherty are seated in front of the county’s board of com­ missioners on Tuesday morning during a Committee of the Whole meeting. Both judges spoke to the urgency needed to enhance compensation for county employees in order to retain them. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Editor Fearing a mass exodus of county employ­ ees, the Barry County board of commission­ ers took steps on Tuesday morning that it hoped would send a message. “We’re sending a message today that we’re going to work as quickly as possible to address this situation,” board chair Ben Gei­ ger said during Tuesday’s meeting of Barry County’s Committee of the Whole. The “situation” Geiger was referring to centered on difficulty attracting and retain­ ing employees to work within county gov­ ernment. With county employees either leaving for, or seeking, new jobs with higher pay, the board is now looking to dip into its remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to potentially issue bonuses to county employees, incentivizing them to stick around. In fact, the Committee of the Whole approved a motion that directed county administration to prepare for the board of commissioners options related to employee compensation using ARPA funds. Barry County originally received $12 million in federal ARPA funds as a result of the economic toll brought on by the CO VID-19 pandemic. Barry County has $3 million in unallocated ARPA funds that it must allocate by the end of 2024 and spend by the end of 2026. That money can be used to issue bonuses to employees, a scenario that recently played out in neighboring Ottawa County, which issued $5,000 bonuses to its employees. “If companies in the private sector are com­ peting for (employees), then we’re going to compete for them just as hard,” Geiger said. District Court Judge Michael Schipper and Chief Judge William Doherty made rare visits to the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, both imploring commissioners to take steps to enhance compensation for their employees - and to do it quickly. “We’re really at a critical point right here,” Schipper said. “Right now, I have two brand new employ­ ees and one that is leaving in December,” Schipper added. “That’s almost half my staff. Administrators are being overworked to try to train people and keep up.” Schipper suggested a roughly $5,000 bonus for county employees, stating that any­ thing much less than that would be almost completely wiped out by taxes, inflation and the rising cost of health benefits, which was also discussed earlier in the meeting. SEE ARPA, PAGE 2 Barry County Bar Association memorializes attorneys, judge for long time service Hunter McLaren Fresh off primary wins, trio of Republican women look to solidify their seats in the state house Jayson Bussa Editor The primary races in districts that reach into Barry County were crowded for Republicans this year, and the three women that emerged are now looking to take their seats in the Michigan House of Represen­ tatives for the first time. But, before they can, they will face off against Democrat opposition in next week’s general election. This election will be a crucial one for the balance of power in state government. Cur­ rently, Republicans hold a majority in both the House and the Senate while Democrats hold the governor’s office. In the House, Republicans hold a 56-53 edge over Democrats. But, this year fea­ tures newly-drawn district lines that could potentially shake up the balance of power. Three difference races feature voters that live in Barry County. Gina Johnsen will face Democrat Leah Groves, of Lowell, in the race for District 78, which covers the northeast quarter of Barry County and stretches up into Ionia and over to Portland. Johnsen defeated Barry County Board of Commissioners Chair Ben Geiger, Christine Barnes and write-in candidate Jon Rocha in the primary. Hastings native and Caledonia resident Angela Rigas is running against Byron Center-based Democrat Dr. Kimberly Ken­ nedy-Barrington in District 79, which includes the area directly west of Hastings and up into Irving Township and the Vil­ lage of Middleville. Rigas dominated over the Republican field during the primary, which consisted of Jeremiah Keeler and Ryan Gal logy. Finally, Martin Township Clerk Rachelle Smit faces off with Democrat Mark Ludwig in District 43 - a geographically large dis­ trict that extends from Bellevue out west all the way to the area just south of Holland. Smit’s voter base in Barry County resides in the southern portion of the county and up into the Yankee Springs Township area. Smit defeated fellow Republicans Lind­ say Kronemeyer, Phillip Joseph and Nevin Cooper-Keel in August’s primary. See STATE REP, page 3 Staff Writer It’s not often that a courtroom is filled with jokes, laughter and smiles, but that is exactly what happened last week in the Barry County Circuit Court. The Barry County Bar Association gath­ ered on Oct. 28 to hold a memorial ceremony for attorneys James Goulooze and David Dimmers, as well as Judge Gary Holman. Members of the bar took to the stand, regal­ ing those in attendance with stories and mem­ ories about the deceased. Judge William Doherty presided over the proceedings. Attorney Carol Dwyer shared stories about Goulooze and recognized his unwavering dedication to his clients. She shared that many of his past clients called his office after his death, seeking to express their gratitude and share their story of how Goulooze had helped them. “Jim was there to help,” she said. “He helped people who were scared, he helped people who were addicted. His clients were loyal to him.” Attorney David Tripp spoke about Hol­ man’s calm temperament in the courtroom, his patience and how efficiently he ran his courtroom. “I’ve been in front of enough judges in different counties to know that it’s rare to See BAR ASSOCIATION, page 8 Attorney Carol Dwyer recounted several stories about her experiences working with James Goulooze. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Police release name of teen killed in Baltimore Township crash last week Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Police identified 17-year-old Zacharee Mason as the victim of a fatal single-car crash near Baltimore Township last week. A release from Michigan State Police stat­ ed the crash occurred around 11 p.m. on Oct. 26. Mason was killed when the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned in a corn­ field while headed west on Maple Grove Road near Foster Road. Mason, a former Hastings High School Student, and the three other occupants in the vehicle, were Hastings residents. A service was held for Mason at Girrbach Funeral Home on Wednesday night. A GoFundMe page was set up on behalf of Mason’s family in order to raise money to cover funeral expenses. The page garnered over $4,000 in donations. Police said evidence at the scene indicated alcohol and speed were factors in the crash. As of Tuesday, no arrests had been made in connection to the crash. Police are conducting an investigation into the crash, with the completed report being for­ warded to the Barry County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Police are withholding the name of the 19-year-old driver at the time of the crash pending a decision from the prosecutor’s office. Police identified 17-year-old Hastings resident Zacharee Mason as the victim of a fatal crash near Baltimore Township last week. (Photo from Girrbach Funeral Home) �Page 2 — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner County employees face rising cost for health benefits Prepare to ‘fall back’ this weekend Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2 a.m. Everyone should prepare to set all their clocks back (yes, even the oven clock) before bed on Saturday. Instead of the normal progression of 1:59 a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday’s time will go from 1:59 back to 1 a.m. again for a repeated hour. Despite the end of daylight saving resulting in an extra hour of sleep, the biannual time changes have been linked to increased auto accidents in both the spring and fall. It is important to care on the roads following this weekend’s time change. Daylight saving time will start back up again March 12, 2023. Thornapple Arts Council hosting annual auction Saturday The Thomapple Arts Council (TAC) will host its 28th Annual Auction for the Arts on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the ballroom at the Walldorff Brewpub and Bistro. The Auction for the Arts, TAC’s largest annual fundraiser, will celebrate the organiza­ tion’s accomplishments and raise money for next year’s programming and events. The event will include games, raffles, a live auction and other fun activities. Tickets are $40 each and include food, entertainment and a cash bar. Some of the items up for grabs include a custom-made piece by Lauren Tripp; a hand­ made table by local artist Jennie DeWitt; several gift baskets; a private tour of the Gilm­ ore Car Museum; and a TAC board-sponsored trip valued at $500. One of the largest prizes this year is a hand-made canoe by Plainwell-area artist Shawn McFall. For those who would like to support the event and cannot attend, raffle tickets are available from board members and at thomapplearts.org. Tickets are still available, either by visiting thomapplearts.org or by calling 269-945­ 2002. Facility rentals available at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute With the holidays fast approaching, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is taking reservations for holiday lunches. Reservations can be booked until Jan. 20. The Institute also has many opportunities for facility rentals from weddings and cor­ porate events to retreats and dining experiences. The earth-bermed visitor center offers modem architecture and spectacular views to any who rents it, said Institute representa­ tives. The Institute also offers a window-lined dining room, auditorium with complete audio-visual capability, a reception/seating area wrapped around a wood-burning fire­ place, and gallery hallways. Anyone interested in facility rentals should contact Human Resources and Hospitably Manager Tracy Noorman at 269-721-4291 for an information packet. Jayson Bussa Editor Health benefits for county employees are poised to get pricier - both for the policyholder and the county - beginning January of next year. Members of the Barry County Healthcare Cost Containment Committee on Tuesday morning presented to the county’s Committee of the Whole a menu of five health insurance plans that will be available to county employ­ ees beginning on Jan. 1, 2023. The committee worked to re-tool the plans in order to keep costs in check, but employees can still expect to see a significant spike in out-of­ pocket costs. “This year, we were faced with a number of challenges that kind of caught up with us all at once,” Deputy County Administrator Luella Dennison said. “Costs for plans and employee contributions will jump significantly from where they were last year.” The county is facing a 9.77 percent average rate increase across the five different plans. Had the county simply renewed its existing policies with Blue Care Network of Michigan, those, rates would have jumped by 16.43 percent. Using its HMO Standard Plan as a point of reference, annual employee contributions for a single individual will be $872.13 in 2023, when that same individual would have paid $71.04 annually this year. The family plan would come with an annual contribution of $2,205.23 this year and will instead cost $4,634.37 annually in 2023. A few factors were in play to lead to such a spike. For starters, the county’s two-year intro­ ductory rates with Blue Cross Network are wrapping up, a period where insurance provid­ ers notoriously raise rates. According to Dennison, Barry County also accounts for a much higher-than-normal vol­ ume of claims. Stephanie Lehman, director of Barry County Central Dispatch, who also serves on the Healthcare Cost Containment Committee, said that, leading up to this year, the committee met just once to find appropriate plans. Due to the many issues the committee was faced with heading into 2023, the group met three times for up to three hours each. “I think it was my 11th or 12th year on this committee and this was definitely the most challenging year,” Lehman said. The rise in health insurance costs certainly does make the task of attracting and retaining Stephanie Lehman (left) and Luella Dennison (right) present five health insurance plans that will be available to county employees beginning in January of 2023. Employees can plan to see a significant spike in out-of-pocket costs. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) talent to county government positions any easier. “It was a struggle,” Lehman said. “There really is nothing else I can say beside that. We had a lot of conversation about recruitment and retention - everyone is struggling with that.” “Employees will want to take a hard look (at the new plans),” Lehman added. COURT PROGRAMS SEE RISE IN FUNDING Barry County’s Office of Community Cor­ rections will receive an additional $40,000 this year in grants from the state. Tammi Price, speciality courts program director for the coun­ ty, appeared in front of the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday morning to get a signature from board Chair Ben Geiger. The grant total was for $156,558, designated to provide programs and services intended to enhance jail utilization, reduce prison commit­ ment rate and impact recidivism. “The state came through and supported all of our programs and gave us exactly what we asked for,” Price reported. New this year will be the Seeking Safety pro­ gram for females, which works to address PTSD and STDs. The office also operates two relapse prevention groups and administers drug testing. Price also sought a signature for seven differ­ ent 2023 federal and state grants for the coun­ ty’s Adult Drug Court, Sobriety Court and the Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program. Across all three programs, the county is net­ ting around $1,000 extra this year, per Price. COUNTY TO APPLY FOR $100,000 AVAILABLE THROUGH FEDERAL PRO­ GRAM Barry County officials took steps to access an additional $100,000 of relief funds over the course of the next year through federally-estab­ lished Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds (LATCF). The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) appropriated $2 billion in treasury across fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to be distributed to reve­ nue sharing counties and tribal governments across the country. According to the allocation eligibility guide­ lines, Barry County can receive $50,000 this year and $50,000 next fiscal year if it takes the necessary steps to apply. The Committee of the Whole recommended that the Board of Commissioners appoint coun­ ty administrator Michael Brown as the autho­ rized representative for Barry County. He will take on the process of submitting the formal request for funding through the U.S. Depart­ ment of Treasury’s LATCF submission portal. The funds can be put in the county’s general fund or lumped in with the unallocated ARPA funds. Gun Lake water quality good, year end study finds Greg Chandler Barry County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Vivian Conner (left), Chair Ben Geiger (middle) and Commissioner Hoot Gibson (right) take notes during Tuesday morning’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Much of the 90-minute session focused on issues pertaining to county employee retention. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) ARPA, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------And with some counties, like Ottawa, enhancing their pay, Barry County is at risk of being left behind when it comes to recruit­ ing and retaining talent. Schipper heaped praise on his court staff, citing it as a reason that Barry County is often considered a blueprint for an efficient and effective system. “I would implore you to do this and don’t wait,” Schipper told the commissioners. “Every time you kick the can down (the road), you lose more people. People don’t think you care. The money is there. The money is there - use it.” Doherty echoed those sentiments to the commissioners. “We’ve had people leaving for factory jobs that are making more money,” he said. “They want to be in these positions and helping peo­ ple. They all care about good government and doing the right thing for people....We under­ stand where you guys are at, but we’re at this critical point and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think it was critical.” Geiger referenced Ottawa County and its recent effort to provide $5,000 bonuses for full-time employees and $1,000 bonuses for part-time employees - a move that passed via a split vote and will cost a total of $5.1 million. The board believes that similar bonuses could be plucked out of the county’s unallo­ cated ARPA funds, but some commissioners pointed to the fact this was also not a perma­ nent solution. “I’m definitely in favor of compensating our county employees fairly,” commissioner Catherine Getty said. “I’m a little concerned how we maintain this into the future.... We’re really just pushing the real issue into the future. I’m in favor of doing any stopgap measure to retain (employees) but this is a stopgap measure because we have the ARPA funding available.” Fellow commissioner Jon Smelker agreed and said that he thought this board could seek a more permanent solution before the year ends and four new faces join next year. “I’d like to see it looked at through the contract and how we maintain (employees),” Smelker said. “I think something has to be done and I’d like to see it done no later than December. But we need to get something started.” Ji & Welcome Corners United Methodist Church 1 3185 N M-43, Hastings, MI 49058 (3 1/2 miles north of Hastings on M-43) 269-945-2654 ' SMORGASBORD ' Jfov. 4, 2022 * 4:00-7:00pm> Homemade Meatballs Baked Chicken 1K Sweet & Sour Pork r Includes: Sides, Salads Dessert Beverages Adults: $14 Children 5-12: $5 4 & Under Free Open to the Public Staff Writer An annual report shows the water quality of Gun Lake is within acceptable parameters. The Gun Lake Improvement Board Wednes­ day heard a year-end report from Ashlee Haviland, a certified lake manager for Clarke Aquatic Services, at the board’s final meeting for the year at Orangeville Township Hall. Clarke conducts herbicide treatments and other lake management activities under contract with GLIB. About 110 acres of the 2,680-acre lake were treated by Clarke during the year, addressing such invasive and nuisance plants such as star­ ry stonewort, Eurasian watermilfoil and curlyleaf pondweed, as well as nuisance algae. That’s less than half the amount treated a year ago, when Clarke was using a long-term herbi­ cide called PorcellaCOR to treat Eurasian watermilfoil, Haviland said in her report. Two different tests of phosphorus levels were taken from three different lake inlet loca­ tions - first in April and then again in July. In April, phosphorus levels generally ranged from 10 to 15 micrograms per liter. The July test found levels of 20 and 28 micrograms per liter at one location, at depths of 40 and 50 feet respectively, but all other tests found phospho­ rus levels ranging from less than 10 to about 13 micrograms per liter. The recommended level for phosphorus on lakes from the U.S Environ­ mental Protectional Agency is 76 micrograms per liter, Haviland said. “We do surface samples at each (location), and then we go every 10 feet until we reach the bottom,” Haviland said. “On the western side of the lake, that sample site is only on the sur­ face because the maximum depth is five feet. The most northern site ... is sampled down to 40 feet ... and that most southern site is sam­ pled down to 60 feet.” Clarke also took samples for alkaline levels and chlorophyll-A, with both levels shown to be normal, Haviland said. Jim Penix, a Gun Lake resident, questioned why the Clarke report did not include anything about testing of copper on the lake. At a special meeting last week, another lake resident, Bill Bryker, had brought in samples of his own testing that showed high concentrations of copper in some of the lake’s channels, which he says was the result of the use of copper sulfate herbicide treatments and is affecting the quality of fishing on the lake. But GLIB chairwoman Vivian Conner said such testing isn’t part of the board’s contract with Clarke. “When the contract was negotiated last year, in ‘21, copper testing wasn’t part of the con­ tract. It has never been part of the contract,” Conner said. Clarke aquatic biologist Pete Filpansick said adding copper testing to the scope of the proj­ ect would have to involve pretty much a com­ plete rewrite of the contract. “In order to amend the scope of the project and add (copper testing), there’s a lot of things that have to happen,” Filpansick said. “First of all, it has to be determined that it’s part of the feasibility study that was used to found this board, and therefore it can be included. Then the board has to take action to include it.” GLIB was founded in 2003. The board would have to solicit proposals for the copper testing and set aside ftmding to pay for it, Fil­ pansick said. In other business Wednesday, the board approved the spending of $12,705 for a test treatment of three canals in the lake - two this fall and a third next spring - with an applica­ tion called PhosLock that is designed to remove phosphorus from the water column. The application, which does not contain cop­ Ashlee Haviland, a certified lake man­ ager for Clarke Aquatic Services, pres­ ents the annual report on water quality on Gun Lake to the Gun Lake Improvement Board last Wednesday night at Orangeville Township Hall. (Photo by Greg Chandler) per, binds phosphorus and creates a blanket that lines the bottom of the lake, with a goal of preventing algae growth that occurs on warm fall days, starving algae of nutrients during the winter and reducing the intensity of algae blooms in the spring, Filpansick said. “It’s probably one of the safest things you can put in the water. It’s dirt,” Filpansick said. The areas to be treated will be the canals near Johnson Road and Valley, Island and Park drives this fall and the canal near Edwin Drive next spring. Funding for the PhosLock treatment will come out of remaining funds in the GLIB bud­ get for aquatic herbicide treatments. That line item has more than $76,000 remaining in this year’s budget, Conner said. The board’s next scheduled meeting is Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. at the Orangeville Township Hall. Rash of vehicle break-ins in Baltimore Township, elsewhere throughout the county Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Several Baltimore Township residents have reported having their cars broken into and various items stolen last month. The Barry County Sheriff’s Department received four complaints on Oct. 21 of items being stolen from vehicles overnight. Some residents didn’t notice any items missing but could clearly tell their cars had been rum­ maged through. All four complaints originated from Balti­ more Township addresses, with two com­ plaints coming from the 6000 block of M-37 Highway and two coming from the 1900 block of Dowling Road. In all complaints, the vehicle owners reported their vehicles were left unlocked overnight when the thefts occurred and suffered no signs of being forc­ ibly entered. Items reported stolen included credit cards, gift cards, a wallet, a small bag of marijuana and cash. One resident noticed fraudulent charges the next day after his credit card was stolen. A resident with security cameras reported seeing a white or tan pickup truck pull up to his house with two suspects rummaging through the two vehicles in his driveway just before midnight on Oct. 20. The two men walked into the man’s backyard before return­ ing to the truck and leaving, only to return shortly after midnight. At that time, two different suspects exited the vehicle and started one of the vehicles in the driveway with a spare key that was in the glovebox. The suspects then returned to the pickup truck, leaving the vehicle in the drive­ way but keeping the spare key fob. The homeowner suspects the thieves were attempting to steal the car but got cold feet once they started the car. Hastings Police Chief Dale Boulter report­ ed his department has also been working on several similar reported thefts from vehicles. He was unable to provide any details, citing an open investigation in collaboration with several other law enforcement agencies. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — Page 3 DISTRICT 79 MEET THE CANDIDATES: Discussing the issues with local state rep candidates Previous elected offices held (if any) or relevant experience: Delegate to county and Occupation: Facility director - Golden Orchards Retirement Community state convention; longtime pro-liberty activist and small business owner. Previous elected offices held (if any) or relevant experience: Fennville School Board What would you consider to be the most pressing issues facing Michigan residents right now? 2012-2016; Clyde Township Planning Com­ mission 2012-2016; Allegan Conservation District board 2013-present; Founding mem­ ber of EPA Kalamazoo River Superfund Site Community Advisory Group 2020; Founding Secretary of Fennville, Pullman Lakeshore Rotary Club 2022. cate - small business owner of 100 Shades of Diverse Abilities L3C The economy is failing, with the future looking grimmer than ever. Gas prices have soared as a result of poor government policies that have decreased the value of the dollar. Education is also a significant concern as our students’ test scores have decreased con­ siderably due to radical policies and school shutdowns promoted by the left. Previous elected offices held (if any) or relevant experience: I currently sit on the If elected, how would you work to address those issues? Michigan Council for Rehabilitative Ser­ vices, representing advocacy groups, appoint­ ed by the Governor. What’s your assessment of the state of Michigan’s economy right now? I will help make Michigan a busi­ ness-friendly state and fight to reduce taxes and regulations to promote a positive, busi­ ness-friendly environment. I do not support corporate welfare, the government should not be using our taxpayer dollars to promote cer­ tain businesses over others. I am working with several school board candidates in my community that are pro-common sense and want to be advocates for parents and students to promote transpar­ ency in education and remove all inappropri­ ate materials from libraries. We are in great financial shape with a $7 billion dollar surplus. What’s your assessment of Michigan’s economy right now? What’s your assessment of the effective­ ness of the current leadership’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Inflation is rising, gas prices are soaring and most people say they are worse now than they have been in decades. In May of 2020, The governor announced several advisory work groups that would pro­ vide input on Michigan’s process to safely re-engage the various sectors of our commu­ nity. Work groups will focuse on mitigation of transmission risk, including but not limited to best practices for workplace safety, PPE requirements and retraining workers on newly implemented CO VID-19 work require­ ments as we re-engage. I was assigned to the churches/community centers work group. What’s your assessment of the effective­ ness of the current leadership’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Dr. Kimberly Kennedy-Barrington Current residence: Byron Center Political party: Democrat Occupation: Professional systemic advo­ What would you consider to be the most pressing issues facing Michigan residents right now? Roe vs. Wade. If elected, how would you work to address those issues? Ensure that women who need abortion services can access them safely and legally. There seems to be a major partisan divide in Lansing. Is there hope that both sides can come together to create meaning­ ful change? How would you go about it? I have a record of working across the aisle with Governor Snyder on his $8 million Mobility Challenge Grant in 2018 and with Beau LaFave (R) on House Bills 4075 & 4076, which Governor Whitmer signed into law July 26, 2022. The Governor has done catastrophic dam­ age to our state; thousands of our seniors died alone in COVID-positive nursing homes. Our children’s test scores have plummeted because of the lack of in-person learning, and tens of thousands of small businesses failed because they were forced to shut down due to unconstitutional orders in addition to the weaponization of the health department and licensing agencies. There seems to be a major partisan divide in Lansing. Is there hope that both sides can come together to create meaning­ ful change? How would you go about it? I am committed to advancing conservative policies and principles in Lansing. I advocate for limited government, lower taxes and fewer regulations to get our state back on track. What would you consider to be the most pressing issues facing Michigan residents right now? Economic disruptions from COVID have jacked up inflation and exposed weaknesses in many industries and government agencies. Continued support for businesses and indi­ viduals is needed to fully recover. We need forward-looking leadership from practical people; not fear mongering about schools and poisonous lies about the 2020 election, which only distract from real, long-term problems. The destruction of faith in our elections by liars like my opponent and Trump has created a real crisis that must be addressed aggres­ sively. Climate change is tearing up our long neglected infrastructure, both public and pri­ vate. Agriculture needs more workers and less scare mongering about the immigrant labor we need to rein in food costs. Farmers need practical, well funded programs to sup­ port climate adaptation and other conserva­ tion initiatives. more resources flowing toward helping those hurt in those days. We need to get the rest of the federal aid working and make sure to learn the lessons COVID is teaching to better prepare for such emergencies. There seems to be a major partisan divide in Lansing. Is there hope that both sides can come together to create meaning­ ful change? How would you go about it? I have worked locally across parties and know it’s possible. However, the current moment of Trump-ism cannot be ignored. Until the Republican party can embrace poli­ cy over personality, working together will be difficult. I live in a rural, red area. As a hunt­ er and farm owner, I have a lot in common with many Republicans and will try to find positive ways to work with them. (Note: Candidate did not respond to updat­ ed questions. The following are responses provide during the primary election) in their local schools and we need to allow more curriculum decisions to be made on the local level. - Reducing inflation: Stop the endless spending, reduce taxes and get people back to work. With the hot-button topic of abortion/ reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? I am proud to be endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan. As a mother of adopted chil­ dren, I plan on going to Lansing to safeguard life and make it easier for families to live and work in Michigan. DISTRICT 78 (Note: Candidate did not respond to updat­ ed questions. The following are responses provide during the primary election) If elected, how would you work to address those issues? Our short-term problems, like inflation, need direct relief such as child tax credit expansion. Electric cars that run on stable, USA-generated power could help solve our gas price problems long term. As a local con­ servation leader for over a decade, I am well positioned to serve the agriculture industry with a comprehensive climate adaptation plan. My top priority will be restoration of confidence in our election system. Barry County township clerks have been unfairly investigated by an out-of-control Sheriff Dar Leaf. These expensive, destructive investiga­ tions are driving good people out of office and weakening our democracy. Legislation and funding may be needed to restore confidence in voting. As the Martin Township clerk, Smit’s embrace of Trump’s Big Lie to secure his first endorsement in Michigan is a betrayal of her oath of office and drives madness like Leaf’s bogus inves­ tigation. . -x Rachelle Smit Current residence: Shelbyville Political party: Republican Occupation/professional experience: Business owner for the last 20 years. Previous elected offices held: Martin Township Clerk, 2016-present. In your opinion, what are the top three concerns/issues facing Michigan residents? Securing elections; Protecting parental rights in education; Reducing inflation. How do you propose addressing these challenges? - Securing elections: Mandate voter ID, clean up voter rolls and ban both third-party money involved in elections and ballot drop boxes. - Protecting parental rights in education: Parents should be able to be more involved Gina Johnsen Current residence: Lake Odessa, Ionia County Political party: Republicans Occupation/professional experience: Business woman, currently self-employed with independent life and health insurance agency. I have over 30 years of business experi­ ence, in various industries including financial services, insurance, education and healthcare. I have worked the entire lower peninsula of the State of Michigan at various times throughout the years. I am executive director of two non-profits serving the community: Michigan Capitol House of Prayer (12 years) and Pregnancy See CANDIDATES, page 8 What’s your asselSsifrent of the state of Michigan’s economy right now? Inflation is painful, but we still have strong employment. This mixed bag (and many other factors) will drive a year or more of difficult times. Putin’s war and significant crop damage around the globe point to more possible problems. We need to support fami­ lies directly and continue to get our small businesses back to their pre-COVID strength, not just more help for the powerful. Angela Rigas Current residence: Caledonia Political party: Republican Occupation: Small business owner What’s your assessment of the effective­ ness of the current leadership’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Mark Ludwig Current residence: Fennville Political party: Democrat Overall, Michigan did well, but there was a lot of damage done to businesses, govern­ ment, schools and people. I am pleased to see Lukasiewicz, Hatfield run for newlycreated seat on county board Jayson Bussa Editor The seven-person Barry County Board of Commissioners is adding an additional seat beginning next year, reserved for a candidate that will represent the City of Hastings. Currently, District 1, which is represented by longtime commissioner Hoot Gibson, cov­ ers Hastings and a large swath south of the city. The newly-minted District 8 seat will include the city alone. Former banking executive David Hatfield won the Republican nomination after defeat­ ing Charles Hertzler in August’s primary election. Now, Hatfield will face Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz, who formerly worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, for the seat. The Banner posed the same set of ques­ tions to these candidates in order to learn what they thought were the most pressing issues facing Barry County today. planning, board effectiveness, management development and public relations. Previous elected offices held: This is the first time that I have run for public office. However, I have been elected to numerous community and professional boards and fre­ quently to leadership positions on those boards. What are some of the most pressing issues facing the county right now? The first critical issue that the commission must address is the election of new leadership to replace the chairman and vice chairman, who are leaving the board. These positions must be filled with individuals who will build an effective team, lead thorough debate, resolve issues, maintain order and effectively communicate with the community. A number of significant issues then must be addressed including the jail, Commission on Aging, housing, parks and developing a plan for uti­ lization of county facilities and properties. Additionally, the current economic climate is likely to worsen and present a number of financial challenges for the county. As a rep­ resentative of the City of Hastings, I am also very interested in improving communication between the city and the county in order to enhance cooperation and seek efficiencies and economies. What are some of your ideas to resolve these pressing issues? David Hatfield Current residence: Hastings Occupation: Retired bank executive I continue to work as a consultant to small businesses and not-for-profit organizations, advising them on strategic planning, financial As a new commissioner, I have a great deal to learn about these - and other - issues before stating a position. To do otherwise would be disrespectful of my fellow com­ missioners, county administration and con­ stituents. I have always been respected for the thoughtfulness 1 bring to any discussion and I have a proven record of seeking timely reso­ lution and action. My pledge, if elected, is to work collaboratively but deliberately to address issues and improve our community. What experience do you have that you think will prove beneficial serving as a county commissioner? I believe that I am uniquely qualified to serve as a county commissioner representing the City of Hastings because of the knowl­ edge and relationships that I have gained through serving, often in leadership posi­ tions, on numerous boards and committees over the past several decades. These include Barry County United Way, Barry Community Foundation, Barry County Chamber of Commerce, Barry County Eco­ nomic Development Alliance, City of Hast­ ings Planning Commission, Barry County Workforce Development Committee and the Charlton Park and Village Foundation. This extensive volunteer experience compliments 40-plus years of senior management experi­ ence. Barry County seems quite split when it comes to the concept of election integrity. Do you believe any measures can be taken at the county level to address this issue? If so, then what? Election integrity is essential to the survival of our democracy and the restoration of civili­ ty and trust in a two-, or more, party system. The fundamental election rules are the respon­ sibility of our state and federal governments. Locally, we need to make sure that our elec­ tion officials are capable and diligent in over­ seeing elections and training and supervising election workers. We are currently blessed to have such individuals but recent events have shown that it is imperative to elect the best possible candidates to those positions. Chris Lukasiewicz* Current residence: Hastings Occupation: Retired supply systems analyst with U.S. Department of Defense, Battle Creek See HATFIELD, page 8 Local, long standing insurance agency is seeking a highly motivated, energetic, organized, team player looking for a career in the insurance industry. Requirements: • Minimum of 5 years office experience required • P&C insurance experience preferred but not required • Michigan P&C License preferred but not required • Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listening • Self-motivated • Ability to multi-task • Must be able to work as a team with fellow employees Benefits: • Compensation depending on experience • Paid vacation/sick/personal time after probationary period • Health insurance/disability/life insurance provided after probationary period • 401k contributions and matching after meet qualifying number of hours worked Resumes can be submitted via email to lindsey@colemanofhastings.com or mailed to PO Box 338, Hasting, MI 49058 ColEfnan Agency OF HASTINGS, INC. SINCE 1908 �Page 4 — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? Is ‘woke-ism’ creeping into our military? TRICK OR TREAT?! Another Halloween is in the books, and we asked readers to submit photos of their scary and creative costumes. This one caught our eye. Mason Slaughter (left) and Wyatt Bailey (right) of Hastings dressed up like Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, the main characters of the 1994 movie Dumb and Dumber. The movie, starring both Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, built a cult follow­ ing - and apparently that following spans across generations with and Slaughter and Bailey representing a new crop of fans. This duo even posed in front of their own version of the Mutt Cutts van, as depicted in the movie. Check out our upcoming issue of The Reminder io catch more Halloween sights from around Barry County. Do you remember? Baum Center for Health dedicated Banner Oct. 18, 2012 Earlene Baum cuts the ceremonial ribbon at the Baum Center for Health on Oct. 15. Pictured are (from left) Mike O’Mara, Scott McKeown, Janine Dalman, David Baum, Larry Baum, Earlene Baum, Maggie Coleman, Sheryl Lewis Blake, Dr. Peter Manning, Susan Price, Dr. Sanjay Dalal, Jim Wincek and Valerie Byrnes. Have you met? Aleshia Blauvelt was a teacher in Martin when she first stepped behind the camera to film a football game. She didn’t know it at the time, but that experience would land her a job in Barry County as the marketing director for the Chamber of Commerce. “That’s kind of what led me here, is Travis (Alden) saw my football video, and was look­ ing for that kind of thing for the chamber.” Blauvelt, who graduated in 2016 from Grand Valley State University with an ele­ mentary teaching degree, never imagined her career would take a turn towards vide­ ography. She’s been with the Chamber of Commerce since 2018 and said it’s been a welcome change. “I love the staff that we have here. They’re all so easy to get along with, and I feel like we have a really good dynamic in the office,” she said. “I just like being a part of the community. I’ve met a lot of people at all of our events.” The change in work environment from a classroom to the chamber office has been quite a shift, she said. “It’s quiet. I do like the quiet, it’s very different from a fifth grade classroom,” she joked. You might see her around town, camera in hand, at ribbon cuttings or other events held by the chamber. She finds taking event videos to be much more enjoyable than taking photos, preferring to be a documen­ tarian rather than a director. “I like that I can kind of stand in the background and capture the moment, as opposed to having to create the moment. It’s already there,” Blauvelt said. “It’s a lot more (work) on the editing end of things, but actually being there at the event, I feel like I can just kind of watch it all happen. Yeah, I absolutely enjoy it.” tin,” she said. “It’s been a fun season.” For documenting the goings-on of Barry County, Aleshia Blauvelt is this week’s Bright Light. What I do outside of work: I like to hike in the Yankee Springs area. I’m not an avid hiker, but any chance I get, I take my dog hiking. What I like to read: I like to read fic­ tion. I like science-fiction and fantasy. I wish I could get into nonfiction and read something a little more educational, but I just can’t. (I read) purely for pleasure. Favorite movie: I like “Pride and Preju­ dice,” the 2005 version. It’s a classic. It’s a feel-good movie and the whole cast is great in it. I really enjoyed that movie. I’ll watch it anytime I have a chance to. Throughout the country, Veterans Day observances will be held in the coming days to honor the many that were willing to serve to protect our way of life and to ensure our freedoms. Unlike Memorial Day, which commemo­ rates those who have lost their lives in ser­ vice, Veterans Day highlights the dedication of service members and their families. In November 1919, President Wilson pro­ claimed Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day stating, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the county’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations,” said Wilson. In 1954, Congress amended the 1938 act that made Armistice Day a holiday by strik­ ing the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans,” which was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 1, 1954. According to the U.S. Veterans Adminis­ tration, about 18 million veterans currently reside in the U.S., and over 75 percent are above the age of 65. Based on recent figures, 234 World War II veterans and members of the “Greatest Gen­ eration” die each day. Some 16 million Amer­ icans served their nation during World War II and, today, approximately 167,284 of those individuals to whom we owe our freedom remain. By 2036, it’s estimated that they’ll all be gone and with them will go the sights and sounds, the terrors and the triumphs, of one of the seminal events in world history. When the last World War II veteran departs on the final journey, another generation will assume the head of the line of honor. Though their missions may not have carried all the importance and glory of World War II, veter­ ans of the wars and conflicts fought in places such as Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan answered the call of their country with the same sense of "duty and commitfnent that will carty oh the Greatest Generation’s legacy of providing a shining example for all America. These men and women left their homes and families and put their careers on hold to answer their country’s call to service. That’s the paradigm by which we all should live and by which we all - military or not - should provide service to our communities through our churches, service clubs and our youth organizations. But as we celebrate another Veterans Day, I couldn’t help but wonder, though, about the future. As capably as we’ve been served, as fortu­ nate as we’ve been to have others stand and fight for our freedom, I worry about our growing lack of connection to our military and to Veterans Day itself. Especially when the U.S. military is facing the greatest recruit­ ing challenge in almost half a century, since the inception of the volunteer service. Now, Pentagon leaders are warning Con­ gress that all branches will miss their recruit­ ing goals putting our military in a dangerous situation. “This constitutes an unprecedented mis­ sion gap and is reason for concern,” said Stephanie Miller, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy. While all the military services struggle to attract recruits warned Miller, the Army’s hurdles in particular paint a troubling picture for Pentagon leaders. Despite reducing its recruiting goals, the largest military service is falling more than 10,000 soldiers short this year and is projecting a gap of a least 21,000 active-duty troops in 2023. With operations shifting to cyber, artificial intelligence, and hypersonic weapons - and China and Russia challenging U.S. leadership globally - the lack of qualified recruits could become a fundamental national security issue. Military services have had to contend with recruiting hurdles such as mental and physi­ Most beautiful place I’ve been: The Aleshia Blauvelt When she’s not filming chamber events, she’s filming weddings. She’s moving out of the busy summer wedding season, but she estimates she’s probably filmed about 25 weddings this year so far. One of those was her first destination wedding, which took her all the way to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. She hopes that it will be the first of many, and she said she’s already booked for another wedding in the United Kingdom. Although she keeps busy between her roles as a wedding and event videographer, she still finds time to film football in her hometown. Her husband Matt Blauvelt and his brother Brad Blauvelt both still coach the football team there. “Whenever I don’t have a wedding on a Friday, I’m on the sidelines filming Mar­ Amalfi Coast was definitely the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. It was really hard to get to, and we were in a rush because of the wedding. It was a nine hour flight; we had to ride trains and then an hour and a half drive... It was very stress­ ful. But once we got there and were able to enjoy it - it was stunning. It’s right on the coast, obviously. It’s all mountains, and it’s very old. You feel like you’re walking through history because you are. It’s unre­ al. I feel like I’ll never go to another place that beautiful. The Hastings BHHHC1* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs . Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. cal health posed by the coronavirus pandemic and a tight labor market. Yet, now the biggest threat to our current military is the weakening of its fabric by radical progressive or woke policies being imposed by the very leaders that are charged with ensuring their readiness. Military leaders are having to deal with the White House, Congress and the Pentagon who are showing little understanding of the purpose, character and traditions that make our military the superpower needed to com­ pete in the dangerous world that we face. This woke ideology undermines military readiness by emphasizing differences based on race, ethnicity and sex, which have no place in preparing our men and women to serve. Physical fitness has long been the hallmark of the U.S. military, but in recent years, fit­ ness standards have been watered down in the woke goal of “leveling the playing field” by lowering the standards to meet today’s expec­ tations. I joined the Air National Guard, a branch of the Air Force in 1970 when the training was all about ‘team work’ physical fitness and dedication to mission. The trainers told us that we must be physically fit to go into battle and to execute the mission - so we trained everyday for six months until we could pass their standards. Spending time and money and altering standards on woke programs is dangerous while the Chinese are outpacing us on hyper­ sonic weapons, quantum computing and other important military technologies. These ideological policies are putting our military preparedness in a vulnerable position, which distracts from the purpose of our military to preserve the security and freedom of our nation. Most Americans remain proud of our mili­ tary but the trust and support cannot be taken for granted. Especially when our military is being exploited for political purposes or being used for experiments with woke social policies that weaken our ability to maintain a strong and effective military. Recently, the Pew Research Center released a survey demonstrating public con­ cern for our military. The report indicated, “the share of Americans who say they have a great deal of confidence in the military to act in the public’s best interests has fallen 14 points, from 39 percent in November 2020 to 25 percent in the current survey.” The Ronald Reagan Institute conducted a survey recently and warned, “For the first time in our survey, a minority of Americans - only 45 percent - report having a great deal of trust and confidence in the military. Alarmingly, this is down 25 points in the last three years.” This is not just due to the Afghanistan debacle - the trend line was visible last win­ ter, as well. Pew attributed the erosion of trust to political polarization. For decades, the U.S. military defied the erosion of trust in institutions that hit other American institu­ tions. What has changed is that the military is no longer fully immune from these socie­ tal trends. Veterans Day is a call to duty being issued to all of us. Every Nov. 11, we commemorate the heroism and self-sacrifice of our military members, then we move on to our own daily distractions and pursuits. It’s time that we all answer that call to duty within our own fami­ lies and communities. The recognition of duty - to each other, country and community - that should be part of all of us and part of every Veterans Day. • NEWSROOM • Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — Page 5 During this election, let’s focus on what we have in common County board does the right thing...finally Letter to the editor After two years of enabling silence, it now seems suspicious that just days before an election, the Barry County Commissioners try to rein in Sheriff Dar Leaf’s dead-end, . taxpayer-funded, world-wide pursuit of voter conspiracy theories. Cowards all! With Leaf’s attention focused on Washing­ ton, Lansing, Antrim County and even Vene­ zuela, serious crime has gone up in Barry i County. Given today’s politically-charged environment, it was bold and risky for my wife, Chris Lukasiewicz, to campaign for county commissioner (8th District) with the promise that your tax dollars are used to fight REAL crime in the county instead of being diverted to chase conspiracy theories around the world. While I agree the commissioners finally did the right thing, it was hardly a Profiles in Courage moment. It took the fear of a female Democratic candidate willing to place herself at risk to force them to do their job. ' » I • Joe Lukasiewicz Hastings The language on Prop 3 leaves far too much gray area Letter to the editor: Just as two archeologists can examine dinosaur bones at an excavation site and come up with two totally different interpreta­ tions, I am finding the same with Michigan’s ballot proposals. We both read the same text and yet it appears there are strong interpreta­ tions both ways. The worst being Proposal 3; in short, this was an exercise in poor wording. “Every individual has a fundamental right to.” In a court of law, wouldn’t the father of ■ an unborn child be able to; claim that he fails into the category of every indi vidual? Being 50 percent thus invested, who’s to say that the father might claim fundamental right for abortion, while the mother claims fundamen­ tal right for childbirth? Then consider the acrobatics that lawyers will perform when two parts of the amend­ ment directly clash: On one hand, the state is allowed to regulate after fetal viability but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a patient’s ...mental health. Can you get any more vague than that? So the child is deemed viable at some point - say 35 weeks - but the medical profession­ al, who might be motivated by one lucrative procedure over another, deems that the patient’s mental health needs protecting. Have you ever experienced childbirth? Pain and stress go with the territory. But maybe the 15-year-old “individual” starts to panic about pain and thinking of trying to raise a child. In that case, a lawyer would argue the state can­ not step in. Another point: How about that individual right to sterilization? If the 12-year-old is confiding in the “qualified health profes­ sional” (i.e., the school nurse) and is too afraid to discuss it at home, under this pro­ posal, truly, what is to stop the boy from sterilization? I don’t feel comfortable think­ ing of this, let alone discussing it in a public forum. However, here it is, on a proposal to cast forever into the constitution. It makes one wonder if the wording was intentionally meant to be murky. I hope voters do better at excavating the truth at this site and leave the bones alone. David Olson Hastings Twp County prosecutor said what many of us are thinking To the editor: I want to commend Julie Nakfoor Pratt for her powerful presentation to the county com­ missioners last week. I have been dismayed by the assault on election integrity and the damage it is doing to our democracy. Her words conveyed my frustration and earned my admiration. She also emphasized the crit­ ical need for additional detective staffing to process the local cases that come before the Barry County courts. She laid out the complexities facing their departments succinctly and passionately. My husband’s caregiver and her son were eye witnesses to a murder in Barry County and they shared the horrors of that experience with us. We were so grateful for the compas­ sion, that Ms. Nakfoor.Pratt and .S>gtz,Maki provided during that difficult, trial. They offered professional and empathetic guidance and their support enabled the witnesses to deliver their testimony and bring the case to a successful conclusion She also made me realize that she and Sgt. Maki and other public servants must also deal with the after-effects of those traumatic events. I am grateful that they represent their constituency so well. They embody the cour­ age of their convictions and their willingness to stand up for what is honorable and right. I hope on Election Day, we will be inspired to do the same. Carol Mantle Hastings To the editor: A political sign I put up on M-37 between Middleville and Hastings was damaged with spray paint two times this last week. On both occasions, someone came onto personal property at night in order to deface the sign with spray paint. One of the messages sprayed across the sign was “red wave.” The trespasser wasn’t a kid, but an adult whose politics are different than mine. To this person I say this: our posi­ tions on policy may differ, but I bet we have a lot in common. We are on the same team as fellow citizens and residents of beautiful Barry County. Wouldn’t it be nice (and more constructive) if we could treat one another with kindness and respect? Susan Frahm Middleville Support the right candidates for Hastings Board of Education On our ballot in the upcoming election on Nov. 8, voters in our community are asked to make an important decision for two seats for the Hastings Area Schools. These individuals will be tasked with the important job of help­ ing make the best decisions for our local schools that affects the quality of education of our students in our community. Two peo­ ple that are the most qualified for this posi­ tion are Jennifer Eastman and Justin Peck. Both of these individuals have school-age children in our district currently and have demonstrated their desire in the past to serve and volunteer in our community in several capacities. Eastman has served on our school board for the past six years and is currently the board secretary. Not only has she served on the board, but she also has given of her time and talent in a number of ways from coach­ ing sports teams to working as a parent vol­ unteer. If not volunteering at school, you can often find her down passing out food at the Barry County United Way Fresh Food Initia­ tive. During her career, she has always advo­ cated for our youth and looked out for the best interests of fehfrtiren. Jennifer is a sea­ soned board member with the experience to make the right decisions for our students at Hastings. Peck has also demonstrated his leadership and willingness to serve our community in his involvement as a board member at the Barry County United Way or the YMCA Board. His volunteering as President of the Lions Club or involvement in the Hastings Education Enrich­ ment Foundations are just a few other exam­ ples of why he is a great candidate for the Hastings Area School Board. With young children at Northeastern elementary, he has been very involved with our school system in the past. His profession as a Realtor helps him connect with our community and gives him a man where he wanted to go, and he was given a ride back to his own residence on Hanover St. Mysterious bag of mail dropped off near Nashville A 30-year-old Nashville man called police around 10 p.m. on Oct. 16 from his residence on the 5000 block of Thomapple Lake Road after being given a bag of mail by his neighbor. The man’s neighbor said she had received it from another man, who dropped it off in a pick-up truck. The mys­ tery man told the woman he was looking for the 30-year-old man, as the bag of mail had showed up in his yard and some of the mail had his name on it. The mystery man told the woman he wanted nothing to do with the bag, as tampering with the mail is a federal offense. Upon further review, police found the bag contained nearly 30 pieces of mail from nine different address­ es; seven Nashville addresses and two Vermontville addresses. Police contacted residents of the nine addresses and turned over the mail. One piece of stolen mail, a package supposed to contain a pair of jeans, had been opened and its contents were missing. Some of the residents told police they had seen mailboxes on their street had been left open in the previous weeks. Police beat standing headline Man seeks help retrieving pants, shoes Police responded to a civil complaint around 9 a.m. on Oct. 21 at a Hastings residence on the 2000 block of Ottawa Trail. Upon arriving, they saw a 42-yearold Hastings man walking around the outside of the home. The man told police all he wanted was to retrieve his pants and shoes from the residence so he could leave. Police heard a 55-year-old woman from inside the garage who said, “Get that (expletive) out of here.” Police asked the woman if the man could have his clothes back and she told police no, as both arti­ cles were in the wash. Police asked the Drunk driver arrested after driving wrong way Police received a tip about a reckless driver just after 7 p.m. on Oct. 22 near Hast­ ings. The caller told police the vehicle was driving at greatly varying rates of speed and officers stopped a 54-year-old Highland Park man near the intersection of South Hanover and Center Street. When pulling over, the man’s vehicle jumped the curb and went onto the grass before correcting itself and returning to the shoulder of the road. The man told police he lives in Detroit and was coming from work. He told police he was working on M-6 Highway and is stay­ ing in Grand Rapids. When police asked him what he was doing in Hastings, the man became confused and said, “I have no idea where I am.” He then told police he had dropped off a friend in New Haven, but when police asked where that was he said he didn’t know. The man submitted to a breathalyzer test, which returned a blood alcohol content (BAC) reading of 0.2, which is far beyond the legal limit. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Nov. 3-10 Nov. 1-Dec. 31 - November Storywalk Book: “Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Ani­ mals Get Ready for Winter” by Laura Purdie Salas; illustrated by Claudine Gevry. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Nov. 1-30 - The Scientist’s Secret Puzzle: Puzzle Game on the Trails. Information is available at the south side of the Visitor Cen­ ter near the restrooms. The Puzzle Game is free and self-guided. Saturday, Nov. 5 - Learning the Land series: Cedar Swamp Stroll, 10 a.m. to noon. Institute members can register for the Cedar Swamp Stroll for free and non-mem­ bers for $5. Wednesday, Nov. 9 - Winter Bird Feeding Workshop, 6-8 p.m. Institute members can register for $15 and non-members for $20. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. great understanding of why it is so important to have good schools here in our community. Both of these candidates are the most qual­ ified to help us make tough decisions that often need to be made in public education. They will be the most responsible in manag­ ing our taxpayer’s resources to help create the best educational environment here at Hast­ ings. Strong schools make a strong communi­ ty. We owe it to our youth to provide them with the best possible educational opportuni­ ties and Eastman and Peck have demonstrat­ ed they are the right candidates for the job. Luke Haywood Hastings The pro-abortion crowd shows a lack of common sense A wise man once told me he valued the words of a less educated man with a high level of common sense over a man who claims to be highly educated but lacks com­ mon sense. We have become a highly educated, intelli­ gent, common sense-lacking society. I thought maybe dogs had more rights than humans, but it is legal to perform an abortion on a dog. However, most counties have ani­ mal shelters, and we do everything possible to find these animals a home. At least we allow them to be born and find them a good home and only as a last resort end their lives. With human life, we way too often choose to end the life without any attempt to find a good home. With the current ultrasound technology, we are able to see very clearly inside a mother’s womb. With any common sense, one can see without a doubt this is a developing, alive human being. Most abortions are performed on women in the 30- to 40-year range. By that time in their lives, common sense should be prevalent enough that abortion need not be a form of birth control. The most effective method to eliminate abortions would be to raise young men of courage and responsibility. The courage to say no, when the time arises, and knowing the responsibility of one’s actions. There is no honor in fathering several children with dif­ ferent partners if you do not take the financial and fatherly responsibility that comes with it. I cannot with good conscience vote for anyone in favor of taking the life of an inno­ cent unborn human being. I am glad my mom and yours chose life, aren’t you? James M. Partridge Hastings Charlton Park is a burden on taxpayers vote no on millage To the Editor: I am writing to voice my opposition to the proposal to support Charlton Park with tax­ payer money. The park was donated by a very generous man named Irving (Charlton) and was intend­ ed to be used for recreation freely by the citi­ zens of Barry County. It was never intended to become a financial burden for the community. If the ones who are promoting this tax would spend their time helping the park, they would volunteer to keep up the grounds and keep it clean. Never vote for tax increases! With the present administration in Lansing and Wash­ ington DC, you can plan on paying more taxes and many generations to come because of the waste in government. I think it is awful that a candidate for pub­ lic office has to be rich to even run for office and then the tables are turned and the public officials end up serving themselves instead of the people. We the people need to take back our gov­ ernment and not let the lies and deception go on. Furthermore, the controversy over the books in school is another example of how parents have turned over the schools to liber­ al, atheistic boards who care only about their high pay and pensions. God help America! Lili S. Cheney Hastings DRIVER POSITION OPENING BARRY COUNTY TRANSIT Barry County Transit is accepting applications for the position of Driver. A Class C CDL with a ‘P’ endorsement is required. A strong sense of community and people skills are required of the successful candidate. Driver’s hours are 37.5 per week. Wage scale is $14.75 to $17.53. Applications are available from the Transit Office or online at: www.barrycountytransit.com Barry County Transit 1216 W. State St. Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-948-8125 Barry County Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer in full compliance with all State and Federal Regulations. BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION HELP WANTED We are seeking qualified applicants with skill and experience to join our team, Local Government Agency has an excellent opportunity for a Mechanic looking to advance in their career. We are looking for an individual with 5+ years of experience preferred, a high school diploma, or GED. This is a full­ time position with a pay rate of up to $29.36/hour and a competitive benefits package. A valid Michigan Driver’s license, criminal background, and a pre­ employment drug screen are required. Responsibilities • Performs all necessary preventative maintenance, checks, and services on gas and diesel trucks and small and heavy equipment. • Installs special functional and structural parts in trucks and equipment. • Sets up and operates lathe, drill press, grinder, torch, welder, and other metalworking tools to make and repair parts. • Troubleshoot electrical (computerized diagnostics), hydraulic Benefits • • • • • • • • Health insurance 401K Paid vacation, sick & personal time Paid holidays Boot, clothing, eyeglass allowance Overtime opportunities Training opportunities when applicable Tools provided Applications can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office (phone (269) 945-3449) at 1725 W. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058 between 6 AM - 3:45 PM, or found on our website at www.barrycrc.org. You may email your completed application to bcasey@barrycrc.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. A complete job description will be provided at the time of application. The Barry County Road Commission is an equal-opportunity employer. �Page 6 — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Elsie Nora Sage Larry Joe Kornstadt, Sr. In addition to entertaining at Thornapple Manor, she played at Tender Care, Barry County Commission on Aging, Hastings HI Nooners, and provided music for the Kiwanis travel series. She provided music for weddings, even playing the old pump organ at Charleton Park. In August of this year, she donated a Stein­ way grand piano plus furnishings for the lounge in the new Harvest Pointe Assisted Living facil­ ity located on the campus at Thomapple Manor. She dedicated the piano and furnishings to those musicians who for dozens of years filled Thor­ napple Manor’s halls with the sound of music, and to future musicians who will continue to bring the magic of music to the Thomapple Manor community. She served on the Hastings High School Alum­ ni Board for over 70 years sending out invitations to her class. She was a member of the Barry Coun­ ty Historical Society and a member and an organ­ ist for the Hastings Chapter of the Eastern Star. She told many a story to anyone that would listen about growing up in the Depression and living through WWII. She was not one to com­ plain so when asked how she was doing would usually respond with an energetic, “I’m fine.”! And she was too. At the age of 98 she was still playing her piano. Her love of music and her volunteering spirit was passed on to her family. Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Keith Sage, January 27, 2013, and two brothers and two sisters. Surviving are her daughters, Cindy Winters (Rand), Lola Tyler, Joyce Sage, Jackie Barwin, and Janice Mascho (Doug).; grandchildren, Todd Sattler, Renae Sattler, Grace Marvin, Laura Potter, Rebecca Barwin and great grandsons, Kolby Sattler and Wyatt Sattler. A private witness burial was held Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, at the Hastings Township cemetery. Many people knew her and were touched by her music and stories. Please feel free to leave condolences, memories, or stories of Elsie on the Girrbach Funeral Home page at www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Elsie Nora (Edwards) Sage passed from this earth on October 24, 2022. She was bom in Coldwater MI on July 8,1924, to Melvin and Anna (Waldren) Edwards and moved to the Barry County area later that year. Elsie graduated with the Hastings High school class of 1942 and loved to follow the comings and goings of her classmates. She was one of the last members of her class to pass away. When asked, “What do you do if you are the last one?”, she would say, “I guess you shut off the lights.” She married her high school sweetheart Rus­ sell Keith Sage on New Year’s Day of 1944, and they were married for 69 years until his death in 2013. Her real passion was music, and she shared her gift of music for 45-years as a Thor­ napple Manor volunteer, entertaining residents with the piano, organ, and sometimes the accor­ dion. A regular contingent of Barry County area musicians was always on hand as she played the piano or organ for the Friday afternoon caval­ cade of song and merriment. It’s hard to say who had more fun- the residents or the musi­ cians! Traditional and Cremation Services Pre-Planning Services Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted * 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Ray Girrbach Owner Emeritus Family Owned and Operated Ownc r/ M a hager Larry Joe Kornstadt, Sr., age 84, of Hast­ ings, MI, passed away on October 30, 2022 surrounded by his family. He was born in Toledo, OH on May 26,1938, the son of Rob­ ert and Vera (Wraight) Kornstadt. Larry attended the Ohio School of Banking and Ohio University. Larry was the President and CEO of National Bank of Hastings. He was a member of the Downtown Develop­ ment Authority, past director of Pennock Hospital Ventures, member of the Pennock Hospital Board of Trustees, chairman of the Michigan Bankers Association Consumer Credit Committee, a Mason and a member of many civic organizations. Larry was also a Lt. with the Hastings Volunteer Fire Department. Larry was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Bob and Jim, and sisters, Jacqueline and Lily. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty Ruth Kornstadt; children, Kim (Tom) Alderson, Larry (Nelda) Kornstadt, Jr., and Jennifer (Mike) Westfall; seven grandchil­ dren and eight great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to Michigan Parkinson’s Foundation 30400 Telegraph Road, Suite 150, Bingham Farms, MI 48025. Special thanks to the staff at Spec­ trum Health Hospice for their care, comfort and compassion. There will be a private family gathering at a later date. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leavgtonline condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Michael Dale Beck Worship Together Daniel Lee Furrow, of Hastings, MI, passed away on November 1, 2022, at age 72. He was bom on January 17, 1950, in Hast­ ings, MI to Alfred and Viola (Klunder) Bent. He was adopted at 5 months by Marshall Dean and Mildred May (Wright) Furrow. He was reunited with his biological sibling in 2018. Daniel graduated from Hastings High School then Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, in 1974. He retired from the Commission on Aging as a driver in the Meals on Wheels program after 28 years. He played the piano and enjoyed entertaining with his music. He was a gifted artist and drew Wuzzy characters, would make hand­ made cards for everyone, and would form unique houses out of clay. Daniel was preceded in death by his par­ ents and brothers, Ronald Furrow, Gary Bent and Richard Bent. He is survived by sisters, Debra (Furrow) Echtinaw, and Marilyn (Bent) Kelly; brother, Greg Bent; niece, Julie (Echtinaw) Faunce; grandniece, Grace Faunce; grandnephew, Ryan Faunce and good friends, Linda Bristol, Pam Cease and Dawn Baldwin. Memorial contributions may be made to the Barry County Commission on Aging, Meals on Wheels Program. There will be a funeral service at 12 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at Girrbach Funer­ al Home 328 South Broadway Street, Hast­ ings, MI 49058 with a visitation two hours prior from 10: a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be a luncheon at the Commission on Aging fol­ lowing the interment at Fuller Cemetery. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. On the morning of October 25, 2022, our dear mother, Marshia Nadean Wheeler fin­ ished her earthly journey. She was 83. Marshia was born in Everett, WA, raised in Lodi, OH on a chicken farm, and in 1974, she, her husband and children moved to Mid­ dleville, MI, where she remained until she died in her home that she loved. Marshia and her husband, Tom Wheeler, were a devoted couple who always presented as a great team. That is how they lived—a team. They ran a business together, Wheeler Electronic Business Machines Inc. They loved to travel all over the United States, and spent many wonderful vacations in their RV. After Marshia lost her beloved Tom in 2006, she forged on. She continued to be a generous and supportive mother, sister and friend. Marshia was a member of the Middleville United Methodist Church for 47 years. She and Tom were active members and close to many other members of the congregation. Marshia is survived by her two children: son, Douglas Wheeler and his wife, Tammy Lewis Wheeler, and daughter, Christina Wheeler and her partner, Don Ross. Her six grandchildren: Sam Kendricks, Tom Kend­ ricks, Marshia Vaden, J.J. Vaden, Abby Wheeler and Thomas Wheeler, one great-grandchild: Alistair Kendricks. Marshia Fought a good fight and left peacefully. She will be missed. Those who love her take comfort in imagining her reunit­ ed with her love, Tom and her dear sister, Pat. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Marshia’s family. JLaiie, 6<teHa ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269­ 8, 945-9121. Email S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 805 4246 Pastor Father Stephan 4:30 Mass Philip. p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ Website: gmail.com. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH hastingsfreemethodist.com. Wheel­ Bertrand. Randall chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth www. Elaine Garlock activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Martha 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our Pastor. 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; social Wednesday, distancing. Aftermath Lead Moser, Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., p.m. (Children Kids Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. MI 49050. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 Olmstead. (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ for information. church School Youth Group; 6:30 CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Steve Pastor, (269) 758-3021 phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Children’s Ministry. Wednesday 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, 328 N. Worship Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, Worship &fraise contact 616-690-8609. This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hhastings Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produets 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 JWWDEWFW HotUDeTooIs&Equipment 1301 W. Green St Hastings 945-9541 Michael Dale Beck, of Hastings, passed away surrounded by his family and his pets on October 24, 2022, in Hastings, MI. Michael was bom November 6, 1964, in Battle Creek, the son of Richard and Ruth (Sherk) Beck. Michael graduated from Hast­ ings High School in 1984. He recently retired from Securitas Security. He loved all sports, hunting and fishing, and spending time with his family and friends. Michael was preceded in death by his father, Richard Beck; brother-in-law, Paul Danis, and all his aunts and uncles. He is survived by his mother, Ruth Beck; daughter, Kimberly Beck; sons, Maurice McIntyre, and Eli Beck; sister, Christine Danis; nephew, Cliffton Danis; nieces, Alli­ son Danis, Lilly (Justin) O’Neill, and several great nieces and nephews; cousin, Sandy (Sonya) Ryan and lifelong best friend, Bart James. There will be a private Celebration of Life at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Fresenius Kidney Care 1230 W State Street, Hastings, MI 49058. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave online condolences visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Darrell Carr Darrell “Butch” Carr, age 74, of Hastings, MI passed away on November 1, 2022 at Thomapple Manor. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home - Hastings. For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net Election Day is coming soon. Tuesday, Nov. 8 is the big day to cast your ballot and make your choices known. Later this month, Christmas ‘Round the Town is coming again on Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26. There are many stops with multiple dealers. Pleasant Valley Unit­ ed Brethren Church on M-50 west of Camp­ bell Township, the Fellowship Hall on Fourth Avenue, the Depot Museum on Emerson Street, Living Gospel Church in the northeastern section of the village, and probably others besides individual homes will all be stops. The community dinners at the Fellowship Hall on Fourth Avenue continue, sponsored by Zion Lutheran, Living Gospel, the Con­ gregational Church, Lakewood United Meth­ odist Church, and the host church, Central United Methodist Church. The food is pre­ pared by Swede’s in Mulliken. A vacant lot between First Street and the CSX railway on Fourth Avenue had a definite new look. Just weeks ago, it was covered with waist-high weeds and grass. Now it is level as if newly mowed. One day, an earth-moving tool was being used to move some soil and pieces of concrete blocks. This has led to a greatly-improved appearance. This was the site of the Smith Bros. Eleva­ tor for several decades. After its purchase by Caledonia Farmers’ Elevator, the buildings were no longer used and finally they were razed, which was a sight to behold. The pre­ cision the company used in removal of build­ ings was really entertaining to watch. It was also surprising to see what happened when the buildings finally collapsed. There was a huge cloud of dust which reached skyward and a flurry of rats quickly exiting the build­ ing. It may not take much to entertain the locals, but it was fun to watch from a safe vantage point nearby on a cold, windy day. This happened many years ago, but within the memory of many senior citizens. Tiffany Leigh Lilley, Nashville and Michael Allen Kidder, Delton Allison Jo Getty, Wayland and Tyler Den­ ton Stolicker, Wayland HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR NOV. 3-9 Thursday, Nov. 3 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1940 film starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothem and Humphrey Bogard, 5-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 - Friday Story Time, 10:30-11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7- Crafting Passions, 10 a.m.-l p.m.; Saxophone Day with Bob Hartig in the Teen Room, 3 p.m.; A Veteran’s Story: Family’s Search into James Dibble service, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 - Baby Cafe, 10 a.m.-noon; mahjong, 2:30; chess, 5:30 p.m.; write-in for NaNoWriMo writer’s group, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 -Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30 a.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263. . • » > . �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — Page 7 X* , fl look book at the stories and columns on local history v In the Hastlnos Banner // TURNING / BflGK THE L PAGES J> Joyce F. Weinbrecht Banner Oct. 23, 1997 Editor s note: The following series is taken from Joyce F. Weinbrecht’s longtime Banner column, “From Time to Time... ” Her history of Cloverdale ran in October of 1997. Cloverdale, located in Hope Township, Sections 20 and 21, was platted Oct. 29, 1887, as the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Sagi­ naw railroad was completed through the area. The name Cloverdale was first given to the post office at the settlement at Hope Center, 2.5 miles east to Cloverdale when a post office was applied for. The name was sug­ gested by E.B. Payne when mail service was started and the residents of the area met to choose a name. This post office was to be serviced by a carrier from Hastings en route to Cedar Creek, and would get mail three times a week. Tn the meantime, the C.K.&S. was build­ ing the railroad from Kalamazoo, intending to go north across Barry County and on north to Saginaw. The line would run through the valley, along the two lakes and on toward Shultz and Hastings. It made better sense to Howard Mosher, who was the postmaster and storekeeper at Hope Center, to move the store and the post office to a site near the railroad and the name Cloverdale came along with the move of the store and post office to the new site. This happened 33 years after Ansel Kings­ bury and his brother, Freeman Kingsbury, came from Battle Creek in January of 1854. They brought 57 acres of heavily timbered land, the north half of the southeast quarter of Section 20, (in) Hope Township. The land had been a federal grant to Alexander Buell of Kalamazoo in 1851 .■ Ansel Kingsbury built a saw mill near the shore of Long Lake, at the outlet of what is now called Cloberdale Lake, called “Wasebago” (meaning mud hole), or Mud Lake at that time. There was a head of 15 feet of water then, which furnished power for the vertical saw. He also built a blacksmith shop on the north bank of the mill race and made all of his own tools. This area was known as Kings­ bury’s Mills until 1887, when the C.K.&S. came and changed things. When the demand for sawed lumber grew less, Kingsbury converted the mill so he could grind feed and flour, using millstones. The next nearest grist mill was at Yorkville, which is on the southeast corner of Gull Lake, a long trip from Hope Township by horseback or on foot. When the head waters offered by Mud Lake lowered and there was not enough power to operate the mill, it was dismantled and stood vacant for many years. Ed Pennels eventually fitted it for living quar­ ters while he built the brick house west of the mill for Kingsbury. The Kingsbury men, Ansel and Freeman, were men of considerable ingenuity and abil­ ity. Ansel once built a tiny engine that would turn its wheels when one blew into a small pipe on the engine. Freeman sold his share of the mill property to Ansel in 1886 and he lived in the house just south of the outlet of Long Lake on Section 15. He was blind, but he still made wooden ox yokes and yokes for dogs. Rosette Kingsbury Chamberlain, his sister, lived with him for years. She smoked a clay pipe, a bit unusual for a lady. The first school was built of logs in 1855, west of the comer where the road leaves the lake shore on Section 20. This school had a “dunce block,” which was a section of log, with the bark peeled off. It stood on end in the front of the school room. Pupils were pun­ ished for minor offenses by being required to sit on the block. Church services and other community events were held in this log school building. A second school was built in 1883, north of the original school. This school was called the Sprague School, but was also known as “The School on the Hill.” It was built on a hilly site taken from the Sprague farm. In 1902 and 1903, a new brick school was built on the hill back of the business district. It was “state of the art” in school buildings. It was a two-room facility. It was considered a fine environment for learning. Maps that pulled down from their cases showed the students a vision of the world. There was a set of encyclopedias, available for reference, not a routine item found in country schools at that time. Eight grades, in compliance with the new state laws, met at the school and received classes in arithmetic, English, spelling and geography. Younger children were exposed to the learning of the older students. To enter high school, the students had to pass county examinations, which were given in the Barry County seat in Hastings. The school had a large coal burning fur­ nace located in the basement and had modern bathrooms added in the 1940s. There was a well with a pump located away from the building and water was pumped daily for drinking and flushing the inside toilets. The floor level of the school house was five feet above the ground level and there were a series of steps at the front of the build­ ing. The view from the steps was a great one. The> location oTthe*school house provided a natural sliding area during the winter. When the weather was right, the students could belly flop at the school steps, slide down the curving north driveway, wind past the Sayles’ house, toward the township hall, stopping at M-43, or crossing M-43 entering Guernsey Lake Road, cross the C.K.&S. railroad turn right and slide down to the swimming area on Long Lake. It was and extended and somewhat risky ride. M-43 was still a gravel surfaced road until after World War II and traffic was much lighter in those days. The children would simply listen for the sound of the cars, and either wait for them or go for it if it seemed to CLOVERDALE... the village of two lakes (Part I) be clear. It was a long walk back to the school on the top of the hill. The school played baseball on the impro­ vised diamond, and “jail tag” and other com­ petitive games. The annual Christmas program consisted of several plays, individual pieces and poems, memorized by the children. The program was held at the Cloverdale Evangelical Church on the Friday evening preceding Christmas. Gifts were exchanged and the children would be given a small sack of Christmas candy. Two of the teachers who taught at Clover­ dale school are still living (1997): Gladys Smith Chamberline and Marguerite McPharlin Stauffer. The school was consolidated with the Delton Kellogg School District in 1955-1956. In 1860, the census for Hope Township showed a population of 669. By 1870, Hope Township had grown to 1,143. On the 1873 plat map, Ansel Kingsbury is shown as pro­ prietor of a saw mill, willing to do all kinds of custom work. There was a wooded area between Long and Mud Lakes on the Kingsbury property, which was used for picnics and meetings. Following the Civil War and the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic, the mem­ bers of the Barry County G.A.R. Units held their encampments in Kingsbury Grove, starting around 1870. The Grove was leased by a preacher from Grand Rapids named John J. Ludwick in the 1890s and he built a cottage on the southwest shore of Long Lake. After Ansel Kingsbury’s death in 1897, he bought the property west of the village. He set up a large tenet in the orchard and held revival meetings there while the Meth­ odist Mission which he had promoted was being built. The new church had a very large bell, which weighed 1,700 pounds and had a beautiful tone which rang out over the lakes and the countryside. Charles Kingsbury, who worked for Mr. Ludwick, used the Kingsbury ingenuity in hoisting the big bell into its place in the tower. Mel Trotter came to Cloverdale from Grand Rapids to assist in the dedication of this church. The building fell into disuse in 1907. The bell was sold to a Kalamazoo church. In 1924, the Grove was platted. It was owned by Letitia Foster, who inherited it from John Ludwick. On the maps, it shows as the Igowilde Heights. On the 1913 plat map it is shown as belonging to Ludwick and Foster. The Evangelical Church was built in 1890 by the congregation, whwh-had been meeting in the Hope Center SchoblXiouse. It became the Evangelical United Brethren church when the denominations joined together. The church was struck by lightning and burned on July 11, 1972. The arrival of the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad in 1887 made many chang­ es in the area, which would become Clover­ dale. Howard Mosher built the first general store in the spring of 1887 across the road from the new railroad station. He moved his stock of goods from his store at Hope Center to the Cloverdale store. He installed a letter box in the new store and acted as the post­ master for the next four years. The Campbell brothers built a hardware store business in 1887. Dugal Campbell operated the hardware store and a farm implement business there for 32 years. In 1920, this store burned. Dugal Campbell’s daughter, Ella Campbell and her husband Bert McCallum, built a brick store on the site in 1923. There they had a grocery store and gas station until 1944. The second general store in Cloverdale was started by George Mosier of Prairieville in 1890 and later this store was bought by Arthur Patton, who was the ticket agent. After that store burned, Mr. Patton kept his stock in the depot until he could build a new large brick store with a residence included in 1905. He operated that store for around 25 years. Alex McLeod built a small building in 1887, to be used as a meat market. Grant Dickerson managed the market for several years. Later, the small building was used as a telephone office, a beauty shop, a novelty store and then the village post office. It was tom down in the 1950s. Cloverdale had a hotel built by Lyman Dayton around 1890. It was a few rods west of the railroad and a bit south of the road west between the lakes. Mr. Dayton had a horse and double buggy and would meet the trains, carrying passengers and their luggage to their destinations. A second hotel, a three-story building was up on lot 7, on the east side of the street. This was built in 1895 by Mark Chamberlain and sold to Mark Fox, who operated it as the Fox Hotel for around 18 years. It was eventually condemned and torn down. The blacksmith shop was operated by Jack McLain; Harvey Adams and Dugal McCul­ lum had a carpenter shop on the second floor of the building in 1897. Sunday school was held in the room over the blacksmith shop for a time. One of the early and major industries in the areas in addition to the saw and grist mills, was the making of bricks. David Bates, who was an uncle of Mrs. Ansel Kingsbury, start­ ed the first brick making business there. A few bricks were made form a spot of suitable clay. The Bates boys tramped out the mud and the bricks were made by hand at a time. There was another pocket of clay found near the west end of Long Lake on the Grant Dickerson property. A third kiln was located beside the railroad, back of the houses on the north side of the street. There was also a brickyard on the Sprague farm north of Long Lake and one at Shultz. George Hudson started a brick yard around 1876. It was northwest of Cloverdale, on Sec­ tion 14. The bricks from the brick yards, when air dried, were a brilliant shade and pretty shade and pretty shade of cherry red and are still easy to spot in the Cloverdale and surrounding area. The school house built in 1901 and 1902 was built from Cloverdale Brickyard bricks. Hudson sold the Cloverdale yard to the Zeeland Brick Company in 1906. This com­ pany moved farther east, locating the kiln back of the Evangelical Church and operated on a bigger scale, employing more men and installing machinery to carry the clay up to the mixer. After stamping, the bricks were lifted out two at a time and set on racks to dry in the open air before firing. Ed Pennels worked as the foreman for 20 years. A large deposit of clay kept this yard operating until 1914. After the Zeeland Company quit the yard, Ed Pennels and Mark Bates continued to make bricks until the clay was exhausted. Ferdinand Monica came from Germany in 1869 with his family. He was a skilled mason and built his own house of brick and many of the early brick buildings in the area. Sons Ed and Charlie built many of the older brick stores and residences in Hastings. (To be continued...) Methodist Mission, Cloverdale. The Campbell and McCallum Store. Plat map of Cloverdale, 1895. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber The A.E. Patton store, with the living quarters attached. New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 �Page 8 — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Larry Kornstadt, longtime banker and active citizen, dies at 84 Molly Macleod Copy Editor Hastings banker Larry Kornstadt passed away Sunday at the age of 84. Originally from Toledo, Ohio and moving to Hastings in February of 1970, Kornstadt started as an assistant vice president at the former National Bank of Hastings, which is now Huntington Bank. Working there for 27 years before his retirement in 1997, Kornstadt served in near­ ly every position at the National Bank of Hastings. Upon retiring from National Bank of Hastings, Kornstadt had served as the chairman, CEO and president of the bank, among other roles. Kornstadt was an active citizen in Hast­ ings, always striving to give back to his com­ munity. Despite being a Hastings transplant, Kornstadt quickly embraced the town and was a member of the Hastings Elks, Kiwanis, a Mason, a Hastings Lion, chairman of the Barry County United Way, an officer of the Hastings Educational Enrichment Founda­ tion, the first chairman of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and former director and member of the Pennock Hospital Board of Trustees, to name a few. Outside of Hastings, Kornstadt was active in the banking community, as well. He was a chairman of the Michigan Bankers Associa­ tion Consumer Committee. In addition to Komstadt’s many civic activities, he served as a lieutenant with the Hastings Volunteer Fire Department for a 5-year stint in the 1970s. While responding to a fire in 1973, Kornstadt was injured, suffer­ ing bums to his neck. While many would have considered leaving the Volunteer Fire Department after that, Kornstadt continued responding to calls for a few years after. Komstadt’s legacy is intertwined with his innovative strides in both banking and the City of Hastings. In a 1997 Reminder article celebrating Komstadt’s retirement from the bank, Rich­ ard Groos, a longtime member of National Bank of Hastings’ Board of Directors, said Kornstadt was crucial to the bank’s success in navigating a changing world “The best part about Larry’s coming to National Bank is that he was our first modern banker,” Groos said at the time. “He was just what we needed at that point to move us into the ’70s with all the gyrations that went on in the banking business during those years, and he really helped us position ourselves for the ’80s.” ft was well-known that Kornstadt truly cared about his community, and he showed it through his actions. Robert Sherwood, Kornstadt’s predecessor as National Bank of Hast­ ings’ president, said “Larry has also raised a fine family in Hastings and I know they appreciate the town and the town certainly appreciates them.” Kornstadt did not shy away from local pol­ itics and served for five years on the Hastings City Council, was mayor pro tern, and was the inaugural chair of the DDA for 10 years. While serving on the DDA project, Kornstadt was respected deeply for his leadership. Former Hastings Mayor Mary Lou Gray Hart said Kornstadt gave “leadership, guid­ ance and drive and above all - financial wis­ dom to all of us on that (DDA) board for all those years.” “Larry is an outstanding leader,” Gray Hart continued. “He is responsible for all the beau­ tification that you see downtown.” ft was Komstadt’s diplomatic approach, wisdom and leadership that helped establish National Bank of Hastings as a strong, inde­ pendent local bank and helped forge long business partnerships. “My company has been doing business with the former National Bank of Hastings for more than 80 years,” said J-Ad Graphics CEO Fred Jacobs. “Not only was he a profes­ sional in his trade - he really cared about his customers and it showed with his dedication to customer service.” Jacobs cited Komstadt’s unprecedented innovations in banking, many of which exem­ plified Komstadt’s local, caring approach. Kornstadt promoted many changes to bank­ ing to make it more accessible for local busi- Larry Kornstadt is remembered for his smile and sense of humor. Those that knew him remember his genuine charac­ ter and care. (File photo) ness owners. Under his leadership, he pro­ moted things like after-hour appointments for loans, opening on Saturdays and lowering costs on loans. Plus, said Jacobs, he under­ stood the importance of having locally-owned banking institutions. Though he was known around town for his leadership, sharp mind and financial knowl­ edge, he is also remembered for his sense of humor. After the Blizzard of ’78, city snow plow crews dumped snow in Komstadt’s drive­ way as a prank. The banks were closed due to the storm, but plow crews still had to work. Kornstadt is survived by his wife of 65 years, Betty, his children Kim, Larry Jr. and Jennifer, along with seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Larry Kornstadt was extremely active in the community, having been a member of dozens of local organizations. Here, he is seen cooking for a Kiwanis event in the 1980s. (File photo) -i BAR ASSOCIATION, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------- CANDIDATES, continued from page 3 -------------------------- - have a judge that has all of those attributes,” Tripp said. “He had common sense. He had an even temperament. He was hard working. He was respectful to everyone who came before him, and he would take the time to listen to everyone. On top of all of that, he had a sense of humor, too.” Dimmers was remembered as having a love for antiques and being welcoming to new members of.the bar association. Doherty remembered him as being collegial inside and outside of the courtroom. “He was the epitome of collegiality,” Doherty said. “In 16 years of knowing him, I never heard him raise his voice at another member of the bar, even when everybody was upset with each other.” As part of the ceremony, a plaque and three benches were dedicated to Goulooze, Dimmers and Holman. The benches dedicat­ ed to Dimmers and Goulooze were placed in the lawn surrounding the Barry County Cir­ cuit Court. Holman’s bench was placed on the golf course, where attorney Nathan Tagg said he spent much of his time. Caroline Dimmers, widow to David, could not be in attendance at the event because of a recent COVID-19 diagnosis. She sent a note to be read at the event thanking the bar for holding the event. “We have loved Hastings and Barry Coun­ ty, it’s been a great home and community for us. Dave loved music, he supported all music opportunities here,” the note read. “His bench will be under a beautiful maple tree for shade. We will sit there to enjoy Fridays at the Fountain musical offerings.” “Thank you for this wonderful idea of benches for resting and reflecting. I am so grateful to the bar for this gift honoring Dave,” the note concluded. Center of Eaton County. I have hired and managed staff, signed the front and back of checks, run board meetings, fundraised and successfully grown these and other organiza­ tions, for the purpose of improving each community and the State of Michigan. As a mother and community member, I have interfaced and worked with private schools, public schools and the homeschool community. I have taught, and am currently teaching, in the classroom. I have served in the state senate as a legis­ lative policy director, and for the past 20 years, as a “citizen lobbyist.” I have been active and have trained others to be engaged and effective to influence Lansing politics as regular citizens. With that experience, I am well aware of the Lansing political environ­ ment - the good, the bad and the ugly. I will not fall prey to their games. Kathy Holman thanked members of the bar for holding the ceremony to memorialize her husband Judge Gary Holman. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Three benches were dedicated to James Goulooze, David Dimmers and Judge Gary Holman as part of the ceremony. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) The 'r> Hastings .DANNER In your opinion, what are the top concerns/issues facing Michigan residents and how do you plan to address them? Michigan is in dire straits. Our small cities and local communities are facing difficult economic issues with inflation, interrupted supply chain and labor shortages. However, I believe we have the resources and the talent to solve Michigan’s problems and turn our state around and in the right direction. I would like to positively impact the fol­ lowing arenas in Michigan: farming, family business, education, and healthcare. Freedoms must be retained as well as parental choices and healthcare independence/autonomy. State farming regulations must assist the farmer instead of burdening them. Michigan must regu­ late in a practical way instead of destroying the farmer’s ability to conduct business and main­ tain basic function, with at least a modest profit margin. Our local food supply is at risk because of abusive state government policies. With the hot-button topic of abortion/ reproductive health being kicked back to the states to decide, what would you like to see Michigan do as far as crafting laws around this issue? As a pregnancy center director, I under­ stand the emotional and financial issues women face with unplanned pregnancies. I understand what it’s going to take by the . i community to support and bring forth life instead of “erasing” the burden we all can share together. There are many needs that we can meet as a community, and we see the successes in the pro-life world, pregnancy centers and church programs. I find it appall­ ing that the Governor would veto these kinds of programs that help mothers and theft unborn/newborn children. Her political hypocrisy is beyond words. She claims to support women and their choices, but refused to help women who make the choice for life. Regarding the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, I am eager t6 see Michigan protect women and their unborn children instead of supporting the multi-billion dollar abortion industry. For 49 years, we have endured deceitful rhetoric that denies womeh full disclosure of factual information, lying tb them and destroying life in the womb to make profits off of young women’s vulnerabilities. With the possibility of Michigan once again becoming a life-affirming state, pro-abortion­ ists are yet again lying to women about what aft abortion-free state would look like, and they are fear mongering and deceiving the publid. They continue to spread misinformation about contraception, life of the mother exceptions, and women’s healthcare. This disinformation campaign has to be identified and stopped. > Leah Groves Current residence: Lowell Political party: Democrat ‘ (Candidate did not respond to request fob input) [• • 8 Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: Shelbyville: Nashville: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Town & Country Trading Post Harding's The Dock Nashville Johnny's (M-43 North) Superette Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Family Fare Middleville Johnny's Delton: Family Fare Carl’s Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: Delton Johnny's Lake Odessa: The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Tom's Market Marathon Mega Bev Prairieville: Hastings Pharmacy Prairieville Fast Stop Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Cloverdale: MV Pharmacy Nashville C Store Lake-O-Express Banfield: Lake-O-Mart Banfield General Store Lake Odessa Johnny's Carl’s Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L&Js Cloverdale General Woodland: Woodland Express HATFIELD, continued from page 3 ------------------------------Previous elected offices held (if any): None - Not beholden to a political agenda. What are some of the most pressing issues facing the county right now? The rise in serious crimes in Barry County. Erosion of personal rights. Sustaining eco­ nomic development in the face of climate change. What are some of your ideas to resolve these pressing issues? 1. Direct the county sheriff to focus finan­ cial and personnel resources exclusively on Barry County crime enforcement, not divert taxpayer dollars chasing fabricated conspira­ cies around the state and country. 2. Ensure decisions related to county business protects the rights of all county citizens, particularly those of women who have come under attack recently. 3. Consider the environmental foot­ print of capital expenditures, economic devel­ opment and long-range county plans. What experience do you have that you think will prove beneficial serving as a county commissioner? I served on the executive committee (trea surer of one) of two statewide ballot commit­ tees attempting to cut the size of the state government, realign the judiciary by putting resources toward underserved courts, make the state government more efficient, and other logical reforms. Barry County seems quite split when i: comes to the concept of election integrity Do you believe any measures can be taker at the county level to address this issue? I ’ so, then what? Again, direct the county sheriff to focus or real crime, which has increased on his watch, and leave the concept of election integrity to those elected and entrusted to do so. I have the highest confidence in the integrity of the county clerk, township clerks, their suppor: staff and election volunteers to conduct fai • and accurate elections. *Editor’s note: No photo submittedfor thi candidate �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, November 3, 2022 Shults and Crews get through tough regional w Brett Bremer Sports Editor ■ Every step was precious as the late October <frost slowly melted at South Christian High 'School Saturday morning. } Hastings junior Riley Shults needed every ’strong stride he could muster to earn his first 'appearance in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Cross Country Finals. Shults secured the last of seven individual state i qualifying spots at Saturday’s regional while '.battling with West Michigan Aviation senior ■Jack DeVries over the final 500 meters. DeVries overtook Shults momentarily, but • then Shults surged to finish 21st overall in 17 •minutes 11.26 seconds. I “My coach [Steve Collins] told me about The two-mile, ‘hey, that guy,’ and I just knew sI needed to pass him,” Shults said. “That was ■the only thing getting me through. I just did •it. I knew I was either going to make it and I Jwas going to be happy, or I wasn’t going to ;make it and I was going to be happy.” J Shults put a lot of pressure on himself as a •sophomore to qualify for the state finals and was disappointed and frustrated by finishing .a little over ten seconds behind the last of the state qualifiers at his 2021 regional race. When people at school brought up the pos­ sibility of him qualifying for the state finals jthis fall he told them, “it comes down to the race of my life, and if it is going to happen, it is going to happen, and if it doesn’t then that is just what happened. I’m a junior. I have one more year. I can’t be worried about what’s to come.” The top three teams and all 15 regional medalists in both the boys’ and girls’ races Saturday qualify to compete in the state finals .at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn Nov. 5. The top seven individuals not on those three state qualifying teams also .secured spots at the state finals. In both the boys’ and girls’ races at South Christian Sat­ urday those top three teams were, in order, EastGrand Rapids, Forest Hills Eastern and •South Christian. • “He has worked hard all season,” Collins .said of Shults. “He is not much faster than he -was at the beginning of the season, because ,he worked hard during the summer time. He •kind of pushed it there at the end [of the regional race]. He kew he was close and went after that West Michigan Aviation kid.” • Collins said the new state qualifying crite-ria have made it much tougher to be sure of .what a runner needs to do mid-race to be among the state qualifiers. The former system had the top three teams and the top 15 medal­ lists, regardless of their teams’ qualifications, as the only state qualifiers. ■ Shults was seventh among the guys not on the three state qualifying teams Saturday. Thomapple Kellogg sophomore Ava Crews •secured her state finals spot, for the second .'year in a row, by placing 13th in the girls’ 'race. I “Today was definitely not a fast course,” •Shults said. “It was cold and slippery and it just felt like every single step I couldn’t take Tor granted. I had to push it and push it and ■push it, especially at the start. You see the East Grand Rapids guys and the Forest Hills ■Eastern guys, two of the best teams in the Estate just going at it and I’m in the middle just fitting there like ‘goodness!’ ■ Crews flew across the finish line with a left :leg coated in mud at the end of the girls’ race having slid to the ground while rounding a slick turn early on. She recovered to finish in 19:46.06. “Maybe only like one person passed me,” Crews said of her moment on the ground. “I just hoped this wasn’t the end for me. I knew I was [seeded] II^1 with all the PR’s and everything. I knew I couldn’t give up any­ thing, so I just pushed for the last two and a half miles.” Hastings junior Riley Shults runs down hill during the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional Meet hosted by South Christian Saturday. Shults placed 21st on the day, qualifying for the MHSAA L.P. Cross Country Championship for the first time. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Crews qualified for the state finals with a third place finish at regionals as a freshman last fall. She said the field was much tougher this time around with the East Grand Rapids and Forest Hills Eastern girls competing. She did her best to stick with Forest Hills Eastern senior Sarah Dixon early on, but eventually decided she couldn’t keep pace and set her sights on West Michigan Aviation junior Emma DeVries instead. Saxon sophomore Brandon Simmons fin­ ished in roughly the same spot that Shults did at regionals last year as a sophomore - close enough to a state qualifying finish that it will be there as a carrot to chase next fall. Sim­ mons was 32nd with a time of 17:30.10 in the boys’ race Saturday. The Hastings boys were seventh on the day as a team. Thomapple Kellogg’s boys were 12th and the Lakewood boys 16th. Saxon junior Reuben Solmes was 39^ in 17:49.93. Hastings also had sophomore Micah Johnson 52nc^ in 18:30.56, junior Jonah Teed 55^ in 18:31.81, senior Alexan­ der Stewart 61st in 18:45.74 and junior Cole Greenfield 94th in 20:42.52. East Grand Rapids took the boys’ regional title with 38 points, ahead of Forest Hills Eastern 46, South Christian 114, Harper Creek 121, Wayland 132, Marshall 168, Hast­ ings 199, Gull Lake 217, Ionia 229 and West Michigan Aviation 265 in the top ten. TK finished wth 365 points and Lakewood 435. Junior Lucas Van Meter led the TK boys with a 40th-place time of 17:51.53. Like Crews, he also slid down early on in the race. The Lakewood pack was paced by senior Ryan Alford who was 66th in 18:59.18. Thomapple Kellogg junior Kaden Ham­ ming and sophomore Hunter Tietz both set new personal records, a fairly rare feat on the day. Hamming was 71st in 19:04.91 and Tietz 77th in 19:37.77. “[Hamming] has been working hard this year, putting in good times and being a leader Hastings sophomore Brandon Simmons sprints to the finish line at the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional at South Christian Saturday morning. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Saxon sophomore Anika Bourassa climbs a short steep hill during the open­ ing mile of the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional hosted by South Christian Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lakewood senior Emma Tidd makes her way through the pack during the first mile of the MHSAA Division 2 Regional hosted by South Christian Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) on this team,” Tk boys’ coach Josh Reynolds said. “He is stepping into that junior role, which is important, putting a little bit of the weight of the team on his shoulders and just getting better at goal-setting. Just getting bet­ ter at plotting out a course of where you want to be at certain times of a race. Having those smaller goals when they’re racing is import­ ant when they step in from that sophomore year to that junior year.” “Hunter ran great today too.” Lakewood got two personal record times in the boys’ race too. Senior Matt Cronk was 85*h in 20:12.52 and freshman Charles Heiss 95th in 20:43.29. The Viking team also had sophomore Riley Johnson 91st in 20:33.16 and sophomore Hudson Goethals 98^ in 21:35.03 among its top five. Rounding out the top five for the TK boys were freshman Mark Gielincki who was 87^ in 20:13.43 and senior Dylan Church who was 90*h in 20:24.17. Forest Hills Eastern senior Aiden Sullivan won the boys’ race in 16:00.99. Junior Drew Muller from East Grand Rapids won the girls’ race in 18:52.45. The Thomapple Kellogg girls were eighth and the Lakewood girls 13th in a field of 14 full teams. Hastings had two girls competing. East Grand Rapids won the girls’ champi­ onship with just 29 points, ahead of Forest Hills Eastern 49, South Christian 83, West Michigan Aviation 111, Marshall 184, Harper Creek 199, Hopkins 205, Thomapple Kellogg 230, Wayland 235 and Gull Lake 249 in the top ten. The Lakewood girls finished the meet with 342 points. Sophomore Brooklynn Strickland led the Hastings girls’ team with a personal record time of 32:14.06 that put her in 97th place. Sophomore Anika Bourassa was 99^ overall for the Saxons in 33:14.87. Coach Collins said he is really proud of his girls this fall for all their efforts in represent­ ing themselves, their school and their com­ munity. He is looking forward to adding a few more girls to the program next fall. Senior Lindsey Velting was TK’s number two with a time of 22:30.38. Freshman Mad­ ison Kietzman was 52n<^ in 22:35.90 for the Trojans. Emma Thompson ran the fastest race of her senior season to place 56^ in 22”48.84. The TK team had senior Lucy VanDemark in its number five spot with a 62nd-place time of23:01.54. Freshman Emma Tidd led Lakewood with a 55th-place time of 22:46.94. Senior Emma Lancaster improved her PR to 23:21.43 to place 65™ for the Vikings. Senior teammate Sadie Brearley was right behind with a 66th-place time of 23:25.66. The Vikings also had junior Claire Fortier 79^ in 24:56.77 and senior Gabby Rosen­ berger 82nd in 25:06.32 among their top five scorers. The Trojans, Saxons and Vikings all got the chance to run one last time Monday at the Barry County Championship in Mid­ dleville, and Teed and Crews will compete in the state finals Saturday in Brooklyn. The Division 2 boys’ race is set to take off at 1:30 p.m. and the Division 2 girls’ race is scheduled for 2:50 p.m. Awards will be handed out to the top teams and top 30 med­ alists in Division 2 and Division 1 begin­ ning at 4 p.m. Crews is looking forward to using the experience she gained at MIS last fall this time around, especially during the hectic first 800 meters of the race. Shults has been to the state finals previously as a spectator, and coach Collins will do what he can to get him prepared. “It is a mad dash in that first 800 until you get out and then you just have to hang on,” Collins said. “Then, when you come back into the stadium ... it is not a high school track. [It is a NASCAR track.] We’ll try to go out to the fairgrounds. I take them out to the horse track and once around the horse track is like you are in the stadium. That is how big this is, to kind of get that mental picture of the immensity of that final turn.” DK/TK/HHS girls race to victory over Charlotte at CERC The Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings varsity girls’ swimming and diving team too the first place points in ten of the 12 events and closed the season of duals with a 76-63 win over visiting non-conference foe Charlotte in Hastings Thursday, Oct. 27. Senior Preslee Hall and junior Sophia Marcukaitis won two individual races each for the DK/TK/HHS team. Hall took the 100yard butterfly in 1 minute 6.6 seconds and the 50-yard freestyle in 27.49 seconds. Marcu­ kaitis won the 200-yard freestyle in 2:04.13 and the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:14.34. That pair also teamed with senior Cadence VanOoy and junior Holly Carpen­ ter to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:50.64. The DK/TK/HHS girls won two relay races. The team of junior Bella Morey, senior Erin Daniels, senior Erin Kapteyn and senior Abby Gaskill took the 200-yard medley relay in 2:22.61. VanOoy was the 200-yard individual medley champ in 2:45.27. Carpenter won the 100-yard freestyle in 1:00.11. Sopho­ more Aubrey Hawks won the 100-yard backstroke for DK/TK/HHS in 1:11.29. Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Ava Crews strides along the course at South Christian High School Saturday during the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional Meet. Crews qualified for the state finals for the second time with a medal-winning, 13th-place finish. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Abby Dumond, a sophomore, took the diving competition for DK/TK/HHS with a score of 207.70 points. The DK/TK/HHS girls had a number of outstanding times in exhibition races that didn’t contribute to the final team score, including a 400-yard medley relay time of 4:16.40 from Hall, Carpenter, VanOoy and Marcukaitis that was the fastest of the night in that race. The DK/KT/HHS girls have had the week to prep for the Nov. 5-6 OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet which they will host at the CERC in Hastings this weekend. �Page 10 — Thursday, November 3, 2022 —The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on November 17, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Barbara Fleser, an unmarried woman and Steve Savoy, an married man Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): FLAGSTAR BANK, FSB Date of Mortgage: December 21, 2018 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 2, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $160,318.27 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Charter Township of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Northeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 34, Town 3 North, Range 8 West, Hastings Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 1265.00 feet along the East 1/8 line to said Section 34 to the true place of beginning; thence South 220.00 feet along said East 1/8 line; thence West 242.00 feet at right angles; thence North 220.00 feet; thence East 242.00 feet to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 3780 McKeown Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-9142 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 13, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 f (248)642-2515 1478535 (10-13)(11-03) 189150 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on December 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christina D Huffman, an unmarried woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: November 4, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 6, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $94,521.74 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 1/2 of Lots 1105 and 1106, Village (now City) of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, filed in Liber A, Page 1, records of Barry County, State of Michigan. Common street address (if any): 730 S Jefferson St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2238 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: October 20, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1479029 (10-20)(11-10) NOTICE VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANT TO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including, attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (10-20)(11-24) 189718 189556 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 (269) 948-8265 Avoid becoming ‘burden’ on grown children Here’s an interesting sta­ tistic: Some 72% of retirees say one of their biggest fears is becoming a burden on their families, according to a 2021 survey by Age Wave and Ed­ ward Jones. Both before and during retirement, what steps can you take to avoid bur­ dening your loved ones in the future? Here are a few suggestions: • Build your retirement savings. The greater your financial resources, the less likely it becomes that you’d ever have to count on your grown children for financial support. You may have access to a 401(k) or similar retire­ ment plan at work, so take advantage of it. Even with an employer-sponsored plan, you also may be eligible to contribute to an IRA. In ad­ dition to offering a variety of investment options, a 401(k) and IRA provide potential tax advantages. And once you do retire, be careful about how much you withdraw each year from your retirement plans and other investments. • Planfor health care costs. Once you are retired, health care costs will be a signifi­ cant expense. You may have Medicare, but you’ll also want to consider your need for supplemental health insur­ ance to cover traditional med­ ical costs. And you’ll want to consider another potential health-related expense: long­ term care. You may never need the services of a home health aide or a stay in a nurs­ ing home, but no one can pre­ dict the future. Medicare does not cov­ er most costs for long-term care, which can be quite high. In 2021, the annual nation­ al median cost for a private room in a nursing home was over $108,000, while the median cost for a full-time home health aide was near­ ly $62,000, according to a survey by Genworth, an in­ surance company. You may want to consult with a finan­ cial professional on strategies for protecting yourself from these costs. • Create necessary legal documents. If something were to happen to you, and you didn’t have the appropri­ ate legal documents in place, your loved ones could be placed in a bind, both finan­ cially and emotionally. That’s why it’s a good idea to create documents such as a durable financial power of attorney, which lets you name some­ one to manage your finances if you became incapacitated, and a durable power of attor­ ney for health care, which al­ lows someone to make med­ ical decisions on your behalfJ if you can’t make them your- j self. You’ll want to work with ■ a legal professional to devel- j op the documents appropriate » for your needs. • Evaluate your housing * needs. As you enter retire- ; ment, you may want to eval- | uate your living situation, j Could you downsize to a i smaller home, or perhaps a 1 condominium or apartment? । Not only might you save ' money with such a move, but-1 you could also end up reliev­ ing your grown children of • the responsibilities and has- • sles involved in clearing out and selling your home should you become unable to do so yourself during the later years of your retirement. '• By taking these measures, along with others, you can go? a long way toward maintain- ■’ ing your independence and 1 putting yourself in a place where you won’t burden your grown children. And that’s a good place to be. •' . i This article was written by'1 Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Finan- C cial Advisor. T Eadward Jones, Member '1 SIPC I Panthers no match for Eagles in Division 7 football pre-district: Brett Bremer Sports Editor Torren Mapes returned a Schoolcraft kick-ff 84 yards for a touchdown to score the only points for the Delton Kellogg var­ sity football team in its 49-6 loss to the Eagles in the opening round of the MHSAA Division Division 7 state tournament Friday. It was the second win of the season for Schoolcraft over the Panthers, as it also won their Southwestern Athletic Conference Val­ ley Division match-up in Delton two weeks prior. Delton Kellogg head coach Ryan Bates said it was something of a rough end to the season. The Panthers had to pilfer the JV roster to be able to compete in the final three weeks of the season. The Eagles are the ones who will have their hands full this week as they take on the SAC Valley champions from Lawton in the MHSAA Division 7 District Final. Lawton scored a 49-14 win in its regular season match-up with the Eagles. Schoolcraft quarterback Tagg Gott passed for two touchdowns and ran for another in the pre-district win over the Panthers and junior running back Isaac Noora rushed for three touchdowns including a 75-yarder on the opening play of the ballgame. Senior back Brody Hofstra tacked on a fourth quarter touchdown for the Eagles in the end. Lakewood postseason starts with victory over Eaton Rapids Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity volleyball team was at a November state of preparedness on the final night of October. The Vikings, ranked fourth in the state in Division 2 to open the MHSAA postseason, scored a 25-15, 25-16, 25-16 win over Eaton Rapids in their Division 2 District opener at Charlotte High School Monday, Oct. 31. Lakewood was scheduled to return to Charlotte Wednesday night, Nov. 2, to take on Hastings in the district semifinals. Olivet and Charlotte were slated to meet in the first of two district semifinal matches in the dome in Charlotte last night. The district final is scheduled for 6 p.m. this evening, Nov. 3. The district champion advances to next week’s regional tourna­ ment hosted by Williamston. The Vikings closed their postseason prep playing in competitive matches at Caledonia last Thursday and Chelsea Saturday. The Vikings and Caledonia Fighting Scots were both missing a big piece in the middle Thursday evening as they squared off at the end of the Scots’ varsity volleyball quad in Caledonia. The Fighting Scots finished off a per­ fect 3-0 evening by knocking off the Vikings 25-22, 25-23 after both teams took two-set victories over Mattawan and Harper Creek. Both teams will start the state postseason Monday. Caledonia took a 25-15, 25-16, 25-10 win over Thomap­ ple Kellogg in its MHSAA Division 1 District opener in Caledonia Monday. The Caledonia girls were among those listed in the honorable mention ranks in Divi­ sion 1 in the final week of the regular season. The Eagles led 21 -6 at the end of the first quarter, building a 20-0 lead on Noora’s 75-yard and 22-yard touchdown runs. Gott also tossed a five-yard touchdown pass to Kolby Lloyd for the Eagles’ other fourth quarter touchdown. The Panthers turned the ball over twice in the second quarter. The Eagles added a fiveyard touchdown run by Noora, a 3 3-yard touchdown pass from Gott to Andrew Tay­ lor and a five-yard TD run by Gott before Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554' H For Rent 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. No smoking. Includes internet. $1275/mo. (elec­ tric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). Or purchase for $350,000. 269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. MOBILE HOME, 2 Bedroom, 1 bath, country setting minutes from Middleville & Hastings. $750.00. Heat & hot water & stove- propane. No smoking or pets. 269-953-4128. B11 sin ess Services Panthers and Lions improve times at their D3 regional TREE SERVICE- MICHIGAN Tree Fellers LLC, licensed and insured. Call for free quotes. 269-838-1782. BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg senior Gage Vincent was a little over half a minute behind the last of the state qualifiers from the MHSAA L.P. Divi­ sion 3 Regional Meet hosted by Allendale Saturday. That was as close as any of the local run­ ners from Delton Kellogg or Maple Valley came to qualifying for this weekend's state finals at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn. The Panthers and Lions certainly pushed for the chance though. Four guys and one girl from both Delton Kellogg and Maple Valley ran their fastest races of the season Saturday. The Delton Kellogg boys' team that placed eighth in the day's final standings got person­ al record times from sophomore Than Rim­ mer, senior Micah Martin, senior Brett Harsevoort and junior Rhys Bedford. Maple Valley junior James Penny set his PR too. Rimmer wasn't too far behind Vincent, placing 36thin 18:04.34. Martin was 37thin 18:10.07. Harsevoort hit the finish line 41stin 18:29.90. The top five for Delton Kellogg also included senior Isaac Shepard who was 52ndin 18:54.19. Senior Adam Blakely led the Maple Valley boys' team, which didn't have the five runners needed to earn a team score. Blakely placed 84thin 22:51.66. Penny improved his PR to place 87thin 23:28.07. The Maple Valley team also had junior Robert Laws 88thin 25: 11.93. Senior Joelle White was the Delton Kellogg girls' leader. She placed 30thin 22:10.64. The Panther team got personal record times from sophomore Johannah Houtkooper, junior Lil­ lian Lester, senior Allie Trantham and a sea­ son-best time from sophomore Lillie Steele. Houtkooper was the Panthers' number two with a 43rd-place time of 22:55.70. The Pan­ ther team had sophomore Kylie Main 66thin 24:56.38, Lester 72ndin 26:03.49 and junior Maysse Wiessner 78thin 27:14.81. Steele was right behind Wiessner in 79thwith a time of 27:17.97. Junior Lilly Faurot led the Maple Valley girls' team with a 39th-place time of22:47.65. The Lions had four finishers Saturday. Junior Mackenzie Decker was 75thin 26: 44.03, sophomore Brianna Gurd 86thin a season-best time of 33:55.67 and freshman Ada Marie Blakely 87thin 36:16.75. The top three teams earned spots in Satur­ day's MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Cross Country Championship as well as all of the top 15 medalists. The top seven runners not on the three state qualifying teams were all also guaranteed a spot in the finals, though in Allendale Saturday all of the individual state qualifiers were among the 15 medalists in the boys' and girls' races. Central Montcalm won the girls' title with 65 points, ahead of Muskegon Western Mich­ igan Christian 76, Kent City 99, Covenant Christian 106, West Catholic 125, Calvin Christian 154, Saranac 164, NorthPointe Christian 209, Holland Black River 220, Montague 264, Delton Kellogg 279 and Ravenna 314. Kent City sophomore Lila Volkers was the individual regional champ on the girls' side with a personal record run of 18:03.09. Cen­ tral Montcalm sophomore Kyah Hoffman placed second in a personal record time of 18:17.36. Covenant Christian won the boys' regional championship with 72 points, ahead of Sara­ nac 88, Central Montcalm 90, North Muskeg­ on 123, Western Michigan Christian 139, Calvin Christian 154, Kent City 180, Delton Kellogg 194, Holland Black River 199, Mon­ tague 229, West Catholic 25 8 and Ravenna 290. Calvin Christian senior Nathan Jenkins improved his PR to 15:55.36 in winning the individual regional title. the half was up. ■■ Delton Kellogg put together a steady drive into Eagle territory to open the second" half, but an interception by the Eagles helped them keep the Panther offense off the scoreboard for the night. Delton Kellogg ends the season with a 4-6 overall record. J The Eagles improved to 7-3 with the vic­ tory. Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. LEAF CLEAN UP. Free estimates. Scott Hes- terly 269-908-3232. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING October 12, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. PUREBRED MOUNTAIN CUR Puppies for sale- Great colors, will stay small. 1st shots and wormed. $100.00 269-223-9194. Help Wanted ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT- WALKER, Fluke & Sheldon, PLC a local CPA firm, is seek­ ing an Administrative Assistant, must have 1-3 years administrative office experience and be comfortable using MS Office software package. Excellent customer service skills, the ability to multi-task, attention to detail, and operate a multi-line telephone system are required. Competitive salary with benefits package. Send Cover letter and resume to ksheldon@sfscpas. com or fax to 269-945-4890. ' GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental in­ surance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Ina, 396 Main St. Sunfield, MI. 1 t PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Allegiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Graham, Watson, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion to accept Ordinance 2022-184 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Adjournment 7:49 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor Pets 190407 All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — Page 11 Saxons win playoff opener for third straight year The Hastings varsity football team rushes to celebrate with its fans after a 40-7 win over Vicksburg in the MHSAA Division 4 « Pre-District game inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings Friday night. The Saxons are now set to host Charlotte in the I MHSAA Division 4 District Final this Friday, Nov. 4. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor ' Linebacker Jack Kensington saw the । wedge form perfectly from the sideline. i Quarterback Owen Carroll, getting last I second instruction from coordinator Pat ColtJ son on the sideline, heard the crowd roar and 'turned his head to the field. > Layton Eastman had done all the blocking ■ he needed to, and his arms were raised in ; celebration before Robby Slaughter was even ;at the Saxons’ 35-yard-line. ; Slaughter returned the opening kick-off ■ from the Saxon 10-yard-line through the wide I hole created by his blockers up the middle, land then along the Vicksburg sideline 90 ; yards for a touchdown. Carroll, the Saxons’ junior QB, tossed the two-point pass to team•mate Haiden Simmet. < Just 12 seconds into the bailgame, the Sax< ons had all the points they needed. The Hast­ ings varsity football team opened the MHSAA ^Division 4 Playoffs with a 40-7 win over the visiting Vicksburg Bulldogs. “The special teams coming out of the gate like that was a huge boost,” Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy said. “Obviously, that is stuff we work on every week and to see it pay off like that at the beginning of the game was just kind of swung the tide our way early.” Vicksburg did answer that score with a 5 5-yard TD run by senior running back XavieTWadley to get within 8-7, but Wadley’s big gainer ohr-a fourth-and-one run from near .midfield was the last big play the Saxon defense would allow. The Bulldogs squibbed the ensuing kick­ off to keep it away from Slaughter, and then paid special attention to the senior fullback in the Saxon backfield. With their eyes focused on Slaughter coming through the middle they were slow to see Carroll doing something Saxon quarterbacks have rarely done in the past two decades - passing the ball from side­ line to sideline on the regular. Carroll was 6-of-8 passing for 111 yards and a touchdown in the bailgame. He threw four passes in the opening quar­ ter with his team in the lead including a 12-yard touchdown to Lanny Teunessen that put their team up 14-7 with three minutes to go in the first. The play before, Carroll lofted <a high pass down the right side for teammate Sett Barnum that he pulled in for a 25-yard reception. That pass was a jump ball in ■which Barnum just beat the Bulldog defense to the football. » Barnum was also the last player to catch a .pass in the ballgame - intercepting Bulldog .quarterback Caden Bowling with 2:14 to go in the fourth quarter to cap off the win. That 'was the only turnover of the contest. 3 The Saxons will host Charlotte Friday, Nov. 4, in an MHSAA Division 4 District Final. The Orioles knocked off Chelsea 17-15 in their pre-district ballgame last Fri­ day in Charlotte. The Saxons and Orioles are both 9-1 on the season. Vicksburg ends the season at 5-5. ’ The Saxon defense got after the Vicksburg quarterback, Bowling, in the backfield all evening Friday. Hastings focused on stop­ ping the Vicksburg passing game, coach ‘Murphy said, while knowing its rush defense would be able to get the job done. After the six-play, 83-yard drive to start the game by the Bulldogs, the Saxons only allowed three more first downs in the first half and one of those came on the final play of the half near midfield. Kensington said stuffing the run early on was big for the Saxon defense. He thought it took some wind out of the Bulldogs’ sails. “We’re all trusting each other out there,” Kensington said. “We know if someone miss­ es the tackle someone else is going to be right there to get it - get all the bodies on the ball.” Coach Murphy and Kensington said, as per usual, the rush defense was powered by junior linemen Diego Coipel and senior Zan­ der Forbes. They took care of the point of attack, allowing Kensington and his team­ mates good looks at oncoming ballcarriers when they weren’t making the tackles them­ selves. Murphy said Kensington is seeing things really well right now. Eastman and Kensington led the Saxon defense with four tackles each. Landon Stew­ ard had 3.5 tackles and Simmet and Teunes­ sen had three each. I Hastings sophomore running back Isaiah Wilson tries to outrun Vicksburg senior linebacker Grant Anderson around the right side during their MHSAA Division 4 Pre­ District match-up in Hastings Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings senior Robby Slaughter returns the opening kick-off for a touchdown Friday night against Vicksburg during the teams' MHSAA Division 4 Pre-District con­ test inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Bulldogs’ second possession of the game ended in a punt and their third ended with the Saxon defense stuffing a Wadley rush on fourth-and-one from the Bulldogs’ own 34-yard-line. Having the short field ahead, the Saxon offense quickly added to its lead. Carroll heaved another pass up for Barnum, which he came down with while flanked by two defenders, on a fourth-and-6 play for a 27-yard gain to the Bulldog three-yard-line. Senior back Lanny Teunessen rushed into the end zone on the next play to put the Saxons up 20-7. Carroll scored himself on a 12-yard run with 40 seconds to go in the first half. Hast­ ings led 26-7 at the break. If there was one issue for the Saxons it was that they were just two of six on their twopoint conversion attempts. With the way the Saxon offense was mov­ ing the football, a half was not enough time for the Bulldogs to mount a comeback. Hastings got its hands on the football for the first time in the second half with 8:29 to go in the third quarter after a Bulldog punt. It was 15 plays and more than nine and a half minutes later off the game clock when soph­ omore back Isiah Wilson bulled into the end zone from a yard out to push the Hastings lead to 32-7. The Saxons had a seven and a half minute drive end in a second fourth quarter touch­ down, this time on a one-yard run by Teunes­ sen with 2:38 to go in the game. Wilson’s two-point run made the final 40-7. Teunessen and Wilson were the Saxon workhorses Friday. Teunessen finished with 12 rushes for 89 yards. Wilson had 14 carries for 72 yards. Slaughter fought forward time and again to manage 42 yards on 12 carries. Carroll found the space around the outside to run five times for 35 yards. Barnum had two catches for 52 yards and Teunessen three for 51 yards. Slaughter hauled in an eight-yard pass. “We thought [the chance to throw the ball] might be there, and then we saw with their alignment that it was something they were giving us,” Murphy said. “They were selling so much inside that we saw that the outside was opening up for us. We have a lot of trust and faith in those two receivers.” The Saxon coach has also never found a reason not to trust his young quarterback Carroll. “He is a big football IQ. He understands the depth and the width of defenses and what they’re trying to do and what they’re giving us,” Murphy said of Carroll. “He is seeing things pre-snap so we can adjust things, and that really helps at the quarterback position when they’re able to be headsy like that out on the football field.” Carroll said he thought it was pretty cool to put the ball in the air so often. The six com­ pletions and eight attempts are new varsity highs for Carroll in a single game. He had a season-high 129 yards passing in the Saxons’ September win over Harper Creek. “Coach Coltson just gave me the okay to air it out and we just kept going,” Carroll said. “That is just how it worked out. We practice it at practice all the time, but it wasn’t really in the game plan. He just kept giving me the call, so we kept doing it.” “They go up and get it,” he said of his receivers. “Just throw it up to the outside shoulder and they go up and get it. Those two, Eastman and Barnum, they go up and get it.” Bowling finished the night 8-of-21 passing for 84 yards for the Bulldogs. None of the Bulldog receivers had more than two catches. Bryce Smith led the way with two catches for 21 yards. On the ground, Wadley had 18 car­ ries for 122 yards. “It is a huge goal of theirs [to win a district title],” Murphy said. “Obviously, they talked about it at the beginning of the year. The first goal was a conference championship, which they knocked away. Now, they’re going to have a shot at that second goal which is two wins in the playoffs.” This is the third consecutive season the Saxons have won a pre-district ballgame. They fell to Paw Paw by two points in the district finals in 2020 and last fall were bested 38-14 by South Christian. These 2022 Sax­ ons, the three-time Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference champions, will once again be play­ ing for the program’s first district title. “The last two years we have been this far and we haven’t won it, so now we’re here again at home next week hopefully,” Carroll said. “I think we’re ready to go. The offense is playing well. The defense is playing well. Being here the last two years has definitely made it easier, playoff preparation has been easier this past week. We know every game could be our last, but we’re going out there to play.” Saxon sophomore wide receiver Jett Barnum leaps above Vicksburg defensive backs RJ Vallier (7) and Landon Troyer (3) to haul in a fourth-down reception for a first down during the second quarter of their MHSAA Division 4 Pre-District game in Hastings Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Public Hearing HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP Proposed 2022 Budget PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on November 9 at 7:00 pm at the Township Hall at 885 River Road, Hastings, the Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed 2022 Township General Fund, Library and Sewer Fund Budgets. The Board may not adopt the proposed 2022 budgets until after the public hearing. The proposed property tax rate to be levied to support the proposed budget will be discussed at this hearing. A copy of the proposed budget, including the proposed property tax millage rate, will be available for inspection after November 3rd by appointment with the Clerk. Anita S Mennell, Clerk 269-948-9690 office Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the township clerk at least seven (7) days in advance of the hearing. This notice posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a(2)(3) and with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 190403 �Page 12 — Thursday, November 3, 2022 — The Hastings Banner HHS boys and TK ladies repeat as county champs Brett Bremer Sports Editor Delton Kellogg senior Joelle White shot towards the front of the girls’ pack at the start, keeping pace early on with Thomapple Kel­ logg sophomore state qualifier Ava Crews, Monday afternoon at the Barry County Cross Country Invitational in Middleville. Thornapple Kellogg senior Lucy VanDemark got a big smile on her face thanks to a boisterous cheering section on the hairpin turn midway through the looping course between the Thomapple Kellogg High School and Middle School. Lakewood junior Claire Fortier glanced back over her shoulder a time or two as she headed into the chute with senior teammates Sadie Brearley and Emma Lancaster, urging senior teammate Gabby Rosenberger to keep pace after winding the 3.1 miles as a foursome. Thomapple Kellogg seniors Emelia Mac­ Donald and Madison Nagel, who crossed the finish line together behind all of them in 28th and 29th place respectively, held their arms in victory and then used those arms for a tight hug as they completed a race for the first and the final time during their senior season. The Thornapple Kellogg varsity girls’ cross country team and the Hastings varsity boys’ team took championships at the annual season-ending meet [for all those who aren’t competing in the state finals]. It is the second straight county championship for the Hast­ ings boys and no one interviewed before trick-or-treating started on Halloween night Monday could remember a time that the TK girls were not the county meet champs. Hastings junior Riley Shults, a state qual­ ifier himself in Division 2 this fall, won the county championship in the boys’ race with a time of 17:36.96. Crews and Shults are both back-to-back county meet individual champions. While the TK girls get used to chasing Division 2 state powerhouses like Forest Hills Eastern and South Christian all fall in the OK Gold Conference, they are the power­ house that the Delton Kellogg, Lakewood, Hastings and Maple Valley girls chase in Barry County each fall on the Monday in between regionals and the state finals. Depth and speed combine to get the job done for the TK ladies each season. The TK ladies won the 2020 title with MacDonald placing fifth and Nagel ninth at the county meet. MacDonald was fifth a year ago as well, and Nagel was 23rd. 1 laving those two not at their peak performance didn’t have any affect on the TK ladies’ final spot in the standings. There are all different motivations at the Barry County Meet. Crews, who won Mon­ day’s race in 20:52.82, came in looking for a victory while also trying to preserve energy for Saturday when she’ll be running in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Cross Country Championship at Michigan Interna­ tional Speedway in Brooklyn. Some, like Maple Valley junior Mackenzie Decker, are pushing for a personal record one last time. The Lion junior managed it, placing 20th in 26:34.98. While most are trying to go fast, Nagel and MacDonald ran together reminding each other to slow down. Injuries prevented either of them from running this season at all until Monday. The Hastings varsity boys' cross country team celebrates its championship at the Barry County Championship Monday afternoon in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “As seniors, we both got cleared to do one last race. I just got cleared. I didn’t think I was going to be able to run until like two hours ago [when MRI results came in],” Nagel said. “We wanted to do one last race for our senior year. We knew we weren’t going to really be able to perform, but we just kind of showed up to be with the team, one last hur­ rah before we never run a meet again.” Nagel said she hadn’t run at all in at least three weeks. MacDonald tore her ACL in March doing some soccer training and got cleared last week to start running ten to 15 minutes at a time. MacDonald was happy to have her doctor clear her last Wednesday to take it easy on the county meet course. “The most I’ve run is about a mile before this, and that was last week Friday,” Mac­ Donald said. MacDonald has had much of her high school cross country time hampered by inju­ ries, but is a two-time state qualifier who finished as high as 41st at the D2 Finals her sophomore season. “We were just kind of winging it,” Nagel said Monday. “It was really hard, but it was good.” “It felt really, really good to finish one last time with the team,” MacDonald said. MacDonald hit the finish line in 28:57.42 and Nagel in 28:57.74. “We were keeping each other in check, because we aren’t supposed to run fast. We kept going, ‘we’ve got to slow down,”’ Mac­ Donald said. “We had to keep in check,” Nagel contin­ ued. “We both just wanted to blow the doors off.” The TK girls as a whole “blew the doors off,” finishing with 21 points. Lakewood was second in the girls’ standings with 54 points and Delton Kellogg third with 61. Hastings and Maple Valley didn’t have the five com­ petitors needed to earn a team score. The top seven finishers Monday earn first team All-Barry County honors while placers Join Your Neighbors to ELECT BRADLEY "SCOTT" iSAVAGE ’ AS AS BARRY COUNTY COMMISSIONER BARRY COUNTY COMMISSIONER in DISTRICT #1 Our tradition at the Barry County Commission is non-partisan, to represent you and every single resident of Barry County. At the local level, it is vital to have fair and balanced representation - with liberty and justice for all. If you feel unheard, I will listen to you. if you feel ignored, I will speak for you. If you need someone to stand for you, l will be by your side. The Thornapple Kellogg varsity girls' cross country team celebrates its champion-: ship at the Barry County Championship in Middleville Monday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) j eight through 14 are second team All-Barry County this fall. . TK had five girls in the top seven and another three earn second team all-county honors. TK junior Holly Velting was the run­ ner-up to her teammate Crews. She hit the finish line in 22:03.93. Senior Lindsey Velt­ ing powered through the chute to place fifth in 23:04.47. Senior teammate Emma Thompson was just behind her with a sixth­ place time of 23:19.60. Freshman Madison Kietzman cruised in just ahead of teammates VanDemark and Megan Schuurmans for the last of the seven all-county first team spots. Kietzman was seventh in 23:24.40. VanDemark placed eighth in 23:24.84, surging past the freshman Schuurmans right at the end. Schurrmans hit the finish line ninth in 23:24.87. The TK team also had junior Katherine Powers 12th in 24:41.20. The other two members of the girls’ top seven Monday were Delton Kellogg’s White, who finished third in 22:10.53, and Lake­ wood freshman Emma Tidd who ran to a fourth-place time of 22:19.91. Other medalists in the top 14 included Maple Valley junior Lilly Faurot who was tenth in 23:43.07, Delton Kellogg sopho­ more Johannah Houtkooper who was 11th in 23:51.43 and Lakewood seniors Brearley and Lancaster who had times of 24:49.44 and 24:50.25 to place 13th and 14th respec­ tively. The top five for the runner-up team from Lakewood also included Fortier 15th in 24:50.52 and Rosenberger 16th in 24:52.42. Delton Kellogg’s top five included sopho­ more Kylie Main 17th in 25:00.54, junior Summer Ritchie 18th in 25:44.28 and junior Lillian Lester 19th in 26:22.80. Behind Faurot and Decker for the Maple Valley Lions, sophomore Brianna Burd was 35th in 34:44.68 and freshman Ada Marie Blakely 37th in 38:06.53. Hastings had sophomore Brooklyn Strickland 32nd in 31:27.13, a new personal record for her, and sophomore Anika Bourassa 36th in 36:48.82. The Hastings boys won in their race in a light rain that mostly subsided before the girls took off. The Saxons finished with 21 points ahead of the Delton Kellogg boys with 52, Thornapple Kellogg 71 and Lakewood 100. Maple Valley did not earn a team score in the boys’ meet. Hastings had six guys in the top nine, and four of those were among the top seven fin­ ishers. Sophomore Brandon Simmons stuck with Shults most of the race to place second in 17:39.88. Junior Saxon Reuben Solmes flew to a new personal record time of 17:45.76 to place third. Thomapple Kellogg junior Lucas Van Meter hung with Shults and Simmons for a bit at the front, and eventually placed fourth in 18:18.48. The Saxons’ fourth member of the all-coun­ ty first team is sophomore Micah Johnson who placed seventh in 18:31.36. Delton Kellogg senior Hector Jimenez, a star soccer player for the Panthers who only managed to work in a handful of cross coun­ try races this fall, was fifth in 18:24.29. Lake­ wood senior Ryan Alford placed sixth in 18:26.10. The two Saxons to earn second-team all-county honors were senior Alexander Steward who was eighth in 18:33.64 and junior Jonah Teed who was ninth in 18:37.41. Delton Kellogg had four guys score all-county second team honors. Senior Isaac Shepard was tenth in 18:41.75, senior Micah Martin 11th in 18:50.39. senior Brett Harsevoort 12th in 19:13.82 and sophomore Ethan Rimmer 14th in 19:21.79. Rimmer was nearly caught for that final spot on the all-county second team by soph­ omore teammate Brock Hickerson who ran a personal record time of 19:25.36 to place 15th. Thomapple Kellogg junior Kaden Ham- ming earned a top-14 medal for his 13th-place; time of 19:17.00. The top five for the TK boys also include ed personal record runs from freshman Mark Gielincki and sophomore Evan Liu; Gielincki was 16th in 19:44.30 and Liu 21st in 20:16.93. The Trojan team also had senior Dylan Church 17th in 19:53.84. A pack of teammates Hunter Tietz, Case Dyk-; house, Benjamin Postma and Luke Archer were 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th behind Liu. Just ahead of that pack, Delton Kellogg senior Gage Vincent was 18th in 19:54.05./ Lakewood’s number two was just behind Vincent. Viking sophomore Riley Johnson was 19th in 20:03.25. The Viking team got a personal record time of 21:18.03 from freshman Bryce Schelter who was 26th overall. The Lakewood team also had senior Matt Cronk 28th in 21:47.02 and freshmah Charles Heiss 29th in 21:59.60. Adam Blakely, a senior, led Maple Valley with a 35th-place time of 23:19.01. Lion junior James Penny placed 39th in 24:24.08 and junior Robert Laws was 41st in 25:39.16. Delton Kellogg senior Hector Jimenez runs a couple steps ahead of Hastings' Micah Johnson and Alex Steward during the Barry County Championship in Middleville Monday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings junior Reuben Solmes races to a third-place finish at the Barry County Championship Monday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg's Johannah Houtkooper runs a couple steps ahead of Maple Valley junior Lilly Faurot during the Barry County Championship Monday in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Thomapple Kellogg seniors Emelia MacDonald and Madison Nagel near the finish line together at the end of the Barry County Championship Monday afternoon in Middleville. It was the first and final race of the season for the two seniors who were recently cleared by doctors to resume some running activities. (Photo by Brett Bremer): i My wife Brenda and I have always lived and raised our family in small town and rural America. Since 2010, Hastings and Barry County have been our adopted forever home. We're staying! Like you, we are part of and proud of our community, we believe everyone should be respected, treated fairly and honorably, with the freedom to have your voice heard. Current Hastings Township Trustee Retired UAW Skilled Tradesman Longtime Hastings resident Lifelong West Michigan resident SAVAGE FOR COMMISSIONER Paid for by The Committee to Elect Bradley Savage, 1602 E. State Rd., Hastings, Michigan 49058 � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-11-10.pdf d988a46ab56d0e2c8f3c5b5fb10a7205 PDF Text Text aiUliM^UMmBMawmbAl. 1««^r ’■ V- Workforce shortages more thanJwit Election shakes up TK school board See story on page 3 See story £ Lakewood volleyball blocks Marshall in regional semi's See story on page 12 804879110187 1070490102590502984149058113421 **************************C/\R-RT LOT*‘C 005 Richard H COOo Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastings Ml 49058-1134 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM Thursday, November 10, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 45 PRICE $1.50 Barry County goes to the polls in droves, makes its voice heard A line of voters forms outside of Thomapple Township Hall at around 5 p.m. during Tuesday’s general election. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Jayson Bussa Editor Registered voters in Barry County got out to vote on Tuesday in a midterm elec­ tion that shaped the balance of power on a state level. According to the Barry County Clerk’s office, 30,895 ballots were cast in this year’s midterm election. This was an increase from 2018’s midterm election, which saw 27,209 ballots cast. In 2020, though, with a presiden­ tial election in the mix, Barry County cast 36,146 ballots. For most, the focal points to this year’s ballot were state offices and ballot proposals. Barry County voters were able to cast a vote for governor, attorney general and secretary of state, all offices of which were won by their Democrat incumbent. In Barry County, Republican candidate for governor Tudor Dixon received 18,546 votes compared to current governor Gretchen Whitmer’s 11,553 votes. Democrats had a banner night. After the redrawing of district lines this year, Demo­ crats were able to win a majority in both the State House and Senate, giving them com­ plete power of the state government for the first time in 40 years. State proposals .that centered on voting laws (Proposal 2) and abortion and reproduc­ tive health (Proposals) were other lighting rods in the election. ; In Barry County, voters voted 17,327 to 12,900 against Proposal 3. Local residents also voted down Proposal 2 by 16,049 votes to 13,829. However, both hot-button proposals passed, making permanent amendments to Michigan’s constitution. The turnout for the midterm election was strong, causing one sizable hiccup in the City of Hastings, where they ran out of ballots at the Hastings Baptist Church polling location right around the after-work rush of voters. Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer con­ firmed that the city contacted her office at around 4 p.m. alerting her to the fact that they had just over 40 ballots remaining. The bal­ lots are printed by a vendor in Tecumseh and had to be shipped over, so they did not arrive at the church until around 7:30 p.m. “There was a lot of disgruntled people over that and I don’t blame them,” Palmer said. Voters that didn’t have a blank ballot to use were able to cast a vote in other ways, one being a ballot marking device. This is where a voter marks their choices, which prints out See VOICE, page 3 Voters reported a quick and smooth process for in-person voting at Rutland Township Hall on Tuesday. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Blue Zones Activate project extended in Barry County; Catherine Getty to become new executive director James Gemmell Contributing Writer A global project to improve the culture of health and well-being began taking root locally in September of 2019 with the forma­ tion of an initiative called Blue Zones Acti­ vate Barry County. It was the first Blue Zones Activate group in the United States, and now it is making a leadership change. Allison Troyer Wiswell, who was the executive director the past three years, has transitioned to a new position with Blue Zones on the national level as an account executive. Barry County Commis­ sioner Catherine Getty will take over as the new executive director on Monday. Getty stepped down on Nov. 10 from her longtime position as the planning and zoning administrator for Thomapple Township. “I am very pleased to join the Barry Coun­ ty Blue Zones team in my new leadership role,” Getty said. “I love our county and can­ not wait to continue the great work that has been accomplished so far.” Landscape architect Rachel Walsh will be the community coordinator and project man­ ager for Blue Zones in Barry County. Wiswell said the local group only has a few Allison Troyer Wiswell employees but more than 50 committee members, plus about 200 volunteers. Although her new job entails working with communities across the country, Wiswell said she will still serve as an advisor to Blue Zones in Barry County. Blue Zones and the Barry Community Foundation also announced on Tuesday that the Blue Zones initiative is being extended in the county for two more years. It advo­ cates for policies and best practices that help improve the community’s health and envi­ ronment. See BLUE ZONES, page 3 Hastings Planning Commission takes unofficial look at Tyden Lofts plans Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The city planning commission put its eyes on the latest iteration of the proposed Tyden Lofts workforce housing development. Sig Strautmanis, a representative of the Wisconsin-based developer General Capital, presented the latest plans to commissioners on Monday. The city reviewed the site plan in an unofficial capacity and took no action, voting to put approval of the final site plans on the commission’s December agenda. “Tonight, we’re asking for your input,” Strautmanis said. “This is a consultation before we make that formal site plan submis­ sion... We’re really just looking forward to working together with you and we really feel like we’ve got a strong project here.” Strautmanis updated commissioners on the changes that have been made since plans for the proposal were originally across the river at the former Royal Coach site. If the final site plan is approved in December, Straut­ manis guessed construction would begin in the spring and would likely be complete in about a year. The proposed 60-unit workforce housing project includes 41 one-bedroom units, six two-bedroom units and 13 three-bedroom units. An underground 60-space parking garage provides a space for each unit, with an additional 38 spaces above ground bringing the total available spaces to 98. The project plans have undergone few changes since being shown to the public in September. The building has retained its townhouse-style exterior, which Strautmanis said was changed from a flat-roof design to better fit the character of the neighborhood. While the former Friend of the Court building remains with the county, a small part of the lot was handed over to General Capital to See TYDEN LOFTS, page 2 Hastings football wins its first-ever district trophy Saxon seniors Layton Eastman (left) and Robby Slaughter celebrate with the district championship trophy after the Hastings varsity football team’s 23-13 win over Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 4 Region 2, District 2 Final Friday inside Baum Sta­ dium at Johnson Field in Hastings. After back-to-back seasons that ended in losses in the district finals, the Saxons finally won their program’s first-ever district champi­ onship and have set a new school-record for wins in a season with ten. Hastings, ranked eighth in the state in Division 4, will travel to face No. 4 Edwardsburg Fri­ day night, Nov. 11. Kick-off is planned for 7 p.m. At the home of the Eddies. Tickets for Friday night are $9 and are available online at GoFan.co. Hastings is also plan­ ning student and family spectator buses which will leave the high school parking lot at 4:40 p.m. Friday. Rides are free for HMS and HHS students. The family bus is $5 for adults, and youth in fifth grade and under are free. �Page 2 — Thursday, November 10, 2022 —The Hastings Banner The Santa Dash 5K is coming to town Hastings Jingle and Mingle, in partnership with the Barry County United Way, is pre­ senting this year’s 5K Santa Dash on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. The holiday-themed race will start at the Barry County Enrichment Center on Broadway and will be led by the Hastings Police Department through downtown before entering the Riverwalk Trail for a candy cane-shaped course. There is no cost to register for the race, but all participants are asked to bring one new, unwrapped gift to benefit the Barry County United Way’s annual Toys for Barry County Kids program. This program allows parents the chance to “shop” for free Christmas gifts for their children. Morgan Johnson, director of outreach and community engagement at the Barry Coun­ ty United Way said, “We set up the room like a large toy store for parents to choose from. The goal is that no child go without gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.” Toys for Barry County Kids has grown to over 400 children, ages 0-18, being shopped for in 2021 alone and is expected to grow again this year. Runners and walkers will receive Santa Dash hats for participating and one lucky runner will be crowned for having the best holiday-themed costume. First place male and female runners will also receive a Jingle and Mingle prize package, consisting of VIP passes for the carriage ride through downtown Hastings as a part of annual Jingle and Mingle festivities. Those interested can register at santa5k.itsyourrace.com. Camp Bright Bird in Barry County hosts veterans’ hunt Camp Bright Bird, a camp on Manning Lake in Barry County for disabled veterans, hosted its first Annual Veterans’ Hunt on Saturday, Nov. 5. Despite over 50 mph gusts of wind and rain, a handful of veterans enjoyed an all-expenses paid, guided pheasant hunt. Participants were issued swag bags upon arrival and enjoyed getting to know each other. The group attended a firearms inspection and safety briefing while volunteers set pheasants around the field. An hour later, the hunt began. Led by two dogs and their guides, the veterans had a hunt and flushed plenty of birds. Six hens and five cocks evaded the hunters and look forward to breeding in the wild if they survive the winter. The hunt was sponsored by Harris Family Farms in Eckford Township and Pasche’s Seafood Kitchen of Battle Creek. U.S. Army veteran Bill Cobum of Hastings was moved by his experience at Camp Bright Bird. “What an amazing experience,” he said. “I can’t believe I waited 55 years before I tried hunting for the first time. This was probably the best possible situation for a first-time hunter. We had experienced guides, good friends, grateful veterans and amaz­ ing volunteers that made this feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, although, I’m pretty sure I will have to do this again.” KCC Bruin Bookstore collecting Hoodies for the Homeless in November Kellogg Community College’s Bruin Bookstore is holding its annual Hoodies for the Homeless donation campaign through the month of November. As part of the initiative, the KCC bookstore accepts gently-worn, hooded or crewneck sweatshirts and coats, ultimately delivering them to the Charitable Union in Battle Creek for free distribution to community members in need. This year marks the 10th iteration of the annual campaign. All sizes, colors and styles of hooded or crewneck sweatshirts and coats are welcome, and those who donate will receive 25 percent off the purchase of a new KCC hooded sweatshirt. The Bruin Bookstore’s goals this year are io collect at least 100 sweatshirts and to beat the record of 226 articles of clothing collected over the course of a single campaign. The bookstore, located on the first floor of the Lane-Thomas Memorial Building on KCC’s campus at 450 North Ave., Battle Creek, is accepting the clothing donations through the end of November during regular business hours, which are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays. More information about Hoodies for the Homeless is available by visiting Kellogg, edu/bookstore. Members of the Barry County Board of Commissioners have agreed that county employees should receive enhanced compen­ sation and are currently mulling over the best route to accomplish it. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Commissioners explore bonus payment scenarios for county employees, hold off on taking action Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers reviewed a variety of plans to put more money in the pockets of county employees a move it hopes will help with talent reten­ tion. Still, the board has not yet moved on what it considers to be an urgent matter. Last week, the Committee of the Whole tasked county administration with developing a variety of plans that would leverage ARPA funds to give bonuses to county employees in hopes to retain them as inflation continues to grip the economy. The board also discovered last week that county employees would be paying significantly more for health benefits, which made the issue of enhancing compen­ sation even more important. County Administrator Michael Brown pre­ sented six scenarios to the board of commis­ sioners on Tuesday morning, modeled after Ottawa County’s “Inflation Impact Payment Program,” which was recently passed by a split vote and handed out $5,000 bonuses to all full-time county^ employees. Part-time, non-benefited employees in that plan received a $1,000 bonus. Based off of Ottawa County’s program, Brown’s office crafted plans that varied in their payment amounts and the details on who qualified for them. Scenarios included $5,000 bonuses for full-time employees and $1,000 bonuses for part-time employees. This specific scenario would cost the county a total of $995,801. The list also included scenarios that involved bonus mounts of $4,000 and $3,000 for full-time employees and also adjusted who may or may not be eligible, such as employees serving a probationary period or seasonal employees. Ultimately, most commissioners agreed to take time to review the scenarios before mak­ ing any decisions. The Committee of the Whole will not meet next week, so the board will pick back up on Nov. 22. “I really appreciate having this put togeth­ er, but it’s a lot to digest and I’m not ready to make a decision - I have several questions,” Commissioner Catherine Getty said. “...I want to look at long-term solutions. I’m defi­ nitely open to a short-term payment and try­ ing to catch people up, but it’s a long-term problem and requires long-term solutions.” Barry County Administrator Michael Brown speaks in front of the board of commis­ sioners on Tuesday morning, presenting a variety of plans to issue monetary bonuses to county employees. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) This was a sentiment echoed by fellow commissioners David Jackson and Jon Smelker. Smelker pointed out that county employ­ ees have three years left on their five-year contract. He wanted to work through the contracts to provide a permanent solution to the compensation problem. Meanwhile, board chair Ben Geiger was hoping to move quicker. “This is a short-term problem that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later,” he said. “I would hate to lose employees - good employees - in the next month or so while the board of commissioners sharpens their pen­ cils and gives this an analysis at a level it doesn’t need.” “Yes it’s a significant check you have to write, but it’s pretty clear what it’s going for,” Geiger added. “If we’re going to do it and it’s of worthy endeavor today, then why would we wait?” Rebecca Hawkins, staff attorney for Barry County’s Trial Court and Friend of the Court, underscored the urgency for the matter during the public comments portion of the meeting. In a statement to the board, she said she issued a survey to her county-employed peers and received 46 responses. The survey showed that 53 percent were unsatisfied with current wages and benefits and 83 percent said, if something doesn’t change, they’ll look for new employment. “At what point are you as elected officials finally going to understand that without hard working, dedicated employees, this county will not run effectively?” Hawkins said. “This is not a new issue, but more ongoing. “However, this board and previous boards have chosen not to address it. You say the right words in how much you value our work and our dedication, however, you sit in this room and make decisions that have huge, negative impact on our everyday lives. We’re tired. We’re frustrated and all we ask is that you wake up and do some­ thing rather than just talk about it.” TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass a Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License #8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 allow them to connect the Tyden Lofts above ground parking lot to the FOC lot. He also pointed out a few minor changes and highlights to commissioners. A play­ ground area and outdoor gathering space was added on the south side of the building in response to community feedback, and the 13 three-bedroom units can all be accessed from the street level. One of the major concerns neighborhood residents had with the project was regarding increased traffic through their neighborhood and at the nearby intersection of West State Street and South Broadway Avenue. Straut­ manis said a full traffic survey was conducted and found that the impact to local traffic would be minimal. Commissioners thanked Strautmanis and General Capital for their work on the project and had few questions or suggestions to offer. Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie per­ sonally commended Strautmanis on the work done to address community feedback on the project. “I think somebody put a lot of work into the redesign of this building and did a lot of work for the community and the people that live in that area, and I commend you for that,” Resseguie said, “ft looks nice.” In other business, the planning commis­ sion: - Approved a site plan and special use per­ mit request from Serenity Village following a Sig Strautmanis, a representative of the Wisconsin-based developer General Capital behind the Tyden Lofts project, presented a site plan to the city’s planning commission for an unofficial review Monday. public hearing for the construction of a hos­ pice care facility at 700 E. Woodlawn Ave. Representatives of the group said the site plans remained largely unchanged from their original 2017 request which was approved by the city. - Approved a site plan for Alpha Women’s Center to move from its current location to 533 W. State St., formerly Riverbend Travel Agency. The plan called for the addition of a maintenance shed for storing equipment but no other major changes to the property. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — Page 3 Election gives Thornapple Kellogg school board major shake-up Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Thomapple Kellogg Board of Educa­ tion will have a changing of the guard after three new board members were elected during Tuesday’s general election. Two newcomers, Tyler Wenger and Der­ rick Brock, were elected to six-year terms on the board, as incumbents Jeff Dickman and Allison Hinton were unseated. Wenger led all five candidates in the race with 3,041 votes, while Brock received 2,482. The vote totals take in Barry, Allegan and Kent counties. Another challenger, Katie Stanton, fin­ ished third with 2,429 votes. Hinton, who was appointed to the school board earlier this year, received 2,132 votes, while Dickman had 1,831. Dr. Chris Noah, who withdrew from the race but not in time to have his name removed from the ballot, received 1,644 votes. The one incumbent board member who survived Tuesday’s election was Krissy Hooson, who was elected to a four-year term on the board in a three-way race. Hooson received 2,897 votes to defeat challengers Kyle Badge (2,237) and Dennis Landry (1,626). Hooson was appointed to fill a board vacancy last year. The other incumbent to lose his seat was Jake Welch, who was defeated in the race for a two-year board seat by challenger Brenda Hess by a little more than 150 votes. Hess garnered 3,508 votes to 3,343 for Welch, who was appointed to the school board ear­ lier this year. “I feel like people on the board have made decisions that naturally parents are supposed to make and those parents have realized that those decisions shouldn’t be left to the school board,” said Stanton, who spoke as she stood along E Main Street holding a campaign sign alongside of Brock. Thomapple Kellogg school board candidates Derrick Brock and Katie Stanton hold campaign signs and wave to oncoming cars along E. Main Street on Tuesday after­ noon during the general election. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) “...I feel like a lot of people have realized that and have stepped up to either vote or, like us, run for a seat. PECK AND EASTMAN WIN SPOTS ON HASTINGS SCHOOL BOARD Justin Peck and Jennifer Eastman will be taking the two Hastings school board seats up for grabs this year. Peck will be filling the seat left by Dan Patton, who had served his full six-year term and did not run again. Eastman will be remaining on the board after running a full six-year term and running for reelection on Tuesday. Of the 12,498 votes cast, Peck received 5,243 and Eastman received 4,890. Candidate Elden Shellenbarger received the remaining 2,365 votes. Editor Jayson Bussa contributed to this report Cramer highlights new crop of leadership for Village of Middleville Greg Chandler SidffWriter Mike Cramer has been elected the new village president in Middleville. Cramer, who has been a trustee on the Village Coun­ cil for the past eight years, defeated Presi­ dent Pro Tempore Fran French in Tuesday’s dgetion 798-598. He becomes ..the third person to assume the office of president in the last two years followed the death of longtime Village President Charlie Pullen in November 2020. In the race for other Village Council seats, local business owner Ann Williams was the top vote-getter among five candidates seek­ ing three, four-year seats on the council. Williams, who owns Apothecary on Main and is a special education paraprofessional at Page Elementary School, received 603 votes. Richard Hamilton finished second with 596 votes and Makenzi Peters third with 585 to earn seats on the council. Steve Baldry placed fourth with 520 votes and Tracy Gillhespy fifth with 516. A total of 223 write-in votes were cast for a two-year scat on the council. Johnny DeMaagd and Robert Bishop were running as write-ins for that seat. Vote totals for that seat were not available early Wednesday morning. The results are expected to be certified by the Barry County Board of Canvassers Wednesday afternoon. Mike Cramer Lakewood’s $64 million bond proposal fails Molly Macleod Copy Editor Voters chose not to approve a $64 million bond issue proposed for Lakewood Public Schools on Tuesday. The proposed bond failed to pass with 4,059 “no” votes and 2,445 “yes” votes. This left the bond issue with around 37.6 percent of Lakewood dis­ trict residents in favor of the proposal. The proposed bond would have funded improvements to school safety and infra­ structure, along with the construction of a new early childhood center, a new bus garage, a community-use athletic facility and administrative offices, as well as other remodeling and maintenance projects throughout the district. The failed bond came with the backdrop of a bond currently being paid and ire in the community towards that bond. In 2007, Lake­ wood’s most recent bond was passed with the price tag of $29,255 million. The bond was used to remodel many of the district’s schools, including Clarksville Elementary and Sun­ field Elementary, which were subsequently closed in 2015. Currently, Lakewood residents pay 7 mills to repay the 2007 bond, which is scheduled to be repaid in full by 2037. Had the proposed bond passed, the millage rate would have decreased to around 4 mills in 2023 for a tran­ sition year and then raise back up to the orig­ inal 7 mills. After 14 years, the debt millage would have reduced again as time went on. Lakewood Superintendent Steve Skalka said: “While disappointed, the Board of Education is committed to providing pro­ grams and facilities that support our students and staff. They will begin a process of listen­ ing to community feedback regarding the proposal at their next meeting Monday night, Nov. 14.” Barry County Clerk Pam Palmer (center) is pictured as the Board of Canvassers goes through the process of certifying results from Tuesday’s election on Wednesday. Republican representatives Robert Price and Patricia Walton are shown on the left and Democrat representatives Anne Richards and John Vannieuwenhuyzen are pic­ tured on the right. (Photo by Greg Chandler) VOICE, continued from page 1 onto a piece of paper that can be fed through the tabulator. “Some people love it and some don’t believe in it,” Palmer said of the ballot mark­ ing device. Voters could also fill out photocopied bal­ lots that were then placed in an auxiliary bin. At the end of the night, one election inspector from each party were tasked with sorting through these ballots to record them, similar to the absentee ballot process. “Some people didn’t want to do that. There is a lot of mistrust,” Palmer said. “...They also had the option of waiting, and a lot of them did that.” Amy Hubbell, deputy clerk for the City of Hastings, also served as the city’s election administrator. Hubbell said voting precincts two and three both ran out of ballots and had to be restocked. About 30 of the 160 total duplicated ballots counted at the end of the night came from precinct three, with most voters choosing to stay in line and wait for the new ballots to arrive. “There were 30 (photocopied ballots) that we had to duplicate. But most people waited until we got the next shipment of ballots,” Hubbell said. “Because as soon as we knew we were running low, we called Pam. She got • emergency (ballots) printed for us, but it's like two hours away.” Hubbell said the city also had to deal with a jammed tabulator machine. A call to Palmer allowed for her to bring in the emergency spare tabulator kept at the county for that exact purpose. Memory cards containing vot­ ing data prior to malfunction were switched to the new device. “We take the cards from the old one, put them into the new one, and we verify to make sure it says the exact same thing,” Hubbell said. “It did and the numbers matched.” Palmer cited high voter turnout, paired with the fact that the city saw a lot of spoiled ballots, as the reason for running out. Spoiled ballots are when a voter fills their ballot out incorrectly and it is disposed of so that they can complete the process on a fresh ballot. The voting process seemed much simpler in Rutland Township. “It was smooth - everybody was friendly,” said Curt Vaughn, a retired township resident who was exiting the polls on Tuesday afternoon. Vaughn said that, lately, he’s been making a point to vote in every election possible; He par­ ticipated in the primary election back in August and was back for this week’s general election. The motivation for him: “There are certain­ ly people in office that I feel really strongly about and getting rid of them,” he said. Vaughn said he cast his vote for Tudor Dixon, also acknowledging that he was. a bit skeptical on how much weight his vote would carry given allegations of voter fraud amongst groups in Michigan and across the county. This skepticism has been found in Barry County, as well, with Sheriff Dar Leaf spear­ heading a long-standing investigation into voter fraud and improprieties that stem from the 2020 election. “You can’t trust (it),” Vaughn said. “At least I can say I did my part.” Coleman Agency Local, long standing insurance agency is seeking a highly moti­ vated, energetic, organized, team player looking for a career in the insurance industry. Requirements: • Minimum of 5 years office experience required • P&C insurance experience preferred but not required • Michigan P&C License preferred but not required BLUE ZONES, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------“All of the work we’ve done has been through a community lens,” Wiswell said. “So, it’s community-driven, supported by national experts. They provide resources... But it’s all done through groups of people throughout the county voting on priorities.” “A lot of the value of Blue Zones is that the work in Barry County is done by the people in Barry County,” Getty said. “So, it’s not some national company coming in and telling us what is best. It’s the residents of Barry County working towards positive change.” The local organization has spent much of the past three years identifying priorities in the county and working on two areas of focus: built environments and food systems. The built environment includes the spaces where people live, such as homes, buildings, streets and parks. The main work has cen­ tered on creating a countywide trail plan. “We’re in the very final draft stages of completing that,” Getty said. “And that’s the project I’ve been working most closely on. I am the co-champion of the trail plan action team.” A built environment charette was held in 2021 to discuss how to create a more walk­ able Barry County. A countywide trail plan action team was formed and residents were asked in a public survey, which trails they use and where they would like them to be extend­ ed. A master trail plan was created. Among the objectives identified was building a Paul Henry Thomapple Trail connection between Kent County and Eaton County, and a River Walk connection in Hastings. “We’ve just finished the trail plan, which highlights all of the areas where there is opportunity and availability to connect,” Wiswell said. “Also, the Barry County Parks and Rec Commission received (American Rescue Plan Act) funding to be able to pave the sections of the trail that are currently county-owned.” The amount received from the ARPA fund­ ing was $1 million. “Connecting the Paul Henry Trail could really bring in consumers and create a great space for us to exercise, meet up with friends, take a nice walk,” Wiswell said. “Maybe link it to services like going to get coffee or ice cream, these kinds of things. “The research shows that, if you have built-in destinations close to the trail that you’ll get a lot more utilization. People will want to go bike to get the thing or walk with friends to go get the thing.” Wiswell said a small ARPA grant paid for a regional market analysis that Blue Zones Activate conducted to gather information needed to support the community food center. Other goals included adding a roundabout at the Main Street/Grand Rapids Street inter­ section in Middleville and a bike/pedestrian crossing at M-43 by Tyden Park in Hastings. Among those assisting with that effort has been Jennifer Antel, who has served as devel­ opment coordinator for the West Michigan Trails & Greenways Coalition. The Barry County Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development also has helped out. Action teams were formed to promote the Safe Routes to School programs in Nashville and Vermontville, and to work on a Complete Streets program modeled locally after the one in Middleville. It is designed to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists on area streets. A food systems charette was held by Blue Zones in 2020 as part of the project to pro­ mote community health through locally grown food. The effort includes support for local farmers markets, food stands and com­ munity gardens. A hunger relief and mobile action team was created to address food inse­ curity. And a feasibility study was conducted to determine how to develop the community food center in Barry County. Wiswell said she looks forward to seeing Blue Zones continue building a healthy and vibrant community with Getty at the helm. “I believe Catherine is going to be an amazing leader for this work and I’m so thrilled to welcome her into the position,” Wiswell said. “To say I’m excited is an understate­ ment,” Getty said. “This aligns with a lot of my passions: parks, trails, health and over­ all well-being. “We’re just trying to find projects that can help achieve the objectives to live longer, healthier, happier lives. Not some cook­ ie-cutter approach to solutions,” she added. “They are really people from Barry County working on it.” • Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listen­ ing • Self-motivated • Ability to multi-task • Must be able to work as a team with fellow employees Benefits: • Compensation depending on experience • Paid vacation/sick/personal time after probationary period • Health insurance/disability/life insurance provided after pro­ bationary period •401k contributions and matching after meet qualifying num­ ber of hours worked Resumes can be submitted via email to lindsey@colemanofhastings.com or mailed to PO Box 338, Hasting, MI 49058 EDtenian gu\ \ AQFmw . \OF HASTINGS, INC. \ SINCE 1908 �Page 4 — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Labor shortages dangerous to our country SAVE ME A SEAT! The Barry County Board of Commissioners has prepared a spot for a new, eighth member to join its ranks next year. At Tuesday morning’s meeting, the board had an additional chair and desk prepared, installed next to District 2 com­ missioner Catherine Getty (pictured). This year, the county created District 8, which covers only the City of Hastings. Republican David Hatfield defeated Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz in a race for the seat last night and will take the new­ ly-minted spot on the board. Do you remember? Members of the Hastings Women’s Club have had as a major project the furnishing of the historic Bristol Inn at Charlton Park Village. The club held its last meeting at the park, attending the business session in the former Charlton Center Methodist Church which has been restored and now graces the village. The members toured the restored Bristol Inn which for many years was a stage coach stop between Hastings and Battle Creek. Mrs. Ruth Johnston (left) and Mrs. Esther Walton admire a restored chest of drawers which is now in one of the second-floor rooms. - Banner photo. Have you met? When Jack Payne submitted his first arti­ cle to be published in Michigan Outdoors, the editor at the time had a few pointers. “For whatever reason, the editor of Michigan Outdoors from way-back-when took a liking to me,” Payne said. “He said, ‘Well I can tell you’ve never written an article before. It’s 1,500 words and three paragraphs. I’ll give you some pointers.’” He’s been a part-time writer and photog­ rapher for the past 20 years since he wrote that article. Although Payne was an electri­ cian and a realtor prior to his writing career, his articles have always focused on one thing - his love of the outdoors. An avid angler and hunter, the Zee­ land-based outdoorsman remembers riding his bike to the lake for a day of fishing when he was just six or seven years old. “We got to know all the guys from all the sports shops and we pestered the daylights out of ‘em, pickin’ their brains on how to catch fish,” Payne said. After spending much of his life outdoors, he’s collected a lot of stories to tell. His friends are what eventually convinced him to publish and share his experiences. His work is published through a number of magazines, national outlets and weekly publications, including Barry County’s very own Reminder. He chronicles his experiences fishing and hunting all across the state, sharing what tricks and methods seem to be working best for him during any particular season. Although his articles often revolve around how to best achieve success while hunting or fishing, Payne believes being outdoors is about more than just landing a nice catch in the boat or harvesting a deer during season. Fishing trips with friends are a great way to be social, while hunting offers a chance for solitude in the great outdoors. “I go (fishing) often and I get a kick out of taking somebody else, too,” Payne said. “I think it’s a lot of fun watching that per­ son’s first time getting a nice walleye or bluegill.” Jack Payne Hunting also provides Payne the oppor­ tunity to see wildlife up close in its natural environment. “I like the solitude. It’s totally differ­ ent,” he said. “Hunting is my time to sit back and let everything else melt away. To me, the challenge is not the kill. I had a buck this morning, (while I was) sitting on the ground, seven yards away from me. I could see his pupils. To me, that was super exciting.” Payne often finds himself leaving his bow or rifle at home, choosing to bring a camera instead. It’s something he often does on overseas hunting trips; it’s much easier to transport still photos back to the mainland U.S. than it is to move animal meat and hides. A trip to Africa netted him photos of 16 different animal species, including a lion. His trip to Africa is tied with his three trips to Alaska as his all-time favorite expedition destination, Payne said. “There’s something special about Alas­ ka,” Payne said. “Every time you go there you can find something new to see or do.” He hopes to make another trip to Africa someday, and he’s currently gearing up for another trip with his camera to New Zea­ land. “I don’t like shooting something if I’m not going to eat it. It’s pretty hard to get a red stag back into the United States, to go through customs and all that stuff,” he said. “So I’m going to go over there and hunt a red stag with my camera.” Even though he’s traveled across the country and the world on expeditions, some of his favorite hunting locales and fishing holes are right here in Michigan. He makes a point to fish on the Detroit River, St. Clair River and near Cadillac every year. He even makes his way down to Barry County for some fishing when he gets the chance. “I get to Barry County quite a bit because you’ve got a lot of real good fishing lakes,” Payne said. “It’s a great county to live in. You’ve got a lot to offer.” For sharing his love of the outdoors with Barry County and readers of The Reminder, Jack Payne is this week’s Bright Light. What draws you to Barry County: Gun Lake, Pine Lake and Crooked Lake. Favorite holiday movie: “Home Alone.” Favorite movie: “Twister” or “Dennis the Mendce.” Favorite vacation destination: Love fishing in Canada, favorite place that I’ve visited was Africa. Something I’m excited about: I’m excited about New Zealand this upcoming spring. Favorite teacher: Mr. Taylor, literature class. I love to read. Not many may remember the late Leo Keeler, but when I think of the simple, mentally-challenged man lugging his lawn mower behind a bike to his next odd job, I know he would have been the inspiration for solving today’s complex social and economic issues. Leo didn’t rely on the government to pay the bills. He went to work every day except Sunday - mowing lawns, raking leaves and shoveling sidewalks and drive­ ways. When 1 would see him at Charlie’s store on Grand Street near my home, he always wanted to talk and shake hands then he would point to his muscles to show you how strong he was. Leo was a hard and dedicated worker and he loved the work he did and the people he worked for. I wish that spirit was more plentiful today. Experts point out that there are mil­ lions of jobs across the country left unfilled due to the pandemic and the lack of interest of so many workers who got used to ‘not working.’ “If you had ever told me we’d have mil­ lions of workers still on the sidelines and have wages going up because people couldn’t find workers, you could knock me over with a feather,” says Diane Swonk, chief economist at the accounting and advi­ sory firm Grant Thornton. Early evidence suggests enhanced bene­ fits played a role in keeping people from work, but for the most part, those have ended. So, why aren’t people rushing back to take these jobs? There are many reasons and complex nuances, say economists, but the lack of interest plays a major role in workers not returning. Compared to two years ago, there were 3.6 million more people out of the labor force in September who indicated they don’t want a job right now, says labor economist and University of Minnesota associate professor Aaron Sojourner. Citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis­ tics, people age 55 years and older account for 89 percent of the increase says Sojourn­ er. “I don’t think we should assume they’re never coming back, but for now, they’re not back.” Every day we hear of companies of every size and industry, across the country facing unprecedented challenges of trying to find enough workers to fill the open jobs. Local companies are cutting hours and shifts to accommodate the lack of workers. And restaurants are operating below capacity and shortening hours due to lack of staff. The latest data shows more than 10 million job openings across the country and around 6 million unemployed workers. Recently, Mike Rowe, television host of “How America Works” on the Discovery Channel, cautioned that “every single Amer­ ican” is feeling the effects of the record number of U.S. workers not working. “This is a conversation about our work­ force and the imbalanced nature of it and the way that it’s going to impact every single American who shares my addiction to smooth roads, indoor plumbing, afford­ able electricity and so forth,” said Rowe. “I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve heard from the energy industry, the floor­ ing industry, the restaurant industry, the cable and broadband industry, all of whom are struggling with the same basic prob­ lem. That problem is how to make a per­ suasive case for opportunities that exist within blue-collar industries.” That’s why it’s so important to focus on students to help them find a career that suits them and gives them an opportunity for a lifetime career. Rowe puts the responsibility on educa­ tors to change the perception of “good” jobs and the potential opportunities offered by both higher academic and vocational education. “It can’t be higher education, and every­ thing else is some vocational consolation prize,” maintains Rowe. “We need to set the table fairly. We need to do a better job globally of shining a light on skilled labor The Hastings BclllllCI* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. stories. There are 7 million able-bodied people who aren’t looking for work and we can’t blame a skills gap - it’s more about a ‘wills gap’ as so many appear to be addict­ ed to their screens.” Research backs Rowe’s position. The majority of people in that non-working cohort who aren’t interested in filling these jobs are spending 2,000 to 2,400 hours on their screens. “That’s what they’re doing,” says Rowe, “they’re full-time on their screens.” So the best way to reduce the shortage is to promote the list of jobs to students across the country and to invite adults as well to take an interest in vocational educa­ tion programs. “It’s no coincidence today that after we started to remove vocational training in the 1970s and 1980s from high school curricu­ lums the marketplace has been impacted,” says Rowe. “Combine that with during that same time we pushed students into higher education, undermining the vocations and leaving us short in so many careers.” It’s imperative that our political leaders stop looking at our workforce in terms of the unemployed and see it in terms of those who choose not to work. That’s the only way we are going to fix our shortage of workers and get our economy back on track. The longer these millions of workers remain off the job the harder it will be to get them back on the job and to be produc­ tive workers. A recent Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report continues to show an unemployment rate stalled at 3.5 percent. But why do busi­ nesses still have 10 million unfilled posi­ tions? And why is the labor force participa­ tion rate still languishing at a miserable 62.3 percent - more than a percentage point lower than before the pandemic? Evidence shows that enhanced jobless benefits played a role in keeping people from work but now that most of these pro­ grams have ended, what’s keeping workers from rushing back to work? There’s a myr­ iad of reasons: health concerns related to COVID, early retirements and child care are keeping workers on the sidelines. Understanding why workers aren’t returning to the workforce is just part of the equation. The bigger issue is how will companies across the country deal with the continuing labor shortage as company executives warn of the seriousness of the situation? These challenges remind me of how much we all miss people like Leo Keeler. Leo loved his work but he also loved his country. He showed up in just about every parade, his bike decked out with American flags to honor our great nation. Leo was dedicated to his country, to his work and to doing a good job for his customers - and it all came with a friendly smile. America used to be filled with lots of workers like Leo, but in recent years with the proliferation of government programs, we’ve made it too easy for so many to just stay at home and survive. Where has pride in work gone? How has the idea that hard work and dedication to each other makes our country stronger disappeared? Maybe high inflation and the rising costs of just about everything will force some of these stay-at-home citizens to return once again - only time will tell. In the mean­ time, companies will continue to fight to fill the unending list of jobs they deal with each day. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — Page 5 Kiwanis honors young citizens Republicans Teunessen, Hatfield round out new county board Citizens of the month at Northeastern Elementary in Hastings include Chloe Endres (left) and Ayla VanBelkum (right). They are pictured with Mr. Heide. (Photos provided) September’s citizens of the month at Star Elementary School were recently honored. Pictured are (from left) Gracie Burke, principal Mrs. Smelker and Lucas Evers. September’s citizens of the month at Southeastern Elementary School were recently honored. Pictured are (from left) Myah Hawbaker, principal Ms. Stein and Isabella Amundsen. Hastings elementary school and middle school teachers have selected students to be honored as citizens of the month by the Kiwanis Club of Hastings. Students are selected by their teachers for reasons such as excellent citizenship, atti­ tude, conduct, academics, character, service, leadership and sportsmanship. The citizens of the month for November (with parents’ names in parentheses) include: Central - Alex Bertrand (Andrew and Maria Bertrand) and Brennan Denton (Anas­ tasia and Scott Denton). Northeastern - Chloe Endres (Jennifer Endres) and Ayla VanBelkum (Heath and Ashley VanBelkum). Southeastern - Isabella Amundsen (Shandi Kosbar and Patrick Amundsen) and Myah Hawbaker (Evan and Samantha Hawbaker). Star - Gracie Burke (Kristie and Brandon Burke) and Lucas Evers (Ryan and Nancy Evers). Hastings Middle School - Sydnie Diljak (Michael and Wendy Diljak), Lexi Heydenberk (Amanda and Ashton Heydenberk), Brennen Main (Bryan Main and Heather Main), Gavin Mix (John Mix and April Mix), Kassidy Peake (Mark and Ashley Peake) and Spencer Wilkins (Daniel Wilkins and Jacquelin Komondy). Citizens of the month at Central Elementary in Hastings include Chloe Endres (left) and Ayla VanBelkum (right). They are pictured with Mr. Heide. (Photos provided) Hastings Middle School citizens of the month were honored recent­ ly. Pictured are (front row, from left) Mr. Knop, Gavin Mix, Lexi Heydenberk, (middle row) Kassidy Peake, Brennen Main, (back row) Spencer Wilkins and Sydnie Diljak. Donations being accepted for Toys for Barry County Kids program Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Barry County United Way is accepting donations for toys for its annual Toys for Barry County Kids program. The program allows parents facing eco­ nomic challenges the opportunity to come to the United Way office, located at 231 S. Broadway St., to ‘shop’ for free for their chil­ dren, from birth to age 18. “Parents are able to typically choose three to four gifts per child, along with stocking stuffers, board games, books, clothes and blankets,” said Morgan John­ son, United Way director of community outreach and engagement. “We also send them home with wrapping paper, allowing parents to wrap presents themselves, just as if they had gone to the store to purchase (the gifts) themselves.” Last year, United Way assisted 365 chil­ dren through the Toys for Barry County Kids program, Johnson said. The program runs completely on donations of new toys and gifts, and monetary donations. Toy donations may be dropped off at the following locations: - J-Ad Graphics - WBCH Radio - Spectrum Health Pennock Wellness Center - Highpoint Community Bank - Edward Jones - Andrew Cove/Emily Taylor - Edward Jones - Kevin Beck - Edward Jones - Jeff Domenico - Edward Jones - Jim Lundin - Edward Jones - Wendi Stratton - Edward Jones - Jeff Westra - Family Dollar in Hastings - Thornapple Credit Union - Trifit in Hastings - Viking - Delton District Library - Beeler-Gores Funeral Home in Middleville - Leighton Church - Barry County Telephone/MEI - Ken Shook barber shop in downtown Hastings For more details about Toys for Barry County Kids, contact United Way at (269) 945-4010. . County’s Wraparound Coordinator honored Long-time Barry County court employee Sheryl Overmire was formally recognized and honored as she prepares for retirement after nearly 29 years in her position as wrap­ around coordinator. Overmire was honored in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners during Tuesday morning’s meeting with a pocket of family and supporters seated in the gallery. Overmire will retire effective Nov. 30, but not before nearly 29 years in a posi­ tion where she coordinated teams of lay peo­ ple and professionals to provide needed ser­ vices for both at-risk youth and families. “This position requires extreme amounts of empathy, dedication and a huge heart and it’s a very special person that stays in this position for 29 years,” said Ben Geiger, chair of the county’s board of commissioners. Trial court administrator Ines Straube and deputy court administrator Dave Pelon also joined in to honor Overmire. “It’s been an honor to work alongside of you for the last, 21 years,” Straube said. “I know you’ve been tirelessly working really hard as the coordinator and coordinating a lot of services for out community. I appreciate everything you’ve done for our office and our courts and the impact you’ve had on the lives of family members that you serve. Thank you for your dedicated service to our office.” David Hatfield Bob Teunessen Jayson Bussa Editor The final two members of next year’s Barry County Board of Commissioners came into focus on Tuesday night as Republicans David Hatfield and Bob Teunessen prevailed in their respective races. The duo were the only two candidates to face off against Democrat opposition while the remaining six members were able to relax for the evening. Hatfield and Teunessen will join Mike Callton and Mark A. Doster as newcom­ ers to the board next year, although, Callton and Doster do have some past experience as commissioners. The new faces will join incumbents David Jackson, Bruce Campbell, Jon Smelker and Catherine Getty - all but Getty ran unopposed this year - to round out the eight-person board that effective­ ly runs the county. Teunessen, who owns a local drywall business, defeated Democrat Scott Sav­ age for the seat in District-1, which cov­ ers the area around the city of Hastings and will be left vacant by long-time commissioner Hoot Gibson. Teunessen beat out Savage 2,629 votes to 1,140 votes. David Hatfield went head-to-head with Democrat Chris Lukasiewicz for the newly-created District 8 seat. This dis­ trict covers only the city of Hastings. The race was relatively tight with Hatfield gamering 1,764 votes compared to Lukasiewicz’s 1,261. “I think that the turnout was surpris­ ingly large, which actually is good,” Hatfield said. “What I was uncertain about is how many people would end up voting a straight ticket. Certainly we’re seeing a larger number of Democratic voters in the city now. If they all voted straight ticket it would create a very close race for me. I was really pleased with the margin.” As the head of the Hastings planning commission, Hatfield hopes to serve as a strong link between the city and the county, helping the two parties to work more collaboratively together. One example of this need for synergy between the city and county cropped up lately with the Tyden Lofts project, a new housing development in the heart of Hastings. Wisconsin-based developer General Capital worked with both the city and the county to secure the necessary land for the workforce housing project. This pro­ cess was a bit disjointed at first - with the county refusing to sell its vacant Friend of the Court building - but the project is now coming together after fur­ ther negotiations. “The new building with General Capi­ tal is a very good example of what hap­ pens when the two units work a little closer,” Hatfield said. “I certainly don’t want it to sound like there are bad rela­ tions between the two units; I think it’s more just a lack of optimization and cooperation.” Like Hatfield, Teunessen has been attending board meetings for months, getting up to speed on the pressing issues of the day, which currently include com­ pensation for many county employees that feel underpaid and underappreciated. “As far as goals, I just want to sit down and figure what the board’s direction is,” Teunessen said following his victory. “We need to get some stuff done. That’s why people voted me in the position. They know I’m a business owner. I’m a hard worker and want to get stuff done.” BARRY COUNTY ROAR COMMISSION HELP WANTED We are seeking qualified applicants with skill and experience to join our team, Local Government Agency has an excellent opportunity for a Mechanic looking to advance in their career. We are looking for an individual with 5+ years of experience preferred, a high school diploma, or GED. This is a full­ time position with a pay rate of up to $29.36/hour and a competitive benefits package. A valid Michigan Driver’s license, criminal background, and a pre­ employment drug screen are required. Responsibilities • Performs all necessary preventative maintenance, checks, and services on gas and diesel trucks and small and heavy equipment. • Installs special functional and structural parts in trucks and equipment. • Sets up and operates lathe, drill press, grinder, torch, welder, and other metalworking tools to make and repair parts. • Troubleshoot electrical (computerized diagnostics), hydraulic Benefits • • • • • • • • Health insurance 401K Paid vacation, sick & personal time Paid holidays Boot, clothing, eyeglass allowance Overtime opportunities Training opportunities when applicable Tools provided Applications can be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office (phone (269) 945-3449) at 1725 W. M-43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058 between 6 AM - 3:45 PM, or found on our website at www.barrycrc.org. You may email your completed application to bcasey@barrycrc.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. A complete job description will be provided at the time of application. Sheryl Overmire (right) stands next to county board chair Ben Geiger as he recog­ nizes her nearly 29 years of service as the county’s Wraparound Coordinator. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) The Barry County Road Commission is an equal-opportunity employer. �Page 6 —Thursday, November 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Elnora Elizabeth “Becky” Beck­ with, of Hastings, MI, passed away surrounded by her family on November 3, 2022, in Hastings, MI, at age 95. She was bom in Carlton Center on December 11,1926, the daughter of Walter Ben and Myrtie (Dimond) Cole of Woodland. Elnora was raised on a farm in Woodland and graduated from Woodland High School. She married Kenneth E. Beckwith on February 28, 1945. She retired from Michigan Bell (AT&T). She was a telephone opera­ tor that was located above the Waldorff Restaurant. Later she worked at the telephone office taking orders for telephone service. She loved fishing with her husband and grandsons and would have get togethers, where she would fry up fish they caught that day. She enjoyed camp­ ing, traveling in the winter, putting puzzles together and going to the casi­ no. She would go for rides in the car that ended up being a picnic when she would unpack a basket frill of the best snacks. Most of all she loved her children and grandchildren! Elnora was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 64 years, Kenneth Beckwith; son, Wayne Beckwith; sis­ ters, Bemita and Gertrude; brother, Billy and son-in-law, Richard. She is survived by daughters, Diana (Richard) Meade, Jane (Rob­ ert) Power; grandchildren, Rich K. (Sharon) Meade, Wayne T. (Debbie) Meade, Rob V. (Tracy) Neil, Tim (Julie) Power, and Colleen (Mike) Dugan, and 16 great and great-great grandchildren. Elnora’s funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, at Grace Lutheran Church, Pastor Ken Scheck II officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cure for Dementia/Alzheimer’s or the Grace Lutheran Church. Arrangements by Girrbach Funer­ al Home, Hastings Michigan. To leave online condolences visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Protecting our loved ones from elder abuse Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist Are you concerned about protecting your older relatives and friends from elder abuse? The pandemic highlighted the disproportionate impact of tragedy on underserved communities, including older adults, who face high rates of elder abuse, fraud, and nursing homes deaths. It’s important to remember that elder abuse can happen to anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or financial status. We are committed to helping and preventing further victimization - especially in underserved communities. Fraud A recent Federal Bureau of Investigation report showed that elder fraud has increased. Older adults in the United States reported over $1.6 billion in losses in 2021. This includes victims of COVID-related scams. Older adults in the U.S, also lose nearly 25 times more money to scammers than other -<'* • L ■ -• ■ • 1 -■ ' ■ "-I ' ’ groups - an estimated $113.7 billion a year. Reporting fraud can be difficult and older adults tend to underreport - especially when money is lost. Many older Americans are unsure about the reporting process or feel too embarrassed to report. Understaffed Adult Protective Services offices can also cause long processing times and underreporting. We work hard to protect beneficiaries from Social Security and government imposter scams. You can learn more about protecting your loved ones at blog.ssa.gov/slam-thescam-how-to-spot-government-imposters and our Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams webpage at ssa.gov/scam. Please share these important resources with your family and friends. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vonda.vantil@ssa.gov. _ _ . . U■ . • •' • ■‘ - Worship Together Robert Duane Glasgow, age 63, of Hastings, MI, passed away on November 6, 2022. Robert was born on March 26, 1959, in Hastings, Ml, the son of Duane and Frances (Peacock) Glasgow. He was a 1977 graduate of Hastings High School. On October 10, 1997, Robert married Tammy VanKampen. He worked for FlexFab, worked construction in Florida, and retired from Hastings Area Schools. Bob spent most of his time gar­ dening, working on his yard, and spending time outdoors. He also enjoyed camping and loved decorat­ ing and hosting family holiday par­ ties. He was a huge family man, and enjoyed spending time with his chil­ dren, grandchildren and family, and also loved spending time with his dog Winston. Robert was preceded in death by his mother Frances Glasgow and brother John William Glasgow. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Tammy Glasgow; father, Duane (Janet) Glasgow of Hastings; children, Matthew (Emilie) of Lowell, Nicho­ las (Kayla) of Lake Odessa, Kayla Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Nov. 10-16 Nov. 1-Dec. 31 - November Storywalk Book: “Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: HowAnimals Get Ready for Winter” by Laura Purdie Salas; illustrated by Claudine Gevry. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Nov. 1-30 - The Scientist’s Secret Puz­ zle: Puzzle Game on the Trails. Informa­ tion is available at the south side of the Visitor Center near the restrooms. The Puzzle Game is free and self-guided. Sunday, Nov. 13 - Holiday Gift Show, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For 19 years, artists have been selling their handcrafted and cre­ ative gifts at the annual Holiday Gift Show. The artists donate 15 percent of their sales to the Institute. Members receive 15 percent off all gift shop pur­ chases the day of the show. The Institute’s gift shop will feature books, fair trade items, locally made items and birdhouses and feeders by Bill Stovall. Bill will be available to answer questions about bird­ ing and his products. The Gift Show is free and open to the public. A listing of 2022 gift items can be found at cedar­ creekinstitute. org. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedar­ creekinstitute. org/events .htm 1. Irene Lake will celebrate ’ 80th birthday ; Irene (Hammond) Lake will be celebrating her 80th birthday on November 13, 2022. Irene has one son, Michael Lake and one granddaughter, Mikayla Lake. Family and friends may send cards to 659 W. Brogan Rd., Hastings, MI 49058. Amanda Sue Barnes, Wayland and Eric Daniel Smith, Wayland Leaha Jean Labine, Delton and Jacob Arthur Baker, Delton ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, Ml 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. Worship &fraise Hhasiings Fiberglass Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Elaine Garlock For the first time in more than 50 years, the gingko tree on Johnson Street did not drop all its leaves overnight. Is there some adage about “rules were made to be broken” or maybe, “there is a first time for everything?” Gradually, over the course of a week, the leaves fell and produced a heavy blanket of yellow leaves in a big circle around the base of the tree. Still, many of the branches looked quite normal. Then, overnight, most of the remaining leaves fell. Still, there are a few branches which are still hanging onto the stragglers. The leaves this year were a differ­ ent shade of yellow, more golden than in previous years. All Saints’ Day was observed at Central UMC on Sunday with candles lit, a bell rung and a printed story with photos of Frances Goodemoot Morris and Robert Cross who had died in the last year. Family members were present to light the candles. Ionia County’s chapter of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel (MARSP) will meet Nov. 17 at the Ionia County Intermediate School offices on Har­ wood Road at noon. Georgia (Richardson) Sharp of Portland is taking reservations for the luncheon which precedes the program and business meeting. Each year, the chapter gives a few hundred dollars to benefit one library of the county. This year’s turn was to go to Orleans, but they no longer have a functioning library. Instead, the funds provided for three library stations placed around Orleans Township. The speaker will be relaying efforts made for a veterans’ recognition at Belding. All retired school personnel from superinten­ dents to secretaries to custodians are eligi­ ble to attend, as well as spouses of such employees. Election Day brought a large number of voters to the polls. By noon, just the village precinct had 500 votes cast. The township’s rural area is another precinct. The downtown lamp posts have their sea­ sonal displays of photos of veterans. This project has a rotating assortment of banners to hang, which include veterans of WWII, the Korean conflict, Desert Storm, the Gulf con­ flict and others of short-term with their area of service. These are used in two seasons of the year for short-term display. Flyers are in the stores now for Christmas ‘Round the Town, which is coming later this month on Nov. 25 and 26. There are several new locations, Knoll Road possibly being one. That is in Sebewa Township between Harwood and Creighton Roads. The loca­ tion on 76*h Street is at the west edge of Campbell Township from Hastings Road to Winger Roads. Three of the spots are in small shops contained within larger struc­ tures, such as the former EBI building across from Carl’s Market and the strip of shops north of the railroad tracks. The Lake Odessa Historical Society is the only stop which lists available restrooms on their premises. However, all the church sites would have the same accommodations. Khaleesi Elizabeth Kaiser, born at This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Evans of Hastings, Tabitha (AJ) of Kentwood and Natasha (Jason) of Hastings; grandchildren, Trenton, Jor­ don, Braydon, Reyd, Addison, Rayn, Mason, Gabriel, and Mallory; broth­ ers, Don (Carrie) Glasgow of Hast­ ings, Jim Glasgow of Arizona, and Joe Glasgow of Hastings; sister, Mariann Glasgow of Olivet; step-sister, Karla (Mike) Dennis of Gobles, and many nieces and nephews. Donations in memory of Robert can be made to the American Cancer Society, https://raiseyourway.donordrive.com/ (Search Robert Glasgow). Visitation will be on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058, with a Celebration of Life Service Gather­ ing at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funer-’ al Home. To leave an online condo­ lence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Hudson Lee Lynch, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 6,2022 to Cheyenne Gerber of Plainwell. $$*** Logan James-Lee Spurgeon, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 9, 2022 to Rebecca Linsea and Bryce Spurgeon of Hastings. Joana Irene Ports, bom at Butter­ worth on October 9, 2022 to Martha and Justin Ports of Hastings. Spectrum Health Pennock on Octo­ ber 11, 2022 to Storm Miller and Anton Kaiser of Hastings. ***** Aven Rain Anders, bom at Spec-! trum Health Pennock on October 18,' 2022 to Mikki Lovelace and BrarL don Anders of Hastings. ***** Vj Kynlee Jean Clisso, bom at Spec­ Alejandro Lee Reid, bom at Spec­ trum Health Pennock on October 18, 2022 to Kylie Clisso and MacKenley Clisso of Hastings. trum Health Pennock on October 20,; 2022 to Kayla Marie Thornton and Job: Matten-Scott Reid of Vermontville. ; HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR NOV. 10-16 AWOHUWVlDESIffPUSlOf HotlMDoIs&EqnipMt 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Thursday, Nov. 10 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1942 film starring Jeanne Crain, Cornell Wilde and Linda Darnell, 5-8 p.m.J Friday, Nov. 11 - Preschool Story Time, 10:30-11 a.m. ’ Monday, Nov. 14 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; Lego club, 4-5 p.m.; Crafting Passions evening session, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15 - Baby Cafe, 10 a.m.-noon; mahjong, 2:30 p.m.; chess, 5:30 p.m.; write-in for NaNoWriMo writers group, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club - 10:30-11 a.m.; Arm Chair Travel Night: Africa with Becca Hawkins, 6 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — Page 7 CLOVERDALE... the village of two lakes (Part II) fl look book at the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner i’- TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Joyce F. Weinbrecht Banner Oct. 30, 1997 Editor’s note: The following series is taken from Joyce F. Weinbrecht’s longtime Banner column, “From Time to Time... ” Her history of Cloverdale ran in October of 1997. Drying apples was a very important part of early food preservation and a way to preserve and ship the products of the small orchards which nearly every farmstead had. Many small towns had an apple dryer, and Clover­ dale was no exception. The apple dryer was across the road from the Town Hall on the shore of Long Lake, between the road and railroad. The road through Cloverdale has been changed and enlarged many times and it is hard to visual­ ize the layout of the town in those early days. It was there from the late 1880s until into the •1900s. • Apple dryer operations gave many people seasonal work. Women were hired to peel and slice the apples for drying. It was hard Jvork, but the workers always had time for some fun. > There was a story told by Myrtle Kings­ bury Sayles, who worked there as late as j 898. They would place a wager to see which |>f them could pare the most apples on one particular day. Mrs. Sayles remembered that she pared two bushels more than the nearest contender, Mrs. Givens Gibson. I In 1902, the apple dryer was owned by peorge Replogle and Jesse Osgood. ■ Young married women also worked in the fields to earn some income. Mae Geib, Allie Chamberlain, Ida Cox and Myrtle Sayles picked up potatoes for Pete Kings­ bury for $1.50 per day. They also husked 10 acres of com for Del Norris for the same wages. They would feed their families breakfast for their families, pack a lunch, row up the lake to the Norris farm, where they husked com all day, rowing home in the evening to get the supper meal. John Ryan built a warehouse and elevator near the railroad in 1902. The Cloverdale telephone company also was founded in J 902. The switchboard was in the Campbell Brothers’ store. In 1920, the Cloverdale Telephone Com­ pany, a stock company, was organized, with John McLeod as its first president. The sys­ tem merged with Delton in 1952. There were 100 shares of stock and 65 patrons at that time. The post office in Cloverdale went through several changes over the years. It was located in Howard Mosher’s grocery store, and in another store, then a building which has been built for a meat market was used for the post office and then it was moved to the cement block building across M-43 from the store. The first rural route delivery from Clover­ dale was carried by Claude Mosher in 1905. The last mail delivery from this post office was on Jan. 22, 1960. Rural patrons are now served by Delton farriers. The post office, now located on the south side of the highway, serves box patrons. Weldon Brooks carried the mail from the Cloverdale post office for more than 50 years, retiring on Oct. 1, 1959. ' Dr. Hunt was the first doctor to serve Clo­ verdale. He was located on Lot 36, on the north side of the street, which was called Center Street and is now M-43. Dr. Fritch Scribner came in 1904. He practiced with Dr. Scribner, who in 1891 went to Delton, where ( , he built a house and practiced until his death in 1907. There also were Dr. Kennified in 1909 and Dr. Robinson, 1910, who was the last doctor to serve Cloverdale. Center Street was home to Mr. and Mrs. Ira Brooks, 1903, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Kahler in 1912 and Mr. and Mrs. Weldon Brooks, who married in 1911 and made their home on Cen­ ter Street. Charles Monica, son of Ferdinand came in 1912. Mr. and Mrs. James McDonald moved from Cedar Creek to a home on Cen­ ter Street in 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Martin Nagel came in 1920. Cloverdale had a band. Sam Geib, who was a drummer in this band and was well known throughout the area, organized a dance band in 1934. Harry Eckler played the trap drum, Millard Sager was the pianist and Mac Verwirda played the trumpet. Sam also played the saxophone and violin. This group was together until 1955. They played for many social events and were regulars at the Glass Creek Grange. oboe; Chan Hart, baritone horn; and Merle Kahler, Dr. Wesley Logan and Lewis Hine played clarinets. John Hom came to the farm on Section 15 in 1886, just ahead of the C.K.&S. Railroad. Katie Hom Kahler told about the family’s journey from Batavia, N.Y., to Michigan. She told of the Singing School conducted by Mr. Taylor. They met regularly at the church and there were about 25 people active in the group. Mrs. Kahler was an active member of the Evangelical United Brethren Church. She told about the men of the community being carpenters who built the church. John Ashby, who was a veterinarian, arrived in the area in 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Leonard came in 1887. Ed Titus Sr., who was a well driver, came in 1892 from a log cabin just south of the McCallum Church. Ed Titus Jr. lived to be over 102 years old. M-43 was then known as Colgrove’s Trail because Phillip P. “Good Roads” Colgrove was working to improve Barry County and Michigan roads, and the road to Kalamazoo was one of his projects. Ed remembered that the roadway went under a small leaning tree, which later became a large leaning tree and was known as the “Wishing Tree” to many people. This was south of Cloverdale near Wall Lake. The C.K.&S. Railroad ran through the Titus farm and a train went through regularly six times a day, two passenger runs between Kalama­ zoo and Woodbury and at least one freight each way. Ed Titus Sr. was a well driller with a repu­ tation in the area for being able to locate a good supply of water. Ed Titus Jr. then joined his father in the well drilling business. They used a horse-powered rig. The horse walked in a circle around the turntable, a power shaft Cloverdale apple dryer, 1891. This wasn’t the first or only band from Cloverdale. At the turn of the century, the Cloverdale Coronet Band members were looking mighty sharp in their uniforms. There were 14 active members in this band. There was a dance bowery in Cloverdale on the west side of the highway. Open air dances were held there and on the 4^ of July there was always a special program with fireworks. Hazel Hines Brooks organized an orches­ tra in the 1930s. The group, made up of mainly high school age people, met once a week at the Brooks home. There were as many as 22 players at one time. They played for church functions, commencement exer­ cises and convention. Some of the players in the orchestra were Homer Bachman and Paul Water, guitar; Fred Babcock, banjo; Evelyn Monica and Marvin Flower, saxophone; Glenn Kahler, Mrs. McNutt, Weldon Brooks and Ruth Hom, violins; Delos Flower, bass horn; Ross Pierce, trombone; Lyle Kingsbury, drums; John Chandler, trumpet; Steve Karmes, flute; Ira McCallum, coronet; Myron and Maurice Johncock, trombones; Lottie Garri­ son played the piano; Oma Jean Garrison, Cloverdale Coronet Band. came out the side near the bottom. This was called a “tumbler rod,” which turned the drum. The horse had to be taught to step over the tumbler rod each trip around. This type of rig was used to power other types of machin­ ery on the farms of those times. Some required a team of horses, and the turntable was sim­ ply called “the power.” John Ludwick changed the shoreline of Cloverdale Lake and the road between the lakes when he buried the channel between the lakes in a culvert under the road at the end of the 1890s and early 1900. He built the Methodist Mission on the banks of Clover­ dale Lake. Standing on the roadway at the intersection of Center Street (M-43) and Guernsey Lake road one can visualize the difference in the height of the two lakes and appreciated that there was once a 16-foot fall or headwater, which ran the mills at this point in the 1880s. When the Methodist Mission was stand­ ing at this point, it not only housed the mis­ sion services, but also gave a meeting place to many other organizations of Cloverdale. There was a large Epworth League Room, where every Saturday night members of the league met. The Epworth League, a Method­ Cloverdale ball club, 1948. ist Youth organization named after the birth­ place of John Wesley, founder of the Meth­ odist Church. The international group was organized in 1889 in Cleveland, Ohio and was open to youth from 12 years of age to 23. It was called Epworth League until 1941, when it became known as the Methodist Youth Fellowship. The Loyal Temperance Legion group also met in the League Room. This youth group was organized by Floyd Starr. The WCTU of Cloverdale, organized in 1900, holding its first meeting on May 16 of that year, held many medal contests at that mission. There was the True Blue Sunday School class for older youth. Dugal Campbell taught this Sun­ day School class for many years. Letitia Fos­ ter and Lottie Fox taught the younger chil­ dren. Arthur Patton directed the choir there and Katie Johncock was the organist, playing for the services on a pump organ. After the church was no longer used for religious purposes, the building was still used for social functions. Many eight grade gradu­ ations were held there. It was used for a dance hall in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Cloverdale had a baseball club and played teams from other nearby towns. In 1948 members of the team were Jim Hock, Jack Hayward, Chuck Monica, Gerald Gibson, George Ulrich, Russell Nash, Ron Nash, Ronnie Carter, Jasper Arm introut, Bruce Monica, Phillip Lewis and Bob Brooks. The Ladies Aid Society dates at least back to 1915. In the early days, they met in the homes of members. They held regular monthly meetings. They also met in the Town Hall. Dinner was served at noon and everybody was welcome. The children from the school would all march to the Hall for dinner at noon. The price of the meal to the children was 25 cents. If the weather was bad, the meetings were held in a private home. No account of Cloverdale is complete without referring to Acker’s Point, which is a story in itself. The Acker family arrived in Hope Township and taken land on the shores of Long Lake sometime between 1860 and 1873. This land bordered on the south shores of the lake, east of what was to become Clo­ verdale. Long Lake and Cloverdale (Mud Lake) were known for their good fishing, trapping and hunting. When the C.K.&S. Railroad made its way along the southern shores of Long Lake, in 1887, it went through the Acker farm. The lake was a tranquil site and areas along the lakes became inviting sites for tourists to visit. C.K.&S. promoted the areas in Barry and Hope Townships as “The Great Inland Lake Route,” published the Hunter’s and Fishermen’s Guide and gave special excur­ sion rates to hunters and fishermen. The hotels and resorts along the railroad benefitted from this influx of persons from the cities, as did the stores and other busi­ nesses in the little towns along the railroad line. In 1891, John Acker opened the hotel on the extended point on the shore of Long Lake. Here, lodging and meals were available to the traveler, fisherman, hunter or to a resorter. Boating was popular on the lake, and John Acker began a steamboat run with a steam­ boat named the “Reindeer,” which was oper­ ated by Lewis Acker, son of John Acker. It cost 5 cents round trip from Acker’s Point to Cloverdale and back. The line operated on Sundays and on holidays. The steamboat line was started in 1890 and was discontinued in the early 1900s. After the boat deteriorated to the point of no return, the engine was removed and it was sunk in Long Lake, south and west of the resort. The Kalamazoo Ice and Fuel Company built an ice house where they could store ice, which they cut out of Long Lake during the winter. They also had several large ice houses in Kalamazoo, which they filled with ice brought in on the C.K.&S. Railroad. They hired a crew of men with their teams to cut the ice and store it for use in the summertime. The crews lived at the lake on Acker’s Point in a cottage while they harvested the ice. The automobile and the use of trucks to carry the freight took its toll on the railroads and in 1937 the Chicago, Saginaw and Kalamazoo gave up the railroad from Wood­ bury to Richland and it was tom up, ending the era of railroading in Barry County, which for more than 50 years had its own railroad. After the tracks were taken up in the Clo­ verdale area, Bert McCallum bought up the right of way, part of which bordered his prop­ erty on Long Lake. He sold the section from the township park on Cloverdale Lake to the Kingsbury home to Bruce Perry of Kalama­ zoo, who platted out 21 lots. Building on these lots began in 1949. Lots were sold along the south shore of Long Lake. The old railroad right of way serves as the road to these lots. The north shore of Long Lake also was platted and building began on that side of the lake. Cloverdale is not by any means a ghost town. There are still several businesses oper­ ating along Center Street, M-43. The post office is now located east on M-43. It is still a good spot for fishing and Acker’s Point can still be located on the southeast side of Long Lake. The public access on long Lake gives a tranquil view of the lake, with large white swans swimming on the lake. Hope Township Park on Cloverdale Lake offers a delightful view of that lake. Next time, when traveling along M-43, when going around the curve where Guernsey Lake Road and M-43 (think of it as Center Street) come together, imagine a young boy on his stomach on a sled, flying across the road after coming down the hill from the school on the hill, turning down the trail to the swimming area on Long Lake, out onto the ice. Imagine a ride on a summer day on the “Reindeer” the steamboat, the length of Long Lake and back for only a nickel round trip. That was the Cloverdale in the “years gone by.” Sources: Years Gone By, Bernard Histori­ cal Society; Bicentennial, Hope Township, July 4, 1976; Second Edition, Hope Town­ ship, 1978; Barry County History 1985; Archives of the Hastings Banner; Rural Schools of Hope Township, Barry County Historical Society. Cloverdale Post Offices from 1918-1933. �Page 8 — Thursday, November 10, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Proposed Hastings operating millage increase voted down Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Voters turned down an operating mill­ age increase proposal from Hastings Area School System. The vote failed during Tuesday’s mid­ term election with 4,604 no-votes and 4,376 yes-votes, for a total of 8,980 votes. By law, the school can only levy 18 mills, but it’s common for districts to ask for more than 18 mills to offset rollbacks made due to the Headlee Amendment to the Michigan State Constitution. The operating millage is a non-homestead tax, meaning mills are only levied against business properties or taxpay­ ers’ secondary homes. Funds generated from the operating millage go toward paying school staff salaries as well as operating costs like heating and electric bills. HASS Superintendent Matt Goebel said he was surprised by the results Wednesday morning. “I was very surprised since this was a non-homestead request and did not impact anyone’s taxes on their primary resi­ dence,” he said. If passed, the proposed millage increase would have increased the non-homestead tax by $0.20 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Those 0.2 mills would impact the district’s budget, Goebel said. “HASS will lose approximately $43,000 from the State of Michigan this school year and not receive a full founda­ tion allowance for operating the school district,” he said. Spiritual Care Consultants Endowment Match SCC has received a $250,000 matching fund for the Spiritual Care Consultants Endowment Fund. The SCC Endowment Fund goal is Five Million Dollars. We presently have $650,339.00 in the Endowment Fund. If eighteen people would match the $250,000, SCC would have just over the Five Million dollars goal we are targeting for the Endowment Fund. We understand that not everyone can give this amount, please know that any amount given will be greatly appreciated and will help SCC to continue to serve our communities. The healing work of SCC must go forward into the years to come, and the Endowment Fund will ensure that this important work is propelled into the future. Republicans Rigas, Johnsen and Smit head to Lansing as freshmen legislators; Dems hold control Angela Rigas Gina Johnsen Rachelle Smit Jayson Bussa Editor Angela Rigas was confident in her party’s ability to hold on to power within state gov­ ernment - if not make additional gains - fol­ lowing the midterm elections. However, after the dust cleared on Tues­ day’s general election, Rigas and her Repub­ lican colleagues will head to Lansing facing Democrat control of all three branches of the government. Rigas, a Hastings native that now resides in Caledonia, had no problem winning the seat for District 79 on Tuesday, and area that covers Caledonia, Middleville, Byron Cen­ ter and the area just west of Hastings. Rigas garnered 29,511 votes compared to 15,360 votes for Democrat Kimberly Kennedy-Bar­ rington. The story was similar for Gina Johnsen of Lake Odessa, who rose out of a crowded Republican primary in District 78. Johnsen won handily over Leah Groves of Lowell in the district that includes Hastings, Lake Odessa and Ionia. Also, Rachelle Smit defeated Mark Lud­ wig in District 43, which slices through the southern portion of Barry County, with 70 percent of the vote. Despite the ease in which the trio of women were able to win their respective races, their party did not fare as well. For the first time in 40 years, Democrats will control the Michigan House and Senate, albeit by a slim margin. Johnson and Rigas were unavailable for comment at press time. Look for additional coverage in J-Ad Publications The Reminder and the Sun and News. Michigan Proposal 3 supporting abortion rights wins big The matching fund will run from September 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. If you are praying about what j to do and you would like more information you can go to the SCC’s website at www.spiritualcareconsultants. | com or you can visit our media site to watch video testimonies at www.scchealingbegins.com or contact us directly at 1375 W. Green St, Suite 1, in Hastings, MI 49058. Our phone number is 269-929-2901. If you would like to donate to the Endowment Fund, please make the check out to: “Barry Community Foundation” and put fund number “165-SCC” on the memo line. Mail to: 231 S. Broadway St., Hastings, MI 49058 Thanks for your support, Pastor Gale Kragt, Executive Director Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a Variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. Yes, I would like to become an SCC Partner by contributing the below gift to assist in the transformation of an individual's health and wellness through Spiritual Care! *Please cut out and return this ad with your information and/or check via mail to SCC, 1375 W. Green St., Suite #1, Hastings, MI 49058 Name:__ Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Total Donation Amount: Please charge my gift to my credit card: Visa Mastercard AMEX Card Number: Exp. Date:/Amount: Name on Card: CW (4 Digit):Signature: Proposal 3, which will keep abortion legal in Michigan, has been a top issue among state voters, and the most expensive race in the state this year. (Courtesy photo) Yue Stella Yu and Robin Erb Bridge Michigan Michigan voters on Tuesday resoundingly approved Proposal 3, the constitutional amendment to enshrine reproductive rights into the state constitution. With nearly 85 percent of votes counted by 8:20 a.m. Wednesday, Proposal 3 had received 55.5 percent of the votes in support of the measure, compared to 44.5 percent of voters who opposed it. “Today, the people of Michigan voted to restore the reproductive rights they’ve had for 50 years,” Reproductive Freedom campaign spokesperson Darci McConnell said after the group declared victory. “Proposal 3’s passage marks a historic vic­ tory for abortion access in our state and in our country - and Michigan has paved the way for future efforts to restore the rights and protections of Roe v. Wade nationwide.” Proposal 3’s passage means legal access to abortion and other reproductive services will be preserved in Michigan. The vote comes after the U.S. Supreme Court voted to over­ turn Roe v. Wade in June, ending federal protections for abortion for nearly 50 years. Voters in California and Vermont also approved similar measures to protect abor­ tion on Tuesday. After the Roe reversal, months of legal tumult in Michigan followed. Abortion rights supporters and opponents asked courts to enforce - or abandon - a now-blocked 1931 abortion ban, which would have made most abortions a felony punishable by up to four years in prison or $5,000 in fines. The rival campaigns also fought over whether Proposal 3 should make the ballot, prompting a Michigan Supreme Court to recently issue an order allowing voters to decide the issue at the ballot Tuesday. Proposal 3 was the most expensive race in Michigan this year, according to the latest cam­ paign finance reports, drawing a total $57 mil­ lion in fundraising between rivaling campaigns. Reproductive Freedom for All, the coali­ least $40.2 million and spent at least $22.5 million on ads. Volunteers and fundraising for the cam­ paign spiked after the U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned Roe v. Wade. More than 4,400 volunteers have knocked on doors, called voters and held events to support the campaign, campaign spokesperson Darci McConnell previously told Bridge. Countering that effort, the anti-abortion coalition Citizens to Support MI Women and Children has raised at least $16.9 million and spent almost all of it on advertisement, criti­ cizing the proposal as “confusing” and “extreme.” Opponents, which included the Catholic church and Right to Life of Michigan, argued the constitutional amendment would invali­ date up to 41 state laws regulating abortion, such as the law requiring minors to seek parental consent or a court waiver before obtaining an abortion. Critics also said the proposal would allow minors to access abortion and gender-affirm­ ing care without their parents’ consent or knowledge. Abortion rights supporters dis­ puted that, arguing parental consent laws would remain in effect if the proposal passes. Third-party legal experts said much of its impact on stale regulations would be up to the court or state lawmakers if the measure is approved. . The Committee to Protect Health Care, a doctors group that helped campaign for Pro­ posal 3, also celebrated what it assumed to be a Proposal 3 victory. “This is a historic victory for reproductive rights in Michigan, and the Committee to Protect Health Care was proud to help get Proposal 3 across the finish line,” said Dr. Rob Davidson, executive director of the com­ mittee and an emergency physician in West Michigan. “Together with campaign leaders and activ­ ists, doctors and health care professionals, the Committee has helped make Michigan a lead­ er for protecting abortion rights. We look for­ ward to continuing the fight on behalf of patients in states across the country.” The ACLU of Michigan, which was part of the coalition supporting Proposal 3, celebrat­ ed shortly after the campaign declared victory. “Together, we blazed a trail, making Michigan a national model of what otheT states can achieve across America,” said ACLU of Michigan executive director Loren Khogali. “Given the strength, resilience, and determination of all the people who are engaged in the movement, I am confident in the path ahead.” Christen Polio, spokesperson for the anti-abortion coalition Citizens to Support Ml Women and Children, did not immediate­ ly return Bridge’s call seeking comment early Wednesday. WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT? Because voters approved the measure, the constitutional amendment will take effect 45 days after Election Day in mid-December. Some current state laws regulating abor­ tion - such as the parental consent for minors and informed consent requirements - could be challenged in court by advocates who deem those rules restrictive and unconstitu­ tional. If that happens, judges will decide whether the state laws in question should remain effective. Lawmakers could also amend laws they think are unconstitutional or propose new ones. Had Michigan voters rejected Proposal 3, abortion would have remained legal in Michigan - in the short term, at least. A judge in Michigan blocked the 1931 state ban on most abortions from taking effect, but the decision could have been overturned by a higher court if supporters of the law succeeded in their appeal. That question now appears to be moot. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s legal efforts also included asking the Michi­ gan Supreme Court to declare that the state constitution’s current text supports abortion rights. The high court had not answered that request before election day, yet another legal question that appears to now be resolved. .tion sp �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, November 10, 2022 Saxons do some lifting after first district victory Brett Bremer Sports Editor The only weight the Saxons had left to hold up Friday night at the end of the MHSAA Division 4 District Final inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings was the weight of the school’s first district championship trophy. And maybe the weight of a few Gatorade coolers filled with ice water. After back-to-back seasons being bumped from the MHSAA state postseason in the sec­ ond round, the Hastings varsity football team knocked off Charlotte 23-13 to earn a spot in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional Final hosted by Edwardsburg this Friday, Nov. 11. The win over Charlotte is the tenth of the season for the Saxons - a new school-record. Saxon senior fullback Robby Slaughter teamed with senior running back Lanny Teu­ nessen to chase down Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy with a big orange cooler and douse him on the Hastings logo at midfield as soon as he finished up his handshakes with the Charlotte coaching staff. Teammates made their way around to other members of the Saxon coaching staff as well. Slaughter said those coolers haven’t been on the sideline during every bailgame this fall, but somehow the training staff knew they should be available Friday night. “It was a lot of fun to say the least,” Mur­ phy said. “It felt like it was a big monkey on our shoulders in terms of getting past that second round. The kids just celebrated, r because I know they felt that weight on their shoulders as well.” ; It was a different victory than most of the Saxons’ this fall. They trailed in the second half for the first time since a 24-21 win at Jackson Lumen Christi Sept. 9. The only other time since then that the Saxons have been behind on the scoreboard was at Harper Creek, Sept. 23, when the Beavers took a 6-0 lead in what would eventually become a 52-6 --Saxon victory. Slaughter scored the Saxons’ go-ahead touchdown on a seven-yardTun wuh 8:20 to go in the game Friday, bursting untouched through the middle of the line. An Oriole at his ankles just inside the two-yard-line had no shot at stopping him from falling across the goal-line from there. Hastings sophomore running back Isaiah Wilson iced the victory with an eight-yard TD run with 2:41 to go that pushed the Saxon lead to its final margin. “I think it helps that we have played with each other forever,” Slaughter said of the Saxons’ 2022 success, “since second grade, and even before that in flat football. We’re really close as a team.” Slaughter also hit a 23-yard field goal as time expired on the first half to put Hastings up 9-6 at the time. The Saxons received the second half kick­ off looking to build their lead, but that Hast­ ings’ possession to start the third quarter ended in a fumbled snap that was recovered by Charlotte at the Saxon 19-yard-line. Four plays later the Orioles got an eight-yard touchdown pass from Christian Powers to Carson Berkompas. Tyler Bidelman’s extra­ point kick had the Orioles up 13-9 with 8:48 to play in the third quarter. • Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy gets a hug from senior Lanny Teunessen, after Teunessen and teammate Robby Slaughter gave their coach an ice bath at midfield, in the celebration following the Saxons' 23-13 win over Charlotte Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) The Hastings varsity football team celebrates its first district championship after scoring a 23-13 win over Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 4 Region 2, District 2 Final Friday inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field in Hastings. The Saxons will travel to Edwardsburg to take on the Eddies in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional Finals this Friday, Nov. 11. (Photo by Perry Hardin) “It was really great to see our kids battle back and be resilient and not give up on each other when we got down,” Hastings head coach Jamie Murphy said. “I saw a lot of leadership in our quarter­ back, Owen Carroll, when we fumbled the ball on like the 19-yard-line. He came off and saw heads down and kids looking a little defeated. He was the first one that started yelling- and screaming—' being positi‘*-*■ “‘We’re going to be okay. This is just a hiccup.’ All the right things.” A 44-yard run by Lanny Teunessen got the Saxons’ some momentum back midway through the third quarter, but that Hastings drive was stymied in part by an offensive offside penalty that turned a fourth-and-5 at the Charlotte 15-yard-line into a fourth-andten at the Charlotte 20. The Orioles managed to haul down Carroll in the backfield to pre­ serve their lead. Charlotte then went 55 yards in ten plays to the Saxon 18-yard-line where Cutler Brandt set up to try a 25-yard-field goal with 10:25 to play in the bailgame. The kick was blocked by Hastings’ Cole McKenna, who leapt up at the line, to keep the Oriole lead at four points. Diego Coipel scooped up the blocked kick and pushed forward for the Saxons. Hastings took over at its own 32 and went 68 yards in six plays to score Slaughter’s go-ahead touchdown. Lanny Teunessen ran in the two-point conversion and Hastings led 17-13. The Orioles put together long, time con­ suming drives all evening long, but once they were put in position to try and catch up the Saxon defense took advantage. Saxon defen­ sive back Landon Steward intercepted an Oriole pass near midfield with 7:42 to play. Powers faked a screen into the left flat, but Steward never bit from his safety spot and when Powers fired deep left Steward raced over and leapt up in front of the Oriole receiver for the, turnover. The Saxon offense followed up with a five minute, ten-play drive that ended in Wilson’s TD nm and a f^jt^f^?b-p6int-try. The Charlotte offense got the ball out to midfield again on what would be its final possession of the evening, but an intentional grounding penalty on third-and-15 forced Charlotte into a fourth-and-31 from its own 29 with a minute and a half to play and Saxon sophomore defensive back Jett Barnum inter­ cepted Powers’ last, gasp throw. Charlotte opened the bailgame with a 78-yard drive that took six and a half minutes off the clock and ended in an 11 -yard TD pass from Powers to Braden Hill. The two-point run by Devon Eaton was no good. Hastings put together a clock-chewing drive of its own once it finally got its hands on the football, using up the final five and a half minutes of the first quarter and the first two and a half of the second to go in for a threeyard TD run by Wilson. Carroll’s two-point try was no good and the game was tied 6-6. Each team had just two possessions in the first half. Charlotte punted from its own 35 to end its lone second quarter chance. Hastings started at its own 15 with 4:53 to go in the second quarter and moved to the Charlotte seven-yard-line in the closing seconds. Slaughter had a run stopped for a one-yard gain to the six and then Carroll had a pass fall Hastings sophomore Isaiah Wilson (36) takes the hand-off in the backfield during the Saxons' district final win over visiting Charlotte Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Saxon junior quarterback Owen Carroll (4) throws a pass in the fourth quarter against Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 4 District Final in Hastings Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) incomplete with fourth seconds to go, and then Slaughter stepped back to hit his short field goal that gave his team the lead. After getting stuffed at the six, Slaughter trotted over to the sideline during the time­ out to tell the coaching staff that they should try and go for six four seconds left in the half, a thought brought on by his confidence in the offense and his pounding heart. “I -was shaking and -nervous.” Slaughter said. “I told coach that we should run a play instead to try and score [a touchdown]. He told us we needed the points and made me kick it.” It was the first field goal attempt of the season for Slaughter, who is 8-of-10 on extra­ point attempts so far this season, but most of those came in the second half of blow-out victories. “It was as terrible kick that just went in I guess. It was a low spiral - maybe six feet [over the crossbar], not very high over,” Slaughter said of the kick. That field goal drive was powered in part by a couple of strong third down conversion runs by Slaughter and two big receptions by the play-making receiver Barnum. He had a 14-yard reception that moved the Saxons into Oriole territory on the drive and spun and jumped to pull in a 34-yard reception between two defenders at the seven with 14 seconds to play in the half. - ; Hastings outgained the Orioles 306 yards to 189 on the night - rushing for 254 as a team. Teunessen led the Saxons on the ground with 14 carries for 114 yards’^ Slaughter had < 21 rushes for 91 yards. Carroll and Wilson both carried the ball six times. Carroll had 24 yards on the ground and Wilson 23. Teunessen led the way finding space off tackle and around the outside, but his part­ ners in the backfield played a big part in his success. Coach Murphy said Wilson did an outstanding job of blocking for Teunessen and Slaughter powering through for a cou- _ pie seven-, eight-yard gains really had the Orioles’ attention focusing more on him inside. = > See SAXONS, page 14 Hastings junior Landon Steward looks back to the crowd as the Saxons celebrate a district championship on the turf inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday night in Hastings. (Photo by Perry Hardin) �Page 10 — Thursday, November 10, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings senior Cadence VanOoy races through the water during the butterfly leg of the 200yard individual medley Saturday at the CERC in Hastings during the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Championship. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Trio of conference titles won by DK/TK/HHS girls Brett Bremer Lower Peninsula Diving Regional at East son. She was fourth at the conference chamKentwood High School Thursday. pionship as a freshman behind three seniors. Sports Editor “It is definitely something,” Dumond said of “She has really grown and matured a lot as “Sophie, it’s you!” shouted Carl Schoessel winning her first conference title. “I was really a diver,” Bates said. “I am proud of the fact over the blaring music and cheers as the 100that she picked up these bigger dives. That is hoping to get first, but then it was really crazy yard breaststroke finalists stepped out onto the reason she didn’t finish as well last year. when it happened, because I am only a sopho­ the pool deck Saturday. more and everything. It was an experience.” She was doing too many easy dives. I made Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hast­ her step it up, and she has some of the dives Dumond was just over four points better ings junior Sophia Marcukaitis glanced over now that will help her get into college [div­ than Windram after the preliminary diving and gave a little grin to her coach while Friday, and the victory came down to her ing] - the two and a halfs, and doubles, and adjusting her cap and continued around to the final dive in the nine-person finals Saturday. one and a halfs.” bulkhead with her seven competitors. “That last dive is what won her the meet “Beforehand I was just trying not to psych It was Sophie, waiting in the water 100 today,” Bates said. “She needed to do that myself out too much, because if I did that I yards later for a few seconds before the sec­ dive well to hold those four points. That is ond, third and fourth swimmers, and all the would mess up,” Dumond said. “I said, ‘okay, one of her newer dives, so I was really happy I just have to do it like I did it in practice and rest, finished their championship race. Way­ to see her do it well in a meet.” land junior Taylor Wolf was more than three it’ll be fine. It’s a high [degree of difficulty.] Marcukaitis surpassed the MHSAA Divi­ seconds behind Marcukaitis in a runner-up It’s good. It’ll be fine. I was just making sure sion 1 Lower Peninsula Swimming and Div­ finish in the breaststroke. I was taking deep breaths and that I did the ing Championship qualifying times in the Marcukaitis improved her own personal best I could.” 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breast­ record time to 1 minute 7.02 seconds in win­ The last dive, number 5225D a back, one stroke Saturday and had already met the state ning the breaststroke at the OK Rainbow somersault with two and a half twists, was Conference Tier II Championship for the one she did consistently at the beginning of qualifying time in the 100-yard freestyle this second straight season. She also took over her season as well. the year, but failed the dive at a contest in the big sister Abby’s spot as the reigning 50-yard Wayland junior Elliot Antel and senior middle of the season and removed it from Sami Reed went 1-2 in the 100 freestyle Sat­ freestyle champion in the conference. She her routine. She just started reinserting it won that race in 24.70 seconds. urday. recently. Wayland girls won seven of the day’s 12 A pair of Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kel­ “Today is the best one I have ever seen her events, but were second in a tight three-way logg/Hastings athletes won events at the 2022 do, practice or competition,” DK/TK/HHS battle for the day’s team title. Unity Christian diving coach Todd Bates said. “She really conference meet at the Community Educa­ won Saturday’s conference championship picked the right day to do it so w;ell.” . . tion and Recreation Center in Hastings. meet with 430 points. Wayland was second Dumond was a gymnast as a youngster and Sophomore Abby Dumond stood atop the with 427.5 and Ottawa Hills third with 426.5. after taking some swimming lessons at the medal stand after the diving competition as The DK/TK/Hastings girls were a distant CERC was encouraged to try the swim team. well. She won with a score of 310.25 points, fourth with 330 points, ahead of Calvin She knew she did not want to be a swimmer, finishing less than five points of Grand Rap­ Christian/West Catholic 183 and Grand Rap­ but eventually gave diving a shot. She has ids Union sophomore Elinor Wimdram who ids Union 167. since spent years in the Hastings Community was the runner-up. Unity Christian’s lone individual champi­ Diving Club, and competed in three big Dumond and teammate TJ Myers, who onship came from senior Lauren Miedema national events this summer - which had her was fifth in the diving competition Saturday, who took the 100-yard butterfly in 1:00.58. all ready for the start of the high school sea­ will compete in the MHSAA Division 1 Marcukaitis was matched by Wayland freshman Laney Wolf with 40 points on the day to finish at the top of the list of all-con­ ference athletes. DK/TK/Hastings senior Preslee Hall joined conference champs Mar­ cukaitis and Dumond in earning spots in the all-conference team. Wolf won the 200-yard freestyle, the 100yard backstroke, and she was a part of Way­ land’s winning 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay teams. Laney Wolf, Taylor Wolf, sophomore Ken­ nedy Jasinski and Reed opened the meet by winning the 200-yard medley relay for Way­ land in 1:51.23 - finishing less than a second and a half off the conference record time in the race. Taylor Wolf, sophomore Abigail DeWeerd, Jasinski and Antel won the 200yard freestyle relay in 1:42.96. Reed, senior Ellaina Hudson, Antel and Laney Wolf won the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:42.72. Jasinski was the 200-yard individual med­ ley champion in 2:19.00. Marcukaitis won Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings sophomore diver Abby Dumond gets a hug from diving coach Todd Bates while accepting her medal for winning the diving competition Saturday at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Championship Saturday at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings teammates cheer on senior Preslee Hall as she competes in the 100-yard butterfly during the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Championship at the CERC in Hastings Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) that race last year as a sophomore at the con­ ference meet. Antel’s winning time in the 100-yard free­ style was 55.77. The day’s other champion was Ottawa Hills sophomore Dani Sadowski who took the 500-yard freestyle in 5:28.44. Ottawa Hills had four girls in that 500 freestyle championship final. Ottawa Hills and Unity Christian made up for Wayland’s first-place points with their depth. In the 200 freestyle behind Laney Wolf the next six finishers were three Crusaders and three Bengals. Unity Christian also had three top eight medalists in the diving compe­ tition and the 100-yard freestyle. Ottawa had three in the top eight in the butterfly. It was a weekend filled with personal record performances by the DK/TK/HHS girls, and coach Schoessel was pleased that many of those were by several seconds. “If you work the taper, the taper works,” he tells his girls. Hall earned her all-conference honors powered by a fourth-place finish in the 100yard butterfly. She turned in a time of 1:03.99 in that race. DK/TK/HHS sophomore Aubrey Hawks was eighth behind the crowd of Bengals and Crusaders in the 200-yard freestyle and also seventh in the 100-yard backstroke. Junior teammate Holly Carpenter was seventh in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 freestyle. Hawks finished the 200-yard freestyle in 2:16.04 and the 100-yard backstroke in 1:10.80. Carpenter earned her 50-yard free­ style medal with a time of 26.37. Senior Cadence VanOoy, Carpenter, Hall and Marcukaitis teamed for a third-place time of 1:44.22 in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Hawks, Marcukaitis, Hall and Carpen­ ter were third in the 200-yard medley real in 1:55.05. The hosts closed the meet with sophomore Malia Hamby, VanOoy, junior Lizzie Middleton and Hawks swimming to a fifth-place time of 4:22.46 in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Middleton, sophomore Melany Vargas, VanOoy, junior Bella Morey, freshman Siena VanOoy, senior Erin Daniels, junior Ainsley Parsons and senior Kasey Kapteyn all scored points for the DK/TK/HHS team with their performances in ‘B’ Finals for the ninth through 16th competitors in each event. Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings junior Sophia Marcukaitis greets Calvin Chrisdtian/West Catholic freshman Aliyah Garcia one lane over after winning the con­ ference championship in the 100-yard breaststroke at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Championship Saturday at the CERC in Hastings. Marcukaitis won the breaststroke and the 50-yard freestyle events at the championship. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Administrative Assistant Walker, Fluke & Sheldon, PLC, a local CPA firm, is seeking an Administrative Assistant. Must have 1-3 years administrative office experience and be comfortable using MS Office software package. Excellent customer service skills, the ability to multi-task, attention to detail, and operate a multi-line telephone system are required. Competitive salary with benefits package. Send cover letter and resume to ksheldon@wfscpas.com or fax 269-945-4890. Walker, Fluke & Sheldon, plc CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/Hastings junior Holly Carpenter takes off for her leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay during the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Championship at the CERC in Hastings Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — Page 11 LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT MORTGAGE SALE This is an attempt to collect a debt, and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if you period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mortgage made by THOMAS H. CHASE, a single man, and SHIRLEY A. CHASE, a married woman. Mortgagor(s), to INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml, with offices at 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Ml 49525, Mortgagee, dated February 18, 2005 and recorded February 22, 2005 in Instrument #1141705 which was assigned to INDEPENDENT BANK of 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Michigan, by.Assignment dated April 18, 2011^and recorded on April 20, 2011 in Instrument No. 201104200004350. By reason of such default the undersigned elects to declare the entire unpaid amount of said mortgage due and payable forthwith. Notice of Foreclosure By Advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on December 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the County Register of Deeds Office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage and under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL600.3212, the statute in such case made and provided and to pay said amount with interest as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law. At the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due for principal and interest on said mortgage the sum of THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE AND 41/100 (34,689.41) dollars including interest at the rate of 4.125% per annum. No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage or any part thereof. Pursuant to Public Act No. 104, Public Acts of 1971, MCLA 600.3240, MSA 27A.3240, the redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of the foreclosure sale, unless the property is determined to be abandoned under MCLA 600.3241a; MSA 27A3241(1), in which case the property may be redeemed during the 30 days immediately following the sale or expiration of statutory notice period. ■ If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage are situated in the City of Township of Maple Grove, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as follows, to wit: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North, Range 7 West, Maple Grove Township, Barry County Michigan; thence South 40 rods for a place of beginning; thence NortfflACTfeet; thence East 600 feet; thence South 130 feet; thence West 600 feet to the place of beginning. Together with an easement in common that is appurtenant thereto for purposes of ingress and egress thereto over premises described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North, Range 7 West; thence South 40 rods; thence North 130 feet for a place of beginning; thence East 600 feet; thence North 33 feet; thence West 600 feet; thence South 33 feet to the place of beginning. The default and foreclosure proceedings include a 1992 Fairmont mobile home, serial #MY9385449A8, permanently affixed thereto, as evidenced by the Certificate of Mobile Home Title and recorded in Instrument #1141704. Property Address: 7519 Guy Rd., Nashville, Ml 49073 PP#08-10-023-105-00 ’ INDEPENDENT BANK, Assignee of INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml SCHENK, BONCHER & RYPMA Curtis D. Rypma P44421 601 Three Mile Road, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49544-1601 (616)647-8277 190416 NOTICE VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANTTO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment’’) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaping the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in' the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (10-20)(11-24) 189718 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Carroll D. Conklin, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Wells Fargo Bank, NA Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mortgage Assets .. Management, LLC . Date of Mortgage: August 22, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 1, 2011 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $122,124.34 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A Parcel of land located in the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies due West 1827.50 feet from the South 1/4 post of said Section 33 for the point of beginning; thence due West 165.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 30 minutes West, 264.00 feet, thence due East 165.00 feet, thence South 00 degrees 30 minutes East, 264.00 feet to the point of beginning. AND A Parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies 1992.50 feet due West of the South 1/4 post of said Section 33; thence due West 175.20 feet; thence North 0 degrees 8 minutes West, 264 feet; thence due East 173.50 feet; thence South 0 degrees 30 minutes East, 264 feet to the point of beginning. Common street address (if any): 12713 E Baseline Rd, Hickory Corners, Ml 49060-9752 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 10, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1480658 (11-10)(12-01) 190504 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement ------- Notice-is given under section 3212 of the-revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on December 1, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Christina D Huffman, an unmarried woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: November 4, 2019 Date of Mortgage Recording: November 6, 2019 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $94,521.74 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in City of Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: The South 1/2 of Lots 1105 and 1106, Village (now City) of Hastings, according to the recorded plat thereof, filed in Liber A, Page 1, records of Barry County, State of Michigan. Common street address (if any): 730 S Jefferson St, Hastings, Ml 49058-2238 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a .debt collector. Date of notice: October 20, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1479029 (10-20)(11-10) 189556 NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number: SP-8-2022 Leonard Bancroft(Applicant); Ronald Rabie(Property Owner) Location: 12707 Saddler Rd, In Section 18 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Requesting a special use permit to have an accessory dwelling pursuant to Article 23, Section 2305 in the RR (Rural Residential) zoning district. MEETING DATE: November 28, 2022. TIME: 7:00 PM PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described properties will be completed by the Planning Commission members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned place and time. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@barrycounty.org. The special use applications are available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 190468 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO.: 22-29314-DE Court Address: 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Steven E. Yerby, Deceased. Date of birth: November 9,1941. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Steven E. Yerby, Deceased, died June 21,2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Gail L. Shook, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date:'1173/2'2 ' Charles S. Ofstein P76256 211 E. Water Street, Ste. 401 Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 (269) 343-2106 Gail L. Shook 10666 Boniface Point Drive Plainwell, Ml 49080 (269) 615-5307 190613 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 2022-29283-DE William M. Doherty Court address: 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Charles Wymer. Date of birth: 11/19/1956. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Charles Wymer, died 07/06/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Cheryl Wymer, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 11/3/22 Nathan E. Tagg P68994 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-2900 Cheryl Wymer 4289 Maple Grove Road Hastings, Ml 49058 269-908-8209 190602 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29317-DE William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Robert Joseph Nortier. Date of birth: February 19,1951. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Robert Joseph Nortier, died July 23, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Nicholas and Matthew Nortier, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: November 4, 2022 Verspoor Waalkes PC Timothy J. Waalkes P60302 40 Pear Street NW, Suite 1020 Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 (616) 459-6100 Nicholas and Matthew Nortier 108 Quimby Street NE Grand Rapids, Ml 49505 (616)329-9717 190630 Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Member SIPC Jim Lundin Financial Advisor 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Here’s your ‘recession survival’ checklist It’s unfortunate, butrecessions are a fairly normal part of the economic landscape. When a recession occurs, how might you be affected? The answer depends on your individual situation, but regardless of your circumstances, you might want to consider the items in this recession survival checklist: Assess your income stability. If your employment remains steady, you may not have to do anything different during a recession. But if you think your income could be threatened or disrupted, you might want to consider joining the “gig economy” or looking for freelance or consulting opportunities. Review your spending. Look for ways to trim your spending, such as canceling subscription services you don’t use, eating out less often, and so on. Pay down your debts. Try to reduce your debts, especially those with high interest rates. Plan your emergency fund. If you haven’t already built one, try to create an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid account. Review your protection plan. If your health or life insurance is tied to your work, a change in your employment status could jeopardize this coverage. Review all your options for replacing these types of protection. Also, look for ways to lower premiums on home or auto insurance, without significantly sacrificing coverage, to free up money that could be used for health/life insurance. Keep your long-term goals in mind. Even if you adjust your portfolio during times of volatility, don’t lose sight of your long-term goals. Trying to “outsmart” the market with short-term strategies can often lead to missteps and missed opportunities. Don’t stop investing. If you can afford it, try to continue investing. Coming out of a recession, stock prices tend to bottom out and then rebound, so if you had headed to the investment “sidelines,” you would have missed the opportunity to benefit from a market rally. Revisit your performance expectations. During a bear market, you will constantly be reminded of the decline of a particular market index, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But instead of focusing on these short-term numbers, look instead at the long-term performance of your portfolio to determine if you’re still on track toward meeting your goals. Assess your risk tolerance. If you find yourself worrying excessively about declines in your investment statements, you may want to reevaluate your tolerance for risk. One’s risk tolerance can change over time — and it’s important you feel comfortable with the amount of risk you take when investing. Keep diversifying. Diversification is always important for investors — by having a mix of stocks, mutual funds and bonds, you can reduce the impact of market volatility on your portfolio. To cite one example: Higher-quality bonds, such as Treasuries, often move in the opposite direction of stocks, so the presence of these bonds in your portfolio, if appropriate for your goals, can be valuable when market conditions are worsening. (Keep in mind, though, that diversification cannot guarantee profits or protect against all losses in a declining market.) A recession accompanied by a bear market is not pleasant. But by taking the appropriate steps, you can boost your chances of getting through a difficult period and staying on track toward your important financial goals. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. EdwardJones, Member SIPC Woods can reset during fiveday quiet period starting today ‘Twas days before firearm deer season, and all through the state, hunters were readying stands, blinds and camps, hoping crafty deer would cooperate. Although hunters under­ standably are getting excited to hit the woods, they must respect the five-day “quiet period” Nov. 10-14. During these days, it is unlawful to trans­ port or possess a rifle or shotgun with buck­ shot, slug load, ball load or cut shell in an area frequented by deer. Unloaded firearms securely encased or carried in the trunk of a vehicle may be transported to or from a hunt­ ing camp. Refer to the 2022 DNR hunting digest for more information. “From sighting in rifles to sprucing up the old deer blind, preseason activities can be a hectic time for firearm deer hunters,” said Capt. Pete Wright, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “The five-day quiet period creates a window of time, just prior to the opener, in which hunters can catch their breath and the woods have a chance to calm. This period is like pushing a reset button, allowing deer to settle back into their day-to-day patterns, which in turn increases the chances of a suc­ cessful hunt.” Those hunting for small game or water­ fowl, or fur harvesting, may still carry the appropriate firearm for your season. Small game and waterfowl hunters may carry a shotgun with shotshells for hunting small game, but cannot possess buckshot, slugs, ball loads or cut shells during this time. Fur harvesters may carry a rimfire firearm.22-caliber or smaller while actively hunting or checking traplines dpring the open furl^ajjng animal season. . Contact the Report All Poaching hotline at 800-292-7800 to report trespassing, shooting and other related natural resource violations. The DNR reminds everyone to always put safety first. Lt. Tom Wanless, who heads the DNR’s recreational safety, education and enforcement programs, said although some safety tips seem like common sense, it’s crit­ ical for anyone hunting with firearms to understand and frequently revisit safety basics. “Success is not always about filling your tag, it’s about safely enjoying the experience and sharing it with friends and family back at camp after the hunt,” Wanless said. All hunters should: • Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. • Be aware of surroundings - know the target and what is beyond it. • Unload firearms when crossing obstacles and/or getting in or out of a tree stand. • Obey “no trespassing” signs; they are there for a reason. • Obtain landowner permission to retrieve game that has wandered onto private prop­ erty. • Wear as much hunter orange as possible to increase visibility to other hunters. During hunting seasons, the DNR strongly encourages nonhunters to wear bright colors, especially hunter orange, and be aware of their surroundings near woods or fields where hunting may occur. Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services Pets TREE SERVICE- MICHI­ GAN Tree Fellers LLC, li­ censed and insured. Call for free quotes. 269-838-1782. MINI LABRADOODLE PUP­ PIES For Sale- Cute, fluffy and playful! 1st shots and wormed. $100.00, 517-852-4881. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. PUREBRED MOUNTAIN CUR Puppies for sale- Great colors, will stay small. 1st shots and wormed. $100.00 269-223-9194. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Help Wanted CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. EQUAL HOUSING �Page 12 — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Vikings block Marshall from advancing again Brett Bremer Sports Editor Red and black clad screaming Redhawks’ fans filled one corner of the dimly lit Wil­ liamston High School gymnasium Tuesday. There was a white out at the opposite corner of the gym with Rowland’s Rowdies cheering on the Vikings, led by a guy in a banana suit. With the highs and lows of a 2-0 lead cut in half to 2-1 there were ever increasing decibel levels and heart rates on and around the court. Junior teammate Aliva Everitt was all set to leap off the bench and shout out while delivering a body blow in celebration to senior Izzy Wheeler, following a block by Wheeler and teammate Maryssa Goble in the middle of the net, that clinched the opening set for the Lakewood varsity volleyball team. . Those are some of the reasons that Wheelet was back with the team this season. She decided not to compete in the fall of her junior year after being a defensive specialist on the varsity team her first two years of high school. By the end of spring break her junior year, she was ready to ask Lakewood varsity volleyball coach Cameron Rowland for a summer practice plan for the 2022 season. Wheeler and junior Alivia Everitt teamed up to make as fearsome of a middle combina­ tion as the Vikings could put on the court Tuesday night in the MHSAA Division 2 Regional Semifinal against Marshall. With outstanding defense behind them, and in front of them on the other side of the net for that matter, Wheeler, Everitt and the Lakewood ladies defeated Marshall 25-22, 25-20, 23-25, 25-22 to earn a spot in Thursday’s regional final against Tecumseh back in Williamston. It is the sixth consecutive season that the Lakewood girls have defeated Marshall in the regional round of the state tournament. “It was really fun,” Wheeler said. “I loved the intensity. It is my favorite way to play in the games - the gym being so loud and everyone yelling. I like to bring a lot of ener­ gy, so this is just my kind of environment to play in.” Wheeler had the kind of smile on her face that must have hurt her cheeks and was nod­ ding at every word from coach Rowland as he talked to his girls in the huddle following their victory. “I missed playing with my friends and I missed this,” Wheeler said. “This is my favorite thing in the world to play like we just played tonight - in like the best game ever. I just missed playing the sport with all these girls.” Everitt didn’t start playing as a middle blocker this season until the state tourna­ ment began. The middle is all new to Wheeler. She was a DS her first two seasons with the program, and coach Rowland said once she decided to return he expected she’d return to DS or possibly play on the outside. Her athleticism made the move to the middle possible. Getting the ball to the floor wasn’t easy on either side, but Everitt led the Vikings with 14 kills. “She was our best attacker tonight. She tore them up,” Rowland said. Wheeler had four kills. Everitt and Wheel­ Lakewood senior defensive specialist passes a Marshall serve during her team's win over the Redhawks in the MHSAA Division 2 Regional Semifinals at Williamston High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) er both had 1.5 blocks, as did senior outside hitter Ellie Possehn and the junior Goble who has seen her role at the net expand since the postseason arrived. Rowland said his block­ ers had to be ready to approach each of the Marshall hitters’ unique styles. “I thought we played really well up in the front row tonight,” Wheeler said. “I don’t play in the back row [anymore], but I think they passed well. I think that really helped us offensively. Blocking, I think we did really well. Earlier this year, I feel like we didn’t block amazing, but I think we really stepped it up tonight because we knew they had some really good hitters.” “Maryssa, I think she had a solo block in the first set in the very beginning. I think it was one of the first blocks we had and I just went crazy. It was my favorite.” While the solid block at the net was a nice bonus for the Vikings in their first big test of the state tournament, it has been and will continue to be outstanding passing and serv­ ing that really carries this group of Lakewood Vikings. Great serving powered the Vikings’ big runs against Marshall. Senior all-state setter Skylar Bump finished with six aces. Sopho­ more setter Abby Pickard had three and senior defensive specialist Paige Wolverton had three. Alli Pickard and Carley Piercefield had one ace apiece. “That is what we have preached to them all year. How we defend and how we serve the ball is going to [determine] what happens,” Rowland said. “I think, especially after point 20, you saw me give Paige a little heart sign, I told that kid if we get you to the service line and we’re after point 20 we’re probably sit­ ting pretty good. She is just clutch. She knows exactly what she needs to do at the service line and how to go after them.” Lakewood pulled out a tight first set, cruised to a win in the second set, and then after falling in the third set the Vikings found themselves down 12-6 early in the fourth forcing Rowland to call a quick time-out - a rare occurrence in the state tournament in recent years especially outside of Kellogg Arena. Lakewood came out of the time-out to score the next six points, the last five on the serve of all-state libero Carley Piercefield. From there in that fourth set the two teams were within a point of each other until Wolverton stepped up to serve with the match tied 18-18. Wolverton had a service run that took the Vikings to a 23-18 advantage. Marshall clawed back to within two at 23-21 and 24-22, but a little tip over into the short comer just over the right end of the net by Bump finally clinched the win for the Vikings. “The nice thing is, iff those types of envi­ ronments, 1 never had any doubt that even when they were up 12-6 in the fourth, that hey, you know what, we just have to recollect ourselves,” Rowland said. “We have been in this environment. We love these loud gyms. We’ve talked all year: control our environ­ ment. This is the loudest gym we played in all year and we played some of our best volley­ ball at times. “At the start of the third the gym got quiet. I said when we played at Lowell, that was the quietest gym we played in all year in a big match and we owned the environment, so just Lakewood teammates Izzy Wheeler (6), Carley Piercefield (4) and more celebrate a win in the opening set of their MHSAA Division 2 Regional Semifinal match with Marshall Tuesday at Williamston High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) own whatever environment you’re given and go after it.” Bump went after it at the service line to close out the opening set with a run of five consecutive points. Wheeler had a solo block in the middle to open the run and get her team within 21-22. Bump followed up with a pair of aces, sandwiched around a Marshall time­ out, moving the Vikings ahead 23-22 - which prompted a second Marshall time-out. The Redhawks managed to pass Bump’s next serve, but Piercefield dug their attack and got the ball to Bump who bumped that second ball over into the hole in the center of the Redhawks’ defense for a 24-22 advan­ tage. Lakewood then clinched the opening set with a block from Wheeler and Goble in the middle. An ace was among the first three service points by Bump to'start'set number two and the Vikings led that one from start to finish. With Abby Pickard at the service line and Everitt at the net in the middle of the set, the Vikings boosted their lead from 8-6 to 13-6. The Vikings would eventually grow the advantage to as many as eight points before closing out the 25-20 win. Set three swung back and forth. Marshall led 7-3 early on. Lakewood rallied to get back to 7-7 and then pushed to a 14-10 advantage. A kill by Wheeler in the middle had the Vikings up 20-16, but powered by senior Middle Natalie Frever at the net, the Red­ hawks fought to even things at 20-20. Abby Pickard found a hole for a kill and then stepped to the service line and fire up an , ace to get Lakewood a 23-21 lead, but two kills by Frever helped Marshall nudge in front 24-23. Frever wrapped behind her set­ ter, junior Addie Waito, during another one of the night’s many long rallies, and hit an . attack from the right pin that Alli Pickard, Abby Pickard and Possehn each kept alive momentarily before the ball found its way to the net and then the floor. \ The Vikings’ back row defense was led ] Piercefield who had 46 digs - getting them in ■ every corner of the court. She was one of five Vikings with double-digit digs on the night joined by Abby Pickard who had 15, senior defensive specialist Alli Pickard and Bump with 14 each and Wolverton with ten. Wheel-?l er added seven digs. The Tecumseh team the Vikings will face in Thursday’s (Nov. 10) regional final also . won a four-set regional semifinal at William­ ston High School Tuesday - knocking off Lansing Catholic 25-22, 19-25, 25-15, 26-24. » Tecumseh is the only team in the regional tournament at Williamston this week not ranked in the top ten in the state in Division ; 2. Lakewood entered the postseason No. 4 in ; the list, with Marshall No. 6 and Lansing Catholic No. 9. Shults and Crews battle conditions with competition at MIS Brett Bremer Sports Editor The need for speed didn’t match the weath­ er conditions Saturday at Michigan Interna­ tional Speedway in Brooklyn. Hastings junior Riley Shults, running in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Cross Country Championship for the first time, placed 153rd in a field of 258 runners. He hit the finish line in 17 minutes 43.6 sec­ onds, about 40 seconds off the personal record time he ran last month at the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference Championship at Turkeyville in Marshall. That was par for the course. Only six of the 258 guys in the race ran new personal record times. In contrast, six of the first 20 finishers in the Division 2 finals in 2021 set new personal records and at least 35 overall. There were intermittent rain showers throughout the day in Brooklyn. The wind blew steadily and gusted at times over 40 miles per hour. The area’s other state qualifier, Thornapple Kellogg sophomore Ava Crews, placed 58th in the D2 girls race Saturday afternoon with a time of 19:55.63. She was close to 33 seconds off the personal record time she set earlier this season and just about 30 seconds off her state finals time from her freshman year. East Grand Rapids beat out Chelsea by five points and Pickney by 11 to claim the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 boys’ title Saturday despite the best efforts of Chelsea junior Con­ nell Alford who was the individual champion in 15 minutes 12.61 seconds. Monroe Jefferson senior Carter McCalister was third in 15:37.54 and Forest Hills Eastern senior Aiden Sullivan third in 15:40.69. Junior Ryan Brinker was East Grand Rap­ ids’ only top 30 state medalist. He placed 28th in 16:19.01, but the Pioneers had five guys among the top 50 finishers to capture the state title. They finished with 132 points. Chelsea was second with 137 and Pinckney third with 143. Adrian was fourth in the day’s standings with 164 points, ahead of Forest Hills Eastern 203, Otsego 208, Dearborn Divine Child 210, Grand Rapids Christian 223, St. Johns 273 and Freeland 280 in the top ten. ^OoFF Fabrics Excludes sale items. • Sale ends 11-30-22. A? Time to Sezv Christmas Gifts! QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 hmmb OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; MO Saturday 9 am-3 pm SfT. Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station A pair of Shults’ lnterstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference rivals found their way to the medal stand. Harper Creek sophomore Dominic Lowrie was 18th in 16:12.09 and Marshall sophomore Jack Bidwell clinched the final state medal with a 30th-place time of 16:20.13. East Grand Rapids junior Drew Muller, in the Division 2 girls’ championship, suffered the same fate as Alford. She won the state championship with a time of 18:18.47, but her team finished second in the day’s stand­ ings. Otsego freshman Emma Hoffman ran her fastest race ever to place second in 18:27.83 and lead the Bulldog girls to the state cham­ pionship. Otsego closed the race with 87 points. East Grand Rapids was second with 98, ahead of Grand Rapids Christian 153, St. Joseph 196, Forest Hills Eastern 207, Spring Lake 223, Goodrich 248, Zeeland East 249, St. Johns 280 and Adrian 294. Hoffman was one of four Bulldogs to fin­ ish in the top 30. East Grand Rapids had three medalists. Lion spikers fall to Saranac in district semifinal contest The Maple Valley varsity volleyball season came to an end in the MHSAA Division 3 District Semifinals at Sara­ nac High School Wednesday evening, Nov. 2. Saranac defeated the Lions 25-14, 25-10, 25-14 in their match to open the state tournament. Pewamo-Westphalia scored a 25-18, 25-13, 25-10 win over Bath in its district semifinal match-up with Bath Wednesday, and the Pirates went on to a 25-21, 25-16, 25-15 win over Saranac in the district final Thursday. Hastings junior Riley Shults makes his way along the course at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn Saturday, Nov. 5, during the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Cross Country Championship. Shults placed 153rd in a field of 258 runners Saturday. Panthers bested by Schoolcraft Eagles in D3 district semifinals The Delton Kellogg varsity vol­ leyball team was bested by South­ western Athletic Conference foe Schoolcraft in the MHSAA Divi­ sion 3 District Semifinals in Schoolcraft Wednesday, Nov. 2. The Eagles bested the Panthers by the scores of 25-10, 25-11, 25-10. Kalamazoo Christian, another SAC squad that entered the post­ season ranked fourth in the state in Division 3, bested Comstock in three sets in its semifinal match Wednesday and then defeated the Schoolcraft girls by the scores of 17-25,25-14, 25-22, 25-17 in the district final Friday evening back in Schoolcraft. The Comets are still rolling in the state tournament. They will face Watervliet in an MHSAA Regional Final hosted by Colo­ ma this evening, Nov. 10. The Comets defeated Bronson in three sets in their regional semi­ final Tuesday. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — Page 13 Lakewood claims ninth straight district title Brett Bremer Sports Editor “13” is the most recent district champion­ ship celebrated on the Orioles’ varsity volley­ ball banner inside the dome at Charlotte High School. That is also the last year the Lakewood varsity volleyball team failed to win a district championship. Nothing changed Thursday. The Lakewood varsity volleyball team, ranked fourth in the state in Division 2 enter­ ing the state tournament, won its ninth con­ secutive district championship by besting Charlotte 25-13, 25-14, 25-16 in the MHSAA Division 2 District Final hosted by the Ori­ oles. The win finishes off a district tourna­ ment run that also included three-set wins over Eaton Rapids and Hastings in Charlotte last week. The Vikings earned the chance to play for their ninth consecutive regional champion­ ship this week in Williamston. They knocked off Marshall in the MHSAA Division 2 Regional Semifinals Tuesday. Marshall best­ ed Parma Western in its regional final last week. The regional final is set for today, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. back in Williamston where the Vikings will face Tecumseh. Lakewood senior setter Skylar Bump puts a pass up during her team's win over Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 2 District Final at Charlotte High School Thursday, Nov. 3. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “Monday and Wednesday [in the first two district matches], they played I think how I expected them to,” Lakewood head coach Cam Rowland said of the district run. “There are seven seniors. That is a lot. This gym is always weird to play in and it can be tough being comfortable in here. Tonight we came and we took care of business. “We talked a little bit at practice this week that it might look different, but it is not differ­ ent. How we win matches is going to be how we won matches all year. We’re going to outlast teams and force them into low hitting percent­ ages, and making a ton of errors, and win serve and pass which we did really well tonight.” The two Lakewood setters, senior Skylar Bump and sophomore Abby Pickard, were the Vikings’ kill leaders in the win over Char­ lotte. Pickard had 11 and Bump seven. They had just one hitting error each. Bump dumped a second ball into the open­ ing in the middle of the Charlotte defense to break a 2-2 tie early in the opening set. She found that space a couple more times in set number one and then on throughout the rest of the evening. Bump, the Vikings’ starting setter her freshman and sophomore seasons, had to take over a more attacking role last fall as a junior - hitting on the outside more often than ever before. She has come to realize that hitters get way more “congratulations” than setters she said with a smile Thursday. “Last season was my first season attacking and it was much different than this season. This season Abby and I have to do a little more offensively than we have in the past,” Bump said. “Sky really went after it tonight,” coach Rowland said. “At one point, I think Paige [Wolverton] was leading us in assists because she was passing those first balls that Sky was scoring on.” Bump finished with a team-high ten assists. Pickard had six, junior libero Carley Pierce­ field had five and Wolverton, a senior defen­ sive specialist, finished with four assists. Charlotte hung with the Vikings for a bit in the opening set. The Orioles were within 9-8, but a couple big service runs by Bump and Pickard helped the Vikings win 16 of the next 21 points. A Bump run pushed the Lakewood lead from 10-8 to 17-8. Pickard stepped to the service line with the Vikings up 20-13 and promptly served out the first set. She fired a second ball to a deep corner for a kill and then smashed three aces in a row. A kill by Bump on the right side finished off the set. Pickard had four aces on the night and Bump had three. “Abby Pickard-put on a serving perfor­ mance,” Rowland said. “She was going off Lakewood varsity volleyball players Ellie Possehn (from left), Carley Piercefield, Abby Pickard and Alli Pickard rush athletic director Mike Quinn to accept their district championship trophy after besting the host Orioles in three sets in the MHSAA Division 2 District Final at Charlotte High School Nov. 3. (Photo by Brett Bremer) the table, over their heads, putting balls with­ in an inch of where I wanted the ball to be. She was really good back there. As we con­ tinue to defend we’re going to be tough to beat.” . Lakewood built a small lead early on in sets two and three and stretched things out in the end. Senior outside hitter Ellie Possehn closed the match with four kills. Junior middle blocker Alivia Everitt had five and junior outside hitter Maryssa Goble had two kills. Goble continues to fill in a rotation spot for injured junior middle blocker Cadence Poll. Maryssa told [assistant coach] Chelsea [Brehm] before the match, T”m a little ner­ vous,”’ Rowland said. “She has never played in an environment like this and didn’t neces­ sarily plan to play in an environment like this until last week. For her to do that, she has really been playing well. We knew she had it because she played there a little bit at the beginning of the year.” Piercefield had a team-high 18 digs in the match. Senior defensive specialist Alli Pick­ ard recorded 16 and Wolverton had seven. Abby Pickard had five digs and senior- lzzy Wheeler and Bump had three each. Lake- wood also got one assist each from Wolver­ ton, Alli Pickard and Bailey Fifelski. “When we started the season we had no attackers and we made so many of our girls into our money attackers now,” Bump said. “Our defense has improved. This team, out of all four years of my career, we click the most at staying calm. We can be down and we’re still calm and playing to get back.” The Vikings were never really down in their district run, but the Vikings felt like they were getting back to playing the way they are capable of on Thursday in the final. “We started off really slow in the last two games and then today we came out ready to play for the first time in the postseason which made us all feel a lot better,” Bump said. “I think we were all very up tight, just because it is a very different team this year. We have to outwork teams. We’re not just physically better than them. It was a good start. “We had heard from a couple people from Charlotte that they thought that they were going to beat us tonight. I think that made a lot of girls on our team think, ‘there is now way!’ I think that helped us a lot going into tonight.” The last team to beat Lakewood in a dis­ trict tournament was Wayland in 2009. The Vikings have reached at least the state quar­ terfinals each year since then. Lakewood defeated Hastings in its district semifinal match last week Wednesday, 25-20, 25-8, 25-12. Bump had 13 kills and Abby 12 kills in that one, with Abby putting up a team-high 16 assists and Bump adding 12. Possehn and Wheeler added five kills each and Everitt and Goble both had four. Senior Alivia Woodman knocked three kills against the Saxons. Wheeler added two blocks. Abby had a team-high three aces too, with Wolverton adding two. Piercefield led the Vikings in digs in the semifinal with 11, to go with her five assists. Alli Pickard had ten digs, Wolverton eight and Abby Pickard seven. In the district opener against Eaton Rapids in Charlotte Oct. 31, the Vikings scored a 25-15, 25-16, 25-16 victory. Lakewood senior outside hitter Ellie Possehn hits an attack by the block of Charlotte's Kenna Nichols (3) and Haiden Stone (10) during their MHSAA Division 2 District Final in the dome at Charlotte High School Thursday, Nov. 3. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Saxons' Audrey Vertalka goes up for a block between teammates Rachael Hewitt and Abby Beemer while Lakewood setter Abby Pickard plays the ball on the other side of the net during their MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal at Charlotte High School Nov. 2. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings' Bailey Cook goes up for the attack and Jordan Milanowski looks to cover at the net during their team's MHSAA Division 2 District Semifinal against Lakewood at Charlotte High School Wednesday, Nov. 2. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Saxons battle Vikings in district semi's Brett Bremer Sports Editor There weren’t many draws on this side of the state as tough as the one the Saxons got to start the MHSAA Division 2 postseason tournament. Hastings opened postseaosn play against Lakewood, the team ranked number four in the state heading into the postseason, Wednesday at Charlotte High School and fell 25-20, 25-8, 25-12 to the Vikings who followed up that win by besting the host Orioles for the district championship Thursday. “The girls mentality going into the game against Lakewood was pretty good, con­ sidering that Lakewood is a tough team to start off postseason with,” Hastings head coach Erin Slaughter said. “They were determined to make a go of it and be proud of their performance in the game, and I think that they can be. “We started off strong in that first set, and really made a go of it, and then continued to battle in the next two, despite some injuries and the rude crowds.” Bailey Cook had a team-high ten kills for the Saxons in the match. Kimber Fenstemaker and Abby Beemer had three assist each and Audrey Vertalka two. Ver­ talka had a strong passing game, making just one error in 21 attempts. Cailin Red­ man had the Saxons’ lone ace. “They played really well, and overall this season, we accomplished a lot of the goals we set out to make happen,” coach Slaughter said. “The girls do seem to believe in themselves a little bit more, after having the best season that Hastings volleyball has seen in a while, so they are hungry for more and to show people what they got next year.” The Saxons cap the season with a record of 25 wins and 17 defeats. Charlotte won the first district semifinal of the day Wednesday, Nov. 2, in its dome. The Orioles clipped the Olivet Eagles in four sets 25-16, 21-25, 25-12, 25-22. Public Hearing HASTINGS CHARTER TOWNSHIP Proposed 2022 Budget PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on November 9 at 7:00 pm at the Township Hall at 885 River Road, Hastings, the Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed 2022 Township General Fund, Library and Sewer Fund Budgets. The Board may not adopt the proposed 2022 budgets until after the public hearing. The proposed property tax rate to be levied to support the proposed budget will be discussed at this hearing. A copy of the proposed budget, including the proposed property tax millage rate, will be available for inspection after November 3rd by appointment with the Clerk. Anita S Mennell, Clerk 269-948-9690 office Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the township clerk at least seven (7) days in advance of the hearing. This notice posted in compliance with PA 267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA41.72a(2)(3) and with the Americans with Disabilities Act �Page 14 — Thursday, November 10, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings senior Layton Eastman leads a team prayer from the center of the circle after the Saxons' 23-13 win over Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 4 District Final on the turf inside Baum Stadium at Johnson Field Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Oct 28-29 Hastings varsity football coach Jamie Murphy presents the Saxons' first district championship trophy to his players at the end of their 23-13 win over Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 4 District Final in Hastings Friday night. (Photo by Perry Hardin) SAXONS, continued from page 9 ---------------------------------“It was tough running up the middle. The toughness of Robby Slaughter surprised me, just sticking his nose in there every time, even when there were five or six guys there,” Murphy said. “It was definitely tough,” Slaughter said. “The linemen opened it up as much as they needed to. They did their part and left it up to me. There are some tough linebackers Char­ lotte had.” Carroll closed the game 3-of-7 passing for 52 yards. Braden Hill led Charlotte on the ground with 14 rushes for 47 yards and Kaeden May­ nard had U carries for 44 yards. Powers was 6-of-l 1 passing for the Orioles for 64 yards. His team’s play-action passing burned the Saxons a couple of times includ­ ing on the opening TD of the game. Faking the option right drew in the Hastings second­ ary, and Hill was wide open in the end zone for his TD reception. Murphy said his program is blessed with outstanding assistant coaches. They helped the Saxon defensive backs refocus on their defensive reads in the second half. “They’re fantastic athletes and have fan­ tastic football IQ in the defensive backfield with [Layton] Eastman, and Barnum and Steward,” Murphy said. “They just under­ stand what we’re doing and what we’re try­ ing to do.” “They understand they can’t make big mis­ takes. Them reading those two plays [that turned into the late interceptions], it was just fantastic,” Murphy said. Steward saw the Orioles’ wheel route up the sideline coming before Powers even threw the ball. The only loss for the 10-1 Saxons this sea­ son came in week two against an undefeated Whitehall team that entered the state postsea­ son ranked number one in Division 4. The Saxons entered the postseason ranked eighth and Edwardsburg fourth. No. 2 South Christian will host No. 1 Whitehall in one of the fourth Division 4 Regional Finals this weekend. The other two regional final match-ups in Division 4 on the other side of the state pit Goodrich against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s and No. 3 River­ view against Dearborn Divine Child. The winner of the contest between White­ hall and South Christian will take on the Hastings/Edwardsburg winner in the Nov. 19 MHSAA Division 4 State Semifinals. Like the Saxons, the Eddies are 10-1. They have won ten in a row since falling 28-20 to Grand Rapids West Catholic, the top ranked team in the state in Division 6, to open the season. They bested Niles 24-17 in their dis­ trict final last weekend. “They’re big and they’re physical,” Mur­ phy said of the Eddies. “They run our offense, and they run it very efficiently. Defensively, they are very fast. They have 11 kids that just run to the ball. We’re going to have our hands full and our work cut out for us.” After 11 consecutive games on artificial turf, the Saxons will be playing on grass for the first time this season at Edwardsburg. Slaughter noted that practices will be a little different this week under the lights due to the return to Eastern Standard Time. REGIONAL FINAL Alov 11-12 DISTRICT FINAL Nov 4-5 PRE-DISTRICT Whitehall 42 63.667 F7 Whitehall Big Rapids 12 63.667 43.667 54 53.000 F7 Fruitport Ludington 28 53.000 CHAMPION 51 1 F7 Whitehall District 1 Fruitport MHSAA FINAL Nov 25 SEMIFINAL Nov 19 63.667 26 48.222 Region 1 Grand Rapids South Christian 42 65.778 F7 GraniRapids South Christian F7 35 7 65.778 Grand Rapids Christian 43.111 District 2 F7 Grand Rapids South Christian 65.778 Hudsonville Unity Christian 46 50,333 F7 Hudsonville Unity Christian Ada Forest Hills Eastern 2Q 50.333 20 . 49.556 Edwardsburg 36 62.556 F7 Edwardsburg 24 0[62.556 Paw Paw 40.889 District 1 r F7 Edwardsburg 62.556 Three Rivers 32 46.667 F7 Niles Niles 56 43-333 17 43.333 Hastings 40 59.222 F7 Hastings 23 7 59.222 Vicksburg 47.222 F7 Hastings District 2 59.222 Charlotte 27 56.000 F7 Charlotte 15 56.000 Chelsea ./xYLll ® Sl Fl 13 w 54.778 7:30 CHAMPION Goodrich 42 61.556 F7 Goodrich Ortonville Brandon 14 61.556 49.556 F7 Goodrich District 1 Ford Field - Detroit 61.556 14 North Branch 2022 DIVISION 4 Football 10 56.111 F7 Freeland Freeland 61 49.778 9 49.778 Region 3 Madison Heights Lamphere 49 51.889 F7 Madison Heights Lamphere F7 0 13 51.889 Marysville 43.000 F7 Orchard Lake St Mary's District 2 Croswell-Lexington 44.083 14 51.556 F7 Orchard Lake St Mary's Orchard Lake St Mary's 28 44.083 35 44.083 Riverview 35 65.333 F7 Riverview 53 14 65.333 Adrian 43.222 F7 Riverview District 1 65.333 Tecumseh 52 63.444 F7 Tecumseh Carleton Airport 28 63.444 30 48.111 F7 Region 4 46 60.889 F7 Livonia Clarencevllle Livonia Clarencevllle OT 24 48 43.889 43.889 F7 Dearborn Divine Child District 2 52.778 26 Dearborn Divine Child 52.778 ...................... ' Redford Union F7 Dearborn Divine Child 2OT 30 1? 52.778 All Times Local. Hoste and game times may differ from what is listed. 46.889 Visit MHSAA.com for up-todate information. FoofboH Regional (Finals Game Info! HE HOTTEST STARS The Saxon football team will travel to Edwardsburg this Friday night, Nov. 11 to take on the Eddies in the Div 4 Regional Championship game! Tickets are available only through GoFan.Co for $9 and should be purchased on your Smartphone. FCIRQUE MOSICA HOLIDAY WONDERLAND We are also offering both a Student Bus for Middle School and High School students and an Adult/Family bus for those that would like to go to the game but don't want to drive! THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 MJ LIVE -n ' L MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE CONCERT THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29 RICK SPRINGFIELD SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepefsCasino.com. f . \ , '\ The Student 'busiskree for MS and HS students, the Family bus is^S p^T-adult, kids 5th grade and under are free! do to ihe.game and leave the driving to us! . py * . I ■■ " .. • £ ‘ . ■ ,GETYOUR. . I-94 to Exit j04 I 11177 Michigan A .; Battle Creek, Ml 49014 ••Mustbe21 orfblder. Tickets bast ri on availability. Schedule subject to change. ' '\ . Please contact die Athletic Dept. 269-945-6160 +x.Tj(je the bus or if you have^^K^ iriVcnie.'ihftns! .<■ Saxon senior Lanny Teunessen (2) weaves his way through the Orioles' defense during the Saxons' 23-13 district victory over Charlotte Friday in Hastings. (Photo by Perry Hardin) ■ 5.1. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-11-17.pdf c0f1de0ebbf54572bd8b35c980d6c1ce PDF Text Text Watchdog group sues sheriff, county over FOIA request Country music artist swings through Hastings on Christmas tour Eddies end best Saxon season yet in regionals See story on page 3 See story on page 8 See story page 12 804879110187 Thursday, November 17, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 46 PRICE $1.50 Voters back Charlton Park in most recent election Jayson Bussa Editor Not all races and proposals on the ballot for last week’s general election were hyper partisan. The decision on whether or not to renew the Historic Charlton Park Village, Museum and Recreation Area millage was one of the few, if only, items on the ballot that didn’t draw a dividing line between Republicans and Democrats. Instead, residents of Barry County were left with the choice to continue funding this long-time popular destination. The proposal passed on a 16,650-12,834 vote. “There is always uncertainty when you’re going into any election,” said Dan Patton, director of the Barry County Parks & Recre­ ation Commission. “Obviously we felt pret­ ty good about our support for Charlton Park. We’re not affiliated with any one party. We have both Republicans and Democrats that enjoy what we do. “As long as we can continue to provide an environment and park facility that people want to enjoy...I think we’re doing the right thing.” The proposal didn’t just restore the previously-approved.2191 mill per year to help fund operations at the 300-acre park, but it also meant restoring the original.25 mill, which had been significantly rolled back due to the Michigan’s Headlee Amendment. By approving the measure, Charlton Park is estimated to receive $654,620 in its first calendar year. The added.0309 mill would generate $80,911 for a park that Patton has very candidly said is facing a laundry list of repair and maintenance needs. The Charlton Park millage renewal also came during an election where voters were not in the mood to open their wallets. Voters in the Hastings school district nar­ rowly turned down an operating millage increase proposal from the Hastings Area School System. Meanwhile, voters also chose not to approve a $64 million bond issue proposed for Lakewood Public Schools. “We’re very thankful for people that went out to cast the ‘yes’ vote,” Patton said. “At See PARK, page 3 March 2023 trial set for Stephens in Brickley murder case Dustin Scott Stephens, right, with attorney Brandon Gardner, appear before Judge Michael Schipper on Wednesday morning in a Barry County courtroom. Schipper set a March 2023 trial date for Stephens, who is facing multiple charges as an accessory, including perjury during a capital trial, in the 2021 murder of Gracyn Brickley. (photo by Greg Chandler) Greg Chandler Staff Writer A March 2023 trial date has been scheduled for a Nashville man accused of perjury during a murder trial that occurred earlier this year. Dustin Scott Stephens, 36, appeared in a Barry County courtroom Wednes­ day morning for a pretrial conference. Judge Michael Schipper set a trial date for March 13, 2023, when jury selection is scheduled to begin in the case. Schip­ per also set aside the dates of March 15-17, 2023, for the trial. Stephens is facing multiple charges as an accessory in the February 2021 murder of 18-year-old Gracyn Brickley in Maple Grove Township. He is charged with perjury in the trial of a capital crime - a charge that carries a potential life sentence if convicted - as well as tampering with evidence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, accessory after the fact to a felony, a felony firearms charge and being a habitual offender-second notice. The tampering with evidence charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The perjury charge stems from state­ ments Stephens made during the April trial of Andrew Lafey, who was convicted of first-degree felony and pre­ meditated murder in the videotaped torture and murder of Brickley. Lafey is serving a life sentence without parole for the murder. Stephens is currently free on bond. He is scheduled for a final pretrial con­ ference on Feb. 22, 2023 in Barry County court. County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt indicated that there is still a possibility Stephens could enter a plea prior to trial. “We have told Mr. (Brandon) Gard­ ner (Stephens’ attorney), that we are certainly open to continued negotia­ tions in this matter,” Nakfoor Pratt said. Meanwhile, a second defendant in the case is expected to enter a plea next month. Coleen Rice, 36, of Hastings, appeared in court Wednesday. She is expected to enter a plea in the case at 8 a.m. Dec. 14. Rice is also charged with felony counts of tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact of a felony. She is currently free on bond. Also charged with tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact is 52-year-old Sheralyn Randolph of Nashville. Randolph is also facing a habitual offender-fourth offense charge. No trial date has been set for her. Tractors are lined up on the grounds of Historic Charlton Park during the annual Gas & Steam Show earlier this summer. Voters recently approved restoring the .25 mill for the park to increase its revenue from taxpayers. (File photo by Molly Macleod) Proposed Serenity Village hospice care 'facility moves closer to fruition Hunter McLareri Staff Writer A proposed hospice facility in Hastings that’s been in the works since 2015 moved one step closer to completion last week. Serenity Village, the non-profit organiza­ tion heading up the project, received a site plan approval at last week’s city planning commission meeting. The architectural plans call for a six-patient facility on a 10,500 square foot lot at 700 E. Woodlawn Ave. City officials were excited to see the plan moving forward. “I think this project is long overdue and it’s going to be well positioned to (serve) our population in the Hastings and Barry County area,” Mayor Dave Tossava said. Thomas DeVault, executive director of Serenity Village, said the idea of an end-oflife care facility in Hastings began in 2015, when a group of community members noticed there was a need. DeVault became involved in the project early on. He said the focus of the Serenity Village hospice facility is for patients who need hospice care but aren’t already in an assist­ ed living facility or hospital, and who need more extensive end-of-life care than at-home caregivers could provide. “We realized that there was a pretty big need in the community,” DeVault said. “(This group of community members and I) all felt that this was something that was viable that we needed in our area, and we thought we could make that happen.” The project had received support from several major donors, including the Spec­ trum Health Foundation Pennock, and was primed to start a capital campaign in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing supply chain issues delayed the project. “The whole process has taken longer than we had thought it was going to, but with sup­ ply chain issues, rapid inflation and a global pandemic, things don’t always go according to the prescribed plan,” DeVault said. Now, roughly $2.5 million of the esti­ mated $3 million required to complete the project has been raised and the non-profit is looking for contractors to complete the project. Although it’s too early to provide an estimated date of completion, DeVault said the project could break ground as soon as spring 2023. Although the project has faced delays and other challenges, it couldn’t be where it is today without continued support from community members and donors, he said. “We’re just super excited about being able to put shovels in the ground,” DeVault said. “We feel extremely fortunate that the community has backed what we feel is a really important project.” Chamber of Commerce using new software to gain insight about Barry County consumers Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Barry County Chamber of Commerce hopes new software can help identify why people visit Barry County and why they leave. The software, called Placer.ai, searches through data sets and presents inquiry results in near-real time. For example, the software can comb through data to estimate how much road traffic there was on a particular stretch of road on a certain date. The chamber could look up road traffic after a community event to see how much traffic the event drove into town and where they went. Data like that can provide the chamber and local businesses with quantifiable data to gauge the success and return on investment of local events and businesses. Other data sets shown by the software can show what kinds of businesses draw customers away from Barry County, and what draws them in. The chamber is adding two intern positions in order to better analyze the data. Nichole Lyke, Economic Development Director, stressed that the software and the data used is not capable of tracking any per­ son’s movements, a misconception that has popped up locally amongst critics of the tech- See CHAMBER, page 3 l his is a screenshot ot the Placer.ai interface, software that aggregates data to help businesses make informed decisions. (Courtesy image) �Page 2 — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Celebration of Life planned for Hastings Legend Doug Mepham Ahead of the holiday season, the Hastings High School Athletic Boosters has announced its annual poinsettia fundraiser. Whether it be to decorate for Jingle and Mingle or to enjoy in your home, these poinsettias are fit for essentially all holiday occasions. Poinsettia orders must be placed by Monday, Nov. 28 at the latest and pick-up will be Dec. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hastings High School. One poinsettia costs $13 and six cost $72. Orders with 12 or more poinsettias can receive free delivery. Visit the Hastings High School Athletic Boosters on social media for a link to the online order form. The founding father of Hastings High School Saxon soccer, Doug Mepham, passed away at the age of 75 Thursday, Nov. 10, in Hastings. A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held on Saturday, Nov. 26, at 2:00 p.m. at Thomapple Valley Church. Mepham taught special education for 21 years at Hastings Middle School and spent 19 years teaching social studies and history before retiring from teaching in 2010. During that time, his love of coaching and playing soccer inspired him to start the Hast­ ings High School varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer programs. He coached the Saxons on the pitch for 30 years beginning in 1985. The girls’ program played its first official varsity contests in 1995. The Hastings High School soccer program planned a special Doug Mepham Day Oct. 4, to honor coach Mepham and to help raise funds for for the Susan Mast ALS Founda­ tion. His family has requested that memorials be sent to the Susan Mast ALS Foundation. More information on how to do that can be found online at www.susanmastals.org. Mepham was diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2021. His battle with ALS, which eventually diminished his ability to speak, kept him from being able to attend the special eve­ ning which was coincidentally held on his birthday.. The varsity Saxon boys’ soccer team defeated Pennfield that evening after getting a special video message from Mepham during which he told the Saxons to “snow no mercy.” Scott Schoessel, who played on and cap­ tained, some of those very first Hastings varsity boys’ soccer teams, addressed the Mepham Day crowd last month. “The impact he has had on all of us can not really be spoken about in words, because the lessons continue to grow and grow over the years,” Schoessel said, after highlighting a cou­ ple key moments from his high school years that he realized later in life were so important. Over the years, Mepham coached many youth soccer teams in the area as well. Mepham was born in Detroit in 1947. He went to college at Western Michigan Univer­ sity where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in social studies and education. He then earned a Master’s degree in special education before coming to Hastings. He was as influential in the classroom as he was on the soccer field. He started the Green Street Church offering free Thanksgiving meals to those in need Yankee Springs ponders fire truck purchase Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting cancelled The regularly scheduled meeting of the county’s Committee of the Whole was can­ celled on Tuesday morning. Too many members of the board of commissioners were expected to be absent due to opening day of firearm deer season throughout the state of Michigan. As of late, the board has been focused enhancing the compensation of county employees as a way of retaining and attracting talent. During its last meeting, the board reviewed a variety of plans in which to issue bonuses to both full-time and part-time county employees by utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The board will meet on Nov. 22 to pick back up on the matter. Some families eligible for additional holiday food assistance Governor Whitmer announced Tuesday that all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in November to help lower the cost of groceries ahead of Thanksgiving. The addition­ al assistance will help more than 1.3 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households. The extra $95 is meant to give families extra breathing room during the holiday season. In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approv­ al is necessary every month. Eligible clients who receive food assistance are receiving the additional benefits on their Bridge Card November 12-21. These benefits are loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance provided earlier in the month. All households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maxi­ mum payment or are close to that amount. Households that received more than $95 to bring them to the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount. Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. HHS Athletic Boosters announce 2022 poinsettia sale Green Street United Methodist Church in Hastings will be providing free Thanksgiv­ ing meals for those that need it. Again this year, the dinner will be a drive-thru, takeout meal provided on Thanksgiv­ ing Day. The food is all homemade and packaged right before pickup and includes turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole and squash. Salad, roll with butter and a selected piece of pie completes the meal. Pickup time is 1 to 3 p.m. on Nov. 24 at the church’s back parking lot, located at the comer of Church and Center streets in Hastings. Reservations are required for each meal. Email the church at office.greenstreetumc@ gmail.com or call 269-945-9574 ext. 2 with name for each meal. Coleman Agency Local, long standing insurance agency is seeking a highly moti­ vated, energetic, organized, team player looking for a career in the insurance industry. Requirements: • Minimum of 5 years office experience required • P&C insurance experience preferred but not required • Michigan P&C License preferred but not required Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Yankee Springs Township board has scheduled a special meeting for next Tues­ day where it could decide on purchasing a new fire engine. The meeting will take place at 10 a.m. at the township hall, located at 284 N. Briggs Rd. A three-member fire department commit­ tee has recommended the township approve the purchase of a truck from Spencer Manu­ facturing, a fire truck manufacturer based in South Haven, at a cost of nearly $755,000. A second bid, from Pierce Manufacturing, came in more than $125,000 higher than the Spencer bid, Township Trustee Dave Van­ Houten told board members at their Nov. 10 meeting. Doug Mepham addresses the crowd at the 2014 Hastings Athletic Boosters Buzz Youngs Legends Golf Classic at then Hastings Country Club. Mepham taught at Hastings for 40 years, founded the boys’ and girls’ high school soccer programs in the mid-1980’s and coached for 30 years. He was honored as a Hastings Legend at the event. (File photo) Mephdog and Maddog clubs to inspire stu­ dents, and also taught an adult handicapped program through the Barry ISD and volun­ teered with Meals on Wheels after retiring from teaching. . . “I am hoping that this is the final approv­ al (for the truck),” VanHouten said. The committee, consisting of Lt. Douglas Katsma, Capt. Derek Olsen and firefighter Kyle Ritema, recommended the township set aside no more than $800,000 for the purchase of the unit so the fire department can pay “for upgrading tools, fitting, hard­ ware, hoses, med bags, (automatic external defibrillator) and other miscellaneous equip­ ment as needed,” the group wrote in a memo to the board. Besides the lower bid price, the commit­ tee supported Spencer because of its loca­ tion and service. “During the building of our (specifica­ tions), Spencer made efforts to meet with us and make sure we are building the truck we need,” the committee wrote in its memo. HELP WANTED He is survived by his wife Deb Northrop. They married during the summer break in 1973. They have four children Rachel Basso, Rebecca Prefasi, Sarah Mepham and Andrew Mepham, and eight grandchildren. VanHouten said that a decision will likely include how the township will pay for the new truck. The township currently has $587,100 in its fire equipment pur­ chase fund, according to township docu­ ments. “(Spencer is) pretty open to how we go about paying for it,” VanHouten said. The bid offer from Spencer is good for 30 days, meaning a delay in approving the bid could result in an increase in the price for the new truck. Pierce Manufacturing just raised the pricing on its new fire trucks by 6.5 percent this month, according to town­ ship documents. Yankee Springs contracts with the Way­ land Fire Department for fire service in the township. The township has its own fire station on South Payne Lake Road. CORRECTIONS Part-time Parts Delivery Driver Monday - Wednesday - Thursday. „ Apply within: • Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listen­ ing NOW SHOWING 7709 Delton, Ml 49046 • Self-motivated • Ability to multi-task • Must be able to work as a team with fellow employees Benefits: • Compensation depending on experience • Paid vacation/sick/personal time after probationary period • Health insurance/disability/life insurance provided after pro­ bationary period •401k contributions and matching after meet qualifying num­ ber of hours worked Resumes can be submitted via email to lindsey@colemanofhastings.com or mailed to PO Box 338, Hasting, MI 49058 r \ ttoteniari /A \ Aaenw ■■A \OF HASTINGS, INC. X \ SINCE 1908 90965 CITY OF HASTINGS REQUEST FOR BIDS 2023 TREE TRIMMING, REMOVAL, and STUMP GRINDING The City of Hastings, Michigan is soliciting bids for its annual tree trimming and removal. Bid proposal forms and specifications are available at 201 E State Street. The City of Hastings reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any irregularities in the bid proposals, and to award the bid as deemed to be in the City's best interest, price and other factors considered. Sealed bids will be received at the Office of the City Clerk/Treasurer, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 2,2022 at which time they will be opened and publicly read aloud. All bids will be clearly marked on the outside of the submittal package "Sealed Bid - 2023 Tree Trimming, Removal, and Stump Grinding. Travis J. Tate, P.E. Director of Public Services The caption that ran with last week’s Citizens of the Month photo for Cen­ tral Elementary was incorrect. The correct caption is as follows: Central Elementary citizens of the month include Brennon Denton (left) and Alex Bertrand (right), joined here by Prin­ cipal Amber Mitchell. We regret the error. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — Page 3 PARK, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------the same time, we welcome ‘no’ voters, too.” With the steady and predictable flow of tax revenue, Patton said that park officials can seek state and federal grant dollars to go toward improvements and not just for opera­ tions. As an example, officials at Charlton Park installed a playground earlier this year, rough­ ly half of which was funded by a state grant. Patton said he and his staff will continue to pursue grant funds. “It also helps from a standpoint that we have some silent partners we work with who want to see the park continue to grow and improve and this (election result) affords us the ability to show that there is interest by the people,” Patton added. Patton said Charlton Park will spend the next month or so hosting school groups from both inside and outside of Barry County. The park is also gearing up for its Of Christmas Past event, slated for Dec. 10-11. Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf speaks in front of the county’s board of commissioners last month, providing a brief update on his investigation into potential voter fraud during the 2020 election. (File photo by Jayson Bussa) Watchdog group files lawsuit against Sheriff Dar Leaf, Barry County Jayson Bussa Editor A Washington D.C.-based nonprofit has filed a lawsuit against Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, and the county as a whole, alleging that they are refusing to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act Request. American Oversight, which bills itself as a non-partisan watchdog group, makes a regu­ lar practice of obtaining public records to expose corruption in local government, in addition, to promoting transparency and pro­ tecting democracy. The group has recently set its sight on Leaf, who hqs gained notoriety on statewide and national levels for alleging that fraud played a role in the 2020 presidential elec­ tion, which cost then-President Donald Trump his race to President Joe Biden. Leaf has utilized resources within the Barry Coun­ ty Sheriff’s Office to investigate potential election fraud both here in the county and elsewhere throughout the state. American Oversight filed a FOIA request with Barry County on Aug. 31, asking for the county, and Leaf’s department, to turn over emails that could potentially tie Leaf to other high-profile skeptics of the 2020 election results. The organization requested records of all Leaf’s communications with certain these specific people and parties, including emails and direct messages on a variety of messag­ ing platforms. American Oversight requested communi­ cations between Leaf’s office and election activists such as Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Arizona State Representative Mark Finchem, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, and Catherine Engel­ brecht, founder of True the Vote, a conserva­ tive group that is outspoken and public about its skepticism concerning elections. American Oversight’s lawsuit was prompt­ ed after the county responded to the FOIA requests on Sept. 8 with two denials for two different reasons. In responses that were sent by Deputy County Administrator Luella Dennison, who serves as acting FOIA coordinator, the county stated that some of the requested communica­ tions were part of Leaf’s criminal investiga­ tion and therefore could not be turned over. Other requested communications did not exist, per the response. American Oversight rebutted that public claims would suggest that communication does exist between Leaf and individuals cited in the FOIA request. For instance, in an inter­ view with the New York Times, Lindell of the company MyPillow, reportedly said that he and his team have offered resources to Leaf while the county contended that no communi­ cations exist. “The Michigan Freedom of Information Act is clear that these records must be dis­ closed to the public,” said Michigan attorney Mark Brewer of the law firm Goodman Acker, which maintains offices in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. Brewer is repre­ Charlton Park is home to 30-plus historic buildings and structures, like the Upjohn House, pictured here. Park officials say that they have a long list of repair and main­ tenance needs. (Courtesy photo) senting American Oversight in its lawsuit. “There is no legitimate reason for them to be withheld and we look forward to their court-ordered disclosure so the public can see what the Barry County Sheriff has been doing with taxpayer funds.” When reached for comment, Ben Geiger, chairman of the Barry County Board of Com­ missioners, said that he had not yet seen a copy of the lawsuit, but did confirm that the county would pay legal fees to defend the lawsuit just like it would with any suit against the county. Barry County Administrator Michael Brpvyn also told The Banner that he was unable to provide substantial comment on the matter, due to the pending litigation. Howev­ er, he did say that the county consulted with the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA) and has retained Allan C. Vander Alan of Grand Rapids-based law firm Cummins, McClorey, Davis & Acho PLC. “The 2020 election was free and fair, as confirmed by more than 60 lawsuits across the nation and leading officials in Michigan,” Heather Sawyer, executive director at Ameri­ can Oversight, said in a statement. “Yet two years later, Sheriff Leaf is squandering tax­ payer resources chasing baseless partisan allegations. Sheriff Leaf is not doing legiti­ mate law enforcement work. As we’ve seen in other states, True the Vote is propagating misinformation and lies, and the people of Barry County deserve the truth.” Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 L 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J= BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION IS SEEKING A MANAGING DIRECTOR The Barry County Road Commission (BCRC) is seeking a Managing Directp^ i( 1SD1O tJUlillO Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree in business administration with constructioriexperienceofa Bachelor ofScieltcein civil engineering, or equiv-. alent* with 5-10+ years related eXperience?and/or training,^ or an equivalent­ combination of education and experience. The position is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the road commission. For a complete job description, application, and additional information contact Barry County Road Commission at (269) 945-3449. Salary range is currently $100,000-$ 135,000 per year, depending upon qualifications and experience. Fringe benefits are also provided as approved from time to time by the Board of County Road Commissioners for its managerial staff. Applications may be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office at 1725 W. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058 between 6 AM-3:45 PM, or found on our website at www.barrvcrc.org. Applications and resumes should be addressed to Barry County Road Commission, PO BOX 158, Hastings, MI 49058, or bcasey@barrycrc.org. The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications will be accepted through December 9,2022, at 10:00 AM. 190998 CommunityAction COMMUNITY ACTION ANNOUNCES NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Council approves City Hall, West State Road improvements Hunter McLaren Staff Writer City council approved improvements to one of downtown Hastings’ major thor­ oughfares as well as landscaping changes to city hall. The city pivoted $274,954 in funds origi­ nally intended for improvements to Grand Street toward improvements to West State Street instead. The decision came after the city discovered the proposed resurfacing, curb and gutter improvements to Grand Street would require nearly $600,000 to complete. Director of Public Services Travis Tate recommended West State Street from Glenwood Drive to Broadway Avenue because it was also a sim­ ilarly well-traveled road in need of repair that better fit the funding available. An additional budgeted $12,800 expense was approved by the council on Monday to complete the preliminary steps necessary to complete the improvements. A $53,323 bid went to Grand Rapids lansdcaper Katerberg VerHage for improvements to City Hall as recommended by MCSA Group, the landscape architect involved with the project. Council member Brenda McNabb-Stange asked why the project was given to Katerberg VerHage when they were the only bid on the project. Mayor Dave Tossava said the price of the project might go up if the city waited for more bids and cited the city’s longstanding relationship with MCSA Group. “I understand Brenda’s concern about hav­ ing one bid - I take a certain amount of trust in the landscape architect (MCSA Group) because they have done work with us for over thirty years,” Tossava said. The works include general landscaping improvements as well as a privacy screen to go around a generator near city hall. Previ­ ously proposed lighting improvements were cut from the plan to help it better fit the city’s $55,000 budget for the project. In other business, the city: - Held a public hearing closing out the completion of rental rehab projects at 123 W. State St. and 136 E. State St., both funded by the Community Development Block Grant program through Michigan State Housing Development Authority and Michigan Eco­ nomic Development Corporation. - Approved the Santa Paws event at Bob King Park from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 10. Pet owners can bring their pets to have their picture taken with Santa Paws to raise money for charity. Last year’s event raised $1,200 for Green Gables Haven. - Heard City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale’s report, which stated Interim Treasurer and Clerk Christopher Bever had chosen to stay with the city. Bever was hired through a temp agency and originally only contracted through Decem­ ber, with the option to stay on permanently. CHAMBER, continued from page 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------nology. The software uses several sources of data to estimate where, when and why con­ sumers are traveling. “They do this using anonymized cell phone data in conjunction with census data, ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute), all of those different market segmentation tools that exist,” Lyke said. “What’s unique about this one is it takes all of those static data points and is able to create dynamic glimpses of what is taking place because of the way that it uses aggregate cell phone data.” • The software doesn’t collect any data. Instead, it searches through the same GPS data that advertisers use to create tar­ geted ads. All the data used is completely anonymized - meaning it can’t be used to track or trace anyone. Some data is restricted for safety reasons. For example, the program couldn’t track any data connected to schools - even events tak­ ing place at the Hastings Performing Arts Center would have restricted data There’s also certain ways the chamber says it won’t use the data, like to help big box stores push out local businesses. Big chains will have to get that data themselves if they want it, Lyke said. “We wouldn’t want to invite those busi­ nesses in (that would) put out our small momand-pop shops because those are the corner­ stones of our downtown.” Lyke said the chamber can show a tour of the software to anyone with questions, and the software comes with several resources that detail how it works. “If anybody is concerned and wants to learn more, they can reach out to us,” she said. Battle Creek October 2022- The Board of Directors for Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan (CAASCM) is pleased to announce Courtney lobe as Chief Executive Officer. Courtney lobe has worked with various programs at CommunityAction over the past 11 years and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. As the former Director of Development, she was responsible for the Emergency Services Programs, the Foster Grandparent Program, Head Start Data Department, and the agency's grants and compliance. lobe has held the Interim CEO position since Williamson announced her resignation from the position in March of 2022. Courtney is committed to guiding the agency in its mission of helping people achieve and maintain independence. Community Action serves residents of Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph Counties, and targets its programs and services to the specific needs of those communities. Tim Reese, Board Chair, states “As a board, we felt that with Community Action being such a complex organization with several moving parts, that it was important that we found someone that understands the inner workings. Courtney has been with the nonprofit for several years in various roles and has had an opportunity to observe how it functions from day to day. Will feel that she will do a great job at leading the organization in the years to come”. “Community Action is one of 28 Community Action Agencies in the State of Michigan dedicated to promoting economic and social opportunities that help people achieve greater independence, dignity, and self-sufficiency.. I am dedicated to our mission and am excited for the opportunity to continue leading the agency forward as CEO” said Courtney lobe. For more information about CommunityAction and the services it provides, please call the CommunityAction office at 1-877-422-2726 or visit us online at www.caascm.org. 190409 NOTICE: SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS The Barry County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the following Boards: Building Authority: 1 position Central Dispatch Administrative Board: 1 position Commission on Aging: 4 positions Conservation Easement Board: 1 township official/designee; 1 agricultural interest Parks and Recreation Commission: 2 positions Road Commission: 1 position Veteran’s Affairs Committee: 3 positions - must be an honorably discharged active duty veteran who served during a war or conflict Applications may be obtained at the County Administration Office, 3rd floor of the Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings; or www.barrycounty.org under the tab: How do I apply for: An Advisory Board or Commission and click to display the application. Applications must be returned no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2022. Contact 269-945-1284 for more information. �Page 4 — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you inion see? Let’s lessen the toxicity and stress that has dominated every recent election DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A SNOWMAN? Folks, we’ve arrived at that time of year. Some people love it. Other people hate it. The first substantial snow fall moved through Barry County this week, leaving a solid blanket behind in its wake. This is a photo of the freshly-fallen snow behind the J-Ad Graphics office in Hastings. And while forecasted cold temperatures and continued snow might have you itch­ ing to bust out the sleds and toboggans, we should see a relative warm-up around Thanksgiving. So, make those snowmen while you can! do you remember? Banner Nov. 27, 2008 The annual St. Rose School Thanksgiving feast in Hastings is a time not only to give thanks for all of God’s blessings, but also an occasion for the entire student body to gather together for a meal, prepared by parents and other volunteers. Students make and wear a variety of headgear for the event, and here (from left) Mark Feldpausch, Joe Feldpausch and Ethan Klipfer model their turkey gobbler hats. Have you met? Kendra Scafe describes herself as the person people call when they need help. “I’m the one that if someone needs help, they call me,” Scafe said. “Because no matter what it is, if I can do it, I’m going to do it.” But that’s not the only reason people call her. “I don’t know how to word it. But it’s like, ‘Oh, this is boring. Let’s call Kendra and have her come over.’ Because that’s me,” she said. “I’m the life of the party.” Prior to arriving at J-Ad Graphics to work as the HR and accounts manager, Scafe managed 29 rental properties and 56 employees across West Michigan. She liked the challenge, but it kept her busy. Scafe said her team was understaffed, and her phone was ringing off the hook every hour of the day. “It was very challenging and very rewarding at the same time,” she said. “But I’m getting older. I needed a life. I worked from five in the morning until 10 at night because my phone never stopped.” Scafe knew it was time to find a new position when she realized she couldn’t offer as much help to others as she used to. “I like to do things for people. So when 99 percent of my time was dedicated to work, day and night, there was no time to do it,” Scafe said. “What makes me happy is helping people.” Outside of her work, she loves to spend time with her family. She loves playing games with her six grandchildren, and she just moved in with her mom to spend more time with her. She spends a lot of time with her daugh­ ter and two sons. In the winter, her sons play hockey. During the summer, you’re Kendra Scafe likely to find them around the racetrack racing stock cars. Scafe herself grew up around racing, so she feels comfortable around the track. “It’s like a big family,” she said. “Even though they’re competing against each other, it’s still a team.” For her selflessness and her work to manage the many colorful personalities of J-Ad Graphics, Kendra Scafe is this week’s Bright Light. The thing I’m most proud of: Where I’m at today. I went through some challeng­ es. I grew up in a situation that wasn’t good and I just pushed through everything and decided that I’m going to live the life that’s for me. I’m very proud of myself for the person I am. What motivates me: My kids and my family. They’re my reason for everything. I like to lead by example. I’ve always wanted my kids to grow up to be successful indi­ viduals and in order for them to do that I had to show them how to do that. I had to teach them how to do that. What I like about my job: Here, it’s all about the people. The interaction. The peo­ ple here. Everybody is so friendly and they all interact well with everybody. If I have questions, I go to anybody and if they can’t answer them, they’ll tell me who can. Best advice I’ve ever received: Life is what you make it. If I could have any superpower: I’d like to read minds - sometimes. Sometimes I might not want to know. Greatest fear: Spiders. I absolutely hate spiders. If I won the lottery: I would give to people that needed it. There’s so many peo­ ple that try but need some help with suc­ ceeding. There’s so many people that try and try and just can’t get past that little bump in the road that they need to get to the next level. When I was a kid: I wanted to be a nurse. If I could meet anyone: There’s just so many people I think I’d like to meet. The Queen of England - I’d have liked to have met her. Whenever I connect with voters fol­ lowing a general election, the sentiment is usually the same: “I’m so glad that’s over!” For myself, and the rest of the edito­ rial staff at J-Ad Graphics, we are always glad to see an election come to an end because they are a lot of work to cover. From previewing each race and its candidates to staying up entirely too late at night collecting results and mak­ ing sure that they land in your next issue of The Banner, it’s a lot of work. You can’t blame us for wanting to get an election over with so we can focus on the other news of the day. However, for those that are not jour­ nalists, they generally enjoy the conclu­ sion of an election because elections are stressful. Even if you’re not particularly interested in politics, elections have a way of monopolizing the all forms of media and dominating discussion on social media. You can’t help but be dragged into the dialogue - whether you’re being knocked over the head with campaign commercials while you try to enjoy your Hallmark Christmas movies or two of your close friends are duking it out on Facebook over the mer­ its of Prop 3. Elections are so stressful that there is even a name for heartache that comes with it: election anxiety. While we do live in an age where we often slap a label on some phantom ail­ ment that we make up, election anxiety is legit. In fact, the American Psychological Association has weighed in on this before, releasing findings to studies that show elections are “somewhat” or “very significant” sources of stress. The orga­ nization goes on to say that 60 percent of Americans find politics to be a signif­ icant source of stress - and maybe you’re among those that think that. Some of the more common symptoms ' of this stress can be irritability and anx­ iety. When a person allows these things' to linger in their lives in any form, it can spell bad news for their longterm physi­ cal and mental health. Many mental health experts suggest the same things when it comes to coping with election anxiety. Part of it is simply addressing the things you can control and acknowledging the things you can’t control. For starters, getting out to vote - like over 30,000 of you in Barry County did last week - is one way that you can rest easy knowing that you did your part and made your voice heard. Getting involved in campaigns or other efforts to push legislation you feel pas­ sionately about is another way to take action instead of sitting on the couch and worrying about the results. It can also help to avoid the 24-hour news cycle, which can easily consume you. Even as a member of the media, I can tell you that the steady and constant flow of information and punditry that you now find on network news can eat you alive. You simply have to step away from it and enjoy life to avoid both election anxiety and just anxiety in general. So, while there are ways to cope with election anxiety, I’m more interested in the why. And I promise - I’m not dumb. I get that elections are where very important decisions are made. These are decisions that can potentially have a profound impact in the lives of both you and me. These aren’t necessarily deci­ sions to be taken lightly, so it’s natural that they come with a bit of worry and stress. But that’s not anything new, though. Elections have always involved import­ ant decisions that will affect the entire Jayson Bussa Editor The Hastings Banner The Hastings BcUHICT Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. nation. Yet, a decade or two ago, we didn't collectively wring our hands and gnash our teeth about elections. We still - to some extent - were able to maintain civility with one another. Why has the air around politics elevated to such a fever pitch where many people seem to be on the brink of losing their mind when it comes to them? I think you have to heap a much of the blame on politicians and their par­ ties. The rhetoric and fear-mongering that they have managed to pump into elections is really what is bringing us to our boiling point. Nearly 20 years ago, as a college student, I didn’t have the context to understand that this is rheto­ ric that slowly progresses and gets worse and worse. In 2004, George W. Bush was re-elected president. Witness­ ing protests on the campus of Grand Valley State University, and a wide range of opposing politicians and pun­ dits on TV, I was led to believe that Bush was a supposed war criminal and was going to lead our nation to an even­ tual apocalypse. I wasn’t big into poli­ tics -1 didn’t know if that was the case, but it worried me. Fast forward 20 years later and Bush was last seen linking arms with Democrats speaking out against former President Donald Trump. Not so scary now, huh? Before Bush, it was Ronald Reagan who was an unprecedented level of evil. The next candidate is always bigger and badder. And of course, this level of political stress amongst many seemed to reach an apex when Trump served in office. Although, while Trump starts to fade into the background (maybe), the media is now rolling out the narrative that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis might be “just as, if not more, evil than Trump, and even more polished.” Gasp! And it goes both ways - conserva:tiVe$F consistently:paiiht each' rising’ star in the Democratic parity .as worse com­ munist’ dictator thail the one before them. The stakes are always apparently higher in each election and the threat apparently more dire. Only, they’re not. For my entire voting life I’ve heard the familiar slogans “Vote like your life depended on it...because it does” or this year, “Democracy is on the ballot”. You can try to convince me all you want that if, one party won the election, they would strip this country of democracy - but I’m not going to believe it, and you shouldn’t either. It is this constant rattling of our cages that leads to incessant bickering and even political violence, but very few people or parties in the political arena take the steps to open the pressure valve and let. out a lot of the steam that has built up in these elections. Politics are extremely toxic these days, but they don’t have to be. Our governmental form of checks and bal­ ances works. It has been tested over time. You don’t have to worry about one election stripping you of your God-giv­ en rights. So whether this most recent county, state and national election turned out how you wanted it to, or it didn’t, I encourage all readers to remain active in the political process in a healthy way. Make your voice heard. Let’s solve these major societal problems together and let’s encourage politicians to start slowing down on the feverish rhetoric that they have brought to every election in recent history. • NEWSROOM • Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — Page 5 Take time to acknowledge Thanksgiving and all we are thankful for A week before Thanksgiving, I had two parties coming up. So, I went to Walmart looking for seasonal clothes, or a hat, or some other item to wear to the parties. But, all I found at Walmart were Christmas (items)! A whole week before Thanksgiving! There were a few Thanksgiving dinner plates, but that was all. I mentioned this to two or three other cus­ tomers. They were as unhappy with the situa­ tion as I was. The meaning of Thanksgiving is being largely lost. Last year, when I men­ tioned Thanksgiving to a young lady about 20 years of age, she asked “Well, what is Thanks­ giving, anyway? You just eat turkey.” So, I told her what is special about Thanksgiving. First of all, Thanksgiving is the biggest family day of the year. More families hit the freeway for Thanksgiving than any other day of the year - even more than Christmas. The day before the holiday, many freeways are crowded, bumper-to-bumper. When I lived in Los Angeles, the day before Thanksgiving, my husband and I took The Grapevine freeway over the mountains to the San Joaquin Valley to visit my parents. In the evening darkness, we could see the bumper-to-bumper tail lights snaking their way up the mountainside. Second of all, Thanksgiving is a good time Off-road vehicle stolen from garage in Woodland to renew a determination to be thankful for the good things in life. If more people practiced being thankful, there would be more happy and content people in the world. I am not a well-to-do person myself. My husband and I are just two disabled senior citizens living on just social security; yet, I can still think of a lot to be thankful for. I choose to do so. Some families gather around the holiday table, hold hands and take turns saying what they are thankful for. This is a great family tradition. Finally, Thanksgiving is a great historical memorial to the origins of America. The pil­ grims sailed the hazardous journey across the ocean for about six months so they could worship according to their conscience with­ out being persecuted. God sent friendly Indi­ ans to teach them how to survive by growing corn, beans and squash. After struggling through the first hard winter, they planted their first crops and had a good harvest. Then they held their first thanksgiving harvest din­ ner. They invited Indians, who were so essen­ tial to their survival. There is a lot of interesting history about the pilgrims’ first few years in America that I cannot cover here. Let’s revive the celebration of Thanksgiv­ ing which holds as much meaning as Christ­ mas. Let’s not forget this important memorial in the traditions of America. Doneta Wrate Hastings Police responded to a report of a stolen all-terrain vehicle around 6 a.m. on Nov. 7 on the 3000 block of Velte Road. The 55-year-old Woodland woman who reported the theft had last seen the vehicle around 3 p.m. the previous day. She told police she had heard a garage alarm go off around 2:30 a.m. but saw the door was closed, assumed the alarm had gone off because of a power outage and went back to bed. It wasn’t until the morn­ ing that she realized the vehicle was driven out the rear door of the garage, which was still open, with tracks leading to the road. Thieves break into barn in Hickory Corners A 65-year-oId Hickory Corners man went to check on a bam at his property around 6 p.m. on Nov. 4 on the 3000 block of West Hickory Road after receiving a motion camera security notification on his phone. Upon arriving at the property, the man told police he saw a thief carrying one of his ladders toward a white pickup truck with a getaway driv­ er. The man tried to block the pair in the driveway with his own vehicle, but the two in the pickup truck evaded him. Upon further investigation, the man could see the door to his bam was kicked in and several items were stolen. Grain truck’s four batteries unbolted, stolen A 31-year-old Bellevue man called police around 4 p.m. on Nov. 7 after finding four batteries in his grain truck had gone missing. The man had parked the truck overnight in a field near Lucas and Bird roads in Johnstown Township. The man arrived around 3 p.m. on Nov. 7 to jump-start the truck after it was reported the truck wouldn’t start. Upon attempting to jump the truck, the man realized all four of the truck’s batteries had been unbolted and removed from the truck. Woman seeking top-of-the line feline fleeced for thousands An imposter posing as a legitimate Maine Coon cat breeder defrauded a 55-yearold Middleville woman for a total of $3,800. The woman reported the fraud to police on Nov. 9 after sending $500 through Zelle, $500 through PayPal, $800 in gift cards, and an additional $2,000 via PayPal. The woman was aware of similar scams, but said she had been talking with the supposed seller for several weeks prior and there­ fore thought it was legitimate. Police were able to get in touch with a man who appeared to be connected to the account, who told police he was indeed a legitimate cat breeder who had stopped breeding cats because of fake Facebook accounts pos­ ing as him that kept defrauding his customers. The man told police he would post another warning on his legitimate Facebook page warning potential victims of the copycats at large. Clintr Neil, co-owner ,pf Hastings-based Co-Dee Stamping, hauls food up to Hastings^. ( from the 'South'Michigan rodd'Bahk’ih Battle' Creek. Lately, availability and cost of food Volunteers work inside of Green Street United Methodist Church to sort through has become an issue. (File photo by Jayson food that will be later handed out. (File photo by Jayson Bussa) Bussa) Local food pantries struck by supply chain issues; programs for needy families affected Jayson Bussa Editor Supply chain disruptions haven’t just caused pricing and availability issues at the grocery stores - they have also affected local food pantries and the families that rely on them. This has been seen and felt within a pro­ gram that feeds around 200 families each week here in Barry County. The Fresh Food Initiative, which is orga­ nized by the Barry County United Way and fueled by an army of community volunteers, has been encountering exactly these struggles in its efforts to feed families every Wednes­ day morning from its makeshift home at the Green Street United Methodist Church in Hastings. The United Way works with the South Michigan Food Bank in Battle Creek to pro­ cure food to hand out to Barry County fami­ lies in need. Lately, the availability of certain items and the cost of food have proven to be a nagging problem for the program. Morgan Johnson, Director of Outreach and Community Engagement for the Barry Coun­ ty United Way, said the organization general­ ly budgets around $250 per week for the program, all of which comes from donations and not out of the United Way’s budget. To address the rising costs, the United Way has had to boost that budget to $350 to $400 per week to make sure that no families are turned away without food. “We’re very lucky to live in the communi­ ty we live in,” Johnson said. “We do have a lot of donors that contribute annually and contribute during the holiday time.” While Johnson said that the problems have not been crippling, the United Way is focused on adjusting to these issues to ensure the long-term health and longevity of the program. The United Way strives to include a protein and starch in each meal. The organization has also been putting together recipe cards that provide recipients with ideas on how to max­ imize the food that they receive. Community volunteers fuel the operations of the Fresh Food Initiative, from picking up, unloading and sorting food to handing it out on Wednesday mornings. Now, the community at large can help the Fresh Food Initiative to overcome these latest challenges. Johnson said that the United Way accepts both monetary gifts, which will be used to purchase food through the South Michigan Food Bank, in addition to actual food items. Johnson said the organization prefers pantry staples that have a long shelf life, such as mac­ aroni and cheese, tuna fish and peanut butter. Anyone interested in dropping off food can do so right at the United Way offices or at Thomapple Credit Union locations, which serve as drop-off points. And, while the holiday season is a prime time for giving, Johnson said that not every­ one thinks about food donations. “I think when the holidays roll around, everyone thinks of the toys and gifts, which is great - we operate a program for that, too. But I think sometimes the food piece is not top of mind.” Pierce Cedar Creek events for Nov. 17-23 Nov. 1-Dec. 31 - November Storywalk Book: “Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Ani­ mals Get Ready for Winter” by Laura Purdie Salas; illustrated by Claudine Gevry. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Nov. 1-30 - The Scientist’s Secret Puzzle: Puzzle Game on the Trails. Information is available at the south side of the Visitor Cen­ ter near the restrooms. The Puzzle Game is free and self-guided. Friday, Nov. 18 - Lunch and Learn: Find­ ing Wild: A Quest to Find Rare Plants. The program will be 11 a.m.-noon (in-person and on Zoom.) Lunch will run from noon to 1 p.m. Registration is required. Institute mem­ bers can attend for free and non-members must pay $5 for the program. For lunch, members must pay $12 and non-members must pay $17. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. 190950 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING ON SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT APPLICATION AT DECEMBER 7, 2Q22 REGULAR MEETING THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF TO: RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a pub­ lic hearing at its regular meeting on December 7, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing include the following: Disagree with your disability decision? We will take another look Vonda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist Social Security is here to help millions of people secure their today and tomorrow by providing benefits and financial protection. We continue to protect the integrity of our disability programs by ensuring we make the correct decision on each claim. However, if you disagree with the decision on your claim, you can ask for your case to be reviewed by filing an appeal. How can I appeal Social Security’s deci­ sion on my claim? Generally, there are four appeal levels. If you are not satisfied with the decision at one level, you may appeal to the next. The appeal levels are: 1. Reconsideration: A reconsideration is a complete review of your claim by someone who did not take part in the first decision. We look at all the evidence submitted in the orig­ inal determination, and any new evidence. 2. Hearing: If you disagree with the deci­ sion at the reconsideration level, you may ask for a hearing. An administrative law judge, who had no part in the original decision or the reconsideration of your case, conducts the hearing. 3. Appeals Council Review: If you dis­ agree with the hearing decision, you can request a review by Social Security’s Appeals Council. The Appeals Council looks at all requests for review. They will decide whether or not there is a reason to return your case to the judge for further review. 4. Federal Court Review: If you disagree with the Appeals Council’s decision, you can file a lawsuit in a federal district court as the last level in the appeals process. For more information, visit the “Appeal A Decision” webpage at ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html. When should I file my appeal? If we denied your claim, you have 60 days from the date of the notice to file an appeal. The easiest and quickest way is to file your appeal request online at ssa.gov/benefits/disability/appeal.html. This is where you can submit associated documents electronically. You can also call your local Social Security office or 1-800-772-1213 to obtain the forms. You can find your local office at ssa.gov/ locator. Do I need a representative to file an appeal? A representative or attorney is not required to file an appeal. Whether you choose to appoint an attorney or authorized representa­ tive is completely up to you. You may choose to have someone help you with your appeal or represent you. Your representative may be a lawyer or other qualified person familiar with you and the Social Security program. We will work with your representative just as we would work with you. They can act for you in most Social Security matters, and they will receive a copy of any decisions we make about your claim. If you need us to review your case, please go online at ssa.gov/benefits/disability/ appeal.html or call 1-800-772-1213. Please share this information with your family and friends. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids Ml 49525, or via email, vonda. vantil@ssa.gov. 1. The application of Alexander Keiswetter for special land use approval of a Marihuana Retailer business on the property commonly known as 490 South M-37 Highway (par­ cel number 08-13-014-046-00). The subject property is located in the MU Mixed Use District. The land use proposed by the applicant is permissible in this zoning district, subject to special land use permit approval (and site plan approval). 2. • Such other matters as may properly come before the Planning Commission at this meeting. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Rutland Charter Town­ ship Clerk at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at any time prior to this public hearing/meeting, and may further be submitted to the Planning Commission at the public hearing/meeting. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Zoning Map, Master Plan, and the above-referenced special land use application may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabil­ ities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 6 — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Denise Straley Denise E. Straley, age 76, lost her battle with Alzheimer’s disease on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband of 23 years, Thomas E. Straley. She is sur­ vived by her daughter, Megan (Craig) LeMarbe; grandchildren, Olivia, Logan and Gibson; her brother Graham Blackman; stepdaughter, Deborah Straley, and grandchildren, Amanda, Austin, Elizabeth, and Samantha. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, one of Denise’s proudest moments was becoming an American citizen in 1995. She immigrated to California in 1971, then moved to Michigan in 1978 with her first husband, Roger, who was native to the area. Denise spent years volunteering in the Woodland community to then spend more than two decades donating her time to the American Legion and Hast­ ings Public Library. We are comforted knowing that Denise has been released from this disease and has returned to the activities she held a great pas­ sion for: dancing, theater, music, travel, and volunteering. A celebration of life will be announced in local papers and held in May of 2023. It is only natural that we celebrate her memory, and lay her to rest with Tom, after the dreaded snow has long passed and her beloved birds have returned to join us in one last dance. DOWLING, MI - Johnny Bruce Leinaar, age 68, of Dowling, went to be with his Heavenly Father on Nov. 11, 2022. Johnny was born on Aug. 15, 1954, in Hastings, the son of Boyd and Billie Leinaar. He was a 1972 graduate of Delton Kellogg High School. Johnny was a carpenter for most of his life and a truck driver for 20 years. Johnny could build anything he imagined, including two log cabins, dulcimers, birdhouses, and so much more. For the past couple of years, he enjoyed tinkering on his tiny house, working with his son, John^ and spending time with his kids and grandkids. Johnny saw the true beauty in everything and everyone. Simply, Johnny was one of a kind and will be truly missed. Johnny was preceded in death by his par­ ents, Boyd and Billie Leinaar; brother, David Henry Leinaar; and sister, Marilyn Middleton. He is survived by his wife, Mary Leinaar; his children, Stephanie (Joe) Smoczynski, Amanda Leinaar, Deanna Leinaar, and John Leinaar; stepchildren, Brandy Robertson and Georgie Rivera; 15 grandkids; and one great-granddaughter, Emerson, and his sib­ lings Peter (Rhonda) Leinaar, Dick Leinaar, and Joyce Leinaar. A Celebration of Life service is planned for Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 at 5 p.m. at Cedar Creek Bible Church, 9213 Cedar Creek Road, Delton, MI 49046. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online con­ dolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool. (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. \ybrsidp ^Praise HASTINGS, MI - Douglas Charles Mepham, age 75, passed away on Nov. 10, 2022, in Hastings. Doug was born in Detroit on Oct. 4, 1947, to Jean Elizabeth Irvine and Charles Thomas Mepham. His father owned a oneroom beer and wine grocery store, with his family living in the back. At nine years old, the family moved to nearby Allen Park. Doug proceeded to spend fourth through eighth grade living at the Hall of Divine Child, a military school. Doug went on to attend St. Francis Cabrini High School, then Western Michigan University. During that time, he was in the Phi Kappa Tau fra­ ternity. He received his bachelor’s degree in social studies and education, followed by a master’s degree in special education. Doug was hired at Hastings Middle School in 1970 where he taught special education for 21 years. For the next 19 years he taught social studies and history. During that time, he created the Mephdog and Maddog clubs to motivate students to achieve higher grades and make learning fun. He was an unconventional teacher who had a passion for each student to succeed and look forward to school. Doug also taught an Adult Handicapped Program through Barry ISD after school hours for many years. He retired from teaching in 2010, but then continued to serve his com­ munity by" volunteering with' Meals on Wheels. During his career, Doug started the Hast­ ings High School boys and girls soccer programs, where he coached 30 years. To help develop and further promote soccer in the area, he coached many youth YMCA teams. Soccer was his passion! The com­ munity recently surprised Doug by honor­ ing him with “Doug Mepham Day,” a trib­ ute to him as well as being a fund raiser for ALS, a fatal disease Doug was diagnosed with in May, 2021. Doug enjoyed playing and coaching soc­ cer, attending sporting events, walking through the woods with family, lawn work, listening to music and making play lists. He enjoyed reading about WWII history and people’s lives. He spent every summer fish­ ing and boating at Temagami, Ontario, where the family has a summer cottage. He also enjoyed attending his men’s Bible study group. Doug learned and enjoyed painting during the last few years of his life; he often gave his work as gifts to his family and friends. Doug met Deborah Northrop, a new art teacher at Hastings Middle School in 1972, and they married at Greenfield Village on July 8, 1973. They were married for 49 years, making the Hastings community their home. They have four children, Rachel Ann Basso (Fabrizio), Rebecca Elizabeth Prefasi (Kelly), Sarah Christine Mepham, Andrew Douglas Mepham (Jessica). Doug’s joy were his grandchildren - Elizabeth Ann Basso, Alessandra Sophia Basso, Annabella Mia Basso, Gabriel Andrew Mepham, Nolan Thomas Mepham, Charles Christian Prefasi, Jonah Kelly Prefasi, and Benjamin Alexander Prefasi. Memorials can be sent to the Susan Mast ALS Foundation (https://www.susanmastals.org/). ■ A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, at 2p.m. at Thomapple Valley Church, 2750 S M-43, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Hm Fiberglass products 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWWWfflOF RRBACH FUNERAL HOME HASTINGS, MI - Kelly Eileen Rut­ DOWLING, MI - Hazel Marie (McGol­ ter-Sherman, age 64, of Hastings, passed drick) Wilkins of Dowling passed away away on November 9, 2022. peacefully on Nov. 1, 2022 at the age of 89. Kelly was bom on Feb. 22, 1958, in She was born July 19, 1933, the daughter of Berkeley, California, the daughter of Ernest Harold Leroy McGoldrick and Helen Bernice (Rodrick) McGoldrick. Jerral Vanasek and Geraldine Lavaughn McIntosh. Kelly attended Orland High Hazel attended Recreational Park School School. On Dec. 7, 1995, Kelly married until the age of 14 when she quit school to Bruce Sherman. She was a commercial help support her family. She married Donald driver for 20 years, retiring in 2020. Field in 1950 and had two daughters, Donna Kelly’s passion was rescuing animals. (Bruce) Hunter of Kalamazoo, and Debbie She enjoyed contributing and volunteering Robertson of Mattawan. She married Jack at animal rescue organizations. She was an Scotsman from 1956-1973 and was married avid dog lover. She was a longtime member to Verden Wilkins on March 4, 1978, until his of the ASPCA. She was also a passionate death in 1992. advocate for the ASPCA and local animal Hazel was extremely proud of her family, rescues. Kelly enjoyed gardening and her including her five grandchildren, Dawn Bice, dogs. She was a loving mother and grand­ Karrie (Rob) Beachy, Rob (Amber) McCarty, mother. Chad Robertson, and Rebecca (Korey) Rabb; Kelly was preceded in death by her hus­ 12 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. band of 27 years, Bruce Alan Sherman; her Hazel was a crafter and an avid quilter. She parents, Ernest Jerral Vonasek and Geral­ dine Lavaughn McIntosh, and her brother, sold Artex paints for 23 years and attended Kristopher Vonasek. craft shows to sell her wares and quilts. Hazel She is survived by her daughter, Brandi was an outdoorsman who camped and hunted until her late 70s. After the death of Verden, Lynn Kelley, and son, Nathaniel Ernest she bought an RV and spent the winters Boracci. Donations in memory of Kelly can be between Georgia and Florida with a close group of camper friends until the age of 85. made to the American Society for the Pre­ At that time, she retired to her home in Dow­ vention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), ling, where she made and donated lap quilts (https://www.aspca.org/ways-to-give) or the Great Lakes Golden Retriever Rescue , to local nursing homes and hospices as well as makft'g gorgeous pine rfeedle baskets. (greatlakegoldens.org). Cremation has taken place, and there will Hazel was preceded in death by her par­ be no services held. Arrangements by Girrents; husband, Verden, and brothers, Harold Jr., and Robert. bach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralThe family would like to thank Compassus home.net. Hospice and the Kairos Dwelling Hospice Home for their care and kindness at this very difficult time. Per Hazel’s request, there will be no ser­ Charles P. McCabe III vices. She did not want tears after she left this world, her only wish was to have her family Charles P. McCabe III, age 69, (formerly close during her final days. In lieu of flowers, family requests that of Hastings) died early Wednesday morn­ ing, Nov. 2, 2022 at home in Naperville IL. donations be sent to Compassus Hospice and/ Chuck was bom October 16, 1953 in or Kairos Dwelling Hospice Home. Charleston WV to Charles P. McCabe Jr. Arrangements entrusted to the Baxter and Lois Stanard McCabe. Funeral and Cremation Sendee, 375 West He is a graduate of Stonewall Jackson Dickman Road, 269-788-9800. www.baxterfuneral.com High School in Charleston, Marshall Uni­ versity in Huntington, WV and earned his Masters in Theology at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA. He was ordained a priest in 1987 at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Parkersburg, WV where he served as assistant rector. He then sened as rector at Emmanuel Episco­ pal Church in Hastings, MI in the Diocese of Western Michigan from 1990-2007. While in Hastings, Chuck was very involved in, and committed to, the commu­ nity. He served on the Barry County Mental Health Board, the Hastings Ministerial Association and was Chair of the Eastern Deanery of the Episcopal Diocese of West­ Thursday, Nov. 17 — Novel Ideas Book ern Michigan. Club: “Instructions for Dancing” by Nicola Chuck met his wife of 49 years, Frankie Yoom, 1 p.m.; Movie Memories and Mile­ Winfree, at Peterkin Conference Center in stones watches a 1946 film starring Joan Romney WV when they served as camp Crawford and John Garfield, 5 p.m. counselors at the Episcopal church camp in Friday, Nov. 18 — Preschool Story Time, the summer of 1973. 10:30-11 a.m. Chuck and Frankie have one son Jason Saturday, Nov. 19 — Dungeons and Drag­ (Nicole) and two grandsons, Oliver (Ollie) ons groups, 10-2 p.m. and Owen. Chuck is the oldest of 5 brothers Monday, Nov. 21 — Crafting Passions, including Bert (Cyndy), Stan, Jim (Mary) 10-1 p.m. and Marshall (Lane). He is also survived by Tuesday, Nov. 22 — Baby Cafe, 10-noon; Frankie’s siblings Mickey (Domenic) Pellilmahjong, 2:30 p.m.; chess, 5:30 p.m.; write­ lo, Woody (Cynthia) Winfree and Marti in for NaNoWriMo writers group, 6 p.m. (Carl) Grainger and many nieces and neph­ Wednesday, Nov. 23 — Itsy Bitsy Book ews on both sides of his family. Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m.; acoustic jam session, His brother Stan and both his parents pre­ 5-7:30 p.m. ceded him in death. More information about these and other It was Chuck’s wish to be cremated. A events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263. memorial service will be held in Hastings sometime next spring. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR NOV. 17-23 Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax(269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 HotliMlools&Equlpment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Leaha Jean Labine, Delton and Jacob Arthur Baker, Delton. Monica Lynn Klein, Delton and Thomas Hunter Rhodes, Delton. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — Page 7 f fl look back at the stories and columns on local history y in the Hastings Banner / TURNING / BflGK THE L PAGES Susan Hinckley Maple Valley News Oct. 24, 1979 Editor's note: This column appeared in the Oct. 18, 2012 edition of The, Banner. Early harvest time in Castleton and sur­ rounding townships was a season of arduous labor for local farmers. But the task was often enlightened with humor that has left a boun­ tiful gleaning of happy memories behind. Howard E. Brumm, a Nashville native now of Charlevoix, remembered harvests in the early 1920s when he worked as a member of a threshing machine crew operation in the Castleton Township area. “As many old-timers recall, these thresh­ ing outfits moved from farm to farm as soon as the cut and shocked grain was dry enough to be threshed,” explained Brumm, who worked on a rig owned by Charles Mead. A primary member of a threshing crew was the engineer who ran the steam engine, the source of power for the grain separator. The engineer was assisted by a tank wagon man who, with a team of horses, hauled water to keep the steam engine running. “It often proved to be a thirsty beast, espe­ cially in a dry summer when many roadside creeks and small ponds would fry up,” remembered Brumm. “Many times, it was necessary to shut down the engine when its water supply ran out before the tank wagon returned with a fresh supply.” The balance of a threshing crew included the separator man, who kept his machine in good working order; a bagger, who caught the freshly threshed grain in bags; and an operator of the blower, which blew the fresh­ ly threshed straw into a stack. Built into a shapely pile, the straw was preserved by the farmer for bedding his livestock. In addition to these five primary positions, the crew included several “bundle pitchers” who tossed bundles of grain into the hungry maw of the separator, Brumm relayed. “This crew traveled with the machine, sleeping at night in the barn and getting their Memories of rigs and crews meals daily at the various farm tables where they threshed,” reminisced Brumm. “Many a farmer’s wife had built up a reputation over the years as a good place to be at meal time. Conversely, there were a few places where the crew worked hard to get away from before dinner time.” During the threshing operation, farmers supplied several extra hands to tote the filled grain bags to their storage place. Brumm, in his position as bagger man on the crew, had an opportunity to witness an amusing inci­ dent which helped add levity to lighten the load of work for these men. “One day when the rig was at the George Austin farm, just north of Nashville, a son­ in-law of the Austins, Claude Greenfield, came out to help carry grain from the rig to the granary,” Brumm recounted. “Claude was a town boy and, as such, was the butt of a good-natured prank pulled off by the other grain carriers who were country boys. These country boys managed to put a 50-pound rock into the first bag of grain that Claude was to tote. They put a bushel of wheat into the bag, and with the rock, it nearly doubled the weight of the load. Claude had watched the others grab a bag and nonchalantly swing it over a shoulder and walk away. So, when his turn came, he did the same. Or rather, he started to but couldn’t get the bag off the ground.” “Meantime, another bag was ready and one of the country boys again swung it over his shoulder with seeming little effort. Again, Claude resolutely grabbed his bag and tried to shoulder it, but with no better success than his first effort.” “By this time, Claude began to sense the prank, and, midst the merriment of the onlookers, dug into the bag of grain to dis­ cover the rock.” Brumm also recalled a late fall threshing episode which was not viewed by so many onlookers, but left a lasting impression. “...The summer threshing season involv­ ing wheat, oats and other grains would finish rather early in the fall,” explained Brumm. “Then came the bean huller and the clover seed huller; these sometimes ran well into the fall and much colder weather.” Brumm remembered a threshing incident that happened at such a time, when it was almost too cold to sleep in the bam at night. Crews on the late fall jobs were much small­ er and often only the engineer stayed over­ night. He had to remain close to the steam engine to keep it fired, so the water in the boiler and connected pipes wouldn’t freeze. Since this required both a late-night firing of the boiler and another early in the morning, the man tending the engine had to stay with the rig overnight. “This particular event happened at the Glen Wotring farm, five or six miles north of Nashville,” recounted “Brumm. “An over­ night stop was involved and Mrs. Wotring, feeling compassionate over thinking of any­ one having to sleep in the barn, told her hus­ band that since there was only one man stay­ ing overnight he should invite the fellow to sleep in the house.” The engineer in this case was Frank Bailey who, according to Brumm, worked with the rigs year-round, year after year and was about all he knew. “Frank accepted the invitation to sleep in the house rather reluctantly, as he was dirty and there wasn’t any easy way to clean up,” recalled Brumm. “He was shown to an upstairs bedroom which he found so clean it made him uneasy. Warily preparing for bed, he first pulled of his felts and boots-accepted footwear for men in cold weather. As he pulled off his felts, he found they had a lot of chaff in them.” Looking around for a place to empty them, Frank found a floor register and, thinking it was connected to the basement, he shook his footgear into the register. “Unfortunately, instead of leading to the basement, the floor register was just that, and happed to be located directly above Mrs. Wotring’s china closet, where she had her choicest pieces of china and crystal,” explained Brumm. “You can imagine what it must have looked like after this unseemly shower of dust and chaff from above.” The catastrophe (Brumm figures it was about that) wasn’t discovered until early the next morning. “When Mrs. Wotring viewed the disaster, she was ready to cry,” recalled Brumm. “But soon, other feeling overcame her first reac­ tion. By the time Frank appeared from the upper room, she served him his breakfast along with rather strong and vehement upbraiding for his uncouth manners.” “the poor fellow retreated to the safety of his steam engine, glad to escape the sharp tongue of his hostess and at the same time vowed to sleep in the bam regardless of weather, where he was more at ease with himself,” concluded Howard Brumm. “Such was the life on the farm in the 1920s.” Threshing rigs and crews moved from farm to farm in Castleton and surrounding townships in the 1920s, leaving a gleaning of happy memories behind. At first, the grain separator (right) was powered by a steam engine; later, a gasoline-fueled tractor (above left) was used. The separator blew threshed straw into a stack behind the barn. Freshly-bagged grain (extreme right) is loaded, ready for hauling to granary. In this photo, taken in the Saddlebag Lake area near Woodland, is the grandfather (second from left in white hat) and father (sixth from left, behind belt) of this column’s author, the late Susan (Murphy) Hinckley. Good-natured humor (and a 50-pund rock) occasionally lightened the threshers’ work load, recalled Howard E. Brumm, a Nashville native now of Charlevoiz. The world of microbes Dr. Universe: What are microorganisms? Trystan, 11, North Carolina Dear Trystan, One of my favorite things to do is look at pond water with a microscope. I love to see all the teeny tiny critters zooming around in a single drop. I talked about microorganisms, also called microbes, with my friend Claire Burbick. She’s a microbiologist at Washington State University. She told me the key trait for microbes is size. Microbes are microwhich means extremely small. The most common microbes are bacteria, viruses, fungi and some parasites. Some microbes are just one simple cell. Some microbes are one complex cell. Other microbes are made of many cells. There are even microscopic animals like water bears, gastrotrichs and eyelash mites. Another word that starts with micro is microscope. Microbes are so tiny that your eyes need help to see them. “For bacteria, we can use our normal microscope,” Burbick said. “But for viruses, we use even stronger microscopes like elec­ tron microscopes. They can make something tens of thousands of times bigger.” Scientists measure bacteria in microme­ ters, also called microns. If you cut a meter stick into one million pieces, a micrometer is the size of one piece. One cell in your body is about 50 micrometers wide. A strand of silk from a spider web is about 5 micrometers thick. Viruses require an even smaller unit called nanometers. To get a nanometer-sized piece, you’d need to cut a tiny micrometer into one thousand pieces. So, that same strand of spider silk is 5,000 nanometers thick. One particle of the CO VID-19 virus is about 80 nanometers wide. Believe it or not, there are about 10 million viruses in one drop of seawater. But wait. Fungus is a microbe. You might wonder why you can see fuzzy mold on last week’s sandwich. Some microbes like bacte­ ria and fungi live in groups called colonies. “We can see the big colonies forming or the fluffy stuff on your old bread,” Burbick explained. “But if we want to see what they really look like, we have to go microscopic to get the detail.” Some microbes are pathogenic. They can cause disease. That’s why we wash our hands and wear masks. But our bodies are teeming with microbes that help us-or at least don’t bother us. Some help us digest food. Some help our immune systems keep us healthy. For every cell in the human body, there are ten microbes living on us or inside us. “We are hand in glove with this very tiny world,” Burbick said. “We’re kind of like planets with all these little microbes living on us.” Keep spinning, you beautiful planet. Veterans from the Middleville community turned out for the observance. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Local veteran bestows lessons he learned in the service as communities around Barry County observe Veterans Day Greg Chandler Staff Writer Andrew Beck was working a S7-an-hour job in 2003 changing oil, living in Section 8 housing, when he faced a decision on what to do with his life. His mind flashed back to when he was in high school, watching the Sept. 11 attacks unfold on a television his history teacher had set up. So at the age of 19, Beck joined the Unit­ ed States Army. He would serve two tours of duty in Iraq, first as an active duty soldier and later as a reservist. Beck shared the story of his military experience and how it prepared him for a life of community service in Middleville during Thornapple Kellogg High School’s 12th annual Veterans Day observance Fri­ day morning at the TKHS gymnasium. Beck has been named Middleville’s hon­ ored veteran for the year. “The Army provided structure; the Army values discipline and the moral compass I lacked, which became the foundation I’ve built upon to become who I am today,” Beck said. Beck was first stationed in Korea after completing Army basic training. A year after he enlisted, he volunteered to go to Iraq as part of Operation Enduring Free­ dom, working as a combat engineer. He was a marksman for his unit, cleared houses and detonated explosive^ ' “Every military branch will alwaxs <ay theirs is the best. However, when you’re in the middle of a firefight, you don’t really care which branch, which country, which gender, which race, or even which religion they practice, as long as they’re all shooting in the same direction as you,” Beck said. Beck returned to the U.S. in 2005, seek­ ing to return to civilian life. He found the transition difficult. It was then that he began to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. “Trash on the side of the road wasn’t just trash anymore, it was a potential threat or bomb. I avoided crowds. I sat facing exits at restaurants, and I was always on high alert,” Beck said. Beck got help for his PTSD through the Veterans Administration (VA) medical system. He joined the reserves, and in 2008 volunteered to redeploy to Iraq, working as a military police officer, man­ aging 10 Iraqi police stations and training Iraqi police officers. In 2014, Beck medically retired from the military at age 30. By then, he and his wife, Karen, had settled in Middleville. While he no longer had to work because of his mili­ tary injuries, he struggled to find purpose. Then he got a phone call one day from Angela Jefferson, principal at Lee Elemen­ tary School, asking if he would be interested in volunteering at the school. Beck jumped at the opportunity. “I looked forward to hanging out with the kids, helping them with their homework and watching them burn off the energy, and sending them back to their teachers,” he said. “The staff was friendly to me. It was the first time I felt like I was part of a com­ munity outside of the military.” Later, Beck was encouraged to join the Middleville Lions Club. Today, he serves as the club’s president, helping organize events such as the annual Fourth of July fireworks Andrew Beck speaks to both stu­ dents and staff at Thornapple Kellogg High School during Friday’s Veterans Day observance at the TKHS gymnasi­ um. (Courtesy photo) display. He also was recently appointed to serve on the Middleville Downtown Devel­ opment Authority board. “What I love about my story is that people in Middleville invested into me, and now, 1 can invest into Middleville,” Beck said. “What I hope you take away from this, is that you don’t have to be a soldier to advocate for orphans, to protect voting rights for individ­ uals or organize community events or proj­ ects. Anyone can uphold the Army values and use them as a guide to shape their life.” This year’s Veterans Day observance was the first in-person ceremony at TKHS since 2019. In each of the past two years,_the observance was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re humbled at the presence of so many amazing men and women who have served our country,” TKHS Principal Tony Petersen said. “Veterans Day is a day that we set aside to honor those who have served, but we should not just honor them today. “The men and women who have served and are currently serving are the backbone of this great country. Our freedoms are built on the blood, sweat and tears of our veterans and those who have given the ultimate sac­ rifice, to ensure that we remain free. Let us never forget these brave men and women. Let us honor them each and every day, not just through our words, but our actions.” Students at TKHS figured prominently in the observance with readings and special music. Students Ayden Meek and Valerie Tamez shared stories of their family mem­ bers who served in the military. “I think of all the people who sacrificed a little of their lives to help a greater cause. That’s why we’re here today - to thank them for this (freedom),” said Meek, whose mother is an Army veteran. “You’re here to serve as a reminder to us all that freedom is not free, that brave men and women have given their lives to keep this freedom.” Beck said that he was humbled and grate­ ful to be honored as veteran of the year. “Serving in Middleville has given me a purpose, encouraged personal growth and healed parts of my soul I just didn’t think I’d ever recover,” he said. “While you’re here to thank me for my service, I’d like to say thank you. . “Thank you for investing into me, allow­ ing me to serve you and to be recognized as Middleville veteran of the year, but more importantly, thank you to all the veterans that are sitting here, who have already served before me and those that are serving or will serve after (me).” Dr. Universe (and all my microbes) Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse.com. The Thornapple Kellogg High School Symphonic Band, directed by Ray Rickert, performs the national anthem at Friday’s Veterans Day ceremony. (Photo by Greg Chandler) �Page 8 — Thursday, November 17, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Country music mainstay John Berry to visit Hastings for Christmas tour Jayson Bussa Editor John Berry has seemingly done it all. The long-time country and gospel singer has won a Grammy, achieved multiple gold and plati­ num albums and recorded a chart-topping single back in the ’90s. But, there is always a first time for every­ thing. And in two weeks, the industry veteran will visit Hastings for the first time in his storied career. On Dec. 3, Berry and his band will perform a concert at the Hastings Performing Arts Cen­ ter, presenting his 26th Annual Christmas Tour. While, throughout his career, Berry has appeared on some of the largest stages the industry has to offer, he said that he routinely makes his rounds to smaller towns through­ out the country, where he can more effectively connect with his audiences. “We play a lot of small towns and most of them have really great, old theaters,” Berry told The Banner from his home in Georgia. “I like those. 1 like playing in those kinds of communities. 1 love playing those 500- to 1,500-seat theaters.” Berry said that attendees can expect a mix of his hits from the radio in addition to holi­ day-specific music when he comes to town on Dec. 3 In fact, the first 50 minutes of the show are dedicated to some of his popular hits, like the No. 1 country song from 1993 called “Your Loves Amazes Me.” After a brief intermission, Berry and the band return to the stage for some Christmas music. This year, Berry and his band will zig-zag around the Midwest for the 26th installment of his Christmas tour. Hastings is just one of 191015 only two Michigan dates on the tour. This is a very do-it-yourself effort for the long-time country music star, who brings his band in addition to lights, sound and produc­ tion. When the holidays roll around, Berry knows he will be busy. “We have a lot of folks and families that come out year after year,” Berry said. Berry recalled one family that regularly attends his show at the Grand Opera House in Macon, Ga. When the family of four first started to attend, the two daughters were ages 3 and 4. Now, much older, at one of his recent shows, one of those daughters got engaged at the concert. “To have been such a part of that family’s life - and be a part of such a monumental moment in their lives - that’s really cool,” Berry said. Going strong since the early ’90s, Berry still plugs away at his craft each year. In addi­ tion to the annual Christmas tour, which generally features 20 to 25 appearances, he performs roughly 60 to 70 additional shows throughout the year. While he has reached levels of success that many artists only dream of, he acknowledged that it has always required hard work. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s really a blessing to have done this for so many years and to have made a living at it and provide for my family,” Berry said. “It’s been really a great ride. It hasn’t always been easy by any stretch. As a matter of fact, it still isn’t. We still work really hard to get every date we can get.” Berry also acknowledged that the end of his career is approaching. He initially said For 26 years, country music recording artist John Berry has embarked on a Christmas tour. On Dec. 3, he will make his first stop in Hastings, appearing at the Hastings Performing Arts Center. (Photo courtesy of Kris Rae) that he isn’t quite sure when he will retire exactly, but started to chuckle. “Actually, I do know, I’m just not going to share it,” he said. “I know exactly when it’s going to be.” Berry released an album this year called “Find My Joy,” featuring time-honored hymns like “How Great Thou Art” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” in addition to more con­ temporary praise music. He assured a family-friendly experience on Dec. 3 in Hastings. “We’re very family-oriented,” Berry said. “My son even plays drums in our band and has for a long time. It’s just very fami­ ly-friendly and very faith-oriented.” Tickets for Dec. 3’s show can be purchased online. All tickets are $40. RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 220 (ZONING) OF RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP CODE THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the November 9, 2022 meeting of the Rutland Charter Township Board the follow­ ing Ordinance No. 2022-184 was adopted. The original ordinance may be inspected or a copy purchased by contacting the Township Clerk, Robin Hawthorne, 2461 Heath Road, Hastings, Ml 49058-9725, (269) 948-2194, during regular business hours of regular working days, and at such cttflfcf WieSJ&J may-be arranged. - .• r. i... CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDINANCE NO. 2022-184 ADOPTED: NOVEMBER 9, 2022 EFFECTIVE: NOVEMBER 25, 2022 An Ordinance to amend §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code of ordinances pertaining to definitions of terms used in Chapter 220 (Zoning Ordinance). THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: TO: " E "> uiioi a <■!. im< SECTION.!AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot, Corner” to read as follows: “LOT, CORNER — A lot whose lot lines form an interior angle of less than 135° at the intersection of two street lines. A lot abutting a curved street or streets shall be deemed a corner lot if the tangents to the curve at the points of intersection of the side lot lines with the street lines intersect at an interior angle of less than 135°. For purposes of this definition a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway.” SECTION 2 AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot Line, Front” to read as follows: “LOT LINE, FRONT — A. Where a lot abuts only one public street, or lawful private road/shared driveway, the front lot line shall be the line separating the lot from the right-of-way of the street or lawful private road/shared driveway; except where a lot has frontage on a lake, river, or other navigable waterway, the front lot line shall be the boundary line abutting the water. B. In the case of a corner lot, or a lot that otherwise has frontage on more than one public street, the front lot line shall be the right-of-way line of the street from which primary access to the principal building is provided or is proposed to be provided, or the right-of-way of the street with which the principal building is most directly associated/facing or is proposed to be most directly associated/facing; except where a lot has frontage on a lake, river, or other navigable waterway, the front lot line shall be the boundary line abutting the water”. SECTION 3 AMENDMENT QF §220-2-2. (P9finitiQ.n$) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot Area” to read as follows: “LOT AREA — The total horizontal area included within the lot lines. Where the front lot line is the center line of a street, or where a portion of a lot lies within a street right-of-way, the lot area calculated to meet the requirements of this chapter shall not include the area of the street right-of-way. For purposes of this definition a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway.” SECTION 4 Grammy-winning John Berry is most widely known for his 1993 hit “Your Love Amazes Me.” (Photo courtesy of Justin Kaicles) Hunters must mind new reporting protocols as rifle season gets underway With Barry County hunters hitting the woods for opening day of rifle season on Tuesday, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources is reminding them of rules associ­ ated with reporting their harvest. Beginning this year, deer hunters through­ out Michigan are required to report a success­ ful harvest within 72 hours or before transfer­ ring possession of the deer to another person, a processor or taxidermist. This reporting is to be done online through the DNR’s website or its mobile app. Hunters must also continue to attach a paper kill tag to a harvested deer. The kill tag should remain with the head if the head and body of the deer are separated. Anyone in possession of a deer after the har­ vest reporting timeframe expires should be able to present the confirmation number. Online harvest reporting via the DNR’s website or app is a new requirement begin­ ning this year. The system will allow the DNR a near real-time estimate of deer harvest as it occurs, something Michigan has never experienced before. Since the 1950s, the DNR had used mail surveys that were sent to randomly selected hunters to estimate harvest. Estimates were accurate if the hunters responding to surveys were representative of all hunters. The pro­ portion of hunters returning mail surveys has declined from an average of more than 70 percent in the early 2000s to 33 percent in 2021. Low response rates can lead to inaccu­ rate estimates. All successful deer hunters with a state-is­ sued deer license, including those with Deer Management Assistance Permits, will be required to report their deer harvest in 2022. Successful hunters can visit Michigan. gov/DNRHarvestReport on a computer or mobile device to go directly to the reporting page. A hunter can then enter his or her kill tag license number and date of birth to begin the report. Once a harvest report is completed, the user will be given a confirmation number and the option to receive a copy by email. The potential penalty for failure to comply with harvest reporting is a 90-day misde­ meanor. The fines and costs for such a viola­ tion can range from $50 to $500. AMENDMENT QF §220-2-2 (PefinitiQns) §220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code (Definitions) is hereby amended to revise the existing definition of the term “Lot Line” to read as follows: “LOT LINE —A boundary line of a lot; or, where applicable, a street right-of-way line. For purposes of this defini­ tion a “street” includes a lawful private road/shared driveway.” SECTIONS AMENDMENT OF §220-2-2 (Definitions) The definition of “Family Day Care Home" in §220-2-2 (Definitions) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to read as follows: “FAMILY DAY CARE HOME — A private home where not more than six minor children (or such other increased capacity number of minor children permissible under state law) are received for care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours per day unattended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult member of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption.” SECTIQN-6 AMENDMENT.Q.E_§22.Q-2:2JDfifiDitigJl§) The definition of “Group Day Care Home" in §220-2-2 (Definitions) of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to read as follows: “GROUP DAY CARE HOME — A private home where more than six but less than 12 minor children (or such other increased capacity number of minor children permissible under state law) are given care and supervision for peri­ ods of less than 24 hours a day untended by a parent or legal guardian, except children related to an adult mem­ ber of the family by blood, marriage, or adoption.” SECTION 7 REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINAN£JE.Si£_FEECT|y.E-DAT£ All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the eighth day after publication or on such later date as may be required by law. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Charter Township of Rutland This year, successful hunters in Michigan must report their harvest to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) within 72 hours. Reporting can be done online or via mobile app. (Stock photo) �SPORTS SECTION Thursday, November 17, 2022 Lakewood junior middle Alivia Everitt fights to get her fingers on a block as Tecumseh senior Morgan Stimpson pushes the ball high over the net during the MHSAA Division 2 Regional Final at Williamston High School Thursday, Nov. 10. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Lakewood varsity volleyball team, surrounded by classmates from the Rowland's Rowdies student section, celebrates its ninth-consecutive regional championship after a three-set victory over Tecumseh in the MHSAA Division 2 Regional Final at Williamston High School Thursday, Nov. 10. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lakewood junior libero Carley Piercefield makes a pass as the Viking student section looks on during the MHSAA Division 2 Regional Final against Tecumseh at Williamston High School Thursday, Nov. 10. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Vikings get rowdy to win regional in Williamston Brett Bremer Sports Editor They peeled bananas.' They chopped bananas. They ate bananas. Then they went bananas ... for the ninth yqar in a row. The Lakewood varsity volleyball team won its ninth consecutive MHSAA Regional Championship by outscoring Tecumseh 25-22,25-17, 25-22 in the Division 2 Region­ al Final at Williamston High School Thurs­ day. Lakewood, ranked fourth in the state in D2, was set to head to Vicksburg Tuesday (Nov. 15) to face No. 5 Grand Rapids South Christian in the state quarterfinals (See that story on page 11). The Lakewood girls danced along on their side of the bench as Rowland’s Rowdies, the Lakewood volleyball student section, per­ formed and shouted their “Go Bananas!” cheer in the stands behind them after clinch­ ing the second set Thursday night. Lakewood junior libero Carley Piercefield said the girls started joining in on the cheer during their senior night victory earlier.This WhateverJitters a team with seven seniors entering their final state tournament run might have had last week slipped away in a four-set battle with familiar regional foe Mar­ shall Tuesday, and the Vikings got the job done while having their fun in the regional final back in Williamston Thursday. “As much as it was in districts where it was a curse having those seven seniors, because they were uptight getting going, now it is the biggest blessing,” Lakewood head coach Cameron Rowland said. “I don’t have to manage them in-game. As ballgirls, all they have ever known is regional championships and now as players.” The program has reached Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek for the state’s final four in each of the past six seasons, finishing as the Divi­ sion 2 state runners-up four times during that stretch including in 2019 and 2020. North Branch bested the Lakewood ladies in the Lakewood senior Alivia Woodman gets in a dance with Lakewood athletic director as she accepts her regional championship medal in the gym at Williamston High School Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) post, right near where former Viking head with heat from the service line that gave us sQ|Oach KelJieJRpy^apd sitting i^4he^on^<yrpthose opportunities. [Tecumseh] having to go row shouting out instructions to blockers, and—irsto-serve receive after^playing-those long of the backTi$ft^mUi«Mwfe courtiri'frbnt of points, because of what our backcourt does, the Vikings’ neon colored student section. teams just aren’t used to doing that night after “Our communication was very good, night. Ad we’re just like, ‘okay, we’re play­ because on Tuesday we had a little bit of mis­ ing Lakewood volleyball.’” communication, but we cleaned it up today The Tecumseh girls weren’t doing any and we passed very well,” Piercefield said. banana dances. They were playing in a Piercefield should probably eat a couple regional tournament for the first time since bananas before the state quarterfinals. She 2015. They certainly put up a fight though. was breathing hard a few times after zig-zag­ Tecumseh held a 13-12 lead in each of the ging across the court. Neither team was keen first two sets and led 15-13 in set number on letting the ball hit the floor. Tecumseh three. senior libero Josie Mineff was strong on the The tide started to turn in that third set other side of the net too. when the Vikings earned a side out to pull “We kew Tuesday [against Marshall] was back within 15-14 in that final set. Piercefield going to be that type of match,” Rowland was forced to pass a free ball over the net, but said. “Tecumseh had a game plan that made it Bump managed to dig Tecumseh’s attack hard for Abby and Skylar to score. We had to back down her line. Piercefield rushed up to go into outlast mode again and we did. pass a ball up at the right post for Abby Pick­ “We got going at the service line. We took ard who slammed it cross-court for a kill. It some risks at the ends of sets one and two was one of five assists in the match for especially. In set three, we just started going Piercefield. Bump, the Vikings’ two-time all-state set­ ter, had 16 assists in the match and Abby Pickard had 14. Abby Pickard stepped to the service line and fired up three straight points that the Tecumseh girls were never able to return back over the net. A Tecumseh time-out fol­ lowed, and Abby hit her next serve into the net, but the Vikings had the lead and they never let it go. Back-to-back aces moments later by Wolverton had the Vikings in front 20-16 and Rowland’s Rowdies signaling for the Tecum­ seh driver to warm up the bus. A kill off the block on the left side by junior Mayrssa Goble got the Vikings their 21st point and a side-out that made it 21-19. Piercefield stepped to the service line next. She had a pair of aces in a three-point run that stretched the Lakewood lead to 24-19. Tecumseh won three consecutive points to stay alive momentarily. An attack by Bump flew wide to make the score 24-22, but she got another chance at the right side. Abby Pickard dug two balls, one a one-hand­ ed diving save to her right and then the second a perfect pass up into the middle that Pierce­ field then put up for Bump. Tecumseh couldn’t handle her swing in the back row and senior Liv Woodman, freshman Emma Duffy, junior Cadence Poll and the rest of the girls on the Lakewood bench went bananas, flooding the court to celebrate with their teammates. Bump had a team-high 12 kills in the match. Junior Alivia Everitt was huge in the middle all night long for the Vikings and fin­ ished with 10 kills while fellow middle, senior Izzy Wheeler had six. Senior Ellie Possehn had five kills on the outside and Abby Pickard finished with five too. Goble had three kills. Bump and Abby came across their kills a bit differently than normal. Mineff and her teammates weren’t going to allow the Viking setting/swinging duo to beat them second balls dumped into the middle of the court. Lakewood junior setter Abby Pickard puts a pass up during her team's regional final Abby, Piercefield and Wolverton closed victory over Tecumseh at Williamston High School Thursday, Nov. 10. (Photo by Brett the night with two aces each. Bump and Bremer) junior Bailey Fifelski had one each. state semifinals a ye^jf ago. Now the Vikings need a win ofy^r tainted,; aJfoletiQ S^lors to eontimie the strmg-of trips to the- Cereal City Senior defensive specialist Alli Pickard has been a part of each of the state tournament runs since her freshman year, along with classmates Skylar Bump and Paige Wolver­ ton. Pickard celebrated earning her 1,000th varsity dig at the end of the night. She needed eight more coming into the match with Tecumseh and finished with 19. Piercefield closed the night with a teamhigh 24 digs. Sophomore setter Abby Pickard had 17 digs and Bump had 14. “1 think we did really well as a whole team,” Alli said, “especially in the back row. I don’t think many balls dropped at all.” Alli Pickard said she has been playing along Piercefield for so long that they “both just know whose ball it is and we both just know who is going.” Piercefield, the Vikings’ two-time all-state libero, covered all the space between the left �Page 10 — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT MORTGAGE SALE This is an attempt to collect a debt, and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if you period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mortgage made by THOMAS H. CHASE, a single man, and SHIRLEY A. CHASE, a married woman, Mortgagor(s), to INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml, with offices at 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Ml 49525, Mortgagee, dated February 18, 2005 and recorded February 22, 2005 in Instrument #1141705 which was assigned to INDEPENDENT BANK of 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Assignment dated April 18, 2011 and recorded on April 20, 2011 in Instrument No. 201104200004350. By reason of such default the undersigned elects to declare the entire unpaid amount of said mortgage due and payable forthwith. Notice of Foreclosure By Advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on December 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the County Register of Deeds Office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage and under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, the statute in such case made and provided and to pay said amount with interest as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law. At the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due for principal and interest on said mortgage the sum of THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE AND 41/100 (34,689.41) dollars including interest at the rate of 4.125% per annum. No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage or any part thereof. Pursuant to Public Act No. 104, PublicActsof 1971, MCLA 600.3240, MSA 27A.3240, the redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of the foreclosure sale, unless the property is determined to be abandoned under MCLA 600.3241a; MSA 27A.3241(1), in which case the property may be redeemed during the 30 days immediately following the sale or expiration of statutory notice period. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage are situated in the City of Township of Maple Grove, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as follows, to wit: Commencing at the Wes| 1/4 post ptSection 23, Toym. 2 North, Range 7 West, Maple Grove Township, Barry County Michigan; thence South 40 rods for a place of beginning; thence North 130 feet; thence East 600 feet; thence South 130 feet; thence West 600 feet to the place of beginning. Together with an easement in common that is appurtenant thereto for purposes of ingress and egress thereto over premises described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North, Range 7 West; thence South 40 rods; thence North 130 feet for a place of beginning; thence East 600 feet; thence North 33 feet; thence West 600 feet; thence South 33 feet to the place of beginning. The default and foreclosure proceedings include a 1992 Fairmont mobile home, serial #MY9385449A8, permanently affixed thereto, as evidenced by the Certificate of Mobile Home Title and recorded in Instrument #1141704. Property Address: 7519 Guy Rd., Nashville, Ml 49073 PP#08-10-023-105-00 INDEPENDENT BANK, Assignee of INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml SCHENK, BONCHER & RYPMA Curtis D. Rypma P44421 601 Three Mile Road, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49544-1601 (616)647-8277 190416 NOTICE VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANTTO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (10-20)(11-24) 189718 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jacob Hastings Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: December 29, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 13, 2022 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $263,640.47 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Unit 1, Whitewater Estates Condominium, according to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 688, Page 426, and any amendments thereto, and designated as Barry County Condominium Subdivision Plan No. 10, together with rights in general common elements and limited common elements as shown on the Master Deed as described in Act 59 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended. Common street address (if any): 3762 Tyler Ln, Middleville, Ml 49333-8206 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 17, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Carroll D. Conklin, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Wells Fargo Bank, NA Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mortgage Assets Management, LLC Date of Mortgage: August 22, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 1,2011 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $122,124.34 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A Parcel of land located in the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies due West 1827.50 feet from the South 1/4 post of said Section 33 for the point of beginning; thence due West 165.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 30 minutes West, 264.00 feet, thence due East 165.00 feet, thence South 00 degrees 30 minutes East, 264.00 feet to the point of beginning. AND A Parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies 1992.50 feet due West of the South 1/4 post of said Section 33; thence due West 175.20 feet; thence North 0 degrees 8 minutes West, 264 feet; thence due East 173.50 feet; thence South 0 degrees 30 minutes East, 264 feet to the point of beginning. Common street address (if any): 12713 E Baseline Rd, Hickory Corners, Ml 49060-9752 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 10, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1480658(11-10)(12-01) 190504 1481891 (11-17X12-08) 191145 NOTICE TO CREDITORS, TRUST ESTATE TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor, Beulah R. Chase, date of birth: 4-15­ 1940, who lived at 1567 E. Center Road, Hastings, Michigan, died 10-8-2022. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against The Chase Revocable Living Trust dated 3-31-2022, as amended, will be forever banned unless presented to John D. Wendel, Jr., Successor Trustee, within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: 11-14-2022 John D. Wendel, Jr. Successor Trustee 1567 E. Center Road Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-4794 191143 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29313-DE William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West. Court Steet, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Owen Lee Reigler, Sr. Date of birth: 12­ 27-1943. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Owen Lee Reigler, Sr., died 9-26-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jolyn Reigler, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 11/7/2022 Michael J. McPhillps P33715 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-3512 Jolyn Reigler 9955 W. M-179 Hwy. Middleville, Ml 49333 269-804-5041 190957 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Mi 49058 (269) 945-4702 What to know about sustainable investing You may have heard about “sustainable investing.” But if you’re not familiar with it, you may have some questions: What does it involve? Is it right for me? Can I follow a sustainable investing strategy and still get the portfolio performance I need to reach my goals? Sustainable investing can be defined in different ways, with different terminologies. However, one way to look at a sustainable approach is by thinking of it as investing in a socially conscious way which may involve two broad categories: environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and values-based investing. As its name suggests, ESG investing incorporates a broad range of environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities, along with traditional financial measures, when making investment decisions. This approach may have a neutral impact on performance because it maintains a focus on managing risk, traditional fundamental analysis and diversification. Here’s a quick look at the ESG elements: • Environmental - Companies may work to reduce carbon emissions, invest in renewable energy, decrease pollution and conserve water resources. • Social - A business may promote gender and pay equality within its workforce, and maintain positive labor relations and safe working conditions for employees. • Governance - Companies distinguished by good governance may institute strong ethics policies, provide transparent financial reporting and set policies to ensure it has an independent, objective board of directors. You can pursue an ESG investing approach through individual stocks, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which hold a variety of investments similar to mutual funds, but are generally passively managed - that is, they do little or no trading. As an ESG investor, you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice performance because ESG investments generally fare about as well as the wider investment universe. Some investments may even gain from the ESG approach. For example, a company that invests in renewable energy may benefit from the move away from fossil fuel sources. Now, let’s move on to valuesbased investing. When you follow a values-based approach, you can focus on specific themes where you may choose to include or exclude certain types of investments that align with your personal values. So, you could refrain from investing in segments of the market, such as tobacco or firearms, or in companies that engage in certain business practices, such as animal testing. On the other hand, you could actively seek out investments that align with your values. For instance, if you’re interested in climate change, you could invest in a mutual fiind or ETF that contains companies in the solar or clean energy industries. One potential limitation of values-based investing is that it may decrease the diversification of your portfolio and lead to materially lower returns due to narrowly focused investments, prioritization of non-financial goals and too many exclusions. Ultimately, if you choose to include a sustainable investing approach, you will want - as you do in any investing scenario - to choose those investments that are suitable for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. If sustainable investing interests you, give it some thought - you may find it rewarding to match your money with your beliefs. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC City of Hastings SYNOPSIS PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Regular Meeting November 9,.2022. Called to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Stoneburner, Pence, Doster, DeVries Absent: Goebel Agenda amended and approved Consent agenda approved: October 19, 2022 Minutes, Financials, Bills Commissioner’s report Public comments, if any, were received. Approved: Resolution 2022-22 Access Point Study Drain Commissioner’s Report Approved Parks Employment Contract Public and Board comments were received. Meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Submitted by: Rod Goebel, Clerk STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 21-28772-DE • Honorable William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court St., Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Robert Jarrod Warner. Date of birth: 10­ 5-1972. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Robert Jarrod Warner, died 3-17-2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Kari J. Shepler, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St. #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 11-11-2022 Timothy L. Tromp P41571 501 W. State St. Hastings Ml 49058 269-948-9400 Kari J. Shepler 1036 N. Michigan Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 269-838-1969 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR FINAL PUD SITE PLAN DETERMINATION The Planning Commission for the City of Hastings will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of hear­ ing written and/or oral comments and make a de­ termination on a Final PUD Site Plan from General Capital for construction and development of a 60unit multifamily housing building located at 326 W. State Street. The public hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Monday, December 5, 2022 in the City Coun­ cil Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Please contact Dan King, Community Development Director, at dking@hastingsmi.org or 269-945-2468 if you have questions or comments regarding this pub­ lic hearing. A copy of the information is available for public in­ spection from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday at the office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days’ notice to the City Clerk at 269.945.2468 or TDD call relay services 800.649.3777. Christopher R. Bever City Clerk 191013 Banner CLASSIFIEDS Hunters can help families in need As hundreds of thousands of hunters head into the field with Michigan’s firearm deer season kicking off this week, the DNR encourages them to help hungry families in their community by donating a deer to Mich­ igan Sportsmen Against Hunger. “Hunters who donate a deer will help local communities in need by providing them with highly desirable venison meals,” said Joe Presgrove, public outreach analyst in the DNR Marketing and Outreach Division who coordinates the department’s partnership with Michigan Sportsman Against Hunger. “Also, donating a deer is not the only way hunters may help. To help cover the cost of processing donated deer, individuals can make a monetary contribution when pur­ chasing hunting and fishing licenses. Every dollar donated helps feed those in need, and hunters who donate a whole deer have a chance to win some great prizes for partici­ pating.” Hunters have a chance to win gift cards and other prizes by donating a deer at: • Any Michigan Sportsmen Against Hun­ ger participating processorduring the 2022 Michigan deer hunting season (win one of five $100 gift cards). • Frank’s Great Outdoors deer drive in Lin­ wood Nov. 16, 17 and 18 (get a $20 gift card with every deer donation). • Jay’s Sporting Goods deer drive in Clare Nov. 18, 19 and 20 (win one of 10 $50 gift cards). Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger - an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization - helps connect donors, wild game processors and charities like food banks, pantries and shel­ ters that help feed those in need. The organization distributed over 100,000 pounds of venison last year, providing more than 400,000 meals for needy families. To learn more about the deer donation drives, find a participating processor or make a monetary donation to support venison pro­ cessing, visit SportsmenAgainstHunger.org. Questions? Contact Joe Presgrove at 517­ 284-6108. CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Rent Pets 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. No smoking. Includes internet. $1275/mo. (electric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). Or purchase for $350,000. 269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. AKC GOLDEN RETREI VER puppies. English cream, 9 weeks old. 505-379-6349. Business Services MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MINI GOLDEN DOODLES, vet checked, ready to go, very cute, $475. 517-726-0706. Help Wanted CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI SEEKING CDL-A OTR Driv­ er. Experience helpful, but not necessary. 517-652-3140. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — Page 11 Vikings one win short of Cereal City RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN Brett Bremer Sports Editor Alli Pickard dove to her left in front of the Lakewood bench and nearly got enough of the ball to get it up to Skylar Bump in the center of the the court. Bump dove with a right fist out and just couldn’t get under the ball. It spun to the floor. Her left hand went to her mouth as she stood up, trying in vain to hold in the feeling of devastation. After hand slaps with her competitors and high fives with her team­ mates, she covered her face with her jersey and then buried her head in the embrace of teammate Abby Pickard. Nothing was going to hold back the tears of a Viking senior whose volleyball season came to an end without the state champion­ ship trophy cradled in her arms. There were seven of those Viking seniors this year, and a group of other teammates who gave it their all Tuesday in what turned out to be their final match of the season. South Christian middle Kennedy Arp rose above everybody at the net and put down that final ball in the fifth set. Lakewood head coach Cameron Rowland called her the best middle in the state. Now the Sailors get to see if they are the best team in the state in Division 2 this season - inside Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek this weekend. Grand Rapids South Christian defeated the Lakewood varsity volleyball team in five sets in the MHSAA Division 2 State Quar­ terfinal at Vicksburg High School Tuesday by the scores of 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 18-25, 15-13. No. 5-ranked South Christian will face No. 2 North Branch in one Division 2 State Semifinal in Battle Creek Friday with Dearborn Divine Child taking on Cadillac in the other. Lakewood held a lead with 20 points or more in each of the first four sets, but could only manage a split in those four sets. The Vikings won set one. They had a 23-22 advantage late in set number two, but Arp put down a quick kill in the middle to force a side out and tie the set at 23 all. The Sail­ ors nudged in front by one with Arp finish­ ing a long rally, in which the ball crossed the net 11 times, with another kill in the middle that Lakewood’s all-state junior libero Car­ ley Piercefield just couldn’t quite handle. In set three, the Vikings were up 20-19 and tied 23-23 before the Sailors closed out the win. Down two sets to one, it was the first time this postseason the Vikings had trailed an opponent. A solid service run by Bump helped the Vikings turn a 10-10 tie into a 16-11 advan­ tage in set four and they mostly cruised from there as the Sailors’ passing wasn’t at its best during that stretch. When the Sailors’ passes were on, combined with their strength at the net, they were tough*to beat. “We knew it was going to take someone’s best match to beat us and I think South Christian played really, really well,” Row­ land said. “I told the girls in the locker room, Theyexposed-us.’ We knew that was going to happen,That we were going to struggle to put the ball away against teams and we did. I think that our attackers did what they could. I thought South Christian played significant­ ly better defense than what we had saw that they had played all year. “It is tough, and it hurts, because there are seven seniors.” Defensive specialist Alli Pickard and Bump, a setter/outside hitter, are among those seven, along with outside hitter Ellie Possehn, defensive specialist Paige Wolver­ ton, middle Izzy Wheeler, defensive special­ ist Bailey Fifelski and outside hitter Liv Woodman. South Christian is headed to Battle Creek for the first time since 2013 - the year after Lakewood’s Class B State Championship run. This is jus the third time since that state championship that the Vikings won’t be clos­ ing their season as part of the final four inside Kellogg Arena. “Lakewood has a super strong defense,” South Christian head coach Ashley Jackson said. “It is something they’re well known for. Something we were ready for this game was hey, we have to get them out of system, we have to get them moving, and we have to keep the ball away from Carley [Piercefield]. That was basically our strategy. Where is she at? We don’t want to go to her.” Despite trying to angle shots away from the Vikings’ all-state junior libero, Pierce­ field, she still closed the match with a teamhigh 28 digs. She set a new Lakewood single season record for digs this fall with 796, needing 25 coming into the night to match Beth Tingley’s total of 793 from the 2012 championship season. Even had the Sailors been able to keep the ball away from Piercefield all night, the Vikings had plenty of other passers capable of getting the ball up to setters Bump and the junior Abby Pickard. Abby had 26 digs her­ self. Bump had 17, Alli Pickard finished with 22 digs. Wolverton had ten and Fifelski 11. Wheeler, a former DS turned middle, had six. The Lakewood ladies were experts at keeping the ball off the floor throughout the 2022 season, but the much taller South Christian girls proved better at getting it to the floor despite the Vikings’ using every tool at their disposal to try and score. Junior outside hitter Liv Everitt had a NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS AND ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS AT DECEMBER 7, 2022 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting on December 7, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The purpose of this public hearing is to consider the following proposed amendments of Chapter 220 (zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code: Proposed Text Amendments pertaining to land uses in AG/OS and LI Districts § 220-4-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated special land uses in the AG/OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection EE designating “Coun­ ty Fairgrounds/Expo Center” as a designated special land use in that district. 1. § 220-12-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the LI Light Industrial District is proposed to be amended to add a new subsection H designating “Existing Single-Family Dwelling (existing as of ).” [effective date of this amendment to be added upon adoption]. Proposed Text Amendments pertaining to electronic message board types of signs in AG/OS District Lakewood senior Skylar Bump collects herself during a break in the action of the fourth set during her team's five-set loss to Grand Rapids South Christian in the MHSAA Division 2 State Quarterfinal at Vicksburg High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) during the run that really shined. She had a serve roll over the net for an ace to get the Vikings to 10-8, and on the next point dug up two swings by Finley Arp from the left end of the net and chased down a second ball that in’tHout pushed deep to the comer. That point eventually ended in an 11-8 Lakewood lead - drawing the first Sailor timeout of the set. Everitt had a pair of kills at the left post to nudge the lead to 14-8 and then a kill by Poll in the middle that drew a fiery celebration from Everitt, bumped the lead to 15-8 and drew the second Sailor timeout. Fifelski passed up one big swing by Finley Arp from the left on the next point, but Finley got a second chance to fire as ball to the back of the Vikings’ court and Fifelski couldn’t quite control that one. She headed to the bench to massive cheers from teammates Woodman, Maryssa Goble, Emma Duffy and others. An attack that flew wide by Finley though accounted for the only one of the next eight points that the Vikings won. The Sailors fought back to even at 16-16, drawing a tim­ eout from coach Rowland, before a kill by Poll in the middle .ended that swing. . ; “Bailey She turned the tide every time she went in. Unfortunately, we couldn’t side out to keep that momentum going the whole time. Sets two and three were the ones that really hurt because they were the ones we were in con­ trol of that South pulled out. Set five, they were really in control the whole time.” Lakewood did have 6-5 and 7-6 leads in that fifth set, thanks to Abby Pickard pushing a second ball deep for a kill and Bump tip­ ping a kill over the Sailor block. The Vikings moved up 8-6 with an ace by Wolverton, but once the Sailors rallied to get the lead back at 9-8 they never let it go. Wolverton and Abby Pickard had two aces each for the Vikings. “I think that this team just has grit,” Jack­ son said of her Sailors. “They do not stop. They play every single ball. It doesn’t matter if we’re down by three or five or up by four. They’re never going to stop playing, and they’re never going to stop playing for each other. They’re very selfless players.” The same was true on the Lakewood side. “They have meant the world to me,” Ever­ itt said of the Vikings’ senior girls. “The other outside, Ellie [Possehn], she has been everything. I look up to her. I look up to Skylar. I look up to all of them. Losing them is going to be really hard for us next year.” She hopes that at some point some under­ classman will be saying that about her. “I hope so. I hope that we come in next year and go as hard as we can,” Everitt said. “I think we did that this year, and I think we’ll just have to go even harder.” Everitt, Piercefield, Poll and Goble can be the base of the next senior group for the Vikings - looking to get the program back to Battle Creek in 2023 along with Abby Pick­ ard, Duffy and the rest of the youngsters coming through the ranks. “What they have done is not common,” Rowland said of his girls. “To expect to be playing in the last week of the season, regard­ less of our style of play, is not common at all. For that to come out like that and be back here it felt really good with this group.” “In the locker room they said, ‘you told us we were bad the first day of the year.’ And we were [relatively speaking]. But what they did is they just continued to practice hard and get better.” Lakewood senior defensive special­ ist Bailey . Fifelski hits a serve during her team's loss to South Christian in the MHSAA Division 2 State Quarterfinal at Vicksburg High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) team-high 16 kills for the Vikings, able to put the ball down harder than anyone else on her side of the net. One of her favorite points of the evening was Wolverton bumping a ball over that found the floor. Abby Pickard and Bump shot second balls to the deep comers, found a hole in the mid­ dle here and there, and swung away at the ends of the net. Possehn closed the night with eight kills on the outside and junior Cadence Poll had 11 in her return to the mid­ dle for the Vikings. Poll was playing for the first time this post­ season, and her size was desperately needed if the Vikings’ were going to have realistic hopes of slowing down the Sailors’ swings. “We knew that she was going to have to be back to try to contend with Kennedy [Arp],” Rowland said. “She did. She got some good touches and things and we just struggled to turn those balls into offensive opportunities.” It wasn’t just Kennedy Arp though. The Sailors always had a big weapon in the front row with junior outside hitter Ellie Fles and freshman outside hitter Finely Arp getting their swings in with a few by senior setter Ashlyn in’tHout too. Senior Gina Boomsma shared the Sailor setting duties with in’tHout. Setting for the Vikings, Bump closed the match with 25 assists. Abby Pickard had 20 assists and Piercefield eight. The Sailors did struggle with their passing a bit at times. A couple miscues at the end of set one allowed the Vikings to close out the 25-23 win after the two teams were tied at 23-23. A 15-11 lead by the Vikings was the largest for either team in that first set. Set two wasn’t much different. The largest lead for either team was four points, with South ahead 20-16, before the two teams once again found themselves knotted 23-23 late and Kennedy’s two big swings sealed it for her team. Set three was the one that really stung the Vikings. Fifelski went to the service line with her team down 8-7 and fired away until the Sailors called time­ out with the Lake­ wood girls holding a 15-8 lead. She served tough, but it was her defense 201T Fabrics | Excludes sale items. • Sale ends 11-30-22. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: #8110376 & Insured Time to Sew Christmas Gifts! QUESTIONS: ASK US... 218 E. State St., Hastings • i 945-9673 WS4 Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station 5 3. § 220-18-6 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to permitted signs in the AG/OS, CR, MDR, HDR, and PRC Districts is proposed to be amended to add additional verbiage to allow an electronic message board to advertise events/activities on the premises of a county fairgrounds/expo center in the AG/ OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District, only, subject to the design standards and use limitations specified in § 220-18-8.H. (as proposed herein to be amended). 4. The initial paragraph of § 220-18-8.H. of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to design standards and use limitations for electronic message boards is proposed to be amended to include a reference to the AG/OS District (pursuant to the preceding proposed amendment). Proposed Text Amendments pertaining to Outdoor RV/boat storage land uses in LC and LI Districts 5. § 220-10-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated special land uses in the LC Lake Commercial District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection D designating “Outdoor storage yard for recre­ ational vehicles and boats” as a designated special land use in that district. 6. § 220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection V designating “Outdoor storage yard for recre­ ational vehicles and boats” as a special land use in that district. 7. § 220-20-7 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the specific standards required of particular special land uses is proposed to be amended to add “Outdoor storage yard for recreational vehicles and boats” in the first column of the Table, and references to “LC” and “LI” and Item “15” in the second and third columns, and add the text for Item 15 specifying the particular approval stan­ dards for that special land use, including requirements relating to the limits on the storage yard, access, setbacks, environmental protection, lighting, screening, and prohibiting obnoxious and dangerous conditions. Proposed Text Amendments pertaining to “qualified residential treatment program” land uses 19V . § 220-2-2 of.the Rutland Charter Township Code is proposed to be amended to .ad£LXh.ereto_a1 jfefinitipjijg.rJa^ne^rm _ ‘‘Qualjf .. Program”. 5. Note: the Planning .Commission will consider two alternate proposed definitions of this term. 9. § 220-5-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the CR Country Residential District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection L designating “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” as a permitted use in that district. 10. § 220-6-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the MDR Medium Density Residential District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection J designating “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” as a permitted use in that district. 11. § 220-7-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the HDR High Density Residential District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection L designating “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” as a permitted use in that district. 12. § 220-220-8-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designat­ ed permitted uses in the MHCR Mobile Home Community Residential District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection I designating “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” as a permitted use in that district. 13. § 220-9-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the MU Mixed Use District is proposed to be amended to add thereto a new subsection Z designating “Qualified Residential Treatment Program” as a permitted use in that district. Proposed Zoning Map Amendments (rezoninqs) 14. On application of Rutland Charter Township the Zoning Map of Rutland Charter Township, as made part of Chapter 220 of the Rutland Charter Township Code by § 220-3-2, is proposed to be amended so as to rezone the following parcels from the CR Country Residential zoning district to the LI Light Industrial District, consistent with the planning designation for these parcels in the Rutland Charter Township Master Plan: Parcel no. 13-009-019-00 (North M-37 Hwy) Parcel no. 13-009-017-00 (810 North M-37 Hwy) Parcel no. 13-009-011-00 (842 North M-3 Hwy) Any part of parcel no. 13-009-012-10 (922 North M-37 Hwy) not presently zoned LI Light Industrial District Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at any time prior to this public hearing/meet­ ing, and may further be submitted to the Planning Commission at the public hearing/meeting. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Master Plan, the Tentative Text of the above-refer­ enced proposed zoning text amendment(s), and the existing Zoning Map and a map showing the properties proposed for rezoning, may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. The Township Planning Commission reserves the right to modify any of the proposed amendments at or following the hearing/meeting and to make its recommendations accordingly to the Township Board. Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 12 — Thursday, November 17, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Eddies end Saxons’ winningest season ever < - ' . ; '- ‘ '- '; Brett Bremer Sports Editor Even with a 100-mile trip home ahead, the standing room only crowd of Saxon support­ ers on the west side of Edwardsburg’s Leo Hoffman Field mostly headed for the Hast­ ings huddle in the north end zone rather than the parking lot. They saw the longest playoff run in the history of the Hastings High School football program end at the home of the Eddies. They were there for their sons, their classmates, their friends, their neighbors and all the prayers, the tears, the hugs and to tell the Saxons over, and over, and over again how proud they are of them. While the Saxons were coming of their first district championship ever, in their third consecutive playoff appearance, the Eddies are in the playoffs for the 13th season in a row. Edwardsburg reached the regional finals in eight of those 13 seasons, and Friday night’s victory is the team’s sixth regional championship during that stretch which also includes the 2018 MHSAA Division 4 State Championship. The No. 8-ranked Saxons gave the No. 5 Eddies all they could handle in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional Final Friday night in what would end as a 24-14 victory for the regional hosts. Hastings marched down the field to take an early 6-0 lead, saw the Eddies dominate much of the rest of the first half to take a 16-6 lead into the break, and then played an inspired second half which still left them trailing by ten points in the end. Saxon head coach Jamie Murphy said it wasn’t scheming or some X’s and O’s, or adjustments by the coaching staff that helped Hastings put some fear into the Eddies in the second half. It was mostly just the will of his Saxon seniors. “We came off the ball differently in the second half,” Murphy said. “We didn’t make any adjustments in the second half. We had a little heart to heart in the locker room. Some seniors spoke up and took some leadership roles in the locker room at half time, and they decided they were going to play differently in the second half. So, it all came from the seniors. “I think they found out in the first quarter and a half that they could play with them, because that is a team that has made a lot of runs to the finals, and they have been here before. They have done this before, and that weighs on kids’ minds. I think they found out in the first quarter and a half, ‘holy crap, we can play with these guys,’ and that sentiment was ringing through the locker room during halftime. And all of a sudden we came out and 1 think we shocked them a little bit. “It was a much better second half, and I think the kids know how close they were. If we played like we did in the second half, in the first half, the game would have been a different story.” The Eddies were curiously content with sitting on their ten-point lead in the final min­ utes of the first half, after driving down the field with chunk, after chunk, after chunk on their first two possessions. And then the Eddies seemed anxious to try and get back to the end zone once the second half began. Edwardsburg did not manage a first down on either of its first two possessions of the second half, and turned the ball over on downs in its end twice. The Saxon defense stuffed a run by the Eddies’ running back Brett Allen on fourthand-1 from his own 29-yard line two minutes into the second half. Just three plays later Hastings senior run­ ning back Lanny Teunessen scored on a 23-yard run through the middle. Junior quar­ terback Owen Carroll tossed the 2-point con­ version pass to sophomore wide out Jett Barnum, from 13 yards out after a pair of quick delay of game penalties on the Saxons, to get their team to within 16-14. The Eddies took over again after the Saxon kickoff, and this time Allen had a fourthand-4 run from his own 32-yard line stopped a yard short of the first down marker. “Typically they’re used to getting those, and we are too,” Murphy said of the two Wing-T offenses that eschew punting when­ ever possible. It was the Edwardsburg defense’s turn to come up with a big stop. The Saxon offense failed to execute, and turned the ball over on downs after getting as close to the end zone as the Eddies’ 17-yard line. The Saxons had a third-and-3 at the Eddie 17, but Carroll had one pass fall incomplete and then scrambled to his right on fourth down and was brought down a yard behind the line of scrimmage. The Saxon defense appeared to have worked it’s magic again after the turnover on downs by the offense. It had the Eddies’ try­ ing to go for it a third time on fourth down deep in their own territory. On fouith-and-2 from the 26-yard line, Allen took a hand off to the left. Just beyond the first down marker Allen took a flying leap over a pile of bodies Hastings sophomore receiver Jett Barnum tries to fend off Edwardsburg defenders Brett Allen (right) and Blake Ludwick (left) after hauling in a pass early in the second quarter of Friday night's MHSAA Division 4 Regional Final at Edwardsburg High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) on the ground. The football was knocked loose back towards the line to gain. Hastings senior linebacker Robby Slaughter came around the scrum to get his hands on the foot­ ball. However, an official quickly waived for an Edwardsburg first down insisting that Edwardsburg‘s Brenden Seabolt had recov­ ered the fumble on the ground beyond the line to gain. “That play didn’t determine the outcome of the game,” Murphy said. “In the moments, it seemed like it could have made the differ­ ence, but it didn’t determine the outcome of the game. There were a lot of plays that came in to play.” Edwardsburg ran out the third quarter clock with the next snap and then continued to get one first down after another, converting on one more fourth down run, and eventually finishing the drive in the end zone thanks for a 5-yard touchdown run by Allen. Quarter­ back Brendan Madison ran in the two-point conversion and the Eddies led 24-14 with 6:33 to go in the ballgame. Hastings last drive of the season ended in an incomplete pass near midfield, and the Edwardsburg offense was able to drain the final three minutes off of the clock to clinch the regional title. Allen was tough to stop in the Eddie’s Wing-T offense which employs a few more tosses and counters than the Saxons’ offense. He had 20 rushes for 107 yard and all three of his team’s touchdowns. Madison ran 11 times for 82 yards and Seabolt had five carries for 39 yards. Parsons and Mikey Pryor each had eight carries for 28 and 27 yards respectively. The Eddies didn’t allow the Saxons much room to run. Teunessen had a team-high 36 yards on nine carries. Slaughter had nine rushes for 30 yards and Isaiah Wilson nine for 28. Carroll was 4-of-9 passing for 52 yards, with sophomore Jett Barnum hauling in three receptions for 44 yards and Teunessen pulling in an 8-yard grab. Possessions were valuable, because there weren’t going to be many. Hastings took the opening kickoff and went 60 yards in 14 plays to score on a 10-yard run by the sopho­ more back Wilson. A 2-point pass was incom­ Saxon senior lineman Jackson Clow leads his team through the handshakes with the Eddies after falling 24-14 to their hosts at Edwardsburg High School Friday in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional Finals. (Photo by Brett Bremer) plete after the TD. The drive took most of the first eight minutes of the contest. Edwardsburg answered with a five-minute, 12-play drive that covered 65 yards. Allen scored on a 3-yard run and then ran in the 2-point try too to give his team an 8-6 lead a minute into the second quarter. Hastings moved the ball to the Eddies’ 36-yard line before turning the ball over on downs with 8:06 to go in the first half. Edwardsburg went 63 yards the other way in seven plays. Allen scored his second TD on a 41-yard run with 4:38 to play in the first half. This time Madison tossed a 2-point conver­ sion pass to Allen for a 16-6 lead. The Saxons only possessed the ball for about minute before facing a fourth-and-5 at their own 38-yard line. Rather than calling a The Saxons’ Aiden SaintAmour works to bring down Edwardsburg ball-carrier Brett Allen on a second quarter run as teammate Cole McKenna closes in from behind Friday night at Edwardsburg High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) EARIY HOLIDAY DEADLINES The Hastings Banner Deadline for ADS: Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Noon Deadline for NEWS: Tuesday, Nov. 22, at Noon Deadline for CLASSIFIEDS: Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m Papers will be on the newsstands Wednesday, Nov, 23 to Hastings toterests of Barp County Since 1856 DANNER Saxon senior Lanny Teunessen is embraced by head coach Jamie Murphy at the conclusion of their team's 24-14 loss to Edwardsburg in the MHSAA Division 4 Regional Final at Edwardsburg High School Friday, Nov. 11. (Photo by Brett Bremer) timeout to give its offense an extra minute in the first half, the Eddies’ decided to let the clock roll. Hastings called a timeout of its own once the play clock hit one, and then booted the ball away to the Eddies. It turned out to be a great punt by the Saxon junior Landon Steward - a 44-yarder that left the Eddies at their own 18-yard line with just over two minutes to play in the first half. Two runs netted the Eddies a first down, and then Madison broke free around the left side on first-and-10 from the Edwardsburg 28. He got all the way down to the Saxon 38-yard-line and the Eddies’ now called for a timeout with 25 seconds to go in the first half. Teunessen ended the threat though, sacking Madison back near midfield on the next play, and the clock ticked down to the half. Teunessen and senior linebacker Jack Kensington had 6.5 tackles each for Hastings. Teunessen had that sack and 2.5 total tackles for loss. Junior Aiden SaintAmour had a team-high 8.5 tackles for Hastings. Oscar Morris had 6.5 tackles and Allen 5 for the Eddies. Hastings ends the season with a record of 10-2 which is a new school record for victo­ ries in a single season. The Saxons are the three-time defending Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champions. The calendar says that the Saxons won their first district cham­ pionship in November, but much of the work towards that was done in the weight room in May, flipping tractor tires in July and sweat­ ing it out on the Baum Stadium at Johnson Field turf through August. “It is a group of kids that are very coach­ able. They did the hard stuff in the off-season for the three years in a row,” Murphy said. “Is is a group of kids that brought kids together as opposed to just doing their own thing. They are very inclusive. It didn’t matter if they are freshman kids coming up in the var­ sity to play in the playoffs, or JV kids. They were a part of the team.” “They were coachable. They ran our defense how we asked them to run it. They ran our offense with no shake of the head, no bat of the eyes or anything like that. They just did it. They got after it. They knew what they had to do.” Edwardsburg, now 11-1, will play unde­ feated Grand Rapids South Christian in Sat­ urday’s Division 4 State Semifinals at Harper Creek High School in Battle Creek. The No. 2 South Christian Sailors knocked off the No. I Whitehall Vikings (the only team to best the Saxons prior to Friday) 28-21 in their regional final Friday. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-11-24.pdf 15d26f115e95084c5a701c60b7d57bf7 PDF Text Text C<HM8ty renews agreement with United Way for veteran services Barry County offers plenty of reasons to be thankful See story on page 3 See story on page 4 ■ 804879110187 1070490102590503222249058113421 PRICE $1,50 Thursday, November 24, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 47 Despite snowy weather, construction plows through on new Delton Elementary School Despite snowy weather conditions, construction for the new Delton Kellogg Elementary School continues to stay on track, according to school officials. The project should be completed by the fall. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) Karen Thrko-Ebright Contributing Writer Despite snowy weather conditions, con­ struction on the new Delton Kellogg Elemen­ tary School continues to stay on track, according to school officials. Next fall, con­ struction crews plan to finish the project. Excitement is brewing in the teachers’ lounge as each passing day signals steps of progress made on the new DKES construc­ tion project. Principal Karmin Bourdo gave her perspective on what a new school build­ ing offers teachers and students. “The new classrooms will have a 21st-cen­ tury design with updated technology and cre­ ative new learning spaces,” Bourdo explained. “One area that I am very excited about is the Extended Learning Area (ELA) that will pro­ vide opportunities for any classroom to utilize this flexible space for large projects and as a collaborative work environment.” Every day following the demolition of the 86-year-old elementary school building W1L er this fall, the construction project has taken on a new look. The original building has remaining additions that will connect to the new structure. The new building is paid for with money from a millage passed in 2019. Fourth grade teacher Sara Mast is looking forward to what the new elementary school offers the fourth grade team. Mast is in her 20th year teaching at Delton schools. For 12 years, she was a second grade teacher and has spent the past eight years as a fourth grade teacher. “I am very excited about the new building. It will give us the ability to have flexible seating that will be more conducive to collab­ oration,” Mast explained. “Having the fourth grade classrooms next to each other will give us the ability to team teach.” The new building will include the follow­ ing: ’ - Fourth grade classrooms - Special education classrooms - A state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classroom - An extended learning area - Administrative offices - A full-size gym that includes a stage “Having a new elementary school will add ' so much space to our elementary,” Bourdo said. “The old part of the building (that is being rebuilt) was really mostly utilized for storage along with a few other programs such See SCHOOL, page 3 County board approves resolution to Lamberg to step down use ARPA funds to extend bonus as road commission payments to most county employees managing director Brad Lamberg, managing director of the Barry County Road Commission since 1998, sits in his office. Lamberg has announced that he will be step­ ping down from his position by the end of next year. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Greg Chandler Staff' Writer The Barry County Road Commission is looking for a new managing director. Brad Lamberg, who has been the man­ aging director for the county road agency since October 1998, has informed the Road Commission board that he plans to leave his position at the end of his con­ tract, which expires Dec. 31, 2023. Lamberg told the Hastings Banner in an interview on Monday that his exact time for leaving the position will depend on how soon a new managing director is hired and comes on board. Lamberg is expected to assist in the transition process to a new director. “I’m proud of the system we have, proud of the team we built,” Lamberg said. “I’m most proud of the team we built and our ability to work together, especial­ ly when Mother Nature and (weather) See LAMBERG, page 2 Barry County court staff members were in the gallery for Tuesday morning's Board of Commissioners meeting. Judge Michael Schipper had them stand as he spoke to county commissioners about the importance of issuing bonus payments to county employees. The board spent most of the day drafting, and passing, a resolution that did exactly that. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Jayson Bussa Editor After a marathon session on Tuesday after­ noon, the Barry County Board of Commis­ sioners approved a resolution that provides most county employees with bonuses to help these individuals combat inflation while working to retain talent within the county. In a meeting that kicked off at 9 a.m., it wasn’t until 1 p.m. - and a handful of recess­ es later - that the board was able to develop a resolution that would go into effect immedi­ ately, and provide sizable inflation impact payments to most of the employees by using funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). “We do need to act today,” County Board Chair Ben Geiger said early in the meeting. “I. don’t know if there is a specific (pay­ ment) scenario that I’m leaning toward. But simple, efficient and quick would be my priorities?’ “I think it is a mindset shift,” added Geiger, who will not be returning to the board at the beginning of next year. “By taking order See ARPA, page 3 Hastings school board approves $1 million bids to replace roof at Star Elementary using sinking fund Hunter McLaren Staff Writer ■ The Hastings school board approved two bids totaling over $1 million dollars to replace roofs at Star Elementary School. Board President Luke Haywood said the roofs were in poor shape and needed attention. “This is not a planned expense,” Haywood said. “Our metal panel (roofing) is deteriorat­ ing quickly, it’s rusting, and if we don’t address itjhen it will have holes.” . The board accepted a $818,500 bid from Kalamazoo-based contractor Hoekstra Roof­ ing for the building’s main roof and a $240,000 bid from Dorr-based Modern Roof­ ing, Inc. to fix the gym’s roof Superintendent Matt Goebel said the bids were the lowest provided. J Funds for the project will come from the school’s sinking fund. Taxpayer-funded school sinking funds are generally used for relatively minor, unplanned emergency expenses, with bigger projects like roofs being more expensive. Approval for the project comes as the dis­ trict has been trying to secure funds to fix, maintain and replace aging facilities and infrastructure. Six state-qualified bond pro­ posals have been voted down since 2017, all of which asked for various amounts of fund­ ing to address those issues. The latest $23.9 million proposal was rejected by voters earli­ er this year on May 3. Haywood acknowledged that using the sinking fund to pay for the project wasn’t ideal, but action had to be taken swiftly to ensure the roofs could be fixed before they deteriorated any further. The project’s $1 mil­ lion price tag would use two years of the sinking fund’s revenue. “We’ve been hoping to delay this and include it with some type of (state-qualified bond) proposal that would improve (facili­ ties) district-wide, but we’re going to have to bite the bullet,” he said. In other business, the board: - Accepted the resignation of Adam Case, assistant principal at Hastings High School, effective Dec. 31, 2022. Goebel recognized Case for his work in the district and said he was leaving the state to further his education See REPLACE ROOF, page 3 The Hastings Area School System board approved two bids replacing the roofs at Star Elementary totaling over $1 million at their meeting Monday at Northeastern Elementary School. . . - . �Page 2 — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Thornapple Players to perform “Christmas Belles’ The Thomapple Players are preparing to bring Christmas cheer to their audiences this holiday season with the production of “Christmas Belles,” written by Jessie Jones, Nich­ olas Hope and Jamie Wooten. Shows will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 1-3 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. in the Dennison Performing Arts Center at 231 S. Broadway in Hastings. Tickets for the shows will cost $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. The Players will also hold an open-to-the-public dress rehearsal Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. All seats will be $7 for this rehearsal. “Christmas Belles” is a zany comedy portraying Christmastime in a small town in Texas. As a series of misfortunes occur, all hope for a successful Christmas program seems lost. However, the cast of characters finds a way to rally the folks in town in order to present a Christmas program that brings the community closer. The joy and spirit of Christmas is renewed and celebrated in this show. . Cast and crew members include Shirlee Holsten, Michelle Marcin Pappas, Ellie Payne, Charlie Saulino, Cheryl Sheridan, Kimmy Beck, Kirsten Nottingham, Elijah Leonard, Dick Curtis, Angela Seeber, Julian Kratochvil, Carol Svihl, Terri Schray, Jordan Moray, Michael Moray, Steve Hoke, Aiden Oliver and Julie Coon. Advance tickets may be reserved by calling the Thornapple Arts Council of Barry County at 269-945-2002 or purchased at Progressive Graphics at 115 S. Jefferson St. in Hastings. Tickets will also be available at the door. Pierce Institute trails closed for firearm season B2 Outlet unveils its new Hastings store; Eager shoppers get first dibs on discounted items All Pierce Cedar Creek Institute trails will be closed until Nov. 30 for firearm deer hunting season. Trail closure signs are at the trailheads. The north half of the property (north of Cloverdale Road) will remain closed through Jan. 1. The southside trails (south of Cloverdale Road) will be open to public use follow­ ing the conclusion of firearm season. Orange vests will be available at the Visitor Center starting December 1. Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County shoppers have another franchise retailer to choose from. Fresh off the grand opening of T.J. Maxx last month, B2 Outlet Stores swung open the doors to its new - much larger - store in Hastings just one door down from T.J. Maxx. On Thursday morning, eager shoppers lined up to get the first crack at the 20,000 square foot store, which features steeply discounted items that includes clothing, toys, home goods, small appliances and furniture. And, all this is just in time for the thick of holiday shopping season. “It’s like any other retailer, where a lot of outbusiness comes out of the last six or eight weeks,” said Michael Cain, executive vice presi­ dent of store operations for B2 Outlets. “It’s been up and down - good days and bad days....It' was important to get this one open.” B2 Outlet corporate executives, staff from the local store and members from the Barry County Chamber of Commerce were on hand on Thurs­ day to watch as the Zeeland-based retailer cut the ribbon on its new store, located at 760 W State St. in Hastings, in the same facility as T.J. Maxx. Michael Cain, Executive Vice President of Store Operations for B2 Outlet Stores, B2 Outlet Stores previously maintained a store • speaks to shoppers that have gathered for the grand opening of the new Hastings in that facility, but it was much smaller. With the store on Thursday. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) opening of the new store, B2 Outlet grew from roughly 3,500 square feet to 20,000 square feet. When the ribbon wras cut, eager shoppers entered the store, receiving promotional items to mark the occasion and given the opportunity to enter giveaways for prizes, like an Apple watch. The new store opens just in time for holiday shopping. The new store in Hastings serves as B2 Out­ let’s 22nd location - all of the others are also located in Michigan. The outlet store carries a hodgepodge of inventory that varies from one location to another. And, in an era where inflation is driving up the price for just about anything, there is no shortage of shoppers out there hunting for a deal. “This is the time,” Cain said. “We’re anywhere from 70 to 90 percent off (of retail). Everything is brand new. We have a great team of buyers that goes out, searches for the best we can find and tries to give that price right back to the custom­ er....We’re not a company that is trying to line (our) pockets.” The grand opening was a sigh of relief after delays in construction and permitting. B2 Outlet was originally slated to open in August but was then delayed until October, when it was again Shoppers line up to be the first to peruse the 20,000 square feet of merchandise delayed one additional month.’ found inside the new B2 Outlet Store, located at 760 W State St. in Hastings, in the “We’re just happy to get this one open.” same facility as T.J. Maxx. John Berry to play at the HPAC Dec. 3 Country music star John Berry is slated to perform at the Hastings Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. The Grammy Award winner is stopping in Hastings for the first time as part of his 26th Annual Christmas Tour. Berry will play many of his hits from his decades in the industry, as well as holiday and gosepl music. Berry says his concert will be family-oriented, and will feature songs from his new album. Tickets to John Berry’s I Listings concert cost $40 and are still available to purchase. Tickets can be purchased at hastings.ludus.com/index.php. Free Christmas store at Zion Lutheyyyunurc.. A free Christmas tree and decoration giveaway will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Woodland. The second annual event is being held to provide community members with a happy and blessed Christmas, event organizers said. All the Christmas trees, ornaments and decor will be made available for free to anyone who needs them at the special “Christmas Tree Farm Free Store” event Nov. 25 and 26 during the annual community event, Christmas ‘Round the Town. The store features trees of all sizes and hundreds of ornaments, strings of lights and decorations. The event will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday or until all items find a new home. Refreshments will be served. The church invites anyone who needs supplies to decorate their homes, but that cannot afford them, to come pick out some items and enjoy refreshments while browsing. Zion Lutheran Church is located at 6261 Velte Road in Woodland. Anyone with ques­ tions should contact Martha Yoder, event chair, at 517-230-9274. BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION IS SEEKING A MANAGING DIRECTOR The Barn County Road Commission (BCRC) is seeking a Managing Director. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree in business administration with construction experience or a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, or equiv­ alent; with 5-10+ years related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The position is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the road commission. For a complete job description, application, and additional information contact Barry County Road Commission al (269) 945-3449. Salary range is currently $100,000-$ 135,000 per year, depending upon qualifications and experience. Fringe benefits are also provided as approved from time to time by the Board of County Road Commissioners for its managerial staff. Applications may be picked up at the Barry County Road Commission office at 1725 W. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI'49058 between 6 AM-3:45 PM, or found on our website at www.barrycrc.org. Applications and resumes should be addressed to Barn' County' Road Commission, PO BOX 158, Hastings, MI 49058, or bcasev@barrxcrc.org. The Barry County Road Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications will be accepted through December 9, 2022, at 10:00 AM. 190998 Video Conferencing Basics Digital Literacy For Everyone Register Now! www.HastingsPublicLibary.org Your Laptop or Ours Seating is Limited 1 Tablet Civen Away Every Class “Digital Literacy for everyone made possible by the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T." © PublicLibrary A 5 §OC iAGON AT&T - HASTINGS PU8UC LIBRARY £ x I o r’.'gFS'w LAMBERG, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -conditions aren’t necessarily cooperating with us.” Lamberg is leaving the Road Commission at a time where the county’s road network is ranked among the best in the state, as mea­ sured by the Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council, which provides inde­ pendent data on the condition of Michigan’s roads and bridges. In the most recent assessment of roads that are under the Road Commission’s jurisdic­ tion (not including state highways such as M-37, M-43 and M-179), only 9.3 percent of them are rated in poor condition. Only Gra­ tiot County (5.2 percent) and Saginaw Coun­ ty (5.5 percent) had a lower percentage of roads under jurisdiction of the local road commission that were rated in poor condi­ tion, according to the TAMC website. By comparison, in 2011-12, 26.2 percent of Barry County roads under Road Commis­ sionjurisdiction were rated in poor condition, according to the TAMC website. “I’m very proud that we have one of the top paved road systems in the state of Michi­ gan,” Lamberg said. “For quite a few years now, we’ve been, if not the top, (among) the top two-three-four (counties).” The Road Commission has jurisdiction over 1,067 miles of roads in Barry County, of which 626 miles are paved. Early in Lam­ berg’s tenure as managing director, the agen­ cy was aggressive in paving gravel roads, largely funded by local townships. The Road Commission has 32 full-time employees, five part-time employees and employs up to 15 seasonal workers during the summer months. It has an annual budget of about $14-$ 15 million, of which it receives about $10 million of funding from the Mich­ igan Transportation Fund - a pool of money that comes from state gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees. Additional funding comes from local townships and federal sources, Lamberg said. “We’re doing better services than we ever have - more and better work, with a better system than we ever did, with a smaller work­ force,” Lamberg said. “That frees up funds to buy those resources that are so dam expensive. Lean and mean, is what I consider us.” A graduate of Michigan State University with bachelor and master’s degrees in civil engineering, Lamberg joined the Barry Coun­ ty Road Commission in 1996 as a project engineer after previously working for road agencies in Berrien and Newaygo counties. Lamberg has been actively involved with the County Road Association of Michigan, the organization that represents road commis­ sions across the state. He is a current member of the association board and served as its president in 2014-15. Jake Welch, assistant managing director for the Road Commission, says Lamberg will be missed. “He has been amazing for the Barry CRC and will certainly be missed, but we have a really good team and we will be in great shape,” Welch said. Applications for the managing director position are being accepted through Dec. 9. and should be addressed to the Barry County Road Commission, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, MI 49058, or e-mailed to bcasey@barrycrc. org. Applications can be picked up at the Road Commission office at 1725 M-43 High­ way or found online at barrycrc.org. According to a job description posted in an advertisement that ran in the Nov. 17 edition of the Hastings Banner, applicants must have either a bachelor’s degree in business admin­ istration with construction experience or a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or equivalent, along with at least 5-10-plus related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. The salary range, based on quali­ fications and experience, is $100,000$135,000 a year. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — Page 3 Substance Abuse Task Force prepares for annual payments; County reaffirms relationship with United Way for veteran services Jayson Bussa Editor Barry County is in line to receive any­ where from $35,000 to $42,000 annually for 18 years as part of a settlement against the nation’s largest drugmakers, and Liz Lenz is preparing to put them to good use. “That’s not a whole lot of money but it is enough to make a difference and do things,” said Lenz, coordinator for the Barry County Substance Abuse Task Force. “The substance abuse task force has a history of taking not a lot of money and using it to make the biggest impact for our dollars.” The money comes in the form of the National Opioid Settlement Fund, part of a $21 billion settlement that is being spread all across the nation to fund opioid treatment, recovery, prevention and other programs. “These dollars are to help prevent further overdose and to help keep people alive and keep people in treatment and recovery,” Lenz told the Barry County Board of Commission­ ers during Tuesday morning’s meeting. “To prevent other situations of misuse and abuse.” Right now, Lenz and the Substance Abuse Task Force are conducting phase two of a needs assessment to find the best use for the money. From the initial information gathered, a need for sober housing is prominent in the data, amongst other needs. The county board signed off on designat­ ing the funds - whether they should be dis­ bursed - the Substance Abuse Task Force. Barry County United Way to continue providing veteran services for the county The Barry County United Way was one of the first nationwide United Ways to pioneer veterans’ services. Impressed by its work and the efficiencies that come with it - the county board renewed its agreement with the non-profit organization through 2027. The county has traditionally renewed with the United Way for three years, but this latest renewal was for five years. Barry County allotted $34,921 for the United Way for 2023 and anticipated a 2-percent cost increase each year of the agreement. Executive director Lani Forbes and the orga­ nization’s new Veteran Affairs Director Ryan Condon appeared in front of the county board. “This has probably been one of the most successful partnerships that I’ve seen come across my desk as county commissioner,” said board chair Ben Geiger. “We are a model aerps^gjoation,” Forbes said. “We were one of the first fwo United Ways involved wnn veterans atrairs across the nation and we have helped many other United Ways and veterans affairs organiza­ tions from Florida to New York to California to set up similar programs.” County renews deal with the Chamber The county re-upped its agreement with the Barry County Chamber & Economic Judge Michael Schipper speaks to the Barry County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday morning, requesting that they finalize a measure to pay bonuses to county employees. He was joined by Chief Judge William M. Doherty (to Schipper's left) and Judge Vicky L. Alspaugh (standing behind Schipper). ARPA, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------- Liz Lenz, coordinator for the Barry County Substance Abuse Task Force, speaks in front of the county board on Tuesday morning. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Development Alliance by approving it for another year. The Chamber provides a variety of eco­ nomic development services for Barry Coun­ ty and will continue those services through the 2023 calendar year. The agreement for the coming year was for $152,585, which came out of the coun­ ty’s genera] fund budget. Of the total money, $125,585 will be used for economic devel­ opment services while $15,000 are ear­ marked for career technical education (CTE) programs. The Chamber also received an additional $12,000 with this year’s agree­ ment, thanks to a successful budget appeal this fall, to cover the cost of implementing the Placer.ai program. Placer.ai is an infor­ mation-gathering tool that will allow the Chamber, and its member businesses, to compile key metrics regarding the buying Ms timers^. „ is mess... — The county board approved an agreement with Ionia-based First Step Testing Services LLC, which will be tasked with administer­ ing drug testing services. The county’s courts must administer periodic, random trust test­ ing to all participants of its drug court to achieve its certification with the State Court Administrative Office. - JK Rose Construction LLC was one of two businesses to submit valid bids to Barry County for snow removal throughout the upcoming winter. The county board awarded the job to the Hastings-based company from 2022 to 2025. The bid was for $675 for each time plowing the lots of county-owned build­ ings whenever snowfall reaches two inches or more. The company also charges $375 for each salting job. - The county board signed off on a memo of understanding between the Barry County Solid Waste Oversight Committee and the Eaton County Resource Recovery Depart­ ment for an upcoming scrap tire collection event. Using funds from an EGLE Scrap Tire Grant, Eaton County will provide six trailers to Barry County so that staff can collect scrape tires during its regularly scheduled household hazardous waste col­ lection events. Previously, Barry County Recycling Coordinator Rachel Frantz had said that scrap tires are problematic because people tend to dump^them out in the woods or by the side of the roa<U - The Barry County Board of Commis­ sioners went into a closedrdoor meeting on Tuesday to discuss pending litigation with attorney Charles Lawler from law firm Clark Hill. The litigation involves a class action lawsuit (Calkins v Kent County; Sattler v Kent County; Grainer v Ottawa County, et al.) that includes 35 counties. The lawsuit centers on the practice of counties profiting off the sale of a foreclosed property. SCHOOL, continued from page 1 ---------------------as Title I, (occupational therapy) and (physi­ cal therapy), and special education. So mov­ ing students back to that end of the building in a new reinvented space is so exciting.” Heather Oom has been teaching at DKES for nine years. Currently, she is in her sixth year as a special education teacher. She has also taught fifth and sixth grades in Delton. “Prior to coming to Delton, I taught for two years in Kentwood as an ELL interven­ tionist,” Oom said. “The plans for the special education spaces are areas for group work and flexible seating options. We are still early in the plans. The rooms have lots of storage, and one has a nice sensory room space.” Superintendent Dr. Herman Lartigue Jr. said the construction project is progressing nicely and appears on track. today, the board is going to say ‘You know what? We’re going to fight for the best employees.’ This is a market economy, where staff can go find a career that compensates them at any level they want. We want the best here. We want the talent. We do not want people to leave here. I would hope that the next board continues this mindset.” After going over the language of the reso­ lution with a fine-tooth comb, the board developed a plan that county employees who are on the job as of today would be eligible for. Under the plan, full-time employees will receive an additional $4,000 made in install­ ment payments. The first payment will be in the amount of $2,000 and paid as quickly as possible. After that, $1,000 payments will be made both in the first pay period of April 2023 and July 2023. Part-time union employees will receive a pro-rated sum spread throughout the same period. Part-time, non-represented employees will receive an $800 payment, which includes $400 right away and additional $200 pay­ ments in both April and July. Employees that are within their mandatory probation period will receive payments once their probationary period is over. The county will consider a. standard probation period to be six months, even if the position has a lon­ ger probationary period (Lt. some 'positions" in the Sheriff’s office come with a year-long probationary period). Probationary employees were a point of contention within discussions amongst the board - the county currently has 16 employees currently serving their probationary period. Originally, these employees would have missed out on the first, front-loaded payment. But the board ironed out the resolution to indicate that, when an employee finishes his or her probationary period, they will receive the full payments. Elected officials are excluded from these payments, as are seasonal and temporary workers. The price tag for the payments is roughly $750,900. Commissioner Catherine Getty lobbied to boost payments to $5,000 for full-time employees and $1,000 for part-time employ­ ees but did not receive support from any fel­ low commissioners. The commissioners spent time hypotheti­ cally playing out scenarios where employees could potentially game the system by receiv­ ing payments and then leaving their position with the county. “Look, there will be a situation that will pop up - a contingency that we haven’t thought of,” Geiger said. “But we have a capable, competent county administrative team and a board that cares about our employ­ ees. We will adjust.” “Stuff’s gonna happen!” Geiger shouted after a moment of silence. These approved economic impact payments come after county employees have been clam­ oring for higher wages, pointing to other coun­ ties that either pay significantly more for the same position or have issued economic impact payments already. Such a scenario recently played out in Ottawa County. The county’s judges have been vocal sup­ porters of economic impact payments, voic­ ing concerns about a potential- mass-exodus amongst the court’s staff. All three judges in Barry County - Chief Judge William M. Doherty, Judge Michael L. Schipper and Judge Vicky L. Alspaugh appeared in front of the board early in Tues­ day’s meeting to again ask for enhanced compensation in order to retain employees. “We’ve said time and time again how much our employees mean to us,” Alspaugh said. “The time for words is past. They need to see a realistic showing of how much our employees mean to us.” REPLACE ROOF, continued from page 1 -----------------------and pursue a new career direction. - Accepted a $1,250 donation from the Barry Community Foundation for expenses related to caring for Pluto, Star Elementary’s therapy dog. The dog itself was donated by the Barry County Humane Society and addi­ tional expenses were paid by the BCF and Barry County United Way. -Accepted a $5,000 donation from Friends of the HPAC in support of the district’s fall Play. - Accepted a $14,235 donation from the Hastings Education and Enrichment Founda­ tion in support of various school programs. - Accepted a $2,000 donation from Al & Pete’s Sport Shop to deposit in the student assistance fund. -Accepted a $500 donation from an anony­ mous donor to purchase playground equip­ ment and supplies at Southeastern Elementary. - Accepted a $1,000 donation from the Bosma family to help students in need at Southeastern Elementary. - Accepted a $8,873 donation from the Star Elementary School Parent Teacher Orga­ nization to purchase new library furniture. Every day since the demolition of the 86-year-old elementary school building earlier this fall, the construction project has taken on a new look. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass L Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J 2O& Fabrics 1 Excludes sale items. • Sale ends 11-30-22. S Time to Sew Christmas Gifts! • Tfaf&W • Pray fa* Oar fflatitw | > QUESTIONS: ASK US- 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 mm, Construction crews have worked on the Delton Kellogg Elementary School building even throughout the snowy week Barry County experienced. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm 1 Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station . V-hV>AAAAAAAA/.AAAAAAAAAAAAAA �Page 4 — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Giving thanks BONE CHILLING Signs of winter descended on Barry County so fast and furiously over the past week that this evil guy didn’t have time to take cover after scaring area trick-ortreaters. Reader Delmar Bachert was out and about in Hastings when he encountered this large skeleton standing guard in a yard near the corner of South and South Jefferson Streets. Kudos to our boney friend for remaining upright after a winter storm system moved through the area, bringing with it lots of wind and over a feet of snow throughout the past week. Now, someone get that guy a scarf! Do you remember? “Read the Paper,” the mascot of the Hastings Banner, proudly marches along the route during the annual Christmas parade in downtown Hastings last Saturday afternoon. Editor’s note: In the present, the annual Hastings Christmas Parade will take place this Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. The parade is expected to conclude around 7p.m. Have you met? It’s hard for Sara Lien Edelman to pick one place to call home, although she is cer­ tainly a Midwesterner. “I have lived all over the Midwest,” she said. “There’s not one place that I would call a traditional home, it’s been all over the country.” Her long and winding journey through the Midwest led to finding her latest posi­ tion at Pierce Cedar Creek, where she cur­ rently works as the nature reserve’s market­ ing coordinator. “I handle all the public relations, all the marketing, all the advertising, social media, things like that,” she said. “Basically, I think it’s kind of telling the story of the institute. That’s what I think marketing and PR is in general, is storytelling.” Edelman grew up mostly in Chicago and outside Minneapolis. She discovered her passion for storytelling while studying jour­ nalism and English at Stephens University in Columbia, Mo. There, she worked on a team of six to put together the university’s bi-weekly student newspaper. After graduating in 1999, Edelman worked at a TV consulting firm in Marion, Iowa. Edelman and several other editors worked to gather and analyze data to help local TV stations improve their ratings and better serve their viewers. The decisions made by the firm ranged from the extremely specific and mun­ dane to the hugely ambiguous and far-reaching. Edelman said they could be as simple as deciding what kind of hair­ style for a specific anchor would be most popular among viewers, or as complex as deciding how to best cover disasters and national tragedies. Edelman was working at the firm during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and said the news crawl found on many news stations during major break­ ing news is a direct result of firms like hers brainstorming ways to keep viewers informed. “That’s how they all decided to keep running (the news) and to update the public about who was deceased, who had been found, and just the most recent informa- Sara Edelman tion,” she said. “That’s where a lot of those decisions were made.” Edelman decided to head back to law school. Shortly after graduating in 2008, she moved back to Minneapolis to work at a publishing company in a public relations position. That’s when she met her husband, David Edelman. After a shake-up in his career of 23 years, the two moved to Grand Rapids to seek new opportunities. Sara continued her public relations work for authors, working as a freelancer instead of for a publisher. She started looking for another job she could take on alongside her public relations business that would help her get out from behind her desk. That’s when she saw the ad for the Pierce Cedar Creek position. Even though neither of them could have predicted the events that led them here, the two are happy where they ended up. “In life, you never really know. (Regard­ less of) what you think is really stable and what you think your future is going to be, life has other plans sometimes,” she said. “We kind of went where life led us and it led us here.” Now the two live in Hastings, where Sara continues her work as a public relations spe­ cialist and David works as assistant director at the Hastings Public Library. Although liv­ ing in Hastings and working at a 160-acre nature reserve has been a big change from the suburbs of Minneapolis and Grand Rap­ ids, Sara said it has been a welcome change. “It’s a beautiful area. We’re very lucky to be situated not far from Chicago, so if you want to go there and see the city life, you can. Or you can be in the country on 13 acres in the beauty of Barry County,” she said. “The people are lovely. We have many good friends here. I mean, to be so close to the lakes as well. It’s like a place where you can do what you want to do.” For following her passions and embrac­ ing the Barry County way of life, Sara Lien Edelman is this week’s Bright Light. Something most people don’t know about me: I consider myself a pop culture archeologist. I love to learn about the history of entertainment and find lost media. I’m also very knowledgeable about film history. I can tell you stories about silent film actors like John Gilbert or Greta Garbo or more recent actors like George Clooney or Angelina Jolie. Favorite movie: “The Thin Man.” Best gift I’ve ever received: My hus­ band, David. Favorite teacher: Beatrice Bartlett. She was my English professor my first year of college. She was the first teacher to tell me I could write well. What I like about my job: I love telling stories... especially about nature. Hobbies: Watching classic movies, bak­ ing, reading, bird watching. What the world needs now is: Empa­ thy! Spending time to acknowledge your blessings and really take an inventory of the things you’re thankful for is so important. Our society - especially if you consider social media as an accurate snapshot of where we are at - has adopt­ ed this practice where it’s standard to talk and act like everything is dire and hopeless. This mentality really took off during the CO VID-19 pandemic, when, at times, it did feel like life as we knew it was over. And while many use this “well, it can’t get any worse” brand of sarcastic humor, I get a little burnt out on it. In fact, when I go a week constantly seeing people talk about how bad the world is, it kind of gets me down. I get it, our world is far from perfect and everyone reading this is likely grappling with some really serious and tough problems, but we all have a reason to be thankful. And that includes me. At the risk of being incredibly cliche, I wanted to take time on this Thanksgiv­ ing Eve to write a little about the things I am thankful for, many of which reside in Barry County. There aren’t enough pages that we could add to this issue of The Banner to tell you about the many things that I’m thankful for at home and in my personal life. My three crazy kids, a supportive significant other, and a roof over my head -1 am truly blessed, to say the least. But, for the sake of this column, I’m going to stick to the things I am thankful for in Barry County and at my new profession­ al home of J-Ad Graphics. For starters, I am thankful for such a loyal readership that we enjoy at our community papers. People get into the journalism industry because they want to write about things that impact the lives of others. They want their work to be read. And, while every article I sit down to write might not be the hard­ est-hitting piece of reporting I’ve writ­ ten, I know that there is a purpose for it and, in some way, it is going to inform residents here in Barry County. I’ve been writing for public consump­ tion for nearly 20 years - all the way back since early high school when me and my buddy harnessed an emerging thing called “e-mail” to write about, and review, the latest video games. I’ve made many stops along the way. At each stop, I always thought to myself, “I won­ der how many people are really reading my stuff.” I know that here, in Barry County, people read The Banner, The Reminder and our other community papers, which is arguably the most ful­ filling aspect of this job. I’m thankful for letters and emails complaining about my work, which might sound weird. In addition to grow­ ing the thick skin that you need in this industry, I have come to realize that angry letters are a good thing. While they are not always the most fun to read, even the angry letters indicate that some­ one cares about your publication enough to write in. It’s when people stop bother­ ing to write in completely that you should be concerned. And, to Barry County’s credit, I really haven’t received many letters of outrage in my time here, so kudos! I’m thankful for county officials that see the value in what we do and provide our reporters with access to the informa­ tion they need. Let’s step carefully around this topic, though. I’m not claim­ ing that local government and other county officials are completely an open book and we understand our role in holding them accountable, but I’ve had many pleasant interactions with officials throughout the county. From county administrator Michael Brown and coun­ Jayson Bussa Editor The Hastings Banner The Hastings BclllIlCI* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. ty board chair Ben Geiger to Sheriff Dar Leaf to name three off the top of my head - most county officials seem to know and honor the job that we do. They respect the wall that we must keep up between each other, but they make them­ selves available to answer the questions we have for them. It’s a balance that I truly think is healthy and productive. I can’t give a rundown of the many things I’m thankful for here at J-Ad Graphics without turning my sights inside our own newsroom. I’m going to let Barry County in on a little secret you are spoiled! Upon arriving at the Hastings office, I was so excited about the talent that was already in the office - much of it brand new. The county should consider itself fortunate to have such a dedicated staff working to keep it informed. Copy editor and general jack-of-alltrades (and master of them all!) Molly Macleod and reporter Hunter McLaren are both freshly out of college and div­ ing headfirst into the world of journal­ ism. This might scare them to read, but when I watch them work, I see a little bit of myself. My first gig out of college was in a newsroom of similar size locat­ ed down in Marion, Ind. While Hunter, Molly and the rest of us learn the ins and outs of community journalism together, that duo has made such a profound impact immediately and is leaps and bounds ahead of where I was at in that phase of life. Plus, they’re forced to lis­ ten to my horrible dad jokes while we’re in the office. Reporter Greg Chandler, as I tell him often, is a machine. A veteran of the industry, Greg suffers through marathon meetings so you don’t have to - and he mines out the important information and puts it on the pages of our papers. I could send Greg out to any event under the sun with full confidence that I’m going to get a report that I’ll barely have to touch. He’s that good. Then, there is Brett Bremer, who maybe isn’t the editor of The Banner in title, but he might as well be called the mayor of our papers. People often say that, in small-town papers, two things are most important - high school sports and the police blotter. People want to read about who got arrested and how the hometown team did. For so many years, Brett has faithfully reported on Barry County sports and the county has benefitted from it. And, if you can believe that he has any spare time, he’s basically been my go-to for every question that has to do with page layout, special event coverage and work­ ing with the ad department. I’m fairly sure he’s sick of hearing from me at this point but he is, without a doubt, the heart of the newsroom. Surrounding the newsroom is an equally as impressive support staff that provides the nuts and bolts that hold our publication together. Even outside of the office we have an all-star cast of free­ lance reporters in James Gemmell, Leila Wood and Karen Turko-Ebright, who are all out in the community represent­ ing J-Ad publications. At the top sits our CEO Fred Jacobs, who is a Barry County encyclopedia who I go to first to gather information on any person or anything. Faithful readers, outstanding staff, dedicated leadership - I’ve encountered much to be thankful for here in Barry County and I appreciate you being a part of it. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — Page 5 DNR encourages hunters to donate a deer to feed the hungry this season With a week left in Michigan’s firearm deer season, the state’s Department of Natu­ ral Resources (DNR) is encouraging success­ ful hunters to help hungry families in their community by donating a deer to Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger. “Hunters who donate a deer will help local communities in need by providing them with highly desirable venison meals,” said Joe Presgrove, public outreach analyst in the DNR Marketing and Outreach Division, who coordinates the department’s partnership with Michigan Sportsman Against Hunger. “Also, donating a deer is not the only way hunters may help. To help cover the cost of processing donated deer, individuals can make a monetary contribution when purchas­ ing hunting and fishing licenses. Every dollar donated helps feed those in need, and hunters who donate a whole deer have a chance to win some great prizes for participating.” Hunters have a chance to win gift cards and other prizes by donating a deer at any Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger partici­ pating processor during the 2022 Michigan deer hunting season. A list of participating processors can be found on the DNR website. Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger, which is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organiza­ tion, helps connect donors, wild game proces­ sors and charities like food banks, pantries and shelters that help feed those in need. The organization distributed over 100,000 pounds of venison last year, providing more than 400,000 meals for needy families. For information on donation drives, visit SportsmenAgainstHunger.org. Gov. Whitmer pardons turkey; Declares Saturday as “Beat the Buckeyes” Day in Michigan One less turkey will find its way to a Thanksgiving table as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer stuck with tradition by formally pardoning a turkey on Monday, allowing it to go free. The turkey’s name, Mitch E. Gander, was submitted by Seneca of Grand Rapids and Mia of Harper Woods as part of a statewide contest. The name was selected from more than 6,000 entries in the contest announced last week. Mitch E. Gander is the first turkey pardoned since the governor took office. “For many Michiganders, the week before Thanksgiving is stuffed with holiday activi- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (center, left) poses with a group next a turkey named Mitch E. Gander. The governor pardoned the turkey, which is often a fun tra­ dition with both governors and the President of the United States. ties, meal prep, and time with family,” said Governor Whitmer. “But before we gobble down our Thanksgiving meal and baste in the glow of family and friends, it’s important to take time to reflect on everything we are grateful for. Our family, friends, and loved ones, even though they might ruffle our feath­ ers sometimes. Michigan’s health care pro­ fessionals, armed service members, volun­ teers, and everyone who works hard to make our state better. I am proud to pardon Mitch E. Gander, and I wish every Michigander a great Thanksgiving.”? And what goes more hand-in-hand with a Thanksgiving turkey than football? Ahead of the storied rivalry college foot­ ball game between the undefeated University of Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State University Buckeyes, Whitmer this week declared Saturday, as “Beat the Buckeyes” Day in Michigan. “There is no better'Michigah tradition than watching the Wolverines beat that team down south,” she said. “Whether you’re a Spartan or a.Wolverine, let’s come together this Saturday and show the Buckeyes what Michigan grit and determination can do. Let’s get this W!” On Saturday at noon, the Wolverines will face the Buckeyes for the 118th meeting of “The Game.” First played in 1897, the Wol­ verines lead the series 59-51-6. In 2021, the Michigan Wolverines defeated the Buckeyes in a 42-27 victory. Whitmer is the mother of two students at the University of Michigan. Michigan’s outdoor recreation boom is becoming a business boom Kelly House Bridge Michigan Michigan’s COVID-19 outdoor recreation boom has produced a subsequent business boom, according to a new federal report on the state’s outdoor scene. Buoyed by a global pandemic that shuttered public gathering spaces and pushed people outdoors, Michigan’s outdoor recreation econ­ omy grew by 15.4 percent last year, contribut­ ing $10.8 billion and 109,595 jobs to the state’s economy, according to a new report by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis. That’s more than double the rate of growth for Michigan’s economy as a whole during the same time frame, and an increase of 1,600 jobs and $1.3 billion in economic impact over 2020. Fresh off those stats, the state this month moved its Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources into the Michigan Eco­ nomic Development Corporation, signaling a growing commitment to viewing Michigan’s outdoors as an economic driver. The state this week also released its latest five-year plan for Michigan’s outdoor recre­ ation scene, which stresses the need for more investment in local outdoor amenities as record numbers of people continue to flock to Michigan’s trails, waterways and parks. Statistics collected as part of the five-year plan show that a quarter of Michiganders are getting outside more today than they were before the pandemic. Early data suggests those new habits have staying power, said Brad Garmon, director of the state Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry. “There are things that are probably going to be lifestyle choices that will stick around,” Garmon said. Bridge Michigan spoke with Garmon about Michigan’s changing outdoor recreation scene, and how he sees Michigan capitalizing on its growth. Kayaking and biking are up, hunting and snowmobiling are down The federal statistics show boating and fishing were the most economically-impactful pursuits, accounting for 948 million dol­ lars last year. Next came RVing, followed by hunting and related sports. But below those topline figures, Michi­ gan’s outdoor recreation scene is showing signs of change. Paddlesports and bicycling are growing dramatically more popular, while hunting and snow sports are on the wane. The gradual loss of enthusiasm for hunting is nothing new; Michigan hunting participa­ tion has declined by 2-3 percent annually since the 1990s as older hunters age out and younger generations opt for other pursuits. Garmon attributed the decline of snow sports partly to a momentary lapse caused by the pandemic, and partly to an alarming long­ term trend of waning winters as the globe warms. “Shorter seasons, less dependable snow that’s affecting snow sports across the board,” Garmon said. And it’s forcing snow tourism-dependent industries and communities to innovate. More ski hills are manufacturing snow during lack­ luster winters, Garmon said. And communi­ ties that have long thrived on the reputation of their snowmobile trails and ski hills are investing in mountain biking trails and zip lines to capture tourists when snow is thin. Garmon sees an opportunity to offset the loss of some winter tourism by building more manufacturing and innovation into Michi­ gan’s outdoor economy. “We should be able to make more, design more, test more gear,” he said. “And that’s going to help communities in the long term, so maybe you’re designing and testing skis here and you have to fly out west to do some skiing sometimes.” Marquette, for instance, is building out a business incubator to support outdoor start­ up companies. Garmon said he hopes to see more equipment and apparel manufacturing in Michigan, pointing to shoe company HOLO Footwear’s new Grand Rapids head­ quarters as an example. He also said there’s opportunity for Mich­ igan to cultivate an electric boating, ATV and snowmobile manufacturing industry alongside efforts to make the state a hub for electric vehicle manufacturing. Making the case for more trails and parks close to home State officials polled Michiganders about their outdoor preferences as part of the rec­ reation planning process. And they found that while boating and RVing might be big moneymakers, most people spend the bulk of their time outdoors walking in their neighborhoods or visiting local parks. Garmon said that’s prompting state lead­ ers to embrace an “evolving definition” of outdoor recreation - one that’s focused less on tourism and more on close-to-home ame­ nities. That also fits with the state’s goal of building out more equitable recreation access for those who are less willing or able to travel long distances to get outdoors. “We should continue to support travel tourism,” Garmon said, “and we will. But we can also do a lot of this that’s closer to home.” To that end, state lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer earlier this year allocated $115 million for recreational greenways in Detroit and Grand Rapids, $20 million for sports-related tourism and recreation in northern Michigan, and $65 million in grants to local parks across Michigan. State officials noted in Michigan’s draft recreation plan that those investments are still not enough. There’s so much to be thankful for After listening to the news over the weekend, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be easy to get into the holiday spirit. But regardless of what’s going on in the world, the annual holiday programs are on televi­ sion and most radio stations are playing Christmas music so whether we’re ready or not - it’s the holiday season! For some, getting into the mood for Thanksgiving might seem a bit difficult. But no matter how bad things might seem to you, just remember there’s still so much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving is considered one of the most cherished of all our holidays because it remains free from the confusion that comes with the gifts and the giving in the season about to come. It’s the time in which we’re reminded and renewed by one of mankind’s greatest virtues: thankfulness. In fact, at a recent Rotary meeting, mem­ bers were asked what they were thankful for and they didn’t have any problems coming up with their ideas such as living in a great community, generous people, good health and more. I don’t think if someone asks you what you have to be thankful for most people would have a response. It reminds me of something author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, “Be grateful for what you have and stop complaining - it bores everybody else, does you no good and doesn’t solve any problems.” It seems, as Americans, we’ve become critical - of ourselves, our way of life and of the leaders that represent us. We’ve allowed our self-criticism to overwhelm and divide us. Today, even the pride we once celebrated in being Americans has become questioned by groups that seek to divide us rather than promote all for which we have to be thankftil. There’s a song that I’ve talked about before as we celebrate Thanksgiving that reminds us how important it is to enjoy the season. The song, “Thankful,” written by David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager, expresses how we should live our lives, and how we should be thankful for what we have because there are always going to be peo­ ple finding themselves in more difficult situations. During the holiday season, families still experience death, sickness and tragedy but as the song says, “Some days, we forget to look around us. Some days we can’t see the joy that surrounds us.'We’re-so caught up inside ourselves; we take more than we give. So tonight, we pray for, what we know can be. And on this day we hope for. What we still can’t see. It’s up to us, to be the change. And even though we all can still do more, there’s so much to be thankful for.” As you get together with family and friends this week to enjoy a meal and some conversation, take time to talk about what you’re thankful for. It’s a good time to reflect and be thankful for all of the good things in our lives. It’s important to be grateful, even though you may want more - be thankful for what you have, knowing there are so many that have even less. The song goes on to ask us to, “Look beyond ourselves, because there’s so much sorrow.” It’s important that we all find the truth, which may be long overdue. No mat­ ter how bad things seem, we must not look back, dwelling on what could have been, but look forward, determined to focus on what can be - putting us in a better frame of mind so we can really enjoy Thanksgiv­ ing - and the beginning of the Christmas season. Thanksgiving was originally considered a religious event to give thanks to God for all that we have. But the traditional holiday has changed over the years, and society seems to focus more on football games and big shop­ ping events rather than thinking about what we have and being thankful for it. But in rural America, in places like Barry County, communities still celebrate the spirit of the season with local dinners, church events and all the donations from organizations that provide hope to those who find themselves struggling during the holiday season. Many local schools celebrate Thanks­ giving traditions with special meals and stories about the first Thanksgiving. It’s also a time of special holiday programs, craft shows and local parades that announce the Christmas season. With all the things we do every day, we run the risk of getting wrapped up in the things we don’t have, rather than appreciat­ ing the good in our lives. So getting involved in these annual events, taking the time to give more than we receive and focusing on those who have less is good for us and it gets us into the spirit of the season. In these challenging times, most of us find it hard to focus on the positive things in our lives, especially when difficult situ­ ations dominate our thoughts, often turn­ ing our conversations to our troubles, rather than all the possibilities. So it’s imperative that we approach the holiday with the determination to make the best out of what we have and take the time to reflect on those who have passed away and enjoy all the family and friends who are still with us. Each of us has a story of tragedy in our lives, a sick relative, a recent death in the family a loss of a job - a situation that con­ sumes us. So it’s easy to understand why we end up thinking about the problems rather than being thankful for what we do have. I know it sounds a bit trite to some, but it goes to who we are, how we feel and how we approach each day. So take the time to look through our publications and plan to enjoy the special dinners, a craft show and a holiday presen­ tation that only comes once a year. Don’t miss out on these special events that will give you a warm feeling that will better prepare you for the holiday season. “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has,” said Epictetus. Whenever I get down and out I look through my book of favorite quotes and always find some words that help me over­ come just about any situation in life. Try it - it’s always worked for me. Happy Thanksgiving! Drunk driver pulls into stranger's driveway, vomits A 55-year-old Delton woman called police after a stranger pulled into the driveway of her home on the 9600 block of Pine Lake Road, exited his vehicle and vomited. Police received the call around 3 p.m. on Nov. 13 and responded to the residence, where they found the 21-year-old Portage man in his car with his pants around his ankles watching pornography. The man denied that he was drinking, said that he had not vomited and denied that a nearby empty bottle of vodka belonged to him. He told police he was headed to his grandparents’ house in the area to help them with something when he received a call that stressed him out, at which point he pulled over. The man admitted to being on private property and told police he did not know the property owner. He told police he was drinking the previous night, and that it had not been eight hours since his last drink. A preliminary breath test on the scene placed the man’s BAC at 0.137 percent. Man asks for handgun to “take care of somebody” Barry County law enforcement received several reports of a suspicious man trying to buy a handgun around 10 a.m. on Nov. 1. A 58-year-old homeless man was denied at two gun stores in Hastings after making suspicious statements, including saying that he needed a gun and ammunition to “take care of somebody.” Police met up with the man who denied explicitlysaying or implying he was planning on hurting anyone. The man told police he only wanted a gun for self protection, recounting an alleged incident from the previous night where he was being chased by someone with a shotgun. Police told the man there was a mental health order from Michigan State Police preventing him from acquiring a firearm or concealed pistol license. Empty cash register drawer found leaning against tree near Yankee Springs Police retrieved an empty cash register drawer around 11 a.m. on Nov. 12 near the Yankee Springs Recreation Area. A 57-year-old Wayland man told police he was biking when he saw the drawer leaning against a tree along the Long Lake trail near South Briggs Road. The draw­ er appeared to have been outside for several days, and looked as if it had been thrown out of a moving vehicle. Police were unaware of any recent crimes involving a stolen cash drawer. �Page 6 — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner TK Early Childhood Center draws rave reviews from kids, staff Greg Chandler Staff Writer A little more than two months after open­ ing its doors for the first time, Thomapple Kellogg Schools’ Early Childhood Center is a hit with students and staff. Sarah Hammer, TK’s director of special education and the Early Childhood Center, presented an update on the school’s first cou­ ple of months during Monday’s Board of Education meeting. “It’s a beautiful building. We absolutely adore it. The kids love the space,” Hammer told board members. The Early Childhood Center is home to TK’s tuition-based preschool programs for 3-and-4-year-olds, the state-funded Great Start Readiness Program for preschool kids from at-risk backgrounds, and the district’s early childhood special education program. A total of 178 students are enrolled at the school - 68 of whom are in the 4-year-old preschool program. Another 37 students are in the 3-year-old preschool program, 61 are in the Great Start Readiness Program and 12 are in the early childhood special-ed program, Hammer said. “We continue to grow. We do have a few openings available,” she said. “We’ve had to turn kids away in the past, so now with our new building we get to have that opportunity to continue to grow. We’re already talking about what it’s going to look like next year and how we want to operate our programs to adapt to what our community needs.” “It's a beautiful building. We absolutely adore it. The kids love the space.” — Sarah Hammer, Director of Special Education and the Early Childhood Center for Thornapple Kellogg Schools Some of the activities that the 4-year-old preschool classes have experienced include a visit from local firefighters and a presenta­ tion by Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, Ham­ mer said. “We’re trying to bring field trips to us because it’s so difficult to get our kids on the buses,” she said. One of the early highlights of the year was an art show where visitors could get to purchase art work by ECC students. The event raised $1,200 for the school’s Par­ ent-Teacher Organization, Hammer said. Hammer also presented an update on TK’s special education program. A total of 399 students districtwide have individual­ ized education plans, or lEPs - including 106 that receive speech and language instruction, 102 that have specific learning disabilities, plus others that are on the autism spectrum, have cognitive impair­ ments or are developmentally-delayed, Hammer said. Hammer reported that some students with lEPs achieved proficiency on statewide assessment tests last spring. For example, 56 percent of eighth-graders on an individu­ alized plan scored proficient in langauge arts on the Michigan Student Test of Educa­ tional Progress, or M-STEP. The district scored above statewide and Kent Intermedi­ ate School District averages for proficiency among students with lEPs, Hammer said. In addition, 92 percent of Thornapple Kellogg High School students from the Class of 2020 that were on lEPs received their diplomas, again exceeding statewide and KISD averages, Hammer said. “We’re working hard. We’re going in the right direction,” she said. “I know that there’s going to come times when we’re not always going to be on top, but it’s some­ thing we can celebrate today, at this moment. It was extremely gratifying to see that hard work that all of the staff is doing, is really paying off.” Thornapple Kellogg Schools Superintendent Craig McCarthy (center, in suit) cuts the ribbon marking the opening of the district’s new Early Childhood Development Center back in August. (File photo by Greg Chandler) Elaine Garlock Too late for publication last week, we read that the Christian Reformed Church on Sixth Avenue, Harvest Community Church, was to host a community Thanksgiving service Sun­ day, Nov. 20 in the evening. The biggest event of the week here will be Christmas ‘Round the Town coming Friday and Saturday. Many churches are hosting multiple dealers with a variety of crafts avail­ able along with food at lunchtime, novelties and the latest in craft ideas. The Lake Odessa Depot Museum on Emerson Street is also, the site of multiple dealers, most of whom have used, this s,^ce^s/,ul,yepue to s^lLtheif wurd^ It is often helpful to know where to find a favorite vendor who is returning with the same line of goods. The big tubs positioned on each of the downtown comers have been moved for win­ land and congratulate him on reaching his 90^ birthday anniversary. His remaining four sons, his wife Vergie and many of his grand­ children and the younger greats were on hand to do the hosting, plus their wives. Dick had been provided a chair, but he seldom sat in it. Once again, the scene has changed at the intersection of M-50 and Cemetery Road. In recent days, motorists have been surprised to see a red/green traffic light and the road reduced to one lane. The south lane is occu­ pied by big machinery, some of it holding metal pipes of several inches in diameter, doubtless to be used in the ditch on the south side. For many weeks, the intersection was closed to traffic but is now open. The road has been affected for months from M-50 south to Brown Road in Woodland Township. At times, there were traffic lights at each end of the curved section of the county road as it went around the trees which buffer the curved shoreline of Jordan Lake. Residents of Eagle Point and Donna Drive were obliged to drive south to Brown Road to get north to reach Lake Odessa. Also, their route took them east past Lakewood High School. An annual event is coming Sunday, Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. at Pleasant Valley United Brethren Church on M-50 west. This delightful after­ noon brings a combination of brass instru­ ments, the Coldwater Brass and the handbells of the host church in concert. This is a pleas­ ant way to start the holiday season. New start dates for Medicare Part B coverage coming in 2023 Vbnda Van Til Public Affairs Specialist Changes are coming in 2023 for when Medicare Part B coverage starts. What is not changing: If you are eligible at age 65, your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): • Begins three months before your 65th birthday. • Includes the month of your 65th birthday. • Ends three months after your 65th birthday. If you are automatically enrolled in Medi­ care Part B or if you sign up during the first three months of your IEP, your coverage will start the month you’re first eligible. If you sign up the month you turn 65, your coverage will start the first day of the following month. This won’t change with the new rule. What is changing: Starting Jan. 1,2023, your Medicare Part B coverage starts the first day of the month after you sign up if you sign up during the last three months of your IEP. Before this change, if you signed up during the last three months of your IEP, your Medi­ care Part B coverage started two to three months after you enrolled. If you don’t sign up for Medicare Part B during your IEP, you have another chance each year during the General Enrollment Period (GEP). The GEP lasts from Jan. 1 through March 31. Starting Jan. 1, 2023, your coverage starts the first day of the month after you sign up. You can learn more about these updates on our Medicare webpage at ssa.gov/medicare and our Medicare publication at ssa.gov/ pubs/EN-05-10043 .pdf. Please pass this information along to some­ one who may need it. Vonda Van Til is the public affairs special­ ist for West Michigan. You may write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids MI 49525, or via email, vo/iau.vaniilffssa.gov. Jl(l Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www, hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (corner of Milo Rd. &S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Nov. 24-30 Nov. 1-Dec. 31 - November Storywalk Book: “Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Ani­ mals Get Ready for Winter” by Laura Purdie Salas; illustrated by Claudine Gevry. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. Worship &fraise Jackson Adler Morrow, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 24, 2022 to Jillian Morrow and Alexander Morrow of Delton. Nolan James Hoaglin, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 26, 2022 to Paige Hoaglin of Hastings. Atlas River McManus Cosme, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 28, 2022 to Breanna Cosme and Wesley McManus of Hastings. Christopher David Hebner, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 29, 2022 to Kara Marie Hebner and Richard David Hebner of Shelbyville. Memphis Ray Seeley, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on October 30, 2022 to Haley Proctor and Easton Seeley of Ionia. Jack Nicholas Reigler, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 2, 2022 to Fiberglass Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s Kaley Reigler and Freeport. Brandon Reigler of Jasper Hugh Nevins, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 2, 2022 to Raeann Nevins and Michael Nevins of Vermontville. Sawyer Andrew Martin, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 9, 2022 to Ceaira Martin and Nicholas Martin of Lake Odessa. Dalia Ivy Rose Latzel, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 10, 2022 to Jordanne Terry and Dylan Latzel of Hastings. Colton Elijah Kauffman, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 11, 2022 to Andrea Kauffman and Anthony Kauffman of Nashville. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY EVENTS FOR NOV. 24-30 Nov. 24-26 — Closed for Thanksgiving. Monday, Nov. 28 — Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 — Baby Cafe, 10-noon; mahjong, 2:30 p.m.; chess, 5:30 p.m.; write­ in for NaNoWriMo writers group, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30 — Itsy Bitsy Book Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m.; open computer lab, 2-4 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263. William Forest Brooke, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 12, 2022 to Kelli Brooke and Ryan Brooke of Nashville. AWOUDWSESUPPUEROF HotftneTools&Eqdptnent 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. • Traditional and Cremation Services • Pre-Planning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted Hums 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Nov. 1-30 - The Scientist’s Secret Puzzle: Puzzle Game on the Trails. Information is available at the south side of the Visitor Cen­ ter near the restrooms. The Puzzle Game is free and self-guided. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. ter storage after gracing the village with their beauty for months. Much appreciation goes to the local Arts Commission and Downtown Development Authority for tending to this important facet of the town’s attractiveness. The contents of the barrels are changed peri­ odically over the spring-fall months. The tall cannas surrounded by shorter begonias were very attractive this year. The pennants, each emblazoned by the photo and legend of the pictured veteran, are on all the lampposts from Fourth Street north to Tupper Lake Street. It is impossible to read them while driving, so it is best to take a walk for a dis­ tance to fully appreciate the information given. Do you remember this or that veteran looking so young? Dozens of friends and relatives gathered at Lakewood Church on M-50 on Sunday after­ noon to honor Richard Winkler of rural Wood­ dl ■*- •*" Owner/Manager 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Travis Lee Kingsbury, Delton and Diane Michelle Kingsbury, Delton Erica Amber Shields, Hastings and Shan­ non Dale Svenson, Hastings Ashley Ann Davis, Hastings and Andrew Ronald Pierson, Hastings �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — Page 7 X fl looK Wat the stories and columns on local history In the Hastings Banner TURNING BflGK THE PAGES Joyce F. Weinbrecht Banner, April 27, 2000 The first newspaper in Barry County was issued in Hastings and was called “The Barry County Pioneer.” George A. Smith was the owner, publisher, editor, typesetter and ink devil, all at the same time. This paper was started on Feb. 20, 1851. It was a four-page sheet with five columns to a page, on sheets 14-by-20 inches in size. The paper was published on Fridays, except for three weeks during harvest time, when Mr. Smith missed three weeks while he harvested crops on his farm. The price of this paper was $1, if sent out in the mail or picked up at the print shop office, which was on State Street. If it was delivered by carrier, the price per year in the village was $1.50. He apparently did hire some help with the delivery route. The paper was Democratic in its political interests. It had several regular advertisers who paid 50 cents for the first time it was in the paper, with a charge of 25 cents for each time following. This bought a space of 10 lines or less. Mr. Smith sold the paper to Ashman Knap­ pen. Knappen enlarged the paper to four pages, six columns, of 16-by-20 inches. In April of 1853, the paper was again enlarged to 18-by-24 inches. Mr. Knappen was still the editor and the price was increased to $1.25 per year. The motto of the paper was “Our Country and Our Country’s Good.” At this point, the paper began to show some leaning toward the Wig (Free Soil) political way of thinking. Early Hastings George Smith' came back into the newspaper world under the pressure from the people to bring out a paper, which was again very Dem­ ocratic in its views. He established “The Barry County Review.” The paper called itself the “court house organ,” often in bitter terms. In 1854, Mr. Knappen sold his paper to the Barry County Review and the two papers were consolidated under the original name, “Barry County Pioneer.” The price was $1.50 per year. The “Barry County Pioneer” continued to be published over the next 11 years. It changed hands several times, with George Smith transferring it to E.D. Ackley, with C.G. Holbrook as editor. George W. Mills ran it for a while when Mr. Ackley again took it over in 1865. Mr. Gensler acquired the paper in 1866. But (with) the climate of the county, the post­ war period and the outcome of the elections with the Republican victories, he just aban­ doned the enterprise as hopeless. On May 7, 1862, the “Hastings Republican Banner” became The Hastings Banner and has remained under that name. In November of 1889, the Cook Brothers, Marshall L. and William R. Cook became partners in The Hastings Banner and operated it for over 50 years. There were some other papers in Hastings. “The Independent,” professing to be indepen­ dent of political influence, operated from January 1967 until December 1867, when its building was destroyed by a fire. It was pub­ lished by W. Roscoe Young. The “Hastings Home Journal” became the paper for the Democratic Party in the fall of 1868. This paper lasted from October of 1867 until October of 1869. That year it was known as “The Barry County Democrat,” but was changed to “The Hastings Home Jour­ nal” in 1870. This paper changed hands sev­ eral times and continued to operate for sever­ al years and was an advocate for the Green­ back Party. The “Barry County Sentinel” was pub­ lished by Phillip W. Niskem. This paper last­ This engine was typical of the engines first used on Grand Valley Railroad and then the Michigan Central Railroad. ed for 31 issues and 12 months. It was not profitable. Mr. Niskem sold his good will and subscription list to The Hastings Banner. Middleville and Nashville also had several different newspapers in those early years. One of the concerns of the people of Hast­ ings was the fact that there was no railroad in the city. Hastings’s connection to the outside world was through the incoming or outgoing stagecoaches, which traveled between Battle Creek and Grand Rapids, with Hastings as one of the stage coach line stops. Both Battle Creek and Grand Rapids did have railroads. Goods coming into and products moving out of Hastings were sent either by horse or oxen and wagons if too much for the stage lines to handle. Following the Civil War, there was a very strong movement to bring a railroad to Hast­ ings. It was felt that a railroad would allow for industry to come to the city. The effort moved forward to raise the funding and acquire the right-of-ways for such a railroad, which would run from Jack­ son to Grand Rapids. The Grand Valley Rail­ road was formed. Soon after it was built, Michigan Central Railroad leased and then purchased the rail­ road. This was indubitably the plan from the beginning of the project and Michigan Cen­ tral would have probably built the line if Grand Valley hadn’t done it. The bonds (were) offered to the township of Hastings and village of Hastings, and were voted in by a good majority in the combined township and village. The bonds amounted to several thousand dollars and were used to secure the railroad. When the first train arrived in the village, it was quite an event. Schools were closed and the children marched up to the freight depot, which at that time was on East Rail­ road Street. This depot was located several blocks from the business area of the village and the hotels. The people waited quite a while for the arrival of this first train in 1869. The little engine, which was pulling, was small. It burned wood. The smoke stack was almost as big as the boiler. The engines in those early days of the Grand River Valley were named for the counties which they passed through, Kent, Barry, Eaton and Jackson. The cars were flimsy, small wooden affairs. The engine would have been stalled had it attempted to draw modem heavily loaded cars. But the people of Hastings were proud of this railroad line and its engines and cars. They at last had a railroad. But a problem loomed on the horizon: Hastings was a one railroad town. There was no regulation of freight rates and this soon became a very apparent problem. There was no competition for the freight on this line and the freight rates were out of sight'. The mer­ chants' and' industries vyete al the mercy bf the railroad. Grand Rapids had five railroads serving it. The Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee, which later became part of the Grand Trunk system; the Grand River Valley, which was absorbed by the Michigan Central; The Grand Rapids and Indiana, which was an indepen­ dent line and then became part of the Penn­ sylvania Railroad system; a branch of the Lakeshore and Michigan Southern, which was built north through Kalamazoo, Plain­ well and Allegan to Grand Rapids. Then there was the Pere Marquette, which came through Holland and then to Lansing from Grand Rapids. As the city grew and the services by the various railroads, freight rates became com­ petitive, which resulted in a big advantage to its manufacturers and businesses. Hastings lacked that kind of competition. Hastings Michigan Central Passenger Depot, built in the 1870s. The original depot, built in 1868, on Railroad Street became a freight depot when this depot was built on Apple Street. soon became disillusioned with the railroad and the injustices that were imposed upon them. At that time, there was no Interstate Commerce Commission to appeal to and for several years, Hastings had to pay whatever rates the Michigan Central imposed upon them. At this time in the history of Hastings, the merchants bought most of their goods in New York City. They often pooled their orders to get better prices. The railroad rates from New York City to Hastings were found to be near­ ly double the rates from New York City to Grand Rapids, even though the distance was only 31 miles farther. Merchants found that they could have their goods shipped from New York to Grand Rapids and have them returned to Hastings, which wasn’t much better than it had been when the goods came into other cities and had to be moved over land by stage or by drayage. A new press for The Banner, following the fire of 1884, which was ordered from a facto­ ry in New Haven, Conn., was shipped on the Grand Trunk Railroad from New Haven, north into Canada and then into Charlotte, and then the local rate was paid from Char­ lotte to Hastings, a distance of 28 miles, as opposed to the distance of about 900 miles. The high freight rates were interfering with the ability of the city to attract new industry to the area. A delegation from Hastings visited Wil­ liam H. Vanderbilt, head of the New York Central, to protest against freight discrimina­ tion, which definitely was harmful to small cities. Mr. Vanderbilt was not very sympa­ thetic. He is quoted as having responded, “The public be damned. Railroads are run to pay dividends.” This indicated that Vanderbilt and many other railroad operators were not interested in the plight of their custdftf&f§, but only inter­ ested in the dollars they could earn. Another railroad was proposed to run between Lowell and Hastings. This was to have been a narrow-gauge road. In 1874, this road was begun and actually was built from Lowell to Freeport, Irving Township. The first train on this line arrived in Freeport on Nov. 24, 1887. Later full railroad lines were laid and the railroad operated into Freeport until Sept. 12, 1935. ............................ The origins of books Dr. Universe: Who invented books? Nicole, 6, Washington Dear Nicole, Some people only like paper books. But I love the library app on my phone. It’s like having stacks of library books in my pocket. To learn more about books, I talked with my friend Greg Matthews. He’s the rare books librarian at Washington State Univer­ sity. “The short answer would probably be the Romans,” Matthews said. “But Rome was a really vast empire. So, it could have been a Roman in North Spain. It could have been a Roman in Egypt.” For us, a book is pages sewed or glued together inside covers. Another word for an ancient book with pages and a cover is a codex. That comes from a Latin word that means “block of wood.” Matthews told me that students in ancient Rome took notes on wood tablets. These were tied together with leather and covered in wax. Students used a pointed tool called a stylus to write on it. At some point, someone decided it would be handy to use those wax tablets like covers and stick pages inside-like a book. Mat­ thews said that even Julius Caesar used a codex to record information. Some of the very oldest examples of books with pages and a cover are around 2,400 years old. Those are rare. More com­ mon examples are closer to 1,700 years old. Before the codex took off, writing was done on scrolls. These were giant rolls of papyrus or parchment. They were often about 30 feet long. That’s as long as a three-story building is tall! Papyrus was made by weaving reeds together and then pounding them flat. Parchment was made from animal skin. Books with pages have advantages over scrolls. They’re easier to carry. They use both sides of the page. But regular people Dr. Universe (and all my microbes) Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. ............ ......... . REPUBLICAN BANNER. 1 c s. nntrox-^tfak*.-. FOL.- 1. Adywitow 91 HnZ i ffa- ,S«rosij«h- Nigfaliiyilv rcir.tt.n'kJ ■ ei week? w.-swbwr to tfa - ^Doctor Universe Tb.K Benner of thtbUnt the repvducan banker. tfa> : • fa, fafo" awoKwn. sic W? tired still didn’t have books for a long time main­ ly because they were difficult and expen­ sive to make. Finally, in the 1400s, a German metal worker named Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type. Before this invention, people had to copy books by hand. Or carve giant stamps to ink an entire page at once. Mov­ able type uses stamps for each individual letter. They are movable-because you can make words with them and then rearrange them to make different words. That made it easier and less expensive to print books, which allowed more people to have them. Humans have always communicated. They told each other stories. They made cave paintings. Eventually those pictures turned into letters. They carved heavy stone tablets or flexible clay ones. They made scrolls, books and eventually the library app on my phone. Everything we know about books and information is thanks to librarians. Librarians like Matthews guard knowledge so it’s never lost. They make it available for everyone. “The library is the most democratic insti­ tution in our society,” Matthews said. “It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t mat­ ter what you think or what you say or how much money you have or who your parents are. You can walk into a library, and you should be able to learn about anything with­ out any judgment.” Read on! Meanwhile south of Freeport, the grad­ ing for the line to continue to Hastings was continued. The men to do this grading were hired with promise of stock in the company for wages, so much for a man and a shovel and more for a man, a team and a piece of equipment. This labor was never paid off. The grading did get done quite a distance toward Hastings, and yet today a trace of this grade can be found in several places between the two places. Along the western side of number six fairway of the Hastings Country Club is one place. The panic of 1873 made it impractical to finish the road on into Hastings. During the 1880s, another railroading movement began. This was known as the Chicago, Kalamazoo and Saginaw Railroad. It did reach Kalamazoo, but never made it beyond Woodbury. It was hoped that with more railroads, freight rates would become competitive. This really didn’t happen. Farmers in the west were suffering from a depression in the prices for their crops. The Grand (Patrons of Husbandry) took up the fight against the railroads in their states. They demanded that the railroads pay more taxes, that they stop penalizing one railroad towns by their discriminating rates. Small businesses joined in the fight. Railroad man­ agers treated this whole movement with contempt. They attempted to justify their discrimination. This dissent led to the formation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. This com­ mission had the authority to establish trans­ portation rates which were to be fair. This act of Congress ended the unjustifiable railroad discrimination against one railroad towns. Hastings didn’t really gain much from this. The town of Hastings was no longer a one railroad town and tn^b’Ki^^ hljTWveftell some of the freight business to other towns along this route. It became apparent that if Hastings was to grow as a city and a trade center, more indus­ try was needed to draw people to the city. To do this, a group of businessmen was formed to attract more industry to the city by offering many incentives. This met with some suc­ cesses and several failures and Hastings con­ tinued to grow. took. far Po'k fo xfaruir ifa apptai—‘two wewni to' Ker. hen mill ktat Snt-of ttotwei Lv to Mt oydofaUe. voice* which tePWvhetf. ptocfcttcapMlve' sfal Otwprib rOOner tfa (fetafrlto fasUned sprtoknijrfan toreo.sMre &&■ carered—An-j with an iir ofauthorI cf s&vorHy, Wfn» demanded her XdwVtot foldifor to far tpr of ;n the a^l oPi'roreej Jenny Lind ibria d.-o wirfaut saying n M’Jwnafc »b wiA wt >ir of ad then ro Jstioir jrmi fave neglected no n, said tfat‘ vol) dratwelling undouananiep' . ebat-do you- take me tfanT* <fa-1 enny, obliged to break alienee. | rt attempt to imposo on in m>!«; shall arc tfatwoaro well iatormMganto of, Assumed rebk fas ■om vfa-re .dx-fas nude s dvpci, or-il Is noir iittvmpdng » fVppOrn, pcrcfaiKO—I ' HASTINGS, BAHRY COUNTY MICH. THURSD AY MAY 22,1856. tOTOT.uy XOMT. r. c. X. 7~.Ir. Ju ’ ; frit.: c Tsli,slight, with j'ensprrw’ifctAeto posd'-nI CtO ev.’.pcror she gvar-Wnka; [ Al the bdrotbnl, which ; wvtwt r,{ jho darke»t* Lio, sJoviy w,d j trfwt she eltol krt b; *r.d every eLvde t>f tolarsfcaaw.tr j mcdwuly, cod tlorini; the ' fo’vlwl sl/r.ply rouTidhcr In ’ net faring ipc^iMlltr, sA-l! f.-lt > eyes we;c ro I tli« Mlendid pres<«rMiont ( b»r.t«s With a. met*, n/.ned,; 'tsrned .•jiinsr io it, | with mvtellces ct not new < vfrypwit I N’stxfc lived a.na juewod t .* ’.ipirinml Atyfcxf beauty htf ftarutvs ! during L'e awn hetf'ufanaV |of <$!&•«««» in !«cr pppe-arana* <u«e.4>«|noitwig gnve her pics wee --ind AMwro svectwid cAnKat exort-Yx-n ifccliNvx'.nvcl latkr ri-.fcttx Cominind stood there list. I On t’.t cvv«ln<; aptolnted 1 tokSftfjdto eyn* . -< ’n her darkweft mblst xte vvetw ! fatejMly fol IcnnlWHy ; Tbv ordcsd waft sw. 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Bn; m theenntag wore I lUi’.y of Russia, were the nrln- ’ diWnj j totrtxtyouAiMjvsty, keep । on, she nee.mod towliv, and the wArtnlk • Magiiitiecwly lighted nndd'A bw «wjiocWr. ! cess presented far to far Jmpftrfci jni»- J wfat rcrs n«n*pW a’xtrTiCfiwm tfa cin-1 and excites runt brjujfa aglow brighter i—vtnn sfa br.’kcjrooin -ttresit; •• As w: NsidVie,: her wwm>i.'r, thy {pct6r, cr we gw Idllcwgc ’ tfanfaxkbfo her c's'.-xk. She had cou. i stc-jJ. looking, ;h mAm ot* t ’ • UVir Ito tJrtoJcrt 7. in gwxcfli con-1. Dw ribJut-1 «*nt',y rc-fi^d to snd it vat nntjfa fad irceivulnt Xct«W> :trjst thirgji4tiistatir,nrspyw,ig jgirl fniyt;>ndiwfan:wiwf;ffoaitoyJ^tbi.-ikov<-rjv|to>’'J^»itc htc-»n tfa e-.'.-itluq tfat ?fa ii'j/iilcii’.t-l, hhnvt fa. . faiGpitintoti'lcHJJdaMffa.nipilicouie. Rs4kr'far &gdIo.-'T>ire» day* RrnAtfati con*e»rcd to sUndap mid ukts port inn tonwd tc-waate the . pw.t offanxiblgrhicst, nt tfa crowd mid iimts tlo two si*Ui-stfvrt <5ntfa>r way to ,qj(4<l rille. 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Aspirants passed forward prije. wt ifauoxccatt !«**, (U hcnltik. j not tfa sfaftfeft couhl favp I (fat murHo and uttoi wwMctfie'hAtode.fJiitoliifoj. the &.!•.« ftofl «v«knt vudcr • deleted, Ikyufai the exteerns ony if. bid lw<.m •’ -• . to begfo. .But ero ebe cbl'tJd make wiuAtoagran4dUithVortd,R!ky<'ih:4'’‘'',»i.5nof c-inyt’ra-i Ge cmbarrtr>MnrHU Th*Isfa ■ wvdil favt looked ;n sclftricn, tfa Orouddfikc Alexander, hate,form fail fafoivt-l wlthtfa there, thnn wh-.«p she । tfa prwwrtt .• <■«"y-emperor ’—j-..— of vi All the faata; hot iprincely.ccnrUsv/nuJ -sdto, «?i Ver su'ej jacc r.ivl gjittcriinrwuh it W1V> peered « air tovd J the crowd, «nd fed Iwrotit oape ccglc of the < • with n-eern* R»<) But vltv sktlUvacwv/bttirhto F-wtotf ,i»etk Sir fctmvK-re oft Wwixnl, frciu ;he tr.’.Jrt of -the rnany competirurj | tM*tw** «With tn«nf-M‘L,or’ty ‘ C'kwjhe her cunfuMt-n nhcn Akxnnilvr! f-AUiiuz, an Jkf thefirs! 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Icebv.} t’.w oo4 CJr. . mrv Attraction?; aud the ernofsoke-bn. vmwu. i site knew lhe tnnjM rwV gazethe kti* cf t'ct AndkkntltsJw.sriiherMMWjK, thet.on tyivxutruted t'h tlw.nr.h,n»x |hiuiv wr.dokwcJth.vlv ! wonM vaeunta her With tbo ckifie, and I brilliant , U the wirn thvr ImicV !■« V>-•Guto-. h-.k- -tn of honor,. fad;be* 5urtbctr.umr!.Jniuorn<n< t-. the A-torihMvt.t «f < the v . . . . r . sec toed snAHghtftJ, the ; aNW^i-edlL ‘WtWvtM the prfoeew return to her rand-duko Akxbd,«rfad to In hu erun ■ • to-n ....‘ u.i MU >•.! fliuvw.l l KoC P'”lW Inow' than 51ie. did on ffat t and the hkr, । ,■ .. ; list room-Ax’iwl th swii'»■ wthfo* more-. 'the on meinOraVtonight;: awl, InSKd, it WM-Viat j life*® J'V?T,iWiina' • ■htr, ■the mu-ic to h«-oiho an Uv.fifigfah ; nM tfa tnnrr tfa «NniCD«!(nr.-nt of n nf con*IPrisce* Atiry ofbegan t>i hep ■ j ‘‘Utt Jiiurw.tr of wvt t duk« With tfa rro*nt < 'The Cur's Flm Lore Affair. ! nvr>t» 1.a> -,..v .. a.. . .. qticvxan/1 jw* »c<M>nc for'thn Heading for Vol. 1, 4th edition of The Republican Banner published on Thursday, May 22, 1856. In Loving Memory of S:Vern “Stub” Allerding’ 0 2/28/30-11/26/19 ||| Yourlifewas a blessing, Your memory, a treasure. F You are loved, beyond words, Missed beyond measure. We think of you and miss you everyday, Your loving wife Doris, Sons Larry and Bryan and their Rs </■ __ �Page 8 — Thursday, November 24, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Delton prepares for annual, community-wide Christmas celebration Delton Hometown Christmas is slated for Dec. 10 and features an entire afternoon worth of activities. Organizers said they seem to work in a new event or activity every year. (Courtesy photo) Karen Turko-Ebright Contributing Writer With communities all over Barry County gearing up for the holidays, Delton readies for one of its marquee events of the year. Delton’s Hometown Christmas celebration is slated for Dec. 10, an event that traditionally draws in a sizable crowd with a long list of attractions, including real reindeer, breakfast with Santa Claus, parade of lights, chili cook­ off, the reindeer 5k dash, a holiday movie and ice carving - and list that grows each year. Tina Amaro is a six-year Delton Business Association member and one of three on the planning committee for the Delton Home­ town Christmas. “We’ve been doing this for a few years, and we add something new or interesting to the event list every year,” she said. “So we try to keep it rolling by adding to it.” The first installment of Hometown Christ­ mas was held on a Tuesday evening, but it was difficult for businesses to temporarily close so they could participate. Some could not. About eight years ago, the committee changed the day to Saturday. “It’s a fun afternoon,” Amaro said. Last year’s theme for Hometown Christ­ mas was Dr. Seuss. The movie “Home Alone” is this year’s theme. Kristina Harrington is another member of the Delton Business Association and on the Hometown Christmas planning committee. She owns The Local Grind Coffee House in Delton. If that does not keep her busy enough, she heads up the annual Reindeer Dash/Santa Stroll 5k. “It could be a blizzard or hardly any snow on the ground, but there are always runners,” Harrington said of the annual 5K run, which started about eight years ago. “It’s not huge, but it’s always enough and brings us money.” After paying $25 to register, participants get a t-shirt, Santa hat, and a bell to wear throughout the race. Register at The Local Grind Coffee House or online at: https://reindeerdashsantastroll.itsyourrace.com/register. Registration is open through Nov. 26 for those that want to get all the cool swag. T-shirts and hats will not be available the day of the race. The Grinch approved of this ice carving at the Delton Hometown Christmas event last year. The theme for that event was Dr. Seuss. The theme for this year’s installment of the festival is the movie Home Alone. (Courtesy photo) The race starts at 2 p.m. All profits will go to the business association to cover the costs of Delton’s downtown beautification projects and community events. “The money goes to the Delton Business Association to help with beautification proj­ ects like flowers for all the planters in town. We bought stuff for Christmas decorations for our wreaths and supplies to repaint the planters,” Harrington said. Like Harrington, Amaro has seen a mixed bag of weather during Hometown Christmas. However, she said nothing gets in the way of the Delton community lending a helping hand. Besides her and Harrington, Cheryl Bower is a Delton Hometown Christmas planning committee member. Since there are only three of them, volunteers from the com­ munity take on appointed tasks. “It’s mainly the three of us, and then we just kind of drag some people in to help,” said Amaro, who is also a branch manager at Thomapple Credit Union in Delton. “For example, we have one girl that handles all the Facebook posts, and she’s been helping the last two years. Slowly, we’re getting more people that are helpers every year instead of just occasionally.” “It is just awesome,” Amaro added. “We are a very small town, but it’s amazing when you tell people there is a need for something and how many people will step up. I’ve been at the credit union for many years, and we all say it’s all about commu­ nity and where community matters, and it truly does matter around everyone. So it is amazing to see people come to make some­ thing happen.” Upcoming events in Middleville poised to drum up business for local merchants; Celebrate the season "It could be a blizzard or hardly any snow on the ground, but there are always run­ ners,” organizer Kristina Harrington said of the annual 5K Reindeer Dash/Santa Stroll, which takes place during Hometown Christmas. (Photo provided) Coleman Agency Local, long standing insurance agency is seeking a highly moti­ vated, energetic, organized, team player looking for a career in the insurance industry. Requirements: • Minimum of 5 years office experience required • P&C insurance experience preferred but not required • Michigan P&C License preferred but not required • Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listen­ ing • Self-motivated • Ability to multi-task • Must be able to work as a team with fellow employees Benefits: • Compensation depending on experience • Paid vacation/sick/personal time after probationary period • Health insurance/disability/life insurance provided after pro­ bationary period •401k contributions and matching after meet qualifying num­ ber of hours worked Resumes can be submitted via email to lindsey@colemanofhastings.com or mailed to PO Box 338, Hasting, MI 49058 JHW \ ggLJ\ \ XtoternaM \oF HASTINGS, INC. ENtEHHKah \ since 1908 James Gemmell Contributing Writer The national Small Business Saturday event to encourage consumers to shop at local businesses is coming up this Satur­ day and the Middleville Downtown Development Authority is taking it a step further. Volunteers will distribute punch cards to Middleville-area businesses that express an interest in participating. Customers will pick their card up at the first store or busi­ ness they visit that day and get the card punched at each place they shop. “They leave it at the last place they’ve got to punch, and then we’ll go around and collect them. We’ll do a drawing for a beautiful gift basket or box,” DDA Chair­ woman Kim Jachim said. The DDA has limited itself to spending $150 on the promotion, but some generous donors have come forward to make the prize a little sweeter. “It will contain hundreds of dollars in cards and inventory from stores,” DDA Director Katherine Bussard said. “There are some very nice things being donated.” Three-day Christmas on the River event coming up Middleville will host its Christmas on the River celebration in the opening weeks of December. The annual three-day yuletide celebra­ tion, organized by the Downtown Devel­ opment Authority, will run Dec. 8, 9 and 10 in the village and surrounding areas. The annual Middleville Lions Club Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10., the final night of the village’s annual three-day Christmas on the River event. Information about how to register to participate in the parade is post­ ed on the Middleville Lions Club Face­ book page. “We’re asking people to sign up ahead so we can plan,” Bussard said. “Anybody with a vehicle, anybody that wants to dress up and walk the parade can. It’s open to anyone.” The parade group will line up at the village parking lot adjacent to Thomapple Valley Church, 20 State Street. They will head west on State Street to Larkin Street, turn right onto E. Main Street, then cross the bridge over the river before disbanding at Grand Rapids Street. The parade theme is The Joy of Giving. The community will vote on the first, sec­ ond and third-place winners in the annual float contest. Local citizen Andrew Beck SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY -DOWNTOWN -mwniiiitmm NOVEMBER 26, 2022 will serve as this year’s Middleville Hon­ ored Veteran of the Year. He will ride in a vehicle in front of Santa’s sleigh. The DDA-organized Christmas on the River will include a Who-Ville themed tree-lighting ceremony and downtown car­ oling, among other festivities. The fun begins Thursday, Dec. 8 with a Holiday Business Open House from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Each participating business will hold a special holiday-themed activity that night or give gifts to children. Santa Claus and live reindeer will be available for photo opportunities the first night of Christmas on the River. Rides on the Holley Trolley can be reserved through Barry County Transit. The DDA will be releasing Memory Doves adjacent to the Paul Henry Thor­ napple Trail during the annual Night of Lights event on Dec. 9. All proceeds will go to the future Serenity Village Hospice Home in Hastings. The 20-inch-tall doves will rise about 30 feet in the air before disintegrating. The Night of Lights begins at 6 p.m. on Main Street. The Thornapple Kellogg High School choir will sing several holi­ day songs, beginning with Welcome Christmas. There will be a Who-Ville theme tree-lighting on the green space next to village hall. The annual Christmas Lights Decorat­ ing Contest will take place after the tree lighting and concerts. A map of all the participating houses will be handed out at the pavilion downtown. Many more activities are slated, such as Carveth Village’s The Night Before Christ­ mas. That will be centered around a fire­ place in the assisted-living facility at 690 W. Main St. “I’m looking forward to more activity downtown and stuff like that. More kids j downtown,” Village Manager Craig Stolsonburg said. Indoor winter market in the works The DDA board also recently voted in favor of holding an indoor winter market at the recently opened Gathered on Main event space at 101 E. Main St. The date and time of the market has yet to be determined. It would be on a weekday afternoon. Owner Raegan Davis has offered to give the DDA a discounted rate of $150 per market event. The DDA has agreed to try it one time on a test basis to see what the turnout is. Tables are already set up, so the vendors would only have to bring their table cov­ ers and products in. DDA Director Katherine Bussard said several produce and artisan vendors have expressed interest in participating. The space can accompany a maximum of 15 vendors. “We would have to have 10 vendors every week to break even,” DDA Chair­ woman Kim Jachim said. DDA staff has surveyed potential ven­ dors, and many have expressed interest in an indoor winter market. “I’m interested in the idea,” DDA board member Lauren Manzer said. “I think once a month would be plenty. I don’t know how much traffic it would get, but any­ thing’s better than nothing in the winter.” Another board member, Eric Schaefer, suggested holding a one-time winter mar­ ket as a trial to see if it would draw ade­ quate interest. “We haven’t ever tried anything like this, so I don’t have a barometer for all of you on that,” Bussard said. �> The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, November 24,2022 Hockey squad donning purple and gold Junior goalie Finn White returns to guard the net for the Caledonia varsity hockey team. Caledonia has taken over the lead from Lowell in the co-op, which also includes Thornapple Kellogg, this winter. (File photo) Brett Bremer Sports Editor A new era of hockey started for Caledonia Saturday at Southside Ice Arena. Jeremy Bultema was named the program’s new varsity head coach in early summer and the Lowell/Caledonia program is going through a bit of a rebrand. With a majority of the roster from the Caledonia school district, all but two players, the team is now headed by the Caledonia athletic department and will be donning purple and gold as the Caledonia varsity boys’ hockey team. The program remains a co-op with Lowell and Thornapple Kellogg High Schools and will compete in Division 1 during the MHSAA postseason tournament. “Our district looked at the number of partic­ ipants on the hockey program and our co-op agreement. We found that over 96 percent of the participants were Caledonia students,” Caledonia High School athletic director Fred Townsend said. “So, the obvious thing for us to do was to make sure we were able to con­ tinue to grow hockey in Caledonia.” “We want to continue to keep our co-op agreement in place with TK and Lowell as those communities have helped to contrib­ ute to the hockey program and its growth. We love the fact that we have worked with TK and Lowell to help give all students a chance to showcase their skills and talent to bring all three communities together to sup­ port hockey.” The team was just 2-21 a year ago during the regular season, but opened the state post­ season with two more wins and came up just shy of a regional championship in a 3-2 loss to the Capital City Capitals in the MHSAA Division 1 Regional Final at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo. This 2022-23 season began with the Fight­ ing Scots falling 6-3 to Byron Center Saturdayfa team coach Ruitema said he expects to be pushing for a Divisiohv2 state champion­ ship this season. Back from the 2021-22 squad for Caledo­ nia are senior defenders Zach Schneider and Russell Langenburg and senior forwards Trevor Vander Molen and Alex Skibinski. They’re the only four seniors on the roster this winter. “We have a large junior group which is really going to help push us forward and help the growth of the underclassmen,” coach Bultema said. That group of underclassmen is headed by junior goalkeeper Finn White, junior for­ wards Brayden Cramer, Emersen Lippert, Jack VanEss and Griffen Wolverton. White and Wolverton were with the varsity team a year ago. Cramer has earned an alternate captain’s “A” with his work this preseason. Lippert and VanEss are also new to the var­ sity. Coach Bultema said VanEss is a lacrosse player, playing hockey for the first time and he likes the leadership he has seen from his so far too. Bultema played high school hockey at East Kentwood. He was a three-year letterwinner with the Davenport University ACHA Divi­ sion II hockey team, serving two years as a captain, and helped lead DU to its first-ever National Championship at the end of the 2007-08 season. After graduating in 2012, he coached the Davenport program for ten years - serving as the head coach of the Dill team for three seasons. His son Rylan Bultema is among the juniors on the Caledonia roster this winter. Coach Bultema has assisted on some of Rylan’s youth teams, but said he hasn’t been his head coach before. “It’s going good,” coach Bultema said. “We have a pretty open relationship, so we talk about hockey on and off the ice.” He said they don’t have any trouble transi­ tioning from talking hockey to talking home­ work once practice is through. He also is pretty familiar with a good chunk--of this season’s roster. “I had a bunch of kids that were going to play high school on my youth team. So, when I heard the job was open the transition was fairly easy, especially knowing I’d have some of the young kids I’ve had for the last year and a half.” In his three weeks of official practice, coach Bultema said he sees a hard-working group that has a lot of fun together. “With our top two lines we’re going to be very competitive on the front end. We have a solid D core. “The returning guys, they just make the smart decisions. They don’t take runs at guys. They contain very well. Zack Schnei­ der is probably one of the best offensive defensemen in the area. He can rush it up the ice when he needs to. There is a lot of expe­ rience back there.” Gaining varsity hockey experience will be key to the success this season, as a whole the team has to get better at decision making on the ice according to it coach. “We have been working on that the past three weeks,” Bultema said. “We have been going through some systems to help them out there against some of the stronger teams that are probably a little more set, have a little bit more experience than our team does. Decision making would be the biggest [thing to improve]. “The way our practice plans work, we actu­ ally break down what would happen in a game and see where we’re struggling. We did a three-game scrimmage last week and we strug­ gled on the wall a little bit, so we built our practice plan where we had several guys com­ ing on that winger and he is making a quick decision where he’s going with that puck.” The Fighting Scots will compete in the OK Conference’s Fischer Division this winter facing off against Reeths-Puffer, Northview, East Kentwood, Hudsonville and Grand Haven in the conference. The Fischer Division season starts when the Fighting Scots host Reeths-Puffer Fri­ day, Dec. 2. Marcukaitis medals in 1OO breaststroke at DI Finals Brett Bremer Sports Editor Nothing speeds up the state’s fastest swim­ mers like having someone to chase. The girls in the 100-yard breaststroke certainly had that Saturday at the Oakland University Aquatic Center. Delton Kellogg/Thomapple Kellogg/Hastings junior Sophia Marcukaitis earned her first all-state swimming medal by placing seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 State Finals. She set a new team record with her time of 1 minute 6.18 seconds in the finals, breaking her own record after a time of 1:06.19 in the preliminary races Friday. Marcukaitis, and everyone else in the race for that matter, was chasing Livonia Steven- Slaughter inks plans to vault for Davenport men's track team Hastings senior Robby Slaughter (seated center) signs his National Letter of Intent to join the Davenport University Men’s Track and Field Program next season. Slaughter, an all-state wrestler who just helped the Saxon varsity football team win its first district championship ever, is also a two-time state qualifier in the pole vault. He was joined at his signing day by family, friends as well as a number of his Saxon coaches. Pictured are (clockwise from Robby) Hastings assistant pole vault coach Jason Slaughter, Hastings athletic director Mike Goggins, Hastings pole vault coach Erin Slaughter, Hastings varsity boys’ track and field coach Brian Teed, Hastings varsity football coach and track field event coach Jamie Murphy and Hastings assistant field event coach Tony Knop. Robby is a two-time Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champion in the pole vault, with a personal record height of 13-feet-6 and is also a two-time conference runner-up in the long jump. Delton Kellogg/Thornapple Kellogg/ Hastings junior Sophia Marcukaitis looks on from the medal stand after placing seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke at the MHSAA Division 1 Lower Peninsula Girls' Swimming and Diving Finals. Marcukaitis broke the team record in the race with a time of 1 minute 6.18 seconds to earn her first all-state medal. son senior McKenzie Siroky who earned her third consecutive state championship in the event and earned All-America honors with her championship time of 1:00.27. “ft is crazy,” Marcukaitis said of the speed in the race, but it isn’t really anything new for her. While she wins most of her high school races she is used to seeing the top talent in the state and beyond during club and USA Swim­ ming competitions. “While competing for club that is what I am always used to. I am not always used to winning and being top of the pyramid, ft is kind of normal I guess,” Marcukaitis said, “ft doesn’t seem that different.” “1 would say I’m a racer, so I like having someone next to me that will push me,” she added. Siroky was even faster in Friday’s prelim’s than she was in Saturday’s final, setting a new all-division state finals record with her time of 1:00.07 which broke her all-division state record of 1:00.48 from the 2021 pre­ lim’s. She was ninth in the race at the finals as a freshman before winning in each of the three following seasons. Marcukaitis placed 23rd in the prelim’s for the 100-yard breaststroke at the state finals last year as a sophomore, and also competed on a pair of relay teams at the finals last season. “I think that helps a lot,” DK/TK/HHS head coach Carl Schoessel said of having tough competition. “Sophia is very, very competitive. A little bit of our problem was there weren’t that many girls in our confer­ ence who really were going to be out ahead of her that she could chase. She was the leader. When she is in some of the bigger meets, like some of the invitationals and so forth, then we see people that help her out. Obviously, at the state meet there are bunches of people and I think as competitive as she is that really helped her.” Marcukaitis was one of two DK/TK/HHS athletes competing at Oakland University over the weekend. Sophomore diver Abby Dumond made it through the prelim’s into the semifinals before bowing out of the diving competition with a 19th-place point total of 209.70 through eight dives. She had a score of 149.40 in the five-dive prelim’s, which had her 19th among the 20 qualifiers for the semi­ finals. There were 36 competitors to open the diving event. See SWIM, page 10 �Page 10 — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT MORTGAGE SALE This is an attempt to collect a debt, and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if you period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mortgage made by THOMAS H. CHASE, a single man, and SHIRLEY A. CHASE, a married woman, Mortgagor(s), to INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml, with offices at 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Ml 49525, Mortgagee, dated February 18, 2005 and recorded February 22, 2005 in Instrument #1141705 which was assigned to INDEPENDENT BANK of 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Assignment dated April 18, 2011 and recorded on April 20, 2011 in Instrument No. 201104200004350. By reason of such default the undersigned elects to declare the entire unpaid amount of said mortgage due and payable forthwith. Notice of Foreclosure By Advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on December 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the County Register of Deeds Office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage and under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, the statute in such case made and provided and to pay said amount with interest as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law. At the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due for principal and interest on said mortgage the sum of THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE AND 41/100 (34,689.41) dollars including interest at the rate of 4.125% per annum. No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage or any part thereof. Pursuant to Public Act No. 104, Public Acts of 1971, MCLA 600.3240, MSA 27A.3240, the redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of the foreclosure sale, unless the property is determined to be abandoned under MCLA 600.3241a; MSA 27A.3241(1), in which case the property may be redeemed during the 30 days immediately following the sale or expiration of statutory notice period. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage are situated in the City of Township of Maple Grove, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as follows, to wit: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North, Range 7 West, Maple Grove Township, Barry County Michigan; thence South 40 rods for a place of beginning; thence North 130 feet: thence East 600 feet; thence South 130 feet; thence^esi 600 feel io the place of beginning. Together with an easement in common that is appurtenant thereto for purposes of ingress and egress thereto over premises described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North, Range 7 West; thence South 40 rods; thence North 130 feet for a place of beginning; thence East 600 feet; thence North 33 feet; thence West 600 feet; thence South 33 feet to the place of beginning. The default and foreclosure proceedings include a 1992 Fairmont mobile home, serial #MY9385449A8, permanently affixed thereto, as evidenced by the Certificate of Mobile Home Title and recorded in Instrument #1141704. Property Address: 7519 Guy Rd., Nashville, Ml 49073 PP#08-10-023-105-00 ' INDEPENDENT BANK, Assignee of INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml SCHENK, BONCHER & RYPMA Curtis D. Rypma P44421 601 Three Mile Road, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49544-1601 (616)647-8277 190416 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29339-DE - Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Marshia Nadean Wheeler. Date of Birth: 01/30/1939. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Marshia Nadean Wheeler, died 10/25/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Douglas M. Wheeler, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 11/22/2022 Stephanie S. Fekkes (P43549) Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 Douglas M. Wheeler c/o Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 191535 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting Nov 15, 2022 Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Six board members present, one absent Approved all consent agenda items 2023 Budget presentation Five year road expenditure approved 2023/2024 Board of Review members Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:35 pm Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk - Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor 191534 NOTICE VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANTTO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (10-20)(11-24) 189718 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jacob Hastings Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systgms. lfic,, as^rp.Qrtgaqee, as nominee for lender and lender s successors and/or assigns^ Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: December 29, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 13, 2022 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $263,640.47 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Unit 1, Whitewater Estates Condominium, according to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 688, Page 426, and any amendments thereto, and designated as Barry County Condominium Subdivision Plan No. 10, together with rights in general common elements and limited common elements as shown on the Master Deed as described in Act 59 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended. Common street address (if any): 3762 Tyler Ln, Middleville, Ml 49333-8206 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 17, 2022 Trott Law, PC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1481891 (11-17)(12-08) 191145 Financial FOCUS Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Carroll D. Conklin, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Wells Fargo Bank, NA Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mortgage Assets Management, LLC Date of Mortgage: August 22, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 1, 2011 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $122,124.34 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A Parcel of land located in the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies due West 1827.50 feet from the South 1/4 post of said Section 33 for the point of beginning; thence due West 165.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 30 minutes West, 264.00 feet, thence due East 165.00 feet, thence South 00 degrees 30 minutes East, 264.00 feet to the point of beginning. AND A Parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies 1992.50 feet due West of the South 1/4 post of said Section 33; thence due West 175.20 feet; thence North 0 degrees 8 minutes West, 264 feet; thence due East 173.50 feet; thence South 0 degrees 30 minutes East, 264 feet to the point of beginning. Common street address (if any): 12713 E Baseline Rd, Hickory Corners, Ml 49060-9752 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 10, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1480658 (11-10)(12-01) 190504 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate FILE No. 19-28241-DE Estate of Joan J. Timmerman. Date of birth: 06/04/1932. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Joan J. Timmerman, died 01/14/2019. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Wiley M. Timmerman, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 10/05/2022 James A. Wesseling P40226 6439 - 28th Avenue Hudsonville, Michigan 49426 (616) 669-8185 Wiley M. Timmerman 6991 Duncan Lake Road Middleville, Michigan 49333 (616)891-8200 191235 Synopsis Hope Township Regular Board meeting November 14, 2022 Meeting opened at 6:30pm Approved: Consent agenda Resolution 2022-16 Wall Lake Street lights PLM Wall Lake Plan PLM Healthy Waters Plan PLM Guernsey Lake Plan Master Plan open & update Adjourned at 6:49 pm Submitted by: Deborah Jackson, Clerk Attested to by: Doug Peck, Supervisor 191200 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services Pets MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. PUREBRED MOUNTAIN CUR Puppies for sale- Great colors, will stay small. 1st shots and wormed. $100.00 269-223-9194. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Help Wanted CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI SEEKING CDL-A OTR Driv­ er. Experience helpful, but not necessary. 517-652-3140. PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination." Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Financial Advisor 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Is a Donor-advised Fund Right For You? You can find many ways to support charitable organizations. One method that’s gained popularity over the past few years is called a donor-advised fund. Should you consider it? The answer depends on your individual situation, because donor-advised funds are not appropriate for everyone. However, if you’re in a position to make larger charitable gifts, you might at least want to see what this strategy has to offer. Here’s how it works: • Contribute to the fund. You can contribute to your donor-advised fund with cash or marketable securities, which are assets that can be converted to cash quickly. If your contribution is tax deductible, you’ll get the deduction in the year you make the contribution to the fund. Of course, these contributions are still subject to IRS limits on charitable tax deductions and whether you itemize your deductions. If you typically don’t give enough each year to itemize and plan on making consistent charitable contributions, you could consider combining multiple years’ worth of planned giving into a single donor-advised fund contribution, and claim a larger deduction in that year. This move may be especially impactful if you have years with a higher amount of income, with an accompanying higher tax rate. If you contribute marketable securities, like stocks and bonds, into the fund, a subsequent sale of the securities avoids capital gains taxes, maximizing the impact of your contribution. • Choose an investment. Typically, donor-advised funds offer several professionally managed diversified portfolios where you can place your contributions. You’ll want to consider the level of investment risk to which your fund may be exposed. And assuming all requirements are met, any investment growth is not taxable to you, the donoradvised fund or the charity that ultimately receives the grant, making your charitable gift go even further. • Choose the charities. You can choose grants for the IRS-approved charities that you want to support. You decide when you want the money donated and how it should be granted. You’re generally free to choose as many IRS-approved charitable organizations as you like. And the tax reporting is relatively easy — you don’t have to keep track of receipts from every charity you support. Instead, you can just keep the receipts from your contributions to the SWIM, continued from page The last of the 16 qualifiers for the final three rounds of diving was Milford freshman Lola Beer who had a score of 229.45 through her first eight dives - meaning Dumond was a little less than 20 points from qualifying for the finals at the Finals. In the end, Saline senior Alice English took the diving champi­ onship with an 11-dive score of 419.90. Marcukaitis said it was a little odd to not have swimming teammates there to spend time with during the Finals’ weekend, but she got to spend some quality time with her dad between races. She was happy to get to see Dumond compete as a sophomore get­ ting a first taste of the state meet like she did last year. Marcukaitis also swam in the 50-yard free­ style race Saturday. She was 16th overall with a time of 25.06 seconds in the consola­ tion final after earning a time of 24.59 in the prelim’s. That preliminary time is just off her big sister Abby Marcukaitis’ program record time of 24.52 seconds which she set at the finals at the end of the 2020 season. Abby is now competing as a freshman on the Purdue University Women’s team. Sophia really came into the high school season focused on the breaststroke and the freestyle sprints. “I have been racing breaststroke probably since I was ten,” she said. “Just recently I started to drop time and get better at it. At club I have been practicing mostly breast­ stroke and free. “My coach from [club team Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics] has really worked one on one with me and we just have been work­ ing on underwaters and my catch, and really getting ‘downhill’ he calls it when swim­ ming. Getting my technique better and per­ fecting it kind of.” Sophia remembers starting to swim in a club in Byron Center at about six. She moved to the East Grand Rapids swim club after that, and then joined MLA about a year and a half ago. Having competed in clubs for so long, she wasn’t quite alone at the finals. “I have a lot of friends that swim club with me, from MLA, that were there from other teams. It was fun seeing them and catching up,” Sophia said. Ann Arbor Pioneer sophomores Reese Heidenreich and Ursula Ott placed second and third in the 100-yard breaststroke behind Siroky Saturday. Heidenreich was the runner-up in 1:04.92 and Ott third in 1:04.88, contributing to their team’s land­ slide victory. The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls won their third consecutive state champion­ ship with 322 points. Northville was a dis­ tant second with 218, ahead of Saline 174, Grand Haven 167 and Farmington hills Mercy 167 in the top five. Pioneer swimmers won eight of the 12 events Saturday. fund. Although donor-advised funds clearly offer some benefits, there are important trade-offs to consider. For one thing, your contributions are irrevocable, which means once you put the money in the fund, you cannot access it for any reason other than charitable giving. And the investments you choose within your fund will carry some risk, as is true of all investments. Also, donor-advised funds do have investment management fees and other costs. So, consider the impacts of these fees when deciding how you want to give. In any case, you should consult with your tax and financial professionals before opening a donor-advised fund. And if the fund becomes part of your estate plans, you’ll also want to work with your legal advisor. But give this philanthropic tool some thought — it can help you do some good while also potentially benefiting your own long-term financial strategy. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC 9 -----Ursula also teamed with junior Stella Chapman, senior Sophia Guo and freshman Kate Van Ryn to win the 200-yard medley relay in 1:43.19 - another All-America quali­ fying time from the meet. Siroky was second in that race along with Livonia Stevenson teammates Kaari Peecher, Faith Robertson and Allie Allen. They had an All-America time of 1:43.61. Chapman also won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:01.91 and the 100-yard back­ stroke in an All-America time of 54.07 sec­ onds which is a new DI Finals record. Senior teammate Lucy Mehraban won the 50-yard freestyle in an All-America time of 23.07 seconds. Guo and Mehraban met the All-America time in placing 1 -2 in the 100yard freestyle. Guo won in 49.89 seconds and Mehraban touched the wall in 49.93. The Pioneer team of Mehraban, Ott, soph­ omore Meg Pinkerton and Van Ryn was sec­ ond in the 200-yard freestyle relay with an All-America time of 1:34.81. Grand Haven won that race in 1:34.57 with the team of juniors Rosalee Springer, Olivia Schafer, Grace Ackerman and sophomore Claudia Busse. The Pioneer girls capped off their state championship with the team of Mehraban, Chapman, Van Ryn and Guo winning the 400-yard freestyle relay in an All-America time of 3:24.09. The rest of the top ten teams in the week­ end’s standings were Brighton with 165 points in sixth place, Livonia Stevenson with 153 points, Canton 112.5, Forest Hills Northern 106 and East Kentwood 83.5. East Kentwood beat out a pair of OK Red Conference foes to finish in the top ten. West Ottawa was 11th with 76 points and Rockford 12th with 57. DK/TK/HHS was 29th with 13 points, two points better than the Caledonia/Lowell/ South Christian team that got 11 points and placed 30th thanks to am eighth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle by sophomore Isabel­ la Treib. Treib raced to a time of 24.29 sec­ onds in the prelim’s and then placed eighth in Saturday’s final with a time of 24.45. Treib got to swim four 50’s at the state finals. She also participated with senior Emmory VanHofwegen, sophomore Isabella Leason and senior Rebecca Darter in the 200yard freestyle relay. That Caledonia foursome earned a time of 1:41.25 in the prelim’s, tying the time of the Grand Blanc foursome of Ellie Berry, Emersyn Joslin, Abrianna Quitos and Estella Grasso. Those two teams had to compete in a swim-off Friday to decide which would get the last spot in the consolation finals and the Grand Blanc team just beat out the CLS girls by four hundredths of a second 1:39.69 to 1:39.73. Treib, VanHofwegen, Leason and Darter did set a new CLS record in the race which left them 17th overall. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — Page 11 Saxons fill nearly half of all-county squad Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity boys’ cross country team ran to its second straight Barry County Championship victory at the county meet hosted by Plethora Kellogg High School last month. The Saxons had six guys finish among the top 14 at the county meet. The top seven finishers at the race earned spots on this fall’s All-Barry County First Team while finishers eight through 14 make up the All-Barry County Second Team. The Hastings boys placed fourth at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Champion­ ship at the end of the season and then scored a seventh-place finish at their MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional Meet hosted by South Christian where junior Riley Shults earned a spot in the state finals for the first time. It was a season filled with improvements for the county boys’ cross country teams. Many of the area’s runners turned in their personal record times at their regional races at the end of October. Lakewood improved its numbers, allowing the Vikings to earn team scores throughout the fall for the first time in a few years. As per usual, it was a season of competi­ tion against some tough foes. The Thomap­ ple Kellogg boys competed all season long against Forest Hills Eastern and Grand Rap­ ids South Christian who both qualified for the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Cross Country Finals. The FHE Hawks ran to a fifth-place finish. The Saugatuck boys, Delton Kellogg’s competitors from the Southwestern Athletic Conference Valley Division, ran to a 15th-place finish at the state finals in Divi­ sion 3 and Leslie from the Greater Lansing Activities Conference was 171'1 there, just ahead of another SAC squad from Kalama­ zoo Christian. The Stockbridge boys ran to a spot in the D3 Finals too out of the GLAC, - th? 4pd:M?iple Valley. Another SAC squad, Hackett Catholic Central, placed 17^ in the D4 Finals. The Saxons will certainly be working for the chance to run at the state finals in 2023 as their county championship squad had just a single senior among its 13 runners. For now, here are the 2022 All-Barry County Boys,'Ci?qss Country First and Sec­ ond Teams. All-Barry County Boy’s Cross Country First Team Ryan Alford, Lakewood: The Vikings’ leader throughout his senior season this fall, Alford set his personal record at 18 minutes 9.8 seconds at the Pewamo-Westphalia Invi­ tational in September. Alford ran to a sixth-place finish at the Barry County Championship with a time of 18:26.1. Alford was tenth at the Greater Lan­ sing Activities Conference Championship this fall. Hector Jimenez, Delton Kellogg: Also an all-county soccer player, Jimenez only got to run in a handful of races this fall with the Panther cross country team. He finished top five at three of those including the Barry County Championship where he was fifth in 18:24.9. Jimenez had one sub-18-minute run this fall. He hit the finish line in 17:59.9 at the Kalamazoo Christian Comet Invitational Oct. 22. Micah Johnson, Hastings: Johnson, a sophomore, was one spot shy of earning a second team all-county nod as a freshman in 2021. This fall he snagged the final spot on the all-county first team with his sev­ enth-place time of 18:31.4 at the county meet. Johnson set his personal record at Tur­ keyville Oct. 22 at the 1-8 Championship where he placed 25th in 18:23.1. He regularly finished in less than 19 minutes over the final month of the season. Riley Shults, Hastings: The repeat cham­ pion at the Barry County Championship this fall. He won the county meet hosted by Thor­ napple Kellogg in 17:37.0. A junior, it is his third appearance on the all-county first team. Shults qualified for the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Boys Cross Country Finals with a 21st-place time of 17:11.3 at regionals. At MIS to close the season, Shults placed 153rd at the state finals in 17:43.6. His best time of the season came Oct. 22 at the 1-8 Championship at Turkeyville where he hit the finish line seventh in 17:03.7. Brandon Simmons, Hastings: A sopho­ more, Simmons was the runner-up at the Barry County Championship with a time of than three seconds behind teammate Riley Shults, who was a state qualifier. Simmons set his personal record a couple weeks earlier at the 1-8 Championship at Turkeyville where he hit the finish line 12th in 17:15.2. Reuben Soimes, Hastings: Solmes, a junior, ran the fastest race of his life at the Barry County Championship. He placed third in 17:45.8, cutting a little over three seconds from his previous PR which he set at the 1-8 Championship. Solmes finished in the 17’s at each of the Saxons’ final three races of the season. Lucas Van Meter, Thornapple Kellogg: The Trojans’ leader all season long as a junior, Van Meter placed fourth at the Barry County Championship in 18:18.5. Van Meter opened the season by running his fastest race yet, placing 20th at South Christian’s Under the Lights Invitational where he finished in 17:13.5. The closest he came to that during the fall was at the Por­ tage Invitational where he was 82nd in the Division 2 boys’ race with a time of 17:16.9. All-Barry County Boy’s Cross Country Second Team Kaden Hamming, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior, Hamming peaked at the end of the season as planned finishing every October race in less than 20 minutes. It culminated in a 71st place time of 19:05.0, a new personal record, at the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional at South Christian at the end of the month. Hamming was 13th at the Barry County Championship with a time of 19:17.0. Brett Harsevoort, Delton Kellogg: Harsevoort had a great end to his senior season. He ran a personal record time of 18:29.9 at the Panthers’ MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Regional in Allendale which put him in 41st place. It was the first time he finished in fewer than 19 minutes in a varsity race. Harsevoort followed that up with a 12th-place time of 19:13.9 at the Barry Coun­ ty meet. Micah Martin, Delton Kellogg: A senior leader for the Panthers throughout the fall, Martin was 11th at the Barry County Cham­ pionships in 18:50.4. Martin set his personal record at 18:10.1 at the MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Regional in Allendale the weekend before the county meet. That put him in 37th place. He had just set his PR two weeks prior at the SAC Championship where he placed 18th over­ all. Ethan Rimmer, Delton Kellogg: The top underclassmen for the Panthers at the Barry County Meet, he placed 14th in 19:21.79. ' ~ X . He had finished in fewer than 19 minutes in the handful of meets leading up to that performance. He ran to a personal record time of 18:04.4 at his team’s MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Regional in Allendale. That time put him in 36th place. Isaac Shepard, Delton Kellogg: Shep­ ard regularly finished in less than 19 min­ utes as the season wound down. Shepard was tenth at the Barry County meet in 18:41.8. Shepard, a senior, set his personal record at the Kalamazoo Christian Comet Invita­ tional last month. He placed 40th at that race in 18:36.9. S THOWAAPPLE KELlBb schools Alexander Steward, Hastings: Steward, a senior, helped Hastings to a second straight Barry County Championship with his eighth-place time of 18:33.7. It was his second fastest time of the season. He ran his fastest time at the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference Championship at Turkeyville where he placed 26th in 18:24.5. That was about 35 seconds better than his PR from his junior season. Jonah Teed, Hastings: Teed has finished two races in less than 18 minutes in his high school career so far. The Saxon junior did it the first time last fall at the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference Championship and then dropped his PR to 17:50.5 at the conference championship this fall at Turkeyville. Teed finished as high as 15th at a confer­ ence jamboree this season. He placed ninth at the Barry County Championship in 18:37.5. Shelter Last January 2022 I asked the Lord what the word was for 2023 and what came to me was “Shelter”. When I heard this, I did not like it very much, because it means there are storms ahead that we are going to face. We just came through an election and there is so much political turmoil and confusion in the world. Psalms 91:1 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Highest will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” We are to live in the shelter of God’s presence daily and God promises that those who do will be safe and at rest. When 1 was growing up my dad dug a big hole and built an underground storm shelter. It was a place to store food and a place we could go when there was a bad storm or tornado coming our way. The shelter walls and ceiling were made of cement that was a foot thick. When we were in the shelter, we were always safe from harm or danger. The definition of LBj shelter is “A place of protection from bad weather or danger.” We live in a time when there I seems to be many storms going on around us. I don’t mean natural storms, but things that ■ come our way, every day. -jij | | ■ I ■ ■• I My Grandma taught me a song called “Shelter in a Time of Storm.” 1. The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A Shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A Shelter in the time of storm. Refrain: Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A Shelter in the time of storm. 2. A shade by day, defense by night, A Shelter in the time of storm; No fears alarm, no foes affright, A Shelter in the time of storm. |H- — - - —-L ■ ~ -A—~r.~. . j-. A Shelter in the time of storm; We’ll never leave our safe Retreat, A Shelter in the time of storm. H I I 4. O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, A Shelter in the time of storm; Be Thou our Helper ever near, A Shelter in the time of storm. I love the words to that song; they are good words to meditate on. The Bible says that Jesus is our shelter in a time of storm. He is the rock on which we stand. I The Lord is a strong tower ■ Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. We I must choose to run to the shelter and run to the Lord for help. H The Lord is our shelter and place of safety I Psalms 91:1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow I of the Almighty. 2 1 will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him 1 I will trust.” The key is dwelling in the secret place. ■ The Lord is our light & salvation I Psalms 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength I of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? ■ The Lord is our provider I Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by I Christ Jesus. ■ The Lord is our Deliverer I Psalms 144:2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, ■ My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. I The Lord is our Counselor & Prince of Peace I Isaiah 9:6 For unto ns a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon I His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, ■ Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ■ The Lord is the master of the winds and the waves and circumstances going on around us. I Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the I wind ceased and there was a great calm. ■ The Lord is our healer I Exodus 15:26b I am the Lord your healer. I I I We must choose to run to the shelter and ask God for wisdom to find out what the Lord wants us to do. When we follow Him, He will put us in His shelter and keep us safe. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and follow Him. Trust the Lord that He is with you and will ■ see you through. Donations Spiritual Care Consultants (SCC) is a non-profit Christian organization based in Hastings and serving Barry County and beyond. Because SCC is funded by grants and generous donors, services are free to all adults and children who are dealing with a variety of issues, ranging from depression to anger and anything else that is making life difficult for them such as grief, worry and being bullied. __ The 2022 All-Barry County Boys' Cross Country First and Second Teams. Second team members are (front from left) Alexander Steward, Jonah Teed, Isaac Shepard, Micah Martin, Brett Harsevoort, Kaden Hamming and Ethan Rimmer. First team members are (back from left) Riley Shults, Brandon Simmons, Reuben Solmes, Lucas Van Meter, Hector Jimenez (represented by teammate Gage Vincent in photo), Ryan Alford and Micah Johnson. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Donations to SCC may be made by sending a check to MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. 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B �Page' 12 — Thursday, November 24, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Ailana Leos Brett Bremer Sports Editor The season ended at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 4 Girls’ Golf Finals for Lakewood junior Makenzie Vasquez this fall and Thornapple Kellogg senior Ailana Leos nearly qualified for the state finals in Divi­ sion 2. Leos’ departure from the stale tournament came in one of the most challenging moments of the fall-varsity sports season in the area, with the Trojans’ leader going to a playoff with Plainwell senior Rehae Jaefer and Zeeland East junior Carly Lukins to battle for the final state qualifying spot from their Division 2 Regional at Yankee Springs Golf Course in early October. After the second playoff hole. Leos was the odd one out - a stroke behind her two com­ petitors. There were highs and lows for the three varsity girls’ golf teams in Barry County this fall. A young Saxon team worked to improve its game under new' head coach Ross Schuel­ ler, and fought to try and get into the middle of the pack in the Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference. • The Lakewood girls, regular champions in the Greater Lansing Activities Conference over the years, found themselves in a battle with Bath in the recently combined GLAC/CMAC competition. The Bees finished the season on top of the conference with the Vikings second. Three Lakewood girls earned spots on the all-conference first team and a fourth was on the all-conference second team by the end. Leos was the lone all-conference golfer for TK in the tough OK Gold. Jackson Lumen Christi ended its time in the 1-8 this fall, and then capped off the year by Emma Schut r pTTrFTYIl Ilflt tT 1I8ITT1 :THORnnPPLC: : P l H Y E I! S = rim rniii xiiiixTxxxxxn winning the Division 4 Stale Championship. The GLAC/CMAC Champs from Bath placed 13^ at those D4 Finals. While the Titans were a team of five seniors w inning the state cham­ pionship, Bath didn’t have a senior shooting at the finals. The OK Gold Conference powerhouses from South Christian and Grand Rapids Cath­ olic Central placed fourth and fifth respective­ ly at the MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Finals. Catholic Central had a State I inal&roster with just one senior and the Cougars had a fresh­ man and a sophomore earn all-state medals. Here are the 2022-23 All-Barry County Girls’ Golf First and Second Teams. All-Barn County 2022 Giris’ Goli First Team Rae Borrink, Thornapple Kellogg: A sophomore, she scored in every varsity event she played in this fall for the Trojans and put together a nine-hole scoring average of 51.9. “She had a very good season,” TK head coach Bob Kaminski said. “She was very close to making the all-conference honorable mention team in a very difficult conference.” Kendra Coe, Thomapple Kellogg: A junior, coach Kaminski called Coe one of his team’s most reliable golfers this season. Coe put together a scoring average of 54.5 per nine holes this season. She was the Trojans’ number four scorer at both the OK Gold Conference Championship where she finished in a tic for 30™ and at regionals. Ailana Leos, Thornapple Kellogg: An ail-conference golfer in (he OK Gold, Leos nearly qualified for the MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Girls’ Golf Finals, falling in a three-player JessieK Jones. Nicholas nope AnojAfflie women THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 THROUGH Saturday, DecemeeR 3,2022 CURIUM AT 7 PM sunDAY, DecemseR 4,2022 MAnnee peRFORmance at 2 pm adults-$10 STUpemrs add senioRs - ss DRESS REHEARSAL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 CURTAIN AT 7 PM ALL TICKETS-47 Dennison peftroRmuiG arts cemreR - carry cbmiminiTY EnmcwnenT cenreR 231 SOUTH BROADWAY ” NASTYIMS, Ml 49058 - piease use th© doors on cootor strcct ~ TNKfiTS n»AY Be PURCHASED AT PROGRESS!Ve GRAPHICS, AT TH© DOOR, OR R©S©RV©D BY CALLUMS TH® TNORRAPPLe ARTS COUDCIL AT (269) 94S-2OO2 CHRISTMAS BELLES is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection Presented by special arrangement with ^♦’M.thornapple ARTS iSf^COUNCIl of B.n fV Ccimi y _ - .. - ,l < - >«K .'.-wr, SIDPS Cll>7 Sr' BARR/ 5'1 C711W Cwrrv/y Aswdofcrscf ’A*#?/- Mackenzie Vasquez playoff for the final two state qualifying spots from her regional tournament where she shot an 82 over the 18 holes at Yankee Springs Golf Course. Leos had the county’s top scoring average for nine holes at 43.8. She was fourth at the OK Gold Conference Championship. Coach Kaminski said she had an all around great season and was the leader of her team. Emma Schut, Thornapple Kellogg: Schut capped off a strong junior-season by shooting her best 18-hole score ever at the Trojans’ MHSAA L.P. Division 2 Regional Tourna­ ment at Yankee Springs Golf Course. Her 97 had her 25^ in a field of more than 60 golfers. Schut had a season-long nine-hole average of 53. Makenzie Vasquez, Lakewood: The lone state qualifier among the county’s three teams. She shot a 104 at her team’s MHSAA L.P. Division 4 Regional at Pine Hills to fin­ ish among the three individual state qualifiers from the tournament. She went on to Vasquez was first team all-conference in the GE,AC this season, and had a nine-hole scoring average of 50.2. Karmyn Winkler, Lakewood: Winkler was named first team all-conference in the GLAC this fall as a senior. She earned that honor in part by leading the Vikings at thd GLAC Championship 18-hole tournament where she fired a personal best score of 97. Winkler was third on the Viking team at regionals with a 106. All-Barry County 2022 Girls’ Golf Second Team Lauren Arnold, Hastings: Arnold capped off her senior season by finishing at the Sax­ ons’ top scorer at both their MHSAA L.P. Division 3 Regional Tournament at Willow Wood Golf Course and at the lnterstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference Championship at Bedford Valley. /Xrnold shot a 112 at the conference to finish 18^ in the day’s standings individually. Saxon head coach Ross Schueller said Arnold was the team leader this year in terms of showing the younger playets on the team the ropes. Claire Benham, Lakewood: A sopho­ more, Benham was named second team all-conference in the GLAC this season. She placed 20^ at the confereiice tournament at the end of the season. Benham had a seasori-long scoring average of 56.2 for nine holes. Josie DeBoer, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior, DeBoer put together a scoring average of 56.9 strokes per nine holes this fall while playing nearly every match for the competi­ tive Trojan varsity team. Coach Kaminski called DeBoer a “consis­ tent golfer for us.” Audrey Hillard, Lakewood: A junior, Hil­ lard earned first team all-bonference in the GLAC this season. She shot a 101 at the con­ ference championship to finish seventh indi­ vidually on the day. Fiillard followed up that performance with a 114 at the Vikings’ MHSAA L.P. Division 4 Regional Tournament which had her second in the Viking line-up and 22nc* overall. Addey Nickels, Hastings: A junior, Nick­ els led the Saxon team with a scoring average of 56.6 on the season. She spent the season in the number one spot for Hastings. Nickels placed 191'1 at the Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference Championship w'ith a score of 113. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-12-01.pdf 9b27a4c88b0b0d2a96b6fc67f08cae4b PDF Text Text Hastings Jingle & Mingle on tap for this weekend Local government holding up important Nashville housing development Saxons win, DK falls as girls' hoops season starts See story on page 8 See story on page 4 See stories on page 9 1070490102590503341649058113421 Richard Hemer’.ing 421 N Taffee Dr , Hastings Ml 49058-11 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM Hastings Thursday, December 1, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 48 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PRICE $1.50 SPECIAL REPORT ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Transportation headaches have been key issue for local school districts as administrators search for answers Driver Dianna Bauman starfds next to a Delton Kellogg school bus. Bauman and her fellow transportation employees across various school districts are proving to be vital as schools grapple with a shortage of bus drivers. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) County planners vote down stipulations to move proposed Orangeville Township gravel mining operation forward Greg Chandler Staff Writer Barry County planning commissioners Monday rejected new stipulations tied to the development of a sand and gravel mining operation in Orangeville Township. On a 3-2 vote with two members absent, commissioners voted down a motion worded by the county’s attorney, Ronald Redick, that called for the following actions to take place before they make a final decision on the request by Stoneco of Michigan to develop the mining operation on a 160-acre parcel of land on Miller Road, near Rose Road: - The county to commission a traffic study from a neutral, third-party engineer, on the impact of the project on local traffic, that would be paid for by Stoneco; - Stoneco to perform and submit an improved hydrogeological study based on actual field testing, rather than modeling that had earlier been submitted to the county; - The applicant is to perform and submit a housing study, which would address the impact of the project on home values. Planning Commission Chairman Clyde Morgan cast the tie-breaking vote to reject the motion. He was joined in opposition by commissioners John LaForge and Jack Miner. Commissioners Vivian Conner and Joyce Snow voted in favor of the motion. Jack Nadwomik and Bob Vanderboegh were absent from the vote. Redick was asked by County Planning Director Jim McManus to present a new motion “to clarify the ambiguities” in the planning commission’s Sept. 26 minutes. At that meeting, commissioners voted 6-1 to rescind the earlier approval it had granted Stoneco for special land use for the Miller Road site. They also rescinded a stipulation tied to the special land use approval that Stoneco ask the Barry County Road Commis­ sion to widen Miller Road from two to five lanes between Rose Road and Hayward Road to alleviate concerns about potential conflict between truck traffic that would be hauling sand gravel from the site and any local traffic. Commissioners had voted 4-3 on June 27 to grant Stoneco, which is also listed as doing business under the name Michigan Materials & Aggregate, approval of the project, pend­ ing the traffic stipulation. “I passed this onto Ron Redick immediate­ ly upon the (Sept. 26) meeting conclusion and had him look at it, and come up with an idea for us,” McManus said. “This is what he came up with. This (motion) was written by our attorney.” The motion was discussed with Stoneco’s legal counsel before being brought to the planning commission, McManus said. “They are willing to work with us, within these areas,” he said. “Basically, we need to amend the motion that you did (previously) and put in this motion.” See GRAVEL, page 3 Hastings Banner Staff School district superintendents find them­ selves with a laundry list of issues they must address that dictate the goings-on within their school buildings. But, lately, one of the biggest issues they’ve had to contend with comes even before the learning begins. Simply getting students to school in the first place has been a struggle in light of a bus driver shortage. And while there is no one authoritative body that provides quantitative evidence on this widespread issue, all one needs to do is look within each district to find that transportation woes are causing plenty of headaches. The staff of the Hastings Banner spent time checking in with area school districts to determine the nature and severity of their transportation issues and how they are resolv­ ing these problems - both temporary mea­ sures and long-term solutions. Maple Valley Schools is arguably the local district that is suffering most from a shortage of bus drivers, which is a statewide and national trend. Administrators say there are many aspects of this job that might be unde­ sirable and deter potential applicants from applying. This includes everything from a rigorous training program and daunting responsibility to an inconsistent schedule and, in many cases, inferior pay when com­ pared to the private sector. Maple Valley Schools Superintendent Dr. Katherine Bertolini said that her district aims to staff around eight drivers with three or four substitutes at the ready. After four drivers resigned from their positions for personal reasons during this school year, Maple Valley is down to just five drivers, but with three new drivers embarking on the long onboard­ ing process. “We have three new hires that we’re feel­ ing really good about,” Bertolini said. “It’s progress, but we’re still not where we need to be.” Bertolini has summoned as many minds as possible to address this issue, teaming with the district’s Director of Transportation Eric Chamberlain to create a community group to comb through the available resources and find a way to provide adequate transportation for the 40 percent of Maple Valley students that rely on it to get to and from school each day. One of the winning ideas, which will be implemented starting in January, is communi­ ty stops. These will be centrally-located bus stops that will receive service every day of the week. Chamberlain worked to ensure that all students and their families will live within five miles of a community bus stop. “As long as parents can get kids to the See TRANSPORTATION, page 5 Lakewood superintendent Dr. Steve Skalka announces retirement Molly Macleod Copy Editor Lakewood superintendent Dr. Steve Skalka announced his retirement at the end of the 2022-23 school year at a board of education meeting Monday night. The announcement comes with the caveat that he will take a leave of absence following Christmas break, lasting until his official retirement at the end of the school year. In the meantime, curriculum director Jodi Duits will serve as the interim super­ intendent. Skalka expressed in an email to staff his support for Duits taking the helm as the next Lakewood superintendent once his term has officially ended. Skalka entered the role of Lakewood superintendent in June of 2020 and has See SKALKA, page 3 Dr. Steve Skalka (File photo) County employees await first round of inflation impact payments; County admin provides update Jayson Bussa Editor Ever since last week’s marathon Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting, the county’s administration office has received a steady flow of calls and emails. All of them have been asking the million-dollar question - or, in this case, the $4,000 question. “We’ve been getting a lot of calls about it,” said Luella Dennison, deputy county administrator. The question has come from county employees, many of them wondering when they might receive the first of three inflation impact payments that the county board approved last week. Under the plan, full-time employees will receive an additional $4,000 issued via installment payments. The first payment will be in the amount of $2,000 and paid as soon as possible. After that, $1,000 payments will be made both in the first pay period of April 2023 and July 2023. Part-time union employees will receive a pro-rated sum spread throughout the same period. Part-time, non-represented employees will receive an $800 payment, which includes $400 right away and additional $200 pay­ ments in both April and July. Employees that are within their mandato­ ry probation period will receive payments once their probationary period is over. The county will consider a standard probation period to be six months, even if the position has a longer probationary period (i.e. some positions in the sheriff’s office come with a year-long probationary period). Seasonal and temporary workers were exclud­ ed from the payments, as were all elected offi­ cials. County transit employees were also excluded because the department is arranging its own round of bonus payments for employees. This series of bonus payments to county employees was funded by federal American Resue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the tune of $704,520. Barry County was originally provided $11.9 million in ARPA funding, $6.3 million of which has already been awarded in the first wave of projects. After the $704,520 spent in bonus payments to county employ­ ees, Barry County is left with $4.9 million in ARPA funds. During last week’s county board meeting, county administrator Michael Brown said that his office would do its best to issue the first round of bonus payments before the year is out. “We have multiple unions in the county and we have to do letters of understanding with each of them, which explains these pay­ ments and how we’re proposing to pay those,” Dennison told The Banner. “They all have to sign off on those. We’re in the process of finalizing those agreements with our attor­ ney and it will be a matter of sending them out and getting them back. It just depends on how long that would take.” The inflation impact payments come at a time when leadership within various county departments has been clamoring for enhanced compensation to help retain employees here in Barry County. Many of them, like the Barry County courts, feared a mass exodus of employees who would seek higher-paying positions in other counties or other industries. Undersheriff Jason Sixberry of the Barry County Sheriff’s Office knows well the strug­ gle with attracting and retaining staff. The sheriff’s office is currently understaffed by three. He said the bonus payments were a good start in helping to retain employees. “It’s at least a step toward the right direc- See BONUSES, page 2 Barry County Administrator Michael Brown worked with the county board last week to iron out the details of a resolution to provide bonus payments to a wide majority of county employees. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) �Page 2 — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Lofts @128 holds ribbon-cutting ceremony; units already filled Pierce Institute offering winter break exploration kits Kids can keep busy this winter break while off school with winter break exploration kits being offered by Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings. The kits, which are free, will be available to pick up at the Institute, the Hastings Public Library and the Delton District Library between Friday, Dec. 16 and Monday, Jan. 2. The kits will be available at the south side of the Visitor Center at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. The kits, which encourage kids to explore and play outside during the cold, snowy months, are arranged by age group, with specific kits containing items tailored to all child age groups. The kit categories are: birth to 2-years-old, preschool, early elementary and upper elementary. More information about Pierce Cedar Creek Institute and the winter break exploration kits is available at cedarcreekinstitute.org. Homeowners can turn Christmas decorations into cash in Battle of the Bulbs Homeowners throughout Barry County can spread festive cheer while potentially win­ ning prizes through the Battle of the Bulbs Christmas decorating contest put on by the Barry County Chamber & Economic Development Alliance. The contest is open to anyone in the county. Homeowners that think they might have a prize-winning light and decoration display are able to email a photo of their homes - or less than 20 seconds of video - to aleshia@mibarry.com as a submission to the Battle of the Bulbs Contest. All submissions must be turned in by Friday, Dec. 9. Once submitted, the Chamber will be posting all of the photos and videos to its Face­ book page on Monday, Dec. 12 so that the public can vote on their favorites. Voting remains open until 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18. The first-place residential winner will receive $250 Barry Bucks, which can be used as a store credit at a variety of businesses throughout the county. Second place receives $150 Barry Bucks and third place receives $75 Barry Bucks. Businesses are also encouraged to compete by decorating the outside of their offices or buildings. The winner in the business division will receive a trophy to put on display. City officials and developers gathered Tuesday for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Lofts @128 housing development in down­ town Hastings. The 21-unit housing development at 128 N. Michigan Ave. offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, with com­ mercial space available to lease on the ground floor. The property manager involved with the project said all 21 housing units have been filled since late October, when residents started to move-in. The $4.9 million development by Cascade Township-based Veneklasen Construction broke ground at the site almost exactly a year ago in Nov. 2021. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) The event is sponsored by Dewey’s Auto Body. Supper Club presents healthy holiday cooking school The Hastings Healthy Living Supper Club will host a healthy holiday cooking school Sunday, Dec. 4 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the community room of the Hastings Adventist Ele­ mentary School building, 888 Terry Lane, off of Star School Road in Hastings. The program will be geared to help celebrate holiday feasts in healthful ways. The appetizers demonstrated al the class are easy to make. The menu includes cranberry breeze, dilly popcorn, strawberry cashew dip, creamy spinach and kale dip, tomato basil bruschetta, vegan cauliflower lentil balls, smoky jackfruit(chicken) salad and crispy smashed'potatoes with avocado garlic aioli. Cooking demonstrations and samples will be provided as while participants learn the health ben­ efits and facts of the recipes. The cranberry drink is made with fruit, 100 percent juice and no com syrup, a much healthier choice. A new spin on spinach dip is a warm version without the use of mayo. Cashews are used instead for its creamy base. For those who have not tried jackfruit, the class will be a great way to learn more about the unique tropical fruit and taste its texture, which is comparable to shredded meat. As per usual, take-home recipes will be provided, and other literature such as the Ingredient Substitution Chart and resource list can be taken home as well. A selection of plant-based cookbooks will also be available to purchase with donation. The program is free; free-will offerings are welcome. To register or for more information, contact Janice Cleary at 269-804-9959 or email Hhealthylivingsupperclub@gmail.com. Sanitary sewer failure blamed for wastewater discharge at Yankee Springs mobile park Greg Chandler Staff Writer A sanitary sewer system failure is being blamed for a discharge of raw wastewater at the Yankee Springs Meadows mobile home park on Monday morning. The release was discovered about 8:45 a.m. Repairs were completed by 10 a.m. that morning. “The storm sewer was cleaned, and the area was applied with lime,” Yankee Springs Meadows manager Dawn Gillespie said in a statement. Gillespie did not disclose how much waste­ water was discharged. The park reported the discharge in accor­ dance with the Natural Resources and Envi­ ronmental Protection Act of 1994, which requires those responsible for a sewer system to report a discharge of untreated or partial­ ly-treated sewage to notify the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, the Barry-Eaton District Health Department and a newspaper of general cir­ culation in the county where the discharge took place within 24 hours. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING City allocates funds from Tyden Lofts property sale to State Street streetscape project Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The City of Hastings moved two ongoing city projects closer to completion, dedicating funds to its State Street streetscape project and completing a first reading of a tax exemption ordinance for the proposed Tyden Lofts project. Council membets7 vpted to dedicate $157,000 toward the streetscape project, which will renovate and improve public spaces alongside State Street from Broad­ way Avenue to Boltwood Street. The $157,000 were generated from the sale of the city’s lot on West Court Street to Tyden Lofts developer General Capital, which is based in Wisconsin. City Manager Sarah Moyer-Cale said allot­ ting those funds to the project will allow the Downtown Development Authority, which has agreed to fund the estimated $2.6 million project, to have a much more manageable yearly loan payment. She said with the city’s contributions, the DDA would have an esti­ mated yearly payment around $170,000. “The DDA can certainly take out a loan and cover this cost, but I want to make sure that they have comfortable payments,” Moy­ er-Cale said. “I don’t want them to have to cut their budget, or do less, or scrub by for the next few years while they’re making these payments.” Council members also came to a consensus that they could provide an additional $50,000 to $100,000 for the project if needed, which Moyer-Cale said might be necessary once the project came closer to fruition. A first reading for a tax exemption ordi­ nance for the Tyden Lofts project was per­ formed, proposing the terms of a payment in lieu of taxes for the project. Instead of paying taxes to the city, the property will pay a per­ centage of the rent collected by the building. The proposed terms set a 1 percent charge for the first five years, a 2 percent charge for the next five years, a 3 percent charge for the next five years, and a 4 percent charge for the remaining 30 years. The exemption was made to encourage the development of the “middle-market” work­ force housing. Moyer-Cale said the exemption is similar to others in the city that typically have a 3 percent charge for the full-term of the agreement, with the lower rates at first helping to offset front loaded development costs. Ben Geiger, chair of the Barry County Board of Commissioners, expressed his grat­ itude for the collaboration with the city over his 12 years as a commissioner. Geiger’s term is up Dec. 31, after which he will no longer be on the board. “It is a little bit better (than a 3 percent charge for the full term) for (the city) overall by the end of it, but it really helps (General Capital) out with the development because they aren’t paying as much upfront,” Moy­ er-Cale said. “It’s pretty close to a wash, but a little bit better for us overall.” In other business, the city: - Accepted Michele Peltier’s resignation, with regrets, from the planning commission, joint planning alliance and the City Parks Committee. -Approved request from Carl Schoessel to hold the annual New Year’s Eve Ball Drop in downtown Hastings from 5:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 31,2022 and Jan. 1,2023. - Approved the renewal of the two-year, $70,000 City Recreation Agreement for YMCA. John Sporer, executive director for YMCA of Barry County, said this year’s agreement would be the first time the rate had been raised since 2017, with a $35,000 per-year rate as opposed to the previous $30,000 per-year rate. - Approved the sale of a former Depart­ ment of Public Services backhoe and a for­ mer DPS dump truck. - Received a report from Hastings Chief of Police Dale Boulter. Officer John Wass was hired and started at the department on Nov. 28. In the month of November, the department responded to 363 calls to service and made 13 arrests. There were 12 traffic accidents, 11 involving property damage, one involving injury and five non-moving violations. - Heard comments from Ben Geiger, chair of the Barry County Board of Com­ missioners. Geiger, whose term is up Dec. 31, reflected on his 12 years as a commis­ sioner and thanked the city for their collab­ oration. Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured HELP WANTED Part-time Parts Delivery Driver Monday - Wednesday - Thursday. Apply within: 7709 Kingsbury Rd Delton, Ml 49046 BONUSES, continued from page 1 tion. I’m not saying it will cure everything. The big thing is the health insurance part of it,” Sixberry said, referring to the fact that health insurance premiums are rising for county employees next year. “That’s a huge cut into your salary so this will help some with that but it’s not one of those things that helps retain them, per se, to not going some­ where else.” Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office is looking to leverage a grant program to fill two of the vacancies on its staff. At Tuesday’s Barry County Board of Com­ missioners meeting, Sixberry appeared in front of the board to answer questions about a program put on by the Michigan Commis­ sion on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES), which pays for recruits to go through police academy. The sheriff’s office is looking to leverage the $30 million MCOLES program to put two recruits through the police academy at Lan­ sing Community College this winter. Both individuals are already working within the department - one as a marine deputy and the other in corrections. “To me, it’s a no-brainer,” Sixberry told the board. “We can’t get people as it is to apply. If they do, they’re applying to other places that (pay) more money, better bene­ fits and better health care. We’re trying to compete.” The grant provides up to $20,000 per recruit for academy costs and up to $4,000 per recruit for salaries as they attend the acad­ emy. The individuals must be employed by the agency while going through the program, which makes the recruits already working in Barry County even more ideal. The program comes against the backdrop of a shallow labor pool, which is making it difficult for law enforcement agencies across the state to hire new talent. The bonuses are certainly a pat on the back for those already with the department. “We would like our employees to under­ stand we do care and we like them to stay,” Sixberry said. “We want to have really good employees overall. We want to keep them for the community and help keep the com­ munity safe.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — Page 3 Thornapple Players1 ‘Christmas Belles’ opens tonight The Thornapple Players will bring laughter and good cheer this Christmas season with their holiday production of “Christmas Belles,” written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. This hilarious Christmas comedy opens tonight. Shows will be at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 1, 2, 3; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. in the Dennison Performing Arts Cen­ ter located at 231 S. Broadway, Hastings. Tickets prices are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors (62+) and students. “Christmas Belles” is a Southern farce portraying Christmastime in a small town in Texas. As a series of misfortunes occur, all hope for a successful Christmas program seems lost. From dealing with squabbling sisters, family secrets, a surly Santa, a venge­ ful sheep and a reluctant Elvis impersonator, what else could go wrong? The cast of char­ acters finds a way to rally the townsfolk to perform a Christmas program that brings the community closer. The joy and spirit of Christmas is renewed, and the show con­ cludes with a “good old-fashioned sing-a­ long,” say representatives of the show. Cast and crew members include Shirlee Holsten, Michelle Pappas, Ellie Payne, Char­ lie Saulino, Cheryl Sheridan, Kimmy Beck, Kirsten Nottingham, Elijah Leonard, Dick Curtis, Angela Seeber, Julian Kratochvil, Carol Svihl, Terri Schray, Jordan Moray, Michael Moray, Steve Hoke, Aiden Oliver and Julie Coon. The show is directed by Julian Kratochvil and assisted by Jordan Moray. Advance tickets may be reserved by call­ ing the Thomapple Arts Council of Barry County at 269-945-2002 or purchased at Progressive Graphics located at 115 S. Jeffer­ son St., Hastings. Tickets will also be avail­ able at the door. The newly seated Middleville Village Council met for the first time last week. Left to right: Richard Hamilton, Pro-Tempore Mike Lytle, Makenzi Peters, President Mike Cramer, Ann Williams, Kevin Smith, Johnny DeMaagd. Hamilton,, Refers, Williams and DeMaagd were elected for the first time Nov. 8. Cramer, Lytle and Smith are longtime council members. (Photo by James Gemmell) Middleville Village staff may hire own planning and zoning administrator, not share one with Thornapple Twp. James Gemmell Contributing Writer Middleville Village Manager Craig Stolsonburg is leaning toward asking the village council to hire its dwn planning and zoning administrator rather than have one person share the position for both the village and Thomapple Township. He made that announcement at last week’s village council meeting. It would be a change in what was suggested previously. At the Nov. 1 Committee of the Whole meeting, Stolsonburg had proposed that, perhaps, the planning and zoning position could be shared by both governmental units the way it had been done years ago. He had noted that the village and township have similar zoning and a “similar vision for our communities.” Stolsonburg met with township officials and, on Nov. 14, the Thomapple Township Board voted unanimously to give Supervisor Eric Schaefer permission to discuss the mat­ ter with village staff. Catherine Getty, the longtime planning and zoning administrator for the township, recently resigned from that position. And the village has been without a permanent planning and zoning administrator since Brian Urquhart left in June to become the city planner in Grand Haven. So, the timing seemed good for both vil­ lage and township staff to discuss the possi­ bility of hiring a joint planning and zoning administrator. But the township board also voted at its November meeting to establish an ad hoc committee to explore other options for filling the position. “I met with Eric Schaefer over at the town­ ship and they’re moving a little slower than what I would like to see them move on this item,” Stolsonburg told the village council. “There are some opportunities out there (with the State of Michigan) that warrant us taking some swifter action on that.” For example, the Michigan Economic Development Corp, has a fellowship program that would provide an intern to work with the village for 12 to 15 months. But the village would have to hire a planning and zoning administrator before the end of the year to meet a deadline to apply for the internship. The planning and zoning administrator would serve as the intern’s direct supervisor and trainer. “And if we don’t have that (position filled), then we’re going to potentially miss out,” Stolsonburg said. The MEDC would cover 90 percent of the cost for the internship and the village would pay 10 percent. Stolsonburg said a heavy workload for village staff in 2023 might also require a planning and zoning administrator whose only job is working for the village. “We’re going to need somebody full-time, for sure, with all the projects we have coming up. I think it warrants us kind of going on our own on that,” he said. Stolsonburg said he might ask the village’s Committee of the Whole at its Dec. 6 meeting to consider hiring the planning and zoning administrator to work for the village only. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute events for Dec/1-7 Nov. 1-Dec. 31 - November Story walk Book: “Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Ani­ mals Get Ready for Winter” by Laura Purdie Salas; illustrated by Claudine Gevry. The Storywalk is free and self-guided. Saturday, Dec. 3 - Learning the Land series: Forest Forensics History Hike (ages 12+, under 18 with an adult), 1-3 p.m. This hike is free to all and is presented in collabo­ ration with MSU Extension. Those interested can register for these events and find more information at cedarcreekinstitute.org/events.html. Hastings Public Library events for Dec. 1-7 Thursday, Dec. 1 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches a 1941 movie starring Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold and Walter Brennan, 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2 - Preschool Story Time, 10:30-11 a.m.; Art at the Library, 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 - Cookies with Santa, 11-2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5 - Crafting Passions, 10-1 p.m.; board of directors meeting, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6 - Baby Cafe, 10 a.m.noon; mahjong, 2:30 p.m.; chess, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7 - Itsy Bitsy Book Club - 10:30-11 a.m.; Digital Literacy - video chat basics, 2 p.m.; writers group, 6:30-8 p.m. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269­ 945-4263. The Thornapple Players will open their Christmas show, “Christmas Belles,” tonight at the Dennison Performing Arts Center. Pictured are (from left) Justin Waverly (Elijah Leonard) and Sheriff John Curtis Buntner (Charlie Saulino) as they discuss women. (Photo by David Greeley) SKALKA, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------navigated the district through the majority of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff shortages, tough economic times and a bond campaign. He previously iserved as the superintendent of. a Pennsylvania school district. Skalka told The Banner that he is grateful for his time at Lakewood. “I’m very proud to have had the opportunity to serve here. I think that we did excellent work in keeping our schools open throughout COVID and that really did take a team effort of administrators, teachers (and) support staff,” he said. “Everyone should be com­ mended for that. And now it’s time for me to focus on other things. I have every confidence in the district, and especially Jodi Duits.” During Lakewood’s spring semester, Skalka said he would support the district and Duits remotely through spring break and in person during the summer. “This is both a difficult and easy decision,” said Skalka in an email to Lakewood staff. “Difficult in that the .Lakewood, community and people I work with are outstanding and there are still some things to do. Easy in that' there will never not be things to do and the entire district staff are more than capable of getting them done. Difficult in that I’ve been a school administrator for 29.5 years and it’s a significant part of who I am. Easy in that, come February, I will have been a husband for 30 years and my wife Stacy deserves my undivided time and attention to do what she wants to do.” Skalka also cited allowing Duits the oppor­ tunity to serve as interim superintendent, and possibly superintendent in the future, as a motivation for retiring. ■iTTTTririiTTrrrriiiir THORDHPPLE IXXXXXiXXXXXXXXXXXXXX GRAVEL, continued from pa el -------------------------------------But some commissioners pushed back on the new motion. “ft seems to me that this is giving us no options for us to do other things,” LaForge said. “It’s a pretty specific (motion) ... The other thing is that ... I thought that we had talked about the fact that anything else we had to do with this, we would have the attor­ ney actually at this meeting because there are several questions I would have for him.” “To be blunt, he was at our previous meet­ ing in September, and you ignored his coun­ sel,” McManus responded. “I’m not going to spend (county) funds to ignore counsel.” LaForge raised specific concerns about having Stoneco submit the new hydrogeolog­ ical study and the housing impact study. “I’m not comfortable with letting them pick the company they have do (the hydro­ geological study),” he said. “The second (concern) is the same thing, with the housing study. I’m not comfortable with them decid­ ing who they’re going to get.” Stoneco had presented a hydrogeological report to the county in June from the firm Natural Resources Management LLC, which said the project should not affect surrounding groundwater levels, using a model that was based on logs of 150 residential wells in the area. Opponents called for an independent hydrogeological report. Miner questioned whether commission­ ers should even have discussed the motion with two members absent. But McManus said there was a time stamp on Redick’s motion, meaning commissioners had to act Monday. McManus said the attorneys for the coun­ ty and Stoneco had agreed on the motion language to keep the issue out of the court system. “These are what they agreed upon, lan­ guage-wise, and our attorney has come up with a motion that is supported, so we can move forward,” he said. LaForge asked, “do we have the right attor­ ney?” “You don’t have any choice. That is our attorney,” McManus responded. After the vote, Miner asked McManus what the commission’s next action should be. “I’m not going to make a recommenda­ tion. If you’re not going to listen to our attorney, I don’t know what else to do,” McManus said. More than 30 residents from the area attended the meeting at the Tyden Center, and several spoke out in public comments follow­ ing the vote. Paul Yelsma of the Delton Crooked Lake Association said the commis­ sion’s decision on Stoneco’s application could have a far-reaching impact down the road. “Some land is being purchased near Crook­ ed Lake, and we have another mining compa­ ny also wanting to do some aggregate min­ ing,” Yelsma said. “I’m not against it and I don’t think very many people in the commu­ nity are against aggregate mining, but what you choose to do with the land during and after the mining is going to become very important for the next several years.” Cathy Ross, who lives about a quarter-mile from the proposed site on Stoney Point Drive, called for an independent analysis of both traffic safety and water quality. “We really need to make sure, not by letting them hire their own people, but get a neutral party in there that’s going to take a look at this and really give us a good sound judgment so that we can make the proper stipulations if this is going to go in,” Ross said. Stoneco Operations Manager Tony Hallo­ ran was in attendance at Monday’s meeting. He referred media questions to company attorney Ken Vermeulen. “We’re disappointed that the Planning Commission again declined to follow the advice of the county attorney and county planner,” Vermeulen said in a telephone inter­ view Wednesday morning. “We’re now eval­ uating our options.” Stoneco had planned to build another min­ ing operation across Miller Road from the Orangeville site on a 153-acre parcel near Wilkinson Lake in Hope Township. Howev­ er, the township planning commission on Aug. 18 voted down a special land use for the site that had been submitted by R. Smith and Sons Trucking, which owns the site, citing impacts on housing development, groundwa­ ter and wildlife. Stoneco had planned to con­ nect the two properties with a conveyor line that would be built under Miller Road. On Sept. 22, R. Smith and Sons filed suit against Hope Township, alleging the township violated a provision of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act by rejecting the proposed mining use. Act 110 of the zoning enabling act states: “An ordinance shall not prevent the extraction, by mining, of valuable natural resources from any property unless very serious consequences would result from the extraction of those natu­ ral resources. Natural resources shall be con­ sidered valuable for the purposes of this sec­ tion if a person, by extracting the natural resources, can receive revenue and reasonably expect to operate at a profit.” That legislation was written after a 1982 Michigan Supreme Court ruling that said Ada Township in Kent County overstepped its bounds by blocking a proposed mining operation. In its lawsuit, Smith claimed it was not informed that its amended application for the site would be placed on the agenda at that Aug. 18 meeting, ft completed a hydrogeo­ logical report to the township and submitted it five days after that meeting. No one from the company attended that meeting. The suit alleges the township “relied on unsubstantiat­ ed conjecture, hyperbole, fear-mongering and assumption” in its decision. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 THROUGH SATURDAY, DOCemBBR 3,2022 CURTAII1AT7PM suiiday, DecemBeR 4,2022 MATinee peRFORmAnce at 2 pm ADULTS-$10 STUDemrs add senioRs - 18 DRESS REHEARSAL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30 CURTAIN AT 7 PM ALL TICKETS-17 Dennison peRFORimnc arts cenreR - barry communrrY EnRicwnenr cenreR 231 SOUTH BROADWAY ~ MASTinGS, Ml 49058 - Please use rue doors on cenreR strcgt rioters hiay oe purcnascd at progrcssivc graphics, at th© door, or ReseRven by cauihg th© THORnAPPLe ARTS COUnCIL AT (269) 945-2002 CHRISTMAS BELLES is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection Presented by special arrangement with Council Of Burry Cmuicy Michigan Barry Community­ Foundation SHOPS barrY CTfcltf Cariru^vlher** AssodoiCn Mcrtgnn �Page 4 — Thursday, December 1,2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you inion see? With Nashville housing project in limbo, local government dims progress again CAN YOU BE-LEAF IT?! Delton resident Karl Smith has a giant tree on his property. And now, it’s an award-winning giant tree. ReLeaf Michigan, a statewide non-profit orga­ nization that focuses on tree planting and tree education, holds its Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest on a biannual basis, seeking out some of the largest trees around the state. Smith entered his White Oak, which measures 218.5 inches around, to the contest and was crowned the winner of Barry County. In all, 650 entries were sent in, representing 79 of the state’s 83 counties. Do you remember? 30 year veteran Banner Nov. 1, 1972 Carlton Bump (right) receives a plaque from Fire Chief Donald Sothard recognizing Bump’s three decades of service as a member of the Hastings Volunteer Fire Department. Chief Sothard praised Bump’s devotion to the department. The presentation was made at a pot­ luck dinner held at the fire station Saturday, Oct. 21. - Banner photo Have you met? Santa Claus isn’t the only one coming to town - not in Hastings, at least. Next week will mark the return of Santa Paws, who has been sighted in Hastings around the holidays every year for nearly the last decade. The canine cousin to the more notorious Claus, Santa Paws comes to town to spread cheer and festivity among the town’s four-legged friends. Linda Robinson, Freeport resident and former owner of Green Street Veterinary Clinic, said the idea for Santa Paws came to her years ago. She saw a letter published in the Reminder from a local charity group informing the community that they wouldn’t be running an annual toy drive for local foster kids. Robinson decided to take mat­ ters into her own hands by raising money for toys at her vet clinic. “We thought, ‘We’re going to start get­ ting some toys for kids.’ We had a big sale of new and used pet stuff, it was a holiday pet boutique,” she said. “Then we asked people to bring a gift for foster kids, and then I think we added pictures that year, too.” The pictures sprouted the idea for Santa Paws. Robinson had a Santa suit and thought it would be great if donors could get a picture of their dogs with Santa. “I had a Santa suit prior, and I just thought it would be cool to see,” Robinson said. “Then I saw this giant dog suit and I thought, ‘I’m not going to be just Santa. I want to be a dog dressed like Santa.’ That’s where it took off.” Every year since, Santa Paws has been bringing gifts to all the dogs of Hastings and Barry County (because according to Santa Paws, every single dog is always very good). Robinson said the event has raised over $20,000 for local charities, including the Barry County Humane Society and Barry County Foster Kids. Last year’s event raised over $1,200 for Green Gables Haven. Santa Paws This year’s event is taking place from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 10 at Bob King Park on West Woodlawn Avenue. Attendees can make a small donation to receive a photo of their pup with Santa Paws and a Christmas “wag bag” full of goodies. Proceeds from this year’s event are sup­ porting All Species Kinship, a non-profit organization that helps injured wildlife and provides rescue services for dogs in unsafe situations. Robinson also encourages any­ one who is able to bring cans or bags of cat and dog food to donate to the Barry County Humane Society Food Pantry and Barry County Pet Meals on Wheels. Dogs are welcome to come dressed up for their photos but there will also be Christmas swag for dogs who don’t have anything to wear for the occasion. Dogs don’t have to be present to receive a wag bag - their owners can leave a donation and receive a bag to take home if their pups get nervous around crowds or other dogs. This year will feature goodie bags for cat owners to take home to their feline friends as well. As the event draws closer, Robinson anticipates a good turnout and said it has always been a great success. She’s excited to don the Santa Paws suit for a good cause yet again, and it’s a role she takes very seriously. “(People have said), ‘You think you are Santa. You start believing you’re really him,”’ she said. For spreading holiday cheer by giving back to the community and its animal friends, Santa Paws (also known as Linda Robinson) is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite teacher: Jo Beth Bridleman was my Puppy Kindergarten teacher at the Barry County Fairgrounds. All of the pup­ pies loved Jo Beth, because we knew she loved each one of us. Something people don’t know about me: Snoopy and Clifford the Big Red Dog are my cousins. A big accomplishment for me: Being Santa Paws! Best song ever written: Snoopy and the Red Baron Christmas song, because it’s about peace at Christmas and it’s also about my cousin Snoopy. First job: As a young pup, I was a treat taste tester for Christmas wag bags. Favorite dinner: Before a big event, the elves and I like to load up with a big bowl of hamburger and rice. Anything with squirt cheese on it is pretty good, too. What I like about my job: Being able to spread Christmas cheer and being a beacon of light for all of the pets out there who think they’ve been forgotten. What I want for Christmas: For no person or animal to ever go to sleep at night hungry, cold or frightened - and to see lots of pets at Santa Paws! Are we going to chalk up the failure of another brilliant community development opportunity to the dim thinking of local government officials committed to a tradi­ tion of backward thinking? This time it’s in Nashville where village officials are willing to move forward but Castleton Township leaders are holding up a creative plan to convert the historic and now abandoned W.K. Kellogg School into a critically-needed apartment building. Dogwood Community Development, a nonprofit company based in Hart, wants to turn the deteriorating 1930s structure into 20 living units, including five two-bed­ room, 13 one-bedroom and two studio apartments. Allan Martin, a consultant with Dogwood, said market research indicates senior citizens, young professionals and new families will likely be the primary tenants for the project. The project is not subsidized “Section Eight” housing and would be overseen for some 45 years by the Michigan State Hous­ ing Development Authority. Tenants would be carefully screened and required to pass background checks that would eliminate all individuals associated with criminal sexual conduct, violent crimes and drug-re­ lated felonies. Naturally, the developer, who estimates the project to cost upwards of $7 to $8 million dollars, isn’t interested in renting the facility to just anyone. Dogwood will be looking for quality tenants who make managing a project of this magnitude much easier. So what’s holding the project up, keep­ ing the developer from breathing new life into a deteriorating building and attracting new residents to the village? It stems from village and township offi­ cials not getting on the same page and arguing over property taxes that will be paid as part of the rent rather than paid as part of the overall project. It’s an alterna­ tive tax payment system called a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) in which Dog­ wood would pay the Village of Nashville and Castleton Township a total of about 4 percent of the tenants’ rent in lieu of tradi­ tional taxes. That amount would slightly increase over the term based on inflation. A PILOT ordinance is a temporary agree­ ment - typically 18 to 45 years - between the developer and the local municipality in which the development pays an agreed-upo’h pbftion of the taxes on a property includ­ ed in the rents, but not the entire tax amount as traditionally based on the entire project. This type of agreement helps to ensure the development is financially feasible. “To make the project financially feasi­ ble, the PILOT ordinance would need to be in place for at least 18 years,” said Martin. “That PILOT amount paid would be more than the village and township are currently receiving for the property.” Dogwood is also able to make the project financially viable through federal tax cred­ its, which put the income cap on the building but also add an extra layer of oversight. The Village of Nashville has voted to green light the project, but leaders in Cas­ tleton Township have not, putting the entire project in limbo. “I’m a huge proponent of this project,” says Maple Valley Schools Superintendent Katherine Bertolini. “It’s something that I’ve been striving for in the four years that I’ve been here to give our teachers an affordable place to live so they can call Maple Valley not only their workplace but their home. I want them to stay and I want them to raise their families here, because invested teachers that live in the district make a much stronger district, and I think housing is one of the critical missing com­ ponents for our young teachers.” “We can’t keep saying ‘No, no, no’ to everything,” adds Nashville resident Mike Beachnau. “We must at least open our minds to the possibilities - there’s some­ thing that we have to do with that building. I feel like we either have to develop it or bulldoze it - one of the two. Because it’s just going to sit there and do nothing for the community, or for anybody else, except sit there and rot and fall over.” The Hastings BdllllCir Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Hastings Banner, Inc. Published by... A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. For years now, business leaders have been complaining about the growing need for additional housing throughout Barry County. Downsizing seniors, young pro­ fessionals, young families and profession­ als looking for multi-family housing and smaller loft-type living anywhere in the county are driving the issue. Yet in recent years, several housing proj­ ects in the county, like the W.K. Kellogg school renovation project in Nashville, have faced opposition from government leaders that have slowed down the process or even nixed projects entirely due to out-of-date zoning regulations or controlling officials that lack any flexibility in the process. They forget that when community leaders say ‘No not here’ to development ideas because of some details or a lack of visionary leadership it can curtail or stop development in the future. That issue came up recently when Viking Corporation’s Vice President of Human Services Dennis Quam and I attended a joint meeting of Barry County Commission­ ers and Hastings City Council members to discuss the lack of housing throughout the county. “We’re finding it extremely difficult to staff positions not necessarily due to money, benefits, culture or the type of work that we’re performing,” Quam told those com­ munity leaders. “It’s because of the lack of available housing, whether it be rental apart­ ments, condos or single-family homes.” Affordable housing is a basic component needed for society to function. Research shows the foundational importance of safe, decent and affordable housing determines the level of concern for child welfare, labor market outcomes and the overall health and vitality of a community. That’s why it’s sad to think that govern­ ment officials throughout the county don’t place a higher concern on projects such as turning a run-down old school building into a useful housing project that will bring economic attention to the village - some­ thing that a number of local citizens have been working on for some time. The Route 66 Committee in the Nash­ ville area has been focusing on local busi­ nesses and events for several years to bring attention to the village. The village still has a good selection^) of restaurants, antique shops, and retailers and there’s a new bak­ ery that was just featured in the Reminder last weekend. Plus, the Barry Community Foundation with the support of anonymous donors has invested time and money into local projects to breath new life into the village. All that could be lost or curtailed due to the current lack of leadership and quicksand thinking that controls the future. The threat to the project is that if Dog­ wood walks away from this proposal, the chances of finding another developer to take on the project would be nearly impos­ sible. If local leaders can’t work something out it’s likely that eventually the old struc­ ture will be torn down at taxpayer expense. So not only do we lose a great project that’s good for the community but we also send a message to developers in the future that this isn’t a good place to invest. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning,” said Benja­ min Franklin. Franklin had a significant and profound influence on the early development of our nation over 200 years ago. We need to focus on what needs to be done today to solve the housing needs so we can continue to attract and maintain a healthy communi­ ty for all of us in the years to come. • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — Page 5 TRANSPORTATION, continued from page 1 -------------------community stops, every kid still rides every day,” Bertolini said. “We wouldn’t have any suspension of service to any of our kids but it will take some community cooperation.” Bertolini also said that the latest challeng­ es have shone a light on the inequities that rural communities face when it comes to transportation. “I think we really need to look at how we’re funding rural schools, for one thing,” Bertolini said. “Transportation is not a legal requirement for school districts but when you’re as rural as we are, we know that our families depend on us to get their kids to and from school. Yet it is a disproportionately large amount of our bud­ get - anywhere from 8 percent to 8.4 percent of our budget. That’s before we get kids in our seats to learn things.” “Districts that are more condensed... they don’t put anywhere near as much as their traditional operating budget into transporta­ tion as we do,” she added. SITUATION IMPROVING AT THORNAPPLE KELLOGG At Thomapple Kellogg Schools, the dis­ trict had to institute walking zones at the start of the school year when it faced a crippling shortage of seven bus drivers. Right now, the TK district is still short three drivers. “We have hired three new potential drivers and they are currently going through train­ ing,” TK Superintendent Craig McCarthy said. “We should know by Friday, Dec. 9, if the drivers were able to pass their tests. If they all pass the state-mandated tests, we will have a full roster of drivers.” The district has added back one route that had been eliminated because of the driver shortage, and has optimized its routes to make them as efficient as possible, McCarthy said. “If all the new drivers are successful in pass­ ing their driving tests we will be able to add back an additional route,” McCarthy said. McCarthy attributed the bus driver short­ age to several issues, including fewer people in the workforce and fewer people wanting to drive a school bus. There’s also an economic issue to the shortage, the superintendent said. “Private industry has the ability to pay drivers a considerable amount more than school districts can afford to pay,” McCarthy said. “Of the seven drivers that we were down at the start of the year, none of them left the transportation department at TK to drive for another school district.” The TK district last fall increased wages for bus drivers as part of an across-the-board increase for the district’s support staff. The district also undertook a number of measures to improve safety for students who were walking to school. McCarthy identified the safety for walkers as the top concern expressed to him by parents. “To increase the visibility of our crossing ’guards,' and student safety,: we have pur­ chased lighted hand-held stop signs,” McCa­ rthy said. “We have also been working with the village to find safer solutions for students crossing Main Street. The (Middleville) Vil­ lage Council just approved the installation of a new flashing crosswalk sign on Main Street near Bender Road. Much like the crosswalk sign in downtown Middleville, students will press a button to activate the flashing cross­ walk sign which will alert drivers students are waiting to cross the road.” The district will continue to look for addi­ tional ways to improve student safety throughout the district, McCarthy said. TEAM STEPS UP IN D-K Life at Delton Kellogg Schools shows just how delicate staffing in the transportation department can be. Being short just a single driver has caused disruptions, which the department has addressed as a team. “We are one short right now,” Delton Kel­ logg Transportation Director Wayne Neitzke said. “Between my sub, mechanic, and (myself), we do it.” Falling one bus driver short, poses the challenge of covering the spot if another driv­ er calls in sick, or if there’s a road trip for one of the school’s sports teams that day. “We have pretty much given up all middle school sports transportation,” Neitzke said. “We have canceled multiple high school sports transportation because our priority is to get the kids home.” Obtaining a commercial driver’s license is more challenging than in years past. Many of the rules have changed, and the tests are quite difficult. Neitzke said prospective drivers now have to do online schooling that they never had before, and they are required to log many hours of night driving. Neitzke said more requirements to be a bus driver started with the federal government about five years ago. “We are currently trying to raise the pay for our drivers to make it more attractive for them to stay plus add new drivers,” said Neitzke, who started as a bus mechanic at Lakewood schools and was hired as Delton Kellogg Schools transportation director six years ago. “We need to get the word out; we need help,” he added, saying that more hiring will be needed to fill the spots of older workers that will move on to living as full­ time retirees. Dianna Bauman said she loves driving a bus and agrees with Neitzke that she belongs to an incredible team. She will be celebrating her 18th anniversary as Delton’s only full­ time bus driver who has the same route trans­ porting kids K-12. What does Bauman love most about her job? “My kids,” she said. “Those are my kids.” She said she could not imagine doing any­ thing else. “It’s not a bad job,” Bauman added. “If you want to be a bus driver, come and do the training. There’s a shortage, and we need people.” BaumanVtypical day is up at 6 a.m., driv­ ing 17 miles to work, checking her bus, and making her bus stop rounds. “My kids are great because I’ve had them for so long,” she said. “It’s not about con­ trolling them; it’s about managing them. Reuben “Bud” Fish turns 100 on Pearl Harbor Day A lifelong resident of Freeport, Reuben was bom on December 7,1922, to Allen and Loma (Deming) Fish. He was a graduate of Freeport High School in 1941. Bud entered the Army in January of 1943, and served in Co. C, 137th Infantry, 35th Divi­ sion, and was a rifleman and combat infantry­ man. Mr. Fish was at the D-Day invasion in France with many of his Freeport classmates beside him, several were wounded, and one died of his wounds. His citations included the Purple Heart, European-African-Middle East­ ern Theater Ribbon, Combat Infantryman's Badge, and the Good Conduct Medal. Bud married June Pennington in August 1948 and had five children. Mr. Fish worked at the Freeport Handle Factor for over 50 years. Send a card to our friend Bud at 149 Race Street, Freeport, MI 49325. Elaine Garlock Another Christmas ‘Round the Town event has gone into the record books. The Lakewood Area Chamber of Commerce oversees the big project, featured had 28 locations this year. One could easi­ ly take a whole day and make only part of the visits. With multiple artisans at many of the stops, there were likely several dozens of crafters involved. One of these stops was in a new business venture on Fourth Avenue at a pair of storefronts, each labeled “The Suites.” Each of the buildings has a number of office spaces with a central hallway, a conference room or two, shared spaces for restrooms, internet access and other amenities. The second floors of the two buildings have been trans­ formed into apartment space. There were gadgets that you never knew you needed until now. There were many choices avail­ able for quilted containers to handle hot dishes from the microwave. There were pillows with clever messages. One could even buy an afghan. This was the 30th year for Christmas ‘Round the Town. Central United Methodist Church began its Advent series with the first message having visual reminders of “From the Bulrushes to the Manger.” A woven basket backed by marine stalks on one side of the altar area had as counterbalance a small manger. Probably, the sermon series will compare Thomapple Kellogg buses are parked at the district’s garage. TK schools started the year short seven drivers, but are working to add more members to its staff. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) That’s what you need to do on a school bus.” Bauman’s co-worker, Terri Bourdo, has been driving a bus on and off and has been in transportation for 48 years. “I’m the school bus advocate,” she said. “I do some training, but I advocate for the school bus drivers. I’m all about safety.” She agrees with her colleagues that strict­ er requirements for licensing on the federal and state levels have deterred people from wanting to become bus drivers. In addition, she said the CDL test is more complex than it was years ago. Nevertheless, Bourdo has many reasons for becoming and staying a bus driver. “It’s not the same every single day. You have to learn about the kids’ behaviors. The kids make it fun. It brings challenges. I love the challenge,” Bourdo said. “I love the peo­ ple I work with every day. We’ve had a lot of fun through the years. It’s the camaraderie that keeps a lot of us here.” With the inconsistent schedule that comes with the gig, Neitzke has to be methodical about what sort of candidates he targets for potential hires. “My target audience is retirees that want to make extra money and moms that have kids in school,” he said. “But they also have to be able to pass a drug test which is a huge thing now that Michigan has legalized marijuana.” WAITING FOR THE BUS While iiumans rmgKi be at the heart'of tlie' transportation dilemma facing many districts, the Hastings Area School System is more in need of machines. Hastings schools has all the bus drivers it needs for its routes - but it’s still waiting on four new buses to be delivered. The buses were approved to be financed during the dis­ trict’s Sept. 19 board meeting and were antic­ ipated to arrive in November. Superintendent Matt Goebel said only one bus has been delivered to the vendor the school purchased the buses from. Supply chain issues and shortages are likely to blame, he said. “Just like everything else today, buses are often delayed due to specific parts or compo­ nents not being readily available,” Goebel said. “This causes lengthy delays in the man­ ufacturing of buses.” Although the district is waiting for the new buses to arrive to help bolster its fleet, Goeb­ el said the district is managing to get by with­ out them. A purchase of several buses a few years ago helped to replace older, less reliable buses before they became an issue. With the four new buses on the way, the district’s fleet is in good shape, he said. Although concerns with the district’s trans­ portation revolve primarily around bus short- the parallel stories of Moses and Jesus. The exodus continues with more and more local people heading for the warmer climates of Florida and Arizona. Thanksgiving Day last week brought many hosts having family members on hand to share the grate­ ful day along with good food, family connections and football games. The Lake Odessa Depot Museum complex hosted several vendors for the weekend. In advance, the pub­ licity team indicated a new parking lot and restroom access. Most of their vendors are repeat people who have used this facility for several years. In earlier years, most of the sites were in private homes. The Depot and Museum has very few customers until about 10:30 a.m. Their first customers usually made the restrooms their first stop before viewing any of the goods offered. Now that many stops are buildings with several dealers, such conveniences are available at several of the stops. Making the drives to visit the many stops on the tour, one can see changes in the landscape. One visible change is the addition being built on a house in Wood­ land on N. Main Street. This gives the home a new roofline with windows on multiple levels, reminiscent of the changes made to the Tyler house on S. Main in Woodland a few years ago. It appears to be an addition of two rooms on the ground level and two more rooms on an upper level with windows on the west looking toward Herald E. Memorial Classic Park. On Johnson Street, Bob’s Bam Jamborees has new signage, complete with a photograph. There is a concert at 3 p.m. followed by a jam session with many stringed instruments playing each Sunday afternoon. Dianna Bauman said she loves driving a bus for DeltdiT Kellogg Schools:' She will be celebrating her 18th anniversary as Delton's only full-time bus driver. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) ages, Goebel said the district has taken a proactive approach to avoid being short hand­ ed drivers, too. It can be tricky to attract new applicants, as most are looking for relatively scarce full-time transportation positions, he said. Hastings keeps an eye on neighboring districts to stay competitive regardless, offer­ ing a sign-on bonus, competitive pay, incen­ tives and paid training, he said. While fleet shortages and staffing difficul­ ties have required periodic cancellations of some routes, Goebel said the district tries its best to avoid them. When required, the dis­ trict makes sure to alert parents of any cancel­ lations days in advance. “We have had overwhelming support from parents who have had to deal with canceled routes,” Goebel said. “1 think that it is well known no matter what district you live in that transportation departments are really strug­ gling. Some are (struggling) worse than oth­ ers. Fortunately for us, we are not in bad shape compared to some.” Despite a brief shortage of bus drivers two years ago, Lakewood Public Schools has PT’I "We are currently trying, to . raise fh^ pay for our drivers to make it more attrac­ tive for thenrrtcrstay plusadd^hew dW ers," Delton Kellogg Transportation Director Wayne Neitzke (pictured) said. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) been able to maintain a fully staffed fleet of drivers and mechanics since the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. This did not come without effort from the district, though, with Superintendent Steve Skalka citing increased wages and active recruiting as changes made to Lake wood’s strategy. “We’ve continued to try to recruit drivers and will continue to recruit them because we know that might not always be the case,” Skalka said, To avoid a bus staff shortage crisis like that of two years ago, Lakewood has made it a pri­ ority to stay on top of its staffing and recruiting efforts. Part of these efforts included indefinite­ ly and significantly raising wages for bus driv­ ers at the start of the 2021-22 school year to attract more people to the positions. Editor Jayson Bussa; staff writers Greg Chandler and Hunter McLaren; copy editor Molly Macleod; and contributing writer Karen Turko-Ebright contributed to this spe­ cial report Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 Hastings DANNER Area Locations to purchase the Hastings Banner! Hastings: Middleville: Shelbyville: Nashville: One Stop Shop (Marathon) Speedway Town & Country Trading Post Harding's The Dock Nashville Johnny's (M-43 North) Superette Greg’s Get-It-N-Go Family Fare Middleville Johnny's' Tom's Market Hastings Johnny's Orangeville: The General Store Orangeville Fast Stop Marathon Mega Bev Prairieville: Hastings Pharmacy Prairieville Fast Stop Marathon Gas Station (M-37 West) Marathon Gas Station (M-37 South) Family Fare Gas Station Walgreens Cloverdale: MV Pharmacy Pelton: Nashville C Store Family Fare Carl’s Delton Johnny's Lake Odessa: Banfield: Lake-O-Mart Banfield General Store Lake Odessa Johnny's Dowling: Freeport: Goldsworthys L & J’s Lake-O-Express Carl’s Cloverdale General Woodland: Woodland Express �Page 6 — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Jflrea GfitiAried Gordon K. Yoder, age 94, of Hastings, MI, passed away on November 23, 2022. He also lived many years in Freeport, MI. Gordon is now at home with the Lord. Gordon was born on September 3, 1928, in Bowne Township, the son of Harold E. and Mabelle (Gackler) Yoder. Gordon co-owned Yoder Brothers Sunoco with his brother Elwood and serviced many customers on his fuel oil truck route from 1941-1989. He was a 1946 graduate of Freeport High School. Gordon proudly served his country in the Army during the Korean War. On July 24, 1951, Gordon married Leonora (Lee) Neff, and she preceded him in death in 2016. Gordon was a member of the United Methodist Church. He enjoyed hunting, bowling, playing cards and traveling. He spent many winters with Lee in Florida. Gordon was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years Lee Yoder; his parents; his daugh­ ter, Diane; his brother and sister-in-law, Elwood and Iris Yoder; sister and brother-in­ law, Norma and Norval Thaler, granddaughter, Jessica Gregory and son-in-law, Marv Owen. He is survived by his children, Terry Yoder, MaryAnn (Lou) Karides, Sharon (Doug) Geurink and Julie (Matt) Gregory; as well as eight grandchildren and several great grand­ children. A graveside service will be held this sum­ mer. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. giribag^funeralhome.net. „ James Dexter Jenks of Hastings, MI passed away peacefully on November 26, 2022. Jim was bom December 29, 1948 in Clare, MI to the late Clyde E. and Urvena N. (Bell) Jenks Sr. He graduated from Waverly High School Class of 1966 and attended Lansing Community College. Jim worked for Wood­ man Plumbing for a number of years and his career as a plumber spanned four decades. James was a member of the NRA, Michi­ gan United Conservation Club and the Barry County Conservation Club. Jim was proud of the fact that he was recognized as one of the Governor’s 20 Top Michigan rifle and pistol marksmen while serving in the Michigan Army National Guard. He is survived by his brother, John (Bon­ nie) Jenks along with numerous nieces, neph­ ews and cousins. He was preceded in death by sisters, Jane Smith and Nancy Spague and brother, Jerome Jenks. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, 2 p.m. at the Holihan-Atkin-Barclay Funeral Home, Grand Ledge with Pastor Deano Lamphere of the Nashville Baptist Church, officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will take place at the Hosmer Cemetery, Barry County, ML Memorial contributions in Jim’s name may be given to the Mackinaw Center, 140 W. Main Street, Midland, Michigan 48640 (https:// www.mackinac.org/donate?source=MCPP/ header). Share your memories and condolenc­ es online at www.holihanatkin.com , , . Worship Together Lois Maxine Pranshka, age 91 of Hastings, MI passed away on November 26, 2022. Lois was bom on May 21, 1931 in Plain­ well, the daughter of Curtiss and Olive (Cum­ mins) Bliss. Lois was an avid student of the Bible. Her love for Jehovah God and her neighbor moved her to share what she learned with others when­ ever possible. She was a member of the West Hastings Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She enjoyed spending time outdoors, watching baseball, especially the Detroit Tigers, playing cards with friends and playing aggravation with her grandkids. Keeping a good home was important to Lois and she cared deeply about her family. Lois is survived by daughters: Carolyn Young and Renee (Tim) Scharping; grandchil­ dren: Jennifer (Tom) Dimond, Ryan (Hayley) Scharping, and Jonathan (Brandy) Scharping; great grandchildren: Gavin, Grady, and Paige; sisters: Joyce Spillane and Sharon Vasquez. Lois was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Paul Pranshka; son in law, Gary Young; and brothers: Orrin Bliss and Marvin Bliss. Lois’s memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3550 W. M-179 Highway, Hastings. Memorial contributions can be made to the West Hastings Congregation of Jehovah’s Wit­ nesses. In honor of Lois, please visit the web­ site jw.org and read about the faith she held so dear. Please visit www.williamsgoresftineral. cpm to share a memory’? or to leave a condo­ lence message for Lois’s family. Timothy William Stube ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan 4:30 Mass Philip. p.m. 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. 8, Sunday. Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt Director, Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; gmail.com. Website: Martha www, 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Moser, Pastor. Lead 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social Nursery are available. Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children distancing. Aftermath Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ for information. School Youth Group; 6:30 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. 328 N. Worship Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. yforship raise contact 616-690-8609. This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: J *-ad Graphics 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Leona (Mesecar) Thompson left her earth­ ly body and went to Heaven to meet her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on Friday Nov. 25, 2022. She had been living at Thornapple Manor for the last several years, where she had received great healthcare, and made sev­ eral new friends with residents and staff. She was bom December 27, 1921, in Campbell Township, MI, one of 12 children, to Burt and Mildred (Hess) Mesecar. In her 100 plus years, she saw many changes hap­ pen in the way we now live, compared to her own years growing up through the Great Depression, in a large family. Leona married Donald Thompson (deceased) on June 1, 1941, and they had 74 years together. She was primarily a stay-athome mom and farm wife. Don and Leona had two children, Karen (Mick) Livermore and Darwin (Margie) Thompson. She will be missed by her beloved grandchildren, Pamela (Steve) Ries, Tom (Mindy) Thompson, Tim (Sheryl) Thompson, Zachary (Shanda) Livermore, Amy (Rich) Fetterhof, Todd Livermore; 15 great grand­ children, and two great greatgrandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews. Of her 11 siblings, two remain living, Martha (Mese­ car) Timm, and Wilma (Mesecar) Sheehan. Her deceased siblings were Sheldon (Mabel) Mesecar, Margaret (Wilbur) Dye, Stella (Roy) Kauffman, Bruce (Betty) Mese­ car, Leon (Leta) Mesecar, Merton (Elaine) Mesecar, Elwood (Barbara) Mesecar, Burt Mesecar Jr., Madeline (Ed) Pierce. Being an organized person, Leona had her funeral service pre-arranged with Girrbach Funeral Home in Hastings. Services were held on Tuesday Nov. 29, 2022, at Hastings Baptist Church, 309 E. Woodlawn Dr. Hast­ ings. After the service there was a luncheon followed by interment at Bowne Mennonite Cemetery in Clarksville. Retired Pastor Dan Currie serving her and our family in her last wishes. To leave online condolences visit www. gi rrbachfuneralhom e. net. sFlexfcb H 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Mi 49058. 945-4700 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 hustings Produc,s AMWffiWLW Norma Mae Fisher .fficended Timothy William Stube of Hastings, MI, formerly of Sunfield, passed away on Novem­ ber 23, 2022, after his short battle with lung cancer. Tim loved spending time with friends, fish­ ing, U of M Football, hunting, and playing loud music on his speakers. Tim adored all animals and kids, especially his nieces and nephews. Spending time with his family meant everything to him. Tim was a dependable per­ son, who had a huge heart. Tim was preceded in death by both paternal and maternal grandparents, several uncles, cousin Skyler Stube, and a special aunt, Linda Wellman. Tim is survived by his mother, Shirley (Mike) O’Toole; father, Jon Stube; brother, Jon Stube; twin brother, Tom Stube; sister, Kim (Mark) Peabody, and sister, Michelle O’Toole. Several nieces and nephews, cousins and best friends, Matt Shaw and Duane Huff. A memorial service for Tim will be Satur­ day, Dec. 3, 2022, at 1 p.m. Immediately fol­ lowing the service there will be a celebration of life until 3 p.m. at the Daniels Funeral Home - Hastings. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home in Hastings, MI, conveniently located at 1401 N Broadway Hastings, MI for further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. tRRBACH Fiberglass Bradley Adams Heath, age 67, lifelong resident of Hastings, MI, passed away peace­ fully on November 23, 2022, after a short fierce, battle with cancer. He was born June 4, 1955, one of four strong and handsome sons of Newell and Irene (Wightman) Heath. He attended Hast­ ings High School and worked as a brick mason. Brad is survived by his mother, Irene Heath; daughters, Noelle (Keegan) and Kelsey Heath; grandchildren, Rory, Brady and Iverson; brothers, Newell, Chuck (Patty) and Ted (Diana) Heath; nephews, Nick, New­ ell and Travis Heath and niece, Hilaire Maldonodo; girlfriend, Sandy Smith and ex-wife, Sherri Heath. He is preceded in death by his father, New­ ell Heath; grandson, Fischer Willavize; niece, Tara Heath and nephews, Nolan and T.J. Heath, and cousins, Ben and Mark Heath. Brad enjoyed many sports, both playing and watching, including softball, bowling, horseshoes, football, and golf, always cheer­ ing on the University of Michigan teams. He was a loyal Harley rider and enjoyed the brotherhood that came with it. He liked NASCAR, playing pool and going to the movies with his daughters. His true passion was the love of his family and friends, making his famous pizza, spread­ ing his big smile and laugh wherever he went. Brad was a longtime Moose member and would request any contributions be made in his honor to the Delton Moose Lodge, 5420 Mooselodge Dr, Delton, MI 49046. Visitation will be Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, from noon to 2 p.m. with a memorial service to follow at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. ? FUNERAL HOME Ashley Ann Davis, Hastings and AndrewRonald Pierson, Hastings John Francis Donnelly II, Wayland and Michelle Renee Murdoch, Shelbyville Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 HotUneTooIs&Equipment Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Norma Mae Fisher, age 89, of Hastings, MI, passed away on November 28, 2022. Norma was born on February 20, 1933, in Ionia County, MI, the daughter of George and Edna (Studt) Bustance. Norma was a 1951 graduate of Freeport Fligh School. She married Floyd Fisher on July 18, 1951. Norma worked at Pennock Hospital in Hastings, retiring in 1995. Norma enjoyed reading and crocheting and was a member of the Freeport United Meth­ odist Church. Norma was preceded in death by her hus­ band, Floyd; parents, George and Edna Bustance; brother, Richard Bustance, and sister, Helen Wertman. She is survived by her sons, Kirk (Michell) Fisher, Harold (Monica) Fisher, and Phillip (Tatiana) Fisher; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway; Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — Page 7 . i fl looKbaGht the stories and columns on local history y In the Hastings Banner // TURNING / BACK THE L PAGES Esther Walton Banner March 5, 1987 Much is written about the battles of the Civil War, but scant information is found about the home front. In the Upjohn collection is a series of letters written by Lydia Upjohn and her daughters to Dr. William A. Upjohn while he was in the service. The interesting things found were how money was transferred to and from home, by the use of Mr. Goodyear and his private bank; how the wife managed the family’s interests and solved the everyday problems that heretofore only a man would address. Scattered among the letters are the inflationary costs of the war and how the home front addressed these costs, and what the fam­ ily did over the holidays while the husband and father were absent. Lydia Upjohn lived at 120 Broadw'ay with two small girls, Affa and Minnie, when Wil­ liam left for the service. The Upjohns, were a middle-class family as most doctors’ families were in those days and at times found diffi­ culty making ends meet. Although William got paid as a surgeon in the Civil War, the family sent him money to buy things. We join the family in 1862, Dr. Upjohn holds the position of surgeon of the 7^* Mich­ igan Calvary. He had taken with him the horse he had ridden in his practice. The horse served all during the war and returned home with him. The daughter’s letters tell of going to school, shopping, waiting at the post office for the mail in hopes of getting a letter from their father. Lydia writes about who is help­ ing to keep the Upjohn farm going in the doctor’s absence. In a letter dated June 8, 1864 Lydia writes: “the children are in the garden eating cur­ rants, the currants are ripe enough to begin to dry them... We are much gratified to learn that you have the appointment of surgeon of the Brigade, it will save you the fatigue of being on horseback and afford you an oppor­ tunity of supplying yourself with something The Dr. Upjohn family in the Civil War that is good and wholesome to eat and a bed to sleep on... I have decided to go to the Prairie with the children... Mary and Mrs. Warner will keep the house and take care of the garden and Mr. Holbrook says he will take good care of the wheat but I shall be back to see that it is done at a proper time. Next Friday will be the last day of our school and we can go next week if we can get a conveyance to take us as Mrs. Huntington has come to the Prairie we shall try to bring her home with us...” Lydia gives the health of the girls and then adds, “I think a journey and a little recreation will do them both good, for myself 1 care but little about going from home or for any enjoyment while this wicked war lasts and there is so much suffering in the country.” Lydia reports that William’s brother Uriah who was also a doctor, had come to Hastings to help care for the sick and to look after his brother’s farm. “Dr. Uriah was here... to see Eliza he found her very low but said they might save her if the vomiting could be stopped... Mr. Audrus sent us tw'enty-eight pounds of wood for our share... Your brother thinks the wheat too light to be of any account but said I should let Mr. Holbrook decide for himself what was best to do with it... Mr. Bancroft is going to cut the clover this week he thinks it will pay him for taking care of it and save as much for you as to use it for pasture. I got twenty-five dollars of Mr. Goodyear we shall make that last us for some time. (Mr. Good­ year had a private bank, thus Lydia got the money from the “bank”.) I paid Miss Hayford $8 for what instructions she gave the girls in music and concluded to stop their lessons for the present... Yesterday, Affa and I picked currants and pressed out two gallons of juice to which was added two gallons of water and twelve pounds of sugar and put it to ferment, if it does well we shall have some nice wine for you when you come home.” Uriah wrote to William (July 1863) “I came from Hastings yesterday... to see Mrs. Holbrook, she is very sick and probably will not recover. When in Hastings I went to see your wheat crop. The wheat will hardly be worth cutting, it will be nothing to depend upon... The wool is about all sold at about 70 cents. Dry goods, groceries, are very high, clothing costs more than double.” Later that same month Lydia writes, “... We have just come from the farm where we had a fine walk... The clover had been gath­ ered into the barns. I think we have about two tons in ours... the wheat proved to be good for nothing, several persons who saw it gave their opinion that not over five bushels could be saved from both pieces and that would not pay the expense of harvesting. A good many large fields have been left to go back into the ground, some were plowed up early and sowed to buckwheat. James Marger seems to be a pretty good boy and can help consider­ able... I am glad you have a comfortable place now and hope you will be permitted to remain there...” A letter from Affa to her father in July of 1863, “...we have not gone to the Prairie yet but expect to go there the last of the week if Mr. Kenfield gets ready... We picked apples off from the tree at the back door. I think there was about three pecks in all. ... Pa, Mrs. Youngs said that you wrote her that you had a fine piano in your room and if it’s a good one you can buy it. Send it home, I wish you would for I shall forget all that I know and that is but lit­ tle, though I don’t want to forget it. Pa, yester­ day Julie Kenfield and Ella Holbrook were over here and we caught a little hummingbird.” In the same letter was one from Lydia. “... Mr. Goodyear wrote last Friday and sent you some money. I have just seen him he did not say how much but he said he would send only twenty dollars at a time for fear it should be lost. The wheat 1 am sorry to say was a failure it would not pay even for cutting, that is the case with a great many places through this part of the country yet people say it will not (affect) the price of wheat. The garden does not look quite as well as when you take care of it yourself. I have kept it pretty free from weeds but the weather has been unfavorable. We get along very well, it cost more to live than I supposed it would everything is so high and (we) were obligated to buy clothes cost what it would, Mr. Goodyear let me have twenty-five dollars. I hope to have some (money) paid in soon.” In August of the same year, Lydia wrote: “Our garden affords us something towards a living, we had some very nice peas, string beans, green... (com?) and new potatoes. Our tomatoes are large but not yet ripe. I have sowed some turnips seeds on some spots of In the collection was this drawing presumably done by Dr. William Upjohn. It depicts a soldier standing in front of a commanding officer’s door. ground that Wm had left for melons but did not plant them... I told you the insects entire­ ly destroyed the wheat... The clover is better than Oscar thought it was to be, we have about two tons, the bam is nearly full. 1 con­ cluded to have a cow in hopes to make our butter, we have to pay a shilling a pound all the time... it takes a good many pounds to supply one family. Mr. Freeland offered to bring me a cow that he can get of a man who is (owing) him. She (the cow) is seven years old is good for butter has given milk for only two weeks. As he says it is impossible for him to raise the money and is anxious to have it all paid I thought we had better give him the balance of two dollars and have the cow she will give us milk all winter...” In December of 1864, Minnie writes her father: “This is the last day of school for this year. We are to have a vacation until after new year and we are not sorry for that for the winter is very cold and the snow upon the ground is quite deep. Ma has sent for the piano and we expect it will be here tonight. Mr. George Preston (is) going to bring it on a sled. New Sunday will be Christmas, I wish you were going to be here, we would have a roast turkey and a plum pudding for you. You say the turkey did not reach you Thanksgiving Day but we have plenty of them when we go down on the farms,... we can raise our own poultry and have as much as we want...” Affa writes a Christmas letter: “I must tell you about my piano which I consider as a Christmas present as it came just in time. It is of ‘middlin’ size neither large nor very small, with a plain rosewood top lightly polished, with rounded comers and carvings. The tone is very soft... Mr. George Burton paid the transportation $19.45 at Battle Creek, we paid him eight dollars for bringing it in and helping to put it up... The Episcopalians had their hall trimmed and illuminated last night and Mr. Bancroft read a Christmas Ser­ mon. ..” A week later, Affa writes again, “We received your letter... The piano is quite a pass time as there is not school next week.” Under pressure: How gems are formed Dr. Universe: How do gems form underground? Jett, 11, Kan. Rutland Township Hall welcomes voters during the 2022 midterm election on Nov. 8. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Michigan election results official; canvassers rebuke fraud claims Lauren Gibbons Bridge Michigan Tichigan’s 2022 midterm election results were certified in a unanimous vote by the Board of State Canvassers on Monday, despite pressure from a packed crowd who claimed fraud but offered no proof of it. Throughout the hours-long hearing in downtown Lansing, Republican Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo and others beseeched the board to delay certification, and an often raucous crowd occasionally dis­ rupted proceedings. At one point, police escorted an attendee out of the meeting. The four-member board composed of two Democrats and two Republicans stood firm, telling commenters their role is ceremonial, and the results were already certified by 83 separate boards representing all of Michi­ gan’s counties. They also warned against spreading unproven allegations about election proce­ dure without adequate evidence. Tony Daunt, a Republican and the board’s chair, told the audience it’s dangerous to make “reckless accusations” and said there are appropriate avenues to challenge results “that do not involve baseless allegations,” including lawsuits, recount requests and referring claims of illegal activity to law enforcement. Republican canvasser Richard Houskamp repeatedly questioned the lack of data from election deniers. “We have seen w'ith our eyes, touched with our hands, the documents for all 83 counties,” Houskamp said. “We keep hearing allega­ tions of fraud and allegations of mismanage­ ment of an election - this is not what the evidence says.” Karamo, who based her campaign on a potpourri of election fraud claims related to the 2020 election prior to losing to Democrat­ ic incumbent Jocelyn Benson, challenged the 2022 results based on claims that the state’s qualified voter file wasn’t sufficiently accu­ rate, election equipment wasn’t secure and actions of election officials in some commu­ nities were suspect. U.S. Taxpayers gubernatorial candidate Donna Brandenburg, who earned 0.4 percent of the vote, also challenged the results, saying “not one of us is going to back down...from now until Christ comes back.” By law, state canvassers have until Nov. 28 to certify results. It is usually a sleepy pro­ cess, but following the 2020 election, the step was nearly thrown into chaos. Supporters of former President Donald Trump attempted to overturn election results naming President Joe Biden the winner. Ultimately, the board voted 3-1 to certify the results, with Republican Aaron Van Langevelde siding with Democrats to avoid a deadlock that would have sent the matter to the courts and significantly complicated state and federal timelines for codifying election results. Monday’s vote means Nov. 8 election wins are now official for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Attorney General Dana Nessel and members of the state Legislature, where Democrats will now hold a slim majority for the first time in decades. This year may be one of the last when the canvassing boards have as much power. Vot­ ers this month approved Proposal 2, which will require those boards to only certify elec­ tion results based on vote counts by election officials. The proposal also eliminates the state Leg­ islature’s right to determine winners of races in cases of ties, instead requiring a “drawing of lots.” Under Proposal 2, the Board of State Can­ vassers will be the only entity to supervise a post-certification recount, and the board’s certification will be final unless a recount or a court order changes the outcome. Dear Jett, When I was a kitten, I loved collecting rocks and gems. So, I was very excited to talk about your question with my friend Johannes Haemmerli. He studies minerals at Washington State University. Minerals are solids that form from non-living elements in nature. They have a very specific structure for how those ele­ ments are arranged. Haemmerli told me that nearly all gems are minerals or some­ times mixtures of minerals. You’re right that gems form under­ ground. A diamond forms when the ele­ ment carbon is buried nearly 100 miles deep inside the Earth. It’s super-hot and there’s tons of pressure down there. Even­ tually the pressure pushes the carbon atoms together to form the mineral we call dia­ mond. Above ground, where there is much less pressure, the same carbon can come together and form a mineral we call graph­ ite. That’s the “lead” of your pencil. Sometimes gems form in scalding hot water called hydrothermal fluid. This water is underground and has dissolved elements in it. As it cools, those elements form min­ erals like quartz. Haemmerli told me that process is like what happens if you pour sugar into hot tea. The sugar crystals dissolve in the tea. As the tea cools, the sugar crystals come out of the tea. You can see the crystals at the bottom of the cup. Gems sometimes come from liquid rock (magma) underground, too. It’s also full of different elements, so when it cools it can form gems. I learned that what makes something a gem is simply that people love and value it. There are a few traits that make gems beloved and valuable. One is beauty. Usu­ ally this means the gem is a pretty color or super sparkly. Another trait is hardness. That keeps the gem from breaking or scratching if it’s worn as jewelry. Some gems are also rare. Haemmerli told me that one of the rarest gems is tanzanite. It’s a blue or purple gem that formed under extreme conditions. Those conditions also formed the highest free-standing mountain: Mount Kilimanja­ ro in Tanzania. That’s the only place you can find tanzanite. Once it’s all mined, there won’t be anymore. But sometimes common minerals are beloved gems-like moonstone. “Moonstone is actually a very unhappy mineral,” Haemmerli said. “It’s only nice and shiny because it became unstable at a certain point in its life. What that means is that elements started to rearrange in the mineral structure to find a more comfy place.” During this process, thin layers form inside it. When light passes through those layers, the moonstone looks glowy-like the moon. One of the coolest things about gems is that anyone can find them. There can even be gems in your backyard. That happens when forces under Earth’s crust push up rocks and crystals that formed deep under­ ground. Gems don’t always look colorful and sparkly when they’re found. The sparkle often comes from the way the gem is cut and polished. Sometimes labs add color to gems before they’re made into jewelry. They can also enhance a gem’s color by heating it up. Gems get their natural color from impu­ rities they pick up while forming. Haem­ merli told me about a boring-looking min­ eral called corundum. “If you add a tiny bit of the element chromium to a colorless corundum miner­ al, it becomes red. That’s what we call a ruby,” he said. “If the same mineral takes up a bit of the elements iron and a little bit of titanium, it becomes blue. Then we call it a sapphire.” It just goes to show that sometimes imperfections or mistakes make things more interesting and beautiful. Keep sparkling! Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �Page 8 — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Yankee Springs board approves fire truck purchase Springs board members could get a glimpse of what the new truck will look like. The township has a little more than $787,000 available in its fire equipment purchase fund to buy the new truck. It had a balance of $587,101 as of Nov. 1. The board also voted earlier this year to allocate an additional $150,000 of its funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) toward the truck, and another $50,000 was set aside in the 2022-23 budget for capital purchases. Another $50,000 is expected to allocated for capital purchases in the 2023­ 24 fiscal year. “We’ve got the money. No financing (is) needed,” Township Clerk Mike Cun­ ningham said. The township is expected to make an ini­ tial payment of $370,000 one year after sign­ ing the purchase contract with Spencer, and then pay the balance six months after that. The township could recoup some of the cost of the new fire truck by selling Engine No. 1, which could bring in anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000, Miller said. “That’s a separate decision that we don’t have to make now,” Township Trustee Dave VanHouten said. In a separate action, the board approved setting aside up to $45,000 for additional accessory equipment and modifications to the new pumper to make it fully operation­ ally, bringing the total cost commitment for the township to about $800,000. That would go toward the purchase of new nozzles that can handle a greater capacity of gallons per minute as well as the purchase of new hoses and an automated external defibrillator, Miller said. The individual equipment purchases must still be approved by the township board. Yankee Springs Township has contracted with Wayland for firefighting services since April 2016. Township Supervisor Rob Heethuis was absent for the vote. Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Yankee Springs Township board has approved the purchase of a new fire truck that wiil replace a truck that has been in use for the last 19 years. The board voted 4-0 at a special meeting last week to approve buying the rescue pump­ er truck from Spencer Manufacturing of South Haven in the amount of $754,954. The fire department is expected to take delivery of the new truck in the spring of 2024. “We feel confident that it will get (the department) through for the next 20 years, at least,” said Dan Miller, deputy fire chief for the Wayland/Yankee Springs depart­ ment. The new truck will replace the current Engine No. 1 that is housed at the Yankee Springs fire station on South Payne Lake Road. That unit has been in use since 2003, Miller said. The Spencer Manufacturing bid came in more than $125,000 less than a competing bid from Pierce Manufacturing of Wiscon­ sin. In its recommendation to the township board, a three-member fire truck committee recommended Spencer not only because of the lower bid price, but its location and commitment to service. “Spencer Manufacturing is a local built, local service provider, one phone call away - personal contact,” the committee wrote in its recommendation. “During the building of our (specifications), Spencer made efforts to meet with us and make sure we are building the truck we need.” The committee consisted of Lt. Doug Katsma, Capt. Derek Olsen and firefighter Kyle Ritema. Grant Spencer, president of Spencer Manufacturing, was at Tuesday’s meeting to answer questions from board members. Members of the Martin Township Fire Department in Allegan County brought their new fire truck, a recent purchase from Spencer, to the meeting so that Yankee Dan Miller, deputy fire chief for the Wayland-Yankee Springs Fire Department, shows Martin Township's fire truck a recent special board meeting. Yankee Springs is purchasing a similar truck to Martin's from the same manufacturer, South Haven-based Spencer Manufacturing. The new truck will replace a 19-yearold unit, (photo by Greg Chandler) Costa Rica 9 Day Tour with All Meals, All Hotels, All Activities. Hike in jungle rainforests, view volcanoes, soak in hot springs, cruise biological reserves and relax on tropical ocean beaches. Join the smart shoppers and experienced travelers. Jingle & Mingle returns this weekend; Organizers expecting largest parade yet Molly Macleod Copy Editor Hastings’ annual Jingle & Mingle event is returning for another year starting tomorrow and extending through Sunday. Kicking off Friday, the weekend-long event will feature a wide array of holiday program­ ming from Holly Trolley rides to chili cook­ offs, with lots in-between. Tracy Baker, an event coordinator for Jingle and Mingle, said this year’s event will be the same Jingle & Mingle locals love, just bigger, better and with a few twists. The event will showcase downtown Hastings and its busi­ nesses while celebrating the holidays. The weekend-long event is one of Hastings’ largest, but it is a small crew that makes Jingle & Mingle tick. “Our group is very small. For as big as this weekend is, this group is tiny,” said Baker, citing the eight-person team that puts on the event. Even though the group that organizes the weekend is small, their force is mighty. Jingle & Mingle will offer three full days of entertainment and holiday fun, with no cost of attending. Friday’s Jingle & Mingle events will begin at 5 p.m. with arts and crafts vendors lining downtown State Street along with the Thor­ napple Arts Council’s “Creative Kids” art workshop. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the manger will be lit on the courthouse lawn. The mayor will light the City of Hastings’s Christmas tree at 6:15 p.m. on Friday. At 7 p.m., Jingle & Mingle attendees over 21 will have the oppor­ tunity to participate in a pub crawl, beginning at Kloosterman’s Sports Tap Bar and Grill at 201 S. Jefferson Street in Hastings. Kloosterman’s is also hosting an ugly sweater contest at 9 p.m. Friday. Saturday will kick off with the Santa Dash 5K at 10 a.m. at the Barry County Enrichment Center. There is no cost to register for the race, but all participants are asked to bring one new, unwrapped gift to benefit the Barry County United Way’s annual Toys for Barry County Kids program. This program allows Barry County parents the chance to “shop” for free Christmas gifts for their children. Those inter­ ested can register at santa5k.itsyourrace.com. Also on Saturday will be the annual Christ­ mas parade, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hastings. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude under the lights of downtown State Street around 7 p.m. Baker says the parade will be an event to watch this year. “We have the biggest parade we’ve ever had,” said Baker. “The most (par­ ticipants) we’ve had in the past is 57, and we’ve blown past that.” Baker expects the parade to last up to two hours Saturday night. Sunday will bring the Jingle & Mingle cel­ ebrations to a close, but not before one more fun-filled day. Families will be able to enjoy a pancake breakfast with Santa on Sunday morning from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. under a tent on a blocked-off State Street near Jefferson Street. Live reindeer will be available to pet at State Street and Jeffer­ son Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Holly Trolley will be cruising the streets of Hastings throughout the Jingle & Mingle weekend, picking up riders on the north side of the courthouse lawn. The Holly Trolley will run from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, as well as from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11-3 p.m. on Sunday. Carriage rides, chili cook-offs, live music, kids’ games and more will all be offered throughout the weekend, as well. A full schedule of Jingle & Mingle events can be found at hastingsjingleandmingle.com. The Holly Trolley will make its return to the streets of Hastings this weekend to take its passengers on a tour of Hastings during this year’s installment of Jingle & Mingle. (File photo) The Grinch, up to his old tricks, will be visiting Gilmore Jewelers for photo opportu­ nities during Jingle & Mingle. He can be found “being a mean one” Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3. (Photo provided) A reindeer petting zoo is one of the many attractions Jingle & Mingle celebrations are bringing to Hastings. (File photo) Choose a Guided Tour+tax,fees Costa Rica Panama Guatemala Mexico -Ancient Civ. - Copper Canyon 9 days s995 8 days $995 8 days $995 9days $995 8 days s1295 Hastings mayor David Tossava elected president of Michigan Association of Mayors “ Brilliant, https://www.caravan.com/tour/costa-rica?a=calinews2022-11-21 Hastings Mayor David Tossava was elected Affordable Pricing” to serve as president of the Michigan Associa­ Arthur Frommer, tion of Mayors, a nonpartisan organization Travel Editor that represents over 100 communities around the state and works to assist chief elected offi­ 1-800-CARAVAN cials in cities, townships and villages. Fully Guided Tours Since 1952 Caravan.com Tossava, who was elected mayor of Hast­ ings in 2016, will begin his one-year term on Jan. 1,2023, and work alongside newly-elect­ ed vice president Lee Kilboum, the mayor of Auburn. Both were elected on Oct. 20 during the Michigan Municipal League’s yearly conven­ tion in Muskegon but the news was not Closed or Open Cell announced until this week. Tossava was elected mayor of the City of or Blown-In Fiberglass Hastings in November 2016. He began his career working for the Department of Public Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 Works for the city as a mechanic in 1978. Tos­ L 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J sava held that position for 22 years before being promoted to superintendent of the Department of Public Works, a position he held until retiring in January 2006. He spent a total of 28 years working for the City of Hastings. In November 2008, Tossava was elected to Gft^cate’ his first term as a city council member. He served two four-year terms as a council mem­ ber before being elected mayor in 2016. As mayor, he serves on the Planning Commis­ sion, Downtown Development Authority, Local Development Finance Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Hast­ ings-Barry County Airport Board, Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board and the Com­ mission on Aging Board for Barry County. QUESTIONS: Before being named president, Tossava ASK US... served on the MAM board for several years 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 and spent the past year as the board’s vice mmmb OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; president. He is also a member of the Michi­ F fswwsw Saturday 9 am-3 pm gan Municipal League’s Workers’ Compen­ Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station sation Fund Board. Tossava replaces as MAM .AAA^AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA^.U president, Port Huron Mayor Pauline Repp, caravan lNSUU^oJ SPRAY FOAM 4a Gift Certificates Available Check out our New Fabrics The Michigan Association of Mayors (MAM) announced that Hastings Mayor David Tossava has been elected as the group’s new president, poised to serve a one-year term that starts at the beginning of 2023. (Courtesy photo) who served three consecutive one-year terms as president during the pandemic. “I feel it’s an honor to represent my com­ munity on the board of the Michigan Associ­ ation of Mayors,” Tossava said. “I will do my best to make everyone proud.” Tossava added serving on statewide boards is an excellent way for him to promote his community. “I get to represent my city and brag about my city all over the state of Michigan,” Tos­ sava said. “I feel privileged to be able to serve on this association with my fellow mayors and talk about issues we all share, whether we’re a big city or a small city or village.” Tossava added that one goal for the year as president will be to encourage more Michi­ gan mayors and village presidents to become MAM members. “It’s all about giving back and that’s what I’m trying to do is give back,” Tossava said. “I’d like to see every mayor and village pres­ ident in our state become a member.” Before being named MAM vice president, Kilboum served on the MAM board for sev­ eral years, including a previous stint as MAM board president. He has been mayor of Auburn since 2011 and previously served as mayor when elected in 1981. “I am honored to serve as vice president of this excellent organization,” Kilboum said. “I look forward to working with MAM Presi­ dent Tossava to help lead our fellow mayors and village presidents through the next year.” �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, December 1,2022 Allegan improves against DK pressure in opener Brett Bremer Sports Editor There were flashes of the basketball team the Panthers want to be Tuesday night as they opened the 2022 varsity girls’ basketball sea­ son in Delton Tuesday. An Allegan guard ill-advisedly picked up her dribble a step across half-court and the Panthers’ Jordan Lyons and Kasey Kapteyn pounced. The Tiger tried to move the ball over and through the double team only to lose the handle on it. Kapteyn hit the floor to secure the basketball and then flung it ahead of Lyons who went in for the lay-up. That was part of an 11-2 run by the Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ basketball team to close out the final four and a half minute of the first half, unfortunately most of that good work was undone in the first four and a half min­ utes of the second half as the Tigers pulled back to even and eventually went on to a 43-33 win over their hosts. Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn called for a quick timeout in the second half to remind his girls that they still had two quarters of work to do after their two solid quarters to open the bailgame. DK did pick up its second half play, but Allegan was much better against the Pan­ thers’ defensive pressure in the second half and the Panthers didn’t shoot as well in the second half as they did in the first. “It was a good first half. I thought we played well in the first half,” Mohn said. “I was encouraged. I think it is a growth area that we will have to make as a team. You have got to show up for four full quarters. A lot of positives. I thought we were aggressive going to the hoop. I thought we shot well in the first half, and some of those same shots weren’t falling in the second. That is tough. I still like the shots we’re taking. But, we kind of didn’t respond well and stopped catching the ball and started throwing it to the team with the wrong colored jerseys.” Junior guard CafterRyneKsdnTo-dkW for the Tigers in the second half and finished with a game-high 22 points. The Panthers don’t have long to get over the defeat. They will play host to Marcellus tonight, Dec. 1. A put-back by Allie Trantham was the only "field goal of the fourth quarter for the Delton girds. It had the Panthers within 35-30 with 3:55 to go, but the Tigers beat the press the other way to get those two points back on a basket by Zoe Bronkema. Josie Williams led Delton Kellogg with 14 points on the night. Cadence Johnson had 9 Delton Kellogg forward Josie Williams works against pressure from Allegan's Zoe Bronkema in the paint during the Panthers' season opener against the Tigers in Delton Tuesday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) points for Delton Kellogg and Mya Brickley and Lyons had 3 each. Williams did a good rW«MirWbasket cspectaiyTn-mr first half. When shots weren’t falling, the DK girls were solid on the offensive glass. Delton Kellogg led 21-12 at the half after a steal by Mya Brickley and a put-back by Johnson in the closing moments of the second quarter. Williams scored the first bucket of the second half to put the Panthers up 23-12. A flurry of Delton Kellogg turnovers led to the Tigers cutting that lead to 23-19 over the next minute and a half. Allegan senior Breaunna Auger knocked down a long jump­ er from the right comer to cut that lead down to two midway through the third quarter. Rynearson tied the ballgame at 23-23 with a bucket with three and a half minutes to play in the third quarter an<Tthen*gave her team its firsC lead of the game with a three-pointer half a min­ ute later following a Delton Kellogg turnover. Another put-back by Johnson and a basket by Williams got Delton Kellogg back in front before the third quarter was over. The Panthers led 28-26 three and a half minutes into the fourth quarter, but Rynear­ son took over from there. She beat the DK press with the dribble and then dished off a pass to Bronkema for a bucket that tied the ballgame with 5:17 to.play. She banked in a three-pointer moments later to give her team a 31-28 lead. Delton Kellogg guard Cadence Johnson flips a shot over Allegan's Laney Cole in the lane during the Tigers' season-opening win over the Panthers in Delton Tuesday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) • . Rynearson had 13 points in the game’s final five minutes. “They adjusted [to our press],” Mohn said. “Their coach did areally nice job of adjusting. We talked about that as a team. They adjusted, and we didn’t adjust to their adjustment. “They spread it better and they started get­ ting to the middle and then going up over [our press].” Mohn was pleased with the way his girls flew around on the court defensively. The Panther defense was throwing its pressure at the Tigers a little too deep in the backcourt, leaving space ahead in the middle of the floor and Allegan took advantage. “That is where taking three weeks of pre­ season into two, you’re going to have to leam on the fly during games and we learned today. There will be a few things we need to adjust to,” Mohn said. The MHSAA Representative Council decid­ ed at its March Winter Meeting to expand the boys’ and girls’ basketball season from a max of 20 games to a max of 22 games, and with that change reduced the mandatory preseason practice time from 21 days to 14 days. Hastings hoops’ season opens with win over Eaton Rapids girls Forest Hills Central forward Anthony Ott fights his way between Caledonia's Logan Himes (16) and Will Christman (8) to get to the net during their contest at Kentwood Ice Arena Wednesday evening, Nov. 23. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Scots slow down Rangers in third period of home opener Brett Bremer Sports Editor In a five and a half minute span, the Forest Hills in the middle of the second period the Rangers turned a 5-2 lead into a 9-2 lead at Kentwood Ice Arena. The Fighting Scots managed to fight their way to the finish. That would end up as the final score in the home opener for the Caledo­ nia varsity hockey team Wednesday evening in Kentwood. Senior forward Sammy Mielock had 3 goals and 3 assists for the Rangers, finish­ ing off his hat trick by firing the puck past Fighting Scot goalkeeper Finn White from the left circle with 6:39 to go in the second period. Mielock also scored the game’s first goal eight minutes into the contest. Caledonia answered that goal with an unassisted goal by Drew Farstvedt less than two minutes later as the two teams were back and forth up and down the ice early on. Mielock scored a pair of goals 11 seconds apart with about four minutes to play in that opening period to put the Rangers in control. A goal by Nolan Timmer put the Rangers up 4-1 with 2:32 to play in the first period and that is where the period would end. A quick goal by Owen Barber pushed the Ranger lead to 5-1 a minute into the second period. This time the Scots answered a minute later with a power play goal by Logan Himes. Himes was assisted by Alex Skibinski and Zach Schneider. White took over in goal for the Scots, replacing starter Sam Hoag, late in the first period. Barber and Michael Hazard both finished the game with two goals for the Rangers. Timmer and Rocco had one each. Rocco Gonzalez and Gibby Grendel had two assists each for FHC. The Scots will get another shot at the Rangers soon, taking them on Sunday, Dec. 4. back at Kentwood Ice Arena. It’s a busy weekend ahead for Caledonia. The Scots will host Reeths-Puffer Friday, Dec. 2, and then be the visitors as they take on Northview Dec. 3 at Kentwood Ice Arena. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The young Saxon team took a speed course in varsity basketball Tuesday night to open its season. The Hastings varsity girls’ basketball team trailed visiting Eaton Rapids by nine points early on, fought back to hold a halftime lead, lost that lead in the third quarter and then eventually pulled out a 54-48 victory. Senior guard Macy Winegar, a fouryear varsity player, had a game-high 22 points to lead the Saxons. She hit five three-pointers including two in the fourth quarter. “Macy was big when it mattered most,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said. “She hit a couple threes in the fourth that really set us up to close the game out. The three seniors (Winegar, Bailey Cook and Isabelle Storm) all led by example through the game. Macy had five threes and Storm hit a big one in the first to start out our first half surge.” Coach Youngs called Macy’s point total an “unselfish” 22 points. She also had a few key assists when it mattered most. Hastings got 13 points from sophomore center Racheal Hewitt and 7 points from sophomore guard Kali Koning. Cook and Storm had 4 points each. “Our inexperience showed at times throughout the game,” Youngs said. “Their press turned us over, but as game pro­ gressed it got better. The speed and physi­ cal nature of a varsity contest took some time for the girls to get used to, especially the sophomores.” The Saxon roster this fall includes a trio of sophomores, Hewitt, Koning and guard Bri Darling. Hewitt and the senior Cook did their best to deal with the Greyhounds’ size advantage in the paint. “We were smaller across the board,” Youngs said. “Cook and Hewitt played physical and handled it well all night. Hewitt had a solid first [varsity] game, as did Kali Koning. Koning sees the floor very well for a young player.” After falling behind by nine points in the first quarter, the Saxons battled back to within 12-10 by the end of the period. The Saxons kept the roll going in the second to lead 27-21 by the half. The Greyhounds drilled three three-pointers in the third quarter and worked back in front with a 15-8 surge. They led 36-35 heading into the fourth quarter. Sophia Kingsley hit tow of those third-quarter threes. She had three triples in the second half and had a team-high 20 points for Hastings. Eaton Rapids also got eight points from Abby Thompson and six from Ashley Brown. A third-quarter basket by Thomp­ son accounted for the only points for those two in the second half though. It could have been a bigger spread in the end for the Saxons, but they struggled at the free throw line. They were just 11-of34 as a team at the free throw line. “It was good to get the W to start the season,” Youngs said. “There is a lot to leam and work on, but always a better feel when there is learning and work to do at 1-0 instead of 0-1.” Hastings is home again on Friday for a non-conference ballgame with Forest Hills Eastern and then Tuesday will go on the road for the first time when it visits Well­ spring Prep in Grand Rapids. �Page 10 — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jacob Hastings Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: December 29, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 13, 2022 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $263,640.47 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Unit 1, Whitewater Estates Condominium, according to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 688, Page 426, and any amendments thereto, and designated as Barry County Condominium Subdivision Plan No. 10, together with rights in general common elements and limited common elements as shown on the Master Deed as described in Act 59 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended. Common street address (if any): 3762 Tyler Ln, Middleville, Ml 49333-8206 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 17, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1481891 (11-17)(12-08) 191145 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29339-DE - Hon. William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Marshia Nadean Wheeler. Date of Birth: 01/30>/1>939. ../ TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Marshia Nadean Wheeler, died 10/25/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate and Thomas D. Wheeler & Marshia N. Wheeler Trust will be forever barred unless presented to Douglas M. Wheeler, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 11/22/2022 Stephanie S. Fekkes (P43549) Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 Douglas M. Wheeler c/o Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-1921 191535 SYNOPSIS RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP REGULAR BOARD MEETING November 9, 2022 - 7:00 p.m. Regular meeting called to order and Pledge of Al­ legiance. Present: Hall, Hawthorne, Greenfield, Lectka, Wat­ son, Bellmore, James Absent: None Approved the Agenda Approved the Consent Agenda Monthly Treasurer’s Report Monthly Clerk’s Voucher/Payroll Report Motion for adoption of Ordinance 2022-184 Roll Call Vote - All ayes, motion passes Motion to approve Podunk Lake Treatment Plan for 2023 Roll Call Vote-All ayes, motion passes Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Carroll D. Conklin, an unmarried man Original Mortgagee: Wells Fargo Bank, NA Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Mortgage Assets Management, LLC Date of Mortgage: August 22, 2011 Date of Mortgage Recording: September 1,2011 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $122,124.34 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Barry, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: A Parcel of land located in the West 1/2 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as follows: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies due West 1827.50 feet from the South 1/4 post of said Section 33 for the point of beginning; thence due West 165.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees 30 minutes West, 264.00 feet, thence due East 165.00 feet, thence South 00 degrees 30 minutes East, 264.00 feet to the point of beginning. AND A Parcel of land in the Southwest 1/4 of Section 33, Town 1 North, Range 9 West, described as: Beginning at a point on the South line of said Section 33 which lies 1992.50 feet due West of the South 1/4 post of said Section 33; thence due West 175.20 feet; thence North 0 degrees 8 minutes West, 264 feet; thence due East 173.50 feet; thence South 0 degrees 30 minutes East, 264 feet to the point of beginning. Common street address (if any): 12713 E Baseline Rd, Hickory Corners, Ml 49060-9752 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 10, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1480658 (11 -10)(12-01) 190504 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS , Decedont’s Estato Estate of AARON CASE STEINER. Date of Birth: 11/22/1985 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, AARON CASE STEINER, who lived at 13960 South M43 Highway, Delton, Michigan 49046, died on 7/25/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to CYNTHIA J. STEINER, Personal Representative of the Estate of AARON CASE STEINER, Barry County Probate Court File No. 22-29334-DE, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Personal Representative: CYNTHIA J. STEINER Address: 13960 South M43 Highway Delton, Michigan 49046 Attorney: Sydney E. Parfet (P64741) Address: Howell Parfet Schau 350 East Michigan Ave., Ste. 500 Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 www.kzoolawfirm.com Telephone: (269) 382-5300 Court Address: Barry County Probate Court 206 W. Court Street Ste. 302 Hastings, Ml 49058 191837 191851 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Business Services Pets BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. FIB TOY GOLDENDOODLES- Very cute & fluffy, perfect lap dogs. Vet checked and ready to go! $450.00,517­ 726-0706. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI Help Wanted INDEPENDENT BANK, Assignee of INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml SCHENK, BONCHER & RYPMA Curtis D. Rypma P44421 601 Three Mile Road, N.W. Grand Rapids, Ml 49544-1601 (616)647-8277 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 Member SIPC Jeff Westra Financial Advisor 4525N.M-37 Hwy.Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 COLA is sweet for Social Security recipients If you receive Social Security, you’ve probably already heard that your checks in 2023 will be bigger - considerably bigger, in fact. How can you make the best use of this extra money? Here’s what’s happening: For 2023, there’s an 8.7% cost-ofliving adjustment (COLA) for Social Security benefits - the largest increase in 40 years. Also, the monthly Medicare Part B pre­ miums are declining next year, to $164.90/month from $170.10/ month, which will also modestly boost Social Security checks for those enrolled in Part B, as these premiums are automatically de­ ducted. Ofcourse, the sizable COLA is due to the high inflation of2022, as the Social Security Adminis­ tration uses a formula based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). So, it’s certainly possible that you will need some, or perhaps all, of your larger checks to pay for the increased cost of goods and services. But if your cash flow is already relatively strong, you might want to consider these suggestions for using your bigger checks: • Reduce withdrawals from your investment portfolio. When you’re retired, you will like­ ly need to withdraw a certain amount from your portfolio each year to meet your expenses. A boost in your Social Security may enable you to withdraw less, at least for a year. This can be particularly advantageous when the markets are down, as you’d like to avoid, as much as possible, selling investments and withdrawing the money when investment prices are low. And the fewer investments you need to sell, the longer your portfolio may last during your retirement years. • Help build your cash re­ serves. When you’re retired, it’s a good idea to maintain about a year’s worth of the amount you’ll spend from your portfolio in cash, while also keeping three months’ of your spending needs in an emergency fund, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Your higher Social Se­ curity checks could help you build these cash reserves. (Also, it’s helpful to keep another three to five years’ worth of spending from your portfolio in short­ term, fixed-income investments, which now, due to higher interest rates, offer better income oppor­ tunities.) • Contribute to a 529 plan. You could use some of your ex­ tra Social Security money to con­ tribute to a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan for your STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29326-DE - William M. Doherty Court Address: 206 West Court Street, . Hastings, Mi 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Richard Allan Marsh. Date of birth: 1-15­ 1942. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Richard Allan Marsh, died 9-14-2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Toni Marsh, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 11/21/2022 Michael J. McPhillips P33715 121 West Apple Street, Suite 101 Hastings, Michigan 49058 269-945-3512 Toni Marsh 215 E. Williams Street Hastings, Ml 49058 269-908-6681 191653 grandchildren or other family members. • Contribute to charitable or­ ganizations. You might want to use some of your Social Security money to expand your charita­ ble giving. Your generosity will help worthy groups and possibly bring you some tax benefits, too. While it’s nice to have these possible options in 2023, you can’t count on future COLA in­ creases being as large. The jump in inflation in 2022 was due to several unusual factors, including pandemic-related government spending, supply shortages and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It’s quite possible, perhaps even likely, that inflation will subside in 2023, which, in turn, would mean a smaller COLA bump in 2024. Nonetheless, while you might not want to include large annual COLA increases as part of your long-term financial strategy, you may well choose to take advantage, in some of the ways described above, of the bigger Social Security checks you’ll re­ ceive in 2023. When opportunity knocks, you may want to open the door. This article was written by Ed­ ward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones. Member SIPC. NOTICE TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor, Frederick Kamminga (date of birth, 04/02/1944), died September 30, 2022. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom letters of administration have been issued. Creditors of .the decedent are notified that all claims against the Frederick J. Kamminga Revocable Living Trust dated, will be forever barred unless presented to Trustee, F. Jason Kamminga, within four months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: 11-17-22 Alles Law Amber Soler (P76162) 5360 Cascade Road SE Grand Rapids, Ml 49546 (616) 365-5055 Frederick J. Kamminga Revocable Living Trust dated F. Jason Kamminga, Trustee 91 Annamro Hundai Apt. 210, Building 310 Bupyeong-gu, Incheon 21381 191583 190416 Winter boys’ season is last for Hastings/Middleville team up Adjournment 8:00 pm Respectfully submitted, Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Attested to by, Larry Watson, Supervisor NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT MORTGAGE SALE This is an attempt to collect a debt, and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if you period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Default has occurred in the conditions of a mortgage made by THOMAS H. CHASE, a single man, and SHIRLEY A. CHASE, a married woman, Mortgagor(s), to INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CO. SOUTH Ml, with offices at 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Ml 49525, Mortgagee, dated February 18, 2005 and recorded February 22, 2005 in Instrument #1141705 which was assigned to INDEPENDENT BANK of 4200 East Beltline, Grand Rapids, Michigan, by Assignment dated April 18, 2011 and recorded on April 20, 2011 in Instrument No. 201104200004350. By reason of such default the undersigned elects to declare the entire unpaid amount of said mortgage due and payable forthwith. Notice of Foreclosure By Advertisement. Notice is given under Section 3212 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the Circuit Court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 p.m., on December 15, 2022. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the County Register of Deeds Office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage and under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, the statute in such case made and provided and to pay said amount with interest as provided in said mortgage, and all legal costs, charges, and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law. At the date of this Notice there is claimed to be due for principal and interest on said mortgage the sum of THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE AND 41/100 (34,689.41) dollars including interest at the rate of 4.125% per annum. No suit or proceeding at law has been instituted to recover the debt secured by said mortgage or any part thereof. Pursuant to Public Act No. 104, Public Acts of 1971, MCLA 600.3240, MSA 27A.3240, the redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of the foreclosure sale, unless the property is determined to be abandoned under MCLA 600.3241a; MSA 27A.3241(1), in which case the property may be redeemed during the 30 days immediately following the sale or expiration of statutory notice period. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage are situated in the City of Township of Maple Grove, County of Barry, State of Michigan, described as follows, to wit: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North,. Range 7 West, Maple Grove Toyynshjp, Barry County Michigan; therice South 40 rods for a place of beginning; thence North 130 feet; thence East 600 feet; thence South 130 feet; thence West 600 feet to the place of beginning. Together with an easement in common that is appurtenant thereto for purposes of ingress and egress thereto over premises described as: Commencing at the West 1/4 post of Section 23, Town 2 North, Range 7 West; thence South 40 rods; thence North 130 feet for a place of beginning; thence East 600 feet; thence North 33 feet; thence West 600 feet; thence South 33 feet to the place of beginning. The default and foreclosure proceedings include a 1992 Fairmont mobile home, serial #MY9385449A8, permanently affixed thereto, as evidenced by the Certificate of Mobile Home Title and recorded in Instrument #1141704. Property Address: 7519 Guy Rd., Nashville, Ml 49073 PP#08-10-023-105-00 ‘ All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial' status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. Brett Bremer Sports Editor The upcoming varsity boys’ swimming and diving season will be the last swim season of the co-operative effort between Hastings, Thomapple Kellogg and Delton Kellogg for high school boys and girls. Beginning with the 2023-24 school year, Hastings and Delton Kellogg will form a co-op program with Hastings as the lead school. Thomapple Kellogg High School athletic director Brian Hammer is hard at work to find the Trojans a landing spot. “We’re trying to find a good fit for us for next year, and that is my goal,” said Hammer. Thornapple Kellogg and Hastings com­ bined to form the Thomapple Kellogg/Hastings varsity girls’ swimming and diving team 18 years ago. The boys’ program soon fol­ lowed and Delton Kellogg student-athletes were added to the mix. Hastings High School athletic director Mike Goggins said there is a mix of athletic and administrative reasons the Saxons decided to break away from the co-op which has been run by Thomapple Kellogg over the years despite Hastings High School and the Community Education and Recreation Center being the home of the team’s pool. Middleville had for­ merly had a high school swim program and had a youth program up and running 18 years ago to feed the high school team. Goggins said that co-ops are never intend­ ed to be forever, and 18 years is longer than most last. The Saxon athletic director said it was a decision ultimately made by the Hastings school board. “As a district, this has been in consider­ ation for the past couple years,” Goggins said. “Covid kind of delayed it. Had Covid not hit, it probably would have happened maybe two years ago.” Fie said that with school of choice deci­ sions things can be competitive between neighboring districts. “A swimming pool is something our com­ munity wanted and made available for our students, and we want to be able to highlight that to attract people to come to our district,” Goggins said. “This is one of the plusses to come to Hast­ ings. We have a nice community center that features a very nice competitive pool.” The pool at Thomapple Kellogg High School is not the proper length and does not have the number of lanes needed for compe­ tition. Even practicing in the high school pool in Middleville and competing in only road meets would put the TK swimmers and divers at a disadvantage. Hastings varsity sports teams compete in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference. 1-8 member schools Marshall and Coldwater have varsity swimming and diving programs and Battle Creek Pennfield and Battle Creek Harper Creek have a co-op team. The Saxons plan to compete with their 1-8 brethren, and possibly work to grow from a four-team swim confer­ ence as conference’s around the area continue to shuffle members and independent swim programs look for conference competitions. As far as other competitive benefits for Hast­ ings and Delton Kellogg swimmers, the change should push their program down from Division 1 to Division 2 meaning the qualifying times for state finals competitions are not quite as fast. Junior Sophia Marcukaitis, a Thomapple Kellogg High School student, was an all-state medalist at the Nov. 19-20 MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Girls’ Swimming and Diving Finals in the 100-yard breaststroke this season. As an example, she needed a time of 1 minute 8.89 seconds in that race during the season to qualify for the Division 1 State Finals. The qualifying time for the Division 2 Finals was 1:11.09. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Finals are any easier for a swimmer once they are there. Marcukaitis had a seventh-place time of 1:06.18 at the DI Finals - setting a new team record. That same time would have also put her in seventh place at the D2 Finals. “It has been a good co-op,” Goggins said. “It has been a good thing for both districts. Nothing lasts forever. Everyone just feels here that it is in the best interest for our kids.” The DK/TK/HHS girls’ co-op team was one of more than 30 girls’ swimming and diving co-op programs in the state this fall. That group includes the Calvin Christian/West Catholic co-op that competes along with the local girls in the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference. Caledo­ nia, Lowell and South Christian make up a CLS Viking co-op which competes in the OK Red Conference with the largest programs around the Grand Rapids area. Caledonia is currently in the process of constructing its own pool. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — Page 11 Solid showing for area teams on the gridiron Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was one of the best football seasons ever for the Hastings varsity football team and a pretty good one overall across Barry County. The Saxons won their third consecutive Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champion­ ship under head coach Jamie Murphy this fall, completing a perfect 7-0 1-8 season. The Saxons only defeat of the regular season came against Whitehall, a team ranked first in the state in Division 4 heading into the state postseason. Hastings knocked off Vicksburg and then Charlotte in the MHSAA Division 4 Football Playoffs to capture its first ever district cham­ pionship and then gave the fifth-ranked Edwardsburg Eddies a run for their money in what would end as a 24-14 defeat in the MHSAA Regional Final in Edwardsburg the second weekend of November. Hastings ended the season with an 10-2 record, setting a new school-record for victo­ ries in a season. Delton Kellogg also earned a spot in the state postseason, but the Panthers limped into the postseason with a team ravaged by inju­ ries all fall. Schoolcraft scored its second win of the season over the Panthers in their MHSAA Division 7 Pre-District ballgame. The Panthers earned their spot in the post­ season with a 4-5 regular season record. Lakewood just missed a spot in the state postseason despite a 6-3 regular season record. The Vikings closed out their final Greater Lansing Activities Conference sea­ son with another runner-up finish behind the perennial league champions from Olivet. Hastings opened its run to the state play­ offs with a 30-20 win over Thomapple Kel­ logg in Middleville in August. The Trojans suffered a tough loss in Lowell in week two, but then won their first two OK Gold Confer­ ence ballgames of the season over Wayland and Ottawa Hills. TK would closed the sea­ son at 2-7 after going through the rest of the Gold gauntlet that included losses to playoff teams from* GfancT’RapFds CalKolic^Central, Cedar Springs, Forest Hills Eastern and South Christian. That South Christian team knocked off Whitehall in the MHSAA Division 4 Region­ al Finals the same night the Saxons were battling the Eddies in Edwardsburg. The Sail­ ors went on to capture the Division 4 State Championship. \ Hastings did beat one state champion this year. The Saxons opened the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference season with a 24-21 win over Jackson Lumen Christi. The Titans recovered from their 0-3 start to win the MHSAA Division 7 State Champi­ onship. Maple Valley closed its 2022 season of 8-player football with a 3-6 record. Here are the 2022 All-Barry County Foot­ ball First and Second Teams. All-Barry County 2022 Football First Team Offense Quarterback Carsen Burbridge, Thornapple Kellogg: The Trojans’ senior quarterback was a threat to run or pass any time he took the snap, fin­ ishing as one of TK’s top rushers. He tossed two touchdown passes in the Trojans’ September victory over Ottawa Hills and threw two TD’s again in October defeats against Kenowa Hills and Cedar Springs. He threw for a season-high 135 yards in the con­ test at Cedar Springs. Running Back Robby Slaughter, Hastings: Slaughter surpassed 1,500 yards rushing for the season in the Saxons’ MHSAA Division 4 Regional Final against Edwardsburg, closing a threeyear varsity career at Hastings in which he rushed for 3,334 yards. He rushed for 20 touchdowns this fall. Slaughter was also one of the Saxons’ tack­ le leaders over his varsity seasons. He had 54.5 this season from his linebacker spot including 16 tackles for a loss. He had one sack this season. He was also 8-of-10 kicking extra points, hit his only field goal attempt, averaged 31 yards per punt and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. Lanny Teunessen, Hastings: A senior, Teunessen averaged 8.5 yards per rushing attempt this fall. He had 1,025 yards on 121 carries and scored 18 touchdowns. He also had five receptions for 119 yards and another score. Teunessen was named first team all-state as a defensive lineman by the MHSFCA this season. He closed the campaign with 45 tack­ les, 6 tackles for a loss and a sack. Ethan Bonnema, Thornapple Kellogg: A top rushing and receiving threat in the TK attack, as well as one of his team’s top defenders during his junior season this fall. Bonnema returned kicks for TK this fall too. He ran for 72 yards and a touchdown in the Trojans’ September win over Ottawa Hills and had three receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown in the Trojans’ October ballgame at Cedar Springs. Lanny Teunessen He had 30 tackles, including four for a loss, as a defensive back and picked off four passes. Bonnema was named all-conference in the OK Gold. Tight End Austin Straub, Lakewood: A dual threat tight end as a blocker and a pass catcher for the Vikings this fall. Straub was named first team all-conference in the GLAC. Straub had 15 receptions for 295 yards and three touchdowns this season as a senior. Wide Receiver Jett Barnum, Hastings: Barnum made an impact on both sides of the ball as a sopho­ more for the Saxons. He pulled in 12 recep­ tions iot 283 yaras ana a touchdowns on offense. As a member of the Saxons’ defensive backfield Barnum had 31 tackles, four inter­ ceptions and ten pass break-ups through the team’s first ten games of the season. He had two interceptions in the playoffs. Zackary Gibson, Thomapple Kellogg: Gibson rolled between wide receiver, running back and defensive back for the Trojans during his senior season this fall. He was named honorable mention all-conference in the OK Gold. Gibson rushed for two touchdowns in the Trojans’ homecoming game against Kenowa Hills and caught a touchdown pass the next week at Cedar Springs on a day in which he hauled in five receptions. Defensively, he had 35 tackles including two for a loss. Nathan Willette Offensive Line Jackson Clow, Hastings: A senior in the middle of the Saxons’ offensive line. Clow got outstanding marks from the Sax­ ons being on assignment 98 percent of the time and earning a 95 percent block finish score. Zander Forbes, Hastings: A senior cap­ tain for the Saxons, Forbes was big on both sides of the line for Hastings. He had a 98 percent blocking assignment rating and a 95 percent blocking finish rating. On the Saxons’ defensive line, Forbes had 18 tackles and five tackles for a loss through the Saxons’ first ten games. Walker Kliffman, Lakewood: Kliffman, a senior, was one of the anchors on the offen­ sive line for the Vikings this fall. He was named first team all-conference in the GLAC. Kliffman helped the Viking offense rush for over 2,500 yards this fall. Jared Love, Hastings: Love had an out­ standing senior season up front for the Saxon offense. Love had a 92 percent blocking assignment rating and a 96 percent block finish rating. David Smith, Lakewood: Another anchor on the Vikings’ offensive line that rushed for over 2,500 yards this fall. Smith was named first team all-conference in the GLAC this fall as a senior. Kicker Landon Makley, Lakewood: Makley blasted seven kickoffs for touchbacks for the Vikings this fall and was named second team all-conference in the GLAC. ' MakTey’ nit 17’extrarp6mt‘‘kicks ancTfiacTa long field goal of 27 yards. AU-Barry County 2022 Football First Team Defense Defensive Line Deigo Coipel, Hastings: A junior captain for the Saxons’ this season he was an import­ ant piece on both sides of the ball along the line. Coipel had 15 tackles through the Saxons first ten games including two tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. Reese Keeler, Lakewood: In his third var­ sity season as a senior this fall, Keeler had 35 tackles including six for a loss and four sacks. Keeler was named first team all-confer­ ence in the GLAC in each of the past two seasons. Reece Proctor-Burhans, Maple Valley: Proctor-Burhans was named first team all­ state in 8-player football by the MHSFCA this fall and was voted the defensive player of the year in the Tri-River 8 Football Conference. He was starting at defensive end and tight end for the fourth year for the Lion varsity. He finished the season with 40 tackles, 10 for loss, 3 sacks and a forced fumble. “We will miss his ability to create pressure and whoever mans his defensive end position next year will have big shoes to fill,” coach Martin said. “On offense, Reece was by far the best blocking tight end on the field this season.” Offensively he had ten catches for 111 yards. Noah Rosenberg, Thornapple Kellogg: Rosenberg earned all-conference honors in the OK Gold this fall for his play along the Trojans’ defensive line. Rosenberg had 30 tackles up front for TK, with five tackles for a loss and a sack. He forced two fumbles and recovered two others. Linebacker Jack Kensington, Hastings: A senior cap­ tain for Hastings, Kensington had 50 tackles through the Saxons firs ten games. Kensington had three tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass break up during that stretch too. Ricky Ramsey, Delton Kellogg: Head coach Ryan Bates called Ramsey the leader of the Delton Kellogg defense. He was a team captain this season, and the Panthers missed him when he was out two games with an injury. Ramsey finished the season with 46 tack­ les, including 6.5 tackles for a loss. As a running back on offense, Ramsey carried the ball 105 times for 548 yards and 8 touch­ downs. Drake Snyder, Thornapple Kellogg: Snyder earned honorable mention all-confer­ ence honors in the OK Gold Conference for TK this fall playing linebacker and fullback. Snyder led all TK linebackers with 53 tackles. He had two sacks and three tackles for a loss. He had ten rushes for 61 yards in the Trojans’ homecoming ballgame and scored a touchdown in his team’s win over Wayland in early September. Ricky Ramsey Nathan Willette, Lakewood: A leader on both sides of the ball for the Vikings in his senior season. Willette was named first team all-state by the MHSFCA this season. He finished the year with 85 tackles, including four for a loss. He had two sacks and two interceptions^wfiiTeTbeing named first team all-conference in the GLAC for the second season in a row. At quarterback for the Vikings, Willette threw for 565 yards and rushed for 950 yards. Defensive Back Tyler Bushman, Thornapple Kellogg: Bushman led TK in tackles from his spot in the defensive secondary with 62. He had a sack and two tackles for loss this season and forced a fumble. Busman was named all-conference in the OK Gold as a senior this season. He also returned kicks throughout the yer and caught three passes in a late season loss at Cedar Springs. Layton Eastman,' "HastingsT .Ea^xmatf closed the season with four interceptions, making it nine for his varsity career. He had eight pass break-ups and 39 tackles through the Saxons first ten games of the season while adding two fumble recoveries. He had three tackles for a loss. See FOOTBALL, page 12 284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333 269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-2388 YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Commission of Yankee Springs Township will conduct a public hearing concerning the following matters on Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at the Yankee Springs Township Hall, 284 N. Briggs Road, in the Township. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include the following: 1. Zoning Ordinance text amendments to Article XII, General Regulations, including revisions to Section 12.7 Outbuildings subsections (4) and (6). 2. Such other and further business as may properly come before the Planning Commission at said hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the proposed zoning ordinance amendment can be reviewed at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business hours of regular business days and will also be available at the hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that written comments will be taken from any interested person concerning the proposed text amendments at the office of the Township Clerk at the address set forth below, at any time during regular business hours up to 4:00 p.m. on the date of the hearing and will further be received by the Planning Commission at the hearing. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Yankee Springs Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the proposed zoning ordinance amendment at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place. Yankee Springs Township will provide necessary reasonable services to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days’ notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals requiring services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Mike Cunningham, Township Clerk Yankee Springs Township 284 N. Briggs Road Middleville, Michigan 49333 (269) 795-9091 �Page 12 — Thursday, December 1, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Seniors fill nearly half of all-county C.C. squad Brett Bremer Sports Editor Thomapple Kellogg’s varsity girls’ cross country' team remained the class of Barry County in 2022. Of the first 14 girls across the finish line at the Barry County Championship on Oct. 31, eight were Trojans. The top seven finishers at the day’s race earned spots on the 2022 All-Barry County Girls’ Cross Country First Team and the next seven in earned spots on the all-county second team. It was a senior-filled group, with six of the 14 all-county honorees on track to graduate in the spring. It was a youngster that was the leader of the pack though. TK’s Ava Crews won the coun­ ty championship for the second season in a row on her way to a second appearance in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Cross Country Finals at Michigan International Speed­ way in Brooklyn. Crews was the lone girl in the county to qual­ ify for the state finals, but there were plenty of familiar faces running at MIS the first Saturday in November. The OK Gold Conference Champions from Forest Hills Eastern were fifth in the Division 2 race at the championships, and the South Chris­ tian girls out of the conference placed 17th. The Division 3 Finals were filled with foes of the local teams too. Jackson Lumen Christi out of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference, placed ninth in the D3 girls championship. Kalamazoo Chris­ tian from the Southwestern Athletic Conference placed 13th and league rival Schoolcraft was 21st. The Greater Lansing Activities Conference had Leslie 12th and Stockbridge 25th. Hackett Catholic Prep out of the SAC was 13th in the Division 4 girls’ race at the finals. The local squads chased those state finalists all fall. Lakewood finished third behind only Leslie and Stockbridge at the GLAC Championship this season - in what will be the final GLAC Cham­ pionship. Maple Valley and Hastings had girls cutting time all season long even though their program’s didn’t have enough girls to earn team scores. Here are the 2022 All-Barry County Girls’ Cross Country First and Second Teams. All-Barry County 2022 Girls’ Cross Country First Team Ava Crews, Thomapple Kellogg: Crews, a sophomore qualified for the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 State Finals for the second time this fall. She ran to a 58th-place finish at the finals. Crews dropped her personal record time to The 2022 All-Barry County Girls1 Cross Country First and Second Teams. Second team members are (front from left) Emma Lancaster, Sadie Brearley, Katherine Powers, Johannah Houtkooper, Megan Schuurmans, Lucy VanDemark. Missing from photo is Lilly Faurot. First team members are (back from left) Ava Crews, Holly Velting, Joelle White, Emma Tidd, Lindsey Velting, Emma Thompson and Madison Kietzman. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 19 minutes 22.3 seconds at the early season Chargers Autumn Sunrise Invitational. The Barry County Meet was the only race after that in which it took her more than 20 min­ utes to get to the finish line, but that was to keep some energy in reserve for the state finals. Crews was still the Barry County meet champion with a time of 20:52.9. Madison Kietzman, Thornapple Kellogg: Kietzman closed out her freshman season for TK by placing seventh at the Barry County Champi­ onship with a time of 23:24.4. Kietzman ran her fastest time of the season a the Chargers Autumn Sunrise Invitational in late September where she finished in 21:51.2. Emma Thompson, Thomapple Kellogg: Thompson just missed a spot on the all-county second team with 16th place finishes at the coun­ ty meet as a freshman and again as a junior. She leapt to a spot on the first team at the end of her senior season by placing sixth at the Barry Coun­ ty Championship in 23:19.6. Thompson ran her fastest race of the season two days prior at the Trojans’ MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Regional hosted by South Christian where she placed 56th in 22:48.9. Emma Tidd, Lakewood: Tidd had an out­ standing freshman season for the Vikings, lead­ ing the pack throughout much of the season. She set her personal record at the Olivet Pink Invite where she placed tenth in 22:00.0. She finished seventh at the GLAC Championship. Tidd closed out the season by placing fourth at the Barry County Championship in 22:20.0. Holly Velting, Thomapple Kellogg: Velting, a junior, was the runner-up at the Barry County Championships with a time of 22:04.0. Velting ran her fastest race of the season at the OK Gold Conference Championship where she placed 22nd in 21:34.2. Lindsey Velting, Thornapple Kellogg: Velt­ ing ran the top time of her senior season at the Chargers Autumn Sunrise Invitational in late September, finishing in 22:02.8. She placed 34th at all three OK Gold Conference races this sea­ son. Velting closed out her cross country time at TK with a fifth-place time of23:04.5 at the Barry County Championship. Joelle White, Delton Kellogg: A senior, White led the Delton Kellogg girls throughout the fall. She set her personal record at 21:59.0 to place 19th at the SAC Championship at Gilmore Car Museum in mid October. She followed that up by placing 30th at regionais in Allendale with a time of 2^: 10.7 and then was a tenth of a second better than that to place third at the Barry County Championship. All-Barry County 2022 Girls’ Cross Country Second Team Sadie Brearley, Lakewood: Brearley fin­ ished off her senior cross country season by placing 13th at the Barry County Championship in Middleville with a time of 24:49.5. Brearley had a top time of 22:58.9 this season at the Pewamo-Westphalia Invitational. She closed out the Greater Lansing Activities Confer­ ence season with an llth-place finish at the con­ ference championship meet. Lilly Faurot, Maple Valley: Faurot, a junior, earned a place on the All-Barry County second team for the third time in her three varsity sea­ sons by placing tenth at the county championship meet in 23:43.1. Faurot ran her fastest time of the season at the Olivet Pink Invite in early October, placing 14th in 22:24.9. Faurot placed 13th at the GLAC Championship at the end of October. Johannah Houtkooper, Delton Kellogg: A sophomore, Houtkooper was at her best at the end of the season. She set her personal record at 22:55.7 at the Panthers’ MHSAA Lower Penin­ sula Division 3 Regional in Allendale. That time put her in 43rd on the day. Houtkooper followed that up by placing 11th at the Barry County Championship in 23:51.5. Emma Lancaster, Lakewood: Lancaster pro­ gressed well in her senior season for the Vikings; She finished the first race of the season in about 25 and a half minutes, went under 25 minutes at the next race, passed the 24-minute threshold in late September, and set her personal record at regionais where she hit the finish line in 23:31.5. Lancaster closed out the year by placing 14th at the Barry County Championship in 24:50.3. Katherine Powers, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior, Powers ran her fastest time of the season on the course at Gun Lake for the Trojans’ annu­ al Coach B Invitational. She hit the finish line 26th there in 23:46.3. Powers ran to a 12th-place time of 24:41.2 at the Barry County Championship at the end of the season. Megan Schuurmans, Thornapple Kellogg: A Trojan freshman, she ran to ninth at the Barry County Championship with a time of 23:24.9. Schuurmans set her personal record at 22:57.3 at the Chargers Autumn Sunrise Invitational in late September. Lucy VanDemark, Thornapple Kellogg: VanDemark earned All-Barry County honors for the fourth time in her four varsity seasons by placing eighth at the Barry County Champion­ ship with a time of 23:24.9. VanDemark finished as high as 27th in an OK Gold Conference jamboree this season, and was 32nd at the conference race hosted by Forest Hills Eastern where she earned a season-best time of 22:05.1. FOOTBALL, continued from page 11 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- —... -. . — Offensively, Eastman had four receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown. Philip Halcomb, Delton Kellogg: Hal­ comb played defensive back all year and offensively spent time at quarterback and fullback as a senior. He had 21 tackles and three interceptions. Offensively had had 448 yards rushing, averaging 7.9 yards per carry. He also returned two kicks for touchdown. He started the year at quarterback and with injuries throughout the roster he volunteered to move to fullback to help the offense as a whole. Tyler Rose, Maple Valley: A senior comer back, Rose was named all-conference in the Tri-River 8 for the second season in a row. “Tyler started at comer for us and was our top coverage defender, many times drawing the other team’s best offensive receiver on every play,” coach Martin said. He had 30 tackles, four interceptions and a team-high five pass deflections on the season. Rose also had 217 yards on offense for the Lions while also returning punts and kicks. Punter Jesse Deppe, Maple Valley: Deppe aver­ aged over 31 yards per punt this season and was the Lions’ kicker too knocking through six extra-points and his only field goal attempt. As a linebacker, Deppe was voted all-con­ ference in the Tri-River 8 for the second year in a row. He finished the year with 71 tackles, 7 for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception. All-Barry County 2022 Football Second Team Offense Quarterback Owen Carroll, Hastings: A junior in his first full season as the Saxons’ starting quar­ terback, Carroll completed 34 passes for 643 yards and six touchdowns while leading the Saxons’ Wing-T attack. Carroll also rushed 47 times for 316 yards and four scores this season. In the Saxons’ lopsided win over Harper Creek in late Sep­ tember, Carroll rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown and threw for 129 yards and another score. Both those totals were season highs. Running Back Cole Anderson, Lakewood: A sopho­ more, Anderson became a vital part of the 190409 NOTICE: SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS The Barry County Board of Commissioners is seeking applications from volunteers to serve on the following Boards: Building Authority: 1 position Central Dispatch Administrative Board: 1 position Commission on Aging: 4 positions Conservation Easement Board: 1 township official/designee; 1 agricultural interest Parks and Recreation Commission: 2 positions Road Commission: 1 position Veteran’s Affairs Committee: 3 positions - must be an honorably discharged active duty veteran who served during a war or conflict Applications may be obtained at the County Administration Office, 3rd floor of the Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings; or www.barrycounty.org under the tab: How do I apply for: An Advisory Board or Commission and click to display the application. Applications must be returned no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 5, 2022. Contact 269-945-1284 for more information. Lakewood attack from the get-go amassing ten touchdowns and 645 yards rushing on the seasons. Anderson was named first team all-confer­ ence in the GLAC this fall. Isaiah Wilson, Hastings: A sophomore running back, Wilson rushed 66 times for 408 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He had a season-high 72 yards twice, in a September win over Coldwater and in the Saxons’ Pre-District victory over Vicksburg at the end of October. He scored four of his seven rushing touchdowns in the playoffs. Tight End Jaxan Sias, Thornapple Kellogg: A key part of the Thomapple Kellogg offensive and defensive lines as a junior this season. He had touchdown receptions in the Trojans’ win over Ottawa Hills and their homecoming bailgame against Kenowa Hills. Sias had three tackles for a loss on the defensive side for the Trojans. Wide Receiver Callan Hoefler, Maple Valley: A junior, Hoefler played slot receiver and cornerback for the Lions. He had 374 all-purpose yards on offense and was the Lions’ leader in punt and kick return yards. He had 16 receptions for 168 yards and 30 rushes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Hoefler was named the all-conference offen­ sive athlete in the Tri-River 8 this season. Cam Carpenter, Maple Valley: Carpen­ ter, a junior, was the Lions’ big-play receiver this fall/ He had 21 catches for 380 yards and he is now over 600 yards receiving in his varsity career. Carpenter was voted all-conference at split end in the Tri-River 8 this fall. Offensive Line Tom Hollars, Hastings: A sophomore on the end of the offensive line for the Saxons, Hollars had an 85 percent blocking assign­ ment rating and a 97 percent blocking finish ranking. Hollars caught an 8-yard touchdown pass in the Saxons’ win over Pennfield to close the regular season. Christian Huissen, Maple Valley: Huissen, a four-year varsity player, the senior guard was coach Martin’s highest-rated offensive lineman in every game this fall. “Christian’s intelligence and willingness to get off the ball quickly really helped him to excel,” coach Martin added. “Additionally, over the past year, Christian spent time in the weight room, working on his upper body. Huissen was named first team all-state among eight-player offensive linemen by the MHSFCA this season and he was named hon­ orable mention all-conference in the Tri-Riv­ er conference. Ethan Kriekaard, Thornapple Kellogg: Kriekaard was a leader on the offensive line for the Trojans as a senior this fall. Jason Lundquist, Delton Kellogg: A senior who played defensive end and on the offensive line for the Panthers, he was a team captain this season. Lundquist had a team-high 3 sacks this season while adding two tackles for a loss. He had 17 tackles overall. . Devin Smith, Hastings: A junior who helped power the Saxon offensive attack up front. Smith had an 89 percent blocking assign­ ment rating and a 95 percent blocking finish rating. All-Barry County 2022 Football Second Team Defense Defensive Line Jayden Garcia, Thornapple Kellogg: Garcia finished his senior season with three tackles for loss on the Trojans’ defensive front. . On offense, Garcia averaged nine yards per carry in the Trojan’s contest with Forest Hills Eastern in Ada at the end of September and scored a touchdown. He had 48 yards on just four rushes in the Trojans’ win over Wayland in early September. Ethan Goodemoot, Lakewood: A key member of the Vikings’ defensive front as a sophomore this season, Goodemoot had 14 tackles on the season. Goodemoot was named second team all-conference in the GLAC. Linebacker Philip Jorgensen, Delton Kellogg: A for­ eign exchange student for the Panthers this fall. He played very well from sideline to sideline according to coach Bates. Jorgensen had 47 tackles this season despite missing three games and finished with three tackles for a loss. CJ Lennert, Thornapple Kellogg: An honorable mention all-conference linebacker in the OK Gold Conference as a sophomore. Lennert had 48 tackles, a sack, an intercep­ tion and a forced fumble this season. Nic Martin, Maple Valley: A junior, Mar­ tin was second on the Lion team in tackles with 51. He had seven tackles for a loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. He also blocked a punt this season and recorded a safety. He has over 120 tackles in his two varsity seasons and was named honorable mention all-conference in the Tri-River 8. Haiden Simmet, Hastings: A junior, Simmet had 50 tackles through the Saxons first ten games of the season and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Simmet got his hands on the football on offense too rushing for 211 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He had six receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Andrew Shepard, Maple Valley: Shep­ ard had 38 tackles and 2 pass deflections for the Lions this fall and was voted all-conference as a defensive athlete in the Tri-River 8. “Defensively, Andrew played the Sam outside linebacker position,” coach Martin said. “Many times Andrew would be lined up across the opposition’s quickest receiver. He would also find himself in situations where he would have a run/pass conflict. Being an intelligent player, Andrew contin­ ued to get better at reading his keys.” Defensive Back Aiden St. Amour, Hastings: A key part of a talented Saxon defensive backfield, Saint Amour broke up five passes and picked off one through the first ten weeks of the season. He had 47 tackles too including four for a loss. Torren Mapes, Delton Kellogg: Mapes, a junior, spent time at defensive back and took over at quarterback for the Panthers on offense midway through the season. Defen­ sively he had 15 tackles and an interception, while also returning kicks for the Panthers. He averaged 4.5 yards per rush and threw for 119 yard and a touchdown on offense for Delton. Montreal Reid, Lakewood: Reid was big on both sides of the ball for the Vikings this fall as a junior. Coach Markwart called him the quarterback of the defense for the Vikings. He was a running back on offense. Reid had 15 tackles and an interception this season. He was named second team all-conference in the GLAC. Ethan Weller, Lakewood: Weller had 22 tackles and two interceptions at comer as a senior this fall for the Vikings. Weller was named first team all-confer­ ence in the GLAC this season. 1 � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-12-08.pdf e23592feb55ccd6292bd3e81a1182919 PDF Text Text Local restaurant faces huge gas bill, turns to community for help Shopping local more important than ever this holiday season Hastings, Delton winter sports previewed See story on page 3 See story on page 4 See stories on pages 10-15 Tur 804879110187 1070490102590503569849058113421 E „**********************CAR-RT LOT**C 005 C005 Richard Hemerling 421 N Taffee Dr Hastinas Ml 49058-1134 Hastings mi 6/30/2023 9:47:00 AM PRICE $1.50 Thursday, December 8, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 49 Tyden Lofts nearing fruition after planning commission signs off on site plan Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Tyden Lofts housing project proposal is getting close to putting shovels in the ground. The planning commission signed off on the final site plan after a public hearing at their Monday meeting, recommending the city council approve the project. Barry Community Foundation President and CEO Bonnie Gettys, who has been involved with the project since before it was first planned to be at the former Royal Coach site, thanked commissioners for making the project a reality and stressed its importance. “It has been a long time working with Gen­ eral Capital to try to get this really crucial project up and running. I know it would be very important for not only the city, but the entire county to have these units available,” Gettys said. “It is the missing housing in our community. With The Lofts at 128, the hous­ ing there is market rate and the majority of the folks that need this housing so desperately can’t afford to live there.” Members of the public, community leaders and representatives of project developer Gen­ eral Capital were all in attendance. Com­ ments from the public expressed varying levels of support, with some lingering traffic concerns. West Court Street residents Lee Brown and Mike Olson, who live near the proposed proj­ ect site, spoke at the meeting. Olson spoke in support of the project, but asked the city to consider limiting street parking on Park Street and West Court Street to prevent traffic con­ gestion. See TYDEN LOFTS, page 3 Jackson Lindsay, a General Capital representative, was available to provide infor­ mation and answer questions from the public and planning commission. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) TTES raises concern over perceived call disparity Greg Chandler Staff Writer Thomapple Township officials are rais­ ing issues with a neighboring fire depart­ ment over what they see is a disparity in the number of calls they assist on outside of their typical coverage area. Bill Richardson, who became chief of Thomapple Township Emergency Ser­ vices during the summer, brought his concerns to BIRCH - the fire board that represents the city of Hastings and the townships of Baltimore, Irving, Rutland, Carlton and Hastings - at a board meeting last Thursday. Richardson spoke out on “the disparity of aid calls our service does for other communities and is not getting compensated for it.” “Our taxpayers pay 2.25 mills for dedi­ cated ambulance coverage while the BIRCH community uses a for-profit ambulance service (Mercy Ambulance) who subsidizes its services from its neigh­ boring communities,” Richardson wrote in an email to the Hastings Banner. Richardson says that sometimes because TTES is responding to a mutual aid call, they are not able to respond as quickly to another call back in their coverage area. “If you add up all the hours our service has been out of our community (servicing) other communities, it is over 570 hours or 23.75 days we have not been (here) to serve our residents,” Richardson wrote in the e-mail. “Our township wants to have some sort of compensation, or we will have to change our service model to them.” TTES primarily serves Thomapple Township, and contracts with Irving Township as well on some calls. Hastings Charter Township Supervisor Jim Brown, who chairs the BIRCH board, questioned the appropriateness of Richardson bringing TTES’ concern to the fire board. “If we’re going to talk about this and sit down and get serious about it, it should be done separately (apart from a board meet­ ing),” Brown said. “(BIRCH) is strictly fire. We have ambulance service, which you already know. If there’s something (we can resolve), I have no problem sitting down and doing it, but it won’t be done tonight.” Richardson said he had tried to connect with individual townships prior to coming to the BIRCH board. “I was directed by the city of Hastings that this is the medium that it needs to be addressed at,” Richardson said. “I wanted to reach out to individual communities and have that conversation and I was told that this is the medium for that conversa­ tion. I’m glad to have a conversation indi­ vidually with each township.” Rodney D. Palmer, who co-owns Mercy Ambulance Service, took excep­ tion to Richardson’s comments, saying it was “inappropriate” to bring it up at the meeting. “I’ve yet to get one phone call from you with regards to any issues with your town­ ship at all,” Palmer said. “I’m certain after knowing my stats with regards to hospital transports (to Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital) and also the fact that you’re down to one ambulance - let’s be real careful on how we split hairs with that. “We cover all the townships in the county with mutual aid. It’s implied there is no (contract) agreement. You don’t have to sign an agreement with me, I don’t have to sign an agreement with you. I just know that I have an ambulance See TTES, page 2 From left to right, Barry County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Vivian Conner, Chair Ben Geiger and Commissioner Hoot Gibson will bid farewell to the board on Dec. 20 in what has now been scheduled as an evening meeting that kicks off at 6 p.m. County commissioners to give final bow at a rare evening meeting Jayson Bussa Editor An upcoming Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting that will serve as the final meeting for three long-time commis­ sioners has been moved to prime time. On Tuesday morning, the county’s Com­ mittee of the Whole agreed to move the board of commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 20 to 6 p.m. Normally, these meetings are held at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays. “We have three commissioners leaving and there might be some interest in family mem­ bers and friends attending a night meeting,” said County Board Chair Ben Geiger. Geiger is one of the three members that will not be returning to the board next year after he logged over a decade of service with the county. He will be joined in sailing off into the sunset by Hoot Gibson, who is the lon­ gest-serving member on the board. Both Gei­ ger and Gibson opted not to seek reelection. Geiger ran for the state rep seat for the local district but fell in a crowded Republican prima­ ry field to newly-elected representative Gina Johnsen. Geiger’s chair on the county commis­ sion was won by former Michigan State Repre­ sentative Mike Callton from Nashville. Gibson also opted not to run for reelection this year. His chair is being taken over by longtime local businessman Bob Teunessen. County Board Vice Chair Vivian Conner will also not be returning to the board next year. The representative from the county’s District 6 will be replaced by Mark A. Doster, who successfully won the nod from Republi­ cans in this year’s primary election. All three will provide their final sign-offs at Dec. 20’s evening meeting. Land bank discussed as potential avenue for future housing developments Hunter McLaren Staff Writer A land bank may be a vehicle through which future city and county housing projects could be developed. Jennifer Heinzman, CEO of the Barry County Chamber of Commerce and a mem­ ber of the county’s Brownfield Redevelop­ ment Authority board, brought information about a potential land bank to the Hastings Planning Commission meeting on Monday. A land bank could be used to help offset infra­ structure costs and make potential projects more attractive to developers. Heinzman said the board started looking into creating a land bank as a development tool in January 2021. After gathering infor­ mation from the director of the Calhoun County Land Bank Association and a repre­ sentative of the Michigan Association of Land Banks, Heinzman told commissioners she was getting ready to present materials to the county for approval. Once established, developers could put property into the land bank and own it without being taxed while they get it ready for develop­ ment. While developers would still foot the bill for infrastructure needs like new streets or water and electric infrastructure, they would be reimbursed through a tax-incentivized financ­ ing plan over a period of several years. David Hatfield, chair of the planning com­ mission who will also join the Barry County Board of Commissioners at the beginning of next year, spoke in favor of the move and its potential benefits to the county. See LAND BANK, page 3 �Page 2 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Christmas on the River begins today Middleville’s annual holiday celebration, Christmas on the River, is set to kick off today, Thursday, Dec. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. Christmas on the River will continue tomorrow, Dec. 9 and conclude Saturday, Dec. 10 with the annual Christmas parade at 6 p.m. Christmas on the River offers something for everyone, with Holly Trolley rides, rein­ deer visits, crafts, activities, music, food and more all on the docket for the three-day celebration. A Who-ville themed tree lighting ceremony will take place in the Green Space on Main Street at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 with music by the Thomapple Kellogg High School Choir. The ceremony will be followed by a dove release at 6:45 p.m. and a benefit con­ cert under the pavilion at 7 p.m. Saturday, the final day of the festival, will kick off with a breakfast with Santa and Cookie Walk at Middleville UMC from 8 to 10:30 a.m. The Shiver on the River 5K Walk/ Run will take place at the gazebo at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. The parade will conclude the Shiver on the River festivities Saturday. A full schedule of Middleville’s Shiver on the River can be found on the Middleville DDA Facebook page or in Dec. 3’s edition of The Reminder. National Influenza Vaccination Week ends tomorrow National Influenza Vaccination Week is a critical opportunity to remind everyone 6 months and older that there’s still time to protect themselves and their loved ones from the flu this season by getting their annual flu vaccine if they have not already. BEDHD and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receives the flu vaccine. The vaccine may take up to two weeks to provide full protection, so individuals should receive the vaccine as soon as possible. Seasonal influenza activity is elevated across the country, resulting in the most hospi­ talizations at this point in the season in more than a decade. The percentage of healthcare provider visits for influenza-like illness in Michigan has been climbing since October. In past years, Barry and Eaton counties experienced elevated influenza case rates during January, March and May. Anyone can get the flu, including healthy children and adults. Symptoms of the flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Unlike the common cold, flu symptoms usually appear suddenly. For most people, symptoms last from a few days to two weeks. Some people are at a greater risk of more severe symptoms and complications. These include individ­ uals aged 65 and older, those with certain chronic conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women, and children younger than five years old (especially infants). Receiving a vaccination for the flu is the most effective method to prevent getting the flu. Flu vaccination can help protect women during and after pregnancy and protect the baby bom to a vaccinated mom for several months after birth. The flu vaccine also has been shown to save children’s lives, prevent serious events associated with chronic lung disease, diabetes, and heart disease, and prevent flu-related hospitalization among work­ ing-age adults and older adults. Getting vaccinated helps keep everyone healthy and protect those who may be vulnerable to becoming very sick. Flu vaccines are offered in many locations, including doctor’s offices, health depart­ ments, pharmacies, health centers, and travel clinics, as well as by many employers and schools. Use the Vaccine Finder at vaccinefmder.org/ to find the nearest location to get vaccinated. BEDHD offers low-cost flu vaccinations for children between 6 months and 18 years of age. Appointments can be scheduled with BEDHD staff by calling 269-945­ 4133 for the Barry County clinic. More information on the flu vaccine can be found at cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm. AARP announces online and virtual events for December Every month, AARP offers programs and events that are free and open to the public, both online and in person. Those interested can check out what’s happening this month and register using the provided link. Saturday, Dec. 17 - Rhythms of Life: Virtual Rhythm Circle (online), 10-10:45 a.m. Music is good for your health. Percussionist Kevin “Bujo” Jones will lead the group in a virtual rhythm circle featuring percussion, rhythms and the benefits of music. Join for the final healthy and interactive rhythm circle of 2022. No experience needed. Register at events.aarp.org/DecRhythm. Monday, Dec. 26 - AARP Disrupt Aging Book Club (online), 10-30-noon. Join the Disrupt Aging Book Club in 2022 as they discuss the lighter side of life and topics relat­ ed to aging. Come for the great conversation and book selections and leave with new friends and experiences. The December book is “The Editor” by Steven Rowley. Register at events.aarp.org/12-26BookClub. The Holly Trolley, a familiar sight around Hastings, worked overtime last weekend to take Jingle & Mingle attendees on tours through town to see holiday lights and decorations. (Photos by John Resseguie Sr.) Hastings Jingle & Mingle brought holiday cheer, will return next year Hastings celebrated its annual Jingle & Mingle last weekend, a three-day holiday festival that graces the town each year. In what was touted to be the biggest celebration yet, over 60 groups participated in the annual Christmas parade on Saturday night under the lights. In addition to the parade, dozens of free, family-friendly activities were offered throughout downtown last weekend. Among these activities, carriage rides and Holly Trolley tours, along with a pub crawl, games and a fun run were all ways families were able to get in the holiday spirit. Arts and crafts booths lined State Street last weekend, with many local vendors showing off their talents. Among these crafters were “Creative Kids,” youngsters in the area who sold their, crafts at the’Jingle & Mingle event. Three chefs walked away with the honor of being Hastings’s chili masters. Curt Root, hosted by Porcelain Classics and Bee Eclectic walked away with first place in the chili cook-off, with Danielle Shook (At Home Real Estate) in second place and The Cloth­ ier’s “Hot Chx Chili” taking third. Live reindeer, visits from Santa and a fire pit to roast hot dogs and marshmallows gave a dis­ tinct holiday feel to the annual celebration. For those who preferred a bit more pageantry than what came with rides on the Holly Trolley, carriage rides were offered throughout Jingle & Mingle. Riders were able to tour the City of Hastings in a holiday-appropriate white carriage. Those from near and far flocked downtown to celebrate Christmas and get in the holiday spirit. Jingle & Mingle will return next year, but not before Santa returns to Hastings later this month and hands out toys. More information, along with photos and videos from the cele­ bration, can be found on the Hastings Jingle & Mingle Facebook page. TTES, continued from page 1 -----------------------------------------available. I will go to Thomapple, I will go to Orangeville, I will go to any township in the county.” Palmer added that the real issue is the lack of staffing for fire and ambulance service, and a lack of interest in the community for such positions. “In this county and any other county and everywhere right now, there is a cultural shift. It’s not just the applications ... It’s not ‘what can I do for the community,’ it’s ‘what can you do for me?”’ he said. Mercy Ambulance has served Barry County since 1974. It recently received approval for a contract renewal to provide ambulance service to the BIRCH service area. “We’ve got some of the best people and some of the best equipment in Barry Coun­ ty, for what we need,” Brown said. “There ought to be a way to sit down over coffee and figure out how to maximize all of that capability, without going broke. There just ought to be a way to do it, personally, and I think the only way that you can do that is to literally sit down over coffee, throw every­ thing on the table and figure out how we can get together.” Gift < Certificates < Available Check out our New Fabrics QUESTIONS: ASK US... ~ wr 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 OPEN: Monday-Friday 8 am-5:30 pm; ajOJ Saturday 9 am-3 pm SSLzJ Hulst Cleaners Pick-Up Station AA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Mayor Pro Tempore John Resseguie Sr. manned the fire pit over the weekend, making sure the flames stayed lit and the food was kept flowing. Free hot dogs and marshmallows were available to roast over a fire pit on State Street. Many chefs, young and old, flocked to the open flames for their creative cuisines. Hastings bond proposal survey available until Dec. 16 Members of the public have the opportu­ nity to take a survey and let the Hastings Area School System know how they’re doing until Dec. 16. The 27-question survey went out on Dec. 5 and is available online, with physical cop­ ies available upon request at any of the dis­ trict’s buildings. The survey asks partici­ pants how they feel about the district’s per­ formance in a variety of areas, and asks what projects and price points participants would be likely to support in future bond requests. The survey comes after the district has failed to pass six state-qualified bond pro­ posal requests since 2017. The latest $23.9 million bond proposal was voted down by voters earlier this year on May 3. Infrastructure needs that are deemed critical by school officials, like repairs and replacements for aging roofs, have gone unaddressed because of the lack of fund­ ing. The board of education approved a $1 million project to replace roofs at Star Elementary using the district’s sinking fund at its Nov. 21 meeting, an unusual move that board members said was neces­ sary because the situation has become so dire. The district partnered with the Paw Paw­ based Perspectives Consulting Group to craft the survey, with hopes of gauging community support for future bond items. The items explored include critical infra­ structure updates, general building updates as well as a potential new early childhood and daycare center. Representatives from Perspectives said they would publicly share the survey results at the Feb. 27, 2023, Hastings Board of Education meeting. The survey is available for anyone who is a resident in the Hastings Area School System district and over the age of 18 at www.surveymonkey.eom/r/ HAS SCommunitySurvey. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — Page 3 Huebner honored for years of working on front lines for Barry County Mike Ertner, who owns Heroes Food & Spirits with his wife, Shannon, stands in front of a wall lined with military photos. Mike and Shannon are turning to the community for help paying off an abnormally high gas bill that threatens to put their restaurant out of business not even a year after it had opened. (Photo by Karen Turko-Ebright) Family-owned restaurant in Delton asking for financial support after being socked with $40K gas bill Karen Turko-Ebright Contributing Writer “What?!” That was about all Shannon Ertner could say about her $40,000 gas bill. A-iJ'd-roxv 1 ?5 $ f ty-4 .......... .......... 49Q4& M-7 /i» 7-14 103413283 7B84 jber Energy StH Plan and Other Charges Swnnw pSfe Ki r~' ~7 irt co Sep 2'6 3S32 ■»OTCc:152f» rrtwOttva#? nt on Oct 22 3m $40O«b $5CQ.CH>' $12548.00 $V?,6-?O.C«3 nt Out tmt Summary $38,277.35 441.W.3S SUW s^coecS2tXU36- ernh's. Account Bjfime Sepie«n6er 26.2022 nt October) S. &J2J nt ijn October 1?. 2522 •01 on October 22,2532 trie Charges 44X4^ •al Gas Charges fOaHJe 5X43 222.lK4.mi00 J IMS isa.fe r «34$&J W« R4W MAHR* 4t»1c*nd HMurjl G»s Gargw s*st at^fO^a, mt Due: vernier K2fi2J 55,023.46 $17,696.00 y rtafeaue Ssw.♦ 2* Isa- iwnsfU Atass’i! SMjnte :o»<tewbrt7,®»z- iuoooo5-seaco. $250,00. 5MXW- The Ertners offered a glimpse of their Consumers Energy bill, which they think became inflated when a faulty furnace used excessive amounts of gas. (Courtesy photo) Both she and her husband, Mike, are in shock at the amount they are being asked to pay to keep their newly-opened restaurant, Heroes Food & Spirits, on 121 S Grove St., open. They opened the restaurant in January. Not only does the name Heroes honor vet­ erans, but upon entering the restaurant, customers walk by an array of military photos lining the walls. Standing out among all the images in the entrance is the iconic photo of six marines, “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.” For the Ertners, it was a dream come true to get the restaurant running finally. That’s why the threat of being shut down due to an abnormally high gas bill is disheartening. So, they set up a GoFundMe online crowd­ funding webpage to raise the $40,000 nec­ essary to keep their restaurant afloat. “It took me five years to get this building up and running,” Mike said. “I would not have been able to do what I am doing if it wasn’t for them,” he added, pointing to photos of veterans with tears in his eyes. Shannon said, in February, the gas bill was over $7,000. She immediately called Consumers Energy to find out they con­ cluded there were no gas leaks. Instead, the problem could have been because the fryers in the kitchen were running. Another big surprise came in an envelope in March when the Ertners’ gas bill jumped to almost $12,000. Shannon called Consumers Energy once again and was instructed to pay the bill on an installment plan for 12 months to keep the gas running. Now the Ertners are left to pay $3,400 a month plus their current monthly bill. One of the restaurant’s customers, who has knowledge of furnaces, said he could smell gas in the restaurant. After inspecting the furnace, the customer said he could hear the furnace was not functioning correctly. He suggested to the Ertners that the heater exchange may have malfunctioned, and "Everybody's been really supportive. It's very heartwarming.1' Dana Yarger, EMS coordinator for the Barry County Medical Control Authority, presented a certificate of appreciation to Joe Huebner for his service on the MCA board at the Dec. 1 BIRCH (Baltimore-Irving-Rutland-Carlton-Hastings) fire board meeting. Huebner recently completed a two-year term on the MCA board but had also served many years as a board member in the past. He has worked for Mercy Ambulance since 1988 and has been on the Hastings Fire Department for the past eight years. (Photo by Greg Chandler) - Shannon Ertner, Owner, Heroes Food & Spirits or*V' r-.-.-T -jm .,^-v myoy -..;V'tfi: that’s why natural gas was pouring out into the atmosphere. “That explained why the bill was so high because it was just pumping out the raw fuel,” Shannon said. The Ertners needed to replace their fur­ nace, so, they did it to the tune of $14,500. “Everybody’s been really supportive,” Shannon said. “It’s very heartwarming.” “I still have the unknowns of what the future holds,” she said. “As long we’re pay­ ing what they ask, we’ll be ok.” Ertner created the GoFundMe page on Sunday, Dec. 4. Already $6,000 has been raised, and Shannon said she had received $15,000 in cash donations. Terry DeDoes, a spokesman for Consum­ ers Energy, said, “I don’t have the ability to check into customer accounts, and we are limited on what we can say about custom­ ers’ private account information.” However, DeDoes released the following statement to The Banner. “Consumers Energy is prevented from discussing details about any customer’s account or their participation in any partic­ ular programs,” the statement said. “How­ ever, we will continue to work with all customers under any programs they are eligible for. We know many people are fac­ ing challenging times right now, and they count on us every day for the energy they need. If customers need help with their energy bills, we encourage them to seek assistance.” This rendering shows a rough design of the Tyden Lofts project as presented by General Capital. These designs are subject to change. (Courtesy rendering) TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 1 -------------------------Brown expressed concern with the amount of traffic the project might bring to the two streets, a concern that’s been echoed by many neighborhood residents since the site was proposed. She also expressed concern about an influx of children living in the develop­ ment combined with the increased traffic on the street comer. “The developers have been very good at listening to all of us, and 1 see they have a little play center in the middle of the parking lot,” Brown said. “But again, with so much traffic there, it needs to be monitored.” MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING LAND BANK, continued from page 1 ------“I think one of the great features of this is, as we’ve talked about so often, if we look at some of the larger tracts of land (for potential developments), one of the primary barriers to develop­ ing that land is the cost of the infrastructure that needs to go in,” Hatfield said. “This is a way that we can finance the cost of that infrastructure and then let the developer get compensated for that over time.” Ben Diehl and Brian Farkas, representatives of residential developer Allen Edwin Homes, were at the meeting to provide additional information. Tools like a land bank help incentivize developers to take on projects by cutting down their costs, while also helping the community by keeping the rent of those com­ pleted residential projects more affordable, they said. Diehl said that these kinds of public-private partnerships have been becoming more common, especially as workforce housing becomes a critical need in rural areas like Hastings. “We have been in communities all over the area, and the fur­ ther out of the major metropolitan areas you go - they have been woefully underserved over the last 10 years,” Diehl said. “You hear about this housing boom that occurred in Hudsonville, in Grand Rapids and Wyoming. It didn’t get out this way, and these communities have continued to grow. You’ve continued to add jobs. And now you need places for people to live in order to be able to stay here.” A motion made by Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie was passed to approve the Depart­ ment of Public Services to look into possible solutions to manage parking on the two streets, and Mayor Dave Tossava agreed that kids close to a potentially busy intersection could be something worth keeping an eye on. “I have concerns too,” Tossava said. “I know (General Capital) has addressed a part of it by putting playground equipment inside the project, but maybe they could do some­ thing with fencing to keep kids in there.” Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 Costa Rica 9 Day Tour with All Meals, ****** All Hotels, All Activities. Brian Farkas (left) and Ben Diehl (right) from residential developer Allen Edwin Homes spoke to the planning commission about how a land bank can make communities more attractive for devel­ opers. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Hike in jungle rainforests, view volcanoes, soak in hot springs, cruise biological reserves and relax on tropical ocean beaches. Join the smart shoppers and experienced travelers. 1-800-CARAVAN Caravan.com #8110376 & Insured Choose a Guided Tour+tax,fees 9 days 8995 8 days $995 8 days $995 Costa Rica Panama Guatemala Mexico - Ancient Civ. - Copper Canyon 9 days $995 8 days $1295 “Brilliant, https://www.carava Affordable Pricing” Arthur Frommer, Travel Editor caravan Fully Guided Tours Since 1952 �Page 4 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you inion see? Shopping local: An epiphany SANTA? A familiar face took a seat in the back row of the gallery during Tuesday morning’s Barry County Committee of the Whole meeting. It appears that Santa Clause snuck in to get a sneak peek at who was being naughty and nice here in Barry County. In reality, though, the man was Barry County Surveyor Brian Reynolds, but this time of year, he goes by Kris Kringle. He actually appeared in front of the board during the public comment portion of the meeting to promote one of his upcoming appearances as Jolly Saint Nick. “We’re coming into the season where I get to exercise my super powers,” Reynolds said. “I would like to put a plug in for Charlton Park this weekend - Saturday and Sunday - for the annual Of Christmas Past (event). And, yes, I’ll be there.” Do you remember? Governor presents certificates Banner June 10, 1965 The first three students to complete the new state-sponsored boating safety course, “Pleasure Boating,” were honored when Gov. George Romney presented their graduation certificates. The inaugural course was given at Lakewood High School by Barry County Chief Deputy Richard Abbey, who is also in marine law enforcement. From left to right are Jane Alderink, 14, Clarksville; Edie Dillon, 16, Lake Odessa; Robert Dyke, State Boating Control Committee representative; Leonard Brown, 14, Sunfield, and Chief Deputy Abbey. Both students and their instructor expressed enthusiasm for the course which is now available to schools and other organizations throughout Michigan. Interested groups should contact the Boating Control Committee, 212 S. Grand Avenue, Lansing. Jane is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Alderink, Edie is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Dillon and Leonard is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Brown. Have you met? Gun Lake native Reece Cole has been working his whole life to achieve a goal he’s had since he was 7 years old: become a meteorologist. His goal of becoming a meteorologist came to him in his sleep. “I literally had a dream about it,” Cole said. “When I was 7,1 was watching ‘Storm Stories’ or something on the Weather Chan­ nel, and it was about a tornado. I went to bed and I had a dream about a tornado.” “Ever since then, I was hooked on need­ ing to watch the weather at all times,” he said. “1 literally had a dream about it and now it’s 16 years in the making.” Cole graduated from Thornapple Kel­ logg High School in 2017. He attended the University of Oklahoma to study meteorol­ ogy and broadcast journalism. While there, he worked at the college’s student TV sta­ tion, OU Nightly. The experience working in the studio and in the field landed him a job at Fox 17, he said. “If it wasn’t for that program, I know for sure 1 wouldn’t have started my career in Grand Rapids,” Cole said. “Normally it takes some time to build up (to that level), but the program is so well organized. I was really able to get a good chance in a bigger market and thankfully I was able to come back home.” Being back in West Michigan is part of why he loves his job as a meteorologist for Fox 17. It allows him to get involved with the community in a special way, he said. “I think the best part is just being a part of the community. When we had a big storm back in August, 1 went out to Holland and did some extra robust field reporting on a five-foot diameter tree that was complete­ ly uprooted, and it took out the entire gar­ den around it,” Cole said. “I went with that family and spoke with them and just shared their story, and it was really cool to see the impact of the weather on the community directly.” Reece Cole “I just enjoy the uniqueness of it, because it’s not a typical nine-to-five job,” he said. “It’s something I’m passionate about. It’s not like weather is just a hobby for me, it’s my career.” Although he now lives in Grand Rapids, he still spends plenty of time in Barry Coun­ ty. Cole, who was on the co-op Thornapple Kellogg and Hastings High School swim team, spent a lot of time practicing and com­ peting in Hastings. When he was 16, he started working part-time at Tom’s Meat Market behind the meat counter and contin­ ued there through high school and college. In fact, he still works there every Wednes­ day morning. “I just love it. I’m friends with the own­ ers, so even when I got my full-time job working at Fox 17,1 told him I could come by on Wednesdays and help with the deliv­ ery truck,” he said. “It’s nice to see every­ body that works there and still interact with the Hastings community because that’s where I grew up.” His West Michigan ties have gained him some viewership. Cole said it’s not uncom­ mon for viewers to reach out and let him know they’ve seen him behind the counter at Tom’s, or that they remember him from swim competitions. It’s another part of why he loves his job, and he hopes readers feel free to chat if they see him on one of those Wednesday mornings. “I would love it if anybody who reads this comes into Tom’s on Wednesdays and says hello,” he said. Outside of Tom’s, Cole hopes Fox 17 view­ ers feel free to follow him on Facebook and reach out to let him know how he’s doing. “I always like critiques on what I do when it comes to getting involved in the community, so if people ever want to give recommendations about the way 1 forecast and the way I present on TV, I’m never opposed to things like that either,” he said. “I’m always looking to grow in the field.” For chasing his (literal) dreams and let­ ting West Michigan residents know if it’s going to rain or shine, Reece Cole is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite movie: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Book recommendation: “Love Does” by Bob Goff. Favorite president: Theodore Roos­ evelt, for his appreciation for nature and initiating state parks. Favorite season: Fall, because of the color change and football. An item on my bucket list: Visit Austra­ lia and scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef. Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics. com. Allow me to be an Ebenezer Scrooge for a moment. Against my better judgment, I stopped off at a Starbucks the other day to grab a cup of caffeine and sugar before picking my kids up from school. In my defense, you need a little added oomph coursing through your veins in order to keep up with these three kids. I chose Starbucks because it was quick and convenient - even though, in the back of my mind, I knew this was a pretty penny to spend on some coffee. And the trip got even pricier than I had anticipated. After placing my order, I drove up to the window, handed over my credit card and was then suddenly staring at the business end of a credit card reader. “It’s going to ask you a question,” the barista said, acting like she had no idea what mysterious riddle her card reader might be proposing to me. It was asking what amount of tip I want­ ed to leave. I could easily hit a single but­ ton to leave a $1 or $2 tip. I could also go through a variety of additional prompts and leave a customized tip, or decline it alto­ gether. Because I have this uncontrollable need for everyone to love me, I left a $1 tip... for a black coffee... that already cost way too much. For the record, I have no qualms with tipping waiters, waitresses, help staff and a variety of other professionals where that is the norm. I do, however, have an issue with this particular scenario. Upon further research, it turns out that this format, where Starbucks baristas invasively ask customers in the drive-through lane for a tip, is new to the mega-corpora­ tion, which operates nearly 34,000 stores throughout 80 countries. This new system has ruffled the feathers of both customers and employees alike. As a customer, few people want to deal with the guilt of looking a hard-working employee in the eye and telling them they do not want to tip them. Even if you don’t think a tip is necessary, you’ll still walk away feeling scummy in that situation. And, as many Starbucks employees have aired out on social media - and in tradition­ al media - they feel uncomfortable asking customers on the spot if they would like to leave a tip. It seems like there might be a simple solution to this. Maybe... like... paying your employees fairly and not asking your customers to do it for you. That might be too common sense for corporate America, where logic is noth­ ing and profit is everything. After 38 years on this planet, I finally truly understood the “shop local” mantra that is often trotted out, especially during the holidays. Why did it take so long for it to sink in? I’m not entirely sure. Up until this point, the whole “shop local” movement seemed to be mostly a cop-out. Whenever I would hear someone telling me to “shop local,” my response would be “they should give me a reason to.” I almost felt like local shops were enti­ tled to my business simply because they were located near my house. I was your typical consumer. After all, we live in the era of Amazon and other giant e-commerce retailers that make it so painfully simple to buy, ship and track vir­ tually anything you would want. Telling me to peel my butt off of the couch, leave home and embark on a far more complicat­ ed process to get that same item for more money was a big ask and one that I was not in the mood for. But this recent epiphany showed me that the “shop local” mindset is not about con­ venience or saving a few bucks - it’s about having integrity in how you spend your money and who it goes to. In the example I provided, I was getting my coffee from a Starbucks, shipping the lion’s share of my money off to their cor­ porate headquarters outside of Michigan when I could have put that money in the coffers of a place like Left Field Coffee, with locations in Hastings and Middleville and whose owner, Johnny DeMaagd, actively serves within local government in Barry County. I could have grabbed coffee beans from Al Fresco Home and Garden Decor in Hastings, which I visited the other day and chatted about the local business economy with owner Terry Albrecht-O’Connell. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s really easy to forget about where you’re sending your money and who you’re send­ ing it off with. Shopping at Walmart or grabbing a bite to eat and McDonald’s has become muscle memory at this point. While these big box retailers do have some local ties and trickle some of the money into the community, you’re essentially using your money to fuel a corporation that, at the end of the day, does not care about you or where you live. Even worse, these might be people and corporations that look down on you as so many in that arena do - and you’re handing them your money willingly. Shopping local is about propping up local businesses in the community and your neighbors that run them. At the same time, it’s about you making a statement with your money, letting the big corpora­ tions know that you’re using your money to support those that care about the com­ munity and value you as a person. And as inspirational of a quote as that might be, small businesses are facing an increasingly uphill climb, especially as they crawl out of the depths of where the COVID-19 pandemic sunk them. A recent survey conducted by the money management website Mint showed that a staggering 80 percent of shoppers look to mega corporations for one-click buys and same-day shipping - something Amazon can offer but the independent store down the road cannot. It’s probably no wonder that Amazon racked up $96.15 billion in yearly revenue for 2020 while many local retailers had to fold up shop and went out of business. Yet, an additional survey conducted by Denver-based marketing firm Red Egg Marketing showed that consumers might be softening up to the idea of shopping local, especially upon exiting from the shutdowns of the pandemic. The survey revealed that 82 percent of respondents said they would be willing to spend more in order to support local businesses. And keep in mind that local can mean different things to different people. This can be businesses that are owned and operated within your city, county, state, region or in the United States as a whole. The smaller your shop, the more impact it will have on the local community. I’m a little embarrassed to have been so thick-headed for so long when it comes to the idea of keeping money within the local economy. But, this holiday season, I implore you to join me in being more intentional with your spending cash and making a concerted effort to shop and buy locally. Jayson Bussa Editor The Hastings Banner Castleton Township Board votes to negotiate with developer After a nearly two-hour meeting packed with community stakeholders and members of the public, members of the Castleton Township Board moved to further consider turning the former W.K. Kellogg school into a new housing development. Here, town­ ship supervisor Cheryl Hartwell reads a letter of support for the project from Douglas and Margaret DeCamp at the DeCamp Foundation. For more coverage of this meet­ ing, be sure to pick up a copy of the Reminder this weekend. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — Page 5 Togetherness, civility were points of emphasis in the “old-fashioned” way of living Dear Editor: As I sit in this little section of Barry Coun­ ty, I look around me and see how much has changed. When I was a little girl, out in the back of our living quarters stood an old out­ house, and when my sister and I grew a little older, my parents had a whole new bathroom built inside; a stool, laboratory and even a tub! No more going out in pouring rain to the toilet, no more having to carry pails of water in to get a drink or do dishes, no more having to take a sponge bath in front of the old cook stove to keep warm. What a delight, but now we take all those things for granted. One day after my sister and I were dropped off at home by the school bus, a mile out of Potterville, there were people on top of the roof of our house. What were they doing? The secret was being revealed and we had to be told - we were getting a TV! Yes, times have changed. People used to neighbor back then. Kids would get together and play softball; some would get together to play cards, play other games, dance and just Driver cited after sideswiping DNR officer’s vehicle have a good time together. We would all show patriotism by going to a Memorial Day parade, carrying flags and watching the bands march as they played the fight song or the “Star Spangled Banner.” A prayer would be said and it would not offend anybody. God was a part of the community. There were a few kids that came to school and they were a different color, but that didn’t bother us a bit. We were taught in school that all are created equal. We were happy! We were all taught to respect our parents, to respect our teachers, and elders, and to respect each other. We were taught by a firm but lov­ ing hand, both at home and in school to obey the golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would like them to do to you.’ Well, by now I guess you think I’m a little old-fashioned and living in the past. Think that if you will, but if we applied the 10 com­ mandments and showered each other with God’s love, we just might get back to some of the good life. Sandra Schilz Nashville Sheriff continues to squander Barry County tax dollars with unnecessary trips, efforts Editor: (Conservative think tank) The Claremont Institute in California promotes an “Ameri­ ca First Ideology.” So it will make some of you happy to know the Barry County Sher­ iff recently attended for a week. That’s fine with me but I’m not thrilled that the travel cost was charged to the county in the amount of $1095.04. The cost included pre­ ferred seating airfare. On our tax dollars, standard seating wasn’t good enough? And before you start complaining that I’m picking on the Sher­ iff, please note that he’s the only county employee who charged the county for trav­ el outside of our state in the month of November. I’d gladly have complained about others as well if they had, too. Per­ haps those tax dollars could have been better spent on law and order functions in our county. (Editor’s note: The Hastings Banner has verified Mr. Osborne’s FOIA request and the county’s response concerning this issue) Larry Osborne Delton The pro choice crowd has a different choice to make For you who say that this is my body, I have a right to do what I want with it; for those who are for abortion - you are right. You have a choice to murder or not to mur­ der. Read the Bible. It says to those who harm one of my little ones, that it would have been better if you were never bom. It will be better for you if a millstone would be tied around your neck and thrown into the water. And you doctors, how can you do an abor­ tion - you took an oath to save lives, not to murder. You abortion people, you do have a mind of your own. Set back and really look at things. Don’t let others influence you. You should know right from wrong. You are responsible for raising your chil­ dren to know right from wrong. When they grow up and can understand about Jesus and God, then they can choose between the devil and God, heaven or hell. Yes, you are right, you have a choice. It is heaven or hell - no other choice. Butch Briseno Lake Odessa While statewide dems see massive success m recent election, county party continues to face uphill climb Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Democrats find them­ selves in a unique political position. While Barry County voters didn’t elect any Democrat candidates to the federal or state houses - or even the county board of com­ missioners, for that matter - Democrats do now control the state. After redistricting efforts re-squiggled the voting districts throughout Michigan, Demo­ crats now have a narrow majority in both the state House and Senate in addition to holding power in the Governor’s office. And, while Democrats at a county level did not experience such a rousing success, they continue to press on in a deeply red county. “Of course we are disappointed that we did not see gains as far as Democrat candidates for U.S. Congress, State Senate and House or even in the county commissioners seats.... We’re staying very involved and very com­ mitted in all those political arenas or legisla­ tive arenas,” said Chris Bush, chair of the Barry County Democratic Party. “We’re wanting to be a part of our government.” Barry County Democrats perpetually face an uphill battle each year with such a strong conservative voting base throughout the coun­ ty. That doesn’t stop the party from recruiting what it feels are potential, quality candidates to run for various offices or positions. “There were a few of us in the county party who looked through a listing of strong (local) Democrats or people who leaned strongly to the Democrat party and touched base with them to see if they wanted to run in some capacity, whether it was was for precinct del­ egate...or if was to run for a county commis­ sioner seat or school board seat,” Bush said. “We’re always thinking, in what way could we get more of Democratic party presence? Staff Writer It’s another holiday tradition in Middleville - the annual Reindeer Night hosted by the local accounting firm Mckeown Kraai Pro­ fessional CPAs (MKP). This year’s event will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of MKP, located at 500 Edward St. MKP started Rein­ deer Night seven years ago, company spokes­ woman Ashley Lantinga said. “There is a certain magic in the air when we get involved with the community - watch­ ing the joy it brings to both children and adults alike,” Lantinga said. Wanted man found hiding under secret trapdoor in closet A police K9 unit was called to a home on the 11000 block of Cobb Road near Delton around 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 18 to assist in the search for a man wanted on several charges, including felony larceny charges. Another officer already on the scene told the K9 the man had either hidden in the house or taken off on foot. Upon searching the house, the police dog took interest in one of the bedroom closets. Police later learned that was where the man was hiding, and upon removing items from the closet they discovered a hidden compartment in the floor. Upon opening it, they found the man hiding under the house. Bow hunter’s lost bow returned A hunter called the sheriff’s department around noon on Nov. 10 to report he had lost his bow two days prior. The 30-year-old Wayland man told police he was leaving the area he was hunting around 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 south of Middleville when he lost the bow. While packing up his equipment, he set the bow on the ground near the passenger side of his vehicle and drove off without grabbing it. The man told police he was in a hurry to get home because he had to vote. When he returned to the area on Nov. 10, he left a note with his contact information and filed the lost property report after he couldn’t locate the bow. The man emailed police several days later on Nov. 16 and said someone had returned his bow to him. Officers help battle flames near large fuel tanks The Barry County Sheriff’s Department was the first to respond to a structure fire at a dairy farm on East Brogan Road around 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 19. The fire was inside a pole-barn struc­ ture with 300- and 500-gallon fuel tanks outside, which had been filled the day prior. A man on the scene told police he had used two fire extinguishers and was unable to contain the flames, which were coming from a portable forced air heater inside the structure. One of the two responding officers used their extinguisher to put out flames that were spreading to the walls of the pole bam but could not extinguish the source. The officer then moved the burning heater outside the structure to a safer location until the Hastings Fire Department arrived on the scene. November brings more deer, snow related-accidents November brought plenty of hazards for Barry County drivers. The Barry County Sheriff’s Department responded to 15 reported incidents of deceased or injured deer in the roadway from Nov. 7 to Nov. 27. In the four-day period stretching from Nov. 17 to Nov. 21, the department responded to 16 snow-related accidents; 15 involving cars sliding off the road and one involv­ ing a car sliding on ice and striking another vehicle. Scott Savage, pictured here issuing a public comment in front of the Barry County Board of Commissioners earlier this year, was one of two Democrat candidates that ran for a seat on the county board. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Some people didn’t feel the timing was right for them or they were the right candidate for that. And we had to let them decide that themselves.” Two of those candidates were Scott Savage and Chris Lukasiewicz, the only two Demo­ crats to challenge for seats on the Barry County Board of Commissioners. Savage fell to Bob Teunessen by a vote count of 2,629 to 1,140 in District 1, which includes the area surrounding the City of Hastings. Lukasiewicz, found a competitive race in the newly-created District 8, though, which includes only the City of Hastings. The retired Department of Defense employee fell to David Hatfield 1,765 votes to 1,261. “He was a worthy opponent,” Lukasiewicz said. “He has a lot of name recognition. I think he will do a fine job, really. The City of Hastings was always pretty blue; it is the surrounding areas that were pretty red. I felt pretty good about (the results).” Still: “We needed diversity (on the county board) and we’re not going to get it,” Lukasiewicz added. With the divide amongst political parties never seeming wider on the state and national levels, both Bush and Lukasiewicz differed in their opinions on the current political climate in Barry County. “I think there are differences in opinion some people are passionate about those dif­ ferences in opinions,” Bush said. “There are some groups that get hostile when people have a different opinion than themselves but that can happen in more places than politics. I think this county, we have many more sim­ ilarities amongst ourselves than differences.” Lukasiewicz was more blunt. “I see no civility - here or across the coun­ try,” she said. “I’m 68 years old and, growing up, I couldn’t tell you if my family voted or who they voted for. Right now, I don’t want to even be around anyone that is a hardcore Republican and I’m not alone -1 know many people saying the same thing.” Tonight’s MKP Reindeer Night will benefit TK Classmates Care program Greg Chandler A 42-year-old Delton man was cited for improper lane use, reckless driving, and failure to stop after a crash with a Department of Natural Resources officer’s vehicle around 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18 near Delton. The officer was headed south on South Norris Road near Mullen Road with his left turn signal on. When the officer started turning left, the Delton man passed him on the left and collided with his vehicle. The man passed two other vehicles on the left while another vehicle was approaching in the oncoming lane. The officer said the man drove for another several hundred feet, not stopping after the officer activated his lights and only pulling over after he activated his siren. The man told police he didn’t stop immediately after the col­ lision because he was worried he might get hit by the oncoming vehicle and he was worried his tires were too worn to provide traction in the snow, which had been causing him trouble throughout the day. Reindeer Night benefits the Thornapple Kellogg Schools’ Classmates Care program. “We have collaborated with Classmates Care since year one,” Lantinga said. “The idea of working towards a common goal of taking care of the children within our school district is what drives the collaboration. Classmates Care was created by a TK stu­ dent... and run by the (Thornapple Kellogg Middle School) special needs program.” More than 500 local families have been assist­ ed through Classmates Care, Lantinga said. “The children are able to learn life skills, such as, inventory, organization, communica­ tion, empathy,” she said. “It is truly amazing to see what kind of good can come from one program.” Donations of gently used winter gear will be accepted at Reindeer Night. Donors are asked to bring it to the parking lot where the middle school teacher and students will be accepting it. Financial donations will also be accepted, Lantinga said. A donation box will also be set up for any­ one wishing to donate toward school lunch debt at Thomapple Kellogg Schools. Highlights of Reindeer Night include live reindeer, a hot cocoa bar, Christmas gift bags for the kids, a hot dog stand, Christmas lights, and a camper where photos can be taken. Elaine Garlock The Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in town on Monday, Dec. 12 for the final collection of the year. Hours are noon to 5:45 p.m. Appointments are now recom­ mended. The downtown lampposts are newly decorated. This was done last week, hours too late to be mentioned in last week’s column. Each post is wrapped with greenery and intermittent red bows. Each post likewise has a card indicating the name of a donor whose $20 paid for the trim on each post. The list is then distributed to the donors but not the gen­ eral public. On the weekend there was an unusual sight on the siding alongside the CSX tracks. A line of six refrigerator cars filled the space from Tupper Lake Street to Sherman Street with no room to spare at either end. In fact, the east end of the line blocks the view totally of eastbound engines and cars. At this time, the warn­ ing lights are of utmost importance. It will take a lot of frozen green beans to fill all those freight cars. Members of the Garlock family met on Saturday for an early holiday gathering. Michael and Karen Morse of Richland hosted the family which came from Grand Rapids, Woodland, Traverse City, Hast­ ings and Lake Odessa for a shared meal. The antics of six young great-grandchil­ dren was entertainment enough for the day. Another part of the family came from Big Rapids. Jobs in Florida and Maine kept two grandsons away and recovery from surgery was also a factor. Pleasant Valley United Brethren Church was the setting for a delightful concert on Sunday afternoon with the Joy Bells and Coldwater Brass providing the music for an appreciative audience. The bells were conducted by Joni Michaud. Denise Grubb, wife of the host pastor, had arranged a colorful assortment of images and text to illuminate the varied musical selections. Each group played two or three numbers and then retired in favor of the second group of musicians. At the close, guests were invited to the dining room for tasty snacks. There was a large attendance for this annual event which draws audience from many churches in the area. It is a great place to see friends from far and near. The scene at the comer of M-50 and Cemetery Road is often changed from the previous day. Will there be a pair of green and red lights? One can see the volume of traffic if he has to wait for the change of lights. On an ordinary morning last week, one might have to wait for 10 vehicles to pass before proceeding on his way. If one lives on the south side of the lake, he may as well take the west route via Brown Road, Tasker Road, Martin Road and Jor­ dan Lake Street to get into town. At least there is no wait for a traffic light using the west route. There is no longer big machin­ ery on the north side of the cemetery whereas for weeks there was machinery in the ditch area. �Page 6 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Joyce Lorraine (Denny) Boulter, age 93, passed away on December 3, 2022. Joyce was bom on January 26, 1922, in Hastings, MI, the son of Floyd L. and Dorothy (Love­ land) Denny. She attended Hastings High School. On March 15, 1947, Joyce married Oliver Boulter, and they enjoyed 72 years together until his death in 2019. Joyce enjoyed sewing and quilting, win­ ning blue ribbons for quilting at the Barry County Fair and even the Michigan State Fair. Joyce was preceded in death by her par­ ents, her husband, Oliver Boulter and her son, Harry Lee Boulter. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Patricia Boulter; son, Charles Boulter; daugh­ ter, Kay and Denny Morgan;grandchildren, Terry and Shannon Brandon, Thomas and Cheryl Boulter, Teresa Boulter, Jenny and Matt Wells, and 14 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Monday, Dec. 12,2022, at 1 p.m. with a visitation prior from 11 a.m.-l p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice or the Charlton Park Gas and Steam Engine Club or the Clarksville Steam and Gas Engine Association. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence, visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net?-*' ®~ Janet Marie Clancy, age 80, of Hastings, MI passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022. Janet was bom on December 19, 1941 in Hastings to William and Ruth (Taylor) Taffee. Janet’s Celebration of Life Service will be conducted at 3: p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022 at Barry Community Enrichment Center-Leason Sharpe Hall, 231 South Broadway Street, Hastings, MI 49058. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Janet’s family. ■ '^1 Worship Together David Arthur Pickering passed away Sat­ urday, Dec. 3, 2022, after a short battle with cancer. He was born December 15, 1943, in Detroit, MI, to the late John William Sr. and Mildred (Martin) Pickering. David served his country honorably with the United States Army during the Vietnam War. David was married to Lois Glidden for 52 years before she passed on August 16, 2020. Together, David and Lois made their home in Ortonville, MI where they raised their family and a menagerie of animals. David was employed by General Motors for 32 years. Following his retirement he and Lois moved to Hasting. In recent years, they split their time between Apache Junction, AR and Tubbs Lake near Big Rapids. David enjoyed their travels, cooking, card games, gardening, and spending time with family and friends. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him as he made an impact on many lives. David is survived by three daughters, Rebecca (Michael) Lydy, Michelle (Mark) Bott, and Patricia (Michael) McKay; grand­ children, Brandi, Marie, Bruce, Emily, Alex­ ander and Calvin; and great-grandchildren, Connor, Treah, and Martin. Cremation will take place and David will be interred at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan. A Celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made irf David’s name to Weatfis Across zXme^ica-Great Lakes or Newaygo County Compas­ sion Home. The Lord bless you and keep you. May he show his face to you and have mercy. May he turn his countenance to you and give you peace. Arrangements and care entrusted to Dag­ gett-Gilbert Funeral Home in Big Rapids. Share a memory or leave a condolence for the family at daggettgilbertfuneralhome.com ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Email hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist-com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. PLEAS ANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. yforship praise Him Fiberglass Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 Donald Elwin Aukerman, age 85, passed away on December 3, 2022. Don was bom on October 7, 1937 in Coo­ per, MI, the son of Millard and Cecilia (Cerejewski) Aukerman. Don started running the family farm at the age of 10 after the passing of his father and continued to farm for most of his life. Even in the toughest of times, Don would pick up the pieces and work harder. He was an avid deer hunter and sports fan. He was an inductee of the Plainwell Athlet­ ics Hall of fame. Don enjoyed playing soft­ ball, bowling, and playing cards with friends. Faith was important to Don, he was a member of Faith United Methodist Church and knew he had perseverance with God’s help. Most of all, he loved his family, Don loved being a grandpa and always attended his grandchildren’s sporting events. Don is survived by his wife, Reva (Mills) Aukerman; children: Rob (Betty) Aukerman, Rod (Brenda) Aukerman; Michelle (Steve) Hook, Kyle (Julie) Aukerman, and “son” Tom Schofield; 21 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; sister: Judy (Les) Witters; sev­ eral nieces and nephews. Don was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Donelle Aukerman; six siblings; sister-in-law: Sandra Nyberg. Don’s family will receive friends on Fri­ day, Dec. 9, 2022, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home. Don’s funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, Dec. p.m. at Faith Unit­ ed Methodist Church.’Burial will take place at Hillside Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or to leave a condo­ lence message for Don’s family. Parker Keith Erway, age 80, of Battle Creek, MI passed away on December 1, 2022 at home, surrounded by family. He was bom in Muskegon, MI on May 8,1942. He was the son of Homer L. and Arabelle J. (Bivens) Erway. Parker graduated from Hastings High School, class of 1960 and had his first job as a milk tester with the Dairy Herd Improvement Association in Grand Rapids, MI from 1961-1962. He then took industri­ al and machine shop classes at Kellogg Community College and started working at Hastings Manufacturing in 1970 and retir­ W -C'OU'R >4 AlWMIWOf ing in 2010 after 40 years as a Senior Proj­ ect Engineer. Parker was a devoted husband to his wife, Christine E. (Powell) Erway of 56 years. They married on December 3, 1966 and set­ tled into the home they raised their family in on Mill Lake in Battle Creek. Parker enjoyed spending time “tinkering” in his garage, boating on the lake, and spend­ ing time with his family. He was a very lov­ ing father and had an extremely soft spot for his grandchildren. Parker received his pilot’s license from Western Michigan’s School of Aviation in April of 1971. Parker was preceded in death by both of his parents; sisters, Nancy Smith, Beverly Emswiler, and Barb Root. Surviving in addition to his wife, Chris­ tine; are his two children, Paul (Jeannie) Erway and Amy (Gerry) Sams; brother, Chuck Erway; four grandchildren, Bethany (David) Hanson, Kayla (Jake) Smith, Parker Erway, and Julia Erway; two great grand­ daughters, Annabelle and Isabelle Smith. Visitation will be held at the Cedar Creek Bible Church from 10 - 11 am. A service to celebrate the life of Parker will be held at the Cedar Creek Bible Church, 9213 Cedar Creek Road, Delton, MI 49046 on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 starting at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. Arrangements entrusted to the Baxter Funeral and Cremation Service, www.baxterfimeral.com * Traditional and Cremation Services * Preplanning Services • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Serving All Faiths Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted Hotteloob&Ertmt 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 328 S. Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 1 dJL Owiier/Manager A- A- 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net Family Owned and Operated Lyle Mark Huyck, age 67, of Delton, ML passed away on December 4, 2022. L Mark was bom on July 10, 1955 in Mani­ towoc, WI to Lyle and Vada (Wolfenbarger)Huyck. He worked at Stanton Interiors for over 25 years. .<• Mark loved animals, especially dogs - his . favorite dog, Cowboy, has always had a spe­ cial place in his heart. He enjoyed being out­ doors and was often out hunting, fishing oncamping. He loved sitting in his garage listen- • ing to music with a cold Budweiser in hand. Mark was a vehicle enthusiast and owned, various Jeeps, a corvette and Harley through­ out the years. He was also a member of the Post Auxiliary, VFW Post 422 in Delton. Most important to Mark was his family. He was a proud grandpa and loved his grandkids deeply. Mark is survived by his loving wife, Janet (Raab) Huyck; children, Angela (Chad Boerma) Huyck, Vada (John) Nevins, Jammie (Bill) Hunt; grandchildren, Cheyanne Huyck, Brook­ lyn Webster, Chase Nevins, Griffin Nevins, Jonathan Hunt, Jeremy Hunt, Jayonna Hunt, Adreonna Hunt; great grandchildren, Kamdon, Sharlene; siblings, Sandra (Howard) Youmans, Carol (Miland Hairing) Wiessner, Shirley Hale; several nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-Iaw, sisters-in-law, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Jackie Heid. Relatives and friends may meet with Mark’s family on Thursday, Dec. 8 om 4to 7 p.m. at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home in Delton where a funeral service will take place on Friday, Dec. 9 at 11 a.m. with Rev. Mike McCrumb officiating. Interment East Hicko­ ry Comers Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Post Auxiliary, VFW Post 422. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Mark’s family. Christian Richard Wenger Parker Keith Erway WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Lyle Mark Huyck David Arthur Pickering Janet Marie Clancy Joyce Lorraine Boulter owner Emeritus Serving Hastings, Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years Christian Richard “Chris” Wenger, age 87 of Alto, MI, passed away on November 30, 2022. Chris was bom on August 11, 1935 in Gaines Township, the son of William and Beatrice (Martin) Wenger. Chris was a lifelong farmer, he owned draft horses, and loved making maple syrup. He was a longtime supervisor for Bowne Township and was a member of Bowne Center United Methodist Church, Kent County Youth Fair Board, and the Barry County Steam, Gas and Antique Machinery Association. Chris was especially fond of his John Deere 730 tractor. Chris is survived by his children, Cathy Schumacher and Shawn Wenger; several nieces and nephews. Chris was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Wenger; and brother, Bob (Helen) Wenger. A funeral service was held at Beeler-Gores Funeral Home on Monday, Dec. 5,2022, Rev. Gary Dougherty officiating. Private interment took place at Bowne Center Cemetery. Memorial contributions to the Bowne Township Fire Department will be appreciat­ ed. Please visit www.beelergoresfuneral.com to share a memory or to leave a condolence message for Chris’s family. 1 . , ' �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — Page 7 X / fl look Mat the stories i and columns on local history z ( In the Hastings Banner TURNING f BflGK THE I PAGES Nashville News June 4, 1914 The largest share of the population of Nashville and vicinity made a journey to the vicinity of Gregg’s Crossing, two miles west of town, Thursday morning to see the worst wreck which has ever occurred in the vicinity of Nashville. The severe rains of Wednesday afternoon had transformed the usually inoffensive Bux­ ton Brook into a raging torrent, which in its rush through the railroad bridge had started the fill away from back of the western abut­ ment of the bridge. The morning passenger train which leaves Nashville at five o’clock passed over the place in safety, but a through freight which left Nashville about an hour later came to grief. It is likely that most of the washout occurred after the passenger train had passed, but at any rate, when the freight arrived at the bridge enough of the roadbed at the west end of the bridge had washed out to let the track settle under the weight of the heavily loaded cars. The engine and nine cars had crossed in safety before the trouble commenced; then one set of trucks jumped the track but stuck to their car and travelled along a distance of about six hundred feet, plowing a clean fur­ row along the end of the ties. The next car stuck to the rails all right, but the third car jumped the job, six more followed suit, piling up in an indiscriminate mass along the right Freight train wrecked; nine cars of merchandise spilled of way west of the bridge. The track and ties were tom up for a matter of a hundred feet, and for thirty west of the bridge ties and all were gone, while buried down beneath the twisted rails were six or eight sets of trucks, which had stopped there while their cars had gone on without them. Among the seven wrecked cars, three were loaded with hard coal, which was spilled down the bank, and four miscellaneous mer­ chandise. Two of the merchandise cars were badly smashed, while the other two were practically intact, so that most of their con­ tents were saved, although in a more or less damaged condition. In one of the coal cars a hobo was enjoying a ride, but he didn’t enjoy the stopping, which was not to his liking. He was shot up through the roof by the force of the shock, but came out without serious injury, a cut on the head and a few bruises being the extent of his injuries. The train crew escaped without injury. A flagman was sent back to guard the rear of the wreck from further disaster, while the engine crew took what they had left of their end of the train on to Hastings. The two morning trains, one due here from the east at 7:55 (a.m.) and the one from the west at 8:18 (a.m.), met at the scene of the wreck and transferred passengers, baggage and crews, but the two noon trains were can­ celled. The wrecking crew from Jackson was early upon the ground and with the assistance of a large force of section men gathered from along the line was soon at work clearing away the wreck. The last car in the mix-up, which stood upon the bridge, was pulled loose and being in good shape was pulled back to Nash­ ville. The others were lifted bodily from their resting places by the huge crane and piled alongside the track, trucks were pulled out of the earth where they were buried, and as fast as room was cleared, the track-layers filled up the roadbed, laid ties and rails, and made pos­ sible the advance of the wrecker. In the meantime, another force of men dug out suck of the merchandise as could be reached and piled it up along the right of way, where it was kept under guard until Friday morning. By strenuous work, the wreck was cleared and new track laid so that trains were able to pass about eight o’clock Thursday evening and the usual train service was resumed, although it was necessary for them to drop to allow speed when passing the scene of the wreck for a couple of days until the track and roadbed could be put into firstclass condition again. The afternoon train from the east arrived here at about its regular time but had to be held here about four hours. The wreck was a great scene of attraction throughout the day and was visited by hun­ dreds of people, many of whom had never seen a wreck before. The place where the wreck occurred is right at the junction of Buxton Brook and Thomapple River, in a beautiful and picturesque spot, and except for the mass of crushed cars piled about, one might have thought the crowd had gathered for a picnic, the place is so ideal. This is not the first trouble the Michigan Central has had at this point, the same bridge having gone out on the morning of July 4, 1901, following a severe freshet. The bridge at that time went out just after the early morn­ ing train had gone west, but its absence was discovered before another train had approached it. Shortly after, a work train with a bridge gang had gone to repair the trouble. The Quaker Brook bridge did not go out, but the roadbed west of the bridge was washed away. At that time, a ten-foot span was added to the Buxton Creek bridge, but it seems even that was not enough to care for the torrent which pours through there after such a storm as that of Wednesday night. It is estimated that the loss from the wreck will be from $20,000 to $25,000 (nearly $750,000 in 2022). Several freight cars were so utterly destroyed that they were given over to the flames after the salvage crew got through with them. Editor s note: This article originally ran in the June 4, 1914, edition of the Nashville News. The article concerning the crash was found on the Barry County History Portal website at banycountyhistoryportal.org/. More articles and artifacts concerning Barry County history can be found on the website, which is currently being updated as the Hast­ ings Public Library uploads their digital col­ lection of Barry County newspapers. Inflation calculation was figured using the U.S. Infla­ tion Calculator at usinflationcalculator.com. Freight wreck at Buxton Creek, west of Nashville. (Photo by Munson) ^Doctor Lots to digest Dr. Universe: Hailey, 7, Md. Dear Hailey, Starfish might have the coolest-and strangest-way of gobbling up a snack. I learned all about it from my friend Cori Kane. She stud­ ied coral reefs when she was a Ph.D. student at Washington State University. Now she works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She writes policies to help protect the ocean and the animals that live there. “Sea stars are probably one of the weirdest creatures. I don’t know any other organism that basically barfs out its stomach to eat,” Kane said. Yes, you heard that right. She said sea stars barf out their stomachs. “They have stomachs sort of similar to ours,” she said. “But instead of ingesting food through the mouth and going to the stomach, they basically spit out their stomach through their mouth. Then the stomach wraps around the food and digests the food outside of its body. Once all the food is digested, it pulls in the stomach and swallows it back into its body again.” Wow. That’s a lot to digest. You might have noticed that Kane calls starfish sea stars. That’s what scientists usually call them now-because they aren’t fish. They’re echinoderms. That means they have spiny skin and no backbone. Sea stars eat mussels and clams and other things with hard shells. But they don’t have teeth to crush those shells. Instead, they combine tube feet with that stomach-barfing feeding mode. Tube feet are like the suckers you see on an octopus arm. But they’re super tiny-about the size of a pin head. Sea stars have thousands of them under their bodies. They use them to walk and to crack apart those hard shells that protect their prey. “They crawl over the little mussels and use their tube feet to pry open the mussel shell,” Kane said. “They basically stick their stomach into the nice gooey bits of the mussel and eat it. Then they take their stomach back in and move on to the next mussel.” Kane told me that eating isn’t the only weird and amaz­ ing thing sea stars do. They can regrow their arms if they lose one. Sometimes an arm that breaks off can even grow into a whole new sea star. That’s possible because a sea star’s sensory organs are spread out down the middle of its arms instead of centralized in a brain like ours. Most sea stars have five arms, but some have way more. The sunflower sea star can have 25 arms and grow to be more than three feet across. It may seem like sea stars are very different from us. But just like us, they can get sick. Kane told me that a few years ago, sea stars up and down the West Coast of the U.S. became sick. Many of them died. Sea stars are top predators and play important roles in their ecosystems. Scientists are worried about their recovery. They even listed the sunflower sea star as critically endangered. That helps scientists like Kane work to conserve this giant sea star and other ocean animals that need protection. We can all pitch in by making choices that help our oceans like using less plastic. Central Elementary citizens of the month include Jaelyn Jimenez (left) and Kylee Ring (right), joined by Principal Mitchell. December s citizens of the month were honored recently. Pictured are (front row, from left) Max Kensington, Karen Titus, Katherine Stevens, (middle row) Easten Farmer, Gauge Carpenter, (back row) Mr. Pratt and Maxson Eichorst. Kiwanis honors young citizens Hastings elementary school and mid­ dle school teachers have selected stu­ dents to be honored as citizens of the month by the Kiwanis Club of Hastings. Students are selected by their teach­ ers for reasons such as excellent citi­ zenship, attitude, conduct, academics, character, service, leadership and sportsmanship. The citizens of the month for December (with parents’ names in parentheses) include: Central - Jaelyn Jimenez (Jill and Jason Jimenez) and Kylee Ring (Aman­ da and Dick Ring). Northeastern - Chloe Endres (Jenni­ fer Endres) and Garrett Rhoades (Jenni­ fer and Dustin Rhoades). Southeastern - Briar Ballard (Sarah Ballard and Thomas Ballard) and Zak Kalde (Reem Shmesat and Aws Kalde). Star - Lucy Nickelson (Crystal and Brian Nickelson) and Libelle Shafer (Stephanie and Corey Shafer). Hastings Middle School - Gauge Carpenter (Ashley Anderson and Joe Carpenter), Maxson Eichorst (Lori Seymour and Brian Seymour), Easten Farmer (Amanda and Tyler Farmer), Max Kensington (Trisha and Jon Kensington), Katherine Stevens (Sarah and Robert Stevens) and Karen Titus (Samantha and Jonathan Titus). Peggy Hook to celebrate 80th birthday Peggy Hook will celebrate her 80th birthday on December 9th. Please help us celebrate this special day with a card shower. She would enjoy hearing from friends and family. Please send birthday wishes to 7446 Walters Rd., Delton, MI 49046. Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Universe. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr.Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. Citizens of the month at Northeastern Elementary in Hastings include Chloe Endres (left) and Garrett Rhoades (right). They are pictured with Mr. Heide. (Photos provided) December’s citizens of the month at Star Elementary School were recently honored. Pictured are (from left) Libelle Shafer, Principal Smelker and Lucy Nickelson. December’s citizens of the month at Southeastern Elementary School were recently honored. Pictured are (from left) Briar Ballard, Principal Stein and Zak Kalde. John Francis Donnelly II, Wayland and Michelle Renee Murdoch, Shelbyville Jayden Michael Benedict, Delton and Minami Kemmochi, Nagoya, Japan �Page 8 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Delton District Library offering over 100 prize baskets in its largest holiday silent auction Karen TUrko-Ebright Donations to the library included both completed baskets and items to fill baskets. This year, a record-setting 101 baskets will go out for bids. The auction continues until 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. (Photo provided) This year's Christmas Basket Silent Auction proceeds will expand the existing furniture budget and allow the Delton District Library to get a few more items on its wish list. (Photo provided) Contributing Writer Every year, Delton District Library Direc­ tor Marie Tsuji looks forward to the annual Christmas Basket Silent Auction. The fund­ raising event, which is currently underway, brings in money for the needs of the library. 1 “In the past, funds have been used for chil­ dren’s programming, the annual summer reading program and new patron computers, to name a few,” said Tsuji, a Delton native. This year’s auction is a bit historic in its size after a record-setting 101 baskets will go out for bids. The auction continues until 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. It takes a lot of’dpnations and helping hands to put the baskets together, but Tsuji said she has help from yolunteers and staff. Her longest-serving enmloyee, Tana Hardy, has worked at thelibrarVfor 21 years. “The silent auctiorfis editing because it’s fun to see the bids in the-baskets and know it’s for a good cause,” Hardy said. “We collect items for the baskets year-round by word of mouth.” Long-time patron and volunteer, Joel VanDyken, agreed with Hardy that the Christmas Basket Silent Auction is for a good cause. He gives his time to the library, We Want to Hear from You, Saxons! Hello Saxons, / We are asking Hastings Area School System residents to provide feedback for future facility needs within the district. If you are a Hastings resident, we encourage you to complete a brief survey using the link below or the QR code on the bottom. You may also pick up a hard copy of the survey at any of our buildings if you prefer to take the survey in that format. freeing up the staff to work on such events. “I think it’s a great fundraiser for the library,” VanDyken said. “It brings the com­ munity in and raises money and interest for the library.” Tsuji is approaching 12 years of working at the library. Before becoming director a yearand-a-half ago, she remembered all the good the fundraiser did for the library. After all, a 25-year-old building has seen better days; that’s why the Delton District Library has undergone a laundry list of much-needed maintenance and repairs. “We’ve replaced a few doors, had new furnaces and air conditioning units put in, purchased new patron computers and switched to a new Integrated Library System (ILS) for our online catalog and item circula­ tion system,” Tsuji explained and added that new carpet was installed in November. This year’s silent auction proceeds would expand the existing furniture budget to get a few more items on the wish list. “We want to get new couches, patron com­ puter chairs and a new shelving unit for our young adult section, which will allow us to increase our collection size for our teens,” Tsuji said, referring to age-appropriate teen­ age materials. Once the auction is complete, the library will resume accepting donations. Any accept­ ed donations now will be used for the library’s Easter Basket Silent Auction in March. If items are Christmas-themed, they will go in next year’s baskets. “Our community is so very generous - I’m extremely thankful to be a part of this com­ munity,” said Tsuji, who credits the staff for the annual event’s success. “My staff is amazing - they gather and organize and create beautiful gift baskets in between all their other regular library duties,” Tsuji added. “The auctions definitely wouldn’t be successful without them and a few faithful, talented volunteers.” Not only can visitors stop inside the library to shop for a basket, but at Hometown Christ­ mas on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., ven­ dors will be there, offering more gift ideas. Members of the community can visit the library website at deltonlib.org for a schedule of many activities and services offered this time of year. Some of those include yoga and guitar classes, chess, Mahjong, knitting, take­ home craft kits, puzzles, book exchanges, and books to buy. In addition, the friends of the library group are sponsoring a winter reading challenge called the World Travel Olympics. The goal is to read seven books by April 30, one set on each continent. Adult residents and paid non-resident card­ holders can take advantage of Hoopla. This digital streaming service has eBooks, audio­ books, TV shows, movies, music and more. Each cardholder is allowed five borrows per month. As a Christmas gift to patrons, the library is offering 10 borrows per month for December and January. https://www.surveymonkey.com/rZHASSCommunitySurvey Thank you, Hastings mayor proclaims General Aviation Appreciation Month, gets nod from national group Superintendent Hastings Area School System https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HASSCommunitySurvey Hastings Mayor David Tossava recently issued a proclamation that December would be “General Aviation Appreciation Month.” The proclamation cited the economic impact generated by general aviation and local air­ ports, like the Hastings Municipal Airport. It also stressed the importance of investing in aviation-related infrastructure to encourage enthusiasm for flying and creating the next general of pilots and aviation professionals. The proclamation caught the eye of the Alliance for Aviation Across America, which publicly commended Tossava and the City of Hastings for the gesture. “Mayor Tossava’s proclamation helps highlight the economic benefits and valuable service that general aviation provides to the City of Hastings,” said Selena Shilad, execu­ tive director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America, which is a nonprofit organi­ zation that now consists of over 6,300 indi­ viduals, businesses, agricultural groups, FBOs, small airports, elected officials, chari­ table organizations and leading business and aviation groups “We sincerely thank the mayor and the city for recognizing this vital industry,” Shilad added. The recent proclamation in Hastings fol­ lowed a similar one that Gov. Gretchen Whit­ mer issued statewide in September of this year. Gov. Whitmer dubbed September “Avia­ tion Month,” as general aviation airports annually contribute $5.2 billion to the state’s economy. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS SECTION Thursday, December 8, 2022 Hastings varsity girls' basketball coach Chase Youngs talks things over with his team during a break in the action of their non-conference loss to visiting Forest Hills Eastern Friday night at Hastings High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Physicality of FHE holds back Hastings girls in their first defeat Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer In a physical game that saw quite a few fouls and even more jump balls, the Hastings’ Saxons couldn’t quite get the ball from Forest Hills Eastern. The Saxons got their first win of the season in their home opener last Tuesday but lost in the second game, 58-33 against the Hawks at home on Friday night. . The Saxons’ head coach Chase Youngs noted that this team is yotifl^ arfd srrtall and had to dig deep to stay in the game against the Hawks. Youngs said they prepped hard for the game, but the Eagles brought more in the paint against the Saxons than they had shown in film. The Saxons were down just 15-7 after the first quarter, but that was as close a gap that they would see. The Hawks strengthened their lead to 25-17 at the half. “I thought it was a real test on Friday,” Youngs said. “They were big and physical, and not a lot of our girls had had a game like that in high school. In [FHE’s] loss to Rock­ ford they did not shoot well at all. We worked to take away the inside advantage they had, and they turned around and hit 10 threes on the evening. “We had stretches of competitive ball where we took the lead back down to 7 points in the second, but we got wore down.” With minutes left in the game, Coach Youngs called a timeout where he told the team “they needed a gut check.” Youngs noted this is a physical game and most of these girls haven’t seen varsity level of play time, and the Eagles had the size and height advantage over the V&tifig Saxon team. Shortly after that, Saxdh sophomore Bri Dar­ Hastings sophomore Rachael Hewitt fights to secure a loose ball in front of a Forest Hills Eastern defender during their Friday night match-up in Hastings. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) ling sunk the second of two three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Darling, senior Bailey Cook and sophomore Rachael Hewitt had 6 points each for the night. Hastings freshman Kali Koning added 5 points and Addey Nickles scored 4. “I thought Addey played well, as did Hewitt and Koning,” Youngs said. “It was good to see Bri Darling hit a couple threes. 1 am hoping that boosts her confidence moving forward. Teams will key on Macy [Winegar], arid w5 need others to step up and hit some shots. Last year we had complimentary shoot­ ers so teams couldn’t key on on like in prior years. To be successful, like last Tuesday, we need some others to score as well.” “Lots to work on. Lots of season left.” A three-pointer by Winegar in the second quarter was the only bucket the Hawks allowed to the Saxons’ top returning scorer. The Saxon coach is pleased to have had Tuesday night off from competition in prepa­ ration for this Friday night’s Interstate-8 Athletic Conference opener at home against Coldwater. A little practice pays off for Lakewood ladies at TK Brett Bremer Sports Editor While some coaches across the state are lamenting the MHSAA rules changes cutting the preseason practice time prior to the start of games from 21 days to 14 days, that’s not really something that is affecting the Lake­ wood Vikings all that negatively. Lakewood junior center Cadence Poll remembers having two practices with all her basketball teammates prior to a rough 50-14 loss to the Thomapple Kellogg Trojans to open the 2021-22 varsity girls’ basketball season. The limited practice time was a result of the Viking varsity volleyball team’s annual run through the MHSAA state playoffs stretching late into November. Poll and the Viking varsity volleyball team had their state tournament run end in the state quarterfinals this season, a couple days earli­ er than recent years. As disappointing as that was for the eight girls who are members of both the varsity volleyball and basketball teams, it should give the basketball program Lakewood junior forward Cadence Poll looks to pass the ball from the wing during her team's season-opening win in Middleville Thursday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) at least a bit of an early season boost. After some quick math in her head, Poll guessed the Viking varsity basketball team got ten practices in this season before heading to Middleville to open the 2022-23 season against the Trojans Thursday, Dec. 1. Things were much difference this time around. Poll put in a game-high 16 points as the Vikings scored a 41-35 victory against the Trojans who were already playing their sec­ ond game of the season. TK fell in its opener the previous Tuesday night against visiting Grandville. The Vikings are now up to 3-0 after wins over Michigan City and Pennfield. “I feel pretty good,” Poll said after the opening night win. “It is like a fresh start, because last year we had a little more downs than ups. This is making me think we’re going to have a really good season.” Poll is one of the few members of the group that would likely identify basketball as her No. 1 sport over volleyball. She said it was nice to build some chemistry on the bas­ ketball court before getting that first game in. “It’s very hard to be with the same people all the time, but you learn to love them,” Poll said. The Vikings loved getting the ball into the paint early on at TK. Poll had 12 of her 16 points in the first half. Fellow junior post player Alivia Everitt finished with four points and was strong around the hoop too. Lakewood needed all those point from Poll in the first half to keep pace with the TK team which threw a lot of pressure at the Viking guards and did a lot of trapping around half­ court. TK head coach Brandi James was really please with the way her girls adjusted to defend the post in the second half. “Our defense is very positive. We have really big bright spots,” James said. “Our young girls that we pulled up are stepping into very big roles right off the bat and mak­ ing big differences. The future is bright. I am really excited. Our seniors are doing a decent job defensively leading. But we need some offensive cohesiveness and finishing at the basket. “I felt like we controlled pace, tempo and game play the entire time we were in control of that game. It comes down to rushing our shots and not finishing at the basket.” Senior guard Peyton Pratt led Thomapple Kellogg with 12 points on the night. She hit a pair of free throws and then another buck­ et to give TK a 16-11 lead midway through the second quarter. A put-back by Poll and three-pointer by junior guard Joee Harton got the Vikings back to even at 16-16 before too long. That three by Harton was one of the few outside shots the Vikings hit in the first half, but Lakewood would find its shooting touch later on to finish off the Trojans. “The press was really hard to break in the beginning,” Poll said. “We had a little bit of a struggle. After a couple timeouts and talking through it we kind of figured it out a little bit more, but is definitely something we’re going to have to work on in practice.” TK led 20-18 at the half and 27-25 at the end of three quarters. A pair of free throws by junior center Brittney Roodvoets nudged TK’s lead to four. Freshman guard Jordan Pranger added a put-back to put TK’s lead at 31-25, its largest of the night, two minutes into the fourth quarter. Poll cut into that lead with a bucket off a fine assist from senior point guard Paige Wolverton and junior point guard Audrey Hillard dribbled through the TK pressure for a lay-up that trimmed the Trojan lead to one. A three-pointer by senior point guard Ellie Possehn finally put the Vikings in front 31-30 with 2:22 to play. Alli Pickard hit a jumper a minute later to extend the lead. Wolverton got to the hoop for two to put the Vikings up 37-33 with 1:17 to go. In between those two buckets, TK got a pair of free throws from Pranger. Possehn came up big for the Vikings’ late. She had a key defensive rebound in the final minute and fired long on inbounds plays from the baseline to get over the Trojans’ pressure defense on a couple of occasions. One of those long passes was chased down by Wolverton, who managed a little back and forth with Poll before finding Pickard open behind the three-point line. Pickard knocked down the three with 52.8 seconds left to extend Lakewood’s lead to 40-33. There was a lot of back and forth in the final minute, but TK never got any closer than five points. “We are getting good shots. We’re getting good shot selection. We just have to finish. That is it. It’s a frustrating one,” James said. Pranger finished with nine points for TK. Pratt and Pranger were the only two Trojans with more than one field goal. Possehn finished with seven points and Pickard five for the Vikings. The change to the basketball preseason practice slate accompanies a change from a maximum of 20 games per season up to 22 games. The MHSAA Representative Council approved the changes, based on a basketball committee proposal, at its Winter Meeting last March. The MHSAA announced that the change brings MHSAA school schedules in Lakewood senior guard Ellie Possehn tries to get a shot up around Thomapple Kellogg's Peyton Pratt in transition during the first half of their non-conference ball­ game to open the season in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) line with what is allowed in most other Mid­ west states. Lakewood is now 3-0 on the season. They scored a 54-46 win over Michigan Center in the GLAC-Cascades Shoot-out at Olivet Col­ lege Friday, Dec. 2, and followed that up with a 57-41 win over Pennfield in their home opener Tuesday at Lakewood High School. The Vikings have a tough non-conference match-up with Belding Friday. The Trojans are now 1-2 this winter. They got win number one Tuesday night, outscor­ ing visiting Plainwell 42-38. TK will have a tough test at Forest Hills Central Friday night. �Page 10 —Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Barracuda team returns many top swimmers Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Barry County Barracudas varsity boys’ swimming and diving co-op team made up of student-athletes from Delton Kellogg, Thomapple Kellogg and Hastings will hit the water in competition for the first time this evening at Ionia. The fastest Barracudas are fast, but it’ll be a challenge to make up for an overall lack of team depth as the season gets underway. The program is once again led by head coach Tyler Bultema, assistant coach Mike Schipper and diving coach Todd Bates. The Barracudas were 2-2 in conference duals a year ago and 8-3 overall. They fin­ ished second at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet with five swimmers earning all-conference honors. Of those five, four return this winter led by senior Jack Kensington. Only two swimmers finished with more points at the conference meet a year ago than Kensing­ ton. He teamed with the other three return­ ing all-conference swimmers, junior Jameson Riordan, senior Devin Pacillo and junior Riley Shults, to win the 400-yard freestyle relay at the conference meet a year ago. Kensington was also the 100yard freestyle champion and finished as Jack Kensington the runner-up to Wayland’s Zachery Jeni­ son in the 50-yard freestyle final. Kensington was less than half a second off the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 state qualifying time in the 50-yard free­ style at the conference meet. Shults was third in the conference in the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard indi­ vidual medley as a sophomore. Pacillo placed third in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke. The team is also pleased to welcome back seniors Mason Cross, Isaac Stanton and Isaiah Randall. With that group, coach Bultema likes his team’s senior leadership and experience. The team has also added senior Blake Bumham this winter and freshman Ethan Magnuson is a key addition to the program too. Coach Bultema said he is expecting his team to be able to challenge Wayland and Ottawa Hills at the top of the conference this season. The team will be in Grand Rapids for the City Sprints Saturday and then will host its first meet at the Community Education and Recreation Center pool Tuesday, Dec. 13, against Ovid-Elsie. The Barracudas go on the road to face Plainwell next Thursday, Dec. 15. Saxons hope strong season was just a start for program Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings won 13 games and finished in the top half of the Interstate-8 Athletic Conferepg^fgrthg first,time,Last wmtep , A mostly young team with a couple key leaders will try and build on that 2021-22 season which was one of the best for the pro­ gram in the past two decades. “We’re young. It is a much bigger learning curve than we had last year for sure, but it’s good,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said as he prepped his team in the preseason. “I think if we stay healthy, we look to come back and have another successful year. Last year we had 13 wins, which is the most in a while. We hadn’t won double-digit games in years. We’re looking to keep that going. I don’t think that was a fluke. The kids are all buying in and they’re unselfish, but we’re young.” Much of the Saxons’ varsity experience comes in the form of senior guard Macy Win­ egar who is beginning her fourth varsity sea­ sons. She has been an all-conference per­ former in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference and one of the conference’s top scoring threats, someone opponents focus on, over her varsity career. Senior forward Bailey Cook returns to the paint for the Saxons. “She is super competitive and athletic,” coach Youngs said of Cook. “She does a lot of things that aren’t ‘stats,’ but we are a much better team when she is on the floor.” Also,pack are senior guard Isabella Storm and junior guard Addey Nickels. Coach Youngs loves the hustle from both of those girls. He said one of Storm’s key assets is her smarts while Nickels is one of the fastest players in the conference. A trio of sophomores and a solid junior group round out the roster. That sophomore trio includes center/forward Racheal Hewitt and guards Kali Koning and Bri Darling. How quickly those girls get used to the speed of the varsity game will be a big key for the Saxons. Coach Youngs expects them to be able to handle the transition well. The hope is that the youngsters can take some of the ball-handling duties from Winegar to allow her to play offensively off the ball as much as possible this season. Youngs said Hewitt had a solid year on JV a year ago and she is a big physical player. She’s joined in the post by long, athletic junior forward/center Kimber Fenstemaker. The rest of the junior group includes Mya Vincent, Abby Peak and Aubree Rowse. “I’m excited about it,” Youngs said of his team’s potential. “We should be competitive in pretty much every game we play. Whether or not we score more points ... we’re teach­ ing kids to compete. That’s the biggest thing. Learn to compete in everything.” The Saxons are off to an 0-2 start. They were bested by Eaton Rapids and Forest Hills Eastern in the opening week of the season. They had a non-conference ballgame at Well­ spring Prep planned for Tuesday, Dec. 6, canceled. The Saxons are now planning to open the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season at home against Coldwater. That will be the first doubleheader of the season with the Hastings boys. The girls are slated to tip-off at 5:30 Friday. Hastings will have seven games in before the holiday break. They go to Hamilton and Holland for non-conference ballgames, play host to 1-8 foe Jackson Lumen Christi Dec. 16 and host non-conference rival Lakewood Dec. 22. Youngs said finishing in the top half of the 1-8 once again should be a realistic goal for his team. Parma Western and Marshall, a couple of the conference’s top programs, took some big hits to graduation last year. Youngs said he expects Western just to reload. There is talent spread across the con­ ference though. Macy Winegar THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS Pat Doezema PRECISION AUTO BODY REPAIR KING’S ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES 819 E. Railroad St. Hastings 130 W. State, Hastings 269-948-9472 269-945-4284 Managing Broker Realtor® 269.838.1469 pdoezema@greenridge.com GR.EENR.IDCE REALTY HASTINGS 2169 W. M-43 Hwy. Hastings, MI 49058 highpoint ]■» FARM BUREAU mB. INSURANCE* 117 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml 517.852.9207 Lynn Denton COMMUNITY BANK 1-888-422-2280 139 W. State Street, Hastings hiqhpointcommunitybank.com 269-945-4520 Member FDIC www.thetynndentonagency.com HODGES JEWELRY & GIFTS 122 W. State St, Hastings 269-945-2963 MILLER REAL ESTATE 149 W. State St, Hastings 269-945-5182 & EMBROIDERY 120 E. Main St. Middleville, MI 49333 269-241-1050 Southern BBQ & Catering brokensmoker.com ^ADVANTAGE PLUMBING & DRAIN 122 W. Mill St. Hastings, Ml 269.948.2811 EDWARD JONES Thanks to Andrew R. Cove, AAMS Financial Advisor Brett Bremer 421 W. Woodlawn, Hastings for his areas 269-945-3553 sports coverage. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — Page 11 Saxons face tough Coldwater team to open 1-8 play Friday Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Interstate-8 Athletic Conference will start to sort itself out even before the holiday break. The Hastings varsity boys’ basketball team opened its season at Wellspring Prep in Grand Rapids Tuesday and now its on to the confer­ ence opener. The Saxons play host to Cold­ water Friday for their home opener and then will host Jackson Lumen Christi next Friday, Dec. 16. Hastings head coach Rich Long is hoping that his youthful line-up from a year ago is ready to go. Back from that 2021-22 team that went 4-16 to lead the way in to 2022-23 are senior forward Layton Eastman, senior shooting guard Braden Padilla, senior center Hayden Long and junior point guard Owen Carroll. Eastman brings athleticism to the court and will likely be asked to play multiple posi­ tions, from handing the ball on the wings to guarding opponents toughest post scorers. Padilla can score in multiple ways for the Saxons, knocking down jumpers and getting to the basket. Hayden Long gives the Saxons a solid post presence, but he can also step out and shoot a three-pointer when needed. Eastman and Padilla were the Saxons’ top two scorers a year ago. Eastman closed his junior season averaging 10 points and 5.5 assists per game, and he was even better than that late in the season. Padilla averaged 8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Carroll controlling the basketball will be key. Coach Long calls him a “fierce compet­ itor.” The Saxons will rely on him a ton for his athleticism, but also his ball-handling and decision making. Jett Barnum a tall, athletic sophomore is a key addition to the team, and is a part of why coach Long says that athleticism is one of his team’s key features. He expects his team to be well-rounded on the offensive end and a solid defensive team. Coach Long said that if there are any issues they may be depth at some key positions. He needs his guys to avoid foul trouble even as they look to speed up the game. Coldwater is a tough test to open the con­ ference season. Coach Long said he expects the Cardinals to be one of the top teams in the conference this winter along with Parma Western. Coldwater tied Marshall for the con­ ference lead a year ago. Both teams were 12-2 in the conference. The Saxons managed just one conference victory a year ago, against the Lumen Christi Titans that they face next week. Coach Long expects his guys to be competitive throughout the conference season this winter. Hastings has a couple other ballgames out­ side the conference before the holiday break. They’ll host Belding Dec. 20 and Lakewood Dec. 22. Isaac Friddle Saxons chasing third straight 1-8 mat title Brett Bremer Sports Editor It has been 16 years since the Hastings varsity wrestling team entered a season f with two state medalists on its roster. That’s what the'Saxons have this winter ' as 'thfey bnngrback spinor Robby Slaughter arid sophbmofe' Isaac Friddle1' to the’mat. Slaughter qualified for the MHSAA Indi­ vidual State Finals for the second time last season and placed eighth at his weight class. Head coach Jason Slaughter expects Robby to be wrestling at 165 pounds this season. Last year we won the 1-8 Conference outright going 7-0 in conference duals and winning the 1-8 tournament. We also fin­ ished with a 32-6 overall record (most dual wins ever for a Hastings team) and 3 state placers. “Robby is not only one of our top wres­ tlers, but a great leader for the team,” coach Slaughter said. “He’s a guy a lot of the guys look up to. He is a great competitor and one of the hardest workers we have had. He has really been the leader of this team for the past three years.” Firddle had an impressive freshman sea­ son in which he placed eighth in the state in Division 2 at 215 pounds. He’ll be back at 215 for his sophomore campaing. Coach Layton Eastman (left) Slaughter said he is a guy who is super competitive and reliable. “We expect a lot more exciting things out of Isaac again this year,” coach Slaughter said. _ “It will be great returning two state plac­ ers who have some’expedience wresfl Irinin big matches rind haVe high expectations for' our team,” he added. The Saxon team as a whole was great last season. It set a school record for dual meet victories in Jason Slaughter’s first season at the helm with a record of 32-6. Hastings was a perfect 7-0 in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference and capped off the conference championship season by winning the conference tournament too. The Hastings team has three other regional qualifiers back from that team, 126-pound sophomore Keegan Sutfin, 126puond junior Colton Smith ancd 144-pound seinor Cohen Smith. Also back are seniors Justus Fore 11 and Zach Chipman who were both regional qualifiers as sophmores. Chipman should wrestle at 120 this winter and Forrel at 150. Senior Joe Goggins returns to fill the 138-pound slot and Troy Hokanson, who won 35 matches last sea­ son as a freshman, will be back at 106 pounds for his sophomore go-round. Coach Slaughter said the team also had a big group of freshmen that will add depth to the program. Large class of Freshman coming in will add a lot of depth to our team. “We will be bringing in a class of around 16 freshmen' that' will add some needed depth in softfe; Xvbfghrtbl^sb§,*t ’’Cd^h Slaughter said. '“We also ate'returning a lot of experience with a large senior class and a lot of guys who have some varsity expe­ rience. We have right around 40 guys in the room right now. We are also working on starting a girls’ program and have close to ten girls coming in consistently. “With 50 people wrestling in the room we had to add another section of mat down. I think overall we are looking strong and to be a very competitive team this year.” The group will look to make it three straight conference championships, with a strong challenge expected from perennial conference powerhouse Jackson Northwest which has a tough line-up coming back. While Slaughter is in just his second year as head coach, there remains a very experi­ enced coaching staff in the weight room with him as he is joined by assistant coach Tim Easey as well as David Lares, Darrrell Slaughter and Mike Goggins offering assis­ tance as well. THANKS TO THE SPONSORS WHO SUPPORT LOCAL SPORTS O.D 1510 N. Broadway (M-43 Hwy.) Hastings 269-945-3906 HASTINGS NAPA NAPA 122 N. Jefferson St. PERFORMANCE SEPTIC SERVICE ------ PLUS------ Joe Lyons S John Curtis, Owner/Operators OU/CXO/L CHA/VGf Hastings 3305 West Quimby Road, Hastings, Ml 49058 269-948-9696 269.945.4240 DEWEY’S AUTO BODY THE HASTINGS BANNER 1111 W. Green, Hastings Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 www.deweysautobody.com 1351 N. M-43 Hwy., Hastings 269-945-9554 UnionBank 430 W. STATE ST HASTINGS 269-948-8558 LITTLE CAESAR’S Home of the Hot & Ready Pizza! 216 N. Broadway, Hastings 269-948-2824 ubmlch.com * t * T Leaping Lizards SAXON * PRIDE k Landscaping nick@leapinglizardslandscaping.com �Page 12 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner DK boys looking for new Panthers to produce points Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Panthers have the graduation of its top stat producers and an injury to guard Mason Nabozny to deal with already, but Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basketball coach Jim Hogoboom already feels better about his team’s depth than he did a year ago. The Delton Kellogg team regularly had between five and eight healthy guys available during the 2021-22 season in which it went 6-15 overall. “This year’s roster of 13 guys already feels like a luxury,” Hogoboom said. “We will be looking to lots of guys to all produce just a little, and hope collectively it can be enough,” he added. “I’ve never stepped into a season as a coach with so many unknowns and it will be interesting to see how this team develops and our play improves over time as we start with such lit­ tle experience as varsity players.” The whole group of returnees for the Pan­ thers averaged 4 points and 6 rebounds a year ago. Leading the list of varsity returnees are senior forward Jason Lundquist and guard Isaac Shepard and junior guard Torren Mapes. Coach Hogoboom said the 6-foot-2 Lund­ quist has been practicing with a lot of confi­ dence in the post, and he’ll be needed to pro­ Isaac Shepard vide interior defense and rebounding. Shepard is likely the team’s top outside shooting threat. The 5-foot-10 Mapes started most of the Panthers’ games a year ago at guard. Coach Hogoboom will be looking for him to get more involved offensively this season. He is one of the quickest guards in the conference. Senior guard Philip Halcomb has experience playing with many of these guys even though he was not a part of the basketball program a year ago. He was one of the top players on the Panthers’ JV team two years ago. He’s another guard with good speed who can get to the rim, and coach Hogoboom said he’s a fantastic rebounder from the guard position. The Pan­ thers will be looking for some production from him as well as some leadership. The Panthers could be solid in the back­ court with Mapes, Halcomb and the addition of freshman Tyler Howland who coach Hogo­ boom might earn the starting point guard posi­ tion as the season gets started. “He is a smart player with a good basketball IQ,” coach Hogoboom said of Howland. “His dad coached our varsity a few years back.” He’s not the only youngster the Panthers will look for contributions from. Coach Hogoboom also thinks the Panthers could get a boost from the addition of sophomores Grant Macarthur and Wyatt Finney and juniors Blake Lillibridge, Victor Gonzalez LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and dear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Fem E. Fox, unmarried Original Mortgagee: Financial Freedom Funding Corporation, a subsidiary of Indy Mac Bank, F.S.B. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC Date of Mortgage: June 28, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 7, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $140,470.12 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 20, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence North 40.0 rods on the 1/8th line of said Section 20, thence East 8.0 rods parallel with East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence South 40.0 rods parallel with said 1 /8th line to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence West 8.0 rods on said East and West 1/4 line to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 11286 Gilkey Rd, Plainwell, Ml 49080-9018 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 8, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1483438 (12-08)(12-29) 192110 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Jacob Hastings Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): PennyMac Loan Services LLC Date of Mortgage: December 29, 2021 Date of Mortgage Recording: January 13, 2022 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $263,640.47 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Irving, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Unit 1, Whitewater Estates Condominium, according to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 688, Page 426, and any amendments thereto, and designated as Barry County Condominium Subdivision Plan No. 10, together with rights in general common elements and limited common elements as shown on the Master Deed as described in Act 59 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended. Common street address (if any): 3762 Tyler Ln, Middleville, Ml 49333-8206 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: November 17, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Michael G. Linsea and Rosalind H. Linsea, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 24, 2012 Recorded on September 5, 2012, in Document No. 2012-004176, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Huntington National Bank Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-One Thousand FortySix and 08/100 Dollars ($81,046.08) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the center of Section 9, Town 2 North, Range 10 West, thence North on the North­ South 1/4 line, 33 rods for the place of beginning; thence North on said 1/4 line 1050 feet; thence West 930 feet; thence Southerly approximately 880' to a point on the Northerly right of way boundary of “Laura Drive”, (a Private Drive in the Plat of Fawn Lake), situated 150 feet Westerly of the North-West arc post of curve #1 of said Plat; thence Southeasterly along said Drive to a point due West of place of beginning; thence East to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 5399 Laura Dr, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. The Huntington National Bank Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29336-DE William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court Street, #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29345-DE William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Thomas F. Garity. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Thomas F. Garity, died September 20, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Lynda S. Greene, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Estate of Norma C. Harroun, Deceased. Date of birth: October 25, 1949. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Norma C. Harroun, died October 27, 2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Amparo Akey, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 8870 West Warren Rd., Shelby, Ml 49455 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: November 30, 2022 Law Office of Kathleen F. Cook Kathleen F. Cook P31842 121 S. Cochran Ave. Charlotte, Ml 48813 (517) 543-7643 Lynda S. Green 10517 E. Eddy Rd. Bellevue, Ml 49021 (269)223-9132 192020 1481891 (11-17)(12-08) Date: December 1, 2022 Kristie A. Teague P85631 230 East Fulton Street - Ste. J Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 616-776-7200 Amparo Akey 8770 West Warren Rd. Shelby, Ml 49455 616-292-9361 1483726 (12-08)(12-29) 192272 191145 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jim Lundin Financial Advisor Member SIPC 2169 W.M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Emily Taylor Financial Advisor 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Advice can help when making charitable gifts Now tliat it’s the holiday sea­ son, gifts are probably on your mind - and you might intend for some of those gifts to go to char­ ities. Although your intentions are good, you could be shortchanging both your recipients and your­ self with your method of giving. But with some guidance, you can make choices that work well for you and those charitable groups you support. Of course, you could simply give money to these groups. How­ ever, by donating other types of assets, can you increase the value of your gift and gain greater tax benefits, too? It’s certainly possible, but your ability to gain any tax advantages depends somewhat on whether or not you can itemize deductions on your tax return. Due to legislation passed a few years ago that sig­ nificantly increased the standard deduction, many people may no longer be itemizing. But if you still itemize, you can generally deduct up to 60% of your adjusted gross income for cash donations to IRS-qualified charities. Another contribution strategy involves donating other assets, such as stocks. You could donate stocks directly to a charitable group, but you might gain more benefits by making an irrevocable contribution to a donor-advised fond (DAF). Again, assuming you can itemize, you can deduct the foil fair-market value of the asset, up to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income, and your contribu­ tions can be invested in mutual funds or similar vehicles. The contributions have the opportunity for growth, and distributions to the charity are tax-free. You can then decide, on your own timetable, which IRS-qualified charitable groups you would like to receive the money. Furthermore, if you donate stocks that have risen in value, you won’t incur potential capital gains taxes that you would have when you eventually sold the stocks. These taxes can be consid­ erable, especially if you’ve held the stocks for a long time. (You’ll want to consult with your tax advi­ sor on how charitable gifts can af­ fect your taxes, especially if you’re thinking of using a donor-advised fund.) These charitable donation methods are not secrets, and they are available to many people - you don’t have to be wealthy to em­ ploy them. Yet, here’s an interest­ ing statistic: Those who work with a finan­ cial advisor on charitable strategies are more than three times as likely to donate non­ cash assets such as stocks than those who contribute to charities but don’t work with an advisor, ac­ cording to an August 2022 survey from financial services firm Ed­ ward Jones and Morning Consult, a global data intelligence com­ pany. These findings suggest that many more people could be taking advantage of tax-smart charitable giving moves - if only they had some help or guidance. Also, by getting some profes­ sional financial assistance, you may find it easier to implement your charitable giving decisions within your overall financial strat­ egy, which is designed to help you meet all your important long-term goals, such as achieving a comfort­ able retirement. Your instinct to help support charitable groups is a worthy one and by getting some help, you can turn this impulse into actions that may work to everyone’s benefit. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation. This article was written by Ed­ ward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust Estate Gail J. Jelens (“Decedent”). Date of Decedent’s Birth: April 15, 1936. Name of Trust: Gail J. Jelens Trust dated July 14, 2008. NOTICE TO CREDITORS: Decedent, Gail J. Jelens died November 18, 2022. There is no personal representative of Decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Authority have been issued. Creditors of Decedent are notified that all claims against the Decedent, Decedent’s estate, and/or Decedent’s trust(s) will be forever barred unless presented to Trustee, Dennis R. Moore, within four (4) months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: November 30, 2022 Douglas J. Brackmann (P-40885) Wesseling & Brackmann P.C. 6439 28th Avenue Hudsonville, Michigan 49426 (616) 669-8185 Dennis R. Moore 3781 England Drive Shelbyville, Ml 49344 192051 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 Business Services Help Wanted MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom GENERAL LABORER: JOB trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. Pets PUREBRED MOUNTAIN CUR Puppies for sale- Great 192017 and Adrian DeBoer. Hogoboom said Macar­ thur was the Panthers’ most consistent play­ er this summer, and will be one of the team’s top shooters. The Panthers are also adding a trio of for­ eign exchange students. Jonathan Steinkamp played some club ball in Germany. Alvar Martinez and Philip Jorgensen are playing organized basketball for the first time. “Experience obviously is a challenge for us and we will have to see where our production comes from,” Hogoboom said. “We’re hoping to use our speed and quickness to try to play more up-tempo than the past two years and we will need to generate some points off our defense.” He added he expects his team to be able to compete if his guys can take care of the basket­ ball and find ways to put the ball into the bas­ ket. The Panthers got their first contest of the season in Tuesday at Maple Valley High School. They are on the road for six of their first seven ballgames. The Panthers open the Southwestern Athlet­ ic Conference Central Division season at Galesburg-Augusta Friday and then will play its home opener Tuesday against Parchment. Before the holiday break the Panthers also visit Holland Black River Dec. 16, Saranac Dec. 20 and Calhoun Christian Dec. 22. colors, will stay small. 1st shots and wormed. $100.00 269-223-9194. includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health in­ surance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vi­ sion insurance. Apply in per­ son to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — Page 13 Gage Vincent Lily Boze DK seniors hope to DK girls gauge improve state finish their skills at season­ opening Cheer Fest Brett Bremer Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Panthers learned what they’ve really got to work on while performing pretty well Saturday at the Plainwell Cheer Fest. The Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ competitive cheer team placed third as the smallest school in a field of five teams at its first meet of the season. The Panthers defeated Hopkins and Otsego while finish­ ing behind Plainwell and Spring Lake. “We put out solid rounds,” said Delton Kellogg head coach said Delton Kellogg head coach Zoe Reynolds. J She saw .a lot of cleaning;.up to do with timing in round one and two, and the Panthers were only ready to throw out about a third of its full round three rou­ tine being that there have been so few practices so far. “All the stunt groups did great,” Reynolds said. “We just need more time and practice. The two tum­ blers had a nice round [three]. We need to change a few passes to allow them more time. Overall, very proud of the start to our season and look forward to what is to come.” The DK girls had a score of 194.5 in round one, 179.5 in round two and 216 in round three. The Panther team is led this year by returning seniors Lily Boze and Maysee Weissner and juniors Samantha Makowski, Carley Webb, Sara Beeke and Alli Brandli. Brandli, a back spot, was honorable mention all-re­ gion in Division 4 a year ago as the Panthers followed up a third-place district finish with a ninth-place per­ formance at regionals. There were seven other Panthers who earned some kind of all-district honors last season and a number of them are back including the tumblers Boze and Weissner and flyers Webb and Waller. Makowski is back as a main base along with Beeke. The key additions for the squad this fall include freshmen back spot Violet Kokx, freshman flyer Izabelle Gruber and freshmen bases Caysen Andersen and Brooke Childs. “I think this is going to be a great season-far the lady Panthers,” Reynolds said. “We have a huge amount of potential. I am very excited to see what the next few weeks and months bring. “ She is expecting rounds one and two to be pretty strong as her team progresses. “We definitely need to work on jumps, but this is something we can fix over the next few weeks,” Reyn­ olds said. “We have to stay focused and determined.” The Delton Kellogg girls are scheduled to be a part of theMichigan City invitational Friday, Dec. 9, and then will get to focus on practice time until a compe­ tition at Parchment Jan. 12. “I have an outstanding group of young ladies this season,” Reynolds said. “They are hard working, eager and hungry to win. They have a family like bond that will help us achieve our goals this year. Looking forward to seeing what they can do.” Sports Editor Seniors Joelle White and Gage Vincent both saw their junior wrestling season brought to an end in the second round of consolation, after getting one victory, at their final tournament of the season. For Vincent it was on the mats inside Ford Field at the MHSAA Division 3 Individual State Finals. For White, it was on the mats at Hartland High School during the MHSAA’s first ever girls’ wrestling regional tournament. White is a team captain this fall, who will be wrestling in the lower weights for the Panthers during her fourth varsity season with the Delton Kellogg wrestling program. Delton Kellogg head coach Dan Phillips said there are a few girls’ tournaments coming together around the state at the moment, and he’s hoping to be able to get White into one or two of those before the state postseason starts. “We’re looking for good things from her,” Phillips said. could say the same thing about Vincent who is now a two-time state qualifier. Vincent, will be wrestling at 126 or 132 pounds this winter as he looks to finish his high school career on the medal stand at the finals. He had a record of 31-13 a year ago. Vincent will have solid competition in the practice room all season long as he battles with sophomore Gage Stampfler, who’ll also be at 126 or 132 this season. Stampfler had his sophomore season come to an end in the blood round at regionals, one victory shy of joining Vincent at the state finals. The Panthers have a couple big guys back too in juniors Luke Watson and Michael Bhola. Watson was one win away from qualifying for regionals, falling in the blood round at districts a year ago. “We’re going to start the year with some holes in our line­ up just because of where the alpha [weight-in] was,” Phillips said. “By the end we should be pretty darn close to filling the entire line-up.” Helping fill the line-up this fall will be freshmen Griffin Harmon and Mitchell Swift, as well as foreign exchange student Georgio Venturi who comes to Delton from Italy where he has had some Greco Roman wrestling experience. “We’re still pretty young,” Phillips said. “The majority of the wrestlers on the team, when 1 was looking at it, are soph­ omores - sophomores who have had one year under their belt. A lot of them didn’t wrestle in MS. They’re still getting up to the speed of varsity wrestling. They have a lot of stuff to learn, and they’re catching on fast. I’ve got a hardworking group. This is one of the hardest working groups I’ve had in all my coaching years.” The Panthers will have to work hard to be competitive in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with perennial powers like Lawton, Schoolcraft and Constantine likely to be strong again. Right now, the Panthers are focused on improvement more than wins and losses. There isn’t any more time to prep. With Allegan, South Haven and Bridgman joining the SAC this season the conference season has to get started now to get all the duals in before the state postseason begins in February. Delton was scheduled to head to South Haven yesterday to take on the Rams and Fennville in conference duals. Phillips said every weekday dual on the schedule this winter is a conference one. The Panthers will be on their own mats for the first time when they host the five-team Delton Kellogg Invitational, which will be a round-robin style tournament. The Delton Kellogg team is at Climax-Scotts next Wednesday, Dec. 14, to take on Watervliet and Coloma in conference duals. “We know we’re going to go out and battle every week,” Phillips said. “We’re going to go out there and give it every­ thing they’ve got. The team is bought into wrestling for each other and sacrificing for the team.” Thank You to these businesses tor their support. highpoint GROVE STREET CAFE M-43 Hwy. across from Delton Schools Try Our Pizza Take & Bake, To Go, Dine-in COMMUNITY BANK 1 -888-422-2280 Delton Drive Thru: hiqhpointcommunitybank.com 10199 S. M-43 Hwy. Member FDIC Delton, Ml 49046 DELTON FAMILY PHARMACY 623-3777 338 Grove St. (M-43)Delton SIMPLY SWEETS, 623-8047 623-5250 THE HASTINGS BANNER TUJAX TAVERN Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 103 S. Grove St. Delton 1351 N. M-43 Hwy, Hastings 945-9554 BUCKLAND AGENCY CHAPPLE REALTY INC 1 1235 Sprague Rd, Delton 118 E Orchard St., Delton Mi 49046 269-623-4058 623-5115 948-3720 Delton Moose Lodge 269.623.2112 5428 Moose Lodge Dr. (2 miles north ofDeltone on M43) WILLIAMS-GORES FUNERAL HOME 133 Orchard, Delton HOW. Center, Suite B, Hastings WESTMICHIGANLAKES.COM NAPA NAPA of Delton 9939 M-43 Hwy 623-4804 (269) 623-8310 623-5461 LYONS SEPTIC TANK SERVICE 3840 Harrington Rd. Delton 623-2089 • 945-5379 Fast Reliable Service For Over 50 Years 269-623-3300 Since 1921 BER Year® 10036 M-43 Delton, Ml 49046 SMITH & DOSTER SALES & SERVICE 114 Grove (M-43) Delton 623-5111 �Page 14 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Saxon girls rolling for return to state finals Brett Bremer Cadence Johnson Delton girls hope experience helps them in win column x ■ v x Brett Bremer Sports Editor* MM ___ teams now the ^Southwestern^ Atmetic Conference is splitting into three divisions for its basketball competition this winter. The Delton Kellogg girls will compete in the SAC Central along with old foes Martin, Galesburg-Augusta and confer­ ence newcomers Holland Black River, South Haven, Allegan and Bridgman. Allegan edged the DK girls in their SAC Central opener Nov. 29. While the competition is new, the faces are familiar on the roster for the Panthers. There are nine seniors on the roster and ten girls who were a part of the varsity team a year ago that took its lumps as the girls experienced varsity basketball for the first time. The DK girls were 6-14 overall last winter. “Experience should be a plus,” Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn said. “We will go as far as our offensive improvement from last year will take us.” The Panthers certainly have an experi­ enced coach to lead the way. This is Mohn’s 25^ season coaching varsity basketball - his 13^ leading the girls’ program after 12 years leading the Delton Kellogg boys. That group of returnees for the Pan­ £ ~ thers includes senior guard/forwards Jor­ dan Iwons and Alli Trantham, senior „ guard Cadence Johnson and sophomore forward Josie Williams. Lyons, Johnson and Williams should provide a good scor­ ing combination for the Panthers, and Trantham was the Panthers’ leader in shooting threes a year ago. Mohn said the Panthers will really count on Williams on both ends of the floor in her second varsity season. She led the team in scoring and rebounding a year ago, and her 28 blocks were the third most in a single season in the history of the Delton program. Wiliams and Lyons were both honor­ able mention all-conference in the SAC Valley Division a year ago. Overall said his group of girls is a very bright one, which earned first team aca­ demic all-state accolades last fall. “An awesome team of young ladies. They are an absolute joy to coach,” he said. The DK girls go on the road in the sAC Central Friday to take on Galesburg-Au­ gusta in their first doubleheader with the boys’ team. DK is on the road Tuesday at Constantine and next Friday, Dec. 16, at Holland Black River. The Panthers have home contests before the break against Lawton Dec. 20 and Wyoming Lee Dec. 22. Need some extra CASH? Supplement your income by delivering newspapers each week. Papers are delivered Friday night and Sat­ urday each week. Dependable adults with a driver’s license and dependable transporta­ tion necessary. Carriers are paid each week for papers and inserts firn® y IMMEDIATE OPENINGS in Middleville Rural Zip Code Area 49333 & Caledonia Rural Area delivered, Call today to set up an in-person interview and learn more about how you can earn some extra cash each week. 269-945-9554 I Sports Editor A new season is underway for the Hast­ ings varsity boys’ and girls’ varsity bowl­ ing teams. They opened their season Tuesday eve­ ning in Ionia. The Hastings ladies finished in a 15-15 tie with the Bulldogs, while the Hastings boys were edged 22-8 in their contest. That’s the lone dual on the 2022 calen­ dar for the Saxons. They’ll open the 2022­ 23 Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season hosting Marshall Jan. 3. They will be a part of Marshall’s Scotch Doubles tourna­ ment at Marshall Lanes Dec. 17. Hastings head coach Deanna Rhodes is excited to have full varsity and JV line-ups for both boys’ and girls’ this season for the first time in her tenure as head coach, and said that there is quite a bit of excitement around the program. She said Saxons are starting to understand that while bowling is a fun sport, to be a part of the varsity line-up in blue and gold takes commitment and effort. Coach Rhodes said she had a couple of guys competing in leagues in Charlotte in the offseason and a couple of girls compet­ ing in Junior Gold tournaments. The Hastings girls will be pushing to play in the MHSAA Division 2 State Finals once again this winter. The Hastings girls were regional runners-up a year ago, and had Abby Barton and Amber Rabideau qualify for the state finals in the singles competition as well. Teammates Andrea Rhodes and Ally Herder just missed the state finals cut, placing 11^ and 12^ at the regional where the top ten advanced to the state finals. Barton is a two-time state singles quali­ fier its her senior year along with Rabideau and Rhodes. Herder is a junior. Sophomore Jen Stoline, who rolled for the Saxon JV a year ago, has the inside track on earning the fifth and final spot in the varsity line-up in the early season. Rabideau won two team points for the Hastings girls in their match with Ionia Tuesday, rolling scores of 175 and 142. Herder took a point with a 203 game. Bar­ ton won one with a 169 and Andrea Rhodes took one with a 133. Hunter .Renpington, won a point for the^ Hastings boys with a high game of 196. Cohen James rolled a 144, Deagan Wilkins a 167 and Miles Lipsey a 140 to add points for the Saxon boys in their loss to the Bull­ dogs. The sophomore Lipsey and senior Drew Rhodes are the top two returning varsity regulars for the Saxons this winter. They’ll work to fill the varsity line-up along with Wilkins, Pennington, James and senior J.T. Clow. Wilkins and Pennington took a few turns with the varsity a year ago too. Coach Rhodes said she is already notic­ ing some more consistency from her guys as a whole. Austin Henman is one of the guys work­ ing to earn a varsity spot. Coach Rhodes said he got really excited by his perfor­ mance at the end of last season and went out all summer long trying to get ready for the 2022-23 season and has earned a spot as the anchor of the JV boys’ team. “His commitment is there and he wants to learn,” coach Rhodes said. He has upped his average by about ten pins a game from where he was when he started the 2021 -22 season. Both Saxon teams are looking to move up in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference this winter. The Coldwater girls joined the Hastings girls at the MHSAA Division 2 State Finals a year ago and Jackson North­ west qualified for the finals out of the 1-8 on the boys’ side. Both should be quite tough again with much of the finals’ ros­ ters returning. Jahar Logan from the Northwest boys’ team reached the quarterfinals of the sin­ gles tournament as a freshman last winter. The Coldwater girls had underclassmen Violet Walkte and Emalyn Shidler compet­ ing in the state singles final along with the Saxons’ Barton. The People Paper' 1351 N. Broadway (M-43) Hastings Drew Rhodes Barry County Christian boys look for improvement on .500 record Brett Bremer Milder Amber Rabideau Sports Editor The Barry County Christian School varsity boys’ basketball team finished the 2021-22 season with a.500 record and new head coach Josh Lamphere is hoping his guys can jump up to the top of the Great Lakes 6 Conference this season. He has a solid senior group back to try and help lead the way up the standings. The group includes Joe Wise, Lucas Koetje, Kevin Shaffer and Juan Osorio. Rounding out the roster this winter are sophomores Noah Lilley, Jonathan Hawkes, Key gan Robinson, Dustin Lampart and fresh­ men Isaiah Lamphere and Jordan Osario. So far, coach Lamphere likes his team’s speed and its defensive effort. Taking care of the basketball on the other end of the floor will be key to the Eagles’ success. The Eagles’ top challengers for a Great Lakes 6 crown this winter are Algoma Chris­ tian and Sacred Heart Academy. The Eagles went on the road for the firs time this season to take on West Michigan Lutheran in Wyoming Tuesday night and came away with an 81-24 victory over the ,’ Mustangs. * The Barry County Christian boys will be on their home floor again Monday, Dec. 12, taking on Libertas Christian and then will host Creative Technologies Academy Dec. 15. Those are the final two ballgames before the holiday break. The Eagles’ varsity girls’ season is also’ already underway. They will open double­ headers with the boys’ Dec. 12 against Lib­ ertas Christian and Dec. 15 against Creative' Tech. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — Page 15 Saxon cheer going after another 1-8 championship Brett Bremer Maeylnn Miller Sports Editor The Saxons have some time to prep for their first competition of the 2022-23 season. They’ll take the mat for the first time Jan. 7 at Cedar Springs. There are some things that the Hastings varsity competitive cheer team already feels pretty good about though. “Round one is amazing already,” Hastings head coach Linsey Jacinto said. “The pre­ sentation is fun, exciting, and powerful. Stunting, and floor presence are natural strengths for this team as well. They are very driven, have clear goals, and are ready to earn every one of them.” Those goals for the Saxons including repeating as Interstate-8 Athletic Conference champions and earning a spot in the MHSAA Competitive Cheer Finals for the first time. The Saxons will face a different postseason path this winter as they are moving down from Division 2 to Division 3 for the first time. They will head to Paw Paw for their distict tournament in the middle of February. While the top four teams the district will be tough at the top. Paw Paw finished as the state runner-up in Division 3 a year ago and Allegan had an oustanding squad that advanced to regionals a year ago too. As far as the top competition the Saxons will face in the Interstate-8 Athletic Confer­ ence, Jacinto said she expects Northwest, Pennfield and Lumen Christi to be the teams most likely pushing her Saxons for the top spot. Hastings has a strong group of cheerlead­ ers back to challenge for another conference title. The list is led by senior backstpots Ericka Critzer, Madison Nino and Natalee Sanders, and senior flyers Grace Curtis and Marissa Roberts. Roberts was second team all-district in Division 2 last winter. The returning group also includes junior flyer Camilla Loss and sophomore flyer Maelynn Miller, junior bases Jordyn Downs, Carly Frazer, Mollee Ozdych, Makayla Pickett, Mia Santos and Adrianne Vanden­ berg, as well as sophomore base Addison Henney. Senior bases Sophie Groeneweg and Jayden Karsen are new to the Saxon varsity this winter, as are junior base Kaccey Camp­ bell, freshman backspot Claudia Minch and freshman base Gracie Wilson. “We have started the season with a few injuries, but everyone is working through,” coach Jacinto said. The 1-8 season begins at Pennfield Jan. 11. The lone home meet on the schedule for the Saxons is the Saxonfest Cheer Invita­ tional set for Jan. 27. Reworked wrestling weight classes introduced this winter The Representative Council of the Michi­ gan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) during its annual Spring Meeting, in May, approved a switch from last year’s boys wrestling weight classes to those deter­ mined by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). The weight classes for the 2022-23 varsity wrestling season which kicked off on the area mats last night, Dec. 7, are 106 pounds, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215 and 285 pounds. The NFHS will begin use of those weights nationally in 2023-24, but MHSAA member schools will make the switch beginning with this season. The change effectively slightly raises the bottom 12 weight classes. The Council also approved a change to one girls weight, from 255 pounds to 235, align­ ing all MHSAA girls weight classes with those determined by the NFHS. A few other changes from that spring meet­ ing which will just start affecting student-ath­ letes this winter include: • In bowling, the Council approved a Bowling Committee proposal to make the Team Regional qualifying block format the same as the Team Final format. Teams will play eight Baker games and two regular games at both levels of the MHSAA Tourna­ ment beginning with the 2022-23 season. Previously, teams bowled six Baker games and three regular games at Regionals. • Also in cheer, the Council approved a Committee recommendation adjusting the penalty for going over the time limit in each round to one penalty point for every second over the time limit, not to exceed 15 points. • For diving, the Council approved a Swimming & Diving Committee proposal reorganizing how many Finals qualifiers will advance from each Diving Regional. In each of the three divisions, each Regional will be guaranteed 10 qualifiers for the Finals; the remaining six qualifying spots per division will be distributed to the Regionals that have one of the previous year’s top six returning Finals divers in their fields. The Representative Council is the 19-member legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facil­ itate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Super­ intendent of Public Instruction or designee. Another stellar season for local volleyball teams Brett Bremer Sports Editor An All-Barry County girls’ volleyball team would stack up favorably with any all-county team across the state once again this fall, espe­ cially for a county with its population. It was another solid season against tough competition for many of the area teams. Lakewood was once again the class of the county finishing off another undefeated Great­ er Lansing Activities Conference season and battling through the postseason all the way to the MHSAA Division 2 State Quarterfinals where they were ultimately done in by South Christian. Lakewood knocked off Hastings during its run to a district championship and beat the Saxons’ Interstate-8 Athletic Conference foes from Marshall in what seems to be an annual regional round match-up. South Christian was one of the talented teams the Thomapple Kel­ logg girls had to deal with all fall in the OK Gold Conference. While there weren’t the state accolades for the Saxons, Trojans, Delton Kellogg Panthers and Maple Valley Lions they all had their high points to the season. Here are the 2022 All-Barry County Volley­ ball First and Second Teams. 2022 All-Barry County Volleyball First Team Abby Beemer, Hastings: The Saxons’ junior setter/outside hitter had a great second varsity season this winter. She had 32 aces, 500 assists and 83 kills on the season. She was honorable mention all-conference in the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference this fall. “Abby is as smart player who knows the sport really well. She is a consistent, selfless, competitive force that will make good moves that are for the best success of her team,” coach Erin Slaughter said. “We didn’t have a setter coming into the season this year, and so I asked Abby to step in because I knew that she would get the job done.” Skylar Bump, Lakewood: Bump capped her senior season by hitting 198 kills and put­ ting up 469 assists, while also serving 83 aces and recording 231 digs. She teamed with Abby Pickard to handle setting duties and continued expanding her attacking repertoire the rest of her rotations. “Skylar’s knowledge of the game has been vital to our success the last four years and once again this year as she simply understands how to continue to give us a chance to score,” coach Rowland said. Alivia Everitt, Lakewood: Everitt dented as many gym floors as anyone in the county this fall recording 228 kills. She had a.287 hitting percentage and added 26 blocks on the year. “Alivia has taken on a huge workload for us this season on the left, right or in the middle. She gets a lot of our out of system swings and is able to put heat on the ball to apply pressure to opponents. In system, she is lethal and since having to move to the middle has continued to terminate at a high level.” Abby Pickard, Lakewood: Pickard was named first team all-state in Division 2 this fall, splitting her time between setting and attacking for the Vikings. Pickard had 282 kills on the season and 465 assists, as well as 70 aces and 223 digs. “Abby is our best offensive player and leads us in kills. She also runs our offense half the time along with Skylar. We have six kids with over 150 kills because of Abby’s ability to spread the offense out and keep teams balanced against us,” coach Rowland said. Alli Pickard, Lakewood: A senior defen­ sive specialist for the Vikings, Pickard was named third team all-state in Division 2 this fall. She recorded 340 digs with 101 aces and 47 assists on the year. She had a 62 percent perfect pass rating this season. “Alli’s first contact skills in serve and serve receive is vital to our success as we rely on playing in system while putting our opponents out of system, and her ability to do both is exceptional. She would be the libero on most teams in the state,” coach Rowland said. Carley Piercefield, Lakewood: “Carley is the best libero in the state regardless of class or grade,” said coach Rowland. “She is the biggest proponent of our success as our ability to defend and pass at such a high level has been why we remain one of the best teams in the state.” Piercefield, a junior, had 669 digs, 159 assists and 44 aces during the regular season. She was once again named first team all-state in Division 2. Peyton Pratt, Thornapple Kellogg: Pratt was named all-region and all-conference in the OK Gold Conference as a senior this fall. She led theTK team with 203 kills. She closed the year with 25 aces, a 2.1 pass­ er rating and 220 total digs while spending time at outside hitter and libero. 2022 All-Barry County Volleyball Second Team Bailey Cook, Hastings: A senior outside hitter and defensive specialist for the Saxons, Cook had 215 kills this season and 34 aces. “Bailey is a competitive player that does whatever it takes to get the point,” coach Slaughter said. “She is scrappy and every­ where on the court at all times. She leads by example, and shows the other girls what it means to leave it all on the floor. She played outside for us this year, very powerfully, as well as continuing around to the back row and being one our best passers there.” Lillie Ferris, Delton Kellogg: A senior middle, Ferris was named first team all-confer­ ence in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Central Division this fall. She led her team in blocks with 120 total, averaging 6.8 blocks per game. She was second in attacks with 63 kills and averaged a team-high 5.3 aces per match. “Lillie has been on the varsity team for three years and made a huge impact this year,” coach Thornton said. “She had always been an out­ side hitter in the past, but we needed a strong person to be in the middle this year and she stepped up to the plate. She was a powerhouse in the front row, with an array of different hits in her arsenal. She will be the first to light the fire for the rest of the team, and try to pull them up if they get down.” Jordan Lyons, Delton Kellogg: A senior outside hitter playing all the way around the rotation for the Panthers, Lyons was honorable mention all-conference in the SAC Central this season. She led her team in attack attempts and averaged 14.2 kills per match and also had 2.4 aces per match. Only the Panthers’ libero was better on serve receive. “Jordan was a leader this year on the team, not only in multiple stats but also in attitude. She is all around a really athletic kid, and that helped us a lot this year,” coach Thornton said. “She was someone that the team could look up to and watch grow, as she played all around, and succeeded at it.” Charlotte Nelson, Thornapple Kellogg: A junior, Nelson shared the TK setting duties once again this winter and closed the campaign with 312 assists. Nelson also had 37 aces, 112 digs and 40 kills on the season. She managed those 40 kills despite playing the front row for only four matches this season. Ellie Possehn, Lakewood: A senior outside hitter, Possehn finished the regular season with 181 kills, 67 digs and 11 blocks. “Ellie is our fiercest competitor and has worked to get more and more efficient on the left this season and is currently playing her best volleyball,” coach Rowland said as the postseason arrived. “She has been instrumental to our balanced attack, especially against larg­ er, more physical opponents.” Audrey Vertalka, Hastings: A junior mid­ dle blocker for the Saxons in her second varsi­ ty season, Vertalka had 144 kills on the season. She was honorable mention all-conference in the 1-8 this fall. “She was a defensive powerhouse with her blocks and length in the back row,” coach Slaughter said. “It is difficult to get a ball past her and that really helped out our defense. On top of that, she is a leader on the court and a powerful hitter as well, making smart deci­ sions on the net to keep the ball in play.” Izzy Wheeler, Lakewood: The Vikings were thrilled to add the senior back to their roster this fg.ll after a year away. She started high school as a defensive specialist, but was called upon to play at the net this season and she was up to the task with her skills and ath­ leticism. She had 173 kills on the season as well as 41 digs and 28 blocks. ■ “Her efficiency through the middle of the court and ability to play every aspect of the game has simply added to our ball control and ability to apply pressure consistently to oppo­ nents,” coach Rowland said. Grace Zube, Thornapple Kellogg: A senior captain for the Trojans this season, Zube played outside hitter, defensive specialist and libero throughout the year. She led TK with 252 digs and a 2.5 passer rating overall. Zube added 22 aces, 33 assists and 92 kills on the season. Eagles’ hot start includes big league win over Algoma guys Brett Bremer Sports Editor It has been a great start for the Barry County Christian varsity boys’ basketball team. The Eagles are 3-0 after a lopsided 81-24 win over West Michigan Lutheran in Wyo­ ming Tuesday night. The Barry County Christian boys also scored a 59-20 win over Seventh Day Adven­ tist to open their season Nov. 29 at Barry County Christian School. The Eagles fol­ lowed that up by getting a huge victory in their bid to finish on top of the Great Lakes 6 Conference this winter by knocking off con­ ference favorite Algoma Christian last Thurs­ day, Dec. 1. Isaiah Lamphere poured in 26 points. Joe Wise had 10 points and 13 rebounds and played solid defense for the Eagles. Noah Lilley did a little bit of everything for Barry County Christian with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals and 5 blocked shots. “It was going back and forth the entire game and we ended up having a 16-point lead with seven minutes left, and [Algoma] hit three or four threes in a row and we had some bad turnovers and they caught up,” the Eagles’ first-year head coach Joshua Lam­ phere said. Algoma Christian missed the front end of a one-and-one in the closing seconds and a put-back attempt on an offensive rebound bounded off the basket to the Eagles’ Keegan Robertson who secured the defensive rebound. Barry County Christian also got eight points and five rebounds from Lucas Koetje in the win. Isaiah Lamphere had a team-high 23 points in the win over Seventh Day Adventist to open the season. Lilley added 12 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals and a blocked shot. The Eagle starters only played a handful of minutes in the lopsided win Tuesday. Freshman Jordan Stolz came off the bench to have a big game for the Eagles. He was 6-of-6 from the floor and knocked down three three-pointers to finish with 15 points. �Page 16 — Thursday, December 8, 2022 — The Hastings Banner DK nearly erases massive Maple Valley lead Brett Bremer Sports Editor ■ It was a complete and total blowout, until it wasn’t. The Maple Valley varsity boys’ basketball team won its season opener for the first time since 2013 by holding on for a 56-53 win over visiting Delton Kellogg in a non-con­ ference bailgame at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. The Lions led by as many as 26 points in the first half and held a 23-point advantage (36-13) at the half, but needed a heave by Delton Kellogg senior guard Philip Hal­ comb, from three quarters the length of the court in front of the Lion bench, to fly wide of the hoop to avoid overtime. “It was awesome,” Maple Valley junior guard Ayden Wilkes said. “I haven’t won the first game starting on varsity since I started. This is the first time we have gone 1-0 in like ten years. Coach [Ryan] Nevins said we certainly hadn’t won it since he has been coaching.” “We had a good tempo [in the first half],” Wilkes added. “We were pushing the ball really well and we were looking to pass a lot. We played good defense and we talked a lot.” Wilkes converted on an and-one opportu­ nity 43 seconds into the ballgame to put his team up 3-0 and the Lions never once trailed. The lead was 8-3 four and a half minutes into the first quarter, sparked by another Wilkes bucket and a triple from junior Chanse Courtney. Maple Valley led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter and had the lead at 30-10 with two minutes to go in the first half after a three by Wilkes. That triple sparked a 9-0 Lion run that had the lead to 36-10. “It was definitely first game jitters,” Maple Valley head coach Nevins said, “whatever you want to call it. I think not having that extra week of practice really hurt us this year ... but I think we came out in the first half and did a nice job of dictat­ ing tempo and playing at our pace. I thought we did a really good job of getting up and down the floor and pushing and getting layins and our defense was outstanding. We communicated well. “I don’t know if we should have gone in at halftime. The second half was the com­ plete opposite.” “1 thought we let them do things to us that we wanted to do to them. Hats off to them, they battled their butts off.” Maple Valley senior forward Jessy Deppe is pressured in the paint by Delton Kellogg defenders Tyler Howland (left) and Jason Lundquist (back) during the second half Tuesday at Maple Valley High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The halves were nearly a mirror image of each other. “I think we’re two teams that want to play the same style,” Delton Kellogg head coach Jim Hogoboom said. “Our guys, we just talked about at halftime, ‘do you feel what they’re doing? We’re trying to do that too. We’re super young and inexperienced. I wasn’t surprised by the first half, but I was really pleased w ith the second half. We just have little moments that come with experi­ ence, like a missed block-out on a missed free throw. You can’t have a technical foul even if you get hit in the side of the head. You just have to keep your composure through stuff.” Hogoboom said his guys were a bit slow to rotate and move their fee on the defensive end in the first half, leading to a few too many fouls. The Panthers had six fouls on them in the games’ first five and a half min­ utes. “There is so much for us to grow on. I’m satisfied overall and super pleased with the second half,” Hogoboom said. The Lions didn’t hit their first field goal of the second half until they were nearly three minutes into the fourth quarter. Delton Kellogg had cut the lead down to 40-37 by that point and would eventually even things up at 44-44. The Panthers had the ball looking to take the lead w'ith four minutes to go in the bail­ game. Jason Lundquist and Halcomb chased after an offensive rebound, but Lion junior Callan Hoefler finally secured it. It wouldn’t be his last big board of the night. Maple Valley wrestled control back moments later. Wilkes was fouled attacking the basket with 2:45 to go and Panther junior guard Torren Mapes, one of the few returnees with some good varsity minutes in for DK, was hit with a technical foul follow­ ing the play. They were the fourth and fifth fouls of the night for Mapes, sending him to the bench. Wilkes knocked down three of his four free throw shots with the other nine ballplayers watching on from the mid-court stripe. The Lions then inbounded the ball and Wilkes attacked with his left hand across the free throw line and down the left side of the lane. He flipped the ball over to his right and and scooped it up and in for a 49-44 Lion lead with about two and a half minutes to play. Just like that a tie game was a five-point game, and this time his team was able to protect its lead for the rest of the night. “Delton started to make shots, and then they started to put pressure on us which we struggled to handle,” Wilkes said. “I think towards the end though we started to pick it back up and realized'we’ve got to play like we did in the first half. “We learned a lot. We have to keep the same tempo all game and we can’t let pres­ sure decide a win or a loss. We’ve just got to keep going. I think it was good for us.” Wilkes finished with a game-high 23 points. Courtney had 16 points for the Lions with a huge first half. He hit three three-pointers, all of them in the first half. Hoefler had 7 points in the win. Delton Kellogg guard Wyatt Finney attacked the baseline when the Panthers got back down to the offensive end following the five-point swing. He leapt as he got to the basket and found Jason Lundquist cut­ ting to the block for two points to get Delton Kellogg back within three points. A free throw by Courtney bumped the Lion lead back up to 50-46, but half a minute later Halcomb hit a three to get the Panthers within 50-49. Hoefler helped the Lions seal the win moments later, after Delton was forced to start fouling. Wilkes hit the first of two Pennfield outscores Vikings despite 36 from senior Cusack Brett Bremer Sports Editor Jayce Cusack poured in 36 points for Lake­ wood, but it wasn’t enough for the Vikings to get by the Pennfield Panthers in Battle Creek in their season opener Tuesday night. Pennfield scored a 74-63 win over the Vikings. Lakewood also got 18 points from Blake Price and 8 from Montreal Reid. Price was the only Viking to hit a field goal in the opening quarter. He scored seven points in the first quarter, but free throws by Cusack and Landon Makley accounted for the Vikings’ only other two points as Penn­ field jumped out to a 21-9 lead that it would never relinquish. Cusack took off from there putting in 12 points in the second quarter, nine in the third and 14 in the fourth. He hit six threes THE HOTTEST STARS Michael Jackson Tribute Concert MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE CONCERT ~ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29 YOUR GENERATION IN CONCERT™ PERFORMING LIVE AT OUR NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31 RICK SPRINGFIELD SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 Tickets available now at the FireKeepers Box Office or FireKeepersCasino.com. 1^1 1-94 to Exit 104 | 11177 Michigan Avenue I Battle Creek, Ml 49014 Must be 21 or older. Tickets based on availability. Schedule subject to change. free throws to move the Lions into a 51 -49 lead with 30.4 seconds to go, and the Pan­ thers failed to get a body on Hoefler on the second attempt and he pulled down the offensive rebound and went back up for two to move it back to a two possession game. Delton Kellogg twice cut the Lion lead to two points in the final 20 seconds, but junior Connor Joseph hit two free throws for Maple Valley and Hoefler hit one to pre­ serve a lead. While the Lions are young with a roster filled with juniors and three seniors with little to no varsity playing experience, the Panthers have even fewer minutes of varsity court time under their belts entering the sea­ son and it showed in the first half. Lundquist led Delton Kellogg with 15 points and Halcomb finished with 14. Hal­ comb was a leader for the DK JV boys’ team as a sophomore, but didn’t play basketball at Delton during his junior year. Mapes closed the night with 8 points and Tyler Howland had 6 for Delton. Coach Hogoboom really liked the leader­ ship he has seen all preseason from Hal­ comb, and was happy with Lundquist’s movement on the offensive end. The Lions and Panthers were both a part of the now defunct Kalamazoo Valley Asso­ ciation back in 2013. The Lions started 3-0 that season and closed that 2013-14 season with a 20-5 record and the program’s last district championship. Maple Valley goes to Olivet College to face Vandercook Lake in the GLAC/Cascades Challenge Friday night. Delton Kel­ logg is back in action Friday opening the Southwestern Athletic Conference Central Division season at Galesburg-Augusta in a doubleheader with the girls. K JLJL f . . I W \ VALL '■-wwWii Maple Valley junior guard Ayden Wilkes leans into a shot for two points during the Lions' surge in the first half against visit­ ing Delton Kellogg to open the season Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) The Delton Kellogg girls also scored a win over Maple Valley Tuesday, besting the visiting Lions 38-28 in Delton to improve to 1-2 on the season. The Lions are now 0-2 on the year. Hastings boys upend Wellspring Prep in game one The Hastings varsity boys’ basketball team opened its season with a 50-38 win at Wellspring Prep Tuesday. The Saxons ran out to an 11-6 lead in the opening quarter and fought off the Bull­ dogs for the rest of the evening. Hayden Long led the Saxons with 16 points. Jett Barnum chipped in eight points. The Saxons leap right into the Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference season at home Friday against Coldwater. Panthers go to free throw line for victory over visiting Lions Brett Bremer MJ GET YOUR VISION- in the ballgame. Brendan Duncan led the Panthers with 24 points. Graham Boyd added 19 points and Dayshaun Boykins had 15. Lakewood was scheduled to play its home opener Wednesday night against Portland and will head to Olivet College Saturday to take on Napoleon in the GLAC-Cascades Shoot-out. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Delton Kellogg junior guard Torren Mapes (right) forces Maple Valley junior guard Connor Joseph to the sideline during the second half of their season opener Tuesday night at Maple Valley High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor The Panthers were happy to get to the free throw line Tuesday night. Delton Kellogg shot 25 free throws and knocked down 15 team of them and even­ tually pulled away for a 39-28 non-con­ ference win over visiting Maple Valley the Panthers’ first victory of the young season. DK head coach Mike Mohn said the key to that was his girls attacking the hoop with a bit more regularity than they had been in the first couple ballgames of the season. He also said his girls shot the ball much better in the ballgame, especial­ ly in the second half, even with hitting just a quarter of their field goal attempts in the bailgame. Jordan Lyons led Delton Kellogg with 15 points. She was 9-of-16 from the free throw line. Josie Williams had 9 points and Kasey Kapteyn added a career-high 7 points. Kapteyn was 5-of-6 from the free throw line. “Last night was easily Kasey’s best game of her career,” coach Mohn said. “She was outstanding on the defensive end, and in our press, and had the best offensive performance of her career. She led the team with 6 offensive rebounds (from the guard position) as well. I was very proud of her efforts last night.” While Mohn was happy to see his girls get to the free throw line, Maple Valley head coach Timara Wehr would have liked to see her girls move a bit better on the defensive end to prevent the Panthers from getting those opportunities. Delton Kellogg held the Lions to two points in the second quarter to take a 15-12 lead into the half, but the Lions came out on fire in the second half to pump in 14 points and go into the fourth quarter with a 28-26 lead. “I thought the kids on the bench were fantastic during the game with their com­ munication and keeping kids pumped up while on the floor,” Mohn said. Maple Valley got 9 points from Abeni Hartwell and 6 from Kyla VanAlstine. VanAlstine had all six of her points in the opening quarter. Coach Wehr said she has been a nice spark this season and her movement on the offensive end has led to her being one of the team’s top scorers so far. “We have three goals, two of them this year are to score 27 points per game and one of our game goals is to score in the first two minutes of each quarter and set the intensity from there. We are focusing on our third quarter this year, because last year that was not good,” Wehr said. She warned her Lions at the start that Delton Kellogg could beat them with foul shots. The Lions are now 0-2 overall this sea­ son. They were bested 41-20 in their opener at Bellevue Nov. 29. Delton Kellogg is 1-2. The Panthers were downed 30-18 by Marcellus in Delton last Thursday, Dec. 1. “I thought our defense was pretty good, but the ball just did not go through the hole enough for us to be successful,” Mohn said. “We ended up shooting 7-for-' 49 from the floor for a whopping 14’ percent, which was pretty tough to over­ come.” Lyons led Delton with 5 points and Williams and Mya Brickley had 4 points each. Delton Kellogg returns to action Friday at Galesburg-Augusta to open the South­ western Athletic Conference Central Division season - their first doubleheader with the boys’ of the season. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-12-15.pdf 5ca73edfaa35c45edbe7bafd97a576bd PDF Text Text Woman pleads guilty to tampering with evidence in Brickley murder Christmas season marked by giving, charitable acts Hastings boys score first 1-8 win over Coldwater See story on page 2 See story on page 4 See story on page 14 804879110187 1070490102590503688149058113421 PRICE $1.50 Thursday, December 15, 2022 VOLUME 168, No. 50 County board honors three commissioners as 38 years of combined experience exits its ranks Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers on Tuesday morning spent time reminisc­ ing and bidding farewell to three of its own who won’t be returning in the new year. At its bi-weekly meeting, the county board adopted resolutions to honor Chair Ben Gei­ ger, Vice Chair Vivian Conner and Commis­ sioner Hoot Gibson for their years of service. In doing so, the board acknowledged the massive amount of institutional knowledge and experience that would be leaving its ranks, as the trio of commissioners combines for a staggering 38 years on the commission. The board, with its current roster, will par­ take in one final Committee of the Whole meeting that is set for Tuesday, Dec. 20. The meeting is slated for 6 p.m. rather than the normal 9 a.m. meeting time in order to accommodate the attendance of family and friends of outgoing commissioners. “We are going to miss these three - I am going to miss these three,” Commissioner Bruce Campbell said. Each board member was afforded an opportunity to reflect on their time in office while their fellow commissioners chimed in. This included outgoing commissioners Gei­ ger, Conner and Gibson. Gibson, who represents District 1, takes his final bow as the longest-serving commission­ er in the history of the county. He was voted into office in 2004 and began serving in 2005. He will wrap up his 18 years with the com­ mission this month. In that time, Gibson did not miss a single meeting. In fact, at one point, Gibson broke his pelvis but, the very next week appeared at the meeting in a wheelchair. Gibson opted not to seek re-election. Local business owner Bob Teunessen earned the nod from voters and will take the seat. “The 18 years I’ve been here, I’ve made a lot of friends and met a lot of people,” Gibson said. “During that time, I’ve worked with 22 commissioners. I’d like to thank the past and present commissioners for their service and dedication in helping to make Barry County a better place for people to live, work and play....I’ll never forget all the people I’ve worked with all these years.” While Gibson’s 18 years certainly sets a new high watermark in terms of longevity, Geiger was not far behind. Geiger began serving in 2011 as the youngest commissioner in the history of the See COMMISSION, page 3 County board Vice Chair Vivian Conner hugs fellow commissioner Bruce Campbell with commissioner David Jackson in the background. County board Chairman Ben Geiger (right) watches on. Conner will leave the board next year after eight years of service. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Tyden Lofts plans finalized, approved by the city Hunter McLaren Staff Writer It’s finally happening: after years of public meetings and discussion, a finalized site plan for the Tyden Lofts housing development from Wisconsin-based developer General Capital has been approved by the city. The 60-unit, three-story workforce housing development will feature 41 one-bedroom apartments, six two-bedroom apartments and 13 three-bedroom units. It features a gabled design that mimics a row of townhouses, with 60 parking spaces located in a garage below the building. First pitched in 2020 utilizing the former Royal Coach building before it burnt down, the development has gone through several iterations. After the fire, the empty lot was considered for new construction before the Michigan State Housing Development Authority decided it could not approve tax credits to be used on that site. The final plans put the project at 326 W. State St., with the county hanging on to the former Friend of the Court building but selling the rights to a quar­ ter-acre of property, allowing the develop­ ment to connect its above-ground parking to the former FOC parking. See TYDEN LOFTS, page 3 Hastings school administrators (and facility dog Beasley) posed for a photo with their Ml HEARTSafe certificates presented by school nurse Rhonda Lundquist (front left) and Project ADAM coordinator Gwen Fosse (front right). Hastings schools receive recognition from state for heart safety efforts Josh Hafron, vice president of Wisconsin-based developer General Capital, was at Monday's city council meeting to answer questions about the Tyden Lofts project. The city signed off on the final site plans for the project, and Hafron said construction could start in the spring. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Duits takes on interim superintendent role for Lakewood, shares her vision with school board Molly Macleod Copy Editor While he will continue to be superinten­ dent in title until the end of the current school year, Lakewood Superintendent Steve Skalka presided over his last Board of Education meeting on Monday. Last week, Skalka abruptly announced his retirement, which will be preceded by a leave of absence that begins after the upcom­ ing winter break. Lakewood’s curriculum director, Jodi Duits, will take over as interim superintendent for the remainder of the school year. Skalka passed the torch to Duits on Monday and she present­ ed her plans to the board and audience. Duits said she plans to keep with the district strategic plan already agreed upon by stakeholders and adopted by the board. This plan focuses on prioritizing the safety of students and staff, the mental health of students and staff, teaching and learning, student programming, physical safety and passing a successful bond issue to improve facilities. At the focal point of this plan is student achievement, which Duits said all the other goals contribute to. “I am ready, excited and fully invested in Lakewood Public Schools and the Lake­ wood community,” Duits said on Monday. “I also want to thank Dr. Skalka for (his) leadership and support over the last three and a half years. I am thankful for the knowledge and many opportunities (he has) provided for me to learn and grow.” Duits said she feels honored to have been tapped to take over the interim role. Duits began her career at Lakewood in 2001, teaching third grade at West Elemen­ tary (now Lakewood Elementary School). Superintendent Skalka has endorsed Duits to take over his role permanently once the interim term has ended. The Board of Edu­ cation will decide later in the school year if they want to hire Duits directly or conduct a search for a new superintendent. Readers can find more on Lakewood’s superintendent transition in this week’s issue of the Lakewood News. Jodi Duits, who serves as curriculum director for Lakewood Public Schools, has been named interim superintendent fol­ lowing the retirement of superintendent Steve Skalka. Duits appeared in front of the Board of Education on Monday to share her vision. (Photo by Molly Macleod) Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings school staff members have been recognized for their efforts to protect youth and adults from sudden heart failure. District administrators were presented with certificates through the MI HEARTSafe School program, which requires a number of steps to be taken to ensure the school is prepared in the event of a cardiac emergency. Those criteria include a written emergency response plan, CPR and AED training for staff, as well as readily available defibrillators throughout the district. Gwen Fosse, a clinical outreach special­ ist for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, pre­ sented the certificates. Fosse also works as the Michigan coordinator of Project ADAM, a program that provides resources and advocates for the implementation of heart safety measures in schools. Fosse said that between February and June, there were three individuals at schools in Michigan who went into cardiac arrest and were saved by measures taken by MI HEARTSafe-certified schools. Of those three incidents, two involved children and one involved an adult. One of those kids was DaMarion Hicks, a Potter­ ville basketball player who collapsed during a scrimmage in Hastings this June. His life was saved through the collective efforts of staff and bystanders who prompt­ ly started CPR and used an AED to revive him before EMS first responders arrived. “Everybody had a really good outcome and it made everybody realize how import­ ant this is in a whole new way,” Fosse said about the incidents. The MI HEARTSafe program is spon­ sored by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Department of Education, American Heart Association, Michigan High School Ath­ letic Association and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young. Fosse said Project ADAM currently has affiliates in 29 states. “We’re working really hard to get a few more states with children’s hospitals who affiliate and do this work,” Fosse said. “For Project ADAM in Michigan, our main focus is to support MIHEARTSafe schools. We’re so lucky that we can work with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for this program.” Rhonda Lundquist, who works as the school nurse for the Hastings, Delton and Thomapple Kellogg districts through Spec­ trum Health, said she is working to get all schools in Barry County heart safe certified. “It’s so important,” Lundquist said. “We live in rural areas, you might not have EMS there for several minutes. The fact that staff would know how to (respond) and it’s not just a couple of people either, it’s a lot of people that are trained - it’s a big deal.” �Page 2 — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner NEWS BRIEFS Rice pleads guilty to tampering with evidence in Brickley murder Lakewood Area Choral Society to perform holiday concert The Lakewood Area Choral Society (LACS) will present its final concert of the 2022 season with Christmas songs ranging from secular to sacred. This year’s concert, “Hosanna In the Highest!” will be held Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. at Lakewood High School’s Perfor­ mance Auditorium, 7223 Velte Rd, Lake Odessa. The concert will feature a variety of fast-paced and melodic music from all parts of the world, including a 16th-century French carol, the traditional “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas,” an Austrian carol and a piece composed by the group’s founder and director Dr. Robert C. Oster. The concert will conclude with the solemn “Night of Silence,” by Daniel Kantor, featur­ ing Cathie Ott on flute and Cindy Olson on keyboard. As is customary at LACS Christmas concerts, the audience will join the choirs by singing “Silent Night” during the last verse. LACS is concluding its 37th year under the direction of its founder, Dr. Oster, and is accompanied by Ethan Holmes. “We are so fortunate to have a pianist of Ethan’s caliber accompanying the choir. His playing is so artful and that encourages the choir to be their best,” said Oster. The concert will be rebroadcast on WBCH 100.1 FM and streamed on wbch.com on Christmas Day at 8:30 a.m. The doors for the concert will open at 2:30 p.m., and in lieu of tickets, a freewill offering will be collected. Gun Lake Casino to reopen poker room tomorrow Gun Lake Casino announced the reopening of its poker room, which closed its doors indefinitely at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the casino’s “Play it Safe” initiative. The poker room will officially reopen on Friday, Dec. 16, and guests will once again be able to test their skills against one another. To celebrate the reopening, guests will be able to take advantage of hourly Hold ‘Em High Hand promotions of $500 taking place from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday through Sunday. A Made Hand Progressive will also begin on Dec. 16 and will run through Feb. 1 for guests playing at any live Texas Hold ’Em cash poker game during this promotional period. “We know our guests have been eager for our poker room to open back up, and we finally feel we are far enough past the pandemic that we can do so safely,” said Jose Flores, Gun Lake Casino’s vice president and general manager. “We’re excited to bring the poker room back for our guests, and offer another great way for them to enjoy gaming entertain­ ment here with fellow poker players.” Corewell Health Pennock named a best hospital for maternity care Five Corewell Health hospitals, the new name for Spectrum Health, have been ranked as high performing for maternity care (uncomplicated pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report. Corewell Health Pennock Hospital was one of the hospitals that earned this des­ ignation. High performing is the highest designation a hospital can receive and recognizes excellence in maternity care as measured by factors such as newborn complication rates. “We are thrilled to be ranked among the top hospitals in the nation,” said Cheryl Wolfe, MD, vice president and department chief of women’s health, at Corewell Health West. “We understand patients have a choice where they deliver their babies, and this designa­ tion is a true testament to the exceptional care our team provides to patients choosing to have their babies at Corewell Health.” U.S. News evaluated nearly 650 hospitals that provide labor and delivery services for upcprppliqated pregnancies for its 2022-23 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower risk pregnancies, newborn compli­ cation rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) rates, among other measures. Colleen Marie Rice, at right with attorney Shane McNeill, entered a guilty plea to charges of tampering with evidence at a hearing Wednesday in Barry County Court. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Greg Chandler Staff Writer A 47-year-old Hastings woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of tampering with evidence in the February 2021 murder of Gracyn Brickley in Maple Grove Township. Colleen Marie Rice entered the plea at a hearing before Judge Michael Schipper in Barry County court. The judge dismissed a charge of being an accessory after the fact to a felony in exchange for the guilty plea. Schipper set sentencing for Feb. 22, 2023. Rice is free on a $10,000 bond until sentencing. While the tampering charge carries a pos­ sible sentence of up to 10 years in prison, Schipper said he would agree to sentence Rice to no more than one year in jail under what is known as a Cobbs agreement. “The judge can give an opinion (or) offer Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt address­ es the court prior to Colleen Rice’s plea Wednesday. (Photo by Greg Chandler) sentencing agreement,” County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt said in explaining the Cobbs agreement. “If he chooses not to fol­ low the agreement for some reason, Colleen can withdraw her plea.” Schipper warned Rice to avoid any trouble prior to sentencing. “If you do mess up in any way, that agree­ ment’s gone and I can send you to prison for 10 years. Understood?” Schipper said. “Yes sir,” Rice said. Rice was one of three defendants arrested in July on charges of tampering with evi­ dence and being an accessory after the fact in the slaying of Brickley, an 18-year-old Maple Grove Township woman. Andrew Lafey was convicted of murder in the slaying and is serving a life sentence without parole. Members of Brickley’s family were in attendance for the hearing, with several wear­ Thornapple Township board approves extension of pilot project for second ambulance Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Thomapple Township board on Mon­ day approved a 90-day extension to a pilot project to have a second staffed ambulance available to accommodate second calls and hospital transfers. The board approved a second 90-day trial for the second ambulance for Thornapple Township Emergency Services that would be available 12 hours per day, except for one day a week when the ambulance would be avail­ able for a full 24 hours. The initial trial period was to have expired on Dec. 16, TTES Chief Closed or Open Cell Bill Richardson said. or Blown-In Fiberglass “The need continues to grow for the sec­ ond unit due to the lack of primary ambu­ Roy Mast • 517-652-9119 lance availability in our own area to cover our L 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J residents,” Richardson wrote in a memo to the township board. TTES on Sept. 5 converted to round-theclock staffing for its primary ambulance and Choose a Guided Tour+tax,fees fire engine, a move that Richardson said 9 days 8995 Costa Rica 9 Day Tour 8 days 8995 Panama will allow for consistent advanced life sup­ 8 days 8995 with All Meals, Guatemala port service and quick response time to fire All Hotels, All Activities. Mexico calls. 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The third defendant, 36-year-oId Dustin Scott Stephens of Nashville, is facing multi­ ple charges in the case, including perjury in the trial of a capital crime, which carries a possible life sentence. He is also charged with tampering with evidence, felon in possession of a firearm and accessory after the fact to a felony. He is also charged as a habitual offender-second notice. Bill Richardson ues to be a need for advanced life support and basic life support transfers from area hospitals. “While in talks with Corewell Health (for­ merly Spectrum Health), they identified the need for transports and they are busiest from 4 p.m. until midnight,” Richardson wrote in the memo. “Increasing our staffing availabil­ ity will allow our second truck more opportu­ nity to help cover second-hit calls, increase night staffing for high-risk, low-acuity events like structure fires for faster responses and quicker incident mitigation.” During the first 90-day trial period, TTES only turned over one call for service, Rich­ ardson said. “That was because (Spectrum Health) Pennock Hospital swore that this person was going to die if we didn’t get him from the emergency department ... to (Spectrum Health) Butterworth Hospital (in Grand Rapids), and it ended up that patient could have waited and we could have served the citizens we needed to,” Richardson told the township board. “In the 90 days, you typically average about 10 turnovers from our area because we’re out on calls. We’ve had one in 90 days,” Richardson added. Richardson was to meet Tuesday with the charge nurse at Spectrum Health Pennock to discuss how to determine what is considered a high-priority call, and how the second ambulance would be used in such a way that one ambulance would be available to serve the township at all times. The township is expected to receive esti­ mated revenue of $24,667, after wages, as a result of the initial 90-day trial, Richardson wrote in his memo. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — Page 3 Thomapple Township approves Noffke Rd. improvements Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Thomapple Township board on Mon­ day approved going ahead with a $621,000 repaving project on Noffke Drive, off of 108th Street. The board unanimously passed a resolu­ tion to move ahead with the project, whose costs will be borne by property owners along the road through a special assessment pro­ cess. A hearing to set the assessment roll will take place at next month’s board meeting. About 160 properties are expected to be affected by the project. The assessments would be paid off over a 15-year period. The project, which would be done by the Barry County Road Commission, involves milling, asphalt paving, sealing and resto­ ration work on Noffke Drive from 108th Street south to West Noffke Drive. About 3-and-a-half inches of asphalt will be installed oh the project. “Three-and-a-half inches of asphalt is what we would put on a regular through road,” Road Commission Assistant Managing Director Jake Welch said. “The design we’re using for this project is for a through road.” Some residents along the road who attend­ ed a public hearing asked questions about the project, including the amount of asphalt that will be used. “The vast majority of our roads in Barry County, to be quite honest, are resealed. They prime the gravel, and they put three seals on them,” Welch said. “They may have had an overlay, they may not. But some of our best-performing roads in Barry County that have way more traffic than Noffke don’t have any asphalt on them at all. They just have three chip seals on them, and they’ve been subsequently chip sealed through the years, and they perform really well because that material stays super flexible. “Asphalt is a flexible product by nature and concrete is a rigid material, so as as soon as concrete bends at all, it cracks. Asphalt is intended to stay flexible. That’s actually why we seal them, so that it slows that hardening process ... and keeps it as flexible as it can for as long as it can,” Welch added. Noffke Road resident Brenda Coles expressed concern of the project on drain­ age. She lives at the top of the hill on the road. “We get a dump load of gravel into my driveway with every freeze, thaw, rain or storm,” Coles said. “How arc we going to be changing out the drainage on the new con­ struction?” The 60-unit, three-story workforce housing development will feature 41 one-bed­ room apartments, six two-bedroom apartments and 13 three-bedroom units. It fea­ tures a gabled design that mimics a row of townhouses, with 60 parking spaces located in a garage below the building. (Courtesy rendering) TYDEN LOFTS, continued from page 1 ------------------------- Barry County Road Commission Assistant Managing Director Jake Welch explains the Noffke Road resurfacing project to residents at a Thornapple Township board meeting Monday. (Photo by Greg Chandler) “...I think we're going to have a much nicer neighborhood. We can walk and not roll ankles and ride bikes and not tear up our cars.” - Curt Campbell, Thornapple Township trustee and Noffke Rd. resident Welch said that assuming the project moves ahead, a letter will be sent out to resi­ dents encouraging anyone with specific con­ cerns to call the road commission. “I’ll come out or one of my engineer techs will come out and meet with you. We’ll dis­ cuss it and see,” he said. “Maybe what we’re doing, just removing and replacing what’s there (now) will fix it. If not, we have some options and we have a little bit of funding in that project to fix some stuff like that.” Township Trustee Curt Campbell, who lives on Noffke Road, expressed confidence in the project. . “This road, since the last mill-and-fill, has lasted dam near 30 years,” Campbell said. “I see no reason to expect that we won’t get that kind of life out of a 3-and-half inch mill-and-fill going forward. So if we can get a road to last for 30 years and we’re paying for it for 15, I think we’re going to have a much nicer neighborhood. We can walk and not roll ankles and ride bikes and not tear up our cars.” Parks and rec commission to apply for $418,000 in grant money for Charlton Park Jayson Bussa Editor The Barry County Parks & Recreation Commission is looking to secure significant funding for a park that notoriously needs it. The county board recently gave the com­ mission a thumbs up to move forward with applying for a Michigan Department of Nat­ ural Resources (DNR) Spark Grant in order to fund improvements within the Charlton Park Recreation Area. Charlton Park, with its 300 acres of land and over 30 historic buildings, is in perpetual need of funds in order to address both repairs and maintenance projects and a variety of upgrades. A successful grant application would steer $418,000 in grant money to Barry County, which would match it with $25,000 of its own for a total of $443,000. The Spark Grant program is a one-time granting opportunity that is giving out a total of $65 million for outdoor public rec­ reation projects. The county parks and rec commission has significant plans for the money, starting with the Charlton Park beach area. Since this area was developed in the late 70s and early 80s, Director Dan Patton said that the commission would like to replace the sand, change some of the landscape, widen the parking lot and add sidewalks. Another major project would be for the park to convert two mini-shelters into one large pavilion shelter to be used as a rental for outings. “One of the problems we’re continuing to bump up against with that location is that (the shelters) are not large enough,” Patton said. “Most of our family reunions and picnics what people are doing is renting both because the size of their group is too large.” Patton added that the current structures are also old and in disrepair. With the money, the commission is also looking to add a play structure near the newly-created shelter. Additionally, the commission is aiming to add a canoe and kayak launch. One of these structures makes it possible for wheel­ chair-bound individuals to easily get in and out of a floatation vessel before entering the water. The DNR will issue three rounds of grants, the first of which will be decided in January already, which is an uncharacteristically quick turnaround time for a grant program of this nature. Patton anticipated a competitive applica­ tion process. The county has until Dec. 19 to submit its grant application. “I will tell you that it will be highly com­ petitive,” Patton said. “The webinar that I (sat) in on with the DNR, there were 1,000 other people sitting in the same webinar. We anticipate it being pretty aggressive in terms of applications.” COMMISSION, continued from page 1 ------------------------county. He has spent 12 years with the board of commissioners, four of which were as chair. The Nashville resident represents Dis­ trict 5, which includes his hometown in addition to Woodland and Castletown town­ ships. Geiger opted to run for state representa­ tive this year instead of seeking re-election to the county board. In his race, he lost the Republican nomination to newly-elected representative Gina Johnsen. Mike Callton, a former state rep and a close friend of Geiger, will take the seat next year. Board members gave Geiger special kudos for maintaining that leadership role during the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic when residents were especially spirited at meetings over various health protocols and limitations being implement­ ed as a response to the pandemic. Geiger earned a reputation for being lev­ el-headed and unmovable during these tumultuous times. “I’ve never seen anybody be under attack as much as you were in the past couple of years,” commissioner David Jackson said. “But you stood. You had dignity. You had character and you had class. You let people have their pound of flesh even when they didn’t deserve it and you protected a lot of us on the board from that as well. You have had one of the most difficult two years I can remember.” An emotional Campbell echoed that sen­ timent. “You just got to respect a guy that never lost his professionalism - always was a man’s man,” he said. “And he took care of business here. And I’ll never forget that, Ben. Never.” The board also honored Conner, who has spent eight years serving the county in this capacity, beginning in 2015. Conner’s Dis­ trict 6 includes Orangeville and Prairieville Townships. Mark A. Doster, who won the race for the seat this year, will take over the seat next year. Conner was hailed for her detailed work and eagle eye for any discrepancy in the language of resolutions. “She makes me remember that it’s the small things - the details,” Campbell said. “God, sometimes it drives you nuts. But she is spot on. We all should pay as much atten­ tion to what is going through this room as Vivian Conner has.” Conner was never one to vote with the group just for the sake of doing so. She was often the lone ‘no’ vote. “It was kind of hard sometimes - I felt very alone in some of the votes but I still felt that, from information that I got from constituents or from studying, I still felt that was the way to vote,” Conner said. “But, 1 appreciate (civility from fellow board mem­ bers).” The city approved a tax exemption for the project alongside the site plans, setting up a 35-year payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement instead. The project would pay a percentage of its collected rent to the city instead of taxes, with that rate starting at one percent and increasing by a percent every five years up to a maximum of four percent. City officials said the increasing rate would allow the project to be less costly up front for the developers while still providing the city with what other comparable PILOT pro­ grams with a flat rate would. Josh Hafron, vice president of General Capital, said construction could start as soon as next spring. Once complete, the developer would be obligated to own the property for at least 15 years. If the developer chooses to sell the property, the new owner would have to honor the PILOT agreement and workforce housing requirements until the end of the 45-year agreement. “I’ll tell you I can’t make a commitment tonight that we’re going to hold the property for 35 years,” Hafron said. “But what I will say is the properties that we’ve had in the past that have hit that 15-year mark, which is the end of the initial tax credit compliance peri­ od, we have bought those out from our limit­ ed partner investors and hqld those. Our goal is to hold this ‘forever’ and pass it on to our cnildren/et cetera/’^ The workforce housing agreement tied to the project puts restrictions on how much rent can be charged, with the amount of rent being charged being adjusted for each tenant’s income. The goal is to provide a place for young families and professionals to live who otherwise couldn’t afford to rent or buy hous­ ing at the market rate. Johnny DeMaagd, owner of Left Field Cof­ fee in Middleville and Hastings, came to the meeting to express his support for the project. He likened the workforce housing to the busi­ ness incubator space in Middleville where he started Left Field, and said it was a great solu­ tion to breathe new life into downtown Hast­ ings, both culturally and economically. “As a business owner, it’s super important having people live in such a vibrant and wel­ coming community,” DeMaagd said. “Hav­ ing people live downtown - especially in multifamily housing and mixed-income housing - it offers a vibrancy to the commu­ nity that you don’t get with just regular devel­ opments per se.” In other business, the city: - Approved Mayor Tossava’s appointment of Nichole Lyke to the planning commission for a partial three-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2024. - Approved the final site plan for the Tyden Lofts 60-unit housing project at 326 W. State St. -Approved a transfer of the city’s garbage agreement from Les’s Sanitary Services to Granger Waste Services, Inc. - Approved a contract for the 2023 tree removal, trimming and stump grinding to low bidder High Pointe Tree Service LLC for $29,750. - Approved a proposal from Place+Main Advisors for an economic development and community marketing plan in the amount of $25,000. The Michigan Economic Develop­ ment Corporation is'Set to cover 75 percent of the cost. - Committed funds totaling $145,400 toward matching Michigan Spark Grant applications. Council members agreed if approved for the grants, the matching contri­ butions could come from the $220,000 the city received from the sale of the residence at Fish Hatchery Park. - Entered an agreement with Alera to perform services related to Affordable Care Act compliance for an annual amount of $5,000. Building Trust, Delivering Integrity, One Handshake at a Time. Looking for a dynamic, rewarding and challenging position? Then look no more and come join our team! You will be stepping into an instrumental role managing the front desk for a fast-paced accounting firm. Work schedule will be full time January through April and Monday through Wednesday, May through December, lending to a 4-day weekend opportunity! The ideal candidate is flexible, with extreme attention to detail. Must work independently, have excellent communication and customer service skills and thrive when working on multiple projects. Must be comfortable with Word, Excel and multi-line phone system. Competitive salary with benefits, including short-term and long-term disability options, health insurance options, 401K retirement plan and vacation time. Barry County Board of Commissioners Chairman Ben Geiger (right) and Vice Chair Vivian Conner embrace during Tuesday morning’s meeting. Neither will return to the board next year. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Send cover letter and resume to ksheldon@wfscpas.com or Fax to 269-945-4890 by December 23, 2022 �Page 4 — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you see? Are the lights of Christmas dimming? HOLY COW Jodi, the giant cow that stands guard over MOO-ville Creamery in Nashville is looking quite festive these days. She is all decked out in Christmas flair welcoming in visi­ tors to the family farm. George Hubka submitted this photo of Jodi lighting up the night. Do you remember? Engineers tour plant Banner March 28, 1979 Hastings was host to a meeting of the Battle Creek Engineers Club Tuesday evening and after a dinner at the Moose Lodge, the members toured Flexfab, inspecting various manufacturing areas. Here Rand Winters, production manager, explains a procedure to a group of the visiting engineers. - Banner photo Have you met? Science was always something that inter­ ested Grand Rapids native Mary Parr, although she didn’t care for all of it. She was drawn to the physical sciences: things like weather patterns, natural formations and geology. “It really wasn’t until I took an AP envi­ ronmental science course at my high school that I realized, ‘Oh, forestry is a field and soil scientists exist.’ That opened my eyes to a whole other world of opportunities, other than what I had initially thought,” Parr said. “Once I realized there were some of those professions available, I quickly decided that was the direction I wanted to go.” Parr went on to study natural resource management at Grand Valley State Univer­ sity, where she graduated as a Student of Excellence in 2018. Her first job after grad­ uating took her to the remote regions of northwest Minnesota, on the U.S. and Can­ ada border. There, she helped manage prop­ erties for The Nature Conservancy in Min­ nesota. “We were out of cell service, and we were up there treating invasive species or mowing bum breaks. That was a chal­ lenge,” she said. “We also were kind of like a fire crew, that would bum a lot of our properties up there.” Prescribed fires - those that are inten­ tionally set and managed to help manage the land and encourage new growth - were a big part of Parr’s job. She said their small­ est bum probably involved about 500 acres of land - one of the largest she helped with involved 12,000 acres. “I kind of continued on that path, because I was really interested in fire, prairies and grasslands,” Parr said. “Then I heard about an opportunity in Nebraska, also through the Nature Conservancy.” The opportunity was a year-long fellow­ ship, where Parr worked with bison and cattle herds to manage their grazing. Using a land management technique called patch­ burn grazing, Parr and her colleagues would burn specific portions of a pasture, which would encourage new growth and attract the bison and cattle to graze there. Not only Mary Parr was it beneficial for the herds’ grazing hab­ its, but it also helped encourage local biodi­ versity, Parr said. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Parr was in Maryland working at a native plant nursery. “It was interesting, and I enjoyed it. I was the integrated pest manager, so I got to order bugs online and then use them to eat the bugs that were damaging our plants,” she said. “I liked it, but something about a pandemic kind of makes you want to be closer to your family. (Working outside of the state) gave me enough time to miss my family and West Michigan. It just felt like the right time to come back.” Parr came to Barry County to work at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute as a steward­ ship coordinator, where she has since become the stewardship manager. “It’s a very diverse job,” she said. Prescribing fires to promote new growth, managing 10 miles of nature trails, assist­ ing with educational nature programs and mentoring undergraduate students are all things she does at the institute. She also helps run the greenhouse, where she esti­ mates she grew 8,000 native species of plants last year. This year, she hopes to break 10,000. Along with working 30 hours a week at the institute, Parr is a full-time student. She’s attending Grand Valley State Univer­ sity to get a master’s degree in biology with a focus on fire sciences. There, she’s work­ ing with one of her previous professors to study the effects of various prescribed bum techniques used in different seasons. “It’s kind of the best of both worlds for me because I get to go work in an academic envi­ ronment and get all these ideas for the (Pierce Cedar Creek Institute) property,” she said. “I can bring those (ideas) back and incorporate that into some of the management.” Parr, a member of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, said being a steward of the land is an honor that she greatly appreciates. “It puts me in a very unique place, that I’m actually managing land. Indigenous people were the original land managers or land stewards. It’s amazing to be in this role, just at a very different time in the world with very different challenges,” she said. “There definitely is a lot of cultural significance in a lot of these plants and ani­ mals that we manage. I’m honored to be able to do that as my job.” For her role in keeping Barry County beautiful, Mary Parr is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite board game: “Wingspan.” Book I would recommend: “Braiding Sweetgrass.” Favorite vacation destination: Port­ land, Maine. Favorite movie: “Australia.” Hobbies: Houseplants. No matter where we stand in life’s adventure, everyone should feel the magic of this time of year. The anticipation of Christmas Day brings out the kid in all of us. It’s the par­ ties and the holiday foods, the concerts, the plays and all the events leading up to the special day that light up our lives for a short bit of time. I know, all the celebrations, the parades and the special events in the community are great, but at times they can make the season seem endless. One minute, you’re sleeping off the Thanksgiving Day feast and the next you’re just days away from the biggest holiday event of the year, the celebration of the birth of the Christ child. Even some of the curmudgeons I know, though, love to give the impression that they don’t enjoy the special day. Yet, in reality, they love the feeling of the season. For Christians, it’s the time when we celebrate the birth of Christ who, we believe, is the Son of God. The name Christmas comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus) which is sometimes called Com­ munion or Eucharist, a time of spiritual commemoration of the gift God offered us in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus and the promise that we, too, will live with Him forever. Even for our friends of other faiths, this time of year carries special meaning. Jews celebrate the eight-day miracle of Hanuk­ kah and Muslims mark this time as God’s revealing of the Koran during Ramadan. The African American culture commemo­ rates its heritage of being the product of two worlds with the seven-day cultural festival known as Kwanzaa. Over the years, there’s been a lot of con­ cern that our society has lost the spiritual significance of the holiday, allowing it to be more about the fun and lights, parties and events rather than the celebration of God’s presence in our lives. Are Americans becoming less religious? A recent Pew Research Center Report finds that the percentage of people who say they believe in God, pray daily and regularly go to church or other religious services has declined modestly. And even though the report finds a great deal of stability in the religious landscape there are a growing number of Americans, especially Millenni­ als, who say they don’t belong to any orga­ nized faith. Although the coronavirus pandemic pushed many out of the church pews and is keeping them at home, an increasing num­ ber of adults have made a conscious deci­ sion to leave or forgo any organized reli­ gion. That trend is showing no signs of slowing down, either. According to the Pew Report, about 3 in 10 Americans presently self-identify as religiously unaffiliated, reinforcing the claim that Americans are becoming more secular. Christianity still dominated U.S. A related P.S.: Thanks goes to the local officials and citizens who kept up the pressure to move two important housing projects forward in Barry County. The Tyden Lofts in down­ town Hastings and the conversion of the former W. K. Kellogg School into an apart­ ment project in Nashville are both import­ ant to solving the county’s housing needs. Congratulations to everyone who real­ ized how important these projects are to our communities! Proposed lake level and drainage projects at Pine Lake have been a years-long saga. The topic has re-emerged recently as the Barry County Drain Commissioner seeks guidance on what actions to take with this lake, located in the southwestern corner of the county. Read this weekend’s issue of The Reminder io learn more about the issue and to hear what local residents are saying. The Hastings BcUHlCl* Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 Published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO Each week, the Banner profiles a person who makes the community shine. Do you know someone who should be featured because of volunteer work, fun-loving per­ sonality, for the stories he or she has to tell, or for any other reason? Send information to Newsroom, Hastings Banner, 1351 N. M-43 Highway, Hastings, MI 49058; or email news@j-adgraphics.com. religion in 2021, though, with 63 percent of adults identifying as such. Still, there is no question that Christian­ ity’s historic influence on American soci­ ety has been slipping and is impacting the commitment people have to any particular religion. The magic of the Christmas story, though - no matter if, or how, a person believes still carries a powerful and touching mean­ ing. Look around and you can still see the good in people during the Christmas sea­ son; folks who are moved to give back to others with random acts of kindness and who offer expressions of generosity to oth­ ers. To me, those are signs of religious conviction - it just depends on how and where people choose to express it. “One person can make a difference and every person must try,” said the late Presi­ dent John F. Kennedy adding the inspira­ tional question, “What if each of us sponta­ neously decided that, one by one, we really can be the better world we wish?” Kennedy knew that most of us will rise to the occasion - we like the encourage­ ment and feeling of accomplishment that comes from helping someone we don’t even know. That’s a feeling that, if it becomes contagious, can bring us together, helping us overlook whatever may be attempting to divide us. We all know today that if we truly engage in the critical work we have before us as a nation, and as part of the communi­ ties we live in, the differences between us will diminish. There’s so much we all can do for those in need right here in Barry County. Helping others who may not have as much will bring out the best in us, which is what the Christmas season is all about. Merry Christmas! • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 T i b 3 J I 4 •1 •1 'i u q i j �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — Page 5 Local community fortunate to have such rich performing arts resources Dear Editor: On Sunday, Dec. 11, my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Christmas Collage Concert at Hastings High School’s Perform­ ing Arts Center. The concert showcased the talents of 200 students in the band and choir programs. We are so fortunate in this community to have, not only a marvelous performance venue, but engaged and dedicated student musicians and their competent instructors. Band directors Spencer White and Jen Ewer, and choral direc­ tor, Andrew Moore, have exemplified extraordi­ nary teamwork, musicianship and have immea­ surably touched the lives of those performers as well as those of us fortunate to have attended. I also want to recognize the HPAC staff, Craig Holley, Jeff Buehl, Joe LaJoye and the numerous community usher volunteers who, once again, have provided a professional atmosphere conducive to the enjoyment of the performing arts. Sincerely, Robert C. Oster Craig McCarthy TK board gives McCarthy ‘highly effective’ rating in evaluation City approves transfer of garbage services to Granger after merger with Les’s Sanitary Service Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The city transferred its city garbage agree­ ment to Granger Waste Services, Inc. after Les’s Sanitary Service combined its opera­ tions with the company Dec. 1. Scott Truman, director of sales and market development at Granger, was present at the city council meeting Monday to provide information and answer questions. Safety, customer service and environmental responsibility are the com­ pany’s biggest priorities, Truman said. “We follow the golden rule. We want to treat others the way we want to be treated. We live by those words, and we put them up everywhere to remind all of us what we’re here to do with our jobs,” Truman said. “We recognize ourselves as stewards of the land, recognizing that we are temporary but what we put into the Earth is permanent.” Granger serves 51 other municipalities across the state, providing about 50,000 trash or recycling services daily. Although Granger doesn’t expect any major hangups, the com­ pany is still smoothing out a few wrinkles related to the transition of services from Les’s, he said. Elaine Garlock Last week’s column should have included the announcement of a Blue Christmas service to be held on Dec. 14 for the community. This is sponsored by the local ministerial association. There were two services sched­ uled, one at 1 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m. These services are meant to benefit those who find the Christmas season difficult and for those who have difficult feelings due to past experience with death or illness during Christmastime. The church is located on Velte Road south of M-50 and north of M-43. The Christmas Basket project was carried out successfully with a new chairman. The number of families serviced was less this year than in past years. As in the past two years, all food distributed had been pur­ chased. This new phase was begun during The company uses garbage trucks with robotic arms to unload garbage carts as opposed to the traditional rear-loaded trucks that require a sanitation worker to manually unload carts. While the company trains new employees how to operate the trucks, custom­ ers may find their garbage carts might end up close to or in the roadway after being picked up, he said. New drivers who are unfamiliar with routes may also miss stops, and businesses with spe­ cial pickup arrangements may have to make those clear with Granger, Truman said. In addition, Granger would be moving its recy­ cling services to a biweekly cart pickup ser­ vice, with carts provided by the company. Truman said any customers experiencing any issues shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to the company to resolve them, and that notices would be sent out to any customers affected by changes like the new recycling carts. Mayor Dave Tossava said he understood how issues could arise during the transfer of services and he had faith in Granger. “You’re going to be great and I really think so,” Tossava said. “Our problem, and I think I’ve shared this with you, is that we got the first year of COVID due to new restric­ tions and the plan was carried out again this year. In all previous years, children at school had brought in canned goods from their own family pantries. Some drivers made multiple trips, especially for local deliveries. Overall, the project went smooth­ ly. Some drivers came from Grand Rapids to assist due to their long-held customs dating to when they still lived here in the Lakewood school district. Central United Methodist Church will again hold its customary Christmas Eve ser­ vice at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24. Sunday morning service will be at 10:30 a.m., the usual time. On the past Sunday, there was a carol sung by the Call-Down Choir. This week, the choir had 11 singers. They were under the direction of Jackie Spagnuolo (n?e Cunningham). This week was initiation time for the huge new garbage bins which had been delivered by a big truck on an earlier day. Each is large enough to hold several plastic trash bags. Also, the mail brought invoices to be paid to the new provider, Granger, which replaces Greg Chandler Scott Truman, director of sales and market development at Granger, told council members the transition of ser­ vices was going smoothly with only a few minor kinks that needed to be worked out. spoiled by Les’s Sanitary because they did everything. Everything you put out there, they got. But I (understand) you can’t take every­ thing - some things need to be recycled, they don’t need to be thrown into the landfill.” Mayor Pro-Tern John Resseguie expressed concerns that his bill wasn’t the same as it was with Les’s. “My question is basically, I’ve heard you were going to keep the same rates that Les’s had or as close as you can. I’d like to say I got my first bill today, and you didn’t keep the same rates,” he said. “You’re actually one penny less.” Les’s Sanitary Service. The new bins have two wheels. Has anyone weighed one of the new containers? They are far heavier than the previous containers. There was a suitable turnout for the Mon­ day Bloodmobile held at the Fellowship Hall Monday afternoon, with several people in the process of donating by mid-afternoon. This event takes place in alternate months, so the next drive will likely be in February. Staff Writer Thornapple Kellogg Schools Superin­ tendent Craig McCarthy is getting high marks for his performance in his first review as the district’s top official. School board President Matt Powers announced details of McCarthy’s evalua­ tion at Monday’s board meeting. The board gave McCarthy, who became the district’s superintendent in January, a rat­ ing of “highly effective.” The board conducted the evaluation of McCarthy at a closed-door meeting on Dec. 6. “Mr. McCarthy has made a marked effort to increase his presence in the com­ munity through visiting schools, attending events at school, local government meet­ ings, and hosting coffee with the superin­ tendent events,” Powers said in a statement to the Hastings Banner. Before becoming superintendent of TK schools, McCarthy had served as interim superintendent for four months while pre­ vious Superintendent Dan Remenap was on medical level. McCarthy joined the district as assistant superintendent in 2018. Among his accomplishments with the dis­ trict include playing a leading role in the development of the $42.8 million dollar bond issue that voters approved in Novem­ ber 2020. “The board highlighted the way Mr. McCarthy successfully led the building projects and construction of the TK Early Childhood Center,” Powers said in his statement. “These facilities will provide support for student academic growth.” The board also praised McCarthy for improved academic performance across the district for the past year. “Mr. McCarthy has made a marked effort to increase his presence in the community through visiting schools, attending events at school, local government meetings, and hosting coffee with the superintendent events.” — Matt Powers, School Board President, Thomapple Kellogg Schools “Student growth is required to be 40 per­ cent of the evaluation,” Powers said. “Mr. McCarthy presented data from SAT / PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test), M-STEP (Michigan - Student Test of Edu­ cational Progress) and NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association). Mr. McCarthy has provided data that Thomapple Kellogg Schools have shown growth over the 2022 - 2023 school year.” The board evaluation also showed that McCarthy “showed strengths in his efforts to build and maintain labor relations and staff development” and was “impressed with Mr. McCarthy’s development and support of future educators.” Before coming to TK, McCarthy was assistant superintendent at Northview Pub­ lic Schools for nine years and director of business operations at Cadillac Area Schools for two years. A certified public accountant, he also worked 14 years as a business service technologies teacher at the Kent Career Technical Center. 1925-'’ DUNCAN LAKE NO. 2 DRAIN NOTICE OF DAY OF REVIEW OF DRAINAGE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES AND REVIEW OF APPORTIONMENTS DATE: Thursday, January 5,2023 TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. LOCATION: Office of the Barry County Drain Commissioner 220 W. State St. Hastings, MI 49058 QUESTIONS: (269) 945-1385 At the Day of Review, the Drain Commissioner will have the tentative drainage district boundaries and apportionments against parcels and municipalities within the proposed Drainage District available to review. The Drain Commissioner, engineers, and other staff members will be available to assist individuals throughout the day, and to make revisions where necessary. There is no need to schedule an appointment for a specific time. Comments on the apportionment of benefits may be submitted to the Drain Commissioner in writing before the Day of Review at the Office of the Barry County Drain Commissioner, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 or jdull@barrycounty.org, or comments may be submitted in writing or verbally at the Day of Review. Comments submitted in advance must be received by the Drain Commissioner prior to the Day of Review to ensure consideration. Man unknowingly buys, returns stolen vehicle Two vehicles belonging to a 45-year-old Freeport man were discovered to be missing from his property on the 7000 block of Wood School Road around 6 a.m. on Nov. 25. The man told police he doesn’t live at the property, and the house there had been vacant for nearly a year. While check­ ing on the property, he noticed the garage door was off the track, and a classic car, sport bike and vehicle motor were all missing from the garage. After making a Facebook post about the missing vehicle, a family member of the victim was contacted by a 37-year-old Fruitport man who was in possession of the vehicle as well as some of the other items in the garage. A 33-year-old Hastings man who claimed to work for the bank told the Fruitport man the house was foreclosed and the items were for sale. The Fruitport man returned the vehicles and items to the owner. Gun retrieved from road in Lake Odessa A 65-year-old Lake Odessa man contacted police after finding a gun around 5 p.m. Nov. 8 on Cunningham Road. Police were able to contact a relative of the owner, who said the gun was his father’s and it must have fell out of his truck while he was visiting family after a hunt­ ing trip. Police held onto the weapon until a family member could retrieve it later that day. Change, air compressor stolen from car near Baltimore Township A 66-year-old Hastings man called police about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 13 after discovering the contents of his center console and glove box around the inside of his vehicle. The man told police he arrived at his home on the 4000 block of South M-37 State Highway late the previous night, and hadn’t noticed anything suspicious during the night. The man noticed the mess when he got up to take his wife to work that morning, and discovered an ashtray full of loose change and a portable air compressor were both missing from the vehicle as well. Cops corral loose cows Police responded to a report of cows in the roadway around 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 4 on Patterson Road near Cobb Lake Road. When police arrived, they found 30 to 40 cows in the roadway. Police made contact with the local farmer who owned the cows and were able to successfully corral them back into their field. A licensed professional engineer has recommended lands be added or removed from the Drainage Districts. A general description of the lands by section number proposed to be added or deleted from the Drainage Districts is as follows: Drain Name Municipality Duncan Lake No. 2 Drain Thomapple Township Portions of Sections Added 5, 6, 7, 8 Portions of Sections Removed 5, 6, 7, 8 The computation of costs will also be available at the Day of Review. Drain assessments are collected in the same manner as property taxes and will appear on your winter tax bill. If drain assessments are being collected for more than one (1) year, you may pay the assessment in full with any interest to date at any time and avoid further interest charges. Barry County and Thomapple Township are to be assessed at-large. Additional information, including a map of the Drainage District, and the Notice of Letting (containing the number and length of sections, the average width of each section, and if the drain will be closed, the amount and specifications of all tile or pipe required; the location, number, type, and size of culverts or bridges to be installed, if any; and conditions upon which the contract will be awarded) can be found at: www.barrycounty.org/dcpartments and officials/officials/drain commissioner/. Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation in the Day of Review should contact the Drain Commissioner’s Office at the number noted above (voice) or through the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1 (TDD) at least 24 hours in advance of the Day of Review to request mobility, visual, hearing or other assistance. You may appeal the revision of the Drainage District boundaries to the Barry County Circuit Court within ten (10) days and you may also appeal the determination of apportionments to the Barry County Probate Court within ten (10) days of the Day of Review. Jim Dull Barry County Drain Commissioner �Page 6 — Thursday, December 15, 2022 —The Hastings Banner Die I Craven, age 96, of Hastings, MI went to be with his Lord on December 9, 2022. Die was bom May 14 th , 1926, the first child of Russel and Irene Kaiser Craven. Die attended school in Hastings. On September 4, 1948, Die was united in marriage to Alice Hanford at the Free Methodist parsonage in Big Rapids, MI. They celebrated 68 years of marriage before her passing in January 2017. Die grew up on the homestead where he lived his entire life, moving only once, across the driveway to the home Die and Alice built using timber from the homestead. He was a very passionate woodsman. He was most at peace in the woods. He could tell you the kind of tree most every leaf came from, helping many students with their fall school projects. He cut down trees, making them into boards with his small sawmill and cutting thou­ sands of cords of wood in his lifetime. His cords were perfectly stacked, and each piece of wood was perfectly measured and cut. He was somewhat of a perfectionist like that. Die was also a longtime crane operator beginning with the Baldwin brothers in the late 1940’s and then later with the Barry County Road Commission serving 26 years until his retirement in 1988. Die and Alice were longtime members of the Hastings Free Methodist Church. They served in many capacities, wanting to do their part for the kingdom of God. They also cared for many foster children and took in many family members over the years. They were passionate in helping others with food from the garden or firewood from the woods, serving others however they could. They were also passionate supporters of the Free Methodist missionaries their entire married lives. After retirement, Die and Alice did some traveling, traveled to nearly all of the 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii as well as overseas to Central and South America. Die will be deeply missed by his children, John (Marlene) Craven and Patricia (Rev. Garry) Cruce of Hastings, Debra Mills of Austin, TX, Robert (Leslie) Craven of Fair Haven, MI; 13 grandchildren, Martha (Scott) Chipman, Melissa (Chris) MacCreery, Mary Craven, Sarah Cruce, Rebecca Gorbena, Ivan (Molly) Mills, Joshua (Danita) Orsbom, Kevin, Brandon, Jacob (Miranda), Trevor, Liliana and Nicholas Craven; 11 great-grand­ children, sibling Lawson (Linda) Craven; and many nieces and nephews. Die was preceded in death by his wife, parents; siblings Doris Lumbert, and Rose (Bud) Hale; and son-in-law Gaylord Mills. The family would like to give a special thank you to Flower House of Nashville, MI, for four years of their wonderful care and comfort to Dad and to us. Also, a special thank you to Hospice of Lansing for their care and comfort this last year. A celebration of Die’s life will be celebrat­ ed on Friday, Dec. 16, 2023 at 11 a.m. at the Hastings Free Methodist church, 2635 N. M-43 Hwy. Services will be preceded by a visitation at 10 a.m. Attendees are invited to honor Dic’s life by wearing relaxed attire of plaid flannel shirts with jeans. Memorial contributions in memory of Die Craven may be made to Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy or a tree planted in his honor. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home-Hastings, con­ veniently located at 1401 North Broadway, Hastings, ML For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. Tel. (269)-945-3252 Funeral Home Fax(269)-945-0663 328 S. Broadway Street Hastings, Michigan 49058 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Aline Irvine Aline Irvine, former Director of the Coun­ cil on Aging in Port Huron, dies at 100. Aline Irvine, beloved mother and grand­ mother, friend to many, and former Executive Director of the Council on Aging, Inc - St. Clair County, died on Tuesday, Dec. 6, at Woodlawn Meadows Assisted Living and Memory' Care in Hastings, ML She was 100. Aline (Hekimian) Irvine was born Feb. 10, 1922, to an Armenian Roman Catholic family in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, Turkey. Her life history encapsulates many major events of the 20th century. Aline had many formative experiences before moving to Michigan where she spent half her life in her home overlooking the St. Clair River in Algonac. Aline’s family emigrated from Turkey to Paris when she was 9 months old, following threats to Armenians in Constantinople, and repeated genocides of Armenians in Turkey. She had a Nansen passport for decades, issued by the League of Nations for stateless people wrested from their homes by cataclys­ mic events. In Constantinople, her father worked for American Express, which enabled him to transfer to their Paris offices. He died in 1936 of tuberculosis, leaving Aline and her mother on their own. During World War II, in territory occupied by the Nazis in the south of France, Aline started a school in Sanary-sur-Mer. She and her mother survivecLbombings, a shortage of Worship Together SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M­ 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204­ 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10: 30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945­ 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Matt Moser, Lead Pastor. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages; 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Senior High Youth Group 6-8 p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Family Night 6:30-8 p.m., Kids 4 Truth (Children Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. Call Church Office 948-8004 for information. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Jefferson Street. Worship 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-948­ 0900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. Alma Joann Ranger Christensen, age 87, of Hastings, MI passed away on December 9, 2022, at 1872 East Mill Street in Hastings. MI. Joann was born in Newaygo, MI, on August 7, 1935, a daughter of Claude and Emily Ranger. She attended local schools graduating from PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. &praise Hhashngs Fiberglass Hastings 945-9554 products 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 MW HotiineTools&Eqiripment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Newaygo High School in 1953. After com­ pleting her education Joann began working at the Rural Electric Association in Newaygo were spent two years before being married to James Christensen on July 22, 1955. Shortly after being married, Jim accepted a position with the State of Michigan devel­ oping the interstate highway systems, which led the family to the Hastings area. Jim and Joann established their home in Hastings, where they raised their family together. Joann was employed with the Hastings Area Schools for over 25 years, serving pri­ marily in the cafeteria. Her career offered the opportunity to be close to her kids during the day, which meant she was always “in the know”, with her children’s friends and activ­ ities. She and Jim loved attending their kids’ sporting events, and later the grandchildren’s events. It was not uncommon for them to pack up the 5th wheel camper and travel the country following the grandchildren’s sport­ ing events. Joann was an avid Detroit Tigers fan, and over the years has collected many players autographs, attended several training camps in Florida, and was recognized in the Detroit Free Press wearing her unique Tigers hat. She is survived by her beloved husband James, her sons Joel (Amy) Christensen, Jon (Jean) Christensen, James (Valerie) Chris.tensen, her sisters Gail Grandon, and Char­ lene Corrigan, brother Allen Ranger, IF ■ grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, and • two great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter Jami, son in law Ron. The family will receive on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, from 2-4 p.m. and again from 6-8 p.m. at Daniels Funeral Home Hastings. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, , Dec. 17, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Daniels Funeral Home Hastings with Pastor Tod Clark offici­ ating. Immediately following the funeral ser- ■ vice friends and guests are invited to remain at the funeral home for a time of fellowship and luncheon. '• Interment will take place following the funeral luncheon at Riverside Cemetery in Hastings, MI In lieu of flowers the family has requested , memorial contributions be made to the Boy Scouts of America, The Hastings Band and Athletic Boosters, or a children’s charity of donor’s choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Daniels Funeral Home-Hastings, con­ veniently located at 1401 North Broadway, Hastings, ML For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. Angela Marie Casey This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Her faith, and her involvement with the Cath­ olic Church, were motivating forces in her life. One of her joys in the natural world was to go riding in her 1957 Cuthbertson Craft wood­ en boat, a part of the history of Algonac’s influential boating industries, including the legacies of Chris Craft and Gar Wood boats. Her love of nature became more evident over time. Her descriptions of the river, in emails to her daughter, Madeline Irvine, were memorable. Aline was ever grateful for the squirrel-proof bird feeders that allowed her to better enjoy feeding birds throughout her life, from Croton-on-Hudson to Algonac to Wood­ lawn Meadows. Aline’s kindness, calm and stoicism gener­ ated love and appreciation from others. She had a strong, resourceful, yet quiet personality. She was intelligent, caring, generous, compas­ sionate, playful, supportive, and beautiful, inside and out. She had the quality of inspiring the support and admiration of others, which helped many when she worked for the COA. The strongest part of her was her love for oth­ ers, and this was evident every moment of her life. These qualities made her memorable to those that came to know her. Aline was predeceased by her husband M. Keith Irvine in 1994, and by her eldest daughter, Lilian (Lilou), who died in 2002. , Aline is survived by two daughters, Domi-; nique (Nickie) and her spouse, John Dorf­ man, of San Mateo, CA; Madeline and her spouse, Neil Kamil, of Austin, TX; her son, David, and his spouse, Joyce, of Shelbyville, MI, and two grandchildren, Camille, of Anchorage, AK and Spencer, of Grand Rap­ ids, MI, and by her eldest daughter’s partner, Elizabeth Ocskay, who called Aline her Other Mother. The family will hold two Celebrations of Life in several months, the first in Algonac and the second in west Michigan. Details will be posted on the Girrbach Funeral Home website: https://www.girrbachfuneralhome. net/obituary/aline-irvine Memorials in Aline Irvine’s name may be made to either “The Council on Aging, Inc. Serving St. Clair County”, 600 Grand River Avenue, Port Huron, MI 48060 or to “Our Lady on the River Parish” (St. Catherine’s Catholic Church), 610 South Water Street, Marine City, MI 48039. Services provided by Girrbach Funeral Home, Hastings, MI. To leave online condo­ lences visit www.girrbachftmeralhome.net. Alma Joann Ranger Christensen ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box 8, Hastings. Telephone 269­ 945-9121. Emai 1 hastfmc@ gmail.com. Website: www. hastingsfreemethodist.com. Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Director, Martha Stoetzel. Sunday Morning Worship: 9: 45 a.m. Kids Church and Nursery are available. Our worship center is set up for social distancing. Aftermath Student Ministries: Sunday 6 p.m. food, and the threat of deportation to concen­ tration camps because they were stateless. Following liberation, Aline worked for the U.S. Army in the south of France. She earned a university degree in Aix-en-Provence. After moving back to Paris, she met her husband, M. Keith Irvine, a Scotsman who had moved to Paris to be a writer. They even­ tually married in England, had two children, and moved to the United States in 1952, where she had two more children. She earned a Master’s degree in Interior Design while living in New York State. After living for 21 years in Manhattan, Croton-on-Hudson, New York, and Lake Bluff, Illinois, the Irvines settled in Algonac, MI in 1973. In Algonac, Aline volunteered at the Coun­ cil on Aging (COA), and quickly joined their staff. After a few years, she was appointed Executive Director of the COA, serving from 1976 until she retired in 1991. “Single handedly, she created in the City of Algonac, what would become a county-wide vehicle for providing many, many services for senior citizens, a model for the entire state,” said Gary Tuzinowski, a former Algonac City Manager and City Council Member, who worked with Aline to forward many of these programs. Some of these programs became models in other parts of the United States, said her daughter, Nickie Irvine. “Under Aline’s leadership, the agency expanded from one senior center with a small handful of programs to an agency that includ­ ed in-home services and senior transportation for the entire county as well as additional senior centers,” said Scott Crawford, the cur­ rent Executive Director of the COA, in an appreciation posted for Aline’s 100th birth­ day. “She was instrumental in helping to establish the first county senior services mill­ age in the state of Michigan to fund the expansion of these services. We are thankful for her visionary leadership.” Aline received numerous awards for her work, from the State of Michigan, the COA and more. Her son, David Irvine, noted that “...one of the most impactful contributions made by Aline Irvine was the development of the successful reciprocal working relation­ ship with the Area Agency on Aging, which gave the council access to state funding.” After retirement, Aline became more involved with Our Lady on the River Parish (St. Catherine’s Catholic Church) in Algonac. Angela Marie Casey, age 46, of Kentwood, MI, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2022, and will be spending Christmas in heaven this year with the Floly Family. Ange­ la was bom on October 31,1976. She was the daughter of Dan and Kathy (Engelbert) of Hastings, MI. Angela was a 1996 graduate of Caledonia High School. She enjoyed working as a host­ ess at the McDonald’s in Kentwood, ML Angela loved getting together with family and friends, especially at Christmas. She loved her yearly mother/daughter mini-vaca­ tion at the family cottage. Angela had a giv­ ing heart and loved shopping for gifts to give to her family and friends. Angela was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jack and Fran Casey, Bob and Martha Engelbert, and Bob and Neva Koomen. She is survived by her parents, Dan and Kathy Casey; sisters, MySinh (Sean Nguyen) Tran, Sarah (Gary) Thompson, Mary Casey, Bridget (Eric) Constant, Kerri (Nick) Moose, Laura (Aaron) Bir, and brother, Aaron Casey. She is also survived by her birth mom, Kathy Braun, many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends, her special friend Sara, and also her “second” family, both residents and staff, at her Adult Foster Care home, Dignified Care, LLC. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Servants Center, P.O. Box F Grand Rapids, MI 49501 or online at http:// www.scgr.org/give. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. and again from 6 to 8 p.m., with a Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, Dec. 28,2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Church, 805 S Jefferson; Hastings, MI 49058, with a one hour visitation prior from 10 to 11 p.m. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Kinsley Ruth Poll, Hastings and James Robert Scade, Cowdenbeath, United Kingdom �r TEie Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — Page 7 fl loon Wat the stories / and columns on local history y x J in the Hastings Banner A/ S' S; Florabelle Stowell promoted conservation (turning / BACK THE PAGES L 9. Esther Walton Banner Nov. 9, 1989 '‘Florabelle Stowell spent her whole adult life as an educator, mostly promoting conser­ vation. But conservation was not her only interest. She taught rural school, formed an early 4-H club and took leadership roles in several civic clubs, such as the Barry County Historical Society, the Hastings Women’s Club and the Thomapple Garden Club. Her informal leadership with conservation brought her national recognition and she lec­ tured extensively throughout the state on two of her favorite subjects, “Herbs of the Bible” and “The Scented Herbs Garden.” Florabelle Stowell was bom April 18, 1^02, in Irving Township, the daughter of Btyon and Ann (Trego) Willits. She was raised on a farm and her family operated Wil­ lits Dairy for many years in Barry County. Her family were early members of the first 4-H clubs to be formed in Barry County. .The very first Barry County 4-H club was formed in 1914. Two years later, Florabelle’s brother, Arthur Willits, was honored as the champion potato grower in Barry County, and he took honors at the State Fair. "At this time, 4-H or boys’ and girls’ clubs ai'so had projects for girls, such as garment mak­ ing and gardening. None of the girl participants were mentioned in the local newspaper, but it was very likely Florabelle Willits was enrolled in one or more of the projects. When she was 18 years old, in 1920, she, as a teacher, became an early leader in 4-H work in her school. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1919 and Barry County Normal in 1920, receiving a teaching certificate from Ypsilan­ ti State Teacher’s College in 1923 and later earned a bachelor of science degree from Western Michigan University in 1960. She taught in two rural Barry County schools and in several schools in Jackson and Kalamazoo. Her first position was in Hast­ ings Township’s Gregory School in 1920­ 1921. Later, in 1941-1942, she taught in J6nes School, Irving Township. At the time she first taught in Barry Coun­ ty, the rural schools did not have electricity or running water. The one-room was heated by a centrally located wood or coal-burning stove. She taught all eight grades, as did all rural teachers. Throughout her life, she was a promoter of parent-teachers’ associations. On Sept. 2, 1926, she married Chester E. Stowell and they lived in Jackson and Kalam­ azoo for several years. In 1938, the Stowells settled in Hastings. Mrs. Stowell was a longtime and tireless leader in many civic activities throughout Barry County and Michigan. She was an organizer of Extension clubs and a leader in Extension work. She organized one of the early 4-H clubs in Barry County in 1920, while teaching in the Gregory School and the first 4-H club in the City of Hastings in 1955. According to an article in The Hastings Banner dated Nov. 3, 1955, Mrs. Stowell, for­ merly Florabelle Willits, started her 4-H club hot lunch club in September 1920 at the Greg­ ory School. The rural teachers enrolled in this project were assisted at that time by Miss Edna Robb of Michigan State College, now Univer­ sity, under Mr. Turner, the state club leader. Miss Gertrude Miller, Barry County school commissioner, led the local leadership. The first girls’ demonstration team to rep­ resent Barry County at the State Fair came from this group, including Marguerite DeMott Tobias, Mrs. Frances Aldrich Ward and Ber­ tha Christiansen Kinne. The first City of Hastings 4-H club was organized in 1955. The club was called the Overtown 4-H club and was comprised of 4-H vegetable gardeners, 4-H flower garden­ ers, and three junior gardeners. The Thomap­ ple Garden Club sponsored the group. Assisting Mrs. Stowell were Mrs. Robert Baldwin, Mrs. Richard Bauer and Mrs. Rozell Stanton. The plants were given to the children by Mrs. Wilbur Ingerson of Battle Creek and Mrs. Elmer Bush of Hastings, both specialists in the gardening field. The club ended their year with a flower exhibit at a local grocery store arcade. Florabelle was an active member of the Barry County Historical Society, and was instrumental in getting the Barry County ' “Let us never forget that Jesus walks with us on this side of the curtain and then guides us through the opening into eternity. We will meet Him there, because we have met Him here.” - Erwin Lutzer Wilma Mae Faust passed into eternity peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 at American House in Charlevoix, ML Wilma was surrounded by her loving chil­ dren. She was 93 years old. Wilma was bom in St. Clair County, MI on March 21, 1929, the third of ten children bom to Mabel Adelaide and Carl Harris Hulett. Wilma grew up on a family farm during the Depression years where she learned much about life from her parents and hard work. She attended Armada High School where she gained a love for athletics, espe­ cially playing basketball. It was during those high school years she met her future husband, Elmer James Faust. After graduating high school in 1947, she attended one year of higher education at Alma College before wedding Elmer in Octo­ ber, 1948, and joining him in his pastoral ministry in the United Methodist Church. From 1950 to 1969, Wilma gave birth to three sons and three daughters. As her chil­ dren matured, she undertook and completed extensive training in mental healthcare and served as a Mental Health Licensed Practical Nurse in the Michigan State Mental Hospital system for nearly 20 years until retirement in 1988. Throughout these years she was always active in ministry as a pastor’s wife. Wilma was preceded in death by her parents;, her husband of 67 years, Elmer; her son, Owen James Faust; her brother, Marvin Hulett; and her sisters, Marion Boyd and Joyce Gutchess. Wilma was a wonderful and kind sister and mother and is survived by her sisters, Dawn Summers, Evelyn Wegner, and Linda Willaume; and brother, Reverend Dwayne Hulett, Reverend James Hulett, and Dr. Elwyn Hulett; her five surviving children Joyce Lorraine Chellis, Judith Ann Jansen and husband James, Randall Scott Faust and wife Teri, Charles Wesley Faust and wife Mary, and Susan Kay Faust; 15 grandchil­ dren, and 41 great grandchildren (and count­ ing), along with hundreds of other relatives and friends upon whose lives she was a great blessing. Memorial services were held Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 at Faith United Methodist Church in Delton, ML The memorial service was followed immediately by a luncheon. A graveside interment service, for family only, took place. The Faust Family request that memorial gifts be directed in Wilma and Elmer’s names to Eaton Community Palliative Care, 2675 South Cochrane, Charlotte, Michigan 48813. The Faust Family also wishes to extend special thanks to Michigan Hospice Care who provided excellent care and support for Wilma at American House Charlevoix. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or leave a condolence message for Wilma’s family. Mrs. Florabelle Stowell, standing next to a cut walnut tree, holding walnuts. Julie Palmatier Julie Eileen (Livingston) Palmatier, age 53, of Hastings MI, passed away on Decem­ ber 7, 2022. Julie was bom on November 1, 1969 in Grandville, MI, the daughter of Robert and Rosemary (Rudnik) Livingston. On Decem­ ber 31, 1999, Julie married Tim Palmatier, and they enjoyed 23 years together. She was a 1987 graduate of Grandville High School. She received her bachelor’s cegree in 1991 from Grand Valley State Uni­ versity, and her master’s degree in 1998 from Western Michigan University. Julie held several HR Positions through the years, a job she really cared about, as she loved to help people. She joined Highpoint Community Bank in 2008, where she worked for the past 14 years. Julie had a contagious smile and laugh that would warm people’s hearts. She was an avid fitness enthusiast. She enjoyed watching college and professional sports, traveling, visiting brew- eries and collecting tagabrew tags. She enjoyed her dogs and supporting animal shelters. Julie was preceded in death by her mother, Rosemary Livingston in 2021. She is survived by her husband, Tim Pal­ matier; father, Robert Livingston; brother, Mike Livingston; stepdaughter, Jennifer Pal­ matier; grandkids, Kaiden, Draven, Bailey; siblings-in-law, Scott Palmatier and Amy Tame; many stepbrothers and sisters in the Pennock and Boulter families; mother-in-law, Janet Boulter and father-in-law, Edgar Boulter. Memorial contributions in memory of Julie can be made to the Barry County Animal Shelter, 540 N. Industrial Park Drive, Hast­ ings, MI 49058. A visitation will be held on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Girrbach Funeral Home, 328 S Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home, to leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. Mrs. Florabelle Stowell with plantings done by the Thomapple Garden Club. Board of Supervisors to set up the Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission to oversee Charlton Park. It was at her suggestion that an interested group hire a registered forester to determine if the trees logged out of Charlton Park in 1966 were old elm trees or commercial wal­ nut trees. The forester gave a written state­ ment that the trees logged were commercial grade walnut trees with substantial mone­ tary value. This was the turning point for the Barry County Historical Society in its quest to get the park under its own board or commission. In 1967, the Barry County Board of Supervi­ sors appointed the Barry County Parks and Recreation Commission to oversee Charlton Park. Florabelle remained a firm supporter of Charlton Park and its subsequent historic village. After her death, her husband built a spring house behind the one-room school in her honor. Florabelle was the first woman member appointed to the Barry County Planning Commission. She was also a member and served as the 1954 president of the Hastings Women’s Club. Mrs. Stowell was instrumental in obtaining the former Hastings Post Office for use as the Hastings Public Library. She was also a lead­ er in preserving a block of historic brick paving in town. In 1967, she served as chair­ man for Michigan Week. In 1976, she received the second Liberty Bell Award from the Barry County Bar Association in recogni­ tion of her many civic contributions. She was a member of the First Methodist Church and the Barry County Democratic Party, but is best remembered for her first loves, the Garden Club and conservation. Florabella had been an active member of the Thornapple Garden Club since 1942, her spe­ cial interests were the annual Christmas Greens sale and herb gardening. Mrs. Stowell was actively involved throughout her life in promoting the conser­ vation of natural resources. She was chair of the Conservation Education Committee of the Michigan Federation of Garden Clubs, and later became regional director for the National Conservation Education Associa­ tion, covering seven states. Let’s break it down Dr. Universe: How do 1 make compost without a compost maker? Miracle, 15, Nigeria Hi Miracle, My office is just down the road from the Washington State University composting facility. It processes more than 10,000 pounds of organic waste every month. That’s a lot of compost! I talked about compost with my friend Jim Kropf. He works for WSU Extension. Extension programs connect universities with local communities. They offer classes and trustworthy, science-based resources that anyone can use online. Kropf told me that composting is how nature recycles. “In the forest, leaves fall on the ground and come in contact with soil,” he said. “Worms, centipedes, micro­ organisms and fungi all work on those leaves to break them down into organic matter.” Making compost is copying nature to make fertilizer for healthier gardens. It’s also a way to help our planet. You don’t need anything fancy like a compost maker to make compost at home. Some people compost in a pile on the ground. Others compost in a container to keep pests out. The container should be at least 3 feet wide, 3 feet high and 3 feet deep and can be made from scrap materi­ als. The container should let air in and drain excess water. The basic compost recipe is half wet, nitrogen-rich “greens” and half dry, car­ bon-rich “browns.” Greens: • Grass clippings • Fresh leaves and plant matter • Fruit and vegetable scraps • Coffee grounds and tea bags • NO meat, fat or dairy food scraps! Browns: • Dry leaves and grass • Dead plants • Newspaper • Hay and straw • Sawdust • Cardboard (unwaxed, no labels) To get started, layer greens and browns in your compost pile. Chop or shred larger things because small pieces break down better. Check the moisture level of the compost by grabbing a handful from the pile. If you can barely squeeze out a drop of water, it’s perfect. If it’s too wet, add more browns. If it’s too dry, add water. Cover the pile to protect it from rain. You can make compost slowly by add­ ing greens and browns to the pile for a year. Then, mix the compost with a shovel and leave it alone for another year. Eventually, you’ll have compost. The fast process is more hands-on. Layer greens and browns as before, but this time use a shovel to turn the compost at least once a week. The center of the pile will get hot-between 150° F and 170° F (65°C to 76°C). The heat comes from the microbes breaking things down. “When the temperature starts to fall, turn the compost,” Kropf said. “You’re going to bring the outside materials, that still look the same as the day you put them in, to the center. Then push the middle materials to the outside and do a good mix. That will spike the temperature again.” Once the pile looks uniformly bro­ ken-down, let it sit. This is called curing. The compost is ready when it looks dark and crumbly. It no longer gets hot when you turn it. There are lots of variations on making compost. One of my favorites is vermicomposting, or making compost with the help of red worms. No matter which method you use, com­ post is a great way to care for your gardenand our Earth. Keep turning! Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. �Page 8 — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner American Legion post in Hastings to hand out | food baskets to honor veterans this Christmas I Jayson Bussa Editor After spending 35 years in the military, Rich Craven knows the importance of serving the needs of local veter­ ans. That’s why, when he got a call from the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority about trying a new program to serve local veterans during the holiday season, he was completely on board. “I was like, rock on, we’re doing this,” said Craven, who is commander at Post 45 American Legion in Hastings. Craven and his post will be participating in Food4Vets, which entails giving away holiday foot baskets to local vet­ erans. Craven’s post is working with the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority and Southwest Michigan Behavior Health to put on the event. Other statewide and nationwide organizations have sponsored these efforts to feed veterans throughout the year. Craven and his post will serve local veterans on Dec. 22, when those in need are invited to pick up baskets full of food like turkey, pies and other holiday staples, between 1 and 3 p.m. Before the pick-up time, volunteers will congregate at the American Legion at 11 a.m. to assemble the baskets with donated food. Organizers expect to assemble 125 baskets for veterans. Craven said that organizers will be checking proof of service records in order to verify that only veterans aid receiving the food. “It’s very important during the holidays because there are a lot of veterans out there that unfortunately suffer from PTSD,” said Craven, who retired from the military in 2018 and is in his first year as commander of Post 45. v “I am one of those veterans that suffer from that, as well; A lot of these people may or may not have family (members} to rely on or get together with on the holidays. To me and our post, this is an extremely important community event to reach out to our veterans.” »* Food4Vets is a new event for the post and Craven said that he hopes to make efforts to stay more engaged with the local veteran population. •*< “My intent during my duration as commander... it’s com­ munity involvement - to get out there and get involved. It’s veterans helping veterans. That’s what we’re all about.” “My whole adult life I have been helping soldiers and I continue to do that to this day,” he added. ’Tis the season for Shorty’s Delton Rock-N-Roll Circus Karen Turko-Ebright Local veterans can pick up a free food basket from American Legion Post 45 in Hastings on Dec. 22 between 1 and 3 p.m. 382 Contributing Writer Commander Bruce Campbell and Vice Commander Ron Heilman from the Delton VFW Post 422 are inviting the general public to the post’s annual Shorty’s Delton RockN-Roll Circus. Doors to the VFW Post and Auxiliary open at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and close at midnight. Music starts at 7 p.m. Post commanders are asking all to enjoy and have a good time plus the following message: “Put on those blue suede shoes, grease back that hair, hold on tight and let’s rock-n-roll.” The annual fundraiser, now in its 19th year, will feature food, drink, music and a drawing for the fall fundraiser raffle. Tickets are available at the canteen. ■ In addition, Heilman said he is hoping for a crowd of people to show up at the event, which stands as a signif­ icant fundraiser to sustain operations at the VFW. “The Delton VFW wants everyone to make our veter­ ans facility your destination for good food, family fun times, and community comradeship, Heilman said. “Wel­ come all.” Questions can be directed to Campbell at 269-838-7350 or Heilman at 269-792-0719. BARRY COUNTY DRAIN COMMISSIONER NOTICE OF FILING AN ORDER LAYING OUT AND DESIGNATING A DRAINAGE DISTRICT Hastings choirs perform for Rotary and Kiwanis AGAMING DRAIN Notice is Hereby Given, that 1, Jim Dull, Barry County Drain Commissioner, filed an Order Laying Out and Designating a Drainage District, dated December 8, 2022, for the Agaming Drain, according to Chapter 3 of Public Act 40 of 1956, as amended. The route and course of the proposed Drain is described as follows: COMMENCING AT THE CENTERLINE OF SAND CREEK SOUTHWEST OF STATE ROAD, THENCE SOUTHEASTERLY ALONG STATE ROAD THE INTERSECTION OF STATE ROAD AND AGAMING STREET, THENCE EASTERLY 200 FEET MORE OR LESS ALONG AGAMING STREET TO THE POINT OF ENDING, INCLUDING ANY BRANCHES, LEADS, AND EXTENSIONS THAT MAY BE NECESSARY. The lands comprised within the Drainage District are described as follows: COMMENCING AT THE WEST 1/4 POST OF SAID SECTION 2, THENCE 416.70 FEET SOUTH; THENCE 344.17 FEET EAST TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING; THENCE SOUTH 87° 47’31 ” EAST 114 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 47° 49’10” EAST 60 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 88° 57'49 ” EAST 139 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 65° 03 ’ 01 ” EAST 147 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 1° 52’ 38” EAST 81 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 25° 15’ 59 ” EAST 33 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 32° 54’27” WEST 81 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 62° 25 ’ 40 ” WEST 95 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 13° 39’ 35 ” WEST 116 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 32° 48 ’ 52 ” EAST 52 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 42° 38’ 32 ” EAST 122 FEET; THENCE NORTH 78° 13 ’ 49 ” EAST 52 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 66° 48 ’ 25 ” EAST 58 FEET; THENCE NORTH 74° 55’ 40” EAST 113 FEET; THENCE NORTH 64° 36 ’ 59 ” EAST 93 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 43° 46 ’ 10 ” EAST 100 FEET; THENCE NORTH 64° 58 ’ 00 ” EAST 246 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 26° 23 ’ 02 ” EAST 29 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 60° 43 ’ 01 ” EAST 210 FEET; THENCE NORTH 72° 22’20 ” EAST 78 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 86° 32 ’ 00 ” EAST 86 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 22° 56’ 52 ” EAST 77 FEET; THENCE NORTH 45° 48 ’ 08 ” EAST 81 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 43° 44’ 32 ” EAST 179 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 32° 27’ 25 ” EAST 112 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 10° 15 ’ 52 ” EAST 106 FEET; THENCE NORTH 87° 38 ’56 ” EAST 23 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 31° 37’ 11 ” EAST 86 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 65° 56'37 ” EAST 87 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 38° 31 ’ 07” EAST 77 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 86° 35’47” EAST 206 FEET; THENCE NORTH 64° 58 ’ 46 ” EAST 101 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 54° 53 ’ 59 ” EAST 217 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 1° 34’17” WEST373 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 43° 11 ’57” EAST399 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 78° 07'00” EAST379 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 12° 05’37” WEST68 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 57° 07’39” EAST 161 FEET: THENCE SOUTH 6° 56 ’ 11 ” EAST 98 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 14° 40 ’ 35 ” WEST 97 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 88° 57'32” EAST562 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 88° 49’07” EAST 421 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 1° 08’ 05” WEST81 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 23° 44’21” EAST 113 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 0° 15’42” EAST94 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 53° 11 ’ 47” WEST 80 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 27° 11 ’ 05 ” WEST 290 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 67° 23'39” WEST 160 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 86° 32’06” WEST 276 FEET; THENCE NORTH 41° 34’ 55” WEST244 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 21° 27’44” WEST 134 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 76° 36’06” WEST271 FEET: THENCE SOUTH 58° 17’ 11 ” WEST 232 FEET; THENCE NORTH 51° 04’33” WEST 550 FEET; THENCE NORTH 51° 00’27” WEST 759 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 47° 57’03” WEST34 FEET; THENCE NORTH 88° 50 ’ 49 ” WEST 71 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 37° 14’48” WEST252 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 21° 31 ’23 ” WEST 142 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 85° 14’37” WEST 142 FEET; THENCE NORTH 54° 16’13 ” WEST90 FEET; THENCE NORTH 81° 01’06” WEST 189 FEET; THENCE NORTH 51° 47’46” WEST 94 FEET; THENCE NORTH 18° 56’ 42 ” WEST 9 FEET; THENCE NORTH 28° 17’ 40 ” EAST 84 FEET; THENCE NORTH 31° 19’04” WEST 103 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 43° 23’ 26” WEST 63 FEET; THENCE NORTH 89° 53’ 19” WEST 34 FEET; THENCE NORTH 5° 27’02” WEST 128 FEET; THENCE NORTH 40° 14’ 37” WEST 245 FEET; THENCE NORTH 55° 33’ 34 ” WEST 142 FEET: THENCE NORTH 2° 44’47” WEST 89 FEET; THENCE NORTH 50° 13’ 01 ” WEST 78 FEET; THENCE NORTH 88° 11 ’21 ” WEST 83 FEET; THENCE NORTH 40° 40’16” WEST 92 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 89° 12 ’ 01 ” WEST 51 FEET; THENCE NORTH 42° 33 ’53 ” WEST 75 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 47° 12’ 41 ” WEST 27 FEET; THENCE NORTH 40° 31 ’ 18 ” WEST 145 FEET; THENCE NORTH 40° 25’19” WEST 140 FEET; THENCE NORTH 46° 03’22” EAST 43 FEET; THENCE NORTH 50° 49’57” WEST 137 FEET; THENCE NORTH 27° 07 ’ 24 ” WEST 94 FEET; THENCE NORTH 62° 27’ 39 ” EAST 76 FEET; THENCE NORTH 42° 22 ’ 08 ” WEST 214 FEET; THENCE SOUTH 76° 22’27” WEST 64 FEET; THENCE NORTH 14° 10’ 00 ” WEST 144 FEET; THENCE NORTH 23° 56’31” EAST 88 FEET; THENCE NORTH 83° 53’ 58 ” EAST 43 FEET; THENCE NORTH 38° 06’28 ” EAST 128 FEET; THENCE NORTH 49° 31 ’ 19” EAST 134 FEET; THENCE NORTH 51° 36’ 48” EAST 33 FEET; THENCE NORTH 35° 33 ’ 15” WEST 133 FEET; THENCE NORTH 33° 12’49” WEST 122 FEET; THENCE NORTH 30° 36’ 49” WEST 65 FEET; THENCE NORTH 30° 46’ 03” WEST 83 FEET; THENCE NORTH 29° 18 ’ 04 ” WEST 94 FEET; THENCE NORTH 73° 41’ 09 ” EAST50 FEET; THENCE NORTH 2° 09 ’ 18 ” EAST 102 FEET MORE OR LESS TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING OF THIS DESCRIPTION. CONTAINING 106 ACRES, MORE OR LESS. THE BASIS OF BEARINGS USED FOR THIS DESCRIPTION IS THE MICHIGAN STATE PLANE COORDINATE SYSTEM. SOME BEARINGS AND DISTANCES HAVE BEEN SIMPLIFIED TO GENERALLY REFLECT THE BOUNDARY LINE. Dated: December 8, 2022 Jim Dull Barry County Drain Commissioner The Hastings Rotary and Kiwanis clubs came together Monday for their Christmas celebration at the Walldorff Brewpub & Bistro. At the meeting, Hastings High School vocalists from the Varsity Singers and Zero Hour Choir entertained the clubs with a selection of holiday music. These select choirs sang a variety of tunes both upbeat and melodic to help get the Rotarians and Kiwanians in the Christmas spirit. In a show of appreciation for the choirs, Rotary of Hastings donated to the Imagination Library of Barry County. �The Hastings SPORTS SECTION Thursday, December 15, 2022 Back tucks help TK to top of OCCAM meet Brett Bremer Sports Editor Turning back tucks as a team in round two and three at the MHSAA Division 2 State Finals the first weekend of March 2023 is how the Thomapple Kellogg varsity competitive cheer team is striving to end the 2022-23 season. That meant “embracing the suck” in June of2022. A group of four Trojans prepping for the sideline and competitive cheer seasons during the summer could perform back tucks. The Trojans needed at least ten girls to be able to consistently perform the high-scoring skill to add it to their round two routine for this win­ ter’s competitive cheer season. Driving to an early summer workout, TK head coach Adri­ an Nichols decided everyone was just going to have to bite the bullet “I just said, ‘I have to find a way to get these kids to do it,’” Nichols said. “I knew that is what we needed. I knew that is what we needed to prove our worth if you will. 1 knew it needed to happen. I told them ... 1 will do whatever it takes to get them where they need to be and doing whatever they need to be doing.” “So,” junior Mali Holland said, “for 15 minutes at the beginning of every single prac­ tice, or in the middle, coach said, ‘this is 15 minutes and you’re going to do whatever you need to work on the most. So, whatever you are terrible at that is what you’re going to do for this 15 minutes.’ “We did it every single day. It was hard obviously, because we sucked at these things, but after a while we kept doing it, kept doing it, kept coming up with drills to fix the things that we were bad at and then we got tucks in round two. We went from four i ucks to 11.” Junior flyer Ava Jahnke was the only return­ ing TKHS cheerleader with a solid back tuck going into the summer. Freshmen Mia Hilton, Payton Gater and Claira Kovich came into the summer practices with the skill though. “It was 15 minutes embracing the suck at whatever you hate the most, for a" couple of them it was the back handspring,” Nichols said, “but most of them it was the back tuck. Every single day we did what we hated the most. We embraced the suck. We powered through. We put on music. At first I was like, they’re going to think I’m crazy, but the deliv­ ery must have been really good for them. I turned on music. We did it every single day and they just started popping up out of nowhere. It was crazy and then here we are.” “Here were are” was inside the Thomapple Kellogg High School gymnasium Saturday morning after having finished with the high­ est score at the 15-team Competitive Cheer Coaches Association of Michigan (CCCAM) Scholarship Invitational in Middleville. The TK ladies tallied a score of 208.28 in round two thanks in part to the group of ten girls on the mat who were ready to throw their back tucks in the opening meet of the season. It was the second best score of the day in the round, behind a 217.12 from Charlotte. Nich­ ols said it is the first time since the 2015-16 season that the team has had a group of ten or more to perform back tucks in round two. The 15 teams competing Saturday were a mix of Division 2 and Division 3 teams. TK won the Division 2 championship with an over­ all score of 713.58 points. Charlotte won the Division 3 competition with a score of 711.02. TK was just better than the Orioles in round one, outscoring them 218.9 to 218.2. The round two totals left the Trojans just behind the Orioles heading into round three, and while there was clearly some work to do in the final round TK managed to outscore Charlotte 286.4 to 275.7 to finish with the highest overall score at the meet Holland said she has only really been ready to throw a back tuck in competition for a couple weeks now. “I stuck it a few times during the summer, but it wasn’t perfect and I didn’t do it at foot­ ball games and stuff, and then at the beginning of this season I was just like, I just have to do it. If I want a spot on the mat I’ve just got to do it. So, I was working on it and coach gave us drills for it and then just figured it out.” She said the hang up for herself and most of her other teammates is a mental one. “We all know our bodies can physically do it. We’re all strong enough to do it, but just the thought of jumping up in the air and then pull­ ing in your knees and flipping around and com­ ing down is terrifying to everybody ... you just have to make your mind believe what you know your body can do, and then you’ve got it.” In the end, Holland said it was a tip from the freshman Hilton that really helped things click. “She has had her tuck for years, because she probably started when she was four inches tall. She just said, ‘every single time you’re ready to go just relax and then you can do it. Just stop thinking so much and stop being all tense because you’re not going to go anywhere.’” Did Holland heed the freshman’s advice Saturday? The Thomapple Kellogg varsity competitive cheer team begins to celebrates as it is announced as the champion of the Division 2 competition Saturday at the Competitive School fndWddfevffle Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lion freshman, Burpee, sixth at Don Jonson Invitational Brett Bremer Sports Editor Jackson Burpee had the top finish of the day for the Maple Valley varsity wres­ tling team as it took part in Lansing East­ ern’s annual Don Johnson Wrestling Invi­ tational Saturday. Burpee, a freshman, placed sixth in the 175-pound weight class. He won his open­ ing round match by pinning Lansing Ever­ ett’s Irumva Dieu 87 seconds into the bout. Burpee was pinned by Forest Hills Northern’s Chris Arrington in the quarter­ final round, and then bounced back to score a 12-2 major decision over Sexton’s Caiden Hughes consolation. In the match for fifth, Flushing’s Logan LaMay scored a 4-3 win over Burpee. Burpee led 3-2 after scoring an escape and a take down in the second period of that final round match. LaMay managed to fight his way out of Burpee’s grasp with half a minute to go in that second period and then got a quick escape in the third period to push back in front by the final margin. Maple Valley had four wrestlers com­ peting Saturday. Tyrese Robinson at 138 pounds, another freshman, matched burpee’s two wins. Robinson had all four of his matches end in a fall. He was bested by Lake Fenton’s Carter Julian to start the Thomapple Kellogg freshman flyer Mia Hilton performs a scale above her stunt group during round three of the CCCAM Scholarship Invitational in Middleville Saturday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lions have two December wins for first time since 2018 Brett Bremer “No. I was almost pooping my pants, but we ended up in first place,” Holland said with a smile. “I got up. I got all the way around and I landed on my feet so that’s good for me.” The final score was good for everyone in orange and black. Coach Nichols was espe­ cially pleased because a number of her girls missed practice time because of illness in the lead-up to the competition. A few hadn’t practiced all week, arrived for warm-ups and then went out to the mat to compete. The Trojans finished ahead of a pair of OK Gold Conference rivals, Wayland and Forest Hills Eastern, on the day in the Division 2 competition and a possible regional foe Forest Hills Northern. The FHN Huskies were the D2 runner-up on the day with a score of 681.76, ahead of Sturgis 627.02, Lowell 621., Forest Hills Eastern 567.64 and Wayland 469.24. Behind Charlotte in the Division 3 stand­ ings were Hopkins with 645.02 points, Vicks­ burg 612.74, Comstock Park 599.7, Allegan 597.2, Otsego 592.84, South Haven 569.94, Hamilton 542.54 and Comstock 534.2. TK had the highest score of the day in round three and in round one. Charlotte was the only team better than TK in round two. “We really focused on the sharp crisp movements, their voices and inflection,” Nichols said of the round one performance. “We count down the weeks before State. So, that is a big deal for us. Every week, obvi­ ously, it changes. We started at 12. Next week it will be 11. That is something my coach did back in the day and I loved it. I reached out to her and she said, ‘yeah, do it. It needs to be brought back,’ so I was really happy to bring that back and start that count­ down.” day and then pinned Marshall’s Andrew Larson and Aaron Chrenka. Carson Rachels ended Robinson’s day with a pin 30 seconds into their consola­ tion final match. The Lions’ Dakota Osenbaugh at 144 pounds and Gabe Aspinall at 190 were both bested in their two bouts. Maple Valley was 14t*1 in a field of 16 teams with 15 points at the meet. Lake Fenton took the title with 211 points, ahead of Laingsburg 198, Forest Hills Northern 191.5, Flushing 190, Niles 113.5, Lincoln Park 105, Marshall 95.5, Springport 93, Sexton 68.5, Lansing East­ ern 42, Haslett 38.5, Okemos 31, Maple Valley 15, Central 0 and Lumen Christi 0. Lake Fenton had five individual cham­ pions and Forest Hills Northern four. Lake Fenton got wins from Jorge Mar­ vin at 106 pounds, Wyatt DeVasher at 113, Clay Cook at 120, Ty Johnson at 144 and Noah Hall at 150 pounds won flight titles. FHN was powered by first place finish­ es from Noah Garces at 157 pounds, Dan­ iel Elwell at 165, Chris Arrington at 175 and Caleb Fish at 132 pounds. The Lions will host their annual Jesse Snow Memorial Invitational Saturday, Dec. 17. They were scheduled to go to Perry last night, Dec. 14, for a quad with Ovid-Elsie and Saranac as well as the host Ramblers Sports Editor They’re modest milestones, but mile­ stones none the less. The Maple Valley varsity boys’ basket­ ball team won its season-opener last week against Delton Kellogg to start a season 1 -0 for the first time since 2013. The Lions are now 2-0 after a 53-43 win over Vandercook Lake in the Cascades vs. GLAC Challenge at Olivet College Friday. The Lions now have two victories before the holiday break for the first time since 2018. Junior forward Chanse Courtney led the way for the Lions with 20 points. He fired in ten in the third quarter as the Lions worked to extend a 22-16 halftime advan­ tage. He closed the night with 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Junior guard Ayden Wilkes had 19 points. He knocked down 3 three-pointers and dished out 4 assists. The Lions also got 6 points from senior Jessy Deppe and 4 from junior Callan Hoefler. Junior Hunter Fletcher led Vandercook Lake with 12 points and sophomore Chris Jimenez finished with 10. The GLAC boys went 5-1 in the Cas­ cades vs. GLAC Challenge over the week­ end. The only GLAC defeat came Satur­ day afternoon as Napoleon bested Lake­ wood 58-43. Lansing Christian defeated Manchester 40-32 Friday in the Challenge opener. The Perry knocked off East Jackson Saturday 55-51; Leslie boys beat Grass Lake 69-31; and Olivet scored a 59-27 win over Michigan Center. �Page 10 — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner TK and its handful of state qualifiers win their first two Brett Bremer •, n, Sports Editor The path for the Trojans will begin differ­ ently and end differently this winter. There is no battle of Barry County on the schedule for the Thomapple Kellogg varsity wrestling team to take on rival Hastings in an early season match-up. It wouldn’t be an uberearly litmus test for the postseason even if it was happening. The postseason road for the Trojans has been reworked a bit. TK will be in a district tournament hosted by Wayland along with Otsego and Plainwell in early February. That won’t change the outcome the Trojans are gunning for. TK was a perfect 5-0 in OK Gold Conference duals a year ago with six all-conference wrestlers. The team won a MHSAA Division 2 team district champion­ ship before running into the state powerhouse from Lowell once again in the regional round of the state tournament. The Trojans opened their season with a pair of victories at Caledonia High? School Wednesday night. The Trojans outscored a short-handed Caledonia team 64-12 after top­ pling Lakewood 57-22. Lakewood split its two duals on the night. The Vikings beat a short-handed Caledonia team 56-17. TK fol­ lowed that up by winning the Grandville Challenge Saturday, by 2.5 points over the runner-up Bulldogs who hosted the event. “They came out ready to wrestle,” Thornappie Kellogg head coach Dayne Fletke said after Wednesday’s wins at Caledonia. “They wrestled two pretty good teams. I think we looked good. It definitely shows us some things we’re going to keep working on through the year.” Noah Rosenberg at Heavyweight, Tyler Bushman at 132 pounds, Kyron Zoet at 138, Andrew Middleton at 144, Zack Gibson at 150 and Derious Robinson at 190 pounds all scored pins for TK in the win over Caledonia. Austin Chivis was the only TK guy to go a full six minutes in the dual with the Scots. He scored a 9-0 major decision over the Scots’ Dylan Meduna in thel75-pound match. Caledonia head coach Roger Singleton was pleased with how Meduna, one of his team’s top returning wrestlers, fared in the battle with Chivis. The Caledonia coach did say he’ll work with Meduna on being more aggressive Thornapple Kellogg Derious Robinson moves Caledonia 190-pounder Connor Sebel around the mat before pinning him 90 sec­ onds into their bout Wednesday, Dec. 7, at the season-opening tri hosted by the Fighting Scots which also included Lakewood. (Photo by Brett Bremer) in taking some shots in the coming weeks. “It’s a great experience in December to leam from,” Singleton said. “It’d be a horri­ ble experience at districts in February in the blood round, for me to be having this conver­ sation. I would much rather have it here and in December.” Singleton has 18 wrestlers and not a lot of experience in the wrestling room this season. A couple injuries are not helping. “The kids I do have are young, but they wrestled pretty good,” Singleton said. “At the end of the day, put a freshman out there who has three matches in middle school against a seasoned TK wrestler, that is probably not always going to go well for you. Through three weeks of coaching I’m not going to get them to the TK level.” Robinson, Rosenberg, freshman Dylan Pauline at 113 pounds, Bushman, Jackson BCCS boys score lopsided win over Libertas Christian ; The. . B.a^y 9 isiian . varsity boys’ basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a 63-17 win over visiting Libertas Christian in Great Lakes 6 action Tuesday in Hastings. Eagle head coach Joshua Lamphere said his team’s defense played really well. Isaiah Lamphere led the Eagles with 22 points. Noah Lilley added 20 points, as \^11 ^gjebounds^^s^, (L| The Eagles shared the load. Jordan Stolz had 9 points and Joe Wise chipped in 6 points and 11 rebounds. The Eagles are back in action at home tonight, Dec. 15, hosting Creative Tech­ nologies Academy. That’s the final game before the holiday break for the BCCS boys. CORRECTION A pair of varsity basketball teams had their season-opening results wrong in last week’s edition of the Hastings Banner. The Maple Valley girls beat Bellevue in game one of the season and the Hastings girls defeated Eaton Rapids. The Lions now have a 1-2 record this season. The Saxons are 1-3. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on January 12, 2023 commenc­ ing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required under the provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance for the Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, mem­ bers of the public may also provide comments for the Planning Commission's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Planning Commission for receipt prior to the meet­ ing, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompsonffipcimi.com) or by leaving a phone message prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from property owner Patricia and Gary Sausaman, 12506 Merlau Ave, Plainwell, Ml 49080 fgr a Special Land Use/Site Plan Review to allow for the proposed construction of an accessory structure that fails to meet the setback of accessory buildings requirements, pursuant to section 4.20 "Residential Accessory Buildings" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 12506 Merlau Ave, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-320-007-00 and is currently zoned R2- Single & Two Family, Medium Density Residential. 2. Such other business as may properly come before the Planning Commission. Curtis, Jayce Curtis and Chivis all had pins for TK in the win over Lakewood. Zoet got a six-minute win in that one, outscoring the Vikings’ Jonathan Krebs 4-3. “I thought they wrestled really well,” Lakewood head coach Tony Harmer said of his guys. “I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with a lot of them. It was hard to gauge against Caledonia, because they’re down a little bit, but we knew what it was to go against Middleville.” Lakewood sophomore Joel Simon and senior Ashton Clark, the Vikings’ two return­ ing individual state qualifiers, both had pins against the Trojans, and the Vikings’ Kade Boucher took a major decision in his 126pound match. The biggest win of the evening for the Vikings came at 144 pounds where senior Daniel Krebs pinned Thomapple Kellogg’s Middleton in the final second of the first peri­ od. Middleton was an individual regional qualifier a year ago in Division 2. “He kind of wanted it and he went out there and got it,” Harmer said of Daniel Krebs. “He went out there, shot right away and got the first take down.” In the end, Krebs went with a headlock that Middleton couldn’t escape from. Daniel and his younger brother, junior 138-pounder Jonathan Krebs, were both indi­ vidual GLAC champions and regional quali­ fiers last season. The TK team last year sent 12 wrestlers, including a pair of female wrestlers for the first time, to the MHSAA Individual Region­ al tournaments at the end of the season and eight of those wrestlers finished their 2021­ 22 season at the Individual State Finals. A group of six Trojans were on the medal stand at the end of the state finals and back from that group are three-time state placer Gibson, two-time state placer Zoet and fellow state medalist Jackson Curtis. That trio is part of an outstanding senior group that also includes Chivis and Middleton who are for­ mer state qualifiers. Bushman, another senior, and sophomore Christien Miller are returning regional qualifiers from a year ago. Kayleigh Brown, a freshman last year, was the first TK girl to qualify for the new MHSAA Girls’ Wrestling Finals. TK put up 181 points at the Grandville Challenge. Grandville was second with 178.5 points, ahead of Fruitport 96, Mt. Pleasant 91.5 and Portage Northern 72.5. Miller at 106 pounds, Zoet at 132, Middleton at 144, Gibson at 150 and Chivis at 175 all won flight championships with undefeated days. Pau­ line at 113 pounds, Bushman at 138, Jackson Curtis at 157, Jayce Curtis at 165 and Rosenberg at 285 were all the runner-up at their flight. The Trojans were scheduled to be home for the first time Wednesday, Dec. 14, for an OK Gold Conference Quad with Catholic Central and Kenowa Hills from the conference and non-league foe Vicksburg. TK will be at the Kent County Invitational hosted by East Kentwood Saturday, Dec. 17. Lakewood is at the Williamston Invitation­ al Saturday, Dec. 17. aaxans ww Big Rapids Duals fourth year in a row Valerie Slaughter Contributing Writer The Hastings’ Saxon varsity wrestling team had a dominating start to the season on Saturday. The Saxons finished 5-0 on the day at the team dual tournament hosted by Big Rapids High School to bring home the first-place trophy for the fourth year in a row. The Sax­ ons also took the newly formed Saxon Girls’ team to Big Rapids for their first matches of the season. The Saxons had the most girls of any the teams there and had four wrestlers go undefeated for the day. Hastings head coach Jason Slaughter was proud of his teams’ work, “it’s a strong start to the season, and it’s nice for kids to see that their hard work from the past four weeks pays off. We are happy with the start but plan to keep climbing and improving.” Part of that improvement is the addition of the girls’ team that Slaughter has started this year. The Saxons currently have about a dozen girls on their roster. Slaughter added, “It was great having the girls wrestle this weekend. Most of them have never wrestled before so it was really exciting for us and them to get wins. Hav­ ing the girls team helps to grow the sport and gets more people involved in our sport and program.” The first official win for the team was a pin for senior, Cailin Redman. Redman has been a manager for the last three years and decided to join the team as a wrestler this year. In the championship match, the Saxon var­ sity team faced Lakeview where they had their closest match of the day. The Saxons won the first four matches on pins from Lanny Teunessen, Parker Roslund, and Jor­ dan Humphrey and a void for Isaac Friddle. Lakeview then took the next three matches with pins at 113 pounds and 120 pounds, before a close 5-2 decision at 126 pounds. Keegan Sutfin, Cohen Smith and Ben Furrow all added pins, but Lakeview picked up two The Hastings varsity wrestling team celebrates winning the Big Rapids Duals for the fourth consecutive season Saturday afternoon at Big Rapids High School. The Saxon team was 5-0 in its duals for the day. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Hastings' Keegan Sutfin works to pin Big Rapids' Dawson Kilpatrick during their 132-pound bout Saturday at the Big Rapids Duals. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) other close decisions at 138 pounds and 157 pounds. The Saxons had a 9-point lead, 36-27, over Lakeview going into the last two matches. The last two Hastings wrestlers, Robby Slaughter and Tate Warner, both put up quick pins for the team at 165 pounds The Prairieville Township Planning Commission and Township Board reserve the right to make changes in the above-mentioned proposed amendment(s) at or following the public hearing. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION By: Fritz Bork, Chairperson ; Prairieville Township Hall , 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 Thornapple Kellogg senior Austin Chivis has his arm raised following a 9-0 major decision against Caledonia's Dylan Meduna in the 175-pound match during their teams' dual at Caledonia High School Wednesday, Dec. 7. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Hastings' Cailin Redman works to get a pin during a match against an East Kentwood wrestler at Big Rapids High School Saturday. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) and 175 pounds to close out the match with a win 48-27 score for the championship win. The Saxon varsity team defeated Godwin Heights in the first round of competition with a score of 78-3, before defeating Montabella 78-6. In round three the Saxons defeated Central Montcalm 58-21, and then bested Big Rapids in round four 66-16. The wrestlers going undefeated for the day and getting all pins for the team were Hum­ phrey, Sutfin, Cohen Smith, Slaughter and Teunessen. Colton Smith, Warner and Friddle all finished with four wins for the day. On the girls’ team, Abby Gaskill, Jordan Milanowski, Olivia Friddle and Claudia Palumbo all went undefeated for the day. Ellie Cousins, Eva Rowley and Cailin Red­ man all picked up a win. Friday night, the Saxon JV team traveled to Delton where they had four wrestlers finish in first place for the night. Winning their brack­ ets were: Bronson Elliot, Colton Denton, Preston Meece and Nevin Cheeseman. The Saxons will travel to Gull Lake High School on Saturday for a competitive 16-team dual tournament. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — Page 11 DK teams with Parchment to raise shoe funds Brett Bremer Delton Kellogg's Isaac Shepard (12) works his way into the post for a reverse lay-up around Galesburg-Augusta's Zack Eberstein (12) Friday at GalesburgAugusta High School. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basket­ ball team is still chasing win number one this winter, but the Delton Kellogg program teamed with Parchment to make sure that youngsters in southwest Michigan can shoot for their own wins and losses in the future. The two teams raised roughly $1,400 for the Bailey Southwest Michigan Shoe Fund. Since Mike Bailey’s passing from cancer at the age of 19 in 2011, the Bailey family has purchased shoes for multiple basketball play­ ers every year around SW MI allowing kids to participate in the game that Bailey excelled at and loved as a student-athlete at Parch­ ment. Members of the Delton Kellogg boys’ and girls’ programs have been shoe recipients over the years. “Between the T-shirts that we all wore honoring his number five and passing the bucket we raised $1,400 for that Michael Bailey shoe fund, so it was a nice night from that respect,” Delton Kellogg head coach Jim Hogoboom said. On the court, Parchment scored a 73-39 win over the Delton Kellogg boys to drop the DK boys to 0-3 overall this season. “I thought our kids really competed,” Hog­ oboom said. “Parchment was very talented, coming off' a loss that I think maybe caught them off guard a little bit against Hackett. They’ve got lots of talent.” Jalen Kampen led Parchment with 15 points. Hogoboom said Kampen is regarded as one of the top five sophomores in the state of Michigan. He had 13 of his points in the first half as Parchment built its lead. Pierre Nelson finished with 11 points and Darius Baker 10. Parchment took a 32-13 halftime lead and then pulled away with 27 points in the third quarter. Tyler Howland had 13 points for Delton Kellogg, Wyatt Finney 8 and Philip Halcomb 6. Finney knocked down a pair of three-pointers. “I thought our kids competed,” Hogoboom said. “I was really proud of our effort. Parch­ ment is bigger and stronger. They really make it difficult for you just to initiate your offense, and again we’re so young with a freshman and couple sophomores, but I thought our kids competed even as the score got more and more lopsided. “Lots of stuff we can build on these first few weeks and keep keep trying to get bet­ ter,” he added. He said Tuesday night’s ballgame could have been even tougher. Parchment didn’t shoot particularly well from outside. The Delton Kellogg boys fell 62-43 in their Southwestern Athletic Conference Central DK girls pick up their shooting in second half to finish Falcons Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity girls’ basket­ ball team got win number two Tuesday, knocking off Constantine on the road 43-37. Jordan Lyons led Delton Kellogg with 15 points. Cadence Johnson returned from an injury to put in 12 points and Josie Williams had 10. Delton Kellogg's Payton Robinson (22) runs into the smothering defense of Galesburg-Augusta's Grace Gibson (45) Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) “I did see a bunch of growth by the team as the game progressed,” Delton Kellogg head coach Mike Mohn said. “It was, by far, our most complete game of the season - 22 points in the first half and 21 in the second.” The Panthers did have a little slip in their shooting, especially during the first half Tuesday. The Panthers were just 7-of-21 from the free throw line in the bailgame. They did manage to up their shooting per­ centage from 25 percent in the first half to 34 percent in the second half. “It was a tight game throughout and I thought our kids did a great job of answer­ care of the ball aii^ma^mgotir opponent come meet us, which we took advantage of,” Mohn said. Delton Kellogg is now 2-3 overall this season. The Panthers will look to get their first SAC Central win Friday at Holland Black River - a newcomer to the SAC this season. DK is 0-1 in the SAC Central after a 43-25 loss at Galesburg-Augusta last Fri­ day. Mohn said his team ran into a buzz saw Friday and didn’t complete four full quar­ ters of consistent basketball. The DK girls had just five points in the first half. Williams led DK with 11 points. She scored them all in the second half. Allie Trantham had 6 points. Paige Thomas had a team-high 6 rebounds for DK. Delton Kellogg turned the ball over 26 times - something to work on. Division opener at Galesburg-Augusta last Friday. The bailgame was much like the Panthers’ opener at Maple Valley. They fell behind big early, closed the gap in the second half and then fell in the end. The Rams had a 37-17 lead at the intermission. Delton Kellogg was within ten points mid­ way through the fourth quarter before the Rams went on an 8-point run. Zac Ebersol led G-A with 17 points. John Klimp had 10 and Nick Man finished with 12. Howland had 14 points to pace the Panther attack. Halcomb had 10 points and Isaac Shepard had 11 points. “Galesburg did a better job than us with the transition game. Their shot chart must be very crowded near the rim because they seemed to run out on us and then get multiple chances and put backs,” Hogoboom said after the ballgame. “I’m proud of our guys. We keep growing. We played really hard in the second half in particular. “Philip Halcomb did a great job on their Jalen Dolph and held him to 7 points with five of those in the first half. I think Dolph is one of the better players in the league, so Philip really did a nice job defensively on him.” The Rams had a lot of options though. G-A had ten different players score in the contest. Barracudas win a second dual, tie for second at GR City Sprints Brett Bremer Delton Kellogg's Allie Trantham (32) tries to get off a shot over G-A’s Virginia Whalen (23) as Summer Ritchie (20) boxes out during their SAC Central match-up at Galesburg-Augusta High School Friday. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Delton Kellogg's Jason Lundquist (32) drives baseline during the first half of the contest at Galesburg-Augusta Friday night. (Photo by Perry Hardin) Sports Editor The Barry County Barracudas moved to 2-0 with a win at the Community Education and Recreation Center in Hastings Tuesday night. Ovid-Elsie couldn’t keep pace with the Barracudas as they scored a 94-65 win at Hastings High School. The Barracudas won seven of the first eight events and then weren’t concerned with piling up any more points.Seniors Mason Cross and Jack Kensington and junior Riley Shults won two individual events each'’duntigftfiaf early stretch ’{or’ the Barracudas. Kensington took the 50-yard freestyle in 24.55 seconds and the 500-yard free­ style in 6 minutes 2.54 seconds. Shults won the 100-yard freestyle in 56.15 and the 200-yard individual medley in 2:23.55. Cross won the 200-yard free­ style in 2:16.45 and the 100-yard butter­ fly in 1:08.13. Ethan Magnuson, a freshman, was the only competing diver to take a win in that event for the Barracudas. Sophomore Hunter Tietz, junior Heath Hays, Kensington and Shults opened the night for their team by win­ ning the 200-yard medley relay in 1:58.81. Barracuda swimmers placed 1 -2-3 in the next three events, the 200-yard free­ style, the 200-yard individual medley and the 50-yard freestyle. Swimming exhibition, the Barracuda team of Reagan Neuman, Blake Bar­ num, Isaiah Randall and Shults turned in the best time in the 200-yard freestyle relay and the team of Devin Pacillo, Send, Tietz and Kensington had the best time in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Also in exhibition performances, Pacillo turned in the best 100-yard backstroke time of the night and Hays was the fastest 100-yard breaststroke swimmer. '' Tile Barracudas lYecT for "second’ at Saturday’s City Sprints in Grand Rap­ ids. Loy Norrix won the day with 213 points. Barry County tied Ottawa Hills with 209 points to place second. Mat­ tawan was fourth with 188 points, ahead of Grand Rapids Union 137, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 135, Sturgis 115, Kalamazoo Central 101, Fremont 99, Caledonia/Lowell/South Christian 44 and Lansing 21. Pacillo had a runner-up time of 28.98 in the 50-yard backstroke. The Barracudas also had a runner-up time of 1:59.94 from the 200-yard back­ stroke relay team of Donald Kuck, Tietz, Send and Pacillo and a sec­ ond-place time of 1:38.25 from Pacillo, Schults, Jameson Riordan and Kensing­ ton in the 200-yard freestyle relay. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS DK gets six pins for SAC win over Fennville at first league contest Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity wrestling team split a pair of duals to open the South­ western Athletic .Conference season last Wednesday. The Panthers took a 54-12 win over Fen­ nville, but fell 48-27 to league newcomer South Haven. In the victory over Fennville the Delton Kellogg team got pins from Michael Bhola at 190 pounds, Mitchell Swift at 285 pounds, Corban Antolovich at 113 pounds, Joelle White at 120, Gage Vin­ cent at 126 and Griffyn Harmon at 138 pounds. Felix Houssemaine and Gauge Stampfler had forfeit wins for DK, as did Tucker Patrick-Swinehart. In the loss to South Haven, Delton Kel­ logg got pins from Luke Watson at 190 pounds and Giorgio Venturi at 215 after the Rams had built an 18-0 lead to open the dual. Antolovich added a pin for the Pan­ thers at 106 pounds and Stampfler a pin at 132 pounds. The tightest match of the evening was at 126 pounds where Delton Kellogg’s return­ ing sate qualifier Gage Vincent pulled out a 9-8 win over South Haven’s Zayden Row­ land. The DK team was back in action Satur­ day at its own Delton Kellogg Invitational. The DK team was 1-3 in the day’s duals, scoring a 54-24 win over Parchment. The DK team fell to White Pigeon 72-18, Ionia 46-36 and Paw Paw 51-22. White Pigeon took the tournament cham­ pionship. For Delton, Vincent and Stampfler were both undefeated on the day. Harmon tallied a 3-1 record. Eagles look to make it a perfect week with a win over CTA today Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Barry County Christian School varsity girls’ basketball team had a group of young­ sters build some valuable experience during a 4-14 season a year ago. The Eagles are back at it in their second season under head coach Dave McCausey this winter. The Eagle coaches sees a better and stronger team which should be able to improve on that record. The Barry County Christian girls picked up a big win Tuesday, knocking off visiting Libertas Christian 45-39. The Eagles are scheduled to host Creative Technologies Academy this evening, Dec. 15. The Eagles will play host to West Michigan Aviation Dec. 20 and then be off from com­ petition until the new year. Leading the way back for the Eagles are sophomore center Ravyn Simon, sophomore strong forward Naveah Stolz, junior point guard Kathryn Koetjke and sophomore shoot­ ing guard Hope Gamo. The Eagle coach is also looking for good things from freshman Alexandria Webb on the court this season. Barry County Christian will rely on its defense throughout the season, especially early on, while it works on its shooting touch. Coach McCausey said he expects Algoma Christian to be the top team in the Great Lakes 6 Conference this winter. Algoma edged the Barry County Christian girls 56-38 earlier this month. “We are young, but we are building a pro­ gram step by step,” McCausey said. “With time this will be one of the best teams around.” PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIEVILLE, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held on January 4, 2023 commencing at 7:00 p.m. at the Prairieville Township Hall, 10115 S. Norris Rd., Delton Ml, 49046 within the Township, as required underthe provisions of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act and the Zoning Ordinance forthe Township. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, In addition to participation during an public hearing, members of the public may also provide comments for the Zoning Board of Appeal's consideration by emailing or mailing those comments to the Zoning Board of Appeal's for receipt prior to the meeting, in care of the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson (ethompsonfa) pcimi.com) or by leaving a phone mes­ sage prior to the meeting with the Township Zoning Administrator, Eric Thompson at 269-948-4088. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the item(s) to be considered at said public hearing include, in brief, the following: 1. A request from property owner Patricia and Gary Sausaman, 12506 Merlau Ave, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for the construction of an addition that fails to meet the waterside and side yard setbacks, pursuant to sections 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" and Section 4.41 "Schedule of Lot Yard and Area Requirements" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 12506 Merlau Ave, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-320-007-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single Family, Medium Density Residential. 2. A request from contractor Baybridge Group for property owner Mark Ziemba, 12150 Gilmore Point Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080 for a variance to allow for the construction of an addition that fails to meet the waterside and side yard setbacks, pursuant to sections 4.24 "Waterfront Lots" and Section 4.41 "Schedule of Lot Yard and Area Requirements" of the Prairieville Township Zoning Ordinance. The subject site is located at 12150 Gilmore Point Dr, Plainwell, Ml 49080. Parcel #08-12-290-049-00 and is currently zoned R2-Single Family, Medium Density Residential. 3. Such other business as may properly come before the Zoning Board of Appeals. All interested persons are invited to be present at the aforesaid time and place, or, if an electronic meeting is held, to participate via the electronic meeting. Prairieville Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, to indi­ viduals with disabilities at the hearing upon four (4) days' prior notice to the Township Clerk. Individ­ uals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below. PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS By: Dale Grimes, Chairperson Prairieville Township Hall 11015 S. Norris Rd. Delton, Michigan 49046 (269) 623-2064 �Page 12 —Thursday, December 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES DUE TO THE HOLIDAY THE CIRCUIT COURT SALE BELOW WILL BE ADJOURNED FROM 12/15/2022 TO 12/22/2022; 12/22/2022 TO 12/29/2022; 12/29/2022 TO 01/05/2023; 01/05/2023 TO 01/12/2023 VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANT TO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (12-15) 192402 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty hqs concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Larry W. Hoffman and Allison K. Hoffman, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated November 14, 2005 and recorded December 6, 2005 in Instrument Number 1157269, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, d/b/a Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust I, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Sixteen Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Nine and 89/100 Dollars ($16,179.89). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. Said premises are located in the Township of Rutland, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: COMMENCING AT A POST ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH 1/4 LINE 14 CHAINSAND 45 LINKS SOUTH OF THE 1/4 POST IN THE CENTER OF SECTION 20, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE WEST 3 CHAINS, THENCE SOUTH 2 CHAINS, THENCE EAST 3 CHAINS, TO THE 1/4 LINE, THENCE NORTH ON THE 1/4 LINE 2 CHAINS TO THE BEGINNING. 1692 Erway Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 15, 2022 File No. 22-011951 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (12-15)(01-05) 191852 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Fern E. Fox, unmarried Original Mortgagee: Financial Freedom Funding Corporation, a subsidiary of Indy Mac Bank, F.S.B. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC Date of Mortgage: June 28, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 7, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $140,470.12 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 20, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence North 40.0 rods on the 1/8th line of said Section 20, thence East 8.0 rods parallel with East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence South 40.0 rods parallel with said 1 /8th line to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence West 8.0 rods on said East and West 1/4 line to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 11286 Gilkey Rd, Plainwell, Ml 49080-9018 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 8, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1483438 (12-08)(12-29) 192110 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236. MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of me mongaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to rthfe highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Jessica Rodriguez, an unmarried person and Jordan Stewart an unmarried person, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated August 27, 2019 and recorded September 3, 2019 in Instrument Number 2019-008406 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Click N’ Close, Inc., Inc., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred NinetyTwo Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty-Eight and 76/100 Dollars ($192,868.76). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. Said premises are located in the Village of Middleville, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: LOT 106, MISTY RIDGE NO. 5, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 66, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. 601 View Pointe Dr, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 15, 2022 File No. 22-011318 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (12-15)(01-05) 1483726 (12-08)(12-29) 192272 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Member SIPC Andrew Cove, AAMS® Financial Advisor 400 W. State St., Suite B Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-4702 421 W. Woodlawn Ave. Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3553 Add layers of protection to financial strategy To achieve your financial security, and that of your family, you will need to create a comprehensive strategy. But for this strategy to succeed, you’ll need to guard it from various challenges - and that means you’ll need to build in different layers of protection. What are these challenges - and what types of protection can be used to defend against them? Consider the following: • Challenge #1: Protecting your ability to reach your goals - To achieve your long-term goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you’ll need to build adequate financial resources. And that means you’ll need to create an investment portfolio that’s suitable for your objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. And you’ll need to keep your long-term goals in mind when adjusting your portfolio during times of volatility. • Challenge #2: Protecting your family’s future if you’re not around - Hopefully, you will live a long life and always be around to support your family. But the future is not ours to see - and if something were to happen to you, how would your family cope? Their chances could be much better if you have adequate life insurance. Proper coverage could help pay off your mortgage, pay for your children’s higher education and allow your family to continue its lifestyle. • Challenge #3: Protecting your income should you become temporarily disabled - If you were to become ill or temporarily disabled and could not work for a while, the disruption in your income could jeopardize your family’s living situation, or, at the least, lead to an inability to pay bills in a timely fashion. To protect against this threat, you may want to consider adding disability insurance. Your employer may offer a short­ term disability policy as an employee benefit, but it may be insufficient, either in duration or in amount of coverage, so you might want to look at a private policy. • Challenge #4: Protecting your long-term investments from short-term needs - Life is full of unexpected expenses - a major car repair, a new furnace, a large bill from the dentist, and so on. If you did not have the money available to deal with these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long­ term investments, such as your IRA or 401(k). Taking money from these accounts earlier STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29352-DE William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 i Court telephone tnou {269) 945^,1390, STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-293352-DE Hon. William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court Street, Suite, 302,. Hastings, Ml 49058 ’:j ni 'f I Estate of Ruth K. .WKitmyer. Date of birth: ‘Jbly'ii,' “J COuittelephone nd.t (269) 945-1390 Estate of Bradley Roger Nye. Date Of birth: ’042022. 91 _1 QRQ TO ALL CREDITORS: TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Ruth NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, K. Whitmyer, died 09/21/2020. Bradley Roger Nye, died 09/23/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that Creditors of the decedent are notified that all all claims against the estate will be forever claims against the estate will be forever barred barred unless presented to Jan Motto, personal unless presented to Thomas Kent Nye, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the W. Court St., #302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. date of publication of this notice. Date: 12-8-22 Jan Motto 7156 W. Parmalee Rd. Middleville, Ml 49333 616-307-1800 192381 Kevin Beck, AAMS® Financial Advisor Date: 12-9-22 Steven G. Storrs P80557 202 South Broadway Hastings, Ml 49058 269-945-2242 Thomas Nye 3247 Heath Road Hsatings, Ml 49058 269-838-6898 than you intended could incur taxes and penalties, and, even more importantly, could reduce the amount of money you have available for retirement. To help protect these investments from short-term needs for cash, try to build an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in cash or a liquid account. • Challenge #5: Protecting your financial independence - You would probably do all you could to avoid ever becoming a burden to your grown children - which is why it’s so important to maintain your financial independence throughout your life. One potential threat to this independence is the need for some type of long-term care, such as an extended nursing home stay, which can be extremely expensive. A financial professional can suggest protection strategies to help you prepared for these types of costs. It can be challenging to keep your financial strategy intact - so do whatever it takes to protect it. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29344-DE Court address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058,,r,.s.,^ . Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of James Richard Slater. Date of birth: 10/08/1950................. ' ■ -- ■ TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, James Richard Slater, died 8/31/2022. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jack M. Slater, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste.302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 12-97-2022 Lori A. Tallman P43993 9011 Davison Road Davison, Ml 48423 810-658-1555 Jack M. Slater 11395 Breckenridge Davison, Ml 48423 810-429-8305 192539 CHASE DRAIN NOTICE OF DAY OF REVIEW OF APPORTIONMENTS DATE: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 TIME: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. LOCATION: Office of the Barry County Drain Commissioner 220 W. State St. Hastings, MI 49058 QUESTIONS: (269) 945-1385 At the Day of Review, the Drain Commissioner will have the tentative apportionments against parcels and municipalities within the proposed Drainage District available to review. The Drain Commissioner, engineers, and other staff members will be available to assist individuals throughout the day, and to make revisions where necessary. There is no need to schedule an appointment for a specific time. Comments on the apportionment of benefits may be submitted to the Drain Commissioner in writing before the Day of Review at the Office of the Barry County Drain Commissioner, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 or jdull@barrycounty.org, or comments may be submitted in writing or verbally at the Day of Review. Comments submitted in advance must be received by the Drain Commissioner prior to the Day of Review to ensure consideration. * The computation of costs will also be available at the Day of Review. Drain assessments-are collected in the same manner as property taxes and will appear on your winter tax bill. If drain assessments are being, collected for more than one (1) year, you may pay the assessment in full with any interest to date at any time and avoid further interest charges. Barry County, Castleton Township, and Woodland Township are to be assessed at-large. 191385 Call for Hastings Banner ads 269-945-9554 or 1-800-870-7085 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Michael G. Linsea and Rosalind H. Linsea, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 24, 2012 Recorded on September 5, 2012, in Document No. 2012-004176, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Huntington National Bank Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-One Thousand FortySix and 08/100 Dollars ($81,046.08) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the center of Section 9, Town 2 North, Range 10 West, thence North on the North­ South 1/4 line, 33 rods for the place of beginning; thence North on said 1/4 line 1050 feet; thence West 930 feet; thence Southerly approximately 880' to a point on the Northerly right of way boundary of “Laura Drive”, (a Private Drive in the Plat of Fawn Lake), situated 150 feet Westerly of the North-West arc post of curve #1 of said Plat; thence Southeasterly along said Drive to a point due West of place of beginning; thence East to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 5399 Laura Dr, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. The Huntington National Bank Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman PC. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 Additional information, including a map of the Drainage District, and the Notice of Letting (containing the number and length of sections, the average width of each section, and if the drain will be closed, the amount and specifications of all tile or pipe required; the location, number, type, and size of culverts or bridges to be installed, if any; and conditions upon which the contract will be awarded) can be found at: www.barrvcounty.org/departments and officials/officials/drain commissioner/. . . Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation in the Day of Review should contact the Drain Commissioner’s Office at the number noted above (voice) or through the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1 (TDD) at least 24 hours in advance of the Day of Review to request mobility, visual, hearing or other assistance. You may appeal the determination of apportionments to the Barry County Probate Court within ten (10) days of the Day of Review. Jim Dull Barrv County Drain Commissioner 192598 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — Page 13 Vikings up defensive intensity in loss to Ionia Brett Bremer Sports Editor With limited varsity experience, the Vikings are still figuring out who they are and what they can be. They might have got some glimmers Tues­ day. Rival Ionia took a 61-44 win over the Lakewood varsity boys’ basketball team at Lakewood High School Tuesday in a non-conference ballgame to improve its record to 2-0 on the season. The Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run to close out the first half, doubling an 8-point lead to 16. They led 32-16 going into the locker room. “We have some young guys that haven’t adapted to the pace of play of varsity basket­ ball,” Lakewood head coach Chris Duits said. “It is faster, more physical and you have to play more fundamentally sound basketball. You can’t get away with the stuff that you do on the JV. We had a pretty good practice on Monday where we stressed setting picks, cut­ ting with a purpose and being strong with the ball becasuse we knew what Ionia was going to be, they were going to be tough man-to­ man, and we only played 16 minutes of aggressive basketball. We were on our heels for 16 minutes and then we were aggressive for 16 mintues.” The Vikings never chipped away at the lead much. They were never closer than 15 points in the second half, but Ionia only outscored Lakewood by one point in the second half. Lakewood head coach Chris Duits isn’t much for moral victories, but he thought his team learned during that second half that playing some fast, full-court, high-energy defense as often as possible might just be the identity it has been looking for. Ionia broke through for a few too many easy buckets behind the press for the Vikings to catch up on the scoreboard Tuesday, but the pressure also led to some good chances for the Vikings. “We’re probably a team that needs to pick up full-court and play 32 minutes of very aggressive full-court defense. At the change of possession we need to pick up and we need to start denying the ball and we need to start just getting more aggressive defensive­ ly,” Duits said. “The secnod half is when we picked up man and turned up the heat and were starting Lakewood junior guard Montreal Reid keeps close watch on Ionia senior Sam Eppler as he moves across half-court during the first half of their non-conference bail­ game at Lakewood High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) to cut more passes and be a little more aggressive with some trapping and running guys up the sideline and trying to force them into a trap and bad passes” he added. The Vikings played that defense out of necessity in a couple ballgames to start the season after falling behind against Pennfield and Napoleon. Whether it was in the back-court or at the back end of the press, Lakewood didn’t have a great answer for Ionia’s 6-foot-5 senior cen­ ter Lance Atkinson who had a team-high 21 points. He had 10 points in the second quarter alone - only three fewer than the two teams combined to score in the opening quarter. Ionia led 8-5 after the first eight minutes with all five of Lakewood’s points coming from senior guard Jayce Cusqck. Cusack had game-high 23 points, which included a 4-for-4 performance at the free throw line. Cusack hit a three-pointer that had the Vikings within 13-8 65 seconds into the second quarter, but a foul on the other end and then a technical foul for the reaction to the call against the Vikings wiped out any of that momentum. Ionia senior forward Miles Gregory hit the two technical foul shots to bump his team’s lead to seven points and then drilled a three-pointer a few moments later to push his team’s lead to double figures for the first time at 18-8. Lakewood was never closer than Lakewood senior guard Jayce Cusack is whistled for a charge as he tries to go over Ionia's Spencer Tooker (10) and Lance Atkinson (14) to get a shot up during the first half Tuesday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) eight points the rest of the bailgame. • Gregory closed the night with 12 points. Max Doty and Mason Doty had 7 points each for Ionia. Lakewood got 8 points from Landon Makley and 4 from Blake Price. Montreal Reid, Nathan Willette and Eli Jablonski had 3 points apiece. Lakewood is now 1-3 on the season. The Vikings fell 58-43 to Napoleon in the Cas­ cades vs. Greater Lansing Activities Confer­ ence Challenge at Olivet College last Satur­ day, Dec. 10. Cusack had 17 points, Reid 9 and Willettte 8 in that loss. DaVbnta Habem led Napoleon with 24 points. “They were bigger and stronger than us, but we were just not mentally prepared for that game,” coach Duits said. He liked the way his guys came back to practice on Monday in prepartion for Ionia. The Vikings open Greater Lansing Activi­ ties Conference play at home against Leslie tonight, Dec. 15. Vikings get first win over ‘Dawgs since 2016 Brett Bremer................ c , rvr, l ■ Z»PQl'tS Lakewood snapped a seven-game losing streak against rival Ionia and bounced back from its first defeat of the season, Friday against Belding, by scoring a 43-34 win over the rival Bulldogs at Lakewood High School Tuesday. The Viking varsity girls’ basketball team prepped for a physical battle with the Bull­ dogs, but the referees mostly swallowed their whistles in the first half, ratcheting up the intensity just a little bit more. “My parents always say to be tough, so it is basically just being strong with the ball and knowing that you’re not going to get all the calls,” Lakewood senior guard Ellie Possehn said. “We know that, and our team knows how to work with that. Coach always talks about being tough with the ball.” The Bulldogs led 20-18 at the half, but it was a nice outside shooting touch that finally tipped things Lakewood’s way. Possehn drilled a three-pointer in the opening moments of the third quarter to nudge the Vikings in front. A triple by fellow senior guard Alli Pickard had the Vikings up 26-24 with 4:39 to play in the third. Pickard’s three wiped away the last Ionia lead of the night. A three by senior point guard Paige Wolverton snapped a 26-26 tie with 2:26 to play in that third quarter and;put the Vikings in front'for good.*1 ' ‘ ' “We feed off of each other. One person gets up and then we try to rise with that and keep everybody up,” Possehn said. Lakewood led 34-27 going into the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs were never any clos­ er than five points the rest of the way. “I’m glad we could hold onto that one,” Lakewood head coach Kelly Meints said. “Ionia is always a physical team and that was one of our goals from the start: to not be outhustled. The first half, that was happening. They were bodying us up. We weren’t really finishing around the hoop and kind of com­ plaining about the calls. The second half, I was like we just have to outhustle. We have to get more physical. We have to finish around the hoop. Cadence [Poll] put some in for us there, and Paige [Wolverton] did nice at the line for us and we hit a couple outside shots. That kind of gave us a nice mood lift to carry us through.” Possehn, Pickard and Wolverton are all four-year varsity ballplayers who had never beaten the Bulldogs before on the basketball court. The Bulldogs had won seven in a row against the Vikings. Lakewood last bested the Bulldogs 44-42 during the 2015-16 season. That six-year run by the Bulldogs against the Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 For Rent 1 BEDROOM, 1 BATH Home on private lake in Delton, 10 miles north of Richland. No smoking. Includes internet. $1275/mo. (elec­ tric, garbage and oil heat NOT included). Or purchase for $350,000. 269-965-4663 ext. 234, leave message 24/7. GENERAL LABORER: JOB includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental in­ surance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. E usin ess Sendees BUYING ALL HARDWOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Walnut trees. Insured, liability & work­ man's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRICATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets MINI AUSSIE PUPPIES. Great colors, very cute, will stay small. $425. 517-726-0706. MINIATURE RAT TERRIOR puppies for sale. 1st shots and wormed. $450.269-223-9194. Help Wanted CHOICE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI Vikings also included a district ballgame at The end-of the 2017-18 seasop, ------ --_A r viuL .nnicTto .’SvrnijnW, .n niuH jo efrafeH Even taking the three-point barrage in the third quarter into account, the Vikings had their most offensive success getting the ball quickly in to junior center Poll. She had a game-high 16 points. The Vikings rely heavily at times in getting the bail into Poll and junior forward Alivia Everitt in the paint. They’re continuing to work on being strong with the basketball around the hoop, and the offense as a whole is working on getting the guards more into the scoring flow. Wolverton helped close out the bailgame with a 6-for-6 performance at the free throw line. She finished with 9 points. Possehn had 7 points and Pickard 4. “Sometimes we’re ahead, and we’ll be up a couple points and just be like, go, go, go, and we really shouldn’t be,” Possehn said. • “Sometimes we just need that moment where we cool it down and run a play.” The Vikings did have a few more turnovers than they would like, although both teams felt the same way at the end of the evening. Coach Meints said some of those are from the team getting sped up a little too much and some are from forcing the ball inside a little too often. “I don’t mind a couple where we’re turning the ball over, because I like our speed and I like to push it up the floor,” Meints said. “We’ll take it here and there.” Ionia got 8 points from sophomore guard Alexias Daugherty and 6 each from freshman forward Tessa Lemke and senior guard Rajalyai Esquivel. The Bulldogs are now 1-3 on the season. “I feel like this is a good bounce back,” Possehn said. “This is our rival and it has been forever. It is just always good to beat Ionia. You see the stands are always full when we play Ionia, because it’s a close game and everybody wants to come to watch it. The All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the Jaw. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. boys are a really good game. It is always a good win to get them off our backs and know that you can beat them. We haven’t beaten them in a couple years and it is just nice to know that and keep going. “Like coach said when we lost on Friday, ‘you’re not always going to be perfect. You have to know that you can lose and then you have to keep going from there.’” Possehn thought her team communicated better on defense in the win over Ionia than it had in the loss to the Black Knights. Belding bested the Vikings 45-40 at Lake­ wood High School last Friday. The Vikings are now 4-1 on the season. They’ll open Greater Lansing Activities Con­ ference play at Leslie Friday night. The Blackhawks were 20-3 a year ago, finishing tied atop the GLAC standings with Stock­ bridge. Lakewood head coach Kelly Meints said she is really looking forward to putting her team to the test against the Blackhawks. Top Union City scorers spoil home opener for Maple Valley Brett Bremer PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Lakewood senior Izzy Wheeler works to stay in front of Ionia senior guard Melayna Braman at the top of the key during their non-conference ballgame at Lakewood High School Tuesday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor It wasn’t the outcome the Lion ladies want­ ed Tuesday night, partly because of some butterflies with it being the home opener but mostly because Union City had some girls that could put the ball in the basket. The Chargers scored a 67-25 win over the Lion ladies in a non-conference ballgame, dropping the Lions’ record to 1-2 overall this season. Maple Valley’s varsity girls’ basketball team opens Greater Lansing Activities Con­ ference play tonight, Dec. 15, at home against Stockbridge. “Tonight was a doozy,” Maple Valley head coach Timara Wehr said. “Union City came out hot and never looked back.” The Chargers held the Lions to two points in the opening quarter, building a 15-2 lead and then piled on 28 points in the second quarter to lead 43-13 at the half. Jordan Chard had 24 points to lead Union City and Adalynn said. “Junior Autumn Leo was a true leader tonight and adjusted positions on the court Rumsey had 23. “The girls truly left it all on our on the with the group that she was on the court with.” court, even though it didn’t go the way we The Lions will play host to Galesburg-Au­ wanted it to go. We just couldn’t find a solu­ gusta for a non-conference bailgame Tues­ tion for stopping their two highest scorers,” day, Dec. 20, and then be off for the holiday Wehr said. break until a Jan. 3 contest at Battle Creek The Lions were without one of their key Academy. ball-handlers, senior guard Cassie McCool, which didn’t help matters. Junior Kyla VanAlstine led the Lions in scoring with 10 points and senior Abeni Hart­ well had 8. There were some points to The Barry County Road Commission will hold a Public be had at the free throw line, Hearing on its proposed 2023 Budget. The hearing will be held but the Lions were just 7-ofat the Commission Room located at 1725 West M-43 Highway, 22. Hastings, Michigan at 7:35 A.M. on December 30, 2022. A “We had some players come copy of the proposed budget is available for inspection at the off the bench and step up in Road Commission office. areas that needed help,” Wehr Barry County Road Commission Public Hearing �Page 14 — Thursday, December 15, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Scoring buckets an early bugaboo for Saxons Brett Bremer Sports Editor No amount of hustle can make up for only putting the ball in the basket 12 times. And the Saxons certainly hustled. The Hastings varsity girls’ basketball fought hard against a physical, undefeated, Coldwater Cardinal team in its Interstate-8 Athletic Conference opener at Hastings High School Friday, but came up short in a 37-20 defeat. It was a 15-15 ballgame with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter, and the Saxon offense really slowed down when senior guard Macy Winegar was whistled for her third foul trying to pick up a loose ball near mid-court with a little over four and a half minutes to play. She took a quick breath­ er, but the Cardinals put up a relatively quick six points to move ahead 21-15. Winegar hit a long three behind a screen to cut the Cardinal lead in half, then managed the final bucket of the third quarter with 40 seconds left in the period, but that basket that had the Saxons within 23-20 was their final field goal of the night. Coldwater sophomore guard Ellie Foley drilled a three to double her team’s lead to six points two minutes into the third quarter and the Cardinals extended their lead from there. Foley had a game-high 20 points without hitting a two-point field goal. She was 11-of16 at the three throw line and knocked down 3 three-pointers. The Cardinals were 9-of-12 as a team at the free throw line in the fourth quarter. A free throw by Addey Nickels with 46 seconds left on the clock accounted for the only point of the fourth quarter by Hastings. “It’s a long season,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said. “We have work to do. Effort-wise, I was pleased. I thought they worked hard. I don’t think they backed down. I don’t think they became intimidated like they did against Forest Hills. I think they learned from the Forest Hills [Eastern] loss, because they were big and strong too.” Winegar finished the bailgame with a team-high 9 points for Hastings. Senior cen­ ter Bailey Cook had 5 points and sophomore forward Rachael Hewitt finished with 4 points. Nickels had 3. Coach Youngs was pleased with the shots his girls were getting much of the game, and thought his girls could have had an 8-point lead had they hit a few more of their lay-ups Hastings senior Bailey Cook works to slow down Coldwater guard Elli Foley at the top of the key during their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference contest at Hastings High School Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) during the first half. Hewitt scored the first four points of the second half in the paint to nudge the Saxons into a 14-13 lead after a back-and-forth first half. The Cardinals nudged right back in front though before Cook evened the score at 15 with a free throw. “It’s a hard physical game and that is what our girls have to figure out,” Youngs said. “This is what varsity athletics is. You have to compete every possession. If you have a weakness, they’re going to try and go at it.” Hastings is back at it in the 1-8 at home this Friday, Dec. 16, taking on Jackson Lumen Christi. Coldwater moved to 4-0 on the season the win over the Saxons. The 1-3 Hastings girls were on the road for a non-conference ballgame at Hamilton Tues­ day night and fell 41 -20 to the host Hawkeyes, and despite fewer points and more lopsided score coach Youngs was much happier with the performance of his girls. “It was a growing night where I felt we Hastings junior Addey Nickels is bodied by Coldwater's Coley Burkhardt as she tries to get a shot up at the block during the first half of their 1-8 opener at Hastings High School Friday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) took a large step forward from Friday night’s loss,” Youngs said. Not only do the Hawkeyes have three girls right around 6-feet-tall or larger in the post, they knocked down shots outside as well. Hamilton hit 7 three-pointers in the bailgame - the 21-point difference in the end. Hamilton got out in front early, 9-2, with a couple of first quarter three-pointers, but the Saxons weren’t discouraged. Coach Youngs liked the way his girls handled the Hawkeyes’ different defensive looks, and was pleased with how sophomore guards Bri Darling and Kalli Koning handled the Hawkeyes’ pres­ sure. The Saxons had to make quick decisions to make up the length of the Hawkeye defenders. * The Saxons, focused on keeping the Hawkeyes from scoring in the paint on the other end, mostly did that. They held Hamil­ ton to five field goals in the paint with Cook, Hewitt and senior Isabelle Storm doing much of the dirty work down low. Winegar had 10 points for the Saxons. Hastings guys get first 1-8 win over Coldwater Brett Bremer The Saxons' Myles Padilla (center) celebrates a three-point play opportunity for teammate Hayden Long (left) as Jett Barnum looks on during the first half of their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference win over visiting Coldwater at Hastings High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) 192599 NOTICE OF 2023 MEETING DATES FOR THE FOLLOWING GROUPS Barry County Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on the following dates or at the call of the chair. The meetings start at 7:00 PM. January 9, 2023 April 10, 2023 August 14, 2023 November 13, 2023 February 13, 2023 May 08, 2023 September 11, 2023 March 13, 2023 June 12, 2023 October 9, 2023 Barry County Planning Commission will meet on the following dates or at the call of the chair. The meetings start at 7:00 PM. January 23, 2023 April 24, 2023 August 28, 2023 November 27, 2023 February 27, 2023 May 22, 2023 September 25, 2023 March 27, 2023 July 24, 2023 October 23, 2023 The meeting room for both groups is at: Tyden Center Community Room 121 South Church Street Hastings Ml 49058 The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being con­ sidered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or call the following: MICHAEL BROWN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR 220 WEST STATE STREET HASTINGS Ml 49058 (269) 945-1284 Sports -Editor The fun part was 3 threes and an offensive put-back by senior guard Myles Padilla in the second quarter. The fun part was the juniors Kai Richard­ son, Landon Steward and senior Zander Forbes drawing 3 charges in the first half against Coldwater Friday night at Hastings High School. The fun part was the Saxon student section coaxing a Coldwater miss at the free throw line with a quick rendition of “Jingle Bells.” The fun part was the celebration in the locker room after the Saxons’ survived for a 51-47 victory over the visiting Cardinals in their lnterstate-8 Athletic Conference opener to improve to 2-0 on the young season. The moments before heading to the locker room weren’t necessarily so fun though - but it’ll be valuable experience for down the road. “Everybody was nervous,” Hastings head coach Rich Long said. “Hastings, in the five years I have been coaching, has never beaten Coldwater. We have had a couple overtime games. I am glad that it worked exactly the way it did. We won, and it showed the kids’ heart. A 15-point win, I would take, but this really got down to the nitty-gritty and it made some kids step up. I don’t know if 50 percent from the free throw line is what we aim for, but 50 percent got it down.” The Saxons went on a 12-2 run late in the first half to push a 20-15 lead to 32-17, and led 32-19 at the half after a buzzer beater by the Cardinals. Coldwater inched closer during the third quarter, but the Saxon lead swelled back to 45-32 three minutes into the fourth quarter on buckets by seniors Hayden Long and Layton Eastman in the paint. The Cardinals had already turned up their defensive pressure the length of the court at the start of the fourth quarter. In the end, the Saxons hit just enough free throws to hold on for the four-point win. It was a three-pointer by Coldwater junior guard Zach Coffing that sparked his team with 3:35 to play. Another Coffing three with 39 seconds to go had his team within 49-44. Eastman went 1 -of-2 at the free throw line with 34.7 seconds left to nudge his team’s lead back to six, but Coldwater answered with a quick three by senior forward Donte Work. Work’s three-pointer rattled in, then at the other end of the floor Saxon junior point guard Owen Carroll went to the free throw line and rattled one of his two attempts home with 13.3 seconds to go to keep the Saxon lead at four. The Cardinals got another three off quick­ ly, but Steward eventually came out of the scrum with the rebound and dribbled toward center court before tossing it ahead to Padilla as the horn finally sounded with the Saxons still in front. Seniors Padilla, Eastman and Long all fin­ ished in double figures for the Saxons. Padil­ la had a game-high 19 points with 15 of those coming in the first half as Hastings built its lead. Long finished with 11 and Eastman 10. Hastings senior center Hayden Long puts a shot over Coldwater junior forward Evan Porter in the paint during the second half of the Saxons' Interstate-8 Athletid Conference win over the Cardinals at Hastings High School Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “I said in the locker room, we have a lot of guys doing their job,” coach Long said. “Myles Padilla hit a lot of big shots in the first half. He was on fire, but we also had our defense step­ ping up. We knew [Work] is a very solid play­ er. We knew what he wanted to do. We were taking charges. By the second half, they didn’t want to drive. They were in foul trouble. “It is easy to give Myles the props and scoring is fun, and without scoring we lose, but we were scrapping. Even a couple balls I thought we should have had, we were scrap­ ping for it. We just missed it. It was a nice effort by everybody, and they’re going to buy in to teams win and defense wins. Obviously, we have a lot of areas for improvement, but I was pleased with our defense and our intensi­ ty and the execution of that. It is kind of change in what we have been doing lately. It was nice to see.” The Cardinals won their two 1-8 meet­ ings with the Saxons by an average of 37 points a year ago and had won the first 12 match-ups with the Saxons in the 1-8 dat­ ing back to the 2016-17 season when Hast­ ings joined the conference. Coffing had a team-high 15 points for the Cardinals with 3 three-pointers on the night. Coldwater also got 14 points from Work. Coach Long said there was a bit of cat-andmouse game between the two teams as the Cardinals tried to come back in the second half. With the Saxons dropping guys to help in the post, the Cardinals started cutting guys off those double teams to get some open looks. Hastings found some other ways to protect the basket when the Cardinals started knocking down a couple outside shots. Hayden Long was tasked with containing Work around the basket, especially focused on taking his right hand away. It was Stew­ ard’s job to keep him from spinning back the other way. Coach Long said his team’s offense did go stagnant a bit in the second half, but he i$ happy to be able to work on things after a wirt rather than a loss. The Saxons will be back in action Friday,* Dec. 16, playing host to Jackson Lumen Christi. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-12-22.pdf 639e46626a2c618ec7b1b8b789262f2f PDF Text Text Weather, illness disrupts area schools Barry County's naughty and nice list Saxon ladies knock off Titans for first 1-8 victory See story on page 2 See story on page 4 See story page 9 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 == --------------- T- ANNER ......... ^Ichard **CASgp>T. VOLUME 168, No. 51 Thursday, December 22, 2022 PRICE $1.50 SWEAT EQUITY: Barry County Christian community improves facility with busy summer Jayson Bussa Editor When providing a tour of a school build­ ing, not many administrators spend much time showing off their portable classrooms. But, it’s a point of emphasis for Brandon Strong. “No school is going to point to their porta­ bles and brag,” said Strong, an administrator for Barry County Christian School in Hastings, who effectively acts as principal for the school. “But we do because we know the process. We know the effort behind it. We didn’t hire a construction crew to come in and do it.” This year, Barry County Christian is cele­ brating its 50th anniversary and is doing so with a few new amenities following a busy summer of manual labor for Strong, school staff, parents and volunteers. The school, which, at times over its history had been on life support, now has an enroll­ ment of over 210 students spread amongst campuses in both Hastings and Middleville. Of the total student body, around 165 attend school at the Hastings campus, located at 2999 McKeown Rd, where space was get­ ting so cramped that it was stifling growth. The growing pains got so disruptive that Strong and his team took drastic action this summer by developing a financially lean, but effective, way of increasing its usable space. Strong was able to source two, old portable classrooms that he and his staff had to over- See SWEAT EQUITY, page 3 Jessica Potter, advisor for Barry County Christian School’s after school program, is seen through the doorway of one of two portable classrooms that the school fixed up over the summer. (Photo provided) Merry Christmas Dawna Feldpausch (left), a science teacher at Barry County Christian, and Rachel Verstraete (right), a sixth grade teacher with the school, work on one of the portable classrooms during the summer. (Photo provided) After early opposition, Castleton Township moves W.K. Kellogg School housing development another step forward Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Castleton Township Board members voted to move a proposed housing project at the former W.K. Kellogg School building in Nashville another step forward at a special meeting this week. Board members voted 4-1 to approve a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement for the project and move negotiations for­ ward, with trustee Earl Wilson dissenting. The special meeting was scheduled after community stakeholders and members of the public filled the township hall at the Dec. 19 regular meeting to show overwhelming sup­ port for the project after it had been initially voted down by the board. The public outcry re-sparked discussions and the high-profile development in a housing-starved Barry County is now closer to reality. The next regularly-scheduled Castleton Township board meetings are slated for Jan. 4 and Feb. 1, where the topic is likely to be top of mind for most in attendance. The approved agreement would have the project contributing $3,100 in taxes to the township each year, with that price increasing by three percent every year for 15 years. After those 15 years, the project would pay ad valor- See SCHOOL, page 2 The staff at the Hastings Banner would like to wish our readers a very merry Christmas. Here in Barry County, the season is marked by charitable efforts by non-profit organizations, businesses and individuals. On page eight, we highlight a couple of programs that were designed to make the holidays a little brighter for residents of Barry County. Plea deal offered in Delton hit-and-run fatal; case moves to trial otherwise Greg .Chandler Staff Writer A Delton woman has beeftgiven until Jan. 6 to decide whetbef to accept a plea deal in a fatal hit-and-run crash in May of this year. Alexandra Marie Palmer, 32. appeared via video from the Barry County Jail at a final pretrial conference on Tuesday before Judge Michael Schipper. She is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 23 on charges of failure to stop at the scene of,an accident causing death and seyorgl. ptiie^cfiminal counts in the death of ;2K-^eIhoid MicaleBeau. ^,|merTs. accused of striking LeBeau with her vehicle in the early morning hours of May 8 in the 6900 block of Delton Road in Barry Township. LeBeau’s body was found lying See PLEA DEAL, page 3 Alexandra Marie Palmer of Delton appears via video from the Barry County Jail on Tuesday for a pretrial conference. Palmer is charged in the May hit-and-run death of Mica LaBeau in Barry Township. (Photo by Greg Chandler) Allan Martin (left) and Kittie Tuinstra (right), representatives for Dogwood Community Development, attended a special meeting with Castleton Township board members on Monday morning, answering questions about the proposed Village Flats project that would be installed in the former W.K. Kellogg School building in Nashville. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) �Final meeting of current county board in the books after Tuesday’s evening session Jayson Bussa KCC closed for Winter Break Dec. 23-Jan. 3 Most Kellogg Community College campus locations and offices will close for the college’s winter break around 5 p.m. today, Thursday, Dec. 22; the college will reopen at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. The College’s Eastern Academic Center campus in Albion will remain closed for win­ ter break through Monday, Jan. 16, and will reopen Tuesday, Jan. 17. Fall 2022 semester classes ended for KCC students on Dec. 16, and the first spring 2023 semester classes will begin on Jan. 17. Individuals interested in taking classes at KCC this winter and spring can learn more about applying to the college and signing up for classes online over winter break by visiting kellogg.edu/registration. New students can fill out an application for free online at kellogg.edu/apply. Pierce Cedar Creek Institute trails to reopen Jan. 1 Trails north of Cloverdale Road at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings are set to reopen Jan. 1. The Institute closed a selection of its trails at the beginning of firearm deer hunting season. Once the trails reopen at the start of the new year, all trails at the Institute will be back open and ready for adventure. Those visiting the Institute can also pick up Winter Break Exploration Kits for kids 12 and under. The kits, aimed for specific age groups between birth and 12-years-old, give kids hands-on learning activities to keep them occupied over winter break. These free kits can be picked up at the Institute’s Visitor Center (south side), the Hastings Public Library or the Delton District Library. More information about Pierce Cedar Creek Institute can be found at cedarcreekinstitute.org. Michigan unveils newly minted alliance to earn cash back for college Under a new partnership, Michigan families can leverage their everyday purchases into college savings for their children and grandchildren similar to earning cash back for gas or groceries. The partnership between the Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP) and Upromise, a leading consumer brand, offers a free rewards program designed to help families save for college. “It is not often we get an opportunity like this to promote a program that turns an ordinary shopping trip into cash for college - talk about bargain shopping,” said Diane Brewer, Michigan Education Trust executive director. “The state of Michigan continues to make clearing barriers to higher education a top priority and we are confident promot­ ing Upromise in Michigan will strengthen that effort.” Brewer’s office, within the Michigan Department of Treasury, oversees MESP - a state-sponsored, tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan created in 2000 to help Mich­ iganders save for higher education. With the cost of college increasing at a faster rate than inflation, Brewer says that MESP provides families the ability to invest and grow their savings not only over the long term but also in a more tax-favorable manner. “Upromise augments that savings by offering a simple, free and almost effortless div­ idend for a child’s future educational needs,” Brewer said. “Any time you eat out, buy groceries, fill your gas tank or make just about any routine purchase, Upromise will add to your college savings plan at no additional cost to you.” Derek DeLorenzo, senior director for Upromise 529 programs, pointed to the pro­ gram’s success across the nation as, likely, evidence that it will grow in Michigan. : ■ “Upromisd has bedn highly Successful ih other states, and we are extremely excited to v^pqndalin MichysanF/’iDeLprenzo said. “We look-forward to continuing our mission to_ invest s highers {education in/Michigan and throughout the country.” Those interested can find more information and enroll in the program at MIsaves.com/ upromise22. Jake Welch offered Road Commission managing director job Greg Chandler Staff Writer The Barry County Road Commission board Tuesday voted 3-0 to extend a contract offer to Jake Welch to be the agency’s new managing director. Welch, who is currently the road commis­ sion’s assistant managing director, would replace Brad Lamberg, who is stepping down after 24 years as managing director. Three candidates were interviewed for the managing director position, Commissioner Frank Fiala of Yankee Springs Township said. “It became obvious that we have one (candidate) much stronger than the oth­ Costa Rica 9 Day Tour with All Meals, All Hotels, All Activities. Hike in jungle rainforests, view volcanoes, soak in hot springs, cruise biological reserves and relax on tropical ocean beaches. Join the smart shoppers and experienced travelers. 1-800-CARAVAN Caravan.com ers,” Fiala said. Welch j oined the Barry County Road Com­ mission in 2013 after having worked for an excavation company in the Grand Rapids area. He served as the agency’s director of operations before adding on the title of assis­ tant managing director. Welch chairs the Yankee Springs Town­ ship Zoning Board of Appeals and recently served on the Thomapple Kellogg Board of Education. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Mich­ igan University. Negotiations will begin on a contract for Welch, Fiala said. Choose a Guided Tour+tax,fees 9 days $995 Costa Rica 8 days $995 Panama 8 days $995 Guatemala Mexico 9 days $995 -Ancient Civ. -Copper Canyon 8 days $1295 “Brilliant, Affordable Pricing” Arthur Frommer, Travel Editor caravan Fully Guided Tours Since 1952 MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License //8110376 Office (269) 948-2248 & Insured Mobile (269) 838-5112 Editor The current roster of Barry County com­ missioners wrapped up its work on Tuesday with a rare evening meeting, which featured a standing-room-only gallery. The county board will bid farewell to Chair­ man Ben Geiger, Vice Chair Vivian Conner and Commissioner Hoot Gibson and welcome in four new commissioners at the start of 2023. The meeting was about crossing ‘T’s and dotting T’s because any matters that were left unresolved would have to be reconsidered once the new commissioners have been seated. Near the conclusion of the hour-long meet­ ing, Geiger used the chairperson’s report portion of the meeting to deliver a final address following his 12 years on the com­ mission. “It’s the non-agenda experiences that make this job worth doing,” Geiger said. “It’s solv­ ing problems in a booth at Richie’s (Koffee Shop). It’s traversing this county searching for the planning and zoning site you’re sup­ posed to find. It’s talking to (County Admin­ istrator) Michael (Brown) about the nuances of the county government and ripping him about MSU football.” “What’s on the agenda has been my job for 12 years, but as a Dutch priest once said, the interruptions are my work,” Geiger contin­ ued. “We encounter issues and people that change the agenda of the day....I’m so grate­ ful for the interruptions during my 12 years of service here. It’s been an honor to serve. Thank you and God bless.” Neither of the other two outgoing commis­ sioners offered sentimental words. When longest-serving commissioner Hoot Gibson was given time to provide his report, all he said was “I’m set.” “Really? After 18 years? Come on!” com­ missioner David Jackson said, ribbing Gibson. “I’m ready to retire,” Gibson responded with a smirk. During the meeting, the board considered, and passed, a number of items, including some of the following: Barry County Board Chairman Ben Geiger addresses his fellow commissioners and the gallery for the final time during Tuesday’s meeting. The meeting was the last for Geiger, Vice Chair Vivian Conner and Commissioner Hoot Gibson. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) -The board agreed to continue the practice of funneling general surplus money into four different capital funds the county maintains. Instead of departments being penalized for ending with a surplus, their budgets will remain unaffected while the. surplus will be diverted to the building rehabilitation, data , processing; capital replacement and vehicle replacement funds. These’'funds ultimately benefit the county as a Wole and its many departments. "• - Commissioners approved an engagement agreement with Hastings-based Walker Fluke & Sheldon P.C. to perform the 2022 audit of the Barry County Road Commiss-ibp. The. firm . currently performs pre-audir ana accounting, work for the county, but not specifically for the road commission, making it eligible to conduct the audit for that department. - County administrator Michael Brown presented the final, amended county bud­ get, which was approved by the county board. The most profound changes made were to account for the economic impact payments that the board approved earlier this month. - Heather Wing presented to the board with information relating to four applicants to the Michigan .Agricultural Preservation Fund Board’s : local farmland preservation pro^fhm. Farfaftd submitted by Alvin and Susan Butler was selected as the designated applicant fro^B^fy County for the fiscal y^r2023.'“ The Barry County Substance Abuse Task F$rte was given the green light by county comtfrW^ie^/W^nbmit a 2023 grant appli■ cation tofthe Michigan Department of Licens. inguind RifguFatofyc Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Medical Marihuana Regulation. This is a grant program the department already partic­ ipates in. The department is seeking $21,897 for education and outreach programs con­ cerning medical marijuana use and how to restrict access to those who are underage or vulnerable. Michiganders encouraged to prepare for upcoming severe winter weather With winter weather upon us, and the potential for dangerously cold and hazardous weather this week and-holiday weekend, the Michigan State Police TMSP) is encouraging residents to be flexible with travel plans and take necessary preparedness measures to help ensure their safety. Travel is expected to be dangerous state­ wide today through Saturday. The National Weather Service is forecasting the potential for blizzard conditions in the Upper Peninsu­ la starting today, and in the Lower Peninsula starting tomorrow. Blizzard conditions are expected to last through Saturday with wind gusts between 40-50 mph and gusts over 60 mph possible at times Friday into Saturday. Residents should have a supply of essential items ready in advance to use during emer­ gencies such as a power outage or being stranded in a vehicle. These supplies should be kept at home, at work and in vehicles for use during an emergency. “Winter weather can be highly unpredict­ able, and we encourage residents to start their travel early, if possible, or delay if plans are flexible,” said Capt. Kevin Sweeney, deputy state director of emergency management and commander of the MSP’s Emergency Man­ agement and Homeland Security Division. “The most important'thing residents can do to stay safe during ^xtr^e^weata is^o be Jeady ahead of time by equipping their homes and' vehicles with basic emergency preparedness items and developing an emergency plan.” Winter preparedness tips: - Develop a 72-hour emergency supply kit that includes essential items like a three-day supply of food and water, a battery-powered or hand-crank weather radio, blankets, flash­ lights with extra batteries and emergency contact information. - Know the difference: A Winter Storm Watch means a winter storm is possible in your area; a Winter Storm Warning means a winter storm is occurring or will soon occur in your area. - Identify a safe alternative heat source and supply of fuel in the event of a power outage. - Listen to the radio and TV for weather reports and emergency information. - Stay inside during winter storms. If you must go outside, wear several layers of light­ weight clothing, a hat and gloves to prevent loss of body heat. Cover your mouth to pro­ tect your lungs. - For those requiring oxygen, ensure you have a backup power source in case of long­ term power outages. •« . -EprjjxoiieJQfQ|WtiQn about how to. stay safe during, winter weather, take a look at the: MDHHS Cold Health and Safety Fact Sheet. Automotive preparedness tips: - Carry an emergency supply kit in your vehicle with essential items such as salt, sand, a shovel, food and blankets. - Ensure your car has the proper mix of antifreeze and water in the cooling system and that windshield washing fluid is topped off. - Keep tires at the car manufacturer’s rec­ ommended pressure and routinely check tire pressure during cold weather. - Keep the fuel tank near full to prevent freezing of the fuel line. - When traveling, let someone know your destination, route and expected arrival time. Motorists are encouraged to check travel conditions and weather reports before driv­ ing. Major road closures can be found at michigan.gov/MiDrive. Additional resources can be found at michigan.gov/RoadConditions. The MSP/EMHSD asks that you tune into local news and/or view these websites rather than calling your local MSP post or 911 for travel conditions. No school Friday in Hastings due to incoming winter storm; D-K goes to distance learning because of illness Jayson Bussa and Hunter McLaren Banner Staff The holidays are coming a day early for Saxons. In an email sent to staff, Superintendent Matt Goebel announced that Thursday, Dec. 22 would be a half-day for all schools in the district and there would be no classes throughout the district on Fri­ day, Dec. 23. The cancellation moved up the start of winter break for the district, which was originally scheduled to begin after a half­ day of classes on Friday. School is set to be back in session on Monday, Jan. 9. The Hastings Community Childcare daycare will be open from 6 a.m. to noon on Thurs­ day, Dec. 22 and closed on Friday, Dec. 23. The Community Education and Recreation Center will be open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thurs­ day and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. In the email, Goebel said the cancella­ tion was made because of a winter sjofyn watch and severe weather that’s been fore­ casted ahead of Christmas weekend. “The reason behind these changes is weather related. A winter storm watch has been issued and some severe weather has been forecasted,” Goebel wrote. “Due to the holiday weekend, overall safety and travel plans, I wanted to provide some additional planning time for our staff and families.” Across the county, Delton Kellogg Schools has also worked to modify its schedule as its Student body contends with a spike in illness. The district announced that it has cancelled in-person learning and reverted to distance learning for Dec. 21 through Dec. 23. “Please remind your student to follow their normal schedule using their electronic device, as attendance will be taken in each class,” said an announcement that was sent out to parents in the district. Last week, Delton Kellogg Schools announced that it had canceled school for Friday, Dec. 16 because of student and staff illness. Students returned to class for the first two days of this week before the deci­ sion was made to finish out the week via distance learning. The district’s winter break will be observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 8. SCHOOL, continued from page 2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------em taxes like most other rental properties. Of the $3,100 in total taxes, $500 were earmarked for local fire and emergency services. The proposed Village Flats project by Hart-based Dogwood Community Develop­ ment would convert the now vacant W.K. Kellogg School building into a 20-unit resi­ dential building. The project is receiving workforce housing tax credits from the Mich­ igan State Housing Development Authority, making the project’s structure and goals sim­ ilar to the recently finalized Tyden Lofts project in Hastings. Proponents for the project have argued that it would provide a tremendous boost to Nash­ ville’s economic development. New residents could spend more money downtown and staff local businesses, as well as bring new stu­ dents to the Maple Valley school district. Earl Wilson, board trustee, was the single vote against going forward with the project. Wilson said he would like to have more infor­ mation about the project available before he could support it. When Township Supervisor Cheryl Hart­ well asked Wilson if he was opposed to approving the PILOT agreement or the proj­ ect as a whole, Wilson said the project seemed “too good to be true.” “It’s a hard thing to decide on. It’s one of those things that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Wilson said. He had expressed earlier in the meeting he still had concerns that the township didn’t have enough rental ordinances to ensure rental properties in the township were main­ tained to a high standard. Allan Martin and Kittie Tuinstra, representatives of the devel­ opers involved, said they would be happy to work with the township to craft rental ordi­ nances and that it’s something they’ve done in the past. “We’re more than happy to be a part of that conversation at the village or township with regards to rental ordinances,” Tuinstra said. “We’ve done that a lot, with a lot of other communities. It’s a positive tool, but it is a separate thing from this tax conversation.” �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — Page 3 Hastings school board sends off Dan Patton after 11 years of service Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Dan Patton reflected on his time serv­ ing as a member of the Hastings school board during the last meeting of the year. “First of all, I want to say thank you to the voters who elected me more than once. Not sure that was a good choice for them, but they did,” Patton joked. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve.” The meeting would be Patton’s last before incoming board member Justin Peck would take his seat. Patton had cho­ sen not to run for reelection after serving on the board for 11 years. There were some aspects of being a board member he would miss more than others, he said. Although he wouldn’t mind not having to attend so many meet­ ings, Patton said he would miss the sense of community that comes with serving on the board. He’d also miss the educational presentations from staff and students. “Over the years, I’ve had the opportuni­ ty to be blessed with a tremendous num­ ber of presentations (and) accolades from kids who do really amazing things,” he said. “I don’t know if the school board does much of anything that’s amazing, other than meet,” Patton joked. Although he’s enjoyed his time on the board, Patton said his tenure hasn’t been without its challenges. When he was appointed to the board, the district was in a $622,000 deficit and in danger of being taken over by the state. Patton com­ mended school staff and administrators for the sacrifices they made to get the general fund balance where it is today, at $4.7 million. “It was bad times because of the sacri­ fice, but we were able to turn that around and be where we are today. I hope that’s never forgotten,” Patton said. “Financial­ ly, this district was in a bad spot. It took a lot of work, a lot of effort, a lot of people Longtime Hastings school board member Dan Patton reflected on his 11 years of service. Patton will be giving up his seat to incoming member Justin Peck. (Photos by Hunter McLaren) Former Bradford White employee pleads no contest to embezzlement charge Greg Chandler Superintendent Matt Goebel (left) presented board member Dan Patton (right) with an award recognizing his long time service to the Hastings school board. to ensure (the district’s finances got back on track.)” Other school board members recog­ nized Dan Patton for his years of service on the board and thanked him for being a source of knowledge on the board for newer members. Secretary Jennifer Eastman and Trea­ surer Michael Nickels said they both reached out to Patton before they ran for their board positions, and hoped he would continue to be a resource to the board. “He’s always putting education first, and he’s always recognizing those that work hard within our district and our buildings each and every day to get where we’re at,” Eastman said. “I was really appreciative of (your) time, and your wealth of knowledge within this position on the board is so valuable.” Board President Luke Haywood echoed those sentiments and told Patton to expect some phone calls if he had any questions. “Personally, I appreciate your wisdom from being the youngest board member. Even though you’re not the board, you may still get calls from time to time as to historical questions, ‘What did we do when...?”’ Haywood said. “Thanks again, Dan.” Patton reassured board members he would be available as a resource and he’d still be invested in the board’s operations. “Thank you for the opportunity to serve the Hastings Area School System,” Patton said. “I’m not going away, you’ll still see me around. If you make any mistakes, I’m going to come back and heckle you from the crowd.” In other business, the board: - Approved the first 2022-23 budget amendment. Tim Berlin, assistant superinten­ dent of operations, said there were no major discrepancies from the budget and student enrollment is up by about 20 students. - Accepted a $1,250 donation from Barry County United Way to cover expenses related to Pluto, one of the dis­ trict’s therapy dogs. - Accepted a $5,629 donation from the Thomas Dwight Stephens Trust to support the Future Farmers of America Bam. - Accepted a $15,000 donation from the Baum Family Foundation to support the high school musical. - Accepted a $750 donation from an anonymous donor to support classroom needs at Northeastern Elementary. - Set the next school board meeting for 7 p.m. on Jan. 16 in the library of South­ eastern Elementary School. Staff Writer A former employee of Bradford White Corporation in Middleville pleaded no contest Tuesday to embez­ zling from the company. Roxann Renee Curry, 58, of Wayland, entered the plea on a charge of embezzlement of at least $50,000 but no more than $100,000. Judge Michael Schipper accepted the plea and set sentencing for Feb. 22, 2023 in Barry County court. While the embezzlement charge carries a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000, Schipper indicated that he would likely sen­ tence Curry to no more than one year in jail, plus probation under a Cobbs agreement. Under that provi­ sion, if the court determines that it will exceed that likely sentence after receiving the pre-sentencing report, Curry could choose to withdraw her plea. Assistant County Prosecutor Chris Ellsworth said that the theft occurred between December 2018 and July 2019, while Curry was employed as a maintenance, repair and operations buyer/planner for Bradford White. “She used Bradford White’s account to order items that Bradford White did not need,” Ellsworth wrote in an email to the Hastings Banner. “Bradford White received the bill for those items and paid for them. She picked the items up from the supplier. She did not deliver them to Bradford White. She instead sold them herself, keeping the money.” Ellsworth did not disclose the exact amount that was embezzled, but wrote in an email to the Hastings Ban­ ner that the amount Curry will need to pay in restitution to Bradford White will “be much higher” than $50,000. Curry, who entered her plea via conference call, did not challenge Ellsworth’s statement in court. “I acknowledge the statement,” Curry said. A second charge of using a computer to commit a crime will be dismissed in exchange for Curry’s no contest plea. She is currently free on bond. Bradford White is the largest employer in Barry County. SWEAT EQUITY, continued from page 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PLEA DEAL, continued from page 1 ------------------------------- haul and outfit with everything needed to create a usable classroom that was up to safe­ ty and security codes. Both portable class­ rooms measure 720 square feet in total. Like with all the other ambitious items on his staff’s to-do list this summer, Strong and his team dug in to do most of the work them­ selves, getting them ready for the current school year already; Altogether, the school has invested $55,000 into both of them, which includes equipping them with HVAC systems and electricity. One of the portables is used primarily for music classes, including both band and choir. The other one houses the school’s library, which freed up space inside the building. It’s also used for the Barry County Christian’s after-school program. “The difference is night and day,” Strong said about having over 1,400 of additional square footage to work with. “One thing I love is that (band teacher) Clint (Dickerson) has the freedom to do what he wants in that music room. He doesn’t have to be worried about being quiet or being too loud or what­ ever. He can do what he wants. He has cre­ ative reign.” And while the portable classroom spaces benefit their new occupants, they also afford the school new capabilities inside of the building, where they seemingly fit a class­ room or activity space in every nook and cranny of the facility. “It’s been amazing to walk into a third grade classroom and it’s just about third grade or a fourth grade classroom and it’s just about fourth grade,” Strong said. “...That was just a dream 10 years ago. We had kindergar­ ten, first and second in one classroom. Now we just have first graders. That’s just a huge blessing for our school.” Strong has developed a knack for adminis­ tering renovations that often come with a steep price tag in the public education world on the cheap. For instance, essentially every inch of the school is furnished with used fur­ niture where “steeply discounted” hardly does it justice. After all, financially lean innovation is mandatory in private education and Strong knows it. And while it’s not necessarily unique to Barry County Christian that it boot­ strapped its way to solving its most immedi­ ate needs, the devotion and sacrifice in which his staff dug into the work are what Strong said was the difference maker. Overhauling the portable classroom was a chore that the staff undertook in just the final month of the summer. Prior to that, the school installed a new playground complete with synthetic turf and recycled mulch in addition to re-doing their parking lot. The parking lot project was mostly out­ sourced as the team lacked the knowledge, expertise and equipment, but the school worked closely with local partners to tackle the project as leanly as possible. The playground project, however, required the help of a small army of staff, parents and volunteers. The playground set that the school replaced was original to the school, made out of wood and in various states of disrepair. It was sur­ rounded by several inches of pea gravel. “The playground is something we desper­ ately wanted done and so you’re going to have 90 kids, you can’t have a playground alongside the road by officers from the Barry Township Police Department. “We have had a settlement offer and lengthy discussions (on a possible plea agree­ ment),” Palmer’s attorney, Carol Jones Dwyer, told the court. Assistant County Prosecutor Josh Carter told the court that the offer was to dismiss a second charge-of failure to stop at the-scene of a serious personal injury accident in exchange for a guilty plea on the failure to stop at an accident causing death charge under what’s called a Killebrew agreement. That’s where a trial court may accept a guilty plea without being bound by any agreement on sentencing between the defendant and the prosecution. Palmer would not be able to withdraw her plea if the court does not follow the sentencing recommendation. Carter proposed a minimum sentence of 6.5 years if Palmer chooses to plead guilty. He noted that because she is being charged as a habitual offender, she could receive a sentence of 20 to 30 years if she is convicted at trial. Dwyer said she discussed the plea offer with Palmer. “We are prepared at this time to move for­ ward and prepare for trial,” she said. Schipper said he was not ready to accept the Killebrew agreement. Barry County Christian currently utilizes two newly-renovated portable classrooms for uses such as music classes, library and the an after school program. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) “I don’t know much about this case. I don’t know the facts of this case, I don’t know how it happened,” the judge said to Palmer. “I don’t know what exactly you did. I don’t know the situation with the victim. I don’t know any of those things ... Very honestly, I could find that 6.5 years is too much. I could find much less than that. So I don’t want my hands tied - to- something that I don’t know well enough yet to make that decision.” “I think it’s a case in which, if there’s a guilty plea or finding of guilt, I should be open-minded and able to hear all the facts, learn everything and hear the arguments from your attorney and from you before I make a decision,” Schipper added. Schipper set Jan. 6 at noon as the deadline for Palmer to accept a plea agreement. “If there’s no decision, or there’s a rejec­ tion, we’re going forward with trial,” he said. Palmer was arrested June 13 in connection with LeBeau’s death and is being held on a $20,000 bond in the Barry County Jail. According to the police investigation, Palmer was traveling westbound on Delton Road when her vehicle struck LeBeau, who was walking along the roadway. She allegedly fled the scene west on Delton, then turned north onto Norris Road, police said. Schipper has set Jan. 23-24 and Jan. 27 as dates for the trial should it proceed. The inside of a portable classroom at Barry County Christian. This one is used for band and choir classes. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) like that,” Strong said. With one small portion of updated play­ ground equipment already installed, the school purchased and shipped in used equip­ ment from a Detroit school that had shut down. To get rid of the gravel, the school purchased $4,000 worth of synthetic turf that was previously used on a soccer field at Grand Valley State University. Strong said the professional quote he received for installation rang in at $45,000, which was a non-starter for the school. So, like its other projects, Strong and company rolled up their sleeves to frame the area, and fill it with sand and gravel before laying down the synthetic turf. For all summer upgrades, the school spent $80,000 to $85,000, half of which the school was able to raise. The rest of it came out of school coffers. “But what’s the blessing there? We had that money to spend,” Strong said. Portable classrooms are one expedited way of alleviating a shortage of space, but not always considered a permanent fix. This begged the question of what the school’s long-term vision is for expansion. Strong said that he sees these current mea­ sures as a suitable way to address needs at the Hastings campus and that one of the school’s top priorities is to secure a location for its Middleville campus. Right now, the school, which consists of 47 students, is housed in Leighton United #Methodist Church at 4180 2nd St in Caledonia. The school plans to establish a separate board for the Middleville campus in addition to finding its own perma­ nent facility. While surrounding public school districts have a clear advantage of more secure forms of funding, it’s been tough sledding for even them to make facility upgrades as of late. Just this November, voters turned down a $64 million bond issue proposed by Lake­ wood Public Schools for new facilities and upgrades. In May, the Hastings Area School System’s bond request failed for a sixth con­ secutive time. While these districts plot their next plan of action, Barry County Christian plans to con­ quer new frontiers through its innovation and sweat equity. “For us, what’s the alternative?” Strong said. “What are the other options we have?” Mobile Device Basics (Apple iOS) Tablets & Phones Digital. Literacy For Eueryone Register Now! www.HastingsPublicLibary.org Bring Your Own Device, Seating is limited “Digital Literacy for everyone made possible by the PLA Digital Literacy Workshop Incentive, supported by AT&T." i^AT&T .?.sifeWMTWGS PUBLIC LIBRARY Explore • imagine . Grow �Page 4 — Thursday, December. 22j;2022 — The Hastings Banner —.. T~ Did you vtUOO YHflAS see? Time for my annual Christmas List! THERE IS NO BUSINESS LIKE SNOW BUSINESS Anyone who has the itch to tickle the ivories and pound out a rousing edition of “Jingle Bells” or “12 Days of Christmas” can certainly do so in the Village of Middleville. This, now snow-covered piano, is sta­ tioned under the Middleville Pavilion and, despite the frigid temperatures, still sounds great. The piano has been used as part of earlier Christmas celebrations in the village. Do you remember? Camp Fire Youth bring valentine to mayor Banner Feb. 11, 1981 | .alsoa ons-.getoinsv tsnotfsatosi so* I Youth presented Hastings City Mayor Ivan Snyder with a nanamaae valentine on Monday evening, Feb. 9, prior to the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. The girls represented five Camp Fire Youth groups and one Adventure group. Leader Julie Kruger coordinated the presentation and was present along with other Camp Fire leaders Karen Redman, Joey Hamilton, Marilyn McDonald, Marcia Varney, Judy Sarver and Sharon Varney. Making the presentation were (front row, sitting) Janie Joseph, Jo Ann Parch, Mindy Cronk, Tracie Varney, Carlene Cranmore and Brooke Adams; (second row) Julie Monette, Jennifer Balterson, Michele Martz, Trina Kingsbury, Teshio Tobias and Candis Sarver; (third row) Shannon Williams, RaeCel Rose, Bobbie Farr, Tealy Hallifax, Karen Hamilton, Mayor Ivan Snyder, Pam Cotton, Jeannette Roy, Becky Britten, Karen Brownell, Jennifer Burns, Tracy Scoby and Kathy Kruger; (back row) Marilyn McDonald, Marcia Varney, Karen Redman, Chris Turnes, Holly Van, Judy Sarver, Laura Redman, Joey Hamilton and Julie Kruger. Have you met? Mikaila Thompson is a junior at Barry County Christian School and spent time this week shadowing the staff at the Hast­ ings Banner as part ofherjunior practicum program. As a Barry County Christian School Eagle, I have only a small-town view of the world. Many of my friends come from schools four to five times bigger than mine -1 can’t even imagine it. But what I can imagine is a world of my own. A place to get lost. A place I design. That I write. The book I am currently focused on writing is about a 15-year-old girl, Lanaila, who was traded away for her own safety, they say. She was trained to survive, but after her father figure doesn’t show up for months, her tutor comes to save her from being captured. I’m going to enter some of this book into Student Expo at school. Student Expo is kind of like a science fair, but for more than just science. It includes building engi­ neering and the public’s favorite: baking. You can enter your best art piece or just a hobby you picked up last month. Some of my hobbies include editing for both writ­ ing and videos, drawing or sketching and playing video games (mostly Minecraft) with my friends in my free time. But the­ atre is also a big part of my life, I am a part of the drama club at school and choir. Being on stage is my life, my liberty and my pursuit of happiness. So, when I was told to do a junior practicum, I didn’t know how much it would help. I have many ideas in my head about where I want to go in life, but none of them seemed to be going right, and another thing to maybe pursue wasn’t what I needed. “Remembrance is not about what’s on your gravestone, but what’s in the history books.” I say, sitting at a computer writing this... I need a better life. Hastings Banner editor Jayson Bussa has been very helpful and practical for this new experience, but it’s so quiet sitting here alone hearing the repetitive clacking of the' keys as I type this out. But honestly, I’d like Mikaila Thompson to thank Mr. Strong and Mrs. Boger for setting all this up. Jayson keeps joking to coworkers “She CHOSE to come here,” to experience the daily grind of journalism. But I don’t have the heart to tell him I didn’t know I was going to be here until last week Friday.... And since he’s editing this, sorry! But no, in all honesty, I’m a very cool person if I do say so myself and pretty humble, too. I’ve been known for going above and beyond what I’m supposed to or bending the assignment to be what I’m good at. Either that or doing the bare minimum. It’s all or nothing. My English teacher, Mrs. Applegate found this out pretty quickly when she told me to do a short description paragraph when I instead handed her a short story paragraph. So, she thought of making a creative writing class so that I didn’t have to sit in an English class with a bunch of people who won’t even read chapter books. To the person who wants to read Captain Underpants, you know who you are. Bur'djifiiig'thd^dviD-19 panic is when FstMftSdYealiylo&kSig into all this writing. It intrigued me how people could lose themselves to their imagination. I found a small fan base on YouTube that was built around these Minecraft streamers making their own worlds, and after a writer and song artist joined, it became scripted. One of the creators that inspired me most died of cancer a couple of years later. (R.I.P. Technoblade). But this inspired me to take one of my first big steps. The sud­ den realization that life is short, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today, because there might not be a tomorrow. Yes, I had written before, but nothing on a “book” level. From the push of my English teacher combined with the inspiration of some You­ Tube content, I went on to start a book, which is now becoming a trilogy I believe, if everything goes right. And that’s how I arrived here, somewhere I can begin my writing journey, even if it starts in Hastings, I’ll have started on a high note. Favorite cartoon character: Sokka from Avatar the Last Airbender, his charm, level-headedness, and overall stupidity are what bring the group together. Best invention ever: I’ve got to go with the classic sliced bread. Hoodies or blan­ kets, something to keep me warm cause I’m constantly freezing, just not those scratchy blankets. Greatest song ever written: My friends tell me that I “don’t have a taste in music” not because it’s bad, but because I haven’t found a song I don’t like. But some of the bands/artists I listen to are: The Bee Gees, Beatles, Beach Boys, Lovejoy, Nico Col­ lins, CG5 and Derivakat. If I won the lottery: I would get arrest­ ed because I’m too young to buy lottery tickets. But if I won in the future I would put some towards investing, some towards a house and car, and a little bit towards some fun things I want, but a decent amount would go towards cancer research, cause my life has been highly affected by those with cancer, though no personal bat­ tles. I’ve seen the effects, and felt the effects of knowing someone suffer and or pass from it. Even Santa keeps a naughty and nice list and, for almost as many years as the Jolly Old Elf has been compiling his notes, I’ve been making mine. My annual Christmas List has become a tradition in this space each year, a time to pass on my compliments to the people who have done great things in our community and to offer some tongue-in-cheek recog­ nition to others who, as we say in the news business, could maybe use “a little more ink.” Please keep in mind that space limits my wish to recognize everyone who made the past year so notable and that I offer them all - even those spoken ip jest - as an appreciation for the people who make our community special. They’re all packaged to lighten the conversation in what has been considered by many of us to have been a difficult year. So...let’s unfurl the list for 2022: - Barry County voters need to be at the top for renewing the Charlton Park Village and Museum millage and protecting one of the state’s premier collections of early American history. That’s deserving of the ‘Historic Achievement Award.’ - The ‘Justice Award’ goes to Judge Michael Schipper, who took on some of the most unusual criminal cases in Barry Coun­ ty history and ruled on them accordingly. - Let’s give ‘The Killer Road Race Award’ to Barry County for continuing to promote the Barry-Roubaix race now in its 13th year. - The ‘Keeps on Ticking Award’ goes to the Hastings Rotary, which is celebrating 102 years as one of the oldest clubs in the district. - I like the ‘Manager’s Award’ for long­ time Thomapple Manor administrator Don Haney who, after 16 years, passed the baton to Rebecca DeHaan just as the facility is completing its huge expansion. - School superintendents in school dis­ tricts throughout the county are playing such a fast game of musical chairs that it’s hard to keep up with awards. What’s up with that? Supers with tenure are dinosaurs! That’s why big thanks are in order for longtime and long-retired Carl Schoessel, who keeps step­ ping up as the county’s professional interim superintendent. - And stop the musical chair tunes in our schools! We’re finally finding out what a 1 bad' idea it was to send kids home to study .online"- Michigan ended up 32nd in the nation in math and reading skills. Sad! - Barry County commissioners aren’t doing much better finding a tune to dance to. They fiddled for months trying to decide how to spend millions sent their way by the feds who were running the printing presses over time. - This means the ‘Spendthrift Award’ should go to the Biden Administration for its Build Back Better program that added more than $2 trillion dollars in debt fueling the worst inflationary period in more than 40 years. - I can’t overlook Thomapple Township Supervisor Jim ‘Mr. Persistence’ Brown for his efforts to get some additional taxes from the new facility at Thomapple Manor. Brown was optimistic but had little chance of getting the cash. - A similar ‘Missed Opportunity Award’ goes to the Michigan State Housing Depart­ ment Authority staff for turning down a great housing project on Mill Street. A pure lack of vision from overzealous government bureaucrats. - Barry County Commissioners must have been reading the same new book ‘Facility Planning’ and not getting the les­ son. They obviously had no idea what to do with the former Friend of the Court building after turning down a buyer who would have put the building back on the tax rolls, prefer­ ring instead to keep controlling the property themselves. - The ‘Not in My Back Yard Award’ goes to the residents of Hope Township for fight­ ing off a major sandpit expansion. So far, their efforts are working. - County Sheriff Dar Leaf can’t find a backyard in which to put his new jail. He gets the ‘Sorry Charlie Award’ after county commissioners told him he needs a better plan if he expects a new facility. - The ‘Pessimist Award’ goes to Nashville leaders for making it nearly impossible to turn the former W. K. Kellogg Elementary into a multi-million dollar housing project - especially when housing has been identi­ fied as one of the area’s greatest needs. Open your eyes guys! - County commissioners could use some eye drops, too, so they can read the latest newsletter on how to hire and keep employ­ ees after failing to come up with a plan to attract new people into county positions. -The ‘Smoke-And-Mirror’ award goes to Republican Chair Ben Geiger who tried to effect change in an incumbent county com­ missioner race by nominating a replacement for candidate Catherine Getty with a new nomination of his choice. Nice try but the courts got it right. - A citizen’s arrest of Barry-Eaton Dis-, trict Health Officer Colette Scrimger bj| Adam Heikkila didn’t stand up in courti either. Maybe Heikkila tried to have the ; wrong person arrested. A better candidate-: for questionable information might have.' been Dr. Fauci. - Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, warned a small group of community leaders in January at a luncheon in Nashville that “the economy is not going back to normal.” Neither are a lot of things in our community. Boy, did he hit the nail on the head because it’s been anything but normal. - Talk about taking charge, though. Kudos to the Gun Lake Casino which wanted the state to update the inner change at U.S. 131 and M-179. The state wasn’t ready so the Casino donated $26 million to get it done! - Gun Lake Casino also earns the ‘Tourist Destination Award’ in announcing a huge $300 million entertainment project! Thanks to the gamblers... - The ‘Newsies Award’ goes to Hastings High School students for their production echoing the hard work of newspaper deliv­ ery kids. - Time for the Michigan High School Athletic Association to also recognize the heart and hard work of the Maple Valley 8-player football program. The school was one of about 16 eight-player teams ruled ineligible to compete in the state postseason by the MHSAA because its school enroll­ ment number was over 215 students. That has been the case for the Lions ever since they were forced to change from an 11-play­ er to an 8-player team due to a low number of student-athletes in the program. - The ‘Blight Award’ goes to Rutland Township officials for their efforts to deal with blighted situations in the township. Looks like there’s some work to be done. - The ‘Excellence in Journalism Award’ goes to J-Ad Graphics for its continuing coverage of Michigan’s no-fault auto insur­ ance reform. Lansing let us down again. - The ‘Hot Potato Award’ goes to the Hastings Police Department for tackling the perpetrator that set its police vehicle on fire. - The ‘Hide-n-Seek Award’ goes to the 17 county clerks who received Freedom of Information requests from the county sher­ iff. So far, a lot of time and money has been spent on the voter probe with little or noth­ ing to show for it. - Congratulations to General Capital for finding a new home, relocating its Royal Coach project to a new location in downtown Hastings to build its 60-unit housing project. - The proposed hospice facility Serenity Village looks like its new home will also become a reality in 2023! This i¥a great opportunity for families to care for their loved ones at the end of life. - Another construction project should be a huge trophy case for the Hastings varsity foot­ ball program. Coach Jamie Murphy’s Saxons won their third consecutive Interstate-8 Ath­ letic Conference football championship this year and their first-ever district title! -And while we’re talking sports, let’s give a pool in which the Thomapple Kellogg High School boys and girls can compete. The co-op between Hastings and Thomapple Kel­ logg, which began nearly 20 years ago, is coming to an end so Athletic Director Brian Hammer is looking for another program with whom to team. Hastings will continue its co-op with Delton and compete in the Com­ munity Education and Recreation pool. - The ‘Heroism Award’ goes to Sgt. Scott Ware for his bravery in putting the lives of others before his own by stopping an armed shooter before someone got hurt. - The ‘Keep the Music Playing Award’ goes to the Lakewood Choral Society under the direction of Robert Oster for its 37th season! - The ‘Wall of Fame Award’ goes to the Hastings Performing Arts Center in honor of its donors. Special plaques were placed in the lobby to honor Ethel Groos, Doug Acker, Robert Burghdoff, Herbert Moyer, Arthur Steward Jr., Larry and Earlene Baum, the Baum Family Foundation, Douglas and Margaret DeCamp and the DeCamp Family Foundation and the Groos Family for all their generosity. - The ‘Demolition Award’ goes to Delton Schools for demolishing the old elementary building making way for a state-of-the-art facility. Congrats, Delton! - Let’s give all area school districts a fleet of autonomous buses to solve the lack of drivers problem. The only issue is that many automakers have burned billions in trying to make the technology possible. - Special thanks go to retiring Brad Lam­ berg, managing director of the Barry County Road Commission for keeping the roads in great shape since 1998. - The ‘Senior Caregiver Award’ goes to Tammy Pennington for her dedication to solving senior needs as executive director of the Commission on Aging. - Shoppers have more choices as TJ Maxx and B-2 Outlet open in Hastings. Keeping shoppers local is an award every business should be presented. - The ‘Spy Award’ goes to the Barry County Chamber of Commerce for using its new software to follow you wherever you go. So be qareful -r someqne’s watching! - ThankS^ta- Barry County Prosecutor Julie:.Nakfoor Pratt for clearing the air. She See IN MY OPINION, page 5 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — Page 5 192927 CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN _ J ORDINANCE NO. 2022-185 (PROPOSED) Car stolen in Baltimore Township ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: An Ordinance to amend various Sections of Chapter 220 (Zoning) of the Rutland Charter Township Code of ordinances. A 49-year-old Hastings woman reported her 23-year-old son’s vehicle had been stolen from their home on the 4900 block of South M-37 Highway overnight on Oct. 21. The vehicle also contained the woman’s wallet and some of her other 20-year-old son’s tools. On Nov. 4, several of the hand and power tools were returned. THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN ORDAINS: SECTION 1 AMENDMENT QF § 22Q^3-PERTA1NING TQ SPECIAL LAND USES IN AG/OS AGRICULTURAL/QPEN SPACE PRESERVATION DISTRICT § 220-4-3. of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated special land uses in the AG/OS Agricultural/Open Space Preservation District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection EE. reading as follows: Customer passes counterfeit $100 bill in Woodland for gas, cigarettes 'County Fairgrounds/Expo Center.' SECTION 2 AMENDMENT OF § 220-18-6 PERTAINING TO PERMITTED SIGNS IN SPECIFIED DISTRICTS Police responded at 9:42 a.m. Dec. 8 to the Woodland Express Mart after the manager reported receiving a counterfeit $100 bill. The customer, suspected to be a 24-year-oId Williamston woman, walked into the store around 9:30 a.m. and purchased several drinks using an EBT card. She then handed the clerk a $100 bill for $50 of gas and a pack of cigarettes. The woman received $42 in change and left the store, which is when the clerk saw the bill had the word “copy” on it before putting it into the store’s safe. § 220-18-6 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to permitted signs in specified districts is hereby amended so as to revise the last paragraph (after subsections A-F) to read as follows: “Notwithstanding the foregoing, an otherwise permissible sign in any of these districts shall not include any electronic message board; except one electronic message board is allowed to advertise events/ activities on the premises of a county fairgrounds/expo center in the AG/OS District, only, subject to the design standards and use limitations specified in § 220-18-8.H.” SECTION 3 AMENDMENT OF § 220-18-8 PERTAINING TO DESIGN STANDARDS AND USE LIMITATIONS FOR ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARDS The initial paragraph of § 220-18-8.H of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to design standards and use limitations for electronic message boards is hereby amended to read as follows: “Design standards and use limitations for electronic message boards. Any otherwise permissible electronic message board (permissible in the MU District and AG/OS District, only) is subject to the following design standards and use limitations:...” (existing subsections H.1-5 are not proposed to be amended). Drunk driver ends up at stranger’s residence in Delton, resists arrest SECTION 4 AMENDMENT QES.22Q-10-3 PERTAINING TO-SPECIAL LAND.USES IN LC LAKE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT A resident on the 11800 block of Floria Road in Delton reported a suspicious vehicle in their yard around 6 p.m. Dec. 10. The driver, a 45-year-old Portage woman, then drove their vehicle across the street into a neighboring yard. When police arrived, the woman told them she was driving from Kalamazoo and did not know where she was, although she believed she was at a friend’s house. Neither homeown­ er knew the woman. There were several open vodka bottles on the floor of the vehicle as well as inside the center console. Police reported the woman seemed generally confused, had difficulty keeping her balance, slurred her words and couldn’t put together a full sen­ tence. The woman refiised to perform a breath­ alyzer test, tried handing officers several $20 bills while saying “take it” and then resisted and kicked officers after being placed in hand­ cuffs to be put in a patrol vehicle. Nashville man claims house was shot seven times, police find no L ■ ■ <'■ ' crioFi AUfi Bl -Li • k 01 evidence § 220-10-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated special land uses in the LC Lake Commercial District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection D reading as follows: “Outdoor storage yard for recreational vehicles and boats.” SECTIONS AMENDMENT OF § 220-12-3 PERTAINING TO SPECIAL LAND USES IN THE LI LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT § 220-12-3 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated special land uses in the LI Light Industrial District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection V reading as follows: “Outdoor storage yard for recreational vehicles and boats.' seciiqo AMENDMENT OF § 220-20-7 PERTAINING TO SPECIFIC STANDARDS REQUIRED OF PARTICULAR SPECIAL LAND USES § 220-20-7 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the specific standards required of particular special land uses is hereby amended to add “Outdoor storage yard for recreational vehicles and boats” in the first column of the Table, and references to “LC" and “LI” and Item “15” in the second and third columns, and add the text for Item 15 reading as follows: •T,~ 7,; ~ s M. “ oa4i -T ’ An 82-year-old Nashville man called police around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12 to report his house on the 8800 block of M-79 Highway had been shot. The man told police it was the seventh time his house had been shot, and that he had reported all of the previous incidents when they occurred. The man told police he was sit­ ting in his kitchen when he heard his house get shot this time. Police inspected the outside of the man’s home and found no evidence that it had been hit by a bullet or other projectile. “Item 15—Outdoor storage yard for recreational vehicles and boats. stora9e• on tye premised is|inii,ted;tqr|epreation^vehi^es, boats {including boat trailers), and non-commereial vehicles only-. Thts-land use is not a storage yard-foraemi-trailers or-other ® such commercial vehicles ofconveyances. ’’ ’ ' ’ If access to the storage yard is restricted by a gate at the point of access to the premises from an adjoining public roadway, the gate shall be set back sufficiently from the roadway to allow any vehicle entering the premises to be completely off the public right-of-way when stopped at the access gate. All items permissibly stored on the premises shall be placed in the rear yard and/or side yard and so as to comply with the minimum yard requirements (setbacks) for a principle use in the LC Lake Commercial District or the LI Light Industrial District, as applicable, as specified in § 220-15-1 (Schedule of Regulations). No such stored items shall be placed within any part of the front yard area. No recreational vehicle, boat, or other item permissibly stored on the premises shall leak fuel, oil, grease, or any other substance that may contaminate soil, groundwater, or air. All lighting on the premises shall comply with § 220-17-5.A. If the storage yard abuts any premises in any Residential District, the storage area shall be screened from view on those premises by screening devices as specified in § 220-17-5.B. The Planning Commission may also require such screening if the storage yard abuts any premises not in a Residential District but lawfully used for existing residential dwelling purposes. IN MY OPINION, continued from page 4 The storage yard shall be designed and operated so as to comply with § 220-16-6 regarding obnoxious or dangerous conditions.' appeared before county commissioners to put to rest her concerns over the sheriff’s questions about voter fraud in Barry County. Time to move on. - Survey of surveys - seems like there’s been a lot of surveys throughout the county this year. Hastings Schools is conducting a survey to discuss why it can’t seem to pass a bond request. The answers are apparent. Let’s give school leaders a new adage from this old one they’ve been following: You’re an expert if you’re 25 miles from home. - The ‘Mr. Reliable Award’ goes to retiring county commissioner Hoot Gibson for his 18 years of public service and to Ben Geiger who gets a permanent certification as a public school substitute teacher. Ben taught the art of government so well as a commission chair. And to retiring Vivian Connor: A renewed bear hunting license so she can put that extra time in as a big game hunter. As I reach the end of another list, I’m thank­ ful to everyone who gave their time throughout the year making our little comer of the world a better place to live, work and play. Just remem­ ber, when you grow up and live in a small town, you get the best of what life has to offer. So, as we begin 2023, let’s try to focus on the possibilities rather than the difficulties we face and recall what speaker Dale Carnegie once said, “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” Let’s begin the New Year with the hope we can make great things happen in all of our communities. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! SECTIONS AMENDMENT OF 6 220-2-2 PERTAINING TO DEFINITIONS OF TERMS § 220-2-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code is hereby amended to add a definition for the new term “qualified residential treatment program” reading as follows: “QUALIFIED RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAM—: A program within a child caring institution that provides services for 10 or fewer individuals which: - has a trauma-informed treatment model, evidenced by the inclusion of trauma awareness, knowledge, and skills into the program’s culture, practices, and policies; - has registered or licensed nursing or other licensed clinical staff on-site or available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, who provide care in the scope of their practice as provided in parts 170,172,181, 182, 182A, and 185 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17001 to 333.17097, 333.17201 to 333.17242, 333.18101 to 333.18117, 333.18201 to 333.18237, 333.18251 to 333.18267, and 333.18501 to 333.18518; - integrates families into treatment, including maintaining sibling connections; - provides aftercare services for at least 6 months post discharge; - is accredited by an independent not-for-profit organization as described in 42 USC 672(k)(4)(G). This term does not include a detention facility, forestry camp, training school, or other facility operated primarily for detaining minor children who are determined to be delinquent; and also does not include adult foster care facilities licensed by a state agency for care and treatment of persons released from or assigned to adult correctional institutions.” SECTION 8 AMENDMENT Q.F § 220-5-2 PERTAINING TQ PERMITTED. USES IN CR CQUNTRYRESID.ENT1AL DISTRICT § 220-5-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the CR Country Residential District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection L reading as follows: “L. Qualified Residential Treatment Program.” SECTION 9 AMENDMENT OF § 220-6-2 PERTAINING TO PERMITTED USES IN MDR MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT § 220-6-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the MDR Medium Density Residential District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection J reading as follows: “J. Qualified Residential Treatment Program.” SECTION IQ AMENDMENT OF § 22Q-7-2 PERTAINING TQ PERMITTED USES IN HDR HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT § 220-7-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the HDR High Density Residential District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection L reading as follows: “L. Qualified Residential Treatment Program. SECTION 11 AMENDMENT OF § 220-8a2_PERTAINING TO PERMITTED USES IN MHCR MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT § 220-8-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the MHCR Mobile Home Community Residential District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection I reading as follows: “I. Qualified Residential Treatment Program.” SECTION .12 AMENDMENT QF ^j22Q:9r2-PERTAINING TO PERMITTED. USES IN MU MIXED_USE_DJSTR1CT § 220-9-2 of the Rutland Charter Township Code pertaining to the designated permitted uses in the MU Mixed Use District is hereby amended to add thereto a new subsection Z reading as follows: “Z. Qualified Residential Treatment Program.” SECTION 13 REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; EFFECTIVE PATE All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this Ordinance are hereby repealed. This Ordinance shall take effect on the eighth day after publication or on such later date as may be required by law. /j / / ? y •1 ■: Fred "Santa Claus" Jacobs. CEO, J-Ad Graphics Inc. v- 'd isgmiioH sJJtilo ■ him !ii qu >dJ o/ful oi bueij ; >Jfibibrn& ifjllad io\ Robin Hawthorne, Clerk wan aj’rfl left leoilomq Charter Township of Rutland �Page 6 — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner John Mackie Ironside, age 78, of Dacula, GA passed away on November 5, 2022. John was bom in Hastings, MI to Wellesley and Audra (Densmore) Ironside on June 27, 1944, the eldest of four children. John was raised in Hastings and graduated from Hast­ ings High School, with many happy memo­ ries of his early days growing up with his sisters and brother along with loving grand­ parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins close by. John went on to attend Western Michigan University, where he was president of his fra­ ternity, Delta Upsilon, graduating with a degree in Business Administration. Shortly after grad­ uation, in 1966, he married his college sweet­ heart, Susan Mitchell with whom he spent almost 57 wonderful years, raising their two children Lisa and Eric in East Lansing, ML John went on to get a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in civil and environmental engineering, which was to become his lifelong career of nearly 40 years. He spent his career working on var­ ious projects of water treatment solutions, all with the goal of providing safe/clean water and solving environmental issues. His proj­ ects were located throughout Michigan and other locations within the US. John worked in East Lansing for the engineering firms of Capitol Consultants, Rust Environmental, Earth Tech and Malcolm Pimie. In 2003, he and Susan moved to Atlanta, GA where John joined the firm of HDR. He was a member of Michigan and Georgia Water Environment Associations, American Water Works Associ­ ation, Association of Conservation Engineers and was appointed to the National Board of Directors of Water Environment Federation (WEF), earning many awards for outstanding achievement and excellence. John had many special interests including his great fondness for travel and adventure. Over the years, he and Susan spent time vis­ iting with family and friends in Florida, Col­ orado and Michigan including many trips with the children and grandchildren. John and Susan loved to travel the world, visiting all seven continents. Destinations included the US including Alaska and Hawaii, Canada, Europe, Great Britain, Egypt, China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Antarcti­ ca, South America with Machu Picchu, and South Africa with game drives. In later years, John and Susan enjoyed “Sailing the Seven Seas”, cruising the many waterways of the world, rounding both Cape of Good Hope and Cape Hom. John’s other great love included his 1921 Model T. John worked alongside his Dad to restore the “T” when he was about 11 years old. He and Susan loved to drive the car around the neighborhood and toured with the South Carolina Model T Ford Club. The whole family loved to gather at Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum in Dear­ born, MI every September for great fun, driving the Model T at the Old Car Festival, where John’s family had gathered 50 years earlier. John had a magnificent trait of being there for others, always willing to lend a hand to help family and friends. He was known as “Mr. Fix It” with family and could build or repair just about anything. He worked on many projects over the years. For leisure, John loved to play golf, fish, hike and was a coach to son Eric’s hockey team. In addition to his parents, John is preceded in death by his sister Martha Ironside and first' cousin Nancy Ironside. Surviving John are his beloved wife Susan Ironside, daughter Lisa (Jeff) Reel of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, ■ son Eric (Kelly) Ironside of Broomfield, CO, grandchildren Hayden, Davis, Mackenzie and John, sister Marilyn Kraft of Hessel, MI, brother Robert (Pat) Ironside of Pinehurst, NC, and first cousins SuEllen Sterling, Gary (Jennifer) Storkan, Gene Storkan, Mary Storkan and Chip (Bev) Ironside. According to John’s wishes, a Celebration’ of Life is planned for June, 2023 in Michigan. To honor John, please consider donating to the. Lung Cancer Research Foundation (www.; lungcancerresearchfoundation.org), contribute to an environmental cause of your choice, or simply enjoy some travels in John’s memory, i June Ann Miles, age 66, died unexpectedly at her home in Hastings, MI, on December 15, 2022. Visitation will be Tuesday, Decem­ ber 20, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Hope United Meth­ odist Church with funeral and luncheon to follow. Pastor Kim Metzer will officiate. June was bom on December 14, 1956, in Hastings surrounded by her parents, Forest (D) and Betty Miller (D) and siblings Wilna Bertrand, who gave June her first bath, Mari­ lyn (Bruce) Wright, Jean Shoemaker, Vem (Kris) Miller, Arlene (D) (James) Maloney, Lyle (D) (Laura) Miller, Elaine Eckman, Richard Miller (D), Alvin Miller (D) and Loren Miller (D). June married the love of her life, Terrance Miles, on February 18, 1972, in Nashville, ML They started their family and settled in Hastings after spending a few years in Missis­ sippi and Arkansas., while .Terry served in the Air Force. This summer, June and Terry cele­ brated their 50th wedding anniversary and Terry’s retirement and were looking forward to spending time travelling and relaxing. She is survived by Terry and sons Matthew (Brandie) Miles, Adam Miles, and daughters Sarah Micklatcher and Bethany (Eric) San­ tos. She leaves behind her grandchildren Cecilia, Demetrius and Charles Miles, Clara King, Paige Pierpoint and Emmett Miles, Kaleb, BreAnn and Nathaniel Micklatcher and Madelyn Santos, whom June loved very much. She also leaves behind many special nieces and nephews. She was greeted by those who went before her, including parents, siblings and grandson, Benjamin Micklatcher. June was a fantastic seamstress and loved; making personalized quilts for family, friends and each grandchild, which are trea­ sured heirlooms. She enjoyed fashioning clothes for herself and family, often without a pattern, using her talents to provide addi­ tional income while staying home to raise her family. June loved travelling, especially going on cruises with Terry, walking the Mackinac Bridge, spending time. with-her sisters, and spoiling her dogs: Lucy and Tilly. She loved antiquing and adding new artistic pieces to her home. June went above and beyond to make Christmases, birthdays, Halloweens, and vacations special and unique, even with meager resources. Her witty sense of humor was one of kind and will be missed. Memorial contributions can be made to help cover funeral expenses. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www.girrbachftmeralhome.net. Duane Lawrence O’Connor Duane Lawrence O’Connor, age 82, of Hastings, MI, passed away on December 13, 2022, surrounded by his family. Duane was bom on September 17, 1940, in Detroit, MI, the son of Roy O’Connor and Helen Danes. Duane graduated from Detroit College of Law in 1971 and had a very fulfilling career as Vice President and General Counsel of Hastings Mutual Insurance Company from 1974-2002. He served on numerous insur­ ance industry board of directors throughout his career. On August 22, 1966, Duane married Carol Ann Rogers, and they enjoyed 56 years together. Duane loved golf and was a member of the Hastings Country Club. He was a member of the St. Rose of Lima Church. Duane enjoyed fishing, reading, photography, travel, and lis­ tening to classical music. He was a great cook and enjoyed fine dining. Duane was preceded in death by his par­ ents, brothers, Doug and Gordon (Gordy), and son, Brian. He is survived by his wife Carol O’Connor of Hastings; daughter Jill (Kenneth) Green of Lafayette, LA, son, Michael O’Connor of Alto, and granddaughter, Ella O’Connor. Funeral Mass will be on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Church, 805 S Jefferson, Hastings, MI 49058, with Fr. Stephan Philip, Celebrant. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Dennis A. Donovan, age 81, of Quartzsite, AZ, passed away this past September, 2022, after several years of declining health. Dennis was bom on March 29, 1941, in Battle Creek, MI, the son of Glenn and Evelyn Lee Don­ ovan. After his family moved to Algonquin Lake, Dennis, older brother Lynn, and younger brother Gary, attended the Hastings school system. Graduating from Hastings High School in 1959, Dennis was employed by the E. W. Bliss Co., of Hastings, until he entered Mich­ igan State University, in January of 1960, serving as a Resident Assistant during his last year in the dormitory system. In 1966, Dennis graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. degree in Social Science, and was subsequently employed as Chamber of Commerce Director in Stevens­ ville, MI and Monroe, MI and Wheaton, IL. By 1984, Dennis had moved to the St. Peters­ burg, FL area, where he resided until moving to Quartzsite, AZ, approximately five years ago. Over the years Dennis was involved with various business interests including sales, a printing business and an antique gallery. Dennis traveled extensively, and had an inter­ est in politics. He was a naturally born sales­ man, and an eternal optimist, always ready with a smile, and positive message or witty remark, usually followed with a hearty laugh. Dennis was married several times, and was preceded in death by his last wife, Ann, and by his two daughters. He is survived by several nieces and neph­ ews, in Michigan and Florida. Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269- 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945- 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Mass Philip. 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt gmail.com. Website: www. Moser, Pastor. Lead Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Director, Martha 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. social distancing. Aftermath Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m.,' Kids p.m. (Children Nursery are available. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-9480900. Website: wwwJifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 p.m. 4 Truth Kindergarten-5th Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON Ruth Elaine Miller WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M- for information. church School Youth Group; 6:30 p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor Roger Claypool, (517) 204- 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 328 N. Worship Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, upraise contact 616-690-8609. This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches and these local businesses: Fiberglass 1351 North M-43 Hwy. Hastings 945-9554 Produc,s 1699 W. M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 MWKBIM HotlfoeWErtmt 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Ruth Elaine Miller, age 84, of Hast­ ings MI passed away December 14, 2022 surrounded by family and her sweet dog, Lily. Ruth was bom July 19, 1938, in Woodland MI, to Thurlow and Harri­ ett (Goodell) Anspaugh. In 1956 she married Ben Dove, they had two chil­ dren, Brenda, and Brian. She married Arvid (Al) Miller in 1967. While both marriages ended in divorce, they remained good friends and they pre­ ceded her in death. Ruth’s employment includes Thor­ napple Manor, E.W. Bliss (she was on the first woman crew hired there), Proline, Wal-Mart, and Flexfab, retir­ ing on October 11, 2013 after 30 years of employment. She absolutely loved her Flexfab family and remained a faithful retiree. Ruth was a special lady. She gave the best back scratches and hugs. She loved her pets, traveling, beaches, going to the casino, her favorite Mexican restaurant in Marshall, listening to Bob Seger, playing cards and bonfires. She especially loved being with her family, and her friends. Ruth made a friend everywhere she went and will be remembered and missed by all who knew her. Ruth will be dearly missed by her daughter, Brenda (Darryl) Rummins; son, Brian (Lee) Dove; grandchildren, Tracy (Ben) Furrow, Tim Huver, Cara Rummins, Stephanie Dove, Lindsey Dove; great-grandchildren, Thomas (Natalie) Furrow, Benjamin Furrow, Jr., Joey Furrow, Riley Furrow, Jason Huver, Sam Dove. Pets, Lily, Dodger, Coonie and Bear, and many friends. Ruth was preceded in death by five brothers; her parents; a sister, Virginia (Ginny) Stutz, and brother-in-law, John Stutz. A celebration of life will be held at Gospel Light Baptist Church on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022. Visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. with a luncheon to follow. Memorial contributions may be made to Gospel Light Baptist Church, 3180 E. M-79 Hwy, Hastings MI 49058 There is a new attraction at the library on FourthAvenue. The north wall in the central section now has a series of colorful panels, each bearing the name of, Friends of the Library. The names go back to the; inception of the library. From the start, the Friends; solicited patrons to become Friends with the payment of a sum of money ($100). Names were then printed in the newsletter of the Friends. The newsletters con-. tinue and are printed every three months. They con-; tain a review of new books and a listing of the many events which take place month by month. There is • ample space for the addition of more name plates. The Lake Odessa Community Library has a full schedule of events planned for the public in the coming days. The final session of tai chi was to be on Wednes­ day, Dec. 21. Likewise, the family story time was to be on the 21st. On Dec. 28, Mr. Jim will be bringing a family magic show at 10:30 a.m. Reservations are: expected by calling 616-374-4591. Also on the same ', date, the weekly book discussion comes, again by advance registration. The topic will be “Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The library will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. Another library event is an exercise class. This; comes on Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. for adults. Participants are to bring a towel and water. Probably for drinking, not bathing. The Lansing State Journal listed an obituary for a ! 20-year-old young man with connections to Lake; Odessa. He was Garret McGowan, son of Heidi McGowan and Filomeno Galaviz Jr. He was a graduate of Waverly High School in 2020. He collected hats and '■ loved sports. Besides his parents, he had siblings with ; the Galaviz surname, half-brothers and sisters ; Filomeno III, Mariela, Marissa and Mariah, and T-J /i • Traditional and Cremation Services his grandmother, Irma Galaviz. His deceased4k • Pre-Planning Services grandfather was Filomeno (Felix) Galaviz.i “W H Jfe • Large Parking Lot - Handicap Accessible Memorial contributions are directed to the Sparrow Foundation of Lansing. The family Serving All Faiths was served by the Tiffany Funeral Home. His Pre-arrangement Transfers Accepted death came on Dec. 2. A memorial service will be held on Jan. 28 at City Church in Lansing. 328 s* Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 Doubtless, several local churches will be^ dl. X X 269-945-3252 • www.girrbachfuneralhome.net holding Christmas Eve services. Central; UMC has their service at 7 p.m. St. Edwards ; Owner/Manager Family Owned and Operated Owner EmerlL has its service at 8 p.m. and First Congrega­ Serving Hastings. Barry County and Surrounding Communities for 50 years tional Church has its service at 6 p.m. VI �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 22, 2022 > — Page 7 It’s a dying art: Sweet sugarbush season fl look Dadi at the stories and columns on local History in the Hastings Banner TURNING BACK THE PAGES Larry Hamp Banner March 18, 1981 From the road, it looks as if the building’s burning. White smoke is billowing out the roof, so you slow down for another' look. Then you see the buckets - one on nearly every tree - and you know they’re makjng syrup. Step on the brake, grab the camera, jump over the ditch. I almost knew what to expect when I shouted, “Hello!” The door slid open to reveal a big stack of firewood and the smiling face of Keith Farlee. “Come on in and take a look,” he said as the steam boiled out around him. He remind­ ed me of an Upper Peninsula Finlander com­ ing out of the sauna. Farlee’s “Sugar Shanty” is in a woodlot on Davenport Road, near Woodland. “I’ve lived in woodland township all my life,” Farlee said adding “I was brought up in the Sugar Bush,” He says sugar bush with capital let­ ters, just like a man who knows the time and labor involved in making good maple syrup. Farlee spends 12-13 hours a day when he’s making syrup, boiling down 18 barrels of sap into, “About ten gallons of syrup.” “We bum up to six to ten chords of three foot wood a season” he continued, adding, “It’s a family business - me, my sons Rick and Charles, and my grandson Scott.” Scott is a senior at Always genial, Keith Farlee keeps a supply of paper cups handy in his sugar shan­ ty so surprise visitors can sample his syrup. Farlee puts in 12-14 hour days when the sap’s running, says his craft is failing due to overregulation and high price of the fin­ ished product. Lakewood High School, and, “Comes down to the shanty when he gets home from school,” his grand-dad said. Farlee, whose home burnt last year, moved to his Davenport Road location in 1940. “We started making, syrup here the next season.” With one exception, he’s made syrup here every season since 1941. “We didn’t make the year the house burned,” he said. In fact, Farlee’s made maple syrup since he was six years old. “It’s a family thing, my family’s been doing it as long as I remem­ ber,” he said, then added, “You start by gath­ ering and hauling' firewood when you’re lit­ tle, and work into the rest.” Speaking of firewood, Farlee observed as how his maple trees served two purposes; “Providing sap for many seasons, then pro­ viding heat to boil down the sap.” But making syrup, “Is getting to be a los­ ing art,” according to the artist. Farlee said, “The finished product is so expensive and it’s not our fault.” He said state restrictions increase costs and really aren’t necessary. “We use this syrup ourselves - we’re going to make it right,” he said grinning. Much of Farlee’s equipment has been used for many seasons. “We had to replace the pans (special fluid containers in which sap is boiled down) in ‘76, but we’ve been using the arch (the firebox) for a long time,” he said. “We built the shanty back in the ‘50s,” he said, drawing attention to the uniquely hinged vents on the east and west sides of the build­ ing’s peak. Those were my idea, I can venti­ late the place whichever way the wind blows,” he added. And you can see Keith Farlee knows how to do it. He’s moving constantly, but he’s got time to crack a joke or draw-off samples of his syrup in paper cups for visitors to taste. “I’m right here close to the road, and people see the steam - they usually walk right up through the woods and give a holler,” he said. Farlee said he’d like to see the art revived. I’ve spent my life in the Sugar Bush and the sugar shanty - we always have a great time down here,” he added. Farlee said sap here isn’t as sweet as nor­ mal. “I had some checked down in Nashville, and its only about 3 percent sugar,” he said, adding, “It normally runs about 6 percent.” But it sure tastes good. So, if you’re out driving in maple tree county northeast of Hastings and you see a spiffy little building in the woods with steam coming out of the roof,- well, you know. 1 r1 4 H ■ ■ 4 <1 * ——_ — Checking the cans, Keith Farlee checks the sap flow from a tree on his woodlot. Eighteen barrels of sap boils down to 10 or 12 gallons of syrup. Farlee says sugar content of the sap is not as high as in most years; adds his art is a dying one. - ----- .—_ H- ^Doctor Universe Animal philosophy Do animals have religion? Anna, 12, Hong Kong Dear Anna, When I read your question, I thought about elephants. There’s evidence that ele­ phants have complex emotions-like grief when their relatives die or affection for humans who help them. Whales, dolphins, non-human primates and even dogs some­ times seem like they have complex emo­ tions, too. It makes us wonder if animals seek com­ fort and meaning the same ways humans do-like through religion. We truly don’t know the answer to your question. It’s something people have wondered about for a long time. Exploring deep questions is the work of my friend Joe Campbell. He’s a philoso­ pher at Washington State University. We often think of religion as beliefs and behaviors. They relate to the supernatural­ something beyond us and what we see in the natural world. Campbell told me that underneath many religious beliefs and behaviors is a feeling: awe. It’s a proto-religious attitude. Proto means first. So, do animals experience awe? That probably depends on the animal and how it thinks. Campbell told me about three levels of thinking. The first level is perception. Have you ever zoned out on a walk? Your body is still taking in information and responding. After all, you aren’t bonking into trees. But you aren’t actively thinking about it. The second level is the awareness you have when you aren’t zoned out. You aren’t just avoiding trees on autopilot. You’re noticing them and thinking about them. The third level is being aware that you’re aware. This is self-conscious aware­ ness or meta-level thinking. That means you’re thinking about those trees and notic­ ing your thoughts about them. Maybe you think how incredible.it is that a tiny seed can grow huge and eventually give off the oxygen that’s filling your own lungs. You might even feel awe or a deep con­ nection to nature. We know humans have self-conscious awareness because we can talk about it. It’s more difficult to figure out if other animals do, too. The most famous chimpanzee expert in the world-Jane Goodall-says she’s sure chimpanzees feel awe and simply don’t have language to describe it. When chimps see thundering waterfalls, they seem to dance in wonder. Other scientists caution that, since we can’t talk to non-human animals, we shouldn’t assume their thoughts and feel­ ings line up with human thoughts and feelings-even if their behaviors look similar. “That’s why these questions about whether animals are capable of meta-level thought are important,” Campbell said. “If they just have the behavior and aren’t capa­ ble of meta-level thought, then there’s no chance you should classify their behavior as religious. But it does seem like there are members of the animal kingdom like chim­ panzees, elephants and dolphins that seem to be capable of self-conscious awareness./ So, the answer could well be yes-at least for some members of the animal kingdopi.” Scientists use tests to try to figure out if an animal has self-conscious awareness. One is the mirror test. When it looks in a mirror, does an animal know the reflection is itself? Humans and the other great apes like chimpanzees and orangutans can do it. Some elephants, whales and dolphins can do it. A bird called a magpie can do it. There’s even some evidence that some ants can recognize themselves in a mirror. Some scientists like neurophilosophers think understanding the brain is key to answering these deep questions. Their work-and questions like yours-may help us understand early humans and humans’ place in the universe. It might make us rethink how we relate to other animals. t Q-’IAAX * > - ... ' Dr. Universe Do yon have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. As flu slams Michigan, COVID-19 hospitalizations rise as well Mike Wilkinson Bridge Michigan Michigan hospitals are getting slammed with flu patients for the first time in years, just as COVID-19 cases are rising again. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 hit 1,300 on Wednesday statewide, the most since late February and marking the third straight week of increases. At the same time, the number of emergency room visits because of respirator}' troubles has increased 90 percent in three weeks. On Wednesday, Michigan hospitals report­ ed 2,260 patients with COVID-19-like symp­ toms which include the respiratory ailments that could also be influenza, a state spokes­ person said. Just three weeks ago, hospitals reported 1,209 people with those symptoms. Michigan continues to have some of the nation’s lowest rates of influenza, but they are quickly rising, in part because people have stopped wearing masks. The flu was largely non-existent in 2020 and 2021 because of social distancing and masks. “This year, now we’re having it,” said Dr. Matthew Sims, director of infectious disease research at Corewell Health East, formerly known as Beaumont Health. COVID-19 cases are also rising nation­ wide, prompting the White House on Thurs­ day to warn of a potential surge and announced plans to offer free at-home tests again. People can go online and order up to four tests per household. That program had been paused in September after distributing 600 million tests nationwide. So far, Michigan hospitals are handling the influx of patients without getting over­ whelmed. At Corewell’s hospitals, which includes Corewell Health Pennock Hospital in Hast­ ings, flu patients jumped to 760 the second week in December, double from the last week in November. The virus had been nonexistent for three years, and even in 2018, there were only three flu patients at Corewell hospitals. The Centers for Disease Control and Pre­ vention has said the current flu season - at this point of the year - is the worst since 2010-11. It hit the southern United States first and has been moving north. Metro Detroit, which has the highest rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations, is likely get­ ting hit before the rest of the state. “We have not had any concerns expressed to us specifically related to COVID-19 inpa­ tients, but our membership in general remains concerned about the overall impact of respi­ ratory illnesses,” said John Karasinksi, spokesperson for the Michigan Health and Hospital Association. The overall number of adult patients in Michigan hospitals has jumped 7 percent or COVID hospitalizations Respiratory visits Since Jan. 1,2022. The number of people visiting a Michigan hospital emergency room with COVID-iglike respiratory symptoms has jumped go percent in three weeks. 5K .___ 5,000 Source: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Western Michigan University Libraries. 1,068 since early October, while the number of pediatric patients has risen 13 percent or by 86. Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson for the Mich­ igan Department of Health and Human Ser­ vices, said people can still get the flu vaccine. Sims said it takes two weeks to offer full • Visits Source: Michigan Department of Hoatth and Human Services protection, in time for the holidays. Sutfin continued to advocate for getting the COVID-19 vaccines and for people to stay home if sick. Statewide, 69 percent of Mich­ igan residents have received one dose, com­ pared to 81 percent nationwide. Barry County Road Commission Public Hearing The Barry County Road Commission will hold a Public Hearing on its proposed 2023 Budget. The hearing will be held at the Commission Room located at 1725 West M-43 Highway, Hastings, Michigan at 7:35 A.M. on December 30, 2022. A copy of the proposed budget is available for inspection at the Road Commission office. �Page 8 — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LOOKIN’ GOOD: Southeastern Elementary School welcomes back its annual holiday haircut drive Through the Toys for Barry County Kids program, parents are given the opportunity to shop for, and select, gifts for their children. This emulates the act of holiday shop­ ping in a traditional store. Ken Shook of Hastings-based Ken’s Kutz cuts the hair of second grader Greyson Bailey of Northeastern Elementary School. (Photos by Jayson Bussa) Jayson Bussa Editor Many students at Southeastern Elementary School in Hastings were having a great hair day on Tuesday - and that wasn’t by accident. After being canceled for the last two years, organizers brought back an annual haircut drive, which transformed the school’s science lab into a full-fledged hair salon, filled with local barbers and hair stylists that were doling out free haircuts for any student or faculty members that wanted one. “This is our favorite thing that we do for the kids all year,” said Erin Hayes, who is a parent of a student at the school and the indi­ vidual that first got the event together. “They’re just elated and some of the kids don’t get this kind of contact and this sort of excitement or time focused on just them.” Students filed into the room all morning as Christmas carols chugged from a small speaker in the comer. They were met by a full roster of professional stylists. This included Ken Shook from Hast­ ings-based Ken’s Kutz, Samantha Tobias, who was representing Dick’s Barber Shop and an independent stylist from Hastings, Emma Pennington. The three local stylists were joined by a small army of students from the Paul Mitchell School in Grand Rapids, which was able to get a little on-the-job training by working on the students at Southeastern. Samantha Tobias participated in Tuesday’s haircut drive at Northeastern Elementary School. Tobias works for Dick’s Barber Shop in Hastings. Here, she cuts the hair of kindergartener Logan. Hastings hairstylist Emma Pennington styles the hair of Northeastern Elementary School second grader Addison Neubauer during Tuesday’s haircut drive. Neubauer gleefully said that she cut quite a bit of hair off. The drive returned for the first time following the COVID-19 pandemic and served over 80 students. Hayes said that over 80 students were slated to get their hair cut at the event, which was the most they’ve had in the event’s brief history. Hayes originally organized the event in 2018 and replicated it in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped it away for two years. She said around 70 to 75 kids got their hair cut at the inaugural event. Hayes was inspired to organize the event after observing her daughter’s classmates at the school and she said help from local styl­ ists was crucial. “I just kind of rolled with the idea and I thought can we possibly do this and how would it work,” Hayes said. “It was just one kid that I saw in my vision walking one day and I thought they are probably not alone there are probably other kids that this can help. We wanted to make it for all of the kids, not separate by income or anything. Anyone at the school — the teachers included.” Tobias, from pickls.B,adiershop, has partic­ ipated in the event all three years it was held. “Nobody is ever as excited as a kid is when they get a haircut,” said Tobias, who has been cutting hair for around nine years. “...They all have done a really good job sit­ ting still this year, too.” Tobias said that most of the kids came to her with simple haircut requests - no major transformations. She also said that this is the only haircut drive that she personally partic­ ipates in and that she doesn’t know of many that exist, making the event at Southeastern fairly unique. “It’s fun,” she said. “It’s really fun listen­ ing to them talk to each other while they’re here.” W CH9RO Bikes, toys, clothing, stocking stuffers and other gifts were assembled in Leason Sharpe Hall in Hastings for the Barry County United Way’s annual Toys for Barry County Kids program, which started on Monday and extends through Friday. (Photos by Jayson Bussa) Toys for Barry County Kids program empowers parents in their holiday shopping Jayson Bussa Editor One of the first shoppers to enter the make­ shift shopping center set up in Leason Sharpe Hall broke down in tears at the sight of the rows and rows of potential Christmas presents. “We get that quite often,” said Morgan Johnson, Director of Outreach and Commu­ nity Engagement for the Barry County United Way, which organized the event. Monday marked the first day of the Toys for Barry County Kids, where the staff of the United Way essentially sets up a shopping mall of gifts and essentials inside Leason Sharpe Hall so that parents can sign up and shop through the donated goods instead of being sent away with pre-packaged items. “When parents go up there, they’re in shock as to what is up there and what they’re able to find,” Johnson said. “...A lot of times, with programs, they’re not sure what to expect and being able to choose what their kids want, that’s a huge deal. They’re not getting something that’s just wrapped up for them and they have no idea what it is.” Toys for Barry County Kids has been H & Saturday, December 24 - Candleligl Christmas Eve Services You will not want to miss these uni' We will close each service wi 2:00 PM - Including a Visit from Sa 7:00 PM - The Christmas Story Sunday, December 25 - Christm p experiences! candlelight! ifts for the Young People and Song ice 10:00 AM - Sing your favorite Green Street Church is located in the H 209 West Green S For more information: www.qreenstn L_ for a Purpose! or 269-945-9574 going strong for 10-plus years. And, while it’s not a new program by any stretch, Johnson said that it does seem to get bigger every year. That includes this year, where 378 kids from Barry County will be shopped for through Friday. Previously, this program operated out of a single conference room, but it has grown so much that, three years ago, it was moved to the spacious Leason Sharpe Hall. Through the program, all children receive at least four gifts along with stocking stuffers^ a board game for the family, a blanket, clothes, a stuffed animal and all parents are also sent home with a roll of wrapping paper so that they are able to wrap the gifts and place them under the tree. “This is for the kids, but the goal is for parents to feel like they’re going to the store themselves,” Johnson said. “It’s empowering the parents by allowing them to choose the gifts that they like - allowing them to take them home, wrap them and put them under the tree.” < And, just like nearly every one of United Way’s programs and initiatives, this one gets? a giant boost from the community. All of the merchandise collected - from fishing poles and other sporting equipment to blue tooth speakers, video games and a wide range of toys for small children - was donat-; ed by community members. United Way also received monetary donations, which organiz­ ers used to go shopping. The United Way also leans on partners to staff the event and help parents to shop for their children. On Monday afternoon, Thor­ napple Credit Union employees Courtney Stonehouse and Cassi Thayer were working with shoppers to help them find items for their children. Stonehouse, a branch manager with Thor­ napple Credit Union, said that she has been participating in the event for around five years. The credit union also serves as a drop­ off point for donated items prior to the event. “I think that this helps people in Barry County, which is a major thing for us,” Stone­ house said after assisting a couple of shoppers to pick out items. “We get to help the commu­ nity member that we serve (at the credit union). That’s a huge part of this program in general - it goes back to the community.” As an old hand with the program, Stone­ house said that she enjoys providing ideas and feedback for parents and loved ones, who are trying to find something special. “I think all of us parents have the same problems when we pick out gifts for our kids at Christmas time and knowing what to get them,” Stonehouse said. “Having someone else there can be a helpful part of it.” Stonehouse said that blue tooth speakers have been popular for those who are shop­ ping for teenagers in addition to hammocks. She said that little kids are significantly easier to buy for. “You can pretty much pick anything and they’re happy with it,” she said smiling. Toys for Barry County Kids is not com­ pletely unlike the United Way’s annual Back­ pack Program, where kids and parents go shopping in a similar fashion for back-toschool supplies. Stonehouse and Thomapple Credit Union are also involved in that program and Stonehouse said both programs really epitomize the generosity of Barry County. “Those two programs alone show what the community has to offer - it’s people who live here and work here,” Stonehouse said. �The Hastings ANNER SPORTS [section Thiircriav December npnpmhpr 22, 99 2022 9099 Thursday, Saxons win another set of Saturday duals Saxon 150-pounder Haiden Simmet holds Gull Lake's Jacob Holt on his back during their match in the championship dual Saturday at the Blue Devil Classic in Richland. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) Brett Bremer Sports Editor Hastings made it two wins in two tourna­ ments Saturday with an undefeated perfor­ mance at the Gull Lake Blue Devil Classic. The Saxons beat the host Blue Devils 46-30 in the championship match after a 61-15 win over Reading in the semifinals. Martin/Climax-Scotts took third with a 39-37 win over Reading in the match for third. Hastings closed out a perfect pool perfor­ mance with a 55-20 win over Schoolcraft, a 69-6 win over a Rockford squad and an 84-0 win over Comstock. Jordan Humphrey, Keegan Sutfin, Robby Slaughter, Tate Warner, Lanny Teunessen and Isaac Friddle were all 5-0 at the tournament for the Saxons. Troy Hokanson and Colton Smith were both 4-1. The Blue Devils had a 24-18 lead after the first eight of 14 weight classes had been con­ tested in the championship dual with the Saxons. Haiden Simmet started to turn the tide for the Saxons with a 10-1 major deci­ sion in his match with Gull Lake’s Jacob Holt at 150 pounds. That major decision got the Saxons within two points at 24-22. Hastings took the lead in the middle of the second period of the 157-pound match when Slaughter pinned Gull Lake’s Blake McKen- Saxon 215-pounder Isaac Friddle opens his team's dual against Reading, in the semifinals of the Blue Devils Classic in Richland, by pinning Donivon Dangerfield during the first period of their bout. (Photo by Valerie Slaughter) zie. Daniel VanderMeer stole the lead back at 30-28 for his Blue Devils with a pin 39 sec­ onds into the 165-pound match. Dominance by the Hastings heavyweights got the job done in the end. Warner at 175 pounds, Teunessen at 190 and Friddle at 215 all scored quick first-period pins. Hastings got off to a great start in the championship match with pins from Parker Roslund at 285 pounds and Humphrey at 106. The Saxons also got six points from Sutfin at 132 pounds where he scored a quick pin. The Saxons also won the Big Rapids Invi­ tational to open the season Dec. 10. Their 1-8 opener against Pennfield that was planned for last Wednesday as postponed due to illness. The Saxon varsity will be a part of the Wayland Duals Dec. 28 and then open the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference season hosting Jackson Northwest Jan. 4. Hastings also had its ‘B’ team wrestle to a ninth-place finish at the 16-team tournament. The ‘B’ Saxons closed their day with a 45-36 win over Harper Creek in the match for ninth, after starting the bracket play with a 48-27 win over Charlotte. The Saxon ‘B’ team was 3-2 overall on the day. Colten Denton, Justus Forell, Preston Meece and Kyle Eachtinaw were each 4-1 and Matthew Shults went 3-0. Offense a work in progress, but Saxons win two Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Hastings varsity girls’ basketball team evened its record at 3-3 heading into a Thurs­ day night (Dec. 22) match-up with Lakewood by scoring back-to-back wins over Jackson Lumen Christi and Holland in its last two contests. The Saxons picked up their first Inter­ state-8 Athletic Conference win of the season Friday night, knocking off visiting Jackson Lumen Christi 39-29. Saxon senior guard Macy Winegar and sophomore guard Brianna Darling hit a pair of early three-pointers and Hastings led from start to finish. A putback by sophomore guard Kalli Koning had the Saxons up 8-2 at the end of the first quarter. Hastings extended its lead to 16-9 at the half and up to as many as 16 points in the third quarter after back-to-back threes by Winegar. Winegar finished with a game-high 16 points. Sophomore forward Rachael Hewitt had 13 points. Senior forward Bailey Cook finished with 4 points. The defensive effort was the key for the Saxons. “We played really well,” Hastings head coach Chase Youngs said. “Honestly, they just got two shots to fall in the second quarter. We held them to two points in the first quar­ ter. We run this zone and it is physical, but it kinds of protects [post players] Rachel Hewitt and Bailey Cook from extending out. We’re so small that we have to do something.” “The zone we’re working on is active, it’s totally new to the girls, so they’re picking it up a little bit. The press worked some too. That is the first time we’ve done that here. We ran that just a little bit on Tuesday [Dec. 13 in a loss to Hamilton]. You can’t do the same stuff every week and every year, so we have to do some stuff for our personal that maybe fits a little more what they do. I thought it was good. I thought they played hard.” A senior-filled Titan team didn’t back down in the second half down 16. The Titans rallied in the fourth quarter to get within 32-26 with a little over three and a half min­ utes to play, and had a player at the free throw line with a one-and-one opportunity that could have dropped that Saxon lead to six points. Hewitt came up huge on the offensive glass a couple times in the fourth quarter and Winegar was 5-of-6 at the free throw line in the final two and a half minutes to help Hast­ ings seal the win. “It is nice to have two strong hands and she can see the court well,” Youngs said of his sophomore forward Hewitt. “She can finish. We’re asking her to do things outside of the Hastings sophomore toward Rachael Hewitt is hit in the paint by Lumen Christi's Ruby Boyce (left) and Camy Crandall (12) during the first half Friday night at Hastings High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) box that she has been doing. She hit a 16-foot jump shot. I don’t know if she took one all last year as a freshman and she pulled up and hit it. I was like, all right, good, that is what we have to do. Strong as she is, she’s never the tallest one on the court. She played really well tonight.” He was pleased to see Koning hit her big three early on, to see junior Myah Vincent come off the bench and attack the basket, junior guard Addey Nickels, who is an out­ standing defender, being strong with the bas­ ketball in her hands and to see Cook stepping outside of her comfort zone just a little to put up a couple good looks at three. Lumen Christi got 8 points each from Camy Crandall and Ruby Boyce. It was another total team effort as the Sax­ ons knocked off Holland 32-22 in Holland Tuesday. Hastings trailed 15-9 at the half and was looking for alternate scoring options with Cook out and Winegar recovering from an illness. “We shot as bad as a varsity team could shoot a basketball,” Youngs said after the loss to the Dutch. “We had three field goals in the first quarter and that’s what we ended the half with.” It was as three-pointer by Koning that sparked the Saxon attack early in the second half. • “Rachael [Hewitt] felt pressure and made the basketball savvy play to get it to the oppo­ site guard, Koning. We talk about how insideout threes are better than side-to-side threes,” Youngs said. “Kali stepped up, not like a sophomore, and shot it with confidence. She didn’t hesitate.” Holland led by one at the start of the third quarter and the Saxons quickly evened things up at 22-22, and the Dutch didn’t score again after that. Hewitt finished with a team-high 11 points. Winegar and Darling, who had a second half three-pointer during the comeback surge, finished with 7 points each. Koning had 5 points. Darling, Koning and Hewitt, the Saxons’ senior trio, all started in the ballgame. The senior Winegar helped the Saxons’ seal the win going 4-of-4 at the free throw line in the last minute and a half. Darling hit a couple big free throws late too. “When it mattered we did it,” Youngs said. “The group didn’t doubt each other. They kept playing. I feel like it’s never easy to win on the road; it is never easy when you’re young to win on the road; and it’s never easy to win when you’re down at halftime on the road. They did all three.” Again, everyone contributed. Vincent had a big early bucket in the ballgame. Coach Youngs was really pleased with the way Nickel pressured the Holland point guard all evening. Senior Isabelle Storm came off the bench and spurred the offense with three steals in the fourth quarter. Saxon sophomore guard Kalli Koning rush the offense as she's watched at the top of the key by Lumen Christi's Genevieve Brawner during the second half Friday night at Hastings High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Eagles make it five straight to start the season The Barry County Christian School varsity boys’ basketball team improved to 5-0 with a 66-16 win over visiting Cre­ ative Technologies Academy Thursday in Hastings. The Eagles got 17 points from Noah Lilley and 14 from Isaiah Lamphere to lead the way. Lucas Koetje, Kevin Shaffer, Joe Wise and Dustin Lampart scored 7 points each for the Eagles. Barry County Christian is now off until a ballgame at the West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science Jan. 6. �Page 10 — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Lion team third at Jesse Snow Invite dominated by Maroon Giants Trojans top Cougars for first OK Gold victory Brett Bremer Brett Bremer Sports Editor Kalamazoo Central dominated the Lions’ annual Jesse Snow Memorial Tournament a Maple Valley High School Saturday, outscoring runner-up Fulton 218-76.5. The host Lions weren’t far behind Fulton, placing third with 71 points. The Maple Valley varsity wrestling team’s Dakota Osenbaugh at 144 pounds, Jackson Burpee at 175 and Gabe Aspinall at 190 all were the runner-up at their flight. Burpee and Osenbaugh both had two pins for their two victories, and Aspinall pinned his first opponent of the day. The Lion team also had Ashton Kikendall at 126 pounds and Robert Schilz at 138 pounds both place third at their flight. Jayden Kikendall at 285 pounds placed fourth. Athens was fourth in the day’s team standings with 64 points, ahead of Colon 63, Lakewood ‘B’ 52 and Bellev­ ue 17. The top finish from the Lakewood ‘B’ team came from Hudson Goethals who was the runner-up at 126 pounds. Kalamazoo Central took the day’s championship with the help of individual championships by Alekh Marion at 113 pounds, Rohan Marion at 120, Nasir Spurlock at 126, Barra Al-Gharib at 132, Bonham Faworski at 144, Caleb Geldner at 157, Wyatt Weller at 175 and Rashawn Terrell at 190 pounds. Maple Valley opened conference play Wednesday, Dec. 14, at Perry falling 48-24 to the host Ramblers in a Greater Lansing Activities Conference dual and 48-16 against Saranac. Burpee had another solid night, and Lion head coach Tony Wawiemia said it was the best he has seen him wrestle yet. He scored an 11-2 major decision against Saranac’s Colten Jackson in their 175-pound bout. The Lion team also got a pin from Ashton Kikendall at 132 pounds and Schilz notched a 7-0 win over Ryan Bollone at 138. Jayden Kikendall won by forfeit for the Lions at 215 pounds. Ashton Kikendall got another pin in the dual with Perry, sticking Grace Spiess 90 seconds into their 126pound match. Robinson earned a pin for the Lions at 138 and Burpee got a pin at 175. Osenbaugh had a forfeit win in the dual with the Ram­ blers. “Overall, it was nice wrestling teams in our own divi­ sion,” Wawiemia said after Wednesday’s duals. “When we went to the Don Johnson Invite Saturday [Dec. 10] we were wrestling a lot of I) 1 schools.” “We wrestled much better [Wednesday].-with just about our whole team. We were missing our heavyHgght Joe Long, who.gqt: hurt m Rj^ptice pnd hasn’t been able to wrestle, which we really miss him at both m practice and for our team in duals. The kids did show a lot of improvement and it was nice to see the first-year kids picking up on a lot of the moves that we have been going over in practice.” While the Lions await the return of Long, Wawiemia was happy to get Ashton Kikendall and Schilz back after a little time off. The Lions will be a part of the Martin Clipper Classic Friday, Dec. 23, and then will be off until hosting a GLAC Quad Jan. 7. Thornapple Kellogg senior Zack Gibson encourages teammate Jackson Curtis from the side of the mat during their team's OK Gold Conference dual with Grand Rapids Catholic Central in Middleville Wednesday, Dec. 14. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Sports Editor He couldn’t help himself. Having already helped the Thomapple Kellogg varsity wrestling team keep its record perfect with two pins at the OK Gold Conference Quad in Middleville Wednesday night, Thomapple Kellogg senior wrestler Zack Gibson slid down on his knees to shout advice to classmate and practice partner Jackson Curtis. “I was trying to tell him to get out of there, out of the situation he was in and into a better situation and maybe score off a better position,” Gibson said. Thomapple Kellogg head coach Dayne Fletke quickly caught Gibson’s attention and shooed him back from the comer of the mat just a bit. Gibson had been right up on the edge of the mat in front of his coach. “I didn’t want us to get dinged (with a penalty),” coach Fletke said. “You have to be 10 feet back.” “I actually really like that he was in there, showing that team leadership. I told him, scoot back but keep yelling. 1 really like that.” Gibson said he never hears anything that a teammate shouts at him in the mid­ dle of the action. He thought probably Curtis was hearing him though. Curtis confirmed later that he did not hear Gib­ son, but he knew he was there. “You know, when they’re workout partners and they’ve been together since they were little kids, I think they hear more than you’d think,” Fletke said. “I think that voice sticks out to them, because they have been hearing that and they have been working. “I do think they hear it, and even if they can’t understand it they can feel the support coming through. As a group, all the way from the younger kids up, some­ thing we promote in the room is that we all support one another, win or lose, and Yankee Springs Township 284 N BRIGGS ROAD - MIDDLEVILLE, MICHIGAN 49333 269-795-9091 / FAX 269-795-2388 NOTICE OF ORDINANCE ADOPTION TOWNSHIP OF YANKEE SPRINGS BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF YANKEE SPRINGS, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following is a summary of Ordinance No. 12-08-2022 which was adopted by the Yankee Springs Township Board at a regular meeting held on December 8,2022. Thornapple Kellogg 138-pounder Kyron Zoet works for control with Grand Rapids Catholic Central's Nahum Russell during their match Wednesday night, Dec. 14, in Middleville. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Only Rams and Red Arrows best TK at Kent County meet ORDINANCE 12-02-2Q22- ZONING ORDINANCEJEXT AMENDMENTS Brett Bremer SECTION I AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XX, SECTION 20.8. This section amends the authorities of the Zoning Board of Appeals. SECTION II AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XIII, PRIVATE ROAD STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES- This section amends Article XIII re the purpose, approval requirements, design and construction standards, preservation requirements, non conforming private roads, deed restrictions, building permit require­ ments and waiver authority. SECTION III AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE III, SECTION 3,16, CHIEF NOONDAY CORRIDOR OVERLAY DISTRICT. This section amends subsection F regarding development standards. SECTION IV AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XII, GENERAL REGULATIONS. This section amends Article XII, Sections 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5, 12.6 and all tables regarding area, height, placement and setback regulations, general regulations, building/zoning permits, dwelling standards and requirements, required setbacks, parcel size requirements and maximum building coverage. SECTION V are severable. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Ordinance SECTION III REPEAL. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. SECTION IV EFFECTIVE DATE. This Ordinance shall take effect eight days after publication after adoption. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the full text of the Ordinance has been posted in the Office of the Township Clerk at the address set forth below and that a copy of the Ordinance may be purchased or inspected at the office of the Township Clerk during regular business hours of regular working days following the date of this publication. YANKEE SPRINGS TOWNSHIP Michael Cunningham, Clerk 284 N. Briggs Road Middleville, MI 49333 (269) 795-9091 at the end of the day it is all for one.” The Trojans opened their season Dec. 7 with wins over Lakewood and Caledo­ nia, took the championship at the Grand­ ville Challenge Dec. 10 and then topped Vicksburg and OK Gold Conference foe Grand Rapids Catholic Central at the quad in Middleville Wednesday, Dec. 14. TK started Wednesday evening with a 72-12 win over Vicksburg and then knocked off the Cougars 66-15. “[Curtis] has been pushing me good,” said Gibson, who is aiming to be a four­ time state medalist in Division 2 this season. “He has been really just right there in my ear, just pushing me to my full potential.” Despite the advice from his comer, Curtis couldn’t quite pull one out in his battle with Catholic Central junior 157-pounder Lee Braun, who is a twotime state medalist in Division 3. An escape point for Curtis in the second period had their bout tied at 2-2, and Cur­ tis just couldn’t quite finish off a couple shots in that second period. Braun scored two take downs in the third period while securing a 7-5 victory. It was a result Curtis can tolerate in December. “It is good,” Curtis said. “I want those type of matches early on. It makes me better. Hopefully, I can get him at the end of the season. It is good to have those tough matches early to just kind of set the tone for the year - win or lose. I like it. I like having tough matches.” TK got its points six points at a time against the Cougars thanks to pins from Noah Rosenberg at 285 pounds, Christien Miller at 106, Dylan Pauline at 113, Aiden Foy at 126, Kyron Zoet at 138, Gibson at 150, Jayce Curtis at 165 and Austin Chi vis at 175 pounds. TK also got wins from Lane Cross, Darius Robinson and Tyler Bushman due to voids in the Cougar line-qp. Catholic Central got its other 12 points thanks to pins from Dave Grant at 120 pounds and Michael Wilson at 144 pounds. In the non-conference win over Vicks­ burg, TK got pins from Cross at 190 pounds, Nathan Linebaugh at 215, Miller at 106, Zoet at 138, Gibson at 150, Jackson Curtis at 157, and a fall in overtime from Jayce Curtis at 165 pounds. Coach Fletke was happy to get some young guys some wins Wednesday like sophomores Linebaugh, Miller and Jayce Curtis. ?®iJe the freshman 113-pounder Pau­ line only got to wrestle the one time Wednesday, his teammate Gibson has been sufficiently impressed and liked to see him bounce back from a result which wasn’t what Pauline had wanted for him­ self at Grandville last Saturday. “It has been fun,” Jackson Curtis said of the seniors welcoming the youngsters into the line-up so far. “We have a good group of freshmen coming in. We have been working with them. It has been good. Hopefully, the next couple years when we leave it’ll be good. It is looking good.” Chivis, Rosenberg, Pauline, Bushman and Andrew Middleton took wins versus voids in the Vicksburg line-up. The Trojans faced their toughest com­ petition of the season yet Saturday, Dec. 17, placing third at the Kent County Invi­ tational behind Rockford and Lowell. The TK wrestling team will be in action again Dec. 28 at Olivet’s Jare Klein Classic and then will head to Byron Center for a quad Jan. 4. Sports Editor Lowell Edged Thomapple Kellogg by two and a half points for the runner-up spot Saturday at the Kent County Wres­ tling Championships at East Kentwood High School. Rockford took the championship with 251.5 points. Lowell was second with 165.5 and TK third with 163. Byron Cen­ ter was not far behind the Trojans, in fourth place, with 149 points. Lowell did not have its full squad com­ peting at Kentwood. A number of Red Arrows were in Crown Point, Ind., for the Carnahan Memorial Invitational. TK senior Zack Gibson made it backto-back seasons with a Kent County Championship by winning the 150-pound weight class with three pins. He stuck Forest Hills Northern’s Noah Garces 1:16 into their championship round match. Kelloggsville’s Jerrod Spencerk in the semifinals, was the only guy to push Gib­ son beyond the first period. Emma Gibson was a medalist as well. She was the runner-up in the Girls’ 120125-pound weight class. She opened her day with two pins and then pulled out a 10-8 sudden victory in overtime against Northview’s Ava Niedzielski in the semi­ finals. Forest Hills Central’s Ashley Schenck bested Emma 9-0 in the champi­ onship match. Emma Gibson was one of three Tro­ jans to finish as the runner-up at their flight. Kyron Zoet placed second at 138 pounds and Austin Chivis was second at 175. Chivis outscored Caledonia’s Dylan Meduna 9-3 in the semifinals, his second win of the young season over Meduna, and then had to bow out of the champion­ ship match against Forest Hills North­ ern’s Chris Arrington due to an injury. Zoet scored an 8-5 win over Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Nahum Krussell in the 138-pound semifinals, in what was another early season rematch. Zoet followed up his second win of the season falling 9-4 to Rockford’s Elijah Bunn in the 138-pound championship. TK’s Noah Rosenberg was third at 285 pounds. He pinned his first two foes before falling 7-0 to Sparta’s Dustin War­ ner in the semifinals. Rosenberg bounced back to pin Forest Hills Northern’s Arman Singh 1:16 into their third place match. The Trojan team got fourth place fin­ ishes from Dylan Pauline at 113 pounds, Andrew Middleton at 144, Jackson Cur­ tis at 157 and Derious Robinson at 190. Kaleigh Brown was fifth in the girls’ 140-145-pound flight and Jayce Curtis was fifth at 165 pounds. Forest Hills Northern was fifth in the day’s standings with 129 points, ahead of Sparta 115.5, East Kentwood 105, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 90.5, Kent City 85 and Cedar Springs 78.5 in the top ten. Caledonia placed 16^ with 37 points. Caledonia had two third place finishes. Meduna followed up his loss to Chivis in the semifinals by outscoring Lowell’s Casey Engle in the match for third at 175 pounds. Caledonia’s Kiersten DeHaan placed third in the girls’ 190-235-pound division. She pinned Northview’s McKayla Brown in the match for third. Delton team gets two into finals of Eau Claire tourney Brett Bremer Sports Editor Gauge Stampfler took a championship and Gage Vincent a runner-up finish for the Delton Kellogg varsity wrestling team as it competed in Eau Claire’s Burton Richards Memorial Invitational Saturday. The Delton Kellogg team was sixth on the day. Stampfler won the 132-pound weight class by knocking off Niles Brandy­ wine’s Drake Heath 3-1 in the final. Stampfler pinned his first two foes of the tournament, including Eau Claire’s Angel Guzman-Valley in the semifinals. Vincent reached the 126-pound cham­ pionship with a pin of Watervliet’s Kam Smith late in the first period of their semifinal contest. Alejandro Saldana from Hartford scored a pin of Vincent late in their 126-pound final. The Delton Kellogg team also got a fourth-place performance from 190-pounder Luke Watson. Watson was pinned by Olivet’s Joey LaSalle at the start of the day and then pinned three con­ secutive foes in the consolation rounds. Mitchell Swift, Giorgio Venturi Tucker Patrick-Swinehart, Domanyck Harmon, Griffyn Harmon, Micah Martin and Joelle White all had at least one win on the day for the Delton Kellogg team. Decatur and Hartford tied for the team title with 158 points each. Brandywine was third with 136 points, ahead of Buchanan 136, Centreville 118.5, Delton Kellogg 94, Olivet 90, Eau Claire 72, Gobles 59 and Watervliet 55. Brandywine, Hartford and Decatur each had three individual champions at the tournament. Decatur got victories from Zach Wiggins at 175 pounds, Brody Mead at 157 and Rowan Bradford at 138. Hartford’s individual champions were Ernesto Rodarte at 113 pounds, Alejan­ dro Saldana at 126 and Braeden Birkhead at 150. Brandywine got wins from Josmar Perez at 106 pounds, Kaiden Rieth at 120 and Phillip McLaurin at 285. The Delton Kellogg team is back in action Dec. 30 at Ionia’s Mike Adamson Invitational. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — Page 11 LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 19, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by John E. Mays, a married man, whose address is 282 W. Carlton Center Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated June 15, 2015, and recorded on June 24, 2015 as Document Number 201500006224, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated March 11, 2022 and recorded on March 11, 2022 as Document Number 2022-002728, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED NINE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED ELEVEN AND 63/100 ($109,311.63). Said premises are situated in the Township of Carlton, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the Southeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 18, Town 4 North, Range 8 West; thence North 12 rods 6 feet; thence West 15 rods 11 feet; thence South 12 rods 6 feet; thence East 15 rods 11 feet to the Place of Beginning. Street Address: 282 W. Carlton Center Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: December 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4695 (12-22)(01-12) 192775 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service* member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Larry W. Hoffman and Allison K. Hoffman, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated November 14, 2005 and recorded December 6, 2005 in Instrument Number 1157269, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, d/b/a Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust I, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Sixteen Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Nine and 89/100 Dollars ($16,179.89). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. Said premises are located in the Township of Rutland, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: COMMENCING AT A POST ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH 1/4 LINE 14 CHAINS AND 45 LINKS SOUTH OF THE 1/4 POST IN THE CENTER OF SECTION 20, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE WEST 3 CHAINS, THENCE SOUTH 2 CHAINS, THENCE EAST 3 CHAINS, TO THE 1/4 LINE, THENCE NORTH ON THE 1/4 LINE 2 CHAINS TO THE BEGINNING. 1692 Erway Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 15, 2022 File No. 22-011951 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (12-15)(01-05) 191852 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 19, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Molly K. Diekhoff, an unmarried woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, d/b/a Christiana Trust, not individually but as trustee for Pretium Mortgage Acquisition Trust Date of Mortgage: August 8, 2005 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 10, 2005 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $120,721.07 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: BEGINNING ATA POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SECTION 30, TOWN 4 NORTH, RANGE 7 WEST, WOODLAND TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN DISTANT NORTH, 858 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID SECTION 30; THENCE NORTH, 220 FEET ALONG SAID WEST LINE; THENCE EAST, 231 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE SOUTH LINE OF THE SOUTHWEST FRACTIONAL 1/4 OF SAID SECTION 30; THENCE SOUTH 220 FEET; THENCE WEST, 231 FEET TO THE POINTOF BEGINNING. SUBJECTTOAN EASEMENT FOR PUBLIC HIGHWAY PURPOSES OVER THE WESTERLY 33 FEET THEREOF FOR DURKEE ROAD, AND ANY OTHER EASEMENTS OR RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Common street address (if any): 3200 Durkee Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-9449 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1484815 (12-22)(01-12) 192872 DUE. TO THE HOLIDAY THE CIRCUIT COURT ^SALEBELOW^ILLBEADJOURNED^QM 12/15/2022 TO 12/22/2022; 12/22/2022 TO 12/29/2022; 12/29/2022 TO 01/05/2023; 01/05/2023 TO 01/12/2023 VARNUM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 150 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANT TO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment") entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage”) made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71, 72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 (12-22) 192403 Synopsis Hope Township Regular Board meeting December 13,2022 Meeting opened at 2 pm Approved: Consent agenda Board of Review Appointments Guernsey Lake Sewer refunds Williams & Works Master Plan update proposal Adjourned at 3:30 pm Submitted by: Deborah Jackson, Clerk Attested to by Doug Peck, Supervisor 192777 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Jessica Rodriguez, an unmarried person and Jordan Stewart an unmarried person, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated August 27, 2019 and recorded September 3, 2019 in Instrument Number 2019-008406 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Click N’ Close, Inc., Inc., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred NinetyTwo Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty-Eight and 76/100 Dollars ($192,868.76). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. Said premises are located in the Village of Middleville, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: LOT 106, MISTY RIDGE NO. 5, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 66, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. 601 View Pointe Dr, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 15, 2022 File No. 22-011318 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (12-15)(01-05) 191385 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 26, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Sherry L. Pero, a single woman and Shana R. Pero, a single woman, whose address is 10785 Maple Grove Road, Nashville, Michigan 49073, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, being a mortgage dated November 8, 2017, and recorded on November 20, 2017 in Document Number. 2017-011744, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Discovery Mortgage Loan Trust, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated January 13, 2022 and recorded on January 13, 2022 in Document Number. 2022-000525, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN AND 85/100 DOLLARS ($136,216.85). Said premises are situated in the Maple Grove Township, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at a point on the North line of Section 24, Town 2 North, Range 7 West, Maple Grove Township, Barry County, Michigan, Distant West, 635 feet from the Northeast corner of said Section 24; thence South at right angles with said section line, 330 feet; thence West 205 feet; thence North 330 feet to said Section line; thence East along Section line, 205 feet to the point of beginning. Subject to an easement for Public Highway Purposes over the Northerly 33 feet thereof for Maple Grove Road, and any other easements and restrictions of record. Street Address: 10785 Maple Grove Road, Nashville, Michigan 49073 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: December 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4702 (12-22)(01-12) 192928 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones Jeff Domenico, AAMS® CRPC® Financial Advisor Member SIPC Wendi Stratton Financial Advisor 423 N. Main St. Nashville, Ml (517)760-8113 450 Meadow Run Dr. Suite 100 Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 948-8265 Passing assets through a trust: What to know As the year winds down, your thoughts might drift to the future. And, as part of that future, you may be thinking of where your financial assets will end up. You’ve worked hard to accumulate them, and you’ll certainly need some of them to support your retire­ ment, but what about the rest? What’s the best way to pass them on to your loved ones? There’s no single path for everyone to follow. But you might consider establishing a trust, which offers some key benefits. For example, your estate can avoid the time-con­ suming, and highly public, process of probate. Plus, you can be highly specific about how your assets will be dis­ tributed. To establish a trust, you will need to work with a qual­ ified estate-planning attorney. And while you’ll discuss many issues, here are three key questions that will cer­ tainly need to be addressed: Who will serve as trustee of the trust? As the grantor, or creator, of your trust, you will pick the trustee - the indi­ vidual or corporate entity that will manage the trust’s assets and carry out the purpose of the trust. You could choose a trusted loved one, but this individual might not have the knowledge or experience to manage the responsibilities of a trustee. As an alternative, you could choose a corporate fiduciary, such as a bank or trust company. These entities are typically regulated by out­ side agencies and provide sig­ nificant public matter exper­ tise. Of course, they charge for their services and often have account minimums. When are distributions made? As the grantor, you can choose when assets will be distributed to the benefi­ ciaries you’ve named. You could decide to keep the as­ sets in the trust until a ben­ eficiary reaches the age of majority; note that the age of majority is not the same in all states. Or you could choose to “phase in” the distributions at particular ages - e.g., 30, 35, 40 - or after a certain num­ ber of years. You could even hold assets in the trust for the lifetimes of the beneficiaries. These types of choices will depend on several factors, such as your feelings for how responsible a beneficiary might be in managing money. For what purposes can the trust assets be used? In addition to choosing when your trust should make dis­ tributions, you can decide how these assets should be used. You could designate some broad categories, such as health, education, mainte­ nance and support. A bene­ ficiary’s request for distribu­ tions in these areas is usually granted. But you could also structure the trust to provide mandatory income, perhaps once a year, or include a pro­ vision that provides incen­ tives, such as distributing cer­ tain amounts of money once the beneficiary has achieved a milestone, such as finishing a degree or purchasing a first home. One final note: Although you clearly have great con­ trol over what your trust can accomplish, its effective­ ness will also depend, to a great extent, on its asset lev­ el. With this in mind, you’ll want to pay close attention to your investment decisions throughout your life and your withdrawal strategy during retirement. The better your choices in these areas, the more options you’ll have with your trust - and the greater the potential benefits for your beneficiaries. This article was written by Edward Jonesfor use by your local Edward Jones Finan­ cial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater orrthe day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sfcliMloes not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Fern E. Fox, unmarried Original Mortgagee: Financial Freedom Funding Corporation, a subsidiary of Indy Mac Bank, F.S.B. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Reverse Mortgage Funding LLC Date of Mortgage: June 28, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 7, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $140,470.12 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 20, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence North 40.0 rods on the 1/8th line of said Section 20, thence East 8.0 rods parallel with East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence South 40.0 rods parallel with said 1 /8th line to the East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence West 8.0 rods on said East and West 1/4 line to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 11286 Gilkey Rd, Plainwell, Ml 49080-9018 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 8, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1483438 (12-08)(12-29) 192110 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest ,b'd at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and'clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Michael G. Linsea and Rosalind H. Linsea, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS"), solely as nominee for lender and lender's successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 24, 2012 Recorded on September 5, 2012, in Document No. 2012-004176, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Huntington National Bank Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-One Thousand FortySix and 08/100 Dollars ($81,046.08) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the center of Section 9, Town 2 North, Range 10 West, thence North on the NorthSouth 1/4 line, 33 rods for the place of beginning; thence North on said 1/4 line 1050 feet; thence West 930 feet; thence Southerly approximately 880' to a point on the Northerly right of way boundary of “Laura Drive”, (a Private Drive in the Plat of Fawn Lake), situated 150 feet Westerly of the North-West arc post of curve #1 of said Plat; thence Southeasterly along said Drive to a point due West of place of beginning; thence East to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 5399 Laura Dr, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. The Huntington National Bank Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 22-29352-DE William M. Doherty Court address: 206 W. Court Street, Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Trust In the Matter of Gordon K. Yoder and Leonora G. Yoder Trust u/t/a dated September 11,2002. Date of Birth: Gordon K. Yoder - September 3, 1928. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Gordon K. Yoder, died November 23, 2022, leaving the above Trust in full force and effect. Creditors of the decedent or against the Trust are notified that all claims against the decedent or trust will be forever barred unless presented to Sharon L. Owen Geurink, Trustee, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Estate of Ruth K. Whitmyer. Date of birth: July 17, 1922. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Ruth K. Whitmyer, died 09/21/2020. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Jan Otto, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court St., Ste. 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 12-8-22 Jan Otto 7156 W. Parmalee Rd. Middleville, Ml 49333 616-307-1800 192930 1483726 (12-08)(12-29) Date: 12/20/2022 Rhoades McKee PC Stephanie S. Fekkes P43549 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-1921 Sharon L. OWen Geurink c/o Rhoades McKee, 150 W. Court Street, Ste. A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269)945-1921 192272 192994 �Page 12 — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner LEGAL NOTICES Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 19, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): John L. Lewis and Leisa Lewis, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Mortgage: January 27, 2017 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 17, 2017 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $111,054.21 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Yankee Springs, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 06 seconds East 1615.20 feet along the South line of said Section 8; thence North 16 degrees 31 minutes 50 seconds West 580.58 feet to the point of beginning; thence North 16 degrees 31 minutes 50 seconds West 394.82 feet; thence North 66 degrees 55 minutes 25 seconds East 70.24 feet to the shore of Mill Pond; thence South 40 degrees 28 minutes 14 seconds East 115.42 feet along an intermediate traverseline of said shore; thence North 76 degrees 44 minutes 21 seconds East 37.66 feet along an intermediate traverse line of said shore to a 4 inch diameter concrete monument; thence South 22 degrees 55 minutes 35 seconds East 93.20 feet to a 4 inch diameter concrete monument; thence North 65 degrees 21 minutes 29 seconds East 39.00 feet to a 4 inch diameter concrete monument in the middle of a creek; thence South 22 degrees 55 minutes 35 seconds East 193.00 feet, more or less, along the center of said creek to a point which lies North 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds East fromthe point of beginning; thence South 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds West 33.00 feet, more or less, to a 1/2 inch capped iron (#31602); thence South 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds West 192.77 feet to the point of beginning. Together with and subject to a private easement for ingress and egress 16.00 feet wide, 8.00 feet each side of a centerline described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 06 seconds East 1615.20 feet along the South line of said Section 8; thence North 16 degrees 31 minutes 50 seconds West 580.58 feet; thence North 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds East 23.35 feet to the point of beginning; thence Northeasterly 31.39 feet along the arc of a curve to the right, the radius of which is 74.80 feet and the chord of which bears North 15 degrees 41 minutes 23 seconds East 31.16 feet; thence North 27 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds East 52.33 feet; thence Northeasterly 99.41 feet along the arc of a curve to the left, the radius of which is 129.48 feet and the chord of which beats North 05 degrees 43 minutes 06 seconds East 96.99-feet: thence North 16 degrees 16 minutes 38 seconds West 72.49 feet; thence Northeasterly 85.66 feet along the arc of a curve to the right, the radius of which is 62.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 22 degrees 51 minutes 29 seconds East 79.15 feet; thence North 61 degrees 59 minutes 37 seconds East 101.72 feet; thence North 67 degrees East 104.00 feet, more or less, to the centerline of Old Mill Road. Common street address (if any): 155 Old Mill Rd, Middleville, Ml 49333-8575 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: if you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 22, 2022 Trott Law, RC. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1484926 (12-22)(01-12) NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF BARRY COUNTY Notice is hereby given that the Barry County Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing for the following: Case Number V-1-2023 - Thomas & Denis Paint­ er (Applicant); Denise Painter Trust (Property Owner) Location: 12080 Marsh Rd, Shelbyville Ml 49344 in Section 6 of Orangeville Township. Purpose: Request a variance to allow an accesso­ ry building larger than 150% of the house size. Case Number V-2-2023 - Christine Jones (Ap­ plicant); Christopher & Christine Jones (Property Owner) Location: 11929 Cargill Lane, Delton Ml 49046 in Section 11 of Barry Township. Purpose: Request a variance to create a lot with only 22 feet of lot width (the minimum is 60 ft) in the RL (Recreation Lake) zoning district. MEETING DATE: January 9, 2023. TIME: 7:00 PM. PLACE: Tyden Center Community Room, 121 South Church Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 Site inspections of the above described property will be completed by the Zoning Board of Appeals members before the hearing. Interested persons desiring to present their views upon an appeal, either verbally or in writing, will be given the opportunity to be heard at the above mentioned time and place. Any written response may be mailed to the address listed below, faxed to (269) 948-4820, or emailed to Barry County Planning Director James McManus at jmcmanus@ barrycounty.org. The variance application is available for public inspection at the Barry County Planning Department, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please call the Barry County Planning Department at (269) 945-1290 for further information. The County of Barry will provide necessary auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon ten (10) days notice to the County of Barry. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the County of Barry by writing or calling the following: Michael Brown, County Administrator, 220 West State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058, (269) 945-1284. Pamela A. Palmer, Barry County Clerk 192797 STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT COUNTY OF BARRY NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate 22-29320-DE Estate of Betty Lee Martin. 09/2/1943. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Betty Lee Martin, died 02/11/2018. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Mary S. Kosobucki, personal representative, or to both the probate court at 206 W. Court Street, Suite 302, Hastings, Ml 49058 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. ... arsnv b in ...... < | 192941 SYNOPSIS Hastings Charter Township Regular Meeting Dec. 13, 2022 Sports Editor Lakewood swept its way to victory at the Jonson & Monette Memorial Duals hosted by Williamston High School Saturday. The Vikings were a perfect 5-0 with their tightest dual a 39-28 victory over Imlay City. Imlay City went into the weekend ranked seventh in the state in Division 3 by Michigan Grappler with the Lakewood team ranked eighth. Ashton Clark got the Lakewood team off to a good start against Imlay City by scoring a take down in an overtime period of a 7-5 win over Christopher Galiana in the 120pound match. The two teams went back and forth throughout the dual, and Imlay City had its final score boosted by voids in the Viking line-up at 157 pounds and 113 pounds. Lakewood got pins from Daniel Krebs at 144 pounds, Gavin Vaughn at 190, Jaden Manhart at 285 pounds and Adrian Oaks at 106. Oaks’ pin of Caleb McLain a minute into their lightweight bout clinched the victory for the Vikings with one weight class to go. Lakewood also got three points thanks to Chris Webb’s 8-7 win over Jacob Koralewski in the 150-pound match and a 4-0 win by Joel Simon over Latham Perry at 215 pounds. Lakewood also scored a 44-28 win over Birch Run, a 57-15 win over Dowagiac, a 56-24 win over Williamston and a 52-28 win over Saginaw Swan Valley. Krebs, Clark and Simon were all a per­ fect 5-0 on the day for the Lakewood team. Kade Boucher, Brendan Straub, Brant Sports Editor The Delton Kellogg varsity boys’ basket­ ball team got win number one Friday night in its Southwestern Athletic Conference Central Division bailgame at Holland Black River. Torren Mapes had 14 points, Tyler How­ land 11 and Philip Halcomb 10 as the Delton Kellogg guys scored a 57-45 victory. The Panthers led by as many as 17 points in the second half after leading by 15 at the intermission. The lead could have been larg­ er in the end if the Panthers had been a little stronger at the free throw line. They were ji&st 1 i -Qf-22 g. the fine for the night. Delton Kellogg head coach Jim Hogoboom thought his guys responded well down the stretch in the ballgame as they were learning to close out a win for the first time on varsity many of them. There is still a lot Brett Bremer Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 $ $ $ PAYING CASH FOR RIDES. Will pay by miles or rides to Delton or Hastings for food or misc. Call 269447-4299. GENERAL LABORER: JOB Business Services BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. Pets MINIATURE RAT TERRIOR puppies for sale. 1st shots and wormed. $350. 269-223-9194. includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401 (k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vision insurance. Apply in person to: Quality Hard­ woods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, ML CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experi­ ence needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarks­ ville, MI of work to do though he added. It wasn’t just the scorers getting the job done. Coach Hogoboom said Jason Lund­ quist was a beast on the boards and had a few key blocked shots as well when the defense broke down in front of him. “Our kids really battled. I am super proud of our guards late, again they don’t have much experience with two sophomores and a freshman out there along with Torren Mapes, a junior,” Hogoboom said. Those youngsters helping finish off Black River, with Halcomb fouled out of the bail­ game, included the freshman Howland and sophomores Wyatt Finney and Grant McAr­ thur. Jonah Vander led Black River with 17 points. Jonah Thomas chipped in 13 in a losing effort. The Panthers were playing without starter Isaac Shepard who was injured in his team’s Dec. 13 loss to Parchment. Delton Kellogg was back in action Tues­ day, Dec. 20, at Saranac. The Panthers were bested by their hosts 45-37. Saranac outhustled the Panthers in the early going, and Delton Kellogg had a tough time digging out of the hole. Delton did manage to get within four in the final min­ utes but some strong work on the offensive glass by the Saranac boys kept the Panthers at bay. Levi Speice led Saranac with 10 points. DK had three guys with 8 points. “We just gotta get better and more consis­ tent at understanding the situation and secur­ ing the basketball - pass and .catch it. There is a lot of fundamental stuff we will work on, but gotta be ready to play especially the start of game,” Hogoboom said. The Panthers are scheduled to visit Cal­ houn Christian tonight, Dec. 22. freestyle relay in 3:51.21. Kuck had the Barracudas’ lone individual victory. He took the 100-yard butterfly in 1:06.43. Tyler Keator, Sam Harper and Lucas Boven won two individual events each for the Plainwell Trojans. Kensington couldn’t quite keep pace with Keator in the 50-yard free­ style. Keator hit the wall in 24.43 seconds and Kensington in 24.87. Kensington was part of a 2-3-4 finish in that race for the Bar­ racudas, followed in by teammates Riordan and Barnum. Barry County also had Kensington, Shults and Riordan place 2-3-4 behind Harper in the 100-yard freestyle. Harper won that race in 50.57. It was a sprint to the finish in the 100-yard breaststroke, but Plainwell’s Boven beat out the Barracudas’ Heath Hays by just over half a second for the first place points. Boven finished in 1:14.10 and Hays in 1:14.75. The Barracudas are 2-1 in duals this sea­ son. The next meet on the schedule is the conference opener against Ottawa Hills in Hastings Jan. 12. 192955 Sports Editor The Lakewood varsity girls’ basketball team bumped its record to 5-1 with a 43-41 win at Leslie Friday. It was the Greater Lansing Activities Con­ Help Wanted and took a 60-12 win over Bath. There were only five contested weight classes in the dual with Stockbridge. Lake­ wood got pins in those from 138-pounder Lydon Rogers, 144-pounder Webb, 165-pounder Calder Villanueva, 215-pounder Simon and 285-pounder Manhart. In the dual with Bath, Lakewood got pins from Camden Wright at 120 pounds, Rogers at 138 and Villanueva at 157. Vikings 5-1 after getting GLAC win over Blackhawks 192928 Wanted O’Heran, Vaughn and Manhart had four wins each. Lakewood was scheduled to be a part of the Ionia County Invitational yesterday, Dec. 21. The Lakewood team opened the Greater Lansing Activities Conference/Central Mich­ igan Athletic Conference season with two lopsided wins at Stockbridge Wednesday. Lakewood defeated the host Panthers 66-0 Plainwell hands Barracudas their first December defeat Sports Editor The Barry County Barracudas’ varsity boys’ swimming and diving team won the final two relays of the day, but couldn’t catch Plainwell on the scoreboard in a 108-75 defeat in the Trojans’ pool in Plainwell Thursday. The team of Blake Barnum, Riley Shults, Jameson Riordan and Jack Kensington won the 200-yard freestyle, relay in 1 minute 40.02 seconds for the Barry County team and Donald Kuck, Shults, Riordan and Kensington teamed to take the 400-yard Respectfully submitted, Anita S. Mennell - Clerk The Lakewood varsity wrestling team celebrates its championship after going 5-0 at the Johnson & Monette Memorial Duals at Williamston High School Saturday. DK boys score their first win Brett Bremer Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. Seven board members present Approved all consent agenda items 2023 Budget approved Accepted trustee resignation Closing of recycling module Approved 2023 meeting dates Approved payment of bills Dept, reports received and put on file Motion to adjourn 7:37 pm Attested to by Jim Brown - Supervisor Brett Bremer Brett Bremer Date of birth: Date: 12/20/2022 Jackie Baker P76955 137 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 945-3999 Mary S. Kosobucki 42600 75th Avenue Decatur, Ml 49045 (269)423-7124 Vikes win battle of ranked teams at Williamston Memorial Duals PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. ference opener for both teams. Leslie was 11-1 a year ago, finishing atop the conference standings and with a 20-3 overall record. The Vikings were looking forward to the ballgame after being within three at the end of the first meeting between PUBLIC NOTICE: Cellco Partnership and its controlled affiliates doing business as Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) proposes to build a 310-foot Self-Support Communications Tower. Anticipated lighting application is medium intensity dual red/white strobes. The Site location is 11160 Vedder Road, Freeport, Ionia County, Ml 49325, Lat: 42-46-15.9, Long: -85-17-41.9. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Antenna Structure Registration (ASR, Form 854) filing number is A1225293. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS - Interested persons may review the application (www.fcc.gov/asr/ applications) by entering the filing number. Environmental concerns may be raised by filing a Request for Environmental Review (www.fcc.gov/asr/ environmentalrequest) and online filings are strongly encouraged. The mailing address to file a paper copy is: FCC Requests for Environmental Review, Attn: Ramon Williams, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. HISTORIC PROPERTIES EFFECTS - Public comments regarding potential effects on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Emily, e.pickrell@trileaf.com, 1515 Des Peres Poad, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63131, 314-997-6111. the two teams a year ago. Alli Pickard led Lakewood with 11 points and Alivia Everitt had ten points. The Vikings were scheduled to visit Hast­ ings tonight, Dec. 22, but that ballgame has been postponed to Jan. 16. Trojan cheer wins another invte Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Trojans made it 2-for-2 Friday. The Thomapple Kellogg varsity competitive cheer team had the top score from a field of 15 mostly Division 2 teams at the Falcon Invitational hosted by West Catholic High School in Grand Rapids. The TK team put up scores of 223.8 in round one, 200.58 in round two and 296.7 in round three for an overall total of 713.08. The Tri County team was the clos­ est of anyone to the Trojans, finishing with a final score of 711 that put it tops among the competing Division 3 squads and well ahead of the run­ ner-up Newaygo (501.06) among those D3 teams. An eight-point deduction in round two was all that kept the TK ladies from scoring higher in all three rounds than they did at their season-opening meet Dec. 10 in Middleville. The Tro­ jans were about five points better in round one and about ten points better in round three Friday. Forest Hills Northern was the runner-up among the Division 2 teams at West Catholic Friday with an overall score of 689.82, ahead of Kenowa Hills 676.02, Northview 664.22, Cedar Springs 653.42, For­ est Hills Eastern 557.3, Sparta 535.2 and Pickney 344.8. Cedar Springs narrowly beat out the Thornapple Kellogg girls for the OK Gold Conference title a year ago, and this was the first time they have competed on the same mat since last season. The Red Hawks had scores of 212.3 in round one, 201.32 in round two and 247.8 in round three. Another OK Gold Con­ ference foe, Kenowa Hills, put up scores of 216.5, 192.62 and 266.9. The top score in Division 1 came from the West Catholic team host­ ing the meet. The Falcons finished with 698.44 points, ahead of Cale­ donia which earned a score of 654.24. The Caledonia girls had scores of 215.7 in round one, 190.94 in round two and 247.6 in round three. �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — Page 13 Lions learning new roles during early season slate Brett Bremer Sports Editor There are things on the basketball court that take time to build skill: dribbling with an off hand, the proper shooting touch, the intricacies of working through a full-court trap. Sometimes there are things that are just about ‘want to’ though. The Rams were better at both, but the Lions showed flashes during a 48-16 loss to the visiting Galesburg-Augusta varsity girls’ basketball team at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. Lion head coach Timara Wehr called a time-out as the clock ticked under five min­ utes to play in the third quarter with her team down 34-8. The Lions came out of the huddle and found a jump shot for junior forward Autumn Leo in the paint. Her shot rattled out, but she stepped up to fight and force a jump ball that kept possession with the Lions. Another Leo shot missed its mark, but this time senior guard Cassie McCool fought through the maroon and gold to steal away the offensive rebound. She kicked it out to the top of the key where senior guard Abeni Hartwell caught and fired up a three-pointer than banked off the backboard and through the rim. “I just told them, during the timeout, you have to take what I say and go do it. Put it into action. I said you have to stop bringing the ball slowly up the court and staring at a person. You have to push it up the floor. I was right behind Abeni (a few times) and I was like, ‘shoot it! ’ I told her, you have to be ready to shoot it. That is basically what I preached at that timeout was push the ball up the court and don’t wait for the defense.” A few times the Lions got a little too sped up, and worked themselves into poor shoot­ ing positions, but at other times beating the defense was key to putting the ball in the basket. While the Lions got a couple of offensive rebounds to get that bucket, Wehr said box­ ing out was at the top of the list of things to work on at the start of Wednesday’s practice. “They had too many second chances. Way too many,” Wehr said. Offensively, she said at times especially early in the ballgame it looked like some girls might have been trying to do a bit too much. The Lions lost junior guard Emma Pierce to an injury already, and she was like­ ly to be the team’s primary ball-handler. That has put some pressure on others like senior guards McCool and Hartwell, typical­ ly shooting guards who now have to run the point while also still being relied upon for a lot of scoring. Wehr is looking forward to the practice time after the break to smooth things out a bit. Freshman guard Mariah VanDorp got some time as a ball-handler Tuesday and Wehr said she’ll be looking for her to step up in a back-court role in the coming weeks. It’s not just an offensive adjustment the Lions have to make. Pierce is also at the top of the Lions’ pressure defense as well, so others are sharing those responsibilities too. Wehr said she thought the idea of being one person down might have played into her team’s lack of aggressiveness a bit as the Rams cleaned-up on the glass and go the majority of the loose balls. Hartwell already had her fourth foul midway through the sec­ ond quarter. The Rams were 10-of-23 at the free throw line for the night. Jaidyn Klimp, a sopho­ more guard, was outstanding on both ends of the floor stealing the basketball and putting it in the hoop for the Rams. She finished with a game-high 23 points. Senior Cierra Nord added 14 points for the Rams. The Lions got 6 points each from McCool and Hartwell. Junior Kayla VanAlstine and Leo had 2 points each. Maple Valley junior guard Chanse Courtney fires up a three-pointer during his team's non-conference loss to visiting Galesburg-Augusta Tuesday evening. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Lions needed more scorers in loss to Rams Brett Bremer Maple Valley junior Kayla VanAlstine is pushed back by Galesburg-Augusta guard Kayla Nichols at the top of the key during the second half Tuesday night at Maple Valley High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Maple Valley freshman Mariah VanDorp fires a pull-up jumper over GalesburgAugusta defender during the second half Tuesday night at Maple Valley High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Vikes win two-point ballgames with Leslie and Lansing Eastern Brett Bremer Sports Editor The Vikings and Blackhawks needed every tenth of a second to decide things Thursday night in their Greater Lansing Activities Con­ ference opener at Lakewood High School. Lakewood junior guard Montreal Reid drained a floater in the lane as the buzzer sounded to push the Vikings to a 52-50 win. The two teams were back and forth throughout the fourth quarter. Lakewood had a three-point lead with a minute to play. Leslie got within one with a pair of free throws. Leslie senior guard Kaleb Cox stole a Lakewood inbounds pass and then was fouled pushing to the rim with 38.1 sec­ onds to play. He hit the first to even the score at 48-48, but missed the second foul shot. Cox’s teammate Jared Peck came down with the offensive rebound for the Black­ hawks, but Lakewood guard Blake Price dis­ possessed him of the basketball and went the other way. Price couldn’t convert a contested lay-up, but teammate Jayce Cusack was there to clean-up and put the ball back up and in to get the Vikings’ back in front. There was a scramble for the basketball in the Blackhawks’ offensive end with ten sec­ onds to go and Leslie managed to get the ball out of the scrum and across the lane to senior Ethan Kaimon for an open lay-up attempt. Cusack arrived just in time to thwart the look with a foul from behind. Kaimon drilled his two free throws to even the score once again, at 50-50, with 6.1 sec­ onds to go. The push for Reid’s game winner started with Eli Jablonski getting the ball in to Price. Price rushed to half-court with the dribble up the left side and then whipped a pass across the court to Reid who had to turn his back to the basket while moving towards the Viking bench to snag the pass. Reid spun into the lane where he had space to go up for the shot, firing it up with his right hand while floating to his left. Reid was mobbed by his teammates, a cel­ ebration that carried back across half-court in the other direction. It was just Reid’s second bucket of the night. He finished with 4 points. Cusack had a game-high 27 points. He had 11 of those in the fourth quarter. Lakewood had a threepoint lead at the half and trailed by one enter­ ing the fourth quarter. Landon Makley finished with 6 points for Lakewood. Price and Jablonski had 5 points apiece. Kaimon led Leslie with 14 points. He was 5-for-5 at the free throw line in the ballgame. The Blackhawks were !2-of-15 at the line as a team. Cox had 12 points. He had all 12 in the second half. He drained 3 three-pointers. Zack Marciniak chipped in 9 points. The Vikings pressured the Blackhawks the length of the court throughout much of the evening. Lakewood is now 3-3 overall this season. The Vikings took another two-point win Tuesday night against visiting Lansing East­ ern, 49-47. Cusack poured in 23 points and the Vikings got 14 from guard Nathan Willette. Price and Reid chipped in 6 points each. Lakewood put up 20 points in the fourth quarter after trailing 31-29 at the end of the third quarter. Cusack hit 2 threes in the fourth quarter and was 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Willette had 7 points in the fourth quarter, burying his second three of the night. Tavion Harden led Eastern with 18 points. Lakewood’s bailgame planned for tonight, Dec. 22, at Hastings has been postsponed to Saturday, Jan. 14. Sports Editor Eventually junior guard Chanse Court­ ney’s hot shooting wasn’t enough. Galesburg-Augusta started on an 11-2 run and went on to a 55-43 win over the Maple Valley varsity boys’ basketball team at Maple Valley High School Tuesday. “The second half, I thought we played really well,” Lion head coach Ryan Nevins said. “We missed a ton of shots inside the paint, even in the third quarter. But, we kind of talked about it even in the pregame that we did not have a very good practice [Monday] and that is exactly how we came out and played. For whatever reason we didn’t have that spark we had the first two games. I thought we were a little bit lazy on defense and we didn’t execute offensively. “[Galesburg-Augusta] came out and picked us up right at half-court and pres­ sured our guards and that gave us a lot of problems. In the first quarter, Chanse came out and hit a couple shots and kept us in the game, but in the second quarter I think we had six possession in a row where we turned it over and never even got a shot. When you get outscored by 13 [in a quar­ ter] it makes it an uphill battle. The kids didn’t quit tonight. It is something we can build on, because we wouldn’t have done that last year.” It is the first loss of the season for the Lions who were off to a 2-0 start thanks to wins over Delton Kellogg and Vandercook Lake. “We’re different this year. We’re differ­ ent, but we’ve got to earn it not just on game day, but in practice. I think we have a group of kids that are willing to put the work in. I think we’ll get better. I think we’re going to win a few more games this year. I don’t have any doubt about that.” Courtney hit two threes and converted on a three-point play at the free throw line in the first seven minutes to help keep his Lions within striking distance early on, but the Lions weren’t even able to get shots off in the early part of the second quarter. The Rams doubled up the Lions on the score­ board by late in the first half holding a 34-17 lead. The Ram grew to as many as 21 points in the third quarter. Maple Valley did put some pressure on the Rams as the night wore on. They got back within nine points in the fourth quar­ ter with another surge by Carpenter. He hit back-to-back threes that had the Rams’ coaching staff screaming for a timeout to remind their guys who the shooter to stick with was. In the end the deficit was too much though. The Rams hit 6-of-7 free throws during the final four minutes of the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Carpenter closed the night with a game- Maple Valley junior guard Connor Joseph drops a pass off at the top of the key as Galesburg-Augusta's Nick Mann keeps an eye on him Tuesday at Maple Valley High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) high 29 points, but the only other scorers for the Lions were junior guard Ayden Wilkes who finished with 10 and junior guard Connor Joseph who had 3 points. The Rams got 17 points from senior guard Nick Mann, many of which were at the end of a breakaway following a Lion turnover. In contrast to the Lions’ score page, the Rams had seven different players score. Zach Eberstein had 9 points, John Klip 8, Jalen Dolph 7 and Hunter Krugh 6. The Lions will look to bounce back during the Quincy Holiday Tournament which opens Dec. 29. They’ll open play there against Mendon, and then face either Quincy or the Vandercook Lake team they bested Dec. 10 in the GLAC/Cascades Challenge. Coach Nevins is looking forward to the holiday tournament. Not only will it break up the monotony of the holiday practice schedule, but the Lions are looking for­ ward to the chance to play for a trophy. Those opportunities are few and far between for varsity boys’ basketball teams. “I think this is a huge opportunity for us,” Nevins said. “We kind of put it on our goal sheet that we want to win a trophy every time we have an opportunity to.” The consolation game and the champi­ onship game of the tournament in Quincy will be played Dec. 30. CITY OF HASTINGS PUBLIC NOTICE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 609 The undersigned, being the duly qualified and acting Clerk of the City of Hastings, Michigan, does hereby certify that ORDINANCE NO. 609: AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOW PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR TYDEN LOFTS PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE STATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ACT OF 1966 (1966 PA 346, AS AMENDED, MCL 125.1401, ET SEQ). was adopted by the City Council of the City of Hastings at a regular meeting on the 12th day of December 2022. A complete copy of this Ordinance is available for review at the office of the City Clerk at City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 192776 Christopher R. Bever City Clerk �Page 14 — Thursday, December 22, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Titans pull out another thriller with Saxon guys Brett Bremer Sports Editor Fingernails on the hands of Saxon fans might be a little longer come the spring of 2024 without the Jackson Lumen Christi var­ sity boys’ basketball team in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference next season. The last three ballgames between the two teams have been decided by a total of four points. Hastings took a one-point win in Jackson last season while the Titans won by two in Hastings. Match-up number one this win­ ter between the two 1-8 rivals might have been the tightest contest yet as the Titans took a 56-55 overtime victory to hand Hastings its only defeat of the season so far. “We played pretty hard,” Hastings head coach Rich Long said. “We came from behind. We tied it up. We took the lead. So, we obviously struggled with turnovers against the pressure and that is what Coldwater did to us as well, but I think the close win against Coldwater (Dec. 9) also let us believe that we could win. We clearly made 100 mistakes, but I don’t think we folded. We just made skill mistakes that we can get better at. “We just made mistakes. A year ago, we might not even have come back. We might have though, ‘we just lost.’ So, we’re going to work on that. We talked about our identity, that we’re a tough team and we’re going to fight to the end, and I do believe that about the kids.” The lead swung back and forth throughout the fourth quarter and overtime. Hastings trailed by five points at the half, but rallied to even the score at 38-38 going into the fourth quarter. A quick bucket by senior center Hayden Long in the fourth quarter and a three by senior point guard Owen Carroll had Hastings up five with five and a half minutes to play. The Titans answered to lead by four points was the clock ticked under two minutes to go in regulation. Long scored off an assist from Carroll with 1:42 to go to get their team with­ in 48-46 and then Long evened the score at 48-48 with half a minute to play at the free throw line - getting fouled after pulling down an offensive rebound. Carroll and the Titans’ Luke Tropea traded three-pointers to open the extra four minutes, and Hastings built a lead to three points again on a bucket by senior guard Myles Padilla and a free throw from sophomore Jett Bar­ num. Hastings led 55-52 with 45 seconds to play, but a pair of steals by the Titans led to buckets by Tropea in the final half minute that put the Titans in front 56-55. Tropea hit a floater in the lane to make it 55-54 with 25 seconds to go after the Saxons turned the ball over against a double-team just across half-court. The go-ahead bucket came with just about eight seconds to play. Joe Lathers knocked the ball away from the Saxons in the back-court and Tropea went in for a lay-up. He missed it, and Lathers missed a follow-up, but Lathers managed to snag another offensive rebound in a crowd and dish the ball in front of the hoop to Tropea who put the ball up and in for the 56-55 lead. The Saxons whistled for a timeout with 7.5 seconds to play and the length of the court to go. Senior center Zander Forbes fought through a crowd near mid-court to get the ball into the offensive end to teammate Landon Steward. Steward looked to dish the ball off, but couldn’t find anyone and eventually had to spin and try and fire up an off-balance jumper at the buzzer. Carroll hit four three-pointers in the ball­ game and finished with 14 points. Long matched him with 14 points. While coach Long said he doesn’t expect 4 threes from Carroll, he knows that his point guard is capable of that kind of thing. “He has the green light. He can shoot lights out in practice,” Long said. “Last year, his percentages were poor at best. I tell kids their first year on varsity, in practice it is throw me the ball, I catch it, I shoot and I keep making it ... I thought Owen would calm down this year as a returning varsity player and hit shots like that, because he can shoot. That wasn’t a fluke, and now that he has hit those in rhythm I think he will continue to do that.” Layton Eastman had 9 points and Padilla and sophomore Jett Barnum had 7 points apiece. Eastman had 8 rebounds and Padilla 6. Hayden Long, Steward and Barnum had 3 assists each for the Saxons. Coach Long hopes that his guys won’t beat themselves up over any little mistakes Friday. He thought they did a lot of things right. He also wants them to know that they don’t need to be too eager to do more than what their role is at a given time. Hastings senior Zander Forbes leans into Lumen Christi's Luke Smith in the post to get a shot up during the first half Friday night at Hastings High School. Hastings junior Landon Steward fires up an off-balance jumper at the buzzer at the end of overtime to try and get his Saxons back in from of Jackson Lumen Christi. The shot missed its mark as the Titans held on for a 56-55 Interstate-8 Athletic Conference victory. (Photo by Brett Bremer) “I was proud. I hate losing. Lumen is a good team. The pressure, they’ve changed their intensity and their attitude as well. 1 would suspect they’ll continue to do well in the league. They’re tough defensively and they mix things up.” Tropea, a sophomore guard, led the Titans with 22 points. He knocked down 6 three-pointers in the contest, going 6-of-7 from behind the arc. Lumen Christi also got 11 points from Joe Lathers and 9 from Timmy Crowley. Hastings is now 3-1 overall this season. The Saxons bounced back with a lopsided 48-23 win over visiting Belding in non-conference action Tuesday night. Hastings was scheduled to host rival Lakewood tonight, Dec. 22, but those contests between the Hast­ ings and Lakewood boys and girls have been postponed to Jan. 16. Hastings junior point guard Owen Carroll (right) talks things over with senior team­ mate Layton Eastman during a break in the action during the second half of their Interstate-8 Athletic Conference bailgame with visiting Jackson Lumen Christi Friday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Second half improvement for TK in loss to Scots -•* *'• r‘ ’■ HI ’■ 1 •’ • • -.-i >*.. ,a. 4.. Brett Bremer Thornapple Kellogg junior guard Kyle VanHaitsma flies by Caledonia's Kaden DeHorn (15) on his way to the basket during the first half of the Fighting Scots' win in Middleville Thursday night. (Photo by Brett Bremer) j First Presbyterian Church of Hastings T05 N. M~y Hwl)., Hastings . I Sue Senaite ] December 24 • 5:00 p.m. FPC invites you to join in worship at its Christmas Eve Service this year, designed for all ages. As the secular song says, “Kids from one (or younger) to ninety-two (or older)” are welcome to this worship service including music and worship elements suitable for all ages. Bring a pair of mittens to donate to local schools. I Come! Bring Friends, and Worship Christ, the Newborn King!” 1 Sports Editor The Fighting Scots and Trojans head into the holiday break with at least one good half to build on and a lot yet to work on. The Caledonia varsity boys’ basketball team improved to 2-2 on the season with a 73-61 win in Middleville Thursday evening, Dec. 14, against the now 0-4 Thomapple Kel­ logg boys. Caledonia built a 19-point lead in the first half. TK battled back to within 9 points a couple times in the second half before the Fighting Scot reserves finished off the victo­ ry. The Scots were coming off a 74-68 over­ time victory over Covenant Christian from Tuesday night. “We talked about all the things within our realm of control,” Caledonia head coach Phil Visser said after Thursday night’s win, “ener­ gy, effort and making sure we come out ready to play hard, ready to get after it. I thought we did a really good job in the first half. We came out and made some shots, got up pressure-wise and dictated on the defen­ sive end what we wanted to. I am proud of that. It is one of those where you can come in flat after a big win on Tuesday.” Junior guard Ky VanderWoude powered the Caledonia attack early on. He had 10 of his 13 points in the first half, knocking down a pair of three’s. Caledonia had the lead up to 21 points in the opening moments of the second half. It never got any larger than that. TK was within 14 by the end of the third quarter at 56-42 and a putback by junior center Jaxan Sias and a three-pointer from junior guard Kyle Van­ Haitsma had TK within 58-49 with five and a half minutes to play. Things just didn’t go right for the Trojans from there. A steal by Sias near mid-court had the Trojans’ in possession still down nine, but he was whistled for an offensive foul as he tried to get moving the other direction. It was his fifth foul of the night and it sent him to the bench. Scot senior forward Kaden DeHom stepped up to take a charge and TK turned the ball over after a defensive rebound not long after that. Senior point guard Elijah Holt iced the game at the free throw line for Caledonia. He was 6-of-6 at the free throw line in the final four minutes of the bailgame. As a team, the Scots were 12-of-16 during that stretch. They’d had a lot of practice at the line all night. TK was whistled for 29 fouls in the bailgame and the Scots were 25-of-38 at the free throw line. Junior forward Jaiden Googins and Holt finished with a game-high 14 points apiece for the Scots. Junior guard Maddox Green­ field had 13 points. Coach Visser was a little frustrated by his team’s defensive effort in the second half knowing that the next bailgame on the sched- Thornapple Kellogg junior guard Ethan Bonnema works the ball up the court while being pressured by Caledonia senior guard Mason McKenzie during the first half of their non-conference bailgame in Middleville Thursday. (Photo by Brett Bremer) ule is the OK Red Conference opener - Jan. 6 against Hudsonville at Caledonia High School. TK got 13 points from VanHaitsma and 12 each from Sias and sophomore guard Jacob Draaisma. Junior guard Ethan Bonnema added 7 points. “Guys are starting find their niche, what their role is and what their shot is,” TK head coach Josh Thaler said. “Valuing the ball is the biggest thing we’re preaching right now. We’re gaining a lot of experience. We’re try­ ing to learn quick here.” His guys scored just 12 points in the first half of a loss to Lowell Tuesday, so he was happy to see them pick up that part of their game Thursday night. He said that while the Scots threw quite a bit of pressure at his young guards, he thought a lot of the issues were self-inflicted ones. Thaler said he thought his guys struggled defensively early on, something that hadn’t been an issue so far in the early season. “We’re capable of keeping guys in front of us and knowing who the shooters [especially VanderWoude] are. We just kind of lost track of that. It’s just kind of paying attention to the little details,” Thaler said. He liked how his guys slowed down VanderWoude’s scoring and the penetration from Holt and senior Scot guard Mason McKenzie a bit in the second half. “They’re a great group,” Visser said of his guys. “We have had limited amount of time in practice, a limited amount of time together. Team dinners start after the break. It is one of those where we’re trying to build that chem­ istry and get them to know each other a little bit. It is always that meshing of two groups that is a challenge at beginning of the year, but they seem to enjoy playing hard and com­ peting together.” TK is onto conference action next, in the OK Gold. The Trojans will host Catholic Central Jan. 6. � https://barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/19/648/HastingsBanner_2022-12-29.pdf f9b88d271a76598e89f8f50ec6b01991 PDF Text Text Hastings Public Library 227 E State Street Hastings Mi 49058 Barry County digs out after historic winter storm In a new year, let's set new standards for our leaders Final fall all-county athletes announced See story on page 8 See story on page 4 See stories pages 11-12 Devoted to the Interests of Barry County Since 1856 I CAR-RT LOT C 003 C003 Hastings Public Library 22/ E State St Hastings Ml 49058-1954 H 1111VJO VOLUME 168, No. 52 AlUMCD r\lN IN Eli Thursday, December 29, 2022 PRICE $1.50 High-profile criminal cases come to end, county grapples with post-COVID inflation and midterm elections shake up leadership Hastings Banner Staff Looking back on an eventful 2022, some of the biggest stories of the year unfolded in Barry County court in front of Judge Michael S chipper. That is not to say that Barry County has become especially prolific regarding crime, but the past year has seen the conclusion to some of the more particularly heinous and over-the-top cases that the county has ever seen. From two brutal murders of youth to a former juvenile lifer that led police on a high­ speed chase and shootout before barricading himself in a Woodland gas station - the judg­ es, prosecutors and law enforcement involved with these cases have all agreed that this has been one year to remember. That’s why activity in Judge Schipper’s courtroom pops up frequently in the Hast­ ings Banner’s 2022 In Review. Our publi­ cation was there for each phase of these cases, including this year, when their per­ petrators were sent off to prison for the rest of their lives. Still, there was a lot more going on in Barry County than criminal cases. The coun­ ty and its residents continued to adjust to life following the most restrictive phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to reverberate in the form of financial inflation. The talent pool never really filled itself back up, keeping local businesses - especially the large manufacturers - hurting for new hires. But they weren’t the only ones. The Barry County Board of Commission­ ers grew worried that it would see a mass exodus of employees unless it adjusted com­ pensation to help county staff to adjust to inflation. At the tail end of the year, the board approved economic impact payments that gave full-time employees a $4,000 bump in See 2022 IN REVIEW, page 2 2022 in Review BIGGESTSIWIES11F2^ - Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf and Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson gain statewide and national attention for con­ testing voting results from 2020 election - Andrew Lafey guilty and sentenced to life in grisly murder - Juvenile lifer Timothy Riddle squan­ ders second chance with crime spree that ended in a Woodland gas station - Teen killer Patrick Gilmore sentenced to life after crossbow murder - Area public schools strike out with voters as two bond proposals fail - Tyden Lofts project a small victory for housing-starved Barry County - County doles out $5.9 million in first round of ARPA funding allocation, more to be awarded - Village of Middleville sees plenty or turnover at leadership position - Midterm elections swing power in the state; featured heated battles for school board - Middleville’s first marijuana-based business opened in the fall, while Rutland Charter Township board passed two ordi­ nances in April to allow six different type of medical and recreational marijuana businesses HONORABLE MENTIONS - T.J. Maxx opens in Hastings occupy­ ing the old K-Mart space - Demolition and reconstruction of Delton Elementary School - Barry County issues bonuses to county employees as a means of retaining talent Hastings PD introduces three new recruits to city Hunter McLaren Staff Writer The Hastings Police Department intro­ duced three new officers who will be patrolling the city’s streets next year. Chief Dale Boulter introduced the offi­ cers to city council members at its meeting on Tuesday. Boulter introduced Alexandra Wesseling, who started at HPD at the end of November and has prior policing experi­ ence, as well as two recent police academy graduates slated to start at the department this week. Lexi Meher and Andrew Babcock both graduated from Kellogg Community Col'lege Regional Police Academy’s first class last week. Both have local ties, with Meher being from the Hastings area and Babcock See HASTINGS PD, page 5 The outgoing Barry County Board of Commissioners partake in their final meet­ ing, which was held on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The board bids farewell to three com­ missioners and welcomes in four new faces. Hastings Police recruits Lexi Meher (left) and Andrew Babcock (right) are both slat­ ed to start working for the city this week. (Photo by Hunter McLaren) Hastings to host 13th annual New Year’s Eve celebration Hastings will give New York and Los Angeles a run for their money this weekend with the 13th installment of Hastings’s very own New Year’s Eve ball drop. The New Year’s Eve celebration will be centered at the intersection of State Street and Jefferson Street and kicks off at 9 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2022. The night will feature live music, dancing, street performers, games, face painting, prizes, hot chocolate, food and many options to stay warm, including a fire pit and warming tents. The ball will drop at midnight, with a sound and light show coinciding with the start of the new year. “Auld Lang Syne” will ring out following the ball drop, and the new year will commence. See CELEBRATION, page 2 Unresolved issues from the outgoing county board await new crop of commissioners Jayson Bussa There is no need to travel to celebrate the beginning of 2023. A ball drop will take place this Sunday, Dec. 31 in downtown Hastings. (File photo) Editor As Barry County Commissioner Hoot Gibson reflected on his nearly two decades on the board, his mind wandered to some agenda items that will remain unresolved as he steps away. “I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get more done and we’re leaving some things for the new (commissioners) to do,” said Gibson, the longest-serving commis­ sioner in Barry County. Gibson will walk away from the county board along with both Chair Ben Geiger and Vice Chair Vivian Conner, who com­ bine for 38 years of experience and insti­ tutional knowledge. Meanwhile, the board is poised to wel­ come three new faces in the coming year that will take the place of that trio. They include Mike Callton, Bob Teunessen and Mark Doster along with a fourth commis­ sioner, David Hatfield, who will occupy a newly-reinstated eighth seat that represents only the City of Hastings. While the four new commissioners work to acclimate themselves to the cadence of county government (some of them come in with prior experience), there are a variety of issues that will carry over from the previous board and See UNRESOLVED, page 8 �Page 2 — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner 2022 IN REVIEW, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Shorty's Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus in Delton rescheduled for Friday A loaded night of music at Delton VFW Post 422 was postponed due to treacherous weather over the weekend. Organizers were poised to host the 19th installment of the annual Shorty’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus on Friday, Dec. 23, but a blizzard wiped out the event, which was scheduled to feature five live bands. But, as the old saying goes - the show must go on. This is why organizers have rescheduled Shorty’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus for tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 30. Five bands will take the stage, including Dave’s at 7 p.m., Stranded Hobos at 8 p.m., Burke Devlin at 9 p.m., B-String at 10 p.m., and the last band to hold the spotlight is Joshua at 10:30 p.m. Doors to the VFW Post and Auxiliary open at 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 and close at midnight. The event will also feature a raffle, where proceeds will go to pay for utilities at the post, located at 10353 Stoney Point Dr. in Delton. The event is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted. pay spread throughout the coming year. Any year with an election is notable and lays the groundwork for some fairly profound changes. This year, voters throughout Barry County visited the polls for the mid-term election, which didn’t change much at a county level regarding partisan power, but the state of Michigan now has a Democrat major­ ity in both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office. The election also saw new leadership voted in at the county, township and school board levels. In 2022, Barry County continued to ring the alarm bells about its lack of housing and found some relief on the horizon with a few housing projects that are either complete or in progress. This year even brought some fairly major changes to the newsroom of the Hastings Banner and The Reminder - the longstanding newspapers of record for Barry County and beyond. With a new editor in place and two new staff reporters, our papers can provide a fresh perspective on the latest goings-on throughout the county. To mark the end of 2022, the Hastings Banner staff has compiled a rundown of some of the most noteworthy stories from the past year. Here they are. ‘Shoe Year’s Day’ hike planned for Jan. 1 For those who want to start 2023 with a challenge, the annual “Shoe Year’s Day” hike at Yankee Springs Recreation Area is slated for Jan. 1, 2023 at 11 a.m. This hike is a yearly tradition for the Chief Noonday chapter of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA). Beginning as a program through the DNR, the Chief Noonday chapter was asked to help with guided hikes on New Year’s Day at Yankee Springs State Park. After the first year, the “Shoe Year’s Day” hike became established as a yearly Chapter Hike. This January’s hike will be the 11th year of the hike. Hikers come from many of the surrounding communities, helped in part by DNR publicity. Some families have made the hike a family tradition, hiking every year. For others, the hike is the first time many have been on the North Country Trail. Dogs on leashes are also a part of this yearly tradition. Last year, over 80 people participated in the “Shoe Year’s Day” hike. This year, hikers will meet at the Long Lake Outdoor Center, 2997 Campground Road in Hastings. The log cabin will have a fire before and after the hikes for participants to mingle and enjoy a hot drink with family and friends. The “Shoe Year’s Day” hike is used to promote the 100 Mile Challenge, Hike the County Challenge, this section of the Chief Noonday Trail and the benefits of member­ ship in the NCTA. Refreshments will be provided at the event. Two different guided hikes are being offered: A 2-mile hike and a longer 4-mile hike. If there is enough snow, a hike with snow shoes only will also be available. Cleanup tips for winter storm-damaged branches, injured trees High winds and heavy snowfall from winter storms over the last week have left some Barry County homeowners with injured trees or broken branches. Safety is a big concern when dealing with storm cleanup, especially in freezing cold temperatures. After a storm, first, assess whether there are broken tree limbs located near power lines or lying on your home. These should be dealt with by professionals. Experts should also handle any hanging branches and split limbs that can’t be reached from the ground. Stay away from debris tangled in power lines and immediately notify your utility company. After hazardous limbs are addressed, proper pruning and care of your injured trees are important for the safety and long-term health of the trees. This can be accomplished when work conditions are safer in spring. ' ■’'ifiydijf-freds haVfe'b'nl^'Weathered nfirfof damage,- adhere to th&Tollpwirig tips: - Get expert help for climbing or chainsaw work. Licensed arborists are tree care pro­ fessionals’ trained to ass'esS storm-darpaged trees; they have the experience needed to determine how much of a tree can or should be saved. Always ask for proof of licensing, insurance and work references. - Keep pests in mind when disposing of wood. Wood left behind after trees are dam­ aged by storms may harbor insects or diseases harmful to forests. Moving debris out of the local area can spread pests. - Recycle or reuse woody storm debris. Partygoers will have many opportunities to stay warm during the New Year’s Eve celebration. John Resseguie Sr. will be manning the fire pit throughout the night. (File photo) CELEBRATION, continued from page 1 ------------------------At 12:15 a.m. on Jan 1, ambitious party­ goers can participate in a free 2.023-mile fun run/walk to celebrate the start of 2023. Participants in the fun run need only bring their own light source and report to the Thomapple Plaza by 12:15 a.m. to partic­ ipate. Those who missed a ride on the Holly A new workforce housing development called Tyden Lofts in Hastings is in progress on this lot at 326 W. State St. after facing its fair share of setbacks throughout the past couple years. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Nashville man found guilty and sentenced in video taped murder Andrew Lafey is sitting in a prison cell at the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon Heights as 2022 comes to an end. He won’t ever see freedom again, after being convicted in April of one of the most brutal crimes in recent memory in Barry County. The 23-year-old Nashville man was sentenced on June 9 to life in prison with no possibility df pardle iri the February 2021 murder of I8-year-old Gracyn Brickley of Ionia in Maple Grove Township. Brickley’s body was found in a wooded area behind a house where Lafey was living. A key part of the evidence in the trial was a 12-minute-long video which Lafey recorded where Brickley is beaten, tortured and shot. It took Judge Michael Schipper 30 minutes to issue a verdict of guilty on six criminal counts, including first-degree murder, torture and being a felon in possession of a weapon. “She had stunning eyes. She was described by her dad as a light. And her eyes had light,” County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor Pratt said of Brickley at Lafey’s sentencing hearing. Schipper refused to mention Lafey by name during the sentencing, only referring to him as “the defendant.” “The defendant chose every single thing that he did ... He chose where to live. He chose who to hang out with. He chose to use drugs,” Schipper said. “He chose every single mean and demeaning word he said to Gracyn. He chose every single thing he did to hurt Gracyn. No one forced him to do anything ... The only explanation is he’s evil.” Three other people were charged with tampering with evidence and being an acces­ sory after the fact of a felony in the Brickley murder. Dustin Scott Stephens, 36, of Nashville, is scheduled to go on trial March 13, 2023. In addition to the tampering and accessory after the fact charges, Stephens is charged with perjury' in the trial of a capital crime - a crime that could carry a potential life sentence if he’s convicted - as well as felony firearms and habitual offender charges. Colleen Marie Rice, 47, of Hastings, plead­ ed guilty Dec. 14 to charges of tampering with evidence in the case. Schipper dismissed the accessory after the fact charge in exchange for Rice’s plea. Rice is scheduled for sentencing Feb. 22, 2023 before Schipper. While the tampering with evidence charge carries a possible sen­ tence of up to 10 years behind bars, Schipper said at the plea hearing that he would agree to sentence Rice to no more than one year in jail under what is known as a Cobbs agree­ ment. The third defendant, 5 2-year-old Sheralyn Randolph of Nashville, has had her case bound over to circuit court. She is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Feb. 22, the same day Rice is to be sentenced. In addition to the tampering and accessory charges, Ran­ dolph is charged as a fourth-time habitual offender. - Greg Chandler Tyden Lofts a small victory for housing-starved Barry County Later this year, the Tyden Lofts housing development was given the go-ahead for con­ struction after two years of iterations, propos­ als, planning and public meetings. The three-story, 60-unit workforce housing development at 326 W. State St. in Hastings faced many hurdles during its rocky develop­ ment cycle but managed to get final approval just before the end of the year at the city’s Dec. 15 city council meeting. Wisconsin-based developer General Capi­ tal originally pitched plans for the project in 2020 utilizing the former Royal Coach build­ ing before it was destroyed in a fire. Develop­ ers shifted plans to start new construction on the site before the Michigan State Housing Development Authority issued a no-go letter for the site. MSHDA promised to hold the credits if another suitable site could be found and General Capital moved plans for develop­ ment to the city-owned lot on State Street. Initial negotiations with the county to buy the former Friend of the Court building adjacent to the project site failed. General Capital instead opted to buy a quarter acre of the lot to provide access from South Broadway Avenue. The approval of the development comes as a small relief to city, county and commu­ nity leaders who have been working to alle­ viate a critical housing shortage in Barry County. Strategies for accelerating afford­ able housing developments have been the center of many public meetings and discus­ sions this year. Barry Community Foundation President and CEO Bonnie Gettys has been a continued advocate for the project. She addressed mem­ bers of the Hastings Planning Commission and thanked them for approving the project, noting the county had a critical need for hous­ ing that was more affordable than the mar­ ket-rate. “It has been a long time working with Gen­ eral Capital to try to get this really crucial project up and running. I know it would be very important for not only the city, but the entire county, to have these units available,” Gettys said. - Hunter McLaren See 2022 IN REVIEW, page 3 Trolley before Christmas will have another opportunity throughout the celebration. The Trolley will run between the Holiday Inn Express and downtown Hastings every half hour between 8 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. Readers can learn more about the New Year’s Eve celebration in this weekend’s edi­ tion of The Reminder. MICHAEL KINNEY PLUMBING Licensed Master Plumber Licensed Journeyman Plumber New construction, remodel, repair, drain cleaning. BRADFORD WHITE WATER HEATERS Same Day Installation License Office (269) 948-2248 Mobile (269) 838-5112 #8110376 & Insured Insui4z. * SPRAY FOAM W Closed or Open Cell or Blown-In Fiberglass l Roy Mast. 517-652-9119 2501 N. Ionia Rd., Vermontville J Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson, pictured here during a meeting this fall, signed on as a plaintiff to a federal lawsuit that is aiming to de-certify the 2020 presidential election results in Michigan. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — Page 3 2022 IN REVIEW, continued from page 2 a limit on how many businesses can set up shop in the township. Baltimore Township is the only other Barry County governmental unit that allows mari­ juana retail sales. The township has used revenues received from state excise taxes for having marijuana businesses to pay for fire protection. - Greg Chandler Barry County allocates $5.9M in ARPA funding for major projects Patrick Gilmore, who committed murder as a 17-year-old, was sentenced this sum­ mer to life in prison. Gilmore pled guilty to shooting Lane Roslund with a crossbow. (File photo) Sheriff Dar Leaf, Irving Town­ ship Clerk Sharon Olson public­ ly question 2020 election results Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf has been a newsmaker on local, statewide and national levels for longer than just 2022, but the coun­ ty’s chief law enforcer now finds himself in a precarious position with state officials. Leaf, who has long been publicly outspo­ ken in his doubts on the validity of the 2020 presidential election results, has been referred to a special prosecutor to potentially face criminal charges in what the state classified as a conspiracy to obtain, test and tamper with voting tabulators. Muskegon County prosecutor D.J. Hilson will be the one to determine if Leaf, or one of the eight other defendants, will face criminal charges in the case. Other defendants in the case include Mat­ thew DePemo, a Republican who ran for attorney general during this year’s mid-term election, and State Representative Daire Ren­ don, a Republican from Lake City. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel sought the appointment of a special prosecu­ tor after the state spent months this year investigating the case - efforts that included raiding Irving Township Hall and seizing a voting tabulator. The attorney general’s office, in its petition to appoint a special prosecutor, alleged that Irving Township supervisor Sharon Olson turned over one of the township’s voting machines to a third party at the behest of Leaf. “Irving Township Clerk Sharon Olson indicated that she was asked by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf to cooperate with investiga­ tors regarding an election fraud investigation. Subsequent to this conversation, Olson turned over her tabulator to a third party.” The state alleges that the group of defen­ dants played roles in obtaining the machines, transporting them to either hotels or short­ term rental units in Oakland County and conducting tests on them. Leaf has denied coercing Olson, or anyone else, to turn over a voting machine. Leaf and the other defendants face poten­ tial charges that range from using a computer system to commit a crime and willfully dam­ aging a voting machine to malicious destruc­ tion of property. Meanwhile, Olson signed on as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit attempting to decertify Michigan’s 2020 presidential election results and re-run the election as soon as possible. Olson was joined by such parties as the Macomb County Republican Party and the nonprofit group Election Integrity Force. Because Olson signed on to the lawsuit in her official capacity, the Irving Township board, after heated debate, drafted a memo that stated the township and its residents do not wish to be involved in the proceedings. - Jayson Bussa Middleville marijuana retail shops open in 2022; Rutland approves cannabis businesses Two marijuana dispensaries in Middleville opened their doors this year, more than a year after the village legalized cannabis-based businesses. Meanwhile, just a few miles to the south, Rutland Charter Township said yes to allow­ ing marijuana businesses to open. In Middleville, Crafted Leaf Cannabis held its grand opening last Saturday in the former Thornapple Floral store at 314 Arlington St. The shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., owner Rob Puckett said. The opening for Crafted Leaf comes nearly two months after the Botanical Company, commonly known as BoCo, became the first marijuana business to open in the village. BoCo opened on Oct. 28 at the former TTS Fitness building at 640 Arlington Ct. More than 70 people, including village and busi­ ness leaders,, turned out for the grand open­ ing, with most sticking around to tour the shop afterward. “This is awesome. I love all the support that this village has given me,” said Jarred Biggs, a Middleville resident who is one of the partners of Mitten Meds LLC, which owns BoCo, at the grand opening. “With all my family being from here, this means a lot to me.” The Middleville Village Council voted in August 2021 to allow marijuana businesses in the village. The two businesses were selected from among five applicants for the village’s two available retail licenses. BoCo was approved both as an adult-use business and medical marijuana provisioning center, while Crafted Leaf was approved for adult use. Meanwhile, the Rutland Charter Township board in April narrowly approved two ordi­ nances allowing six different types of medi­ cal and recreational marijuana businesses. They include growers, processors, micro-busi­ nesses, safety compliance facilities and retail­ ers. One ordinance was for zoning and the other was for licensing. Both ordinances passed on 4-3 votes. The township’s approval followed four years of debate on the issue. Unlike Mid­ dleville, the Rutland ordinance does not place Barry County commissioners in January approved spending more than $5.9 million in the first round of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for seven projects around the county. The seven projects were selected from among 19 applications that were reviewed by a task force representing business, health care, economic development, education and community organizations. The largest allocation - $2.4 million - was awarded to Barry County Central Dispatch and Barry County Emergency Management, to be used toward the buildout of one 800-megahertz communications tower to serve first responders throughout the county. Several first responder agencies submitted letters in support of the ARPA funding for the additional tower, identifying problems with the current system that include cover­ age “dead zones,” busy signals when trying to speak and the inability to talk while inside of a building. Another $1.33 million was allocated for the construction of a 200,000-gallon water tower in the Delton area to increase the capacity of the community’s water delivery system. Barry Township sought funding for the tower for several reasons, among them not being able to support a sprinkler system in a new school building and firefighters being unable to use hydrants for a lack of capacity. In addition, the lack of water capacity was seen as a hindrance to development in the Delton community, Township Supervisor Barry Bower said at a community forum in November 2021 where the projects were detailed. A $1 million allocation went to Barry County Parks & Recreation for paving 4.5 miles of the Paul Henry Trail. The village of Freeport was approved for an $839,000 allocation to repair its existing 100,000-gallon water tower, which is rusting and covered in lead paint. It also was to fund a new water main. The, Barry County Road Commission received $240,000 to replace gas tax and die­ sel fiiel tqx. revenue io^t .during the pandemic. Another $100,000 was allocated to Acti­ vate Barry County for the Community Food Center Planning Project in the city of Hastings. The board approved allocating $14,000 for a sewer and broadband study to reduce pollution on Algonquin Lake, improve the quality of drinking water and provide a via­ ble plan to move forward with broadband in that area. County commissioners have now approved allocating more than $704,000 from the sec­ ond round of ARPA funding in the form of inflation impact payments to county employ­ ees in an effort to help retain them. Full-time employees were to receive $4,000 in three installment payments, starting with a $2,000 initial installment that went out in last week’s payroll, County Administrator Michael Brown said. Subsequent $1,000 installments will be paid out in the first pay period of April 2023 and July 2023, Brown said. The county still has about $4.9 million remaining in ARPA funding that it has not yet allocated, out of the total of $11.9 million it has received in the two installments. - Greg Chandler Tough sledding for local schools as two bond proposals fail Area school districts were met with resis­ tance at the polls this year when it came to bond proposals. Hastings Area School System asked for a $23.9 million bond proposal this May, its sixth proposal since its last successful bond issue for $44.5 million passed in 2015. This year’s attempt was voted down 1,908 to 1,761. In addition, a proposed operating millage increase of 0.2 mills was voted down 4,604 to 4,376 in November, causing the district to lose out on approximately $43,000 for operating costs next year. The sixth consecutive bond proposal fail­ ure and failed operating millage increase come as school officials warn that mainte­ nance and infrastructure needs in the dis­ trict could become critical. The district had to get creative, with the board voting to allocate $1 million from the district’s sink­ ing fund to replace roofs at Star Elementary School. The district hired Perspectives Con­ sulting, a Paw Paw-based firm, to conduct a survey of what issues voters would support in a future bond proposal. The results are set to be made public at the district’s Febru­ ary board meeting. Hastings wasn’t the only district getting turned down at the ballot box this year. Lakewood Public Schools asked for a $64 million bond issue this November, the first bond proposal since the 2007 bond issue which passed. The new bond was voted down 4,059 to 2,445, a resounding “no” from voters. The Lakewood bond was over double in size than its 2007 predecessor, a $29,255 mil­ lion bond that taxpayers are still paying for. Currently, Lakewood residents pay 7 mills on the 2007 bond, which will be repaid in full by 2037. The proposed bond would have caused the millage rate to reduce to around 4 mills in 2023 and then raise back up to the original 7 mills for 14 years. After that, the millage rate would reduce over time. The $64 million price tag was a daunting number to many voters, and many cited big-ticket projects like a proposed communi­ ty athletic center for their no votes. Despite this, Lakewood’s Board of Education mem­ bers say they will go back to the polls and try again as soon as possible, as Lakewood still has infrastructure and safety needs that the regular budget cannot cover. - Molly Macleod and Hunter McLaren Juvenile lifer goes back to prison after high-speed chase, shootout r ( ’! pm .euT’ A 49-year-old Hastings man that got a sec­ ond chance after being sentenced to life in prison as a juvenile was unable to stay out of trouble, leading to a dramatic scene that land­ ed him behind bars for the rest of his life. Timothy Riddle appeared in court this fall to be sentenced after leading police on a high­ speed chase last year, including an exchange of gunfire with Barry County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Ware, before barricading himself in a Woodland gas station. Riddle was eventually taken into custody without anyone getting hurt. Riddle was found guilty via bench trial of a list of charges stemming from the incident, the most serious of which was armed robbery. 193093 Riddle’s checkered legal past is quite unique, beginning at the age of 15. As a teen, he was placed in a juvenile detention facility on the east side of the state due to a variety of legal and probation violations. In July of 1988, Riddle escaped from the facility and broke into his elderly neighbor’s home in Wayne County. Riddle ended up killing the woman by hitting her over the head with a bottle. Riddle and the Barry County prosecutor’s office clashed over their characterizations of this incident. Riddle, who expressed remorse for the killing, said that he was spooked that night, threw a bottle at the woman and inad­ vertently killed her. The prosecutor’s office has pointed to evidence in the nearly 35-year-old case that showed Riddle smashed a bottle over the woman’s head and also concealed her body. At the age of 15, Riddle was sentenced to life in an adult prison. However, when the United States Supreme Court banned life sentences for juveniles, he was placed on parole in 2017 after 30 years behind bars. By Riddle’s account, these decades in pris­ on were a contributing factor in the life of crime he would continue to lead upon exiting. “I was a kid and I was in an adult world,” Riddle said in a lengthy statement at his sen­ tencing. “And it was an understatement to say that going from a 14-year-old kid ready to turn 15 going into an adult prison, within the first year being brutalized after being raped and nearly being killed ... I didn’t even think that was such a bad thing in a way (after what I did).” Judge Michael Schipper sentenced Riddle to 47.5 to 75 years in prison. “Mr. Riddle, you will die in prison, and I’m looking you in the eye and telling you that,” Schipper said during the sentencing. - Jayson Bussa Leadership turnover highlights year in Middleville The village of Middleville experienced a great deal of turnover in its leadership during 2022, replacing its manager and electing a new village president. On April 26, the Village Council accepted the resignation of Patricia Rayl, who had been the village manager since June 2020. Both Rayl and council members were tightlipped about the separation agreement that Rayl signed. According to the separation agreement, which the Hastings Banner received a copy of through a Freedom of Information Act request, Rayl received a payment “equal to six months of employee’s salary aggregat-, ed compensation” on the first village pay­ day, after her resignation. At the time of Rayl’s resignation, she was earning $76,000 a year. She agreed not to pursue any legal action against the village. Rayl had played a leading role in getting approval for the old Michigan Central Rail­ road depot downtown into the National Reg­ ister of Historic Places. During a council evaluation in July 2021, she received “excel­ lent” ratings from five of the seven council members in quality of work and attendance/ availability and similar ratings from four of the council members in interpersonal rela­ tions and work attitude/ethic. See 2022 IN REVIEW, page 5 RUTLAND CHARTER TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN PERMIT APPLICATION AT JANUARY 18, 2023 SPECIAL MEETING TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF RUTLAND, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ALL OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE the Rutland Charter Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at a special meeting on January 18, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Rutland Charter Township Hall located at 2461 Heath Road, within the Charter Township of Rutland, Barry County, Michigan. The items to be considered at this public hearing include the following: 1. The application of Green Planet, LLC for special land use approval of a Marihuana Retailer business on the property commonly known as 1450 West M-43 Highway, Suite 5 (parcel number 08-13-013-006-30). The subject property is located in the MU Mixed Use District. The land use proposed by the applicant is permissible in this zoning district, subject to special land use approval (and site plan approval). 2. Such other matters as may properly come before the Planning Com­ mission at this meeting. Written comments concerning the above matters may be mailed to the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Rutland Charter Township Hall at any time prior to this public hearing/meeting, and may further be submitted to the Planning Commission at the public hearing/meeting. The Rutland Charter Township Code, Zoning Map, Master Plan, and the above-referenced special land use application may be examined by contacting the Rutland Charter Township Clerk at the Township Hall during regular business hours on regular business days maintained by the Township offices from and after the publication of this Notice and until and including the day of the hearing/meeting, and further may be examined at the hearing/meeting. I imotny Hiddle enters a courtroom this fall for his sentencing hearing. Riddle, who was sentenced to life in prison as a juvenile, got a second chance at freedom. After several brushes with the law, he eventually led police on a high speed chase before barri­ cading himself in a Woodland gas station. He will now spend decades more in prison. (Photo by Jayson Bussa) Rutland Charter Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services at the meeting/hearing to individuals with disabilities, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audiotapes of printed materials being considered, upon reasonable notice to the Township. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Township Clerk as designated below. Robin Hawthorne, Clerk Rutland Charter Township 2461 Heath Road Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2194 �Page 4 — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Did you In My Opinion see? It’s time for a new year and a new perspective BUNDLED UP With Barry County plunging into sub-zero tem­ peratures over the last week, no one would likely has dared to step outside of the house without covering themselves head-to-toe in warm winter gear. The same goes for this Mourning Dove, which was captured by Hastings Banner reader and ‘Did You See’ photographer extraordinaire Del Bachert. This little guy was showing off its lay­ ered feathers, which were buffed out to fend off the frigid wind chills and dangerous cold weather. This is a good reminder to go out and re-fill your bird feeders to make the winter a little eas­ ier on these guys. Do you remember? Drive-thru service Banner 1980s In this undated photo from The Banner archives, the aftermath of a car driving through the Hastings Sears’s storefront is shown. A sign, located near the car’s final resting spot inside the building, reads “In a hurry?? Place your order here.” At the time, Sears was located in downtown Hastings on State Street. The photo is suspected to have been taken in the early 1980s. Have you met? Amy Hubbell has helped work elections ever since she started working for the city five years ago. “The first thing I really got involved in was the elections, and I love the elections,” Hubbell said. “It’s stressful but fun.” When she worked as a cashier at the front of city hall, Hubbell led the absentee ballot board. After moving into her new role as the city’s deputy clerk in October, Hubbell ran the city’s election efforts for the first time in November. It’s easy to imagine that running an elec­ tion under any circumstances would be stressful, especially when considering how the political climate surrounding elections has become more fraught in recent years. For Hubbell, it doesn’t matter. She loves to do it. “(Voting is) one of our fundamental rights. It’s so nice to see people come out because if you vote, you care about what’s going on,” Hubbell said. “I like to make sure that everybody can vote because it’s your right. Especially women, you don’t realize how long it really took us to get that vote and that right to do it.” Anyone who looked into Hubbell’s office last week would have seen at least half a dozen boxes full of neatly kept files. It was just one of the ways that she was stepping into her new role as deputy clerk, where she manages city records, payroll, insurance and onboarding. On top of all that, Hubbell is charged with just generally knowing what’s going on with any given city endeavor. “This is me taking it all apart and figur­ ing out the filing system and making it my own (so that) when people say, ‘Hey do you know where this is?’ (I can say,) ‘Yes, I do,”’ Hubbell said. “Right now I’m going, ‘I don’t even know what you’re talking about.’” Although managing several boxes of files spanning years of public documents Amy Hubbell might sound daunting to some, it’s where Hubbell thrives. Even outside of work, she loves to learn, categorize and organize little bits of information. “I love information and 1 love knowl­ edge. It’s just a great learning experience for me,” Hubbell said. “I have all of this useless trivia in my head, so it’s nice to have useful trivia in my head. Ask me any­ thing about the ‘80s, I’m a trivia nut when it comes to that.” Hubbell has been an active member of the community even before she worked for the city. In Hastings, she coached competi­ tive cheer for 20 years. Hubbell retired from coaching when her daughter graduat­ ed in 2014, but she’s proud to have left the competitive cheer program in good hands. Her favorite part of being a coach was working with the kids. “I love the positivity that they bring; they don’t know enough to be completely nega­ tive yet,” Hubbell said. “Adults seem to be more jaded where kids are still sponging it all up, and they haven’t really formed an opinion yet. They’re just fun.” Her coaching experience highlighted one of the things she loves about living in a small community like Barry County: one person can make a huge difference. It’s something she sees every day during her work for the city, where the team there can often feel like family. “I love being from a small town. I like being part of the community,” Hubbell said. “The city is such a great place to work. Everybody wants to be a team, everybody’s so nice.” Hubbell knows not everyone in Hastings or Barry County will be happy with the decisions the city makes, but she hopes residents will understand they have a dedi­ cated team that is trying its best to work in everyone’s best interests. “You can never make 10,000 people happy all the time,” Hubbel said. “But you try very, very hard.” For doing her part to maintain free and fair elections, serving the residents of Hast­ ings and coaching youth, Amy Hubbell is this week’s Bright Light. Favorite movie: There’s no way I’d have one favorite movie. “Forrest Gump” is probably one of my absolute favorites. You can quote that movie constantly, something fits for everything (you might come across). We always call them “Gumpisms” in my house. Best advice I’ve ever received: Be true to yourself. After coaching and everything, you just have to know to believe in your­ self, that you have to make those decisions and own them. First job: I worked at Big Wheel. Favorite T.V. program: “Yellowstone,” hands down. If I could go anywhere in the world: I want to go to Ireland and Scotland. The reason we keep singing “Auld Lang Syne” every New Year’s Eve is because the 1929 song “Happy Days Are Here Again” is still so far removed from the lives of most Americans. Our country moves into 2023 with a growing list of perplexing issues and, in Barry County, I think the feeling of anxi­ ety is shared. Many residents would most likely give 2022 low marks. This past year has been a shocking one, a period that saw the deepest global downturn on record fueled by the worst inflation in more than 40 years, out-ofcontrol immigration, supply chain issues, labor shortages, the third wave of COVID19, and Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, seven in 10 Ameri­ cans view inflation as our biggest prob­ lem followed by immigration, drug traf­ ficking, violent crime and the affordabili­ ty of health care. About half of those polled indicate gun violence and the federal budget deficit are also big problems. Yet with more than two years into the coronavirus pandemic, just 19 percent of Americans rate the virus as a big problem for the country, the lowest share out of 12 issues included in the survey. Most annoying, however, is that we don’t have the leadership to guide us through troubling waters. The Pew Report confirms that Republi­ cans and Democrats differ over what they see as major national problems. Inflation and immigration is by far the top concern among Republicans and Republican-lean­ ing independents, at 84 percent. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning inde­ pendents, 57 percent view inflation, gun violence, health care affordability and climate change as the biggest issues. Both parties have been unable to work together to solve, or even address, any of these major issues so Americans have an increasingly negative view of the two major political parties with more than 73 percent disapproving of the way Congress is handling its job. In fact, most Ameri­ cans don’t expect Washington to accom­ plish much in the next two years. ,'rb ment, for most Americans? I doubt it because, after years of discord, an omi­ nous feeling of despondency is settling in. Many Americans feel that U.S. global power and prestige are in decline. Support for global engagement is near a historic low. Americans feel the U.S. has plenty of problems of its own and that it’s time to disengage, to “mind our own business internationally,” and to pay more attention to our problems at home. Most Americans are ready to say good­ bye to 2022, reflecting on problems brought on by the leadership in Washing­ ton, big corporations, and too much gov­ ernment intrusion in our lives. Our melancholy need not be universal, though. Our sliding desperation can be reversed - but it needs to start at the grass­ roots level, in places like Barry County where in just recent months we’ve had so much about which to cheer. From prog­ ress on affordable housing to voting to protect historical legacies like Charlton Park and Village to helping develop our first local hospice center, we are a story about taking on challenges ourselves. “For in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, ‘holds office,’ every one of us is in a position of responsibility,” said former President John F. Kennedy. “In the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve.” Regardless of our concerns or politics as we enter 2023, one thing is for certain: No one can take away our power of choice. We all have the responsibility of choosing our political leaders, as well as choosing how we, as individuals, con­ tribute to the best interest of our commu­ nities. There definitely is work to be done. With the Republicans taking the U.S. House and Democrats retaining the Sen­ ate, it looks like the next two years could end up in political gridlock. But a divid­ ed government can be in the best interest of taxpayers because it limits spending and expansion of new laws and forces the two parties to work together to get any­ thing done. In Michigan, Democrats will be in power with all three branches of govern­ ment for the first time in nearly 40 years, which could change the focus to more social spending, higher taxes and addi­ tional regulations. Only time will tell, but in Michigan and Washington, political leaders should focus on the pressing issues most of us support - we’re not looking for more ugly politics. Americans want results. “Government does not solve prob­ lems,” former President Ronald Reagan once famously said. Reagan was a champion of capitalism, a defender of freedom and never met a regulation he didn’t like. He felt that the government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: “If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops mov­ ing, subsidize it.” Reagan knew too, though, that nothing can be accomplished without an agreed-upon plan, kind of like the long­ time tradition of making resolutions with the start of each New Year - to lose weight, to start an exercise program and to read more. Experts tell us, though, that resolution makers need to write down goals and review them regularly so progress can be monitored. Otherwise, a resolution just slips away and success becomes as fleet­ ing as the bubbles in the New Year’s champagne. The important thing for all of us is to concentrate on the moment rather than looking back at the past. ^et" ter off by closing the books bn 2022 and concentrating on making some adjust­ ments in the New Year because making plans and resolutions isn’t enough. If we expect places like Barry County to grow and prosper we must be prepared to act on ideas as they’re presented, like the several housing projects that did their best to placate local government to help solve the housing problem throughout the county rather than setting impossible roadblocks. We’re going to see some new faces in elected positions throughout the county it’s our responsibility to make sure they do what’s expected to support the mission of making Barry County the best it can be. If government leaders at all levels expect 2023 to be a better year, they must find a way to work together with a feeling of compromise rather than confrontation to solve the problems that impact our lives. That’s the job we elected our lead­ ers to do - now they need to get on with it and we need to be sure they do. Happy New Year! The Hastings BcinilCr Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856 published by... Hastings Banner, Inc. A Division of J-Ad Graphics Inc. 1351 N. M-43 Highway • Phone: (269) 945-9554 • Fax: (269) 945-5192 News and press releases: news@j-adgraphics.com • Advertising: ads@j-adgraphics.com Frederic Jacobs Publisher & CEO Hank Schuuring CFO • NEWSROOM• Jayson Bussa (Editor) Molly Macleod (Copy Editor) Brett Bremer (Sports Editor) Greg Chandler Hunter McLaren • ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT • Classified ads accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Chris Silverman Mike Gilmore Ty Greenfield Jennie Yonker Subscription Rates: $78 per year in Barry County $85 per year in adjoining counties $90 per year elsewhere POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 188 Hastings, Ml 49058-0188 Second Class Postage Paid at Hastings, Ml 49058 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — Page 5 Michigan’s population falls according to data from latest census, could spell trouble for employers Mike Wilkinson and Paula Gardner Bridge Michigan Michigan’s population fell slightly in 2022, according to U.S. Cen­ sus Bureau estimates released Thursday. Michigan’s population was estimated at 10,034,113 as of July 1, down 3,400 from 2021’s estimate and 43,200 from the 2020 popula­ tion of 10,077,325. As a percentage, Michigan’s loss was the 17th most in the nation. New York had the biggest drop, losing nearly 1 percent of its popula­ tion - over 180,000 people. Florida led the nation, growing 1.9 percent in 2022, adding 416,000 people to more than 22 million. Michigan’s decline appeared to be driven by COVID-19, with the state recording 12,500 more deaths than births in 2022. (Overall, the virus has killed more than 40,000 people in the state since 2020.) Overall, the U.S. population grew by 1.2 million people to 333.2 million, the Census estimated. The estimates show that the Sun Belt continues to attract people from much of the country, with Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Arizona adding nearly 1 million people combined in the year. Meanwhile, Maryland, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Illinois and California combined for a nearly 1 million person loss to other states. Michigan was the only state to lose population from 2000 to 2010 but gained from 2010 to 2020, rising above 10 million people. Estimates from University of Michigan economists anticipate declines over the next few years before modest increases, with the state peaking at about 10.5 million in 25 years. With an aging population and without substantial growth, it could be a big problem for the state’s employers, said Don Grimes, a region­ al economic specialist with U-M who estimates the state will consis­ tently have more deaths than births by 2050. “Firms are going to have an extraordinarily hard time finding work­ ers,” Grimes said at a recent economic conference. “We’re going to have a population growth problem.” The estimates are through July 1 and that should mean that, barring State comparisons Michigan lost an estimated 3.391 people from 2021 to 2022 as COVID-ig deaths continued to impact the state. Rank State 2022 Pop. Change Percent 1 2 Florida 22.244.823 416.754 Idaho 1.939.033 3 South Carolina 5.282.634 34.719 89.368 4 Texas 5 South Dakota 1.9% 1.8% 1.7% 30.029.572 470.708 1.6% 13.660 1.5% 909.824 Great Lakes states 24 26 Indiana 6.833.037 19.505 0.3% Wisconsin 12.438 0.2% 30 Minnesota 5.892.539 5.717.184 5.713 0.1% 35 Michigan 10,034,113 -3,391 0.0% 37 Ohio 11.756.058 -8.284 -0.1% 44 Pennsylvania 12.972,008 -40.051 -0.3% 49 Illinois 12.582.032 -104.437 -0.8% 50 New York 19.677.151 -180.341 -0.9% Source: U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates a surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths, the impact of the pandemic should fall even more next year. Over 64 percent of this year’s COVID-19 nearly 9,000 deaths occurred before July. 2022 IN REVIEW, continued from page 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------Then in May, Brian Urquhart submitted his resignation as assistant village manager and planning and zoning administrator to become city planner in Grand Haven. While Rayl and Urquhart were both gone, former Village Manager Duane Weeks and Department of Public Works director Alec Belson shared village manag­ er duties until a new manager could be found. On Sept. 24, the Village Council voted to offer the village manager job to Craig Stolsonburg, a lifelong Middleville resident and Thomapple Kellogg High School graduate who had been a business solutions profes­ sional at West Michigan Works. He had also previously been a real estate broker and agent with Greenridge Realty and serves as president of the Thomapple Area Enrich­ ment FodridafiofU ' “I woufd love to have the same small­ town character that I grew up with,” Stolsonburg said during his interview. “I’d like to have aspects of the small-town feeling and have businesses be where businesses are supposed to be, industries be where they Elaine Garlock Happy New Year to all Banner readers! Central United Methodist Church will have its service on Jan. 1 as scheduled. The differ­ ence will be that instead of a sermon, there will be a hymn sing during the 10:30 a.m. service and also the usual ritual events. There will be no church school classes on Jan. 1 or Jan. 8. The big news has been the weather. We await official reports on how many inches of snow fell. The big storm last week brought consistent snowfall on the first day but the second day brought inches more. In places, there was a foot of snow - but that was piled snow on a deck, not on the lawn. This was coupled with cold temperature. One day, the reading was steadily 7 degrees. The next day was warmed to a high of about 11 degrees. Minor who committed Hastings Charter Twp murder receives life sentence are supposed to be. I heard this a long time ago: good planning makes good neighbors.” A successor to Urquhart has not yet been found. Then in November, council Trustee Mike Cramer was elected village president, defeating fellow Trustee Fran French 798597. Cramer, who had served on the council for the past eight years, became the third different person to hold the office of presi­ dent since longtime Village President Char­ lie Pullen died of COVID in November 2020. Cramer replaced Sherry Ronning, who was appointed village president in Decem­ ber 2021 after the resignation of Amanda Fisk, who had been appointed to replace Pullen earlier that year. Ronning did not seek re-election. Four' new'members Were elected "to the? Middleville council in November. Ahn Wil­ liams, Richard Hamilton and Makenzi Peters were elected to four-year terms while Johnny DeMaagd won a two-year term as a write-in candidate. - Greg Chandler Patrick Gilmore, a Hastings man who com­ mitted murder at the age of 17, discovered his fate this summer. Now 18 years old, Gilmore was sentenced to life in prison after murdering fellow 17-yearold Lane Roslund by shooting him with a cross­ bow in Hastings Charter Township. Roslund’s body was stashed in a shallow grave before it was discovered over a month following the murder. After the murder, friends and family frantically searched for the missing teen. Gilmore pled guilty to the murder in March, sparing Roslund’s family from having to endure a trial that would force them to relive the heinous act. Gilmore is currently lodged in the^Saginaw UorrectiiXfal Facility mTreeland. Gilmore’s sentencing\as unusual. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2012 required Judge Michael Schipper to follow different sentenc­ ing parameters because Gilmore was under the age of 18 when he committed the crime. In the case of Miller v. Alabama, the high The reading was steady for most of the day. With snow several inches deep yet, the fore­ cast is for much warmer temps in the imme­ diate forefront. That should melt a lot of snow. On these days, having a reliable snow blower on the ready is a great blessing. We have not seen the village snowplow at work as of Tuesday afternoon. Most of the local churches cancelled their Sunday services on Dec. 25 and also on Christmas Eve. Some of the mail did not get through. A package promised by an out-ofstate company for Dec. 23 came on Dec. 27. That was forgivable because of weather con­ ditions here and in eastern states. Many family dinner plans were changed more than once on Christmas Day. Some stayed home, some postponed. Others braved the elements and drove to their destinations, very carefully. Major sports were affected. Because of the weather, the Tampa Bay Lightning team, playing in Detroit against the Red Wings, cancelled its next game at Buffalo. Because Brian Garlock of Big Rapids had this cancel­ lation and also because two of his Big Rapids friends had come to the game in Detroit, he decided he could go home with his friends and thereby spend Christmas with his par­ ents, Bruce and Janet Garlock, for the first time in at least 10 years. Then, to add to their amazement, their phone rang at 1:30 a.m. with their older son calling to tell them to unlock the front door because he was just then pulling into their driveway. This was their second big surprise. Because of weather, his driving job in New Hampshire and Maine was cancelled for two days. He took advan­ tage of the circumstance and flew home for a surprise visit. His rental car from the Grand Rapids airport home to Big Rapids provided transport for both brothers on Monday back to Grand Rapids. The birds must have been hungry. On Sat­ urday and Sunday, they quickly devoured the contents of their feeders, an amount which ordinarily lasts them for at least two more days. HASTINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY SCHEDULE Thursday, Dec. 29 - Movie Memories and Milestones watches “Holiday Inn,” a 1942 film starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astair and Marjorie Reynolds, 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31 - Library closed at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2 - Library closed. Wednesday, Jan. 4 - Digital Literacy: Mobile Device Basics, 2 p.m. This session of the Digital Literacy classes will focus on Apple iOS systems, tablets and phones. More information about these and other events is available by calling the library, 269-945-4263. Cars broken into in Baltimore Township A 44-year-oId Hastings woman talked with police around 1 p.m. on Dec. 4 at her home on the 1000 block of East Sager Road after noticing both of her vehicles had been broken into. The woman told police she arrived at her home around 7 p.m. Dec. 2, and noticed the vehicles had been broken into overnight around noon the following day. Items inside the car were thrown all over. The woman noticed several items were missing, including a GPS, nursing bag with medical equipment and coins. Hastings man allegedly steals car, threatens to “smash it into a tree” A 27-year-old Freeport woman told Barry County Central Dispatch she suspected a 33-year-old Hastings man stole her car just before midnight on Dec. 12. The woman said the car, which she was leasing, was parked at her mother’s house on the 7000 block of Messer Road when it went missing. The woman told police she suspected the 33-yearold man stole the vehicle because he had told her he was “going to take it and smash it into a tree” because “she left him with nothing.” The woman also told police the man had tampered with the GPS on the car, making it hard for the leasing company to find. Man dispatches injured deer before police arrive A 47-year-old Delton man called police around 6 p.m. on Dec. 11 to report an injured deer in the roadway near Lindsey Road and Mullen Road. The man told police he saw a vehicle strike the deer, slow down, and then drive away. The man told police the deer was injured and “flopping around” on the road. The man retrieved a 20-gauge shotgun from the bed of his truck and dispatched the deer with two shots. The man then called 911 to report the deceased deer. Police advised the man that he should wait for law enforcement to arrive before dispatching a deer in the roadway in the future. court found that a sentence of mandatory life without parole for juveniles is unconstitution­ al - if age and other mitigating factors are not considered before sentencing. It was the first time in Barry County that a homicide case involving a juvenile was sen­ tenced under this ruling. The prosecution requested a life sentence without the possibility of parole. “This was a 100-percent premeditated murder - thought out, planned out ahead of time, discussed, researched, and covered up and lied about,” Barry County Assistant Pros­ ecutor Christopher Elsworth argued. In his court brief, Ellsworth wrote that “the defendant is the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects irreparable corruption.” Under the parameters outlined in the Miller v. Alabama case, Schipper could have chosen to sentence Gilmore to a minimum of 25 to 40 years in prison to a maximum of no less than 60 years. Schipper chose the life sentence. “I believe* when yoit take'a life/yoii'giVe"a' life,” Schipper said in issuing the sentence as family members on both sides wept. “Lane will never have the opportunity to have anoth­ er day to walk free, and I don’t think Mr. Gilmore should either.” - Jayson Bussa Ownership cut a ceremonial ribbon marking the opening of The Botanical Company in Middleville back in October. It was the first marijuana dispensary to open in Middleville. (Photo by Greg Chandler) City of Hastings - Rutland Township Joint Planning Commission 193227 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT The Joint Planning Commission will hold a Public Hearing for the purpose of accept­ ing written and/or oral comments from the public concerning amending Section 2.02 Definitions of the Hastings-Rutland Joint Planning Commission Zoning Ordinance. The public hearing will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2023 at 5:30 PM at Rutland Township Hall, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend and to submit comments. Please contact Stacy Graham, Zoning Administrator, at zoning@rutlandtownship. org or 269-948-2194 ext 16 if you have questions or comments regarding this public hearing. A copy of this information is available for public inspection during regular business hours at the Office of the City Clerk, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 and at the Office of the Rutland Township Clerk, 2461 Heath Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058. Necessary reasonable aids and services may be provided upon five days’ notice to Rutland Township Clerk (telephone number 269-948-2194). City of Hastings NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Hastings will hold a public hearing during its regular meeting on January 17, 2023 at 7:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. The purpose of the public hearing is to hear comments and make a determination on a variance request by owner Kevin Anderson at 221 East Clinton Street. The applicant has requested a variance from Section 90-314 (b)(2) and (b)(4) of the City of Hastings Code of Ordinances, that if granted, will allow construction of a two-family dwelling with a 19’ front yard and 19’ rear yard setback. Legal description of said property is: HASTINGS PD, continued from page 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------previously serving as a corrections officer for the Ionia County Sheriff’s Department. Meher and Babcock were both sponsored by the city, which paid $26,000 to cover the cost of their academy classes. Boulter recom­ mended the city take the action in an effort to secure more recruits in a limited and hyper-competitive job market for law enforcement officers. “I just wanted to make sure to introduce these guys to you tonight to show you guys what you have allowed us to do,” Boulter said. “Thank you to Sarah (Moyer-Cale), the city manager, for believing in this whole con­ cept. We hope to have these guys with us for a long time to come.” Meher and Babcock were both present at the meeting and expressed their gratitude towards the city “Thank you guys, it was a pleasure and I am beyond blessed to be a part of the first academy,” Meher said. Although Boulter said the department was still down a few officers, it would need to put a pause on new hires while the recruits were trained and onboarded. Boulter said he was pleased with Meher and Babcock’s performance at the academy and was looking forward to having them on the force. “We’re about to find out what they’re real­ ly made of,” Boulter said. “I appreciate every one of you and appreciate the funds that allowed us to put some more officers on the street for the citizens of Hastings, so thank you very much.” LOT 4 BLK 21 LYING E FALL CREEK OF EASTERN ADD. SEC 17 T3N R8W Written comments will be received on the above request at Hastings City Hall, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058 until 4:00 PM on the day of the hearing. Requests for information of said hearing should be directed to Community Development Director, Dan King at 269-945-2468 or dking@hastingsmi.org. The City will provide necessary reasonable aids and services upon five days notice to Hastings City Clerk (telephone number 269-945-2468) or TDD call relay services 1-800-649-3777. Christopher R. Bever City Clerk 193229 �Page 6 — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Lawrence “Larry” Krammin, age 70, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at his home. He was bom to Agnes and Conrad Krammin in Hastings, MI on August 15, 1952. Larry had many hobbies and a heart of gold. He loved helping others and always had a good laugh to cheer people up. He had a gift of finding the perfect card and a love for playing the accordion. He loved animals especially his dogs and birds. He also loved to fish. He was also very gifted at art projects like painting and hook rugs. Larry is survived by sisters, Jean Conway and Loraine (John) Price; nieces and neph­ ews, Trisha (Ben Fust) Krammin, Stephen Krammin, April Snider, Hannah (Terry) Park­ er, John Thomas Price, Megan (Josh) Edward, Liz (Mike Parsons) Price, Kurt Krammin, Jeanette (Corey) Grassmid; great nieces and nephews, Cole Fust, Ezra Edwards, Aiden Edwards, Josephine Edwards, Maggie Parker and Charlie Parker. Cousins Randy Barnum, Mike Barnum and Bob (Josephine) Barnum; aunts and uncle, Mary Fuller, Mary Ann Krammin, Chick Krammin. He was preceded in death by his mother, Agnes Krammin; father, Conrad Krammin, and brother, Glen Krammin. Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022, at Woodgrove Brethren Christian Parish, 4887 Coats Grove Rd, Hastings, MI 49058. Interment at Fuller Cemetery. Arrangements by. Girrbach Funeral Hqjne. To leave an online condolence visit www. girrbachfuneralhome.net. Barbara Ann Dunn, age 69, of Hastings, passed away Thursday, December 22, 2022 at Thomapple Manor in Hastings, MI. She was bom April 1, 1953 in Battle Creek, MI the daughter of Ralph A. and Juna (Ferris) Dunn. She graduated in 1971 from Hastings High School. Barb worked at Galla­ gher Industrial Laundry for 14 years and at Felpausch in Hastings 12 years before her retirement in 1999. In Barb’s younger years she enjoyed league bowling and working crossword puzzles. She loved going to Nashville, MI to listen to the popular country/westem bands. She enjoyed working at the family farm taking care of her cats and livestock at the farm. She is survived by her brothers: Jerry (Jan) Dunn and Jim (Cathy) Dunn; nephews: Rod­ ney Dunn, Randy Dunn, and Brian Dunn; six great nephews; and one great niece. She was preceded in death by her parents and a nephew, Todd Dunn. Visitation will be held at Bachman Hebble Funeral Service on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 from 10-11 a.m. with the funeral ser­ vice to immediately follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be at the Banfield Cemetery in John­ stown Twp., MI. Memorial tributes may be made to Thor­ napple Manor Enrichment Fund or Calhoun County Animal . Shelter. Arrangements by the Bachman Hebble-Funeral Service. (269)965- Viola Belle Kaufman passed away peace­ fully in her sleep on December 24, 2022, one month before she would have been one hun­ dred years old. Vi was a warm, loving person, and she will be missed by her family and her many friends. Vi was bom on January 23, 1923, on a farm in Allamakee County, Iowa to Marion and Ira Smith. She was the youngest of five children; and, like all farm children, she had chores to do while growing up: hauling wood for the stoves, tending a flock of ducks, weeding the garden, assembling honey cards, and gathering hens’ eggs. By the age of seven, she could back up a tractor to pull hay bales into the bam loft. Vi was the only one in her family to go to high school; and, after graduation, at the age of 19, she began teaching in a small, one- Linda Kay (Bedees) Buehler Worship Together ...at the church of your choice ~ Weekly schedules of Hastings area churches available for your convenience... HASTINGS FREE METHODIST CHURCH "We Exist To Be An Expression Of Who Jesus Is To The World Around Us". 2635 N. M-43 Hwy., P.O. Box Hastings. Telephone 269- 8, 945-9121. Email ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC CHURCH 805 S. Jefferson. 269-945- 4246 Pastor Father Stephan Philip. 4:30 Mass p.m. Saturday. Mass 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. hastfmc@ hastingsfreemethodist.com. HASTINGS BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Brian Teed, Assistant 309 E. Woodlawn, Hastings. Pastor Emma Miller, Worship Matt gmail.com. Website: www, Lead Moser, Pastor. Stoetzel. Sunday Services: 9:15 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: Sunday School for all ages; Director, Martha 9:45 a.m. Kids Church and 10:30 a.m. Worship Service; available. Our Senior High Youth Group 6-8 worship center is set up for p.m.; Young Adults 6-9 p.m. Nursery are social distancing. Aftermath Wednesday, Family Night Student Ministries: Sunday 6 6:30-8 p.m., Kids p.m. (Children Kindergarten-5th SOLID ROCK BIBLE CHURCH OF DELTON School Youth Group; 6:30 7025 Milo Rd., P.O. Box 765, Call Church Office 948-8004 (comer of Milo Rd. & S. M- for information. p.m. Bible Study and Prayer. 43), Delton, MI 49046. Pastor CHRIST THE KING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) 9390. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 to 11:30am, Nursery and Children’s Ministry. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer time 6:30 to 7:30 pm. 328 N. Worship Street. Jefferson 10 a.m. 4887 Coats Grove Rd. Pastor Randall Bertrand. Wheel­ chair accessible and elevator. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Time 10:30 a.m. Youth activities: call for information. Nursery provided. Pastor Peter Adams, contact 616-690-8609. Charles R. Haas II p.m. PLEASANTVIEW FAMILY CHURCH 2601 Lacey Road, Dowling, MI 49050. Pastor, Steve Olmstead. (269) 758-3021 church phone. Sunday Service: 10 a.m. Worship &rraise I raw Fiberglass 945-9554 eral careers throughout her life. She was a champion dog breeder, antique collector, elementary teacher at North Elementary of Parchment Public Schools, real-estate broker, accountant at Glidden in Kalamazoo, and owner/property manager of Circa Properties, in which she and her husband owned and operated a dozen rental houses in Kalamazoo and served as landlord to hundreds of WMU students throughout the years. Linda was preceded in death by her par­ ents;, husband, Richard; brother- and sisterin-llw, Edward " arid Janice Frederick, and brother-in-law, Kenneth Buehler. She will be lovingly remembered by many family and friends, including her chil­ dren, Debra (Donald) Freed, Martin (Sheila Callahan) Buehler, and Dana (Scott) Rick­ ers; grandchildren, Allison (Karl) Falk and Elizabeth Freed; Dr. Barbara (James) Buehler-Schaffhauser, Daniel (Samantha) Bue­ hler, Amanda Buehler, and Brianna (Lon­ nie) Harrison; Cody, Alexis and Zoey Rickers; great grandchildren, Leo and Lila Har­ rison; sister, Sharon Bedees; nephew, and niece, Nicholas and Lauren Nocera; sisterin-law, Dian Buehler, and many nieces and nephews. A private memorial service will be held later this spring. 301 E. State Rd., P.O. Box 273, Hastings, MI 49058. Pastor Scott Price. Phone: 269-9480900. Website: www.lifegatecc. com. Sunday Worship 10 a.m. Wednesday Life Group 6:30 and these local businesses: Hastings zoo, MI, amongst a close group of relatives, all of proud Hungarian descent. Linda gradu­ ated from Kalamazoo Central High School (“old” Central downtown, as she called it) and Western Michigan University. It was while at WMU that Linda met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Buehler. Linda and Dick met by chance when their classes were required to attend the same speech, and their love story took off from there. They were happily married in the St. Thomas More Cathplic Church.op parnpus in 1’959 and became the proud parents of three children: Debra, Martin, and Dana. Linda shared 55 years of marriage with her loving husband before his passing in 2014. Time together as a family was very import­ ant to Linda and Dick, and they made family vacations a priority. Linda and Dick took the family on historical and educational trips and on fun trips to Florida, too. Later, when they were empty nesters, they began exploring Mexico and the Caribbean. Their favorite island was Aruba, where they had many mem­ orable trips, especially the time they brought their oldest granddaughters with them. The family also spent a lifetime of summers together at their cottage on Wall Lake in Delton, a place that was very dear to her. Linda was extremely creative and had sev- LIFEGATE COMMUNITY CHURCH This information on worship services is provided by The Hastings Banner, the churches 1351 North M-43 Hwy. golfing at the local Elks club golf course. Vi also cared for her mom, Marion Smith, in their home. In 1984, Harry retired; and they moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. After twenty years of Pittsburgh winters, they very much appreciated the sunny, warm cli­ mate. They bought a little house on a golf course and played golf and bridge with their friends. Vi and Harry also delivered “Meals on Wheels” to local residents who were unable to leave their homes. In 2000, after riding out two hurricanes, they decided to move once more. This time it was to Pennock Village, in Hastings, Michi­ gan to be near their daughter Nancy, her husband, Lou Marks, and their three children. In Hastings, Vi and Harry filled their lives with family, grandkids, gardening, and play­ ing bridge. In 2020, after nearly 76 years of marriage, Harry died; and Vi moved to Nancy and Lou’s house. Vi loved to write poetry and tell vividly detailed stories about family times. Each year she sent a warm, humorous Christmas poem to her family and friends. She also loved cook­ ing; and, according to her family, she made the world’s best lasagna and Syrian bread. Until her last week, even though her mem­ ory was failing, Vi was busy living life. She enjoyed weekly activities at the Hastings COA, dining with family friends, attending concerts, and watching her great grandchil­ dren play softball. She is survived by her son, Dr. Gary Kaufman; her daughter, Nancy J. Marks, P.E.; five grandchildren, and seven great grand­ children. The family is grateful to Spectrum Hospice for their excellent end-of-life help and support. A service is being planned at a later date. Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home. For updates or to leave an online condolence ■ visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net. 4 Truth Grade), 6:30-8 p.m. Middle Roger Claypool, (517) 204- WOODGROVE BRETHREN CHRISTIAN PARISH Linda Kay (Bedees) Buehler, age 82, of Plainwell, MI passed away on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022. She was born on September 20, 1940, to Martin and Irene Bedees. Linda and her younger sister, Sharon, grew up in Kalama- room country schoolhouse. Teaching was different in those days. Not only did she teach grades one through eight in the same room, but she had to arrive early enough to make a fire in the wood stove to heat the school; and, after the school day was over, she had to straighten up the classroom and sweep the floor. Her hot lunch program was a waterfilled wash boiler on the stove where the children could heat cans of soup for lunch. Today that schoolhouse, called the “Little Red School House”, is preserved as a histori­ cal site in Allamakee County. Later Vi went to junior college in Lansing, Iowa, where she met her future husband, Harry Kaufman. They worked on the yearbook together and he helped her with trigonometry. During WW1I, Harry joined the Marines and was stationed in the South Pacific. Vi traveled by train to California where she contributed to the war effort by working as a welding inspec­ tor in a shipyard. Hany' and Vi married in 1944, in Corvallis, Oregon, while Harry was still in the Marines. He left the Marines in 1946 and enrolled at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where their son, Gary, was bom. After graduating as an engineer, Harry accepted a job with Goodyear Rubber, and they moved to Akron, Ohio and then to Lin­ coln, Nebraska. In 1955, Harry took a new job with Union Carbide, which at that time operated the Oak Ridge nuclear plants in Ten­ nessee. They moved to Kingston, Tennessee where their daughter, Nancy, was bom. Vi made friends easily and was a leader in the local garden club and the Presbyterian Church. She and Harry enjoyed playing bridge with their friends. In 1966, Harry changed jobs again and they moved to Apollo, Pennsylvania. Vi found Harry’s dream house there, with a pond and fifteen acres. Vi and Harry enjoyed gar­ dening, fishing in the pond, bowling, and Product8 1699W.M43 Highway, Hastings, Ml 49058. 945-4700 AWMESOPflM Charles Richard “Chuck” Haas II, age 72, of Irons, MI, formerly of Delton, passed away on December 25, 2022. Chuck’s family will receive friends on Thursday, Dec. 29, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Williams-Gores Funeral Home where his funeral service will be conducted on Friday, Dec. 30, 2022 at 11 a.m. Burial will take place in Cedar Creek Cemetery. Please visit www.williamsgoresfuneral. com to share a memory or to leave a condo­ lence message for Chuck’s family. Michael Eugene Appelman, age 88, passed away peacefully at home in Nashville, MI, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. He was born to Ernest and Audrey (Hum­ mel) Appelman on September 11, 1934, and was a founding father of the Main Street Gang in Nashville. Mike graduated from Nashville High School, Class of ‘53, and served in the U.S. Army from 1957 - 1959. He married Yvonne Sauders in 1958, and she preceded him in death in 1970. Mike married Jean Hickey in 1983. Tel. (269)-945-3252 Fax (269)-945-0663 Mike had fond memories working at Makers IGA, EW Bliss, and Carl’s Supermarket, He served as a volunteer fireman in Nashville for 31 years and had many great stories to share from that experience. Mike enjoyed doing carpenter work, wood working, garage sales, classic cars, country music, cooking out with family and friends, watching TV, and wintering in Jamaica and Florida. Mike is survived by his wife Jean. He is also survived by his children, Carol (Dale) Simon, Jamie (Mark) Hess, Sue (Dave) Fassett-Musser, Debbie (Jerry) Kemp, and Don (Karen) Hickey; 15 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; sisters-in-law, Betty Appelman and Geri (Dick) Huckendubler; many nieces and nephews, including Bonnie (David) Otto, and Melinda Appelman. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Yvonne; son, Patrick; brother, Ernest; sister and brother-in-law, Vivian and Farrell Bab­ cock, and sister-in-law, Barbara Lamie. According to his wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held in the spring. The family would like to acknowledge and thank his Caregiver Maryann Mead, Special Niece Melinda Appelman, faithful members of Castleton Maple Grove and Nashville EMS and Nashville Fire Department, and Spectrum Health Hospice & Palliative Care. Memorial donations may be made to the Castleton Maple Grove and Nashville EMS or the Nashville Fire Department. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Daniels Funeral Home - Nashville, conve­ niently located at 9200 East M-79 Highway, Nashville ML For further details please visit our website at www.danielsfuneralhome.net. Hastings, Michigan 49058 HotUnelools&Equ^ment 1301 W. Green St. Hastings 945-9541 Dale Billingsley and Ray Girrbach Providing Exceptional Service with Compassion and Care Leah Joy Grentz, Delton and Grant Michael Sajdak, Cicero, IN I i . ; j • i i ; i . | I 1 �The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — Page 7 Old Banner editor tells his story Esther Walton Banner Oct. 20, 1988 Starting in 1948, M.L. Cook started to write a series of historic articles in The Banner. In the Nov. 4, 1948, issue, Cook tells his own story of how he became editor and what was news in that time. His article is as follows: This series of articles has so far been based on the files of The Hastings Banner for its first issue in May, 1856, to Jan. 1, 1880. The files from the beginning up to 1866 when George M. Dewey bought The Banner, were kept by John M. Nevins, the first regular edi­ tor, also the owner. Mr. Dewey kept the files from date of his purchase to July 15, 1880, when he became sole owner in 1882. But these files were kept in The Banner office. The building containing that office and all its contents were destroyed by fire one night early in the winter of 1883-84 so that no Ban­ ner files exist for the latter half of 1880 and all of 1881, 1882 and 1883. The children of Mr. Nevins, also of Mr. Dewey, gave to Cook Bros, the old files cover­ ing the time from May 1, 1856 to July 17, 1880. So copies of The Banner preserved by Mr. Dewey for the first few weeks of 1880 are the only ones in existence for any part of the calen­ dar year 1880. My brother, W.R. Cook, became an equal partner with me in The Banner in 1887 and that joint ownership continued for 50 years until he disposed of his share to his son Richard M. Cook. A few years after that I sold my half interest to my nephew, who has since been sole owner. He (in 1948) is making this paper one of the outstanding country weeklies of Michi­ gan and of this county. For over 60 years I was the sole owner or half owner of The Banner. Since I sold to Rich­ ard I have been contributing special articles mostly concerned with the earlier days of the city and county. The present series of articles I based on the files of The Banner. I do not always use the exact words of those old Banner local. I men­ tion such items, as will give some idea of what folks did and said, in the social and economic life of the people and what they were interest­ ed in. With the above explanation in mind, let us now turn to the available copies of The Banner for the year 1880, and see what we will find. High Banks Creek went on a spree Sunday, said The Banner of Jan. 7, 1880. The freshet broke over and emptied two dams, destroying some highway bridges in Castleton Township, also damaging the roads. At Morgan, water swept away part of the railroad bridge over that stream, delaying trains for several hours. “Temperance mass meetings will be held in this city Wednesday, Thursday and Friday eve­ nings. It is hoped that many from outside will attend” says that same Banner. That urging attendance would not have been needed earlier in the Red Ribbon Movement. People from outside, as well as Hastings folks, would then have been there. This shows that the temper­ ance tide was ebbing. A surprise was given to the Rev. and Mrs. Levi Master at the Methodist parsonage on New Year’s night to help them celebrate their China wedding. In well-chosen words, Clem­ ent Smith presented them a beautiful set of French china, also many other appropriate gifts and a sum of money. The large crowd present had a very delightful time. Mr. and Mrs. Master were not only surprised, but also much pleased with the friendship evidenced by this visit. At the session of the board of supervisors, says The Banner of Jan. 14 1880, a petition signed by A.J. Bowne, D.R. Cook and many others, called attention to the serious need of a new court house, to protect the county’s price­ less records from destruction by fire. Nothing was done about it. That paper records the fact that the supervi­ sors, by a vote of 15 to 3, passed a resolution prohibiting smoking in the room while they were in session. The same issue announced the dedication of the Methodist Protestant church at Barryville the next Sunday. This sage- advice we find in The Banner local of Jan. 21,1880. It said: “It’s better to buy your rye by the loaf than by the pint.” Same paper said: “Mr. H.A. Reynolds, founder of the Red Ribbon movement and a noted temperance worker, called on us Mon­ day.” The Michigan Central (railroad) received at Hastings during the year 1879 for freight $44,606.67 and for passenger tickets $10,691.10 or total earnings from Hastings of $55,297.77 -Banner Jan. 28, 1880. “For the past few days, we have had every­ ^Doctor 1 Universe How to become a scientist How long do you have to train to become a scientist? Katelyn, Texas Dear Katelyn, Maybe you dream of pointing your tele­ scope toward distant galaxies. Or zooming in on microscopic life on Earth. Being a scientist is an amazing job. You can also do science for fun-no matter your age or anything else about you. It belongs to everyone. I talked about science training with my friend Kalli Stephens. She’s earning her bachelor’s degree in genetics and cell biol­ ogy from Washington State University. WSU has a strong undergraduate research program. So, Stephens has been working as a scientist while going to school. “I get to see the same experiments from a class setting and then a real scientific setting, which is really nice,” she said. “I think the younger we can get people into science, the better.” Here’s a quick breakdown of one path­ way to becoming a professional scientist. After high school, many people go to com­ munity college for two years. Then, they transfer to a university. Others go directly to a university. This is undergraduate educa­ tion. The goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree. For science, that’s a bachelor of science, or B.S. That usually takes four years. Colleges and universities are full of dif­ ferent people and ideas. So, it’s a great place to figure out what kind of science you love. After that, some people go to graduate school. For science, they may earn a master of science degree, or M.S. This usually takes two years. Others earn a doctorate, or Ph.D., which usually takes four to six years. Graduate school is often a mix of tak­ ing classes, teaching classes and doing your own research projects. After a doc­ torate, many people spend a few more years as a postdoctoral fellow. This helps them learn special skills before they set up their own lab. Whew, that’s a long time! This cat loves school, so that sounds fun to me. But it’s not the only path to being a sci­ entist. There are science jobs you can do right out of high school. Or at any point along that pathway. Some science jobs need a two-year degree or a bachelor’s degree. Some need a master’s degree or doctorate. Science jobs may be at universities or government agencies like NASA. They may be at national labs or nonprofit organi­ zations. Scientists also work in industry, making medicine, food and other things that people use. Some people take a break between degrees to work as a scientist. Stephens says students can also get experience by emailing scientists. They can ask to volun­ teer in their labs. That’s what she did. “I was like, ‘I’m really interested in what you’re doing, but I don’t completely understand what you’re doing!”’ she said. “They were excited that someone wanted to learn. If you can get past that nervous­ ness, they’re willing to take you on and mentor you.” Stephens spends about 10 hours per week in the lab. She’s been doing that since she started college. Now, she’s running her own project. That’s something that usually doesn’t happen until graduate school. Plus, she’s written academic papers. That’s how scientists tell the scientific community about their work. She’s also gone to professional conferences. These are like sleep-away science fairs. They helped Stephens meet other scientists she could work with later. If you love science, I have great news. There are tons of community science proj­ ects (sometimes called citizen science) you can do right now. These projects help sci­ entists gather data to advance all kinds of science. I bet there’s a project that’s perfect for a young scientist like you! Dr. Universe Do you have a question? Ask Dr. Uni­ verse. Send an email to Washington State University’s resident scientist and writer at Dr. Universe@wsu.edu or visit her website, askdruniverse, com. thing that goes with winter except snow.” So says The Banner of Feb. 4, 1880. That same paper says: “Andrew Bell, pur­ veyor of liquid damnation at his hell-hole on the north side of State Street, was convicted in Justice M.H. Wing’s court of selling liquor on Sunday. He was ordered to spend 10 days in jail, also pay a fine of $25. If the fine is not paid within 10 days, 60 days will be added to his jail sentence. “The Hastings Reform Club, by unanimous vote, commended Justice Wing for his good work in upholding the state laws regulating liquor traffic.” “The ice men are gathering a fine corp of that procust for next summer’s use.” Banner of Feb. 11, 1880. “Official reports from Lansing say that Barry County now has 8,057 persons of school age - 5 to 20 years. That number will be used in computing the amount of primary school money to be given by the state to this county for next year.” Lots of wood brought to Hastings these days, says The Banner of Feb. 11. “A new Reform Club has been started in this city,” says that issue of The Banner. “Joe Slat­ tery is president. Any one interested in the good of Hastings will wish every success to this new club. “The students of our high school have been holding series of socials and accumulated a snug sum. They voted to use some of it to car­ pet the platform in the high school room, and to place a nice motto on the wall above the platform. “The pay car visited Hastings today and made all the railroad employees here very happy.” Banner Feb. 18, 1880. The same Banner said: “James Burchett, a well-known Prairieville farmer, recently butch­ ered a sow and her litter of 10 pigs, bom last April. When dressed, the sow weighed 616 lbs. and the 10 pigs dressed, averaged 305 lbs. each, a total weight of 3,666 lbs. That is prob­ ably a record for this county this year.” “James Johnson was convicted of sec­ ond-degree murder in circuit court for slaying Marshall Gibbs of Middleville. He was given 15 years at Jackson by Judge Hooker” - Ban­ ner March 10, 1880. “Datus Jones of Rutland was a member of a party of coon-hunters Wednesday night of last week. They chased a coon into a big tree, which they decided to cut down. In doing so, a large dead limb fell from the tree, striking Mr. Jones on the head causing his death on the following day. “The hardware firm of Greble and Russell of this city has been dissolved. Mr. Greble is retir­ ing because of failing health. William F. Pow­ ers has purchased Mr. Greble’s interest. The nSwTirm wTir6e~ftusself SpdTowersT~Banner March 10, 1880. That paper also stated: “At the recent Green­ back County Convention held here, a resolu­ tion was adopted declaring that this country should never again issue bonds. All debts be paid by issuing greenbacks instead of bonds.” Clever idea that! But it would not have worked in carrying on World War II. As the city election of the spring approached, The Banner indulged in severe personal attacks on some of the Greenback candidates that would not be tolerated in the papers now. The Banner grudgingly reports that the Greenbacks elected their entire city ticket except one supervisor. The new board of super­ visors consisted of 10 Republicans and eight Greenbackers. The city marshal’s report for the year ending April 1, 1880, revealed that he had made 25 arrests during that year. Of these, 18 were for drunkenness. The Banner of May 12, 1880, says that a new post office has been established in the western part of Johnstown. It is to be called Banfield. Harvey Bellinger is the postmaster. “In his carriage shop here, J.L. Reed makes used of a treadmill operated by a horse to fur­ nish the power he needs to drive the few small machines he uses in his shop. His faithful horse has been used to operate that treadmill for 2,147,000 complete circuits of the apparatus, and has earned a vacation for the rest of its days. He will see that the faithful animal has an easy time from now on. “Sells Bros, show appeared here Saturday. But that was not a valid reason for a sufficient excuse for so many intoxicated persons as were allowed on our street that day. Why do we have a marshall?” Banner May 26, 1880. The same Elliot Raye Barton, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock on November 22, 2022 to Daisy Elizabeth Randall and Ethan Michael Barton of Hastings. ***** Hannah Lynn Shakespeare, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on November 25, 2022 to Jerica Greenfield and John Shakespeare of Hastings. ***** Harper Royal Mead, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on December 4, 2022 to Pamela Royal Mead and Dylan James Mead of Hastings. ***** Alice Thompson, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock on December 10, 2022 to Kaitlyn Helsel and Joshua Thompson of Lake City ***** Aspyn Kay Harwood, bom at Spectrum Health Pennock on December 11, 2022 to Tara Gilbert and Bryan Harwood of Hastings. ***** Orion Victor Earl, bom at Spectrum Health Pen­ nock on December 12, 2022 to Jessica Earl and Seth earl of Nashville. ***** Aribella Kay Smith, born at Spectrum Health Pennock on December 13,2022 to Lean Smith and Brogan Smith of Battle Creek. paper estimated that the show drew from 5,000 to 6,000 outsiders to Hastings. “R.L. Underhill delighted to do things for the children,” says The Banner of June 2, 1880. “He brought a good rope and fixed a nice swing in the park, near the school house. It was used and enjoyed by the youngsters. On a recent night, some miscreant cut that rope into small pieces, so that it could never be repaired. We wish the guilty person could (be found), tied to a tree and horsewhipped. That would be a fitting punishment for such a crime against children.” The same paper mentions the 60^* wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. J. Bunnell of Barry Township at their home one day last week. “Mr. and Mrs. Bunnell came to this county from the state of New York, and settled on their farm in 1846. They have 10 children now living and widely scattered over this country. Eight of them were able to attend this gathering. They A.J. Bowne started and their children are fine folks. The best wish­ es of the community go out to this well-known The Hastings Journal. and highly-respected couple.” The Hastings Journal was started as a Dem­ The complete government census of Barry ocratic paper. It joined the Greenback Party, County shows its population in 1880 was and that did not please many old-line Demo­ 25,320. This city’s population then was 2,540. There was no report in The Banner for the vil­ crats. A Mr. A.J. Bowne, the banker then and life-long Barry County Democrat, and lages of Middleville and Nashville. Castleton employed M.H. Clark of Grand Rapids to con­ Township, including Nashville had 2,421, and duct the paper. Instead of harming The Journal, Thornapple, including Middleville had 1,946. the fact that the city’s wealthiest man was try­ Hastings Township had 1,384. ing to put that paper out of business actually The Banner of July, 1880 files is dated July made friends for The Journal. Both papers 17 of that year. It contains the valedictory of continued for some time, later merged and a George M. Dewey. He had owned and edited few years later ceased to function. the paper for 14 years. Now he announces that Says The Banner of June 9,1880: “A team of he has sold the publication and business to two horses belonging to Moses Shultz of Hope young men, George E. Bowers and Marshall L. made a spectacular runaway, here the other day. Cook, and he expresses good wishes for the They were attached to a buggy, and hitched neat new owners, The Banner and the city. the depot in the second ward (east end of Green Mr. Dewey moved to Owosso, where he Street where it joins State Street). They became published weekly paper, which was continued frightened, broke loose and started on a dead by his sons. There, to his son, George, was run down the railroad track toward the business bom a son, Thomas. He gained world fame for district. They kept to the railroad track until his prosecution of New York grafters and gang­ they were stopped where the present site of the sters. He was the Republican candidate for Bookcase Co. plant is (north end of Market President in 1944 and 1948. Street, where it dead ends into State Street). At Mr. Cook ended his article with “My associ­ that time, there was no stone culvert under the ate in The Banner and myself had never had a tracks where they cross Fall Creek (near where newspaper experience. In 1882, Mr. Bowers the walkway over the Thornapple River and had a better business opportunity in North Boltwood Street meet). Instead, there was an Dakota offered to him, so I purchased his inter­ ordinary railroad bridge above the stream, with est, and carried on the business alone for a the usual timbers and wooden ties for the steel time. rails. That team crossed that bridge without “A little later, Albert D. Kniskem, my broth­ either horse pushing its feet between the ties er-in-law, became a partner, but soon after sold and breaking its legs.” his interest to my brother, William. Mr. Kni­ They made it without harm to themselves. It skem was a graduate of West Point and returned seems incredible, but it actually happened. to the Army. He became a Major General. In That bridge was short, of course, but you World War I, he earned a great reputation for would not believe a runaway team could cross himself as purchasing agent for the govern­ it without killing or badly wounding the horses. ment, with headquarters at Chicago. At one ^Strawberries drd so pleilfifulT’“saps”7%e "Yimeffie had 6,(TOO Wft'iiriHeir Tiini,5 storing and* Banner of June 18, “that they are a drug On the shipping hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth market. Some are plowing up their strawberry of army rations and supplies. beds and will quite raising them. At Benton “My brother and I were together in The Ban­ Harbor, it is said, growers will not pick the crop ner for half a century. We did not always see any longer. Those who want berries, pay the things alike, but in that 50 years we never had a grower one cent a quart, and do the picking quarrel, never a hard word. We found it possible themselves.” to talk things over and decided what to do with H.D. Merrill of Johnstown recently plowed our ill feelings. The years swept swiftly by, and up an Indian arrow of pure copper. It is about we found happiness in working together. six inches long and three inches wide at the “I cast my first vote at the Presidential elec­ base, according to The Banner of June 20, tion of 1880 and was happy in doing so. I was 1880. naturally pleased that General Garfield was “The heavy soil of Woodland farms is so elected and my feelings were not injured by the water-soaked from our excessive rains that fact Barry County gave good majorities also reapers cannot be used. Wheat will have to be for every candidate on the Republican state and cut with the old-fashioned grain cradles.” county tickets.” NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE BONDS BY THE CITY OF HASTINGS, MICHIGAN NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the City of Hastings, Michigan, (the "City") intends to issue limited tax general obligation bonds in one or more series in the aggregate principal amount of not to exceed $3,000,000 for the purpose of defraying all or part of the cost of a streetscape project located along State Street between Boltwood Street and Broadway Street in the City, which project will include without limitation demolition of existing site features, site preparation, acquisition, construction and installation of new sidewalks, pavers, seating, planters, street trees and other landscaping, street lighting, artwork, pedestrian crossings, and other related amenities and improvements (the "Project"). The bonds will bear interest from their date at a rate or rates to be determined upon the sale thereof but in no event to exceed such rates as may be permitted by law. The bonds will be issued under and pursuant to the provisions of Act No. 34, Public Acts of Michigan, 200 I, as amended, and the full faith and credit of the City will be pledged to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds as the same shall become due. The City will be obligated, as a first budget obligation, to advance moneys from its general funds or to levy ad valorem taxes on all taxable property within its corporate boundaries to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds as the same shall become due; provided, however, that the amount of taxes necessary to pay the principal and interest on the bonds, together with the taxes levied for the same year, shall not exceed the limit authorized by law. In addition, sourc­ es of payment of the principal of and interest on the bonds may include, without limitation, tax increment revenues provided by the City of Hastings Downtown Development Authority, and other lawfully available funds of the City of Hastings. RIGHT TO PETITION FOR REFERENDUM This notice is given, by order of the City Council of the City of Hastings, to and for the benefit of the electors of the City in order to inform them of their right to petition for a refer­ endum upon the question of the issuance of the aforesaid bonds. The bonds will be issued, without submitting such a question to a vote of the electors, unless within 45 days after the date of publication of this notice a petition requesting a referendum upon such question, signed by not less than 10% or 15,000 of the registered electors residing within the City, whichever is the lesser, shall have been filed with the undersigned City Clerk. In the event that such a petition is filed, the bonds will not be issued unless and until the issuance thereof shall have been approved by the vote of a majority of the electors of the City qualified to vote and voting thereon at a general or special election. FUBIHERJNFQRMATIQN Further information relative to the issuance of said bonds, the purpose of the bonds and the subject matter of this notice may be secured at the office of the City Clerk of the City of Hastings, 201 East State Street, Hastings, Michigan 49058. This notice is given pursuant to the provisions of Act 34, Public Acts of Michigan, 2001 , as amended. Christopher R. Bever, Clerk City of Hastings �Page 8 — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Hastings city council reflects on service of two longtime members Hunter McLaren Staff Writer Hastings City Council said its goodbyes to two long standing members who won’t be returning in the new year. Brenda McNabb-Stange, representing the 2nd Ward, and Don Smith, representing the 3rd Ward, did not run for reelection in November. McNabb-Stange will be replaced by Mandy Furrow and Smith will be replaced by Norman Barlow. Mayor David Tossava thanked both for their work on the council. “I want to thank Brenda and Don for their years of service,” Tossava said. Tossava briefly detailed how they started on the council, with both being appointed after previous council members left and both being reelected by voters. “Don has done an excellent job,” Tossava said. “He’s been on a few boards, he’s a pretty busy guy. He’s raising kids, he has his own business, he represents us, he defends > ur freedoms in the military - Don is a Class-A person.” Smith said he felt good about the state of the city’s affairs. “It’s been my pleasure serving in this position. Working with everybody, I’ve learned a lot over the years,” Smith said. "Through all of our city manager changes and ups and downs at the city, I’m really Brenda McNabb-Stange (left), pictured here next to Don Bowers (right), has served as a council member, mayor pro-tern and acting mayor during her time at the city. Council member Don Smith said he was happy with the state of the city’s affairs al his last meeting. (Photos by Hunter McLaren) happy with where the city is right now. It feels really good.” Tossava thanked McNabb-Stange for her leadership and commitment to the city throughout the years. “Brenda, she was asked numerous times to step up. She was voted by her peers as mayor pro-tem for a while, and when Bob May got sick and ultimately passed away she stepped in and was acting mayor,” Tos­ sava said. “Over the years, she’s been at just really appreciate everybody on the council’s hard work, from the time I started.” Other council members thanked the two for their years of service, and offered their well wishes on their future endeavors. “I really appreciate both of you, and I’m going to miss both of you,” Tossava said. “If the council people coming in are half as good as you guys, we’ll be set.” In other business, the city: - Accepted the resignation of Randall Historic winter storm keeps Barry County road crews busy Greg Chandler Staff Writer One of the biggest blizzards to hit the state in more than 40 years dumped two feet of snow in parts of West Michigan during the Christmas weekend, resulting in snow-cov­ ered and often slippery conditions on area roads. The National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids reported 24.5 inches of snow fell between Dec. 22 and Christmas Day, highlighted by a snowfall amount of 10.5 ChTistrtias Eve, the heaviest snow­ fall ever for that day. By comparison, the holiday storm exceed­ ed the snowfall total from the blizzard that hit the state in January 1978, when 19.5 inches of snow fell in the Grand Rapids area, accord­ ing to the National Weather Service. The snowfall was less heavy in Barry County. The NWS reporting station in Hast­ ings recorded 7.6 inches of snow during the storm period - 3 inches on Dec. 23,2.4 inches on Christmas Eve and 2.2 inches on Christ­ mas Day. High temperatures were a frigid 12 degrees on Christmas Eve and 15 on Christ­ mas Day, according to NWS online data. Area law enforcement were busy respond­ ing to calls for vehicles that skidded on the snow-covered and slippery roads during the holiday weekend. Barry County Central Dis­ patch received 44 traffic-related calls between 6 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 6 p.m. Christmas Day, Director Stephanie Lehman said. The storm made for extensive work for local road crews. The Barry County Road Commission started sending crews out to plow the roads at 3 a.m. every morning, and also had a small crew of four drivers that stayed out in the evenings to address high traffic volume roads in the county, Assistant Managing Director Jake Welch said. “With the high prolonged winds we decid­ ed to have a night crew to keep some of the areas that drift, open until our full crews could get in and go to work,” Welch said. “The crews did an amazing job.” Road commission crews put in 1,225 man hours between Thursday night and Monday clearing off the roads, Welch said. The financial impact of the storm in terms of overtime and weekend pay on the road commission budget is still being assessed, Welch said. HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO CONSIDER A SPECIAL EXCEPTION USE APPLICATION FORA TWO-FAMILY DWELLING (DUPLEX) LOCATED AT 5528 GUERNSEY LAKE ROAD. TO: THE RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF HOPE TOWNSHIP, BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN, AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS: Notice is hereby given that the Hope Township Planning Commission will hold a meet­ ing and Public Hearing on Thursday, January 19^, 2023 at 6:30pm at the Hope Township Hall located at 5463 S. M-43 Hwy Hastings, Michigan 49058 within the Township. The purpose of the meeting is to receive comments from the public regarding an appli­ cation by Charles Teunessen, on behalf of John Carpenter, for a residential two-family dwelling (duplex) on parcel (07-020-049-00) located at 5528 Guernsey Lake Road, Delton, MI 49046. The property is within the AR Agriculture Residential zoning dis­ trict. Two-family dwellings are permitted in this district only with Special Exception Use approval by the Planning Commission and as allowed by Article IV of the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance. A copy of the Hope Township Zoning Ordinance and the application is available for review at the Hope Township Hall, 5463 S. M-43 Hwy, Hastings, Michigan 49058, during regular business hours 9:00 a.m. through noon and 1:15 p.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. The Hope Township Zoning Ordinance is also accessible at www.hopetwp.com. Written comments will be received from any interested persons by the Hope Township Clerk at the Hope Township Hall during regular business hours up to the time of the hearing and may be further received by the Planning Commission at the hearing. Oral comments will be taken at the meeting. This notice is posted in compliance with PA267 of 1976 as amended (Open Meetings Act) MCLA 41.72a (2) (3) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Hope Township will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed material being considered at the hearing, to individuals with disabilities at the hearing upon seven (7) days’ notice to the Hope Township Clerk. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the Hope Township Clerk at the address or telephone number listed below HOPE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Hope Township Hall 5463 S. M-43 Hwy Hastings, Michigan 49058 (269) 948-2464 about every meeting. I think I can probably count on one hand the meetings she’s missed.” McNabb-Stange thanked the voters who supported her and her fellow council mem­ bers for the work they’ve done. “I know we have butted heads, and some­ times it’s just been my devil’s advocate training in the law. It’s never been anything personal - I was just thinking of things we needed to look at,” McNabb-Stange said. “I Schaefer, chair of the Cable Access Com­ mittee. - Approved a notice of intent to issue bonds not to exceed $3 million for the city’; streetscape project. - Received Police Chief Dale Boulter’s monthly report. The department responded to 412 calls to service, with a total of IL arrests, 31 vehicle accidents and six traffic; citations. The department also issued 36 parking violations. Holly Trolley winds down holiday tours, expected back next season Barry County Transit transforms its trolley into the Holly Trolley every holiday season. The tradition continued this year after initial worry that it might not run. (Photo provided) Barry County Transit announced another prolific season for the Holly Trolley this year. The Holly Trolley, which operates as a traditional trolley throughout the warmer months of the year, is decked out in Christ­ mas decor both inside and out and has become a staple for the holidays throughout the county. Riders always ride for free on the trolley, which picks up and drops off patrons in front of the Barry County Courthouse on select days and nights. After initial speculation and worry that the county might not provide HolleyTrolly rides this year, the trolley ended up running just about every day throughout the month of December, providing festive tours of the city. The Holly Trolley also made appearances in Middleville, Delton and Nashville, fin­ ishing the season with over 2,000 rides and a long list of sponsors that ensured that these festive rides remained free. “With 2,272 rides of holiday fun in Hast­ ings, Nashville, Middleville, Delton and Freeport, we can’t wait ‘til next year!” Barry County Transit stated on social media. “And, oh yes, the Holly Trolley will be back.” UNRESOLVED, continued from page 1 will be waiting for them when they’re ready. “Getting adjusted to knowing each other and just that transition period will come first,” said Commissioner Catherine Getty. Some of these are long-standing issues that have not been resolved by the last few boards. Few, if any, issues are more longstanding than the Barry County Jail. It’s no mystery that the current jail facility is undersized, outdated and in constant need of repairs and renovations. Previous boards have grappled with how to go about building a new jail. In 2020, the board brought the issue to the voters, which shot down a $25 million jail tax levy. Getty said there have been no recent con­ versations specific to the jail, indicating it wouldn’t be an immediate item that the new board takes on. “When we plan a direction moving for­ ward (on the jail), we have to look at lessons learn,” Getty said. Also in regard to departments in desperate need of a new facility, the county’s Commis­ sion on Aging has long struggled with a facil­ ity that is in constant disrepair. Only a few months ago, the COA filed a budget appeal for $31,000 to fix a portion of its roof that has been leaking. The board opted not to vote on the issue, which denied the COA its request by default. The COA had to take the money out of its own capital funds to pay for the repairs. Facilities were certainly a hot-button issue in the past year - more specifically, vacant buildings that the county owns and seemingly has no discernible plan for. This issue came to the forefront when a Wisconsin-based developer offered to pur­ chase the former Friend of the Court building as part of a workforce housing development. The county refused, which left the developer scrambling to create alternate plans for the development, which is going in adjacent to the empty facility. The county put together an ad hoc commit­ tee of commissioners Bruce Campbell, Dave Jackson and Jon Smelker to negotiate with three-person ad hoc committee tasked with developing a plan for vacant, coun­ ty-owned buildings, which were a major issue in 2022. the developer on selling a small portion of the facility’s parking lot. The scope of that committee, however, expanded to deal more generally with devel­ oping plans for the county’s vacant proper­ ties. Just recently, Campbell and Jackson joined County Administrator Michael Brown on a tour of many of these facilities. “The tour was very valuable,” Campbell said. “You get a little bit more of the nuts and bolts of the buildings and start tossing around some ideas on those. I don’t really know where it will go - I’m sure it will make some movement.” Campbell was uncertain if the ad hoc com­ mittee would stay intact with the changeover in commissioners but said that having a plan for facilities was important. “These are buildings that are costing us money right now so if they aren’t something we need to hold on to, it may benefit other projects,” Campbell said. The new board will also have to spearhead the process of allocating the remaining Amer­ ican Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars that were given to the county by the federal gov­ ernment. The county originally receiver $11.9 million and allocated $6.3 million ii the first round. After the recent economic impact payments that were issued to county employees, Barry County is left with just sty of $5 million in funds. The county is not required to dedicate the funding for specific projects until Dec. 31? 2024, and it doesn’t have to expend all the funds until Dec. 31, 2026. Getty said that it is easy to focus on thd things that the previous board was unable to accomplish. However, against the backdropof the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she i& pleased with the productivity of the outgoing board. : “I’m very satisfied with what we were able; to accomplish with that caveat of under thecircumstances,” Getty said. “If we look back at how I began my two-year term, it was all! virtual meetings and we transitioned during a two-year period. I think oftentimes we’re; hard on ourselves about what we didn’t do but I think we accomplished some significant things during the pandemic.” �SPORTS SECTION Thursday, December 29,2022 i Swift wins a couple on tough first night Of SAC duals at DKHS I in the middle of the first period of their 132-pound bout Wednesday, Dec. 21, at Delton Kellogg High School. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Brett Bremer Sports Editor With illness limiting practice and even School in Delton, and blizzard on the way, [he Delton Kellogg varsity wrestling team was faced with a tough task to open the Southwestern Athletic Conference season Wednesday, Dec. 21. , The Panthers were bested by new league be Allegan and perennial conference power Schoolcraft in on the first night of SAC iuals at Delton Kellogg High School. The Allegan Tigers opened, the nighKwith-i 54-30 win over the Panthers. Schoolcraft bested the Delton Kellogg wrestlers 48-33. Only the last match of the night lasted six minutes, with Delton Kellogg heavyweight Mitchell Swift outdueling Schoolcraft’s Hayden Crouch, with Swift pulling out a 6-2 victory. Crouch had the initial take down in the match, in the first period, but Swift man­ aged a quick escape before a penalty point evened the match. Swift held down Crouch throughout the full two minutes of the sec­ ond period, and then took the lead with another-pensky -point and an oscape-wb-the third period before clinching the victory Delton Kellogg's Giorgio Venturi (right) battles for control with Schoolcraft's Tagg Gott early on in their 215-pound match-up at Delton Kellogg High School Wednesday, Dec. 21. (Photo by Brett Bremer) with a late takedown of his own. Of the 27 other flights in the two duals, 12 were decided by pins and 15 were decid­ ed by a void in one team or the other’s line­ up. Gage Vincent at 126 pounds and Gauge Stampfler at 152 pounds both scored first period pins for the Delton Kellogg team in the dual with Schoolcraft. Those pins had Delton Kellogg up 24-6 at the time, before two Schoolcraft pins and a Delton void at 150 pounds evened the match. Seh©eteraft-e-linehed4t*-w4n-4n the-nextio last bout, at 215 pounds. Delton Kellogg foreign exchange student Giorgio Venturi fought off his back in the second period, but was eventually pinned midway through the third period by the Eagles’ Tagg Gott. The Eagles had pins in the 120-pound, 138-pound and 144-pound flights as well. Delton Kellogg took four forfeit wins over Allegan and got its only contested points in the 285-pound match where Swift pinned Ayden Oisten with a second left in the first period of their bout. The Panthers are scheduled to be a part of the-^Mike Adamson- Invitational hosted -by Ionia Friday, Dec. 30. Delton Kellogg 285-pounder Mitchell Swift works to an escape during the first period of his win over Schoolcraft's Hayden Crouch Wednesday, Dec. 21, at -th& -season!s -ffrsfrsst-of SAC duals- in Delton. (Photo by Brett Bremer) Tennis squads improved throughout their season Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was a growing season for the three young varsity boys’ tennis teams in Barry County this fall. Thomapple Kellogg with a nearly com­ pletely reworked line-up finished with a 3-3-1 record in OK Gold conference duals this season falling only to the state qualifying teams from Forest Hills Eastern, South Chris­ tian and Grand Rapids Catholic Central. The Trojans won six duals throughout the fall, including a victory over the Lakewood Vikings during the early season slate. The Lakewood Vikings and Hastings Sax­ ons were a bit short-handed throughout the season, but had players progress from the time they showed up for practice in August into October. The Saxons managed a late September victory over Battle Creek Central after going through most of the tough Interstate-8 Athlet­ ic Conference schedule. The 1-8 champion­ ship from ParmaWestern competed at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 3 State Finals along with Forest Hills Eastern at the end of the season. Lakewood competed without a confer­ ence once again as one of the only teams from the Greater Lansing Athletic Confer­ ence with a boys’ tennis team. The Viking boys’ team was boosted by a few ladies who would prefer to get their swings in during the fall season rather than the spring, but there were still a few holes in the Viking line-up. Here are the 2022 All-Barry County Boys’ Tennis First and Second Teams. 2022 All-Barry County Boys’ Tennis First Team Singles Dudik rallied from losing a first set tie­ breaker against Ottawa Hills’ top player for a three-set win in his first OK Gold Conference match at second singles, and he bested Lake­ wood’s number two player in straight sets this season. Jacob Draaisma, Thornapple Kellogg: Another sophomore singles player for TK, Draaisma went 7-10 on the singles side for the Trojan team. He won his opening match of the season against Lakewood’s number three, pulled out a three-set win over Ottawa Hills in the first conference dual of the season, and at one point put together a stretch where he won five of six consecutive matches. Heath Hays, Hastings: A junior who start­ ed the season with a doubles victory, he made the transition into the singles line-up. Hays spent time battling at first and second singles throughout the fall for the Saxons. Keegan Lindsey, Hastings: After play­ ing a few first doubles matches and third singles matches, Lindsey mostly settled into the second singles spot for the Saxons this season. A junior in his third varsity seasons, Lind­ sey had a few big wins as they year wound down including a win in a super tiebreaker against the number two player from Battle Creek Central. Kameron Nichols, Thornapple Kellogg: A sophomore playing in the top flight for the Trojans, Nichols had more wins than any other Trojan singles player this fall finishing with a 10-9 mark after playing second dou­ bles as a sophomore. He got his first varsity singles win over Lakewood’s top player and went on to go 5-2 in OK Gold Conference duals this season with a big three-set win over South Chris­ tian’s top player. Aidan Dudik, Thornapple Kellogg: A Heath Hays sophomore, Dudik recorded five wins play­ ing at second singles throughout the fall. See TENNIS, page 12 Aidan Dudik �Page 10 — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 19, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): John L. Lewis and Leisa Lewis, husband and wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Mortgage: January 27, 2017 Date of Mortgage Recording: February 17, 2017 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $111,054.21 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Yankee Springs, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 06 seconds East 1615.20 feet along the South line of said Section 8; thence North 16 degrees 31 minutes 50 seconds West 580.58 feet to the point of beginning; thence North 16 degrees 31 minutes 50 seconds West 394.82 feet; thence North 66 degrees 55 minutes 25 seconds East 70.24 feet to the shore of Mill Pond; thence South 40 degrees 28 minutes 14 seconds East 115.42 feet along an intermediate traverseline of said shore; thence North 76 degrees 44 minutes 21 seconds East 37.66 feet along an intermediate traverse line of said shore to a 4 inch diameter concrete monument; thence South 22 degrees 55 minutes 35 seconds East 93.20 feet to a 4 inch diameter concrete monument; thence North 65 degrees 21 minutes 29 seconds East 39.00 feet to a 4 inch diameter concrete monument in the middle of a creek; thence South 22 degrees 55 minutes 35 seconds East 193.00 feet, more or less, along the center of said creek to a point which lies North 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds East fromthe point of beginning; thence South 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds West 33.00 feet, more or less, to a 1/2 inch capped iron (#31602); thence South 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds West 192.77 feet to the point of beginning. Together with and subject to a private easement for ingress and egress 16.00 feet wide, 8.00 feet each side of a centerline described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of Section 8, Town 3 North, Range 10 West, Yankee Springs Township, Barry County, Michigan; thence South 89 degrees 54 minutes 06 seconds East 1615.20 feet along the South line of said Section 8; thence North 16 degrees 31 minutes 50 seconds West 580.58 feet; thence North 69 degrees 16 minutes 09 seconds East 23.35 feet to the point of beginning; thence Northeasterly 31.39 feet along the arc of a curve to the right, the radius of which is 74.80 feet and the chord of which bears North 15 degrees 41 minutes 23 seconds East 31.16 feet; thence North 27 degrees 42 minutes 50 seconds East 52.33 feet; thence Northeasterly 99.41 feet along the arc of a curve to the left, the radius of which is 129.48 feet and the chord of which bears North 05 degrees 43 minutes 06 seconds East 96.99 feet; thence North 16 degrees 16 minutes 38 seconds West 72.49 feet; thence Northeasterly 85.66 feet along the arc of a curve to the right, the radius of which is 62.70 feet and the chord of which bears North 22 degrees 51 minutes 29 seconds East 79.15 feet; thence North 61 degrees 59 minutes 37 seconds East 101.72 feet; thence North 67 degrees East 104.00 feet, more or less, to the centerline of Old Mill Road. Common street address (if any): 155 Old Mill Rd, Middleville, Ml 49333-8575 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills. Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1484926 (12-22)(01-12) 192928 SYNOPSIS PRAIRIEVILLE TOWNSHIP Regular Meeting December 21, 2022 Called to order at 6:30 p.m. Present: Stoneburner, Pence, Doster, DeVries Absent: Goebel Agenda and Minutes approved Commissioner’s report Public comments were received. Approved starting hiring process for PTFD applicant Approved spending requests from the PTPD Approved appointment to the Parks Board Approved payment of bills Drain Commissioner’s Report Approved tabling Pine Lake-Doster Rd. resolution Approved appointments for several boards Approved Parking Lot Salting Contract Approved to table Resolution 2022-23 speed study Approved Budget Workshop Dates Approved Sexton and Cemetery Pricing Approved Snow Removal Contract Approved putting a hold on a computer purchase Public and Board comments were received. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m. Submitted by: Ted DeVries, Acting Clerk 193195 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TRUST ESTATE TO ALL CREDITORS: The Settlor, Alvis N. Lucas, date of birth 06-291936, who lived at 7140 N. Noffke Dr., Caledonia, Michigan, died December 6, 2022. There is no personal representative of the settlor’s estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Fredrick Lucas and Alvis Lucas Revocable Living Trust, dated January 17, 2012, as amended, will be forever banned unless presented to Susan L. Lucas, Successor Trustee, within 4 months after the date of publication. Notice is further given that the Trust will thereafter be assigned and distributed to the persons entitled to it. Date: December 21,2022 Susan L. Lucas, Successor Trustee 7140 N. Noffke Dr. Caledonia, Ml 49316 616-891-8702 193077 LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Larry W. Hoffman and Allison K. Hoffman, husband and wife, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated November 14, 2005 and recorded December 6, 2005 in Instrument Number 1157269, Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, d/b/a Christiana Trust as Trustee for PNPMS Trust I, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of Sixteen Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Nine and 89/100 Dollars ($16,179.89). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. Said premises are located in the Township of Rutland, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: COMMENCINGATAPOSTONTHE NORTH AND SOUTH 1/4 LINE 14 CHAINS AND 45 LINKS SOUTH OF THE 1/4 POST IN THE CENTER OF SECTION 20, TOWN 3 NORTH, RANGE 9 WEST, THENCE WEST 3 CHAINS, THENCE SOUTH 2 CHAINS, THENCE EAST 3 CHAINS, TO THE 1/4 LINE, THENCE NORTH ON THE 1/4 LINE 2 CHAINS TO THE BEGINNING. 1692 Erway Rd, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 12 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 15, 2022 File No. 22-011951 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (12-15)(01-05) 191852 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961,1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 26, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by Sherry L. Pero, a single woman and Shana R. Pero, a single woman, whose address is 10785 Maple Grove Road, Nashville, Michigan 49073, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc, being a mortgage dated November 8, 2017, and recorded on November 20, 2017 in Document Number. 2017-011744, Barry County Records, State of Michigan and then assigned to Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Discovery Mortgage Loan Trust, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated January 13, 2022 and recorded on January 13, 2022 in Document Number. 2022-000525, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN AND 85/100 DOLLARS ($136,216.85). Said premises are situated in the Maple Grove Township, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Beginning at a point on the North line of Section 24, Town 2 North, Range 7 West, Maple Grove Township, Barry County, Michigan, Distant West, 635 feet from the Northeast corner of said Section 24; thence South at right angles with said section line, 330 feet; thence West 205 feet; thence North 330 feet to said Section line; thence East along Section line, 205 feet to the point of beginning. Subject to an easement for Public Highway Purposes over the Northerly 33 feet thereof for Maple Grove Road, and any other easements and restrictions of record. Street Address: 10785 Maple Grove Road, Nashville, Michigan 49073 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA § 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA § 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: December 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4702 (12-22X01-12) 192928 NOTICE Attention homeowner-lf you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Jessica Rodriguez, an unmarried person and Jordan Stewart an unmarried person, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lenders successors and/ or assigns, Mortgagee, dated August 27, 2019 and recorded September 3, 2019 in Instrument Number 2019-008406 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by Click N’ Close, Inc., Inc., by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred NinetyTwo Thousand Eight Hundred Sixty-Eight and 76/100 Dollars ($192,868.76). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 12, 2023. Said premises are located in the Village of Middleville, Barry County Michigan, and' are described as: LOT 106, MISTY RIDGE NO. 5, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN LIBER 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 66, BARRY COUNTY RECORDS. 601 View Pointe Dr, Middleville, Michigan 49333 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 15, 2022 File No. 22-011318 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE BY ADVERTISEMENT. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in BARRY County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 19, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE INFORMATION: Default has been made in the conditions of a certain mortgage made by John E. Mays, a married man, whose address is 282 W. Carlton Center Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058, as original Mortgagors, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., being a mortgage dated June 15, 2015, and recorded on June 24, 2015 as Document Number 201500006224, Barry County Records, State of Michigan. Said Mortgage is now held through mesne assignments by Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC, as assignee as documented by an assignment dated March 11, 2022 and recorded on March 11, 2022 as Document Number 2022-002728, Barry County Records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of ONE HUNDRED NINE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED ELEVEN AND 63/100 ($109,311.63). Said premises are situated in the Township of Carlton, County of Barry, State of Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at the Southeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 18, Town 4 North, Range 8 West; thence North 12 rods 6 feet; thence West 15 rods 11 feet; thence South 12 rods 6 feet; thence East 15 rods 11 feet to the Place of Beginning. Street Address: 282 W. Carlton Center Road, Hastings, Michigan 49058 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless the property is determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA§ 600.3241a in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of the sale. If the property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCLA §600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: IF YOU ARE A MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER ON ACTIVE DUTY, IF YOUR PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY HAS CONCLUDED LESS THAN 90 DAYS AGO, OR IF YOU HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY, PLEASE CONTACT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PARTY FORECLOSING THE MORTGAGE AT THE TELEPHONE NUMBER STATED IN THIS NOTICE. Dated: December 22, 2022 For more information, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing: Kenneth J. Johnson, Johnson, Blumberg, & Associates, LLC, 5955 West Main Street, Suite 18, Kalamazoo, Ml 49009. Telephone: (312) 541-9710. File No.: Ml 22 4695 (12-22)(01-12) (12-15)(01-05) 191385 192775 Financial FOCUS Provided by the Barry County offices of Edward Jones JeffWestra Financial Advisor 4525 N. M-37 Hwy. Suite F Middleville, Ml 49333 269-205-2650 Member SIPC Jim Lundin FinancialAdvisor 2169 W. M-43-Hwy., Suite A Hastings, Ml 49058 (269) 818-0423 Protect financial accounts from ‘cyberthieves’ Cybercrime is booming. In 2021, the FBI reported that cybercriminals scammed nearly $7 billion from Americans — a figure slightly higher than the gross domestic product (GDP) of Switzerland for that year, according to research organization World Economics. How can you protect yourself from cyberthieves? Here are some suggestions that can help: • Watch out for “phishing” attempts. You may receive emails that appear to be from a legitimate firm, requesting information your financial institution would never request online — confirmation of an account number, password, Social Security number, credit card number and so on. These notes can look official, often incorporating a firm’s logo, so pay close attention to what’s being asked of you. can be confusing, so you might want to consider using password management software, which generates passwords, stores them in an encrypted database and locks them behind a master password — which is the only one you’ll need to remember. • Use your own devices. Try to avoid using public computers or devices that aren’t yours to access your financial accounts. If you do use another computer, clear your browsing history after you log out of your account. • Be cautious about using Wi-Fi when traveling. When If you are suspicious about a communication, don’t click on a link or download an attachment — instead, go to your financial firm’s website or use their app to verify they sent the information or request. you’re on the road, you may want to use public hotspots, such as wireless networks in airports and hotels. But many people don’t realize that these hotspots reduce their security settings to make access easier, which, in turn, makes it easier for cyberthieves to intercept your information. In fact, some hackers even build their own public hotspots to draw in internet-seekers in an effort to commit theft. So, if at all possible, wait until you can access a trusted, encrypted network before engaging in any communications or activity involving your financial accounts. • Become adept with passwords. Use a different • Don’t give up control of your computer. Under password for each of your accounts and change your passwords regularly. Of course, maintaining multiple passwords no circumstances should provide remote access to computer to a stranger contacts you, possibly • Think twice before clicking or downloading. Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle,the purchaser to free.and. clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. MORTGAGE: Mortgagor(s): Michael G. Linsea and Rosalind H. Linsea, Husband and Wife Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration. Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), solely as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and assigns Date of mortgage: August 24, 2012 Recorded on September 5, 2012, in Document No. 2012-004176, Foreclosing Assignee (if any): The Huntington National Bank Amount claimed to be due at the date hereof: Eighty-One Thousand FortySix and 08/100 Dollars ($81,046.08) Mortgaged premises: Situated in Barry County, and described as: Commencing at the center of Section 9, Town 2 North, Range 10 West, thence North on the NorthSouth 1/4 line, 33 rods for the place of beginning; thence North on said 1/4 line 1050 feet; thence West 930 feet; thence Southerly approximately 880' to a point on the Northerly right of way boundary of “Laura Drive”, (a Private Drive in the Plat of Fawn Lake), situated 150 feet Westerly of the North-West arc post of curve #1 of said Plat; thence Southeasterly along said Drive to a point due West of place of beginning; thence East to the place of beginning. Commonly known as 5399 Laura Dr, Shelbyville, Ml 49344 The redemption period will be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless abandoned under MCL 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period will be 30 days from the date of such sale, or 15 days from the MCL 600.3241 a(b) notice, whichever is later; or unless extinguished pursuant to MCL 600.3238. If the above referenced property is sold at a foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of Act 236 of 1961, under MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. The Huntington National Bank Mortgagee/Assignee Schneiderman & Sherman P.C. 23938 Research Dr, Suite 300 Farmington Hills, Ml 48335 248.539.7400 1483726 (12-08)(12-29) 192272 NOTICE TQ CREDITORS DECEDENT’S TRUST STATE OF MICHIGAN COUNTY OF BARRY In the matter of the MARIE ALINE IRVINE REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST AGREEMENT DATED OCTOBER 5, 1995, AS AMENDED, MARIE ALINE IRVINE Date of birth: February 10, 1922 TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Marie Aline Irvine, died December 6, 2022. There is no personal representative of the decedent’s estate to whom Letters of Administration have been issued. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the Trust will be forever barred unless presented to John David Irvine, co-Trustee of the Marie Aline Irvine Revocable Living Trust Agreement dated October 5, 1995, as amended, within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Dated: December 20, 2022 John David Irvine, co-Trustee, 5419 Fawn Lake Dr., Shelbyville, Ml 49344-9780 Foster, Swift, Collins & Smith, P.C. Attorneys for the Trustee By Jonathan J. David 1700 East Beltline, N.E., Suite 200 Grand Rapids, Ml 49525 (616) 726-2243 193084 you your who with an offer to help “disinfect” your computer. If you do think your device has an issue with malicious software, contact a legitimate technician for assistance. • Know whom you’re calling for help. If you need assistance from, say, a customer service area of a financial institution, make sure you know the phone number is accurate and legitimate —possibly one from a billing or confirmation statement. Some people have been scammed by Googling “support” numbers that belonged to fraudsters who asked for sensitive information. J • Review all correspondence with your financial services provider. Keep a close eye 1 on your account activity and statements. If you see mistakes or unauthorized activity in your account, contact your financial institution immediately. Advanced technology has brought many benefits, but also many more opportunities for financial crimes. By taking the above steps, and others that may be needed, you can go a long way toward defending yourself against persistent and clever cyberthieves. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones, Member SIPC Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised-1 judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, ■ that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by ( a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder ; for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the ■' circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 ■ PM, on January 12, 2023. The amount due on the j mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing > the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle, the., purchaser to free and clear ownership of • the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to i contact the county register of deeds office or a title . insurance company, either of which may charge a fee’ for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Fern E. Fox, unmarried Original Mortgagee: Financial Freedom Funding Corporation, a subsidiary of Indy Mac Bank, F.S.B. Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Reverse Mortgage ' Funding LLC Date of Mortgage: June 28, 2006 Date of Mortgage Recording: July 7, 2006 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $140,470.12 ; Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Prairieville, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: Commencing at the Southwest corner of the West 1/2 of the Southeast 1/4 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 20, Town 1 North, Range 10 West, and running thence North 40.0 rods on the 1/8th line of said Section 20, thence East 8.0 rods parallel with East and West 1/4 line of said Section, thence South 40.0 rods parallel with said 1 /8th line to the East and: West 1/4 line of said Section, thence West 8.0 rods on said East and West 1/4 line to the place of beginning. Common street address (if any): 11286 Gilkey Rd? Plainwell, Ml 49080-9018 The redemption period shall be 6 months from theL date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in. accordance with MCL 600.3241a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes asdefined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale underChapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961,, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the,' mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holdei; for damaging the property during the redemption', period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you hav£ been ordered to active duty, please contact the. attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the; telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 8, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248) 642-2515 1483438 (12-08)(12-29) 192110- STATE OF MICHIGAN PROBATE COURT BARRY COUNTY t NOTICE TO CREDITORS Decedent’s Estate CASE NO. and JUDGE: 2022-29362-DE William M. Doherty <c. Court address: Tq 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058 Court telephone no.: (269) 945-1390 Estate of Michael Gillman Linsea. Date of birth; 10/11/1954. TO ALL CREDITORS: NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The decedent, Michael Gillman Linsea, died 10/14/2021. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred’ unless presented to Rosalind H. Hillard-Linsea, personal representative, or to both the probate1 court at 206 West Court Street, Hastings, Ml 49058’1 and the personal representative within 4 months after the date of publication of this notice. Date: 12/21/2022 Nathan E. Tagg (P68994) 202 South Broadway Io Hastings, Ml 49058 '< 269-948-2900 '• Rosalind H. Hillard-Linsea PO Box 481 Shelbyville, Ml 49344 616-889-5789 19307S. �f The Hastings Banner — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — Page 11 Top performers ended swim season at Finals I Cadence VanOoy Brett Bremer 47 Division 1 teams were represented. Sports Editor The team also hosted its annual Beat Can­ The final season of the co-op between cer Benefit with the Wayland Union Wildcats for the 13th consecutive season. The funds Thomapple Kellogg, Hastings and Delton Kellogg concluded with a pair of athletes raised were donated to the American Cancer competing in the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Society and the scholarship fund established Division 1 State Finals. in memory and honor of DK/TK/HHS team The team, led by head coach Carlo Schoesmember Lydia Cole. sel, went 5-4 in dual meets this fall and The program was led by senior captains placed fourth in the OK Rainbow Tier II Katie Clark, Erin Daniels, Abby Gaskill, Conference with three girls earning all-conPreslee Hall, Kasey Kapteyn and Cadence Terence .honors- and-a -pair of divers qualified, - VanOoy.,■«■»«i.i il i'll -- — i i wi - . for the MHSAA Regionals. Here are the honorees for this year’s The team’s two state finalists scored enough All-Barry County Girls’ Swimming and Div­ points to put the team 291’1 at the finals where ing First and Second Teams. LEGAL NOTICES , DUE TO THE HOLIDAY THE CIRCUIT COURT , SALE BELOW WILL BE ADJOURNED FROM 12/15/2022 TO 12/22/2022; 12/22/2022 TO 12/29/2022; 12/29/2022 TO 01/05/2023; 01/05/2023 TO 01/12/2023 VARNLIM LLP Attorneys 260 E. Brown Street, Suite 160 Birmingham, Ml 48009 NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL ESTATE PURSUANT TO JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. ATTENTION HOMEOWNER: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure (the “Judgment”) entered on May 11, 2017, and an Order Granting Motion for Entry of Renewed Order Authorizing Sale dated September 6, 2022, in the Circuit Court for the County of Barry, Case No. 14-998-CZ, the Court has ordered the sale at public auction of real property under a Mortgage (the “Mortgage") made by Marvin Allen Hake (now deceased) and Kim M. Hake (“Mortgagor”), to Bond Corporation, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee, dated February 2, 2007, and recorded on February 16, 2007, in Document No. 1176513, Barry County Records. The mortgage debt is due and payable in the amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Eight and 98/100 Dollars ($58,488.98) as of May 5, 2017, with the debt accruing interest since that date at the rate of 16.850% per annum, plus such other fees and costs that may be recovered pursuant to the Note and Mortgage and the Judgment. Notice is hereby given that by virtue of the Judgment and the statute in such case made and provided, and to pay said amount with interest as provided in the Judgment, and all legal costs, charges and expenses, including attorney fees allowed by law, the Mortgage will be foreclosed by sale of the Mortgaged premises at public venue to the highest bidder in the main lobby of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings, Michigan, the place of holding the Circuit Court within Barry County, Michigan, on Thursday, Decembers, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. local time. Pursuant to the Judgment, the redemption period shall be six (6) months from the date of the foreclosure sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale pursuant to MCLA 600.3278, the Mortgagor will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the Mortgagee for damaging the property during the redemption period. The premises covered by said mortgage is commonly known as 336 Donna, Lake Odessa, Michigan 48849, and is situated in the Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, described as follows: Lots 71,72 and 73 of Innovation Subdivision, according to the plat thereof as recorded in Liber 3 of Plats, Page 21, Barry County Records. Parcel No. 08-15-080-048-00 Dated: October 20, 2022 BOND CORPORATION, a Michigan corporation, Mortgagee Barry County Sheriff Civil Division 220 W. State Street Hastings, Ml 49058 20145307.1 02-29) 192404 Notice of Foreclosure by Advertisement Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM, on January 19, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information: Name(s) of the mortgagor(s): Molly K. Diekhoff, an unmarried woman Original Mortgagee: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for lender and lender’s successors and/or assigns Foreclosing Assignee (if any): Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, d/b/a Christiana Trust, not individually but as trustee for Pretium Mortgage Acquisition Trust Date of Mortgage: August 8, 2005 Date of Mortgage Recording: August 10, 2005 Amount claimed due on date of notice: $120,721.07 Description of the mortgaged premises: Situated in Township of Woodland, Barry County, Michigan, and described as: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE WEST LINE OF SECTION 30, TOWN 4 NORTH, RANGE 7 WEST, WOODLAND TOWNSHIP BARRY COUNTY, MICHIGAN DISTANT NORTH, 858 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID SECTION 30; THENCE NORTH, 220 FEET ALONG SAID WEST LINE; THENCE EAST, 231 FEET PARALLEL WITH THE SOUTH LINE OF THE SOUTHWEST FRACTIONAL 1/4 OF SAID SECTION 30; THENCE SOUTH 220 FEET; THENCE WEST, 231 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SUBJECTTOAN EASEMENT FOR PUBLIC HIGHWAY PURPOSES OVER THE WESTERLY 33 FEET THEREOF FOR DURKEE ROAD, AND ANY OTHER EASEMENTS OR RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD. Common street address (if any): 3200 Durkee Rd, Hastings, Ml 49058-9449 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCL 600.3241 a; or, if the subject real property is used for agricultural purposes as defined by MCL 600.3240(16). If the property is sold at foreclosure sale under Chapter 32 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, pursuant to MCL 600.3278 the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damaging the property during the redemption period. Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. This notice is from a debt collector. Date of notice: December 22, 2022 Trott Law, P.C. 31440 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 145 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 (248)642-2515 1484815 (12-22)(01-12) 192872 NOTICE Attention homeowner: If you are a military service member on active duty, if your period of active duty has concluded less than 90 days ago, or if you have been ordered to active duty, please contact the attorney for the party foreclosing the mortgage at the telephone number stated in this notice. Notice of foreclosure by advertisement. Notice is given under section 3212 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA236, MCL 600.3212, that the following mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at a public auction sale to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check at the place of holding the circuit court in Barry County, starting promptly at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 26, 2023. The amount due on the mortgage may be greater on the day of the sale. Placing the highest bid at the sale does not automatically entitle the purchaser to free and clear ownership of the property. A potential purchaser is encouraged to contact the county register of deeds office or a title insurance company, either of which may charge a fee for this information. Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Weldon C. Cole and Waunita L. Cole, husband and wife, to U.S. Financial Mortgage Corp., Mortgagee, dated March 25, 2005 and recorded April 13, 2005 in Instrument Number 1144847 Barry County Records, Michigan. Said mortgage is now held by CAG National Fund I LLC, by assignment. There is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Forty-Four Thousand Five Hundred Twenty-Three and 95/100 Dollars ($144,523.95). Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue at the place of holding the circuit court within Barry County, Michigan at 1:00 PM on JANUARY 26, 2023. Said premises are located in the Township of JOHNSTOWN, Barry County Michigan, and are described as: Commencing at a point on the East/West quarter line of said Section 35 at a point 80 feet West of the center quarter post of said section; thence continuing West along the East/West quarter line of said section a distance of 653 feet; thence North parallel with the North/South quarter line of said section a distance of 380 feet; thence East parallel with the East/West quarter line of said section a distance of 653 feet; thence South parallel with the North/South quarter line of said section a distance of 380 feet to the point of beginning. Less and except that portion conveyed to Eugene Anderson and Linda Anderson by Deed as instrument #1006812. 3465 Strickland Road, Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA §600.3241 a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale. If the property is sold at foreclosure sale, pursuant to MCL 600.3278, the borrower will be held responsible to the person who buys the property at the mortgage foreclosure sale or to the mortgage holder for damage to the property during the redemption period. Dated: December 29, 2022 File No. 22-008418 Firm Name: Orlans PC Firm Address: 1650 West Big Beaver Road, Troy Ml 48084 Firm Phone Number: (248) 502.1400 (12-29)(01-19) 193092 All-Barry County 2022 Girls’ Swimming & Diving First Team Holly Carpenter, DK/TK/HHS: A junior, Carpenter is part of the DK/TK/HHS team record holding foursome in the 200-yard medley relay from 2021, and she was as part of the fastest times in all three relays for the team this fall. She placed seventh in the 50-yard freestyle and fifth in the 100-yard freestyle at the OK .RainbowTietXIXTmfer-ence.Meetthis-falL — Erin Daniels, DK/TK/HHS: One of six senior captains for the DK/TK/HHS team this fall, Daniels was one of the top performers in the 500-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke this season. Daniels placed 11^ in the 500-yard free­ style at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet and 12^ in the breaststroke. Abby Dumond, DK/TK/HHS: The top diver for the DK/TK/HHS team this winter, Dumond placed 19^ out of 36 divers at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Swim­ ming & Diving Finals in November. Dumond was the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Champion in the diving competi­ tion with a total score at the conference meet of 310.25 points across 11 dives. She had a top six-dive score of 219.00 as a sophomore this season. Preslee Hall, DK/TK/HHS: The DK/ TK/HHS team’s speedster in the butterfly, Hall was fourth at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet in the race with a time of 1:03.99. Hall earned all-conference honors while also placing third with her team’s 200-yard freestyle relay team and the 200-yard med­ ley relay team and scoring a fifth place time of 26.16 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle. Aubrey Hawks, DK/TK/HHS: Hawks proved a strong freestyle sprinter for the DK/ TK/HHS team as as sophomore this fall. Hawks was a part of the third place 200yard medley relay team at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference meet and she led her team at the conference meet in the 200-yard free­ style with a time of 2:16.04 which put her in eighth place. Hawks was also the fastest DK/ TK/HHS girl in the 100-yard backstroke at the conference meet with a seventh-place time of 1:10.80. Kasey Kapteyn, DK/TK/HHS: A senior captain for the DK/TK/HHS team, Kapteyn scored for her team in the 200-yard individu­ al medley at the OK Rainbow Tier II Confer­ ence Meet with a 16th-place time. She was one of the team’s top five in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 100-yard breast­ stroke throughout the course of the season. Sophia Marcukaitis, DK/TK/HHS: Marcukaitis capped her junior season by placing seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke at the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals with a time of 1:06.18. She was also 16^ at the finals in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of24.59. She was an all-conference performer thanks to a championship in the 100-yard breaststroke at the OK Rainbow Tier II Con­ ference Meet and a championship in the 50-yard freestyle there as well. She was part of the third-place 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay teams at the confer­ ence meet for her team. She had the fastest time on the team in all five of the eight indi­ vidual swimming events she.competed in this year, and holds the team record in the 100yard breaststroke and as a part of the 200yard medley relay team from last year. Lizzie Middleton, DK/TK/HHS: A top distance performer for DK/TK/HHS as a junior this fall. Middleton turned in a time of 6:19.44 to place ninth at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet in the 500-yard free­ style. That was the fastest 500 in the pool by any of the DK/TK/HHS girls this season. Middleton also placed 11 in the 200-yard freestyle at the conference meet and was a part of the DK/TK/HHS team’s fifth-place 400-yard freestyle relay team. Cadence VanOoy, DK/TK/HHS: A senior captain for the DK/TK/HHS team this fall, VanOoy was the second fastest girl on the 4eam-in-a-400-yard butterfly' and- .1-00-yardbackstroke race this season, while also Being a solid contributor in freestyle events. Putting all those skills together, VanOoy placed 13™ at the OK Rainbow Tier II Con­ ference Meet in the 200-yard individual med­ ley at the end of the season. She also placed 12th in the 100-yard backstroke at the confer­ ence meet and was a member of the thirdplace 200-yard freestyle relay team and the fifth-place 400-yard freestyle relay team. All-Barry County 2022 Girls’ Swimming & Diving Second Team Katie Clark, DK/TK/HHS: A senior cap­ tain for the DK/TK/HHS team this fall, Clark competed in the freestyle sprints for the team. Clark was 24th in the prelims for both the 100-yard freestyle and the 50-yard freestyle at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet at the end of the season. Abby Gaskill, DK/TK/HHS: A senior captain this fall for the DK/TK/HHS girls’ swimming and diving team. Gaskill was just off the pace of the final top-16 scorers in the 100-yard freestyle and the 50-yard freestyle at the conference meet at the end of the season. Malia Hamby, DK/TK/HHS: A sopho­ more, Hamby led off the 400-yard freestyle relay for the DK/TK/HHS team that placed fifth in the race at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet. Hamby was just off the times of the final scorers in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100yard freestyle at the conference meet as well. See SWIM, page 12 Banner CLASSIFIEDS CALL... The Hastings BANNER • 945-9554 BUsiness Services Help Wanted MATT ENDSLEY, FABRI­ CATION and repair, custom GENERAL LABORER: JOB trailers, buckets, bale spears, etc. Call 269-804-7506. BUYING ALL HARD­ WOODS: Walnut, White Oak, Tulip Poplar. Call for pricing. Will buy single Wal­ nut trees. Insured, liability & workman's comp. Fetterley Logging, (269)818-7793. includes lifting and stacking lumber, must be able to lift 501bs. Full-time employment starting at $18.00/hr. Benefits-401(k), 401(k) matching, Dental insurance, Health in­ surance, Life insurance, Paid time off, Retirement plan, Vi­ sion insurance. Apply in per­ son to: Quality Hardwoods, Inc., 396 Main St., Sunfield, MI. CHOICE CONCRETE CON­ STRUCTION: Hiring full time positions, no experience needed, competitive wages, insurance and great benefits. 616-693-2123. Stop in- 8637 Portland Rd, Clarksville, MI PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act and the Michigan Civil Rights Act which collectively make it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, age or martial status, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To report discrimination call the Fair Housing Center at 616-451-2980. The HUD toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. �Page 12 — Thursday, December 29, 2022 — The Hastings Banner Group of all-state players among county’s best on pitch Brett Bremer Sports Editor It was a mostly competitive season when the area varsity boys’ soccer teams got together. Hastings closed out the regular season with a narrow 4-3 win over visiting Lakewood. The Saxons opened the year falling 2-0 in Middleville. About halfway between those two ball­ games, the Lakewood varsity boys’ soccer team played to a 3-3 draw with the Delton Kellogg Panthers. The Maple Valley boys couldn’t quite keep up with Lakewood in their Greater Lansing Activities Conference match this fall, but the Lions managed at least a couple wins under their new head coach. It was another strong season for the Lake­ wood program which had a county-high 14 wins. The Vikings were second in the GLAC behind Lansing Christian and battled to a district final before narrowly falling to the district hosts from Eaton Rapids in Division 3 at the end of the season. Hastings had 9 wins on the season, Delton Kellogg had 12 wins and Thomapple Kellogg had 10 wins. It was another solid season for the TK boys in the OK Gold Conference, and the Trojans gave Gull Lake a battle in their MHSAA Division 2 District contest at the close of the season. The Blue Devils went on to win the MHSAA Division 2 State Championship while not giving up a goal throughout the entire state tournament run. Delton managed its dozen wins despite following up a season in which it won a dis­ trict title by having to postpone its first cou­ ple ballgames because of a lack of numbers in the program. The Panthers wound up tied for third in the Southwestern Athletic Confer­ ence. Here are the 2022 All-Barry County Boys’ Soccer First and Second Teams. 2022 All-Barry County Boys’ Soccer First Team Colby Carter, Lakewood: One of the county’s top scoring threats. Carter helped led the Vikings to as conference title as a junior and a spot in the district finals this fall as a senior. He was named honorable mention all-state in Division 3. He set a new single season Lakewood scor­ ing record this fall and also finishes high school as one of the top scorers in the history of the Viking program. Zach Chipman, Hastings: A senior, Chip­ man kept the Saxons in games throughout the season with his combination of smarts and athleticism. Chipman was a leader on the back line for the Saxons. Austin Chivis, Thornapple Kellogg: The Trojans’ top attacker all fall. Chivis was named first team all-confer­ ence in the OK Gold this season. Jackson Curtis, Thornapple Kellogg: The Trojans’ senior captain in the midfield was named honorable mention all-state in Division 2 this year. Curtis was named first team all-conference in the OK Gold this fall. Marshall Warner Colby Carter Garrett Feighan, Lakewood: Feighan took on whatever task was assigned to him, whether that meant helping out the back line or finding the back of the net for the Vikings. Feighan was one of the Vikings’ leaders in both goals and assists this fall. Reece Hoeksma, Thornapple Kellogg: A leader in the midfield for the Trojans during his junior season this fall. Hector Jimenez, Delton Kellogg: A senior midfielder, Jimenez had 28 goals and 18 assists for the Delton Kellogg team this sea­ son. Jimenez was named all-conference in the SAC and all-district as well this season. Mabie said not only was Jimenez a key part of the attack, but he provided outstanding assistance breaking back on defense as well. Nate Shoemaker, Thornapple Kellogg: Shoemaker was as key part of the Trojans’ defensive line as a freshman this fall. Cohen Smith, Hastings: Smith earned the Saxons’ offensive player of the year award this season. A senior, Smith earned first team all-con­ ference and all-district awards. Kearan Tolles, Hastings: Tolles, a senior, was named the Saxons’ team MVP in his third varsity season this fall. Tolles was honored as a first team all-con­ ference performer and first team all-district this season. Caleb Waller, Hastings: Waller, a senior, was named all-conference honorable men­ tion in the Interstate-8 Athletic Conference this fall. Waller played his thir<4 varsity season with the Saxons. Marshall Warner, Delton Kellogg: A senior, Warner was named third team all-state in Division 3 this fall. He had 33 goals and 22 assists on the year. “Warner is our playmaker for our team and has the ability to control games,” Delton Kel­ logg head coach Alan Mabie said. 2022 All-Barry County Boys’ Soccer Second Team Troy Acker, Lakewood: Acker was the top defender for the Viking team this fall. With him at the helm, the Vikings recorded seven shut outs this season as a part of their 14 victories overall. James Blackburn, Delton Kellogg: A senior central midfielder, Blackbum was all-conference in the SAC and an all-district honoree too. Blackburn was key to setting the Panthers’ attack in motion all season long. He finished the year with 7 goals and 10 assists. Jayce Curtis, Thornapple Kellogg: Cur­ tis was a solid addition to the Trojan varsity as a sophomore this fall. He used his strength and speed to help the Trojans control the midfield throughout much of the fall. Fernando De Santiago, Thornapple Kel­ logg: A junior, he provided an offensive boost to the Trojans throughout the fall. He scored in the season opener against Otsego and then found the net twice in a win over the Hastings Saxons. Myles Hatton, Delton Kellogg: A sopho­ more who was asked to play a variety of positions for the Panthers he mostly settled in to a spot as a holding midfielder tasked with containing opponents’ top attackers. “He was often successful in taking that player out of scoring situations,” coach Mabie said. “He will be a large factor in the success of the team his next two years.” Caleb Gurtowsky, Hastings: A senior who was solid in the air around the net for the Saxons. Gurtowsky showed off strong ball skills in the air, and was a physical contributor on offense and defense for his team. Troy Hokanson, Hastings: A sophomore in his second varsity season for the Saxons this fall he was one of his team’s top distrib­ utors and a solid attacker. Hokanson was named honorable mention all-conference in the 1-8 this season. Luke Kaiser, Thornapple Kellogg: The Trojans’ senior goalkeeper was strong around his box and a good communicator in the back end. Kaiser and the Trojans posted eight shut outs on the season. Gabe LaJoye, Thornapple Kellogg: A key part of the Trojan defense this season as a senior after spending his younger years in the midfield. He was tasked with being the leader on a young defensive line. Jackson MacKenzie, Lakewood: One of the county’s top midfielders already as a sophomore, MacKenzie was outstanding at finding teammates and finding the back of the net. He was close to double digits in both goals and assists this fall. Ashton Ripley, Maple Valley: A senior, Ripley was a late addition to the roster this fall. He was named second team all-confer­ ence in the GLAC. “He is a track speedster helping on our defensive line,” coach Webb said. “Ashton played anywhere he needed and didn’t com­ plain.” > Robert Schilz, Maple Valley: A sopho­ more, Schilz earned first team all-conference honors in the GLAC this fall. He led the Lions in assists this fall. “Robert was a leader on and off the field, setting an example of a solid work ethic,” said coach Webb. “Throughout our season, Robert was the one defender that was a con­ sistent leader. He did not let many attackers penetrate his space.” TENNIS, continued from page 9 Reily Teigeler, Lakewood: Teigeler made a huge leap in the Lakewood line-up for his sophomore season, moving from second dou­ bles all the way up to first singles. Teigeler fought for some tough wins, pull­ ing out a super tiebreaker against the top player from Pennfield and knocking off Mount Pleasant’s number one in a second-set tiebreaker for a victory. Doubles Landon Conroy & Kyan Haywood, Thornapple Kellogg: A pair of juniors, they opened the season at first doubles for TK and then settled into the second doubles spot to record five victories on the season. They bested Lakewood’s number two dou­ bles team early in the season and closed the season with a couple OK Gold Conference wins against the number two team from Cedar Springs. Ben Cuisson & Aaron Michalk, Thor­ napple Kellogg: A senior duo for the Trojans at first doubles, the two went 7-5 as a pair together. Michalk himself finished the season with nine wins. The two went 4-3 in their OK Gold Confer­ ence duals this fall and began the season by knocking off Lakewood’s top doubles team. Joe Goggins & Hayden Long, Hastings: A pair of Saxon seniors, Goggins and Long won seven matches together this year while also having three ' tough three-setters go against them. Both guys also played a few singles matches during the season. They turned things around against Cold­ water, falling in three sets to the Cardinals’ top duo during the regular season and then besting them at the Interstate-8 Athletic Con­ ference Tournament. They took fifth at the conference tournament at their flight. All-Barry County 2022 Boys’ Tennis Second Team Singles James MacKenzie, Lakewood: A sopho­ more, he followed his second doubles team­ mate from 2021, Teigeler up the Lakewood line-up this fall. MacKenzie took over the second singles spot for the Vikings and scored four victories on the season. Franklin Wilkinson, Thornapple Kel­ logg: A freshman, Wilkinson kept the ball on the court to win five matches this fall for the Trojans at fourth singles. Wilkinson pulled out a pair of three-set victories in OK Gold Conference duals to help the Trojans to victories over Ottawa Hills and Cedar Springs. Doubles Dylan Bailey & Andrew Beckering; Thornapple Kellogg: A pair ofjuniors who teamed up in the third doubles spot for eight wins for the Trojans this season. Bailey had ten wins total, getting a couple matches in with partner Andy Liu. The pair had a mark of 4-3 in the OK Gold conference duals this season. Daniel Beckering & Anson Verlinde, Thornapple Kellogg: The junior Beckering and sophomore Verlinde filled the fourth dou­ bles spot for the Trojans throughout the fall. The pair went 9-6 as a duo with a 4-3 mark in the team’s OK Gold Conference duals. SWIM, continued from page 11 Maelea Martin, DK/TK/HHS: A junior, Martin was Closing at 3 p.m. New Year’s Eve Jesus Loves You! Sj* 218 E. State St., Hastings • 945-9673 Saturday 9 am-3 pm Hulst Dry Cleaners Pick-Up Station one of the program’s top divers this winter. She was a regional qualifier last year as a sophomore. She had a top 11-dive score on the season of 152.25 points. Isabella Morey, DK/TK/HHS: A junior, Morey was the third fastest competitor for the DK/TK/HHS team in the butterfly, the backstroke and the 500-yard freestyle over the course of the season. Morey placed tenth at the OK Rainbow Tier II meet in the 100-yard butterfly and 15^ in the 100-yard back- stroke. TJ Myers, DK/TK/HHS: One of two regional quali­ fiers in diving for the DK/TK/HHS team this fall. Myers finished 19^ at regionals. Myers was fifth at the OK Rainbow Tier II Confer­ ence Meet with a score of 259.50 points in the 11-dive competition. Her top six-dive score of the season was 182.45. Ainsley Parsons, DK/TK/HHS: A junior, Parsons placed 13^ at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet in the 500-yard freestyle. Parsons was also 20^ in the 100-yard breaststroke at the conference meet and a part of the tenth-place 200yard medley relay team for the DK/TK/HHS team. Jenna Robinett, DK/TK/HHS: A freshman, she had a top finish of 19™ at the OK Rainbow Tier II Confer­ ence meet in the 100-yard backstroke. Robinett also placed 22n^ at the conference meet in the 200-yard freestyle. Siena VanOoy, DK/TK/HHS: VanOoy, a fresh­ man, scored for the DK/TK/HHS team in the 100-yard butterfly at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference meet with a 13th-place time of 1:22.91. She was one of the top five performers in that race as well as the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke over the course of the season. Melany Vargas, DK/TK/HHS: A sophomore, Vargas scored for her team with a 16th-place time in the 200yard freestyle at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference Meet. She was also 16™ at the conference meet in the 500yard freestyle. Zoe Watson, DK/TK/HHS: A sophomore, raced to a 20th-place time in the 100-yard backstroke at the OK Rainbow Tier II Conference meet at the end of the season. Watson was also a part of the team’s ‘B’ 400-yard freestyle relay team at the conference meet. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hastings Banner Subject The topic of the resource Newspaper.HastingsBanner Description An account of the resource <strong>The Hastings Public Library wishes to thank Smith Imaging of Rockford, MI for their work digitizing the Hastings Banner.</strong><br /><br /><strong>The Library also wishes to thank all of the community members who donated money to support our digitizing efforts.<br /><br />The Banner Overview:</strong><br />The Hastings Banner newspaper has been published in Hastings, Michigan since 1856. The following history highlights are taken from Richard Cook's history as published in the 1956 Centennial Edition of The Hastings Banner, and recapped by Esther Walton in her From Time to Time column in The Banner dated April 12, 1984.<br /><br /><strong>Links to online copies of the paper follow the history section.<br /></strong><strong><br /><br /><br />Searching the paper:<br /></strong>The Banner, and all other PDF files on this history portal, are fully searchable. To search:<br /><ol><li>Click on the magnifying glass search icon in the upper right.</li> <li>Enter your search term(s) in the simple search box and press Enter or click on Search.</li> <li>Any PDF file on the site that contains your term(s) should be listed. Do not use the Advanced Search.</li> </ol><strong>See <a href="https://www.barrycountyhistoryportal.org/files/original/676/How_To_Use_Online_Newspapers_8x11.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to Use Online Newspapers</a> for more information about using and searching online newspapers.</strong><br /><br />-----------------------<br /><strong>The Banner History</strong>:<br />C.S. Burton &amp; Co. were listed as the proprietors of the "Republican Banner", which first appeared here on May 1, 1856, with Dr. C. S. Burton as the publisher and Norman Bailey as editor.<br /><br />Publication office was on the second floor of the Rower Block, whose address was given as "corner of State and Church"; which corner was not specified.<br /><br />The objective of this publication was to win support for the newly created Republican party and thus counteract the influence of the Barry County Pioneer, a Democratic journal that had been published here since 1851. No copies of the first three issues of The Banner were saved.<br /><br />Make-up on the first journal corresponded with a pattern typical of most local journals then published. Page one contained a few columns of advertising, fiction (often a continued story), and a short feature of no particular news value. Page one was the "literary" page.<br /><br />Page two contained the editorial barbs, along with state news, political articles, Washington items and news of the national and territorial giovernments. Page three contained a few items of local news, sandwiched inbetween the local and foreign news.<br /><br />Page four was usually solid with advertising and as such was the editor's "bread and butter" page....Locally it was the pattern until the early 1880s.<br /><br />Several changes in ownership and management occurred during the first two years of publication, with J. M. Nevins taking over ownership interests on July 16, 1857. With the issue of May 7, 1862, "The Republican Banner" became "The Hastings Banner". Editor Nevins thought the village had developed sufficiently during the past several years to merit this recognition.<br /><br />Another major change in the management of The Banner came when Nevins sold the newspaper to George M. Dewey of Niles on March 14, 1866, who then took over as editor and publisher. Dewey, an ardent Republican and somewhat of a crusader, gave considerable space to editorial comment and party affairs and also directed pointed paragraphs against the saloons and local traffic in liquor. Dewey was the grandfather of Thomas E. Dewey, Republican presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948. Editor Dewey on May 4, 1870 changed the format (and name) of the paper to "Hastings Republican Banner". <br /><br />A fire in December 1883 burned The Banner plant (located in the middle of the block on the north side of State St. across from the courthouse). Files and back issues from August 1880 to December 1883 and the January 4, 1884 issues are missing.<br /><br />The Banner was purchased by Marshall L. Cook and George Bower on July 21, 1880. They changed the name to "The Hastings Banner". M. L. Cook soon became the sole owner and remained so until July 7, 1887 when Albert Nishern (M. L.'s brother-in-law) joined him. Albert Nishern sold his interest on November 6, 1889 to William Cook (M. L.'s younger brother).<br /><br />The Cook brothers partnership held together (56 years) ... Richard Cook followed his father into the newspaper business, and Richard's son William joined him. So the Cook family ownership continued for 85 years, from 1880 to 1974, when Richard and William sold the paper to High Fullerton. J-Ad Graphics became the owners of "The Hastings Banner" in August of 1981. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Newspaper Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hastings Banner Published 2022 Subject The topic of the resource Newspaper.HastingsBanner Description An account of the resource Hastings Banner Published 2022. Specific issues may be incomplete or missing. Type The nature or genre of the resource PDF Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newspaper Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource varies within year published Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/ Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Hastings Public Library and J-Ad Graphics Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available J-Ad Graphics Date Accepted Date of acceptance of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Accepted may be relevant are a thesis (accepted by a university department) or an article (accepted by a journal). ongoing